《The Support Ate it All》
Chapter 42: Duel Battle (4)
Chapter 42: Duel Battle (4)
Go Hyeon-woo was watching the duel battle from the spectator stands alongside Seo Ye-in and Shin Byeong-chul.
He let out a brief exmation of admiration.
Wow. That is truly a remarkable technique.
The martial arts practiced by Go Hyeon-woo were also closely rted to the wind, so his insight into the flow of the wind was better than that of others.
He immediately noticed a swift and powerful flow near Kim Hos hand.
However, even he could not read it perfectly until what happened afterward.
Seo Ye-in was also unusually focused on the duel with her eyes wide open.
Whats that? Whats happening?
Only Shin Byeong-chul waspletely at a loss and unable to grasp the situation.
Go Hyeon-woo was about to exin as best as he knew but he suddenly recalled a past incident.
Heh, Im not telling~. Lets leave it as a surprise for tomorrow
Haah, the principles of the martial world have fallen indeed
Are you curious?
I am. How did he suddenly get attacked by a stone?
Ill tell you after it ends.
Ohe on, really?
This must have been how Shin-hyung felt back then.
Go Hyeon-wooughed joyfully.
Kwak Seung-jae and the third-year students had more experience, so they saw much more but they too hadnt fully grasped the situation.
Dang Gyu-young had a high understanding of hidden weapons so she was closest to the truth.
Wind magic, isnt it?
As soon as the duel started, Kim Hounched a highlypressed stream of wind.
He used this wind to strike a stone and then guided the struck stone to urately fly towards Kwak Ji-chuls face.
She understood it in her head, but frankly, it was unbelievable.
Hitting a small target from a distance is basic, but using the hit target to strike another?
This was no easy feat even for Dang Gyu-young.
Naturally, the question that had been lingering before surfaced again in her mind.
Is he really a first-year student?
Ugh
Kwak Ji-chul who was struck in the face by the stone struggled to regain his senses for quite some time.
At this point, the duel was essentially decided.
If it had been a real battle, he would have died several times already.
However, Kim Ho stood leisurely at his spot and just waited.
As if he was saying that the first hit was just a taste, and the real match was just beginning.
Damn it What was that? Another trick?
For Kwak Ji-chul, the participant, it was a deeply mystifying experience.
For a moment, his vision shed with light and he barely managed to keep his consciousness from fading away.
If it werent for the armor he borrowed from his senior, he likely would have been knocked out.
Kwak Ji-cheol, who was desperately trying to maintain his posture, saw Kim Hos hand move.
Fearing that he would get beaten without being able to do anything again, he hurriedly gathered mana to cast a counterspell.
The situation was dire, but his spellcasting was quick.
[Earth Cluster]
Small andrge stones scattered on the ground began to move as if pulled by a ma towards a point in the air, clustering together to form arge ball.
The spell fused the earth into a ball that was useful for both attack and defense.
Kwak Ji-cheol maneuvered the ball to protect his front.
In the next moment, with a sharp snap! a stone flew off.
It was obvious that it had beenunched by that guy.
When Kwak Ji-cheol lightly brushed the Earth Cluster with his hand, the ball began to rotate faster.
One by one, the clustered rocks shot out.
Kim Ho, walking as leisurely as if on a stroll, passed by the iing projectiles.
The look he gave seemed provocatively challenging, causing Kwak Ji-cheol to grit his teeth in anger.
Lets see how long he can keep up this attitude.
The emerald embedded in his staff shone brightly.
As the stones gathered, another [Earth Cluster] was formed.
The quality of his equipment was indeed remarkable.
Wrapped in the gear of the second and third-year level, any spell he cast was significantly faster and more powerful than usual.
Normally, maintaining two [Earth Clusters] would have been difficult, but now he could handle them with ease.
With this level, even three would be possible.
And just like he had guessed, he easilypleted a third ball.
Three Earth Clusters rotated and they started firing stones like a machine gun.
Tutututututu!
Yes, this is it!
The sense of wielding enormous power.
The awareness that this strength was borrowed from others began to fade gradually.
I am strong. I cant possibly lose!
Tutututututu!
He felt good just at the sight of Kim Hos previously leisurely footwork speeding up.
Though he adeptly dodged now, over time, he would inevitably start taking hits and eventually fall.
Kim Ho seemed to realize that his time was running out too, at least in Kwak Ji-cheols eyes.
As he dodged the barrage of gravel, Kim Ho gradually closed the distance.
When he was sufficiently close, lightning gathered in Kim Hos hand.
Kwak Ji-cheols lips curled into a smirk.
So hes finally using it?
A bolt of lightning that looked like a hummingbird streaked across the air.
Kwak Ji-cheol didnt think to dodge or block; he opened his chest wide as if weing the hummingbird.
Fzzzt!
Thought that would work? What a pity.
.
Kwak Ji-cheol showed no signs of paralysis, not even a hint of being slightly electrocuted.
As if he thought things had gone wrong, Kim Ho once again increased the distance between them.
He was too busy dodging the rocks shot by the three [Earth Clusters].
Kwak Ji-cheol felt a thrilling sense of liberation and burst into an exhratedugh.
Hahaha! What else is left in your arsenal
Bang!
And then his face was smashed into the ground.
To the audience, it appeared as though an invisible hand had grabbed Kwak Ji-cheols head and forcefully mmed it into the ground.
Ha Soo-yeons eyes sparkled with interest.
So thats the skill.
The skill Kim Ho had personally written using the [nk Skill Book] passed to him by Park Na-ri.
Though she didnt know its exact effect, it gathered the wind and mmed it down like a hammer.
Not just anyone could create and make use of such a skill.
But that wasnt all.
It was all nned.
Kim Ho had set a trap to use this unknown wind magic.
While using the hummingbird as bait.
There is no way he didnt know that the Emerald Magic Tower would take countermeasures against his skills.
Yet he boldly cast the Hummingbird.
And a hummingbird that, whenpared to the rey, was sloppy in every aspect.
It was thrown more for show than with any real expectation of sess.
On the other hand, Kwak Ji-cheol, fully aware and intending to show off his resistance to paralysis items, willingly took the hit from Hummingbird.
In that moment of distraction by the bird in front of him, a wind was gathering andpressing above his head.
Adding meticulous nning to his genuine skills, he was an opponent who would surely be troublesome if made an enemy.
Ha Soo-yeon sighed in relief in her head. She was d she had given him the [Rank Up] as a gift.
[Kim Ho 100% vs Kwak Ji-cheol 86%]
Urgh!
Kwak Ji-cheol struggled to lift his head.
His face was so covered in dirt that it looked like a mask, with a stream of blood running from his nose.
His arms, trembling as they supported his body, were not shaking solely from the impact.
When he finally managed to get up, Kim Ho was already close at hand.
Thump!
A powerful punch spun Kwak Ji-cheols jaw.
Stumbling backward in a daze, he was stopped by what seemed like an invisible wall.
He had no way of knowing that it was actually a faint wind blowing from behind.
Thump!
Next, a kicknded squarely in his abdomen.
Kwak Ji-cheols waist bent violently.
Damn it Damn it!
What exactly went wrong, and where, and how?
Just moments ago, he was 200% confident of victory.
Thwack!
As if refusing to give him time to figure it out, Kim Ho struck his face again.
Kwak Ji-cheol stumbled and thought.
This cant go on.
If things continued this way, hed be beaten without a chance to fight back.
A conversation with Mok Jong-hwa shed through his mind.
Dont use the golem if you can help it.
Why not?
Equipment that looks in can be overlooked, even if its actually third-year gear.
But not a golem.
!
Anyone can see that its a third-year golem; what will people think?
It wouldnt be much help in boosting the prestige of the Emerald Magic Tower.
I understand. Ill try to win without the golem. And overwhelmingly
Yet now, he was being overwhelmingly beaten.
Using the golem to win would be just breaking even.
But what if he held back and lost in the end?
The Emerald club would be aughingstock for years toe.
And he, as the protagonist of the rey, would be too.
Then theres the expulsion. A dreadfully scary word.
That must be avoided at all costs.
Alright I admit youve got some skills. But Ill be the oneughingst!
Just when Kim Ho, who had been swinging punches in pursuit, suddenly kicked the ground and retreated.
Boom!
A tree trunk-sized wooden fist then crashed down in his ce.
The stones on the ground shattered into smaller pieces, scattering in all directions.
The giant wooden golem.
Its upper body was abnormallyrgepared to its lower body, and the hands were especiallyrge.
Oh, so thats the golem?
What, youve never seen one before?
Shin Byeong-cheol asked, to which Go Hyeon-woo nodded, his eyes still fixed on the wooden golem.
Yes. Ive indeed seen many firsts since enrolling at Dragon yer Academy. But I thought golems were made using elements of the terrain Could I be mistaken?
Why had a wooden golem emerged in a terrain where not even a single de of grass, let alone a tree, was visible?
Shin Byeong-cheol initially considered retaliating against Go Hyeon-woo for his irritating behavior but decided instead to exin.
What you know is correct, fundamentally. But if you rely only on the terrain, you end up helpless when theres no material avable. Thats why golems are prepared in advance like that.
A golem refined with high-quality materials, extensive time, andyered with countless spells.
Far more powerful than those summoned on the spot.
And this wooden golem was certainly not something a first-year could refine.
If that were the case, the promising star of the Magic Tower Association would have been Kwak Ji-cheol, not Hong Yeon-hwa.
It made sense why Dang Gyu-young had immediately cursed upon seeing it.
Hey! You shameless bastards! This is not right!
Mok Jong-hwa did not respond and was only looking forward.
Kwak Seung-jae wore aplicated expression as if he hadnt expected Mok Jong-hwa to go this far, but there was nothing he could do at the moment.
Dang Gyu-young pondered briefly.
Should this be stopped? Can that thing even be defeated?
Only Dang Gyu-young knew that Kim Ho had learned [Inferno Fist].
But the Inferno Fist was a strictly prohibited skill.
It couldnt be used in an official setting like this.
The rey was ongoing, and Kwak Seung-jae from the disciplinarymittee was watching the battle intently with sharp eyes.
This meant that the situation had to be resolved without the use of the inferno fist.
I see the kid looks fine for now
When she looked at Kim Ho, he appeared as calm as ever.
His body was constantly in motion as he dodged the golems fists.
Dang Gyu-young decided to watch a bit longer.
If Kim Ho took even a single hit, she would have to step in.
Boom!
A heavy wooden arm swept across the ground.
Then, the other wooden hand, clenched into a fist, mmed down.
Despite itsrge and heavy body, the golems movements were agile.
That weightbined with that speed. Even one hit would result in immediate defeat.
A slow smile crept onto Kwak Ji-cheols lips.
Think its just the golem? Try dodging this.
Tututututut!
The Earth Cluster, which had stopped moving, began to rotate again.
Kim Ho was now busier than before as he was dodging the golem while simultaneously avoiding the flying rocks.
[Kim Ho 100% vs Kwak Ji-cheol 74%]
Even amidst this, the fact that his health hadnt dropped from 100% wasmendable.
It meant he had dodged every single attack without fail.
But the question was, how long could he keep this up?
While the golem couldst indefinitely, his energy was finite.
As Kwak Ji-cheol elerated the Earth Cluster, the ball began to spin even faster.
At that moment, Kim Ho looked directly at Kwak Ji-cheol and waved his hand.
A strong wind blew from somewhere, forcefully pushing Kwak Ji-cheols body.
Thetter then crashed into the rapidly spinning ball.
Aaaaaaaaagh!
Chapter 1: Reincarnation Quest (1)
Chapter 1: Reincarnation Quest (1)
I moved forward without hesitation.
A tremendous number of monsters filled my sight, swarming towards me, but I paid them no heed.
As the monsters approached closer, the ck knight at my right reacted.
He smoothly drew his dark greatsword andunched a massive sword strike.
Swoosh! Crack!
The monsters where the sh passed were obliterated without a trace.
Above the knights head, a small status window floated.
[Serene, ck knight] [Graduate] [Rank: S]
Following suit, the mage on my left side started chanting a series of spells softly.
Soon, countless magic circles appeared above the monster horde, causing a series of explosions.
Boom-Boom-Boom-Boom!
[Hong Hyun-ah, Ruby Tower Master] [Graduate] [Rank: S]
Thanks to the efforts of these two S-rank characters, the path was cleared.
And I continued on my way.
There were relentless attackers who still refused to give up and wereing at us from all sides, yet they were all repelled and annihted before they could even get close.
There was a priestess walking right behind me.
It was all thanks to the powerful protective shield she maintained.
[Lee Seo, Saintess] [Graduate] [Rank: S]
In addition to this, if you look at the other party members, they were all stered with S ranks as well.
In a sense, it was all natural for the monster horde before us to give way before our power.
As the pesky flies were swept away, the ruined temple came into my view.
I kicked open the half-destroyed main gate and walked inside.
In the center of the temple, there was an altar, and on ity a gem emitting a sinister red light.
I carelessly picked it up and tossed it over my shoulder, and a woman suddenly emerged from the shadows to catch it with utmost grace.
Sharp fangs were protruding from the corners of her mouth.
[Carmi, Last Vampire] [Graduate] [Rank: A]
sh!
The gem that Carmi caught emitted an explosive radiance.
It gradually shrank in size and turned into a red mist before it waspletely absorbed by her.
Having absorbed the power of the gem, Carmi opened her eyes.
[Carmi, Vampire Queen] [Graduate] [Rank: S]
I nodded in approval as I witnessed the scene.
This makes the 1,000th one.
MMORPG Academy
In this game, yers grow through numerous incidents and idents during their time at the academy.
After graduation, they are tasked with subduing various boss monsters, including dragons, on the front lines.
In this game, my role was that of a support.
Why, among the many sses, did I choose to be a support?
It was because this role was closely linked to my favorite content in the game.
Hero Cultivation.
I would take a first-year newbie NPC, freshly enrolled in the academy, and develop them into the strongest graduates and then into S-rank heroes.
And the support ss was the best fit for this task.
Though It was a bit difficult in the beginning.
It is not easy for the yer himself to be S-rank, let alone elevate an NPC to S-rank.
However, I poured everything I had into it and eventually seeded in raising one, then two NPCs to S-rank.
As the number of heroes under mymand grew, so did my expertise and the pace of my work.
At some point, other yers began referring to me as the S-rank Hero Factory.
At the same time, my own power also grew stronger.
My ss remained that of a support, but as I became interested in and delved into the sses of the heroes I was raising, I unexpectedly became an expert in all kinds of fields.
And so,
[Carmi] who just achieved S-rank was my 1,000th hero.
.
A thousand S-rank heroes under mymand.
The skills I learned while nurturing them numbered in the thousands.
Number one in the integrated rankings.
The strongest support.
That was me.
But even someone like me had some worries
Theres ack of content.
I had frequented the academy hundreds of times and nurtured a thousand heroes.
Among them were knights, warriors, mages, shamans, priests, explorers, alchemists, cksmiths, merchants, and even farmers, coachmen, and fishermen.
All kinds of professions were included.
Having raised all of them to S-rank, I found that there was nothing left.
To be more prcise, all that was left were ordinary friends who were duplicates of the heroes I had already raised.
Should I raise the duplicates too? There are already many duplicates. But isnt that better than doing nothing?
While I was seriously thinking about this, a note-shaped icon shed in the corner of my vision.
This basically meant that an important notification had appeared.
[You have aplished a great feat that no one else has before.]
[1,000 S-rank Graduates!]
[You can now undertake a special quest.]
Prevent the worlds destruction.
Difficulty: EX-rank
!!Caution!! This is a Reincarnation Quest!!
[ept/Decline]
This is
I had some experience in clearing S-rank quests several times before.
Even for me, who was ranked first, they were not easy tasks.
Therefore, the level above that, the EX-rank, would surely be even more difficult.
Moreover, it was a Reincarnation Quest.
A quest that temporarily resets almost all of a yers stats, equipment, and skills to their initial state.
Naturally, its a level higher in difficulty than a regr quest that yers could undertake with their full strength.
How absurdly difficult would the quest be if the reincarnation condition was added to the EX-rank difficulty?
But to me, that didnt matter.
So, S wasnt the highest rank after all.
The important revtion I just had was that above the S-rank, there exists the even higher EX-rank.
If EX-rank quests exist, then EX-rank items and skills must also exist.
And,
EX-rank heroes too.
My desire to collect them was ignited.
I just found the key to raising even stronger heroes.
To give up because the difficulty seems too high?
That would be akin to denying myself.
I chose the [ept] option without hesitation, and then,
[The quest begins.]
I entered the world of the game.
***
I found myself in the heart of a forest, with trees lined up densely on all sides.
This was amon sight at .
The issue, however, was the intense sense of unease I immediately felt.
For instance, I felt a gentle breeze blowing from somewhere, yet the way it tousled my hair and even the faint smell of grass carried by the wind
This situation I was in right now felt neither like a game nor like a dream.
If my guess was right
Could this be it?
The setting where I became a character of the game that you only see in novels.
I guess I have now be the protagonist of such a novel.
Perhaps this was due to the EX-level difficulty.
It would be a lie to say I wasnt disconcerted.
But what could I do? It was the quest I had chosen.
And even if I had known this would happen, I would have certainly epted the quest.
The opportunity to nurture an EX-rank hero held that much significance for me.
I quickly epted the situation and moved forward.
Status window.
[Kim Ho]
Skills
(None)
Traits
(None)
Equipment
Casual Clothes (F)
Inventory
5 silvers
A streamlined status window greeted me.
Everything I used to have was essentially gone.
The diverse S-rank skills and traits, the legendary equipment that covered my body, and even the thousand S-rank heroes I had amassed were now nonexistent.
It was as if I had just created a new character from scratch.
While it seemed that, as a support ss, I was left with nothing but a tough road ahead,
I shouldnt be disappointed just yet.
[Reincarnation Quest Perks will be awarded.]
Even though it was termed reincarnation, they wouldnt just throw me into an EX-level quest butt naked.
Instead of aplete reset, yers are given a few weapons as a minimal cushion; these are the reincarnation perks.
These perks are determined by adding up existing the yers skills, traits, equipment, and achievements.
And since there is nothing I havent done in this game, a seasoned yer like me was awarded some valuable perks.
[You have acquired the Copy-Skill]
[You have acquired Copy-Trait]
[You have acquired Amplification (F)]
[You have acquired Monarch (F)]
[Copy], [Amplification], and [Monarch].
These were skills I enjoyed using because they were powerful and highly effective.
The decline of my rank to F, which is a measure of growth, was somewhat painful, but it was an expected turn of events for a reincarnation quest.
After all, I could always raise my rank again.
[Kim Ho]
Skills
Copy-Skill [0/1]
Amplification (F)
Traits
Copy-Trait [0/1]
Monarch (F)
Equipment
Casual Clothes (F)
Inventory
5 silvers
As soon as I finished checking my status, a message popped up as if it had been waiting for me.
[Tutorial I]
Objective: Survive for 10 minutes.
Reward: Dragon yer Academy New Student Kit
[Time Remaining 9:56]
Without giving me a moment to catch my breath, the tutorial quest was thrust upon me.
The goal was to stay on the run for 10 minutes.
Usually, the tutorial would involve surviving 10 minutes on a beginners training ground among the lowest-tier monsters, like goblins or trolls.
However, my current location was in the middle of an unknown forest.
Boom! Thud!
As soon as I thought of that, heavy footsteps rang out.
The sound of trees cracking and breaking added to themotion.
Soon, arge monster emerged, tearing through the underbrush.
An ogre already?
Grrrrr
The rank of an ogre is between C and D.
This was excessively high for a tutorial.
The creature was holding a club as big as a human body in one hand.
As soon as our eyes met, it swung the club at me without hesitation.
I quickly moved to the side, and the club, with a chilling whoosh, embedded itself in the ground.
Boom!
I ducked to avoid the club as it was swung horizontally.
As a C-D rank monster, the ogre was so strong and agile that I couldnt bepared to it in terms of physical abilities.
Still, the ogres movements were monotonous, so if I could anticipate its moves well, I should be able to dodge them.
Id like to take it down if possible.
After all, defeating something youre not supposed to usually yields greater rewards.
But the disparity in physical abilities seemed too vast to ovee
Should I at least give it try then?
[Copy-Trait]
For a solo support struggling to learn proper attack techniques, this was like a ray of hope.
It was a technique that literally copied the abilities of the opponent.
The skill [Copy-Skill] replicated opponents skills.
While [Copy-Trait] copied their traits.
However, there were some restrictions.
I had to witness the opponents skill or trait in action and correctly identify its name and rank.
That was why I had been dodging the ogres attacks until now.
From what I could estimate, this creature possessed C-rank traits.
[Activate Copy-Trait]
[Registering the targets Trait Super Strength (C) in the slot.]
Copy-Trait[1/1]
1. Super Strength (C)
A surge of power flooded through my body.
The ogre must have sensed the change in my body as it grew confused.
But thatsted only for a moment, and it resumed swinging its club wildly.
I deftly dodged its attacks while closing in.
Thump!
Inded a punch deep into its abdomen.
Once again, I deftly twisted my body, and the club whooshed past me, missing by a mere papers width.
Then, I drove another deep punch into the ogres abdomen.
After repeating this several times, I clicked my tongue softly.
Tsk.
The strikes felt solid in my hand, yet they failed to inflict any serious damage.
Ad when I checked the remaining time,
[Tutorial I]
Objective: Survive for 10 minutes.
[Time Left 06:03]
It was already nearly halfway through.
With enough time, I would have pummeled it all day to defeat it, but unfortunately, the tutorial was about to end soon.
And then, at that moment,
ROOOOAAAAAAR!
The ogres face became pale, and it trembled as if it was scared of something.
Then it hastily turned its back to me and fled the scene.
The ogre was not the kind of monster to flee after taking just a couple of punches.
So why did it react like that? Just as I wondered for the reason,
GUOOOOOOO!
A deafening roar erupted overhead.
As soon as I raised my head to look upward, a huge flying object whooshed past.
GRAWRAWRAWRA!
The roar sounded again.
This time, I could clearly see the identity of the flying object.
It was the strongest creature in the game and an S-rank boss monster,
The dragon.
And not just one, but two of them.
Chapter 2: Reincarnation Quest (2)
Chapter 2: Reincarnation Quest (2)
The creature covered in blood-red scales was known as the red dragon, while the one with a dark blue body and three horns on its forehead was the blue dragon. Each one of them possessed the element of me and lightning, respectively.
And now that I had no means of resistance, these dragons were akin to flying natural disasters.
Perhaps I should say that it was a silver lining in an otherwise dire situation. The two of them seemed more interested in attacking each other than in paying any attention to me.
Grawrawraw!
Guooooo!
Every sh between the two dragons sent shockwaves throughout the area.
I quickly hugged a thick tree nearby to brace myself.
It was a very ufortable experience to be rocked back and forth by the shock waves, yet a look of excitement was spreading across my face.
This is an opportunity.
And not just any opportunity, but a golden one that might nevere again.
How often does one get to witness two final boss-level monsters fighting right in front of them?
If I use [Copy] now to acquire their powerful traits, it will be helpful for a long time toe.
!
The tide of battle was turning against the red dragon.
With each sh, it was receiving one-sided injuries.
Just moments ago, the blue one grazed past and left long w marks on the red dragons wing.
Sparks of blue lightning crackled from the wound.
The red dragon roared in pain.
Guooooo!
Are you angry? Then use your magic, just once.
As if hearing my thoughts, a red magic circle appeared near the redo dragon, unleashing dozens of fireballs at the blue one.
Thetter didnt bother to dodge or defend, as it took the full brunt of the attack.
Yet, astonishingly, there wasnt a single scorch mark on its body.
Perfect.
I almost shouted in joy.
This is because I met the conditions to use [Copy].
The trait activated when the blue dragon took the magic attack head-on was [Elemental Resistance].
This was a trait that greatly reduced the damage taken from all elemental types such as ice, lightning, and wind, and since it was a dragon, its rank was naturally S.
[Activate Copy-Trait]
[Registering the targets Trait Elemental Resistance (S) in the slot]
Copy-Trait[1/1]
1. Elemental Resistance (S)
Since I only had one slot avable, I had to relinquish the [Super Strength] Trait I copied from the ogre earlier.
Still, it was an S-rank rather than a C-rank.
I easily made the decision to discard the former and switched to [Elemental Resistance].
Now, its time to leave.
Ive seen everything there was to see.
The slot for [Copy-Skill] was still empty, but it would be pointless to steal a skill from dragons.
The dragons were primarily using high-grade magic, which required an equivalent amount of mana power, meaning that without a high-grade [Core], those skills would be unusable for me.
So, without any regrets, I decided to leave the scene.
Guooooo!
The red dragon, who was on the receiving end of the attacks, seemed to decide that this could not go on and abruptly retreated with a powerful p of its wings.
It opened its jaws wide and then sucked in the surrounding air and mana at a frightening speed, causing its belly to swell like an inted balloon.
It seems to be preparing for a final move.
The blue dragon responded in kind as it began gathering mana around the horns on its forehead.
A huge sphere of lightning began to grow in size, crackling with energy.
And there I was, watching from below, when I realized something important.
They were both preparing for their most powerful blow.
The mightiest blow a dragon can deliver?
That would be its dragon breath.
And what would happen when two breaths of different elements collided?
They would sh and cause an explosion.
Then what about me who was standing below?
Im going to get caught up in this, right?
A wise person would have already been running at full speed upon realizing this.
The farther you got away from here, the greater your chance of survival.
But I was not one to die so easily.
Again, my experimental spirit kicked in.
After all, my [Elemental Resistance] was S-rank.
As long as I dont get hit head-on, I should be able to survive.
The dragons wouldnt aim their breaths at me, would they?
I decided to lean back against an old tree and watch the situation unfold.
Soon, both dragons had umted energy to their limits.
And without precedence, they both unleashed their breaths at each other.
Gwaaaaaa!
Pajiiijijijji!
A red beam of me and a blue pir of lightning collided, creating a huge explosion.
A white sh of light engulfed the area in an instant, and my vision turned dazzlingly white.
Its getting quite warm.
Even though I should be somewhat within the range of their breaths, I felt only a mild warmth and that was it.
It was all thanks to my elemental resistance, which was on par with the dragons.
This confirmed one thing for sure.
Even if I were to die in the future, at least I wouldnt perish by burning, freezing, or electrocution.
Of course, there were still various dangers remaining, like being pierced by an arrow or decapitated by a sharp sword, but reducing the risks to this extent was quite something, wasnt it?
As I pondered these rather trivial thoughts, the white sh gradually subsided.
Swooooosh
Thendscape before me was drastically different from before the dragons unleashed their breaths.
In less than the time it took to drink a ss of water, the heart of the forest had turned into a barren wastnd.
Therge trees, which were probably hundreds of years old, were now reduced to small, burning embers.
And the dragons responsible for this devastation had already flown off to an unknown destination, nowhere to be seen.
[Time Remaining: 0:00]
The remaining time of the tutorial had conveniently run out just then.
[Tutorial I Completed]
You have survived for the required time.
Reward: Dragon yer Academy New Student Kit.
[Dragon yer Academy Uniform (D)]
Convenient for daily activities and enchanted with D-rank defensive magic.
[Student ID]
Proof of being a student at the Dragon yer Academy.
Grants ess to various facilities of the academy.
[Train Ticket]
Valid for boarding the train to the Dragon yer Academy.
Suddenly, I realized that my casual clothes had almost turned into tatters.
After all, the entire area waspletely burned down and turned into a wastnd, so it wouldnt make sense for the casual clothes, the lowest-level item, to remain intact.
As soon as I changed into the school uniform, the next quest appeared.
[Tutorial II]
Objective: Follow the arrow to the tform.
24.81km
A small arrow materialized before my eyes.
It pointed in one direction like apass, and below it, the remaining distance was disyed.
I began to walk, following the direction indicated by the quest.
As I walked, the scorched and bleakndscape gradually began to turn green again.
I was moving out of the range of the dragons breath.
Then, in the distance, I faintly saw the silhouette of a person.
It seemed like the other party also noticed me as they starteding straight towards me.
The man greeted me first.
Hello there?
Hello.
I havent seen this one before.
This face was unfamiliar even for me who knew every character of by heart.
A new character.
Perhaps it was an effect of the EX-rank quest.
The man appeared to be around my age, yet his attire and sword reminded me of a warrior from a martial arts novel.
Though he looked somewhat shabby as if he had emerged from some deep, remote ce, his strikingly handsome face radiated an aura that made his overall appearance look far from shabby.
On seeing my school uniform, the young mans face lit up.
Oh, thats the Dragon yer Academy uniform. Are you a freshman this year?
Yes, are you as well?
What a wonderful coincidence! I am as well.
The man then took out a tie pin from his pocket.
The color of the pin varied with each grade, and the one he produced was the same white color as the one I had on my uniform.
It meant we were in the same grade.
With an even more cheerful expression, he continued to introduce himself.
My name is Go Hyeon-woo. We might be in the same grade, but Im probably a bit younger than huyng. Feel free to speak casually to me.
Sure. Im Kim Ho.
Kim-hyung, huh? Since weve met like this, why dont we travel together?
Thats fine by me.
It wasnt a bad idea for me.
On the way, I considered that encountering monsters would be a needless waste of time. Fortunately, this Go Hyeon-woo had a sword, so it seemed sensible to ride along with him.
I observed Go Hyeon-woo, who was leading the way, with increased attention.
From his stride to every minor movement, there was a remarkable restraint.
This suggested he had undergone grueling training over many years.
Hes worth raising.
At first nce, he appeared quite strong.
With such potential, he could reach an A-rank on his own, but with my help, achieving S-rank seemed entirely feasible.
Perhaps even beyond that.
There was another thing that stood out.
Around his waist hung a cheap iron sword, the kind one could find anywhere, and on his back, he carried a long, thin object tightly wrapped in cloth.
Judging by its length and thickness, it was likely another long sword.
Is that a long sword on your back?
Youve seen right. Its a sacred artifact of our sect.
Why is it wrapped up so tightly?
It was not just wrapped in cloth but also heavily secured with iron chains, almost as if it were sealed.
It seemed as if he had no intention of using it.
Go Hyeon-woo smiled bitterly and gently stroked the iron sword at his waist.
Regrettably, Im not yet qualified to unseal it. Until then, this iron sword remains mypanion.
Is that so?
But worry not. So far, this sword alone has been more than enough. Of course, Im not sure how it will fare at the Dragon yer Academy, haha.
His confident deration suggested he had considerable skill.
Go Hyeon-woo pointed to the ce I passed by and asked.
By the way, Kim-hyung, did youe from over there?
Yes. Why do you ask?
Just now, I saw two dragons flying around that area.
They were there until a moment ago. Theyre gone now.
Oh, seems Im a bitte. I had hoped to catch a glimpse of them as I passed by.
A deep sense of regret crossed Go Hyeon-woos face.
Then, as if struck by a thought, he tilted his head.
Did you see anything at that ce, Kim-hyung?
I saw as much as I needed to.
Oh, how was it?
I portrayed the battle between the two dragons as realistically as possible, adding just about 2% of embellishment to the tale.
Go Hyeon-woo listened with eyes shining like a child hearing tales of heroes valor.
And then, in the end, they started ripping into each other with their breaths.
Breaths? What are those?
Put simply, theyre like secret techniques or ultimate moves.
Ultimate moves! Indeed, that must have been the massive explosion I saw earlier.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded thoughtfully.
Then, seemingly struck by a new question, he asked again.
So, Kim-hyung, did you witness this breath from a fairly close distance?
If you call it close, yes, I did. Why do you ask?
Its just that for an attack that caused such a huge explosion, you seem remarkably unscathed.
It was definitely a point worthy of raising questions.
If I had been close enough to witness two dragons exchanging blows and even their breaths, I should have been affected to some degree.
Then howe there wasnt a single scratch on me?
In such situations, its beneficial to keep my cards hidden.
I have a trick or two up my sleeve, just like that long sword on your back.
I see. They say the world is teeming with mighty warriors, much like grains of sand. And yet, here I am, already crossing paths with you, Kim-hyung. If the chance arises, Id like to ask you to teach me a thing or two.
There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. For now, lets go. Were going to miss the train.
Oh, look at me losing track of time. Ipletely forgot. Lets hurry.
Go Hyeon-woo took the lead with energetic strides.
Chapter 3: Train to the Academy (1)
Chapter 3: Train to the Academy (1)
At , various worldviews were intertwined.
There could be a medieval fantasy city with swords and magic, and just a step away, you could find a martial arts world. And then, if you shifted your gaze slightly, modern buildings would catch your eye.
Therefore, it wasnt strange that the tform in front of us was made up of ancient-looking pavilions.
Fortunately, we made it in time.
Its all thanks to Kim-hyung.
There was a reason why Go Hyeon-woo praised me; he wasnt particrly talented at finding his way.
On the other hand, I just had to follow the quest arrows, so there was no chance of us getting lost.
Still, this guy was helpful.
Go Hyeon-woo dealt with minor monsters we encountered on our path, so it wasnt a loss for me.
The train had already arrived and was waiting on the tform, and I could see students in school uniforming and going.
We approached the station attendant.
He appeared to be a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties, with an unexpectedly full head of hair for his age.
Moreover, his hair was so well-kept that it gleamed and swayed neatly.
Could that be a wig?
With those doubts in mind, I handed over my ticket.
The station attendant checked the tickets and looked us over before asking.
First year?
Yes.
First-year students should board the carriages from number 1 to 10.
Thank you.
As we scanned the series of carriages, we soon spotted one marked with the number <10>.
The moment we stepped onto the train, a notification message popped up.
[Tutorial II Completed]
[Tutorial III]
Objective: Attend the entrance ceremony.
[TIP: Make different friends on the train.]
The train to Dragon yer Academy was of the cabin type.
The right half was a corridor for people to pass through, and the left half consisted of small rooms.
Go Hyeon-woo and I walked down the corridor, peering through the small windows on each cabin door.
We were looking for an empty cabin.
But it was difficult to find even an empty seat, let alone an empty cabin.
It made sense, as students must have boarded at other tforms the train had passed through.
We walked from carriage 10, peering and walking, until around carriage 8.
Finally, Go Hyeon-woo found a suitable cabin.
Kim-hyung, there seems to be space here.
Peeking inside, there was only one person.
We slid the door open.
The inside of the cabin was about two pyeong (6 square meters) in size.
In the middle of the cabin, there was a small table with built-in seats facing each other around it.
The arrangement was such that four people could sit in each cabin.
A female student with light gray hair was lying face down on the window seat. When she sensed someones presence, she slowly sat up.
When I met the gray-haired girls eyes, my first thought was that she was beautiful.
Even among the many attractive men and women in , she stood out as exceptionally beautiful.
The instincts of men are indeed unavoidable.
The next thing I noticed about her was that she looked to be sleepy.
Hernguid face, dripping with fatigue, and her half-closed eyes seemed to debate whether to fall back asleep.
Although she had just woken up, I got the feeling that this was her usual state.
Lastly, my long experience as a collector whispered to me,
This is a raw gem.
It was just a vague intuition at the moment, but characters like her usually reached S-tier without much difficulty in ny-nine out of a hundred cases.
Whether my feeling was correct or not would be something to find out in the future.
Anyway, since we couldnt just keep staring at each other, I took the initiative to ask,
Are the seats empty?
Yes.
Her hoodie worn over her school uniform seemed slightly oversized, as only the tips of her fingers peeked out from the loose sleeves.
She tapped the seat next to her. She wants me to sit there, I suppose?
I didnt hesitate and quickly took the seat.
Go Hyeon-woo chose a spot across from me, near the window.
My name is Go Hyeon-woo.
Im Kim Ho.
Seo Ye-in.
After our brief introductions, I found myself lost in thought.
I had memorized all the characters in from the named ones to the minor extras in its story and quests.
But Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in were both new to me.
Moreover, from my brief observation at the tform, other students and station staff were all unfamiliar faces.
The setting was the same, but the characters were different.
This would inevitably lead to changes in the uing events and quests.
I needed to keep a close watch to see what would change and what would remain the same.
Rumble
My body slightly jolted, and I felt a faint sense of floating.
The train must have departed as the scenery outside the window gradually receded.
But for a while now, Ive been feeling a persistent gaze on me.
Seo Ye-in was staring intently at my face and with slightly less sleepy eyes than when we first met.
?
As I sent her a look asking if she had something to say, she ced her bag on herp.
It was a tactical metal bag that was designed for extreme practicality, devoid of any trace of cuteness.
She rustled through the bag and pulled out a small paper pouch.
From the pouch, she offered me a chocte chip cookie.
Want one?
***
Seo Ye-in possessed a unique set of eyes that were different from others.
Her eyes could quantify everything she saw into information.
For example, when she looked at a male student in martial arts clothing, she saw familiar data.
[Status]
Go Hyeon-woo
Skills
Heavenly Flow Sword Technique (D)
Traits
Swordsmanship (C)
Core (E)
etc.
She could delve into these details any time she wanted, though they rarely piqued her interest.
However, the data for another male student who entered the cabin was full of question marks.
Not metaphorically, but literally filled with question marks.
[Stat??]
?????
#?????
?mpl??
??arc?
???
???
She couldnt read anything at all.
This was the fourth time Seo Ye-in had encountered such a status window since she had acquired her eyes.
It was the fourth among countless status windows she had seen flit past her.
She couldnt help but be intrigued.
Moreover, the previous three had all been individuals of deep importance to her.
So, would this man who introduced himself as Kim Ho be the same?
There were many reasons why her gaze kept returning to him.
Even though staring wouldnt change the question marks filling his status window, she continued to look intently.
As she did so, Kim Ho met her gaze and his eyes were filled with curiosity.
Seo Ye-in didnt look away but continued to stare and while doing so she suddenly remembered a piece of advice she had heard before.
If youre interested in someone, start by showing them kindness.
Seo Ye-in took out a cookie from her bag.
Want one?
***
Ah, thanks.
I somewhat bewilderedly epted the cookie.
It was about half the size of my palm, irregrly shaped, far from a perfect circle, and the chocte chips were unevenly embedded in it.
Although it wasnt very appealing to look at, I doubted it would taste much different from a typical chocte chip cookie.
With that thought, I took a big bite.
Seo Ye-in was looking at me intently again as if asking how it tasted.
I took a moment to choose my words carefully.
The cookie is quite soft.
It was a lump of softness with hardly any sweetness.
I had some expectations about the chocte chip cookie, but it seemed to be 65% pure cacao, and it tasted more bitter than sweet.
Of course, it was different from what I had expected, but not tasteless.
So, I managed to finish the cookie quite easily.
And throughout, Seo Ye-in kept watching me.
Her face was expressionless, so it was hard to read her thoughts.
Still, it felt ufortable just making eye contact, so I searched for a topic of conversation.
Its good. Did you bake it yourself?
Mhm, have another.
At this time, Go Hyeon-woo coughed lightly and asked, albeit hesitantly,
Ahem, if its not too rude, may I have one too?
This is thest one.
Seo Ye-in cut him off with an almost cold, decisive tone.
At the same time, she fed thest cookie from the paper bag into my mouth, and it was indeed thest one.
I couldnt shake the feeling that she just didnt want to give one to him
Go Hyeon-woo opened his mouth to say something but then as if realizing it was pointless he closed it.
Just then,
Drrrrr
Suddenly, the cabin door slid open, and a boy with a buzz cut burst in.
He promptly plopped down in the empty seat next to Go Hyeon-woo.
Sorry everyone, I need to intrude for a moment. Ill just sit here for a bit if you dont mind.
I dont mind at all. Feel free to stay as long as you need.
Me neither. The seats empty anyway.
Instead of replying, Seo Ye-in simply nodded her head slightly.
The boy with the buzz cut grinned.
I like this weing vibe. Im Byeong-cheol. Shin Byeong-cheol.
This guy is ordinary.
As soon as Iid my eyes on this Shin Byeong-cheol, a rough estimate immediately came to mind.
If he took the easy route, hed be a C-grade, but with real effort, perhaps hed end up a B-grade.
The potential seen in Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in was so dazzling that this level hardly caught the eye.
However, despite my harsh evaluation, it seemed beneficial to familiarize myself with Shin Byeong-cheol.
From the moment he entered the cabin, I had a rough idea of his identity.
A clue was that despite his shy entrance, he barely made any sound.
When Shin Byeong-cheol introduced himself, everyone responded with a light exchange of names.
He showed particr interest in Go Hyeon-woo.
Seeing that you are wearing a martial artists clothing, you must be from a sect, right? Which sect are you from?
Im from Heavenly Wind Gate.
Heavenly Wind Gate? Heavenly Wind Gate? Wind Gate Ive never heard of it.
Its an obscure, single-session sect that is not well-known to the public. Its possible you havent heard of it.
Is that so? Ill make a note of it. Lets see
Shin Byeong-cheol then pulled out a small notebook and swiftly jotted something down.
Next, he turned his attention to Seo Ye-in and me.
Do you two belong to any sects or magic towers?
No.
Seo Ye-in, once again, responded silently by shaking her head from side to side.
Shin Byeong-cheol continued to scribble something in his notebook.
Information is crucial. It trantes to money, you know.
From the way you talk about it, it seems you trade information too.
Of course. And I dont just deal in information.
When I showed interest, he seemed to think I could be a potential customer, so he quickly took out a business card and handed it to me.
The cards cheap design resembled those distributed in low-end pubs, with the following written in the center:
[Dragon yer Academy Errand Service!]
Seek out this Shin Byeong-cheol whenever and wherever! Ill procure anything for the right price.
I examined the card with curiosity, flipped it over, and asked,
Anything, you say Does that include breaking out some rules?
Ah, certainly. Just give the word.
Youre on the run for that right now, arent you?
!
Shin Byeong-cheol who had been chattering excitedly suddenly mped his mouth shut.
It was clear now that his reason for entering this cabin was not merely to socialize with us.
Was it that obvious?
Your eyes kept darting towards the door.
Hehe, well, I tried to hide it.
Seizing the moment, Shin Byeong-cheol peered outside the cabin once more.
Suddenly, after seeing something, he hurried back to his seat, pretending as if he had always been part of this cabinspany.
However,
Drrrrrr!
The rooms door opened again.
***********
TN: when author says with the brackets he is talking about the game not the academy.
Chapter 4: Train to the Academy (2)
Chapter 4: Train to the Academy (2)
The cabin door opened again and a female student walked in.
She was a beautyparable to Seo Ye-in, but her cold and stern appearance made her seem unapproachable as if it would be difficult to even strike up a conversation with her.
Her light brown hair was neatly tied up, and she wore an armband that read disciplinarymittee.
Outside the door, arge man, a noble-looking young man, and a smiling female student took their positions beside her and they were all wearing simr armbands.
Ive gotten involved with the disciplinarymittee right from the start.
The disciplinarymittee.
This student organization manages thew and order within and outside of Dragon yer Academy.
Traditionally, first-year council members are admitted early. They get acquainted with the basic guidelines and are then immediately deployed onto the train.
Just like now.
This is because the train heading to Dragon yer Academy, attracting vigorous youths from all over, serves as an excellent stage for the new council member to gain experience.
And it seemed that Shin Byeong-cheol was about to be a part of that experience, the reason for which would soon be apparent.
The female student red at Shin Byeong-cheol and extended her hand.
Please give it back. Thats something you shouldnt have.
However, Shin Byeong-cheol didnt seem inclined to give up the item.
He maintained a yful expression, while his eyes kept darting over the girls shoulder, likely plotting a possible escape route.
The female student asked him,
Whats so funny?
Nothing, just thinking youre a bit too clingy. With such a pretty face but acting so strict, you wont be popr with the boysugh!
Fzzt!
A brief electric current struck Shin Byeong-cheol.
It was the simple lightning magic spell, [Zap].
Lightning attribute mages are rare.
Initially, my n was to avoid getting involved and just observe, but this development changed the scenario.
Since my [Copy-Skill] slot was empty, perhaps this was an opportunity to intervene and acquire a new skill?
In the brief moment when Shin Byeong-cheol was hit by the lightning, I finished my calctions.
And first, I apologized to Seo Ye-in in my mind.
Sorry.
Shin Byeong-cheol seemed to have fallen into a mild state of paralysis, trembling as he nearly fell sideways but managed to stay upright by leaning on the cabins table.
The full weight of his body bore down, so when he leaned on the table, the recoil hit my elbow.
Thud!
Now.
The handmade cookie I was slowly enjoying slipped from my hand and rolled across the floor.
When the train jerked slightly, the cookie rolled further away from me.
It was toote now.
Any food that falls on the ground and stays for more than three seconds is no longer edible.
Ive created a pretext.
Now, all that was left was to find the right moment to step in.
Shin Byeong-cheol struggled to his feet, shaking off the paralysis that had gripped his body.
His hand subtly moved towards the back pocket of his pants.
Ah, this is getting tricky. Im not confident in a head-to-head fight
It seems you have no intention of surrendering willingly. I will have to subdue you.
The female student slipped a dark-blue glove onto one hand.
It appears to be a fairly high-quality artifact as it is embroidered with golden embroidery and has topaz studded here and there.
As she flicked her finger, the glove began to emit a strong light and electrical currents.
The crackling electricity took the form of a small hummingbird and darted towards Shin Byeong-cheol.
[Hummingbird]
Fzzzt!
However, the Hummingbird failed to inflict any damage on Shin Byeong-cheol.
It was intercepted mid-flight by my outstretched hand.
A small explosion of electricity erupted from my palm and sparks were sent flying around the ce.
Feeling the impact firsthand, I was certain.
It looks like a D-rank, but its E-rank.
I shook the tingling sensation from my hand.
The female student slightly furrowed her brows at the unexpected interference.
She stared at my face for a moment, as if trying to recall something, then slightly tilted her head.
Are you in cahoots with him? I havent seen you on the watch list.
Not really. Just had some unexpected business to attend to.
What business?
My cookie.
Excuse me?
I pointed to the half-eaten homemade cookie still rolling back and forth on the floor.
It fell because of you guys. Thats something you cant buy even with money.
Youre interrupting the disciplinarymittees club actions over a mere cookie?
It might just be a cookie, but to someone who was enjoying it, its quite annoying.
The female student looked at me as if I were an illogical guy.
However, she seemed to find some reason in my words and hesitated before taking any immediate action.
Meanwhile, the noble young man of the disciplinarymittee entered the cabin.
He looked ready to draw the golden sword at his hip at any moment.
Youre picking a pointless quarrel. Why dont you step aside while youre being asked nicely? If not, youll taste something much hotter than a cookie.
I advise you to think carefully and act wisely.
Go Hyeon-woo slowly stood up from his seat.
If you intend to draw your sword, know that you wont be the only one taking action.
.
The gaze of the young nobleman was fixated on Go Hyeon-woo.
Upon noticing he was dressed in martial arts clothing, the nobles eyes shifted to the sword sheath in his hand.
Realizing it was a cheap iron sword, a sneer spread across his face.
What if I draw it? What will you do?
.
The nobleman, with a fierce smirk, and Go Hyeon-woo, maintaining a calm demeanor, stared each other down.
Just as the problem that began with Shin Byeong-cheols stolen item, moving through the cookie issue, was about to escte into a fight between two warriors,
Hold on a moment.
The female student raised her hand to intervene.
Then, with a somewhat skeptical look, she turned to me and asked,
How about I send you a dessert coupon from the student cafeteria? Would that settle this?
Well, that works for me.
Then please stop causing trouble and step back.
I pretended to think about it for a moment, then returned to my seat and sat down.
Upon receiving my cue, Go Hyeon-woo reluctantly stepped back as well.
Compared to my bold approach, my easy withdrawal left some members of the disciplinarymittee looking at me with suspicion.
Ive already got what I wanted.
[Activate the Copy-Skill]
[Registering the targets skill Hummingbird (E) into the slot.]
Copy-Skill[1/1]
1. Hummingbird (E)
The skill stored was [Hummingbird], and the trait was [Elemental Resistance].
To acquire other skills or traits, I must either expand the slot or overwrite an existing one.
!
Shin Byeong-cheol, who was looking for an opportunity, seemed to think that this was the moment and lunged forward.
He twisted his body like a mollusk, trying to slip through the gap, but a lightning-formed hummingbird shot from the female students fingertips.
Crackling!
Ugh!
Shin Byeong-cheol fell in such an unsightly manner that made onlookers cringe.
His forward momentum added to the impact, causing him to smack his head against the half-open cabin door with a loud bang.
Ouch, that must have hurt.
Did arge bump form on his buzz-cut head by now?
After the collision and the paralyzing effect of the Hummingbird, Shin Byeong-cheol could only writhe on the floor.
The female student then bent one knee to the ground and rummaged through Shin Byeong-cheols possessions.
Surprisingly, she pulled out a rich cluster of shiny, flowing hair!
He stole the station attendants wig. What a ridiculous prank.
Ah, dear
Oh, wow
Go Hyeon-woo and I looked down at Shin Byeong-cheol who was crawling on the floor with pity.
Now that I think about it, it made sense why the disciplinarymittee was after him.
Byeong-cheol was a bad guy.
I mean, how could hemit such an inhumane act as stealing a bald mans wig?
The four disciplinarymittee members swiftly recovered the slightly scorched wig by the lightning spell and ced it in a zipper bag.
Before leaving, the female student pointed at Shin Byeong-cheol, who was still in a daze.
Ill give you a heads-up. Shin Byeong-cheol is under our disciplinarymittees close watch. Try to avoid getting involved with him. If you cause any trouble at school, we wont let it slide.
Thats for me to decide. Take care on your way.
Hmph.
With a disgruntled look, the female student red sharply at me and then turned away.
Just before leaving, the nobleman said something to Go Hyeon-woo.
I will remember this.
Likewise.
And then he closed the door behind him.
Ow, ow, oww my goodness, my aching body
After the disciplinarymittees members left, Shin Byeong-cheol groaned as he struggled to get up.
Static electricity crackled with each movement, causing his body to jerk in response.
Still, isnt that a cheap price to pay for stealing a bald mans wig?
Go Hyeon-woo, who was watching from the side, smiled bitterly.
So, its true that Dragon yer Academy has a powerful force called the disciplinarymittee. Those must be them.
Urgh, yeah. They only select the elite of the elite, so theyre bound to be strong. Did you see the one who used the Hummingbird on me? Know who she is?
My knowledge is limited, I must admit. Could you enlighten me?
A hint. Its the Song family.
Immediately, Go Hyeon-woos eyes narrowed.
The Song family You mean the family that heads the Topaz Magic Tower?
Exactly. Thats the Song family. And shes none other than Song Cheon-hye, the granddaughter of the Thunder Lord, Song Kyung-wook.
Ah, I felt that she was no ordinary girl, but the granddaughter of the Thunder Lord? Today has indeed broadened my horizons.
Go Hyeon-woo murmured in admiration.
The Thunder Lord was the pinnacle of many heroes who wielded lightning.
This was a title bestowed only on the strongest.
So much so that he was called beyond S-ss among yers.
It goes without saying that he is one of the strongest characters in the entire world of .
The three who were standing right by her side are also not to be underestimated. The big guy is Jo Byeok, and the smiling girl is Han Somi. Theyre disciples of the Fist King and Sword Marquis, respectively.
And what about the identity of that noble-looking guy?
Geum Jo-han. Hes the only son of the Golden Lotus master, but as youve seen, hes quite the lucky bastard. He seems to have just enough skill to scrape into the disciplinarymittee, but he pales inparison to the other three.
Thats impressive. Is the disciplinarymittee club filled with such people?
At that question, Shin Byeong-chuls expression became strange.
He answered in a somewhat vague manner.
Uhh Yes, thats true, but this year is a bit unusual. I heard that not just the disciplinarymittee but the overall level of new students has skyrocketed. Even our club seniors have been talking a lot about this years new students.
Shin Byeong-cheol seemed to have finallypletely recovered from his paralysis and warmed up his body by stretching his arms around like he was doing morning exercises.
Anyway, it was nice meeting you guys. Remember to say hi if we see each other again. Take care!
With that, he vanished out of the room like the wind.
Heh, quite a lively fellow, isnt he? Dont you think so, Kim-hyung?
Indeed.
I quietly turned my gaze to Seo Ye-in, who had been silently watching us.
Sorry. The cookie was really tasty.
Ill make more.
Really?
Mhm.
I had inadvertently received a promise for cookies.
Seo Ye-in seemed to be slowly getting tired again, and after saying that, she slumped down on the table.
And she became motionless.
..
..
Perhaps due to the whirlwind of events that had just swept through, the quiet atmosphere of the afternoons parlor was quite pleasant.
Go Hyeon-woo and I were just looking out the window without saying anything.
After a while, Go Hyeon-woo broke the silence.
By the way, Kim-hyung, may I ask you something?
What is it?
Did you really get involved just for the sake of the cookie?
I agree that getting your snack time interrupted angers you but it seemed like there might be more to the story.
Hes sharper than I thought.
Despite his appearance of a well-mannered young man, his mind was quite astute.
It was an unexpected side of Go Hyeon-woo that I had seen.
Feeling somewhat refreshed by this revtion, I began to exin.
The primary reason was to meet the conditions of the [Copy-Skill], but even excluding that, there was another reason.
Its rare to see a lightning-attribute mage, so I just wanted to casually check out her abilities.
Hmm But all Kim-hyung did was to counter Miss Songs move, right?
All I had done was to interrupt in the middle, catch the Hummingbird spell, and then leave. This was hardly enough to assess someones capabilities.
I asked him back.
How much do you know about the Hummingbird spell?
I saw it for the first time just now.
So, what did you think of it at first nce?
Hmm
Go Hyeon-woo closed his eyes for a moment and was lost in thought.
He seemed to be recalling the scenes he had witnessed.
Its extremely fast, hard to follow with the eye, and the technique seems more focused on controlling the enemy, like causing paralysis or stiffness, rather than inflicting damage.
Youre half right.
Whats the other half?
Watch closely.
I created a hummingbird on my palm.
It was the size of a fly so it was different from Song Cheon-hyes hummingbird.
Since the mana power source, the [Core], has not yet been created, I couldnt properly manifest even low-level spells.
Still, this size was enough to demonstrate its movements.
The hummingbird took flight from my hand.
Following my control, it formed a figure 8 in the air and moved irregrly in a zigzag pattern.
Its called a hummingbird because it was made to imitate the flight of a hummingbird.
Indeed, such movements would be quite tricky to counter.
The performance varies greatly depending on the practitioners skill level.
Go Hyeon-woo tilted his head, still not quite understanding.
But what does that have to do with Miss Songs abilities?
Think of it in reverse. If the hummingbirds movements change depending on the skill of the practitioner
Ah! Then one could gauge skill level by the hummingbirds movements.
Exactly.
If Song Cheon-hye had been a truly skilled mage, there should have been some change in the hummingbirds movement the moment I intervened.
For instance, it could have flown around my hand, or it could have retreated briefly before flying again.
However, Song Cheon-hyes hummingbird had plunged straight into my palm.
This was evidence of either poor control of magic or ack of experience in actualbat.
So much information was contained in Miss Songs single move.
But thats not all.
From what I had personally discerned, although it was E-rank, it was so powerful that it could actually be considered a D-rank.
Either she had learned a powerful trait to assist her magic, or she was born with an enormous amount of magical power.
Either way, it indicated high potential.
The granddaughter of the Thunder Lord. She certainly lives up to her name.
I added Song Cheon-hyes name to my list of heroes to be recruited someday.
While I was pondering this, Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head and smiled pleasantly.
It hasnt been long since I met Kim-hung, but Ive learned so much. It must be fate.
Theres no need to call it fate. I can teach you at least this much.
Kim-hyung is indeed generous. I think I chose well for my first friend. My judgment isnt too bad, it seems. Haha.
Go Hyeon-woo was someone who always interpreted things positively.
Suddenly, Go Hyeon-woos expression turned serious.
If you ever need my help, just let me know. Ill do my best to help you.
Really? Well, since itse up.
Theres a saying, Strike while the iron is hot.
I stood up from my seat.
Lets go somewhere together.
Just to pick up one hidden piece.
Chapter 5: Drawing the Hidden Piece (1)
Chapter 5: Drawing the Hidden Piece (1)
Since the chase was over, the disciplinarymittee members patrolled the train as usual.
Was there a need to let him off?
Song Cheon-hye nced over her shoulder with a fleeting look.
The one who broke the silence was Geum Jo-han, a fellow member of the disciplinarymittee just like her.
Ever since their first meeting, he had constantly engaged her in conversation, even over trivial matters.
She was aware that his actions stemmed from kindness but she had no intention of returning the favor.
However, to maintain harmony in group settings she couldntpletely ignore him either.
In the end, Song Cheon-hye sighed inwardly and responded.
What are you talking about?
That guy who butted in talking about cookies or something. If it were me, I wouldve shown him whats what just out of annoyance, but he seemed fine even after taking your Hummingbird.
Han So-mi also nodded in agreement and added her two cents.
Right, you went easy on him at the end, didnt you? Your control over your spells has improved~
.
Jo Byeok was silent by his nature so he didnt say anything, but his demeanor equally suggested agreement with the other twos words.
Song Cheon-hye suddenly remembered something and stopped for a moment.
Geum Jo-han asked her.
Whats wrong?
Its nothing.
She pretended like nothing was wrong and resumed walking but her mind was now twice as cluttered.
Honestly, the mans interference had beenpletely unexpected.
Because it was so sudden, it had momentarily disrupted her focus, and embarrassingly, her control over the Hummingbird was a beat too slow.
When she saw the lightning explode against the mans hand, her heart sank.
Did I identally harm an innocent person?
But somehow, that man had taken the full brunt of her Hummingbird and remained unscathed.
Not just unscathed, but he looked to be unaffected altogether.
Even the expert in the Magic Tower would have shown a brief disruption in their movements if they were hit, but that guy just brushed it off.
How is this possible?
A vague sense of unease took on a more concrete shape in her mind.
Song Cheon-hye mulled over the recent events.
She found the situation increasingly bizarre the more she thought about it.
Did I make some rookie mistake?
Perhaps she hadnt channeled enough magical power, or her spell was sloppy.
But her train of thought was abruptly cut short.
A voice came through the smallmunicator in her ear.
[There is a student conflict in cabin 4-C. Assistance is requested.]
Ill be right there.
Song Cheon-hye shifted her gaze to the other members of the disciplinarymittee.
It seemed they had also received the same message as they nodded in agreement.
Lets go.
Thats right.
Then she handed the zipper bag which contained the wig to the smiling Han So-mi.
So-mi, please take this to the station attendant. He should be around carriage 13. Also, check if there are any issues with the slot machines on your way back.
Okay! Ill be back soon!
Han So-mi waved cheerily as she departed.
Song Cheon-hye walked along the train corridor and let out a small sigh.
Lets just forget about it for now.
There was a mountain of tasks to handle.
The oddly annoying man was also a new student this year, so all questions could be resolvedter.
***
Originally, the train bound for Dragon yer Academy was designed as a luxury tourist train for the upper ss.
Due to theplex situations of the adults involved, the project was eventually scrapped. However, Dragon yer Academy recognized the sturdiness and quality of the train and decided to buy it.
Now, after being remodeled to suit its intended purpose, it was running fine.
Yet, remnants of the tourist train still lingered in various parts of the train, serving as a kind of hidden piece within .
My goal was precisely that hidden piece.
Carriages 1 to 10 were designated for first-year students, with the following ones for second and third years.
As the two of us passed carriages 8 and 9, nearing the end of carriage 10, Go Hyeon-woo, who had been following me, seemed to realize that my destination was beyond carriage 11.
Kim-hyung, do you have business in the second-year area?
In the second year area, there are second-year disciplinarymittee members patrolling. Its impossible for us to get through with our current abilities.
So, what then?
Just watch. Were almost there.
At the end of carriage 10, there was arge empty space.
And there, hidden within an inconspicuous corner was an old, small slot machine.
This slot machine was a remnant of the tourist train which was part of a small arcade and casino set up for guests.
Although most of it was swept away during the remodeling process, for some reason, this slot machine couldnt be removed.
It was a typical old-fashioned slot machine, with three screens that spun when a coin was inserted and the lever was pulled.
The machine was unlit, and someone had even stuck a note over the coin slot that read Out of Order.
It seemed risky to insert a coin, as it might just swallow it without returning anything.
Go Hyeon-woo looked puzzled.
Are we in the right ce? It says its out of order
Were in the right ce.
I started by peeling off the Out of Orderbel.
In reality, it worked perfectly fine.
[Inventory]
5 Silver Coins
Next, I pulled out a silver coin from my inventory.
Without giving Go Hyeon-woo a chance to stop me, I quickly inserted it into the slot machine.
.
.
But the machine remained dark and unresponsive.
For a while, the two of us just stared at the screen without saying anything.
Go Hyeon-woo, unable to hold back any longer, opened his mouth to say something.
Seems like its really broken
Ding Dong Ding!
Suddenly, a sound like that of an arcade game rang out, and all the lights on the slot machine started shing wildly.
Ooh
While Go Hyeon-woo let out a sound of amazement, to me, the scene was all too familiar and even somewhat boring.
This was the hidden event, the .
It was an event known and yed by only a select few among countless yers.
The first time you board a train is at the beginning of the story before the tutorial has even beenpleted.
To the eyes of beginners, an old slot machine tucked away at the far end of carriage 10 would hardly catch their attention.
And even if they did notice that there was a slot machine, the bold Out of Order sign would likely deter them from risking their precious silver coins.
Unless they knew everything about it, like I did.
When I pulled the lever, the three screens started spinning chaotically.
Whirring Whirring
Various symbols shed by.
Ice, spider, apple, diamond, me, elephant, mana
And then,
[Ice] [Mana] [Water]
There was a ttering sound and an item emerged from the slot machines prize outlet.
It was a 500mL bottle of water. Obviously, this one was a dud.
I didnt expect much anyway.
I inserted another coin nonchntly and pulled the lever again.
The three screens whirled once more.
Go Hyeon-woo, who had been watching with interest, asked,
So, Kim hyung, why did you bring me here?
Technically, what were doing is against school rules.
I dont understand. Its just an old gambling machine. How does that breach the rules?
Its not the use of the machine thats the issue. Its the items it gives out that are problematic.
The slot machines top rewards were [Dark Ice Crystal], [Cute Deadly Poison], and [Purgatory Lava].
These were all prohibited items that students were not allowed to possess.
This means that from the moment you get one of those items you have to avoid the attention of the disciplinarymittee.
I see, then youll just have to look out for any trouble, wont you?
Yeah. And if by chance we get caught, dying them would be even better.
Hmm We might end up dealing with those guys we saw earlier.
Theres a high chance of that. Does it seem difficult to you?
I asked this as if it were a passing remark, but inwardly, I was keenly observing Go Hyeon-woos reaction.
In truth, it was a one-sidedly risky situation for him.
There was no real benefit for him in this, while the risks included viting school rules and potentially shing with the disciplinarymittee members.
However, Go Hyeon-woo readily nodded his head.
Ill give it a try. It may be hard to guarantee victory, but I can certainly buy us some time.
Thats unexpected. I thought you would at least ponder over it a bit.
Haha Once you step into something, its the warriors way to see it through to the end. Just like when I got involved in the dispute between Miss Song and Shin-hyung, there must be something more to this. Youll exin everythingter, right?
Yes, thank you.
Though he spoke boldly, Go Hyeon-woo seemed slightly tense as he subtly caressed his iron sword.
I reassured him as I inserted the next coin.
But its unlikely anything will happen. The disciplinarymittee doesnte here that often. Considering the timing, they should be heading towards carriage 1 right now, so no need to worry.
Hello, hello! What are you doing over there?
?!
?!
We both whipped our heads around simultaneously.
From the direction of the number 11 carriage that was located in the second-year students area, a female student approached us.
She wasnt a second-year student but she was a face I had seen before.
She had a cute smiling face and a disciplinarymittee armband on her arm.
It was Han Somi.
I guess we do need to worry after all.
. Shes a disciple of the Sword Marquis, right?
So weve heard.
Its said that if you speak of the tiger, it appears. And there she was.
Chapter 6: Drawing the Hidden Piece (2)
Chapter 6: Drawing the Hidden Piece (2)
Inside the train, the disciplinarymittee members usually formed teams of four, which was the standard party size, but in very special cases they would operate individually.
It seemed that this was one of those very special cases, which was just my luck.
Still, I had no intention of giving up.
Before the fight began, I spoke to Go Hyeon-woo.
Lend me just one silver coin.
Will one silver coin do?
One is enough.
Having more would be pointless.
I caught the silver coin Go Hyeon-woo flicked into the air.
I trust you.
Leave it to me.
Watching me insert the coin and pull the lever, Han So-mi spoke in a tone like she was scolding a child.
Hey guys, you shouldnt use that, you know~. Students are not allowed to touch it~.
However, as Han So-mi took a step forward, Go Hyeon-woo also stepped up and blocked her path.
?
I apologize in advance for any rudeness, but you cannot pass any further.
Are you saying youll continue to use it?
Thats the situation.
Han So-mi tilted her head slightly in confusion.
She thought Go Hyeon-woo didnt understand the situation and began to exin carefully.
If you break the school rules, you could receive demerit points. And helping a student who vites the rules is also subject to demerit points.
That doesnt concern me.
Why arent you concerned about getting demerit points at the start of the semester?
Its a choice I made. Therefore, its only right that I face the consequences.
Haaah.
Han So-mi let out a small sigh.
It was then that she realized she was dealing with someone who couldnt be reasoned with.
From my perspective, as his ally, it was reassuring, but I could see how it would be extremely frustrating for her.
Just as Han So-mi was about to say something more, Go Hyeon-woo replied in what could be said as formal politeness.
Ive heard that Miss Han has been trained in swordsmanship by the Sword Marquis. Would you grant me the opportunity to witness your skill?
His attitude was polite, but if twisted a bit his words meant something like this:
Ah~, if youre so great, try getting past me with the swordsmanship you learned from the Sword Marquis~.
Han So-mi seemed to understand the underlying message as she pursed her lips several times before asking.
Whats your name?
I am Go Hyeon-woo.
I dont particrly like fighting. But my master said that when someone challenges you, you must neither ignore nor avoid them.
Thats a wise advice. My own master said something simr.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded in agreement.
Han So-mi was about to draw her sword but then hesitated.
Thats right. I shouldnt be using a sword right now.
The uniforms at Dragon yer Academy are covered with multipleyers of D-rank defensive magic, providing greater protection than armor.
However, Go Hyeon-woo had just recentlye down from the mountain, so he was still wearing a martial artists clothing. In such attire, engaging in a sword fight against him could lead to serious injuries.
In cases where a student must be subdued by force
While fumbling, she pulled out something else.
It was a short rod made of steel, and when she pressed the attached button,
Click!
The rod extended to three times its length.
It was a three-section baton used for riot control.
I should use this!
Though it was somewhat less lethal than a sword, it was more than enough to subdue an opponent.
Especially when wielded by a disciple of a sword marquis, even an iron bar could exhibit some form of swordsmanship.
Go Hyeon-woo smiled at that sight.
Holding back a bit, are we? Then I cant go all out either, can I?
He then unfastened the steel sword from his waist and lifted it, sheath and all.
Ill use this. I request a fair match.
Alright, lets go!
Han So-mi cutely stamped her foot.
She seemed to lightly bounce in ce, but in the blink of an eye, she had charged right up to Go Hyeon-woo.
The three-section baton thrust straight for his throat.
Go Hyeon-woo slightly twisted his body to evade, but Han So-mi as if anticipating this, changed the trajectory of her thrust to a sweeping strike.
Again, Go Hyeon-woo lightly stepped back, moving out of the range of the three-section baton.
Han So-mi quickly adjusted her stance and closed the gap with a stabbing attack which was simr to her first move.
However, this time, the tip of the three-section baton was subtly trembling, almost imperceptibly.
As she drew closer, the trembling increased, and the baton seemed to split into three as if by a cloning technique, striking at Go Hyeon-woo from three different directions.
It appeared to split into three due to the attacks incredible speed.
.
Go Hyeon-woo looked at it carefully, pushed the sheathed sword he was holding into the range of the attack and lightly shook it once.
Ta-da-dan!
Judging by the sounds heard, it seemed he sessfully defended, but still, he stepped back half a step, seemingly at a disadvantage.
Han So-mi did not miss that chance and continued to press Go Hyeon-woo aggressively.
Even as he retreated step by step, Go Hyeon-woo wlessly blocked each attack.
Thud
While I was watching, the slot machine spat out another 500mL water bottle.
I ced the water bottle aside and started the slot machine once again.
Thats the third silver.
I wasnt particrly interested in the items that wereing out.
They were likely to be duds, and even if not, they were probably just a bunch of not-so-useful stuff.
My focus was solely on the battle between the two.
Hes not falling behind in skill.
Being nearly equal to a disciple of the Sword Marquis meant he had top-tier strength among first-year students.
Just like I anticipated during our first encounter, he was a remarkable talent.
ng! ng!
Go Hyeon-woo once again blocked the three-section baton with his sword sheath.
Even though her attack was parried, Han So-mi pressed in deeper, attempting to strike Go Hyeon-woos temple with the handle of the baton.
In response, Go Hyeon-woo lightly flicked her wrist with his opposite hand and swung his elbow in a counterattack.
!!
At such close range, where their faces almost touched, fists, hands, the three-section baton, the sword sheath, knees, and elbows became entangled in a chaotic dance.
This time, it was Han So-mi who was forced to retreat.
At such extremely close range the melee fight seemed to favor Go Hyeon-woo, who appeared to be one step ahead.
[Lemon] [Apple] [Orange]
Clunk
The fourth silver.
The slot machine spat out another dud.
At least it wasnt the 500mL water bottle, so perhaps that was slightly better.
[Vitamin Drink (E)]
A beverage rich in various vitamins.
Highly effective for skin care.
Two tries left.
Slot machines are one of the ssic games in a casino.
This perception leads yers who encounter this hidden event to think its all about luck.
They prefer to save their silver forter rather than waste it on uncertain gambling.
But theres one fact they dont know.
This slot machine has a ceiling that guarantees the highest reward.
The 6th, 30th, and 100th try.
More than 30 tries are nearly impossible unless you have merchant-type skills, and my goal was the ceiling of the 6th try.
The cunning aspect of this 6th try ceiling was that yers are initially given only 5 silver coins when they start the game.
Simply going all-in would mean they couldnt reach the ceiling without realizing that they just needed one more silver.
Thats why I had borrowed 1 silver from Go Hyeon-woo in advance.
I pulled the lever of the slot machine for the fifth time.
As I briefly watched the two fiercely shing with a three-section baton and a sword sheath,
[Mana] [Mana] [7]
Clunk
[Mana 2% (D)]
Contains condensed mana.
Slightly increases maximum mana when consumed.
Its rare to get two matches.
A drink that slightly increases mana.
Not a jackpot, but it was an unexpected gain.
I guess I was on the luckier side.
Now, the much-anticipated ceiling.
Unlike the previous five tries, I was a bit nervous as I inserted the coin and pulled the lever.
The screen spun rapidly, the images whirring by.
Just dontnd on [Cute Deadly Poison].
There were three types of top rewards, but I couldnt immediately use [Cute Deadly Poison] if I actually got it.
Meaning Id have to hand it over to the disciplinarymittee, which is the same as wasting my investment of 6 silver coins.
In fact, there was a 1/3 chance of losing the 6 silver coins investment, so ideally, I wanted to avoid that oue.
However, considering the 2/3 chance of receiving the desired reward and the benefits that came with it, it was worth taking the risk.
Whirrrr
Soon, the speed of the three fast-moving screens gradually decreased, and the results were disyed one by one.
[Ice] [Ice] [Ice]
Thats it.
Clunk
The item that dropped was a small ss bottle.
Ice crystals the size of star candies were enclosed inside but their pitch-ck color gave off an ominous vibe.
[Dark Ice Crystal (C)]
Intensely cold taste.
Exercise extreme caution when consuming.
Warning: You may die!
You cant take that with you.
Han So-mis demeanor as she said that was quite different from before.
Until now, she had interacted with us with a pleasant smile, and her sparring with Go Hyeon-woo had felt somewhat friendly. But now, she was as serious as if she were facing a life-or-death situation.
The reason for her reaction was that this [Dark Ice Crystal] was considered a prohibited item.
By possessing it, I was actively breaking the school rules.
Hand it over.
Id rather not.
Han So-mi approached me and extended her hand but I shook my head.
If I had intended to hand it over easily, I wouldnt have started this in the first ce.
And then, as if he was in agreement with me, Go Hyeon-woo stepped forward to block her path.
.
Realizing that words were futile, Han So-mi raised her three-section baton to a ready position.
It was a stance she had adopted numerous times while sparring with Go Hyeon-woo.
However, this time, the air around her seemed to freeze, turning bitterly cold.
She was beginning to ramp up her momentum.
As Han So-mi shifted her feet, her figure blurred and disappeared from my sight.
!
Go Hyeon-woo hurriedly lifted his sword sheath, and in a sh of light,
Swoosh!!
Ugh!
Struck by a blow of a different caliber, Go Hyeon-woos figure was pushed sideways.
He managed to block the attack, but as a result, a small crack appeared on his sword sheath.
Go Hyeon-woo regained his stance and intensified his energy,
Swoosh!!
and narrowly defended against another strike from Han So-mi.
His [Core] is a bit weak.
While mana continued to surge from Han So-mis three-section baton, the mana emanating from Go Hyeon-woos sword sheath seemed weak, as if it might extinguish at any moment.
The grade of Go Hyeon-woos [Core] was inferior to Han So-mis, resulting in a lesser amount of mana avable to him.
Can you hold out any longer?
Honestly, it seems difficult.
Go Hyeon-woo appeared to be acutely aware of his own weakness.
He also realized that his chances of winning were slim.
But I wont let him give up just yet.
Because there was still more to see.
Just try for one more minute.
In times like these,pensating for a teammates shorings is precisely the role of a support.
[Activate Amplification]
[The targets Core rank increased. (E->C)]
[Duration 00:00:58]
[Cooldown period 00:59:58]
Soon, the mana flowing from the sword sheath intensified.
Go Hyeon-woo, sensing the power boiling up from his lower abdomen, turned to me with surprised eyes.
I responded with a slight nod of my head.
Just try a little longer.
Chapter 7: Drawing the Hidden Piece (3)
Chapter 7: Drawing the Hidden Piece (3)
One of the three skills I acquired as a special perk from the reincarnation quest was [Amplification].
It had the effect of raising the rank of a designated skill for the duration it was active.
For instance, my current F-rank [Amplification] could raise a skills rank by two levels for one minute.
An E-rank would be a C-rank, and a C-rank would turn into an A-rank.
The skill was powerful enough to warrant its one-hour cooldown time, despite being active for only a minute.
Swoosh!!
Contrary to moments before when Go Hyeon-woo was relentlessly pushed back each time their weapons shed, he now stood his ground steadfastly, like a steel tower.
The sword sheath he gripped was swathed in a swirling blue energy.
This was only possible because the rank of his [Core] had risen from E to C.
Rather than just defend he nowunched into an aggressive offense.
Han So-mi looked to be momentarily flustered by the sudden surge in Go Hyeon-woos momentum. However, she quickly regained herposure and dodged each of the iing attacks before striking back.
The exchange between the two became much faster and more intense.
So much so that you couldnt even see their movements if you didnt concentrate.
Impressive.
Although one might expect Go Hyeon-woo to struggle with the sudden surge in mana, he adeptly managed it as if it had always been his own.
Like a fish that had found water.
I wish I could see his swordsmanship a bit more too.
[Duration 00:00:16]
That was probably asking for too much.
No matter what I wanted to see, there were limits with just one minute.
And it seemed likely that the oue would be decided even before the duration ended.
Crack
Damn!
Go Hyeon-woo, in the midst of fighting, looked down abruptly.
His sword sheath had developed web-like cracks.
The very small crack that appeared while blocking Han So-mis blow continued to grow and eventually became like this.
Soon, the iron sword, along with a final cracking sound, broke in two along with its sheath.
If the material had been just a bit better, it might have withstood the attacks without cracking.
This was the limit of a cheap iron sword.
Ive seen enough for now.
It had been quite an insightful time.
I uncapped the [Dark Ice Crystal] and poured its contents into my mouth in one go.
Wha-!!
Han So-mi was shocked at this scene.
She closed the distance in a sh and grabbed my hand, but the dark blue crystals had already vanished into my stomach.
Her face turned deathly pale.
You, you ate that If you eat it
What happens if you eat it?
At first, it feels as refreshing as gulping down a ss of ice.
But gradually, that coolness turns into a bone-chilling cold.
A sensation of everything inside, starting with the inner organs, freezing.
[Freezing status ailment is applied.]
For beginners first starting , this Dark Ice Crystal is extremely deadly.
Even a piece as small as a fingernail can turn someone into an ice statue in an instant.
Of course, Im an exception.
I possessed the S-rank [Elemental Resistance] after all.
[Freezing status ailment is removed.]
[Freezing status ailment is applied.]
[Freezing status ailment is removed.]
.
The dark ice crystals continued to emit cold air, but it was immediately neutralized as if it were nothing.
While the chilling effect that harms yers faded away, the immense energy contained in the crystal remained undiminished.
This energy umted steadily within my body.
The difference between poison and elixir is just a thin line.
If one could control the side effects of the poison, wouldnt it be an elixir?
If the [Purgatory Lava] had appeared instead of the [Dark Ice Crystal], my body would have simrly tamed the mes and made them my own.
From the start, my confidence in [Elemental Resistance] led me to seek out this hidden piece.
Han So-mis face remained deathly pale.
She must have had some idea about the true nature of this dark ice crystal.
At the very least, she knew it was a dangerous item that students should neither possess nor consume.
So she must have expected me to freeze or copse.
But as I just stood there, herplexion slowly returned to normal.
She asked me while carefully examining my face.
Are you okay?
Cough!
The moment Han So-mi asked if I was okay, I clutched my throat with both hands and contorted my face in agony.
Then I began to tremble violently, bending my body more and more.
Kim-hyung!
Uh, Uh, Ill go call the others right away!
Just as Han So-mi was about to kick off from her spot to leave,
I returned to a rxed expression and a normal posture as if nothing had happened.
that was just an act.
Ah!!
Hahaha. Kim-hyung, thats too much of a prank.
Han So-mi who realized that she had been fooled pointed her finger at me angrily, while Go Hyeon-woo burst intoughter.
I showed Han So-mi the empty bottle, shaking it.
I dont know what you thought it was, but this isnt it, right? Didnt you see it wrong?
Is that so?
[Freezing status ailment is removed.]
[Freezing status abnormality is applied.]
Even now at this very moment, a battle was still raging inside my body, but there was no need to divulge that fact to the others.
Han So-mi took the empty bottle from me and examined it closely.
However, since everyst crumb of its contents had already entered my stomach, her effort was in vain.
It cant be; it was definitely that item.
Im telling you, you saw it wrong.
There seemed to be no clear evidence so I maintained my stance to the end.
Han So-mi had a very suspicious expression but theres only so much one can do with suspicion alone.
She eventually had no choice but to pout her lips and to let us go.
Both of you return to your cabin. Dont ever use this again. Dont evene near it!
Alright. Sorry for the trouble we caused. Here, drink this on your way.
I casually offered her a [Vitamin Drink (E)] that came from the slot machine.
As per the description, it was good for skin care.
Han So-mi quickly snatched the vitamin drink from my hand.
I dont care; Ill tell Cheon Hye about all of this.
Lets go.
Miss Han, it was a good match. Until next time, then.
Even as we left, Go Hyeon-woo courteously showed his respect.
As I was walking, I felt a stinging sensation in the back of my head and looked back to see Han So-mi still ring at us.
When our eyes met, she tried hard to muster a scary expression while narrowing her eyes but it didnt quite work out.
She just looked cute.
* * *
Do you think Miss Han was convinced?
No way. It was tant deception; if she was convinced, shed be a fool.
Then she will probably confront us again soon.
Absolutely. Even if Han So-mi lets it slide, the disciplinarymittee wont stay quiet.
Was it worth it, though?
He meant whether the risk of friction with the disciplinarymittee and the possibility of receiving demerit points at the start of the semester was worth it.
Well, even if you call it friction, nobody got hurt, and its not like this will turn thempletely against us. Compared to what we gained, its a minor issue.
Hmm Theres some logic to that. Miss Han didnt seem too upset either. So, what was the real nature of that ss bottle?
Its a long story, but to put it simply, its like an elixir. Eating it builds up mana.
I opened my palm to show him.
A handful of mana swirled and then vanished above my hand.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded in agreement.
Indeed, if the only cost of this Elixir is minor friction, then its a profitable deal. I feel satisfaction in having helped Kim-hyung.
Normally, we wouldnt even cross paths with the disciplinarymittee, let alone have a conflict. But this time, we were just unlucky. Still, thanks to you holding her down, we managed well.
Haha For me, it was like killing two birds with one stone. I got to help Kim-hyung and also got a glimpse of the swordsmanship of the Sword Marquis. Plus, thanks to Kim-hyungs help, I could fight evenly with Miss Han until the end.
Thanks to the [Amplification] that enhanced his core rank, he managed to exchange blows for nearly a minute with an opponent who would have defeated him quickly otherwise.
There was a lot to be gained just by reliving that battle.
Go Hyeon-woo clenched and unclenched his fists as if he had a lingering feeling of that overflowing power, and then asked me cautiously.
If its not too much to ask could I witness Kim-hyungs technique again?
Not now. Its a skill with limitations, so I cant use it that frequently.
There was also a one-hour cooldown in effect, and even if there wasnt, I had no intention of revealing my full capabilities so carelessly.
Offering more serious support is something Ill consider after weve built up more trust.
Go Hyeon-woo looked to be disappointed but he nodded his head in understanding.
It cant be helped then. I expected that since it was such a powerful technique, there would definitely be some limitations.
Its not just for today. There will be other opportunities to use it in the future. Also,
I handed over the [Mana 2%(D)] that had luckily dropped from the slot machine.
This also came out. Its your share.
!
As Go Hyeon-woo examined the item description, his eyes widened in surprise.
[Mana 2% (D)]
Contains condensed mana.
Slightly increases maximum mana when consumed.
Im not sure if I should ept such a valuable item.
Ive received a lot of help from you, and you lent me 1 silver coin earlier. Its only fair to give you this in return.
Still Compared to 1 silver coin, this seems too generous.
If Go Hyeon-woo hadnt lent his strength, the n with the slot machine would have fallen apart as soon as we ran into Han So-mi.
Since I was able to drink the [Dark Ice Crystal] giving him such item was not at all regrettable.
However, Go Hyeon-woo seemed hesitant to ept it.
I yfully tapped his shoulder.
Just take it. If it bothers you that much, buy me a meal sometime.
That seems fair to my conscience. I think I saw a snack corner on the way here. How about I buy some snacks from there?
Sounds good to me.
With light steps, we headed towards the snack corner.
***
When we returned, Seo Ye-in was still lying face down on the table, wandering in dreand.
As we started to open the snacks we picked up from the snack corner, she finally began to stir from her sleep.
Her eyes were half-open, but she was still half-asleep.
Youre awake.
Would you like some, Miss Seo?
Yeah.
Her slender, pale hand briefly fumbled among the snacks before picking up a stick-shaped one.
Seo Ye-in brought it to her mouth and started nibbling at it, starting from the tip.
As I watched her eat more and more, I realized that she preferred light over just sweet.
It wasnt a mistake that her homemade cookiescked sugar; it was purely her taste preference.
Ooh, what are these sweets made of? They have a truly unique vor.
On the other hand, Go Hyeon-woo would put any snack in his mouth regardless of whether it was light, sweet, spicy, or salty.
He popped them into his mouth without hesitation, savoring each one and eximing in delight.
Is it that good?
Since my sect is deep in the mountains, we rarely get a chance to try such things. Now and then, gifts from my masters close friends were all we got.
Yeah, it cant be helped for a sect deep in the mountains.
I pushed the snack bag toward him.
Go Hyeon-woo, who was savoring a chicken leg-shaped snack, suddenly looked out the window and asked,
How much longer until we arrive?
Almost there, I think?
The reason I answered that way was because everything outside the window was blue.
Ake so vast it reminded one of the sea.
The train had been crossing the middle of this enormouske for some time.
Looking out the window, it almost seemed as though the train was running on water, but in reality, it was traveling on tracksid shallowly on the waters surface.
I pointed toward an ind with only a vague outline visible in front of us.
We just need to get there, so it wont be long.
Indeed, we should arrive in no more than a quarter of an hour.
The hugeke and the ind at its center.
A strange ind made up of countless dungeons, called Dungeon Ind, was the final stop of this train.
In the past, Dungeon Ind was awless zone swarming with all sorts of criminals.
From the perspective of someone fleeing, they just need to select and hide in a dungeon with a moderate level of danger.
On the other hand, those in pursuit had to first figure out which dungeon the escaping fugitive was hiding in, and even if they were lucky to find it, aplicated chase awaited them inside the dungeon.
Therefore, it was a ce that was abandoned as awless area for a long time.
Then one day, the first hero and dragon yer set foot on this Dungeon Ind.
He swept away all the criminals without leaving any behind.
He conquered the dungeonspletely.
He founded a city and established an academy.
This was the Dragon yer Academy.
The once blurry image of Dungeon Ind gradually became clearer.
As thend neared, the train slowed down, and by the time the blue view outside the window transformed into well-paved roads, the train finally came to aplete stop.
Go Hyeon-woo had been reveling in his own snack festival among the bags of snacks until then.
When it was time to leave, he gathered the bags together and crushed them into one bundle, even though he still had quite a bit of snacks left.
He tossed thebined mass lightly into a trash bin and dered,
Weve arrived. Lets get up.
Seo Ye-in, who had been dozing off and on, stretched herself in her seat.
Her clothes are all messed up, likely because she slept against the table or wall.
I couldnt help myself and tugged at her clothes to straighten them out.
Upon disembarking from the train, we were surrounded by a bustling crowd of students.
A red-haired female students wand sparked with a small me.
A palm-sized cat was perched on the shoulder of a timid-looking girl.
It was swiping at the continuously passing students with tiny meow punches.
Everyones individuality was so pronounced that finding someone ordinary seemed like a more difficult task.
The presence of so many distinctly unique students in one ce only added to the sense of chaos.
First years! First years, this way!
Donte this way! Dont follow the upperssmen!
Hey, grab that one!
Senior students wearing disciplinarymittee armbands were waving their batons and shouting at the top of their lungs.
Because the second-and third-year students and freshmen had different destinations, the seniors stopped the freshmen who were attempting to follow them and guided them in a specific direction.
Having been to the ind more than once, I could navigate Dungeon Ind with my eyes closed.
Following the disciplinarymittee members directions led to arge auditorium where the entrance ceremony would be held.
The three of us were simply following the student ahead, focusing only on the back of their head.
However, along the way someone blocked our path.
Song Cheon-hye crossed her arms and red at me with an expression that screamed, Ive caught you red-handed!
Sparks of faint electricity crackled from the glove she wore on one of her hands as if she was putting on a show of force.
Ny-nine out of a hundred, she must havee to confront me because of the incident that happened at the slot machine earlier.
Though there was no concrete evidence on her side,
It seemed neat from my perspective to tie up loose ends here and now.
Please, follow me for a moment.
Do I have to apany you as well?
When Go Hyeon-woo asked, Song Cheon-hye shifted her gaze to him.
I heard you sparred with So-mi.
Upon hearing that she was the disciple of the sword marquis, I couldnt help but feel a sense of rivalry.
Next time, I would appreciate it if you could discern the time and ce more appropriately. If a simr incident urs again, I wont let it slide so easily.
Ill bear that in mind.
It seems this time she chose not to make an issue out of the fact that he helped me.
Thats good.
I waved lightly at Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in.
Dont worry, go ahead without me.
I understand. Well save you a seat. Miss Seo.
Seo Ye-in, with her sleepy eyes that made it hard to guess her thoughts, alternated her gaze between me and Song Cheon-hye.
When Go Hyeon-woo urged her, she nodded her head slightly and then headed towards the auditorium with him.
As I watched the two of them walk away, Song Cheon-hye also started to move.
This way.
Lets go.
Chapter 8: Entrance Ceremony (1)
Chapter 8: Entrance Ceremony (1)
While she was taking me to some ce, not a word was exchanged between Song Cheon-hye and me.
Song Cheon-hye who was leading the way asionally nced back to ensure I was following.
.
Judging from the displeasure that came out every time we made eye contact, it didnt seem like I made a good impression at all.
In her view, I must have seemed like a strange person who caused trouble for the disciplinarymittee over a cookie.
Moreover, due to that slight friction with Han So-mi I was probably on the verge of being branded as a troublemaker.
I was probably just a notch above Shin Byeong-cheol, who was already a student known for being problematic.
Eventually, we arrived at the office marked disciplinarymittee Club.
The office was neatly organized.
Except for a corner stacked with piles of documents.
On one side of the room, there was a door leading to another room. Song Cheon-hye approached it first, opened the door, and gestured for me to enter.
If the disciplinarymittee office was neat and orderly, this room felt barren and stark.
The only furniture was a table in the middle with two folding chairs facing each other.
A single dim incandescent bulb faintly illuminated the dark room.
Anyone could see that this was an interrogation room.
The ce was known among yers as The Room of Truth.
It was said that anyone who entered woulde out a good person.
Please, take a seat.
Okay.
At Song Cheon-hyes words, I pulled up a folding chair and sat down.
I settled into the folding chair, leaning back with leisurely ease. This apparently looked toofortable to Song Cheon-hye, as her eyes twitched once in response.
She closed her eyes tightly as if suppressing anger, then reopened them.
Just wait a moment.
Song Cheon-hye left the Room of Truth and soon returned with another male student.
Judging from the golden color of the pin on his tie, he must be a third-year senior.
His sturdy build and benign appearance reminded me of a gentle bear, perhaps more so because of his narrow, slit-like eyes.
It was hard to tell if he was smiling or expressionless, as only the corners of his mouth were slightly turned up.
The senior with narrowed eyes ced a few items on the table and asked,
Hello. Your name is Kim Ho, right?
Yes, senior.
Alright, Kim Ho. My name is Oh Se-hoon. Most people know me as the president of the disciplinarymittee or Slit-Eye Senior. Feel free to call me whatever yourefortable with.
.
People with narrow eyes usually dont like being called that, do they?
I wasnt sure if Oh Se-hoon was genuinely indifferent to such a nickname or if he was testing me.
In situations like this, its best to keep quiet.
Oh Se-hoon asked while pouring coffee from a thermos in his hand.
Would you like something to drink? Ive got honey water, green tea, and coffee But its almost evening, and coffee might keep you awake, right?
Ill just have some cold water, thank you.
Please stay seated. Ill get it for you.
Before Oh Se-hoon could rise, Song Cheon-hye quickly left the room and returned almost right away.
She was so fast that one might have thought there was a water dispenser right outside the door.
Song Cheon-hye, still showing her displeasure, briskly ced a paper cup in front of me and then positioned herself upright behind Oh Se-hoon.
Oh Se-hoon took a sip of his coffee and then began to speak.
So, Kim Ho, we wont keep you long since you cant bete for the entrance ceremony. Just answer a few questions, and you can go.
Okay.
I heard you used the slot machine in carriage number 10. So-mi warned you it was against school rules, but you continued. Why is that?
He went straight into questioning about the incident on the train.
My response did not change despite knowing the other party was the head of the disciplinarymittee.
I persisted with my strategy of feigning ignorance.
I dont understand why it was against the rules, so being told not to do it just made me more rebellious.
As she answered nonchntly, Song Cheon-hyes eyes twitched again.
If it werent for the disciplinarymittee president, she might have cast a powerful spell on me right then and there.
On the other hand, Oh Se-hoon slowly nodded his head as if he could see my point.
Theres some fault on So-mis part for not exining properly. Still, I hope youll follow the disciplinarymittees instructions without question in the future. Were not always in a position to provide an exnation.
I understand.
Theres another thing I want to ask.
Song Cheon-hye handed over a small ss bottle that was kept in a ziplock bag.
It was the same bottle that contained the [Dark Ice Crystal].
Oh Se-hoon, examining the bottle, narrowed his eyes, which seemed to sh sharply for a moment.
You swallowed the crystals that were in here. Dont you have any abnormalities in your body?
None at all. I feel just the same as usual.
Still, just to be sure, Id like to conduct a simple test. Could you put your hand here?
A device resembling a blood pressure monitor was ced in front of me.
It was a device that disyed results when you inserted your hand into a fist-sized hole.
A Debuff Detection Device.
In , the methods to ess information about an opponents skills, traits, or equipment were extremely limited.
It was even impossible to check what status ailments the opponent had.
Unless the status ailments were directly inflicted by oneself.
This debuff detector was designed solely to check for status ailments in the person whose hand was inserted.
Without hesitation, I put my hand into the hole.
Whiiiir
The device started to whirr and buzz.
Until just before we arrived, the Dark Ice Crystals were notpletely absorbed, so the freeze effect continued to ur and release, but now that was all over.
Therefore, it was unlikely that the detector would find any debuffs.
As the device emitted a green signal, Oh Se-hoon nodded his head.
It seems theres nothing unusual. Kim Ho, let me tell you something. In principle, you can be subject to disciplinary action simply by disobeying the instructions of the disciplinarymittee, regardless of whether an exnation was given or not. Of course, this is only a case of in principle. Since no one was hurt in this incident and its your first offense, well overlook it this time without issuing any demerit points. But I do hope that this is the first andst time we have to address an issue like this with you.
Yes, senior.
Hearing my answer, Oh Se-hoons lips curved into a more rxed smile.
You can go now. Do you know the way to the auditorium? If not, you can go with Cheon-hye.
Its fine. I know the way.
Alright, then go ahead. And have a good semester.
***
.
Oh Se-hoon was leisurely savoring his coffee even after Kim Ho left.
He was someone who could enjoy a rxed moment anywhere as long as he had his coffee with him.
He gently took another sip and then asked a question over his shoulder.
It looks like Cheon-hye is dissatisfied.
That man is lying; at least hes definitely hiding something.
Why do you think so?
Student Kim Hos room was in carriage number 8. Theres no reason for him to go all the way to carriage number 10 unless his target was the slot machine from the start. And as for dumping the contents of the bottle in front of So-mi, he said it was out of rebellion, but it seems forced to me.
Youve got a sharp eye. My thoughts are simr.
Although he expressed his agreement, to Song Cheon-hye, it seemed like Oh Se-hoon had lost interest in the matter.
Was it her imagination, or did he seem more interested in the coffee in his hand?
Song decided to press further.
Theres a high possibility he acquired some prohibited skill. If we use the [Magnifying ss] to check his skills, we might catch him.
Yeah, that could be the case.
The [Magnifying ss] was an item that allowed partial ess to a subjects information.
The information that could be viewed varies depending on the type and rank, but if you use the right one, you should be able to see what skills someone possesses.
However, Oh Se-hoons response remained lukewarm.
Just as Song Cheon-hye was about to add anotherment, he asked a question.
What if it shows nothing?
Pardon?
If we use the magnifying ss and it doesnt reveal any problematic skills, what then?
That is
Song Cheon-hye found herself unable to respond easily.
Although she was almost 100% certain in her suspicion, what if she pushed hard and it turned up nothing?
The bacsh would affect not just the disciplinarymittee but also the Topaz Magic Tower that she was a part of.
On the other hand, even if the Magnifying ss did reveal a prohibited skill the chances of it being something egregiously evil were slim. At most, the perpetrator might get demerit points or a minor disciplinary action.
The risk seemed too greatpared to what could be gained.
Oh Se-hoon had likely already considered this when he decided to let Kim Ho go.
Song Cheon-hye bowed her head.
Im sorry. I was careless.
Oh Se-hoon was pleased with his juniors attitude.
This was a time when the students were full of self-esteem as elites.
Recognizing and admitting ones mistakes during such a period was no easy feat.
Oh Se-hoon gently advised her.
Cheon-hye, I understand that your heart is in the right ce. But remember, in matters like these, pushing aggressively isnt always the solution. Lets take it slow and look at the bigger picture.
Yes.
If Kim Ho was indeed using something prohibited, he would inevitably get caught, even without the use of the magnifying ss.
Unless he causes more trouble, let Kim Ho be. Our priority now is to monitor the trends among the clubs.
Understood.
Come on, you better hurry too. Youll bete for the entrance ceremony if you dont leave now.
***
The time I spent in the Room of Truth was very brief.
But by the time I stepped outside, the sun was already halfway down.
Walking on thend bathed in the crimson hue of the setting sun, I arrived at the auditorium.
Hundreds of freshmen were seated, waiting for the entrance ceremony.
The noise of their chatterbined, sounding like a swarm of bees buzzing.
While casually looking around, I noticed someone with gray hair.
Although it was a game world where all kinds of worldviews were mixed, gray hair was still surprisingly rare.
Seo Ye-in seemed to sense my gaze and turned her head towards me just in time.
Following her gaze, Go Hyeon-woo also looked my way and soon he spotted me and waved his hand.
Kim-hyung, over here!
In a rather calcted move, Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in had strategically left a seat empty between them.
Unless you have a very thick face, it would have been difficult to put your butt in between them.
The moment I sat down in the empty seat, a notification message was disyed in the corner of my eye.
[Tutorial III Completed]
You have attended the entrance ceremony on time.
Reward: E-rank weapon selection, 5 silver coins
[Weapon Selection (E)]
You can acquire any E-rank weapon of your choice.
Even though it was called an E-rank weapon, it was merely mass-produced equipment that was no better than Go Hyeon-woos iron sword.
But it was still better than nothing.
The 5 silver coins I had squandered on the slot machine were also fully reimbursed.
!
!
The bustling auditorium began to quiet down, beginning from the front rows.
The reason was that a group had entered the stage at the front of the auditorium.
Judging by the timing of their appearance and their age range, it was clear they were the teachers and staff of the Dragon yer Academy.
As the students attention converged on them, the teachers disyed varying reactions.
Somepletely ignored the sea of faces, focusing straight ahead as if nothing else existed, while others responded with faint smiles and friendly waves.
Among them, a man who appeared to be in histe thirties, with a roughly trimmed beard, stepped up onto the podium.
Chapter 9: Entrance Ceremony (2)
Chapter 9: Entrance Ceremony (2)
Looking at the middle-aged man reminded me of the typical fool in the neighborhood.
The fool who was always shabbily dressed in a tracksuit and dragging his worn-out slippers everywhere.
It seemed I wasnt the only one who thought so as two female students who were sitting in front of me were whispering such things to each other.
However, their whispers were so loud that they could be heard by those around them.
Thats the principal, right? He doesnt look very impressive
No, youre mistaken. Even if he looks like that, he was the leader of the dragon yer team when he was young. I heard he even killed two adult fire dragons.
Wow, really?
Traditionally, the principal of the Dragon yer Academy is a position held by a hero who retired from the front lines.
And the title of , much like that of , is bestowed only upon one among the many powerful S-rank individuals.
Despite his unimpressive appearance, he harbors an unimaginable amount of power within him.
Since the heroes I raised before had about 20 S-rank skills,
Im guessing hes about the same.
But hes still single.
Really? I heard hes been rejected by the saintess four times!
No, its actually five now. He proposed again recently and got turned down again.
Oh my~
Ah, the principal
What kind of battles had this man faced
The perception of the principal in my mind suddenly became that of pity.
He looked around the crowd with weary eyes and opened his mouth.
Wee, new students. I sincerely wee you to the Dragon yer Academy.
The auditorium suddenly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
The principals expression, which started with a gentle greeting, turned serious.
Long ago, the Dragon yer Academy, as its name suggests, was established to prepare for the war against dragons and to nurture dragon yers.
The reason the first hero insisted on including the character for yer among many good words was probably to encourage you all to deeply consider what it means to be a yer.
What is a yer? You cant be an ogre yer without ying an ogre, nor a dragon yer without ying a dragon.
As such, taking life is both our fate and essence as yers. Do not turn away from this truth.
At the same time, you must think it through. Why do I want to be a yer? For what purpose do I wish to take life?
I hope that by the time you graduate, you will have found your own answers.
The reason the principal began by mentioning these ufortable truths was that:
Beyond physical training, tempering ones inner self is of great importance.
And this inner tempering starts with setting a clear goal in mind.
The A-rank and S-rank monsters the students would have to face after graduation are akin to living natural disasters.
With vague aspirations like wanting to live well or be rich, one would simply crumble like a candle in the wind when confronted with such monsters.
Besides me, there were quite a few students who nodded their heads in understanding or were lost deep in thought at the principals words.
It would have actually been an excellent opening speech if he had stopped there.
Just one more thing
Unfortunately, the principal was someone who didnt know how to stop at the first verse.
His sermon went on and on.
The students twisted in agony, but the principal was oblivious to their difort and continued at a lubys slow pace, insisting on saying what he wanted.
This time for real, just onest thing
***
Had someone not intervened, his talk might have continued for hours more.
A woman in a suit who was waiting near the podium made a gesture as if pointing to her wristwatch.
Only then did the principal seem to decide to wrap things up.
I hope you all be true heroes at Dragon yer Academy. Thats all.
Ugh.
Mom my head hurts
All of the new students were in a state of deep despair, some were clutching their faces and othersining of headaches.
Amidst this, Go Hyeon-woo kept nodding his head with a smile, as if he was deeply moved by the principals words.
Hmm. Truly a meaningful time.
Werent you bored?
Bored? Kim-hyung, how can you say that? Each word was a valuable lesson, like flesh and blood. My master used to give me such advice every day.
You heard this kind of thing every day?
So he was already well-trained for this, huh?
I gave up on the conversation.
In life, there are some battles that you simply cannot win, and this was precisely one of those moments.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in had her arms crossed and her head was bowed ever so slightly.
I waved my hand lightly in front of her face, but she showed no reaction.
She was dozing off with her eyes half open.
I didnt know if I should wake her up, so I just let her be.
After the principal stepped down from the podium, a woman in a suit took his ce.
She was a person who seemed wless both from the outside and the inside.
Perhaps if Song Cheon-hye aged about 10 years, she might just look like this woman?
I overheard the girls in the front row whispering, Its the vice principal.
Had I not known and seen the principal and vice principal standing side by side, I would have probably been confused about who was actually the principal.
When the vice principal swept her cold gaze over the audience, the chatting students flinched and immediately shut their mouths.
It was only a matter of moments before the slowly growing noise died down.
The following is an announcement. This years list of prohibited items has been updated. These items are subject to confiscation simply if the student carries them or keeps them in his or her inventory, and depending on the severity, a punishment of more than demerit points will be imposed. Please be fully aware of them and abide by them to avoid being penalized.
In addition, new students will only conduct practical evaluations on the ground level of the dungeon until further notice. Unauthorized entry into the lower levels can cause problems not only for the individual but also for their affiliated sects, towers, and clubs. A moment of curiosity should not lead to misery for everyone.
The vice principal delivered this message with a warning look.
The new students shivered as if they felt a chill even though they had done nothing wrong.
The entrance ceremony will now conclude so that you can have dinner. Please return to your dormitories on time.
After the vice principal finished saying that, she immediately came down from the podium.
Compared to the principals lengthy speech, it was a brief, to-the-point, and practical announcement.
It happened so quickly that there were many students sitting in their seats thinking that the entrance ceremony had not yet ended.
However, once all the faculty and staff members began to leave, they slowly started to get up as well.
Go Hyeon-woo stretched lightly in his ce.
Its time for dinner. I was just starting to feel hungry.
Lets hurry. If we arrive a bitter, well have to line up.
The two of us were about to hurry away when we suddenly remembered something we had forgotten and turned around at the same time.
There sat Seo Ye-in, still slouched in her chair, half-asleep with her eyes half-open.
Her presence was so faint that we almost left without her.
Hey, Seo Ye-in.
I knew I had to wake her, but she didnt respond to my call.
I moved closer and then I gently tapped her shoulder with my fingertip.
Only then did Seo Ye-in slowly lift her eyelids and stand up.
Having just woken up, she appeared disoriented and she started scanning her surroundingszily as if struggling to grasp the situation.
Then she noticed me and stared intently at my hand, the culprit that woke her up.
The entrance ceremony is over. Lets go eat.
Mhm
***
Seafood pasta was served for dinner.
When you cook meals for hundreds of people at the same time, the food quality naturally drops, but this pasta was actually on par with that of a famous restaurant.
This went to show how skilled the kitchen staff were.
This also proved that the Dragon yer Academy paid attention to even the smallest details, like the quality of meals.
Given that its an institution dedicated to nurturing future heroes who will protect humanity, it makes sense that they would offer such exceptional treatment.
After all, not just anyone could enroll here.
Hey, friends, enjoying your meal?
Oh, youre here.
Just like when we first met on the train, Shin Byeong-chul came over and casually took the seat next to us.
Whatever he had been up to, there were three red scratch marks diagonally across his cheek.
Go Hyeon-woo couldnt hold back his curiosity and asked.
Shin-hyung, what happened to your face?
Oh, this? Just a minor incident.
A timid-looking female student passed by and she cast an uneasy nce at Shin Byeong-chul.
The cat perched on her shoulder hissed and arched its back with its ws extended.
I decided to pretend I hadnt seen anything.
The shrimp is delicious.
Shin Byeong-chulmented as he devoured his portion of the pasta.
Eat well and rest up. Tomorrow is a big day waiting for us.
Big day? What does that mean?
You dont know? Tomorrow is the first day of sses.
True, but what happens on the first day of sses?
Shin Byeong-cheol opened his mouth to exin but seemed to change his mind midway and smiled mischievously.
Heh, Im not telling. Lets leave it as a surprise for tomorrow.
Kim-hyung, do you know anything?
Its nothing big. Just wait until tomorrow.
Ehum Im still curious though Miss Seo?
I dont know.
Seo Ye-in didnt even spare Go Hyeon-woo a nce.
Feeling left out, Go Hyeon-woo sighed softly.
Haah, the principles of the martial world have fallen indeed
After dinner, we continued chatting about trivial matters.
Of course, out of consideration for Go Hyeon-woo, we never mentioned what the next day was about
As time passed, the members of the disciplinarymittee announced that it was gettingte.
Lets start wrapping things up!
Everyone, head to your dorms!
If you dont know the way, dont wander around; juste and ask!
Now that darkness had set in, our final destination was the dormitory.
When I took out my student ID, I noticed the number 3-406 engraved on the back.
This meant that it was in building 3, room 406.
When I found building 3 and put my student ID card on the device that glowed softly with magic, the front door opened.
But Go Hyeon-woo kept following me.
We went through the same gate, climbed the same stairs, passed through the same hallway
Even when I stopped in front of room 406, he was still with me, so I asked him.
Hey, which room are you in?
Im in 407. What about you, Kim-hyung?
406.
Oh.
It was like that.
It seemed like some twist of fate had made us neighbors overnight.
What a pleasant coincidence to be next-door neighbors.
Im not so happy about it.
Haha, then rest well, Kim-hyung.
I waved my hand nonchntly at his polite greeting and entered my room.
The room was unexpectedly stylish and spacious for a dormitory and was fully equipped with the necessary facilities.
It was so good that it could have been mistaken for a hotel room.
The elements I had casually encountered in the game have now be my reality.
I sat down on the bed, feeling a strange mix of emotions.
The bed was also of a very high quality and it was sofortable that I felt like I would fall asleep right away the moment Iid down on it.
But I wouldnt sleep tonight.
There was something I needed to do.
Create the [Core].
[Kim Ho]
Skills
Amplification (F)
Copy-Skill [1/1]
1. Hummingbird (E)
Traits
Monarch (F)
Copy-Trait [1/1]
1. Elemental Resistance (S)
Equipment
School Uniform (D)
Inventory
E-rank weapon selection (E)
5 silver coins
I copied the [Hummingbird] skill from Song Cheon-Hye, but I couldnt use it right away.
To use skills that require magic power or inner power, one must have a power source to provide it.
And the primary power source for this is the [Core].
Usually, it takes weeks of dedicated effort to create one, but I have walked the shortcut hundreds of times before.
One night should be enough.
I had already umted an abundance of mana within my body, thanks to the [Dark Ice Crystal] I absorbed on the train.
Now, all I needed to do waspress it into aplete [Core].
I began to clear my mind and focus my thoughts.
This was necessary to control the huge energy umted inside me.
Chapter 10: The First Class
Chapter 10: The First ss
There was another person who couldnt sleep at this hour.
Go Hyeon-woo was sitting upright while focusing intently.
Instead of the soft bed, he chose the hard floor.
As he closed his eyes, memories of what had transpired on the train shed through his mind.
Scenes hurried by like a fast-forwarded film and then slowed to a crawl when he encountered Han So-mi.
A three-section baton flew towards him with fierce momentum, as if intent on breaking his bone, and he was there, exerting utmost effort to block each strike meticulously.
The intertwining trajectories of the baton and sheath were beautiful.
Han So-mi was the first strong opponent he met after descending the mountain.
A disciple of the Sword Marquis, one of the strongest men in the entire world.
Though they both held back their true abilities in their duel, even if they shed with all their might, it would have been difficult to achieve victory.
No, the odds of him losing were high.
As their battle intensified, his shorings were ringly apparent.
If Kim Ho hadnt intervened at the right moment, he would have fallen before his iron sword shattered.
An expert.
This was the word that had continuouslye to mind since Go Hyeon-woo first met Kim Ho.
Kim Ho possessed the poise that only a strong person possesses, as well as eyes that seemed to see through everything.
Then
Go Hyeon-woos gaze, momentarily drifting from his thoughts, settled on a long object in the corner of the room.
The sacred artifact of his sect, wrapped in thick cloth and tightly bound with iron chains.
Go Hyeon-woo had inherited the sects sacred artifact with a clear goal in mind.
Kim Ho would be a great help in achieving his goal.
However, he smiled bitterly and shook his head.
I cannot.
He wasnt ready to ask for help yet.
After all, Kim Ho was his first friend.
He decided to try as much as he could on his own.
Go Hyeon-woo closed his eyes again and began to relive his battle with Han So-mi.
A gentle breeze stirred around him, apanied by a faint wave of energy.
***
[Core trait acquired.]
[Core rank increases. (F->E)]
Indeed, the elixir was effective.
Even after getting [Core(F)] I still had plenty of mana, so I decided to upgrade it to E rank.
And there was still quite a bit of surplus mana.
Picking up just a couple more of those elixirs could quickly elevate my core to D rank.
Fzzt
A hummingbird made of electric currents was created.
In the train, it was barely the size of a fly and its movements were weak, but now it had the full form and agile movements of a hummingbird.
The hummingbird circled the room once before being absorbed back into my hand.
I looked out of the window suddenly and realized it was already morning.
I nced at the clock and saw that the rm was about to go off soon.
It was too hard to try and sleep for just a short while, so I decided it was better to stay awake and pass the time.
Come to think of it, I earned the right to choose a weapon afterpleting the tutorial.
Seizing the moment, I decided to use it.
[Weapon Selection (E)]
You can acquire an E-rank weapon of your choice.
Refined Longsword (E)
Sharp Spear (E)
Flexible Longbow (E)
I didnt hesitate.
I had already decided which weapon to choose.
So I quickly scrolled through the list.
[You have acquired the Earth Staff (E).]
[Earth Staff (E)]
Contains a faint aura of earth.
Enhances earth magic and protective spells slightly.
A long staff carved from wood with an emerald the size of a fingernail embedded at the end.
And why did I choose the Earth Staff?
Its all a foundation for the future.
As soon as the rm went off, I quickly silenced it and hurriedly got ready.
Just as I was leaving my room, the next-door room opened and Go Hyeon-woo stepped out.
Unlike yesterday when he wore martial artists attire, today he was neatly dressed in a school uniform.
Of course, like yesterday, he had his sects sacred weapon on his back and an iron sword at his waist.
I noticed that he had reced the one he had broken yesterday.
Good morning.
Yeah, lets go have breakfast.
***
After a simple breakfast we headed to our assigned ss.
We entered the ssroom after seeing the sign that said .
I thought we were quite early but the ssroom was already bustling with students who had arrived before us.
The excitement of the first day of the semester must have brought them in early.
I recognized quite a few familiar faces.
Shin Byeong-cheol, smirking deviously, seemed to be plotting something with a few of his friends.
Han So-mi, who kept telling silly jokes, and Song Cheon-hye, who reluctantly indulged her despite being annoyed.
Jo Byeok and Geum Jo-han appeared to be assigned to different sses.
Go Hyeon-woo looked around the ssroom and asked.
I dont see Miss Seo here. Isnt she in the same ss as us?
She is.
I wonder if shes overslept. Its a bit worrying.
Let her be. Shell show up eventually.
Last night during dinner we all confirmed that we were in ss 3.
Amidst this, the absence of Seo Ye-in from the ssroom seemed to concern Ko Hyeon-woo. He probably wondered if she was going to bete on the very first day.
From my perspective, it was an unnecessary worry.
Even if Seo Ye-in was indeed lost in dreand, there was nothing we could do about it.
It wasnt like we could barge into the girls dormitory.
Rather, what I found odd was not Seo Ye-ins absence but the absence of someone else.
Where has the homeroom teacher gone?
On the first day of the first semester, especially for the first ss, homeroom teachers are usually the ones who arrive early to prepare for the lesson.
At least, thats what my memories from the real world and from suggested.
The excitement of the first day of the semester is a feeling shared not just by students but by teachers as well.
Yet there was no sign of our teacher.
It seemed our ss teacher was quite negligent in this regard.
This was not particrly good news for the students.
As ss time approached, the remaining students arrived in a rush and filled the empty seats in the ssroom.
Seo Ye-in finally appeared just before the bell rang.
Good mornn
She gave a yawning morning greeting,zily waved her hand, and then naturally took the seat next to me.
The melody flowing from the speaker signaled that it was time for ss.
But the teachers desk remained conspicuously empty.
.
?
The number of students looking around in confusion began to increase.
Hey, wheres the teacher?
I dont know.
But who is our homeroom teacher?
How should I know?
Clomp, clomp
Just then, heavy footsteps started to approach slowly from the far end of the hallway.
A student wouldnt walk so leisurely after hearing the bell for ss.
Therefore, the chances were high that these footsteps belonged to our homeroom teacher.
As if they were thinking the same thing? the entire ss turned their attention to the hallway.
As expected, the sound of footsteps stopped right at the ssroom door.
As the door slid open and the identity of the homeroom teacher was revealed,
!!
Gasp-
The whole ss literally froze in ce.
The mans appearance was far from ordinary.
One ear was shorter than the other, seemingly burned and adhering to his skin, and a scar that appeared to be a sword wound ran across the middle of his face.
Combined with his sharp, predatory eyes, he exuded a fierce aura that could make even the most notorious criminals look tame.
.
.
Most of the students were visibly shaken and they were trembling like mice in front of a cat. While some others, including Song Cheon-hye, stared at him with tense wary expressions.
Only a few people, including Go Hyeon-woo and me, showed no particr reaction. It was not because we were brave but simply because we didnt know who he was.
He might look scary at first nce, but without knowing his identity, there was no reason to be rmed or scared.
The man cracked a sardonic grin.
Judging by your reactions, I must be somewhat famous. Nice to meet you all. Ill be your homeroom teacher for this year.
He then proceeded to write his name on the ckboard.
His handwriting looked to be as harsh as his appearance, resembling strokes made by a knife.
Lee Soo-dok.
For those of you who dont know, let me tell you just once. The highest-rank monster Ive yed is an A-rank Behemoth. Of course, if that was all, you wouldnt be cowering in front of me like this. Being an A-rank is a basic qualification for teachers in this school. You there.
Yes? Yes!
Lee Soo-dok pointed to a girl in the front row.
Her face which was already pale with fright turned even more white.
Tell me what people call me.
S-s-s, yer Hunter
Besides that. Its two words.
Ah That, that is
I wont get angry; just say it. If you dont speak up quickly, I will.
The girls eyes flitted around.
Whatever those two words were, they seemed too ufortable to utter in his presence.
However, as Lee Soo-doks gaze intensified, she lowered her eyes and barely managed to squeeze out each letter and her voice was shrinking with each syble.
Hu, hhumanbu-b, b-bu-butcher
That is correct.
As if he were satisfied with the answer, Lee Soo-dok wrote down the two words that the female student mentioned below his own name.
Human Butcher.
So it hase to this
In the world of , there were as many superhumans who exceeded the limits of human beings as there were grains of sand.
Among the numerous superhumans there were viins who wielded their power for corrupt desires.
It could be presumed that Lee Soo-dok was tasked with tracking and apprehending these evildoers.
Additionally, the term Human Butcher implied that the number of humans he executed far exceeded the number he arrested.
And if we were to judge based on their frightened faces, the count of viins he had eliminated should as well be over a hundred?
It was understandable to feel intimidated in the presence of such a person.
Im not here by choice. If it werent for a request from the principal, I wouldnt have even considered it. Regardless, this is a job and I am a professional. And one of my few prides is that I have perfectlypleted every assignment that was given to me so far. I sincerely hope you dont mess that up.
As Lee Soo-dok spoke, the atmosphere in the ssroom grew even colder.
I was probably not the only one who heard the underlying words of I will personally kill any student who fails before they even get a failing grade.
Theres no time to waste, so lets skip further introductions and get to the main point. Ill exin the grading system.
With a snap of his fingers, the words on the ckboard vanished as if they had evaporated.
He began to write anew on the now-clean ckboard.
+ Written Exams 30%
Written exams ount for 30% of the grade. This includes midterms, finals, reports, and assignments. Personally, I would have preferred to make it 20%, but thats not within my control.
Lee Soo-dok clicked his tongue in disappointment, recalling that in his time, it was indeed 20%.
Just like he said the proportion of written exams changed every year.
It fluctuated from 20% to 30%, and sometimes even dropped to 15%.
What is certain is that in all the hundreds of times I attended , I never saw the written exams exceed 30%.
The academy clearly prioritized other aspects over desk-bound academic performance.
Next Lee Soo-dok added a line beneath the 30% for written exams.
+ Attitude Score 10%
Just by not causing trouble and simply breathing, you can earn as much as 10%. For some, its like free points. However,
He spoke leisurely, then as if he had just remembered, he added,
This attitude score is deducted a little each time you receive a demerit point for breaking a school rule. And if it goes below 0%, it can even reduce other grades. I wonder if anyone would take the rules lightly enough to let that happen
It might have been intentional, but for a moment Lee Soo-doks gaze seemed to fix on Shin Byeong-cheol and his group.
They quickly averted their eyes.
Ill keep an eye on the bad seeds. Who knows? We might meet again after graduation.
The students trembled in fear.
They probably imagined what it would mean to encounter the Human Butcher after graduation.
In their minds, they were most likely desperately resolving never to break the school rules, even at the risk of death, but thats easier said than done.
Theres a reason why they start with giving out 10%.
Next is the most crucial part: the practical exams.
+ Strategy Battle 30%
+ Duel Battle 30%
Practical exams are divided into strategy battles, where you clear various dungeons, and duel battles, where youpete against other students. And its all based on rtive grading. If you want to score, you have to work harder and perform better than those around you.
To put it in termsmonly used by yers, strategy battles are PVE and duel battles are PVP.
Take duel battles for example where youpete with other students, stealing and losing points in apetitive ranking system.
With the maximum score for duel battles at 30%,
The top 10% would score 27% out of a perfect 30%,
While the top 50% would score 15% of the total 30%.
The same applies to strategy battles.
Lee Soo-dok circled the contents he had written on the ckboard.
Lastly, he wrote 100% at the bottom of the list.
+ Written Exams 30%
+ Attitude Score 10%
+ Strategy Battle 30%
+ Duel Battle 30%
= Total Score 100%
The evaluation criteria for the first semester of the first year are as follows. I will give you time for questions. If anyone has any questions, raise your hand now.
No one raised their hand.
It was unclear whether this was because everyonepletely understood Lee Soo-doks exnation or because they were afraid that raising their hand might lead to immediate and severe consequences.
No questions? Good. Today, we will be conducting a cement test to provide some light discrimination between students. Everyone, move to the arena.
Chapter 11: Placement Test (1)
Chapter 11: cement Test (1)
Perhaps it was due to the menacing aura that Lee Soo-dok had exuded throughout his exnation, but the entire ss seemed tense and on edge as they moved toward the arena.
In contrast, Go Hyeon-woos face was slightly flushed with excitement.
Ah, so this is what Shin-hyung meant by Big Day yesterday. I am quite looking forward to it.
Right, you seem like someone who would enjoy a good duel.
Duels with strong opponents are always fun. But how does this cement test work?
I held out three fingers.
Youll be randomly matched with three others, and you earn points for each victory. 300 points per win.
So if you win all three matches, you get as much as 900 points?
Exactly.
And if you lose or draw? Do you lose points as well?
You dont lose points; just nothing happens. A record of one win, one draw, and one loss would be 300 points, 0 points, 0 points.
I see. I understand.
If everyone begins thepetition with zero points, its inevitable that lower-ranking students will be at a disadvantage.
To prevent this, at least to some extent, a cement test was conducted on the first day, and points were allocated in increments of 300 based on performance.
Led by Lee Soo-dok, ss 3 soon joined the other first-year students and then all converged towards the arena together.
This is because even though the sses were different, the cement test was held at the same time for all first years.
After walking a bit, a massive dome-shaped building filled my field of vision.
The structure of the arena was simr to modern stadiums, with the central stage where the games took ce surrounded by spectator seats.
The differencey in that stage.
It was the epitome of various magical and scientific technologies, capable of creating every imaginable type of terrain.
This included volcanic areas where meteorites fell andva flowed, canyons with lightning striking like rain, and even deepkes.
At that moment, however, there was nothing special; just grey tilesid out.
Above them floated scoreboards, but instead of scores, something else was written on them since the cement test hadnt started yet.
MAP: [Round Arena]
RULE: [Deathmatch][5-minute limit]
The two elements that make up a duel are the map (environment) and the rule.
As you carry out requests as a hero, you realize that overpowering the opponent is not the only objective.
A prime example is escort missions.
In these missions, protecting the key figures takes precedence over subduing assassins.
If you just foolishly focus on enhancing your power, you will inevitably find yourself in the tragic situation where you wipe out your enemies with overwhelming force but the very individuals you were supposed to protect end up dead.
In order to prepare students for various environments and situations, the rules of duel battles change frequently.
The rule for this particr cement test, [Deathmatch], was a regr feature in duel battles.
It was a simple rule: the match wouldnt end until one person either ran out of all their stamina, became unable to fight, or dered defeat.
The additional [5-minute limit] rule meant that if there was no clear winner within five minutes, the match would conclude as either a victory by decision or a draw.
The environment was a round arena.
It was a circr space that was just the right size for two people to fight.
Therge central stage was divided into several independent fighting rings, each set to host one-on-one student battles.
After seating the students of ss 3 in the spectator area, Lee Soo-Dok exined these details.
The teacher from the neighboring ss seemed to be giving a simr exnation a short distance away.
Lets begin. The students called should head to the arena. Choi Jeong-Pil. Park Kyung-Ah.
One male student and one female student stood up.
As soon as they stepped onto the magical circle in front of the central stage, they disappeared for a moment only to reappear in one of the several fighting rings.
The content of the scoreboard above changed to disy:
[Choi Jeong-Pil 100% vs Park Kyung-Ah 100%]
[Remaining Time 5:00]
After confirming that everything was ready, Lee Soo-Dok nodded his head.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
As soon as the match started, both contestants began to gather mana without any dy.
Shrouding themselves in swirling mana-like armor, they swiftly closed the distance and collided in the center with a loud crash.
Boom!!
With that explosion, the numbers on the scoreboard shifted:
[Choi Jeong-Pil 89% vs Park Kyung-Ah 92%]
[Remaining Time 4:43]
Lee Soo-Dok checked the scoreboard briefly before turning his attention elsewhere.
There were still many empty arenas and a long list of names to call.
Next. Go Hyeon-Woo. Hwang Hyeok.
Oh! Its my turn.
Go Hyeon-woo was visibly excited and sprang up from his seat.
He seemed to be already itching for action as he began to absentmindedly stroke the iron sword at his waist.
Ill be back.
Go for it and do well.
While I was waiting for my turn, I brought up the quest that had just arrived:
[Side Quest: cement Test]
Objective: Achieve a mid-tier or higher rank on the cement test.
Win at least once in the duel battle cement test (0/1)
Rank in the top 50% in the strategy battle cement test (Current Ranking: N/A)
Reward: [Copy-Skill] Slot +1
All I had to do was secure at least one victory in the duel battle and achieve a mid-tier or higher rank in the strategy battle cement test.
To put it simply, this task was a piece of cake, so in reality, it was no different from a passing quest for me.
But the truly important matter was something else.
Scouting.
The cement test wasnt just about performing well personally.
This duel battle test was happening in front of the entire first-year gathering.
This meant you could observe every detail of the other students matches.
Gathering various pieces of information was crucial for everyone.
If you could understand the other students weapons, skills, tendencies, habits, and weaknesses in advance, it would be immensely useful in the duel battles throughout the semester.
Those who were fidgeting and just waiting for their turn were useless. The quick-witted ones had already fixed their gazes on the arena.
Because they want to absorb every bit of information from even a single battle.
This was a great opportunity for me as well.
My first objective was to find out if there are any talents that can be nurtured to EX-rank in the future.
And the second objective was to remember students with skills or traits worth copying.
Both these were crucial in the long term.
I can see that one has a good sense of things. The specs are a bitcking, but theyre not falling behind. Worth nurturing.
That ones just shy. Its all about the equipment.
Thats a rare skill. Ill mark that down.
While I was scrutinizing each match, my name was eventually called.
Kim Ho. Hong Yeon-hwa.
I nced around and noticed that no one else stood up alongside me.
Hong Yeon-hwa must be from a different ss.
They probably had simr thoughts somewhere in the audience about now.
As I stepped onto a small teleportation magic circle, my view changed instantly.
I had been transported inside a round arena.
Soon, someone else was summoned on the opposite magic circle.
A female student with red hair.
Her not-so-long staff was embedded with arge ruby.
A student of the Ruby Magic Tower, huh.
A magic tower that specializes in fire-type magic.
Thanks to his destructive power and spatial control, the Ruby Magic Towers master was an S-ss hero and a frequent main pick for me.
Facing a mage from such a magic tower as my opponent gave me mixed feelings.
It felt like a sense of guilt for bullying a subordinates disciple.
Poor thing But what can I do, its a cement test. I have to win.
I just needed her to be fooled by my act for a mere five minutes.
***
Hong Yeon-hwa was a promising talent who bore the expectations of the Ruby Magic Tower.
There was even talk among the elders of the magic tower that she should be chosen as the next master of the tower.
To make this a reality, she first needed to conquer this Dragon yer Academy.
By surpassing notable geniuses like the disciple of Sword Marquis, daughter of the Topaz Magic Tower, and other heirs of prestigious families, she would stand unopposed at the summit. Then, upon graduation, no one could deny her the position of tower master if she imed it.
This cement test was her grand first step towards that goal.
However
The man who appeared as her first opponent only brought her disappointment.
Kim Ho? Its a name Ive never heard of.
Even in a cement test, defeating a somewhat renowned opponent would have boosted her reputation more.
It felt somewhat deting.
And the weapon he brought was pathetic.
At first nce, it seemed to be the [Earth Staff (E)].
Even apprentice mages would overlook such a mediocre item.
It was a stuff that only slightly amplified the effects of earth-type and protective magic but to her, it was nothing more than a wooden stick.
Hes not an earth mage.
Although she didnt have a very good rtionship with the Emerald Magic Tower, she was familiar with its mages.
She was certain this man wasnt from the Emerald Magic Tower.
The fact that he was not rted to the Emerald Magic Magic Tower meant that the possibility of him having learned earth-type magic was drastically low.
By process of elimination, it seemed more likely that he chose the [Earth Staff (E)] for its defensive or utility magic support rather than for earth magic itself.
Furthermore, his use of a long staff suggested he favored power over mobility, which was typical of what youd call a cannon-type mage.
A support.
A cannon-type mage.
Then her strategy was clear.
Ill aim for a quick and decisive victory.
[Kim Ho 100% vs Hong Yeon-hwa 100%]
[Remaining Time 5:00]
As both sides took their positions, the scoreboard began the countdown.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
As soon as the match started, Hong Yeon-hwa extended her stuff forward.
[Combustion]
Bang!
The opponents upper body was engulfed in a small me explosion.
It was the E-grade fire spell ofbustion.
Though its destructive power was somewhatcking, it had very short casting time.
She could have easily prated any protective magic that the seemingly unimpressive support might cast, but a drawn-out match was not what she desired.
She aimed for a clean and overwhelming victory, giving her opponent no chance to cast any magic.
Wow, did you see that casting?
Something shed, but it must have been a spell.
As expected of the Ruby Magic Tower.
Admiringments from the audience reached her ears.
To Hong Yeon-hwa, such praise was too familiar.
However
[Kim Ho 100% vs Hong Yeon-hwa 100%]
[Remaining Time 4:41]
When she checked the scoreboard she couldnt believe her eyes.
She had expected that it wouldnt end with just that, but 100%?
Doesnt that mean she didnt even inflict 1% damage on her opponent?
Looking back, she saw Kim Ho still standing there, casually dangling his arms.
Whats going on?
Could it be that the Earth Staff was a decoy, and he was actually wearing a defensive artifact?
Then how about this?
Hong Yeon-hwa gathered her mana and began to cast once more.
She formed a sphere of mana above her staff and filled it with fire magic.
Kim Ho who had been standing still made his first movement.
He tilted his staff diagonally in a slow motion and stretched out his opposite hand forward.
It seemed like a gesture to disperse the opponents magic with his hand.
Seeing this, Hong Yeon-hwa frowned.
It was a movement no mage could be ignorant of.
Dispel.
A spell for negating magic.
But in her understanding, dispel was a spell used covertly, without giving away any hint.
Such an overt act of casting carried one of these two implications:
I am a novice and cant use dispel properly.
Or.
I can use it tantly against someone like you and it will still work.
Thats pissing me off.
Though she thought thetter option was a bit of a stretch, Hong Yeon-hwas mood soured regardless.
Contrary to her boiling emotions, she cooled her head and focused onpleting the spell.
Regardless, she already realized that he intended to use Dispel.
If that was the case, all she needed to do was to quicklyplete her spell and release it before Dispel could take effect.
Kim Ho still had one hand stretched out towards her.
However, seeing that her magic was not being interfered with, it seemed he had yet to find the right timing.
Although he maintained a calm expression, she guessed that he was feeling the pressure inside.
Hong Yeon-hwa smiled triumphantly.
Its toote already!
A huge ball of me the size of a human body waspleted.
Hong Yeon-hwa hurled it directly at her opponent.
Dare to y tricks against me? Ill make you regret it!
[me Orb]
Boom!
The zing fireball engulfed Kim Hos body.
The fireball erupted once again, engulfing the entire area in mes.
Feeling the heat brushing against her cheeks, Hong Yeon-hwa raised the corner of her mouth in a smile.
Its over.
If he had been hit by the me Orb in a real battle, he would have been reduced to ashes, but their school uniform had its own D-rank protective magic, and various safety measures protected students in the arena, so he wouldnt have died. Of course, it was clear he was now in no condition to continue the fight.
However
[Kim Ho 100% vs. Hong Yeon-hwa 100%]
[Remaining Time: 3:58]
Huh?
Hong Yeon-hwas mouth slowly opened as she checked the scoreboard.
When she hurriedly turned her gaze to the front, she saw Kim Ho slowly emerging from the diminishing mes.
He was unharmed.
Just like before he was standing there as if nothing had happened.
As if he were saying that this level of mes didnt bother him at all.
Did he really use Dispel?
Otherwise, there was no exnation for why he appeared unscathed.
Did he use Dispel in that brief moment just before the magic hit, causing it to dissipate?
But was it even possible to dispel apleted spell?
What surprised Hong Yeon-hwa the most, however, was that she couldnt even detect when he used Dispel.
A shiver ran down her spine.
Th-thats right. I let my guard down.
She reprimanded herself for underestimating her opponent based solely on his outward appearance.
After all, this man had too entered the Dragon yer Academy after oveing numerouspetitions as a hero candidate.
He couldnt be an easy opponent.
Taking a deep breath, she tightened her grip on her staff.
There was a good chance that her next spell could be disrupted as well.
In that case, she decided topete using magic circle-based spells that were less susceptible to dispelling.
Boommm
Hong Yeon-hwa gathered up her mana.
The mana emanating from the ruby drew a crimson magic circle beneath Kim Hos feet.
His gaze briefly lowered to inspect the magic circle.
Magic would promptly fall to the location where the magic circle appeared.
It was a simple cause-and-effect rtionship that anyone could understand.
Therefore, if a magic circle appeared beneath ones feet, it was only natural to move as far away from it as possible.
Hong Yeon-hwa had anticipated that Kim Ho would hastily evade, so she had prepared her next move to trap him.
However
Hes not moving?
It seemed like Kim Ho intended to hold his ground.
Instead of dodging, he mmed his staff into the ground.
This meant that hepletely abandoned even the slightest amount of mobility he had.
Considering that he was likely to be a support, it appeared he intended to confront her head-on with powerful defensive magic.
Hah. Haha.
Hong Yeon-hwa couldnt help butugh in disbelief.
There was no way he couldnt know that she came from the Ruby Magic Tower.
Even though he knew that her fire magic was unmatched in terms of destructive power, he dared to challenge her head-on with defensive magic?
If so, great.
sh!
The ruby embedded in her staff emitted a radiant glow.
The diameter of the red magic circle doubled, with additional runes filling the empty spaces, and it took on an even more vivid shade of red.
Meanwhile, Kim Ho remained as still as a statue and his staff was firmly nted in the ground, simply waiting for her to make a move.
To Hong Yeon-hwa, it seemed as if he was silently asking, So, when are you going to use your magic?
No need to rush me, Im about to use it now!
Lets see you try to block this!
[Fire Pir]
Whoosh!
A towering pir of fire erupted from the huge magic circle bellow him.
Chapter 12: Placement Test (2)
Chapter 12: cement Test (2)
Fire Pir.
This spell transformed a designated area into a towering pir of burning mes.
In general, it was used not to inflict damage on enemies but to restrict their movement or to enhance the effects of following fire spells.
However, there was an exception for cases when the opponent foolishly stood right on top of the magic circle.
Just like what was happening now.
Kwaah!
The enhanced Fire Pirs power exceeded Hong Yeon-hwas expectations.
The intensity of the mes bursting forth was so great that even she, the caster, was unable to withstand the blistering heat wave and had to take a few steps back.
The heat wave also kicked up a dense cloud of dust, obscuring visibility within the arena.
As a result, nothing was visible for a while.
After a short period, as the Fire Pirs duration came to an end and gradually died down, the thick dust began to clear.
Once her vision was restored, Hong Yeon-hwa immediately checked the scoreboard.
[Kim Ho 100% vs Hong Yeon-hwa 99%]
[Remaining Time 1:01]
No!
Could he really remain unharmed like this?
Did he actually manage to defend wlessly against the enhanced Fire Pir?
Anyone else in such a situation would have lost their will to fight.
But Hong Yeon-hwa was not just anyone.
I am I will be the next master of the Ruby Magic Tower.
She gritted her teeth as she repeated this to herself.
At this point, there was no turning back.
The secret cards she had kept hidden, reserved for facing stronger opponents around mid-semester.
She would use them now.
Do whatever it takes to win.
Just as Hong Yeon-hwa was gathering mana to cast another spell, something small and bright flickered amidst the slowly clearing dust.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a hummingbird made of lightning.
Tzzzzt
Hummingbird!?
She hastily began to recite a counter-spell to strike down the hummingbird, but the spell darted erratically and soon it vanished from her sight.
As Hong Yeon-hwa frantically searched for the hummingbird, a sharp, electrifying pain shot through her shoulder.
Fzzzt!
Ugh!
[Paralysis status ailment applied.]
Gritting her teeth, she managed to steady her stiffening body and prevent herself from copsing.
But she knew, deep down.
She was aware of the fact that her chances of winning had drastically diminished due to the paralysis.
Kim Ho emerged slowly from the cloud of dust and stood before her and he was casually resting his long staff on his shoulder.
Lets end it here.
!
His gaze which was devoid of any emotion met hers.
And with a voice as cold as his impassive stare, he spoke.
Its better to hold back and save your cards rather than reveal everything here. Especially if youre thinking about the remaining matches.
!
Thats when Hong Yeon-hwa realized.
Throughout the match, her moves had beenpletely seen through, from start to finish.
She had been entirely yed by this man.
And when she thought about it calmly, his advice made sense.
Pouring out all her remaining magic here offered no guarantee of sess.
On the other hand, revealing her hidden cards would negatively impact her in subsequent matches and throughout the semester.
Withdrawing seemed to be the wiser choice now.
Moreover, Hong Yeon-hwa didnt really have much of a choice.
Her opponents weapon was already nonchntly ced over his shoulder.
Rejecting his proposal would mean facing an unknown spell, and being hit at such close range would certainly be fatal.
She could envision herself pathetically sprawled out before even the spell was cast.
The man was offering her a way to concede with some dignity intact before such an event could unfold.
I get it, I understand!
She understood all of this in her mind, but for Hong Yeon-hwa who had been burning with fighting spirit until just moments before admitting defeat was extremely difficult.
After clenching her fists tightly and trembling for a long while, she finally lowered her head.
I lost; I admit defeat
***
[Kim Ho Win vs Hong Yeon-hwa Lose]
Before the start of the match, no one would have doubted the victory of the Ruby Magic Tower student.
This was especially true since her opponent seemed like an insignificant nobody.
Therefore, when Hong Yeon-hwa, looking half out of her soul, trudged off the stage, the audience started buzzing with chatter.
Wow, did the Ruby Magic Tower student lose? Who is that guy? Did you see what magic he used?
No, when I saw it, it wasnt magic. I didnt see any casting at all.
What are you talking about? He must have used magic spells since he didnt receive any health loss.
Oh, so youre saying it wasnt magic?
But how can his health not drop at all from 100%?
Is that even possible?
Most were focused on how I perfectly defended against the onught of her me magic.
And this would remain a long-standing mystery even for Hong Yeon-hwa who had faced me directly.
I wonder if she will feel incredibly disappointed when she finds out the truth?
I didnt expect her to fall for all of that.
Pretending to use a defensive artifact.
Pretending to dispel.
Pretending to cast a defensive spell.
It was merely a convincing act, but Hong Yeon-hwa fell for the provocation and responded with a head-on confrontation each time.
She must have calcted that a direct confrontation would be a sure win, considering the Ruby Magic Towers firepower.
However,
Elemental resistance was outside of her calctions.
To inflict even the slightest scratch with elemental magic on an opponent with S-rank [Elemental Resistance], you must use at least B-rank spells.
Alternatively, you could apply debuffs to lower the enemys resistance.
Without either of these, no matter how much magic my opponent poured in, my health wouldnt drop from 100%.
If Hong Yeon-hwa had been a bit more rxed and observant, she might have recognized the presence of [Elemental Resistance] and devised a strategy.
However, herck of practical experience and the mere five-minute time limit made her anxious.
And that anxiety ultimately led to her defeat.
Magic circles were created spontaneously here and there in the arena, and the burned and broken parts werepletely repaired.
At the same time, a cluster of lights gathered and transported me off the stage.
As I was about to return to the spectator seats, the voice of Lee Soo-dok caught my attention.
Kim Ho. Song Cheon-hye.
The next cement test was scheduled right away.
The audience stirred once again.
Song Cheon-hye?
The real Song Cheon-hye?
I heard she enrolled this year; she must be in ss 3.
I heard she joined the disciplinarymittee too.
As expected, living up to her reputation.
A celebrity whose mere name captivated the attention of the students.
However, the person in question herself was indifferent to the pouring attention.
Song Cheon-hye walked straight toward me and locked into my eyes.
Youre in luck; I just had something I wanted to check out.
Since she said she wanted to check something, it seems like she watched the match between me and Hong Yeon-hwa.
As a lightning-attribute mage, she should have some interest in the hummingbird I cast at the end.
Song Cheon-hye, who was burning with fighting spirit and ready to give her best, was wrong to think she was lucky.
Im sorry, but that will have to wait.
What do you mean?
This match was never meant to happen in the first ce.
I looked at Lee Soo-dok and raised my hand.
I forfeit.
What?
Song Cheon-hye looked utterly bewildered.
Lee Soo-dok also frowned slightly as if this was his first time experiencing a situation like this.
Why is that?
Im in really bad shape. Its difficult for me to continue with the duel battles. Please treat the third match as a forfeit as well.
Even if youre not in the best condition, it will be much easier to get one more win than to raise 300 points separately. Are you still going to forfeit?
Yes. It cant be helped.
Alright. Ill mark it as a defeat.
Lee Soo-dok, though skeptical of my indifferent attitude towards winning or losing, didnt argue further and respected my decision.
As a result, I would have to start from a much lower ranking and fight more duel battles to achieve the rank I desired. But, after all, any loss would be mine alone to bear.
As I turned to leave,
Wait a minute.
Song Cheon-hye called out to stop me.
Why?
Are you really giving up for that reason? Because your condition is bad?
Yeah. Is that not allowed?
Song Cheon-hye briefly closed her eyes as if swallowing her rising anger.
Then, she said in a lecturing tone.
Always prepare thoroughly for a match. Even if you are not in optimal condition, do your best. It is said that only those who can snatch victory even in unfavorable circumstances can reach the top.
That doesnt sound like something you just made up. Did some wise person say that?
My grandfather.
I remembered then that her grandfather was known as the Thunder Lord.
As a hero who had reached the pinnacle in his field, the Thunder Lords words were worth heeding for any aspiring hero.
But acting on that advice was a different matter.
I had no intention of changing the ns I already made.
So, I employed the ultimate technique in avoiding arguments: Youre right.
Right, maybe Im just not cut out for it. Lets say you won.
Im disappointed. I feel foolish for having even a bit of expectation for you.
Song Cheon-hyes eyes were now showing not only disappointment but also slight contempt.
If a favorability score were disyed above her head, wouldnt it be infinitely close to 0?
I called out to Song Cheon-hye as she was about to leave, having deemed her time spent with me wasteful.
Ah, right.
What is it?
The dessert coupon. You said youd send it to me.
Youre thinking about dessert in this situation?
To be honest, I do have a craving for something sweet.
Ha, this is just unbelievable.
Are you going to forget about it? The dessert coupon.
Song Cheon-hyepletely ignored me and began to walk away with her long strides.
In truth, I did want to stick around, but the situation wasnt great.
Ive already attracted too much attention.
In the first match, I forced a surrender from Hong Yeon-hwa, which led to me beingbeled as the Mysterious Talent who Defeated a student from the Ruby Magic Tower.
That alone was enough to make things quite troublesome in the future, and to top it off, defeating the granddaughter of the Thunder Lord?
That would make me an instant superstar from the start of the semester.
Fame is a double-edged sword.
And more often than not, the negative side is sharper and more cutting.
The more my name gets known, the more the analyzing and scrutinizing eyes increase.
The S-grade [Elemental Resistance] is an incredible trait that not only the students of Dragon yer Academy but even the teachers find difficult to ovee.
At the moment, only my Elemental Resistance is ranked S, and my other abilities are still unremarkable.
If this information leaks out, future duel battles will be exceedingly troublesome.
For this reason, engaging Song Cheon-hye now would be the worst of strategies.
Those who had observed my previous match with Hong Yeon-hwa were likely already harboring suspicions, and using the same tactics a few times would solidify these doubts into convictions.
A war of information was in full swing.
Until I acquired other means, I had to conceal the cards I held as much as possible.
Hey, why did they stop all of a sudden?
Theyre saying he forfeit?
Forfeit? Who forfeits in a cement test?
Maybe he chickened out because its Song Cheon-hye.
Even so, to just run away without even trying? Thats so disappointing.
What a coward, a super coward.
Naturally, the audience couldnt understand the real reason behind it.
The gaze of curiosity that initially held the question, Who is that person? quickly transformed into a mix of mocking and derisive looks, as if to say, Just as expected.
The nobody who luckily defeated the Ruby Magic Tower student.
But then, upon facing the Topaz Magic Tower student, he immediately tucked his tail and ran like a coward.
Perfect. Just perfect.
It was precisely the evaluation I had intended.
Ignoring the jeersing from somewhere, I returned to the spectator seats.
Since it was about midway through the cement tests, there were surprisingly few students waiting in the stands.
Most were probably waiting near the stage for their next match to be called.
Shin Byeong-cheol was one of the few students seated in the spectator area.
He was intently scribbling something in his notebook while keeping his gaze fixed on the stage.
Since he was someone who traded in information, he was particrly diligent in such moments.
As I took my seat, Shin Byeong-cheol asked me,
Finished already? How many wins?
One win, two losses. How about you?
The same.
An unspoken understanding formed between Shin Byeong-cheol and me.
We sped hands firmly.
For Song Cheon-hyes next opponent, a male student wielding a spear stepped up.
He seemed to be making a bold deration before the start, but Song Cheon-hye merely returned a cold gaze.
Watching the standoff between the two, Shin Byeong-cheol asked,
I was kind of looking forward to you going up against her. Why did you forfeit?
Just felt like I couldnt win.
Yeah, with Song Cheon-hye, it cant be helped.
As a victim of lightning magic, Shin Byeong-cheol seemed to deeply sympathize with my decision.
It appeared that he thought it was better to concede early than to embarrassingly squirm on the floor, paralyzed, in a battle that was bound to be lost.
While this interpretation was quite different from my original intent, I was rather grateful for his perspective.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
As soon as the match began, the spear-wielding male student who had charged forward suddenly lost speed and staggered.
He had carelessly been struck squarely by the hummingbird.
Struggling to maintain his stance, the spearman desperately clung to his knees, trying to avoid falling to the ground.
However, the next thing he saw was Song Cheon-hye hurling a lightning bolt asrge as a human body towards him.
Rumble!! Boom!!
A deafening thunderp shook the arena.
Do you think shes angry?
Seems so.
Song Cheon-hye, who was looking agitated, scanned the audience and eventually located me.
She sent a sharp, piercing look my way before vanishing from the arena due to the teleportation magic circle.
Meanwhile, the spear-wielding male student ended up being carried out on a stretcher.
Shin Byeong-cheol clicked his tongue in sympathy.
Ah, thats tough. He hadnt even fought three matches yet and now hes out without even a chance topete. Such an unfortunate situation.
Its not just him whos unfortunate. Song Cheon-hye hasntpleted three matches either.
Oh, youre right. Who do you think is next?
Who would be the next sacrifice in Song Cheon-hyes cement test?
As if to answer Shin Byeong-cheols question, Lee Soo-dok mentioned two names.
Song Cheon-hye.
And then,
Seo Ye-in.
Chapter 13: Placement Test (3)
Chapter 13: cement Test (3)
Song Cheon-hye silently looked at Seo Ye-in across from her and then took out a glove from her pocket before slipping it onto her right hand.
The glove was ck, adorned with golden embroidery and tiny topazes, like grains of rice embedded in it.
It must be a unique artifact of the Topaz Magic Tower.
She had beenpletely bare-handed when she faced the spear-wielding male student, which seemed to imply that she intended to approach this final cement test more seriously.
On the other hand, Seo Ye-in was wearing something like suspenders over her school uniform shirt. Upon closer inspection, they were holsters for pistols.
And she had one pistol on each side.
Shin Byeong-cheol saw this and asked me.
Shes a gunslinger, isnt she? Did you know that?
No, I didnt. I just realized it myself.
A gunslinger, or gunner.
A long-range ss that subdues enemies with bullets filled with magical power.
From her appearance, I never expected Seo Ye-in to be a gunslinger.
Well, when I think about it, we had only met a day ago, and half of that time she had just been sleeping.
Its hard to imagine a nimble, target-striking gunslinger from what Ive seen of her so far.
Shin Byeong-cheol watched both sides with interest.
This is getting interesting. A gunslinger is aplete counter to a mage, right? Is it 6 to 4? 7 to 3? Song Cheon-hye might actually lose this one.
Well, thats hard to say. Well have to wait and see.
Come on, even if its the Topaz Magic Tower, its tough to lose if youre a gunslinger and just stick to the basics, right?
How about a bet then?
At the mention of a bet, Shin Byeong-cheol grinned, revealing his teeth.
Aha, a bet. Im always up for that. Whats at stake?
Five silver.
Okay. Five silver is a bit much, but thats what makes it exciting, right?
Alright, youre betting on Seo Ye-in, and Im betting on Song Cheon-hye.
Deal.
I had put in my entire fortune of five silver coins.
It was soon to double.
Meanwhile, a heated discussion was going on between male student A and student B sitting nearby about Song Cheon-hye and Seo Ye-in.
However, their topic was slightly different from ours.
Which side are you on?
Umm Its really hard to decide.
Its hard to choose when both are such rare beauties.
If I had to choose, Id say Song Cheon-hye is more my type. Her aloof gaze reminds me of gazing at ice flowers.
Is that so? We seem to have different tastes then.
Not just student A and B but other male students were also divided, not over who would win? though.
Their opinions were divided over who was more beautiful? and who is more to my taste?
The opinions of those in the Song Cheon-hye camp, when summarized, mainly expressed their desire to serve her like a queen for life and a wish to be stepped on by her, even if just once.
In contrast, the Seo Ye-in camp didnt put forth any clear opinions, instead concentrating their gaze in one direction and remaining silent.
The thoughts of men are simr in all worlds.
[Song Cheon-hye 100% vs Seo Ye-in 100%]
[Time Remaining 5:00]
The scoreboard disyed the twopetitors health and the remaining time.
Immediately afterward, the countdown began.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
As soon as the match began, Seo Ye-in already had a pistol in each hand.
The pistols took turns in emitting blue light.
Tututututu!
Song Cheon-hye didnt even attempt to dodge the barrage of magic bullets raining down on her.
She simply extended her gloveless hand forward.
As if to say, Stop right here.
Zizz! Zizzz!
Sparks flew incessantly just in front of her outstretched palms.
The magic bullets were blocked by the barrier Song Cheon-hye had erected.
Shin Byeong-cheols eyes widened as he witnessed the scene unfold.
What? How is that blocked? It shouldnt be blocked?
This is why we need to keep watching.
While the amount of magical power that Seo Ye-in packs into each shot was above average, the amount of magical power that Song Cheon-hye possessed was exceedingly huge.
The amount of mana she poured into each spell made an E-rank Hummingbird look like a D-rank spell.
Even the simple barrier spell she was using now was almost twice as thick as usual.
This is why the magic bullets which would normally have pierced through a light barrier lost their power halfway and dispersed
Song Cheon-hye maintained the barrier with one hand and raised two hummingbirds made of lightning with her other hand.
[Hummingbird]
The two hummingbirds sliced through the air.
Seo Ye-in redirected the barrage from her pistols towards the hummingbirds.
Tutututu!
She seeded in intercepting one of the birds, but the other remained intact.
Seo Ye-ins figure slid sideways, evading the hummingbird.
But as Song Cheon-hye waved her hands like a skilled conductor, the hummingbird circled in the air and dove back towards its target.
Tututututu!
The pistols spat fire again.
Despite losing one of its wings, the hummingbird did not lose its momentum, drawing a line of lightning as it reached Seo Ye-in.
Fzzzt!
!
Seo Ye-ins expression tightened ever so slightly.
Because she was protected by fairly good equipment, she did not immediately be incapacitated, but her movements became noticeably slower.
Bang!
Song Cheon-hye, who was in the process of conjuring a thick bolt of lightning for a follow-up attack, hesitated for a moment.
This was due to a small explosion and the sudden billowing of thick smoke.
Clearly, Seo Ye-in had quickly thrown a smoke bomb, anticipating she couldnt evade the hummingbird.
Shin Byeong-cheol nodded in satisfaction.
Excellent judgment! That should buy some time.
The key now is how quickly the mage can clear the smoke.
After all, blindly hurling lightning into the unseen smoke would likely end in failure.
But it seemed Song Cheon-hye was attempting something else before clearing the smoke.
The structure of the spell on her glove rapidly twisted, transforming into something else, and the lightning split into several baseball-sized electric balls.
Song Cheon-hye hurled all of them into the smoke at once.
Fzzt, fizz, fizz!
[Song Cheon-hye 100% vs Seo Ye-in 88%]
[Time Remaining 4:02]
Since the scoreboards health had decreased, it would seem that one or two hits hadnded but there was still a long way to go to overpower the opponent.
Song Cheon-hye then cast a wind magic spell to clear away the smoke.
The arena was empty.
Seo Ye-in was nowhere to be seen.
Then, in the next moment,
Dong!
A heavy impact sound apanied Song Cheon-hye staggering to the side.
A powerful, unidentified blow hade from somewhere on her right.
After barely maintaining her bnce, she carefully observed the direction from which the attack hade and noticed something undting like a mirage. It resembled a transparent bush or a pile of leaves rustling.
Shin Byeong-cheol let out an exmation.
Wow Invisible Ghillie? She must be really wealthy.
Invisible Ghillie. An optical camouge ghillie suit.
Even at its lowest, its a C-rank item, and with a craftsmans touch, it can even reach A-rank.
So, needless to say, it should be an expensive item.
The fact that a student, and a first-year one at that, had equipped an Invisible Ghillie was surprising but I was paying attention to something else.
Shes switched to a rifle.
A pistol wouldnt be effective, huh?
For a gunslinger to inflict damage on a mage, they must target and break through a specific point in the magical barrier. However, this bes considerably more difficult when the mage, like in this case, possesses an enormous amount of magical power.
Therefore, in such situations, it is a wiser decision to switch from firing multiple shots with a pair of pistols to using a powerful rifle for a single, impactful shot.
The magic bullet used in Seo Ye-ins rifle seemed to focus more on destructive power than pration. It was designed to crush a barrier-enveloped mage with a cannonball-like strike.
Dong!
Once again, Song Cheon-hyes body was pushed back.
This time, the sniper shot came from the front.
Song Cheon-hye must have thought that things couldnt go on like this, so she quickly cast her next spell.
An additionalyer of electric current was added on top of the magical barrier.
Dong!
The third bullet struck the reinforced barrier.
Thanks to the reinforced barrier, Song Cheon-hye wasnt pushed back as much as before but the impact still resonated inside.
Feeling dizzy, Song Cheon-hye slightly furrowed her brow.
[Song Cheon-hye 85% vs Seo Ye-in 88%]
[Remaining Time 2:13]
Hey, honestly, even I was doubtful, but now it looks like Seo Ye-in might really have a chance to win.
Keep watching.
If she kept allowing direct hits, the mage would eventually lose.
However, the reason I kept insisting on watching till the end was that I was still confident in my bet.
After all, this is the Topaz Tower of Magic. Among all the spells taught there, surely there must be a way to ovee this situation?
I could think of dozens of methods right off the bat.
.
Song Cheon-hye sighed deeply as if she resigned herself and pulled out another glove from her pocket, slipping it onto her empty hand.
sping her hands together as if interlocking fingers, she then stretched them apart as if pulling a thread.
[Lightning Thread]
Between her hands, dozens of thin threads of electricity formed.
Song Cheon-hye began to spread them widely in all directions.
Thats right. Smart move.
What is that?
Simply put, its like a spider web. Shes set it up and is waiting for her opponent to get caught in it.
As I exined, it wasnt long before the entire round arena was filled with lightning threads.
Zzzt!
And then a reaction urred.
In a corner of the arena, a faint spark flickered over an entity that wriggled almost transparently.
The moment her location was pinpointed, Seo Ye-ins rifle spewed fire.
Dong!
But Song Cheon-hye was not one to be fooled by the same attack four times.
Especially when the snipers position was clearly visible.
She concentrated all her magical barriers on one side and blocked the magical bullet without suffering any damage.
Bang!
Deciding it was now pointless, Seo Ye-in discarded her invisible ghillie suit and set off another smoke bomb.
However, for Song Cheon-hye, there was no longer any need to clear away the smoke.
The continual sparking revealed the rough location of her opponent anyway.
Once again, a hummingbird darted across the arena.
This time, there was only one, but it was rtivelyrger.
Its movement was also much more erratic.
Seo Ye-in failed to react in time to the movement that resembled a mix of zigzags and whirls.
Fzzt!
There is a bit of improvement.
By my standards, the spell deserved 30 out of 100 points.
Until just now, it wouldnt have even scored 10 points.
How I longed to offer advice when I witnessed how she sent the hummingbird on a straight trajectory like a sparrow before.
Indeed, it is through real battles that one learns the most.
Regrettably, it seemed Seo Ye-in had no more cards left to y.
Because she was hit hard by the hummingbird, her mobility was close to zero.
Thus, she decided to unleash her maximum firepower in one final attempt, whether it would work or not.
Her rifle was rapidly disassembled and reassembled into two pistols.
Tutututu!
However, as her initial attacks had been ineffective, it was no surprise that this time too, the shots were easily blocked by the barrier.
Every time Song Cheon-hye maintained her steadfast defense andunched a counterattack, Seo Ye-ins health continued to deplete.
Its over.
Ah.
[Remaining Time 0:00]
[Song Cheon-hye 85% vs Seo Ye-in 68%]
As the five-minute time limit expired, Song Cheon-hye swiftly retracted all her magical power as if it had never been exerted.
Watching her manipte mana as naturally as she did her own body, I was convinced.
Theres almost no match for her among the first-years.
Seo Ye-ins skills were indeed great, though she had the misfortune of facing a very tough opponent.
The fact that she held her own against a student of the Topaz Magic Tower without being overwhelmed until the end of the match was praiseworthy in itself.
[Song Cheon-hye Win vs Seo Ye-in Lose]
Of course, an evaluation is an evaluation, and a bet is a bet.
I extended my hand to Shin Byung-cheol.
5 silver coins.
No way~ I lost~ Ah~
He looked incredulously as he reluctantly pulled out and ced 5 silver coins in my hand.
Though he had said that betting 5 silver made it exciting, losing the bet seemed to be a bitter pill for him to swallow.
Come on, lets bet one more time. Just once more.
Why keep betting? Its not good for you to do this after losing, you know?
Ohe on, just hear me out. The cement tests are joint for all first-years and everythings out in the open, but you know, usually these duel battles are pretty private. When else will we get a chance to bet while munching on popcorn like this?
I was, of course, already aware of this.
Unless there was a tournament in the fall, opportunities to spectate student duel battles were rare.
So, I agreed to another bet and pretended to be persuaded.
Alright, just one more time then.
Great decision! This time, lets bet on.
Shin Byung-cheols eyes began to roam across this and that arena, searching for potential subjects for our next bet.
Han So-mi was overpowering her opponent with fierce sword energy, ultimately dominating them.
Hong Yeon-hwa turned one of the arenas into a sea of fire.
Both were more than suitable for a betting subject, but unfortunately, they were almost finishing their third cement test.
Ah!
Then, Shin Byung-cheol spotted someone and his eyes lit up.
How about Go Hyeon-woo?
Chapter 14: Placement Test (4)
Chapter 14: cement Test (4)
[Go Hyeon-woo 100% vs Baek Jun-seok 87%]
[Remaining Time 3:08]
Go Hyeon-woo was in the midst of his second cement test.
His opponent looked just like a typical knight, wearing sturdy armor over his school uniform and wielding a two-handed sword.
Each time the heavy, thick de sliced through the air, a menacing whoosh echoed around.
However, such deadly-looking attacks were futile if they didnt connect.
Clearly, Baek Jun-seok was the one who wasunching the attacks one after another, while Go Hyeon-woo focused solely on evading.
Yet Baek Jun-seok didnt seem to have the upper hand in this match.
Baek Jun-seok looked exhausted and was drenched in sweat, while Go Hyeon-woo continued to move with graceful ease and a calm expression.
Huff, Huff, Hooh.
Baek Jun-seok stopped his attack and created some distance.
He had exhausted himself with continuous swings that never hit their mark.
As Baek Jun-seok gasped for breath, Go Hyeon-woo pointed his sword at him and asked,
Shall we continue?
Aaagh!
Baek Jun-seok got angry and charged in.
Even though he had little stamina left, he recklessly swung his longsword without even considering the aftermath of depleting all his energy.
At that moment, Go Hyeon-woo, who had been consistently evading, stepped forward.
Then, with the fluidity of a brushstroke, he drew his iron sword across the air.
Dzzzzt
And with a chilling friction sound, a long diagonal cut was etched across Baek Jun-seoks armor.
[Go Hyeon-woo 100% vs Baek Jun-seok 87%]
[Go Hyeon-woo 100% vs Baek Jun-seok 68%]
A significant chunk of health was shaved off in an instant.
Baek Jun-seok fell to one knee, clutching his chest in great pain.
Once again, a sword was pointed at him.
Shall we continue?
Ive lost.
[Go Hyeon-woo Win vs Baek Jun-seok Lose]
He truly is remarkable.
Go Hyeon-woo took a light step forward and casually swung his sword as if it were nothing.
I could see the profound intricacies embedded within that movement.
While he still had many shorings, his swordsmanship alone was nearing perfection.
Anyone who knew me would have been shocked to hear this assessment.
As I am known for being extremely critical in my evaluation.
Shin Byeong-cheol seemed to agree that Go Hyeon-woo was quite strong., even if he couldnt read his profound movements.
Wow Baek Jun-seok is no easy opponent, and he just sliced through him. I heard he fought to a standstill against Han So-mi as well.
Where did you hear that?
Hehe, even if I look like this, I am someone who deals in information. Thats what I do. Gotta keep up with such details. Anyway, this makes Go Hyeon-woos second win, right? Letspare our insights in the third match.
Go Hyeon-woo stepped onto the teleportation magic circle for his final cement test.
And then another person emerged from the opposite side.
This person was a head taller than the average male student, with a robust build made of steel-like muscles.
[Go Hyeon-woo 100% vs Jo Byeok 100%]
This third match is going to be tough.
Whos stronger between Han So-mi and Jo Byeok?
In response to my question, Shin Byeong-cheol rubbed his chin with a rare serious expression on his face.
Well, based on public opinion alone, the Fist King is slightly above the Sword Marquis. But thats justparing the Fist King and the Sword Marquis. Their disciples skills are another matter, right?
In short, you dont know?
Shin Byeong-cheol, briefly at a loss for words, quickly changed the subject.
Anyway! Lets change the conditions for the bet this time. Its not about who wins, but how many minutes it takes for the match to end. How about that?
Sure, you go first.
At the end of the match, how many of the 5-minute limit would have psed?
After a brief moment of contemtion, Shin Byeong-cheol decided on a time.
Ill say 4 minutes. No, lets go with the full 5 minutes. If their skills are simr, it wont end quickly, right?
Then Ill go with a 2-minute finish.
Huh?
Shin Byeong-cheol disyed an unmistakable look of astonishment.
It was rare for a match to conclude in just two minutes unless one side was overwhelmingly superior.
No, why the 2-minute limit? Do you think hell lose that quickly?
Who said anything about a quick loss? I never said that.
Then what are you saying?
Youll see.
Hey, do you always have to be so mysterious? Even so, under 2 minutes seems far-fetched.
If its far-fetched, you get your 5 silver coins back. Lets wait and see what happens.
***
Kim-hyung is watching.
Go Hyeon-woo spotted Kim Ho in his field of vision.
In the spectator seats, he was looking down at him, engaged in a serious conversation with Shin Byeong-cheol.
Even though he didnt know the details of their conversation, it probably wasnt unrted to him.
If possible, he wanted to show a winning performance in front of his friend.
Though the result of the match might not impact their friendship, winning would certainly be more honorable.
However, it wouldnt be as easy as it sounds.
Given the caliber of his opponent,
[100% Go Hyeon-woo vs 100% Jo Byeok]
Go Hyeon-woo nced once at the scoreboard and then at Jo Byeok.
He was known as the disciple of the Fist King.
Recalling his assessment of Han So-mis skills on the train, he knew that if Jo Byeoks abilities were even remotely simr to hers, victory would be hard to achieve.
On the train, Kim Hos mysterious power had helped him hold out a bit longer, but this time he had to rely solely on his own strength.
Suddenly, he found himself looking down at his hands.
His hands were trembling slightly without him realizing it.
Was the trembling due to fear? Excitement? Anticipation? Or perhaps all three?
Even he was not certain.
He clenched his fist tightly and then released it, quelling the tremor.
Only then did Go Hyeon-woo return his gaze forward.
Facing each other, Jo Byeok slowly opened his mouth.
I heard you were evenly matched against Han Somi.
Thats not true. My insufficient skills only served to stall Miss Han.
Well see just how insufficient they are now. How about drawing your sword?
Go Hyeon-woo realized that when Jo Byeok spoke of a sword, he wasnt referring to the iron sword at his waist.
His gaze was directed towards the object tied to his back.
Go Hyeon-woo could only smile bitterly and shake his head.
As much as I would like to, now is not the time.
Is that so? Thats a shame.
I agree. Lets begin then.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
As soon as the match began, Jo Byeok kicked the ground.
He was surprisingly quick, unbing of its bear-like size.
With each step, he closed the distance rapidly.
Go Hyeon-woo sent out two light sword energies as abination of probing and feint, but Jo Byeok didnt even bother to block them.
The sword energies dissipated without any effect upon touching Jo Byeoks body.
Starting with a strong move.
Go Hyeon-woo thought to himself that it was indeed a fighting style typical of him.
He discarded any superficial probing and charged straight ahead from the outset, confronting his opponent head-on.
Although he wanted to enjoy the duel a bit more leisurely, he didnt mind this style of battle either.
Uh!
Realizing that his opponent had closed the gap, Go Hyeon-woo made the first move.
He grasped his iron sword with both hands andunched a storm of consecutive shes aimed at Jo Byeoks upper body.
Swish, swish, swish
Jo Byeoks figure swayed from side to side, leaving faint afterimages.
He dodged all the iing sword strikes with speed that belied hisrge frame.
Meanwhile, powerful energy gathered in his tightly clenched fist.
Jo Byeok pulled it in tightly, then thrust it forward with all his might.
To Go Hyeon-woos eyes, the fist seemed to swell in size as it approached him.
Its like a huge boulder!
There was no time to admire his opponent.
He gathered energy, channeled it into his iron sword and unleashed three lightning-fast strikes.
Thwack, thwack, thwack!
With each strike of his sword, the boulder-like energy visibly diminished.
Yet, even after colliding with the sword three times, Jo Byeoks punch was notpletely neutralized; a part of it remained and struck Go Hyeon-woo forcefully.
Boom!
Hmm.
Go Hyeon-woo felt as though he had been struck by a massive boulder as a heavy impact jolted his body.
He slightly furrowed his brow and in that brief moment, Jo Byeok had vanished from his sight.
Instantly, Go Hyeon-woo lunged forward.
Boom!
A tremendous force struck the spot where he had just been standing.
The gray tiles of the arena shattered and were scattered in all directions.
Although Go Hyeon-woo had managed to widen the gap between them by avoiding Jo Byeoks missed attack, he soon realized that simply increasing the distance would not guarantee safety.
Jo Byeokunched a punch from afar.
It was the same powerful strike as before.
But from such a distance, the rock-like force barreled towards Go Hyeon-woo.
This wont be easy.
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack!
This time, Go Hyeon-woo executed five consecutive sword strikes in order to counter Jo Byeoks momentum.
However, a portion of the force still remained and struck him hard.
Boom!
The battle had barely begun, and only a few exchanges had taken ce, but Go Hyeon-woo painfully acknowledged that he had been at a disadvantage the entire time.
If things continued this way, the pattern would likely remain the same.
Go Hyeon-woo had no choice but to admit it now.
My basic attacks have reached their limit. I thought they would have a greater impact
Go Hyeon-woo realized that the moment hade to reveal his hidden skills.
As Jo Byeok was closing the distance again, he suddenly noticed a sharp change in Go Hyeon-woos aura.
The iron swords movement was songuid it could dull the interest of anyone watching, while at the same time, a light breeze originating from an unknown source, yfully tousled his hair.
It was like the cool wind that asionally blows on a hot summer day to ease the heat on the ground.
In a round arenapletely isted from the outside, such a wind shouldnt exist.
Therefore, the source of this gentle breeze must be Go Hyeon-woo himself.
Somethings not right.
Jo Byeoks instincts sounded an rm within him.
This time, he needed to be more cautious.
Uncharacteristically, he maintained a certain distance and sent out his third punch.
But the energy, which was once like a huge boulder, dissolved instantly upon touching the breeze and vanished.
His subsequent punch also evaporated quickly.
Then Jo Byeok was certain.
That breeze is some kind of sword energy.
From his first two strikes, he realized that any half-hearted attack was just a waste of energy.
Hence, he decided to concentrate all his power into a single decisive move.
Jo Byeoks body emanated a tangible surge of energy
He carefully wrapped himself in this aura and then leaped into the gently blowing wind.
This is
Elevating his energy to its peak had been the right decision.
The soft wind, as it brushed past him, pressed in from all sides like a raging sword energy.
Any ordinary warrior would have been instantly torn apart and their body would turn into a cold corpse in mere moments.
The energy enveloping his body rapidly diminished, but this was within his expectations.
There was still enough left to reach his target.
Facing the approaching Jo Byeok, Go Hyeon-woo also sensed that his opponent had made a critical move.
As he raised his iron sword above his head, all the gentle breezes converging towards Jo Byeok were now focused on the de.
At the moment Jo Byeok threw his punch,
Go Hyeon-woos iron sword also descended.
sh!
In the blink of an eye, the positions of the two got reversed.
After a brief silence, Jo Byeok was the first to speak.
What is the name of this technique?
Clear Stream.
Jo Byeok slowly lowered his gaze.
A small part of his school uniforms shoulder was slightly cut.
This means that Go Hyeon-woos single sword strike surpassed the school uniforms D-rank defensive magic, even if it was only for a brief moment.
However, the absence of more severe injuries suggests that Go Hyeon-woos attack had little effect on the protective aura enveloping Jo Byeok.
Ill remember it, but its a shame.
Psssst
Go Hyeon-woos dangling iron sword began to crumble from the tip, slowly disintegrating.
It was the result of the durability being exhausted by the recoil of the shing techniques.
As he released the handle, which was all that remained, the rest of the sword also vanished.
With the destruction of his iron sword, Go Hyeon-woo was left with two choices.
Either draw the long sword on his back to continue the duel or ept defeat.
He chose thetter.
I have lost.
I look forward to our next match. Then, I hope to see your full strength.
Go Hyeon-woo silently watched the departing figure of Jo Byeok in silence.
What he was thinking remained unknown.
***
I paid close attention to the iron sword that Go Hyeon-woo always carried with him.
It was understandable that he would use a different sword instead of the sacred weapon of his sect, which was likely due to some personal reasons.
But was it necessary for the sword to specifically be an iron sword?
After contemting this question, I arrived at the conclusion that it was because the sword was used as a disposable item.
Go Hyeon-woo seemed unfazed even when his iron sword broke on the train.
His attitude was not that of someone experiencing such a situation for the first or second time.
It was probably due to the nature of the martial arts that Go Hyeon-woo practiced.
Since most equipment cant fully contain that energy, the weapons durability quickly decreases and it eventually breaks.
Therefore, the same thing could have easily happened during the cement test.
Especially when facing a strong opponent like Jo Byeok, the probability of such thing happening was very high.
Thus, my bet on a 2-minute limit was not about the duration of the fight but rather the time until the iron sword would inevitably break.
[Go Hyeon-woo Lose vs Jo Byeok Win]
The matchsted for 2 minutes and 28 seconds.
Since it was much closer to 2 minutes than 5 minutes, I was the winner of the bet.
Come on, this is unbelievable. It ended just like that? Hey, this isnt right. How could anyone predict this?
You talk too much. 5 silver.
As I reached out my hand to collect the money, Shin Byeong-chul showed a begrudging smile.
Hey, I dont have the money right now, but Ill borrow it and pay you back real soon. Really soon.
You were the one who wanted to bet. Why did you make a bet if you didnt have the money?
Well, I thought I would win this time I mean, its Shin Byeong-chul betting, but my luck is just terrible today.
From the way he spoke, it seemed he had quite a bit of confidence.
Unfortunately for him, I was his opponent in this match of insight.
I could have just written off the 5 silver coins as a debt,
But theres no need to settle it in money though.
Really? Then what?
Shin Byeong-cheol smiled and asked.
I nodded towards the notebook he was holding with a gesture of my chin.
Information.
Chapter 15: Placement Test (5)
Chapter 15: cement Test (5)
After thest studentpleted their cement test, we all moved out of the round arena.
We left the stage empty just like it was in the beginning.
Alright, that settles it. Everyone, gather around me.
Lee Su-dok called the first-year ss 3 students to assemble around him.
Some of you may have had bad luck in the draw, resulting in a lower win rate than expected. Remember, the cement test is just a means to minimally differentiate abilities, so dont read too much into it.
Several students looked visibly upset.
They had mid-tier abilities but had faced a string of losses against students from magic towers or prestigious families.
They expressed their dissatisfaction with the cement test system along with the thought, This score doesnt reflect my true skills.
But actually, its fairer than they might think.
Starting off with a different score than your original skill level might seem unfair at first, but has many mechanisms and events in ce to bnce this out.
As students continue to participate in duel battles throughout the semester, they eventually find their true level.
And of course, improving their skills can take them even higher.
I too started with a zero score in my first-year cement test, losing every match. I was ridiculed a lot. But I worked hard to improve my skills, silencing one critic after another. By my second year, everyone had quieted down. In my third year, there were hardly any who could beat me in duel battles. Now? Everyone else is dead.
As Lee Su-dok continued his story, the students faces grew increasingly pale.
Especially at the end, when he said, Everyone else is dead whether it was just a feeling or not, it sounded more like I killed them all.
Lee Su-dok revealed his teeth in a menacing grin.
So, if you lost to someone stronger, dont waste time questioning the fairness of the cement test. Get stronger and seek your revenge. Thats the spirit befitting a student of Dragon yer Academy. After lunch, well continue with the strategy battle cement test. Dont bete and gather at the dungeon area. Dismissed.
The students hurried towards the cafeteria with very quick steps.
Everyone was physically and mentally exhausted and they must have been quite hungry as a result.
Moreover, with the strategy battle cement test scheduled for after lunch, it was important to eat well and store up energy for good performance.
Hey, Byeong-chul! Arent youing to eat?
One of Shin Byeong-chuls friends called out to him.
Shin Byeong-chul rested his hand on my shoulder and replied,
You guys go ahead. I need to discuss some business matters with this person.
Business? Alright, got it.
His friends showed an indifferent attitude and they left with a sense of do as you please.
The business Shin Byeong-chul referred to was about passing on the information he had gathered during the recent duel battles.
In ce of the 5 silver coins he owed from our bet.
Shin Byeong-cheolmented half-jokingly.
Ah, what a mistake I made with that bet. Lets go. I heard todays lunch is sandwiches.
Sounds good, sandwiches.
I turned to fetch Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in.
Perhaps because the afterglow of defeat had not yetpletely subsided, both were in poor condition.
Go Hyeon-woo looked especially worse for wear; hisplexion was so pale that he seemed on the verge of copsing.
It was an expected oue, considering he had expended so much of his magical power in his fight against Jo Byeok.
Moreover, the technique he used at the end, called [Clear Stream] seemed like a monster that voraciously consumed energy just by the looks of it.
He would have reached his limits even if his iron sword hadnt broken.
Hey.
Hmm? What is it, Kim-hyung?
Are youing? For lunch.
I was lost in thought for a moment. Lets go.
Just then, I stopped the creaking figure that had just begun to move.
No, you should go to the dormitory and rest. Youre in no condition to be here.
I can still endure it.
Enduring isnt the point. We have a strategy battleing up. Go and recover as much as you can. Ill pack you a sandwich.
Will you really do that? I owe you one, Kim-hyung.
Enough, go on. Dont beteter.
Thank you.
Go Hyeon-woo expressed his gratitude briefly and left.
If he practiced energy cultivation throughout lunchtime, he should be able to restore his depleted [Core] enough to participate in the strategy battle.
I then spoke to Shin Byeong-cheol and Seo Ye-in.
Lets go eat lunch by ourselves.
***
Just like Shin Byeong-cheol said, the lunch menu was sandwiches.
Ham, cheese, egg sandwiches, and crabstick sd sandwiches.
Considering the lovely spring weather, it didnt seem necessary to sit in a cafeteria to eat sandwiches.
So, weid a mat on the grass.
Quite a few students had gathered in groups on the grass beside us.
It wasnt just because it was the first day of the semester; there was something about todays weather that lifted peoples spirits.
Yet Seo Ye-in was still in a somber mood as she quietly nibbled on her sandwich.
Watching adybug crawl across the grass.
In contrast, Shin Byeong-cheol was shoveling sandwiches into his mouth as if he had a bottomless pit for a stomach.
With a mouth full of a mix of ham, cheese, egg, and crabstick sd, he opened his mouth to speak.
Mmm-guah mochuirous-mumshun
Cant you swallow your food before talking?
After my rebuke, he gulped down the food with some orange juice.
He mmed the empty bottle on the ground and repeated what he was saying.
Sorry. So, what are you curious about? You said you had 1 win and 2 losses, so do you need information on the 300-point range kids?
No, its not that. If I set my mind to it, I can do it quickly.
The score was something that I could always raise if I so wanted.
Moreover, the level of this score range was so low that there was no point in analyzing the opponents.
Ooooh you seem confident? Then?
The top ones.
The top ones, huh I also focused on that area, but its tricky.
Shin Byeong-cheol flipped through his notebook with a slightly troubled expression.
There are so many talented kids, its hard to know where to start. Like I said on the train, this years new students are a golden generation like no other.
Focus on the four major powers, just the promising ones.
Ah, that narrows it down. Lets see
The four major powers.
At Dragon yer Academy, besides official groups like the disciplinarymittee or the student council, there were numerous clubs formed for students withmon interests or goals.
Most of these clubs belonged to one of the four major powers:
,
,
,
and .
Even among the talented golden generation, if you use the four major powers as a standard, you will be able to select one or two of the most outstanding people from each faction.
Shin Byeong-cheol quickly rifled through his notebook, organizing the information.
Lets see ording to our analysis, the strongest card in is Mo Yong-jun. As you can guess from his name, hes the grandson of the Sword Saint Mo Yong Hyeon-seong. Just like a scion of a prestigious family, he has solid training. He did have 2 wins and 1 loss in duel battles, but that one loss was against Han So-mi. It was a close match that ended in a judgment loss by just a 3% difference.
3% is almost negligible.
Exactly. The oue might have been different under different rules.
If it hadnt been for the [5-minute limit] rule and had been a long battle instead, the result could have been different.
In essence, it was fair to say their abilities were on par.
Weve heard that theres another strong contender in the ck Way faction, but they didnt reveal themselves in this individual battle. They might be concealing their abilities, or it could just be a rumor. We need to investigate more on this, but for now, we can assume Mo Yong-jun is the most outstanding.
Okay, what about ?
Shin Byeong-cheol flipped a few pages back in his notebook.
used to have two top figures, Song Cheon-hye and Hong Yeon-hwa. But since Song Cheon-hye joined the disciplinarymittee, its been mainly Hong Yeon-hwa. The evaluations of the two were simr However, Hong Yeon-hwa lost to you and fell slightly. Hey, really, how did you manage to win?
It was just good luck. Whats next?
Admitting that I had an S-grade [Elemental Resistance] was not something I could casually mention.
When I deliberately changed the subject, Shin Byeong-cheol continued his exnation, still casting a doubtful nce my way.
Next up was .
As expected, it was the faction to which Shin Byeong-cheols club belonged.
Have you seen the kid who carries a cat on their shoulder?
A few times, here and there.
Thats not actually a cat. Its a tiger.
I figured as much.
Youre not surprised. Thats no fun.
Shin Byeong-cheol seemed disappointed by my dry reaction.
It was unlikely for someone at Dragon yer Academy to casually carry a mere pet cat on their shoulder.
They probably used a shrinking skill or something simr to reduce its size for convenience.
Are they a Beast Tamer or a Druid?
A Druid. They also know how to use wood and earth magic.
There must be a connection with the Emerald Magic Tower as well.
So it seems. The magic is just a side skill, though.
Is that all for the Guild Union side?
Thatsnot all.
Shin Byeong-cheol nced at Seo Ye-in before answering.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in was leisurely sipping an iced green tea, watching a squirrel scurry up and down a nearby tree.
When I nodded slightly to signal that it was okay to speak, Shin Byeong-cheol lowered his voice to prevent others from overhearing and said,
the information is worth at least 5 silver coins, so Ill tell you. We have another kid whos really good with a bow. In the duel battles, he hid his skills and only used daggers, but still managed 2 wins and 1 loss.
Are you not just overestimating him because hes part of your group?
No, no. Hes up there evenpared to other promising candidates.
If Shin Byeong-cheol was so confidently asserting this, there must be some truth to it.
Ill keep that in mind. Who is the promising member from ?
Lee Seong-hyun. Hes almost on par with Mo Yong-jun. Hes been diligently training under his father, a sword master, following a traditional and rigorous path. Really, its only these two who seem exceptionally strong. If you want, I can give you more details about the others ranked below them.
No, thats enough. They certainly sound strong.
Told you. Thepetition among our batch for the top ranks is going to be really fierce.
Even for someone like me, who has been to hundreds of times, this was the first instance of encountering so many talented individuals in a single batch.
At this point, the spection that this was due to the influence of the EX-rank quest seemed quite usible, but I dont know how powerful the enemies are going to appear in the future.
Shin Byeong-cheol closed the notebook and asked.
Hey, why are you curious about all this?
Its like market research.
Market research? What are you nning to sell?
Something simr.
Once Ive figured out who Im going to focus on in the major powers and what kind of hidden pieces they will need in the future,
Trade is possible.
After identifying the hidden pieces the major powers desired, I nned to secure them for trade.
Whether it involved artifacts of equal value or the rights and privileges they possessed.
As the cement test concluded, a rough sketch of how the game board would be structured started to take shape in my mind.
Ah,e on, tell me a bit more. Youve got me curious now.
Hey, youve got a message.
Huh?
Shin Byeong-cheol, who had been pestering me for information, looked down.
His pocket was shining brightly.
He reached in and, after rummaging around for a moment, pulled out his student ID. He began to read the words appearing on the back in a disjointed manner.
You where are youe to the office now or else your hair Damn, right. I forgot.
Sounds like someones really angry. Who is it?
Our club president. A very very scary person.
He shivered as if the mere thought of the president sent a chill down his spine.
The problem seemed to be that he had somehow upset this frightening person, but that was his issue to deal with.
Shin Byeong-cheol quickly gathered his things and stood up.
I need to go. If I dont hurry, who knows what might happen to me.
Alright, see youter.
And then, he dashed off in a full sprint.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in was still quietly nibbling on a sandwich even after Shin Byeong-cheol had left.
Still, she had almost finished it off.
Her gray eyes were gazing at me.
It was still impossible to discern her thoughts, but now there seemed to be an unusually subdued air about her.
Go Hyeon-woo, Seo Ye-in, Shin Byeong-cheol.
Regardless of my ultimate goal of raising EX-rank heroes, these guys were special.
They were the first rtionships I had made since entering the world of the game through a reincarnation quest.
It just didnt feel right to leave her so downcast.
So, to lighten the mood, there was one simple yet effective method.
Remember the cookie you dropped on the train yesterday?
?
Caught in the scuffle between the disciplinarymittee and Shin Byeong-cheol, there had been an incident where the cookie given by Seo Ye-in ended up on the floor.
What about it? Her eyes seemed to convey to me.
Song Cheon-hye sent a dessert coupon as an apology.
Song Cheon-hye was someone with a clear-cut way of dealing with things.
My reputation had plummeted almost to the level of Shin Byeong-cheols due to forfeiting a duel battle, but it seemed she still thought a promise was a promise to be kept.
The moment lunchtime started, a dessert coupon came flying my way.
A coupon that could be exchanged for any dessert offered in the student cafeteria, regardless of the price.
What I chose using that was,
Ta-daaa.
I pulled out a neatly wrapped paper box from the inventory.
When I opened the box, there emerged a slice of fresh cream cake studded with fruits.
I didnt think much about it when I ordered it, but when I saw it in front of my eyes, it was extraordinary.
It could be said that it was not a cake but a work of art.
Had I bought it with money, a single piece would have cost as much as a meal at a top-tier restaurant.
Moreover, its limited quantity added a premium to its value; I nearly missed the chance to buy it even with the dessert coupon.
Seo Ye-ins eyes were focused on the cake, as it seemed unusual to her eyes.
I handed her a disposable fork, and she took it somewhat bewilderedly.
Technically, it was your cookie that got us this, so you have a share in it too. Lets eat together.
Thank you.
After offering a brief word of gratitude, Seo Ye-ins eyes widened ever so slightly as she carefully removed a corner with her fork and ced it in her mouth.
I too tasted a corner from my side and couldnt help but nod in agreement.
Its worth the price.
The harmony of the sponge, fresh cream, and fruits in the cake was nearly perfect.
Especially with the fresh cream, it felt more like eating clouds than cream.
The sweetness was not too overpowering, which seemed to suit Seo Ye-ins preference for milder vors.
For a while, we just ate in silence, taking turns with the fork.
By the time only crumbs of the cake were left,
Hey.
Seo Ye-in opened her mouth.
Chapter 16: Fixed Zone (1)
Chapter 16: Fixed Zone (1)
Hey.
Yeah?
Why do you think I lost?
To Song Cheon-hye?
Mhmm.
The fact that she was willing to open up about her concerns was a positive sign.
It meant she was starting to open up to me if only a little.
Therefore, it was important for me to respond with care.
I took a moment to choose my words carefully.
The terrain yed a big part, I think. The arena was cramped, and there was nowhere to hide. Its a disadvantage for a gunslinger.
A round arena and a deathmatch were essentially an environment and a rule that forced a head-on confrontation with your opponent.
If the match had been yed under different conditions, the oue might have been different.
If the space had been two to three timesrger, it would have been extremely difficult to cover it with [Lightning Thread].
And if there had been ces to take cover, there was a high chance of remaining undetected for the entire five minutes, which could have led to a victory by decision.
But Seo Ye-in slowly shook her head.
Thats not what Im asking.
She desired a fundamental solution rather than ming external factors.
As a gunslinger, how could she break through the magical barrier of Song Cheon-hye, who was a mage, and the even more powerful high-level mages?
That was the real question.
I already had the answer but for the moment, I decided to step back.
Ive thought about it while watching, but Im not sure if hearing from me will be of any help. Im a support, you know. My score is even lower than yours.
I still want to hear it.
She wanted to hear my thoughts whether they were helpful or not.
Havinge this far, it wouldnt hurt to offer some advice as an experienced gunslinger, not just as a support.
I spread my palms open.
Look at this.
Mana blossomed in each hand,pressing into the shape of bullets.
I deliberately made the two magic bullets differ in form.
One barely maintained its shape, while the other was so exquisitely crafted that it could have been mistaken for a real bullet painted blue.
If you had to use just one shot against the magical barrier, which one would you take?
.
It was a question with an obvious answer.
Seo Ye-ins finger pointed towards the more intricately shaped bullet.
At the same time, she seemed slightly surprised; it must have been her first time seeing such a perfectly shaped magic bullet.
I wonder if I should have made it a little more clumsy?
When I think about it, what was basic for me might not be so for a first-year student.
In such situations, its important to smoothly transition without showing any surprise.
First, I took the clumsy magic bullet and prodded its edge with my palm.
Almost immediately, the bullet shape copsed and dispersed.
When you try to break through a magic barrier with a normally formed magic bullet, it turns it into a battle of magical power against magical power. In that case, a mage with superior magical power quantity will naturally have the upper hand.
Next, I picked up the more intricately shaped bullet and poked its edge in the same manner.
Though the edge was destroyed and a little blue energy leaked out, the bullets shape remained intact.
However, the reason a swordsman can cut through a mages barrier and a gunslinger can prate it is by using concentrated and condensed magical power at a single point. So, investing more time in magical power training and paying attention to the crafting of each magic bullet might just reveal you the answer you seek.
.
Seo Ye-in listened silently until I finished exining.
Then, tilting her head slightly, she asked,
How do you train your magical power?
What?
I couldnt believe my ears and had to ask again for confirmation.
If you dont know how to train magical power, how have you been creating magic bullets until now?
I just did, and it worked.
What about the [Magic Bullet] skill?
I didnt learn it.
?
?
She still looked like she was unable to understand my reaction.
This is unexpected.
The magic bullet I had just created seemed real, but it was really just for show.
The difference in lethality between a casually made magic bullet and one enhanced with the [Magic Bullet] skill was like night and day.
This skill forms the basic foundation of a gunslinger.
Yet she had not learned it up to this point.
Since she didnt even know how to train her magical power, I guessed that her rted skills and traits were likely elementary.
In essence, she had been winging everything by her intuition alone, which meant one thing:
Shes a prodigy.
In fact, I should probably raise my assessment of Seo Ye-in a notch.
Considering she managed to give Song Cheon-hye a run for her money without even having the basics down.
The extent of her talent was something I felt the need to verify with my own hands.
Would you mind if I take some time to check it out for you?
Mhmm.
Seo Ye-in immediately epted my offer.
I thought about testing a few things on the spot, but then
The melody flowing from the speaker signaled the end of lunchtime.
It was time for the strategy battle test to begin.
***
In a section of the Dungeon Ind, there was a hill neither too high nor too low.
This hill was not a ce for people to climb up and down.
It was an entrance.
And when you enter the huge tunnel before you, an intricate maze of countless dungeons unfolds, intertwining and extending into an endless underground expanse.
This was the Dungeon Hall, a ce where students of Dragon yer Academy conduct their strategy battles
Kim-hyung.
I met Go Hyeon-woo near the tunnel.
Right now, Go Hyeon-woos expression has be much brighter.
I handed him a sandwich and asked.
Feeling any better?
Thanks to you. Im truly grateful.
No need to thank me every time. Were friends.
Go Hyeon-woo led the way, quickly finishing the sandwich in the blink of an eye.
Lets continue with the cement test then.
***
The dungeons on the ground level of the dungeon hall were all artificial dungeons created specifically for the students education or exams.
A good example was the several teleportation portals gaping next to Lee Soo-dok.
Is everyone gathered? Ill exin the strategy battle test then.
Lee Soo-dok floated a small window next to himself.
MAP: [Mist Forest]
RULE: [High Score], [10-Minute Limit], [Fixed Zone]
Each person will enter the portal one by one to take the test. Most of you are probably familiar with the High Score rule.
High Score.
The number of monsters killed during the 10-minute time limit was added up and converted into a score.
Monsters of higher ranks yielded more points per kill.
For example, orcs and trolls offered more points than goblins.
The goal was to eliminate as many high-rank monsters as possible within the time frame.
I will allow time for questions.
Um Teacher.
A student hesitantly raised a trembling hand.
Although it was scary to pose a question to someone known as the human butcher,
But the prospect of entering the cement test without addressing the newly arisen doubts was even more terrifying.
Um What exactly is the Fixed Zone rule?
After asking that question, that student looked at the other students as if asking for their approval, and judging by the simr expressions on their faces, it seemed like they all shared the same doubts.
Lee Soo-dok responded in a tone that implied the question was obvious.
The Fixed Zone is an area with set ability limits. Everythings performance is fixed at the lowest rank. Be mindful that your [Core], which most of you possess, will also be limited to F-rank. Those who recklessly use magical power without any shortages will regret poor mana management.
!
!
The revtion struck like a bolt from the blue.
Right now, the performance of equipment, skills, and traits that were handled like extensions of the students own bodies has drastically declined.
The only thing that remained unchanged was the technique ingrained in their bodies over many years.
Go Hyeon-woo lowered his voice and asked me,
So, in this Fixed Zone, is he saying that any famed sword bes no different from this iron sword?
Exactly. Its not that high-rank items or skills cant be used, but their effectiveness is diminished. Sometimes swinging the sword one more time might be more beneficial.
Hmm. Interesting.
He murmured this while gently stroking the newly brought iron sword.
However, only a few in our ss, including Go Hyeon-woo, found this situation interesting.
Most were marked with expressions of confusion and worry, not knowing what to do.
ncing around, I noticed that Song Cheon-hyes face betrayed a clear look of distress as if she was utterly unprepared for such a test.
Whats this Fixed Zone all of a sudden?
I heard this doesnte up until the second year.
Hey, is this really difficult?
I dont know, but Ive heard the seniors really hate it.
Really? Were doomed
Enough.
With a single word from Lee Soo-dok, everyone suddenly fell silent as if on cue.
Lee Soo-dok spoke with a displeased expression.
It is verymon for the contents of a dungeon to differ from the information youve gathered. Are you going to be as lost and confused as this every time you encounter an unexpected situation? You should be thinking about how to adapt to such drastic changes.
His rebuke was extremely effective.
Everyones faces hardened and strengthened their resolve.
They began to steel themselves for whatever awaited them inside and resolved to use everything at their disposal.
Get ready then. Students will enter one by one as I call their names. Choi Jeong-pil.
Choi Jeong-pil stepped forward with a nervous look.
He took a few deep breaths before stepping into the teleportation portal and soon it closed behind him.
After confirming this, Lee Soo-dok called the next name.
Han So-mi.
Yes!
Han So-mi shed her usual cheerful smile and entered the dungeon with light steps.
Not a trace of nervousness could be found in her, which momentarily sparked a flicker of interest in Lee Soo-doks eyes.
He then shifted his gaze and moved on.
Park Kyung-ah.
With each name called, the number of waiting students decreased, and the teleportation portals closed one after the other.
When about half of the dungeons were filled,
Argh!
A students scream echoed as they were ejected from the portal.
The rule was to kill as many monsters as possible within 10 minutes, but this student was ejected not even 3 minutes after entering.
It was a premature retirement.
The dungeons safety mechanism decided that the test could no longer proceed for some reason, and the participant was kicked out.
Argh!
Another student was ejected from the portal.
This one managed tost 5 minutes, 2 minutes longer than the previous one.
Of course, the fact that it was a premature retirement was the same.
It looks like they proceeded as usual.
It was obvious what had happened inside without even having to see it.
These students must have tried to wipe out the monsters with a barrage of skills like they always did.
Forgetting that the power of their skills had dropped to an F-rank.
The monsters, which should have been swept away in droves, were very much alive and attacking, which likely left them flustered and they got severely beaten up.
And so, after being continuously pummeled, they were eventually ejected.
Ouch!
Aaah!
One after another, students started failing.
This meant an increasing number of students were disgracefully sprawled on the ground.
Those waiting for their turn watched the scene unfold and they became even more tense.
I must absolutely not end up like that.
Ugh
Stop, stop hitting me, you bastards!
Even after being expelled from the dungeon, the eliminated participants rolled on the floor and groaned.
Since it was an artificial dungeon and there were multiple safety mechanisms put into ce, there was no physical damage, but being swarmed and lynched by a horde of monsters was enough to mentally shatter anyone.
In the midst of this, 10 minutes had passed since the start of the strategy battle test.
The first person from our ss toplete the 10-minute duration emerged.
It was Choi Jeong-pil who had entered first.
He staggered out, looking mentally exhausted, but he was, after all, standing on his feet.
[Choi Jeong-pil, 530 points, 20%]
A little distance from the strategy battle portals floated arge hologram window the size of a poster. This was supposed to be the leaderboard.
It disyed the [Name, Score, Ranking] of the entire grade in real-time.
Soon after Choi Jeong-pil, Han So-mi, who had entered next, and then Park Kyung-ah, who followed, alsopleted their trials and walked out.
[Han So-mi, 928 points, 1st ce] New!
[Park Kyung-ah, 543 points, 40%]
[Choi Jeong-pil, 530 points, 45%]
Students from other sses also starteding out one after another after they seeded in their trials.
With each new emergence, their names and scores were added to the leaderboard, and the rankings were continuously updated.
Choi Jeong-pils rank, which was initially in the top 20%, began to plummet.
Wow, look at Han So-mis score.
Its almost twice as much, twice as much.
Is this the difference in skill?
I told you shes really scary when you get to know her.
She looks so cute though.
The attention of the audience, which had been focused on the eliminated students, swiftly shifted to the leaderboard.
As the students began to talk about the rankings, their enthusiasm was ignited.
Although still nervous due to the [Fixed Zone] rule, the desire to secure a high position on the publicly visible leaderboard seemed to motivate them.
Seo Ye-in.
It was Seo Ye-ins turn.
I offered a brief piece of advice to Seo Ye-in, who was checking her two pistols for thest time.
It might be better to switch to a rifle. If you feel that mana management is bing difficult, just focus on headshots for those that get close.
Mhmm.
Seo Ye-in epted my advice without question.
The pistols in her hands were swiftly disassembled and reassembled into a rifle.
She nced at me with an expressionless face, as if to ask, Did I do well?
I nodded in approval, and she responded with a slight nod before entering the dungeon.
.
Feeling a stinging sensation at the back of my head, I turned around to find Song Cheon-hye looking at me with a disapproving look.
From her perspective, she probably wondered what right I had to give advice.
When our eyes met, she quickly turned her head away.
Kim Ho.
As I waited, my name was eventually called.
Upon stepping one foot into the portal, I was swiftly pulled into somewhere else.
In the next moment, I found myself standing in the midst of a forest thick with fog.
It was a forest in the early hours before dawn, retaining the darkness and dampness of the early morning.
[Monsters will be summoned shortly.]
[Remaining time 10:00]
I curled the corners of my mouth upwards as I read the notification message.
Its been a long time since Ive been here.
At , I was called by many nicknames.
The S-rank Hero Factory, the top ranker, the strongest supporter.
And yet there was one more.
The God of the Fixed Zone.
Chapter 17: Fixed Zone (2)
Chapter 17: Fixed Zone (2)
was essentially a single-yer game but it also had content where yers couldpete and battle against each other.
For instance, in thepetitive content, some practical evaluations and events were tallied across all users.
Of course, I was ranked first.
No matter which ranking I checked, my name was always at the top.
And that too, with a considerable margin over the second ce.
The gap was even more significant in the Fixed Zone.
To the extent that the word overwhelming would be an understatement.
Thats why I earned the nickname God which I found to be a bit embarrassing.
There was no one who could rival me in the Fixed Zone.
[Entering the Fixed Zone.] [The rank of some skills/traits/equipment will be adjusted.]
I nced at the notification message and brought up the status window.
[Kim Ho]
Skills
Amplification (F)
Copy-Skill [1/1]
1. Hummingbird (F)
Traits
Core (F)
Monarch (F)
Copy-Trait [1/1]
1. Elemental Resistance (F)
Equipment
School Uniform (F)
Earth Staff (F)
ording to the Fixed Zone rule, the rank of all skills, traits, and equipment was fixed at F-rank.
Since most of what I originally had was around E-rank, there wasnt much change for me.
Additionally, a skill like [Hummingbird], whose main purpose was controlling enemies rather than destruction, would perform simrly even at F rank.
However, this time I nned to challenge myself by using only my basic physical abilities without even using Hummingbird.
I need to warm up.
This was my first experience in the Fixed Zone since enrolling in the academy, and it was a chance to see what I was capable of.
And my physical abilities alone should be sufficient.
After all, I didnt get the nickname God of the Fixed Zone for nothing.
I surveyed my surroundings.
The terrain of the [Mist Forest] was randomly formed the moment a challenger entered through the portal.
But random as it may be, this dungeon was ultimately created by humans.
Broadly speaking, there are several standardized patterns.
If you can figure out these patterns, you can predict when, where, what kind of monsters will appear, and in what numbers.
Judging by the arrangement of the bushes, trees, weeds, rocks around me, and the direction of the mist flow,
Its the C pattern.
I took my position in front of an empty space near a rock.
Gripping the Earth Staff with both hands, I raised it high above my head.
The system began the countdown.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Monsters will be summoned.]
[Remaining Time: 9:59]
[Current score: 0 points]
ck and dirty smoke billowed in the air before me.
From within the smoke, a monster with green skin the size of a five- or six-year-old child burst out.
Keuk, keureuk.
As soon as the goblin was summoned, its yellow eyes shed and it tried to find a target to kill.
However, the first thing that came into its view was a thick wooden stick plummeting towards its head.
Kwajik!
I crushed the first goblins skull and immediately snatched the dagger it was holding.
At the same time, I swung the staff with all my might to the left, exploding another head.
I grabbed that goblins dagger too and ran recklessly towards the bushes.
Before the three plumes of ck smoke could even transform into the shapes of goblins, I swung my staff at them.
Kwajik, kwajik, kwajik!
Three goblins were summoned and they were immediately converted into points,
and in the same spot, about ten ck smoke masses rose up.
As I prepared to swing the staff again,
Two orcs at 7 oclock. In 3, 2, 1 seconds.
At the count of 1 second I threw the two daggers over my shoulder.
Pukpuk!
Gik.
Keuk.
While I was sweeping away the goblins in front of me, I heard two sounds of flesh being torn and two short death cries from behind.
I put the Earth Staff into my inventory.
Weapons were now abundant for me.
Clutching a handful of daggers dropped by goblins, I rushed toward the corpses of the orcs I had just killed.
While doing so, I tossed the daggers in all directions as if scattering them.
Goblins flocking from all sides each took a dagger in the forehead and copsed.
The two dead orcs each had a shortsword and an axe.
I grabbed one in each hand and sprinted to the next summoning location.
Between two trees,rge and small plumes of smoke arose.
Six goblins to the left, four goblins and two orcs to the right, and a troll at the rear. 3, 2, 1.
At the count of 1 I leaped into the smoke, whirling my body like a windmill.
Swoosh!
I annihted the lesser monsters in an instant and charged at the newly summoned troll.
Before it could resist, I plunged the shortsword into its heart, twisted it, kicked the hilt to drive it deeper, and finally brought the axe down on its forehead.
Kwajik!
Then onto the next location, and the next.
Monsters had their heads severed as soon as they were summoned.
To an outsider, it would have seemed like tant cheating.
It might have appeared as if someone was deliberately summoning monsters right where I was going.
But this was not cheating, but rather the result of long experience and meticulous analysis.
Alright, thats enough.
I felt that it was about time and stopped walking towards the next summoning location.
Turning my gaze to the scoreboard,
[Remaining Time: 7:02]
[Current Score: 683 points]
The result was slightly disappointing.
I only scored 683 points in 3 minutes
I feel like I lost a lot.
Back in the days when I was setting new records, I would have scored at least 800 points in the Misty Forest in three minutes.
Anyway, I had achieved my initial goal.
[Side Quest: cement Test]
Objective: Achieve a mid-tier or higher rank on the cement test.
Win at least once in the duel battle cement test (1/1)
Rank in the top 50% in the strategy battle cement test (Current Ranking: N/A)
Reward: [Copy-Skill] Slot +1
The goals of the cement test quest were to achieve at least one win in duel battles and rank in the top 50% in the strategy battle.
Normally, the cutoff for the top 50% fluctuates between 400 and 500 points, so with a score of 683, I should rankfortably in the upper-middle range.
There was still 7 minutes left, but I felt no need to increase my score further.
Of course, even if I took it easy, winning first ce in the strategy test was a given.
But attracting too much attention would render my forfeit against Song Cheon-hye pointless.
Huh? Kim Ho is in first ce?
Maybe hes stronger than we thought?
Then why did he concede?
Did he just let her win?
I would probably be the subject of gossip like this.
Just like in the duel battle matches, I needed to hide my abilities until I could handle the fame that came with them.
So, I decided to end the cement test here.
I want to stop here.
Everything around me turned gray and came to an abrupt halt and a message appeared in front of me.
Of course, the remaining time continued to decrease.
[Remaining Time: 6:49]
[Do you really want to end the strategy battle test?]
[ept/Decline]
Yes.
[Do you want to save the rey?]
[ept/Decline]
No.
The exit promptly opened its mouth,
And I leisurely walked outside.
***
Buch of weaklings.
Lee Soo-dok frowned.
His already fierce face grew even more menacing, which caused the passing students to involuntarily lower their gaze.
At the end of his gaze were the weaklings, that is, the ones who failed the test.
The cement test had been underway for quite some time, yet there they were, still sprawled or sitting helplessly on the ground.
Still unable to get up?
Though he wouldnt mention it outright due to his nature, Lee Soo-dok, as a teacher, had the discretion to offer students who retired a chance to retry.
If even one of them had asked for help or asked if there was any way to make amends, he would have given them a chance.
But there was no such indication from those defeated ones.
They seemed to havepletely lost their will.
Just over something like this.
Lee Soo-dok himself was once a student at the Dragon yer Academy.
The path he had walked was far more brutal and treacherous; it was much worse than this.
Even in such conditions, he had climbed up from the very bottom with sheer will.
So, it was only natural for him to be dissatisfied with their early surrender.
Lee Soo-doks gaze briefly shifted to the side.
A portal that had been closed earlier just opened, and another student emerged from it.
He remembered that this student had entered about 3 or 4 minutes ago.
This meant that this student didntst the 10 minutes period.
Another one retired.
He didnt know the students name, but his face was one he remembered.
A student who had forfeited in the duel battle test with the im that he was in a bad shape.
And now, it seemed, he had retired from the strategy battle test as well.
What kind of dragon are you going to catch with such rotten spirit?
He doubted that student could even handle a B-rank boss after graduation, let alone catch a dragon.
If his own subordinates had engaged in such pathetic antics, he would have beaten them to a pulp. But this was Dragon yer Academy, and that guy was a student in his ss.
The thought of having to teach and lead such a worthless creature as a homeroom teacher was already giving him a headache.
Despite it being a request from a former legendary hero, Lee Soo-Dok regretted his hasty decision to ept it.
Wait a minute
Lee Soo-Dok turned his head.
He felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
After pondering the source of this feeling, he realized it only after his eyes caught the faces of the disqualified students.
That student, he walked out.
The safety mechanisms in the artificial dungeons employ a forced teleportation spell to eject students when their safety is at risk during the strategy battle.
The reason students were seen tumbling out of the dungeon was precisely because of this.
The lingering effects left them disoriented for a while.
But this student was walking out nonchntly and checking the leaderboard as if nothing had happened.
At the very least, it meant he hadnt been ejected.
Lee Soo-Doks gaze followed the students gaze to the leaderboard.
[Kim Ho, 683 points, 38%]
Upper middle range?
Such score couldnt possibly be achieved in just three minutes.
Even if one were to exaggerate and assume a polymorphed dragon appeared in the dungeon, such a feat would still be impossible.
So does that mean hested the full 10 minutes?
But he had only entered about 3 minutes ago. Did I see it wrong?
Lee Soo-Dok, who always maintained a cold demeanor, felt a slight sense of bewilderment this time.
His name was Kim Ho, right?
Lee Soo-Dok made a mental note of the students name.
He resolved to definitely check the rey of his dungeon battleter.
*******
TN: Its already erased though.
Chapter 18: Fixed Zone (3)
Chapter 18: Fixed Zone (3)
[Kim Ho, 683 points, 38%]
My score found its ce around the middle of the leaderboard.
Perhaps due to the overall high level of this years batch, it had fallen a bit short of my expectations.
Still, this should be sufficient for me to finish the strategy battle test in the upper middle range without any issues.
By this stage of the cement test, the topics of conversation among the first years had been divided into two main themes.
The leaderboard and the test content.
And most of the talk about the test content was filled withints.
Damn, I totally got wrecked.
Me too. When I went in, it was like my body wasnt my own. It wouldnt listen to me.
Exactly. I was swinging my sword, but it felt so slow.
Never thought Id see the day when fighting a goblin would be tough.
The seniors are going to hate it.
The more skills and traits one usually boasts, the more profoundly they will feel the impact of the F-rank fixed zone.
Its going to be quite a struggle to get used to it.
I understand why they dislike it, but theres really no other choice.
The [Fixed Zone] isnt amon rule, but it pops up every now and then, just when youre about to forget it.
Several infamous boss monsters were ced in their dungeons, which led to disasters where even well-performing parties were annihted in the fixed zone.
If one didnt want to be the protagonist of such a disaster they had no choice but to quickly get used to this rule.
[Lee Seong-hyeon, 951 points, 1st ce]
[Han So-mi, 928 points, 2nd ce]
[Mo Yong-jun, 903 points, 3rd ce]
The top ranks lived up to their reputation even under such harsh conditions.
The names surrounding Han So-mi must have been the promising students I heard about from Shin Byeong-cheol.
Lee Seong-hyeon was the son of a Sword Master, and Mo Yong-jun was the grandson of a Sword Saint.
If their skills were at a simr level to Han So-mi, then,
Go Hyeon-woo might stand a chance.
That guy hadnt been outmatched in swordsmanship when he faced Han So-mi on the train.
If only in swordsmanship, the syllogism of Go Hyeon-woo = Han So-mi = the promising students could be established.
With the rules being the fixed zone and the spec elements almostpletely excluded, the likelihood of him ranking high was very strong.
I was quite curious to see how many points he would score.
I didnt find his figure when looking around, and I didnt see his name on the leaderboard so he must still be taking the test.
As I alternated my gaze between the leaderboard and the teleportation portal while waiting, Seo Ye-in emerged before Go Hyeon-woo did.
She moved her head slowly as if looking around, and then upon spotting me, she approached.
I asked her.
How was it? Did good?
. It was tough.
[Seo Ye-in, 781 points, 21%]
Though she said it was tough, her score wasnt too shabby.
The fixed zone was a very unfavorable rule for magic-based sses such as gunslingers and mages.
They had to score points with extremely limited magical power.
While high scores werent impossible, it was easier for someone like me who relied on physical strength to smash through everything.
Considering that, as a gunslinger, securing a top 21% ranking on her first try was quitemendable.
Seeing that she still held her rifle, it seemed she had followed the strategy I suggested to her earlier.
Wow!
Right then, exmations erupted among the students who were watching the leaderboard.
The reason was clear.
The first ce has been updated.
[Go Hyeon-woo, 1,023 points, 1st ce] New!
[Lee Seong-hyeon, 951 points, 2nd ce]
[Han So-mi, 928 points, 3rd ce]
Oh.
I thought there was actually a very high chance of him ranking very high, but he ended up taking the top spot.
And that too, with a significant margin over the second ce.
The audience was ecstatic as if it were their own achievement.
Because they experienced it themselves, they knew how impressive that score was.
So, 1,000 points were possible I am less than nothing inparison
Which club is he with? The sword club?
No, hes not in our club.
I checked; hes unaffiliated.
An unaffiliated student just beat all the promising ones and took first ce.
Didnt he fight Jo Byeok in the duel match earlier?
I think so.
No wonder, he was good even back then.
I need to check out the reyter.
All eyes were on Go Hyeon-woo as he walked confidently through the crowd.
Go Hyeon-woo then expressed his gratitude to me.
Its all thanks to you, Kim-hyung.
Not really. Youre the one who did well.
No, if I hadnt regained my strength during lunchtime, I wouldnt have been able to score so high.
Was that really the case?
Though it seemed a bit of an overinterpretation, it wasnt entirely incorrect.
Since the crowd was closely watching Go Hyeon-woos every move, naturally, their attention also drifted to me who standing beside him.
Whos that guy next to him?
Isnt he the one who forfeited against Song Cheon-hye?
Oh, that coward?
Is he already clinging to Go Hyeon-woo?
Theres always someone like that. They should use that effort to improve their skills.
Even though I was just having a normal conversation with Go Hyeon-woo, my image seemed to be deteriorating in real-time, perhaps due to the poor first impression.
There was no way Go Hyeon-woo, with his keen ears, didnt hear such murmuring.
His expression hardened in an instant.
I stopped Go Hyeon-woo as he seemed about to rebuke the crowd.
Forget it, let it be.
But, Kim-hyung
Its okay, really.
Alright. If thats what you wish, Kim-hyung.
As I cut him off decisively, he closed his mouth and suppressed his anger.
His expression remained stern though.
The murmurs continued for a while but they didntst long.
After all, it was the first day of the semester and there was only so much they could gossip about me.
Attention soon shifted to Song Cheon-hye who had just finished her test.
Unlike other students who emerged exhausted and staggering from their tests, Song Cheon-hye walked with perfectposure and didnt show any signs of disarray.
As she passed by with her measured stride, she slowed down for a moment and nced at me from the corner of her eye.
And then she continued on her way.
I suddenly found myself curious about her score.
I started reading the leaderboard from the top, but
Shes not there.
Even after scanning about 40% of the list, Song Cheon-hyes name was nowhere to be found.
I didnt feel like searching any further.
If shes not in the top ranks, then it doesnt matter.
It seemed she hadnt scored particrly well.
Considering that even mages struggle in the fixed zone, her performance wasnt entirely surprising.
As I was about to dismiss the thought, I kept feeling someones gaze on me.
It was Song Cheon-hye, stealing nces in my direction.
Her look wasnt the usual displeasure she showed, but rather, it seemed like she was cautiously observing me.
Whenever our eyes met, she quickly turned her head away.
Why is she like that again?
***
Song Cheon-hye was in quite the low spirits.
Though her spirits had been low since the morning, when looking back, they plummeted sharply around lunchtime.
After finishing the duel battle test, which was messy in many ways, she ordered dessert in an attempt to lift her spirits.
Strawberry and whipped cream cake.
It was a popr dessert among female students, made in limited quantities every day at a high-end bakery in the downtown area.
She had heard rumors that this cake was so delicious even before entering school, so she had high expectations and finally the time hade for her to get it.
But then
Its sold out
Its poprity also meant fiercepetition.
Thispetition was strictly firste, first-served.
Status or background made no difference here.
After all, everyones background was formidable.
As a result, Song Cheon-hye tasted the bitterness of defeat instead of sweet whipped cream.
Han So-miforted the downcast Song Cheon-hye.
Cheon-hye, cheer up. Theyll have it next time. Lets eat this today.
Han So-mi shared half of her sweet red bean jelly with her.
Although it was hard to understand why she favored sweet red bean jelly among so many snacks, Song Cheon-hye found it surprisingly pleasant as she ate.
And her mood seemed to improve a bit.
However
Just when Song Cheon-hyes spirits seemed to be lifting, they quickly plummeted again.
After checking the dessert coupon usage history she had sent to Kim Ho.
There it was, the strawberry and whipped cream cake she had missed out on.
Song Cheon-hyes slender fingers trembled.
That guy!
Actually, if she thought about it calmly, she had no reason to be angry.
It was her own lightning magic that caused the cookie to fall to the ground.
And she was the one who first suggested sending him the dessert coupon.
It was purely coincidental that Kim Ho used the coupon to buy the strawberry and whipped cream cake.
But that was a rational thought.
Emotionally, it felt like the cake she had been longing for was snatched away from her.
Honestly, though she knew she was at fault, did exchanging a piece of cookie for a slice of premium cake sound even remotely close to a fair trade?
Song Cheon-hye aggressively devoured the remaining sweet red bean jelly with those thoughts in her mind.
***
That must have been the reason.
Why she found herself sending displeased nces towards that man.
Even though she decided to ignore him, her gaze kept drifting his way.
Kim Ho was chatting with a gray-haired female student.
Seo Ye-in. She remembered her clearly as her opponent from the duel battle test.
As Seo Ye-in was preparing to enter the dungeon, Kim Ho advised her.
It might be better to switch to a rifle.
If you feel that mana management is bing difficult, just focus on headshots for those that get close.
How ridiculous.
Where did he get the confidence to give such advice so freely?
He was a caster, yet daring to give tips to a gunslinger?
And how was he so sure that a rifle would be better than a pistol in the dungeon?
What if something went wrong? Could he take responsibility?
Even more astonishing was that Seo Ye-in actually took his advice at face value.
Song Cheon-hye sighed in disbelief as she watched Seo Ye-in obediently switch to a rifle.
Huh.
Its disheartening when the person in question is acting like that
Now she didnt care anymore. Let them be, they would figure it out on their own.
epting advice was Seo Ye-ins choice, as was dealing with the consequences.
After Seo Ye-in and Kim Ho disappeared into the portal, Song Cheon-hyes name was called.
Cheon-hye, fighting~
Leaving Han So-mis cheers behind, Song Cheon-hye stepped into the misty forest.
And there she encountered hell.
Her entire body felt heavy as if drenched cotton was soaked in water.
When she checked her status window, all her stats had plummeted to F-rank.
Her usually abundant mana had also dwindled to a mere trickle as her [Core] dropped to an F-rank.
What can I even do with this meager
To make matters worse, most of her favored lightning spells were ineffective.
[Chain Lightning], [Thunder Zone], [Lightning Whip]
All her area-of-effect spells, which could easily annihte dozens of goblins, now only slowed their movements slightly and that was it.
She had anticipated a decrease in power, but not to this extent.
What should I do now
The n she had formed before entering the dungeon had be utterly useless.
Magic was ineffective, time was passing, and the number of monsters was increasing.
Her mind turned nk in confusion.
Then, it happened.
The mans advice suddenly came to mind.
It might be better to switch to a rifle.
Even as she frowned, wondering why this thought came to her, Song Cheon-hye continued pondering.
Why did he suggest switching to a rifle?
The biggest difference between a pistol and a rifle would be multiple light shots versus a single heavy shot.
Maybe
Song Cheon-hye raised one of her hands.
The electric current generated on the ck glove coalesced andpressed, forming a sphere the size of a baseball.
The F-rank single-target spell, [Thunder Ball].
When she hurled it at an approaching goblin,
kwaeaeg!
[+4 points]
It worked surprisingly well.
That was it. If area-of-effect spells didnt work, she could use single-target spells.
How had she not thought of something so simple?
Song Cheon-hye kept throwing [Thunder Ball].
I must be a retard.
I must be an idiot.
I must be a retarded idiot!
She repeated to herself with each throw.
But soon, she hit another limit.
My mana
It wasntpletely depleted, but there was too little left for the remaining time.
Moreover, the increasing number of orcs and trolls made [Thunder Ball] less effective.
Then, Kim Hos second piece of advice echoed in her ears.
If you feel that mana management is bing difficult, just focus on headshots for those that get close.
Only headshots for the ones that get close.
If I interpret this for myself
Suddenly, a sense of rebellion stirred in a corner of her heart.
Do I really have to do as he said?
I thought his idea was ridiculous earlier.
Dont you have any pride?
But its still better than retiring
Images of the eliminated participants rolling on the ground shed in her mind.
The thought of ending up in such an embarrassing state was unbearable to her.
Just imagining it made her face burn with humiliation.
I absolutely cant let that happen!
Song Cheon-hye made her decision.
She would choose the lesser of the two evils.
[Lightning Enchant]
She wrapped currents of electricity around her gloved fists.
Then, she assumed a clumsy fighting stance.
It felt like the first time she was fighting this way since kindergarten, but what other choice did she have?
Grrrrr
A troll stood right in front of her and growled menacingly.
Maybe because it was in the fixed zone, it seemed twice as big as the ones she had defeated before.
!!
With her eyes tightly shut, Song Cheon-hye thrust her fist forward.
***
[Remaining Time: 0:00]
[Current Score: 571 Points]
As soon as the remaining time hit zero, the monsters that had been charging at her all evaporated.
The misty forest regained its initial stillness.
Only then did Song Cheon-hye let out a deep sigh and copsed on the spot.
Its over, finally
Shested 10 minutes.
For those 10 minutes, she managed to survive.
She was never so d to see the exit open its mouth.
Wait a minute.
Just as Song Cheon-hye was about to step outside, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Looking at herself, she realized she looked no better than a ghost.
After all, in the final moments, she had been grappling and wildly swinging her fists at the monsters.
In any case, she couldnt go out looking like this.
Fzzzt
A short current of electricity buzzed at the tips of Song Cheon-hyes fingers.
As she brushed it from the top of her head down, her disheveled hair was instantly neatened.
She tidied her hair into a neat bun, straightened her clothes, and finally, sent another current through to blow away every speck of dust on her body.
[Would you like to save the rey?]
[ept/Decline]
Never. Absolutely not.
She couldnt bear the thought of this embarrassing history being saved, even in death.
***
When she stepped outside, Song Cheon-hye caught the attention of the other students as usual.
Despite enduring ten hellish minutes in the fixed zone, she appearedpletely unruffled and perfectly in control of herself. The others even let out an impressed sigh at herposure.
There were already those searching for her name on the leaderboard.
But they would not find it easily.
[Song Cheon-hye, 571 points, 47%]
Her score was much lower than what they might have expected.
It didnt meet the reputation of the Topaz Magic Tower, but that wasnt important to Song Cheon-hye at the moment.
I want something sweet
She promised herself to buy strawberry milk after it ended.
Song Cheon-hye, who was walking back with a graceful gait, spotted Kim Ho in the crowd.
She suddenly felt embarrassed.
The realization hit her that she had overheard, dismissed, and, ultimately, survived thanks to his advice.
Song Cheon-hye quickened her pace slightly.
Chapter 19: The Replay (1)
Chapter 19: The Rey (1)
When the strategy battles test concluded, Lee Soo-dok gathered the ss 3 students just like he had done during the duel battles.
Ill exin about the scores and points. Check the back of your student ID cards.
As the students pulled out their student IDs, they saw a new entry added where there had been a nk space.
Kim Ho
[Duel Battle: 300 points]
[Strategy Battle: 683 points]
(2,049pt)
At the same time, arge student ID card appeared in the empty space next to Lee Soo-dok.
It was a sample ID of Mr. Student with a question mark for a face.
Mr. Student
[Duel Battle: 300 points]
+30 points
-25 points
The duel battle test is simr to a zero-sum game you are all familiar with. If you win you gain points, if you lose you lose them.
[Strategy Battle: 500 points]
+400 points
+300 points
On the other hand, in the strategy battle test, points are continuously umted each time you sessfully conquer a dungeon. In both practical tests, the higher the total score, the higher your rank. Now, pay attention.
Mr. Student
[Strategy Battle: 500 points]
(1,500pt)
A new line was added under Mr. Students strategy battle score.
Avable points are currency that can only be used at Dragon yer Academy. They can be used to purchase various items that will help you in your future duel battles and strategy battles. Please refer to the catalog for more details.
The main things you could buy with these avable points included reys from other student battles, simplified dungeon maps, and escape items.
If one wanted it, they could even purchase elixirs, skill books, or equipment.
That is, if one had enough points.
So, how do these points get earned? The quick-witted among you might have already guessed.
Mr. Student
[Strategy Battle: 500 points] * 3.0 multiplier
= 1,500 points
The points you earn in the strategy battle are converted into points at a certain multiplier. This was the first strategy battle, and taking into ount the fact that it was a fixed zone, a 3.0x multiplier was applied.
Ah.
A look of regret shadowed the students faces.
Even though they hadnt fully grasped this concept of points, they intuitively understood that a 3.0 multiplier was fairly high.
This was the source of their disappointment.
They wished they had tried a bit harder during the tests.
To earn even just one more point.
Especially the students who had retired early wore expressions as if the sky had fallen.
They might have thought to give up on the tough fixed zone and do better next time but they never imagined they would be awarded so many points.
But it was a situation they had brought upon themselves; it was toote for regrets now.
Their eyes might have been filled with desperate hope, but they quickly lowered their gaze under Lee Soo-doks intense and threatening stare.
Lee Soo-dok concluded his exnation.
The key is to umte points by conquering dungeons and then using those points wisely. Everyone should look at the catalog and think about the most efficient strategies. Thats all for today. Make sure to get enough rest so youre ready for tomorrows sses. Dismissed.
While other teachers stayed back to engage in Q&A sessions with their students, Lee Soo-dok appeared to be heading somewhere else immediately.
Even as the eliminated students tried to speak to him at thest moment, he ignored them and went on his way.
He seemed to have little interest in the students.
Since the strategy battle test itself did not take up much time, there was still a long time left until dinner.
In such a situation, one way to pass the time was,
Lets have a cup of coffee.
Good idea. Ive been quite curious about this coffee myself.
Go Hyeon-woo readily epted.
I invited Seo Ye-in as well,
Would you like to join us, Miss Seo?
Instead of replying, Seo Ye-in covered her mouth and yawned softly.
She then slowly shook her head.
Im sleepy. Im going to go sleep
Her eyelids had been drooping a bit since earlier.
It seemed better to let her rest than to force her toe along.
Lets go by ourselves.
***
We ordered iced coffee at the cafeteria and each of us held a cup.
Even in the game world, coffee was coffee.
I think it tastes a little better here though.
However, the rate at which Go Hyeon-woos coffee diminished was unusually fast.
We hadnt even started our conversation and he had already downed his coffee in one go.
Then he remarked,
The portion is small.
I shook my head in disbelief.
Worrying about such things is a losing battle.
After all, the coffee was just a side note; the main purpose was to engage in conversation.
Take a look at this.
I handed over the catalog to Go Hyeon-woo first.
It was hard to imagine the natural nonconformist warrior of Go Hyeon-woo effectively using various items in their proper ces.
I too didnt have high expectations and showed him the catalog more as a gesture for him to casually browse through it.
As expected, Go Hyeon-woo frowned and unfrowned his eyebrows every time he flipped through the catalog.
Most of this is beyond my understanding. Its quite confusing. Could Kim-hyung exin it to me?
You can ignore the items for now. But its better to gradually understand them since beingpletely unaware could be disadvantageouster.
I understand..
The most important thing to know right now is about the rey feature.
Rey?
Remember when you were asked if you wanted to save the rey after exiting the dungeon?
Go Hyeon-woo nodded after a moment of recollection.
I remember that. It seemed harmless, so I epted.
When you ept, the entire process of how you cleared the dungeon gets recorded. Others can purchase and view it.
To give an example, I purchased Han So-mis rey.
100 points were deducted and a crystal ball appeared in my hand.
(2,049pt) -100pt
[Han So-mi_Strategy_cement_Test_928 points.rey]
Han So-mi inside the crystal ball was moving around the misty forest swiftly.
With each sh of the sword in her hand, she cut through the monsters.
Go Hyeon-woo who was watching the rey alongside me expressed his admiration.
Wow.
You can view it like this. Your rey must be selling like hotcakes too. Check your points.
Go Hyeon-woos eyes widened as he checked his points.
Incredible. They have increased by a lot in just a short time.
Youre the top scorer in the strategy battle and the only first-year to score 1,000 points. It must be selling really well.
Not just first-year students, but second- and third-year students would be curious to watch it as well.
There must have been an uproar among the four major powers by now.
They would have expected either a member of the disciplinarymittee or one of the promising candidates to take the top spot, but instead, an unknown, unaffiliated student like him had suddenly emerged and imed it.
The title of Top Scorer in the Strategy Battle carried immense value.
The rey of his misty forest dungeon battle and his uing strategy and duel battle reys would sell like hotcakes.
Meanwhile, Go Hyeon-woo asked as if something had urred to him.
But if the reys sell well, it means more people are studying my martial arts, right?
Yes, thats true. Theyll dissect every detail of it.
Hmm Its not entirely a good thing then.
The biggest downside of saving reys.
Every single move you make is exposed to the world.
For instance, when conquering a dungeon, one could refer to other students reys.
And in duel battles, previewing and analyzing the opponents rey of a match is a very basic strategy.
Like you said, having more people study your martial arts isnt entirely beneficial. Someone might figure out how to counter them. But the points. When you think about them, its worth the risk.
Dragon yer Academy was established to train heroes to stand against dragons.
Competition is essential in the growth process, but if everyone just hides their skills to gain an upper hand, the main purpose is defeated.
Therefore, the points offer a powerful advantage that outweighs the risk of revealing your skills.
Im an exception, though.
This time, I deliberately didnt save the rey to hide my skills in the fixed zone.
Since it was one of my most powerful weapons, I nned to keep it hidden until a critical moment.
After all, I wasnt ranked high so I wouldnt earn many points anyway. Whats the loss if I miss out on a few?
Ill gain moreter on.
Hearing Kim-hyuns words, it seems these points have greater uses than I thought.
Yeah, thats why I suggested we have a coffee.
How best to use the points he earned from being first in the strategy battle and those he will earn in the future?
Sensing that this was going to be a very important discussion, Go Hyeon-woos expression turned serious.
He looked me straight in the eyes and said,
Please share your valuable insights, Kim-hyun.
You must have realized today that your skills areparable to those of the top first-year students.
I know Kim-hyun has a great eye for talent. If youve judged it to be true, then it must be.
However, you know your weaknesses better than anyone.
I have painfully realized them, especially after todays events.
Go Hyeon-woo gave out a self-deprecating bitter smile.
His first weakness was theck of internal energy due to a low-rank [Core].
The second was his weapon which broke too easily.
There was nothing I could do immediately about the weapon issue.
This was because it looked to be deeply rted to Go Hyeon-woos long sword, which was said to be a sacred artifact of his sect.
If I meddled carelessly, it could appear as me interfering in his sects matters and this was very disrespectful to a warrior and a martial artist.
I could only help after we built more trust and Go Hyeon-woo reached out to me first.
So, back to the issue of the [Core].
Go Hyeon-woo had been significantly overpowered in the internal energy sh against Han So-mi.
It was only after I enhanced his Core by two ranks with [Amplification] that he could somewhat keep up.
At first nce, it seemed like the match against Jo Byeok was an evenly matched one, but in reality, that was not the case.
Not only was his weapon destroyed, but he had also exhausted all his internal energy. As a result, he needed to perform energy cirction and recovery immediately after the duel battle ended.
To put it bluntly, you only ranked first in this strategy battle because it was a fixed zone. In a mana fight, youd lose without a doubt. So right now, you should set everything else aside and focus on your [Core].
What should I do?
Go to the Training Center.
The training center.
It was more than a simple training ground.
Simr to an arena, it was a ce infused with the essence of magic engineering, allowing for all kinds of training.
If you go to the training center, youll find a mana cultivation room.
!
The concentration of mana there is much denser, so the same amount of time spent in energy cultivation will build your internal energy much faster.
Theres such a ce?
Go Hyeon-woo eximed in amazement.
His body seemed eager to rush there immediately.
I held back Go Hyeon-woo from going and continued my exnation.
Listen to the end. This is the most important part. Theres also a ce called the Special Cultivation Room. The concentration of mana there is extremely high, easily more than ten times that of a regr mana cultivation room.
!!
Go Hyeon-woos eyes trembled intensely.
Any warrior would react the same way.
The efficiency of a regr cultivation room was already impressive, but what kind of ce was this special cultivation room that surpassed it by more than tenfold?
Of course, such an incredible ce cannot exist for just anyones use. Not just anyone can enter.
Following the flow of this conversation it requires points.
Thats right. 500 points for six hours of use.
The cost was exorbitant.
Even if used only six hours a day, Go Hyeon-woo would burn through the 3,000 points he earned from the strategy battle in less than a week.
On weekends, warriors often devote an entire day to cultivation. In such cases, 18 hours would cost 1,500 points, and 24 hours would quickly consume 2,000 points.
To use this throughout a semester it was unimaginable how many points would be needed.
Its possible if you really work hard to gather points and pour them all into the special cultivation room but you wont be able to afford anything else.
Hmm Is there no other way?
There is. A Season Pass.
The Season Pass.
If you owned it, you could have free ess to the special cultivation room throughout the semester without consuming any points.
Such an item must be incredibly difficult to obtain.
The easiest way is through an auction. They usually go for between 30,000 to 40,000 points.
Heh, thats the easiest way? Then whats the other method?
The Season Pass is one of the many privileges at Dragon yer Academy. Its mainly given to clubs with good performance. Traditional powerhouses like the swordsmanship club or the white magic club usually have five or six of them.
Even these powerful clubs struggle to allocate one or two passes each to their first-, second-, and third-year students.
So, they distribute them to the most outstanding members.
All you have to do is join the swordsmanship club and take the spot of a promising first-year student.
The problem was that Mo Yong-juns skills were on par with Han So-mi and Jo Byeok.
When asked if he could win against him, Go Hyeon-woo shook his head.
To be honest, its difficult right now. I guess Ill have to put the season pass on hold. But if I invest points from time to time, I can still frequently visit the special cultivation room.
No, its too early to give up.
Is there another way?
Of course there is.
I then pointed to myself.
Ill get it for you.
Chapter 20: The Replay (2)
Chapter 20: The Rey (2)
Really, can Kim-hyung really get me the Season Pass?
Its possible for me.
How?
As I casually waved the catalog, Go Hyeon-woo coughed softly.
I could exin it to you, but even if I did, you probably wouldnt understand.
Ahem
Considering he couldnt even recognize all the items in the catalog, how could heprehend their uses?
What matters isnt how, but the fact that I can get the season pass.
Thats true. So, what do you want from me?
It was a natural question for him to ask, considering the value of the season pass.
The easiest way was to win it in an auction by spending tens of thousands of points, so there was no way such a valuable item could be obtained for free
I made this suggestion because there was something I wanted, and he must have reached that conclusion.
Dungeons arent just solo dungeons like the misty forest we entered today. There are also raid dungeons that two, four, or dozens of people can enter at the same time.
So, you mean you want me to enter with Kim-hyung.
Although I could handle most two-person dungeons alone, some were structurally impossible to solo.
Like paths that split or require role-sharing.
For example, there were some dungeons where one person had to solve puzzles or traps while the other had to fend off waves of monsters.
Go Hyeon-woo replied with a tone that was half-yful and half-disappointed.
I feel a bit let down. If it were such, I would help Kim-hyung even without the season pass. Arent we friends?
For a normal dungeon, thats true.
Upon seeing my expression remain serious, Go Hyeon-woo also adopted a serious demeanor and listened attentively to what I had to say.
I pointed to the ground.
The ce Im targeting is much deeper, a dungeon in the depths. Even with your skills, it could be difficult. In some cases, you might even risk your life.
!
On the train, he helped me without any promise of a reward.
But then, the risk was minimal at the time so I asked for his help without much hesitation. However, I couldnt do the same for a life-threatening situation.
A fairpensation had to be offered.
Go Hyeon-woo asked a question.
If I agree, when do you n to attempt this deep dungeon?
Of course, its out of the question for now. Both you and I need to improve our skills. The faster you grow, the sooner we can attempt it.
So, the season pass is a kind of investment.
Exactly. And there will be dungeon rewards too. Legendary swords, elixirs, opportunities.
Umm Give me a moment to think about it.
Take your time. You dont have to answer right now.
Just a minute will do.
While Go Hyeon-woo was lost in thought, I drank my iced coffee and waited.
I wasnt exactly a one-shot drinker either, but I was fairly quick, so my coffee was soon finished.
In the meantime, Go Hyeon-woo finished his contemtion.
I will ept Kim-hyungs proposal.
Are you sure? I must say it again, you could die.
Go Hyeon-woo smiled confidently.
I am a warrior, always craving the path to greater strength. When Kim-hyung shows me such a path, how can I not walk it, even at the risk of my life?
It was clear that his decision was not just a rash one but made with full resolve.
I nodded in agreement.
Good. Spend as much time as you can in the special training room from now on. Dont hesitate to use your points.
Will my points be sufficient for that?
The rey sales will keeping in, so you shouldnt run short for the next two weeks. Ill get you the season pass within that time.
Two weeks sounds reasonable. I will wait ordingly.
***
After sending Go Hyeon-woo off to the training center, I pulled up the quest window.
[Side Quest: cement Test] (Completed)
Objective: Achieve a mid-tier or higher rank on the cement test.
Win at least once in the duel battle cement test (1/1)
Rank in the top 50% in the strategy battle cement test (Current Ranking: 41%)
Reward: [Copy-Skill] Slot +1
Copy-Skill [1/2]
1. Hummingbird (E)
2. None
An additional empty slot was now avable.
The cement test chapter was concluded with this.
It was time to focus on the season pass.
How to acquire it?
Through a trade.
With an item irresistible to the four major powers.
I opened the shop and purchased an item.
1,000 points vanished in an instant.
(1,949pt) -1,000pt
[You have acquired Heat Catalyst Reagent]
The Heat Catalyst Reagent was a crafting material.
Specifically, a material for crafting magic engineering items.
Though 1,000 points might seem huge now, its not a huge amountpared to the points Ill umte over the semester.
This reagent is not as precious as it seems.
However, its a material in high demand for magic engineering items, always having more demand than supply.
I decided to use this material as my first bait.
There should be a few interested parties by now.
I started walking.
Heading towards the magic engineering workshop.
***
Why did this guye here?
The data room staff member was greeted by an unexpected visitor.
Human butcher Lee Soo-dok.
He heard the rumors that this man who used to catch and kill criminals suddenly became a teacher at this school.
But since he was a person who worked silently away in a corner of the school, he originally thought that there would be no reason for such a notorious figure to meet him.
But on some whim, Lee Soo-dok actually visited the data room on the first day of the semester.
When he looked around, he realized he was the only one in the data room.
Meaning he had to attend to him personally.
It seemed like Lee Soo-dok also realized this and walked straight towards him.
.
The atmosphere was ominously tense, but not enough to intimidate him.
Though he retired from the front lines, he was once an A-rank yer as well.
He could handle this level of hostility with ease.
It didnt seem like Lee Soo-dok hade to harm him either.
Despite his fierce appearance, Lee Soo-dok began speaking in a polite tone.
Hello.
Yes, what brings you here?
I would like to check a rey.
A rey? What kind of rey?
The data room staff frowned in confusion.
Do you mean a rey from a strategy battle?
Thats correct.
That you should be able to purchase from the student store.
Its a private one, thats why.
A private rey.
He could guess what was going on.
A student had set a rey to be private and Lee Soo-dok hade here to view it.
However, there was nothing much he could do about it from his side.
Still, he thought it better to show and exin rather than just saying it wasnt possible and sending Lee Soo-dok away.
The students name is?
Kim Ho. First year, ss 3.
As the staff typed on the keyboard, the students information appeared on the screen along with his strategy battle score.
[Kim Ho, 683 points, 38%]
He tried to ess the rey to show Lee Soo-dok, but the screen only disyed the message [ess Denied].
The staff shook his head.
As you can see, its impossible.
Lee Soo-dok just stared at him silently, but to the data room staff, it seemed as if he was asking Why is that?
The annoyance began to set in.
A graduate of Dragon yer Academy like him should already be aware of this; why did he need an exnation?
Yet Lee Soo-dok seemed to insist on hearing it.
With no other choice, the data room staff member exined.
Our authority might be higher, but this isnt about authority. The rey wasnt saved at all. Its impossible to ess something that isnt even in the database.
Lee Soo-doks expression hardened as he stood there silently.
Seeing his reaction, the staff member reflected.
How unexpected this man is
He knew him as someone who was indifferent to anyone but the criminals he hunted. Could such a person be genuinely interested in a mere student?
He would be lying if he said he wasnt interested.
So the staff member cautiously asked a question.
Why are you curious about this? There seems to be nothing noteworthy about the students scores.
Kim Ho left the dungeon in less than four minutes after entering.
What? That cant be right.
Exiting in less than four minutes with a score of 683?
That sounded impossible.
He must havepleted the full ten minutes, and Lee Soo-dok was probably mistaken.
On the other hand, if the score was actually achieved in just four minutes, even the ruthless hunter might be intrigued.
Lee Soo-dok added,
I wanted to check if I had misread the time.
Oh, there is actually a way to verify that.
The data room staff began typing again.
Since the rey isnt avable, we cant ess it, but we can check the dungeon entry and exit logs. We can see when the student entered and when he left.
With a final tap on the Enter key, the log appeared.
And the two of them stiffened at the same time.
[Kim Ho][Misty Forest][13:31:02]
[Kim Ho][Misty Forest][13:34:28]
!!
The data room staff member doubted his own eyes.
He took off his sses, rubbed his eyes, and then squinted after reopening them.
But the numbers remained the same as before.
When he looked back at Lee Soo-dok, he saw that he too had a stern expression and he was intently scrutinizing the entry and exit log.
Kim Ho actually entered in the 31st minute and came off in the 34th minute.
It was this that confirmed Lee Soo-doks suspicions to be true.
Lee Soo-dok thought to himself,
If its almost 700 points in 3 minutes, then by simple calction, he can probably do about 1,400 in 6 minutes and over 2,000 in 10 minutes.
He wondered how many points he himself had scored in the Misty Forest fixed zone.
As he recalled, it was in thete 1300s at the end of his third year.
He had heard that the highest score of the previous hero, who was now the principal, was just under 1,500.
Even that score was legendary, but over 2,000 points was simply unimaginable.
While Lee Soo-dok was deeply engrossed in these thoughts, the staff member asked him,
Shouldnt we inform the principal?
If someone capable of scoring 2,000 points in the fixed zone had enrolled, it should be a cause for celebration as a member of the Dragon yer Academy.
The issue, however, was that this extraordinary talent was hiding his skills.
And in most cases, those who hide their abilities often harbor bad intentions.
Dragon yer Academy had as many enemies as it had allies.
The dragons minions, apostles of evil gods, criminal gangs
If one of them had infiltrated the school, it would be wise to alert the authorities and devise a n immediately.
Yet Lee Soo-dok shook his head.
No. I would like to observe him a bit longer.
He judged that it was still too early.
After all, a hidden thorn was bound to reveal itself eventually.
The duel battles were scheduled to start from tomorrow.
Since these battles were fought between two individuals, a rey would be automatically saved unless both parties disagreed.
By observing these, he would gradually get closer to the truth.
Whether the student was exceptionally gifted, a dragon minion, or perhaps an actual dragon.
And if the oue leaned towards thetter
I am the homeroom teacher, after all.
His words wereced with deep killing intent.
Chapter 21: Searching Through Junk (1)
Chapter 21: Searching Through Junk (1)
Even though it was the first day of the semester, the magic engineering workshop was very busy.
Just asbat sses put their lives on the line to win or lose in duel battles and get high scores in strategy battles, production sses also did their best to produce high-quality items.
Well-crafted items not only earned points by being featured in the catalog but some were even sold outside the Dragon yer Academy.
This was their way ofpensating for lower scores in practicalbat tests due to insufficient fighting skills.
Hence, from the very first day, there was a fervent rush to create more stuff.
There were several workshops, but Workshop No. 1, used by the first group, boasted the best facilities, and for this reason, it had the most users.
When approaching the area, the noisy whir of machines would cause a ringing in the ears, and the intermittent shes of bright blue light seemed almost blinding.
On the other hand, as the number in front of the workshop increases, the level of facilities decreases and naturally there are fewer people.
So, by the time I got close to Workshop No. 4, the noise had almostpletely died down and it was quiet.
The door of Workshop No. 4 was half-open.
I could feel the hum of a small machine and the vibrations of mana inside the workshop.
I peeked through the open door and saw a student with his back turned, fiddling with something.
Each of his hands held a different tool, and all ten fingers glowed transparently blue.
This was a sign that the [Magical Engineering] skill was being activated.
Knock, knock
I raised my hand and knocked on the door.
Loud enough to break concentration, but soft enough to avoid annoying him.
Whos there?
The student turned his head from where he was sitting to look towards the door and made eye contact with me.
I began with a nod in greeting.
Given the time and ce, he must be a senior.
A quick look at his tie pin confirmed he was a third-year.
Hello, senior.
A freshman?
Yes.
Interested in joining the magic engineering club?
I am interested.
Though It sounded simr it meant something different.
I was merely interested and had no intention of joining.
Whether the third-year senior didnt notice the difference, or simply didnt care, he seemed more inclined to return to his work than to engage in further talk with me.
Whye all the way here then? You should have started at Workshop No. 1.
I showed a look of embarrassment.
Actually, I did start there, but the seniors there told me to check out Workshop No. 4 first
Ah seriously.
The third-year seniors face crumpled in frustration.
Who would appreciate being saddled with extra work?
But since it was a task that was passed down from the first group, he couldnt just ignore it.
Actually, I had never even set foot in Workshop No. 1, but I felt like he would just ignore me if I didnt lie.
Feigning ignorance, I asked with an innocent look,
May I look around?
. Just take a quick look and go. Im busy, so dont disturb me.
Thank you~! Ill be quiet.
.
He waved his hand dismissively and then returned to his work.
The tools whirred back to life, and his hands turned a shade of blue.
I observed him from the corner of my eye and assessed the level of his [Magical Engineering].
B-rank.
Even a fish rots from the head down, they say, but still, a third-year student at the Dragon yer Academy, no matter how relegated to a corner in Workshop No. 4, carries a certain standard.
His primary skill had clearly achieved B-rank.
This was my first goal ining here.
[Activate Copy-Skill.]
[Registering the targets skill Magical Engineering (B) in the slot.]
Copy-Skill[2/2]
1. Hummingbird (E)
2. Magical Engineering (B)
Had his skill been lower than B-rank, I would have had to return to Workshop No. 1 to copy another skill.
Fortunately, this seniors achievement saved me the effort of doing the task twice.
Now onto the next goal.
I eagerly looked around the workshop while pretending to be a freshman truly interested in touring the ce.
Wow! What is this? and Thats so fascinating! I eximed throughout my exploration.
After circling around like that, the ce I arrived at was a mountain of misceneous items filled with unidentified items.
The heap was sorge that it reached up to my shoulders.
I feigned bright-eyed curiosity and asked.
Senior, what are these?
Just failures.
These were items abandoned midway through their creation due to various reasons: some were partially damaged, others were deemed subparpared to the original n, orcked sufficient materials.
Workshop No. 4 essentially served as a half-dump for these discarded projects.
I openly expressed my curiosity.
Wow, it looks like theres a lot inside; can I rummage through it?
Either do it or dont.
Permission was granted.
Though it felt like a spur-of-the-moment decision driven by overwhelming annoyance, permission was still permission.
I began to dismantle the mountain of misceneous items.
Starting from the top, I removed handfuls of junk pieces, piling them beside me, and continued to dig deeper.
By the time several small piles had formed around me, I found something.
Ive found it.
A cube slightly smaller than a ser ball.
However, if you look closely, it wasposed of countless tiny cubes, each the size of a fingernail.
The Cube is one of the ways magical engineering items are produced.
It was a kind of three-dimensional blueprint in whichplex magic circuits were engraved on each tiny cube, and the cubes were ced in the appropriate ces toplete the item.
Typically, cubes are used in a 3x3x3 pattern of 27 pieces or a 4x4x4 pattern of 64 pieces.
But the one in my hand was 10x10x10.
As many as a thousand tiny cubes.
This meant it was an ultra-high-grade blueprint that even skilled craftsmen couldnt dare to touch.
As soon as I held the cube, a quest window popped up.
[Side Quest: The Mysterious Cube]
You have discovered a very unique blueprint in the magic engineering workshop.
Objective: Investigate the blueprint.
Reward: Eligibility to undertake a chain quest.
[ept/Decline]
This was the beginning of a long series of quests.
Running around and researching the blueprint.
Seeking advice from the seniors, teachers, and graduates.
Gathering craftsmen to participate in its creation.
Going from dungeon to dungeon to search for materials as routinely as eating meals.
Killing boss monsters to obtain special materials
After such a long and arduous journey, the final product would bepleted.
It was the S-rank item known as the [Cube of Life].
A very powerful item called CoL among yers.
Nope, not doing it.
The problem was that epting it meant being tied to this chain quest for at least a year.
I immediately declined the quest and dismissed it.
My only goal was the cube blueprint.
I approached the senior who was trying to refocus.
Um, senior. I found this in there
?
The senior, about to burst into anger due to constant interruptions, noticed the cube in my hand.
However, his indifferent attitude suggested he thought it was just another item from the pile of junk.
Its just a blueprint. Whats the matter?
Isnt 10x10x10 something tremendous? Like a legendary item?
Only if itspleted. Thats just trash. Even a 6x6x6 is hard toplete. Who knows what greedy person started this?
Just like he said, a blueprint that will never bepleted is nothing but trash.
Thats why he was so dismissive about t.
I yed the part of an eagerly studious freshman.
This looks so interesting; can I take it with me and dissect it?
You wont be able toplete it, you know? If it were possible, we would have done it already.
I might not be able to finish it, but I want to study it. I also have a hobby of collecting these things
As the senior was about to exim something like No way, brat! he abruptly closed his mouth.
That is of course after he saw the item I had timely retrieved from my inventory.
A [Heat Catalyst Reagent] purchased for 1,000 points.
To anyone immersed in magical engineering, no amount of this item is ever enough.
Id feel guilty just taking it, and it would be shameless of me So, how about I give you this in exchange?
The seniors eyes wavered.
His mind must be spinning rapidly at this moment.
The price of a [Heat Catalyst Reagent]] is 1,000 points.
Thats the amount of points one could earn from one or two low-rank dungeons.
However, from another perspective, epting this reagent from me means one or two fewer dungeons to enter.
This would save him time, effort, and stress that could be fully dedicated to magical engineering.
On the other side of the scale lies an item totally irrelevant to him.
The high-grade cube blueprint slightly piques his interest, but after all, who couldplete it?
If it disappeared from here, no one would seek out or care for this trash.
A choice between an item worth 1,000 points that was immediately useful and a piece of junk.
The answer was obvious.
The senior stealthily reached out and took the [Heat Catalyst Reagent].
Im making an exception this time. Normally, you cant just take these things.
Thank you, senior!
Dont tell anyone else. Its just between us. If the president finds out, hell take it back, you understand?
Of course.
Even though these misceneous items were practically junk items, only the club president had the authority to pass them on to outsiders.
He would likely want to keep the exchange a secret, considering he was giving it to me for a minor saving of points.
I nodded in agreement to the seniors repeated cautions.
Then Ill be going in. Thank you.
Sure.
After politely bidding farewell, I closed the door to Workshop No. 4 behind me.
From beyond the door, I heard an exmation, Yes! Saved a thousand points!
He must be thrilled, thinking that he sold what he considered junk to an unsuspecting freshman like selling water from the Taedong River.
But
Is it really just junk?
The first reason I declined the cubes chain quest was because it consumed too much time.
The first year is crucial forying the foundation, and focusing solely on the quest could mean missing out on more important hidden pieces.
It would slow down my own growth and leave me with less time to take care of Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in.
And the second reason?
I was toozy to go through the chain quest for this.
After all.
I already know how to make it.
Chapter 22: Searching Through Junk (2)
Chapter 22: Searching Through Junk (2)
The [Cube of Life] chain quest was one of the processes that had to be undertaken to raise an S-rank magic engineer.
In addition, many heroes rted to the keyword life benefited from this quest.
I had repeated this tedious quest dozens of times.
As I repeated the quest, the finished product of the [Cube of Life] gradually became more and more familiar to my eyes.
Then, an idea suddenly struck me:
Why not just make it myself?
Somehow, it seemed possible even without the quest.
So, I studied the quest. I memorized it.
Every single arrangement of the thousands of cubes.
Of course, just memorizing them didnt magically transform the blueprints into a finished product.
I had to fit each piece together manually.
So I struggled for a while at first, but I got the hang of it as I startedpleting one or two cubes, just like when I raised those S-rank heroes.
And from then, if the quest wasnt essential for hero training, I just skipped it and only took care of the cube.
Just like now.
I first went to the training center and chose a mana cultivation room.
There was no need to go to a special cultivation room.
Go Hyeon-woo was pouring all his points into the growth of his [Core] as it was the most important thing for him at the moment, but I found it more useful to spend mine elsewhere.
The mana cultivation room was a confined space, barely a few pyeong in size, and it was virtually like a solitary confinement cell.
The room was different only in that mana overflowed everywhere within it.
I sat in the middle of it and took out the cube blueprint.
In order to make meaningful changes to the cube, a [Magical Engineering] skill of a certain rank is required.
If one falls short of the minimum condition, no matter how diligently they manipte the cube, its all in vain.
And the minimum requirement for making changes to this huge 10x10x10 blueprint was an A-rank or higher.
Even within Dragon yer Academy, there might be only one or two faculty members with A-rank in [Magical Engineering].
The president of the magic engineering club was probably just at the tail end of B-rank.
Thats why theres a step in the chain quest where external craftsmen are invited.
The grade of the skill I copied at Workshop No. 4 was also B and likewise fell short of the requirement.
If it cant be done, Ill just make it possible.
Before starting, I closely examined the cubes blueprint.
This was to n in advance how I wouldplete it.
After a long time of turning it this way and that,paring the blueprint with the finished product in my memory, I started to get a feel for it.
Lets start.
[Activate Amplification]
[The rank of Magical Engineering increases. (B->S)]
[Duration 00:00:59]
[Cooldown 00:59:58]
[Amplification] elevated the skill rank by two ranks to S-rank.
This surpassed the minimum requirement.
My hands holding the cube emitted a vivid blue light.
My fingers moved like spiders, rapidly touching different parts of the cube.
Chllak!
In a flurry of motion, I spun the cube, folded and unfolded it, detached and reattached the tiny cubes in new positions, and spun it once more.
As the huge puzzle was slowlying together,
[Duration 00:00:00]
[Cooldown 00:58:54]
I released my hold on it as soon as a minute had passed.
This was because the duration of the [Amplification] had ended and the rank had reverted to its original state.
The duration of the F-rank amplification was one minute, with a cooldown of one hour.
This meant I could only touch the cube for a minute every hour.
So, what was I to do while waiting?
More mana is always better.
Meditating and refining my [Core] was the answer.
Increasing my rank to have arger mana pool would also expand the range of magic I could use.
There could be nothing wrong with investing time in this asionally.
I ced the cube nearby and focused my mind.
***
After spending an hour in meditation, then a minute adjusting the cube, and repeating this process in a trance-like state, a whole day had passed and morning had arrived before I knew it.
When I picked up the cube to examine it, a very faint green light seemed to flow from one corner.
This was the energy of life.
This was a sign that the cube was gradually beingpleted.
However, it was just one corner for now.
More time investment was needed.
Judging by this progress, it might take three days toplete.
Finishing by Friday seems a bit tight.
On the first Friday of the month, the likelihood of that event urring was very high.
By then, I needed to finish my work to reap the full benefits.
Anyway, thats a different matter.
I should go to ss.
I got up from my seat.
At this rate, I might bete.
***
I ordered one toast and one coffee at the student cafeteria and held them in both hands.
As I walked to the ssroom while eating, I heard someone approaching me rapidly from behind.
Even without looking, I knew who it was, given the nearly inaudible footsteps.
Shin Byung-cheol.
Whoa, you scared me!
Shin Byung-cheol, who tried to surprise me, ended up jumping in shock himself.
He followed me while grumbling.
Arent you supposed to pretend to be surprised even if you know, and give some reaction?
What reaction? Im carrying food.
Would you take responsibility if I spilled my coffee?
Im also eating toast, so Id prefer it if you didnt make me talk.
Despite my curt response, Shin Byung-cheol persisted in trying to engage me in conversation.
Wheres Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in? Why are you alone?
I stayed up all night at the training center. Hes probably around somewhere.
Go Hyeon-woo should also being from the training center, but we just missed each other due to a slight time difference.
I figured he might be in the ssroom.
Shin Byung-cheol asked me,
How did the strategy battles go for you? I was too busy yesterday to catch up afterward.
You must have seen my name on the leaderboard.
Well, I was checking the top ranks, hehe.
His focus on the top scorers meant he hadnt had time to notice my score.
I wasnt offended, as I felt the same way.
I hadnt expected much from Shin Byung-cheol and had assumed he would be somewhere in the middle to lower ranks.
I wasnt particrly curious about his score even now.
However, his expression was brimming with confidence, almost as if he was eager for me to ask about his score. So I pretended to be curious myself and asked him.
How many points did you get?
Hehe, dont be shocked. I, of all people, managed to scrape by with a whooping 530 points, hanging on at 50%.
You? How?
Honestly, I was a bit surprised.
I had expected him to score in the 400s at best, but it seems he had done fairly well, probably thanks to the fixed zone rule.
As I looked at him skeptically, Shin Byung-cheols expression grew even more smug.
He spoke in a tone like he was imparting wisdom.
Life is all about knowing the ropes. Thats whats important.
Wow, thats really impressive.
Exactly. How about you? Whats your score?
683 points.
Shin Byung-cheols face quickly returned to a more humble expression.
Werent you a caster?
Yes, why?
No, its just Song Cheon-hye scored 571 and Hong Yeon-hwa 640. How on earth did you manage 683?
I threw his earlier words back at him.
Life is all about knowing the ropes.
***
I thought Go Hyeon-woo woulde first and be waiting for me when I got to ss but it seemed I had gotten there earlier.
Instead, to my surprise, Seo Ye-in was sitting there.
She looked at me and waved her hand gently.
I sat down next to her and asked,
Did youe early today?
I woke up early.
Whys that?
Instead of answering, she rustled around and pulled out a small paper bag. Opening it, she showed me what was inside.
Bite-sized cookies shaped like dinosaurs.
They must have been freshly baked, as a warm, savory smell wafted out.
It looked like she had woken up early to bake these cookies.
I remembered that she made a promise like this on the train.
Im sorry. The cookies were delicious.
Ill make them again.
.Really?
Mhm.
That seemingly distant promise had already been fulfilled.
It reaffirmed my belief that its good to give and share in life.
After sharing a strawberry and cream cake, here I was receiving homemade cookies in return.
I picked one up and tried it, and the taste seemed to have improved a bitpared to before.
The cookies retained their characteristic mild sweetness and simplicity.
This time, instead of chocte chips, she used ck sesame seeds. I thought to myself that this was better than the somewhat mediocre 65% cacao chocte.
As Seo Ye-in looked on, I praised her with a very high percentage of sincerity.
Hmm, these are tasty. Very savory. And the dinosaurs are cute and well made too.
She tilted her head slightly and asked,
. Dinosaurs?
Arent these dinosaurs?
She remained silent for a moment.
Seo Ye-ins eyes seemed to narrow a bit.
Whats this? If these arent dinosaurs, then what are they?
As I reached into the paper bag to grab one for a closer look, she quickly pulled it back.
Why, whats wrong?
Theyre bears.
That was a bear???
I felt a moment of confusion but quickly calmed myself.
I couldnt afford to show any more surprise. If I did, I might never see these homemade cookies again.
No wonder. I was slightly confused whether the cookies were bears or dinosaurs. I guess it was because I was looking at them upside down.
Ill just have one more. Theyre delicious.
Though still looking somewhat dubious, Seo Ye-in opened the bag for me again.
Before putting another cookie in my mouth, I took a quick nce.
When I look at it this way, they are bears. My mistake.
How are these supposed to be bears?
The wordsing out of my mouth were the exact opposite of what I was thinking.
Still, I couldnt fault the taste, so my hand kept reaching back into the paper bag.
As Seo Ye-in and I took turns eating the cookies, Go Hyeon-woo arrived at the ss.
Good morning, Kim-hyung, Miss Seo.
What does it look like?
Seo Ye-in suddenly handed Go Hyeon-woo one of the so-called bear-like cookies and asked him a question.
Go Hyeon-woo was delighted and epted it with a smile.
Oh! These cookies look delicious. And its almost as if the lizard is alive and breathing.
Oh dear
Seo Ye-ins eyebrows twitched, but Go Hyeon-woo seemed to be oblivious to this subtle change as he casually took the seat next to me.
In times like this, swiftly changing the subject is the best strategy.
How was it?
I was curious about his impression after practicing his internal energy in the special training room.
Go Hyeon-woo expressed his admiration without reserve.
It was a novel and valuable experience. I didnt expect my internal energy to umte so quickly.
Was it worth the cost?
The 500 points were not a waste at all. On the contrary, I felt like it was too much of an opportunitypared to the effort I had put in.
he had been skeptical about the rey feature at first. He was uneasy with the idea that others could scrutinize his martial arts skills. Now, it seemed, he hade to realize its worth.
Refining ones core in the special training room was simr in efficiency to constantly taking low- to intermediate-rank elixirs.
With a bit more effort, I feel like I could make another break-through. I n to practically live in the special training room for a while, just as Kim-hyung advised.
Thats good. Just focus on that for now. Ill get you the season pass as soon as possible.
Thank you.
Go Hyeon-woo showed his gratitude with proper etiquette.
In stark contrast to the warm atmosphere that filled the air around here, the ssroom resembled a bustling marketce.
At the center of this chaos were Shin Byeong-chul and his gang, actively promoting the by distributing business cards.
We can get you anything!
Special discounts for the new semester!
Song Cheon-hye looked at them with a very disapproving eye, but since they hadnt yet broken any school rules, she couldnt step in.
It seemed like she was biding her time for a mishap.
Han So-mi, for her part, seemed lost in her own thoughts with a cheerful smile and narrowed eyes.
However, this market-like scene was surprisingly resolved in an instant.
As the door slid open, the once noisy ssroom fell silent as if doused in cold water.
Lee Soo-dok stood at the entrance as he surveyed the ssroom with a stern re.
Without a word being spoken to take their seats, everyone swiftly and uniformly found their way to their ces and sat down.
Only then did Lee Soo-dok step inside and take his ce in front of the teachers desk.
And then a melody echoed through the room that was now filled with silence, signaling the start of the ss.
Chapter 23: 1st Week Duel Battles (1)
Chapter 23: 1st Week Duel Battles (1)
Lee Soo-dok was an exceptionally talented duel battle instructor.
Even I who was a veteran among veterans in the game would admit that.
After graduating from Dragon yer Academy, he captured and killed numerous viins.
His systematic organization and presentation of these experiences made his sses incredibly beneficial.
Still, one minor yet not-so-minor drawback was that all his stories were extremely violent.
When I saw the boss, I knew he wouldnt surrender. So, I grabbed his spine and ripped it out. Then I caught his right hand man and told him: Youre the boss now, so make everyone kneel. Otherwise, Ill have to find a new boss
The students in ss 3 shivered.
Lee Soo-doks tone was as casual as someone recounting their morning routine of waking up, showering, and having breakfast.
But if you listened closely, his stories were filled with gruesome details like crushing someones head, smashing jaws, or slicing necks.
It seemed that for him, such events were just part of his daily life.
After telling the story of how one band of thieves was annihted, Lee Soo-dok checked the time.
He then realized that the bell would soon ring and moved on to conclude the lesson.
Todays ss ends here. Before we finish, I have an announcement. Starting today, duel battles will be conducted in the arena.
With a light gesture, Lee Soo-dok made words appear on the ckboard.
MAP: [Random]
RULE: [Deathmatch] [10-minute limit]
From now on, all duel battle environments will be randomly determined. The time limit has also been extended from 5 minutes to 10, so be mindful of your approach. First-year students must participate in a minimum of three duel matches this week. Be aware that failure to participate will result in an automatic deduction of points. Thats all.
During his exnation, I noticed Lee Soo-doks gaze frequentlynding on me.
How could that man possibly be interested in me?
Since nothing immediate came to mind, I dismissed it as just a feeling.
After Lee Soo-dok left ss 3, I took a closer look at a quest that had just arrived.
[Side Quest: 1st Week Duel Battles]
Objective: Complete 3 duel matches. (0/3)
Deadline: ~ midnight on Sunday.
Reward: Varies based on the number of wins. (0/3 wins)
I need to win all of them.
Though it seemed like a simple passing quest, the rewards for a triple victory were exceptionally generous.
There was a high chance of obtaining an item that could reduce the production time of the [Life Cube], so I was determined to win them all.
I called over Go Hyeon-woo.
Lets go to the arena.
Now?
Its better to get these things done early. Plus, reys sell more on the first day.
Since this was the start of the official duel matches after the cement test, everyone would be cautious at first.
They thought it was more advantageous to watch reys of those in simr score ranges before entering themselves.
People would start flocking to the arena around Friday after spending the early part of the week just observing.
For this reason, reys of the duel matches conducted now were in higher demand.
Go Hyeon-woo happily nodded his head when I mentioned it was a good opportunity to earn points.
Then theres no reason to dy. Lets go.
I was about to go straight to the arena, but Seo Ye-in weakly grabbed my sleeve.
Her eyes met mine and she said.
Im free today.
?
Upon hearing Seo Ye-ins words, the keen aspirants of heroism around us promptly reacted.
The female students covered their mouths and whispered rapidly among themselves, while the male students expressions were dividedhalf disying sly grins, the other half looking envious.
Go Hyeon-woo nced at me to see if he should excuse himself from the situation.
Of course, misunderstandings were bound to arise with such abrupt and iplete statements.
It was necessary to fill in the missing words in situations like these.
Youre suggesting we practice magic bullets together?
Mhm.
I dont know if Ill have time today. Ill have a clearer idea by the evening, so lets talk again then.
Okay.
My top priority now is toplete the cube by Friday.
If the rewards for a three-win streak were as I anticipated, the cube would be created faster, and then I would have some time to devote to Seo Ye-in.
Id make a decision after seeing the rewards of the quest.
***
Since we headed straight to the arena after ss, I believed we would be the first ones there, but surprisingly, there were already other students.
It seemed another ss had finished a bit earlier than ours.
There were two male students, one wielding a long spear and the other a heavy two-handed sword.
Judging by the form of their weapons and the energy flowing around them, I guessed they were both warriors.
The student with the spear seemed to recognize me.
That one is
Do you know him?
Hes the one who forfeited against Miss Song.
Ah, so hes that coward.
A disgrace to manhood indeed. Truly shameful.
Although they openly mocked me, I wasnt particrly bothered by it.
Back when I was ranked number one, I was constantly the subject of peoples conversations and was often facing criticismced with envy and jealousy.
After experiencing such things so many times, I had be indifferent to words like coward.
As I tried to ignore them and move on, Go Hyeon-woo, who wasnt as immune to such remarks, took offense as if it was him who was mocked.
How despicable you are. How can you be so disrespectful, especially in the presence of the person youre talking about?
The two warriors bristled at being called despicable, but they stopped in their tracks.
They recognized Go Hyeon-woos face.
He was a celebrity in his own right as he was the top scorer in the strategy battle cement test.
As if they sensed that he was not someone to be trifled with, they countered with a slightly subdued tone.
Ahem, ahem, have we said anything incorrect?
Even now, hes hiding behind others and not saying a word; think about who really is the despicable one here.
..
I stepped in before Go Hyeon-woo could speak again.
Not so much out of anger, but more from intuition.
I had a hunch that their scores might be simr to mine.
I pointed at the male student with the spear.
Whats your score?
300 points. (TN: Theyre talking about the score in the duel battles, I presume.)
The same as mine. So, the coward is at the same level as you, huh?
My taunt elicited a cold sneer from the spear guy.
Do you think youre on my level just because our scores are the same? If I hadnt faced Song Cheon-hye in my second match, I wouldve started with 600, no, 900 points.
Song Cheon-hye?
Now that I think about it, it seems like I had seen this spear guy somewhere before.
Song Cheon-hye, the second match, the duel battle, the cement test
As I was going back through my memories, something came to mind.
I remember now. Youre the one who was struck by lightning and was carried off, right?
!
After I forfeited to Song Cheon-hye and she grew visibly upset by my surrender, her next opponent was this spear guy.
As soon as the match began, he was paralyzed by the hummingbird and then swiftly struck down by a lightning bolt, ending the match in an instant.
And because he was carried away, he was unable to participate in his third match and lost by default.
Can I say one thing?
Speak.
If youre going to be knocked out in one hit, I think its better to just forfeit.
Not only Go Hyeon-woo but also the male student who was wielding a two-handed sword silently agreed with my statement.
The spear guys face hardened.
It wasnt one hit, it was two!
Thats something to brag about, huh? Anyway, youre at 300 points, right?
.
Seemingly thinking it better not to speak further, the spear guy just nodded his head without saying a word.
I pointed towards the stage with a gesture of my chin.
Since its just us here, if we start matching, well probably be paired up right away. How about a match with the coward?
Fine. Ill show you what its like to hit a wall.
The male student with the two-handed sword also challenged Go Hyeon-woo to a match.
Perhaps because the two of them held no ill will toward each other, the conversation was rtively mild.
Are you at 600 points?
Yes, I am.
Thats fortunate. If its fine with you, Id like to ask you for some pointers.
Fine. Lets begin.
We scanned our student IDs at a terminal set up near the stage.
The matches were arranged ording to our points: I, with 300 points, was paired with the spear guy, and Go Hyeon-woo, with 600 points, got matched with the swordsman.
As I moved through the teleportation magic circle, my vision suddenly changed.
Instead of the round arena like yesterday, we were now in a field dense with bushes.
The blowing wind rustled the weeds, and the swaying grass tickled my legs.
[Kim Ho 100% vs. Yang Ji-hong 100%]
[Remaining Time: 10:00]
So this guys name is Yang Ji-hong.
I held the [Earth Staff] in one hand.
Emerging from the magic circle on the opposite side, the spear-wielder, Yang Ji-hong, clutched his spear tightly in both hands and red at me.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Ill end this quickly!
As soon as the match began, Yang Ji-hong charged straight at me with his spear leading the way.
It seemed like he had undergone a lot of training as his stance was good and his movements were quite fast.
The problem was that he was underestimating me.
Alright, lets end this quickly.
Fzzzzt!
!
Just before reaching me, Yang Ji-hongs speed drastically decreased.
He looked down at his side and noticed small sparks flickering around.
He had been hit by the [Hummingbird].
This this is!
Caught by this again.
It was only yesterday that he took the cement test, so he probably hadnt prepared a proper counter yet for such a spell.
Still, since lightning mages are rare, he might have thought carelessly, Who else but Song Chon-hye could have mastered Hummingbird?
But that someone is me.
He never would have imagined that I had copied Hummingbird from Song Chon-hye.
I approached the staggering Yang Ji-hong and raised the Earth Staff high.
Just wait a moment.
Sorry, I cant finish this as cleanly as Song Chon-hye with just two hits.
Thump! Thump! Crack!
I repeatedly struck Yang Ji-hongs head with the Earth Staff.
After enduring a few blows, he eventually lost consciousness and copsed onto the ground.
[Kim Ho Win vs. Yang Ji-hong Lose]
[Duel Battle Score: 300+30 Points]
Since Yang Ji-hong was unable to fight anymore, the match ended and 30 points were awarded.
After stepping through the teleportation portal, I waited and soon Yang Ji-hong appeared on the ground, still unconscious.
When he was defeated by Song Chon-hye, his condition was very serious and he had to be carried away, but this time it wasnt that severe, so no staff appeared.
I had controlled my strength to some extent.
Huh!
Yang Ji-hong suddenly regained consciousness and sprang up to his feet.
He looked around, found me, checked the score on the back of his student ID, and quickly grasped the situation.
Perhaps because he was frustrated by this unexpected defeat, he gritted his teeth in vexation.
Ugh
I won, didnt I?
I just let my guard down. If we fight again, Ill win.
Is that so? Then lets have another match.
And so a revenge match was set.
This time, the battlefield was a wastnd.
[Kim Ho 100% vs. Yang Ji-hong 100%]
[Remaining Time: 10:00]
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
As soon as the match began, I created a hummingbird out of lightning and sent it flying towards him.
Yang Ji-hong, who was charging toward me, kicked the ground powerfully and jumped to the side just before the hummingbird could reach him.
Seeing that the hummingbird had missed, he lunged at me with his spear.
Its over!
Yes, it is.
Fzzzzt!
Yang Ji-hongs body became paralyzed.
Struggling to turn his stiff neck, he managed to look back and saw sparks flying off his back.
This damn it
Thought you dodged it, huh?
The hummingbird spell wasnt just a simple projectile.
It flies continuously, following the casters control until it hits the target or is destroyed.
The hummingbird that had passed Yang Ji-hong turned around, followed him, and struck him in the back.
He twisted his face in agony and asked,
How did you do that?
Check the reyter.
Thump! Thump! Crack!
I mercilessly struck his head and temples with the heavy wooden staff.
[Kim Ho Win vs Yang Ji-hong Lose]
[Duel Battle Score: 330+29 Points]
I went through the magic circle and went outside once again.
It seemed that Go Hyeon-woo and the swordsman were still fighting.
My own duel had ended rather quickly.
I had racked up points almost as easily as one would from a vending machine.
Huh!
Yang Ji-hong regained hisposure.
He gripped his spear from where he sat, his body trembled, and then he opened his mouth to speak.
Lets fight one more time. This time, I will surely win.
Id rather not. Winning twice is enough for me.
If we end it like this, I will lose face!
Thats your problem. Im tired, so Im going to call it a day.
Ugh
Actually, if you really want to
I paused deliberately.
Right before Yang Ji-hong could ask what I meant by If you really want to, I extended an open hand.
a match fee.
!
Toplete the quest, I would eventually need to fight three duels anyway.
It was also part of this weeks quota.
But I deliberately showed disinterest in order to raise the match price.
Based on the brief assessment I had of Yang Ji-hongs personality, it seemed likely he would agree to any condition I set just to have a rematch.
In reality, the oue of a duel isnt something to be so desperately obsessed over.
Its no big deal to just shrug off a loss and say, I lost two matches because I was not prepared.
But it was his stubborn pride that wouldnt allow him to ept ending things this way.
Yang Ji-hong took a small wooden box out of his pocket and opened it to show me.
Inside was a single pill.
This is a spiritual pill made by my family. Ill give you this.
That sounds good. Lets add one more condition.
What is it?
This match stays private. No saving reys or disclosing details.
Thats fine with me. It wouldnt do me any good if it leaked out anyway.
The match was set.
As I swiped my student ID on the terminal, I said,
Ill apany you until yourepletely satisfied.
Chapter 24: 1st Week Duel Battles (2)
Chapter 24: 1st Week Duel Battles (2)
TN: One part that has never been exined by author is mana. From what Ive read, mana seems to be a source of energy that anyone can use regardless of their chose ss. It is stored in the [Core] and depending on ones ss, it will be then changed to magical power or to Internal energy.
********
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
.
Yang Ji-hong no longer charged forward recklessly.
Maintaining a defensive stance, he began to slowly close the distance between us, one step at a time.
I nodded in approval as this approach was pretty close to the correct answer.
Yes, after being beaten three times, he should have learned something.
I cast [Hummingbird] and sent it flying.
As the approaching hummingbird moved towards him, Yang Ji-hongs eyes shone brightly.
His spear was pulled back and thenunched forward like an arrow.
The hummingbird was pierced and dispersed in mid-air.
The second one I threw was also sliced through by his whirling spear.
Was this too easy?
I had deliberately sent it in a simple trajectory to go easy on him, but seeing how effortlessly he brushed it aside, I might have underestimated him too much.
I cast Hummingbird again.
This time, the hummingbird fluttered irregrly as it flew.
Yang Ji-hong tried to stab it, but just before it could be pierced, the hummingbird evaded gracefully and climbed along the shaft of his spear.
As Yang Ji-hong leaped to the side, the hummingbird, as if anticipating his move, sharply altered its course and followed him.
Fzzzt!
Guhhh
Yang Ji-hong grimaced in pain.
He seemed somewhat shocked.
It was a match he asked for and he even offered a family-made spiritual pill for it, only for the match to end in just three moves.
I asked him then,
Are you convinced now?
This cant be. If I had another chance!
I guess not yet.
.
.
?
Yang Ji-hongs expression, which was initially full of resentment, gradually turned to bewilderment.
I had sessfully hit him with the hummingbird but I didnt move in to finish him off with my staff like I always did; I just stood there and didnt move.
Youre not going to finish it?
I told you, Id stick around until youre convinced.
!
Let me know when the paralysis wears off.
Now that I had received a spiritual pill, I felt obligated to ensure he got an appropriate lesson.
Complex, indescribable emotions flickered across Yang Ji-hongs face.
Eventually, he seemed to resolve himself to do as much as he could and his eyes hardened with determination.
He soon gripped his spear again and took up his stance.
This was his way of signaling that he was ready.
Sparks danced above my hand.
Here we go again.
***
The thunderous hummingbird continuously struck.
Since I had roughly gauged Yang Ji-hongs skill level, I adjusted the difficulty appropriately.
Tricky enough to ward off but not so overwhelming that he stood no chance.
Fzzzt!
Whenever he fell into paralysis, I would wait for him to recover before casting the spell again.
Yang Ji-hong now seemed more focused on learning than on his pride.
His original goal might have been to defeat me, but now he was wholly concentrated on the hummingbird.
He lunged and swung his spear wildly, trying to counter the diverse movements of the bird targeting him.
It was all clear to see how his skills were rapidly improving.
Fzzzt!
Ugh.
Yang Ji-hong was hit by the hummingbird for the eighth time.
I took the opportunity during the break to nce at the scoreboard.
[Kim Ho 100% vs Yang Ji-hong 93%]
[Time Remaining 00:43]
The 10-minute limit for the duel match was almost up.
I posed a question to Yang Ji-hong as he gathered himself.
Are you convinced now?
I am.
By now, he must have realized.
The defeats in the previous two matches werent due to hiscency or bad luck, but purely because of the difference in our skills.
Ill show you onest time. Try to catch this.
[Activate Amplify.]
[Hummingbirds rank increased. (E->C)]
A hummingbird made of electric currents materialized.
It wasrger and the light it emitted was more vivid.
Yang Ji-hong seemed to have noticed the difference as well, and he tensed up while gripping his spear tightly.
Zap!
!!
The hummingbird rapidly closed the distance.
To Yang Ji-hong, it must have seemed as if it had leaped through space in a blink.
A C-rank hummingbird whose rank had risen by two levels.
Even with concentrated effort, its movements were hard to catch.
Zap, Zap, Zap!
With just a few leaps, the hummingbird was almost upon him.
Yang Ji-hongs spear tip trembled slightly and his eyes wavered.
Despite witnessing it up close, he ultimately failed to decipher its movement.
Yet, as if determined not to end it there, he gritted his teeth, rallying all his might and channeling it into his spear.
Then, with all his strength, he thrust it forward.
Kwaaaaa!
A tremendous force swept past, seemingly wiping everything away.
At least, thats how it must have appeared to Yang Ji-hong.
But before he could even exhale in relief,
The hummingbirdnded squarely on his chest.
Crackle Crackle Crackle
A burst of electrical energy engulfed Yang Ji-hong.
When the sh subsided, he was barely holding himself upright while propped up on the shaft of his spear.
Eventually, one knee gave way and he knelt on the ground.
And then as if he was speaking to himself, he said while facing the ground,
I had no idea you were concealing such skill It was a battle I couldnt win from the start.
Keep improving; you have potential.
I admit defeat.
[Kim Ho Win vs Yang Ji-hong Lose]
[Duel Battle Score: 359+27 points]
As we moved off the stage, it seemed like Go Hyeon-woo and the other male student had also finished their duel.
Seeing the subtle smiles on their faces, it seemed they had concluded their duel in a friendly way.
That was a good match.
Likewise. I learned much from observing your swordsmanship.
Letspete again another time.
He said it as if he was saying lets meet again and y Go.
I approached Go Hyeon-woo and asked.
Did you win?
I got two victories. How about you, Kim-hyung?
Ivepleted all three of my victories. Are you going to stay here?
I think Ill wrap up the third to keep things neat. You go ahead, Kim-hyung.
He was already scanning his student ID on the device, waiting for his next opponent.
Since I couldnt watch the matches and nned to spend time in the training center afterward, there was no reason for me to linger around.
Alright, Ill head out first.
See you tomorrow.
Hold on a moment.
Yang Ji-hong stopped me as I was about to leave.
The condescending attitude he had when we first met was nowhere to be seen.
He respectfully bowed before speaking.
Id like to apologize for my earlier rudeness. I judged you based on a superficial understanding. You are no coward.
No. Lets just say Ill continue to be a coward for a while.
A coward for a while
Yang Ji-hong pondered over my words, then chuckled as if realizing something.
Right. It might be better that you remain a coward for now. I cant be the only one at a disadvantage.
If the students continued to look down on them, the number of victims would increase.
With that, he handed me another chest.
One token doesnt quite settle the score. I learned a lot thanks to you.
Ooh, thank you
I quickly epted and stored the token.
It was an unexpected gain.
I had alsopleted the most important duel battle quest.
[Side Quest: 1st Week Duel Battles]
Objective: Complete 3 duel matches. (0/3)
3 Wins Reward: Rank Up (F)
The quest reward was arge piece of parchment with UP written boldly on it.
It was an item named [Rank Up].
Once used, it could upgrade the rank of any skill or trait by one level.
The F-rank [Rank Up] I had just received could immediately elevate any F-rank skill to an E-rank.
Naturally, How I would use such item was all clear to me.
[Activate Rank Up (F).]
[The Amplification rank increased. F->E)]
[Duration 1:00 -> 2:00]
[Cooldown 1 hour -> 50 minutes]
This skill boasted exceptional utility, making it a top priority for upgrading.
The amplification time of the skill doubled, and its cooldown period was reduced by 10 minutes.
In other words, this would greatly shorten the time needed toplete the [Cube of Life].
If I barely managed to finish by Friday at first, now I could easilyplete it by Wednesday.
And having more time meant,
I can spare some time to look at magic bullets.
This meant that I had more time to dedicate to Seo Ye-ins training.
***
After having a simple dinner with Seo Ye-in, we headed to the training center and secured a mana cultivation room.
Lets begin the first special lesson on magic bullets.
p
Seo Ye-in pped silently.
She was about to take out her magic pistol, but I raised my hand to stop her.
Put the pistol away. We wont be using it for a while.
Mhm.
Want to try making a magic bullet first?
I needed to see her attempt so I could understand where she wascking.
Following my instructions, Seo Ye-in gathered mana in her hand.
The mana gathered above her palmpressed into a fluffy cluster of magical power.
I watched the process, unable to hide my admiration.
Shes really amazing
How did Seo Ye-in then lose to Song Cheon-hye with that hastily made clump of magical power rather than this proper magic bullet?
Moreover, Seo Ye-ins score in duel battles was 600 points.
This meant that apart from the match she lost to Song Cheon-hye, she had won two others.
She did use equipment that was excessively advanced for a freshman, like the high-grade rifle and the invisible ghillie suit, but that alone couldnt exin everything.
I should see how she maniptes mana.
Now, try to follow what I do.
I manipted mana to draw a circle.
Seo Ye-in replicated the action, creating a circle with her mana as well.
When I changed the circle into a triangle, her circle also transformed into a triangle.
Circle, triangle, square, star
I had her follow and draw various shapes.
Shes quite good at manipting mana.
I say quite good, but objectively speaking, she belonged to the exceptionally talented category.
ording to her, she had never practiced mana training before, but to be this skilled without any training meant she was a natural talent.
I guess that with just the right direction from me, she would grow rapidly.
Today, lets start learning distribution.
I took out a ss box.
It was an item provided for training at the training center.
It was small enough to be easily held with two hands and had a hole the size of a fist on one side.
Take a look.
I blew mana into the hole and the ss box was quickly filled with mana.
When I intentionally blew more mana in, it began to leak out from the hole slightly.
This box is exactly the amount that goes into an F-rank [Magic Bullet]. Using the appropriate amount for each bullet is the first step. The second is
I shook the ss box once.
The mana inside the box disyed a gradient of colors, ranging from a deep navy blue to a light sky blue that was almost white.
You cant have parts of the mana denser or lighter like this. Distributing the mana evenly to achieve a solid, uniform color is the essence of distribution.
Seo Ye-in raised her hand over her shoulder.
This probably meant she had a question.
Yes, go ahead.
Why does the mana need to be evenly distributed?
Watch and Ill exin.
The gradient mana in the box quickly converged into a single point andpressed.
I showed the finished magic bullet to Seo Ye-in.
Even upon close inspection, it was difficult to notice the very fine ws in it.
Mana that isnt evenly distributed gets distorted duringpression. Right now, its okay to use it as is, but beyond a certain level, these ws be a problem.
For example, high-grade magic bulletspress much more mana than what fits in this box. If theres a w, mana could leak from that spot or the bullet could lose its shape altogether.
Its better to learn correctly from the start than to try to fix bad habitster on.
To summarize, fill the box with the right amount of mana and ensure the color is uniform without any variation. Lastly,
Snap!
A magic bullet formed instantly with a flick of my fingers.
If you can do these two steps in one breath, youve mastered distribution. Now, try it yourself.
I handed the ss box to Seo Ye-in.
When Seo Ye-in blew mana into the hole, excess mana began to trickle out.
The inside of the box was speckled with various shades of blue.
Mastering this in one breath was still far from her reach.
.
With each attempt leading to failure, Seo Ye-ins eyebrows slightly furrowed.
She looked at me with eyes seeking advice but I shook my head.
This wasrgely a matter of instinct, and there was little advice I could offer.
The best thing to do is to keep practicing until you achieve it.
Ill be in the next room; send me a message when youre done.
Got it.
Though she agreed, this wasnt something that would be over in a day or two.
It was essentially a homework assignment I had given her.
I had my own tasks to attend to.
Finding an empty mana training room, I settled in and took out the cube blueprint.
Chllak!
While I was effortlessly assembling the cube with my hands, my mind wandered elsewhere.
How long will it take her?
An S-rank gunslinger I had trained in the past took a truckload of time.
There were over a dozen gunslingers like Seo Ye-in, who built their foundation from scratch.
The fastest among them took two days to grasp distribution, and even I had spent a whole day on it the first time.
I didnt expect her to reach that level, but given Seo Ye-ins talent, perhaps she would manage it in three days.
However
My expectations werepletely off the mark.
[Seo Ye-in: Done]
Chapter 25: 1st Week Duel Battles (3)
Chapter 25: 1st Week Duel Battles (3)
[The Core rank increased. (E->C)]
[Kim Ho]
Skills
Amplification (E)
Copy-Skill [2/2]
1. Hummingbird (E)
2. Magical Engineering (B)
Traits
Core (D)
Monarch (F)
Copy-Trait [1/1]
1. Elemental Resistance (S)
Equipment
School Uniform (D)
Earth Staff (E)
Inventory
10 Silver Coins
10x10x10 Cube Blueprint
[Duel Battle Score: 386 points]
[Strategy Battle Score: 683 points]
(949 +1,200pt)
Throughout the night until dawn broke, I had been constantly working on the cube creation and meditating.
Having absorbed the Dark Ice Crystal and added two spiritual pills which were received as a tuition fee from Yang Ji-hong, I was able to achieve a D-rank [Core].
Though I never showed it, the mana consumption was severe whenever I used magical engineering or hummingbird with amplification.
Now, it felt like I could breathe a bit more freely.
The creation of the [Cube of Life] had also made great progress.
The emanating green energy became denser, and in one corner, sprouts seemed almost ready to emerge.
I hade more than halfway through.
One more day of effort and it would beplete.
After taking care of the current urgent matters, my thoughts wandered to Seo Ye-in and what she might be doing.
When I focused on the cube or meditation, I often entered a semi-trance state and since it was unlikely that she would have mastered distribution overnight, I hadnt been too concerned.
But then, when I checked the back of my student ID, I saw that a message had arrived.
[Seo Ye-in: Done]
She did it already?
It wasnt likely that Seo Ye-in had quit out of boredom; rather, there was a high chance that she had actually mastered distribution.
When I went to the mana cultivation room that Seo Ye-in used, I found it empty.
She must have left because my response was dyed.
[Kim Ho: Hey]
[Kim Ho: Where are you?]
[Kim Ho: Where are you now?]
I sent a few messages but no reply came.
She must be sleeping.
Given that she had been practicing distribution and constantly infusing mana into a ss box, it made sense that she would be exhausted.
In such situations, its better to take it easy.
Although I was curious to know if she had really finished my assignment, it wasnt something I could find out by being impatient.
I decided to wait and check with her when we met in ss.
***
[Seo Ye-in: On my way]
[Seo Ye-in: (Running dog emoji)]
Just like I had guessed, Seo Ye-in had gone to sleep.
And she also slept very soundly.
I knew this because her reply arrived only around lunchtime.
Naturally, she had missed all sses until then.
Click
As the ssroom door opened, all eyes in ss 3 turned simultaneously towards Seo Ye-in.
She passed by these gazes indifferently and as she trudged to her seat,
Seo Ye-in.
Lee Soo-doks cold voice stopped Seo Ye-in in her tracks.
He red at her and asked as if interrogating her.
Why were youte?
I overslept
Seo Ye-in replied as she yawned softly.
Seo Ye-in looked to be unfazed by Lee Soo-doks intense re and she brushed it off casually while the watching students turned pale.
Faced with the Human Butcher, her nonchnt attitude suggested they might be dealing with a corpse today.
Perhaps they wouldnt even find a body
What were you doing to oversleep?
I was practicing my magical power.
What kind of practice?
Imbuing magic bullets, I guess.
When she said bullets, her eyes unconsciously shifted towards me and Lee Soo-dok seemed to catch that.
His eyes flickered in my direction.
And his gaze grew even more intense than before.
Its unnerving
I couldnt understand why he always did that.
No matter how much I thought about it, I had no connection with that man
Lee Soo-dok nced back and forth between me and Seo Ye-in and started thinking about something for a moment before withdrawing his gaze.
Pay more attention to managing your condition. If yourete again, youll get a demerit point.
Okay.
The ss resumed.
In an atmosphere that had grown even heavier.
Fortunately, lunchtime arrived soon after.
***
Youve mastered distribution?
Mhm.
Lets see it.
Seo Ye-in opened one of her hands.
In the blink of an eye, a cube of mana appeared.
She managed the precise amount of mana for an F-rank [Magic Bullet] without a ss box, and the mana inside was also distributed evenly.
I nodded approvingly.
Its perfect.
Her distribution was wless, with not a single fault to find.
She even learned it faster than me.
I had set the fastest record in by spending an entire day on it but Seo Ye-in shattered that record in just half a day.
It was truly a devilish talent.
This makes teaching fun.
Shall we practice magic bullets again today?
Good.
Seo Ye-in immediately epted my proposal as if she had been waiting for it.
We secured a mana cultivation room, just like yesterday, and entered.
I will now begin the second special lecture on magic bullets.
p
Seo Ye-in pped silently again.
I floated a mana cube above my hand that had its distribution processplete.
Half of the magic bullet is distribution, and the other half ispression.
The size of the cube waspressed to half in an instant.
The shrunken cube kept reducing in size by half and half again until it finally became as small as a bullet.
Lets start by gradually reducing it like this.
Mhm.
Seo Ye-in created her mana cube.
As she focused her mind, it bulged and dipped irregrly.
Eventually, one side copsed, and mana leaked out like air from a punctured balloon.
She stole a nce at me, but from my perspective, it wasnt something unusual.
After all, everyone goes through this at first.
Again.
The cube was pressed t from top to bottom and then returned to its original form.
It stretched upwards again only to revert to its original form.
After several attempts, it copsed again, like a balloon with a hole.
Again.
Seo Ye-in kept trying topress it, but each time, she was only met with failure.
Again, and again, and again.
As the number of attempts increased, the doubt in my heart also grew.
It shouldnt take this long, right?
Seo Ye-in who was holding the copsing mana cube looked at me.
As always, her face was expressionless, but her eyes seemed to be asking for help.
Its always best to find out about these things yourself, but perhaps a bit of guidance was needed here.
Mana.
Immediately, Seo Ye-in created a new mana cube.
I gathered a tiny mana particle at the tip of my index finger and poked the cube with it.
Pop
The particle burrowed into the cube and settled at its center.
Think of that as the core, and do it with the image of pushing from the outside and pulling from the inside.
Seo Ye-in nodded slightly and concentrated.
Nothing happened for a while.
However, the cube soon began to slowly shrink in size.
It kept getting smaller and smaller until it finally became a small bullet.
I couldnt help but let out a hollowugh in disbelief.
She seeded in one try.
I think a genius is a genius if she can catch on immediately after only being given a direction.
Seo Ye-in seemed slightly excited, perhaps because she had solved a difficult problem.
Now, just practice like yesterday. You should be able to do it in one breath.
Snap!
As soon as I flicked my finger, a magic bullet was wedged between my thumb and index finger.
When distribution andpression happen in an instant, the cube is formed andpressed so quickly that the process couldnt be seen, leaving only the bullet.
Its only at that level that one is granted the [Magic Bullet] skill.
I was a support in my ss, but if I were a gunslinger, maybe I would have a C-rank magic bullet by now.
Ill be in the next room. Send a message when you get the skill.
Mhm.
I waited while touching the Cube of Life.
I had a strong feeling it would end early, so I didnt concentrate too deeply.
Sure enough, I had only cast [Amplification] twice when a message arrived.
[Seo Ye-in: Got it]
[Kim Ho: Magic Bullet?]
[Seo Ye-in: Yep]
[Seo Ye-in: (Dancing bear emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Good job]
When I entered the mana cultivation room, Seo Ye-in proudly extended her hand to me.
A blue bullety on her palm.
It was a perfectly shaped F-rank magic bullet.
I let out a hollowugh.
Its hard to believe even as I see it.
Would anyone believe me if I said that it took her less than half a day to go through distribution,pression, and acquiring the [Magic Bullet] skill?
Even I, who witnessed the entire process, found it hard to believe.
A sense of greed began to unfurl within me.
Having saved considerable time, I felt it might be feasible to advance another step.
Why not try for an E-rank while were at it?
Mhm.
I borrowed arger ss box from the training center.
An E-rank requirespressing over three times more mana, meaning the initial amount needed is greater than that for an F-rank.
It meant starting from distribution again.
However, since she had gotten the hang of it with the F-rank, I expected the E-rank to take significantly less time.
That day, Seo Ye-in ultimately seeded in raising the rank of her [Magic Bullet] by one level.
***
Sandstorms swirled around.
With the sun zing fiercely and asionally heated sand whipping through the air, clinging to the skin, anyone would yearn to escape this ce swiftly.
Yet Seo Ye-in seemed unfazed as she settled herself on the scorching sand.
In her hand, she held a long, thick rifle shimmering with a ck gloss and the optical camouge ghillie suit made her invisible.
[Seo Ye-in 99% vs Kwak Ji-cheol 98%]
The figure of her opponent, Kwak Ji-cheol, was equally obscured.
Not through an invisible ghillie suit, but by hiding within a bulging mound of sand.
An earth mage from the Emerald Magic Tower.
In a desert area like today, he was literally the worst opponent she could face.
Of course, for the mage Kwak Ji-cheol, facing a gunslinger wasnt exactly a wee scenario either.
Theres always a reason why people say gunslingers and mages are ipatible.
However, he had observed the cement test duel battle between Seo Ye-in and Song Cheon-hye.
He had learned how to fight a hidden gunslinger by watching Song Cheon-hye and he was now imitating the tactics she used.
While he may not have overwhelming magical power like Song Cheon-hye, he was more confident in his defensive capabilities since he was skilled at earth magic.
Kwak Ji-cheol first wrapped magical power around his body like armor.
Then he pulled the surrounding sand up to form a mound and infused it with mana to harden it.
Seo Ye-in read all this information through her eyes.
[Magic Armor (E)]
[Earth Barrier (D)]
Kwak Ji-cheol solidified his defense like a turtle and then cast an additional spell.
[Earth Grabber (E)]
Hands made of sand groped and roamed the ground.
The moment they detected Seo Ye-ins position, those hands would move to simultaneously grab her and impede her movements.
It would be very easy to finish off a gunslinger who couldnt move.
The sandy hands were gradually expanding their search area.
It seemed like it was only a matter of time before she was discovered.
Even if she wasnt caught by these hands, the footprints she left in the sand as she moved were highly likely to give her away.
However, there was not a hint of crisis on Seo Ye-ins face.
She opened one hand.
Mana gathered and condensed into a bullet shape on her white palm.
Thepleted Magic Bullet was brought to the rifle and seamlessly absorbed into it.
Seo Ye-in observed the sand mound where Kwak Ji-cheol was hiding through her scope.
Her eyes read the flow of mana maintaining the sand mound.
She noticed parts where the flow of mana shifted unnaturally.
ces like that had always been the weak spot.
She aimed calmly and then pulled the trigger of her rifle.
Crack!
The Magic Bullet, slicing through the air, not only shattered Kwak Ji-cheols solid sand mound but also his thinlyyered magical armor.
As the sand mound crumbled, Kwak Ji-cheols figure was revealed.
Caught off guard by the sudden clearing of his view, Kwak Ji-cheol couldnt grasp the situation immediately, but his face quickly turned to one of horror.
No, this, this cant be.
How could something so unbelievable happen?
How could his barrier which was supposedly stronger than Song Cheon-hyes, be so easily destroyed when hers had withstood the attack before?
But there was no time for panic.
I must block it!
Kwak Ji-cheol hurriedly tried to gather sand to restore his Earth Barrier, but before he could, a second bullet struck his face.
Boom!
.
Kwak Ji-cheol lost consciousness and fell backward.
[Seo Ye-in Win vs Kwak Ji-cheol Lose]
[Duel Battle Score: 630+30 points]
Seo Ye-in stared pensively at the scoreboard and then tilted her head slightly.
She raised her finger and tapped the corner of her mouth.
Her mouth seemed to have curled up slightly, perhaps.
Chapter 26: 1st Week Duel Battles (4)
Chapter 26: 1st Week Duel Battles (4)
It waste at night.
Song Cheon-hyefortably settled on the chair in her room with her pajamas.
She browsed the student store while slowly spinning left and then right on the rotating chair.
She paid 200 points and two of her rey crystal orbsnded in her hands.
[Kim Ho 300 Yang Ji-hong 300_Duel Battle_1st Week.rey]
[Kim Ho 330 Yang Ji-hong 270_Due Battle_1st Week.rey]
Song Cheon-hye had watched Kim Hos cement test.
And throughout, he had endured the magical onught of Hong Yeon-hwa, only to release a single hummingbird in the end.
[Hummingbird] was a spell not exclusive to the Topaz Magic Tower affiliates and could be learned by outsiders.
The reason why the Topaz Magic Tower overlooked this is because although it was easy to learn, it was extremely difficult to master.
It was, after all, a low-rank spell that was unlikely to be useful even if mastered. So it was left as a challenge by the Topaz Magic Towe as if to say, Go ahead, try it.
Thus, Kim Hos adept handling of the hummingbird naturally piqued her curiosity.
Coincidentally, he was to be her next opponent in the cement test, and she had intended to experience his skills firsthand.
I forfeit.
Lets say you won.
But the man had excused himself with theme excuse that he wasnt feeling well.
She tried to persuade him, but he seemed disinterested in both victory and score.
Regardless of the criticism that hecked the mindset of a hero, her curiosity about the hummingbird spell still lingered.
However, there was not even the slightest chance that Kim Ho, who had a score of 300, and she, who had a score of 900, would be matched to fight in a duel battle against each other, so she resorted to watching reys like these.
His opponent in the rey was Yang Ji-hong who was a warrior spearman.
She remembered him as her second opponent in the cement test.
It was right after Kim Ho had rejected her challenge, and perhaps, in a bit of a rage, she had exerted more force than necessary.
Her memories of Yang Ji-hong ended there.
Now, it was time to examine the content of the match between Kim Ho and the other guy.
With a fluttering heart, Song Cheon-hye fixed her gaze on the crystal orb.
As she started ying the rey and began to focus,
Uh?
the match was already over.
The moment it began, Yang Ji-hong charged, got hit by a hummingbird, and fell into paralysis.
Unable to move, Yang Ji-hong was mercilessly beaten by Kim Ho, and that was it.
The second match followed the same pattern.
There was a brief attempt by Yang Ji-hong to dodge, but he quickly got hit by a hummingbird in the back and it ended.
The two reysbined didnt evenst a minute.
Too short, and ridiculously so.
My 200 points
She felt as if shed been duped by false advertising.
To think he took 200 points for just showing this! How could he have no conscience?
It was like a bag of chips filled with more air than actual chips!
While Kim Ho, who had done nothing wrong except save the rey, was being criticized, the crystal orb continued to rey it over and over again.
?
Song Cheon-hye who had been watching with a nk expression on her face slowly began to show a flicker of interest in her eyes.
At first, the spell seemed no different from her own hummingbird, but the more she watched the battle, the more she felt a mystery about it that was difficult to express in words.
What was it?
She held the crystal orb for a long time, reying it dozens of times with focus, but still couldnt pinpoint the essence of this mystery.
It was like a novice admiring a masters technique, sensing its greatness but unable to grasp what exactly made it remarkable.
In fact, she started to feel a mental strain; each time she read the trajectory of the hummingbird, her mind seemed to grow more numb.
Yet she felt she was on the verge of understanding and couldnt stop herself.
Around the time her mind was about 80% numb,
Can I do it like that too?
Song Cheon-hye cast a spell almost unconsciously.
Structural forms appeared in the air, electric currents converged, and a hummingbird was formed.
The hummingbird flew across the room.
Unbeknownst to Song Cheon-hye, the hummingbird was replicating the trajectory she had been intently observing just moments ago.
Crash!
Until all the items in the room had fallen over.
Song Cheon-hye came to her senses and rushed out of her room.
***
At this time, Song Cheon-hye was not the only one watching the rey repeatedly.
There were also two rey crystal balls in front of Lee Soo-dok.
Images appeared on arge screen.
These were continuous shots of the few seconds it took for the hummingbird to fly towards Yang Ji-hong and hit him squarely.
Lee Soo-doks face as he gazed at the images was extremely serious.
His control has reached its pinnacle.
The direction of the hummingbird in each frame of the rey was different.
This was proof that he manipted the spell dozens of times in that brief interval.
Regardless of how Yang Ji-hong had responded, the oue would have remained the same.
That guy probably didnt even realize the magnitude of the sophisticated technique he had fallen victim to.
The second match was no different.
Yang Ji-hong might have thought he dodged the hummingbird, but in reality, the hummingbird had already changed direction before he even leaped to the side.
From the beginning, the n had been to let the spell pass by his opponent and then strike him from behind.
He yed him like a fiddle.
The execution was immacte.
The sight of a mage preferring to strike with a staff rather than casting a spell, especially when the weapon in question was the lowly Earth Staff, seemed almostical at first nce.
This had cleverly served as a smokescreen, so much so that even Lee Soo-dok had initially overlooked it when reviewing the rey.
But when he examined his movements closely, he found out that there was not a single superfluous movement in Kim Hos posture or in the way he swung the staff.
Even if Yang Ji-hong managed to break free from the paralysis early andunched a surprise counterattack, he would have been promptly crushed head-on.
The magic seemed like a mere illusion and the fight raised suspicions that perhaps Kim Hos real expertisey in staff martial arts.
But his hummingbirds skill level was too high to just think that way.
And there was more to it.
With a light gesture, Lee Soo-dok brought up new images on the screen. These were close-up shots of Seo Ye-ins magic bullets.
First, he brought the images from her cement test battles.
At that time, her magic bullets were nothing more than clumsily clustered lumps of mana.
But considering Seo Ye-in was a freshman, this slow progress wasnt particrly surprising.
In stark contrast were the images taken just two dayster, during her duel battle with Kwak Ji-cheol.
Her new magic bullets were perfectly formed.
Could someone really improve so dramatically in just two days?
A genius.
Cases where heroestent potential exploded after entering Dragon yer Academy were quitemon.
Seo Ye-in likely fell under a simr category.
However, the one who triggered this transformation was most likely,
Imbuing magic bullets, I guess.
When she said that to Lee Soo-dok, Seo Ye-in had unconsciously nced at Kim Ho.
Which meant that Kim Ho had some degree of contribution, big or small, in shaping those magic bullets.
This fact made Lee Su-doks already perplexed mind even more tangled.
What exactly is he up to?
It is no exaggeration to say that magic, martial arts, and shooting are actually separate fields.
It was rare to find someone proficient in all three.
Lee Soo-dok couldnt think of anyone who fits this description, not among criminals, active heroes, or even humanoid named monsters.
A part of the hidden puzzle was solved, but the piece that came to light was strikingly unfamiliar.
Frustration began to build in Lee Soo-dok as he furrowed his brow.
If I approach this forcefully
He pondered if probing further might reveal something.
But Lee Soo-dok quickly dismissed this thought.
It wasnt appropriate to treat a student of Dragon yer Academy carelessly, and probing without clear evidence was the exact opposite of his style.
So the conclusion came full circle and back to the starting point.
At the moment, Lee Soo-dok had no choice but to continue observing.
Toplete a puzzle whose outline was still not fully revealed, more pieces needed to be collected.
The rey analysis seemed set to continue for the foreseeable future.
Tsk.
Since he wasnt particrly thrilled about it, Lee Soo-dok clicked his tongue briefly.
Why was he making life difficult for himself this year?
Involving himself in an ill-fitting role as a teacher, and he was even diligently watching reys because of a suspicious student.
It seems all the human butchers in the world are dead.
Sudog Lee thought about that and turned off the screen.
The rey crystal orbs were also removed.
***
[Activate Amplification]
[The Magical Engineering rank increased. (B->S)]
[Duration 00:01:13]
[Cooldown 00:49:13]
Chwllak
A glowing blue hand moved at incredible speed as it touched different parts of the cube.
With each touch, the arrangement of the thousands of tiny cubes shifted ceaselessly.
Click, click
Gradually, the hand manipting the cube began to slow down.
Instead, each movement became more deliberate and precise.
Carefully scanning the cube,
And at the moment when the final piece was ced.
Whoom
The cube trembled and resonated.
Even as I stopped my hand, the cube continued to assemble itself, its interior emptying out, ultimately transforming into a small box with a lid that could be opened and closed.
After the box waspleted, an intense green light began to surge from inside and various nts sprouted and bloomed through the small gaps.
The nts quickly covered the entire cube and it now looked as if it had been made from interwoven tree branches from the start.
Itsplete.
[Cube of Life (B)]
The Cube of Life had only one effect.
It amplified the effects of life type items stored inside it by 1.3 times.
For example, if the basic effect of [Healing Totem] was heal allies within range every 10 seconds,
cing the totem inside the cube would reduce the time to 7 seconds and increase the healing amount.
[Processed Emerald] had the effect of increasing wood-type magic,
and storing it in the cube would apply a 1.3 times multiplier to the increase.
So, a 20% increase would be 26%.
Furthermore, as long as the boxs capacity allowed, multiple items could be stored, making it an almost cheat-like item.
Even this was somewhat inferior to the S-rank Cube of Life obtained by taking the normal route and clearing all of the chain quests.
The S-rank increased the multiplier to a whopping 2 times.
The cube I created was a forcedpletion of a prototype design, which is why both its rank and effects were somewhat inferior.
But even that was sufficient.
Even 1.3 times is huge.
It was an item potent enough to cause a stir at Dragon yer Academy.
In particr, it would make the four major powers drool in desire.
Whichever club I took it to would likely easily offer a season pass in exchange.
Fulfilling my promise to Go Hyeon-woo would be no issue with this approach, but,
Thats not enough.
I had no intention of being content with exchanging it for just one season pass.
Chapter 27: Cube of Life (1)
Chapter 27: Cube of Life (1)
On Thursday.
During a break between sses, I called Shin Byeong-chul out into the hallway.
Why, whats up?
You know about the promising students we talked aboutst time.
Yeah, what about it?
You mentioned a talented druid from the guild union. Which ss is she in?
Oh, Park Nari? Shes in the ss right next to ours. There she is.
When I peeked into ss 2, I saw a timid-looking girl sitting at her desk.
While other students were clustered in groups, chatting away, she was like an isted ind, ying with a cat on her desk.
When she waved a pen in the air, the cat batted at it like a punching bag.
ording to Shin Byeong-chul, this seemingly shy girl was Park Nari, the strongest talent of the guild union.
The palm-sized cat on her desk, as it turns out, was actually a tiger under a shrinking spell.
As I fixed my gaze on Park Nari for a moment, Shin Byeong-chuls eyes narrowed into slits and a sly smile appeared on his lips.
Why, are you interested? Should I call her over?
No, theres no need to call her.
I can make here here on her own.
The distance should be sufficient for my n.
I pulled out the [Cube of Life].
Shin Byeong-chuls curiosity was piqued at the sight of the small box that was reminiscent of a small jungle.
Wow What is that? It looks like a pretty valuable item.
Later. Right now, I need you to y along with me.
Acting, huh? When ites to acting, you cant leave out Shin Byeong-chul. What do you want me to do?
When I opened the lid of the cube, a fresh green light spread out.
Of course, the inside was empty.
Lets just say theres some really interesting stuff in this box.
Its true. It looks so fascinating, I could stare at it all day.
Ah!
A sudden exmation from a female student rang out from behind me.
It was likely Park Nari.
I stopped Shin Byeong-chul from turning around and reset his half-turned head to its original position.
Dont look behind you.
. Ah, I see what youre doing.
He seemed to have half-realized my intention and focused on his acting.
Though our acting was nothing more than intently staring into the empty cube.
After maintaining this pose for a few seconds
Tap, tap
Something small tapped gently on my leg.
I looked down and saw Nari Parks cat resting its paw on my leg.
Although it was the size of a kitten, if you looked closely, its fur pattern bore a striking resemnce to that of a tiger.
Shin Byeong-chul who noticed the cat a momentter was startled.
Huh? When did this little one get here?
Just as I had expected.
The unique vibration emitted by the Cube of Life.
Animals tend to be more sensitive to such things than humans.
If it was a spiritual creature that had umted mana over many years, it would be even more sensitive.
I already anticipated that it would detect the cubes vibrations from afar and approach me.
Watching it approach would only heighten its wariness, so I pretended not to notice until it made contact with me.
As our eyes met, the cat, while keeping one paw on my leg, pointed with the other at the Cube of Life.
When I shook the cube gently and asked,
What, this?
Eo.
The cat let out a short cry as if it was affirming my words.
I crouched down, adjusting my height to be level with the cube and the cat.
The cat then lifted the lid slightly and squeezed inside.
It curled up inside and purred contentedly.
It made itself quite at home.
I heard that cats have a habit of being fascinated by boxes, but was it the same for tigers?
Bum, you cant do that!
Park Nari rushed in, chasing after her pet tiger.
I deliberately made a face to show how embarrassed I felt.
Park Nari immediately started apologizing repeatedly.
Um, that is, sorry. Ill take it away right now!
She tried to coax the animal out of the closed Cube of Life,
Bum, lets go quickly. You shouldnt go in there.
But the cat seemed extremely pleased with its new resting ce.
When Park Nari partially opened the lid, a tiny front paw sprang out and swatted her hand away.
After a few more failed attempts,
I kept my embarrassed expression and said,
I really need to go to ss now. It would be great if you could take it away.
Im really sorry.
Park Naris face fell as she apologized again.
Taking a deep breath, she flung open the Cube of Life and reached both hands in to grab the cat.
The cat viciously bit the hands holding it.
This one has a nasty temper.
Still, it didnt seem to be biting seriously, and it didnt extend its ws when swatting, which suggested some kind of understanding with its owner.
Anyway, now that she had it, all she needed to do was take it out,
!
At that moment, Park Naris movement stopped abruptly.
A look of surprise shed across her previously timid face.
In that brief moment, she examined the cube more closely and inspected every aspect of it.
She noticed it.
The life force that resonates best with a druid.
She must have sensed its extraordinary nature from afar, but now after she directly touched the cube, she was likely convinced that it was different from any item she had encountered before.
However, Park Nari quicklyposed herself and nonchntly took the cat out.
The cat struggled but eventually seemed to resign itself as she continued to hold it firmly.
Park Nari offered me another apology.
Sorry, it has a habit of getting into boxes whenever it sees one
That can happen.
She nced at the ssroom before us and asked cautiously,
Are you by chancefrom ss 3?
Yes.
Oh, I see. Anyway, Im sorry.
Park Nari kept apologizing until the very end, then hurried back to her own ss as if escaping.
It seemed like the situation was quite ufortable for her, as her expression became much more rxed after she sat down at her desk.
Now, I have made an impression.
And it all unfolded quite naturally.
Now that she had personally confirmed for herself the extraordinary nature of the [Cube of Life], Park Nari would undoubtedly begin investigating me, its owner.
This investigation would inevitably lead to the Mother Nature Club hearing about it.
And thats where it all would begin.
Wow Ive never seen Bum act like that before.
For Shin Byeong-chul, this was baffling. No matter howpatible an item from the life series might be with spiritual creatures, how could Park Naris cat, or rather, her tiger, so unhesitatingly squeeze itself into a box?
What kind of item makes it so happy? It looks quite special at first nce.
Its a good item.
Good enough to attract the attention of someone from the four major powers.
Before Shin Byeong-chul could barrage me with more questions, I quickly stored the Cube of Life in my inventory. Then, I subtly changed the topic.
Anyway, thanks to you, everything went smoothly. Youre quite the actor.
Ah, this wasnt much of an act. But if you really want to thank me, maybe treat me to a meal? Id appreciate that.
Ill treat you to a meal another time. For now, Ill give you a piece of useful information.
Information? What is it?
Whatevers in your inventory, leave it in your room tomorrow.
After all, tomorrow would be the first Friday of the week.
Shin Byeong-chul flinched for a moment but still maintained a smile on his face as he responded.
Ah, someone might get the wrong idea if they hear you. Do you think I carry dangerous things around? Im not that kind of person, you know?
Well, if you say youre not, then youre not. Just consider what I said as nonsense.
As the ss began, I moved towards the ssroom.
Leaving behind Shin Byeong-cheol, whose expression became strange.
Would Shin Byeong-chul really leave the items I told him about in his room tomorrow?
Probably not.
He didnt seem like the type to take others words seriously.
***
Friday morning.
I woke up and sent a message to Seo Ye-in.
[Kim Ho: Awake?]
[Seo Ye-in: Mmmmmm]
[Seo Ye-in: (Sleepy puppy emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Breakfast?]
[Seo Ye-in: Ok]
[Kim Ho: Meet in front of the student cafeteria]
As for Go Hyeon-woo, he would undoubtedly have set up camp in the special cultivation room.
Absorbed in cultivating his internal energy, he often resorted to quick meals like protein bars or instant energy packs, so inviting him for breakfast usually ended in him not showing up.
And so, this morning, it was just Seo Yein and me having breakfast together.
Perhaps because Seo Ye-in had a small appetite, she put down her fork after eating only half of her omelet.
She nibbled on the remaining hash browns while quietly watching me eat.
When I looked up, her gray eyes were intently fixed on me. Then, out of the blue, she asked:
Do you want anything?
Out of nowhere?
There should be a bnce of giving and receiving.
Who told you that?
Our butler.
Looking at the level of her equipment, I already assumed she was from a well-off family, but she even had a butler.
In return for the magic bullet lessons I had given her, she was offering to give me an item. Naturally, I had no reason to decline such an offer.
I had been feeling the need to start gathering some things one by one.
Mr. Butler who thought her, I dont know who you are, but you have a big heart.
I silently sent a word of thanks in my mind and responded.
If theres something I really need right now, it might be something to increase my movement speed. I wish I had a pair of shoes.
Got it.
And by the way, have you finished all your duel battles for this week?
Mhm.
Seo Ye-in answered and showed three fingers.
Three wins?
Nod
If she had finished the first weeks duels, unless something special happened, she wouldnt use her equipment anymore this week.
I asked a bit cautiously.
Could you lend me your invisible ghillie suit just for this weekend if youre not using it?
Sure.
Borrowing someone elses equipment was somewhat considered rude, so I thought there was a good chance she would refuse, but Seo Ye-in readily agreed, making my concerns seem pointless.
She pulled out a neatly folded piece of clothing from her inventory.
[Optical Camouge Ghillie Suit (B)]
Invisibility (B) applied
Detection Resistance (D) applied
Automatic Durability Recovery
This is indeed B-rank.
Like the [Cube of Life], its a high-grade item that freshmen usually cant even get their hands on.
In addition to stealth, it has [Detection Resistance], which ignores the opponents detection skills to a certain extent.
The item also had [Automatic Durability Recovery], which meant it would repair and mend itself over time as long as it wasntpletely destroyed.
Thank you. Ill use it carefully and return it clean.
Just give me another special lesson on magic bullets.
Sure, lets find another time to do that.
***
The teacher of Monster Ecology was an elderly woman known among the students as Madam Cho Ok-soon.
Madam Cho Ok-soon was very knowledgeable about the ecology of monsters as a veteran who had spent half her life on battlefields infested with monsters.
which is why goblins are often seen as monsters for beginners. But, just like each of us is unique and cannot be solely defined by the word human, there are also special goblins. Youll encounter them in various ces in the future. For instances of shes with goblin champions and swordmasters, refer to page 76 of the textbook
The fatal w of this ss was that it was heavily lecture-based, which meant there was a lot of information to absorb and remember.
Additionally, Madam Jos slow and soft-spoken manner made it all too easy to feel sleepy just by listening.
Seo Ye-in had already sumbed to the pressure and fell to the table, and many other students were also hanging their heads in defeat.
The few survivors kept their eyes fixed on the clock, fervently wishing for the ss to end.
Finally, there were only five minutes remaining.
Soon, everyone would abruptly wake up, as if they had never been asleep, bustling around and chatting animatedly.
However, this break time would be an exception.
I turned my attention to the front-row seats.
The seats of Song Cheon-hye and Han Somi had been empty for some time now.
Specifically, only those of the disciplinarymittee.
Five minutes to go.
Chapter 28: Cube of Life (2)
Chapter 28: Cube of Life (2)
Make sure to review todays lesson. It will be helpful for next weeks strategy battle session.
Madam Cho Ok-soon finished her ss exactly before the break time.
Usually, she stayed during the break to answer questions from some students, but today she left the ssroom unusually quickly, as if in a hurry.
Because teachers are not supposed to get involved in what happens from now on.
As soon as Madam Cho Ok-soons figure disappeared from sight, the students of ss 3 who had been slumped over like wilted cabbages sprang to their feet.
Freedom!
The fatigue that had been stered on their faces vanished in an instant and their bodies overflowed with vitality.
One particrly lively boy burst open the ssroom door and lunged into the corridor, but
Thump!
Ouch!
He was suddenly repelled backward as if he had hit something invisible.
Feeling around the open ssroom door revealed an invisible barrier blocking the way.
Thump!
Ugh!
A female student who opened the window to get some fresh air tried to stick her face out the window and ended up identally hitting her face against this invisible barrier.
She rubbed her bumped face and muttered.
A barrier?
What was currently surrounding the ssroom was a wide-area barrier that was cast on arge scale over the entire Dragon yer Academy.
It was far more robust than anything a single mage could conjure and it was nearly impossible for a mere student to breach.
Of course, the neers were unaware of this fact.
They were wondering whether to try breaking the invisible barrier before them or to wait a little longer.
When a secondrge-scale spell was activated.
Zzzzzzt
A thin film made of maic fields appeared at one end of the ssroom.
It swept across to the opposite end of the room, passing over the students before they could even react.
Ah!
Eek!
The maic field moved so swiftly that the students who were caught off guard reflexively covered their faces, crouched, or stepped back.
However, they soon realized that they were unharmed and looked bewildered.
This film was not meant to harm anyone.
Its purpose was to search for people.
Or more precisely, to select them.
What is this!
What exactly is happening?
Parts of some students bodies were emitting a red glow.
Notably around their school uniform pockets or on their foreheads.
One of the female students reached into her inner pocket and took out something.
It was a cursed doll that was radiating a red glow.
In a panic, she threw the doll away, only to realize the next moment that it was connected to her by a red line.
Other students didnt have glowing pockets; instead, arge red I was marked on their foreheads.
This meant that the problematic item was in their inventory.
This was an item check. A Ban Wave.
Items deemed unsuitable for possession and use by the students of Dragon yer Academy were listed in the or in the yers terms, the .
And just like now, a Ban Wave would be activated to weed them out and impose sanctions.
The first Ban Wave of the new school year typically urred with high probability on the first Friday of the first week.
It was the day when most neers started flocking to the arena for duel battles.
They would have spent days watching reys of other students to gauge the level of skill in their own score range.
In the process, some might have felt their own abilities were insufficient.
Usually, they would ept this reality, still challenge themselves, sh, break, and grow.
And this was exactly what Dragon yer Academy expected of its students.
However, some resorted to shortcuts, namely prohibited items.
All to avoid losing points.
Even though using such items would only maintain their scores temporarily and offered no real benefit, they became blinded by the immediate points and their judgment was clouded.
The Dragon yer Academy responded to these people with merciless iron fists.
Boom!
A heavy crash sounded from afar.
That must be the barrier wall.
Judging by the distance, it seems they are starting from ss 1.
They will gradually approach us and pass through ss 3 as well.
Hmm, that sounds interesting.
Go Hyeon-woo watched the unfolding events with eyes sparkling as if witnessing a rare spectacle, while Seo Ye-in seemed to show little interest, still resting her head on the desk.
Since she didnt possess any prohibited items, no red glow was visible around her body.
On the other hand, Shin Byeong-cheol
Both his pocket and forehead were red.
The I on his forehead was so vivid and intense that it seemed like it could shoot out aser beam at any moment.
How many prohibited items did this guy bring with him?
Unfortunately, soon the disciplinarymittee woulde to confiscate all of them.
A hefty number of demerit points and severe disciplinary actions were inevitable.
There was no escape, nor could he discard the items.
He was in aplete dilemma, trapped on all sides.
I shot Shin Byeong-cheol a disdainful look.
Ah, your fortune seems exceptionally bright today, doesnt it?
Hey dont make fun of me. Im in a serious situation right now.
The usual rxed smile was gone from Shin Byeong-cheols face.
His pupils were shaking uncontrobly and his buzz-cut hair was slick with cold sweat.
Always the same; you never listen properly. What did you say? Im not that kind of person?
Oh,e on~! Did I know it would be like this? A certain someone should have exined it to me in detail.
Your club president must have told you. This Friday, or maybe next Monday, there might be a personal belongings inspection.
Well, yeah, they did mention that, but not about this kind of stuff
Or did you just not listen to the whole thing?
Shin Byeong-cheol fell silent as if what I just said had hit the nail on the head.
The second and third-year students would have data umted over several terms, so they would roughly know when the inspections were likely to ur.
Surely, he had been warned to be cautious, but he chose to ignore that advice too, and this was the consequence.
He brought it all on himself.
Shin Byeong-cheol paced in small circles as he muttered to himself.
Damn, what should I do? Im really screwed. What if I get caught? Ill be dead meat with the boss. What to do, what to do, oh man, this is really bad.
Want me to save you?
Im serious here! Stop making it worse Wait, what?
Shin Byeong-cheol who had been angrily snapping at me suddenly widened his eyes.
He quickly forced a servile smile and asked.
Hyung-nim, what did you just say?
I was thinking of saving you out of pity. But if you dont want it, forget it.
Shin Byeong-cheol grabbed my hand eagerly.
Please save me, hyung-nim. Ill do anything you ask, hyung-nim.
Youll owe me.
Of course, hyung-nim.
Come this way.
Although it was impossible to avoid attracting the attention of other students since he was already marked, it was better to be a bit more discreet than doing it openly.
We moved to a less visible corner and opened the [Cube of Life].
Put in everything thats prohibited. Focus on small and valuable items.
What happens if I put them in?
Just do it. If you dont trust me, then forget it.
No, hyung-nim. I will do it. I trust you, hyung-nim.
Shin Byeong-cheol began transferring the prohibited items into the cube.
Rumble, Boom!!
The sound of thunder erupted from the ssroom next door.
Soon, the disciplinarymittee would move to ss 3.
Shin Byeong-cheols hands moved even faster.
[Blood Ginseng Candy]
[Gloomy Cloud Cookie]
[Skill Book Blind Hatred]
[Dream Candy (Turn into a Retard)]
Theres so much stuff. Are you emigrating or something?
Aish, just Im sorry for everything
Shin Byeong-cheol apologized for my sarcastic remark but continued to cram the prohibited items into the cube until it was full.
Nothing of value here.
I would have asked for one or two items if I had seen anything worthwhile.
However, I wasnt particrly disappointed.
There would be plenty of opportunities in the future, and right now, these didnt even qualify as appetizers.
I stored the [Cube of Life] in my inventory.
Not all the prohibited items had been moved, so the I mark still lingered on Shin Byeong-cheols forehead, but it was significantly lighter than before.
He should handle the rest on his own.
Stop right there.
Crack!
A bolt of lightning struck next to me and Shin Byeong-cheol, and then Song Cheon-hye appeared out of nowhere as if she traversed space in an instant.
Her gloved hand crackled menacingly with electricity as she asked her question.
What are you doing there?
The Wave had just been activated, and a mark had been imprinted on Shin Byeong-cheols forehead.
With both Shin Byeong-cheol and I turning our backs in a corner of the ssroom, it must have looked incredibly suspicious to anyone.
I tried my best to look innocent.
I dont know what youre talking about.
Shin Byeong-cheol defended me as well.
Thats right. This friend of mine has done nothing wrong.
I see.
Of course, Song Cheon-hye was not likely to take those words at face value.
She then thrust a device with a shining crystal orb embedded in it towards me.
It was an item simr to the Ban Wave as it would turn red if the target possessed any prohibited items.
Wooong
There was no reaction.
Song Cheon-hye activated the crystal orb again but the result was the same.
.
Can I go now?
Return to your seat.
Members of the disciplinarymittee kepting in from ss 2.
They moved around the ssroom and confiscated all prohibited items before registering the owners student IDs on their devices.
Additional demerit points and disciplinary action will be imposed depending on the level or number of prohibited items.
Bang, Bang!
Any student who resisted was subdued without mercy.
A male student who drew a knife was struck by Jo Byeoks fist and pinned against the wall, which caused another boy who had been resisting to quietly put away his weapon and present his own items.
.
Meanwhile, Song Cheon-hye continued to cast suspicious nces at me.
She seemed eager to check my inventory, but without concrete evidence, she couldnt forcefully proceed with such actions.
In fact, my inventory was now full of prohibited items.
Thats why I tried to finish it before Friday.
The waves emitted by the Cube of Life were so powerful that they could lure Park Naris cat from afar.
These waves of energy wrap the cube in a thick armor-likeyer and disrupt the Ban Wave so that whatever you put inside will appear as a Life type item from the outside.
I once found this hidden piece purely by chance.
By using the Cube of Life in this way, Shin Byeong-cheol and the club he belonged to owed arge debt to me, and at the same time this would promote its value.
An item that conceals prohibited items from the Ban Wave.
Even those inpletely unrted sses would be desperate to have it.
***
After ss ended.
I met up with Shin Byeong-cheol in a secluded area.
As soon as he saw me, he tried to hug me in gratitude, but I pushed him away.
Shin Byeong-cheol was standing awkwardly as he offered me his thanks.
Wow, really, thank you. If it werent for you, I would have beenpletely stripped and ended up either a corpse or a ve.
Keep it as a debt. Ill collect it in fullter.
Of course, I wouldnt dream of skipping out on this.
The debt for saving Shin Byeong-cheol from trouble could be collectedter, but now I nned to separately demand payment for extracting the confiscated items.
And from his clubs president.
Lets deal with the prohibited items in your club room.
Sure, lets do that. Actually, the club president wants to meet you too. Shall we go now?
Lets go.
Following Shin Byeong-cheols lead, I headed toward the club room.
The troublemakers at Dragon yer Academy were responsible for all kinds of idents and mishaps in here, including trading prohibited items through [Dragon yer Academy errand service!].
Off to the thieves club room then.
Chapter 29: Where Prohibited Items Are Gathered (1)
Chapter 29: Where Prohibited Items Are Gathered (1)
The thieves club room was located in a very remote area.
Although they ranked in the upper-middle tier in terms of size and performance, the problem was their frequent vition of school rules.
In addition to individual demerit points and disciplinary action, club-level sanctions were also applied quite frequently.
This included cuts in the clubs budget.
As evidence, the interior of the room was remarkably shabby.
The leather on the sofas waspletely peeled off, and the chairs picked up from who knows where were mismatched in appearance.
There, sitting on an old wooden table that also seemed to have been scavenged, was the president of the thieves club.
She was a tall beauty with long ck hair that fell to her waist.
Even though she was just sitting expressionless and doing nothing, her charisma seemed to radiate naturally.
Perhaps this was only natural, given that she was running a club.
Were here, noonim
...
The club president silently flicked her index finger.
As Shin Byeong-cheol hesitantly approached, a white hand roughly grabbed his buzz-cut hair.
Did I or did I not tell you to be careful?
Ow! Sister! Not the hair! Not the hair!
Its important! Listen and dont get distracted! I told you so!
Im sorry! Oww! Stop! Im going to go bald!
Every time the club president tightened her grip, Shin Byeong-cheol was pitifully dragged around.
This farce seemed to have cost Shin Byeong-cheol a handful of hair if not more.
The club president released his head and gave him a final p on the back of it, making a loud thwack! sound.
Cant stand the sight of you. Get out.
Yes, Im sorry.
Shin Byeong-cheol massaged his aching head and made his exit, leaving just the two of us.
As the club president shifted her gaze towards me, I immediately bowed my head.
Hello, senior.
Im Dang Gyu-young. You probably already know, but Im the club president here.
Im Kim Ho.
Lets get straight to the goods.
Dang Gyu-young looked to be a very straightforward person.
From my perspective, it was morefortable to just exchange formalities and get straight to the point rather than beating around the bush with meaningless chatter.
I pulled out the [Cube of Life] from my inventory and showed it to her.
Dang Gyu-young stared at the densely packed prohibited items inside and then picked one to examine it.
Its real. Honestly, I was half in doubt until just now. An item that can deceive the ban wave, it just sounds too false to believe.
The world is vast and items are plenty.
So it seems. I thought I had seen all kinds of items, but it looks like I still have a long way to go. Hey, can I steal this?
Her gaze was 20% yful and 80% serious.
And as the president of the thieves club, stealing an item from a freshman would be a piece of cake if she set her mind to it.
Of course, I had considered this possibility as well.
Youll be caught quickly. Even though it looks like this, this is a magic engineering item.
What?
Dang Gyu-young scrutinized the cube more closely.
It was hard to notice at first nce since it was covered with various nts and flowers, but traces of the 10x10x10 blueprint could be seen here and there.
Whats this? Is it a magic engineering item? Ive never seen anything like it. Who made it?
I did.
Hey, youre pretty skilled with your hands?
Dang Gyu-young realized the situation and let go of her desire to take it.
The theft prevention mechanism of a magic engineering item was moreplex than that of a regr magic item.
It can be deeply embedded during the manufacturing stage, making it difficult to find and bypass.
Of course, I hadnt actually done that but bluffing alone was enough to deter her.
If what I said was true and she was tracked, shed bepletely trapped.
Tch, anyway, you must want something from me; thats why you didnt pass things to Byeong-chul and came directly to me, right?
You got it right.
As you can see, were quite poor here. If this had been stolen too, we would have ended up in deficit this month.
So, there isnt much I can offer you.
is what she meant to say.
I knew it was an exaggeration, but I didnt point it out.
After all, I hadnte for a material reward.
Youll be able to do what Im about to ask of you.
Lets hear it. What is it?
I paused for a moment before speaking.
The temporary storage.
!
The moment I mentioned temporary storage, Dang Gyu-youngs face turned cold and stiff.
The shadow at my feet began to wriggle and my own shadow mbered up my legs uncontrobly.
The presence of Dang Gyu-young that was right in front of me gradually faded.
It was a situation where a battle could break out at any moment.
Lets talk, senior. Im scared, you know.
You didnt even flinch. Were you sent by the disciplinarymittee?
No. Im not on good terms with them.
Then where are you from?
I came here on my own.
And you expect me to believe that?
Why would I lie about something thats so easily exposed?
A little investigation would quickly reveal my affiliation.
Such a trivial lie would bring more harm than benefit.
Dang Gyu-young stared at me intently, trying to gauge my true intentions, while I calmly deflected her inspection.
Soon, the wriggling shadows returned to normal.
Fine, lets assume youre unaffiliated for now. How did you know about the temporary storage?
I deduced it on my own.
In truth, it wasnt deduction but experience.
With a single ban wave, hundreds of prohibited items were confiscated from the entire student body.
But was this ban wave during the semester a one-time event?
Absolutely not.
It was triggered just when the students started to forget about it, just to instill a sense of vignce in them.
So where did all those numerous prohibited items go?
There was a storage facility for confiscated items.
Even I, a veteran among veteran yers, didnt know exactly where it was located.
Its location changed frequently.
Moreover, even if one managed to discover its location, prating it would be virtually impossible.
For example, some principals used huge sub-spaces as storage for confiscated items.
To enter, one had to defeat the principal who was a former great hero. Ironically, if one had the capability to do so, obtaining the items inside became meaningless.
However, this was just the location of the storage.
Before moving the prohibited items to this storage, they underwent a short period of sorting and verification at a different location.
This was the temporary storage.
I guess you will probably go there tonight or tomorrow night.
Once this weekend passed, the temporary storage would bepletely emptied.
The biggest concern for the thieves club right now was whether they could raid that ce before it was cleared out.
Waiting until Sunday would likely be toote, so Friday or Saturday night seemed ideal.
As my intentions became clear, Dang Gyu-youngs face took on an expression of disbelief.
So, youre saying you want to hitch a ride now?
Not exactly hitch a ride. Im paying a fare here.
The fare, of course, was the recently saved prohibited items.
Perhaps due to my confident attitude, Dang Gyu-young let out a sarcasticugh.
She flipped over the [Cube of Life], spilling its contents, and handed the empty cube to me.
Junior, Kim Ho, I truly appreciate your help in retrieving these items. Im even willing to pay a fair price for them. But this deal puts us at a loss. Do you know how much effort we put into this? Just to have you add a spoon to a table weve already set? Thats not eptable.
I do see your point.
So, forget about the temporary storage and suggest something else. Anything else.
Even with thebined value of the prohibited items I had saved, it wasnt enough to earn a spot on the bus to the temporary storage.
To the thieves club, that ce was akin to a treasure trove.
Dang Gyu-young might have expected me to request something else at this point, but I had no intention of changing my demand.
Instead, adding just one more item to the scale wouldplete the trade.
I started.
The temporary storage. Its guarded by the disciplinarymittee, right?
Needless to say. Its like a fortress.
The ban wave had been triggered countless times even before I enrolled.
Each time, the thieves club eyed the temporary storage, and each time, the disciplinarymittee mobilized all its members to defend it.
It would be the same this time.
It is not only difficult to break in, but also hard to escape after the job.
If anything, thetter is harder.
Entering unnoticed and leaving the same way would be perfect, but the likelihood of being spotted by the patrol during the process was quite high.
The disciplinarymittee was the strongest force of power in Dragon yer Academy.
Maybe a few from the four major powers could stand a chance, but the thieves club was no match for them.
A direct confrontation would lead to them getting instantly overpowered and being caught during the escape meant game over.
All the painstakingly gathered items would have to be relinquished.
The condition I was about to propose was rted to this very issue.
If I can solve thetter for you?
Come on, be realistic. Even we cant do that, but you wait a minute.
As I casually opened the [Cube of Life], Dang Gyu-youngs eyes widened.
Right. Why didnt I think of that? Just gather the important things and put them in
And we can bring them out surely.
A hidden piece that could avoid the detection of the ban wave and the crystal orb.
Even if every member of the thieves club who broke in was caught, the items stored in the cube would remain undetected.
She cant possibly refuse this.
Of course, I understood Dang Gyu-youngs position.
Given the immense effort put into their project, it must be frustrating to have an outsider jump in at the final stage.
But she would hate it even more if the project fell apart at thest minute.
Not gaining anything at all would be the worst oue.
By epting my proposal, they would at least ensure some profit.
And not just any profit, but items of high value in the storage.
Dang Gyu-young seemed almost convinced.
Yet, still slightly ufortable with the situation, she tentatively made a counteroffer.
Hey, how about just giving me that box, or rather, lending it to me? Just for one night.
No way.
It was a preposterous suggestion.
Ah, why! If there are good items, I can just bring them to you!
I need to see and choose them myself.
What Dang Gyu-young considers good items and what I consider good are clearly different.
I had to see with my own eyes to judge what was useful to me.
Are you going to do it?
If you really dont want to, then it cant be helped.
fine, Ill do it! Happy now?
Then well go together.
Tch.
Dang Gyu-young reluctantly epted the deal.
She stared at me with a stern expression on her face and then asked.
Hey, be honest. Youve repeated a year, havent you?
How could I repeat a year here? If you dont get good grades, youre expelled right away.
I have a good intuition. You just dont seem like a freshman to me.
You caught me. Im only telling you this, but actuallyIve graduated over 200 times from this academy.
. haah, I shouldve just kept my mouth shut.
Dang Gyu-youngs face soured.
She shook her head and then stood up.
I was telling the truth though.
Chapter 30: Where Prohibited Items Are Gathered (2)
Chapter 30: Where Prohibited Items Are Gathered (2)
A thin crescent moon faintly illuminated the sky.
It was a night darker than usual with thick clouds constantly obscuring even the slim crescent moon.
Such dark nights were perfect for thieves to strike.
ck figures gathered in front of arge statue near the old school building.
They were dressed uniformly in ck with masks covering their faces.
And among such people, I was also present.
I quickly recognized the slender masked person in the bunch to be Dang Gyu-young.
I didnt know the real faces of the others though.
Two male students who looked to be twins even though their faces were concealed by masks as they were strikingly simr in both build and demeanor.
A female student who was busily tapping away on a tablet.
A male student with a very short wand strapped to his arm,
And a male student who exuded a carefree attitude and who turned out to be Shin Byeong-chul upon closer inspection.
They exchanged nces and nodded their heads in unison as if they could recognize each other even with masks on.
On the other hand, since it was my first time meeting them, one of the twins felt puzzled and asked.
Hey, theres someone unfamiliar here. Whos this?
This person will be helping us with our task tonight. Be careful not to be rude.
Hmm.
The twin didnt seem entirely convinced but nodded his head in acknowledgment anyway.
It was better to keep the number of people aware of the [Cube of Life]s existence and capabilities to a minimum.
Any careless talk could jeopardize not only the mission but also the safety of the items we intended to store inside.
For now, my cover identity was that of a mysterious expert invited by Dang Gyu-young.
Ah, nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you tonight.
Shin Byeong-chul bowed his head while winking with one eye at me.
He seemed to have figured out who I was from the bits of my face visible through the mask and the general situation.
He was quick-witted and owed me a favor, so I was confident he wouldnt reveal my identity.
Dang Gyu-young asked the girl with the tablet.
How much time do we have left?
At her question, the girls fingers flew faster over the tablet.
Numbers crowded the screen as she seemed to be making some calctions, and her gaze asionally shifted to the sky, more precisely, to the moon.
Three minutes left.
Good, lets get ready.
Everyone made a final check of their gear or gathered their mana.
I secretly exchanged nces with Dang Gyu-young.
Her shadow squirmed as it formed letters.
Do just as youve been instructed.
I had received a separate briefing on the operation beforehand.
Although the others would handle everything necessary, I needed to understand how to enter and exit without making mistakes.
Now that I knew all the details, my role tonight was to follow along quietly and not cause them any trouble.
Isnt this the essence of being a bystander?
As the three minutes mentioned by the tablet-carrying female student approached,
Clouds gathered,pletely obscuring the moon.
Rush in.
[Shadows Safe Haven]
The shadow emanating from Dang Gyu-young formed a dome, and everyone promptly gathered within its range.
The shadow clung to our bodies and it enhanced our stealth.
Even at close range, we could barely discern each others silhouettes, so it would be even harder to be recognized from a distance.
The thieves club members soon began to run with Dang Gyu-young in the lead.
Despite several people running, there was no sound of footsteps or rustling clothes.
I ran alongside them while observing Dang Gyu-youngs legs.
More precisely, her footwork.
B-rank.
The [Thiefs Step] was the primary mobility skill of the Rogue ss.
It made ones footsteps quick and stealthy and moving through darkness added an extra bonus.
Since she was skilled enough to be the club president in her third year, achieving a B-rank in this skill was easily within reach.
[Activate Copy-Skill.]
[Registering the targets skill Thiefs Step (B) in the slot.]
Copy-Skill[2/2]
1. Hummingbird (E)
2. Thiefs Step (B)
Now that the cube was finished, I wouldnt need [Magical Engineering] for a while.
As I moved using [Thiefs Step], the members of the club focused their attention on me.
To them, my first footsteps must have been rtively loud, but they quickly became a perfect Thiefs Step, which was quite astonishing.
However, as I continued running straight ahead, they too seemed to decide not to be distracted and withdrew their gazes.
As we neared the old school building, I started to notice students wearing disciplinarymittee armbands patrolling around.
They kept a certain distance from each other as they patrolled.
Covering the vast interior and exterior of the old school building with just the disciplinarymittee members meant there were bound to be gaps.
ording to the information I received from the thieves club, the area we were heading towards was rtively vulnerable.
This was partly because a higher proportion of the patrolling students were first-years.
Hmm~ Hum hum~
Han So-mi wandered around while humming to herself as if she were out for a casual night stroll.
But as we passed by, she remainedpletely unaware of our presence.
There was one more first-year on patrol.
He had the appearance of a prince with a striking golden sword.
It was Geum Jo-han, the noble son of the Golden Lotus master.
Coincidentally, Geum Jo-hans route ovepped with our path.
Yet no one slowed down their pace.
Dang Gyu-young who was leading the way raised the momentum.
[Shadow Butterfly Flight]
A butterfly formed from shadows took flight.
The butterfly fluttered away andnded lightly on Geum Jo-hans shoulder.
!!
Before Geum Jo-han could even half-draw his sword, an explosion of shadows burst forth from the butterfly.
He was engulfed by the shadows and then bound tightly like a cocoon.
One of the twins ced a hand on his body.
Uhuh
Lets go quietly. Resistance will just tire us both out.
The other twin manipted the air as if molding y.
After a while, a clone that looked exactly like Geum Jo-han was created and started walking along the patrol route.
Though it seemed considerably less sharp than the original, by the time the disciplinarymittee started to have suspicion, it would be already toote.
Meanwhile, the real Geum Jo-han was still bound and was pushed into a corner.
After leaving the clone to act on its own, our group clung to the exterior wall of the old school building.
As the male student with the wand recited a spell, a circr staircase formed, step by step, leading up to a third-floor window.
We swiftly ascended the stairs and reached the window where the wand-wielding student began dismantling the magical seals.
Wow, theyve really made a mess of the rm spells.
Seeing him even praising the setup, it seemed like the disciplinarymittee had done their job well.
Even if it was ultimately breached in the end.
Once the seals vanished, Shin Byeong-Cheol neatly removed the window and we stepped inside.
The temporary storage was located in Practice Room D on the third floor of the old school building.
We were in Practice Room A.
Entering through Room Ds window was impossible due to the multipleyers of barriers and magic.
Therefore, our n involved infiltrating through Room A and then moving through the corridors to our destination.
Intrude-!
As we were moving, a disciplinarymittee member patrolling the corridor spotted us and was about to shout, Intruders! when Dang Gyu-young blocked the sound waves and the twins quickly overpowered him.
If they fought one-on-one, the disciplinarymittee member might have won, but since he was caught off-guard and outnumbered, he couldnt fully use his skills and was swiftly subdued.
While the twins created a clone of the disciplinarymittee member they had subdued, the female student quickly tapped away on the tablet.
Her gaze fixed on the crystal orbs illuminating the corridor.
Its done.
Her Its done likely indicated that all the crystal orbs had been neutralized.
The magic traps were dismantled by the male student with the wand, while Shin Byeong-Cheol took care of the regr traps before marching forward without hesitation.
I think even slugs have a knack for rolling.
Shin Byeong-Cheols skill and speed in disarming traps were on par with those of the second and third-year students.
Thats why he was included in this elite party.
I slightly raised my internal evaluation of Shin Byeong-Cheol.
A B-rank talent, but only when it came to disabling traps.
But that doesnt mean I had any intention of nurturing this talent.
Compared to Seo Ye-In, he was merely a fireflys glow.
..
Now, just around the corner was the practice room D and temporary storage.
However, Dang Gyu-young who was peeking around the corner with a small mirror cursed under her breath.
Damn, this ones tough.
Who is it?
I took Dang Gyu-youngs mirror to see for myself.
There was a male student guarding the front of the temporary storage.
disciplinarymittee armband. A third-year tie pin.
And a thick axe with a red color.
I didnt know much about this senior student, but the item he held was familiar.
The A-rank Hell Axe
If a third-year disciplinarymittee member wielded the Hell Axe, it would indeed be a tough match for Dang Gyu-young.
I had nned to just watch from the sidelines, but now it seemed I had to lend a hand.
Shadow Butterfly Dream, right? You know how to use it?
Dang Gyu-young was startled.
How do you know about that?
How do I know? Because Ive raised someone with the same skill.
Can you use it now?
Its not fully mastered yet. Only at C-rank.
Thats good enough.
She looked puzzled.
[Activate Amplification]
[The targets Shadow Butterfly Dream rank increased. (C->A)]
[Duration 00:01:59]
[Cooldown 00:49:59]
Now that the skill became an A-rank, it seemed worth a try.
Dang Gyu-youngs eyes widened again.
How did you do that?
No time to exin. Lets hurry.
She seemed to agree with my statement about theck of time and kept quiet for the moment, but her expression was resolute as if she was silently vowing to ask me questionster.
Dang Gyu-young sped her hands together.
Above her palms, shadows formed into butterflies and they gathered one by one.
In a sh, dozens of ck butterflies had swarmed and Dang Gyu-young released them into the air.
[Shadow Butterfly Dream]
!
The third-year disciplinarymittee member reacted instantly.
As he frantically swung his hell axe, a third of the flying butterflies were split in half and scattered.
But one butterfly managed to touch him and exploded into shadows.
The shadows engulfing him seemed to dissipate with a single grunt of effort.
It was a kind of internal energy barrier used by warriors.
However, as two and three butterflies continued to attach and entangle him, the number of butterflies overwhelmed his ability to dispel them.
Eventually, he was buried in a giant cocoon of shadows.
Dang Gyu-young looked to be exhausted as she turned to me and said.
You, we need to talkter.
Of course.
I supported the staggering Dang Gyu-young briefly, but soon she regained her strength and took the lead.
The door to the temporary storage was wide open but the thieves club members meticulously inspected even the smallest devices nearby before entering.
Triggering even a single rm spell could spell disaster here.
Only after ensuringplete safety did they begin to sweep the prohibited items into their inventories.
Lets grab what we need and get out of here quickly.
Yes, noonim.
Dang Gyu-young and I exchanged nces.
As I opened the [Cube of Life], I began to selectively pick and ce only the valuable items inside.
I should also start my own bit of shopping.
I started rummaging through the mountain of prohibited items.
To know exactly what was there, I had to look closely, but the types of prohibited items were almost predetermined.
The main criterion for the ban list at Dragon yer Academy was side effects.
The question was how much of a side effect followed in exchange for immense power.
For example, a [Magic Tome] could rapidly enhance strength in a short period of time, but the more one learned from it, the more ones mind became corrupted by dark energy, increasing the likelihood of bing evil.
The [Dark Ice Crystal] I acquired on the train also drastically increased mana in an instant, but if one couldnt withstand its coldness, they would be frozen to the bone immediately upon use.
Items causing physical or mental harm are mostly designated as prohibited items.
The more severe and permanent the damage, the higher they tend to be on the list.
Most of the items here carry some penalty, big or small.
Among these, my target was prohibited items with an elemental penalty simr to the Dark Ice Crystal.
This is because most elemental penalties can bepletely nullified with my S-rank [Elemental Resistance].
First one.
[Heart of Thunder]*2
Two rough and uneven beads that seemed to have been forciblypressed from lightning.
Since it was not feasible to use them immediately, I stored them in the Cube of Life.
I kept looking through the mountain of items, but unfortunately no more items with elemental penalty were found.
Given the limited time, it seemed wiser to shift my focus elsewhere.
Skill books.
That was also a primary reason for my visit here.
Being a ce teeming with prohibited items, it was likely to have a skill book or two with elemental penalties.
However, finding them wouldnt be an easy task.
Starting from the very top, the first skill book was a dud.
[Skill Book Asura Blood Demon Art]
The more one mastered it, the more the blood demon energy would seep into their marrow, eventually driving them insane.
This was 100% a reservation for a future viin.
Who knows which audacious person brought it in?
It must have been incredibly difficult to obtain.
[Skill Book Necrograsp]
A closebat skill of necromancers that would make everything they touched rot and decay.
Its major drawback was that every time it was used, the spellcasters hand would also slowly decay.
Elemental penalty, elemental penalty
While I was repeating elemental penalty in my head I flipped through skill book after skill book. Finally, I stumbled upon something worthwhile.
No.
It wasnt just worthwhile; it was almost a jackpot.
[Skill Book Inferno Fist]
Chapter 31: Where Prohibited Items Are Gathered (3)
Chapter 31: Where Prohibited Items Are Gathered (3)
(TN: It seems I made quite the mistake in mixing disciplinarymittee with student council. I never came across the term disciplinarymittee before, so I assumed the author meant student council. I forgot that in anime there is actually mention of the disciplinarymittee with student council. Very very sorry; now it has been corrected in every chapter.)
******
If you were to think of a fire fist, the first thing that mighte to mind was the [Fire Punch] used by fire mages.
It was a magic attack that surrounded the fist with mes, but its destructive power was not particrly impressive.
This was especially true considering the generally poor physical abilities of mages.
Using this skill didnt require much beyond mana.
It was a case of a low-risk, low-return attack.
On the other hand, [Inferno Fist] was an extremely high-risk, high-return spell.
Instead of merely surrounding the fist with mes, it infused the mes into it.
In the process, everything that constituted the fistthe flesh, muscles, blood vessels, bones, and even the magic circuitwas burned.
And since it causes massive burns to your fist every time you use it, you can only use it once in a while when apanied by a powerful recovery item.
Ignoring this and casting it four or five times in session would turn your fist into ck charcoal and then crumble away.
The payoff for this risk was overwhelming destructive power which would make [Fire Punch] seem like a mere matchstick me inparison.
If one could neutralize the risks of this formidable skill and harness its benefits
That would be a jackpot.
I decided to learn it right away since there was no need to carry it around with me.
Handling a prohibited skill book always required caution, but I was an exception.
Elemental penalties couldnt harm me after all.
[Using Skill Book Inferno Fist.]
[Acquired Inferno Fist (C).]
As expected, it was a C-rank from the start.
It must have been a skill book confiscated from the third years.
Dang Gyu-young asked her club members.
Did you get everything?
Yes, noonim.
The temporary storage had be noticeably emptier than before.
This was because many prohibited items had been moved to the inventory of the thieves club member.
However, these items couldnt yet be considered fully stolen.
Its not over until they safely escape.
Lets go.
We used the same route they had infiltrated as their escape route.
And we returned to Practice Room A passing through the corridor.
Before we quickly descended the circr staircase outside the window of Practice Room A.
Geum Jo-hans clone was still patrolling the same spot with a dazed expression.
Now, we just needed to get out of this ce.
Although I couldnt see their facial expressions as they were covered by masks, everyone seemed more alert.
But then,
Kukukuku
Just as everyone started to pick up speed, a wooden door suddenly sprung up in front of us.
The door opened and a male student walked out.
Where are you hurrying off to?
!
He wore a second-year tie pin and a disciplinarymittee armband.
In one hand, he held arge emerald crystal ball.
He was a wood mage who was skilled in both wood and earth magic.
The twins seemed to be familiar with him as they took turns speaking.
Kwak Seung-jae
Its you again
You always pop up wherever we go.
I keep dreaming about that wooden door, you know?
This old school building isnt your private room; you cant juste and go as you please.
As the wood mage manipted a small transmitter, the girl with the tablet immediately jammed its signal.
Next, he raised his free hand above his shoulder.
A bright light shot up, only to be swallowed by an encroaching shadow.
!
The mages eyes sparkled as he spotted Dang Gyu-young, who had sent the shadow.
Perhaps deciding it was pointless to hide her face any longer, Dang Gyu-young threw off her mask and waved her hand.
Good to see you, Seung-jae?
Good to see you too.
The wood mage whose name was Kwak Seung-jae immediately bowed.
Cant you just let us go?
I will let you go, but,
He gestured toward the wooden door he had just opened.
Before that, would you mind apanying me to the disciplinarymittee room for a moment?
To spit out everything weve eaten?
It was never the property of the thieves club in the first ce, was it?
Dang Gyu-youngs smile deepened.
Then I guess well have to break through.
If you think you can.
Are you that confident?
How could I confidently im to win against a senior like you?
Thats right. It would take a third year to match me. The axe guy is out of the picture, and the others are likely upied with external requests. And Slit-eyes is not in sight, is he?
It seems thats how things have turned out.
I wondered why everything was resolving so easily. Just then, it urred to me that there werent many third-year disciplinarymittee members left in Dragon yer Academy at the moment.
The axe guy must be referring to the guy with the Hell Axe that was blocking the entrance to the temporary storage.
And Slit-eyes would be the disciplinarymittee president, Oh Se-hoon.
Kwak Seung-jae responded in a calm tone.
The president is momentarily upied with other matters. He should be back shortly.
Can you hold us off until then?
Although the shadows swirled menacingly, Kwak Seung-jae was not intimidated in the slightest.
The unshaken belief in his eyes caused Dang Gyu-youngs expression to grow more serious.
This time, given the circumstances, we had to seek external help.
Kwak Seung-jae stepped aside, and through the open wooden door, another person walked out.
He was a handsome man with light brown hair slicked back.
He was a third-year student and he wore a single emblem on his chest instead of the disciplinarymittee armband.
It was the emblem symbolizing the student council president.
In his hand, a pair of dark gloves shimmered with topaz.
Dang Gyu-young frowned.
Song Cheon-gi.
So you start this semester with theft as well.
And what wind brings you here to help the disciplinarymittee? Youve always been such azy a**.
Thats none of your business.
While the two were exchanging sharp words, shadows writhed on Dang Gyu-youngs back and they formed letters.
Kids, get out of here on your own.
The situation was rapidly deteriorating.
Members of the disciplinarymittee began arriving from every direction.
This included first-years like Han So-mi and Song Cheon-hye, as well as some second-years who I didnt know.
It was only a matter of time before we werepletely surrounded.
Before this, Dang Gyu-young had to create a small gap.
This gap was our only chance to attempt an escape.
Enough talk, Dang Gyu-young. Disarm yourself and willinglye to the disciplinarymittees room.
And if I refuse?
Rumble
Song Cheon-gi silently raised his mana and even that small action caused a faint sound of thunder.
We will enforce the rules of Dragon yer Academy.
Hmm
Dang Gyu-young pondered for a moment with her chin in her hand.
A few seconds of silence followed.
The onlookers watched silently.
Dang Gyu-young then lowered the hand that was propping up her chin.
Suddenly, she shed a mischievous smile.
No way!
Shadows burst out in all directions.
At the same time, someone shouted,
Run!
Members of the thieves club darted away and scattered in all directions.
Kwak Seung-jae stood still, his gaze fixed intently on the crystal ball as he issued hismand.
Dont let a single one escape.
***
Huh? Where did he go?
Han So-mi raised a question mark above her head in confusion.
She had been closely following me, but her reaction was understandable since I vanished in an instant.
She dashed here and there, frantically searching, then darted off in another direction to look.
Of course, such efforts were in vain to locate me.
I did well to borrow this.
The invisible ghillie suit I borrowed from Seo Ye-in was proving its worth.
???
Han So-mi was perplexed as she aimlessly searched for me in the wrong ces. Realizing it might be better to go help other members of the disciplinarymittee club instead, she quickly left the area.
Her innate skills were exceptional, but she was ignorant about the dark side of the martial arts world.
The purpose of Dragon yer Academy was to mitigate such weaknesses after all.
She would learn in time.
The problem is that earth mage
Kwak Seung-jae, was it?
Reconsidering how he had precisely blocked the thieves clubs escape route
Ill be caught soon.
It seemed that a battle was inevitable.
Still, to prevent further interference from others, it would be best to put as much distance between us as possible.
I picked up my pace again and started running.
***
Kwak Seung-jae gazed into his crystal ball.
To be more precise, it was not a crystal ball but an Orb made by processing arge emerald and was a masterpiece of the Emerald Magic Tower.
Inside the orb, seven red dots were visible, one of which represented Dang Gyu-young who was engaged in battle nearby.
Rumble! Boom!
Lightning streaked and des of shadow whirled in the air.
However, the oue of this battle seemed predetermined and hardly worth his attention.
So his focus was on the other dots.
Two had stopped moving, apparently subdued.
Three were being closely pursued by other members of the disciplinarymittee club.
But there was one red dot.
It wasnt being chased and was steadily moving further away.
It seemed like he would have to take action himself, so he cast a spell.
Kukukuku
Arge wooden te materialized and settled on the ground.
Kwak Seung-jae mounted it, and as soon as he did, hands that sprang from the ground began to support the te and swiftly moved forward.
In an instant, his field of view rapidly changed and he was quickly closing the distance to the target.
And eventually, hepletely caught up.
To the naked eye, there seemed to be nothing there.
But Kwak Seung-jaes orb shone brightly.
kukung!
The ground in the distance began to protrude sporadically.
It was a spell he had cast as a warning to stop the fleeing opponent.
Kwak Seung-jae uttered a phrase in a dry tone,
Come out.
The air writhed and a masked person revealed themselves.
Optical camouge ghillie suit.
He wondered how the thieves club had managed to get their hands on such an expensive item.
Or perhaps they had stolen it.
An invisible ghillie suit would have easily evaded the pursuit of first-year students.
Yet, the way Kwak Seung-jae had been able to track him down was
The masked person nced toward one side of the ground.
As if he was aware of something there.
Kwak Seung-jae nodded his head.
That is correct.
From the earth, a very small earth gnome suddenly popped its head out.
A lower spirit of the earth, a gnome.
Kwak Seung-jae had scattered gnomes extensively around the old school building.
With the help of these gnomes, he read things invisible to the eye through the earth.
It was simr this time.
Just before the members of the thieves club began their escape, he had attached a gnome to each of them, making it possible to track them.
Judging by the reaction, this person seemed to have realized that fact long ago.
Driven by curiosity, Kwak Seung-jae asked.
How did you know about the gnomes?
.
Are you mute?
.
Hes clever.
He had identified all the members of the thieves club, so he could guess their identities even behind the masks.
On the other hand, this person was aplete stranger, so he wondered if he should listen to his voice, but the person quickly realized this and remained silent.
But it didnt matter.
He could just subdue and check directly.
It seems you have no intention of surrendering.
.
The masked person, instead of responding, flicked their fingers.
To Kwak Seung-jae, it came across as this:
Stop wasting time and lets fight already.
It was somewhat unexpected.
All the members of the thieves club were solely focused on creating an opportunity to flee, but this person was openly inviting a fight.
Sometimes things like this are also good.
The two stared at each other for a moment.
Then, the battlemenced.
Boom!
As the orb glowed green, the earth surged up in an attempt to strike the masked person.
The masked person smoothly maneuvered their feet, weaving through the disjointed earth.
The level of their [Thiefs Step] was so exceptional that it appeared as though they were sliding across the ground.
The masked person quickly closed in, attempting to kick Kwak Seung-jae in the face, but,
Thud
A wall of earth rose up, blocking the kick.
In the next moment, a heavy clump of earth fell from behind the masked person.
As if they had eyes on the back of their head, they stepped back just in time.
The retreating masked persons hand shed brightly and a bolt of lightning shot towards Kwak Seung-jae.
A hummingbird?
[Earth Gatling]
The earth-made gatling gun fired a barrage of densely packed dirt bullets.
It was a clever strategy that simultaneously targeted the hummingbird and the opponent.
However, the masked person again moved smoothly to evade it, and the hummingbird dodged the bullets nimbly before itnded on Kwak Seung-jaes shoulder.
Fzzzt!
!!
Kwak Seung-jae was a bit startled.
How excellent was the control for the hummingbird to exhibit such movement?
Instead of being paralyzed, one of the defensive spells he had set up earlier broke.
In his mind, Kwak Seung-jae sent silent praise to the masked person.
Impressive. But there wont be a second time.
This decisive move would be the end of their battle.
Suddenly, a thin wall of earth surrounded the area.
This was to prevent the masked person from evading the next attack.
[Earth Gatling]
[Earth Gatling]
[Earth Gatling]
Multiple earth-gatling guns emerged from various points at the same time.
They unleashed hundreds of bullets towards the masked person.
[Crossfire]
Tatatatatata!
The area within the earthen walls was engulfed in a thick cloud of dust.
.
When the dust finally settled, Kwak Seung-jae fully expected to find the masked person lying defeated on the ground.
But the masked person just stood there.
Without a single scratch.
This person is beyond my capabilities.
Kwak Seung-jae had a considerable amount of pride in his [Earth Gatling] spell, as it was one of his main attacks.
The fact that he had deployed several of them simultaneously without inflicting any damage meant that this opponent was, in his estimation, someone he couldnt defeat.
He wondered where such a formidable opponent hade from.
Although it seemed highly unlikely that he could win, the course of the battle so far suggested he wouldnt lose either.
His n, then, was to keep the person engaged while waiting for reinforcements.
Boom
The distant rumble of battle reached his ears.
This signified that someone else from the disciplinarymittee was engaged inbat.
The oue of a fight between the disciplinarymittee and the thieves club was predictable.
Soon, they would overpower their opponents ande to assist him.
The masked person momentarily diverted their gaze towards the distantmotion.
It seemed they too realized that their time was running short.
Silently, the masked person then turned to face Kwak Seung-jae directly.
There was a sudden shift in the atmosphere.
As he assumed his stance, the fist he clenched began to glow increasingly red.
Is he about to use a fire-type spell?
However, the color of the heated fist looked to be very ominous.
It was a deep, blood-like red, almost ck, with mes flickering fiercely around it.
Chills ran down Kwak Seung-jaes spine.
Could it be!
If his guess was correct, he couldnt afford to take this lightly.
Kwak Seung-jae quickly withdrew all his spells and shifted to a defensive stance.
[Threefold Stone Wall]
[Strong Wall]
Boom!
Threeyers of stone walls rose up right in front of him and they thickened and hardened even more.
Feeling that even this was not enough, Kwak Seung-jae was about to cast an additional spell to strengthen the barrier.
Just then, the blood-red fist made contact with the first stone wall.
Crash!
The wall got shattered, sending a tremendous wave of heat and shock toward Kwak Seung-jae.
All the defensive spells he had prepared, along with every piece of protective gear, essories, and even his uniform, were instantly destroyed.
Kwak Seung-jae thought to himself as he tumbled andy sprawled on the ground like a rag doll.
His suspicions had been correct.
The name of that skill was
Inferno Fist.
Chapter 32: Where Prohibited Items Are Gathered (4)
Chapter 32: Where Prohibited Items Are Gathered (4)
Crackle, crackle!
Damn it Ah!
With each spark, the masked man twisted in pain.
His entire body was tightly bound by wires carrying electric current.
With even the slightest movement causing an electric shock, his only option was to be meekly dragged along.
Really unfair Ah! Damn. Whats with the first-year students this year?
Song Cheon-hye did not respond to the masked mans question but silently infused mana into the wire.
The wire would continue to paralyze its target until its energy was depleted.
Havingpletely subdued her opponent, all she had to do now was drag this thief her senior, to the disciplinary room ording to the manual.
But then,
Boom, boom, boom!
Hiic.
A tremendous noise startled Song Cheon-hye.
She hupped involuntarily, but fortunately for her, the thief club senior was too busy wrestling with the wire to notice her reaction.
Song Cheon-hye calmed her startled heart and estimated the distance between the source of the noise and her current location.
Even though it was quite a distance away, the fact that the sound was so clearly audible suggested it was no ordinary urrence.
I need to go check it out.
Song Cheon-hye injected more mana into the wire.
She was somewhat concerned about leaving the guy behind, but checking out the source of the noise was more pressing at the moment.
She could always return soon to retrieve him.
Song Cheon-hyeunched herself off the ground before casting a spell.
Electricity surged through her legs, transforming her into a streak of lightning as she sped off.
The moment she arrived at the source of the loud noise,
Ugh!
Song Cheon-hye felt her breath catch in her throat from the intense heat.
Surveying the area, she saw a thick tripleyered stone wall with a huge hole in it while the remaining debris melted away like butter.
And little distance away, she spotted Kwak Seung-jae lying unconscious.
Senior!
Song Cheon-hye rushed to Kwak Seung-jae and then quickly checked his condition.
Since he was stuck by a blow that left such trembling aftereffects, it wouldnt have been surprising if he had died instantly.
Even if he hadnt died, there was a high chance that parts of his body were severely burned or his internal organs turned to mush.
But,
?
Strangely, Kwak Seung-jae seemed to be unharmed.
He had only minor burns, some scrapes from rolling on the ground, and a slightly twisted mana circuit.
Just a few days of rest would be enough for his recovery.
Such minor injuries didnt match the level of destruction in this ce at all.
Song Cheon-hye!
A second-year student from the disciplinarymitteended nearby.
His reaction was simr.
He grimaced at the wave of heat hitting his face upon arrival, hastily checked Kwak Seung-jaes condition, and was puzzled to find him rtively unharmed.
He asked Song Cheon-hye,
What on earth happened here?
Im not sure. I just arrived myself.
Lets head back for now.
Though Kwak Seung-jae was unconscious, he wasnt seriously injured.
Considering the possibility of the assant returning, it seemed wiser to discuss further in a safer location.
The second-year student lifted Kwak Seung-jae and carried him on his back.
***
I rotated my wrists, each in turn.
The hand that had cast [Inferno Fist] was not only free from burns but it alsocked even the slightest burn mark.
This was clear evidence that I hadpletely nullified the elemental penalty.
However, there remained a slight tingling sensation as if my fist was burning from the inside.
I continued to rx my fists and walked towards the dormitory.
That was quite the effort this time.
It was all due to the need to control my strength.
If I had struck with maximum firepower, Kwak Seung-jae probably wouldnt have even left a corpse behind.
Even a moderate output would have blown off a limb.
It was indeed a struggle to adjust my strength precisely enough to render him just incapable of fighting, not more, not less.
I wonder if Kwak Seung-jae would appreciate the effort I put into controlling my power when he wakes up.
The advantage of such meticulous control was that it didnt escte the situation.
Breaking into the temporary storage with the thieves club and stealing prohibited items.
Even if the punishment were severe, it would only go as far as demerit points and disciplinary action.
Of course, it wasnt a minor incident so I would receive quite a few demerit points and face a high level of disciplinary action, perhaps being assigned some unpleasant tasks. But that would have been the extent of the punishment.
However, had I inflicted serious injury on Kwak Seung-jae or worse, killed him, the situation would have escted beyond a mere student affair. It would have be an adult matter.
Cases escted to the faculty line were treated much more seriously, and the punishment was also more severe.
When seeking to gain something by breaking the rules at Dragon yer Academy, one must always be careful not to cross this line and avoid any chance for the staff to intervene.
I doubt the disciplinarymittee will just let this go.
The incident didnt escte but it wasnt over either.
There were lots of prohibited items stored in the Cube of Life, and the Inferno Fist itself was a prohibited skill.
Moreover, by defeating Kwak Seung-jae, I had incurred the wrath of both the Emerald Magic Tower and the disciplinarymittee who would undoubtedly try to uncover my identity.
They would do this in the name of justice and also to save their own reputation.
But they wont find me.
I had left a few clues, but they were far from sufficient to identify me.
The only slight chance they had was if Dang Gyu-young spoke up but I doubted that would happen.
After all, Dang Gyu-young was the president of the thieves club.
***
In the disciplinarymittee, the room of truth.
The president of the club Oh Se-hoon disyed a gentle smile as always.
Opposite to him sat Dang Gyu-young as she slouched casually.
Her face was smeared with dirt and dust due to the aftermath of the fierce battle. And her normally neat, straight hair was now unkempt and disheveled.
This was a stark contrast with Song Cheon-gis immacte appearance with not a single spot of dirt on his clothes. (TN: this Song Cheon-gi is the student council president.)
Her whole appearance screamed I lost the fight, but the expression on her face conveyed a different message:
Yeah, I lost, so what?
.
Song Cheon-gi frowned and turned away as if he was displeased by this sight.
Having subdued Dang Gyu-young and handed her over, his role here was done.
Whatever happened next was up to Oh Se-hoon.
Im leaving.
Why dont you sit and rest for a bit? Youve worked hard.
I have a mountain of paperwork to deal with. And thanks to these guys, its only gotten bigger.
Song Cheon-gi grumbled as he resigned himself to a night without sleep.
The members of the disciplinarymittee watched Song Cheon-gis departing figure with curious eyes.
The student council had always maintained a neutral stance, never interfering in the disputes of other groups.
But tonight, the student council president himself unexpectedly helped them, so they couldnt help but be curious for the reason.
Does the president know? They all looked inquisitively at Oh Se-hoon, but he simply smiled and shook his head.
If I tell you, Ill be in big trouble.
He feared that the moment he spoke the truth, Song Cheon-gi might burst through the door.
It was better for everyone if certain things remained unspoken.
Anyway, Song Cheon-gi had left, and the cleanup was now Oh Se-hoons responsibility.
It meant dealing with the situation at hand.
Uuuaam
Dang Gyu-young yawnedzily.
As she sank deeper into the chair, her head settled where her shoulders should have been.
In that position, Dang Gyu-young asked,
How long are you going to hold me here? Just give me the demerit points and let me go.
She spoke as if she already knew how the conversation would unfold.
And this wasnt surprising, considering she had beening and going from this room of truth for over two years now.
Having faced Oh Se-hoon countless times, their exchanges had be predictably routine.
Oh Se-hoon recited his usual lines.
If you cooperate well, this will be over quickly. Shall we start with this?
Dang Gyu-young received the documents and began flipping through them.
Items were listed over several pages.
They were aparison of the inventory records before and after the breach of the temporary storage.
What was listed in the documents were the discrepancies in the ledger.
More precisely, the items that were now stored in the Cube of Life.
A few unfamiliar items caught her eye.
Probably those the bold junior had imed as his share.
She started wondering why he took both [Inferno Fist] and the [Heart of Thunder], but it wasnt important right now.
Dang Gyu-young feigned ignorance and retorted.
Whats this about?
Gyu-young, lets not waste time. You know what this is.
No? This is the first time Im seeing it.
Pretending ignorance will just make things more tiring for both of us.
Yeah, like I care~
Her brazen attitude wasnt new.
The thieves club. Once they had taken something, they rarely ever gave it back.
Especially today, since they had taken a particrly big bite, they were determined not to let go.
Whenever Gyu-young brazenly confronted him in such shameless way, Oh Se-hoon had a set response.
Gyu-young, I cant let this slide this time. I dont know how you did it, but many items have gone missing. You all have to take full responsibility for the shortfall.
What happens if we take full responsibility?
He started to tally up all the school rules they had broken today
And added to that the missing items
3% demerit points, a cut in the clubs budget, two weeks of cleaning the underground sewers and clearing out the monsters inside, one week of building maintenance work and the seniors will have to take on two external requests.
Thats a hell of a lot. So, youre about to make an offer, right?
She knew that showing the carrot after the stick was the next step for this guy.
Oh Se-hoon continued speaking with a bitter smile.
If youe clean and return all the items, Ill reduce it to 1% demerit points and only three days of sewer cleaning. And nothing else.
It was an unconventional offer.
Such a significant reduction was a bit beyond the authority of the disciplinarymittee president, but Oh Se-hoon had the capability to make it happen.
However, he already anticipated the kind of response he would receive.
Though he always made offers, he could count on one hand the amount of times they were epted.
As expected, Dang Gyu-young chose the first option without much hesitation.
Ill just take the punishment for three weeks, whatever.
I knew you would say that.
Sure enough, Dang Gyu-young had no real hesitation in choosing to face the consequences.
The prohibited items entrusted to Kim Ho were all of high value.
Considering the immense profit they could make by selling them, this level of punishment was bearable.
Dang Gyu-young got up from her seat and asked.
Is that it?
Yes, the punishment starts tomorrow. Let the others know in advance.
Alright. Im off.
Go and rest.
As Dang Gyu-young left the room of truth, five members of the thieves club who had been crouching in a corner crowded around her.
Noonim, is it over?
How many weeks of punishment?
What about the demerit points?
Theres no external request, right?
Wait, its only the five of them?
There were supposed to be seven participants in this operation including Dang Gyu-young.
One member was missing.
When she checked the members of the club she discovered that the absent one was Kim Ho.
She had assumed at first that everyone was caught, but it seemed that junior had managed to escape the pursuit and flee.
But how?
It was possible to shake off other disciplinary members with some luck, but evading Kwak Seung-jaes attention was extremely difficult.
And then she noticed that Kwak Seung-jae himself was nowhere to be seen.
Dang Gyu-young stopped a passing disciplinary member to ask him.
Hey, where did Seung-jae go?
To the infirmary.
The infirmary?
The expression of the disciplinary member changed subtly.
It was almost as if they were asking why Dang Gyu-young didnt know.
He got taken down by someone from your side, didnt you know?
!
But who is that?
He actually didnt resort to some clever trickery; he confronted Kwak Seung-jae and defeated him head-on before he calmly made his escape.
This was impressive in its own right.
A freshman, not even a week into school, had taken down a second-year disciplinarymittee member?
Dang Gyu-young chuckled.
Haha
Boy, youre quite capable.
Chapter 33: Where Prohibited Items Are Gathered (5)
Chapter 33: Where Prohibited Items Are Gathered (5)
Hey, is your hand okay?
The first thing Dang Gyu-young did was grab my hand when we met.
She inspected it carefully while flipping it back and forth and then as if questioning Is this the hand? she went to check my other hand.
It was somewhat unexpected that she didnt immediately ask to see the items.
It looks fine. You used Inferno Fist, right?
I didnt use it without precautions.
Well, of course, youd have handled it well.
Dang Gyu-young pursed her lips as if to say that she worried for nothing and then let go of my hand.
But you must be quite something, right? How did you beat Kwak Seung-jae, even with the Inferno Fist?
It was just good luck.
No, its not just about being lucky. Hes one of the top in the second year Youre sure you didnt repeat a year?
Ive graduated over 200 times; didnt I tell you that?
Ah, are you going to keep saying that?
Dang Gyu-young yfully pped my forearm.
Its true. You justck faith.
Ah, enough of that! Are the items safe?
Yes. Should I take them out now?
Mhm.
Items from the temporary storage were spilled onto the table, leaving Dang Gyu-youngs mouth agape in astonishment.
She embraced the items while rubbing her face against them with an expression of sheer bliss.
Oh my~, these cute little things! How can their colors be so beautiful? So pretty and charming~!
They were all high-risk prohibited items so they just looked menacing to me.
Its said that when people are blinded by wealth, everything starts looking like money.
But seeing how excited she was, I thought there was no need to dampen her spirits, so I discreetly picked out the two [Heart of Thunder] stones that were my share.
This concludes our deal.
Sure, it was a very good deal.
I should be going now.
Wait a minute.
Dang Gyu-young pushed the prohibited items to one side of the table and sat on it.
She looked at me straight in the eyes and opened her mouth.
Kim Ho, wont you join our club?
Is this a recruitment offer?
Yes. Ive been watching, and I dont think theres anyone more suited for our club than you.
Thats the first time Ive heard that. What kind of talent are you looking for?
Arrogant, cunning, and greedy when I look at you, its like seeing a thief incarnate.
Are you insulting me now?
Dang Gyu-young mulled over her previous statement and, seemingly deciding it wasnt quite right, subtly changed her words.
bold, wise, and ambitious But why am I even considering your opinion? Hey, just join us! Ill take good care of you!
Ill have to refuse.
Why!
Let me ask you one thing. Is it because of this?
When I pointed to the [Cube of Life] and asked her that, Dang Gyu-youngs gaze subtly shifted somewhere else.
She started drawing small circles on the table with her index finger.
To be honest, I cant say that it has no effect at all
Im going to sell it.
What!?
That was the most surprised I had ever seen her.
She ran up to me, grabbed my shoulder, and shook it vigorously.
When? Where? To whom? How? Why??
Lets start by you letting go of my shoulder. As for why, it just doesnt suit me.
From my perspective, life-type items or skills were low on my list of priorities.
The [Cube of Life] was used for this special asion, but now that it had served its purpose, it was time to let it go.
It could be used in the next ban wave, but that was still a long way off.
Right now, trading it to a more suitable owner for something more useful to me seemed like the better choice.
Then give it to me. Ill make it worth your while.
Im sorry to say this, but that might be too much for you to handle.
Just tell me. What are you thinking of in exchange?
A Special cultivation room season pass.
A season pass? We can get that too.
Four of them.
Four
Dang Gyu-young was at a loss for words.
After brushing her forehead, she chuckled and continued the conversation.
Haha Junior, isnt that a bit too high? Four season passes is a bit much.
No, the price is just right.
Honestly, avoiding the ban wave is impressive, but at best its worth two season passes.
Youre mistaken about something. The cubes uses arent mainly for disrupting the ban wave. It has a different fundamental ability.
Now that you mention it, that makes sense. What is it?
If the item was just for disturbing the ban wave, there would be no need for it to be festooned with nts.
Moreover, every time its opened, a strong surge of life force emanates from it.
It made more sense that it had a different main purpose.
Im going to show you the item description, but I need you to do me a favor.
Lets see it, then.
As I revealed the item description, Dang Gyu-youngs eyes gradually widened in astonishment.
The effect of stored life-type items is enhanced by 1.3 times? No way! How can something like this even exist?
Worth the price, isnt it?
Someone from the Emerald or Mother Nature club might want it that badly. But four is still a lot, isnt it?
I can get what Ive asked for. In my own way.
Dang Gyu-young clicked her tongue briefly.
If the person involved was selling at that price, there would be nothing more to say as a third party.
Tch. Fine, you handle it your way. What do you need me to do?
Just pass on a message. Itd be great if it seemed natural.
To whom?
The president of the Magic Engineering Club. Tell them a freshmanpleted a 10x10x10 cube.
?
She sent me a quizzical look that asked what I was up to, then shrugged her shoulders.
Alright, its not impossible.
Thank you. Ill be on my way now.
Kim Ho,
As I bowed my head and was about to leave, Dang Gyu-young called out to me again.
This time her face was serious, devoid of any hint of yfulness.
Putting aside the jokes I made earlier, my offer still stands true, even without the cube stuff. Think about it.
Yes, senior.
***
The Magic Tower Association and the Guild Union were each one of the four major forces in apetitive rtionship, but the rtionships among their respective clubs varied.
Clubs like and in the Magic Tower Association were rivals, despite being from the same association.
The , which specialized in gem crafting belonged to the Guild Alliance but often received various conveniences from the Mage Tower Association.
The rtionship between the Magic Tower and the was more akin to thetter.
They maintained a close rtionship due to the intersection of using simr attributes.
Furthermore, this year, the interaction between the two clubs increased as Park Nari who was a promising member of the Guild Alliance was a Druid.
As a result, Mok Jong-hwa the president of the Emerald Club, and Ha Soo-yeon the president of the Mother Nature Club, saw each other almost every other day.
Mok Jong-hwa asked instead of greeting.
What brings you here today?
I came because I have something to ask. Have you ever seen an item like this?
Mok Jong-hwa received a roughly drawn sketch.
It was a cubic box with a lid that could open and close.
It waspletely covered with various nts and emitted a green aura of life.
Even at first nce, it had an extraordinary feel.
It was the first time Mok Jong-hwa had seen such an item.
Ive never heard of it. What is this?
Im not sure myself. Nari saw it and brought it to me.
That was how the incident unfolded.
Park Nari was ying with her pet tiger Bum like she did during any other break when she felt a strong wave of lifeing from somewhere.
Sensitive to such vibrations, Bum quickly ran towards the source, and she followed suit with the thought of catching up to her pet.
What Park Nari discovered there was a male student holding the box that was depicted in the sketch, and Bum who was purring contentedly inside the box.
She thought that it seemed rude, so she soon managed to take Bum back with her but the mysterious box didnt leave her mind.
Mok Jong-hwa was surprised for two reasons.
First of all,
That damn cat actually liked something?
Bum was a very vtile cat or rather, tiger.
Since it was Park Naris pet, he also made a lot of effort to befriend it.
He tried everything, from attending lectures by renowned beast tamers to procuring treats favored by feline spirits, but every attempt ended in failure.
It was a relief that the damn thing didnt scratch him with its terrible temperament.
The fact that such a crazy beast willingly crawled into the box was astonishing.
What on earth was so special about this box?
The second surprise was the realization that people could feel the boxs energy waves from a distance.
ording to Park Nari, she was in the middle of the ssroom, and the male student was in the corridor. If at that distance, not only Bum but also Park Nari could sense the life force emanating from it
At least, its not an ordinary item.
I think so too.
Whos the owner?
Its Kim Ho. First year, ss three.
Any affiliation?
As far as we know, hes still unaffiliated.
Unaffiliated, for now
That meant there might be less fallout if they took a more aggressive approach.
If he established a psychological advantage early, he could possibly negotiate with the freshman for the item at a lower price.
With his n in ce, Mok Jong-hwa called over two first-year students.
Kwak Ji-cheol. Jeong Soo-ji. Come here for a moment.
Kwak Ji-cheol and Jeong Soo-ji were engaged in a heated back-and-forth debate about modifying a magical spell, but when the president of the club called for them, they immediately erased their work and approached him.
Yes, hyung.
You called?
Do you know anything about Kim Ho from ss three?
Jeong Soo-ji didnt know what to say, but Kwak Su-cheol immediately responded.
That guy? Hes a known coward. He forfeited as soon as he was matched with Song Cheon-hye in the cement test.
What? He forfeited in the cement test?
Yes, he just raised his hand when he heard Song Cheon-hyes name.
Though he had previously defeated Hong Yeon-hwa in a duel battle, that fact had long been forgotten by most.
Rumors usually magnify only the negative aspects.
Could you beat him if you faced him?
A guy like that wouldnt stand a chance even if he had a truckload of backup.
For Kwak Ji-cheol, his knowledge of Kim Ho was solely based on rumors.
However, in his mind, Kim Ho was already pegged as a coward who would tuck his tail and run at the first sign of trouble.
Hearing Kwak Ji-cheols confident assertion, Mok Jong-hwa nodded his head.
Bring him here. I want to see him. If he resists break him.
Yes, hes so timid already; a little pressure will probably make him crumble. Hed be shaking at just the mention of Emerald club.
Take Soo-ji with you, just in case.
I can handle it alone
Dont argue.
Understood.
Ha Soo-yeon observed the ongoing conversation and she maintained aposed expression, but she felt troubled inwardly.
I didnt intend for things to go this far
Unlike the solemn and serious image of a wood mage, this years president of the Emerald club tended to handle matters in a more forceful manner.
This time too, if a few words didnt do the trick, she expected him to resort to showing off his power.
It was obvious that the innocent freshman would be the one to suffer.
But did she want to stop him? That wasnt quite the case either.
She too was interested in the mysterious item.
It was likely a high-rank item, and if the Emerald club could be persuaded to lower its price, that would be beneficial for her.
Even if things went awry, it wouldnt affect her Mother Nature Club.
It was like getting results without lifting a finger.
Anyway, Ill see it soon enough.
Ha Soo-yeon was filled with anticipation about what item might be inside that box.
Chapter 34: 2nd Week Strategy Battles (1)
Chapter 34: 2nd Week Strategy Battles (1)
On Monday.
I had breakfast with Seo Ye-in and was on my way to ss when I felt a stinging sensation on the back of my head.
ncing back, I noticed that some people were following me.
One male student and one female student.
They werent discreetly following me but rather tantly made it obvious that I was their target.
There was no way I became popr overnight, so they must being after me because of the [Cube of Life].
They must have caught on to the bait I threw to Park Nari.
Even so, their tant attitude was surprising.
Someone in the Emerald Magic Tower or the Mother Nature Club must be very impatient
People shouldnt handle things in such a way.
Even if I continued to go to sses, they couldnt do anything from their end.
However, this only meant that whatever was going to ur would simply be dyed until after sses.
I always found it better to resolve things immediately.
It was also less bothersome that way.
Seo Ye-in, you go ahead.
..?
Something suddenly came up.
Seo Ye-in tilted her head slightly and then nced behind me.
She spotted a man and a woman and looked back at me.
Are they the reason? She seemed to be asking this question.
Its nothing serious. Ill just deal with it quickly ande back.
. Mhm.
Seo Ye-in headed back to the ssroom first and I made my way to a deserted alley.
By then, one of the two presences I had sensed had vanished; they have probably gone ahead.
The other one kept a certain distance and continued to follow me.
Just as I was about to emerge from the other end of the alley, a male student blocked my path.
The female student appeared behind me, cutting off my retreat path.
I was surrounded from both the front and back.
To think you woulde to such a ce on your own; youve saved us the trouble.
The male student struck a confident pose as he introduced himself.
On the other hand, the female student briefly stated her name.
I am Kwak Ji-cheol of the Emerald Magic Tower.
Jeong Soo-ji.
Ah, yes. So, what brings you to such a rundown ce?
Kwak Ji-cheol replied to my question in an arrogant tone.
Our club president wants to see you. Follow us to the club room.
What if I dont want to?
?
Kwak Ji-cheol blinked his eyes in surprise as if he didnt expect such a response from me.
What?
Do I have to go just because your club president says so?
Dont you understand? We are from the Emerald Magic Tower.
And I am not from the Emerald Magic Tower. Dont order me around. Or I will beat you up.
!
Kwak Ji-cheols mouth slowly opened as if he had heard some outrageous insult.
Soon, his expression turned into one of pure anger.
Jeong Soo-ji who was standing behind me sighed deeply and tried to persuade me.
Just follow us this once. Nothing bad will happen to you.
Forget it, Jeong Soo-ji.
Kwak Ji-cheol seemed to have already decided to use force.
Therge emerald embedded in his staff began to emit a greenish glow.
You should have listened when I was speaking nicely. Theres always someone who only learns the hard way.
Exactly. But can I ask you something?
What is it?
Your name Kwak just reminded me of something. Do you perhaps have a brother in the disciplinarymittee?
Kwak Seung-jae. Hes my respected and proud older brother.
I had a hunch because they both share the Kwak surname and even look alike. So I asked him, and indeed, the two were siblings.
But you know what?
Your respected brother went straight down to the ground with a single inferno fist, dude.
Unaware of the hidden intentions behind my question, Kwak Ji-cheol became even more agitated at the mere mention of his older brother.
This is yourst chance. If you follow along quietly now, you wont suffer any harm.
This is yourst chance too.
.?
If you turn around and leave right now, Ill let you off with just one punch.
Youre still talking nonsense until the very end!
Kwaahh!
The ground in front of Kwak Ji-cheol surged and about a dozen earthen hands reached out towards me.
They tried to grab my limbs, but I skillfully maneuvered through the gaps between the grasping hands with the help of the [Thiefs Step].
At the same time, I gracefully avoided the dirt projectilesing from behind leaving Jung Sooji in astonishment.
How is this!
I slid toward Kwak Ji-cheol like a shadow and swiftly kicked him right in the face.
He tried to block with his staff but his defense was far from perfect and he received a solid blow.
His brother used to block this so easily though.
Ugh!
Kururur
As I kept pursuing him, all of Kwak Ji-cheols earthen hands retracted and transformed into arge earthen fist.
He swung the earthen fist at me, but I quickly stepped back and dodged it before gracefully sidestepping the iing dirt projectiles from behind.
A hummingbird flew from my hand.
As it darted toward Kwak Ji-cheols side, he transformed the earthen fist into a wide dirt shield and swung it at the hummingbird.
What a cheap trick!
Where are you looking?
Thud!
My foot struck deeply into his abdomen.
His focus had been solely on blocking the hummingbird, so he neglected defense in other areas.
Coough!
He bent over and stumbled backward, then swung the earthen fist to keep me at bay.
I effortlessly dodged and grabbed Kwak Ji-cheols head before forcefully mming it into the alley wall.
Bang!
His body clung to the wall and then slumped down.
He seemed to have lost consciousness as only the whites of his eyes were visible.
But since he had the school uniforms protective magic, he probably didnt suffer any major injuries.
Some light trauma might remain though.
!!
Jeong Soo-jii who had been diligently supporting Kwak Ji-cheol suddenly found herself alone.
When our eyes met, she grew startled and quickly cast [Earth Gatling].
But those were the same spells I had effortlessly dodged without even looking just moments ago, so I didnt have any issues with dodging them head-on.
I closed the gap between us in an instant and snatched Jeong Soo-jiis staff with a swift pull, easily disarming her.
They arepletely unprepared for closebat.
For a moment, Jeong Soo-ji wore a look of dismay and then attempted to chant a spell with her bare hands.
Bang!
The staff crashed down on her head.
I spoke to Jeong Soo-ji who was tenderly rubbing her sore head.
Go tell your president. If they need something, they shoulde in person instead of sending someone else.
Okay. Sorry.
As Jeong Soo-ji began to stealthily retread, I called her back.
Hey.
Wh-what?
Are you going alone? What about that?
That referred to Kwak Ji-cheol who had be one with the alley wall.
Shouldnt she have some loyalty as his fellow club member?
Jeong Soo-ji did as I told her and whined while carrying Kwak Ji-cheol, but despite exerting all her mana, she could barely move from her spot due to her abysmal physical strength.
It was clear that she urgently needed closebat training.
There shouldnt be any injuries, so he should be able to go to ss when he wakes up. Im leaving first.
Uh, Mhmm
***
Hey, wake up quickly. Well bete if we dont go now.
Ugh
Kwak Jicheol regained consciousness not long after Kim Ho had left.
His head throbbed in pain and he clutched it with both hands while groaning
Once he had gathered his wits a bit, he couldnt contain his rage and began to tremble.
I cant believe I fell for such a dirty trick
He fights well though; maybe it was just a difference in skill?
What difference in skill! It was all trickery and a lucky punch that did it!
Kwak Jicheol exploded in anger.
He simply couldnt ept the fact that he had been outmatched by a coward in terms of skill.
Rationalizing it this way seemed to ease his mind a little.
Kwak Ji-cheol gritted his teeth before vowing revenge for next time.
Next time, for sure!
Bang!
Right at this time, a magic bullet, seeminglying from nowhere, struck him right on the temple.
The whites of his eyes became visible again as he fell backward.
A sniper?!
Jeong Soo-ji frantically scanned her surroundings.
But the alley remained destely empty, with nothing in sight.
Bang!
The next moment, a magic bullet hit Jeong Soo-jis forehead as well.
As her consciousness faded away, Jeong Soo-ji thought to herself.
Why me too?
And then shey downfortably next to Kwak Ji-cheol.
Both of them ended up beingte for ss.
***
Howe you went to ss before me and arrived eventer?
.
Are you sleeping?
.
How can someone fall asleep so quickly?
***
The time when Teacher Seo Cheong-yong started to make a name for himself as a dungeon strategy expert was rtively recent.
He appeared out of nowhere and consecutively conquered dungeons deemed impossible, gaining fame. He was then invited to be a strategy lecture teacher at Dragon yer Academy.
His amiable appearance and easygoing personality made the students feelfortable with him. His strategy lectures were conducted in a much more rxed atmospherepared to other subjects.
Lets think about why dungeons were created.
A map of an unknown dungeon appeared on the ckboard.
An adventurer party entered through the dungeons entrance.
As they navigated through the intricate dungeon to reach the center, a boss monster was found clutching a treasure chest.
Why doesnt the boss room appear right away? Why must dungeons be asplex as a maze? Anyone want to answer?
A girl in the front row raised her hand.
She opened her mouth after being pointed out by Seo Cheong-yong.
Because it makes intruders struggle.
Thats correct.
The dungeon map was dotted with monsters and traps.
With obstacles added to the already maze-like environment, strategizing became even more challenging.
Theplexity of the dungeon is designed to exhaust you before you reach the core. Your resources, like equipment or items such as potions, magical power and physical energy, or even your party members, might be exhausted. And if all resources run out before reaching the destination
The adventurer party on the ckboard was overwhelmed by monsters and copsed.
Your strategy fails. Youd have to retreat, or in the worst case, face the annihtion of your party.
.!
The key to conquering a dungeon is how efficiently you use the resources you have and how much you save. So! The resource youll focus on conserving this week is,
MAP: [Goblin Swamp]
RULE: [Time Attack][5 Minute Limit]
[Single/Double Dungeon][Strong Enemy]
Time. The time left after clearing the dungeon sharply reflects how efficient your actions were.
The map on the ckboard was erased, and in its ce appeared a crudely carved goblin statue made of logs.
This represented a Goblin Totem.
To clear the dungeon, you need to reach the destination within five minutes and destroy the totem. Of course, the journey there wont be smooth sailing. Be careful; taking a wrong turn into a swamp or getting dyed by monsters will extend your clearing time.
A question, please.
A student raised their hand.
Seo Cheong-yong nodded his head with a smile, prompting the student to speak.
What does the [Strong Enemy] rule mean?
There was a hint about that in Teacher Jo Ok-soons lesson. I hope youve done your homework.
I have yes
Their hand sheepishly lowered.
They must have dozed off during ss.
With a slight smile, Seo Cheong-yong continued his exnation.
Now, this is important. The ground-level dungeons can be attempted multiple times in practice mode.
Because they were all artificial dungeons, entering, exiting and retrying werepletely unrestricted.
However, you only get one chance to score. So, its best to find the most efficient route, practice it several times until youre familiar with it, and then enter the real dungeon. Thats all for todays lesson! Enjoy your lunch, everyone!
As soon as Seo Cheong-yong left the ssroom, Shin Byeong-chul hurried over to Go Hyeon-woo.
Hey, hey, hey! Go Hyeon-woo! Lets do a double-person dungeon together!
This strategy battle was divided into single and double dungeons and each one of them was scored separately.
To score high in a double-person dungeon, choosing the right partner was important.
Thats why Shin Byeong-chul quickly attached himself to Go Hyeon-woo who ranked first in the strategy battle session back in the cement test.
Hmm
Go Hyeon-woo sneaked a nce in my direction while humming.
It looked like he was seeking permission.
As soon as I gestured that it was okay, he nodded in agreement.
If they were heading to the [Goblin Swamp], thebination of these two should work quite well.
Alright. Lets team up with Shin-hyung this time.
Shall we go right after lunch?
That sounds like a good n.
Even if they werent scoring immediately, the more practice mode they did, the better.
And my partner was
It was Seo Ye-in, who was subtly tugging at my sleeve.
Come with me.
Lets do that.
Chapter 35: 2nd Week Strategy Battles (2)
Chapter 35: 2nd Week Strategy Battles (2)
My objectives in this strategy battle were two.
One was a quest that arrived during ss.
[Side Quest: 2nd Week Strategy Battle]
Objective: Clear the strategy battle dungeon.
Deadline: ~midnight on Sunday.
Reward: Varies based on the remaining time (?/5 minutes).
The more time I saved while clearing the dungeon, the better the rewards would be.
In addition, though it was not mentioned in the quest details, if I performed well in both the single and double dungeons the rewards would be greatly enhanced.
My objective was, of course, to achieve the highest reward.
I will finish both within one minute.
If sessful, I could acquire a powerful ss trait.
The number of skills and traits I had now was far less whenpared to other students.
I was managing with [Copy], but if I were to keep relying solely on the skills of others I would eventually hit a limit.
To ascend beyond a certain level, I needed my own set of skills/traits.
A set that is synergistically interlinked with each other.
The trait I would gain this time was to be the first piece of that set.
My second goal was the growth of Seo Ye-in.
Having repeatedly tackled the [Goblin Swamp], there was nothing new for me.
However, this dungeon would be a first for Seo Ye-in.
Sure, if I just revealed the shortcuts and tricks in the double-person dungeon, that would help us clear it quickly but that wouldnt allow Seo Ye-in to gain enough experience.
A true expert doesnt just forge ahead alone but waits and guides a newbie so that they can learn at their own pace.
I nned to support her steadily and then achieve a high score together.
After finishing a simple lunch,
Seo Ye-in and I headed to the ground floor of the dungeon building which was already bustling with first-year students.
In the duel battles, you lose points immediately upon defeat, but in the strategy battles, as long as you performed well there was no need to be concerned about what others thought.
This would mean its advantageous to engage in practice mode whenever theres spare time.
Looking for someone to join a double dungeon!
Hey would you mind teaming up with me for just one game?
But then, wouldnt we have only mages?
Anyone interested in taking down the [Strong Enemy] with me!
Students who hadnt prearranged partners were desperately seeking teammates.
Shouts here and there intermingled, creating a scene as busy as a marketce.
On one side, teams that had already gone through practice mode and returned were visible.
No, why would you rush into that
How many times must I say it! If we dont get it, we have to go a long way around the other side, right?
Then lets go around! Can we even beat it if we fight?
Watching their bickering, it seemed like there were conflicts of opinion happening.
Such incidents aremon when two people coborate.
Shall we go in too?
Okay.
We alternately scanned our student IDs on the terminal and a teleportation portal nearby opened its mouth.
I entered first, followed by Seo Ye-in.
As the portal closed behind us, the previously noisy environment quieted down instantly and silence ensued.
The Goblin Swamp.
Twisted trees blocked the sky, allowing little light to prate, andrge and small swamps stretched as far as the eye could see.
[]
An arrow engraved at our feet was emitting a faint light.
This was the minimum guide for beginners.
If you followed this direction roughly, it would lead you to the totem which was this strategy battles objective.
Then, a notification message appeared.
[Timed attacks will start soon.]
[Remaining Time: 5:00]
Ignore the remaining time. Since its our first attempt, lets not rush and go slowly.
Okay.
Seo Ye-in did as I told him and dismissed the notification message.
When you are pressed for time in an unfamiliar ce, your field of view bes smaller.
Timed attacks were something to consider only after understanding the overall picture.
So, while others were rushing, we walked.
Not leisurely like a stroll, but at a slightly brisk pace.
Since swimming through swamp puddles wasnt an option, we walked around them, changing direction to avoid the next swamp.
Naturally, our path became winding like an S-shape.
..
Seo Ye-in moved in silence yet her eyes diligently scanned the surrounding environment.
She was doing well so far.
Gurrr.
Keke
Sensing our presence, goblins began to appear one by one.
Emerging from the swamp, their heads surfaced first as they clumsily crawled out.
Their bodies were sticky and slimy and they wielded sharpened bone knives in their hands.
There was a total of five.
What should we do?
Should we engage in battle or avoid it?
The decision was entirely up to Seo Ye-in.
Seo Ye-in grasped the pistols holstered at her side with both hands.
Lets fight.
Lets do it. Ill take the front line.
I too drew out the [Earth Staff] and slung it over my shoulder.
This time, my role was to protect so that the ranged attack dealer could safely unleash firepower.
Keeek!
Starting with a goblins screech as it charged, Seo Ye-ins pistols alternately emitted blue light.
Tututututu!
Firing magic bullets in rapid session, she took down one, then two up to four goblins.
And when the fifth goblin tried to stab Seo Ye-in with a bone knife,
Where do you think youre going?
I kicked it in the side, sending it tumbling back into the swamp.
The half-submerged goblin floundered in the swamp only to be finished off by onest magic bullet.
Kerkkerk.
Kirk.
Hearing themotion, more goblins began to reveal themselves from various ces.
There were roughly a dozen.
It was starting to feel like a true goblin swamp.
Again, I left the decision to Seo Ye-in.
Shall we go? Or shall we fight?
Lets fight while we move.
As we moved towards our destination, we intercepted only the goblins that approached too close.
Tututututu!
Kereek!
Some of the goblins threw sharp bone shards like daggers at us.
I let Seo Ye-in dodge those she could and I took care of the more challenging ones.
By guarding and assisting in this way, the ranged attack dealer could decimate the enemies with overwhelming firepower.
Of course, calling it decimation might be an overstatement since the opponents were just goblins, and there was nothing extraordinary about this fight.
I guess things are about to get more interesting.
Boom!
As soon as I had this thought in mind, arge massnded right in our path.
This goblin was noticeablyrger than the others, with thick, muscr arms and legs.
It held arge broad cleaver in one hand, and its rusted de shimmered with blue mana.
Grrrrr
The Beheader Goblin.
This was the boss monster of the Goblin Swamp and the [Strong Enemy] of our current expedition.
Tututututu!
Upon spotting it, Seo Ye-in immediately opened fire with her two pistols.
The beheader used the cleaver like a shield, deflecting the iing mana bullets; some, however, struck its body.
Yet it seemed to suffer little damage.
Should we kill it?
Better to avoid it, I think.
Lets do that, then.
We automatically changed our positions without anyone saying a word.
Seo Ye-in will break through the goblins in the front line, while I will keep the beheader goblin in check from the rear.
Seo Ye-in turned her back and started to run.
Just as the beheader goblin was about to chase her, a hummingbird swooped in.
Grurk?
The creature swung its cleaver while running, intending to slice the hummingbird in half.
Its movements were so swift and controlled that it was hard to believe it was just a monster.
I couldnt help but nod in acknowledgment of its skill.
Its better than Yang Ji-hong.
That guy didnt even know what hit him.
Of course, this didnt mean the beheader goblin seeded in shing the hummingbird.
Right before the knife could touch it, the bird deftly twisted and struck the goblins forearm.
Fzzzt!
Grrrrrrr!
Perhaps it had some resistance as its body wasntpletely paralyzed.
Still, the goblins movements had definitely be slower than before.
It seemed wise to create some distance now.
I quickened my pace to join Seo Ye-in.
As we ran side by side, I asked her.
Why did you say we should avoid it?
It looked like it would take too long to defeat it.
It wasnt just because it looked strong or difficult to kill; it was a calcted decision to choose the more advantageous option.
It was an answer worthy of some approval.
After all, the time it takes to defeat a monster is important.
Were almost there.
I could see a crudely carved goblin statue in the distance.
Bright sunlight was shining only around that area as if it was spotlighted.
Destroying that totem would be the end.
Kerrruk!
As if refusing to allow this, goblins swarmed to protect the totem.
We would have to break through dozens of them to destroy it.
.
Seo Ye-in suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Two pistols were swiftly reassembled into a rifle.
Cover me.
Got it.
Seo Ye-in positioned herself and then aimed at the totem.
I fended off the approaching goblins with the earth staff, kicking and paralyzing them with hummingbirds in the process.
Meanwhile, a strong presence was rapidly closing in from behind.
It must have been the beheader goblin catching up to us.
But before it could reach us,
Bang!
The rifle emitted a blue light and the bullet lodged in the goblin totem.
The statues upper and lower halves separated and the statue was shattered into pieces.
At that moment, all the swarming goblins evaporated.
Dungeon clear.
Well done. Now, check the time.
Okay.
During the first attempt, I deliberately avoided being conscious of the remaining time, but now it was necessary to check the oue.
[Remaining Time: 0:17 seconds]
+ [Goblins Killed: 22]
[Remaining Time 0:39 seconds = 39 points]
+ [Clear Bonus: 500 points]
[Total Score: 539 points]
We had nearly used up the entire five-minute limit.
For each goblin in they added an extra second and each remaining second was converted into one point.
In total, this amounted to 39 points.
The good news was that simply clearing the dungeon awarded us a whopping 500 points.
The scoring was more generous as this was the first week of the strategy battles.
Of course, since this was practice mode, these points were not saved.
Lets get out of here.
As soon as we stepped through the teleportation portal to the outside, a wave of loud noise immediately assaulted our eardrums.
Seo Ye-in silently covered her ears with her hands.
Is that beheader goblin really made to be defeated? Its too strong.
They probably didnt make it to be defeated, more like they made it so wed learn to dodge properly.
Ah, its so annoying when the paths get tangled.
Lets keep practicing until we get used to it.
Victims began to emerge, having suffered at the hands of the beheader goblin.
If you were topare it in a duel battle context, its abilities would be over 900 points.
Not only was its basic value significantly higher than that of a regr goblin, but it also possessed an enhanced physique through mana and a trait that boosted all its abilities in swampy terrain.
So if one were to confront it naively, they were bound to be thoroughly defeated.
It was not without reason that it was tagged as a [Strong Enemy].
Should we rest before going in again, or Should we go right away?
Its okay to go right away.
Up until now, there were no signs of sleepiness in Seo Ye-in.
It was probably because she had slept soundly during ss.
We entered the dungeon for the second time.
The same goblin swamp, identical in every aspect from one to ten, greeted us once again.
[Timed attacks will start soon.]
[Remaining Time 5:00]
Okay, from now on, were going to start speeding things up a bit.
All right.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Remaining Time: 4:59]
Seo Ye-in and I dashed out at the same time.
We sprinted along the winding path while dodging the swamp puddles.
Since it was our second time, there was much less hesitation.
Keureureuk.
Kreuk.
Tutututu!
A barrage of magic bullets rained down on the goblins just as they sensed our presence and began crawling out of the swamp.
Having experienced it once, there was no need to wait for the creatures to settle into their positions a second time before attacking them.
The sound of the magic pistols firing drew goblins from all around.
And then,
Boom!
Grrrrr
The beheader goblinnded in a unique position that was different from thest time.
While everything else repeated in the same manner no matter how many times we tried, only this creatures appearance time and location were randomized.
Should we avoid it this time too?
..
Seo Ye-in nced back and forth between me and the beheader for about three seconds, then, as if something came to her mind she asked me.
Do we get points for taking that one down too?
I couldnt help but smile slightly.
It was a very wee question.
Shes quick-witted.
Most would be so focused on the strength of the opponent that theyd be slow to realize this, but Seo Ye-in wondered about it on her second attempt.
Killing a regr swamp goblin adds one second per goblin.
Then, how many seconds would be added for defeating the beheader goblin who was marked as a [Strong Enemy]?
120 seconds.
..!
What do you want to do?
We would receive a bonus of a full two minutes.
Seo Ye-in switched her pistols for a rifle.
Lets try taking it down.
Chapter 36: 2nd Week Strategy Battles (3)
Chapter 36: 2nd Week Strategy Battles (3)
A standoff in which Seo Ye-in who wore an invisible ghillie suit and I faced off against the beheader goblin.
Grrrr
As the beheader let out a low threatening growl, the ordinary goblins didnt dare intervene and merely watched from a distance.
Just as the creature was about to leap forward and swing its rusted cleaver,
Thump
A magic bullet, fired from somewhere, struck it squarely between the eyes.
Its face contorted and its head snapped back violently.
However, the beheader goblin jerked its head back to its original position. What a tough guy.
Its eyeballs rolled around wildly before focusing on the direction from which the bullet hade.
Ajhussi, dont get distracted. Look this way.
I had to keep its attention on me to allow Seo Ye-in a safe shot at its weak spot.
I charged at the beheader as I swung the Earth Staff (melee) and cast a hummingbird simultaneously.
Both the staff and the hummingbird targeted the creature from opposite sides.
Grrrr!
The beheaders body blurred in ce and split into two as if using a duplication technique.
Its cleaver also split into two, attempting to cut through both the staff and the hummingbird at the same time.
Since it was a boss monster, it evidently knew how to use skills.
This is actually better.
I had nned to hit only one of them anyway so its diversion of power was a wee development for me.
I quickly retrieved the staff, stepped back, and maneuvered the hummingbird.
Fzzt
The beheader swung its cleaver at me as if it was unaffected by this level of paralysis.
I leaned back and narrowly avoided the rusty de as it whooshed by.
I then lunged back in, hitting its side with the staff, but it seemed to take little damage.
This creature was wrapped up in physical abilities and traits; my attack which was fueled only by mana, naturally did little damage.
Thump
Seo Ye-ins magic bullet hit for the second time.
Again, it struck the creatures face.
Even as its head snapped back, the beheaders bulging eyes were locked in the direction from which the magic bullet hade.
Didnt I tell you not to get distracted?
Grrraaah!
As I stretched out my staff and tapped the area where the magic bullet had just hit, the beheader got enraged and rushed towards me.
Such was its fury that streams of sword energy were visibly emanating from its cleaver.
But I used the [Thiefs Step] and kept a close distance, weaving through its attacks with precise timing.
Thump
Another magic bullet struck the head of the beheader goblin.
The creature seemed momentarily torn between focusing on me or going after Seo Ye-in.
While it was clearly angered by me, the real threat wasing from Seo Ye-ins direction.
The goblin seemed to have decided to catch thetter first, so it bent its legs and crouched in ce.
Not so fast.
[Activate Amplification.]
[Th rank of Hummingbird increased (E->C)]
Fzztzztzzt!
When it was hit squarely by the C-rank hummingbird, the beheaders movements came to aplete halt.
Thump
And then a fourth magic bullet embedded itself in its face.
The beheader, unable to maintain its bnce, began to stagger.
The creature then gathered up as much mana as it could, infused it into the cleaver, and hurled it with all its might toward the ce where Seo Ye-in was hiding.
The thrown weapon ruthlessly tore through the area.
Kaka-gaga-gak!
Swamps and damp soil were wildly overturned.
The air wavered, revealing Seo Ye-ins form.
Even amidst the chaos, Seo Ye-in stood motionless in her ce and aimed her rifle.
Thump!
The fifth sniper shot hit its mark.
The goblin beheader bent one leg and then eventually knelt on both knees.
Guru
And finally, it copsed with a thud.
Its body turned to ash and was scattered.
Gotcha. Lets go.
Mhm.
We started running again.
The rifle was immediately reassembled into two pistols and they started shooting out blue fire.
Tutututu!
Keruruk? Keruk!
Kekkek??
Due to the defeat of the boss monster, the goblins were in disarray.
Some blocked the path, while others ran away or jumped into swamp puddles.
As Seo Ye-in passed by, she allowed herself to eliminate those she could and focused on repelling the approaching ones, while running straight for the totem.
As soon as she got close enough to the totem, Seo Ye-in unleashed a barrage from her magic guns and managed to destroy it.
[Remaining Time: 0:18 Seconds]
+ [Goblins Killed: 11]
+ [Strong Enemy Killed: 120]
[Remaining Time: 2:29 Seconds = 149 Points]
+ [Clear Bonus: 500 Points]
[Total Score: 649 Points]
Although she moved more swiftly than in her first attempt, the time taken to defeat the beheader goblin meant the total duration was simr.
The number of goblins killed was lower since she only eliminated those in her path.
However, this time, the elimination of a [Strong Enemy] added a significant 120 seconds.
The score was over 100 points higher than our first attempt.
The time was reduced quite a bit. We can shorten it even more.
.
Seo Ye-in silently nodded her head.
However, her expressionless face subtly revealed a sense of dissatisfaction.
I quickly realized the reason but couldnt bring it up myself.
So I asked while pretending not to know,
What is it?
..
Seo Ye-in hesitated, starting to speak and then stopping.
After waiting patiently, she finally began to speak.
you know.
Yeah.
can you give me another special lesson on magic bullets?
She felt somethingcking in her magic bullets.
The beheader goblin had been incredibly tough.
As a close-range boss monster, its normal for it to be robust.
Yet the fact that it took five rifle shots to take it down seemed to bother Seo Ye-in.
It wasnt just any five shots, but five shots that were precisely aimed at its vital spots.
The monsters defense wasnt particrly strong either.
Because I had marked it perfectly and exposed its vulnerabilities.
Essentially, it was like shooting at an obvious target, but it still took her a long time, so she must have thought it wasnt good enough.
She does have apetitive spirit, doesnt she?
The device called [Strong Enemy] was originally installed to give freshmen a hard time, or to put it more politely, to make them experience a wall.
It was meant to induce a sense of frustration at least once.
Seo Ye-in did feel the wall when facing [Strong Enemy], but far from getting frustrated, she immediately wanted to ovee this barrier and was eager to grow.
For me, this was a wee development.
Teaching bes more fun when the learner is enthusiastic.
So, shall we wrap up todays strategy battle session here and head to the training center?
Mhm, lets do that.
***
The training center.
Today, we settled in a personal shooting range, not the mana cultivation room.
Any obstacle needed for shooting could be summoned here.
Now, I will begin the third special lecture on magic bullets.
p
Seo Ye-in weed this with silent apuse.
First, lets see how far youve progressed. Your [Magic Bullet] skill is E-rank now, right?
Mhmm.
How much longer do you think it will take to reach D-rank?
Since thest magic bullet lecture, Seo Ye-in must have practiced on her own.
Seo Ye-in was lost in thought for a moment and then opened her mouth.
Tonight? Im almost done with it.
Youre quick. Good. Keep it up. Today, were going to learn a new skill.
All right.
I set up arge wooden stump a short distance away as an obstacle.
In one hand, I created a magic bullet and in the other, I curled my thumb and index finger to mimic flicking a marble.
Lets pretend this is a magic gun.
I inserted the magic bullet into the flick and then snapped my fingers towards the wooden stump.
The magic bullet flew weakly, barely touching the stump before rolling to the ground.
Right now, this is your state. Your magic bullet is wless, and you use a good magic gun, but youre still only using them as tools.
This is akin to a swordsman who has mastered the use of a fine sword and techniques but is only swinging it.
To be stronger, one must advance beyond this stage.
After all, its said that a swordsman treats their sword as an extension of their body, and a sword is an extension of the arm.
The rtionship between a gunslinger and a magic gun isnt much different.
Watch again.
I formed the flick again and ced the magic bullet within.
This time, while aiming at the wooden stump I concentrated the mana on my index finger and fired it like a magic bullet.
Snap!
The speed of its flight and the sound it made were distinctively different.
The wooden stump swayed from the impact.
This skill is called [Ejection]. Lets try to master it.
I gathered mana in my hand, focusing it on the area from where it would beunched, namely the index finger.
Then, in sync with the flicking of the finger, I released the mana.
The principle was simr to how martial artistsunch a finger-force energy.
.
Seo Ye-in awkwardly formed the shape of a flick.
She ced a magic bullet between her thumb and index finger, concentrated her mana, and flicked it.
Ping!
The magic bullet flew off in arge arc butnded in the wrong ce.
It seemed less an issue of poor aiming and more that the action of flicking was unfamiliar to her.
I had to immediately modify the training content.
At this rate, we would be stuck at the basic stage of flicking, which wasnt even necessary to practice.
Lets try without the magic bullet. Just managing to send mana flying will already be counted as a sess.
Seo Ye-in diligently flicked her finger in the air.
Gathering mana at her index finger had been achieved without much effort, but sending it flying posed a bit of a challenge.
Even after flicking her finger, the mana would sometimes remain on her index finger, or she would release it a beat too soon.
Timing the release was just as important as the act of sending it off.
After all, it was a skill used while firing a magic gun.
Thwack
Finally, after several attempts, a faint blob of mana sprung from Seo Ye-ins fingertip and it managed to brush against a wooden stump.
Though more mana remained on her index finger than what was sent flying, even taking that into ount, her progress was quite fast.
I nodded my head.
Youre doing well. Keep it up.
All right.
***
By the time evening arrived, the training had progressed even further.
Now, she could easily send mana flying with a flick of her finger.
From this point on, I had her train using her own magic gun.
Completing this would grant her the [Ejection] skill, and then she could move on to using D-rank magic bullets.
But what should we do for dinner?
..?
Seo Ye-in found herself in a somewhat awkward position.
She was in the midst of intense training and wanted to continue focusing, but skipping a meal altogether wasnt an option as she was hungry.
She was caught in a state where she could neither do this nor that.
Eventually, I decided to run an errand for her.
Ill just go to the student cafeteria and grab some food.
Thank you.
Seo Ye-in handed me her card, which meant that I should use it for the payment.
It was a heavy thick ck card with a ck sheen on it.
***
I picked various types of bread at the student cafeteria.
Chocte, sausage, cream puff, muffin, croquette
This seemed like enough for a snack.
After grabbing a few drinks as well, I was about to leave when,
Hello!
I made eye contact with Han So-mi who was sitting at a table eating her meal.
Seeing her wave cheerfully at me with a bright smile on her face, it seemed she no longer harbored any hard feelings about the incident on the train.
I too held no ill will towards Han So-mi.
After all, she was just doing her duty as a member of the student disciplinarymittee, and technically, it was I who had broken the school rules.
Moreover, since we were both in the same ss, I thought it would be nice to at least exchange greetings, so I waved back.
.?
When Han So-mi waved her hand, Song Cheon-hye who was sitting across from her, turned her head as if to see whom she was greeting.
She had a happy smile on her face as she took a bite of her cake, but as soon as she saw me, she immediately changed her expression.
Was there really a need to change her expression that drastically?
Anyway, while I was at it, I casually waved to Song Cheon-hye as well before continuing on my way, when suddenly,
Hey! Wait!
Song Cheon-hye approached me.
What?
That is Could you show me your hand, please?
Chapter 37: 2nd Week Strategy Battles (4)
Chapter 37: 2nd Week Strategy Battles (4)
Why did she suddenly ask to see my hand?
It was likely she had heard something from Kwak Seung-jae.
There is a student at this school who has mastered Inferno Fist.
And the student is most likely rted to the missing prohibited items.
From the perspective of the disciplinarymittee, they would want to identify the culprit as soon as possible.
The clues were the Thiefs Step, Hummingbird, the Invisible Ghillie Suit, and the burn marks that must have remained on the hand of anyone who used the Inferno Fist.
However, the Thiefs Step was not a reliable clue.
It was a universal skillmonly used by many long-range attack dealers apart from rogue-ss people, so it was virtually impossible to pinpoint someone based on that alone.
The Hummingbird and Invisible Ghillie Suit were rtively easier to narrow down though.
Many might have learned Hummingbird but the number of people who could control it well enough to break through Kwak Seung-jaes guard was probably no more than ten within the school.
Simrly, the Invisible Ghillie Suit was an expensive item that was notmonly owned by many.
Looking at these two things from Song Cheon-hyes perspective.
I was quite skilled at using Hummingbird, and Seo Ye-in who was a close friend of mine possessed an Invisible Ghillie.
So she was thinking that I could have borrowed the Invisible Ghillie Suit from her.
It must have seemed like a fitting piece of the puzzle.
It was inevitable that she would be suspicious of me.
So, she appeared to be checking my hands for burn marks, suspecting me to be a prime suspect
But would her n work as she intended?
I asked her while feigning innocence.
My hand? Why my hand?
Cant you just show it to me?
As she stubbornly moved closer with her gaze fixed downward, I sped my hands behind my back.
The suspicion in Song Cheon-hyes eyes only deepened.
She quickly moved to my back but I spun around in ce to face her.
Song Cheon-hye tried to move behind me again and I rotated once more.
After a couple of such turns, I casually slipped my hands into my pockets.
Ah!
Why are you so fixated on someone elses hand? I need a reason to decide whether to show it or not.
That is
She struggled to find an excuse and was unable to respond easily.
She could honestly say, Im looking for a suspect, but that would be akin to outright saying, I think youre the culprit.
What if, like during the entrance ceremony and the ban wave, she ended up drawing a nk after using me? It would surely be a blow to her pride.
But I have to show my hand eventually.
If the disciplinarymittee continues to focus on me like this, it could slightly hinder my freedom of movement.
So I actually needed to show her my unharmed hand right now.
So, I gave her an excuse.
Why? Do you want to read my palm or something?
Song Cheon-hyes face lit up.
Thats right. Its just palm reading!
I gullibly went along with it
Thinking about it, offering to read palms right away seemed strange enough to be on the same level as showing my palm, didnt it?
But I decided to pretend not to notice as raising objections would only take us back to square one.
It seemed that Song Cheon-hyes realization and kicking off the covers would happen muchter.
..
Two soft hands sped mine.
Song Cheon-hye earnestly began to knead and examine my hand.
She also subtly infused mana as part of her inspection to check to see if any magic or items were oveid as a disguise.
Unsurprisingly, the result was a clean and healthy bare hand.
Ill look at the other hand too.
Yes, please do.
Palm reading requires looking at both hands, after all.
But there was no way the other hand would be scarred.
From the beginning, I hadnt received any damage at all.
The doubts quickly faded away from Song Cheon-hyes face.
She released my hand and posed a question.
What did you dost weekend?
Do I really need to tell you that?
No, you dont. I misspoke.
When I showed signs of displeasure, Song Cheon-hye blushed and immediately admitted her mistake.
She must have realized that questioning me like it was an interrogation in this situation was crossing a line.
Eventually, she bowed her head slightly and stepped back.
Excuse me.
Wait a moment.
Yes?
As Song Cheon-hye was about to return to her seat, I asked her in a yful tone.
Arent you going to tell me the results of the palm reading? Do I have any luck in love?
Youre going to have a tough time ahead. A lot.
She answered casually and moved away.
With that, I was at least temporarily cleared from the list of suspects.
However, even as Song Cheon-hye returned to her seat, the way she sneakily nced at me suggested that she hadntpletely dismissed her suspicions.
***
Thump! Thump!
Seo Ye-in was firing a pistol with just one hand.
On the other hand, she alternated between a bread bag and her mouth as she picked up and ate small mini donuts.
Considering her usually small appetite, she hadnt bought many, but today for some reason, she kept eating more bread.
It seemed her body was demanding energy, likely due to the substantial mana consumption during her training.
Thump! Thump!
Since she was instructed not to use magic bullets, only streams of mana burst from the gun barrel and struck the targets.
It almost looked like she was shooting a water gun.
After repeating this for a while, Seo Ye-ins eyebrows were slightly raised.
!
She turned her head towards me, but realizing she still had food in her mouth, she just chewed silently for a moment.
Only after slowly sipping the drink I handed her did she finally speak.
. Learned it.
Already? That was fast.
She learned the [Ejection] skill in less than half a day.
It was a speed that surpassed my expectations again.
Her talent was simply unbelievable.
It seemed unnecessary for me to stay by her side for the D-rank [Magic Bullet] task.
She also said that she would almost get it.
Ill head in first. You can manage the rest, right?
Mhm. See you tomorrow.
Seo Ye-in gently waved her hand.
As I left the training center, the sound of magic gunshots continued to echo behind me.
***
And the next morning,
Seo Ye-in arrived at school looking twice as sleepy as usual.
She opened her mouth opening slightly and yawned slowly.
And then she said in anguid tone.
I raised it by one rank
[Ejection]?
Mhm
She had reached E-rank on her own with the [Magic Bullet] D-rank, even though she just learned [Ejection] yesterday.
She was clearly talented but I could imagine how hard she must have worked while out of my sight the previous night.
I nodded my head in acknowledgment.
Well done.
This gives us an extra day.
Originally, I nned to spend another day teaching her [Ejection], but since Seo Ye-in had already surpassed that stage on her own, there was no reason to dy.
Lets go right after ss.
To update our score.
***
After school,
I had to wake up Seo Ye-in who had spent the entire ss fast asleep.
And then she groggily followed me to the dungeon building.
Fortunately, by the time we arrived, she seemed mostly awake.
Before entering the dungeon we quickly devised a n and stepped into the teleportation portal.
[Timed attacks will begin soon.]
[Remaining Time: 5:00]
Lets do this.
Mhm.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Remaining Time: 4:59]
Tututututu!
Right at the start, Seo Ye-in fired several magic bullets into the air.
The quiet swamp echoed with the sound of gunshots.
Keruk?
Kruruk. Kek!
Soon, the area became as noisy as a disturbed beehive.
Goblins began to pop their heads out from all over the ce right from the start.
Startle the snake by hitting the grass.
The startled snake would either coil up even more or reveal itself to bite its foe.
As expected, the leader snake made its appearance.
Thud
Grrr
Although it descended upon hearing themotion, the beheader goblin could not discern our location and looked around in confusion.
On the other hand, Seo Ye-in had been preparing from the moment she fired the magic rifle into the void.
The long barrel was now aimed at the creature.
Almost as soon as it discovered us,
Twang!
A magic bullet was fired with enormous force.
And then a blue streak was drawn between the rifle and the beheaders head,
Bang!!
The creatures head and even its waist bent backward as it fell.
It was so powerful that even after falling it rolled several times.
Grrr
The beheader goblin was knocked into a dazed state with just one hit, unable to regain its senses.
If there was a health bar above its head, it would have been close to 0%.
This waspletely different from before when it had taken four or five hits to finally fall.
The finishing blow was mercilessly delivered to the creature as it floundered and crawled on the ground while trying to prop itself up.
Bang!!
She can easily get a score of 900 points.
A high-grade magic rifle,bined with a perfectly shaped D-rank [Magic Bullet] and an E-rank [Ejection], unleashed formidable destructive power.
While many aspects still needed improvement, in terms of single-shot firepower, it could rival even the most promising students.
With the right use of surprise tactics, it seemed possible for her score to ascend rapidly up to the 900-point range.
Well done. Lets go.
Tututututu!
The power of her twin pistols had also increased significantly.
Previously, it took her several precise shots to take down a single goblin, but now one or two shots were enough to bring them down.
As Seo Ye-in sprayed bullets in all directions, the goblins dropped one by one like flies.
Soon, the totem came into view.
Seo Ye-in maintained her running speed, then aimed her pistols and fired rapidly.
Tututut!
The totem shattered into pieces and dispersed.
Dungeon cleared.
[Remaining Time: 1:20 seconds]
+ [Goblins Killed: 28]
+ [Strong Enemy Killed: 120]
[Remaining Time: 3:48 seconds = 228 points]
+ [Clear Bonus: 500 points]
[Total Score: 728 points] * 0.8 multiplier
= 582 pt
We saved a lot of time by swiftly killing the beheader goblin.
The number of goblins she caught along the way also contributed to a significantly better record than our previous attempt.
I also easily aplished my strategy battle quest as well.
Perfect. High five.
As I raised my open palm, Seo Ye-in lightly touched it with her own.
A silent high-five. p.
Huh? You smiled.
?
Seo Ye-in tilted her head in confusion.
It seemed she hadnt realized it but a faint smile had briefly graced her lips.
Seo Ye-in silently touched her lips with her fingers.
***
Next was the single dungeon.
Compared to the double dungeon, there were slight differences in theyout and monster cement.
Naturally, each had to be tackled individually.
There shouldnt be any major difficulties in the single dungeon. Youre more than capable of getting a high score on your own.
Mhm.
But just in case, try practicing a few times before entering.
Alright. Thank you.
Seo Ye-in stepped into the teleportation portal to enter practice mode.
I too scanned my student ID on the device.
However, unlike her, I was heading straight into the real challenge, not the practice mode.
It was all already in my head.
[Timed attacks will begin soon.]
[Remaining Time: 5:00]
The newbie support was a sess.
Now, it was time for the veteran (stagnant water) to shine.
Chapter 38: 2nd Week Strategy Battles (5)
Chapter 38: 2nd Week Strategy Battles (5)
Now I had to take on the role that Seo Ye-in yed in the double dungeon all by myself.
Everything from going through the goblins, keeping the beheader at bay, and destroying the totems.
And any shorings I will have in the process,
Ill have to make up for it with items.
The student store was there precisely for such purposes.
First, I checked how many points I had umted.
(2,249pt)
Last week, I had engaged in a duel battle with Yang Ji-hong and the points significantly increased as others viewed the stored reys of our match.
Due to my reputation hitting rock bottom, I had anticipated that almost no one would bother to watch the battle.
However, perhaps because it was a rey recorded on the first day, there seemed to be some demand for it.
Still, it was just me spamming hummingbird so it probablycked any real benefit for the others.
Anyway, I scrolled through the item list and selected the necessary ones.
(2,249pt) -60pt
[You have acquired Firecrackers x3.]
(2,189pt) -50pt
[You have acquired Portable Buoy (Unlimited Refill).]
I bought three firecrackers, which areunched by pulling a string, and a small buoy that floats when thrown into water.
Preparationsplete.
I grabbed the firecracker string and aimed it forward.
Soon, the countdown began.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Remaining Time 4:59]
Whoosh
Bang!!
As I fired the firecracker, I simultaneously dashed forward.
With its mouth gaping dark and menacing, I charged straight at the swamp pit before me.
Just before stepping into the swamp pit, I grabbed and threw the portable buoy.
After lightly stepping on the floating buoy, I jumped on it before throwing the next buoy with one hand and then stepping on it to throw another.
This sequence of throwing and stepping connected so naturally that it barely felt different from running on solid ground.
The secret to saving time is to go straight.
Winding around to avoid the swamp pit would only slow me down significantly.
And how can we simplify this cumbersome path then?
The solution was to cross the swamp directly, using the portable buoys as stepping stones.
Kerrruk!
Keeeeek!
The firecrackers were much louder than the sound of Seo Ye-ins magic gun firing.
So it was inevitable that they would summon every goblin in the surrounding area.
I set off another firecracker to announce my presence to everyone.
Bang!
Dozens of goblins were alerted to my presence and started to swarm towards me.
I used the [Thiefs Step] and easily dodged the bone knife swung by the goblin close to me.
As I brushed past, I gave its forehead a sharp flick.
The goblin got furious and tried to follow me, but it failed to imitate my action of stepping on the buoys and floundered in the swamp.
Sssss!
Ah.
Hearing a chilling slicing sound behind me, I threw a buoy not forward but sideways and jumped.
A rusty cleaver that was charged with mana whizzed past me.
Grrrr!
I could hear a low growl from the beheader goblin.
I ran forward, ignoring the creature as if it were of no importance to me.
This seemed to infuriate it even more, and it began to pursue me with increased fury.
But no matter how angry it got, it couldnt match my speed as I made use of my Thefs Step skill and managed to widen the gap between us.
As I raced over the swamp puddles, I reached the goblin totem in half the time it would take a regr first-year.
Last one.
Bang!
I set off a firecracker and grabbed the totem with one hand.
I didnt immediately destroy the totem but instead tossed it up and caught it while waiting.
This was like a threat, as if I would break it if the goblins didnte quickly.
Kekkek!
Gruk!!
The effect was excellent.
Dozens of goblins, including the leading beheader, swarmed towards me.
Their killing intent was focused solely on me.
I thought to myself while calmly facing their lethal hostility,
Hunting is indeed best when its a drive hunt.
I clenched my empty hand that wasnt holding the totem.
Deep inside my fist, a dark red me began to burn.
Graaaah!
As the distance closed between us, the beheader goblin forcefully leaped off the ground and charged at me.
I walked towards it leisurely as if I were just taking a stroll.
I narrowly dodged the cleaver it swung, barely missing it by the thickness of a paper, and delved deep inside its guard. My zing fist struck the goblins face.
Boom Boom Boom!!
Everything in front of me was obliterated.
The beheader, the goblins, and even the swamp puddles were all wiped clean.
Unlike when I faced Kwak Seung-jae where I controlled my strength, nothing was left alive in the face of the full power of the Inferno Fist.
As I looked at the devastation I had created, I exerted pressure on my thumb and cleanly snapped the neck of the goblin totem.
I dont want to save a rey.
[Remaining Time: 2:44]
+ [Goblins Killed: 71]
+ [Strong Enemy Killed: 120]
[Remaining Time: 5:55 = 355 Points]
+ [Clear Bonus: 500 Points]
[Total Score: 855 Points] * 0.8 Multiplier
= 684 Points
In the process of maximizing the bonus, the remaining time actually exceeded the five-minute limit.
The quest also far surpassed its clearing conditions.
[Side Quest: 2nd Week Strategy Battle]
Objective: Clear the strategy battle dungeon
Single Dungeon (Remaining Time 5:55/5 Minutes)
Double Dungeon (Remaining Time 3:48/5 Minutes)
Rewards will be Increased.
[Please select your reward.]
Seed of Abundance
Phantom Eyes
Blessing of the West Wind
One of these three traits can be chosen and acquired.
The Seed of Abundance provided bonuses to healing and buff skills.
The Phantom Eyes enhanced debuff skills, particrly those of the illusion category.
And the Blessing of the West Wind granted bonuses to wind-type skills.
Theres no need to think about it.
[Acquired the Blessing of the West Wind.]
I was aiming for this trait from the beginning of the quest.
My future route was already chosen.
I envisioned myself as an all-rounder supporter, bncing my own strength while also faithfully ying the role of support for Go Hyeun-woo and Seo Ye-in.
Specifically, a wind-type supporter.
Of course, having the trait is meaningless without actual wind spells, but,
I can just get the spells.
And for that reason I was using the [Cube of Life].
As I mentioned to Dang Gyu-young, it was worth at least the value of four season passes.
That is by my standards at least.
Its about time they started moving too.
Having confidently dealt with Kwak Ji-cheol and sent him packing back to his club, the Emerald side was likely in disarray about now.
The likelihood of them trying the same strategy was slim; perhaps the presidents woulde to face me themselves?
***
Krugh!
Kwak Ji-cheol found himself struggling to breathe properly.
He desperately tried to remove the huge wooden hand that was pressing him against the wall.
The hand belonged to a hefty wooden golem, each of its hands asrge as a human body.
Meanwhile, the Emerald club president Mok Jong-hwa who controlled the golem was in the midst of a furious outburst.
What an utterdisgrace!!
He bellowed in tremendous anger.
When the wooden golem momentarily loosened its grip, Kwak Ji-cheol gasped for air in that brief respite.
Thud!
Ugh!
But in the next instant, he was struck by the golems swinging hand and rolled across the floor.
Mok Jong-hwa slowly approached Kwak Ji-cheol.
Are you and your brother both set on disgracing me? Your brother who is a member of the disciplinarymittee gets beaten by a thief.
Kwak Ji-cheols older brother, Kwak Seung-jae, was among the top second-year students and was even discussed as a potential future president of the schools disciplinarymittee.
However, his reputation was severely shakenst week when he was defeated by an unidentified masked intruder during a break-in at the temporary storage room.
Regardless of whether the opponent had used Inferno Fist or not, it was inconceivable for a member of the disciplinemittee, a symbol of undefeatedness, to be defeated by a mere thief.
Due to that incident, the prestige of the Emerald Magic Tower plummeted and now Kwak Ji-cheol had also been defeated.
Worse still, even with the support of Jung Soo-ji, he ended up getting knocked out in a two-against-one confrontation.
You spoke with such confidence at that time, what was it you said? A known coward? A guy like that wouldnt stand a chance even if he had a truckload of backup?
Thud!
The wooden golem struck Kwak Ji-cheol again.
Yet you get thrashed by this so-called coward? How am I supposed to show my face in the Magic Tower Association now, huh?!
Thump! Thud!
Ha Soo-yeon, the president of the Mother Nature Club, sighed softly.
She came to see how the situation with Kwak Ji-cheol had been handled only to find this mess.
For some reason, I had a bad feeling from the beginning.
The moment Mok Jong-hwa chose to show off his power, a conflict, big or small, was inevitable.
However, she hadnt expected that a first-year named Kim Ho would defeat both Kwak Ji-cheol and Jung Soo-ji.
Considering both were in the 600-point range, it indicated that Kim Ho had considerable skill.
At the very least, his nickname coward was a gross underestimation.
And then there was Kim Hos attitude.
After subduing the two he confidently dered:
If they need something, they shoulde in person instead of sending someone else.
Typically, the freshmen would obediently follow when called by a third-year senior.
But to provocatively say such a thing indicated that he too was a force to be reckoned with. At the same time, it meant he wouldnt show even a hint of submission in the dealings involving the mysterious box.
It also implied that the item was worth the stance he was taking.
He didnt seem like an easy opponent to deal with.
I better change my approach.
The Emerald club president who is still fuming with anger even now has personally proven this.
Not only is it difficult to defeat such a person, but even if you do, the damage will be great.
Moreover, her goal was to acquire a good item for Park Na-ri, not to engage in unnecessary battles with a first-year.
How should I appease him?
It seemed best to prepare a gift.
A decent item that could correct the initial misunderstanding even if it meant taking a loss.
Her curiosity about the mysterious item was great as was her fondness for Park Na-ri.
Anyway, we have to meet him, dont we?
Thwack!
Finally, Mok Jong-hwa who struck Kwak Ji-cheol onest time recalled his golem.
He took a deep breath and suppressed his anger.
His interest in the box remained, but now Mok Jong-hwa had an additional objective.
Haah Right, we need to meet with him. Emeralds prestige has hit rock bottom. I cant settle this with just the item.
Kwak Ji-cheol staggered to his feet.
I will make amends Cough! Ill rectify this.
And what have you done right to open your mouth?
In fear of another hit from the golem, Kwak Ji-cheol hastily continued.
I was caught off guard by a trick that time, I admit. But if I had been serious, theres no way I would have lost. Just give me one more chance
What do you think, Jung Soo-ji?
Mok Jong-hwa called out to Jung Soo-ji, who was standing in a corner with both of her hands raised upward as punishment.
Jung Soo-ji set aside her personal feelings and only stated what she had observed.
The battle wasnt long, so I couldnt grasp much. But his movements were good.
His movements were good
Caught by a trick. Good movements.
It was hard to make a proper judgment just by hearing.
What was needed at a time like this was,
His rey.
Following Mok Jong-hwas words, Kwak Ji-cheol immediately purchased all of Kim Hos reys.
This included two duel battles and the strategy battle for the double dungeon he had just cleared today.
Although it was painful to spend 300 points on this, he had no choice at the moment.
Everyone gathered around the rey crystal ball and started with the duel battles.
The confrontation between Kim Ho and Yang Ji-hong.
Fzzt!
Paralyze with a hummingbird, beat his opponent with a staff, and done.
Kwak Ji-cheol felt tension at the back of his head.
All those precious points spent for just this?
The strategy battle was even more spectacr.
His partner, Seo Ye-ins performance was dazzling.
Bang!
A single sniper shot rendered the beheader goblin incapacitated.
Mok Jong-hwa and Ha Soo-yeon couldnt help but exim in admiration
Shes strong.
There was such a skilled student hidden among us.
Kwak Ji-cheol had recently been on the receiving end of those magic bullets.
Seeing the beheader goblin topple backward, he couldnt help feeling a chill, as it reminded him of his own experience.
From start to finish, it was Seo Ye-in who dominated everything.
Meanwhile, all Kim Ho did was asionallyunch a hummingbird or kick the goblins that came closer.
There was no other way to describe it than to say Kim Ho was being carried by her.
Of course, the two presidents who were also third years had a much broader perspective when watching the rey.
His movements are indeed good.
His control over the hummingbird is top-notch.
But beyond that, I cant find anything particrly outstanding.
Could it be that he is hiding his skills?
Ha Soo-yeon cautiously suggested but Mok Jong-hwa shook his head.
Theres no need to hide them so thoroughly. The hypothesis that he has no other skills beyond the hummingbird seems more likely.
The problem was that even with just that, he was a strong opponent.
Mok Jong-hwa assessed that if they continued with Kwak Ji-cheol leading the charge in a revenge match, the chances of losing were quite high.
After some thought, Mok Jong-hwa gave an instruction to Jeong Soo-ji.
Jeong Soo-ji.
Yes.
Go to the Topaz side and ry this. Tell them I want to borrow an anti-paralysis essory.
.!
His n was topletely block the hummingbird by ensuring they wouldnt be paralyzed.
Next, they needed topensate for Kwak Ji-cheolsck of closebat.
Ill lend out my golem. You think you can win?
Its a sure victory. With this, its impossible for me to lose even if I want to.
Kwak Ji-cheols face lit up with satisfaction as he nodded in agreement.
He was already confident that there was no way he could lose, especially if he approached the battle seriously.
Adding to this confidence, the promise of borrowing an anti-paralysis essory and Mok Jong-hwas golem made him feel invincible.
Challenge Kim Ho to a duel.
Understood.
Since youve already been defeated once, a win here would only bring you back to square one. You need to defeat him overwhelmingly.
Of course. I wont disappoint you.
Wow thats so underhanded.
Ha Soo-yeon who was watching the situation unfold clicked her tongue in disapproval.
It seemed excessive to her that the Emerald Magic Tower, worried about its reputation, would go so far as to lend a third-year students Golem to a first-year just to secure a win.
Even though the Emerald and the Mother Nature clubs were in a cooperative rtionship, she couldnt see such underhanded actions in a favorable way.
In Ha Soo-yeons mind, Mok Jong-hwas unfavorability score was rapidly increasing.
She felt the need to have a separate conversation with Kim Ho.
Chapter 39: Duel Battle (1)
Chapter 39: Duel Battle (1)
After ss ended, there were visitors outside the ssroom looking for me.
Firstly, there was Kwak Ji-cheol.
Jeong Soo-ji who used to hang around with him wasnt here today.
He red at me with eyes full of hostility as if he was plotting something.
I took a moment to reflect.
I regretted not smashing his head against the alley wall.
I should have beaten him more and knocked him out.
It seemed like there would be another opportunity soon.
A little distance away, Park Na-ri was gently stroking her cat while holding it in one arm.
Every time someone passed by, she flinched with a nervous expression on her face.
Both of them had one guardian each.
Beside Kwak Ji-cheol was a male student with an irritable expression who seemed to be irritated by everything.
And next to Park Na-ri was a female student with a gentle smile.
Both wore third year pins on their ties.
They must be from the Emerald Magic Tower and the Mother Nature clubs.
Four people approached me.
The first to speak was the male senior from the Emerald Magic Tower.
Are you Kim Ho?
Hello, senior.
Im Mok Jong-hwa, president of the Emerald club.
And Im Ha Soo-yeon, president of the Mother Nature club.
Unlike Mok Jong-hwa, who openly looked down on people, Ha Soo-yeon maintained a polite attitude and respectfulnguage.
Of course, whether she was just polite remained to be seen.
Mok Jong-hwa continued the conversation.
We came in person because theres something we need to discuss.
Appreciate it. Sending a messenger doesnt quite cut it.
The faces of Kwak Ji-cheol and Mok Jong-hwa stiffened at the same time.
Kwak Ji-cheol at being treated like an unworthy messenger, and Mok Jong-hwa at the implication that a first-year was his equal.
Just as Kwak Ji-cheol was about to retort heatedly, Mok Jong-hwa raised his hand to silence him.
You must be blind to everything as a freshman. Let me give you some advice as your senior. Always be humble. The world outside the well is wider than you think.
Thank you for the advice. But it doesnt seem like youre outside the well either.
If you think that, then its yourck of insight. Being able to urately assess an opponents strength is also a skill.
Is that why you sent two weaklings then?
.!
For a moment, Mok Jong-hwa was at a loss for words.
If his insight was as exceptional as he imed, Kwak Ji-cheol and Jeong Soo-ji should have overpowered me.
Yet, here I was, standing unscathed and boldly talking back.
It was as if I had spat in his face.
Unable to bear it anymore, Ha Soo-yeon stepped in to mediate.
Both of you should probably stop now. We didnte here to argue, did we?
Mok Jong-hwa who was about to retort stopped and looked around.
Due to the sudden appearance of two club presidents, the first-year students passing by were all focused on us.
They were all peeking around as if something interesting had happened. Mok Jong-hwa must have realized that showing more anger here would do no good.
This isnt a good ce for a discussion. Lets move.
***
We bought drinks from the snack bar and settled on the second-floor terrace.
The spot was more secluded than I had expected with fewer students around.
Kwak Ji-cheol and Park Na-ri discreetly hung back, leaving the conversation to Mok Jong-hwa, Ha Soo-yeon, and me.
Ha Soo-yeon started the conversation.
Ive heard that you possess a special item.
I guessed thats why you came.
In fact, it wasnt a guess; I made theme to me.
I took out the [Cube of Life] and ced it on the table.
Though the lid remained closed, the box emitted a faint life force pulse, capturing everyones attention with its glow.
Park Na-ris cat which was previously nestled in her arms suddenly leaped onto the table and squeezed into the Cube.
Bum no! Come out quickly!
Its okay. Just leave it.
Sorry.
I gestured to Park Na-ri, signaling her not to worry about hastily retrieving the cat.
After all, the cat was destined to be the cubes owner; there was no need to be harsh.
The cat yfully flicked open the lid of the Cube of Life.
It sat in the center and uttered a sound.
Meow.
So, it was true
Bum really likes it
Mok Jong-hwa and Ha Soo-yeon looked in disbelief.
Then, Ha Soo-yeon regained herposure and continued the conversation.
At first nce, it seems like a very powerful life-type artifact. May I look at the items description?
Hmm
I pretended to contemte for a moment.
The power of an item directly reflects the strength of its owner.
If I were to show it carelessly, it would be akin to revealing my trump card.
Although I nned to sell it eventually, showing it too eagerly when asked like this might raise suspicions, so I deliberately yed hard to get.
Ha Soo-yeon and Mok Jong-hwa offered reassurances as if to ease my concerns.
We assure you that this information will remain strictly confidential. We promise, in the honor of the Mother Nature Club.
I too promise on the name of Emerald club.
Then, thats eptable.
I pretended to reluctantly concede and disclosed the items information.
The four people crowded close to the cube.
Their eyes widened in astonishment as they read the description.
The effect of life-type items stored inside is increased by 1.3 times?
Theres no limit to the number of items. With this capacity, at least ten can be stored at the same time.
Such an unbelievable artifact
This cant be just a B-rank item. Where did you find this?
Overwhelmed by the unexpected power of the item, all four of them burst into excited chatter.
Even the shy and quiet Park Na-ri actively participated in the conversation.
I sipped my iced coffee and waited leisurely.
After the excitement had somewhat subsided, Ha Soo-yeon returned to her gentle voice.
However, the burning passion in her eyes couldnt be concealed.
Ill be straightforward with you. Are you willing to hand over this cube?
Well, its a good enough item just to have.
Mok Jong-hwa spoke with a haughty tone.
An item shines in the hands of those who know how to use it. In your hands, itll just be a couple of life items. A pearl ne around a pigs neck. Dont let it go to waste; hand it over to us. Well offer a price thats more than generous.
Though President Mok Jong-hwas words are a bit much, I somewhat agree.
Ha Soo-yeon eagerly added further exnation.
The Emerald and Mother Nature clubs possess an ample supply of life-type items. This cubes effects could be maximized, you see.
On the other hand, even if I diligently collected life-type items in the future, I would still fall short in quality and quantitypared to them.
In that case, wouldnt it be better to exchange it for equipment of simr value that I could utilize? That was the argument of the two presidents.
And Id be very grateful for this.
This was very simr to the reason I had decided to sell the cube.
Life-type items didnt really suit me.
Of course, although the reason was simr, theres a huge difference between the perspective of the seller and that of the buyer.
If it appeared that I was selling it because I didnt need it, its value would decrease. But in a situation like this, where they wanted to buy it, I could maintain the upper hand.
I understand what youre saying. But I cant help feeling hesitant.
Just tell us what you want. We will try to amodate you as much as possible.
Umm
I yed the role of a freshman who was full of anxiety, wondering whether to sell it or not and how much to sell it for.
Everyone looked at me in silence and waited for my next words.
But my response had been decided long ago, ever since I brought up the season pass to Go Hyeon-woo.
I pretended to be thinking and then extended four fingers.
Four special cultivation room season passes. I think thats what it would take for me to let it go.
Thats ridiculous.
Mok Jong-hwa retorted immediately.
Dont you think thats a bit too greedy? I would agree to a deal for two passes right away.
Theres no bargaining.
.
Mok Jong-hwa frowned and Ha Soo-yeon picked up the conversation.
Theres no need for as many as four season passes. Youre probably thinking of exchanging it for items of equal value?
Precisely. Id like one season pass and the other three in items.
I could consider trading up to three items, even at a loss. But four seems excessive to me.
Then Im sorry, but it seems well have to pretend this deal never happened.
Ha Soo-yeons eyebrows also furrowed slightly.
I made it abundantly clear that I had no regrets.
As I initially mentioned, Im content just possessing this cube. If I really wanted to sell it, I could approach the Swordsmanship Club or the White Magic Club or even put it up for auction.
.!
.!
In terms of ranking, the levels of Emerald and Mother Nature were in the upper-mid range.
Compared to the prestige of traditional strongholds like the Swordsmanship Club or the White Magic Club, they fall slightly short.
Theres no guarantee that taking the [Cube of Life] to them would fetch more than three season passes, but given the difference in influence, Ha Soo-yeon might entertain the possibility.
The same logic applies to an auction.
If the cube ends up in someone elses hands, it might end up costing more than four season passes.
Ha Soo-yeon let out a sigh, seemingly perplexed.
Ah But first, Id like to hear what items you would ept for the three season passes.
This implied that if the items were rtively easy for them to obtain, they might be willing to ept a greater loss in the trade.
However, things in the world are not always so straightforward.
I want a [nk Skill Book].
.!!
nk Skill Books.
Theyre akin to a skill book version of a nk check.
Once filled with content, they be skill books, and using them allows one to learn skills.
Even if they contain existing skills, the key advantage is that they can be customized to the users preferences.
Naturally, they are extremely rare.
There might be five or six in Dragon yer Academy at the moment or even less.
Considering the effort to obtain it, such an item would equate to about 3.5 season passes.
Knowing this, the two leaders shook their heads in disapproval.
This is getting us nowhere. We cant agree to those terms.
We might need to think this over a bit more.
Yes, please let me know if you change your mind.
I responded calmly.
I suspected that their minds might change over the weekend.
The prospect of a 1.3 times return would continue to sh before their eyes.
But then,
Um, excuse me!
Park Na-ri suddenly interrupted the conversation.
As everyones attention focused on her, her voice quickly shrank to a mere whisper.
I have one of those books
Na-ri, think about it carefully. The chance to create a skill is rare. Isnt it too precious to use like this?
Ha Soo-yeon tried to dissuade her, but Park Na-ri took a deep breath and seemed to firm up her decision.
Ive had that nk skill book for a very long time
Thats true.
But I still cant think of a good skill to fill it with. If this continues, itll just sit in my inventory forever.
nk skill books held boundless potential but they demanded immense creativity from the user.
If you handle it poorly, you may not be able to use it to its full potential, and you may end up creating a low-level skill at best.
There was no greater waste than this, requiring immense deliberation from the creators perspective.
Park Na-ri had been in a dilemma as she was unable to craft any noteworthy skills thus far.
She argued that it would be better to trade it for the Cube of Life rather than just keep it unused in her inventory.
And then you know how much Bum likes it.
Meow.
Bum responded with a short meow.
It rubbed its chin against the corner of the cube.
As someone obsessed with efficiency, I couldnt help but wonder, all this for just that reason? But perhaps thats what being a pet owner is all about?
The desire to give anything to your beloved pet a tiger, in this case.
It wasnt something I couldnt understand at all.
Moreover, Park Na-ris expression seemed quite serious so she must have thought about it quite well.
Ha Soo-yeon also seemed to understand this from Park Na-ris eyes. And after looking at her for a moment, she sighed.
Haah Alright. If thats really what you want.
Thank you, Unnie (big sister).
Ha Soo-yeon turned to me and asked me.
Are you going to make the trade right now?
If were going to do it, theres no need to dy.
Alright then.
Park Na-ri handed me a nk skill book that had nothing written on it and was all white, while Ha Soo-yeon gave me a card stylishly inscribed with Season Pass in an elegant italic font.
With this exchange, the [Cube of Life] became the property of Park Na-ri and the Mother Nature Club.
Park Na-ri hugged the cube joyfully, and the cat inside it made a contented purring sound.
It began to vigorously scratch as if to mark its new owners possession.
No, dont scratch! Stop scratching!
The expressions on the faces of the onlookers were all the same, suggesting they probably shared the same thought.
Thats one crazy cat
Tch.
Mok Jong-hwa clicked his tongue.
He might have changed his mindter and paid four season passes for the cube, but once the ownership was transferred, it was a done deal.
However, it seemed there was still something left for me to say.
We came to find you not just for the cube but also for another matter.
Yes, please go ahead.
Just as I was wondering what else they hade for,
Kwak Jicheol spoke next.
I challenge you to a duel battle.
Chapter 40: Duel Battle (2)
Chapter 40: Duel Battle (2)
A challenge for a duel battle that seemed to have been greatly influenced by Mok Jong-hwa.
The picture was bing clear.
It was likely a challenge to restore the honor of the Emerald Magic Tower.
However, they had overlooked one thing.
I dont want to.
What?
They hadnt considered that I had no reason to ept this duel.
I leaned back in my chair with an attitude full of annoyance.
Do I owe you anything? Should I just go if you say go,e if you saye, and fight if you say fight?
A duel is a matter of honor.
And yet, for someone who values honor so much, you two ganged up on me?
Thats-!
The incident where Kwak Ji-cheol and Jung Soo-ji joined forces against me and lost had be an irreversible stain on the reputation of the Emerald Magic Tower.
The fact that they lost a two-on-one fight was a problem, as was the fact that the opponent was a known coward.
Regardless of how my reputation might changeter, the important thing was that I was called a coward right now.
To cover up this stain, they needed to defeat me in an official duel and preserve the victory as a rey for everyone to see.
Therefore, they were desperate to draw me into the ring in some way.
From my perspective, I had nothing to lose.
Anyway, I have no intention of epting. Ive already won, so why waste time on something pointless?
.
If you really want, consider it a loss for me, and go brag about it.
I implied that they could boast about a victory over a coward.
I knew well that the Emerald club wouldnt be satisfied with such a resolution.
However, Kwak Ji-cheol couldnt think of a solution to ovee this situation.
He looked to Mok Jong-hwa for help with pleading eyes.
Mok Jong-hwa red at Kwak Ji-cheol as if he were trash and then addressed me.
So? Its truly cowardly to run away after only winning once. Are you afraid of losing?
Yes, I am a coward. Im soo afraid.
Mok Jong-hwa cast the gamblers provocative skill You scared?, but I didnt even blink.
Having a reputation already at rock bottom proved convenient in such times.
Realizing this tactic wouldnt work on me, Mok Jong-hwa changed his approach and threw a bait my way.
I said I wouldnt waste time needlessly. Would you ept if theres a stake involved?
If its worth it.
Honestly, I wanted to ept the duel right away and beat Kwak Ji-cheol to a pulp.
Yet the reason I kept brushing off their provocations and holding out was,
Its more beneficial this way.
The Emerald club had to take revenge by any means necessary.
Their president would try to initiate a duel even if it meant using bait.
And that bait would be too tempting for me to ignore.
Of course, it remained to be seen whether I was the one taking the bait or if it was Mok Jong-hwa.
Mok Jong-hwa took out a small ticket from his inventory and mmed it onto the table.
I bet this.
Park Na-ri and Ha Soo-yeon, who had been silently observing the situation, looked surprised.
This move indicated the extent of Mok Jong-hwas bold strategy.
[Crafting VIP Ticket]
The craftsmen at Dragon yer Academy rarely epted crafting requests.
Due to the excessive demandpared to supply, they only took on a very limited number of requests, and even then, there was a long waiting list.
This VIP ticket allowed the holder to bypass the queue and get an item made with top priority.
It was one of the several privileges offered by Dragon yer Academy, just like the special cultivation room season pass.
Thank you very much
I was already in need of better equipment and here was this valuable ticket being offered to me.
However, this is only if you win.
Are you sure you want to wager something like that?
It doesnt matter. If I win, thats the end of it. Will you ept?
Alright. Lets consider it agreed upon.
As I epted the duel, Mok Jong-hwa crossed his arms, and Kwak Ji-cheol stepped forward again.
Set a date.
Two days from now would be good.
Why two days from now?
I casually showed the recently traded [nk Skill Book].
I need to learn this.
What?
?
Everyone looked dumbfounded.
Creating a skill with a nk Skill Book was challenging enough, but that wasnt the end of it.
Rather, it was just the beginning.
One had to be familiar with the skill they had crafted and even increase its rank to make it viable in actual battle.
To aplish all this in just two days seemed utterly absurd.
Kukuku
Mok Jong-hwa let out a low chuckle and stroked his face.
A fierce smile yed on his lips; perhaps this was a sign that he was quite irritated.
He might have interpreted my statement as an underestimation of Kwak Ji-cheols abilities, thinking I could beat him even with a skill learned in just two days.
How long its been since Emerald has been underestimated like this.
I have confidence in my skills.
Not that I had no intention of underestimating him.
Kwak Ji-cheol.
Yes, hyung.
If you lose to this guy, youre out of the club.
I will win, no matter what.
Kwak Ji-cheol bowed his head with a stern face.
Since his business was finished, there was no reason to continue sitting in the ufortable seat.
One by one, people started to rise from their seats.
Im quite looking forward to the day after tomorrow. Show us what youve got.
You can expect a lot. Make sure to keep the ticket safe.
.
Until the moment he left, Mok Jong-hwa continued to give me fierce looks.
I-Ill be going too. S-see youter!
Meow.
Park Na-ri stuttered a goodbye to me, and her cat Bum waved its front paws in the air a couple of times.
I should head to the training center now.
I have to go and quickly create a skill first.
As I was about to down the half-remaining iced coffee in one shot, Ha Soo-yeon spoke to me.
Could we talk alone for a moment?
Sure.
I sat back down in the chair.
As I chewed on the end of the stic straw, Ha Soo-yeon sighed and began to speak.
I have something to apologize for. I saw Mok Jong-hwa sending Ji-cheol and Soo-ji to you, and I pretended not to know.
Did you test me?
To be honest, yes. I wanted to see how you would handle both of them.
So that was it.
The first person I promoted the cube to was definitely Park Na-ri, but instead of the Mother Nature club taking action, it was the pair of Kwak Ji-cheol and Jung Soo-ji who came to me.
Considering the close rtionship between Mother Nature and Emerald, I was certain that Ha Soo-yeon was also involved in this matter.
However, I didnt expect her to be so honest about it like this.
Nevertheless, I responded with equal honesty.
I understand. As the president of a club, you had to be cautious. Still, it does feel a bit upsetting.
Im sorry. I dont know if this will make up for it, but I hope youll ept it.
Ha Soo-yeon handed me a piece of parchment as a sign of apology.
[Rank Up (F)].
It was the same item I had received as a reward for three consecutive victories in the duel battlesst week.
Getting another one for free was definitely a bonus for me.
Shes really generous.
Although I felt slighted that she had tested me,
Unlike Emerald, she hadnt caused any direct friction with me, and I had even gained a useful item, so it was something I could overlook generously.
Ill ept it gratefully. But doesnt this put the Mother Nature club at a loss?
It is a loss. Originally, I nned to add this to the cube trade, but the timing got messed up when Na-ri interfered. Still, its alright.
Ha Soo-yeon smiled softly.
There was not the slightest hint of regret about the loss she had incurred.
It seemed she had noticed something from our conversation during the cube trade and about the duel.
If I had really been the coward as the rumors suggested, I couldnt have interacted so casually with Mok Jong-hwa, who was not only my senior but also the head of the club.
In that case, she probably thought it a good idea to establish a friendly rtionship with me in advance to prepare for an unexpected future. And she must have reckoned that an F-rank [Rank Up] was a small price for that.
It was a good choice.
After all, there were still plenty of items to trade with the four major powers besides the [Cube of Life].
Are you confident about the duel?
One hundred percent.
Ha Soo-yeon looked surprised when I answered without a moments hesitation.
. I didnt realize you were that confident. But Ill warn you in advance. Mok Jong-hwa and Kwak Ji-cheol have analyzed all of your reys and prepared countermeasures.
Isnt that just basic strategy?
No. This time, Kwak Ji-cheol will receive support at the club level.
I thought as much.
Kwak Ji-cheols overly confident demeanor when he challenged me to a duel gave me the impression he had something to rely on.
The club would prepare items to exploit my weaknesses.
It was highly likely that Kwak Ji-cheols equipment, too, would be reced by the equipment of second and third-year students.
Considering that I wouldnt receive much support since I was unaffiliated, the duel was bound to be unfair.
It doesnt seem right to me. If you want, I can lend you an artifact from the Mother Nature club.
Thank you for the offer, but Im fine.
I showed her the nk skill book.
This will be enough.
..!
My im that I would create and master a new skill in just two days was indeed serious.
However, Ha Soo-yeon seemed to be doubting me.
Are you really nning to win with a newly created skill?
I didnt exin at length; I just smiled.
Youll be surprised when you see it.
***
Training Center.
I sat alone in the middle of arge training room.
The wooden dummy in front of me would attack me onmand, but for now, it remained still and motionless.
A blue light emanated from the [nk Skill Book] in my hand.
When you infuse it with mana while thinking of the words or sentences you want, they will automatically be input into the book.
While creating a new skill usually involved meticulous thought and careful attention to each character, my skill book was filling up at an unrestrained speed, as if a stenographer were typing away.
Its not something Ive done just once or twice.
How many times have I used the nk skill book before?
The count was so high that I had long since given up on keeping track.
Of course, even if I had forgotten how many times I used it, the data umted from countless trials and errors remained vividly in my mind.
The optimal skill that could be implemented using the nk skill book was being created.
What kind of support is the most useful?
There is no definitive answer to this question.
Usefulness varies depending on the situation.
In some cases, healing is more valuable; in others, it might be defense and sometimes buffs or debuffs can be more advantageous.
However,
What is the most troublesome and annoying support to deal with?
What is the No.1 support that makes yers naturally curse, That bastard is cheating?
There was a definitive answer to this question.
Forced Movement Support.
[Learned Skillbook Wind Force]
[Acquired Wind Force (F)]
[Wind Force]
Imbues physical force into the wind.
I stood upright while facing the wooden dummy.
A gust of wind blew through the enclosed space, yfully tousling my hair as it passed by.
Suddenly, the wooden dummy creaked and lunged at me with a one-two punch.
In sync, I leaned right, then left, and lightly ced my hand on the dummys chest.
Bang!
The wooden dummy flew across the training room and crashed at the far end.
Chapter 41: Duel Battle (3)
Chapter 41: Duel Battle (3)
[Used Rank Up (F)]
[The rank of Monarch increased. (F->E)]
Monarch.
It was one of my assets left from starting the EX-rank reincarnation quest.
It was as powerful as amplification and copy, but as of now, the conditions were not right for it to see the light of day.
Still, it was best to upgrade it whenever the opportunity arose.
It was a trait almost impossible to upgrade in other ways.
[Kim Ho]
Skills
Wind Force (F+)
Inferno Fist (C)
Amplification (E)
Copy Skill [2/2]
1. Hummingbird (E)
2. Thiefs Step (B)
Traits
Blessing of the West Wind
Core (D)
Monarch (E)
Copy Trait [1/1]
1. Elemental Resistance (S)
Equipment
School Uniform (D)
Earth Staff (E)
Inventory
10 Silver Coins
Heart of Thunder x2
[Duel Battle Score: 386 points]
[Strategy Battle Score: 2,266 points]
(3,123pt)
I shifted my gaze from the status window back to the front.
The wooden dummy was making a ttering nose as it fervently rushed towards me.
It had been doing this for quite some time.
Whenever it got a bit closer, the headwind which was enhanced with [Wind Force] pushed it back. And as it attempted to approach again, it was repelled once more, essentially making no progress.
Whoosh
Extending my hand forward, the wind blowing straight ahead intensified.
The wooden dummy was helplessly flung backward and crashed into the wall of the training room.
[Wind Force] was a freshly mastered skill and only F-rank currently, but since it was a wind-type magic, it received a bonus from the [Blessing of the West Wind] trait.
Hence, it was ranked F+.
Somewhere between F and E.
To be effective in a duel, it needs to be at least D+.
As the rank of the skill increases, so does its power.
With Wind Force, the higher the rank, the more wind I could control and the stronger the force I could exert.
Simply overpowering Kwak Ji-chul would be feasible with E+, but that alone wasnt satisfying enough for me.
I need topletely overwhelm and smash him to the ground.
Therefore, I set my goal at D+.
The skill I created through the nk Skill Book was more difficult to rank uppared to regr skills, but with two days left, I was confident I would achieve itfortably.
When I operated the terminal attached to one wall of the training room, the wooden dummy that had been rolling around following the winds direction disappeared, and an iron dummy appeared in its ce.
This iron dummy was significantly heavier than the wooden one, making it more difficult to push away with Wind Force.
I need to increase the challenge to train effectively.
I concentrated the wind toward the charging iron dummy.
The wind, imbued with physical force, gradually made the iron dummy falter.
***
[The rank of Wind Force has increased. (F->E)]
By training with Wind Force until dawn, I finally reached the E+ rank.
I then took a short break in the dormitory and sent a message to Seo Ye-in.
[Kim Ho: Awake?]
[Seo Ye-in:]
[Seo Ye-in: (Rabbit yawning emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Food?]
[Seo Ye-in: ]
[Kim Ho: Meet at the cafeteria, OK?]
Todays breakfast menu featured round mini rice balls.
The variety was quite impressive.
Every time curiosity struck her, Seo Ye-in would ask me a question.
Whats this?
Looks like anchovies.
And this?
Not sure. It looks spicy. Can you handle spicy food?
No.
Yet, driven by curiosity, she picked up a bright red rice ball.
Seo Ye-in and I filled our tes with various vored rice balls and moved toward a table.
Then, coincidentally, we ran right into the pair of Kwak Ji-chul and Jeong Soo-ji.
Jeong Soo-ji offered a light nod and seemed eager to leave quickly, whereas Kwak Ji-chul wore a smirk and taunted me.
Are you managing well with your skill creation? The duel is tomorrow; I wonder if youll be ready.
I had already created it.
And even raised its rank.
But revealing that now would spoil the fun.
I feigned distress and let out a deep sigh.
Yeah, it turned out to be tougher than I thought.
Why waste your efforts on a mediocre skill? Save the nk Skill Book, okay? Im just looking out for you.
No, I want to keep trying.
Suit yourself.
Make sure youre prepared too. Remember, if you lose, youll get kicked out of the Emerald club. Just looking out for you as well.
Kwak Ji-chuls face, which had been mocking moments ago, suddenly turned ice-cold.
Dont worry about me. Because I will never lose.
You seem well-prepared.
Of course. I have a gole
Jeong Soo-ji elbowed him in the side and cut him off.
Realizing he was about to spill crucial information, Kwak Ji-chuls face registered a moment of shock.
. The duel is after school tomorrow. Dont bete.
After saying that, Kwak Ji-cheol started choosing rice balls with Su-ji Jeong.
Seo Ye-in asked me,
Youre dueling him?
Yeah, thats the n.
Hes weak.
Thinking about it, Seo Ye-in had a score in the 600s, and so did Kwak Ji-chul.
They must have shed inst weeks duel battles.
Yeah, the guy is a bit of a pushover.
It took two hits.
So, Kwak Ji-chul was a two-hit knockout.
No matter how much I looked, it didnt seem like he had the skills to pick fights with anyone, but his confidence was on par with many of the promising students.
As Seo Ye-in chewed on a mini rice ball she stared intently at me and then as if something had urred to her, she spoke.
I have something for you.
Something for me?
Mhm.
She rummaged through her inventory and pulled out a rectangr-shaped box before pushing it towards me.
When I opened the box, a pair of high-quality sneakers came out.
Suddenly, I remembered the conversation we hadst week.
Do you want something?
Out of nowhere?
There should be a bnce of giving and receiving. Thats what our butler said.
If theres something I really need right now, it might be something to increase my movement speed. I wish I had a pair of shoes.
It seemed she had remembered that.
I had expected her to give me a pair of ordinary shoes, but what I received far exceeded my expectations.
The sneakers were almost identical to Seo Ye-ins, with only a slight difference in color.
Considering the level of equipment she usually wore, it meant these were extremely high-quality.
They were white-based with neat blue ents, and traces of magical engineering were evident throughout.
[Cloudstepper(B)]
Bonus to movement skills.
Inertia Ignoring (C) applied.
Automatic durability recovery.
Upgradable.
Upgradable.
Incredible.
These were B-rank sneakers.
Like the [Blessing of the West Wind] that enhances wind magic, wearing these sneakers grants a bonus to movement-rted skills.
This meant that my [Thiefs Step] skill would upgrade to B+.
[Inertia Ignoring] is a skill that allows you to ignore the shift in your center of gravity when you abruptly stop or change direction while running.
This makes movements much smoother and reduces vulnerabilities.
These two features alone were impressive, but there were also two upgrade slots avable.
Depending on what I added, this item could potentially reach A or even S-rank.
This is too good. Im not sure if I should ept it.
You should give a gift as good as your gratitude.
Your butler said that too?
Mhm.
The butler, I thought to myself, must be a person of truly great kindness.
I conveyed my heartfelt thanks to Seo Ye-ins butler in my mind.
Thank you. Ill wear them well.
?
!
Suddenly, Seo Ye-in fell silent.
Seeing her pupils dte, I nced at the te and noticed that the bright red rice ball had disappeared.
Here, drink some water, water.
! !
***
In the training room.
Several iron dummies from all around targeted me.
As I subtly stepped back, a hefty gray fist struck the air with force.
Continuously I continued to dodge punches by a hairs breadth and then gathered mana in my legs and unleashed the [Thiefs Step] skill before strongly kicking off the ground.
Bang!
With just one step, I escaped the encirclement of the iron dummies.
When Inded, I drastically slowed down without much strain on my legs.
This was due to the application of [Inertia Ignoring].
These shoes are excellent.
The closest iron dummy lunged at me.
Pushing the exposed shoulder of the iron dummy, it spun wildly in the air as if hit by a tackle.
Crash!
I extended my hand towards another approaching iron dummy.
The wind blew towards me, pulling the iron dummy closer.
After dragging it within arms reach, I pushed its chest and forcefully sent a gust forward.
The blown-away iron dummy collided with others and they toppled like bowling pins.
Crash!
[The rank of Wind Force has increased. (E->D)]
And with the Blessing of the West Wind the skill was now at D+.
Preparationsplete.
***
The arena was exceptionally quiet.
The first reason was that it was the week of the strategy battles, and most students were spending their time in the dungeon building.
The second reason was that neither Kim Ho nor Kwak Ji-chul had much name value, so there was ack of interest in their duel.
Some might be curious enough to watch the reyter, buting to the arena seemed too bothersome.
Thus, the spectators for this duel were mostly acquaintances of Kim Ho and Kwak Ji-chul.
From the Emerald Magic Tower, there were president Mok Jong-hwa and Jung Soo-ji.
And Kwak Seung-jae who came from the disciplinarymittee club to watch his younger brothers duel.
From the Mother Nature Club was president Ha Soo-yeon and Park Na-ri.
And for the unaffiliated Kim Ho, it was just a few friends.
Or so it should have been.
Mok Jong-hwa frowned.
What brings you here?
What else? I came to watch my junior.
Dang Gyu-young replied with a sly smile.
She had a rough idea of the situation based on a previous conversation she had with Kim Ho.
Something about trading the [Cube of Life] with either the Emerald or the Mother Nature Club.
Even so, she still thought that getting four season passes seemed like a daunting task, but somehow they managed to do it.
But then, she was surprised when she heard some stuff.
Noonim, Kim Ho and Kwak Ji-chul have scheduled a duel battle.
What? Why a duel if theyve already made a trade?
Shin Byeong-chul was the one who delivered the news, and it left her puzzled.
Upon investigation, it turned out that the situation was aplete mess.
The whole thing started with Mok Jong-hwa.
Trying to gain an upper hand in the trade, he sent Kwak Ji-chul and Jung Su-ji to show off their strength, but they ended up beingpletely defeated by Kim Ho.
And it was a one-on-two fight at that.
Isnt that obvious?
Kim Ho even defeated Kwak Seung-jae one-on-one, right?
Comparing a second-year disciplinarymittee member like Kwak Seung-jae with two first-years makes it even clearer.
They stood no chance at all.
Anyway, if they had just epted the loss, it would have been less embarrassing, but they went ahead and challenged Kim Ho to a duel for a chance at redemption.
Dang Gyu-young was waving her finger in a scolding manner.
Ugh, you little brat. Youre like a little green beetle. And yet youre making the kids duel?
Its not a matter for a thief to interfere with.
Why not? Hes a junior I care about.
Dang Gyu-young casually slung her arm over Kim Hos shoulder.
Kim Ho expressed his difort with a look.
Senior, were not that close, are we?
Ah, just act a bit friendly for now.
She then resumed waving her finger at Mok Jong-hwa.
If you y any tricks, watch out. Ill turn everything upside down.
.
Mok Jong-hwa only furrowed his brows but offered no response.
Even Ha Soo-yeon, who was usually very articte, stepped back and just sighed heavily.
Dang Gyu-young who now roughly grasped the situation let out a small mockingugh.
So theyve already started their scheming?
She dragged Kim Ho away for a moment.
Hey, why did you ept this duel?
I epted it because I believe I can win.
You sure you can win? That cunning guy seems to have set up all sorts of tricks.
Im aware of them and epted it anyway. Dont worry. I have a n.
His faint smile revealed overflowing confidence.
Dang Gyu-Young, although she hadnt known this brash junior for long, had seen enough to know that he could handle himself.
She thought that if she interfered, it might just make things awkward.
Alright, fine then.
Despite still being somewhat skeptical, Dang Gyu-Young watched as Kim Ho returned to face Kwak Ji-cheol.
Mok Jong-hwa took out the VIP ticket and initiated the deal.
Before we start, lets confirm the condition onest time. If Kim Ho wins, I, Mok Jong-hwa, will hand over this ticket to him.
On the other hand, if he loses, the victorious Emerald club would at least be able to salvage some of their lost face.
Mok Jong-Hwa continued speaking.
Also, this duel battle will be recorded as a rey and be essible for anyone to view. Do you agree?
I agree.
Good. Then lets begin.
The terrain and rules appeared on the disy above the stage.
MAP: [Rocky Terrain]
RULE: [Deathmatch] [10-Minute Limit]
Kwak Ji-cheols face lit up instantly.
The heavens are on my side!
Out of the many possible terrains, it was rocky terrain that had been selected.
This was an ideal battleground for an earth-element mage like him.
Everything was turning in his favor.
Feeling triumphant, he taunted Kim Ho.
How about that? The terrain should have been to my disadvantage for a fair fight. Looks like this will be over quickly.
.
Youve be quite quiet all of a sudden, havent you? Starting to realize the situation yet?
Kim Ho maintained an expression of nonchnce.
It seemed he still hadnt realized his predicament, but Kwak Ji-cheol thought that he would soon feel it and painfully so.
The two of them entered the arena through the teleportation magic circle.
Everywhere they looked, there were stones; everything they stepped on was stone.
The ce was filled with rocks of all sizes, from boulders to pebbles.
[Kim Ho 100% vs Kwak Ji-chul 100%]
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Wham!
A fist-sized rock rolling on the ground exploded against Kwak Ji-Chuls face.
Chapter 43: Duel Battle (5)
Chapter 43: Duel Battle (5)
Aaaaaaaaagh!
The rapidly spinning Earth Cluster brutally scraped across Kwak Ji-cheols face.
Had there been no protective magic applied, the consequences would have been horrifying.
He hurriedly deactivated the Earth Cluster to escape the agony.
The scattered debris on the ground seemed to mirror his state of mind.
After experiencing simr tactics three or four times in a row, even the most narrow-minded person begins to catch on.
Thanks to the physical ordeal he was experiencing, Kwak Ji-cheol was close to urately deciphering Kim Hos strategy.
Its the wind! The wind!
He realized it was the wind manipting him, toying with his movements.
This revtion, along with the embarrassing moments it caused, shed through his mind like a panorama and that helped fuel his rage even more.
This guy really knows how to infuriate people.
Just as he was about to cast another attack spell,
Whizz
A faint breeze brushed against Kwak Ji-cheols cheek.
His body shivered and he snapped back to attention.
This wont do.
Focusing solely on attacking without any defense would only leave him vulnerable to Kim Ho, just like before.
His first priority was to get out of the winds influence.
Kwak Ji-cheols staff emitted a green light.
The remnants of the recently dispelled Earth Cluster umted and formed a circr wall.
Whoosh!
However, in the next moment, a sudden gust of wind from behind forcefully pushed against Kwak Ji-cheols back.
He ended up headbutting the wall he had just summoned.
Guh! Th-this damn. damned guy!
Even as he unwillingly embraced the wall, he maneuvered his staff to erect another barrier behind him.
Finally, after sealing the top and reinforcing any gaps, a small fortress of stone wasplete.
Fortunately, the wind could not prate into the fortress.
I can rx now.
From now on, all he had to do was keep an eye on the outside and use the wooden golem and long-range spells to induce a war of attrition.
Wow That really leaves you speechless.
Dang Gyu-young shook her head in disbelief.
Space defense, the turtle tactic.
It was a petty strategy but it was often used for victory.
The problem was that Kwak Ji-cheol was the one employing this turtle tactic right now.
If he had borrowed a third-year students golem, he would be criticized even if hepletely dominated the fight, but space defense?
Dang Gyu-young pointed to the stage and mocked Mok Jong-hwa.
Hey, honestly, even I am more manly than that, right?
Shut up.
Mok Jong-hwa retorted as if spitting out the words.
He too was equally displeased with Kwak Ji-cheols behavior.
While winning a duel was important to uphold the prestige of the Emerald club, the content of the duel was equally important.
But such an unsightly disy like this.
Now, even a victory wouldnt be enough to break even. It was a pure loss.
Meanwhile, Dang Gyu-young started thinking with her chin in her hand.
How to break through that.
Petty as it was, Kwak Ji-cheols fortress was quite sturdy when evaluated calmly.
He looked like had used it often enough that he had a high level of proficiency, and the addition of bonuses from the equipment of second-and third-year students further strengthened it.
Thump! Boom!
Outside the fortress, the wooden golem upturned the ground as itunched its attacks, while Earth Clusters formed here and there and began shooting gravel.
Kim Ho deftly dodged all these attacks.
He moved so fast that only a blur of his sneakers was visible.
In the end, it looks like our junior-nim here will win.
The initial worry she had felt upon first seeing the golem had now significantly faded.
[Kim Ho 100% vs Kwak Ji-cheol 68%]
[Remaining Time 4:57]
Kim Hos health was at 100%, after all.
Up until now, not a single effective hit had been allowed.
Meanwhile, Kwak Ji-cheol was in a state of considerable umted damage.
If things continued this way, simply avoiding further hits and using up the remaining time for a decision victory seemed like a viable option.
But he doesnt seem like the kind of person who would be satisfied with that.
If he was going to unleash the Inferno Fist in front of Kwak Seung-jaes eyes, he would do so rather than drag it out to ackluster decision victory. It didnt seem to be in his character.
There was certainly more he had prepared.
.!
Miss Seo, do you see something?
.!
The first to notice the anomaly was Seo Ye-in.
In her eyes, most of Kim Hos information still appeared as question marks.
[Ampli?]
[??Force?(?+ -> B?)]
However, information isnt solely represented by quantifiable figures.
Seo Ye-in could see it.
She saw Kim Hos momentum suddenly surge dramatically.
His sneakers, which had been moving at an incredible speed using [Thiefs Step] to their utmost, came to a halt.
Kim Ho stood still and faced the wooden golem head-on.
To any observer, it seemed like a recklessly daring act.
It looked as though he would be knocked out by arge wooden fist at any moment.
But just before the wooden fist could hit him, Kim Ho raised his hand and lightly touched it.
Thump!
The wooden golems fist was catapulted upward.
A pose with one hand raised above its head.
Its upper body was leftpletely unprotected.
Taking one step closer, Kim Ho lightly pushed the golems vulnerably exposed chest.
Wh-what?
What Kwak Ji-cheol inside the fortress saw was the hefty wooden golems feet lifting off the ground and rapidly hurtling towards him in a terrifyingly swift motion.
His initially puzzled What quickly turned into a scream.
What!? Wha-wha!! Whaaaaaaaaah!!
Boom, boom, boom!!
Kwak Ji-cheols small sanctuary was hopelessly crushed under the flying wooden golem.
And so was Kwak Ji-cheol inside it.
Tha!
What!
Everyone watching was struck dumb with shock.
Ha Soo-yeon too stood with her mouth agape for a long while.
My god
She felt chills run down her spine.
What Kim Ho had created with his [nk Skill Book] was not something like the Hammer of Wind.
It was something far more powerful.
A typhoon that tossed the hefty wooden golem around like a straw doll.
Just moments earlier, she had felt relieved at having given Kim Ho a gift, but now she was retracing her steps, wondering if she had made some mistake in their interactions
Weve reconciled right?
[Kim Ho 100% vs Kwak Ji-cheol 61%]
Despite this, the ongoing match indicated that Kwak Ji-cheol was not yet incapacitated.
Indeed, the crumbled pile of stones began to stir, and Kwak Ji-cheol clumsily crawled out.
His face had lost its resolve and was pale with shock.
..!
As soon as he came out, his gaze met Kim Hos.
Kwak Ji-cheol couldnt understand why Kim Ho was pointing at him with a finger.
But as that finger pointed upwards,
Buzz!
He felt an immense sense of levitation, and the next moment, he was floating several meters in the air.
Ho-how did this happen?
Bang!
And then he was mmed back to the ground.
It seemed as though an invisible giant had grabbed him and thrown him down.
Gughh!
Kwak Ji-cheol, who had barely managed to get up, saw Kim Ho pointing upward with his finger again.
His eyes widened.
No, not again
Buzz!
As he floated in the air, Kwak Ji-cheol desperately shouted.
I I lose! I surrender-
Bang!
..!
Buzz!
Bang!
Upon being mmed to the ground for the third time, Kwak Ji-cheol finally lost his grip on his consciousness.
***
[Kim Ho Win vs Kwak Ji-cheol Lose]
Pffttt!!
Dang Gyu-young burst into a fit ofughter while yfully pping my shoulder.
It was my victory, yet she seemed even happier.
Great job, well done! Its so satisfying, hahaha!
Go Hyeon-woo, Seo Ye-in, and Shin Byeong-cheol in the stands were also approaching from afar to celebrate the victory.
In contrast, the atmosphere in the Emerald Magic Tower Side was akin to that of a funeral home.
Kwak Seung-jae was tending to his unconscious brother, while Mok Jong-hwa covered his face with one hand.
The members of the Mother Nature club seemed to be cautiously watching me for some reason.
Anyway, it was time to collect the dues.
.
As I approached, Mok Jong-hwa clenched his eyes shut and swallowed his anger.
But a promise is a promise; he reluctantly took out the [Crafting VIP Ticket] from his inventory and handed it over.
His trembling hands indicated just how reluctant he was to part with such an item.
Well, it was just that important.
After tucking the ticket away, I started the conversation.
May I make a suggestion?
What is it?
How about keeping the rey of this duel private?
!
The public release of this duels footage would be a massive blow to the image of the Emerald Magic Tower.
They had supported a freshmans duel with third-year equipment and a golem, only to get beaten up one-sidedly.
Kwak Ji-cheols performance, being pushed around, pulled, and flying through the air, was an added embarrassment.
They would surely prefer it to be as if it never happened.
So I extended an olive branch.
Mok Jong-hwa pondered for a moment before responding.
A guy who only epted the duel with stakes now throws a bone in our favor.
Theres no such thing as a free lunch, is there?
Youre quite the businessman.
I wont starve, thats for sure. Will you ept?
For Mok Jong-hwa, it was an offer he couldnt refuse.
It was better to silence me now than to deal with the aftermath of a shattered reputation.
Tch. State what you want.
Nothing at the moment. Just a small favor in the future, if youre able.
If its within my capacity.
Alright, then. Ill make it private.
He had spoken as if doing me a favor, but keeping the rey private was also what I desired.
The slower the spread of information about [Wind Force], the more advantageous it would be.
I was confident that Mok Jong-hwa would ept this proposal, which is why I had used Wind Force extravagantly in various ways during the duel.
Another reason was to create a debt for Mok Jong-hwa to owe me.
Although I had already crossed a point of no return with the Emerald club, going any further would likely make the fight messier.
Viting school rules would be the least of it, with the battle potentially descending into dangerous and murky territory.
While I could defeat anyone who came at me, it wouldnt be ideal if it hindered my growth.
I didnt want people like Seo Ye-in or Go Hyeon-woo to suffer unnecessarily because of it.
So, this time, Ipromised a little and in exchange I tied Mok Jong-hwas hands.
As long as he felt even a slight sense of debt toward me, he wouldnt move rashly.
Of course, he wasnt a noble man, so his thoughts might changeter but by then,
I would have grown enough.
Enough to easily trample something like the Emerald Magic Tower.
Regardless of our true intentions, it was a temporary ceasefire on the surface.
Mok Jong-hwa gave me a nod as a greeting and then turned his back.
Kwak Ji-cheol, who hade to his senses by then, didnt dare meet my eyes. He just staggered after Mok Jong-hwa while looking down.
Kwak Seung-jae sent me a calm nce before joining the Emerald group.
As I watched their retreating figures, two fingers gently pinched my cheek and then pulled it.
Well, well, the more I look at you, the more you seem like a sly fox, huh?
Senior, thats no bay to balk to bour Bunior.
I removed Dang Gyu-youngs hand from my cheek.
She had always been unusually close, but since she offered to recruit me into the club, we had grown even closer.
You nned the whole rey thing, didnt you? And you didnt suffer any loss from it.
Youre quick to catch on.
Well, I am the club president for a reason. But what are you going to ask of Mok Jong-hwa?
Ill have to think about itter. It will probably be something simr to what I asked of you.
Oh right, now that you mention it, I remember.
Dang Gyu-young had agreed to fulfill a small favor of mine in exchange for essing the information of the [Cube of Life].
The small favor was,
Just pass on a piece of news to the president of the Magic Engineering Club.
It would be better if it seemed toe up naturally.
Tell them that a freshmanpleted a 10x10x10 cube.
How far has it progressed?
Ive already spread the word. And Ive received a request because of it.
A request?
They want to meet with you. Can you arrange it? What do you say?
Thats great. Lets meet.
Before we move on to the next item, lets try one more thing.
Chapter 44: Duel Battle (6)
Chapter 44: Duel Battle (6)
Would you please reconsider the expulsion?
While maintaining a steady pace, Mok Jong-hwa only turned his head to briefly nce at Kwak Seung-jae who said those words.
Then he continued to walk forward and opened his mouth
Why should I do that?
Didnt you see the duel battle?
I did. It was a pathetic trash duel battle.
There was a subtle anger in Mok Jong-hwas tone.
Kwak Ji-cheol who had been walking powerlessly with his head down shrank his shoulders.
Kwak Seung-jae did not spare his ipetent younger brother a nce but he continued to defend him verbally.
I cant say Ji-cheol did well, but this seems beyond his control. A perfect oue against your golem. How many freshmen could do that?
A third-year golem and [Earth Cluster] for long-range attacks.
Dodging all of that perfectly and maintaining 100% health until the end was a feat difficult not only for first-year students but also for second-year students.
Even if Kwak Seung-jae had been in Kim Hos position, he would have received some effective hits.
This meant that Kim Ho was indeed a skilled contender.
Judging by this duel alone, he was at the level of a promising student if not higher.
It was a fight Ji-cheol was bound to lose. Isnt your decision to kick him out a bit too harsh?
Even so, the fact that he tarnished Emeralds reputation remains unchanged.
But was that tarnishing solely my brothers doing?
It was certainly Kwak Ji-cheols fault for overstepping his bounds and getting beaten.
However, tracing back the cause, it was also clear that Mok Jong-hwas aggressive approach to the situation was to me.
Deep down, Mok Jong-hwa recognized this truth.
Yet he was also irritated at his shorings being exposed and stood silently in ce while ring at Kwak Seung-jae.
Does the student disciplinarymittee involve itself in the affairs of the Emerald Magic Tower?
No. Its merely personal advice I wish to offer.
Is that advice to overlook your brothers mistake? They say Kwak Seung-jae handles everything with a sharp mind without being biased by personal feelings, but it seems thats a thing of the past.
That remains the same, whether in the past or now. I only hope for a fair judgment from you.
Kwak Seung-jaes face showed no change and remained impassive.
Facing that unchanging expression, Mok Jong-hwa felt that he would gain nothing by being angry and gradually softened his anger.
Mok Jong-hwa was no fool.
Surviving until the third year at Dragon yer Academy and rising to the position of club president wasnt something he achieved by mere luck.
Despite his asionally explosive temperament, he was capable of making at least the minimum reasonable judgments.
The Kwak family was a venerable Earth element mage family, forming one of the pirs of the Emerald Magic Tower.
From birth, they were part of the Emerald Magic Tower.
And even before enrolling, their names were already associated with the club.
Expelling him for causing a significant scandal at the Emerald Magic Tower was one thing, but doing so for something of this magnitude would bring more trouble than its worth.
So, what are you suggesting I do?
Give him a chance.
The extent and nature of the chance were left to Mok Jong-hwas discretion.
He could push harder andpletely overturn the expulsion, but that would infringe upon the rights of the club.
His advice had to end at making a suggestion.
Moreover, the fact that Kwak Ji-cheol had indeed embarrassed the Emerald Magic Tower was undeniable, and Mok Jong-hwa believed that he should rightfully face the consequences of his actions.
Mok Jong-hwa who had been silent for a while opened his mouth.
For two months. I will decide based on the rankings for the next two months. Any objections?
Thats enough.
Hmph.
Mok Jong-hwa gave the Kwak Seung-jae and Kwak Ji-cheol brothers a brief look before leaving them and walking away.
Half the reason was to give the two a chance to talk, and the other half because he found both of them distasteful.
.
Kwak Ji-cheol still looked dejected and he was unable to raise his head.
He might act like a fearless ruffian in front of others, but he always lost his nerve in front of his older brother.
Having shown such disgraceful behavior in front of his brother and owing his escape from expulsion to his brothers help, he had no face to show.
Kwak Seung-jae spoke in a calm tone.
However, those who knew him well would have felt that he was more affectionate than usual.
This is all I can do for you. The rest is up to you.
Im sorry, hyung.
Rather than apologizing, I want to hear that you will do your best.
Ill do my best.
Good, now go.
Kwak Ji-cheol made an effort to stride away with vigor.
After sending Kwak Ji-cheol off, Kwak Seung-jae stood alone.
Then he began speaking to an empty space.
Song Cheon-hye.
!
A startled movement was felt from beyond the alley.
Song Cheon-hye slowly poked her head out and then approached hesitantly.
You knew?
Ive told you before. Youck the skill to hide your presence.
Song Cheon-hyes face flushed with embarrassment.
Regardless, Kwak Seung-jae continued to ask questions.
What brought you to the arena?
I just stopped by while. passing
I saw you hiding in the spectator stands long before.
Struck by his blunt words, Song Cheon-hyes face turned even redder.
Such was Kwak Seung-jaes nature. It waspletely opposite to the dishonest Song Cheon-hye.
He then offered direct advice.
You are part of the student disciplinarymittee. Dont be ashamed or afraid, and confidently reveal yourself. At least its better than being caught while hiding poorly.
Ill keep that in mind.
Kwak Seung-jae stopped there and moved on to the main topic.
How was the duel?
It was impressive.
Do you think you could overpower him if you fought directly?
I cant be certain.
Cant be certain, huh.
Song Cheon-hyes abilities were unquestionably among the best of the first-year students.
Her skills were so superior that they couldnt even bepared to Kwak Ji-cheols.
Even Song Cheon-hye, who was that skilled, wasntpletely confident in a guaranteed victory.
Because she didnt know what else Kim Ho might be hiding.
The wind magic he had demonstrated this time was something she had never seen or heard of before.
Was a person like him really in the 300-point range, being called a coward, and keeping a low profile?
To Kwak Seung-jae and Song Cheon-hye, there were many aspects that didnt quite add up.
Were his hands clean?
Yes, I checked thoroughly.
The possibility that Kim Ho was the masked person from that night couldnt be dismissed either.
If he had used [Inferno Fist], even high-ranking priests healing magic would leave traces for a few days, but there wasnt even a tiny scratch on his hands.
Originally, the right move would be to shift focus to another suspect at this point but
The gaze of that freshman kept nagging at his mind.
An arrogant look that seemed to ce everything beneath him.
It was strikingly simr to the atmosphere he felt when facing the masked person.
Yet this was also nothing more than a suspicion.
To get permission to use the [Magnifying ss], there must be at least one clear piece of evidence.
Im sorry. It looks like youll have to put in more effort.
Im doing this willingly.
Im counting on you.
Song Cheon-hye felt a surge of motivation in her heart.
Ill definitely catch him.
***
Dang Gyu-young and Shin Byeong-chul seemed like they wanted to chat with us a bit more, but unfortunately, it was time to carry out their punishment.
They were probably assigned to some unpleasant tasks like cleaning the underground sewers.
Though their faces dripped with reluctance, that was the path Dang Gyu-young had chosen.
Its the price for stealing a lot of prohibited items.
Seo Ye-in opened her mouth slightly and yawned for quite a long time.
For some reason, she seemed much more tired than before the duel.
The duel battle hadsted at most 10 minutes.
Do you want to go to the dormitory to sleep?
Mhmm.
She nodded her head slowly and, before leaving, asked me a question.
Did the shoes help?
Yes, thanks to them, I didnt get hit even once.
Even when I had sneaked into the temporary storage room, merely using the [Thiefs Step] wasnt enough topletely avoid Kwak Seung-jaes barrage of mud bullets.
It was only because of my [Elemental Resistance] that it didnt show.
Had I relied solely on [Thiefs Step] this time, I would have likely been hit by at least a few pebbles.
Avoiding all of them perfectly wasrgely thanks to the sneakers Seo Ye-in had given me.
?
As we talked about the shoes, Go Hyeon-woos gaze naturally fell downward, and he noticed that Seo Ye-in and I were wearing the same sneakers.
His eyebrows raised slightly and the corners of his mouth followed.
You two When did you start wearing the same shoes?
What are you thinking?
Nothing much, just that it looks nice.
Then, Seo Ye-in gave a proper exnation which was pretty unusual for her.
However, she seemed to be reaching her limit as her speech was drowsy.
Kim Ho gave me a special lecture on magic bullets I gifted them as a thank you
So that happened.
Mhm Im going to go and sleep now
Go inside, Miss Seo.
Rest well.
Seo Ye-in waved her hand slowly in farewell and then headed towards the dormitory.
Go Hyeon-woo and I also had our own matters to settle.
We each picked up a drink from the store and stood in the same spot as we had two weeks before, each holding a cup of iced coffee.
The difference this time was that Go Hyeon-woo, unlike before, didnt down his drink in one shot. Instead, he slowed his pace, waiting for me to start the conversation.
I took out a card from my inventory and handed it to him.
Here, take it.
Go Hyeon-woos eyes became more intense as he epted it.
This is what Kim-hyung mentioned
The Special Cultivation Room Season Pass.
He must have personally experienced the effects of the Special Cultivation Room over the past two weeks.
It was impossible not to feel the internal energy umting rapidly each day.
However, the points he must have spent frequenting the Special Cultivation Room during these two weeks would have been significant.
Even as the top scorer in the strategy battle, and despite earning a substantial amount of points through reys, by now, he was likely running low.
Using the Season Pass would allow him free and unlimited ess to the Special Cultivation Room for the entire semester without further point expenditure. For a warrior, it was an invaluable treasure.
Go Hyeon-woo looked at the Season Pass with wavering eyes for a long time before suddenly turning to me with a formal and respectful demeanor.
Since Kim-hyung has kept his promise, I too will honor mine. If you need my sword, I will join you anytime, anywhere.
Im counting on it. Ill make sure to put you to good use until Ive gotten my moneys worth.
Haha, Im looking forward to it.
We looked at each other and shared a lightugh.
Then I asked him.
Whats your [Core] rank now?
I broke through a barrierst week. Its D-rank now.
Thats fast progress.
Back on the train, Go Hyeon-woos core was E-rank.
His level had been quite low among the first years.
Now, in terms of mana amount, he had barely moved out of the lower ranks.
His progress was fairly quick but that alone wasnt enough.
Can you reach C-rank by next week?
Hmm
After thinking for a moment, Go Hyeon-woo replied.
If I put in more effort, I might just manage it. But why aim for C?
[Core] hits a stagnation phase at C.
Unless one is a mana monster like Song Cheon-hye, most promising students would find themselves lingering around the upper C-rank range.
In other words, once he achieved C-rank, he wouldnt fall far behind in a mana fight.
From then on, Go Hyeon-woos abilities could be more urately assessed.
Identifying which areas were strong and where improvement was needed.
Next week is also a week of duel battles.
If things go as nned, it would be the perfect time to evaluate his skills ording to the rules that were likely toe up.
Chapter 45: Magic Engineering Workshop
Chapter 45: Magic Engineering Workshop
As soon as I expressed my intention to meet with the president of the magic engineering club, Dang Gyu-young promptly connected me with the guy.
I received a message from him, but he was too busy to meet anywhere else and asked me toe to the workshop.
I suppose thats understandable for the magic engineering club.
When the Emerald club had asked me toe, I had refused and sent Kwak Ji-cheol back with a punch, but that was because they had arrogantly demanded Ie even though they could havee themselves.
If they had approached me politely, I might have reluctantly agreed to follow.
In contrast, the magic engineering club was genuinely swamped with no time to spare.
Being in the production field, they were always overwhelmed withmissions, and especially now that it was the beginning of the semester, they were experiencing a huge influx of orders.
Considering that, it seemed right for me to make the effort to visit them.
I leisurely finished my iced tea and strolled over.
I lost myself in thought along the way.
Iveid the foundation.
With the [Blessing of the West Wind], I had a bonus to wind magic.
And with [Wind Force], I added physical power to my wind magic.
From here on, I n to continue adding more wind magic and traits.
So, the time hade.
I need to get a weapon.
I couldnt keep making do with the [Earth Staff], which was only a little better than a club.
Just as wearing shoes provided a bonus to movement skills, wielding a weapon granted bonuses appropriate for ones ss.
And, in most cases, the bonuses from weapons were stronger than those from other equipment.
The question then was, where to find such a weapon?
Ill have to make it.
And not just any weapon, but one of a conclusive rank.
I nned to use every hidden piece I knew to craft a weapon worthy of an EX-rank reincarnation quest.
Of course, given the high rank, it wasnt possible to create a top-tier weapon right off the bat.
Thats why my n was,
Prefabricated.
Like fitting together a puzzle, I wouldplete it in stages.
Heading to the magic engineering workshop now was part of that lengthy project.
The first workshop was several times busier than on the first day of the semester.
Members ran around as if their feet were on fire and blue lights shed without a moments pause.
As I stood by the door and waited in silence I was soon greeted by a senior.
A freshman? What brings you here?
Id like to meet with the president. If you mention Kim Ho, hell know.
Really? Wait here for a moment.
The senior went inside, and shortly after, another person emerged.
This guy was clearly the president of the magic engineering club.
He looked like apany employee worn out by fatigue and he also exuded an air of urgency as if he was always chased by something.
I was about to introduce myself but he cut me off mid-sentence.
Hello, I
Im Bong Jae-seok. Youre Kim Ho, right? The one whopleted the 10x10x10 cube? Lets talk inside. Follow me.
He rattled off his words like a machine gun and didnt even pause for a response.
He was certainly an impatient guy.
As if time itself were chasing me with a sword, I was hurriedly led away.
The ce we arrived at was Workshop No. 4.
Just like myst visit, it was enveloped in silence.
Bong Jae-seok shattered that silence by flinging the door wide open.
A third-year senior who was working alone inside jumped in surprise and turned around.
I recognized him to be the senior from before.
Bong Jae-seok gestured toward the door.
Out.
Without a word, the senior vacated the space.
Despite being in the same year, the authority of the club president was unmistakably strong.
Bong Jae-seok watched the departing senior with a look of displeasure and began to speak.
The price for trading the clubs assets without permission has been paid by that guy.
The ce where I had unearthed the 10x10x10 cubes blueprint was amidst the clutter of Workshop No. 4.
However, the authority to dispose of even the clutter belonged solely to the club president, and the senior who had just left had exchanged it for a mere material worth 1,000 points.
He traded the cube with me under the assumption that I would never be able toplete it, but he didnt expect that I would achieve the impossible.
He thought that he had taken advantage of a freshman, only to find himself in an unexpected predicament. Too bad for him.
Bong Jae-seok then unleashed another rapid-fire barrage of his thoughts.
While I do have the right to reim it since it was traded without my consent, I dont feel the need to make a fuss about it. Id rather not stir up unnecessary trouble. After all, there was no one else but you who could have aplished it. Id be satisfied just to have a look at it.
His point was that analyzing thepleted [Cube of Life] and learning something from it would be rewarding enough.
He implied that merely allowing him to see it would be considered a form ofpensation for him.
It was a mutually beneficial and reasonable proposal.
However, the unfortunate news was:
I dont have it anymore.
Already passed it on? To whom? Surely not the thieves club?
The Mother Nature Club.
It became Park Na-ris cat house.
By now, it likely had dozens of scratches added to it.
Bong Jae-seoks face quickly clouded over with disappointment.
He abruptly stood up from his seat.
Aichh, what a waste of my time. Im out of here.
Senior-nim.
I called out to Bong Jae-seok as he was about to rush off.
What?
Do you really think I woulde empty-handed? Im not that thoughtless.
Now that you mention it, what did you bring? Show me.
Take a look.
I handed him a piece of paper that had been folded several times, which Bong Jae-seok took and unfolded.
It was a torn-off corner of arge sheet.
Due to the original size of the paper, even this torn corner was quiterge.
As Bong Jae-seok scrutinized the piece of paper from end to end, his expression gradually hardened.
Then, with a p that echoed in the room, heid the paper on the table and leaned in close, absorbing it as if in a trance.
Its real, its actually real I never thought someone would actually manage to do this
What was it about this scrap of paper that had Bong Jae-seok so utterly captivated?
The blueprint.
The one for the 10x10x10 cube that consisted of a thousand tiny cubes.
I meticulously recorded the arrangement of each and every cube.
In other words, if one were to follow this blueprint precisely, it would be possible to recreate the [Cube of Life].
In theory, at least.
The construction process would require a significant amount of material and human resources, not to mention at least a semesters worth of time but that was for the other party to figure out.
After all, the important thing was that it was theoretically possible.
?!
Bong Jae-seok who had been fervently poring over the blueprint suddenly froze in his tracks.
The blueprint had been torn midway, which was why his movement halted abruptly.
The part I had handed to Bong Jae-seok constituted less than 10% of the whole thing.
Bong Jae-seok asked me urgently with a look as if the sky had fallen.
You have the rest right? You do have it, dont you? Tell me you do. Quickly.
There was a hint of madness in Bong Jae-seoks eyes.
He looked as if he would bury someone alive if I said that was all there was.
Of course, I have it well in hand.
I pulled out another neatly folded piece of paper.
It wasrge and thickly folded, hinting that unfolding it would reveal something significant.
Of course, I had no intention of giving it away for free.
Since I showed him a sneak peek, it was time for paid ess from here on.
!
Bong Jae-seok quickly grasped my intentions.
Whether it was due to the urgency of time, his inherently impatient nature, or both, he immediately moved to negotiate.
Lets not waste time with this back-and-forth banter. Just tell me what you want.
I would like ess to the facilities of Workshop No. 1.
The equipment in Workshop No. 1 was reserved for the elite members of the magic engineering club.
Allowing an outsider like me to use those facilities was one of the greatest authorities the club president had.
I had expected lengthy consideration and negotiation, but Bong Jae-seok responded without even five seconds of hesitation.
We need it during the day. You can have it from midnight to dawn. How about that?
That works for me.
Deal. Now give me the rest of the blueprint.
He was indeed a straightforward man.
He unfolded the blueprint I handed over, matched it with the fragment he already had, and confirmed it fit perfectly.
Bong Jae-seok was ovee with joy.
Aaah!
He carefully folded the blueprint while treating it as if it were a precious heirloom of his family.
Then, he reached out to me.
Let me see your student ID.
Sure.
I presented my student ID and Bong Jae-seok jotted down a few critical details.
Ill register you for free ess. Dont cause any trouble. I said after midnight, but if its crowded, make way, and if its not, you can use it before midnight too. You can manage that, right?
Yes, senior-nim.
Good. Im off then.
Bong Jae-seok abruptly stood up and strode out only to hurry back as if he had remembered something hed forgotten.
But youre unaffiliated, right? How about joining our club?
He pointed to the blueprint in his arms and added.
Honestly, this could be submitted as a thesis. The fact that you actually created a 10x10x10 cube is impressive. Youre more than qualified; in fact, overly so.
I appreciate your words, but I must refuse.
So, Dang Gyu-young got to you first, huh? Are you considering joining that thieves club, or are you worried about holding grudges? Ill take care of it all. I have quite a bit of influence, after all.
Its not that. I just dont n to join anything.
. Alright, then. If you change your mind, let me know anytime.
Seeing my firm decision, Bong Jae-seok didnt press any further.
As he turned to leave without any hesitation, he suddenly said,
Oh, and one more thing.
Returning as if something had juste to mind, he gestured with his chin towards a corner of Workshop No. 4 filled with various items.
If youre going to make something out of that junk, feel free to take it. Just provide the blueprints like you did this time. Then I wont say a word.
Thank you.
Now, Im really, really, really going. Take care.
Yes, senior-nim. Please go ahead.
I gained a lot thanks to Bong Jae-seoks very friendly approach.
Now that Ive been granted ess to Workshop No. 1, Im going to take matters into my own hands if theres a need for magical engineering when making equipment in the future.
The [Crafting VIP Ticket] I received could be used in other domains like cksmithing, tailoring, and fine crafting.
Moreover, the permission to take items from Workshop No. 4s collection of various junk turned out to be an unexpected boon.
While I might not stumble upon another jackpot like the [Cube of Life], there was still plenty worth salvaging.
I nned to visit whenever I had some free time.
***
Throughout the remaining week of the strategy battle session, I dedicated myself to practicing [Wind Force].
Despite my relentless efforts of sending iron dummies flying in every direction, I barely managed to cling to the edge of D-rank, falling just short of reaching C-rank.
I had hoped for a clean rank-up but it was time to return to sses.
As usual, Professor Lee Soo-dok appeared shortly after the ss bell rang.
Every student in ss 3 sat in their seats and held their breath.
Everyone learned that the ss proceeds smoothly as long as no one ruffles his feathers over trivial matters.
However, today, Lee Soo-dok entered the ssroom unusually carrying a stack of A4-sized papers.
Catch.
And he suddenly tossed the stack into the air.
Flutter!
The A4 papers scattered chaotically, yet each sheet miraculously settled in front of an individual student.
[Mentoring Application Form]
Chapter 46: 3rd Week Duel Battles (1)
Chapter 46: 3rd Week Duel Battles (1)
Every freshman who entered the Dragon yer Academy had likely been hailed as a prodigy or a genius at least once in their lives.
Yet after just two weeks of enrollment.
They had ample time to realize that theres always a higher mountain.
The cement tests duel battles divided them into sses by 300-point scores, and even within these score ranges, there were winners and losers.
Even in strategy battles where each thought they had given their best, a nce at the rankings revealedyers of superiorpetitors above them.
Then came the [strong enemy] in the second weeks strategy battles.
Only a few, like myself and Seo Ye-in, managed to face and defeat the beheader goblin head-on, while the majority were too busy fleeing.
For many, being chased by creatures they once scoffed at, like goblins, was an entirely new and humiliating experience.
It was terrifying, yes, but also deeply frustrating.
This was also precisely what the Dragon yer Academy had intended.
Get stronger if youre upset.
Provoked by this, students started frequenting the training center more, acquired new equipment and skills, or sought advice from club seniors to foster their own growth.
However, moving forward without clear guidance inevitably had its limitations.
Can the teachers solve this issue entirely?
While its true that each teacher possessed skillsparable to an A-rank professional, their expertise was confined to specific sses.
A warrior couldnt teach magic nor could an archer coach in hand-to-handbat.
Another major problem was theck of time for a teacher to manage dozens of students alone.
Hence, the Dragon yer Academy implemented a mentoring system.
This involved inviting top third-year students or graduates to provide a kind of customized lectures.
Although it was unlikely to be one-on-one, it certainly wouldnt reach a ratio of one to several dozen.
Lee Soo-dok continued to exin while pointing at the [Mentoring Application Form].
Opinions on mentoring will vary. Its a personal choice whether to apply or not. Only those interested should fill out and submit the application.
There are many cases where the sect or family you belong to does not allow you to receive instruction from outsiders, and there are also quite a few who prefer to train on their own.
Therefore, mentoring wasnt a forced thing and the participation rate in the first round of mentoring wasnt particrly high.
Yet the students would graduallye to realize the widening gap between those who received mentoring and those who didnt.
Its a loss not to participate.
Certain skills and traits could be acquired or honed more easily through mentoring.
As someone who stillcks a lot of skills, it would be beneficial to get at least one.
There are quests toplete, too.
Moreover, even if there was nothing new to learn, mentoring-rted quests were too valuable to miss.
Their rewards were as substantial as those from the regr duel and strategy battles.
It was advantageous to follow the trend in many ways.
The deadline for applications is the end of this week. If youre still undecisive, it wont be toote to participate in this weeks duel battles before making your decision. The rules this time are quite appropriate.
Lee Soo-dok smoothly transitioned to introducing this weeks duel battles.
MAP: [Random]
RULE: [Deathmatch] [2vs2] [10-minute limit]
Amidst the familiar settings, one new rule stood out.
2 versus 2.
Cooperation is as important as it wasst week. However, this week, the objective is different.
In the previous strategy battle, the objective was to destroy the totem so there were those who had engaged inbat with the goblin beheader and those who had not.
However, this time, the goal was to defeat the opponents, so the students had to cooperate well for that.
Their opponents were two students ofparable skill levels to their own.
As you engage in 2-on-2 battles, you might uncover weaknesses that dont show up in 1-on-1 fights. Identifying and addressing these weaknesses is also a beneficial aspect of mentoring. Take this week to think it over carefully.
Following Lee Soo-doks advice, most students seemed inclined to at least dip their toes into this weeks duel battles before making a decision.
And some people, including me, were already filling out the application form without hesitation.
The question that appeared on the A4 sheet in front of me was a mere single sentence.
As I wrote down my answer beneath it, the text would magically disappear, making way for the next question to emerge.
The nature of the questions was also adapted based on my previous responses.
Q: Please write down your sss main category.
(Examples: Warrior, Ranger, Rogue, Caster, etc.)
A: Caster.
Q: What is your tendency as a Caster?
(Examples: Offensive, Defensive, Supportive, Versatile, Yet to be determined)
A: Versatile.
Q: What is your position within the party?
(Examples: Vanguard, Midguard, Rearguard)
A: All-rounder.
Q: What percentage of your skills and traits are utility-type?
A: Very high.
Q: What is your top priority in battle?
A: To anger the opponent.
.
Roughly speaking, it felt akin to a psychological test.
In the way it meticulously diagnosed a students inclinations and yed a significant role in connecting them with the most suitable mentor.
I finished filling out the application in no time and submitted it as soon as the ss ended.
Lee Soo-dok gave me a perplexed look for a moment.
He always acted as if he had some matter to discuss with me, though I could never understand why.
However, since there were many other students submitting their forms, he quickly looked away.
When I returned to my seat, Go Hyeon-woo asked me as if he had been watching him.
Kim-hyung, did you already apply for mentoring?
The sooner you decide, the better. What about you?
Im not yet convinced. I think I need to look into it more and think about it.
I can make it easier for you. Just apply.
Go Hyeon-woos eyebrows shot up at my swift conclusion.
Are you that confident, Kim-hyung?
Yes, you wont regret it.
Could you exin?
If you apply, youll get a mentor from the top ranks of the third-year students or a graduate, which for you means being taught by an experienced senior. When else will you get such an opportunity?
.!
Originally, warriors tend to be closed off to others so they do not carelessly share their martial arts skills, but if you use mentoring as an excuse, you can gently break down that wall.
Even just engaging in conversations about martial arts or friendly sparring could be incredibly beneficial.
Indeed, if thats the case, I must definitely participate. Thank you for the advice.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head in agreement and then smoothly proceeded to fill out the application form.
Warriors, martial artists, swordsmen
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-iny sprawled across the desk, turning her face just enough to watch us out of the corner of her eye.
Her face was already full of annoyance, so I felt like I had already heard the answer before I even asked.
Not doing it?
Mhm.
Why?
Its troublesome; Im sleepy
I thought as much.
The importance of mentoring was even greater for Seo Ye-in as she still had many skills and traits to learn.
Yet, I chose not to press the issue further.
Despite Seo Ye-ins apparentck of enthusiasm for just about everything, she secretly possessed a strongpetitive spirit.
I think she mighte to realize that on her own during this weeks duel battles.
If not, I could always try persuading her then.
By the way, Kim-hyung.
Go Hyeon-woo asked while diligently filling out his application form.
Who are you nning to team up with for this weeks duel battles? If you havent decided yet
How about we team up this time? Hows your [Core]ing along?
I had assigned him the task of reaching a C-rank [Core] by this week.
It was important to ensure we wouldnt be at a disadvantage in the event of a magical battle.
Go Hyeon-woo smiled awkwardly.
Im ashamed to say it but Im not there yet.
Id prefer to have itpleted first, but how much longer do you think it will take?
By Wednesday. No, Ill make sure its done by tomorrow.
Alright, I can wait a day.
Spending a day practicing [Wind Force] would be a good way to pass the time.
I was also close to reaching C-rank myself.
But then, Seo Ye-in, who had been resting her cheek on the desk, suddenly asked me.
Cant you do it with me too?
However, since Go Hyeon-woo was the first to bring up the subject, I looked at him seeking his opinion through my eyes.
Go Hyeon-woo, in turn, shifted his gaze to me and asked,
We need to participate in at least four duel battles this week, right?
Yes, thats correct. Four times.
The number of mandatory matches had increased by onepared to the first week of duel battles.
This is a semi-coercive gesture on the part of Dragon yer Academy to help students who are considering applying for mentoring.
Since its a duo game, perhaps one out of the four might not go as nned?
That could ignite a newfound desire for improvement, especially with a great system like mentoring in ce.
In any case, we were obliged to participate in a total of four matches.
Go Hyeon-woo suggested,
How about if Miss Seo and I each team up with Kim-hyung for two matches?
Okay.
What do you think, Kim-hyung?
The two people who reached an agreement looked at me at the same time.
After all, it would alle to naught if I were to object.
From my perspective, it was an offer without any downside.
However, I decided to add one condition.
I dont mind teaming up for two matches each, but for the rest, try ying with different opponents.
Participating in a couple of matches with unfamiliar students would also serve to build some experience in that area.
Seo Ye-in and Go Hyeon-woo nodded in agreement.
All right.
Its fortunate that weve reached a smooth agreement. Lets all meet tomorrow then.
Go Hyeon-woo left to submit the application to the teachers office.
He seemed likely to spend the rest of the day in the special cultivation room, focusing solely on [Core] practice until tomorrow.
I asked Seo Ye-in.
Shall we head out as well?
Mhmm.
***
On the first day of the first week, the arena was almost deserted, but today it was bustling with students.
The main reason was the introduction of the 2-on-2 battles which added many variables.
While individual skills were one thing, thebined strength of two students couldnt be urately gauged until they actually faced off in battle.
With the prospect of facing four matches anyway, the strategy was to charge head-on, win or lose, and then adjust the n ordingly from then on.
As Seo Ye-in and I took turns scanning our student IDs the terminal began its search for suitable opponents.
[Seo Ye-in 691 points]
[Kim Ho 386 points]
For matches involving more than two students, the system would match participants based on the average score of the team.
Given that the average score between Seo Ye-in and myself was around 539 points, our opponents were likely to be two individuals with a simrbined score.
After a while, the name and score were disyed in the notification window.
Iughed because it was a name I remembered.
Im seeing her here again.
I was amused by the strange ways of fate.
We then made our way to the arena using the teleportation circle.
Our surroundings changed and we were greeted by a fierce wind.
The grasnd around us was alive with wind blowing incessantly in all directions.
!
Far across from us, a girl with red hair and a boy covered in armor were casting their gaze in our direction; the girls eyes were burning with an intense fervor.
[Kim Ho 386 points, Seo Ye-in 691 points]
vs
[Baek Jun-seok 388 points, Hong Yeon-hwa 690 points]
A promising member of the , one of the four major powers.
A fire mage affiliated with the Ruby Magic Tower.
and the very same girl who suffered a humiliating loss to me in the duel battle back in the cement test.
Chapter 47: 3rd Week Duel Battles (2)
Chapter 47: 3rd Week Duel Battles (2)
Hong Yeon-hwas first thought when sheid eyes on Seo Ye-in who stood across from her was,
She is really pretty like a doll.
Although they were in different sses, she had often heard the boys in her ss mention the gray-haired girl from ss 3.
Seeing her in person, even from a female perspective, her beauty was indeed breathtaking.
Then there was Kim Ho.
Hong Yeon-hwa was momentarily distracted by Seo Ye-ins appearance and found her ranking had slipped, but in terms of leaving an impression, Kim Ho surpassed that.
He was the man who first defeated Hong Yeon-hwa who had nothing to fear in the world and made her feel despair.
As Hong Yeon-hwa drifted into these recollections, she suddenly felt a wave of dizziness and a throbbing in the back of her head.
After being so thoroughly defeated by him to the point of surrender, she couldnt fathom why he had forfeited the remaining two matches.
Why?
Why would you win against me and then forfeit to Song Cheon-hye?
I wouldnt lose to Song Cheon-hye in a duel battle, would I?
The apparent hierarchy of Hong Yeon-hwa < Kim Ho < Song Cheon-hye seemed utterly unfair to her.
She wished to grab Kim Ho by the cor, shake him, and demand why he had forfeited. though that was just in her head.
The cold eyes of that man looking down at her shed before her eyes.
Despite her usually fiery temper, Hong Yeon-hwa found herself inexplicably able to control her anger in Kim Hos presence.
Even now, she hid her feelings well but the mere sight of him gave her a slight chill.
Unfortunately for her, she was scheduled to fight against Kim Ho which left her with only two options.
To fight or to forfeit.
Can I win?
She honestly doubted it
She had certainly grown stronger than she was two weeks ago.
But if asked whether she had be strong enough to breach his irond defense, she wouldnt know how to answer.
Still, I must try.
The word forfeit did not exist in her vocabry.
She viewed him as a wall that she must eventually ovee, so she was determined to give her best even in the face of likely defeat.
After all, there was not aplete absence of possibility.
It might be uncertain in a one-on-one battle, but now it was a two-on-two situation.
If the two of them coordinated their attack well, there might be a chance.
[Kim Ho 100%, Seo Ye-in 100%]
vs
[Baek Jun-seok 100%, Hong Yeon-hwa 100%]
Baek Jun-seoks body was being enveloped in splendid heavy armor.
And he clenched arge, thick greatsword in his hands.
Hong Yeon-hwa gave instructions to Baek Jun-seok.
Charge as soon as we start. We take down Seo Ye-in first.
The pinpoint destructive power of a rifle gun posed a huge threat to anyone.
Once the battle started, they needed to prioritize taking down Seo Ye-in above all else.
Understood.
Baek Jun-seok nodded his head without any objections.
Hispliance wasnt just due to their personal rtionship; the score difference between them and the prestige of a promising student made him particrly receptive to Hong Yeon-hwas words.
Just before the match began, Hong Yeon-hwa calmed her mind.
End it in one go.
No matter who her opponent was, her strategy was almost always the same.
Attack, attack, and attack again.
She aimed to overwhelm them with a relentless offensive and decide the match.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
sh!
The ruby glowed with a red light, and two separate spells began to form on either side of Hong Yeon-hwa.
The first was quicklypleted.
The staff was covered in mes and took the shape of a bow.
As soon as the bowstring was pulled, the second spell was alsopleted.
The fire arrow zed even more brightly and fiercely.
[me Arrow]
[Outburst]
Fwoosh!
The fire arrow soared through the air, outpacing Baek Jun-seok, and headed straight for Seo Ye-in.
.
Kim Ho briefly observed the fire arrow before swiftly grabbing Seo Ye-ins arm and tossing her gently to the side.
It was a movement so effortless that it seemed as if no force had been applied at all.
Yet Seo Ye-ins body floated up andnded gently some distance away as if a transparent giant had carefully set her down beside him.
Or as if Seo Ye-ins body was made of feathers.
Kim Ho darted to the opposite side and the fire arrow struck the ground where he had been standing.
Boom!
A huge fire explosion erupted, transforming the grasnd into a sea of mes in an instant.
This was the result ofbining the long-range spell of [me Arrow] with the explosive spell of [Outburst].
The fiercely blowing wind spread the fire even faster.
Humph!
Whoosh!
Baek Jun-seok arrived shortly after and swung his greatsword.
Since his original target, Seo Ye-in, had been flung far away and had disappeared from sight, he turned his attention to Kim Ho as the next best option.
Hisrge, thick de relentlessly pursued Kim Ho who narrowly avoided each attack and retreated.
While continuing to keep him at bay, Hong Yeon-hwa quickly scanned the area.
I must find her.
There was no telling when or from where a sniper shot mighte.
If she had vanishedpletely, it was likely she used some sort of stealth item or skill.
The most orthodox approach to finding her then would be to use a tracking spell like [Scan] but that was a weak point for Hong Yeon-hwa.
The next best option was to use area-wide magic to cover a broad range.
That seemed like the best course of action.
Hong Yeon-hwa swiftly began toplete arge magic circle.
But as the circle was about halfwaypleted,
Whoosh!
The already strong wind blew directly towards her.
The force was so strong that Hong Yeon-hwa found herself stepping back several paces without realizing it.
The magic she had been casting was abruptly canceled and dissipated.
Of all times!
Why did the wind have to blow like this at such a crucial moment?
In desperation, she gathered her mana again to cast the same spell.
Whoosh!
This time, a gust of wind from the left blew, spinning Hong Yeon-hwas body to the side.
She lost her bnce for a moment and stumbled.
And naturally, the spell was canceled.
No!
Giving the sniper any more time would lead to this!
Bang!!
And just like that, it happened.
Hong Yeon-hwas consciousness slowly drifted toward darkness
***
Ugh!
Cough!
Hong Yeon-hwa and Baek Jun-seok stood up at the same time.
When they regained their senses, they found themselves sprawled side by side in a corner of the arena.
A quick nce at the scoreboard made it clear what just happened.
[Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in Win]
vs
[Baek Jun-seok and Hong Yeon-hwa Lose]
We lost
Seo Ye-ins precise shot hit its mark, and Hong Yeon-hwa was knocked out cold.
It felt like being struck by a cargo truck speeding at full throttle.
Baek Jun-seok who was left on his own likely met a simr fate.
[Duel Battle Score: 690 -35 points]
Aaaah
Viewing the significant drop in points, Hong Yeon-hwa sighed miserably.
If they had fought their best and lost, she could have epted it, but this felt utterly deting.
She had known early on that the terrain was prone to strong winds, which could interfere with casting magic.
She had approached the match with caution while considering this.
But how could the wind, at the most critical moment, blow just right to push her aside?
And not just once, but twice?
How could she be so unlucky?
As Hong Yeon-hwa remained in a dazed state for a while, Baek Jun-seok, whose spirits were less shattered, offered some encouragement.
Hong Yeon-hwa, pull yourself together and lets head to the next match. We just had bad luck this time.
Yes, it was just bad luck.
[Baek Jun-seok 363 points]
[Hong Yeon-hwa 655 points]
Hong Yeon-hwa scanned her student ID on the terminal and repeated the words she had just said to herself in her mind.
Yes, it was just bad luck.
The recent match had been like a rare natural disaster that asionally happens.
Sometimes, coincidences stack up, and it seemed today was one of those days.
The lost points could be recovered by winning future matches.
However, when the next match was set up,
Hong Yeon-hwa let out a silent scream.
Aaah!!
[Kim Ho 422 points Seo Ye-in 715 points]
vs
[Baek Jun-seok 363 points Hong Yeon-hwa 655 points]
They encountered Kim Ho and Seo Ye-ins team again.
Given the simr average scores, it was entirely possible to meet them consecutively.
Even knowing this, Hong Yeon-hwa felt particrly unlucky today.
Her steps toward the teleportation circle felt incredibly heavy.
The terrain for this match was also a grasnd.
At least the wind was calm which she found somewhatforting.
Baek Jun-seok looked toward the opponents and asked,
Are we targeting Seo Ye-in first again?
No. Protect me.
What?
Baek Jun-seok turned around in surprise.
He had never imagined that a word rted to defense woulde from Hong Yeon-hwas mouth.
He examined Hong Yeon-hwas face with a worried expression on his face.
Did you hurt your head? Are you sure about this defense n?
Stop talking nonsense. And get your shield out, too.
Alright.
Baek Jun-seok nodded his head with a cool voice. She seemed just like her usual self to him.
He swapped his greatsword for a one-handed sword and arge triangr shield.
His skills with the sword and shield were no less formidable than with the greatsword.
Hong Yeon-hwa didnt change the strategy out of fear.
On the contrary, her mind was working furiously.
Reviewing thest match, she noted that Kim Ho had been consistently chased by Baek Jun-seok.
During the cement test, he had only defended and ended the fight byunching a hummingbird. He hadnt shown any significant offensive magic.
What if his strength lies only in defense?
What if his offense wasnt noteworthy at all?
What if he couldnt break through Baek Jun-seok, the heavy warrior?
If thats the case, could she not find a breakthrough by having Baek Jun-seok protect her while she took on the role of an artillery?
Silently, Baek Jun-seok finished changing his equipment, and across from them, Kim Ho muttered something briefly to Seo Ye-in after noticing the change.
Seo Ye-in nodded ever so slightly.
It seemed the other side had also adjusted their strategy.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Hong Yeon-hwas staff Instantly glowed red,
[Combustion]
Boom!
Seo Ye-ins upper body was engulfed in a small explosion.
The spell was cast andunched in the blink of an eye.
[Kim Ho 100% Seo Ye-in 98%]
It hit.
The damage was minimal, likely due to Seo Ye-ins high-quality armor, causing only a slight graze.
But it was a hit nheless.
Pufff!
A small smoke bomb exploded and Seo Ye-in vanished from sight.
It was clear she must have turned invisible again.
Hong Yeon-hwa made a briefment.
Shield.
Understood.
Baek Jun-seoks triangr shield began to glow with a deep blue mana, and a shield made of mana appeared next to Hong Yeon-hwa.
It circled around her and protected her.
That takes care of the immediate threat.
Even if a sniper attack came, the shield would protect her a few times over.
Meanwhile, Kim Ho maintained a steady distance, walking as if he were on a leisurely stroll.
Suddenly, with a slight raise of his hand, a hummingbird made of electricity took flight.
Baek Jun-seok tried to sh the hummingbird with his one-handed sword and crush it with his shield, but the bird with its graceful flight, dodged every attempt andnded squarely on Baek Jun-seoks chest.
Fzzzt!
Almost at the same time, a heavy impact was felt on the mana shield protecting Hong Yeon-hwa.
Bang!
Seo Ye-in had timed her snipe perfectly to coincide with the distraction caused by the hummingbird.
However, the mana shield remained intact and Baek Jun-seok quickly recovered from the paralysis.
Moreover, the sessful defense allowed them to pinpoint the direction of the sniper shot.
There!
As Hong Yeon-hwa released the spells she had prepared in advance, mes of fire magic poured out, setting the meadow aze.
The air shimmered for a moment, revealing Seo Ye-ins form.
Seizing the opportunity, Hong Yeon-hwa concentrated her attack skills on her.
Seo Ye-ins health began to drop rapidly.
[Kim Ho 100%, Seo Ye-in 84%]
[Kim Ho 100%, Seo Ye-in 79%]
[Kim Ho 100%, Seo Ye-in 76%]
Meanwhile, Kim Ho was just watching everything unfold from a distance.
Hong Yeon-hwa smiled triumphantly.
Just as I thought!
Her prediction had been urate.
The opponents strengthy only in defense.
If things continued this way, victory seemed within reach.
By defending with a mana shield and counterattacking, she nned to incapacitate Seo Ye-in forbat and then focus the attack on Kim Ho, who would be left alone.
But then
Silently, as if to contradict her expectations, Kim Ho who was standing leisurely began to approach.
The pace of his walk gradually quickened into a run.
Whoosh
Just then, a wind blew in the same direction as Kim Ho, as if he were riding or even conjuring it.
Hong Yeon-hwa felt an inexplicable chill run down her spine.
While Baek Jun-seok smirked dismissively.
Hes lost his mind.
Youve won thest fight quickly so youre approaching for hand-to-handbat with the belief that we are easy opponents?
He confidently positioned his shield in front and gripped his one-handed sword.
Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa internally screamed,
Donte any closer!!
Chapter 48: 3rd Week Duel Battles (3)
Chapter 48: 3rd Week Duel Battles (3)
Baek Jun-seoks strategy was simple.
Whatever move his opponent made, he nned to block with his shield and counter with his one-handed sword.
Since he determined from the previous match that he had the upper hand in closebat, he believed this straightforward tactic would suffice.
Try and hit me if you can.
Baek Jun-seok was confident in his defense.
Although his overallbat abilities might have been somewhat inferior to those of the other students, when it came to holding his ground with a shield, he was second to none.
He was certain that Kim Hos attacks wouldnt even leave a scratch.
He assumed Kim Ho was aware of this fact and would therefore try to outmaneuver him in some way.
However, contrary to his expectations, Kim Ho charged directly with him.
Approaching rapidly without any sign of an attacking skill, it appeared to Baek Jun-seok as if Kim Ho was practically begging to be taken down.
Just as he was about to lift his one-handed sword for a strike, Kim Ho lightly ced his hand on the shield as if touching it.
Bang!
An enormous force was applied, and Baek Jun-seoks arm was thrown back along with his shield, leaving his upper bodypletely exposed.
Wha
Before he could even express his shock, Kim Ho stepped even closer and seized Baek Jun-seoks wrist with one hand while cing the other on his waist.
In the next instant, Baek Jun-seoks body was lifted off the ground and he started spinning in the air.
Before getting mmed back down.
Boom!!
The heavy weight of his armor added to the force of the throw, resulting in a tremendous impact that rendered Baek Jun-seok utterly incapacitated.
The mana shield protecting Hong Yeon-hwa also dissipated silently in that instant.
!
Suddenly left alone, Hong Yeon-hwa was too stunned to even consider casting her next spell as she was overwhelmed by the shocking turn of events before her eyes.
Her pupils darted in disbelief.
Wasnt he specializing in defense ?
She had made her strategy under the assumption that Kim Ho was merely a supporter skilled in defensive magic, but he defied that notion entirely by charging head-on and taking down Baek Jun-seok.
What skill or ability had he used to effortlessly lift and throw a person d in full te armor as if they were a mere stuffed doll?
Hong Yeon-hwas understanding of Kim Ho expanded with this scene.
He was the owner of an incredibly potent defensive magic that rendered him safe even under a barrage of fire spells and he didnt suffer even 1% damage.
Moreover, he was a martial arts master with the terrifying capability to send Baek Jun-seok flying with mere gestures.
And, and then. Could it be that he is hiding something else?
Previously, Hong Yeon-hwa had thought she might eventually catch up to him, but now the gap between their abilities felt insurmountably wide.
.
Ho!
As Kim Ho took a step forward, Hong Yeon-hwa hastily retreated two steps.
She wanted to put even more distance between them, but a prickling sensation at her back stopped her after just two steps.
It was likely from Seo Ye-in aiming her gun.
.
Kim Ho did not advance further; instead, he fixed her with a gaze as cold as before.
Though he said nothing, his icy stare seemed to convey a chilling message as clear as if spoken aloud:
You know what you should do, dont you?
If you try anything unnecessary
Ill make you end up like him
Hong Yeon-hwasplexion turned deathly pale.
If she were to show even the slightest hint of attempting any action other than surrender, she would immediately be flung aside like Baek Jun-seok or have a magic bullet lodged in the back of her head.
She started trembling like an aspen tree and she struggled to open her mouth before she finally managed to respond.
I-I admit defeat
[Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in Win]
vs
[Baek Jun-seok and Hong Yeon-hwa Lose]
Even after the match had concluded, Hong Yeon-hwa stood there nkly for a long time
***
The poor kid ispletely out of it.
I cast a sympathetic nce towards Hong Yeon-hwa.
I hadnt expected to face off in two consecutive matches either.
Considering her original high score, she must have lost a significant amount, and suffering two consecutive defeats would have further reduced it, not to mention the additional toll on her mental state.
But you get no mercy from me.
I too had a quest toplete.
[Side Quest: 3rd Week Duel Battles]
Objective: Complete 4 duel matches. (2/4pleted)
Deadline: ~ midnight on Sunday.
Reward: Varies based on the number of wins. (2/4 wins)
The reward for this weeks quest is likely to be an [essory Selection].
Aiming for a winning streak was important, as more victories would secure a higher-tier selection privilege. A single defeat was not an option.
I wonder if shell manage to dust herself off and get back up?
From what Ive seen in the two matches, Hong Yeon-hwas mental strength is pretty good.
The first match ended rather anticlimactically.
The terrain was notoriously windy, and despite my frequent interruptions with [Wind Force] spells, she seemedpletely oblivious.
And she was likely cursing her own misfortune.
Such disappointment could have easily shaken her skills, yet in the second match, she exhibited an even stronger performance.
She flexibly adapted herbat style after discerning the unique characteristics of my skills and Seo Ye-ins
Had it not been for the unexpected challenge posed by Wind Force, Hong Yeon-hwas team might have emerged victorious.
With such formidable mental strength, she would surely recover on her own if left to her own devices.
Or not.
Whats more important now is.
.?
Noticing my silent gaze, Seo Ye-in tilted her head.
If Seo Ye-ins growth were to be charted on a hexagonal graph, the Destructive Power aspect would stand out prominently and resemble the point of a spike.
As was evident in the second match against the Hong Yeon-hwa and Baek Jun-seok duo, the moment her position was exposed, she became incredibly vulnerable.
To prepare for such situations, it was wise to master a variety of skills and traits, including defense, evasion, and methods to be invisible again.
Among these, some were better learned from other gunners, so she should go for the mentoring application.
Its troublesome; Im sleepy
However, the person in questioncked the motivation for such a thing.
Also, with her current strategy of just wearing the invisible ghillie suit and firing away, resulting in easy knockouts, she probably didnt feel much need for mentoring.
I wish someone would give her a challenge for once.
Though it seemed contradictory for me to think this, she needs to lose to someone to get herpetitive spirit fired up.
Wouldnt someone like Song Cheon-hye or that Beheader Goblin pop up from somewhere?
***
The term all-rounded applied to me as well.
[The rank of Wind Force has increased. (D->C)]
For most skills and traits, the C rank represented a stagnant phase.
It became significantly harder to advance in rank from this point on.
No matter how well I knew all the hidden pieces and shortcuts, I couldnt just skip over this stagnant phase.
Of course, as it got slower and more challenging to advance, with each step up from B to A to S, the power of the skills increased significantly, making it impossible to simply stop the progress.
I need to think long-term and be realistic.
Consistent practice over the long term was fundamental.
However, instead of pouring all resources into raising a single skill from C to B, it was more beneficial for enhancing overall strength to acquire a variety of skills, traits, and equipment.
Thats why my next goal was a weapon.
Go Hyeon-woo needs to do well.
He was part of the blueprint for creating that weapon.
How much I could expect from him would be clear after we fought together in the double duel battle tomorrow.
***
Kim-hyung, Ive done it.
Go Hyeon-woos face was bright as he greeted me in the morning.
The aura emanating from him was even sharper than the day before.
It was proof that he had achieved C-rank in his [Core].
Youve worked hard. Shall we head straight to the duel battles after this?
Thats exactly what I was hoping for. Im ready.
Go Hyeon-woo responded with confidence.
After ss, I immediately made my way to the arena.
The arena was bustling with even more students than the day before.
There were so many people scanning their student IDs at the terminals that it was almost necessary to line up.
[Kim Ho 457 points]
[Go Hyeon-woo 687 points]
While we waited for the matchmaking to process, Go Hyeon-woo brought up Seo Ye-in.
I wonder who Miss Seo will be ying her remaining two matches with.
Did she have any friends besides us?
Not that I know of. Ive always seen her with Kim-hyung.
Over the past two weeks, Seo Ye-in had spent most of her time with me.
Her only other activities seemed to be holing up alone in her dorm room or practicing at the training center.
I guess she probably didnt have another partner to team up with besides us.
It didnt fit her personality to suddenly start looking for a team member.
Truth be told, Im in a simr situation with a limited social circle. Im worried about how to find team members.
Go Hyeon-woos situation wasnt much different from hers.
He was popr because of his good looks and his social skills werent bad either, so it seemed he had be acquainted with many people in passing.
However, because he had spent the entire beginning of the semester secluded in the special cultivation room, he hadnt formed any close bonds that would let him be able to form teams quickly.
I responded dismissively to the concern.
Just go for a random queue if you dont have a partner.
What is a random queue?
Its exactly what it sounds like. You get paired up randomly.
I see, such an option exists.
Go Hyeon-woo mused before asking another question.
However, wouldnt it be disadvantageous to work with a teammate assigned at random?
Having a pre-arranged partner allows one to enter 2-on-2 battles with a strategic advantage from the start, n tactics in advance, and gain experience from ying multiple matches with the same teammate.
On the other hand, with a random queue, one might end up with an unfavorablebination, like two mages or two archers, right from the start.
This puts one at a disadvantage in terms of teamposition.
Moreover, theck of time to devise a strategy means that battles are almost approached on the fly.
As soon as a match ended, the two of you would break up, so your experience with that partner would be reset.
The academy was well aware of these issues.
Thats why the average score for the random queue is set higher.
In other words, instead of pre-arranged coordination, theypensate by pairing you with a more skilled partner.
Exactly. Its not entirely unfair.
I see.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head in understanding.
Just then, our match was set, and we simultaneously turned our heads.
Ah.
Uhmm!
We both let out a murmur as we checked the list of opponents.
[Kim Ho 457 points Go Hyeon-woo 687 points]
vs
[Ilgong 572 points Seo Ye-in 741 points]
Suddenly, a thought I had the previous day shed through my mind.
She needs to lose to someone to get herpetitive spirit fired up.
Wouldnt someone like Song Cheon-hye or that Beheader Goblin pop up from somewhere?
Turns out, I was the one who popped up?
Chapter 49: 3rd Week Duel Battles (4)
Chapter 49: 3rd Week Duel Battles (4)
A desert bathed in hot sunlight.
The heat radiated from the sun-soaked sands to those standing upon them.
The asional gust of wind which was as rare as a raindrop in a drought brought no relief and only added to the sweltering heat.
[Kim Ho 100%, Go Hyeon-woo 100%]
vs.
[Ilgong 100%, Seo Ye-in 100%]
Seo Ye-in waved her hand gently from the opposite side, acknowledging us with a familiar gesture.
Go Hyeon-woo and I awkwardly waved back in response.
Going for the win?
Of course.
Losing here wasnt just about failing the quest; it would also mean kissing any chance of Seo Ye-in doing mentoring goodbye.
I decided to set aside any feelings of guilt and focus on giving her a hard time.
Ilgong was a monk with closely shaved hair and he exuded a strong Buddhist aura even in his school uniform.
The fact that he only had prayer beads in his hand with nothing else meant he practiced the art of unarmedbat, making him a perfect match for Go Hyeon-woo.
Youll take on that monk Ilgong. Ill handle Seo Ye-in.
That sounds like a n. Understood.
Closebatants shed with their own, while ranged fighters engaged from a distance. It was a straightforward strategy with nothing special about it.
From the opposing side, Ilgong seemed to issue briefmands but it was unclear if Seo Ye-in would actually follow his instructions.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Seo Ye-ins twin pistols spewed blue mes, while Ilgong gathered golden energy in his hands and unleashed it repeatedly.
Tutututu!
m-m-m!
Go Hyeon-woo and I split to either side to dodge the onught of ranged attacks.
The spot we had just vacated was overturned and sand was sent flying everywhere.
We couldnt just stand there and take it.
A thunderous hummingbird flew from my hand.
Tutututu!
As the hummingbird rapidly closed in, Seo Ye-in aimed her pistols at it.
The hummingbird nimbly dodged the barrage of magic bullets and drew ever closer. Sensing the danger, Ilgong also fired his energy to help Seo Ye-in.
And they managed to intercept it just before it hit her.
Not bad at all.
Intercepting a single spell with two people might not seem remarkable, but considering how few opponents had managed to do it properly before, it wasmendable.
Ilgongs energy seemed fierce enough to suggest he possessed skills in the 600-point range.
Hmm!
Go Hyeon-woo drew his iron sword and sent out a wave of sword energy, which Ilgong countered with his own energy.
They exchanged blows from a distance and they gradually started closing in on each other.
However, Ilgong was so focused on Go Hyeon-woo that he could no longer assist Seo Ye-in.
My second hummingbird hit its mark on Seo Ye-in.
Fzzt!
Her next move was predictable:
A smoke bomb and the invisible ghillie suit.
Pufffff!
As expected, thick smoke billowed up.
When I used [Wind Force] to clear the smoke, I noticed the sand indented in the middle where there was supposed to be nothing.
The nearby sand was blown around by the wind and Seo Ye-ins invisible form was now faintly visible.
When I focused the wind force on that spot, Seo Ye-in tumbled sideways and rolled across the sand.
I clenched my jaw to suppress augh.
Ahem
ng! ng! Crack!
Go Hyeon-woo and Ilgong were engaged in close-quartersbat.
The sh of steel against bare hands resonated with a metallic sound.
This was made possible thanks to the golden color that enveloped Ilgongs hands.
It looked like he was blending techniques of hand and palm strikes.
Go Hyeon-woo wasnt just swinging his iron sword; he interspersed his attacks with punches, kicks, and knee strikes.
Overall, the momentum favored Go Hyeon-woo as he pressed the advantage.
I shifted my attention back to Seo Ye-in.
A quick dusting of the sand revealed that she was still lying face down on the ground.
She was likely biding her time to target either me or Goh Hyeon-woo.
With a one-hit knockout
My only defensive trait was the S-rank [Elemental Resistance].
This could nearly nullify elemental attacks but I was still vulnerable to physical or non-elemental magical attacks.
This meant a sessful snipe from Seo Ye-in could spell instant defeat for me.
And likely Go Hyeon-woo wouldntst much longer against her either.
Therefore, preventing her snipe was paramount.
Whoosh!
A strong gust of wind swept over the spot where Seo Ye-in was lying.
As if in response, a blue light shed from the location where the rifle would have been located.
Bang!
The magic bullet veered off course and disappeared without a trace.
Sniping is an exceedingly delicate task.
Even a slight nudge of the gun barrel with [Wind Force] could drastically reduce uracy, making me the perfect nemesis for Seo Ye-in at the moment.
After I stirred the wind further and made it more troublesome for her, I then shifted my focus back to Go Hyeon-woo.
ng! tter! ng!
In the battle, Go Hyeon-woo still held the high ground but the situation with the weapons was the opposite.
While Go Hyeon-woos iron sword developed more cracks with each moment, Ilgongs hand grew increasingly radiant with a distinct golden color.
And eventually,
Crack.
The durability of the iron sword gave out, and it shattered.
Go Hyeon-woo leaped back and retreated with a great bound, prompting Ilgong to pursue him closely.
I had no choice but to lend a hand to give Go Hyeon-woo a moment to breathe.
Fzzzzt!
A hummingbird, sent at just the right moment, darted between Go Hyeon-woo and Ilgong.
Ilgong paused to unleash a double palm strike, but the hummingbird momentarily retreated and then zigzagged forward in a swift charge as if it was alive.
Fzzzt!
However, even though the hummingbird made contact with Ilgong, it merely sparked slightly and vanished without causing any paralysis.
There was no sign that Ilgong was affected, thanks to the faint golden energy enveloping and protecting his body.
Its starting to be ineffective.
Just as Baek Jun-seok had immediately shaken off the paralysis from the hummingbird, now it didnt even prate Ilgongs defenses.
As opponents levels continue to rise, the instances where the hummingbird proves ineffective will only increase.
Its crucial to understand that its not the hummingbird itself thats ineffective,
but rather the E-grade hummingbird.
One of the limitations of copied skills is their inability to grow.
The E-rank hummingbird I copied from Song Cheon-hye at the time will be maintained forever.
Had I mastered the hummingbird directly, it might have reached D or C rank by now through extensive use.
It might be better to rece the E-rank hummingbird with a different skill when the opportunity arises.
Especially if Ilgong demonstrates a worthwhile skill to acquire.
Despite its limitations, the hummingbird did buy a momentary respite from Ilgong.
It provided Go Hyeon-woo with enough time to switch to a new iron sword.
Go Hyeon-woo then resumed his offensive once more.
ng-ng!
I turned my attention back to Seo Ye-in.
I gathered all the winds I had been swirling around and concentrated them downward in a single, forceful sweep.
Thump!
The rifle spat fire again in reaction, and a magic bullet struck the ground a few steps from where I stood, kicking up sand. The aim was severely off.
I had to cover my mouth.
I couldnt help but smirk as the corners of my mouth twitched uncontrobly.
Although I couldnt see Seo Ye-ins detailed movements due to the invisibility provided by her ghillie suit, the oppressive wind from above must have ttened her.
If there were a sound effect, it might have been a squish.
[Kim Ho 100% Go Hyeon-woo 85%]
vs.
[Ilgong 72% Seo Ye-in 96%]
Seo Ye-ins health hadnt dropped much because I wasnt wielding Windforce as brutally as I did when beating up Kwak Ji-cheol.
The point of this battle was to stir up her desire for growth, so mere interference was sufficient.
Realizing that her stealth and sniping werepletely blocked, Seo Ye-in deactivated her ghillie suit and switched her rifle for dual pistols.
Tututututu!
There was no way this would work against me either.
I dodged the iing magic bullets with [Thiefs Step] and cast Hummingbird twice in session.
Fizz, Fizz!
After pushing the stiffened Seo Ye-in slightly with Wind Force, she toppled over and rolled across the sandy ground.
Her gray eyes met mine.
I could feel her motivation swiftly diminishing from her expressionless face.
No matter what she tried it wasnt working, so naturally, her will to fight was fading.
This side is done.
It seemed that things were wrapping up on the other end as well.
Ilgong, who had been on the defensive the whole time, seemed to have decided to make a decisive move.
As he poured out his energy towards Go Hyeon-woo, he widened the distance between them, and his momentum surged dramatically.
[Roaring Demon Buddha Shadow Vajra Qi]
[Great Hand Seal]
All the golden energy concentrated in the palm of Ilgongs outstretched hand, which made it appear several timesrger.
The gathered energy was released in an instant, creating the illusion of a giant golden Buddha extending its hand forward.
[Roaring Demon Buddha Shadow Great Vajra Hand Seal]
Kwaahhhhh!
A giant golden palm descended upon Go Hyeon-woo.
With a faint yet confident smile on his lips, Go Hyeon-woo slowly raised his iron sword above his head.
A refreshing breeze blew from somewhere, swirling around.
The area that had been scorching under the hot sun was suddenly enveloped in a cool aura.
The wind gathered around the sword de and formed an even sharper edge.
[Clear Stream]
He swung down at the iing golden palm.
The iron sword began to crumble from the tip and it was disintegrating
sh!
In the next moment, Go Hyeon-woos hand was empty.
Even though the iron sword had vanishedpletely, he momentarily appeared to grasp an invisible de in the air.
Then, he rxed his grip and withdrew his empty hand.
Ilgong also looked fine on the outside, so it seemed like nothing had happened between the two.
Hmm
But then Ilgong staggered and he half-kneeled on one leg before straightening up again.
He seemed to struggle to maintain his stance.
Go Hyeon-woo asked,
Do you wish to continue?
Ilgongs gaze lingered on Seo Ye-in, who was still rolling on the ground as if asking for her opinion, then shifted to me.
Deciding that a conclusion had been reached, he formally acknowledged us.
I admit defeat. I have learned much from this encounter.
It was a good match.
[Kim Ho, Go Hyeon-woo Win]
vs
[Ilgong Seo Ye-in Lose]
Should I settle this now?
The skill Great Hand Seal wasnt particrly versatile, but since I nned to switch my current skill slot out anyway, it seemed better to borrow and use it for a while.
So I quickly copied the skill before Ilgong left.
[Activate Copy-Skill.]
[Registering targets skill Great Hand Seal (D) in the slot.]
Copy-Skill[2/2]
1. Great Hand Seal (D)
2. Thiefs Step (B)
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in was still sprawled out on the sandy floor.
When I approached her and looked down, she was staring back up at me while lying down, as if the arena had be her own living room.
We were in the middle of the desert yet she didnt seem to be hot at all.
I extended my hand, and she grabbed it to pull herself up.
.
Seo Ye-in looked at me with an expressionless face for a while, then suddenly turned and left the arena.
Upon reflection, it seemed she was indeed quite upset.
It looks like Miss Seo is angry.
That would be the case.
She had been tormented by [Wind Force] throughout the match, so that was for sure.
When her gradient of anger started to rise like that, it was best to give her some time alone.
Conversations could be attemptedter.
Lets go.
Go Hyeon-woo and I also stepped outside.
We immediately set up for the next match.
[Kim Ho: 489 points]
[Go Hyeon-woo: 717 points]
While we were waiting, I observed Go Hyeon-woos condition.
You look fine. Using clear stream usually consumes a lot of internal energy.
Haha, Im not the same as I used to be.
When he had used [clear stream] in the match against Jo-byeok, he had almost depleted all his internal energy and had to spend the entire lunchtime recuperating his mana.
But now, he seemed unaffected even after using the same technique against Ilgong.
This was because the rank of his [Core] rose by two levels and his maximum internal energy increased significantly.
Go Hyeon-woo grinned.
Its all thanks to Kim-hyung. Without the special cultivation room, I wouldnt have been able to ovee this barrier so quickly. How about you? Do you think your skills have lived up to your expectations?
Almost. Lets watch one more match.
Just then, the next match was set and the opponents information appeared on the notification screen.
[Kim Ho: 491 points, Go Hyeon-woo: 718 points]
vs
[Wang Pil: 460 points, Jang Sam: 689 points]
..Quite ordinary names.
Indeed.
When we entered the arena through the teleportation circle, I scrutinized the two opponents we were now facing.
Their appearances were as ordinary as their names.
Wang Pil could blend seamlessly into an inn as a waiter and Jang Sam would fit perfectly as a doorman.
Their faces were the kind youd forget within three seconds of walking past them.
I took a closer look at them, then nodded my head in approval.
Looks like weve got good matchups today.
Encountering Hong Yeon-hwa twice yesterday was neither beneficial nor fun and I felt slightly sorry about it.
But today, it seemed Go Hyeon-woo would gain valuable experience from these opponents.
Go Hyeon-woo tilted his head as if he didnt understand my reaction.
Whats so special about these guys?
Just look, both have overflowing personalities.
?
The kind of personality thates from being excessively ordinary.
Chapter 50: 3rd Week Duel Battles (5)
Chapter 50: 3rd Week Duel Battles (5)
When the match was about to start, Wang Pil and Jang Sam each drew an iron sword.
By sizing them up at a nce andparing them with Go Hyeon-woo,
A two-on-one battle would be good.
This was of course assuming they werent showing their true abilities.
If it came down to a serious fight, even one-on-one would be difficult.
For Go Hyeon-woo, they were formidable opponents unlikely to be easily bested, but isnt it said that a warrior grows through battles with such strong adversaries?
My task this time was to make Wang Pil and Jang Sam, who were carefully concealing their true abilities, reveal their true skills.
To do that, I first needed to prove to Go Hyeon-woo that it was worth the effort.
I repeated the same words I had said when I was about to engage in a two-on-two with Seo Ye-in.
Try to handle it on your own first. If it seems too dangerous, Ill step in to help.
All right.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Go Hyeon-woo advanced with his sword hanging low at a pace that was neither slow nor fast.
Wang Pil and Jang Sam seemed to understand my intention for them to take on Go Hyeon-woo two against one as theypletely ignored me and targeted him instead.
As they closed in, they split to either side; Wang Pil aimed for a downward strike while Jang Sam went for a horizontal sh.
Go Hyeon-woo didnt retreat; instead, he stepped forward and drew his sword in one swift motion.
sh!
The swords of Wang Pil and Jang Sam were simultaneously deflected.
After deflecting their swords, Go Hyeon-woo stepped back for a moment and then lunged forward again.
Go Hyeon-woos movements were as natural as flowing water and he was swinging his sword without hesitation even while fighting two people at the same time.
He parried, blocked, and sometimes even counterattacked against the iron swordsing at him from left, right, front, and back.
The three iron swords collided dozens of times in rapid session.
ng, ng, ng!
The swordsmanship disyed by Wang Pil and Jang Sam was very familiar to me.
Their technique consisted solely of basic shes and thrusts.
They were the fundamental moves that every swordsman learns at some point.
The Three Movements Sword Technique
(TN: It is a clich low-tier martial arts technique that often appears in martial arts novels. The three movements are hacking, shing, and thrusting.)
From their ordinary appearance to their names, their swords, and even the Three Movements Sword Technique,
It was clear they had gone to great lengths to appear as ordinary as possible.
It felt like they tried so hard to look ordinary that it had the opposite effect.
Couldnt they have chosen a moremon sword technique instead?
However, rather than simply being used to hide their true strength, the Three Movements Sword Technique was used surprisingly well.
Wang Pil scored 460 points, while Jang Sam scored 689 points.
This meant that despite adhering to the Three Movements Sword Technique with an iron sword, they managed to secure several victories within their respective score ranges.
Jang Sam, in particr, scored higher than Ilgong whom I had faced in the previous match.
Should they reveal their true abilities
They would be considered promising students.
I always have good luck in my matchups.
[Kim Ho 100% Go Hyeon-woo 99%]
vs
[Wang Pil 97% Jang Sam 94%]
ng! ng!
Go Hyeon-woo seemed to quickly adapt to the two-against-one situation and was actively continuing his offensive.
He effortlessly deflected Wang Pils attacks and poured all his remaining energy into pressuring Jang Sam.
Each time Jang Sams defense was breached, his health was slightly reduced.
As I observed this, I sensed that the time was right.
This should be enough.
It would beughable to tell them to show their true skills when we still couldnt even best their Three Movements Sword Technique.
Thats why Go Hyeon-woo was the first to face a two-versus-one situation, and they proved they had the right to not show their full abilities.
The next move was mine.
I intervened in the midst of their fierce exchange.
Hold on, everyone stop for a moment.
?
?
At mymand, Go Hyeon-woo willingly withdrew his iron sword and stepped back.
Wang Pil and Jang Sam also halted in their tracks and cast wary nces my way.
Cant we have a proper match?
We are in the midst of one.
Jang Sam answered with a puzzled expression on his face.
Even if they denied it, the evidence was crystal clear.
I spoke with assertive certainty.
Thats not true. It seems like theres much more youre hiding.
I dont see on what basis youre making such ims.
The evidence, if asked for, was plentiful.
I pointed at the stationary Wang Pils hand.
Isnt he originally left-handed?
.!
The trajectory of his sword swings keeps curling inward. It seems like he hasnt fully shed that habit yet.
Wang Pil maintained an expressionless face but a flicker of dismay passed over him upon hearing my words.
He soon realized his mistake and let out a soft sigh.
Your observational skills are impressive. However, we have no intention of showing more of our skills.
Are you worried about the rey? We can keep it private if you prefer. We wont talk about it elsewhere either.
In a 2 vs. 2 match, making the rey private requires the agreement of all four participants.
I was the one making the suggestion and it seemed Go Hyeon-woo had also grasped the situation.
Given his nature, hed probably prefer a fair match over securing points.
So, we just needed an okay from their side.
Jang Sams eyes narrowed.
Why do you want to see our skills so badly? Isnt it enough to win easily and score points?
Whats the use of just scoring points? We need to improve our skills.
I agree. Win or lose, Id like to give it my all.
Go Hyeon-woo supported my statement.
Despite our insistence, Jang Sam and Wang Pil seemed less than pleased.
And because I understood their position, I slowly nodded my head.
After all, demanding a warrior to reveal their hidden skills could indeed be seen as rude.
Especially for individuals like them, for whom the knowledge of martial arts could mean the difference between life and death.
Alright, you might not want to show it. How about I give you some motivation then?
In such situations, its more effective to subtly throw bait rather than being forceful.
I quietly uttered a single phrase.
Ghost Dance.
!
Jang Sam eagerly took the bait I had thrown.
You know about that?
Curious?
Very.
Win and then ask.
.
The bait proved to be exceptionally enticing.
The eyes of both men began to hold a chilling intent.
The only change was in their eyes, but the sense of normalcy that had been present before had vanished without a trace.
Their voices turned cold as well.
Dont regret this.
Jang Sam and Wang Pil sheathed their swords and let their arms hang loosely at their sides.
Their presence began to fade gradually, to the point where, despite being right in front of me they seemed almost non-existent.
Sensing the ominous change, Go Hyeon-woo was about to adopt a defensive stance when Jang Sams figure shot forward like a sh of lightning.
In the blink of an eye, he was up close to Go Hyeon-woo and he thrust a hand forward.
Bang!!
The iron sword shattered to pieces and scattered in all directions,
And Go Hyeon-woo was sent tumbling backward while rolling several times on the ground.
[Go Hyeon-woo 99%]
[Go Hyeon-woo 77%]
His health was significantly reduced in an instant.
I managed to use [Wind Force] at just the right moment to pull him back sharply, which made the attack less severe than it could have been, yet the damage still exceeded 20%.
If he hadnded without my help, he would have been mortally wounded and rendered unable to fight.
.
What Jang Sam held in his hand was shorter than a typical sword but longer than a dagger.
It was slender and pointed like an awl, and since it was painted ck, it was hard to discern in the dark.
This weapon was deeply associated with Jang Sams identity.
They were the kind who blended into the ordinary, waiting for the right moment to reveal their fangs only when they went hunting.
Assassins.
Shin Byeong-chul had mentioned them when talking about promising students.
He had said there was another hidden talent within the dark ways.
The moment I saw Jang Sam, I strongly sensed that he was that hidden talent from the dark ways, and seeing his true skills confirmed it.
Ugh
Go Hyeon-woo staggered to his feet.
Barely managing to stabilize himself, he faced forward only to be met with another thrust from Jang Sam.
Swishhhh!
Go Hyeon-woo, with hardly anything left of his iron sword but the hilt, whipped up a weak sword wind and flung himself to the side.
At this moment, dodging was the only option.
Wang Pils voice also rang out from behind me.
Do you have the luxury to be distracted?
Amid the sh between Jang Sam and Go Hyeon-woo, someone approached me swiftly and stealthily, positioning themselves behind me.
It felt as though winter had suddenly descended, and I felt a chill on my back.
It seemed like my neck might be shed by Wang Pils dagger in a moment.
I calmly gathered strength in one hand and responded.
Yes.
[Activate Amplification.]
[The rank of Wind Force increased (C+ -> A+)]
[Great Hand Seal]
[Wind Force]
A giant palm engulfed Wang Pil,
Boom!!
He shot out like aet as he left a trail behind him.
Wang Pils speed as he flew away seemed even faster than Jang Sams charge at Go Hyeon-woo.
Maintaining the same speed, Wang Pil disappeared into the unseen distance.
[Kim Ho 100% Go Hyeon-woo 74%]
vs
[Wang Pil % Jang Sam 93%]
!
!
Go Hyeon-woo and Jang Sam looked at me with dumbfounded expressions.
They might have recognized the [Great Hand Seal] skill but witnessing someone being catapulted like a cannonball was surely a first for them.
As they struggled to find the right words, I politely extended my hand.
Please, continue with what you were doing.
So thats why you suggested a private match.
Didnt see thising?
The suggestion for a private match was indeed meant to coax out their true skills, but it also allowed me to revel in my abilities without the worry of people seeing my rey.
Normally, I tend to use [Amplification] and [Wind Force] sparingly or as discreetly as possible but in a private setting, I was free from those constraints.
I could even resort to [Inferno Fist] in a truly critical situation.
Of course, since the original intent was to observe the one-on-one between Go Hyeon-woo and Jang Sam, I nned not to intervene any further.
I assured Jang Sam who was wary of my involvement with a clear tone.
Dont worry. Ill just be watching from now on.
The two were seriously engaged in a one-on-one fight, and it was clear that if Go Hyeon-woo was defeated, then the decision to engage or not would arise.
Jang Sam still wore a skeptical expression on his face and he asked,
Is it really your goal for us topete with our true skills?
. It is.
.
Jang Sam nced at Go Hyeon-woo and he seemed to gather his thoughts for a moment.
Then as if he had made up his mind, he put away the ck awl and drew his iron sword once more.
Very well. Ill do as you wish.
It seemed he might return to the Three Movements Sword Technique, but the stance he assumed was quite different.
The killing intent emanating from him was intensely thick.
It appeared he was about to demonstrate his assassination skills with the iron sword and likely reveal his true unique martial arts.
Hooo.
Go Hyeon-woo also took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly as he prepared himself.
He reced his broken iron sword and readjusted his stance.
The wind that blew from somewhere wrapped around him.
And then they confirmed with each other that they were both ready.
Jang Sams figure started to blur from the legs up.
In a single breath, he seemed to condense the space around him and drew his iron sword forward as if to pierce through the air.
A swift and tremendous sword thrust aimed directly at Go Hyeon-woos heart.
Ssshhhkkk!
Compared to that, Go Hyeon-woos reaction was a half-beat slower.
He barely managed to deflect the iing iron sword,
aang!
Because he couldnt fully protect himself, a long wound stretched across his arm.
[Go Hyeon-woo 74%]
[Go Hyeon-woo 65%]
Go Hyeon-woo and Jang Sam readjusted their stances with an air of nonchnce.
This time, Jang Sam moved first and attacked with the same thrusting motion.
Before swinging his iron sword, Go Hyeon-woo manipted the wind enveloping him to pressurize the area in front of him.
Jang Sams speed seemed to decrease slightly but he disregarded it and pierced through the wind.
The iron swords shed together.
aang!
[Go Hyeon-woo 52%]
This time, he allowed a sword strike to his side.
Hisplexion turned pale and he looked as though he might copse with the slightest touch.
A trickle of blood ran down from the corner of his mouth.
Yet Go Hyeon-woo nonchntly swallowed the rising blood and wiped his mouth.
He naturally reced his half-broken iron sword with a new one and took his stance again.
Jang Sam silently fixed his gaze on Go Hyeon-woo.
Even though both parties had finished their preparations, neither could easily make the first move and they took a moment longer to observe one another.
This was likely because Jang Sam noticed the change in Go Hyeon-woos momentum.
Jang Sam asked,
Is this the end?
It is.
I would like to know the name of the technique in advance.
One of them might fall in this final exchange.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head before replying,
Rapid Current.
Chapter 51: 3rd Week Duel Battles (6)
Chapter 51: 3rd Week Duel Battles (6)
Go Hyeon-woo let his sword hang so low that it almost touched the ground.
The wind that had been swirling around him also fell into a calm.
He took in the sight of Jang Sam rapidly closing the distance and, once again, lifted his foot off the ground a half-beat toote.
Suddenly, a fierce wind blew towards Jang Sam.
As if riding upon that wind, Go Hyeon-woo merged with its flow and charged forward.
He swiftly closed in on Jang Sam and swung his sword in a swift motion.
In a sh, two swords and their wielders crossed paths.
Whoosh!
Jang Sam and Go Hyeon-woo stood back to back, each with an empty hand stretched forward.
Btedly, a short piece of a sword de buried itself into the ground beside Go Hyeon-woo.
And then small fragments fell to the ground with soft thuds near Jang Sam.
Both men remained still in their ces, enveloped in silence.
I grasped the oue of the battle and nodded my head.
Well done.
In their first sh, Go Hyeon-woo had reacted a half-beat too slowly.
His dy was not due to ack of ability; it was a deliberate choice.
He wanted to more urately assess the distance between them, the other partys speed, and the internal energy within his iron sword.
The second sh also had an experimental aspect to it.
I specte that the technique called Rapid Current was originally intended for a different purpose.
but it seems he slightly modified it for use as his final gambit.
Through these trials and errors, albeit gradually sustaining damage, Go Hyeon-woo finallypleted his preparations.
He then staked everything on hisst sword attack.
Using a momentary gust of wind to maximize his speed, he increased his speed and focused the de of the wind at the tip of his sword, creating a strikeparable to Jang Sams swift sword.
The result of exchanging their best moves was,
A draw with both unable to fight.
Both were rendered unable to continue the fight at the same time.
Even now that they are standing still, they appear to be unharmed on the outside, but their physical condition must be close to the breaking point.
This is especially true for Go Hyeon-woo. Considering the internal injuries he umted earlier, he is likely in a more critical condition.
Even attempting Qi cirction exercises brought nofort, yet they forced their bodies to move despite this.
It seemed they were trying to say something to each other.
Predictably, it would be something about how great the match was or how impressive a technique had been.
Martial artists often stake their lives on such trivial matters.
While I acknowledge theres a certain romance to their way of life, leaving them to speak would likely result in them coughing up blood instead of words.
So, I decided it was time to intervene.
Stop. Dont speak.
When I used [Wind Force] gently, both of them copsed to the ground as if they were falling.
Start with Qi cirction.
Perhaps it was the abrupt end to the moment, but bothplied and began sitting in meditation to circte their internal energy.
The scoreboard disyed the match result amidst this.
[Kim Ho and Go Hyeon-woo Win]
vs
[Wang Pil and Jang Sam Lose]
Wang Pil was sent flying across the arena and with Go Hyeon-woo and Jang Sam entering Qi cirction, I was the only one left standing. So this was a natural result
Their match was a draw, but the game was a win.
In truth, he lost the match.
Objectively speaking, Jang Sam should have been dered the victor.
The moment he first revealed his skill and sessfullynded a thrust with his awl was essentially when the match was decided.
If it had been a one-on-one situation, I wouldnt have been able to assist Go Hyeon-woo with [Wind Force], and he likely wouldnt have even noticed that the other party was concealing his true abilities until then.
The subsequent exchanges, three in total, werergely Jang Sam amodating Go Hyeon-woos style.
There were brief moments between the shes where they would readjust their stances, and from Jang Sams perspective, there was no need to wait; he could have pressed the attack and finished the fight.
Yet he chose to wait, perhaps out of curiosity to see what Go Hyeon-woos final move would be.
Considering all these factors and still resorting to a draw indicates that their skills were not equal.
It was a reaffirmation that Go Hyeon-woos abilities are still just shy of being considered a promising student.
For now.
Theres no need to rush.
Go Hyeon-woo has only just begun his growth and reaching his current [Core] rank is merely the first step in a long journey.
Although he has made significant progress over the past two weeks, in the grand scheme of things, its just one among many skills and traits.
Nheless, Go Hyeon-woos rise to nearly reach the level of the promising students through the growth of his core alone was beyond my expectations.
If Go Hyeon-woo were to face Han So-mi or Jo Byeok again, the oue might be the same, but he would undoubtedly give them a much harder time than before.
I was convinced that someday he would surely surpass them.
I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at Go Hyeon-woos still-paleplexion.
It seemed that more time was needed for his Qi cirction.
Instead, it was Jang Sam who opened his eyes first.
His internal injuries were less severe than Go Hyeon-woos, so he recovered more quickly.
When he opened his eyes, his first action was to check the scoreboard.
We lost.
Yes.
He epted defeat with a calm attitude.
From the moment he adhered to the Three Movements Sword Technique, it was clear that he was not the type to dwell on scores.
But there was something else he cared about
I have something I want to ask.
Go ahead.
Though Jang Sam said he had a question, he remained silent for a long while.
He frowned and moved his mouth as if it was not an easy question and then asked the question with much difficulty.
Was it that obvious?
Even though he tried to act nonchntly, it seemed that my immediate recognition of his true abilities had been nagging at him.
I nodded my head without a moments hesitation.
Very much so.
!
It was the excessive attempt to look ordinary that gave you away. That made it easier to spot.
It was so ordinary that it was easy to spot? What does that mean?
Think about it. What kind of ce is this school?
A gathering ce for aspiring heroes from all around the world.
Where being unremarkable would make admission impossible, so ordinary itself became a distinguishing trait.
Realization dawned on Jang Sam and his eyes widened.
Indeed. I thought I had been passing unnoticed until now, but I overlooked that aspect.
Thats what you think, but others might already be suspicious.
What should we do then?
I pointed out the unnatural aspects one by one.
First off, lets change your names to something less tacky. Dont you think Jang Sam and Wang Pil is a bit too in? And try not to dress so inly. You dont always have to carry an iron sword, either. A simple D-rank would suffice, really. And then
Every time I said something, Jang Sam would flinch as if I had hit the nail on the head and he eventually grew disheartened.
Anyone who heard something like, You really dont know how to dress to their face would have a simr reaction.
Nevertheless, my advice was meaningful and Jang Sam expressed his gratitude.
That was helpful. Ill take it to heart.
He then tentatively asked another question.
About the [Ghost Dance] technique
I said, ask after you win.
. Right.
An impossible request.
Win or lose, I had no intention of sharing it.
Jang Sam said with a hint of lingering regret.
Ill challenge you again next time.
Suit yourself.
Mentioning the [Ghost Dance] was a calcted move from the start.
They cane back to meter.
At that time, I can set up a rematch between him and Go Hyeon-woo or make a deal like the cube one I did with Park Na-ri or whatever he wants.
.
.
The conversation stopped for a moment and there was an awkward silence.
Naturally, Jang Sams and my gaze shifted towards Go Hyeon-woo.
Hisplexion was just beginning to regain some color. This meant that he would need more time to recover.
Unable to wait any further, Jang Sam got up.
I would have liked to exchange a few words before leaving, but time does not permit. Convey my appreciation for the good match.
Sure. He would say the same.
Until next time.
With that, Jang Sam made his exit.
As expected, it took Go Hyeon-woo quite some time to finish his Qi cirction.
He had overexerted himself so his condition was still not great but he had recovered enough to move around.
Just like Jang Sam, the first thing he did when he opened his eyes was check the scoreboard.
We won. That guy
He left earlier. Said it was a good match.
I agree. What did you think, Kim-hyung?
You fought well. Two testing rounds and then a decisive move at the end, it was good.
These were not empty words but his honest impressions.
To be honest, I had predicted there was a considerable chance of losing, and the fact that he managed to drag the fight to a mutual defeat strategy was an encouraging achievement.
Given the situation Go Hyeon-woo was in, I believe he couldnt have yed it any better.
Go Hyeon-woos face lit up. He was seemingly pleased to have earned my recognition.
As expected. I thought Kim-hyung would recognize it.
However, as he took a careful look around the arena, his expression grewplicated.
He walked over to one side and pulled out a broken sword tip that was embedded in the ground.
The fragments of the iron sword emitted a final crackle before breaking down into smaller pieces.
As he watched the number of particles scattering around, Go Hyeon-woo murmured to himself.
. This is troubling.
Because of the weapon?
Yes. Its something that cant be ignored forever.
The greatest weakness of Go Hyeon-woo at the moment was his sword.
It was an iron sword that would easily break at the slightest chance.
The martial arts he had mastered generated sword energy that could stir winds across an area and manipte the surrounding environment.
In a way, it was almost as if he was stepping into the realm of magic.
Due to the immense power wielded, the consumption of internal energy was huge and ordinary weapons couldnt fully contain this energy.
If typical martial arts were like picking up a stone with chopsticks,
Go Hyeon-woos martial arts were akin to lifting a rock with them.
So the chopsticks would of course snap each time.
F-rank weapons were provided indefinitely by the Dragon yer Academy, so it didnt matter if they were used like disposable items.
Its likely that the number of iron swords Go Hyeon-woo carried in his inventory reached the double digits.
The problemy in the inevitable openings that arose during the process of recing a broken iron sword with a new one.
It was dangerous when you faced Ilgong.
It was.
Ilgongs skills were about half to one move lower than Go Hyeon-woos, and even though he was overwhelming Ilgong, his iron sword broke and he was forced to go on the defensive for a while.
As was proven in his match against Jang Sam, this opening proved to be even more fatal against opponents whose skills were simr or stronger than his own.
It would be wise to address this now.
Since Im going to be traveling with Go Hyeon-woo to search for Hidden Pieces in the future, it was crucial to mitigate this weakness as much as possible.
In life-and-death situations, if your weapon breaks, you simply die.
Its not just a day or two that youve been dealing with this problem, so you must have some thoughts on it. What would you like to do?
The solution seems simple, doesnt it? Use a better sword.
The higher the rank of the weapon, the better the metal used and the less impurities it contains.
As a result, the durability also increases proportionally, making it clear that E and D-rank swords would undoubtedlyst longer than those of rank F.
But
Theyre expensive.
As the rank of the sword increases, so does its price.
While acquiring one or two might be feasible, using them as expendables like the iron swords would lead to a steady drain of gold coins from ones purse.
There would be no need to worry if he just used the long sword that was said to be his sects sacred artifact, but it didnt seem like he was qualified to use it yet.
In the end, the conclusion was that he had to use swords of a moderately higher rank but it seemed his sect wouldnt be able to solve that problem for him.
I could grasp that from the gloomy expression on Go Hyeon-woos face.
Im ashamed to say this, but my financial situation isnt too great.
Whats there to be embarrassed about? My entire fortune is 10 silver coins.
I had blown my initial 5 silver coins at the slot machine, earned another 5 silver coins from the entrance ceremony quest, and won 5 silver coins from the bet with Shin Byeong-cheol.
That left me with just 10 silver coins.
Hearing this, Go Hyeon-woos face softened into a slight smile. Perhaps he found somefort in my words.
Besides, theres no rule that says weapons must only be bought with money.
After all, weapons are just items and there are countless ways to acquire items at the Dragon yer Academy.
And what might be the most essible method among them?
I pulled out the student store catalog.
How many points do you have?
Chapter 52: Dismantling Junk Items (1)
Chapter 52: Dismantling Junk Items (1)
The top use of student points was to purchase battle reys of other students,
Followed by acquiring auxiliary tools for use in strategy battles,
And finally, gaining ess to restricted training areas like the special cultivation room.
Typically, allocating points to just these three areas left little to spare and hardly allowed for exploration of other options.
However, if one had enough points,
The range of items avable for purchase in the student store greatly expanded.
Weapons of course were included in this expanded range.
Go Hyeon-woo checked the back of his student ID and answered.
Ive managed to save up about 5,000 points.
Thats more than enough.
He had been pouring all his points into the special cultivation room until I secured a season pass for him and yet he had already amassed that much.
Starting off as the stop-scorer in the strategy battle had given him some fame, and while his overall skills were not at the level of a promising student, he was close to that level.
There were likely a great number of people who made it a point to consistently watch his reys.
Anyway, how best to use these 5,000 points was the question.
While I said this with the intention of buying a weapon, there was something more important still.
Lets start by buying three [Heat Catalyst Reagents].
They were priced at 1,000 points each so the total was 3,000 points.
As the owner of the points, Go Hyeon-woo naturally questioned their purpose.
What are these for?
Theyre crafting materials.
More precisely, they were materials for magical engineering.
Two of the reagents were for an item that would soon be necessary for Go Hyeon-woo,
And the third one is my fee.
I dered this confidently.
I needed to make a living after all.
Upon hearing this, Go Hyeon-woo did not hesitate for even a moment before spending 3,000 points.
He handed me the items and turned to ask me.
Is this sufficient for yourbor? It seems far too little for the effort youre putting in, Kim-hyung.
Looking at it objectively, a thousand points were almost nothingpared to the value of the item I was to craft for him.
I shook my head at Go Hyeon-woo who seemed eager to offer more.
Later. Im in no hurry.
The immediate issues to address were Go Hyeon-woos after all.
His budget had significantly shrunk from 5,000 to 2,000 points and he would be tight on points.
From my perspective, rather than indulging in petty greed now, it would be more beneficial to demand arger share of future dungeon rewards.
I quickly sifted through the catalog and selected one E-rank and one D-rank one-handed swords for him.
With the remaining points, these would be your best buys.
Understood.
[Guards Longsword (E)]
[Escorts Longsword (D)]
If durability was the priority, nothing could beat this Guard Series.
The simrity to the F-rank iron swords in terms of feel was also a plus.
Perhaps because of this, Go Hyeon-woo seemed to adapt just by swinging the longsword in the air a few times.
Not bad.
Try one from E-rank upward. See how long theyst.
There are two more duels left for me today.
Besides the two matches we had together today, he needed to fight in two more random queue matches to fulfill this weeks quota.
I immediately dissuaded him after sensing he was ready to queue up right then and there.
No, lets call it a day. Youve pushed yourself enough.
I can still fight.
Sure, you can fight. But what if your opponent turns out to be Jang Sam again?
.!
The likelihood of facing not just Jang Sam but other promising students was far from slim.
Even in his peak condition, victory was uncertain, and in his current state, defeat was almost guaranteed.
Realizing this, Go Hyeon-woo gave a small cough.
Ahem Perhaps I got a little carried away at the thought of trying out a new sword.
You can duel tomorrow. It wont be toote. Focus on recovering for today.
I understand. That would be wise.
After receiving treatment in the infirmary, I scheduled time in the special cultivation room to refine my core.
I sent Go Hyeon-woo away.
And then I read the notification message that had arrived earlier.
[Side Quest: 3rd Week Duel Battles]
Objective: Complete 4 duel matches. (4/4)
Deadline: ~ midnight on Sunday.
Reward: Varies based on the number of wins. (4/4 wins)
[essory Selection (C)]
Acquire a C-rank essory of your choice.
Thanks to a clean streak of four consecutive wins, I was awarded a C-rank essory selection as a reward.
Since I had already decided on what I wanted, it took me just a few seconds to make my choice.
[Acquired the ck Mithril Band (C).]
[ck Mithril Band (C)]
Extremely high mana conductivity
A thin metal bracelet emitting a ck sheen.
It was an item crafted into a band shape using high-purity ck mithril.
It boasted extremely high mana conductivity which was a feature that might sound ambiguous to some.
Wearing the bracelet provided subtle benefits like aiding in core cultivation and speeding up mana recovery.
However, it was this very mana conductivity that led me to choose this over other C-rank bracelets.
Though the effects seemed minor now, I knew they would soon provide benefits beyond the C-rank level.
After putting on the ck Mithril Band,
My next task involved using up 3,000 points worth of materials.
I made my way to the magical engineering workshop.
I had secured permission from president Bong Jae-seok to use Workshop No. 1, but given the current time the space would be so full that there wouldnt even be room to step in.
Since I had been granted an exception due to the club presidents authority, I felt somewhat obliged to be mindful of the other members perceptions.
It seemed right to wait until around midnight when it would be less crowded.
Of course, idly passing the time until then didnt suit my temperament.
So I nned to finish all the necessary preliminary preparations in advance.
In Workshop No. 4.
***
Workshop No. 4 remained unchanged just as it had been on the first day, a few days ago, and even today.
And there was only one person inside as usual.
It was the senior who had traded the 10x10x10 cube blueprint with me.
When he felt someones presence, he momentarily stopped his work and turned around.
He didnt say anything but his expression seemed to say, You again?
As a junior, I took it upon myself to bow first.
Hello.
Ah, yes, hello.
He responded somewhat reluctantly before returning to his task.
He made it obvious that he preferred to be left alone while focusing intently on his work.
Since President Bong Jae-seok had reprimanded him over the cube blueprint matter, he must have felt ufortable interacting with me.
On the other hand, I wasnt one to dwell on such matters.
My only goal was to aplish what I came for in Workshop No. 4.
Lets start with copying.
[Activate Copy-Skill.]
[Registering the targets skill Magical Engineering (B) in the slot.]
Copy-Skill[2/2]
1. Magic Engineering (B)
2. Thiefs Step (B)
I boldly sent off the [Great Hand Seal] skill I copied from Ilgong.
Since melee attack skills are abundant and can be acquiredter, I wasnt concerned about parting ways with it.
Next, I approached a corner piled high with junk items.
ording to Bong Jae-seok, I could rummage through and use anything I wanted as long as I submitted the blueprintster on.
There were a few hidden pieces buried within but nothing as significant as the [Cube of Life] anymore.
Digging further seemed tock merit.
My reason for sifting through the junk was different.
I need to gather materials.
The materials I received from Go Hyeon-woo were just a fraction of what I needed.
To be precise, only the parts that required points had been covered.
Expecting a fully functional item to emerge just by inserting a catalyst would be wishful thinking.
Naturally, I needed to collect more materials.
And currently, this ce was the only option to acquire them without any great cost.
The items making up this pile of junk were mostly failed projects abandoned midway for various reasons.
In other words, the parts that had been under construction were often surprisingly intact.
And if you carefully dismantled those intact parts, you could salvage materials from them.
Even the members of the magic engineering club were aware of this fact.
So what was the reason for the constant umtion of this clutter day after day?
It was because the task of dismantling was incrediblyborious.
It began with figuring out what part of an item this half-finished machine mass was, what materials were used in it, and at which stage it was abandoned.
Then came crafting the appropriate magical engineering form and meticulously dismantling it, which felt much like untangling a knotted thread.
To some, it seemed better to just find new materials than to bother with this hassle.
Of course, Im an exception.
For someone who had whipped up the [Cube of Life] in just a few days, this was hardly a chore.
To my eyes, it appeared as though there was an abundance of materials scattered around.
I would carefully select only the useful ones and take them to my workbench.
As I cast my magical engineering, my hands glowed with a soft blue light.
With that, I manipted the tools on the workbench to dismantle the failed projects one by one.
I have done this more than once or twice so my movements were fluid and without hesitation.
To an outsiders eye, it might have seemed as if I was haphazardly waving tools around and items were magically falling apart on their own.
On one side, I piled up usable materials, while on the other, I stacked what was clearly non-recyble trash.
The more I repeated the process, the more the clutter diminished and two different piles grew taller.
..
In the midst of this, I felt a gaze from behind me.
Without needing to look, I knew it was that third-year senior sneaking nces my way.
Even before our somewhat awkward rtionship, he was a fellow magic engineer.
He must have heard the rumors about mepleting that 10x10x10 cube.
The fact that I managed my tasks swiftly and under the radar meant the rumors hadnt spread widely, but for a magic engineer, creating the [Cube of Life] was nothing short of legendary.
And as I was the object of this legend, it was only natural that my diligent tinkering with the junk items would spark curiosity about what grand thing I might be creating next.
Perhaps because he saw himself as a senior, he seemed to restrain himself for a while but eventually curiosity got the better of him and he edged closer.
His approach was incredibly cautious. Perhaps because he was influenced by some warning from Bong Jae-seok.
What are you making?
Im disassembling. Just gathering some materials.
That annoying task?
Even annoying tasks must be done.
Contrary to what I said, the work was not annoying at all.
The more the oue outweighed the effort put into a task, the more motivated I became.
With items springing forth with each touch, such effort was trivial.
May I take a look?
Yes, thats fine.
He asked for permission before examining the materials.
At least he wasntpletely devoid of manners.
In truth, I could have directly stored everything in my inventory but piling them up was partly intended to show off.
He looked at the materials and eximed in admiration.
These came out so clean from disassembly? Theyre like brand new?
Given that the materials had been subjected to magical engineering twice, during both creation and disassembly, one would expect at least some minor damage on them.
Yet, these materials showed almost no ws.
They were in such good condition that they could be used in crafting other items without any penalty to performance.
The expertise of a veteran who had nurtured numerous S-rank magical engineers was evident in the disassembly I performed with my own hands which was nothing short of perfection.
The senior repeatedly cast envious nces my way.
Although he coveted the materials before him, the thought of disassembling junk items himself was daunting.
He knew that with his level of magical engineering skill, not only would it take a significant amount of time, but there was also a high risk of damaging the materials during the process.
For him, there was no choice but to watch with a watering mouth.
It seems the mood is ripe now.
I had intentionally disyed the intact materials to invoke his envy.
It was time to move on to the next step.
As I casually operated the magical engineering tools I broached the subject.
Senior-nim, would you like to trade for some of these materials?
These?
Yes. Ill give you a good deal.
That would be great for me.
The senior was delighted by my offer.
With an abundance of quality materials in sight, there was no reason for him to decline when I offered to trade them for a low price.
What do you need?
A [Cooler], [Central Shaft], [High-Tensile Wire], and
As I listed the items I needed, the senior provided what he could and picked a few materials from the table.
Combining what I had acquired,
Ive solved one part.
This was the first among the set of items I intended to create in the magical engineering workshop.
I had gathered all the materials needed to make the item for Go Hyeon-woo.
I got some materials with the points from Go Hyeon-woo, covered some parts with the junk I had disassembled, and finally filled a few gaps through the trade with the senior.
Now, I just needed to take the materials to Workshop No 1 when a spot was avable and start the crafting process.
Hey, but this Isnt Bong Jae-seok going to say something about it?
The moment of delight at having easily secured the materials was short-lived as the senior began to show signs of unease.
It seemed he was worried about repeating the past incident where he had gotten into trouble with Bong Jae-seok.
I got permission for everything. There shouldnt be any problems.
Still I cant help but feel uneasy.
Its not like were doing anything wrong. If youre really worried, why dont we just get permission for this as well?
Should we do that? Should I send a message then?
The senior sent a message to Bong Jae-seok on the spot.
Where he gave a brief summary of the events that had just happened.
And not long after,
Bang!
Bong Jae-seok burst through the door of Workshop No. 4.
Chapter 53: Dismantling Junk Items (2)
Chapter 53: Dismantling Junk Items (2)
Bong Jae-seok had evidently rushed over as he took a moment to catch his breath upon arrival.
After regaining hisposure, he immediately proceeded to examine the materials on the workbench without further ado.
His reaction was almost identical to that of the senior beside him.
These are practically brand new; you disassembled these?
Yes, senior-nim.
Bong Jae-seok looked at me with a mix of admiration and regret.
Its such a waste to let talent like yours go unaffiliated. You really should join our club Are you sure you wont consider it?
Im sorry.
. Tch, I get it. Just let me know if you change your mind. Now, take a look at this.
Bong Jae-seok then pulled out a few failed projects from his inventory.
While typical failures were carelessly tossed into a corner of Workshop No. 4, those made with valuable materials were stored in the inventory.
They were kept to be disassembled when time permitted.
However, as the president of the magic engineering club, he had no such time.
For Bong Jae-seok, the luxury of free time was a raremodity which probably led to his habit of putting off dismantling projects while always thinking hed get around to it eventually.
It was during such times that he received a message.
A message from someone praising the neatness of my craftsmanship.
As I silently examined the failed projects he had presented, Bong Jae-seok asked me.
What do you think, can you take them apart?
Well, it seems possible, but
The difficulty wasnt the main issue. Even if it was a step or two moreplex than what I was currently handling, it would still be within my capabilities.
This might take quite some time.
The real problemy in the size of the failed projects.
Since they were nearly halfpleted, it would take a considerable amount of time to dismantle thempletely.
The materials were also of high quality, around B-rank, so they required extra care in handling.
In summary, it was going to be an immensely lengthy and painstaking task.
Bong Jae-seok had understandably hesitated to tackle the disassembly himself and relegated the failed projects to a neglected corner of his inventory.
I know it would take time. Would you do it for a reward?
In other words, the longer it takes and the more effort it takes, the greater the reward.
Taking on such abor-intensive task in exchange for a significant return of B-rank materials.
Didnt that sound like a good deal even if it meant incurring some expense?
With this in mind, I specified what I wanted.
I would like to receive a [Magic Engine].
A device that converts injected mana into a different form of energy.
It was a key material frequently used in making magical engineering equipment and especially weapons.
Since it was difficult to obtain, I expected Bong Jae-seok to hesitate but he readily agreed to my request.
Ill have it ready. How long do you think it will take?
Is it urgent?
No, Ive been putting it off anyway.
Then Ill have it done within this week.
The necessary materials had been gathered so making Go Hyeon-woos item was the priority for the day.
It was essential for the uing duel battles.
The disassembly request from Bong Jae-seok, along with other tasks, could wait until tomorrow without any issues.
Bong Jae-seok nodded his head in satisfaction, perhaps thinking that it would be quick even if it could only be resolved within a week.
Great. Then, good luck. Are you going to use workshop number 1 today?
I might pop in when its empty.
It should be free around eleven. Come by then.
Thank you.
***
The Ruby Magic Towers club president Hong Ye-hwa furrowed her brows.
This was because a very unusual scene was unfolding before her eyes.
..
Her sister, Hong Yeon-hwa, was sitting by the window and staring nkly at the sky.
Her gaze slowly drifted, as if following the clouds, resembling an elder who had realized the fleeting nature of time.
This was a stark contrast to her usual demeanor which was like a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any moment.
The only person who could provide a clear exnation of the situation was Baek Jun-seok who had fought alongside Hong Yeon-hwa in the 2 vs. 2 duel battles.
When she sent him a message, Baek Jun-seok came to the Ruby Magic Towers club room.
Hong Ye-hwa pointed at her sister and asked,
Hey, whats up with her?
Baek Jun-seok followed her finger to her and after a few seconds of observation, he sighed deeply and began to exin.
Well, you see
They had entered a 2 vs. 2 duel battle and faced the team of Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in, and that too, twice in a row.
Hong Ye-hwa interrupted him to ask,
Kim Ho? Is that the Kim Ho who she lost to in the cement test?
Yes, thats right.
Sorry to interrupt. Please, continue.
In the first match, the strong gusting winds kept disrupting Hong Yeon-hwas magic casting, and ultimately, they lost embarrassingly due to Seo Ye-ins sniping.
In the second match, for some reason, Hong Yeon-hwa took a more defensive approach to the battle.
Their defensive strategy seemed to be working to some extent as they managed to block an attack from Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in and even seeded in a counterattack.
Just when they thought they were on the right track, Kim Ho who had been standing at a distance approached them and the match quickly turned on its head.
With just a few gestures, Kim Ho knocked Baek Jun-seok to the ground, leaving Hong Yeon-hwa with no chance on her own.
Consequently, the second match also ended in a disheartening forfeit.
I see.
Hong Ye-hwa murmured as she slowly nodded her head.
She understood how Hong Yeon-hwa had ended up in such a disheartened state.
Having just stepped out from the Ruby Magic Tower to face real battles, it was her first experience of such defeats.
Losing three times to the same opponent, especially in such an overwhelming manner without being able to fight back, must have been a significant shock.
She understood all of it.
But she couldnt ept it.
Sensing the tense atmosphere, Baek Jun-seok began to step back.
Hong Ye-hwa walked over to Hong Yeon-hwa and stood behind her.
Then, with a flick of her finger,
Bang!
Hong Yeon-hwas body was engulfed in mes.
Aaargh!
Suddenly, as the mes erupted, Hong Yeon-hwa let out a bizarre scream and tumbled off her chair.
She then spotted the culprit, her older sister, and screamed from where she sat copsed on the floor.
Aah, Unni! Seriously?!
Hong Ye-hwas temper red up even more at her sisters protests, and she leaned in close to her and began to deliver a series of back smashes.
Her palm was red-hot from the mes, making each smack extraordinarily painful.
With every strike, she uttered a scathing remark.
Thinking you did something great! Acting all pitiful!
Stop! Stop it, I said!
Youre the only promising student who has lost three times already! And to the same person, no less!
Agh!!! What do you want me to do! I keep getting matched with that person!
Boom!
The mes exploded once more and the mes went back to Hong Ye-hwa.
The Hong sisters red at each other amidst the zing inferno.
As the temperature in the room soared, beads of sweat formed on Baek Jun-seoks forehead.
Though it was unclear whether the sweat was purely from the temperature or from his anxious state of mind.
Hong Ye-hwaunched into another attack.
If you think youre going to be matched with the same opponent again, take a break for a while! Its your own fault for rushing to schedule the next match!
Agh!
Bang! Boom!
Baek Jun-seok quickly turned to face the wall.
As he continued to listen to their conversation, he sensed that the sparks of their conflict might soon fly his way.
Hong Yeon-hwa, pull yourself together and lets head to the next match
He was the one who had suggested they quickly arrange the next duel.
As expected, Hong Yeon-hwa red in his direction.
Baek Jun-seok stared desperately at the wall.
Turning away now would mean getting caught in a certain fiery st.
Unlike the Hong sisters, he had no resistance to fire magic.
With Baek Jun-seoks timely evasion, Hong Yeon-hwa lost her target for venting her frustration.
And left with no other option, she turned to protest to her sister.
What do you know, unni! You havent even fought that person!
Hong Ye-hwas eyebrows furrowed.
It was because a sh of fear had passed through Hong Yeon-hwas eyes in an instant.
She wondered how severely Kim Ho must have beaten her to instill such fear.
Her curiosity about what kind of person Kim Ho was grew a little more.
However, satisfying her curiosity could wait; her immediate priority was to help her sister who had copsed to the ground back to her feet.
Hong Yeon-hwa was the future of the Ruby Magic Tower.
She couldnt be left to wallow in a sense of defeat any longer.
Even if she lost, she needed to be encouraged to keep moving forward.
Hong Ye-hwa quickly extinguished all the mes.
Her tone also became calm and steady.
So, are you saying youll lose to him every time you meet from now on?
Hong Yeon-hwa was taken aback.
From experience, she knew this was a moment when she needed to respond with great care.
A careless response could lead to more than just a fiery explosion or a smack on the back.
So, Hong Yeon-hwa cautiously replied with a somewhat deted tone.
No, its not like I n to lose to him every time we meet Well have to fight again when Ive be stronger
Alright, then apply for mentoring.
How did the conversation turn to this?
You said youll fight again once youre stronger, right? Then you should do it.
At this moment, Hong Yeon-hwa had been resisting the idea of mentoring and if one were to delve into her reasons they might find them somewhat childish.
She didnt want to learn from just anyone.
She dreamt of someday ascending to the position of the Ruby Magic Towers Master.
After years of relentless effort and finally securing the position of Magic Tower Master, the thought of some random person iming to have been her mentor in the past was enough to make her stomach churn.
Although the position of Magic Tower Master was still far off in the future, in Hong Yeon-hwas imagination, it was a foregone conclusion.
Therefore, this was a matter of pride.
If she were to ept mentoring, it had to be from someone within the Magic Tower Association, or at the very least, someone from a major power.
However, given that she couldnt choose her mentor, the prospect was already unappealing to Hong Yeon-hwa.
She tried to protest timidly once more.
Do I really have to do this? Cant I just work harder on something else?
Hong Ye-hwa responded with a sly smile.
Then Ill give you a choice. Apply for mentoring, or challenge Kim Ho to a duel.
Her implication was clear: if Hong Yeon-hwa truly believed she didnt need mentoring, she should prove it by defeating Kim Ho right now.
It was essentially an impossible task, like trying to bell the cat.
Hong Yeon-hwas expression soured.
Fine, Ill do the mentoring. Ill just do it
Good decision.
Hong Yeon-hwa filled out the application in front of her sister.
She listed her specialties: Caster, and all-rounder.
What Hong Yeon-hwa failed to consider in her focus on who she would be mentored by, was with whom she might be sharing the mentoring sessions. It was an oversight she hadnt ounted for.
Chapter 54: Dismantling Junk Items (3)
Chapter 54: Dismantling Junk Items (3)
I spent the time until dawn in Workshop No. 1 and slept for a while in the dormitory.
When I woke up I sent a message to Seo Ye-in as usual.
[Kim Ho: Are you awake?]
[Seo Ye-in: .]
[Seo Ye-in: (ring cat emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Meal?]
[Seo Ye-in: (A cat covered with a nket emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: (A cat rolling over emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Hey]
[Kim Ho: Noting?]
[Kim Ho: Am I eating alone?]
No reply came.
I expected that her anger would subside after a day or two but theck of response suggested otherwise.
A notable downside of the [Wind Force] skill was its potential to incite greater anger in the opponent than originally intended.
In my defense, it wasnt my intention to face Seo Ye-in in a direct confrontation and at the time [Wind Force] was the only means I had for any form of restraint.
However, I couldntpletely free myself of the guilt for having metaphorically rolled her in the hot sands of the arena.
It seems texting wont cut it.
It looked like only a face-to-face conversation might resolve the issue.
I waited briefly in front of the cafeteria, just in case, but Seo Ye-in never showed up.
It seemed she really wasnting.
And so, I ended up having breakfast alone this morning.
I quickly finished my garlic bread and coffee and then headed to the ssroom.
I went to ss quite early today so there were only a few people in the ssroom.
Surprisingly, among the few present I spotted a head of gray hair.
Therey Seo Ye-in, sprawled across her desk.
Perhaps because she sensed my presence, she peeked out with just her eyes while remaining face down.
And when our eyes met, her face swiftly retreated back between her arms.
I calmly took a seat next to her.
Then I went to ask Seo Ye-in.
You didnt have breakfast, did you?
Though she remained silent, the circumstances led me to conclude with high certainty.
She didnt eat.
Its likely my message had woken her up.
But perhaps she wasnt in the mood to join me for breakfast and it was too awkward a time to go back to sleep.
Thus, the scenario that she came straight to ss seemed most usible.
You should eat something, at least.
I ced a paper bag on Seo Ye-ins desk.
The warm bag let out the savory scent of garlic bread that was still retaining its heat.
I already knew this would happen so I got another bag.
Seo Ye-in didnt show any reaction for a moment.
It would be more urate to say she pretended not to react.
Eventually, while still lying down, she stealthily reached for the paper bag, pulled out a garlic bread, and began nibbling on it.
She must have been secretly hungry.
When she was nibbling on the garlic bread and our eyes met she subtly turned her head away.
She was still not entirely appeased.
Her expression remained impassive from start to finish, so it was impossible for me to tell whether her anger had subsided or not.
Still, if there was a time to talk, it was now.
I decided to be straightforward without beating around the bush.
I went too far yesterday. But I just wanted to show you your weakness.
Seo Ye-ins eyes slowly shifted toward me.
Even when her gaze was elsewhere, she made sure to keep her ears open.
As you know, yourbat style bes significantly vulnerable when youre within the range of area-of-effect skills or when your position is revealed.
Given that sniping is all about targeting a specific point, even the slightest disturbance can throw off the aim.
This time, the [Wind Force] skill exploited that weakness effectively as it generated wide-ranging winds that made it easy to locate the concealed Seo Ye-in. And by applying physical force here and there and forcefully turning the muzzle, the magic bullets would be fired in the wrong ce.
This was something I, and likely others, had gradually begun to notice in our encounters.
So what was the solution?
Seo Ye-ins ears perked up while awaiting an answer.
Theres a skill called Immovable Stance. Even if youre disturbed, it prevents your posture from copsing. Youll still take the full damage, but if you go a step further, theres Ethereal Form which allows you topletely deflect physical force.
In addition, mastering mobility skills to quickly move to the next sniping point, as well as stealth and evasion techniques, would be beneficial once your position ispromised.
The basics of your magic bullets are solid, and they pack quite a punch, so perhaps investing in support skills could be the next step.
Are you going to give me a special lecture?
Id like to teach you myself if possible, but its more efficient to learn these from another gunner ss. It might be a hassle, but lets get some mentoring.
. Alright, Ill do it.
Seo Ye-in nodded her head and swiftly filled out the mentoring application form.
All the while munching on garlic bread.
When I looked at her like that, I couldnt help but smile bitterly.
She does listen well, after all.
When I first brought up the idea of mentoring, her reaction made me think it wouldnt be easy.
Surprisingly, she was persuaded in one go.
She must have felt the need for it too but sometimes I wonder if shes toopliant for her own good.
Im curious about the reason but it doesnt seem urgent to find out.
Maybe as we get closer, Ill naturallye to understand.
The real issue is her mentor
I cant guarantee that Seo Ye-in will show the same enthusiasm in front of her mentor as she does in front of me.
Before we even talk about enthusiasm, Im not sure if shell be able to control herself properly.
She tends to show her boredom and annoyance quite openly even in front of Lee Soo-dok whos known to be unforgiving. Would she behave any differently with a mentor?
I really dont know.
For now, all I can do is hope for the best.
Or perhaps I was secretly hoping that Seo Ye-in would show an abundance of enthusiasm in front of her mentor.
Ah, it seems Miss Seo is applying too.
Go Hyeon-woo appeared out of nowhere and greeted us with a question.
Seo Ye-in responded with a slight nod.
Upon examining Go Hyeon-woo,
Youre fully recovered.
As Kim-hyung suggested, Ivee fully prepared.
His determination toplete the duel that was left unfinished the day before was clear.
He was eager to test the guards longsword and the escorts longsword he had purchased from the student store yesterday.
I handed him an item I had crafted overnight.
Try using this as well.
This is
A steel clip about the size of two fingers.
At first nce, it might seem like an ordinary clip from a stationery store, but a closer look would reveal intricate parts and geometric patterns.
This was proof that it was a magic engineering item.
[Durable Clip (D)]
Weapon Durability Protection
Automatic Weapon Durability Recovery
An item specially crafted for the sole purpose of durability.
The Durability Protection effect mitigates the extent to which a weapon sustains damage, i.e., reduces the rate at which its durability decreases.
While Automatic Durability Recovery repairs the weapon slightly over time.
Still, the amount was not significant and the durability would decrease more rapidly if powerful techniques were continuously employed.
Yet, it seemed sufficient to serve as a makeshift salve and bandage for injuries.
Go Hyeon-woo clipped it to the front pocket of his shirt.
Its reassuring. I will make good use of it.
After the remaining matches, lets analyze it together tomorrow.
I will.
I nned to check the rey tomorrow to see how long E and D-rank weapons supported by [Durable Clip] couldstpared to the F-rank iron swords.
And the next course of action would be decided based on those findings.
***
After ss, I headed straight to Workshop No. 4.
Ji Park-ryeong, the senior from Workshop No. 4 who was looking at my work, greeted me first.
Youre here.
Good day to you.
Our rtionship felt much improvedpared to yesterday.
At the very least, the awkwardness had almostpletely vanished.
We also exchanged materials and even after I honestly disclosed this to Bong Jae-seok, there were no issues that arose.
This probably instilled in him the confidence that associating with me wouldnt bring any disadvantages.
Considering we might often engage in transactions in the future, it seemed wise to maintain a harmonious rtionship.
I settled at one of the workbenches and took out Bong Jae-seoks failed projects.
Although I had set a lengthy deadline just in case, my intention was to prioritize andplete them as soon as possible.
After all, this would secure the [Magic Engine] for me.
It was crucial to acquire this key material sooner rather thanter.
I immediately set to work.
When I cast [Magical Engineering], everything on the workbench was bathed in a blue light.
Maintaining that focus, I began to slowly chip away at arge lump of scrap metal.
***
Time seemed to slip away as I lost myself in the task.
Eventually, I stopped my hands andid down my tools.
The overwhelming blue light that filled my vision quickly faded away.
Ive finished quite a lot.
The disassembled materials were now piled high on the workbench.
I turned my gaze toward the window and noticed the sky was just beginning to turn red.
Had it been about two or three hours since I started?
During that time, I swiftlypleted Bong Jae-seoks request.
Are you finished?
Yes.
It was the third-year senior who asked the question.
A look of astonishment was unmistakably present on his face. Perhaps he had once again glimpsed my work.
Wow I thought you were some kind of machine. How do you manage to finish all that without taking a single break from your seat?
It was apliment I had heard often.
During my peak times of producing S-rank heroes, there was a strong hypothesis that I wasnt human.
Some even mistook me for a special NPC and came to me expecting to receive quests.
In any case, Bong Jae-seoks request was now concluded and it seemed appropriate to deliver it all at once when I headed to Workshop No. 1 at midnight.
It was time to move on to the next task.
When I got up from my seat, the senior asked me.
Are you heading out?
Not at all.
We both shifted our gaze to the mountain of junk items at the same time.
Theres still a long way to go.
I had finished making Go Hyeon-woos [Durable Clip] item and now it was my turn.
I nned to address the parts of my weapon that included magical engineering among its variousponents.
The process of gathering materials was nearly simr to the previous day.
For the part that required points, I had received one [Heat Catalyst Reagent] as a service fee from Go Hyeon-woo.
Apart from this, some materials were obtained by dismantling failed projects while others would be supplied by this senior just like yesterday.
Since were at it, could you do me a favor?
The way he phrased it as since were at it suggested that his request was likely rted to item dismantling.
As I looked at him silently, he pointed towards the pile of items and continued his exnation.
Actually, there are a few things I need from there, so I was wondering if you could focus on dismantling those. Of course, only if its okay with you.
Yesterday, I had chosen the necessary materials from the ones that came out of the dismantling and traded them.
But today, the idea was to specifically select the failed projects that contained the materials he needed from the start, dismantle them, and then trade with him.
I nodded agreeably.
Thats fine with me.
Thanks. Ill make sure to provide you with everything you need as much as I can.
From my perspective, there was no reason to refuse since I would be satisfied as long as I obtained the materials one way or another.
It was also more efficient that way.
We spent a moment crouching before a pile of assorted items as if we were shopping.
After selecting what we each needed, we brought them to the workbench and I quickly dismantled them.
These failed projects were significantly easier than themissions from Bong Jae-seok so they were transformed into materials in no time.
The materials were immediately traded.
Im really grateful. Youve saved me a lot of time.
The senior expressed his gratitude to me over and over again.
It was only natural that he would be this grateful considering that the effort it would have taken him to gather materials while running back and forth was taken care of with a few barter trades yesterday and today and at a very low price.
I for my part had gathered all the materials I needed.
I nned to take them to Workshop No. 1 at midnight to start crafting.
And when I suddenly checked the time.
Theres still plenty left.
Even afterpleting the procurement of materials for the second item on Bong Jae-seoks request, there would still be plenty of time left until midnight.
I contemted whether to head to the training center for some practice or to secure some extra materials even though they werent immediately needed.
However, I soon realized there was no need for such deliberation.
Work had found its way to me on its own.
Is that him?
It does look like him, doesnt it?
Two pairs of eyes were peering in my direction from outside Workshop No. 4.
Chapter 55: Dismantling Junk Items (4)
Chapter 55: Dismantling Junk Items (4)
Two female students were peeking from outside Workshop No. 4.
It wasnt hard to guess that they hade looking for me as their gaze remained fixed on me even while they talked.
Moreover, they tried to keep their voices low as if to conceal their conversation but I could hear every word from a distance.
Are you sure its him?
Hes not even a member of our club. But I heard he works here, so its a hundred percent him.
Then you go talk to him.
Come with me. Dont you have any loyalty?
It seemed they hade after hearing rumors about me.
Of course, it would have been easy for them to ascertain that I was the subject of those rumors.
Except for the senior at Workshop No. 4, who was quietly minding his own business in one corner, I was the only one left by process of elimination.
Finally, the female students stepped into the workshop.
I chose not to react and pretended not to notice them while focusing instead on the task at hand.
The female students also approached me with cautious steps, careful not to disturb me, and watched with interest as I neatly dismantled one of the failed projects.
Afterpleting the dismantling, I paused before moving on to the next item, set down my tools, and lifted my gaze to meet the female students.
They were faces I had seen in passing once or twice while going to and from Workshop No. 1.
Additionally, a third-year pin was attached to their ties.
They were third-year seniors from the magic engineering club and they were first-rate craftsmen.
Good day to you.
Hello. We heard you took a request from Bong Jae-seok; is that right?
Just like I had guessed, these two seniors were interested in the dismantling of the failed projects.
It was a tedious task and anyone willing to take on such an annoying job was sure to attract attention.
Especially if that someone was rumored to have considerable skill.
I nodded my head in acknowledgment.
I did take on a few failed projects.
See, I told you so!
One of the seniors looked triumphant.
Without responding to the previous remark, the other senior asked me directly.
Would you mind working on ours as well?
Since they had just witnessed my handiwork firsthand there was no room for doubt about my skills.
The only matter left was negotiating the price.
As long as the pay is right, theres nothing I cant do.
What did you get from Bong Jae-seok?
I received a high-quality material from him.
Should we give you the same? What do you need?
Yes, a [Weather Chip] or [Levistone Extract] would be good enough.
Just like the [Magic Engine] I was to receive as payment from Bong Jae-seok, these were keyponents for my weapon.
While I could use dismantled items for the side parts, the core parts that determine the weapons performance required high-grade materials.
After all, what I was aiming for was an EX-rank weapon.
Oh, I have one of those!
One of the seniors immediately pulled out a [Weather Chip] from her inventory and handed it over as an advance payment.
The other senior seemed to have the same item as she flinched momentarily but it was already toote.
Can I give you another item instead? Her face seemed to be saying that.
However, her pride as a senior didnt allow her to make such request.
Levistone Extract. I dont have it right now but I can get it for you by tomorrow.
That sounds good. Lets do that.
I immediately received their failed projects.
Since they were also members of the magic engineering club, they were straightforward and did not beat around the bush.
sses involved in production were always racing against time and were often willing to pay generously to save their own time.
I bowed deeply as I was filled with gratitude.
Ill have it ready by midnight.
That quick? You can take your time.
I have enough time.
Alright. Thanks! See youter!
The two seniors hurried to Workshop No. 1 after finishing their business.
They had a plethora of production requests waiting for them so they couldnt afford to waste any more time.
I picked up my tools once again.
Soon, the workbench was filled with a blue glow.
***
Sniff, sniff.
Dang Gyu-young pressed her sleeve to her nose and took a whiff.
She then grimaced deeply.
Somehow, it seemed her uniform had absorbed a certain odor.
Cleaning the underground sewers.
It was a meticulous task of exploring the maze-like passageways beneath the Dungeon Ind.
The goal was to find and eliminate any monsters that had drifted in from the outside.
Naturally, no one wanted to wander through the dark, cramped, and damp underground sewers while inhaling the musty stench characteristic of this ce.
Even more so because you could get drenched in monster blood while doing it.
But if left unattended, monsters could infiltrate the school grounds so it was a necessary task that someone had to undertake.
And so, cleaning the underground sewers was often assigned as a disciplinary action to students who had vited school rules.
Just like it was now assigned to Dang Gyu-young and the members of the thieves club.
When Dang Gyu-young and her club members finished their work for the day and emerged to the surface, Kwak Seung-jae was there to greet them.
He always appeared right on time at the end of their shift.
Have you finished, senior-nim?
Yeah. Take a look.
Dang Gyu-young casually tossed over a video recording crystal ball.
Simr to the rey crystal balls used in student battle duels and strategy sessions, this crystal ball was designed to record everything that happened in the underground sewers.
Showing this proof of their hard work was necessary to get the days punishment waived by the disciplinarymittee.
Kwak Seung-jae quickly yed back the crystal ball and then nodded in confirmation.
Ive confirmed it.
He then collected the crystal ball and began scanning the thieves club members student IDs with a device he brought with him.
During this, Dang Gyu-young asked him,
Hey, Seung-jae, how much longer do we have left?
She was asking about the remaining number of days on their punishment.
Kwak Seung-jaes response came back immediately.
You have nine days left for the underground sewers, five days for building repairs, and two more external requests each.
Thats quite long.
Heavy sighs came out from everywhere as if in agreement with those words.
Though they thought they had worked themselves to the bone, the end of their punishment seemed nowhere in sight.
Dang Gyu-young was also a human being so she was no different from others in disliking dirty and tough jobs.
Especially that foul smell.
After cleaning the underground sewers, the stench lingered around her nose for a while and it was enough to make her lose her appetite.
Kwak Seung-jae spoke in a calm tone to Dang Gyu-young who had a grumpy expression on her face.
I have a message from the president.
From the slit eyes?
Yes, I believe it will be a good opportunity for you, senior-nim.
The message from the disciplinarymittee president Oh Se-hoon, and a good opportunity for Dang Gyu-young.
Judging from the flow of the conversation it likely involved a way to reduce their punishment.
However, with any deal, gaining something means having to give something in return.
Dang Gyu-young took the initiative.
I want to make one thing clear upfront; if this is about what happenedst time, I have nothing more to say.
The prohibited items stolen during thest break-in at the temporary storage and the masked individual who used the [Inferno Fist] were still being pursued by the student disciplinarymittee.
If Oh Se-hoons message was rted to these matters, Dang Gyu-young was determined to keep silent.
She had no desire to betray Kim Ho at this point and most of the items had already been converted into money anyway.
Kwak Seung-jae slowly shook his head.
Were not even considering that.
Then what is it?
Take a look.
Dang Gyu-young took the document Kwak Seung-jae handed her.
The cover had this written inrge letters:
Skimming through to grasp the key points, the gist was as follows:
This years freshmen are of a particrly high caliber and the academic staffs expectations are very high.
Therefore, there is a desire to conduct this mentoring session more intensively.
The goal is to keep the number of freshmen per mentor to an average of five or fewer.
To achieve this goal, a greater number of mentors than before are required.
If you meet the qualifications, we earnestly hope you will participate in the mentoring.
Dang Gyu-youngs abilities ced her in the upper ranks of the third year.
She was more than qualified to be a mentor and lead someone.
But
Something annoying has popped up again.
She absolutely hated the idea of ying babysitter.
She was already stressed out enough with leading the band of thieves behind her.
And now, to add more people to care for?
Moreover, the newbies likely to join as mentees would mostly belong to other clubs; they were essentially someone elses children.
Treating them with the same disregard she had for the thieves could likely lead to conflicts with other clubs.
It was almost as if she had to treat them with baby gloves.
Though her heart was quickly tipping towards refusing the offer, Dang Gyu-young held her tongue for a moment.
Its best to hear everything out before making a decision.
So, what if I agree?
The president said your current punishment would bepletely waived.
Just for me? Or for these guys too?
For everyone involved in the current punishment.
..!
..!
Not only Dang Gyu-young but also all the members involved in the temporary storage break-in would be liberated.
The members of the thieves club shot intense res all at once.
To an onlooker, it might seem as ifsers were shooting out of their eyes.
Please, president!
Nunim, just close your eyes and say yes.
epting it is the way for both the president and us to survive!
It was as if they would start a rebellion if she refused.
Look at these bastards?
How dare they exert silent pressure on someone as revered as the president?
When Dang Gyu-young returned their sharp res, their eyes scattered in all directions.
She made a promise to herself.
She decided she needed to set aside time to straighten out the clubs discipline.
Returning to the main point.
Dang Gyu-young briefly summarized the proposal from the disciplinarymittee.
So, in a nutshell, its mentoring instead of punishment right?
To put it bluntly, yes.
Hmm To ept or not?
Dang Gyu-young weighed her options with punishment on one hand and mentoring on the other.
Neither option seemed clearly more beneficial.
Instead of enduring the stench of sewers, dealing with a handful of babies brought its own set of troubles.
As Dang Gyu-youngs contemtion seemed to prolong, Kwak Seung-jae opened his mouth with a polite tone.
May I offer a suggestion?
What is it? Go ahead.
I believe it would be best for you to ept.
Why?
Isnt time the most important factor for the thieves club right now? You need to manage the errand center and prepare for the uing ck market.
Dang Gyu-young swiftly turned her head to address those behind her.
Hey, is our security really up to par? The disciplinarymittee knows our entire schedule!
Its an open secret, isnt it?
It was as evident as the fact that the thieves club would target the temporary storage after their next ban wave.
The operations of the errand center and the ck market were well-known.
Moreover, just like Kwak Seung-jae pointed out, time was indeed very important for them.
epting the disciplinarymittees offer wouldpletely relieve the members of any punishment, allowing for much greater freedom of movement, and Dang Gyu-young herself would gain a bit more leeway.
And if you perform well in mentoring, you may be rewarded ordingly. Dragon yer Academy is thorough in such matters.
Isnt that an overly optimistic view?
Thats why I dont hold much hope for it either.
.
Dang Gyu-young frowned.
He was an annoyingly honest guy.
Still, Kwak Seung-jaes words did help in making a decision.
She clicked her tongue softly and responded.
Tch, tell them Ill do it.
Youve made a wise decision.
But are there many people interested in learning rogue-type skills?
As far as I know, there arent many. Besides
Kwak Seung-jae shook his head and added.
Dont you have another special field of expertise?
Shadow Caster Dang Gyu-young.
Not only was she a master versed in all the secret techniques of thievery,
But she was also a strong battle mage who could hold her own against the presidents of the Magic Tower Association.
Chapter 56: Replay Analysis (1)
Chapter 56: Rey Analysis (1)
I delivered the requested items right on schedule at midnight.
To my surprise, Bong Jae-seok and the seniors seemed quite astonished that I had actually finished everything by midnight.
Their expressions quickly turned into ones that seemed almost predatory as they began to whisper among themselves.
Hey, is that guy not going to join our club?
He says hes not interested.
Isnt it because you havent been persuasive enough?
Just leave him be. Dont stir up unnecessary trouble.
Still, if onlyslurp.
They kept licking their lips as they looked at me.
Feeling like they might kidnap me if I lingered around them any longer, I pretended to be busy and started working on crafting an item with the materials I had prepared.
After spending the entire night on the task,
Ive got the framework down.
On the workbenchy a small heart-shaped part.
When I infused it with mana as a test, the various small objects scattered around the workbench began to move slightly and made a rattling noise.
Although it was still a half-finished prototype and not fully functional yet, it seemed that with a few more days of diligent work it could bepleted.
***
The duel battle ss led by Instructor Lee Soo-Dok was always conducted in a somber atmosphere.
Today, the air felt even heavier.
This was because Lee Soo-Dok mentioned that word.
A word that felt like a quagmire from which no student at Dragon yer Academy could escape.
Homework.
The students sent desperate nces with the hope that Lee Soo-Dok would say he was joking.
He was a human too, so wouldnt he sometimes y a naughty prank on his students?
Regrettably, Lee Soo-Dok was a man far removed from jokes or pranks.
He continued his exnation in the same steady tone he maintained throughout the ss.
It is as important to review past battles as it is to continue training and practice. I believe this weeks duel battles had many aspects worth reviewing.
Until now, they had only focused on honing their individual skills and were not ustomed to team-based activities like two-on-two battles.
Therefore, this weeks duel battle matches must have been a new experience for them in many respects.
There were many unintended mistakes while trying to synchronize with their teammates.
And there were times when they embarrassingly lost to opponents they thought were well within their capabilities due to ack of coordination.
Conversely, there were instances where they managed to defeat opponents who would normally be difficult by coborating with their teammates.
In either case, there was ample value in reflecting on these experiences.
Take some time to review the reys. Consider what the strengths and weaknesses of both allies and enemies were, what strategies were employed, and if there could have been more effective tactics. Choose one out of the four matches, write a report, and submit it by next Friday.
Given that it was still Thursday and many students likely hadntpleted their quota of four matches for the week, the deadline seemed generous.
However, the apparent leniency could be deceiving as there was no telling what assignments the next week might bring.
It was best to finish it and get it out of the way as soon as possible.
Kim-hyung.
Perhaps he had simr thoughts as me as Go Hyeon-woo approached me right after the ss ended.
Seo Ye-in also looked at me with an expressionless face.
Though she didnt say anything, she was silently conveying a desire to coborate with me on the assignment.
This works out well.
I had already promised Go Hyeon-woo that we would review the rey of his duel battle together.
Though Seo Ye-in wasnt directly involved in this matter, I expect that discussing and analyzing it together would be quite helpful in writing the report.
I slowly got up from my seat.
Lets go then, to a quiet ce.
***
We bought drinks from the cafeteria and settled on the second-floor terrace.
This was the very spot where negotiations with the Emerald Magic Tower and the Mother Nature Club had taken ce before.
While the lower floor buzzed with students, the upper floor remained notably quiet.
The three of us huddled around arge round table.
I sat in the middle, with Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in on either side.
Here they are.
Go Hyeon-woo ced two crystal balls in front of me.
Seo Ye-in rested her chin on the table and stared into the crystal balls without moving.
The iced tea she just bought rose and fell through the straw in her mouth.
She was fully immersed in viewing mode.
I took a sip of the iced tea I had brought along and picked up the first crystal ball.
Lets view them in order.
Soon, the rey began.
The participants in the first match all had scores simr to Go Hyeon-woos ranging between 600 and 700.
On Go Hyeon-woos team was a mage while the opposing side had an archer and a warrior.
Their characteristics were so typical that they hardly needed any description.
For example, the warrior wielded a sword and shield simr to those of Baek Jun-seok whom we had encountered a few days prior. If there was any difference to note, it was that his armor was made of leather instead of te.
This likely made him slightly lighter on his feet than Baek Jun-seok.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Bang!
As soon as the match started, Go Hyeon-woo and the opposing warrior shed with each other.
It wasnt long before Go Hyeon-woo began to overwhelmingly dominate the opponent.
This oue was so predictable that I didnt even need to watch it.
The problem urred in the very next moment.
The mage on Go Hyeon-woos team made a big blunder.
If melee sses were fighting in front of you, you should of course maintain a certain distance. However, the mage recklessly surged forward with some unknown confidence.
Then he summoned white orbs in his two hands and began throwing them one after another.
Its quite reckless.
Since these white orbs were akin to close-range magic, he needed to be close to cast them effectively, so the approach wasnt entirely wrong.
However, considering a mages typical weakness in closebat, its usual to take precautionary measures before closing in on an opponent.
For example, casting buff spells to enhance physical abilities, surrounding oneself with protective magic, or even bringing summoned creatures for support.
Yet this mage brazenly darted forward without any such preparations.
It seemed as though he either trusted Go Hyeon-woo topensate for his recklessness or seriously underestimated his opponents.
The opponents wouldnt let such a golden opportunity slip by.
As soon as the warrior deflected the iing orbs with his shield, he ignored Go Hyeon-woo and charged at the mage.
In doing so, he exposed himself to serious attacks and lost a considerable amount of health but it appeared he was determined to sacrifice flesh to strike the bone or so to speak.
The mage was lingering too close, so with just a couple of strides, the warrior was upon him in no time.
sh!
A single strike shed through, halving the mages health and plunging him into a half-dead state.
Thud,
A momentter, an arrow buried itself in the middle of the mages chest.
It was a precise shot from the archer who had been closely monitoring the situation.
And with that, the mage lost all of his health and disappeared from the arena.
Seriously?
I sent Go Hyeon-woo a look filled with a mix of admiration and sympathy.
It was impressive how he managed to refrain from uttering curses in such a situation.
Go Hyeon-woo caught the meaning in my gaze and responded with a wry smile.
Thanks to his teammates terrible blunder, the match quickly turned into a two-versus-one situation not even minutes into the game.
It was fair to say the scales were heavily tipped at this point.
Yet Go Hyeon-woo kept hisposure and continued to wield his sword with unwavering focus.
In the exchange with the warrior, he had the upper hand since he had already inflicted some damage, and so there was a glimmer of hope.
The two closebat sses continued their battle.
Go Hyeon-woo soon regained dominance but every time he had to deflect or dodge an arrow from the archer he was forced on the defensive.
During the intense back-and-forth,
Go Hyeon-woo suddenlyunched a fierce attack creating an opening.
He had decided to use a special technique.
As he gathered momentum and used [Clear Stream], his sword movements slowed and a gentle breeze began to swirl around him.
When he focused this breeze on the archer opponent, thetters health dropped in an instant and he couldnt hold out for long before he became unable to fight.
If the arenas safety mechanisms werent in ce it would have been a horrific sight of the archer being severely battered.
As expected.
Just like I observed in other battles, the wind summoned by [Clear Stream] acted as an extension of his swords strike.
That is why I evaluated him as having stepped into the realm of magic.
..!
The warrior couldnt hide his shock when his teammate was swiftly defeated.
Then, a strike imbued with clear stream descended upon him.
Whooosh!
Youve won.
The opponent wasnt difficult. Their teamwork was well-coordinated, but it followed a predictable pattern.
Indeed, the opposing teams teamwork was good.
However, they were overly cautious not to hinder each others movements which ironically limited their actions.
This predictability was what Go Hyeon-woo had noticed.
Of course, the w was more pronounced because they hadnt fully mastered their coordination, but it would be more difficult to exploit as they improved.
The first match was a calm and controlled victory for Go Hyeon-woo from start to finish.
There was something that needed to be checked before moving on.
Lets take a look at the weapon.
I turned back the rey to just before the match ended and zoomed in on Go Hyeon-woos weapon for a closer examination.
The E-rank weapon purchased with points, the [Guards Longsword].
Judging by the cracks on the de, its durability was almost at an all-time low but it had narrowly avoided breaking.
The [Durable Clip] I created just the day before seemed to have provided some support.
Is this the first time a sword of yours held up after using clear stream?
Thats right.
Go Hyeon-woosplexion brightened up as he responded.
He couldnt help but feel excited because something that had always bothered him was about to be resolved.
Yet it was too soon to draw any conclusions.
The decision would have to wait until after the final match.
Good. Lets move on to the next one.
Go Hyeon-woo yed the next rey.
As I reviewed the participants, my eyes lit up with recognition.
The moment Ive been anticipating has arrived.
[Go Hyeon-woo 785 points, Bukgong Han-seol 932 points]
vs
[Jeong Soo-ji 693 points, Park Na-ri 998 points]
Until now, Go Hyeon-woos win rate had been impressively high.
In the cement test, he won every game except for one loss to Jo Byeok.
In the first weeks duel battles, he secured three wins out of three.
This time, in the third weeks duel battles, the rey we just watched marked his third victory out of four games.
As a result, his score had surged dramatically, approaching the 800-point range, and it seemed only a matter of time before he would start encountering scores in the 900s. Sure enough, one appeared on each side.
Bukgong Han-seol was a warrior like Go Hyeon-woo.
The surname Bukgong and the fact that he carried no weapon suggested that he was a master of unarmedbat.
On the other hand, the opponents were the quite familiar duo of Park Na-ri and Jeong Soo-ji.
Park Na-ri was a druid, and Jeong Soo-ji was a shaman. They were both of ranged sses.
It was a battle between two close-range and two long-rangebatants.
However, it wasnt urate to consider the other side as purely long-range because
Grrr,
Next to Park Na-ri was the tiger called Bum baring its fierce teeth at the opponents.
Chapter 57: Replay Analysis (2)
Chapter 57: Rey Analysis (2)
Normally, Tiger Bum was kept small through a shrinking spell so that it would fit in the palm of a hand, but it towered over humans in its true form.
The phrase asrge as a house could not have been more fitting.
When Park Na-ri gently stroked its back, Bum growled softly and moved forward to take its position.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Bum crouched low then sprang forward like a coiled spring.
In the blink of an eye, it charged towards Go Hyeon-woo before swinging its paws with a speed that belied its huge size.
Not only was its movement fast but the full weight of its body was behind each blow, making it heavy and powerful. Its ws even glowed with mana.
As expected of a spirit beast.
That single tiger seemed capable of utterly demolishing any opponent with a score in the 600s.
One might wonder if a blow from its paw could spin someones jaw clean to the back of their head.
And when Go Hyeon-woo managed to block such a brutally powerful swipe,
Crack,
The E-rank [Guards Longsword] broke after just one exchange.
The durability of the de was on edge, so it wasnt necessarily due to Bums attack alone.
It was inevitable as it had been significantly worn down in the previous match.
Go Hyeon-woo swiftly drew the D-rank [Escorts Longsword]
Swish, swish, swish!
That momentary gap was filled by his partner, Bukgong Han-seol.
As she unleashed a barrage of forceful energy, Tiger Bum hesitated for a moment.
At least this time its a sane one.
Thedy seems quite in sync with the team battle.
Unlike the previous matchs mage, this one had at least a basic understanding of teamwork.
And just like I had already guessed, Bukgong Han-seol was an expert in martial arts.
The cold aura enveloping her hands as if frosted over was a clear sign she had mastered the techniques of the Cold Ice martial arts.
Go Hyeon-woo and Bukgong Han-seolunched into a full-fledged joint attack.
Sword energy and palms poured down on Tiger Bum but,
[Park Na-ri 94%]
[Park Na-ri 95%]
[Park Na-ri 97%]
They didnt manage to inflict that much damage.
The tigers hide was like armor, repelling the sword energy, and even the minor wounds it sustained healed at an incredible rate.
To find the cause, they turned their gaze toward the main base where Park Na-ri and Jeong Soo-ji were positioned
A fresh green energy was radiating from Park Na-ri.
Shes a support type.
A support druid who uses a variety of auxiliary skills, including protection, healing, and enchantment.
If the skill level is low, it results in a jack of all trades but master of none. However, at a high level, its almost like having a swiss army knife.
And Park Na-ri was a promising talent among the four major powers.
Jeong Soo-ji didnt have much of a presence in the battlepared to the other three, but she kept the two warriors in check by asionally sending out earthen bullets or wrapping tree vines around their feet.
Even when she was fighting me with Kwak Ji-cheol her slight interference was annoying.
In other words, it means shes good at crowd control. So this was apliment.
To summarize Park Na-ris strategy in a single line, it involved cing Tiger Bum at the forefront and providing it with full support.
If the battle was to extend for a long time, Park Na-ris side would end up winning since they have good sustainability. Go Hyeon-woo had to find a way to break this formation or else face an inevitable defeat.
I spoke to Seo Ye-in who was silently watching the rey.
This part is important. Watch carefully.
Mhmm.
How they navigated this obstacle would be a testament to the judgment of Go Hyeon-woo and Bukgong Han-seol.
The pair seemed to opt for the most straightforward and brute-force approach first.
A head-on confrontation.
The n was to inflict damage that exceeded Park Na-ris protective magic and healing capabilities to bring the battle to a swift conclusion.
They rallied their momentum and unleashed their respective ultimate techniques in a burst.
[Clear Stream]
[Ice Snow Soul Palm]
des of wind and a wave of cold surged forward.
Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom!
However
[Park Na-ri 79%]
Tiger Bum managed to withstand even that onught.
Although its health had significantly decreased, Tiger Bum didnt suffer any critical damage and was rapidly regaining health just as before.
[Park Na-ri 79%]
[Park Na-ri 80%]
[Park Na-ri 82%]
Growl,
Tiger Bum cleverly focused on defense and evasion while recovering.
Head-on confrontation is the most difficult choice.
Thats true.
Go Hyeon-woo agreed with my observation.
While straightforward, a head-on confrontation requires exceptional skill. You need to be several levels above your opponent to easily overpower Tiger Bum, but their abilities were not significantly different from Park Na-ris.
To put it bluntly, they were even slightly inferior.
[Park Na-ri 100%]
Despite their best efforts to inflict damage, Tiger Bums health was fully restored in no time.
Even the spectators watching the rey felt their energy drain; imagine how the participants must have felt.
Yet fighting spirit was still burning in the eyes of Go Hyeon-woo and Bukgung Han-seol.
After a brief tactical discussion thatsted only a few seconds, they split to either side and executed the same technique.
This time, their target was not Tiger Bu but the main base where Park Na-ri and Jeong Soo-ji were positioned.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
I nodded my head in approval.
That was a good move.
It was simr to the tactic Go Hyeon-woo had used in the first match.
Targeting the rtively weaker rear lines with long-range attacks.
However, if there was one thing to critique,
When I looked to the side as if waiting for an answer, Seo Ye-in briefly met my gaze before removing her mouth from the straw.
They gave too much time.
Thats right.
There was more than enough time for Park Na-ri and Jeong Soo-jis side to prepare.
By the time the long-range attacks reached the enemys main base,yers of defensive magic, including earthen walls and wooden vines, had been fortified around it.
Grrrr!
To make matters worse, Tiger Bum charged in and broke their momentum.
When Bukgung Han-seol was hit with a body m, she was sent flying as if she had been struck by a truck.
Go Hyeon-woo had no choice but to chase after Tiger Bum.
This is where things started to go awry.
Indeed, its a shame.
Park Na-ri and Jeong Soo-jis side could not just stand by and allow their opponents to try one strategy after another, so they kept them off bnce and in disarray.
Eventually, the subsequent strategies mirrored the initial ones and were repeatedly thwarted by imprable defenses.
Thud,
After using [Clear Stream] about four times in session, the D-rank [Escorts Longsword] also reached the end of its durability.
Go Hyeon-woo continued to fight valiantly and broke several more iron swords, but in the end, he could not turn the tide of the increasingly unfavorable match.
[Remaining Time 0:00]
[Go Hyeon-woo and Bukgung Han-seol Lose]
vs
[Jeong Soo-ji and Park Na-ri Win]
The result was a loss by decision after the full ten minutes of the allotted time were exhausted.
I am ashamed of the performance we showed you both.
Not at all. You fought well against a promising student.
It was still a difficult opponent for Go Hyeon-woo to defeat.
There was no disappointment since it was a match where he was expected to lose.
Go Hyeon-woo posed a question to me.
What would Kim-hyung have done?
Seo Ye-in also looked at me intently as if curious about my response.
I answered while looking at the people in the rey crystal ball.
In such a situation, I would have considered dividing the roles.
Dividing roles
One would hold the tiger at bay while the other struck at the enemys base.
Making use of the Ice Cold techniques control trait, it would be ideal for Bukgung Han-seol to undertake the former, with Go Hyeon-woo who had a rtively higher destructive power taking on thetter role.
The path to infiltrating the enemy lines wouldnt be smooth, but if sessful, prating the defense of the two casters in closebat and cutting through would be much simpler.
Go Hyeon-woo closed his eyes for a moment and seemed to picture my strategy in his mind.
That certainly seems possible. Why didnt I think of that?
The circumstances being what they were, it couldnt be helped.
The chaos of the tiger darting back and forth and attacking, along with the pressure of the 10-minute time limit steadily decreasing, would have likely hindered clear thinking.
In such circumstances,ing up with new strategies continuously and aligning opinions with team members was an exceedingly difficult task.
You just have to do better next time. I think this much should suffice for the report. Do you have any more questions?
Perhaps having his curiosity somewhat satisfied, Go Hyeon-woo did not speak.
When I nced toward Seo Ye-in, she too shook her head.
Given both of their sharp intellects, they have likely grasped the gist of it by now.
Now lets talk about something that cant be included in the report. Honestly, even if you had used the method I just mentioned, the oue wouldnt have been much different.
Why is that?
The difference in specs, especially in equipment, was just too great.
Writing in the report that we lost due to a difference in specs might just earn a smack on the back of the head from Lee Soo-dok.
Although it should be omitted from the report, the reality was that the difference in specs yed a huge role.
Park Na-ri was a promising student who received full support from the Guild Union and the Mother Nature Club.
The range of skills and traits she has mastered was very wide and her own capabilities were also good. She was decked out in various items from head to toe.
Including the [Cube of Life] I had recently traded with her.
In contrast, all Go Hyeon-woo possessed was a single sword.
And even that was far from a famed de; its only merit was that it didnt break quickly.
After pondering my words for a moment, Go Hyeon-woo let out a heavy sigh.
It makes sense that I lost. Not only was my opponent not less skilled than me, but she was also thoroughly prepared I must reflect on this.
You dont need to match Park Na-ris specs. Thats impossible anyway. Shes practically being showered with the resources of an entire club. Having just a few key countermeasures can make a huge difference in facing such opponents.
Is there such a thing?
Go Hyeon-woo had a curious expression on his face.
And perhaps considering that she might soon face an opponent like Park Na-ri, Seo Ye-in listened intently to my words.
I slowly looked from one to the other before speaking.
A magic sword.
To be precise, I suggested switching to a magic sword imbued with a healing reduction curse.
For example, if one were to scratch an opponent with a [Hungry Sawtooth Sword], for a certain duration, the healing that the opponent receives would be absorbed by the sawtooth sword.
Those afflicted by the [Gut Prick] would find that healing spells cause them additional damage instead. The terrible pain was just a bonus.
Beyond the reduction of healing, the range of situations that can be dealt with increases as the type of sword you have increases. For example, there were weapons that could inflict paralysis or poisoning or even some weapons that specialized in shattering the barriers of mages.
If you were to look at the inventory of top-ranking swordsmen, you might think you were attending an exhibition of legendary des.
Though they did not use swords, marksmen were simr in that they used a variety of [Special Bullets]
After hearing the entire exnation, Go Hyeon-woo let out a soft exmation of admiration.
Indeed I confess my knowledge of items is still quite shallow. I find myself learning yet another thing from Kim-hyung. It truly brings home how far I have yet to go.
Youre right about the long road ahead. But were only in our third week of the first semester, so lets not get too impatient.
Ill keep that in mind.
With the topic of items on the table, perhaps its time to move on to the main point.
There was something else Go Hyeon-woo needed to prioritize over amassing a collection of legendary swords.
It was the management of their durability.
It was also the fundamental reason why we watched the rey together.
Goh Hyeon-woo had most frequently employed the technique [Clear Stream], and based on that, an E-rank longsword could barely withstand one use, while a D-rank would not break until after four uses.
A rough calction could be made from this.
With a few more durability-type artifacts and a B-rank or higher weapon, the worry of breaking should almost vanish.
B-rank, huh That wont be easy toe by.
Its a bit of a distant goal for now. Using a C-rank as a stepping stone should pose no immediate issues.
However, C-rank was by no meansmon.
Some of the decent ones were even used by second-year students.
Goh Hyeon-woo pulled out the catalog to check the longsword section.
He was gradually getting used to navigating the student store.
But to buy a C-rank weapon with points
Its not going to be easy.
Its expensive. Save your points. Itd be a waste to spend them on disposable weapons.
The [Guardian Series] had been bought partially as an experiment and also because their lower rank meant a lesser burden on points.
However, the prices were quite high from C-rank onwards.
It seemed unnecessary to invest points in disposable weapons that were bound to be destroyed eventually.
There had to be another way to acquire them without spending money or points.
Go Hyeon-woos gaze followed mine and shifted in a specific direction.
A hill that was neither too high nor too low upied one side of our view.
The Dungeon building.
Well get them through drops.
Chapter 58: Replay Analysis (3)
Chapter 58: Rey Analysis (3)
The artificial dungeons on the ground floor of the Dungeon building had been crafted solely for the education and examination of students.
There were hardly any dangers present, and even if there were, multipleyers of safety measures protected the students.
A notable example was the ejection mechanism that would instantly expel a student from the dungeon if a fatal injury was expected to happen.
On the other hand, the dungeons extended deep into the underground of the Dungeon building.
These numerous dungeons, spanning the ind on which the Dragon yer Academy was built, were the reason the ind was called the Dungeon Ind.
Everything that urred within these dungeons was real.
Should things go awry during an expedition, you could get hurt, and in some cases, you could even die.
However, the rewards offered weremensurate with the level of danger.
It meant that items could be acquired.
They were given as dungeon clear rewards, dropped by boss monsters, or cleverly hidden throughout the dungeon.
Go Hyeon-woos eyes sparkled with excitement when he heard this.
So, youre saying
Weapons can also be dropped.
Including C-rank and B-rank weapons.
Go Hyeon-woos expression mirrored the one he had when he first heard about the Special Cultivation Room.
However, he didnt immediately leap to his feet.
It was likely because he realized something midway.
He looked at me and posed a question.
But isnt it impossible right now?
Because its still the week of the duel battles.
The Dungeon building wouldnt open until next week when the strategy battles begin.
This meant we had no choice but to wait for several days.
And there was another big obstacle in our path.
Even next week, we wont be able to go down to the underground.
Why is that?
Were not qualified.
It was unthinkable to send first-year students who had just enrolled into life-threatening realbat situations.
If by any chance they were to sustain serious injuries withsting aftereffects or lose their lives, it would mean the loss of a potential future hero.
Only those who had umted sufficient experience on the ground floor and had proven themselves both internally and externally were granted the privilege to descend.
Thus, the minimum requirement to go underground, that is, the entry condition for an F-rank dungeon, was:
A cumtive strategy battle score of 5,000 points. This total is calcted solely from pure dungeon clear scores, irrespective of points.
Hmm
Go Hyeon-woo took out his student ID, checked the back, and let out a sigh.
It was bound to be woefully insufficient.
The same went for me.
My total strategy battle score was precisely 2,266 points.
In the [Fixed Zone], I scored 683 points which ced me in the upper-middle tier.
In the [Goblin Swamp] with Seo Ye-in we scored 728 points which ced us in the upper tier.
My solo strategy battle score was 855 points which made me the top of our year. Though I hadnt saved the rey.
Thebined ranking was between the top 5% and 10% and maintaining this pace, I would need to engage in several more strategy battles before I could even set foot in an F-rank dungeon.
But my aim wasnt just any F-rank dungeon; I was targeting higher-ranked dungeons.
E-rank, D-rank, and above must be unlocked sequentially by umting more points or passing exams, so it was virtually impossible to unlock them during the first semester of the first year.
Go Hyeon-woo asked me.
So, as it stands, theres no way?
Officially, no.
Officially?
Go Hyeon-woo echoed my words. And he soon understood the implied meaning behind my words before cracking a sly smile.
Theres no rule stating we must stick strictly to the pathsid out by the Dragon yer Academy.
We could sneak in.
This is precisely why the Dragon yer Academys errand service exists.
The thieves club is involved in various rule-breaking activities, including the trade of prohibited items.
One of their services includes sneaking students into dungeons theyre not qualified for.
I sent a message to Shin Byeong-cheol.
[Kim Ho: Errand]
[Shin Byeong-cheol: Where are you, customer-nim?]
[Kim Ho: Second floor terrace of the cafeteria]
[Shin Byeong-cheol: Ill be right there, customer-nim]
Did you call Shin-hyung?
Yeah. Hell be here soon.
I stealthily observed Seo Ye-ins reaction while we were waiting.
She seemed indifferent despite my tant talk of breaking the rules.
It appeared she was more interested in her iced tea at the moment.
Thats to be expected
As expected, she didnt seem to have any particr dislike for breaking the rules.
Perhaps it would be more urate to say she simply didnt care about them at all.
In that case, there mighte a time when we would join forces to tackle the dungeon levels below, depending on Seo Ye-ins needs.
What a rich youngdy like her might need remains to be seen but the possibility is certainly there.
Shin Byeong-cheol arrived in less than five minutes after I sent the message.
As an errand service, it would be a shame if they werent second to none in terms of speed.
You were here? How can I help you?
Were looking to enter a dungeon.
A dungeon? You know theyre opening next week, right?
Im thinking Monday evening.
Monday evening is perfect; whats the number?
Number 388.
Lets see, lets see 388 would be
Shin Byeong-cheol pulled out something resembling a notebook and began flipping through it.
It looked like he was checking the dungeon information.
[Feathered Serpent Altar]? D-rank?
Yeah.
Its a four-person dungeon. Whos going in?
Just the two of us, me and him.
Shin Byeong-cheol looked back and forth between me and Go Hyeon-woo with a worried look on his face.
Are you sure? Its a D-rank and meant for four.
It was half concern for us and half for himself.
Should anything go wrong inside the dungeon, Shin Byeong-cheol, who facilitated our unauthorized entry, wouldnt be able to escape me.
While we might be able to get through it with our skills if it were a normal D-rank dungeon, he couldnt help but wonder if it would be possible for two people to do what four people should do.
I shrugged nonchntly.
We wont die. If things go south, well bounce out immediately.
I had no intention of fleeing but I wouldnt be telling him that.
He would only take on the task if he were convinced that it wouldnt bring any harm his way.
Shin Byeong-cheol also sought confirmation from Go Hyeon-woo,
And you? Are you okay with this?
I trust Kim-hyung. He must have everything figured out.
Go Hyeon-woos response was so firm that it felt like it was blind faith.
To the point that Shin Byeong-cheol was embarrassed to ask the question.
. Haah, alright then, lets go with that. Ill have everything ready by Monday evening.
What about the payment?
Facilitating entry into an underground dungeon was aplex and risky task.
Naturally, a certain fee had to be paid to the thieves club member who would be facilitating the entry.
Payments could be made upfront or as a portion of the dungeon clearance rewards.
However, Shin Byeong-cheol waved his hands.
Come on, what need is there for payment between us? Remember the debt fromst time? Lets just consider it settled with that.
During the ban wave, he faced the risk of having all of his prohibited items confiscated, but I managed to hide them inside the [Cube of Life].
Thanks to that, Shin Byeong-cheol was spared from the fate of being beaten to a pulp by his senior. Instead, he got off with a moderate beating and some hair-pulling.
He proposed to settle this debt by helping with the dungeon infiltration for free.
I couldnt hide my surprise.
I didnt expect you to bring that up first. Youve surprised me.
Hey, dont make me sound like an ungrateful jerk. Shin Byeong-cheol, a man of his word, may skimp on other things but never on loyalty.
I see.
I nodded my head in understanding.
So hes the type to skimp on everything else.
Note to self: dont lend him anything.
There was also a very important reason why Shin Byeong-cheol brought up the idea of a free service first,
And honestly Ive only been down there once myself when following Noonim. Lets gain some experience this time.
..
He too was a first-year student with little experience.
He had ventured underground only once while following Dang Gyu-young, and now as an inexperienced guide, he was set to have us as his first clients.
Go Hyeon-woo asked me with his eyes if this was really okay.
It would be better to hire someone from the second year or above to bepletely sure.
Yet, I wasnt overly concerned.
Although Shin Byeong-cheols skills might not be top-notch, I trusted that he had the basic skills required by a member of the thieves club.
And if things got tough, I was ready to step in.
Its fine by us, as long as you dont do a half-hearted job just because its your first time.
Of course, Ill do my very best to serve you. Is that all, then?
No, theres one more thing.
Another dungeon? Which one?
Number 104.
Number 104?
Shin Byeong-cheol furrowed his brows in thought, then checked his notebook with a look of apprehension, which only deepened.
Number 104 The [ck Death]. Thats a B-rank dungeon. You sure you havent got it wrong?
Im sure. Its the ck Death.
Thats a dungeon in the depths Look, honestly, I dont think I can help you with that.
Shin Byeong-cheol scratched the back of his head.
Dungeons ranked between B and S were situated in the deepest part of the dungeon building which was known as the depths.
ess was impossible for ordinary students, and merely loitering nearby and getting caught would result in the harshest of disciplinary actions.
With Shin Byeong-cheols abilities, it was not only difficult to escort someone there, but it was also not something a first-year like him should recklessly handle.
Hence, it was only natural for him to give such a response.
I know. Maybe I should bring it up with your club president.
That shouldnt be a problem. Ill ask and let you know. Anything else?
Thats all.
Okay. Then Im off. Take care~
After the business was finished, Shin Byeong-cheol stood up with an air of urgency.
He then dashed off just like he had arrived.
I sipped my iced tea while silently watching his retreating figure,
Afterward, I summarized the conversation with Go Hyeon-woo.
In broad terms, our n is this: Enter the D-rank dungeon, [Feathered Serpent Altar], on Monday evening. Thats where youll get your weapon.
In short, he could obtain a fairly useful longsword.
That long sword will be sufficient for Go Hyeon-woo to use for the time being.
At the same time, I intended to secure some benefits for myself.
Choosing the Feathered Serpent Altar from among the various dungeons that dropped longswords was inspired by this reason.
After that, well go through a few days of preparation. Negotiate with the thieves club, and purchase some items.
As Shin Byeong-cheol had mentioned, the depths of the dungeons were not something he could handle.
It would likely involve negotiating with a third-year member of the thieves club and probably even Dang Gyu-young.
The chances of the negotiations failing were virtually non-existent.
I would make sure of that.
The more thorough the preparation, the better. A minor mistake could cost us our lives.
I am prepared. What do you need me to do?
Your role is important.
It wasnt just about bringing Go Hyeon-woo along for his skill with the sword.
Inside the dungeon, he mustpletely be another version of himself.
To achieve that,
Youll need to know as much about the dungeon as I do.
I handed over a bundle of documents.
Go Hyeon-woos eyes sparkled with interest as he flipped through them page by page.
!
The strategy guides for the [Feathered Serpent Altar] and the [ck Death].
From theyout of the dungeons to the enemies that appear, their locations, and how we would navigate to achieve our goal.
Everything was contained within these two guides.
Memorize them. Not a single letter less.
Chapter 59: 4th Week Strategy Battles (1)
Chapter 59: 4th Week Strategy Battles (1)
Go Hyeon-woo became busy with report writing and the additional assignment I gave to him.
He was in for a tough time with his head buried in work over the weekend.
Meanwhile, I spent more time in the magic engineering workshop.
My tasks werent much different from the previous days.
I prepared the groundwork in Workshop 4, and asionally, I dismantled failed creations brought in by the seniors of the magic engineering club.
Whenever a spot opened up in Workshop 1, I quickly moved in to craft items.
This time, however, the materials I used were of a much higher quality.
[Magic Engine]
[Levistone Extract]
[Weather Chip]
I used all these along with high-quality materials given as rewards by other seniors in my crafting.
And so, after several days that felt like running on a treadmill
Came the morning of the weekend.
When dawn just ended and the first light began to break through the windows.
I put down the tools in my hand.
Its finished.
A thin and elongated core-shaped part.
After struggling with this for a few days, I finally finished it.
When I infused mana into the part, a faint air current formed that caused various small items scattered across the workbench to levitate.
As soon as I ceased the flow of mana they all gently fell back down.
!
Just then, some seniors who were taking a short break caught sight of this phenomenon and their eyes widened in amazement.
Perhaps thinking not to overwhelm me, they didnt alle over at once; instead, only Bong Jae-seok and one female senior I had seen before approached me.
Curiosity was written all over their faces.
So this is what youve been so eagerly gathering materials for Youve made something fascinating again.
May I take a closer look?
Yes, senior-nim.
When I agreed, the two seniors leaned in close to the part and started examining it thoroughly.
They took turns eximing in surprise.
What an interesting design
I was wondering why you needed levistone extracts, but theres a use for everything
Wow, look at this. Its amazing, really amazing.
The principle of this part was divided into three main stages.
When mana was supplied through the [Magic Engine],
the [Weather Chip] would induce climate changes within a certain range,
and the [Levistone Extracts] would determine the type of climate.
Bong Jae-seok asked as he handed me the part.
It looks like its meant for a weapon, perhaps a staff or a scepter?
Something like that.
Have you acquired the main body?
It was merely a part at the moment and it required instation into something to serve as an item.
I pulled out a meter-long iron rod from my inventory.
I n to make do with this for now.
It was a slightly modified F-rank iron rod provided for free by the Dragon yer Academy.
Upon fitting the part into the rod, they seamlessly integrated.
[Levitating Iron Rod (E)]
Levitate Zone (F) constantly activated.
Levitate Zone. A floating area.
It was wind magic that created an updraft, causing everything within its range to float.
Whether it was objects or monsters, since each had different weights and magical resistances, there was variation in how much they floated. However, even the slightest levitation made them more susceptible to physical forces.
In other words, within the range, everything became more vulnerable to [Wind Force].
However, the rank of this [Levitating Iron Rod] was merely E.
The constantly activated [Levitate Zone] was only F-rank.
Its power was minimal and its range was limited. If I were topare it to something, maybe its range would be as big as a small room.
This is because I used an iron rod.
Magical engineering items are greatly influenced not only by their part but also by the material of the metal that forms their main body.
Using an iron rod as a temporary measure meant that E-rank was the best I could hope for.
Naturally, if I were to use a better metal to create a superior main body, it would increase both the rank and performance.
So where do I find such better metal?
I need to go down.
To the underground of the Dungeon building.
I ced the iron rod back in my inventory.
Bong Jae-seok must have sensed that it was time for me to leave as he looked at me and said with a slightly regretful tone.
You wont being around for a while now.
The reason he was so certain of that was because I used up all the materials I had gathered here just in time toplete the [Levitating Iron Rod].
If I had been nning on making more, I would have saved some materials.
I didnt deny him because it was true.
Yes, Ive been greatly indebted to you during this time.
A female senior tried to join the conversation,
If youre so indebted, how about joining our club
Theres no debt. Whenever you want to make something else, feel free toe back.
Bong Jae-seok cut her off mid-sentence.
Seeing that my mind was set on leaving, he seemed to have decided to let me go quietly.
I bowed politely and exited Workshop No. 1.
Why did you just let him go?
Come on, as if hed join. Hes not one to be tied down.
You never know until the end!
Just give it up.
A light argument continued inside the workshop.
***
I spent the remaining weekend practicing [Wind Force] and [Core] at the training center.
Monday arrived.
The student cafeteria buzzed with activity from early morning.
Seo Ye-in and I opted to step outside rather than join the crowded breakfast scene.
With a cup of coffee in one hand and a folded waffle in the other,
We sat side by side on a bench in the corner of the campus.
As we ate our waffles, I noticed a surge in the number of casually dressed individuals passing by.
Graduates invited for mentoring sessions.
They had a lot to do with the fact that the student cafeteria was starting to get crowded this week.
Mentoring officially started next week, starting in the fifth week of the semester.
This week served as a period for them to receive basic guidelines and understand the essence of mentoring from the academic department.
I had something to tell Seo Ye-in regarding this matter.
Announcement: Kim Hos special lecture on magic bullets is temporarily suspended.
..?
Seo Ye-in took a bite of her waffle, finished it, and turned her head towards me.
There was a little cream smeared on her cheek but I dont think she noticed it because she was so distracted by my words.
Her gray eyes stared at me intently as if asking Why suspended?
I exined calmly,
Since well be learning the new skills during next weeks mentoring session anyway, theres no rush. Its better to use this week to solidify your foundation.
Efficient growth requires not only expanding the variety of skills but also dedicating time to improve proficiency and rank in existing skills.
Its a necessary step for everyone, and in my opinion, this week is perfectly suited for it.
I was about to tell her to train well on her own when I remembered that providing some direction or goals tends to increase efficiency.
Lets aim for C-rank in both [Magic Bullet] and [Ejection]. Thatll surprise your mentor-ajhussi. Imagine him saying, What? A first-year student with these skills?
Though using the term ahjussi might seem awkward since were unsure if theyre a graduate or a third-year, the main idea is to train hard and impress them.
Seo Ye-in nodded her head slowly.
Alright, Ill give it a try.
Considering that her Magic Bullet was currently at D-rank and Ejection at E-rank, aiming for C-rank on both of them within a week seemed somewhat unrealistic.
However, the reason I deliberately set a very ambitious goal for her was because I thought it would make her train harder.
Also, I had the faint hope that perhaps Seo Ye-ins overwhelming talent might make it possible.
Hey, by the way, youve got cream on your cheek.
?
Not there. The other side.
??
A little to the left.
???
***
Strategy battle ss.
Teacher Seo Cheong-yong wrote two words on the board.
[Resource] [Time]
The previous strategy battle sessions were about saving your most precious resource, which is time.
Timed Attack.
The key was how quickly you could achieve your goals in the dungeon.
Raise your hands here. Actually, there was something peculiar about the middle of that swamp area. Anyone remember anything?
?
The students in ss 3 looked at each other in confusion.
Each face bore the same expression.
Did something like that really happen?
With everyone focused solely on rushing through the dungeon as quickly as possible, and with goblins wielding knives chasing them from behind, who had the luxury to leisurely inspect their surroundings in such urgent circumstances?
Nobody had the time or inclination for that, not even veteran yers would have
Of course, I wasnt the type to eagerly raise my hand in moments like these.
After no one stepped forward for quite some time, Teacher Seo Cheong-yong grinned and revealed the answer on the board.
In the midst of the urgent situation, geometric patterns were engraved beneath the trees in the middle of the goblin swamp.
You might not notice them even if you look closely. In urgent situations, its easy to overlook such details. Nevertheless, its important to always pay attention to seemingly trivial things like these. Why do you think that is?
It was a girl in the front row who answered the question.
You only know if its really trivial once youve checked it.
Thats right.
What if that seemingly trivial thing is actually a core element of the dungeon?
For example, what if its a device that triggers traps throughout the area?
Or perhaps a device that summons additional monsters?
Or an entrance leading to hidden chambers?
Theres no telling what good mighte from simply passing by without a second thought.
Now, onto the theme for this weeks strategy battles
MAP: [Random]
RULE: [Clearance] [2-Person Dungeon] [Random Matching]
which is Clearance.
Clearance.
How thoroughly can you clean out the dungeon?
For example, if there are 100 monsters present how many of them can you find and defeat?
Of course, its highly unlikely that all 100 monsters will swarm in as soon as you enter the dungeon; theyll likely be hiding throughout.
To earn high scores, youll need to carefully examine every nook and cranny of the dungeon.
Teacher Seo Cheong-yong raised a finger.
Heres something important. Theres no time limit this time. Anyone can achieve top marks as long as they take their time and look carefully! Hows that?
The students faces lit up.
They had been beaten in one-on-one battles, timed attacks, by the Strong Enemy, and even in two-on-two battles, and now, they were confronted with such a rxed strategy battle.
Seo Cheong-yong grinned and folded his second finger.
Two important things. The terrain is random. It could be a jungle, ruins, a cave Each person faces a different dungeon in these strategy battles.
A student in the front row quickly raised his hand.
Teacher, does that mean the practice mode and the real battle mode have different terrains?
They do.
Then is there any point in practicing in the practice mode?
Do you really think theres no point at all?
Ah.
The student who asked the question seemed to realize something and lowered his hand.
Even if they entered different dungeons every time, they continued to umte experience.
And with each experience, their powers of observation grew sharper.
Such improved observation skills would eventually prove helpful not only in real battles but also in future strategy battles during the semester.
Dont just focus on the scores; try practicing the practice mode several times for the sake of experience. And for the fellows thinking of cheating, lets save our points this time.
Several students looked sheepish as they avoided Seo Cheong-yongs gaze.
After all, in randomly generated dungeons, tricks like watching someone elses rey and copying their moves wouldnt work.
Seo Cheong-yong checked the time and wrapped up the ss.
Before you go, you have some homework for this week.
When Seo Cheong-yong uttered the cursed words, the students faces quickly turned into expressions of betrayal.
Even you whom we trusted would assign us homework
Seo Cheong-yong smiled sheepishly and spoke with an apologetic tone.
You just need to draw a map while watching your reys. Dont forget to mark the monster locations. The deadline is next Monday. Thats it for todays ss! See you next time!
Today, I decided to move separately from Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in.
After all, my teammate would be assigned randomly for this dungeon.
Building experience was important for this dungeon so starting with practice mode would be the way to go for them.
On the other hand, I was overflowing with experience so practice mode would just be a waste of time.
I decided to dive into real action from the get-go.
I headed straight to the upper floor of the dungeon building.
I scanned my student ID at the terminal and took some time to think while waiting for my teammate to appear.
I hope I get a useful partner
I then checked this weeks quest,
[Side Quest: 4th Week Strategy Battle]
Objective: Clear the strategy battle dungeon
Deadline: ~Sunday midnight
Reward: Variable based on clearance (??/100%)
As long as Im here, 100%pletion is a given no matter who gets chosen as my team member.
Honestly, I could handle everything alone if needed from start to finish.
So, what does useful partner mean in this context?
It refers to someone with skills worthy of copying.
Since my tasks at the magic engineering workshop werepleted for now, I wont be using the [Magical Engineering] skill for a while.
I was nning to rece it with abat-oriented skill.
How long had I been waiting?
Suddenly, a teleportation portal opened nearby.
As I stepped inside, the air instantly refreshed.
Judging by the uneven terrain, this seemed to be a mountainous region.
And my partner was
You again, huh?
Red hair and fiery ruby-like eyes.
But as soon as she saw me, the color drained from her face.
It was Hong Yeon-hwa.
Chapter 60: 4th Week Strategy Battles (2)
Chapter 60: 4th Week Strategy Battles (2)
Even in the duel battles, we had faced each other in two consecutive games.
And now, I found myself partnered with Hong Yeon-hwa.
It was interesting how fate kept throwing us together.
Well, its not bad.
I preferred her over a mediocre student for this strategy battle.
After all, she was considered a promising student and herbat skills were well proven.
I could simply delegate the necessary fighting to her.
Moreover, there was an inexplicable sense of familiarity about her.
The Ruby Magic Tower Master had been a favorite pick of mine in the past,
And the more I saw Hong Yeon-hwa, the more she reminded me of that Ruby Magic Tower Master.
It was like looking at a version of her from a few years back.
If only the facial expressions were simr, theyd be indistinguishable.
The only difference was the way she looked at me.
The Ruby Magic Tower Master always seemed like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment with her fiery temperament on full disy. In contrast, Hong Yeon-hwa in front of me waspletely frightened and intimidated.
Of course, I couldnt deny some responsibility for her state.
Having bested her in battle not once but three times, it was understandable shed be intimidated.
Yet, it seemed excessive for her to be so immediately overwhelmed with fear upon seeing me.
Perhaps there was some huge misunderstanding at y.
I could have chosen to sweetly engage with her from this point forward and gradually resolve misunderstandings,
But did I really need to?
Was resolving this truly necessary?
My aim was toplete the quest quickly and efficiently.
Maintaining a somewhat fearful atmosphere might actually aid in achieving my objectives.
So, I decided to act in ordance with the image she seemed to hold of me.
If she saw me as a tyrant, then a tyrant I would be.
With a menacing re, I watched as Hong Yeon-hwas face turned even paler.
***
Hong Yeon-hwa felt like crying.
It was entirely her fault that things hade to this.
Hong Yeon-hwa arrived at the dungeon building as usual and tried to find a match.
But just before scanning her student ID, she saw him.
Kim Ho was there, waiting for his turn nearby.
Luckily, he was looking the other way with his back turned to her.
Yet, even the sight of his back sent shivers down Hong Yeon-hwas spine.
Now she had a new goal.
One that surpassed even the importance of her performance in this strategy battle.
I must avoid him as a partner at all costs.
While team members were assigned randomly, scanning her ID now risked the slim chance of being paired with that monstrous man
And if they ended up alone in a confined space
The mere thought was suffocating.
Hong Yeon-hwa decided to take her sister Hong Ye-hwas advice.
She would wait a bit longer before applying for todays strategy battle.
When Kim Ho enters the dungeon with someone else that will be when she would find her own team member.
So, she stealthily watched Kim Ho and waited endlessly.
Just waiting for a teleportation portal to open near him.
Waiting
And waiting
And waiting some more
She continued to wait.
As the wait dragged on, Hong Yeon-hwas pride was increasingly crumpled.
And her sense of self-loathing grew in inverse proportion.
Am I, who is destined to be the next Ruby Tower Master, really reduced to hiding around like a mouse and wary of others gaze?
When she nced at Kim Ho again, she saw that he was deep in thought with an expressionless face.
There was still no sign of a match being made.
I cant wait any longer!
Her pride which was suppressed by fear until now sparked a fierce bacsh.
She wouldnt just keep looking over her shoulder!
Not that she had suddenly gained the confidence to partner up with Kim Ho but she had slightly changed her strategy.
She decided to quickly enter on her own.
Hong Yeon-hwa then added a bit more cunning to her n.
Lets go into realbat mode instead of practice mode.
Since the other party was a normal human, he would surely be matching for the practice mode.
By skipping practice mode and jumping straight into realbat, she could eliminate even the slightest possibility of ending up as his partner.
She felt somewhat uneasy about starting with realbat from the get-go, but she figured she could somehow get through it.
While Hong Yeon-hwa was marveling at her own ingenuity and scanned her student ID
A teleportation portal opened before her.
And another opened before Kim Ho.
Hong Yeon-hwas pupils darted around uncontrobly.
Why is this?
It couldnt be, could it?
It must just be a coincidence that they opened at the same time, right?
My partner must be somewhere else, right?
While Hong Yeon-hwa fervently denied reality, Kim Ho stepped into the dungeon without hesitation.
It was her turn to enter next.
But her feet wouldnt move so easily.
What was just an ordinary teleportation portal now seemed like a gateway leading straight into the abyss.
Hong Yeon-hwa who had been hesitating finally took a deep breath.
Haah Alright, I need to go in.
Standing around wasnt going to solve anything.
She forced herself to walk into the dungeon with heavy feet.
Of course, a sliver of hope remained in her heart.
The hope that someone else would be inside.
.
But that was just wishful thinking.
As soon as she entered her eyes met Kim Hos who had been waiting inside.
Hong Yeon-hwas gaze involuntarily dropped to the floor.
Im done for
The unforeseen had indeed happened.
She had never imagined Kim Ho would sign up for realbat mode from the get-go.
That exined why he had been waiting for so long.
The strategy session had just begun, so the vast majority of students flocked to practice mode and those who ventured into actualbat were few and far between. In fact, there were none.
It was only natural to keep waiting when no partner seemed to emerge.
And it was just as expected that she would be his partner as soon as the system found a match who also chose realbat mode.
It was as if she had willingly walked into the tigers den.
Why did I even do that?
Regret washed over her btedly.
She should not have tried to maintain her pride,
Nor should she have tried to be cunning,
She should have just rested today and left it for tomorrow
But the damage was already done.
Regretting it now wouldnt change the situation at hand.
Hong Yeon-hwa forced herself to focus.
No matter the circumstances, she had to give her best within this dungeon.
[Remaining Monsters: 88]
The objective of this strategy session was clearance.
If you were to eliminate all 88 monsters you would receive a perfect score of 100% clearance.
The strategy session teacher had emphasized details, paying attention and observation skills, which meant that the likelihood of these monstersing to them of their own ord was slim.
They were undoubtedly hiding cunningly throughout the dungeon.
How should we start looking for them?
There was a need to discuss this with her teammate.
Baek Jun-seok who had been part of her team before tended to avoid thinking too much so Hong Yeon-hwa often ended up giving one-sided orders.
Such was the inevitable nature of those brute-force fighters.
Kim Ho on the other hand was the same caster ss as her.
She surmised that he must have his own thoughts on the matter.
Hong Yeon-hwa lifted her eyes from the floor to start a discussion.
She immediately met Kim Hos cold gaze.
She found herself at a loss for words.
The words that flowed so easily with Baek Jun-seok now just circled in her mouth.
While Hong Yeon-hwa fumbled silently, only moving her lips without making a sound, Kim Ho curtly uttered a single word.
Follow me.
W-What?
And then he began to walk away on his own with a calm stride.
Hong Yeon-hwa who waspletely clueless about what was happening followed him.
After moving at a brisk pace for a while, Kim Ho suddenly stopped on his own and stared at a bush on one side of the forest.
Hong Yeon-hwa looked in the same direction but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
Theres nothing there.
At that moment, Kim Ho casually kicked a small stone that was lying nearby with the tip of his foot.
Then the stone shot out at a terrifying speed before disappearing beyond the bushes.
Kwaaaag!
[Remaining Monsters: 87]
Following a single death cry, the number of remaining monsters decreased by one.
Hong Yeon-hwas eyes widened in shock.
There was one?
Keruk!
But her surprise was short-lived as three goblins burst out from the bush.
It seemed like they were lying in ambush and were now enraged by the death of their kin.
Kim Ho nced at them briefly, then, showing no interest at all, he started walking again.
The goblins attention turned to Hong Yeon-hwa who was still standing there.
Hong Yeon-hwa blinked rapidly and her gaze shifted between Kim Ho who was walking away and the goblins charging towards her.
Umm, well.
Was he just going to leave like this?
The absurdity was so extreme that she couldnt even feel angry.
When the ruby in her staff shed a brilliant red light,
Boom!
The three goblins turned into heaps of charcoal.
In truth, goblins were mere minions she could handle on her own.
Having somewhat convinced herself of this, she looked up to find Kim Ho already far ahead.
And since she didnt want to lose him Hong Yeon-hwa sprinted with all her might.
By the time she barely caught up,
Kim Ho had arge rock in his hand which he picked up from somewhere.
He hurled it mercilessly into a nearby bush and four more enraged goblins sprang out.
Having already experienced this, Hong Yeon-hwa did not panic and immediately cast her spell.
Boom!
[Remaining Monster Count: 80]
When she turned around, she saw Kim Ho had once again put a great distance between them in that brief time.
Hong Yeon-hwa finally lost her patience.
Honestly, holding back this long was quite an achievement considering her temper.
Hey! Cant we stick together?! Are you going to clear this all by yourself?!
is what she said in her heart.
But what actually came out was much softer.
Hey, wait for me.
Strangely, her volume automatically lowered when addressing Kim Ho.
He seemed to hear her faint plea and nced back.
Then he slowed his pace.
He really is slowing down
At that moment, Hong Yeon-hwa realized that this man could indeedmunicate.
Anyway, the pattern was bing clear to her.
When Kim Ho walks ahead and throws a stone or uses some unseen power to disturb an ambush spot such as a bush, tree, or behind a rock, monsters will pop out in response.
And it was Hong Yeon-hwas responsibility to deal with them.
Generally, dealing with low-rank monsters like goblins or orcs presented no real challenge for her.
Whoosh!
[Remaining Monsters: 66]
Keruk!
But not all monsters reacted the same way.
asionally, some would turn and attempt to flee when discovered.
In the [Clearance] rule, these escapees were particrly troublesome because if they managed to hide elsewhere, it meant you would have to go back to ces you had already cleared.
Keruk?
However, escape was never sessful.
A gust of wind would blow, and the creatures would find themselves unable to proceed as if blocked by an invisible wall.
Soon after, they were engulfed by the mes summoned by Hong Yeon-hwa.
Whoosh!
And then Hong Yeon-hwa, who had no idea about the hidden aspects at first, began to notice something after a few repetitions.
A unique sense of unease marked the spots where monstersy in ambush.
The more she looked, the more pronounced the sense of unease became.
Her observation skills were rapidly improving without her realizing it.
While Hong Yeon-hwa was watching Kim Hos back, she tilted her head in puzzlement.
Isnt this strange?
Could it be this easy?
Given her impatient nature, she was hardly suited for meticulous and time-consuming tasks like clearing out areas.
Thus, when she first entered the dungeon, she braced herself for a tough time.
However, in reality, monsters sprung up wherever Kim Ho went and all she had to do was to follow him closely before everything was taken care of.
Throughout the entire strategy battle, Kim Ho did not hesitate for even a second before moving on to the next spot, and then the next without hesitating even for a second.
He seemed as if he had done this dozens, if not hundreds, of times before.
But logically, it was impossible for him to have done this hundreds of times so it was clear that he either had incredibly sharp intuition or a detection skill to match.
Hong Yeon-hwa updated the information she had on Kim Ho in her mind.
Tremendous magical defense, unparalleled martial arts, and an exceptionally high level of detection ability.
And then while she was thinking of this, Kim Ho stopped in his tracks once again.
When Hong Yeon-hwa stopped to survey the area ahead, she noticed a terrain resembling a deep pit lying before them.
The topography of this great forest was known for its irregr terrain, but this particr formation appeared unnaturally out of ce.
It was suspicious to any onlooker.
With a casual flick of his hand,
Bang
Kim Ho caused the soil on one side of the pit to crumble away which revealed the entrance to a burrow.
Hong Yeon-hwas eyebrows shot up in surprise.
He can actually see that?
She indeed thought it would be worth going down and taking a closer look, but she never thought he would find it so quickly.
Setting aside her astonishment, Hong Yeon-hwa too examined the burrow.
It seemed tailored to the size of goblins which meant that a human would have to crouch ufortably to enter.
It was then that Kim Ho spoke up.
Check it out.
Me?
You dont want to?
Kim Hos expression gradually hardened.
Hong Yeon-hwa sensed an instinctive danger and quickly responded.
I-I can go in, right? If I just go in
While muttering under her breath she crawled into the burrow.
In reality, Kim Hos suggestion to check it out was meant to hint at using fire magic inside but Hong Yeon-hwa had no way of knowing this.
Shortly after she entered,
Boom! Bang!
[Remaining Monsters: 35]
A series of explosions echoed from within before the number of monsters was greatly reduced.
Soon after, Hong Yeon-hwa emerged from the burrow with thick smoke.
She was covered in dirt and looked utterly disgruntled and her dirty appearance and sour expression said it all.
Why do I have to do something like this?
However, when she made eye contact with Kim Ho, she quickly managed her facial expression.
. Now that I think about it, I think I should do something like this.
After all, she had been riding on the coattails of this mans efforts until now.
She quickly rationalized the situation.
Seemingly oblivious to Hong Yeon-hwas inner turmoil, Kim Ho silently proceeded to the next location.
And Hong Yeon-hwa hastily followed him with her footsteps echoing softly behind.
***
[Remaining Monsters: 2]
The battle that raged like a storm was nowing to an end.
Thest two monsters seemed like they wouldnt require much effort to find.
Because they were right before their eyes.
Trolls.
They were medium-sized monsters slightlyrger than an adult male.
With their high regenerative abilities and fair resistance to magic, they posed a challenging match for any mage.
And there stood two such trolls.
Their presence was far from ordinary and they were exuding the aura of boss monsters.
One wielded arge club, while the other brandished a pair of axes.
Hong Yeon-hwa cast a cautious nce at Kim Ho as if silently asking about their next move.
After holding her gaze for a few seconds Kim Ho curtly replied.
Fight them.
alone?
.
Hong Yeon-hwa sighed inwardly.
Yes, I was a fool to harbor even a sliver of expectation.
The idea that he would kindly join in was utterly unlikely.
Hong Yeon-hwa took a step forward.
Soon, the air around her began to simmer with heat.
The trolls wavered within the rising haze.
I can handle this alone.
Chapter 61: 4th Week Strategy Battles (3)
Chapter 61: 4th Week Strategy Battles (3)
She stepped forward confidently but the two boss-level trolls were not such easy opponents.
A basic n needed to be devised before engaging them.
In the current scenario, resembling a 2 versus 2 battle, which was effectively 2 against 1, a strategy of whittling them down from a distance seemed the safest.
But this approach could potentially take all day when considering their resistance and regenerative abilities.
The challenge was to umte damage rapidly to bring them down, and for that, a different tactic was necessary.
Closebat.
It was a thought most mages wouldnt dare entertain.
Yet she aspired to be an all-rounder type caster.
Although she was inexperienced she had learned some closebat skills.
The ruby embedded in her wand shed a bright red.
[Overheat]
Gentle mes began to flicker and ze around Hong Yeon-hwas body.
And after raising her staff to point directly at one of the trolls, she signaled the start of the battle.
Kraaaa!
The two trolls charged at her at the same time.
Hong Yeon-hwa walked straight towards them while quickly weaving a spell with her free hand.
Buzz!
She deftly tilted her body to dodge an iing club and immediately stepped back to avoid the wild swings of two axes, moving out of their reach.
Her movements were so agile that it was hard to believe she was a mage.
This was the effect of a fire-type physical enhancement skill [Overheat].
Even as she dodged, she kept a certain distance between them.
Far enough so that a melee attack might just miss, but close enough for her spells to hit their target directly.
Soon, a fireball the size of a human head formed in Hong Yeon-hwas hand,
[me Orb]
Boom!
The trolls upper body was engulfed in mes.
But the monster seemed to be unbothered by the heat and it swung its club again.
She dodged and created some distance. Then she noticed faint burn marks on the still smoldering upper body of the troll.
At the same time, identical burn marks appeared on the body of the other troll wielding the axes.
Hong Yeon-hwa frowned in frustration.
Life link? Really, such a typical dungeon trick
[Life Link]. A spell that shares life force between its users.
When one entity takes damage, the linked pair shares the harm. So they each bear half.
So, a 100 points damage would split into 50 each.
And with magic resistance already reducing the damage to 90 or 80, this division further reduced its impact.
Moreover, the trolls high regenerative ability quickly healed the shared damage.
Did they really have to be so stingy with the points?
Implementing such a petty strategy on thest two creatures was exasperating.
Whoever designed this artificial dungeon was truly small-minded, miserly, and despicable
Whoosh!
Her train of thought was abruptly cut off by another iing club.
Leaping back, Hong Yeon-hwa cast her second me Orb.
I can still do it.
The reason the damage wasnt very good wasnt only because of the [Life Link] cast on the trolls, but also because the fireball had been made too small.
Reducing the casting time by making it smaller seemed like a good idea, but it also reduced its power.
This time, she thought that she would make it bigger.
Boooom!
A muchrger explosion engulfed the upper body of the club-wielding troll.
To check the extent of the damage, one only needed to look at the axe-wielding troll instead of the club-wielding one engulfed in mes.
The damage was shared after all.
Seeing the burn marks spreading rapidly, it seemed this time she had inflicted significant damage.
Kaaaa!
Despite this, the creatures didnt seem to feel pain or perhaps they transformed their pain into rage and continued their assault even as their bodies were ame.
A burning club was swung at her.
At the moment she dodged something white and swift cut through the air toward her with a whooshing sound.
Swish!
!
Dodging took precedence over checking what it was.
As Hong Yeon-hwa swiftly tilted her body to the side, a few strands of her hair were sliced off and fluttered away.
It was only after seeing the axe-wielding troll holding just one axe that she realized what had whizzed past her was a hand axe.
Kaaaa!
The axe-wielding troll did not stop there but leaped forward before bringing down its remaining axe in a powerful strike.
And as if to coordinate with its friend, the club-wielding troll lowered its stance and swept the ground.
It was a chained attack targeting both the upper and lower body at the same time.
It was unexpectedly well-synchronized for monsters.
Hong Yeon-hwa focused intensely.
She kicked off the ground lightly and floated into the air just as the club passed beneath her feet.
And the moment shended, she kicked off again to escape the range of the axe attack.
In that brief moment, she hurled the me Orb she had prepared.
Boom!
The damage kept umting.
Yet, the trolls continued their chained attack without any hesitation.
?!
Hong Yeon-hwa felt a sense of unease and hesitated for a moment.
In a brief moment, she discerned the source of her unease with a calm gaze.
Theyve reversed the pattern.
This time, the club was aimed at her upper body, and the axe targeted her lower body.
If she had actually responded just like before, leaping into the air would have resulted in a direct hit from the club which would end badly for her.
But there was more to it.
Swish!
A whooshing sound approached from behind.
Whats this now?
She hastily threw her body to the side just as a hand axe whizzed past where she had been, only to be deftly caught by the axe-wielding troll.
It had made a full circle and returned to its owner like a boomerang.
A thrown weapon enchanted with a [Retrieval] spell.
Hong Yeon-hwa was dumbfounded.
Isnt that cheating?
What kind of artificial dungeon boss carries both [Life Link] and magical items?
Even as she thought it was excessively unfair, Hong Yeon-hwas determination only grew stronger.
Lets see who will win.
Kaaah!
The battle which had been in a lull for a short time resumed when the axe-wielding troll hurled one of its axes.
The pattern of their chained attacks remained the same.
One would strike from above, the other from below.
However, the clubs erratic swings, alternating between high and low, were particrly disorienting.
As if that wasnt enough, Hong Yeon-hwas hands and feet suddenly became dizzy as she tried to avoid the hand axes flying back and forth from time to time.
There seemed to be no opportunity to weave in any spells.
If this continued, any damage she had managed to inflict would simply be healed.
She needed to find a way through.
The most troublesome aspect was the hand axe that flew like a boomerang but neutralizing it seemed to be difficult.
The club.
In that case, lets destroy that club first.
Deciding to deal with the club first, Hong Yeon-hwa focused her mind and used her skill, causing one hand to glow red up to the wrist.
She dodged the swinging club and, seizing the moment it returned, gripped it firmly.
[Phoenix Grip]
Crack! Crackle!
The middle part of the club was crushed and turned into firewood.
Undeterred by the splintered club, the troll discarded it and charged while swinging its fists.
On top of that,
Whoosh!
The sound of a hand axe slicing through the air came from behind.
When Hong Yeon-hwa prepared to dodge,
Swoosh!
A blurred object rapidly approached from the front.
She quickly examined the axe-wielding troll and found that it waspletely unarmed.
In that moment, Hong Yeon-hwa realized a simple truth.
Ah, right.
If one hand axe could be thrown, then surely two could be thrown at the same time.
This seemed unavoidable
In that brief instant, a myriad of thoughts raced through her mind.
Would a hit mean instant defeat?
What would it feel like to have a hand axe embedded in her skull?
Im about to find out.
The moment Hong Yeon-hwa flinched and tightly shut her eyes,
Thud! Thud!
An unfamiliar sound of collision echoed near her head.
When she slowly opened her eyes, Kim Ho was standing in front of her, having arrived at some unknown moment, and the hand axe that had been flying towards her was now deflected far away.
!
Hong Yeon-hwas mind became even more jumbled.
Among the flurry of thoughts, two stood out: What took you so long to help? and At least youre helping now!
The other troll charged aggressively while swinging both fists.
Kim Ho didnt even attempt to dodge; he stood his ground to confront the monster.
Then he stepped forward and ced a hand on the trolls shoulder,
Thud!
The trolls hefty frame staggered and took several steps back.
When Kim Ho nced sideways, Hong Yeon-hwa instinctively straightened up.
Kim Ho spoke.
Youre the battery now. (TN: As in artillery battery but here it means a DPS-role or burst mage.)
Ba-battery? What kind of spell?
Fire Pir.
A spell that conjured a pir of fire within a designated area.
She had used it as a trump card during the cement test against Kim Ho, only to painfully discover that it hadnt even managed to reduce 1% of her opponents health.
It was a spell of overwhelming power but its drawbacks were just as clear.
If the enemy stepped out of its range, the spell became useless.
Therefore, the first question that needed to be addressed when using this magic was How to keep the enemies within range?
Yet, for some reason, Hong Yeon-hwa felt that this question was unnecessary.
Without further ado, she positioned herself and began chanting the spell.
Complex characters were etched into the ground and started gradually forming a round magic circle.
The trolls seemed to have sensed that something was unusual and tried to escape the range of the magic circle, but
Thump!
Kim Ho circled around them, blocked them, and pushed them back in.
His movements seemed light and he was merely tapping them, yet they were helplessly pushed back with each touch.
Kaaaahh!
The axe-wielding troll hurled one of its hand axes.
But when Kim Ho flicked it with something resembling an iron bar, a bizarre sh resounded, and the axe was embedded into the ground.
His foot firmly pressed down on it as it trembled, seemingly trying to return to its owner.
Whoosh!
Then a second hand axe flew towards him.
Kim Ho effortlessly reached out, caught it, and threw it back.
The hand axe that was returning with terrifying speed lodged itself into the shoulder of its owner.
???????
Hong Yeon-hwas eyes widened in shock when she saw that scene.
The spell she was casting almost got canceled, but she desperately concentrated her mind and managed to prevent that from happening.
Well, lets just not think about it
Hong Yeon-hwa decided to erase what she had just seen from her mind.
Right now, it was important to fulfill her role.
She would focus onpleting the Fire Pir first.
As the man in front of her toyed with the two trolls and kept them within the circle, the magic circle started glowing with a bright red color.
Kim Ho kicked thest struggling troll back into the circle and lightly leaped backward.
In the next moment, a pir of fire erupted fiercely and engulfed the creatures.
Whoooooosh.
After the two of them watched the mes for a while, the results appeared.
[Remaining Monsters: 0]
[Clearance: 100% = 800 Points]
+[Clear Bonus: 200 Points]
[Total Score: 1,000 Points] * 0.8 Multiplier
= 800 pts
It was the highest score possible in this weeks strategy battle.
Now, they could go their separate ways, but
Um, excuse me.
Hong Yeon-hwa still had something she needed to address.
Facing Kim Ho, she hesitated for quite some time before finally speaking up.
Could you, um perhaps keep the rey. private?
This strategy battle had shown her in a more flustered state than usual which was quite out of character for her.
She had been particrly unnerved by Kim Hos presence.
A prime example was when she crawled into a burrow.
Kim Ho had suggested she check it out but when she thought about it, she realized how she didnt really need to crawl in.
She could have simply unleashed a torrent of fire magic inside.
But that was just one of many embarrassing moments that would haunt her at night
It was a rey that had no benefit whatsoever for the people that might buy it.
But the issue was that Kim Ho would see nopelling reason to give up the points he might gain from the rey being bought.
Feeling the need to bnce things out, Hong Yeon-hwa pulled out a ruby from her inventory.
In exchange for this
I dont need it.
Kim Ho shook his head.
Was he implying that such a tiny ruby was nowhere near enough?
Quickly, Hong Yeon-hwa fetched another ruby from her inventory.
This one was several timesrger than the first.
Kim Ho silently took it and looked it over without saying a word.
As the silence stretched, Hong Yeon-hwa kept ncing at him, wondering if this too was insufficient.
Is this still not enough? Damn it, I have nothing left.
The ruby she had just handed over was the most valuable item she possessed at the moment.
As she watched him with bated breath,
Kim Ho slowly nodded his head.
Alright. Youve worked hard.
With that, he walked out of the dungeon.
Hong Yeon-hwa blinked her eyes in disbelief and started doubting her own ears.
Did she mishear hisst words?
Did he just say youve worked hard?
Did he just praise me?
******
TN: One toxic rtionship lol.
Chapter 62: No.388 Feathered Serpent Altar (1)
Chapter 62: No.388 Feathered Serpent Altar (1)
Whats this for?
Arge ruby was emanating a red glow in my hand.
The essence imbued with the unique magic of the Ruby Magic Tower.
Any transaction involving it would undoubtedly involve gold, and using it in crafting or upgrading items guarantees a high quality.
It seemed excessive for merely making a rey private.
After all, keeping reys confidential could be considered a matter of team ethics and was often resolved with something small like snacks or coffee.
So when Hong Yeon-hwa offered the ruby, I shook my head. I didnt need it.
But then, an evenrger ruby appeared.
Refusing again might lead to something even more extravagant, so I epted it, though not without reservations.
This wasnt something to be overly thrilled about; swallowing it whole could likely lead to stomachaches.
Ill take it to the Ruby sideter.
I decided it would be best to discuss this with the club president.
After all, I had ns to visit the Ruby Magic Tower eventually.
I figured bringing the ruby might at least warrant some hospitality.
Upon checking the time, I realized not much had psed since we entered the dungeon.
It ended quickly.
The purpose of this clearance strategy battle was to look closely and develop observation skills, even if it took some time.
Yet Hong Yeon-hwa and I blitzed through the dungeon as if we were on a timed attack.
Hong Yeon-hwa did a great job.
It was the result of me meticulously nning efficient routes to minimize time but it was Hong Yeon-hwas ability to follow these routes that made it even smoother.
Even if I could quickly locate the monsters, taking too long to defeat them or missing them would have dyed us.
On the other hand, Hong Yeon-hwa disyed an impressive ability to burn down several monsters in an instant no matter how many appeared.
She also fought well against the boss monsters.
She held her own quite well against the twin trolls.
In fact, these twin trolls were among the various bosses randomly selected and if you were particrly unlucky youd face them. They were even stronger than the notorious [Strong Enemy] Beheader Goblin.
After she managed to deplete about 30% of their health single-handedly, I realized she truly lived up to her reputation as a promising student.
And when it seemed she was reaching her limit toward the end, I stepped in but I had seen enough to make my decision by then.
Enough to decide which skill to copy.
Copy-Skill[2/2]
1. Overheat(D)
2. Thiefs Step(B)
Overheat.
This is a skill that absorbs apleted fire skill and grants physical abilities equivalent to the power of the absorbed skill for its duration.
It means that absorbing [me Orb] which creates arge fireball would increase my stats more than absorbing [Combustion] which creates a small fire explosion.
I only have one fire-type skill.
But its an exceptionally powerful one.
Inferno Fist.
It was so powerful that I anticipated a huge boost in physical abilities when absorbed.
Since Inferno Fist was a prohibited skill, it required cautious use, but now I could use it as an overheat sacrifice without caring much about others watching my reys.
With the enhanced physical abilities,bined with the B-rank Thiefs Step and the shoes I received from Seo Ye-in
I could probably y tag with the third-years.
It seemed safe to divert my attention away from mobility for a while.
[Sub Quest: 4th Week Strategy Battle](Completed)
Objective: Clear the strategy battle dungeon
Clearance: 100/100%
Reward: [Copy-Trait] Slot +1
Copy-Trat [1/2]
1. Elemental Resistance (S)
2. (None)
The 100% clearance reward was an additional [Copy-Trait] slot.
Now, I could copy a new trait without having to overwrite [Elemental Resistance].
Unlike skills, traits did not have noticeable precursors when activated, making it more difficult to ascertain whether they were activated or not.
And gauging their rank was even more difficult.
And with all the original game characters reced due to the aftermath of the EX-rank reincarnation quest, it would take some time to discover the traits of other students and teachers.
So, I decided to postpone the task of copying the trait and focus on targets I was certain about.
The boss monsters residing in the underground dungeon.
***
Kim-hyung.
In the evening,
On my way to the dungeon building at the appointed time, I ran into Go Hyeon-woo.
We walked side by side and exchanged a few words.
Have you memorized all the strategies?
Of course. I havent missed a single detail just as you instructed.
The more closely you follow them, the better, and its okay to make a few mistakes. Just dont get too lost.
Ill make sure not to disappoint you, Kim-hyung.
I trust you.
Upon reaching the entrance of the dungeon building, Shin Byeong-cheol who had been waiting there greeted us with a grin.
Youve arrived. Are you all prepared?
Of course.
Good, good. Start by taking these.
Shin Byeong-cheol handed out the items he had prepared one by one.
One was a silver pin for a tie.
It was a second-year pin.
Currently, first-years couldnt even go downstairs and their tie pins were white.
Being caught with the wrong pin meant immediate disciplinary action on the spot.
To avoid such an unfortunate incident, switching to a second-year pin was necessary.
Changing the tie pin was against the school rules and getting caught meant severe punishment but if you werent caught that was the end of it.
The second item was a badge shaped like a human face but instead of facial features, there was a prominent question mark in the middle.
[Anonymous Badge]
I attached the badge to my front pocket and looked around at the other two.
Go Hyeon-woo also looked at me and Shin Byeong-cheol in turn and let out an exmation.
Ah, so this is what it means to be Anonymous.
The faces of the two of them now seemed blurred as if they were people passing by in a fleeting moment, or perhaps they now even resembled the faces of apletely different person.
It was an item enchanted with a kind of perception-distorting magic, designed to make a persons face appear as ordinary as possible.
However, concentrating mana in ones eyes would make the unnatural flow quite noticeable, and the more astute individuals could quickly sense a feeling of difort.
It was a wed item in many ways.
Yet to most people, it made the wearers face appear just ordinary, causing them to overlook it and not retain any memory of the face.
Despite its ws, whenbined with the above, it was surprisingly effective.
Due to its frequent use for illicit purposes, this Anonymous Badge has also made its way onto the list of prohibited items.
To summarize, there were already three vitions of school rules: unauthorized entry into the dungeons underground levels, swapping year-specific pins, and wearing prohibited items.
One might wonder: Is it really eptable for a student to break so many rules in a row?
Its all for the sake of world peace.
If you dont break the rules, you wont get the hidden pieces.
If you dont get the hidden pieces, your growth will be dyed.
If your growth is dyed, you may be defeated by strong enemies you will meetter.
This could in turn lead to the worlds destruction.
This reasoning was likely correct when considering that this was an EX-rank quest.
Shin Byeong-cheol uttered with a sly grin, seemingly unaware of his contribution to world peace,
Shall we head down then?
Lets do that.
Following Shin Byeong-cheols lead we stepped onto the staircase descending below.
At first, it resembled a basement stairwell, but it gradually widened into arge circr staircase.
Looking over the railing down below, the circr staircase seemed to extend endlessly down.
Even though the area was fairly well-lit, the depths below appeared ominously dark.
After a considerable descent on the circr staircase we came upon a fork in the path.
We could either continue downward or take a right through a corridor.
Shin Byeong-cheol who was leading the way gestured for us.
To the right.
A short distance to the right led to another descending staircase.
Although this once was narrowerpared to the first circr staircase, it simrly led downwards.
After we continued down for a while, we encountered yet another fork in the path.
There were paths that split into two and even into three.
Each time, Shin Byeong-cheol faithfully yed the role of a guide.
This way.
Not there.
Over here.
However, since it felt like he was deliberately choosing the more secluded paths, Go Hyeon-woos curiosity was piqued and he had to ask.
Shin-hyung, may I ask you something?
Sure, go ahead.
Whats the difference between simply going down and taking these routes like you do?
He meant to ask why we needed to navigate through thisplex maze instead of just descending via the spacious andfortable circr staircase we initially encountered.
Shin Byeong-cheol answered that there was a reason for everything.
Honestly, were not exactly in the clear here. Its best to avoid trouble as much as we can.
It was an obvious fact that we werent the only ones roaming the underground floors.
Upperssmen engaging in strategy battles was the norm here and even the disciplinarymittee and faculty members periodically conducted patrols.
The more frequently traveled routes naturally carried a higher risk.
Thats why he chose to go down the least traveled paths.
Shin Byeong-cheol pointed to himself with his thumb and started confidently boasting.
Dont worry and just follow me! Ill make sure we wont even run into a single rat.
But as the saying goes, speak of the tiger and it wille.
In less than five minutes, Shin Byeong-cheol flinched and signaled to us.
He urgently mouthed the words:
Lets just pass by naturally. Just naturally.
Soon, we could sense someone approaching from below and saw a group of second-year studentsing up.
We naturally lined up in a single file and stuck to one side while the others did the same on the opposite side.
As we passed by each other, a couple of them nced our way.
They tilted their heads with an expression that seemed to say,
Were these kids in our grade?
However, they didnt seem to feel the need to scrutinize us further and quickly looked away.
They were probably tired and bothered by everything after just finishing a dungeon raid.
Fortunately for us, this worked in our favor.
After the second-year students had disappeared up the path,
Go Hyeon-woo and I silently turned our gazes towards Shin Byeong-cheol.
Wasnt he the one who promised that we wouldnt run into even a single rat?
Shin Byeong-cheol immediately started making excuses.
We just had bad luck this time. You trust me, right?
Instead of offering words of encouragement, Go Hyeon-woo seemed to decide it was best to quickly change the subject.
How far have wee?
We must be in the 700s by now.
And what does the 700s mean?
F-rank. We have to go much deeper for D-rank.
Go Hyeon-woo was genuinely impressed.
Wow. I had heard that the dungeon building was vast, but I had no idea it was to this extent. If it takes this long just to reach D-grade, I wonder how much further we have to go to reach the deeper levels
Its not called the depths for nothing. Lets worry about that when we get there; for now, lets keep moving.
In fact, the reason it felt so bottomless wasrgely because we secretly went down to the underground levels.
To amodate students who found walking tedious or didnt want to waste time, various means of moving between floors, such as elevators and teleportation circles, were scattered throughout the underground levels.
However, one typically needed to scan their student ID to use these facilities and the usage of such things was recorded due to the installed crystal balls.
We couldnt afford to leave a trail just for a bit of convenience, so we had no choice but to walk past them while ignoring their existence.
While a more skilled guide might have been able to deceive the crystal balls, unfortunately, Shin Byeong-chul was also a new student just like us.
We were left with no choice but to trudge along diligently.
***
On our way to the destination, we encountered two more groups of second-year students.
We had chosen what we thought was a quiet time in the evening and took the least crowded routes yet here we were.
Ha This is a bit embarrassing.
Shin Byeong-cheol scratched the back of his head.
You can brush it off as bad luck once, but when it happens three times, its hard not to feel a bit shameless.
Yet I didntin.
After all, it was only his first timeing down here too.
This was all about gaining experience for him.
Its all good as long as we dont get caught. Just lead us better next time.
Oh my, without doubt customer-nim. Pleasee this way.
After escaping the dreary staircase, we ventured deeper into the dungeon corridors that resembled an ant colony.
D-rank dungeons were scattered here and there with their mouths open and waiting for challengers.
Each teleportation portal had a different appearance and the scenery glimpsed from inside was also different.
[No.396] [Correspondence Bureau]
[No.394] [7th Laboratory]
If they shared one thing inmon, it was the atmosphere; each one exuded a vibe several times more sinister than that of any artificial dungeon.
We passed by several such portals until we stopped in front of one.
[No.388] [Feathered Serpent Altar]
Wait a moment.
Before entering,
Shin Byeong-cheol took several items out of his inventory and began to hurriedly install them around the area.
This was to briefly disrupt the surveince of the crystal balls in the area and ensure that no traces were left behind for potential trackingter.
This was also part of the services provided by the thieves club.
Shin Byeong-cheol swiftlypleted the setup and dusted off his hands.
All set. How long will it take?
Well be over soon.
Alright. Ill wait outside.
After saying that, he took a few steps back.
I exchanged nces with Go Hyeon-woo and nodded my head.
Then we stepped into the portal one by one.
Soon our surroundings changed abruptly.
Chapter 63: No.388 Feathered Serpent Altar (2)
Chapter 63: No.388 Feathered Serpent Altar (2)
The sky was overcast as if rain might start at any moment.
Dense foliage thickly popted the tropical rainforest.
A visible path boldly cut through the rainforest.
In the distance, a huge stone structure that looked like a pyramid stood out.
This was the heart of the dungeon, the Altar of the Feathered Serpent.
What came next was clear to anyone who looked.
Following the path ahead would surely lead to the destination, the altar.
However, whether the path would be smooth was doubtful.
Sssssh!
Several thin objects flew directly toward Go Hyeon-woo and me.
With a quick sidestep, the objects flew past us and deeply embedded themselves into the ground and trees behind us.
They were sharply carved wooden spears.
Then, barbarians began to emerge from the underbrush, one after another.
They didnt have much clothing on their bodies but their bodies were smeared with copious amounts of red and white paint.
They do look somewhat strong like that.
Their fierce expressions made them appear even more so.
It seems that first impressions really do count.
Sacrifices!
Capture them alive!
Sssssh!
Despite their calls to capture us alive, they showed no hesitation in using their weapons.
Some of the barbariansunched another volley of javelins while others charged forward, brandishing their wooden spears.
I waved my hand lightly.
[Wind Force]
A gust of wind imbued with physical force tore through their formation and scattered them like leaves.
The barbarians fell like dominoes, tumbling one after another.
Those who remained standing lunged with their spears, but
Swish!
Go Hyeon-woo swiftly cut them all down in a sh.
After a brief skirmish, we could see another group of barbarians rushing towards us along the path.
A situation where there was no time to even have a conversation.
Go Hyeon-woo nced at me and nodded his head.
I wish you good luck.
And you as well.
With that, he charged forward and started to ughter the oing barbarians.
With every sh of his iron sword, blood was sttered.
As per our pre-determined strategy for navigating the dungeon,
From this point on, we would act independently.
Go Hyeon-woo continued along the path toward the altar while I veered off the path and entered the rainforest with no clear direction.
I was swinging an F-rank jungle machete in an X pattern as I cut through the underbrush to advance deeper.
The core rule of the Feathered Serpent Altar was the [Raid].
In summary, the rule was as follows:
A party of up to four members would enter and fight their way through the onught of barbarians to reach the altar.
At the altar, a ritual would be underway with even more barbarians awaiting.
After getting involved in a bloody battle with them, eventually, the boss monster, the Feathered Serpent Priest, would appear.
This moment marked the true beginning of the raid.
The challenge was to disrupt the ritual while fending off the relentless attacks of the priest and his barbarian followers.
Defeating the boss meant clearing the dungeon.
Thats the standard approach, anyway.
And it goes without saying that sticking to the beaten path and following the standard approach meant that hidden pieces would remain just a dream.
So what can you find if you delve into areas that others overlooked?
Just like now.
Swish
With a forceful swing, I cleared the obstructive branches on the jungle path and they fell to the ground.
And a rtively open space revealed itself.
Faint signs of human passage remained here and there.
Following these traces would lead to
A vige with crudely built huts huddled together.
Where there were barbarians, there was bound to be their stronghold.
The [Feathered Serpent Altar] tended to overtly guide ones path and objectives, making it easy to overlook such subtle blind spots but recognizing them was important for obtaining hidden pieces.
The number of barbarians in the vige was small, as most of them were concentrated near the altar.
The ones tending to the fire noticed me and abruptly stood up.
I first greeted them with a friendly wave.
Haha, hello there. Have you had your meal?
A sacrifice?
The sacrifice hase.
Capture it alive!
Sssssh!
With that, one of them abruptly picked up the wooden spear and threw it.
It was aimed precisely at my chest.
Considering that a person dies when their heart is pierced by something sharp, I couldnt fathom how they intended to capture me alive.
With no desire to die or be captured, I focused Wind Force on the iing spear.
The spear vibrated intensely and then drastically slowed down before it was caught in my hand.
As I threw it back while simultaneously sting a strong gust of wind,
Boom!
The spear pierced through its original owner and continued on to embed itself in another barbarian behind him.
By concentrating wind force on one point in this way, the speed of the projectile can be slowed down or elerated.
While my throwing abilities couldnt match those of the melee ss with their strength and mana or those of the skilled ranged ss, they still produced above-average destructive power which I found quite useful.
During the strategy battle I had with Hong Yeon-hwa, I even managed to deflect a trolls hand axe using this technique.
A strong sacrifice!
We must capture it at all costs!
Take it alive!
Even though two of theirrades fell, the barbarians seemed only more excited.
In their eyes, a blind craving for the sacrifice overshadowed any desire for revenge.
I wondered if they might answer a question despite their excited state.
So, I tentatively asked,
Is your chieftain inside?
Die!!
Instead of an answer, a spear was thrust at me.
They had just been insisting on taking me alive.
It seems like they have changed their minds.
Anyway, I had no time to waste in such a ce.
I began to twist and turn my way forward.
Sharp and pointed objects narrowly missed me as they whizzed by.
Those who stood in my way were thrown away with wind force, and anything I could grab, whether it be an arm or the nape of a neck, was promptly hurled upwards.
Uwaa
Screams faded into the high sky.
I assumed they wouldnd just fine. If not, so be it.
Like a bulldozer, I plowed through this wall made of humans.
There was no need to rummage around looking for the barbarian chieftain or priest.
Heading straight for thergest hut in the settlement would suffice.
Logically, a person of the priests standing wouldnt settle for a modest dwelling in a corner of the vige.
Bang!
I continued to dispatch the charging barbarians with ease,
After sweeping aside the curtain at the entrance, I stepped inside.
The fragrant scent of incense weed me.
It seemed to emanate from a makeshift altar set up in one corner.
In front of it knelt a middle-aged man who was presumably the priest.
Perhaps because he was a priest, he was adorned with feathers all over his body and the paint on his face was even more pronounced.
The priest, sensing someones presence, raised his head and saw me.
He examined me from head to toe with a deliberate gaze and spoke.
. A man with a rare and strong energy. He will make an excellent sacrifice.
It seems everyone I meet talks only of sacrifices. Have you no other topics of conversation?
What use is there in speaking at length to livestock destined only for ughter?
You have a point.
His argument seemed reasonable so I nodded in agreement.
The priest suggested in a tone that was almost merciful.
If you surrender quietly, your moment of pain will be brief.
Im not fond of being captured or suffering pain.
That is not for you to decide.
Still, Id like to give it a try as far as I can.
I see.
The priest smiled kindly.
A few barbarians followed me inside and positioned themselves behind me.
Capture him.
They all reached out to me at the same time.
I struck the nearest one in the philtrum, then grabbed him by the nape and hurled him towards the priest.
He collided with the priests invisible barrier and was smashed against the wall.
Thud!
A D-rank barrier.
I threw four or five more of them in quick session but it was just as meaningless.
Of course, my aim wasnt to prate the barrier.
It was to clear out those blocking my exit.
I squeezed through a slight gap that had formed in the crowd and made my way outside.
As I did, I didnt forget to throw a taunting remark.
Try and catch me.
Boom!
Golden light surged and demolished the spot I had just vacated.
While I waited outside nonchntly as if nothing had happened, the priest emerged from his hut.
He held a staff in his hand that gleamed with a golden light.
Additionally, all the barbarians in the tribe surrounded us in a circle.
I thought to myself as I dodged the flying golden energy and spears.
Ive at least cleared the minimum conditions.
The minimum prerequisite to obtain the hidden piece of the [Feathered Serpent Altar].
That is to keep the priest confined within the tribe.
The moment the priest reaches the altar, the dormant hidden piece would automatically bind itself to him.
It was necessary to keep them separated until Go Hyeon-woo could fully im ownership.
Thats why I had gone through the trouble of searching the forest anding to the tribe.
So far, everything was going ording to n.
Bang!
As I kicked the ground and stepped back, another clump of golden light fell down.
Several barbarians chasing me took the hit instead and were crushed.
These were not elemental attacks; getting hit by just one could be fatal.
But I wasnt overly worried.
It doesnt matter if I dont get hit.
Dodging was something I was confident in.
[Inferno Fist]
My fist became engulfed in dark red mes.
I wanted to unleash it fully, but if I misjudged my strength and killed the priest, the dungeon would close before Go Hyeon-woo could acquire the hidden piece.
So, I had to restrain myself for the time being.
The reason I cast Inferno Fist was for a different reason though.
[Overheat]
The immense power harbored in my fist spread throughout my body and started supplying me with energy.
I dodged the iing golden energy and surged forward.
Pop! Pop!
With each step, my surroundings blurred and the priests figure drew closer.
Just as the priests eyes widened and he began to chant a defensive spell.
My hand shot forward.
It effortlessly shattered the invisible barrier protecting him and made contact with the priests chest.
Boom!
The priests body was sent flying back into his hut.
There was a loud crashing sound of items being smashed from inside.
Thats pretty effective.
I shook my slightly numb hand.
By using Overheat to strengthen my body and adding Wind Force to my attack, I managed to easily shatter a barrier of around D-rank strength.
Still, given that he was a boss-level entity, there probably wasnt much damage to the priests actual body.
I called out towards the inside.
You might want to pay a bit more attention to your defense. It seems a bit toox
I immediately tilted my head to the side and a sharp golden rod whizzed past my head.
I could feel a massive amount of energy swelling from inside the hut.
there. You seem quite upset.
I will not make your end a quick one.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Now, clumps of golden light were falling in twos and threes.
This too was part of the n.
The Feathered Serpent Priests top priority was to conduct the ritual.
Drawing his aggro in a clumsy way would often lead to the priest abandoning the fight midway.
So how can we prevent such an unfortunate event?
Simply provoke him enough until you enrage him.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Of course, this approach came with the downside of making dodging significantly more difficult.
While diligently moving my feet, I briefly nced toward the distant back.
A fierce battle must be unfolding at the towering Feathered Serpent Altar by now.
Good luck, Go Hyeon-woo.
The rest is up to you.
Chapter 64: No.388 Feathered Serpent Altar (3)
Chapter 64: No.388 Feathered Serpent Altar (3)
Squelsh!
With the sound of blood sttering the body of a barbarian crumbled down.
This one was thest of them.
Go Hyeon-woo thrust his slightly cracked iron sword into the ground.
It seemed likely to break soon so it was better to throw it now rather than have it snap in the midst of battle.
He pulled out a new iron sword from his inventory and started moving along the path once more.
As Go Hyeon-woo walked briskly he took in the sight of arge rock on his right.
All that could be seen beyond it was deep darkness but he knew.
Its an ambush.
It was all written in the strategy guide.
There was no reason to wait for the enemies to make the first move.
When Go Hyeon-woounched himself towards the rock, the barbarians hiding there were taken aback and revealed themselves.
Weve been spotted!
Kill him!
Spears flew towards him.
Go Hyeon-woo responded with the sameposure as before.
With a smooth swipe of his iron sword, the spears rushing towards him lost their momentum and fell to the ground, followed by the heads of the barbarians.
Swish!
There was not a hint of hesitation in Go Hyeon-woos swordy.
Mercy was a luxury for those who offered humans as living sacrifices.
Even amidst the blood-drenched scene, Go Hyeon-woos expression remained impassive.
He immediately leaped to the next location.
Theres no time to waste.
By now, Kim Ho would be risking his life in a one-on-one battle with the boss monster.
He had volunteered for the most challenging role to ensure that he could secure the hidden piece.
What then was the best course of action avable to him?
To achieve his goals as swiftly and urately as possible.
Having familiarized himself with the [Feathered Serpent Altar] strategy guide and entered the dungeon, he realized that things were not asplicated as he had initially thought.
It seemed that even a few mistakes wouldnt hinder his ability to aplish his objectives.
Perhaps because it was their first underground dungeon Kim Ho kept it simple and easy on purpose.
However, Go Hyeon-woo had no intention of being satisfied with a mediocre performance.
To execute it wlessly, without a single error.
And by doing so, he would prove something.
That he could be trusted and relied upon, even in the more dangerous depths of deeper dungeons.
As Go Hyeon-woos train of thought came to an abrupt halt, the path ended, and he emerged into a considerablyrge space.
The Feather Serpent Altar was clearly visible from afar, but it was even more magnificent when seen up close.
It felt as though one side of his vision waspletely filled by it.
Preparations for the ritual were in full swing in front of the altar.
Prisoners who would soon be offered as living sacrifices were tied up in rows and waiting for their turn like livestock.
Their eyes were devoid of life and they seemed to have resigned themselves to the inevitable death that awaited them.
Several barbarians milled around them while continuously sprinkling something from baskets onto the ground.
What should one call it?
Seasoning?
Meanwhile, the barbarians armed themselves and were prepared for confrontation.
It was only natural, given that news of Go Hyeon-woo must have reached them by now.
Hostile res poured in from all directions.
With these stares upon him, Go Hyeon-woo strode confidently through the crowd.
What are you all doing? Capture him immediately!
It doesnt matter if hes killed!
At someones shout, every spear and sword in the area were aimed at Go Hyeon-woo.
From that moment on, Go Hyeon-woo quickened his pace.
He cut down anything that blocked his path and ran straight in one direction.
He brushed past a man thrusting a spear.
The next moment, a long gash appeared across the mans chest.
Another attacker came at him, wielding a sword with a shield in front of him.
Go Hyeon-woo tilted his body slightly and with a swift motion of his iron sword, split the shield and its bearer in two.
Ahh!
Keuek!
Screams and death throes echoed as he moved swiftly on, leaving them behind.
He already knew where to go.
At Go Hyeon-woos intended location stood arge figure.
He was noticeably taller and bulkier than an average person.
The face paint was clear and unique, setting him apart from the typical barbarians.
That must be Fatty.
Among those waiting at the altar were two altar servers.
They held a position just below the priest and were essentially acting as mid-level bosses.
In Kim Hos strategy guide, they were nicknamed the Fatty and the Skinny.
Fatty uses his brute strength to swing a thick log, while Skinny darts around with great agility and shoots poisoned darts.
The battle bes more difficult once the two start attacking together.
Would be interesting to have a fight with them.
As a warrior, Go Hyeon-woo felt a surge ofpetitive spirit, but he did not forget his main duty.
For now, I should just follow the strategy as it is.
Fatty silently locked eyes with Go Hyeon-woo and then embraced a thick log embedded in the ground nearby.
Once he applied more force, the log slowly began to emerge from the depths of the earth.
Meanwhile, Go Hyeon-woo steadily closed the distance between him and his opponent.
ording to the next part of the strategy guide:
The battle bes more difficult once the two start attacking together.
But, is there a need to confront both enemies at the same time?
Just as Fatty was about to fully extract the log,
At the moment when his opponent was most vulnerable, Go Hyeon-woos iron sword traced a straight line.
[Rapid Current]
A powerful gust of wind swept up from behind him.
Riding this current, Go Hyeon-woos sword strike elerated.
This was the swift sword technique he had honed through his duel with Jang Sam.
Whoosh!
In the next moment, Fattys movement came to an abrupt halt.
Fattys eyes widened in disbelief for a moment before he clutched his throat and copsed.
The bulky body and the log hit the ground one after another, kicking up dust.
Thud!
Go Hyeon-woo let go of his crumbling iron sword and drew a new one.
He grabbed the now cold arm of Fatty and tore off his bracelet.
One down.
Then, in a swift motion, he turned around and drew his sword.
ng!
Something struck the iron sword and was deflected away.
A quick nce at the object that fell to the ground revealed it to be a poison dart that was incredibly thin and short.
Go Hyeon-woos gaze slowly swept over the surrounding barbarians before catching a swiftly moving shadow among them.
It was almost certainly the skinny one.
Swoosh!
He dodged another iing poison dart by moving half a step to the side.
As he followed the trajectory of the shot with his eyes, he found that the shooter had already vanished.
A tactic of using the numerous barbarians as a wall tounch poison darts.
How troublesome.
That was Go Hyeon-woos honest impression.
It was a tactic that he could never favor as a warrior.
If there was one piece of good news, it was that the barbarians defenses were not as solid as Park Na-rispanion tiger.
Having taken out Fatty in advance proved to be effective.
The next instruction in the strategy guide resonated well with Go Hyeon-woo.
Do not pursue Skinny immediately; first reduce the number of barbarians.
He was confident in a head-on confrontation.
With enemies swarming like waves, the movement of his iron sword gradually slowed.
[Clear Stream]
A gentle wind swept past the barbarians.
However, what ensued was anything but gentle.
Swiiiiiiish!
Kaaaaak!
The sword energy carried by the wind mercilessly tore through a dozen barbarians within its range.
As the fallen barbarians ces were filled by those behind them, another gust of wind swept through, iming more lives.
Though they were like fanatics who were willing to risk death, there was nothing they could do as they fell down one by one with one sword strike.
The human wall crumbled in an instant, revealing a man who had been hiding among them.
His body was as thin as a skeleton and he held a long blowpipe in his mouth.
Go Hyeon-woo wasnt one to usuallyment on others appearances, but in this moment, he had to admit.
Kim-hyung really knows how to pick a nickname.
The nickname Skinny couldnt have been more fitting.
Whoosh!
Skinnyunched another poison dart.
Go Hyeon-woos attitude was more rxed than before.
As he continued to slowly draw his sword through the air, the poison darts disintegrated mid-flight.
!!
Skinnys eyes widened in shock.
He stood frozen in ce for a moment and Go Hyeon-woo aimed his sword directly at him.
As if to say, youre next.
Skinny was taken aback and attempted to flee but no matter how swift he was, escaping the wind was impossible.
As the [Clear Stream] became concentrated, his whole body was twisted and blood spurted out.
Soon, an unrecognizable battered mass of fleshy on the ground.
Go Hyeon-woo approached Skinnys corpse to retrieve his ne.
Fattys bracelet and Skinnys ne.
Whenbined, they fit together as if they were originally one piece.
It was a serpent-shaped emblem, coiled and adorned with feathers all over, seemingly ready to soar into the sky at any moment.
The next step is to ascend the altar.
The climb to the altar encountered far less interference than before.
After the loss of two altar servers, the barbarians momentum seemed to wane.
Moreover, the altar itself appeared to be a sacred site that should not be tread upon lightly, and they hesitated to advance.
asionally, he would cut down one or two people with a single sword strike who rushed at him without realizing that their lives were at stake.
The entrance to the inner part of the altar was sealed by a thick stone door but it immediately responded when Go Hyeon-woo approached.
The serpent emblem in his hand trembled and the door opened as if weing him.
The interior was clean and tidy without a speck of dust, and a long sword was neatly ced in the middle of it.
Though it was made of gold, itcked luster, and countless hieroglyphs were engraved on the de.
It was more an artifact of art than a sword.
[Feathered Serpent Magic Sword (D)]
Originally, this magic sword was bound to the Feathered Serpent priest.
During the final showdown, as the priest slowly moved towards the altar, failing to stop him would result in him arming himself with the magic sword.
From that point on, one would have to fight against a magic swordsman who was good at both close-range and long-rangebat.
However, since Kim Ho had confined the priest to the tribe, and Go Hyeon-woo reached the altar first, the magic sword became his possession.
But it wasnt over yet.
Theres one more step remaining.
As Go Hyeon-woo took hold of the magic sword and stepped away from the altar, an invisible foreign energy poured in.
The magic sword greedily devoured it all.
[Feathered Serpent Magic Sword (D+)]
Souls of the Feathered Serpent Tribe 100/100 (Complete)
Souls of the Feathered Serpent Altar Servers 2/2 (Complete)
Soul of the Feathered Serpent Priest 0/1 (In Progress)
The swords rank had risen from D to D+.
The worn parts of the de had been notably restored and the hieroglyphs became even clearer.
It had been strengthened by absorbing the souls of the barbarians and the altar servers.
Just one more, and the enhancement would be perfectlyplete.
Im heading back to the tribe.
Go Hyeon-woo began to retrace his steps.
With Kim Ho having left marks along the way, finding the tribe should be easy.
***
Boom! Crash!
I twisted my body this way and that to avoid the golden lights that were flying at me for who knows how many times.
I paused momentarily to survey the scene.
The tribey in ruins as if swept by a natural disaster.
Barbarians were strewn about here and there.
Most were the work of the priest.
My only crime was running away.
I must admit. I did asionally use Wind Force to send some nuisances flying so Ill concede to being about 10% at fault.
No!
The priest who had been fervently casting magic suddenly shifted his gaze towards the altar.
It was then that he realized his connection to the ritual sword had been severed.
The transfer of ownership of the ritual sword meant someone had sessfully infiltrated, which in turn implied that the two mid-bosses had been defeated.
I guess its over.
I was very satisfied.
Judging by the time it had taken so far, it almost perfectly matched my expectations.
It appears Go Hyeon-woo followed the strategy book quite urately.
If Go Hyeon-woo was unable to suppress hispetitive spirit and took on both Fatty and Skinny at the same time, it would have cost him a lot of time.
Moreover, had he not followed my instructions to take out the barbarians first when dealing with Skinny, not only would it have taken longer, but he would also have had to finish off the 100 barbarians for the ritual sword afterward.
By prioritizing and adhering to my strategy, he was able to finish within the expected timeframe.
You pass.
With this much sess, I felt confident enough to entrust the next hidden piece to them.
Stop him! I will head to the altar.
The priest pointed at me andmanded the few remaining barbarians.
Then, he attempted to leave the scene in a rush but I called out,
Where are you going all by yourself, Ahjussi?
[Activate Amplification]
[The rank of Wind Force has been increased. (C+->A+)]
[Duration 00:01:57]
[Cooldown 00:49:57]
Whoosh!
I created a gust directly in his path.
The tremendous wind force made the priest try to resist with all his might but soon he was stumbling backwards and ended up embarrassinglynding on his backside.
He then shouted with his face flushed red in anger.
You!!
Is itmon to leave in the middle of a fight? Its quite disappointing.
Dont get in my way!!
Theres nothing left for you there. Its all over anyway.
There was no need for him to go; Go Hyeon-woo was already on his way here.
The final goal for strengthening the magic sword was to absorb the priests soul.
There would be no obstacles in his way, as I had left markers for him.
It wouldnt take long for him to reach this ce.
Lets wrap this up, shall we?
My fist was engulfed in a dark red me.
Chapter 65: No.388 Feathered Serpent Altar (4)
Chapter 65: No.388 Feathered Serpent Altar (4)
The priest must be defeated, but in truth, a D-rank dungeon boss was still too formidable an opponent for Go Hyeon-woo to confront directly.
It was clear that this was a task for me.
Before unleashing my inferno fist,
I should make a copy first.
[Activate Copy-Trait.]
[Registering the targets trait Priest (D) in the slot.]
Copy-Trait [2/2]
1. Elemental Resistance (S)
2. Priest (D)
It was the main trait of the Feathered Serpent Priest.
This trait was abination of severalplex abilities, of which Increased Mana Sensitivity alone was very useful for mages.
Bastard!!
When the priest extended his staff, a cluster of golden light fell once again.
I had been dodging sessfully until now and had no intention of getting hit.
I lightly stepped to the side and avoided the attack while closing in.
With one hand clenched into a burning fist, I extended my other hand forward.
[Wind Force]
Whooosh!
A wind imbued with physical force blew from all directions at the same time, pressuring the priest and leaving him immobilized.
What is this?!
When the priest squirmed futilely in ce, I steadily closed the distance between us.
At the same time, the fist I was gripping zed even more fiercely.
Realizing his imminent doom, the priest spat out a line befitting a third-rate viin.
Do not think this is the end. I will surely!
Sure, well meet again.
The Inferno Fist struck the priests face.
And a storm of mes engulfed everything in front before swallowing him whole.
Kaboom!
Kim-hyung!!
Go Hyeon-woo arrived shortly after.
He looked quite startled, probably thinking something serious had happened to me after witnessing the explosion of mes.
He was immediately relieved when he saw that I was fine.
Ah, youre here.
It seems everythings finished.
Just before you arrived.
The timing was perfect.
Go Hyeon-woo nced down at his sword.
Since the sword had just absorbed the priests soul, it was obvious what the enhancements were without even looking at it.
[Feathered Serpent Magic Sword (C)]
High-Level Durability Protection
Automatic Durability Recovery
Elemental Resistance (F)
For a C-rank sword, the abilities werent particrly that great.
However, in terms of durability alone, it could be considered as C-rank or higher.
Additionally, the inclusion of even the F-rank [Elemental Resistance] would provide some help when dealing with magic.
It was, in every sense, an item tailor-made for Go Hyeon-woo.
His face lit up as he reviewed the swords abilities.
Such abilities! All thanks to Kim-hyungs arrangements. Ill make good use of it.
We did this together. But this, Im keeping for myself.
Four wooden boxes were now ced where the priest had once stood and each one of them was exuding a mysterious aura.
[Feathered Serpent Altar Random Box (D)] *4
Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head in agreement.
Is this what you mean? For me, this sword alone is more than enough.
Right. Lets get out of here.
The dungeon began to crumble slowly.
Having defeated the priest, who was both the core and the boss monster of the dungeon, its copse was inevitable.
There was no benefit in staying any longer so we needed to hurry out.
When we came out, Shin Byeong-cheol greeted us.
Oh, it really didnt take you that long?
Told you it would be quick.
Even though it was a D-rank dungeon, wepleted it perfectly in a short amount of time.
It was thanks to the seamless cooperation between Go Hyeon-woo and me.
When I came out and looked back, the dungeon entrance which had been the size of arge door had shrunk to the size of a fist and lost its color, turning ck and white.
A dungeon whose core had been destroyed would close its entrance like that, making entry impossible until enough time had passed for the core to regenerate.
By then, the Feathered Serpent Tribe we had defeated would be fully resurrected and they would roam the inside of the dungeon once again.
This would inevitably lead to someone else entering the dungeon to conquer it; the core would be destroyed, and the cycle of regeneration would repeat endlessly.
Nevertheless, this marked the sessfulpletion of our first underground dungeon level.
But it was too soon to let our guard down.
After all, we still have the return journey to make.
We entered the underground dungeon without following any official procedures and secretly destroyed its core.
Even though Shin Byeong-cheol did his best to erase our tracks, the fact that the dungeon had been destroyed could not be hidden.
Soon, someone woulde down to investigate the situation.
It was very likely to be one of the faculty members managing the dungeon building.
Leaving as quickly as possible was the best course of action.
Shin Byeong-cheol took the lead while urging us on.
Lets head back quickly. We might get caught if we stay.
***
Climbing stairs was always harder than descending them.
The descent had felt endless, but retracing our steps back up was no small feat.
By the time we emerged back onto the surface, even our mana-enhanced bodies were protesting in pain.
The only slight constion was that we didnt encounter any faculty members or a member of the disciplinarymittee on our way up.
At least, not until we got outside.
No sooner had we stepped out than we found ourselves face-to-face with Song Cheon-hye and Han So-mi.
Han So-mi greeted us cheerfully with a wave of her hand.
Hello, hello!
We quickly exchanged nces.
It seemed they hadnt noticed using from the underground, so we decided to act naturally and continue on our way.
When I waved back, Han So-mis waving became even more enthusiastic.
On the other hand, as soon as Shin Byeong-cheol came into view,
Fzzzzt
Song Cheon-hyes hand sparked with electricity.
It seemed like a reflex for her to suspect him of mischief at every encounter and perhaps wonder if he was up to no good just by being there.
He umted a lot of bad karma, starting with stealing bald peoples wigs so it wasnt entirely unfounded.
Shin Byung-cheol also had thicker-than-normal skin and offered a greeting with a friendly smile.
Ah, members of the disciplinarymittee, good evening to you.
What brings you here?
Shin Byeong-cheol responded as if the question was absurdly obvious.
What else would bring us to the dungeon building but to tackle a dungeon?
I find that hard to believe.
Song Cheon-hye narrowed her eyes.
The unspoken implication behind her gaze could roughly trante to,
You? Embarking on a strategy battle? On a Monday? Seriously?
Shin Byeong-cheol put on an aggrieved expression of unjust usation.
Ah, have you only been deceived in life? Cant trust what people say, huh? Hey, dont just stand there; back me up.
And just like that, I was called upon for reinforcements.
I decided it would be better to offer help if I wanted to get out of this situation quickly.
I posed a question to Song Cheon-hye.
Were you also on your way back from a strategy battle?
Thats right, and?
Whats your clearance rate?
You dont need to know.
I see.
If she didnt want to talk about it, that was fine by me.
My question wasnt driven by curiosity but by a desire to change the subject.
It seemed Shin Byeong-cheol had shaken off the suspicion, so it was time to say, Good work and have a good night! and leave.
Just as I was about to offer my farewells,
Aye, why ask her such a thing? If their score wasnt great, they might not want to talk about it.
Shin Byeong-cheol had unwittingly thrown a damper on the situation.
Though his intention might have been to help, it seemed to have taken a wrong turn, judging by the prominent veins bulging on Song Cheon-hyes forehead.
Song Cheon-hye suppressed her anger and spoke to us.
Im not sure what percentage youre at, but Im likely higher than you.
I doubt that.
How can you be so sure?
Because Im at 100%.
After all, its impossible to exceed 100% in a clear dungeon.
Unless the other party was to create monsters just to defeat them.
However, I decided to hold my tongue.
It seemed more advantageous to do so.
Its just a hunch.
Your intuition seemscking.
Shall we make a bet, then? To see whose clearance rate is higher.
Whats at stake?
As expected, Song Cheon-hye didnt back down.
It seemed she really hated to lose.
How about a simple wish?
A wish?
Yes. Just do me a favor or tell me something Im curious about.
Song Cheon-hye furrowed her brows in contemtion for a moment before she agreed to the bet.
She probably thought that, since it was just a light-hearted bet on a wish, losing wouldnt be too problematic.
Alright.
Shall we say it at the same time on the count of three?
Lets do that.
Then Ill count. One.
Two.
Three.
100%. 97%.
A crack appeared on Song Cheon-hyes face.
***
Song Cheon-hye remained in a daze for a while.
It was a trivial bet, yet the fact that she lost seemed to have shocked her.
Perhaps it was the shock of having a lower overall strategy score than mine.
Either way, we took this opportunity to quickly say our goodbyes and hastened our steps.
Han So-mi would take care of the rest, I hope.
I decided to keep the right to a wish as a debt in my heart for the time being.
After all, the bet wasnt made with the intention of making any grand requests, so I nned to ask about thetest developments in the disciplinarymitteeter on.
The next day.
After lunch, during a brief moment of free time,
Seo Ye-in, Go Hyeon-woo, and I gathered in a secluded spot.
Shin Byeong-chul was too busy with his errands at the center.
With both of their gazes fixed on me, I pulled out four wooden boxes from my inventory.
[Feathered Serpent Altar Random Box (D)] *4
.
Go Hyeon-woo looked down at the boxes with evident interest, and Seo Ye-in was also unusually curious as she poked at the boxes with her finger.
Go Hyeon-woo asked,
Whates out when you open these?
Im not sure. There are so many different items.
Thats right, a myriad of items could spring forth and with no disclosed odds, even I wasnt fully aware of what each box contained.
But there were a few items that were known to appear quite frequently, and among these, my goal was to find items prefixed with Priests~.
As long as an item carried this prefix, it would be a D-rank item, and I would be satisfied regardless of its type.
Ill now begin the unboxing ceremony.
p, p
Seo Ye-in gave silent apuse.
It might have seemedckluster, but that was the most animated reaction she could muster.
I picked up a random box and showed it around as if doing a magic show, and then I lifted the lid with a solemn expression on my face.
sh!
The emanating glow wasnt particrly bright.
Still, the contents remained a mystery until they were examined.
[Rank Up (E)]
Not bad.
Considering the rank of the random box, this was a decent find. The Rank Up was a very important item to me.
I gratefully epted it.
Next.
I proceeded to open the second box.
This time, I simply lifted the lid while leaving the box in ce.
sh!
Ah.
Ah.
Go Hyeon-woo and I both eximed in admiration.
It was because a glow far more intense than the first burst forth.
[Priests ck Bracelet (D)]
Its here.
I silently cheered to myself.
It was a Priest item, and moreover, one that fell into the category of essories I favored.
Considering the Rank Up that had appeared before, this was definitely more than breaking even.
With that in mind, I made an offer to the two of them with a more generous heart,
Would you like to try opening one each?
Would that really be alright?
Go Hyeon-woo had conceded all the random boxes to me and was content with just the magic sword, but it seemed he was still curious about what the boxes contained.
Go Hyeon-woo carefully picked up the third box.
After taking a deep breath, he lifted the lid.
Click.
[Feathered Serpent Tribes Wooden Cup (F)]
Ahem
Go Hyeon-woo seemed to be embarrassed and started to clear his throat repeatedly.
From the moment of opening the box, not a single beam of light was visible and just as expected.
asionally, daily life-rted items that have nothing to do withbat appear in random boxes, and this was a case like this.
I nodded indifferently.
Bad luck.
Im ashamed in front of Kim-hyung.
Dont worry about it too much. These things happen all the time.
In the world of random draws, its normal to ept whatever oue one gets without ming others.
Even if Go Hyeon-woo was unlucky, I was the one who decided to leave it to him.
He decided to use the wooden cup as a teacup.
Now, only one random box remained.
Go Hyeon-woo and my gaze shifted to Seo Ye-in.
It was natural to feel pressured by the atmosphere, but Seo Ye-in casually brought thest random box in front of her and opened it with the utmost ease.
sh!
********
TN: Some people are just lucky
Chapter 66: No.388 Feathered Serpent Altar (5)
Chapter 66: No.388 Feathered Serpent Altar (5)
sh!
Our vision was momentarily engulfed in white as if a shbang had gone off.
Even after the light faded away, Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in remained dazed for a while.
Such urrences were exceedingly rare so I too found myself slightly taken aback.
I gathered my wits and checked to see what kind of item had appeared.
It was arge cushion with a simple design.
Unfortunately, it was another daily life item just like the wooden cup Go Hyeon-woo had just drawn.
However, the rank of this daily life item was no ordinary matter.
[Feather Cushion (B)]
A cushion, of all things is ranked B?
While its possible for C and B-rank items to emerge from a D-rank random box, the chances are so slim that theyre practically negligible.
Yet Seo Ye-in actually did ovee those miraculous odds to draw this cushion.
The B rank was typically reserved for items worn by third-year students and is precious items such as the [Invisible Ghillie Suit] that Seo Ye-in used or the [Cloudstepper] I received as a gift previously.
That such rare equipment shared its rank with the cushion meant its value was simrly significant.
As if to prove that fact, there were a lot of effects avable.
[Feather Cushion (B)]
A cushion filled with feathers from an unknown mystical creature.
elerates fatigue recovery
Recovers from mental status ailments
Slight increase in resistance to mental status ailments with long-term use
.
.
The eleration of fatigue recovery meant, in simple terms, that one hour of sleep could alleviate two hours worth of fatigue.
The benefits of recovery from and increased resistance to mental ailments were also very good.
Moreover, it offered numerous beneficial effects to aid a good nights sleep, such as alleviating insomnia and easing neck disc problems.
Judging solely by its performance, it wasparable to equipment dropped in deep dungeons, but
Its a shame its something you only use when sleeping.
The effects of daily life items were geared towards facilitating afortable and affluent lifestyle.
Being someone who prioritizesbat and growth and is obsessed with extreme efficiency, I found about half of these features somewhat unnecessary.
Given that I spent most of my free time at the training center, there was little use for a cushion in my routine.
Of course, even considering only thebat and growth-rted features, it would be somewhat beneficial.
However, it seemed more practical to sell it and secure other items instead.
A B-rank daily life item would likely attract many buyers.
I wonder if I should hand it over to the errand center, or perhaps put it up for auction.
While I was pondering over various options, my gaze fell on Seo Ye-in.
She was intently staring at the cushion.
As always, her expression was unreadable but her gray eyes sparkled with interest.
It was clear that she really wanted it.
Do you want it?
When I asked, she immediately nodded her head in confirmation.
Normally, her reactions tend to be a half-beat dyed but this immediate response was a first.
Was this the power of the cushion?
Setting aside emotional aspects like were friends, after all, I tapped into my mental calctor to weigh my options.
The most pressing question at the moment was:
Would it be better to sell it?
Or should I give it to her?
Perhaps giving it to her might be the better choice.
I had no way of knowing exactly how much Seo Ye-in slept each day, but it was clear she needed a lot of rest.
Using the cushions fatigue recovery eleration feature could significantly reduce her resting time.
If her rest became more efficient, she would naturally have more waking hours, which, in the grand scheme of things, could lead to increased training time.
Of course, there was also a definite possibility that the oue might not meet my expectations.
Still, its worth a shot.
Considering the potential time saved if sessful, it seemed like a fair trade to part with a B-rank daily life item.
Having thought this through, I subtly pushed the cushion towards Seo Ye-in.
Alright, its yours.
Really?
When I readily offered it, she seemed incredulous as if she couldnt believe I was giving it to her or perhaps she wasnt ustomed to receiving things from others.
I took the cushion and firmly ced it into Seo Ye-ins arms.
Here. A gift.
Thank you.
Seo Ye-in silently gazed at the cushion in her embrace for a moment before hugging it tightly.
***
Since I swiftly dealt with the strategy battle for Monday, I found myself with ample time to dedicate solely to training.
[Using Rank Up (E).]
[The targets Amplification rank increased. (E->D)]
[Duration 2:00->3:00]
[Cooldown 50 minutes->40 minutes]
The E-rank Rank Up from the random box was used to upgrade [Amplification].
Because it was a skill with a short duration and long cooldown, it was only used at really critical moments, but upgrading its rank in the future will likely free me from such limitations.
The following was the trait copied from the Feathered Serpent Priest, known as [Priest].
The main reason for prioritizing this trait was the increase in mana sensitivity.
This enhancement positively affected all magical actions, especially elerating the rate at which [Core] was amassed.
The rted item, [Priests ck Bracelet], doubled this mana sensitivity effect.
And if I were to add the [ck Mithril Band] I acquired previously, the efficiency achieved was quite satisfying, even if it didnt match the Special Training Room.
Ill rush to C-rank with this momentum.
As the levels of my skills increased, relying solely on D-rank [Core] became increasingly difficult.
It was essential to advance to the next stage to avoid mana shortages during battles.
I nned to resolve this before entering the depths again within a few days.
I dedicated myself to mana training from dusk until dawn.
***
The next day,
After school, Shin Byeong-chul called me out.
The purpose was obvious.
Hey, about that deep dungeon you mentioned before.
How did it go?
Shin Byeong-chul seemed somewhat perplexed.
The thing is its gotten a bitplicated. You should meet Noonim first.
Alright, now?
If you cane now, thatd be great.
Lets head over.
So, I found myself back in the thieves club room with Shin Byeong-chul.
The room was cluttered with even more used furniture than before that was seemingly picked up from who knows where.
The interior felt more chaotic than ever.
The fact that the clubroom was crowded with club members also contributed to the chaos.
The atmosphere was closer to a tavern than a club room.
Several men, including the pair of twins, were hunched over on a worn leather sofa and were engrossed in a game of cards, while a girl in a corner busily tapped away at a tablet.
And there was Dang Gyu-young, just as before, sitting in the same position on the same wooden table.
She had the air of someone with nothing to do yet there was an unmistakable charisma about her.
Sensing our presence, dark eyes slowly shifted in our direction.
At the same time, Shin Byeong-chul spoke up.
Ive brought him, Noonim.
Ah, youre here.
Dang Gyu-young started to greet us warmly but then she was conscious of the gaze of those around her andposed her facial expression.
One of the twins nced up from their card game to examine my face.
Is this the person? The one Noonim has been working ontely?
The working on he referred to was the effort to recruit me into the thieves club, following the proposal made after the break-in at the storage room.
While the statement was true, Dang Gyu-young frowned as if she didnt like the way it was said.
Working on? Your choice of words could be better, no?
Ah, thats not right. Considering the trouble we had with the magical engineering club, you should really keep your hands off this junior.
The other twin chimed in with a follow-up jab.
Exactly. Ever since she made Bong Jae-seok owe her a favor, Noonim seemed thrilled. Never seen her like that in all my life
However, their conversation was abruptly cut short.
Because arge shadowy hand rose from below and grabbed their faces in a firm grasp.
The Iron w found its mark perfectly.
Crrrrunch,
A gruesome sound, too harsh for human skulls to make, echoed as the twins ceased their struggles and slumped down.
The shadowy hand extended its index finger before pointing toward the door.
Everyone out.
The members of the thieves club hastily rose from their seats.
The girl with the tablet also attempted to leave but Dang Gyu-young called out to her.
Da-bin stays. Byeong-cheol as well.
The club room fell into sudden silence.
The shadowy hand kindly pulled out a chair for me.
Leaningfortably in the chair, Dang Gyu-young cleared her throat softly and spoke.
Ahem, ahem, pay no mind to what was just said.
Yes, senior-nim.
Do give it some thought though.
Ill consider it.
When I responded vaguely, Dang Gyu-young pursed her lips.
Actually, Ive wanted to join the thieves club for a long time! Perhaps she wanted this kind of answer.
Of course, that was far from the truth.
Lets go straight to the main issue at hand.
Ive heard things have gottenplicated.
Yes, theres been a bit of a problem. An external issue.
Before delving into the specifics of dungeon strategies or fees, it was necessary to discuss whether she could take on my request.
And without addressing the external issue Dang Gyu-young mentioned, the request couldnt proceed.
If it was an external problem rted to the underground levels, it was almost certainly about,
Bidding, I assume.
Thats right.
Is it an open bid, or a preferential bid?
Preferential bidding.
Bidding.
Once the core of an underground dungeon is destroyed, it bes inessible until it regenerates over time.
A good example of this was when Go Hyeon-woo and I tackled the [Feathered Serpent Altar], after which the portal turned gray and was blocked.
Given this, the number of people who can challenge a specific dungeon within a certain period is limited, and theres alwayspetition for dungeons that drop valuable rewards.
To manage thispetition in an orderly manner, Dragon yer Academy introduced a bidding system.
This system collects data on thebat strength of bidding parties, their previous sess rates in dungeon raids, and the expected duration of the raid, then assigns turns starting with the most suitable party.
This is the usual bidding process.
Each club holds a certain number of [Preferential Bidding Rights].
Just as using a [Crafting VIP Ticket] allows one to skip the queue and ce a crafting request at the top of the list, using a preferential bidding right allows a party to ignore all conditions and gain the right to challenge the dungeon first.
And now, these preferential bidding rights are at stake for the [ck Death] dungeon.
The involvement of preferential bidding rights indicates that a particr club is exerting its influence over that dungeon.
And so what if I ignore this and just go in?
A conflict will arise.
A conflict was inevitable in this case.
For this reason, the client preferred to steer clear of such dungeons, and the thieves club had summoned me to gauge my intentions.
What will you do? Shall we look elsewhere?
However, the issue at hand was the pressing need for me to conquer the ck Death.
Specifically, it was about a particr reward that could be obtained only within the ck Death.
Waiting for another opportunity was problematic since dungeons filled with immense energy like deep dungeons, take a very long time to regenerate once their core is destroyed.
And the challenge of finding another dungeon offering simr rewards was far greater due to the higher difficulty levels.
So, I expressed my willingness to even risk conflict with the opposing club.
No, I would prefer to proceed.
Dang Gyu-young slightly furrowed her brow.
So, despite there already being a bid, you want me to break through?
Yes, is that not possible?
While she generally preferred to avoid such situations, it wasnt impossible if thepensation was sufficient.
And I had already demonstrated that I had the means to pay her adequately.
Yet, Dang Gyu-young still seemed reluctant.
This implied one thing.
The force that had ced the bid was powerful enough to make even the thieves club hesitant.
I asked again,
Which club is it?
A big one.
I couldnt help but nod my head at Dang Gyu-youngs reply.
The swordsmanship club.
. A big one indeed
Chapter 67: The Depths (1)
Chapter 67: The Depths (1)
The swordsmanship club.
It was a pir among the four major powers within the Martial Alliance.
The sole requirement for joining was the use of a sword as ones main weapon.
There was a saying that the sword was the king of all weapons, and the number of students who used swords was overwhelmingly greater than that of other weapons.
Moreover, as long as one wielded a sword, the club did not discriminate against members from other factions outside the Martial Alliance.
This gathering of swordsmen had formed one of the top two huge forces within the Dragon yer Academy.
Only the White Magic Club could somewhat rival it with a significant gap between them and the other clubs.
Should a full-scale conflict arise, even mid-tier clubs like the thieves club could be swiftly overwhelmed, so even someone like Dang Gyu-young had no choice but to be wary here.
Of course, someone at the level of a club president would have a few means to smooth over any issues that might arise.
It was likely that most of Dang Gyu-youngs concerns were directed towards me.
You probably know this, but getting on the bad side of the swordsmanship club is on a whole different level than with the Emerald. Are you still going to go through with it?
Yes, I am.
Dang Gyu-young was taken aback by my immediate and unwavering response.
It seemed she had expected me to back down at this point.
Really? Youre serious?
Really.
I did find the timing somewhat coincidental.
I hadnt anticipated that my goals would align with those of the swordsmanship club at this very moment.
But that was all there was to it.
Eventually, I was bound to either coborate with or confront the Martial Alliance in some way.
The only difference now was that this intersection of paths was happening sooner than expected.
Ill take care of everything. Please proceed.
.
Dang Gyu-young looked at me withplicated eyes before shaking her head in resignation as if to say she couldnt stop me either way.
Haah, alright. I suppose our junior-nim here who has graduated over 200 times must have some tricks up his sleeve. So well proceed with this n. When do you n to head out?
Its a dungeon that takes up quite a bit of time, so Friday seems like a good choice.
Yeah, Friday does seem best from my perspective too. Whos going with you? The handsome guy and the girl with the gray hair you broughtst time?
She was probably referring to Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-eun, with whom she only lightly got to know during my duel with the Emerald Magic Tower.
Just the handsome friend will apany me this time.
Werent you with him on Monday too, for the D-rank one? With Byung-cheol as the guide. For the depths, two more will join you. It will be me and her.
Dang Gyu-young pointed to herself and then to the girl with a tablet.
Shin Byung-cheol was taken aback and asked
Youre going yourself?
If were going to do this, might as well do it right. But Ill be charging extra forbor. What do you think?
Following that, Dang Gyu-young sought my opinion.
I would be grateful if someone with the skills of a club president would be covering for us, even if it meant paying a higher price.
I also like to be sure.
Good.
Dang Gyu-young would use shadows to erase the presence of those apanying us, while Shin Byung-cheol would take care of the physical devices.
Naturally, disabling magical engineering devices like crystal balls was the responsibility of the girl with the tablet.
Meanwhile, the tablet girl was quietly listening to the conversation on one side with a tired expression on her face.
But her fingers never stopped tapping on the tablet.
Dang Gyu-young nced back and forth between me and the tablet girl before she tilted her head in confusion.
?
Why does it look awkward between you two? Her face seemed to say.
Then, something seemed to click in her head and her eyebrows shot up in realization.
Its not awkward; were just meeting for the first time.
We had seen each other during the raid on the temporary storage, but I had been wearing a mask at that time.
It was only because she was still carrying the tablet around that I recognized her; otherwise, I would have had no clue.
Dang Gyu-young noticed that point toote and introduced her to me.
Ah, this is Chae Da-bin.
The tie pin indicated she was a second-year.
Chae Da-bin gestured towards me and asked,
Its a request, so I dont mind going down with him, but hes a first-year? Can he beat a B-rank dungeon?
Thats Well, exining it outright is a bitplicated. Hey, is it alright if I tell her that?
Before answering the question, Dang Gyu-young sought my permission.
I caught on to what that meant and nodded my head.
Chae Da-bin didnt seem like the type to spread rumors, and even if she did, I was confident I could handle the situation.
Dang Gyu-young then introduced me.
This guy is Inferno Fist.
!!
Chae Da-bins eyes widened in surprise as she looked at me.
She evidently hadnt imagined that the person who defeated Kwak Seung-jae was a first-year student.
That was you?
Yes, that was me.
So, then B-rank might be possible for you too? Is it possible?
She asked Dang Gyu-young as if she was unsure about her own level.
But it appeared that Dang Gyu-young was also uncertain.
She looked at me with an ambiguous expression.
Well, Im not sure about that. Kim Ho, be honest. Are you stronger than me?
Of course not. How could I possibly beat a third-year?
So whats the n? B-rank is tough even for me.
Instead of a long exnation, take a look at this.
I handed Dang Gyu-young a document.
The [ck Death] strategy guide.
For quick understanding, I have summarized much of the content from what I gave to Go Hyeon-woo.
And Dang Gyu-youngs eyes sparkled with interest from the first page,
Every time she flipped through the pages, the corner of her mouth kept on curling up into a smile.
Wow where did you manage to find this?
Shin Byung-cheol and Chae Da-bin were both curious and they peered over from behind, sneaking nces at the strategy guide.
The gazes of the three began to shift unsettlingly and they started whispering among themselves after casting furtive nces my way.
So to summarize, we just go in, grab the core, and get out? This is just like
What thieves do.
No better than a burr.
I told you. This person fits right in with our clubs ideal candidate profile, didnt I
Now that I think about it, he does seem a bit cunning
I knew it from the start. Could it be the aura of a fellow kindred spirit I felt before?
Sensing that another recruitment offer might be forting, I preempted Dang Gyu-young just as she was about to speak.
How about it? Do you think its possible?
! Youre always quick on the uptake. Yes, with your strategy, there would indeed be fewer battles.
Then, Dang Gyu-young pointed to a section in the strategy guide.
However, looking at this part, it seems well need someone to dismantle the mechanism.
I was actually going to ask for your help with that as well.
Why look any further? We have one right here.
All eyes converged on Shin Byung-cheol.
Shin Byeong-cheol pointed at himself with his finger.
Me? You want me to go in? Into a B-rank dungeon?
You were the one who saidst time, If its up to me, those mechanical traps are childs y!
Yes, I did say that, but B-rank is a whole different story. Were talking life and death here.
Whats there for you to fear? Youve seen the strategy. And if things go south, theres always the emergency escape.
But what if something goes wrong? That could be the end!
Then youll just have to make sure nothing goes wrong!
Dang Gyu-young and Shin Byung-cheol bickered back and forth for a while.
Shin Byung-cheol who was usually subdued by the authority of the club president, stood his ground this time, perhaps feeling the threat to his safety more acutely.
Dang Gyu-young was also aware of the dangers within the dungeon this time so when considering the potential risks, she preferred persuasion over coercion.
Their standoff was so evenly matched it seemed they could go on all day.
So I had no choice but to interject into their ongoing argument.
Lets talk about thepensation. You might change your mind after hearing it.
No, I wont do it. No matter what you offer aspensation, I absolutely wont do it. Really, no. Not even if you beat me to death. Just no.
Shin Byeong-cheol expressed with his whole body that he did not want to enter a B-rank dungeon.
Is that so? You might regret it.
Id rather live with the regret. Im someone who prefers to live a long and humble life. Im sorry, but it might be better to look for another senior to
Ghost Dance.
!
!
The faces of the three members of the thieves club hardened at once.
[Ghost Dance] was a hidden piece that no one in sses valuing stealth could simply ignore.
Even the two assassins Jang Sam and Wang Pil had been tempted and the thieves before me were no exception.
Dang Gyu-young asked,
That actually exists? I thought it was just an urban legend.
It does exist.
I knew how to find it.
It would take some time but I was confident I would find it within the semester.
Sharing that hidden piece with the three individuals before me was the reward I offered.
Of course, giving you the Ghost Dance just for helping me reach this dungeon in the depths would be a loss for me, so Ill ask for a few more favors.
Thats only fair. What about you Da-bin?
Chae Da-bin furrowed her brow in thought and did not respond.
The sudden offer of such a significant hidden piece as a reward must have seemed unbelievable to her.
Dang Gyu-young sought confirmation once again.
Can we really trust this person?
Hes not one to make things up, thats for sure.
Then I cant miss this opportunity. Ill take on this request.
Me too. Since Byung-cheol is out, we just need to find a recement. Who was good at dealing with mechanisms again?
Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin were already discussing the matter while excluding Shin Byung-cheol from their considerations.
Suddenly, Shin Byung-cheol did aplete 180 and inserted himself into the conversation.
Hey, hold up, time out. Who said anything about being left out? You cant discuss mechanisms without mentioning Shin Byung-cheol, can you?
Werent you the one saying you wouldnt go because it was too risky?
After giving it some thought, I figured if we follow the strategy closely, it should be fine, right?
Shin Byung-cheol sought my agreement.
I echoed the words Shin Byung-cheol had just used.
Didnt you say you wanted to live a long and humble life?
Me? When? A true man lives a short and impactful life, right?
Shin Byung-cheol was tantly denying his earlier words.
His skin seemed so thick that it appeared as if not even a tribal spear could pierce through it.
For me, there was no downside.
I had confirmed that Shin Byung-cheols ability to dismantle traps was on par with those in the second and third years.
If he was willing to join us, he was more than wee.
However, there was a baseline of effort that had to be met.
I shed a grin and pulled out another stack of documents.
Memorize this by Friday.
It was the [ck Death] strategy guide, not the summarized version Dang Gyu-young had, but the original version I had made Go Hyeon-woo memorize.
Shin Byung-cheols expression turned to one of suffocation as he gauged the thickness of the documents.
Guh, this is quite a lot. Isnt it a bit too much to memorize all this in just two days?
Given that we were actually entering the dungeon, there was much more to be aware of, hence the volume of material.
So there was no room forpromise on this matter.
Skimming through the dungeon guide or granting more time were both out of the question.
Youll have to give something up, then. Either take fewer errands or cut down on sleep.
..
Theres always the option not to participate if you dont like it.
Upon hearing this, Shin Byung-cheol adopted an exceedingly polite demeanor and took the strategy guide.
Theres no way I dont like it. Give it here. Ill input every single detail into my brain.
Ill test youter. If you get it wrong, youre noting.
Dont worry. I said Ill memorize it all, didnt I?
As if eager to start immediately, Shin Byung-cheol took the documents and headed to a corner of the room.
I could hear him muttering to himself,
Never thought Id see the day Id be studying again
Chapter 68: The Depths (2)
Chapter 68: The Depths (2)
The iron doll stretched out its fist.
Go Hyeon-woo charged forward while swinging the magic sword in his hand.
For a moment, a golden trail was drawn in the air.
ng!
The sword collided with the fist before the iron doll was forced to take a half step back.
Following that momentum, Go Hyeon-woo quickly advanced and struck the iron dolls head with a fierce blow.
ng!
The iron dolls form staggered and fell to the side.
Then, another doll came at him while swinging a long iron rod.
Go Hyeon-woo concentrated his inner energy on the sword and thrust it forcefully at the dolls neck area.
Thud!
The iron doll was sent flying backward before it tumbled to the ground.
Go Hyeon-woo lightly shed through the air with his magic sword a few times.
Ive grown quite familiar with it.
It was a little awkward for him at first because its length and weight were very different from the iron sword. However, after several days of sparring with the iron dolls, he had gotten the hang of it.
He was now confident that he could use it effectively in realbat situations.
He checked the time and realized it was already morning.
He spent another night at the training center which became his usual routine.
With some time still to spare before his sses, he nned to practice his mana in the special cultivation room before heading to school.
But first, he thought it might be wise to grab a quick bite to eat.
His breakfast options were likely to be the usual: either a calorie bar or a Byukgokdan.
(TN: Byukgokdan is like a nutritional pill that lets you practice without worrying about food.)
However
As Go Hyeon-woo rummaged through his inventory, he narrowed his eyes.
.
A careless mistake.
Both the Byukgokdan pills and the calorie bars had run out.
He was upied with various matterstely so he had forgotten to replenish his supplies.
Even though training was important, he shouldnt just skip his meals.
After all, neglecting the bodys bnce could also lead to a decline in skills.
Its been a while since Ive had breakfast.
A proper breakfast, not a calorie bar or anything like that.
Ever since he descended the mountain and enrolled at Dragon yer Academy, the pleasures of food have always upied a corner of Go Hyeon-woos mind.
However, his main focus had been on honing his skills and fulfilling the aspirations of his sect which often meant making sacrifices and giving up such pleasures.
But now, with his inventorypletely empty, it seemed reasonable to enjoy a proper meal at the student cafeteria while stocking up on calorie bars.
Go Hyeon-woo left the training center with a slightly excited heart.
When he stepped outside, he spotted the figure of Kim Ho walking ahead who appeared to have also spent the night training.
Go Hyeon-woo approached him with a greeting.
Good morning, Kim-hyung.
Youre out early. Dont you usually leaveter?
Im nning to have breakfast.
Thats unusual for you, but lets go together anyway.
As they walked together, Go Hyeon-woo suddenly posed a question that hade to mind.
Miss Seo wont be joining us?
Given that Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in were almost inseparable on a daily basis, it seemed natural to assume they would share breakfast this morning as well.
To this,
Shes already eaten?
Kim Ho tilted his head and answered as if he himself was surprised.
He seemed as surprised as Go Hyeon-woo by this news and showed him the messages they had exchanged earlier.
[Kim Ho: Meal?]
[Seo Ye-in: (Shaking head rabbit emoji)]
[Kim Ho: You ate?]
[Seo Ye-in: (Nodding rabbit emoji)]
Miss Seo up and about this early? Thats unusual.
Go Hyeon-woo also tilted his head.
For Seo Ye-in to rise early was as rare an urrence as Go Hyeon-woo going to the student cafeteria for breakfast.
However, Kim Ho soon shrugged it off as if it were no big deal.
Shell probably be in ss. Lets just focus on our meal for now.
The breakfast menu featured a giant triangle gimbap that was several timesrger than the usual ones.
It was stuffed with a generous amount of meat.
For Go Hyeon-woo, this was truly a blessing in disguise.
How lucky
Since both of them valued efficiency, they ate their giant triangle gimbap while walking to the ssroom.
By the time they arrived, their hands were cleanly empty.
When they arrived at ss 3, Seo Ye-in was already there waiting for them.
She was holding a familiar paper bag in her hands.
At the same time, the savory scent brushed past Go Hyeon-woos nose.
Its snacks.
Was this the reason she had her breakfast alone?
It seemed she had woken up at dawn to bake cookies.
The reason for baking cookies was not hard to guess.
Kim Ho had given Seo Ye-in a pillow or cushion from a random box as a gift the day before, and it seemed she wanted to express her gratitude in her own way.
Howmendable, trulymendable.
A pleased smile appeared on Go Hyeon-woos lips as he watched the two.
However, his happiness was short-lived
Just as Kim Ho was about to bring a cookie to his mouth, Seo Yein stealthily grasped his hand.
Then, looking up at him, she asked,
What does this look like?
!
That question!
Go Hyeon-woo was internally shocked.
Recalling the time when that question was directed at him,
What does this look like?
its almost as if the lizard is alive and breathing.
At the time, he had responded without much thought, but in hindsight, it was a seriously wrong answer.
Considering he had witnessed Seo Yeins usually expressionless brow wrinkle.
As a result, he ended up not getting even a crumb of the snacks, let alone the snacks themselves.
Whats done is done and cannot be undone.
The issue was that a second round had ensued.
And depending on the oue of this second round, Kim Ho might meet the same fate as himself.
We must prevent that at all costs.
Go Hyeon-woo focused even his internal energy on his eyes as he examined the cookie.
A chocte chip cookie.
Since the chocte chips are evenly spaced, it would be nice to say that the taste has improvedpared to before.
However, aesthetically speaking, it seemed to have regressedpared to before.
A truly mysterious shape
If he had topare it to something, it resembled either a fish or a rabbit curled up? It was one of the two.
But which one was it?
It was hard to be certain.
Kim Ho seemed to be grappling with the same dilemma and was hesitating to speak.
However, they couldnt stall forever.
Remaining silent in this situation was akin to admitting they couldnt recognize what it was supposed to be, which was as good as a wrong answer.
They were on a ticking clock.
As the response was dyed, Seo Yeins expression gradually darkened.
Her eyes seemed to narrow to the point where they were almost thin lines.
Its time to step in.
Just as Kim Ho was about to reluctantly speak up.
Go Hyeon-woo interjected without warning between the two.
Ahem The fish seems quite lifelike as if it was just plucked from theke.
Then he cast a sidelong nce at Seo Yeins reaction and noticed a slight twitch in her brow.
The wrong answer.
That left only one correct option.
Its a rabbit, right?
!
Seo Ye-ins face brightened up again.
Kim Ho acted as if he hadnt been agonizing over it at all and casually popped a cookie into his mouth and savored it.
This is good. Your skills have improved.
Have some more.
As soon as Kim Ho finished one cookie, Seo Yein pressed another one to his lips.
And despite the fact that not a single crumb had fallen to Go Hyeon-woo, nor was it likely to in the future, he harbored no regrets.
A worthy sacrifice.
***
The cookie shape matching challenge was sessfully passed thanks to Go Hyeon-woos timely intervention.
I often felt this but Go Hyeon-woos intuition was far from ordinary.
However, we were lucky this time, and as long as Seo Ye-ins distorted aesthetic sense continued, there was always the possibility of a third or fourth round.
I would have to be mentally prepared for that.
Aside from that, the week progressed without much incident until Friday.
I wrote the two-on-two battle report in one stroke and submitted it, and also quickly drew and submitted the dungeon map assignment for the strategy battle.
Moving forward, I nned to get almost a perfect score on the written exam.
And as a result of spending the remainder of the time in the training center,
[The rank of Core increased. (D->C)]
I managed to increase the rank of my core by one level by Friday.
This ensured that I had amassed a sufficient amount of mana for the deeper dungeons.
All possible preparations have beenpleted.
All that remained was to obtain the reward I desired from the [ck Room].
Ill finally get a weapon worthy of the name.
I retrieved the [Levitating Iron Rod] I had crafted earlier in Workshop No. 1.
Due to the inferior quality of the metalpared to the parts, it had only achieved an E rank.
As a result, it has seen little to no significant action until now.
When I gently infused mana into it, a weak rising air current lifted my bangs and disappeared.
It was as if it was protesting for me to get the weapon a proper body quickly.
Just wait a little longer.
I promise to use the finest metal avable.
***
Friday night.
I met with the members of the thieves club and Go Hyeon-woo near the Dungeon building.
Dang Gyu-young nced over at us and said
Is everyone here? Lets go.
And she calmly took the lead.
Go Hyeon-woos expression subtly changed as he tilted his head in confusion.
His eyes seemed to question me.
Arent we forgetting something?
On Monday, I changed my tie pin and put on an anonymous badge, but since I didnt have anything on me today, perhaps I gave off the air of being underprepared.
Especially since we were heading towards the far more dangerous depths of the Dungeon building.
Instead of offering a lengthy exnation, I merely pointed at the thieves leading the way.
ust watch.
If theres one thing certain about them, its how thoroughly they fulfill their requests.
Building trust is essential for securing future requests.
Moreover, with the head of the thieves club personally overseeing this task, there was no chance of a careless execution.
As the clients, our best course of action was to follow without unnecessary worry.
But if I were to give a short answer to Go Hyeon-woos question, it would be:
Half-hearted tricks wont work in the depths.
Would something as trivial as a badge fool the experts residing in the depths?
Additionally, most of these tricks are meant to prepare for situations where you run into someone on the way down.
So what if you were confident that you would never run into anyone on the way down?
Then there would be no need for any of those things.
As if to affirm this confidence, Dang Gyu-young demonstrated her skills as soon as we entered the underground.
The shadows at our feet quivered, and soon, several small ck butterflies took flight.
[Shadow Butterfly Flight]
The butterflies pped their tiny wings vigorously before disappearing down the circr staircase or beyond the corridors.
Dang Gyu-young led us, following the path taken by the shadow butterflies while asionally stopping or changing direction.
As we progressed, she continued to conjure more to scout ahead.
Scout.
First, she sent out shadow butterflies and, if one of them caught something, she would lead the group to safely distance themselves.
Since they were scouts created with extreme concentration in magic, they could discern situations from much farther away than typical exploratory magic.
Moreover, the butterflies moved so stealthily that the chances of being detected by patrolling guards were extremely low.
It was unlikely that anyone less skilled than Dang Gyu-young could capture them.
Chae Da-bin also fully used her skills.
From the moment she stepped into the circr staircase, her hands never once stopped tapping on the tablet and perhaps because of that, none of the crystal balls or security devices installed in the ces we passed through were working.
Thanks to the guidance of the two seniors, there was no need for a lengthy journey.
When Dang Gyu-young stopped the group in front of an elevator,
Shin Byeong-chul quickly stepped forward to fiddle with a few devices and Chae Da-bin operated her tablet.
Then, without even swiping a student ID, the elevator began to operate on its own.
After riding the elevator down for a while, we followed Dang Gyu-youngs lead to the next elevator.
After repeating the process a few times, we had covered an immense distance in a short period of time which was something unimaginable when we were merely following Shin Byeong-chul on foot.
Were almost there.
The final elevator brought us near the entrance to the depths where the C-rank dungeons were clustered together.
Due to the high risk of detection, it was decided to walk into the depths from the C-rank area, rather than taking a direct elevator.
As we got closer to the border between the underground and deeper levels of the dungeon building, everyone started to get a little nervous.
Even Dang Gyu-young who had been rxed throughout the journey now wore a serious expression on her face.
She started recalling all the shadow butterflies she had dispersed.
No matter how stealthy the shadow butterflies were, there still remained a slight chance of detection.
And because even that small chance could trigger an alert throughout the depths it was best not to deploy them from this point forward.
We walked down the stairs with more cautious steps than before.
Finally, we entered the entrance of the depths.
Chapter 69: No.104 Black Death (1)
Chapter 69: No.104 ck Death (1)
(TN: ck Room dungeon is changed to ck Death dungeon. Sorry for this mistake.)
Even at the entrance, the boundary of the depths was imposingly fortified.
Watch posts staffed by faculty members were erected at regr intervals, and the number of crystal balls embedded in the ceiling exceeded that of the underground levels by more than twice.
Moreover, two third-year disciplinarymittee members could already be seen.
They seemed to be roaming a designated area in a regr pattern as if on patrol.
Could we possibly breach this ce?
It might just work with those two.
With Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin, the chances of sess were high.
Infiltrating the temporary storage had been challenging even with just one member of the third-year students guarding the ce, but the situation was different now.
Unlike the senior with the hell axe who had been fervently guarding the storage room door, these students were unaware of our ns to infiltrate tonight, let alone that our target was dungeon number 104.
Guarding the sprawling expanse of dungeons inevitably leads to gaps in their surveince.
For someone as skilled as Dang Gyu-young, exploiting such gaps wouldnt be difficult.
However,
It would be difficult with an extra burden.
The burden, of course, included myself and the other first-year students.
Icked any skills or traits to conceal my presence aside from the [Thiefs Step] and there was no need to even mention Go Hyeon-woo.
Shin Byeong-cheol might have learned a few things but his overall level was low.
With such a burden of three freshmen, it would be too much even for the president of the thieves club.
So, we need to offload this burden.
Dang Gyu-young would likely have a way to do so.
Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin silentlypared the prepared map with the scene before them and started talking with each other through lip reading.
They examined the patrol routes of the two student disciplinarymittee members and started improvising a strategy to evade them on the spot.
As soon as their brief exchange ended, Chae Da-bins fingers began furiously tapping on the tablet.
Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap,
So fast that her fingers were a blur.
With the number of crystal balls doubled, it seemed her workload had increased twofold as well.
Dang Gyu-young too gathered mana to prepare a considerablyrge spell.
The shadows at our feet grew increasingly darker.
Shin Byeong-cheol approached Dang Gyu-young and gestured for us with his mouth.
Group up, this way.
In the meantime, Chae Da-bin had seemingly neutralized all the crystal balls in the area and her hands abruptly stopped.
Then, with a short word as a signal,
Its ready.
Dang Gyu-young released the prepared spell.
[Shadow Pouch]
Shadows burst forth from beneath our feet and they formed arge shadowy pouch.
The pouch, like a living creature, opened its maw and swiftly engulfed us.
Our vision was enveloped in pitch-ck darkness.
Only Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol were faintly visible beside me.
Soon, I felt a swaying sensation, as if being rocked side to side.
It appeared Dang Gyu-young was transporting us within the shadow pouch.
Go Hyeon-woo looked to be interested and he attempted to feel around the walls but I stopped him.
Stay still.
Ahem
Causing any disturbance could potentially affect Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin, who were moving us from the outside.
Staying as quiet as possible seemed like the best strategy.
After a moment, it felt as though the shadow pouch spat us out, and our vision returned to normal.
The first thing that came into view was:
[No.104] [ck Death]
The dungeon portal we were aiming for.
I gestured with my eye to Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol and pointed to the entrance.
We go in immediately.
There was no time to hesitate.
We had to enter right away since we didnt know when the patrol members mighte here.
Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin mouthed a word each to us.
Come back alive.
Good luck.
And to Shin Byeong-cheol, they added a few more words.
Bring back a gift.
Bring back some snacks.
Yes, Noonim.
We bid them farewell and then promptly stepped into the teleportation portal.
***
The first ce we set foot in resembled an old, dpidated house.
It seemed long abandoned with the floor covered in a thickyer of dust.
The sunlight streaming in through the windows provided a warm and cozy atmosphere.
For some reason, Go Hyeon-woo looked around with a wistful expression on his face.
Leaving him to his contemtion for a moment, I turned to check on Shin Byeong-cheol,
...
Only to find his usually yful demeanor was gone and was now reced by a face filled with worry.
It seemed the reality of entering a B-rank dungeon had finally sunk in.
While it was understandable given the actual dangers of the ce, allowing him to remain in such a fearful state couldpromise even a well-nned mission.
It was clear we needed to boost morale.
And there was one particrly effective method for such situations.
Scared?
You can stir the pride of a man with just one word.
The effect was remarkably good.
Shin Byeong-cheol immediately managed his expression and let out a slight chuckle.
Ahe on, what are you on about? Whos scared?
Your legs are shaking though?
Its a habit, just a habit. I always shake, even when Im standing.
Well, habits are hard to break.
I pretended to ept his exnation and moved on.
Seeing Shin Byeong-cheols expression rx, it was clear that provoking a mans pride had worked sessfully.
We left the old house and continued along the path.
The road widened and the number of people we passed increased.
We had entered a marketce.
Soon, we were engulfed by an odd sense of unease.
With so many people around, the ce should have been bustling and noisy, but there was an eerily subdued atmosphere with little sound.
Moreover, the expressions on peoples faces were filled with negative emotions such as dissatisfaction, sadness, fear, and resignation.
It wasnt hard to guess the cause.
The continuous urrence of unfortunate events in the area often led to such phenomena.
For example, the tyranny of the sect or n governing the area is severe, people disappear every day, and the bodies are removed.
And, needless to say, the n in question was the
ck Death.
Arge pavilion stood tall at a distance.
It was the root cause of all incidents in the area and the core of the dungeon.
The objective of this dungeon was to bring down the ck Death, defeating its leader and deputy leader.
Originally, that was the goal.
But with our current capabilities, it was nothing but a pipe dream.
Therefore, our goal was to extract the essence and make a swift exit.
With that in mind, we continued our walk through the marketce while searching for the first essence.
Until we stumbled upon a small, dpidated inn tucked away in a corner.
The faded sign was hard to read and the old wooden door was half-closed, making one wonder if it was still in business.
However, I didnt hesitate to push the door open and step inside.
I was certain this was the ce.
The interior of the establishment was as worn and dpidated as its exterior.
As expected from the outside, there were no other customers besides us.
Ignoring this, we chose a table and seated ourselves.
After a short wait, the inn waiter peeked out from the kitchen.
The surprise on his face at seeing customers was telling of how seldom business came his way.
Still, in order to fulfill his duty as a waiter, he approached us and took our orders.
What will it be?
Three duck soups and some dumplings.
Alright, just a moment.
The waiter disappeared into the kitchen and soon emerged with a steaming te of dumplings.
Just made them fresh.
He ced the te in the middle of the table and returned to the kitchen.
Watching his retreating figure, Shin Byeong-cheol quietly observed him before asking me,
Are we here for him?
Yes.
Shin Byeong-cheol had also memorized the strategy guide by force, so he was fully aware of what was to happen next and what needed to be done.
The reason we had sought out this inn was precisely because the waiter was the next target of the ck Death.
It wasnt because there was anything particrly special about him that made him a target.
The ck Death simply took young men one by one periodically, much like carnivores picking out their meals.
It just so happened that it was now the waiters turn.
The three of us leisurely waited while eating dumplings.
And by the time the te was almost clean,
The old wooden door opened, signaling the arrival of new customers.
However, these customers did not enter; instead, they stood firm by the door while peering inside.
Two men dressed in dark-colored martial arts uniforms.
The ck snake tattoos on the back of their hands revealed their affiliation.
Low-ranking warriors of the ck Death n.
One of the warriors sent a sharp gaze in our direction as if to inspect us, but we did not react immediately and continued to finish the remaining dumplings.
At that moment, the waiter poked his head out from the kitchen, spotted them, and stiffened uppletely.
A warrior from the ck Death n cracked a sinister smile and broke the silence.
Doing good business? Surprisingly, there are customers today.
The waiter replied in a flustered tone.
I-Ive already paid this months dues.
No, today we are here for a different reason.
At the mention of a different reason, fear visibly mounted on the waiters face as if he had guessed what it might be.
Meanwhile, the smile on the low-ranking warriors face grew more and more.
Come with us.
That, thats
You cant!
A middle-aged man who seemed to be the chef burst out of the kitchen and shouted.
He hugged the waiter as if to shield him.
However, as the ck Death n warrior intensified his menacing re, the man couldnt muster the courage to meet his gaze.
It was exceedingly difficult for an ordinary person to withstand the oppressive aura emitted by a martial artist.
Yet despite this, the middle-aged man was desperate.
This was because none of the young men who had been taken away by the ck Death n in such a manner had ever returned.
He was trembling and barely managed to speak,
My son, not my son, please
Thud!
Before he could finish his plea, the low-ranking warrior kicked him, sending him tumbling to the ground.
The warrior nced at the middle-aged man groaning on the floor, then directed a sharp intensity our way.
It was a warning not to interfere.
He then spoke to the waiter.
Follow us.
Hesitate, and I will cut him down.
Seeing his hand caressing the sword at his waist, the waiter had no choice but toply.
Any further resistance might result in facing the middle-aged mans corpse, so he had no option but to quietly be taken by the ck Death n.
Ah.
When the ck Death n warriors and the waiter vanished from sight,
The middle-aged man struck with despair, slumped down with his gaze fixed on the ground.
His son had be someone who might never return.
I slowly approached him.
As I stood there silently looking down, the middle-aged man became aware of me and lifted his eyes.
I asked with a slight smile,
Shall I go and bring him back?
A flicker of hope appeared on the middle-aged mans face.
Though it was clear he had little expectation against the warriors of the ck Death n, he seemed desperate to cling to any straw of hope.
If you could do that
What then?
I would give anything. Anything at all.
I grinned.
Just remember, no changing your mindter.
Chapter 70: No.104 Black Death (2)
Chapter 70: No.104 ck Death (2)
I left the inn and followed the tracks of the two warriors from the ck Death n.
Soon, I spotted the back of their ck uniforms and the nape of the waiters neck.
They quickly became aware of our presence. This was likely because we made no effort to conceal our pursuit.
Instead of calling for reinforcements, they began to lure us somewhere.
This meant that they believed they could handle us on their own.
We willingly followed them and soon found ourselves in a confrontation in a deserted area.
One of the ck Death warriors recognized us and said,
So its the folks from the inn. Have youe to y the hero?
Yes, I couldnt stay still in the face of such injustice.
I couldnt stay still in the face of the hidden piece too.
When I sent a nce to the side, Go Hyeon-woo added.
Indeed. How can we just stand by and watch an innocent young man being taken away?
Your courage ismendable but foolish. Your sense of justice will hasten your death.
Swoosh.
Warrior A immediately drew his sword from his waist.
Warrior B, however, seemed to have a slightly different idea.
After sizing us up, he spoke to A.
These ones have strong builds. They might be useful.
Shall we take them too?
Yes, but try to subdue them without causing too much damage.
A limb or two can be spared, right?
Of course.
Their attitude meant that overpowering us would be as easy as flipping their hands.
I too signaled to Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-chul.
Try not to damage the clothes.
Understood.
We needed to salvage their uniforms.
Without any warning, I cast [Wind Force] on Warrior A, signaling the start of the battle.
What the
Caught off guard by the wind pulling him towards me, he momentarily panicked but quickly regained hisposure and used the wind tounch himself at me, aiming to sever my arm.
I tilted my head slightly and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck before mming him down to the ground with force.
Bang!
Perhaps because he was a very resilient guy, he was not immediately incapacitated and swung his sword while lying on the ground.
Just before the de could slice my ankle, I leaped a spans height into the air, dodging the de, then cast Wind Force again before lifting him up and mming him back down.
Thud!
Seeing that he was still conscious, I grabbed his head and drove my knee into his temple with a crunch.
Crack!
Turning my attention to the others, I saw Go Hyeon-woo and the lower-ranked Warrior B exchanging blows rapidly.
Their fists and palms intertwined swiftly in mid-air.
Shin Byeong-chul hovered nearby, trying to trip him up or strike from behind, but often ended up taking hits himself.
The fight seemed somewhat messy.
It was unclear whether this was because Go Hyeon-woo wasnt using his main weapon, the sword, or because Shin Byeong-chul naturally fought in a scrappy manner.
The ridiculous skit-like scene finally concluded when Shin Byeong-chul secured him in a headlock from behind, allowing Go Hyeon-woo to deliver a solid punch to his sr plexus.
We stripped the subdued warriors of their uniforms, tied them up tightly, and carelessly tossed them aside.
By the time they woke up or their absence was noticed, we would have long since departed from the dungeon.
Shin Byeong-chul seemed to ache all over from the brief battle, and he was frequently massaging his shoulders and limbs.
Are these guys really just lower-ranked warriors? Not some kind of small leaders?
Yes, these are the weakest ones here.
Though they were indeed lower-ranked, they belonged to the deeper B-rank dungeon.
They would be considered elite or mid-boss level in any ordinary low-level dungeon.
Me and Go Hyeon-woo were one thing, but Shin Byeong-chul would not stand a chance in a one-on-one fight with them.
Therefore, avoidingbat was essential.
Nheless, the first step had been aplished.
I spoke to the inn waiter who was standing beside us awkwardly,
Lets go back.
***
Son!
Father!
The father and son pair embraced each other as if they hadnt seen each other for decades, sharing a moment of family reunion.
It might have been a touching scene to some, but I had seen it too many times to feel much emotion.
Reflecting on it, I dont think I felt much the first time I saw it either.
So, I interrupted the two rudely.
Sorry to intrude on this touching moment, but there are matters to settle.
Oh, yes! What can I do for you?
Is it alright if I take this?
In my hand was a small statue.
I picked up a Dharma statue that adorned a corner of the inn.
The middle-aged mans expression seemed to wonder,
Why on earth would you want that?
However, perhaps thinking that a Dharma statue was not too much to ask for and that it was toote to change terms, he nodded in agreement.
. Take it, then.
Thank you. How about some duck soup? The dumplings were a bit light.
Of course, its possible. Ill prepare it right away.
With that, the middle-aged man and inn waiter went back to the kitchen to finish the cooking.
I settled at a table and closely examined the Dharma statue.
It was worn and chipped in ces and looked quite unremarkable.
Yet facing the smiling face of the Dharma, I felt a peculiar charm.
Go Hyeon-woo who was examining the statue with me seemed to feel something simr.
This looks rather extraordinary.
Shin Byeong-chul who had been loitering around also chimed in.
Isnt that used in formations or something?
Right. Its used in formations.
Specifically, it was used to dismantle certain formations.
So it was somewhat like a key.
Moreover,
What do you see?
When I handed over the Dharma statue with that question, Go Hyeon-woo took it somewhat bewilderedly and looked down at it.
At first, he was somewhat puzzled,
But as time passed, his expression turned grave.
This is!
Just like Go Hyeon-woo suspected, the person who carved this was no ordinary master.
A skilled individual who embedded their martial philosophy into the mere carving of a Dharma statue.
Each lineposing the statue seemed like the trace of a sharp swords passage.
Despite significant weathering over many years, those traces remained distinctly visible.
Continuous observation and study might reveal aspects of the martial philosophy.
To a warrior like Go Hyeon-woo, this was a treasure worth more than gold.
On the other hand, what mattered to me was solely its ability to dismantle formations.
Therefore, I decided to lend it to Go Hyeon-woo until a need for it aroseter.
Keep it for a while. Do some research and see what you can find.
Are you sure its alright to lend something so valuable to me?
We risked our lives entering this dungeon; it only makes sense to take something worthwhile from it.
Go Hyeon-woo who always trusted and followed me deserved such a reward.
Go Hyeon-woo was so moved that he showed his respect.
Im always in awe of your generosity, Kim-hyung. Thank you.
Get stronger quickly. We have other dungeons to explore together.
Ill do my best.
With that, the Dharma statue was transferred to Go Hyeon-woos inventory.
Just then, the inn waiter emerged from the kitchen while carrying a tray with three servings of duck soup.
Heres the duck soup you ordered.
He set one down in front of each of us
The bowl was bubbling with ava-colored liquid.
At first nce, it appeared extremely spicy.
Even when I yed it as a game, this inns duck soup was famous for being spicy.
The name of the inn Spicy Duck Soup wasnt just for show.
We lifted our spoons and took a mouthful at the same time before furrowing our eyebrows at the same time.
The expression on our faces universally screamed, This is unbearably spicy!
Just as I was about toment on the spiciness, Shin Byeong-chul pretended to be unfazed.
Its not spicy at all. This is practically like drinking water.
Go Hyeon-woo and I exchanged looks, then chimed in,
This is very good.
As you eat, it actually gets quite pleasant.
Thus began a battle of pride among the men.
***
At first, we had only intended to taste the duck soup out of curiosity due to its reputation for being extremely spicy.
However, an unexpected battle of pride, not between men but rather like that of half-grown boys, broke out, leading us to devour the duck soup as if in a battle.
The result was a draw, with everyone reluctantly finishing their servings.
In such cases, the inn selling the duck soup would be the only winner. However, since the owner refused to ept payment, this was not the case.
After finishing the duck soup, we set aside our yful attitudes and seriously reviewed our strategy.
The approach to tackling the ck Death dungeon was broadly simr to that of the Feathered Serpent Altar.
While I engaged the key forces, Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-chul were tasked with securing the target items.
A crucial difference from the Feathered Serpent Altar was the overwhelming strength of the ck Death n, making them impossible to defeat.
Thus, we needed a different method to conquer the dungeon.
Bring them out.
Responding to my request, Go Hyeon-woo ced two items on the table.
They were expensive purchases from the student store.
One was a tinymunication device to be worn in the ear, allowing us to stay in touch during the operation.
The other was a piece of parchment engraved with aplex magic circle.
[Emergency Escape Scroll (B)].
It was a one-time-use item designed to create an exit, allowing for escape without having to clear the dungeon.
It boasted an incredibly powerful effect but came with significant limitations; so if used carelessly, it can lead to problems.
Because this part was important, I emphasized it again by pointing to the scroll.
No matter what happens, you must make it to a safe area before using it.
What happens if its used in the wrong ce?
If youre extremely lucky, an escape portal might open
But if not, theres no guarantee where the portal might lead.
There was a non-negligible chance of ending up in an unidentified dungeon.
To ensure a safe exit, the scroll should only be used afterpleting all tasks and within a safe zone, like the abandoned house we first entered.
Shin Byeong-chul nodded his head in understanding.
Okay, so we just need to stick to the n.
Ive also memorized it.
After reviewing several other key elements of the strategy,
We left the inn and went our separate ways.
Then, Kim-hyung, I wish you good luck.
You guys too. Keep in touch along the way.
While Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-chul moved towards the secret passage, the starting point of this attack, I found myself with some free time.
So, I took a stroll through the marketce and picked up a few gifts.
I remembered Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin telling me to bring some snacks when I came back, so I mostly focused on that.
By the time my inventory was brimming with snacks, Go Hyeon-woos voice came through themunication device I had plugged into my ear.
[Weve arrived.]
Alright, lets get started.
After giving a short answer, I went straight to the ck Death n.
There were two gatekeepers leaning crookedly at the main gate, and one of them spotted me and asked a question.
Who goes there?
I didnt respond and kept advancing.
The gatekeepers seemed to sense something unusual in the confident and direct approach of my stride towards them.
The expression of the one who had questioned me turned fierce, and he immediately drew his sword to point it at me.
I asked who you are!
I continued to approach without giving an answer.
Then, the gatekeeper charged at me while swinging his sword.
What he hadnt noticed was that my fist was glowing red-hot and was emitting faint wisps of smoke.
Dodging the sword aimed at my neck, I lunged forward and thrust my fist out,
Boooooooooom!!
A storm of mes erupted, sweeping everything in front of me, including the two gatekeepers.
Where the main gate once stood, there was now a gaping hole, leaving the space eerily empty, and the mes that had jumped to the buildings were growingrger.
I paused and watched the scene for a while.
It burns well.
They say the most entertaining spectacles in the world are watching a fight and a fire, and it seems that saying holds true.
I was the one who started the fight and also the one who lit the fire, but those were minor details.
Soon, the interior became as noisy as a disturbed beehive.
Whats happening? Whats going on?
Its at the main gate!
Fire! Put out the fire quickly!
They must have been wondering how such a bolt from the blue struck on a peaceful day.
I decided to help the ck Death members understand the situation.
Taking a deep breath, I raised my voice to its fullest and shouted.
Its an enemy attack!
Come here!
Chapter 71: No.104 Black Death (3)
Chapter 71: No.104 ck Death (3)
A group of individuals d in ck surged out and crossed the mes to gather in front of the main gate (what remained of it).
With the crowd beingrge, it was easy to spot several skilled individuals among them.
Master level, Grand Master level, and Elder level
A warrior who seemed to be of elder level repeated the question that had just been asked.
And who are you?
The enemy attack.
. Madman.
I wont argue with that.
I readily agreed with that since my current actions bordered on crazy.
Realizing I was not someone to reason with the Elder issued an order.
Attack.
The figures in ck spread out like a fan around me andunched a coordinated attack.
Several des were aiming at me from all directions.
After skillfully maneuvering through the gaps, I channeled [Wind Force] into my hand and struck a figure in ck on the right.
Bang!
The figure of the ck-d man tangled with those of hisrades behind him, and they all tumbled to the ground together.
Seizing that brief opening, I slipped through the encirclement and delivered a second [Inferno Fist] to the one who had pursued me the closest.
Booooooom!
In an instant, about a dozen figures in ck were reduced to ashes.
In contrast, those ranked as masters or higher showed their skill by swiftly evading the range of the fiery storm.
It was clear that such attacks were less effective in a B-rank dungeon.
Although the encirclement quickly reformed, having witnessed and experienced what had just happened, they hesitated to advance rashly.
The Elder guy who had first addressed me attempted to initiate a conversation. Even though he called me a madman earlier, his tone was now surprisingly polite.
Could you possibly be a descendant of the me Emperor?
me Emperor?
What was that supposed to mean?
Did the Inferno Fist which was a fire-type attack make him think of such nickname?
If they were to misunderstand me in such a way,
I would actually prefer it.
It meant that attracting their attention had be easier.
I deliberately adopted an even more arrogant expression on my face.
I have no answer to give to mere scum of the heavenly demon cult.
..
Upon hearing those words, the figures d in ck exchanged nces among themselves, seeminglying to an understanding.
The atmosphere tensed up considerably, and it seemed I was firmlybeled as a descendant of the me Emperor.
Normally at this point, any typical martial artist of demonic sects would scatter to save their own skin, but not one of the figures in ck fled; they all stood their ground.
The Elder quickly instructed someone who appeared swift,
Hurry and bring back the leader.
Everyone began to burn their fighting spirit as if they were determined to fight to the death.
Shiiik!
This time the Elder took the lead and came in thrusting his sword at me.
I narrowly dodged the de and lunged forward, but the Elder exchanged several blows with me even with the hand not holding the sword.
However, after a few exchanges, he was ultimately struck in the chest by a forceful wind and sent reeling backward in disarray.
Of course, my opponent was not the Elder alone.
As I immediately kicked the ground to evade, the spot where I had just been was savagely torn apart by the swords of the figures in ck.
Seizing one of the pursuers close behind me, I hurled him away andunched a st ofpressed air along with him.
The figure shot away like a cannonball, but the others did not catch him; they simply stepped aside.
Eventually, the figure disappeared into the distance.
Come on, isnt he your friend?
Such heartless bastards.
Nheless, this created a brief moment of respite, and seizing this opportunity, I clenched my fist and thrust it forward with all my might.
Just when someone cried out in urgency,
Dodge it!
The masked people scurried out of the way in front of me.
Yet, nothing happened.
I didnt use the Inferno Fist, after all.
I couldnt help but smirk with my fist still extended.
Scared, arent you?
!!
This bastard!
The faces of several of the figures in ck turned a shade of angry red, but they managed to maintain theirposure and waited.
Just by observing their demeanor, one could tell how well-trained they were.
However, it seemed unlikely that it would be the turn of the figures in ck any time soon.
A heavy presence could be felt from the direction of the entrance.
Standing there was a middle-aged man dressed in ck, and his snake-like appearance and sharp aura were reminiscent of a coiled viper.
The leader of the ck Death n.
The head of the ck Death n and the final boss of this dungeon had finally revealed himself.
The ck Death leader didnt repeat the questions that others had asked.
He must have heard something from his subordinates on his way here.
A disciple of the me Emperor?
Not at all.
Im not that mans disciple. Its a misunderstanding.
The leader of the ck Death n turned his head towards his subordinates.
What has happened here?
Its certain hes a disciple of the me Emperor. It just seems his mind is somewhat disturbed.
At those words, everyone in the room silently agreed.
The ck Death n leader addressed me once more.
After causing such a ruckus, do you think denying it now will spare your life?
It doesnt seem like you n to spare me either way.
Thats right. You will pay for the damage inflicted upon our n with your life. And since youre a disciple of the me Emperor, it wouldnt be a bad deal.
If possible
While I was speaking, I suddenly jerked my head aside.
A ck object whizzed past, narrowly missing my chin.
let me finish speaking.
To dodge that, impressive indeed.
The fingers of the ck Death n leader were curved like the talons of a hawk poised to clutch its prey.
His martial arts specialized in w techniques.
Martial arts designed to sh and inflict wounds upon his opponents.
He also had the tips of his fingers and fingernails stained pitch ck, which was evidence that he had practiced very vicious poisoning techniques.
A mere scratch would allow the deadly poison to seep into the wound, and before one could finish a bowl of duck soup, they would be reduced to a mere puddle of blood.
Try dodging this as well,
Five fingers filled with extreme poison reached out to my chest.
With a slight sidestep, I focused my Wind Force to nudge the passing arm away.
Just as I thought I had created some distance, his arm twisted in a bizarre manner beforeing back at me with a sh.
I had no choice but to take a few steps back, but the ck Death n leader pressed on relentlessly, giving me no room to breathe.
He stretched out both hands and aimed for my left shoulder and right arm at the same time.
I retreated as vigorously as if I werepeting in a backward-running race.
The ck Death n leader persisted in his pursuit, shing with both hands, but all he managed to grasp was the empty air.
He was clearly frustrated by the situation.
You slip away like an eel.
Im rather fast.
He must have thought he could easily catch up with me with just a few steps backward, but as I continued to slip away from his grasp, his frustration seemed to grow.
I couldnt resist adding fuel to the fire in such a situation.
So when I caught a glimpse of his ckened fingernails as they whizzed past my face, I couldnt help butment.
Wow, look at those nails. Theyre pitch ck. You should consider trimming them, or maybe scrub them hard with a toothbrush.
What did you
For a moment, the ck Death n leaders face went nk.
It seemed he had never got some verbal thrashing before.
After all, who would dare toment on his nails in his presence?
Even the slightest provocation could lead to a deadly poisoning.
Nevertheless, I continued with my trash talk.
Eating with those hands could get you sick, seriously sick! Youre looking at a case of food poisoning!
I will ensure your death is excruciatingly painful.
The ck Death ns leaders face was distorted viciously.
He was so angry that his fingertips began to tremble.
He then attacked with even greater ferocity.
Still, Im faster.
Despite my taunts, I hadnt been using my full strength either, so the same scenario unfolded.
As I retreated, the ck Death n leader pursued me relentlessly while shing through the air.
After this bizarre chase went on for some time, he suddenly asked,
How long do you n to keep running?
Until I hear from Go Hyeon-woo.
Once I received the signal, I wouldnt just retreat and dodge around; I nned to turn my back and sprint away at full speed.
But until then, I was intent on biding my time.
However, being too overt might raise suspicions of an ulterior motive.
It seemed the leader of the ck Death n was beginning to sense something was off, so it was time for me tond a significant blow.
If you truly wish to see my real strength, then I shall show you.
At the sight of my fist turning a dark, blood-red color, the ck Death n leader momentarily slowed his offensive to prepare for what was toe.
But instead of unleashing the mes that enveloped my fist, they were absorbed back into my body.
[Overheat]
The mes spread throughout my body and provided me with immense power.
The ck Death n leaders expression hardened as he observed the mes.
. So, you are indeed a disciple of the me Emperor.
Thats not it at all.
Youre still going to deny it
Before the ck Death n leader could finish his sentence, I made a surprise move.
In an instant, Ipressed space and reappeared behind him.
He turned swiftly to w at me but his reaction was a beat too slow.
When I moved again to the opposite side and extended my hand, apressed air burst exploded right in front of the ck Death n leader.
Boom!
It wasnt meant to cause damage, but merely to make him squint momentarily.
That was enough.
I had sessfully created a blind spot in his field of vision, however brief it was.
I seized this fleeting opportunity to move directly in front of the ck Death n leader.
[Inferno Fist]
[Wind Force]
A burning fist followed by a gust of wind infused with physical force struck squarely into the abdomen of the ck Death n leader.
Kaboom!
His figure was instantly sent flying into the distance before crashing into the ck Death n.
A storm of mes ensued and the buildings near the impact site crumbled into ruins.
..
Despite the dramatic turn of events, the reaction from the members of the ck Death n was overly dry.
Their leader had just been sent flying, yet they all stood firm and maintained a fan formation without a hint of emotion.
Not a single one cried out in concern for their leader.
This implied one thing clearly.
They harbored an unshakeable belief that their leader could not possibly be defeated by such means.
I also didnt have much expectations.
This wont be enough.
The [Inferno Fist] skill, while boasting immense destructive power rtive to its rank due to its severe penalties, still fell short of taking down the final boss of a B-rank dungeon.
This raised a question.
If a fairlyrge tribes priest is a D-rank boss, how does a single leader of a ck Death n warrant a B-rank?
And how could he remain unscathed after taking a direct hit from the Inferno Fist?
The answer was surprisingly simple.
This is not a ck Death n.
Boooom!
From the spot where the ck Death n leader had crashed, a surge of dark energy erupted explosively.
Debris from the copsed building scattered in all directions as a figure shrouded in ck energy walked directly toward me.
Dreadful demonic energy was streaming out from every part of the ck Death n leaders body.
After the great demon war, the once mighty Heavenly Demon Cult had been shattered and divided.
And the true identity of the ck Death n leader was that of a high-ranking official who once oversaw the ck Death Sect of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
The ck Death n Leader, or rather, the ck Death Sect leader red at me and spat out his words venomously.
If I dont tear you to pieces today, I swear Ill grind my bones to dust.
My response remained the same.
Save such threats for after youve caught me.
Chapter 72: No.104 Black Death (4)
Chapter 72: No.104 ck Death (4)
Meanwhile, Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-chul were making their way along a narrow and dark corridor.
This secret passage had been constructed when the ck Death n was first established but it gradually faded from memory as time passed.
Eventually, it became a ce unknown to anyone, especially after the entire leadership including the previous ck Death n leader had been reced.
How Kim Ho came to know of it remained a mystery, but it proved to be an excellent route for infiltration.
Boom!
A distant explosion echoed through the corridor, shaking loose dust and dirt from above.
Kim Ho must have started his part.
Quite themotion.
This was proof that Kim Ho was causing a disturbance at the main gate.
And that was to create an opportunity for a smoother infiltration. They needed to hurry to take advantage of this moment.
The two quickened their pace even more.
Once they had crossed through the secret passage, the scene within the ck Death n was utter chaos.
It would have been more surprising if there wasnt chaos, considering an intruder had detonated something akin to a powerful bomb at the main gate.
Whats happening? Whats going on?
Its at the main gate!
Fire! Put out the fire quickly!
The ck Death n warriors were busy running around the ce and paid no attention to Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-chul because they had changed into the ck uniforms they had stolen earlier.
And Shin Byeong-chul had roughly drawn a snake tattoo on the back of their hands.
Though the snake looked somewhat crude, Go Hyeon-woo decided to be satisfied with it.
Its at least better than Miss Seos
He thought that if Seo Ye-in had drawn it, it might have looked more like a worm than a snake.
Their target, the ck Death ns secret treasure room, was located deep underground.
As they walked in the opposite direction of the warriors rushing towards the main gate, they asionally encountered others who gave them suspicious looks as if wondering, Where are these guys going?
Some even stopped briefly to take a closer look at Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-chul.
Their faces clearly showed they found the two to be unfamiliar.
Each time they were scrutinized, Shin Byeong-chul would point aggressively toward the main gate and bellow out,
Hey! Didnt you hear? Its the main gate, the main gate!
Then, leaving the puzzled ck Death n warriors behind, they quickly moved away.
However, such simple tricks ceased to work once they truly entered the underground.
Two men in ck stood guard near the entrance.
These two remained unflinchingly at their posts despite the chaos above.
Judging by their stance, these guards seemed to be at least half a full level more skilled than those they had encountered near the inn.
They were likely among the elite warriors of the ck Death n.
As Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-chul approached, one of the guards examined Go Hyeon-woo for a moment before drawing his sword.
An intruder.
..
When Go Hyeon-woo silently inquired with a nce how he had been so easily identified, the elite warrior responded,
Many have lost their heads upon entering here without knowing the proper passages. Besides
He continued reluctantly,
I dont recall ever seeing someone who looks as much like a pampered schr as you do.
When tranted into mensnguage, the term pampered schr meant that he was unnecessarily handsome.
Shin Byeong-chul who also heard that grimaced and his face crumpled like a piece of tissue paper.
Fu*k. Life is so unfair. Caught for being too handsome? I wish that would happen to me too.
Sadly, Shin Byeong-chul who was d in the ck warrior uniform blended in seamlessly with the others. He was embodying the perfect image of a low-ranked warrior C of the ck Death n and his face waspletely devoid of any sense of incongruity.
While Shin Byeong-chul internally cursed the world,
Go Hyeon-woo cracked a slight smile and then slowly stepped forward.
I should merely be grateful for thepliment on my appearance. However, I do hope for your understanding.
Understanding of what?
sh!
In an instant, a golden sh sparkled from Go Hyeon-woos hand.
The elite warrior was no ordinary fighter and managed to raise his sword in defense immediately, but it was to no avail as he was split in two along with his sword.
Suddenly, Go Hyeon-woo was holding a golden magic sword in his hand.
Go Hyeon-woo looked down at his crumbling opponent and added,
That I must strike you down.
Then he turned his gaze toward Shin Byeong-chul.
Hey, hey! Help! Hurry!
Thetter was desperately retreating after getting overwhelmed by his opponent.
Given that he was no match even for the lowest-ranked warriors, he wouldnt be able to face an elite one.
Left with no choice, Go Hyeon-woo joined in and swung his sword.
When the second elite warrior fell, Go Hyeon-woo yfully remarked,
Shin-hyung, it seems you need to train even harder.
Well, thats not entirely wrong, but honestly, its more about you guys being exceptionally strong.
Isnt it odd for a freshman to be rampaging through a B-rank dungeon?
Shin Byeong-chul had his own perspective to share.
Also, I wasnt brought here for my swordsmanship but for my technical skills. Im considered a high-level talent.
Im aware of that. We have high hopes for you, Shin-hyung.
Go Hyeon-woo replied with a grin.
He too understood that everyone had their own role to y.
There was also the fact that Shin Byeong-cheols skills were quite outstanding in his field.
If he were only good enough to barely contribute, Kim would have dismissed him long ago.
His involvement in the operation was proof of that,
It was as if he had received Kim Hos guarantee.
Perhaps feeling spurred by the high expectations ced on him, Shin Byeong-chul pulled out a long chopstick-like tool and began twirling it in his hand.
He was eager to showcase his expertise with mechanical devices.
Just wait; Ill show you in a moment.
The path to the target was aplex maze of corridors of various kinds.
Some passages were guarded by elite warriors in formation, while others were filled with intricate mechanical traps.
The strategy guide specifically advised focusing on areas rigged with mechanisms.
The corridor they were facing was a prime example.
It appeared tidy at first nce, but a faint nking sound from beyond the walls hinted at hidden mechanical devices.
And likely traps.
The moment for Shin Byeong-chul to shine had finally arrived.
Shin Byeong-chul mimicked the solemn tone of a ck Death n warrior.
Watch closely. Youre about to see me, Shin Byeong-chul, in action.
Haha
Shin Byeong-chul pressed himself against one wall, crept forward and suddenly jabbed two chopsticks into a barely visible crevice before stirring them wildly.
Soon after, a distinct clicking sound emanated from within and the faint rattling that had been lingering in the air ceased all at once.
Is it over?
Yes. Lets move on.
Shin Byeong-chul strode forward confidently.
But even though the other party looked confident, Go Hyeon-woo remained skeptical and braced for the possibility of a triggered mechanism.
Yet, the passage remained undisturbed.
As they encountered another suspicious corridor,
This time, Shin Byeong-chul calmly walked forward before suddenly kneeling down.
After tapping the floor in several ces, Shin Byeong-chul gestured for Go Hyeon-woo toe closer.
Step on this.
Go Hyeon-woo ced one foot on the spot Shin Byeong-chul indicated. Then he used the Thousand Pound Hammer martial arts and pressed down firmly.
(TN: A martial art that uses internal energy to temporarily increase body weight.)
Crunch,
The floor gave way under his foot, revealing a small cavity.
At a nce, it contained something that seemed to be the heart of a mechanism.
Shin Byeong-chul nonchntly stuck a chopstick into it and then stood up.
Next. Lets move on.
Following that, Shin Byeong-chul effortlessly rendered a series of trapspletely ineffective.
Go Hyeon-woo couldnt help but express his genuine admiration.
Your skill with mechanical devices is remarkable, Shin-hyung.
See? Did you see that? Its all about knowing how to use technology. Just swinging a sword wont cut it.
Shin Byeong-chul began to boast and startedying out his knowledge with a smug look on his face.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head with a good-natured smile and simply listened to the exnation.
But he suddenly sensed something before he raised his hand to stop the conversation and pointed forward with his chin.
Around the corner of the corridor which bent like the letter L they sensed the approach of three entities.
Go Hyeon-woo raised his momentum mouthed the words,
Ill break through in one go.
As expected, three elite warriors rounded the corner and came into view.
Upon spotting Go Hyeon-woo, they reacted just as the previous guards had.
An intruder!
Instantly, two of them drew their swords and charged, while the third turned to flee,
Intending to alert others to the intruders presence.
However, by the time they reacted, Go Hyeon-woo had already made his move.
[Rapid Current]
As if a gust of wind had suddenly blown through the still underground air, Go Hyeon-woo shot forward and merged with the gale.
The elite warriors swung their swords reflexively, but Go Hyeon-woo was faster and easily darted past them.
In the next moment, deep gashes appeared on their chests.
Ugh!
Kuh!
And with the momentum of his speed, he pierced through the back of the one attempting to flee.
The sequence of events was so swift that the bodies of the three men almost simultaneously hit the ground.
Go Hyeon-woo turned to look back at Shin Byeong-cheol with a faint smile.
Skill is good, but wouldnt it be better toplement it with force?
Lets do that.
Shin Byeong-cheol who was now humbled readily agreed.
As they took turns taking the lead, they soon found themselves in the treasure room of the ck Death n.
More precisely, at one of the walls of the treasure room.
The entrance was guarded by warriors even more skilled than any they had encountered so far, so they had no choice but to quietly make their way through as if burrowing through a mouse hole.
Shin-hyung, please step back for a moment.
When Shin Byeong-cheol took a few steps back, Go Hyeon-woo smoothly drew his sword several times.
The thick stone wall was cut as smoothly as tofu before revealing ayer of mechanical devices.
Naturally, this part was Shin Byeong-cheols to handle.
When Shin Byeong-cheol stuck a few chopsticks in and gave a signal, Go Hyeon-woo swung his sword once again.
Finally, arge hole was made in the wall which allowed the two of them to enter.
Inside the treasure room, indeed, were treasures of great value and rarity.
Gold and silver treasures, ceramics, famous swords, secret manuals, elixirs
As they looked around, Shin Byeong-cheol couldnt help but drool at the sight.
Wow Just selling one of these could fetch an unimaginable price
However, if one valued their life, they would have to stop at just drooling.
Each item was heavily affixed with ck talismans, which were poison charms specially crafted through the martial arts of the ck Death n leader.
The slightest touch would trigger the talismans to release a cloud of poison gas and this small room would instantly fill with deadly fumes.
Unless one was fully prepared against poison attacks, it was best not to tamper with anything.
But there was only one item not covered with talismans in this room.
There it is.
Go Hyeon-woo enhanced his vision and looked into every nook and cranny of the interior before he found a small chest hidden in a deep recess.
It was entirely coated in ck paint and he almost missed it, despite looking right at it.
It was so cunningly concealed that one might wonder if even the leader of the ck Death n of that era had identally overlooked it before failing to attach a talisman.
[Leaders ck Chest]
Shin Byeong-cheol took the chest and gently shook it from side to side but no sound came from within.
Just as he was about to shake it more vigorously, Go Hyeon-woo stopped him.
Lets deal with thister and hurry. Theres nothing to gain by dying.
Thats true.
Considering the number of ck Death n members they had encountered and dealt with on their way here, the longer they took, the higher the chances of being discovered.
So, the two quickly retraced their steps back the way they hade.
Since they have already neutralized the traps and mechanisms, they have gained a good amount of time.
Once out of the ck Death n and into a safe area, their mission would beplete.
Shin Byeong-cheol was already so rxed that he started talking nonsense.
Man, that was surprisingly easy. Nothing weird popped up at all.
Shin-hyung, lets not tempt fate with such talk.
Ah, right. I have a big mouth.
Shin Byeong-cheol yfully mimed zipping his mouth shut.
But as the saying goes, words cane to life
Not long after, Go Hyeon-woo who was leading the way dramatically slowed down and soon came to aplete stop.
Why, what is it again.
Shin Byeong-cheol started to ask but then fell silent.
Upon spotting an old man standing at the end of Go Hyeon-woos gaze.
The old man was dressed head to toe in white.
His skin was devoid of any color, making him appear ghostly pale, and even the pupils of his eyes were stark white.
Normally, white conveys a sense of cleanliness and purity, but the excessive whiteness of this old man gave off an eerie vibe instead.
Go Hyeon-woo recognized the old man with such a unique appearance; he had heard about his identity from Kim Ho.
A heavy feeling settled in a corner of his heart.
Go Hyeon-woo silently sighed to himself.
Though he said wed hardly ever encounter him, it seems our path has just gotten moreplicated
The old man gazed down at the wounds on the body of the deceased ck Death n members before lifting his eyes to meet Go Hyeon-woos.
Your handiwork is quite clean. Did you do this?
Thats right.
Go Hyeon-woo admitted frankly, then respectfully inquired further.
By any chance, are you the elder of the Heavenly Demon Cult, Senior Baek Hyeok-seo?
At the mention of his real name, a flicker of interest passed through the old mans eyes, and he slowly nodded his head in acknowledgment.
Baek Hyeok-seo. He was the deputy leader of the ck Death n.
In the past, he was a revered senior of the demonic cult known as one of the Twin ck and White Demons.
I am indeed the White Snake.
The hidden boss, White Snake.
Go Hyeon-woo hade face to face with the worst possible opponent one could encounter in the ck Death dungeon.
Chapter 73: No.104 Black Death (5)
Chapter 73: No.104 ck Death (5)
White Snake.
A remaining elder of the heavenly demon cult that was torn apart and hidden beneath the surface.
Even the n leader of the ck Death n, known as the ck Snake, couldnt fully control him which made him an extremely unpredictable factor in the conquest of the ck Death dungeon.
While wandering aimlessly within the ck Death dungeon without any clear pattern, you might encounter this hidden boss if you were really unlucky.
And now was exactly such an unlucky moment.
Go Hyeon-woo attempted to gauge the extent of White Snakes power, but his eyes couldnt see through his limit.
True to the nature of a hidden boss in a B-rank dungeon, his skills were significantly superior to Go Hyeon-woos.
If ites to a battle, we will certainly lose.
The oue of their confrontation would be decided within a mere ten exchanges.
The disparity in their martial strength was so vast that escape was also out of the question.
Yet, it was too soon to give in to despair.
Theres still a way out.
When Kim Ho created his strategy, he also took this slim probability into ount.
Naturally, there were ns to deal with situations where the White Snake appeared.
The only issue was that these ns were far from simple to execute, and their sess now hinged on Go Hyeon-woos actions.
Meanwhile, White Snake surveyed Go Hyeon-woo with his piercing white pupils and started assessing him from head to toe.
And then as if he was impressed by what he discerned, he remarked in a low voice,
To achieve so much at such a young age is truly remarkable.
Its all thanks to my masters and friends.
Youve been blessed with good masters and friends. But its a shame.
White Snake seemed to view Go Hyeon-woo quite favorably, yet as a member of the ck Death n, he appeared determined to fulfill his duties.
The tension that had been contained began to unravel, making the atmosphere in the room grow oppressively heavy.
If you had been given another 10, or even 5 years, you would have made a name for yourself as an exceptional swordsman. But having met me today You can only me your luck.
Just as White Snakes sleeve began to flutter.
Go Hyeon-woo who was doing his best to conceal his emotions spoke in a calm tone.
I have one request for you, senior.
Speak.
Do you remember the promise you made to Hyun Yang-jin?
I have not forgotten.
A profound look appeared in White Snakes eyes.
The reason he had managed to survive the Great Demonic War in the past.
It was all due to Hyun Yang-jin, a Taoist master who had subdued him before showing mercy at thest moment.
In doing so, Hyun Yang-jin had extracted a promise from White Snake: should he ever find himself in a position to take the life of a promising young talent, he should show mercy just once.
To put Go Hyeon-woos words simply, they amounted to a plea of Repay your debt of life and let us go.
Go Hyeon-woo felt ufortable at the thought of mentioning a promise between legendary masters of the previous generation which he barely understood. Still, he decided to move on as this was also part of the strategy.
White Snake responded,
I did indeed make such a promise. However, whether you are worthy of mercy remains to be seen until I have tested you.
This implied that unless Go Hyeon-woo proved to be the promising talent mentioned in the promise, White Snake was prepared to kill him.
Shin Byung-chul silently protested internally,
Didnt you justmend his remarkable achievements? Are you changing your words now, old man?
Yet, sensing that speaking up might lead to dire consequences, he remained silent.
Go Hyeon-woo then asked,
What must I do?
White Snake answered inly,
Whyplicate matters? If you can withstand three moves of mine, I shall let you go.
That settles it.
Go Hyeon-woo clenched his fist tightly,
As per the strategy guide, they have sessfully steered the situation towards enduring three moves.
He knew a direct confrontation with White Snake was out of the question, but there seemed to be a glimmer of possibility in surviving just three moves.
This was the only way to carve a path to survival in their current predicament.
I will take your test, senior.
Very well. Prepare yourself.
The task was rtively more feasible, yet by no means easy.
After all, he was to withstand three moves from an opponent who was leagues above him in skill.
White Snake unsheathed his sword.
At first nce, it looked simr to a regr long sword.
However, everything from the hilt to the de was white, and the tip was split like a snakes tongue.
This was White Snakes unique weapon, the Snake Tongue Sword.
With the sword hanging down, White Snake offered,
I will let you make the first move.
Then I ask for your guidance, senior.
Go Hyeon-woo gathered all his energy.
In the next moment, he rode upon the fierce wind that arose and shot forward.
Attack is the best form of defense.
He aimed a powerful thrust at a single point, provoking the opponents defensive technique.
This way, he hoped to ovee one of the three techniques.
[Clear Stream]
The white pupils of White Snake took in Go Hyeon-woos approaching form.
In the briefest of moments, he examined everything in front of him.
Not only the wind, but you also control the flow of energy. This is no ordinary skill. But,
Just as White Snakes eyebrows seemed to be pierced by Go Hyeon-woos magic sword.
White Snake assumed a sword stance and then swung his sword lightly.
Recognizing the familiar form of the technique immediately, Go Hyeon-woo identified it.
Viper Guarding the Hole?
Viper Guarding the Hole.
This technique mimicked the appearance of a viper coiling in its cave and guarding its domain.
It was known as a very basic technique and was second only to foundational forms like the Three Movements Sword Technique.
However, the Viper Guarding the Hole as executed by White Snake was anything but simple.
The moment the technique was unleashed, his treasure sword split at the sides like a snakes tongue.
It turned out that his treasure sword was a flexible de capable of bending like a whip.
Thus, the split des formed two separate sword paths, each moving independently.
The concentrated energy in Go Hyeon-woos magic sword shed with one Viper Guarding the Hole, only to be neutralized and dissipated by it.
Then, a second Viper Guarding the Hole struck Go Hyeon-woo.
A tremendous impact was inflicted on his entire body, and Go Hyeon-woos figure smashed into the wall before crashing down.
Crash!
Grrr
He nearly lost consciousness in that instant.
It felt as though he had been struck by the massive tail of a serpent.
White Snake looked at Go Hyeon-woo and said,
Your technique has strength butcks consideration for the aftermath. Its something that would be used in a do-or-die situation.
Prepare for the next.
The second technique.
Having yielded the first move, it was now White Snakes turn to attack.
Go Hyeon-woo forced his immobilized body to rise with great effort and steadied his breathing.
Almost immediately, White Snakes form glided closer.
It was unclear what technique would unfold next from his lowered treasure sword.
However, the trembling and splitting of the swords tip indicated that a move was imminent.
But seeing the attack and reacting to it was not possible.
In that case, I can only counter with my best move.
[Clear Stream]
Go Hyeon-woos sword moved fluidly.
A gentle breeze came from somewhere and began to wrap around the de.
A sharp de of wind was aimed at White Snake.
White Snakes coiling sword split into two as well.
He thrust it forward as it was, piercing through.
It was yet another move that looked all too familiar.
[Viper Emerges from its Hole]
Two thrusts that were clear to see.
But in Go Hyeon-woos eyes, they appeared as two thick snakes with their jaws wide open lunging at him.
The force was so overwhelming that, even though the thrusts were visible, he doubted his ability to parry them.
But I still have to do it.
Go Hyeon-woos eyes were filled with resolute determination.
He heightened his concentration to its utmost, trying to read even the slightest bend in the flickering sword.
Just before he was about to swing his Clear Stream in response.
The image of a Dharma statue he had seen earlier shed through his mind.
The countless lines that formed the Dharma statue.
One of the lines seemed to draw itself in the air before him.
Go Hyeon-woo, as if captivated, traced the Clear Stream along that line.
sh!
Was it due to a moment of enlightenment that just passed?
The Clear Stream he executed was more perfect than anything he had ever performed before.
Yet, it was not enough to fully defend against White Snakes technique.
White Snake remained in the same ce, but Go Hyeon-woo was pushed back a considerable distance.
Cough.
His insides churned, causing blood to spurt from his nose and mouth.
Blood from his torn grip flowed down the magic sword.
Does this mean its not enough.?
That he couldnt make his opponent take even a single step back, despite surpassing his own limits, meant there was still a vast gap between them.
Go Hyeon-woo who was focused solely on this fact failed to realize something.
The incredible feat he had just aplished.
Even stopping White Snake in his tracks was a significant achievement.
White Snake seemed to think so too as he narrowed his eyes.
I did not expect someone of your age to be able to block my Viper Emerges from its Hole so effortlessly. You should take pride in that.
White Snake let his coiling sword hang loosely with its tip nearly touching the ground.
As he gathered more energy, a pressure that was iparably stronger than before pressed down on him.
It is only right that I show more of my skill. This will be thest. Brace yourself.
The tangible energy waspressed and gradually took on a white color simr to that of a white snake.
White Snake who was now surrounded by a white aura resembled both a sharp, prestigious sword and a massive snake coiled and ready to strike.
The snake before Go Hyeon-woo seemed to re at him, coiling tightly as if about to spring forth.
Go Hyeon-woo sensed it.
White Snake was about to unleash a technique that was absolute, one that he could not possibly block with his strength alone.
Yet his shoulders felt too heavy to fall now.
There was the legacy his master had left, the longstanding issues of his sect that needed resolution, and the friends who believed in and awaited him.
He was not yet ready toy down these burdens.
..
At that moment, Go Hyeon-woo appeared to have made some sort of resolution.
He positioned the magic sword vertically in front of him and started rallying his momentum.
A gentle breeze blew from somewhere and tickled his hair.
White Snakes eyes discerned the flow of energy merging with the wind.
He immediately recognized that the stance Go Hyeon-woo was about to assume was highly defensive.
A technique focused on deflecting the enemys attacks, heavily reliant on yielding and flexibility.
However
Is this all?
It seemed hardly sufficient for White Snake.
The stance used during their second sh seemed better whether in terms of offense or defense.
Theres no way thats all.
The idea that Go Hyeon-woo would respond with a weaker stance when the White Snake was bringing out a more powerful technique was inconceivable.
There had to be another strategy prepared.
If hes relying on my meager mercy instead he will meet his end here.
Finally, White Snake unleashed his technique.
[White Dragon Ascending to Heaven]
A colossal white serpent filled the entire view, bearing down on Go Hyeon-woo with overwhelming force.
Inparison, Go Hyeon-woo who was standing with only his sword drawn seemed as frail as a candle me in the wind.
Rooooooaaaaar!
The magic sword he wielded trembled violently, cracks forming along its de, while blood trickled from Go Hyeon-woos nose and mouth.
Just like White Snake had anticipated, Go Hyeon-woos defensive stance was intended to deflect the white serpents assault.
And as expected, it was insufficient to fend off the White Dragon Ascending to Heaven.
Just as the serpent seemed about to devour its prey in a single gulp,
Go Hyeon-woo moved his free hand.
And in the next moment,
sh!
Everything vanished as if washed away.
A brief silence followed.
The expression on White Snakes face was indescribablyplex.
Go Hyeon-woo remained in his stance with the magic sword still held upright.
However, he now clutched something long and slender in his other hand.
Wrapped in old cloth and bound with iron chains, part of it had torn away to reveal a dark lustrous sheen.
It was a long sword that was still sheathed.
Even in its sheath.
It seemed that this sword had neutralized the White Snakes final and strongest technique.
Cough.
Go Hyeon-woo spat out another mouthful of blood.
Hisplexion had turned significantly paler than before. It seemed like he had paid a considerable price just for holding that long sword for a moment.
Even so, it is a great sword
White Snake was impressed.
Itsmon topare a highly skilled master to a well-forged sword, but this was the opposite.
It felt as though some transcendent being, rather than a sword, was blocking the way.
What was the true nature of this long sword?
And what was the identity of Go Hyeon-woo who owned that long sword?
Although many questions remained, the duel had concluded.
Asking more would only make him sound petty.
After White Snake retrieved his private sword, he spoke,
This old man does not speak falsehoods. Make way.
By that time, the arena was already filled with people in ck robes who had rushed in upon hearing themotion. But following White Snakesmand, they parted like the tide and created a path.
Go Hyeon-woo did not immediately step forward but instead bowed deeply to White Snake with utmost respect.
I shalle here again.
I look forward to it.
With that, Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol quickly left the scene.
By the time the backs of the two people were no longer visible.
One of the elite warriors among the men in ck spoke to White Snake.
Please give the order. I will bring back their heads.
Wordy could have been yed on to no end.
Considering the promise made with Hyeon Yang-jin, it was White Snake who had promised to spare them, not the warriors of the ck Death n.
Moreover, White Snake had only promised to spare Go Hyeon-woo, not Shin Byeong-cheol who was with him.
Sending subordinates to deal with them wouldnt pose any problem.
However, White Snake shook his head.
Let them go. Do you intend to make me a petty man, unworthy of respect?
Go Hyeon-woo had already proven his worth beyond measure.
White Snake had no desire to tarnish the oue of their recent confrontation.
Beyond the distinctions of righteous and evil sects, or even the Heavenly Demon Cult, he was a martial artist above all.
Despite White Snakes firm stance, the elite warrior persisted in his plea to send a pursuit team.
The barrier has been breached. If we let them go like this, our leader will not stay still.
Shhh!
The treasure sword split the air before wrapping around the high-ranking warrior and slicing him into three pieces in an instant.
Now, a subtle furyced White Snakes voice.
Are a few items more important than the debt I owe?
..!
..!
The people in ck robes quickly bowed their heads.
No one dared to raise any further objections.
In the ensuing silence, White Snake gazed in the direction Go Hyeon-woo had vanished while deep in thought
Even on the brink of death, he had maintained his manners with a respectful bow.
His eyes zed with a fighting spirit.
People like that always kept their word.
He will definitely return.
***
Even though he was staggering, Go Hyeon-woo moved swiftly through the passageway.
Shin Byeong-cheol kept looking back, but it seemed the warriors from the ck Death n truly did not pursue them any further.
At least the old man doesnt y with words.
It was too soon to bepletely at ease, but the immediate danger seemed to have passed.
With this thought in mind, Shin Byeong-cheol pulled out a potion from his inventory.
The high-quality ss bottle contained a swirling red liquid.
Lets recover a bit before we go on. Drink this.
Go Hyeon-woo drank the potion handed to him by Shin Byeong-cheol in one gulp without even checking it properly.
He frowned because the taste was extraordinarily bitter, but soon the color slowly returned to his face.
Phew Thats much better. Thank you.
It should be better. Itd be strange if it wasnt.
His tone carried the confidence of an assured recovery.
It was only then that Go Hyeon-woo looked down and noticed that even the empty ss bottle was of high quality.
This implied that the contents must have been of considerable value as well.
This is
Its called a high potion.
Shin-hyung must have spent a lot on this. To offer such a precious item
I spent a lot really. Its a critical loss. But what choice do we have? The situation demanded it.
The high potion had been carefully stored in his inventory for a time when their lives might hang in the bnce.
Shin Byeong-cheol himself never had the opportunity to taste even a drop of it.
However, their luck was at its worst when they encountered a hidden boss. Thanks to Go Hyeon-woo risking his life in battle, both were able to leave the ce unscathed.
Even Shin Byeong-cheol, who was usually sensitive to gains and losses, felt a pang of conscience that prevented him from just standing by idly and pretending nothing had happened.
Moreover, realistically speaking, Go Hyeon-woo who was severely injured would slow them down. In the event of a chase, they would stand no chance which led Shin to reluctantly pull out a high potion.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head in understanding.
Shin-hyung shows great generosity in crucial moments. Truly, you are a man of honor.
I too am a man who does what needs to be done. Remember that.
Haha, is that so?
Despite this, the high value of the high potion meant he couldnt help but feel a twinge of regret.
So Shin Byeong-cheol decided to shift his thoughts.
And he recalled thest conversation between Go Hyeon-woo and White Snake and asked,
So, you n toe here again?
Yes.
Do you really need to? Next time youe, that fellow wont remember you anyway, right?
It was said that the swordsmanship club had already bid on this dungeon.
In the near future, they would destroy the dungeon, and after some time when the ck Death dungeon regenerated, White Snake would no longer remember Go Hyeon-woo.
Yet, Go Hyeon-woo seemed resolute in his decision.
Whether he remembers me or not is not what matters. Whats important is that our battle is not yet over.
While it was true that White Snake had shown them mercy because of a past debt, that was merely the superficial reason.
If White Snake had only cared about the past debt, there would have been no need for him to test their potential under the guise of wanting to see if they were promising talents.
If the skill gap was so wide, the oue would be evident at a nce, and one exchange of moves would have sufficed.
The real reason they exchanged as many as three moves was likely the warriors spirit within him, desiring to face a fully grown Go Hyeon-woo in a proper duel someday.
Therefore, even if he doesnt remember this encounter if the circumstances were exined to him, White Snake would likely dly engage in a match with him.
I will definitely return.
Chapter 74: No.104 Black Death (6)
Chapter 74: No.104 ck Death (6)
I quickly darted to the side.
Crash!
Three ck streaks of energy had just shed through the spot where I had been standing.
As I stepped back again, the ck Death n leader clenched the empty air in front of him.
When he pointed at me with his index finger in that state, it seemed as though his finger stretched out before sending a force hurtling toward me.
Realizing that capturing me directly was impossible, he has since resorted to pursuing me while simultaneouslyunching long-range attacks.
These distant attacks were highly toxic due to the nature of the martial arts that the ck Death n leader practiced.
As those poisonous energy attacks kept falling in the wrong ces, the area gradually became saturated with venom which transformed thend into a deste wastnd.
Deep craters dotted thendscape with ck puddles forming and acrid smoke billowing upwards.
For the time being, not a single de of grass would grow in this vicinity.
Even after wreaking such havoc, the ck Death n leader hadnt even grazed my clothes which seemed to frustrate him slightly.
You possess exceptional agility, I must admit. However, Im puzzled. The me Emperor is known for his fierce and vicious martial arts, yet how can his disciple be so frivolous?
Ive told you, Im not his disciple.
So I was hopping around like a grasshopper after all.
Just as I was about to leap again, like a grasshopper, the voice of Shin Byeong-cheol came through themunication device plugged into my ear.
Its over. Were moving to the safe zone.
Great. See you there.
The eyebrows of the ck Death n leader furrowed.
He had realized that my earlier words were part of a conversation with someone else.
And then the implication that I didnte here alone dawned on him.
.Could it be?
Youre not very quick, huh?
He was only now realizing it was a pincer movement. In truth, my constant annoying presence and provocation yed a big part in this.
After all, when people get heated, they tend to think less clearly.
Well then, I suppose its time for me to be on my way.
You dont seriously think Ill let you go, do you?
You cant catch me anyway. Take care.
I bid him farewell and swiftly turned to run.
The ck Death n leader pursued me fiercely with full killing intent.
Stop right there!
Of course, I was just pretending to run away.
Although I had the advantage in speed, the ck Death n leader was not slow by any means. To truly gain distance, I needed to shake him off decisively.
After a short sprint, I suddenly spun around and charged towards the ck Death n leader.
Shallow tricks!
The ck Death n leader frantically wed at the air and a dark energy formed a massive before enveloping everything in its path.
I kicked off the ground and moved diagonally, then kicked the ground again and arrived in front of the ck Death n leader.
His eyes could not fully catch up with my speed so it would have seemed as if I had jumped through space.
Just before the ck Death n leader could react, a fist enveloped in mes was thrust forward.
[Activate Amplification]
[The rank of Inferno Fist increased. (C->A)]
[Inferno Fist]
[Wind Force]
Kaboooooooom!
A mestorm that was several times more powerful than any I had previously conjured, surged forward and engulfed everything in its path.
The figure of the ck Death n leader was soon obscured and was swallowed up by the raging mes.
Ouch.
I felt a stinging pain in my fist and looked down to find faint burn marks etched into my skin.
When I brought it close to my nose, I could detect a slight acrid smell.
After I amplified the already penalty-heavy skill, it was clear that even my S-grade elemental resistance couldntpletely nullify the damage.
But I bet hes still not dead.
That was the terrifying thing about the ck Death n leader.
He had performed dark rituals on the young people of the region which made his life force unnaturally strong.
The silver lining was,
If I dont fight, thats the end of it.
There was no pressing need to defeat the ck Death n leader now.
After I momentarily incapacitated him with an A-grade Inferno Fist, this was my chance to escape.
I pushed my [Thiefs Step] to the limit and started sprinting with all my might.
At the beginning of the battle, the members of the ck Death n had tightly surrounded us. However, their ranks had be somewhat disorganized due to the ck Death n leader spreading poison in all directions.
Bang!
I pushed one of the lower-ranking warriors away with Wind Force, grabbed another, and hurled him into a nearby poison puddle as I continued my escape.
Stop right there!!!
The ck Death n leader bellowed from behind.
Look at that; hes already recovered.
But would you stand your ground in my ce?
I didnt look back and kept running at full speed.
Nope, not fighting anymore. Ill leave and nevere back; let them chase me for all eternity.
Theyll probablyb the area thoroughly after weve escaped the dungeon. If they still cant find us, its going to frustrate them to no end.
They can take out their frustrations on the swordsmanship clubter, where they can find plenty of people with swords.
When I finally left the streets behind and entered an abandoned house, Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-chul were waiting for me.
Kim-hyung.
Oh, you made it back quickly?
I rushed over as soon as I received the message so there wasnt much of a time difference between my arrival and that of the other two.
In the midst of this, Go Hyeon-woo looked somewhat pale.
Given his skills, it was unlikely that he had struggled against the elite warriors so something else must have happened.
Did you encounter White Snake?
Yes, I did.
Talk about bad luck. Youve had it rough.
They had stumbled upon the hidden boss against all odds.
Fortunately, it seemed that Go Hyeon-woo had navigated the situation well and followed the strategy we had discussed.
It was a good thing I had mentioned how to deal with such event just in case.
Though Shin Byeong-chul had used up his treasured high potion to soothe Go Hyeon-woos internal injuries, the damage taken was so severe that it looked like it would take a day or two of rest for him to recover properly.
You need to get to the infirmary. Lets head out.
Shin Byeong-chul promptly took out a scroll he had stored away.
[Emergency Escape Scroll (B)]
When the scroll was torn in half, the magic inscribed within it was released, and the spell manifested.
The air churned wildly and then as if a transparent hand was forcibly twisting it open, a gap appeared in the air.
We stepped into the emergency escape portal one by one.
***
Just as we emerged and the depthsndscape began toe into view, a dark shadow abruptly engulfed us.
We flinched for a moment but quickly grasped the situation and remained silent.
Dang Gyu-young had been waiting outside and, upon seeing us, immediately stowed us away in the [Shadow Pouch].
Swaying within the confines of the pouch, we waited briefly until we were spat out, and our vision returned to normal.
The first faces I saw were those of Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin, and looking around, I realized we were near the boundary between C-rank dungeons and the depths.
Dang Gyu-young peered into my face and asked.
How was it? The ck Death dungeon.
No major issues. We grabbed everything we could and got out.
Ha, I told you our junior-nim was a real talent. Who would believe a first-year took down a B-rank dungeon? Theyd say its nonsense.
Next, Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bins gazes shifted toward Shin Byeong-chul.
Any gifts?
Any snacks?
Uh um
Shin Byeong-chul blinked in confusion before he understood and smiled sheepishly.
It seemed he hadnt thought about it until then.
In his defense, it was his first experience in a dungeon in the depths and he was likely filled with tension. Besides, he didnt have time to wander around to buy anything.
A minor request like bringing back a gift could easily slip ones mind.
Of course, thats his side of the story.
Whether Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin would be understanding was another matter entirely.
Although their request might have been made half-heartedly, it wasnt a huge request, so wouldnt it feel like they were ignored if he didnt bring a piece of candy?
Especially if he hadpletely forgotten.
The two womens eyes grew progressively colder.
Feeling a sense of crisis, Shin Byeong-chul desperately looked around for help with a plea in his eyes.
Help! Help!
Just as Dang Gyu-youngs hand was about to grasp Shin Byeong-chuls short hair, I gave an exaggerated reaction as if I had just remembered it.
Thats right. You left with these me, here you go.
Compared to Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol, I had more freedom of movement and I had a good understanding of where various stalls were located, so it wasnt difficult for me to take a moment to buy a few local specialties.
[Spicy and Sweet Jerky]
[Volcanic Explosion Jerky]
Beef jerky that was sold only in the market streets near the ck Death n.
It was a famous dish that has be famous among enthusiasts because of its unique seasoning.
There were even third-year students who participated in the ck Death dungeon just for this.
As I handed over the bundles of jerky, the expressions on Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bins faces softened.
You bought it? I thought Byeong-chul might have just let my words go in one ear and out the other. I would have felt disappointed.
Ill enjoy this.
Hey, Noonims. How could I not do at least this much for you? Hehehe.
Shin Byeong-chul smiled humbly and rubbed his hands together.
Surviving in the club as a freshman was proving to be challenging.
Meanwhile, Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin took the lead and had a conversation of their own.
Should we start with one on the way up? Which vor do you want to try first?
Lets go with the spicy and sweet one. I heard the volcanic explosion is no joke.
While the two seniors were distracted by the jerky, Shin Byeong-chul slipped away to quietly thank me.
With a grateful yet somewhat exaggerated expression, he said,
Goodness, Hyug-nims sense is just outstanding. Ill be sure to follow and trust you from now on.
This settles the high potion debt.
Thats a bit
Not happy? Then lets tell them the truth.
Deal.
It was a miraculous exchange rate: a few bundles of jerky for a high potion.
I made sure to prevent any futureints about the use of an expensive high potion by nipping the issue in the bud.
When I think about it now, the deal wasnt so bad for Shin Byeong-chul too.
If I hadnt acted, Dang Gyu-young might have ended up pulling his hair out. So, sacrificing a potion to save his hair might actually have been a good deal.
***
The journey upwards was as smooth as the descent had been.
Dang Gyu-young led the way by sending out shadow butterflies as scouts, with Chae Da-bin and Shin Byeong-chul contributing along the way.
It would have been nice if the journey continued without issues, but
Like the time Go Hyun-woo encountered White Snake, luck was not on our side today.
Around the E floor,
Dang Gyu-young suddenly flinched and frowned.
Damn, weve been caught.
It seemed something unusual had snagged the attention of the scouts she had sent out.
Chae Da-bin asked,
Who is it? A teacher?
Looks like Kwak Seung-jae.
Perhaps she decided that it was already toote to flee, so she took no further action.
Instead, she quickly coordinated her story with the first-year students.
Listen, we just came down to have a look at the underground area. We havent touched any of the dungeons. Okay?
Yes, senior-nim.
Rumble, rumble, rumble
After we stood still and waited for a few seconds, a wooden door suddenly emerged from the ground.
The door opened and the person who walked out was, as expected, Kwak Seung-jae.
He bowed slightly to Dang Gyu-young.
Hello, senior-nim.
Hello, Seung-jae.
I found this on the D floor and came to check it out.
Kwak Seung-jae lifted a wooden cage.
Inside the cage, a couple of trapped shadow butterflies were fluttering their wings.
There were only a small number of people with the right aptitude to use Shadow Magic, and the level of difficulty to master it was high, so very few people were able to master it properly.
And those who had honed [Shadow Butterfly Flight] to use them as scouts were likely few within Dragon yer Academy and could probably be counted on one hand.
Therefore, the shadow butterflies were very likely conjured by Dang Gyu-young.
Moreover, sending out scouts was akin to announcing ones involvement in questionable activities.
If they were merely descending for a dungeon raid, encountering anyone should not have been a concern.
Following this line of thought, Kwak Seung-jae immediately tracked down Dang Gyu-young upon detecting the shadow butterflies.
His suspicion was spot-on.
His gaze swept over me, Go Hyun-woo, and Shin Byung-chul in turn.
Being first-years caught wandering the underground levels left no room for excuses.
Kwak Seung-jae offered to everyone,
Please apany me to the student disciplinarymittee room for a moment.
Lets do that then.
The reason Dang Gyu-yeong didnt put up any resistance even though she could easily overpower Kwak Seung-jae was because this was the dungeon building.
The slightest disturbance would attract the staff stationed throughout the premises and the patrolling students to converge on this spot.
It was likely that someone was already waiting near the exit by now.
She calcted that it was better to go along for the ride than to try to make things bigger than they needed to be.
Kwak Seung-jae seemed to be aware that we couldnt hastily act and turned his back to us without much wariness.
After closing the wooden door and casting a spell for a brief moment, he reopened it.
The view beyond the door had transformed into the student disciplinarymittee room.
Pleasee in.
Chapter 75: Disciplinary Committee Club Room
Chapter 75: Disciplinary Committee Club Room
The disciplinarymittee president Oh Se-hoon was working even at thiste hour.
A few members of the disciplinarymittee were assisting with the paperwork by his side.
Among them was Song Cheon-hye who seemed unable to resist the lure of sleep any longer and was nodding off while standing.
When we suddenly emerged through the wooden door, she was jolted awake before straightening her posture and looking our way in surprise.
The attention of the other disciplinarymittee members also shifted to us, but unlike Song Cheon-hye, they didnt seem particrly startled.
Perhaps they had grown ustomed to such incidents urring frequently.
As if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, Oh Se-hoon finished up his work and then slowly lifted his gaze from the documents.
Starting with Dang Gyu-young and the rest of the thief club members and moving on to Go Hyeon-woo and myself, he examined each of us in turn, eventually letting out a bitter smile as if he had figured it all out.
Even though he seemed to have a grasp of the situation, he proceeded to follow protocol by first addressing Kwak Seung-jae with a question.
Whats going on?
We found them near the undergrounds E floor and brought them here.
Is that so? Were they heading down?
They were on their way up.
The mention of them being on their way up implied that they hadpleted whatever business they had in the underground levels.
Oh Se-hoon silently exchanged nces with one of the second-year disciplinarymittee members.
Without receiving any explicit instructions, the member understood the unspokenmand at a nce and went out through the wooden door.
It seems hes going to check.
He was likely going to assess the dungeon that had been targeted and damaged that night.
If one of the dungeons was destroyed even though no bids were ced, it almost certainly meant we were responsible.
Having sent someone to investigate,
Oh Se-hoon then gestured towards the empty chairs with a gentle smile.
Lets sit down. Would you like something to drink?
Ill have honey water.
Ill take some cold water.
Dang Gyu-young casually took a seat and leaned back in the chair while Chae Da-bin sat next to her.
Kwak Seung-jae somehow procured a cup of coffee at some point and leaned against a corner with the cup in hand.
The first-year students seemed hesitant to order anything to drink, but Ive never been one to fuss over such matters.
I was particrly thirsty after engaging in a strenuous game of tag with the ck Death n leader.
I leaned back in my chair in a manner simr to Dang Gyu-young and said,
Ill have honey water too.
The expressions of the disciplinarymittee members momentarily shifted, perhaps surprised by my nonchnce even in front of the seniors.
The only one whose expression remained unchanged was Oh Se-hoon.
Thats because he had already had an encounter with me during the entrance ceremony. (TN: chapter 8)
After nodding his head indifferently, he also asked Shin Byeong-cheol and Go Hyeon-woo what they would like to drink.
Two honey waters and one cold water; what about you two?
Were fine, thanks.
It seemed they were determined to keep as low a profile as possible.
When Oh Se-hoon was about to get something to drink for himself, Song Cheon-hye quickly stepped in.
Ill get it.
Oh Se-hoon sat opposite us and slowly shifted his gaze between Dang Gyu-young and me before he asked thetter what came to his mind.
Did Kim Ho join the thieves club?
Hes ying hard to get. Why do you ask?
Im not sure if its just me, but you two seem to have a simr vibe when I look at you together.
Right? Dont we look alike? I told you I was right!
Dang Gyu-young got excited and tapped my shoulder as if to say,
See! Youre destined to join our club! Lets go fill out the application formter!
But I cut off the conversation with a cold and firm decision.
I n to remain unaffiliated for the time being.
Right, its hard to switch once you join a club, so think it over carefully.
Oh Se-hoons smile grew a bit wider. Though I couldnt tell whether he was pleased with my cautiousness or by Dang Gyu-youngs expression of betrayal.
Song Cheon-hye quickly brought over two cups of honey water and one cup of cold water before cing them in front of us. With a displeased look on her face, she sharply set the cup of honey water in front of me, then turned and walked away briskly.
Oh Se-hoon poured himself a cup of coffee from his thermos, took a sip, and then got down to business.
Gyu-young, tell me. Why did you take the first years down to the underground level?
Oh, it was nothing special, just thought Id show our juniors around the underground.
You didnt go into a dungeon?
No, didnt go near them.
Dang Gyu-young lied smoothly without batting an eye.
Although everyone knew it was an obvious lie, there was no immediate way to prove it.
Oh Se-hoon then turned his questioning towards me with a simr inquiry.
Kim Ho, you do know that going down to the underground level is a vition of school rules, right?
Yes, I know.
Then why did you go down there?
I was just too curious about what it looked like. I couldnt help myself.
Lie number two, as obvious as the first.
Song Cheon-hye was dumbfounded and said, Huh!. Her face seemed to say, Seriously? Unbelievable!
In contrast, Oh Se-hoon nodded his head as if he found my answer understandable.
Its natural to be curious. But was it necessary to break the rules to satisfy that curiosity?
No, it wasnt. Im sorry.
Oh Se-hoon then turned back to Dang Gyu-young and spoke in a gentle scolding tone.
Gyu-young, you need to reflect. As a senior, its your responsibility to correct the juniors when theyre heading down the wrong path, not lead them astray, isnt it?
..
Dang Gyu-young looked to be slightly aggrieved by the usation.
Although she had taken on the role of a guide, the origin of the whole situation traced back to me since I was the one who had made the request.
However, voicing such a grievance might only lead to misery for everyone involved, so she chose to feign ignorance instead.
Just then, the second-year student who had just left through Kwak Seung-jaes wooden doo came back from the underground level.
He silentlymunicated with Oh Se-hoon by using the [Transmission] skill that allowed the words that came out of his mouth to be heard by only the target.
Oh Se-hoon didnt bother to conceal the information he received.
I had it checked, and there are no unauthorized raids in the underground dungeons tonight.
All the dungeons that had been destroyed tonight had been officially bid on and raided.
And every raid had been duly recorded in the rey logs.
Of course, they werent fools.
What they had confirmed in the underground were only the destroyed dungeons, which meant those that had beenpletely conquered.
They were also aware of the possibility that we might have used an emergency escape midway through our raid.
However, pinpointing which dungeon we might have used it in was impossible, so in the end, there was no concrete evidence to hold against us.
Based solely on suspicions, they couldnt further interrogate or detain us in that state.
Knowing this, both Dang Gyu-young and I had willingly followed them to the disciplinary club room.
After all, the level of punishment for stepping into the underground level itself is not high.
Kim Ho, since you did go down to the underground E level, thats a demerit point for you. And,
Oh Se-hoons narrowed slit-like eyes seemed to sh with a sharp light momentarily.
If youre hiding anything from us, nows the time toe clean. Whether its demerit points or disciplinary action, Ill do my best to reduce it as much as I can. If you dont tell us and we find out on our own, the punishment will be more severe. Think carefully.
The carrot and the stick.
If we confessed to secretly raiding a dungeon, the president of the disciplinarymittee would use his authority to minimize the punishment as much as possible.
On the other hand, if we kept hiding it and were discoveredter, the punishment would be more severe.
Moreover, the investigative capabilities of the disciplinarymittee were quite remarkable and, in some respects, even relentless which led to a high rate of post-incident apprehensions.
Of course, my answer was already decided.
I will never tell.
Had we tackled a mere F or E-rank dungeon, it might have been wiser toe clean.
But the ce we entered tonight was the depths.
It was a ce where the highest level of disciplinary action was unconditionally imposed even if you merely approached it.
It is a disciplinary bomb no matter what, so remaining silent and standing firm seemed the best course of action.
I had the confidence to hide it until the end.
For that reason, I gave a nonchnt answer.
Theres nothing were hiding.
Are you sure about that?
Yes, senior-nim.
Oh Se-hoon also checked with Shin Byung-chul and Go Hyeon-woo, but those two were as sharp as theye.
I had given such a definite answer, so there was no way they would contradict me.
Oh Se-hoon nodded his head in acknowledgment.
Then, Ill mark each of you with one demerit point. Be more careful in the future and you may go.
***
After Kim Ho, Go Hyeon-woo and the members of the thieves club had each received a demerit point and left,
Tranquility once again settled in the disciplinarymittee club.
Oh Se-hoon returned to his work with a warm smile, and the other members of the disciplinarymittee began to assist him with his tasks.
Song Cheon-hye attempted to blend in naturally with them, but Kwak Seung-jae put down his coffee cup and called her out.
Song Cheon-hye.
Yes, senior-nim.
Tell me, what do you think?
It wasmon knowledge that Dang Gyu-young and Kim Ho had spun an obvious lie.
However, the key was pinpointing exactly which aspects of their story felt off.
It was important to develop the ability to identify these discrepancies.
After taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Song Cheon-hye responded.
First off, thebination was too shy. If it was just about exploring the underground level, Shin Byung-cheol or senior Chae Da-bin would have sufficed. There was no need for president Dang Gyu-young to get involved.
You saw right through it.
I deduce that the three of them teaming up means a high probability of attempting to breach a dungeon, and likely a high-level one.
Kwak Seung-jae nodded his head in agreement.
With those three, even the depths is possible.
As you might recall from the duel we observed, Kim Ho is skilled enough to achieve a perfect game against president Mok Jong-hwas golem, and Go Hyeon-woo is currently maintaining a top ten ranking in the first-year strategy battles.
Song Cheon-hye furrowed her brows thoughtfully.
But I looked at Go Hyeon-woo just now and it seemed like he had sustained some internal injuries. For someone of his caliber to be injured means
It means they tackled a dungeon of considerable difficulty.
Somewhere between D and C rank, though theres a slim chance it could even be B rank.
So, narrowing the investigation to dungeons between D rank and B rank might reveal traces they left behind.
Yet even after Song Cheon-hye had finished her deduction, Kwak Seung-jae continued to look at her expectantly.
It seemed he was hoping for more, but that was all Song Cheon-hye could think of at the moment.
She cautiously asked,
Please enlighten me if Ive missed anything.
When you were giving them honey water earlier.
?
Did you check Kim Hos hands?
!!
Song Cheon-hyes expression hardened.
From her point of view, she was somewhat displeased with giving Kim Ho and his group something to drink, because she felt they were very shameless in asking for honey water and the like after being dragged in to receive demerit points.
As a result, she quickly turned away as soon as she had set down the honey water and failed to take a closer look at Kim Hos hands.
Meanwhile, it seemed Kwak Seung-jae had been observing everything from behind.
There was a very faint burn mark on his right hand.
If thats the case!
However, as if understanding what Song Cheon-hye was thinking, Kwak Seung-jae slowly shook his head.
No. Its difficult to connect this to previous events. Wasnt it clean when you checked?
Thats true.
But one thing is certain now.
The burn had not been there long.
Whether Kim Ho used [Inferno Fist] or some other fire magic.
They must have left a trace in the dungeon they entered and exited today.
And the moment someone enters that dungeon,
That will be the moment to catch them by the tail.
Chapter 76: Midnight Walk
Chapter 76: Midnight Walk
As the night deepened, the thieves club and Kim Hos group disbanded immediately upon leaving the student disciplinarymittee room.
Go Hyeon-woo headed to the infirmary to treat his internal injuries.
While the members of the thieves club said they were tired and went to their dormitories.
Meanwhile, Dang Gyu-young had something she needed to say to Kim Ho and questions she wanted to ask.
So, she subtly called out to her junior who was just beginning to walk away.
Would you like to walk for a bit?
Sure.
It was before dawn so the sky was still a dark blue, almost ck.
Following the path illuminated by streetlights, the two of them walked in step.
Even a path taken daily could feel different when walked in this time and when it was just the two of them.
Perhaps because of that, no words were exchanged between Dang Gyu-young and Kim Ho for a while.
Then, Dang Gyu-young hesitated for a moment before turning her head away and breaking the silence.
Im sorry. For getting caught.
The core objective of this mission, infiltrating the deep dungeon, had been a sess. However, the missions requirement was to exit the underground floors without being detected until the very end.
But they were caught by Kwak Seung-jae at thest moment and received demerit points, so thepletion of the task was less than perfect.
Especially since the president of the thieves club was directly involved in this. It was all the more disappointing.
Kim Ho sighed deeply.
Senior-nim, Im a bit disappointed. No matter how delicious the jerky was, you should have stayed focused until the end.
No, thats not it! I was focused the whole time!
For someone who was focused, you seemed to enjoy the jerky quite a bit. Werent you more focused on that?
Hey, thats really not it! Honestly, Kwak Seung-jae just made a really good move
Dang Gyu-young got flustered and stepped in front of Kim Ho only to notice a yful smile on his lips.
It seemed that now that they had be a bit closer, Kim Ho would asionally y such pranks.
If it had been any of the other brooding members of the club, Dang Gyu-young would have immediately set about enforcing discipline. Buting from this junior, she somehow found it cute.
So she ended up just giving him a light shove on the shoulder.
Aisshi. Stop teasing me.
You dont have to feel too sorry. Im not really bothered by just one demerit point.
Even though it was just one demerit point, it wasnt without impact on the grades.
They umte over time and can be a bigger issue.
However, Kim Ho seemed unconcerned about grades and had a truly nonchnt attitude.
He then changed the subject and brought up Kwak Seung-jaes tracking skills.
Senior Kwak Seung-jae s tracking ability is really something, isnt it? He stuck with us all the way, even back in the temporary storage incident.
Exactly. That guy has had a nose for tracking right from the start; a real bloodhound.
Kwak Seung-jae had excellent detection and tracking skills, but he also had deep focus and an oddly good intuition which allowed him to have a history of arresting second- and third-year members of the thief club even during his freshman year.
While the older thieves club members were more skilled, Kwak Seung-jae still managed to catch them off guard once or twice out of ten attempts.
It got even trickier when he became a second year.
When Kwak Seung-jae was a first-year, he managed to catch the thieves only once or twice out of ten attempts. But now that he was a second-year, his sess rate had increased to two or three times out of ten.
And today happens to be one of those two or three times just to clear up any possible misunderstanding.
Dang Gyu-young was keen on proving that she was not as ipetent as she appeared to be.
She cleared her throat and steered the conversation back on track after it had momentarily veered off course.
Anyway, its true that our service wascking, so Ill offer more help with the cleanup. This should resolve any issues, right?
Id appreciate that.
Let me take a look at your hand for a moment.
There had been something that had been bothering her for a while.
Dang Gyu-young carefully examined Kim Hos hand and started turning it over back and forth.
Faint burn marks marred the skin.
These were the aftereffects of using [Inferno Fist].
For some reason, although Kim Hos hands had been unscathed after using Inferno Fist previously, this time marks remained.
He must have had a tough time in the ck Death dungeon.
What exactly happened inside would be a story for another time.
For now, more pressing issues needed to be addressed.
Seung-jae must have seen this, right?
I believe so.
Kwak Seung-jae had delegated all interactions to Oh Se-hoon and he chose instead to step back and observe everyones every move.
During this observation, his gazended on Kim Ho far more frequently than on anyone else, so it was highly unlikely that he missed the burn marks.
This could lead to being caught. Did you use Inferno Fist a lot in the ck Death dungeon?
To be honest, I made quite a mess of things there.
The way he said it meant that he had indeed used it a lot.
The scene must be chaotic with fires and destruction everywhere.
If the swordsmanship club had sessfully seeded in conquering the ck death dungeon, the scene would be saved as a rey.
And that would remain as great evidence.
However, even with such evidence, it wouldnt immediately lead to the conclusion that Kim Ho has mastered Inferno Fist and used it against the ck Death n.
After all, there are numerous fire spells.
But as these circumstances pile up, the suspicions of the disciplinarymittee would deepen and the probability that the academic authorities would grant permission to use the [Magnifying ss] item would also increase.
Once it was confirmed through the magnifying ss that Kim Ho had mastered the Inferno Fist, things would start to be really troublesome.
It was essential, then, to take measures in advance to prevent the investigation from making any progress.
The key issue is whether the rey of the ck Death dungeon can be kept private.
I would appreciate it if you could exert your influence in that regard.
Lets do that. Its in our best interest not to have you caught.
If Kim Ho was caught, those who had received demerit points that day were at risk of being implicated as well.
With the charge of colluding in a deep infiltration mission.
Therefore, not just for the sake of cleaning up the mess that she caused but it was in everyones best interest for the rey to disappear.
The course of action the swordsmanship club would take remained uncertain but Dang Gyu-Young was nning to use her influence to its fullest.
Dang Gyu-Young cautiously added a suggestion.
While were at it Should I help a bit with the issue of ignoring the bidding process and going ahead?
No, thats something I need to handle. Please leave anything rted to that to me.
However, Kim Ho was very firm in his response.
Dang Gyu-Young pouted her lips.
She thought to herself how surprisingly stubborn he could be.
She would have helped if he had just asked.
Worried as I am about you, I know youre capable, but can you truly handle it?
Yes. If I thought it was too much for me, I wouldnt have started in the first ce.
Alright, I understand.
Dang Gyu-Young reluctantly nodded her head in response to his firm answer. She realized that to doubt him further would be akin to disrespecting Kim Ho.
The atmosphere turned a bit awkward due to his firm refusal and a brief silence followed.
After walking with her gaze fixed on the tips of her shoes for a while, Dang Gyu-Young carefully broke the silence.
Kim Ho, theres something Im curious about.
Ask away.
You. What is it that you want so badly to achieve by doing all this?
It had only been a month since Kim Ho had enrolled at Dragon yer Academy.
In that short span, he had already vited several major and minor school rules and shed with the Emerald Magic Tower which was an intermediate-level club.
Now, he seemed poised to create friction with one of thergest forces within Dragon yer Academy. The swordsmanship club.
What was he hoping to gain by going to such lengths?
What reckless act was he nning next?
Dang Gyu-Young was well aware that her own role as a thief hardly put her in a position to lecture others.
Yet she quite liked this junior of hers.
And she didnt want to see him cross an irreversible line and meet a tragic end.
It was with such a worried heart that she had asked about his intentions, only to receive an unexpected reply.
World peace.
Youre joking again.
Dang Gyu-Youngs expression turned sour.
Her serious question was met with a sarcastic response as usual.
Just like the time he imed to have graduated 200 times.
Perhaps those seemingly nonsensical words were Kim Hos way of diplomatically refusing to answer.
She sensed this during their previous exchanges and Dang Gyu-Young had simply shaken her head in disbelief and let it pass.
But this time, she was determined to hear a real answer.
Just one more time.
She gently pulled Kim Ho towards her, locked eyes with him, and asked again,
Im asking you seriously. Cant you tell me?
Dang Gyu-Young looked up to him and Kim Ho looked down.
The two stayed silent for some time.
Perhaps sensing her sincerity, Kim Ho slowly averted his gaze to the distance and began,
I told you Ive graduated over 200 times.
Dang Gyu-young who was about to say, Are you saying that again? saw Kim Hos serious expression and closed her mouth again.
She couldnt decide whether it was a lie or not.
During those 200 times, not every experience was pleasant. Especially in the early stages, when the numbers were in single digits, I was much less experienced which led to more unfortunate events.
Like what?
Like people dying, getting injured, things like that.
Kim Ho mentioned these events casually but they weighed heavily on Dang Gyu-Youngs heart.
She assumed the im of 200 graduations was surely a lie, which meant these stories were likely veiled truths of a painful past etched deep within him.
Im sorry. Maybe I shouldnt have asked.
Its alright. Those days are behind me now. But one thing I made sure of during that time.
Whats that?
Kim Ho continued to stare into the distance and answered in a calm tone.
To never let anything of mine be taken away. To ensure that no one I care about dies.
To ensure that no one I care about dies
Dang Gyu-Young softly repeated the words to herself.
Is that what you want?
Yes.
That sounds difficult.
It is.
Students aspiring to be heroes at the Dragon yer Academy all live with the uncertainty of the future.
They never know when they might be thrown into the midst of battle, where life and death hang in the bnce.
In such ces, its challenging enough to cling to ones own life, let alone take care of ones people.
Kim Ho added,
Thats why we have to be stronger until it gets easier.
To be faster and overwhelmingly stronger.
Dang Gyu-Young felt she was beginning to understand.
Thats why he was striving to such lengths.
Being cautious and protecting yourself might bring immediatefort, but you might face a more difficult fightter and possibly end up losing someone.
On the other hand, even if getting into disputes with other clubs and breaking a few school rules now meant getting entangled in all sorts of trouble, it could ultimately lead to achieving what was desired.
Kim Ho had concluded that thetter option would bring fewer regrets.
Its a relief; this should be fine.
She felt like a heavy burden was lifted from her chest after hearing that.
If protecting others was Kim Hos goal, then ensuring he also remained unharmed should also be part of that objective.
With this in mind, he would naturally take care not to cross any lines that shouldnt be crossed.
Dang Gyu-Youngs lips curled into a gentle smile.
I like that.
If the side of Kim Ho she had just seen was indeed genuine, she was more than willing to be his aplice moving forward.
Before they knew it, the dormitory was in sight.
Despite deliberately taking a longer route, Dang Gyu-Young felt a tinge of regret that it was already time to part ways.
She wanted to take another round and talk about trivial matters, but she decided to stop here for today.
After all, today wasnt the only day they had.
Its gettingte. Lets go in and rest.
Rest well, senior.
Yep, see you in Monday!
?
Kim Ho looked puzzled and tilted his head.
As if he was recalling whether they had arranged something for Monday together.
But then nothing came to mind and he asked.
Why Monday?
Dang Gyu-Young gave a yful wide smile in return.
Why should you be the only one to tease? Its my turn now.
I wont tell you.
Chapter 77: Leader’s Black Chest
Chapter 77: Leader¡¯s ck Chest
I found myself tilting my head in confusion for a while even after Dang Gyu-Young was out of sight.
What was happening on Monday again?
The first thing that came to mind was
Mentoring?
which made no sense.
A mentoring session led by the president of the thieves club?
She would actually take on such an annoying task like this?
It was as imusible as Kwak Seung-Jae and Song Cheon-Hye joining hands to rob a bank.
However, I couldnt think of anything else besides mentoring.
After much deliberation, I made up my mind.
Let it be.
Ill just deal with the surprise on Monday.
Since Dang Gyu-Young wasnt harboring any ill will or setting a trap for me, there was unlikely to be any big issue.
***
Over the weekend afternoon,
I called out Go Hyeon-Woo and Seo Ye-In.
[Go Hyeon-Woo: Ill be there soon.]
Go Hyeon-Woo had just finished his treatment at the infirmary and agreed toe over immediately.
But it took several messages before Seo Ye-In finally replied.
[Kim Ho: Knock, knock, knock]
[Kim Ho: (Cat knocking on door emoji)]
[Kim Ho: (Cat knocking on door emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Awake?]
[Seo Ye-In: .]
[Seo Ye-In: (Dog rolling around emoji)]
[Seo Ye-In: (Sleepy dog emoji)]
[Seo Ye-In: (Dog rolling around emoji)]
Judging by the emojis, she must have just woken up.
At this time when the sun was high in the sky.
I decided to help Seo Ye-In snap out of her grogginess more quickly.
[Kim Ho: (Photo)(Photo)(Photo)(Photo)]
The photos I attached were of the spicy and sweet jerky I had bought at the ck Death dungeon marketce, along with candies, dried fruits, and other various snacks we had purchased together.
[Kim Ho: Coming?]
[Seo Ye-In: Ille.]
Luring with tasty treats. Sessfully executed.
Still, it would be a while before she actually arrived.
Kim-hyung.
In contrast, Go Hyeon-Woo arrived really quickly.
I decided to save the main topic for when all three of us were gathered.
In the meantime, there was something I needed to discuss with Go Hyeon-Woo alone.
Naturally, our conversation centered around the ck Death dungeon.
In particr, we discussed the three-exchange showdown between him and White Snake.
Go Hyeon-Woo let out a sigh.
He was truly a terrifying master. Even after exchanging just three moves, barely surviving was all I could manage.
The first move was purely overwhelmed by the gap in martial arts.
Despite striking first and even using Rapid Current, which could be considered one of Go Hyeon-Woos special techniques, it was instantly neutralized by White Snake, so there was no room for excuses.
The exchange of the second move involved Go Hyeon-Woos ultimate technique, Clear Stream, and, by a stroke of luck, a fleeting moment of enlightenment resulted in him inflicting some minor damage on the opponent.
From the listeners perspective, it was an incredulous story.
You were enlightened there?
Though Dharma statue had been lent to him with the hope of gaining something from the experience, that was meant to be after conquering the dungeon.
To think hed recall and use something he glimpsed just before entering the ck Death dungeon.
Go Hyeon-Woo himself seemed to find it absurd, as he let out a chuckle.
I never expected it myself. When I found myself up against Senior White Snake, I thought it was bad luck, but it turned out to be a fortunate encounter after all.
If things worked out, thats good. Keep spending time studying the Dharma statue.
I n to do just that.
And thest one?
The most crucial was thest, the third exchange of moves.
It was what I was most curious about.
White Snake must have used something stronger than the first two moves.
Indeed. I recognized the Viper Guarding the Hole and Viper Emerges from its Hole at a nce, but thest move was very unfamiliar.
Hearing Go Hyeon-Woos description, I immediately had an inkling of what the move might be.
It must have been White Dragon Ascending to Heaven.
White Dragon Ascending to Heaven Indeed, it was like seeing a giant white serpent.
It was among the top techniques used by White Snake.
Its not something White Snake would use lightly, but it seems it was employed in the three-move duel.
Probably, it was a response to the move Go Hyeon-Woo revealed during their second sh.
So, how did you manage to block it? It doesnt seem like you would have used Blue Stream again.
Hmm
Go Hyeon-Woo paused for a moment, seemingly contemting whether to share this detail.
However, he soon let out a sigh and began to speak.
Its somewhat embarrassing to admit, but if anyone deserves to know the full story, its you, Kim-hyung.
When White Snakes White Dragon Ascending to Heaven approached him, Go Hyeon-Woo had an intuition.
No matter what he tried, he knew he couldnt block it with his power alone.
He faced a choice.
Either use Clear Stream and die, or borrow other power.
He chose thetter.
I resorted to a technique called Pure Flow.
Pure Flow.
Apparently, Go Hyeon-Woo had mastered a technique known for its defensive capabilities, one that mainly focused on deflecting the enemys attacks.
Yet, the proficiency of this Pure Flow techniquegged several steps behind Clear Stream, to the point where employing Clear Stream might have actually offered better defense.
Despite this, he insisted on using Clear because it gave him a sliver of leeway.
Contrary to its seemingly gentle movements, Clear Stream demanded almost total mental focus on the execution of the technique.
On the other hand, Pure Flow was rtively easier to initiate, affording a small margin of breathing space during its deployment.
It was enough so he could borrow strength from elsewhere.
At this point, something clicked in my mind.
You must have used the sects sacred weapon.
Yes, thats correct.
He defended himself with Pure Flow, strengthened his defense using the sects sacred longsword, and blocked the White Dragon Ascending to Heaven attack.
Ive never seen the longsword in person because its always been sealed inyers, but I could surmise its level of power.
The martial arts that Go Hyeon-woo had mastered were already incredibly powerful, but when it came to the sacred artifact passed down through his sect.
It must be at least S-rank, if not higher.
An S-rank or higher weapon could probably neutralize the attacks of a B-rank hidden boss simply by being wielded as a shield.
Of course, there would have been a price to pay for using such an artifact.
I could understand why Go Hyeon-woo had hesitated to speak about the final exchange.
Although he had inherited the sects sacred artifact, he was not yet deemed worthy to wield it.
Having resorted to using such an item merely to escape a crisis must have dealt a significant blow to his pride as a martial artist.
Youve been through a lot. It must not have been easy to make that decision.
I have no regrets. It wasnt just about me; the lives of Shin-hyung, who was by my side, and Kim-hyung, who had faith and waited, were at stake. I couldnt just stand by my pride. But still
But still?
Go Hyeon-woo smiled bitterly.
Just that, despite being unworthy, I survived with the help of the sacred artifact. I dont know how I could face my master without shame.
However, Go Hyeon-woos despondencysted only for a moment.
He quickly regained his expression and steeled himself with a firm resolve.
I must dedicate myself even more to my training. Achieving the necessary qualifications is the only way to restore the honor of our sect.
Im sure you can do it.
Our conversation then shifted to the game of tag I yed with ck Snake.
Of course, the tales of merely dodging and weaving held little value, so we focused on the advanced techniques ck Snake had unleashed in his attempts to capture me.
While Go Hyeon-woo was listening with a very interested expression,
Im here.
Seo Ye-in arrived.
She was carrying three iced teas.
She took a seat next to me and asked,
Did you go to the dungeon yesterday?
Yes, all of these were purchased there.
Seo Ye-in began to sample the array of sweets, pancakes, and dried fruits spread out on the table, one by one.
I kept the spicy and sweet jerky at a careful distance from her.
Thinking back to thest time Seo Ye-in ate that spicy red rice ball, I knew it was best to keep the spicy food away from her. (TN: Chapter 41.)
As we all munched on various snacks, the conversation flowed easily and the mood was light.
With the atmosphere now warm and friendly, I steered the conversation to the main event.
Lets proceed with the box opening today.
I took out a rectangr box painted ck from my inventory.
[Leaders ck Chest]
Ive been secretly looking forward to this moment.
As the person who personally infiltrated the d Death ns treasure room and retrieved the chest, Go Hyeon-woo must have been very curious about its contents.
I held onto the lid and cautioned,
Im about to open it, but dont get too anxious.
The items emerging from the chest were guaranteed, after all.
Without hesitation, I opened it to find two small boxes perfectly fitting the chests size.
[Leaders Ingots Box (B)]
[ck Death Random Box (B)]
One of each kind of random box.
And this was it.
Naturally,pared to the main rewards obtained after defeating the ck Death and clearing the dungeon, these seemed somewhat shabby.
Yet, for a first-year first-semester student, acquiring two B-rank random boxes was no small feat.
In particr, the [Leaders Ingots Box] was unique in that the type of item it contained was guaranteed to be ingots.
Most likely, it would yield either [Iron Ingots] or [Steel Ingots].
Whichever type was used for crafting, one could expect high-quality results.
This alone made the trip into the ck Death worthwhile.
And this very moment was the reason Seo Ye-in had been summoned.
I slid the [Leaders Ingots Box] over to her and asked,
Want to open it?
Mhmm.
Although it had only happened once before, Seo Ye-in had miraculously drawn a B-rank cushion from a D-rank random box.
At that moment, I had formed a small hypothesis: what if, by some chance, Seo Ye-in possessed a trait rted to luck?
It was a possibility worth considering.
Could she possibly draw an item exceeding expectations from this ingot box as well?
Even when Seo Ye-in was faced with a B-rank random box in front of her, she had an indifferent expression on her face as if she were dealing with an ordinary box.
In contrast, Go Hyeon-woo and I were the ones filled with tension and observed intently.
After a moment of impassively gazing at the ingot box, she leisurely proceeded to open it.
I had already covered my eyes to protect them at this point.
If my prediction was correct, another shbang would go off, and preserving my eyesight is important.
And sure enough,
sh!
A dazzling array of multicolored light burst forth from the ingot box and swiftly engulfed the entire room.
Oooh.
I couldnt see anything because it was white all around me, but I could hear Go Hyeon-woos exmation.
Though I didnt express it in words, I was inwardly astonished as well.
This is actually happening.
Despite being mentally prepared, the reality was still surprising.
The hypothesis that Seo Ye-in possessed a luck-rted trait seemed to gain more credibility.
As I covered my eyes for what felt like a long time, the brilliance gradually faded.
Then a sizable metallic mass proudly made its presence known within the ingot box.
[Millennium Iron Ingot (A)]
This is incredible.
Even the initial goal of securing ordinary iron, which was already a superior metal, was surpassed by something even better.
Miss Seos luck is astounding. Encountering such a rare event once is hard enough, let alone twice.
Yeah, how can someone be this lucky?
Go Hyeon-woo and I were full of praise, but Seo Ye-in seemed neither surprised nor particrly pleased.
Instead, she asked me,
Was it helpful?
Yes, it was incredibly helpful.
Thats all that matters then.
Her attitude suggested that what mattered most to her was whether it had been helpful to me or not.
If so, lets use this momentum to quickly handle the rest.
I casually handed her the [ck Death Random Box (B)] and asked,
Would you like to open this one too?
Mhmm.
Seo Ye-in, as if she was receiving something as mundane as a pencil or an eraser, took the B-rank random box and suddenly opened it without warning.
sh!!
A golden brilliance burst forth, though it seemed somewhat less impressivepared to the earlier shbang.
Correspondingly, the rank of the items dropped was somewhat lower.
[Century-old Knotweed (C)] *4
Century-old Knotweed is quite a decent medicinal herb.
And there were four roots of it.
Considering it came from a B-rank random box, it was a fairly good find.
Since there are four roots, lets split them. Take one each.
After all, since I already obtained the Millennium Iron Ingot, I had far exceeded my initial goal.
Moreover, the effect of consuming the same type of medicinal herb diminishes with repeated use.
And growing together would be more beneficial for everyone in the long run.
For these and various other reasons, I decided it was better to share than to keep it all to myself.
I wont refuse then. Ill ept it with thanks.
Go Hyeon-woo who was always in need of medicinal herbs eagerly took one root and tucked it away, while Seo Ye-in also took a root and carefully ced it in her inventory.
And even after setting aside my share, there would still be one left to give to someone else. Even if a suitable recipient could not be found, I could still consume it myself, despite the reduced effect.
Seo Ye-in gazed at me intently, as if asking if there were any more random boxes to open, and I shook my head slightly from side to side to indicate there were none.
Seo Ye-in nodded slightly before she went back to snacking with Go Hyeon-woo.
I let Seo Ye-in wander as she pleased and found myself lost in thought.
It seems like she has some sort of trait
When opening the ingot box, she hit the jackpot, and with the random box, she had moderate sess.
In such cases, its more reasonable to assume there might be some activation condition or limitation to her ability rather than conclude she has none.
For example, there could be a cooldown period for her traits activation, or there might be a cap on the amount of luck she could tap into.
Theres no need to rush.
We could always test it again when another opportunity arises.
! !
Even after I specifically set it aside, you still found it and ate it. You cant even handle spicy food.
!
In the brief moment I looked away, Seo Ye-in had reached for the spicy and sweet jerky.
Chapter 78: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (1)
Chapter 78: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (1)
Having obtained the metal for crafting weapons, there was no reason to dy.
So my next destination was the cksmiths workshop.
ng! ng!
The rhythmic nging of hammer on metal resonated and it was interspersed with bursts of intense heat.
Numerous students were evidently busy at work inside yet oddly enough, no voices could be heard.
It seemed everyone was too engrossed in their tasks to spare a moment for conversation.
As an outsider, wandering around the workshop could be quite disruptive, so I opted to stand by the door while waiting for someone to emerge.
As I inwardly matched the rhythm of the hammering sound, a muscr man with bulging veins came to greet me.
His school uniform was partially undone, so the tie pin was not visible, but he was highly likely a senior.
His face simply didnt look like that of a second-year which meant he was perhaps a third-year student.
In contrast, the cksmith senior merely needed to nce at the tie pin on my chest.
First year? What do you need?
I came to request amission.
The third-year senior casually scratched his back; it seemed I wasnt the first to approach him with such a request since he looked to be slightly annoyed.
Sorry, but the queue for this semester is already full. If you ce an order now, it might not bepleted until the start of next semester.
Could I possibly speak with the president of the workshop?
He acted almost as if he could see right through me and his demeanor suggested he had seen many others with simr requests.
He probably thought I intended to hand the president an item and make a personal request.
Thats not how it works. Even if you were from some prestigious family, it wouldnt make a difference. Dont waste your time and just leave.
Im not from a prestigious family, but I do have this.
I pulled out a small ticket from within my coat.
Upon seeing it, the previously indifferent seniors eyes widened in shock.
[Crafting VIP Ticket]
No way, how does a first-year have something like this
Where else, if not from stealing it from another club.
The VIP ticket was the prize for winning a duel against the Emerald Magic Tower, which became mine after a fierce battle with Kwak Ji-cheol that ended with him being thoroughly defeated.
I had carefully stored it in my inventory for several weeks and now its moment to shine has finally arrived.
I smiled and asked again.
May I see the president of the workshop?
Uh Yes, okay. Just a moment.
The third-year senior hurried inside, and shortly after, a different muscr man came out to greet me.
The head of the cksmithing club looked even older than the senior who had initially met me.
He was clearly a third-year student, yet he didnt look like a student at all.
Looking back, the cksmiths I had encountered in the past also appeared rugged and aged beyond their years.
Could it be that wielding a hammer ages a person?
While I entertained this impertinent theory, the head of the cksmithing club approached me and abruptly said,
The ticket.
Yes.
When I showed him the VIP ticket, he quickly verified its authenticity without taking it from me.
While the VIP ticket did indeed prioritize me in the queue, the decision to ept themission rested on the craftsmans choice in the end.
It meant he would hear me out before making up his mind.
What are you looking to make?
It might be quicker if you see for yourself.
I handed over the blueprint I had prepared in advance to the president of the club.
A rod slightly longer than a human forearm.
And it was designed to be assembled.
The club president scrutinized the blueprint carefully.
This is no ordinary rod. The design is unique; it includesponents for attachment, and its quite borate. Is this some kind of magical engineering equipment?
Youve got it right.
I passed him the E-rank [Levitation Rod] I had made earlier as a reference.
Naturally, I removed the coreponents.
The club president turned the rod over in his hand while inspecting it from all angles and then nodded his head in approval.
This looks interesting. Normally, I wouldnt bother with magical engineering equipment, but Ill make an exception this time.
cksmiths generally prefer not to work with magical engineeringponents.
The reason was that it was more manly to process and wield arge heavy lump of iron as a whole rather than crunching on several tiny parts.
Yet, the blueprint I presented must have captured the interest of the president of the cksmithing club.
He moved on to his next question.
What about the materials?
Please use this as the main material.
As I pulled out the Millennium Iron Ingot, the cksmiths expression subtly changed.
Up until now, he had seemed indifferent while barely giving me a nce, but now, for the first time, he looked me in the eye.
An interesting freshman you are. Asking for something unique to be made, holding a VIP ticket and even possessing Millennium Iron.
Ive been rather lucky in some respects.
Luck doesnt always bring such things But lets assume thats the case. If Millennium Iron is the main material, what do you n to use as the secondary material?
For the secondary material, I intend to use this.
I took off the [ck Mithril Band] I was wearing and also handed over the [Priests ck Bracelet].
Both were mainly made of a metal known as [ck Mithril].
The first advantage of ck Mithril was its exceptionally high mana conductivity, and the second was that you only needed a small amount of it to make a piece of jewelry.
Noticing my intent, the head of the cksmithing club sharpened his gaze.
A Millennium Iron and ck Mithril alloy If done right, we could harness the best qualities of both metals.
Exactly.
Its abination Ive never worked with before, but I dont foresee any difficulties. It will likely take around a week. Ill contact you when its finished.
However, I was certain.
It wouldnt take a week; I expected to hear back from the president of the cksmithing club in just a few days.
No difficulties?
It might not unfold as smoothly as he anticipated.
***
Week 5.
Monday.
For some, it was just another week of duel battles but,
It was a week that had a little more meaning for others.
From this week on, mentoring sessions were set to begin.
There were no changes to the academic schedule, and only those who had signed up for mentoring were to juggle both.
When the ss concluded, Lee Soo-dok made an announcement.
Students participating in the first round of mentoring are to head to the arena immediately. Check the back of your student ID cards for the exact location.
Just under half of the students stood up from their seats.
Those who remained seated had their reasons for not signing up for the mentoring this time, but their minds might change once they saw the gap widening between them and those who had enrolled after about a month.
Participation was expected to jump considerably from the second mentoring session onwards.
Go Hyeon-Woo, Seo Ye-In, and I started making our way to the arena at a leisurely pace.
Our destination, the arena, was the same for all of us.
Since the mentoring was intended to include sparring sessions, the academic department had designated the arena as the meeting spot.
However, where exactly in the arena we were supposed to go varied.
Just as Lee Soo-dok had instructed us, if we checked the back of our student IDs,
[163-H]
I was assigned a seat number in the spectator stands.
Go Hyeon-Woo and Seo Ye-In received different seat numbers.
And each of us was to meet our respective mentors in these designated seats.
Go Hyeon-Woo asked me if something came to his mind.
Come to think of it, arent there others besides oneself who are being taught by the same mentor?
Of course, there are. About three or four.
Are they also warriors like oneself?
Unless its a very special case. Thats why I filled out the application form so carefully.
Since the sses of mentors and mentees have been narrowed down to be as simr as possible, the sses of mentees will inevitably be simr as well.
If there were four other mentees besides Go Hyeon-Woo, it was likely that all four would be swordsmen.
Excitement grew on Go Hyeon-Woos face.
To think Ill not only see the skills of a senior expert but also those of the other participants, Im really d I joined this mentoring program.
Look for opportunities to spar as well.
Of course, I intend to.
However, whether there would be a swordsman of Go Hyeon-Woos caliber to spar with in his group remained to be seen.
The groups were matched based on the mentor, making theposition of each group entirely random.
It was possible he might end up disappointed if the skill levels werent up to his expectations.
Just then, a question came from over my shoulder.
Did you guys sign up for the mentoring too?
Turning around, I saw Han So-mi walking in step with us, seemingly out of nowhere.
Given that we were in the same ss, it was only natural that we would end up walking together.
Song Cheon-hye who was usually inseparable from Han So-mi was also there, but she had created a little distance and pointedly ignored us from the moment Han So-mi started talking to me.
I nodded nonchntly in response.
Its a good opportunity. Theres no reason not to.
Youre in the caster category, right?
Yes.
A Battle Mage, right? An all-rounder.
Thats right, but why do you ask?
When I asked that, Han So-mi answered by pointing to Song Cheon-hye.
It was like, Vo! I think I could hear that sound effect.
Cheon-Hye has also applied to be an all-rounder! If things go well, the two of you might even receive mentoring together!
At those words, Song Cheon-Hye who had been pretending to be interested in something far off turned aghast.
Stop talking nonsense, really!
Huh? Whats so strange about it?
Thats
When Han So-mi tilted her head with an innocent look on her face, Song Cheon-Hye seemed at a loss for words.
It appeared she hadnt divulged all the suspicions about me, like the Inferno Fist or the dungeon intrusion.
Perhaps nothing was conclusively confirmed yet, or maybe the seniors in the disciplinarymittee warned her to keep silent.
After closing and opening her mouth a few times, she seemed to decide not to speak after all.
Theres Some stuff happened!
It was somewhere between evasiveness and a sharp retort.
Then she turned around and walked ahead at a fast pace,
Uhii.
She stumbled and faltered on empty ground.
After barely regaining her bnce, she shot us a sharp re before hastening away at twice her previous pace.
I turned to Han So-mi and asked,
Does she often do that?
Yes, all the time.
So, it was a regr urrence.
Just like I had sensed before, she was somehow clumsy.
As we engaged in a few trivial exchanges, the arena came into view right before us.
We decided to split up and find our respective seats.
Good luck with the mentoring and the team matches; see youter.
Yeah! Bye!
I wish good luck to Kim-hyung too.
...
After Han So-mi cheerfully said her goodbyes and left, Go Hyeon-woo also shed a smile and walked in the same direction as Han So-mi.
Seo Ye-inzily waved goodbye and set off on her own way.
Around the stands, third-year students or graduate mentors settled into their spots and warmly weed the first-year students who approached them hesitantly.
It appeared that all participants had already gathered in some areas with groups of four or five people sitting around a mentor and listening intently to their exnations.
I too checked the seating chart to find my spot.
163-H should be around there.
Since it was an upper seat, I had to raise my gaze quite a bit.
The area was mostly empty which meant our mentor hadnt arrived yet.
I decided to head there first and wait so I started walking towards the stairs.
Just as I was about to step onto the first stair,
Song Cheon-Hye who was a bit ahead of me sensed someone behind her and turned around.
Our eyes met, and her expression instantly soured.
Why are you following me?
Im not following you.
Then go ahead.
Fine.
I walked past the immobile Song Cheon-Hye and trudged up to seat 163-H.
And I sat down in a veryfortable position.
After I settled into my seat, Song Cheon-Hye finally began to move again.
And when she stopped, it was right in front of me.
With a face full of disbelief, she alternated between checking her student ID and the seat number.
Could it be
Youre in 163-H too?
How did this happen?
How should I know that?
All I could do was shrug my shoulders in response.
Did I know things would turn out this way?
Haaah
After letting out a deep sigh, Song Cheon-Hye stood a short distance away with her arms crossed and eyes closed.
Of course, she only pretended to close her eyes. She would asionally sneak nces at me with half-open eyes.
Let her look; I rxed and waited for the next arrivals.
Surely Song Cheon-Hye wasnt the only one joining the mentoring session.
Who else would being up?
With a sense of anticipation, I looked down to see.
Theyre all familiar faces.
Chapter 79: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (2)
Chapter 79: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (2)
When Kwak Ji-cheol made eye contact with me while climbing the stairs, hisplexion turned a little pale and he lowered his gaze.
The memories of the day he was ruthlessly beaten to the ground must have resurfaced.
On the other hand, I no longer harbored any old grudges against Kwak Ji-cheol.
I have already vented my frustrations enough.
And so when we were close enough, I took the initiative to break the ice.
163-H?
Yes.
Youvee to the right ce.
Song Cheon-Hyes attitude towards Kwak Ji-cheol wasnt as disdainful as it was when she looked at me, but it was clear she harbored a mix ofplex emotions.
One of them seemed to be concern about the pairing of Kwak Ji-cheol and me.
After all, weve already dueled before, and now well be mentoring together for a month, so Im sure shes wondering if this is a good idea.
And thest member to join was even more surprising
With shoulder-length red hair, a staff iid with rubies,
And the person who had fought alongside me inst weeks strategy battle,
It was Hong Yeon-hwa.
Hong Yeon-hwas face was full of dissatisfaction as if there was something here that she didnt like so much.
With that unhappy expression, she scanned the seating chart,
And then her gaze shifted towards me where 163-H was,
Only to discover me sitting squarely in the same seat.
..!!
Hong Yeon-hwa seemed to freeze and she grew as still as a statue.
Her pupils darted wildly as if they were caught in an earthquake.
She swiftly turned her back and started rummaging through her belongings, likely double-checking the back of her student ID.
But just as it had been for Song Cheon-Hye and Kwak Ji-Cheol, destiny couldnt be changed.
She might as well ept it. I dont know whether it would ease her mind though.
Hong Yeon-hwa then climbed the stairs with steps as heavy as if her legs were weighed down by sandbags.
There I was,fortably seated by myself, while the three of them awkwardly stood a little apart.
To an outsider, the scene must have looked quiteical.
So, whos going to be our mentor?
The person meant to teach us was nowhere to be seen even though all those meant to learn had already gathered.
Fortunately, the wait wasnt long.
A stir from below captured the attention of the four of us, who had been looking elsewhere, and our gazes focused on one figure.
Our mentor received those gazes calmly and continued climbing the stairs with rxed and leisurely steps.
A third-year student and the president of the thieves club,
Dang Gyu-young.
Hello? Im your mentor.
Dang Gyu-young briefly introduced herself and sat down before she leaned against the back of the seat in front of me.
Then she shed me a sly smile as if asking,
How about that, surprised?
So this is what she meant by see you Monday.
It wasnt shockingly surprising, but it was unexpected.
Those who belong to the thief ss are generally a free-spirited bunch who do not like to be tied down to anything, and they often prefer leisure over diligence.
On the other hand, participating in mentoring means being bound by a contract with Dragon yer Academy and having to diligently follow the schedules of the students being taught, which is quite different from what a thief would like.
In addition to that, Dang Gyu-young was the club president which meant she was likely far busier than the average member.
Yet contrary to my expectations, she had be a mentor.
I wonder if theres some hidden story behind this.
I doubted she would have epted the role without good reason; the academic department must have offered her something quite enticing.
Lets ask her about it when the opportunityes.
Dang Gyu-young silently observed each of us in turn,
After secretly making eye contact with me, she no longer pretended to know me. Since she was a mentor, she should not give the impression that she favored any of the students.
Among us was Song Cheon-hye, the younger sister of the third-year student council president, Song Cheon-gi.
Considering the prickly exchange they had during the temporary storage room break-in, it seemed Dang Gyu-young and Song Cheon-gi were not on the best of terms.
Then there was Kwak Ji-cheol, the younger brother of Kwak Seung-jae.
Despite the heated rtionship between the thieves club and the disciplinarymittee, Dang Gyu-young seemed to hold a rtively positive view of Kwak Seung-jae.
He was difficult to deal with, but he was a respectable opponent.
But her opinion of his younger brother, Kwak Ji-cheol, shouldnt be good.
During our duel, he had resorted to borrowing a third-years golem and equipment and he even resorted to underhanded tactics like using space defense (turtle tactic), which likely left a very negative impression.
Among the four of us, Hong Yeon-hwa seemed to have the least inmon with Dang Gyu-young, but given my limited knowledge of the rtionship between the Ruby Magic Tower and the Thieves Club, this was something to keep an eye on.
Altogether, it was abination that was headache-inducing just to look at.
However, now that we were all part of the mentoring program, we had to ept each other regardless of the mix.
Dang Gyu-young was capable enough to be a club president so she certainly knew how to separate personal feelings from professional duties.
She began in a business-like tone while setting emotions aside.
You all came under my guidance with the goal of bing all-rounder mages. You might be skilled in magic, but being an all-rounder requires more than just that.
An all-rounder mage must not only fulfill their role but also adapt to the changing dynamics of a party, moving between the front, middle, and rear lines, and taking on additional roles as needed.
Dang Gyu-young continued.
I dont know where or how much youck in certain areas. So, today, well find that out.
Through this weeks duel battles.
Dang Gyu-young brought up the duel battle map and rules next to her.
MAP:[Round Arena]
RULE:[Strong Enemy][Random Rule]
The first rule that stood out was [Strong Enemy].
The strong enemy for the second weeks strategy battle was the Beheader Goblin, which was several times stronger than a standard goblin.
The strong enemy for this duel battle would be equally difficult.
By this point, it was almost predictable who that would be.
The strong enemy is obviously me.
!
Dang Gyu-young pointed at herself with her thumb.
If the goal was to assess skills, there was no better way than direct confrontation.
It was also an opportunity for mentors to prove their strength and validate their qualifications to teach.
In short, it is time to establish discipline.
Song Cheon-hye, Hong Yeon-hwa, and Kwak Ji-cheol, though only first-year students, belonged to well-known factions.
This meant they had great pride and there was a chance they might question the mentors background or status.
Their somewhat cold stares at Dang Gyu-young were a sign of this sentiment.
Especially when you think about the negative view of the thief ss.
Dang Gyu-young wasnt part of the Magic Tower Association but belonged to the Guild Union as a mage.
To avoid unnecessaryplications, it was best to firmly establish discipline right away.
No matter what, defeating a third-year might be an excessively harsh demand. So, Im going to add [Random Rules].
Some rules could be adjusted at the mentors discretion.
With a snap of her fingers, Dang Gyu-young added the rules.
MAP: [Round Arena]
RULE: [Strong Enemy][Limit][Sticker][Duo]
Ill start by wearing this in the fight.
At some point, a bracelet appeared on Dang Gyu-youngs finger and it was swaying gently.
It resembled an electronic bracelet with arge C disyed on its screen.
This was a bracelet that yed a simr role to the [Fixed Zone] in the strategy battle cement test as it limited the wearers abilities at C rank.
Skills and traits were diminished in power, and the use of some higher-rank skills was restricted.
For example, [Blink] which was a highly versatile and fundamental movement spell for mages, was naturally a B-rank skill and so it couldnt be used in this case.
Even with everything limited to C rank, the gap in specs between first-years and her remained significant.
The sheer difference in the number of skills mastered was staggering,
Not to mention that most skills held by first-years were at best C rank, with many at lower levels of E or F rank.
For this reason, the next rule, [Sticker], was also in our favor.
Dang Gyu-young pulled out three palm-sized stickers and attached one to her outer thigh, one to her side, and one above her corbone.
Seeing that, Kwak Ji-cheol blushed and turned his head.
What on earth was he thinking?
This creep.
Though it was clear that Dang Gyu-young had seen his reaction, she didnt show it and continued to exin.
You dont need to defeat mepletely; just removing all three stickers will count as a win. Of course, I wont just stand by idly.
To remove the sticker, of course you will have to approach within arms reach, and this means that Dang Gyu-young can keep the approaching opponent in check.
Thest rule, [Duo], was so obvious it hardly needed to be mentioned.
It simply meant that two people should try their best to cooperate and remove the stickers.
Thats all. If you have any questions orints, speak now.
..
With such handicaps in ce, there was hardly room forints.
Even if there were, no one wanted to be the only one grumbling when everyone else remained silent, for fear of wounding their pride.
Dang Gyu-young led us to the front of the arena.
She stood in the teleportation circle and said,
Enter in pairs when youre ready. Decide amongst yourselves who pairs with whom.
Then, Dang Gyu-young vanished inside with a swift movement.
.
.
The eyes of the four left behind wildly crisscrossing in the air.
After a tense moment of silent stand-off, Song Cheon-hye suggested to Kwak Ji-cheol,
Lets pair up.
That sounds good.
I guess Song Cheon-hye came to the conclusion that Kwak Ji-cheo was the least troubling option among the group.
It seemed Kwak Ji-cheol had arrived at the same conclusion.
No matter what, he probably didnt want to be with me, and it was better to team up with a fellow member from the Topaz Magic Tower rather than from the rival Ruby Magic Tower.
The newly formed team stepped onto the teleportation circle and was whisked away into the arena.
Hong Yeon-hwa who was left behind looked on with a mix of frustration and resignation.
In front of Song Cheon-hye and Kwak Ji-cheol, she had maintained her usual confident and slightly irritated demeanor, but now left alone with me, her confidence waned and she became visibly anxious.
I guess shes still the same.
I thought she might be a little more at ease with me after we had managed to navigate throughst weeks strategy battle together but I guess that wasnt the case.
Anyway, wouldnt something work if we relive that experience and do something simr?
While waiting for Song Cheon-hye and Kwak Ji-cheol toe out,
I read the notification messages that had juste in.
[Event: 1st Mentoring] (In progress)
[Remaining Duration: 27 Days]
elerate your growth with the help of a mentor.
Increased probability of acquiring skills/traits.
Increased skill/trait growth speed
[Side Quest: 5th Week Duel Battles]
Objective: Remove Stickers (0/3)
Deadline: ~ midnight on Sunday.
Reward: Varies based on the time ofpletion
Setting aside the mentoring event for a moment.
Although Dang Kyu-young has not mentioned it yet, this Removing Stickers from a Strong Enemy duel battle allows for multiple attempts.
However, the point to note here is that the rewards vary depending on the time ofpletion.
There was a fairlyrge difference in reward between seeding today, the first day, and barely seeding by the end of Sunday.
And so I set my sights on cleanly removing all three stickers on my first try.
Argh.
Just then, Kwak Ji-cheol came tumbling out like a ball and abruptly interrupted my thoughts.
He rolled and rolled, losing momentum before sprawling out on the ground with faint sparks of electricity crackling from his body.
Soon after him, Song Cheon-hye trudged out while looking really tired.
She seemed on the verge of copsing at any moment, but when she noticed us, she tried her best to appear calm.
Then she raised her trembling hand and pointed toward the arena.
Its your turn to go in
Chapter 80: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (3)
Chapter 80: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (3)
I stepped onto the teleportation magic circle alongside Hong Yeon-hwa.
The round arena had appeared in the cement test and it was a terrain we would see quite often in the future.
But this time, the arena was significantlyrger when taking into consideration that it was designed for a three-person melee.
From a distance, I could see Dang Gyu-young standing with her arms crossed.
Judging by the state of Kwak Ji-cheol and Song Cheon-hye, they had engaged in a fierce battle, albeit brief. Yet, there was no sign of such an intense fight on Dang Gyu-youngs appearance.
Not only the stickers but also her clothes were clean as if nothing had happened.
This only went to show the considerable gap in skill between them.
Dang Gyu-young opened her mouth as she noticed us.
Get ready ande in whenever.
Before we began, Hong Yeon-hwa cautiously gauged my reaction.
Although no words were exchanged, it was easy to guess what she wanted to say because her expressions were something I had seen before.
She hoped we could fight together.
But she couldnt force herself to ask for that.
Yet the idea of facing the battle alone against a third-year seemed extremely difficult for her.
Since she didnt know what to do and hesitated, I took the initiative.
Just fight first.
. Alone?
When I looked at her silently, Hong Yeon-hwas expression shifted vividly in response.
Is he really asking me to do this on my own?
Her face fell,
Ah, I should have known hed do this
She resigned herself,
But maybe, likest time, helle to my aid if things get too dangerous?
A glimmer of hope flickered within her eyes.
Regrettably for Hong Yeon-hwa, I nned to approach this first challenge with caution.
She needs to learn something from this too.
After all, if I were to resolve everything on my own, Hong Yeon-hwa would gain nothing from the experience.
After going through the trouble of signing up for mentoring, it would be nothing but a waste of time.
True stagnant waters (veterans), after all, should consider the growth of neers as their responsibility.
Just like when she faced the twin trolls in the strategy battle, teamwork will be the next thing Hong Yeon-hwa will do after shes been bumped and bruised.
In that regard, Hong Yeon-hwa was a neer ready to learn.
She ignited her fighting spirit as if she decided to do her best regardless of whether I helped her or not.
sh!
The ruby embedded in her staff glowed a deep red.
mes of fire magic zed then got absorbed into and spread throughout Hong Yeon-hwas body before fueling her with energy.
[Overheat]
Her physical abilities were significantly enhanced, though it seemed she was not yet confident enough to engage in closebat.
The staff glowed red once more, and a thin stream ofva trickled down from its tip.
Instead of pooling on the floor, theva stretched out and connected to the staff like a snake coiling on the ground.
With a slight flick of her staff, it whipped through the air following hermand.
[Lava Whip]
.
Dang Gyu-young remained motionless with her arms still crossed.
But two small shadow butterflies that she summoned who knows when flitted around her wrist and shoulder.
Following a slight nod from Dang Gyu-young,
Come.
!
Hong Yeon-hwa immediately closed the distance.
As soon as she brought her opponent within striking range, sheshed out with her whip with all her might.
It seemed like she was aiming for Dang Gyu-youngs torso but her real target was likely one of the three stickers.
Swish!
However, at thest moment, Dang Gyu-young swiftly raised her arm and the whip coiled around it.
It was as if she had plunged her arm intova yet Dang Gyu-young didnt even blink.
Hong Yeon-hwa attempted to send additional fire magic her way, but shadow hands emerged from beneath Dang Gyu-youngs feet, tearing through theva whip as if wing it apart.
Hong Yeon-hwa smoothly retracted her whip with an air of not having expected much.
And after flicking the halvedva whip on the ground, its length was miraculously restored.
Swish!
Sheunched another attack on Dang Gyu-young.
As if to say it wouldnt work a second time, Dang Gyu-young easily swatted the iing whip away with a hand enhanced with magical power.
Before Hong Yeon-hwa could strike a third time, a counterattack from the shadow butterflies ensued.
Despite their seemingly feeble fluttering and curving trajectories, they moved with astonishing speed.
In moments of oversight like now, they could swiftly close in.
Ugh!
Hong Yeon-hwa hastily retreated and tried to strike the shadow butterflies with her whip.
But the butterflies were nimble. They fluttered back and forth and easily avoided the whips reach.
Realizing the slender whip was insufficient, Hong Yeon-hwa quickly shifted to her next spell.
She went for something with a wider range.
Theva whip turned into a massive me that scorched everything in front of it, while a burst of shadows erupted from one shadow butterfly and the two collided violently.
Boom!
However, Dang Gyu-young had summoned not one but two shadow butterflies.
The second butterfly was still following closely behind.
Moreover, a third had appeared at some point, maintaining the count of fluttering butterflies at two.
I thought as I looked at Hong Yeon-hwa who kept retreating.
Shespletely overwhelmed.
In her frantic efforts to dodge the butterflies before her, Hong Yeon-hwa overlooked a crucial fact.
What is the easiest thing for a shadow caster to influence?
Shadows, of course.
So what should be the utmost concern when facing a shadow caster?
The ground beneath your feet.
!
Hong Yeon-hwa paused, then quickly looked down.
A shadowy hand had emerged from below before gripping her leg tightly.
She tried to shake it off with force, but it wouldnt budge.
Meanwhile, the two butterflies were closing in by the second.
In her desperation, Hong Yeon-hwa fired off a fireball.
Boom!
One butterfly was burnt, but the other transformed into a massive shadow fist and struck Hong Yeon-hwa with force.
Thud!
Contrary to the dull sound, Hong Yeon-hwas body gracefully flew backwards and lightly touched down.
She turned her head towards me and her eyes were conveying a mix ofplex emotions.
If anything, her look was more one of gratitude since the impact had been lessened by [Wind Force] at the moment of the impact.
I gestured with a nod as if to encourage her to continue.
Hong Yeon-hwa, with a face torn between gratitude and annoyance, steadied herself and began to chant another spell.
However, halfway through, she kicked the ground and moved out of her spot.
The next moment, the shadowy grasp clenched at empty air.
Having been caught once, she no longer let her guard down regarding the ground beneath her.
The key was to keep moving and never lingering in one ce for too long.
This is good so far.
Hong Yeon-hwa readied her next move while maintaining her speed.
[me Arrow]
Whoosh!
mes emerged from her staff before shaping themselves into the form of an arrow.
As she dodged the pursuing butterflies and the grasping hands, she aimed at Dang Gyu-young and released the bowstring.
Whiz!
Danggyu-young continued to remain in the same position with her arms crossed.
Instead, a shadow butterfly that had been fluttering nearby instantly darted in front of the me arrow.
Boom!
A fairlyrge explosion of mes erupted.
Before the smoke from the explosion could clear, a second arrow was already hurtling through the air.
This too was intercepted by a shadow butterfly but then a third arrow wasunched.
Seeing this, its clear shes a promising talent.
Most mages need to concentrate for a good while to conjure even a single arrow, but for Hong Yeon-hwa, the next me arrow was ready almost as soon as she released the bowstring.
She was firing arrows faster than the shadow butterflies could replenish their numbers.
Eventually, a few arrows broke through the defenses and shot directly at Dang Gyu-young, who then, with a gesture of annoyance, unfolded her arms and swept away the me arrows.
Hong Yeon-hwa spun around in a circle at a certain distance and continued to shoot me arrows.
I think I understand her intention, but
She likely aimed to keep her distance and wait for an opening to make her move.
The unfortunate part was the vast gap in their abilities, which meant that an opportunity would hardly present itself.
Dang Gyu-young swatted away another me arrow and asked Hong Yeon-hwa if she was starting to get bored.
When are you going to make your move?
She had given her several handicaps, yet she kept her distance and persistently cast spells instead of engaging more directly to take the stickers.
Yet, when Hong Yeon-hwa showed no sign of approaching, Dang Gyu-young took the initiative and stepped forward for the first time.
If you wonte to me, Ille to you.
She then surged forward at a terrifying speed.
Her movement was swift yet smooth which was the result of a shadow casters unique walking technique added to the thiefs step skill.
Even though her skills rank was limited by the bracelet, they were both C rank right now.
And although Hong Yeon-hwa had enhanced her physical abilities with Overheat, she couldnt match the mobility of two C-rank movement skills, and the distance between the two narrowed in an instant.
Another trait of a shadow caster came into y.
The closer the shadow is to the caster, the quicker and stronger its influence.
When Hong Yeon-hwa was running at a distance, her shadows were always a beat slower in catching her, but now they were only a few steps apart.
As Dang Gyu-young thrust her fist into the air, the shadow at her feet suddenly expanded into arge fist and struck Hong Yeon-hwa with force.
Hong Yeon-hwa hastily erected a wall of fire to block it, but a massive foot kicked through the barrier again before shattering it.
The barrier shattered and Hong Yanhua staggered from the impact.
This time, straight palm shadows rose from either side of Hong Yeon-hwa and they started drawing closer as if to p together.
p!
Agh!
Hong Yeon-hwa was sent tumbling backward with a loud cry.
She was nearly caught in the shadow p when I swiftly pulled her away with Wind Force.
Given the urgency of the moment, the pull was rough, causing her to roll several times on the ground beforeing to a stop.
Hong Yeon-hwas temper red up for a moment and she stood up and yelled in my direction.
You! be gentle please
But then, when she made eye contact with me, she suddenly lowered her voice dramatically as if her head had cooled down.
Her eyes kept darting around as if she was worried I might take issue with her earlier outburst but I simply let it slide.
That wasnt important.
It seems like this might be the end.
It seemed to be virtually impossible for Hong Yeon-hwa to remove one of the stickers in this challenge.
Since it was impossible,
Try closebat.
?
Hong Yeon-hwas expression turned perplexed, as if the suggestion itself was bewildering. After all, she hadnt even managed to get close and now closebat?
On the other hand, Dang Gyu-young seemed quite pleased with the idea as if she liked my proposal.
Its a good idea. Even if you lose, its worth giving it a try.
Now, Hong Yeon-hwa looked somewhat wronged. If one were to interpret her expression, it would roughly trante to:
Ive been fighting hard this whole time, so why is he getting praised?
However, she soon seemed to resign herself to the situation with a deep sigh before steeling her resolve as her eyes gleamed with determination.
This time, Hong Yeon-hwa took a notably long time to cast her spell.
She was one of the fastest mages Ive ever seen in terms of casting speed, so if she was taking that much time, it must be a very high-level spell.
The physical enhancements provided by [Overheat] were proportional to the power of the me magic absorbed.
Thus, the intent was to absorb as potent a me as possible to double the physical abilities.
Soon, vivid mes engulfed Hong Yeon-hwas entire body.
After taking a deep breath, she forcefully kicked off the ground.
Dang Gyu-young, with her hands hanging loosely, waited for Hong Yeon-hwa to approach.
As she closed in, she feigned a punch but then swiftly reached for Dang Gyu-youngs waist.
She hadnt forgotten that the objective of this duel wasnt to overpower the opponent but to remove the stickers.
Though there was a prerequisite of blocking or avoiding Dang Gyu-youngs melee attacks.
Hong Yeon-hwas attack was strengthened by Overheat and it obviously became incredibly fast.
However, its straightforward trajectory made it somewhat predictable.
Would a third-year student who went through countless battles not foresee such a move?
When Dang Gyu-young caught Hong Yeon-hwas wrist and yanked it, her bnce was disrupted.
But she quickly regained her posture and reached out again.
Just when she thought she was about to touch one of the stickers, Dang Gyu-young spun around and moved right behind Hong Yeon-hwa.
With a shove, Hong Yeon-hwa fell awkwardly to the ground.
Huh.
There was no time to be annoyed.
Hong Yeon-hwa let out a cry of surprise and hurriedly rolled to the side.
And as if that wasnt enough for her, she rolled several more times.
A massive shadowy fist then mercilessly mmed down where she had been moments before.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
She had barely gotten up when Dang Gyu-young was already bearing down on her up close.
And from this point on, it was akin to a one-sided beating.
Shes got a long way to go.
I clicked my tongue as I watched Dang Gyu-young kick away merrily and Hong Yeon-hwa rolling around like a ball.
It seemed about time to call it quits.
If she kept getting pummeled without being able to put up any real fight, shed learn nothing and only deepen her trauma.
I approached the two, slipped in between them, and extended my hand.
Just as Dang Gyu-young was about to swat it away, my hand swiftly flipped and I grasped her wrist firmly.
Instead of trying to pull away, Dang Gyu-young moved in closer and swung her fist.
I gathered Wind Force in my opposite hand to meet her attack.
When the fist met the palm,
Bang!
With the sound of bursting wind, we were both pushed back a certain distance from each other.
In the meantime, Hong Yeon-hwa had managed to steady her staggering body.
I said to Hong Yeon-hwa,
Lets stop here.
At the same time, I pointed to the teleportation magic circle with a light gesture.
It was a signal for her to leave.
Hong Yeon-hwa tried a timid resistance,
I can still go on
I slowly shook my head.
Deep down, Hong Yeon-hwa must have felt it too.
Despite employing every tactic against Dang Gyu-Young, she was no match for her, and she only made it this far thanks to my help during three critical moments.
Even if she was fighting alongside someone else, the oue would have been the same.
Even if Hong Yeon-hwas numbers had doubled, the result wouldnt have changed.
Though we could havebined our strengths, she must have known that she would only end up being a burden.
I understand
Eventually, Hong Yeon-hwa trudged out of the arena before leaving just Dang Gyu-Young and me.
Dang Gyu-Young looked at me with a slight smile.
Shall we see what our junior-nim can do then?
Chapter 81: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (4)
Chapter 81: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (4)
How did you end up mentoring?
Pffft, were you surprised? Bet you were.
Dang Gyu-young let out a cheerfulugh.
They said theyd cut me some ck on the penalties if I mentored. Seemed like the better option when I thought about it.
How much did they cut?
All of it.
I nodded my head in understanding.
It makes sense if they waived everything.
Given that she had broken into the temporary storage and tampered with a bunch of prohibited items, the penalties must have been substantial. But if all of that is waived, the hassle of mentoring seems well worth it.
Still, I hadnt expected aplete waiver.
It seemed the disciplinarymittee president Oh Se-hoon was more willing to make boldpromises than I thought.
Lets continue this conversationter. The others are waiting outside.
Since only Hong Yeon-hwa was sent out of the arena, the longer Dang Gyu-young and I stay here, the more suspicious the three waiting outside will be.
Its best to wrap this up quickly and head out.
However, I decided to make one more request before we began.
Id appreciate it if you could turn off the rey.
Dang Gyu-young who had been observing me up until this point couldnt possibly have misunderstood the implication of my words.
Turning off the rey meant I was willing to showcase skills that couldnt be publicly disyed.
Dang Gyu-young seemed intrigued but also appeared to be weighing her options.
Honestly, Im curious But, you know, Im a mentor right now? Im supposed to upload all the reys.
It might have been different if it were just a duel, but mentoring was also in progress.
The academic authorities wanted to track the progress of the students; hence recording and submitting all reys was rmended.
While it wasnt mandatory, aligning with this would reflect well on Dang Gyu-youngs mentoring performance, so it was best toply where possible.
So I made another suggestion.
How about we make this one unofficial, and then have an official match with the reys on, maybe with someone else joining us?
Should we?
[Side Quest: 5th Week Duel Battles]
Objective: Remove Stickers (0/3)
Deadline: ~ midnight on Sunday.
Reward: Varies based on the time ofpletion
The objective of this side quest was to remove stickers.
As long as I received the quest rewards, I could take my time with the duel itself.
It was a proposition that Dang Gyu-young couldnt lose out on.
After all, this meant securing a rey that could be submitted to the academy.
After retrieving the rey modifier, she wiggled her finger at me.
Come on, then.
Her eyes were filled with anticipation as if she was wondering what she was about to see.
However, contrary to her expectations, I didnt n on showing much this time.
My intention was to end things swiftly.
[Activate Amplification]
[The rank of Overheat has been increased. (D->B)]
I cast [Inferno Fist],
And the mes burning from my fist were absorbed with [Overheat].
The effect of Overheat increases with the strength of the fire skill being absorbed and the rank of Overheat itself.
Since I used a B-rank Overheat with Inferno Fist, the oue was bound to be significant.
Whoooosh.
A surge of immense power began to boil up inside me and start to run wild.
The force was overwhelming for my current physical capacity which meant that control might be a bit difficult.
Thats why I need to end it even more quickly.
I took my stance and kicked off the ground forcefully.
Thump!
In the span of a single breath, Dang Gyu-youngs figure came closer.
With another forceful kick against the ground I found myself right before her.
Dang Gyu-young seemed somewhat prepared, but her eyes widened in surprise as if she hadnt anticipated such a turn of events.
Wh-what?
Ssssh!
In an instant, my figure flew past Dang Gyu-young, apanied by the sound of something being torn away.
And before she knew it, a sticker was stuck to my hand.
Dang Gyu-young nced at the sticker and then looked down to check her waist area.
Her side was conspicuously empty.
This is why I have to raise my rank.
Currently, Dang Gyu-young was wearing a bracelet that restricted all skills and traits to C-rank.
On the other hand, the rank of the Thiefs Step I had copied from Dang Gyu-young was B, and with the bonus from the shoes Seo Ye-in gave me, it was even at B+.
Even this alone made a huge difference in speed, not to mention the significant boost in physical abilities from Overheat.
Even when Overheat was at D-rank, I managed to y tag with the ck Death n leader without so much as a hair out of ce, so it goes without saying that B-rank would be extraordinary.
I straightened my posture right away.
Ill take the next one.
Hey, hey, wait a minute. Just wait a minute.
Theres no wait a minute in a match.
Pop!
I shortened the space between us again and charged in.
As Dang Gyu-young hastily stepped back and traced her hand through the air, several shadow hands and feet sprang up from below, attempting to block me.
I gathered mana in my hand and struck down the encroaching shadow limbs forcefully.
Boom!
The shadows dispersed which sent a considerable shock to Dang Gyu-young as well.
A shock sufficient to cause a momentary stiffening of her body.
In that brief window, I swiftly circled around the shadows to nk Dang Gyu-young.
The experience she umted up to her third year wasnt for naught as Dang Gyu-young quickly regained herposure.
She pushed the hand reaching for the sticker aside and tried to grab it back.
However, since I only pretended to reach out and retracted my hand, Dang Gyu-young grasped at nothing but air.
I reached out again and Dang Gyu-young responded again.
With the tiny distance of barely a step between us, our hands collided and tangled in a frenzy.
Then I suddenly took a step back,
Thud!
Upon seeing a shadow hammer strike where I had just been standing, I kicked off the ground with force and surged forward.
Pop!
Dang Gyu-young reacted instantly, but her defense was a fraction too slow; perhaps her body couldnt keep up.
Ssssh!
I seized that slight dy to sessfully peel off a second sticker.
As I backed off and pped the stickers onto my body, Dang Gyu-young let out a hollowugh.
Wow, youve already taken two. But Kim Ho, you should give me some time to prepare.
The more time I give you, the more it disadvantages me.
Well, thats true.
The main reason I was able to easily remove the two stickers was because my speed was much faster than that of Dang Gyu-young, who was wearing a limiting bracelet. But it also mattered that I kept pressing the attack after she was caught off guard.
However, thest third sticker wouldnt be so easy.
As Dang Gyu-young waved her hand gently, the shadows at her feet began to ripple like waves, expanding their reach.
It meant she was pushing the skills performance to the maximum limit of C-rank.
I must have been too tense because of those kids earlier. Now that I think about it, you came out of the ck Death dungeon with only an injured hand. I should at least treat the final round with the respect it deserves.
The shadows which continued to expand their range soon formed a square-shaped garden.
[Shadow Flower Garden]
Instead of flowers, limbs made of shadows sprouted abruptly with three butterflies flitting above as if scouting the area.
Even with her abilities capped at C-rank, Dang Gyu-young managed to create area magic and the addition of three butterflies.
It was a glimpse into Dang Gyu-youngs depth of power.
Yet, on the other hand, it was also quite a foolish move.
Spreading out all sorts of magic like that and just maintaining them would continuously drain her magical power in real-time.
Moreover, the [Shadow Flower Garden] is a highly defensive spell, so as long as I dont invade its territory, Dang Gyu-young cant harm me either.
From a distance, it seemed she would exhaust herself and retract the spell on her own.
But could Dang Gyu-young really be unaware of this?
After all, she was the one who cast the spell.
She met my gaze and smiled wryly.
Whats the matter, noting in?
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Her gaze seemed to say, Surely you wont just stand there doing nothing after Ive gone to all this trouble?
To be honest, I was the type to wait from a distance at such times.
While spicing up the wait with a bit of trash talk.
It was the most effective way to get under an opponents skin.
However, given that my opponent was Dang Gyu-young, it seemed wise to avoid such tactics for the sake of maintaining a long-term rtionship.
I guess Ill have to y along.
I confidently walked into the Shadow Flower Garden on my own ord.
As I stepped deliberately across the boundary, shadowy hands and feet attacked me from all directions at once.
Shadow fists clenched and swung, feet kicked or tried to trip, and hands reached out to grasp me.
I leaned and twisted my body this way and that to avoid the fists, jumped over or dodged the kicking feet, and struck back at the grabbing hands with a surge of mana.
Boom!
A brief scattering of shadows created a gap, through which I quickly advanced.
Shadow limbs from all around continued to swarm towards me.
It felt like I was facing off against ten or even twenty people at once.
No matter where I looked, the area was teeming with pitch-ck shadows that were enough to overwhelm anyone.
But I was far too experienced and had been weathered by countless battles to be intimidated by such a sight.
Moreover, the situation wasnt entirely to my disadvantage.
Its often said that one hand cannot defeat ten, but the difference in skill rank still tipped the bnce in my favor.
If one hand could muster the strength of ten, it was a challenge worth taking on.
I advanced steadily, calmly evading, dodging, and shaking off the shadowy limbs bit by bit.
After repeating this a few times and measuring the distance to Dang Gyu-young at the center of the garden,
Now might be the time to make a dash.
I was close enough that a single leap could bridge the gap between us.
I gathered strength in my legs and kicked off the ground forcefully.
Thump!
As if anticipating my move, Dang Gyu-young wore a triumphant smile.
Somehow, she had summoned all three shadow butterflies that had been fluttering around the garden to her front.
The butterflies exploded all at once, raining down all manner of sharp projectiles like a downpour.
This wont do. Abort.
Thump!
I kicked the ground again and retreated to my previous position.
As I dodged and struck at the relentless shadow limbs without a moments rest,
Now really might be the time to leap.
Having used up the three butterflies, there would be a slight dy before they could be replenished.
Thump!
I leaped towards Dang Gyu-young once more.
She seemed astonished to see me moving in and out of her domain as if it were my own living room.
Even if she used her best moves at C-rank, she couldnt bridge the rank difference.
Especially if it is me who has the upper hand in the ranks.
But she didnt lose her fighting spirit and threw her fist toward me.
I sidestepped and deflected the iing punch further to the side.
At the same time, I reached out for the sticker, but Dang Gyu-young tried to grab my hand, and when I pped her hand away, she countered, leading to a rapid exchange of blows in mid-air.
The longer I stayed in one spot exchanging blows, the more at a disadvantage I found myself.
After all, Dang Gyu-young had countless shadow hands to assist her in addition to her own hands and feet.
I had to change my position again to avoid the encroaching shadows from behind.
Thud!
A single footprint was deeply imprinted on the ground.
The next moment, I appeared on the opposite side of Dang Gyu-young.
After forcefully batting away the shadow hands, I extended my hand forward as if to peel off the sticker.
?
A fleeting look of puzzlement crossed Dang Gyu-youngs face, as she realized that even with my hand stretched out, there was still a considerable distance between us.
However, in the next instant,
Boom!
An explosion ofpressed air from behind propelled Dang Gyu-youngs figure towards me in a sh.
From the moment I first set foot in the Shadow Realm, I had been secretly preparing the Wind Force bit by bit.
Dang Gyu-Youngs eyes widened in astonishment.
She tried to hastily regain her bnce, but before she could, I took another step closer and reached out toward her chest.
The moment the edge of the sticker caught on my finger, I gripped it firmly and ripped it off with all my strength.
Riiipcrack.
?
A question mark popped up above my head.
I understood the sound of the sticker being torn, but what was that cracking noise?
But that wasnt the only odd thing.
At the same time as the cracking sound, something the size of a fingernail shot towards my face.
What was this? A secret weapon of the Dang family?
I quickly tilted my head to the side to dodge and then retreated a fair distance.
And looking at Dang Gyu-Young,
Her face was twitching as if she was very, very upset.
Her cheeks appeared to be slightly flushed.
Was there another reason besides the sticker beingpletely removed?
On closer inspection, I noticed Dang Gyu-Young clutching at her shirt cor with one hand.
As if something terrible would happen if she let go.
Thats when I realized what had happened.
Ah, the button.
The sticker attached to her chest had been torn off with such force that it had ripped off a button from her school uniform shirt.
The object I had dodged, thinking it was a hidden weapon from the Dang family, was that button
Did I overdo it?
I took a moment to reflect.
Then, Dang Gyu-Youngs voice reached my ears.
Hey.
In a tone lower and colder than usual.
I immediately bowed my head.
Im sorry.
Chapter 82: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (5)
Chapter 82: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (5)
Hey, Kim Ho.
Yes, senior.
You crossed the line this time.
I apologize, senior.
You did that on purpose, didnt you?
Not at all, senior.
But why tear it off so forcefully?
The intensity of the fight made me exert more force, senior.
Dang Gyu-young narrowed her eyes and red at me.
As if doing so would allow her to discern the truth from the lies in my words.
But its the truth.
Thebination of the Thiefs Step and the amplified Overheat made it difficult for me to maintain perfect control.
Moreover, trying to peel off the sticker from Dang Gyu-young, who was exerting her full power, inevitably required more strength.
Still, other than identally tearing off the button, I was honest in my intention and I met Dang Gyu-youngs gaze without averting my gaze.
..
Dang Gyu-youngs eyebrows dramatically shifted in shape every few seconds.
They would knit into a V when she was angry, then rx into a gentle curve as if she was deep in thought, only to furrow again in renewed irritation.
If one were to guess Dang Gyu-youngs current state of mind, it might go something like this:
She certainly knew that the recent mishap was an unfortunate ident.
But even though she knew, she felt a little hurt.
Despite receiving several apologies, she hesitated to continue venting her frustration at me.
She didnt want to appear petty as a senior.
But her anger hadnt fully dissipated and she didnt want to just let it go.
Amidst this cycle of anger and reflection, Dang Gyu-young suddenly cast her gaze downward.
Still clutching the torn shirt,
She wanted to resolve this quickly and uttered a brief word.
The stickers.
Yes, senior.
When I took the three stickers back and held them out, shadow hands emerged and swiftly snatched them away.
Another shadow hand gestured in the opposite direction.
Look over there.
Yes, senior.
I turned my backpletely and began to examine the walls of the round arena.
There was the sound of rustling behind me followed by a sigh.
I half-listened to these noises while checking the quest details.
[Side Quest: 5th Week Duel Battles]
Objective: Remove Stickers (3/3)
Reward: Enhanced Bonus from Mentoring Event (Large)
[Event: 1st Mentoring] (In progress)
[Remaining Duration: 27 Days]
elerate your growth with the help of a mentor.
Increased probability of acquiring skills/traits.
Increased skill/trait growth speed
Enhancement bonus (Large) currently applied.
The quest reward was an increase in the growth bonus from the mentoring event.
I seeded on my very first attempt and was rewarded with an enhancement bonus rge).
Normally, one might expect a bonus of around 20%, but with thisrge bonus it exceeded 100%.
It meant my growth rate had more than doubled.
For someone like me who was eager to learn a few powerful skills and traits through this mentoring session, this reward was very good.
However, since this was a mentoring event, progress was impossible without the cooperation of Dang Gyu-yeong regardless of the bonus received.
I hoped her anger would subside soon.
Poke.
While I was lost in thought, I suddenly felt something poking my back.
It felt like a finger and it began to scratch back and forth across my skin.
It seemed as if someone was writing letters on my back.
Trying to guess what it was Id?
Then, something else was written beside it.
Senior?
As I nced over my shoulder, I saw Dang Gyu-yeongs very upset face.
She poked my cheek with her index finger.
Who said you could turn around? Look in front of you; in front of you.
Her index finger seemed to urge me on as it pressed firmly into my cheek.
Since I felt guilty, I turned my head back to its original position and willingly offered my back as a canvas for her to scribble on.
Go ahead; write to your hearts content until youre no longer upset.
.
Dang Gyu-young finished writing idiot on my back, and then she continued to scribble down a series of trivial insults, including jerk and country bumpkin.
Finally, her voice softened a bit, indicating that her anger might have subsided slightly.
. Turn around.
When I was allowed to turn back, I saw Dang Gyu-young wearing a zip-up hoodie over her clothes.
She had zipped it up all the way.
The two stickers that were originally on her shirt were now obscured by the zip-up, leaving only the one on her thigh visible in its original ce.
Try that again next time.
Ill be careful.
Lets go.
***
When I came out using the teleportation magic circle, I could feel a heavy tension among the three who had left before us.
The physical and mental aftermath of being hit by Dang Gyu-young was apparently more significant than I had anticipated.
At first, Song Cheon-hye tried to act as if everything was normal, but perhaps finding it difficult to keep up the pretense, she quietly took a seat in the front row of the spectator stands. On the other hand, Kwak Ji-cheol sprawled himself across two or three seats.
Hong Yeon-hwa, having been rtively unharmed thanks to my intervention at critical moments, seemed to feel no need to join the others in the stands and instead stood in front of the stage with her arms crossed.
Then, as Dang Gyu-young and I made our appearance, the three of them surged towards us.
Even though Dang Gyu-young came out wearing a zippped-up hoodie, unlike when she entered, Kwak Ji-cheol didnt seem to feel anything strange.
Song Cheon-hye, however, sensed something suspicious and shifted her skeptical gaze between Dang Gyu-young and me.
Given the warm weather, it was unlikely that anyone would wear a hoodie zip-up to get warmer, and even if she did, she wouldnt have ufortably pulled the zipper up all the way to her chin.
And Hong Yeon-hwa,
!
Seemed to tremble slightly as if she had discovered something more.
Her gaze was fixed on Dang Gyu-youngs thigh, or more precisely, on the sticker attached to it.
At first nce, you wont notice much of a difference, but if you look a little more closely, you will notice that the position of the sticker has changed very slightly.
This meant that the sticker had been removed and then put back on.
The look Hong Yeon-hwa gave me likely carried this sentiment:
He actually managed to pull it off!
Amidst these varied thoughts,
Dang Gyu-young took a moment to carefully scan the first-year students once again.
And she began to speak with a sigh.
Um Originally, I nned to follow the manual and give feedback individually based on skills, but it seems thats not whats important right now.
There was a ringmon w that overshadowed the need for individual feedback.
Dang Gyu-young must have decided it was better to address this issue.
The w was,
Your closebat is too weak. All of you. Its not just weak; its disappointingly so. Even considering youre mages, its weak.
!
Think carefully about what you did when you faced me just now. Did any of you even try to touch the sticker?
The three of them momentarily bristled at the critique of their abilities, but they soon fell silent again at Dang Gyu-youngs follow-up.
Because they were unable to find words to retort with.
For example, Hong Yeon-hwa who had been watching from the sidelines.
At first, sheunched her attacks with a semnce of momentum.
However, after deviating from her initial strategy, she failed to find any significant openings in Dang Gyu-youngs defense and ended up merely exchanging ineffective jabs before being overwhelmed by Dang Gyu-youngs counterapproach.
Finally, when I forced her to engage in closebat, she tried reaching for the sticker, but she literally just stretched out her hand and it was difficult to see it as a valid action.
Following that, it was a one-sided beating.
I wasnt exactly sure how Song Cheon-hye and Kwak Ji-cheol fared, but I suspected their experiences werent much different from Hong Yeon-hwas.
Dang Gyu-youngs critique continued.
Shouldnt closebat be a basic skill if youre aiming to be an all-rounder? Even if we concede, for arguments sake, that you dont aspire to be all-rounders and just want to be average ranged mages, you should still have at least some basic countermeasures for closebat.
Thats a fair point.
I nodded my head in agreement.
Indeed, her advice was invaluable for these fledglings.
Imagine youre facing an opponent with strong charging or mobility skills. Do you think merely backing away will shake them off? You need to withstand their attack, even if only for a moment, create an opening, and then widen the gap to stand a chance.
.!
Dang Gyu-young merely gave them an example but the three of them flinched as if she had pointed them out specifically.
They must have experienced a simr scenario before.
Especially Kwak Ji-cheol and Hong Yeon-hwa, who seemed to recall a certain memory, nced at me briefly before hurriedly averting their eyes.
So, lets focus exclusively on closebat in this mentoring session. Our goal will be to master closebat well enough to take down opponents who are at least 200 to 300 points below us. I believe its doable. You all have a solid foundation.
Considering the skills and traits they had learned from their respective towers, each had more than a couple to their names.
Take Hong Yeon-hwa for example who possessed a skill called Overheat which was highly suitable for closebat.
It was just a matter of using the skills properly.
With that, the direction forward became clear.
If we keep at it until you get used to it, somethings bound to stick.
The n was to fight brutally and umte experience throughbat.
And most of those battles were expected to be against Dang Gyu-young herself.
It would be tough on their bodies, but skill grows faster the more one pushes and twists their body.
As for the duel battle, Ill give you three more chances to challenge me. If you manage to remove all your stickers within those attempts, youll gain 50 points. Fail, and youll lose 50 points.
It was an encouragement to try challenging her once they started to gain confidence.
If they failed, they would go back to sparring with Dang Gyu-young to hone their skills and then challenge again.
Earning 50 points in a duel battle equated to winning two matches against opponents of a simr score, or the points one might lose in defeat.
Even though failing wouldnt be a major setback, it was enough to instill a reasonable level of tension.
As for strategy battles honestly, theres a lot to discuss there too, but for now, were focusing solely on closebat. Figure out the rest on your own.
***
The schedule for the week could be summarized as follows:
Academic and personal training routines continued as usual.
Any spare time was devoted to mentoring sessions.
Given our groups proven weakness in closebat, we engaged in one-on-one sparring sessions with Dang Gyu-young to gain experience.
Each person sparred for about 30 minutes a day.
Why are you even receiving mentoring?
As soon as we were alone, Dang Gyu-young questioned me.
This weeks schedule was built under the assumption that we were all weak in closebat.
However, that assumption didnt apply to me.
I had already removed all my stickers long ago.
In the end, it seemed that Dang Gyu-young was at a loss about what specifically she could teach me since my training needed to be different from the rest.
I responded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Is there any other reason? Im here for mentoring because I want to learn as much as I can.
Do you think theres something you can learn from me? You seem to be doing just fine on your own.
Theres a lot I can learn. This time, especially, I need your help.
The notion that her help was needed made Dang Gyu-youngs eyes sparkle.
Is that so? What is it?
Im looking to master a new trait.
What kind of trait?
Its a long story, but for now, Ill just say its rted to evasion.
Evasion, you say Then you do need my help.
Naturally, to learn a trait rted to dodging, someone would have to attack me.
Moreover, there was another reason why Dang Gyu-young had to be my sparring partner:
[Event: 1st Mentoring] (In progress)
Enhancement bonus (Large) currently applied
Although my growth speed has been increased to more than double with the side quest reward, there was one condition.
I had to receive help from a mentor.
No matter what kind of training I did, the presence of a mentor was required to secure the bonus.
For one reason or another, Dang Gyu-young had to be my sparring partner.
Even though it was vague, Dang Gyu-young actually weed the direction I provided.
Alright, lets give it a try. Get ready.
Shadows began to flicker.
However, just as the battle was about to start, I raised my hand to stop Dang Gyu-young.
Senior.
What now?
Id prefer if you removed your bracelet.
?
Dang Gyu-young blinked her eyes and lifted her arm.
While showing the C-Rank restriction bracelet she wore for the duel battles.
This?
Yes, that.
You want to do this without any rank restrictions?
It would increase the chances of sess.
What sort of trait requires that? Let me at least hear its name.
If the acquisition condition included evading a full-powered attack from a third-year, it couldnt be an ordinary trait.
It was just as Dang Gyu-young had guessed.
I remember that when I was ying , only two or three people including me, were able to master this trait even among the top ten rankers.
It was known to very few due to the cumbersome conditions attached to its acquisition, and even once it became known, many gave up on learning it if the conditions didnt align.
However, the power it bestowed upon mastery was formidable, making it one of the most challenging defensive traits to contend with among countless others.
The name of this trait was;
[Distortion].
Thats another interesting thing you said. What does it do?
Ill show you after Ive mastered it.
Alright then.
Dang Gyu-young slipped her wrist out of the C-rank restriction bracelet.
As the shackles were released and her skills regained their original rank, the shadows at her feet became denser and darker.
Are you confident you can dodge?
Somewhat.
Hmm, fine. Give it your best.
The shadows then stirred violently,
And with the bracelet off, an immense torrent of shadows burst forth that far surpassed anything before.
Whoosh!
Chapter 83: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (6)
Chapter 83: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (6)
I was sprinting with all my might.
Whooosh!
Shadow des grazed past me and missed my back by mere inches.
I continued to run at full speed before I suddenly veered off at a sharp 90-degree angle.
Dang Gyu-young jumped out of the shadows and shed with her dagger but she missed my ankle by a hairs breadth and clicked her tongue in frustration.
Tch.
She melted back into the shadows and a flurry of des followed.
This time, two shadow butterflies flew towards my path.
I immediately focused strength into my legs and pushed off the ground with force.
Boom!
I barely managed to weave through the exploding butterflies
Only for half a dozen more toe flying at me.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
I staggeredically before I started zigzagging through the explosions.
That was a close call.
Once Dang Gyu-young removed her bracelet, her strength increased to a level that was iparable to when I easily peeled off the stickers.
Take her main skill, [Shadow Butterfly Flight], for instance. While it was previously limited to summoning merely three butterflies, she was now able to conjure them continuously without restriction.
She freely unleashed skills that had been constrained by mana limits.
A prime example was her use of [Shadow Leap] which was a B-rank skill that allowed her to vanish into shadows and reappear from various locations.
This skill was akin to the [Space Leap] which was a main movement technique among mages, but its immense mana consumption meant it was unfeasible with a C-rank [Core].
But if its Dang Gyu-young, her [Core] should be A-rank.
So how can I avoid the attacks of Dang Gyu-young that became so strong?
First, our speeds werent vastly different.
Second, as someone who raised 1,000 S-rank heroes my own control had reached the pinnacle.
Lastly, I was thoroughly familiar with Dang Gyu-youngs skills.
After all, Ive trained Shadow Mages myself.
Though it was a rtively rare ss, I had managed to train two up to S-rank.
Crash!
And making use of such control and experience, I once again dodged the shadow des with dazzling movements.
But how long would I have to keep dodging like this?
Dang Gyu-young seemed to harbor simr thoughts and continued tounch shadow daggers while asking.
Are you sure you are learning the trait correctly?
Yes, just keep going as you are.
Even without a status window to see the figures, I had the unique confidence thates with being a veteran yer.
A firm belief that I was steadily progressing toward my goal.
Before even delving into the method of mastering [Distortion].
Like many games, also had its share of hidden figures.
One of these was the concept of streaks.
Streaks umte one by one with each sessive action performed sessfully.
For example, if younded attacks consecutively ten times, youd have ten hit streaks.
Naturally, what I was umting were dodging streaks.
Simr to hitting, each sessful dodge added one dodging streak.
And the minimum prerequisite for acquiring [Distortion] was maintaining over 1,000 dodging streaks.
Only after reaching this threshold does each evasion attempte with a probability to learn the trait.
But at exactly 1,000 streaks, that probability was so ridiculously low that it was practically zero.
Then, how could one increase this probability?
I need to umte more streaks.
The more streaks I gathered, the higher the probability would continuously climb.
It was about repeatedly dodging and knocking on the door of chance over and over again.
This was precisely the process of mastering [Distortion].
So what was the faster way to umte these streaks?
Dodging attacks from opponents of a higher level than myself, meaning those whose skills or equipment ranks were higher, was the answer.
If the rank difference was big, it could result in gaining three or four streaks at once.
Early mentoring is important.
This was why securing it early in my first year was far easier thanter.
And also why most rankers eventually gave up on it despite knowing the conditions.
The average rank of the skills I possessed currently fluctuated between D and C, which meant I could gain more than three streaks from opponents of rank B.
But what if I were to increase my rank?
To achieve the same number of streaks, I would have to dodge attacks from rank A opponents.
And upon reaching ranks A and S, I would need to continue evading attacks from opponents of a simr level, only to gain a mere single streak at best.
Moreover, allowing even one effective hit would mean starting all over again, making it almost impossible to pursue [Distortion] even at rank B.
I didnt allow even a single effective hit against me from the second week of the duel battles.
I engaged in what could best be described as an intense game of tag with opponents who were stronger than me in paper, like the wooden golem of Mok Jong-hwa, the Feathered Snake Priest, and the ck Death n leader.
Taking on the role of drawing the bosss aggro in two strategy dungeons was also for this very reason.
I must have umted about 4,000 by now.
Even the probability which was once nearly zero had been raised to a somewhat decent level, and I had inted that chance even further with the mentoring event bonus.
If this still isnt enough, Ill just have to stack more.
After all, there was a perfect opponent for stacking right before my eyes. Someone of about B- rank.
It was only a matter of time.
If not this week, then certainly within this mentoring period.
Boom!
When I dodged another explosion and changed direction, Dang Gyu-young was already waiting. She already anticipated where I would go.
She slid close and repeatedly stabbed with her dagger.
With each thrust she said one word.
Why, wont, this, hit?
As she continued to follow while waving her hand, shadow des and butterflies rushed towards me all at once.
There was no escape in any directionfront, back, left, or right.
The only option left was,
Up.
Bending my knees slightly, I propelled myself upward with a strong and sudden leap into the air.
Pop!
Actually, it wasnt a very good choice.
In aerialbat, butterflies that can move freely held a significant advantage.
Moreover, shadow des and butterflies were already trailing behind me.
However, my aimy elsewhere.
Bang!
I had prepared a [Wind Force] spell in advance and cast it on myself to forcefully propel me forward.
My figure shot through the air like a cannonball beforending lightly some distance away.
Dang Gyu-Young who saw the scene didntunch another attack but stood frozen with a look of dismay on her face.
Senior, lets keep going.
Im done. I need a rest.
And with that, she slumped down right there.
She appeared more exhausted than I, who had been merely fleeing the whole time.
After all, unleashing skills into the air as if there was no tomorrow must have been incredibly draining to her, not to mention the mental fatigue from nevernding a hit.
Dang Gyu-Young patted the ground beside her.
Come sit here too.
Okay.
Dang Gyu-Young let out a snicker after seeing me flop down beside her in the same manner.
You dodge pretty well, dont you? At some point, I was genuinely trying, but how did you not get hit even once?
At first, she must have thought she had the upper hand over a first-year since she had now taken off the bracelet and started off using minimal effort.
But as I continued to narrowly evade her attacks, her frustration seemed to grow, and she became more serious before she eventually used every trick in the book to try andnd a hit on me.
This is a skill I have umted after graduating over 200 times.
Youre reallymitted to that lie. You nning to stick with that?
For the time being.
Dang Gyu-Young seemed convinced that I was hiding something behind the lie of 200 graduations.
Its easier to leave it alone than to prove anything, so I decided to maintain this stance.
At least for the time being.
But the more I think about it, this feels like a loss for me.
Why would it be a loss? This is all part of mentoring.
Keeping secrets isnt part of it, though. Can I record this and upload the rey?
Dang Gyu-Young shed a mischievous smile.
I tried to brush it off but it seems that didnt work.
Since [Distortion] was an extremely rare trait even in Dragon yer Academy, there will be very few people who know about it in the world of this game.
Dang Gyu-young was the president of the thieves club and must also be an information broker, but she herself never heard of this trait.
Therefore, it was in my best interest to keep my training in distortion and that I was dodging every attack from a third-year student of about B rank under wraps.
It seemed like she wanted something in return for not reporting to the academic department, so I had no choice but to ask.
What do you need?
Well, nothing at the moment?
Dang Gyu-Young shed a sly grin and extended her pinky finger.
Instead, Ill take a favor to be namedter. Come on, pinky promise.
But I hesitated to link fingers too hastily.
Unsecured loans are always the scariest after all.
The air was thick with the scent of dark and dubious schemes.
This seems suspicious. Youre not going to ask for something weirdter, are you? Like joining your club.
I wont ask for anything weird! And since when is joining our club weird?
Still, Im not keen on it. Ill just practice closebat. Just like the others.
After all, when ites to the dodging streak, more is usually better, but with this much already umted, its fine to dodge moderately and just y the odds.
This meant that even if Dang Gyu-young didnt give it her all, it wouldnt be a significant loss for me.
When I showed signs ofpletely withdrawing, Dang Gyu-young gently persuaded me.
Hey, dont give up so easily. Master this well, and you can contribute to that world peace youre always talking about.
Ive reconsidered and I think its okay to take it slow and work hard.
Ah,e on, then. If you really think its weird you can back off. Are we good?
Alright.
It was then that I finally hooked my pinky with hers.
I figured it would be safe as long as I took precautions.
Dang Gyu-youngs smile was pleasing, but to me, it seemed more suspicious than the sly grins of viins.
Why did she want to hold onto a promise from me?
What does she n to ask of meter?
***
At the same time,
In another round arena,
Seo Ye-in was as expressionless as ever and she looked somewhat sleepy as she gazed at someone else.
At the end of her gaze stood a woman who was neatly dressed in a suit.
Anyone seeing this woman for the first time would immediately think of the wordpetent.
She embodied not just the perfect image of a career woman with every angle polished but she also gave the impression she could wlessly execute any task assigned to her.
She was the very epitome ofpetence wrapped up in a human form.
The woman in the suit locked her gaze onto Seo Ye-in, who met her gaze with her usual indifferent demeanor.
The two people faced each other in silence for a long time until the woman in the suit finally opened her mouth.
Miss, I have arrived.
She then bowed deeply.
Her name was Ahn Jeong-mi,
The team leader of Strategy Team 2 in the Future Strategy Office of Hye-seong Group.
She was one of the butlers who served Seo Ye-ins family for many years.
Chapter 84: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (7)
Chapter 84: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (7)
Time goes back by about two weeks.
Ahn Jeong-mi was in the midst of wlessly handling all her tasks that day as well.
The mountain of papers before her quickly dwindled as her hands moved with unmatched speed and machine-like precision.
But her hands, which never stopped until all her assigned tasks werepleted, were stopped that day by one exception.
What did you say?
Ahn Jeong-mi rose abruptly from her seat.
Her face was trembling with astonishment.
Both were rare sights to behold, so that could only mean something truly surprising had urred.
The cause of her shock was an unexpected piece of news from a reliable informant nted within Dragon yer Academy.
Miss is applying for mentoring?
It was the news that Seo Ye-in had applied for mentoring.
This piece of information was so ridiculous that it was hard to believe even if it came from that reliable informant.
From what Ahn Jeong-mi observed over a long period of time Seo Ye-in was the person who was most distant from the word zeal for learning.
She had a disposition that found the act of learning new things or stuffing information into her head to be exceedingly tedious.
No, thisck of enthusiasm wasnt confined to learning alone.
Seo Ye-in simplycked motivation in virtually everything.
Except, perhaps, for finding a cozy corner to sleep in.
It was truly frustrating for those who watched her and they often found it baffling how someone with such brilliant talents and potential could exhibit suchziness.
And because Ahn Jeong-mi had taken on most of the responsibility for Seo Ye-ins education, she felt more frustrated than the others.
In a desperate move by the Future Strategy Office, they decided to enroll Seo Ye-in at Dragon yer Academy.
The hope was that by meeting, socializing,peting, and shing with her peers, she might find some stimtion.
But when Ahn Jeong-mi sent her off, her expectations were not high.
She thought Seo Ye-in might just spend her days tucked away in a library corner or napping in the dormitory.
She would be grateful if she could at least attend ss every day.
But it was only a month after Seo Ye-in entered Dragon yer Academy.
The reliable informant began sending updates that were hard to believe.
Seo Ye-in was not only attending sses daily but was also actively participating in weekly duel battles and strategy battles.
Surprisingly, her grades were quite decent!
Could it be that her peers had indeed sparked a positive change in her?
Even so, mentoring?
But applying for mentoring and actively seeking instruction seemed a bit too far-fetched, didnt it?
Therefore, Ahn Jeong-mi found the news of the mentoring particrly hard to believe.
However, after several rounds of cross-verification and as the news solidified into truth, she had no choice but to believe it.
This might actually be a good thing.
Ahn Jeong-mis mind quickly spun into action and she came up with a new n on the spot.
Dragon yer Academy just happened to have made an announcement that they were looking for mentors.
Coincidentally, Ahn Jeong-mi was a high-ranking Marksman and a Graduate so she perfectly met the criteria.
This is an opportunity.
A golden opportunity to teach a girl who would not listen to others no matter how hard they tried.
And wasnt it Seo Ye-in who had personally requested this mentoring?
Unlike before, she was willing to learn from someone else, making it an even better opportunity.
Thus, Ahn Jeong-mi put all else aside and reached out to the Dragon yer Academy with the desire to be a mentor.
The academy saw no reason to turn away someone of her caliber and dly epted her proposal.
When it came to long-range sses, the number of marksmen was significantly lowerpared to archers.
Among them, those with exceptional skills were even fewer.
And among those, the number of marksmen willing and avable to take on a mentoring role was smaller still.
Due to this shortage of personnel, Seo Ye-in was inevitably going to be assigned under an archer mentor, but with Ahn Jeong-mi stepping in to take the role, she was assigned under her instead.
This too was precisely as nned.
The oue was the one-on-one tutoring sessions Ahn Jeong-mi had always dreamed ofteaching the motivated young miss.
Ahn Jeong-mi trembled with overwhelming emotion.
This time for sure!
This time, I will impart everything I know with all sincerity and effort!
Yet, she concealed her true feelings and spoke in a casual tone.
For the next month, youll be undergoing duel battles and strategy battles with me.
Seo Ye-in was still as expressionless as ever and showed no reaction, but Ahn Jeong-mi, who had been watching her for a long time, was able to read the subtle emotional changes hidden within her.
Thats the look she has when something really displeases her
She realized that Seo Ye-in was already finding the situation bothersome.
Was she truly interested in mentoring?
Could there have been some misunderstanding or a mistake in the application?
Doubts shed through her mind, but she was too far in to back out now.
Ahn Jeong-mi quickly continued with her exnation.
This weeks [Strong Enemy] in the duel battles will be me. But before we delve into the specifics of the match, I intend to assess how much youve grown.
No matter how reliable her sources were, the information that could be leaked from outside the Dragon yer Academy was extremely limited.
At best, it was fragmented information like Seo Ye-ins wins and losses in fuel battles, not to mention reys were out of the question.
Therefore, it was necessary to gauge Seo Ye-ins exact level of progress before proceeding with the mentoring.
Ahn Jeong-mi gathered a cluster of mana in her hand.
The mana spread out into an octagonal shape before creating a bullseye and shield.
Ill be using this again.
The mana shield summoned by Ahn Jeong-mi was perfectly suited for measuring skills, as it had sessfully blocked Seo Ye-ins shots countless times in the past.
Ahn Jeong-mi added a slight taunt to the mix.
Ive strengthened the shield since I believe you must have grown a bit. I doubt youll be able to prate it.
She knew well that despite Seo Ye-ins generally indifferent attitude, she had a surprisingly strong dislike for losing once challenged.
The n was to create a simple shield with the least amount of magical power,
Block Seo Ye-ins shots with it,
And then provoke her further with ament like, Miss cant even break through something this?
This usually motivated her to engage earnestly for a while.
Believing this time would be no different, Ahn Jeong-mi gave the signal.
Come on.
Without a word, Seo Ye-in methodically assembled her dual pistols into a rifle and loaded it with a magic bullet.
Huh?
Ahn Jeong-mis eyebrows involuntarily rose as she watched.
Just a month ago, Seo Ye-ins magic bullets were nothing more than roughly shaped clumps of mana.
But now, the bullet glowing blue in Seo Ye-ins hands was wlessly formed, so perfect it was almost beautiful.
With a magic bullet of that caliber
The possibility of breaking through the mana shield Ahn Jeong-mi had conjured was very high.
Should she reinforce the shield even now?
I cant do that.
She had already thrown down the gauntlet.
Attempting to infuse more mana btedly would not only fail to provoke Seo Ye-inspetitive spirit but might backfire entirely.
Moreover, Seo Ye-in had an almost supernatural knack in this regard.
Her eyes were incredibly sharp, capable of detecting even the slightest fluctuation in mana instantly.
Ahn Jeong-mi was thus forced to rely on the mana shield she had summoned.
She tapped away in her mental calctor and tried a different tactic.
If mana is concentrated at the point of impact at the moment of a hit
The chances of blocking it would increase significantly.
It would require quite a bit of skill and control, but for a marksman of her caliber, it was not an impossible task.
As the long rifle was aimed at her, Ahn Jeong-mi nodded onest time.
Bang!
The barrel then emitted a blue me.
At this time, there were two things that Ahn Jeong-mi did not expect.
She thought that no matter how incredibly talented Seo Ye-in was, it must have taken a tremendous amount of effort to train her [Magic Bullet] to that level of perfection.
The first thing that she never expected was that Seo Ye-in had learned another skill, let alone [Ejection].
The second thing was that Seo Ye-ins abilities hadnt just slightly improved; they had grown immensely and even exponentially.
Throughout the past week, Seo Ye-in had poured every free moment into practicing [Magic Bullet] and [Ejection], just as Kim Ho had instructed.
With her tremendous talent, it was impossible for her skills not to develop when effort was added to the mix.
Additionally, whether she knew it or not, the effects of the B-rank cushion had improved her sleep efficiency, which in turn extended the time she remained awake. Those additional hours were wholly devoted to training.
The result was that both [Magic Bullet] which was previously at D-rank, and [Ejection] which was previously at E-rank had reached C-rank.
Kim Hos thought of it seems impossible, but maybe had turned into a reality against all odds.
Thus, the shot fired from Seo Ye-ins rifle was a powerful one that far exceeded Ahn Jeong-mis predictions.
The shield she had raised with the expectation that Seo Ye-ins skills had only marginally improved over thest month was utterly incapable of stopping this formidable shot, no matter what she tried.
A blue streak was drawn between the rifles muzzle and the mana shield.
In the next moment, the Magic Bullet shattered the thin shield and embedded itself in Ahn Jeong-mis forehead.
Bang!!
Overwhelmed by the tremendous shock, Ahn Jeong-mis head snapped back, and she slowly fell to the ground.
It was only upon taking the hit herself that she realized,
So youve learned [Ejection]
And at a quite high rank at that.
As her consciousness faded away, Ahn Jeong-mi let out a low exmation of admiration.
Miss You are truly amazing
To have grown so magnificently in just a month Thud.
***
Although Ahn Jeong-mi had taken an unexpectedly powerful strike and fallen with a crash, she was a graduate after all and she quickly came to her senses.
And with a bulging lump in the middle of her forehead, she asked many questions.
How did you learn [Magic Bullet]? And [Ejection]?
How she managed to master not one, but two skills in a month, and even raise them to C-rank was beyond her.
Unfortunately, Seo Ye-in wasnt very talkative and gave most of her answers in short answers or shaking her head, so she had to go back and forth for almost 20 rounds.
Anyone else might have given up in frustration, but Ahn Jeong-mi has dealt with Seo Ye-in for a long time as her familys butler so she was well ustomed to this.
By now, she had reached a level where Seo Ye-in could say a few words and shed understand the whole context.
Finally, Ahn Jeong-mi understood the whole situation and nodded her head in understanding.
Youre saying a man named Kim Ho was the one who taught you?
Mhmm.
So, Miss, why did you chose mentoring as well?
He told me to.
!
Ahn Jeong-mi felt her respect for the guy called Kim Ho growing in her heart.
What kind of magic did he use to motivate Miss who is aszy as a sloth?
Whats the secret?
Wondering if she might learn the secret by asking, Ahn Jeong-mi tentatively posed a question.
Seeing Miss working so diligently fills me with pride, but also curiosity. May I ask about the reason?
Seo Ye-in paused for a moment while staring nkly into space.
She seemed deep in thought and tilted her head slightly to one side.
After a long pause, the answer that came from her was,
Just because.
It just turned out that way.
To Seo Ye-in, Kim Ho is someone special.
He was one of the rare individuals whose status window that only she could see with her eyes was filled with question marks.
Yet, if one were to ask if her time spent with Kim Ho over the month was solely because of this, it didnt seem entirely the case.
Then, what other reason could there be?
Seo Ye-in herself couldnt provide a clear answer.
After Kim Ho, she found herself attending sses every day without realizing it, participating in duel battles, practicing diligently, and even mentoring.
It seemed this pattern would continue into the future.
And so, she lumped all these inexplicable things together under just because.
Naturally, for Ahn Jeong-mi, this was an answer that was impossible to understand or ept.
But Seo Ye-in was not the only one who needed to answer.
I would like to meet that person named Kim Ho.
Chapter 85: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (8)
Chapter 85: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (8)
It was Tuesday,
During the short break after lunchtime.
I had a conversation with Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in in a secluded spot.
Needless to say, the topic revolved around the mentoring program that had started the day before.
So, hows your mentor?
Im quite pleased, truly. My senior mentor is outstanding, and I see much to learn from the others as well.
Go Hyeon-woo couldnt hide his excitement since the morning.
It seemed he had been fortunate enough to be paired with a skilled mentor and capable group members, and it was something that any martial artist would be excited about.
Really? Whos in your group?
Miss Han is one of the members.
Han So-mi?
Yes, thats right.
It made sense now why she had been heading in the same direction the day before.
I wondered if they might be in the same group, and indeed they were.
Thats good. Try asking for a sparring match with her.
I did, actually. But she declined.
Already? Why didnt she want to?
She said she doesnt want unnecessary fights.
Thinking back, I recall hearing her saying something simr on the train.
Doesnt like fights, but wont shy away from a match, was it?
If so, its understandable why she wouldnt be keen on sparring.
Sparring isnt about winning, after all.
Yet, considering she maintains a top rank in duel battles within the disciplinarymittee club, she must be the type to step up when it matters.
Maybe if you ask nicely, she might agree. Perhaps lure her in with something tasty.
Hmm, that might work. But I have no clue what Miss Han likes.
I can secretly ask Song Cheon-hye for you. Shes in my group, after all.
Really? Then Ill count on you.
Since Song Cheon-hye and Han So-mi were both in the disciplinarymittee club and were quite close personally, always sticking together, they should have a good grasp of each others interests.
Though whether she would willingly share that with me is another matter, I had a n for that.
With Go Hyeon-woos recent news seeming wrapped up, I turned the conversation to Seo Ye-in who had been quietly observing us until now.
How about you? Hows the mentoring going?
Boring.
I thought as much. It must be boring for her.
I could already envision her mentor struggling.
Did your mentor not say anything?
Wanted to see you.
Me?
Mhmm.
What could the marksman mentor possibly want from me?
I was able to hear the answer to that question right away.
You are here, miss.
?
A strange voice drew my attention, and when I turned my head, I saw a woman impably dressed in a suit standing there.
I could intuitively tell from the first nce.
Whatever shes tasked with, shell do at least twice as much as expected.
This person was evidently highly capable.
She didnt seem to be a faculty member, so it was likely she was a graduate here for mentoring.
Moreover, her use of miss when addressing Seo Ye-in meant there was a longstanding rtionship between them.
The woman in the suit was the first to bow toward us.
It seems you two are friends of the miss. My name is Ahn Jeong-mi, and Ive been assigned as a mentor this time.
Im Go Hyeon-woo.
And Im Kim Ho.
We responded with due courtesy.
However, the moment she heard my name, Ahn Jeong-mis eyes began to emit an intense glow.
It was almost as ifsers were about to shoot out which was slightly overwhelming.
. Kim Ho? Ive heard a lot about you. Would you mind sparing me a moment of your time?
Go Hyeon-woo quickly picked up on the situation and rose with a smooth smile.
It seems appropriate for me to step aside here.
Thank you for your consideration.
Not at all. See youter, Kim-hyung and Miss Seo.
And with that, he walked away.
With Seo Ye-ins mentor present, the topic of our conversation was more or less decided.
There was no need to send Seo Ye-in away to talk about things we couldnt discuss in her presence.
Ahn Jeong-mi then handed me her business card.
Allow me to introduce myself once again.
The business card was neatly inscribed with a title and name in meticulous handwriting.
[Team Leader of Strategy Team 2 in the Future Strategy Office of Hye-seong Group]
[Ahn Jeong-mi]
Hye-seong Group, huh.
Hye-seong Group was arge military industrypanypeting for first and second ce in . It was known for producing various high-rank magical engineering equipment, including magic guns.
If Seo Ye-in was associated with them, it exined how she was equipped with all sorts of high-rank items like the [Optical Camouge Ghillie Suit] and the [Cloudsteppers].
If someone of a team leader level came personally to address her as miss, she must be at least the granddaughter of a high-ranking official.
Moreover, Ahn Jeong-mi seemed to hold more than just the position of a team leader, as herpetent demeanor suggested.
As expected, Seo Ye-in pointed to Ahn Jeong-mi and added.
Shes my butler.
Butler? This person?
Mhmm.
Yes, though it might be too much, I also perform the duties of a butler.
Ahn Jeong-mi confirmed.
So she was that butler.
I recalled a conversation I had with Seo Ye-in a few weeks ago.
Do you want anything?
Out of nowhere?
There should be a bnce of giving and receiving.
Who told you that?
Our butler.
Seo Ye-in gifting me shoes as a token of gratitude for the special lecture on magic bullets wasrgely thanks to thismon sense she had learned from her butler.
Although I didnt know who it was before, I couldnt help but feel a sense of respect every time the butler was mentioned. And now, Ahn Jeong-mi was that very butler standing before me.
The respected individual got straight to the point.
The reason I sought you out, Kim Ho-nim, is to discuss the young misss future path.
Im merely a student; surely there are better qualified people for ss advice than me?
I modestly stepped back but Ahn Jeong-mi slowly shook her head.
No, there is no one more suitable than you, Kim Ho-nim. I heard that in just a month, you taught the young miss how to use [Magic Bullet] and [Ejection]. You are a very good teacher because you have aplished something that not only I but none of the other tutors have been able to do.
Her assertive tone suggested that this proposal had been nned well before our meeting.
However, something in Ahn Jeong-mis statement caught my attention.
If [Magic Bullets] and [Ejection] were considered very basic skills among the Marksman ss, howe no one had properly taught her such skills before?
It couldnt be that all the private tutorscked skill, nor that Seo Ye-incked talent.
That led me to one conclusion.
She doesnt listen well at home, does she?
Ahn Jeong-mi momentarily pressed her lips together.
I could tell right away that it was a tricky question yet she seemed to quickly sift through her vocabry for the right words even in that brief moment.
Her response came within seconds. She was indeed quick-witted.
She tends to spend more time on areas that interest her more.
I didnt push Ahn Jeong-mi further by asking what those areas of interest were as it would only make her more ufortable.
It was pretty obvious that it would be something like napping.
The real message she wanted to convey wasnt hard to guess either.
Yes, shes terribly disobedient at home.
The thought that I had been teaching such a person like Seo Ye-in made her curious enough to want to meet me at least once.
I nodded my head in understanding.
I see. Since shes also a friend of mine, Ill do my best as much as I can.
Thank you. After checking more precisely yesterday, I found she had raised her Magic Bullets and Ejection to C-rank.
Is that so?
This was a surprise to me too.
I had set the goal at C-rank thinking it would motivate her to work hard but she actually achieved it.
When I turned to look at Seo Ye-in, she slowly raised her fingers and formed a clumsy V sign as our eyes met.
I exchanged nces with Ahn Jeong-mi again.
Surprisingly, we understood each other just by looking into each others eyes.
Is she always like this?
No, this is the first time Ive seen her like this too.
But regardless, we were both professionals.
We quickly regained ourposure and returned to our conversation.
If both are at C-ran, I think she has secured enough firepower for now.
Yes, I think so too.
As long as she could continue to hit the opponent with magic bullets and inflict damage, she could take down anyone in the first year.
The important keyword here is continue.
Currently, Seo Ye-ins win rate plummets after two or three missed shots since shecked the stamina to sustain the battle.
Her burst damage might be impressive, but without the mobility or defense to maintain that power, she would be vulnerable to counterattacks.
So, if ites down to a real firefight, she would likely be the first to fall.
Take for example the duo of Hong Yeon-hwa and Baek Jun-seok in the 2v2 match; they used magic shields to block the snipes and counterattacked by pinpointing Seo Ye-ins position.
If I hadnt turned the tables, she would have quickly been worn down and would have been defeated.
To prevent simr situations in the future, the first thing she should improve is,
Maybe learning a movement skill first would be a good idea.
Do you have any skills in mind?
Ahn Jeong-mi asked.
Learning [Thiefs Step] like other ranged sses could work
But why not go for something a bit more luxurious?
I suggested a different skill.
I think [Feather Walk] would be good.
Feather Walk.
It was simr to Thiefs Step in that it lightens the casters body and increases movement speed.
The differencey in the weak turbulence generated around the caster while Feather Walk was active which helped deflect and divert some of the iing attacks.
In a sense, it also served a defensive role, albeit to a lesser extent.
Naturally, it synergized well with wind-type skills.
Pairing it with the skills I nned to learn in the future would yield even greater bonuses.
However, there was one notable drawback.
Its expensive.
Feather Walk skill books were exceedingly rarepared to Thiefs Step.
During my time ying , the market rate was over a hundred times more expensive, so wouldnt it be simr here?
It was better than Thiefs Step, but even so, the price was ridiculously high.
Most would prefer to learn the simr Thiefs Ste and invest the significant difference in resources elsewhere.
But she belongs to the Hye-sung Group, right?
For a scion of a conglomerate like the Hye-sung Group, whats a bit of money for the rare opportunity to learn a new skill?
As expected, Ahn Jeong-mi nodded her head without any hesitation.
Ill get the skill book right away.
I added one more suggestion.
Perhaps it might be wise to consider changing her weapon for the time being as well.
While learning the new movement skill, rather than using a sniper rifle that requires one to stay in one ce for a long amount of time, why not use a magic gun that offers a little more mobility?
This request was hardly a challenge for the Hye-sung Group.
After all, they had more than enough firearms at their disposal.
Yes, I will do that.
With this, Seo Ye-ins training direction was essentially set for the time being.
The n was to monitor her progress and decide whether to continue on this path or make changes as necessary.
I spoke to Seo Ye-in in a yful tone.
Work hard on your skill, and make sure to listen to what your butler says.
Seo Ye-in looked at me nkly for a few seconds before slowly nodding her head in agreement.
Mhmm.
Ahn Jeong-mis expression turned strange as she watched this.
Her eyes were full of admiration and respect towards me, but her eyes when she looked at Seo Ye-in seemed to be filled with a sense of betrayal and emptiness.
Thats understandable.
Somehow, I found myself understanding Ahn Jeong-mis position.
It was akin to someone who had lovingly cared for a cat for years only to see it show no interest in them but immediately roll over and expose its belly to a stranger.
But Ahn Jeong-mi was a professional through and through.
She quicklyposed herself and continued the conversation.
The mentoring this time is also of interest to the Future Strategy Office. We will not forget the various ways Kim Ho-nim has contributed to the misss growth and will ensure we express our gratitude appropriately.
I wont decline. I have quite a few needs, you see.
We will prepare something that will surely satisfy you.
The promise of something rewarding was already in the air.
As expected, Ahn Jeong-mi was a woman with principles.
*******
TN: my guy has thoroughly tamed her.
Chapter 86: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (9)
Chapter 86: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (9)
Lets leave Seo Ye-ins training to Ahn Jeong-mi for the time being.
Go Hyeon-woo also seemed to take a liking to his mentor and fellow group members, so it didnt seem like I would need to be heavily involved.
If there was anything I could help with, it would be arranging him a sparring match with Han So-mi.
And the opportunity for that arose sooner than expected.
On the way to the arena to train [Distortion] with Dang Gyu-young.
I spotted the figure of Song Cheon-hye in the distance.
But she doesnt seem to be in good shape.
She looked utterly worn out as if she had been through a tough ordeal.
Unlike her usual diligent and wless demeanor, she walked unsteadily and sluggishly with a pale face.
She looked like a mollusk.
It looks like shesing back from a mentoring session.
Judging by the signs of fiercebat all over her body.
It was clear she had been put through the wringer by Dang Gyu-young.
Since I have business with Song Cheon-hye anyway, I approached her first and called out.
Song Cheon-hye.
!!!
Song Cheon-hye must have thought she waspletely alone.
When she heard my voice, she was visibly startled and started frantically scanning her surroundings before her eyesnded on me. What followed was a remarkable transformation at an incredible speed.
She straightened her once slouched posture, swiftly tied up her hair that had been half undone and cascading down her shoulders, and smoothed out her uniform from head to toe, all in less than three seconds.
What? What do you want?
You must being back from mentoring. Tough day, huh?
Tough? Im not sure what you mean.
I just noticed your face seemed to bear the brunt of it.
Not at all. Are you sure youre not seeing things?
Song Cheon-hye was adamantly denying any hardship. She didnt show even the slightest sign of strain.
I just shook my head.
Hmm, I guess so. My mistake. My eyesight isnt what it used to be.
While saying that, I mimicked the actions I had just seen from Song Cheon-hye.
Stumble, stagger, stagger.
When she saw her own disheveled state copied by me, Song Cheon-hye shivered.
S-Stop it.
I should have recorded this impressive scene with a crystal ball, but its such a shame, dont you think?
Using crystal balls outside practical assessments is against school regtions. Even more so, filming another student without their consent!
I know, I know. Its just a shame I cant use it as evidence.
.
My reenactment just now was so perfect that Song Cheon-hye could no longer say anything in retort.
Yet she refused to admit everything.
I may have been a bit tired today. Is that why you called me over, to make fun of a tired person?
No, I just happened to see you on my way and thought Id say hello. And I had something to ask, too.
I dont believe Im obliged to answer. If youll excuse me.
With that, Song Cheon-hye turned her back coldly, as if to say we should both go our separate ways.
But I couldnt just let her walk away.
Just when she began to step away, I called out to her.
Youre not obliged to answer, but it seems youve forgotten something.
Me? That cant be.
Song Cheon-hye scoffed dismissively, but then,
Wish ticket.
!
The moment I uttered that word, she stopped in her tracks and stiffened, then her head jerked back to me.
I gave a sly smile and asked again,
Remember now?
During the 4th weeks [Clearance] strategy battle, we made a casual bet on who achieved a higher clearance rate.
The stake was a wish ticket that would make the loser respond to a trivial request or question.
However, the oue of the bet had been almost predetermined.
While I cleared the dungeon cleanly without missing a single item and received the highest score of 100%, Song Cheon-hye fell slightly at 97%.
And now, I intended to cash in that wish ticket.
Song Cheon-hye sighed deeply,
Ask away. But Im telling you upfront, I wont divulge any disciplinarymittee secrets.
I wouldnt ask about that. Its something simple.
What is it then?
Han So-mi. What does she like?
. Huh?
Song Cheon-hyes expression was colored with astonishment. My question seemed so unexpected that it took her aback.
She hesitated before asking,
So-mi. Are you perhaps
Interested in her? No thats not it.
I once heard that she was a disciple of the Sword Marquis, which piqued my interest given her potential as a future S-rank hero.
But Song Cheon-hyes question now is whether I was interested as a member of the opposite gender so of course I had no choice but to deny it.
Song Cheon-hye furrowed her brows.
Its even stranger then. If youre not interested in her, why would you want to know what So-mi likes?
I had nothing to hide so Iid out my thoughts honestly.
I exined that Go Hyun-woo and Han So-mi were in the same group and I wanted to arrange for them to have friendly sparring sessions to improve their skills.
You should have just said that. Im not so inflexible.
I would have, but you wouldnt listen. Even now, you would have just left if it werent for the wish ticket.
Song Cheon-hye subtly avoided my gaze.
Anyway, if its going to help So-mi, Im more than willing to assist. Should I start by telling you her favorite snacks?
Lets start there.
Winning her over with snacks.
It was a simple strategy, but it seemed effective enough to try first.
However, the list of snacks Han So-mi liked was somewhat unexpected.
Red bean jelly, Jeonbyeong (korean pancakes), Bugak, Wagashi, and Candied fruit
I responded with my mouth watering.
Red bean jelly, huh Thats quite the unique preference.
Red bean jelly can be quite delicious if you give it a chance.
I never said it wasnt tasty. Just that its unique.
Anyway, this was a good thing for me.
If it were red bean jelly or Jeonbyeong, I luckily had some I had bought earlier from the ck Death dungeons marketce, so there was no need to go through the trouble of finding them.
I pulled out a round container with a set of Jeonbyeong from my inventory to show her.
Something like this?
Yes, exactly like that.
Do you think shell listen if I give them to her while asking for a favor?
Song Cheon-hye seemed to run a simtion in her head for a moment before her expression turned doubtful.
She sighed softly and extended her hand.
Better give them to me; Ill try talking to her.
Id appreciate that.
Because it would be more effective for Song Cheon-hye to speak out rather than for me.
While I was at it, I took out an armful of the remaining snacks and gave them to her, with the intention of clearing my inventory.
As I was happily watching her move them into her inventory, Song Cheon-hye made a remark as if she did not like the way I looked at her.
Why are you looking at me like that? Its unsettling.
Its just, you seem kinder than usual.
Dont get the wrong idea. Im doing this to help So-mi.
Of course, I understand that. Still, thank you.
It was a well-used wish ticket.
Having done all there was to do, there was no reason to linger any longer around someone who clearly disliked me.
Just as I was about to walk away,
Wait a moment.
This time, it was Song Cheon-hye who stopped me in my tracks.
I mimicked Song Cheon-hyes way of speaking.
What? What do you want???
Dont do that.
Sorry. Anyway, what is it?
Song Cheon-hye looked at me with displeasure and then spoke again.
Do it once more.
Do what?
Lets make a bet.
Im all for it. Whats the wager?
The duel battle this week. Lets see who can collect more stickers.
Ive already removed all of them, havent I?
And if Song Cheon-hyes skills were only on par with Hong Yeon-hwa, shed be lucky to remove even one this week.
Song Cheon-hye was digging her own grave, deeper and deeper.
But there was no reason to enlighten her, so I feigned ignorance and inquired about the specifics.
The same pairs as before, you with Kwak Ji-cheol and me with Hong Yeon-hwa?
Yes.
And if we tie in the number of stickers?
Then the side thatpletes the duel first wins.
Sounds good. Whats at stake?
Just likest time, a wish ticket.
I nced at Song Cheon-hyes expression which revealed little emotion.
It seemed there might be another motive behind her challenge, perhaps a desire for revenge after her previous loss to me.
Why, is there something you want to ask?
There is.
Then why not just ask, why?
Are you going to tell me?
It seemed like she didnt think I would answer her question, so she intended to use a wish ticket to ask her question.
I could roughly guess what she wanted to ask.
She had been ncing at my hands frequently, probably curious about the burn scars that were left on my hands when I went in and out of the ck Deathst weekend.
After eating a lot of century-old knotweed and diligent mana cultivation, the scars had healed cleanly, leaving no evidence behind. But if she was determined to ask there are many ways.
How did you get those burns? She could easily ask that.
I couldnt help but smirk at the thought.
Alright, lets make it interesting and wager a wish ticket on the bet.
It would certainly add an element of fun to the mix.
***
Another issue needed addressing.
I had received a message from the cksmithing club.
He said that it would take approximately a week to make the equipment, but he contacted me again after only a few days.
Given theplexity of working with Millennium Iron and ck Mithril, it was unlikely they had finished so soon.
It must be the opposite.
The likelihood was high that they had encountered a problem and needed to consult me.
I already expected this from the time I made the request.
I promptly made my way to the cksmiths workshop.
As I waited at the door, a third-year student with a rugged muscr build whom I had met a few days prior approached me.
Today, he was neatly dressed in his uniform, but a closer look at his tie pin revealed he was actually a second-year student.
The theory that wielding a hammer ages a person seemed to gain more credibility.
Ah, youve arrived.
The second year who seemed more like a third year recognized me immediately. He must have been impressed by the fact that I ced a request with a VIP ticket.
Good day to you.
Follow me.
After a brief exchange of greetings, the senior led me to a small club room set aside within the workshop.
The room was decorated more like an office or counseling room than a typical club space and seemed to be used as such.
It wasnt long before the president of the cksmithing club entered the room.
He trudged over, sat down on the seat across from me, and got straight to the point without even a single greeting.
Theres a problem during the processing.
With that, he abruptly ced an ingot on the table.
The ingot, gleaming with a dark sheen, was an alloy of millennium iron and ck mithril that I had provided.
Fusing the two items wasnt the issue. The problem arose afterward.
A chilling sensation had been touching my skin since the moment the club president brought out the ingot.
Even though I was quite a distance from the table.
This coldness isnt normal.
Yes. Weve attempted to process it several times but to no avail.
Both millennium iron and ck mithril are metals inherently imbued with coldness.
When viewed separately, the processing of each metal might have seemed challenging but not impossible.
The president of the cksmithing club must have thought so too when he epted the request.
However, the fusion of the two metals far exceeded his expectations.
The level of coldness became so intense that it rivaled that of some of the best ice-element materials which greatly increased the difficulty of processing.
The forges heat was mostly dissipated.
If the heat couldnt be properly applied, melting and reshaping were out of the question, let alone fashioning it into a rod.
Especially since what I had requested wasnt just any rod, but one intricate enough to fit magical engineeringponents.
After I listened to the exnation, I nodded slowly.
I see.
The president of the cksmithing club narrowed his eyes at my calm nodding.
You seem almost as if you expected this to happen.
I had anticipated it might be challenging to handle. Still, I thought it was possible with you in charge, especially since you mentioned it wouldnt be difficult. I decided to trust in that.
In truth, I had ced more weight on the possibility of failure but chose to say otherwise.
There was no need to damage his pride when we would likely meet again in the future.
The president of the cksmithing club appeared to gauge my true intentions for a moment before posing another question.
You must have prepared another solution in case of my failure, havent you?
I do have something in mind, just in case but honestly, Im not entirely confident about it.
This was also a bit of a bluff, as I had prepared a solution from the start but I feigned uncertainty.
Is that so? Assuming what you have in mind works, tell me what you want.
Bong Jae-seok, the president of the magic engineering club also didnt like beating around the bush but this man was even more straightforward.
He wanted me to get straight to the point.
I pretended to think a bit more and finally spoke up.
There will likely be some material left over after the rod isplete.
You knew that much? So, what about it?
Id be grateful if you could use the leftover material to make one small additional item.
Without hesitation, the president readily agreed to my proposal.
Fine. If your method works, Ill make an extra item for you. Go ahead.
Promises were exchanged as fast beans roasting over a sh of lightning.
Even though it might have looked like a hasty decision from his side, there was certainly a calction involved.
If one were to be the head of the cksmithing club, it wouldnt be an exaggeration to start attaching the title of master to their name.
In that case, they would want to avoid anything that could tarnish their reputation.
Bing theughing stock of themunity for abandoning a request due to the difficulty of processing the material was thest thing a craftsman would want.
Therefore, in a situation where a breakthrough was needed, if I knew the solution, it would be more beneficial for them to concede what they could and ease their burden by epting my offer.
Im in luck.
Since I already knew the method.
There were mainly two ways to melt the millennium iron alloy.
One was for a powerful fire mage of at least third-year club president level to pour forth their mes at maximum output.
The other was for a fire mage possessing a rare unique trait passed down to only a select few to kindle the me.
And naturally, the ce where both could be found was,
The Ruby Magic Tower.
I fiddled with therge ruby given to me by Hong Yeon-hwa.
Bringing it with me there should at least earn me the treatment of an esteemed guest.
Chapter 87: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (10)
Chapter 87: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (10)
Hong Yeon-hwa had been enduring some very difficult days recently.
Whoosh!
Hong Yeon-hwa quickly took a step back and poured fire magic in front of her. Her field of vision was filled with mes along with the intense heat.
But Dang Gyu-young burst forth out of the fiercely burning mes and started throwing punches with vigor.
Hong Yeon-hwa barely managed to defend against the iing fists.
However, her defenses started to falter as she grew increasingly weary.
Thud!
Arge shadow foot kicked her squarely and sent her flying in the air.
Gah.
Hong Yeon-hwa rolled on the ground as the air was knocked out of her.
The force of the kick was so strong that she rolled a considerable distance.
After rolling around for a while, she flopped down and didnt move as if she were dead.
Dang Gyu-young looked down at her with an expressionless face and coldly uttered two words,
Get up.
..
Being knocked down and rolling around was not a new experience for Hong Yeon-hwa, especially in her one-on-one sessions with Dang Gyu-young. Each time, she would usually rise promptly at hermand.
She had learned through harsh experience that hesitating only made things harder.
But Hong Yeon-hwas continued stillness signified that she no longer had the strength even to twitch a finger.
Dang Gyu-young was aware of this and decided it was time to conclude the days sparring.
Lets call it a day. Go rest.
Hong Yeon-hwa remained glued to the ground long after Dang Gyu-young had left the arena, like a piece of chewing gum stuck fast.
Soon, a pitiful whimper escaped her,
Aaahhh
It was the third day of the mentoring program.
And today as usual, she had a one-on-one closebat sparring session with Dang Gyu-young.
Dang Gyu-young used her shadow magic and replicated a variety of attacks that a melee ss could execute.
As proven on the very first day of mentoring, Hong Yeon-hwa had no chance of besting Dang Gyu-young in a one-on-one fight.
The restriction to meleebat only made the odds more insurmountable.
In the end, she could do nothing but take a beating.
Still, it seemed like it was worth the beating as her skills improved so rapidly and steadily.
In an effort to reduce the number of hits, she twisted and turned her body which actually helped hone her closebat skills without her realizing it.
For instance, if she took 100 hits on the first day, she managed to reduce it to 99 on the second, then 98 and 97 on the following days
However, a serious concern was whether her mental strength could endure.
Surely, her skills would rapidly improve by the next day, but that still meant enduring 96 hits, didnt it?
Moreover, a day or two might have been bearable, but the mentoring was scheduled for 4 weeks, wasnt it?
Its only Wednesday?
Three more weeks and four days of mentoring still to go?
The more Hong Yeon-hwa pondered, the darker herplexion became.
Another source of despair was the realization that despite her rapid growth, she hadnt evene close to touching the stickers.
Dodging was challenging enough; how was she supposed to peel off a sticker in the midst of it all?
It seemed she needed to improve her skills considerably more before even contemting a duel battle as it was highly likely she would end up with a 50-point deduction with her current skills.
While the scores of other members remained unknown, for Hong Yeon-hwawho had already lost many points in duel battles mainly to Kim Holosing another 50 points was devastating.
Phew
Hong Yeon-hwa who was doubly disheartenedy face down and let out a long sigh.
Lets go inside and rest
She picked herself up with great effort and started trudging toward the Ruby Magic Tower club room.
Perhaps a piece of cake left in the club room might slightly ease the stress?
Her steps that were dragging before felt a tad lighter at the thought.
***
However
It seemed fate had no intention of letting Hong Yeon-hwa rest peacefully.
Upon entering the club room, she instinctively looked for her sister as she always did.
Unnie, you didnt touch the cake I bought yesterd Oh.
You didnt touch the cake I bought yesterday, right? Is what she meant to say but her words were cut short by an involuntary gasp.
..
An utterly unexpected person was there.
Kim Ho who was sitting gracefully tilted his teacup.
When he heard Hong Yeon-hwas voice, he slowly shifted his gaze toward her.
And when his cold gaze turned towards her, she instinctively shrank back.
Opposite to him was Hong Yeon-hwas sister, Hong Ye-hwa, who was also the president of the Ruby Magic Tower club.
And Hong Yeon-hwas cake was ced between the two.
She seemed to have arrived just before the cake was about to be forked.
Normally, it would have been a situation where she would have been furious, but Hong Yeon-hwa found herself too taken aback to even get angry.
No, what, how, just, what is this.
She was so bewildered that her words came out in disjointed fragments.
In contrast, Hong Ye-hwa seemed to have been expecting her and weed Hong Yeon-hwa with a calm demeanor.
Youve arrived just in time. We were actually talking about you.
Unnie, unnie, juste out for a second.
Why?
Just, quickly, please.
Without waiting for a response, Hong Yeon-hwa impulsively grabbed her sisters wrist and pulled her out of the room and away from Kim Hos attention.
What is it?
Whats what?
That!
What that?
That person!
Hong Yeon-hwa was frantically pointing in the direction where Kim Ho was seated.
Her urgency resembled that of someone who had unleashed a fearsome beast in the room yet Hong Ye-hwas reaction was lukewarm at best.
In fact, she seemed to hold Kim Ho in quite the high regard.
He seems quite decent. Respectful to his seniors, and well-mannered too.
Wha, what?
Hong Yeon-hwa doubted her own ears.
Decent?
Well-mannered?
Was this the same Kim Ho she knew?
She was so bbergasted that she found herself at a loss for words.
It was natural for there to be a difference in perception between the sisters.
Unlike Hong Yeon-hwa, who had firsthand experience with Kim Ho in the duel battles, Hong Ye-hwa had only heard about her younger sisters defeats.
She couldnt help but adopt a rtively neutral stance.
When Kim Ho suddenly came to the Ruby Magic Tower club, she was a little wary but thought it prudent to at least hear him out and wee him as a guest.
Therge ruby that she believed to have been given to him by Hong Yeon-hwa was also reason enough to wee him as a guest.
After sitting together and engaging in various conversations, she found the exchange quite enlightening and satisfying.
She had many questions about Kim Ho that remained unanswered due to Hong Yeon-hwas reluctance to talk, but now she felt that a significant part of her curiosity had been satisfied.
Are you in the same mentoring group with him?
Did he tell you that?
I asked him first, why?
Since Kim Ho was also a first-year, the conversation naturally shifted to mentoring.
She had casually asked if he was participating in mentoring and never expected him to be in the same group as her sister.
This was yet another topic Hong Yeon-hwa had been silent about, which prompted her to ask further. Kim Ho saw no need to hide anything and shared what he knew within his limits.
I heard you couldnt even take off a single sticker, huh? I always told you to practice closebat more, but you never listened. I knew this would happen.
What, just me? None of the others managed to either!
Must be nice, huh? Having friends in simr situations?
The sisters exchanged growls as usual, but with a guest present, they refrained from hurling verbal fireballs at each other.
Hong Ye-hwa spoke in an authoritative tone.
Anyway, in this uing contest, youre going to remove all the stickers. Ive already asked him to help you.
It seemed there had already been some sort of agreement between the two.
Since Kim Ho was paired with her, it was natural for him to help, but the crucial task of sticker removal was specifically left to Hong Yeon-hwa.
In return, she must have offered him a corresponding reward.
Hong Yeon-hwa let out a disbelieving scoff.
Why should I do that?
So, youre nning not to? Just nning to coast through?
As Hong Ye-hwas expression grew colder and colder, Hong Yeon-hwa responded in a smaller voice as if shrinking back.
Its not like that Fine, Ill remove them all, okay?
Thats more like it. Also, Song Cheon-hye and Kwak Ji-cheol are in your group, arent they?
A zing fire burned in Hong Ye-hwas eyes.
I understand if you lose to Kim Ho for now. But you must absolutely defeat those two.
It seemed there was a significant skill gap between her and Kim Ho, so it would be an unreasonable request to immediately surpass him.
After all, didnt she sign up for mentoring precisely to improve her skills and defeat him?
Besides, rumors werent spreading as quickly as she expected for some reason, so there seemed to be no urgent need for a revenge match.
But the situation with Song Cheon-hye and Kwak Ji-cheol was a bit different.
Song Cheon-hye, though a member of the Disciplinary Committee, she was closely associated with the Topaz Magic Tower, and Kwak Ji-cheol belonged to the Emerald Magic Tower.
As members of the same Magic Tower Association, they were allies yet also rivals in a constantpetition.
Should talks like the Ruby Magic Tower is inferior to the Topaz and Emerald Magic Tower, reach Hong Ye-hwas, it was uncertain what lengths her uncontroble anger might drive her to.
Hong Ye-hwa emphasized it again.
Its okay if you cant remove all three stickers. But you must remove more than them, understood?
I know.
On this matter, Hong Yeon-hwa shared her sisters sentiment.
They could not afford to lose to the other Magic Towers, especially.
In particr, since she strongly disliked beingpared to Song Cheon-hye, she was determined to outperform her by any means necessary.
When Hong Yeon-hwas eyes began to ze with determination, Hong Ye-hwa felt a surge of satisfaction.
Hong Ye-hwa was a little worried when she saw her sister start to get scared as soon as she encountered Kim Ho, but it seemed her fighting spirit hadnt been extinguished just yet.
Of course, thats how it should be. Lets go in now.
Go in?
Suddenly, Hong Yeon-hwa found herself thinking about whom she might see again. In an instant, her pupils darted from side to side before she slowly started to back away.
Hong Ye-hwa quickly grabbed her sisters wrist.
And she asked with a sly grin,
This is the club room; where do you think youre going?
Oh, no, I was just thinking of heading back to the dorm today to rest. Im not feeling too well
Come on, we shouldnt keep our guest waiting any longer.
Hong Ye-hwa firmly pulled her sister along and they entered the club room.
There, Kim Ho was exactly as they had left him, sitting in the same spot and tilting his teacup in the same manner.
As they drew closer, the fervor that Hong Yeon-hwa had been burning with until just moments ago seemed to rapidly fade away.
Hong Ye-hwa looked at her sister with a mix of disapproval and worry before letting out a sigh internally.
Time will take care of it
She harbored a faint hope that constant interaction during the mentoring would naturally lead to oveing the issue.
She quicklyposed her expression and put on a professional smile.
Sorry for the wait, have you been here long?
Not at all. I needed some time to think as well.
Then, as we discussed earlier, Im counting on you to take good care of Yeon-hwa.
Yes, Senior-nim.
The soft and gentle Hong Ye-hwa and the respectful and polite Kim Ho.
The disparity between this and their usual demeanors was striking.
Hong Yeon-hwa found herself at a loss for words and she merely observed the exchange between the two.
Chapter 88: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (11)
Chapter 88: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (11)
I sat down with Hong Ye-hwa and the two of us reached a few agreements.
First on Hong Ye-hwas list of demands was for this weeks duel battles only, and all responsibility for removing stickers was to be left to Hong Yeon-hwa.
Given Hong Yeon-hwas current rate of growth, it was almost certain to end in failure, but she seemed to see significance in taking on a difficult role.
Naturally, the deal also included a deduction of 50 points from my duel battle score.
My demand, on the other hand, was the melting of the Millennium Iron Alloy.
I hoped that the president-level Hong Ye-hwa or a fire mage with a special trait would lend a hand.
Upon hearing everything, Hong Ye-hwa suddenly brought up her younger sister.
She mentioned that Hong Yeon-hwa possessed the special trait I was looking for.
Feel free to use her.
Although I hadnt yet asked for the persons consent, it seemed I had at least obtained her guardians (?) approval.
With that, the important parts of our agreement were concluded.
As a small bonus, I was requested to assist Hong Yeon-hwa in learning as much as possible.
This came with theplete transfer of therge rubys ownership to me.
Since the terms were vague andrgely at my discretion, it was more of a request than a transaction.
However, considering the high value of the item received, I was intent on delivering equivalent value through my efforts.
Due to theseplex reasons, I found myself participating in Hong Yeon-hwa and Dang Gyu-youngs one-on-one closebat training the following day.
Not that I did anything special; I merely stood at a distance in a corner of the round arena and watched their battle.
More precisely, I watched Dang Gyu-young unleash a variety of shadow magic attacks while Hong Yeon-hwa rolled around the arena floor trying to dodge them.
Ugh.
Kuk.
Aah!
Despite her best efforts to avoid even a single hit, it didnt seem easy.
Soon, arge shadow hand grabbed Hong Yeon-hwa and threw her forcefully.
She was sent flying in an arc before she tumbled and sprawled on the ground.
Before Dang Gyu-young could help Hong Yeon-hwa up and resume the battle, I interjected with a suggestion.
Senior-nim.
Hm? What is it?
Perhaps we could try a different approach.
A different approach? How so?
I was thinking that letting her attack might be more suitable for such the removing stickers training session.
It wasnt that Dang Gyu-youngs training method was entirely wrong.
The training method of drawing out potential through relentless attacks had traditionally proven effective, and I too had quietly made frequent use of it.
Indeed, Hong Yeon-hwas closebat skills had noticeably improved from just a few days ago.
However, if I had to point out one thing that was disappointing, it would be that her skills had mostly advanced in blocking and dodging.
Given that the objective of this weeks one-on-onebat was to remove stickers, it was necessary to practice attacking as well to achieve a proper bnce between offense and defense.
!
Hong Yeon-hwas face lit up upon hearing this.
It felt much like a traveler discovering an oasis in the midst of a desert crossing.
After bracing herself for a week, or possibly the entire mentoring period, of relentless beatings, the suggestion of a different training method must have felt like an immediate reduction in her imminent suffering.
After some contemtion, Dang Gyu-young seemed to see the logic in my suggestion and flicked a sticker towards me.
Really? You give it a try. Lets see how you do.
She meant that she would decide whether to adopt the method based on my demonstration.
I didnt hesitate and pped the sticker on my forearm.
In view of Dang Gyu-youngsck of skill in teaching, it seemed appropriate for me as an experienced mentor to demonstrate at least once.
I pointed to the sticker and said to Hong Yeon-hwa.
Come and try to take it off. Ill just focus on dodging.
From Hong Yeon-hwas perspective, I was not as scary as Dang Gyu-young but still a challenging opponent.
Thus, her approach was cautious.
Once she closed in to a certain distance, she elerated and reached out for the sticker.
Just as her fingertips were about to make contact, I used Thiefs Step and slid backward.
After her miss, Hong Yeon-hwa quickly stepped forward again, but I anticipated this and instead moved forward to meet her.
As a result, we ended up crossing paths.
!
Hong Yeon-hwa was taken aback and paused briefly on the spot.
Then she swiftly turned around and quickly chanted a spell and snapped her fingers.
[Combustion]
Bang!
A small me explosion urred, but I had already moved out of its range.
In that brief moment, she managed to cast another spell andshed out with a whip made ofva.
I dodged by subtly shifting my body, while Hong Yeon-hwa kept swinging the whip.
She has improved.
When she faced Dang Gyu-young on Monday, she aimed directly at the sticker with theva whip.
Unless you were a master of the whip, it would have been considered quite a stretch to aim at such a tricky target with an unfamiliar weapon style.
On the other hand, now she was using it solely to restrict my movements while attempting to remove the sticker directly.
It was good that she had found a more efficient method.
Still, she has a long way to go.
It seemed she had umted some experience in mid-to-close rangebat, but she still needed much more practice to sessfully remove the sticker.
As Hong Yeon-hwa continued her checks and we got somewhat closer, she reached out again.
I gave her just enough room to reach, but then just as her fingertips were about to touch me, I spun around and stepped out of range.
Ugh!
Frustrated, Hong Yeon-hwashed out even more fiercely with herva whip.
She wasbining her attacks with bursts of me magic.
Bang! Boom!
The pattern repeated itself: Hong Yeon-hwa pressed on with various tactics and aimed for the sticker, while I dodged every attack.
Dang Gyu-young who was watching this let out a short exmation of admiration.
Ooh
Youve learned a thing or two.
How did you dodge that?
At first, she was there merely to watch two kids bicker and take a light break, but she seemed to have realized something after watching me, and now she was watching my every move with earnest eyes.
Truth be told since I had firmly stated to Hong Yeon-hwa that I would only dodge, it wasnt necessary for the mentor to avoid all attacks.
If it were Dang Gyu-young, she woulde up with a way to appropriately mix defense and evasion.
How effective this approach would be, would soon be experienced firsthand by Song Cheon-hye or Kwak Ji-cheol in their turn.
***
After todays mentoring session ended and I stepped out of the arena,
Hong Yeon-hwa looked as if her soul had partly departed her body.
Even if she had epted not getting a single sticker, she thought she wouldnd a few hits with the fire magic she used to keep me in check, but she hadnt managed to touch me at all.
She felt like she was overwhelmed with self-doubt. Like her skills were only this good.
At the same time, her gaze toward me was filled with fear.
Previously, it might have seemed like her magic attacks against me were blocked by something, but the one-on-one duel just now taught her something more.
If I set my mind to it, it was possible to not get hit at all.
When I looked at her facial expressions to guess her inner thoughts, it seemed as if she was thinking,
Such a monstrous person
She evidently did not want to linger near me.
She cast furtive nces around while trying to gauge my reaction before she hesitantly said,
Then, I should be going right?
She attempted to make a swift exit.
But I couldnt just let her run away.
There was still something I needed from her.
Hong Yeon-hwa.
At the sound of her name, Hong Yeon-hwas movements stopped abruptly as if someone had grabbed her by the nape of her neck.
Turning her head slowly, she asked,
Wha-what?
Lets go somewhere together.
Together? Where?
The color drained from her face as if the destination I had in mind was a ce she dared not go.
Sensing that she might flee if I tried to drag her away without exnation, I felt the need to provide some motivation and a bit of context.
I heard you have [Aqua me].
Did you hear that from Unnie?
The very trait I sought Hong Ye-hwa for to melt the millennium iron alloy was this.
Aqua me.
It was a trait that manifests in an extremely small fraction of fire mages.
Even within the esteemed Hong family of the Ruby Magic Tower, it was rarely inherited.
A fire mage possessing this trait gains an overwhelming advantage over all water and ice elements.
They can ignite mes even in the deepest parts of the ocean and bypass an opponents water-type defenses to inflict damage.
Moreover, once the rank reaches a certain level, it can somewhat affect even non-water defenses, making it a powerful trait by its very existence.
It was said that this trait had a significant influence on Hong Yeon-hwa receiving the title of a promising student at the Magic Tower Association.
However, there was one issue.
Your growth stopped at rank E, didnt it?
You heard about that too.
Hong Yeon-hwas expression darkened.
There was also a hint of annoyance at her sister who had revealed this embarrassing fact.
Traits as powerful as Aqua me were rare.
Yet, even such a potent trait would be useless if its rank was low.
From what I heard, Hong Yeon-hwas Aqua me had been stuck at E-rank for a long time.
She tried every possible means to break through, but with no sess, she had almost given up.
For me, this was an ideal situation.
What if there is a way to break through to D-rank?
What? Really?
Yes.
Hong Yeon-hwa leaned in close and started bombarding me with questions.
Can you really break through? With Aqua me? Not any other trait? How?
She must have been so excited that she even forgot her fear of me
Its understandable to be thrilled at the prospect of finally finding the solution she had long been searching for and yearning for.
Still, it seemed best to wait until she had calmed down a bit before exining.
I remained silent and watched her until Hong Yeon-hwa took a few steps back when she realized her excitement.
It seemed she had regained someposure, so I began to speak again.
Basically, the rank of skills and traits increases each time you ovee a barrier set by the system. You probably know this.
Yes, itsmon knowledge.
And the nature of the barrier you have to ovee varies depending on the unique properties of the skill or trait. You know this too.
Yes, Im aware of that too.
Take [Super Strength] as an example.
Given that the trait significantly enhanced ones physical strength, the barrier to ovee would be moving an object thats even heavier than what ones current rank finds challenging.
In the same vein, in order to ovee the barrier erected by [Aqua me], which has strong prating power against water and ice elements, it was natural that,
All you have to do is fervently burn an object imbued with intense cold using fire magic but thats where you hit a snag at E-rank.
Yes.
It was likely that Hong Yeon-hwa had already attempted this method.
Despite her earnest efforts, it was to no avail.
She began to wonder if there was another barrier she needed to ovee, so she tried various approaches, only to fail each time.
The method isnt wed. Nor do you need to ovee a different barrier.
Is that so?
Hong Yeon-hwa was skeptical.
I spoke in a confident tone, so my words seemed usible, yet she couldnt help but wonder since her inability to advance past E-rank was due to this very issue.
My exnation continued.
If youve set the right direction but still see no results, the cause is one of two things: either the quality iscking or the quantity is insufficient.
In the context of Aqua me, this meant either the quality of the object being burned was too low or the quantity burned wasnt sufficient to warrant a rank increase.
.
Hong Yeon-hwa remained silent for a while.
It seemed she wasparing my words with her own memories.
I then asked her,
What did you use for your rank advancement attempts?
Ice golems, ice crystals, and
She listed a few ice element monsters and materials.
Given they were acquired with her familys resources, their quality was reasonably good.
However,
Even with those, your training sessions must have been short.
Right.
In the presence of Aqua me, all these would melt away in an instant.
It was impossible to extend the training duration.
Pouring endless amounts of ice element materials like this was like trying to fill a bottomless bucket.
Especially when there was no certainty that it would even work.
Therefore, the proposal I was about to make was something Hong Yeon-hwa couldnt possibly refuse.
What if there was an item that possessed strong cold energy but didnt melt easily?
!
It would surely be able to enhance the Aqua me.
Does such a thing really exist?
Hong Yeon-hwa asked, but instead of answering, I simply closed my mouth and started walking.
Hong Yeon-hwa followed closely behind me as if she was mesmerized by the possibility.
Chapter 89: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (12)
Chapter 89: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (12)
I continued walking with Hong Yeon-hwa trailing behind me like a shadow.
Until we reached the cksmiths workshop.
!
In that moment, it seemed as if an exmation mark appeared above Hong Yeon-hwas head.
She was beginning to grasp what the special material I mentioned might be.
Since we came to a workshop, it was highly likely to be metal.
However, the idea of a metal imbued with coldness seemed to leave her somewhat uncertain.
I immediately sought out the president of the cksmithing club.
He was, as always, busy with his work. Even though my request had been temporarily paused, he had to continue crafting other items.
Upon noticing us, he stopped his work and approached before asking me directly.
Have youe prepared?
The question was abrupt, but since we only have onemon interest, the omitted context was obvious.
He was asking if I had found a way to melt the Millennium Iron.
Instead of responding, I turned my gaze towards Hong Yeon-hwa which caused the president of the cksmithing club to do the same.
Hong Yeon-hwa.
Hello
Judging by their interaction, it seemed like they knew each other.
Given the inseparable rtionship between cksmiths and fire, and the active exchanges between the Ruby Magic Tower and them, it was likely they had crossed paths asionally.
But for Hong Yeon-hwa, the president of the cksmithing club didnt seem to be a particrlyfortable acquaintance as her demeanor was somewhat stiff.
The club president turned his gaze back to me and asked while pointing towards Hong Yeon-hwa with his eyes.
Is this the solution you had in mind?
Thats right.
He looked really disappointed at my answer.
What a wasted effort. Weve already sought the help of a fire mage.
He must have called upon some familiar fire mages to unleash their mes.
But unless it was a president-level fire mage or someone with the Aqua me trait, melting the Millennium Iron was nearly impossible.
They must have failed too then.
You knew that and yet you still brought Hong Yeon-hwa?
Yes, I was hoping youd give her a chance.
.
The club presidents eyes narrowed as he once again examined Hong Yeon-hwa.
What difference could Hong Yeon-hwa make?
Despite being a promising first-year student, the club president was doubtful whether she had any advantage over the second and third-year fire mages he had sought help from before.
Yet, it seemed the conclusion leaned towards giving it a try, as there was nothing to lose.
If it didnt work, so be it, but if by some chance it seeded, that would be a wee oue.
He then took out an ingot casting a dark sheen and ced it on the table.
Alright, give it a try.
Hong Yeon-hwa also seemed to have a general understanding of the situation after she listened to our conversation.
Even if she didnt know the ingot was made of Millennium Iron Alloy, she could tell it was the special material I had mentioned.
It was clearly a high-grade metal and it was emitting a chill that was noticeable even in the warmth of the workshop.
She must have deduced from our conversation that we wanted to melt this ingot.
While she might feel like she was being used in some way, the prospect of advancing the rank of her Aqua me seemed to outweigh any concerns.
Hong Yeon-hwa looked to me for approval, and upon receiving a nod, she began.
Lets burn it.
Hong Yeon-hwa immediately started chanting her spell.
A round magic circle appeared beneath the Millennium Iron Alloy with geometric symbols etched on it.
It was the [Fire Pir] spell, which she had used a few times before.
Since it was impossible to turn the workshop into a sea of fire, the size of the magic circle was intentionally made small, but as the range was limited to a small space, the power became more powerful.
As soon as Hong Yeon-hwapleted the spell,
Whoosh!
A small yet vivid pir of fire erupted from the magic circle.
All eyes were fixed on the fiercely zing pir of mes.
In the midst of such intense mes, the Millennium Iron Alloy still maintained its shape.
It was as if the fire was deliberately avoiding that spot and parting around it.
Then Hong Yeon-hwa rapidlyyered another spell with a serious expression on her face.
Another ring was drawn around the perimeter of the [Fire Pir] magic circle and,
Whoosh!
The mes surged with even greater ferocity.
Hong Yeon-hwa stirred the staff to control the mes and force them into the ingot.
Then, little by little, changes began to appear.
From the surface of the Millennium Iron Alloy, the heat began to gradually erode into it.
!
The president of the cksmithing club had a strange look in his eyes.
He turned his gaze from Hong Yeon-hwa who was maintaining the spell and addressed me.
It seems to be working as you said. But its incredibly slow. I cant imagine how long it would take to process it fully.
I would appreciate it if you could keep observing a little longer. After all, this is just the beginning.
The slow progress was due to Hong Yeon-hwas Aqua me being only at E-rank.
As the rank increases, the speed at which the ingot melts will also elerate.
The processing difficulty of the Millennium Iron Alloy is around A-rank, but considering the power of the Aqua me, reaching C-rank should suffice to melt it without much trouble.
Since the desired results were achieved, the cksmithing club president did not doubt my words.
Very well.
With a brief reply, he returned to his work and left.
I found no reason to linger and waste time here either.
I informed Hong Yeon-hwa.
Ill be going too.
Ah? Youre leaving?
She was slightly bewildered.
Reading between the lines of Hong Yeon-hwas words, it was as if she was saying,
Are you going to leave me here by myself while you go off alone?
I responded casually.
If you prefer, I can stay.
Hong Yeon-hwa quickly waved her hands.
No, no! I can do this on my own. Its about developing my trait. Go and rest! Okay!
She probably thought it was a hundred times better to be left alone than to have me watching over her shoulder.
Without asking twice, I walked out of the workshop with light steps.
Hong Yeon-hwa was happy to have the chance to grow her trait with this rare material.
The cksmithing club president was happy to resume the production of the item that was temporarily suspended.
And I was happy with the president not only crafting a weapon but also throwing in a small bonus for me.
It was a win-win strategy that left everyone happy.
***
Mentoring continued on both Friday and Saturday.
Since I taught Dang Gyu-young how to train both attack and defense at the same time, there was no need to participate in training.
Instead, as the week was nearly over, I took the opportunity at the end of each training session to have Hong Yeon-hwa go for a round of sticker duel battle.
Despite feeling it was a long shot, I couldnt bear the thought of squandering the three remaining chances.
Even if she wascking, its better to give it a try as is.
I thought it would be useless to n the strategy at this level, so I gave Hong Yeon-hwa just one instruction.
Go in.
I decided to let Hong Yeon-hwa move as freely as possible and support her actions as best I could.
[Wind Force]
Whoooosh!
In an instant, a strong gust of wind blew and separated Hong Yeon-hwa and Dang Gyu-young.
The shadow bat the size of a human body swung by Dang Gyu-yeong missed entirely.
Hong Yeon-hwa quickly retreated to regroup and her staff emitted a crimson glow.
Boom!Boom!Boom!
A series of fiery explosions enveloped Dang Gyu-youngs position.
Hong Yeon-hwa plunged without hesitation into the great mes that had risen.
Within the ze, the shadows of the two danced and flickered.
On our first attempt at coordination on Friday, she hesitated every time I used Wind Force to help her, and because of that, she missed several good opportunities.
Now she had adapted quite well to my style. She reacted immediately when I came to her aid and took every opportunity.
Whoooosh!
The constant gusts of wind disrupted Dang Gyu-youngs movements, making her jerk and pause like a broken toy doll.
Though she red at me with sheer annoyance, her immediate concern was Hong Yeon-hwa who was charging at her from the front.
With a casual wave of her hand, several shadow limbs sprang up and lunged towards her.
Hong Yeon-hwa didnt retreat; she remained calm and responded with poise.
She unleashed fire magic at close range or imbued her hands with mana to deliver powerful strikes.
After brushing aside the shadow limbs, she aggressively moved forward and attempted to peel off a sticker from Dang Gyu-young.
Dang Gyu-young skillfully counterattacked.
I kept a certain distance from where the skirmish was taking ce and watched, and when I thought it was dangerous, I cast Wind Force.
Bang!
Compressed air exploded between Dang Gyu-young and Hong Yeon-hwa.
It acted as a cushion to soften the impact while simultaneously pushing them in opposite directions.
I then pulled Hong Yeon-hwa, who was momentarily airborne closer to me.
Shended gently on the ground without any apparent injuries but, unlike before, she didnt rush back into action.
Her breathing was uneven and her movements noticeably slowed down. She seemed to have run out of stamina.
It ends here.
By this point, it was clear that continuing the melee would yield no further results.
Yet, seeing Hong Yeon-hwas fingertips barely graze a sticker in the final moments gave me a glimmer of hope for tomorrow.
Dang Gyu-young quickly assessed Hong Yeon-hwas condition and decided it was time to wrap up the days mentoring.
Thats enough for today. Well done.
But unfortunately for her, there was still a long way to go before Hong Yeon-hwa could get some proper rest.
Since the Aquatic me trait training awaited her.
Our next destination was the cksmith workshop.
Im counting on you again today.
.
With a weak nod in response to my words, Hong Yeon-hwa disappeared outside the round arena using the teleportation magic circle.
Once it was just the two of us, Dang Gyu-young immediately dropped her stern senior mentor mode and reverted to her usual grumbling self.
Hey, I really dont like that skill of yours.
Senior-nim, nobody really likes it.
Wind Force was inherently a skill bound to draw anger from others.
It was the destiny of all forced movement skills, one might say.
Being pushed and pulled against ones will is bound to frustrate anyone.
If that moment happened to fall during a crucial point in battle, the frustration would be doubled.
Why not use a different skill, then?
I would if I could, but Wind Force is really all Ive got thats any good.
Currently, Wind Force was truly the only viable skill I had at my disposal.
I could copy other skills, but I was too fond of using Thiefs Step and Overheat to give them up.
Come on, youve got other skills. For real.
Honestly, I dont. Really.
Of course, Dang Gyu-young looked at me with disbelief. She wasnt buying my words in the slightest.
She must have thought I was deliberately hiding my other skills.
After pouting for a moment and giving me a look, she seemed to find it pointless and shook her head before changing the subject.
Right, Ive been curious since yesterday but didnt get a chance to ask. Why did Hong Yeon-hwa suddenly start helping you?
I had a bit of give-and-take with them.
By them, you mean the Ruby Magic Tower? Hong Ye-hwa?
Yes.
Ahan.
Dang Gyu-young chuckled as if it all made sense to her.
So shes the one removing the stickers? I thought youd help her and remove them, but its the other way around. That threw me off.
Thats how it turned out.
But without you, it looks like not even one, let alone three, would be doable. Is it okay for you to lose points like this?
Yes, I dont really care.
Really? What are you getting from Hong Ye-hwa in return?
I cant tell you that.
Tch.
Dang Gyu-young briefly clicked her tongue.
It seemed she was trying to smoothly pry the information out, but some things arent so easily revealed.
Still, with the information-gathering skills of the president of the Thieves Club, wouldnt she find out without much trouble?
How about Song Cheon-hye and Kwak Ji-cheol?
Theyre not really any better than Hong Yeon-hwa. Apart from you, everyones pretty much on the same level.
It seems those two are struggling as well.
Passing the sticker-removing task to Hong Yeon-hwa had slightly increased the chance of me losing the bet with Song Cheon-hye, but ording to Dang Gyu-young, the odds still seemed to be more in my favor.
Let them worry about themselves, and lets focus on our task. I want to finish this quickly and take a rest.
Dang Gyu-young stretched out as if her body was stiff.
And after she tossed aside her C-rank restriction bracelet, the shadows at her feet began to violently undte.
Aside from the duel battles, the one-on-one sparring sessions between Dang Gyu-young and me continued.
Until I mastered [Distortion].
Chapter 90: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (13)
Chapter 90: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (13)
Whoosh!
A small pir of fire zed intensely in front of Hong Yeon-hwa.
Within the mes, an ingot emitting a ck sheen began to melt ever so slightly from the outside.
Hong Yeon-hwas gaze was fixed on this scene, seemingly lost in thought.
Her nk expression, arms crossed, and one foot tapping the ground spoke volumes about her feelings.
Why wont my rank increase?
It had been three days since she took up Kim Hos suggestion to start melting Millennium Iron Alloy in the cksmiths workshop.
The rank of her [Aqua me] trait remained unchanged and stubbornly stuck at E-rank.
Of course, Hong Yeon-hwa was aware that ranking up a skill or a trait wasnt something that happened overnight.
If it were, the world would be overflowing with S-rank heroes.
But still, there were expectations.
E-rank is just one step above F and was practically the beginning.
Logically, the growth rate from this point should be fast.
Furthermore, considering the efforts Hong Yeon-hwa had put in the past, she had expected to rank up within a day or two at most.
But with no progress after three days, impatience and negative thoughts started to creep in.
Am I being deceived?
What if the promise to help her rank up her trait was a lie?
What if all he wanted was for her to use her fire magic?
What if he had intended to use her as a portable furnace from the start?
And what if Kim Ho wasfortably resting somewhere else while she was stuck here?
As these thoughts crossed her mind, Hong Yeon-hwa felt an overwhelming sense of futility.
Her rest times had already been reduced due to mentoring, and now, even that reduced free time was being spent in a corner of the workshop.
She had been enduring all this solely with the aim of enhancing her trait, but when she started to think that it was all useless, her motivation quickly dropped.
Should I just give it up?
Hong Yeon-hwa began to reconsider everything from the beginning.
Kim Ho didnt sign a formal contract with her; he had simply decided to use her on a whim with the im that, I can help you grow your trait.
Sure, she had followed him rather meekly, so she wasnt entirely without fault. But it wasnt toote to back out now.
If I dont want to do it, what can he really do?
But the moment the image of Kim Hos icy face shed through her mind, Hong Yeon-hwa shivered with a chill.
All those encounters they had in various ces.
How he effortlessly broke through her fire magic, how he threw Baek Jun-seok to the ground with a flick, how he easily caught and tossed aside the twin trolls hand axe
What would happen if she refused to continue?
Hong Yeon-hwa quickly shook her head to dispel these thoughts.
Whatever might happen, wrong is wrong.
Yes, lets quit.
Her resolve hardened even further.
Just as she was about to extinguish the pir of fire,
A notification popped up in the corner of Hong Yeon-hwas vision.
[The rank of Aqua me increased. (E->D)]
Uh?
Hong Yeon-hwas eyes widened in sheer astonishment as she gazed nkly at the rank-up before her.
It-It actually works?
Her previously stalled thoughts began to whirl once more, as a myriad of emotions took hold of her mind.
The overwhelming joy and relief of finally breaking through the barrier of Aqua me despite all her efforts.
The confidence and anticipation that this method could propel her beyond just a D-rank.
And then, there was her gratitude towards Kim Ho.
Ahem, ahem.
Embarrassment followed her gratitude, and Hong Yeon-hwa found herself coughing awkwardly alone.
Kim Ho had purely intended to help by sharing the technique and even provided the precious materials to do so, yet she had rashly judged and doubted him.
Well, he might be a bit scary, but he doesnt seem like a bad person.
She decided to be more cooperative with him in the future.
Her hand gestures as she cast the Fire Pir skill showed her enthusiasm.
The now brighter mes quickly melted the ingot.
Whoosh!
***
Sunday.
Hong Yanhua arrived at the arena at the appointed time for her final challenge in the sticker duel battle.
As she neared the arena, she noticed Kim Ho already waiting for her and he turned his head slowly upon sensing someones approach.
Their eyes met and he immediately remarked,
Youve ranked up.
How did you know!?
Hong Yeon-hwa eximed in surprise.
She hadnt told anyone yet. Had he installed some kind of crystal ball in the workshop?
Kim Ho responded nonchntly,
Its written all over your face.
On my face?
Turning away, Hong Yeon-hwa pulled out a hand mirror and examined her reflection from every angle, then slightly furrowed her brows.
. It looks the same to me.
She couldnt spot any difference from her usual appearance.
Of course, she was the only one in the dark; everyone else had long since noticed the change in her.
Throughout the week, she had been walking around with a look of utter dejection, but since yesterday, she had been all smiles and her lips were slightly raised in a constant grin.
Such a drastic change couldnt have happened without some good news.
Especially since Kim Ho had been closely monitoring her activities that week, he quickly deduced that the good news must be her trait rank-up.
If you reach C-rank, the ingot willpletely melt.
Really?
At that, Hong Yeon-hwa felt a tinge of disappointment.
She had subtly asked the president of the cksmithing club and discovered that the ingot was an alloy of Millennium Iron and ck Mithril.
Even though she now knew how to advance her trait, opportunities to work with such high-grade metals were rare.
If the ingot were topletely melt, it would mean a stop in her trait growth for some time.
But still, reaching C-rank is no small feat.
It was not so long ago that even D-rank seemed impossible for her.
Theres no use in being greedy; better to take a positive view of things.
Kim Ho ended the conversation there and turned his gaze towards the arena, and Hong Yeon-hwa began to pass the time by looking in the same direction.
The arena was covered by a translucent membrane that was virtually indistinguishable from a wall, so it provided an excellent opportunity to gather her thoughts.
What soon came to mind was the pair of Song Cheon-hye and Kwak Ji-cheol who were likely already in the arena.
I wonder how many stickers theyve managed to take off.
Since the closebat training with Dang Gyu-young was conducted one-on-two within set times, there was little chance of encountering other team members.
As a result, there was no way to know how much Song Cheon-hye and Kwak Ji-cheol had improved over the week.
However, Hong Yeon-hwa surmised they probably hadnt advanced much more rapidly than herself.
One, or maybe two?
Argh!
At that moment, Kwak Ji-cheol was flung out of the arena with a cry of pain.
The safety system installed in the arena had determined he was unable to continue and forcefully ejected him from the match.
Hong Yeon-hwa looked on with disdain.
He hasnt changed at all since Monday.
If youve been through those hellish one-on-one sparring sessions for a week, you should at least have more tenacity, but judging by the timing of his ejection, he didnt seem to have changed much from the first day.
Had there been any progress at all?
On the other hand, it was quite some timeter that Song Cheon-hye walked out of the magic circle.
Compared to Monday, when Kwak Ji-cheol retired early and she followed soon after, this time she had managed to hold out on her own for quite a while.
Song Cheon-hye moved on without giving so much as a nce to Kwak Ji-cheol whoy groaning on the ground.
As a team member who failed to y his part and got retired prematurely, it was no surprise she felt not the least bit of pity towards him.
As she passed by, she and Hong Yeon-hwa made eye contact and exchanged cold nces for a short period of time, but the two did not say anything to each other.
Just as Song Cheon-hye was about to walk past Kim Ho as well,
Song Cheon-hye.
What is it?
Lets talk.
Song Cheon-hye lightly nodded her head in approval and the two of them walked off to a quieter section of the stands.
Hong Yeon-hwa watched them with a curious eye,
Whats the rtionship between those two?
The pairing was quite unexpected.
All Hong Yeon-hwa knew was that during the cement test, Kim Ho had avoided a confrontation with Song Cheon-hye.
It was still an unresolved mystery to her why Kim Ho who would have likely won had conceded the match.
She originally thought that was the end of the contact between the two, but seeing them talking alone like that suggested otherwise.
Driven by growing curiosity, Hong Yeon-hwa continued to steal nces at the two.
!
!
Even with mana-enhanced hearing, the distance was too great to eavesdrop on their conversation, but it was still possible to guess the level of their rtionship based on their attitude toward each other and facial expressions.
They dont seem very close.
The reluctance in Song Cheon-hye was apparent when Kim Ho started the conversation with her, and even now her face remained stern and cold.
Another point of note was that Kim Ho seemed to be the one leading the conversation.
Each time Kim Ho casually threw out a remark, Song Cheon-hye would snap back or visibly bristle in response.
It was hard to imagine the monster-like Kim Ho being at a loss with anyone.
He seemed to interact effortlessly even with the senior third-year students.
Then, suddenly, Song Cheon-hye pointed in Hong Yeon-hwas direction.
Feeling like she was caught, Hong Yeon-hwa quickly averted her gaze and wondered,
Are they talking about me?
What could they possibly be discussing that involved her?
Her curiosity was now doubly intense.
Hong Yeon-hwa considered sneaking closer to catch even a snippet of their conversation but just as she was contemting this, the discussion ended. Song Cheon-hye turned away with a speed that seemed to whip up a cold breeze and went to sit in the stands.
Ah, Im so curious
Should she casually ask?
Since it seemed to be about her, wouldnt it be alright to ask?
Hong Yeon-hwa was worried over and over again, but since the other party was Kim Ho, she couldnt bring herself to ask him.
But for some reason, Kim Ho approached her first and started speaking.
I asked how many stickers they got.
It seemed that what Song Cheon-hye had been pointing out about her was rted to the sticker duel battle.
Hong Yeon-hwa was also very curious about this, so she was grateful for the information.
What did she say? How many?
Not even one.
They used up all three attempts without peeling off a single sticker?
It seemed like this weeks duel battle was exceptionally difficult.
She had thought about it several times already but suddenly asking a mage to engage in closebat was an incredibly tough demand.
But what can she do? If theres anyone to me, it should be herself for choosing the path of an all-rounder mage.
In any case, since Song Cheon-hye and Kwak Ji-cheol ended this week with zero, it meant,
Just one. If only I could peel off just one.
It meant she would have the upper hand over them.
Hong Yeon-hwas heart raced with a mix of excitement and worry.
Three might be out of reach, but perhaps one.
But could she really do it?
Even just one didnt seem easy at all.
No, I have to do it.
Hong Yeon-hwa took a deep breath and calmed her mind.
ncing sideways, she saw Kim Ho nod his head slightly in response.
Together, they stepped onto the teleportation circle.
Entering the round arena, the foundDang Gyu-young was standing leisurely in the same spot as always.
In a position that made her look defenseless at first nce.
But Hong Yeon-hwa knew better from their countless battles.
The moment the battle begins, that seemingly defenseless posture leaves no room for finding even the slightest opening.
And there was another person who showed no openings right beside her.
Fortunately, she was on the same side as that person this week.
Just as their eyes met, Kim Ho offered a brief piece of advice.
Just like yesterday.
Do as you wish, unleash all youve got.
Ill be here to back you up.
Hong Yeon-hwa felt a peculiar sense of relief at those words.
Normally, she felt intimidated by Kim Hos mere presence, but at this moment as they stood together against this Strong Enemy, he couldnt have been more reassuring.
I can do this.
With a light swirl of the staff in her hand, a round magic circle was etched at her feet.
Soon after, the manifested magic was fully absorbed into Hong Yeon-hwas body.
[Fire Pir]
[Overheat]
Whoosh!
Hong Yeon-hwas entire body was enveloped in bright mes.
Chapter 91: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (14)
Chapter 91: 5th Week Mentoring and Duel Battles (14)
Fire Pir was among the more formidable fire spells that Hong Yeon-hwa had mastered.
Consequently, the boost in physical strength she experienced upon absorbing it through Overheat was notably substantial.
Of course, enhancing physical strength was merely the basics.
She still needed more preparation.
As Hong Yeon-hwa chanted another spell,va flowed from the staff she held in one hand before it transformed into a whip.
At the same time, arge ball of me began to form in her other hand.
[Lava Whip]
[me Orb]
Whoosh,
She infused the zing orb with onest technique before hurling it with all her might at Dang Gyu-young.
..
Dang Gyu-young watched the fireball that wasrger than a human body approach without a hint of disturbance on her face.
As the me Orb neared, she smoothly drew a slender shadow longsword from beneath her feet.
Lifting the longsword above her head and then slicing down lightly, she split the orb neatly in two,
Bang-Bang-Boom!
Intense mes exploded on either side of Dang Gyu-young, turning the area into a sea of fire.
The subtle technique Hong Yeon-hwa had mixed into her me Orb was the effect of Outburst.
Knowing it was impossible to harm Dang Gyu-young with the fireball itself, her intention was to cover as wide an area as possible with mes right from the start.
The more influence Hong Yeon-hwa exerted over the area, the more Dang Gyu-youngs influence would wane and make it harder for her to control the shadows.
It was groundworkid in preparation.
Dang Gyu-young was likely not unaware of this fact, yet she seemed indifferent as if it didnt matter.
In some ways, there appeared to be a hint of pleasure in watching a juniore close to the right answer.
Then she posed the question with a faint smile.
Are youing in now?
Im on my way.
With these brief words, Hong Yeon-hwa took her first step forward.
She kicked off the ground forcefully and shot forward.
Thud! Thud!
The distance between her and Dang Gyu-young closed rapidly until she was right in front of her.
They swung at each other at the same time. Herva whip and Dang Gyu-youngs shadow longsword shed and intertwined, canceling each other out.
As Hong Yeon-hwa reached out her hand, Dang Gyu-young also extended her, attempting to grasp her wrist.
But this move too was part of Hong Yeon-hwas strategy.
Before their hands could touch, theva whip coiled around Dang Gyu-youngs wrist and pulled tightly.
Hong Yeon-hwa reached out her hand again toward the sticker.
But in the next moment, she felt a strong sense of unease.
?
A sense of unease that things were going too smoothly, considering the battle had only just begun.
Trusting this intuition, Hong Yeon-hwa immediately retracted everything and stepped back a good distance.
Boom!
A ck butterfly exploded by a hairs breadth, and a wisp of shadow trapped the spot where Hong Yeon-hwa had been just a moment ago.
It was a butterfly that had stealthily approached her while Dang Gyu-young was feigning vulnerability.
Had she pressed on, she might have suffered significant damage.
[Shadow Butterfly Flight]
Three shadow butterflies fluttered after Hong Yeon-hwa.
They were small yet capable of creating countless variables, so it was necessary to intercept them before re-engaging in closebat.
Keep calm, and one at a time.
Theva whipshed out at the leading shadow butterfly, which dodged with a graceful movement.
She swiftly retracted the whip and swung it again, causing the shadow butterfly to burst into mes and scatter.
In the meantime, the second and third shadow butterflies had closed in even more.
Hong Yeon-hwa nimbly moved her feet to dodge them and began casting her next spell.
Whoosh
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew in from somewhere, and the second shadow butterfly trembled in mid-air before disintegrating into pieces.
That must be
The mysterious wind magic Kim Ho always used.
Just like they discussed before the closebat began, he was watching Hong Yeon-hwas movements and providing support.
Thats great.
This significantly reduced her burden.
She could now unleash the magic she had prepared for the second shadow butterfly on the remaining one.
Whooooooooooosh!
mes surged forward and they engulfed thest shadow butterfly.
With the distractions cleared, it was time to return to her original target.
As Hong Yeon-hwa pointed her staff at Dang Gyu-young, the dwindling mes roared back to life with fervor.
Yet, Dang Gyu-young stood calmly within the mes with a smile on her face.
Good, keeping.
Pop!
Hong Yeon-hwa once again pressed forward and the closebat resumed.
She wielded herva whip for support while her other handshed out at Dang Gyu-young, asionally aiming for his stickers.
Dang Gyu-young skillfully blocked the iing attacks and deftly knocked away the hand targeting the stickers.
Then,
Whoosh
A gust of wind swept past Dang Gyu-young as if wrapping around her.
The physical force within the wind caused her movements to be unnaturally jerky.
Annoyance flickered in Dang Gyu-youngs eyes as she momentarily nced over Hong Yeon-hwas shoulder towards Kim Ho.
Here it goes again.
Despite facing numerous foes and skills up until her third year, she found this wind magic particrly frustrating and annoying. She could even rank it among the most vexing.
Where on earth had he learned such a thing?
For Hong Yeon-hwa, however, this situation was an excellent opportunity.
The more Dang Gyu-young was bothered and irritated, the more her focus would scatter which would reveal openings.
She swiftly took advantage of this and pressed her attack.
Tch.
Dang Gyu-young clicked her tongue in frustration.
And for the first time since the duel battle started, she took a few steps back
Yet, the tenacity of a third-year student was not to be underestimated.
Rising shadows acted in unison with her movements as she calmly parried each of Hong Yeon-hwas strikes.
As the sh continued at close quarters, the momentum swiftly shifted back in favor of Dang Gyu-young.
Just as a massive shadow fist swelled to strike Hong Yeon-hwa with full force,
Boom!
With the sound of an explosion, the shadow fist missed its target by a wide margin.
Once again, Kim Ho had intervened at the perfect moment.
As if that wasnt enough, the wind containing physical force continued to blow and hindered Dang Gyu-youngs movements.
Ah, seriously, this is
Could someone really interfere so annoyingly?
Despite knowing it was a mentoring duel and that 2 against 1 was to be expected, she felt a lingering resentment in her heart.
Dang Gyu-young made a resolution in her heart.
Once this was over, she would take her revenge by covering Kim Hos back with scribbles.
Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa seized yet another opportunity created by Kim Ho andunched an attack.
She recited a spell in the blink of an eye.
[me Arrow]
She transformed theva whip into a ming bow and arrow and started unleashing a rapid-fire from close range.
One by one, the emerging shadow butterflies and limbs were pierced by the me arrows.
Many of the shadow spells were blocked before they could be fully cast, and the wind blew incessantly.
Gradually, Dang Gyu-youngs face began to lose itsposure.
To Hong Yeon-hwa, it seemed as if cracks were slowly forming in a once imprable iron wall.
Just a little more!
A little more pressure, and she could break through.
She kicked off the ground forcefully and attacked even more aggressively.
Whooosh!
Large shadow spikes erupted from beneath Dang Gyu-youngs feet and they surged towards Hong Yeon-hwa.
Unlike the shadow limbs or blunt weapons, these spikes were meant to inflict direct damage.
Hong Yeon-hwa interpreted this as a sign of Dang Gyu-youngs dwindling reserve.
She continued to shoot me arrows, burning away the spikes, but still a significant number flew toward her.
As Hong Yeon-hwa observed the iing spikes, she thought to herself.
I cant dodge them all.
But if she were to create distance and retreat as before,
Dang Gyu-young would have time to retreat and the opportunity painstakingly created with Kim Hos help would evaporate.
Faced with a critical choice, Hong Yeon-hwa made her decision.
She would endure some of them.
Hong Yeon-hwa swiftly moved through the shadows and deftly weaved between the spikes.
Some grazed her by mere inches, while others left scratches on her arms, legs, and cheeks.
Although she asionally winced in pain, her gaze remained firmly fixed on her target, Dang Gyu-young.
Just as Hong Yeon-hwa felt she was getting close, Dang Gyu-young smoothly stamped her foot on the ground.
Whoosh!
Shadow spikes erupted from beneath her, forming a wall several timesrger than before.
Even when faced with such intense provocation, she had a hidden card up her sleeve.
Yet, Hong Yeon-hwa was far from flustered.
I knew this would happen.
She had anticipated even this.
mes burst forth from her clenched fist.
And then by extending it forward,
[Fire Punch]
Boom!
A hole sted through the shadow wall, crumbling it.
Dang Gyu-young felt satisfied after seeing that even herst line of defense had been breached.
Impressive.
Transforming the shadow into spikes was not only due to a rtiveck of leeway but also intended as a test for Hong Yeon-hwa.
And Hong Yeon-hwa splendidly passed this test by epting damage to breach her target.
Moreover, she had anticipated Dang Gyu-young erecting another wall and had prepared her next move in advance.
Any other mentor might have considered this enough to pass,
But its still slightlycking.
Continuing the closebat and peeling off stickers was a separate matter.
She had no intention of being lenient.
However, just as Dang Gyu-young was about to counterattack,
Thud,
Something lightly tapped her shoulder.
She was startled and quickly turned to find Kim Ho with his hand on her shoulder.
Ah.
Whats that? When did he get here?
While assisting Hong Yeon-hwa, he had stealthily approached and, at the moment Dang Gyu-young showed an opening, dashed to her side in an instant.
Now that I think about it
Though he had left the sticker peeling entirely to Hong Yeon-hwa, he never said he would only assist from a distance.
Yet, this realization came a tad toote.
Whoosh!
The wind blew from all directions around the hand ced on her shoulder.
It resembled the wind magic Kim Ho had used until now, but the physical force it carried was significantly more substantial and different in strength from before.
For a few brief seconds, Dang Gyu-young was immobilized and unable to move an inch.
The skill was already a nuisance at C-rank and so it had be even more troublesome after being amplified by two ranks through [Amplification].
Yet, Dang Gyu-young had no time to wonder how the power of the skill had suddenly surged.
In that moment, there was only one dominating thought in her mind.
Really really annoying skill
I seriously hate that skill.
Just when Dang Gyu-youngs aversion to Wind Force grew stronger,
Now!
Hong Yeon-hwa stretched out her hand with all her might towards the sticker.
Gripping the edge of the sticker with her fingertips, she pulled back her entire body and retreated.
Zzzzip!
The surroundings seemed engulfed in silence.
When Hong Yeon-hwa nkly lowered her gaze, the sticker came into view.
Although it was clearly sticking to her hand, it felt unreal even as she looked at it.
But soon, the reality began to sink in and her heart started pounding in excitement.
I-I did it!
A week of hard work had finally paid off.
Tears threatened to spill from her eyes but with two onlookers present she forcefully held them back.
As Hong Yeon-hwa tried to calm her racing heart, Dang Gyu-young spoke.
You got one off. Well done.
She added,
Now, onto the rest, shall we?
It had momentarily slipped her mind, but to seed in this sticker duel battle, three stickers needed to be removed.
Can the remaining two also be possible?
She wasnt sure.
When she cast a questioning nce at Kim Ho, he responded with a light nod of his chin as if to say he would continue to adapt to her wishes.
Hong Yeon-hwa nodded back in agreement.
Alright, lets do our best as far as we can!
With renewed determination, she ignited her spirit andunched herself at Dang Gyu-young with a powerful kick.
Whoosh!
***
However
Despite Hong Yeon-hwas valiant effort until the end, one sticker was all she managed to remove.
Since she had nearly exhausted all the means she had prepared on the first sticker, Hong Yeon-hwa inevitably found her strength waning thereafter.
Hong Yeon-hwa then realized that continuing the battle would be futile and conceded defeat.
Ive lost.
Well done.
When Dang Gyu-young concluded the duel, the scoreboard disyed the oue.
[Duel Battle 673 -50 Points]
Ah, its been reduced.
Despite losing a significant 50 points in the precious duel battle score, Hong Yeon-hwas heart felt unusually light.
The reason she didnt have any resentment or lingering regrets like usual was probably because she did her best and poured everything to the brink of her limits.
Hong Yeon-hwa turned her gaze to Kim Ho and finally managed to speak with some effort,
Thank you for your hard work.
You did well.
Kim Ho responded briefly.
And unbeknownst to her, a faint smile formed on Hong Yeon-hwas lips.
Chapter 92: Distortion
Chapter 92: Distortion
As the three of them moved outside the round arena, Kwak Ji-cheol and Song Cheon-hye who had been waiting approached them.
Dang Gyu-young gathered the four first-year students in front of her and pointed at the sticker attached to Hong Yeon-hwas hand.
Somehow, someone managed to remove it. Seeing this, it seems my efforts werent entirely in vain.
Removed it? The sticker?
Hong Yeon-hwa did?
Surprised by the unexpected news, Song Cheon-hye and Kwak Ji-cheol widened their eyes.
They had predicted that this weeks sticker duel battle would be incredibly difficult and they were secretly expecting no one to seed.
Seeing the shocked expressions on their faces, Hong Yeon-hwa felt even better.
Ive finally surpassed her.
For the first time since enrolling in the Dragon yer Academy she had outperformed Song Cheon-hye.
Although it was by a mere difference of one to zero, a win was still a win.
If she could continue like this, the baseless rumor that Seong Cheon-hye is better than Hong Yeon-hwae, wouldpletely disappear.
Hmm, hmm, but I shouldnt make it too obvious.
Hong Yeon-hwa struggled desperately to suppress the corners of her lips that kept twitching upwards.
However, given her poor ability to manage her facial expressions, this attempt was not very sessful, and to others, it appeared almost as if she were offering a scornfulugh.
Song Cheon-hyes eyebrows twitched and veins popped out on her forehead.
Regardless, Dang Gyu-young continued with what she was saying.
Even those who couldnt remove it have significantly improved in closebat. Still, theres much left to improve, so it would be wise to continue with one-on-one sparring sessions in the future.
?
Huh?
What did she say we should continue doing?
The first-years gazes were all fixed on Dang Gyu-young, but she seemed unfazed as if wondering why they were surprised.
Of course you must continue. What ended is only the sticker duel battles.
She dered that it wasnt mentoring that ended.
There were still three more weeks to go, after all.
Although less frequent than before, she nned to incorporate one-on-one closebat sparring sessions during the mentoring period.
Dang Gyu-young waved her hand nonchntly as if she was oblivious to the souring expressions of the first-years around her.
Then go and rest up, and well see each other again tomorrow.
Everyone remained rooted in their spots as they were unable to shake off the shock from Dang Gyu-youngs startling deration, but eventually, they began to move one by one.
The first to take action was Song Cheon-hye.
Ever since she heard that Hong Yeon-hwa had removed a sticker, her mind was consumed with a single thought.
Could there still be a rey avable?
Given it was a mentoring match, the chances it was kept private were slim.
She was burning with curiosity about how anyone could have prated Dang Gyu-youngs defense to remove a sticker.
She was eager to check the rey first thing.
Next, Kwak Ji-cheol sent an inexplicable nce toward Kim Ho before leaving, and Hong Yeon-hwa too was in a hurry to move on.
However, she had something left to say.
After approaching Kim Ho cautiously, Hong Yeon-hwa started to speak.
Um, that
She stiffened out of habit under his indifferent gaze, but for some reason, it didnt feel as bad as before.
The recent match seemed to have diluted her fear somewhat.
This gave her the courage to continue.
Th-thank you. For helping me with the sticker
Theres no need to thank me. It was all the result of your own efforts.
Kim Ho slowly shook his head but Hong Yeon-hwa knew the truth.
Without him, even the small achievement of today would have been impossible.
She had indeed put in the effort, and as a result, her skills had greatly improved.
Yet, despite her efforts, removing the sticker would have been beyond her reach.
It was solely because Kim Ho continuously kept Dang Gyu-young in check and helped create openings that it became possible.
Particrly crucial was the moment just before the sticker was removed when he closely approached Dang Gyu-young and restrained her movements.
Even if Kim Ho cited these things and imed that it was all thanks to him, Hong Yeon-hwa would have epted it obediently.
However, despite having every right to act arrogantly, he chose not to. Instead, he acknowledged her efforts.
Maybe
Had she been wrong in her judgment all this time?
Could he actually be a better person than she thought?
Hong Yeon-hwas mind becameplicated as her previous perceptions and her new evaluations were tangled together.
And strangely enough, there was also a fluttering sensation in her heart.
Ah!
When she suddenly came to her senses, she realized she had been staring nkly at Kim Ho for quite some time.
Hong Yeon-hwa mumbled a hasty exnation, letting the words tumble out as they came.
Anyway, th-thank you! See, see you tomorrow? Lets meet!
Then she quickened her pace and every now and then she slowed down to take a quick nce at Kim Ho.
***
While I was watching Hong Yeon-hwa nce back this way while moving away, something kept poking my side insistently.
When I nced sideways, I saw Dang Gyu-young with a sullen face, repeatedly jabbing me with her index finger.
Poke, poke, poke.
I deliberately ignored her and continued to gaze in the direction Hong Yeon-hwa had disappeared until Dang Gyu-young shifted her position to alternately press down hard on both my cheeks.
Then she pinched slightly and tugged up and down.
Senior-nim, my cheeks arent rice cake mochi.
Why are you in such a bad mood again?
You know well what your fault is.
I was well aware of why Dang Gyu-young was acting this way.
Throughout the sticker duel, I had persistently tormented her with Wind Force.
It was only natural for her to be angry.
Though I understood why she was angry, I didnt believe it warranted feeling guilty so I started defending myself.
I told you, this is the only skill I have thats any good.
Hey, but that doesnt make sense. If youve graduated hundreds of times, why do you only have that one skill? Shouldnt you have like 50 more?
Everything resets when you re-enroll.
How does that even work?
Im not happy about it either.
Perhaps it was the smooth flow of my responses that made Dang Gyu-young narrow her eyes slightly.
Hmm, youre slipping out of this quite well. No holes in your story.
Its not a story, thats why.
Yeah, right
And it seemed she decided to shake her head and let it go once again.
The truth was, I had already received the rewards for graduating hundreds of times.
The skills [Copy], [Amplification], and [Monarch] that I began with under the name of Reincarnation Quest Perks were precisely those rewards.
Of course, this was just as much a secret as the fact that I had entered a world inside the game.
Dang Gyu-young stretched herself out fully.
Ah, finally, the week is over. Mentoring is quite the extreme job, isnt it? No weekends, no holidays.
Its probably better than cleaning sewers, though.
If she hadnt taken up mentoring, she would have had to face all the penalties that were due.
Despite that, Dang Gyu-young seemed somewhat skeptical.
I wonder if I should have just epted the penalties. Its one thing to be a bit tired but this. Anyway, lets go.
Dang Gyu-young started to move while thinking of getting some rest.
But
Senior-nim, where are you going?
Huh?
My week isnt over yet.
The duel battles might have ended, but the one-on-one sparring session between us needed to continue.
At least until I learned [Distortion].
Dang Gyu-young wore an expression of utter exhaustion.
Come on, let me rest a bit. Dont you feel sorry for your senior who works without even a weekend bonus? Mentors have rights too, you know.
Were almost there. Just a little bit more.
How much is a little bit more?
Just a little bit more.
Of course, since that just a bit more came with no promises attached, Dang Gyu-young eyed me with very suspicious eyes.
I met her gaze with the most innocent smile I could muster.
Haah, why did I even make such a pointless promise? This is thest time, really.
Dang Gyu-young entered the round arena with me while grumbling andining, but she still believed that a promise was a promise.
No sooner had we taken our positions than she began hurling clusters of shadow daggers into the air.
Whizz, whizz, whizz!
The ck des narrowly missed me.
Then, a handful of shadow butterflies were summoned before joining the chase after me.
I said while busily moving my feet.
You seem to be in quite the hurry today.
If were doing this, might as well get it over with and rest.
Boom, boom, boom!
The shadow butterflies exploded in unison, releasing a variety of shadow weapons into the fray.
The arena quickly turned into a battlefield of chaos.
However, both Dang Gyu-young, who unleashed her attacks incessantly, and I, who deftly dodged them, maintained a surprisingly rxed demeanor.
She also improved.
Just at the start of the week, Dang Gyu-young would exhaust herself in the middle of her relentless attacks and would have to stop.
Trying to catch me as I darted around like a slippery eel inevitably led to both of us bing mentally and physically exhausted.
However, after a week of sparring in a simr manner, we gradually grew ustomed to the rhythm.
Now, we were able to continue our actions as smoothly as flowing water while showing no signs of fatigue.
We had even reached a point where we couldfortably make small talk amidst the battle.
Once again, she scattered shadow daggers in all directions as we continued our conversation.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!
Ive got that wish ticket, you know.
Yes, I remember.
I was thinking about how I might use it.
Dang Gyu-young also had one wish ticket as a secret reward for helping in my training.
Though it had the same name as the Wish Ticket I got from Song Cheon-hye after our bet, it had significantly different conditions.
While the former was limited to simple questions or favors, like to a minor wish ticket, thetter could be considered more powerful, like a medium wish ticket.
What wish shall I grant for you?
Do you have any ns in two weeks, aside from mentoring?
Nothing besides mentoring.
Then make some time then. Lets go somewhere together.
Where are you nning to go, even using a wish ticket for it?
If it were an ordinary ce, we could simply go if she just asked me, but the use of a wish ticket meant it was for a specific purpose.
Dang Gyu-young pressed closely and answered while brandishing a dagger.
It wouldnt be fun if I told you everything now. Ill give you the details when the timees.
All right.
It was somewhat suspicious but there was no reason not to agree.
Since Dang Gyu-young herself mentioned the wish ticket with the condition if you dont like it after hearing, you can refuse, it was unlikely that she would make a request that I would reject.
Considering the fact that she made time for training with me even after the duel battles had concluded, and the need for her help in the future, it was best for me to amodate her as much as possible.
The exchange of attacks, dodges, and trivial conversation continued for a while.
As it began to feel somewhat tedious, Dang Gyu-young asked.
Are we still far from unlocking your special trait?
Were almost there. Just a bit more.
You said that earlier too. Dont tell me
Dang Gyu-young said with a crease of foreboding between her eyebrows.
Dont tell me youre nning to stretch this out for the entire mentoring period?
That shouldnt be the case.
Before the mentoring began, the evasion streaks I had umted were already a lot, and the additional streaks built up over a week with Dang Gyu-young were not insignificant either.
It was almost at the point of bursting.
No matter how unlucky I am, it should be done by next week.
But perhaps speak of the devil and he doth appear?
The moment I narrowly dodged an iing dagger by tilting my head,
A notification message appeared at the edge of my vision.
[Distortion acquired.]
Look at this.
I told you we were almost there.
I stopped dead in my tracks amidst my frantic movements.
At that moment, Dang Gyu-young was lunging forward with her fist loaded with mana, but I decided not to dodge in order to test the new traits performance.
Since she was used to myst-minute dodges, Dang Gyu-youngs eyes widened in surprise at seeing me just stand there without moving.
Huh?
But it was toote to retract her fully elerated attack.
Just as her mana-charged fist was about to strike my face,
Dang Gyu-youngs arm twisted like a mollusk and missed me by veering to the side.
What!
Dang Gyu-youngs face turned pale and she immediately withdrew her hand and retreated to a spot a good distance away from me.
What, what, whats this, whats happening?
She fussed over her previously twisted arm and started feeling it for any sign of injury but found it unscathed and perfectly fine.
Seemingly a bit embarrassed by her own reaction, Dang Gyu-young stopped her fluttering movements and asked me,
What was that just now?
Ive just learned that new trait.
Ah! Is this what it is?
[Distortion]
Distorts space to evade an enemys attack.
Cooldown: 24 hours
A rare space-type trait.
It allows you to dodge any attack once.
Even if you do nothing and just stand still, a dagger from an assassin or an arrow from a sniper will automatically miss.
There was a restriction of a 24-hour cooldown after each activation, but even with that, the effect was incredibly powerful.
Upon hearing the exnation of the trait, Dang Gyu-youngs expression turned to one of disbelief.
Come on, isnt this just outright cheating? Cant I learn it too?
You can.
Really? How?
You just need to do exactly what you did with me, but with the faculty members.
To quickly umte evasion streaks, the best strategy was to face opponents who were two to three ranks higher than oneself.
As a first-year student, I managed to evade every attack from a third-year student without getting hit once.
So for Dang Gyu-young, it would be enough to face B-rank or A-rank heroes who were basically the faculty members and dodge their attacks.
Dang Gyu-young stood there for a moment while blinking her eyes.
As if she wasparing the conditions I described with the sparring sessions she had experienced with me so far.
Then she smiled faintly.
I wont do it.
Chapter 93: Seo Ye-in Wants to Rest
Chapter 93: Seo Ye-in Wants to Rest
[Kim Ho: Miss]
[Seo Ye-in: ???]
[Seo Ye-in: (Confused pigeon emoji)]
[Kim Ho: (Polite butler emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Miss, morning has arrived]
[Kim Ho: It is time for you to wake up, Miss]
[Seo Ye-in: !!!]
[Seo Ye-in: (Enlightened pigeon emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Lets go for a meal]
After a simple breakfast, we set off for the ssroom together.
There was something noticeably different in Seo Ye-ins stride.
Her steps were as usual, yet there was an unmistakable lightness to them.
Moreover, asionally her steps seemed to blur, leaving a faint afterimage.
This meant she was using [Feather Walk].
Lets see.
I plucked a leaf from a tree lining the path and gently sent it floating in her direction.
The leaf fluttering through the air was about tond on Seo Ye-ins head when it suddenly swirled chaotically a mere inch above, as if caught in turbulence, before flying off into the distance.
This was one of the effects of Feather Walk.
?
Seo Ye-in reacted about three seconds after the leaf had passed.
She tilted her head slightly and fixed a curious gaze on me as if to ask, Why the leaf?
I was curious about how much youve mastered [Feather Walk]. Youre already at D-rank.
Mhmm.
I had roughly estimated her rank by observing the level of turbulence generated while she was using the skill.
Shes learned it fast. Really fast.
Considering it was Tuesday when she met Ahn Jeong-mi to set her future ns, and taking into ount the time it took to acquire the skill book, she couldnt have had it for more than a few days.
Yet she was already at D-rank.
As Ive felt numerous times, her talent is genuinely exceptional.
Of course, the talent of the learner is one thing, but the effort of the teacher cannot be overlooked either.
Youve worked hard.
This remark wasnt directed at Seo Ye-in, but rather at the empty space behind her.
A polite response came back.
I have merely fulfilled my duty.
Then, the air shimmered lightly for a moment and Ahn Jeong-mis figure was revealed.
She was dressed in her usual suit and was holding a semi-transparent garment in her hand.
She had been guarding Seo Ye-in while concealed with the help of an invisible ghillie suit.
Ahn Jepng-mi bowed gracefully and said,
You knew.
I just have a knack for these kinds of things. I was uncertain, but it turns out I was right.
Its not just a matter of having a good intuition to see through my stealth. It must be all thanks to Kim Ho-nims skills.
Ahn Jeong-mi seemed curious about how I had detected the invisible ghillie suit, but I didnt really have an exnation to offer.
Its just something I can tell at a nce.
Since Im a skilled yer, I know quite a few things just by looking at them! Is what I want to say but theres no way the other party will understand me.
So I subtly steered the conversation back to the original topic.
It seems like [Feather Walk] has already reached D-rank.
Yes, she achieved that over the weekend.
Pride and admiration were clear to see in Ahn Jeong-mis gaze as she looked at Seo Ye-in.
It was akin to the way a craftsman admires their lifes masterpiece.
No wonder she felt proud; the young miss, who was once so stubborn, had diligently followed the training and climbed the ranks just as she was taught.
C-rank must be close at hand then?
Definitely. Given her current pace of progress, I anticipate she could reach it within this week.
Thats excellent.
The training is also being conducted with a focus on maximizing mobility
Ahn Jeong-mi detailed the past weeks training and the uing schedule, down to thest detail.
I nodded my head in satisfaction.
It is rare for someone to be thispetent.
The curriculum was so wlessly structured that there seemed to be no need for my interference.
It was immediately clear that this was the result of a n long in the making, refined over and over again.
The n had been set, but it must have been on hold until now because Seo Ye-in, the person involved, wasnt ready.
However, even this seemingly perfect curriculum had one fatal w.
But dont you think this is a bit too much of a forced n?
The issue arose from the curriculum being so tightly packed that I wasnt sure whether Seo Ye-in could endure this relentless pace.
Although I attended the mentoring sessions separately from her, I sat next to her in every ss and watched her condition worsen day by day, like seaweed wilting in the sun.
Even now, her condition didnt seem too good.
And since the mentoring had only just concluded its first week, the likelihood of problems arising in the future was significantly high.
Actually, I wanted to discuss this matter with Kim Ho-nim.
Good. Since the person in question is here, lets try to find amon ground.
Turning to Seo Ye-in, I handed her an invisible microphone so that she could speak her mind.
Please, share your thoughts. How was your first week of mentoring with your butler?
Boring.
Seo Ye-ins blunt response struck Ahn Jeong-mi like a dagger to the heart.
Ahn Jeong-mis body quivered ever so slightly, but it seemed she maintained herposure through sheer willpower.
I decided to turn a blind eye and continued my line of questioning.
So, you dont find it fun. Can you specify what exactly you dont enjoy?
Its always the same tasks.
At this remark, Ahn Jeong-mi could no longer hold back and interjected in a soothing tone.
Miss, repetition is the foundation of all training. Did you not also repeat the same actions during your sessions with Kim Ho-nim?
The tasks the butler assigns are boring.
Then what about Kim Ho-nim?
Kim Ho is fine.
?
???
Ahn Jeong-mi and I exchanged puzzled looks.
How could it be that the same training is boring when assigned by the butler, but fine when ites from me?
The statement was utterly baffling.
It seemed pointless to probe further as it was unlikely to yield a satisfactory answer.
So, I moved on.
Once again, I handed her an invisible microphone.
Please feel free to voice any other concerns you might have.
Doesnt let me take naps. Keeps waking me up.
A slight twitch crossed Ahn Jeong-mis face, but she closed her eyes and suppressed the surge of emotion.
Her self-control was almostparable to that of a monk.
Then, she calmly argued back again.
Miss, you shouldnt sleep for more than 4 hours during the day.
Honestly, thats true.
Sleeping for more than 4 hours hardly qualifies as a nap anymore.
I would have woken her up too if I were in Ahn Jeong-mis position.
Unfortunately, Seo Ye-in held the upper hand at this negotiation table and logic seemed to have no ce here.
Thus, I decided to maintain a neutral stance, at least outwardly.
I sent covert nods of agreement and encouragement to Ahn Jeong-mi.
Then, turning to Seo Ye-in, I handed her the invisible microphone again.
Hmm, I see. So, what could be done to rekindle your enthusiasm?
I want to rest. Time to recharge.
Time to recharge, you say
Ahn Jeong-mi and I exchanged a nce and we startedmunicating with our eyes.
Lets just allow her some rest.
But the schedule
There seems to be no other way.
As Seo Ye-in took her rest, slight deviations started to emerge in the perfect curriculum prepared by the Future Strategy Office of Hye-seong Group.
The likelihood that Ahn Jeong-mi couldnt teach everything she had nned during the mentoring period grew even more.
However as the saying goes, If you cant take a small loss, sooner orter you will take the mother of all losses.
Seo Ye-ins motivation was already in sharp decline, and failure to meet her demands could lead not only to deviations in the curriculum but potentially to aplete copse of the mentoring program itself.
If Seo Ye-in, who held the upper hand in negotiations here decided toy down and dere, This is boring, Im not doing it, what could Ahn Jeong-mi do to continue the training?
If she wanted that, she would have done it a long time ago.
Understood.
With a soft sigh, Ahn Jeong-mi nodded her head and I ced what Seo Ye-in wanted on the negotiation table.
If you want to rest, you should. How about doing nothing and sleeping all day tomorrow?
.
Surprisingly, Seo Ye-in shook her head from side to side.
The solution I proposed was not what she wanted.
What then?
After gazing at me for a moment, Seo Ye-in slowly opened her mouth.
The word that came out was something neither Ahn Jeong-mi nor I could have expected.
Downtown. Have you been there?
!
Downtown.
In addition to students and faculty members, there were numerous other stakeholders on Dungeon Ind.
Many worked behind the scenes to ensure the smooth operation of the facilities at Dragon yer Academy.
These stakeholders generally lived around the outskirts of Dungeon Ind, and where there was a residential area, a bustling downtown area inevitably formed due to the concentration of people.
This area was lined with all sorts of shops and facilities and it offered everything one might need, from goods to food, to entertainment.
For example, the strawberry cream cake that Seo Ye-in and I were lucky enough to find and share at the start of the term came from a bakery located right in this downtown area.
In essence, Seo Ye-ins request was,
You want to go out and have fun downtown?
Mhmm.
I doubt youd have fun going alone
Lets go together.
Miss, if its downtown you wish to visit, Ill apany you.
To Ahn Jeong-mis offer, Seo Ye-in immediately shook her head.
Its boring with the butler. Not fun.
Ahn Jeong-mis face fell and she took a few steps back.
If she had a tail, it would have been limp on the floor.
After easily dismissing Ahn Jeong-mi, Seo Ye-in looked at me intently. Her eyes seemed to demand an answer.
Her gray eyes sparkled unusually brightly, seemingly more so than when she had seen the feather cushion from the random box.
Even Ahn Jeong-mi who looked dejected cautiously watched for my reaction.
It seemed she thought it improper to take too much of my time, but she subtly hoped I would agree to join.
I guess I have to go.
I have a fairlyrge stake in Seo Ye-ins mentoring.
After all, I was the one who had gently persuaded her to participate in something she initially found bothersome.
Therefore, it only made sense that I take responsibility for the aftercare when her motivation waned.
Moreover, from a practical standpoint, it wasnt a loss.
Although training time might be slightly reduced, that minor setback could easily be offset by picking up a few hidden pieces from over there.
Conclusion: It is well worth investing in for a day.
To make the exchange clear, I addressed Seo Ye-in.
Alright, lets go out together this weekend. But in return, I hope you will continue to listen carefully to what the butler says and perform well this week?
.
Seo Ye-in swiftly turned her head to gaze at Ahn Jeong-mi.
It was as if she was asking, Do I really have to stay with her for another week?
Yet, in the end, she slowly nodded her head up and down.
Okay.
Ahn Jeong-mi silently breathed a sigh of relief.
Thanks to the deal I just made with her, we had bought at least another week.
She came closer and whispered just loud enough for me to hear.
I know it must be a lot of trouble for you to go to such lengths, and I truly appreciate it.
Its nothing. I said Id do my best to help out a friend, didnt I?
It was also a chance for me to enjoy myself in the downtown area and indulge in some good food.
Despite this, Ahn Jeong-mi looked at me as if I was making some noble sacrifice for Seo Ye-in.
She then made a firm resolution.
I promise not to waste Kim Ho-nims time.
*******
TN: Bro is taming them left and right XD
Chapter 94: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (1)
Chapter 94: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (1)
Strategy battle ss.
Teacher Seo Cheong-yong entered the ssroom with his usual affable smile.
He then pulled a stack of papers from his inventory.
Gradings all done. Ill be handing these back.
4th Weeks [Clearance] Strategy Battle.
The focus was on meticulously observing every nook and cranny of the dungeon and eliminating the lurking monsters.
The assignment was to review the reys, draw maps, and mark the ambush points, and now, the grading wasplete.
When Seo Cheong-yong ced the stack on the desk, the papers seemed toe to life on their own before fluttering back to their rightful owners.
A buzz grew among the students as they checked their scores andpared them with their peers.
Out of 100, how many did you get?
I got 92, what about you?
What? I thought you said you didnt do any of itst time.
Of course, that was a bluff.
Due to the atmosphere, I naturally ended upparing scores with Seo Ye-in and Go Hyeon-woo sitting next to me.
Curiosity must have gotten the better of Go Hyeon-woo since he leaned in my direction first.
What is Kim-hyungs score?
Instead of answering, I held up my map.
It was a meticulously detailed and wlessly recorded map of the dungeons interior.
[Kim Ho 100/100]
The score was, of course, perfect.
Falling short in a written exam would be a disgrace for a stagnant water.
Go Hyeon-woo eximed in admiration as he examined the map closely.
As expected from Kim-hyung. Theres always something to learn from you.
So, how did you two score?
This assignment had been rtively straightforward.
Merely sketching a rough outline while watching the rey was enough to secure a basic score.
I had assumed everyone would do reasonably well, but I still wondered how the actual results would have turned out.
At my inquiry, Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in, as if on cue, simultaneously revealed their maps.
[Go Hyeon-woo 86/100]
[Seo Ye-in 91/100]
One unexpected thing.
Seo Ye-ins score was slightly higher.
Another unexpected thing.
Seo Ye-ins map was in pretty good shape.
I had wondered if her poor aesthetic sense which was often evident in her cookie baking would carry over, but the map had all the necessaryponents.
Though it was heavily angr, as if she had used a ruler for every line, what mattered was the ability to identify the monster ambush points.
It seemed teacher Seo Cheong-yong thought the same and graded her generously.
Turning my attention to Go Hyeon-woos map
It held more artistic value and looked more like a traditional ink painting than a practical guide.
The issue was its readability.
It looked less like a dungeon map and more like
andscape painting?
And a heavily encoded one at that.
Considering that it was meant to mark monster ambush points, its cryptic quality would hardly warrant a high score from teacher Seo Cheong-yong.
Afterparing the scores, the two people showed different reactions.
Oooh, thats surprising.
Go Hyeon-woo, who had perhaps expected his score to be slightly better, seemed taken aback.
Seo Ye-in slowly raised her hand and shed a V-sign.
Where in the world had she picked that up?
Go Hyeon-woos lips curled into a wry smile.
Its my loss. However, Miss Seo, next time wont be as easy.
Despite the clich of a third-rate viins line, his handsome features made it rather charming.
Seo Ye-in simply nodded her head without a word and slumped back over her desk, half lying down, and half sprawling.
p, p.
Just then, the sound of Seo Cheong-yongs pping echoed.
Although soft, the pping had a peculiar power that quieted the murmur of the ssroom and got everyones attention.
Have we all taken note? Generally, in dungeons, its beneficial to keep a wide field of vision, but paying attention to these minor details can surely be of help. Well return to this topicter.
Seo Cheong-yong wrote a single word on the ckboard.
[Guardian]
Todays topic is a word everyone has probably heard at least once, Guardian. What is a Guardian? Would anyone like to answer?
Two students offered different answers at the same time.
The mid-boss.
The final boss.
They then looked at each other as if to say, What kind of nonsense are you talking about?
Their nces exchanged silent ims of My answer is right, yours is wrong.
Seo Cheong-yong smiled gently.
Youre both correct. Depending on their role, they can either be a mid-boss or the final boss. Each boss monster has its own unique characteristics. Bosses whomand minions naturally are mid-boss level Guardians, while those who guard the dungeon alone are essentially final boss-level Guardians. So, what is the role of a Guardian?
The answer to this question was so obvious that it took a moment for anyone to respond.
Everyone suspected there might be a hidden catch in the question though.
So everyone hesitated and looked around and no one dared to speak up before finally a girl in the front row hesitantly raised her hand.
To protect something?
Thats right. A Guardians role is literally to protect something, be it a mid-level gate, a boss monster, or even the dungeon itself. One thing is for sure: to conquer the dungeon, you must break through whatever is being guarded.
And the more efficiently you can ovee that guardian, the easier the dungeon conquest will be, right? Seo Cheong-yong added this at the end.
Now, for this weeks strategy battle, to better understand the role of a Guardian
MAP: [Ancient Temple]
RULE: [Defense] [Double] [Random Rules]
You will take on the roles of Guardians yourselves.
To learn how to attack properly, its better to get hit once than to repeat the attack many times.
Unpleasant experiences tend to leave a stronger imprint on the memory.
The idea is to remember the challenging aspects while youre on the defense andter use them to your advantage in reverse roles.
After Seo Cheong-yong waved his hand, a simple drawing appeared on the ckboard.
It depicted a ruined temple with a statue of a goddess in the middle.
And then monsters swarmed from all directions towards the goddess statue.
As the attacks concentrated, cracks spread across the statue until it eventually crumbled to pieces.
The ckboard was wiped clean and the same scene reappeared.
Monsters surged towards the statue once more.
However, this time, a warrior armed with a sword and shield stopped the monsters and prevented them from getting close.
The objective of this [Defense] is to ensure the goddess statue remains intact for the duration of the time limit.
The less damage the statue sustained, the higher the score awarded, and the monsters in in the process of defense were also included in the scoring.
Just likest weeks duel battle, this week will also feature [Random Rules]. If you dont attend the mentoring session, the rules will be random; if you do, the mentor can tailor them to a desired direction.
This announcement caused most students who participated in the mentoring to grimace. They all had a rough experience the previous week with their mentors.
In our group for example, our mentor made the mages go through all kinds of trouble by setting a rule that they had to remove stickers through closebat.
Who would look forward to a simr ordeal repeating this week?
There seems to be one, though.
Amid the generally darkening faces, Go Hyeon-woo alone appeared genuinely excited.
Im looking forward to it. A new challenge is always fun.
Go Hyeon-woo was the embodiment of positivity, a beacon of optimism, like the half-full part of the ss.
On the other hand, if you check Seo Ye-ins side, it was theplete opposite.
Whether it was strategy battles, mentoring, or the Random Rule, everything seemed to be a nuisance to her.
I bet the butler is going to have a hard time.
I sent my silent support to Ahn Jeong-mi wherever she might be.
Stay strong, Butler-nim.
***
After ss,
I made my way to the dungeon area, the agreed-upon spot for mentoring.
While I was walking aimlessly, I caught sight of a familiar figure in the distance.
Red medium-length hair that goes down to the shoulder, and a ruby embedded in a short staff.
It was Hong Yeon-hwa.
..?
As if she suddenly sensed something ominous, Hong Yeon-hwa slowed her pace and looked around.
Then she spotted me and her whole body tensed up instantly.
Given how she usually treated me, I half expected her to bolt toward the dungeon area, but instead, she approached hesitantly and cautiously offered a greeting.
Ah, hello?
Perhaps working together duringst weeks duel battle had somewhat helped her ovee her fear of me.
Considering she had never properly greeted me or even made eye contact before, this was a step forward.
Since we were slowly findingmon ground through my deal with the Ruby Magic Tower and attending the same mentoring sessions, improving our rtionship could only be beneficial.
And since its not like me to ignore a greeting, I responded with a light one of my own.
Hello.
!
Hong Yeon-hwas face lit up brightly.
It seemed excessive to be so happy just from receiving a greeting, but if it made her happy, then so be it.
However, she didnt seem to have the courage to go beyond that.
Perhaps even mustering the courage for a greeting had been a challenge for her.
As we walked, she kept fidgeting and ncing around, so I decided to break the ice.
Do you have something to say?
Uh? Something to say? No, I, um, dont have anything! Ha, haha
Hong Yeon-hwa stammered in response before bing even more withdrawn.
Perhaps it was still too soon for more than this.
I decided to give her plenty of time.
If we greeted each other regrly, maybe she would gradually be more talkative.
***
In the midst of an awkward silence, we arrived at the upper floors of the dungeon building to find Dang Gyu-young, Song Cheon-hye, and Kwak Ji-cheol already waiting for us.
Everyones here. Lets get started.
Dang Gyu-young positioned the four of us in front of her and disyed the environment and rules.
MAP: [Old Temple]
RULE: [Defense][Double][Random Rule]
Since youve all probably heard the basic exnation from your strategy battle teacher, lets move straight to the additional rules. Is that okay?
Having just heard it, everyone silently conveyed their agreement.
Dang Gyu-young snapped her fingers, and the disy updated.
MAP: [Old Temple]
RULE: [Defense][Double][Close Combat][Random Rule]
The new rule added was [Close Combat].
Everyone seemed to think it was only natural that this came up.
All ofst week had been devoted to closebat training, and there had even beenments about how there are still a lot of areas to improve, so it only made sense that something simr woulde up.
Dang Gyu-young lightly pulled me aside and positioned me at a specific spot before taking a couple of steps back.
From where I stood to where Dang Gyu-young was
This is considered a close distance. Within this distance, the skills power is 100% unleashed.
As Dang Gyu-young slowly stepped back, she continued,
And the further you are from your opponent, the more the power of your skills will decrease. If you hit your target from the safe distance you usually use for casting magic, the power will be less than half.
If the power was reduced to less than half, it would often be better not to use the skill at all.
In other words, [Close Combat] meant this.
Use any skill you have but make sure to do it up close.
Though it was a difficult restriction, the expressions around didnt seem too gloomy.
The first reason is that it was less shocking because everyone expected something simr toe out.
The second reason was that thanks to enduring the toughst week, everyone became somewhat more disciplined in closebat.
The third reason was that everyone believed that closebat would be easier, especially since their opponents would be monsters, not Dang Gyu-young.
However, the [Random Rule] in the Map and Rule window hadnt disappeared yet. This meant that there were more additions toe.
And next.
With another snap of her fingers, Dang Gyu-young introduced a new element.
Snap,
MAP: [Old Temple]
RULE: [Defense][Double][Close Combat][Commander]
Ill bemanding the monsters.
Chapter 95: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (2)
Chapter 95: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (2)
The monsters on the upper floors of the dungeon were mostly F-rank and E-rank, and as their level was low, their intelligence was also quite low.
Without a named individual to lead them, their unity was weak, and even inrge numbers, they amounted to nothing more than a disorganized rabble.
However, the situation changed drastically when Dang Gyu-young tookmand.
What theycked in intelligence waspensated for with strategic leadership, and the once disorganized monsters would be able to move as one.
The greater their numbers, the more formidable they became.
And add to that how this senior doesnt know how to hold back.
Considering the ruthlessness Dang Gyu-young had disyed the previous week, there would be no mercy this time either.
Should any opening in our defense be spotted, she would strike swiftly and relentlessly exploit it.
This will be quite difficult too.
Leaving me aside, the fledglings before me were surely in for a tough time.
But that wasnt the end of it.
Ah, onest thing. Pair up with someone different this week. You two, and you two.
Dang Gyu-young said you two while pointing at Hong Yeon-hwa and Kwak Ji-cheol, and then for the next you two she pointed at me and Song Cheon-hye.
Song Cheon-hye raised her hand.
I have a question.
Yes, what is it?
Can I ask why were changing partners? We got used to each otherst week, so I thought it might be better to keep the same pairs.
Dang Gyu-young seemed to ponder for a few seconds before nodding slightly.
Well, youre not wrong.
Then why
I do whatever I want.
.
Song Cheon-hye was at a loss for words and could only blink her eyes in response.
Regardless of the reason, it was clear that everything was up to the mentors decision.
As mentees, we had no choice but to follow her instructions.
Furthermore, since changing partners wasnt exactly an unreasonable request, Song Cheon-hye seemed to reluctantly ept it even though she wasnt fully convinced.
On the other hand, Hong Yeon-hwa looked to be somewhat disappointed.
Given that she shuddered at the mere sight of me, one would expect her to wee the change in partners, right?
Maybe it was because she hated pairing up with Kwak Ji-cheol more than me.
Even now, you could see them openly looking at each other with disdain.
The rift between the Ruby and Emerald Magic Tower, between the fire mages and the earth mages, was evidently deep-rooted.
Amidst this brewing conflict, Dang Gyu-young nonchntly announced,
Come up in pairs. Lets start with Kim Ho-rang and Song Cheon-hye.
She then stepped into the teleportation portal first.
We followed her in and our surroundings transformed instantly.
***
A temple that had lost all its former glory andy in ruins.
The setting sun streamed through the partially copsed ceiling.
The red sunset illuminated the ruins of the temple even more starkly. Only the statue of the goddess stood alone in its ce.
The goddess of war holding a sword in one hand and a scale in the other.
Despite the wear and tear of time, marked by cracks and fractures here and there, she retained her beauty and strength.
Song Cheon-hye seemed to be struck by a peculiar sentiment as she gazed up at the statue of the goddess for a long while.
Speak up when youre ready,
Until Dang Gyu-youngs voice snapped her out of it.
Dang Gyu-young who gave us instructions leaped up on the spot and vanished like smoke.
My guess was that she hid her presence and settled down in a position with a clear view of this area.
This was because it would make it easier for her tomand the monsters.
It might be possible to find her if we really tried, but since Dang Gyu-young was considered an external entity in this strategy session, it would be a waste of effort.
It was better to disregard her and focus entirely on defense.
Together, Song Cheon-hye and I slowly surveyed our surroundings.
Isnt it a bit early to be making a strategy?
Yes, it does seem so.
Apart from the statue of the goddess, there was nothing particrly noteworthy here.
The temple itself wasnt veryrge and there were few obstacles.
The main gate seemed to be the only likely route for monster attacks.
If you could properly block this point, your defense would be sessful.
Song Cheon-hyes expression became much more rxed as if she was thinking that.
Shall we give it a try?
Lets do that.
Since we could attempt it multiple times in practice mode, I decided to dive right in at first to get an overall grasp of the situation.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Statue of the Goddess: 100%]
[Remaining Time: 9:59]
As soon as the strategy battle started, numerous presences were felt.
When we turned our eyes to the main gate, we saw that it had been blown off its hinges, revealing the scene beyond.
A goblin horde was approaching from a distance.
Kekek, kek.
Keke!
By nature, goblins were known for their sheerck of intelligence. They often charged in a chaotic mess, tripping over one another, stepping on each other, and causing utter disarray. But these creatures advanced in an orderly fashion and in rows and columns as they moved forward.
This was because they were under themand of Dang Gyu-young.
If we check theposition of the guys approaching at a fast pace,
It was clear that most of them wielded short-range weapons like daggers and hand axes, while a few carried crudely sharpened wooden spears or stones suitable for throwing.
Their formation was a bnced mix of close and long-range fighters.
Song Cheon-hye also seemed to be gathering such small information while staring at the goblins.
As the battle drew near, she pulled out a pair of gloves that shimmered with a dark color from her belongings and slipped them on.
Tiny topazes embedded in them emitted a faint electric current.
Whats the n?
Ill take on the role of the main attacker. You provide support.
Lets do that.
There was no reason for me to refuse, especially since she was willingly taking on the more difficult role.
Fzzzt, Fzzzt,
The Topaz began to emit increasingly more intense electric currents.
Song Cheon-hye swiftly created her spell.
Judging by theplexity of the spell, it seemed to be a powerful area-of-effect magic, but given the considerable distance, its effect might be halved due to the [Close Combat] restriction.
Still, its better to do something than nothing.
The logic here must have been that inflicting even a quarter of the damage was better than standing by idly until the enemies were upon us.
Havingpleted her spell, Song Cheon-hye pointed at the leading goblin and a thin streak of lightning shot out.
[Chain of Lightning]
Fzzzzt!
The lightning wrapped around its target like a chain and didnt stop there; it jumped to the next goblin and then to another before quickly spreading through the entire group.
Fizzzzzzzzz!
Had the Chain of Lightning been cast without the [Close Combat] restriction, about half of the goblins in sight might have been obliterated on the spot.
The rest would likely have lost their will to fight and fled.
However, with the reduced power, only a few in the front ranks copsed, while the rest were merely slowed down by a mild paralysis effect.
Kerk,
Kek.
Even in their slowed state, the goblins continued advancing steadily.
At a certain point, when they deemed the distance sufficiently close, a few goblins hurled wooden spears and stones.
When Song Cheon-hye quietly extended one hand forward, the flying projectiles stopped with sparks flying right in front of her.
It was the magical barrier she had demonstrated during her duel battle with Seo Ye-in in the cement test.
In her other hand, a bolt of lightning grew in size.
As the vanguard reached the main gate, she released the barrier and charged forward, driving the fully formed bolt of lightning into the ground.
Fizzzzzz!
The goblins showed no signs of slowing down even though their own kin in front of them were instantly reduced to ashes.
They immediately filled the gaps in their formation and pressed forward.
Song Cheon-hye was slightly surprised by their resilience but she quickly regained herposure and began casting the next spell.
Lightning surged again and engulfed the area in front of her.
Fzzzzzt!
Meanwhile, I stood leisurely behind and watched Song Cheon-hye unleash her magic without restraint.
Shes a natural.
I had already perceived her as a magical power monster during the cement test, but now it seemed even more evident.
Her [Core] was at B-rank.
Her core was likely unparalleled among the first years, and her magical power was on par with that of second and third-years.
She must have at least three traits.
She had at least three support traits simr to the [Blessing of the West Wind] that I had learned.
These were just the ones I noticed in this short period of time, and if I were to include the less obvious ones, the number could well be five or six.
Calling her a walking cannon wouldnt be an exaggeration.
However, this cannon had a notable w.
Her control leaves something to be desired.
Despite unleashing a barrage of diverse spells, she couldnt cleanly take down every target and would often let one or two slip through.
Even when I saw her handling the Hummingbird during the train and cement test, I felt her control wascking, and it seemed she still had a long way to go.
I understood that having abundant magical power and numerous traits could make delicate control more difficult, but
That senior doesnt have such problems.
Dang Gyu-young wouldnt be so understanding.
Instead, it seemed she had seized the opportunity and changed her strategy.
Krrr,
The goblins eyes shifted maliciously as some continued to target Song Cheon-hye while others surged toward the statue of the goddess.
Sensing the change, Song Cheon-hye frantically unleashed her lightning magic.
Fzzzzzzzt!
Once again, a heap of goblins turned to ash, but this time, a couple managed to dart past Song Cheon-hye.
She cried out in desperation,
Block them!
Sure, Ill block them~
After I trudged forward and blocked their path, the goblins lunged at me with their daggers as if annoyed by the interruption.
I dodged them with ease and, after grabbing hold of them, I casually tossed them towards the main gate.
One goblin flew through the air andnded near Song Cheon-hyes feet which caused her to jump in surprise.
Eeek. What are you doing!
You said to block them.
Thats how I block.
It wasnt intentional to throw it right there.
A look of frustration crossed Song Cheon-hyes face, but the goblins kepting relentlessly.
She then refocused and defended the main gate.
[Statue of the Goddess: 100%]
[Remaining Time: 6:40]
The battle unfolded in a pattern where Song Cheon-hye unleashed a barrage of lightning magic, and as one or two creatures slipped past, I would scoop them up and toss them back to Song Cheon-hye. This cycle continued until about a third of the remaining time had psed.
So far, not a single creature had reached the statue of the goddess.
All we needed to do was hold out until the remaining time expired.
This is easier than I thought.
Is what Song Cheon-hye was probably thinking.
But the world isnt so easily conquered.
If it were this simple, the academy wouldnt have chosen it as a subject for the strategy battle.
And certainly, Dang Gyu-young wouldnt let it end like this.
.!
.!
Sure enough, apart from the gate we were guarding, the presence of numerous monsters could be felt emanating from a different location.
From just beyond the wall on the side of the temple,
Bang, bang,
the continuous sound of impacts was heavy.
It seemed they were ramming their bodies against it.
With every bang, bricks slightly shifted out of ce and a dusting of stone powder and debris fluttered down.
Song Cheon-hyes face hardened as she grasped the monsters intention, or more precisely, Dang Gyu-youngs intention.
No way.
Rumble,
And then the walls of the old temple crumbled just like she feared.
Through the new breach, a group of goblins made their entrance.
Kerluk.
. Why go to such an extent
Song Cheon-hye muttered to herself in disbelief.
It was as if I could hear Dang Gyu-youngs response in my ear.
I do whatever I want.
Chapter 96: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (3)
Chapter 96: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (3)
Goblins poured out through the breach in droves.
Though their numbers were fewerpared to those at the main gate, they were still too many to ignore.
Without even a nce in our direction, they headed straight for the statue of the goddess.
I asked Song Cheon-hye in a calm tone.
Should I go and block them?
Hurry, please hurry.
As I slowly moved towards the wall, I cast Wind Force.
A wind imbued with physical force struck the goblins who were gleefully rushing towards the statue.
Keruk?
Keek?
The goblins hesitated as if they had hit an invisible wall and froze in their ce.
As I drew closer, they were forced to retreat step by step.
The power of Wind Force had diminished due to the [Close Combat] restriction, but as the distance decreased, its true strength began to manifest.
I kept pushing the goblins back and gathering them as one would sweep trash with a broom and dustpan, and then forcefully shoved them back into the breach they had emerged from.
Kek!
Some, in a desperate attempt, threw their wooden spears at me but they werent even worth dodging.
Merely maintaining Wind Force was enough; the thrown spears would lose their momentum mid-air and harmlessly drop to the ground.
And then I started picking them up and throwing them back. They flew swiftly and embedded deeply with a thud.
While Song Cheon-hye was busy defending her main gate, she kept an eye on this side of the battle and wore a look of disbelief at the sight.
How is that possible
It seemed she couldnt believe how effortlessly the breach in the wall, albeit smallerpared to the main gate, was sealed.
At any rate, this side is taken care of now.
The problem was on Song Cheon-hyes side.
Every time a goblin or two slipped through, I would catch and toss them back, but as I moved to seal the newly breached hole, a gap was left in my previous role.
Kek!
Ah!
As feared, another goblin managed to dodge the barrage of lightning and slipped past Song Cheon-hye.
It dashed towards the statue of the goddess unhindered and began to recklessly smash it with the rock it held.
[Statue of the Goddess: 98%]
[Statue of the Goddess: 96%]
[Statue of the Goddess: 93%]
Kuk.
A thunderous hummingbird shot from Song Cheon-hyes hand.
A streak of light crossed the temple before striking the goblin squarely.
Fizzzzzz,
Shes ranked up.
From E-rank to D-rank.
It seemed she had also been diligently practicing her magic.
But at this moment, rank wasnt what mattered.
After all, the [Close Combat] restriction would render her as ineffective as if she were below F-rank.
Kek?
Despite taking a direct hit from the D-rank Hummingbird, the goblin merely trembled as if tickled and continued pounding the statue with its rock.
Sending the Hummingbird had, in fact, backfired.
The distraction had caused Song Cheon-hyes defense at the main gate to weaken even further.
Where previously only one or two goblins managed to get through, now four or five ran past her.
N-No.
Kikikik!
Keek!
Wooden spears and a barrage of stones flew toward the statue, and the goblins who had approached whether armed with daggers or hand axes, swung wildly without a second thought.
As the attacks became more concentrated, t, the health gauge of the statue rapidly depleted.
[Statue of the Goddess: 83%]
[Statue of the Goddess: 75%]
[Statue of the Goddess: 67%]
Ugh.
Song Cheon-hye seemed to think that this couldnt go any further and kicked the ground.
A bolt of lightning carried her swiftly to the statue where her lightning magic engulfed the goblins.
Fzzzzzzt!!
While most were reduced to charred remains, a few survivors continued to relentlessly hammer away at the statue.
Such blind persistence wasrgely influenced by being under themand of Dang Gyu-young.
[Statue of the Goddess: 51%]
[Statue of the Goddess: 45%]
Moreover, with Song Cheon-hye gone, a horde of goblins rushed in near the main gate like a green tide.
The green tide crashed over the statue like a wave.
This is the end.
Song Cheon-hye gritted her teeth and unleashed her lightning magic in all directions but the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming.
Especially since their focus was not on her, but solely on the statue, the situation seemed hopeless.
[Statue of the Goddess: 0%]
Eventually, with a loud crack, a significant fissure crossed the statue before branching off into several parts as it crumbled to the ground.
[Remaining Time: 5:03]
[The Statue has been destroyed.]
As the message indicating the failure of the defense appeared, everything including the shattered remains and the monsters evaporated like dust.
In the next moment, the statue was restored to its original state as if asking whether a battle had ever taken ce,
It meant that the dungeon itself had been reset.
Soon after, Dang Gyu-young appeared from nowhere andnded gently nearby.
She said as she opened a teleportation portal,
Tell Kwak Ji-chul and Hong Yeon-hwa toe in. And then go over what just happened while waiting.
Yes, senior-nim.
***
When I stepped outside the dungeon, the first person I saw was Kwak Ji-chul to whom I ryed Dang Gyu-youngs message.
She said toe in.
Alright.
Hong Yeon-hwa seemed to really dislike being paired with Kwak Ji-chul and maintained a considerable distance while treating him as if he were invisible. However, once their mentor had decided they were a team, they had no choice but to ept it.
The two reluctantly entered the dungeon together, but when their eyes met, they growled at each other.
Try getting in my way.
Thats exactly what I was going to say.
As the two disappeared,
Song Cheon-hye quietly closed her eyes while lost in thought.
She seemed to be reying the battle as instructed by Dang Gyu-young.
I didnt interfere and allowed her the space to be alone with her thoughts.
After a while, Song Cheon-hye who had opened her eyes asked me,
I have a question.
What is it?
Did you know the wall was going to break? It was clearly an unexpected situation, but you were so calm.
Of course, I knew.
I had been through countless dungeons and defenses, after all.
I had memorized everything from start to finish about how things were going to unfold.
However, I couldnt just say I knew it all because Ive done it so many times, so I offered a different reason.
I was mentally prepared. Things were going too smoothly, which made me suspicious. I couldnt pinpoint that a wall would specifically break, but I figured there must be something more.
Its a rule of thumb to harbor some doubt when things seem too easy, no matter the situation.
Even if I hadnt had the experience of going through countless dungeons and defenses, I likely would have reacted in a simr manner.
Song Cheon-hye seemed convinced and nodded her head.
I see. I hadnt thought that far. But then, werent you too passive afterward?
Since I had plugged the side breach very easily, I must have had room to do other things, so her point was why did I just sit back and watch until the statue was destroyed?
She gave me a probing look.
I answered nonchntly.
I deliberately stayed out of it this time.
Why is that?
To see how you would handle it. I was also curious about your limits.
If she runs into one or two goblins while defending the main gate, what will she do if I dont help you?
How many creatures could she handle?
I tested those possibilities.
The purpose was to understand which areas Song Cheon-hye might need support in the future.
I understand your intention. Still, it would have been better if you had paid a bit more attention to the defense. We ended up failing too early to gather other necessary information.
The other necessary information Song Cheon-hye referred to included how many more goblins would appear, whether there was a chance for other monsters to show up, or if another wall could be breached, among other things.
But having experienced countless dungeon defenses myself, I already knew these details and didnt find them necessary.
However, I couldnt just state that outright so I vaguely deflected.
There will be plenty of opportunities in the future, and we can resolve that with more attempts.
This response seemed to irritate Song Cheon-hye.
I could tell that by her displeased expression.
She spoke to me with a tone that was half admonishing and half persuasive,
I think thats acent attitude. Regardless of how many chances we have, shouldnt we give our best every single time? It is said that only those who can snatch victory even in unfavorable circumstances can reach the top.
I feel like Ive heard something simr before Was it something your grandfather used to say?
Looking back, I remembered that when I had withdrawn from the cement test duel battle against her, she had quoted the sayings of her grandfather, the Thunder Lord, while reprimanding me.
Song Cheon-hye seemed on the verge of continuing her nagging when she suddenly hesitated.
She blinked her eyes several times before asking.
. You remembered?
Because it wasnt wrong.
I thought you wouldve let it go in one ear and out the other.
Why would I? Especially when its the Thunder Lord himself. One cannot simply ignore his words.
. Hmm, hmm. Isnt that true too? You know something after all.
The corners of Song Cheon-hyes mouth slightly rose up.
It appeared that the Thunder Lord was not only her grandfather but also her role model, so recognition and acknowledgment from others naturally pleased her.
Her stern demeanor quickly softened.
Seizing the moment to steer the conversation in a more productive direction seemed like the best course of action.
So I quickly took the initiative,
Regardless, I admit I was passive in my first attempt. Whats done is done. Lets discuss how we can move forward.
Yes, I think that would be best.
Would letting a goblin or two slip through, if repeated several times, make up for it?
Looking back at the root of our failure, it all started with Song Cheon-hye missing a goblin due tock of control, which then snowballed into the main gate beingpletely breached.
Moreover, it being our first attempt meant we were not yet ustomed to the task.
With more practice, we would surely improve.
After some thought, Song Cheon-hye gave an honest response.
We can reduce the number. But ensuring not a single one slips through in 10 minutes might still be difficult.
Then lets do our best up to a point, and Ill handle any that slip through.
That would be more than enough.
We also discussed several other possibilities, such as other unexpected situations or what to do if the main gate were to be breached again.
Song Cheon-hye nodded her head in satisfaction.
Todays conversation is flowing well. I wish it could always be like this.
Youre quite cooperative today too, arent you? Last time, it took a wish ticket to get you on board.
I dont let personal feelings interfere with practical assessments. And I did help outst time, didnt I?
Thest time I mentioned to Song Cheon-hye involved using a wish ticket I had won from a bet with her to arrange a friendly spar between Go Hyun-woo and Han So-mi.
Hearingter that the two had sparred several times, I felt relieved that things had worked out well.
After all, I had handed over quite a few sweets as part of the deal; it would have felt like a loss had it not been sessful.
True, you were helpful. But remember, I still have another wish ticket. You know that, right?
Wh-why?
We won one of the stickers, remember? It was 1 to 0 in our favor.
But it wasnt you, it was Hong Yeon-hwa who removed it.
Yep, but we were a team~
If you are upset, maybe you should find a better partner next time~
Song Cheon-hye trembled with frustration.
Lets bet again, start over.
I dont want to. Winning all the time takes the fun out of it. There needs to be some excitement, some suspense.
Wow, youre really annoying.
Amid our light-hearted bickering,
The portal opened and Hong Yeon-hwa and Kwak Ji-cheol emerged.
It seemed they had failed just as we had, yet they had spent a longer time within the dungeon.
This implied they had managed to hold out for a longer period of time.
Their elemental affinity is inherently good.
Crowd control in a confined space like a temple, fire and earth magic held a clear edge over lightning magic.
With Hong Yeon-hwa using fire magic to do sustained damage over a wide area, and Kwak Ji-cheol either building earth walls or summoning golems around the goddess statue, their defense was bound to be much easier than ours.
Of course, they too must have failed to ovee thetter part of the challenge.
Nheless, it was clear that they were progressing further than us, and it seemed they were aware of this fact as well.
..
Hong Yeon-hwa casually nced at Song Cheon-hye as if just passing by.
Though it appeared she intended to keep a poker face, one corner of her mouth involuntarily twisted upwards in a smirk.
She really couldnt control her facial expressions.
The unintended provocation struck a nerve.
Song Cheon-hyes forehead seemed to tense up with veins popping out in frustration.
Then Song Cheon-hye spoke in a low voice that only I could hear, but in a cold tone that was unlike anything she had said before.
. I really hope we win this time.
Chapter 97: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (4)
Chapter 97: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (4)
The statue of the goddess of war was still there, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, and overlooking the ruins of the desecrated temple.
After gazing up at the statue for a moment, Song Cheon-hye sent me a nce asking if I was ready to which I responded with a light nod.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Statue of the Goddess: 100%]
[Remaining Time: 9:59]
The advancing forces of goblins marched steadily forward.
Song Cheon-hye walked toward the main gate with her gaze fixed on the enemy line.
Fzzzzzt,
The dark-colored gloves on her hands sparked and sent currents along the ground.
Arge circle formed around Song Cheon-hye.
The magic circle began to emit light and the geometric symbols started glowing within.
Regardless of the goblins approach, Song Cheon-hye remained focused solely on drawing the magic circle.
Soon, thepleted magic circle burst into bright radiance.
[Lightning Field]
The area, already dyed red by sunset, seemed to brighten even more, though it was hard to tell what else had changed.
The true value of the magic was realized when the goblins reached the very front of the temple and began their charge.
Fzzzzzzzt! Fzzzzzzzt!
Keek?
Kiik!
The moment the goblins stepped within the range of the magic circle, sparks flew wildly around them.
Though not immensely powerful, the magic inflicted constant damage and paralysis while slowing their movements.
A zone-control magic.
Song Cheon-hye acknowledged that the reason she let one or two slip through on her first attempt was due to her ownck of control.
Topensate for herck of control, she cast the zone-control magic, Lightning Field.
There was no need for precision in enveloping a set area with lightning.
The only requirement was the huge amount of mana needed to maintain the magic circle.
And Song Cheon-hye was a mana powerhouse even I acknowledged and she had no issues with mana consumption.
Keeek!
Kerruk!
The goblins, for their part, were tenacious creatures.
Normally, one would expect them to yelp at the sparks and flee, but the [Commander] rule forced them to push forward, despite the pain.
Their advance had undoubtedly slowed, and soon they were overwhelmed by even more potent lightning magic.
Fzzzt-Fzzzt-Fzzzt!
At the center of the magic circle, Song Cheon-hye sequentially unleashed several area-of-effect spells while continuing to defend the main gate.
!
!
As I leisurely observed the scene, the raucous sounds from the side and the thudding of bodies crashing against something caught my attention.
The wall would soon be breached so I walked towards it.
Booom,
The moment the wall crumbled and a hole appeared, I focused my Wind Force right through it.
Panic-stricken cries emerged from the other side.
Wha?
Gurk?
The goblins stopped in their tracks just as they were about to surge forward.
Under Dang Gyu-youngsmand, they struggled to push ahead but there are things that force alone cannot aplish.
The F-rank monsters bodies were simply too frail to withstand the wind imbued with physical force.
I kept the wind blowing to seal off the wall and turned my attention back to Song Cheon-hye.
Fizzzzzz!
Shes holding them off quite well.
Song Cheon-hye was frying the goblins with lightning magic as they approached.
Not a single one had made it through the main gate so far.
It was only the second attempt yet major improvements had already been made to address our weaknesses.
[Statue of the Goddess: 100%]
[Remaining Time: 4:46]
The first attempt had failed before even reaching the five-minute mark, but this time, it was easily surpassed.
So far, so good.
It was about time for the next challenge to emerge.
As soon as this thought had crossed my mind, I felt a clear presence somewhere.
?
Song Cheon-hye who was anticipating the arrival of the next opponent tensed up. Her expression was a mixture of vignce and confusion.
She was certain she had encountered this familiar presence before, but couldnt quite ce where.
!
But then, it was as if an exmation mark popped above her head.
She saw it, striding confidently through the throngs of goblins.
It was a head or two taller than the average goblin with a muscr build and wielding arge cleaver in one hand.
Grrrr.
The Beheader Goblin.
The Strong Enemy from the timed strategy battle had emerged here.
The timing of its appearance is a bit early, though.
The reason the [Strong Enemy] rule wasnt applied to this temple defense was because the Beheader Goblin only made brief appearances towards the very end, typically in thest minute.
But the timing of its appearance was pushed forward due to Dang Gyu-youngs intervention.
Perhaps it could be considered a final act of mercy that it didnt spring into action the moment the strategy battle started.
Nheless, the fact remained that it had to be defeated.
Song Cheon-hye and the Beheader Goblin locked eyes for a few tense seconds.
Grrr.
The Beheader Goblin then charged with increased speed.
Blue mana surged from its body and started wrapping around the cleaver.
Song Cheon-hye, in turn, conjured a thick bolt of lightning in her hand and advanced to meet the charge.
The distance between them closed in an instant, and the mana-infused cleaver shed with the lightning.
sh!
The oue was clear at a nce. Song Cheon-hye had the upper hand.
While she stood unfazed, the Beheader Goblin was sent stumbling back.
Electric current crackled in its hand holding the cleaver.
Refusing to ept that it had been overpowered, the creature let out a ferocious roar and charged again.
Graaaa!
.
Song Cheon-hye calmly drew another bolt of lightning and countered.
Again and again their forces collided with great intensity, sparking mana and energy, and time and again it was the Beheader Goblin who was forced to retreat.
This clearly indicated a significant gap in their abilities.
It was a reminder that Song Cheon-hye was a first-year member of the disciplinarymittee.
However, the issue at hand was,
Winning or losing isnt whats important right now.
The objective of this strategy battle was defense.
What truly mattered was whether the enemies could be held back or not.
In the current context, the question was Can she handle the Beheader Goblin while also fending off the other goblins?
While Song Cheon-hye was indeed stronger, the Beheader Goblin was not an opponent to be easily taken down with a casual approach.
A considerable amount of her strength was focused on this duel, causing gaps to gradually appear in the previously solid defense of the main gate.
Krrrk!
Soon, a goblin managed to cross the Lightning Field, skillfully dodged the area of effect magic, and slipped past Song Cheon-hye.
It was a persistence and tenacity not typical of goblins.
Before sprinting towards the statue of the goddess, it even turned to throw a taunting sneer at Song Cheon-hye.
Kihihik!
You!
Song Cheon-hye was furious but she couldnt abandon her fight with the Beheader Goblin to chase after the other goblin.
The goblin kept smirking and attempted a bold leap forward.
Or at least, it tried to.
Kihi hi?
Its form abruptly halted mid-air as if blocked by an invisible force, then it was flung backward and then tumbled to the ground.
Song Cheon-hye who realized what had happened nced at me,
Is this good enough?
Good enough.
Rumble! Crash!
Before the tumbling goblin could recover, a bolt of lightning was ruthlessly driven into it.
As Song Cheon-hye exchanged blows with the Beheader Goblin, two more managed to break through the defense line.
Kerk?
Kek?
The goblins intending to sprint past her found themselves running in ce.
Despite moving their feet forward, they werent moving at all.
This was the effect of the Wind Force spell I had cast.
I was busy blocking the side wall, so I had to cast the spell from a distance. Despite being restricted by the [Close Range] rule, I could still momentarily halt their movements.
That brief moment was all Song Cheon-hye needed to cover any gaps.
The goblins were caught off guard and floundered as a lightning spell swept through them.
Fizz! Crack!
Just as Song Cheon-hye was about to link her next spell, she swiftly twisted her body to the side.
A cleaver charged with mana sliced through empty air.
Grrrrrrr
The Beheader Gobin grumbled lowly as if telling her where she was looking.
It then continued its attack and wildly swung the cleaver.
Ugh
At that moment, even Song Cheon-hye who had been dominating the fight had to focus solely on defense.
And that meant that the gap would soon widen even further.
Ker-ruck,
Kihiii!
Two goblins breached the main defense line, then four, and then five
Even as the Wind Force momentarily halted them, there were goblins Song Cheon-hye couldnt quite manage to deal with.
Simr to the first attempt, once a gap started to widen, it became uncontroble.
As the situation worsened, Song Cheon-hyesposure rapidly eroded and her movements became erratic.
It was then that I called out to Song Cheon-hye.
Song Cheon-hye.
Huh?
Focus on the Beheader. Lets see how long it takes.
. Understood!
Song Cheon-hye quickly grasped my intention. The n was to concentrate her firepower to swiftly eliminate the Beheader Goblin and use the experience and data gained for our next attempt.
Fizzzz.
The Lightning Field that had engulfed the gate began to fade and then vanished entirely.
Instead, Song Cheon-hyes entire body started crackling and igniting intense currents of lightning.
She had redirected the mana from the magic circle solely to herself.
In the next moment, Song Cheon-hyes form shot out like a bolt of lightning.
Crack!
The Beheader Goblin instinctively raised its cleaver but the lightning struck its face a fraction earlier.
Fizzzzzz! Bang!
I should probably start heading back to defend.
[Statue of the Goddess: 48%]
While I had been momentarily distracted, goblins clinging to the statue had shed its health gauge by half.
If left unchecked, the remaining health would rapidly deplete.
And that would result in failure and the dungeon resetting.
At the very least, I needed to buy time until Song Cheon-hye could defeat the Beheader Goblin.
I walked a little faster but still without losing myposure toward the statue of the goddess.
[Amplification activated.]
[Windforce rank increased. (C+ -> A+)]
I continued to approach and cast Wind Force over a wide range.
A gust of wind filled with physical force swept through the area, toppling the goblins like leaves caught in a storm and sending them tumbling to the side.
When I summoned the winds broadly once more, this time they rolled in the opposite direction and tumbled over and over.
Agh!
One goblin desperately tried to keep its bnce and hurled its wooden spear straight at me with surprising uracy.
The spear aimed directly at me seemed likely to hit its mark.
I merely nced at the creature and focused solely on wielding Wind Force to and fro.
Just as the wooden spear was about to embed itself in my chest, it inexplicably twisted and plunged into the ground instead.
[Distortion activated.]
[Cooldown: 23:59:54]
The goblin that had thrown the wooden spear stood there dumbfounded and unable to grasp what had just happened.
Soon after, it was swept up by the Wind Force and fell over,
Kek!
Like the others, it found itself rolling around helplessly.
With this situation resolved, I turned my focus back to Song Cheon-hye,
Fizz! Boom!
She was unleashing a barrage of powerful lightning magic and pressuring the Beheader Goblin.
Even when facing both the goblins and the Beheader Goblin, the fight was in Song Cheon-hyes favor, but now with only the Beheader Goblin to deal with, it could hardly be called a fight.
Grrrrrrr
The resistance of the Beheader Goblin was waning.
The mana on its cleaver dimmed and its movements became sluggish.
Its staggering demeanor signaled its dwindling stamina.
Just as Song Cheon-hye was about to deliver a decisive blow,
Arrgh!
The Beheader Goblin let out a final cry.
Gathering all its remaining mana, it concentrated it into the cleaver and hurled it with all its might.
The blue-colored cleaver spun around and flew across the temple,
Crack!
The cleaver continued on its path before cleaving the statue of the goddess at the waist into two.
The severed upper half crashed to the ground with a loud bang! It made a loud noise and shattered into pieces.
[Statue of the Goddess: 42%]
[Statue of the Goddess: 0%]
[Remaining Time: 1:21]
[The Statue of the Goddess has been destroyed.]
?
For a while, Song Cheon-hye stared in disbelief at the remains of the Statue of the Goddess that were now reduced to just the lower half.
Then little by little, as the reality of the situation dawned on her, her mouth began to fall open in shock.
?!?!?
She was so shocked that she was unable to speak and her mouth opened and closed repeatedly.
After the dungeon had resetpletely and the Statue of the Goddess was restored,
Dang Gyu-yeong gentlynded nearby and said,
This time you did better. If you improve a bit, youll seed on your next try. Lets go out and see Hong Yeon-hwa and Kwak
However, when she saw Song Cheon-hyes face, she stopped what she was saying and pursed her lips.
.
She tried to keep a straight face but couldnt quite hide the twitching at the corners of her mouth.
Dang Gyu-yeong desperately tried to suppress herughter.
She clenched her mrs and took slow and deep breaths to calm her mind.
Soon, Dang Gyu-yeong seemed to have regained herposurepletely.
But the moment she looked at Song Cheon-hyes face again,
Pfft!
She failed to hold back herughter.
Dang Gyu-yeong quickly covered her mouth and turned away.
asional soft snickers escaped her mouth and her shoulders were shaking with each stifledugh.
Huff, pff, guffaw!
.
Song Cheon-hye didnt know whether to cry, get angry, orugh along with her.
Chapter 98: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (5)
Chapter 98: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (5)
Did I go too far?
Senior-nim, why did you do that? She was almost about to cry.
No, its not like I did it on purpose, you know? I didnt expect that guy to throw the cleaver at that moment.
Dang Gyu-young scratched her cheek and looked somewhat embarrassed.
She didnt intend for the Beheader Goblin to throw the cleaver in the final moment.
Themands that can be issued through the [Commander] rule were only simple ones.
For example, things like move to a certain ce and target something for attack.
Instructions like keep a distance and only attack from afar or ignore everything and just focus on the statue of the goddess were about the limit.
What happened beyond that was up to the monsters instincts which led to all sorts of unpredictable oues.
Simrly, Dang Gyu-young didnt have the authority to control every minor movement of the Beheader Goblin.
Thestmand given was probably something along the lines of somehow inflict damage on the statue of the goddess before dying.
But the situation was, kind of, funny, pfft, hehehe.
Dang Gyu-youngs burst outughing once again.
Little did anyone anticipate that the Beheader Goblin would actually pick up and hurl the cleaver,
Nor that the cleaver wouldnd squarely in the waist of the goddess statue,
And least of all that it would obliterate about 40% of its health in one blow.
Even I who had tirelessly participated in dungeon defense time and again, and Dang Gyu-young who was inmand, felt a sense of dismay. So one could only imagine the sheer shock that must have gripped Song Cheon-hye who had been locked in a desperate struggle with the Beheader Goblin till the very end.
Her bewildered expression was a far cry from her usual stern, dignified, and serious demeanor, which might have been why Dang Gyu-young couldnt help but burst outughing.
Recalling the moment seemed to tickle her funny bone all over again, as Dang Gyu-young giggled and pped my shoulder repeatedly for a good while.
It took her some time before she finally managed topose herself and catch her breath.
Ah, my stomach hurts. Anyway, I didnt do it on purpose, you know. What are we doing today?
Todays strategy session had concluded after two attempts, and like the previous week, Dang Gyu-young had decided to offer one-on-one sparring session for me.
Of course, unlike the other three team members, I was excluded from the closebat training.
After all, I had already removed all three stickers.
But that didnt mean I intended to waste my time.
[Event: 1st Mentoring] (In progress)
[Remaining Duration: 20 Days]
elerate your growth with the help of a mentor.
Increased probability of acquiring skills/traits.
Increased skill/trait growth speed
Enhancement bonus (Large) currently applied.
The mentoring event continued throughout the month with the bonus received fromst weeks side quest reward still in effect.
It would be a loss not to engage in training during such a time.
I n to work on my skills for the time being.
Skills? Are you nning to upgrade their ranks?
Yes.
My main skill, Wind Force, had reached a ceiling at C-rank.
Advancing to rank B would take significantly longer than previous ranks, making it all the more important to focus on training consistently.
But it wasnt just about upgrading ranks.
I also n to learn a new skill in the process.
[Skills]
Wind Force (C+)
Inferno Fist (C)
Amplification (D)
Copy-Skill [2/2]
1. Thiefs Step (B+)
2. Overheat (D)
Having a variety of useful skills is always beneficial.
And since [Inferno Fist] was a forbidden skill, it couldnt be used in official settings.
The [Overheat] and [Thiefs Step] registered in my copy slot provided exceptional physical abilities and agility, making them too valuable to rece with another skill just yet.
I had been staving off the need for new skills by using Wind Force in various ways but the time hade to learn something new.
I recalled and categorized wind-type magic from my memory.
I focused on spells that could be mastered through training alone without the aid of skill books or relics.
Moreover, I sought a skill that would perform beyond my current standards.
[Spiral Explosion] would be a good choice.
Spiral Explosion was one of my main skills before I entered the world of the game.
More precisely, it was the main skill of the wind mage I had under mymand.
To put it a bit more simply, I kept him around mostly for that skill alone.
Its utility was high and from an opponents perspective, it was a frustrating spell to contend with.
Of course, even with the mentoring event underway, it was impossible to master such a powerful skill overnight.
Ill have to learn it step by step.
The n was to master several lower-tier skills and ultimatelye together in Spiral Explosion.
Among those, a skill that could be practiced alongside Wind Force was,
Twister.
It was a spell that twisted the wind to generate rotational force.
To put it simply, it was a whirlwind spell.
When directed outward, the whirlwind could deflect and redirect enemy attacks; when focused inward, it had the effect of absorbing and pulling in.
If an enemy was caught at the center of the whirlwind, it was possible to immobilize them there.
Thetter example was a tactic I had used a couple of times by adapting Wind Force.
Once was before finishing off the priest with Inferno Fist at the feathered serpent altar in the dungeons undergroundyer.
Another time was justst week in the sticker duel battle when I needed to restrict Dang Gyu-youngs movements just as Hong Yeon-hwa was about to remove a sticker.
However, since these were improvised applications, the efficiency was not very good.
It required the painstaking effort of generating wind from multiple directions manually, and even after amplifying the rank by two levels, it only managed to briefly stop Dang Gyu-young.
Had Dang Gyu-young not been wearing a C-rank limiting bracelet, even that brief immobilization would have been impossible.
To restrain stronger opponents like Dang Gyu-young once she removed the bracelet for a longer duration, a fully learned skill like Twister was necessary.
Hmm, a new skill, huh?
Dang Gyu-young looked at me while muttering to herself.
Suddenly, a thought seemed to cross her mind and her eyes became filled with unease.
Could it be wind magic?
Yes, thats right.
Dang Gyu-young took a few steps back and assumed a defensive stand as if I were about to do something terrible.
Why do you react like that, senior-nim?
Im not doing it. I made myself clear. Im not participating.
Lets hear the reason first. Why wont you?
Youre going to use that wind magic on me, arent you?
I hesitated for a few seconds before responding.
Using it against strong opponents does tend to elerate the learning process.
Ab,so, lutely, not!
Each syble was enunciated clearly and forcefully.
It was clear how much she detested the idea of bing a practice target for Wind Force.
It seemed she had a particrly strong aversion to being used in this way, even though I didnt recall using it on her that often. The perception of forced movement skills was just like this.
Number one on the list of hated skills.
Since I couldnt force someone who was clearly unwilling, I suggested an alternative n.
We have no choice then. In that case, could you at least herd the monsters towards me? I n to use it on them.
The fact that this week was a strategy battle week turned out to be a blessing.
Since all it took to meet the event bonus conditions was for my mentor, Dang Gyu-young to simply observe, it didnt really matter if the practice targets were monsters.
Moreover, it was a defense strategy battle with arge number of monsters and I could use themander rule to have her direct their attacks towards me.
It was an ideal setting for refining my Wind Force.
Dang Gyu-young readily epted the alternative option I suggested.
Yeah, thats fine.
Her thought process was simple: any annoying skill is bearable as long as its not used on herself.
And it was a bonus for her to just sit back, rx, and watch without lifting a finger.
We entered the temple together.
Without any intention to conceal herself, Dang Gyu-young casually sat near the statue of the goddess.
And I took my position at the main gate that was previously defended by Song Cheon-hye.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Krrrrk!
Kieek.
Goblins rushed forward, one after the other.
The difference was that they were targeting me alone, neither the main gate nor the statue of the goddess.
I watched them approach with bored eyes and when they got close enough, I cast Wind Force.
Whooosh
The wind blew from multiple directions and converged into one spot.
Keeek?
Krrk?
The goblins began to cluster together and then kept clustering.
What started as a clump of goblin fists soon turned into a mountain of goblins.
I continued to cast Wind Force and piled the mountain of goblins higher and higher.
***
The next morning.
As usual, I met Seo Ye-in at the student cafeteria.
I casually scanned the surroundings but didnt feel the presence of Ahn Jeong-mi.
After all, a mentor isnt always free.
Todays breakfast featured freshly baked bagels.
There were all kinds of toppings lined up, so you could make a sandwich to suit your taste.
.
Seo Ye-in picked up a bagel and grabbed some cream cheese.
Then, she stood quietly and looked at me nkly.
Arent you going to pick up more?
.
She didnt answer right away and hesitated.
I figured as much.
It was breakfast, after all; her appetite might be lighter and perhaps she preferred her bagel just with cream cheese.
However, Im of the opinion that if youre going to eat, you might as well make it substantial.
I began to pile toppings on my bagel.
Cheese, scrambled eggs, a bit of vegetables, thinly sliced ham
Soon, a rather hefty bagel sandwich was ready. It was quite substantial for a breakfast.
.
Seo Ye-ins gaze slowly drifted down and fixed on my te.
Based on past experiences, that look usually meant she wanted something.
Want me to make you one?
Nod.
te.
When Seo Ye-in handed me her te with only a bagel and cream cheese on it, I took it and started skillfully piling on the toppings.
Soon, an identical bagel sandwich to mine waspleted.
Just as I was about to sit down,
Hello, hello!
A cheerful greeting rang in my ears.
Turning towards the sound, I saw Han So-mi waving her hands energetically and Song Cheon-hye standing right beside her.
When I made eye contact with her, Song Cheon-hye offered a greeting in a formal tone.
Hello.
She maintained her usual haughty and cool demeanor.
However, upon closer inspection, her face seemed a half-tone darker than usual and there was a faint shadow under her eyes.
Her eyes appeared slightly swollen too.
It seems she had some troublesst night.
The shock of failing her second attempt must have been great.
She pretended not to care but she probably couldnt sleep well as scenes from yesterday kept reying in her mind.
In that regard, Song Cheon-hye is lucky to have a friend like Han So-mi by her side.
Thetter was like a beacon of positivity unmatched even by Go Hyeon-woo.
Her presence alone had the knack of lifting the spirits around her, and even now, it seemed to slightly improve Song Cheon-hyes mood.
Oh! Bagels!
Upon seeing the bagel towers on our tes, Han So-mis eyes lit up.
Cheon-hye, its bagel day, bagel sandwiches!
Why so surprised? Bagels can happen.
However, contrary to her disinterested tone, Song Cheon-hyes eyes quickly scanned my te.
Her previously darkened face brightened a bit and she subtly licked her lips.
I asked her,
Shall we talk strategy over the meal?
Lets do that.
Han So-mi and Song Cheon-hye went to grab their share of the bagels.
As Seo Ye-in watched them walk away, she turned to look at me and slightly tilted her head.
Are you close?
If you include the unspoken part of her question, it might as well have been, When did you guys get so close?
Not really.
Though it might sound harsh, that was the reality.
Han So-mi was a cheerful and extremely friendly person and this meant she always approached people without hesitation but that was probably the same with everyone else too.
Its not that we were particrly close.
Song Cheon-hye and I were only temporarily tied through a mentoring rtionship, and we did not harbor much interest in each other.
The investigation into Inferno Fist was probably still ongoing and there was no reason to believe she had dismissed any suspicions about me.
Cant we at least share a meal together? Its fine, right?
Mhmm.
Seo Ye-in nodded her head up and down as if she didnt really care.
After securing a table for four and starting on our bagels, Han So-mi and Song Cheon-hye came to sit opposite us.
The two were casually trying to start breakfast but I couldnt help but ask when I saw their tes.
Howe they all look exactly the same, the bagels?
Hehe.
Han So-mi gave an awkwardugh while Song Cheon-hye discreetly avoided my gaze.
There sat perfect replicas of the bagel sandwiches I had made.
Two of them, in fact.
Chapter 99: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (6)
Chapter 99: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (6)
Seo Ye-in generally didnt talk too much and Song Cheon-hye seemed slightly ufortable and awkward around her.
And so, the two mostly ate their bagel sandwiches in silence while Han So-mi and I who were unconcerned with such matters led the conversation.
A trivial question emerged.
Are you enjoying the sweets?
Yes, theyre delicious! Really! Where did you buy them?
I risked my life by entering a very dangerous ce to get these. A lot of people were sacrificed because of it.
No way!
Han So-mi feigned shock and then giggled immediately.
She seemed to take myment as a joke.
After all, how could she guess I had gone into the ck Death dungeon to get them?
Theyre not only tasty but also plentiful, right?
Yeah, I havent even eaten half of them yet!
Thats actually on purpose. Its a bribe. Maybe itll earn me a pass if I break the school rulester?
That wont work.
No luck there. Too bad.
Ill spar with Go Hyun-woo asionally!
Thatll do.
I was only half joking about the bribe, and since I had already achieved my goal of getting Han So-mi to spar with Go Hyun-woo, I was satisfied with that.
Trivial question number two.
I gestured towards Song Cheon-hye and asked.
Im curious about something else. Between you and Song Cheon-hye, who ate more sweets?
!
Just then, Song Cheon-hye who was taking a big bite of her bagel sandwich looked up and her pupils darted around dramatically after hearing my question.
She hurriedly started chewing to clear her mouth but Han So-mi did not wait for her to finish.
Cheon-hye ate more.
Really? By how much?
I dont know, just a lot!
I nodded as if convinced.
I knew it from the moment she said, Just give it to me instead. There was always an ulterior motive.
Cheon-hye really likes sweet things!
!
Overwhelmed by thebined pressure from Han So-mi and me, Song Cheon-hye struggled to regain herposure.
She had just managed to swallow what was in her mouth and was about to argue her point but the conversation had long since moved on to another topic.
Making excuses now would just make her sound more guilty.
She sighed softly, visibly frustrated and with a sense of defeat.
Anyway, I felt it was time to discuss strategy so I turned to Song Cheon-hye.
Did you review yesterdays strategy battle?
Yes, I did.
Since we failed with just a minute to spare, it seems we might stick with the same broad approach.
I think so too.
Given that we had nearlypleted the full 10 minutes, there was no immediate need to change our strategy.
Repeating the same setup and improving our proficiency seemed like a better choice.
After only two attempts, there was still considerable room for improvement.
Maybe focusing on just the Beheader Goblin would do?
At the mention of the Beheader Goblin Song Cheon-hyes body flinched.
It seemed that the scene from yesterday had shed before her eyes for a moment.
The cleaver filled with mana spun through the air and cleaved the statues waist with a loud crack.
After it was over, I asked Senior Dang Gyu-young, and she said it wasnt intentional.
It was too borate to have been intentional.
Song Cheon-hye spoke in a calm tone as if she had already guessed as much.
However, her expression rxed to the point where it was visible that she was relieved by my words.
But simr incidents could happen anytime in the future.
Song Cheon-hyes expression that began to rx tensed up again.
From what I understoodst week, Dang Gyu-young is merciless only when ites to mentoring.
If a weakness is exposed, she ruthlessly drills into it until its improved.
In other words, she believes in tough training.
So, if a simr situation popped up again, she would undoubtedly give the same order.
That meant the Beheader Goblin would definitely throw the cleaver again.
It doesnt seem like you brought up the Beheader Goblin just casually, it sounds like you have an alternative n.
Of course, there is one.
Song Cheon-hye waited for the next words with serious eyes.
I spoke as if revealing a major secret with a gravely serious tone.
Just watch it carefully and block it.
Huh?
Just watch it and block it, thats all.
Is that the alternative n?
Its a very traditional solution, but its effective, right?
When I sought agreement from Han So-mi, she immediately chimed in.
She moved her hands quickly and said,
Right! Just watch it like thiis, and then, block like this!
Song Cheon-hyes face soured.
It was clear she was thinking, I shouldnt have expected much from this bunch
But then she shifted her gaze between Han So-mi and me before she seemed to realize that our words were not just a joke and returned to a serious expression to ask,
Can you exin in more detail instead of just watch and block?
Do you remember? What the Beheader Goblin did before throwing the cleaver.
Song Cheon-hye paused to recall as she stared down at her bagel sandwich.
She might have reyed the scene of the statue breaking dozens of times, but she hadnt deeply considered what had happened before that.
Her furrowed brows slowly began to rise as she thought.
Now that I think about it
Aaaaaaahhh!
In her memory, the Beheader Goblin roared.
And then after gathering all the remaining mana into the cleaver in its hand, it threw it with all its might at the statue.
This meant the advice to watch and block had this implication.
There was a preparatory action.
Thats right.
There was a significant movement just before the cleaver was thrown.
Recognizing and responding to that could prevent mishaps like yesterdays one.
Alright. Lets try that approach in our next attempt.
Song Cheon-hye checked the time and exchanged nces with Han So-mi.
And they simultaneously rose from their seats.
We have a disciplinarymittees duty, so well head out first. See you in ss.
Bye! See youter!
Han So-mi waved cheerfully as she left just as she did when she first came.
.
Seo Ye-in had been silently focusing on her breakfast all this while.
The bagel sandwich wasnt stacked as plumply as usual, and despite eating quietly and steadily, it seemed like she wasnt making much progress.
Watching the two figures drift further away, she turned towards me and asked,
Who do you think will win?
If Song Cheon-hye and you face off again?
Mhmm.
Hmm
I couldnt definitively say who would win this time.
In terms of skills and traits, Song Cheon-hye was far ahead.
Seo Ye-in was rapidly growing stronger but Song Cheon-hyes talent was also of a level that could definitely be considered genius.
Thus, the gap between the two wouldnt close overnight.
Thats why you wont know until you try.
Mhmm
One thing is certain, though. If you keep training hard, youll eventually win.
Even if it wasnt possible overnight, as long as she didnt stop and kept moving forward, she would surely surpass Song Cheon-hye someday.
Seo Ye-in met my gaze and then nodded her head slightly.
Ill work hard, I understand.
Although there was no sign of Ahn Jeong-mi nearby, it seemed as if someone was wiping away tears in a touching moment somewhere.
***
Song Cheon-hye was deep in thought even as she moved.
She repeated the words she had just heard to herself like a mantra.
Watch it and block it?
Its waatch, it, and blooock, it!
Han So-mi corrected it as if something was slightly off.
That didnt seem very helpful.
Song Cheon-hye recalled Kim Hos advice.
Watch the preparatory action and block it.
It was an unexpected blind spot that the Beheader Goblins movements grewrger right before throwing the cleaver.
It was such simple information that it was surprising how she had missed it, and if Kim Ho hadnt mentioned it, it would have taken much longer for her to realize.
However, seeing the preparatory action and blocking it was only theoretical, and how it would pan out in actualbat was uncertain.
Watch, it, and block
The concept sounded simple, but could it really be done?
To be honest, Song Cheon-hyes mind had not been fully present throughout this entire battle.
There were just too many things to worry about.
She had to continuously inject mana into the magic circle, cast one spell after another, ensure those spells urately hit their targets, prevent any goblins from getting through, and exchange blows with the executioner
Trying to manage all these tasks at once was overwhelming.
And now, she had to add read and respond to the Beheader Goblins patterns to her list of objectives.
The movements might berge, but catching that brief moment during a frantic battle was not going to be easy.
Its tough, but I have to try. No, I have to do it.
Song Cheon-hye made up her mind.
Do your best in any situation.
That was the way of the Thunder Lord and it was also the way of Song Cheon-hye who had inherited his will.
Her numerous experiences so far have proven that the method wasnt wrong, and it will be the same this time as well.
That aside
Song Cheon-hye shifted her gaze to the right.
What is she so excited about? Han So-mi hummed a tune and walked with light steps as if she was flying.
Song Cheon-hyes gaze turned sharply colder as she looked at her.
This was because she remembered being suddenly attacked by Kim Ho and Han So-mi in abined assault just as she had taken a big bite of her bagel sandwich.
Between you and Song Cheon-hye, who ate more sweets?
Cheon-hye ate more.
I thought so, there was always an ulterior motive.
Cheon-hye really likes sweet things!
Song Cheon-hye herself knew better than anyone else that Han So-mi was an untainted and pure soul.
But even so, arent there things you should and shouldnt say in front of someone youre not even close with?
Are you trying to make me look like Im obsessed with sweets?
There may have been no malice behind her words but it was certainly an issue that needed to be addressed at least once.
Just now, you
Just as Song Cheon-hye was about to start nagging,
Han So-mi rummaged through her inventory and pulled out a snack she had received from Kim Ho.
A dried fruit gift set.
Cheon-hye, want some dried peach?
Ill have some.
Upon reflection, it seemed that the nagging could wait.
Song Cheon-hye was infinitely generous when it came to sweets.
***
After school.
Just like the day before, we gathered at the dungeon building.
Today, the pair of Kwak Ji-cheol and Hong Yeon-hwa had entered the temple first and were currently attempting the challenge, while Song Cheon-hye and I were in a waiting position.
Since we had already somewhat decided on our course of action in the morning, there was no need to discuss further, and it wasnt as if we were on terms to engage in friendly everyday conversation.
So, while waiting aimlessly and casting nces here and there,
Waatch
Song Cheon-hye who was lost in deep thought muttered to herself.
It seemed that what had been merely in her head had inadvertently slipped out.
When I subtly turned my head to look at her, she pressed her lips tightly together and maintained a poker face.
As I continued to stare, she seemed puzzled and asked,
Why are you looking at me like that?
and block it. Thats exactly it.
.
Song Cheon-hye continued to keep a poker face as if she didnt understand what I just said.
However, her face gradually turned redder as if she couldnt help it.
Fortunately, the embarrassing moment quickly passed.
The portal opened, and Kwak Ji-cheol and Hong Yeon-hwa emerged.
They seemed much happier than usual which meant their strategy battle went well.
The typically tense atmosphere between them had also be much more friendly.
I threw a short question to Kwak Ji-cheol to confirm,
Sess?
Thats right.
This guy who didnt talk muchst week answered confidently.
It seemed he had gained some confidence, perhaps certain they were ahead of us.
Hong Yeon-hwa, though she said nothing, clearly carried an air of heightened pride.
When our eyes met, she momentarily turned humble, then looked at Song Cheon-hye with a triumphant expression.
.
Song Cheon-hyes reaction remained indifferent as ever.
Yet, to my eyes, it seemed she was straining not to let her poker face slip.
Shall we go in too? Its about time we seeded, isnt it?
I casually asked,
Yes. Lets ensure sess this time.
Song Cheon-hye seemed to want to get out of this ce as quickly as possible and she dragged me along before entering the dungeon together.
Chapter 100: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (7)
Chapter 100: 6th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (7)
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Statue of the Goddess: 100%]
[Remaining Time: 9:57]
As soon as the battle strategy began, Song Cheon-hye deployed her magic on the ground.
She had good sess with the Lightning Field in previous attempts, so there was no reason not to use the same tactic.
Electric currents flowed across the floor and they formed arge magic circle that began to fill with intricate symbols.
As soon as the goblins reached the main gate and stepped onto the floor,
Fizzzzzz, fizzzzzz!
Keruk.
Kiig!
Their bodies emitted wild sparks.
Waves of electric currents poured down on those who continued to advance regardless.
Song Cheon-hye emitted bursts of lightning magic which burned every approaching goblin to a crisp.
She is clearly improving.
Perhaps because it was their third attempt, the coordination of her magic felt more natural and her uracy had slightly increased.
Rumble,
Meanwhile, I waited near the side wall and when the wall copsed and a breach opened, I used Wind Force to close it.
Its all smooth sailing up to this point.
[Remaining Time: 4:53]
Grrr
Just over five minutes passed, and as expected, the Beheader Goblin appeared.
However, this time Song Cheon-hyes response was slightly different.
Ill finish this quickly. Cover me.
Lets do it.
She didnt wait for the creature to approach the main gate; instead, she charged forward while swinging a thick bolt of lightning.
Grrrrr?
When the Beheader Goblin crossed its cleaver to block, a loud sh sound ensued.
As a result, the Beheader Goblin managed to block the attack but the aftermath of the collision forced its arm that was holding the cleaver to the side.
The lightning struck directly into the chest of the staggered creature.
Rumble, bang!
Yet, knowing that there was still a long way to go before the goblin could be felled, Song Cheon-hye swiftly cast the next spell.
She relentlessly pushed forward and didnt give the Beheader Goblin any chance to catch its breath.
Swift and decisive.
It was an improvisational move, but certainly worth considering.
The main obstacle in this defense was the Beheader Goblin.
If she could focus her firepower early on to take it down, all that would remain would be the F-rank goblins who were hardly worth a punch.
Not a bad idea.
However, Song Cheon-hye overlooked one fact unfortunately.
Grrr
The Beheader Goblin was tougher than most goblins.
Being a close-range boss with exceptional resilience, it did not easily fall despite Song Cheon-hye almost unterally inflicting damage.
This meant that the fight which was intended to be quick and decisive was dragging on.
Krrrk!
Krk!
This also meant that the main gate waspletely exposed to the enemys attacks.
The Lightning Field was maintained, slowly dealing damage and hindering movement, but the goblins that crossed beyond the range of the magic circle entered the temple without any interference.
What choice do I have?
It was up to me to provide support.
Whether Song Cheon-hyes decision was right or wrong, it was my role as her partner to fill the gap created by it as much as possible.
Providing feedback and refining strategies would have to wait until after the challenge was over.
I abandoned the side defenses and approached the statue of the goddess.
When I unleashed Wind Force over a wide area, the goblins rolled across the temple floor like fallen leaves.
This alone had bought us quite a bit of time in previous attempts.
However
Theres no way our senior would just stand by and watch.
As soon as I thought that, the goblins who must have received new orders from Dang Gyu-young moved in an organized manner.
They surrounded the statue of the goddess at a safe distance and then,
Krrrk.
Krk! Kck!
began to throw stones and spears they had brought along.
I immediately conjured a counter-wind to knock down the projectiles, but a few still managed to weakly hammer at the statue of the goddess.
[Statue of the Goddess: 93%]
[Statue of the Goddess: 91%]
I knew this would happen.
I briefly nced toward a corner of the temple.
Though I couldnt see Dang Gyu-youngs figure, I felt like she was probably sticking out her tongue and teasing me about now.
Dang Gyu-young had her own reputation to maintain as a mentor; she couldnt just let me whirl around and dominate with Wind Force alone.
Thus, she had analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of my skill and devised a method to exploit its weaknesses.
Due to the [Close Range] rule being in effect, even the most powerful magic significantly weakens once it exceeds a certain distance.
Dang Gyu-young used this to her advantage and spread the goblins wide so I couldnt cover everything by myself.
As a result, I ended up allowing some of the long-range attacks from all directions.
Each time a stone tapped the goddess statue, the health gauge slowly decreased.
[Statue of the Goddess: 84%]
[Statue of the Goddess: 81%]
Kieek!
Krrruk.
To make matters worse, goblins continued to swarm in through the gaping breach in the side wall and the main gate.
As more attacks focused on the goddess statue, the rate at which its health diminished elerated.
[Statue of the Goddess: 77%]
[Statue of the Goddess: 73%]
[Statue of the Goddess: 68%]
The situation was rapidly deteriorating, yet I remained calm throughout.
Panicking wouldnt change anything.
Nor had my task changed.
My role was still to protect the goddess statue and buy time.
As long as Song Cheon-hye could join me before the statue waspletely destroyed, there was still a chance of winning.
It seems shes almost got him.
Rumble!
When I turned my gaze towards the main gate, indeed, the Beheader Goblin was almost beaten to death.
From the moment it appeared until now, the goblin had been relentlessly bombarded by Song Cheon-hyes attacks and its entire body was in tatters.
Just a few more solid hits should do it.
Kraaaaah!
Sure enough, thest pattern of the Beheader Goblin emerged, as if to prove that its life was hanging by a thread.
It roared loudly into the air and then, with the cleaver in its hand, it pulled its arm back with all its might and hurled its entire body forward.
Ah.
Song Cheon-hye flinched for a moment and tried to respond, but unfortunately, her reaction was a beat too slow.
By the time she hastily unleashed her lightning magic, the cleaver had already left the Beheader Goblins hand.
I told you to watch it carefully and block it.
It was a swift and utter failure.
Song Cheon-hye could only watch helplessly as the spinning cleaver drifted further away.
Meanwhile, I who was stationed near the statue of the goddess watched the approaching cleaver that was glowing blue and thought to myself,
I really need to make this work this time.
After all the effort, it seemed only right to earn some reward now to boost her future efficiency.
I trudged toward the path of the blue light.
Just as the cleaver was about to whiz past overhead, Ipressed air at my fingertips and flicked it upwards.
Because of this, the cleavers straight trajectory curved slightly upward,
Crunch!
Instead of breaking the waist of the goddess statue, the head was cleanly sliced off.
The sound of the goddess of wars head hitting the ground was like breaking porcin.
[Statue of the Goddess: 32%]
[Statue of the Goddess: 17%]
Though the health dropped by 15% in one go, it wasnt aplete defense failure.
After all, the goddess statue wouldnt die from being decapitated.
Although it had the downside of looking very ugly
Im sorry, Ill finish this quickly.
In truth, I wasnt really sorry since the dungeon would reset anyway and the head would grow back.
Turning my attention back to Song Cheon-hye,
I found that she was still in a state of shock.
It seemed she was quite shaken by this another failure.
I gently pushed her aside using Wind Force.
Whish
In her dazed state, Song Cheon-hye moved half a step in the direction of the wind.
The next moment, the Beheader Goblins fist swung through the air where her face had just been.
Since it threw away its cleaver, its hands were empty so it swung a fist instead but my timely support caused its attack to miss.
Grrr
Ha.
It was then that Song Cheon-hye who was startled seemed toe back to her senses.
She quickly grasped the situation in a few seconds.
The statue whose waist should have broken had only lost its head and the goblins and the Beheader Goblin that would have disappeared with a reset were still there.
Realizing that it wasnt over yet, life returned to her eyes.
Lets focus. Were almost there.
Ah! Y-Yes!
Song Cheon-hye narrowly dodged another punch from the Beheader Goblin that came flying at her.
And she stretched out her hand before currents of electricity started streaming through it.
Fzzzzzt-fzzt-fzzt!
The Beheader Goblins body turned into ck ash and scattered.
Immediately afterward, Song Cheon-hye turned her back and just like a bolt of lightning, she streaked across the temple.
The next moment, shended near the statue of the goddess and released bursts of lightning that swept away the goblins in an instant.
While using Wind Force to push away the goblins, I spoke to Song Cheon-hye.
Waatch, it and Block it.
I-Im still not used to it.
Were already on our third attempt though?
Its only the second time I fought the Beheader Goblin like this.
That makes sense. Then youll seed next time, right?
Of, of course.
Fizzzzzzzzz!
Waves of lightning surged again before engulfing the goblins.
As Song Cheon-hye frantically cleared the area around the statue,
[Statue of the Goddess: 15%]
[Remaining Time: 0:00]
Finally, all 10 minutes were used up.
The temple that was previously swarming with goblins was instantly cleared as if washed clean and the dungeon reset.
The strategy battle was a sess.
[Goddess Statue Health 15/100% = 75 points]
+ [Goblins Killed: 84 = 42 points]
+ [Strong Enemy Killed = 100 points]
+ [Clear Bonus = 300 points]
[Total Score: 517 points]
However, the joy of sess was short-lived.
Song Cheon-hyes eyes as she looked at the score were not quite satisfied.
By her standards as an elite, allowing the goddess statue to be reduced to the brink of destruction was akin to failing.
Knowing that this failing was the result of her own judgment made it all the more unsatisfactory.
She murmured in a slightly subdued voice,
. Rushing things wont work.
It holds up better than expected, doesnt it? The Beheader Goblin.
Yes, we will y defensively as usual.
With that, we embarked on our fourth attempt.
To summarize the key events, Song Cheon-hye once again missed catching the cleaver by a hairs breadth.
With no other choice, I ended up handling the cleaver myself and instead of the goddess statues neck, an arm was severed this time.
Perhaps because she was embarrassed that she had failed after boasting that she would of course block it, Song Cheon-hye couldnt look me in the eye even after the strategy battle was over and she sneakily averted her gaze.
Still, looking solely at the results, the fourth attempt was also a sess.
Thanks to our defensive strategy, we were able to preserve more of the goddess statues health.
We nned to continue improving our record little by little in a simr manner.
We decided to limit our challenge attempts in the strategy battles to twice daily,
And afterward, each of us took turns practicing closebat sparring with Dang Gyu-young like the previous week.
I too honed my Wind Force and Twister skills against the goblins that Dang Gyu-young herded towards me.
***
The next day.
After sses as usual, everyone was about to go their separate ways when there was amotion outside the ssroom.
Peeking out, I caught a glimpse of red hair among the passing students.
Whispers caught my ear one by one.
Hong Yeon-hwa hase?
Why is Hong Yeon-hwa in our ss?
She must be here to see someone.
But, who?
That someone was me.
I knew this because Hong Yeon-hwas gaze was fixed precisely on me.
Finally.
Chapter 101: Root
Chapter 101: Root
The tower master of the Ruby Magic Tower had sharp eyes and usually maintained a neutral or slightly scowling expression on her face which often made her appear as if she was always angry.
And the more I looked at her, the more Hong Yeon-hwa seemed to resemble this tower master.
For this reason, when Hong Yeon-hwa stood in front of the ssroom with a fierce aura, those watching couldnt help but specte whether she hade to pick a fight with someone here.
Hey, did shee here to challenge someone to a duel?
Really? Who?
It must be Song Cheon-hye, obviously.
Wow, are they finally going to sh?
Is this the big match?
And the person likely to be her opponent was Song Cheon-hye who was widely considered to be Hong Yeon-hwas rival.
As if responding to their guesses, Song Cheon-hye silently rose from her seat and began to slowly walk out of the ssroom.
As the distance between the two closed, the tension in the room reached its peak.
A duel?
Is she challenging her?
However, contrary to expectations, the two merely exchanged brief nods as they passed each other.
Then who on earth did shee to see?
Curious gazes were focused intensely.
Feeling increasingly annoyed by the pouring attention, Hong Yeon-hwa shed her eyes menacingly and snapped,
Are you done watching?
It was a deadly aura that seemed fierce enough to burn ones eyeballs if they continued staring at her.
The students gazes suddenly dispersed and each of them hurried away.
Hong Yanhuas eyes darted around the room until the attention on her dwindled and then she quietly crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.
Her demeanor was exactly like that of the Ruby Magic Tower master.
They really look alike.
?
Hearing my murmur, Seo Ye-in who had been sound asleep until now groggily lifted her head.
She looked at me, tilted her head in confusion, slowly followed my gaze out of the ssroom to find Hong Yeon-hwa, and then looked back at me before tilting her head again.
Click,
And then she started to pull out a magic gun from her inventory before I hurriedly stopped her.
No, shes not here to fight. Put the gun away.
Then, a duel?
Not a duel either.
Most of the people who hade looking for me until now had ulterior motives.
Kwak Ji-cheol and Jeong Ji-su had nned to drag me to the Emerald club by force, while the Emerald and Nature clubs once came to propose negotiations through a duel.
On the other hand, it seemed likely that Hong Yeon-hwa hade to me with genuinely good intentions.
She had no intention of fighting, not in the slightest.
Thus, I first made her put away the magic gun and sent Seo Ye-in ahead.
I approached Hong Yeon-hwa and asked,
Hey, whats up?
Ah, hello.
Her previously fiery demeanor quickly softened and became gentle.
Her voice,pared to just a moment ago when she had asked, Are you done watching? was now about half as loud.
Well. I came becauseI have something for you
I casually nced around.
I had a rough idea of why she hade, but the front of the ssroom was hardly a good ce for a conversation.
Despite Hong Yeon-hwa ring to chase them away, there were still many eyes stealthily watching us.
Lets walk and talk.
Mhmm.
Since we were both heading for the mentoring session, I walked with Hong Yeon-hwa toward the dungeon building.
.
The whole time we were walking, Hong Yeon-hwa kept ncing sideways at me.
Even if she was trying to gauge my reaction, the frequency of her side nces was quite high.
It seemed she was trying to find the right moment to start a conversation so I pretended not to notice.
Finally, as if she had mustered up the courage, Hong Yeon-hwa took a deep breath and began to speak.
Um you know.
Yeah, you said you had something to give me.
Mhmm, the president asked me to give this to you
The president here didnt refer to her sister Hong Ye-hwa but to the president of the cksmithing club.
And what the cksmithing president had asked her to deliver to me was
A long box and a small box.
Itspleted.
The long box contained an equipment item that I had requested upon presenting a [Crafting VIP Ticket].
The small box was something the cksmithing club president had made with leftover materials after failing to melt together millennium iron and ck mithril which I had helped resolve.
I put the small box into my inventory and opened the main dish, the long box,
Inside, on a soft cushion,y a very short rod just over 30 cm long.
It had an overall ck color with a subtle sheen.
At first nce, it might look like a simple metal rod,
But upon closer inspection, there were very precisely implemented joints for connecting to other equipment or attaching parts.
[Root(A)]
Very high mana conductivity
Damage protection (A) applied
Automatic durability recovery.
Upgradeable
Upgradeable
Upgradeable
Upgradeable
As expected, the materials are half the battle when making equipment.
When I incorporated Millennium Iron as the main material, an A-rank weapon came out right away.
It was a high-rank material that could be applied even after graduating from the third year.
It was nearly impossible to destroy, and its high conductivity ensured there was no mana wastage when casting spells.
However, at this moment, it had no special abilities beyond these options.
[Root] was oneponent of the EX-rank weapon I ultimately aimed to craft.
If youpare it to a painting, it was as if I had just started, just sketched a small corner.
From another perspective, this also meant that it had boundless potential for future development.
Especially since it had four upgrade slots.
If I attach a gem to it, it would be a staff; if fitted with a de, it would transform into a polearm.
Deciding on the spot, I chose to install aponent I had previously crafted in the Magic Engineering Club.
[Root(A)]
Automatic durability recovery
Levitate Zone (C) constantly activated
Upgradeable
Upgradeable
This addition provided one more option.
Levitate Zone.
This wind magic created an upward draft that lifted everything within its range.
It was originally an F-rank when it was based on a cheap iron bar, but it leapt to C-rank upon being equipped to the Root weapon which has much higher mana conductivity.
It was already at a level where it could be effectively used in practice without any shorings.
As I examined the Root with satisfaction, Hong Yeon-hwa cautiously asked,
. Do you like it?
It turned out well, better than I expected.
I nodded my head in response, and unusually, a smile appeared on Hong Yeon-hwas lips.
She had yed a crucial role in melting the ingot, and the time and effort she had invested were considerable. It seemed that seeing me pleased with the oue made her proud.
Thanks to this, the atmosphere subsequently became much more rxed and friendly between us.
Then I posed a question.
What is Aqua mes rank right now?
Its raised. Its C-rank now.
As expected, the Millennium Iron alloy started to melt quickly once it reached C-rank.
For ranking up, you should proceed in a simr way.
Yes, I n to. The reaction from the Mage Tower is positive too.
Since Aqua me was a fairly rare trait, the method to raise its rank wasnt widely known.
Given this, the Ruby Mage Tower might have been hesitant to pour resources into it indiscriminately, but now that Hong Yeon-hwa had demonstrated concrete results, they would likely support her more wholeheartedly in the future.
But despite this, Hong Yeon-hwa didnt look very hopeful.
Even for the Ruby Magic Tower, obtaining high-grade materials like Millennium Iron was not easy.
Additionally, Hong Yeon-hwas Aqua me had be stronger as its rank increased.
Materials of the Millennium Iron caliber would melt away in moments, so something even more robust would be needed for proper ranking up.
For this reason, it seemed that such opportunities would note around often.
Theres no rule saying you must use materials to increase the rank.
Then?
Instead of answering, I gestured toward the front with my chin.
Our destination, the dungeon building was there.
There are plenty of dungeons and plenty of monsters.
Ah!
Hong Yeon-hwa let out a small exmation.
She had benefited too much from the Millennium Iron this time and had be fixated solely on materials.
The key to growing Aqua me was to continuously burn something imbued with intense cold.
As long as the condition was met, it didnt matter what the target was.
For example, in a dungeon set in a snowy area a lot of ice-attribute monsters would appear.
Entering a dungeon and continuously defeating these monsters was fine as was targeting a powerful boss.
There are many methods besides materials and dungeons. Theres no rush, so lets talk about them one by one.
! Ill also talk about it with my sister.
Hong Yeon-hwas face flushed with excitement.
Although she said she would talk about it, the deal was as good as settled.
Theres no way she would refuse.
Whatever the cost of helping the growth of Aqua me was, it would be cheaper than sourcing materials superior to Millennium Iron.
This would also allow for an ongoing exchange of business between me and Ruby Magic Tower and we would maintain a mutually beneficial rtionship.
***
Kerluk?
The goblin iled its arms and legs.
Its body hovered about an inch off the ground.
The situation was simr for the other goblins around.
This was the effect of the Levitate Zone.
It created an upward current within its range and lifted everything up in the air.
The strength of the wind was not very strong, but its continuous nature was what mattered.
A gentle push with Wind Force sent the floating creatures flying easily.
Grrr
The Beheader Goblinsted a little longer but the oue was much the same.
It had been charging at me and wildly swinging a cleaver for a while but it was merely marching in ce against the headwind.
Then, with a gentle shake of the Root weapon,
Whizz
Winds from all directions converged and rendered it immobile.
Its posture shifted slightly sideways with the swirling wind.
While I repeatedly cast simr wind spells, a notification message appeared in the corner of my vision.
[Acquired Twister (F).]
Ive learned it.
After creating countless whirlwinds andunching goblins over the past few days, I had finally acquired this new skill.
Dang Gyu-young had been sitting near a statue of a goddess, lost in thought, but she turned her head toward me when she felt the wind suddenly increase.
What? Youve mastered it already?
Yes.
Really? In just three days? It doesnt seem like an easy skill.
If you focus and work hard, you can do it.
Sometimes, you can be really annoying.
The wind magic required continuous control of the flow, and theplexity of creating whirlwinds made it a skill with a rtively high difficulty to learn.
My control had surpassed the level of a veteran and reached that of a fossil, and Twister was a path I had walked many times before.
With the added bonus of mentoring, there was no reason I couldnt master it in three days.
What exactly is the skill youre using?
See for yourself.
No, dont use it on me
Whoosh!
I deliberately cast Twister on her.
The whirlwind enveloped Dang Gyu-young and tried to restrict her movements.
Ack!! Really, you!
Dang Gyu-yeong was horrified as if a bad memory of hers from the sticker duel battle came back, then she merged with her shadow below and disappeared only to suddenly appear behind me.
She then stretched out both hands, grabbed my cheeks, and pulled them long and hard.
I told you, not to use, that wind magic.
Mmmph
When I apologized with a smile on my face, Dang Gyu-young pouted and looked into my face.
Her expression which was initially strained as if she couldnt bear it any longer gradually rxed, and she gently tugged at my cheeks a few times before letting go.
You keep creeping up on metely. I should really tear those cheeks off.
But why do you keep pulling my cheeks?
Theyre soft and nice to pull, thats why.
When she spoke so boldly like that, I actually didnt know what to say.
Dang Gyu-young half-opened the exit as she asked,
So its over now, right? Can I go?
Its not over. I need to raise my rank.
Ugh, fine. Do whatever you want, junior!
Dang Gyu-young shook her head in dismay and sat back down beside the statue of the goddess,
Whoosh!
I pulled the goblins into a whirlwind made with [Twister] and trapped them.
The trapped goblins spun violently likeundry in a washing machine.
Looking at the greenundry swirling around, I thought to myself.
Ive gained equipment and learned skills.
I think I need to adjust my traits again.
Copy-Attribute [2/2]
1. Elemental Resistance (S)
2. Priest (D)
The second slot trait Priest had been quite helpful in my mana training, but with my [Core] having reached C-rank, it would be more efficient to overwrite it with another trait.
However, I hesitated to overwrite it immediately since I felt it might still be useful one more time.
I looked down at my feet.
Its about time to go down again.
To the underground levels.
********
TN: She likes pulling on his cheeks so I think shes the girl in the illustration in novel updates. That girl is also pulling on his cheek.
Chapter 102: Durable Pen
Chapter 102: Durable Pen
Go Hyeon-woo sat motionless with his legs crossed and his eyes closed in a full lotus position.
A light breeze blew along with waves of energy around him, and the densely concentrated mana of the special cultivation room rippled like waves.
Time passed.
Eventually, the fluctuations of internal energy calmed and the breeze settled.
Slowly, Go Hyeon-woo opened his eyes.
Its morning.
Thus began Go Hyeon-woos day in the special cultivation room, where he had been cultivating his energy through the night until he woke up.
He tossed a handful of Byukgokdan Pills into his mouth and downed a protein shake in one gulp before heading to ss.
For him, building knowledge was just as important as cultivating skills so he never missed a ss.
Learning about monsters, dungeons, skills, traits, and various items felt incredibly beneficial to him.
After ss, he would practice under the guidance of his mentor who was a senior expert and carry out the assigned practical assessments.
By this time, about half the day would have already passed.
But it would still be too early to rest.
He would spend his free time sparring with Han So-mi with wooden swords.
Han So-mi seemed reluctant at first, but once the sparring began, she engaged seriously and did not ck off until the end.
After a bout of swordy, Go Hyeon-woo would smile broadly and say,
Miss Seo, you worked hard today as well. Until next time.
Hmph, I wont do it once I run out of sweets.
Han So-mi would always leave with a snort.
But ording to Kim Ho, he had given her quite a lot of sweets. Enough so that it would be a while before they ran out.
Next, Go Hyeon-woo sat alone in a quiet ce and entered meditation.
sses, mentoring, strategy battles, sparring
He took the time to reflect on and organize everything he had learned and experienced.
Once he felt he had sufficiently organized his thoughts, Go Hyeon-woo opened his eyes and the Dharma statue he had ced in front of him came into view.
This unnamed Daruma statue was carved by an unknown person.
Kim Ho had acquired it from the ck Death dungeon and had generously lent it to him.
Even a brief examination had previously given him insights that helped him withstand the test of the Three Strikes of the White Serpent.
Observing it over time might reveal even more.
Go Hyeon-woo stared intently at the smiling face of the Dharma statue.
Some days, he ended up wasting time without gaining anything significant,
but on other days, he managed to catch a glimpse of the very edge of the martial philosophy.
On some days, he gained so much that, unable to contain his excitement, he would suddenly rise from his seat and break into a sword dance.
After a long staring contest with the Dharma statue, he woulde to his senses only to find that the night had deepened and it waspletely dark outside.
From then on, he would settle in the center of the special cultivation room and begin his meditative breathing exercises.
This would continue until dawn broke again.
Endless training followed by more training.
Even the students of Dragon yer Academy who dreamt of bing future heroes would see it as an extremely tough regimen.
However, Go Hyeon-woo found these days to be the most enjoyable.
Had he ever felt so distinctly day by day that he was bing stronger?
The term remarkable progress was truly fitting.
If these days continued, he would be able to endure the pains of training with a smile.
I must thank Kim-hyung.
As much as he enjoyed this rapid growth, he was also very grateful to Kim Ho whoid the foundation for that growth.
Looking back, there was nothing that had not benefited from his help.
The special cultivation room season pass, the Durable Clip, the magic sword, mentoring, the Dharma statue, sparring with Han So-mi
Kim Ho had said that these were all done in a fairpensation.
As a trustworthy ally who would enter dungeons with him and fight at the risk of his life, this was considered fairpensation for Kim Ho.
However, Go Hyeon-woo did not see it that way.
To him, extending a hand when a friend needed help was a matter of course.
Moreover, as a warrior, one should be willing to risk life and limb in a fight against the strong.
It wasnt about receivingpensation; rather, he felt gratitude towards Kim Ho for providing these opportunities.
So, excluding all these taken-for-granted acts, what had he actually done for Kim Ho?
It always seemed that he received more than he gave.
I must repay this debt over time.
Go Hyeon-woo vowed to himself once more.
A disciple of the Heavenly Wind Gate never forgets a debt of gratitude or resentment.
***
Take this.
Go Hyeon-woo reflexively caught the item that Kim Ho suddenly tossed to him.
After receiving it, he checked it and found that it was a small thin box the size of a palm.
Whats this?
Its yours.
Kim Ho answered nonchntly and gestured with his eyes to open it quickly.
Go Hyun-woo was wondering what else Kim Ho would give him this time but he opened the box because he was also curious about its contents.
Inside was a pen that was evidently luxurious at first nce.
The lid was of the flip-open type and the whole object held a subtle ck sheen.
Oooh.
Go Hyeon-woo was a warrior by nature and was not the type of person to value things like school supplies but when he saw this ballpoint pen, he couldnt help but let out a small exmation without realizing it.
It was immediately apparent that this was no ordinary item.
As Go Hyeon-woo stared nkly at the pen, he suddenly realized something.
He had thought it was made of some other metal because of its overall ck color, but
Isnt this made of Millennium Iron?
The [Bleak Leaders Chest] obtained after enduring countless hardships in the ck Death dungeon.
And the tremendous luck of Seo Ye-in had drawn out the Millennium Iron Ignot.
This pen was made precisely from that Millennium Iron.
Kim Ho nodded his head and revealed a staff with a simrly subtle ink color.
It seemed to be a newly crafted weapon.
I had some material left over after making this. It seemed a waste to throw it away, so I asked a senior cksmith to make something special.
Uhm.
His tone was casual, but Go Hyeon-woo knew it wasnt as simple as that.
cksmiths arent exactly sitting around with time on their hands; a few casual requests wouldnt normally result in additional creations.
There must have been some kind of deal involved.
But even that was not the end.
Kim Ho pointed to a clip tucked into Go Hyeon-woos front pocket,
[Durable Clip (D)]
Weapon Durability Protection
Automatic Weapon Durability Recovery
Then he pointed back at the pen.
Try attaching those together.
?
Out of curiosity, Go Hyeon-woo checked the ballpoint pen closely and found that the cap had a very small and borate groove.
As if bewitched, he fitted the clip into ce and it clicked as though it was made specifically for it.
Hadbining the two items always been intended?
Go Hyun-woo admired Kim Hos design and checked the item description.
And he waspelled to exim in astonishment once again.
This is incredible!
[Durable Pen(A)]
Very High Mana Conductivity
Damage Protection (A) Applied
Weapon Damage Protection (C) Applied
Automatic Weapon Durability Recovery
This was something he expected to some extent since Millennium Iron was used as a material.
But it was an A-rank item.
It was the highest grade among the items Go Hyeon-woo saw aftering down the mountain.
The Weapon Durability Protection option of the [Durable Clip] seemed to offer some assistance, but it was not significantly felt.
He could only vaguely guess that it somehowplemented the high durability of the [Feathered Serpent Magic Sword].
Now, that Weapon Durability Protection had changed to Weapon Damage Protection(C).
It was clearly marked as a C-rank.
Considering that C-rank was by no means a low rating, it seemed unlikely that Go Hyeon-woo would see the magic sword destroyed, even if he used powerful techniques consecutively in the future.
Moreover, though it was a pen, it was a pen made from Millennium Iron.
Given the strength of Millennium Iron, it was certainly enough to crush someones skull, so it seemed suitable to use as a secondary weapon.
However, performance aside
For Go Hyeon-woo who was gradually feeling a growing sense of debt toward Kim Ho this Durable Pen was not entirely a wee gift.
Go Hyeon-woo let out a wry smile.
Im always grateful to you, Kim-hyung. However, its not easy on my mind to keep receiving like this.
At that, Kim Ho furrowed his brows in puzzlement.
Keep receiving? Why do you think that way? We entered the ck Death dungeon together, so you should have a share too.
Thats not the case. I believe that even just the Dharma statue alone is more than my share.
Why would you say its more than enough just because I lent it to you for a while?
The Dharma statue was a loan, but didnt you actually give me an opportunity to gain a fortunate encounter? Its definitely worth risking my life for.
Hmm. Is that so?
When Go Hyeon-woo showed no sign of relenting, Kim Ho fell silent for a moment, then his lips curled into a smile as if he had found a simple solution.
Think of it as an advance then.
The term advance implied that Go Hyeon-woos share of whatever they would gain next could be considered as already paid for by the pen.
That something would most likely be dungeon rewards, which meant they would soon be entering a dungeon.
That is indeed good news. Are we going underground?
Yes. Theres something we need to retrieve.
Good. If you need my sword, just let me know.
Really?
Kim Ho looked at Go Hyeon-woo and grinned.
Then tonight.
***
Late at night.
Go Hyeon-woo and Kim Ho made their way toward the dungeon building.
By the time they reached the meeting ce, Shin Byeong-cheol was already waiting.
He was usually quite annoying but he performed his tasks thoroughly.
Almost at the same time that Shin Byeong-cheol felt that they were here, Go Hyeon-woo greeted him.
Shin-hyung.
My dear customers, how was your dinner? Now, take these.
Shin Byeong-cheol rubbed his hands together and shed a salespersons smile.
Then he distributed the [Anonymous Badge] and a second-year tie pin to each of them.
This was to avoid the suspicion of any seniors they might encounter through perception-blocking magic.
After Kim Ho attached the badge to his uniform, he asked,
Surely were not going to have to report in three times to the seniors again this time, are we?
Oh no, certainly not. What seniors? Ill make it smooth as silk. Not a rat in sight will bother us.
Didnt you say something simrst time?
Ayy, trust me, this time its for real. Just give it a chance.
After his bold promise, Shin Byeong-cheol led the way before gesturing for them to follow.
Following Shin Byeong-cheols lead, the group entered a circr staircase and asionally changed directions through various passageways as they descended deeper underground.
While walking and looking at his buzz-cut head that looked almost bald, Go Hyeon-woo started to talk.
Shin-hyungs guidance seems to have improved significantly. Its quite different from before.
When Shin Byeong-cheol had first led them down to the underground levels, he had often hesitated, sometimes stopping and wondering whether to take the right passage or the left stairs.
In contrast, there was hardly any hesitation now and the speed of descent was as fast as a light run.
Flushed with pride at Go Hyeon-woospliment, Shin Byeong-cheol boasted,
Recently, Ive been guiding not just one or two teams down here. Wouldnt you say Im quite the veteran by now?
Hahaha,
However, one regrettable aspect remained. Once again, they were relegated to going on foot.
Since he didnt have amazing hiding skills like Dang Gyu-young or the ability to neutralize magical engineering equipment like Chae Da-bin, they couldnt use the elevator.
As the saying goes, you get what you pay for; hiring a first-year guide inevitably meant lower quality.
Of course, both Kim Ho and Go Hyeon-woo were the type who would dly endure minor inconveniences just to get into the dungeon, so they simply continued their steadfast walk downward.
And finally, Floor D.
Upon reaching their destination, an ominously gaping portal greeted them.
[No.353] [Feathered Serpent Temple]
********
TN: This is not the same dungeon. Last one was Altar. This one is Temple.
Chapter 103: No.353 Feathered Serpent Temple (1)
Chapter 103: No.353 Feathered Serpent Temple (1)
Humid heat was carried by the wind.
The first thing that came into view was a long, eerie road stretching through a dense tropical rainforest.
Just like at the [Feathered Serpent Altar], the path seemed tantly obvious as if to say, follow this way.
Following the road with ones gaze led to a gigantic pyramid-shaped structure at its end, topped unmistakably by a building that could only be a temple.
A dome-shaped translucent golden barrier surrounded the temple and although it was shining in a brilliant golden color, it made those who saw it feel an unexpected sense of difort.
Throngs of barbarians swarmed in front of the structure.
There were easily more than twice the number here than at the Feathered Serpent Altar.
Lets go. We dont have time.
Despite the overwhelming crowd that might have intimidated others, Kim Ho briefly nced at the temple and then started sprinting along the path.
Go Hyeon-woo kept pace with Kim Ho and run by his side.
I didnt show you the strategy guide this time. Do you know why?
Honestly, Im not sure. But I trust that Kim-hyung must have something nned.
It was a one-day dungeon raid that still put their lives at risk yet he had made no prior preparations.
Inparison to the meticulous demeanor Kim Ho had always disyed, his current casual approach felt strangely reckless.
However, this wasnt a sign of carelessness; it was an indication that he was entering the fray with absolute confidence and that he was certain of sess even without any preparation.
This was the conclusion Go Hyeon-woo had reached.
Still, curiosity got the better of him and he waited for what woulde next.
Kim Ho responded with a sly grin.
We just need to smash everything up. No strategy necessary.
I like the simplicity of that.
Go Hyeon-woo grinned back.
Kim Ho pointed upward to the temple with his Root weapon.
First, we break through straight to the top.
With that, he picked up the pace a little more and took the lead.
As the road ended and the two approached the temple, the gaze of the swarming barbarians turned uniformly towards them.
The concentration of hostility from hundreds of people was so intense that it stung the skin.
What are these guys?
Living sacrifices?
Just kill them!
Barbarians surged from all sides.
The foremost barbarian thrust forward with a wooden spear, aiming to impale Kim Ho.
Kim Hos form slid smoothly to the side, dodged the spear de, and plunged forward.
His fist zing with dark red mes struck deep into the barbarians chest.
Boooooooom!
A fiery storm swept forward, engulfing the area.
Kim Ho dashed into the path still shimmering with embers and kept running.
As he lightly stirred the Root,
Whee!
Winds swirled around Kim Ho and spread the mes in all directions.
He seemed to be wielding a whirlwind made of fire.
Go Hyeon-woo followed closely behind him while shing at the approaching enemies with his magic sword as if they were mere straws.
All the while, his gaze remained mostly fixed on Kim Ho. He was closely observing every move he made.
The more I see of Kim-hyungs skills, the more amazing they seem.
The fact that he had defeated the barbarians was not in itself remarkable, but the method was crucial.
The smooth sequence of dodging the iing spear and driving his fist into the opponents chest was impressively fluid.
He knew that Kim Ho was a mage and specifically a support type but his performance in the recent 2-on-2 duel battle and the way he used his body would make one believe he was a skilled martial artist.
Additionally, the move Kim Ho had just disyed.
With a single punch, he had created a storm of mes in front of him.
The power was so immense that it was doubtful even Go Hyeon-woo with all his might could have withstood it.
Although Go Hyeon-woo thought it couldnt be so, he remembered the nickname of the former master me Emperor in his head.
Whooooosh!
Again, a storm of mes surged forward.
As Kim Ho stirred the ground, the barbarians were lifted off the ground and swept aside by the gust of wind.
This created anotherrge gap in the tightening encirclement, after which he continued running without slowing down.
Eventually, the two reached a massive building and swiftly ascended the stairs.
The barbarians relentlessly pursued them but just as they seemed to catch up, Go Hyeon-woo would cut them down with his sword or they would be overwhelmed by the physically charged wind and tumble down.
At the translucent golden barrier, Kim Ho abruptly stopped, turned around, and descended a few steps.
Die!
Once again, he effortlessly dodged an iing spear from the barbarians, grabbed the attacker by the neck, and threw him into the barrier.
Thump!
A strong repulsion urred and the barbarians body was flung far away.
Go Hyeon-woo also tried sending a light sword energy as a test, but
Kagagagak!
Only a faint scratch appeared on the barrier.
Even that was soon restored and became clean.
High defensive power with regenerative abilities This wont be easy to prate.
Barbarians were continuously climbing up from below.
However, Kim Ho casually pointed at the barrier with an air of nonchnce.
This will be unsealed soon; block anyone froming inside.
I will.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head without any hesitation.
He didnt know what will be unsealed soon meant but he nned to follow the instructions.
Just then, the two suddenly kicked the ground and retreated,
Kukung!
A heavy stone pir mmed down where they had just been moments ago.
We wont let them in.
A giant figure who was embracing the pir looked very familiar to Go Hyeon-woo.
Fatty.
He was one of the two altar servers he had defeated during the raid on the Feathered Serpent Altar dungeon.
The difference now was that the tattoos on his body glowed golden which seemed to give him an overflow of power.
Swiiiishh!
Kim Ho dodged an iing dart by moving half a step to the side.
If you looked in the direction where the dart came from, you would see only ordinary barbarians.
However, if you sharpen your eyes and look closely, you will be able to spot a skinny shadow stealthily weaving between them.
Hehehe
It was Skinny who was lying in wait among the barbarians and biding his time.
Fatty and Skinny.
They were the mid-bosses of this dungeon.
In the previous dungeon, they had been swiftly and separately defeated to save time but now they had gathered together before such tactics could be employed.
They were fully prepared for battle and were further strengthened by an unidentified power flowing from within.
Moreover, following Kim Hos order to ensure that no one enters from the inside, Go Hyeon-woo would have to face both of them alone.
Can you handle it?
Just leave it to me.
Go Hyeon-woo actually quite liked this situation.
The reason why Fatty and Skinny had been defeated so quickly before was only because he had stuck to the strategy, and there was a lingering regret that he had not been able to really engage with the two mid-bosses.
Now that the opportunity had arisen once more, how could he not be pleased?
So after leaving this task to Go Hyeon-woo, Kim Ho approached the barrier and bid everyone farewell.
See youter, everyone. Ill be off now.
His tone was as casual as if he were simply telling a friend, See you tomorrow..
Skinnys derisiveughter floated out from within the crowd.
Hehehe
His mockingugh seemed to say, A ce we cant enter, and you think you can?
However, the mockery didntst long.
Contrary to everyones expectations, Kim Hos body effortlessly passed through the barrier with a whoosh.
From beyond the barrier, Kim Ho winked and then disappeared into the temple.
Whats happening here?
The sacrifice has passed through the barrier!
The barbarians were thrown into chaos by the unexpected event and stumbled over each other in confusion.
Go Hyeon-woo was just as bewildered.
He wondered if getting through was just a matter of knowing how. So he tried to sh at the barrier with his sword.
ng!
The barrier forcefully repelled the de with a strong reactive force.
It wont work.
It seemed that neither the barbarians nor the servers could pass, but Kim Ho alone could. It must have been some prior arrangement he had made.
Thud!
Fatty mmed the stone pir he was holding down onto the ground and drew everyones attention.
Then he pointed at Go Hyeon-woo and dered,
First. deal with him.
In an instant, everyone in the hall quickly assumed a battle-ready stance.
Go Hyeon-woo too set aside the myriad questions swirling in his mind for the moment.
The barrier was said to be lifting soon.
Though he did not know how it would be done, his role was clearly defined.
Prevent anyone from passing through.
No one was to interfere with whatever Kim Ho was doing inside.
Go Hyeon-woo turned to face Fatty and Skinny.
The wind wrapped around his de as it blew.
***
Dungeon No. 353, the Feathered Serpent Temple.
As can be inferred from the simr name, it was a dungeon connected to the storyline from the Feather Serpent Altar No. 388.
The main objective here was also a [Raid].
The raid was considered cleared once the Feathered Serpent Priest was defeated.
The difficulty level is also D-rank, just as before, but this time, the party size has increased to six members.
Why a six-person dungeon?
Because the ritual had already started by the time one entered the dungeon.
The priest was already endowed with several powerful buffs.
As the ritual progressed, the number of buffs would only increase.
Naturally, this made defeating him all the more difficult.
Then, the logical step would have been to stop the ritual before defeating the priest.
The path there is anything but smooth.
Compared to the [Feathered Serpent Altar], the number of the barbarians was multiplied several times over.
After breaking through their mass attack, next in line would be the buffed-up Fatty and Skinny blocking the way.
After defeating these mid-bosses and trying to enter the temple, challengers would find it encircled by a protective barrier.
And then after breaking through the barrier and entering the temple, they would find the barbarians encamped inside.
By the time they had dealt with them and entered the boss room, much time would have already been wasted.
In the end, they would face the priest who would be heavilyden with various buffs by then after much time had passed.
Thats the standard procedure, anyway.
Now, I had dealt roughly with the barbarians and handed the mid-bosses over to Go Hyeon-woo, thus shortening the time it took to reach the temple.
Next was the barrier.
To break it, one had to concentrate their firepower in an instant, and getting around it required a fair amount of effort.
The only one who could freely pass through the barrier in this dungeon was the priest.
And I too am a priest.
Copy-Traits [2/2]
1. Elemental Resistance (S)
2. Priest (D)
I already had this trait copied.
I casually stepped inside the temple.
Intruder!
The barbarians roaming inside reacted as if they had discovered a giant cockroach in the corner.
They had likely never imagined someone could cross the barrier, so their surprise was understandable.
Especially since they usually regarded the living sacrifices as no more than livestock.
Their next reaction like the others before them was to thrust their spears at me.
Bang! Bang!
Like the others, they ended up smashed against the temple walls by sts ofpressed air.
Please move aside.
Capture him!
Barbarians flocked from other ces as well, but I kept walking and pushing my way through.
I knew theyout of the interior by heart, so I headed straight for the central chamber without any hesitation.
As I drew closer, the flowing golden light intensified and the magical power grew stronger.
Upon entering the central room
People dressed neatly were lying on stone beds lined up in a circle.
They looked almost lifeless. Their eyes were hollow as if their souls had left them, though a faint life force could still be felt.
These were the living sacrifices to be used in the ritual.
And in the very center stood a priest with a golden dagger, about to extract the heart from one sacrifices chest when he sensed my presence and slowly turned towards me.
Ah, youvee. Ive been waiting for you.
And when he looked at me, he smiled kindly like a grandfather weing his grandchild for the first time in a while.
Chapter 104: No.353 Feathered Serpent Temple (2)
Chapter 104: No.353 Feathered Serpent Temple (2)
The [Feathered Serpent Altar] and the [Feathered Serpent Temple] were dungeons connected in their storyline, where the choices I had made in the former greatly impacted thetter.
One of these impacts was the priests recognition of me.
To quickly summarize what I had done in the previous dungeon:
I had stormed into the vige and turned everything upside down,
Catch me if you can? You wont be able to, will you?
I tainted the priest and dodged around until Go Hyeon-woo secured the magic sword.
You might want to pay some attention to your defense; it seems a bit sloppy, dont you think?
-I will not make your end a quick one.
When it seemed that there was no reason to dy any further, I finished the fight with an Inferno Fist.
Dont think this is the end. Next time I will definitely!
Sure, lets meet again next time.
Boom, boom, boom!
Even though such a fiery event happened between us, the priests tone when he now faced me was incredibly gentle.
Ive been waiting to meet you again. Day and night, you were all I thought about.
Im not very happy to hear this from a man. There was no need for you to wait so desperately for me, you know.
The priest smiled kindly again.
Everything still seemed peaceful yet his eyes shimmered with a relentless killing intent.
It seems youvee to interfere again, but youre toote. The ritual has already begun, and even I cannot stop it now. How do you n to stop it?
Just like he said, the ritual continued on its own without the priest doing anything.
Invisible energy continually flowed out from the bodies of the lying individuals and was being absorbed by the priest.
His body which had seemed somewhat frail when west met was now robustly bulked up, and his tattoo which was filled with magical power glowed golden.
Even the wrinkles on his face seemed to have diminished. Impressive ritual.
If I sacrifice you and your noisy friend outside, I could significantly hasten the summoning. I might as well reim the magic sword in the process.
You speak as if youve already captured everyone.
The smile on the priests lips deepened and he began to reveal more of his killing intent.
Thats right. None of you will leave this ce alive.
Didnt you say the samest time? Yet here I am, safe and sound.
The priest momentarily shifted his gaze from me to look behind, where the barbarians who had followed me were closing in their circle.
Feel free to struggle if you think you can.
Yes, well. Lets get started.
The priest held a golden dagger in one hand and stretched out his empty hand to the side.
Then the staff that had been standing in a corner of the room flew smoothly into his grasp.
When he lifted the staff high and began chanting a spell, several golden balls of magical power started to rise and gradually expand in size.
Whirr
I mixed Wind Force with Twister, creating a spreading whirlwind.
The barbarians who were approaching me were swept away and toppled over.
Meanwhile, the golden balls that were now significantlyrger hurtled towards me.
They floated silently and slid through the air at a rapid pace.
I grabbed one of the barbarians within reach and threw him into the air, where he was crushed upon colliding with an energy ball.
Crunch,
It was an attribute-less magic, and I knew it would crush me too if it hit me.
As I quickly moved away, the stone floor and walls behind me caved in.
The priest was creating more golden balls and the barbarians were chasing after me.
I clenched my fists tightly as I ran away.
And it started zing with a fiery dark red me.
[Inferno Fist]
Try using it if you dare.
Even though it was the skill that had knocked him out in one blow in thest dungeon, the priest did not seem particrly scared of it.
He must have something hes relying on.
His first source of confidence was that the room where the fight was unfolding was the central room located in the deepest part of the temple.
If I were to use Inferno Fist recklessly, I would risk bringing down the building itself. I could be trapped under the rubble before I could escape.
Therefore, I first absorbed the fiery energy through Overheat to greatly enhance my physical abilities.
Pop! Pop!
I narrowly dodged the iing golden balls, kicked off the ground a few times, and quickly closed the distance.
Although the priest tried to move the balls in front of him in defense,
Whiiish!
I was faster as I whisked past.
I left a cut on the nape of the priests neck.
A bit shallow.
I held Root in one hand and in the other a sword had somehow appeared.
I had picked up a few from the barbarians I had fought along the way; they were about E-rank in quality though.
They were somewhat inadequate for a D-rank boss but they were still useful enough in a pinch.
Despite his throat being shed, the priests face still overflowed with confidence.
Moreover, not a single drop of blood flowed from the severed area.
Soon, the body of the barbarian that was barely alive and crushed, began to twitch wildly and rapidly dried up like a mummy.
Meanwhile, the priests cut neck healed cleanly in an instant.
This was the priests second source of confidence.
As long as the ritual continued, he incessantly absorbed the life force around him to replenish his health.
From the living sacrifices, the barbarians, and even from me if I remained here for too long.
And if we were to add in the buffs he obtained through the ritual, he would have the tenacity to survive two or three hits even if I hit the same spot with Inferno Fist.
If the fight were to move outside the temple, he would then have plenty of health potions (from the barbarian tribe), which would only increase the difficulty.
Do you see now? Continuing a hopeless fight is foolish. Give up now and I shall grant you a painless death.
Give up? I am just getting started.
If you insist on suffering.
The battle resumed.
The barbarians strained tond at least one strike with their spears against me while projectiles flew toward me.
Despite this, I dodged all attacks with superior speed and control and steadily closed in on the priest.
Crack!
I struck the priest in the face with Root in one hand and shed him with a sword in the other hand.
sh!
The priest didnt care even though a long diagonal scar appeared on his chest and tried to hit me by manipting an energy ball.
After dodging it at close range, I continued to swing the sword and Root in rapid session.
ng!
Until the moment came when the sword snapped.
I clicked my tongue and casually threw away the handle that remained.
This is why cheap things just dont work.
Indeed, a weapon should at leastst a lifetime.
Moreover, since Icked swordsman ss skills and traits, I couldnt deal significant damage.
The deficiencies had to bepensated for by vigorously twisting my body.
After creating some distance, I checked on the priests condition,
Ugh
His body was covered in numerous sword wounds.
The rxed demeanor he had just moments before was gone and was reced by a grotesquely twisted face as he looked at me.
However, he soon absorbed the life force of a few living sacrifices and several barbarians sprawled on the ground before healing his injuries and rxing his expression once more.
Do you still not understand? No matter how many times you try, its all futile.
It doesnt seem quite so futile to me. Your food supply seems to be dwindling.
Your situation doesnt look too good either. Youve been dodging well, but how long can thatst?
It was a battle of whether the priest would run out of living sacrifices to absorb first, or whether I would allow even a single attack to get through before that.
And it seemed the priest believed that if he prolonged the fight, I would eventually make a mistake.
If I make a mistake here, Id better bite my tongue.
A mistake I hadnt made even in A-rank or S-rank dungeons. Would I really make one in a D-rank dungeon?
That would be like handing back my stagnant water title.
Of course, there was no need to blurt out such thoughts out loud, so I just silently adjusted my stance and surged forward.
As I rapidly approached him, the priest fired a prepared ball of energy at me, but it missed of course.
Just as I reached him and was ready to swing Root and the E-rank sword I had picked up,
The priest smiled triumphantly.
Youve fallen right into my trap.
sh!
The dagger he held in one hand emitted a light and thenrge energy balls shot out.
Until just moments ago, this was a spell that required considerable time and focus to cast, but now it had manifested without any prior indication.
However, before the energy balls even reached me and before the dagger even began to glow, I had already put a good distance between us.
When his critical strike turned to nothing, the priests face hardened.
How did you dodge that?
Just watch it and dodge it.
To be honest, it wasnt something you could just watch and dodge; it was more like psychological warfare.
I had known about the true nature of that dagger from the beginning and had pushed him to the point where I guessed he would use it.
The priests third source of confidence was the magic dagger.
It was also the hidden piece I intended to take from this dungeon.
The magic it carried was [Memorize].
It was a utility-type magic that allowed you to store a spell that would normally take time to cast and manifest it instantly.
Just like the priest himself demonstrated a moment ago, it was often used as a hidden ace.
To drop the magic dagger, the priest must be defeated in the central room after he used up all the living sacrifices.
The priest must not leave the central room under any circumstances, nor should the sacrifices be attacked prematurely.
Moreover, it was necessary topletely iste the temple from the outside to ensure no more living sacrifices were added.
And right now, the barrier was fulfilling this role but once it was lifted,
It will be up to Go Hyeon-woo to hold them off.
Thats the reason why I left him outside the barrier.
At the same time, it was a chance for him to test his skills against the mid-bosses.
Pop!
Ipressed space again and rushed towards the priest.
The priest, perhaps deciding to try a different tactic, made the energy balls orbit around him and pointed his staff directly at me.
A golden pir of magical power shot out like a beam.
This is even easier.
It was the main magic he used in thest dungeon, so it was just as easy to dodge.
Leaning back and forth to avoid the energy balls, I swung Root and the sword wildly and umted damage on the priest.
Then I quickly retreated to regroup.
Before I surged forward again andunched a flurry of attacks then withdrawing to maintain distance.
How many times did I employ this hit-and-run strategy?
This, this cant be
Gradually, the number of surrounding barbarians and living sacrifices had dwindled to the point where I could count them all at a nce.
And contrary to the priests expectations, I had not made even a tiny mistake.
You seem to be getting nervous.
. Shut up.
The priest gritted his teeth.
He raised his dagger and muttered an incantation and all of a sudden the oppressive atmosphere that had been bearing down on us seemed to lighten.
Atst, the protective barrier surrounding the temple had been deactivated.
This meant that the barbarians who were previously unable to enter would now flood into the temple like a tidal wave.
It also meant that the number of living sacrifices avable for life force absorption had significantly increased.
The priest regained hisposure and let out a low chuckle.
Heh Didnt I tell you it was all futile? Its toote to give up now. I will grant you a most painful death.
Well, Im not so sure about that. Lets just finish what we started.
As you wish.
The battle resumed.
Wounds were carved and healed here and there on the priests body and the number of sacrifices dwindled.
Perhaps since he was thinking that a huge supply of living sacrifices was close at hand, his defense seemed to cken.
However
How can this be?!
Despite the number of remaining sacrifices dropping to single digits, the temple remained eerily silent.
No one seemed to be entering the central room, nor was there any sign of movement throughout the temple.
The priest urgently shouted outside the door.
Why Why arent theying?!
Why arent they, huh?
Seems like Go Hyeon-woo is doing a good job.
Chapter 105: No.353 Feathered Serpent Temple (3)
Chapter 105: No.353 Feathered Serpent Temple (3)
Go Hyeon-woo quickly rushed away.
Bang!
The next moment, a massive stone pir came crashing down.
Fatty embraced the pir he had driven down and aggressively pushed forward.
Drrrrrrr
The floor was furiously torn up with his charge.
A collision would be like getting hit by a moving train.
However, Go Hyeon-woo did not step out of Fattys path but stood still to face him.
As the distance between them closed, he wrapped a gust of wind around the tip of his de and struck at the pir.
Pak,
There was no significant effect.
It was only natural that this did not slow Fattys charge at all.
In such a tense moment, Go Hyeon-woo took arge step to the side and dodged the body attack.
Hmm
Sssssk!
The sharp sound of cutting air reached Go Hyeon-woos ears, signaling danger.
He quickly realized that these were darts shot by Skinny.
He immediately used his footwork to dodge some and deflected the unavoidable ones with his magic sword.
And then continuing his footwork, he moved swiftly forward.
Bang!
Fattys pir came crashing down behind him.
It was a massive, all-out attack, bound to leave some openings.
Go Hyeon-woo spun around to counterattack but then retrieved his sword and retreated.
Sssst!
He backed off because Skinny was covering Fatty with poisoned darts.
A mockingughter seemed to echo from somewhere.
Hehehe
At that moment, Fatty regained his stance and lifted the pir before swinging it down with force.
Go Hyeon-woo tilted his body back and forth to avoid the stone pir, then wrapped a gust of wind around his de and struck back.
Pop,
This movement of his slightly shifted Fattys trajectory, though the deviation was barely noticeable.
Hmm
Go Hyeon-woo continued to murmur thoughtfully while fending off or dodging the relentless attacks.
He asionally swung his sword but only managed to tap the pir yfully.
Baaang!
Go Hyeon-woo widened the gap from the descending pir once more.
However, instead of advancing with a physical attack as before, Fatty stopped and asked in a slow and thick voice.
Why not. fight properly
Tatatat!
Even in the midst of this, Skinnys poisoned darts continued to fly toward him.
After parrying the iing darts, Go Hyeon-woo responded,
I cannot approach this battle casually. I am still not used to this new technique, so it seems I need some practice.
His hesitation tounch a significant counterattack was partly because thebined assault of the two enemies left hardly any openings, but he also wanted to test a new technique he had improved.
This improved technique incorporated insights and minor revtions that he gained from the mentoring sessions and observing the Dharma statue.
Wrapping the wind around the tip of his de was an attempt to get a feel for the technique in his own way.
Fatty asked again,
Practice; how long will you keep doing it?
It ends now. I am ready now.
Fatty silently nodded his head.
Then with his arms bulging as if they were about to burst, he lifted the pir high in the air and swung it with all his might.
Whooom!
The air tore with a booming sound.
The swirling pir filled the view with a gray haze.
..
Despite this, Go Hyeon-woo remained calm and collected.
With every step he took, the stone pir narrowly missed him as it swung by.
Then suddenly, Go Hyeon-woo heightened his momentum.
A gentle breeze circled around and then coiled itself around the de.
And as he thrust it forward,
[Pure Flow]
The stone pir seemed to halt just inches from the de.
The next moment, Go Hyeon-woo shifted his sword sideways as if pushing it, and the pir swung to the side in response.
To the onlookers, it appeared as though Go Hyeon-woo was simply stirring the air with his sword and that caused the huge stone pir to slide aside.
Despite Fattys terrifying strength, the stones considerable weight could not help but be redirected erratically.
As the movements grewrger, so too did the gaps in his defense.
There was a vast opening that even Go Hyeon-woo could exploit with a follow-up move after blocking the iing darts.
[Rapid Current]
Ssssh,
A sh of light grazed Fattys neck.
A thin red line marked Fattys neck, and his body staggered greatly.
Before he fell, he gathered hisst strength to stand up and looked directly at Go Hyeon-woo and said,
You, a remarkable warrior
And then with his eyes wide open, he copsed to the side with a thud.
The stone pir that just lost its owner made a heavy sound as it rolled downward.
Your attacks were also quite impressive. It was a good battle.
Go Hyeon-woo paid hisst respects to Fatty and then positioned his magic sword beside him.
ng! A couple of poison darts struck the de, causing his brow to furrow slightly.
Must it really be so, even in the heat of battle?
Couldnt there be time to pay respects to a worthy opponent?
Without dy, Go Hyeon-woo stepped forward towards the barbarians.
Spears and poison darts flew together, but when they came in contact with Go Hyeon-woos sword, they shattered pointlessly midway.
Ssssh! Ssssh!
Like a wolf darting alone into a flock of sheep, Go Hyeon-woo plunged into the midst of the barbarians and started ruthlessly swinging his sword.
He carved his way through the crowd and soon fixed his gaze on one spot.
He spotted a swift and slender shadow moving quickly.
That way.
Go Hyeon-woo sliced through everything blocking his path and pursued the skinny figure relentlessly.
Skinny tried to escape with nimble movements, but with Go Hyeon-woo determinedly chasing after him alone, there was no way out.
It was even more so now that Fatty who had been a sturdy wall had fallen.
The distance between them closed in an instant, and Go Hyeon-woo caught up right behind Skinny.
He easily swatted away the poisonous darts that were fired in a hurry.
Heheheek!
You should be ashamed of yourself for running away until the end.
Poof!
The de pierced through Skinnys chest and emerged out the other side.
Go Hyeon-woo swung his sword forcefully against the ground to shake off the blood from the de.
Then he suddenly noticed a small box sparkling next to the fallen Skinny.
[Feathered Serpent Temple Random Box (D)]
Kim-hyung would like this.
After taking the box in his arms, Go Hyeon-woo looked around slowly but the barbarians hesitated and didnt dare to charge at him.
And when he thought about it, ever since he had in the two mid-bosses in thest dungeon, their momentum had waned as well even there.
A brief lull followed.
But it did notst long.
Sssssss.
Go Hyeon-woo raised his eyes upward at the strange sound.
The golden barrier that had enshrouded the temple was melting away.
Although he did not know what was happening inside, the fact that the well-maintained barrier wasing down almost certainly meant that the priest was having a tough time.
For Go Hyeon-woo, this was good news; for the barbarians, it was a disaster.
Protect the priest!
Ignore that man; the priestes first!
The barbarians tried to swarm into the temple like a flood, but a breeze-like gentle sword wind swept through them.
Crack-crack,
And it mercilessly tore apart everything within its range.
Go Hyeon-woo stood resolutely in front of the devastation he had created.
You shall not pass before you defeat me.
***
Its finally over.
Kr aagh
The priest leaned against the wall and slowly slumped to the floor.
A de with its upper half gone was deeply embedded in his chest.
Now, only the priest, I, and the shriveled corpses remained in the central room.
When the effects of the ritual were drastically reduced by the depletion of the living sacrifices, even the priest who once boasted formidable resilience started to take damage.
He seemed to have no strength left to resist, but I stood a little distance away and just watched the priest nkly.
He asked as if he felt puzzled.
Why didnt you finish me off?
Id like to, but something feels off.
Some bosses have a final struggle pattern right before they die, and this Feathered Serpent Priest was a good example. He appeared defenseless while secretly looking for an opportunity.
I walked across the central room and picked up a wooden spear dropped by the barbarians.
I threw it and it flew and stuck deep.
The priests face contorted.
You!
Stop dragging this out and bring out whatever youve got hidden. We have a long way to go.
Grrrrr
Shall I throw this again?
Fine!
sh!
The priests body brightly lit up and he abruptly stood up.
It seemed as if he wasnt rising on his own but rather someone was pulling him up.
His sturdy frame deted like a balloon losing air and his once firm skin wrinkled and sagged.
In front of the emaciated priest, whose bones were now visible, a highlypressed golden ball appeared.
It looked simr to the energy balls he had been firing off until moments ago, but the power was iparably greater.
After pouring everything into casting his final spell, the priests body copsed back to the floor.
He clung to a shred of life. He wanted to see me fall before he did.
As you wished I have done it. Now, try and
Escape if you can?
Whirrrrrr
The golden ball targeted me and flew towards me.
Its speed was not particrly fast.
However, when I casually stepped aside, the ball halted mid-air, then turned and flew at me again.
Whirrrrrr
I dodged again, and it changed direction once more to pursue me.
It was like a magic missile with homing ability.
Whirrrrrr whirrrrrrr, whirrrrrrr
Moreover, each time it changed direction, it picked up a bit more speed.
I had a decisive speed advantage thanks to my Thiefs Step and Overheat, but the energy ball which I initially evaded with ease gradually began to catch up with me.
Hehehe
As I frantically ran around the room, the priest let out a low chuckle.
It must have been amusing for him to see me struggling as if my life depended on it.
Moreover, hed find even more amusement knowing that whatever I did, my future was to be hit by the energy ball.
Meanwhile, I quickened my pace and thought to myself,
Ive gained quite a bit of speed.
After changing directions numerous times, the golden ball almost looked like a beam of golden light.
Whizzzzzz,
Now, even at my top speed, it was bing difficult to evade.
Feeling it was enough, I stopped running away.
And I stood with my back against the wall.
Seeing this, the priests wrinkled face broke into a grin filled with delight. He was thinking that I had finally given up.
Its over no
Whirrrr
Just as the golden ball was about to strike me.
I lightly extended my hand forward.
[Distortion activated.]
[Cooldown Time: 23:59:59]
The trajectory of the ball that was about to touch my fingertips twisted dramatically and, unable to keep up with its momentum, crashed into the wall.
The priests eyes bulged as if they were about to burst.
Chapter 106: Used as a Coffe Cup
Chapter 106: Used as a Coffe Cup
The power of the golden ball was immense.
Boooom!
Perhaps because it was cast by a D-rank boss who poured his life force into the magic, not only did one side of the wall shatterpletely, but the temple itself shook as if struck by an earthquake.
I shrugged my shoulders at the sight.
As long as it doesnt hit me.
Although I could easily tweak the trajectory of the ball with Distortion, using it rashly could cause it to change direction and fly back at me.
So I kept running and increasing the speed of the energy ball until I precisely adjusted the angle so it would crash into the wall with Distortion.
This cant be happening How could this
Of course, to the priest who was unaware of these details, it must have looked quite different.
It seemed as if I was barely avoiding the ball only to casually flick it away with a gesture of my hand.
Despair and disbelief filled his eyes.
Im very sorry.
This cant be
The priest kept repeating This cant be until he finally drew hisst breath.
Shortly after, his body turned to dust, leaving behind a golden dagger and two boxes.
[Magic Dagger (C)]
[Feather Serpent Temple Random Box (D)] *2
Rumbeee
The vibrations underfoot grew increasingly intense.
It was due both to the energy ball having struck the entire temple and to the sign that the dungeon was copsing following the priests death.
Therefore, I immediately moved outside the temple.
The first thing I saw was the back of Go Hyun-woo.
And below him, a veritable hellish scene unfolded.
The sword energy had swept through so many times that an entire floor had been sliced away and the torn remains were all dark red.
Just as Go Hyun-woo was about to swing his sword mercilessly again, he turned his head towards me.
It looks like its over.
Yes, you held up well. It made things easier for me.
Im d to have been of help.
Lets go, now.
***
After stepping through the portal to the outside, Shin Byeong-cheol revealed himself from stealth and greeted us.
Ah, youve emerged. How did it go? Any trouble clearing it?
No trouble at all.
It was quite the beneficial experience.
We began walking towards the surface.
During this, Shin Byeong-cheol slowly closed the distance between us, somewhat awkwardly, then smiled broadly in the style of Han So-mi.
He seemed to be anticipating something quite eagerly.
I pulled out a random box from my inventory and handed it over to him.
Here you go. Consider this your fee for the request.
Oh, thank you so much, customer-nim.
He politely extended both hands as if ready to receive it.
Typically, the fee for guiding through the lower levels of the dungeon was paid by purchasing items from the student store or by sharing a portion of the dungeons rewards.
And since the reward for clearing the Feathered Serpent Temple this time was random boxes, I was handing over one of them.
However, a D-rank random box was somewhat excessive for Shin Byeong-cheol, who provided guide services at a first-year level, so I bnced it out by nning a few more unpaid requests in the future.
But before handing over the random box, I checked with him onest time.
What if it turns out to be a dud? You wont regret it?
Of course not. A man takes his chances, good or bad, right?
Alright then.
With that said, it only seemed right to let him have his way.
As soon as I let go of the box, Shin Byeong-cheol eagerly bowed repeatedly and took the box with both hands.
Then he asked,
Hey, can I open this right now?
He seemed quite anxious.
I nodded my head nonchntly.
Its yours now, so do as you wish.
Okay, here goes. Will I get the golden rainbow?!
Click.
[Feathered Serpent Tribes Wooden Cup (F)]
Shin Byeong-cheol stiffened up on the spot.
I told you, a dud really is the end of it.
Go Hyun-woo fully understood his feelings and gently patted Shin Byeong-cheols shoulder.
I have that same wooden cup myself. Its not bad as a teacup.
However, those words didnt seem to offer muchfort.
***
The next day.
After lunch, we found a quiet spot to sit together.
Go Hyun-woo had only handed over the random boxes dropped by Fatty and Skinny before leaving and saying,
I wonder if its because of me that these bad thingse out.
It was because F-rank wooden cups had already popped out twice in his presence.
While I saw no connection, he felt uneasy so I let him be.
And so, Seo Ye-in and I sat down alone before I opened my inventory.
[Feathered Serpent Temple Random Box (D)] *2
Well do some box-opening again today.
p, p
Seo Ye-in silently pped her hands.
Before we started opening the boxes, I turned over my shoulder and said,
Youre wee toe closer.
Just then, An Jeong-mi suddenly emerged from the bushes a little distance from us.
Except for her mentoring duties, as the head of the Future Strategy Office and Seo Ye-ins butler, she was always around to keep an eye on Seo Ye-in.
She made sure to hide her body so as not to disturb the other students though.
An Jeong-mi quickly recognized the nature of the random box and asked,
Have you been to the underground levels?
Yes,st night.
I had revealed this deliberately to gauge her reaction, and as expected, An Jeong-mi did not seem particrly troubled by the fact that I had gone down to the underground of the dungeon building.
Strictly speaking, this is a vition of the rules, but sticking to the rules is not my style. However, as someone who once studied at the Dragon yer Academy, I would like to give you some advice.
Im all ears.
An Jeong-mi said in a serious tone,
Considering what Ive observed about Kim Ho-nims personality, even if you approach with great certainty, I advise you to always be extra careful when entering the underground levels of the dungeon building. Theres a reason why this ind was once considered a cursed ce.
There were over a thousand dungeons in the underground, and their types were immensely varied.
The [Feathered Serpent] series and [ck Death] were dungeons that followed a set storyline, and therefore, knowing the right strategies meant you were halfway to clearing them.
On the other hand, there were countless dungeons where randomness ruled and strategies barely mattered.
In such ces, one had to rely solely on their own strength and quick wits to navigate through.
Of course, I was aware of this and chose simpler locations for that reason, but even in dungeons with clear strategies, the possibility of unforeseen variables always existed.
One such instance urred in the ck Death dungeon where Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol encountered the hidden boss, White Death.
It was a boss one would typically never see unless they were extremely unlucky, yet there they were, facing him.
This is why one must always consider the worst-case scenario and be prepared as a single misstep could endanger ones life.
For these reasons, I too found An Jeong-mis advice to be sound.
I will bear that in mind. Thank you for the advice.
Can I go down too?
Seo Ye-in asked to which An Jeong-mi sternly replied,
Absolutely not. Miss and Kim Ho-nim are different. Mis should only tackle dungeons that you are qualified for.
.
Seo Ye-in looked at Ahn Jeong-mi for a few seconds without saying a word before shifting her gaze to me.
It seemed like she was letting her words go in one ear and out the other.
Sensing this, An Jeong-mi emphasized her point again.
Miss, thats not possible. If anything were to happen to you in the lower levels, a lot of people including myself, would be deeply saddened. Please consider us and exercise caution.
Then, theres the possibility that an entire department could be wiped out.
As the warnings were repeated, Seo Ye-in slowly nodded her head.
. Alright.
Atst, An Jeong-mi let out a silent sigh of relief.
It felt like that conversation alone might have shortened her life span by a few months.
Who knew that a butlers job could be so extremely demanding?
Alright, lets open it up.
I changed the subject to lighten the mood.
After handing Seo Ye-in a random box, I asked her,
Do you want to do the honors again this time?
Mhmm.
It was the third time Seo Ye-in had taken charge of opening the box.
Just like before, there was no hint of nervousness in her demeanor.
She effortlessly lifted the lid of the box and,
sh!!
A bright white light burst forth, filling the entire view.
After a moment, the light faded and what remained was a tightly rolled magic scroll.
[Shape Transformation Scroll Life(B)]
Another B-rank?
Seo Ye-ins incredible luck had been evident in the two previous random box openings.
She had drawn a B-rank cushion from a D-rank random box,
And then drew out an A-rank Millennium Iron from a B-rank ingot box. She was a true master of luck.
Still, I hadnt expected her to draw another B-rank item this time.
Moreover, it seemed like fate was targeting Seo Ye-in with yet another daily life item.
[Shapeshifting Scroll Life(B)]
Allows the appearance transformation of B-rank or lower daily life-type items.
The item used for appearance transformation will disappear.
Warning: Use on A-rank or higher items may result in a downgrade of their effects.
Seo Ye-in already possessed the [Feather Cushion (B)] from the previous box opening.
It wasnt just a normal cushion though; it wasden with effects for an improved nap life, elerating fatigue recovery, enhancing resistance to status ailments, and improving skin health.
ording to An Jeong-mi, it had been very useful to her.
However, the design of the cushion was quite boringpared to its performance. It seemed as if the scroll that popped out was suggesting to us, Why not change that cushions appearance?
As expected, Seo Ye-in showed great interest.
Each time I yfully moved the scroll around, her gaze followed it.
Then she looked straight at me and sent me an expressionless but sparkling look that clearly meant, Give that to me.
I smiled wryly and extended the scroll to her.
Alright, take it. Daily life items dont really mean much to me anyway, and with my luck, I wouldnt have been able to draw it anyway.
Thank you.
My gesture was partly as a friendly favor and partly with a calcted intent.
The butler is watching, after all.
When I first met An Jeong-mi, she had promised topensate me for helping Seo Ye-in grow.
And when I had promised to go out with Seo Ye-in to the downtown area over the weekend, she had assured me that she would make it worth my while.
With such a growing sense of debt towards me, there was no need to put a price on just one scroll.
As expected, An Jeong-mi watched me with deeply moved eyes.
I then pointed to the second random box amidst the warm atmosphere.
Shall we open the remaining one?
Shall we?
Seo Ye-in had ced her hand on the cover.
However, for some reason, she paused midway through opening it and hesitated.
She titled her head in puzzlement as she looked at the random box before she handed it over to An Jeong-mi and said,
You open it.
Caught off guard by the sudden pass, An Jeong-mis pupils wavered.
You mean me?
Mhmm.
An Jeong-mis expression turned into that of a new employee who had suddenly been burdened with a huge project.
This random box was mine, and since it was D-rank, the likelihood of something out of the ordinary popping out was quite high.
Thus, the possibility of an awkward situation arising was also quite high.
Her eyes conveyed extreme difort and a plea for help, but
Its okay. Im not too worried about what mighte out.
I only doubled the burden on her with my friendly smile.
Based on past experiences, it seemed that Seo Ye-ins tremendous luck did not activate twice in a row.
That left me and An Jeong-mi, and probably the odds were simr no matter who drew.
Wouldnt it be more fun if the butler did it?
Understood.
An Jeong-mi seemed to resign herself to her inevitable fate.
And then she carefully opened the box with the most tense demeanor she had shown so far.
Click,
[Feathered Serpent Tribes Wooden Cup (F)]
Herplexion turned ashen, or rather, it was now the same color as the wooden cup.
She immediately bent at the waist in a 90-degree bow.
Im sorry.
Its okay. Really.
I dont know how to apologize for this
Its okay, Im telling you.
Even though I repeatedly told her that it was okay, An Jeong-mi couldnt raise her head for a long time.
In the end, the wooden cup was going to be used by An Jeong-mi as a coffee cup.
Chapter 107: Watch It and Block It (1)
Chapter 107: Watch It and Block It (1)
An Jeong-mi seemed apologetic throughout, but I truly wasnt bothered at all.
When we had set out to conquer the Feathered Serpent Altar, the Priest item was my target, but I had already acquired and melted it down a while ago; and I had no further expectations afterward.
Besides, even if there had been something I wanted, a random box isnt exactly an item that behaves as one wishes.
So, I was quite rxed about it and thought it would be fine either way.
And after all, the main reward is the dagger.
[Feathered Serpent Magic Dagger (C)]
Automatic Durability Recovery
Memorize (C)
1. Stores magic twice
2. The rank of stored magic is reduced by 1
Memorize.
Most magic skills require time to cast, whether it would be long or short, but magic stored with Memorize can bypass this casting time and activate instantly.
However, its not as if one can store and freely use magic without limits; with a C-rank Memorize, you can only use magic twice per day.
Once youve used it twice, Memorize would be sealed until the next day.
If you store an A-rank magic, it manifests as B-rank when instantly activated with Memorize,
And while there is the advantage of instant activation, the strength of the unleashed magic is somewhat reduced.
If you store D-rank magic, it manifests as E-rank.
The rank decreases by one step ording to the C-rank standard of Memorize.
These limitations could be mitigated by increasing the rank of Memorize. Unfortunately, skills imbued in equipment rarely grow.
Still, a C-rank would prove quite useful for a while.
I separated the de and the handle of the magic dagger and attached the detached de to the end of the [Root].
This resulted in a very shortnce with a ck shaft and a golden de.
[Root(A)]
Very high mana conductivity
Damage protection (A) applied
Automatic durability recovery.
Levitate zone (C) constantly activated.
Upgradeable
Upgradeable
Upgradeable
Ive made sufficient use of the Priest trait by now.
Copy-Trait [2/2]
1. Elemental Resistance (S)
2. Priest (D)
It was fine now to overwrite the second slot with a different trait.
If Im to copy a skill or trait, taking it from third-year Dang Gyu-young would be most ideal.
So, duringst weeks duel battle and the [Distortion] training, I closely observed her abilities, but unfortunately, everything I identified was from either the thief or shadow caster sses.
A versatile skill like [Thiefs Step] wouldnt be noticeable if I copied and used it,
But using [Shadow Butterfly Flight] would instantly raise suspicions about me since a truckload of people would start doubting me.
This was because a shadow caster itself is extremely rare, and Shadow Butterfly Flight was almost like Dang Gyu-youngs signature skill.
The same went for her traits.
For these reasons, I decided to put off copying anything from Dang Gyu-young.
Next, I turned my attention to Song Cheon-hye.
She was also a mage ss like me and since she also belonged to the disciplinarymittee, she ranked among the top of the first-year students.
Last week, I was slowly progressing in the defensive strategy battle at Song Cheon-hyes pace, but half of the reason for that was to observe any special traits she might have.
The other half was because of the [Close Combat] and [Commander] rules, so I needed to raise Song Cheon-hyes skills to a certain extent rather than doing it everything on my own.
Its almostplete now.
I had already chosen the trait to copy from her, and after continuously practicing in practice mode, we had developed a sufficient level of proficiency in defense.
It was time to start scoring in the real dungeon defense.
***
After school.
In the dungeon building.
While Song Cheon-hye was waiting for Kim Ho,
She paced around deep in thought. She was obviously thinking about this weeks defense strategy battle.
I managed to watch it and block it at least
She had seeded in reading the Beheader Goblins pre-movement and blocking the thrown cleaver.
On her sixth attempt.
Of course I would seed in one attempt, she had boldly dered to Kim Ho and though it was an embarrassing oue, Song Cheon-hye chose to ignore that fact.
Anyway, the important thing is that I seeded, right?
Isnt it all good if the oue is good?
The fact that the cleaver no longer embedded itself in the statue meant that there was no longer the fear of losing a chunk of health in one go.
Thanks to this, she was able to significantly improve her best record.
However, after the seventh and eighth attempts, the statues remaining health still hadnt surpassed 70%.
For Song Cheon-hye, who was aiming for over 90% or even a perfect defense, this was a disappointing performance.
I at least want to surpass Hong Yeon-hwa.
Currently, the best record held by the Hong Yeon-hwaKwak Ji-cheol pair was in the low 80%. They were consistently outperforming the Kim Ho and Song Cheon-hye pair.
In Song Cheon-hyes mind, she pictured Hong Yeon-hwas cold and mockingugh. It was a version significantly more malicious than reality.
Ugh!
Song Cheon-hye trembled with frustration.
Outwardly, she pretended not to care, but she harbored a sense of rivalry just as deeply.
She still harbored resentment from being beaten 1 to 0 in their previous face-to-face sticker battle.
I have to win this time. Especially over Hong Yeon-hwa.
But what more could she do here?
That was exactly why Song Cheon-hye was deep in thought.
After repeating simr actions eight times, she was slowly realizing something.
That this might be her limit.
There might be a little room for improvement but it was unlikely to exceed 80%.
Should she press her partner Kim Ho?
That wouldnt make sense either.
Song Cheon-hye had some sense of decency.
It was he who had pointed out the Beheader Goblins preliminary movements she had missed, and it was he who had consistently covered for her every time she didnt catch the cleaver.
Moreover, it would prick her conscience too much to say Try harder!
What should I do now?
Thus, her dilemma went round and round before returning to the starting point.
No clear solution came to mind.
Song Cheon-hye could neither do this nor that and was merely spinning in ce like a puppy chasing its tail.
Suddenly, she sensed someone approaching and turned her head.
Her eyes met Kim Hos as he walked toward her from a distance.
She wished he would walk a bit faster now that their eyes had met, but Kim Ho maintained his rxed pace as he approached her.
You arrived?
How about Hong Yeon-hwas team?
They went in ahead.
The two stared at the closed teleportation portal for a moment.
Kim Ho was the first to look away and asked,
Shall we go into the actual battle?
Wouldnt it be better to refine our skills a bit more?
She was not yet mentally prepared to enter the actual battle.
It would be better to continue practicing until the weekend and conclude on Sunday.
However, Kim Ho seemed to have a slightly different opinion.
I think its pointless to practice anymore at this point.
Are we going to settle for a 70% score?
No, I didnt say 70%.
Then what?
Kim Ho asked again.
Whats your target score?
Hong Yeon-hwa I mean above 90%.
Song Cheon-hye almost blurted out Just higher than Hong Yeon-hwa but quickly caught herself.
The fact that she saw Hong Yeon-hwa as a rival was her own secret.
Kim Ho didnt seem to care about her minor slips of the tongue and just focused on thetter part.
90% is definitely worth trying.
. How?
How does that calction work?
Where does the missing 20%e from?
Instead of answering, Kim Ho pulled something out of his inventory.
A very short spear with an overall ck color.
Ive just acquired it.
At first nce, it was clear that it was a high-quality item.
It appeared more like a well-crafted weapon than a magical item, but the true nature of an item wasnt known until its effects were checked.
It might even have effects specialized for this particr battle.
Still, Song Cheon-hye was somewhat skeptical.
It seems like a good item, but isnt 90% a bit too optimistic? I would understand 75%.
No, 90% is correct.
Id say at most 80%.
Im confident about it. Want to bet? Whether we exceed 90% or not.
Song Cheon-hyespetitive spirit was ignited.
What are we betting?
The same asst time, a wish ticket.
You already have one.
If I win, Ill have two. If you win, its a tie.
Song Cheon-hye quickly reviewed their conversation and tapped away at her internal calctor.
In the worst case, it would be status quo.
Since she would be scoring it just like in practice mode, ensuring at least 70% of the goddess statues health was guaranteed.
She didnt trust this man very much but he wasnt the type to make up stories or boast excessively.
Thus, while it was unclear exactly what he had prepared, setting a new record to some extent was possible.
90% seemed just nonsense to her, but up to 80% was feasible.
And at that level, they wouldnt be too far behind Hong Yeon-hwas team.
It would not be a loss in terms of scoring and she would win the bet.
Song Cheon-hye reached a conclusion.
I need to raise the stakes.
Pretending she couldnt win, she made a counteroffer.
Okay, but if you fail to reach 90%, lets make it two.
Two wish tickets?
Yes.
Kim Ho paused to look at Song Cheon-hye while deep in thought.
His expression was hard to read but there seemed to be a trace of pity in his eyes.
Soon he agreed with a somewhat resigned nod.
Lets do that. Two wish tickets.
Done.
A faint smile appeared on Song Cheon-hyes lips.
With two wish tickets, not only would she eliminate the one Kim Ho possessed but she would also gain one for herself.
She nned to use that wish ticket to ask him about the suspicious circumstances during the time he was found in the dungeon building.
Perfect.
Chapter 108: Watch It and Block It (2)
Chapter 108: Watch It and Block It (2)
When Kim Ho and Song Cheon-hye entered the dungeon,
Dang Gyu-young who had been sitting next to the statue of a goddess greeted them.
Practice? Or real?
Well try the real one.
Good.
Dang Gyu-young was quite pleased with their decision.
Her role in this weeks defense strategy battle was asmander, and all she did was sit in a corner and barely lift a finger.
Compared to the sticker duel battle, nothing could be more rxing but that was only enjoyable for a day or two.
After spending the whole week like this, she was beginning to feel the onset of boredom.
Send a signal when youre ready. Well start right away.
Yes, Senior-nim.
As soon as Dang Gyu-young lightly kicked off the ground, she disappeared in an instant.
Watching the spot where Dang Gyu-young had vanished, Song Cheon-hye nced up at the goddess statue and then said to Kim Ho,
Lets take our positions.
Lets do that.
The two moved to their usual positions as they had always done.
Standing in front of the main gate, Song Cheon-hye pulled out a pair of gloves and put them on both hands while gazing at the sunset that dyed the outside scenery red.
She clenched and unclenched her fists, causing the tiny topazes embedded in the gloves to crackle with a faint current.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Statue of the Goddess: 100%]
[Remaining Time: 9:58]
Kerruk.
Keruk!
Goblins aligned in rows advanced in unison.
Song Cheon-hye watched them calmly as she infused mana into the ground.
Arge magic circle was swiftly taking shape.
[Lightning Field]
Fizzzzzz!
As soon as the goblins stepped onto the magical floor, sparks wildly erupted from their bodies.
However, the goblins paid it no heed and continued to push forward. They were faithfully executing Dang Gyu-youngsmands.
Meanwhile, Song Cheon-hye did nothing more than set up the field. She simply crossed her arms and watched indifferently as the goblins passed by her.
Only when rocks or wooden spears flew toward her did she erect a magical barrier to block them.
Kerruk,
Keeek!
Just as the goblins were about to exit the range of the field,
Song Cheon-hye unleashed a spell she had prepared in advance.
[Lightning Nova]
Fzzzzzzzzzzzzt!
Waves of current radiated out from Song Cheon-hye at the center.
Goblins swept away by the waves instantly turned into charred ashes and scattered away.
The next moment, the area within a few meters of her became an empty space.
Keeek!
Kerruk.
As the goblins continued to advance and continued filling the space,
Fzzzzzzzzt!
Once again, a Lightning Nova radiated out from Song Cheon-hye and swept them away.
One thing she had learned through repeating these defense battles,
Defense must be efficient.
There was no need toplicate things by linking this magic with that.
Just choose the most efficient pair and unleash them repeatedly.
Having nearly a hundred spells at her disposal, it took some trial and error, but she eventually narrowed it down tobining [Field] and [Nova].
She waited until as many monsters as possible were within the range of the Lightning Nova, then wiped them out all at once.
The two spells had nearly identical ranges so they worked well together.
While Song Cheon-hye was perfectly defending the main gate, a familiar sound reached her from over her shoulder.
Rumbleee,
It was undoubtedly the sound of the side wall copsing so Song Cheon-hye felt no need to look back.
After all, Kim Ho would handle it well on his own.
As she continued to cast Lightning Nova while focusing only on what was in front of her, about half of the remaining time had passed.
[Statue of the Goddess: 100%]
[Remaining Time: 4:51]
Grrrr
Now that the Beheader Goblin had appeared, the real challenge began.
A clear mana shimmered on the cleaver it clenched.
The Beheader Goblin began to pick up its speed and the hordes of goblins rushed forward behind it.
Meanwhile, Song Cheon-hye stood at the main gate and stared at the approaching goblins.
In one hand, intense currents crackled and gathered to form a thick bolt of lightning.
And in her other hand, she was assembling the next spell.
Soon, the cleaver and the lightning shed together.
Zzzzzt!
Grrrr.
The Beheader Goblin took a few steps back.
It was a natural oue given Song Cheon-hyes superior skills.
Soon, the goblin charged in even more fiercely with increased hostility.
Song Cheon-hye maintained her position calmly while responding to each attack with poise.
Before the goblins could breach the main gate, she unleashed the Lightning Nova she had prepared in advance.
Fizzzzzzzzzzzz!
I need to buy more time.
She realized this for the second time.
The resilience of the Beheader Goblin was not ordinary; defeating it quickly was not an option.
It was better to focus on defense and prolong the battle rather than try to take it down swiftly.
ng!
Song Cheon-hye and the Beheader shed and separated repeatedly.
And from time to time she swept away the goblins trying to pass by using the Lightning Nova.
[Statue of the Goddess: 100%]
[Remaining Time: 2:41]
Everything was still perfect.
Kim Ho must be effectively blocking the side entrance.
Just a little longer!
She resolved to hold out and extend the fight.
The longer she could maintain the defense, the less time the goblins would have to attack the statue when it was breached.
Grrr?
At that moment, the Beheader Goblin paused and its eyes shifted slightly as if it had received new orders from Dang Gyu-young.
It then charged more aggressively than before.
The cleaver and the lightning shed again,
ng!
Guaaah!
The Beheader Golin was pushed back just like before but its next move was different.
Instead of retreating, it threw its entire disheveled form forward.
This is!
Fizzzzz!
Despite Song Cheon-hye pouring on her lightning magic, therge goblin remained unmoved.
Its determination to cling on and not let go was evident.
Kerrruk.
Keeek!
Taking advantage of that opening, some goblins attempted to pass through the main gate.
Song Cheon-hye cast Lightning Nova again,
Fzzzzzzzt,
but the wave of current that should have spread out in a circle was partly obstructed by the Beheader Goblins body and only dispersed halfway.
Its potency was significantly reduced.
Dang Gyu-youngs order seemed to be to physically interfere and block the magic.
Choosing to expose more weaknesses and sustain more damage but effectively counter the Lightning Nova.
And this strategy proved to be quite effective.
Kerrruk.
Keruk!
Goblins began to break through the defense line and enter the temple one or two at a time.
From here on, she had no choice but to rely on Kim Ho to stop the other goblins.
She needed to focus on defeating the Beheader Goblin after all.
Boom!!
There was the sound of something bursting from over her shoulder.
It was louder than usual but it was a sound she had often heard.
It seemed that Kim Ho hadpressed the wind and caused it to explode.
She was too busy exchanging blows with the Beheader Goblin to turn around, but she could roughly guess what he had done.
He had detonated the wind to disrupt the goblins beyond the side wall, and while they were regaining their footing, he moved near the statue of the goddess.
He was supposed to protect the statue from the goblins that Song Cheon-hye had missed.
That was the n, anyway.
Bang! Bang!
Keeek!
Kak!
The sound of the wind bursting was very close, right behind her back, and the goblins that had just passed her flew through the air andnded in front of her.
Just as Song Cheon-hye looked back in bewilderment,
.?
Surprise~
Kim Ho who had approached her quickly gave his greetings.
What are you doing here? What about the breach, and the statue
Song Cheon-hye asked incredulously.
Originally, Kim Hos role was to block the side hole and then move near the statue to continue the defense once the main gate was breached.
If he had ruined that n with a so-called surprise she would have been very angry.
Instead of responding to Song Cheon-hyes half-question and half-reproach, Kim Ho just grinned and spread his hands.
What was he trying to do now?
And then another question arose.
Why are his hands empty?
Where had he left his weapon?
It was then that she noticed. Towards the side wall,
Whoooosh!
Kim Hos spear was stuck in the ground.
And a fierce wind was blowing around it.
Because of this, the goblins tried to crawl out of the breach on the side wall, but they were repeatedly pushed back by the relentless wind.
It seemed as if the spear was casting Kim Hos wind magic on his behalf.
What about the closebat rule?
If they were this far apart, the rules of [Close Combat] should have significantly reduced his wind magics power, but the wind magic appeared to be exerting its full force.
The reason for this was not difficult to guess.
It was because the spear itself was the caster of the magic.
But is that even possible?
She understood it logically but it still felt somewhat perplexing.
It was definitely a surprise.
Bang!
Grrr
Just then, thepressed air exploded right in front of her and the Beheader Goblin who was about to swing its cleaver was pushed back.
Song Cheon-hye snapped back to reality and she heard Kim Ho say.
Stop getting distracted.
Ah, yes!
Try something big, something big.
Something big?
Yes. Ill cover for you.
Song Cheon-hye quickly grasped Kim Hos intention.
From their previous attempts, it was clear he meant for her to cast a powerful spell that they hadnt had the chance to use before, one that would significantly deplete the Beheader Goblins health.
She immediately began to gather mana and focused her mind intently.
All kinds of geometric characters were quickly assembled to take the shape of a spell.
Due to therge andplex nature of the spell, it required a significant amount of mana, but soon a blue crown floating above Song Cheon-hyes head began to infuse additional mana into the spell.
Boom! Bang!
Meanwhile, Kim Ho had been perfectly buying time by pushing everything approaching them away with his wind magic.
The Beheader Goblin who had been trying to force its way through as before was helplessly pushed back by the wind force.
And just as Song Cheon-hyes magic was nearlyplete,
Whirrrrrr
Kerrukk?
Keek?
Grrr?
The wind that had been blowing straight started to swirl and pull the Beheader Goblin and the goblins together into one spot.
And Song Cheon-hyesrge-scale magic spell descended at that center.
[Summon Thunderstorm]
Rumble! Crash!
Thick thunderbolts struck down and turned the entire area upside down.
Originally, it was a wide-area spell that inflicted damage over a wide area, but now Song Cheon-hye had slightly modified the spell to focus the lightning at the center of the whirlwind.
It struck precisely above the Beheader Goblins head.
Soon the area in front of the gate was covered in thick dust, obscuring all visibility.
When the lightning finally stopped, Kim Ho created a gust of wind to clear away the dust.
Gur, ugh
The goblins trapped inside the whirlwind had already been neatly dispatched, and the Beheader Goblin was staggering around in an almost groggy state.
Kim Ho nced at this scene and turned his back without hesitation.
Finish it. Ill go block the others again.
When Song Cheon-hye nced to see what the situation was like on the side wall, the wind died down little by little and the goblins wereing out of the breach one by one.
It seemed there was a time limit even to the magic channeled through his spear.
After all, it wouldnt make sense for it tost indefinitely.
Groaaar!
Even in this hopeless situation, the Beheader Goblin did not lose its fighting spirit and swung its cleaver at her.
However, the impact felt much less when the lightning struck the cleaver, which meant that therge-scale magic had significantly drained its health.
Before they even exchanged a few blows,
Kraaaah!
The Beheader Goblin roared loudly and pulled its arm back. It was the one holding the cleaver.
Seeing this, Song Cheon-hyes eyes sparkled with realization.
She had read its pre-movement for throwing the cleaver.
With a swift motion, she dashed toward the Beheader Goblin and unleashed a powerful bolt of lightning toward the swinging cleaver.
Bloock!!
iiit!!
Just as the cleaver left the Beheader Goblins hand, it collided with the lightning and its trajectory sharply veered off course.
The cleaver spun wildly before flying far from the statue andnding with a thud in an unexpected spot on the ground.
Grooo
Then as if all its health had been depleted, the Beheader Goblin simply turned to ash and scattered away.
Song Cheon-hye clenched her fist tightly.
Sess!
How much health is left?
She hurriedly checked the scoreboard to find:
[Statue of the Goddess: 94%]
[Remaining Time: 1:03]
There is so much left.?
A small gasp escaped Song Cheon-hyes lips.
At this rate, it was almost as if they had allowed no attacks at all.
However, she couldnt let her guard down until the very end.
There were still remnants around, and there was always the chance that something as trivial as a blind stone might strike the statue.
Song Cheon-hye rushed towards the statue to help Kim Ho.
***
[Statue of the Goddess: 93/100% = 465 points]
+ [Goblins Killed: 120 = 60 points]
+ [Strong Enemy Killed = 100 points]
+ [Clear Bonus = 300 points]
[Total Score: 925 points]
* Ground Floor Dungeon Strategy Multiplier 0.8 = 740pts
Watching the scores tally up, Song Cheon-hye was quite satisfied.
It was almost certainly one of the highest scores in the grade.
She felt confident that this would sufficiently humble Hong Yeon-hwa as well.
Because of this, her tone was considerably gentler.
I thought it was impossible, but you really did exceed 90%. I must have been mistaken.
I was also worried about how you would use your new weapon, but you used it in a way I couldnt have imagined, which surprised me a bit.
Your decision to coordinate with me and deliver a burst attack on the Beheader Goblin was smart. The pattern emerged quickly.
However, Kim Ho just smiled broadly and watched Song Cheon-hye.
Normally, he would have said something by now, but strangely enough, he kept his mouth shut.
?
When Song Cheon-hye tilted her head in confusion, Kim Ho slowly raised one hand and lifted his index finger.
What? Was he indicating to look up?
She raised her gaze but there was nothing above.
When she looked back at Kim Ho, the smile on his lips had deepened.
Then he slowly spread two more fingers and silently mouthed the words with his lips.
Three. Wish. Tickets.
Ah.
Chapter 109: Watch It and Block It (3)
Chapter 109: Watch It and Block It (3)
While I was blocking the side walls breach, I noticed the main gates defenses were breached and immediately sprang into action.
First, I used the Memorize skill imbued in the Root weapon to cast Wind Force and drove it deep into the ground.
Although Wind Force was a spell with a short casting time and could be used directly, I purposely went through Memorize because,
It avoids the rule penalty that way.
The intent was to make the system recognize that the Root not I was casting the spell, thereby avoiding the [Close Combat] rule penalty.
Having temporarily secured the side walls defense, I approached Song Cheon-hye to help buy her time so she could cast arge-scale spell.
Of course, I had another purpose ining here beside just inflicting massive damage on the Beheader Goblin.
I need to copy her trait.
Copy-Trait [2/2]
1. Elemental Resistance (S)
2. Sovereigns Crown
The Sovereigns Crown.
It was a trait every mage wanted to have.
The trait that greatly contributed to Song Cheon-hye being called a mana monster was also this one.
Like the [Blessing of the West Wind] I had learned, it didnt have a rank
And its effects included a bonus to mana-type skills and traits, along with reduced mana consumption.
As soon as I copied this trait, my [Core] which had been stuck at C-rank, instantly advanced to C+. Since the number of mana-type skills would continue to increase, this would be extremely beneficial in the long term.
The reason I had encouraged Song Cheon-hye to userge-scale magic was to make the activation of this trait more noticeable.
After all, even for a mana monster, casting a powerful spell like [Summon Thunderstorm] would consume a significant amount of mana.
As expected, while Song Cheon-hye was assembling arge spell and pumping it full of mana, I was able to copy the blue crown that appeared above her head.
This weeks quest is wellpleted as well.
[Side Quest: 6th Week Strategy Battle]
Objective: Protect the Statue of the Goddess
Deadline: ~Sunday midnight
Reward: Varies based on the remaining health (93/100%)
This weeks side quest was alsopleted with the highest reward condition of over 90%.
[Material Selection (C)]
Acquire your desired C-rank material.
Though there was no immediate need for it, the future was filled with potential items to create, whether they be equipment or consumables.
Using material selection would save the effort of having to search for that material. This was a solid advantage because the more you have, the better.
That concludes this week.
If there was an unexpected gain
It came from the bet with Song Cheon-hye, where the wish tickets I now had multiplied into three.
Alright, lets bet. But if you fail to reach 90%, lets make it two?
When she countered with that proposal, I wondered what she was thinking.
She must have been certain I couldnt achieve a 90% sess rate, which is why she made such an offer, but was her confidence strong enough to raise the stakes?
Or was it actually because she was like a genie from amp that was obligated to grant exactly three wishes?
It was impossible to tell.
***
The disciplinarymittee room was quiet.
It seemed that everyone had simultaneously stepped out.
Song Cheon-hye was alone and she continued to review the documents she had been processing the day before, but she soon set them aside.
Then she walked over to the sofa and sat down demurely.
.
As Song Cheon-hye leaned back against the sofa and stared nkly ahead, she slipped down and suddenly burst out,
Uwaaah! Why did I do that! Why did I do that! Why! Why did I do that!
She began to il her arms and legs around.
The joy of having finished the defense strategy battle with excellent results had long been buried.
She had given away three wish tickets after all.
And to no one else but Kim Ho!
Up until the start of the strategy battle, she was convinced she would definitely win the bet.
It made no sense for a steady 70% record maintained throughout the week to suddenly jump by 20%.
That was her oversight.
She hadnt considered that the sly man, Kim Ho, might also have his own certainty in making the bet.
Moreover, it wasnt just about losing the bet
What confidence did I have to bet two wish tickets in one go?
She herself couldnt fathom why she had taken such an action.
As the image of herself making the counter-proposal and Kim Hos surprised look surfaced, Song Cheon-hyes iling became even more intense.
If she had a nket, she would have kicked it until it had holes in it. Though this was not the dormitory but the disciplinarymittee room.
She worried that if she remembered this again before going to sleep tonight, she might actually kick a hole through something.
As Song Cheon-hye continued to repeat Why did I do that like a parrot,
Why did I do that! Why! Why did I do
Creaaak
Suddenly, a wooden door appeared on one side of the disciplinarymittee room.
Song Cheon-hye swiftly rose from the sofa, straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, and stood upright.
She then politely bowed her head to Kwak Seung-jae who entered through the wooden door.
Youve arrived, senior-nim.
Kwak Seung-jae nodded slightly in response and then walked across the disciplinarymittee room.
Song Cheon-hye kept ncing sideways while gauging the situation.
Did he hear that just now? He couldnt have, could he? He must not have heard it.
Kwak Seung-jae poured himself a cup of coffee from the coffee pot, settled into a sofa, and took a sip or two before he finally spoke.
So, tell me. Why did you do that?
!!
He had heard everything!
Song Cheon-hyes face turned bright red in an instant.
As she stood there without knowing what to do with her flushed face, Kwak Seung-jae took another sip of his coffee and added calmly,
It was a joke.
Song Cheon-hye feltpletely deted.
Somehow, when this utterly serious senior said it, the joke didnt sound much like a joke.
Fortunately, the awkward atmosphere didntst long thanks to Kwak Seung-jae changing the subject first.
You came early. Have you finished all your matches?
Yes, I submitted my score today.
Kwak Seung-jae appeared thoughtful for a moment before asking another question.
Your partner was Kim Ho, right?
Yes, just for this week.
Anything unusual?
Although there was no confirmation that Kim Ho was the masked individual who had broken into the storage facility, Kwak Seung-jae found many aspects of the situation suspicious.
Even though he had the skills to y a perfect game against a golem refined by a third-year club president, he had surprisingly little public exposure.
Such suspicions became stronger when Kim Ho and some members of the thieves club were arrested in the underground levels and light burn marks were discovered on his hands.
Therefore, the task of keeping an eye on Kim Ho was given to Song Cheon-hye who was a member of the disciplinarymittee and his ssmate.
By coincidence, they were also paired in the same mentoring group which provided her with an opportunity to observe him more closely, and today an additional unusual detail emerged.
He changed his weapon.
A weapon I recall he didnt have one before.
Kim Hos weapon, as recorded in the rey, was an E-rank Earth staff.
Its performance was so poor that it was hardly distinguishable from a wooden stick.
Eventually, he seemed so inconvenienced by it that he often went about unarmed.
Considering Kim Ho was a mage, the fact that he had no decent magical tools was quite strange, but today he suddenly produced a high-quality spear-like weapon and used it.
Of course, such a high-quality item hadnt just fallen from the sky,
and Song Cheon-hye had a suspicion.
The duel with the Emerald Magic Tower had a [Crafting VIP Ticket] at stake. He seems to have used that.
Thats very likely.
Ill inquire with the cksmithing club.
If the cksmiths workshop had crafted that spear, they likely kept records of which metals were used.
Knowing this could significantly narrow down which dungeons Kim Ho might have entered to obtain the required metal.
For example, the dungeons for acquiring [ck Iron] and [Mithril] were different.
However, Kwak Seung-jae was somewhat skeptical.
Its likely they wont disclose important information.
Why not?
Theres no justification.
Although they are just a club, they are craftsmen nheless.
Kim Ho hadnt done anything wrong, nor was there any issue with the spear, so there was no reason for them to divulge information about their client.
Pressuring such craftsmen for information was inappropriate, and even if pressured, they were unlikely to budge.
This was why the cksmithing club held a great standing at the Dragon yer Academy.
Its still worth trying. However, if they refuse, we must withdraw politely without causing offense.
Ill be careful.
Ive circted an official notice about the Inferno Fist matter to all the clubs.
The official notice did not directly mention the Inferno Fist, but it stated that if students noticed anything suspicious during their dungeon raids, they should report it to the student disciplinarymittee.
By next weeks dungeon raids, we should see some results one way or another.
If they used the day Kim Ho and Dang Gyu-youngs group were caught in the underground levels as a marker,
Then many of the dungeons that had been up for bid before that day had already been conquered this week.
On the other hand, there were a lot of dungeons that were still being prepared even though they had been bid for.
This was because students had to prepare thoroughly as their lives were at stake, and their schedules had to be adjusted taking into ount academic and club schedules.
But in two weeks, during the next raid week, all the dungeons that had been bid on would be conquered.
Of course, there was no guarantee that they would get the results they wanted.
The dungeon Kim Ho and Dang Gyu-youngs group entered might not be rted to those that were bid on, and even if something suspicious was found, the other party could act first to cover it up.
Well have to take more proactive actions then.
***
On a weekend morning.
While I was waiting at the meeting ce near the dormitory, I saw Seo Ye-in walking slowly from a distance toward me.
When I waved my hand, Seo Ye-in also approached and waved her hand gently.
When she got closer to a certain distance, I asked in a yful tone.
Shall we go, miss?
Mhmm.
To the downtown area.
Chapter 110: Downtown Area (1)
Chapter 110: Downtown Area (1)
The total area of the dungeon ind was not asrge as one might expect, and the distance between the school grounds and the downtown area was rtively close.
But since it was a rather cumbersome distance to walk, there was a shuttle bus that traveled between the two on a regr basis.
Just then, one pulled up in front of us and we stepped onto the bus.
There were plenty of empty seats inside.
There were barely ten students on the bus and all of them were upperssmen from the second or third year.
Compared to the bustling schedule of a freshman, these students had more rxed timetables, and most of them were not heading out for leisure like us but were on their way toplete some assignments.
For this reason, a few upperssmen cast nces that seemed to say, Are first-year students already heading downtown? However, neither Seo Ye-in nor I were the type to care about others stares.
Seo Ye-in took the seat by the window and I settled next to the aisle. Shortly after we sat down next to each other, the shuttle bus started moving with the smoothness reminiscent of a luxury limousine.
..!
Seo Ye-in leaned halfway out the window and gazed intently outside.
Gone was her usual sleepy-eyed expression. It was reced by eyes that were clear and sparkling.
I took it as a sign of her excitement.
For now, rather than force her to talk, I decided to let her enjoy the scenery outside.
Meanwhile, I drifted into my own thoughts.
The night before.
I had met with An Jeong-mi and we had a conversation.
***
As soon as An Jeong-mi saw me, she started with words of gratitude.
Thanks to you, Kim Ho-nim, this weeks mentoring was a sess.
She told me how Seo Ye-in had bravely kept up with her rigorous training and had also scored highly in the strategy battle of this week.
Pride and satisfaction were evident in An Jeong-mis expression.
And as always, I responded with humble words.
I only told her to work hard; all the real effort was yours.
Thats not true at all. You dont realize how much strength that simple encouragement gave to the young miss and to me.
It seemed I had be something of a morale-boosting totem in An Jeong-mis eyes.
But her expressions of thanks did not end there.
Thank you again on behalf of the Future Strategy Office for your unwavering support of the young misss growth.
Her tone was more serious than usual which made me wait for her next words without interrupting the flow of conversation with my usual humble words.
Sure enough, An Jeong-mi reached into her jacket pocket and said,
After much thought on how to express our gratitude
She pulled out an elegant coupon and handed it to me.
[Coupon Long Eared Magical Tool Shop (B)]
I prepared this. I hope you will ept it.
This Long Eared Magical Tools Shop was located in the downtown area and they stock a variety of powerful magic items. But the prices for all of them were high which made it difficult for students to purchase anything there.
However, with this coupon, I could take any item equivalent to a B-rank from that Magical Tool shop.
It was far more useful to give me the choice rather than simply handing over a B-rank item.
As expected, if you give away, you get it all back again.
As I had anticipated even before our first meeting, the butler was a person who knew gratitude.
I did not refuse and epted the coupon.
I will gratefully ept it. As Ive mentioned before, Im in need of many things.
Im sure Kim Ho-nim will find it useful. Also, I have another request.
Yes, please tell me.
An Jeong-mi handed over another Long Eared coupon (B) and said,
While youre at it, I would appreciate it if you could also pick out some equipment for thedy.
That wont be difficult. But given the capabilities of the Hye-seong Group, I wonder if theres really a need to use that particr shop.
They could even effortlessly secure the highly coveted Feather Walk skill book, so would B-rank magic tools be a challenge?
I suspect that if they decided, they could aim for some A-rank items as well.
With such capabilities, was there really a need for the Hye-seong Group to use a shop in such a downtown area among the many avable?
When I posed this question with such implications, An Jeong-mis face took on aplex expression.
By now, Kim Ho-nim, I think you understand. Its important that everything depends on the young misss own will.
Despite So Ye-in possessing such dazzling talent,
And despite receiving the full backing of the Hye-seong Group,
She was only now beginning to build her basic skills and traits.
The reason for this was that she had absolutely no motivation to learn anything until now.
However, after enrolling in the Dragon yer Academy and meeting various people, including me, her desire to learn began to grow little by little.
Given the flow of our conversation, she probably isnt much interested in items either.
Yes, she generally doesnt easily form attachments to any kind of object. But
An Jeong-mis face then changed in a different way.
But the cushion that Kim Ho-nim gifted her was different.
It had emerged from a random box that was a reward for conquering the Feather Serpent Altar and it was a B-rank [Feather Cushion].
Though it was a surprisingly high-quality item, it was not very important to me since it belonged to the Life category, and it had features like fatigue relief and aiding deep sleep, which I thought would be more beneficial to So Ye-in so I had given it to her as a gift.
The [Shapeshifting Scroll Life(B)] that came out of a random box a few days ago was simr.
It seems she is using it well.
Its not just that she uses it; she absolutely cherishes it.
Hugging it tightly while sleeping was just the beginning. It was not easy to separate her from it under any ordinary circumstances.
The way An Jeong-mi woke up Seo Ye-in each morning had changed slightly. Previously, she would gently shake Seo Ye-in while repeating, Miss, its morning. Please wake up, dozens of times. Recently, however, it seemed that simply removing the cushion was enough to wake her.
Of course, dealing with the aftermath was a separate issue but wasnt that the very essence of a butlers difficult job?
An Jeong-mis intention in giving me the coupon also became clear.
If Kim Ho-nim personally chooses it, it might mean more to the young miss.
Giving it directly from the Future Strategy Office and giving it through me might seem simr at a nce, but the feel was distinctly different.
If Seo Ye-in showed even half the attachment to the magical tool as she did to her cushion, it would be a sess.
Moreover, as one of the few people who understood Seo Ye-ins growth rate the best, I was ideally suited to select the right item.
There was no reason for me to refuse.
If it meant Seo Ye-in could acquire even one better piece of equipment, I was more than willing to cooperate.
Since I now had a coupon ticket in hand, the magical tool shop would be included in our destination anyway so we might as well choose something together.
Understood. Ill choose carefully.
Thank you again. And this is a small token of my appreciation.
Then another coupon appeared from An Jeong-mis clothes.
Though it was simr to the magical tool coupon, this one was more quaint and cute in design.
Downtown bakery coupon.
The store that often brought strawberry cream cakes to the student cafeteria was right here.
It was one of the top three restaurants on this Dungeon Ind, so it was extremely popr, and thus the cakes were avable in very limited quantities. So not just anyone could buy them.
The same was true for other items as well.
However, the story was different with a coupon in hand.
No need to wonder what to eat now. Its not easy to get one of these; Ill use it gratefully.
Compared to Kim Ho-nims efforts, this is just a minor thing. Ill be cheering for you from afar.
We smiled at each other.
***
While I was finishing reminiscing, something touched the back of my hand.
Next, my sleeve was gently tugged and when I turned my head, I saw Seo Ye-in who had been looking outside staring intently at my face.
Even thendscape sliding by outside the window hade to a stop.
Weve arrived.
Mhmm.
We got off the shuttle bus and entered the downtown area.
The downtown area was crowded with peopleing and going from the get-go as if to prove that this was an area with arge poption.
After joining the flow of the crowd, I asked Seo Ye-in a question.
Is there anywhere you want to go?
Shakes head
As expected, it didnt seem like Seo Ye-in had any special ns in mind.
If An Jeong-mi had been involved, she would have meticulously nned our route from start to finish and made all the necessary reservations, but it seems she decided that such aggressive move was unnecessary since our main purpose for heading to the downtown area was to rx.
Thats why she gave us a few coupons and left the rest up to us.
I too had not made any specific ns beyond visiting a few key spots, including the magical tools shop.
I asked Seo Ye-in another question.
Youre not very hungry yet?
Nods head
So, the conclusion.
Lets just walk for now.
Mhmm.
Wed roam wherever our interests and steps took us.
That alone would provide plenty to see.
.!
Just like when we were on the shuttle bus, Seo Ye-in seemed more animated than I had ever seen her before.
If I were to rate the change in pace, it would have shifted from extremely very slow to very slow.
We walked leisurely, and whenever something intriguing caught her eye, she would slow down to gaze at it intently.
And if her interest in something unusual grew, she would gently tug at my sleeve.
!
Whats up?
Then I would pretend not to be able to win and follow along and take a look at that amazing thing together.
We explored the line of street vendors,
shared a cotton candy,
and watched various street performances.
There were buskers, of course,
a dancer who hovered about an inch off the ground, presenting intricate dance moves,
and a magician who erected a pir of ice and then sculpted a statue right there on the spot.
Among these, the magic show attracted the most spectators.
A gentleman wearing a mask climbed onto a small makeshift stage with exaggerated gestures.
Without speaking a word, he pointed to a pigeon perched on his hand and signaled, I will make this pigeon disappear!
After cing the pigeon into a magic hat, the masked gentleman vigorously crumpled it.
He gently shook the now fist-sized hat, which suddenly expanded and unfolded into arge cloth.
Then after smoothing it out over the ground, he abruptly pulled it back
Snap!
Dozens of pigeons flew into the sky.
p p
The audience sent up a cheer along with their apuse.
It was a show cleverly mixing magic and tricks.
.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in remained unimpressed throughout.
Her gaze didnt linger on the magic show but on the ces where the tools, rabbits, and pigeons used in the tricks were concealed.
She does have sharp eyes.
She probably had figured out all the tricks this time too.
Just as her interest seemed to fade and she was about to turn away,
The masked gentleman on the makeshift stage suddenly appeared in front of her, blocked her path, and bowed politely in greeting.
Seo Ye-in stared back intently at him.
The masked gentleman silentlymunicated with her through hand gestures, and Seo Ye-in responded with nods and head shakes.
? !
. .
It was impossible to understand them.
Anyway, it seemed they reached a silent conclusion after their non-verbal exchange.
The masked gentleman then pulled out a deck of ying cards,
Frrrrrr.
He fanned the cards out so their faces were visible and quickly gestured for Seo Ye-in to pick one.
When Seo Ye-in randomly selected a card,
The masked gentleman slipped it back into the deck,
then dazzled with a swift shuffle before splitting the cards into three piles and offering them back to her.
It was an invitation to guess where the card might be.
.
However, Seo Ye-in did not even pretend to look at the piles of cards but instead focused on the gentlemans suit pocket.
She got it right
During the shuffle, the gentleman had discreetly slipped the card out and hidden it, and Seo Ye-in had seen right through his trick.
And even more impressively, she knew exactly where he had hidden it.
.
Realizing he was caught, the masked gentleman pped his forehead in mock dismay and then sharply snapped his fingers toward the pocket where he had hidden the card.
Then, just as he had done when he first blocked our path, he bowed respectfully and returned to the makeshift stage.
p p
And as the magic show resumed, we began to move away.
?
But after walking a little, Seo Ye-in tilted her head in curiosity and stopped to rummage through her pocket.
Suddenly, the card she had picked earlier sprang out and it was twinkling beautifully.
It was the [Lucky Trump Card]. A hidden piece.
She really can get anything.
She effortlessly scooped up a hidden piece just by passing by. Seo Ye-in was really a true luck master.
Amidst this, one question remained in my head,
But why is that here in the downtown area?
When I turned back to look at the masked gentleman, it seemed as though the eyes behind the mask met mine and winked.
He wasnt hostile, though
But he was an event boss.
Chapter 111: Downtown Area (2)
Chapter 111: Downtown Area (2)
Due to the aftermath of the EX-rank quest, all the characters in this game world had been reced and there were likely many changes to the dynamic elements linked to them.
One such example was this masked gentleman who was akin to an event boss or field boss.
It remained a mystery how he ended up drifting to Dungeon Ind, but at least he wasnt the type to cause trouble everywhere he went.
All he did was perform magic shows and asionally throw a hidden piece to the audience so there seemed no need to take any special action.
The academy probably knew about him and seemed to have decided he wasnt a threat as they hadnt dispatched anyone to subdue him.
However, the fact that this event boss had entered Dungeon Ind meant that other field bosses might also appear. This was enough for me to raise my vignce.
I thought it would be wise to ask Shin Byeong-cheolter to keep an eye on some of their movements.
After the magic show, as Seo Ye-in and I continued to walk around and explore,
We arrived at our first destination.
I showed Seo Ye-in the coupons I had received the night before.
Your butler said you and I should get equipped with something from this ce.
Mhmm
She nodded her head when I mentioned getting equipped but just like An Jeong-mi had observed, she didnt seem particrly interested.
Lets go in and take a look around. Who knows? Maybe youll find something you like.
She nodded her head again when I talked about getting equipment but she still showed little enthusiasm.
When Seo Ye-in and I entered the store, a friendly middle-ageddy greeted us warmly.
The woman seemed more like the owner than just a clerk working here.
And against expectations, her ears were not pointed at all.
Weeoh my, are you first-year students?
Hello.
What cute visitors we have here.
She shifted her gaze between us and smiled contentedly. She seemed to be under some great misunderstanding.
I felt it was too bothersome to correct her, so I just let it slide for the time being.
Although she was friendly, it didnt seem like she was expecting much from us.
The magical tools were all priced high, so realistically, what were the chances a first-year could afford them, and even if they did buy them, how much quality could they expect?
It seemed wise to make it clear that we had the means to purchase to facilitate smoothermunication.
So I pulled out two couponsbeled [Coupon Long Eared Magical Tool Shop (B)] and continued.
Wed like to use these.
!
The shop owners eyes widened.
B-rank coupons were typically used by third-year students, yet here were two first-years with not one, but two of them.
Words like sales, performance, and results likely shed through her mind.
She was already friendly to begin with but her demeanor became even more amodating as she guided us to a specific section.
The B-rank corner is this way. Is there anything specific youre looking for?
Wed just like to look around for now.
Take your time, and feel free to ask if you have any questions.
Keywords associated with elves and long ears could include archery, wood magic, and nature.
Most of the items in this magic tool shop fell into that category.
They didnt quite match my preference for aggressive magic or Seo Ye-ins inclination towards magic engineering equipment.
Nevertheless, there were items that were universally useful regardless of ss.
Lets focus on essories.
Mhmm.
Now that I narrowed down our focus, I simply observed for the time being.
Choosing for oneself is always ideal.
However, it seemed that Seo Ye-in found this task rather difficult.
She passed by most items and, though she checked the options on a few out of curiosity, she quickly lost interest and put them down.
Eventually, I decided to make a suggestion.
Do you want to go with what I choose?
It seemed better for me to show her one or two items and follow her reactions from there.
Seo Ye-in faced me and then slowly nodded her head up and down.
As soon as we entered the store, I had already identified all the items with decent performance.
Among them, I showed Seo Ye-in one that I thought she would like.
[Vision Collection sses]
Collects the vision of random targets within a certain range.
How about this?
Good.
She agreed immediately.
Without even looking at the item properly.
As a test, I showed her the second item I had picked out:
[Concussion Earrings]
Long-range attacks have a certain probability of causing concussion status ailment to the enemy.
And this?
Good.
[Knockback Bracelet]
Long-range attacks have a certain probability of pushing the enemy back.
And this too?
Good.
She even said good to items she had just lost interest in and put down.
I was beginning to get a sense of it.
Anything I choose myself seems to be good enough.
Anything I pick would mean a sessful mission.
She would naturally grow fond of the item, which is exactly what An Jeon-mi intended.
But just giving anything wouldnt sit right with me.
If Im to give something, it should be the best possible item.
Just then, the shop owner approached us with a kind smile on her face.
Like a ghost, she seemed to have caught the fact that we only took a quick look around.
Found anything you like?
I had already mentally made a list and ranked the items with reasonably good options.
But I feigned disinterest and answered with an ambiguous attitude.
Im not sure. They seem usable, maybe
Dont be like that; choose something. Youre using two coupons, so Ill give you one freebie.
She even offered to throw in a C-rank essory as a bonus.
Instead of responding to her offer, I asked another question.
Could I take a look at the storage room in the back?
This magical tools shop has a storage room that holds only the unseble, problematic stock, aside from the items disyed at the counter.
Who told you about that?
Some seniors mentioned that theres a lot to see there.
Kids these days.
The shop owner guessed the source of our information and let out an awkwardugh.
It was just a casual visit but it turned into a fortunate find.
Her dilemma was brief.
Although she was hesitant to let customers into the storage area, we were special guests who had brought not one, but two B-rank coupons.
She wanted to amodate us as much as possible.
And perhaps she thought that this might even be an opportunity to clear out some of the problematic stock.
This time Ill show you, but you cant go around bbing about it like your seniors, okay?
Thank you.
The shop owner led us to the storage room.
Theyout was organized by rank, just as in the main shop area.
However, the items werent attractively disyed; they were just stored well enough that one could barely make out what was there, which significantly diminished the desire to buy.
Seo Ye-in showed as little interest as she had previously.
I too picked up various items with a nonchnt attitude before quickly putting them back down.
However, my eyes were rapidly scanning dozens of items.
These really didnt sell.
Among them, a few items caught my eye.
In the current situation, it would be best to take them.
But I just entered the storage room and didnt want to seem too eager by immediately stating what I wanted, so I spent some time rummaging around to y it cool.
Then I asked the store owner.
You said youd include a freebie if I used both coupons, right?
Of course, Ill give you something good.
So, including the service, can I take three items from here?
The idea was that instead of exchanging the two coupons for two B-rank items from the disy and one C-rank bonus item,
Why not sell me three B-rank items from this storage room?
The unexpected proposal momentarily flustered the owner, but she soon seemed to be quickly doing the math.
Isnt three B-rank items a loss? was her initial concern, but business isnt just about calcting based on ranks.
While the disyed popr items are expensive, they will eventually sell and make a profit.
On the other hand, items here just gather dust day by day and theres no guarantee that they will ever sell, even after years.
Then, giving away three dead stock items instead of two disy items wasnt a loss.
Even if it means a bit more of a discount.
After she finished her calctions, she returned to a friendly demeanor and asked me.
Which ones are you thinking of taking?
This one, and this one, and
I pointed to the items I had marked earlier.
Arge chunk of wood cut to the size of an armful.
[Processed Fairy Wood (B)]
A thick tree branch with a refreshing green color and palm-sized leaves.
[Branch of the World Tree (B)]
A ss bottle that looked like a pretty craft that was filled with translucent gas.
[Blessing of the Fairy Queen (B)]
The items I had chosen seemed quite unexpected to the store owner as she asked,
Its strange. Nobody has been looking for these. What do you n to do with them?
Im trying to make something with my friends and seniors.
Theyre for crafting then.
The store owner finally nodded her head in understanding.
If its for crafting, it made sense to try out materials that arentmonly used.
Though the ranks were somewhat high for just experimenting, that wasnt her concern as the seller.
After paying with two coupons, I took ownership of the three items chosen from the storage room.
Thedy bid us farewell at the door with a parting greeting.
Thank you; pleasee again.
***
We moved to a rtively quiet area a little away from the bustling streets.
A resting area lined with simple tables.
It was the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the evening air but it was currently deserted.
We found a table and sat across from each other.
I plucked the leaves from the [Branch of the World Tree].
As I did, the vibrant green life force that the branch had held seemed to fall away with the leaves.
Then, Seo Ye-in took them and carefully attached them to the [Processed Fairy Wood].
Here.
Mhmm.
Here.
Mhmm.
Stick them on carefully.
Carefully.
As I detached and Seo Ye-in attached, the fairy wood gradually became densely covered with green leaves, while the branch became increasingly bare.
And the moment thest leaf was removed, the mysterious energy that the branch had contained also vanished.
Now, it was just a piece of slightly better-quality wood.
The value of this B-grade item had plummeted but I didnt care.
I slowly sprinkled the [Blessing of the Fairy Queen] over the leaf-covered fairy wood.
As the leaves absorbed life force, they unfurled silently and bloomed like flower budsing to life.
But the fairy wood that had been there was nowhere to be seen and was reced instead by a jewel box that seemed to be crafted from grass and trees.
[Fairy Queens Jewel Box (B+)]
A random box made bybining life-type materials.
It was a B+ rank item which meant it was half a rank higher than anything obtained from the ck Market.
Of course, if that were all there was to it, I would not have risked my luck on a random box even with a B+ rating.
This one has known drop information.
What coulde out of it and the approximate chances of each drop were known.
Based on that, there would be no loss unless you were extremely unlucky like Go Hyeon-woo.
And if Seo Ye-in opens it
The oue could be even more unpredictable.
Still, since I wanted to maximize our chances just in case, I cautiously started a conversation with Seo Ye-in.
You know that card you got earlier
Before I even finished speaking, Seo Ye-in pulled out the [Lucky Trump Card] she had just received from the masked gentleman.
Her eyes questioned whether this was the right ce to use it.
When I nodded my head,
sh!
The trump card emitted a bright light and was absorbed by the jewel box.
The probability of a high-quality item appearing increased and the likelihood of a dud decreased.
Seo Ye-in shifted her gaze between me and the jewel box, then tilted her head slightly and asked,
Open it?
Please, go ahead.
I gently pushed the jewel box forward and Seo Ye-in slowly pulled it toward herself.
After looking down at it for a moment, she opened the jewel box and,
Boom!
Clouds burst forth like an explosion and engulfed the entire area.
********
TN: A Boom! From the umted luck is crazy.
Chapter 112: Downtown Area (3)
Chapter 112: Downtown Area (3)
Everywhere was enveloped in a white cloud so thick that nothing could be seen.
From within the cloud, I caught a glimpse of Seo Ye-ins hand slowly groping through the air.
Seeing her act like that, I instinctively reached out my arm.
Here, my arm.
Her fumbling hand then gently grasped my arm.
I continued speaking in that position.
Its just the random box effect. Just stay still for now. Dont move around and identally bump into something.
Usually, the color and intensity of the light from a random box can indicate the quality of the item appearing.
However, sometimes, the effects change depending on the item that appears.
And the clouds are a precursor to a very special item.
Especially if they burst forth enough to cover everything around.
It was certainly worth getting excited about.
As time passed, the clouds gradually began to thin.
As more time passed, the cloudpletely dispersed which allowed us to see each other again.
Curious about what item had appeared, I checked the jewel box and found a pair of bracelets inside.
One was white, the other was ck.
Looking at the white bracelet first,
It seemed as if several clouds, each the size of a fingernail, had been plucked out and connected with a very thin thread of gold.
When I touched it, it felt soft and thin like clouds and almost ethereal.
[Fluffy Cloud Bracelet (A)]
Summons fluffy clouds.
Protects the wearer from magical damage.
The other bracelet looked simr but had the dark brooding color of storm clouds.
And its name reflected that perfectly.
[Storm Cloud Bracelet (A)]
Summons storm clouds.
Protects the wearer from physical damage.
Two A-rank essories.
They were the highest level of reward that could emerge from the Fairy Queens Jewel Box.
In fact, the odds were quite high that not only could a dud have appeared, but even just one item might have surfaced.
If that had been the case, I would have epted it as my luck and perhaps handed it over to Seo Ye-in but fate had granted us the highest reward.
Youve done it again, lucky charm.
Is it helpful?
Seo Ye-in asked.
It had been the same when she opened the Leaders ck Chest; it seemed more important to her whether the item dropped was useful to me than the item itself.
I nodded my head and asked back,
Of course. Which do you prefer?
Since we had used two coupons to obtain these results, it made sense for us to each take one.
And since Seo Ye-in had yed a major part in obtaining the highest reward, I gave her the first choice,
A long time passed without an answer.
Looking at Seo Ye-ins face, she was seriously lost in thought.
She alternated between looking at the two bracelets before thinking a bit, then looking again and thinking a bit more.
After repeating this several times, she finally slowly raised her hand and pointed,
This one.
She pointed toward the Fluffy Cloud Bracelet.
Good choice.
In terms of performance, the Fluffy Cloud Bracelet was slightly more useful to Seo Ye-in.
This was due to the fact that long-range sses, such as gunslingers, were more likely to get into fights with other long-range sses rather than being caught by close-range sses.
And a significant portion of those other long-range sses consisted of mages.
Moreover, her weak defense had been continually pointed out so this bracelet would likelypensate for that significantly.
Let me see your hand.
Following my request, Seo Ye-in extended the hand that had just pointed to the bracelet.
I slightly rolled up her sleeves to reveal her wrist and fitted it with the Fluffy Cloud Bracelet.
Seo Ye-in brought her bracelet-d hand closer and quietly observed it.
She inspected it thoroughly and yfully touched the cloud designs as if they fascinated her.
It seemed she liked it.
***
Do you like it that much?
When I asked that, Seo Ye-in nodded her head with her eyes still fixed on her fluffy cloud bracelet.
It appeared to please her more than expected.
Even as we walked through the downtown area, her attention was entirely on the bracelet. To the point that she seemed oblivious to street performances and other distractions.
As lunchtime was drawing near and we were getting somewhat hungry, I decided to steer us towards a bakery.
The bakery in the downtown area was like a high-end restaurant with a waiter stationed at the entrance.
When we got close enough, he asked us,
Have you made a reservation?
It was so popr that they wouldnt let you inside without a reservation.
Reservations could take weeks or even months.
But we were an exception.
We have a coupon.
I handed over the coupon we had received from Ahn Jeong-mi and the waiter scanned it on his device.
He then bowed politely and asked,
Just the two of you?
This was the powerful effect of the coupon.
Not only will you be let in without a reservation, but a hearty meal will also be provided.
Think of it as a bakery version of the [Crafting VIP Coupon].
The value of such a coupon with its tremendous benefits was indeed significant.
If put up for sale, it could be traded for a useful item.
The process of obtaining it must not have been easy yet Ahn Jeong-mi had sacrificed it for mine and Seo Ye-ins downtown area adventure.
I will make sure that Kim Ho-nims time is not wasted.
Remembering what Ahn Jeong-mi had said, I silently expressed my gratitude in my heart.
Indeed, not just anyone can be a butler.
As we entered the store, a fragrant and sweet aroma wafted through the air.
And on the disy, there were bread, cookies, cakes
Artworks made of flour were there.
!
Seo Ye-in who had been distracted by her bracelet for a while began to look around the disy with me from that point on.
This looks delicious, doesnt it?
Mhmm.
Picking up a mini hot dog because it looked appetizing,
How about we split this one?
Split it.
Grabbing a chocte cream bread too,
Stop right there. Thats not it.
?
Dont pick up the spicy bread.
It looked rather ominous, even to me.
It was called Hellfire Pizza Bread and arge tag next to it warned, Caution! Very spicy!
How she always managed to find such things despite not being good with spicy food was a mystery.
And so, we avoided the unfortunate incident of Seo Ye-in burning her tongue on the Hellfire Pizza Bread.
After picking a few more pieces of bread from the disy, we settled at a table led by the waiter.
We then ordered a few more items including drinks.
Items like Gooey Cheese Sandwich and Honey-soaked French Toast needed to be eaten fresh before the bread could get soggy, which is why they werent on disy.
While sharing what we had picked and waiting,
The cheese sandwich we ordered came and we each grabbed a piece,
Then the toast arrived and we took turns forking it.
Watching Seo Ye-in chew the toast, I thought to myself,
She must find it delicious.
After eating face-to-face every day for about a month and a half, I had reached the point where I could generally tell if the days menu suited her taste just by watching her eat.
Today, her chewing was slightly faster than usual and the bread was almost continuously going in.
Clearly, it was very delicious.
Honestly, it is delicious.
The bakery of the downtown area wasnt considered one of the top three restaurants on Dungeon Ind for nothing.
Just the fact that the words deep vor came to mind from mere toast drizzled with honey syrup said it all.
While Seo Ye-in and I continued to fork our food,
A thought suddenly struck me and I asked her.
By the way, how did changing the cushions shape turn out?
I had given her a cushion and a shapeshifting scroll but I hadnt heard anything about what happened afterward from Ahn Jeong-mi.
To be precise, I hadnt asked yet.
Seo Ye-in replied while chewing on a piece of toast.
I havent done it yet.
Have you decided what to change it into?
Once again, Seo Ye-in shook her head and then asked me in return,
What do you think is good?
The mostmon and widely used option would be a doll, I suppose.
That was the standard among yers, and it was likely simr in this game world.
Who would dislike transforming a cushion or pillow while keeping its effects intact, just changing its exterior to that of a cute doll?
However, Seo Ye-ins response was still lukewarm.
She tilted her head slightly to the side and asked,
A doll?
Whether she liked it or not, it seemed she hadnt even considered a doll to begin with.
I asked back because I picked up on something.
Do you dislike dolls?
Shakes head,
Dont like them either?
Mhmm
Ahn Jeong-mi had mentioned that Seo Ye-in didnt really form attachments to objects.
Her attitude toward dolls must have been simr.
Indifferent whether they were present or not.
I understood, but I couldnt just say, Dont bother changing it if theres nothing you want~ If you dont like dolls, forget it~ after giving her a shapeshifting scroll for the cushion.
Should we go and pick one out? A doll.
Okay.
Seo Ye-in readily epted my suggestion.
That settled our next destination.
The easiest and simplest way to get a doll was to go to a doll or toy store and buy one,
But the best things arent obtained easily.
The rarer the item, the moreplicated it is to acquire.
And if one were to name a prime location to obtain a rare doll in the downtown area,
It would be the game center.
A ce filled with all sorts of mini-games where many of the prizes are decorative items like dolls.
It was also a spot known for hiding hidden pieces so even if our conversation hadnt turned to dolls, we were bound to stop by at some point.
Lets get going, then.
After diligently forking through our meal, only crumbs and honey syrup were left on the te where the French toast once was.
Now that our stomachs were reasonably full, we tidied up the table and stood up.
Just as we were about to exit the bakery,
The waiter handed Seo Ye-in a neatly wrapped box and a paper envelope.
The packaging of the box was transparent, so the inside was clearly visible.
Its cookies.
It made sense why she didnt touch any of the cookies on the disy even though there were many of them.
At a nce, the variety of cookie shapes suggested that she had picked one of each type.
You bought a lot. Are you going to eat all these?
For research.
I see, for research.
I immediately understood and nodded my head.
If the research led to an improvement in the quality of the cookies Seo Ye-in baked, there was no reason for me who was the guinea pig number one to object.
It would be even better if it reduced the need for those so difficult shape-matching challenges.
So, I understood the box but what was in the paper envelope?
When I cast a curious nce, Seo Ye-in caught on and slightly opened the envelope.
Instantly, a spicy aroma wafted up.
It was so intense that it made my eyes sting a bit.
Isnt this that spicy bread from earlier?
Wasnt it called Hellfire Pizza Bread?
When did you pick this up? Can you even eat it?
No.
Then what are you going to use it for?
Seo Ye-in replied casually as if it was only natural.
A gift for the butler.
Chapter 113: Downtown Area (4)
Chapter 113: Downtown Area (4)
Did the butler like spicy food?
Seo Ye-in had chosen the gift with genuinely pure intentions, but would the butler really like the Hellfire Pizza Bread?
Or was she merely teasing her?
Several questions arose in my mind, but it already seemed like it wasn¡¯t my ce to get involved.
For now, I decided to just watch and see what would happen.
Just as we had decided our next destination while eating honey toast, we headed to a game center where one could win dolls.
After leaving the bakery, Seo Ye-in and I walked leisurely, almost as if strolling, toward the bustling heart of the downtown area.
As we got closer to the center of the downtown area, popping sound effects began to ring in my ears.
The sound effects became clearer with each step, and soon a game center that was illuminated by shing lights and lined with various arcade machines came into view.The noise intensified as we stepped into the game center where a cacophony of different sound effects, barelyprehensible shouts, yells, and cheers all converged.
¨C Did you hit the high score?
¨C No, stop using that trick!
¨C That¡¯s not how you do it.
¨C I lost, but it was a good fight.
¡°¡¡±
And there was Seo Ye-in who was quietly covering her ears with both hands.
Her expressionless face was clearly marked with displeasure.
I had a feeling it would be like this.
Of all the ces we had visited together so far, this game center was by far the loudest.
It didn¡¯t seem right to stay long.
I gestured and mouthed to Seo Ye-in.
¨C Let¡¯s just quickly look at the dolls.
¨C Mhmm.
We first scanned the rows of w machines which were rtively easy.
The dolls were piled up like a mountain and it seemed like we might snag something.
¡°¡¡±
Seo Ye-in stared into the w machine for a long while but nothing seemed to catch her eye.
This won¡¯t do.
Clunk,
But we couldn¡¯t just leave.
I put a silver coin in the w machine and snagged a shark doll in one go.
I handed it to Seo Ye-in and moved on quickly.
Next were the dolls disyed at the prize corner.
These were slightly more difficult ones that could be obtained by clearing several mini-games in session.
Arge panda, a long anaconda, a starfish, a penguin¡
¡°¡¡±
Seo Ye-in¡¯s interest gauge seemed to increase slightly as if she was curious for a moment, but it quickly plummeted to the bottom.
This won¡¯t work either.
Shoo shoo shoo!
I cleared the mini-games at the speed of light and wrapped the anaconda doll I won around Seo Ye-in¡¯s neck.
Then we moved to the next and final destination.
A special area set aside in one corner of the game center.
Looking inside, the facilities were almost simr to the rest but this area was unusually quiet.
There were fewer than ten people ying the mini-games inside and all of them were students.
Ordinary people either didn¡¯t step foot inside or left quickly if they did.
Seo Ye-in tilted her head curiously and asked with her eyes, ¡°What is this ce for?¡±
¡°The student corner.¡±
This area of the game center was designated solely for the students of Dragon yer Academy.
As soon as we entered the student corner, the noise that had been filling my ears noticeably decreased.
The reason was the soundproofing magic applied to both the interior and exterior.
Of course, there were plenty of arcade machines and students actively ying so it was far from quiet.
Still, the level of noise was tolerable enough that Seo Ye-in removed her hands from her ears.
Looking around at the students engaged in the games¡
Most were third-year students with a few second-year students.
Like the shuttle bus, there were no first-year students at all.
Unlike other areas, the atmosphere here wasn¡¯t one of enjoyment but rather everyone was ying the games with a markedly serious demeanor.
Why? Because ¡°they aren¡¯t here for fun¡±.
The main reason for their seriousness can be attributed to the cost of ying games in this student corner, which is paid in ¡°Dragon yer Academy Tokens¡±.
These tokens are sold exclusively at the student store.
And the price?
300 points each.
Considering it¡¯s just for a single game, the cost is quite high.
To put it in perspective, let¡¯spare it to this week¡¯s strategy battle where Song Cheon-hye and I brainstormed various tactics and after numerous trials, we scored 925 points.
We then applied the ground floor strategy multiplier of 0.8 to receive 740 points.
However, a couple of games at the game center could just evaporate those 600 points.
While sales of reys do bring in more revenue, the fact remains that 300 points per token is a significant burden.
In the long run, spending 500 points for ess to the special training room might be a more constructive use of points.
Therefore, first-year students don¡¯t even dare to try and even second- and third-year seniors y the games with such gravity.
So why are they intensely investing 300 points in these mini-games?
Seo Ye-in and I looked at a bulletin board set up on one side.
[Invisibility Scroll ¨C Armor]
[Equipment Enhancement Stones]*2
[Random Rank Up]*3
[All-in-One Skin Whitening Cream]
¡
The prize list was updated randomly every week.
Nine out of ten items were cosmetic or decorative and not directly rted to one¡¯sbat abilities.
Examples include the [Invisibility Scroll], which makes unsightly armor invisible, and the [All-in-One Skin Whitening Cream], whichbines skin lightening with other cosmetic benefits.
However, some prizes directly enhance performance.
[Random Rank Up] upgrades a random skill or trait,
[Equipment Enhancement Stones] are one of the few ways to improve the performance of equipment.
Naturally, I came here targeting these performance-enhancing items.
While we were looking through the list, Seo Ye-in mentioned one of the prizes.
¡°A tiger doll?¡±
It likely caught her eye simply because it was ¡°a doll¡± but now that it had, she seemed curious to find out more about it.
Then our gazes met with the majestic tiger doll sitting proudly on the prize disy.
It was roughly the size of arge dog and from the features of its face to the tip of its tail, the details were excessively well-defined.
At a nce, one might easily mistake it for a real tiger.
¡°¡¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in approached the tiger doll and after a moment, stared intently at it. As if engaging in a silent staring contest.
She then pressed its nose and cheeks with her index finger.
Seeing her fingertip sink into the plush, it was clear the object was indeed a doll.
¡°¡¡±
Seo Ye-in couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the tiger doll.
She was obviously captivated by it.
I asked her,
¡°Do you want it? The tiger.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
It was good that she had found a doll she wanted to have.
The next issue, then, was how to acquire it.
This was the second reason the seniors were so seriously engrossed in the mini-games.
[Tiger Doll]
?Acquisition condition: Watch the ending credits
This was because there was a condition attached to obtaining the prize.
The condition to get this tiger doll was to watch the ending credits.
No matter which game was chosen, one had toplete it to the end.
And if you died along the way, you had to use the ¡°Continue¡± option which meant inserting tokens each time.
That meant each death required an additional 300 points.
When I exined this, Seo Ye-in quietly listened and then said,
¡°I have a lot of points.¡±
¡°Oh? How much?¡±
Seo Ye-in pulled out her student ID and checked the point bnce on the back.
¡°20,000.¡±
¡°That¡¯s quite a lot.¡±
Currently, the only ways for a first-year to earn points were by conquering ground-floor dungeons and selling reys.
The fact that she had umted 20,000 points meant that, although she wasn¡¯t on par with Go Hyeon-woo or other promising students, Seo Ye-in¡¯s reys were selling quite well.
Of course, even with a hefty bnce, constantly dying like it was nothing could quickly deplete 20,000 points.
¡°Maybe we should try to increase it a bit.¡±
So it wouldn¡¯t hurt to secure a few more tokens in advance.
Before entering the main game, I took Seo Ye-in to a slot machine in one corner.
The operation of the slot machine was simple.
You put in a token, pull the lever, and the machine gives back tokens based on the results.
It could return five or ten tokens and even thirty if you hit the jackpot, but you¡¯d get zero if you had mediocre luck.
It meant swallowing up 300 points and then nothing.
But what if our lucky charm here pulls the lever?
What if Seo Ye-in who had extraordinary luck tried her hand?
It was definitely worth getting our hopes up.
After exchanging a nce with me, Seo Ye-in purchased a few tokens at the student store.
As she did, several coins clinked into existence out of thin air.
Seo Ye-in inserted a token into the slot machine and pulled the lever; the machine shuddered and spat out four tokens.
The start is decent enough¡
Seo Ye-in inserted another token and pulled the lever again. This time the machine dispensed two tokens.
On her third attempt, she put in one token and got one back, breaking even.
It seems to be going just as expected.
The hypothesis I had formed while she was opening the ck Death Random Boxes seemed somewhat validated.
Seo Ye-in seemed to have a virtual ¡°luck battery¡± trait, where once a jackpot was hit, a significant amount of her luck would deplete.
Continuing to test her luck would drain the remaining battery more and more until eventually, her trait would seem almost nonexistent.
After a certain period, her luck would recharge like a battery and the jackpots would start bursting again.
Today has definitely been a jackpot.
We had drawn two A-rank bracelets; to ask for more would be shameless.
From here on out, it was only right to rely on skill.
¡°Let¡¯s do this then.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
We casually circled the student corner and started deciding which game to challenge next.
The first priority was choosing a genre Seo Ye-in was most confident in.
It wouldn¡¯t make sense for her to suddenly be a swordfighter and expect her to perform well.
Thus, we settled on a shooting game.
Secondly, it was crucial to choose a two-yer co-op game.
This ce was designed for aspiring future heroes.
Given the greatly increased difficulty of the mini-games, it would be impossible for Seo Ye-in alone to cope; there was a much higher chance we would burn through all 20,000 points before even seeing the ending credits, so it was better for me to take the wheel to some extent.
With these considerations, we chose our game meticulously.
On the screen, a pair of men and women posed with pistols.
And there in front of us were two pistols that were identical to those held by the figures on the screen.
After picking up the pistols, Seo Ye-in was the first to insert a token into the arcade machine.
She then offered me a token, but I shook my head.
¡°I¡¯ll use my own.¡±
For me, the amount of points spent was not an issue.
It was because the prize I was aiming for had slightly tougher conditions to meetpared to others.
[Random Rank Up]*3
?Acquisition Condition 1: See the ending credits
?Acquisition Condition 2: Use no more than five tokens
The condition to see the ending credits was the same for Seo Ye-in, but the moment ¡°Continue¡± exceeded four times, we would have to abandon this reward.
This meant we had to y with great care while valuing each attempt.
Typically, even the second and third-years wouldn¡¯t dare attempt such difficulty.
But for me, it was merely augh-worthy challenge.
No need to even use up to five tokens.
I nned to finish with just one coin.
At this point, I recalled various nicknames I had earned at the game.
The S-rank Hero Factory, the Graduates¡¯ Manufacturing Machine, the Top Ranker, the Strongest Support, the God of the Fixed Zone,
And,
The Mini-game Demon King.
Chapter 114: Downtown Area (5)
Chapter 114: Downtown Area (5)
A jeep rattled across the heart of the jungle.
In the back seat, a man and a woman dressed as explorers were checking their firearms.
These were the avatars we would control in this mini-game.
Eventually, the jeep came to a stop deep within the jungle.
After exchanging nces, the pair nodded and began to make their way through the dense foliage.
A bright shing message appeared on the screen:
[Mission Start!]
has begun.
As we progressed, two zebras were spotted deeply engrossed in grazing among the bushes.They suddenly sensed our presence and snapped their heads up. Their teeth were as sharp as saw des.
Moreover, they stood up on two legs and charged at us frantically.
Heeheeheeheein!
Bang! Bang! Bang-bang!
We immediately opened fire.
The bipedal zebras fell under the barrage of bullets.
Heeheeheeheeing!
As we moved further, more zebras appeared.
¡°Aim for the head.¡±
As Seo Ye-in focused her shots around the heads of the zebras, they fell more quickly.
After we continued to move through the jungle, various wild animals other than the zebras suddenly appeared and began to threaten us.
Their bodies were disproportionately built and all had sharply pointed teeth, making them look like carnivores.
They seemed truly aggressive as if they viewed the explorer duo as prey.
Heeheeheeheeing!
Gazelles with horns at the forefront charged at us, but we maneuvered our avatars to dodge them.
We then focused our gunfire to bring them down.
Kikiik!
asionally, monkeys perched on the trees threw fruits at us.
Although we didn¡¯t know what was inside, when they hit the ground they burst and released some kind of acidic liquid that melted the soil.
It was clear what would happen if one hit us directly, so dodging them was essential.
Tutututututututut!
We shot all the monkeys down from the trees and continued to advance before encountering more and more wild animals.
The first stage is pretty easy.
It was essentially a tutorial stage with low difficulty, and since Seo Ye-in had umted experience as a marksman herself, she managed well while shooting and dodging as necessary.
Tutututututututut!
After dealing with another group of zebras,
Suddenly, red warning lights shed across the screen.
[Warning!]
[Warning!]
This time, a bipedal elephant with a muscr body filled the screen when it appeared.
In one hand, it tightly gripped a long horn as if it were a weapon.
It was the first stage boss battle.
Bwoooh!
The elephant spun like a windmill while swinging its long trunk around.
As we crouched to dodge at the same time, it followed up by swinging the horn it held in its hand.
Likewise, we leapt to the sides to avoid the attacks and then opened fire with our pistols.
Tutututututututu!
Bwoooh!
The bipedal elephant thrashed in agony.
Soon it was engulfed in even greater fury, it alternated between mming its long trunk and the horn in its hand.
The pattern was predictable and the preparatory movements were wide enough, so dodging was not difficult.
Opportunities to strike were also fairly frequent.
¡°Now, shoot.¡±
Tutututututututu!
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in was diligently following the advice to aim for the head.
The bullets reliably lodged in the elephant¡¯s forehead without missing.
And the boss¡¯s health gauge quickly decreased,
Bwoooh¡¡
Finally, the exhausted elephant copsed onto the ground.
[Stage Clear!]
A brief cutscene followed.
The two protagonists, the man and the woman, examined the fallen elephant closely with serious expressions on their faces and took samples.
The man said,
¨C We need to investigate this more thoroughly.
And then they ventured deeper into the jungle.
The second stage started immediately.
This is where it really begins.
In truth, the first stage was merely a device to bury the challengers.
It was designed to give them a sense of, ¡°Hey, I could actually do this?¡± before significantly raising the difficulty from the second stage onward to start collecting tokens.
It was indeed a vicious design.
Sure enough,
While we were dispatching a few bipedal gazelles, an ostrich¡¯s head suddenly popped up from a bush some distance away.
It stared intensely at us,
Dadadadadat!
and charged at a terrifying speed.
¡°Move to the side.¡±
I said this as I stepped out of its path, but Seo Ye-in was a step too slow in her reaction.
Kyaak!
The ostrich grabbed Seo Ye-in¡¯s avatar and ran off into the distance with it.
Seo Ye-in¡¯s screen turned grey and a small message appeared.
[Continue?]
[10, 9, 8¡¡]
If the countdown reached zero, it would count as giving up.
Nopletion meant no prizes, of course.
Seo Ye-in inserted a token and her avatar reappeared with a pop.
I fired my gun lightly and said,
¡°Here, I¡¯ll tell you when we¡¯re approaching dangerous sections, so listen carefully and dodge.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
The mini-game was like an elective subject for the seasoned yers.
Naturally, I had memorized everything from start to finish. This was also true for the .
Knowing where and what would pop out, there would be no death for Seo Ye-in as long as she followed my instructions immediately.
As long as she follows them right away, that is.
However, reacting immediately upon hearing isn¡¯t as easy as one might think.
Especially when you¡¯re deeply focused on the game and suddenly advicees from beside you.
¡°Jump back.¡±
Aaah!
The jump back was dyed and Seo Ye-in¡¯s avatar got trampled by a rhinoceros.
[Continue?]
She inserted another token and continued.
¡°An alligatores out of the water.¡±
Swoosh!
The next moment, as we passed a puddle, an alligator suddenly leaped out and dragged Seo Ye-in¡¯s avatar into the water.
[Continue?]
¡°Two ostriches.¡±
Dadadadadadat!
Two ostriches grabbed Seo Ye-in¡¯s avatar and ran off.
[Continue?]
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in let her gun hang loosely and stared nkly at the screen.
The atmosphere somehow reminded me of the time I tormented a certain ¡°someone¡± with Wind Force in a double duel battle match.
Was she angry? Was she about to quit?
¡°¡¡¡±
However, Seo Ye-in nced at me once, then turned her head to gaze at the tiger plush in the prize corner before she inserted another token into the arcade machine.
I wasn¡¯t sure if she was holding back because of me, because of the tiger plush, or both.
In any case, she continued.
[Continue?]
[Continue?]
[Continue?]
After that, Seo Ye-in met various deaths at the hands of different bipedal wild animals.
And each time, 300 points were deducted from her ount.
She¡¯s slowly getting the hang of it.
She wouldn¡¯t get caught by the same thing more than once or twice, and her response to mymands was getting faster.
¡°Herees the ostrich again.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Tutututututututu!
After dodging the carnivorous ostrich¡¯s charge range, Seo Ye-in fired her gun rapidly.
The ostrich was trying to escape but it got hit in the head by a bullet and fell with a thud.
¡°See that puddle? Get ready for the alligator.¡±
Swoosh!
An alligator jumped out of the puddle. Its jaws were wide open and it was lunging at us.
But Seo Ye-in and I had already moved to a safe spot long before.
A barrage of bullets rained into its gaping mouth.
Tutututututututu!
A warning message appeared after we dealt with the alligator.
[Warning!]
[Warning!]
This time, a huge gori with four armsnded with a thud.
It held objects and other animals in its hands that were ready to be thrown.
Stage two boss fight.
¡°It¡¯s throwing the ostrich.¡±
As soon as I spoke, the gori grabbed a nearby ostrich and threw it at us.
The ostrich that was curled up like a ball fluttered towards us, but Seo Ye-in was not one to be caught off guard again.
Tututututututututu!
¡°Tree fruits. Step back.¡±
As we stepped back, the next moment the gori threw a tree fruit that exploded on hitting the ground.
The fruit wasrge and the acidic solution it released had a wide corrosive range.
¡°Focus now. Bees areing from the hive.¡±
The gori tore arge beehive from a nearby tree and threw it.
I managed to smash the hive in mid-air but dozens of fist-sized hos flew out.
We intercepted the swarm of hos one by one.
Tututututututututu!
Tututututututututu!
However, Seo Ye-in missed a few,
-Aaagh!
and her avatar was stung to death by the hos.
Meanwhile, I intercepted them perfectly.
[Continue?]
¡°¡¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in inserted a token and stared intently at me.
Her gray eyes seemed to ask, ¡°Why are you better at shooting than me?¡±
I¡¯m the mini-game demon king.
However, I couldn¡¯t actually say that, and just then her avatar revived, so Seo Ye-in turned her attention back to the screen.
Tututututututututu!
The four-armed gori was grabbing whatever it could and throwing it wildly at us.
Each time, I gave Seo Ye-in a heads-up and we moved our avatars around to dodge.
¡°Tree fruit.¡±
¡°Two ostriches.¡±
¡°That rock is going to shatter. Watch out for the shards.¡±
¡°Herees another beehive. Get ready.¡±
Tututututututututu!
The hos that burst from the second beehive were neatly intercepted by Seo Ye-in. She didn¡¯t miss a single one.
And whenever the gori revealed an opening, we concentrated our attacks on it.
[Stage Clear!]
And with a final thud, the creature copsed and stage two was cleared.
The explorers¡¯plexions became darker as they investigated the gori.
¨C This is not good.
The two then moved deeper into the forest.
The density of the trees increased, making it more like a forest than a jungle.
The forms of the emerging animals became even stranger with creatures having multiple limbs at a cute level and countless others beingbinations of two or three different animals.
Tutututututu!
Indifferent to the obstacles, we turned everything in our path into a honeb of holes as we progressed.
A ck panther with a snake for a tail copsed to the ground under a barrage of bullets from Seo Ye-in.
I nced at Seo Ye-in.
She¡¯s a quick learner.
She had struggled immensely even in stage two.
But by stage three, her deaths had dramatically decreased.
Although I had pointed out the dangerous spots in advance, as in stage two, most couldn¡¯t avoid them even with guidance.
She had adapted to this mini-game and was now dodging everything effortlessly.
¨C Kheuh-heng!
The two-headed lion that appeared as the boss of stage three also fell easily, following my directions.
[Stage Clear!]
The grand final stage began.
The explorers, the man and the woman, were pushing through the forest when they suddenly stopped.
¨C That¡¯s¡!
A building stood ominously in the midst of the deep forest.
Just then, one side of the building suddenly opened and people dressed as researchers came out dragging arge cage behind them.
They released the creatures trapped inside.
And most of the animals that were a mix of two or three different species disappeared into the forest, but among them a leopard with a dizzying pattern spotted us and charged at us with incredible speed.
¨C Kyaaak!
Tutututututu!
While Seo Ye-in was firing her gun repeatedly, I suddenly had a thought,
It¡¯s always the human¡¯s fault.
Chapter 115: Downtown Area (6)
Chapter 115: Downtown Area (6)
Just like I guessed from seeing the people dressed as researchers, the building was actually a biological experimentboratory.
On one hand, research was underway to inject drugs into captured wild animals to increase their muscle mass and make them more ferocious,
On the other hand, research was underway to mix several different animals and harness the power of each one of them.
The creatures we had encountered in the previous stages had all been created here.
The two explorers trembled with horror at the horrific sight.
¨C Such a cruel thing¡!
And they began destroying the devices used in the experiment one by one.
Of course, the researchers weren¡¯t just going to stand by and watch.
Just when it seemed they would flee, they quickly mounted humanoid robots and retaliated.Tutututututut!
Seo Ye-in fired her gun repeatedly, but the bullets only made a pinging sound as they were blocked by the solid steel, leaving only minor scratches.
¡°Aim for the side. The side.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Upon closer inspection, one could see that a sophisticated mechanism made up of intricate parts was attached to the side of the robot.
When targeted, the robot fizzled and stopped moving.
Until this realization, one had to shoot randomly at anything that appeared, during which time the researchers mounted on the robots would happily pummel us.
It was a malicious design intended to drain 300 points, but knowing this in advance, it was not much more difficult than the previous stages.
Tutututututut!
We took turns taking down the robots and mutant wild animals that appeared and destroying the experimental devices one by one.
At the same time, when the wild animals trapped in the cages were released, theboratory turned intoplete chaos.
[Warning!]
[Warning!]
Red warning lights shed everywhere,
¨C Kuwoong!
A robot evenrger and heavier than the ones the researchers had ridden descended into the arena.
Aboard it was a mad scientist.
He was the final stage boss.
Just like I had done throughout the mini-game, whenever the boss made a threatening move, I signaled to Seo Ye-in.
¡°He¡¯s swinging down his left arm. Dodge lightly.¡±
¡°Lightly.¡±
The explorers moved lightly to either side and dodged the giant robot¡¯s swinging left arm.
¡°Count to three and then jump. 1, 2, 3. Jump.¡±
¡°Jump.¡±
The giant robot swept the floor but the explorers timed their jump perfectly and leaped up.
¡°Now shoot.¡±
¡°Mhm.¡±
Tutututututut!
As bullets continuously struck its weak spots, the giant robot¡¯s health gauge steadily decreased.
And when the health dropped below a third,
Red lights shed across its body.
¡°Laser beams areing.¡±
And a lot of them.
It was the final boss¡¯s desperate attack pattern, and the problem here was that thesesers were shot in a highlyplex pattern.
There wasn¡¯t enough time to exin each dodge move to dodge.
So, I had no choice but to say,
¡°Watch closely and try to dodge.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
And if that fails, just use a continue.
We¡¯vee this far, so you can afford about 300 points, right?
Soon after, the giant robot crouched down. Then it spread out and shot dozens ofser beams at us.
Left, right, diagonal, jump, left, forward, pause, right, back, pause longer, diagonal, diagonal, jump¡
I danced a frenzied tap dance while dodging every single one of theser beams with dazzling moves.
I nced over to see how Seo Ye-in was doing,
¡Alive?
Contrary to my expectation of seeing a gray ¡°Continue?¡± screen, Seo Ye-in¡¯s avatar was alive and firing away.
¡°How did you do that?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in slowly raised her hand and formed a V-sign.
I had meant it as a way to tell her to dodge as best as she could, but Seo Ye-in had actually watched closely and managed to dodge everything.
A truly devilish talent.
Not only did she perfectly adapt to the game, but she also became stuck in it with me.
I let out a bitter smile.
¡°Let¡¯s finish this.¡±
Tututututututu!
After defeating the mad scientist, the male and female explorers turned the giant robot into a heap of scrap metal.
They led the animals out of the crumblingboratory.
After watching theb copse with the animals, they all walked off towards the sunset¡
[- The End -]
Slowly, the ending credits began to rise from the bottom of the screen.
It had been a rough journey but we had finallypleted the
¡°Good job. High five.¡±
When I raised my palm, Seo Ye-in lightly tapped hers against mine in a silent high five. p.
As a prize for sessfullypleting the mini-game, Seo Ye-in received the tiger doll.
It was about the size of arge dog so Seo Ye-in had to wrap her arms around it.
She held the tiger and gently shook its paw at me.
It reminded me suddenly of Park Na-ri¡¯s tiger.
Having easily met the conditions of ¡®Using less than five tokens¡¯ and ¡°Watching the ending credits¡±, I too received my prize.
[Random Rank Up]*3
I¡¯d keep that in the inventory forter use.
Before suggesting another game, I casually checked Seo Ye-in¡¯s expression.
She seems sleepy.
Normally, she would have taken a nap long before now, but today, having spent the day roaming around and ying mini-games, she was evidently reaching her limit.
¡°Shall we call it a day?¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
Seo Ye-in slowly nodded her head up and down.
***
On the way to the entrance of the downtown area to catch the shuttle bus,
I nced sideways. Seo Ye-in was still walking while tightly hugging the tiger doll.
It seemed she really liked it since she kept holding it even though she could have put it in the inventory.
I asked in a light tone.
¡°How was it today?¡±
¡°¡It was fun.¡±
I¡¯m d she enjoyed it.
It had been a beneficial day in many ways.
As I was about to look forward and continue walking, the tiger¡¯s front paw tapped my arm.
Wondering if there was something more she wanted to say, I turned my gaze back to her. Seo Ye-in was staring intently and opened her mouth.
¡°I want toe again.¡±
Seo Ye-in usually spoke little, and when she did, she had a tendency to cut things short and omit many things.
I guessed the word ¡°together¡± was likely missing from her statement, ¡°I want toe again.¡±
She also seemed to be expecting an answer from me as she kept staring at me.
I smiled and nodded my head.
¡°Yeah, let¡¯s make time toe here often.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
For a brief moment, Seo Ye-in¡¯s lips curled into a gentle smile.
¡°It¡¯s nice when you smile. Smile more often.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
However, she seemed unaware of this fact and merely tilted her head in confusion.
Seo Ye-in returned to the dormitory where Ahn Jeong-mi politely greeted her.
¡°Have you returned, Miss?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°Did you have a good time with Kim Ho-nim?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Though her responses were typically short and her expression impassive, Ahn Jeong-mi who was an experienced butler quickly discerned the subtle mood surrounding Seo Ye-in.
She seems to be in a good mood.
It appeared that she had sufficiently relieved stress with Kim Ho in the downtown area.
Having had the ¡°recharge time¡± she needed, she would likely manage to pull through another week of mentoring.
Ahn Jeong-mi thanked Kim Ho inwardly for taking her ce and easing Seo Ye-in¡¯s burdens.
This naturally led her to wonder,
I wonder how the request I made to Kim Ho-nim turned out¡
Did he choose an item with the [Coupon] that was suitable for the young miss and to which she could be attached?
This skilled butler¡¯s keen eyes sparkled sharply.
Before leaving the dormitory and after returning, she scanned Seo Ye-in from head to toe while looking for any changes.
Then she noticed a white bracelet hanging on Seo Ye-in¡¯s wrist.
¡°Miss, may I take a look at your bracelet for a moment?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
As Seo Ye-in extended her hand, Ahn Jeong-mi checked the item¡¯s description.
She slightly squinted her eyes at the unexpected discovery.
Fluffy Cloud Bracelet¡ A-rank?
It was indeed a surprising find.
She had clearly given Kim Ho B-rank coupons, yet it returned as an A-rank item.
She would have to find out how he did it, but one thing was certain.
I did well to entrust it to Kim Ho-nim.
Once again, Kim Ho had proven to be a help to Seo Ye-in.
This would also bolster her own reputation in the Future Strategy Office, and she could support the two of them more actively in the future.
Then, as Seo Ye-in rummaged through her inventory,
¡°I also got a doll.¡±
She suddenly pulled out shark and anaconda dolls.
And the next moment, even Ahn Jeong-mi flinched when a tiger¡¯s face appeared.
The detail was so vivid that for a moment she thought it was a real tiger.
¡°It seems you went to the game center. I¡¯m d to see you had a good time.¡±
¡°I also bought a gift for the butler.¡±
¡°¡Huh?¡±
Jeong-mi blinked her eyes.
What did she just say she bought¡?
Seo Ye-in then took out a neatly wrapped paper bag.
Judging by the bakery mark on it, it seemed she had brought back some bread.
In fact, the bakery coupon was something she had obtained with difficulty for her own use, but she had willingly given it up for Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in.
She was human too and felt a tinge of regret but Seo Ye-in had thoughtfully packed the bread for her.
Ahn Jeong-mi shivered with the rush of emotions.
¡°Miss¡ You¡¯re all grown up now¡!¡±
Her eyes felt like they were warming with tears.
After years of perseverance, Seo Ye-in had matured into someone who knew how to express gratitude.
¡°Open it.¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯ll open it right now!¡±
However, the moment Ahn Jeong-mi tore open the packaging and unfolded the envelope,
An unusually spicy scent hit her nostrils sharply.
¡°!?¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi froze with a smile still on her face.
She slowly looked down to inspect the contents more closely.
What appeared to be a pizza bread.
Instead of tomato sauce, it seemed as if hellfireva was bubbling, and within that inferno, all sorts of spicy toppings seemed to be screaming to set her tongue aze.
It was the notorious specialty of the downtown bakery, Hellfire Pizza Bread.
Ahn Jeong-mi paused to reflect for a moment.
Did I do something wrong?
Was this the young miss¡¯s way of expressing her dissatisfaction?
No, it didn¡¯t seem like that.
She had spent more than a year or two in Seo Ye-in¡¯s service, so she had be adept at quickly detecting any signs of displeasure, and there seemed to be none at the moment.
The bread itself had been brought with good intentions.
However, the fact that it was Hellfire Pizza Bread was somewhat problematic.
Ahn Jeong-mi thought to herself.
As a butler, it is my duty to gratefully ept any gift from the young miss, whatever it may be.
¡°¡¡±
Seo Ye-in continued to gaze intently at Ahn Jeong-mi.
Her look seemed to ask, ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± which prompted Ahn Jeong-mi to force a broad smile onto her face.
¡°Thank you, Miss. I will enjoy eating it.¡±
And with that, she took a big bite of the Hellfire Pizza Bread.
Ahn Jeong-mi experienced hell that day.
TN: Poor butler¡lmao
Chapter 116: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (1)
Chapter 116: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (1)
[Skills]
? Wind Force (C+)
? Inferno Fist ?
? Amplification (D)
? Twister (E+)
? Copy-Skill [2/2]- Thief¡¯s Step (B+)
- Overheat (D)
[Traits]
? Core (C+)
? Monarch (E)? Blessing of the West Wind
? Distortion
? Copy-Trait [2/2]- Elemental Resistance (S)
- The Sovereign¡¯s Crown
After checking my skills and traits, I shifted my gaze to the three magic scrolls in my hand.
It was the same as [Rank Up] in that it had ¡°UP¡± written inrge letters, but this one had a ¡°?¡± in the background.
[Random Rank Up]*3
?Raises the rank of a skill/trait with a certain probability.
? Random rank up is not influenced by probability-rted bonuses.
? Randomly selects one of the skills/traits you learned.
Although it was not amon item on the prize list and I quickly grabbed it, upon closer inspection, it came with rather tricky conditions.
Firstly, the skill/trait would be randomly selected.
Copied skills/traits were not applicable and only those I had fully learned myself would be selected.
Among these, it was better to get difficult-to-grow traits like [Amplification] or [Monarch] rather than those like [Wind Force] or [Twister], which could be enhanced over time through steady effort.
¡°Anything that goes up is a blessing though.¡±
However, even that was not easy due to the second condition.
The rank of a randomly assigned skill/trait would increase by a ¡°certain probability¡±.
And this ¡°certain probability¡± dramatically decreased inversely with the rank¡¯s increase. For example, while the chance of upgrading an F-rank skill to E-rank might be 100%, the chance of upgrading a B-rank to A-rank approached nearly zero.
In exchange for skipping the time, effort, and know-how normally required to increase your rank, you had to win against the odds.
Lastly, there was a third condition. No luck bonuses applied.
This meant that whether it was the lucky Seo Ye-in or me trying, the oue would be the same.
To summarize,
The chances of losing all three without gaining anything are quite high.
My personal record was failing 30 consecutive random rank ups in the past.
So I predicted that these three scrolls would be gone in the blink of an eye.
And adjusted my mindsetfortably.
I got nothing from the game center¡
Possessing nothing.
If you don¡¯t have expectations in the first ce, you won¡¯t feel cheated.
Like an old master ready to ascend to heaven, I used the [Random Rank Up] with everythingid aside.
sh!
The scroll began to emit an increasingly intense radiance, and then,
Fwoosh¡
The light quickly faded and turned to ash that scattered in the air.
[Rank Up Failed.]
Yep, just as I thought.
I immediately proceeded with another random rank up.
Second attempt.
Fwoosh¡
[Rank Up Failed.]
Yep, I didn¡¯t expect much.
I moved on casually to the next one.
Third attempt.
sh!
Yep, I obviously didn¡¯t expect¡ª
Whooosh!
Light flowed from the scroll and was absorbed into my body as the notification appeared.
[Rank Up Sessful!]
[The rank of ¡®Inferno Fist¡¯ has increased. C->B]
Do you know ? It¡¯s really a great game.
This is why I can¡¯t quit random rank ups.
The [Inferno Fist] was a forbidden skill, not only because of its excessive power but also due to the many restrictions imposed on its use.
To increase its rank, one had to suffer greatly by frequently visiting a special dungeon.
Therefore, rather than endure that hardship, I had nned to keep it at C-rank and perhaps explore other skills, until¡ª
A rise to B-rank changes everything.
Fortunately, with the major extension of its ¡°expiration date¡±, now it would be useful from thetter half of my second year well into the early third year.
It was a highly satisfying oue.
***
Monday morning.
[Kim Ho: (Fluffy cloud emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: ??]
[Kim Ho: (Fluffy cloud emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: !!]
[Seo Ye-in: (Puffy cloud emoji)]
[Kim Ho: (Fluffy cloud emoji)]
[Kim Ho: (Fluffy cloud emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: (Puffy cloud emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: (Puffy cloud emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Food?]
[Seo Ye-in: Ok]
On the way to school after having breakfast with Seo Ye-in.
There was no sign of Ahn Jeong-mi.
On the way to school, she usually hid somewhere and watched over Seo Ye-in, but today there was no sign of her at all.
So I asked Seo Ye-in.
¡°Where¡¯s the butler?¡±
¡°Not feeling well.¡±
¡°Not feeling well? What happened?¡±
Seo Ye-in shook her head from side to side.
It meant she didn¡¯t really know either.
Seeing her like that, something urred to me so I asked a slightly different question.
¡°What happened to the spicy pizza bread? The one you bought as a gift.¡±
¡°Ate it all.¡±
¡°The butler did?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
She ate all of it?
Hearing that made me feel like I might start feeling unwell, but maybe Ahn Jeong-mi has a surprising tolerance for spicy food?
¡°So, when did she start feeling unwell?¡±
¡°After eating the bread.¡±
I figured as much.
It seems Seo Ye-in had bought it as a gift and the butler must have forced herself to eat it even though she couldn¡¯t stomach it.
It was almost certain that the cause of her poor condition was the Hellfire Pizza Bread.
¡°Next time, let¡¯s go for something less spicy as a gift.¡±
¡°¡¡¡¡±
¡°Something less spicy.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
After I emphasized it twice, Seo Ye-in finally nodded her head slowly.
In my heart, I hoped for Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s quick recovery.
I hoped there would be no issues with this week¡¯s mentoring.
As we were almost at school, I saw Go Hyeon-woo walking toward us from the direction of the training center.
It looked like he had spent another night in the special training room as usual.
Seeing us, he quickened his pace and approached.
¡°Kim-hyung, good morning. And Miss Seo too.¡±
¡°Hey. Good morning.¡±
I greeted him back, and Seo Ye-in gently waved her hand.
But suddenly, Go Hyeon-woo flinched and narrowed his eyes.
¡°Hmm?¡±
His gaze lingered momentarily on Seo Ye-in¡¯s wrist and precisely on the fluffy cloud bracelet on her wrist.
Then he noticed the storm cloud bracelet on my wrist and murmured,
¡°Hmm.¡±
He lowered his gaze to the Cloudstepper sneakers Seo Ye-in was wearing and then to the Cloudstepper pair I had on.
Gradually, a pleased fatherly smile spread across his face.
¡°Good luck to both of you¡¡±
¡°What are you thinking about?¡±
¡°Nothing much. It¡¯s just that I really enjoy seeing the two of you. However, I see you¡¯re wearing bracelets I¡¯ve never seen before.¡±
Rarely did Seo Ye-in respond but she did now.
¡°We went to the downtown area.¡±
¡°Oh, the downtown area you say? I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s full of interesting things. How was it, experiencing it firsthand?¡±
¡°It was fun.¡±
Perhaps it was the speed of Seo Ye-in¡¯s response that made Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s eyebrows rise slightly.
He looked at us again and his smile grew even more pleased.
¡°Indeed, if Miss Seo says so, it interests me even more. I¡¯d like to visit this downtown area myself some time. Training alwayses first, so it¡¯s hard to say when that might be.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo, this living training machine, was always engrossed in practice.
He wanted to go out but it seemed a waste to him to miss a whole day of training just for that.
I opened my mouth,
¡°Taking a day off once in a while isn¡¯t a bad idea. Besides, it¡¯s not like we just yed around. We came across some fortuitous encounters and even got these bracelets.¡±
In truth, Seo Ye-in was the one who had found the lucky trump card but we used it both anyway.
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s expression shifted slightly when he heard this.
¡°Fortuitous encounters, I see. Perhaps I thought too simplistically just hearing the word ¡®downtown area¡¯. Then, it¡¯s indeed worth taking some time.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s pick a day and go togetherter.¡±
¡°Sounds good; let¡¯s do that.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo changed his demeanor as if flipping his hand over.
He was a living training machine but also a typical warrior who would get overly excited just at the mention of ¡°Fortuitous encounters¡±.
***
In today¡¯s group duel battle ss,
Teacher Lee Soo-dok seemed tenser than usual, many times more so.
His demeanor was so fierce that it seemed he would twist someone¡¯s neck if they only irritated him.
The killing intent was so intense that the students didn¡¯t dare ck off and focused their attention solely on him.
In this tense atmosphere, Lee Soo-dok casually dropped a word.
¡°Midterms.¡±
¡°¡¡!?¡±
Question and exmation marks might as well have appeared above the students¡¯ heads.
Given the mood, they didn¡¯t dare to whisper among themselves and only darted their eyes around tomunicate.
¨C Did he just say midterms?
¨C Did I hear that right?
¨C Could we have misheard?
¨C It must be something else, right?
Everyone seemed to want to deny what they had just heard, but Lee Soo-dok firmly put an end to any doubts.
¡°In two weeks, starting in week nine, it¡¯s the midterm period. The exam will cover everything you¡¯ve learned since entering this Dragon yer Academy, including duel and strategy battle.¡±
His tone grew lower and slower and he surveyed the third ss with an even more murderous gaze.
¡°I hear some of you have been cking off in ss because you¡¯ve done well in the practical evaluations¡¡±
It seemed he had heard some rumors from the other teachers.
That must be the reason for his grim mood today.
Upon receiving Lee Soo-dok¡¯s gaze, several students winced and looked away.
Among them was Song Cheon-hye, and although she was a top student and usually focused in ss, she sometimes dozed off because she was tired from her duties in the disciplinarymittee club.
This was especially true during Mrs. Jo Ok-soon¡¯s lectures on monster ecology where staying awake was more the exception than the rule.
Lee Soo-dok continued with an ominous smile.
¡°¡. Those of you who have been skipping lessons can look forward to the midterm exam. It¡¯s going to be interesting.¡±
¡°¡¡¡!¡¯
The students¡¯ faces tensed.
Though they didn¡¯t know exactly what he meant, it was clear they would be frantically reviewing what they might have missed in past lessons.
After dropping that significant hint, Lee Soo-dok swiftly moved on to the next topic.
¡°Let¡¯s now go over the rules for this week¡¯s duel battles. Of course, this too will be part of your midterm.¡±
MAP: [Random]
RULE: [Crystal]
Lee Soo-dok then pulled out a device resembling a camera tripod and a fist-sized crystal from his inventory.
He casually threw the device, whichnded a short distance away and automatically set itself up.
The makeshift structure soon began to emit a clear and bright light.
¡°One key element of this duel battle session is the ¡®Sanctuary¡¯. Once you enter the arena, it will take a different form, but it will be easy to recognize.¡±
If it was anything simr to that makeshift structure, it would be shining brightly wherever it was.
Next, Lee Soo-dok held up the crystal.
Apart from being quiterge, it seemed unremarkable.
However, as Lee Soo-dok approached the Sanctuary with it,
Whirr¡ª
The Sanctuary and the crystal connected with a beam of white light and the crystal began to slowly fill with light.
When Lee Soo-dok stepped back to create some distance, the connection broke and the light inside the crystal quickly faded away.
Lee Soo-dok approached again and reconnected the Sanctuary and the crystal with a beam of light before he continued to exin.
¡°As you can see, this crystal gradually charges up when it is kept at a certain distance from the Sanctuary. Conversely, it discharges quickly if that distance is exceeded. And,¡±
sh¡ª!
After umting enough light, the crystal emitted an intensely white radiance.
The crystal could just as well have been called a lump of light instead.
¡°Once fully charged, it looks like this. So, the objective of this duel battle is as follows.¡±
The one holding the crystal must maintain a certain distance from the Sanctuary while avoiding or blocking the opponent¡¯s interference in order to charge the crystal.
Conversely, the opponent¡¯s goal is to naturally prevent this.
They could knock down their enemy, snatch the crystal, or forcefully increase the distance from the Sanctuary which would break the charging process.
I nodded thoughtfully after I heard this.
This is my favorite.
Chapter 117: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (2)
Chapter 117: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (2)
After school.
When I arrived at the arena, Dang Gyu-young was already there. She was leaning nonchntly against the spectator seats and waiting there.
¡°Good afternoon.¡±
¡°Oh¡ª you¡¯re here¡ª¡±
In response to my greeting, Dang Gyu-youngzily waved her hand and then pointed to the arena with an outstretched finger.
¡°Go have one match first. The others have already gone in.¡±
¡°Yes, Senior-nim.¡±
This week¡¯s quota was a total of three matches.
The first of these would be conducted without the intervention of a mentor.The [Crystal] was a rule introduced for the first time this week and it was unfamiliar to most students.
Although Lee Soo-dok had given a brief exnation, as the saying goes, seeing is believing; it¡¯s faster to learn by directly experiencing something than by discussing it all day.
Additionally, the academic administration wanted to maintain at least a minimum level of fairness between students who participated in mentoring and those who did not.
If a mentor entered, they could tell the students everything from what¡¯s inside, where to go, and how to strategize, etc. They could essentially guide them from start to finish, which could lead to unfairpetition regardless of actual skill.
So even if tailoring advice and training to individual needs wouldeter, they wanted to ensure everyone started from the same baseline.
After scanning my student ID at the terminal, a match was quickly found.
[Kim Ho 513 points] vs [Cha Hyeon-joo 510 points]
As soon as I stepped onto the teleportation magic circle, my surroundings changed dramatically and the next moment, I found myself standing in the middle of a forest lined with dense vegetation.
The location of the ¡°Sanctuary¡± was immediately obvious even without searching.
A huge tree stood tall alone with a grand presence.
What¡¯s more, it was glowing with a mystical light.
And the Crystal? It was time to start looking.
It would be hidden somewhere in this forest, and the first to find it would gain the right to charge it.
Cha Hyeon-joo, my opponent in this duel battle, was nowhere to be seen.
But just like me, she must have finished preparing somewhere on the other side of the forest as the countdown began.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Kim Ho 100%] vs [Cha Hyeon-joo 100%]
[Crystal: 0%]
I immediately kicked off the ground and began to run.
Heading straight in one direction without wandering or turning back.
If it¡¯s forest terrain, it¡¯s probably around there.
There were likely spots where the crystal could be.
I was heading toward the spot that my stagnant water intuition was pulling me towards.
As I pushed my Thief¡¯s Step skill to its limit, trees whipped past on either side of my view.
Soon, a small clearing appeared, and at its center, a makeshift altar held a crystal the size of a palm.
I quickly grabbed it and tucked it into the front pocket of my uniform before attempting to run off, but then¡ª
Swiiiiish!
With a sharp piercing sound, two streaks of light flew towards me.
I twisted my body to dodge and saw that they were two thin and small throwing knives.
Standing where the knives hade from was a girl.
A mask covered the lower half of her face making it hard to see her full features, but her eyes which were exposed red at me with killing intent.
Cha Hyeon-joo nodded towards the crystal in my front pocket and said,
¡°Put that down.¡±
¡°Would you put it down if you were me?¡±
Her hand blurred and then two more streaks of light were hurtling towards me.
Swiiiiish!
I leaned to the side and the knives narrowly missed me.
She was the type to throw knives first if things got tricky.
I turned around swiftly and started running.
Right towards the tree glowing with a mystical light, right towards the Sanctuary.
Throwing knives continued to fly at me from behind and they were apanied by a voice filled with killing intent.
¡°Stop right there.¡±
¡°Would you stop if you were me?¡±
Instead, I increased my speed even more.
How many times had I dodged and run,
Whizz¡ª!
The pir of light emanating from the sanctuary illuminated me like a spotlight.
And the crystal in the front pocket of my shirt began to fill with a mysterious light.
Having entered the range of the sanctuary, the crystal connected with it and started charging.
[Crystal: 1%]
[Crystal: 2%]
¡
However, the charging speed was much slowerpared to when Lee Soo-dok demonstrated it in the ssroom.
Back then, it was set to charge quickly as an example, but now the connection had to be maintained for at least several minutes.
Meanwhile, it was natural that I had to dodge Cha Hyeon-joo and protect the crystal.
It would be great if it could just be stored in the inventory.
Regrettably, the inventory is considered a space isted from the outside, so the connection would be cut off.
Charging it there was impossible.
Moreover, to teach a lesson to those foolish enough to try such tricks, a teleportation spell had been ced on the crystal.
The moment someone tried to ce it in their inventory, the crystal would whoosh away to another location.
After that, the advantage of having secured the crystal would be lost and the duel battle would be back to square one.
So it was best to keep it in the front pocket.
Swishhh!
I leaned forward to avoid the throwing knives that came flying at me again.
Cha Hyeon-joo clicked her tongue briefly.
¡°Tsk.¡±
As if she decided that throwing was ineffective, she gripped a dagger in each hand and quickly closed the distance between us.
I pointed at Cha Hyeon-joo with my Root.
[Wind Force]
[Twister]
Whoooosh¡ª
A whirlwind filled with physical force seized Cha Hyeon-joo and pinned her in ce.
She struggled desperately, but all she managed were slight flinches.
Then, it seemed she used some kind of movement skill as her body that was previously restrained suddenly slipped free.
However, by the time Cha Hyeon-joo had escaped the whirlwind, I had already closed in on her.
Boom!
Compressed air exploded and Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s figure was sent flying across the forest.
As she disappeared from view, I briefly checked the scoreboard.
[Kim Ho 100%] vs [Cha Hyeon-joo 98%]
[Crystal: 31%]
Swiiiiiish¡ª!
Cha Hyeon-joo hurled her throwing knives furiously and charged at a terrifying speed.
I cast [Twister] again, but she quickly dodged after she anticipated the onset of the whirlwind.
Her reaction speed is impressive.
Cha Hyeon-joo pressed close and alternated shes with her twin daggers.
I dodged the first dagger and blocked the second one with Root.
Then the swinging first dagger was lightly struck on Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s wrist, altering its trajectory.
But Cha Hyeon-joo seemed to have anticipated me dodging and deflecting as she smoothly retrieved the dagger and transitioned into her next attack.
Not bad.
Twin daggers are a more difficult weapon to wield than one might think.
To move them as freely as one¡¯s own body not only requires effort but also a certain innate talent.
It was a moment that revealed the talent Cha Hyeon-joo possessed.
Of course, talent is talent, and a match is a match.
No holding back.
Especially since there¡¯s a side quest for this week.
I continued to pretend to barely manage, then suddenly stepped forward and thrust out my Root weapon.
Then the short metal spear ingeniously inserted itself between the trajectories of the two daggers.
nk,
We came to a standstill with the spear and the two daggers pressed against each other.
But you know what?
I was wielding Root with one hand.
I shed my empty hand that was holding nothing.
¡°What¡¯s this?¡±
¡°Kuh¡!¡±
Perhaps sensing what was about to happen, Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s eyes widened.
But before she could react, thepressed air exploded faster.
Bang!
Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s body was again sent flying in an arc far away.
This time I used a bit more force with Wind Force, so perhaps she flew a bit further.
[Kim Ho 100%] vs [Cha Hyeon-joo 96%]
[Crystal: 57%]
It seems like it¡¯s over already.
We had shed at close range twice, and both times the skirmish ended with Cha Hyeon-joo being sent flying away.
It seemed as if she had given it her all, and I figured that any further collisions would have the same result.
¡or so I thought.
Swiiiish¡ª!
Another streak of light came flying at me.
I tried to dodge it as I had been, but feeling an odd sense of unease, I moved significantly to the side.
It soon became clear that this was the right decision.
Thump!
A beam of light that barely missed me pierced through the tree that had been behind me.
Had it been a throwing knife like before, it should have stuck deeply, but this time it left a fist-sized hole.
Sssss¡ª!
This time, three beams of light surged toward me.
Upon closer inspection, the projectiles flying toward me were quite different from any dagger.
They were thin and elongated with a sharply pointed end.
Arrows.
And not just any arrows¡ªthese were arrows filled with mana.
It turned out Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s main ss was an archer.
It seems she was deliberately concealing her true abilities just like me.
However, the fact that she had been posing as a dual-dagger rogue and suddenly switched to using a bow meant one thing,
She must be really angry.
I surmised that her anger had ovee her reason.
Well, having been sent flying by Wind Force not once but twice would make anyone furious.
Sssss¡ª
Each arrow that flew was filled with emotion.
Since she didn¡¯t show herself, it seemed she had slightly revised her objectives for this duel.
Instead of just stealing the crystal, she aimed to incapacitate me.
Knocking an opponent out was indeed part of the victory conditions, so it wasn¡¯t too far off.
Sssss¡ª
Of course, hitting me was necessary for that to be possible.
I kept using my Thief¡¯s Step and maintained my speed while subtly changing directions to dodge the arrows.
I really wanted to go after Cha Hyeon-joo and knock her back once more, but if I strayed too far from the sanctuary, the connection with the crystal would be severed.
[Crystal: 72%]
Since it was already significantly charged, I decided to keep running.
Perhaps she read my mind.
The barrage of arrows thinned for a moment,
Wizzzzzzz¡ª!
Then a bundle of arrows wasunched at me all at once.
The sound they made as they cut through the air was distinctly different from before.
I continued using Thief¡¯s Step and zigzagged to avoid the arrows.
Wizzzzzzz¡ª!
However, the arrows that should have flown past me and embedded themselves in a nearby tree bent mid-flight and turned to chase after me.
She¡¯s using homing arrows.
That¡¯s a high-level skill too.
Wizzzzzzz¡ª!
Cha Hyeon-joounched additional homing arrows.
It seemed her n was to keep increasing the number of arrows until it was impossible to avoid them.
I should scatter them and go.
After gathering wind at my fingertips, I quickly spun around and linked Twister with Wind Force.
The whirlwind spread in the opposite direction and drastically changed the trajectory of the chasing arrows.
Sounds of arrows embedding themselves into various trees echoed around.
But at that moment,
¡°Oh, what¡¯s this?¡±
A very thin arrow, breaking through the whirlwind I had created, aimed straight for my sr plexus.
It was a sly move, designed to distract me with the guided missiles while secretly firing this one shot.
That was really clever.
I admired her tactic in my heart, filled Root with mana, and swung it towards the arrow.
ng¡ª!
For a secretly fired arrow, the force it carried was extraordinary and the impact was strong enough to make my hands grow numb.
If my skills were any less, I might have torn my grip.
I briefly transferred Root to my other hand and shook out the numbness from my hand.
That was really close to triggering my distortion trait.
It seems there are quite a few hidden gems among the first-year students this year.
But this is as far as it goes.
[Crystal: 100%]
Regrettably, the charge was alreadyplete.
Fwoosh¡ª!
The crystal emitted a bright sh of light, signaling the end of the match.
Then the scoreboard disyed the result.
[Kim Ho Win] vs [Cha Hyeon-joo Lose]
I cheerfully waved my hand in the direction where Cha Hyeon-joo was.
¡°Good fight~!¡±
Swiiiiiiishh¡ª!
Cha Hyeon-joo continued to fire arrows at me until the moment I teleported out using the magic circle.
Chapter 118: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (3)
Chapter 118: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (3)
¡°It ended quickly? Howe you were the first one out?¡±
The stands still held only Dang Gyu-young.
Hong Yeon-hwa and Song Cheon-hye who had matched before me had yet to emerge.
¡°Their matches must be long ones. For me, I charged up in one go and that was it.¡±
Fighting over the crystal with it being snatched away and then reset tends to prolong the battle.
In contrast, I immediately sprinted to recover the crystal, neutralized all interference from Cha Hyeon-joo, and kept charging it until I finished.
It was almost record time.
Dang Gyu-young tapped the seat next to her with her fingertips.
¡°Come here. Let¡¯s watch the rey together.¡±Since it was the first match, the next step was to show the rey to my mentor and review it together.
[Kim Ho513.Cha Hyeon-joo510_DuelBattle_Week7.rey]
When I handed over the crystal ball, Dang Gyu-young checked the names written on it and her expression hardened slightly.
¡°¡You faced Cha Hyeon-joo?¡±
¡°Do you know her?¡±
¡°Yeah, she¡¯s on our side for now.¡±
From her equipment and skill tendencies, I thought that she was likely associated with the Guild Union and it appeared I was right.
However, Dang Gyu-young¡¯s demeanor was somewhat ambiguous as if she was hiding something.
I decided to ask about thister and focused on the rey for now.
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s eyes were fixed on the crystal ball and she muttered,
¡°You two found the crystal almost at the same time.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
It was from that time that I realized Cha Hyeon-joo was quite skilled.
Even if I found the crystal through an instinct honed by experience, the time it took Cha Hyeon-joo to arrive was not significantly different from mine.
She seemed to possess some sort of search-type skill.
The rey continued and soon Cha Hyeon-joo and I began closebat.
Cha Hyeon-joo swung her twin swords in rapid session.
And there I was dodging and blocking as if I was going to be hit but never actually getting hit.
Dang Gyu-young spoke in a disinterested tone.
¡°Right, as if you would get hit.¡±
Considering that Dang Gyu-young, a third-year student and club president, poured her full force into her attacks and didn¡¯t manage to touch me, it was even less likely for first-year Cha Hyeon-joo to do so.
Bang!
Inside the crystal ball, Cha Hyeon-joo was struck by a Wind Force and sent flying.
¡°Oh dear.¡±
Dang Gyu-young let out a low sigh.
Her suddenly sympathetic gaze suggested that she felt some kinship with Cha Hyeon-joo.
Bang!
Cha Hyeon-joo was hit by the Wind Force a second time and sent flying far away.
Dang Gyu-young looked away from the crystal ball and red at me.
¡°Kim Ho, you really are a terrible person.¡±
¡°I have to survive too. There¡¯s only so much I can dodge.¡±
¡°Was it really necessary to send her flying twice?¡±
¡°Actually, it wasn¡¯t necessary.¡±
I admitted it freely.
Partly because the second time was intended to provoke her.
Sssssss!
Then Cha Hyeon-joo switched her weapon to a bow andunched an arrow.
Dang Gyu-young eximed in admiration again.
¡°Wow, you¡¯re really something else. Isn¡¯t this only the third time she¡¯s taken out her bow since she enrolled?¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo usually uses only daggers whether she wins or loses.
She only brought out her bow in private when facing an opponent of promising student level.
But how fired up must she have been to make me, hardly a promising student, her honorable third opponent?
Amidst this, a phrase from Dang Gyu-young caught my attention.
The part aboutpeting against ¡°an opponent of promising student level¡±.
Suddenly, I remembered what Shin Byeong-cheol had said during the cement test.- We have another kid who¡¯s really good with a bow. In the duel battles, they hid their skills and only used daggers, but still managed 2 wins and 1 loss.
¡°Then she must be that promising archer.¡±
Dang Gyu-young seemed to ponder for a moment before shrugging and responding.
¡°No point in hiding it now. Yes, it¡¯s her.¡±
¡°I thought so.¡±
Her skills were quite impressive even when she fought with twin daggers, and even more so with the bow.
Especially notable was her tactic ofunching a barrage of homing arrows before slipping in a stealthy shot amidst them.
At that moment, Dang Gyu-young looked away from the crystal ball to check a message.
¡°Speaking of which, I just got a contact.¡±
¡°From Cha Hyeon-joo?¡±
¡°No, her mentor.¡±
¡°What does it say?¡±
¡°They want us to keep the rey private.¡±
I had a feeling it would be something like that.
Anger had overwhelmed reason and she drew her bow in a moment of fury. However, as the match concluded and her head cooled slightly, rational thoughts began to return.
Up until now, her skills that had been well concealed were now fully recorded in the rey.
It would be a little better if she at least won, but if she lost and her skills were all revealed to the world, the loss would be enormous.
That¡¯s probably why she had asked her mentor for help.
From my perspective, the slower your skills are revealed, the better.
Still, I acted reluctant again.
Using the sale of the rey as an excuse.
¡°Well, I need to earn those points.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t do that, help me save face, will you? They¡¯ve offered something in return.¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
When I pretended to be thinking it through, Dang Gyu-young poked my cheek gently with her index finger as if urging me on.
I hesitated a bit longer before saying what she wanted to hear.
¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll keep it private, but you need to help me seriously with my training this week.¡±
¡°Training as in, wind magic?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s face crumpled.
Due to the trauma associated with wind magic that had taken root in her heart,st week the goblins had be the unwilling participants in my training.
However, since that wasn¡¯t possible this week, I must somehow involve Dang Gyu-young to receive the mentoring event bonus.
¡°¡¡¡±
The situation reversed; Dang Gyu-young was the one who fell into deep contemtion now. But since I was unable to poke her cheek, I just stared at her intently.
Dang Gyu-young nced at my face while she pondered, and after several cycles of contemtion and nces, she finally gave in as if she couldn¡¯t bear it any longer.
¡°Alright, alright. Just know that this is really thest time.¡±
Just then, Song Cheon-hye and Hong Yeon-hwa sessively teleported out using the teleportation circle.
Judging by their somewhat cheerful expressions, it seemed both had won their matches.
Amidst this, I noticed the absence of Kwak Ji-cheol and asked Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Where¡¯s Kwak Ji-cheol?¡±
¡°He went in after you. It might take a while.¡±
I nodded my head nonchntly.
He¡¯lle out, whether he wins or loses.
***
Oh my god. Of all days, it had to be a Monday¡
Kwak Ji-cheolmented his bad luck.
[Kwak Ji-cheol 100%] vs [Seo Ye-in 100%]
[Crystal: 0%]
The opponent who took him down with a single sniping shot in the duel battle of the first week.
And now he was matched against Seo Ye-in once again.
He sighed in frustration.
I have to try, what choice do I have?
After all, conceding before even starting wasn¡¯t an option.
On the other hand, he was somewhat pleased with the chance for revenge.
He had been consistently training, receiving mentoring, and honing his skills.
He was not the same as he had been back then; his chances of winning had surely increased.
Also, when he looked around, he saw a forest with lush vegetation.
Of all the random terrains, this one favored an earth mage the most.
It seemed like a good opportunity to give it a shot.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
As soon as the match began, Kwak Ji-cheol summoned several lower earth spirits and gnomes and spread them out.
It was to search for the crystal more quickly.
As he ran blindly in one direction, one of the gnomes sensed something.
He immediately changed direction and headed there, and indeed, the crystal came into view.
A good start.
At that moment, there was a rustling noise and Seo Ye-in emerged from the bushes.
Their eyes locked over the crystal in the middle.
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
The first thought that shed through Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s mind was unrted to the match and it was how incredibly beautiful she really was.
Next he wondered why on earth she hung around that annoying Kim Ho every single day.
It was only after he mentally cursed Kim Ho thoroughly that he snapped back to his senses.
They were in the middle of a duel.
Kwak Ji-cheol dashed toward the crystal.
¡°¡¡±
On the other hand, Seo Ye-in didn¡¯t even think of running; she simply lifted the gun she had been carrying and aimed it at Kwak Ji-cheol.
But this was no ordinary pistol or rifle she had used before.
An assault rifle?
Dadadadadadadada!
Seo Ye-in¡¯s assault rifle emitted blue mes.
Kwak Ji-cheol hastily erected an earthen wall, but the magic bullets pierced through it as if it were mere paper.
¡°Argh!¡±
[Kwak Ji-cheol 81%] vs [Seo Ye-in 100%]
[Crystal: 0%]
Kwak Ji-cheol had always prided himself on being a real man, but this time the pain was so severe that tears welled up in his eyes.
He somehow managed toe to his senses and he ran towards the sanctuary.
Dadadadadadada!
¡°Ugh, ack!¡±
Magic bullets asionally struck his back, but he gritted his teeth and kept running.
He intermittently erected earthen walls and bent trees to prevent Seo Ye-in from easily pursuing him.
As he ran breathlessly,
Whiiing¡ª!
The crystal began to charge as it connected with the sanctuary.
[Crystal: 1%]
This is it.
Kwak Ji-cheol stopped and spun around.
Continuously fleeing would only gradually deplete his health until he copsed.
Rather, he would have a higher chance of winning if he took advantage of his special skills built a fortress here, and held out.
Kwak Ji-cheol cast several spells.
And just before Seo Ye-in almost caught up to him, he barelypleted the spells.
[Double Layer Wall]
[Strong Wall]
Creak-creaaak!
He gathered the surrounding dirt and gravel to form a doubleyered wall before reinforcing it to be thicker and sturdier.
Seo Ye-in who arrivedter fired her assault rifle repeatedly against the stone wall.
Dadadadadadadadadada!
The destructive power of the magic bullets was so strong that they prated the first wall effortlessly.
However, the second wall usually slowed them down halfway through, and even if they did prate, their power was greatly reduced and they would cause minimal damage.
Kwak Ji-cheol was relieved and at the same time his eyes shone sharply.
The counterattack starts now.
[Earth Cluster]
[Earth Cluster]
Two spheres of earth rose. Then they began to spin rapidly as they hurled clods of dirt like bullets.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. A bullet for a bullet.
I¡¯ll deal with you in the same manner.
Dudududududududu!
Dadadadadadadada!
At a certain distance, the dirt bullets and magic bullets crisscrossed together.
However, while the magic bullets were blocked by the wall, the dirt bullets asionally caused damage to Seo Ye-in.
[Kwak Ji-cheol 68%] vs [Seo Ye-in 96%]
[Crystal: 11%]
Moreover, the crystal was gradually charging.
From Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s perspective, he could simply hold out without any problem.
¡°¡¡±
Whatever she was thinking, Seo Ye-in suddenly let go of her assault rifle.
Then the rifle disassembled itself and began to reassemble automatically.
After she was effectively disarmed, Seo Ye-in took a few steps forward and then started running before picking up her speed.
What is she up to?
Although Kwak Ji-cheol found the opponent¡¯s strange actions perplexing he reflexively fired his dirt bullets.
Dududududududu!
He hadn¡¯t noticed but Seo Ye-in¡¯s feet blurred as if leaving afterimages.
This meant that [Feather Step] was being activated.
She lightly stepped around while dodging most of the iing dirt bullets.
Ppop!
A cute clump of clouds appeared next to Seo Ye-in, circled around her, and then swallowed a dirt bullet that she couldn¡¯t dodge.
Seeing this, Kwak Ji-cheol was dumbfounded.
What on earth is that?
He had no idea that this fluffy cloud was a skill from a precious A-rank bracelet.
¡°Kuek¡!¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol furiously spun his Earth Clusters.
Avoiding the bullets, Seo Ye-in and the fluffy cloud closed the distance between them.
She recalled ying in the downtown area over the weekend.
It seemed as if she could hear Kim Ho¡¯s voice in her ears.
¨C Dodge lightly.
¡°Lightly.¡±
Seo Ye-in irregrly stepped left and right and continued dodging the dirt bullets.
As Kwak Ji-cheol grew desperate, he thrust his staff into the ground, and the earth surged towards Seo Ye-in.
Kurrrrrrr¡
Again, Kim Ho¡¯s voice rang in her ears.
¨C Jump on the count of three. 1, 2, 3. Jump.
¡°Jump.¡±
Seo Ye-in lightly leaped over the undting ground.
Then, dozens of hands made of dirt rose from the ground and tried to grasp her.
¨C Hop up. Hop, hop.
¡°Hop.¡±
Seo Ye-in lightly trampled over the hands as she jumped and jumped again.
Finally, with a great leap, shended softly right in front of the wall Kwak Ji-cheol had erected.
It was only then that a question shed through Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s mind.
¡But why has shee so close?
Why would a marksman need to get this close?
The question was quickly answered.
Because the reassembly of the weapon held by Seo Ye-in waspleted and itsplete form was revealed.
¡A shotgun?
Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s face hardened.
¡°W-Wait.¡±
Whaaaaaam¡ª!
A barrage of magic bullets scattered, instantly demolishing the earthen wall and blowing Kwak Ji-cheol beyond it.
¡°Kaaaaah!!¡±
Chapter 119: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (4)
Chapter 119: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (4)
(TN: Hong Yeon-hwa has a wand, not a staff. I always tranted as staff but a wand is totally different.)
***
¡°So, you got hit with a shotgun and went down in one shot?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol kept his mouth shut at Dang Gyu-young¡¯s question.
Even he thought it was ridiculous.
He had thought he was managing the match well, but then Seo Ye-in unexpectedly closed the distance and sted him with a shotgun.
To have been defeated in closebat after two weeks of intense training, especially by a marksman, left him speechless.
However, Dang Gyu-young wasn¡¯t angry or scolding him.She continued to ask questions in her usual tone.
¡°Let¡¯s hear it. What do you think went wrong?¡±
It was more constructive to reflect on where things had gone wrong than to waste emotions on what had already happened.
After thinking for a moment Kwak Ji-cheol responded.
¡°It seemed like things were going well until I set up the fortress.¡±
He quickly recovered the crystal, connected it to the sanctuary, and built an earthen wall for a siege.
At that time, this was the best strategy he could employ.
Dang Gyu-young gave a small nod as if encouraging him to continue speaking.
¡°Mhmm, and?¡±
¡°¡I should have sensed something was off when the marksman approached so closely, but I was too focused on defense and reacted toote.¡±
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head.
¡°That¡¯s right. When an opponent does something unexpected, you should try to understand their intentions and why they are doing it. It¡¯s rare for someone to act without thought and ns.¡±
¡°I will keep that in mind.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa listened to their conversation and thought to herself.
She gives more useful advice than I expected.
When she first started mentoring, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s first impression of Dang Gyu-young wasn¡¯t very good.
The first reason was that although Dang Gyu-young was a mage like her, she wasn¡¯t affiliated with the Magic Tower Association but rather with the Guild Union.
The second reason was just her prejudice against those of the thieves¡¯ club.
Thieves were often said to be excessively free-spirited and people who tend to handle tasks whimsically, ording to their moods.
She was worried that the mentoring would be conducted half-heartedly if it became tedious after a while.
However, as the third week of mentoring approached, Dang Gyu-young was still diligently teaching the first-year students and was gradually earning their respect.
It seemed that this level ofmitment was necessary to fulfill the role of a club president.
Dang Gyu-young carefully observed the mentees, including Hong Yeon-hwa.
¡°The feedback session is over, and now let¡¯s switch roles. It just so happens you four are evenly split.¡±
In the first duel battle, Kim Ho and Kwak Ji-cheol had picked up the crystal first so they were on the charging and defending side,
While Hong Yeon-hwa and Song Cheon-hye had been a step slow in finding the crystal, making them the reimers.
The idea now was to reverse these roles.
As Dang Gyu-young stepped onto the teleportation magic circle, she casually threw out the instruction.
¡°Two at a time, follow me. First up, Kim Ho and Hong Yeon-hwa.¡±
Then she vanished inside.
Hong Yeon-hwa was caught off guard by the sudden situation, so she just stayed in her ce and blinked her eyes.
¡Huh?
Who with whom?
After repeating Dang Gyu-young¡¯s words a few times, reality finally sank in.
Switch roles. Two at a time. One-on-one. Kim Ho.
Then her eyes met Kim Ho¡¯s indifferent gaze.
¡°¡¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s mood plummeted instantly.
Recently, her perception of Kim Ho has improved considerably.
Especially, the instances where she would shrink away at the mere sight of him had almost vanished.
But facing him one-on-one was an entirely different matter.
In her mind, Kim Ho had already established himself as a final boss-level opponent.
Even though it was just a sparring match,peting against an opponent she believed she could never defeat was far from pleasant.
Hong Yeon-hwa silently protested to Dang Gyu-young who had already entered the arena.
Why me?
Couldn¡¯t I just spar with Song Cheon-hye instead?
Naturally, Dang Gyu-young didn¡¯t respond but Kim Ho¡¯s voice reached her instead.
¡°Let¡¯s go in. She¡¯s waiting.¡±
He was already standing on the magic circle and looking at her.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t youing?¡±
¡°I-I¡¯ming ¡.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa began to move towards him.
Her pace was much slower than usual.
However, when she noticed the suspicious looks from Kwak Ji-cheol and Song Cheon-hye, she quickened her steps as much as she could to appear nonchnt.
It was in nobody¡¯s interest for them to meddle in whatever was between her and Kim Ho.
As the two of them stood side by side, the magic circle emitted a light and suddenly their surroundings changed dramatically.
The next moment, they were standing in the middle of a forest.
Considering the first match had taken ce in the forest, Dang Gyu-young had set the same terrain.
Something flew towards Hong Yeon-hwa and she casually caught it.
After receiving it, she checked and found that it was a fist-sized crystal.
[Crystal: 0%]
Next, Dang Gyu-young gestured towards the sanctuary with a nod.
¡°Start first.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa quickly grasped Dang Gyu-young¡¯s intention.
In this duel battle, it was her role to charge and defend the crystal; she was to go ahead and secure a position.
¡°¡¡.¡±
A nce at Kim Ho showed that he too had roughly understood the situation and he stood quietly while watching over her.
When their eyes met, he nodded slightly as if to encourage her.
Hong Yeon-hwa took a deep breath to steady her resolve.
Alright. Let¡¯s give it a try, just this once.
Even if she lost, gaining something from the attempt would be enough.
A great me burst forth from the ruby set in her wand,
Whoosh,
and the me waspletely absorbed into her body.
After enhancing her physical abilities with Overheat, she sprinted away from her spot.
Whoosh¡ª
Soon after Hong Yeon-hwa entered the range of the sanctuary, a mystical light poured from the huge tree.
The crystal slowly began to fill with light.
[Crystal: 1%]
[Crystal: 2%]
Hong Yeon-hwa did not stop there; she moved further inward and quickly surveyed her surroundings.
This seems like a good spot.
She then chose a location that best suited her n.
The spacing between the nts was sparse but it wasn¡¯t entirely a clearing. It was more like a half-forest, half-clearing kind of ce.
She positioned herself in the center and began to cast her magic.
sh!
The ruby embedded in her wand emitted a powerful red light, and small magic circles began to etch themselves into the ground, one by one.
Hong Yeon-hwa continued to focus intensely and steadily increased the number of magic circles.
Her casting speed was exceptionally fastpared to others, which allowed the number of magic circles to grow at an unparalleled rate.
Only after the area was filled with numerous small magic circles did Hong Yeon-hwa stop casting.
Then she stared intently at the noiseing from beyond the forest,
Rustle,
And saw Kim Ho casually making his way through the underbrush.
He began to step forward but paused before lowering his gaze briefly.
He had spotted the densely packed magic circles on the ground.
At the same time, Hong Yeon-hwa snapped her fingers,
Boom!
One of the nearby magic circles turned red and violently erupted into a pir of fire.
Fire Pir.
Originally, magic of such a grand scale as these magic circles required a considerable amount of time for casting, but Hong Yeon-hwa had enlightenment while melting the millennium iron alloy in the cksmith¡¯s workshop.
Based on this enlightenment, after numerous experiments, what was ultimatelypleted was this significantly lighter version of the Fire Pir.
Just moments ago, it was used simply as a threat, to demonstrate how she could utilize the magic circle and what would happen to those who approached recklessly.
Kim Ho looked down at the magic circles with a face that hardly showed any sense of crisis.
Somehow, Hong Yeon-hwa felt like she could read his thoughts.
¨C Should I just push through?
Recalling what happened in the cement test, he had taken a fully enhanced Fire Pir head-on and not a single hair on his head was charred.
Such a lightweight Fire Pir might just be ignored by him as he walked through it.
However, Hong Yeon-hwa was certain that Kim Ho would not do that.
After all, since it was a sparring session during mentoring with nothing to gain from winning and because he was known to adjust his level to his opponent during training.
As expected, Kim Ho nodded at Hong Yeon-hwa and epted her challenge of a tactical advance.
Although he could take no real damage from the fire magic, he would engage in the sparring under the assumption that he would take damage.
Soon, Kim Ho took his first step and slowly started circling around the magic circles while looking for an opening.
The first strike came from Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s side.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
As she fired a series of fire arrows, Kim Ho swiftly moved left and right while dodging them effortlessly.
He then took a step forward, but¡ª
Kwaah!
A pir of fire erupted from the magic circle he had just stepped on but he quickly withdrew his foot and retreated.
He continued to circle around while looking for an opportunity.
Fwoosh!
Even though Hong Yeon-hwa knew that Kim Ho would not be hit, she kept sending fire arrows his way relentlessly.
Her intent was to keep him busy and on edge.
asionally, as Kim Ho stepped on a magic circle,
Kwaah!
She immediately activated the Fire Pir from the circle which forced him to retreat.
And when Kim Ho dodged the fire arrows and skirted around the edges, he would sometimes breach the perimeter, and each time, Hong Yeon-hwa would force him back. This pattern repeated for a while.
The number of magic circles was steadily decreasing, but since they were so densely spread across the entire arena, reducing them one by one seemed endless.
Kim Ho would have to repeatedly step on and retreat from these circles several times before he could reach Hong Yeon-hwa.
[Crystal: 37%]
And there was a much higher chance that the crystal would charge up before he even got close.
A sliver of hope arose in Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s mind.
Could she possibly win this way?
Even though the conditions were heavily in her favor, could she really win like this?
At that moment, Kim Ho raised the spear in his hand and pointed it at Hong Yeon-hwa.
Whoosh¡ª
¡°Ah¡ª¡±
A gust of wind blew and Hong Yeon-hwa was helplessly pushed aside.
Chapter 120: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (5)
Chapter 120: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (5)
It was already a well-known fact that Kim Ho mainly used wind magic.
She had experienced this firsthand whether she faced him as an ally or an enemy. And just in the recent sticker duel alone, the contribution of his wind magic had been significant.
The skill adeptly supported Hong Yeon-hwa in moments of danger and effectively disrupted Dang Gyu-young¡¯s movements which only went to prove how useful it could be.
However, since wind wasn¡¯t visible to the eye, it was difficult to gauge its true power.
It seemed more about Kim Ho¡¯s excellent control that allowed him to use it effectively when needed rather than the inherent strength of the skill itself.
So she thought she could withstand the wind magic, but then¡ª
Whirrrrrr¡ª
¡°Ah¡ª¡±
It was too strong!
Hong Yeon-hwa was again pushed aside by the fierce gusts of wind.
No matter how hard she tried to hold her ground, she couldn¡¯t withstand it.
After shaking Hong Yeon-hwa a few times, Kim Ho approached.
Even in her current hectic state, Hong Yeon-hwa flicked her finger and activated a magic circle.
Whooooooosh¡ª!
Kim Ho retreated to avoid the rising pir of fire.
Then he skillfully avoided severalrge fireballs flying toward him and lightly traced his spear in the air.
Wizzzz¡ª
¡°Ugh¡ª¡±
If she continued to be dragged around like this, she would only get further from the area where she had set up her magic circles.
That would render her defensive position meaningless.
Hong Yeon-hwa was determined to hold out. She scanned her surroundings and spotted a nearby tree. And then an idea suddenly shed through her mind.
Trees! Roots!
A tree that was deeply rooted does not sway even in strong winds!
Using her enhanced physical abilities from Overheat, she deeply embedded one foot into the ground.
Wizzzz¡ª
Surprisingly, her improvised idea worked well. Although Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s body swayed, she was not pushed back.
Just as she was about to shoot out her fire balls and arrows while bncing her staggering body,
Wizzzzzzzz¡ª
The wind blew even stronger.
Then, as her body swayed violently, Hong Yeon-hwa tilted heavily to one side and fell t on the ground.
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa who was lying face down like that thought to herself,
Someone, please cover me with dirt¡
I¡¯d like to use this ce as my grave.
And perhaps her tombstone might read,
¡®Hong Yeon-hwa, here lies in shameful rest.¡¯
Unfortunately, her wish was not granted.
Kim Ho seemed to be waiting patiently withoutunching any further attacks.
This only doubled Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s sense of humiliation.
He might as welle and take the crystal¡
However, lying face down was just as embarrassing, so eventually, Hong Yeon-hwa staggered to her feet.
Kim Ho, as always, looked on with an impassive face but this time his gaze seemed tinged with a hint of sympathy.
There was only one way to escape this awkward situation.
F-Fire, Arrow!
Whoosh!
The quickest solution was to resume the battle immediately.
As soon as Hong Yeon-hwaunched her fire arrows, Kim Ho also began to move.
Hong Yeon-hwa checked her position and realized she was quite far from where she had initially set up.
Laying down many magic circles was useless if she wasn¡¯t at their center to be protected.
Being outside the fortress essentially defeated the purpose of having built it in the first ce.
As such, while Hong Yeon-hwa continued to shoot fire arrows and tried to return to her original position,
Wizzzzz¡ª
¡°Ugh.¡±
As if to mock her efforts, the wind blew against her and made her take a step back.
Returning was already out of the question, so Hong Yeon-hwa activated the magic circles nearby to keep Kim Ho in check.
Whooooooosh¡ª!
Each time the pirs of fire erupted, the number of magic circles continued to decrease until they were all depleted.
Now if Kim Ho approached, she would have no choice but to engage in closebat.
But this¡
[Crystal: 73%]
Upon checking the scoreboard suddenly, she saw that the charging was nearlyplete.
It had been unintentional. But even as Hong Yeon-hwa writhed in humiliation from having fallen t on her face, the crystal continued to charge,
If I can just hold on a little longer¡?
And with just 27% more to charge, wouldn¡¯t that mean victory for her?
It felt as if a dying ember of hope was rekindled.
Meanwhile, Kim Ho also nced at the scoreboard and seemed to realize that he didn¡¯t have much time left.
He then started to glide across the floor with his Thief¡¯s Steps while closing the distance.
Don¡¯te!
Booom!
Hong Yeon-hwa furiously threw fireballs andshed out with ava whip, but Kim Ho narrowly dodged them all.
And then he closed the distance in a sh and lightly grasped her forearm.
Soon, Hong Yeon-hwa felt herself floating off the ground, and she saw Kim Ho rapidly moving away.
As it turned out, it wasn¡¯t Kim Ho moving away but herself being flung backward.
So much for holding on a little longer.
That was never going to work¡ª
Hong Yeon-hwa flew backward for a while longer until her momentum gradually decreased and shended lightly on the spot.
She didn¡¯t end up rolling around. This was likely due to Kim Ho¡¯s considerate use of wind magic.
The problem was that the light of the sanctuary no longer shone on her.
Because she had moved out of range, the connection between the sanctuary and the crystal had been severed.
The energy stored in the crystal leaked out, and the light it held quickly faded.
[Crystal: 65%]
[Crystal: 61%]
[Crystal: 56%]
The charge dropped in real-time.
The rate of discharge was several times faster than that of charging.
Hong Yeon-hwa desperately tried to return to the sanctuary, but Kim Ho who had followed her at some point blocked her way.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Kim Ho¡¯s gaze conveyed a challenge.
If you want to pass, you¡¯ll have to get through me.
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face fell.
He expects me to get past him?
Somehow, it felt like the sparring was bing more and more difficult.
But the oue had been predetermined from the start.
Even if she were to lose, she would gain and learn something from it.
If she had intended to give up, she would have done so even before the duel battle began, right when Dang Gyu-young had paired the two of them together.
Hong Yeon-hwa firmly resolved herself once again.
Think of it like the sticker duel battle.
Dang Gyu-young was an opponent she couldn¡¯t possibly beat, but hadn¡¯t she managed to take advantage of a tiny gap to remove a sticker?
Perhaps, this time might be no different.
A small gap might just appear.
Whoosh!
In one hand, Hong Yeon-hwa held her wand transformed into ava whip, and in the other, she conjured a fireball.
After throwing the fireball andshing the whip at the same time, she kicked the ground.
Her n was to divide Kim Ho¡¯s attention and then escape through the side where his guard was down.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Kim Ho effortlessly dodged the iing mes and kicked the ground as well, blocking their path.
Hong Yeon-hwa immediately stopped and changed direction before continuing her barrage of attacks.
Whoosh!
With both hands, she unleashed her magic,
With her feet, she moved quickly left, right, and diagonally,
And with her eyes firmly fixed on Kim Ho, she desperately sought a way through.
That¡¯s when she noticed it,
Is that¡
Hong Yeon-hwa noticed that Kim Ho¡¯s openings were slowly bing more apparent.
His movements also felt strangely unnatural.
As her attacks continued, the area gradually became engulfed in mes, and Kim Ho moved to avoid the mes.
This was in keeping with the unspoken agreement they had made when he epted her tactical y on the assumption that he would be affected by her fire magic.
The gap was widening.
Hong Yeon-hwa kept a watchful eye on it as they exchanged blows and finally caught the perfect timing.
Now!
She forcefully kicked off the ground before shooting diagonally towards Kim Ho.
At that, Kim Ho swung his spear as if he had been waiting for this moment.
Whoosh¡ª
Ah, wait. No way.
Had he intentionally shown an opening again?
When she thought about it, there was no way that monster-like person would have shown any opening just because there was a little fire nearby.
Hong Yeon-hwa, in her haste, had fallen right into a simple trap.
A gust of wind filled with physical force shook her violently as it sted out.
She stumbled and, carried by her momentum, ended up hitting her head against arge tree.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa cradled the spot where she was hit and crouched down.
Kim Ho approached her quickly and asked,
¡°Sorry, are you okay?¡±
¡°I¡¯m, I¡¯m okay¡¡±
In truth, she was far from okay.
Tears welled up slightly on her eyes but Hong Yeon-hwa forced herself to act as if nothing was wrong.
¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±
Dang Gyu-young deactivated her stealth and revealed herself.
She had intended not to intervene until their sparring was over, but she feltpelled to show herself due to the absurdity of the sudden situation.
Dang Gyu-young crouched next to Hong Yeon-hwa and examined the spot where she had been hit.
¡°Let¡¯s see your head¡ Ah, that¡¯s quite a bump.¡±
She then narrowed her eyes and red sharply at Kim Ho.
In truth, the incident was purely idental, and Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s own excessive movement was more to me for the injury to her head.
But to Dang Gyu-young, it seemed clear that the ruthless wind magic was at fault.
Therefore, in her view, the me was entirely on Kim Ho. 100% his fault.
Dang Gyu-young made a decision as she watched the bump swelling more and more.
¡°This won¡¯t do. Get out. Go to the infirmary, and tell Song Cheon-hye and Kwak Ji-cheol toe in.¡±
Chapter 121: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (6)
Chapter 121: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (6)
The misuse of the ¡°bad¡± wind magic was the cause.
As a punishment, I ended up apanying Hong Yeon-hwa to the infirmary.
Not only was a bump protruding on one side of Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s forehead, but it was also swelling increasinglyrger; fortunately, it healed almost immediately after the ointment and healing magic were applied in the infirmary.
But Hong Yeon-hwa slowly caressed the area where she hit as if she still felt a tingling numbness.
I said while looking at her.
¡°Let¡¯s go back to the arena.¡±
¡°Ah, Mhmm ¡¡±
¡°If you really feel off, take a rest. I¡¯ll talk to senior-nim.¡±
¡°No, I¡¯ll go, to the arena.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa shook her head vigorously.
She wasn¡¯t really in bad condition, but taking a break would surely result in a smack from Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s backhand.
Therefore, we continued on our way to the arena to finish our mentoring session.
And I soon realized something.
This kid has reverted back to being timid.
In the past few weeks, Hong Yeon-hwa had been gradually reducing her fear of me through our joint mentoring sessions, but the recent sparring seemed to have reset her fear gauge.
¡°¡¡±
She didn¡¯t dare walk beside me but kept her position diagonally behind me, just over my shoulder.
This was mainly because our strides differed, and as she continually checked my face, her pace naturally slowed.
Whenever she fell slightly behind, she would scurry forward to walk just beyond my shoulder, and if the distance increased, she would hurry back up.
After several repetitions of this pattern, I slowed my steps and called back to her.
¡°Are you going to keep walking like that?¡±
¡°Mhmm? No, no? It¡¯s not like that¡¡±
Only then did Hong Yeon-hwa hesitantlye closer to my side and match my pace.
However, the fact that he kept fidgeting and checking my face did not improve at all.
Resigning myself to it, we walked on in silence until,
¡°¡¡¡±
During her fidgeting, Hong Yeon-hwa made a face that seemed to suggest she had something she wanted to say.
It was more due to her clumsiness in hiding her expressions than anything else.
Once again, I was the one to break the silence.
¡°If you have something to say, say it. If you¡¯re curious about something, just ask.¡±
¡°Well, um¡¡±
After a pause, what came from Hong Yeon-hwa was,
¡°¡ How was it?¡±
A question that omitted and conveyed much.
To put it at length, what she meant was, ¡°Did you think I managed the crystal duel battle well earlier, from your perspective as my opponent?¡±
I gave her an honest impression.
¡°It wasn¡¯t bad. That Fire Pir, did you modify it?¡±
¡°Uh, Mhmm¡¡±
¡°I hadn¡¯t seen it before.¡±
¡°I just started using it recently. That, thest time at the cksmith¡¯s workshop¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa had first used the small Fire Pir about two weeks ago when she decided to unleash fire magic on Millennium Iron at the cksmith¡¯s workshop.
It was a method she had devised to concentrate and maintain firepower most efficiently, and after using it continuously, she was inspired to adapt it forbat.
Now, it could practically be considered a different spell altogether due to those modifications.
The fact that a first-year who was barely a month into her enrollment could adapt magic to her tastes showed her capability.
But that wasn¡¯t the only impressive thing.
The duel had started after Dang Gyu-young gave Hong Yeon-hwa the crystal and sent her off. This gave her some time to prepare.
However, it didn¡¯t take me long to locate Hong Yeon-hwa and catch up to her.
In that brief period of time, she hadid down numerous magic circles and turned the area into a minefield.
Even considering the small size of the Fire Pir, her casting speed was tremendous.
¡°There was no room to step. With that casting speed, you could probably set them up even during battle.¡±
¡°Maybe. With a bit more practice¡¡±
She had only started using it in actualbat since the defense strategy battlest week, so there was still much to refine and her proficiency needed improvement.
I nodded my head in agreement.
¡°Overall, I think you did great.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa seemed surprised by my praise, with half of her expression revealing disbelief and the other half showing pride in being acknowledged.
Then after ncing around and with a hesitant voice, she asked,
¡°Could you¡ perhaps point out any drawbacks¡ for reference¡¡±
If I were to borate on her implied request, she was asking for feedback on areas for improvement.
I responded honestly once again.
¡°First, the range of your magic circles is a bit limited. If it were me, I would haveid them out more broadly. Packing them closely does make the defense more solid, but it also limits the caster¡¯s own movements.¡±
¡°!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s eyes widened. She clearly sensed a simr issue herself.
She had carefullyid out numerous magic circles to fortify the area, but when I pushed her out of the circle a few times using Wind Force, most of the magic circles became useless.
While forced movement skills are an unusual case, there are often situations where the caster needs to move positions, such as when dodging long-range sniper attacks or when area-wide magic spells strike.
If you set up magic circles more broadly in preparation for such a situation, your range of movement will expandter on.
I then pointed out the next issue.
¡°You¡¯re also too hasty. You activate the magic circles too quickly.¡±
¡°That¡. What do you mean by that?¡±
¡°Youid out the magic circles and used them every time I tried to step into the area.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true, but¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa still seemed puzzled and somewhat confused.
I borated on my exnation.
¡°It would be more effective if you waited a bit longer, drew the opponent in more, and then used them. It would also be harder to predict.¡±
¡°Ah¡!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa had been activating the Fire Pir every time I stepped on a magic circle, which made it easy for me to respond and predict.
For me, it was simply a matter of circling around, pretending to enter, and then retreating while gradually reducing the magic circles.
However, if Hong Yeon-hwa had intentionally dyed activating the magic circles,
Suppose the Fire Pir was activated after I had fully entered the midst of the fortress heavilyid out with magic circles.
It would have been much more difficult to react.
It seems like her impulsive nature is the biggest issue.
Due to Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s nature of attacking and attacking until the enemy falls, it must have been a bit frustrating for her to build a fortress and react to the enemy¡¯s actions ordingly.
Herck of patience probably led her to activate the Fire Pir immediately whenever she saw even a slight opportunity.
On the other hand, she might have been terrified of me which made her hurry to activate them to keep me from getting too close.
Either way, the conclusion was the same.
If she constructed a fortress, she needed to operate it as leisurely as a spider spinning a web.
Hong Yeon-hwa stared nkly at me for a moment before looking down at her own feet and murmuring.
¡°¡ I hadn¡¯t thought that far. Thanks for the feedback.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go back and try again. Keep thinking about what we just discussed.¡±
¡°Mhmm, I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa nodded her head calmly.
We returned to the arena to resume the duel that had been interrupted.
Expanding the range of the Fire Pir magic circle setup,
and operating slowly and strategically.
Focusing on these three aspects,
I made sure not to break Hong Yeon-hwa again and used only Twisters this time instead of Wind Force.
I needed to rank up Twister after all, so there was nothing to lose.
The next day,
As soon as ss ended, I was heading straight for the arena when Shin Byeong-cheol called out to me.
¡°Hey, someone from another ss came looking for you.¡±
¡°Who from another ss?¡±
¡°That, Cha Hyeon-joo came?¡±
The slight strangeness in Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s expression was probably because he knew who Cha Hyeon-joo really was.
After all, it was Shin Byeong-cheol who had tipped me off that there was a promising archer in our group.
He then asked me,
¡°How did you get mixed up with her?¡±
¡°She was my opponent in yesterday¡¯s duel battle.¡±
¡°Who won?¡±
¡°I did.¡±
¡°So she came looking for you.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol immediately understood.
Of course, it wasn¡¯t just as simple as ¡°I won, so she came looking for me.¡± Quite a lot had happened.
If I had to point out one decisive factor, it might have been the fact that I sent her flying twice with Wind Force.
Shin Byeong-cheol lowered his voice and murmured,
¡°Be careful, she has a really nasty temper.¡±
¡°Worse than Song Cheon-hye?¡±
¡°Song Cheon-hye is cutepared to her.¡±
¡°I think so too.¡±
Zzzt!
As if our conversation could be heard, a sharp energy pierced through from outside the ssroom.
Shin Byeong-cheol threw up his hands and backed away as if pleading his innocence with a, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong~ I¡¯m just a harmless animal~¡±
¡°Good luck. Oppa, fighting.¡± (TN: fighting means good luck; oppa means older brother but only girls say it lol.)
Leaving behind the luck Shin Byeong-cheol wished for me, I stepped out of the ssroom and found a girl that I think was Cha Hyeon-joo waiting for me.
During the duel battle yesterday, only her eyes were visible behind a mask, but now she was wearingrge sses that covered the upper part of her face instead.
The half of her face visible below the sses was quite attractive, yet the sses made her overall appearance seem very in.
People often joke that sses are a ¡°beauty seal¡± and in her case, it was no joke.
A disguise artifact.
It was far more powerful and natural than any crude item like an [Anonymous Badge].
Most people wouldn¡¯t even realize that a recognition interference magic was cast on it.
But how did I immediately know this girl was Cha Hyeon-joo?
Zzzt,
It was because of the killing intent she had been directing solely at me all this time.
As I got closer, her irritation became unmistakable.
She was clearly furious.
I looked at Cha Hyeon-joo for a few seconds, then pretended to be shocked and shouted loudly enough for everyone around to hear.
¡°Isn¡¯t this the one? The power of the Guild Union! The hidden genius archer! Cha! Hyeon¡ª!!¡±
¡°Shut up. Just shut up.¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo quickly covered my mouth.
She cast a sharp nce around to see if anyone heard us, but the other students had only nced briefly in our direction when I shouted and soon continued on their way as if they were uninterested.
Cha Hyeon-joo then shot a piercing re at me again and muttered a single word before taking the lead,
¡°Follow.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
I obediently followed Cha Hyeon-joo.
We continued walking until the crowd thinned down.
¡°You.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Do you know why I called you?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure?¡±
The reason was too obvious to truly be unknown, but I had to give her the chance to say it herself.
Facing me, Cha Hyeon-joo spoke each word clearly and one by one.
¡°I can¡¯t ept that loss. Let¡¯s fight again.¡±
She sought me out for a rematch. A revenge match.
Chapter 122: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (7)
Chapter 122: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (7)
To briefly summarize the first match from Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s perspective.
She chased after me when I snatched the crystal, and after a brief melee battle, she was sent flying by Wind Force.
She then quickly returned and engaged in a second melee but was again sent flying by Wind Force.
She became furious and unleashed a barrage of arrows, but I dodged them all with ease. Much to her frustration.
Eventually, the crystal charging ended which also marked the end of the match.
It hardly felt like a proper battle, so her frustration was understandable.
That¡¯s why she sought me out for a revenge match.
There are still two more matches left for this week¡¯s quota.
For me, as long as I met the quota and cleared the side quest, it didn¡¯t matter who the opponent was.
However, there¡¯s also no reason for me to simplyply with Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s demands.
So my response was,
¡°I¡¯d rather not?¡±
¡°What?¡±
I scratched the back of my head with an air of annoyance.
¡°Whether you¡¯re convinced or not, what does that have to do with me? If you¡¯re not convinced, should you keep challenging me until you are?¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°Everyone acts as if they¡¯ve left something in my care. People should have some shame.¡±
At that, Cha Hyeon-joo began to emit a subtly chilling aura.
¡°¡.. It would be better to fight a duel battle.¡±
Her words implied that if I didn¡¯t ept a rematch, she would challenge me to a fight even if it meant breaking the rules.
Of course, I was not one to be intimidated by such threats.
No matter how we fought, I would win.
So, I responded firmly.
¡°Try me if you¡¯re so confident. I won¡¯t go easy on you next time.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo continued to re at me with a chilling demeanor, but inside, it seemed like she was rapidly weighing her options.
Our first encounter might not have been convincing for her, but the result was a perfect game.
I hadn¡¯t allowed a single attack throughout the match.
Without a proper understanding of my abilities, it would be too much of a risk for her to recklessly start a fight.
Realizing this, Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s intensity softened slightly as she asked.
¡°Why not just have a match? Is that so difficult?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s difficult, I just don¡¯t feel like doing it. Coming to ask for favors with such a bad attitude doesn¡¯t help.¡±
¡°My attitude has always been like this. You must have heard from Shin Byeong-cheol that I have a bad temper.
It seems she was well aware of that.
There was nothing to say when she admitted to her own bad temper.
Cha Hyeon-joo continued the conversation.
¡°What should I do then? Should I kneel?¡±
¡°I really don¡¯t want to see that; if you¡¯re so eager to challenge me,¡±
I extended one hand.
¡°Show some sincerity. A duel fee.¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo looked down at my hand nkly, then let out a disbelieving scoff.
¡°A duel fee? Who do you think you are to demand a fee?¡±
¡°Did I say something unreasonable? Listen to this.¡±
I exined everything in detail.
¡°First, I made yesterday¡¯s match private. I could have sold the rey to earn points, but your mentor asked for privacy as a favor, and I granted it.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°If I agree to a rematch, that will be kept private too. Then I can¡¯t sell the rey, so I¡¯ll lose out on points again.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°Do I have any reason to avoid other matches and go out of my way to fight you at a loss? If there is, tell me.¡±
¡°¡Fine, what do you want.¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo was finally overwhelmed by the barrage of facts and she threw up her hands in defeat.
I paused for a moment and then stated my demand.
¡°A Rank-Up E. Only an item of that caliber would make this worthwhile.¡±
¡°Rank-Up E? Are you joking?¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s face contorted in displeasure.
A [Rank-Up] was an item that raised the rank of a skill or trait immediately upon use, without any effort required.
Even at rank E, it held considerable value.
Her disbelief was evident when I asked for such a valuable item in exchange for a rematch.
However, I responded seriously.
¡°No. I¡¯mpletely serious. If you don¡¯t like it, leave it.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°Ah, standing still this long is starting to make me stiff. Maybe I should go find a duel soon.¡±
Crick-crack-crunch,
Cha Hyeon-joo gritted her teeth as if they would break.
Then she pulled out a rolled-up scroll from her inventory and threw it on the floor before me.
I casually caught it and checked.
[Rank-Up (E)]
She really gave it to me.
I was nning on making a big offer on purpose in order to receive a less valuable item, but then she promptly put forth a Rank-Up as if it was nothing.
As expected, the generosity of a promising student is truly exceptional.
On one hand, it made me question what exactly her pride was worth.
It was the same with Yang Ji-hong and Mok Jong-hwa.
These were not items to be given away for just one rematch.
It seemed that Cha Hyeon-joo regretted the loss of the Rank-Up already and red with even more killing intent than before as she took the lead and started to walk ahead.
¡°Follow me.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡±
I owed her as much work as she had given.
The revenge match was set.
***
She deliberately chose a time when the arena was less crowded to schedule our match.
Our scores were nearly identical, which greatly increased the chances of a rematch.
As expected,
[Kim Ho 543 points] vs [Cha Hyeon-joo 508 points]
Our names appeared on the scoreboard.
I remembered that Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s score had been 510 points in the first match; she must have lost to me and then won her next match.
¡°¡¡¡±
After checking the scoreboard, Cha Hyeon-joo shot me onest murderous look before she disappeared into the arena first.
When I stepped onto the teleportation circle, my surroundings abruptly changed and the next moment I was standing in the middle of a forest with lush vegetation.
Here again.
They say it¡¯s random terrain, but I keep getting stuck in the forest.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Kim Ho 100%] vs [Cha Hyeon-joo 100%]
[Crystal: 0%]
The crystal must be over there, or maybe around there.
Relying on the instincts and experience of a stagnant water, I began moving toward where I guessed the crystal would be.
The first match with Cha Hyeon-joo and the rematch now.
They seemed simr in that both were private duels, but there was a crucial difference between them.
The first had been made private after the match,
whereas this time, we had agreed to keep it private beforehand.
This meant that she could freely use strategies she had previously hidden without the worry of exposing her skills publicly.
By now, Cha Hyeon-joo would be somewhere in the forest, wielding not a dagger but a bow.
I don¡¯t need to hold back either.
Crimson mes flickered from my clenched fist.
The zing mes were absorbed into my body which granted me immense strength.
[Inferno Fist]
[Overheat]
Thanks to the [Random Rank-Up] I had acquired at the game center, my Inferno Fist had advanced to rank B.
Its power had greatly increased, and so had the boost in physical abilities I received when I absorbed it through Overheat.
In other words, my speed had also be faster than before.
Thump! Thump!
The surroundingndscape whipped past in a sh.
I quickly arrived at a spot where a crystal could possibly be, but,
It¡¯s not here.
It seems luck wasn¡¯t on my side this time.
Without hesitation, I kicked off the ground and moved on to the next location.
Again, the scenery sped by and at the second spot, a crystal stood atop a makeshift altar.
I thought as I approached the altar.
Right about here¡
Sssss!
¡°¡an arrow will fly.¡±
I swiftly grabbed the crystal and kicked off the ground.
The next moment, a thick beam shattered the altar as it passed through and even punched arge hole in the tree behind it.
100%. It was obviously a decoy.
While I made a fruitless detour after not finding the crystal, Cha Hyeon-joo would have had enough time to retrieve the crystal.
But the altar was still intact when I arrivedte? It was highly likely a trap.
Seeing that Cha Hyeon-joo used the crystal as bait to snipe me, it seems she didn¡¯t care about charging it at all.
Her intention was simply to bring me down by any means.
Ssss, ssss, sssss!
Beams continued to be fired one after another.
I dodged left and right and skillfully moved my body before briefly ncing towards the sanctuary.
I¡¯ll charge the crystalter.
First, I needed to deal with that unruly archer.
Setting my course toward the source of the iing arrows, I kicked off the ground.
Thump! Thump!
The distance between me and Cha Hyeon-joo who had been sniping from afar closed in an instant.
¡°¡.¡!¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo appeared a bit startled to see me appear so close.
From our previous encounter, she must have guessed I would run straight to the sanctuary as soon as I grabbed the crystal.
But her surprise was fleeting; she quickly regained herposure and fired arrows with even greater intensity.
Sssss, sssss, sssssss!
Five beams flew one after another.
And they actually drew a curve that was not typical of arrows and targeted various parts of my body.
I pretended to twist my body around urgently and desperately.
Thump!
I kicked the ground forcefully again.
And the next moment, I appeared right behind Cha Hyeon-joo.
¡°¡¡.!¡±
She immediately spun around before swinging the arrow in her hand like a dagger to counterattack.
Her reaction time is impressive.
But sadly, she was still only at a first-year level.
If youbine Inferno Fist with Overheat and Thief¡¯s Steps, you get a speed that even the ck Death n leader or Dang Gyu-young can¡¯t keep up with.
And there is no need to say anything now that the rank of Inferno Fist has risen by an additional level.
So Cha Hyeon-joo was quickly overpowered without even managing a few moves against me.
In that state, the wind gathered andpressed in my hand.
Seemingly anticipating what would happen next, Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s pupils shook from side to side.
¡°Now, better buckle up tight.¡±
¡°Do-Don¡¯t do it, I¡¯m warning you.¡±
¡°Off we go~¡±
Bang!
¡°You son of a¡ª¡±
Thepressed air exploded, and Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s body was swiftly carried off into the forest. Her voice echoed in the forest as she receded.
I watched her body shrink to a speck and slowly walked toward the sanctuary.
[Crystal: 1%]
[Crystal: 3%]
¡¡.
I enjoyed the smooth and uninterrupted charging of the crystal.
For a long while, I aimlessly watched the charging level steadily climb on the scoreboard.
¡¡
[Crystal: 68%]
It seems about time for her to arrive¡.
Whizz¡ª
Sure enough, a bright streak of me sliced through the sky with a sharp sonic boom.
The me shot up rapidly toward the airspace above me,
Boom!
And exploded, showering the area with fireballs like a torrential downpour of embers.
I stood still, without moving, right in the midst of the me bombardment and thought to myself.
Elemental damage.
Chapter 123: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (8)
Chapter 123: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (8)
Whoooooooosh!
I looked up.
Something resembling an artificial sun continuously rained down fireballs above me.
That¡¯s quite expensive.
Cha Hyeon-joo had used a special catalyst item to enhance her skill, [Fire Rain]. It was a type of arrow rain ability.
Although the rare item yielded firepowerparable to that of a powerful mage when used as a catalyst, it was merely a waste of the item against me.
After all, it waspletely blocked by my S-rank [Elemental Resistance].
Whoooooooosh!
The rain of fireballs poured down for quite some time.
Somended near me and caused fiery explosions,
While others struck directly above my head.
But I just stood in the midst of the fiery chaos without being affected.
[Kim Ho 100%]
[Kim Ho 100%]
[Kim Ho 100%]
Naturally, my health hadn¡¯t decreased by even 1%.
As I stood idly by, the barrage of fireballs began to slow and eventually ceased entirely.
[Kim Ho 100% vs Cha Hyeon-joo 97%]
[Crystal: 74%]
A moment of silence.
The continuous assault had paused which meant that Cha Hyeon-joo was taken aback as well.
The frustration of wasting a valuable item without any result likely contributed to her dismay.
Ssssssssss!
However, she quickly regained herposure and once again, arrows aimed at me surged forward.
I moved leisurely side to side before slightly lifting my wrist.
There, a bracelet looked like it was made of storm clouds strung together.
It was the storm cloud bracelet I had acquired in the downtown area.
Maybe I should give it a test run.
Pop!
A small, storm cloud appeared beside me.
The storm cloud bubbled as it moved forward and collided directly with the iing arrow.
Thud!
The storm cloud was flung backward by the impact, and the arrow changed its trajectory before lodging in a nearby tree.
Once again bubbling, the storm cloud returned and hovered near me.
Fluffy clouds absorb and neutralize magical attacks,
While storm clouds mitigate and reflect physical attacks.
They essentially act as a cushion.
¡°And they can be used like this too.¡±
When the storm clouds were wrapped around Root, a long and fluffy stick was created.
I added Wind Force and Twister to it and swung at the iing arrows.
Thud,
The trajectory of the arrows abruptly bent and they deeply embedded into the ground.
As expected of an A-rank.
The performance was unmistakable.
After deflecting the arrows several times in the same manner,
There she is.
I had roughly pinpointed Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s location.
I immediately kicked off the ground and dashed forward.
Thump! Thump!
[Crystal: 77%]
[Crystal: 72%]
[Crystal: 66%]
As I moved out of the sanctuary¡¯s boundary, the connection was severed and the crystal¡¯s charge rapidly decreased.
But I ignored the scoreboard and focused solely on running forward.
At that moment, my only priority was to give that spoiled archer a taste of a stagnant water¡¯s power.
Thump! Thump!
After my view shifted several times, Cha Hyeon-joo came into sight.
She widened her eyes in surprise upon seeing me.
¡°¡¡.!¡±
¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯te out at all?¡±
One might cling to the sanctuary to conserve the crystal¡¯s charge, but I was an exception.
Obsessing over the crystal¡¯s charge was a novice¡¯s concern.
The charge could always be replenished after neutralizing the opponent¡¯s interference.
Of course, such tactics would be unfamiliar to Cha Hyeon-joo who was only in her third crystal duel battle.
And yet even in such an unexpected situation, she quickly regained herposure and fired her bow repeatedly.
Thump!
In the next instant, I appeared right behind Cha Hyeon-joo.
It was the same scenario as before, but the gap in our abilities was too great; knowing what wasing did not mean she could prevent it.
¡°Tch.¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo swung her arrows like daggers in retaliation, but her struggles quickly proved futile.
After a brief melee, I used Root like a restraining stick to execute a joint lock.
And while holding on to Cha Hyeon firmly, I pointed toward the distant sky.
¡°Let¡¯s see how far you can go this time.¡±
[¡®Amplification¡¯ has been activated.]
[¡®Wind Force¡¯ rank increased. (C+ -> A+)]
Whoosh¡ª
Sensing the ominous force of the gathering wind, Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s pupils shook even more violently than before.
She soon spoke in desperation.
¡°Wait. I concede. I¡¯ll forfeit.¡±
¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll ept your forfeit¡ª¡±
Boom!
¡ªI unleashed the tightlypressed mass of wind.
¡°¡ª!!¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo wasunched like a human cannonball.
She flew so fast that she couldn¡¯t even utter the first syble of her curse.
As Cha Hyeon-joo shrank to a mere speck in the distance,
I finally checked the scoreboard again,
[Crystal: 31%]
The charge had dropped to the 30s in just a moment.
But there was no need to return to the sanctuary.
[Kim Ho: 100%] vs [Cha Hyeon-joo: ¨C %]
[Crystal: 27%]
Since Cha Hyeon-joo was now out of the fight,
[Kim Ho Win] vs [Cha Hyeon-joo Lose]
Let¡¯s use the spoils.
I took out [Rank Up (E)] from my inventory.
I had received it under the condition of epting a private rematch with Cha Hyeon-joo, but now that I had overwhelmingly won, using it uppletely wouldn¡¯t leave room for anyints.
When I used the Rank Up, a bright light burst forth and was absorbed into my body.
[¡®Rank Up (E)¡¯ used.]
[¡®Monarch¡¯ rank has been increased. (E->D)]
It was one of the three special traits I had received upon epting the reincarnation quest.
Its true value hadn¡¯t yet been revealed, but it was a powerful trait that held its own even whenpared with [Copy] and [Amplification].
The first effect of the ¡°Monarch¡± trait was strong resistance against mental magic such as illusions and enchantments.
Secondly, the people with ¡°Monarch¡± had a ¡°special authority¡± unique to them.
Like when I copied the [Priest] trait and passed through the barrier of the Feathered Serpent Temple without any hindrance, there were things only the ¡°Monarch¡± could do.
These two alone were quite useful, and as my rank rose further, additional effects would be unlocked.
Long-term investment, well done.
After finishing this, I stepped into a teleportation circle and exited the arena.
¡°Did you fight Cha Hyeon-joo again?¡±
Dang Gyu-young asked me in surprise.
¡°That¡¯s what happened.¡±
¡°When? How did thate about?¡±
¡°Just now. She came looking for me. Said she¡¯d start a fight if I didn¡¯t ept a rematch.¡±
Dang Gyu-young frowned and quickly turned her head before ring somewhere toward the arena.
¡°She really can¡¯t be controlled. Doesn¡¯t think about the trouble she causes others.¡±
It seemed he was ring at where Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s mentor might be.
Then, he quickly turned back to me and asked,
¡°Did you give her a good thrashing? Cha Hyeon-joo.¡±
¡°I really gave her a piece of my mind.¡±
¡°Haha, exactly. Our junior who graduated 200 times wouldn¡¯t lose.¡±
Dang Gyu-young pped my shoulder enthusiastically.
Then when her excitement subsided, she gave me some advice in a somewhat serious manner.
¡°But be careful. Cha Hyeon-joo is quite persistent. She¡¯ll probably keep picking fights in the future.¡±
¡°It seems so.¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s eyes, even when dering surrender, were filled with a deep-seated killing intent.
That¡¯s why I dismissed her surrender.
Like Dang Gyu-young said, she seemed stubborn and persistent, so it was inevitable that we would sh again at some point.
***
Grind, grind, grind.
With teeth gritted so tightly they might shatter,
And fists clenched until they trembled,
Cha Hyeon-joo sat in a corner of the arena and reyed her second duel battle with Kim Ho.
Grind, grind, grind.
The more she thought about it, the more each detail infuriated her and she could only grind her teeth in frustration.
Kim Ho¡¯s teasing words echoed in her head.
¨C Show some sincerity. A duel fee.
¨C Off we go~
¨C Let¡¯s see how far you can go this time!
¡°¡¡!!¡±
Unable to contain her anger, Cha Hyeon-joo attempted to punch the spectator seats,
But her mentor quickly intervened with a worried look.
¡°H-Hyeon-joo-ah, just hold on a bit. Just a bit.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo lowered her fist and took a deep breath before she began to review the match again.
Grind, grind, grind.
And once more, her teeth ground naturally.
Meanwhile, aside from her emotional reactions, she maintained an objective perspective and pointed out every single element of the match.
In the randomly selected first duel battle, the match had ended shortly after she had drawn her main weapon, the bow.
The decisive reason she had requested a rematch with Kim Ho was because she felt ufortable about that fact.
She was confident that if she showed all her skills from the beginning in the private duel, there was no way she could lose.
However, once she entered the revenge match, she realized she wasn¡¯t the only one who had been concealing her true abilities.
When he fully revealed his full skills, Kim Ho was apletely different person from the previous match.
His speed was so fast that even she, an archer, could hardly keep up.
If she couldn¡¯t even catch him in her sights,nding an arrow was out of the question.
As a result, Cha Hyeon-joo couldn¡¯t do anything until he was right upon her, and once he closed in, he subdued her before she could even attempt a proper resistance.
And that happened twice.
It was a perfect demonstration of the difference in their skills. A perfect defeat that left no room for excuses.
But that wasn¡¯t all.
That infuriating man didn¡¯t even flinch when she used her ultimate skill, [Fire Rain], as if to show that such a move was ineffective against him.
Later, he summoned a dark cloud that effortlessly deflected her attacks as if they were child¡¯s y.
Finally, his determination and boldness to gamble the match by giving up on charging his crystal.
Haah¡. I have to admit it.
It was aplete defeat for her in every aspect.
However, Cha Hyeon-joo was far from the type to fall into despair or be disheartened after a few defeats.
Instead, her eyes zed with an even stronger fighting spirit.
I need to be stronger.
Much stronger.
She would improve until there was a significant gap in skill between herself and Kim Ho, and then she would challenge him again.
And she would utterly crush him.
To do this, she needed to invest everything in her archery.
Pretending to hide her skills while wasting time with daggers would only slow her progress.
I need to give it up.
She had her reasons for concealing her abilities and operating under the radar at this academy, but none of that mattered now.
Cha Hyeon-joo dered to her mentor,
¡°From today, I¡¯m just going to use the bow.¡±
Chapter 124: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (9)
Chapter 124: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (9)
The magic circle glowed red and sent up a vivid pir of fire.
Whoosh¡ª!
I sharply changed direction to avoid the pir of fire.
However, as if anticipating this, another magic circle in that spot erupted with a pir of fire.
Whoosh¡ª!
I had no choice but to retreat, but Hong Yeon-hwa who had been watching me snapped her fingers again.
This time, a fire pir activated behind me.
Looking around, I saw that the area was filled with magic circles. To the point where was no ce to step on.
This was a sparring session with Hong Yeon-hwa.
Hong Hyeon-hwa must have been aware of the feedback I gave her, so she waited until I was fully within her area before activating the magic circles.
At first, things didn¡¯t go as she wanted and she would panic and activate the fire pirs as soon as I approached, but with repeated sparring, she learned to maintain herposure.
The premise that ¡°I take damage from fire magic¡± still applied in this session, so I had to busily step back and forth to avoid the fire pirs.
Other than the fire pirs activated from the magic circles on the ground, Hong Yeon-hwa was also directly casting spells.
Arge fireball targeted me and flew towards me.
Whoosh!
I created apressed whirlwind in my hand and sent it towards the fireball.
The whirlwind collided with the fireball and dispersed the mes in the opposite direction.
It was a move using the [Twister].
Both Hong Yeon-hwa and I were honing our skills in our own ways.
Whoosh¡ª!
Fire pirs continued to rise here and there.
Sometimes two or three would activate at the same time and restrict my movements.
Although the number of pre-installed magic circles was limited and it might seem wasteful to activate multiple at once, new magic circles were being inscribed on the ground.
Setting up magic circles during battle.
This was one of the pieces of feedback I gave Hong Yeon-hwa.
Meanwhile, even as I busily moved my feet, I found and exploited weak points in her defense bit by bit.
The distance between Hong Yeon-hwa and me gradually decreased, and eventually, I approached close enough to lightly tap the crown of her head with Root.
Tap,
¡°¡¡.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa looked up at me and clutched the spot where she had been hit with her hands.
Her expression seemed to indicate that she felt it was somehow unfair.
I didn¡¯t hit her that hard.
At that moment, Dang Gyu-young lifted her stealth and approached us.
The sparring had reached a lull, and she was taking the opportunity to do a mid-point check.
She nced at Hong Yeon-hwa and quickly realized she looked exhausted.
¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. Go rest.¡±
¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa bowed her head to Dang Gyu-young and awkwardly waved me farewell.
¡°Th-thank you, for your hard work ¡¡±
¡°Yeah, you too.¡±
Before stepping onto the teleportation circle, Hong Yeon-hwa paused for a moment, gave me a look that I couldn¡¯t quite understand, and then quickly disappeared.
Dang Gyu-young watched her go and asked me.
¡°Aren¡¯t you going?¡±
¡°Where would I go? We still need to spar.¡±
¡°Seriously, how do you never get tired?¡±
If I left, Dang Gyu-young could go rest too but my stamina was far from being exhausted.
Though she was grumbling, Dang Gyu-young took her position in front of me.
Soon, the shadows at her feet took on various forms¡ªfists, hammers, greatswords¡ªand attacked.
Whooooooosh!
I wrapped Twister around Root and my hands and deflected the attacking shadows one by one.
Next, Dang Gyu-young leaped up from behind me and started stabbing with shadow daggers. I dodged by leaning my body left and right.
Though our hands and feet moved violently, we talked in a very casual tone.
¡°By the way, Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t make ns for this weekend, did you?¡±
¡°I kept it free since you told me to.¡±
¡°Ha, you remember? I would have been disappointed if you hadn¡¯t.¡±
Dang Gyu-youngughed pleasantly.
Using the mentoring event allowed for much faster growth than usual, but it required the cooperation of Dang Gyu-young who was my mentor.
Fortunately, Dang Gyu-young actively participated in my training and even kept the details confidential.
For example, only Dang Gyu-young knew that I constantly evaded her attacks while I was training to acquire [Distortion] or what the effects of [Distortion] were.
In return, I handed over the medium wish ticket to Dang Gyu-young, and that¡¯s how this arrangement was made.
¨C What wish would you like me to grant?
¨C You don¡¯t have ns for the week after next, right? Come with me somewhere.
¨C Where are we going? You¡¯re even using a wish ticket for this.
¨C It wouldn¡¯t be fun if I told you everything in advance. I¡¯ll exin the details then.
I leaned back just in time to dodge the shadow de.
Then I asked a question.
¡°Let me ask you one thing. Is this about the thieves club?¡±
Dang Gyu-young paused for a moment and seemed to think it over, then shrugged as if deciding it was okay to reveal this much.
¡°Yeah, it¡¯s our thing.¡±
¡°Taking a first-year who isn¡¯t even a member yet¡ it smells suspicious.¡±
¡°Suspicious? No way! It¡¯s just a tour.¡±
By following Dang Gyu-young and observing what the thieves¡¯ club actually did at Dragon yer Academy, she hoped that I might be interested and consider joining.
You¡¯ve got it wrong again.
As I graduated many times, I also served as the president of a thieves club, so there¡¯s no way I would be interested just by seeing something like this.
However, even if I didn¡¯t join, I was still interested in the event the thieves club was nning this time.
If it was an event happening around this time¡
The ck Market.
***
The sparring with Hong Yeon-hwa continued throughout the week.
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s management of the magic circles became increasingly smooth, and I also achieved some expected results.
[¡®Twister¡¯ rank has increased. (E+ -> D+)]
Although it was a high-difficulty skill and progress was quite slow, the mentoring bonus fromst week and my relentless practice finally led to its rise to D rank.
It had reached a level where it could be effectively used in realbat, at least against first-years.
Thursday.
In the arena.
When I moved to a corner of the stands with the other team members and Dang Gyu-young, I noticed a team walking from the opposite side.
The student leading them was a third-year senior, and seeing the first-years following him, it seemed he was also a mentor like Dang Gyu-young.
His face immediately reminded me of a toad, and in this world filled with handsome men and beautiful women, resembling a toad basically meant he had quite a few ups and downs in life.
Three first-years followed behind him.
Two of them looked familiar.
One was Ilgong, who I had faced in thest double duel battle (2vs2).
At that time, I had thoroughly beaten Seo Ye-in with Wind Force, and Ilgong had fought Go Hyeon-woo until the final move but eventually lost.
Ilgong also seemed to recognize me. So he smiled and cupped his hands together in greeting.
Next was Bukgung Han-seol, who had appeared on Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s team in the rey.
She was the one who tried to attack Park Na-ri¡¯s tiger with Cold Ice martial arts but it failed due to ack of attack power.
The third person was aplete stranger, but judging by the sses of the first two, it was not hard to deduce that they were a martial arts team.
As the two teams were about to pass each other,
The senior with the toad-like face blocked Dang Gyu-young¡¯s path.
¡°Dang Gyu-young.¡±
¡°Kim Gap-doo.¡±
The third-year toad, or rather Kim Gap-doo, spoke in a confrontational manner.
¡°Why haven¡¯t you been responding to my messages?¡±
¡°I blocked you.¡±
¡°¡Why?¡±
¡°Why do you think? You kept contacting me for pointless reasons.¡±
¡°Pointless? I was serious.¡±
¡°Anyway, I have no intention of responding, so let¡¯s stop this.¡±
From the flow of the conversation, it seemed that Kim Gap-doo had been so insistent with Dang Gyu-young that he had ended up being blocked on the phone.
Despite Dang Gyu-young¡¯s firm rejection, Kim Gap-doo did not appear ready to back down.
¡°I heard you¡¯repletely smitten with a first-year these days. Is that guy really that handsome?¡±
¡°Smitten¡ª¡±
Dang Gyu-young was taken aback and she was about to argue but then suddenly pulled me to her side.
She casually draped her arm over my shoulder.
¡°Honestly, he¡¯s decent-looking. His eyes look a bit mean, though.¡±
It was the ssic ¡°I have a boyfriend, so back off¡± tactic.
Dang Gyu-young desperately signaled with her eyes for me to y along, so I didn¡¯t naively ask, ¡°Senior-nim, since when were we like that?¡±
As I stood there silently, I noticed Kim Gap-doo ring at me with a mix of anger, resentment, and jealousy.
¡°So, he¡¯s that first-year. How long have you been together?¡±
¡°We¡¯re not dating yet.¡±
Dang Gyu-young was apparently unable to lie about this, so she just answered honestly.
Kim Gap-doo¡¯s eyes lit up.
¡°So you¡¯re saying I still have a chance?¡±
¡°No, not at all.¡±
When Dang Gyu-young firmly cut him off again, Kim Gap-doo once more turned into a hurt toad.
And that sadness and anger were directed straight at me.
¡°¡I¡¯m curious about that first-year¡¯s skills. I wonder if he deserves to be with you.¡±
¡°Whether he does or not, what does that have to do with you?¡±
¡°I¡¯m just curious. Since there are four on your side and four on mine, how about we have a match?¡±
Dang Gyu-young seemed to ponder this suggestion instead of immediately rejecting it.
Kim Gap-doo¡¯s group was from the martial arts ss.
They were opponents who engaged in close-quartersbat, the kind that a mage aiming to be an all-rounder must be prepared for.
If that were the case, sparring with them would be a better experience than random matches.
When she reached this conclusion, Dang Gyu-young asked again.
¡°You said there are four of you. Where¡¯s the fourth person?¡±
¡°He¡¯s running a bitte due to some business but will be here soon.¡±
¡°Is that so? Then let¡¯s have a match.¡±
When Dang Gyu-young nodded her head, Kim Gap-doo subtly added another suggestion.
¡°While we¡¯re at it, wouldn¡¯t it be more fun with a wager?¡±
¡°Oh, I knew you¡¯d say that. Just stop being so persistent.¡±
¡°Call it persistence if you want. If we win, give me just one chance.¡±
Kim Gap-doo intended to use the victory of his mentees to satisfy his own selfish desires without any hesitation.
Dang Gyu-young asked anyway. As if she was now curious due to his persistence,
¡°Let¡¯s hear it. What kind of chance are you asking for?¡±
¡°If we win¡¡±
The third-year toad gradually became a red toad.
Kim Gap-doo then stared at a spot on the floor, stammered but still shouted loudly.
¡°If we win¡. go on a date with me, on the weekend, in the downtown area!¡±
Everyone¡¯s faces cringed at his excessive and pathetic plea.
Not only Dang Gyu-young, but also Song Cheon-hye, Hong Yeon-hwa, Kwak Ji-cheol, and even Bukgong Han-seol.
Only Ilgong managed to maintain a calm expression on his face as he quietly recited a prayer.
¡°Namo Amitabha¡¡±
TN: Lol
Chapter 125: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (10)
Chapter 125: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (10)
¡°Ah¡ I¡¯m really dizzy.¡±
Dang Gyu-young pressed her forehead as if she was feeling dizzy from all of this.
It wasn¡¯t surprising when you consider that she had received two blows in a row: a public confession and a conditional request for a date.
¡°First, let¡¯s separate business and personal matters. We¡¯re in the middle of mentoring. Why involve the kids?¡±
¡°¡That¡¯s a valid point.¡±
Kim Gap-doo nodded his head in agreement.
Both sides have the same number of people, and the morebat experience the martial arts and mage sses have, the more helpful it would be for the students.
So the intention behind staging a duel battle is good.
However, if the one who benefited from this was the mentor and if those benefits were personal and emotional like love games, it was inevitable that there would be gossip afterward.¡°And there¡¯s no way this will be motivating. So, I¡¯ll make a proposal to you all.¡±
Kim Gap-doo paused for a moment before making his proposal.
Though the others didn¡¯t know what he would offer as a reward, it seemed precious to him.
Taking a deep breath to steel himself, he slowly looked around the room and made his deration.
¡°Today, I¡¯m turning over my inventory. The winning team gets an elixir party.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
The effects of the elixir were outstanding.
The martial artists who had been looking at Kim Gap-doo with pity immediately became fired up.
Martial artists were a simple lot; their eyes would turn red at words like ¡°fortuitous encounter¡±, ¡°elixir¡±, and ¡°mystic weapon¡±.
Even Go Hyeon-woo was like that.
And this wasn¡¯t just one elixir or a single spiritual herb but an entire elixir party.
¡°Namo Amitabha¡¡±
Ilgong was still reciting his prayer with a calm expression, though a slight smile had formed on his lips.
Maybe he¡¯s not really a monk.
Our side was slightly tempted by Kim Gap-doo¡¯s deration of an elixir party as well, but we were more inclined to side with Dang Gyu-young on this.
Being forced on a date if we lost? That was ridiculous.
Only Kwak Ji-cheol seemed excited, but he shrank back under Song Cheon-hye¡¯s re.
As the mood calmed down, Kim Gap-doo continued.
¡°And Dang Gyu-young, I know you wouldn¡¯t even consider this bet under normal circumstances. You¡¯re a calcting woman.¡±
¡°Yeah, you know me well.¡±
¡°Even so, I don¡¯t mind! Now listen to the conditions I¡¯m offering. I¡¯ve prepared something tempting enough. If you win¡¡±
It was expected, considering he was the mentor for martial arts students, but Kim Gap-doo was also the president of the martial arts club.
As president, he began listing all the benefits he could hand over.
These included a season pass for the special cultivation room in the second semester and a Crafting VIP Ticket.
¡°He¡¯s betting all that on a single wager?¡±
I changed my opinion of Kim Gap-doo.
Just giving away his collection of elixirs was already a big sacrifice, and handing over so many privileges could jeopardize his position as president.
This meant he was very serious about this bet.
In summary, he was a pathetically impressive toad.
Of course, aside from that evaluation,
This isn¡¯t something I can just pass up.
Such an extraordinary wager was rare.
Dang Gyu-young seemed to have a simr thought and instead of rejecting it outright as she had before, she crossed her arms and fell into deep contemtion.
I whispered to Dang Gyu-young.
¡°ept the bet.¡±
¡°If we lose, it¡¯s a date for me, you know?¡±
¡°Then we just have to win.¡±
¡°If it were that easy, I wouldn¡¯t be worried.¡±
¡°I know. But we do have a sure-fire card.¡±
That sure-fire card was of course, me, who had won against promising students in the previous two matches.
The other side didn¡¯t know this, which made it even more effective.
Dang Gyu-young looked at me with surprise.
¡°Showing off your skills? You¡¯ve kept them well hidden until now.¡±
¡°Just enough. In return, I¡¯d like to receive some shares as well.¡±
In exchange for putting effort into winning the bet, I wanted her to hand over some of the items Kim Gap-doo had staked.
Dang Gyu-young nodded slightly to show her approval.
¡°Then let¡¯s consider one win secured. What about the rest?¡±
¡°We have two promising students on our side, so what¡¯s there to worry about?¡±
¡°Still, what if we lose by any chance?¡±
I signaled towards Kim Gap-doo with my eyes.
¡°If we lose, you go on a date with him, and I join the club.¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s face crumpled at the word ¡°date¡±, but brightened at the word ¡°join¡±.
¡°Really? Join? Our club, not another one?¡±
¡°Yes, the thieves¡¯ club.¡±
This seemed to alleviate much of Dang Gyu-young¡¯s worries.
If we win, there will be an elixir party and plenty of rights, so it was a jackpot.
If we lose, even if she has to go on a date with Kim Gap-doo, she can still bring me into the club, so the gains outweigh the losses.
¡°Alright, let¡¯s ept. But why are you bringing up joining the club first?¡±
¡°Because we¡¯re going to win.¡±
¡°¡Sounds like you have no intention of joining at all?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
When I smiled silently, Dang Gyu-young pouted her lips.
¡°Ahem!¡±
Perhaps annoyed that Dang Gyu-young and I were whispering to each other with our faces close together, Kim Gap-doo cleared his throat loudly to get our attention.
¡°Dang Gyu-young, I¡¯d like to hear your answer soon.¡±
¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve decided to ept.¡±
¡°Very well thought out!¡±
Kim Gap-doo momentarily became a happy toad and he shed an awkward smile.
Dang Gyu-young pretended not to notice and quickly moved the conversation along.
¡°What are the rules?¡±
¡°One person from each teames out topete one-on-one. No duplicate participation and the mentor decides who goes first at their discretion.¡±
¡°Is it blind?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
For example, Dang Gyu-young could decide whether to send out Kwak Ji-cheol or Hong Yeon-hwa for the first round.
The key point to consider here is that it¡¯s blind matching.
They won¡¯t know who the other team is sending out until the match starts.
If she sends out Kwak Ji-cheol, he could end up facing Bukgung Han-seol, so we would have to operate carefully and be perceptive.
¡°It¡¯s best of three, right?¡±
¡°Yes. If it ends up 2-2, we¡¯ll discuss it further.¡±
Dang Gyu-young gestured towards the mentors behind Kim Gap-doo.
¡°How many points do your guys have?¡±
¡°Two are in the 600-point range; two are in the 900-point range.¡±
Ilgong and the nameless martial artist A have 600 points, Bukgung Han-seol is in the 900-point range, and one more who hasn¡¯t shown up yet also has 900 points.
Dang Gyu-young frowned.
¡°What? Everyone here except one is around 600 points.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t Hong Yeon-hwa a promising student? Even a 900-point rating wouldn¡¯t be surprising.¡±
¡°You have to consider the scores. This is unfair even before we start.¡±
When Dang Gyu-young argued like that, Kim Gap-doo became a timid toad.
¡°¡I admit it. We¡¯ll impose a handicap for one match. Is that eptable?¡±
¡°Do I get to decide the handicap?¡±
¡°As long as it¡¯s mutually agreeable.¡±
¡°Fine.¡±
They agreed on the detailed rules.
The two mentors entered the agreed-upon terms into their devices, and the mentees scanned their student IDs.
Soon, arge group teleportation magic circle appeared in front of the stage and started glowing brightly.
When everyone stepped onto it, their surroundings changed abruptly.
A canyon filled with strange rock formations.
Though the elevation wasn¡¯t very high, the terrain wasyered like steps which made it possible to grasp the surroundings only by climbing higher.
And among the strangely shaped rocks scattered throughout, there was one rock that stood tall and glowed like a lighthouse.
This was the sanctuary of the current terrain.
Meanwhile, we were summoned to a much higher cliff overlooking the canyon, which served as a sort of spectator area.
Kim Gap-doo¡¯s team was probably summoned somewhere on the opposite cliff.
After surveying the canyon, Dang Gyu-young looked around at us and asked.
¡°Who wants to go first for the opening match?¡±
Then Song Cheon-hye immediately raised her hand.
¡°I want to go first.¡±
She aimed to make a bold move and break the enemy¡¯s momentum from the beginning.
It was a good choice, considering that the other side would probably y their strong card Bukgung Han-seol first as well.
Dang Gyu-young seemed to think simrly and nodded her head in approval.
¡°Alright, go ahead.¡±
When Song Cheon-hye stepped onto the small magic circle, she vanished with a swoosh before reappearing below a momentter.
Soon, martial artist A from the opposing side, whom we had seen earlier, also appeared and their information was disyed on the scoreboard.
[Song Cheon-hye 988 points vs. Son Hyeong-taek 631 points]
¡°Tsk, only in the 600s.¡±
Dang Gyu-young clicked her tongue.
She had secretly hoped the other side would send out Bukgung Han-seol.
In terms of skill, Song Cheon-hye was about twice as strong, so it would have been ideal to start by defeating someone in the 900s but it was a missed opportunity.
A hint of disappointment flickered across Song Cheon-hye¡¯s face but she steadied herself and resolved to do her best regardless of the opponent.
Since the oue could hinge on the crystal charge, relying solely on the score difference could lead to a sudden upset.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Song Cheon-hye 100%] vs. [Son Hyeong-taek 100%]
[Crystal: 0%]
Fzzzzzzzzt!
Song Cheon-hye dashed forward, bing a streak of lightning.
In an instant, she reached the top of theyered cliff and surveyed the area.
Just then, she locked eyes with Son Hyeong-taek on the opposite cliff, but they both ignored each other for the moment and focused solely on scanning their surroundings.
Their priority was to locate the crystal before anything else.
¡°¡!¡±
Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s gaze suddenly froze on a spot, and he began to run.
Even though Song Cheon-hye didn¡¯t know where the crystal was, she followed in the same direction, reasoning that the crystal was most likely where Son Hyeong-taek was going.
Fzzzzzzzzt!
Song Cheon-hye dashed forward as a streak of lightning once more.
However, by the time they spotted each other again, Son Hyeong-taek had already discovered the makeshift altar and retrieved the crystal.
¡°.¡¡.¡±
Son Hyeong-taek immediately turned his back and ran away.
He seemed to have judged that it wouldn¡¯t be toote to fight after connecting the crystal and the sanctuary.
Song Cheon-hye who had transformed into a streak of lightning chased after him.
Fzzzzzzzzt!
¡°Huh, huh?¡±
A sound simr to a scream of panic escaped from Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s mouth.
Song Cheon-hye was catching up much faster than he had expected.
Even though he was running with all his might, the distance between them continued to close.
And finally, the moment the distance between the two became zero,
Song Cheon-hye who was wrapped in lightning rammed into Son Hyeong-taek with her entire body.
Fizzzzzzzz! Boom!!
¡°Arghhhhh!¡±
Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s desperate scream echoed along with a loud thunderp.
Chapter 126: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (11)
Chapter 126: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (11)
[Song Cheon-hye: 100%] vs. [Son Hyeong-taek: 78%]
[Crystal: 0%]
Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s health gauge took a significant hit with a single body m.
Though Son Hyeong-taek dropped the crystal from the impact, he quickly recovered it even as he tumbled across the ground.
He then jumped to his feet and regained his stance, showing the resilience typical of a warrior-type ss.
¡°¡¡±
The two of them briefly red at each other and were locked in a standoff.
Son Hyeong-taek was the first to move.
As he stepped forward and rapidly punched the air, multiple wind fists shot out.Papapapa!
While Song Cheon-hye countered each iing wind fist, Son Hyeong-taek turned and made his escape.
That¡¯s the best I can do for now.
Now that it was clear that Song Cheon-hye had the upper hand in both strength and speed, fighting head-on was the worst option for Son Hyeong-taek.
Charging the crystal and holding out was his only chance to seize victory, and to do that, he had to escape to the sanctuary no matter how cowardly it seemed.
Song Cheon-hye immediately gave chase.
As she ran, she extended one hand and currents of lightning split into two on her dark gloves before forming two hummingbirds.
[Hummingbird]
Fzzzzzzzzzt,
The two electric hummingbirds flew gracefully through the air.
¡°¡!¡±
Son Hyeong-taek maintained his speed and nced over his shoulder. But the moment the first hummingbird darted toward him, he shifted his steps.
Irregr footprints marked the ground as his figure blurred for a split second, leaving an afterimage, and the hummingbird narrowly missed him.
No matter what, she still can¡¯t hit me with that¡
A bit more precise control would do the trick.
It seemed that improving her control was a task Song Cheon-hye still needed to tackle.
¡°Ah.¡±
Song Cheon-hye never expected to miss, so for a moment, her expression cracked with surprise.
However, as if this was within her range of expectations, she quickly regained herposure and naturally started controlling the next hummingbird.
Fzzzzzz!
Fortunately, this time she hit the target sessfully.
Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s movements noticeably slowed for a brief moment,
¡°Hup!¡±
But with a strong shout, a faint energy wave spread from his body and his movements returned to normal.
He had used some kind of debuff removal skill to break free from the paralysis.
And so the chase between the two continued.
They ascended and descended the tiered cliffs as if they were t ground.
Fizzzzzzzz,
Song Cheon-hye surged forward like lightning.
The distance between them quickly narrowed again.
¡°¡Krrk!¡±
Son Hyeong-taek checked behind him and grew urgent.
Sensing that he would be body-mmed again if this continued, he started punching in all directions while running.
Papapa!
Towering boulders in his path shattered and fell; the ground overturned; andrge and small rocks scattered everywhere.
Song Cheon-hye who was in pursuit had no choice but to slow down to avoid or block them.
Whirr¡ª
Son Hyeong-taek was a step ahead and entered the sanctuary¡¯s range.
Towering rocks and crystals connected with thick beams of light,
[Crystal: 1%]
The charging gauge began to fill.
Even then, Son Hyeong-taek didn¡¯t slow down as if he was determined to keep running until the match ended.
¡®That¡¯s right, good job.¡¯
Go, Son Hyeong-taek!
I couldn¡¯t cheer loudly because Dang Gyu-young was nearby, so I sent my encouragement silently while maintaining a serious expression.
If possible, it would be great if he made more dust and threw in some taunting remarks.
Because,
I¡¯m going to run away like that too.
The more Son Hyeong-taek ran around now, the more justified my actions would seemter.
If the opponentined then,
¨C Stop running around!
¨C Why? I¡¯m just doing the same thing Son Hyeong-taek did.
I could retort like that.
However, somewhat disappointingly, Son Hyeong-taek did not engage in any of the various bad manners I had imagined and hoped for.
Martial artists are generally used to facing their opponents head-on, so this game of tag itself must have been unfamiliar to them.
That¡¯s why they couldn¡¯t even think of engaging in bad behavior.
Still, Son Hyeong-taek was doing his best to run away in his own way.
Boom!
With his reckless punching, rocks fell from a nearby cliff.
Every time Song Cheon-hye nearly caught up with him, he created obstacles like this and widened the distance again.
When she caught up again, he created more obstacles to widen the distance.
[Crystal 22%]
Meanwhile, the charge level was gradually increasing.
Song Cheon-hye nced at the scoreboard and furrowed her brow.
She couldn¡¯t just be dragged around like this.
Thinking she had to find a breakthrough, she moved on to her next action.
She didn¡¯te up with any special trick but simply drew even more magical power.
However, with three or four times more mana going into the same spell, the result was entirely different.
Fizzzzzzzzzzz!
The thickness and intensity of the lightning surrounding her body increased and eventually enveloped her entire body in a storm of lightning.
Rumble, rumble,
Just moving made thunder roar continuously.
¡°Ah!¡±
Once again, Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s punch shattered the rocks on the cliff, sending them crashing down.
But unlike before, Song Cheon-hye moved forward as if there were no obstacles in her way.
The debris disintegrated before even touching her and Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s face stiffened at that sight.
¡°N-No way.¡±
It meant the obstacle strategy no longer worked.
The distance between them kept closing.
And to make matters worse,
[Crystal: 27%]
[Crystal: 24%]
The light emanating from the sanctuary faded, and the charge level dropped rapidly.
In his frantic focus on escaping, he had unknowingly moved out of the sanctuary¡¯s range.
¡°Ugh¡¡±
Judging that running away was no longer possible, Son Hyeong-taek stopped and turned around.
To brace himself for the impact, he also drew as much mana as he could, surrounded himself with it, and activated his best defensive skill.
Finally, the two shed for the second time in this match.
Rumble!! Boom!!
¡°Argh!!¡±
Son Hyeong-taek let out a desperate scream as he was flung away.
He bounced on the ground several times like a skipping stone but managed to stand on his two feet, though he was on the verge of losing consciousness.
His vision blurred and his body wavered unsteadily.
Song Cheon-hye ruthlessly ignored his state, rushed at him and struck with all her might.
Boom!
[Song Cheon-hye Win] vs [Son Hyeong-taek Lose]
¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Song Cheon-hye bowed respectfully to Son Hyeong-taek, whoy sprawled on the ground like a dead frog, then turned away.
When she returned to the stands through the teleportation portal, Dang Gyu-yeong greeted her with a brief remark.
¡°You did well.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Song Cheon-hye also bowed her head calmly.
Since it was a match that would have been strange to lose, no significant reaction was needed from either side.
Next, Dang Gyu-yeong turned her gaze to Hong Yeon-hwa and Kwak Ji-cheol.
She seemed to be thinking about which of the two to send out.
I was pushed to thest match, so I wasn¡¯t a consideration.
But surprisingly, Kwak Ji-cheol raised his hand.
¡°I would like to participate in the second match.¡±
¡°I was thinking of sending Hong Yeon-hwa. Do you have a special reason?¡±
She would listen to the reason, but if it was simply due to a sense of duty, she wouldn¡¯t allow it.
As a mentor, Dang Gyu-yeong had to prioritize the team¡¯s victory while excluding emotional factors as much as possible.
However, Kwak Ji-cheol seemed to have his own reasons.
¡°I heard something from my big brother before about senior Kim Gap-doo .¡±
¡°Seung-jae? What did he say?¡±
¡°He said that, unlike a typical martial artist, Kim Gap-doo is excessively cautious.¡±
¡°Hmm, that matches what I heard.¡±
While Dang Gyu-yeong¡¯s team had sent out Song Cheon-hye who had a score in the 900s as their vanguard from the beginning, Kim Gap-doo¡¯s team sent out Son Hyeong-taek who had a score in the 600s.
He was partially a sacrificial piece, and Son Hyeong-taek fulfilled that role well enough.
Additionally, if Kim Gap-doo was indeed as ¡°excessively cautious¡± as rumored, there was a high possibility that he would send out someone in the 600s range, like Ilgong for the second match as well.
So, Kwak Ji-cheol argued that he should face him since their scores were simr.
Dang Gyu-yeong asked,
¡°What if you end up against Bukgung Han-seol? Can you win?¡±
No matter how cautious Kim Gap-doo was, it couldn¡¯t be ruled out that he might try to secure a win in the second match.
Kwak Ji-cheol was silent for a moment before answering honestly.
¡°¡Realistically, it would be difficult. But it wouldn¡¯t be a loss since it would force them to waste one of their stronger cards. And¡¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol nced between me and Hong Yeon-hwa before continuing.
¡°¡As much as I hate to admit it, they¡¯re a bit stronger than me.¡±
If we were to use a sacrificial piece, it made the most sense for the weakest to take on that role.
Dang Gyu-yeong confirmed once more,
¡°So, can you beat Ilgong?¡±
¡°I should retrieve the crystal first and then fortify my defenses. The terrain suits me well.¡±
When ites to defense, the Emerald Magic Tower¡¯s earth mages were unmatched.
This terrain was also full of rocks which made it perfect for using earth-type magic.
So, if the scores were simr, he would have a good chance of winning.
Dang Gyu-yeong stared at Kwak Ji-cheol for a moment then nodded her head as if convinced.
¡°Alright. Go ahead.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol bowed his head slightly and descended via the teleportation magic circle.
Soon, the names of the participants appeared on the scoreboard.
[Kwak Ji-cheol 620 points vs Ilgong 670 points]
As expected, Ilgong was his opponent.
Kim Gap-du turned out to be an overly cautious toad just as the rumors said.
Meanwhile, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder.
How did such a cautious man agree to such a bet¡?
The 4-on-4 duel battle and the bet felt more like they were decided on the spot rather than being carefully nned and prepared in advance.
The stakes that included the elixirs and club rights were also brought in rather forcefully.
Perhaps he felt a sense of urgency when he saw Dang Gyu-yeong present me as her potential boyfriend.
He might have thought this was herst chance.
When a cautious toad falls in love, rational thinking bes impossible.
Anyway, the situation had already unfolded like this, and the important thing was ¡°how the uing match would turn out¡±.
I sent my encouragement to Kwak Ji-cheol.
Stay strong, Kwak Ji-cheol.
If you and Hong Yeon-hwa win, I won¡¯t have to go out.
Chapter 127: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (12)
Chapter 127: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (12)
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 100%] vs [Ilgong: 100%]
[Crystal: 0%]
As soon as the match started, Kwak Ji-cheol swung his staff.
Arge earthen disc formed and was ced on the ground, and as he mounted it, two hands rose from the earth to support and swiftly transport him.
He quickly climbed to the top of theyered cliff as if he was surfing the waves.¡°Found it.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s eyes shed as he quickly scanned his surroundings.
He had already pinpointed the location of the crystal.
Such small luck was quite a good thing for him.
He swiftly moved again while riding the earthen disc.
Meanwhile, Ilgong¡¯s speed was barely more than a walk.
He appeared to be taking a rxed stroll rather than taking part in a duel battle.
Kwak Ji-cheol also nced in his opponent¡¯s direction from time to time with a puzzled expression on his face. It was as if he was troubled by the fact that he had yet to catch a glimpse of Ilgong¡¯s bald head.
However, it was time to focus on his task.
Retrieve the crystal and head straight to the sanctuary.
Whirrrrr
[Crystal: 1%]
When the sanctuary and the crystal connected with a thick beam of light, Ilgong who had been leisurely walking turned his gaze towards it.
The thick beam indicated that Kwak Ji-cheol was at the other end.
Only then did Ilgong pick up his pace slightly, but he still didn¡¯t appear hurried.
[Crystal: 28%]
By the time Ilgong finally confronted Kwak Ji-cheol, the crystal charging was already significantly underway.
He sped his hands together and smiled gently.
¡°I apologize for being a bitte.¡±
¡°A bitte? You¡¯re veryte.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol also wore a rxed smile.
He was simply grateful that Ilgong had arrivedte.
Thanks to this, he had been able to make thorough preparations.
The entire area had already been fortified with all sorts of earthen magic.
Layer uponyer of reinforced stone walls surrounded Kwak Ji-cheol, along with two golems and an earth cluster.
Ilgong still maintained his gentle smile and took in the scene slowly before addressing Kwak Ji-cheol.
¡°Then I shall make my move.¡±
¡°Come as much as you like.¡±
When Ilgong gathered his internal energy, his entire body took on a subtle golden glow, and Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s earth cluster gradually increased its rotation speed.
Papapat!
Ilgong swiftlyunched three golden energy sts, but one of the stone walls rose up as if alive, taking the hits and shattering in his ce.
Then a new stone wall rapidly emerged to fill the gap.
Dudududu!
The earth cluster fired off dirt and gravel bullets.
Ilgong countered with his twin palms, but there were more projectiles than he could deflect, and the remaining ones weakly struck his body.
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 100%] vs [Ilgong: 99%]
Booom!
Moreover, the two golems swung their massive fists.
They were very slow and simple, making them easy to dodge, but getting hit even once could be fatal.
Therefore, Ilgong couldn¡¯t afford to ignore thempletely.
Dududududududu!
With his attention divided, more earthen bullets hit his body and caused cumtive damage.
[Ilgong: 97%]
[Ilgong: 95%]
[Ilgong: 94%]
[Crystal: 41%]
From the safety of his fortress, Kwak Ji-cheol disyed his typicalbat style by using the golems and earth cluster tounch a one-sided attack.
¡°¡¡.¡±
However, the expressions of Dang Gyu-yeong, Song Cheon-hye, and Hong Yeon-hwa who were watching the match were not very bright.
¡°This isn¡¯t good.¡±
¡°It¡¯s gotten much tougher.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol was indeed holding a one-sided advantage.
But it was only one-sided, not overwhelming.
As a mage, he had prepared more than enough to face his opponent, but if all he achieved was a slight advantage, it was not something to be pleased about.
[Ilgong: 92%]
[Ilgong: 91%]
For example, despite having bombarded him with countless earthen bullets for a long time, Ilgong¡¯s health had barely decreased by 10%.
The faint golden aura emanating from Ilgong¡¯s body minimized the damage.
It was a well-known protective technique called the Demonic Buddha Shadow Vajra Energy and it was renowned for its toughness.
Even the Hummingbird was blocked by that.
Although the Hummingbird¡¯s power was only E-rank when it was copied by Song Cheon-hye, it was perfectly blocked without causing even the slightest paralysis effect.
This was a clear demonstration of the protective technique¡¯s performance.
Dududududududu!
[Ilgong: 90%]
Kwak Ji-cheol realized that his attacks weren¡¯t dealing any significant damage, and anxiety began to show on his face.
However, it seemed he had no effective means of attack left.
All he could do was throw in a few earth-type spells to hinder his opponent.
¡°¡¡±
In contrast, Ilgong remained calm and continued deflecting iing earthen bullets and dodging the golems¡¯ punches.
If the move he was about to make could ovee this situation,
That guy is just going to get wrecked.
It was a critical moment.
Sure enough, Ilgong suddenly twisted his body between the two golems¡¯ attacks.
When he stretched out one hand and pushed forward, it seemed to grow two or three timesrger in an instant.
[Great Hand Seal]
Bang!
The upper body of one golem was blown away.
The remaining rubble copsed helplessly.
Ilgong then quickly stepped forward, dodged the second golem¡¯s attack, and struck the stone wallyered behind it.
When he saw this, Kwak Ji-cheol let out a scornfulugh but it didn¡¯tst long.
Thud!
¡°Ugh?¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s waist was bent in half.
It was as if someone had punched him hard in the abdomen.
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 92%] vs. [Ilgong: 89%]
Thud!
¡°Ugh.¡±
Another heavy hit echoed, and Kwak Ji-cheol clutched his abdomen.
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 83%] vs. [Ilgong: 89%]
His eyes were filled with pain and disbelief.
How could his opponent have managed to cause him harm despite the thick, multipleyers of walls he had erected?
Meanwhile, I understood the situation at a nce and nodded.
The bald guy really learned well.
It was the ¡°hunting cattle across the mountain¡± technique.
Just like the saying of ¡°hitting a cow with a mountain in between¡±, this martial art allowed damage to be delivered to a distant target by striking an object in front of it.
Though his proficiency seemed quite low for such an advanced martial art, it was more than enough to beat up a powerless mage.
No matter how manyyers of walls were built, they couldn¡¯t protect him which made Ilgong the perfect counter to Kwak Ji-cheol.
Thud!
¡°Ugh.¡±
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 77%] vs. [Ilgong: 88%]
Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s health was visibly dropping.
In fact, it had turned into a slugfest, meaning there was no chance of winning as things stood.
[Crystal: 65%]
The best option now was to somehow charge the remaining energy.
Kwak Ji-cheol quickly made his decision and swung his hand broadly.
The stone walls, golems, and earth clusters simultaneously shattered and surged toward Ilgong like a tidal wave.
Whooooosh¡ª!
While buying some time, he climbed onto a dirt disc and slid away.
[Crystal 68%]
[Crystal 69%]
Almost there. He just needed to hold on a little longer.
Kwak Ji-cheol tried to calm himself with these thoughts but he soon widened his eyes in shock.
¡°What the hell!¡±
He had spotted Ilgong right nearby. Thetter had somehow caught up to him.
He hadn¡¯t even sensed Ilgong¡¯s approach, so he noticed toote.
Even now, he could barely feel Ilgong¡¯s presence, but when he looked down, he saw that while he was swiftly moving on then earthen disc, Ilgong was simply standing on his two legs.
This meant that although Ilgong¡¯s feet weren¡¯t moving, they were traveling at the same speed.
It was an application of the Immovable Wisdom King Step, but Kwak Ji-cheol seemed unaware of this fact.
As Kwak Ji-cheol was on the verge of losing his mind, Ilgong calmly suggested,
¡°Benefactor, let¡¯s stop here.¡±
Of course, Kwak Ji-cheol didn¡¯t listen to those words, so Ilgong smiled bitterly and extended his hand forward as if he had no choice.
Thud!
Kwak Ji-cheol was thrown off the earthen disc and rolled across the ground.
He swung a fist made of clumped earth at the approaching Ilgong, but once again, it was easily blocked and he was thrown back.
Thud!
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 61%] vs [Ilgong: 88%]
As Kwak Ji-cheol staggered to his feet, Ilgong slowly approached and once more gently suggested,
¡°Will you hand over the crystal?¡±
¡°Heh, heh heh¡ I¡¯d rather¡¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol let out a lowugh.
The emerald on his staff glowed with a brilliant green light, causing the area to tremble as if an earthquake had struck.
Finally, he stomped the ground forcefully and shouted,
¡°I¡¯d rather¡ forfeit¡ª!¡±
Boom¡ª!
The earth overturned, and a tidal wave of dirt, gravel, and rocks surged towards Ilgong.
Ilgong watched this with a calm gaze, then raised his energy.
The golden aura of his entire body concentrated into his outstretched palm, making his hand appear two to three timesrger.
[Great Vajra Hand Seal]
A huge golden force shot forward.
Boom¡ª!
A tidal wave of dirt copsed, and Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s body was pushed back a long distance.
He barely managed to stand and red at his opponent with a look of resentment before his vision blurred and he copsed backward.
Ilgong hurriedly approached and supported him.
¡°It was a good match.¡±
[Kwak Ji-cheol Lose] vs [Ilgong Win]
***
¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
As soon as Kwak Ji-cheol regained consciousness, he bowed his head.
Having asked to be sent first only to return defeated, he had no face to show to Dang Gyu-young who had trusted him.
Dang Gyu-young looked down at Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s head with indifferent eyes and asked a question.
¡°You did your best, right?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°You tried every means avable?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Do you think you¡¯d lose again if you fought him?¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
¡°Then that¡¯s fine.¡±
¡°¡¡?
When Kwak Ji-cheol looked up, his eyes asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you mad?¡± and Dang Gyu-young responded.
¡°If you did your best, who could say otherwise? You can improve your skills from now on. We¡¯ll review the matchter. For now, go rest.¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol was a bit moved and he went to a corner.
Dang Gyu-young then approached me and whispered.
¡°Kim Ho, be honest. You were expecting a 3-0 bus ride, right?¡±
¡°It would be a lie to say I wasn¡¯t.¡±
Of course, it would have been great if Kwak Ji-cheol had won.
But once the match started, Ilgong¡¯s skills had risen so sharply from before that I gave up on that idea a long time ago.
As a result, the current score was 1-1. Two matches remained.
¡°You¡¯ll have to show your skills too.¡±
¡°Of course. But besides Bukgong Han-seol, hasn¡¯t thest participant been revealed yet?¡±
¡°Well, I need to ask about that too.¡±
Dang Gyu-young showed me the chat screen.
Tomunicate with the other side, she had no choice but to unblock Kim Gap-doo on her phone.
[Dang Gyu-young: Hey, when is yourst personing?]
[Kim Gap-doo: Not here yet ?.? Almost there though¡ Just a bit]
[Dang Gyu-young: So who is it?]
[Kim Gap-doo: It¡¯s a secret! I¡¯ll tell you when they arrive! Haha]
[Kim Gap-doo: (cute frog emoji)]
[Kim Gap-doo: (cute frog emoji)]
¡°I feel like blocking him again ¡¡±
Dang Gyu-young muttered to herself and clenched her fist as if she wanted to punch the frog.
Ipletely agreed with her muttering.
So that¡¯s the kind of character that senior is.
Anyway, since one thing was certain, Dang Gyu-young asked.
¡°Next is Bukgong Han-seol for sure. Who¡¯s going to go against her?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa cautiously looked at me, as if she was seeking my approval.
I wasn¡¯t sure why she was asking me instead of her mentor sitting right next to her, but even I thought it would be better for her to face Bukgong Han-seol.
The match against the 900-pointer in the fourth round might not be a good fit for Hong Yeon-hwa.
When I signaled my approval with a nod, Hong Yeon-hwa responded with a nod of her own and raised her hand.
¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±
¡°That sounds good. Should we ask for a handicap?¡±
Since Kim Gap-doo¡¯s team had one more 900-pointer, we had previously agreed to apply a handicap in one match.
However, Hong Yeon-hwa slowly shook her head.
¡°It¡¯s okay, we don¡¯t need that.¡±
Her voice was brimming with confidence.
Chapter 128: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (13)
Chapter 128: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (13)
[Hong Yeon-hwa 688 points vs Bukgong Han-seol 968 points]
Hong Yeon-hwa quietly stared at the names and scores disyed on the scoreboard.
900 points.
This is the league of skilled individuals who achieved three consecutive victories in the cement test.
There was a time when she was immensely frustrated that she couldn¡¯t start at 900 points.
ording to Hong Ye-hwa, all the promising talents or those with equivalent skills this year had reached the 900-point range.
It made her feel particrly left behind.
Therefore, it was hard for her to eptpeting in the 600-point range.
Even if she won and her score increased, it still felt significantlyckingpared to the 900-point range and losing only plunged her deeper into self-loathing.However, her thoughts have changed a bit now.
The scores in individual matches are indeed a meaningful indicator of skill.
But one cannot judge a person¡¯s skill solely based on their score.
The living proof of that was in her group.
Kim Ho who started at the 300-point range with one win and two losses.
Although his score was lower than Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s, when they actually faced off, the overwhelming difference in skill made it impossible for her to even make a move.
Another example was that recently, opponents in the 600-point range had started to feel too weak.
This week, Hong Yeon-hwa had faced two random opponents in the crystal duel battles, and both of them copsed before she could even properly chain her spells.
Looking back, the memory of being beaten up by Kim Ho was so strong that it overshadowed everything else, but most of her other duel battles had been like this.
She was now certain.
As the semester continued and she participated in more duels, her score would only continue to rise.
As a result, her yearning for 900 points had significantly diminished, but a trace of curiosity still remained.
How would her skills measure up against those in the 900-point range?
Had they been effective before? How about now that she was stronger?
She was about to find out.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 100%] vs [Bukgong Han-seol: 100%]
[Crystal: 0%]
Hong Yeon-hwa extended her wand forward.
The ruby on her wand shone as it instantly drew arge Fire Pir magic circle beneath her feet.
Even though her casting speed was already unparalleled, it seemed to have shortened even further recently.
When she absorbed thepleted Fire Pir through Overheat, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s entire body became engulfed in mes.
In her enhanced state, she kicked off the ground a few times and quickly ascended to the top of theyered cliff.
¡°¡¡±
She spotted Bukgong Han-seol on the opposite cliff in the distance.
Since she arrived first, she was already searching for the crystal.
Hong Yeon-hwa quickly scanned the surroundings as well,
There it is.
She discovered a makeshift altar cleverly hidden among the cliffs.
When she nced at Bukgong Han-seol, she noticed that thetter was still looking around and was still unaware of the altar¡¯s location.
Yet she asionally nced towards Hong Yeon-hwa, ready to follow if she found the crystal first.
In that case¡
Hong Yeon-hwa deliberately acted startled and exaggeratedly pretended she had found the crystal.
Then, with a thud, she stomped her feet and dashed down the cliff.
Bukgong Han-seol didn¡¯t miss this and started running after Hong Yeon-hwa.
¡°Hmph.¡±
However, once Hong Yeon-hwa descended the cliff and was out of sight, she quickly changed direction.
Her deliberate behavior had been to create a fake-out.
She sent Bukgong Han-seol in the exact opposite direction of where the crystal was located.
Taking advantage of this, Hong Yeon-hwa leisurely moved to the makeshift altar, grabbed the crystal, and headed straight for the sanctuary.
¡°Oh my, Han-seol¡¡±
Kim Gap-doo who was watching the match palmed his face.
To fall for such a simple trick.
He hoped Bukgong Han-seol would realize this soon, but she wandered aimlessly in the wrong direction, just as Hong Yeon-hwa had intended.
Whirrrrr¡ª
From a distance, a beam of light shone down from the direction of the sanctuary.
[Crystal: 1%]
¡°!?¡±
Bukgong Han-seol stood frozen and was unable toprehend the sudden situation.
When did she get there?
She should be searching for the crystal with me around here.
Then, like a lightning bolt, a thought struck her mind.
¡. I¡¯ve been tricked!
No wonder she hadn¡¯t seen even a shadow of Hong Yeon-hwa despite heading in the same direction; she had fallen for the fake-out.
[Crystal: 4%]
Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa nced at the scoreboard and thought,
She must have realized by now.
Since the sanctuary and the crystal were connected, everything must have been exposed.
By now, she would be running madly in this direction.
But enough time had already been bought.
The ruby embedded in the wand shed red continuously.
Each time it did, a small magic circle appeared on the ground.
Hong Yeon-hwa was dominating the area by consecutively setting up fire magic circles.
[Crystal: 19%]
A littleter, Bukgong Han-seol arrived at the scene and started to rush at Hong Yeon-hwa but had to stop.
It was because of the sheer number of magic circles etched into the ground.
The whole area was a minefield.
Just falling for a minor trick had led to this oue.
No, I can do this.
It was still too early to be discouraged.
Even in the second match, Kwak Ji-cheol had perfectly fortified his position but didn¡¯t he lose to Ilgong in the end?
You never know until you fight.
While Bukgong Han-seol was burning with determination,
Fwoosh,
Hong Yeon-hwa casually threw a small fireball as a greeting.
This is nothing.
Bukgong Han-seol focused on the rapidly approaching fireball and started gathering her power.
An icy coldness began to gather in one hand.
The technique she had mastered, the Ice Extreme Snow Soul Palm was manifesting.
Since fire and ice were opposite elements, the stronger force would push the other back.
With the right amount of cold infused in her hand, deflecting that fireball should have been easy.
When Bukgung Han-seol swung at the fireball with such a lighthearted mindset,
Whooooooosh!
The me which should have been snuffed out with a flick engulfed her hand instead and set it on fire.
¡°W-what? This, this can¡¯t be.¡±
Bukgung Han-seol frantically summoned more ice, but it was instantly consumed by the mes.
She hurriedly poured all her energy into it, and only then did the fire slowly recede.
She managed to extinguish the fire, but the energy expenditure was far greater than expected.
Such mes¡
Ignoring the elemental rtionship, the small me hadpletely overwhelmed and melted her ice energy.
Then, she remembered something she had forgotten.
Hong Yeon-hwa had mastered a powerful trait, one that was very rare even among the fire mages of the Ruby Tower.
Aqua me!
It seemed she had met her true counter.
Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa was facing her opponent while maintaining her arrogant attitude.
But inwardly, she thought,
What? Why is she like that? What¡¯s going on?
Simrly, she had been quite flustered.
She had thrown the fireball without much thought, but Bukgong Han-seol had tried to swat it away but her hand caught fire and she started iling around in a panic.
She eventually managed to extinguish it, but there seemed to be a hint of fear in her eyes as she looked at her.
When she thought carefully about what had happened,
Right, Aqua me. It reached C-rank.
In Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s memory, Aqua me had been E-rank.
At that time, its rank was low, so even when she used fire magic against ice-element opponents, they could somewhat cope with it.
But now it had risen two ranks while melting the Millennium Iron alloy and reached a remarkable C-rank.
Currently, the skill/trait rank limit for first-year students was generally C-rank, with the average being around D-rank.
At C-rank, it was a level that couldpetently apply to all opponents among the first years.
Even though she understood this in her mind, she hadn¡¯t had the chance to face an ice-element opponent until now, so she was just starting to test its exact power.
But to see someone with over 900 points struggle so much just to shake off a single fireball.
Aqua me might be a stronger trait than she had thought.
Hong Yeon-hwa had inadvertently countered her opponent.
Bukgong Han-seol hardened her expression and looked at her opponent.
I must avoid it at all costs.
She must not get hit by any fire magic.
If she struggled this much with a hastily thrown fireball, a properly cast fire spell would be beyond her ability to handle.
That meant she had to dodge all the iing spells and approach Hong Yeon-hwa to snatch the crystal.
But was that even possible?
Bukgong Han-seol took in the sight of the magic circles filling the battlefield.
To her eyes, they looked like fiercely burning mes rather than magic circles.
[Hong Yeon-hwa 100%] vs [Bukgong Han-seol 94%]
[Crystal: 34%]
However, time was not on her side.
The crystal¡¯s charge percentage was steadily increasing even as she hesitated.
If she didn¡¯t move, defeat was inevitable.
Bukgong Han-seol gathered her internal energy and concentrated it in her hands, then she lunged forward and released the energy.
Papapapapapapat!
Hong Yeon-hwa watched the threatening energy projectiles flying toward her and thought,
Should I dodge?
It might hurt a bit if they hit.
She was about to move sideways but quickly changed her mind.
She extended her wand forward and cast a spell rapidly.
Fwoooosh¡ª
A stream of mes burst out like a methrower before engulfing the energy projectiles.
As expected, the Aqua me-enhanced fire easily neutralized Bukgong Han-seol¡¯s long-range attack.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Bukgong Han-seol¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She didn¡¯t expect her attack to be blocked so easily.
However, it was toote to stop, so she didn¡¯t slow her momentum.
Just as she was about to unleash another powerful strike,
Hong Yeon-hwa snapped her fingers.
A magic circle right in front of Bukgong Han-seol turned red, and
Boom¡ª!
¡°!!¡±
A vivid pir of fire shot up.
Bukgong Han-seol barely managed to retreat and avoid the Fire Pir.
However, she was already deep in enemy territory.
Magic circles filled the surroundings.
One was even set right under her feet and it was already glowing red.
Glowing¡ red?
Boom¡ª!
Bukgong Han-seol desperately dashed to avoid the pirs of fire erupting everywhere.
Surviving was more important than targeting Hong Yeon-hwa at the center of the formation.
Boom¡ª!
She zigzagged, running this way and that, before she finally escaped the reach of the magic circles.
After she managed to catch her breath, Bukgong Han-seol thought,
Well, at least I made her use up quite a bit.
Once a magic circle casts a spell, it disappears.
With her frantic running earlier, she had triggered dozens of Fire Pirs, so if she repeated this a few more times, wouldn¡¯t she reach Hong Yeon-hwa?
However, what caught her eye next were new magic circles rapidly filling the empty space.
Bukgong Han-seol suddenly wanted to go home.
Chapter 129: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (14)
Chapter 129: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (14)
The situation was increasingly turning against her, but Bukgong Han-seol did not give up.
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 100%] vs [Bukgong Han-seol: 92%]
[Crystal: 51%]
Judging by the time remaining until the crystal was fully charged,
There are at most two or three opportunities.
She had to reach Hong Yeon-hwa at the center of the magic circles within that time.
It was certainly not an easy task, but it didn¡¯t seem entirely impossible either.
Just a moment ago, she had been busy dodging the fire pirs rising from all directions.
Still, after running around a bit, she felt like she had an instinctive sense of how to move which was to be expected from a student with a score in the 900 range.At least the second and third attempts would be easier than the first.
Bukgong Han-seol gathered her internal energy and stepped back into the area filled with magic circles.
Fire pirs rose as if they had been waiting for her.
Boom¡ª!
Bukgong Han-seol skilfully advanced forward while stepping around the fire pirs.
The magic circle right in front of her glowed red but she quickly passed it before it could activate.
Next, three magic circles ahead simultaneously lit up,
Boom¡ª!
And three fire pirs erupted.
Bukgong Han-seol tried to slip through the tiny gaps between them, but, as if anticipated, a flurry of fire arrows shot through the gaps.
Fwoooooosh,
¡°!!¡±
Bukgong Han-seol had no choice but to step back and to the side.
As if in pursuit, more fire arrows followed one after another, and she moved further to the side to dodge them.
She tried several times to strike back with her energy, but since she couldn¡¯t bring down even one fire arrow, she focused on dodging as much as possible while trying to get closer to her opponent.
Boom¡ª!
A fire pir erupted right where she was about to step.
Bukgong Han-seol hesitated and changed direction again, and the subsequent barrage of fire arrows guided her in another direction.
Whoooosh,
As she continued to navigate between fire arrows and fire pirs, Bukgong Han-seol thought to herself,
Just a bit more!
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s tactics beautifullybined me Arrows and Fire Pirs to restrict her movement and guide her in a specific direction.
Bukgong Han-seol continued to circle around the same area as her opponent intended.
If this dragged on, the crystal would eventually finish charging.
However, Bukgong Han-seol noticed something.
The more Hong Yeon-hwa activated the Fire Pirs, the more gaps began to appear.
The magic circle engraved on the ground disappeared with each spell cast, leaving empty spaces until the caster engraved new ones.
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s casting speed was astonishingly fast and she was quickly filling the gaps, but Bukgong Han-seol¡¯s constant movement within the area caused the depletion rate to increase.
The empty spaces were gradually increasing.
Not much time left.
She pretended to y along with her opponent¡¯s intentions while keeping an eye on those gaps.
Finally, the opportunity came.
Just when the Fire Pir cast by Hong Yeon-hwa was fading, Bukgong Han-seol kicked off the ground and dashed forward.
She stepped only on the empty spaces left by the depleted magic circles and quickly closed the distance between them.
At the same time, she unleashed the internal energy she had been gradually umting and executed her most powerful technique.
Her entire body was enveloped in a chilling cold, which concentrated in her palms and was released forward.
[Absolute Snow Soul Palm]
Bukgong Han-seol was confident that this decisive move would surely work.
Her ice techniques were naturally weak against her opponent¡¯s Aqua me trait, but such a powerful technique should be able to incapacitate Hong Yeon-hwa, even if only briefly.
If thetter couldn¡¯t manage her magic circles, it would be much easier to subdue her afterward.
However¡
In the next moment, Bukgong Han-seol saw the corners of Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s mouth curl up in a mocking smile.
Hong Yeon-hwa let her wand drop to the ground and pointed at one of the nearby magic circles.
After she drew a straight line with her wand, several magic circles connected and lit up at the same time.
The rising pirs of fire merged to form a huge wall of mes.
[Fire Wall]
As soon as her Absolute Snow Soul Palm touched the fiercely burning wall of fire, it instantly melted into steam.
With the wall of mes surging toward her like a tidal wave, Bukgong Han-seol had to retreat hastily.
¡°¡!¡±
After retreating to a certain distance, Bukgong Han-seol just stood there nkly despite the fact that she was in the middle of a battle.
Her mouth was slightly open as if to reflect her shocked state of mind.
This was a trap too.
To fall for such a simple trap¡
Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa was thinking the same thing.
To fall for such a simple trap¡
In the sight of Bukgong Han-seol busily moving around, Hong Yeon-hwa momentarily saw herself from a few days ago.
When she was sparring with Kim Ho, she had fallen right into a simple trap in her rush.
The consequence was banging her head against a tree and getting arge bump.
Thinking that Bukgong Han-seol¡¯s mental state might be simr to hers back then, she set the trap, though she didn¡¯t expect the other party to fall for it so perfectly.
Thanks to that, a considerable amount of time was wasted.
The crystal is almost fully charged.
[Crystal: 84%]
When Hong Yeon-hwa stopped looking at her and checked the scoreboard, Bukgong Han-seol snapped back to reality.
The battle resumed immediately.
Bukgong Han-seol continued her usual footwork while trying to avoid the Fire Pirs and Fire Arrows to get closer to Hong Yeon-hwa.
However, her steps were much weaker than before.
She couldn¡¯t advance beyond a certain distance and could only move side to side like a ghost dancing.
After realizing that what seemed like an opening was actually a trap, she no longer dared to press forward.
Bukgong Han-seol felt a huge wall between herself and Hong Yeon-hwa.
She really is a promising student¡.
She too had been called a genius from a young age and had maintained top grades even after entering Dragon yer Academy where many geniuses gathered.
Because of this, she never really felt the title of ¡°promising student¡± was all that impressive.
She didn¡¯t see much difference between herself and those few who were given special treatment as promising students.
When she heard rumors that Hong Yeon-hwa had lost once in the cement tests and was fluctuating around the 600-point range, she even found itughable.
¨C 600 points? Is she really a promising student?
But now she began to understand a little.
There was a reason why Hong Yeon-hwa earned the title of promising student and why she maintained her reputation despite staying in the 600-point range.
The proof was that, unlike herself who was getting physically and mentally exhausted, Hong Yeon-hwa still maintained her initialposure.
Her arrogant gaze seemed to ask if this was really all there was.
In fact, Hong Yeon-hwa was having simr thoughts.
However, her inner thoughts were closer to confusion.
¡What? Is this it? Really? Is there nothing more?
She thought she would struggle quite a bit considering her opponent¡¯s score was in the 900-point range but there hadn¡¯t been a single tense moment during the match.
Bukgong Han-seol¡¯s footwork was somewhat sophisticated, but her intentions were obvious which made her next move predictable.
Moreover, every time Hong Yeon-hwa controlled her with fire magic, she obediently moved as directed.
When she shot a fire arrow to send her to the left, she went left. And when she shot a fire arrow to send her to the right, she went right. If she made a pir of fire to make her retreat, she retreated.
In contrast, how was her match with Kim Ho?
Controlling him with fire magic was impossible and she couldn¡¯t predict where he would move, so every moment was filled with tension.
While dodging all her fire magic attacks, he woulde close and tap her head.
Even when she set up a perfect defensive line, he somehow broke through and tapped her head.
No matter how she set up, thinking he couldn¡¯t possibly get through, he woulde in and tap her head.
¡°¡¡±
As she recalled this, the spots where Kim Ho had tapped her head started to tingle, so Hong Yeon-hwa quietly raised her hand to rub her head.
The thought that came to her was,
But I guess my skills have improved.
After she was tormented daily by a stagnant water, Hong Yeon-hwa found her skills had unknowingly grown significantly.
[Crystal: 96%]
As the charging neared its end, Bukgong Han-seol¡¯s previously evasive steps slowed down and eventually came to a stop.
Then she conceded defeat in a dejected tone.
¡°I lost¡¡¡±
[Hong Yeon-hwa Win] vs [Bukgong Han-seol Lose]
¡°I¡¯m sorry¡¡±
Bukgong Han-seol who had been so confident before the match was nowpletely dejected.
However, Kim Gap-doo gently patted her shoulder.
¡°It¡¯s okay, Han-seol. You did well.¡±
Knowing that Bukgong Han-seol had done her best despite the extremely unfavorable match, he was neither angry nor disappointed.
Also, it was a misjudgment on her mentor Kim Gap-doo¡¯s part to pair her against Hong Yeon-hwa.
From what he knew, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s Aqua me had not progressed beyond E-rank, and he expected that Bukgong Han-seol¡¯s internal energy would easily overpower it.
However, once the match started, it turned out that Aqua me had jumped to C-rank which made it a perfect counter-match.
If he had known this, he would have paired Bukgong Han-seol with Kwak Ji-cheol for an easy win and paired Ilgong with Hong Yeon-hwa. He might have had a better chance of winning.
Phew¡ it¡¯s all in the past now.
Kim Gap-doo slowly shook his head and dispelled any lingering regrets.
It was time to think about what came next.
The score was 1 to 2 against them.
If they lost one more match, Kim Gap-doo¡¯s team would face defeat.
Despite this, Kim Gap-doo¡¯s face wasn¡¯t dark with despair.
The reason he had proposed a 4-on-4 match with such risky conditions wasn¡¯t just out of a moment of anger; he had a degree of confidence in their victory.
This confidence came from having a powerful trump card.
¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯mte.¡±
A low and blunt voice came from behind him.
When Kim Gap-doo heard that voice, hisplexion which had been a little dark brightened up immediately.
¡°You¡¯re here.¡±
When he turned around, there stood a male student with a bear-like physique and a muscr body. He looked nothing like a first-year student.
Usually, he wore the disciplinarymittee armband but he had taken it off as he was here for the mentoring session.
He was a first-year member of the disciplinarymittee and had skills on par with the promising students.
He was the sessor of the Fist King, Jo Byeok.
He was thest member of the martial arts team mentored by Kim Gap-doo.
Chapter 130: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (15)
Chapter 130: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (15)
¡°You did well.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa returned confidently like a triumphant general.
She had dominated Bukgung Han-seol who had a score in the 900s throughout the entire match and proved her skills. Her pride was sky-high.
But when our eyes met,
¡°¡¡±
She quickly regained her humility and gauged my reaction.
She had overwhelmed someone in the 900s, but she remembered that the person before her was an opponent she couldn¡¯t even touch.
Despite ncing around cautiously, she seemed to expect something from me, probably feedback on her performance in the match.If Hong Yeon-hwa had a tail, it would have been wagging gently.
I decided to praise what deserved praise and move on.
¡°You did well. You carried out the match just as we practiced.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
Her face brightened even more. As if she were pleased to have received recognition.
If she had a tail, it would have been wagging furiously like a propeller.
Leaving Hong Yeon-hwa alone for now, I turned to Dang Gyu-young and asked,
¡°Now it¡¯s just me left. Who do they have on their side?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll have to ask again.¡±
Thest member of Kim Gap-doo¡¯s team had been dyed for some reason, but no matter howte they were, they should have arrived by now.
Sure enough, as soon as Dang Gyu-young sent a message, a reply came back quickly.
[Dang Gyu-young: Are you here?]
[Kim Gap-doo: Yep, I¡¯m here! >.<]
[Dang Gyu-young: Who is it?]
[Kim Gap-doo: Then I¡¯ll reveal it! The long-awaited final member is¡!]
[Kim Gap-doo: Drumroll¡!]
[Kim Gap-doo: (Drum-ying frog emoji)]
[Kim Gap-doo: It¡¯s Jo Byeok!]
¡°What? Jo Byeok?¡±
Dang Gyu-young furrowed her eyebrows.
She had expected that since Kim Gap-doo kept it hidden until thest moment, the final member would be quite skilled, even among those who had a score in the 900s range. However, she never anticipated that it would be a member of the disciplinarymittee.
[Dang Gyu-young: Are you kidding me right now?]
[Dang Gyu-young: You should have told us from the start]
[Dang Gyu-young: (Fox with a bat emoji)]
[Kim Gap-doo: Surprised!]
[Kim Gap-doo: (Surprised frog emoji)]
[Kim Gap-doo: (Winking frog emoji)]
[Dang Gyu-young: (Serious fox emoji)]
[Dang Gyu-young: (Fox with a bat emoji)]
[Kim Gap-doo: ¡¡ ]
[Kim Gap-doo: What handicap should I give you?]
From the moment the name ¡°Jo Byeok¡± was mentioned, everyone¡¯s attention turned to me.
Although Dang Gyu-young was caught off guard by the sudden appearance of a disciplinarymittee member, she didn¡¯t seem overly worried since she trusted that I could handle it.
Hong Yeon-hwa also seemed to think I would win.
On the other hand, Song Cheon-hye¡¯s expression had be noticeably serious.
As a fellow disciplinarymittee member, she knew better than anyone here how strong Jo Byeok was, but since my abilities were still uncertain, her expectation was that Jo Byeok would win.
Moreover, Kwak Ji-cheol not only bet on Jo Byeok but also seemed to secretly hope that I would lose.
Though I couldn¡¯t tell whether it was because he didn¡¯t want to be the only one to lose or because he was looking forward to seeing me get beaten by Jo Byeok.
Anyway, I found his attitude annoying so I decided to tease him a little.
¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±
¡°What¡¯s wrong with my eyes?¡±
¡°I sense a rather impure intention.¡±
¡°¡it¡¯s your imagination.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol averted his gaze. As if he was admitting to himself that he felt guilty.
I continued to stare at him for a bit longer, then turned to Dang Gyu-young and asked,
¡°What happens if I lose?¡±
¡°Since it¡¯s 2-2, there would be one more match point game.¡±
In that final match, the strongest yers from each team, Song Cheon-hye and Jo Byeok, would face off to determine the winner.
Dang Gyu-young asked Song Cheon-hye,
¡°What are your odds of winning against Jo Byeok?¡±
¡°It¡¯s hard to say who has the upper hand.¡±
Song Cheon-hye and Jo Byeok had faced each other several times in duel battles or disciplinarymittee sparring sessions, and their wins and losses usually depended on their condition on any given day.
Sometimes Song Cheon-hye won, sometimes she lost.
If one had to quantify it, Jo Byeok had a very slight edge of approximately 4.8 to 5.2.
In other words, the oue of the match was entirely unpredictable.
This time, Song Cheon-hye asked me,
¡°Do you think you can win?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know, if I choose the right handicap.¡±
¡°What will you choose?¡±
Since Dang Gyu-young was also waiting for my answer to this question, I replied to her,
¡°I¡¯ll go with crystal charge speed eleration.¡±
¡°Charge speed eleration, not bad. What multiplier?¡±
¡°Three times.¡±
With a threefold increase in charge speed, the crystal that charged at 1% would now charge at 3%.
And since the charge would be much faster, the match duration would be significantly shortened.
Dang Gyu-young exchanged messages with Kim Gap-doo again.
I nced at the message window and saw an array of cute frog emojis.
However, seeing as there was not even the slightest change in Dang Gyu-young¡¯s expressionless face, I think that Toad Senior would be blocked again as soon as this game was over.
Anyway, the two seemed to have reached some sort of agreement after a brief negotiation.
¡°It can¡¯t be three times, but we¡¯ll settle for 2.5 times.¡±
¡°I deliberately aimed high, so how did we end up at 2.5 times?¡±
¡°They have to adjust to our side. Especially after the other side hid Joi Byeok like that.¡±
Originally, the goal was about twice as much, but Dang Gyu-young managed to secure slightly better terms.
This was partly because of her good negotiation, and partly because Kim Gap-doo felt guilty for hiding the matter of Joi Byeok until thest moment. He seemed to have made a small concession.
Therefore, the crystal charging speed became 2.5 times faster.
It would have been better to give this handicap to Kwak Ji-cheol in his match, but¡
There was no way Kim Gap-doo would have allowed a handicap in a match between yers who were both in the 600-point range, and even if he had, Kwak Ji-cheol would have likely refused out of pride.
That guy was destined to get beaten by Ilgong one way or another.
As I stepped onto the teleportation magic circle with those thoughts in mind, Song Cheon-hye gave me a piece of advice.
¡°If it seems impossible, try to drag it into a war of attrition. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±
¡°No, I¡¯ll just win this.¡±
¡°¡Are you confident?¡±
¡°Of course, I¡¯ve already nned everything out.¡±
It was called the Son Hyeong-taek n. (TN: Son Hyeong-taek should be the one who fought Song Cheon-hye in the first match between the two teams.)
I nned to run around frantically with the crystal in hand.
¡°The crystal charging speed is 2.5 times faster.¡±
Kim Gap-doo exined the handicap to Jo Byeok.
¡°Time will be tight in many ways. But since the opponent¡¯s score isn¡¯t even at 600 points, winning shouldn¡¯t be difficult. The real issue is whates next.¡±
.
Regardless of the handicap, it was already a given that they would defeat Kim Ho and even the score, and the match point against Song Cheon-hye could be considered the main event.
As a fellow member of the same disciplinarymittee, Song Cheon-hye was by no means an easy opponent for Jo Byeok.
¡°So, it¡¯s best to conserve as much energy as possible in the first match.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, I made you go through two matches because of my greed.¡±
Kim Gap-doo sighed deeply.
Then he stared at the distant cliff where Dang Gyu-young¡¯s team was stationed and continued.
¡°I know this kind of betting is pathetic and undignified. Even if we win, it might be pointless. What dramatic change coulde from one date? But¡.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s a crush I¡¯ve had since the first year. I just hope for even the smallest chance rather than giving up like this.¡±
Jo Byeok had never experienced romantic feelings for anyone, so he couldn¡¯t empathize with Kim Gap-doo¡¯s emotions.
Still, he understood that Kim had high expectations for him, and regardless, this was a duel battle.
So he responded in a calm tone.
¡°I will do my best.¡±
¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡±
When Jo Byeok teleported down using the teleportation magic circle, the scoreboard disyed the names of both sides.
[Jo Byeok 993 points vs. Kim Ho 569 points]
Kim Ho.
Jo Byeok didn¡¯t know much about Kim Ho.
He had just picked up a few rumors here and there.
Being the type who didn¡¯t pay much attention to such things, he let most of them go in one ear and out the other, but there was one rumor that caught his attention.
He is said to be a close friend of Go Hyeon-woo.
In the duel battle of the cement test, the match between Go Hyeon-woo and Jo Byeok had ended inconclusively with the destruction of their iron swords. Jo Byeok had engraved Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s name in his memory and started looking forward to the day when they would have a proper fight.
After that, unlike Kim Ho, Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s reputation frequently reached Jo Byeok¡¯s ears and mostly in a positive light. His excellent swordsmanship, handsome appearance, and well-rounded personality easily earned him the affection of other students.
Many wanted to befriend him, but Go Hyeon-woo kept a certain distance so no one could fulfill that desire.
However, when someone subtly asked about Kim Ho, Go Hyeon-woo responded without a moment¡¯s hesitation.
¨C Kim is a friend I truly acknowledge. He is a more than deserving to be my friend.
This held a very strong meaning for Jo Byeok.
If someone as lofty as Go Hyeon-woo acknowledged Kim Ho, there must have been a good reason.
If he underestimated Kim Ho because of his 500-point score or the general opinion of him as a ¡°coward¡±, he might be caught off guard.
Kim Gap-doo had advised him to conserve his strength for the match against Song Cheon-hye, but somehow, Jo Byeok felt that he shouldn¡¯t.
I will give it my all.
The countdown began with Jo Byeok making up his mind.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Surveying the surrounding environment from a high ground was a basic principle.
Especially in this week¡¯s duel battle. After all, identifying the location of the crystal was of utmost priority.
Jo Byeok quickly climbed the cliff.
With an agility that didn¡¯t match his bear-like physique, he swiftly reached the top and scanned the surrounding area.
He expected to encounter Kim Ho soon, but,
He¡¯s not here.
The top of the cliff was empty, devoid of any sign of Kim Ho.
He thought perhaps Kim Ho was climbing up a bitter, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case.
I should focus on the crystal for now.
Jo Byeok looked down and started carefully surveying the area below the cliff.
Then, as he slowly shifted his gaze sideways, something moving quickly caught his eye.
That is¡
That something was none other than Kim Ho, who hadn¡¯t even cast a shadow on top of the cliff.
He had been running aimlessly in one direction and at the end of it was a makeshift altar and a crystal.
His movements seemed as if he had already known the location of the crystal.
How Kim Ho had figured that out was no longer important.
What was important now was,
I¡¯mte.
He had been beaten to the punch.
However, Jo Byeok who was about to follow Kim Ho toward the makeshift altar soon changed his mind.
The next destination is already decided anyway.
Since the crystal needed to be charged, he would inevitably head towards the sanctuary.
So, Jo Byeok started running towards the towering rock in the distance like a lighthouse.
Sure enough, just when he was almost near the sanctuary,
Wheeing¡ª
The sanctuary sent down a pir of light not far from him.
The ce indicated by the pir of light was where the crystal and Kim Ho were.
By heading directly to the sanctuary early, he was able to significantly close the gap between them.
[Crystal: 2%]
[Crystal: 5%]
The crystal¡¯s charge level was rising at a frightening pace as if to prove that it was 2.5 times higher.
Just like Kim Gap-doo had said, time was tight in this duel battle.
Thump!
Jo Byeok kicked off the ground with even more force and dashed forward.
He climbed up and down the cliff that rose like a hill and passed by strange rock formations, finally catching up to the point where Kim Ho came into view.
¡°¡¡±
Kim Ho continued running with his back to him, then nced over his shoulder.
There wasn¡¯t a trace of urgency in his eyes.
Then, as if he was uninterested in him, he turned his gaze forward again and continued running.
¡°I won¡¯t let you get away.¡±
Jo Byeok concentrated his internal energy on his legs and increased his speed.
Kim Ho¡¯s speed was fast, but the distance between them gradually narrowed.
Jo Byeok who had nearly caught up to Kim Ho¡¯s back clenched his fist tightly.
Then just when he thrust his fist forward, Kim Ho suddenly turned around and thrust one palm forward to meet it.
Bang¡ª!
Their palm and fist collided, and Jo Byeok was pushed back.
Chapter 131: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (16)
Chapter 131: 7th Week Mentoring and Duel Battle (16)
¡°¡¡¡¡±
After the sh, Kim Ho nced over as if he had lost interest, then turned his back and started running again.
Jo Byeok immediately resumed the chase and thought.
What was that just now?
He had fought countless experts until now, but it was very rare for him to be pushed back like that.
Usually, this result urred when he was overwhelmed in a battle of internal energy, but this felt quite different.
[Jo Byeok 100% vs Kim Ho 100%]
[Crystal: 24%]
If there was a gap in their internal energy, he should have taken some damage.However, there was no change in either side¡¯s health.
It was a new experience in many ways but,
I just need to confirm it again.
Jo Byeok increased his speed and quickly caught up to Kim Ho¡¯s back.
Then just as he thrust his fist forward, Kim Ho who had been ncing over his shoulder turned around and extended his hand to meet it.
Bang¡ª!
Jo Byeok¡¯s body was pushed back again.
But this time, he observed more carefully with a wider field of vision so he thought he understood what had happened.
Wind.
The wind gathered andpressed in Kim Ho¡¯s hand.
It exploded in a vortex-like form and pushed him away like a spring.
Considering that Kim Ho was a caster-type ss, it was almost certainly wind magic but if it pushed him back so far, there must have been some physical force added.
In that case.
As Jo Byeok closed in on Kim Ho for the third time, he drew up his internal energy and enveloped his body like armor.
In his duel with Go Hyeon-woo, he had responded simrly to the technique of [Clear Stream].
Soon, when Jo Byeok threw his punch, Kim Ho unleashed his wind magic to counter.
Bang¡ª!
Jo Byeok was pushed back again, but this time the distance was less than half of what it had been before.
Although the internal energy consumption was significant for just one block, it was the correct answer.
Kim Ho¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest.
¡°You figured it out quickly.¡±
Despite having his technique seen through, there was no sign of rm on his face.
Instead, he seemed pleased with Jo Byeok¡¯s keen perception.
Suchposure could only be shown by someone with many remaining tricks up their sleeve and absolute confidence in themselves.
To think such a person was rumored to be a coward, it just goes to show how unreliable rumors can be.
Although Jo Byeok was growing more tense, he didn¡¯t miss the opportunity he gained by answering correctly.
Since the distance pushed back wasn¡¯t much, it was enough to continue his attack.
He stepped forward and unleashed a rapid series of punches like lightning.
Papapapat!
Kim Ho leaned and twisted his body to dodge the iing punches while deflecting a few with his dark spear.
At the same time, wind quickly gathered andpressed in his empty hand.
When Jo Byeok immediately surrounded himself with internal energy to counter,
Bang¡ª!
While Jo Byeok remained still, it was Kim Ho the one who cast the spell who flew in an arc andnded gracefully on theyered cliffs before he turned and began to run.
Though Jo Byeok was not easily flustered, he couldn¡¯t help but be momentarily stunned by the sight.
¡So it can be used that way too.
Since the opponent wasn¡¯t being easily pushed back, it seemed he had sent himself flying instead.
However, he couldn¡¯t just stand there like a dog chasing chickens, so he immediately kicked off the ground and continued his pursuit.
And when he checked the scoreboard,
[Jo Byeok 100% vs. Kim Ho 100%]
[Crystal: 48%]
After only three exchanges, the crystal¡¯s charge was already at half.
Because of the 2.5x condition, the charging speed was incredibly fast.
This was bad news for Jo Byeok.
Despite using up half the time, he had yet to steal the crystal or inflict any serious damage on his opponent.
Whenever he got close, he was pushed back by explosive wind magic or Kim Ho would fling himself away.
So Jo Byeok decided to switch tactics and maintain a certain distance while opting for long-range attacks.
He clenched his fist tightly and extended it forward before sending out fist winds.
Papapapat!
Kim Ho ran without even looking properly behind him.
At the same time, he used the Thief¡¯s Step to glide and every time he did so, the wind fists would just barely graze past him.
Although Jo Byeok had somewhat expected this, it still wasn¡¯t working effectively.
Jo Byeok spoke while continuing to send out fist winds.
¡°Are you just going to keep running?¡±
¡°If I don¡¯t have to fight, why waste the effort? By the way, I learned all this from Hyeong-taek.¡±
Although he had arrivedte and couldn¡¯t watch in person, he heard that Son Hyeong-taek had used this tactic against Song Cheon-hye.
The difference was that Son Hyeong-taek eventually got caught, while Kim Ho showed no signs of that happening.
Jo Byeok asked again.
¡°Do you have no intention of fighting?¡±
¡°Yeah, sorry, but I don¡¯t. At least not in this match.¡±
Since quite a lot was at stake in the bet, it meant prioritizing winning the match over showcasing his skills.
Jo Byeok thought silently.
He¡¯s cornering me.
If he pushed his internal energy to the limit, his speed would be slightly faster than Kim Ho¡¯s.
However, whenever he got close, that mysterious wind magic would push him back and make all his effort meaningless.
Sending wind fists from a distance was also useless, as Kim Ho dodged them like a slippery fish.
It¡¯s my ownck of ability.
Jo Byeok quickly admitted.
There was no clear way to turn the situation around.
He had always faced his opponents head-on, so he wasn¡¯t prepared for someone who was determined to keep running away.
Not considering the unique nature of the crystal duel battle was also a mistake on his part.
Continuing the match would only waste time.
However, he had no intention of ending it like this.
[Crystal: 67%]
He still had time for one or two more moves.
Jo Byeok¡¯s momentum surged.
¡°Take this. If you withstand it, it¡¯s my loss.¡±
¡°Well, let¡¯s do it.¡±
Kim Ho was about to keep running but¡
Since his opponent had spoken this far, it seemed Kim Ho decided toply and stopped to face Jo Byeok.
Jo Byeok¡¯s momentum continued to expand which created a terrifying sense of pressure in the area.
Soon, his huge bear-like body leaped nimbly into the air, and for a moment, his hands appeared to blur as if he had multiple ones.
Immediately,rge palms and fists made of internal energy rained down.
Boom boom boom¡ª!
¡°¡¡±
Kim Ho calmly looked up at the scene, then raised one hand slightly.
A small dark cloud appeared with a pop. And when he wrapped it around his spear, it turned into a long dark cloud rod.
Kim Ho stepped forward in that state.
With graceful sliding steps, he weaved through the falling fists and palms while waving the storm cloud rod here and there.
Though it seemed meaningless at first nce and like a child ying, strangely enough the fists and palms that touched the rod dissolved and had no effect on him.
Boom boom boom¡ª!
Jo Byeok¡¯s powerful move shattered and destroyedrge and small cliffs and bizarre rock formations.
The area became a wastnd that was covered in thick dust.
Kim Ho¡¯s figure was obscured by the dust but,
[Jo Byeok 100% vs. Kim Ho 100%]
[Crystal: 88%]
Looking at the scoreboard, it was clear that he hadn¡¯t taken any damage.
Jo Byeok silently nodded his head.
Impressive.
He might have been able to make excuses by saying he lost only because it was a crystal duel battle or due to the handicap. However, now that even his ultimate move had been perfectly neutralized, there was no room for excuses.
Jo Byeok spoke to the shadow emerging from the dust.
¡°I acknowledge my defeat. I hope we can have a proper match someday.¡±
¡°Later, if there¡¯s a chance.¡±
Kim Ho replied with a nonchnt attitude.
It was at that moment that Kim Ho¡¯s name was added to Jo Byeok¡¯s list of strong opponents.
[Jo Byeok Lose vs. Kim Ho Win]
***
Song Cheon-hye had a hard time believing what she saw.
¡°¡You really won.¡±
¡°I told you, I had a n.¡±
Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s strategy was highly sessful.
As expected, Jo Byeok was quite vulnerable in the chasepared to his actual skills.
Still, he was a tough opponent.
His keen observation allowed him to understand the connection between Wind Force and Twister in just two moves.
Despite his bear-like build, he was surprisingly quick-witted.
His subsequent responses were excellent, so the ¡°Jo Byeok Infinite Pushing Strategy¡± I had prepared alongside the ¡°Son Hyeong-taek Strategy¡± had to be quickly abandoned.
Of course, there seemed to be no way to counter the technique of propelling myself though.
Additionally, the final technique would have fallen on my head whether I responded or not, so I took it head-on. If the shock absorption through the storm cloud had been even slightly off, [Distortion] might have activated.
That¡¯s how powerful his ultimate move was.
¡°Well done.¡±
Dang Gyu-young approached and offeredpliments.
Then she lowered her voice and asked me,
¡°¡But are you okay with this? It was a perfect game against Jo Byeok.¡±
I had won by dodging all the attacks against a promising student of the disciplinarymittee. This would naturally draw the attention of those who watched the rey.
Moreover, it was even more impressive given the score difference was around 500 points.
This raised the question of whether this was the opposite of my intention to stay low-key.
I answered casually,
¡°It won¡¯t stand out as much as you think.¡±
It was only a crystal duel battle and I had the handicap of a 2.5x charge speed.
Plus, I spent the whole time running away with my back turned, so even if I dodged everything, I wouldn¡¯t shake off thebel of ¡°coward¡±.
If my evaluation were to change, it would probably be something like ¡°a coward but good at dodging¡±.
¡°You can¡¯t hide everything anyway.¡±
It was wishful thinking to defeat a strong opponent like Jo Byeok without revealing anything.
Therefore, it was much better to show that I was good at running away and dodging rather than revealing my spatial trait of [Distortion].
After listening to that, Dang Gyu-young acknowledged the logic.
¡°Okay, as long as you¡¯re fine with it.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go settle the score now.¡±
¡°Sure, let¡¯s go, everyone.¡±
Next, it was time to extort a handful of elixir from Toad Senior.
We left the arena with steps that were as light as a feather.
Chapter 132: Toad With a Passionate Heart
Chapter 132: Toad With a Passionate Heart
Kim Gap-doo had been unbearably petty when cing the bet, but he epted the oue gracefully without a word ofint.
¡°We lost.¡±
Eventually, he opened his inventory and took out a bunch of elixirs.
Not only was he skilled enough to serve as a mentor to third-year students, but he was also the president of a mid-level martial arts club, so his resources were enormous.
Even so, each elixir was precious enough to be reluctant to part with, but a promise was a promise, and he distributed them without hesitation.
[Great Blue Pill (B)]
[Three-Hundred-Year-Old Ginseng (B-)]
I guess I¡¯ll be attending the Mana Cultivation Room for a while.
The great blue pill was renowned as one of the top pills in the Elixir series, and the three-hundred-year-old ginseng had umted substantial energy over the years so it was quite the high-grade item.To absorb all that massive energy as nutrients for my [Core], I would need to spend many nights in the Mana Cultivation Room.
These were just the elixirs I received alone, and our team had four members in total.
Even with such a significant ouy of elixirs, Kim Gap-doo didn¡¯t stop there; he also shared elixirs with his mentees.
¡°You all worked hard too.¡±
¡°Th-thank you.¡±
¡°Amitabha¡¡±
Even after all that, the fact that his inventory wasn¡¯t empty showcased the strength of the martial arts club president, Kim Gap-doo.
Next, Kim Gap-doo spoke to Dang Gyu-young.
¡°I¡¯ll also transfer the promised rights immediately.¡±
¡°No need to rush.¡±
But Dang Gyu-young slowly shook her head.
There was no need to take all the rights at once, as they would eventuallye to her anyway. If she took everything now, it would be plentiful for the moment, but Kim Gap-doo¡¯s position in the martial arts club would be severely shaken, and the club president might be reced by the second semester.
There was no guarantee that the new club president would be friendly toward Dang Gyu-young and her Thieves Club.
On the other hand, if the rights were transferred gradually, it would be easier for Kim Gap-doo to control the club¡¯s opinion and ensure his position until graduation.
Maintaining a good rtionship with the club was far more beneficial.
I¡¯m not in a hurry either.
In return for showing some of my skills, the promised shares were a special training room season pass for the second semester and a Crafting VIP Ticket.
Since it was only the middle of the first semester, there was no use in getting the second semester season pass now, and it wasn¡¯t toote to consider the VIP ticket after gathering all the materials.
Kim Gap-doo seemed to understand these intentions and expressed his gratitude.
¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I¡¯ll keep my position.¡±
Then he paused for a moment, looked at Dang Gyu-young with a lonely expression, and asked in a sad tone.
¡°¡Am I really not good enough?¡±
¡°Yeah, I absolutely hate you.¡±
Without a second¡¯s hesitation, Dang Gyu-young drove a metaphorical nail deep into Kim Gap-doo¡¯s heart.
Kim Gap-doo¡¯s face rapidly became pitiful, and he was on the verge of bursting into tears but managed to hold back and regain hisposure.
Seeing this, Dang Gyu-young responded again with a more serious attitude.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just don¡¯t have feelings for you.¡±
¡°¡If that¡¯s the case, then there¡¯s nothing I can do. I understand. Live happily ever after, Dang Gyu-young.¡±
¡°Live happi¡ª¡±
After throwing out a phrase ripe for misunderstanding, Kim Gap-doo sighed deeply and then turned his head towards me.
¡°Your name is Kim Ho, right?¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
¡°I¡¯d like to talk with you for a moment. Is that okay?¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s fine.¡±
As I followed Kim Gap-doo to a corner of the arena, I could hear Dang Gyu-young desperately trying to exin from behind.
¡°We¡¯re not like that. We¡¯re not even close to being like that. Don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Given the peculiar looks she received from Kwak Ji-cheol and Song Cheon-hye, it was questionable whether her exnation had been effective.
Still, I trusted Dang Gyu-young to handle the aftermath and followed Kim Gap-doo.
After walking for a bit and ensuring no one else was nearby, Kim Gap-doo spoke to me.
¡°You¡¯re quite skilled. I didn¡¯t expect you to block Jo Byuk¡¯s technique so easily.¡±
¡°It¡¯s just a shallow trick. I just worked hard to avoid getting hit.¡±
¡°That¡¯s precisely what skill is. I don¡¯t know how much more you¡¯re hiding, but you can take pride in what you showed today.¡±
As a third-year president, Kim Gap-doo seemed to have grasped the entire course of the battle.
So I decided to ept thepliment without false modesty and responded calmly.
¡°Thank you for your kind words.¡±
¡°With your skills, you shouldn¡¯t get beaten up anywhere. However, the future is unpredictable. You should always be prepared for the unexpected.¡±
¡°I will keep that in mind.¡±
¡°Do you have recovery potions stocked up?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a shame, but I do not.¡±
My mindset was that it¡¯s better to avoid getting hit in the first ce rather than relying on recovery, which was a very stagnant water way of thinking.
Additionally, recovery potions were quite valuable so it was better to invest resources in improving one¡¯s abilities.
However, Kim Gap-doo¡¯s brows furrowed because he was less able to understand my mindset.
¡°You¡¯re stillcent in this regard. Here, take this.¡±
He then took something out of his inventory and handed it to me.
After receiving them, I checked and found that they were three small ss bottles containing concentrated liquid.
[Elementary Elixir (B)]*3
Elixirs were known for their powerful healing capabilities, almost like having an extra life.
Of course, these were elementary versions, so their effect was considerably lower than the genuine item, but they could still heal most wounds instantly.
They were of a higher grade than the high potion Shin Byeong-cheol used to treat Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s internal injuries in the ck Death dungeon.
And there were three of them.
¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re giving me such valuable items.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not giving them to you because I like you. Don¡¯t get hurt and make me worry for no reason, and always keep them with you. Use them if Dang Gyu-young gets into danger.¡±
The toad senior grumbled and told me to hold onto them for now and not to waste them carelessly.
I raised my evaluation of Kim Gap-doo by another notch.
Setting aside the huge misunderstanding about the rtionship between me and Dang Gyu-young,
It was extremely rare to find someone who would give up valuable items out of concern for the person who had stolen their unrequited love.
Especially powerful potions like elixirs, which were scarce even for personal use, let alone giving them away so readily.
He wished for Dang Gyu-young¡¯s well-being, even if she wasn¡¯t with him.
Kim Gap-doo was really a toad with a passionate heart.
¡°I will use them wisely. Thank you.¡±
¡°¡Keep it a secret from Dang Gyu-young. I¡¯m leaving now.¡±
Kim Gap-doo didn¡¯t properly acknowledge my thanks and quickly turned his back and started walking away.
I watched his retreating figure and sent my support silently.
May you find a good rtionship someday.
The mentoring session had ended, and the 4-on-4 duel battle with Kim Gap-doo¡¯s team had left everyone quite exhausted, so we all scattered to rest.
Only Dang Gyu-young and I remained, sitting side by side in the arena¡¯s spectator seats.
¡°What did Kim Gap-doo say?¡±
¡°Nothing much, we just talked briefly about the match.¡±
¡°He didn¡¯t say anything unnecessary, did he?¡±
¡°He just said a lot of nice things.¡±
And he gave me three good elixirs.
But I didn¡¯t mention this, as per Kim Gap-doo¡¯s request.
¡°Is that so? He is a nice guy.¡±
Dang Gyu-young seemed to ept this exnation easily enough.
Although she didn¡¯t seem interested in getting closer to Kim Gap-doo, her general perception of him seemed decent enough.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
A silence settled between us for a while.
Dang Gyu-young gazed at the arena with a moreplicated expression than usual and asionally turned her head to look at me.
¡°What are you thinking about?¡±
¡°Just, a lot of things are on my mind.¡±
This senior was human too, so even if she wasn¡¯t interested in Kim Gap-doo, she wouldn¡¯t be able to forget today¡¯s events right away as if they never happened.
¡°I have a very effective solution for times like this.¡±
¡°¡What is it?¡±
Dang Gyu-young was intrigued and asked again. And I answered in a rather serious tone.
¡°Sparring. When you move your body vigorously, all distracting thoughts tend to fly away.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Dang Gyu-young smiled faintly.
Then, she slowly brought her hands to my face and pulled my cheeks.
¡°Your head is always full of sparring, you brat.¡±
¡°Shish jeally jocks joe (This really works though).¡±
Dang Gyu-young looked at me with eyes that seemed to find me incredibly annoying and kept pulling my cheeks.
She said they were soft and fun to pull, andtely, it has be aplete habit of hers.
Then, she burst into a chuckle and stood up from her seat.
¡°Alright, let¡¯s go stretch our bodies.¡±
We entered the arena through the teleportation magic circle and stood facing each other.
Soon, Dang Gyu-young who was holding a shadow hammer as big as her upper body charged at me with terrifying momentum.
When I retreated with Thief¡¯s Step, she mmed it into the ground, barely missing me.
¡°You¡¯re especially aggressive today.¡±
¡°If we¡¯re going to relieve stress, we should do it properly. But this really is effective.¡±
¡°I told you so.¡±
Dang Gyu-young already seemed noticeably more at ease.
As I continued to retreat, Dang Gyu-young threw the hammer she had been pounding the ground with.
The shadow hammer, spinning as it flew, broke into numerous small shadow weapons that rained down.
In response, I pointed forward with Root which caused the wind to gather and create a strong whirlwind that spread outward.
Whirrrrr¡ª
The falling shadow weapons scattered in all directions but then transformed again into dozens of fluttering shadow butterflies.
I kept stepping back and extending Root, causing another whirlwind to form and draw the shadow butterflies into its center.
Whirrrrr¡ª
The merged mass of shadows elongated into a shadow longsword, which Dang Gyu-young then shed wildly with.
Her movements were as dynamic as when she wielded the hammer, but her tone remained casual.
¡°By the way, you haven¡¯t forgotten about going out together this weekend with me, right?¡±
¡°It¡¯s only been a few days since you mentioned it. Of course, I remember. It¡¯s for the club, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°Yeah, just following me around will be fun. You can look forward to it.¡±
Dang Gyu-young smiled confidently.
The intention behind this field trip was to pique my interest and get me to join the Thieves Club.
Unfortunately, I was too tired and experienced to be interested in such things.
I had already figured out that the event she was preparing was the ck market.
Despite that, I couldn¡¯t help but look forward to it.
Though it was for reasons slightly different from Dang Gyu-young¡¯s intentions.
There¡¯s a lot to pick up there.
Even more than in the temporary storage.
Chapter 133: Preliminary Field Trip (1)
Chapter 133: Preliminary Field Trip (1)
The weekend.
While I waited at the designated spot near the dormitory, Dang Gyu-young appeared right on time.
Though she was in her usual school uniform, she looked even neater and more put together.
On top of that,
¡°Did you put on perfume?¡±
¡°I always do.¡±
¡°It smells different today.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve got quite the nose. Take a whiff.¡±
When Dang Gyu-young brought her wrist to my nose, a fragrance that was somewhere between floral and fruity tickled my nose.Then she yfully tapped my nose and smiled.
¡°I put in a bit more effort today.¡±
It wasn¡¯t just because of me but considering the people we were about to meet, she wanted to present herself a little better than usual.
¡°Shall we get going then?¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
Taking the shuttle bus would have been convenient, but there was a risk of being tracked.
So we decided to walk to our destination.
I followed closely behind Dang Gyu-young.
The direction we took was slightly away from the downtown area.
We walked along the road and asionally pushed through parts of the forest where there were no paths.
As I quietly followed behind her, Dang Gyu-young who was walking a little ahead nced over her shoulder.
¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about where we¡¯re going?¡±
In truth, I was more informed than curious, but I didn¡¯t spoil the moment.
¡°I figured you¡¯d tell me when the time was right.¡±
¡°Sometimes I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re just uninterested or incredibly patient. Anyway, I¡¯ll tell you now.¡±
At least knowing the basic purpose of our trip would be beneficial.
Dang Gyu-young finally uttered a single word.
¡°ck market. It¡¯s the ck market.¡±
It¡¯s an event hosted by the thieves club where numerous prohibited items are actively traded.
The biggest reason for holding the ck market at this time is because of mentoring.
Most of the mentorsing from outside the dungeon ind are graduates of the Dragon yer Academy.
That¡¯s why they understood students¡¯ needs better than anyone else, carefully selected items to meet those needs, and filled their inventories to the brim.
¡°If we sell to the students, the profit margin is quite high.¡±
Moreover, since the customers were students, there was no need to worry about their purchasing power. Most of them were backed by prestigious families, guilds, corporations, or magic towers.
And so many items were actively traded throughout the four-week mentoring period.
¡°Trading prohibited items is a bit tricky, though.¡±
Selling prohibited items could yield much higher profits than regr ones, but if caught, the items would be confiscated, their reputation as mentors would suffer, and the news would reach their respective factions.
Even as graduate mentors, they couldn¡¯t help but be wary of the academy¡¯s watchful eyes.
Some might ask, ¡°Why not just avoid selling them? Isn¡¯t selling regr items enough?¡±
¡°But the demand for such items is just that big.¡±
Another major reason the ck market was held at this time was that midterms were just around the corner.
With midterms and finals ounting for a significant portion of their grades, resisting the temptation of prohibited items became even harder.
The mindset was that even if they had to take some risks, achieving good grades in the midterms would make the rest of the semester much easier.
In summary, the mentors aimed to empty their inventories as much as possible before leaving the Dungeon Ind after mentoring ended.
The students, on the other hand, wanted to secure useful prohibited items to prepare for the midterms.
The simultaneous and steady increase in supply and demand culminated on the weekend of the eighth week, reaching its peak.
In other words, the ck market was held the following weekend.
As for the role of the thieves club as the host,
¡°We connect buyers and sellers and ensure that we remain hidden from the disciplinarymittee.¡±
The disciplinarymittee couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware that the ck market was happening.
Just like how the thieves club attempted to infiltrate the temporary storage after the ban wave, the ck market had also be an annual event.
Even the slightest hint of trading would make them track it down relentlessly.
¡°Well, that¡¯s a given, but what¡¯s important is the details.¡±
How they arranged safe transactions while avoiding the disciplinarymittee¡¯s attention.
And if caught, how they severed ties cleanly without being traced.
This strategy varied each year and it wouldrgely depend on the traits of the thieves club¡¯s president and vice-president.
For example, this year, the key yers were Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin.
Dang Gyu-young, as a shadow mage, could conceal not only herself but also any allies within her range.
When infiltrating the temporary storage and the depths, the club had significantly benefited from her stealth techniques like [Shadow¡¯s Safe Haven] and [Shadow Pouch].
Chae Da-bin had the ability to effortlessly prate and disable the magical engineering systems in the depths of the dungeon.
In my assessment, that alone had already surpassed the student level.
So, they would likely use these strengths to prepare for the ck market, and Dang Gyu-young brought me out today to observe this preparation.
¡°To put it simply, it¡¯s like a preliminary field trip.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, a preliminary field trip.¡±
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head in agreement.
When she turned her gaze forward, a shabby three-story building appeared before us.
¡°¡¡¡±
As we approached the building entrance, I looked up and stared at the rooftop.
Dang Gyu-young was about to ask me why but then seemed to realize something and stared at the same spot.
Then a half-surprised, half-interested voice came from there.
¡°You have good eyes.¡±
Then, the air shimmered and a pair of people appeared. It was a man and a woman.
They had been hidden with the help of invisible ghillie suits.
At the same time, they jumped down from the third floor andnded lightly in front of us.
The man had a shrewd first impression simr to Shin Byeong-cheol, but with a full head of hair and handsome features.
The woman had soft drooping eyes and a distinctive tear mole at the corner of her eye which gave her a gentle appearance.
Both of them looked older than us.
Graduates.
As if my guess was correct, Dang Gyu-young bowed at a 90-degree angle when theynded and I followed suit with a nod.
¡°Hello, seniors.¡±
¡°Hello.¡±
¡°Mhmm, Gyu-young, you¡¯re here. And who¡¯s this next to you?¡±
¡°This is a junior I value.¡±
¡°Ah, a junior.¡±
The shrewd man¡¯s gaze shifted to my chest as if trying to check the color of my tie pin.
The eyes of both the man and woman widened at the same time.
¡°¡A first-year?¡±
It made sense for them to be surprised since a first-year had seen through their invisible camouge.
An Jeong-mi had also praised me for detecting her with my stagnant water detection skills.
¡°Quite talented, aren¡¯t you? Or maybe I¡¯m just past my prime.¡±
¡°This one is a bit unusual for a first-year.¡±
¡°Right? It can¡¯t be that I¡¯m outdated. The future of the thieves club looks bright.¡±
To this, Dang Gyu-young just smiled instead of replying.
After all, I wasn¡¯t actually a club member.
She subtly sent me a look asking, ¡°Why don¡¯t you join already?¡± but when I deliberately avoided her gaze, she pouted with her lips.
However, with the two graduates in front of us, she couldn¡¯t stay distracted for long so she asked the woman with the tear mole,
¡°Why are you outside? You could be resting.¡±
¡°Just couldn¡¯t stay still, wanted to see if anyone wasing.¡±
They had been keeping watch outside to ensure that the Disciplinary Committee wouldn¡¯t discover the meeting location.
¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go in.¡±
¡°Yes, seniors.¡±
When we stepped inside the building, those lounging on the sofas and ying cards turned their attention towards us.
Among them were the twins I had seen before, Shin Byeong-cheol, and some second and third-year students.
Across from them, there were more men who appeared to be graduates and they started exchanging light greetings with Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Hello, Gyu-young.¡±
¡°Hello.¡±
Including the shrewd man and the woman with the tear mole, there were a total of five graduates.
Most of them had previously been associated with Dang Gyu-young or the thieves club or were closely connected with the Thieves Guild which operated outside the Dragon yer Academy.
Even if they weren¡¯t closely connected, the mentors had their own personal interests, and on the issue of the ck market, they tended to side with the thieves¡¯ club over the Disciplinary Committee.
It seemed likely that Dang Gyu-young had sought out one or two of them for help.
However, it was umon for as many as five graduates to help out.
While I didn¡¯t know how many graduates or faculty members would side with the Disciplinary Committee, the five in front of us were already a formidable force.
For me, it was a stroke of good luck.
This should make for a smooth ride.
Isn¡¯t it best to just pick up prohibited items without doing any of the work?
As we moved deeper into the building, the loud humming sound of machinery struck my ears.
The source of the noise was dozens of monitors filling an entire room.
Most of the screens were ck but a few disyed images of empty rooms.
On one side, Chae Da-bin was busy tapping away on a tablet.
From time to time, she nced up at the monitors and then resumed her tapping.
Each time she did so, one of the ck screens lit up.
With this level of setup, it seemed they intended to use this ce not just as a temporary gathering spot but as a full-fledged control tower.
Dang Gyu-yeong watched Chae Da-bin and seized the moment when she paused.
¡°Da-bin, step out for a moment.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Chae Da-bin immediately put down her tablet and followed her out.
In the adjacent room, which resembled a conference room, the members of the thieves club and the graduates were all gathered.
Surprisingly, the man with the shrewd appearance seemed to have the strongest authority among the five graduates.
Seeing him naturally take the head seat and draw everyone¡¯s attention confirmed this.
After surveying the room, the shrewd man began to speak.
¡°Let¡¯s start the meeting.¡±
Chapter 134: Preliminary Field Trip (2)
Chapter 134: Preliminary Field Trip (2)
¡°President? Please speak~.¡±
Perhaps the only goal of this shrewd-looking man in the first ce was to draw everyone¡¯s attention, and he immediately passed the floor as soon as the meeting started.
Dang Gyu-young who was standing in the head seat continued.
¡°As you all may have heard, there were quite a few unpleasant incidents atst year¡¯s ck market.¡±
Last year¡¯s ck market arrest rate reached an all-time high.
Despite the operation method being almost the same as before, this result indicated that the capabilities of the opposing disciplinarymittee had greatly improved.
And at the center of it was Kwak Seung-jae who was a first-year at the time.
Although his fighting power was not exceptionally high for a disciplinarymittee member, he possessed tracking abilities capable of finding the traces of second and third-year students.
His insight was remarkable and he was able to seize even the smallest clues and tenaciously pursue them in an instant.And with his unique magic that connected rooms with wooden doors, he had been incredibly difficult to deal with.
Deals had fallen through left and right because wooden doors had suddenly popped up everywhere.
¡°I want to prevent the same thing from happening this year. I understand if our strength iscking, but if we fall behind even in espionage, the very existence of the thieves¡¯ club loses its meaning.¡±
One of the graduates nodded in agreement.
¡°That¡¯s right. Although we live with people calling us thieves, we have our own pride and dignity. There are moments we can never back down from.¡±
The woman with the teardrop mole added her thoughts.
¡°It¡¯s not just about pride. Negative rumors are already spreading among the mentors. They say proper deals might not happen. If these doubts be entrenched, the very foundation of the ck market could be shaken. We need to restore our credibility.¡±
And the only way to restore credibility was to sessfullyplete this year¡¯s ck Market.
Dang Gyu-young bowed her head slightly.
¡°Both of you are correct. That¡¯s why we invited the seniors here to ensure everything goes perfectly this year.¡±
The graduates weren¡¯t just helping because of their connection with Dang Gyu-young or the thieves¡¯ club.
Each of them was also promised a considerable reward.
The fact that there were five such graduates showed their determination to make this ck market a sess, even at great cost.
Graduates A and B nodded their heads.
¡°That¡¯s a good resolve. Indeed, President Dang has a unique courage. But¡ are we only supposed to guard this building? Is that really all?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. This ce is the core of our n.¡±
Just like I had guessed from seeing the room filled with monitors, this building was the control tower.
A space prepared solely for Chae Da-bin.
Last year, the former president of the thieves¡¯ club didn¡¯t make full use of Chae Da-bin because she was a first-year.
But this year, Dang Gyu-young had finally taken control and was actively supporting Chae Da-bin to fully make use of her abilities.
When Dang Gyu-young signaled with her eyes, Chae Da-bin reported in a calm tone.
¡°We are in the process of taking control of the view inside and outside the meeting and trading spots, as well as the surrounding areas.¡±
When we briefly stopped by the room full of monitors, what I saw reflected on the screens were streets, secluded alleys, and empty rooms inside buildings.
In other words, what Chae Da-bin was controlling were the crime prevention crystal balls installed all over the ce, and she intended to secretly use this view for the ck market.
¡°What¡¯s the progress?¡±
¡°It¡¯s currently about 17%plete, and we¡¯re nning to secure everything and start the stabilization process by Wednesday.¡±
¡°¡That¡¯s fast.¡±
One of the graduates uttered an exmation of admiration.
Since these are crime prevention crystal balls with strict security, it¡¯s hard to breach even one or two properly. The fact that she was handling dozens at the same time and would finish in just a few days was indeed impressive.
Dang Gyu-young continued speaking.
¡°On the day of the event, the control tower personnel will monitor various locations through the screens and will immediately report any suspicious situations they discover.¡±
In summary, this ce serves as another set of eyes for the thieves club.
No matter what happens, it must not be exposed.
If the disciplinarymittee upies it, it would be akin to bing blind and there was also the risk of beingpletely wiped out.
¡°For this reason, we ask the two of you to conceal and protect this ce.¡±
¡°Understood. We¡¯ll make sure not even an ant can approach.¡±
The two graduates responded with more serious expressions.
When they asked the question, they seemed doubtful about the necessity of having two people stationed there, but now they seemed to understand its importance.
Dang Gyu-young then looked at the shrewd-looking man, the woman with the teardrop mole, and graduate C in turn.
¡°As I mentioned before seniors, you need to assist on-site.¡±
Next, she raised her hand as if signaling everyone to watch. Shadows gathered and formed a map.
From my perspective, I was so familiar with it that I could tell immediately that it was a map of the downtown area.
Shadow-formed buildings then sprang up at several locations on the map.
¡°We¡¯ve rented a few buildings for short-term use. Please make sure you remember their locations.¡±
Though this was crucial information they likely already knew, everyone stared intently at the buildings on the map, determined not to forget.
These buildings were the ¡°exchanges¡± mentioned earlier.
All transactions for the ck market would take ce there.
When Dang Gyu-young turned her gaze to the woman with the teardrop mole, she responded with a gentle smile.
¡°I¡¯ve personally set up formations in these exchanges. They should be enough to ward off any uninvited guests.¡±
For example, if a civilian or a student unrted to the ck market approached the exchange, the formation would automatically activate and direct them elsewhere.
If they felt the oddity of being caught in a formation, it would raise unnecessary suspicion, so it was designed to be natural and subtle enough to go unnoticed.
Given that the formation was crafted by a graduate of the Dragon yer Academy, its effect was beyond doubt.
Various formations were also set up inside the building, and with numerous such exchanges, she would be busy just maintaining and repairing them.
This meant there was no point in expecting more from her.
Next, graduate C spoke up.
¡°My role is simr. The difference is that I only need to worry about the interior of the exchange. Here¡¯s the magic I¡¯ve prepared. Watch closely.¡±
He leaned casually against the wall, and before everyone¡¯s eyes, his upper body suddenly disappeared into the wall as if it were being absorbed.
A momentter, he emerged from the wall as if nothing had happened.
Throughwalk.
Throughwalk was literally magic that allowed one to pass through walls.
It demonstrated absolute power as a reconnaissance tool in dungeons designed with numerous walls to confuse intruders.
He seemed to be nning to apply this magic not just to himself but also to the ¡°guests¡± entering the exchange.
This would make the walls exist yet not exist and would turn the building into a small maze.
Security would be stricter, and for the disciplinarymittee that didn¡¯t know of this, tracking would be much more difficult.
Dang Gyu-young continued the exnation.
¡°Of course, this might confuse the guests as well. To prevent such mishaps in advance¡¡±
Just then, a member of the thieves club came in while dragging a cart that rattled as it moved.
The front of the cart had arge, eye-catching sign that read ¡°Ice Cream!¡±
Dang Gyu-young ced her hand on the cart.
¡°Here, we¡¯ll distribute the tickets from this ¡®contact point¡¯.¡±
The contact points of the ck market sold various foods like ice cream, hot bars, or fish-shaped buns.
They disguised themselves as food stalls to distribute the tickets.
Dang Gyu-young, as if to demonstrate, slid open the ice cream cart and took out a cone.
She wrapped it in a napkin and handed it forward as if saying, ¡°Don¡¯t spill it.¡±
But she quickly tossed the ice cream aside as if it didn¡¯t matter and lightly shook the remaining napkin.
For a brief moment, densely written spells were visible.
The ice cream and other foods were just decoys; the napkin was the real ¡°ticket¡±.
¡°This ticket will serve as a guide for our guests.¡±
It would help them navigate through the confusing formations and prevent them from being driven away, and under the influence of the [Throughwalk], it would tell them exactly which walls to pass through even within a maze-like building.
To summarize the process in one go.
Those who wanted to participate in the ck market would first visit a contact point disguised as a street stall, where they would receive a napkin imbued with a special spell. This napkin was essentially a ticket.
Following the lead of this ticket, they would move to the exchange and cross the formations and the walls.
Finally, at the designated location, buyers and sellers would meet to trade their goods and conclude the transaction.
Meanwhile, Cha Da-bin¡¯s team at the control tower would monitor all situations and issue instructions.
Suddenly, the shrewd-looking man raised his hand.
He did so because, while the roles of the graduates were all clear, there had been no mention of his own.
¡°Manager? What should I do?¡±
¡°You are a reserve force. Stand by and assist if a situation arises.¡±
¡°If nothing happens, can I just rx?¡±
¡°If nothing happens, yes.¡±
Dang Gyu-young smiled slightly, but somehow that smile seemed to convey the underlying message that such a situation was unlikely to happen.
The disciplinarymittee was determined to disrupt the ck market so it was unlikely that nothing would happen.
The shrewd-looking man knew this, so his expression quickly turned weary.
No matter how you looked at him, this guy was the handsome version of Shin Byeong-cheol.
Dang Gyu-young nced at the shrewd-looking man and asked Cha Da-bin.
¡°How far have we secured visibility?¡±
¡°Exchange A and Exchange E are safe.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
Dang Gyu-young looked around the group and spoke.
¡°Then let¡¯s test if what I mentioned earlier is working properly. Everyone except the control tower team, move to the downtown area.¡±
Chapter 135: Preliminary Field Trip (3)
Chapter 135: Preliminary Field Trip (3)
When dozens of students swarmed through the downtown area, it was impossible to avoid attracting attention.
Especially if those dozens of students were all members of the thieves club, it was practically advertising, ¡°Hey, we¡¯re suspicious people~ and we¡¯re here to do suspicious things~!¡±
Therefore, we decided to split into smaller groups and meet at the destination and I ended up alone with Dang Gyu-young again.
Dang Gyu-young asked me as we walked side by side.
¡°After observing a bit, what do you think?¡±
¡°It¡¯s interesting. I can see you¡¯ve done a lot of preparation.¡±
The participation of five graduate mentors, the thorough security with double and triple safety measures, and so on.
Last year¡¯s ck market was said to be a failure, but it seemed they had sharpened their skills this year.
However, since the student disciplinarymittee was no easy opponent, we would have to wait and see who would have thestugh.Dang Gyu-young smiled happily. She seemed satisfied with my answer.
¡°Huhum, I¡¯m d I brought you along.¡±
Today¡¯s main goal for showing me around was to pique my interest, and seeing that I was intrigued, she seemed to think that she had achieved her objective.
Then she subtly made a suggestion to me.
¡°Do you want to get involved?¡±
It was a question about whether I was interested in participating as a mercenary like I did during the temporary storage infiltration.
Of course, I was interested but I thought it would be better to hear everything before deciding, so I asked back.
¡°What do you need me to do?¡±
¡°You see that annoying-looking senior? Stick with him.¡±
From Dang Gyu-young¡¯s perspective, the annoying-looking senior was definitely that shrewd-looking man among the graduates.
It meant that, like his role, I should stand by as a reserve power and help out in case of an unexpected situation.
¡°Well, isn¡¯t that too much to ask of me? I can¡¯t handle the second and third-year disciplinarymittee members.¡±
¡°Who said anything about fighting? Just create some distraction and then back off. You¡¯re good at that, right?¡±
¡°Alright then. What about thepensation?¡±
¡°You, you¡¯re looking for prohibited items, right?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Most of the people selling items on the ck market were graduates.
Therefore, far more items of much higher rank were up for salepared to the temporary storage we infiltrated at the beginning of the semester.
There was no better opportunity to secure prohibited items.
Dang Gyu-young smiled as if she knew this would be the case.
¡°Tell me what you¡¯re looking for. I¡¯ll let you know as soon as ites up for sale.¡±
The thieves¡¯ club had the advantage of being able to clearly see the prohibited items being traded while connecting sellers and buyers.
Making use of this advantage, she promised to secure the items I was looking for and give me priority in transactions.
From my perspective, this was exactly what I wanted.
Due to the influence of the EX-rank quest, the characters had changed, and naturally, the items they possessed had also changed.
Therefore, it was impossible to predict what would appear in this ck market.
It was a situation where a lot of legwork was needed, but if the thieves¡¯ club could take on that effort, it would save me a great deal of time and effort.
And the type of prohibited items I was looking for was, just like in the temporary storage infiltration,
Elemental Penalty Items.
I had picked up two items at that time.
The [Inferno Fist] skill book and two [Heart of Thunder] gems, which were still lying quietly in a corner of my dormitory.
Using them would incur a massive elemental penalty, but in my case I could almostpletely nullify it with my S-rank [Elemental Resistance].
It was essentially a choice that allowed me to take the benefits without the penalties. It was the best option for now.
So I handed Dang Gyu-young a piece of paper.
¡°This is what I¡¯m looking for.¡±
¡°What, you already made a list?¡±
¡°I was going to ask for your help anyway, but I¡¯m just grateful that you suggested it first.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Dang Gyu-young looked at me with suspicious eyes for a moment.
But then she lowered her eyes to the paper as if deciding to look at the list first.
And the more she read, the more her eyebrows furrowed.
¡°¡¡ Why are there so many extreme stuff on here? Kim Ho, why do you always look for such dangerous things? Like the Inferno Fist.¡±
¡°It¡¯s all for world peace.¡±
Destroying everything brings peace.
Dang Gyu-young looked resigned as if she didn¡¯t know what to make of me anymore.
¡°Yeah, sure it is. Anyway, you¡¯re going to use this wisely, right? Not causing any big problems?¡±
¡°You know me. I don¡¯t do anything I can¡¯t handle.¡±
¡°Alright, I got it. I¡¯ll look into it.¡±
As we continued talking about the ck market while walking, the number of people around us suddenly increased.
We had entered the downtown area.
The ce was just as lively as it had beenst week.
The street vendors lined up in a row, and the street performances hadn¡¯t changed much.
For example, the masked man who had given that trump card to Seo Ye-in was still performing his magic show at the same spot.
When I first saw him, I wondered if that same event boss was going to pop out of nowhere, but now it seemed he had reallye to the Dungeon Ind just for his magic show.
However, neither Dang Gyu-young nor I had much interest in street performances, so we kept our eyes forward and hurried our steps.
Our first destination was the rendezvous point.
A club member who had arrived a bit earlier was preparing for business and he was pulling out various tools from an ice cream cart.
When he saw us approaching, he greeted us with a grin.
¡°Wee.¡±
Dang Gyu-young looked at the soft-serve ice cream machine for a few seconds, then turned to me and asked,
¡°What vor do you want? Vani? Chocte?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll have half and half.¡±
¡°Then I¡¯ll have half and half too.¡±
With that, the club member grabbed a cone and started scooping the ice cream.
However, the finished product was such a mess that Dang Gyu-young couldn¡¯t help butment,
¡°You need to practice a bit.¡±
¡°¡I¡¯m sorry.¡±
Even though it was a rendezvous point, it still had to maintain basic standards as a street vendor.
The fewer suspicious elements, the better.
After a few more attempts, the club member handed us each a rtively less distorted soft-serve cone wrapped in a napkin.
As mentioned in the meeting,
The napkin is the key.
If you look closely, it looked like twoyers of the thin napkin ovepped.
While the outeryer seemed perfectly ordinary, the inneryer was densely inscribed with an intricate magic circle.
And on one corner of the napkin¡¯s outer surface, there was a natural-looking arrow as if it were part of the original design.
As we left the ice cream cart and moved along, the arrow tilted like apass and started pointing in one direction.
A quick nce at Dang Gyu-young¡¯s napkin showed it was pointing the same way.
Following that direction would lead us to the next location, the exchange point.
We continued moving with our ice creams in hand.
To avoid arousing suspicion from the people around us, Dang Gyu-young discreetly covered her mouth while seeminglymunicating with Cha Da-bin from the control tower.
¡°You can see us, right? Yeah, nothing particrly stands out? Got it; we¡¯re heading straight to Exchange A.¡±
The Exchange A we arrived at was a smallmercial building.
In front of it, a woman with a tear mole and another graduate were sitting in a rxed manner. They were watching us as if to verify the effects of the installed formation, the Throughwalk spell, and the napkin.
When we approached the building as intended, Dang Gyu-young suddenly grabbed my napkin.
I was puzzled but I loosened my grip and she quickly snatched it away.
When I turned toward her, I found her eyes filled with mischief so I asked,
¡°Why did you suddenly take my napkin?¡±
¡°Try it without a marker, just once.¡±
¡°Do you mean passing through the formation without a marker?¡±
¡°Mhmm, mhmm.¡±
¡°What do you gain from this, senior-nim?¡±
¡°I¡¯m just curious about how you¡¯ll do it.¡±
Looking at her again, I saw not only mischief in her eyes but also anticipation.
She probably wants to see me wandering around lost and finally getting chased out, but unfortunately for her, that wish won¡¯te true.
¡°I¡¯m sorry Senior-nim, but I won¡¯t get lost.¡±
¡°Even without a marker?¡±
¡°If I do it well, yes.¡±
At that, the graduates who had been watching us with amusement, like they were watching a si, joined the conversation.
The woman with the tear mole spoke first.
¡°That¡¯s not something I can just ignore. I put a lot of effort into setting up this formation, you know. It won¡¯t be easily broken through.¡±
She wore a soft smile on her face like when we first met, but there was a chilling undertone to it.
I guess my words had subtly touched her pride.
I responded politely.
¡°I didn¡¯t intend to belittle your skills, senior. It¡¯s just that I have a better sense than most people, so I thought I might be able to navigate through this as well.¡±
¡°¡¡±
The woman with the tear mole stared at me silently, as if deep in thought.
Since I had immediately seen through her invisible ghillie suit during our first meeting, she seemed to somewhat agree with my im about having a good sense.
Still, she seemed skeptical about whether my sense was enough to nullify the formation she had confidently set up.
Next, the middle-aged graduate spoke.
His role in the ck market was to apply [Throughwalk] to buildings and create mazes.
He pointed at Exchange A which was his creation with a nce.
¡°If your sense is that good, can you navigate through that without a marker?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll have to try to find out.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not saying you can¡¯t do it.¡±
The middle-aged graduateughed as if he found this amusing.
The two graduates then put their heads together. They seemed to be discussing something.
Judging by their asional nces in my direction, they were definitely talking about me.
After a while, they seemed to reach a conclusion and made me an offer.
¡°Then let¡¯s do this. We will wait for you inside that building. Try toe to us without any markers.¡±
¡°What happens if I seed?¡±
¡°If you seed, I¡¯ll get you anything you want from this ck market.¡±
It was quite a tempting offer.
Dang Gyu-young promised me to secure the item and also to arrange the transaction.
But buying that prohibited item was another matter.
The only valuable item I had for the transaction was therge ruby I got from Hong Yeon-hwa, but I was hesitant to use it since jewelry items have many usester on.
However, if I seeded now, they would buy that expensive prohibited item for me.
Since there was nothing to lose even if I failed, I had no reason to refuse.
I bowed respectfully.
¡°I ept your test, seniors.¡±
TN: Bruh, stop betting against this mf¡
Chapter 136: Preliminary Field Trip (4)
Chapter 136: Preliminary Field Trip (4)
When I epted the bet, the middle-aged graduate nodded his head.
¡°Good. We¡¯ll go inside and wait.¡±
He lightly ced his hand on the shoulder of the woman with the tear mole, and the two walked toward one side of the building.
Then they passed through the wall and disappeared inside.
Dang Gyu-young watched them go and then asked,
¡°Kim Ho, honestly, this all started as a prank, but¡ hasn¡¯t this gotten out of hand?¡±
Dang Gyu-young had just wanted to see me flustered for a moment and took my napkin, but she hadn¡¯t expected me to im I could manage without a mark.
Before she could respond, the graduates had joined in the conversation, and in just a few exchanges, things escted rapidly and the bet was made before she could even stop it.
It was an understandably troubling situation from Dang Gyu-young¡¯s perspective.I agreed that things had escted.
¡°It wouldn¡¯t look good if I failed.¡±
If I traced back to the start of the bet, it was my unintentional slight to their pride that caused it.
So if I failed, the graduates would think of me as a ¡°first-year who got in over his head¡±.
Dang Gyu-young who had introduced me as a ¡°junior I value¡± would also take a hit.
But I remained nonchnt.
¡°That¡¯s why I just need to seed.¡±
¡°¡You really have confidence. Are you sure your sense is that good? Is it reliable?¡±
¡°At least, I trust it.¡±
As for the identity of my ¡°excellent sense¡±?
It was the sense of a stagnant water honed through countless experiences.
As I kept constantly producing S-rank heroes like a factory, my own skills steadily improved, and I developed an uncanny ability to detect even the slightest oddities.
Long ago, I used to scrutinize the reasons behind every little oddity, but now I don¡¯t bother with the trivial ones.
The important thing is, I just know at a nce.
Like seeing through the invisible ghillie suit in an instant.
Dang Gyu-young sighed softly as if to say she didn¡¯t know anymore.
¡°Fine, do as you will. Our 200-time graduate, or rather our great senior, must know best.¡±
She then stepped back a little and folded her arms.
It seemed she had switched to observer mode.
I turned my back on Dang Gyu-young and began to move forward.
The distance between me and Exchange A wasn¡¯t far.
The building was within sight, and with just a little more walking, I would be inside.
As long as I handle the formation well.
If I handled it poorly, this short distance could stretch indefinitely.
As I moved a bit further, my stagnant water senses kicked in.
It meant I had entered the influence of the formation.
At the same time, I roughly identified what kind it was.
A confusion formation.
A formation that disoriented the sense of distance, speed, and direction of anyone within its range.
For example, I might perceive myself as running forward but could actually be slowly walking backward.
Or I might think I had turned a corner at a 90-degree angle when, in reality, I might be walking in ce.
In this way, the formation guided unwee guests lurking near the exchange in another direction and eventually made them leave the area.
And ording to the woman with the tear mole, this process was done so naturally that the person involved wouldn¡¯t even notice.
Just like now.
After taking a few more steps, my stagnant water sensor sent a signal and I immediately made a sharp turn.
However, despite the sudden change in direction, the scene before me was exactly the same as it had been a moment ago.
The formation tried to lead me away but I saw through it and corrected my path.
After going a little further, I suddenly took a sidestep and moved to the side.
But if I moved sideways like that, the Exchange A in front of me should have shifted to the opposite side of my view, yet I was actually getting closer.
Once again, I had intentionally sidestepped to correct my path and to anyone watching it would seem like I was walking straight.
Now the entrance was right in front of me.
But it¡¯s not over yet.
I didn¡¯t go in but instead turned 45 degrees and walked straight toward the building¡¯s outer wall.
Because I trusted my stagnant water sensor 100%, I even closed my eyes.
When I opened my eyes again a few secondster, I found myself inside the building rather than colliding with the outer wall.
I had broken through the formation.
I¡¯ve seeded halfway for now.
Of course, the formation was also set up inside, so I couldn¡¯t let my guard down.
On top of that, I had to pass through walls affected by [Throughwalk] to reach the two graduates.
Looking around, I saw a series of rooms with tightly closed doors.
I approached one of them, opened the door as if it were my own bedroom, and stepped inside.
It was a room arranged like an office.
The details were so vivid that it seemed someone had been working there just moments ago.
Since they must have decorated not one or two rooms but entire buildings like this, I could guess how much effort the thieves¡¯ club put into the ck market.
While I was impressed, I turned my head towards one wall as indicated by the stagnant water sensor.
It¡¯s this way.
As I walked straight toward the wall, I passed into the next room without feeling any obstruction.
The next room was also arranged like an office.
Again, I immediately turned my head in one direction.
This time, it¡¯s this way.
And I moved on to the next room without hesitation.
¡°¡¡.?¡±
Dang Gyu-young blinked her eyes nkly.
Did I see that correctly?
It was hard for her to believe what she had just witnessed.
The senior graduate had said that this formation was ¡°so natural that the opponent might not even realize they were caught in it.¡±
But no matter how natural it was, when someone struggles to escape the influence of the formation, there should be some sign.
There should be at least a bit of confusion, hesitation, or ncing around.
Yet what Dang Gyu-young saw was Kim Ho walking casually into the building, as if the formation didn¡¯t even exist.
Dang Gyu-young blinked her eyes a bit more nkly, then manipted the receiver in her ear to confirm that she wasn¡¯t just imagining things
It was used tomunicate with the control tower.
¡°Chae Da-bin.¡±
¨C Yes, president-nim.
¡°Are you watching this?¡±
¨C Yes, I am.
¡°Send me the video from just now.¡±
¨C Yes, one moment.
Before long, Chae Da-bin sent a message with a video attached.
It was footage of Kim Ho seen through the crystal ball.
Dang Gyu-young was observing him from behind, but the crystal ball was installed above so it provided a different angle.
So she thought if she just examined the video carefully, she might catch something.
¡°¡¡±
But contrary to her expectations, Kim Ho¡¯s gait was no different from what she had seen herself.
It was utterly ordinary.
Afterpleting the cross-verification, the next thing that arose was doubt.
Did they not do it properly?
Did the seniors set up the formation carelessly?
Or did they not set it up at all?
Wait? Did they secretly conspire with Kim Ho? To trick me?
Is this a hidden camera prank?
However, the two graduates were equally baffled.
They were watching Kim Ho through the screen shared by the control tower, and they saw the same scene Dang Gyu-young did.
They exchanged puzzled looks.
The middle-aged graduate asked,
¡°Did you set up the formation properly?¡±
¡°Of course I did. I set it up properly but¡¡±
The woman with the tear mole tilted her head in confusion.
Did I miss something important?
For example, what if she had miscalcted or set the range incorrectly and that prevented the formation from functioning as it should?
The fact that the [Throughwalk] spell was working properly was demonstrated by Kim Ho who was effortlessly moving from one room to another in the video.
On the other hand, the formation¡¯s manifestation wasn¡¯t directly visible.
Especially with formations designed to confuse the opponent like this one.
One could only guess based on seeing the opponent wander around.
However, Kim Ho¡¯s movements were so natural that even the person who set up the formation felt doubtful.
¡°Hmmm¡¡±
Dang Gyu-young rested her chin on her hand, furrowed her brow, then rxed it, and frowned again.
No matter how much she thought about it from different angles, a clear answer didn¡¯te to her mind.
In that case, there was only one way left.
I¡¯ll just have to try it myself.
If she wanted to confirm whether the formation was working correctly, she would have to experience it personally.
After all, there was no risk of getting hurt, and as the president, she had the right to verify its performance.
Dang Gyu-young handed a napkin to a member who was waiting nearby.
¡°Hold this for a moment.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Since she had handed over the marker, she would now be fully affected by the formation.
Dang Gyu-young trudged forward and started following in Kim Ho¡¯s footsteps.
The entrance to Exchange A was gradually getting closer.
¡It really seems like nothing¡¯s happening.
She didn¡¯t sense anything strange at all.
However, what she didn¡¯t notice was that the speed at which the surroundings moved slowed down imperceptibly each time she took a step.
Dang Gyu-young who had been walking forward without any issue suddenly stopped in ce when she finally felt something was off.
Despite having walked quite a distance, the entrance to the exchange was still at almost the same distance.
She quickly gathered her thoughts and looked around before realizing that she was about to enter the downtown area.
The sound of people¡¯s chatter andughter filled the air.
Dang Gyu-young let out a wry smile.
The formation¡¯s performance is solid.
She was kicked out quite naturally and without her realizing it.
This meant the formation was working perfectly.
And it was also proof that Kim Ho had broken through the formation.
¡°His sense is really sharp, for real.¡±
Chapter 137: Graffiti
Chapter 137: Graffiti
¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¡±
The eyes of the two graduates were filled with disbelief.
It was because I had broken through the formation and maze at a speed far beyond their expectations and appeared before them.
They must have watched the entire process through the crystal ball so the shock was even greater.
The confusing formations inside and outside the building were very responsive but I was able to react quickly and get out of the way whenever they tried to disorient me.
And I navigated the rooms intertwined like a maze as if they were my own home using the Throughwalk spell.
Without even looking around to see which walls were walls and which paths led to other ces, I found the correct answers, so it¡¯s no wonder they were bewildered.
At first, it seemed they were thinking, ¡°How dare a first-year student be so arrogant?¡± but the results were so overwhelming that those thoughts disappearedpletely.
In addition, they seemed to show a hint of awe.The middle-aged graduate calmed himself and asked,
¡°Do you perhaps possess detection or exploration-type skills or traits?¡±
Their disbelief was understandable because, by their logic, what I had done would have been impossible without such skills.
In reality, I had aplished it all with my stagnant water sensor, but exining or convincing them of that was impossible, so I gave a vague answer.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t give you a definitive answer. I hope you understand.¡±
This seemed to be a sufficient response for the two graduates.
They took it as me possessing a powerful detection skill or trait but not wanting to reveal it.
In this game world, probing too deeply into someone¡¯s skills or traits could be seen as a significant breach of etiquette.
It could easily be interpreted as ¡°I want to analyze your abilities and find your weaknesses to destroy you.¡±
So, when I politely declined once, he had no choice but to drop the matter, though he did click his tongue.
At that moment, Dang Gyu-young appeared over the wall and he spoke to her.
¡°It¡¯s a good thing this guy didn¡¯t join the disciplinarymittee. The thieves¡¯ club would have faced dark times. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±
¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s right.¡±
Dang Gyu-young did not seem to agree very much.
She acknowledged my astonishing sense but couldn¡¯t imagine the owner of ¡°Inferno Fist¡± in the disciplinarymittee club.
Still, she nodded along, considering it was her senior speaking.
¡°It¡¯s impressive that you recognized such talent early and brought him in. Your eye for talent is remarkable, President Dang.¡±
¡°Haha, eye for talent? Not at all.¡±
Dang Gyu-young awkwardly smiled and waved her hand dismissively.
She hadn¡¯t anticipated things would turn out this way, and since I wasn¡¯t even a member before, it seemed difficult for her to find an appropriate response.
The middle-aged graduate turned his gaze back to me.
¡°As promised, I¡¯ll get you anything listed on the ck market. Investing in someone like you is never a waste.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll gratefully ept.¡±
¡°Is there something specific you¡¯re looking for?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve made a list. The president has it.¡±
¡°Really? Let¡¯s take a look.¡±
Dang Gyu-young, again with an awkward smile, handed over the paper slip she had received on the way to the downtown area.
The two graduates were curious about what kind of items someone with my skills might be looking for and read through the list with intense attention.
¡°¡¡!?¡±
Their expressions turned strange as they encountered the array of highly dangerous items.
Despite the brief incident, the middle-aged graduate and the woman with the tear mole continued to show great interest in me as they bombarded me with questions.
They even put aside their pride as graduates and seriously sought my advice, asking if there were any notable ws or areas for improvement in the confusion formation and Throughwalk maze they had designed.
From my perspective, even though it was a reward for a bet, the quality of the items I was to receive was quite high so I felt I should at least do something in return.
Additionally, if this ck market deal went smoothly, I would be able to use it without any issues next year and the year after.
Therefore, I gave them sincere and thorough feedback to the best of my ability, and based on my advice, the security of the exchange was further strengthened.
Around the time the ck market matters were somewhat settled,
Dang Gyu-young appeared with all sorts of snacks, including skewered grilled meat.
It seemed she had swept through the street vendors at the meeting point.
She handed me a chicken skewer.
¡°Let¡¯s eat together.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
We watched the bustling crowds as we bit into our skewers.
Then Dang Gyu-young looked back and forth between me and the academic side and asked,
¡°Are you leaving now?¡±
¡°Yes, I should be going soon.¡±
I had to train separately and I also had to absorb the energy of the elixir Kim Gap-du gave me, so no matter how much time I had, it wasn¡¯t enough.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Suddenly, Dang Gyu-young narrowed her eyes and looked at me.
The situation continued for quite a while so I asked her,
¡°Senior-nim, why are you looking at me like that?¡±
¡°I suddenly have a feeling. Somehow, it seems like you¡¯re going to take a detour.¡±
In hindsight, this senior had quite a sharp intuition.
In this case, it seemed like she had simply guessed, but since she was right, I admitted it readily.
¡°There is a ce I need to stop by.¡±
¡°You have a ce to visit in the downtown area?¡±
¡°To be precise, there¡¯s something I need to check.¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest.
¡°I¡¯m curious, I¡¯ll go too.¡±
¡°Even if youe, there¡¯s nothing to see.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just watch without doing anything.¡±
Since she wanted toe this badly, it felt wrong to force her away, and even if I did, she would probably follow me secretly.
So I started walking with Dang Gyu-young.
The ce we arrived at was an alley located in a corner of the downtown area.
The entire wide wall was filled with messy graffiti.
¡°Why? Are you going to write something there?¡±
¡°It¡¯s the opposite. I¡¯m here to find something.¡±
¡°¡?¡±
While Dang Gyu-young watched with curiosity, wondering what kind of graffiti I was searching for and why, I began examining the wide wall meticulously from the edge.
The types of graffiti were incredibly diverse.
There were rough sketches,
Notes like ¡°OOO was here on XX month XX day!¡± or small doodles of hearts between the names of couples,
Gossips like ¡°Mok Jong-hwa is azy bum, a non-recyble piece of trash¡± that couldn¡¯t be said to the person¡¯s face,
And even secrets too private to share with others.
About halfway through,
I found it.
One piece of graffiti caught my eye at knee level.
It seemed to have been drawn recently, as it wasn¡¯t there when I briefly visited with Seo Ye-inst week.
There were several short, crisscrossing lines with dots scattered here and there.
As I stood still and just stared at the graffiti, Dang Gyu-young peeked over my shoulder with a curious gaze.
And then as was expected of the president of the thieves¡¯ club, she immediately recognized the nature of the graffiti.
¡°Isn¡¯t this a cipher?¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s a cipher.¡±
¡°Seems like I¡¯ve seen this somewhere before¡ What does it mean?¡±
¡°If you know, you¡¯ll get hurt.¡±
¡°Oh,e on, tell me!¡±
¡°You said you¡¯d just watch and do nothing.¡±
Since these were her own words, Dang Gyu-young pouted silently.
Normally, she would have coaxed me into answering somehow, but this time she couldn¡¯t.
My expression was too serious.
I couldn¡¯t help but be serious because the person who etched this graffiti, this cipher, is no ordinary opponent.
A secret society.
Moreover, they belong to a hostile faction against the Dragon yer Academy.
To them, the Dragon yer Academy where future heroes gather was a thorn in their side.
They wouldn¡¯t just leave it alone.
They would want to reduce our numbers by any means before we fully grow,
And to do that, they would first have to prate the tight security and infiltrate Dungeon Ind.
The optimal time for that is,
During the mentoring period.
With a huge influx of people from outside, including graduates, the security on Dungeon Ind bes rtivelyx.
I suspect that the event boss performing a magic show in the downtown area also slipped in around this time.
Since they seeded in infiltrating, that¡¯s why there¡¯s a cipher here.
And what this cipher signifies is,
Time and ce.
In other words, they were signaling their presence to someone else and calling for a rendezvous at a specific time and ce.
It was clear that if those scattered individuals gathered in one ce, the problem would be more serious.
However, judging by the state of the graffiti, it seemed one side hadn¡¯t seen it yet.
If that¡¯s the case¡
Things would get a bit easier.
I took out my magic dagger and scratched the wall, adding a few lines and dots to the graffiti.
It looked seamless as if it had been that way from the start.
As a result, the time and ce for their meeting changed entirely.
One side would be stood up, and the other would head to the wrong location.
Dang Gyu-young who had been watching my actions from the start raised her eyebrows.
¡°You changed it? The cipher?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°How did you know to do that?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°I won¡¯t teach you¡± and ¡°It¡¯s a secret¡± were my consistent responses but Dang Gyu-young no longer pouted her lips.
Instead, she asked in a cautious tone.
¡°Is it¡.by any chance, rted to world peace?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Keywords like ¡°world peace¡± or ¡°graduated 200 times¡± were usually jokes between us, but sometimes they were used seriously.
Like that night when we left the disciplinary room for a walk, and like now.
When I silently nodded my head in affirmation, Dang Gyu-young stepped closer and met my gaze.
¡°I know it¡¯s dangerous. But I still want to help. I told you.¡±
If my vow that none of my people would die or get hurt was truly sincere, she was willing to be my aplice.
I could see her resolve in her eyes.
I slowly nodded my head up and down.
However, it wasn¡¯t aplete agreement.
¡°Not now. I¡¯ll tell you everything when the timees.¡±
¡°¡¡Alright, promise.¡±
Dang Gyu-young extended her pinky finger, and I extended mine to link with hers.
Chapter 138: What Does This Look Like?
Chapter 138: What Does This Look Like?
I confirmed that the hostile forces had sessfully infiltrated Dungeon Ind, but there was no need to be scared prematurely.
They should be quiet for now anyway.
During the mentoring period, the ind was crawling with graduates which significantly restricted the enemy¡¯s activities.
Whatever incident they caused would be quickly suppressed and ended, so they would have to wait for the right moment to maximize damage.
Until the first mentoring period ended and all the graduates left.
They¡¯ll probably make their move around midterms.
The date mentioned in the cipher text was also around that time.
So, there was only one thing I could do now. Hone my skills.
Therefore, I called Dang Gyu-young over for the rest of the weekend and had sparring sessions with her.When I pestered her with, ¡°Senior-nim, let¡¯s spar, let¡¯s spar,¡± she grumbled about how annoying it was but still sparred with me.
But no matter what, I couldn¡¯t monopolize the time of a third-year club president indefinitely, so I trained alone during the remaining time.
If the top priority was ranking up skills through the mentoring event, the next priority was refining my core in the Mana Cultivation Room.
The elixirs I received from Kim Gap-doo were [Great Blue Pil] and [Three-Hundred-Year-Old Ginseng]. I first consumed the rtively weaker Three Hundred-Year-Old Ginseng before starting my energy cirction training.
Of course, ¡°rtively¡± weaker still meant that the energy contained in the B-rank elixir was immense.
I spent the entire weekend night in the special cultivation room, and by Monday morning, I still hadn¡¯t absorbed it all.
It was a pity, but it seemed like I would have toplete my academic schedule first and then continue with the mana cultivation at night.
As usual, I intended to wake up Seo Ye-in and have breakfast together.
But surprisingly, I received a message from her.
[Seo Ye-in: (Peek-a-boo cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: (Patting cat emoji)]
The sun must be rising in the west¡
That human sloth actually woke up early and contacted me first.
Such a thing was unusual, but it wasn¡¯t totally impossible.
[Kim Ho: Did you bake cookies?]
[Seo Ye-in: Yes]
[Seo Ye-in: (Chef cat emoji 1)]
[Seo Ye-in: (Chef cat emoji 2)]
[Seo Ye-in: !!]
[Kim Ho: (Cat licking lips emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Had breakfast?]
[Seo Ye-in: Not yet]
[Kim Ho: Let¡¯s eat breakfast first]
I found a spot in the student cafeteria and sat across from Seo Ye-in.
Today¡¯s menu was simple fried rice omelet.
The rice was perfectly stir-fried and wrapped in a very thin egg omelet.
The kitchen staff¡¯s skills were fully demonstrated, making the foodparable to any popr restaurant.
Nevertheless, Seo Ye-in ate a bit more slowly than usual, not because it didn¡¯t taste good but probably because she was already a little full.
She must have eaten a few cookies while baking.
I didn¡¯t mind as long as she ate well and got the necessary nutrients.
Meanwhile, I shifted my gaze behind Seo Ye-in,
¡°¡¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi sat quietly in an inconspicuous corner a little distance away.
Her posture was soposed that it was hard to tell if she was eating, but judging by her te, the omelet rice was disappearing quickly.
Her spoon moved so fast it was almost invisible as she too took one bite after another.
While maintaining her poise and eating quickly at the same time, she asionally nced over to check if Seo Ye-in was eating well.
It was multitasking taken to the extreme.
I felt both respect and pity for Ahn Jeong-mi.
I must never be a butler.
And I should never consider joining Hye-seong Group.
After finishing our omelet rice, we moved to a quieter ce.
We sat side by side on a bench there and Seo Ye-in rustled through a paper bag.
Finally, the cookies made their appearance.
She baked a lot.
The bag was bigger and packed fuller thanst time.
Also, the aroma was even richer than before which could only mean that the taste had been upgraded as well.
When we visited the bakery in the downtown area, she had packed one of each type of cookie for research, and it seemed that research had been sessful.
I could expect good things in terms of both quantity and taste.
However, with good news oftenes bad news.
There must be more varieties too.
More varieties meant the cookie shape-matching challenge had be more difficult.
Moreover, Go Hyeon-woo who usually helped me out wasn¡¯t here either.
I felt a bit nervous and started to think quickly.
When Seo Ye-in pulled out a cookie from the paper bag and handed it to me, I made my move.
¡°It looks delicious; your skills are getting better and better. Thank you.¡±
I quickly expressed my gratitude, snatched the cookie, and shoved it into my mouth.
If the cookie disappeared, there would be no challenge.
This was my strategy to finish it before she could ask.
But as if anticipating this, Seo Ye-in gently grabbed my hand just before the cookie reached my mouth.
She looked at me intently and asked,
¡°What does this look like?¡±
Operation ¡°finish it before being asked¡± failed.
Once again, I was forced to participate in the shape-matching challenge.
I observed the cookie with a cautious attitude.
This curve looks like a crossbow¡ Penguin? No, it can¡¯t be a penguin without a beak.
As always, its shape was truly mysterious.
However, this quiz had a time limit.
Taking too long was as good as admitting I didn¡¯t know, so guessing was better.
After much deliberation, I was about to answer with penguin,
¡°¡¡¡±
The air behind Seo Ye-in shimmered, and Ahn Jeong-mi quietly deactivated her invisibility and appeared.
She exchanged a secret nce with me and nodded her head. As if she was aware of my predicament and was ready to help.
After looking at the cookie once, she instantly figured out the correct answer and disyed her veteran butler skills.
The problem was how to convey it to me.
¡°¡¡¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi pondered seriously for a moment.
Then, as if making a decision, she slowly moved.
She reenacted a few gestures with her hands and feet.
She had a businesslike expression as always, but a blush appeared on her face as if she was internally embarrassed.
Butler¡
She had decided to reveal the answer for my sake, even at the cost of her dignity.
I didn¡¯t want her sacrifice to be in vain, so I diligently interpreted the gestures she reenacted.
Swimming, ying ball with the nose, pping.
Combining these with the shape of the cookie¡
¡°Seal. Right?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in ced the cookie into my mouth.
This meant I was correct.
However, the shape-matching challenge was just beginning.
From the paper bag, Alien Lifeform No. 2 emerged.
¡°What does this look like?¡±
¡Brachiosaurus?
But dinosaurs were already a failed guess in the past.
I looked to Ahn Jeong-mi for help, and she crossed her arms.
Then she pinched her nose with one hand and mimicked grasping something with the other.
The so-called elephant trunk pose.
When Seo Ye-in turned around, Ahn Jeong-mi quickly switched to a formal stance but her message had been clear.
¡°Elephant.¡±
Correct again.
Seo Ye-in nodded slightly and ced the brachio-elephant cookie into my mouth.
The shape-matching challenge continued.
Of course, the essence of the game had long since shifted to a game of guessing words based on Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s hand and foot gestures.
Anyway, after I got a few more answers right, Seo Ye-in was satisfied with her aesthetic sense, didn¡¯t ask further, and started munching cookies with me.
Meanwhile, Ahn Jeong-mi with her face even redder kept fanning herself with her hands.
When our eyes met, I bowed my head slightly.
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°¡No, it is I who should be thanking you.¡±
When I asked what she meant with my eyes, Ahn Jeong-mi continued.
¡°The truth is, when the young Miss and Kim Ho-nim went to the downtown area, there was an opposing opinion that it might be excessive to give you B-rank coupons.¡±
Previously, as a gesture of gratitude for helping and motivating Seo Ye-in with her training, Ahn Jeong-mi had given me one B-rank item exchange coupon and another to get an item that Seo Ye-in might cherish.
However, it seemed that the opposing faction within the Future Strategy Office didn¡¯t find this very eptable.
There was also the risk of wasting the precious B-rank exchange coupons meaninglessly.
¡°But thanks to Kim Ho-nim¡¯s performance that exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations, I saved face. Thank you.¡±
Finding a bracelet that Seo Ye-in liked and giving her an A-rank item in exchange for the B-rank coupon must have silenced the opposition faction.
I anticipated that if I continued to achieve meaningful results with Seo Ye-in, the support from the Future Strategy Office would continue even after the mentoring ended.
¡°I heard you also got the same bracelet, Kim Ho-nim.¡±
¡°Yes, it dropped as a set of two.¡±
When Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s gaze dropped to my wrist, I summoned a storm cloud as if to show it off.
Pop!
A cloud that was the size of a fist floated around.
Seo Ye-in who had been watching quietly poked the cloud with her finger.
The cloud drifted in the direction it was poked, then floated back around.
Pop!
Seo Ye-in also summoned a white fluffy cloud.
The white cloud approached the dark cloud as if in greeting but the dark cloud didn¡¯t seem very pleased.
When the fluffy cloud came close, the storm cloud shrank back slightly and then bumped it away.
However, the fluffy cloud persistently followed the storm cloud.
The fluffy and storm clouds bumped into each other and bounced around. As if they were ying a game of tag.
I watched them in silence and then asked Ahn Jeong-mi.
¡°How wasst week¡¯s mentoring?¡±
¡°It was very sessful.¡±
The rank of her [Feather Walk] has been steadily climbing for a few weeks now, and it¡¯s already at C-rank.
She had already surpassed the first-year average, and her proficiency had been raised enough to be useful in real-life situations.
I¡¯ve heard that with such drastically increased mobility, she was able to dodge and get close enough to Kwak Ji-cheo to fire her shotgun.
If she could follow through well for thest week, it would be fine, but¡
¡°It¡¯s just¡¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi looked at Seo Ye-in with worried eyes.
I also noticed something as soon as I saw her in the morning.
¡°She seems to have lost a lot of motivation.¡±
¡°¡ That¡¯s right.¡±
The first week of mentoring drew Seo Ye-in¡¯s interest by teaching her the new skill of [Feather Walk],
The second week was motivated by a promise to go out with me to the downtown area together on the weekend.
With the energy recharged from the downtown outing, she barely made it through the third week, but I don¡¯t know what will get this human sloth moving this week.
It¡¯s a problem that Ahn Jeong-mi can¡¯t solve, so she will need my help again.
I thought for a moment with a cookie in my mouth and then answered.
¡°I will find a way.¡±
If Ipared this week¡¯s strategy battle sessions with my training schedule,
Perhaps a breakthrough might be clear.
Chapter 139: 8th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (1)
Chapter 139: 8th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (1)
Strategy Battle ss.
Teacher Seo Cheong-yong wrote a word on the ckboard.
[Guardian]
¡°Okay, let¡¯s start with a quick review. What is the role of a guardian in a dungeon?¡±
A model student in the front row raised her hand and said,
¡°To protect.¡±
¡°What do they protect?¡±
¡°Well¡ it varies from dungeon to dungeon.¡±
¡°That¡¯s correct. In thest strategy battle, you acted as guardians and protected the statue of the goddess. Now, let¡¯s each share what we felt while defending.¡±Several students raised their hands, and Teacher Seo Cheong-yong pointed to them one by one.
The first student chosen began to speak.
¡°No matter how well we defended near the statue of the goddess, it still took some damage, so it seemed better to keep the monsters from entering the temple at all.¡±
¡°Exactly. Although the ultimate goal is to protect the statue of the goddess, allowing any intrusion into the temple itself is a loss. It was practically the same as defending the temple. Next?¡±
Teacher Seo Cheong-yong then pointed to the second student.
¡°It felt much harder to defend once the side walls were breached.¡±
¡°Why did it feel harder?¡±
When Teacher Seo Cheong-yong asked again, the second student briefly recalled and answered.
¡°¡I think it was because I got confused about where to block first and which side to prioritize.¡±
¡°You observed correctly. The more defensive points there are, the more choices and distribution be necessary. However, there¡¯s no guarantee that the distributed forces will exactly match the enemy¡¯s strength, so it bes more difficult than blocking just one ce. Next?¡±
The third student chosen began to speak.
¡°It was the most difficult when the Beheader Goblin appeared.¡±
¡°Really? Why was it the most difficult?¡±
¡°Because while blocking that, we didn¡¯t have the resources to block other ces, so areas that usually didn¡¯t get breached started to get breached.¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly right.¡±
Teacher Seo Cheong-yong seemed quite pleased, perhaps because the desired answers wereing out smoothly.
¡°Let¡¯s summarize. For the enemies to destroy the end goal, which is the statue of the goddess, they first had to infiltrate the temple. Since the main gate defense was rarely breached, they created a new attack route and breached the side walls to disperse your defenses. Lastly, they used a strong card, the Beheader Goblin, to force your forces to concentrate in one ce, making other areas vulnerable. Do you all understand up to this point?¡±
Everyone nodded or answered with a small ¡°yes.¡±.
Teacher Seo Cheong-yong smiled warmly and said,
¡°Then remember what we just talked about, because this week we will be on the attacking side.¡±
The ckboard was wiped clean, and the rules and environment were disyed.
MAP: [Cave]
RULE: [Crystal] [Strong Enemy] [Double] [Random Rule]
¡°Everyone got the hang of the crystal rules by now, right?¡±
When the crystal rules appeared for the second week in a row, half the faces soured while the other half brightened.
Naturally, this depended on whether they had suffered losses or wins due to the new rules the previous week.
While the former deathmatch rules were based on direct confrontation and always determined the oue by sheer force, the crystal rules didn¡¯t guarantee victory solely based on fighting power.
Even if one¡¯s fighting power was slightly lower, there was a chance of winning by effectively charging the crystal.
For example, because Jo Byeokcked mobility and pursuit skills, he couldn¡¯t fully demonstrate his abilities and ended up losing the match to me.
Additionally, it was said that people like Shin Byeong-cheol who excelled at running away managed to recover quite a few points during this opportunity.
Even now, he looked excited like a fish in water, probably thinking that he could score high points just by running away well in the attack match.
It¡¯s too early to be so happy.
It won¡¯t be as easy as he thinks.
The main difference was that while the crystal rules involved one-on-one matches, this week¡¯s attack match involved two people.
Sure enough, Seo Cheong-yong took out two crystals.
One emitted a red glow, and the other a blue glow.
¡°Now, there¡¯s one sanctuary, two people, and two crystals. Only one crystal can be charged at a time. What does this mean?¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
¡°¡¡.!!¡±
Most of the students tilted their heads in confusion, but the quick-witted ones caught on to what Seo Cheong-yong was implying.
¡°Is one person supposed to assist while the other charges?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. If we apply what we just reviewed, what should we do?¡±
To achieve their goal, they had to infiltrate the enemy base, disperse, and concentrate their forces.
Song Cheon-hye raised her hand and said in a calm voice,
¡°The one assisting should strongly distract the enemy to draw their attention.¡±
¡°Exactly! You¡¯re all answering well today.¡±
Seo Cheong-yong was feeling the reward of teaching and didn¡¯t hold back his praise.
At that moment, a student sitting in the corner raised their hand.
¡°Um, teacher, but¡¡±
¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±
¡°Well¡ what kind of strong enemy will appear?¡±
Everyone hoped for the return of the Beheader Goblin, but things were never that easy.
As evidenced by past experience, this school loved crafting curriculums to mess with the students.
And a bad premonition never missed its mark.
Seo Cheong-yong gave a meaningful smile.
¡°You all stayed awake during Teacher Jo Ok-soon¡¯s ss, right? The answer is there.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
The students¡¯ faces stiffened at the same time.
It was because they recalled what kind of monster had been covered in Jo Ok-soon¡¯s Monster Ecology ss.
Ogre.
Ogre.
A monster that straddled the line between mid-boss and boss-level. It was like a walking tank.
Its hide was extremely tough, making most physical attacks only graze its skin and its resistance to magic was simrly high.
It was also the first monster I encountered when I entered the world of the game. After a few hits, I quickly realized I couldn¡¯t defeat it.
Despite its huge size that towered over a human being, it was agile enough to bepared to superhumans, and with its [Super Strength] trait, every blow it dealt had immense destructive power.
Closebat sses had to be cautious around it and ranged sses with weaker bodies could be nearly killed with a single hit.
They wouldn¡¯t bring it in with its default specs, of course.
They would probably bring in one that¡¯s a couple of levels lower, but since its base specs ranged from C to D-rank, even a slightly lower rank would still be incredibly strong.
Given this, it was understandable that there were cries of despair even before the strategy battle began.
¨C Is this difficulty for real?
¨C How do you jump from the Beheader Goblin straight to an Ogre?
¨C Are we supposed to run around dodging an Ogre while recharging crystals?
¨C It¡¯s a two-person task. Someone has to draw aggro too.
¨C This is crazy, really.
While everyone else was in a funeral-like atmosphere, Go Hyeon-woo, the embodiment of positivity, was still radiating bright energy today as well.
¡°Ogre, huh? It¡¯s an opponent I¡¯ve always wanted to face. The time has finallye. Aren¡¯t you excited, Kim-hyung?¡±
¡°I¡¯m just okay.¡±
¡°Well, it might be a bit too easy for someone of your skill, Kim-hyung.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo nodded to himself as if he was satisfied with his own conclusion.
I wonder what level of skill he thought I had.
Anyway, I had a separate matter to discuss with Go Hyeon-woo, so I handed him a stack of papers I had prepared.
¡°Here, take this.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
Go Hyeon-woo epted the stack of paper, flipped through a few pages, and his eyes immediately deepened.
It was a dungeon strategy guide.
¡°We¡¯re going in?¡±
¡°Yes, tonight.¡±
¡°There are two strategy guides¡¡±
¡°Memorize just the first part for now.¡±
¡°Got it. I¡¯ll study it in advance.¡±
There were two major goals to achieve this week.
The first goal was to deal with the swordsmanship club.
They should be entering the ck Death dungeon soon.
ording to what I heard from Dang Gyu-young, the raid on the ck Death dungeon would bepleted by the end of this week at thetest.
And the moment the swordsmanship club entered the dungeon, they would realize that someone had been there before them.
They would be busy ying cat and mouse with the ck Death n leader, and the evidence of our activity, marked by the Inferno Fist, would be all over the ce.
It would be stranger if they didn¡¯t notice.
From the perspective of the swordsmanship club, it was infuriating enough that someone had entered and rummaged through the dungeon before them, but the ck Death dungeon was even up for priority bidding.
They had used their priority bidding rights to exert influence at the club level, yet someone had ignored this and entered the dungeon.
They could never let this slide.
Even if they considered the stolen rewards a loss, if they let this pass after their priority bidding rights were disregarded, there would be second and third attempts to challenge the swordsmanship club¡¯s stronghold in the future.
So, they would do whatever it took to find me and make an example of me.
Honestly, I did do something wrong.
I admitted it readily.
At that time, given my skills, raiding the ck Death dungeon was the best way to obtain more than a semester¡¯s worth of metal, so I forced my way in, but I also understood that it was wrong and that I would need to make amendster.
Moreover, aside from the moral issues, anyone would fear making an enemy of a powerful force like the swordsmanship club.
I was no exception to that.
I have a few deals to make with themter.
If our rtionship soured, I wouldn¡¯t be able to trade with them properly and considering the profits I would miss out on, it was natural to worry.
For these reasons, it was beneficial to maintain amicable rtionships with clubs.
However, with the swordsmanship club, I had already made a bad first impression.
To fix this, I needed to return the Millennium Iron and other items I had taken or preparepensation of equal value.
And I would need to prepare a ¡°small token of goodwill¡± that could help appease their anger to some extent.
So, I have to go down.
To retrieve items that the swordsmanship club would appreciate.
And to secure my share as well.
The second goal was, as always, to grow stronger through the mentoring event and side quests.
However, this week was a bit more special than usual.
First, let¡¯s review the side quest from the past duel battle week,
[Side Quest: 7th Week Duel Battle] (Completed)
?Objective: Win 3 duel matches. (3/3)
?Reward: 1st Mentoring Event ¨C 4th week extra bonus (Large)
By winning two matches against Cha Hyeon-joo and one match against Jo Byeok, Ipleted it with the maximum reward.
As a result,
[Event: 1st Mentoring] (In Progress¡¡.)
[Remaining Duration: 6 days]
? elerate your growth with the help of a mentor.
? Increased probability of acquiring skills/traits.
?Increased skill/trait growth rate
?Bonus enhancement (Large) in effect¡¡.
?4th week extra bonus (Large) in effect¡¡.(New!)
Thanks to the bonus enhancement rge), the efficiency of my rank upgrades had been significantly high over the past three weeks, and the side quest added even more efficiency.
The system was encouraging me to push hard since it was thest week of mentoring.
But before running ahead,
Finishing this first takes priority.
[Side Quest: 8th Week Strategy Battle]
?Objective: Clear the strategy battle dungeon
?Deadline: ~Sunday midnight
?Reward: Varies based on performance
I needed to enter the dungeon as soon as possible, score points, and clear the quest.
This was because the reward was a skill book.
My n was to maximize the rank of the skills I learned within this week.
And the skill book I would receive if I cleared the side quest with the highest achievement was,
The second piece of [Spiral Explosion], following [Twister].
One-point Explosion.
TN: The 4th week extra bonus is for the ¡°4th¡± weak of mentoring period.
Chapter 140: 8th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (2)
Chapter 140: 8th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (2)
Dungeon Building.
Dang Gyu-young stood in front of her four mentees and began exining.
¡°You¡¯ve already heard everything else, so let¡¯s just talk about the random rule and start right away.¡±
MAP: [Cave]
RULE: [Crystal] [Strong Enemy] [Double] [Random Rule]
¡°First, the [Close Combat] rule. We won¡¯t enforce it this time.¡±
Originally, it was intended to force the aspiring all-rounder mages into closebat.
We were all wizards, so we were already familiar with long-rangebat and if we stuck to what we were used to, our closebat skills wouldn¡¯t improve.
However, the strong enemy this time was an ogre.Even without enforcing it as a rule, the battle would inevitably involve closebat.
With its superior physical abilities, it quickly closed the distance in an instant.
Additionally, since we had to charge the crystal, we couldn¡¯t stray too far from the sanctuary¡¯s range.
In other words, we were already heavily restricted.
¡°So, I¡¯ll set the random rules in your favor instead.¡±
MAP: [Cave]
RULE: [Crystal] [Strong Enemy] [Weakened] [Double]
As expected, she didn¡¯t use the default ogre specs and instead used the [Weakened] rule to lower its rank by about one level.
Thanks to this, instead of being beaten to death without a chance to breathe, we could at least catch our breath.
¡°¡¡!¡±
The first-year chicks looked at Dang Gyu-young with new eyes.
Based on their previous experiences, Dang Gyu-young had always trained them harshly while pushing them to their limits and making them adapt.
So they had worried that this time too she might even put the ogre in full te armor, but instead she weakened it. Now she looked like an angel in their eyes.
Guys, you¡¯re being deceived.
Other mentors typically added at least the weakened rule along with two or three more favorable rules.
For example, they might increase the crystal charging speed or expand the sanctuary¡¯s range.
But we only got the weakened rule.
However, since there was no way topare with other mentors right now, realizing and feeling betrayed by this fact wouldeter.
Dang Gyu-young continued her exnation.
¡°Let¡¯s try different pairings. Kim Ho with Kwak Ji-cheol. Song Cheon-hye with Hong Yeon-hwa.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Uneasy nces were exchanged here and there.
Although my rtionship with Hong Yeon-hwa had slightly improved during the mentoring period, everything else remained almost the same.
Song Cheon-hye and Hong Yeon-hwa were like rivals.
Kwak Ji-cheol had a history of being thoroughly beaten by me in a duel.
So, no matter who I paired with, it wasn¡¯t very pleasant.
Putting aside these emotional aspects, Song Cheon-hye had concerns and asked a question,
¡°Doesn¡¯t thisbination throw off the bnce?¡±
¡°So what? It¡¯s not like you¡¯repeting against each other.¡±
Dang Gyu-young was indifferent.
In truth, Dang Gyu-young was just following the manual.
Setting up the mentees to experience practical evaluations with variousbinations was a requirement of the academy.
Following our mentor¡¯s unbeatable logic of ¡°because I feel like it¡± Song Cheon-hye was left with nothing to say.
¡°Then, Kim Ho and Kwak Ji-cheol,e in first.¡±
Dang Gyu-young disappeared into the dungeon through the teleportation portal.
Kwak Ji-cheol and I exchanged a look that didn¡¯t seem friendly at all.
However, since we were paired together, we had no choice but to cooperate.
I approached the teleportation portal first.
¡°Let¡¯s go in too.¡±
¡°¡Alright.¡±
[Kim Ho 100%]
[Kwak Ji-cheol 100%]
The next moment, we were standing in the middle of a forest.
And at the edge of our vision, arge cave awaited us with its mouth wide open.
Just then, a group of goblins walked out from the cave and spotted us.
¡°Kerr?¡±
¡°Kerk!¡±
Startled, some goblins immediately charged at us while others tried to retreat back into the cave.
If they got inside, they would alert the others so we couldn¡¯t let them go.
When I cast Wind Force,
Whoosh¡ª
¡°Kaek.¡±
The goblins tumbled to the ground like fallen leaves under the physical force of the wind.
Then they were hit by a barrage of dirt bullets and copsed.
There was hardly any time to take a sip of water before we had finished off all the goblins.
¡°¡¡¡±
We silently stared at the cave.
There was no doubt that we had to go inside.
There would likely be goblins and an ogre in there.
However, the main rule of this raid was the crystal, so first, we needed to find the crystal to charge it.
¡°Don¡¯t you think it might be outside?¡±
¡°Hmm, that makes sense.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol nodded his head slightly.
Considering that the starting point was not inside the cave but in the forest, the hypothesis that the crystal was outside held some weight.
And indeed, it was outside.
But searching the vast forest would waste time, so I pointed to a likely spot for the crystal.
This was advice born from the experience of a stagnant water.
¡°I¡¯ll check this way, you go search over there.¡±
¡°Got it.¡±
We split up and walked in our respective directions, and as expected, there was a makeshift altar not far away.
A goblin that had been lying in ambush jumped out, but I easily kicked it away and retrieved the red crystal.
After returning to the starting point and waiting for a moment, Kwak Ji-cheol also returned from the direction I had sent him.
He held a blue crystal in one hand.
I had been worried he might wander off somewhere else out of spite but it seemed he wasn¡¯t that reckless.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Crystal: 0%]
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 100%]
[Crystal: 0%]
The numbers disyed on the scoreboard showed the health of the two of us and the charge of the crystals.
The scoring criteria depended on how much health we could preserve until both crystals were fully charged.
Although it wasn¡¯t mentioned, the maximum achievement for the side quest required an average health of at least 90% for both people.
Of course, since it was practice mode right now, I could think about itter.
¡°Then let¡¯s go in.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol and I stepped into the cave.
The inside was dimly lit by the soft glow of stctites, so it wasn¡¯t very dark.
However, having clear visibility was both an advantage and a disadvantage.
¡°Kerrruk.¡±
¡°Kek! Kek!¡±
Because the goblins could see us very well too.
They swarmed out to greet us enthusiastically.
Those in the front rushed at us with short weapons like rusty daggers and chipped hand axes, while those in the back threw anything they could grab.
Various projectiles like roughly hewn wooden spears and stones flew toward us.
I dodged by shifting my body slightly.
Thud,
But a stone struck Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s head and bounced off.
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 99%]
¡°You got hit by that?¡±
¡°¡Shut up.¡±
¡°It made a loud sound. Didn¡¯t it hurt?¡±
¡°This is nothing. It just tickles.¡±
But contrary to his words, Kwak Ji-cheol seemed visibly irritated.
When he thrust his staff forward, the emerald emitted a bright green light.
Rumble¡
Soon, the entire cave started to shake and then the ceiling copsed, causing stctites to rain down.
Most of the goblins that had swarmed out were buried beneath them.
¡°Do we need to dodge these too?¡±
¡°¡Shut up.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol and I had to retreat a fair distance to avoid the falling stctites.
Though he hadshed out in a fit of anger, it seemed he couldn¡¯t control it.
Once the cave stopped shaking, I spoke to Kwak Ji-cheol.
¡°Let¡¯s not use that again.¡±
¡°¡Noted.¡±
Despite that, clearing out arge number of goblins at once made it easier to move forward.
Goblins that had survived emerged from various spots but,
¡°Grk!¡±
¡°Grr.¡±
Ratatatatatatata!
Kwak Ji-cheol fired off dirt bullets, and I used wind force to hurl chunks of fallen stctites at them.
We advanced by striking down nearby goblins with the Root staff and stabbing them with the cursed dagger at its tip.
As we proceeded,
Thump, thump,
Heavy footsteps echoed from deeper within the cave.
I exchanged nces with Kwak Ji-cheol.
¡°Something¡¯sing, right?¡±
¡°Seems like it.¡±
The owner of those footsteps was, without a doubt, an ogre.
Originally, it tended to stay near the sanctuary but it seemed to be heading our way. This was likely due to Kwak Ji-cheol shaking the cave with his earth magic.
We entered a brief strategy meeting.
¡°Split up and run?¡±
¡°Which side will draw its attention?¡±
¡°Whoever it chases needs to run well. The other side should keep it in check.¡±
¡°Sounds good. Let¡¯s do it.¡±
Thump, thump
Even during our strategy meeting, the footsteps continued to get closer.
Atst, the ogre appeared.
¡°Grrrrrr¡¡¡±
It was sorge it nearly touched the cave ceiling. It was also holding a club as thick as a human torso in one hand.
We exchanged onest nce and immediately split to run in opposite directions.
¡°Grrrr?¡±
The ogre looked back and forth, hesitated for a moment, then turned to chase me.
¡°Unlucky.¡±
It should have gone after Kwak Ji-cheol.
I was running hard when I felt a prickle on the back of my neck and leaped to the side,
Thud!
The club mmed into the path I had been running on just moments before.
The ogre immediately retrieved the club and resumed its pursuit.
As expected of a monster specialized in physical abilities, it quickly picked up speed and closed the distance between us.
Rumble,
Suddenly, a thick earthen wall shot up near the ogre¡¯s legs.
Kwak Ji-cheol had cast it to slow the creature down.
The ogre kicked the wall with all its momentum and shattered it with a loud crash, but it lost its bnce and its speed dropped significantly.
¡°Well done.¡±
Tripping a running opponent was a smart move. The more underhanded the tactic, the better the score in keeping it in check.
¡°Grrrr¡!¡±
The ogre seemed to think I was the one who raised the earthen wall and chased me with even more fury.
The thudding footsteps behind me were closing in at a terrifying speed.
And just as the whoosh of the club cut through the air,
¡°Jump lightly to avoid it.¡±
I leaped into the air, and the club swept across the ground below me.
Afternding softly, I continued running.
¡°Keruruk.¡±
¡°Kerek!¡±
Goblins emerged from every corner of the cave and started thrusting their daggers.
I dodged them and grabbed the goblins before throwing them at the ogre.
With an annoyed wave of its hands, the ogre flung them away and sent them crashing into the ceiling or walls.
¡°Ugh¡¡±
On the other hand, Kwak Ji-cheol seemed to have no idea whether to run at the right speed, keep the ogre in check, or deal with the goblins that came out.
Even so, he must have felt that he needed to help, so he barely managed to cast a spell in this direction.
Rumble¡
Another earthen wall rose beneath the ogre¡¯s feet.
The ogre kicked and shattered the wall again, but this time it seemed to maintain its bnce better.
Its speed didn¡¯t slow down much either.
We¡¯re almost there.
Seeing the increasingly bright surroundings ahead confirmed it.
Thud!
After narrowly dodging the ogre¡¯s swinging club again and continuing to run, the sanctuary finally came into view.
The huge stone pir illuminated the area as brightly as daylight.
And as I got closer,
Whirr¡ª
A beam of light shot out from the stone pir toward me.
Light gradually filled the red crystal.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Crystal: 1%]
¡°Groooo¡¡±
The ogre appeared behind me.
When it saw me under the sanctuary¡¯s spotlight, it showed strong hostility.
I stopped briefly and faced the ogre.
Now that I have connected with the sanctuary, from now on¡
¡°I have to run away more seriously.¡±
Chapter 141: 8th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (3)
Chapter 141: 8th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (3)
The only movement-type skill I had at the moment was Thief¡¯s Step.
I copied it from Dang Gyu-young, raised it to B-rank, and received a bonus from Seo Ye-in¡¯s sneakers which brought it to B¡Àrank.
However, Thief¡¯s Step was not purely a skill for movement.
In addition to increasing movement speed, its performance was also distributed to smooth movements and concealing one¡¯s presence while moving.
If movement ounted for 60, the rest was about 40. So it wasn¡¯t particrly fast if only the speed was considered.
If Overheat was added, the story would be different, but since Inferno Fist couldn¡¯t be used while the rey was running, I had to rely solely on Thief¡¯s Step.
This was why Jo Byeok could catch up to me despite it being a B¡Àrank, and the same was true for the ogre in front of me.
Its speed was slightly faster than mine.
So how did I avoid getting hit by an opponent faster than me?I have to predict.
I analyzed the opponent¡¯s gaze, posture, and the movements of their muscles and joints.
I synthesized this information to infer where and how they intended to attack.
The ogre¡¯s attacks were quite straightforward and it often moved exactly as I predicted.
If it seemed poised to strike to the left, it really struck to the left.
Just like now.
Thud!
As I shifted slightly to the side, the club struck the spot where I had just been.
The ogre stepped forward and swung its free hand, but I moved closer into its blind spot.
When it tried to push forward with its whole body, I escaped using Thief¡¯s Step.
¡°Grrraaah!¡±
It let out a frustrated roar.
It had been missing every swing, so its frustration was understandable.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Crystal: 33%]
I could keep running around until the crystal was fully charged but,
¡°Ahjussi, a little help here would be appreciated.¡±
In a double dungeon, it would make things much easier for me if my partner helped to keep the ogre in check.
However, Kwak Ji-cheol was busy dealing with the goblins swarming him.
¡°Hey, Ahjussi.¡±
¡°Grrr¡¡±
As Kwak Ji-cheol quickly cast spells, the goblins were hit by dirt bullets and copsed.
Since he couldn¡¯t pay attention to me, I shouted at him.
¡°Hey, you said you¡¯d help keep it in check. When are you going to do it? Should I go out there and do it?¡±
¡°Just¡ wait a moment.¡±
¡°Are we even a good pair~? Aah, it¡¯s so hard doing this alone~. My legs are going numb~. I¡¯m going to get caught at this rate~.¡±
¡°Damn it¡ I get it!¡±
Maybe my nagging worked because Kwak Ji-cheol started chanting faster.
Thud!
Soon, he raised two thick earthen walls on either side of him, which advanced quickly like bulldozers and started pushing the goblins away.
After dealing with the immediate threat, Kwak Ji-cheol quickly came to support me.
Ratatattatatata,
Dirt bullets fired continuously and struck the ogre, but thetter didn¡¯t even seem to feel them.
In a fit of frustration, Kwak Ji-cheol formed the dirt bullets into arge cannonball and fired it.
Boom!
¡°Gruaar?¡±
The ogre scratched the back of its head where it was hit, nced back briefly, and then focused on chasing me again.
I said while dodging the swinging club,
¡°Attack magic won¡¯t work. Try something else.¡±
The creature¡¯s body was so tough that ordinary attacks barely affected it.
Even Song Cheon-hye and Hong Yeon-hwa would struggle with their barrage of spells, so it was no surprise that Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s attacks were even less effective.
As if he himself was aware of that fact, Kwak Ji-cheol asked while clearing the goblins,
¡°What should I do?¡±
¡°Use control-type spells.¡±
¡°Control-type¡ Got it.¡±
When Kwak Ji-cheol cast his spell, earthen walls suddenly rose up around the ogre.
¡°Gruuugh¡¡±
The ogre looked around in annoyance.
With a wide swing of its club, the earthen walls crumbled.
Kwak Ji-cheol clicked his tongue quietly.
¡°Tch.¡±
¡°Again, next one.¡±
¡°Got it.¡±
As he chanted another spell, the ground beneath the ogre¡¯s feet suddenly sank.
This time, it had a noticeable effect, causing the ogre to lose its bnce and stagger.
¡°Gruuugh¡¡±
¡°This one was pretty good.¡±
Indeed, the more cunning the interference, the better the score.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Crystal: 64%]
Kwak Ji-cheol intensified his devious tactics.
He raised walls, dug pits, and hardened dirt climbed up the ogre¡¯s legs.
Each time, the ogre shook its legs vigorously to shake it off, but Kwak Ji-cheo felt that this was effective and persistently targeted its legs.
¡°Now it¡¯s getting easier.¡±
Thanks to the constant restriction of the ogre¡¯s movements, I now found it even easier to escape.
And finally,
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Crystal: 100%]
sh!
My crystal was filled with a deep red light.
The next moment, the light pir connecting me to the sanctuary suddenly broke and a new light pir shot out, connecting to Kwak Ji-cheol.
Then, his crystal began to fill with a blue light.
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 97%]
[Crystal: 1%]
¡°Grr?¡±
The ogre immediately snapped its head around.
Its gaze followed the direction indicated by the light pir and locked onto Kwak Ji-cheol.
¡°Grrr¡¡±
Then it directed its hostility towards him and charged with heavy steps.
It seemed to havepletely forgotten about me, whom it had been desperately trying to catch just moments ago.
Our roles had reversed, with Kwak Ji-cheol now charging and me on the offensive.
I chased after the ogre and extended Root ahead of me.
[Twister]
[Wind Force]
Whoosh¡ª
A whirlwind gathered and constricted one of its legs, causing the ogre to stagger significantly.
Despite this, it did not stop charging towards Kwak Ji-cheol.
Feeling the pressure from the ogre¡¯s momentum, Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s expression grew urgent.
¡°Damn it.¡±
Now he has to dodge well¡
The best the support partner could do was create openings in the ogre¡¯s attacks and buy time.
Dodging and running away were up to him.
I used Wind Force again to push the ogre, but it ignored the effort and swung its club.
Thud!
¡°Ugh.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol barely managed to dodge to the side.
But the attack was just beginning.
He dodged the ogre¡¯s thick arm that followed, rolling his entire body across the ground.
Boom!
Compressed air exploded in the ogre¡¯s face.
It rubbed its face in annoyance.
¡°Damn it¡!¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol frantically retreated before extending his staff forward.
Green light flowed from the emerald,
Rumble!
Multipleyers of earthen walls rose between him and the ogre.
When I saw that, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh.
¡°Oh my.¡±
Such a poor move.
A wrong decision soon led to fatal results.
Before Kwak Ji-cheol could cast the wall strengthening spell,
¡°Grooo!¡±
The ogre charged with its entire body.
Theyers of earthen walls copsed instantly, leaving Kwak Ji-cheol fully exposed in front of the beast.
And when a palm the size of a cauldron swung at him,
Thud!
He was sent flying. He crashed into a wall, bounced off it, and rolled on the floor until hey sprawled out.
Right after that, a club the size of a human body split the air and came crashing down.
Crack!
¡°Aaah.¡±
I couldn¡¯t help but frown.
That must¡¯ve hurt.
When the ogre tried to swing the club a second time, Kwak Ji-cheol had already vanished.
The safety mechanism of the ground floor dungeon had been activated and it expelled him outside.
The next moment, everything turned gray and froze as Dang Gyu-young revealed herself from stealth.
She looked down at the Kwak Ji-cheol-shaped crater in the ground and slowly shook her head.
¡°Haaah, he still has a long way to go.¡±
Even though it was his first attempt, he couldn¡¯t withstand even a few moves against the ogre.
To think he needed to train his skills to endure until the crystal was 100% charged.
His skills arecking, and hispatibility isn¡¯t great either.
While some might have used techniques like climbing over the wall or the ¡°hunting cattle across the mountain¡± technique to attack over the wall,
The ogre¡¯s style was to smash through the wall head-on.
Even after its rank dropped by one level due to the [Weakened] rule, it was still ridiculously strong.
So with Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s current defensive ability, it was impossible to block it and other means needed to be found.
After finding a solution, he¡¯d need time to adapt to it as well.
The path ahead was clearly fraught with hardships.
Of course, that¡¯s his problem.
Whether Kwak Ji-cheol struggled or not, my goal remained unchanged.
I would still push to achieve the side quest reward early.
¡°Senior-nim.¡±
¡°Mhmm?¡±
¡°This week, I¡¯m going to score right away.¡±
¡°Already on the first day?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t see any reason to dy.¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s fine if you go ahead.¡±
Dang Gyu-young always made an exception for me because she had a good grasp of my real abilities.
My skills had already surpassed the level where I needed mentoring, and she knew I¡¯d grow well on my own if left alone.
Just now, even on the first attempt, I managed to charge the crystal while maintaining 100% health against the ogre.
¡°But if you score alone, what about Kwak Ji-cheol? He¡¯ll be left behind.¡±
However, Dang Gyu-young was a mentor after all and she couldn¡¯t let the team members act separately.
If she paired us for a week, we had to act together, whether we liked it or not.
I answered casually.
¡°I¡¯ll score first, and then I¡¯ll keep pace with the rest.¡±
Generally, once the practical evaluation was over, there was no need to continue practicing but my case was an exception.
I aimed to score only to achieve the side quest.
After that, I would have to engage in mentoring events to rank up, so I nned to continue practicing with Kwak Ji-cheol regardless of my score.
Dang Gyu-young pondered for a moment, then nodded her head as if she was convinced by my exnation.
¡°Alright, then. But who are you going with? The handsome guy? The pretty girl with gray hair?¡±
¡°The girl with gray hair.¡±
The handsome guy, Go Hyeon-woo, had his own team so I naturally excluded him.
On the other hand, the pretty girl with gray hair Seo Ye-in was receiving one-on-one mentoring from Ahn Jeong-mi.
So she didn¡¯t have a fixed partner.
From Seo Ye-in¡¯s perspective, she would have to do a random pairing for the double practical evaluation anyway, so it wouldn¡¯t be a problem if I stepped in.
So I sent a message to Seo Ye-in.
[Kim Ho: (peeking cat emoji)]
[Kim Ho: (tapping cat emoji)]
[Kim Ho: What are you doing?]
[Seo Ye-in: (copsed cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: Sleepy]
[Kim Ho: Mentoring?]
[Seo Ye-in: Yeah]
[Seo Ye-in: (copsed cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: (rolling cat emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Pair up?]
[Seo Ye-in: ??]
[Kim Ho: Pair up?]
[Seo Ye-in: (startled cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: Okay]
Chapter 142: 8th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (4)
Chapter 142: 8th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (4)
Seo Ye-in had just finished her first practice strategy battle.
Ahn Jeong-mi was sitting in front of her and giving her detailed feedback.
¡°Overall, you did very well.¡±
Seo Ye-in had easily avoided the ogre¡¯s attacks.
The results of her three weeks of Feather Walk training were clearly showing.
For Ahn Jeong-mi who had put in a considerable effort to teach her, it was a very rewarding moment.
The result was a sessful crystal charge with her remaining health in the mid-80% range.
Considering it was her first attempt, it was an excellent score.
¡°But young miss, shouldn¡¯t you pay a little attention to your partner too?¡±The only problem was that Seo Ye-in had no interest in what her partner was doing.
Just now, there had been no teamwork at all and her unfortunate partner had been clobbered by the ogre and ended up incapacitated.
¡°¡¡±
Seo Ye-in opened her mouth slightly and let out a long yawn.
Then she responded while struggling to stay awake.
¡°¡ I didn¡¯t have to carest time.¡±
¡°At that time, it was because the young miss was too strong.¡±
¡°Last time¡± referred to the defense strategy battle two weeks ago.
Back then, her partner was almost irrelevant and Seo Ye-in¡¯s own firepower was so overwhelming that teamwork was unnecessary.
Goblins and the Beheader Goblin alike were all annihted, so what did a partner matter?
¡°But for this crystal strategy battle, teamwork is more important.¡±
The ogre couldn¡¯t be destroyed by Seo Ye-in¡¯s destructive power alone, and the scoring criteria was based on the remaining health of both team members.
If her partner became incapacitated or lost a lot of health, it would result in point deductions for Seo Ye-in as well. Cooperation was almost mandatory to avoid this.
¡°So you need to help your partner at least during dangerous moments¡ Young miss, you can¡¯t sleep here.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Miss, miss? Wake up. Young miss.¡±
She kept calling, but Seo Ye-in¡¯s eyelids only drooped more and more.
However, just as Ahn Jeong-mi was about to give up and cover her with a nket, a miraculous thing happened.
¡°¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in¡¯s half-closed eyelids slowly lifted back up.
There was only one person at Dragon yer Academy who could create such a miracle.
The person Seo Ye-in was messaging with right now.
Ahn Jeong-mi asked for confirmation.
¡°Is it Kim Ho-nim?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°May I ask why he contacted you?¡±
¡°He wants to do it together (pair up).¡±
¡°The strategy battle¡ you mean? But doesn¡¯t Kim Ho already have team members? What happened to them?¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi tilted her head in confusion.
As far as she remembered, Kim Ho was part of a four-member mentoring team led by the president of the thieves club.
In that case, their mentor would have already paired them up in twos, so why was he asking to join Seo Ye-in?
Seo Ye-in responded in a detached tone.
¡°Knocked out.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Kim Ho¡¯s partner, like Seo Ye-in¡¯s randomly matched partner, had apparently been knocked out by the ogre.
In that case, it made sense that he wanted to form a new pair until his original partner recovered.
Ahn Jeong-mi asked,
¡°Does he want to score points in the actual dungeon?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°Does his mentor know about this?¡±
¡°He said he got permission.¡±
That meant the only approval left was from Seo Ye-in¡¯s mentor, Ahn Jeong-mi.
She wanted to agree eagerly.
Life would be easier with Kim Ho managing Seo Ye-in.
But she couldn¡¯t let her emotions drive her decision.
So she considered the various factors more objectively.
Foremost among her concerns was worry.
It¡¯s too early for them to score ¡
Both Seo Ye-in and Kim Ho had just finished their first practice mode.
If they entered the actual thing without sufficient experience and faced unexpected variables, it could severely impact their scores.
For example, if one of them slipped up and got hit squarely by the ogre, they would be incapacitated immediately.
Hundreds of points could be lost in an instant.
But if it¡¯s Kim Ho-nim¡
With his skills, it might be possible.
Of course, Ahn Jeong-mi hadn¡¯t fully assessed Kim Ho¡¯s exact abilities.
He hid them very well.
But one thing she knew for sure. He had the skill to frequent the underground dungeon.
The [Feathered Serpent Tribe¡¯s Wooden Cup] that she now used as a coffee cup hade from a D-rank random box.
In other words, it was proof that Kim Ho had cleared a D-rank dungeon.
If he had the ability to clear a D-rank dungeon, then the ground floor would be child¡¯s y for him, and scoring high points wouldn¡¯t be a problem.
And so, her earlier worries were more likely unfounded.
Even if he fails¡ it wouldn¡¯t be bad.
Ahn Jeong-mi nced at Seo Ye-in.
The most prominent issue she faced was theck of teamwork on Seo Ye-in¡¯s part.
She had just been preaching the importance of teamwork, but it didn¡¯t seem to have taken effect.
However, if she paired up with Kim Ho for the strategy battle,
She might try a little harder to work on their teamwork.
Even if they failed and scored poorly, it would still be a meaningful experience.
Lastly, this was one of those very rare asions when thatzy human being showed enthusiasm.
If Ahn Jeong-mi rejected Kim Ho¡¯s proposal, her enthusiasm would plummet.
And the aftermath of that would be her responsibility.
Just imagining this made Ahn Jeong-mi shiver slightly in fear.
In the end, after much deliberation, the decision Ahn Jeong-mi made was,
¡°Alright. Try the strategy battle with Kim Ho-nim.¡±
MAP: [Cave]
RULE: [Crystal] [Strong Enemy] [Weakened] [Double]
¡°Is this rule alright with you?¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi asked me.
She probably wanted to set a few more favorable rules for use, but since I temporarily left Dang Gyu-young¡¯s team, it had to be more difficult.
So this time, it ended with just [Weakened].
I nodded my head casually.
¡°Yes, it¡¯s fine.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Seo Ye-in also nodded her head lightly as if it didn¡¯t matter.
She looked at the teleportation portal, then stared intently at me.
Her gray eyes seemed to ask, ¡°When are we going in?¡±
She seemed unusually enthusiastic today.
Ahn Jeong-mi appeared to feel betrayed by Seo Ye-in¡¯s different demeanorpared to when they were alone.
However, she managed her expression professionally and bowed her head.
¡°Well then, good luck.¡±
With Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s encouragement, we stepped into the teleportation portal.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
In the middle of the forest and right before our eyes stood arge cave.
Seo Ye-in nced at the cave briefly and then looked at me intently.
I pointed to the other side of the forest.
¡°Let¡¯s get the crystals first. I¡¯ll go this way, you go that way.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
We separated for a moment and then returned to our original spot with each one of us holding a crystal.
She followed my instructions well.
Our next destination without needing to say it was the cave.
¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
When Seo Ye-in and I walked for a while, the goblins wandering inside the cave spotted us.
¡°KerkK?¡±
¡°Krrk?¡±
Before they could even greet us properly, Seo Ye-in¡¯s automatic rifle spewed blue mes.
Tututututututututu!
¡°Kieeek.¡±
¡°Kehhek.¡±
Her shooting skills have improved.
It seemed like she was firing randomly, but there was no waste of magic bullets.
Each goblin was hit precisely between the eyes and fell.
Hearing the gunfire, a few more goblins peeked our way, but Seo Ye-in took them all down as well.
It seemed like everything was quiet for a moment but then,
¡°Kererk!¡±
¡°Kekek!¡±
A group of goblins swarmed towards us.
There were too many to take down one by one with an automatic rifle.
Seo Ye-in seemed to have the same thought, as her magic rifle began to disassemble and reassemble itself.
Watching the partse together on their own, I asked,
¡°Shotgun?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
While the magic gun she used before mentoring went back and forth between a dual pistol and a sniper rifle, this one went back and forth between an assault rifle and a shotgun.
I had seen it in the rey of her match against Kwak Ji-cheol.
Switching to a shotgun now was probably to take out the group of goblins in one shot.
However, since it was currently being reassembled, Seo Ye-in was effectively unarmed.
¡°It would be good to have a secondary weapon to use when your hands are tied like now.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in nodded her head slightly.
I think she might pester the butler about it when we got back.
In any case, it was my job to buy time until the reassembly wasplete, so I lifted Root and pointed forward.
Whoosh¡ª
The levitation zone imbued in Root created a slight upward current and I cast Wind Force upward.
The charging goblins floated up and crashed their heads into the ceiling or stctites.
Whoosh¡ª
Just before the floating goblins began to descend, a whirlwind blew towards them and started pulling them together.
¡°Kek, Kekek?¡±
¡°Kieek!¡±
They struggled but it was impossible for F-rank monsters to resist a C¡Àrank wind spell.
As a result, they ended up clumped together like a rice ball.
At that moment, Seo Ye-in¡¯s magic rifle finished reassembling.
When Seo Ye-in pointed the shotgun forward and pulled the trigger,
Boom¡ª!
A burst of magic bullets scattered before obliterating the goblin cluster.
Hearing themotion, more goblins swarmed out from inside but their fate was no different.
Boom¡ª!
I gathered the goblins with Twister and Seo Ye-in took them out with the shotgun.
After we repeated this process a few times as we advanced, the surroundings gradually grew brighter.
This meant the sanctuary was near.
¡°A rifle would be better against the ogre.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in obediently switched the shotgun to a rifle at my suggestion.
After continuing to advance while asionally shooting magic bullets at the goblins that popped out, we soon saw a stone pir glowing with bright light.
Nearby, an ogre was crouched with its back to us.
In my first attempt, Kwak Ji-cheol had unnecessarily shaken the cave which caused the ogre toe out, but usually, it waited near the sanctuary even if it heard somemotion.
Weeing¡ª
As we approached a bit closer, the sanctuary and the crystal were connected by a thick beam of light.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Crystal: 1%]
¡°It¡¯s me first again.¡±
¡°¡Grr?¡±
Soon, the ogre slowly turned its head following the beam of light.
When it discovered me, its face twisted and it slowly picked up the club lying next to it and rose from its position.
¡°Grooo¡¡±
I asked Seo Ye-in while keeping my eyes fixed on the ogre.
¡°You remember when we went to the game center in the downtown area, right?¡±
¡°Gunslinger Adventure.¡±
¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s do it just like we did there.¡±
¡°Jump?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. Jump.¡±
Today, we were going to go over what she learned.
Chapter 143: 8th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (5)
Chapter 143: 8th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (5)
Seo Ye-in was in the Marksman ss.
As a long-range dealer, her destructive power was strong at a single point but she didn¡¯t have any control skills.
At least not yet.
Therefore, I offered advice that matched Seo Ye-in¡¯s tendencies.
¡°The heart is a weak point, but for now, aim for the legs.¡±
¡°Got it.¡±
We watched the ogre thundering toward us.
As it got closer, its arm that was wielding the club pulled back and its stance lowered.
So the next action we needed to take was,¡°When I count to three, we jump. 1, 2, 3.¡±
¡°Jump.¡±
I grabbed Seo Ye-in¡¯s arm and we leaped into the air at the same time.
In the next moment, the thick club swept across the ground where we had stood.
While we were in mid-air, I gently pushed Seo Ye-in¡¯s arm and she glided through the air as if riding the wind.
The moment shended a short distance away, her magic gun spewed blue mes.
The first targets were the goblins lurking around us who were looking for an opportunity.
They had to be dealt with first since they could pose a variable threat.
Tutututututututu!
¡°Keerk.¡±
¡°Keek.¡±
The goblins were struck by magic bullets and went flying.
Of course, there was the minor drawback that I had to run around alone without any help during this time.
Seo Ye-in¡¯s random matching partner would have probably been knocked out by the ogre¡¯s attacks by now, but it wasn¡¯t difficult for me.
I had managed well even when Kwak Ji-cheol floundered.
Tutututututut!
Another difference between Seo Ye-in and Kwak Ji-cheol was that her speed in dealing with the goblins was on another level.
Thanks to that, the time I had to run around alone was greatly reduced.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Crystal: 28%]
Soon after Seo Ye-in had taken down all the goblins within sight, she aimed her gun at the ogre.
I had told her to aim for either the heart or the legs, and the ogre was currently showing its back to Seo Ye-in while chasing me.
And so the magic bullets concentrated on its legs.
Tutututututut!
¡°Groooar¡¡±
It lifted its leg and shook it as if to say, ¡°Ouch, that hurts.¡±
While it hadn¡¯t even flinched at Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s dirt bullets, it clearly showed pain now.
Even so, its hide was so thick that inflicting fatal damage or bringing it down was still a long way off.
The ogre which had paused briefly to shake its leg resumed its attack.
It lunged nimbly and swung its hand to grab me.
However, since I had anticipated this and retreated, its hand narrowly missed me.
When it raised its club to strike down, magic bullets thudded into it.
Tutututututut!
¡°Groooar¡¡±
While it twisted in pain, I quickly dodged.
Great.
Unlike Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s earth-type magic, which was crude, Seo Ye-in¡¯s attacks had enough destructive power to cause the ogre pain and often disrupt its movements.
Thanks to this, dodging has be much easier for me.
[Crystal: 74%]
The crystal was quickly charging as well.
I continued to dodge the ogre¡¯s club, punches, and kicks before I spoke to Seo Ye-in.
¡°It¡¯ll be your turn soon. Get ready.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Tutututututut!
Seo Ye-in nodded her head slightly and continued to fire the magic gun in rapid session.
The blue bullets persistently struck the ogre¡¯s leg.
¡°Groooar¡¡±
It seemed that concentrating our attacks paid off, as the ogre began to limp awkwardly at times.
Its movement speed also appeared to be slightly reduced.
The victory of persistence.
When I looked closely, there were small wounds on its legs.
Its hide was so thick that I hadn¡¯t expected them to pierce it, but Seo Ye-in had managed that difficult task.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Crystal: 100%]
sh!
Soon, the crystal I held was filled with red light.
The sanctuary then began supplying energy to Seo Ye-in¡¯s blue crystal.
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
[Crystal: 1%]
¡°Grooar?¡±
At that moment, the ogre lost interest in me, turned around, and charged towards Seo Ye-in.
Seo Ye-in aimed her gun straight at the ogre, which was rapidly closing the distance.
Since they were facing each other directly, she aimed for its heart.
Tutututututut!
¡°Grooar!¡±
As the bullets struck near its heart, the ogre showed even more signs of pain.
It raised its arms to block and continued charging while swinging its club.
Whooosh!
Seo Ye-in kept firing until thest moment, then used her Feather Walk to dodge out of the club¡¯s range.
She also narrowly avoided the ogre¡¯s follow-up punch by stepping aside a few paces.
But unlike me, she reacted in the moment rather than predicting and moving ahead, so she had less leeway.
As the ogre¡¯s attacks continued, she was increasingly driven into a corner.
I gave instructions to Seo Ye-in.
¡°When I count to three, use Feather Walk and jump. 1, 2, 3. Jump.¡±
¡°Jump.¡±
Seo Ye-in lightly kicked off the ground and jumped high to avoid the ogre¡¯s swinging club.
Just when it reached out to grab her in mid-air,
Whooosh¡ª!
A sudden strong wind blew.
Riding the wind, Seo Ye-in flew a great distance andnded beside me.
This synergy is quite effective.
Feather Walk which makes the user¡¯s body as light as a featherbined with Wind Force which moves targets with physical force.
The synergy between these two skills was incredibly effective, as demonstrated just now.
¡°Grooar?¡±
The ogre was momentarily confused when its target, which it thought was within reach, suddenly flew far away but it soon charged towards Seo Ye-in again.
She faced it head-on, aimed her gun, and fired magic bullets in rapid session.
Having sessfully targeted its legs before, it seemed she believed the heart would be no different.
Tutututututut!
The ogre advanced and took the magic bullets head-on.
When Seo Ye-in who was dodging the ogre¡¯s club strikes and massive hand was once again cornered,
¡°Jump now.¡±
¡°Jump.¡±
Whooosh¡ª!
Wind Forcebined with Feather Walk.
She must have gotten used to it by now, and Seo Ye-in soared smoothly on the wind.
¡°Jump again.¡±
¡°Jump.¡±
As she continued to y tag in a simr pattern,
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
[Crystal: 76%]
Before long, Seo Ye-in¡¯s crystal charge was also nearlyplete.
If she kept repeating what she was doing, we would clear it without any problems.
However, Seo Ye-in somehow looked unsatisfied.
Then she asked me,
¡°Can I try the shotgun?¡±
She meant that since the ogre wasn¡¯t going down well with the assault rifle, she wanted to give the shotgun a try.
There was no need to fight, and using the shotgun meant attacking from a closer distance and taking on unnecessary risks.
But I was pleased with the attempt itself.
When is the most rewarding and joyful moment for a stagnant water?
It¡¯s when a newbie starts to be a stagnant water too.
So I decided to support Seo Ye-in as she wished, to help her be a stagnant water.
¡°Sure, go ahead, give it a try.¡±
As soon as I gave my permission, the magic gun began disassembling and reassembling itself.
¡°Grooo!!¡±
Seeing this sight, the ogre must have instinctively sensed something was amiss and its movements became faster and more intense.
The ogre threw away the club it had been using well and attacked with its two arms.
When Seo Ye-in dodged one hand reaching out to grab her, the other hand came down as well.
Dodging a palm led to a fist swinging, and avoiding a fist resulted in the entire arm sweeping the ground. The attacks wereing relentlessly.
But Seo Ye-in danced through the attacks with Feather Walk.
I was a bit surprised while watching her.
Is her skill improving too quickly?
When the charge level was low, there would be moments when she would struggle and I would save her with Wind Force. But now, after a few repetitions, she could dodge well enough without my help.
Her skill was improving in real-time.
Click,
Finally, the shotgun was reassembled.
One of Seo Ye-in¡¯s hands glowed blue as she filled it with magic bullets.
Seeing this, the ogre seemed to sense it was the final moment and threw its entire body forward with its fist extended.
¡°Groooar!¡±
I blocked its path and extended my staff forward.
A dark cloud and a fierce whirlwind wrapped around it.
When the ogre¡¯s fist collided with my staff,
¡°Groooar!?¡±
Instead of turning me into a bloody pulp as expected, the fist¡¯s trajectory veered widely to the side.
As a result of this missed blow, the ogre was left with a huge gap, and Seo Ye-in seized the opportunity and leaped lightly into the air.
She aimed the shotgun at the ogre¡¯s chest and pulled the trigger.
Boom¡ª!
A burst of magic bullets poured out.
When it took the direct hit, the ogre¡¯s movements stopped for the first time then it staggered back.
¡°Groooan¡¡¡±
It regained its bearings and tried to rejoin the battle, but unfortunately, it seemed like the continuation would have to wait for another time.
[Crystal: 100%]
Seo Ye-in¡¯s crystal was fully charged.
sh!
A burst of intense light spread from the sanctuary and covered the entire area. In the next moment, the ogre and goblins vanished without a trace.
Soon, a notification window appeared in a corner of my vision and the calctions for our score started.
[Kim Ho 100%]
[Seo Ye-in 100%]
[Average Health 100/100% = 800 points]- [Number of goblins defeated: 138 = 34 points]
- [Clear bonus = 200 points]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª
[Total score: 1,034 points]- Ground floor dungeon multiplier 0.8 = 827 points
Thanks to finishing with a perfect game, the dungeon score exceeded 1,000 points.
Naturally, I surpassed the maximum achievement rate of 90% for the side quest.
I was very satisfied with the result.
¡°It¡¯s over now. Good job.¡±
I was about to raise my hand for a high-five.
¡°¡¡¡±
But Seo Ye-in looked at me intently and extended one arm.
As I quietly looked down at her arm, she started to shake it slowly.
I seriously pondered what this could mean, and then suddenly, something came to my mind so I asked her.
¡°You want me to throw you?¡±
¨C Nod,
It seemed she had developed a liking for it after a few throws.
It wasn¡¯t a particrly difficult request, so there was no reason to refuse.
I grabbed Seo Ye-in¡¯s arm and cast Wind Force and then I threw her as if pushing.
Whoosh¡ª
Seo Ye-in arced through the air andnded far away.
Then she came back and extended her arm again.
¡°¡Again?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
I was only able to leave the dungeon after I threw Seo Ye-in three more times.
TN: So cute
Chapter 144: 8th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (6)
Chapter 144: 8th Week Mentoring and Strategy Battle (6)
After ying the game of throwing Seo Ye-in a few times anding outside, Ahn Jeong-mi who had been waiting greeted us.
¡°Kim Ho-nim, young miss. You two worked hard.¡±
She was polite and businesslike as always, but there was an emotion in her eyes that could not be hidden.
A perfect game against an ogre.
Not even 1% damage was allowed.
Even though the ogre was weakened, this was an encouraging result in her eyes.
It could be considered the best record for a first-year student.
Of course, the scores were impressive but there was another reason why Ahn Jeong-mi was so moved.
¡°Your teamwork was truly outstanding.¡±Seo Ye-in who had never even nced at her partners before worked perfectly with me.
When I was charging the crystal, she quickly dealt with the goblins that were in the way and focused her attacks on the ogre¡¯s legs to restrain it.
And when she was charging, she made full use of my support to evade the ogre¡¯s attacks.
¡°Seems like there was a reason Kim Ho-nim rmended Feather Walk.¡±
The synergy between Feather Walk and Wind Force was particrly impressive. This allowed Seo Ye-in to be swiftly moved out of danger so that she could adjust her position for a better shot.
Seeing such unexpected efficiency must have made Ahn Jeong-mi who had diligently taught this Feather Walk even more satisfied.
In many ways, she must have thought it was a good decision to allow this temporary pairing between us.
For now, this much is enough.
There was another purpose for the temporary pairing with Seo Ye-in.
It was to address theck of motivation in thiszy girl.
I spoke in a casual tone.
¡°But we still couldn¡¯t finish off the ogre. Such a shame.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Seo Ye-in stared at me intently.
She must have been curious.
If we had continued fighting after the critical hit with the shotgun at thest moment, would we have been able to bring it down?
Soon, Seo Ye-in gently tugged at my sleeve.
¡°Do it again.¡±
To borate on what was omitted in her words, she meant going back into the dungeon and taking on the ogre properly.
However, I slowly shook my head.
¡°Let¡¯s call it a day for now.¡±
As unfortunate as it was, Seo Ye-in and I were only a temporary pair.
Since it was about time for Kwak Ji-cheol toe to his senses, I should continue practicing with him.
After all, my agreement with Dang Gyu-young was to just score points ande back.
¡°¡¡±
The grip on my sleeve gradually weakened.
A half disappointed and half sulking emotion could be barely seen in her expressionless face.
I let out a bitter smile and said,
¡°Today isn¡¯t the only day. You know this is also part of the midterm scope, right?¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°The ogre will appear again.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
And when that happens, the ogre won¡¯t disappear even after the crystal charges.
When Seo Ye-in was intrigued and looked at me, I suggested,
¡°Practice a lot in advance. Dodge a lot and hit a lot.¡±
The more she practices, the more proficient she will be at evading and that will make it easier to find the right timing to attack.
The more she gets used to hitting the weak spots, the faster we can deplete the ogre¡¯s health.
Seo Ye-in nodded her head.
¡°Okay.¡±
The motivation that had been at rock bottom all along started to swell.
And Ahn Jeong-mi who had been watching us couldn¡¯t hide her admiration.
She exchanged a look with me.
¨C So there was such a clever trick¡!
¨C I told you I¡¯d find a way.
¨C Thank you.
¨C Consider the debt repaid with this.
Thanks to Ahn Jung-mi¡¯s performance art, I was able to skillfully finish the cookie-shaping challenge and this was my way of repaying her.
Moreover, if Seo Ye-in approached the mentoring with enthusiasm, that would be good for me too and I would be killing two birds with one stone.
The results of our training will be confirmed during the midterms.
Since we achieved perfect scores in the strategy battle, I easily surpassed the highest side quest achievement of 90%.
Side Quest: 8th Week Strategy Battle
?Objective: Clear the strategy battle dungeon
?Achievement: Average Health: 100/90%
?Rewards will be enhanced.
[Please select your reward.]
?Wind Cutter
?Shooting Star
?One Point Explosion
Wind Cutter was a wind attribute attack skill that shed enemies with sharp gusts of wind.
Being a simple type of skill, it could be seamlessly linked with various wind skills making it reliably effective.
Shooting Star was a non-attribute attack skill that struck enemies with arge star-shaped mass of mana.
The main star was just a simple projectile, but it would split into smaller stars upon hitting the target or while flying and scatter in all directions.
Since it was impossible to know where the small stars would fly, it was somewhat difficult to deal with.
And then there was the highly anticipated One Point Explosion.
It was a non-attribute skill that pointed to a point in the air and instantlypressed and exploded mana which dealt damage.
Additionally, the reason this skill was a crucial piece of Spiral Explosion was,
Ignore Defense.
Depending on the rank of the ¡°One Point Explosion¡± skill, it could ignore a certain percentage of the enemy¡¯s defense mechanism and inflict damage.
This trait would be fully applied to the future Spiral Explosionbo as well.
Therefore, there was no need to hesitate about what to choose.
[Acquired ¡®One Point Explosion¡¯.]
It wasn¡¯t toote to consider other things afterpleting the Spiral Explosion.
Now, just one piece remained for it to bepleted.
I just needed to learn one more skill.
Of course, there was still quite a bit of time left until that opportunity woulde,
I should raise my rank in the meantime.
By making good use of the mentoring event.
I returned to where my team members were.
Kwak Ji-cheol had regained his consciousness, but he was still sprawled out in one corner.
Song Cheon-hye and Hong Yeon-hwa had also finished their first challenge and were outside, but their mood didn¡¯t look very good at a nce.
The reason was obvious¡ªit was likely because the results of their first challenge had fallen short of their expectations.
Still, I thought it would be best to hear it directly from them, so I called over Song Cheon-hye who was the closest.
¡°Genie of themp, genie of themp,e over here for a moment.¡±
¡°!!¡±
Since winning three wish tickets from ourst bet, I have been calling Song Cheon-hye ¡°Genie of themp¡± instead of her name.
Knowing this, Song Cheon-hye¡¯s face quickly turned red as she nced around nervously.
As a member of the disciplinarymittee, it wouldn¡¯t do her any good if it became known that she had been betting with other students.
It would be even worse if it got out that she had lost so many times that I had umted three wish tickets.
So, Song Cheon-hye hurriedly dragged me to a corner.
¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll call you whatever I want. If you don¡¯t like it, then win.¡±
¡°There are plenty of other nicknames. Why ¡®Genie of themp¡¯?¡±
¡°Really? Should I change it if you don¡¯t like it? Maybe I¡¯ll use a wish ticket.¡±
¡°¡On second thought, I think ¡®Genie of themp¡¯ is quite nice.¡±
Song Cheon-hye quickly backed down.
The thought of me using a wish ticket to give her a strange nickname and call her that in front of others?
Just imagining it made her shudder.
Realizing she had no chance on this topic, Song Cheon-hye swiftly changed the subject.
¡°Why did you call me?¡±
¡°What¡¯s with the mood? Didn¡¯t go well?¡±
¡°¡As you can see.¡±
¡°You guys tried to take down the ogre, didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°How did you know?¡±
When Song Cheon-hye asked in surprise, I responded nonchntly.
¡°Both of you are quite skilled, and you have a sense of rivalry with each other.¡±
So instead of cooperating, they probably just tried to take it down andpare who did the most damage.
Also, it would be less troublesome than running around charging the crystal, and there would be bonus points.
So the two of them must havepetitively unleashed their magic, but
¡°It was oddly tough. It should¡¯ve been weakened and yet ¡¡±
¡°Not as easy to take down as you thought?¡±
Song Cheon-hye narrowed her eyes as if she was sensing something in my tone.
¡°You¡¯re implying you knew it would be like this.¡±
¡°I came up with a hypothesis.¡±
Of course, calling it a hypothesis was just a way of exining it¡ªit was really based on experience.
If she hears everything and asks, ¡°How did you know that?¡±, it would be bothersome to exin further, so Iid the groundwork in advance.
¡°The rank does drop due to the [Weakened] rule, but it seems not all stats drop evenly.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
For example, attack-rted abilities such as speed and destructive power have been significantly reducedpared to the original Ogre, but its high defense and health have remained almost the same.
In other words, while it had be much easier to dodge its attacks, taking it down was still difficult.
Song Cheon-hye seemed to have felt something simr, so she didn¡¯t dismiss my words as nonsense but appeared to beparing them with her own experience.
¡°This needs more verification, but it¡¯s certainly possible. So, do you think the ogre can¡¯t be defeated?¡±
¡°Well, that depends on how it¡¯s done.¡±
For this week, the methods to defeat the ogre were very limited.
The fact that its health remained the same was a problem, but there was also an unexpected time limit.
Like the strategy battle where Seo Ye-in had just scored points, once the crystal charging wasplete, the ogre would disappear during the battle.
There were two main ways to solve this problem.
One, keep moving out of the sanctuary¡¯s range to reset the crystal charging and extend the time.
Two, use a skill with power far exceeding the first-year level, like Inferno Fist.
In other words, there was no other way to defeat it.
So, what I wanted to say was,
¡°Rather than focusing on something uncertain, wouldn¡¯t it be better to first master the basics?¡±
Competing with Hong Yeon-hwa on who was stronger couldeter.
That could be done after both had avoided well and charged their crystals.
Song Cheon-hye cleared her throat, perhaps feeling a little ufortable.
¡°Hmm, hmm. That¡¯s true. Thanks for the advice.¡±
¡°Make sure to talk it out with Hong Yeon-hwa.¡±
¡°Will do. By the way, it must be tough for you too.¡±
Our eyes turned to one ce at the same time.
To Kwak Ji-cheol, who had just managed to stand up.
Song Cheon-hye hadn¡¯t yet fully grasped my skills, but she seemed to acknowledge that I was good at dodging and escaping.
Since I had easily defeated Jo Byeok, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues against the ogre either.
On the other hand, Kwak Ji-cheol was just a burden.
Moreover, with the rule of two crystals, even if one person was exceptionally good, it would be hard to seed if the other couldn¡¯t hold their own.
So in Song Cheon-hye¡¯s view, it looked like I would suffer along with him.
This was also why Dang Gyu-young had said the pairing wasn¡¯t bnced when she teamed us up.
I shrugged as if it didn¡¯t matter.
¡°He¡¯ll improve after taking some hits, right?¡±
¡°Aaaah¡ª!¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s scream echoed.
The next moment, a club as big as a person¡¯s body came crashing down at him at a terrifying speed.
Smash,
[Kwak Ji-cheol: ¨C %]
[Crystal: 17%]
The second attempt also ended in a miserable failure.
Kwak Ji-cheol became unable to fight and was expelled from the dungeon, while Dang Gyu-young revealed herself by releasing her stealth.
¡°No improvement. I wonder if he¡¯ll just keep getting knocked down.¡±
¡°He won¡¯t be down forever.¡±
The other team members were exceptionally skilled, but even Kwak Ji-cheol had a score in the 600s.
In a ce where future hero candidates gathered, having mid-level skills still meant he had basicpetence.
So, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he realized he couldn¡¯t go on like this.
How many more hits he would take from the ogre until then was anyone¡¯s guess.
Dang Gyu-young seemed to have a simr thought and she decided to observe for now.
Then she asked me,
¡°What about you now?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll just finish what I was doing.¡±
Skill training.
In the first attempt, Kwak Ji-cheol was rendered unable to fight and I looked for a new pair, but since the side quest was cleared, that was no longer necessary.
Continuing like this would suffice.
I flung Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s crystal to the other side of the cave.
As the distance between the crystal and the sanctuary increased, the connection was cut off and the charge quickly diminished.
[Crystal: 11%]
[Crystal: 6%]
[Crystal: 1%]
Unless the crystal was retrieved and recharged, this strategy session would continue endlessly.
In other words, it meant I could y a never-ending game of tag with the ogre.
¡°Grr?¡±
The ogre was oblivious to its imminent future and just let out a dumbfounded cry as it stared at the direction the crystal flew.
When I pointed at that guy with Root, mana the size of a fist gathered around its waist and started graduallypressing into a smaller and smaller form.
The mass of manapressed into a tiny sky-blue dot and then,
Boom!
It exploded right there.
¡°Grr¡¡±
The ogre twisted its waist in apparent pain.
On closer inspection, a small wound was left near its waist.
A shell that Seo Ye-in had barely pierced with her magic bullets had been punctured with just one use of an F-rank spell.
Of course, in terms of sheer power, the one point explosion skill was far inferior to a gunslinger¡¯s shot, but
It has armor-piercing ability.
¡°Grr¡¡±
Thanks to inflicting this wound, the fact that I was the enemy seemed to be firmly imprinted in the ogre¡¯s mind.
The creature charged at me while swinging its club wildly.
I leisurely stepped aside before pointing directly at it again.
Once again, mana gathered,pressed, and exploded.
Boom!
Chapter 145: No.640 Great Eagle Escort Agency (1)
Chapter 145: No.640 Great Eagle Escort Agency (1)
[The rank of ¡®One Point Explosion¡¯ has increased. F -> E]
This event is really great.
It ranked up less than a day after I learned it.
My proficiency was already quite high, and with the mentoring event bonus and the final week¡¯s additional bonus, the growth speed of my skill was incredible.
And if I were to use the ogre as a punching bag all week, I could expect to reach D-rank, or maybe even C rank.
One important goal was now set in motion,
I turned my attention to the next goal. That was dealing with the swordsmanship club.
The method I chose to calm their anger was to offer rewards.
To obtain those rewards, I need to go down to the underground dungeon.So I ced a guide request for Shin Byeong-cheol and handed over a strategy guide to Go Hyeon-woo.
Late at night,
I met the two of them in front of the dungeon building.
Shin Byeong-cheol rubbed his hands together and a businesslike smile was stered across his face.
¡°Ah, our valued customers have arrived~¡±
¡°Shin-hyung.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo replied with his usual smile.
Since we had done this several times before, we moved smoothly without needing Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s exnation.
We put on the Anonymous badges, swapped our tie pins for the second-year ones, and descended the underground stairs.
Shin Byeong-cheol led the way while checking for any dangers ahead.
He nced over his shoulder and asked me,
¡°We¡¯re going into a linked dungeon, right?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
Most dungeons had independent stories and goals.
However, some dungeons featured a connected story, like how the connection with the priest at the [Feathered Serpent Altar] continued into the [Feathered Serpent Temple].
The dungeon we were about to enter went a step further; not only was the story connected, but the strategy used in the previous dungeon directly affected the next one.
That¡¯s why it was called a ¡°linked dungeon¡±.
Shin Byeong-cheol asked again,
¡°You¡¯re entering one today, and the next one?¡±
¡°Wednesday or Thursday night. I¡¯d prefer to tackle it Wednesday night if possible.¡±
Since the swordsmanship club could contact us at any time, it was best to secure useful cards quickly.
I gave Go Hyeon-woo a look and he responded,
¡°I¡¯ll make time whenever Kim-hyung wants.¡±
¡°Then, should we schedule it for Wednesday?¡±
At Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s question, we both nodded at the same time.
Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s tone then subtly changed.
¡°But, dear customers, I mean, dear hyung-nims, may I say something?¡±
When Shin Byeong-cheol acted in this humble like manner, it meant he wanted something.
I decided to hear him out and replied in a haughty tone.
¡°Speak. Let us hear it.¡±
¡°Well, you see, I received a random box as my guide feest time, right?¡±
After the [Feathered Serpent Temple] dungeon, I gave Shin Byeong-cheol a D-rank random box as a reward.
However, since it was quite valuable for a single guide job, we had agreed he would take on several more unpaid requests in return.
These unpaid requests included the current and the next dungeon.
¡°Didn¡¯t a wooden cupe out of it?¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly it.¡±
However, the unfortunate thing was that the random box contained a [Feathered Serpent Tribe Wooden Cup (F)].
As a result, Shin Byeong-cheol would end up doing three dungeons for just one wooden cup. This was a very bad deal for him.
And mentioning this meant,
¡°You¡¯re saying you don¡¯t feel motivated to guide for just one wooden cup and you want to quit?¡±
¡°Oh, no, hyung-nim. Quit? I¡¯m not that much of an amateur.¡±
¡°Then?¡±
¡°I was just thinking, maybe a little incentive wouldn¡¯t hurt¡¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s voice trailed off.
In fact, choosing the random box over other rewards was Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s own decision, so even if I cut him off sharply, he had no grounds toin.
Still, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to owe him a bit.
Since I went to the underground dungeon once or twice every week during the strategy battle period, I would continue to need Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s help.
Moreover, for minor information gathering, it was convenient to use an errand center.
So I answered in a much softer tone.
¡°Well, we aren¡¯t that cold to each other. No need to be too harsh.¡±
¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying, hyung-nim.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll consider the incentive depending on how you do.¡±
¡°Just leave it to me, hyung-nim.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol walked ahead with a confident stride.
However, while Shin Byeong-cheol had be more skilled as a guide, there was no significant improvement in his abilities.
A skilled thief is still just a thief.
Still, tonight he didn¡¯t have to walk as much as before since the rank of the dungeon we were going to tackle was rtively lower than before.
The [Feathered Serpent Descent] series dungeons were between the 300s and 400s as a D-rank.
In contrast, our target tonight was a 600-level dungeon, which had an eptable level of difficulty even among E-rank dungeons.
So, we reached our destination after descending only a short distance.
[No.640] [Great Eagle Escort Agency]
Shin Byeong-cheol busily set up a few devices nearby to avoid detection.
Then he waved his hand and gestured for us to go.
¡°Take care, hyung-nims. I¡¯ll keep a good watch out here.¡±
¡°Okay. We¡¯ll be back.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll be back soon.¡±
As Go Hyeon-woo and I crossed the teleportation portal one after the other, the next moment, we found ourselves standing in a deserted alley.
We heard the sounds of lively chatter and activity from a not-too-distant ce, so we exchanged nces and looked that way.
¡°See you outside.¡±
¡°Good luck.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo walked out of the alley first at a leisurely pace.
Here, ¡°outside¡± referred not to the alley but to outside the dungeon.
We would try to avoid encountering each other as much as possible inside the dungeon, and if we did, we would pretend not to know each other.
Acting separately like this was the most efficient strategy for this dungeon and the subsequent linked dungeon.
The method we used would have been impossible without high trust between the two people involved in the strategy but,
I¡¯m sure he would do well.
I had no worries when it came to Go Hyeon-woo.
He had thoroughly familiarized himself with the key elements through the strategy guidebook and had followed instructions well in previous dungeons.
Moreover, what needed to be done in this dungeon was not asplicated as the Feathered Serpent Altar or the ck Death dungeon, so I did not expect any problems.
After Go Hyeon-woo disappeared, I waited a moment before leaving the alley myself.
As I followed the noisy sounds, I soon found myself in the marketce.
People flowed in one direction like a river.
Children weaved through the crowd like salmon as they yed tag.
Merchants were calling out to customers from their stalls.
And then,
Martial artists.
There were an unusuallyrge number of people carrying weapons.
In truth, martial artists were not rare even outside the dungeon and if you observed closely, you could usually spot one or two among the crowd.
But now, without even focusing, I could see at least two every time I turned my head.
Additionally, their appearances were varied and far from neat.
The uniforms of martial artists usually indicated their affiliations, so it was likely that these people were not bound to any particr group.
And indeed, they were.
Ronin.
These were people who wandered aimlessly from ce to ce without a clear purpose and offered their martial skills as needed.
And if one observed the ronin more closely, it would be clear that they were all converging toward one ce.
The central location of this dungeon.
The Great Eagle Escort Agency.
The goal of the dungeon was to participate in and achieve sess in the events unfolding there.
I too needed to arrive at the escort agency without dy but,
¡°I still have some time.¡±
Instead of arriving early and waiting around, it was better to use this time productively.
So, I quickly changed directions and moved swiftly to another location.
The ce I arrived at was a very ordinary-looking manor.
I leaped over the wall and looked inside, only to find it unusually quiet.
There were only a few workers cleaning with bored expressions on their faces.
The owner of the manor and those associated with him had coincidentally vacated the premises.
In fact, knowing they would be away was the reason I came here.
In other words, this is like robbing an empty house.
I watched a man sweeping the ground, and the moment he turned his back to me, I quietly dropped into the manor and moved swiftly.
My B+ rank Thief¡¯s Step greatly minimized any noise I made, and by staying within blind spots, no one noticed my presence even in broad daylight.
So I wandered around the manor as if it were my own home. I eventually discovered a room and stepped inside.
It was the lord¡¯s room.
At first nce, the room made one suspect the lord might be a schr.
Books were piled up everywhere, and on the walls, famous poems and ink paintings were disyed.
Even on the table, the ink hadn¡¯t dried, as if something had been written just moments ago.
Of course, it¡¯s all a lie.
I looked at the stack of books in one corner.
Moving those aside would reveal a secret passage.
However, I had no intention of poking around in the secret passage.
That way, I would suffer less in the linked dungeon.
Instead, I shifted my gaze to the ink painting hanging on the wall.
Really, what a terrible drawing.
Even if you handed a brush and ink to a novice calligrapher, they would do better than this.
However, the main reason I came here was precisely for this ink painting, so I rolled it up and put it in my inventory.
Next, I opened the drawer, which revealed a small pouch.
Inside, there were quite a few silver coins.
I¡¯ll take this too.
I was just about to run out of pocket money, so this was perfect timing.
If Dang Gyu-young saw this, she would be very pleased and say how I was such a model thief.
And she would hurry up with the club application form.
Anyway, now that gathered everything I needed, I casually retraced my steps and slowly left the manor.
I bought some jerky and a few snacks from the marketce, put them in my inventory, and returned to the starting point in the alley.
Then I chewed the beef jerky and started a fire.
Whoosh,
When the mes grewrge enough, I threw in the ink painting I had taken from the manor.
After watching the ink painting quickly turn ck and burn away, I extinguished the fire and sifted through the ashes.
A piece of paper caught my eye, and after brushing off the ash, I saw it was only slightly scorched at the edge.
[Piece of the Treasure Map (A)]
A piece of a treasure map was hidden within the ink painting.
Another piece of evidence that the Lord was not a schr.
It also indicated that possessing such a valuable item meant he was no ordinary person.
And the manor was no ordinary ce either.
A safe house.
And a hideout for some very bad people.
And the bad deeds they were nning were undoubtedly deeply connected to the heart of this dungeon, the Great Eagle Escort Agency.
The manor being empty a while ago was all part of their preparation.
Time to go.
As it was about time, I headed towards the Great Eagle Escort Agency.
Chapter 146: No.640 Great Eagle Escort Agency (2)
Chapter 146: No.640 Great Eagle Escort Agency (2)
As I followed the Ronin, I soon arrived in front of a huge building.
On the fluttering g was the image of an eagle spreading its wings in flight.
And on the que was written ¡°Great Eagle Escort Agency¡± in bold calligraphy.
I arrived right on time.
After entering through the wide-open front gate, I saw the escorts standing firmly in ce.
They didn¡¯t speak to guide us, but they blocked the areas where entry was prohibited, so they naturally led the ronin to one ce.
Following this flow, we arrived at the training hall.
Even though the area was quiterge, it was teeming with martial artists.
At a nce, it seemed there were more than a hundred of them.I also noticed Go Hyron-woo in the distance. Thanks to his unique charisma, he was already conversing with some of the martial artists around him.
He too noticed me and his eyes briefly lit up, but we pretended not to know each other ording to our strategy.
Also, even while he was talking, Go Hyeon-woo was carefully looking around and observing the faces of the people here.
The core of this strategy was to identify key or notable individuals.
Who used what weapon, who had exceptional skills, who was hiding their identity, and so on.
For example,
Like the two behind me.
¡°Does a young brat like you even eat Kalbap (sword rice)?¡±
When I turned my head toward the voice, I saw two ronin looking at me.
One had a sneaky rat-like appearance with whisker-like stubble.
So in our strategy guide, we gave him the nickname of ¡°Ratty¡±.
The other one had a sturdy build, but his droopy eyes and features gave him a constantly aggrieved look on his face.
Following his appearance, we gave him the nickname of ¡°Woeful¡±.
These two, Ratty and Woeful, seemed like the typicalckeys who get into trouble with the main character and end up getting a harsh lesson, but contrary to their first impression, they were actually kind-hearted fellows.
Their skills were fairly decent for Ronin.
And so, despite their somewhat provocative approach, my response was gentle.
¡°What can you do to survive? Even sword rice is better than nothing.¡±
¡°If you want to survive, why not work as a waiter in a guesthouse? Why risk your life at such a young age?¡±
Ratty¡¯s question was still blunt and seemed provocative, but it contained a hint of concern.
I sighed deeply and my expression turned dark.
¡°Haah¡ There are circumstances behind this. I can¡¯t go into detail, but I¡¯ve fallen out of favor with some very dangerous people.¡±
The swordsmanship club, whose members are essentially sword-wielding brothers and sisters are expected toe after me.
Although I caused this situation, the fact remains that I¡¯ve fallen out of favor with them.
When they heard this, Ratty and Woeful¡¯s expressions darkened as well.
Woeful who already looked aggrieved now looked twice as aggrieved and his face fell.
He muttered in that state.
¡°Hmm¡ You must have gotten entangled in the grudges of the martial world.¡±
¡°How did a young fellow like you¡ It¡¯s truly unfortunate.¡±
The two Ronin exchanged nces.
¡°If they¡¯re very dangerous people, they might be masters beyond our abilities. It¡¯s better not to get involved.¡±
¡°But how can we leave someone in need of help just like that?¡±
¡°Hmm¡ You have a point.¡±
It seemed that within their conversation, I had be a tragic main character.
To summarize what they¡¯ve said about me, my family is in ruins, I¡¯m separated from my loved ones, I¡¯m being chased by a gang of viins and I just managed to stumble into this escort agency.
After whispering with their heads together, the two soon reached a conclusion, and Ratty opened his mouth.
¡°There¡¯s nothing else we can do. We can¡¯t get directly involved since we¡¯re also in a difficult position, but we¡¯ll help as much as we can.¡±
¡°Thank you, great hero.¡±
I sessfully enlisted Ratty and Woeful as allies.
After formally introducing ourselves, I went from being a ¡°young brat¡± to being ¡°younger brother Kim¡±.
A momentter, the guards who had been standing rigidly at their posts began to move and firmly locked the main gate.
If someone doesn¡¯t keep the promised time, they are blocked from entering just like that.
Then, a middle-aged man slowly walked to the makeshift tform in front of the training hall.
From his attire, the guards¡¯ behavior towards him, and the aura he exuded, it was easy to deduce that he was the head of this escort agency.
The guard beside the tform was poised to beat a drum to draw attention, but it wasn¡¯t necessary.
The ronin gradually fell silent on their own and fixed their gazes on the head of the escort agency. Just like that, the noisy training hall started to quiet down.
Eventually, the head who was now standing on the tform scanned the audience and then spoke respectfully.
¡°Nice to meet you all. I am Jang Mo, the head of this Great Eagle Escort Agency.¡±
His tone was quite polite.
Usually, martial artists tend to look down on Ronin and would call them ¡°people with no roots¡±, ¡°those who would do anything for money¡±, or ¡°mayflies¡±.
However, now he had gathered these mayflies to ask for their help.
Additionally, since he didn¡¯t know if any skilled fighters were among the many ronin present here, his tone naturally became more respectful.
The head continued.
¡°The reason for gathering you all here today, as you may already know, is to seek your help with the uing escort mission.¡±
This was the core event and goal of the dungeon, the ¡°Temporary Escort Recruitment¡±.
At first nce, it was a difficult concept to grasp.
Why would such arge escort agency be short on hands and need to recruit escorts?
The answer could be inferred by closely observing the surroundings.
If one counted the escorts and leaders around the training hall, their numbers were surprisingly few. This didn¡¯t match the agency¡¯s grand scale.
There was no reason to deliberately station so few people at such an important moment, so it had to be assumed that only this many were left.
And why is this all that¡¯s left?
They all died.
Due to continuous attacks, most of the escorts had either died or were severely injured.
Despite this, the importance of the cargo was extremely high, and it needed to be transported to its destination quickly but,
He can¡¯t just say that.
It was not something he could openly reveal.
Since arge-scale escort agency like the Great Eagle Escort Agency had many enemies, any sign of their weakened state would immediately invite attacks.
From the clients¡¯ perspective, they would be hesitant to entrust new cargo to them.
Moreover, aside from practical reasons, admitting ¡°Our agency is in crisis¡± was a considerable blow to their pride.
So, as ast resort, they had offered arge reward to gather ronin which was the background for this temporary escort recruitment.
¡°Considering the importance of this mission, we have prepared a generous reward. However, since a difficult journey is expected, we sincerely hope that those with exceptional skills will assist us.
In simpler terms, it meant, ¡°Those who aren¡¯t skilled should back out now.¡±
The agency wasn¡¯t paying such high wages because they had excess money.
It is danger pay.
When transporting valuable items, there would be those who sought to steal them. It was inevitable.
The higher the importance, the stronger the opponents would be.
It was also a known fact that those who had previously attacked the escorts would likely strike again.
Therefore, the agency wanted to hire the most skilled individuals possible.
They needed those who could withstand the attacks or, at the very least, serve aspetent fighters.
The problem was that the training hall was teeming with hundreds of ronin.
They had to select a few skilled individuals from these people.
¡°We are grateful for such overwhelming support, yet at the same time, it is quite difficult to determine how to proceed.¡±
At that moment, a man with a goatee standing by the tform spoke up.
His appearance clearly said, ¡°I am the chief manager of the Great Eagle Escort Agency.¡±
¡°Head, I have a good idea.¡±
¡°Speak.¡±
The chief manager looked at the ronin filling the training hall and began to speak.
¡°It would take more than a day or two to determine the best among those many warriors if we pair them up for duels.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
¡°And most of the battles that ur during the escort missions are not one-on-one but rather group fights and chaotic skirmishes.¡±
¡°That¡¯s usually the case.¡±
¡°So, how about we assume the same situation and determine the best through a chaotic melee?¡±
Although his introduction was long to justify his idea, it could be summarized as follows:
¡ªKeep fighting until only the strong ones remain.
After thinking for a moment in silence, the head of the agency asked the assembly,
¡°I think it¡¯s not a bad idea at all, but if anyone has objections or another n, please speak now.¡±
¨C Murmur, murmur¡
The murmuring in the hall grew louder.
As martial artists, fighting like street thugs in a gang brawl was not a pleasant thought.
But since simr fights could ur during escort missions, it was hard to dismiss the idea.
And what did it matter if they fought like street thugs?
They were being paid handsomely.
While an ordinary martial artist might have second thoughts about this, a ronin couldn¡¯t afford to miss such a good opportunity.
As a result, only a few warriors who found this method uneptable left while the rest stayed.
The head continued,
¡°Then, since there are no further objections, we will proceed. Bring the wooden swords.¡±
At hismand, the guards brought wooden swords and other training weapons. Then they started distributing them to the ronin.
Though they were testing their skills, they couldn¡¯t use real des, and injuries from stray swords were likely in a chaotic melee.
Ratty grabbed dual swords; Woeful took a long wooden sword fitting hisrge frame, and I took a short wooden sword.
Next, the guards drew arge circle in the middle of the training hall and made the ronin step inside.
To prevent them from running wildly or leaving the hall, they restricted the area from the start.
The head of the agency summarized these preparations,
¡°You may use any method you wish. However, if you be unable to fight or are pushed out of the ring, you will be considered eliminated. This melee will continue until a suitable number of participants remain.¡±
¡°¡¡¡¡±
¡°Let me give you onest piece of advice. Our escort agency does not want anyone to get hurt. We also cannot take responsibility for any injuries, so so please voluntarily step down if you feel overwhelmed.¡±
Even if you survive, severe injuries will prevent you from joining the escort mission anyway, so it is better to withdraw unscathed if things seem unfavorable.
If you get hurt and cannot participate in the mission, you will suffer significant losses.
Tension spread among the ronin as they began to exchange fierce looks with each other.
Amidst this, Ratty and Woeful took positions on either side of me as if to protect me.
¡°Stay close to us, young brother Kim.¡±
¡°Yes, brothers.¡±
We had already be like brothers.
Once everyone was in position, the head of the agency gave the order.
¡°Begin.¡±
Then a guard sounded the drum with all his might.
Bang¡ª!
Chapter 147: No.640 Great Eagle Escort Agency (3)
Chapter 147: No.640 Great Eagle Escort Agency (3)
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Even though the drums were pounding, silence lingered in the training hall for a while.
Everyone was busy darting their eyes left and right. They were wary of each other.
However, the standoff didn¡¯tst long.
¡°Yiaaah¡ª!¡±
One Ronin who was unable to hold back swung his wooden sword at the person next to him.
The Ronin beside him blocked the attack with his own wooden sword and counterattacked.
The sound of wood shing echoed in the hall.¨C Thwack, thwack!
The one who initiated the attack must have picked someone who seemed easy enough, but once they shed, the difference in skill was clear.
So he ended up t on the ground after only a few exchanges.
And that became the spark for the battle.
Whooooosh¡ª!
The Ronin began swinging their wooden swords wildly without any particr order.
The quiet training hall was quickly filled with shouts, screams, and the sound of wooden swords shing.
Meanwhile, our trio took positions near the edge of therge circle.
Though there was the risk of being easily pushed out, there was the advantage of not being surrounded on all sides.
Especially since Ratty and Woeful were guarding my sides,
I feel reassured.
¡°Hiyah!¡±
Several Ronin, thinking they had many ces to strike due to Woeful¡¯srge frame, charged at him.
In response, the veins on Woeful¡¯s thick arms bulged as he tightened his grip and swung his wooden sword at a terrifying speed.
Though the opponents swung their wooden swords first, Woeful¡¯s strikesnded faster.
This meant he had incredible speed and destructive power.
Crack! Crack!
The Ronin fell one by one with each strike.
With the chilling sound of something breaking.
Ratty also skillfully handled the approaching enemies.
He deflected their attacks with one wooden sword, and he jabbed them in the sr plexus with the other.
As the attackers were quickly dealt with, the Ronin hesitated for a moment, then one of them thought I looked easy and swung his wooden sword at me.
¡°Oh.¡±
I pretended to be surprised and deflected his strike, then I lightly pushed the back of the Ronin who was passing by.
Compressed air exploded,
Bang,
And he was propelled forward a few steps by the force.
He spun around to attack me again but,
¨C Out of bounds!
The judge¡¯s shout made the guy look down and he found out that he had stepped outside the circle.
The judge restrained him and dragged him away as his face contorted with frustration.
The other Ronin began to target me more intensely, probably because I appeared to be the weakest.
Ratty and Woeful blocked them and said a few words.
¡°Younger brother Kim, be careful. We might not be able to help you all the way.¡±
¡°Stay close.¡±
¡°Yes, brothers. I will stay close.¡±
I looked at the two Ronin with a very tense face.
To be honest, I was looking at Go Hyeon-woo over their shoulders.
Swish!
Go Hyeon-woo swung his wooden sword diagonally.
The Ronin he was fighting tried to block it with his own wooden sword, but in the next instant, it was cleanly cut in half.
Seeing the sharp cut, the Ronin¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°But it was definitely a wooden sword against a wooden sword¡¡±
¡°Do you want more?¡±
¡°No, young hero, I mean great hero.¡±
And then after lowering his gaze, he left the circle as if fleeing.
¨C Out of bounds!
Go Hyeon-woo swung his wooden sword at the next victim, and once again, it sliced the wooden sword in half.
He¡¯s doing well.
There were three instructions I gave to Go Hyeon-woo through the strategy guide.
The first was to showcase overwhelming skill.
This was to imprint his strength on the Ronin and draw the attention of the security escort agency members.
This instruction was already starting to take effect, as the Ronin didn¡¯t dare to approach Go Hyeon-woo.
They instinctively realized that this was the way to survive longer.
Also, judging from the fact that the head of the agency and the other higher-ups were keeping a close eye on Go Hyeon-woo, thetter seems to have been sessful in following that instruction as well.
The second instruction was to ¡°leave only the skilled ones.¡±
This temporary escort recruitment and the chaotic meleepetition were part of the first half of the linked dungeon.
After selecting temporary guards here, the next linked dungeon would involve,
Setting off on a security escort mission.
In other words, I could choose the team to my liking from this spot.
Naturally, the more skilled people we retain, the easier the linked dungeon and escort mission would be.
Recruiting Ratty and Woeful from the beginning was part of this strategy.
I also mentioned the distinguishing features of the skilled Ronin in advance.
Therefore, what Go Hyeon-woo needed to do was,
Just avoid them.
The skilled ones would manage well on their own, so as long as there were no collisions between us, it would be fine.
Of course, he would have to respond if they attacked, like right now.
A man with a mantis-like appearance repeatedly thrust his wooden sword at Go Hyeon-woo.
He was one of the skilled individuals I mentioned, so it was best not to take him down.
So Go Hyeon-woo dodged subtly and raised his momentum at the decisive moment.
[Pure Flow]
Whoosh¡ª
Following a gentle breeze, the mantis-looking man¡¯s wooden sword missed and Go Hyeon-woo who was following the flow passed right by him.
¡°¡¡!¡±
The mantis-looking man was startled as he turned around but he was a moment toote.
If it had been a real battle, his head would have fallen the moment he turned his back on the enemy.
Realizing the difference in skill between them, he immediately shifted his attention to someone else.
And since this was intentional, Go Hyeon-woo also let him go.
Meanwhile, our side maintained a defensive stance like a turtle.
The Ronin who had assessed the skills of Ratty and Woeful through several earlier shes refrained from attacking.
Ratty who was protecting me spoke.
¡°Let¡¯s keep it this way.¡±
¡°Yes, brothers.¡±
Just like the head mentioned, the chaotic melee would continue until a reasonable number of people remained.
Therefore, it was more stable to endure and survive rather than wander around trying to take someone down.
We could also conserve our strength while waiting.
However, many of the Ronin seemed to have a simr idea and were spending time on the outskirts of the circle.
Let¡¯s have the riffraff exit now.
Whoosh¡ª!
Suddenly, a strong wind swept through the area.
¡°Huh, huh?¡±
¡°What kind of wind¡!¡±
Those with some skill tried to hold their ground, but the riffraff Ronin were helplessly pushed out of the circle.
The watching judge eliminated them en masse.
¨C Out of bounds! Out of bounds!
¡°The wind is strong today.¡±
¡°Be careful, brother Kim.¡±
I chatted casually with Woeful while ncing back at Go Hyeon-woo.
If the second order was to leave the skilled ones,
Thest and third order was the exact opposite.
Choose and take them down.
The targets were the attackers, or the instigators behind this temporary escort recruitment.
They had reduced the number of guards through sessive attacks. This forced the security agency to recruit Ronin.
Even at this moment, some were hiding among the Ronin in disguise.
If they caused chaos during the uing escort, the sess rate of the mission would plummet, so it was better to deal with them now.
Swoosh!
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s wooden sword emitted a sharp piercing sound as it struck the shoulder of a bearded Ronin.
¡°Argh!¡±
ncing at the bearded man who screamed and clutched his shoulder, Go Hyeon-woo immediately moved to his next target.
This time, the wooden sword broke the arm of a sideburned Ronin.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Since he had already fully grasped the entire situation, there was not an ounce of mercy in his actions.
He relentlessly broke the arms and legs of the fake Ronin, knowing fully well that leaving them would put us in danger.
¡°You!¡±
As Go Hyeon-woo tantly targeted the fake Ronin, some seemed to realize their cover was blown.
They revealed their hidden skills and tried to fight back, but even then, Go Hyeon-woo was a step ahead.
He deflected their counterattacks and also broke the arm of one of them.
However, since the circle was toorge for him to handle alone, it made sense for me to lend a hand.
Fortunately, I had just learned a skill that was perfect for this situation.
[Activate ¡®Amplification¡¯]
[The rank of the ¡®One Point Explosion¡¯ increased. (E->C)]
When I nced around, I saw a Ronin with caterpir-like eyebrows pushing his opponent back.
Just as he was about to deliver the final blow, mana gathered around his abdomen and then,
Boom,
It exploded right there.
The Ronin with caterpir eyebrows clutched his stomach and fell forward.
Suddenly, Ratty noticed his figure and asked,
¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±
¡°Maybe he ate something bad.¡±
Boom,
The next target also got hit directly in the stomach by the One Point Explosion skill.
The man who fell on his knees asked his opponent with whom he had just been fighting,
¡°Ugh¡ What kind of sorcery is this?¡±
¡°I¡ I don¡¯t know either.¡±
Confusion filled the faces of the two Ronin.
But I who was hidden between Ratty and Woeful continued casting One Point Explosion.
I knew it was cowardly, but
This too is for world peace.
As Go Hyeon-woo and I dealt with the fake Ronin, the skilled fighters who originally shed with them moved more freely within the circle.
As a result, the number of riffraff dwindled more quickly.
After a little more time passed, the once crowded circle became increasingly sparse, leaving only about a dozen people.
Those remaining had confirmed each other¡¯s abilities to some extent, so no one moved recklessly.
Bang¡ª!
At that moment, a drum sounded, signaling the end of the fight.
It was safe to say that those still in the circle had all been epted as temporary guards.
¡°¡¡.¡±
The head of the Great Eagle Security Agency stepped down from the tform and slowly walked toward us.
Eventually, he stopped in front of Go Hyeon-woo and let out a low exmation of admiration.
¡°You don¡¯t look more than twenty years old, but your skills are impressive, young man.¡±
¡°You tter me.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble, may I ask which sect you belong to?¡±
¡°The Heavenly Wind Gate.¡±
¡°Hmm¡ I haven¡¯t heard of it; my knowledge must be limited.¡±
As expected, skill was all that mattered in the martial world.
If a person with limited skills mentioned an unfamiliar sect name, they would have asked, ¡°Heavenly Wind Gate? Does such a sect even exist?¡±
However, since the opponent was Go Hyeon-woo, the head of the agency med his limited knowledge.
¡°I have a proposal for you.¡±
¡°Please, go ahead.¡±
Then, an expert who appeared to be at the level of a head guard silently took his ce next to the head of the agency.
The head gestured towards this expert with his eyes and continued speaking.
¡°Would you like to demonstrate a bit more of your skills? I promise you the authority and treatment of a head guard in this escort mission.¡±
If he overpowered the head guard, he would be treated as one.
Go Hyeon-woo revealed his skills and drew attention precisely to achieve this.
It will be much easier to manage a linked dungeon if you have the authority of a head guard rather than just a temporary guard.
From Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s perspective, there was no reason to refuse.
¡°I ept your proposal.¡±
Chapter 148: No.640 Great Eagle Escort Agency (4)
Chapter 148: No.640 Great Eagle Escort Agency (4)
When Go Hyeon-woo epted the proposal without a moment¡¯s hesitation, a satisfied smile appeared on the head of the agency¡¯s lips.
He then introduced the expert beside him.
¡°This is head guard Kang, one of the top experts among the head guards of the escort agency. It will be a good match for you.¡±
The head of the agency stepped aside, and head guard Kang immediately asked Go Hyeon-woo,
¡°Shall we use wooden swords?¡±
¡°I prefer a weapon I am ustomed to.¡±
¡°A satisfying answer. I feel the same.¡±
Head guard Kang took out the thick sword he had slung on his back, and Go Hyeon-woo also gripped his iron sword.
Although his main weapon was a magic sword, it shone too conspicuously with a golden glow.It was unusual for a ronin to possess such a valuable item.
So, he intended to make do with the iron sword.
It shouldn¡¯t break.
Since I made the [Durable Pen], the durability of his weapon has greatly improved.
The existing effect of [Weapon Damage Protection] had increased from F to C rank. This allowed the iron sword tost quite a while.
Also, there was no need to use grand techniques like ¡°Clear Stream¡± in such a duel.
The two men faced each other from a certain distance.
Head guard Kang spoke first.
¡°I would normally give the first move to my opponent, but against an expert like you, I might not get any chance at all. Here Ie.¡±
¡°Please, make your move.¡±
Head guard Kang advanced cautiously with his sword held forward.
In contrast, Go Hyeon-woo stood still while holding his iron sword in a middle guard position and simply watched him.
As the distance between them gradually closed,
¡°Hup!¡±
Head guard Kang stepped forward and shed diagonally with his sword.
Go Hyeon-woo also took half a step forward and brought his iron sword to meet the trajectory of head guard Kang¡¯s sword.
Contrary to the spectators¡¯ expectations that the two swords would collide, Head guard Kang¡¯s sword slipped past the iron sword and cut through empty air.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Head guard Kang¡¯s expression stiffened slightly as he retrieved his sword mid-swing and swung it again.
But once again, when Go Hyeon-woo lightly brought his iron sword to meet it, the trajectory changed slightly.
Head guard Kang retrieved his sword mid-swing and swung again.
Go Hyeon-woo subtly pushed his iron sword forward.
Their swords crossed and diverged.
As this repeated several times, the spectators showed mixed reactions.
¡°Why does he keep swinging and stopping, swinging and stopping?¡±
¡°Is this a duel or child¡¯s y?¡±
Those who said this were amateurs.
What they saw was head guard Kang swinging his sword halfway and stopping, and Go Hyeon-woo slowly bringing his iron sword to meet it.
All they saw were the weapons swinging in the air, so it seemed like child¡¯s y to them.
¡°¡¡.¡±
On the other hand, experts like the head of the agency and those above head guard¡¯s level watched the duel with serious eyes.
So did Ratty and Woeful.
¡°Truly impressive.¡±
¡°It seems the young man¡¯s skill is about a move or a move and a half ahead of his opponent.¡±
¡°I agree. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to deflect such fierce sword attacks so easily.¡±
Deflecting properly is more difficult than blocking or dodging.
It requires reading the enemy¡¯s attack urately and seizing a very brief moment.
Yet Go Hyeon-woo was deflecting each of head guard Kang¡¯s fierce attacks with ease. This only went to show his superior skill.
[Pure Flow].
It was Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s third technique that came right after Clear Stream and Rapid Current.
During the ck Death dungeon, it hadn¡¯t been properly refined, so he used his sword to withstand White Snake¡¯s techniques.
However, Go Hyeon-woo continued to polish this Pure Flow while receiving mentoring and used it decisively to defeat mid-bosses during the Feathered Serpent Temple.
Now, he seemed even more proficient than back then.
¡°Hmm¡¡¡±
Sweat beaded on head guard Kang¡¯s forehead.
Even though he unleashed all his strength in his attacks, he still hadn¡¯tnded a proper hit.
In contrast, Go Hyeon-woo maintained the same calm demeanor he had at the start while facing him.
The skill difference was so big that continuing the duel seemed pointless.
However, head guard Kang didn¡¯t seem ready to give up.
He retreated for the first time since the duel began. After widening the distance, he gathered his energy.
He then unleashed a series of rapid sword strikes.
Papapapaa!
Multiple sword energies converged, forming a-like shape as they came down upon him.
There was no doubt that this was head guard Kang¡¯s ultimate move.
¡°¡¡¡±
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s calm gaze also turned slightly more serious.
His whole body was about to be torn to pieces by the oing sword energies when he raised his sword to the middle and slowly moved forward.
[Rapid Current]
Swoosh¡ª
The gust of wind that followed added a sudden burst of speed.
As Go Hyeon-woo surged forward and swung his sword, the of sword energies was instantly cut into pieces.
Even after dismantling his opponent¡¯s attack, Go Hyeon-woo continued to rush forward and he only stopped right in front of head guard Kang.
The iron sword also stopped just an inch from his throat.
Head guard Kang looked down at the tip of the sword with trembling eyes, then tightly closed his eyes.
¡°¡I lost.¡±
It was an overwhelming victory for Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°Ah, wee back, everyone. Did you have a good run?¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol greeted us cheerfully as we exited the dungeon.
We responded with smiles and showed him the rewards we had received.
[Great Eagle Escort Agency Random Box (E)] *4
Go Hyeon-woo who secured the position of a head guard achieved the dungeon¡¯s maximum goal and received three random boxes.
I only managed to get a temporary guard position so I only received one.
Of course, since they were all E-rank random boxes, the rewards didn¡¯t matter much.
The more important thing was to use the groundworkid in this dungeon to tackle the next linked dungeon.
Go Hyeon-woo asked,
¡°So, will you be starting as the leader in that linked dungeon?¡±
¡°Yes. Your role is crucial.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo was set to be given the role of leading the participants, particrly the temporary escort groupposed of Ronin which would be his responsibility.
This had been anticipated, which is why I instructed Go Hyeon-woo to disy overwhelming martial strength.
That way, the Ronin would follow his lead without anyints.
Indeed, Ronin like Ratty, Woeful, and the mantis-like Ronin seemed deeply impressed by his skills.
Although the head intentionally avoided mentioning it, everyone sensed that the journey wouldn¡¯t end with just delivering goods to a certain destination.
Something was bound to happen, but having a skilled head guard like Go Hyeon-woo increased their chances of survival which would be reassuring for them.
Everything had been sessful up to this point, yet Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s face wasn¡¯t very bright.
He seemed a bit worried.
¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do it well. I¡¯m confident with the sword, but I¡¯ve never managed people before.¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just follow the strategy written in the guide.¡±
¡°Understood. I¡¯ll make sure to learn it.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head.
We climbed the stairs to the ground level in silence for a while.
Then, Shin Byeong-cheol who was leading the way suddenly seemed to remember something and asked,
¡°By the way, didn¡¯t you go to get something for the swordsmanship club?¡±
¡°I did.¡±
When I showed the piece of the map I had secretly taken from the manor, Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol examined it closely.
However, for now, it was just a single piece, so there was nothing special to find.
¡°The swordsmanship club is interested in something like this?¡±
¡°To calm them down, you need to pinpoint what made them angry in the first ce.¡±
The important thing wasn¡¯t that a few random boxes were taken.
The main reason they would be angry was that we had entered the dungeon that had received priority bidding.
In other words, viting the influence of the club meant we looked down on them.
Shin Byeong-cheol seemed to start getting the hang of it.
¡°It¡¯s an issue of honor and pride.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°But what does that have to do with the map?¡±
¡°This map and the ce it points to have never been disclosed before.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
In the past, countless heroes had scoured every corner of Dungeon Ind, and by now, there were hardly any unexplored areas left.
Getting hold of this map meant gaining the first opportunity to im one of these unexplored areas.
It promised tremendous honor.
¡°That would definitely tempt them. But what kind of map is it?¡±
¡°That¡¯s forter.¡±
¡°Hey, you can¡¯t just stop talking in the middle like that. How mean¡±
If the map¡¯s identity leaked too early, a battle for the pieces might erupt.
So even though Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol looked at me as if they were going to die from curiosity, I deliberately avoided their gaze.
¡°At least give us a hint.¡±
¡°A hint? It¡¯s one word.¡±
¡°One word? What is it?¡±
¡°Later.¡±
The best way to open random boxes was with the lucky charm Seo Ye-in.
However, we couldn¡¯t do it without Go Hyeon-woo, the top contributor to our raid on the Great Eagle Escort Agency dungeon.
Therefore, we decided to postpone the unboxing until all three of our schedules were aligned.
The next day, the strategy battles and mentoring continued as usual.
¡°Aaagh!¡±
Crack,
[Kwak Ji-cheol ¨C %]
As usual, Kwak Ji-cheol was knocked out by the ogre.
In the meantime, I worked on increasing my skill ranks alone.
Boom! Boom!
After I tormented the ogre with one point explosions for a while,
He should be waking up soon.
I figured it was about time for Kwak Ji-cheol toe around, so I went outside the dungeon.
Since it was mentoring, it had to be done together as much as possible.
Like I expected, Kwak Ji-cheol opened his eyes.
¡°Ugh¡¡±
He opened his eyes and started wriggling on the ground.
I prodded Kwak Ji-cheol with Root.
¡°Ahjussi (Mister/Uncle), wake up. You¡¯ll catch a cold if you sleep here.¡±
¡°Ugh¡ shut up.¡±
¡°You should go home, Ahjussi. You should get up.¡±
¡°I told you to shut up¡!¡±
Even though he was grumbling, Kwak Ji-cheol stubbornly stayed sprawled out.
But then he noticed something and his eyes widened as he quickly got up.
When I turned to see what had startled him,
¡°Hyung (big brother).¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
There stood Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s older brother, Kwak Seung-jae with a stern expression on his face.
It seemed he had stumbled upon us while passing by with other second-year students.
Kwak Seung-jae soon spoke to hispanions.
¡°Something came up. Go on ahead and wait for me.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
Hispanions replied indifferently and left.
¡°¡¡¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol lowered his gaze and waited for the inevitable scolding.
However, Kwak Seung-jae only nced at his brother once and that was it.
It seemed I was the one he had business with.
¡°I have something to ask you. Is that alright?¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
Kwak Seung-jae was one of the influential figures in the disciplinarymittee.
Since he initiated a one-on-one conversation with me, it wasn¡¯t something to pass up lightly.
I was also curious about what he wanted to ask me.
So, I moved to a quiet ce with Kwak Seung-jae.
ording to what I heard from Song Cheon-hye and Dang Gyu-young, Kwak Seung-jae had a very straightforward personality.
If he had something to say, he wouldn¡¯t beat around the bush and would just say it directly.
I expected a somewhat direct conversation, but what Kwak Seung-jae said was beyond my imagination.
¡°I heard you¡¯re dating senior Dang Gyu-young.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
Chapter 149: Kwak Ji-cheol in Crisis
Chapter 149: Kwak Ji-cheol in Crisis
There were already too many sources to guess who might have said that.
It could have been hinted at by Song Cheon-hye who was also on the same disciplinarymittee.
Or it might have been mentioned in passing by his brother Kwak Ji-cheol during conversation.
Or perhaps, it could have been someone else, like Son Hyeong-taek or Bukgong Han-seol who participated in the 4-on-4 mentoring battle.
Still, the most likely candidate was of course,
¡°Senior Kim Gap-doo must have mentioned it.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
Kwak Seung-jae did not deny it.
During the 4-on-4 match, Kwak Ji-cheol said something like this,¨C I heard something from my big brother before about senior Kim Gap-doo.
¨C Unlike a typical martial artist, Kim Gap-doo is excessively cautious.
At first nce, it seemed like a simple evaluation but it also hinted that Kim Gap-doo and Kwak Seung-jae knew each other to some degree.
And if they talked about personal matters like romance, they must be even closer.
¡°He kept rambling on for quite a while.¡±
Of course, in this case, it was more like a one-sidedment about his situation rather than a conversation.
Kim Gap-doo called out Kwak Seung-jae and started his alcohol-free drunken ramblings.
¨C They seemed really close¡
¨C Even doing skinship¡
¨C They were so sweet, I was envious to death¡
¨C But I got rejected again¡
¨C I didn¡¯t even n to be a nuisance¡
And Kwak Seung-jae had listened to it all with a nk mind.
It seems the aftershock has hit him.
When Kim Gap-doo was rejected by Dang Gyu-young for thest time, he turned away without any regrets. He even gave me a basic elixir and asked me to take good care of her.
I had thought his departing figure was quite admirable, but it seems he hadn¡¯t fully ovee the pain of his broken heart.
After all, if feelings could be controlled at will, who would ever suffer?
It was perfectly understandable.
Of course, that was that, and I had to correct any misunderstandings.
¡°We are close, but I¡¯m not dating senior Dang Gyu-young.¡±
¡°I heard ¡®not yet¡¯. Isn¡¯t it true that you both have mutual feelings for each other?¡±
¡°I respect her like a junior does for his senior.¡±
¡°I heard you¡¯re spending quite a bit of time together.¡±
¡°Well, she¡¯s my mentor, and I¡¯m her mentee.¡±
¡°¡I see.¡±
When I answered as naturally as flowing water, Kwak Seung-jae looked at me for a moment with calm eyes and then nodded his head.
However, perhaps because he had heard a lot from Kim Gap-doo, he didn¡¯t seem to fully believe me.
He probably thought I was hiding it out of embarrassment or that it was only a matter of time before our rtionship progressed.
I didn¡¯t feel the need to correct him that far, and since the future is unpredictable, I didn¡¯t bother adding any unnecessary exnations.
Kwak Seung-jae continued speaking.
¡°It would be rude to interfere further in your personal matters. However, whatever you do, make sure it¡¯s within the rules. I don¡¯t want to have toe after you like in the underground of the dungeon building.¡±
¡°I will keep that in mind.¡±
Isn¡¯t it fine as long as I don¡¯t get caught?
As if he could see right through my thoughts, Kwak Seung-jae stared at me for a moment, then moved on to the next topic.
¡°How is Ji-cheol doing?¡±
He¡¯s just a burden.
In terms of fighting power, he¡¯s about 0.3 of a person.
¡ªof course, I couldn¡¯t say that in front of his older brother, so I gave a vague answer.
¡°He¡¯s managing about as well as everyone else.¡±
¡°It seemed to me he was struggling just to keep up, wasn¡¯t he?¡±
¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing he can do about that; his teammates are not ordinary people.¡±
Objectively speaking, it¡¯s not that Kwak Ji-cheol iscking, but that his teammates are too exceptional.
Even excluding me, Song Cheon-hye was in the disciplinarymittee, and Hong Yeon-hwa was a promising student.
Trying to keep up with them would naturally tear anyone apart.
Of course, neither I, Dang Gyu-young, nor Kwak Seung-jae were inclined to be lenient in our evaluations. Even when considering these points.
¡°He¡¯s a pathetic brother. When will he ever stop being a frog in a well¡?¡±
¡°He will improve gradually. Just keep watching.¡±
¡°I suppose so.¡±
As always, Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s attitude was as gruff as ever, but now a hint of concern for his brother showed through.
¡°Have you heard about his expulsion?¡±
¡°I thought it had been overturned.¡±
My duel with the Emerald club.
At that time, President Mok Jong-hwa had dered to Kwak Ji-cheol, ¡°If you lose, you¡¯re out.¡± But even after I perfectly thrashed him, nothing seemed to change.
So I thought the expulsion was just a bluff, but hearing Kwak Seung-jae mention it now, that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.
¡°It was only postponed. For two months.¡±
¡°Two months after the duel¡ that¡¯s around one or two weeks after midterms.¡±
¡°Yes, we decided to make the final decision based on the rankings then.¡±
So that¡¯s why he¡¯s been so eager.
Kwak Ji-cheol had often shown an unusual obsession with performance.
For example, looking back atst week¡¯s 4-on-4 match, he had persuaded Dang Gyu-young with various reasons to make sure he faced Ilgong.
It was mainly for the team¡¯s victory, but there was also a strong desire on his part to defeat Ilgong no matter what.
At the time, I wondered if he had always been this type of character, but if his expulsion was involved, it exined a lot.
Every single victory or loss would be crucial for his ranking.
However, Kwak Ji-cheol had yet to achieve any significant results.
In the match against Ilgong that I mentioned as an example, he was utterly defeated, and his ranking barely maintained the status quo.
That meant,
¡°If this continues, he¡¯ll be expelled.¡±
¡°Haaah¡ yes, that¡¯s likely.¡±
Kwak Seung-jae responded with a rare sigh.
No brother would be fine with the prospect of his younger sibling being expelled from a club.
And since Kwak Seung-jae had brought this up,
¡°Do you have a favor to ask of me?¡±
¡°Yes, but I can¡¯t promise much.¡±
The disciplinarymittee always had to maintain a neutral stance, so personal dealings with members were to be avoided as much as possible.
So, even if I agreed to Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s request, thepensation he could offer me was very limited.
However, I wasn¡¯t as picky as usual.
Materialpensation isn¡¯t everything.
Especially when considering who I was dealing with here.
¡°Tell me what you have in mind.¡±
¡°We talked about the expulsion, but that¡¯s actually a secondary issue. What¡¯s more important is that Ji-cheol improves his own skills.¡±
¡°I agree.¡±
¡°I want you to guide him so he can ovee his current struggles on his own.¡±
In other words, he was asking me to make sure Kwak Ji-cheol could ovee the current situation of getting beaten up by the Ogre on his own.
¡°That won¡¯t be easy.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s an impossible request, just do what you can.¡±
¡°No, I¡¯ll find a way.¡±
I epted Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s request without much concern.
This is because the word impossible does not exist in the dictionary of a stagnant water.
Kwak Ji-cheol was waiting for me with a nervous expression on his face.
And he asked right away.,
¡°What did you talk about with my brother?¡±
¡°We talked about you. Stop worrying him; you frog in a well.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Normally, Kwak Ji-cheol would have snapped back, but since I mentioned his brother he kept his mouth shut.
Then he spoke to me in a somewhat subdued tone.
¡°¡I have a favor to ask.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±
¡°Listen to it first before you refuse.¡±
¡°Oh, I don¡¯t want to.¡±
It was obvious what favor he wanted to ask, so I quickly preempted him.
This was one of the various methods to increase one¡¯s worth.
As expected, the flustered Kwak Ji-cheol pulled an emerald from his inventory.
¡°Help me with the strategy battle. I¡¯ll pay you.¡±
¡°¡¡±
I looked down at it with disinterest, then took out a ruby from my inventory and ced it next to the emerald.
It was a ruby I had received for helping Hong Yeon-hwa and the Ruby Magic Tower during the sticker duel.
Compared to Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s emerald, the ruby was exactly twice its size.
This was the difference between D-rank and B-rank.
¡°See this? This is the difference in sincerity between you and Hong Yeon-hwa.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
Moreover, Hong Yeon-hwa had also helped me melt the Millennium Iron.
Kwak Ji-cheol clearly hadn¡¯t expected such a deal between me and the Ruby Magic Tower, and the bewilderment on his face showed it.
¡°If you¡¯re going to pay, at least match it somewhat.¡±
¡°T-This is the biggest one I have right now.¡±
At the moment, not only was additional support from the Emerald Magic Tower out of the question but there was also the risk of him getting expelled. Contacting his family was out of the question as well.
It would make even less sense to ask Kwak Seung-jae for help here.
Nevertheless, Kwak Ji-cheol seemed desperate to get my help somehow.
¡°I-I¡¯ll definitely repay youter.¡±
¡°With something bigger than this?¡±
¡°Absolutely.¡±
When I pointed at the ruby and asked, Kwak Ji-cheol nodded his head.
I knew it woulde to this.
This was why I hadn¡¯t demanded specificpensation from Kwak Seung-jae.
I knew I would get something from Kwak Ji-cheol himself.
If the emerald he paidter was as valuable as the ruby I received from Hong Yeon-hwa, it would be worth taking on the task.
I could ept the emeraldter, or demand an item of simr value.
Of course, if Kwak Ji-cheol really ended up being expelled, the support from the Emerald Magic Tower wouldpletely stop, so there was a slight risk that I would receive lesspensation or none at all.
So for now, I¡¯ll just teach him as much as I get paid for.
I¡¯ll see how well he follows along, and if he shows no promise, I can just withdraw.
When I silently extended my hand, Kwak Ji-cheol ced the emerald in it.
¡°Let¡¯s go inside and talk.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
We entered the dungeon first.
The beginning wouldn¡¯t be difficult, so we could talk while progressing.
We each retrieved a crystal and stepped into the cave.
As we dealt with the approaching goblins and advanced, I began to speak.
¡°Until now, what were your defensive strategies? You¡¯ve either defended or dodged, but your defense gets pierced by the ogre, and you¡¯re not particrly skilled at dodging.¡±
¡°¡That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°I was originally going to wait until you figured it out on your own, but since things havee to this, I¡¯ll just give you the answer. Deflect the attack.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that harder?¡±
¡°Generally, yes. But you¡¯re an earth mage.¡±
Among all mages, earth mages have the most defensive measures.
Naturally, they have countless ways to deflect an opponent¡¯s attack.
And among the dozens of spells Kwak Ji-cheol learned at the Emerald Magic Tower, there¡¯s bound to be at least one or two suitable for this situation.
¡°.¡¡¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol fell into deep thought.
It¡¯s up to him toe up with a concrete method.
It¡¯s not like I can see other people¡¯s status windows, nor can I know what he learned at the Magic Tower.
I took care of the goblins to let him think in peace for a while.
As we continued moving forward, our vision became brighter and a sanctuary appeared.
A pir of light shot out from arge stctite and pointed at Kwak Ji-cheol.
This time, he gets to charge first.
[Crystal: 1%]
¡°Grrr?¡±
An ogre sitting with its back turned rose and looked at Kwak Ji-cheol.
Still lost in thought, Kwak Ji-cheol suddenly had a sh of insight.
¡°Something popped up?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll work, but¡ I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±
The emerald on his staff emitted a strong green light.
Kwak Ji-cheol then nted his staff firmly into the ground, and the area around him turned into fine sand.
[Quicksand]
Chapter 150: Hong Yeon-hwa Is Worried
Chapter 150: Hong Yeon-hwa Is Worried
Quicksand.
It was a summoning magic that had two main uses.
The first was to turn the surrounding environment into a desert, breaking down hard rocks into sand to link with earth-element magic.
¡°Grrr¡ª!¡±
As the ogre charged at Kwak Ji-cheol, arge wall of sand rose between them.
When the club struck it, it easily crumbled and the sand scattered.
However, the scattered sand gathered again to form a new wall.
The ogre continued to break through the sand walls, smashing them as it advanced.
¡°Grr?¡±Suddenly, the ogre looked down.
Because the area had turned into a sand pit and its legs were sinking deeply.
The start is good.
Flexible defense and trapping through sand magic.
The only downside was,
The rank of the skill is too low.
Although he had remembered an appropriate spell thanks to his training at the Emerald Magic Tower, he had only learned it andcked proficiency.
The area affected by the spell was small, and the depth at which the ogre¡¯s legs sank was shallow.
But sand is still useful.
The sand gathered to form a wall in front of the ogre that had escaped from the sand pit.
The ogre brushed it aside like swatting a fly and swung its club.
Whoosh!
¡°Ugh¡¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol barely dodged and manipted the sand again.
So I offered advice to him again.
¡°You¡¯re only trying to block it again. You won¡¯t get any leeway that way. Don¡¯t block, deflect.¡±
¡°How am I supposed to do that¡ªugh!¡±
Thud!
I kicked Kwak Ji-cheol away, and in the next instant, the club smashed into the spot where he had been.
Kwak Ji-cheol rolled and scrambled to get back to his feet.
The ogre tried to continue its attack, but I intervened.
¡°This is how you deflect.¡±
¡°Goaaaa¡ª!¡±
As the ogre swung its arm in annoyance, Ibined Wind Force and Twister,
Thump¡ª!
And its arm veered off course.
This was a move I had demonstrated against Mok Jong-hwa¡¯s wood golem.
Having done this, I stepped aside to give them time alone again.
¡°Now, try to follow.¡±
¡°No, how am I supposed to do that?¡±
Regardless of whether Kwak Ji-cheol thought it was possible, the ogre wouldn¡¯t stop attacking him.
Kwak Ji-cheol jumped to avoid the club sweeping the ground and pointed his staff at the ogre.
The sand tried to gather in the air to deflect its attack, but it was still too clumsy.
Just before Kwak Ji-cheol got hit, I kicked him away again.
¡°Ugh.¡±
¡°Again.¡±
¡°Can you stop kicking me?¡±
¡°Would you rather get hit by the ogre or by me?¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s eyes flicked between the ogre and me.
¡°¡Let¡¯s just continue like this.¡±
He concluded that getting kicked was better than being struck by the club.
I could have gone easy on him, but I intentionally didn¡¯t.
If I go easy, how will he ever learn?
If it were Seo Ye-in, she would have watched once and followed along, but Kwak Ji-cheol couldn¡¯t get the hang of it even after several attempts.
I didn¡¯t know how much more time it would take here if I were to use conventional methods.
Even though I had been asked and there was a reward at stake, I didn¡¯t n to spend a lot of time on Kwak Ji-cheol.
So the conclusion I came to was:
I¡¯ll teach him through intense training.
The traditional and effective method for intense training was to induce pain that twisted the whole body.
Thud,
¡°Ugh.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol was kicked again and rolled on the ground.
¡°Get up. We¡¯re continuing.¡±
But he quickly got up and faced the ogre again.
His eyes were now filled with venom.
The request from the Kwak brothers was secondary.
Since it was thest week of mentoring, my top priority was to develop my skills.
So while I kept kicking Kwak Ji-cheol, I also kept harassing the ogre with wind magic and one point explosions,
[The rank of ¡°Twister¡± has increased. D+ -> C+]
[The rank of ¡°One Point Explosion¡± has increased. E -> D]
I managed to raise the rank of my new skills by one level each.
Although Wind Force and Twister had hit a wall at C-rank, I continued the rank training diligently, knowing it would help me reach B rank faster.
And so, rank training was set to continue throughout the week.
However, Dang Gyu-young¡¯s time to watch over us was limited.
As a third-year student and a club president, she had a busy personal schedule.
She also had to pay attention to the ck market.
Ending the mentoring session for the day meant that I would not receive the event bonus, so I immediately moved on to the next training.
I nned toplete my interrupted mana training to absorb the energy of the elixir.
As I walked leisurely to the training center,
I feel someone following me.
I sensed a presence behind me.
At first, I thought the swordsmanship club might have started moving but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case.
If it was a tail, no matter how careless they were, they wouldn¡¯t follow so closely right behind me.
The footsteps trailed me, and whenever they got too close, they hesitated and slowed down.
Then when the distance grew, they would follow again.
Before checking behind me, I thought of a few people.
Seo Ye-in woulde straight up to me and tug at my sleeve.
Dang Gyu-young would alsoe close, put a hand on my shoulder and ask, ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡±
Song Cheon-hye would speed up to walk beside me, and if I kept ignoring her, she¡¯d call out, ¡°Hey!¡±
The footsteps behind me didn¡¯t match any of these, so by process of elimination, the conclusion was,
It must be Hong Yeon-hwa.
That would exin the hesitant behavior.
She probably wanted to talk but was scared and hesitant for some reason.
I have no choice.
I had to make the first move.
I pretended not to notice her and kept walking.
Then, I suddenly turned around and shouted,
¡°Boo!¡±
¡°!!!¡±
As expected, Hong Yeon-hwa was standing behind me.
She was so startled; her eyes widened like a rabbit¡¯s and her whole body stiffened.
Hong Yeon-hwa then tried to retreat in a panic and she almost fell backward.
But just before she fell, I used wind force to support her.
¡°Are you okay?¡±
¡°I-I¡¯m okay¡¡¡±
¡°Why were you following me from behind? And so suspiciously?¡±
¡°Sorry¡¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry. Is something wrong?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa hesitated before answering.
¡°Well, it¡¯s just¡ my sister wanted to thank you and asked if you could stop by the club room when you have time¡¡±
It wasn¡¯t hard to guess why Hong Ye-hwa was grateful.
It was likely because Hong Yeon-hwa defeated Bukgong Han-seol in the four-on-four match.
Since entering the Dragon yer Academy, Hong Yeon-hwa didn¡¯t have any notable achievements. The main reason was that she started with a loss in the cement test and began with 600 points.
Compared to other promising students who were rapidly defeating 900-point opponents, it was inevitable that she would be seen as the weakest among the promising students. I imagine there were even rumors that she was the lowest of the promising students.
As the president of the Ruby Magic Tower, Hong Ye-hwa (the older sister) must have been furious every time she heard such talk.
But in the recent duel, Hong Yeon-hwa easily defeated Bukgong Han-seol.
It was a perfect game against a 900-point opponent.
It was like rain in a drought, no, more like a refreshing soda.
I could almost see Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s beaming smile.
And the person who made a significant contribution to that was,
It¡¯s me.
We cooperated to melt the Millennium Iron alloy, and as a result, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s Aqua me rank had indeed risen.
If it hadn¡¯t been C-rank, she wouldn¡¯t have held such an overwhelming advantage against Bukgong Han-seol.
In addition, Hong Yeon-hwa had spent the entirest week sparring with me. She improved her mastery of the modified Fire Pir and became very proficient in the use of magic circles.
Her ability to toy with Bukgong Han-seol throughout the match owed much to this.
For these reasons, Hong Ye-hwa couldn¡¯t help but express her gratitude to me.
¡°And also¡ there¡¯s something she wants to discuss.¡±
What she wanted to discuss was very obvious.
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s Aqua me was now stuck at C-rank.
For further growth, I hinted that she would need to ¡°enter a dungeon with many ice attribute monsters¡±, which would naturally be an underground dungeon.
So she would want to hear the details of that.
However, I slowly shook my head.
¡°Sorry, but I won¡¯t have time for a while. Please tell her I¡¯ll visit soon.¡±
¡°Mhmm, got it.¡±
Regarding the underground dungeon, I now had to focus on dealing with the swordsmanship club.
So even if we discussed Aqua me, finding and entering an underground dungeon would have to be postponed.
Moreover, Aqua me was already strong at C-rank and Hong Yeon-hwa had plenty of other skills and traits to develop.
This meant that there was no need for me or them to be in a hurry.
¡°Do you have anything else to say? I¡¯m leaving.¡±
¡°W-wait!¡±
As I was about to turn away, Hong Yeon-hwa called out to me again.
¡°Yes, what is it?¡±
¡°Well¡ Co!!¡±
¡°Co?¡±
I wondered what she meant by ¡°Co,¡± but it seemed she had choked on her words.
Hong Yeon-hwa took a deep breath and continued.
¡°Co-Coffee! Do you like it?¡±
¡°I drink it when it¡¯s avable; are you offering to buy some?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa quickly nodded her head.
Then she added while stammering,
¡°I, I wanted to thank you¡¡±
No one would be more grateful than Hong Yeon-hwa herself for defeating Bukgong Han-seol.
So she wanted to buy me coffee as a thank you.
This wasn¡¯t something to refuse, so I nodded readily.
¡°Sure. I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face brightened up.
So we headed to the cafeteria.
I chose my usual iced coffee.
I didn¡¯t know how many espresso shots Hong Yeon-hwa added to her Americano, but it was very dark and thick¡
Looks like oil now?
It looked like my tongue wouldn¡¯t survive if I tasted that, but Hong Yeon-hwa drank it as naturally as if it were water.
I could infer that she enjoyed thisbination regrly.
It was her preference, so I let it be,
We sat on a bench near the cafeteria and sipped our coffee in silence.
¡°¡¡±
Even then, Hong Yeon-hwa kept ncing at me and checking my reaction out of the corner of her eye.
When our eyes met, she quickly looked down and focused on her coffee.
However, I could see a hint of worry on her face, so I asked her first again this time.
¡°Is something bothering you?¡±
¡°N-No, why would there be?¡±
¡°It seems like there is.¡±
When I gave her a probing look, Hong Yeon-hwa averted her gaze and answered softly.
¡°¡A little?¡±
¡°Is the strategy battle not working out?¡±
¡°No, the strategy battle is fine.¡±
On the first day, Hong Yeon-hwa and Song Cheon-hye tried topete to see who could deal more damage, but it became meaningless as the ogre didn¡¯t go down.
After that, I advised them to focus on mastering the basics, and the two epted the advice and were now focusing on charging the crystals as their main strategy.
Both Hong Yeon-hwa and Song Cheon-hye had the skill to dodge the ogre¡¯s attacks without their partner¡¯s help, so they should surely get the highest score in the strategy battle.
¡°Then what¡¯s the problem?¡±
¡°Well¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa fiddled with her coffee cup for a moment before speaking.
Chapter 151: No.471 Great Eagle Escort Mission (1)
Chapter 151: No.471 Great Eagle Escort Mission (1)
¡°Do you think it¡¯s right for me to continue as an all-rounder?¡±
¡°You¡¯re worried about your ss path, huh?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°Whether to continue as an all-rounder or switch to a battery?¡± (TN: Like a stationary DPS I believe.)
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa began to have doubts as the weeks of mentoring went by. She felt she would be more effective in a battery role than as an all-rounder.
For example, in the defense strategy battle, she continuously cast fire magic and engulfed the front gate in mes.
Even in the crystal battle against Bukgong Han-seol, once she took a position, she barely moved.
So, rather than spreading her investment towards all-rounder skills, wouldn¡¯t it be better to focus on battery-type skills and traits?Or should she still push forward as an all-rounder?
This was Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s dilemma.
¡°First, let me ask you something. Why did you apply as an all-rounder for the mentoring program? Weren¡¯t you originally more of a battery type?¡±
Even during the cement test, she barely moved throughout the fight.
And in the 2v2 match, she took a battery position with Baek Jun-seok in the lead.
During the sweep campaign, I had no choice but to make her engage in closebat with the twin trolls, but in the end, she finished them off with a Fire Pir.
¡°We-Well ¡¡±
However, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s eyes wandered in the air for a moment at my question.
As if she had received an embarrassing question.
¡°Why did I apply as an all-rounder¡ you ask¡?¡±
I waited silently without urging her.
Soon, Hong Yeon-hwa turned her gaze away. She started fidgeting with her coffee cup as she stammered.
¡°I¡ because I¡¯m good at everything? I thought I¡¯d be good as an all-rounder¡ too?¡±.
And the more she talked, the redder Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face became. To the point that it almost matched the color of her hair.
In other words, it was baseless confidence.
But if I said that outright, she might turn so red that she would explode.
To keep the conversation going, it was better to pretend I didn¡¯t notice this part.
¡°Anyway, you didn¡¯t have a clear reason for choosing to be an all-rounder.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa nodded her head.
First, I gave her a textbook answer.
¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to focus on your strengths? What are you most confident in?¡±
¡°¡Casting speed?¡±
Indeed, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s casting speed was incredibly fast.
While it usually took other mages dozens of seconds to cast a Fire Pir, it took at most ten seconds for Hong Yeon-hwa.
Moreover, she recently modified the Fire Pir into a smaller form, which allowed her to set up a magic circle every few seconds.
I nodded my head.
¡°Then you shouldpare whether that casting speed would be more useful as an all-rounder or as a battery type.¡±
¡°Mhmm¡ What do you think?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa asked me cautiously.
This is obviously more useful as a battery type.
There was already a precedent of someone being trained up to S-rank as a battery-type mage, like the Ruby Mage Tower Master.
Moreover, Hong Yeon-hwa showed even more potential than that.
However, since I hadn¡¯t built enough trust to discuss this in depth, I held back my words.
¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t it be better to ask others instead of me?¡±
She had her sister Hong Ye-hwa, other mage seniors from the magic tower, and her mentor Dang Gyu-young.
Their words would hold more weight than those of a first-year student like me.
However, it seemed Hong Yeon-hwa had a slightly different opinion.
¡°But¡ I still want to hear¡ your thoughts¡¡±
¡°Why? You have your seniors.¡±
¡°The feedback you gave mest time¡.it was really helpful¡¡±
Apparently, my advice had been the most helpful so far, so she wanted to hear from me first again.
If she insisted this much, I suppose it wouldn¡¯t hurt to say a few words.
After carefully choosing my words, I began to speak.
¡°Regardless of the choice, casting speed is a major strength of yours. However, I think it¡¯s better used in the battery type.¡±
¡°Why is that¡?¡±
¡°An all-rounder has a lot more to focus on than just casting.¡±
An all-rounder had to dodge enemy attacks and maintain distance at close and mid-range. So their focus was naturally divided.
So no matter how fast their casting speed was, they couldn¡¯t continuously fire spells without interruption.
On the other hand, a battery-type mage,
¡°Your other party members should take care of everything else.¡±
Since there was no need to pay attention to other matters, they could safely position themselves at the rear and unleash their firepower freely.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa had a look of realization on her face.
She was probably leaning toward the battery type quite a bit, but I decided to apply the brakes here.
¡°But don¡¯t rush into a decision.¡±
Even if she were to choose the path of a battery-type mage in the end, there was no need to hastily decide that right now.
Newbies had their own pace to follow.
¡°You¡¯re only a first-year. You have plenty of time. Try different things, ask around, and think it over thoroughly before deciding.¡±
¡°¡Mhmm, I¡¯ll do that.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa looked much more at ease.
Wednesday.
As soon as mentoring ended, I gathered with Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol in front of the dungeon building.
Naturally, it was to head down to the underground levels.
The goal of the linked dungeon we were about to enter was escorting, which took longer to clear than standard dungeons.
This was true even considering the different flow of time inside and outside the dungeon.
If we miscalcted,
We might even miss sses.
And that would give the faculty a perfect reason to investigate us.
I could almost hear Lee Soo-dok¡¯s voice in my ear.
¨C Why did you miss ss?
¨C What were you doing instead?
¨C I heard there was an unauthorized raid during that time¡
To avoid such mishaps, we absolutely had to attend all our sses.
Usually, we aimed for the middle of the night when we were unlikely to encounter anyone, but today, we gathered at this risky hour. It wasn¡¯t even evening yet.
Shin Byeong-cheol handed out the supplies.
¡°Here, take this, and this too.¡±
Second-year tie pins and anonymous badges.
He had begged the seniors in the thieves¡¯ club to get ones with stronger perception-blocking magic.
Shin Byeong-cheol spoke with a hint of tension.
¡°But it¡¯s my first time going to the underground dungeon building during the day. Won¡¯t we get caught?¡±
¡°Haha, we just trust your skills, Shin-hyung.¡±
¡°And if we do get caught?¡±
¡°What¡¯s the worst that could happen? A few penalty points?¡±
Go Hyeon-woo was full of optimism like always
When Shin Byeong-cheol and Go Hyeon-woo both looked at me, I nodded slightly in agreement.
And I added,
¡°If you guide us well, who knows, maybe we¡¯ll hand over a random box.¡±
¡°¡Just leave it to me, customer-nims.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol led the way with energetic steps.
The underground looked the same as usual.
Whether it was afternoon or midnight outside, it didn¡¯t matter here since no sunlight ever reached this ce.
However, there was one very big difference. The number of students going up and down the spiral staircase was enormous.
And murmuring sounds reverberated up and down like echoes in a cave.
Seniors and juniors exchanged light greetings,
¨C Hello, seniors!
¨C Hello, where are you guys headed?
¨C We¡¯re nning to try the D-rank today.
¨C Alright, good luck.
A party of second-years looked in bad shape. They probably had failed their raid which caused other parties to recoil in surprise.
¨C Hey, didn¡¯t you guys go down just a while ago? Why are you back up already?
¨C Damn, we totally messed up.
¨C What happened?
¨C We misread the boss pattern.
¨C Hey, since you blew it, share the rey with us. We¡¯re heading there soon too.
¨C Pay up first.
Meanwhile, a party that had just cleared a dungeon came out rejoicing.
¨C Wow, we hit the jackpot today.
¨C The rewards are amazing.
¨C Totally agree!
We on the other hand acted strictly like second years, trying to match the color of our newly swapped tie pins.
Just then, we made eye contact with some third-yearsing up from the opposite side and bowed our heads slightly.
¡°Hello, seniors.¡±
¡°Oh, hi.¡±
The third-years who received the greetings from their juniors acknowledged us but quickly passed by after realizing they didn¡¯t recognize our faces.
The more dangerous encounters were with the second-year parties we met along the way.
They stared at the three of us with suspicious eyes, as if trying to recall if there were students like us in their grade.
Each time this happened, we followed Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s lead. We either ignored them and passed quickly or changed our direction as soon as we recognized the opposing party as second-years.
The second-year parties didn¡¯t bother to chase after us; whether it was because of the better anonymous badges doing their job or simply because they didn¡¯t care enough, it was hard to tell.
[No.471] [Great Eagle Escort Mission]
Eventually, Shin Byeong-cheol stood in front of the dungeon and asked,
¡°So, when should Ie back?¡±
It was unreasonable to ask him to wait all day and night in front of a dungeon that took a long time to clear.
¡°We¡¯ll be done by morning. Come then.¡±
¡°Alright, see you in the morning.¡±
We stepped through the teleportation portal, leaving Shin Byeong-cheol behind.
My vision went ck before gradually brightening up.
The faint sounds I could barely hear grew louder and clearer.
¨C ¡Brother
¨C Kim¡
¡°Brother Kim, brother Kim!¡±
Ratty and Woeful were calling my name while they were right next to me.
I quickly grasped the situation and responded.
¡°Yes, big brothers.¡±
¡°What are you spacing out for?¡±
¡°I was just lost in thought for a moment. I¡¯m sorry, brothers.¡±
¡°Tsk tsk, snap out of it.¡±
Despite their scolding, the two Ronin turned their gaze with a bit of relief after they confirmed that I wasn¡¯tpletely out of it.
And including them, the people here didn¡¯t seem to find it too strange that Go Hyeon-woo and I suddenly appeared.
Because it wasn¡¯t sudden.
A dungeon was like an endlessly repeating puppet show, and we had just reced some of the puppets in that show.
Since it was a linked dungeon, the decision of which doll to rece was based on the previous dungeon.
For example, after entering the dungeon, I had effectively reced ¡°Ronin Guard B¡±.
After realizing he had be ¡°Head Guard Go¡±, Go Hyeon-woo slowly looked around the ce.
Though he seemed a little confused, he seemed to be adapting quickly since I had given him a heads-up through the strategy guide
To quickly summarize the current situation, the convoy had already departed and was steadily heading towards its destination.
The scale was not veryrge; there were only a few carriages at most.
In contrast, the number of guards was excessively high.
In addition to the carefully selected head guards and escort warriors from the Great Eagle Escort Agency, there were also temporary guards made up of Ronin.
This meant one thing.
There will definitely be an attack.
Unless they were almost certain a battle would ur, the Great Eagle Escort Agency wouldn¡¯t have organized the convoy to be big like this.
It was a fact that anyone, even the most clueless, could understand so the atmosphere remained heavy and tense.
And so as I stood idly in such a situation, Ratty and Woeful scolded me.
I leisurely turned my gaze to the front.
There were three mountains that the convoy had to cross.
We were currently crossing the first one.
They should being soon.
As if reading my mind, a person was standing ahead and waiting for our carriages.
A head guard who noticed this narrowed his eyes.
¡°Stop.¡±
Chapter 152: No.471 Great Eagle Escort Mission (2)
Chapter 152: No.471 Great Eagle Escort Mission (2)
The person blocking the path was clearly a mountain bandit. He was a member of the Green Forest bandits.
As if to confirm my guess, other Green Forest bandits emerged one by one from the bushes to join him.
The presence of rustling sounds and watchful eyes from all directions indicated that they had been lying in wait here for some time.
¡°¡¡±
The tense gazes of the bandits focused on the head guards.
For this escort mission, there were three head guards including Go Hyeon-woo, with head guard Kang being effectively in charge.
Although he had lost to Go Hyeon-woo in a martial arts match, he had the most experience in the escort agency, making him second to none in that regard.
¡°Follow me.¡±
Head guard Kang took a few escorts and stepped forward.Their unhurried pace as they walked toward the opposing camp seemed almost careless.
Then, a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard emerged from the other side to meet them.
His aura was much fiercer than the other bandits; he was the leader of the Green Forest bandits stationed at this pass.
¡°Head guard Kang, it¡¯s been a while.¡±
¡°Have you been well?¡±
¡°Always the same. No news is good news, right?¡±
The bandit leader joked like that. For bandits, ¡°no news¡± meant no one was dying or getting hurt.
The group of Ronin escorts was highly tense and they were ready for a fight to break out at any moment. But seeing the two talk like old friends left them feeling somewhat deted.
Ratty asked,
¡°Is that what it is? Paying a toll to pass through?¡±
¡°It seems so.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve heard about it, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen it in person.¡±
The rtionship between the escorts and the bandits.
An escort mission rarely took the same path only once, and encounters with the Green Forest or the Waterway bandits weren¡¯t umon.
The first meeting might involve drawn swords, but continued bloodshed was a loss for both sides.
So, paying a reasonable toll to pass became customary.
Just like the pouch head guard Kang was handing over right now.
After taking the pouch, the bandit leader asked,
¡°It looks like the cargo is smaller than usual today. There are too many escorts too¡¡±
¡°We¡¯re transporting something very important.¡±
¡°Something important¡ is this a big score?¡±
The bandit leader asked yfully.
Even though the Green Forest bandits consistently collected tolls, if the carriages carried enough wealth to live off for a lifetime without ever having to rob again,
The delicate bnce they¡¯ve maintained so far might copse.
However, head guard Kang remained calm.
¡°Important items aren¡¯t always valuable items.¡±
¡°Haha, that¡¯s true. We have no intention of gambling against such numbers.¡±
From the bandit leader¡¯s perspective, this escort mission seemed particrly threatening because the number of escorts was twice as many as usual, and each one appeared highly skilled.
They might win, but the losses would be too much.
Even if the cargo were worth risking their lives for, just like head guard Kang said, it might not be valuable in mary terms.
In that case, the better choice here would be to maintain a friendly rtionship and continue to collect tolls.
The slightly heavier pouch than usual also likely contributed to that decision.
The bandit leader gestured over his shoulder and asked,
¡°Are you nning to cross that pass again today?¡±
¡°It¡¯s best to stick to familiar paths whenever possible.¡±
¡°If it were me, I¡¯d reconsider.¡±
His tone which had been friendly throughout suddenly turned serious, so head guard Kang had no choice but to ask,
¡°Why do you say that?¡±
¡°We¡¯ve lost contact with the Go-eung bandits recently. Even the messengers we¡¯ve sent haven¡¯t returned.¡±
The Go-eung bandits were stationed at the next pass the escort team was supposed to cross.
Since they were like neighbors, there was frequentmunication between the two bandit groups, but the sudden silence from the other side meant something unusual had happened.
Head guard Kang adopted a serious demeanor and bowed his head respectfully.
¡°Thank you for the information. We will consider it carefully before deciding our next move.¡±
¡°Do that. Alright, men, let¡¯s go!¡±
The bandit leader led the Green Forest bandits away like a receding tide.
Head guard Kang did not immediately set off but instead gathered the other head guards.
Head guard Jo, who had slightly less experience than head guard Kang, and our Go Hyeon-woo. Head guard Go.
Kang briefly summarized the situation.
¡°If something has happened at the Go-eung bandits¡¯ hideout, it is very likely that we will encounter problems while crossing the next pass.¡±
¡°But we don¡¯t really have any other options, do we?¡±
It was head guard Jo who spoke.
He continued.
¡°We must deliver the goods as quickly as possible, and we don¡¯t have the time to take a detour.¡±
¡°Um¡ but isn¡¯t safety the priority?¡±
Should they risk the danger and push through, or should they ensure their safety even if it means missing the deadline?
Head guard Kang and head guard Jo had differing opinions.
At that moment, Go Hyeon-woo who had been silently listening spoke up.
¡°May I offer my opinion?¡±
¡°Go ahead.¡±
¡°If the ones who have taken over the Go-eung hideout are targeting our escort mission, they won¡¯t just let us go even if we take a longer route.¡±
¡°So you¡¯re saying we can¡¯t avoid a fight either way.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
Of course, Go Hyeon-woo was just saying what was written in the strategy guide.
Taking a detour would result in the same oue, only wasting the time needed to clear the dungeon.
Therefore, I had instructed him to support head guard Jo¡¯s opinion.
However, even without considering these unspeakable circumstances, it was a perfectly reasonable opinion.
Head guard Jo added a word to the silent head guard Kang.
¡°After all, weren¡¯t the Ronin recruited with such situations in mind? Our forces are not weak either.¡±
¡°¡Hmm.¡±
¡°And as you saw from the bandit leader¡¯s reaction, they won¡¯t easily pick a fight with us. Even if they do, we can handle it.¡±
¡°¡Alright. We¡¯ll proceed head-on.¡±
Head guard Kang nodded his head.
The halted escort mission soon began moving again.
I thought to myself as I watched the carriages moving.
Of course, that¡¯s only half correct.
The assumption that the bandits won¡¯t pick a fight is based on the premise that they don¡¯t know exactly what the escort is carrying.
If the carriages were filled with gold and jewels and the bandit leader knew it, the Green Forest bandits would have risked their lives to attack.
In the same way, the bandits we would meet knew exactly what was inside.
And they won¡¯t hesitate to risk death to retrieve it.
The convoy continued its journey, and even while crossing the second pass, it remained peaceful for a while.
However, around halfway across, Go Hyeon-woo slowly looked around and muttered to himself.
¡°This doesn¡¯t feel right. We should stay alert from here on.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
Go Hyeon-woo was one of the top experts in this convoy.
When he issued a warning, the others quickly drew their weapons and began preparing for battle.
Sure enough, a momentter, a few figures dressed in ck blocked the path ahead.
While those we encountered at the previous pass clearly looked like Green Forest bandits, these individuals seemed suspicious at first nce.
It was even more suspicious because they were all wearing ck martial uniforms with a tinge of red.
Moreover, the sense of presence and gazes from all around felt almost identical to the previous pass.
The difference was that, in addition to the presence and gazes, there was an intense sense of killing intent strong enough to prick the skin.
Head guard Kang studied the faces of the people in ck and his face hardened.
¡°¡I don¡¯t recognize them.¡±
For head guard Kang, who had traversed this pass countless times, meeting strangers meant the situation would immediately take a turn for the worse.
Negotiations would have to start from scratch, and in most such cases, negotiations usually failed.
Still, you never know about people until you talk to them.
When head guard Kang signaled with his eyes, Go Hyeon-woo and a few temporary escorts followed him as if to guard him.
Head guard Kang approached the opposing camp and stopped at a respectful distance before asking his question.
¡°Greetings. I believe this area is under the jurisdiction of the Go-eung bandits.¡±
¡°I am the new leader.¡±
The man who appeared to be the leader of the people in ck replied in an emotionless tone.
As expected, something significant had happened within the Go-eung bandits.
Even though head guard Kang already knew the answer, he handed over the toll pouch with a sliver of hope.
¡°I see. This is a small token from our escort agency to the new leader. We hope for your favor in the future and kindly ask you to let us pass for now.¡±
The man in ck uniform epted the pouch. Though he barely checked its contents before nodding his head.
¡°Received. Now leave the carriages and get out.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Then you might be able to keep your lives.¡±
Head guard Kang was not the least bit flustered.
He had already anticipated such a turn of events and had encountered simr situations more than once in his line of work.
He responded in a calm tone.
¡°Even if we leave the carriages, it doesn¡¯t seem like you intend to spare us.¡±
There was no reason to reveal their killing intent so openly if their only goal was the cargo.
From the beginning, they blocked the convoy with the intention of killing them all and silencing them.
¡°¡¡±
The man in ck uniform remained silent for a moment, then suddenly closed the distance at a terrifying speed.
And then a bright sh of light seemed to fly,
Thud¡ª!
Before it was blocked just an inch from head guard Kang¡¯s face.
In his hand, a thick dagger had appeared at some point.
He had the skills expected of someone in his position.
In the next moment, Go Hyeon-woo stepped forward and shed his sword, causing the man in ck uniform to swiftly dodge and retreat back to his original position.
It seemed he had perfectly avoided the attack, but several men in ck next to him copsed instead.
This was because Go Hyeon-woo had aimed his sword energy at them from the start.
¡°¡!¡±
Even as they fell, they didn¡¯t utter a single scream which showed just how harshly they had been trained.
The man in ck uniform spoke without even ncing at them.
¡°Attack.¡±
Swish, swish, swish¡
The men in ck uniforms who had been lying in wait began to emerge one by one. And the encirclement tightened.
Due to their unique footwork, a sound like snakes slithering across the ground echoed through the ce.
While watching their movements closely, Ratty and Woeful exchanged words.
¡°Brother Kim, stay sharp.¡±
¡°If you space out like earlier, you¡¯ll lose your head.¡±
¡°Yes, brothers.¡±
Naturally, they took positions on either side of me as if to protect me.
Swish, swish, swish¡
The distance between the men in ck uniforms and the guards decreased steadily and,
¡°Aaaargh!¡±
¡°You bastard!¡±
¡°Die!¡±
ng, ng, ng!
The ce was quickly filled with screams, shouts, and the shing of weapons.
Chapter 153: No.471 Great Eagle Escort Mission (3)
Chapter 153: No.471 Great Eagle Escort Mission (3)
The core rule of the Great Eagle Escort Mission was [Escort].
And sess was determined by whether or not the ¡°object to transport¡± could be safely transported to its destination without being stolen by the enemy.
Of course, this was the most basic of the basics, and veterans always aimed for more.
To earn additional rewards, you had to pay attention to other factors.
The next most important thing to consider in the dungeon after the ¡°object to transport¡± was,
People.
Specifically, the leader of the convoy, the convoy fighters, and the convoy porters who apanied the object.
The number of people you could bring to the destination alive determined the extra rewards.
And it goes without saying that the stronger an individual¡¯s strength is, the higher their chance of survival.This was why the Great Eagle Escort Agency made such a fuss about selecting only the most skilled individuals, and now the results were clear.
Swoosh!
Woeful¡¯s giant sword swung with incredible speed.
The man in ck who attacked him couldn¡¯t react to the unexpected speed of the weapon and was cut in half.
Ratty too relentlessly swung his dual swords at another enemy and finally drove them into his chest.
However, the enemies we were facing now were not the riffraff from the Great Eagle Escort Agency but highly trained elites.
Their mindset was not as light as it had been during the martial artspetition.
The man in ck uniform, with his chest pierced, grabbed Ratty¡¯s arm tightly.
A fierce determination to take Ratty down with him was visible in his eyes.
¡°Damn it¡!¡±
As Ratty struggled to free his arm, another man in ck aimed his sword at Ratty¡¯s neck.
Bang!
In the next moment, the attacker was struck by my outstretched palm and was knocked back.
I had pretended to use a palm technique while secretly mixing in wind force to strike him.
Seizing the opportunity, Ratty freed his arm and crossed his daggers before shing the man¡¯s neck.
¡°Thank you, Brother Kim. Do you have experience in palm techniques?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve only learned a few martial arts moves of my family. Just like you saw, they¡¯re not very effective.¡±
¡°No, thanks to you, I survived.¡±
Swoosh!
Ratty expressed his gratitude as he cut down the next man in ck.
This time, he was careful not to let his arm be grabbed.
This side seems to be stabilizing to some extent.
The three of us have formed a fairly solid defense, so now it was time to focus on other areas.
I started to secretly use magic, just like during the chaotic martial artspetition at the Great Eagle Escort Agency.
After surveying the battlefield, I saw that the mantis-like Ronin was in a dire situation. His life was in danger.
I cast a one point explosion in his direction.
Booom!
Thepressed mana exploded from the attacking enemy¡¯s abdomen.
He showed no sign of pain, but he couldn¡¯t help but lose his stance for a moment due to the explosion.
¡°¡¡!¡±
The mantis-like Ronin¡¯s eyes gleamed as he seized the small opening and swiftly beheaded the man in ck.
I immediately targeted my next opponent and cast wind force.
Whoosh¡ª
The wind imbued with physical power caused another man in ck to stagger briefly, making him an easy target for another Ronin.
I continued to discreetly cast wind force, twister, and one point explosion like this while looking around.
Let¡¯s see how Go Hyeon-woo is doing.
ng! ng! ng!
The area around Go Hyeon-woo was littered with the torn bodies of men in ck.
Even the usually fearless men in ck were hesitant to approach him.
To top it off, Go Hyeon-woo was overwhelmingly pressing against the leader of the men in ck.
Soon, his iron sword shed a gray light, and the leader¡¯s head rolled off his stationary body.
Whistle¡ª
Then, a sharp whistle sounded from somewhere.
Soon, the men in ck retreated in the same order as when they attacked, and in an instant, they collected the corpses of their allies and left the area.
The ce became deste as if the attack had never happened.
Only the bloodstains scattered on the floor revealed that what had just urred was not a dream.
The dazed people were brought back to their senses by head guard Jo¡¯s shout.
¡°No time to dawdle! Clean up quickly and move out immediately!¡±
The guards and porters began to move briskly.
Meanwhile, head guard Kang looked at Go Hyeon-woo with admiration.
¡°You¡¯re even more skilled than I thought.¡±
¡°You tter me.¡±
¡°No, really. It seems you held back when we sparred at the martial artspetition.¡±
Head guard Kang praised Go Hyeon-woo. He even said that if he had shown his true skills, the match would have been decided in just a few moves.
Go Hyeon-woo gave an awkward smile and subtly changed the subject.
¡°Fortunately, the damage seems minimal.¡±
¡°Indeed. Considering how fierce the battle was, there are few injuries.¡±
Head guard Kang nodded his head in agreement.
There were no casualties, and only a few were injured.
On the other hand, since the men in ck had taken all their corpses, it was impossible to determine the exact number, but it was clear there were quite a few casualties on their side.
It could be considered a great victory.
These are the best among the best.
Generally, the skills of Ronin were somewhat inferior to those of martial artists who had received structured training in sects.
However, if only the most skilled among the hundreds of Ronin were selected, they would all be capable of holding their own.
Of course, some struggled against the men in ck, but I subtly used magic topensate for that.
Naturally, no one but Go Hyeon-woo could have noticed this.
And now, head guard Jo became more confident and convinced that his prediction was correct.
¡°What did I tell you? Our forces are strong enough.¡±
¡°Hmm¡ Certainly.¡±
¡°After showing this level of strength, they won¡¯t dare challenge us for a while. Let¡¯s keep pushing forward.¡±
However¡
Contrary to their expectations, the men in ck quickly regrouped and pursued us.
Another battle ensued.
Everyone was amazed by the enemy¡¯s organization and persistence, but soon they reignited their fighting spirit and faced the battle head-on.
We still had the strength that had just ovee the recent attack, so we could defeat the enemies again without much difficulty.
The newly appearing leader-like man in ck was also directly struck by Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s Clear Stream and was cut to pieces.
Whistle¡ª!
Then, as if on cue, a whistle blew and the enemies retreated as quickly as they had appeared.
While the guards and porters were tidying up the area, Woeful furrowed his already troubled brow even more deeply.
¡°This is strange¡¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
In response to Ratty¡¯s question, Woeful gestured toward Go Hyeon-woo with his eyes.
¡°I don¡¯t mean to belittle that young man¡¯s skills, but didn¡¯t the supposed leader fall too easily?¡±
¡°Now that you mention it, it does seem that way. It also feels like they are being used as disposable pawns.
If the previous two men in ck had truly held important positions in their group, they wouldn¡¯t have been sent out so haphazardly twice.
That meant,
¡°They are used as focal points, but they are not the real leaders.¡±
¡°I think the same. So¡¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t they more like squad leaders or something much lower?¡±
¡°Probably.¡±
The Ronin who had been nearby were also listening to their conversation with tense expressions on their faces.
The fact that the man in ck who had just fallen was not a ¡°leader¡± but a ¡°squad leader¡± was a very big problem.
It meant that the group we were facing was several timesrger than it appeared.
And at that moment,
¡°This!¡±
At someone¡¯s shout, everyone¡¯s heads turned simultaneously in that direction.
When the guards gathered there, they saw a Ronin staring down at an arm lying on the ground.
It was one of the pieces cut by Go Hyun-woo¡¯s sword energy, apparently left behind by the men in ck.
Of course, to martial artists who lived by the sword, a severed arm was not a big deal.
Nevertheless, since the Ronin had spoken in a startled voice, there had to be a reason. Everyone looked closely at the arm.
¡°¡¡!¡±
And soon, everyone¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.
On one side of the arm were the characters for ¡°King of Hell¡± branded like a mark.
¡°The King of Hell Squad¡!¡±
The Heavenly Demon Cult which had been defeated and scattered after being defeated in the Great Demon War.
The King of Hell Squad was one of the martial factions of that cult, but it had appeared in this remote mountain.
This exined how the men in ck had been so ruthlessly trained and able to push back even the skilled Ronins.
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
For a while, a heavy silence fell over the scene.
Then, Ratty suddenly lifted his head from the severed arm and trudged towards a specific spot.
His steps were directed towards the carriages carrying the goods.
The Ronins immediately noticed his intention and followed him.
They wanted to confirm it.
What was the true nature of those goods that the Heavenly Demon Cult pursued so persistently?
However, when they approached the carriages, they were blocked by head guard Kang and the other escorts.
¡°Stop.¡±
¡°Let us check the goods.¡±
¡°You cannot.¡±
¡°We are risking our lives to protect these goods. We believe we have the right to know this much.¡±
Head guard Kang firmly shook his head.
¡°Your argument is valid. Even so, we cannot tell you, and we ask for your understanding.¡±
¡°Then at least exin why we cannot.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Gead guard Kang was silent for a moment and his face hardened.
He seemed to be contemting for a while, then sighed as if he had no other choice and answered.
¡°¡If what¡¯s inside is revealed, everyone here would have to be killed to keep it a secret, including us.¡±
¡°¡Shit.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve really stepped in it this time.¡±
The Ronins cursed under their breath.
Only then did they realize why they had recruited so many Ronins instead of experts from other martial sects as temporary escorts, and why the reward promised in case of a sessful escort was sorge that their eyes would pop out.
Head guard Kang continued in a calm tone.
¡°Listen to me. What¡¯s important isn¡¯t what the goods are. What¡¯s important is that, regardless of whether we see inside or not, the Heavenly Demon Cult will try to kill us all.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
¡°So, for now, set aside your curiosity and let¡¯s work together.¡±
¡°¡Understood.¡±
¡°I apologize for deliberately avoiding the topic. However, I assure you there is no lie about the reward.¡±
Head guard Kang dered confidently.
If the escort safely reached its destination, the promised reward would be paid in full, and the head of the agency Jang had pledged this with his name.
At that moment, one of the Ronins keeping watch at the rear shouted.
¡°They¡¯reing again!¡±
From afar, shadows began to close in. They were the men in ck uniforms.
The King of Hell Squad had quickly regrouped andunched another attack.
Everyone gripped their weapons tightly and got ready for battle.
However, their expressions were noticeably darker and heavier than before.
Chapter 154: No.471 Great Eagle Escort Mission (4)
Chapter 154: No.471 Great Eagle Escort Mission (4)
-Whistle¡ª!
A sharp whistle pierced the air.
Immediately, the men in ck stopped their attack and retreated before they soon vanished from the scene like the diminishing tide.
¡°Whew¡¡±
¡°Damn it¡¡±
Everyone copsed onto the ground and let out heavy sighs.
Their sighs were a mix of relief for the brief break andmentation knowing it wouldn¡¯tst long.
Ratty wiped the blood off his dual swords and spoke.
¡°I¡¯ve lost count of how many times this has happened.¡±After intense battles that risked their lives, the fight would end as soon as Go Hyeon-woo took down a squad leader of the men in ck.
And just when the escorts and Ronin thought they could catch their breath, the battle would start again.
This has been repeated countless times up to now.
The attacks which began when the sun was high had continued through the dusk, midnight, and now into the pale blue dawn.
No one had eaten or slept properly, so everyone¡¯s condition was terrible.
In the midst of this, Woeful may have felt the need to eat something during this break and stuffed jerky into his mouth.
Then he asked while chewing aggressively,
¡°Don¡¯t those guys ever sleep?¡±
¡°They probably do, but they are from the Demonic Cult after all.¡±
The King of Hell Squad was, after all, a fighting group of the Demonic Cult.
The escorts must have been thoroughly trained from the beginning to be able to ovee all kinds of adverse conditions, so what¡¯s the big deal about not being able to sleep or eat for a few days?
On the other hand, the Ronins had lived freely and as they pleased, without being tied down by anything.
So, the same adverse conditions hit them harder.
Moreover, though it wasn¡¯t mentioned to avoid lowering morale,
We are undergoing a war of attrition.
The defense on our side was unexpectedly solid.
Go Hyeon-woo who was a master far beyond the King of Hell Squad¡¯s expectations was here, and each Ronin was also quite skilled.
This was because the escort agency had brought only the strongest in this mission.
After several shes, the King of Hell Squad seemed to have concluded that a frontal assault would not lead to victory.
Hence, they resorted to a war of attrition with multiple groups taking turns to harass the convoy.
This gradual umtion of small damages, like clothes soaking in a drizzle, was the current situation.
A Ronin watching the rear sighed and muttered,
¡°They¡¯reing again¡¡±
His voice was low, maybe because he no longer had the strength to shout.
Everyone probably felt the same but they couldn¡¯t afford to give up their lives.
Although they were struggling, they each held their weapons tightly.
And once again, the King of Hell Squad attacked.
¡°Ahhh!¡±
Someone¡¯s desperate scream echoed.
When I turned my gaze to the source of the scream, I saw a Ronin clutching his arm.
His forearm had been deeply pierced by a King of Hell Squad member¡¯s sword.
Injuries are starting to appear.
Although everyone had umted minor injuries from continuous skirmishes, they were only superficial wounds that bled a little.
This was the first Ronin to be injured to the point of being nearly unable to fight.
¡°Ahh!¡±
In the next attack, another Ronin had a long cut carved into his thigh.
Though it didn¡¯t hinder his ability to swing his sword, he now had to limp.
With each sessive attack, the injured Ronin became three, five, seven¡
And the number kept increasing like a growing snowball.
Everyone¡¯s stamina was already at its limit and with fewer people able to fight, the damage was inevitably getting worse and worse.
And there would be more injuries toe.
Moreover, there was another big problem,
We¡¯re being slowed down.
Taking care of the injured had also slowed down the convoy¡¯s speed.
Everyone realized this and the injured themselves were no exception.
Eventually, the injured people gathered together in a corner and began discussing something with their faces close together.
Their faces grew increasingly grim but they eventually seemed to reach some sort of agreement.
One of them spoke to head guard Kang as a representative.
¡°Head guard Kang.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°It seems this is the end for us. Go on ahead.¡±
Head guard Kang¡¯s face hardened.
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°We will stay behind to buy some time. If we drop out, the convoy can move faster.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not possible. How can we leave the injured behind like this?¡±
Head guard Kang tried to dissuade them but the injured Ronins had already made up their mind.
¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t value our lives. But if we continue like this, we¡¯ll all die anyway. Someone has to survive, don¡¯t you agree?¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°The destination isn¡¯t far. We hope you¡¯ll make the wise choice for the convoy.¡±
Just like he said, the destination was close.
Of the three passes the convoy had to cross, we had already crossed two and were more than halfway through the third.
If we abandoned the injured and moved a bit faster, we could make it.
Meanwhile, I thought to myself,
This seems like the right moment to intervene.
The atmosphere seemed ripe enough.
So I raised my hand abruptly.
¡°I will stay behind as well.¡±
¡°!?¡±
¡°¡?¡±
Everyone was surprised and turned their attention to me.
I had been nothing more than a background character during this entire escort mission, so it was unexpected for me to suddenly dere that I would stay behind with the injured.
This time, it was the injured Ronins who tried to dissuade me.
¡°What do you mean by that all of a sudden?¡±
¡°Why would you throw your life away for no reason?¡±
However, there was a clear reason why I raised my hand.
I exined in a calm tone.
¡°Your intention of sacrificing yourself for the sake of the mission ismendable. But think about it. How much time can a few of you realistically buy?¡±
These were injured people who could barely contribute to the battle anymore.
Even if they fought to the death, could they buy us even the time it takes to drink a ss of water?
The likelihood of it being a pointless sacrifice was extremely high.
If we wanted to buy time, more people needed to stay behind.
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
When they realized that fact, everyone in the ce just watched each other nervously.
Staying behind meant almost certain death, so who would readily volunteer?
Yet there were those who raised their hands without hesitation.
¡°Alright, we¡¯ll stay too.¡±
¡°Since Brother Kim is staying, we can¡¯t just leave to save ourselves.¡±
It was the reliable brothers, Ratty and Woeful.
A few more Ronins including the mantis-looking Ronin raised their hands, but their numbers were not many.
Then, unexpectedly, another figure raised his hand.
¡°I¡¯ll stay too.¡±
It was head guard Jo.
This made head guard Kang who was already struggling to keep up with the situation even more flustered.
¡°Are you serious?¡±
Head guard Jo sighed deeply and his face darkened.
¡°This isrgely my fault. When the head warned us, we should have taken a long detour¡ My stubbornness led to this.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±
¡°No, please let me take responsibility.¡±
As head guard Jo continued to insist strongly, head guard Kang could no longer dissuade him.
In the end, those who stayed were the injured, me, Ratty and Woeful, a few other Ronins, and head guard Jo along with his followers.
Together, we numbered a little over twenty.
¡°¡¡±
We all silently watched the retreating figures of the carriages.
And when they had be small dots in the distance, we turned our backs and faced forward.
Unlike the previous attacks, the men in ck uniforms advanced as if they were an army marching forward.
Their numbers proved that the previous battles had been mere skirmishes since their numbers now were several times greater than before.
As they steadily approached and stopped at a certain distance from us, a middle-aged man in ck stepped forward.
Vicemander of the King of Hell Squad.
He nced at us briefly and his eyes gleamed with interest.
¡°It seems there are only a few injured, yet so many of you remain? You have incredible courage.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°In recognition of that courage, I shall grant you a painless death.¡±
The vicemander gave his order.
¡°Execute them all.¡±
Sssss¡
A sound like a snake slithering across the ground echoed through the area.
The men in ck began to pick up speed and closed the distance.
As everyone tensed up in extreme anticipation of the sh.
Suddenly, I spun around and shouted.
¡°Behind!!¡±
¡°!?¡±
Everyone reflexively turned to look behind them.
And what they saw were head guard Jo and the escorts who were stationed at the rear swinging their swords towards us.
ng, ng,
Ratty hurriedly crossed his dual swords to block head guard Jo¡¯s de.
¡°What are you doing¡?¡±
However, no matter how one thought about it, the situation was all too clear.
Having been caught trying tounch a surprise attack from behind, there was only one conclusion.
¡°Is this a betrayal!¡±
¡°Betrayal? No.¡±
Head guard Jo smirked wickedly.
Soon, a sinister energy began to emanate from his entire body.
¡°I was always a demon. I was simply faithful to the role I was given.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
¡°Hehe, what a pity. If it weren¡¯t for that guy, you would have died without even knowing how.¡±
¡°Ugh¡¡±
Ratty was barely managing to fend off head guard Jo¡¯s continued attacks.
At a time when we needed to unite, head guard Jo and the escorts revealed themselves to be members of the Demonic Cult.
As we struggled to fend off their attacks, the King of Hell Squad continued to close in on us moment by moment.
Was it a coincidence? In the midst of such an urgent battle, Ratty and Woeful¡¯s eyes turned to me at the same time.
And at the same time, a puzzled expression appeared on their faces. Probably because I looked too calm for the situation.
I bowed deeply to the two of them.
¡°Thank you for trusting and following me, brothers.¡±
¡°Young brother Kim?¡±
¡°From now on, leave it to me.¡±
I turned my back on them and walked leisurely toward the approaching King of Hell Squad.
Then I pointed forward with Root.
[Activate ¡®Amplification¡¯]
[The rank of ¡®Twister¡¯ increases. (C¡À>A+)]
Whooooosh¡ª
The wind imbued with physical force gathered in one ce and formed a huge whirlwind.
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
The men in ck desperately tried to escape the whirlwind, but they were helplessly dragged in by the relentless gusts of wind.
The men in ck gradually gathered into one ce.
And now that I was facing them, I clenched my other hand tightly and crimson mes erupted from it.
Soon, I pulled back my burning fist as if drawing a bowstring, then thrust it forward with all my might.
Boom!
The ensuing firestorm engulfed the men in ck trapped in the whirlwind.
A momentter, when the firestorm subsided, all that remained was a deep crater along its path and mes still burning within it.
¡°What, what is this?¡±
¡°How could this be?¡±
Everyone was in utter shock and just stared nkly at the devastation before them.
Among them, the most astonished was probably the vicemander of the King of Hell Squad.
He had barely escaped the whirlwind with his life and seemed to recognize someone from witnessing my skill.
¡°¡me Emperor!¡±
I blew out the remaining embers on my fingertips and shrugged my shoulders.
¡°I¡¯m not that guy.¡±
Chapter 155: No.471 Great Eagle Escort Mission (5)
Chapter 155: No.471 Great Eagle Escort Mission (5)
The vicemander of the King of Hell Squad looked at the traces left by the Inferno Fist.
The mes were still zing and radiating heat.
¡°How can you master such a technique and im not to be the me Emperor?¡±
¡°Believe what you want, but I¡¯ve said my piece.¡±
¡°¡¡±
My answer seemed to irk the vicemander, and he frowned.
However, he couldn¡¯t act rashly.
The Inferno Fist hadpletely broken their formation, and the remaining members needed time to regroup.
Furthermore, it was extremely risky for him to confront me, whom he suspected to be the me Emperor.Leaving the vicemander standing there indecisively, I turned and walked back to our camp.
As I approached, head guard Jo¡¯s face twitched uncontrobly.
His nearlypleted n had been turned upside down with a single inferno fist. The frustration he was feeling must be indescribable.
¡°Since when did you see through our guise?¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t know, you¡¯re a fool. It¡¯s not like this is a one-time thing.¡±
¡°What do you mean by that?¡±
¡°Not telling you.¡±
It¡¯s not the first or second time I¡¯ve tackled this dungeon; I should know exactly how key yers like him behave.
Especially someone like head guard Jo who would strike a severe blow to the entire team if you let him be.
Of course, even before I became a skilled yer, I didn¡¯t get blindsided on my first fresh attempt.
There were plenty of hints suggesting head guard Jo was suspicious, and thanks to those, I stayed vignt until the end.
For example, at the first pass, despite warnings from the Green Forest bandits, he casually suggested pressing on.
It could be seen as simply a reckless or overly confident approach from his side, but it was enough to raise doubts.
The next clue bes clear by continually observing the subsequent ambushes and attacks.
The men in ck who attacked us mostly focused on the temporary escorts, who are usually Ronin, rather than the regr escorts, who also tend to fight passively and cautiously.
As a result, the Ronin umte numerous injuries while the regr escorts suffer rtively little.
Even those led by head guard Jo remain virtually unscathed.
The level of the escorts wasn¡¯t much higher than that of the Ronin, and the fact that only one side got damaged was also suspicious.
Lastly, there was head guard Jo saying he would stay with the injured.
Until then, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the Ronin but suddenly he started taking care of the injured.
Even though he imed to be taking responsibility for his words, staying behind in a perilous situation seemed excessive.
These clues, when considered individually, might have felt like just hunches but when gathered together, they became highly suspicious.
Of course, there was no need to exin all the details to head guard Jo.
However, I could at least tell him when I had started to notice.
I took out a small piece of paper from my pocket and answered.
¡°Since this time.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
Head guard Jo¡¯s eyes widened as if they would tear apart.
The piece of paper I held.
Its true nature was a fragment of a map stolen from the manor.
The manor had been a hideout for the Demonic Cult, and I had sneaked in while they were busy scheming against the escort agency and had stolen the ink painting.
And what this meant was,
¡°You knew everything from the beginning¡¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°Ha, haha.¡±
Head guard Jo let out a hollowugh.
A mocking smile appeared on his lips as if he were ridiculing himself.
Head guard Jo¡¯s shoulders shook withughter for a long time before his movements suddenly stopped.
When he lifted his head, his eyes glinted with intense killing intent.
¡°Die!¡±
In the next instant, head guard Jo swung his sword at Ratty in front of him.
It seemed he was determined to take down at least one more enemy to the grave.
Following his lead, the other escorts also began to attack the Ronin.
Although the battle had suddenly resumed,
I calmly stepped forward and cast One Point Explosion twice in session.
Boom, boom!
Two small explosions.
They didn¡¯t cause much damage, but they disrupted head guard Jo¡¯s movements perfectly which created a huge opening.
And Ratty who was fighting against him didn¡¯t miss this chance.
Thud,
His dual swords plunged deeply into head guard Jo¡¯s chest.
However, even though his heart was pierced, he didn¡¯t even nce at Ratty.
Instead, he stared at me with a shocked expression on his face and it seemed he had realized yet another truth.
¡°¡It was you!¡±
It was me who was disguised as a Ronin who had infiltrated andpletely eliminated the members of the King of Hell Squad in the chaotic match at Great Eagle Escort Agency.
It was also me who had secretly helped the Ronin during each attack.
¡°Yes, it was all me.¡±
¡°Hah, hah,pletely¡ yed¡ in the palm of your hand¡¡±
Head guard Jo couldn¡¯t finish his sentence and copsed.
The next moment, a small box floated up on his chest.
[Great Eagle Escort Random Box (D)] *1
Let¡¯s collect the drop item.
Swish!
While retrieving the random box, thest escort who followed head guard Jo was split in half by Woeful¡¯s longsword.
The situation on this side was settled with this so I turned back to the vicemander of the King of Hell squad.
¡°What will you do now?¡±
¡°¡Do we have a choice?¡±
The vicemander asked in return.
He was tending to the surviving members of the King of Hell squad and watching us closely.
As to be expected from members of the Demonic Cult, they would likely fight to the end despite the odds, but what if they were given another option?
¡°If you retreat now, we won¡¯t pursue you.¡±
¡°¡Are you serious?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t joke about things like this.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
Because you don¡¯t drop any items.
While head guard Jo drops a random box when defeated, the vicemander surprisingly doesn¡¯t drop anything.
I tried defeating him dozens of times, thinking the drop rate might be low, but there was nothing at all.
In other words, there¡¯s no benefit in continuing to fight.
¡°And we also want to rest.¡±
Moreover, while many perished due to the Inferno Fist, most of the King of Hell squad still survived.
If we continue fighting now, the injured Ronins who are barely clinging to life might fall.
If the number of survivors decreases, the rewards decrease too which means a loss for me and Go Hyeon-woo.
Therefore, avoiding battle now is beneficial.
¡°Of course, it feels a bit wrong to let you go empty-handed.¡±
Though I said he didn¡¯t drop items, I didn¡¯t say there¡¯s nothing to gain from him.
I looked at the vicemander and tapped my inner pocket.
¡°Leave that thing in your pocket behind.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
The vicemander¡¯s eyes deepened.
¡°How did you know?¡±
¡°My intuition is pretty sharp.¡±
Because that¡¯s what I was aiming for from the beginning.
There was a reason for sending Go Hyeon-woo away and staying with the injured, other than catching head guard Jo.
The vicemander¡¯s hesitation was brief.
On one side of the scale was a fairly important item; on the other was the lives of the King of Hell squad including himself.
If the item¡¯s value was worth sacrificing lives for, he would fight to the end but it wasn¡¯t worth that much.
¡°Fine. I¡¯ll hand it over.¡±
The vicemander reached into his inner pocket, pulled out the item, and tossed it.
I quickly caught the white object flying towards me.
[Piece of the Treasure Map ?]
It was the second fragment of the treasure map following the one recovered from the Demonic Cult¡¯s safe house.
Although one more piece was needed toplete the treasure map, this alone was enough to sit at the negotiation table with the Swordsmanship Club.
I spoke in a much softer tone.
¡°Thank you. You may leave now.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll meet again.¡±
¡°Yes, let¡¯s meet again. Next time, bring some elixirs and martial arts manuals, if you have any.¡±
His belongings had to be a bit more abundant for him to be satisfying to take down.
The vicemander red at me for a few more seconds before turning his back.
Following him, the King of Hell Squad members quickly exited the premises.
¡°Brother Kim, I see now that you were truly an extraordinary master¡¡±
Even though the situation was now over, Ratty and Woeful still looked surprised.
I bowed deeply to them once more.
¡°I¡¯m sorry for deceiving you, brothers.¡±
¡°No, if it weren¡¯t for you, Brother Kim, we wouldn¡¯t be alive right now.¡±
¡°Rather, we should be thanking you.¡±
A warm atmosphere settled over us.
In the midst of this, Ratty seemed to remember something and his face grew a bit stern.
After pointing with his chin at what used to be head guard Jo, he asked,
¡°But if that Jo guy deceived us, wouldn¡¯t there be a problem with the escort mission too?¡±
¡°You saw correctly.¡±
I nodded my head.
The purpose of the injured and the Ronin staying here was to buy time for the escort mission to proceed, but the fundamental premise was wrong.
There¡¯s no rule that says they have to chase the convoy from behind.
Just like in our first encounter, the main force of the King of Hell Squad¡¯s men would be lying in wait ahead of the escort.
The strongest master, the King of Hell himself, would be there too.
When they realized this, the Ronin visibly panicked and stirred.
Not only had their efforts been in vain but the escort mission was now in even greater danger.
Ratty urgently asked,
¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go help them immediately?¡±
¡°There¡¯s no need to worry.¡±
Despite everything, I remainedpletely at ease.
And with my next words, the Ronin¡¯s expressions brightened significantly.
¡°Head guard Go is strong.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Ratty pped his knee.
¡°You guys were in cahoots from the start!¡±
¡°Haha, yes, we were.¡±
¡°No wonder you seemed around the same age.¡±
Throughout the entire two linked dungeons, Go Hyeon-woo and I pretended not to know each other, to deceive the demonic cult members including head guard Jo.
If they had suspected even the slightest connection between Go Hyeon-woo and me, no matter how much I concealed my strength, they would have kept a close watch on my every move.
In that case, even when I stayed with the injured people, head guard Jo would have responded differently.
However, we did not reveal that fact until the decisive moment and I ended up facing the pursuit team led by head guard Jo and the vicemander, while Go Hyeon-woo faced the King of Hell.
¡°Let¡¯s go; it¡¯s probably all sorted over there.¡±
I led the way with a rxed stride.
After walking slowly with the injured, we eventually saw carriages stopped in the distance.
Ratty and Woeful were still tense until then, but as we got closer to the convoy and confirmed everyone was safe, their expressions gradually rxed.
Soon, Go Hyeon-woo spotted us from afar and came out to meet us.
In one hand, he held a golden magic sword which he had used instead of his iron sword. This meant he had to use his true skills in thest battle.
Seeing he was unscathed, it seemed the King of Hell was not a particrly difficult opponent as expected.
¡°You¡¯ve arrived, Kim-hyung.¡±
¡°Oh, did you finish things well on your side?¡±
Go Hyeon-woo grinned and raised his other hand.
There were two small boxes in his hand.
[Great Eagle Escort Random Box (D)] *2
¡°Two of them came out.¡±
Chapter 156: No.471 Great Eagle Escort Mission (6)
Chapter 156: No.471 Great Eagle Escort Mission (6)
After taking a short break, the escort team crossed the third mountain pass and reached their destination.
¡°You¡¯ve done well. Here is the promised payment.¡±
Head guard Kang handed a heavy pouch to each of the Ronin lined up.
They wore faces filled with joy as they cautiously opened their pouches and found them filled with silver coins.
Finally, the line dwindled and it was Go Hyeon-woo and my turn.
¡°Here you go. You really worked hard.¡±
But instead of pouches, he handed us four small and faintly glowing boxes.
[Great Eagle Escort Random Box (D)] *4
Head guard Kang then naturally moved on to the next Ronin.No one seemed to find this odd.
Go Hyeon-woo gave a bitter smile.
¡°Moments like this make me realize that all these things, which seem no different from reality, are actually illusions created by the dungeon.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a chilling thought.¡±
What would it feel like to be a puppet in an endlessly repeating puppet show?
Go Hyeon-woo looked around carefully as he spoke.
¡°It¡¯s chilling and a bit sad. Even though they¡¯rerades we¡¯ve lived and fought with, once the dungeon resets, they¡¯re just forgotten.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not entirely true.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
Even if the dungeons are not directly connected like the Great Eagle Escort ones, our actions can still have huge effects on future dungeons when they are part of arger storyline.
For example,
¡°Younger brother Kim.¡±
The bonds built with characters like Ratty and Woeful can continue.
I asked them,
¡°Hey, are you leaving?¡±
¡°For now, we n to focus on training. I thought my skills were sufficient wherever I went, but I learned a lot this time.¡±
¡°I hope you achieve great sess in your martial arts.¡±
¡°Thank you. See you again, brother Kim.¡±
After exchanging brief farewells, Ratty and Woeful left without looking back.
Go Hyeon-woo couldn¡¯t take his eyes off their retreating figures for a long time.
¡°It¡¯s really strange¡¡±
¡°What is?¡±
¡°Those two¡ Their qi doesn¡¯t seem particrly strong, but they look like they have great potential. It¡¯s hard to define.¡±
I smiled.
¡°You have a good eye. They will be legends one day.¡±
¡°Is that true?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Ratty and Woeful might not be the main characters, but they frequently appear in linked dungeons.
They are what you would call super-supporting characters.
Moreover, their already considerable skills will improve dramatically as the story progresses.
¡°Later on, they even earn a nickname. The Invincible Ronins.¡±
¡°Ooh¡!¡±
¡°You¡¯ll see them often, so remember them well.¡±
¡°How could I forget?¡±
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest.
Rumble¡
At that moment, the sound of something copsing echoed in our ears.
Since the raid waspleted, the dungeon had begun to copse and reorganize.
We needed to leave but there was still something left to do.
¡°Weren¡¯t you curious about what was inside the carriage?¡±
¡°Of course I was curious. But Kim-hyung really has a mischievous side. Why did you leave that detail out of the strategy guide?¡±
¡°This kind of thing should be saved forst. Now, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±
The identity of the cargo.
At the time we first joined the temporary guard position, the Great Eagle Escort Agency was already on shaky ground, yet they endured further expenses to gather Ronins and were determined to transport the cargo.
And what about the Demonic Cult?
They not only nted spies to manipte the head guards but also mobilized the powerful King of Hell Squad to seize the cargo.
During this process, the Ronins resisted more fiercely than expected, but the other party was willing to take the losses and fight another round.
What could the identity of the cargo be to warrant such measures?
¡°¡¡!¡±
Go Hyeon-woo was intensely focused on me. He was extremely curious about the next answer.
But there was one more thing that needed to be shown.
I took out the random boxes from my inventory one by one before gathering a total of four in one ce.
¡°There are seven random boxes you can obtain from [Great Eagle Escort Mission].¡±
The clear reward from head guard Kang was up to four.
If the carriage was damaged or there were casualties, the number would decrease ordingly.
Additionally, if you defeated the King of Hell Squad leader, you would get two more. And head guard Jo would drop one as a bonus.
The vicemander didn¡¯t drop items, but if you grabbed him by the cor and threatened him, he would give you a piece of the Treasure Map.
¡°And when you gather four and open them inside the dungeon,¡±
Click,
As I opened the lid of one random box, pitch-ck smoke began to rise from it.
The smoke enveloped the remaining random boxes and their shapes changed like dough.
After a moment, when the smoke cleared, something else was ced where the four random boxes had been.
It was a very old cracked porcin jar.
It was covered in talismans and tightly bound with golden cords.
[Sealing Demon Box (B)]
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s eyes deepened.
¡°This is the identity of the cargo?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Hmm, it doesn¡¯t seem ordinary even at first nce. What is it used for?¡±
¡°Just as the name implies.¡±
Sealing Demon Box.
It¡¯s a porcin jar thatpresses and seals demonic energy to its limit.
To ordinary martial artists, it¡¯s not only useless but also harmful. But to those who practiced demonic arts, it was like a supreme elixir.
¡°And this kind of thing was packed inside the carriages.¡±
¡°Indeed. One alone is immense, but if there were many, it¡¯s understandable why the demonic cult would pursue it so fervently. They will never give up.¡±
¡°Absolutely.¡±
In this escort mission, Go Hyeon-woo and I were guarding the cargo so the other side had no choice but to retreat.
They are the kind who would risk death for their goals, but if the power difference is too vast, it would be a meaningless death.
However, this is just a temporary retreat; the demonic cult¡¯s attacks will continue.
Next time, they wille with a force strong enough to contend with Go Hyeon-woo and me.
Go Hyeon-woo muttered to himself.
¡°Then the Sealing Demon Box will eventually fall into the hands of the demonic cult.¡±
¡°That¡¯s how the story goes. We can¡¯t always intervene.¡±
¡°If there are many Sealing Demon Boxes, creating a powerful group would be easy¡ but will that be enough?¡±
The demonic cult had already lost the Great Demon War. And they splintered into many factions and sunk beneath the surface.
This was why they lost the Sealing Demon Box.
But the question was whether creating a new armed group while they were still weak could change the situation.
I shrugged my shoulders.
¡°Of course not.¡±
¡°Then what are they trying to achieve?¡±
¡°You¡¯ve got one thing wrong¡ªthey don¡¯t need an armed group. They need a unifying force.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Go Hyeon-woo raised his eyebrows as if he were realizing something.
He had been so focused on the number of Sealing Demon Boxes that he had only thought about using them to create a ¡°group¡±.
¡°What if they concentrated the demonic energy from all those Sealing Demon Boxes into one person?¡±
¡°An incredibly powerful master would be born.¡±
¡°Exactly. The ck Death Squad is simr.¡±
We had secretly tricked them and left only with what we needed, but the original story of the ck Death Squad goes like this.
The ck Snake and White Snake dominated the ck n Squad. And they were capturing the young people of the area and training them in the ways of the Demonic Cult.
Even with the demonic arts only halfpleted, they obtained bodies close to immortality, and the ck Snake himself had taken several direct hits from the Inferno Fist without showing any signs of serious injury.
However, their ultimate goal was not to be stronger themselves,
¡°But to cast the grand spell on the master they would create.¡±
¡°Indeed. The picture is bing clearer.¡±
The Demonic Cult was operating covertly across various parts of the central ins.
Their desire was also the same.
The return of a single absolute master who would reunite the fragmented Demonic Cult.
¡°And by uniting the linked dungeons¡ª¡±
The Feathered Serpent altar and temple were tied together into one grand story called ¡°The Descent of the Feathered Serpent Through Human Sacrifice Rituals.¡±.
Therefore, the linked dungeons were collectively called the [Descent of the Feathered Serpent] series.
Simrly, bybining the dungeons including the ck Death and the corresponding Great Eagle Escort¡ª
¡°¡ªit¡¯s called the [Return of the Heavenly Demon] series.¡±
When we came out through the teleportation portal, Shin Byeong-cheol revealed himself from his concealment and greeted us,
He yawned with his mouth wide open.
¡°Yaawn¡ª You¡¯re out.¡±
¡°What time is it now?¡±
¡°Half past six.¡±
Since the dungeon took longer to clear than usual ones, we had entered yesterday afternoon and only finished by morning.
Still, it was a bit earlier than I had anticipated.
I exchanged nces with Go Hyeon-woo, and we both nodded almost at the same time.
¡°A bit of meditation and breakfast, then we can head to ss just in time.¡±
¡°A single round of the Qi cirction should suffice.¡±
¡°Are you guys really crazy¡?¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol was astonished by the extreme behavior of us training fanatics.
We just had a fierce battle inside the dungeon, yet as soon as we came out, we were already talking about meditation and training.
Moreover, we nned to attend sses and mentoring sessions right after.
Go Hyeon-woo responded with a serious demeanor.
¡°The path to bing a master is long and full of hardships. This is merely a part of that journey. Isn¡¯t that right, Kim-hyung?¡±
¡°Go Hyeon-woo is right.¡±
When I agreed, Shin Byeong-cheol shook his head.
¡°Of course, you two get along perfectly. You must be very pleased.¡±
¡°Haha, don¡¯t be like that. I also have news that will make you happy, Shin-hyung.¡±
¡°¡What is it? I mean, what might it be, customer-nims?¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s tone immediately became friendly since the news that could make him happy was almost predictable.
As expected, what came out of Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s inventory was an E-rank random box obtained from the recent Escort Mission dungeon.
¡°Thank you for your hard work early this morning, Shin-hyung.¡±
¡°Oh my, customer-nims, you shouldn¡¯t have. Thank you. Thank you.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol rubbed his hands together gleefully with a big smile on his face.
And then he swiftly took the random box and grasped the lid before he asked,
¡°¡Should I open it now?¡±
¡°Whenever you choose to open it is up to you. But Shin-hyung¡ Are you sure about this?¡±
Last time, he had opened it right away and gotten an F-rank wooden cup.
However, Shin Byeong-cheol smiled confidently this time.
¡°Oh, that was just bad luckst time, this time it¡¯s the real deal. Watch closely, I¡¯ll show you¡ Look, will I get the rainbow-colored gold?¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol energetically opened the random box.
Click,
[Antique Teacup (F)]
¡°¡¡¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol blinked as he looked down at the teacup.
I gently patted his shoulder.
¡°Your collection is growing.¡±
¡°Why is my life like this?¡±
Chapter 157: The Lucky Seo Ye-in
Chapter 157: The Lucky Seo Ye-in
I brought the rice cracker to Seo Ye-in¡¯s mouth.
¡°Lucky Charm-nim, please try this too.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in took a small bite of the rice cracker and chewed it.
She seemed to like it as she started nibbling on the rest bit by bit.
I had bought it from a market near the Great Eagle Escort Agency, thinking its mild sweetness and light vor would suit her taste.
¡°Lucky Charm-nim, how about this one?¡±
¡°Like it.¡±
Iid out various other local snacks and offered them to her one by one.The reason was obvious. To prepare for the uing random box opening ceremony.
I needed to boost Seo Ye-in¡¯s condition as much as possible in advance.
Of course, Seo Ye-in¡¯s mood or condition might have nothing to do with actual luck.
Nevertheless, the reason for offering these tributes was simr to throwing coins into a fountain.
¡°The rice cracker is tasty, isn¡¯t it, Lucky Charm-nim?¡±
¡°Tasty.¡±
¡°Then I must give you more. Here you go.¡±
¡°You eat some too.¡±
Seo Ye-in epted the rice crackers and then picked one up and popped it into my mouth.
¡°¡¡±
Meanwhile, Ahn Jeong-mi stood a little distance away and kept watching us with a look of pure contentment on her face. As if she could die without regret.
Just as Ahn Jeong-mi seemed to be on the verge of ascending to heaven in that state,
¡°Kim-hyung.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo arrived right on time.
Havingpleted all his mentoring sessions and sparring with Han So-mi in between, his days were the longest among the three of us.
He waved cheerfully as he approached, then stopped when he saw us feeding each other rice crackers.
A pleased smile spread across his face and he turned around with a twinkle in his eye.
¡°Come to think of it, I just remembered something urgent.¡±
¡°I know you don¡¯t have anything. Come back.¡±
¡°But seeing the two of you enjoying such a lovely time, I feel like I might be intruding.¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi silently nodded her head in agreement.
However, regardless of what the two of them thought, it was decided that we would open the random box today.
¡°Enough, sit down.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t we do it another time?¡±
¡°Is there really a need to dy? We should get it over with while the three of us are here.¡±
¡°Hmm, if that¡¯s what you wish, Kim-hyung.¡±
Go Hyun-woo sat across from me. He eyed the assortment of local snacks and picked a few that were rtively untouched.
He had no intention of touching the rice crackers though.
Anyway, since all three of us were gathered, I got straight to the point.
¡°It¡¯s time for another unboxing.¡±
Then I took out the random boxes from my inventory.
[Great Eagle Escort Agency Random Box (E)] *3
We had obtained a total of four E-rank random boxes but we gave one to Shin Byeong-cheol who got a teacup from it.
So, three remained.
[Great Eagle Escort Mission Random Box (D)] *3
We also gained seven D-rank boxes in total, but we exchanged four of them for the Sealing Demon Box. So we were left with three.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Meanwhile, as soon as I took out the random boxes from my inventory, Ahn Jeong-mi quietly stepped back and turned invisible.
During thest unboxing of the Feathered Serpent Temple Random Boxes, Seo Ye-in suddenly directed an ¡°arrow¡± at her, and Ahn Jeong-mi had no choice but to open the box in her ce, which resulted in an F-rank wooden cup.
Fearing the same thing might happen again, she stepped back early this time.
It was a disy of the skillful tactical maneuvering of the head of the Future Strategy Office and the stealth skills of a veteran Marksman.
Somehow, I¡¯m sorry.
I handed the D-rank random box to Seo Ye-in first.
¡°Lucky charm-nim, I¡¯m counting on you again today.¡±
Through several experiments, we discovered that Seo Ye-in¡¯s luck operated in a rechargeable manner.
She would bring extraordinary luck once or twice, and then her luck would gradually be simr to that of an average person.
So, it was best to have her open the higher-ranked D-rank boxes first.
¡°¡¡.¡±
And as always, Seo Ye-in was about to casually open the lid of the random box, but then she stopped and tilted her head.
¡°What happened?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll open itter.¡±
Then, Seo Ye-in gently shook her head.
I wondered if opening it now would yield subpar results.
Sensing there was something she couldn¡¯t quite express, I decided to let it go for now.
You can¡¯t force a jackpot.
In this situation, Seo Ye-in was the ultimate boss.
It was much better to let her open it when she felt like it than to not do it at all.
I looked at Go Hyeon-woo and picked up an E-rank random box.
¡°Go Hyeon-woo, it¡¯s a showdown.¡±
¡°¡!¡±
Go Hyeon-woo understood my intention and picked up an E-rank random box as well.
Apetition to see who drew a higher grade.
¡°I never thought my first showdown with you would be like this¡ But fine, I won¡¯t back down.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll open on the count of three. Three, two¡ª¡±
¡°¡ªone.¡±
We opened the random boxes at the same time.
Click,
Click,
[Ten-Year Knotweed (E)]
[Ten-Year Knotweed (E)]
¡°A tie.¡±
¡°A tie indeed.¡±
We smiled at each other and put the knotweed in our respective inventories.
When I subtly signaled to Seo Ye-in, she still shook her head gently.
It meant it wasn¡¯t the right time yet.
So, I picked up a D-rank random box with Go Hyeon-woo again.
¡°I¡¯ll open mine first.¡±
¡°Go ahead.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and then slowly lifted the lid of the box.
sh!
Inside were two small wooden cases.
The first case was filled with finely ground powder, and the second was full of bean-sized granules.
[Golden Wound Medicine (D)]
[Internal Injury Medicine (D)]
The Golden Wound Medicine was a powder for treating external wounds. Specifically injuries to the skin and flesh.
The Internal Injury Medicine was, as the name said, a pill for treating internal injuries.
¡°You got exactly what you needed.¡±
¡°Indeed.¡±
I rarely got hit thanks to my experienced dodging skills, but Go Hyeon-woo wasn¡¯t so lucky.
He had suffered numerous internal injuries from facing the hidden boss White Snake in the ck Death Dungeon and hade back with scratches from the Feathered Serpent Temple, though the damage was rtively minor.
As he continued to explore the underground levels, he wouldn¡¯t know what formidable foes he might encounter and he couldn¡¯t afford to stock up on expensive potions.
In this situation, having both internal and external injury medicines meant he could treat most wounds with them.
Next, it was my turn.
I took on a serious attitude and then opened the D-rank random box.
sh¡ª!
[Rank Up (D)]
¡°I got something good too.¡±
Since Rank Ups permanently increased the user¡¯s abilities, they were more valuable than other items of the same rank.
Now, only one D-rank and one E-rank random box remained.
I asked Seo Ye-in again.
¡°How about now?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll open it.¡±
Finally ready, Seo Ye-in slowly pulled the D-rank random box in front of her.
Unlike us, she opened the random box with apletely rxed attitude.
aa¡ªash¡ª!
As expected, a burst of brilliant multicolored light exploded and filled the room.
This must be a guaranteed B-rank.
Judging by the spectacr effect, it had to be a high rank.
However, it was too early to celebrate.
We still needed to see what kind of B-rank item it was.
After I shielded my eyes and waited for a moment, the brilliant light gradually subsided.
What emerged was a single pure white talisman.
[Purification Talisman (B)]
?Purifies demonic energy.
¡°Amazing.¡±
¡°What is it used for?¡±
¡°You know the sealing demon box we got? It pairs with that.¡±
¡°¡I see.¡±
The sealing demon box contained excessively dense demonic energy, making it untouchable for ordinary martial artists and even moderately skilled demonic practitioners.
The purification talisman yed a great role in purifying or neutralizing that demonic energy.
Usually, one would need to obtain a purification talisman separately or find another method to cleanse the demonic energy, but Seo Ye-in had pulled it out of the random box as if she had aimed for it.
¡°You truly are a lucky charm.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
I offered her another rice cracker as a tribute.
Now, only one E-rank item remained.
¡°Since we¡¯re at it, do you want to open this one too?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in quietly looked down at the random box, then turned around and looked behind her.
She stared at the empty space for a long time, then slowly shifted her gaze sideways and started staring again.
After repeating this a few times, Ahn Jeong-mi finally revealed herself from hiding.
She realized that remaining invisible and pretending not to notice would only make things harder for herter on.
Looking like a condemned criminal receiving her final sentence, Ahn Jeong-mi epted the E-rank random box.
I gave her an encouraging smile.
¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s just E-rank, so even if you pull an F-rank item, it¡¯s fine.¡±
¡°Yes, Kim Ho-nim. ¡Then, I¡¯ll open it.¡±
Click,
[Great Eagle Escort Agency Teacup (F)]
Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯splexion became like that of the teacup.
¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°I told you, it¡¯s fine.¡±
It wasn¡¯t just the butler who was like this.
Unexpectedly, Shin Byeong-cheol found himself a fellow collector.
The thieves club room.
Dang Gyu-young couldn¡¯t help but sigh as she looked at the mountain of paperwork.
¡°When am I going to finish all this?¡±
She had been extremely busy for the past month.
As a third-year student, she attended sses and participated in strategy battles and duel battles.
As a mentor, she followed the first-year students into dungeons, watched over them, and took care of them.
As the president of the thieves club, she also managed the club¡¯s operations.
Because of all this, paperwork rted to the ck market had been pushed aside.
Ideally, she should have handled it in advance but she had to deal with it all at thest minute for the reasons above.
The second-year twins grinned wickedly andmented.
¡°Want to finish quickly so you can go out with that first-year?¡±
¡°You look so much happier these days. You used to always have a scowl on your face.¡±
Dang Gyu-young didn¡¯t react at all to their words.
Instead, shadowy arms rose from below and put the twins in joint locks.
Crack,
¡°They deserved that.¡±
Chae Da-bin who was helping with the paperwork nced up and looked at them with a not-so-sympathetic expression.
Then she lowered her gaze back to the papers and said,
¡°But if you endure just one more week, things will get easier. Mentoring ends this week, after all.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
But even when mentoring ended, the hard work would not.
That was the life of a club president.
Dang Gyu-young still couldn¡¯t understand why she had readily epted the previous president¡¯s proposal and taken this position.
By the time she realized it, it was already toote.
And when Chae Da-bin took over the president position next year and regretted it, it would be toote for her as well.
At that moment, a strange presence was felt outside the club room.
It was most likely a guesting to request their services, so a second-year member went out to greet them.
¡°Wee. What brings you here¡ª¡±
The usual business greeting was cut short as the club member saw the visitor¡¯s face and hesitated.
Other club members who were curiously peeking out also froze in ce when they confirmed the identity of the visitor.
She was a female student with an intellectual beauty and a neat appearance.
The gold pin on her tie indicated she was a third-year student.
In one hand, she held a half-open folding fan that covered her mouth slightly. This gave her an intellectual yet mysterious aura.
She was a well-known figure among the students at Dragon yer Academy.
Jegal So-so.
She was called the brains of the swordsmanship club and was a key figure among the key figures who sat in the position ofmander-in-chief and vice president.
Her visit here meant one thing.
It signaled that the swordsmanship club was starting to take serious action.
Jegal So-so snapped her fan shut.
Then she spoke with a faint smile on her lips.
¡°Could you clear the area, please?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
When Dang Gyu-young signaled with her eyes, the club members stopped what they were doing and quickly left the room.
Chae Da-bin was thest to leave. She gave the two a puzzled look, but in the end, the thieves club room became as quiet as a mouse.
Soon, Dang Gyu-young also slowly stood up and met Jegal So-so¡¯s gaze.
Chapter 158: The Swordsmanship Club (1)
Chapter 158: The Swordsmanship Club (1)
Jegal So-so and Dang Gyu-young briefly looked at each other.
Then their expressions gradually brightened.
Soon, they approached each other and grasped hands tightly.
¡°Sho!¡±
¡°Qyu!¡±
¡°Sho Sho!¡±
¡°Qyu Qyu!¡±
They started jumping up and down like children.
Jegal So-so and Dang Gyu-young.The two had been childhood friends since they were only five years old.
Their friendship was widely known, but very few knew that they were close enough to jump with joy upon seeing each other.
Moreover, both were in their third year and held positions where they had to disy a certain level of leadership.
That¡¯s why they cleared the area and remained alone to maintain their image.
They also intended to have a private conversation.
Dang Gyu-young was the first to stop jumping.
She was still holding her hands and she pouted.
¡°Sho, why haven¡¯t you been in touch with metely?¡±
¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve been too busy. I¡¯ll message you more often.¡±
Jegal So-so replied with a wry smile.
This was something that Dang Gyu-young could fully understand as the president of her club.
Running a mid-sized club like the thieves club was exhausting enough, so how busy would a vice president of a huge group like the swordsmanship club be?
So, she quickly changed the subject.
There was too much that she wanted to say to keep pouting like this.
For a while, they exchanged updates about their lives.
Then with a serious look on her face, Jegal So-so brought up the main topic.
¡°I came because I have something to ask.¡±
¡°Sure, what is it?¡±
¡°A few weeks ago, we prioritized a bid for a dungeon¡.¡±
The dungeon the swordsmanship club had secured with their priority bidding rights.
It was the ck Death dungeon.
Jegal So-so showed a photo.
A picture of the area around the ck Death dungeon
The pavilions werepletely copsed and burned; it was a scene of utter chaos.
Dang Gyu-young broke into a cold sweat internally.
He really left a mess behind.
Just like Kim Ho had informed her beforehand, there was undeniable evidence left behind in the dungeon.
¡°Someone must have gone in first. Do you know anything about it?¡±
The ck Death dungeon was a B-rank dungeon, meaning it was a depth-level dungeon.
To get past the heavy security of the depth levels, a very high level of stealth was required, so it was almost certain that the thieves club was involved here.
The swordsmanship club was acting on such a confident assumption.
Dang Gyu-young sighed softly and admitted.
¡°Yes, we were involved in this one.¡±
¡°Even though there was a priority bid on it?¡±
¡°Yeah, we were opposed to it too, but the client was very stubborn.¡±
¡°I figured as much. But who is the client?¡±
The tone of the question was casual, but Jegal So-so¡¯s eyes were shining sharply.
Trouble usually arose at this point when the identity of the client was probed.
The thieves club preferred to keep their client¡¯s information confidential, while the swordsmanship club was in a position where they had to catch the rats infringing on their interests.
And if the thieves club continued to keep it hidden, they would have no choice but to take action.
Jegal So-so who had a close rtionship with Dang Gyu-young hoped it wouldn¡¯te to that.
That¡¯s why she hade personally to mediate and make things easier.
But contrary to her expectations, Dang Gyu-young immediately revealed the client¡¯s identity.
¡°It¡¯s a first-year. Kim Ho from ss 3.¡±
¡°Are you sure you should say it so easily?¡±
¡°He insists on taking all the me himself. Says he doesn¡¯t want to cause me any trouble. What¡¯s the harm in asking for a little help?¡±
Dang Gyu-young pouted her lips again.
But when she saw this, Jegal So-so¡¯s eyes sparkled.
This¡ there¡¯s something here.
She had a feeling.
Her childhood friend¡¯s tone was emotional, unlike her usual attitude towards clients.
The remark about not wanting to cause her trouble suggested they had a closer rtionship than usual.
And at the end, there was a hint of longing in her face, as if she wished that person would rely on her a bit more.
Something came to her mind, so Jegal So-so asked a probing question.
¡°If he¡¯s a first-year, is he the one you¡¯ve been hanging out withtely?¡±
¡°Who says I¡¯ve been hanging out with him?¡±
¡°You know it too. The rumors are everywhere.¡±
Jegal So-so was still probing, but her words weren¡¯t entirely off the mark.
As the vice president of the swordsmanship club, the rumors had reached her ears early, but it was only a matter of time before they spread to all the third years.
And the likely source of these rumors was none other than,
¡°That damn toad¡¡±
It must be Kim Gap-dop, who has been living in despair recently.
Just thinking about it gave her a headache, so Dang Gyu-young rubbed her forehead.
However, in Jegal So-so¡¯s judgment, Dang Gyu-young didn¡¯t seem all that angry.
It could be interpreted as her having some sort of fondness for that first-year student, Kim Ho, no matter how big or small.
This is getting too interesting.
She hade for club-rted matters, only to stumble upon this romanticedy.
Her lips began to curl up, so Jegal So-so naturally unfolded her fan to cover her mouth.
Then she smoothly brought the conversation back on track.
¡°If he confidently told you to pass it to him, he must have some sort of n in ce?¡±.
The fact that he chose the swordsmanship club¡¯s preferred dungeon out of all the many dungeons meant he had something to gain, even at the risk of causing conflict with the club.
Additionally, it meant that he had already considered something to resolve that conflict.
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head as if to agree with that assumption.
¡°Probably. I guess.¡±
¡°Probably? He didn¡¯t tell you what it is?¡±
¡°Our junior-nim is quite the enigma. He has many secrets.¡±
However, it seemed Dang Gyu-young didn¡¯t know exactly what Kim Ho had prepared either.
Even so, she doesn¡¯t seem worried.
No matter how skilled that first-year Kim Ho might be, he was still just a first-year.
There were definite limits to what kind of deals he could prepare.
There was a high possibility that what he confidently prepared might turn out to be insignificant.
It was a situation that could make Dang Gyu-young curious or worried, yet she stepped back as if it was nothing.
This meant two things.
Either Kim Ho had proven his skills to the point that she didn¡¯t worry,
Or enough trust had already been built between Dang Gyu-young and Kim Ho.
One of the two, or maybe both.
Her interest grew more and more.
Jegal So-so snapped her fan shut.
She had asked various questions, but in reality, her course of action was decided the moment Kim Ho¡¯s name was mentioned.
¡°I¡¯ll meet and talk with him.¡±
Jegal So-so became curious.
Did Kim Ho really prepare a solution to ovee this situation?
¡°What do you like so much about him?¡±
¡°Sho, even you?¡±
The Swordsmanship Club.
Jegal So-so was approving and handling various documents in the clubroom along with her cousin and close aide Jegal Yeong-yeong.
While the two were deeply focused on the paperwork,
Knock, knock.
Someone knocked on the clubroom door.
Though it was a knock, the sound was heavy.
Jegal So-so spoke softly without taking her eyes off the documents.
¡°Come in.¡±
Then the door swung open and a second-year male student entered the clubroom.
He had a sturdy build, his entire body was made up of muscles, and he even had a roughly shaven beard and a grim look.
It was as if a mountain bandit had been put in a school uniform.
And this second-year ¡°mountain bandit¡± called Mak Dae-wong asked.
¡°Did you call for me, senior-nim?¡±
¡°Yes, I called you because I need a favor.¡±
Of course, a favor was essentially amand.
How could someone in the swordsmanship club refuse a request from the vice president?
Mak Dae-wong shrugged his shoulders.
¡°Tell me what you need.¡±
¡°First-year, ss 3, Kim Ho. I¡¯d like to meet and talk with him.¡±
¡°Should I bring him here?¡±
¡°Yes, but don¡¯t use force.¡±
¡°Well, understood.¡±
Mak Dae-wong nodded and left the clubroom before closing the door behind him.
Jegal Yeong-yeong watched his back with disapproval.
¡°He¡¯s going to run over there and mess up everything again.¡±
¡°Probably.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why the ck Faction can¡¯t be trusted.¡±
The swordsmanship club was thergest club at Dragon yer Academy, so naturally, there were various factions within it.
The most notable factions were the ¡°ck Faction¡± and the ¡°White Faction¡± which were divided by origin, and as the second-year mentioned, these two factions didn¡¯t get along well.
Mak Dae-wong was a member of the ck Faction.
So, was it really necessary for her to call in a member of the opposing faction and entrust him with the task?
Jegal Yeong-yeong¡¯s eyes held that question.
Jegal So-so asked with a gentle smile.
¡°What do you think he would do?¡±
¡°It¡¯s obvious he will use ¡®forceful means¡¯, won¡¯t he?¡±
¡°Probably.¡±
Mak Dae-wong would certainly bring Kim Ho as Jegal So-so had requested, but the reminder not to use force would go in one ear and out the other.
As a member of the ck Faction, his temperament was rough and he would try to handle things the way his faction instructed.
For example, he might use force and then im it wasn¡¯t ¡°forceful¡±.
But as the vice president of the club, how could Jegal So-so not anticipate that?
Jegal Yeong-yeong who was deep in thought asked.
¡°Unnie, do you think Mak Dae-wong will fail?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure of it.¡±
Jegal So-so actually hoped Mak Dae-wong would disobey the order.
And she was confident he would use ¡°forceful means¡± and fail.
Then, as a result, the White Faction would have a reason to bite the ck Faction.
Mak Dae-wong had disobeyed her orders, acted on his own, and failed. And the ck Faction was the one who instigated him to act like this.
Jegal Yeong-yeong understood all of this, but she still seemed a bit skeptical.
¡°But¡ can that first-year really endure it?¡±
What if Kim Ho¡¯s skills were below expectations and the forceful method seeded?
Then the ck Faction could boast, ¡°See, our way works better.¡±
Jegal So-so smiled gently again.
¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±
Her confidence was based on very clear evidence.
She recalled an incident that had urred at the beginning of the semester after seeing the burnt remains inside the ck Death dungeon.
It was the incident of the thieves club¡¯s temporary storage break-in.
The identity of the masked person who helped with that incident was still unknown.
This masked person had mastered the Inferno Fist, defeated the second-year disciplinarymittee member Kwak Seung-jae in a direct confrontation, and then escaped the perimeter with ease.
And coincidentally, the ck Death dungeon which Kim Ho had joined was entirely burned down.
His rtionship with the thieves club seemed quite close too.
When she connected all these dots together in her head, the conclusion was clear.
This kid has the Inferno Fist.
Then even a truckload of Mak Dae-wong wouldn¡¯t be a match for him.
Chapter 159: The Swordsmanship Club (2)
Chapter 159: The Swordsmanship Club (2)
Mak Dae-wong left Jegal So-so¡¯s office.
He seemed to be exchanging messages with someone, then he soon began to move somewhere.
The training center was noisy with students in the midst of practice and sparring.
Mak Dae-wong walked straight ahead, and as he went, the crowd thinned out and the noise gradually subsided.
He soon entered the special cultivation room area and stopped in front of a firmly closed door.
¡°¡¡±
Normally, he would have pounded on the door with his fist as big as a cauldron lid, but he knew he had to consider who was inside.
The person beyond the door extremely disliked having their concentration disturbed, and Mak Dae-wong didn¡¯t want to upset him at all.
Moreover, the person would have already known he was there, even without the need for a vigorous knock.So Mak Dae-wong stood quietly in front of the door and waited.
After a while, the door slowly opened on its own.
The room inside was so dark that it was hard to distinguish objects.
However, Mak Dae-wong approached a corner of the room without hesitation.
This was not his first visit here.
Indeed, there was a man sitting with his back turned, and from his posture, it seemed he had just opened his eyes after meditating.
The man asked a question without turning around.
¡°Why did Jegal call for you?¡±
¡°She wanted me to bring someone.¡±
¡°Is this rted to the ck Death dungeon?¡±
¡°It seems that way.¡±
The vice president of the swordsmanship club had personally visited the thieves club.
There had been no recent contact between the two clubs, so if the vice president went there, it was likely a matter concerning the club¡¯s interests, and most probably it was about the issue of priority bidding rights infringement.
And if Jegal So-so wanted to have a private conversation with someone afterward,
It was highly likely that it involved the ck Death dungeon.
¡°Who?¡±
¡°A guy named Kim Ho. A first-year.¡±
¡°¡ A first-year?¡±
¡°I thought I heard it wrong at first.¡±
The ck Death dungeon was a B-rank dungeon in name.
If Mak Dae-wong himself entered it, he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance and even the man in front of him would struggle.
But the idea that a mere first-year had entered that terrifying dungeon?
It was hard to believe.
And so, their thoughts naturally led to,
¡°Did they use him as cannon fodder?¡±
¡°It seems that way to me too.¡±
Their thoughts drifted towards the idea that someone was behind Kim Ho.
After breaking into the priority bid dungeon, they used this first-year as cannon fodder while secretly dealing with Jegal So-so.
It was a usible story.
The fact that Kim Ho was unaffiliated added weight to the cannon fodder hypothesis.
¡°But after investigating a bit, it seems that first-year kid frequently visits the underground floors.¡±
For a first-year student who had only been enrolled for two months, it was a bold move.
If that was the case, wasn¡¯t he more of an aplice rather than just cannon fodder in the ck Death incident?
The man asked,
¡°What does she n to do after calling him?¡±
¡°The orders I received were just to bring him. It seems she wants to hear his story first.¡±
Mak Dae-wong added a remark, ¡°She also told me not to use forceful means.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
The atmosphere in the special cultivation room grew tense.
The man began to show signs of difort.
¡°Still living in a fantasy world, Jegal.¡±
Allowing an intrusion into the priority bid dungeon was essentially an invasion of the swordsmanship club¡¯s territory.
And now she wanted to call him in and hear his side of the story first?
It was a method he found extremely displeasing.
The matter was still kept within the swordsmanship club, but no one knew when it might leak out.
And when it did, Jegal So-so¡¯s utterly foolish handling of it would certainly be exposed as well.
¡°I don¡¯t care how those White Faction bastards handle their affairs, but we can¡¯t afford to be aughingstock.¡±
¡°You are right.¡±
¡°Bring him to me. And before that¡¡±
There must be consequences for coveting what belongs to others, whether he¡¯s an aplice or cannon fodder.
Call him in to hear his story? No, it¡¯s better to show him a bit of heat first. The story wille out more easily that way.
Mak Dae-wong was in full agreement with this thoroughly ck Faction way of thinking so he nodded his head and asked,
¡°Understood. Who should I take with me?¡±
However, Mak Dae-wong couldn¡¯t act directly. Except for extreme cases, it was a serious vition of school rules for an upperssman toy hands on a lowerssman.
And so, subduing Kim Ho was the task of another first-year. The question was who would be assigned this task?
Before the man answered, he uttered a single word,
¡°Rey.¡±
Mak Dae-wong quickly threw two crystal balls, and the man who still had his back turned caught and checked them.
They contained two recent reys of Kim Ho.
One was this week¡¯s crystal strategy battle against the ogre.
The other was a crystal duel battle against Jo Byeok from the disciplinarymittee club.
The man silently looked into the rey crystal balls for a while.
Then his eyes glimmered with interest.
¡°¡He does have a knack for evading. His skill set is also quite troublesome.¡±
Kim Ho was shown to have dodged all of the attacks from the ogre and Jo Byeok. He even finished both the strategy battle and the duel battle with perfect games.
Especially impressive was the way he dealt with Jo Byeok¡¯s finishing move towards the end of the match.
His skill set which involved pushing and pulling the enemy seemed quite difficult to counter.
¡°However, he isn¡¯t without weaknesses.¡±
Jo Byeok who was a member of the disciplinarymittee had bnced abilities across all stats butcked the top-tier speed expected of the best in his grade.
And since he let Jo Byeok catch up with him, Kim Ho¡¯s speed should be lower.
And so the conclusion was,
¡°We just need to overwhelm him with speed.¡±
If they used someone much faster than Jo Byeok, even Kim Ho who dodged like a slippery eel would eventually sumb to their attacks.
The man gave his orders.
¡°Take Cheol-soo and Min-soo with you.¡±
The ogre charged forward with terrifying momentum.
¡°Groooaaa¡ª!¡±
After it closed the distance to Kwak Ji-cheol with thunderous steps, the creature swung its club down.
Just as Kwak Ji-cheol was about to be ttened down on the ground, fine soil gathered between him and the club and formed an angled wall.
The club struck the dirt wall before sliding off to the side as if on a slide.
Though the miss caused the ogre¡¯s stance to falter slightly, it did not stop its attack and reached out to grab the human in front of it.
The speed of its lunge was rming, so even just a graze could cause serious damage.
¡°¡¡!¡±
However, Kwak Ji-cheol had anticipated this and used a pre-cast spell.
Arge earthen hand rose from the ground and struck the ogre¡¯s hand aside with force.
Thwack!
¡°Groooooo!¡±
The ogre pressed on and pushed forward with its entire body.
Kwak Ji-cheol quickly moved his feet to get out of the creature¡¯s charging path.
He set up another sand wall to divert the club and prepared the earthen hand spell again.
But the ogre did something unexpected.
Instead of swinging its fist, it lifted its leg and kicked.
Caught off guard, Kwak Ji-cheol was about to be struck by the huge foot,
Thud,
¡°Urgh.¡±
I first kicked Kwak Ji-cheol away.
He rolled on the ground and then got back on his feet.
Having been kicked so often, he seemed used to it and continued fighting right away.
Alternating between casting the sand wall and earthen hand spells again,
sh¡ª!
[Crystal 100%]
The crystal finished charging and the ogre vanished.
¡°Whew¡¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol sat down heavily on the ground. He could finally catch his breath now.
Though he looked quite defeated, he had actually made a lot of progress.
A few days ago, he was busy getting hit by the club and lying on the ground, but now he could deflect attacks quite skillfully.
Indeed, the fastest way to learn is by taking hits.
Today, the invincible legend of the beating training method continued.
At that moment, Dang Gyu-young suddenly emerged from the shadows to signal the end of the mentoring session.
¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. Good job.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol bowed his head in greeting and then sent a grateful nce my way.
Just a little more practice and he should be able to score.
Kwak Ji-cheol disappeared through the teleportation portal, and we followed him outside.
As we walked side by side, Dang Gyu-young started talking to me.
¡°Hey, did you know that the swordsmanship club came by the club yesterday?¡±
¡°What did they say?¡±
¡°They asked who infiltrated the ck Death dungeon.¡±
¡°You told them it was me, right?¡±
¡°Yeah, you said to pass everything to you.¡±
Dang Gyu-young pursed her lips slightly. She wanted to offer more help but I firmly drew the line.
Since I had insisted on pushing through with the dungeon, it was only right for me to take responsibility and resolve it.
I had no intention of involving the thieves club.
¡°I¡¯ve prepared for the negotiations. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡±
¡°Got it. Also, I told them to keep all the evidence confidential.¡±
This part was agreed upon separately.
Since the disciplinarymittee was still on high alert, we had to hide as much as possible the fact that we entered the depths area that night.
If discovered, we would all face severe punishment.
Therefore, it was necessary to keep the rey and photos of the ck Death dungeon raid, which could serve as crucial evidence, confidential.
The focus of the swordsmanship club was on ¡°who ignored the right of priority bid and entered the dungeon¡±, so when Dang Gyu-young revealed my identity, they readily epted the proposal.
¡°The other side asked for one favor in return.¡±
¡°What favor?¡±
¡°They said that they¡¯ll be sending a second-year student to you.¡±
It was much more efficient for Dang Gyu-young to convey the message directly as she did now, and it didn¡¯t matter if it was done through messages.
Nevertheless, the fact that the other side insisted on sending me a second-year student meant,
¡°Seems like I must not get along with that second-year student?¡±
¡°Seems like it.¡±
It was their intention to use me to get back at them.
There were probably significant political interests intertwined as well.
Of course, there was no need for me to worry about suchplicated matters. My task here was very simple.
All I had to do was crush whoever came to find me.
Dang Gyu-young asked cautiously,
¡°Just in case, should I send some of our guys with you?¡±
¡°No, I¡¯ll handle it alone.¡±
¡°Tch, suit yourself.¡±
Dang Gyu-young seemed a bit sulky, probably because I kept refusing her offers.
Anyway, Dang Gyu-young had to handle club-rted duties and I had to focus on my mana training, so our destinations were different.
So, it was time for us to part ways.
¡°Take care, senior-nim.¡±
¡°Yeah, see you tomorrow.¡±
After exchanging farewells with Dang Gyu-young and parting ways, I walked straight toward the training center.
Then, I couldn¡¯t help butugh as I looked ahead.
Speak of the devil.
A male student was waiting at the crossroads.
As I approached, he predictably blocked my path.
He was big, simr in size to Jo Byeok, but he exuded a bandit-like aura for some reason.
I checked his tie pin and saw it was silver. This meant he was a second-year student.
Moreover, his gaze toward me was filled with tant hostility.
¡°Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
¡°Do you know why I¡¯m here?¡±
¡°I do.¡±
¡°Follow me.¡±
The second-year student turned his back and led the way.
Chapter 160: The Swordsmanship Club (3)
Chapter 160: The Swordsmanship Club (3)
The second-year senior introduced himself as Mak Dae-wong as he led the way.
I had already guessed this when Dang Gyu-young hinted at it, but it seemed Mak Dae-wong had other business other than taking me to the club room.
Considering we ended up in a secluded alley that is.
I pretended to be naive and looked around as I asked,
¡°This isn¡¯t the swordsmanship club?¡±
¡°Of course not. Taking you to the vice presidentester.¡±
¡°Then what about now?¡±
Following those words, Mak Dae-wong began to exude a menacing aura and a chilling smile was ying on his lips.
¡°You have to pay the price for coveting something that isn¡¯t yours. Did the swordsmanship club look easy to you?¡±¡°It doesn¡¯t look easy, but¡ shouldn¡¯t we talk about it first before deciding on the price? It seems like that¡¯s what the other side wants too.¡±
¡°Not all of us think the same.¡±
¡°Still, I believe the vice president¡¯s opinion shoulde first.¡±
¡°Not for me.¡±
The discipline in this neighborhood was quite loose.
How could they so lightly disregard the orders given by the vice president?
It somehow made sense why the vice president was setting the stage like this.
They probably wanted to use this opportunity to bring down the faction Mak Dae-wong was part of.
For me, it wasn¡¯t a bad situation overall.
Getting a private rey of the ck Death dungeon in exchange for one battle was a good deal.
¡°So, are you nning to get involved directly?¡±
However, it was against school rules for an upperssman toy a hand on a lowerssman.
Even though he knew this, Mak Dae-wong¡¯s smile grew wider.
¡°Of course, other guys will take care of it.¡±
Then he motioned behind me with a nod.
At some point, two first-year students started slowly approaching me from both sides.
I looked at them one by one but their faces didn¡¯t ring a bell.
So I asked,
¡°Friends, how about we introduce ourselves first?¡±
¡°Cheol-soo.¡±
¡°Min-soo.¡±
Cheol-soo and Min-soo each gave a brief reply.
It was better than not responding at all but they smelled like aliases. So it was all pointless.
Just as I was about to ask something else, Mak Dae-wong¡¯s order interrupted the conversation.
¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
The des slid out of Cheol-soo and Min-soo¡¯s scabbards as if gliding.
A perfectly silent draw.
I looked at Cheol-soo and gave him apliment.
¡°You have good posture.¡±
¡°Thanks.¡±
Cheol-soo epted thepliment calmly, then walked slowly with his sword hanging down.
As the distance between us narrowed, Cheol-soo¡¯s hand blurred for a moment, giving the illusion of a sh splitting my vision in half.
It was an incredibly fast sh that was difficult for most people to react to.
Of course, I had predicted his move before he even drew his sword so I could sidestep and avoid it by half a step.
I immediately turned my body because Min-soo¡¯s attack came from behind.
As soon as their first attacks failed, they both retrieved their swords and thrust them again.
One aimed to pierce my heart from the front and the other aimed to split my spine from the back.
Do they really need to be this ruthless?
Each attack targeted a vital point in the body.
If they hit, it wouldn¡¯t just sting but would send me straight to the afterlife.
Since I still had much to do for world peace, I used Thief¡¯s Step and took careful steps to dodge.
The sword strikes narrowly missed me.
After repeatedly stabbing and shing from both front and back without sess, Mak Dae-wong who was watching the battle muttered to himself.
¡°He¡¯s definitely good at dodging¡ Increase the speed.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
At hismand, Cheol-soo and Min-soo briefly retreated and exchanged nces.
Soon, I felt their momentum change slightly and theyunched another attack.
Swish, swish, swish, swish!
They continued to surround and attack me from the front and back, but their speed kept increasing.
I could guess what the person behind them was aiming for.
So, they intend to overwhelm me with speed.
In reality, it was bing harder to dodge, so their strategy wasn¡¯t wrong.
Of course, this was based on the assumption that I wasn¡¯t using Overheat, so if I wanted to, I could crush them with even more overwhelming speed.
However,
There¡¯s no need to show everything just yet.
There was no way my connection with them would end today.
So, I chose the next best option.
Pop!
A storm cloud rose in the air.
I wrapped the storm cloud around Root and lightly brought it to Cheol-soo¡¯s sword tip that was rushing in.
As the sword touched the storm cloud, the de bounced off, and the trajectory of the strike veered to the side.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Cheol-soo immediately retrieved his sword.
It was a swift reaction as if he had anticipated my move, but there was no avoiding a brief pause in his attack.
At that moment, I turned my attention to Min-soo who was thrusting a sword from behind.
Boom, boom!
Compressed mana exploded twice.
Using the memorize ability embedded in Root, I had stored two One Point Explosions and released them instantly.
Min-soo¡¯s body stiffened momentarily from the unexpected counterattack.
Before he could even react,
Boom!
A burst ofpressed air blew him away.
Got rid of that one for now.
As I turned my body back to the front and quickly twisted my head,
Swish!
A streak of light grazed my cheek.
Even though it was now one-on-one, Cheol-soo¡¯s momentum hadn¡¯t weakened at all; if anything, it had be fiercer.
Impressive.
I shifted my strategy from dodging Cheol-soo¡¯s attacks to subtly pushing them away with storm clouds.
I also didn¡¯t forget to mix in the asional One Point Explosion.
Boom, boom!
Cheol-soo¡¯s reactions were excellent this time as well.
As soon as he sensed a gathering of magical power, he dodged and continued his relentless attacks.
However, One Point Explosions asionally erupted from unexpected ces and gradually umted damage on him.
¡°¡Annoying.¡±
¡°Thanks.¡±
Dozens of exchanges happened between us in a short time.
And as I thought,
No matter how much I think about it, I¡¯ve seen this somewhere before.
I had felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu when we first met, but I wasn¡¯t sure.
But as I continued to face him, the sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu became increasingly clear.
An ordinary alias, an ordinary appearance, an ordinary weapon,
Yet, a swordsmanship thick with killing intent¡
I couldn¡¯t hold back my curiosity and spoke up.
¡°Can I ask you something?¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°By any chance, is yourst name Jang? Jang Cheol-soo?¡±
¡°¡¡!?¡±
Cheol-soo flinched and he paused in the middle of a thrust.
Seeing that, my certainty grew stronger.
¡°Are you Jang Sam??¡±
¡°¡No.¡±
¡°It is Jang Sam, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°I said no.¡±
¡°Then is Min-soo Wang Pil?¡±
¡°I told you no.¡±
However, seeing his visibly shakenposure, it seemed I had guessed correctly.
Jang Sam and Wang Pil who had been our opponents in a two-on-two match before.
Back then, they had posed as Jang Sam (Waiter) and Wang Pil (Doorman), but today they had returned as Cheol-soo and Min-soo.
¡°Hey, good to see you. What a coincidence running into you again like this.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Jang Sam who was flustered stopped his attack.
Wang Pil who was approaching from the back did the same.
Then Mak Dae-wong gave another order with an annoyed expression on his face.
¡°What are you standing around for? Fight.¡±
¡°¡¡±
For Cheol-soo and Min-soo, or rather for Jang Sam and Wang Pil, Mak Dae-wong was an upperssman and a senior in their club.
They were in no position to defy him.
So they took their stances again and were about to resume the battle,
Rumbleee,
When suddenly, a wooden door shot up.
In this Dragon yer Academy, a wooden door meant only one thing. It was Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s unique magic.
Mak Dae-wong scowled and bluntly addressed Kwak Seung-jae who walked out.
¡°You never miss a chance to butt in, do you?¡±
¡°If you have nothing to hide, why does it matter where I am?¡±
¡°¡¡±
Mak Dae-wong who had nothing to say stayed silent for a moment.
Kwak Seung-jae calmly surveyed the scene.
¡°Three from the swordsmanship club and one unaffiliated first-year¡ I have a rough idea, but I¡¯ll give you a chance to exin yourself.¡±
Mak Dae-wong was briefly taken aback when the wooden door suddenly appeared, but he quickly regained hisposure and began to make excuses.
¡°Our juniors wanted to test their skills, so I was just supervising as their senior.¡±
¡°Testing their skills¡ in a two-on-one fight?¡±
¡°Is there any reason why it shouldn¡¯t be two-on-one?¡±
¡°There¡¯s no reason it can¡¯t be, but the location matters, doesn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°And what¡¯s wrong with this ce?¡±
Kwak Seung-jae spoke in a blunt tone.
¡°You know the rules, yet you keep dodging. Let me remind the freshmen of the school regtions. Any duel outside the Training Center and Arena is a vition of the rules.¡±
¡°Oh, right, I forgot about that.¡±
Mak Dae-wong grinned slyly.
Although he had been caught, he hadn¡¯t directly broken any rules. He only bore the ethical responsibility of not stopping the first-year students from fighting outside the arena as their senior.
Kwak Seung-jae looked at each first-year and said,
¡°Disperse. Next time, you¡¯ll get penalty points.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
After Jang Sam and Wang Pil bowed their heads and stepped back, Mak Dae-wong also red at me briefly before turning away.
As the trio from the swordsmanship club left, Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s gaze naturally returned to me.
He seemed to ask with his eyes, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± so I began packing away my storm cloud and Root while asking,
¡°How did you know toe here?¡±
¡°I received a report.¡±
That makes sense.
Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s appearance was too timely to be a coincidence.
Even though his detection skills were acknowledged by the third-year students, they wouldn¡¯t reach such a remote ce.
This meant that someone observing the situation had reported it.
And that person was likely someone from the swordsmanship club vice president¡¯s side.
The timing was perfect.
If Kwak Seung-jae had arrived right after the fight began, Mak Dae-wong¡¯s side would have been more suspicious, but the other side waited until I had held my ground for a while and then reported it just in time.
As a result, none of the first-year students who fought were injured and Mak Dae-wong and the ones behind him didn¡¯t achieve their goal.
Moreover, the vice president¡¯s side now had a pretext to question Mak Dae-wong on why he disobeyed orders, making it a win-win situation.
As expected, being a vice president is no easy task.
I was quite impressed with the clean handling of the situation. Just when I was about to leave, Kwak Seung-jae called me back for a moment.
¡°Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
¡°How is Ji-cheol doing?¡±
Another question about his younger brother.
Perhaps Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s only interests were the disciplinarymittee club and his brother.
Since it was a reasonable question, I briefly summarized the events from the past few days of mentoring.
I slightly embellished the part about how I kicked him around until he could properly deflect the ogre¡¯s attacks though.
¡°¡ªSo now he¡¯s improved quite a bit.¡±
¡°I see.¡±
¡°He¡¯ll probably score well tomorrow. You can expect good results.¡±
If he practiced like we did, I expected he would achieve a decent score even if it wasn¡¯t exceptionally high.
Kwak Seung-jae looked at me for a moment before speaking.
¡°Honestly, I thought it was nearly impossible, but it seems he can do it. Thank you for your help.¡±
¡°We all help each other.¡±
¡°As I said before, I can¡¯t promise much, but I won¡¯t forget this debt.¡±
¡°That¡¯s enough for me.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡±
After saying that, Kwak Seung-jae disappeared beyond the wooden door.
Rumble¡
The wooden door sank into the ground, and I moved towards my original destination: the training center.
However, not long after,
The training center feels farther than usual today.
I had to stop again.
Up ahead, Jang Sam and Wang Pil were waiting for me.
Since I had no reason to avoid them, I walked straight up and asked,
¡°Why again? It¡¯s against the school rules.¡±
How long had it been since a member of the disciplinarymittee hade, and they were causing trouble again?
However, Jang Sam slowly shook his head.
¡°We didn¡¯te to fight.¡±
¡°Then?¡±
¡°¡We have something to ask you.¡±
TN: Cheol-soo and Min-soo aremon names in martial arts novels. Maybe in most novels, not just martial arts ones.
Chapter 161: The Swordsmanship Club (4)
Chapter 161: The Swordsmanship Club (4)
There was no sign of Mak Dae-wong around.
If it was really just the two of them, it was safe to assume they didn¡¯t intend to fight.
In that case, answering their questions wouldn¡¯t be difficult.
¡°I¡¯m busy, so let¡¯s talk while we walk.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
We talked as we walked to the training center.
Jang Sam and Wang Pil started by apologizing first.
¡°We had no choice but to take action. We didn¡¯t want to handle things this way, but¡ club activities don¡¯t always go as nned.¡±
¡°I understand.¡±When you belong to a group, you have to move in the direction the group aims for, whether you like it or not.
That¡¯s what it means to be tied to a club at the Dragon yer Academy.
It¡¯s also why I try to remain unaffiliated.
For me, other than wasting a bit of time, I didn¡¯t suffer any damage. And since Mak Dae-wong¡¯s side suffered more, I didn¡¯t harbor any ill feelings towards Jang Sam and Wang Pil.
¡°So, what do you want to ask?¡±
Jang Sam started to speak but hesitated and exchanged nces with Wang Pil.
As if they were about to ask something embarrassing.
¡°Did we stand out a lot this time too?¡±
When I first met them in that 2-on-2 match, I immediately recognized that they were from an assassin-type ss.
After the match, Jang Sam asked how I had figured it out and I pointed out that they looked so ordinary that it was obvious they were trying to fake it.
This time after they disguised themselves as Cheol-soo and Min-soo, they were caught again which seemed to bother them.
I gave an honest answer.
¡°It was a bit better this time.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
Jang Sam¡¯s expression brightened a bit.
The truth was, I had recognized them as Jang Sam and Wang Pil this time not because they looked too ordinary.
If it had been our first encounter, I would have just thought they were ¡°ordinary-looking guys who use swords well.¡±
They had taken my previous feedback to heart and changed their disguises to be a bit more unique and switched their weapons from cheap iron swords to D-ss standard long swords.
Now, their ordinary appearances made them look like just another one or two people you might find in any ss, which wasn¡¯t bad for hiding their identities.
However¡
¡°Let¡¯s address just one thing.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
¡°Whose idea was it to name yourselves Cheol-soo and Min-soo? Just tell me.¡±
They were doing well until their naming sense ruined everything.
Of all the names they could have chosen, why Cheol-soo and Min-soo?
¡°¡¡¡±
Jang Sam silently looked at Wang Pil who avoided his gaze and stared into the distance.
It wasn¡¯t hard to deduce who the culprit was from this behavior.
As the focus remained on him, Wang Pil couldn¡¯t hold it back and pointed at Jang Sam.
¡°This guy is the one who named us ¡®Jang Sam and Wang Pil¡¯!¡±
The situation reversed, and now Jang Sam avoided our gaze and looked into the distance.
An awkward silence followed, with both of them clearing their throats at the same time.
¡°Ahem, let¡¯s find different aliases.¡±
¡°That would be best. No, you two are hopeless. Just leave it to someone else.¡±
¡°¡Alright.¡±
Jang Sam and Wang Pil started to ponder seriously with troubled expressions on their faces.
Since I knew they were likely thinking about new aliases, I moved on to the next topic without waiting.
¡°But that¡¯s not why you came to see me, is it?¡±
¡°¡Right.¡±
¡°It¡¯s about the Ghost Dance. Am I correct?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
The two of them nodded in agreement without hesitation.
In the 2-on-2 match, they had concealed their identities and only used the Three Movements Sword Technique against me and Go Hyeon-woo.
Meanwhile, my goal was to help Go Hyeon-woo improve, so I wanted them to fight using their full skills.
That¡¯s why I had offered as bait, ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll tell you about the Ghost Dance technique.¡±
I had defeated Wang Pil using a mix of the Great Hand Seal and Wind Force skills.
And the match between Jang Sam and Go Hyeon-woo had ended in a draw with both sides equally wounded.
They remembered this and hade to find me because of it.
¡°In fact, it was also because we were following Senior Mak Dae-wong¡¯s orders.¡±
¨C About the [Ghost Dance] technique¡
¨C I said, ask about it after you win.
¨C ¡. Right.
That¡¯s what we talked about before parting ways.
They intended to subdue me and ask about it.
¡°However, it wasn¡¯t easy.¡±
Even with the two of them attacking together, they couldn¡¯t leave a scratch on me.
They must have hidden some of their skills, but so did I.
Realizing that it would be difficult to defeat me and learn about the Ghost Dance technique, they decided toe and find me.
Jang Sam and Wang Pil each spoke.
¡°I know it¡¯s unreasonable, but I hope you¡¯ll reconsider.¡±
¡°If there¡¯s something you want, we¡¯ll do our best to meet your demands.¡±
I rested my chin in my hand, thought for a moment, then slowly nodded my head.
¡°Sure, there¡¯s no reason I can¡¯t tell you.¡±
¡°Is that really true?¡±
After all, I have to retrieve it soon.
Not only these two, but I had also promised the Ghost Dance technique to the thieves¡¯ club in exchange for helping me break into the depths of the dungeon building.
It couldn¡¯t remain a debt forever, so I was already nning on retrieving the technique.
At that time, I could make a deal with these guys as well.
¡°You do understand it won¡¯t be for free.¡±
¡°Of course. Tell us what you want.¡±
But I raised my hand to stop them.
¡°You¡¯re being too urgent. We can think about the deal slowly after it¡¯s in my hands.¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
¡°First, I need you to do me a favor. If there¡¯s going to be another conflict, give me a heads-up.¡±
Today, we were interrupted by the sudden appearance of the Disciplinary Committee, but Mak Dae-wong¡¯s faction wouldn¡¯t give up so easily.
They¡¯ll keep picking fights with me in some way or another, so I want to be informed beforehand each time.
Jang Sam¡¯s face hardened.
¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t betray my group.¡±
¡°Who said anything about betraying? I¡¯m not asking you to avoid fighting or to fight half-heartedly. Just leave me a message. I need to be prepared.¡±
¡°Hmm, if it¡¯s just that.¡±
After Jang Sam looked half-convinced, I added another point.
¡°And right now, things are tense between us, but it won¡¯t always be like this.¡±
I would also be making deals with the ck Faction as well, so eventually, we¡¯ll have a reasonably good rtionship.
Although Jang Sam didn¡¯t officially show his skills, he was considered a promising student.
He was in a position to be supported by the swordsmanship club.
Compared to thepetition between the four major powers and the promising student, their conflict with me was just a minor incident.
So I¡¯m confident the other side will ept my proposal for a deal in the future.
Jang Sam nodded his head.
¡°I see, if that¡¯s the case, I understand.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s stay in touch then.¡±
¡°Sure.¡±
Our business was apparently concluded. Jang Sam and Wang Pil didn¡¯t follow me any further and turned back.
I too continued walking towards the training center when a sudden question came to mind.
¡°By the way, what¡¯s your real name?¡±
¡°Moo-geuk. Jang Moo-geuk.¡±
¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡±
¡°It means to see the end of martial arts. My master gave it to me.¡±
His master must be quite a romantic.
I nodded my head, then turned to Wang Pil.
¡°And you?¡±
¡°Wang Cheon-sam.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
After a few seconds of silence, I asked Wang Pil, or rather Wang Cheon-sam, again.
¡°Do you really need to use an alias?¡±
Mak Dae-wong came to see me again the next day.
He seemed quite downpared to yesterday.
Looks like he got a bit of a scolding.
He hadn¡¯t followed the orders of the swordsmanship club¡¯s vice president, and he failed to bring me along, so he must have gotten scolded for that.
He also failed in the main objective of ¡°giving me a hard time¡± so he probably got scolded for that too.
Additionally, he got on the bad side of the disciplinarymittee, so he had toy low for a while.
He brought it all on himself.
I greeted Mak Dae-wong with a bright and cheerful face.
¡°Hello, senior-nim! Are you off to pay the price again today?¡±
Mak Dae-wong¡¯s face twitched with anger.
His expression was already rough, so now he looked even more like a bandit.
However, knowing that expressing his anger here would worsen the situation, he suppressed it with difficulty.
¡°¡Follow me.¡±
Perhaps he wanted to minimize his time near me as Mak Dae-wong walked quickly.
But this time, instead of going somewhere random, he headed straight to the swordsmanship club room.
But is it right to call this a club room?
If they used an entire floor, would it be called a club room or a club floor?
The club room¡¯s size was determined by the club¡¯s scale and its achievements in various events.
For example, the thieves club was a mid-sized club but it caused so many problems that it received a lot of penalties.
At the beginning of the semester, they were caught breaking into a temporary storage room.
As a result, despite their size, they were assigned a small room in a quiet corner.
In contrast, the swordsmanship club was undoubtedly thergest club at Dragon yer Academy and actively engaged with the faculty and student organizations.
This allowed them to use an entire floor.
Moreover, everything in sight was state-of-the-art and top-quality.
I followed Mak Dae-wong while ncing around at various scenes.
People sat in circles and talked with each other.
Otherspared swords neatlyid out.
In a room resembling a conference room, a briefing on the next dungeon was underway.
As I continued to look around, Mak Dae-wong stopped in front of a luxurious wooden door.
It was the vice president¡¯s office.
However, instead of knocking immediately, he looked directly at me and dered.
¡°I don¡¯t know how you n to handle the vice president, but you are certainly out of our favor. You should brace yourself.¡±
¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. Life has been a bit dulltely.¡±
When I replied like that with a smile, Mak Dae-wong¡¯s face twitched once again.
However, without furtherment, he looked away from me and knocked loudly on the door with his fist.
A low voice came from inside.
¡°Come in.¡±
Upon entering the office, the first thing I noticed was an intelligent-looking third-year female student.
The namete on the desk indicated her name was Jegal So-so and she was the vice president of the swordsmanship club.
Jegal So-so seemed to be finishing up some paperwork and she neatly organized the documents on her desk.
Only then did she look up at Mak Dae-wong who gestured towards me with his eyes.
¡°I brought him.¡±
¡°Good work. You may go and rest.¡±
As soon as the dismissal order was given, Mak Dae-wong turned his back and left while mming the door shut behind him.
Jegal So-so stared at the closed door with a mysterious smile before turning her gaze to me.
I bowed my head.
¡°I was dyed due to some issues.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s fine. You must have had a hard time getting here.¡±
Originally, we were supposed to meet yesterday, but this was dyed by a day due to Mak Dae-wong¡¯s schemes.
The ¡°hard time¡± Jegal So-so referred to meant the encounter with Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam.
Thanks to this, both Jegal So-so and I had gained something, so it was a win-win situation.
¡°Vice president Dang Gyu-young mentioned you had something prepared. Let¡¯s hear it.¡±
The negotiations with the swordsmanship club began in a rather smooth atmosphere.
Chapter 162: The Swordsmanship Club (5)
Chapter 162: The Swordsmanship Club (5)
Jegal So-so poured herself a cup of tea and asked me a question.
¡°Would you like a cup?¡±
¡°I¡¯d appreciate it, thank you.¡±
I didn¡¯t refuse and epted the teacup.
A deep and soft fragrance rose from the warm cup.
I took a sip of the tea and nodded my head.
¡°This is an excellent tea.¡±
¡°It¡¯s Dragon Well tea, grown and blended by our family.¡±
¡°The vor is indeed profound. But¡ doesn¡¯t the person over there need some too?¡±¡°¡¡!¡±
When I pointed to the wall with my eyes and asked, Jegal So-so flinched slightly and her soft smile faltered for just a moment.
However, it was only for a fleeting instant.
Her calm expression was the best among all the people I had met so far.
¡°¡. When did you first notice?¡±
¡°I felt a strange sense of discord from the moment I entered the room.¡±
Jegal So-so¡¯s formation was at a third-year level and it was likely enhanced by the Jegal family¡¯s secret techniques.
However, my senses had previously deciphered formations set up by graduates of the academy.
Even though I couldn¡¯t identify the exact type, noticing a slight sense of discord made it easy to deduce that a formation had been set up.
At this point, if she were hiding something from me, it could only be a person, so I guessed there was someone beyond the wall.
Jegal So-so¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at me.
¡°Impressive. Although President Dang Gyu-young mentioned it, you are indeed formidable.¡±
Then Jegal So-so approached the wall and rearranged a few items nearby.
As the formation was dispelled, a hidden door was revealed and a female student walked out through it.
The girl seemed strong at first nce, and she was carrying arge sword on her back as if to reflect her strong personality.
¡°¡¡±
The problem was that her gaze toward me was filled not only with displeasure but with outright hostility. This exined why she had been listening in from a hidden space.
However, now that we were facing each other, it was like spilled water.
Jegal So-so introduced her.
¡°This is Pang Mi-ryeong. She¡¯s also a third-year student like me.¡±
¡°I led the recent raid on the ck Death dungeon as the party leader.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong added and she emphasized the word ¡°party leader¡±.
She was the direct victim of the infiltration of the ck Death dungeon.
Pang Mi-ryeong looked at me with a mocking gaze and said,
¡°We spent weeks preparing with the team, only to find the dungeon in chaos, with the ck Death Leader running wild. Thanks to that, we had quite a hard time.¡±
From the perspective of the swordsmanship club, the priority bidding rights that were important to the group were invaded.
However, objectively speaking, the club itself was close to being a third party in this matter.
No matter how angry the club members were, their anger couldn¡¯tpare to the fury of those who directly entered the dungeon.
Knowing that it was indeed my fault, I bowed deeply.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, senior-nim. I understand why you¡¯re angry.¡±
¡°I want to wreck everything, but for the sake of So-so and Dang Gyu-young, I¡¯ll hold back for now. I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve prepared something good, but if it¡¯s not, you¡¯d better prepare yourself.¡±
¡°You won¡¯t be disappointed.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong red at me with disapproval and asked,
¡°So, what did you go into the ck Death dungeon for?¡±
¡°I needed materials.¡±
¡°Materials?¡±
I showed my Root weapon instead of answering.
A short rodposed of ck metallic luster appeared.
It was an alloy made of Millennium Iron and ck Mithril.
Pang Mi-ryeong examined it closely and her eyes showed a hint of interest.
¡°Cold Iron¡ no, Millennium Iron?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong and Jegal So-so exchanged nces.
¡°Does an ingot drop in the ck Death dungeon?¡±
¡°This is the first I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±
¡°If you look carefully in the far corner, there¡¯s an ingot chest.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong frowned slightly.
Seeing she still didn¡¯t quite understand, I took out the ck Death dungeon strategy guide.
It was quite thick, so I pointed out only the section about the leader¡¯s hidden chamber.
Upon seeing it, Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s eyebrows shot up.
¡°¡Was this really there?¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡±
¡°How would I know?¡±
The [Leader¡¯s ck Chest] was buried deep in a corner of the hidden chamber. It was also covered in ck paint which made it hard to find unless you examined it closely.
Jegal So-so thought for a moment and then spoke.
¡°Then I guess you would have brought out the ingot chest with you anyway, right?¡±
¡°¡Probably not.¡±
So it was rather ambiguous to say that I had stolen the reward from her.
Even if the reward was just a part of the current issue.
Because of this, Pang Mi-ryeong seemed to calm down a little.
Instead of continuing to be angry with me, she was entirely focused on reviewing the strategy guide for the ck Death dungeon.
It was only normal for her to be curious about the hidden elements throughout the cleared dungeon.
She quickly flipped through the pages, inspected various sections, and murmured to herself in amazement.
¡°So detailed¡ Who wrote this?¡±
¡°I did.¡±
¡°You, tell me the truth.¡±
¡°It really was me.¡±
It was natural for her not to believe that a first-year student who had just enrolled knew every detail about a depth-level dungeon.
She probably thought someone was behind me.
On the other hand, Jegal So-so¡¯s perspective seemed slightly different.
How I found out, or whether someone was backing me, could be consideredter.
What was important right now?
¡°Do you have strategy guides for other dungeons too?¡±
¡°Yes, here they are.¡±
I then handed over the strategy guide for the [Feathered Serpent Altar], and the two of them read it with interest.
At that point, Jegal So-so and Pang Mi-ryeong exchanged nces as if confirming each other¡¯s intentions, and then nodded their heads.
¡°We have a few dungeons we¡¯re preparing to conquer. If you could write strategy guides for them like this, we¡¯ll drop the bidding rights issue for now.¡±
It wasn¡¯t a bad proposal.
I had all the strategies for the ¡°essible¡± underground dungeons in my head.
Teaching them a couple of them wouldn¡¯t be a big deal.
However, I replied with a gentle smile.
¡°That sounds fine, but what I¡¯ve prepared will interest you more.¡±
I had already prepared a powerful card and saw no reason to negotiate with anything else.
The two of them exchanged nces again.
¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve brought a treasure map.¡±
I took out pieces A and C of the treasure map from my inventory.
Jegal So-so examined them and said,
¡°They are indeed pieces of a treasure map. But just from these, we can¡¯t determine its true value.¡±
The final reward level varied depending on the dungeon¡¯s map.
For example, a mediocre D-rank or E-rank dungeon wouldn¡¯t have anything significant even if there was a hidden treasure.
Of course, this question was something I expected as well.
Bringing two pieces that were enough even on their own was to prepare for this situation.
¡°Ovep them to ignite the True Fire of Samadhi.¡±
Jegal So-so ovepped the two map pieces as I instructed and golden mes rose from her hands.
Whoosh,
Despite being engulfed in mes, the map pieces didn¡¯t burn and retained their shape.
After a moment, when Jegal So-so extinguished the True Fire of Samadhi, the two pieces remained ovepped and a faint map emerged on top.
¡°This is¡¡±
¡°Do you recognize it?¡±
Which dungeon¡¯s map was this?
Pang Mi-ryeong narrowed her eyes and red at the map but nothing came to her mind.
In contrast, Jegal So-so seemed to realize something and her eyes glinted slightly.
¡°The Gathering of Viins. Is that correct?¡±
¡°Correct.¡±
Dungeon No. 88, B-rank.
The Gathering of Viins.
The keyword was [Boss Rush], with the goal being to eliminate all the viins or demonic martial artists that appeared in the area.
However, each of them was a notorious demonic martial artist, and some even cooperated with each other which made them incredibly difficult to deal with.
Therefore, it was famous for being a high-difficulty dungeon even among B-rank dungeons.
¡°And the reason why they are gathering in one ce,¡±
¡°Is it because of this map?¡±
¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±
The term ¡°demonic martial artist¡± naturally implied being an enemy of the martial arts world.
As soon as their whereabouts were revealed, they would be pursued by skilled warriors, so there must be a reason why they gathered in one ce to the extent of being described as a ¡°gathering¡±.
And the iplete map in Jegal So-so¡¯s hand proved that fact.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Jegal So-so and Pang Mi-ryeong fell into thought for a moment.
Unlike Jegal So-so, whose expression remained almost the same, Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s face showed significant changes.
The annoyance or anger she had towards me almost disappeared. It was reced by great interest and desire.
Since the map of the B-rank dungeon and the hidden piece it pointed to were certainly not ordinary items, the hidden piece inside this [Gathering of Viins] waspletely unknown.
If one could be the first to im it.
Even the infringement on the bidding rights or the hindrance of the dungeon raid would be nothing, as it would bring immense honor.
However, this map was iplete.
It only vaguely suggested the outline of the map, without indicating the exact direction to head.
Jegal So-so asked,
¡°Bringing A and C means there must be a way to get thest piece, right?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Since it was a bit too much to tackle three dungeons in one week, we quickly dealt with the linked dungeons of Great Eagle Escort Agency and Great Eagle Escort Mission.
Two pieces were enough to prove the map¡¯s value, so there was no need to overdo it.
¡°When do you n to get the rest?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll take care of it within the next strategy battle week.¡±
Then, Jegal So-so asked Pang Mi-ryeong,
¡°What do you think? Can you wait?¡±
Next week was midterms,
The week after was a duel battle week.
And then came the strategy battle week.
It would take almost three weeks, so it might be frustrating for those waiting.
However, Pang Mi-ryeong nodded her head without hesitation.
¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll wait.¡±
With just a bit of patience, an incredible opportunity woulde into her hands.
Jegal So-so also nodded her head in agreement.
¡°Alright, let¡¯s test your skills.¡±
I had three weeks to secure the final piece of the map.
[Using ¡®Rank Up (D)¡¯.]
[The rank of ¡®Amplification¡¯ has increased. (D -> C)]
The [Rank Up] I got from the Great Eagle Escort random box was used on [Amplification].
It was the most difficult to rank up and the most useful, so I decided on this from the start.
Next, I took out the [Sealing Demon Box] from my inventory and attached the [Purification Talisman] drawn by Seo Ye-in.
The pure white talisman began to turn ck at the edges.
As the demonic energy was purified, the purification talisman was gradually consumed.
I put the sealing demon box back into my inventory without watching any longer.
It would be fine to leave it like this for a while.
Of course, it was impossible to purify all the condensed demonic energy inside the sealing demon box with just one purification talisman.
However, my goal from the beginning wasn¡¯t ¡°purification¡± but ¡°neutralization¡±.
Even a little neutralization would make it manageable for me to use without much trouble.
And the neutralized demonic energy,
¡ is used to train prohibited skills.
During my ¡°preliminarily field trip¡± to the ck market, I had made a list of prohibited items I wanted to acquire and handed it over to Dang Gyu-young who returned it with these words:
-¡ Why are there so many extreme stuff on here? Kim Ho, why do you always look for such dangerous things?
Chapter 163: The End of the First Mentoring Event
Chapter 163: The End of the First Mentoring Event
The result of kicking Kwak Ji-cheol for a week and tormenting the Ogre with One Point Explosions,
[The rank of ¡®One Point Explosion¡¯ has increased. (D->C)]
I was able to raise its rank to C.
Among the three prerequisite skills for Spiral Explosion, two were now prepared.
Additionally, other wind-type skills were also considerably ranked up.
[Skills]
?Wind Force (C+)
?Inferno Fist (B)
?Amplification ??Twister (C+)
?One Point Explosion ?
?Copy-Skill [2/2]- Thief¡¯s Step (B+)
- Overheat (D)
Most of them remained in the stagnant zone of C-rank with no noticeable numerical changes for now.
However, If I continued to steadily umte proficiency, they would eventually reach B-rank one by one.
So I should make full use of the mentoring event until the end.
The first mentoring event which had spanned a month wasing to a close.
As expected, the Hong Yeon-hwa and Song Cheon-hye duo maintained 100% health and achieved a perfect game against the ogre.
Kwak Ji-cheol also sustained some damage but cleared it with a decent score.
So, Dang Gyu-young looked us over with a satisfied expression on her face.
¡°You¡¯ve all worked hard for a month. You¡¯ve kept up well without anyone falling behind.¡±
In fact, Dang Gyu-young had set the difficulty level higher than the other mentors with random rules.
For example, in the sticker duel battle, only Hong Yeon-hwa managed to remove one sticker because Dang Gyu-young showed no mercy, and in the recent crystal strategy battle, she ced no restrictions on the ogre except for [Weakness].
Despite this, everyone not onlypleted the tasks but also achieved good results.
¡°But since this is just the beginning, everyone has to keep moving forward. Let¡¯s keep the goodbyes short here. Rest well over the weekend, and good luck on next week¡¯s midterms.¡±
¡°Thank you for your efforts, senior-nim.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
The team members bowed deeply to express their gratitude and left one by one.
Dang Gyu-young silently watched their retreating figures for a long time.
I asked her,
¡°Why are you looking at them like that?¡±
¡°Just, I wondered if this is what it feels like to have students. I¡¯m feeling a mix of relief, pride, and a bit of sadness.¡±
¡°Seems like this job suited you better than expected.¡±
¡°Yeah, surprisingly.¡±
Originally, Dang Gyu-young had no intention of getting involved in mentoring.
However, due to multiple disciplinary actions piling up from the temporary storage room intrusion, and with the disciplinarymittee offering to dismiss them, she was practically forced into the role.
One might expect her to just do the job half-heartedly, but Dang Gyu-young took her mentoring duties seriously until the end.
It seems she felt various things while watching her mentees grow as well.
That¡¯s the joy of raising people.
That sense of pride is why I raised 1,000 S-ss heroes.
Once the team members were out of sight, Dang Gyu-young stretched and yawned.
¡°Ah, but aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±
¡°I need to, but I just wanted to hear what your ns are for tomorrow.¡±
¡°Right, you said you¡¯d help a bit too.¡±
The ck market would open tomorrow, that is, starting this weekend.
And in exchange for securing prohibited items for me in advance, I agreed to lend a hand.
Dang Gyu-young smiled yfully.
¡°You remembered that. Aren¡¯t you practically a member now? Let¡¯s just fill out the application.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±
¡°Tch.¡±
When I firmly refused, Dang Gyu-young clicked her tongue briefly and then answered the earlier question.
¡°We¡¯ll open at noon, but you don¡¯t need toe then. We¡¯ll just be testing the waters at first.¡±
The building the thieves¡¯ club would use for the ck market exchange had roomsbeled A to F.
But at first, they nned to open only the A and B exchanges and observe the situation.
How many customers woulde? How the disciplinarymittee would react?
With only two exchanges open, there wouldn¡¯t be a shortage of hands so they wouldn¡¯t need my help.
¡°Then when should Ie?¡±
¡°Around five or six in the evening? Let¡¯s have dinner together then.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°Also feel free to wander around the market during the day.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the n.¡±
Where there is shade, there is also light.
If the ck market deals in prohibited items,
Of course, there was also a market where ordinary items were traded.
Actually, this is the main attraction.
After the mentoring ended, the graduates were supposed to leave Dungeon Ind within a few days.
Before that, they wanted to clear out unnecessary items from their inventories as much as possible, so the marketce of the downtown area would open grandly with arge number of items up for sale.
¡°So, tomorrow we will all take a look around the downtown area together.¡±
I dered this while sitting in front of Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head.
¡°Indeed, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to visit this time.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo was a living training machine who dedicated every moment outside of sleeping and eating to training.
However, he was also human and a student, so he was secretly curious about what the downtown area was like.
And just in time, the market was opening which proved to be a perfect excuse for him to participate with great enthusiasm.
¡°But what kind of items will be avable in the downtown area?¡±
¡°We¡¯ll only know when we get there.¡±
It was hard to pinpoint exactly what to aim for.
Not only graduates but also second-and third-year students brought out a lot of unused items to sell, so there should be an immense quantity released and a great variety.
¡°Of course, ¡®unused items¡¯ don¡¯t always mean ¡®bad items¡¯.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true. If you¡¯re lucky, you might find a pearl in the mud.¡±
¡°Right, if you¡¯re lucky.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo and I simultaneously turned our heads to look at one ce.
Because the luckiest person in Dragon yer Academy was lying there.
I asked Seo Ye-in,
¡°Young miss, how¡¯s your schedule?¡±
¡°I¡¯m going.¡±
Seo Ye-in¡¯s eyelids were half-closed until she heard the word ¡°downtown area¡± then her eyes instantly lit up.
Thest trip to the downtown area must have been quite fun for her.
¡°Going to the game center again?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not on our schedule for tomorrow, though.¡±
¡°Gunslinger Adventure.¡±
Her gray eyes stared at me intently.
She¡¯spletely hooked on it.
I chuckled as I looked at Seo Ye-in, then turned to Go Hyeon-woo and asked,
¡°Shall we go a bit early? Tomorrow.¡±
¡°Any time is fine with me. I¡¯ve been interested in that game center, so it¡¯s perfect.¡±
¡°Alright, let¡¯s leave in the morning then.¡±
Going early to look around and visiting the game center with the remaining time isn¡¯t a bad idea.
There might be some good items on the prize list.
With that, Seo Ye-in nodded her head briefly and got up from her seat.
¡°Are you leaving?¡±
¡°Mhmm, I¡¯m going to sleep¡.¡±
Even though it wasn¡¯t yet evening, we didn¡¯t bother pointing that out and let Seo Ye-in go.
Go Hyeon-woo shared his guess.
¡°She¡¯s probably nning to conserve her energy.¡±
¡°Maybe.¡±
¡°It seems like a good idea. I should do some meditation in advance too. We probably won¡¯t be back until evening tomorrow.¡±
¡°Go ahead.¡±
After Go Hyeon-woo also tidied up and left,
Ahn Jeong-mi who had been watching us from a distance approached me.
She bowed politely.
¡°Thanks to you Kim Ho-nim, I sessfullypleted the mentoring program. Once again, I sincerely thank you.¡±
Over the past three weeks, I had guided Seo Ye-in to follow Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s training and yed a crucial role in boosting her motivation.
This week¡¯s crystal strategy battle was no different.
After scoring points together,
¨C But we still couldn¡¯t defeat the Ogre. What a pity.
¨C You know this is also part of the midterm, right? The Ogre will appear again.
¨C Make sure to practice a lot in advance.
By dropping these hints, I ignited Seo Ye-in¡¯s motivation.
Thanks to that, she diligently repeated the practice mode until today even after scoring points together with me.
Without me, Ahn Jeong-mi would not have been able to teach even half of what she had prepared as a mentor, which is why she kept expressing her gratitude every time she saw me.
Then Ahn Jeong-mi handed me a business card.
¡°If it¡¯s Kim Ho-nim, I think I can trust you with the young miss. If it¡¯s alright with you, I hope we can stay in close contact going forward.¡±
Since Ahn Jeong-mi was only temporarily here as a graduate mentor, she had to leave Dungeon Ind like other graduates.
She couldn¡¯t leave the position of the Future Strategy Office Team Leader vacant forever.
Therefore, she handed me a business card with her direct contact information.
This way, she could keep hearing updates about Seo Ye-in from me who was closest to her.
¡°If you support the young miss, Hye-seong Group will also promise to provide the best support to you Kim Ho-nim.¡±
¡°I will do my best.¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi and I looked at each other and smiled softly.
Then I turned serious and spoke.
¡°Though it is quite early, there is something I would like to ask of you, Team Leader.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Seeing my serious expression and hearing me use ¡°Team Leader¡± instead of ¡°Butler¡±, Ahn Jeong-mi seemed to sense something unusual.
¡°Please, go ahead.¡±
¡°I would like you to keep an eye on this ce tomorrow.¡±
I handed her a piece of paper with a time and ce written on it.
It was the cipher I discovered on the wall of the downtown area during my preliminary field trip to the ck market.
That was the time and ce the cipher indicated.
I had cleverly changed the cipher to create a misunderstanding between the two sides.
Of course, there was a chance they had figured it out and changed the meeting, but if not,
¡°¡. At least one side will show up there, you say?¡±
¡°That¡¯s what I believe.¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi thought for a moment before asking with a serious expression on her face,
¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to inform the academy?¡±
¡°For now, I have too many secrets to keep.¡±
From Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s perspective, she only knew the time, ce, and the fact that a mysterious figure would appear there.
Although I imed they were viins, if I were wrong, I might end up capturing innocent people.
Likewise, even if I informed the academy, they would find it difficult to act based on this limited information.
To prove that the mysterious figure was a threat to Dragon yer Academy, I would have to reveal my hidden secrets and risk the academy¡¯s focus on me.
As a result, my range of action would be severely limited. So informing them would be a bad move.
And so, the only option was to ask for help personally from Ahn Jeong-mi.
¡°So, please keep an eye on the situation and intervene if needed.¡±
In short, this was a kind of insurance.
Ahn Jeong-mi did not take long to ept my request.
¡°If what you say is true, I would act even without your request. I¡¯ll keep an eye on things.¡±
Chapter 164: Downtown Market (1)
Chapter 164: Downtown Market (1)
The next morning.
In front of the shuttle bus stop heading to the downtown area.
Surprisingly, the first person to arrive and wait for everyone was Seo Ye-in.
She stood still while staring into space, but her radiant beauty alone drew the attention of those around her.
¡°¡¡±
When I approached, Seo Ye-in immediately noticed and turned her gaze toward me. She then started waving her hand gently as she walked over.
I also waved back and greeted her.
¡°Howe you¡¯re the first one here?¡±
¡°Woke up early.¡±¡°You did go in early yesterday. How much did you sleep?¡±
¡°A lot.¡±
¡°How much battery do you have left?¡±
¡°¡80?¡±
Seo Ye-in tilted her head slightly as she answered.
I thought it was quite inefficient to sleep that much and still be at 80%, but since she wasn¡¯t sleepy now, I decided to let it go.
¡°Kim-hyung, Miss Seo.¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡±
Afterward, Go Hyeon-woo greeted us as he approached. He was smiling as he looked back and forth between us.
¡°Today, you¡¯re thest one to arrive.¡±
¡°Among us, but I¡¯m not actuallyte.¡±
There were still five minutes left until the appointed time.
As we exchanged idle chatter, two shuttle buses pulled up one after the other.
We boarded the bus along with the other waiting students.
¨C Murmur, murmur¡
A few weeks ago, there had only been around ten students on the bus and apart from Seo Ye-in and me, they were all second- or third-year years.
Now, the bus was so crowded that it was hard to find a seat, and there were quite a few first-year students.
Most of them were probably visiting the downtown area for the first time, just like Go Hyeon-woo.
The conversation from the next seat drifted over here.
¨C Get ready for the bakery. All the bread¡¯s going to be gone today.
¨C You pig. Are you going just to eat bread?
¨C Of course I¡¯m going to eat. What else is there?
¨C Aren¡¯t you preparing for midterms?
¨C How can I prepare if I don¡¯t know what¡¯s on the test?
¨C You should still try to raise your specs.
Half of the students aimed to have fun, eat, and rest, while the other half aimed to improve their strength.
Our goal was closer to thetter, but Go Hyeon-woo seemed somewhat tempted by the conversation he overheard.
¡°Indeed, this is also an opportunity to enjoy gourmet food for the first time in a while.¡±
Seo Ye-in also tugged at my sleeve.
¡°Game center.¡±
¡°First, both of you calm down.¡±
Let¡¯s decide what to do when we get there.
When we arrived at the downtown area a littleter, it was so crowded that the shuttle bus felt like nothing inparison.
Go Hyeon-woo let out a wry smile.
¡°I had hoped to stroll around leisurely, but that doesn¡¯t seem possible.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no helping it with this many people. Let¡¯s start with the market.¡±
¡°Understood. Let¡¯s go.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo led the way while I guided everyone from right behind him.
Seo Ye-in followed closely as she held onto the hem of my sleeve near my elbow.
¡°Where should we start?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s begin with the nearest spot.¡±
The academy allowed the market to be set up in two ces.
One was the upperssmen sales area where second- and third-year students and clubs set up booths,
And the other was the graduate sales area where graduates gathered.
And the closest one was,
¡°The upperssmen area.¡±
We pushed through the crowd to reach the sales area for second- and third-year students.
Arge building that resembled a shopping mall came into view.
However, just as we were about to reach the front of the building, Go Hyeon-woo who was in the front spotted something and hesitated.
¡°Hmm.¡±
¡°The line is long, isn¡¯t it?¡±
A long winding line stretched out like a worm.
With only two ces to buy things and hundreds of students, this was already a predictable oue.
As we joined the end of the line, Go Hyeon-woo spoke.
¡°We should havee a bit earlier.¡±
¡°It would have been the same even if we had.¡±
Even if we had arrived early and waited before the opening time, there would still have been a line.
We weren¡¯t the only ones thinking of this.
¡°Anding early doesn¡¯t always mean it¡¯s better.¡±
¡°Why is that?¡±
¡°If the sellers don¡¯t put out their goods, you can¡¯t buy anything anyway.¡±
¡°Hmm, that makes sense.¡±
From the seller¡¯s perspective, there was no need to set the time for the morning when the market was open all day.
Many items were leisurely put out in the afternoon.
Like this, whether we arrived early orte, finding good items was entirely up to luck.
¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll just have to wait our turn.¡±
¡°I suppose so.¡±
Unless we had some connections with a big club or something.
Just then,
¡°We meet again.¡±
A soft voice came from behind me.
When I turned around, I saw the vice president of the swordsmanship club, Jegal So-so.
She waved lightly with the fan in her hand, so I bowed in response.
¡°Hello, senior-nim.¡±
¡°Are you here to look around the market?¡±
¡°Yes, we are.¡±
Jegal So-so smiled and turned her back to us.
¡°Follow me.¡±
I immediately understood her intention and signaled to the bewildered Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in.
Soon, the three of us left the line and followed Jegal So-so.
¡°Would you introduce your two friends to me?¡±
¡°This is Go Hyeon-woo, and this is Seo Ye-in.¡±
Jegal So-so looked at them with interest and then her gaze rested on Go Hyeon-woo.
She asked me to introduce them, but the vice president of the swordsmanship club must have already known about someone as skilled as Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. They say you have impressive swordsmanship.¡±
¡°You tter me.¡±
¡°I hope you¡¯ll visit the swordsmanship club whenever you have time.¡±
¡°I will definitely do that.¡±
Soon, Jegal So-so led us to another entrance which led to the upperssmen¡¯s sales area.
She opened the door and exined briefly,
¡°It¡¯s a club privilege. Simply put, it¡¯s like an invitation.¡±
¡°Thank you. But are you sure it¡¯s okay to use this on us?¡±
Allowing people into the sales area bypassing the line was like a VIP ticket or a priority bidding right of a dungeon. It was a privilege of the club.
Even as the vice president of the swordsmanship club, she couldn¡¯t use it recklessly.
Typically, it would go to fellow club members or juniors she was close to, yet she was using it on the three of us?
It was reasonable to be suspicious.
Jegal So-so smiled softly and replied,
¡°We¡¯ll be seeing each other often from now on, so I wanted to score some points in advance.¡±
I agreed that we would be seeing each other often.
There was the piece of treasure map B up for grabs and quite a few things to trade with the swordsmanship club.
¡°But when you say you want to score some points¡?¡±
¡°¡¡±
Jegal So-so responded with a mysterious smile.
Then she waved lightly and turned her back.
¡°Well, take a look around.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
I thanked Jegal Soso as she started walking away, and Go Hyeon-woo looked at me with admiration.
¡°You¡¯ve got connections with a big club.¡±
¡°Seems like it.¡±
Somehow, I had made a connection with the swordsmanship club.
I still didn¡¯t know what she was hiding, but that was something to think aboutter. For now, let¡¯s look around the market.
The upperssmen¡¯s sales area was incredibly spacious. It took up an entire building the size of a shopping mall.
The stalls set up by the second- and third-year students stretched out as far as the eye could see.
It seemed impossible to see everything, but when I looked up, I noticed floating signs pointing to various ces.
¡
Even the inside of the sales area was divided into different categories.
With so many items flooding in, it was already chaotic. If things weren¡¯t at least minimally organized, buyers would have to wander around endlessly.
So it was convenient to have things arranged like this.
Go Hyun-woo was a warrior, I was a mage, and Seo Ye-in was a marksman, so we all had different ces to check out.
Go Hyun-woo asked,
¡°How about we split up to look around?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s just stick together. We have plenty of time.¡±
Thanks to Jegal So-so, we skipped the waiting line.
Since we had this extra time, it was better to stay together.
We could help each other pick out items.
So, we entered the nearest archer section.
There, several seniors were sitting around and chatting with each other. When they noticed us, they paused their conversation and looked our way.
A male and a female student approached to greet us.
¡°Wee. Are you looking for something specific?¡±
¡°What¡¯s your ss?¡±
I pointed to Seo Ye-in.
¡°She¡¯s a gunslinger.¡±
¡°¡Tsk, I see.¡±
The male student clicked his tongue in disappointment and returned to his group.
The female student chuckled and exined.
¡°He only sells archer items.¡±
Since Seo Ye-in was a gunslinger, it didn¡¯t match his items at all, so he quickly backed off.
Then the female student asked.
¡°Is there something specific you¡¯re looking for?¡±
¡°For now, we¡¯re just browsing.¡±
¡°Alright, feel free to ask if you have any questions.¡±
The female student also stepped back a bit to make us feel morefortable.
I asked Seo Ye-in.
¡°What do you want to look at first?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
I had already figured out Seo Ye-in¡¯s shopping style when we visited the downtown area two weeks ago at the .
She doesn¡¯tplicate things.
Even if I handed her various items, if she didn¡¯t like them, she would simply pass them by, and if she did like them, she would grab them without hesitation.
¡°¡¡¡±
As expected, Seo Ye-in scanned the surroundings carefully; her gaze was then fixed on one spot and she walked straight toward it.
There, a variety of long-range skill books were piled up like a mountain. As if she knew exactly where everything was, Seo Ye-in rummaged through them without hesitation and pulled out a skill book buried deep in a corner.
[Random Skill Book ¨C Long Range]
How did she even spot that?
The female student who had been watching from a distance, saw what Seo Ye-in had picked up and approached.
When she realized it was a random skill book, her expression turned strange.
¡°Are you nning to buy this?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
The female student seemed a bit reluctant.
¡°¡It¡¯s good for me if you buy it, but since I¡¯m a senior, I¡¯ll be honest with you. I don¡¯t rmend random skill books.¡±
Random skill books.
When used, they grant a random skill.
In this case, the scope was narrowed to ¡°long-range¡± skills but even so, it would grant one out of countless long-range skills.
Among those countless skills, the majority would be useless and not suited to Seo Ye-in¡¯s style.
This meant there was a very high chance that she would learn a random and useless skill.
¡°I can¡¯t sell it for less than the market price either. We need to at least break even.¡±
No matter how random it was, skill books were always valuable.
Also, since it was an item dropped in an underground dungeon, it needed to fetch its full price to recoup the resources spent on the raid.
Seo Ye-in tilted her head slightly and asked,
¡°How much?¡±
¡°8,000 points.¡±
Go Hyun-woo flinched in surprise.
Even though he had earned a lot of points by having his reys bought by other students, it was still not an amount to be taken lightly.
Most first-year students wouldn¡¯t even dream of spending that much.
But what if she learned something useless from this random skill book?
Those 8,000 points would essentially go up in smoke.
The female student had good reason to discourage her.
¡°It¡¯s better to buy something else. Are you really sure?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll buy it.¡±
¡°I really tried to stop you. Remember, you bought it.¡±
Seo Ye-in pulled out her student ID without hesitation and paid the 8,000 points.
She immediately opened the random skill book.
The female student still had a troubled expression on her face, but when she saw that, her eyes widened.
¡°You¡¯re going to learn it right away?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
aaaash¡ª
Before anyone could stop her, the skill book began to glow softly.
With nothing left to do, the female student sighed deeply with a mix of regret and resignation.
Soon, this light would be absorbed by Seo Ye-in and a notification message visible only to her would appear.
It would say she had learned a new skill.
aaaa¡ªsh¡ª
However, instead of being absorbed, the light from the skill book grew increasingly intense and bright.
What was once a gentle glow became so dazzling that it was impossible to look at it directly.
¡°Hey, what¡¯s that?¡±
¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±
The sudden strange phenomenon drew everyone¡¯s attention.
Despite this, the light from the skill book kept getting brighter and brighter until itpletely filled the room.
aaaaaaaash¡ª!
TN: Lol. Kim Ho and Go Hyeon-woo would be like, ¡°First time?¡±
Chapter 165: Downtown Market (2)
Chapter 165: Downtown Market (2)
When the dazzling light that filled the room like a shbang subsided, those who regained their senses rushed over.
¨C What was that?
¨C What kind of effect was that just now?
¨C It looked like a first-year student was using a random skill book.
¨C Does a random skill book produce an effect like that?
However, Seo Ye-in who had caused thismotion had already left the scene.
To be precise, I anticipated trouble so I had quickly taken her out.
I lightly scolded Seo Ye-in.
¡°What were you thinking using the skill book there? It¡¯s still chaotic over there.¡±¡°I just wanted to use it.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°Just because.¡±
She said she just wanted to use it while acting on instinct which left me at a loss for words.
The result was good too which left me with nothing more to say.
¡°So, what came out?¡±
¡°I¡¯m also very curious.¡±
When Go Hyeon-woo and I sent curious nces her way, Seo Ye-in disyed the notification message that had appeared when she used the skill book.
[Using the ¡®Random Skill Book ¨C Long Range¡¯.]
[Acquired ¡®Bullet Time (F)¡¯.]
¡°This is unbelievable.¡±
No matter how lucky you are, this is just unfair.
On the other hand, Go Hyeon-woo who had little knowledge about skills could only tilt his head in confusion.
¡°What kind of skill is this that surprises you so much, Kim-hyung?¡±
¡°It¡¯s the best cognitive eleration skill.¡±
¡°Cognitive eleration?¡±
¡°Everything you see slows down.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Bullet Time.
During its duration, it rapidly elerates the caster¡¯s perception which makes everything appear in slow motion.
You could even see the rotation of a flying bullet.
For F-rank, the duration was 1 second,
With a cooldown of 5 minutes.
The cooldown wasn¡¯t very long, but it wasn¡¯t short enough to be used recklessly, and the duration was just a fleeting moment, making it a skill that had to be used very carefully.
However, in that moment when Bullet Time activated, one could gain an overwhelming advantage in battle.
For example, if a firefight broke out with another long-range ss, it would be possible for her to dodge all iing attacks whilending her own shots.
It also became much easier to counter and retaliate against a close-range assassin¡¯s sudden attack.
Go Hyeon-woo let out an exmation of surprise.
¡°Wow, if it¡¯s such a skill, it would be incredibly useful even if I used it myself. Those eight thousand points are well worth it.¡±
¡°Whoever uses it will find it an amazing skill. If you could learn it, it wouldn¡¯t be wasted even at eighty thousand.¡±
Bullet Time was as difficult to master as it was powerful.
Of course, even Ahn Jeong-mi couldn¡¯t have mastered it, and even among the top-tier marksmen trained up to S-rank, only a handful possessed it.
Yet, Seo Ye-in had casually picked up a random skill book after ncing around the archer¡¯s section and mastered it on the spot.
The world was undoubtedly full of unfairness.
Seo Ye-in stared at the two of us nkly, then tilted her head.
¡°Am I lucky?¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°¡¡±
Where did she learn that from?
I shook my head in disbelief.
Even though it was a sudden and baffling situation, it was a wee fact that Seo Ye-in¡¯s fighting power had significantly increased.
¡°With the butler gone, I thought that you should learn something else, but now you have this to master.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Using Bullet Time effectively inbat required a very high level of proficiency.
The skill only elerated the caster¡¯s perception; it didn¡¯t actually change their physical speed.
As things appeared slower, the caster¡¯s movements also seemed slower. This required a period of time to adjust to the skill.
Additionally, she had to practice capturing the optimal timing, so even though she had just learned it, she had a long way to go.
¡°You also need to work on ranking it up.¡±
¡°By the way, the skill is at F-rank now. What happens when its rank goes up?¡±
¡°The duration increases, and the cooldown decreases.¡±
¡°Wow, it¡¯s getting even stronger from here.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo showed his envy without any hesitation.
I looked at Seo Ye-in again.
¡°It¡¯s better to practice it with a partner.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do it together.¡±
¡°We should. But midterms areing up soon, so let¡¯s get started in earnest after that.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in nodded her head slightly.
After making a light promise,
The next section to look at was for closebat and warrior sses.
¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s enthusiasm burned brightly.
Then he slyly asked me,
¡°If I get a random skill book¡ could I perhaps learn a powerful skill like Miss Seo?¡±
¡°Remember the Feathered Serpent Tribe¡¯s wooden cup?¡±
¡°It won¡¯t work, huh.¡±
He realized the reality and quickly gave up on the idea.
¡°Ahem, then I¡¯ll focus on equipment.¡±
¡°It¡¯s about time for you to get new equipment.¡±
In Seo Ye-in¡¯s case, she didn¡¯t feel the need for new equipment, as most of her gear was already very high quality.
It was excessively good for a first-year student, and some of her items like the Fluffy Cloud Bracelet would still be useful even after graduation.
So she mainly looked for skill books.
While Go Hyeon-woo was the opposite.
He¡¯ll master the skills on his own.
He used the unique martial arts taught at his sect and honed each technique one by one.
Unless it was an overpowered skill like [Bullet Time], there was no need for him to learn other skills and invest time in them.
On the other hand, his equipment was barely holding up and his weapon was barely saved from being destroyed.
It was about time to look for other options.
Just like in the archer¡¯s corner, when we entered the warrior¡¯s corner, a few seniors approached us.
They seemed to instantly recognize who was in a closebat ss and who was not.
Judging by theirck of interest in Seo Ye-in and me, that is.
A third-year senior stopped right in front of Go Hyeon-woo and scanned him up and down.
He spotted the [Feathered Serpent Magical Sword] at his waist and the [Durable Pen] tucked into his shirt pocket.
¡°Your equipment consists of a sword and a pen; you seem to be a martial artist, right?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±
¡°What about armor?¡±
¡°This uniform is all I have.¡±
The senior frowned as if he found itpletely uneptable.
¡°That¡¯s not enough, not enough. Even if you¡¯re a martial artist, you should at least have some basic protection.¡±
¡°I was just starting to feel the same.¡±
¡°I figured. Follow me.¡±
He guided Go Hyeon-woo to a seat and seemed to be discussing something with the other seniors.
Soon, he brought three pieces of armor and ced them in front of Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°Considering you¡¯re a martial artist, I brought items that are light and easy to move in. Choose the one you like.¡±
The first item was a white T-shirt with a slight sheen.
[Crusader¡¯s Shirt ?]
? Continuously triggers ¡®Heal (E)¡¯
? Physical Defense (E)
It offered a bit of defense and continuously activated a healing spell.
This would enhance his endurance just by wearing it.
The second item was a tunic with a skeletal ribcage design.
It emitted a faint ck aura, likely due to some dark magic.
[Ribcage Tunic ?]
? Can cast ¡®Bone Armor (D)¡¯ once per day
? Dark Magic Resistance (E)
? Curse Resistance (E)
Its effects indicated a focus on magic defense. Although Go Hyeon-woo hadn¡¯t been heavily attacked by a mage yet, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be prepared. The ability to cast [Bone Armor] once a day was also appealing.
The third item was leather armor engraved with geometric magical patterns.
[Spearman¡¯s Prating Leather Armor ?]
? Has a chance to trigger ¡®Defense Pration (D)¡¯
? Piercing Resistance (E)
[Defense Pration] was a useful skill for piercing the defenses of tough-skinned enemies like ogres.
It could even inflict unexpected critical hits on heavily armored warriors.
[Piercing Resistance], simply put, made piercing attacks hurt less.
Since most ranged attacks like bullets or arrows were considered piercing attacks, it could be seen as resistance to ranged attacks as well.
¡°Hmm¡¡±
Go Hyeon-woo fell into deep thought.
Although it was clear that whatever he chose would be useful, he had to pick just one of the three, so he couldn¡¯t help but worry.
Should he increase his endurance through healing, bolster his magic defense, or go for the defense pration effect and reinforce his ranged defense?
¡°What do you think, Kim-hyung?¡±
¡°This is purely a matter of preference. Each one is for a different field.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a tough choice. They all seem useful to me¡¡±
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s gaze shifted back and forth between the three pieces of armor. He was unable to make an easy decision.
Then, as if struck by a thought, he asked Seo Ye-in.
¡°What do you think, Miss Seo?¡±
It was essentially a lucky chance.
He seemed to have decided to leave it to luck.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in stood still for a moment, then raised her hand to point at apletely unexpected spot. It wasn¡¯t at one of the three pieces of armor.
Everyone¡¯s eyes turned in that direction.
¡°What¡¯s over there?¡±
¡°Well, let¡¯s see, just wait a moment.¡±
The senior walked over to the spot Seo Ye-in had pointed to, rummaged through the disy, and returned with a suit of armor.
It was made of bronze and resembled the shell of a crustacean.
[Bronze Carapace (D)]
? Physical Defense (E)
? Upgradeable
¡°Is this what you found?¡±
The senior asked.
Although Go Hyeon-woo had decided to trust Seo Ye-in¡¯s judgment, he seemed doubtful if this was the right choice. Compared to the previous three pieces of armor, this one didn¡¯t seem to have any outstanding effects, even considering its upgrade slot.
Was it possible that Seo Ye-in¡¯s luck had run out for the day? Did she just point at something randomly?
At that moment, I nudged Go Hyeon-woo and said one word.
¡°Buy.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s eyes changed a little.
When I, who had previously stayed back with the excuse that it was a matter of preference, told him to buy this unimpressive-looking armor right away, he sensed something unusual.
And Go Hyeon-woo always followed my advice without question.
¡°I¡¯ll buy this.¡±
¡°Are you sure? It looks too heavy for a warrior.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll get used to it.¡±
The third-year senior still seemed doubtful, but when Go Hyeon-woo insisted, he went along with it. From his perspective, it didn¡¯t matter as long as it was sold.
¡°I respect your choice. Just pay me four thousand points.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo immediately took out his student ID andpleted the transaction.
We then moved to our next destination, the mage¡¯s sales area.
As he put the bronze carapace into his inventory, Go Hyeon-woo began to speak.
¡°I bought it without hesitation because I trust you, but I still don¡¯t quite understand.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a good deal.¡±
Thanks to the remnants of Seo Ye-in¡¯s luck, Go Hyeon-woo managed to find a gem in the rough.
¡°That armor actually has two upgrade slots.¡±
¡°Does that mean the ¡®bronze¡¯ attribute was added through an upgrade?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
It was an armor made by capturing a very rare crustacean monster.
Right after it was made, it was called [Transparent Carapace].
The characteristic of the Transparent Carapace was that it fully reflected the performance of the materials used for upgrades, whether one used metal or parts of a monster.
¡°Even if you don¡¯t know how bronze was used as an upgrade material, you can just remove it.¡±
¡°And then¡?¡±
¡°You need to rece it with something else.¡±
For example, he could get the two best materials.
Chapter 166: Downtown Market (3)
Chapter 166: Downtown Market (3)
When I entered the mage¡¯s corner, I saw a familiar face.
It was Park Na-ri, a promising student of the Guild Union and the Mother Nature Club.
On her shoulder sat a mini tiger called Bum.
Our eyes met, and I lightly waved my hand. She returned the greeting from the other side.
¡°H-Hello.¡±
¡°Meow.¡±
Bum also waved its front paw and then leaped from Park Na-ri¡¯s shoulder and started approaching me.
Bum began to rub its cheeks and forehead against my knee repeatedly.
¡°Such a cute cat.¡±Go Hyeon-woo who saw this reached out to pet it but,
¡°Hiss¡ª!¡±
Bum immediately bristled its fur and revealed its sharp ws.
Go Hyeon-woo awkwardly withdrew his hand and stepped back.
Come to think of it, they had faced off in a 2-on-2 duel before.
There was no way their rtionship could be good after battering it with Clear Stream so relentlessly.
¡°B-Bum,e back.¡±
Park Na-ri hastily took out the [Cube of Life] and opened it. Bum slipped inside before curling up into a ball.
Somehow, I had a feeling it would be Bum¡¯s personal mansion when I traded it, and that¡¯s exactly what happened.
It was full of scratches.
¡°Still, it¡¯s good to see you¡¯re using it well.¡±
¡°Y-Yeah, th-thanks¡ Are you using what you learned from the nk Skill Book well too¡¡±
¡°Of course, I¡¯m using it perfectly.¡±
I used it so perfectly that it became the number one hated skill among many people.
Dang Gyu-young would always shudder at the mention of Wind Force, and Hong Yeon-hwa would turn pale at the slightest breeze.
¡°Ah, ha, haha, I see¡¡±
As Park Na-ri let out a shyugh,
Another familiar face appeared.
¡°Na-ri, who¡ Oh my, it¡¯s been a while.¡±
¡°Long time no see, senior-nim.¡±
It was Ha Soo-yeon, the president of the Mother Nature Club.
She had followed out of curiosity about whom the timid Park Na-ri was talking to.
¡°Are you looking for something in particr? If so, I can help.¡±
Her tone and attitude were filled with kindness.
That made sense. Because thanks to the Cube of Life, Park Na-ri was quite ahead in the race among the promising students.
¡°Amplifying the effects of life-type items stored inside it by 1.3 times¡± was enough to create a significant gap.
Also, after observing my duel with the Emerald Magic Tower, she seemed determined to maintain the best possible rtionship with me.
That¡¯s a verymendable attitude.
If we do good business in the future, it will be convenient for both of us.
Therefore, I decided to ept Ha Soo-yeon¡¯s help without hesitation.
¡°If there¡¯s a skill book avable, I¡¯d like to get one.¡±
¡°Which skill book are you looking for?¡±
¡°[Air Burst].¡±
Ha Soo-yeon¡¯s face turned a bit puzzled.
¡°Are you nning to learn it yourself?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°¡I see. The more skills, the better.¡±
Ha Soo-yeon seemed to think I had my own reasons and didn¡¯t press further. She called over two second-year seniors who were managing the stalls nearby.
¡°Do we have the [Air Burst] skill book?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
The two of them seemed to recall for a moment.
Then one of the second-year students looked through the ledger and replied.
¡°We don¡¯t have it on our side. It might be that the seller hasn¡¯t shown up yet since it¡¯s still morning¡¡±
They added a rather uncertain remark that there might be a skill book if I came backter.
Meanwhile, the other second-year female senior was still deep in thought with her brow furrowed.
Then, as if something hade to mind, her face brightened and she pped her hands.
¡°Ah! Myung-hoon oppa might have it.¡±
¡°He¡¯s a graduate.¡±
Ha Soo-yeon added to the exnation.
Hearing that a graduate had the skill book meant,
¡°I should check the graduate sales area.¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯ll send a message.¡±
¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll go right away.¡±
¡°Ah, wait a moment.¡±
Just as I was about to turn around, Ha Soo-yeon stopped me.
She took out a small piece of paper, quickly wrote something, signed it, and then handed it to me neatly folded.
¡°The line over there will be quite long. Show them this.¡±
The queue at the graduate sales area was likely to be as long, if not longer, than the one in the senior section.
There was a perception that the items sold by graduates were of a higher quality, and this was actually true.
Just like how Jegal So-so had let us in through the side gate, Ha Soo-yeon was using the club¡¯s influence to let us bypass the line.
¡°Please remember this: the Mother Nature Club is friendly towards you.¡±
¡°How could I forget? Thank you.¡±
Ha Soo-yeon and I smiled at each other.
The three of us pushed through the crowds of the downtown area and headed to the graduate sales area.
Just like before, arge building resembling a mall stood there with a line snaking out front like a long wriggling worm.
We circled around the building to the back entrance, only to be stopped by a senior standing guard.
¡°This isn¡¯t the entrance. Go to the front and get in line.¡±
¡°I know. Please take a look at this.¡±
The senior quickly read Ha Soo-yeon¡¯s note, checked our faces, and then opened the back door for us.
¡°¡Go in.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
We went straight to where ¡°Myung-hoon oppa¡± was waiting.
Since Ha Soo-yeon had given him a heads-up before we left, he recognized me immediately.
¡°Here to buy [Airburst]?¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to buy it.¡±
¡°It¡¯s 4,000 points.¡±
The transaction with ¡°Myung-hoon oppa¡± waspleted swiftly.
My points situation wasn¡¯t asfortable as Ko Hyun-woo or Seo Ye-in¡¯s, but this was a necessary expense.
And getting a skill book for 4,000 points is a steal.
Considering that good skills were usually traded at 10,000 points, the price of the [Airburst] skill book was quite low.
A low price meant low demand, and low demand meant the skill¡¯s performance was mediocre.
That¡¯s why Ha Soo-yeon¡¯s expression turned strange when I mentioned looking for this skill book.
Airburst.
It was a wind-type magic that shot apressed air mass to cause an explosion.
The power was decent and the explosion range was fairly wide, but it had one critical w.
It¡¯s hard to hit the target.
The projectile¡¯s speed was so awkward that anything with eyes and legs could dodge it.
Seeing yers make the air burst harmlessly led to the nickname:
Air Popper.
In other words, it was a skill that drew ridicule just for learning it.
However, such ridicule quickly vanished once Airburst¡¯s true potential was revealed.
Specifically, once the power of a powerful skill linked with Airburst became known.
Spiral Explosion.
Airburst was the final third piece needed to learn Spiral Explosion.
Thepletion condition was achieving C-rank in three prerequisite skills.
I had already prepared [Twister] and [One Point Explosion] through mentoring,
And raising the rank of [Airburst] was much easierpared to the first two.
Even without event bonuses, it leveled up quickly which was why I had saved it forst.
I¡¯llplete it before the midterms start.
There wasn¡¯t much time left, but it was definitely doable.
Afterwards, I took ap around the graduate sales area but there were no particrly eye-catching items.
To confirm that, I also asked the Hidden Peace Radar or rather Seo Ye-in.
¡°Is there anything? Feel anything?¡±
¨C Shakes head,
I wasn¡¯t sure if there really weren¡¯t any good items or if her luck for the day had run out, but it seemed sufficient for now.
Each of us had picked something we wanted.
¡°We can leave now.¡±
¡°Game center?¡±
Seo Ye-in¡¯s eyes which had been growing a bit bored immediately sparkled at the mention of leaving.
However, I shook my head for the moment.
¡°Let¡¯s eat first. We have plenty of time.¡±
Originally, I had calcted that with the usual queue times, it would take until around three or four in the afternoon, but thanks to Jegal So-so and Ha Su-yeon, it was just lunchtime.
Since the game center wasn¡¯t going anywhere, we could fill our stomachs first and then head there leisurely.
So we strolled through the downtown area while looking at the street vendors lined up everywhere.
¡°What do you want to eat?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to try ¡®Churros¡¯ for a while now.¡±
¡°You mean Churro (fried dough), right?¡±
¡°Beaded ice cream.¡±
¡°Sure, you can eat whatever you want.¡±
At the same time.
In a three-story building a bit away from the downtown area.
The exterior was made to look like an abandoned building, but in reality, it was the control tower of the thieves¡¯ club.
When you enter the building and climb up the stairs, you will find a fairlyrge room and the walls of that room were filled with numerous monitors.
And each monitor showed different parts of the downtown area. They were stealing the view of the crime prevention crystal balls installed in the downtown area.
A few members of the thieves¡¯ club were watching the monitors in turns, and at the center of the room were Chae Da-bin who held the actualmand of this control tower, and Dang Gyu-young standing beside her.
Chae Da-bin kept tapping on a tablet and said,
¡°Everything is going smoothly so far.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
The ck market started receiving customers around the same time as the marketce opened.
The customers acted very cautiously for fear of being caught, but one by one they entered the A and B exchanges through the meeting point.
And little by little, transactions of prohibited items were taking ce.
¡°The Disciplinary Committee doesn¡¯t seem interested in us.¡±
Some monitors were watching the movements of the Disciplinary Committee members, but no suspicious activity was seen near the meeting points or exchanges.
Perhaps they hadn¡¯t figured out how this year¡¯s ck market was being held yet, or they were focusing on maintaining order in the downtown area in the beginning.
Of course, it was only the beginning.
As the number of active exchanges increased, the situation would only get more difficult, so they would have to remain vignt.
While tapping on the tablet and flipping through various screens, Chae Da-bin discovered something.
¡°Isn¡¯t that Kim Ho?¡±
¡°Oh, it is.¡±
On the screen appeared Kim Ho who was crossing through the crowd.
He was with the handsome warrior he always hung out with and the pretty girl with gray hair.
Each one of them was holding a scoop of ice cream in their hands.
¡°Cute.¡±
Dang Gyu-young chuckled and took her eyes off the monitor.
She¡¯s handling it quite boldly.
The rtionship between Dang Gyu-young and Kim Ho was much closer than a typical senior-junior rtionship.
At least, that¡¯s how it appeared to Chae Da-bin and the other members.
Therefore, it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if Dang Gyu-young felt uneasy about Kim Ho hanging out with that gray-haired girl.
Even from a woman¡¯s perspective, she was beautiful and the distance between them seemed much closer than that of mere ssmates.
They were worried about how Dang Gyu-young would react to seeing them together, but she seemed to be handling it with the maturity and tolerance befitting her age.
Chae Da-bin let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
Thank goodness.
However¡
Maybe that was just Chae Da-bin¡¯s misconception.
¨C nce,
As Dang Gyu-young casually scanned the other screens, she sneaked a side nce.
Then, she moved on to other screens as if nothing had happened, but before long,
¨C nce, nce,
She kept ncing at one of the monitors repeatedly.
Specifically, the one showing Kim Ho.
¡°¡¡±
The more she did so, the more Dang Gyu-young¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly and her displeasure gauge seemed to rise little by little.
When Chae Da-bin secretly exchanged nces with the other members of the club, they also seemed to sense the unusual situation unfolding here.
A tense atmosphere began to envelop the control tower.
Chapter 167: Weapon Master (1)
Chapter 167: Weapon Master (1)
We wandered around the street vendors and filled our stomachs with snacks.
The next destination was the game center that Seo Ye-in had been looking forward to.
Like other ces, the game center was extremely crowded with barely any room to step in.
Despite that, we persisted, squeezed our way in, and headed to the student-only corner in the back.
Because the mini-games required a fair amount of points, the crowd thinned out noticeably in this ce, but it was still more crowded than it had been two weeks ago.
Then, Seo Ye-in¡¯s steps suddenly halted as she quietly stared at one spot.
¡°Gunslinger Adventure¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s gone.¡±
The arrangement of the arcade machines had changed, and most of the games, including , had been reced with others.It wasn¡¯t just the prizes that were updated regrly.
Especially since was a strong candidate for recement as we had practically won the highest score and the prize.
As Seo Ye-in gradually became more sullen, the ever-positive Go Hyeon-woo consoled her and I added ament of my own.
¡°Haha, Miss Seo. Don¡¯t be too disheartened. Surely, there are other fun things to enjoy?¡±
¡°Other games might be fun once you try them.¡±
¡°Mhmm ¡¡±
¡°Let¡¯s check out the prize list first.¡±
If we set a new goal, her interest woulde back.
- Invisibility Scroll ¨C essory
- Equipment Enhancement Stone
- Rank Up (E)
- Dreadful Teddy Bear
¡¡.
The list was simr yet different from two weeks ago.
Back then, there was [Random Rank Up] which I picked right away, but it was missing now.
It¡¯s not a reward that appears very often.
So as a second choice,
I should pick Rank Up.
The [Air Burst] I bought at the graduate market was rtively easy to rank up, but adding a Rank Up would save me even more time.
I asked the two of them,
¡°Is there anything that catches your eye?¡±
¡°Rank Up.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo was still pondering, and Seo Ye-in chose the same Rank Up as me.
It seemed like she nned to use it after raising [Bullet Time] to E, which wasn¡¯t a bad choice.
So, how could we obtain this?
[Rank Up (E)]
?Acquisition Condition 1: Achieve 20 kills or 15 assists in
?Acquisition Condition 2: Die fewer than 3 times
Go Hyeon-woo who had been peering from the side asked me,
¡°What kind of game is Weapon Master?¡±
¡°That one.¡±
Among the newly installed arcade machines, one game took up half of the student corner.
Thepetitive survival game, .
The simple rule was that participants wandered around a designated space for a set amount of time and fought when they encountered enemies.
If you died, you could continue by inserting another token, but naturally each token cost 300 points, and our target [Rank Up] required us to give up if we died three times.
¡°It won¡¯t be easy to get 20 kills or 15 assists with only 2 deaths.
That meant you had to get 10 kills for every death.
The good news, however, was that it could be yed in teams of two.
If one person aimed for 20 kills and the other aimed for 15 assists, it would be perfect.
¡°So we can¡¯t do it together?¡±
¡°No, it has to be in pairs.¡±
¡°I see. Then I¡¯ll proceed alone. I¡¯m very interested.¡±
¡°What will you choose for the prize?¡±
Go Hyeon-woo nced over the prize list again and replied.
¡°There¡¯s nothing that particrly interests me, so I¡¯ll just enjoy the experience this time.¡±
¡°That works too.¡±
Just then, a game ended and a lot of spots opened up.
The next round of participants who had been waiting nearby filled those spots.
The three of us also took seats in a row.
Seo Ye-in inserted a token first.
Arge ¡°?¡± appeared on the screen, then quickly morphed into various silhouettes of different people.
There¡¯s a reason the game is titled this way.
The ss and weapon of the character controlled by the yer were randomly assigned.
Except for the yer¡¯s own ss, of course.
For example, Seo Ye-in¡¯s ss was a gunslinger, so she would never get a long-range character.
Instead, she could end up as a Pdin, Mage, or Priest.
To win, yers needed to master any weapon they were given, which is why it was called .
The rapidly changing silhouette soon settled into a fixed shape and Seo Ye-in¡¯s character was revealed.
It was a dark-skinned, bald, and heavily muscr man.
His clothes were half-worn and his body was covered in red marks which could be tattoos or paint.
In his hands was a rough single-handed sword, and at his waist was a hand axe.
Seo Ye-in had be a barbarian warrior, or a ¡°Barbarian¡± for short.
The Barbarian on the screen let out a loud roar, as if to announce his presence.
¨C Guuuuaaaah¡ª!
¡°¡!¡±
Seo Ye-in¡¯s gray eyes sparkled.
It seemed like she quite liked it.
It was good to see her interest return.
Next, my character was also decided.
It was a scrawny man with a back bent like a shrimp.
His clothes were simr to Seo Ye-in¡¯s Barbarian, and he had a long tube in his mouth.
He resembled ¡°Skinny¡± whom I saw at the Feathered Serpent Altar.
Barbarian Poison Dart Shooter.
If you were hit by one of his darts, you would experience various status ailments, such as blurred screen, control reversal, and slowed movement.
It was a character focused more on control than defeating enemies.
Of course, there was the condition that the darts had to hit, but who was I?
The king of mini-games.
And with this, our roles were clearly defined.
¡°You do the killing, and I¡¯ll assist.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in nodded her head.
Meanwhile, on Go Heyon-woo¡¯s screen appeared a beautiful female mage dressed in elegant and neat attire.
As she swung her staff, a blizzard swirled around her.
Go Heyon-woo let out an exmation of admiration.
¡°Oh, I¡¯m a mage. I¡¯ve always been curious, and now I get the chance to experience it.¡±
¡°Be careful. That body is really weak.¡±
¡°Haha, I¡¯ll be careful.¡±
Soon, it seemed all participants¡¯ characters were decided as the screen quickly changed, and the next moment, Seo Ye-in and I were standing in arge ruin.
Torches burned here and there and they cast a dim light around.
At the bottom of the screen, a scoreboard disyed the kill/death/assist counts.
[Barbarian-Seo 0K/0D/0A]
[PoisonDartShooter-Kim 0K/0D/0A]
The countdown soon began, marking the start of the match.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
¡°Okay, let¡¯s get going.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
Seo Ye-in took the lead with her melee character.
We moved down therge passageway. We turned left and right at each fork and continued forward.
As we walked aimlessly for a while, a massive shadow flickered in the light of the torches and gradually drew closer.
¨C ng, ng,
A pair of a knight wearing thick armor and a priest following behind.
It seemed they were just as unfamiliar with melee sses as Seo Ye-in since their movements were extremely awkward.
¨C Guooooo!
Seo Ye-in¡¯s barbarian let out a roar and charged forward.
After getting close to the opponent¡
She swung her sword wildly.
She was still not ustomed to the controls, but that couldn¡¯t be helped.
The opponent seemed to be in the same situation and the knight clumsily thrust his shield forward to block.
Hmm, unnatural.
The barbarian and the knight exchanged attacks with creaking arms.
This kind of disaster often happened when one was controlling a ss they never experienced before.
Amidst this childlike battle,
¨C Whirr¡ª
The knight¡¯s body was enveloped in a bright light.
The priest in the rear was casting a healing spell.
With only one side recovering health, Seo Ye-in would fall first at this rate.
Of course, I wasn¡¯t just going to watch.
I had started preparing a poison dart as soon as the battle began, and now it was loaded.
I aimed it at the opponent and,
Whoosh!
The poison dart slipped through the gap in the knight¡¯s helmet.
Then the knight¡¯s movements noticeably slowed down which indicated he was afflicted with a slowing debuff.
They were in the middle of exchanging blows.
When one side¡¯s movements slowed significantly, it inevitably exposed major openings.
Seo Ye-in struck the knight¡¯s shield with all her might and broke his stance. Then she brought her sword down with all her strength.
ng!
The iron helmet dented under the barbarian¡¯s brute strength.
Despite that, Seo Ye-in didn¡¯t stop her sword froming down.
Bang, bang, bang!
[Barbarian-Seo 1K/0D/0A]
[PoisonDartShooter-Kim 0K/0D/1A]
¡°Hey, that one¡¯s running away.¡±
The priest immediately turned his back and ran.
However, a poison dart struck his nape, and Seo Ye-in quickly approached, grabbed him, and cut his throat.
[Barbarian-Seo 2K/0D/0A]
[PoisonDartShooter-Kim 0K/0D/2A]
¡°You¡¯re pretty good for your first time.¡±
¡°I¡¯m strong.¡±
¡°Yes, very strong.¡±
The Barbarian was a ss that fought purely with physical strength. It was the epitome of a strong man.
¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
As we continued walking along the passageway of the ruins, we saw two more shadows flickering in the torchlight.
Two more warriors appeared.
They wore the same leather armor and wielded the same swords and shields.
Since sses were assigned randomly, it wasn¡¯t unusual to encounter duplicates.
The twin warriors noticed us and charged quickly.
I loaded a poison dart and instructed Seo Ye-in as well.
¡°Axe.¡±
¡°Axe.¡±
Seo Ye-in pulled out a hand axe from her waist and threw it straight ahead.
The spinning hand axe flew through the air and embedded itself in Twin Warrior A¡¯s shoulder.
I thought it was likely to miss since it was her first time throwing a hand axe, but as expected, she was good at throwing things since she was originally a long-range ss.
¡°Let¡¯s deal with the one hit by the axe first.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
The Barbarian character strode forward, ready to sh with the two warriors.
Whoosh¡ª!
I shot a poison dart.
A thin dart embedded itself in Twin Warrior B¡¯s neck.
¡°Ah! What is this?!¡±
A confused shout came from somewhere.
It was probably the yer controlling Twin Warrior B.
Judging by the way they were floundering around, it seemed they were hit with the ¡°control reversal¡± status ailment.
It must have been disorienting, especially since the yer was using a ss he wasn¡¯t used to.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in aggressively pressured Twin Warrior A.
He was already significantly weakened with a hand axe lodged in his shoulder.
Twin Warrior A tried to block with a shield, but Seo Ye-in kicked it away and stepped forward before shing diagonally with her sword.
Crunch!
Twin Warrior A was sliced in two, and Seo Ye-in immediately charged at Twin Warrior B.
Twin Warrior B who had just recovered from his control reversal status ailment steadied himself and prepared to counter.
Whoosh!
Until the next poison dart struck.
¡°No! What is this really?!¡±
Another confused shout echoed through the student corner.
After examining Twin Warrior B¡¯s condition, his movements became as slow as a slug.
He was hit with a slow status ailment.
An opponent under the slow status ailment was easy prey for the strong Barbarian, Seo Ye-in.
Crunch!
[Barbarian-Seo 4K/0D/0A]
[PoisonDartShooter-Kim 0K/0D/4A]
¡°Strong.¡±
¡°Strong.¡±
We exchanged a light high-five. p.
Chapter 168: Weapon Master (2)
Chapter 168: Weapon Master (2)
As we continued moving forward after killing the Twin Warriors, a bright light appeared in the distance.
It was the exit leading out of the ruins.
The only yers inside the ruins were the two of us and the two teams we had just encountered.
To properly rack up 20 kills, we had to go outside.
I warned Seo Ye-in who was leading the way.
¡°Be careful when we go out.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
The exit of the ruins was the perfect ce for enemies to lie in wait.
And as always, my ominous premonition was right.The moment Seo Ye-in stepped outside,
Swish!
A gray beam of light shot toward us with a fierce whistling sound.
Seo Ye-in quickly raised her arm to block it.
Thud.
But the beam of light pierced through Seo Ye-in¡¯s arm and embedded itself in her chest.
The opponent then revealed themselves.
In his hand was arge crossbow.
It was only then that she realized what was stuck in her chest was a steel arrow.
A small message appeared on Seo Ye-in¡¯s screen.
[Continue?]
[10, 9, 8¡¡]
[Continue?]
¡°You died. Let¡¯s continue.¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
Since it was a survival battle, even closebat characters didn¡¯t have much endurance.
I had a reasonable suspicion that the frequent use of continues was to make point collection easier.
Seo Ye-in purchased a token with 300 points and inserted it into the arcade machine.
[Barbarian-Seo 4K/1D/0A]
[PoisonDartShooter-Kim 0K/0D/4A]
The Barbarian reappeared inside the ruins at the starting point.
Meanwhile, I was near the exit.
¡°Let¡¯s regroup first. I¡¯ll head your way.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
The interior of the ruins was tangled like a maze, but as an experienced yer, I had memorized the paths.
So I retraced my steps,
¡°They¡¯re still there.¡±
I ran into the knight and priest duo we had just defeated.
Having lost badly in their first fight, they hesitated and wondered if they would have to fight us again, but when they realized I was alone, they immediately initiated the fight.
However, contrary to their expectations, I was not just any easy target; I was a tricky target with poison darts.
Swoosh!
The knight who was hit by the poison dart started moving sluggishly and I swiftly passed by him.
¡°Excuse me~¡±
The two became infuriated and they chased after me with killing intent.
While I ran, I asionally turned around to shoot another poison dart and then resumed running.
The chase didn¡¯tst long.
Seo Ye-in was rapidly running toward me from the opposite direction.
¡°Axe!¡±
¡°Axe.¡±
Whirr!
The hand axe spun fiercely over my shoulder and embedded itself in the priest¡¯s chest.
Her uracy was improving.
[Barbarian-Seo 5K/1D/0A]
[PoisonDartShooter-Kim 0K/0D/5A]
The situation was reversed and the 2v1 became a 1v2.
However, the knight decided that he had nothing to lose, so he didn¡¯t flee but fought back.
Seo Ye-in dodged the shing sword by leaning her body.
When she swung her sword in response, the knight raised his shield to deflect it.
Seo Ye-in struck down with the hand axe in her other hand, while the knight parried with his sword.
ng! ng!
They¡¯re slowly getting used to it.
Unlike the clumsy puppet-like first battle, the movements of the two melee characters became much more refined.
Everyone was gradually bing closer to weapon masters.
The only unfortunate aspect was,
This is a team game, after all.
Whoosh!
¡°¡!¡±
The knight who was hit by the poison dart was once again afflicted with a status ailment.
Seo Ye-in¡¯s longsword came crashing down on his crown.
Crack!
[Barbarian-Seo 6K/1D/0A]
[PoisonDartShooter-Kim 0K/0D/6A]
After easily securing two kills, Seo Ye-in and I followed the same path we had taken earlier.
Before long, the exit of the ruins appeared.
¡°Alright, let¡¯s get out. Watch out for arrows.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Swoosh!
Sure enough, arrows came flying at us as soon as we stepped out of the ruins.
However, contrary to my expectation that she would dodge, Seo Ye-in stood still and just stared straight at the arrows.
In the next instant, she swung her sword directly at them.
ng¡ª!
She split the flying arrow in half.
¡°Impossible!¡±
A cry of astonishment rang out.
It was probably from the yer who had just shot the arrow.
However, there was no time to be surprised.
Now that he revealed his position by shooting the crossbow, he jumped up from his hiding ce and began to flee.
But Seo Ye-in chased him down at a terrifying speed and severed his upper body from his lower body.
[Barbarian-Seo 7K/1D/0A]
[PoisonDartShooter-Kim 0K/0D/6A]
There was no assist for me this time.
It couldn¡¯t be helped since she did it all by herself.
was basically a two-person team game, so the crossbowman¡¯s partner must be somewhere around.
Even though the battle had ended, we didn¡¯t lower our guard but there was no sign of anything emerging.
They were either hiding elsewhere or waiting for us to pass by.
Either way, it meant there was nothing to deal with at the moment.
¡°But how did you deflect that?¡±
The situation just now was unexpected even to me.
I acknowledge Seo Ye-in¡¯s genius talent, but the Barbarian ss should be an unfamiliar ss for her.
So while she was just starting to get the hang of it, precisely splitting a flying arrow seemed excessively difficult.
Seo Ye-in looked at me for a moment and then answered.
¡°It slowed down.¡±
¡°Bullet time?¡±
¡°¡? Mhmm.¡±
Her response came a beatte. This was likely because she had been checking a notification message.
The moment the arrow was shot, she instinctively cast [Bullet Time], and only after the battle ended and she saw the cooldown time did she realize what had happened.
She¡¯s a genius.
She had instinctively used a newly learned skill at the perfect timing.
I thought for a moment and then suggested.
¡°Then why don¡¯t you try using it a few more times?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
When Seo Ye-in nodded her head slowly, I cast Amplification.
[Activated ¡®Amplification.¡¯]
[The rank of ¡®Bullet Time¡¯ has increased. (F->D)]
[Duration: 00:04:58]
[Cooldown: 00:29:58]
Amplification was raised to C-rank.
Currently, it raised the target¡¯s rank by two levels for five minutes, and the cooldown period was 30 minutes.
And the temporary D-rank Bullet Time¡¯s stats were,
Duration: 2 seconds, Cooldown: 3 minutes.
It could be used more frequently with the reduced cooldown.
We could probably use it two or three more times during the remaining match.
The area outside the ruins was an appropriate mix of a rocky terrain and a forest.
There were ces scattered around that were suitable for hiding.
The crossbowman had not been discovered easily because of this.
¡°Let¡¯s go slowly. Somehow, I think those guys wille back.¡±
¡°Come back again?¡±
¡°That¡¯s what I think.¡±
Since each had killed the other once, the match between them was not yet over.
Wouldn¡¯t the crossbowman make sure to bring his partner for the final confrontation?
Swoosh!
¡°See? They came.¡±
Seo Ye-in jumped to the side to avoid the iing arrow.
She then tried to chase the crossbowman, but a ck shadow suddenly appeared nearby and attacked her.
It was an assassin dressed entirely in ck.
He held a ck dagger in his hand that matched his outfit.
That guy must be paired with the crossbowman.
I muttered a low exmation.
¡°Wow, that guy is really persistent.¡±
The fact that he appeared from where we had passed meant he had been hiding there all along.
It seemed he missed his timing when the crossbowman was caught by Seo Ye-in, and he only appeared now that the crossbowman returned here.
While Seo Ye-in reacted to the ambush, the crossbowman widened the distance again before reloading and firing another arrow.
Swoosh!
And while Seo Ye-in dodged the arrow, the assassin stepped back briefly, then attacked again to buy time for the crossbowman.
The two opponents took turns harassing the Barbarian.
However, I was secretly hopeful.
Is she going to show it now?
The cooldown for Bullet Time should be almost over.
Swoosh!
Just as the arrow flew and the assassin thrust his dagger, I felt as if Seo Ye-in¡¯s eyes shed.
The Barbarian¡¯s body slipped through the narrow gap between the two attacks.
The attacks narrowly missed her and the assassin¡¯s arm was severed in the following counterattack.
¡°Too good.¡±
I felt like giving a standing ovation.
But since the battle was still ongoing, I joined in.
Thwack!
The assassin who lost one of his arms tried to retreat in a hurry.
However, he could no longer retreat because a poison dart was stuck in the back of his head.
After slicing through the assassin¡¯s neck, Seo Ye-in immediately pursued the crossbowman.
I called out to her.
¡°Try not to kill him. I want to get an assist.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Because assists counted only when I helped defeat the enemy, I had to at least prick him with my poison dart.
Seo Ye-in nodded her head, then closed in on the enemy and mercilessly punched him in the face.
In reality, that punch would have broken all his teeth, but it didn¡¯t show since it was just a mini-game.
I followed and fired a poison dart at the captured crossbowman.
Thwack!
Seo Ye-in finished him off.
That must have felt pretty humiliating.
[Barbarian-Seo 9K/1D/0A]
[PoisonDartShooter-Kim 0K/0D/8A]
Once the match was decided, the crossbowman-assassin duo no longer targeted us.
Although they might have wanted to keep bothering us from a distance, they couldn¡¯t afford to lose 600 points for dying.
Therefore, we continued to advance through the forest and rocky terrain and defeated the enemies one after another.
[Barbarian-Seo 13K/1D/0A]
[PoisonDartShooter-Kim 0K/0D/12A]
It was at this time that a beautiful female mage peeked over the rocky terrain.
¡°Oh, Miss Seo¡ª¡±
It was the character controlled by Go Hyeon-woo.
It seemed like he was surprised to encounter us in a survival game, so he waved his staff in greeting.
¡°¡¡¡±
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in¡¯s empty hand slowly moved to her waist.
And in the next moment,
Whirl¡ªCrack!
The hand axe flew while spinning fiercely and split Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s skull.
[Barbarian-Seo 14K/1D/0A]
[PoisonDartShooter-Kim 0K/0D/13A]
¡°¡¡±
Go Hyeon-woo looked at Seo Ye-in and then at me.
I could feel the unspoken pressure to say something to him.
But since I was always on Seo Ye-in¡¯s side, I adjusted my tone and lightly scolded him.
¡°Weakling. This is what happens when you let personal feelings interfere in battle.¡±
¡°Ugh¡!¡±
Go Hyeon-woo realized the cruelty of the martial world.
Chapter 169: Weapon Master (3)
Chapter 169: Weapon Master (3)
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s ice mage had experienced three deaths in total, two of which were caused by Seo Ye-in¡¯s thrown hand axe.
Whoosh¡ªcrack!
Of course, Go Hyeon-woo wasn¡¯t the type to hold a grudge over something like this.
When his skull was split by the first hand axe, he was dumbfounded, but after being defeated in a proper fight, he epted the oue and nodded his head.
¡°Hmm, it¡¯s my loss. Just like Kim-hyung said, my body is weak.¡±
¡°That character is especially fragile. It¡¯s aplete ss cannon.¡±
¡°It seems so. I¡¯vee to understand that even mages have their own hardships.¡±
After that, Go Hyeon-woo didn¡¯t continue ying.
He had already lost 900 points, so he was reluctant to waste more points even in the casual y mode.Additionally, since the game was almost over, he put it down without hesitation and watched what we were doing.
And now that the game was nearing its end, Seo Ye-in was,
Crushhh!
[Barbarian-Seo 25K/1D/0A]
[PoisonDartShooter-Kim 0K/0D/22A]
What made this possible was her genius ability to learn and master anything at a frightening speed, the asional cooldown of bullet time, and my sly support with poison darts.
She had nearly transformed into a wrecking machine.
She charged through everywhere without hesitation and swept away everything in her path.
The other participants were also talented students from the Dragon yer Academy, but none could possibly stop Seo Ye-in.
While ying the mini-game, the asional chatter among them eventually turned into constant talk about the Barbarian.
¨C What¡¯s that?
¨C How is his control so good?
¨C Is it a bug? Is this guy ying in his original ss?
¨C Hey, he¡¯sing, run!
Even though they each experienced death at Seo Ye-in¡¯s hands several times, instead of getting angry, they were actually in awe.
On the other hand, I¡ªthe poison dart shooter next to her¡ª received nothing butints.
¨C Ugh, those poison darts are so annoying.
¨C He keeps pestering from the side.
¨C Seriously, I almost had the Barbarian too.
¨C Ah! I can¡¯t see again!
I calmly epted all the ¡°praise¡±.
The game was meant to frustrate the opponent.
Swoosh!
Soon, when the time limit expired and the game ended,
[Barbarian-Seo 31K/1D/0A]
[PoisonDartShooter-Kim 0K/0D/27A]
Seo Ye-in and I had far exceeded our original goal of 20 kills and 15 assists.
It¡¯s a shame there¡¯s no bonus for overachievement.
After cing the [Rank Up (E)] reward in my inventory, I was about to leave the game center when,
¡°Hey, wait a minute.¡±
Some second-year seniors called out to us.
No doubt, they were the ones who participated in the game earlier.
¡°¡¡±
When Seo Ye-in saw the second-years approaching in a group, she quietly hid behind me.
It was the so-called Kim Ho shield.
Seeing this, the approaching seniors hesitated and then started bickering among themselves.
¨C Hey, you scared her away.
¨C Why are you scaring a first-year?
¨C It¡¯s probably because you¡¯re ugly.
¨C Honestly, I¡¯m better looking than you.
A brief ¡°Who¡¯s the Ugliest¡± contest was about to start, but a senior with a handsome face stepped forward as a representative.
¡°Sorry, it¡¯s really nothing much, we just wanted to ask something.¡±
¡°Yes, senior.¡±
¡°By any chance, were you two the Barbarian Duo?¡±
¡°Yes, she¡¯s the Barbarian, and I¡¯m the Poison Dart Shooter.¡±
When I pointed to Seo Ye-in and then myself in turn, the seniors couldn¡¯t hide their surprise and whispered among themselves.
¨C The girl is¡ the Barbarian?
¨C And the boy is the Poison Dart Shooter?
¨C Isn¡¯t it the other way around?
¨C The Barbarian was really intense, though.
Seo Ye-in¡¯s pretty and quiet appearance didn¡¯t match the image of a Barbarian slicing through enemies on the battlefield.
But what could we do? It was the truth.
The handsome senior also seemed a bit shocked, but he tried to maintain hisposure as he asked the next question.
¡°I see, so what were your original sses¡?¡±
¡°Gunslinger and Mage.¡±
Once again, the seniors were in an uproar.
¨C She was a Gunslinger, but she yed the Barbarian so well?
¨C She really did throw those hand axes urately. I got hit twice.
¨C Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re a scarecrow?
¨C Are you picking a fight with me in every word? Want to go again?
¨C Bring it on.
Leaving the chaotic seniors behind, the handsome senior nodded his head.
¡°It¡¯s just hard to believe, so I had to ask. Thanks for telling us.¡±
¡°No problem, senior-nim.¡±
¡°The Poison Dart Shooter irritated me a bit too, but it means you captured the character¡¯s essence well. Both of you yed impressively.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
This senior knew what he was talking about.
My evaluation of the handsome senior improved significantly.
If we crossed pathster, I thought we could build a good rtionship.
Perhaps because that was all the questions they had, the seniors waved and were about to leave when one of them suddenly asked,
¡°So, what¡¯s the rtionship between you two? You look like her manager.¡±
¡°Something like that.¡±
At the moment, calling me ¡°a manager¡± seemed to fit reasonably well.
However, Seo Ye-in who had been hiding behind me the whole time peeked over my shoulder.
¡°¡Butler?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not a butler.¡±
I sternly denied it.
Trying to make me a butler all sneakily like that¡
Seo Ye-in tilted her head in confusion.
¡°You¡¯re not a butler?¡±
¡°Absolutely not.¡±
If I did, I would end up in the same situation as Ahn Jeong-mi.
I firmly refused.
Seo Ye-in stared at me for a moment, then took out [Rank Up (E)] from her inventory and held it out to me.
¡°.¡¡?¡±
¡°I said no.¡±
After relieving our stress at the game center,
We wandered around various ces in the downtown area and spent our time together.
After wandering for quite a while, the sun began to set, and Seo Ye-in¡¯s charge level which was at 80% in the morning was almost depleted.
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°Hey, go get some sleep.¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
I sent Seo Ye-in who had started to doze off while walking back to the dormitory. Go Hyeon-woo wanted to look around the market a bit more before heading in, so I let him go.
I then made my way to the meeting ce with Dang Gyu-young right on time.
And there, what I encountered was,
¡°¡¡¡±
Dang Gyu-young leaning crookedly on the bench.
She looked somewhat sullen.
Her lips were slightly pouted.
There was only one thing I could think of, so I approached her and asked,
¡°Is it not going well? The ck market.¡±
¡°No? It hasn¡¯t even properly started yet.¡±
The tone of her voice was colder than usual.
Just yesterday, she had warmly greeted me before we parted ways, so why was she suddenly upset?
Another strange thing was that Dang Gyu-young remained silent.
She was normally straightforward and honest. She would usually voice out herints right away, so what could be stopping her now?
I couldn¡¯t think of anything, so I decided to postpone solving the issue for a bit.
¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡±
Fill our stomachs, and if her mood improves with the fullness, I would ask her again then.
Just like the previous preliminary field trip, I thought we could go around the food stalls, so I pointed to a nearby hot dog stand.
¡°How about that, hot dogs?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
It seemed that Dang Gyu-young thought this couldn¡¯t go on, so she made a deting sound with her pouting lips, brushed off her clothes, and stood up.
Then she said after walking ahead,
¡°What hot dogs? Let¡¯s go, I made a reservation.¡±
¡°Reservation?¡±
When I walked behind her and asked that, Dang Gyu-young looked back over her shoulder and answered,
¡°Yes. I made a reservation to treat my annoying junior to a meal.¡±
¡°I¡¯m touched, senior-nim. I¡¯m really lucky to have such a great senior.¡±
¡°Hmph, and you just had snacks for lunch today, didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
¡°You should have at least one proper meal. How can you be full with churros or ice cream balls?¡±
¡°You¡¯re absolutely right¡ but how did you know I ate those?¡±
There were many types of snacks in the downtown area, so how did she guess correctly?
Dang Gyu-young flinched for a moment and then looked around nervously.
¡°Well¡ I just happened to see you?¡±
¡°There was quite a time gap between the churros and the ice cream balls¡ did you see me twice?¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Senior-nim?¡±
¡°Hey, hey, we¡¯re here!¡±
Dang Gyu-young pulled me along towards the restaurant in front of us with quick steps.
When I identified the restaurant, I was a bit surprised.
¡°You made a reservation here?¡±
This restaurant specialized in Western cuisine and was one of the most renowned restaurants in the downtown area, alongside the bakery.
Naturally, securing a reservation in this ce required oveing tremendouspetition.
And she actually made the reservation for this evening, one of the busiest times of the year in the downtown area.
Dang Gyu-young looked proud of herself.
¡°You seem to forget, but I¡¯m a club president.¡±
¡°Of course, you are.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s enjoy our meal.¡±
Even the reserved table was on the second-floor terrace and it offered us a full view of the night scenery outside.
We sat down and it didn¡¯t take long for the food to arrive. We shared chop steak, sd, and pasta, taking small portions onto our tes.
As we engaged in small talk,
¡°So¡ª has Jegal So-so talked about me?¡±
¡°Just briefly, a couple of times.¡±
¡°That¡¯s strange. I told her to take good care of you.¡±
¡°She did treat me well.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±
asionally, when the conversation paused, we turned our gaze outside to admire the night view.
Even though it was evening and the streetlights wereing on, the downtown area was still bustling with students.
We watched the flow of countless crowds, then turned back to face each other.
¡°¡¡±
Dang Gyu-young wiped her mouth with a napkin and asked,
¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±
¡°Your table manners are perfect.¡±
Every small gesture she made with her fork, knife, and napkin exuded elegance.
It wasn¡¯t something one could learn in a day or two but rather ingrained from long ago.
Though she usually had a rough and free-spirited image when dealing with her fellow club members, now she strongly resembled a nobledy.
Dang Gyu-young responded nonchntly,
¡°This is basic. I learned it back in the n.¡±
¡°The Dang n?¡±
¡°Yeah, didn¡¯t I tell you? I¡¯m a direct descendant. Though now, I¡¯m somewhat half-disowned.¡±
¡°You never mentioned that. But what do you mean by half-disowned¡?¡±
¡°I left the n.¡±
Even though she had the Dang family name, Dang Gyu-young neither used poison nor martial arts. She instead relied on her shadow magic.
The organization she belonged to wasn¡¯t the Martial Alliance, which included the Dang family, but rather the Thieves Guild and Thieves Club of the Guild Union.
It had always been a point of curiosity for me, but she had left the n to be a shadow mage.
¡°Why did you decide to leave?¡±
¡°Just because I felt suffocated. I wanted to live the life I desired.¡±
A free life that she could create on her own, without being tied down by her family.
I asked again,
¡°Are you living that kind of life now?¡±
¡°More or less?¡±
Dang Gyu-young smiled as if to acknowledge that she still had a long way to go.
Then she saw that I had put down my utensils and asked me,
¡°I¡¯m done eating. How about you?¡±
¡°I¡¯m done too.¡±
¡°Alright, let¡¯s get up then.¡±
¡°Thank you, senior-nim. The meal was delicious.¡±
When I bowed my head, Dang Gyu-young smiled pleasantly.
The sulky expression she had shown at our meeting ce was nowhere to be seen.
¡°Help out as much as you ate, okay?¡±
¡°Of course. Where should we go?¡±
In this ck market, the thieves club would secure the prohibited items I wanted, and I promised to lend a hand as a temporary mercenary in exchange for that.
¨C Do you want to get involved?
¨C What do you need me to do?
¨C See that annoying-looking senior? Stick with him.
And the graduate student I agreed to team up with was to be a reserve force. We would be standing by to provide assistance in case of emergency.
So I asked where that guy was positioned.
Dang Gyu-young didn¡¯t answer right away. She folded her arms and went into deep thought.
¡°Hmm¡ I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡±
¡°Then?¡±
Dang Gyu-young looked me straight in the eye and said,
¡°Stay with me.¡±
TN: Alright!
Chapter 170: Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger
Chapter 170: Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger
Dang Gyu-young immediately began leading me somewhere.
As we were following the flow of people in the downtown area, I asked a question.
¡°Where are we going, senior-nim?¡±
¡°You made a prohibited item list for me, remember?¡±
¡°I did.¡±
¡°Something just came up. We¡¯re heading to Exchange E because they¡¯re waiting for us there.¡±
¡°Oh.¡±
The item that the thieves¡¯ club promised to secure for me had just been listed for sale.
Since I had narrowed down the countless prohibited skills to a few that met my criteria, I had considered the possibility that they might not appear in this ck market at all.Still, seeing it listed like this, it seems my luck isn¡¯t too bad.
As we neared the exchange, we subtly changed direction towards a nearby meeting point.
A soft-serve ice cream cart.
A familiar member of the thieves¡¯ club greeted us with a familiar sly smile.
¡°Wee.¡±
¡°What vor? Half and half again?¡±
When Dang Gyu-young and I chose half chocte and half vani, the member skillfully scooped the ice cream into the cone.
¡°Half and half it is.¡±
During my preliminary field trip in the ck market, the presentation had been so bad that Dang Gyu-young had said something about it, but it seems they had practiced quite a bit since then, as it was now nearly perfect.
¡°I¡¯ll have the same.¡±
¡°Here you go. Enjoy.¡±
The member wrapped two ice cream cones in napkins and handed them over to us.
The napkins were the main thing here. They served as our ck market tickets and guides.
The arrow patterns on the napkins pointed us to our next destination, the Exchange E.
After taking a few small licks of her ice cream, Dang Gyu-young asked me,
¡°Don¡¯t you think you can manage without it?¡±
¡°It¡¯s nice to take it easy.¡±
If I were to use my stagnant water senses, I could navigate the maze-like path without a guide or a marker.
But since there was no bet riding on it this time, why go through the extra trouble?
Following the markers for an easy journey seemed like the best n.
As Dang Gyu-young and I leisurely ate our ice cream, we arrived at the Exchange E area.
The exterior of Exchange E looked like a store selling various daily necessities, and since it was open for business, students were milling about inside.
We went inside and pretended to look around calmly, but we were actually following the direction indicated by the napkins deeper inside.
We pushed through a door marked ¡°Authorized Personnel Only¡± without hesitation, and the students passing by didn¡¯t seem to find our actions strange.
There¡¯s a barrier in ce.
The formations that the graduates have installed throughout the store were very cleverly distorting the view.
Therefore, everything appeared perfectly normal to those without napkins.
They probably didn¡¯t even notice that we disappeared.
The napkins¡¯ arrows pointed to a half-sized room used for storing cleaning supplies.
We squeezed inside, and as soon as we stepped towards the seemingly empty wall, the [Throughwalk] was automatically activated and we moved to the next room.
It was decorated like an office.
We continued to move through walls. We emerged into corridors, climbed stairs, and crossed more walls.
After an indeterminate number of such rooms, we entered another office-like space where someone was already waiting.
A man was sitting calmly in a chair and greeted us.
¡°You¡¯ve arrived? What brings President Dang here in person?¡±
¡°Hello, senior-nim.¡±
And Dang Gyu-young respectfully bowed her head.
A graduate mentor senior.
Judging by the sword and martial arts uniform he had beside him, he exuded a strong martial artist vibe.
He then took out an old faded martial arts manual from his clothing. It was inscribed in rough handwriting:
¡°Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger¡±
¡°I heard you were looking for this.¡±
¡°That is the skill book.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
The man¡¯s gaze briefly left Dang Gyu-young and lingered on me.
Then he quickly showed a glint of realization as if he just understood something.
That I was a first-year student, and it was I, not Dang Gyu-young, who was purchasing and using the skill book.
If not, there would be no reason to bring me all the way here.
He seemed quite curious that a first-year student would acquire and learn such a demonic martial arts manual,
But in the trade of prohibited items, the fewer questions asked, the better.
He knew this too, so he quickly withdrew his gaze from me.
¡°Pay the price.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
Thanks to the fact that I passed the graduates¡¯ test without a napkin during the preliminary field trip, the price would be covered by them.
The transaction waspleted very calmly and swiftly, and the man rose from his seat.
He looked at both of us at the same time and gave a mysterious smile.
¡°Use it well. I wish you sess in the ck market.¡±
¡°Thank you. Take care.¡±
After watching the man disappear through the wall, Dang Gyu-young handed me the martial arts manual.
[Skill Book ¨C Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger]
¡°Here it is. But what kind of skill is this? I can tell it¡¯s a demonic technique just from the name.¡±
¡°It¡¯s faster to show you than to exin.¡±
Without hesitation, I used the skill book.
The old book turned into a beam of light and was absorbed into my body, and a notification message appeared in the corner of my vision.
[Used ¡®Skill Book ¨C Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger¡¯.]
[You have learned ¡®Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger ?¡¯.]
Just like with Inferno Fist, it was a C-rank skill as soon as I learned it.
Its performance was equally powerful and unmatched.
I clenched my fist and extended my index finger as if pointing at something.
When I focused and drew up my mana,
Ssshhh¡ª
My index finger froze solid from the tip.
It emitted a brilliant blue light, like a statue made of jade, and the cold was so intense that white mist rose like dry ice.
Dang Gyu-young looked at it with curious eyes and asked,
¡°Wow, it¡¯s beautiful. Can I touch it?¡±
¡°Just touch it lightly. Very lightly.¡±
Dang Gyu-young carefully brought her fingertip to my index finger, but she quickly pulled her hand back as if she had been burned.
Crackle,
Even though she withdrew her hand immediately, frost formed from the tip and the cold spread rapidly.
Dang Gyu-young immediately drew up her mana to push back the cold and shook her hand.
¡°It¡¯s really cold.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why it has ¡®Mysterious Yin¡¯ in its name.¡±
Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger.
It¡¯s a finger martial art technique that inflicts damage by stabbing with the finger.
Then why does it have ¡°Demon¡± in its name?
It¡¯s because of the terrifying effect of this finger technique.
The Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger targets the opponent¡¯s acupuncture points, specifically the mana circuits, and freezes and disrupts the flow of mana.
If you get hit by the finger once, it would be like having a skill half sealed or your power drastically reduced.
In addition, the intense cold prates the circuits which greatly impairs movement and ultimately leads to death.
After hearing the exnation, Dang Gyu-young shivered slightly as if she felt a chill run down her spine.
¡°It really is a demonic technique. So, what¡¯s the penalty?¡±
And the fact that this skill was designated as a prohibited skill wasn¡¯t just due to its lethal effects but also because of the penalties incurred when using it.
¡°You need to control the cold, and as to be expected of a demonic skill, there¡¯s a presence of demonic energy.¡±
Even though I said this, the cold wasn¡¯t a major problem.
Because I had my S-rank [Elemental Resistance].
I could cast it without facing significant elemental penalties up to B-rank. Just like with Inferno Fist.
The real issue was the demonic energy.
Whenpiling the list of prohibited items, I deliberately chose demonic skills with minimal demonic energy but a demonic skill is still a demonic skill.
The more I used it, the more demonic energy would umte and it would have a negative effect on me. So I had to use it sparingly and only in crucial moments.
Though, considering how powerful this skill was, it was hard to imagine a situation where I would overuse it.
¡°You always learn such dangerous things. Who are you nning to take down this time?¡±
¡°If they hinder world peace, they need to be eliminated.¡±
Wouldn¡¯t peace be achieved if all the annoying ones were taken down?
Dang Gyu-young shook her head.
¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. Let¡¯s get out of here now.¡±
¡°Yep.¡±
Just like when we entered, the napkin¡¯s markings guided us to the exit.
We climbed over a few walls, went down the stairs, climbed over a few more walls, opened the door in front of us, and found ourselves at the back of the Exchange E building.
When I looked down at the napkin, the intricate markings that had been engraved on it gradually faded and eventually disappeared as if they had evaporated.
It had served its purpose, and it was a device installed in advance to leave no evidence.
I threw the napkin which had reverted to being just a napkin into the trash can, circled the building, and entered the downtown area again.
I walked along the crowd and asked Dang Gyu-young.
¡°How far along is the ck market now?¡±
¡°It¡¯s just starting.¡±
In the morning, only the A and B Exchanges had been opened. They were testing the waters by receiving customers gradually and increasing the number of open exchanges one by one.
And now, in the evening, with the final Exchange F activated, the ck market has officially begun.
¡°So, what¡¯s our role?¡±
¡°Right now, not much. We just hang around near the exchanges, kill time, and go immediately when Da-bin contacts us.¡±
Chae Da-bin was acting as the control tower.
She constantly monitored the downtown area through the crystal balls installed around the exchanges.
If any issues arose, she would promptly notify the nearby team members to respond.
And so far, no significant issues have urred.
¡°In the end, we¡¯re just reserve forces, huh?¡±
¡°In a way, yes.¡±
¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t it be the same whether I stick with that cker senior or with you, senior-nim?¡±
¡°Nope, it¡¯s very different.¡±
When I asked with my eyes what was so different, Dang Gyu-young answered confidently.
¡°If you leave, I¡¯ll get bored.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°Ah, honestly, you feel the same, don¡¯t you? Do you really want to go over there?¡±
¡°Honestly, it¡¯s morefortable to be with you, senior-nim.¡±
¡°Right? Fufufu.¡±
Dang Gyu-youngughed happily.
So, while Chae Da-bin and the other members of the thieves¡¯ club diligently managed the ck market, we wandered around the busy streets and killed time.
¡°How about some bead ice cream?¡±
¡°We just had ice cream.¡±
¡°Have more. If there¡¯s too much, we can share.¡±
¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that.¡±
For some reason, Dang Gyu-young was obsessed with bead ice cream so we shared it.
¡°Have you been to the game center?¡±
¡°Yes, I went today.¡±
¡°Hey, go with me too.¡±
¡°Next time.¡±
I diverted Dang Gyu-young¡¯s interest away from the game center.
If we yed mini-games, we wouldn¡¯t be able to move right away if Chae Da-bin contacted us.
As we diligently killed time, a familiar voice came from behind.
¡°Hello, senior-nim.¡±
Dang Gyu-young and I turned our heads at the same time, and Kwak Seung-jae bowed his head.
Next to him were Han So-mi who was waving her hand brightly, and Song Cheon-hye who was looking at us with curious eyes.
It seemed they had been patrolling the downtown area and stopped when they saw us.
Dang Gyu-young quickly understood the situation and casually greeted them.
¡°Seung-jae, how are you doing?¡±
Chapter 171: The Black Market (1)
I recalled the conversation I had with Kwak Seung-jae a while ago.
¨C I heard you¡¯re dating senior Dang Gyu-young.
¨C We¡¯re close, but we¡¯re not dating.
¨C I¡¯ve also heard you spend a lot of time together.
¨C Because we¡¯re mentor and mentee.
And now, the look Kwak Seung-jae was giving me seemed to ask, ¡°Are you going to deny it even now?¡±
The misunderstanding seemed to be growing and Song Cheon-hye had the same look of suspicion on her face. Her slightly flushed cheeks suggested that she was writing a romance novel in her head.
Han So-mi was just smiling brightly. This girl was just happy with anything.
We¡¯re really not dating.Thinking that trying to exin would not clear up the misunderstanding, I decided to remain silent.
As I continued to meet his gaze without saying a word, Kwak Seung-jae shifted his focus back to Dang Gyu-young.
¡°I¡¯ve heard that you two are quite close, but I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be spending time together in the downtown area.¡±
¡°We are pretty close.¡±
¡°May I ask what you were doing?¡±
¡°We were just wandering around, looking for any trouble to get into.¡±
Whatever she made of that, Song Cheon-hye covered her mouth with her hand and quickly began whispering something to Han So-mi.
Dang Gyu-young ced her hand on my shoulder and grinned yfully.
I could almost hear the other side asking, ¡°What kind of trouble?¡±
Dang Gyu-young asked back.
¡°And you guys?¡±
¡°These two are still quite inexperienced, so I¡¯m taking them around to teach them, while also patrolling the downtown area.¡±
¡°Yes, I can see that. Keep up the good work.¡±
Kwak Seung-jae slightly bowed his head.
¡°I hope you enjoy your time too, senior-nim.¡±
¡°What¡¯s gotten into you, Seung-jae, saying such nice things?¡±
¡°I view your rtionship positively.¡±
¡°Do you? Thank you.¡±
Kwak Seung-jae was about to move forward when, for some reason, Song Cheon-hye stepped up and asked us.
¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡±
She held a terminal embedded with a shining crystal ball in her hand.
It was an item that yed a simr role to the ban wave; if it detected a prohibited item in someone¡¯s possession or inventory, a red warning light woulde on.
It meant she intended to conduct an inspection right here and now.
Both Dang Gyu-young and I often did suspicious things, so there was a chance that one of us might still have a prohibited item.
Dang Gyu-young shrugged her shoulder nonchntly.
¡°Go ahead.¡±
With a tense expression on her face, Song Cheon-hye brought the terminal to each of us in turn.
Wooong¡ª
However, the crystal ball only brightened slightly without any color change.
We aren¡¯t that careless.
Of course, we had anticipated the possibility of an inspection.
Dang Gyu-young had left all prohibited items behind, and I had learned the [Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger] skill book as soon as I obtained it.
So, there was nothing to be found.
Song Cheon-hye felt a little embarrassed and stepped back, but she quickly regained herposure and bowed her head politely.
¡°Thank you for your cooperation.¡±
¡°Sure, keep up the good work.¡±
Kwak Seung-jae who had been watching silently moved forward, and Song Cheon-hye nced over in this direction before following him.
Han So-mi waved her hand cheerfully and joined them.
As the three members of the disciplinarymittee disappeared into the crowd, Dang Gyu-young began to speak.
¡°Seung-jae left quickly today. Usually, he annoys me a bit more.¡±
¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t want to bother us. Also¡¡±
¡°You noticed it too?¡±
We had felt eyes on us even before Kwak Seung-jae approached.
It was probably the disciplinarymittee trying to keep an eye on Dang Gyu-young.
As the president of the thieves¡¯ club and a key figure in the ck market, she was certainly worth watching.
Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s brief conversation was likely intended to lower our guard down.
Though those presumed to be from the disciplinarymittee were concealing themselves with stealth on par with any skilled thief, they were unaware of one crucial fact.
The thieves¡¯ club had eyes nted all over the downtown area.
Dang Gyu-young contacted the control tower.
¡°Da-bin, can you see us?¡±
¨C Yes, I can see you.
¡°We think we¡¯re being followed. Can you check our four o¡¯clock?¡±
¨C Just a moment.
Not long after, Chae Da-bin¡¯s report came back.
¨C They¡¯re there, the disciplinarymittee. One third-year, one second-year.
¡°Of course they are.¡±
¨C Should I contact the others?
¡°No, we¡¯ll handle it ourselves. Thanks.¡±
After ending the call, Dang Gyu-young and I exchanged a nce and nodded at the same time.
¡°Let¡¯s run.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
And we started running immediately.
The disciplinarymittee members seemed quite flustered and their surprised reaction was evident even from this distance.
How did we figure them out when they were observing from so far away?
However, they clearly thought they couldn¡¯t let us go and started chasing us while picking up speed.
We ran against the crowd like salmon swimming upstream, then darted into an alley between buildings.
As we continued running through the alley, I nced up to check the buildings¡¯ height.
¡°Let¡¯s jump up.¡±
¡°Up? That¡¯s pretty high.¡±
¡°Trust me.¡±
¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it.¡±
¡°We jump now.¡±
We immediately held hands and pushed off the ground.
Boom!
Using the wind force I had prepared in advance, we wereunched higher in the air andnded on the rooftop.
The next moment, the two members of the disciplinarymittee entered the alley.
¡°¡¡.¡±
They looked around and spread their senses widely, but they had no clue we were watching them from the rooftop.
The building was too high to consider jumping up, and with Dang Gyu-young using shadow magic to hide our presence, it was even more so.
¡°Tch.¡±
One of the disciplinarymittee members clicked their tongue quietly as they continued searching.
Then they left the alley as if they had given up on the chase.
¡°This wind magic is quite handy at times.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not all bad.¡±
¡°Mhmm, the bad one here is you.¡±
Dang Gyu-young poked my cheek.
I said with one cheek squished,
¡°Looks like they¡¯re starting to move over there too.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
The fact that the disciplinarymittee had started watching us openly meant their main objective had shifted from maintaining order in the downtown area to targeting the ck market.
And before making any major moves, they marked key individuals.
Therefore, understanding the moves they would make was our top priority.
Dang Gyu-young contacted the control tower again, and Chae Da-bin asked her,
¨C Did you shake them off?
¡°Yeah, anything else special?¡±
¨C I was just about to tell you. It looks like Exchange B has been discovered. The area around Exchange C isn¡¯t looking good either.
Chae Da-bin then shared a few screens with us.
On each screen, the disciplinarymittee members were closing in on Exchange B.
However, Dang Gyu-young did not seem particrly surprised by this.
Instead, she seemed more like someone who had been expecting this all along.
¡°It was about time one of them got caught.¡±
Since the morning, they had been gradually increasing the number of exchanges, so it made sense that the disciplinarymittee would eventually notice something if they weren¡¯t fools.
After all, the disciplinarymittee wasposed entirely of elites.
¨C What should we do?
¡°We need to give them something. Tell everyone to pull out without making a fuss.¡±
Anticipating that the disciplinarymittee would eventually find out, they had set up six exchanges to ensure that losing a few wouldn¡¯t be a significant issue.
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s instructions were to withdraw all members from Exchange B to avoid unnecessary losses.
¡°Distribute the trades from Exchange B elsewhere. Is the situation at Exchange C also bad?¡±
¨C Yes, it seems like they¡¯re still in the suspicion phase.
¡°Use it as much as possible until we¡¯re discovered. Keep it running and warn the customers in advance.¡±
¨C Understood.
After ending the call with the control tower, Dang Gyu-young handed me several objects that looked like fireworks.
They were signal res that activated with magical power.
¡°Keep these with you.¡±
¡°The disciplinarymittee uses these, don¡¯t they?¡±
¡°I swiped a few.¡±
Dang Gyu-young grinned.
Handing over themittee¡¯s signal res was obviously a means to create confusion.
We gazed toward Exchange B from the rooftop.
¡°They say everyone is gathered there, but¡¡±
¡°They¡¯ll scatter soon enough.¡±
As soon as the upation of Exchange B ended, they would disperse in all directions to search for the next exchange.
And as a backup force, our job was to disrupt that search.
¡°Should I fire one off now?¡±
¡°Go ahead.¡±
Dang Gyu-young shrugged, and I infused the signal re with magical power.
A bright beam of light shot up into the sky.
Shuuuu¡ªbang!
Immediately, we sensed them approaching quickly.
It was obvious it was the disciplinarymittee.
¡°Let¡¯s run.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
We leaped to the next building.
¨C We¡¯ve lost them.
¡°Is that so?¡±
Upon hearing the news, Kwak Seung-jae nodded his head calmly.
To monitor Dang Gyu-young, they had secretly assigned two disciplinarymittee members but she had sensed it like a ghost and shaken them off.
If she had nothing to hide, there would have been no need to run.
What Kim Ho and Dang Gyu-young were up to seemed rted to the ck market after all.
However, pursuing them was not the current priority.
Kwak Seung-jae turned his head to look at Han So-mi and Song Cheon-hye.
¡°Hello! We need to conduct a brief inspection!¡±
¡°Please cooperate.¡±
The two stopped passing students and inspected them with crystal balls to check for prohibited items.
However, when Kwak Seung-jae gestured, they immediately ceased the inspections and approached him.
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s return to the room.¡±
¨C Rumble¡
When he released the spell, a wooden door suddenly rose up.
As Song Cheon-hye and Han So-mi followed Kwak Seung-jae through the door, they found themselves standing in the disciplinarymittee room the next moment.
¡°Wee.¡±
The president of the disciplinarymittee, Oh Se-hoon, greeted them with a friendly smile.
Most of the disciplinarymittee members including Oh Se-hoon were standing near the wall. They were looking at arge map that was pinned there.
Various red marks were scattered on the map, indicating the locations where the disciplinarymittee members had confiscated prohibited items through surprise inspections.
These red marks were connected to form a red circle, and near the center of this circle stood a single building.
A second-year disciplinarymittee member reported to Kwak Seung-jae.
¡°We have identified an exchange used by the ck market. However, we have not seeded in entering it.¡±
¡°Why not?¡±
¡°A powerful barrier has been set up. We couldn¡¯t get any further.¡±
¡°Did you attempt to dismantle it?¡±
A third-year disciplinarymittee member answered this question.
He was somewhat knowledgeable about barriers, but his frown indicated that he had not seeded.
¡°My skills were not enough.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
If even the third-year disciplinarymittee members couldn¡¯t dismantle it, it meant that someone with higher-level skills was involved.
Oh Se-hoon¡¯s eyes gently narrowed.
¡°It seems Dang Gyu-young has prepared a lot.¡±
The cost must have been significant to bring in a graduate.
There was a clear determination to make this year¡¯s ck market a sess.
However, no matter how determined Dang Gyu-young was, a rule vition was still a rule vition.
They couldn¡¯t just leave the scene where prohibited items were openly traded.
Moreover, graduates weren¡¯t only on the thieves club¡¯s side.
Oh Se-hoon bowed his head to the woman who was sittingfortably on the sofa.
¡°We would appreciate your help, senior-nim.¡±
Chapter 172: The Black Market (2)
Chapter 172: The ck Market (2)
Following Oh Se-hoon¡¯s request, the graduate rose from her seat without hesitation.
She too had once been a member of the disciplinarymittee and knew that in situations like this, time was of the essence.
She asked while tying her long hair into a ponytail.
¡°Blocked by a formation?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go. Seung-jae, open the door.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
Kwak Seung-jae had already been chanting a spell.
Their next destination was already decided anyway.When he reopened the previously closed wooden door, the scenery beyond had changed.
The ponytail woman showered him with praise.
¡°This is so convenient. Seung-jae, won¡¯t you work with us after graduation?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±
Kwak Seung-jae had already received countless offers due to his unique magic.
Eventually, they arrived at their destination beyond the door. It was in front of an empty building on the edge of the downtown area.
Several members of the disciplinarymittee surrounded the area. They were controlling ess for general students and blocking escape routes for those inside the building.
The graduate with a ponytail looked at the building and asked,
¡°Is this the ce? Are you sure?¡±
¡°Absolutely. And what we understand about the formation¡ª¡±
¡°Oh, never mind that.¡±
She waved off the exnation from amittee member on the scene and walked toward the building entrance.
She intended to experience it firsthand rather than just hear about it.
At first, nothing seemed amiss.
But as she neared the entrance, she suddenly spun 180 degrees and walked back to themittee member.
She had unknowingly moved as the formation guided her.
The graduate looked around as if she had juste to her senses.
¡°It¡¯s a confusion formation. No wonder you couldn¡¯t break through it.¡±
¡°I apologize.¡±
The third-year student who had attempted to dismantle the formation bowed his head.
The woman with the ponytail asked,
¡°There aren¡¯t any civilians inside, are there?¡±
¡°From what we understand, there aren¡¯t. But why do you ask¡?¡±
¡°Move back further.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
The members of the disciplinarymittee looked puzzled about why they were being told to move back, but since it was an order from a senior who had already graduated, theyplied without a word.
The ponytail woman then approached not the entrance of the building but the outer wall.
She lightly ced her slender hand on the wall.
¡°No need to y along with these thieves.¡±
Her hand began to emit a blue light, and from that point, arge ripple spread out which caused the wall to vibrate strongly.
Cracks rapidly spread across the wall and quickly epassed the entire building.
Rumble¡
The area began to shake violently as if an earthquake had struck the ce.
The students who were upying the Exchange B building were startled.
¡°Wh-What¡¯s going on?¡±
¡°Why is it copsing?¡±
¡°Get out, quickly!¡±
A dozen or so students broke the exchange window and jumped out.
They were immediately caught and subdued by the disciplinarymittee¡¯s encirclement, but it was the right choice.
Being caught by the disciplinarymittee was better than being buried under the building¡¯s rubble.
Rumble¡ª!
Soon the building copsedpletely and sank into the ground. The area was covered in thick dust.
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
The watching disciplinarymittee members were aghast.
They had asked for help because they couldn¡¯t break through the formation, but the other party actually ended up destroying the building where the formation was set up.
They looked at Oh Se-hoon with eyes full of doubt while wondering, ¡°Is this really okay?¡± but he still maintained a gentle smile.
This meant that even the graduate¡¯s sudden actions were within his expectations.
In fact, he had half intended this when asking for help.
The president of the disciplinarymittee wouldn¡¯t have had the authority to take such drastic measures.
Bang!
¡°Ugh!¡±
A disciplinarymittee member mmed a resisting student to the ground.
When they brought the device close, the crystal ball glowed red.
This indicated possession of a prohibited item.
The same was true for the other subdued individuals.
The woman with the ponytail nced at them and gave instructions.
¡°Take them away and start the interrogation. If there are any who are trapped inside and still holding out, get them out. This is Dragon yer Academy, after all, they shouldn¡¯t be dead.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°Oh, and.¡±
Just when she was about to return to the disciplinarymittee office, something seemed to ur to her. She turned around and pointed at the copsed building debris.
¡°Charge that to my ount.¡±
Rumble¡ª
Thick dust billowed up from the direction of the Exchange B building.
Dang Gyu-young who was watching the scene clicked her tongue.
¡°Wow¡ those brutes. Theypletely flipped the table.¡±
When they located the location of the exchange, she expected a gradual breach of the barrier and the maze formation, but as if to mock her expectations, the other party actually demolished the building in one fell swoop.
¡°A graduate must have stepped in.¡±
¡°Probably? Oh Se-hoon or Kwak Seung-jae wouldn¡¯t be capable of that.¡±
Not only was it firepower that the second or third-year disciplinarymittee couldn¡¯t muster, but from their standpoint, there were many factors to consider before touching a building in the downtown area.
Hence, the spection that a graduate stepped in seemed reasonable.
¡°Still, this might be thest time.¡±
¡°Maybe?¡±
No matter how reckless that graduate is, they can¡¯t just go around demolishing buildings willy-nilly.
Exchange B was an empty building, but most of the other exchanges, like Exchange E where we traded skill books, rented out spaces that were in operation.
If there was even the slightest possibility of civilians remaining inside, the disciplinarymittee couldn¡¯t touch it.
Therefore, the rest would have to break through the formation step by step, just like Dang Gyu-young intended.
Even though they had taken a hit, the thieves¡¯ club was still in the lead.
So, what we had to do didn¡¯t change much.
¡°We just have to keep interfering.¡±
Shooo¡ªBang!
We set off another signal re for the disciplinarymittee.
Since the signal res were mainly used in emergencies, the other side had no choice but toe and check.
Especially to catch and punish those who dared to steal from the disciplinarymittee.
As expected, several presences began to quickly close in and tighten the encirclement.
¡°They¡¯re running again. Catch them.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
I leaped towards the building on the opposite side while holding hands with Dang Gyu-young.
It was quite a distance to simply jump across but,
Bang!
Bybining [Levitate Zone] and [Wind Force], we leaped once again into the air.
Afternding on the next building, we jumped to another one.
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest.
¡°The more we do this, the more fun it gets.¡±
¡°A lot of people enjoy it.¡±
I had thrown Seo Ye-in several times during the Crystal strategy battle, and Cha Hyeon-joo loved it when Iunched her far in the duel battle.
Wind Force might be the most hated skill for some, but for others, it¡¯s a lot of fun.
After a few more rooftop jumps, we easily evaded the disciplinarymittee¡¯s pursuit.
While taking a short break, Dang Gyu-young who was looking below grabbed my hand and pointed to a spot.
¡°Hey, look at that.¡±
A student was quickly moving through the alley between the buildings.
Judging by how he kept looking back, he seemed to be hiding something.
And that something was most likely a prohibited item.
¡°That¡¯s our customer.¡±
¡°But it looks like he¡¯s been caught.¡±
At that moment, two members of the disciplinarymittee appeared and blocked our customer¡¯s way.
One was a third-year student, and the other was a first-year.
Both faces looked familiar. The third-year student was the senior with the hell axe who guarded the temporary storage room, and the first-year was Geum Jo-han, the son of the Golden Lotus Master.
Geum Jo-han approached the customer and showed him his terminal.
¡°We¡¯ll conduct a brief inspection.¡±
¡°D-Do we really need an inspection?¡±
The customer nervously darted his eyes around, but a heavy voice came from behind him.
¡°It would be wise to cooperate.¡±
The senior with the hell axe stood with his arms crossed and exuded a threatening aura.
The customer grew intimidated by this and couldn¡¯t move a single muscle.
Just as Geum Jo-han was about to scan him with the terminal,
Booom!
¡°Ah!¡±
Compressed air exploded and it sent Geum Jo-han flying sideways into a wall.
Before the other senior could react, several discreetlyunched butterflies restrained him.
¡°You¡¯re Dang Gyu-young?!¡±
There were very few shadow mages in the Dragon yer Academy, and among them, Dang Gyu-young was the only one who used [Shadow Butterfly Flight] as her main skill.
Of course, Dang Gyu-young had no reason to answer that question.
¡°Hup!¡±
The senior with the hell axe immediately released the shadows and drew his axe from his back.
Geum Jo-han who had his face pressed against the wall and a nosebleed trickling down quickly regained his posture stance and drew his sword.
¡°¡¡±
However, we had already left the scene by then.
We only made sure our customer safely escaped.
Dang Gyu-young stuck out her tongue in the direction of the senior with the hell axe.
¡°Do you think I¡¯m crazy enough to fight you? I¡¯d lose anyway.¡±
The main goal for Dang Gyu-young and the thieves¡¯ club at this ck market was to minimize the seizure rate of prohibited items.
This was to restore their reputation which had plummeted due tost year¡¯s ck market failure.
And our role as the reserve force was to disrupt the disciplinarymittee¡¯s inspections and searches.
We had to disrupt them. The way we did it before, by suddenly catching them off guard and running away, was enough.
Dang Gyu-young took out another signal re meant for the disciplinarymittee.
¡°Should I fire another one soon?¡±
However, I didn¡¯t respond immediately and swallowed my breath.
¡°¡Something feels off.¡±
¡°What does?¡±
¡°I feel like a wooden door would pop up if we use the re this time.¡±
Even though we had fired several signal res, the members of the disciplinarymittee kept missing us, so it was time for Kwak Seung-jae to step in instead of the disciplinarymittee members.
Dang Gyu-young thought about this for a moment and she seemed to reach the same conclusion.
¡°That makes sense. Let¡¯s use it just this onest time.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±
Her Mana was infused into the signal re.
A bright beam of light shot up into the sky.
Shooo¡ªBang!
And ominous premonitions never fail.
The moment I used Wind Force so that we could move to the next building,
Rumble,
As if anticipating our move, a wooden door suddenly rose and blocked our path.
Dang Gyu-young and I looked at each other.
¡°They really came.¡±
¡°I told you something felt off.¡±
Kwak Seung-jae immediately stepped through the door.
Two other third-year disciplinarymittee members followed him. They positioned themselves on either side of him.
¡°Senior-nim, it¡¯s not okay to do such bad things. That re is only allowed to be used by disciplinarymittee members.¡±
¡°Huh? What re?¡±
Dang Gyu-young feigned ignorance. She was pretending not to know anything.
In fact, we were just nearby; there is no evidence that we fired the re.
Not yet, at least.
This time, Kwak Seung-jae stared at me.
¡°Kim Ho, didn¡¯t I tell you to do everything within the bounds of the school rules?¡±
¡°You did. I¡¯m just out here for a walk with my senior.¡±
I didn¡¯t break any rules.
I also pretended not to know anything.
Of course, both Dang Gyu-young and I were telling lies that would soon be exposed.
¡°Pleasee with us to the disciplinarymittee¡¯s office.¡±
If they investigate, everything wille out.
For example, I still have a re in my inventory.
And it was obvious what would happen if we refused toply.
The two third-year disciplinarymittee members had their weapons drawn, ready to strike at any moment.
Dang Gyu-young and I exchanged nces.
We might be able to get out of this.
And just as the battle was about to begin,
Whirr¡ª!
Suddenly, a fishing line-like thread flew from somewhere and wrapped around the bodies of Kwak Seung-jae and the two third-year disciplinarymittee members.
Chapter 173: The Black Market (3)
Chapter 173: The ck Market (3)
¡°What the heck is this?¡±
¡°What¡?¡±
The three members of the disciplinarymittee tried to untangle the threads binding them, but it wasn¡¯t as easy as they thought.
Even when they drew up their mana, the threads tightened even more instead of breaking.
I watched them struggle for a moment, then I made an exaggeratedly surprised face as if I had just remembered something.
¡°Ah! Senior-nim, that thing!¡±
¡°Huh? Aaah, that thing! I almost forgot about it!¡±
Though she didn¡¯t know what ¡°that thing¡± was, Dang Gyu-young quickly caught on and yed along.
She grabbed my hand in a hurry and we bid farewell to Kwak Seung-jae and the others.¡°Hey, we need to go now. We¡¯ll visit the disciplinarymittee office next time! Good luck!¡±
¡°Hey¡ª¡±
Before Kwak Seung-jae could say anything, we quickly dashed off to the next building.
After running for a while, I checked behind us and couldn¡¯t sense any sign of the disciplinarymittee.
It seemed they still couldn¡¯t break free from the fishing line.
¡°It¡¯s worth the price, isn¡¯t it?¡±
After stopping briefly to catch our breath, Dang Gyu-young spoke to someone in the distance.
Soon, a shrewd-looking graduate emerged from the darkness.
¡°Thank you for your help.¡±
Something thin and shining near him was drawn into his hand. It was probably the fishing line he had just used.
I knew it was a graduate.
The three members of the disciplinarymittee had been subdued without much resistance and hadn¡¯t managed to cut the fishing line even by the time we left.
I could say he was even more powerful because two of them were third-years.
Dang Gyu-young asked,
¡°But how did you know toe here?¡±
¡°I was just passing by when Da-bin told me.¡±
The shrewd-looking graduate answered nonchntly. Dang Gyu-young immediately connected to the control tower.
Cha Da-bin¡¯s concerned voice came through.
¨C Did you get out safely?
¡°Yeah. The response was great. We got one over on Seung-jae.¡±
¨C He¡¯s a person of interest, so we¡¯ve been keeping an eye on him.
Kwak Seung-jae had been a significant person of interest who had greatly contributed to increasing the arrest rate of the ck marketst year.
From the perspective of the thieves¡¯ club, he was the target that they must pay the most attention to.
Because of this, several members of the control tower were focused solely on monitoring Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s movements, and they tracked his next location the moment he summoned the wooden door.
When two third-year students joined, they sensed something unusual and requested help from the shrewd-looking graduate.
¡°How¡¯s the situation?¡±
¨C It looks like Exchange C will be exposed soon. A is being searched too.
¡°That¡¯s fast.¡±
Originally, the disciplinarymittee should have wasted a lot of time at Exchange B, but a graduate from the disciplinarymittee demolished the building in one go.
As a result, they could immediately deploy personnel to search for the next exchange.
¡°We can¡¯t just sit back and take it. Let¡¯s diligently interfere, Da-bin.¡±
¨C Yes, president.
¡°From now on, you takemand.¡±
¡°The disciplinarymittee members are probably quite alert by now. We can¡¯t just charge in recklessly anymore.¡±
For example, Dang Gyu-young and I ambushed Kim Jo-han and the senior with the hell axe to help the customer escape.
However, the same method wouldn¡¯t work twice or thrice.
Kim Jo-han might not be cautious, but the senior with the hell axe would be even more vignt. This would make it much harder to ambush them.
If we go in carelessly, we might end up getting caught ourselves.
So we needed to be even more cautious, and it would be better if Cha Da-bin secured the area beforehand.
To avoid having to get Dang Gyu-young¡¯s permission every time, she handed overmand entirely.
¨C But I¡¯m not sure if I can do it well¡
¡°You¡¯ll have to do it eventually. You¡¯re the president next year. Can I trust you?¡±
¨C ¡I¡¯ll try.
Dang Gyu-young smiled brightly after hearing Chae Da-bin¡¯s determined answer.
Cha Da-bin didn¡¯t disappoint Dang Gyu-young¡¯s expectations.
She made full use of the view provided by the crystal balls of the downtown area and faithfully fulfilled her role as a control tower.
Just as one of the customers was about to get caught in a random inspection, Dang Gyu-young asked,
¡°Should we go in now?¡±
¨C No, it¡¯s a trap. Eight o¡¯clock direction.
¡°Really? They¡¯ve got some brains.¡±
When we checked the direction Cha Da-bin indicated, we saw several members of the disciplinarymittee lying in wait.
They had set up a trap and waited for the thieves to step in.
We decided it was best to give up since we could get caught trying to save a single customer.
After spotting the next customer being chased, Dang Gyu-young asked again.
¡°What about that one?¡±
¨C No issues. You can go in.
¡°Okay. Kim Ho, let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
We used wind magic and shadow butterflies to harass the disciplinarymittee.
The disciplinarymittee didn¡¯t just take it lying down.
Despite Cha Da-bin¡¯s appropriate guidance, the overwhelming difference in strength between them and the thieves¡¯ club led to more and more thieves being apprehended.
To make matters worse, Cha Da-bin brought surprising news.
¨C Exchange C has been breached.
Looking at the screen Cha Da-bin shared, we saw the disciplinarymittee flooding into the Exchange C building.
They had finally analyzed the barrier and the maze formation.
Dang Gyu-young asked,
¡°You evacuated everyone in advance, right?¡±
¨C Yes, no one was left behind.
¡°Then there won¡¯t be any major losses. Next is A?¡±
¨C Half of them have been directed to A, and the rest have dispersed to start searching D, E, and F.
¡°It¡¯s okay to give up A, but we must block the others no matter what.¡±
¨C Yes, president.
¡°Not much longer. Hang in there a little more.¡±
As the night deepened, the bustling downtown area grew quieter and most of the ck market deals were wrapped up.
Now we just had to hold out for the remaining time.
To do that, we needed to more actively interfere with the disciplinarymittee¡¯s search.
Dang Gyu-young took the lead.
¡°Let¡¯s go, Kim Ho.¡±
Just then, Cha Da-bin¡¯s privatemunication came through.
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
¨C Remember what you asked me before?
I had previously asked Cha Da-bin for a favor.
I had asked her to let me know immediately if she spotted anyone with a ¡°suspicious appearance¡± while patrolling the downtown area today.
¨C ¡I found them, the suspicious person.
¡°¡¡!¡±
¨C From the direction they¡¯re taking, it looks like they¡¯re headed to the ce you mentioned.
Meanwhile, Dang Gyu-young realized that I had connected to a privatemunication. She immediately perked up her ears and narrowed her eyes while looking at me.
¡°¡Senior? Which senior?¡±
¡°Senior Chae Da-bin.¡±
¡°Ah, Da-bin.¡±
Whatever she thought, Dang Gyu-young¡¯s expression immediately softened.
However, a new question seemed to arise as her eyes narrowed again.
¡°Wait, do you contact Da-bin privately?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s gaze was probing.
She seemed likely to start sulking depending on my answer.
But that wasn¡¯t important right now.
I put on a serious face and started to speak.
¡°Senior-nim.¡±
¡°Mhmm?¡±
¡°Do you remember the graffiti from the preliminary field trip?¡±
¡°¡The cipher.¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s face also turned serious.
During my preliminary field trip in the downtown area, I had found a cipher among the graffiti on a wall and cleverly altered it.
At that time, I hadn¡¯t given Dang Gyu-young a detailed exnation but,
¨C I know it¡¯s dangerous. But I still want to help.
¨C Not now. I¡¯ll tell you everything when the timees.
¨C Okay, promise.
¡°Now is that time.¡±
¡°¡Tell me. I¡¯ll help.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll exin on the way. If possible, please call in the shrewd-looking graduate too.¡±
¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that.¡±
It wasn¡¯t long after Dang Gyu-young sent the message that the shrewd-looking graduate joined us.
He looked at our faces one after the other, and asked with a bewildered face,
¡°What¡¯s going on? Why¡¯s the atmosphere like this? Did you two fight?¡±
¡°He said he¡¯d exin.¡±
Dang Gyu-young passed the floor to me, and I led the way to our destination.
As we jumped from one rooftop to the next, I began to exin.
¡°The graffiti was indeed a cipher, as you suspected.¡±
¡°I figured as much. What did it mean?¡±
¡°It indicated a time and ce.¡±
Given that the time and ce were deliberately encoded, we could infer the intentions of those who wrote the cipher.
They wanted to meet secretly, away from prying eyes.
It also implied they were suspicious individuals who needed to act covertly.
¡°But didn¡¯t you alter the cipher slightly?¡±
¡°I did.¡±
I changed the time and cepletely so that the two parties would miss each other.
¡°And the altered time is now, right?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Then what about the ce?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
I moved forward in silence for a while, then suddenly stopped.
Raising my hand slightly to signal, Dang Gyu-young and the shrewd-looking graduate following behind me also stopped.
I nced downward and mouthed the words.
There it is.
A shadowy figure stood idly in the distance.
The person wore arge bamboo hat, which alone was enough to arouse suspicion.
Cha Da-bin had noticed this and sent the message.
Bamboo hats were typically used to keep clothes dry in the rain or to shield from the sun, but to wear one in the middle of the night.
It leaned more towards the purpose of hiding one¡¯s identity rather than any practical use.
The shrewd-looking graduate seemed to have reached the same conclusion but still had many questions.- So, what do we need to do?
¨C Please listen to me carefully from now on.
When Dang Gyu-young and the shrewd-looking graduate both nodded their heads, I pointed to the person wearing the bamboo hat.
¨C I need you to use a restraint technique on that person.
¨C What? Why?
It was understandable that the shrewd-looking graduate was confused.
He had agreed to help, thinking it was a matter involving the ck market, but it turned out to be something entirely different.
Moreover, he was now being asked to restrain a stranger.
¨C What if we capture the wrong person?
¨C That¡¯s why it¡¯s a restraint technique.
I would have preferred to ask for a deadly technique, but I had no choice but to opt for a restraint technique.
This way, even if that person was innocent, they wouldn¡¯t get hurt.
I added one more thing.
¨C I will take full responsibility.
¨C ¡¡.
The shrewd-looking graduate gave Dang Gyu-young a look as if to ask her to stop me, but Dang Gyu-young was already preparing the restraint technique as I had instructed.
She responded.
¨C I trust him. I¡¯ll do everything I can.
¨C ¡¡.
The shrewd-looking graduate¡¯s expression turned strange.
He didn¡¯t expect Dang Gyu-young to go this far.
With a silent sigh of resignation, he asked me again.
¨C Alright, let¡¯s say you¡¯re right. What about that person¡¯s skills?
¨C If my guess is correct¡ they¡¯re A-rank.
¨C ¡¡.!
¨C ¡¡.!
Their faces grew even more serious.
A-rank was the level reached by only the top-tier graduates. It was an echelon touched by very few elites.
¨C So, you must use your full strength and your strongest skills. I will request support as soon as the battle begins.
¨C ¡We¡¯ve really gotten ourselves into a mess.¡¯
The shrewd-looking graduate grimaced.
He had intended to lend a bit of help to the ck market and earn a nice reward, but now he found himself facing an unexpected A-rank opponent.
Despite this, he showed no intention of backing out.
Judging by the situation, if he didn¡¯t help, Dang Gyu-young would face the battle alone and there was a high chance he would end up watching his junior die.
The shrewd-looking graduate put on a glove on each hand.
Shadow butterflies flitted around Dang Gyu-young and gathered around her.
With their spirits heightened, the two prepared their restraint techniques.
At the same time, they descended from the rooftop and unleashed their skills.
Ten thin strands of fishing line extended from the shrewd-looking graduate¡¯s ten fingers.
¡°!!¡±
The enemy noticed them at that moment, but before he could react, he was already entangled in the fishing lines.
Countless shadow butterflies swarmed over him and they formed a cocoon of shadows around him.
At the same time, I used the remaining disciplinarymittee re.
A bright streak of light cut across the sky.
Shoooooo¡ªBang!
Meanwhile, the two were preparing their next attack.
If the enemy was indeed an A-rank like I said, our sessful surprise attack would only give us a brief advantage.
Sure enough, the shadow cocoon began to tremble violently,
Crack!
Blood-red energy burst out and tore through the cocoon.
The energy started to take on a distinct form. It resembled a monster with six arms.
Seeing this, the shrewd-looking graduate¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°Asura Blood Demon Art!¡±
If the enemy had mastered the Asura Blood Demon Art to the point of manifesting energy, there was only one possible affiliation he could think of.
The Blood Cult.
Chapter 174: Study With a Piece of Mind
Chapter 174: Study With a Piece of Mind
In the distant past, after they lost in the Great Demonic War, the Heavenly Demon Cult scattered across various regions. They were dreaming of rebuilding their cult in secret.
However, that dream ultimately turned to nothing and it seemed the name of the Heavenly Demonic Cult would fade into history.
At that time, the Blood Cult emerged as a new focal point.
With the overwhelming martial strength of the Blood Cult¡¯s leader, they absorbed all remaining forces of the Heavenly Demonic Cult, and as time passed, the Blood Cult established itself as one of the most powerful groups within the world of the .
And the Bamboo Hat elder was an elder of that Blood Cult.
In fact, among the elders, he was one of the top in terms of skill.
From such a master¡¯s perspective, the abilities of the shrewd-looking graduate and Dang Gyu-young were hardly impressive.
The Bamboo Hat elder looked at the two of them with disinterested eyes.
¡°I had a feeling something was off, and it turned out to be a trap. But what a lousy trap, considering they set it up with such weaklings. Surely, they aren¡¯tcking in talent, are they?¡±¡°Watch your mouth¡!¡±
Whirrrrr¡ª!
The shrewd-looking graduate unleashed the skill he had prepared.
In the first ambush, he used a restraining technique for fear he might catch the wrong person. Now, he was using his ultimate move and pouring everything he had into it.
Dang Gyu-young also attacked with all her might.
Ten clear lines flew toward the Bamboo Hat elder.
And shadows spread out instantly and they formed a square-shaped field.
Each was imbued with a sharp energy, ready to cut cleanly when touched rather than just restrain.
Butterflies fluttered in the field and dozens ofrge shadow hands appeared. Each hand wielded a different shadow weapon and struck down.
Boooom¡ª!
¡°¡¡±
The Bamboo Hat elder simply looked at them with indifferent eyes.
Just as his body was about to be sliced by the ten lines and pierced by the shadow weapons.
Blood-red energy that looked like an Asura moved for the first time.
Two of the Asura¡¯s six arms clenched their fists tightly and struck the ground with force.
Thud!
Red energy waves spread out from the Bamboo Hat elder, scattering the shadows within range.
Two of the Asura¡¯s arms extended straight and sliced through the iing lines with their palms.
The ten lines were effortlessly severed one by one.
The remaining two arms each sent a wave of energy toward Dang Gyu-young and the shrewd-looking graduate.
Bang!
¡°¡!¡±
¡°¡!¡±
The two who got hit by that energy were hurled against the wall at a terrifying speed.
This was the overwhelming might of an A-rank.
Even though they used their best techniques, they were easily blocked and even countered.
The Bamboo Hat elder spoke.
¡°See that? If this isn¡¯t pathetic, then what is¡ª¡±
¡°How about this?¡±
Thud,
The Bamboo Hat elder widened his eyes and turned his head over his shoulder.
¡°You¡!¡±
¡°Was this a bit better?¡±
I withdrew my finger which I had stabbed into his shoulder.
My finger was frozen solid and gleaming with a jade-like blue light.
At the moment when Dang Gyu-young and the shrewd-looking graduate unleashed their ultimate moves,
That moment was the first andst opportunity to exploit the Bamboo Hat elder¡¯s weakness.
So I had preemptively boosted my physical abilities with Overheat,
And amplified the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger¡¯s power to A-rank.
Seizing the instant they shed together, I thrust my forefinger in.
Swish!
I kicked off the ground to retreat and the Bamboo Hat elder immediately pursued.
His speed exceeded even the limits I had reached with Overheat.
He was truly no ordinary Blood Cult elder.
Six powerful arms targeted only me.
I dodged his swinging fists, deflected his slicing hands with a Storm Cloud, and evaded the flying energy.
But in the end, one of his energy-charged fists pierced my abdomen with incredible speed¡ª
[¡®Distortion¡¯ has been activated.]
[Cooldown time 23:59:59]
¡ªbut my body twisted just before it could prate.
The Bamboo Hat elder was once again astonished.
¡°Wh-What is this!¡±
Meanwhile, I widened the distance further and returned to my original position on the building¡¯s rooftop.
¡°Whew, I almost died.¡±
If it hadn¡¯t been for [Distortion], I would have taken an express train to the afterlife the moment I was hit by that energy.
I had invested heavily in speed and had the control of a stagnant water yer, yet it still wasn¡¯t enough to ovee the stat difference with an A-rank.
Now that Distortion was deactivated, all I could do was watch from the sidelines.
Still, I did what I could.
Strangely, the Bamboo Hat elder no longer pursued me. More urately, he couldn¡¯t.
Because,
The effect is starting to show.
Crackle,
A chilling sound emanated from the Bamboo Hat elder¡¯s body.
If something was freezing at an incredible speed, it would make a sound like that.
A fierce battle was undoubtedly taking ce inside his body.
A battle between the cold I had injected with [Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger] and his internal energy.
Crackle,
¡°Argh¡¡±
The Bamboo Hat elder red at me with great killing intent, but his movements kept jerking to a halt, leaving him unable to do anything.
Soon, he seemed to change his mind and stood still. As if he was focusing his mind.
Three of his six energy arms dissipated, and his jerky movements became much smoother.
He appeared to be diverting some of his internal energy to block the cold.
Then he spun around and kicked off the ground. It seemed like he was nning topletely expel the cold by regting his internal energy once he got away from this spot.
But will that go as he wishes?
Whoosh¡ª!
Bright lines spread out like a spider web and they blocked his path.
The Bamboo Hat elder shed the lines with his hand just as he had before, but the shadow butterflies that followed exploded near him.
Boom!
The Bamboo Hat eldernded back in his original position. His eyes were zing with anger.
¡°Damn you wretched bastards¡!¡±
¡°Where are you rushing off to?¡±
¡°Why not y with us a little longer?¡±
Of course, it was Dang Gyu-young and the shrewd-looking graduate who blocked his way. Both were in poor condition from being struck by his energy, but they had forced themselves back into the fight.
Now it should be manageable.
The Bamboo Hat elder¡¯s energy arms were reduced to three and the power of his Asura Blood Demon Art was cut by half.
So, he wouldn¡¯t be as overwhelmingly dominant as before.
Moreover,
Reinforcements have arrived too.
Rumble,
A wooden door suddenly sprang up a short distance away.
It wasn¡¯t Kwak Seung-jae who burst through the door, but a woman with long hair tied in a ponytail.
She seemed to be a graduate. She likely stepped in herself since Kwak Seung-jae and the third-year students had been defeated by the shrewd-looking graduate.
¡°You thieves¡ªhuh?¡±
However, the woman with a ponytail had no choice but to stop in her tracks.
Unexpectedly, Dang Gyu-young and the shrewd-looking graduate were engaged in a fierce battle with the Bamboo Hat elder.
Naturally, her reaction to the bloody energy was the same as the shrewd-looking graduate¡¯s.
¡°Asura Blood Demon Art!¡±
The third-year disciplinarymittee members and Kwak Seung-jae, who followed her through the door, were equally wide-eyed.
This was the first time I saw Kwak Seung-jae so flustered like that.
The woman with a ponytail regained herposure first and gave orders professionally.
¡°Seung-jae, go request support! Not from the disciplinarymittee, but from the faculty office! Bring a teacher! And the rest of you, stay with Seung-jae and guard him!¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
The disciplinarymittee members nodded and took positions to protect Kwak Seung-jae.
The Blood Cult elder was likely a formidable opponent for her as well.
She seemed to decide that requesting support was more important, even though she would have liked to use every bit of strength avable.
And so, she left the third-years behind to prevent anything from happening to Kwak Seung-jae or the wooden door from being destroyed.
Leaving Kwak Seung-jae who immediately began chanting a spell, the woman with the ponytail unhesitatingly threw herself into the battlefield.
When the Bamboo Hat Elder thrust a blood-red fist at her, she met it with a mana-infused palm.
Boom¡ª!
A deafening explosion echoed as the woman with the ponytail was pushed back.
Although this meant she had suffered a loss from the sh, she gritted her teeth and charged again.
Blood-red energy, thin lines, shadows, and force mingled chaotically.
Pop-pop-pop!
He certainly lives up to his reputation.
The Bamboo Hat Elder who was weakened by the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger could only exert about half of his power and was being attacked by three people at once.
Despite these dire conditions, he continuously maintained the upper hand and proved himself to be a Blood Cult elder.
All the three could do was keep him from moving away.
¡°Hmmm.¡±
Amidst the fierce battle, the Bamboo Hat Elder¡¯s eyes shed as he noticed something.
Kwak Seung-jae who was chanting a spell with the wooden door firmly closed.
Since the disciplinarymittee members, including the woman with the ponytail, had appeared through that door, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess what Kwak Seung-jae was trying to do.
He was requesting additional support.
This absolutely couldn¡¯t be allowed.
¡°Get out of the way!¡±
Boom, boom, boom¡ª!
Three arms of powerful energy whipped around likeshes, throwing the three people aside.
Immediately afterward, the Bamboo Hat Elder kicked off the ground and charged toward the wooden door.
A third-year disciplinarymittee member raised a shield and blocked his path.
A wall formed as mana overflowed from therge shield, but a single punch from the energy fist shattered the sturdy wall instantly.
¡°Ugh.¡±
Themittee member copsed and spewed a mouthful of blood.
Anothermittee member quickly filled the gap, but was also struck by the energy arm and got sent flying.
Kwak Seung-jae who was fully focused on connecting the wooden door to another space was left defenseless.
¡°No!¡±
The woman with the ponytail shouted urgently.
She was chasing the Bamboo Hat Elder with all her might, but it seemed she was a step toote to protect Kwak Seung-jae.
Just as the blood-red energy fist was about to crush Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s head,
A streak of blue light appeared from somewhere.
Bang¡ª!
A huge mass of magical power struck the Bamboo Hat Elder like a cannonball.
The impact was so intense that it briefly disrupted the Asura Blood Demon Art.
The Bamboo Hat Elder slid back and stopped, then spat out his words.
¡°Who is it this time!¡±
Others were just as bewildered.
Everyone turned their heads in the direction the magic bullet hade from, but nothing was visible there.
It was too far to see anything with the naked eye.
¡°¡A sniper?¡±
¡°Who could it be?¡±
It really happened just as Kim Ho said it would.
Ahn Jeong-mi marveled inwardly.
She had been watching the specified location at the specified time, as Kim Ho had asked her to.
Sure enough, the suspicious Bamboo Hat Elder appeared right on time, and his identity as an Elder of the Blood Cult was revealed.
How did he know that¡?
The academy and its graduates were no fools.
To eliminate any potential threats, they had searched Dungeon Ind thoroughly for a whole month.
Yet they found no trace of the Blood Cult, so how did he know the Elder would appear there and give her a warning?
And what else might he know?
From the first meeting, she sensed that Kim Ho was extraordinary, but even after a month, she still couldn¡¯t fathom his depth.
Of course, there was one thing she was certain of.
We must make Kim Ho an ally by any means necessary.
Both for the sake of the Hye-seong Group and for her young miss.
Another thing that was certain was that the Elder of the Blood Cult was an obstacle to all of them.
Ahn Jeong-mi grasped the sniper rifle which was taller than her once more.
She aimed the muzzle at the Bamboo Hat Elder and ced her index finger on the trigger.
Young miss, Kim Ho-nim, please study with a piece of mind.
¡ªI will take care of anything that stands in your way.
Bang¡ª!
TN: As expected of a butler!
Chapter 175: Kim Ho’s Words Are ???
Boom!
Once again, a cannonball-like magic bullet struck the Bamboo Hat Elder.
This time, he was prepared and blocked it with his arm which was strengthened by energy, so there appeared to be no damage.
However, he couldn¡¯t help but be pushed back by the impact.
¡°¡¡!¡±
In the meantime, Kwak Seung-jaepleted his spell.
He knew he would have lost his life if not for the sniper, and it was clear he was visibly shaken.
He flung open the wooden door and rushed inside.
¡°Grr¡¡!¡±The Bamboo Hat Elder gritted his teeth.
His eyes remained fixed on the wooden door.
If he could destroy the door connecting the two spaces, it would buy him time until Kwak Seung-jae who had crossed over created a new door.
His blood-red energy arms repeatedly sent out powerful sts of energy waves.
Pa-pa-pa-pat!
Immediately, Dang Gyu-young knelt on one knee and touched the floor.
Shadows quickly spread from her and began to cover the ground in darkness. Suddenly, arge shadow wall rose up and collided with the energy wave.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Bang!
A student council member with a shield filled the space where the shadow wall had vanished.
Bang!
The graduate with the ponytail took the ce of the fallen student council member and extended her palms forward.
Bang¡ª!
When the energy waves were blocked, the Bamboo Hat Elder tried to rush in and break the door himself, but another sniper shot made him hesitate.
He red at those surrounding him and spat out his words.
¡°You damn bastards¡!¡±
It¡¯s over now.
Everyone had bought enough time for Kwak Seung-jae to call for reinforcements.
If he had properly connected the faculty office with this space, the teacher on duty would appear any moment now.
Sure enough, the half-open wooden door opened a bit more and a sh of light burst forth from it.
Then, as if by some unspoken agreement, everyone stopped in their tracks and lowered their gazes.
Dang Gyu-young, the shrewd-looking graduate, the ponytail graduate, the disciplinarymittee members¡ and even the Bamboo Hat Elder.
At the end of their gaze, one of the Bamboo Hat Elder¡¯s armsy lifelessly on the ground.
Only then did he notice his empty shoulder and let out a scream.
¡°Arghhhh!!¡±
¡°Everyone, step back.¡±
At the lowmand, everyone distanced themselves from the Bamboo Hat Elder.
The wooden door opened wider and a man slowly stepped out.
The Bamboo Hat Elder¡¯s face twitched incessantly when he confirmed the other party¡¯s identity.
¡°The Human Butcher¡!¡±
¡°It is me.¡±
The Human Butcher, Lee Soo-dok.
In his hand was arge cleaver-shaped sword.
With that sword, he had swiftly severed the Bamboo Hat Elder¡¯s arm.
The Bamboo Hat Elder sneered and his face twisted in pain.
¡°A sneak attack from the famous Human Butcher. How disgraceful.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know what rumors you¡¯ve heard, but I¡¯m not the type to insist on a fair fight. And if there¡¯s anything to me, it should be your recklessness for crawling into enemy territory alone, rather than my ambush.¡±
Did you expect an honorable one-on-one duel after revealing yourself in the heart of Dungeon Ind?
The Bamboo Hat Elder only gritted his teeth and was unable to respond.
Lee Soo-dok casually rested therge cleaver on his shoulder.
¡°I have many questions for you, so I won¡¯t kill you. But it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve tasted the blood of a Blood Cultist.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
For a few seconds, the two men red at each other.
Their figures seemed to blur simultaneously, and in the next instant, they shed fiercely.
Boom!
Meanwhile, Dang Gyu-young struggled to climb to the rooftop and copsed next to me.
¡°¡¡¡±
Her body was covered in cuts and bruises, and blood continued to flow from her mouth and nose which meant she had suffered internal injuries.
I immediately took out a basic elixir from my inventory and opened the cap.
¡°Drink this.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Dang Gyu-young who was too weak to lift her hand simply leaned forward.
I ced the elixir to her lips, and she gulped it down eagerly.
As the ss bottle emptied, Dang Gyu-young¡¯s wounds healed rapidly and her expression gradually rxed.
When her body waspletely free of scratches, I removed the elixir and ced a candy in her mouth.
Dang Gyu-young mumbled with the candy in her mouth.
¡°Thanks. You¡¯re generous, using the whole elixir.¡±
¡°When else would I use it if not now?¡±
She had risked her life to help me, so the elixir was not too precious to use.
Besides, it was given to me by Kim Gap-doo for this very purpose.
¨C I¡¯m not giving this to you because I like you. Keep it with you, and use it if Dang Gyu-young ever gets into danger.
Toad senior, I¡¯ve used it gratefully.
Dang Gyu-young drank the elixir and I poured the remaining drops onto my finger.
Because I had amplified the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger to A-rank, my S-rank elemental resistance couldn¡¯tpletely nullify the penalty, leaving my index finger swollen and frostbitten.
However, when the elixir touched it, the swelling quickly subsided and my finger returned to normal.
When she saw this, Dang Gyu-young asked me.
¡°Did you use that just now? The Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger¡±
¡°I did, on that one.¡±
¡°He got noticeably weaker after that. I was able to hold on thanks to that.¡±
The cold infused with the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger eitherpletely drives out or incessantly torments the target until it¡¯s entirely frozen.
Even the A-rank Blood Cult Elder had to allocate about half of his internal energy to fend off the cold.
From the opponent¡¯s perspective, such a vicious suppression skill was rare.
At that moment, the death throes of ¡°that one¡± echoed.
¡°Aaargh!¡±
Looking down, the battle seemed to be over.
The Bamboo Hat Eldery sprawled over a pool of his own blood.
Even during the fierce battle, he had stubbornly kept the bamboo hat on. But now it had fallen off to reveal the disheveled blood-red hair that covered his face.
He had been mutted to the point of barely clinging to life.
A faculty member is a faculty member after all.
Although the Blood Cult Elder was at a significant disadvantage, he was still a formidable opponent whom it took three graduates and three third-year students to barely hold off.
Yet Lee Soo-dok had single-handedly overpowered such a strong enemy in an instant. This only went to show the skill of a Dragon yer Academy faculty member.
Two more faculty members emerged through the wooden door.
They looked back and forth between Lee Soo-dok and the Blood Cult Elder with eyes wide with surprise.
¡°Oh? Teacher Lee, it¡¯s already over?¡±
¡°It¡¯s over.¡±
¡°Oh dear, sorry about that. We didn¡¯t mean to leave everything to you. We¡¯ll handle the cleanup.¡±
Lee Soo-dok nodded his head slightly as if to give a signal, and the faculty members began to skillfully manage the scene.
They ordered the disciplinarymittee members gathered here to control the general students from approaching the scene and asked for help from the graduates who were wandering around.
Lee Soo-dok nced at them briefly, showed no interest, then lifted his gaze upwards.
His fierce eyes turned towards us on the rooftop.
I couldn¡¯t just stand there doing nothing when I met his gaze, so I quickly descended with Dang Gyu-young.
When we approached and bowed our heads, Lee Soo-dok turned with a smile and led the way to the wooden door.
¡°Follow me.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
We followed him into the faculty office.
All the faculty and staff on duty had gone to the downtown area, so we were the only ones there.
When the wooden door closed, it automatically vanished into the ground.
He walked to his seat, sat down, and then scrutinized us as he began to speak.
¡°Exin the circumstances from beginning to end in detail. There must not be a single lie.¡±
How did we end up engaging in a battle with the Blood Cult Elder?
Seeing that Lee Soo-dok¡¯s gaze was fixed on me, it seemed he wanted to hear my exnation.
However, I couldn¡¯t exactly say, ¡°I changed the cipher and set a trap.¡±
So, as soon as I opened my mouth, I started to lie.
¡°I was wandering around with Senior Dang Gyu-young¡ª¡±
¡°I said there must not be a single lie.¡±
Lee Soo-dok interrupted my words and warned me again.
Anyone else might have been intimidated and confessed everything under that piercing gaze, but I was not ¡°anyone else¡± so I naturally deflected his gaze.
Shall I try one more time?
Perhaps it was because he knew Dang Gyu-young was the president of the thieves club that I got caught lying.
So this time, I mixed half-truths and half-lies.
Of course, I left out the part about the cipher.
¡°I was helping Senior Dang Gyu-young with the ck market.¡±
¡°How were you helping?¡±
¡°By obstructing the disciplinarymittee¡¯s random checks and searches.¡±
¡°¡¡±
¡°We were wandering around, and we saw someone wearing a bamboo hat, so we followed him.¡±
¡°You discovered him while wandering?¡±
¡°Yes, seeing a bamboo hat in the middle of the night was a bit odd.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Lee Soo-dok stared intently at me.
I felt like he was trying to probe me in some way.
He soon averted his gaze from me and asked Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Is what Kim Ho said true?¡±
¡°Yes, it is.¡±
¡°You both keep lying. I warned you twice already.¡±
¡°¡¡±
Dang Gyu-young sighed deeply as if she was resigned before she gave an answer mixed with half-truths, just like mine.
¡°It wasn¡¯t something we saw while passing by, we saw it through a crystal ball.¡±
¡°¡A crystal ball?¡±
In response to Lee Soo-dok¡¯s question, Dang Gyu-young exined the existence of the control tower.
She said that the thieves club was using the vision of the crystal balls meant for security in the downtown area and exploiting it for the ck market.
However, Lee Soo-dok didn¡¯t take issue with that.
Right now, the vition of school rules wasn¡¯t important; gathering any information about the Blood Cult was more important.
¡°You used your head well. Gather all the traces of that person recorded in the crystal ball and submit them. Then I¡¯ll make an exception regarding the rule vition.¡±
¡°Understood, thank you.¡±
Dang Gyu-young bowed her head.
Lee Soo-dok then turned to me with another question.
¡°You followed the person wearing the bamboo hat because they seemed suspicious?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Why didn¡¯t you report it?¡±
¡°As I mentioned, we were helping with ck market activities, so we weren¡¯t in a position to be forthright. Instead, we sought help from a senior graduate.¡±
Then, I exined that as soon as we confirmed it was a member of the Blood Cult, we used the signal re meant for the disciplinarymittee and the rest happened as you saw.
Lee Soo-dok seemed to think for a moment before slowly nodding his head.
¡°You may leave now.¡±
Lee Soo-dok had a skill.
[Truth or Lie (B)]
?Determines the veracity of a response.
?If a lie is detected, extracting the truth bes easier.
?Usable: (0/3 times)
?Recharges every 3 days
When activated, it was a mental skill that determined if the other party was telling the truth or lying.
Despite the limitations of recharging every three days and a three-use cap, its effect was undeniable when it manifested.
It had significantly contributed to Lee Soo-dok¡¯s investigations up until now.
However,
¡°I was wandering around with Senior Dang Gyu-young¡ª¡±
[This is a ???]
When he used the skill on Kim Ho, a notification message full of question marks that indicated neither true nor false popped up.
Since this was the first time such a thing had happened, Lee Soo-dok couldn¡¯t help but feel inwardly flustered.
What is this?
Of course, even though the skill failed, it wasn¡¯t difficult for him to deduce that Kim Ho was lying.
There was the obvious fact that the ck market was currently being held, so there was no way the president of the thieves¡¯ club was merely strolling around the downtown area.
While listening to the continued exnation, he cast [Truth or Lie] again,
¡°You discovered him while wandering around?¡±
¡°Yes, seeing a bamboo hat in the middle of the night was a bit odd.¡±
[This is a ???]
Once again, a message full of question marks was disyed.
For a moment, Lee Soo-dok wondered if there was a problem with the skill.
So he asked Dang Gyu-young,
¡°Is what Kim Ho said true?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
[This is a lie]
Judging by how he could immediately see through Dang Gyu-young¡¯s lie, it seemed the skill didn¡¯t work only on Kim Ho.
Lee Soo-dok pressed Dang Gyu-young and was able to find out that the thieves¡¯ club was making use of the crystal balls in the downtown area.
After hearing the full details of the incident, he sent the two of them out of the faculty office.
Lee Soo-dok who was left alone in the office slowly went over everything again.
Although he grasped the overall picture, there were still suspicious parts here and there.
They discovered an Elder of the Blood Cult by chance?
Even if they had a much wider view with the crystal balls, would they have had the leisure to follow a suspicious-looking person in the midst of the busy ck market?
It was clear they knew something more.
Another puzzling point was that the Elder of the Blood Cult was unexpectedly weak when he confronted him.
Even considering thebined skills of those present at the scene, they were far from capable of overpowering an A-rank fighter.
So why was he so weakened?
What increased Lee Soo-dok¡¯s suspicion was what the Elder muttered to himself with his dying breath.
¨C If¡.only¡! If it weren¡¯t for¡!
And his gaze momentarily shifted to the rooftop.
However, it seemed unlikely that he would hear the truth from Kim Ho¡¯s mouth.
The skill didn¡¯t work on him and he was only wasting precious charges. It probably wouldn¡¯t work on him in the future either.
Seeing how he could lie without blinking an eye in front of him, he had nerves of steel.
Threatening him with a knife to his throat would likely yield the same result.
But I¡¯ve got the end of the tail.
And until he uncovered what Kim Ho was hiding, Lee Soo-dok would keep a close watch on him.
Chapter 176: Call Me Noona
Chapter 176: Call Me Noona
After the interrogation-like questioning ended, we left the faculty office.
I walked side by side with Dang Gyu-young and asked her a question.
¡°Are we going back to the downtown area?¡±
¡°Mhmm, we need to finish up there. But we can take our time.¡±
She had handed overmand to Chae Da-bin and the graduates were still around.
Since the urgent times had passed, it didn¡¯t matter if we took it easy.
So we walked leisurely as if we were on a stroll.
After a moment of silence, Dang Gyu-young suddenly spotted a bench at the corner and spoke up.
¡°My legs hurt. Let¡¯s sit and rest for a while.¡±¡°Sure, let¡¯s do that.¡±
Although all her injuries had been healed with the basic elixir, the umted fatigue was another matter.
Dang Gyu-young had spent the entire day running the ck market, darting here and there, and had even fought a life-or-death battle with the Blood Cult Elder.
Now that the tension had eased, it was only natural that the umted fatigue would hit her.
Conveniently, there was a vending machine right in front of us, so Dang Gyu-young stood in front of it.
¡°What do you want to drink? Coffee?¡±
Clunk,
¡°Coffee sounds good.¡±
Dang Gyu-young took out two cans of coffee, handed one to me, and we started sipping them side by side on the bench.
Dang Gyu-young who was tilting her can back and forth began to speak.
¡°Judging by the results alone, this year¡¯s ck market was a sess.¡±
¡°Yes, it was.¡±
The thieves club and the disciplinarymittee were in a fierce battle of wits and surveince over the ck market, but everything turned upside down when the Blood Cult Elder appeared.
The invasion of the dungeon ind by hostile forces was a top priority that had to be dealt with immediately.
Compared to that, the ck market was a minor incident.
The disciplinarymittee members who were scattered all over the downtown area would have stopped their random inspections and searches of the exchange and focused on this incident.
They would have pursued even the smallest traces of the invaders.
Now that the downtown area suddenly became a deserted ce, the thieves club could run the ck market without worry.
This year, the ck market¡¯s arrest rate might hit an unprecedented low.
¡°¡ If you just look at the results.¡±
Dang Gyu-young muttered this to herself.
Her expression wasn¡¯t bright. As if something was bothering her.
¡°Kim Ho, I just remembered something.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim?¡±
¡°That graffiti; you changed the time and ce as you wanted, right?¡±
¡°I did.¡±
¡°Why did you choose today?¡±
¡°It had to be today.¡±
Facing a Blood Cult elder was impossible with a student¡¯s skill level.
We needed the help of graduates or higher.
So we had to settle things before the graduates left Dungeon Ind. That¡¯s why I chose a day when the downtown area would be crowded with graduates and the disciplinarymittee members.
That was today when the downtown market and the ck market were open.
¡°So, you used us?¡±
¡°To be honest, yes.¡±
I didn¡¯t deny it.
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s expression darkened further.
She swirled her can of coffee with dissatisfaction and asked again.
¡°If I had refused to help, what would you have done?¡±
¡°I would have found another way.¡±
I had to defeat the Bamboo Hat Man by any means necessary.
Even if it meant revealing some of my cards, I would have sought help from the disciplinarymittee or graduates.
When she heard this, Dang Gyu-young seemed to realize something.
She looked away from her can of coffee and stared at me.
¡°You, by any chance, were you testing me?¡±
Her eyes pleaded for a different answer.
I remained silent for a moment before responding.
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°¡¡That¡¯s mean, really.¡±
The time when Chae Dabin discovered Bamboo Hat Elder and gave me a hint, that is, the time when the Blood Cult elder was lured to the designated ce, was during the peak of the ck market.
Therefore, Dang Gyu-young faced a choice.
Should she let me go alone and continue running the ck market, or should she help me?
However, Dang Gyu-young didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment and followed me. She even epted the huge loss that woulde from her and the shrewd-looking graduate¡¯s absence.
But in the end, I had tested Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Using people and testing them like that. I have the right to be angry, don¡¯t I?¡±
¡°It was my fault.¡±
I silently nodded my head.
Although it was something I had to do, it was true that I had focused excessively on efficiency in the process.
When I admitted my fault, Dang Gyu-young leaned towards me and bumped her head against my shoulder.
Bump, bump, bump.
After bumping her head a few more times, Dang Gyu-young rested her forehead on my shoulder and spoke.
¡°Don¡¯t do that next time. I told you, I¡¯ll be your aplice. No matter what you say, I¡¯ll believe you, so why can¡¯t you trust me and had to test me?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t you trust me just a little more?¡±
¡°From now on, I will trust you. I promise.¡±
When I held out my pinky finger, Dang Gyu-young saw it and quickly raised her head.
The surprise was evident on her face.
¡°¡Really?¡±
¡°Really.¡±
Dang Gyu-young extended her pinky finger to link with mine.
¡°Seal it too.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±
Following Dang Gyu-young¡¯s request, we pressed our thumbs together while keeping our pinkies linked. Seal done.
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s expression brightened as if it had never been dark.
Before we knew it, the canned coffee was empty, so we stood up.
We had rested enough.
As we walked, Dang Gyu-young moved closer and spoke again.
¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time we change what we call each other?¡±
¡°Change how?¡±
¡°Yeah. ¡®Senior¡¯ feels a bit distant.¡±
¡°I think ¡®Senior¡¯ is fine. So, what should I call you?¡±
As if she had been waiting for my question, Dang Gyu-young smiled and answered.
¡°Noona~ Try calling me ¡®Gyu-young noona¡¯.¡±
¡°No, thanks. Senior-nim.¡±
¡°Ah, why!¡±
¡°I just don¡¯t want to.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not even difficult!¡±
¡°It is for me. I can¡¯t bring myself to say it.¡±
¡°Just once!¡±
Dang Gyu-young pulled my arm and shook it. She was pleading.
Usually, if I firmly refused, she would quickly ept it and back off but today she was unusually persistent.
After a long struggle near the bench, Dang Gyu-young finally took a step back.
¡°Are you really not going to do it?¡±
Her lips started to pout slightly, and her cheeks puffed up a bit.
She was clearly on the verge of sulking.
Did she really want to hear me call her that badly?
¡°Fine, you win.¡±
In truth, just like Dang Gyu-young had said, changing what I called her wasn¡¯t a difficult request.
So I casually blurted out the words as I started walking.
¡°Let¡¯s go, noona.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
For a moment, Dang Gyu-young stared at me nkly.
Then her lips slowly began to curl into a smile.
¡°Hehe, hehehe.¡±
A slight blush appeared on her face as she started to giggle.
¡°Hehe, hehehehe.¡±
¡°You were the one who told me to do it.¡±
¡°Because I like it. Do it one more time. Hurry up, noona~¡±
¡°No, senior-nim.¡±
I refused firmly.
In the dungeon building.
In a dungeon on the underground floor.
A man wearing a rough martial arts uniform was standing on the sandy beach and looking out at the sea.
Various marine monsters swarmed below the surface, but none dared to reveal themselves.
This meant that the man¡¯s martial strength was overwhelming.
As he stood there idly watching the waves, someone spoke to him from behind.
¡°Not a bad ce for a secret meeting, right?¡±
¡°It certainly seems so.¡±
The man agreed and turned around.
There stood a woman cloaked in a robe.
The robe was made of the same rough material as the man¡¯s uniform, but something like an ornament seemed to glimmer faintly through the gaps.
¡°Before the school was built, all sorts of viins gathered here.¡±
¡°There are plenty of hiding spots.¡±
The underground floor of the dungeon building was so vast and deep that even with security crystal balls installed and staff patrolling regrly, there were always gaps.
Exploiting these gaps to enter the dungeon was an easy task for these two.
The robed woman got to the point.
¡°I heard the news. Elder Choi was taken down, right?¡±
¡°Yes. The human butcher took action, I heard.¡±
¡°Our n seems a little different from this¡ What do you think?¡±
Her tone was soft, but her eyes held a chilling aura.
The man in martial uniform and the robed woman were in a cooperative rtionship.
Before infiltrating Dungeon Ind, they had made several ns together.
But the capture of ¡°Elder Choi¡± was not part of those ns, so she was questioning him while also reproaching him.
Of course, the man in martial uniform had no idea what was going on either.
He cursed inwardly.
That idiot. Why did he crawl in there at that time?
They had agreed tomunicate and act only through coded messages, so why did he suddenly act on his own?
However, the man in martial uniform didn¡¯t show his inner turmoil and maintained a calm expression as he replied.
¡°I fully understand your concern, but there will be no setback in the n. I guarantee it.¡±
¡°Well, I want to believe you since you, Elder, say so, but this incident has slightly cracked my trust.¡±
¡°What should I do?¡±
¡°It would be nice if you showed me your cards in advance.¡±
The robed woman smiled faintly.
Although they had made ns and divided roles, they hadn¡¯t disclosed the details to each other.
Most of it contained the secrets of their respective organizations.
But now, since the side of the man in martial uniform had unterally broken the trust, he had to amodate her demands to smooth things over.
He took out a briefcase from his inventory and opened it.
Inside, instead of documents, the briefcase was filled with syringes containing a liquid as red as blood.
¡°These are our sect¡¯s Blood Explosion Elixirs.¡±
¡°It¡¯s been a while since I heard that name. But isn¡¯t this supposed to be a pill?¡±
¡°It¡¯s been processed into liquid form for convenience.¡±
¡°I see.¡±
The robed woman nodded her head.
A more clear picture of how the Blood Sect intended to carry out their role in the n formed in her mind.
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll trust you and lend a hand. I hope you achieve your desired results in the midterm exam.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no need to hope. It¡¯s already decided.¡±
The man in martial uniform spoke with absolute confidence.
Meanwhile, eyes were watching them from a short distance away.
A man in a suit with a sword at his waist.
He was one of the staff members of Dragon yer Academy, and while patrolling the underground floor, he noticed suspicious movements and followed them into this dungeon.
As he suspected, the two were members of an enemy faction.
It seemed they were nning something for the midterms.
I must report this immediately.
¡°What¡¯s so interesting to watch?¡±
Swish!
The moment the voice echoed from behind him, the man in the suit shed at the source.
His sword moved so swiftly that it was invisible to the eye.
However, his de merely cut through empty air.
In the next instant, he felt a soft touch brush across his abdomen.
But the result was anything but gentle.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!
The touched area on his abdomen began to rot rapidly while emitting a foul odor.
His skin turned ck in an instant, and his veins bulged and burst.
He had heard of such a skill before.
A necromancer¡¯s closebat technique.
Necrograsp¡!
From this, he could infer the group to which the robed woman belonged.
She was far more dangerous than he had anticipated.
Despite the excruciating pain, he mustered all his strength and pushed off the ground.
He needed to get as far away from them as possible.
I must return, no matter what¡!
¡°You still have the strength to run? Your spirit is worthy of praise.¡±
¡°Indeed.¡±
Strangely, their voices did not seem to get any closer to him as he kept running.
There was no way they had given up the chase.
Just as the man was feeling puzzled, he thought he heard the snap of fingers from somewhere.
Then, his rotting abdomen began to swell rapidly like a balloon.
At that moment, another skill name shed through his mind.
Corruption¡ Explosion¡
Boooom.
Chapter 177: 9th Week Midterms (1)
Chapter 177: 9th Week Midterms (1)
On Sunday, most of the graduate mentors, including Ahn Jung-mi and the shrewd-looking graduate, boarded the train to leave Dungeon Ind.
After seeing them off, I went straight to the training center.
Something will definitely happen during the midterms.
By eliminating one of the Blood Cult elders in advance, I had partially disrupted their ns but they wouldn¡¯t give up that easily.
Rather than scrapping their n at this point, they would choose to proceed with one screw loose.
It was certain they were going to pull something.
And now with just a few days left before the midterms, all I could do was¡
Skill training.
To get a little stronger.[Used ¡®Skill Book ¨C Air Burst¡¯.]
[Acquired ¡®Air Burst (F+)¡¯.]
My top priority was toplete the [Spiral Explosion] skill.
To achieve that, I needed to raise all three prerequisite skills¡ªTwister, One Point Explosion, and Air Burst¡ªto C rank.
The first two were done so the only one left was Air Burst.
Whoosh¡ª
When I operated the terminal attached to the training room wall, a wooden dummy appeared and ttered in front of me.
A mass of wind gathered and condensed above my hand.
I sent it flying straight at the wooden dummy.
The speed wasparable to throwing a ser ball; at best, it was fast but not exceptionally so.
When the wind mass hit,
Bang¡ª!
The wooden dummy shattered and scattered wooden fragments everywhere.
Though it was hard to aim, the impact was quite powerful when it connected.
And hitting the target frequently was the way to raise Air Burst¡¯s rank.
I manipted the terminal to rece the dummy with a new one.
This time, I increased the wood¡¯s durability slightly,
tter, tter,
And made it scuttle left and right vigorously.
I observed the movement of the dummy, predicted its path, andunched another Air Burst.
Bang! Bang!
I gradually elerated my training.
I changed the material from wood to iron, increased the number of dummies, increased their speed, and enhanced the AI so they could dodge iing attacks automatically.
Bang! Bang!
As I relentlessly hit the wildly moving dummies with Air Burst and smashed them all,
[¡®Air Burst¡¯ rank has increased. (F+ -> E+)]
The rank quickly went up a level.
Compared to other skills, it wasn¡¯t of high rank which made it rtively easy to rank up.
I immediately used the Rank Up (E) I had obtained from the game center.
[Used ¡®Rank Up (E)¡¯]
[¡®Air Burst¡¯ grade has increased. (E+ -> D+)]
I¡¯ll keep pushing forward.
Bang!
There was one more skill I needed to rank up.
I settled in the Mana Cultivation Room and took out the [Sealing Demon Box] from my inventory.
I had left the [Purification Talisman] attached to it, and now the once pure white talisman was burned ck, leaving only a ck rectangr mark.
When I lightly touched it, ck ash scattered.
The purification talisman gradually consumes itself as it purifies or neutralizes demonic energy.
The fact that it had turned to ash meant it had fulfilled its role.
The interior of the Sealing Demon Box needed to be checked, but I guessed it had neutralized quite a bit, even if notpletely purified.
I untangled the gold string wrapped around the Sealing Demon Box and removed each of the talismans stuck to it one by one.
When I half-opened the lid,
Ssssss¡
ck energy slowly seeped out.
Although it was considerably neutralized, demonic energy was still demonic energy.
Its venomous presence was undeniable.
I straightened my index finger and cast Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger.
Crackle,
My finger instantly froze solid and turned into an icicle.
The cold seemed not to be satisfied with just swallowing my finger, it tried to enter my hand, was repelled by elemental resistance, and then tried to enter again and again.
In that state, I thrust my hand into the half-opened Sealing Demon Box.
The seeping demonic energy eagerly clung to my index finger.
I maintained the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger for a while,
This should be enough.
After some time had passed, I withdrew my hand which was now ckened from being eroded by the demonic energy.
When I dropped a few droplets of the basic elixir on it, it quickly returned to normal.
The method to synthesize demonic energy with attributes.
It involved using the demonic energy from the Sealing Demon Box.
Using condensed demonic energy made the process significantly faster than ordinary methods.
If it hadn¡¯t been neutralized by the purification talisman, it would have been even faster.
But the side effects would have been greater too.
Therefore, it was necessary to reduce the side effects to a level that could be managed with a basic elixir.
And the current speed was sufficient.
I will finish this before the midterms.
The goal was to reach B-rank.
I cast the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger again and thrust my hand into the Sealing Demon Box.
Monday¡¯s ss.
All the students were focused intently on every word from Teacher Lee Soo-dok.
They weren¡¯t exactly scared by the intense atmosphere but rather showed a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
Finally, Teacher Lee Soo-dok brought up the topic they had been waiting for.
¡°Like I announced two weeks ago, this week is midterm week. After revealing the exam content today, you¡¯ll have a brief preparation time on Monday and Tuesday, and the midterms will be held over three days starting Wednesday.¡±
This meant we would spend Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday inside a dungeon.
First, Lee Soo-dok revealed the environment.
MAP: [Deserted Ind]
Various scenes of the deserted ind appeared on the screen projected on the ckboard.
Tropical rainforest, caves, ruined buildings, wandering monsters.
¡°It is an enormous artificial dungeon created by Dragon yer Academy. All first-year students will enter this deserted ind to take the exam. And of course, a deserted ind needs appropriate rules.¡±
The screens on the ckboard vanished and were reced by the rules.
RULE: [Survival][Double][Crystal]
¡°I will now exin the most important [Survival] rule. First, your inventory will be sealed for the three days you are in the dungeon.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
The students¡¯ faces turned pale with shock.
Having their inventories sealed would essentially make them primitive humans during the midterms.
Those who had stocked up on items from the marketce would be even more shocked.
Regardless, Lee Soo-dok continued his exnation without a care.
¡°You can only carry two items and your uniform. Don¡¯t even think about sneaking items into a space backpack. That trick wouldn¡¯t work.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°You¡¯ll have to be self-sufficient in the dungeon for everything else. Although there will asionally be supply drops.¡±
He added a meaningfulment. This likely meant that they wouldn¡¯t be given away for free.
The [Double] was a rule that had already appeared frequently and didn¡¯t need further exnation.
It meant scores would be given in pairs.
So, Lee Soo-dok moved on to the [Crystal] rule.
On the podium, he ced red, blue, yellow, and green crystals.
¡°As you can see, there are four types of crystals. At the end of the midterms, the grading will be based on how many ¡®charged¡¯ crystals you possess.¡±
Example 1 appeared on the ckboard.
All four crystals were charged and glowing brightly.
¡°For each type of charged crystal, you earn 500 points, for a total of 2,000 points. Additionally, the awarded point multiplier is four times.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
This meant charging all four types of crystals would grant a whopping 8,000 points.
The students were more shocked than when the survival rules were exined.
Some were already showing signs of excitement and anticipation.
Next, Example 2 appeared on the ckboard.
Only the red and blue crystals were glowing, while the yellow one was merely held but not lit.
¡°Uncharged crystals are excluded from scoring. In this example, only the red and blue crystals are counted, for a total of 1,000 points.¡±
In other words, just holding uncharged crystals meant nothing.
However, even with just two charged crystals, like in Example 2, you could earn 1,000 points which multiplied to 4,000 points.
At this point, many students might be thinking it was best to aim for a middle ground.
But would that be as easy as they think?
Example 3 appeared on the ckboard.
Four red crystals were charged.
¡°One red crystal is worth 500 points, and each additional red crystal gives 250 points. In this example, the total is 1,250 points.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°You are free to collect points by gathering any type of crystal in any way you choose.¡±
For example, you can trade with other students to collect one of each color crystal,
Or you can steal them.
Having more crystals always means more points, so it¡¯s beneficial.
Therefore, it¡¯s not just about charging the crystals but also about keeping them safe for three days without losing them.
Even holding onto two will be difficult.
At that moment, a student cautiously raised their hand.
¡°Excuse me, teacher.¡±
When Lee Soo-dok nodded for them to speak, the student asked their question.
¡°But¡ how do we get the crystals?¡±
¡°Good question. Crystals can be obtained in various ways on the deserted ind. For example,¡±
The screen disyed goblins, trolls, ogres, and various other monsters.
¡°If you defeat these creatures, they will ¡®asionally¡¯ drop crystals.¡±
And although Lee Soo-dok didn¡¯t go into detail, the stronger the monster, the higher the drop rate.
In other words, it¡¯s better to defeat one ogre than to take down hundreds of goblins.
¡°Of course, like I mentioned earlier, there isn¡¯t just one way to obtain crystals. You will need to use everything you¡¯ve learned since entering this Dragon yer Academy.¡±
This meant that although it wasn¡¯t explicitly stated in the rules, elements of duel battles and strategy battles we had experienced would be integrated throughout the dungeon.
Lee Soo-dok concluded the ss by advising us to think carefully and prepare thoroughly.
He then stared at me for a while before turning his back and leaving the ssroom.
He looks scary.
He really makes people ufortable.
He had been ncing at me during ss as usual, but it felt more intense after the questioning session the other day.
It didn¡¯t seem like he had discovered my Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger or the graffiti, but he must have sensed something.
Since it wasn¡¯t an issue I could address immediately, I decided to focus on the task at hand.
First, I pulled up the newly arrived side quest.
[Side Quest: 9th Week Midterms]
?Goal: Charge the Crystals
Red (0/1), Blue (0/1),
Yellow (0/1), Green (0/1),
?Reward: Varies based on performance.
The side quest rewards were tailored and designed to provide items, skills, or traits necessary for the yer¡¯s growth.
And since the midterms and finals were more difficult than other side quests, the rewards were also much more generous.
If all four types of crystals were fully charged and the side quest cleared with the highest achievement, the reward would be:
Fixed Pin.
An extraordinary item that allowed a copied skill or trait to bepletely one¡¯s own.
It was something I absolutely had to get. No matter what.
Then, let¡¯s start preparing step by step.
The first thing to decide was, of course, who to pair up with.
As soon as ss ended, two strong candidates approached me.
To my right was Go Hyeon-woo with his eyes sparkling.
¡°Kim-hyung, shall we take the midterms together?¡±
To my left was Seo Ye-in who was gently tugging at my sleeve.
¡°Let¡¯s do it together.¡±
Both of them spoke at the same time.
And their gazes shed in mid-air.
Chapter 178: 9th Week Midterms (2)
Chapter 178: 9th Week Midterms (2)
As usual, Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s smile and eyes were full of positive energy, while Seo Ye-in had just woken up and still looked sleepy.
However, the moment their eyes met, it seemed like sparks flew in the air.
Go Hyeon-woo gently suggested.
¡°Haha, Miss Seo. How about yielding this time? You paired up with Kim-hyung just a few days ago.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo was referring to when Seo Ye-in and I teamed up at the game centerst weekend.
He didn¡¯t mind getting his skull split by an axe, but he must have felt bad that he yed alone in a two-yer game.
His opinion was to take turns pairing up fairly.
Seo Ye-in who still looked sleepy looked at him and slowly shook her head.
Then she casually mentioned,¡°Underground dungeon.¡±
¡°Hmm¡!¡±
If I were to stretch out Seo Ye-in¡¯s two words, what she wanted to say was that I had only descended to the underground dungeon with Go Hyeon-woo.
Seo Ye-in also wanted to join the underground dungeon raid, but unfortunately, Ahn Jeong-mi had firmly dered, ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t!¡±
Additionally, since she had repeatedly asked me to keep her updated, I felt guilty about sneaking her in.
Until she received permission from Hye-sung Group, we could only enter dungeons she qualified for together, and for the rest, I would have to go with Go Hyeon-woo.
Suggesting they take turns didn¡¯t make sense when Go Hyeon-woo would monopolize the pairing anyway.
It was a sharp observation, so I nodded my head.
¡°Miss Seo¡¯s opinion is valid. If we count the number of times, haven¡¯t I paired with Go Hyeon-woo more often?¡±
¡°Hmm¡ I can¡¯t deny it. I hadn¡¯t considered that. Then, Miss Seo and Kim-hyung¡ª¡±
¡°But I will give you a chance.¡±
I raised my hand to stop Go Hyeon-woo who was ready to ept the result and pointed to Seo Ye-in.
¡°Defeat her.¡±
The winner takes all.
Go Hyeon-woo asked,
¡°How should wepete?¡±
¡°The challenged person decides.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo and I looked at the ¡°challenged person¡±.
After tilting her head a few times, Seo Ye-in slowly raised her fist.
¡°¡Rock, paper, scissors?¡±
¡°Rock, paper, scissors, sounds good. How about best three out of five?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in slightly nodded her head.
The first to win three out of five rounds of rock, paper, scissors would team up with me.
Their gazes met in midair again and Go Hyeon-woo lightly raised his clenched fist.
¡°Rock, paper¡ª¡±
A sharp glint seemed to sh in Seo Ye-in¡¯s eyes for a moment.
She used Bullet Time.
¡°¡ªscissors.¡±
The result, needless to say, was Seo Ye-in¡¯s victory.
However, Go Hyeon-woo chuckled as if he had expected it.
¡°I knew Miss Seo would use that skill. But I heard that skill has a five-minute cooldown. From now on, it¡¯s a pure contest of luck.¡±
A pure contest of luck¡
Wouldn¡¯t that make things worse?
While I tilted my head in confusion, Go Hyeon-woo confidently raised his fist.
¡°Rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡°Scissors.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo lost. Seo Ye-in¡¯s second win.
¡°Rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡°Scissors.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo lost. Seo Ye-in¡¯s third win.
The match was decided in a sh, with a score of 3-0.
However, Go Hyeon-woo raised his fist again and said,
¡°Rock, paper¡ª¡±
He continued to challenge Seo Ye-in.
It was a bit pathetic.
On the other hand, Seo Ye-in calmly epted the challenge.
¡°Scissors.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo lost. Seo Ye-in¡¯s fourth win.
¡°Rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡°Scissors.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo lost. Seo Ye-in¡¯s fifth win.
¡°Rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡
¡
¡
¡°Scissors.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo lost. Seo Ye-in¡¯s fourteenth win.
By this point, even Go Hyeon-woo seemed to realize this was not right. He brought his raised fist to his mouth and began to ponder seriously.
Then, when he spotted Shin Byueog-cheol passing by, he gestured for him toe over.
¡°Shin-hyung,e here for a moment.¡±
¡°Huh? What¡¯s up?¡±
As soon as Shin Byeong-cheol got close, Go Hyeon-woo raised his fist.
¡°Rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡°Huh? Scissors.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo won. Shin Byeong-cheol lost.
Then, after pondering seriously while stroking his chin, Go Hyeon-woo challenged Seo Ye-in once more.
¡°Let¡¯s do it one more time. Rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡°¡ªscissors.¡±
And the result was inevitably Seo Ye-in¡¯s fifteenth consecutive win.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded with a noticeably more relieved expression.
¡°It won¡¯t work. I concede.¡±
¡°I thought so.¡±
To dare topete with luck against someone like her was foolish from the start.
Though even I didn¡¯t expect him to lose fifteen times in a row.
I pointed at Shin Byeong-cheol who was standing there idly.
¡°You should team up with him.¡±
¡°That sounds good. What do you think, Shin-hyung?¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol was delighted at the sudden suggestion.
It was a rare opportunity for him to pair up with someone as skilled as Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°Oh, I¡¯m always free.¡±
¡°Haha, that¡¯s great. Let¡¯s go discuss it in detail.¡±
¡°Sure. Want to grab something to eat?¡±
The two quickly foundmon ground.
While Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol headed to the store,
We also had things to discuss before the midterms started.
So, I sat across from Seo Ye-in and started the conversation.
¡°We can only bring in two items.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°I¡¯m bringing these two.¡±
Root and the storm cloud bracelet.
These were the highest-grade pieces of equipment I had.
There was no need to worry since my equipment was alreadycking.
On the other hand, Seo Ye-in who was practically covered in high-grade items had to choose two from among them.
¡°First, you need a weapon.¡±
¡°A weapon.¡±
Seo Ye-in pulled out a magic gun and ced it on the table.
It could transform into various forms to suit the user¡¯s preference, and currently, it was an assault rifle.
¡°This one is abination of an assault rifle and a shotgun, right?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°It was a dual pistol and a sniper rifle at first.¡±
¨C Nod.
¡°Can you change thebination?¡±
At my question, Seo Ye-in rummaged through her inventory and pulled out a small booklet.
Exclusive magic gun manual for the young miss.
Author: Ahn Jeong-mi.
When she opened the manual, Ahn Jeong-mi had written everything about Seo Ye-in¡¯s magic gun in precise and angr handwriting.
The doodles scattered throughout to supplement the exnations were a bonus.
She¡¯s not very good at drawing¡
Still, it was easier to understand than Seo Ye-in¡¯s cookies.
A few pages further into the manual revealed how to change the magic gun¡¯s configuration.
It wasn¡¯t necessary to stick with the assault rifle-shotgunbination.
If it¡¯s the optimalbination for a deserted ind survival¡
I recalled the various terrains of the deserted ind for a moment and then said,
¡°How about an assault rifle and a riflebination?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in immediately nodded her head.
Regardless of the reason, she seemed to agree simply because I told her to.
ording to the manual, tuning up the magic gun required a few tools and a considerable amount of time.
So I left it for her to handle on her own.
¡°What other equipment do you want to take?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in then spread out the items on the table just as she had before.
Bracelets, earrings, a bulletproof vest, a tie pin, and¡ arge tiger plush.
To be precise, it was a feather cushion transformed into a tiger plush.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in slowly pushed the tiger plush forward.
It was her way of expressing that she wanted to take it with her.
I mimicked Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s tone with a stern face.
¡°Young miss, no plush toys. Choose something else.¡±
¡°No?¡±
¡°You need to choose something that will help with the exam.¡±
Seo Ye-in ced the tiger plush on herp and hugged it tightly.
¡°Can¡¯t sleep without it.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
It was true; Ahn Jeong-mi had mentioned that.
She said that if you take that cushion away, the young miss will wake up right away.
However, no matter how much she insisted, I couldn¡¯t let her bring a plush toy that was only used for sleeping when there was good equipment avable.
If everyone else started at level 2, it would mean Seo Ye-in would be starting at level 1.
So I gently persuaded her.
¡°Just endure it for two nights. I¡¯ll get you a sleeping bag.¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
In the end, her second item was an invisible ghillie suit that paired well with the sniper rifle.
Most of the students spent Monday and Tuesday frantically busy.
They were reviewing all the material from the past eight weeks because they didn¡¯t know what mighte up in the midterms.
In contrast, for me midterms were nothing new, so I didn¡¯t need to review.
I could predict what would be on the exam without looking.
And so I spent Monday and Tuesday holed up in the training center and focusing on skill ranking.
I threw Air Bursts at iron dummies and used Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger on the sealing box.
Then, on Tuesday evening¡
[The rank of ¡®Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger¡¯ has increased. (C->B)]
Creak,
My index finger now held an even colder chill than before.
The force that invaded my hand through my index finger grew even fiercer, but it still couldn¡¯t prate the S-rank elemental resistance.
This meant I had increased its power to the brink of what my resistance could nullify.
I dissolved the demonic energy staining my hand with a few drops of a basic elixir.
This used up my second bottle of elixir.
It seemed wise to save thest one for emergencies.
The sealing demon box was now a useless and empty porcin jar with not a trace of demonic energy left.
Even if I turned it upside down and shook it, nothing came out.
I used it all up thoroughly.
I had consumed three B-rank items: the sealing box, the purification talisman, and the basic elixir, but I had rapidly increased my rank because of it.
With one problem solved, I immediately moved to the training room.
Bang!
I continued practicing Air Burst alongside the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger and was close to ranking it up.
The training room dummies had been reinforced with steel, which made them more durable and incredibly fast.
They darted wildly from side to side, kicked the walls and ceiling, and fled frantically.
I was hitting each one with sts ofpressed air.
Bang!
Despite being hit squarely by Air Burst, the iron dummy only paused briefly before resuming its frantic movement.
Just as I was about to cast another spell, a note-shaped icon appeared in my peripheral vision.
It indicated that I had received a message.
When I checked the sender, it was Jang Sam, or rather Jang Moo-geek.
The message was a single word.
[Jang Moo-geuk: Be careful]
[Kim Ho: Thanks]
I had made an agreement with Jang Moo-geuk to trade the [Ghost Dance] skill and, in return, get a heads-up if Mak Dae-wong¡¯s side tried anything.
Given the timing of the message, it seemed they might be interfering with the midterms.
Predictable as always.
This was so typical.
I sent a non-appreciative appreciation to Mak Dae-wong and continuedunching Air Bursts.
Bang! Bang!
If they do that, it works in my favor.
They were probably thinking of sending swordsmen to take me out, and I hoped they would bring plenty of crystals with them.
Bang!
[The rank of ¡®Air Burst¡¯ has increased. (D¡À>C+)]
[Acquired ¡®Spiral Explosion (C+)¡¯]
Three prerequisite C-rank skills merged into one to culminate in the long-awaited Spiral Explosion.
When I pointed directly at the frantically moving iron dummies,
Whoosh¡ª
A whirlwind formed and it pulled everything towards it.
The dummies tried hard to push off the ground but could only manage to stay in ce.
Their limbs creaked as if broken.
Soon,pressed air exploded at the center of the whirlwind,
Booom!
Shredded steel fragments scattered everywhere.
Chapter 179: 9th Week Midterms (3)
Chapter 179: 9th Week Midterms (3)
Wednesday morning.
We headed to the ground floor of the dungeon building to take our midterm exam.
All the first-year students gathered in arge hall the size of an auditorium.
In the center, arge teleportation portal was open.
Of course, we didn¡¯t need to jump directly into it. Instead, dozens of small magic circles on the floor were flickering gently.
The circles wererge enough for two people to stand in, so their purpose was easy to guess.
Seo Ye-in and I chose one of the magic circles and stepped onto it.
She looked less sleepy than usual when I looked closely at her face. It seemed she had rested well the previous night.
I held a fist microphone up to her and asked,¡°Any words? What¡¯s your current energy level?¡±
¡°¡70?¡±
Seo Ye-in tilted her head as she answered.
Although it was a somewhat ambiguous number, 70% was still something.
At this level, she should have no problem staying active at least until the evening.
When I looked around, I saw some familiar faces.
Like the small tiger Bum who was mercilessly biting the hand of Park Na-ri, a student from another ss.
¡°Meow.¡±
¡°Bum, ouch, stop, biting.¡±
It seemed that Park Na-ri didn¡¯t bring the [Cube of Life] with her. This was likely because it was an item that had no meaning if you didn¡¯t store life-type items inside of it.
From Bum¡¯s perspective, this was equivalent to a ¡°three-day vi confiscation¡± so it was no wonder he was in a bad mood.
A little distance away, Shin Byeong-cheol was chatting rapidly with Go Hyeon-woo who was nodding his head along as he listened.
We exchanged brief nces and a light greeting.
In another corner, Han So-mi was hopping around like a rabbit with her hands on her head, while Song Chun-hye watched her seriously.
¡°I wonder what they¡¯re talking about.¡±
In yet another corner, Hong Yeon-hwa was scolding Baek Jun-seok with a very distrustful expression on her face.
When she saw me, she paused for a moment and then shyly waved her hand with her eyes shifting nervously.
I waved back, and her expression brightened up. If she had a tail, it would be wagging.
¡°¡¡?¡±
Baek Jun-seok who never saw Hong Yeon-hwa act like this could only look back and forth between us in confusion.
As the scheduled time approached, the homeroom teachers of each ss began to appear one by one.
As expected, Lee Soo-dok was thest to show up.
This guy really doesn¡¯t care about his students.
¡°We¡¯ll start soon. Stand on the magic circles in pairs.¡±
The students then stood in pairs in the magic circles.
Seo Ye-in moved a little closer and gently held onto my sleeve.
Wiiiing¡ª
Soon, a mechanical sound resonated from beneath our feet, and the softly flickering magic circles began to shine more intensely.
Before long, the ground was filled with light and the magic circles were no longer visible.
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
aaash!
My vision turned white.
When my sight returned to normal, Seo Ye-in and I were standing alone in the middle of a forest.
We had entered the midterm dungeon, the deserted ind.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
?Survival Items
(None)
?Crystals
(None)
The scoreboard disyed our health gauges, survival items, crystals in possession, and charging status.
Of course, everything was nk at the moment.
¡°Wait here for a moment.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
I left Seo Ye-in standing and kicked the ground.
I quickly climbed a tall tree and looked around from there.
I think I know roughly where we are.
I had memorized the geography of this deserted ind in the game, and with this knowledge, I quickly determined our current location.
Compared to the other students who were merely dropped onto the ind without a clue, this was a tremendous advantage.
And if you have an advantage, you should make the most of it.
I climbed down from the tree and extended my hand to Seo Ye-in.
¡°Take my hand. We¡¯ll be moving quickly.¡±
¡°Jump?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. Jump.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
Seo Ye-in grasped my hand and we started running through the forest.
Trees, bushes, rocks, passing animals, and monsters all quickly blurred past our vision.
Whenever we encountered troublesome obstacles like cliffs,rge rocks, or clusters of monsters,
¡°Jump.¡±
¡°Jump.¡±
Bang! Bang!
We used Wind Force, Levitate Zone, and Feather Walk to leap over them in an instant.
After repeating this running and jumping several times, the view opened up and a broad rock appeared.
This was our first destination.
The ce itself wasn¡¯t special, but it was about to be special.
I pointed to the open sky.
¡°Look over there. What do you see?¡±
¡°The sky.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that right? Now a gift will descend from there.¡±
¡°A gift¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in tilted her head but continued to look up at the sky.
And not even a minute after I announced it,
Swaaa¡ª
A jet appeared and quickly circled the deserted ind.
Following it,rge and small cube-shaped objects began to fall like bombs.
However, as they were falling, parachutes opened and they drastically slowed their descent which allowed us to clearly see their shapes.
Supply crates.
Inside were items useful for survival.
With our inventory sealed, we had to endure three days with nothing but our bare bodies.
In such a situation, supply materials were like rain during a drought, and gathering them was always beneficial.
However, the teachers only vaguely mentioned that ¡°supply materials are asionally provided¡± without specifying exactly when or where they would drop.
In contrast, I knew even that detail so I moved quickly as soon as the midterms began.
Sure enough, one cratended right in front of us.
I removed the parachute and grabbed the crate lid.
¡°Shall we open it?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
[Space Bag (D)]
[Knife (D)]
[Calorie Bar (E)] * 2
The space bag was a substitute for inventory.
The knife was an essential survival tool.
The two calorie bars were far too little to fill our stomachs.
They only included two, meaning we had to fend for ourselves for the rest.
Of course, this isn¡¯t the end.
Since the supply crates had just fallen, everyone was probably panicking and running toward the nearest one.
That meant we weren¡¯t toote and could try to grab another one.
I held out my hand to Seo Ye-in.
¡°Let¡¯s go; we might be able to get one more.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
Bang! Bang!
I used Wind Force once again and jumped before we soon arrived at our next destination.
When we opened the supply crate sitting there,
[Sleeping Bag (D)]
[Sleeping Bag (D)]
¡°We got sleeping bags right away.¡±
¡°Lucky.¡±
I had promised to get Seo Ye-in a sleeping bag since she couldn¡¯t bring her tiger plush, and luckily, we found them quickly.
However, it remained to be seen if these basic sleeping bags could rece a B-rank living item.
Boom! Boom!
Explosions echoed sporadically from here and there.
It seemed students were fighting over the supply crates.
Since there were a limited number of them and they were parachuted in, it was inevitable that there would be conflict.
Whooosh!
A pir of fire shot up from one side.
That had to be Hong Yeon-hwa, for sure.
It seemed to be closer than expected, so there was a chance we might encounter her.
¡°Just in case, let¡¯s check one more ce. Hands.¡±
¡°Hands.¡±
Although the likelihood of a crate being there was slim, it was still worth a try.
Once again, we pushed off the ground with Seo Ye-in¡¯s hand in mine.
Bang! Bang!
We arrived at the third location while hopping along.
As we approached the distant supply crate, we almost simultaneously stopped.
¡°It¡¯s already taken.¡±
¡°Empty.¡±
The crate was wide open.
Having already picked up two on our way, it wasn¡¯t surprising if someone else got to this one first.
Also, the open crate meant,
Whoooosh!
There was a high probability that other students were nearby.
A swordsman and a thief jumped out from the bushes on either side.
Byeong-cheol¡¯s friends.
They were two members of Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s gang and although they were in the same ss as me, I barely recognized them.
So I had no intention of going easy on them.
Especially since they made the first move.
Seo Ye-in and I split up as if we had nned it. We each took on one opponent.
Ratatatata!
Seo Ye-in fired her assault rifle at the approaching thief.
Several magic bullets drilled a straight line from his abdomen to his forehead.
He copsed to the ground in the same position he had been attacking from.
Whoooosh!
As I leaned to the side, a longsword barely grazed my shoulder.
Before the swordsman could swing again, I stepped in and grabbed him by the cor before casting Wind Force.
He lifted an inch off the ground before I mmed him down.
Thud!
The swordsman made a wheezing sound as the air escaped his lungs.
Seo Ye-in quietly looked down at him and then fired a magic bullet into his forehead.
Bang!
Soon, the bodies of the two fallen enemies evaporated.
Just like with any ground-level dungeon, the safety mechanism transported them outside.
Once someone was deemed incapacitated, they dropped all their survival items and crystals and faced a six-hour reentry dy.
This penalty could severely impact their midterms, so avoiding injury was crucial here.
And survival items were lying around where they disappeared like I expected.
They must havee from the third supply crate.
[rm Trap (D)]
[Calorie Bar]*2
The rm trap was a device that alerted the user when another student approached nearby.
The calorie bars, there were two of them.
And if we were tobine the items from the three supply crates,
?Survival Items
[Space Bag]
[Knife]
[Sleeping Bag]*2
[rm Trap]
[Calorie Bar]*4
¡°This is a good start.¡±
¡°Another jump?¡±
¡°No. Let¡¯s stop looting the crates here.¡±
By now, most of the supply crates must have been emptied.
Running around actively like this would only be a waste of time, and it would increase the chances of encountering other students.
So it was better to set a new target.
At this point, the goals to consider were either to find and charge crystals or to establish a survival base.
I gave Seo Ye-in the choice.
¡°What do you want to do first?¡±
¡°¡Crystals?¡±
¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go for the crystals.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
We started to move.
There was no need to hurry, so we proceeded slowly while staying alert.
While we were walking, Seo Ye-in asked me a question.
¡°Where do theye from?¡±
¡°Crystals?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°For now, we¡¯re going to treasure hunt.¡±
Crystals could be obtained in various ways, one of which was treasure hunting.
Unearthing crystals cleverly hidden in every corner of the deserted ind.
ording to what we learned in the [Clearance] strategy battle session, the Dragon yer Academy instructed us to examine even the smallest details carefully.
Then Seo Ye-in pointed ahead and asked.
¡°Do they give them too?¡±
¡°Keureuk.¡±
¡°Keek.¡±
A group of goblins blocked our path.
They were hardly a threat, so I didn¡¯t bother to step in. While Seo Ye-in fired her magic gun repeatedly, I answered her question.
Ratatatatata!
¡°Killing monsters can drop them, but goblins rarely do.¡±
I had taken the midterm exam on the deserted ind countless times, and the number of monsters I had defeated reached the thousands.
Among them, cases of goblins dropping crystals were truly rare.
¡°So you should expect drops from stronger monsters like Beheader Goblins or Trolls, for now¡¡±
I stopped talking mid-sentence.
Seo Ye-in had swept away the goblins with her magic bullets.
Amidst them, a red crystal was gleaming.
¡°It¡¯s here.¡±
¡°¡This is rigged.¡±
Chapter 180: 9th Week Midterms (4)
Chapter 180: 9th Week Midterms (4)
Seo Ye-in¡¯s luck sometimes exploded at the most unexpected moments, leaving me speechless, and now was exactly one of those moments.
To actually get a crystal, which might not even drop from beheader goblins or trolls, from goblins we had just encountered for the first time was truly unbelievable.
Actually, this is good.
Except for the bit about how ridiculous it was, there was nothing bad about it.
Especially since, as her partner, I could share the benefits of Seo Ye-in¡¯s luck.
¡°Let¡¯s change the route a little since it¡¯se to this.¡±
¡°To charge it?¡±
¡°We should.¡±
The original goal was to get crystals through treasure hunting, but since we unexpectedly got a lucky break, we had to postpone it a bit.It seemed better to charge what we already had first.
So I took Seo Ye-in and moved to the nearest sanctuary.
A windmill with a grinder. It was about three stories high.
The windmill¡¯s des were nothing but skeletons, and the building itself was quite worn out which indicated it had been abandoned for a long time.
I first gave Seo Ye-in some instructions.
Seo Ye-in¡¯s magic gun disassembled and reassembled itself into a sniper rifle.
¡°First, try changing it to a rifle.¡±
I pointed to a spot on the roof of the windmill.
¡°Okay.¡±
It was a perfect spot for one person to settle in, with a clear view of the surroundings.
¡°I¡¯ll lift you up there, and you can start sniping anything you see.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Whirr¡ª
I created an updraft by linking Levitate Zone and Wind Force and Seo Ye-in used Feather Walk to leap up andnd on the roof.
She nced at me and then disappeared; her form flickered out of sight.
She had put on an invisible ghillie suit and hidden herself.
I turned my gaze from the roof and walked into the windmill.
The interior was just as unimpressive as the exterior.
The only notable feature was arge crystal attached to the ceiling.
Whiiiiiin¡ª
The crystal on the ceiling began to glow brighter and it started sending a clear beam of light down towards me.
As the beam connected with the red crystal in my hand,
[Crystal: 1%]
[Crystal: 3%]
[Crystal: 4%]
The charge level began to slowly rise.
I moved towards the window while maintaining the connection and looked outside.
Let¡¯s see how far they are.
We were inevitably advertising to the whole neighborhood.
A mill standing three stories tall.
It was already eye-catching, and now it was shing light. This made it impossible not to draw attention.
And there was no way anyone wouldn¡¯t realize that the light was from the crystal charging.
It hadn¡¯t been long since wended on a deserted ind, so everyone was still in chaos and barely starting to adapt.
But already, someone had found a crystal and was charging it?
They¡¯d want to check it out.
And they¡¯d want to steal the crystal too.
Sure enough, two students were approaching through the forest from afar.
Not even trying to be discreet, they were just tant about it.
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
So careless.
As if justing here would make the crystal theirs.
And they were about to pay for their carelessness.
There was no way Seo Ye-in on the roof wouldn¡¯t see what was so obvious to me.
Bang!
A magic bullet hit the forehead of the student leading the way.
He fell backward and twitched, then soon disappeared as if he was evaporating.
He had been deemed incapacitated and ejected from the dungeon.
¡°¡¡!¡±
The other one was terrified. He turned around and fled.
[Crystal: 42%]
When the crystal was about halfway charged, a second team appeared.
Their fate wasn¡¯t much different from the first.
Bang!
The difference was that the one who survived was rtively calm.
He hid behind an obstacle, observed us, and eventually left.
At least he¡¯s notpletely stupid.
One of them had been incapacitated by Seo Ye-in¡¯s sniping shot.
Since it would be two against one if he fought now, he decided it was better to maintain the status quo rather than get greedy.
Bang! Bang!
A few more gunshots echoed.
Perhaps they became aware of the sniper because the newly arrived teams didn¡¯t fall as easily.
Their movements were more discreet and cautious.
However, as they slowly closed the distance,
[Crystal: 100%]
aash!
The charging waspleted, filling the crystal with a red glow.
¡°It¡¯s done. Come down.¡±
Bang!
Seo Ye-in fired onest warning shot before descending from the roof.
I created a headwind to sharply slow her fall and caught Seo Ye-in.
¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
With more teams approaching, this mill would soon be a battlefield.
And since we have already achieved our goal here, there was no reason to stay and get caught up in it.
I asked Seo Ye-in,
¡°Where¡¯s the exit?¡±
¡°Over there.¡±
Seo Ye-in immediately pointed in one direction.
She had roughly identified the positions of the other teams from the roof and chosen a direction to avoid them.
After running a bit in that direction,
Crash! Crash!
Repeated sounds of collision echoed from the mill.
It seemed that several teams were engaged in a melee with the thought that someone among them had the crystal.
In reality, we had already left the area.
¡°Let¡¯s not go near there for a while.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Our next goal was the treasure hunt we had postponed.
We were going to uncover the hidden crystal.
¡°Keruk.¡±
¡°Kek.¡±
Along the way, we encountered two more goblin groups and I let Seo Ye-in take care of them all just in case.
Ratatatatata!
The assault rifle spewed blue fire, and the goblins fell one after another.
However, even after clearing them all, nothing dropped this time.
Yeah, this is normal.
No matter how lucky you are, it¡¯s ridiculous for goblins to drop two or three crystals at once.
Even one was already amazing.
I felt much more at ease because I had reconfirmed that this game was not yet rigged.
As Seo Ye-in and I continued to navigate the deserted ind, our destination, or rather our target appeared.
Arge old tree stood prominently in the middle of the forest.
Its thickness was impressive, but its height was extraordinary, making the three-story mill seem tiny inparison.
The branches and leaves were dense and when looking up towards the top,rge fruits could be seen hanging.
Among those fruits, one stood out with its particrly red color.
¡°Suspicious, right?¡±
¡°Suspicious.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll lift you up again this time, so shoot them all down.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
[Used ¡®Amplification¡¯.]
[The rank of ¡®Wind Force¡¯ has been increased. (C+->A+)]
Whooooosh¡ª!
A strong updraft caused the branches and leaves to shake violently.
While maintaining Wind Force, I threw Seo Ye-in upwards and she soared tond on a branch.
She then climbed up by stepping on each branch like adder and ascended.
Once she got close enough to the fruits, she steadied herself on a branch and fired short bursts with her assault rifle.
Ratatatatata,
The fruits began to fall, and I used Wind Force to catch each one, making sure they didn¡¯t break.
If they were smashed by magic bullets or hit the ground and shattered, they couldn¡¯t be eaten, so this method was necessary.
When I cut one of the particrly red fruits in half with a knife, there was a red crystal inside instead of flesh.
¡°This one¡¯s red too.¡±
It was only two red crystals, but it didn¡¯t matter.
The more there were, the better. They could be used for trading or earning extra points, so the more, the merrier.
I shook the crystals at Seo Ye-in.
¡°Hey, Miss Seo! Come down now!¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
However, Seo Ye-in just sat there looking down at me. She didn¡¯t show any intention of moving.
What¡¯s up with her all of a sudden?
¡°What are you doing? Come down!¡±
¡°¡¡..¡±
¡°Jump down! I¡¯ll catch you!¡±
¡°¡¡..¡±
Even so, Seo Ye-in remained silent.
Having no choice, I started climbing the old tree using Wind Force.
Kicking aside branches as I leaped up, I soon reached the top.
¡°Why aren¡¯t youing down? I said I¡¯d catch you.¡±
¡°¡¡..¡±
Seo Ye-in looked at me quietly before speaking.
¡°It¡¯s high.¡±
¡°Too high?¡±
¨C Nod.
To borate on Seo Ye-in¡¯s words, she meant that it was too high and she was scared to jump down.
She liked being thrown with Wind Force so much.
Still, I understoodpletely.
The height was no joke even from my perspective.
No matter how much she trusted me, being told to suddenly jump from this height would make anyone hesitate.
However, if we lingered here too long, we might get noticed by other students.
Having no other choice, I climbed up to the branch where Seo Ye-in was sitting and turned my back to her.
¡°Get on my back. Let¡¯s go down slowly.¡±
¡°Mhmm ¡¡±
Seo Ye-in obediently climbed onto my back and wrapped her arms around my neck.
I wanted to just bungee jump down like this, but I decided to hold back because I thought it would traumatize her.
As I moved down from branch to branch,
When we reached a ¡°not-so-scary height¡±, I looked over my shoulder to get her consent.
¡°Is it okay to jump now?¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±
As soon as she agreed, I jumped down.
Even afternding, Seo Ye-in clung to my neck for a while.
¡°How about getting down now?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°Are you a sloth, Kim Sloth? Get down. Quickly.¡±
Only then did her arms around my neck slowly loosen.
I stored a few intact tree fruits that had fallen to the ground in my space bag and neatly peeled one with a knife.
Then I cut one into apple-sized pieces and shared them with Seo Ye-in. We then took turns eating them.
It tasted like a mix of kiwi and mango.
While we were sharing the fruit, I asked her a question.
¡°What¡¯s your battery percentage now?¡±
¡°¡35?¡±
Already down to half from 70%.
As expected, the fuel efficiency isn¡¯t great.
I held up the red crystal No. 2.
¡°Then let¡¯s charge just this one and take a break. Deal?¡±
¡°Deal.¡±
While Seo Ye-in¡¯s battery was draining, the sky slowly turned orange.
Since it would get dark quickly, we needed to secure a ce to spend the night.
So it made sense to stop after charging the crystal No. 2.
At that moment, Seo Ye-in and I stopped at the same time and exchanged nces.
¡°¡¡.?¡±
¡°Something¡¯sing.¡±
We sensed something quickly approaching from afar.
It seemed almost certain that it was targeting us.
¡°Go hide.¡±
At mymand, Seo Ye-in immediately put on her invisible ghillie suit and concealed herself.
And in just a few seconds,
Swiiiiiiiishh!
A familiar, piercing sound echoed in my ears.
I quickly dodged and the arrows embedded themselves into the spot where I had just been standing.
At this point, I thought I knew who the other party was, so I greeted them cheerfully.
¡°Ah, it¡¯s been a while. How have you been?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
In response, two figures emerged from the opposite side.
One of them as I had guessed was the promising archer of the Guild Union, Cha Hyeon-joo.
She red at me as if she wanted to kill me while grinding her teeth.
Grrrrrr
Chapter 181: 9th Week Midterms (5)
Chapter 181: 9th Week Midterms (5)
I saw Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s weapon and asked her a question.
¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be a dagger rogue? What happened to your daggers? Why are you holding a bow?¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo had used dual daggers during duel battles to hide her true abilities and only switched to her main weapon a bow after the reys were made private.
But now, during the actual midterm exam, she had shown up with the bow.
Cha Hyeon-joo answered through clenched teeth.
¡°I ditched them, because of you.¡±
¡°Because of me?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
I felt a little proud.If things had gone as nned, she would have wasted a lot of time on those daggers, but thanks to me, she hadn¡¯t.
Sometimes, Wind Force brings about positive changes like this.
¡°Good thinking. Cha Hyeon-joo, the bow suits you much better than daggers.¡±
¡°Shut up.¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo kept growling, but I casually continued asking questions.
¡°But how did you know toe here?¡±
¡°You think I¡¯d tell you?¡±
¡°Seems like you¡¯ve got some kind of detector or something, am I right?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Judging by her reaction, I was right.
In truth, I had already formed a near-certain suspicion.
No matter how promising or sharp-eyed a long-range ss might be, it would be difficult to spot us from such a far distance and pursue us like this.
So the likelihood that she used an item was high, and there were indeed various ¡°detectors¡± among the survival items provided in supply boxes.
¡°I want one of those detectors. You must havee here because you want something too.¡±
¡°The crystal.¡±
¡°I figured. That makes things simple. The winner¡ª¡±
¡°¡ªtakes it all.¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo swiftly nocked an arrow on her bowstring and aimed it at me.
At that moment, it seemed like a thin blue line targeted the center of her forehead, but she immediately fired the arrow to counter the iing magic bullet.
Thud¡ª!
The fragments of the arrow and magic bullet scattered in the air.
Her reflexes were impressive, just as expected of someone with her potential.
Cha Hyeon-joo jerked her chin toward the direction from which the shot hade and muttered a word.
¡°Get them.¡±
Her male partner began to move, but I stepped in front of him.
¡°You can¡¯t.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°A quick introduction before we start?¡±
¡°Kang Hee-chan.¡±
¡°Kim Ho.¡±
Kang Hee-chan was a typical warrior ss with a longsword.
His offense and defense were well-bnced, and I guessed his skill level was somewhere around 600 points range.
Without seeing any value in exchanging more than just names, Kang Hee-chan immediately swung his longsword at me.
I dodged easily and prepared to counterattack when¡ª
Swish-swish-swish!
Cha Hyeon-joo suddenly unleashed a barrage of arrows.
Seven aimed at me and three to keep Seo Ye-in in check.
It was a well-calcted move to disrupt her sniping.
Among the flying arrows, I noticed some peculiar ones mixed in.
Those are going to explode.
When I recognized them as explosive arrows, I decided to widen the gap as I dodged instead of just slipping away.
Booom!
¡°Tch.¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo clicked her tongue briefly. As if she was frustrated that her ploy had failed.
She then unleashed an even more relentless shower of arrows.
Swish-swish-swish!
Kang Hee-chan who was supported by Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s cover fire relentlessly pressed me with continuous attacks.
Judging by how well they coordinated, it seemed they had teamed up several times before.
I was busy dodging both the arrows and the longsword, so I had to keep moving.
Just as a shot aimed between Kang Hee-chan¡¯s eyebrows flew in¡ª
Thud¡ª!
Cha Hyeon-joo precisely hit the magic bullet and knocked it down.
I couldn¡¯t help but silently admire her skill.
¡°Your personality and your skills don¡¯t really match, do they?¡±
¡°I told you to shut up!¡±
Swish-swish-swish!
A downpour of arrows rained down, followed by an endless stream of sword strikes.
I dodged and weaved while continually retreating.
Thud¡ª!
And then, Cha Hyeon-joo intercepted the third shot mid-air.
It wasn¡¯t just about her reflexes; the skills and traits Cha Hyeon-joo had umted over time were simply superior to Seo Ye-in¡¯s.
Seo Ye-in only had [Magic Bullet] and [Ejection] to assist with her sniping.
What will you do now?
By now, even Seo Ye-in must have realized that invisible ghillie sniping wouldn¡¯t work.
It would be interesting to see what decision she makes next.
So, let¡¯s stall for just a little longer.
ng! ng!
I deflected Kang Hee-chan¡¯s continuous strikes with Root and summoned a storm cloud to fend them off.
At the same time, I moved in a zigzag pattern to dodge Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s arrows.
Kang Hee-chan frowned deeply.
¡°I think I understand why Hyeon-joo hates you so much.¡±
¡°It¡¯s frustrating when we don¡¯t get along.¡±
¡°Honestly, that¡¯s¡ true!¡±
Whooosh!
I dodged the longsword swinging diagonally toward me and retreated to a safer distance.
While doing so, I nced to the side and signaled with my eyes.
¡°You guys really have no joy in life. Take a look around. There¡¯s a squirrel up in that tree and ake right beside us. Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡±
¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡±
As I continued retreating, dodging, and fleeing, I found myself far from the starting point of the battle.
Just as I mentioned, argeke beside us reflected the setting sun.
But was there really a need to bring up theke in the middle of a fight?
This too was part of my n.
To briefly distract Cha Hyeon-joo and Kang Hee-chan,
Ratatatatatata!
So Seo Ye-in could seize that opening.
She shed her invisible ghillie suit and appeared before firing her assault rifle in rapid session.
Startled by the sudden barrage of magic bullets, Cha Hyeon-joo hurriedly tried to reposition herself, but Seo Ye-in had appeared too close.
A couple of magic bullets that Cha Hyeon-joo couldn¡¯t dodge mmed into her.
¡°Ugh.¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo hadn¡¯t expected Seo Ye-in who had been sniping from a distance to approach so closely, and she was visibly caught off guard.
Even so, she quickly regained herposure and began to counterattack.
Swish-swish-swish!
A long-range bombardment ensued.
This time, a barrage of arrows rained down on Seo Ye-in.
The distance between them was close enough that Cha Hyeon-joo couldn¡¯t avoid all the magic bullets, and in the same way, Seo Ye-in wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge all the arrows and would take some damage.
But contrary to this expectation, Seo Ye-in stepped forward with Feather Walk.
In an instant, her eyes shed and she slipped her body through a very narrow gap between the rain of arrows.
She then raised her assault rifle again and fired in rapid session.
Ratatatatatata!
She¡¯s too good.
A one-sided exchange of attacks using bullet time.
Cha Hyeon-joo was hit all over her body by the barrage of magic bullets.
¡°¡¡!¡±
As the cover fire momentarily ceased, I pushed off the ground and widened the distance between myself and Kang Hee-chan.
Kang Hee-chan tried to close the gap immediately, but it wasn¡¯t as easy as he intended.
Whoosh¡ª
A whirlwind bound him in ce.
The wind gathered around him. Itpressed before exploding.
Boom!
¡°Urgh.¡±
Kang Hee-chan staggered on the spot and fell to one knee.
As he took a fewbored breaths and lifted his head, Seo Ye-in stood there; her gun was aimed at him with an indifferent expression on her face.
Ratatatatatatatata!
Kang Hee-chan was rendered incapacitated and was expelled, leaving the space backpack he had been carrying behind.
All the items were probably stored there.
Seo Ye-in and I turned our attention to thest remaining person.
Thud.
Despite being hit by so many magic bullets, Cha Hyeon-joo still managed to keep her wits about her.
She red at me while gritting her teeth.
I had to give her credit for her determination.
I rummaged through Kang Hee-chan¡¯s space bag and pulled out a detector.
¡°Since we won, we¡¯ll be taking this. Thank you.¡±
¡°You son of a bitch. Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get any rest during these midterms. No matter where you are¡ª¡±
Boom!
Compressed air exploded, and Cha Hyeon-joo was sent flying in an arc.
Shended right in the middle of theke next to us.
Ssh¡ª!
Water erupted high into the air.
A momentter, a drenched seaweed-like figure floated to the surface.
Sharp eyes red at us from amidst the seaweed.
She really looked like a vengeful spirit from the water.
Seo Ye-in stared at her nkly for a moment, then,
Ratatatatatata!
She fired her assault rifle at Cha Hyeon-joo again.
¡°Hey, why are you shooting at her?¡±
¡°She said a bad word.¡±
¡°¡Hmm. Bad words aren¡¯t allowed. Shoot a little more.¡±
Ratatatatatata!
Cha Hyeon-joo swam to the opposite shore and narrowly avoided the barrage of magic bullets.
She turned around to re at us again, but when Seo Ye-in aimed her gun at her, she quickly retreated.
We didn¡¯t bother to chase after her.
Kang Hee-chan had been dered incapacitated and wouldn¡¯t be returning for another six hours, plus we had taken all their survival items.
Cha Hyeon-joo would have to face the night in that condition.
Cold, hungry, and sleepy hours awaited her.
Let her suffer a bit.
[Crystal Detector]
[Calorie Bar] x2
The Crystal Detector was an item that allowed us to detect nearby crystals every 12 hours.
Additionally, charged crystals sparkled with a special glow, which was likely why Cha Hyeon-joo had been chasing us so desperately.
We only found two calorie bars again this time, but with the other rations we had from supply boxes, it was enough to fill our stomachs for now.
¡°Still, living on calorie bars for three days straight isn¡¯t very good. Let¡¯s cook something tomorrow; maybe grill some fish.¡±
¡°Sounds good.¡±
Seo Ye-in nodded her head.
We were about to head out to charge Red Crystal No. 2 when,
¡°How much battery do you have left?¡±
¡°Fourteen ¡¡±
The intense battle just now had drained the sloth battery considerably.
There might not be an issue on the way to the sanctuary, but there was a high chance it would run out on the way back.
¡°Let¡¯s call it a day.¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
So, we decided to find a ce to rest.
Near theke, there was a small rocky hill that wasn¡¯t too tall.
If you climbed it halfway and looked carefully between the jagged rocks, there was a gap just big enough for a person to squeeze through.
The gap led to a small, cozy cave.
It seemed like a cave made specifically for resting.
Simr shelters were scattered throughout the ind.
This was also part of the midterm exam, as carefully examining minor details within the dungeon could be beneficial for both obtaining crystals and survival.
For dinner, we had some tree fruits and calorie bars.
As we took bites of the calorie bars outside, the night quickly fell, and the surroundings grew dark.
Weid out two sleeping bags inside and set up an rm trap outside.
Without the trap, we would have had to take turns keeping watch.
We used a charged red crystal for light.
If the light had been yellow, it might have created a bit of a mood, but since it was red, it felt more like a butcher shop.
Nothing I can do about it.
¡°Sleep well.¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
Leaving Seo Ye-in¡¯s response behind, I closed my eyes inside the sleeping bag.
¡°¡¡.¡±
***
Seo Ye-iny in her sleeping bag and stared at the cave ceiling with half-open eyes.
Though sleepiness overwhelmed her, she couldn¡¯t easily fall asleep.
The main reason was the absence of the tiger plushie she had slept with every night.
Now that it was gone, its absence felt even bigger.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Seo Ye-in who had been tossing and turning turned her head and looked at Kim Ho¡¯s face.
He had already fallen into a deep sleep.
As she stared at him, Seo Ye-in suddenly recalled what had happened during the day.
¨C Get on my back. Let¡¯s go down slowly.
¨C Are you a sloth, Kim sloth? Get down. Quickly.
She had ridden on Kim Ho¡¯s back as they descended from the old tree, and for some reason, thefort she felt made her stay on his back a little longer even after they reached the ground.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Seo Ye-in tilted her head for a moment, then as if she had some thought, she dragged her sleeping bag closer to Kim Ho.
Then she gently leaned her head against his sleeping bag.
¡°¡¡..!¡±
Seo Ye-in¡¯s eyes widened slightly.
A sudden sense offort! The word shed through her mind.
Seo Ye-in went ahead and moved her sleeping bag right next to Kim Ho¡¯s before leaning her head against him.
As soon as she closed her eyes like that, she quickly fell into a deep sleep¡
***
TN: That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about!
Chapter 182: 9th Week Midterms (6)
Chapter 182: 9th Week Midterms (6)
I had a dream.
I was lying on the grass and staring nkly at the sky when a gray fluffy cat appeared from somewhere.
For some reason, its sleepy expression felt strangely familiar.
¡°¡¡.¡±
The cat came right up next to me and tapped my head, cheek, and shoulder with its paw.
When I continued to look up at the sky without responding, it hopped onto my chest and curled up into a ball as if it had imed this spot as its own.
I just went along with it and continued to watch the clouds drift by until suddenly I opened my eyes and saw the ceiling of the cave.
It was just a dream after all.
It didn¡¯t seem to carry any special meaning, so I figured it could be dismissed as a silly dream¡ªno, a cat dream.But when I lowered my gaze a bit, I was met with a scene that looked quite simr to my dream.
Seo Ye-in was fast asleep while leaning against my chest.
Her sleeping bag was pressed right up against mine.
¡°What is she doing here?¡±
The cave was spacious yet she hade all the way over here.
I gently shook Seo Ye-in¡¯s sleeping bag.
¡°Hey, Miss Seo. Wake up.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°Miss Seo, it¡¯s morning.¡±
¡°Five minutes¡.¡±
Did she mean she wanted to sleep for just five more minutes?
If I left her like this, it would easily turn into fifty minutes.
I figured I should get up first, so I gentlyid Seo Ye-in who was sleeping against my chest t and carefully moved her sleeping bag to the side.
I had noticed yesterday when I carried her on my back, but she was as light as a feather.
¡°¡¡?¡±
But as soon as she was separated from me, Seo Ye-in¡¯s eyes fluttered open.
She was still half asleep, barely awake, and her eyes were only about 20% open.
In that state, she weakly tugged at me.
¡°Let me sleep a little more¡.¡±
¡°You need to wake up now. Eat.¡±
I took thest remaining fruit and cut it into small pieces before I started feeding her one at a time. She slowly chewed and her eyes opened a bit more; she was now about 40% awake.
When she finally reached about 60% awake, Seo Ye-in sat up and started helping me tidy up our spot.
As we left the cave and walked, each holding a calorie bar, Seo Ye-in asked me a question.
¡°Where are we going?¡±
¡°To resupply.¡±
Just like yesterday, we were moving quickly to secure supplies ahead of others.
We circled around theke and kept walking until we reached our destination.
I looked up at the sky and spoke.
¡°They should be here soon.¡±
¡°Jets.¡±
Whiiirrr¡ª!
As if they were waiting for those words, jets appeared in the sky above the deserted ind.
They circled once in the air and then started scattering supply crates before they went away.
One of the crates that was attached to a parachute was descending right in front of us.
One is guaranteed for sure.
Knowing the time and ce, we could secure at least one crate without any conflict with other participants.
The others were either still asleep or just now scrambling to move after seeing the jets.
This supply crate was smaller, and inside was a crudely carved flute made from an animal skull.
[Goblin Flute]
An item that summons goblins within a certain range when yed.
It was a single-use item but its effect was incredibly powerful.
I put the flute into my space bag and extended my hand to Seo Ye-in.
¡°Let¡¯s go. Time to check out the next crate.¡±
¡°Jump.¡±
Poof!
We quickly moved to the next location while holding hands,
As we ran, we asionally used Wind Force to leap great distances, and soon a supply crate came into view on the horizon.
We slowed down as we approached and stopped at the same time. Both of us said the same thing.
¡°It¡¯s a trap.¡±
¡°Trap.¡±
The lid was closed but there were faint traces around the crate that suggested someone had been there.
Others might have been fooled, but neither I nor Seo Ye-in would miss something like that.
If someone went out of their way to make it look untouched, the chances were high it was a trap.
Seo Ye-in silently pointed to a spot in front of the crate, and I picked up arge stone and tossed it there.
Whoosh!
As soon as the stone hit, vines instantly wrapped around that spot.
It was indeed a trap.
And then the one who burst out from the bushes,
¡°We got you, you punks!¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol appeared with chopstick-like tools in each hand, alongside Go Hyeon-woo who was wielding a golden magic sword.
However, they both hesitated midway when they realized that what had triggered the trap was arge stone and not a person.
They then looked around, and their eyes met with Seo Ye-in¡¯s who was aiming her gun directly at them.
Her magic gun unleashed a barrage of blue mes.
Ratatatatatatata!
¡°Wait, wait! Time out, time out! Let¡¯s settle this through dialogue, through dialogue!¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol turned his back and fled in a hurry.
Go Hyeon-woo quickly took position to protect Shin Byeong-cheol. He was swinging his sword with precision to block the magic bullets.
ng, ng, ng!
The magic bullets shattered and scattered.
Go Hyeon-woo deflected the bullets and sent several sword shes my way, but I dodged them using Wind Force and Storm Cloud.
In the meantime, Go Hyeon-woo also took cover by leaning against a tree.
¡°Haha, to think I¡¯d encounter you both during the midterm exam. I¡¯m not sure if I should consider myself lucky or unlucky.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s call it both. Since we¡¯ve met, why not have a go at it?¡±
¡°I¡¯d love to, but unfortunately, the situation isn¡¯t ideal.¡±
As he said this, Go Hyeon-woo casually revealed his magic sword.
Despite its high durability and auto-repair feature, there was already a crack on the de.
It must have taken damage from deflecting Seo Ye-in¡¯s magic bullets one by one.
If the fight continued like this, there was a good chance the sword would break.
¡°This is the only weapon I have at the moment.¡±
¡°Two items are allowed ording to the rules. That¡¯s a handicap for you. What¡¯s the other one?¡±
¡°I chose the pen that Kim-hyung made for me.¡±
The Durable Pen.
It was an item made bybining the Durable Clip and the Millennium Iron Pen, with an effect that supported weapon durability.
It seemed his n was to use the magic sword carefully without breaking it.
¡°What did you get from the supply crate?¡±
¡°An item called Twin GPS.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo put away the magic sword and pulled out two small handheld devices.
They were GPS devices that allowed them to track each other¡¯s location.
¡°How did you end up with those?¡±
¡°Looks like you already know what they¡¯re for, Kim-hyung.¡±
¡°In simple terms, they¡¯re cooperation items.¡±
More precisely, they were items used for cooperation between different teams.
Though the midterms were primarily conducted in pairs, there was no rule saying a team couldn¡¯t coborate with other teams.
Depending on mutual interests, cooperation was entirely possible, and these Twin GPS devices were used to keep track of each other¡¯s location.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head.
¡°I was wondering why there might be a need for us to split up, and now I see it¡¯s for this purpose.¡±
¡°Pairs should always stick together.¡±
Since you never knew when or where a battle might break out, it was best to maintain at least a pair.
Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol emerged from behind a tree and approached us.
He handed over one of the Twin GPS devices and an unspoken alliance was formed between us.
¡°What about the crystals?¡±
¡°I managed to get one. Early this morning.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol answered as he pulled out a green crystal.
It wasn¡¯t charged.
I showed him our second red crystal and made a proposal.
¡°We can go charge it together. The more people guarding, the better.¡±
¡°Oh, genius.¡±
Yesterday, while I was charging, Seo Ye-in had to fend off all the other teams by herself.
But with a total of four people, three could keep watch while one charged.
It made things much more secure.
So we all headed toward the sanctuary.
A tower stood tall like a lighthouse.
It was about four stories high which was slightly taller than the windmill.
I pointed to the top and asked Seo Ye-in.
¡°How about that? Is it too high?¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±
This height seemed manageable.
Using Wind Force, I lifted her up to the roof of the tower where she took her position and hid.
Next, I gave Shin Byeong-cheol a nod.
¡°You go ahead and charge. We¡¯ll stand guard.¡±
¡°Ah, thank you. I¡¯ll take you up on that.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol immediately dashed into the tower.
I could hear him climbing the stairs with some effort,
Wiiiiiiing¡ª
A strong light began to radiate from the top of the tower.
Someone was charging the crystal which meant enemies would soon swarm from all directions.
Go Hyeon-woo and I hid along the path they were likely to take and waited in ambush.
The first to arrive were a male and female pair. The male student was a heavily armored warrior and the female student was a healer.
Judging by how cautiously they approached the tower, they seemed to have experienced situations like this before.
Just as they suspected, a blue light shed from the top of the tower,
¡°Hup!¡±
Thud!
The armored warrior raised his shield to block the iing sniper shot.
Though the impact made him stagger for a moment, he quickly regained hisposure as if nothing had happened.
He probably wanted to impress the healer girl.
¡°Only one shooter. Let¡¯s go take him out.¡±
sh!
However, it was the female student who was taken out first.
Go Hyeon-woo who had been lying in wait swiftly cut her down.
She copsed to the ground and was immediately ejected from the dungeon.
¡°There were two more.¡±
¡°This¡ This can¡¯t be¡!¡±
Whoooosh¡ª
A whirlwind gathered around the stunned armored male student.
Reflexively, he raised his shield and activated a defensive skill.
His entire body was enveloped in blue mana, which further reinforced his defense.
He had a decent reaction speed, and his skill level seemed to be somewhere between D and C rank.
But that won¡¯t be enough.
Bang!
¡°Ugh!¡±
When thepressed air exploded, the armored warrior¡¯s back bent like a shrimp.
He looked at me with eyes full of disbelief, as if questioning how I had so easily prated his defense.
How could he possibly know?
That this seemingly simple wind magic had a ¡°defense piercing¡± effect attached to it.
Mediocre defensive measures were effortlessly pierced and dealt damage just like this.
As he exposed a clear opening, Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s magic sword shed through the air.
sh!
Both of them became incapacitated and vanished, leaving nothing behind.
They must not have had any items at all.
Not even a calorie bar.
I exchanged nces with Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°Let¡¯s wee our next guests.¡±
¡°Ambushes do have their own charm.¡±
While we were hiding in the bushes and waiting, our next guests arrived.
Two male students.
Their faces practically announced, ¡°We are warriors,¡± and each one of them held a sword in hand.
They approached cautiously just like the others, but the difference was they quickly realized the ambush.
They stared at the bushes where we were hiding and immediately sent a sword energy sh our way.
sh!
We had no choice but to dodge and emerge from the bushes.
One of the warriors looked at me and his gaze grew intense.
¡°Kim Ho from ss 3.¡±
¡°Do you know me?¡±
I didn¡¯t know him though.
A smile as intense as his gaze spread across his face.
¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you, and here we meet in a ce like this.¡±
¡°Why were you looking for me?¡±
He only smiled without answering.
Then four more warriors appeared behind him.
Seeing that each one was armed with a sword, I could guess.
¡°You must be from the swordsmanship club.¡±
Chapter 183: 9th Week Midterms (7)
Chapter 183: 9th Week Midterms (7)
My conflict with the swordsmanship club was resolved when I promised to get them another piece of the treasure map.
Meanwhile, there were still those who continued to show hostility towards me, particrly the faction that Mak Dae-wong belonged to. It was known as the ck Faction.
They tried to subdue me using the promising assassins called Jang Sam and Wang Pil¡ªalso known as Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam¡ªbut due to the timely intervention of the disciplinarymittee, they failed to achieve their goal.
Just like Jang Moo-geuk had warned the day before the midterms, they were now trying to take me out by sending swordsmen after me.
I hadn¡¯t expected to run into them so soon on the morning of the second day, but sooner orter, it was bound to happen.
I asked the leader of the swordsmen.
¡°So what¡¯s your name?¡±
¡°Sa Gong-wook.¡±
¡°406 (Sa Baek-yuk)? Sounds like a hotel room number.¡±¡°It¡¯s Wook, not Yuk.¡±
¡°I see.¡±
Sa Gong-wook red at me for a moment, then he turned his attention to Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°Go Hyeon-woo, I¡¯ve heard plenty about your impressive sword skills, but if you interfere with the swordsmanship club¡¯s affairs, you won¡¯t escape unscathed either. Stand down.¡±
¡°I¡¯m just grateful you think so highly of me.¡±
¡°But it seems you haven¡¯t heard this particr rumor. Here, Kim-hyung is the first close friend I acknowledged. If such a friend is getting caught up in trouble, I can¡¯t just stand by and do nothing, even if the opponent is the swordsmanship club.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo smiled slightly.
¡°Are you really willing to take such a risk? How foolish.¡±
¡°I hear that a lot. Miss Han even called me a ¡®foolish idiot¡¯.¡±
What on earth did you do to make Han So-mi call you that?
Curiosity bubbled up inside me, but now wasn¡¯t the time to ask.
I directed another question at Sa Gong-wook.
¡°But are you guys confident?¡±
What I meant was that if Jang Moo-geuk who was a promising student and Wang Cheon-sam who was at about 0.8 of that level couldn¡¯t do anything to me even when they teamed up, what makes you think you can?
Sa Gong-wook scoffed and replied.
¡°That¡¯s not something you need to worry about. There are six of us here.¡±
He had reason to be confident; all six of the swordsmen had quite decent skills.
Sa Gong-wook and one other seemed to be in the 900-point range, while the rest were likely above 600.
Of course, that¡¯s probably why Mak Dae-wong sent them instead of the two assassins again.
Bang! Bang!
Gunshots continued to ring out from the direction of the tower.
In addition to the six swordsmen in front of me, there were many other teams approaching the tower, so Seo Ye-in had to hold them off alone.
This meant we couldn¡¯t rely on her concentrated support and had to finish the battle quickly if we wanted to defend the tower.
I guess I¡¯ll have to show what I can do here.
I raised my hand and pointed sharply at the two swordsmen positioned in the back.
¡°You two.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
¡°You¡¯re too close.¡±
¡°What do you¡ª¡±
Whoosh¡ª
A whirlwind suddenly formed between the two swordsmen and pulled them together.
They were flustered by the sudden whirlwind and tried their best to escape, but their bodies were being pulled and twisted, making it difficult for them to even stand upright.
Then just as they tangled together, thepressed air exploded.
Booom!
¡°Ugh.¡±
¡°Argh.¡±
One copsed to the ground and started groaning, while the other fell to his knees. Both of them were in a groggy state.
So much for not being outnumbered with six men.
I looked at Sa Gong-wook and grinned.
¡°Now there are four, huh?¡±
¡°¡¡Attack!¡±
Led by Sa Gong-wook, the swordsmen charged at once.
However, as soon as they reached me, they were forced to hastily retreat.
Whoosh¡ª
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s Clear Stream swept past in front of me.
At that moment, I pointed at the third swordsman with my hand, and a whirlwind began to gather around him.
Whoosh¡ª
¡°Ugh¡!¡±
He struggled to break free, but it was a futile effort.
Even Dang Gyu-young who was a third-year could barely move under its influence, so there was no way a first-year could escape.
Boom!
¡°Argh.¡±
He too copsed halfway to the ground and started groaning like the two before him.
ng! ng! ng!
Go Hyeon-woo protected me from the three remaining swordsmen. He focused solely on blocking and deflecting their strikes with a mix of swift counterattacks.
Though the opponents were strong and he seemed slightly strained, he was holding his ground.
Meanwhile, Sa Gong-wook¡¯s face showed clear signs of shock.
¡°What the hell is with these guys¡?¡±
The ¡°guys¡± he was baffled by weren¡¯t us, but rather the swordsmen writhing on the ground.
All that happened was a burst of wind, yet they were all iling and unable to regain their senses.
The exaggerated reactionspared to the simple effect created a sense of dissonance in Sa Gong-wook¡¯s mind.
He likely couldn¡¯t understand why none of them could escape the whirlwind.
My answer to that unspoken question was simple.
¡°You¡¯ll know once you get hit.¡±
The three prerequisite skills for the Spiral Explosion.
When viewed one by one, the strengths and weaknesses of these prerequisite skills were clear, but whenbined, theyplemented each other¡¯s weaknesses almost perfectly.
The One Point Explosion had the advantage of high flexibility but suffered from a narrow range and insufficient destructive power; however, whenbined with the explosion of the Air Burst, it covered both range and destructive power.
Air Burst was a projectile magic so its uracy was low, but when you added the flexibility of One Point Explosion and used Twister to immobilize the enemy, it became harder to miss than to hit.
This created a skill that was difficult for the opponent to predict, evade, and almost impossible to block due to its defense-piercing effect. This was Spiral Explosion.
The destructive power of a C-rank Spiral Explosion was enough to tear apart the iron dummies in the training room in an instant.
It could prate through all the various defensive gear worn by Dragon yer Academy students and deal damage.
To put that damage into perspective for an ordinary person, it was akin to the impact of being kicked in the chest or abdomen with full force.
Boom!
¡°Ugh¡.¡±
So it was only natural that those hit by the Spiral Explosion were left disoriented.
¡°Only two left now, huh?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Before they knew it, only Sa Gong-wook and that one swordsman with a score in the 900s remained.
The confidence they had at the beginning was nowhere to be found. Now they opted for a serious demeanor.
Without a word, the two of them began to raise their internal energy to the maximum.
Each one of them was preparing to unleash their ultimate technique.
¡°Not going to happen.¡±
I wasted no time and pointed my root directly at Sa Gong-wook.
He was about to unleash his technique but quickly dodged instead.
As expected, his reflexes were worthy of someone with a score in the 900s.
However,
¡°¡ªThat was just a fake.¡±
Whirrr¡ª
The target of the swirling wind wasn¡¯t Sa Gong-wook whom I had pointed at, but the other swordsman with a score in the 900s.
Since Spiral Explosion inherited the properties of One Point Explosion, I could cast it in any direction within my perception, whether it was front, back, left, or right.
Sa Gong-wook who didn¡¯t know this had fallen for my fake move.
Boom!
Even though thepressed wind exploded, the swordsman with a score in the 900-point range didn¡¯t fall and managed to withstand it.
It was as if he was saying, ¡°I¡¯m different from those with a score in the 600-point range.¡±
But that was all he had.
Bang!
Seo Ye-in¡¯s shot struck his head and he was knocked back. He was eventually ejected from the dungeon.
¡°Damn¡!¡±
It was only then that Sa Gong-wook realized he had been tricked and his face turned bright red with anger.
But before he could even express his fury, Go Hyeon-woo charged at him with his sword.
I watched as the two of them exchanged strikes and then,
Booom!
I detonated a well-timed Spiral Explosion.
¡°Ugh¡.¡±
¡°Hurts, doesn¡¯t it? Now that you¡¯ve been hit.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Sa Gong-wook was rendered speechless by the overwhelming pain.
He red at me with bloodshot eyes as if he wanted to kill me.
I shrugged my shoulders and casually waved at him.
¡°Send my regards to Senior Mak Dae-wong.¡±
sh!
He was struck by Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s sword and disappeared after being deemed unable to continue fighting.
All that remained in the spot where the six swordsmen had fallen were two crystals.
I handed one of them to Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°We can each take one.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure I deserve it. I didn¡¯t do much this time.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t do much? You held them off, didn¡¯t you?¡±
If Go Hyeon-woo hadn¡¯t stood firm as a wall in front of me, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to unleash Spiral Explosions as freely as I did.
And we couldn¡¯t overlook the fact that Shin Byeong-cheol handled the crystal charging.
Thanks to him, the three of us were able to focus entirely on defense.
If it had been just Seo Ye-in and me facing the six swordsmen, we would have struggled much more.
¡°So, it¡¯s only right for each team to take one.¡±
¡°Hmm, if you put it that way, I¡¯ll dly ept.¡±
¡°Are you done, hyungs?¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol who arrived just in time chimed into the conversation.
In his hand was a green crystal that had just finished charging.
When we showed him the spoils we had just obtained, Shin Byeong-cheol grinned from ear to ear.
¡°An extra crystal for each of us.¡±
¡°Oh my~! You guys are the best. Is it really okay for me to just ride along like this?¡±
¡°Your role is important too.¡±
I took the charged crystals from Shin Byeong-cheol and handed him the ones that needed charging.
¡°Go ahead and charge these.¡±
¡°Oh my, of course, I¡¯ll handle it. Leave it to me.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol took the crystals while bowing repeatedly.
Since his fighting power was far below mine or Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s, it made more sense for him to keep charging our crystals rather than switching out. It was easier on him too.
Shin Byeong-cheol quickly darted back into the tower,
Bang! Bang!
From the top of the tower, Seo Ye-in was still taking sniper shots here and there.
Go Hyeon-woo and I also rushed to assist with the defense.
***
After finishing the crystal charges, we took a break and tallied our resources a short distance from the sanctuary.
As a result, Seo Ye-in and I ended up with three crystals.
While Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol had two crystals.
?Crystals
[Red Crystal 100%]
[Blue Crystal 100%]
[Green Crystal 100%]
Red Crystal No. 2 was exchanged for a Green Crystal.
And we took a blue crystal from Sa Gong-wook and charged it as well.
Now, we just needed to find a yellow one toplete the midterm¡¯s side quest.
Of course, the more crystals we could gather, the better, so we nned to collect as many as possible.
I suggested to Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol,
¡°Let¡¯s split up here.¡±
¡°I agree; it seems like the best approach.¡±
It was more efficient to search for crystals in pairs rather than all four of us moving together.
While ourbined strength would be greater, the crystals we found would have to be split between the two teams.
So we agreed to meet up again after resupplying tomorrow.
Since we could track each other¡¯s locations using the twin GPS, meeting again wouldn¡¯t be difficult.
¡°Before we go, there¡¯s one more thing.¡±
I pulled out the crystal detector that I had taken from Cha Hyeon-joo yesterday. It was an item that disyed the location of the nearest crystals.
The cooldown time for reuse was 12 hours.
When I activated the detector, three diamond-shaped icons appeared around us.
The three icons pointed in different directions, so I decided to leave the decision to the lucky charm.
¡°Choose one.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in stared intently at the detector before slowly raising her hand to point in one direction.
I nodded my head and turned to Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol.
¡°We¡¯ll head to the ce Lucky Charm-nim chose.¡±
¡°Then we¡¯ll try the other direction. Good luck to you.¡±
Chapter 184: 9th Week Midterms (8)
Chapter 184: 9th Week Midterms (8)
As we continued walking in the direction chosen by Lucky Charm, we eventually encountered a group of goblins.
We had run into and taken down goblins several times on the first day, but today, there was a noticeable difference.
¡°Grrrr¡¡±
¡°Grrrr¡¡±
Two Beheader Goblins were mixed in with the group.
The midterm exam¡¯s deserted ind kept throwing stronger monsters at us as the days went on.
Stronger monsters appeared on the second daypared to the first, and even stronger ones showed up on the third day.
This was intended to elerate the participants¡¯ collection of crystals.
¡°Graaaah¡ª!¡±One of the Beheader Goblins let out a roar and hurled a cleaver from its hand.
I knocked the spinning cleaver aside with a flick of my wrist, and Seo Ye-in immediately aimed her assault rifle at the creature.
Ratatatatatata!
¡°Grrk. Gack. Gahk.¡±
Every single one of the dozens of magic bullets mmed into the creature.
The Beheader Goblin copsed to the ground without putting up much of a fight.
I nced over at Seo Ye-in.
She really has improved a lot.
The first time we faced a Beheader Goblin in the Timed Attack strategy battle, it took five sniper rifle shots just to bring it down.
But now, just a burst from the assault rifle was enough.
That was the power of C-rank [Magic Bullets] and [Ejection].
The fate of the second Beheader Goblin wasn¡¯t much different.
Ratatatata!
¡°Grrrk. Grrrk. Gahk.¡±
It swung its cleaver wildly through the air and tried desperately to deflect the magic bullets, but it was like trying to block the sun with your hand.
More bullets hit the monster than it could deflect, and it eventually couldn¡¯t hold out any longer and copsed.
¡°Keruk?¡±
¡°Kekek?¡±
The other goblins who now had lost their focal point so quickly after the battle started were inplete disarray.
A whirlwind swept them up. It gathered them together like rice balls,
Boom!
And then exploded.
The area was soon cleared.
Seo Ye-in walked forward before picking up the crystals that had fallen to the ground.
One red crystal in one hand, one green crystal in the other.
¡°Two of them dropped.¡±
¡°What? Why do you keep cheating like this?¡±
In truth, the crystal drop rate for Beheader Goblins wasn¡¯t very high.
It usually hovered between 5% and 10%.
Yet, two crystals dropped in session.
Although it was less shocking than the one that dropped from the ordinary goblin yesterday, it was still a ridiculous oue.
¡°¡¡?¡±
As I stared intently at her, Seo Ye-in tilted her head slightly to the side.
I can¡¯t quite grasp what this trait is.
It was almost certain that Seo Ye-in possessed a luck-type trait.
I had conducted several experiments to identify it, but aside from the fact that it worked on a rechargeable basis, I couldn¡¯t narrow it down.
I wonder if there was a luck trait that was so powerful, had such a wide application from random boxes to monster drops, and had such a high activation rate.
For something so strong, it didn¡¯t seem to have any restrictions.
It might be a unique trait.
There was a good chance it was a trait I had never encountered before.
For the time being, all I knew was that it existed which left many unknowns, including the mysterious EX-rank.
I decided to keep observing it for the time being.
Having obtained two crystals already, there was no need to debate the next destination.
¡°Should we go charge?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
After visiting the sanctuary, it seemed we could wrap up today¡¯s schedule.
The nearest sanctuary from our current location was the mill.
It was the same ce where we had recharged the crystals yesterday.
So, Seo Ye-in and I leisurely walked toward the mill.
Fzzzzzzzt,
Boom!
From the direction of the mill, the sound of lightning and explosive sts echoed.
Since it meant a battle was underway, we slowed our pace further and carefully scanned our surroundings as we advanced.
Before long, the mill and the general situation came into view.
¡°What a mess.¡±
At the mill, someone was continuously charging crystals with bright shes of light, while several teams were frantically tangled in a chaotic skirmish nearby.
Fzzzzzt, bang!
As expected, the source of the lightning was Song Cheon-hye.
When she joined forces with Han So-mi, they seemed to be not only holding their ground against thebined attack of two or three teams but actually overwhelming them.
I quickly came to a conclusion as I watched them.
¡°Well, we¡¯ve done all the charging we can today.¡±
There were at least five or six teams visible, and counting those hidden by the forest, there were easily over ten.
In this situation, charging into the heart of the battle could result in a concentrated attack and losing everything.
Seo Ye-in who had been quietly watching the situation asked me,
¡°Give up?¡±
¡°We¡¯ll have to. Instead,¡±
It felt too disappointing to just retreat, so we needed to gain something else here.
I lightly tapped Seo Ye-in¡¯s shoulder and pointed somewhere.
At the end of my gesture was another team approaching the mill.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in stared at them for a moment. She then realized my intention and gave a small nod.
She switched her magic gun to sniper mode.
The long barrel followed their movements slowly before emitting a blue me.
Bang¡ª!
¡°Ugh!¡±
A male student was struck squarely in the temple by the shot and copsed.
The teammate who was walking next to him was startled and ran away.
He couldn¡¯t even pick up the space bag that fell on the ground.
No need to chase him down.
After all, our target from the start had been the items.
Upon checking the bag on the ground, I found an uncharged red crystal inside.
For some reason, red crystals seemed toe up often.
There was also a sleeping bag inside, and though it didn¡¯t seem particrly useful, I decided it was better to have it than not so I took it.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in found her next target and pulled the rifle¡¯s trigger.
Bang!
¡°Geh!¡±
The second victim who was a female student copsed with a sound like a frog being squashed.
However, the space bag was still in the hands of her male teammate.
¡°W-What the hell!¡±
He looked at us in panic, but by then, I was already rushing toward him at an incredible speed.
Whoosh¡ª
He tried to back away to widen the distance, but he was held in ce by Wind Force and couldn¡¯t move.
I struck the top of his head with Root using all my strength.
ng!
The light faded from his eyes as he crumpled to the ground.
Left in his ce was a single yellow crystal.
And it was fully charged.
I waved the yellow crystal toward Seo Ye-in.
¡°We¡¯ve got them all.¡±
p, p, p¡ª
?Crystals
Red 100% x1
Blue 100% x1
Green 100% x1
Yellow 100% x1
Red 0% x2
Green 0% x1
Ipleted a full set with the highest achievement in the midterm quest and even managed to collect three extras.
This was more than enough for today¡¯s quota.
¡°Let¡¯s start heading out.¡±
¡°Dinner?¡±
¡°Of course. How about grilled fish for dinner?¡±
¡°Fish sounds good.¡±
Fzzzzzt! Boom, boom!
When I checked the mill again, the battle had be even more intense.
The number of visible teams had increased from five or six to over ten, and thebat radius had expanded to nearly double.
Meanwhile, we could hear a familiar sound of piercing air from somewhere.
Swish-swish-swish!
It was Cha Hyeon-joo and Kang Hee-chan.
They had taken a position a bit away from the mill, with Cha Hyeon-joo firing arrows and Kang Hee-chan holding off the approaching enemies.
I exchanged nces with Seo Ye-in.
¡°We can¡¯t just leave them like that, can we?¡±
¡°She said something bad.¡±
[Activated ¡®Amplification¡¯.]
[The rank of ¡®Ejection¡¯ has increased. (C->A)]
Seo Ye-in¡¯s Ejection skill was amplified to an A-rank and she quickly demonstrated its new power.
Baaang¡ª!
The blue beam of light that shot out from the muzzle of Seo Ye-in¡¯s gun seemed to connect with Kang Hee-chan¡¯s abdomen,
Boom¡ª!
Kang Hee-chan was sent flying and bounced across the ground like a leaf caught in the wind or a skipping stone on water.
Truly a work of art.
I¡¯d give it a 12 out of 10.
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo who had just witnessed Kang Hee-chan¡¯s dramatic fall with her eyes wide in shock, quickly snapped her head in the direction of the sniper.
And as soon as she spotted me, her face twisted in fury.
¡°Kim¡ªHo¡ª!¡±
¡°Hello again. And goodbye.¡±
I waved cheerfully, then grabbed Seo Ye-in¡¯s hand and started running in the opposite direction.
There was no need for us to take her down ourselves.
Because,
Fzzzzzzt,
Song Cheon-hye and Han So-mi had already approached and blocked her path.
With Cha Hyeon-joo being a promising student who kept firing arrows, they probably found her more annoying than the others and wanted to take her out first.
¡°Get¡ªback¡ªhere¡ª!¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo screamed at the top of her lungs from behind us, but we paid no attention and kicked off the ground using Wind Force.
¡°Jump.¡±
¡°Jump.¡±
Bang!
***
There were plenty of ces to rest if we looked around.
Nevertheless, Seo Ye-in and I returned to the rocky hill where we had rested the night before. This was mainly because there was ake nearby.
More precisely, it was convenient for catching dinner.
I stood by thekeside and spoke up.
¡°Then let¡¯s catch some fish.¡±
¡°Fishing?¡±
¡°There¡¯s an easier and faster way.¡±
I pointed at theke with Root.
A faint whirlpool appeared on the surface, and then a deep thudding sound echoed from the depths of theke.
I had cast Spiral Explosion.
Momentster, dozens of fish as big as my forearm floated to the surface with their bellies up.
All we had to do was happily scoop them out.
This was a forbidden explosive fishing method that could only be used in an artificial dungeon.
Back at the rocky hill, I skillfully cleaned the fish with a knife, removed their guts, and skewered them one by one on branches.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in had gone into the forest and returned with an armful of dry branches.
¡°You picked ones that are perfect for starting a fire.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°Now all that¡¯s left is to light the fire¡¡±
Unfortunately, among all the survival items, there wasn¡¯t a single one for starting a fire.
If only we had a lighter, a simple flick of the finger would have solved the problem.
With no other choice, I had to make a makeshift flint and start rubbing it diligently.
Just as I was about to begin my battle with frictional heat,
¡ªa sharp sound whizzed past my ear, and Seo Ye-in and I simultaneously focused on the same spot.
The rm trap we had set nearby had been triggered.
This meant someone was approaching, so we quickly stood up and got ready.
¡°Of all times, they had to mess with us right before dinner. Let¡¯s deal with this quickly and then eat.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s deal with this.¡±
We descended the rocky hill and swiftly moved toward the intruder¡¯s location.
Surprisingly, the intruder remained stationary, and I could sense the flow of mana which meant they were casting a spell.
They must have realized that they had triggered the rm trap; so they must have decided to make a stand on the spot.
Knowing that time was against us, I sped up and soon the intruder came into view.
¡°¡¡!¡±
It was Hong Yeon-hwa who was just about to activate a series of Fire Pir magic circles.
Our eyes met, and her eyes widened in surprise before she hastily canceled her spells. Like a child caught doing something naughty.
Perfect timing.
A ¡°campfire¡± had walked right up to us.
Chapter 185: 9th Week Midterms (9)
Chapter 185: 9th Week Midterms (9)
Hong Yeon-hwa walked along slowly. She was all by herself.
Baek Jun-seok had been rendered incapacitated and was forced out of the dungeon.
Unfortunately, they encountered two teams at once and had to fight in a two-versus-four battle.
Though Baek Jun-seok was a skilled sword and shield warrior with considerable defensive skills, he couldn¡¯t withstand the concentrated attacks from all four opponents and eventually fell.
In return, Hong Yeon-hwa wiped out all the enemies with overwhelming firepower, so in the end, it was a decisive victory.
The crystals and survival items they took from the enemies were quite worthwhile as well.
However, the real problem came after.
Any participant expelled from the midterm dungeon had to wait six hours before entering again.
And now, darkness was already settling in around her.In other words, she would have to endure the night alone.
There goes my sleep for tonight¡
Yesterday, she and Baek Jun-seok had taken turns standing watch, but now that she was alone, it seemed she¡¯d have to stay awake through the night.
If she happened to fall asleep and got ambushed, she wouldn¡¯t have even the slightest chance of survival.
Still, at the very least, it would have been nice to find somewherefortable to sit or lean against.
That was why Hong Yeon-hwa kept wandering aimlessly even as the night deepened.
¡°!!¡±
Rustle.
The sound of leaves being stepped on echoed from not far away.
Hong Yeon-hwa tensed up and gripped her staff tightly.
She immediately began chanting a spell and got ready to unleash a fireball at any moment.
¡°!!¡±
The sound of leaves rustling came again from a short distance away.
Rustle.
And she saw a squirrel climbing up a tree.
When she saw this, Hong Yeon-hwa let out a deep sigh before she canceled her spell as a wave of exhaustion washed over her.
She felt pitiful and let out a deep sigh.
What a mess I¡¯m in.
To actually get startled by nothing more than a squirrel¡¯s noise.
The fatigue and hunger creeping in only added to her sense of dejection.
As she trudged along again, Hong Yeon-hwa suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Ah.
She felt as if she had brushed against something magical.
It seemed to be some kind of rm spell.
Hong Yeon-hwa immediately turned to flee but she hesitated.
It¡¯s already toote.
The presence approaching from the other side was moving much faster than she had anticipated.
In that case, rather than being caught while trying to escape, it would be slightly more advantageous to prepare herself and face the opponent.
Hong Yeon-hwa immediately began casting a spell.
Several red magic circles appeared on the ground.
Her n was to activate them all at once as soon as the enemy revealed themselves.
However, when she actually saw who it was, Hong Yeon-hwa froze like a statue.
¡°¡¡¡±
Kim Ho stood silently there as he stared at her.
Hong Yeon-hwamented her misfortune.
Why always me¡?
If it had been anyone else, she would have at least tried to resist, but why did it have to be that monstrous man?
Now, her fate was entirely in Kim Ho¡¯s hands.
Kim Ho averted his gaze from Hong Yeon-hwa and carefully scanned the surroundings before asking.
¡°Where is Baek Jun-seok?¡±
¡°He¡¯s gone¡¡±
He must have understood what ¡°gone¡± meant.
Hong Yeon-hwa decided to ask a simr question.
¡°Um¡ what about Seo Ye-in¡?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Kim Ho turned his head over his shoulder without answering.
Then the space flickered at the end of his gaze and Seo Ye-in appeared.
She had been hiding with the help of an invisible ghillie suit.
Her indifferent gray eyes and the rifle in her hand were aimed directly at Hong Yeon-hwa.
At this point, Hong Yeon-hwa resigned herselfpletely.
She realized that running away or resisting was pointless.
¡°¡¡¡±
Kim Ho looked at her and slowly gestured with his hand.
It seemed like he was telling her toe closer, so Hong Yeon-hwa cautiously and hesitantly approached him.
¡°H-Here¡¡±
With trembling hands, she pulled out a crystal and held it out.
It was her way of offering it in exchange for her safety. She was hoping they¡¯d let her go unharmed with that.
¡°¡¡¡±
However, after looking down at her for a few seconds, Kim Ho turned his back and began to walk ahead.
¡°Follow me.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa blinked with the crystal in her hands.
He¡¯s not¡ doing anything?
He¡¯s not even taking the crystal?
And now he¡¯s telling me to follow him.
He probably meant that he would let her rest with him.
Hong Yeon-hwa felt tears welling up in her eyes.
How kind¡!
Even with his absolute advantage, he was offering her kindness first.
Hong Yeon-hwa who was moved by this also felt a twinge of guilt.
Kim Ho was treating her so well, yet she had been harboring preconceived notions and avoiding him halfway.
She resolved to try being a bit more friendly toward him.
¡ªBut that resolve didn¡¯tst long.
The ce where Hong Yeon-hwa arrived after following Kim Ho was in front of a pile of branches stacked like a mountain.
It was obvious that they had been gathered to start a campfire.
Kim Ho pointed to them and spoke.
¡°Start the fire.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa blinked her eyes nkly
She was so taken aback that she couldn¡¯t even speak.
As a direct descendant of the Ruby Magic Tower and the precious gem of the Hong family, she had always been pampered and revered by others.
She had never been treated like some kind of lighter before.
Her suppressed rebellion began to rise.
She needed to make it clear right now.
You may have extended kindness first, and I intend to help as much as I can.
But I am not a tool¡ªI am a person!
You cannot treat me so carelessly like that!
Just as Hong Yeon-hwa was about to open her mouth after perfectly rehearsing her argument, Kim Ho¡¯s eyes shed.
¡°Fire.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Whoosh!
A short whileter, Hong Yeon-hwa found herself diligently tending to the campfire.
I¡¯ll protest¡ter.
Was there really a need to do it right now?
There would be plenty of opportunitiester, wouldn¡¯t there?
Now that she thought about it, was it really something worth getting so worked up over?
Hong Yeon-hwa quickly rationalized her decision.
Then when Kim Ho handed her a perfectly grilled fish, even the small bit of resentment she had left vanishedpletely.
Hong Yeon-hwa thought to herself while nibbling on the grilled fish, ¡®
This is delicious.
***
With just a casual flick of her staff, Hong Yeon-hwa ignited the campfire and even adjusted the mes to the perfect intensity for grilling the fish.
Soon, the fish¡ªeach about the size of a forearm¡ªwere perfectly cooked to a golden brown, and we each took a skewer and started eating.
As expected, half the battle in cooking is the ingredients.
With ingredients this good, it was impossible for the food not to taste great.
As proof, Hong Yeon-hwa was showing an intense focus on the grilled fish as if she hadn¡¯t eaten in days, and Seo Ye-in was nibbling at a much faster pace than usual.
After finishing our meal, we sat across from each other by the campfire and began to talk.
Naturally, the topic was the status of the midterm exam.
¡°Crystals?¡±
¡°Right now¡ I got about this much ¡¡±
In response to my question, Hong Yeon-hwa showed me all the crystals she had.
The blue and yellow ones were fully charged, while there were two more blue crystals that were not glowing yet.
These are almost all just blue.
When I silently looked down at them, Hong Yeon-hwa noticed my reaction and hesitantly pushed the crystals a little closer to me.
¡°Here¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m not asking for them.¡±
I raised my hand to stop her.
She kept trying to give me things, which made me feel like I wasing across as the bad guy.
Instead, I pulled out my uncharged red and green crystals.
¡°Here, let¡¯s trade.¡±
¡°R-Really¡?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.
By exchanging and charging my crystals, she couldplete a set neatly.
I nodded my head casually.
¡°We¡¯ve already finished, so whatever we get now will just be duplicates.¡±
¡°T-Then¡ thank you.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa who was now beaming quickly exchanged the crystals.
For me, it wasn¡¯t a gain or a loss, but for Hong Yeon-hwa who could now pick and choose her desired colors the gratitude she felt was far greater.
It wouldn¡¯t hurt to treat her well.
After all, the Ruby Magic Tower would repay the favor.
¨C Unnie says thank you and she asked if you could stop by the clubroom whenever you have time¡
Just because I helped her get good scores during the mentoring week, they asked me to stop by the club.
With people who don¡¯t forget their gratitude like this, they¡¯ll surely express their thanks for the help given during the midterm exams as well.
I made another suggestion to Hong Yeon-hwa.
¡°Let¡¯s stick together tomorrow. There are two more people besides us.¡±
¡°Six of us?¡±
¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve probably noticed too.¡±
On the first day, almost everyone moved around in pairs, but on the second day, you could see teams moving in groups of four and even as many as six.
Originally, moving in a single team was intended to make the crystal hunt more efficient.
However, on the second day, the quantity and quality of monsters had increased and gathering crystals had be rtively easier.
¡°But now, there¡¯spetition for charging.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
For example, thest stop today was at the mill where the fiercepetition turned the ce into utter chaos.
It wasn¡¯t about charging crystals anymore; it was about being lucky if you didn¡¯t get yours taken.
Hong Yeon-hwa herself had faced a four-man team today and had fought her way through while Baek Jun-seok got ejected.
And tomorrow, thepetition was expected to be even more intense.
As stronger monsters appear, the crystal drop rate will also increase.
So, to charge the crystals safely and protect them securely, it was good to move in groups of six.
Hong Yeon-hwa nodded her head in agreement.
¡°Alright. I¡¯ll talk to Baek Jun-seok about it.¡±
¡°When is heing back?¡±
¡°Hmm¡ probably in about five hours¡?¡±
¡°Okay, let me know when he arrives.¡±
Suddenly, I nced over at Seo Ye-in who was dozing off by the campfire.
The night had grownte, so we decided it was time to go inside and rest.
When we were tidying up the area, Hong Yeon-hwa spoke cautiously.
¡°Um¡ I can take the watch.¡±
¡°Thanks for offering, but there¡¯s no need.¡±
I gestured toward the forest.
¡°There¡¯s an rm trap set up. The one you stepped on earlier.¡±
¡°Oh¡!¡±
¡°So just get some rest. We even have an extra sleeping bag.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
When I handed her the sleeping bag, Hong Yeon-hwa looked like she was on the verge of tears.
She had volunteered to take the night watch, but now that she could restfortably and even had a sleeping bag provided, she seemed deeply moved.
After we finished tidying up, we headed toward the cave nestled between the rocky hills.
Hong Yeon-hwa who was amazed by how well the entrance was concealed kept looking around curiously until she noticed the darkness inside the cave and began murmuring a spell.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, several sparks the size of fireflies began to float in the air and move around.
Despite their small size, the sparks of fire filled the cave with aforting warmth, and the light they cast was neither too dim nor too bright which created a cozy atmosphere.
Compared to the butcher shop vibe created by the red crystals yesterday, this was apletely different scene.
After setting the fireflies aloft, Hong Yeon-hwaid out her sleeping bag with an expression that suggested she still couldn¡¯t believe her good fortune.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in clutched her sleeping bag and scooted closer to me before staring up at me intently.
I had to ask.
¡°Why are youing so close?¡±
¡°Sleep with me.¡±
¡°??????¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s gaze darted around. Her eyes couldn¡¯t find a ce to settle.
Chapter 186: 9th Week Midterms (10)
Chapter 186: 9th Week Midterms (10)
Seo Ye-in had a habit of cutting to the chase and only throwing out key words, so this wasn¡¯t the first time.
So I calmly asked her again.
¡°You want to sleep together?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°Come to think of it, we slept close togetherst night too.¡±
¡°I sleep better that way.¡±
Based on Seo Ye-in¡¯s words, this is what she meant:
Since I sleep better when I¡¯m close to you, I want to sleep close again tonight.
Seo Ye-in moved a little closer and added one more thing.¡°Take responsibility.¡±
¡°Responsibility? What responsibility?¡±
¡°The tiger plushie.¡±
Meaning: You left the tiger plushie behind for too long, and without it, I¡¯m not sleeping well.
So tonight, take responsibility and be the tiger plushie.
Fair enough.
Bringing in the invisible ghillie suit instead of the tiger plushie for the midterms was a highly efficiency-focused decision, and indeed, the invisible ghillie suit was put to good use over the course of two days.
However, it was also true that this sloth didn¡¯t sleep well because of that, and I had some responsibility for that too.
So I decided to ept Seo Ye-in¡¯s request.
¡°Just this once. And don¡¯t climb on top of me. It gets a bit stuffy.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in nodded her head slightly, then pressed her sleeping bag against mine and rested her head.
And in less than five seconds, she was sound asleep.
¡°¡She really sleeps well.¡±
Did my body have this kind of effect?
I discovered that I had a talent for being a pillow.
Meanwhile, when I nced over at Hong Yeon-hwa,
¡°Sleep together¡? Sleep well¡? Take responsibility¡? Climb on top¡?¡±
She was muttering the conversation we had just had while covering her mouth.
It seemed her mind had short-circuited and she couldn¡¯t process the flood of iing information.
***
It was a night full of misunderstandings, but everyone still managed to sleep well.
The exhaustion from a day of intense activity had piled up, and Hong Yeon-hwa hadn¡¯t been able to rest properly even on the first night.
I was in the middle of a snowball fight with a gray cat in my dreams when I opened my eyes to find that light was already seeping into the cave from outside.
It was the third and final day of the midterms.
Knowing we needed to get an early start, I gently shook Seo Ye-in¡¯s sleeping bag.
¡°Young miss, it¡¯s time to wake up. It¡¯s morning.¡±
¡°Five minutes¡¡±
The same response as yesterday.
So, I figured I should wake her up the same way as before.
I slowly created some distance between Seo Ye-in¡¯s sleeping bag and mine.
Then a pale hand slipped out of her sleeping bag and began to pull mine closer.
¡°Don¡¯t go¡¡±
¡°Come on, it¡¯s time to get up. Today¡¯s thest day.¡±
You can sleep in on the weekend after the midterms are over.
But for now, no more resting.
When I brought the half-awake Seo Ye-in out to the front of the cave, Hong Yeon-hwa and Baek Jun-seok were already preparing grilled fish.
¡°You¡¯re, you¡¯re up¡?¡±
¡°Yeah. Good morning.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa who still harbored various misunderstandings couldn¡¯t bring herself to meet my eyes.
Feeling there was no need to go into a lengthy exnation, I simply epted her greeting with a casual nod.
Then, when I faced Baek Jun-seok, he handed me a well-grilled fish and said,
¡°I heard a bit from Hong Yeon-hwa. First, I want to thank you.¡±
While he had been waiting outside the dungeon, I had offered Hong Yeon-hwa who was left alone food and a ce to rest.
Not only that, but I had even traded to help herplete a set of crystals.
As her childhood friend and teammate, he felt it was only right to express his gratitude to me.
I nodded my head calmly.
¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal for us. There¡¯s nothing wrong with helping each other out. You don¡¯t mind sticking together?¡±
¡°Of course not. In fact, it was something I was going to suggest.¡±
Having experienced yesterday¡¯s two-vs-four battle, Baek Jun-seok had realized his limits.
While Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s firepower was more than sufficient to handle not just four, but even more opponents, his own defense was a bitcking when it came to protecting her from all four.
In such a situation, more frontline support was needed, so my suggestion was weed by Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s team.
Therefore, we decided to stick together as a group of six people. This included the four of us and Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s team.
After finishing a simple breakfast, we descended the rocky hill and began walking.
When Hong Yeon-hwa gave me a look as if to ask about our next destination, I lifted my gaze to the sky.
¡°We need to go for supplies. The jet should be arriving soon.¡±
¡°Yeah, but¡ do we really need to get them?¡±
Since we had alreadypleted two of the three days on this deserted ind, the survival part was essentially over.
At the very least, we didn¡¯t need to worry about food or shelter anymore.
So, just as Hong Yeon-hwa had asked, it might seem unnecessary to get the supplies, but¡
¡°Thest part is the most important.¡±
Naturally, the academy was aware of this too, so they would drop slightly different items in the final supply.
Things that would directly or indirectly affect the midterms rather than just survival.
The [Goblin Flute] we obtained yesterday was a good example.
¡°So let¡¯s grab the supplies separately and then regroup.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
After roughly indicating where the supply crate would drop, I parted ways with Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s team.
Since we had plenty of time, I strolled leisurely with Seo Ye-in as if we were on a walk. But we arrived at the supply drop location exactly on time.
As soon as I stepped onto the wide rock where we had received supplies on the first day,
Whirr¡ª!
The jet appeared in the sky above the deserted ind, right on cue.
Just like the previous two times, the jet scattered supply crates attached to parachutes before disappearing.
Soon, a small supply crate that was about the size of a palmnded in front of us.
Inside was a transparent triangr prism made of ss-like material.
[Prism]
When brought to the sanctuary, the light that shines through it splits into two beams.
In other words, it was an item that allowed you to charge two crystals at once.
Charging two crystals at a time means the time spent at the sanctuary would be cut in half, which also means you¡¯re less likely to be targeted by other teams.
Naturally, it was a very useful item, and Hong Yeon-hwa and Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s teams probably each received a simr one.
I turned to Seo Ye-in and said,
¡°Let¡¯s go join up with the others now.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
Having secured our supplies, it was best to reunite with Hong Yeon-hwa and Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s teams as quickly as possible.
There was no advantage in staying as a pair and encountering arger group.
So we picked up the pace and headed toward the meeting point.
But just as we were almost there,
Thud, thud,
Heavy footsteps echoed around us.
We didn¡¯t avoid it; instead, we walked straight toward the sound of the footsteps.
On the third day of midterms, the level of the monsters increased by a notch.
And among them naturally,
¡°Grrrr¡¡¡±
An ogre was included.
With its huge size, its agility that didn¡¯t match its size, its immense strength, and a thick hide that was hard to prate with ordinary attacks,
It was the strongest of all the monsters that had appeared in the practical exams so far.
Of course, it didn¡¯t pose much of a threat to Seo Ye-in and me.
After all, just a week ago during the Crystal strategy battle, we hadn¡¯t even gotten a scratch and had scored a perfect game.
In fact, Seo Ye-in had been disappointed that she didn¡¯t get to take down an ogre back then and had even practiced more with Ahn Jeong-mi afterward.
ck,
So Seo Ye-in loaded her magic gun as if she had been waiting for this moment.
But I stopped her for a moment.
¡°Wait.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
There was something unusual about this ogre.
A shackle-like anklet made of chains was fastened around its ankle, with something ominous and red attached at the center.
I had a strong suspicion about what it was,
But I needed to confirm it.
So I instructed Seo Ye-in.
¡°This time, just dodge.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
¡°Grrr¡¡±
Soon, the ogre spotted us.
When I quickly moved to the side, the ogre targeted Seo Ye-in who was left alone and charged at her.
Bang! Bang!
Seo Ye-in fired two short bursts from her magic gun.
Of course, that wasn¡¯t enough to even scratch the ogre¡¯s thick hide, and all it did was make it angrier.
¡°Grrr¡ª!¡±
But drawing its attention was exactly what Seo Ye-in intended.
She lightly dodged the club it swung at her, causing it to break two innocent trees instead.
Then the ogre stretched out its free hand straight toward her.
However, Seo Ye-in smoothly sidestepped with her Feather Walk skill and managed to evade the attack.
While Seo Ye-in skillfully dodged and kept the ogre¡¯s focus on her, I quietly approached from its blind spot.
Then I drove my finger into its thigh.
[Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger]
Squelch,
My index finger transformed into a sharp ice pick and it easily pierced through the ogre¡¯s thick hide.
A chilling cold immediately followed, prating deep into its body.
Crunch, crunch, crunch,
There was a terrifying sound of something freezing rapidly from inside the ogre.
The ogre looked around in a rare panic and finally noticed me with my finger embedded in its flesh.
¡°Grrr¡?¡±
But it was already toote for it to react.
By now, the cold would have already reached its heart.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Thud,
In the end, the ogre copsed right there after one final nce at me.
Even after its life had ended, the cold continued to make a crackling sound, as if it was determined to freeze everything remaining.
When Seo Ye-in approached, I pointed to the chain wrapped around the ogre¡¯s ankle.
¡°Shoot this.¡±
Ratatatatatatata!
As Seo Ye-in focused her shots, the chain couldn¡¯t withstand the barrage of magic bullets and broke. This allowed me to cleanly tear off the piece attached to the ankle.
When I examined it closely, it was a syringe-like container filled with a red liquid.
Of course.
As expected, it seemed ¡°they¡± had tampered with the midterm exam.
One of their tricks was attaching this syringe to the ogre.
At that moment, two presences rapidly approached us.
Since I had a good idea who it was, we didn¡¯t bother being on guard and simply looked in their direction.
Sure enough, the ones approaching were Hong Yeon-hwa and Baek Jun-seok who returned after retrieving one of the supply boxes.
They both flinched in surprise upon seeing the fallen ogre.
¡°Did you¡ take this thing down?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Judging by Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s shocked expression, I could roughly guess what was going through her head.
Something along the lines of, ¡°This monstrous human has done something monstrous again.¡±
Like Seo Ye-in, the pair of Hong Yeon-hwa and Song Cheon-hye hadn¡¯t been able to take down the ogre during the Crystal strategy battle.
But how much time could have passed since we split up and then regrouped, and yet in that short time, we had managed to take down the ogre?
However, there was a more pressing issue at hand.
I hardened my expression and pointed at the chain fragments near the ogre¡¯s ankle and the syringe in turn.
¡°This was attached to the ogre¡¯s ankle.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa and Baek Jun-seok also stared intently at the red liquid inside the syringe.
Baek Jun-seok asked,
¡°It doesn¡¯t look like an ordinary item at first nce. Do you know what it is?¡±
¡°I can make a guess.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
I paused for a few seconds before answering.
¡°Blood Fury Pill.¡±
Chapter 188: 9th Week Midterms (12)
Chapter 188: 9th Week Midterms (12)
The Blood Fury Pill forcibly drew out potential and inevitably led the user to death with its severe side effects.
As a result, it was always at the top of the list of prohibited items, and the Prefect Team could never fail to recognize it, even when it was in liquid form.
The son of the Golden Lotus master, Geum Jo-han.
He approached me with long strides and threatened me as if he was going to swing his golden sword at any moment.
¡°Where did you get the Blood Fury Pill? You¡¯d better spill everything.¡±
¡°You¡¯re as hasty as ever. Didn¡¯t I tell you to think carefully before acting?¡±
But Go Hyeon-woo stepped in front of him.
Geum Jo-han narrowed his eyes as he stared at him.
¡°You¡¯re that guy from the train.¡±¡°It seems you remember.¡±
¡°Of course, I do. I was nning to give you a taste of something spicy someday. Looks like now¡¯s the time.¡±
On the train, the four members of the Prefect Team had been chasing after the wig thief, Shin Byeong-cheol, and eventually stormed into ourpartment.
At that time, there had been a minor sh between Go Hyeon-woo and Geum Jo-han, and it seemed neither of them had forgotten about it.
However, there was a more pressing matter now than settling an old score.
The Prefect Team seemed to think so too, as a deep andmanding voice came from behind.
¡°Geum Jo-han, stand down.¡±
¡°Are you nning to interfere with me too?¡±
¡°I told you to stand down.¡±
Although Geum Jo-han¡¯s face twitched with irritation, he stepped back a few paces.
It wasn¡¯tmon for Jo Byeok to emphasize something twice, and this wasn¡¯t a situation where Geum Jo-han could simply insist on his way.
However, he still maintained his pride to the end and left a finalment to Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°You¡¯re lucky again this time. But there won¡¯t be a next.¡±
¡°That goes both ways.¡±
Song Cheon-hye nced between them, let out a small sigh, and then steered the conversation back on track after it had momentarily veered off course.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t intend to be forceful, but considering the gravity of the matter, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could provide as much detail as possible.¡±
¡°I was nning to. What do you want to know?¡±
Song Cheon-hye held up the Blood Fury Syringe.
¡°This syringe, did you find it inside the dungeon?¡±
As soon as Geum Jo-han saw the syringe, he started putting pressure on us, because he thought we had brought it in ourselves, but when you think about it, that doesn¡¯t make sense.
Each participant could only bring two items into the midterm dungeon.
So, would anyone choose to bring in the Blood Fury Syringe over other and better equipment?
It made far more sense that we had discovered the syringe somewhere in the dungeon.
I nodded my head casually.
¡°It was attached to an ogre¡¯s ankle.¡±
¡°An ogre¡¯s¡ ankle?¡±
Song Cheon-hye¡¯s expression turned strange at the unexpected response.
As I continued exining what had happened earlier, the expressions of the four-member disciplinarymittee grew increasingly serious.
¡°No way.¡±
Then, as if something had suddenly crossed her mind, Song Cheon-hye pulled out an emergency re.
It was the special re used exclusively by the disciplinarymittee members. It was the same one Dang Gyu-young had stolen from the ck market.
She had taken it out to alert those outside the dungeon of an emergency.
A bright beam of light shot up into the sky.
Whoosh¡ªCrackle,
But the beam vanished as if it had hit something in midair.
¡°¡It¡¯s blocked.¡±
The fact thatmunication with the outside was cut off meant that the other mechanisms of the artificial dungeon had also been neutralized.
Safety devices, forced exits, and reys wouldn¡¯t function properly either.
¡°To be honest, I was half-doubtful, but now I have no choice but to believe it. What are you going to do next?¡±
¡°For now, let¡¯s try to reduce the number of ogres.¡±
Since we had to face the ogres anyway, it was better to take down as many as possible before the Blood Fury Syringe was injected.
The fewer ogres there were, the fewer casualties the students would suffer.
¡°And in the end, we¡¯ll have to take down the Alpha.¡±
¡°The Alpha appears in the midterms?¡±
¡°I told you it would. You were dozing off during ss, weren¡¯t you?¡±
¡°¡I wasn¡¯t dozing off.¡±
Song Cheon-hye immediately denied it, but from her startled reaction, it was highly likely she had indeed dozed off.
In fact, she had been caught nodding off during the Monster Ecology ss.
Sensing that the conversation was turning against her, Song Cheon-hye quickly moved things along.
¡°Anyway, you¡¯re nning to take down the Alpha Ogre with us, right?¡±
¡°Of course. It¡¯ll probably show up in a Blood Fury state, and the six of us might not be enough to handle it.¡±
¡°Understood. Let¡¯s work together. Have you figured out its location yet?¡±
After the Alpha Ogre¡¯s appearance, the most critical factors were the timing and location of its emergence.
We needed to take it down before it could roam around and cause more damage.
Naturally, as a stagnant water, I had already pinpointed its location but I pretended to be uncertain to avoid suspicion.
¡°I have a hunch, but we need to confirm it.¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s move separately for now.¡±
Our current goal was to reduce the number of ogres.
It was more efficient to split into two groups rather than move as onerge group for that.
If they managed to get in touch with the other disciplinarymittee members, they could also request their help.
One downside was that if the Alpha Ogre appeared, it might take longer for us to regroup, but Song Cheon-hye seemed to have ounted for that as well.
¡°Take this.¡±
She then pulled out a pair of magic scrolls and handed one to me.
[Twin Portal Scroll]
She managed to get her hands on something this valuable?
When one scroll was torn, a teleportation portal would instantly open at the location of the other scroll.
This meant that no matter how far apart we were, we could immediately regroup.
¡°Give me the signal, and I¡¯lle right away. The opposite is also true.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do that. See youter.¡±
The disciplinarymittee members immediately pushed through the goblins and retraced their steps down the hill.
It seemed they hadpletely given up on charging the crystals. This was likely because staying here any longer could cost someone their life.
For us, charging the crystal was secondary; our main objective was to meet the disciplinarymittee members and hand over the syringe.
So it seemed best to end things here.
Just then, Shin Byeong-cheol came running out with his arms full of glowing crystals.
¡°All done, hyungs!¡±
If it was already finished, there was no helping it.
While Shin Byeong-cheol distributed the crystals among the teams, I waved my hand slowly toward the top of the tower.
Then I caught Seo Ye-in as she leaped down.
¡°Let¡¯s head down too.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
***
Rumble,
Thunder rumbled low.
It wasn¡¯t Song Cheon-hye but the dark clouds spreading across the sky that made the sound.
Looks like it¡¯s going to rain.
I took my eyes off the sky, looked at the group, and spoke.
¡°Let¡¯s do one final check.¡±
After excluding the survival items that were no longer needed,
The items we obtained from today¡¯s supply drop, those exchanged with the disciplinarymittee, and the ones brought back by Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s and Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s teams were as follows:
?Survival Items
¨C Twin GPS
¨C Twin Portal Scroll
¨C Paralysis Scroll
¨C Recovery Scroll
By using the [Twin GPS] and [Portal Scroll], we could roughly determine each other¡¯s locations and regroup at any time with the disciplinarymittee members.
The [Paralysis Scroll] had the effect of halting an enemy¡¯s movements for a short period. The stronger the enemy, the shorter the duration, but even 1-2 seconds could be crucial if used correctly.
The [Recovery Scroll] was, as the name suggested, a scroll imbued with healing magic.
I hope we won¡¯t have to use this.
I preferred that no one got hurt in the first ce rather than needing to heal afterward.
Tap, tap, tap,
The sky grew increasingly darker, and raindrops began to fall one by one.
We walked on while letting the rain soak us.
Our final destination was the Alpha Ogre¡¯s spawn point.
We nned to take down any ogres we encountered along the way.
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Due to the serious atmosphere, no one dared to speak.
Especially since we had sent the chatterbox of Shin Byeong-cheol ahead for scouting.
Even Go Hyeon-woo, who was usually sociable, was lost in deep thought.
How long had we walked in that silence when Shin Byeong-cheol came running toward us from the other side of the forest, panting heavily?
¡°Hey, it¡¯s there. It¡¯s there.¡±
Thud, thud,
Judging by the heavy footsteps, it was obvious what we would find ¡°there¡±.
As we slowly approached, sure enough, the ogre revealed itself.
¡°Grrrr¡¡¡±
It held a club in one hand and strapped to its ankle was, as expected, a Blood Fury Pill syringe.
As soon as it saw us, it started to show hostility. It took a step forward, then another.
I gave a shortmand.
¡°Let¡¯s stick to the n.¡±
Everyone gave a small nod at those words.
We had already discussed our positions.
Go Hyeon-woo and Baek Jun-seok would be at the front, Shin Byeong-cheol and I would take the middle, and Seo Ye-in and Hong Yeon-hwa would cover the rear.
¡°Grrrr¡ª!¡±
Thud, thud, the ogre took a few steps forward. Then it suddenly picked up speed and charged.
The first to step forward was Go Hyeon-woo.
A soft breeze swirled around his golden magic sword as he swung it, aiming at the clubing his way.
[Pure Flow]
Swish¡ª
The club slipped past as if it was gliding smoothly to the side.
As a result, the ogre¡¯s stance faltered, but even then, it tried to swipe at Go Hyeon-woo with its hand that was asrge as a cauldron lid.
At that moment, Baek Jun-seok intervened and swung his shield to meet the blow,
Thud¡ª!
The ogre¡¯s arm was deflected as well.
Meanwhile, wind gathered andpressed near the creature¡¯s chest,
Boom!
before exploding with force.
The armor-piercing effect of the Spiral Explosion tore through the ogre¡¯s thick hide and exposed its flesh beneath.
And in that now vulnerable spot,
Bang, bang, bang!
Seo Ye-in¡¯s sniper shot, Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s thrown chopsticks, and Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s fire arrow all struck home.
¡°Grrrr¡¡¡±
The ogre was overwhelmed by the seamless chain of attacks and couldn¡¯t regain itsposure.
¡°Keep up the pressure.¡±
The two at the front pinned the struggling ogre in ce, while the rest of us unleashed relentless attacks from behind.
Finally, the creature slumped to the ground and stopped moving.
¡°We got one.¡±
¡°Well done, everyone. Let¡¯s keep this up.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo and I each spoke a word of encouragement.
We had taken down an ogre far more easily than expected.
In the Crystal strategy battle, two people had faced off against a single ogre, but with six of us now, it was bound to be easier.
The swift neutralization of its defenses with Spiral Explosion also yed an important role.
As a result, everyone¡¯s expressions brightened a little but it didn¡¯tst long.
Thud, thud.
The heavy footsteps drew closer once again.
Another ogre that had been roaming nearby heard the noise and came searching.
¡°Grrrrr¡¡±
However, this one looked different from the previous one we had faced.
Its skin was red, its muscles were swollen like balloons, and its veins bulged out like wriggling worms.
When I checked its ankle, I saw the syringe was empty.
¡°It¡¯s on Blood Fury state.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
¡°Grrrrr¡¡±
The ogre bared its teeth and red at us.
Everyone tensed up but didn¡¯t take their eyes off it as we moved into position.
At the same time, a notification message appeared in the corner of my vision.
[Main Quest 1]
Chapter 189: 9th Week Midterms (13)
Chapter 189: 9th Week Midterms (13)
[Main Quest 1]
?Objective: Dispel the darkness looming over the midterms.
?Reward: Varies based onpletion level.
Quests are typicallybeled with descriptors like ¡°Side¡± or ¡°Event¡± depending on their importance or nature, and it¡¯s very rare for a quest to bebeled as ¡°Main¡±.
So when does this rare urrence happen?
When it is directly rted to the EX-rank quest.
More specifically, a Main Quest urs when the oue of the event directly impacts the fate of the world.
Currently, the students were trapped within this midterm dungeon and they would be forced to fight ogres injected with Blood Fury.
With the safety mechanisms disabled, the risk of death or injury was very high.If the number of future heroes were reduced, the world would be much closer to destruction.
So what exactly needs to be done to clear the Main Quest?
The most straightforward solution was to ¡°endure¡±.
If we continued to endure, the academy would eventually regain control of the dungeon and we¡¯d all be expelled naturally.
However, for higher achievement, I knew we needed to do more than just endure; we had to take it a step further.
We needed to reduce the number of ogres as much as possible and stop the Alpha.
That was why I hadid the groundwork before the Main Quest even began,
And why we had to keep moving so busily now,
I need to take down that one too.
¡°Growrrrr¡¡±
The ogre red at us with bloodshot eyes.
Then, suddenly, it pulled back the arm holding the club and hurled it forward with all its strength.
Whoosh ¡ª
The thick club which was as thick as a log came hurtling toward us at a terrifying speed.
¡°!!¡±
We were momentarily startled by the unexpected move, but Go Hyeon-woo quickly stepped forward.
He used [Pure Flow] which he had prepared in advance while tilting his sword at an angle.
Whizz¡ª
The deflected club continued flying, snapping several trees behind us like matchsticks.
Yet none of us even nced at the fallen trees; our attention was solely fixed on the ogre¡¯s every move.
¡°Raaaargh¡ª!¡±
Perhaps due to losing what little reason it had left, the ogre charged forward on all fours like a beast.
As soon as Go Hyeon-woo and Baek Jun-seok came within range, it lunged at them and stretched out both hands.
¡°Ugh.¡±
¡°Argh!¡±
Thud¡ª!
The two managed to deflect the attacks in their own ways.
However, unlike before when they had moreposure, Go Hyeon-woo was forced to step back a few paces while Baek Jun-seok dropped to one knee.
Even though they deflected the attacks, part of the shock was still transmitted due to the enhanced destructive power from the ogre¡¯s Blood Fury.
But before they could even regain their stances, the ogre¡¯s limbs swung at them again.
Though they barely managed to deflect the next strike, Go Hyeon-woo was pushed back even further, and Baek Jun-seok¡¯s leg was nearly buried into the ground.
¡°Ugh¡!¡±
¡°Ugh¡!¡±
Without giving them any break, the ogre¡¯s relentless attacks continued.
Crack, crack,
The sound of stretching tendons and grinding bones emanated from its body.
Its muscles and joints were likely screaming from movements beyond their limits.
Boom! Boom!
Even as Spiral Explosions erupted on its chest and fireballs and magic bullets struck it, the ogre showed no sign of feeling any pain.
It didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment. It just madly swung its limbs with the intent of crushing Go Hyeon-woo and Baek Jun-seok in front of it.
This isn¡¯t good.
The two in the vanguard were gradually being pushed back.
At this rate, Go Hyeon-woo might hold out but Baek Jun-seok wouldn¡¯tst much longer before copsing.
So I quickly gave a shortmand and stepped forward.
¡°Trap.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Leaving Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s response behind, I swiftly approached the ogre.
Thud, thud!
¡°Ugh¡!¡±
Baek Jun-seok was staggering more and more.
Cracks appeared on the mana shield surrounding his shield.
Just as the ogre was about to m its fist down again, I intervened.
Thud¡ª!
I added Wind Force and Storm Cloud to Root and struck, causing its fist to deflect sideways.
Baek Jun-seok and I exchanged a nce.
¡°Thanks, you saved me.¡±
¡°Take a break and then get back in.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
Thud, thud,
While Go Hyeon-woo and I held off the ogre, Baek Jun-seok quickly recovered his strength and rejoined the fight.
When the number of defenders increased from two to three, we could manage somehow.
Meanwhile, Shin Byeong-cheol was setting up the trap as I had instructed behind us.
Countless chopsticks pierced the ground, trees, and rocks. And they gradually formed a defined area.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa also sensed the intention behind this and started chanting her magic.
The ruby on her wand glowed red, and arge fire pir magic circle was inscribed to match the range of the trap.
Soon, Shin Byeong-cheol shouted.
¡°Ready!¡±
I struck the ogre¡¯s fist hard with Root and said,
¡°Fall back.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo and Baek Jun-seok immediately distanced themselves to the sides.
As a result, the ogre¡¯s attention turned solely toward me.
The moment it charged, I quickly leaped back beforending between Hong Yeon-hwa and Seo Ye-in.
¡°Graaaah¡ª!¡±
And as the charging ogre stepped into the trap,
[Wire Trap]
Swish!
The chopsticks that were tightly packed shot out mana threads all at once.
In an instant, the ogre was tightly wrapped like a cocoon.
¡°Graaaah!¡±
With a single twist of his body, more than half of the threads broke, but new ones were fired at once, which bound him even more tightly.
When Hong Yeon-hwa pointed her wand at the struggling creature,
[Fire Pir]
Fwoooosh¡ª!!
A huge pir of fire rose from therge magic circle and engulfed the ogrepletely.
After watching for a while, the pir of fire subsided, leaving behind a giant charred lump and a single crystal.
Everyone let out a long sigh at that moment.
¡°Phew.¡±
¡°Ahhh.¡±
¡°The same ogre, yet it¡¯s gotten so much stronger all of a sudden. It must be the secret elixir of the Blood Cult.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo murmured in admiration as he cleaned his magic sword.
With six of us, we thought the ogre would be easier to handle, but with the Blood Fury Pill, it became difficult again.
Unfortunately, this was only the beginning.
Thud, thud, thud,
As the heavy footsteps drew closer, Shin Byeong-cheol and Baek Jun-seok each spoke up.
¡°Seriously, another one? Can¡¯t we take a break?¡±
¡°Three in a row is too much.¡±
The Blood Fury Pill had not only enhanced the ogres¡¯ strength but also heightened their senses.
The pir of fire was a perfect lure for such creatures.
The ogre that soon appeared red at us, letting out a low growl.
¡°Grhhh¡¡±
¡°Same n as before.¡±
We all moved into position with swift coordination.
***
We continued to advance and took down each ogre that appeared like sausages lined up one after another.
Even though we were a little tired, we didn¡¯t have to go around looking for them so it was a good thing.
In the meantime, the gloomy sky had grown darker and turned indigo, and the drizzle that had started with a few drops had be a downpour, almost as if the heavens were pouring down.
Swoooosh¡ª
Seo Ye-in wore her invisible ghillie suit, but with the constant battering of the rain, she became like a translucent water spirit.
Hong Yeon-hwa created a small me umbre and used it just for herself.
The men simply took the rain as it came and got drenched.
¡°¡¡¡±
I was soaked to the bone and watched as Hong Yeon-hwa rolled her eyes around nervously.
She seemed to be contemting whether she should extinguish her me umbre and let herself get drenched as well.
I didn¡¯t want to make her feel awkward in this situation, so I turned my gaze back forward and continued walking.
Hong Yeon-hwa trailed closely behind me.
¨C Koo-koo-kooong,
Not long after, a loud roar pierced through the sound of the rain.
It meant other teams were engaged in battle.
The distance seemed fairly close as well.
Mypanions focused their attention on me and waited for instructions.
It was an obvious decision.
¡°We¡¯re going to help.¡±
To increase thepletion rate of the main quest, I needed to prevent even one more person from getting hurt.
If their skills were up to standard, they might be able to join forces with us when we face the Alpha.
So we picked up speed and headed toward the source of the booming noise.
As expected, what we found there was,
¡°Kraaaah¡ª!¡±
An ogre that was driven mad by the injected Blood Fury Pill.
Opposite it stood Kwak Ji-cheol, Jung Soo-ji, Park Na-ri, and the tiger Bum, along with an unidentified female student.
It seemed like the Emerald and Mother Nature clubs had paired off into teams of two.
I quickly assessed the situation.
A full-on defense team.
They had left the offense to Bum, while the other four focused on buffs, healing magic, and suppressing the enemy.
This strategy might have been somewhat effective against other participants, but their current opponent was an ogre.
Their attack power is sorelycking.
Bum darted nimbly around the ogre and kept wing at it.
As a spirit beast, Bum possessedbat abilitiesparable to a typical first-year student, but its attack power was nothing extraordinary.
And yet, the four of them were relying solely on Bum¡¯s attacks. This made it impossible tond a significant blow on the ogre.
To make matters worse, the Blood Fury Pill had made the ogre even more powerful.
And we arrived just as they were barely managing to hold their ground,
¡°Kraaagh!¡±
¡°Kwak Ji-cheol!¡±
To be more precise, it was the moment when Kwak Ji-cheol was struck by the ogre and sent rolling across the ground.
I¡¯m a bitte.
When I pointed at the ogre with Root, wind gathered at its chest and then exploded.
Boom!
¡°Kraaagh!¡±
The ogre immediately whipped its head towards us and charged at a terrifying speed.
But then the nearby trees began to tilt and stretch as if they were made of rubber. Then they wrapped themselves around its limbs and held it in ce.
Park Na-ri¡¯s team had cast a wood-type spell.
Park Na-ri shouted.
¡°N-Now!¡±
We abandoned our formation and focused solely on attacking.
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s Clear Stream, Baek Jun-seok¡¯s sword strikes, Shin Byung-cheol¡¯s chopsticks, and Seo Ye-in¡¯s magic bullets¡
The relentless attacks crushed the ogre¡¯s chest inward.
¡°Grrr¡¡±
Thud,
Leaving the ogre behind as it fell with a death rattle, we hurriedly rushed to Kwak Ji-cheol.
And at that moment, our expressions turned grim.
¡°Ugh¡¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s body had been partially crushed by the berserk ogre¡¯s arm.
His limbs were twisted at odd angles, and blood streamed from his nose and mouth.
Despite suffering such serious injuries, there was no sign that the dungeon¡¯s escape mechanism was going to activate.
¡°J-Just wait a little longer! We¡¯ll h-heal you!¡±
Park Na-ri¡¯s group poured recovery magic into him, but their magic was only point heals.
While it had excellent sustain, its effect was far from strong.
It wasn¡¯t enough to bring someone back from the brink of death.
¡°¡¡¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s gaze moved over each of the people watching and his eyes finally settled on me.
He reached out his hand and squeezed out thest of his strength to speak.
¡°Tell¡ my brother¡ that I¡¯m¡ sorry¡¡±
¡°What are you saying, you idiot.¡±
I pulled out a [Recovery Scroll] and tore it apart.
A bright light flooded my vision.
aash¡ª!
When the light faded away, Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s injuries had healedpletely. Not a single scratch remained on his body.
I blinked and gave the lying Kwak Ji-cheol a few kicks.
¡°Get up, you idiot.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol stood up. He looked quite embarrassed.
***
TN: Bro can¡¯t even act cool in death
Chapter 190: 9th Week Midterms (14)
Chapter 190: 9th Week Midterms (14)
I extended one hand forward with a pained expression.
¡°Tell my brother! That I¡¯m sorrrryyyyy¡!¡±
¡°¡Stop it.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol writhed in shame.
He had just created the most humiliating moment of his life.
And it had happened right in front of his ssmates.
One way to move past this kind of situation would be to get angry, but he couldn¡¯t do that with his lifesaver.
If we hadn¡¯t shown up to help in time, or if I hadn¡¯t had a recovery scroll, or if I had chosen to save it instead of using it¡
Kwak Ji-cheol would¡¯ve been as good as dead.So he had no choice but to endure whatever his lifesaver dished out.
¡°Why stop when it¡¯s so much fun? I n to milk this until graduation. We¡¯ve still got two and a half years to go.¡±
¡°¡Just kill me already.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t do that. Then I¡¯d have to say sorry to your brother.¡±
¡°Pffft!¡±
Finally, Hong Yeon-hwa couldn¡¯t hold back herughter.
She turned away and her shoulders started shaking.
The others were barely holding back their ownughter as well.
Kwak Ji-cheol looked at them with somewhat gloomy eyes. Perhaps he foresaw that a difficult future was waiting ahead for him.
Then he let out a deep sigh and spoke.
¡°Anyway, I owe you a huge debt. I¡¯ll make sure to repay it, no matter when.¡±
¡°Go ahead. I won¡¯t turn it down.¡±
I¡¯m the kind of person who dly epts anything given.
And isn¡¯t the heaviest debt the one owed for your life?
Neither the Emerald Magic Tower nor the Kwak family would let this matter slide, so I expect both tangible and intangible rewards toe my way.
Since we didn¡¯t have time to just joke around, I decided to stop teasing Kwak Ji-cheol here.
I then got to the point and exined the current situation and our objective to Park Na-ri and the others
¡°We¡¯re about to go hunt the Alpha Ogre.¡±
¡°We, we¡¯ll help too.¡±
¡°I¡¯d appreciate the help, but are you sure?¡±
The Alpha Ogre was the most dangerous being on this deserted ind.
Facing it means risking your life.
I didn¡¯t want anyone offering to help just because they were caught up in the moment.
However, the four members of Park Na-ri¡¯s group seemed to have made up their minds.
¡°Y-Yes, I¡¯m sure. I want to help. I don¡¯t want the others¡ to get hurt like Kwak Ji-cheol.¡±
¡°Meow.¡±
Though she spoke hesitantly, Park Na-ri clearly expressed her intentions.
Bum who had transformed into a cat chimed in with a sound of agreement.
I nodded my head.
¡°Alright then, let¡¯s go.¡±
Our group, which had been six, grew to ten members and a cat.
As I led the way, I listed key information about the Alpha Ogre.
¡°Keep at least twice the usual distance when you fight.¡±
¡°The formation will break down immediately anyway, so think of it as a free-for-all.¡±
¡°Until the reinforcements arrive, we need to¡ª¡±
¡°From the second phase onwards¡ª¡±
We continued our briefing and strategy meeting as we pushed through the forest under the pouring rain.
At some point, I subtly raised one hand.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Everyone tensed up, and those with keen senses seemed to realize that something was ahead of us.
First, I signaled to Shin Byeong-cheol with a nce and he quickly started setting up traps and tossing chopsticks with precision.
The Emerald and Mother Nature¡¯s group added earth magic to enhance the traps¡¯ effect.
Meanwhile, as I had instructed earlier, Hong Yeon-hwa was carving a Fire Pir magic circle in another spot.
But before we could finish our preparationspletely,
Thud, thud, thud,
A heavy rhythmic stomping sound grew closer.
A low growl echoed.
Soon, it revealed itself.
It stood taller by two or three heads than a typical ogre and itsrge frame matched its height.
In its hand was not a club, but arge tree it had uprooted from somewhere.
Around its ankles were two Blood Fury syringes wrapped in chains. And both of them were empty of course.
Finally, we were face-to-face with the final boss monster of the midterm deserted ind, the Alpha Ogre.
It red at us with eyes full of hostility.
¡°Grrrrr¡¡±
¡°Everyone, try to stay safe.¡±
I stood at the front line with Go Hyeon-woo, Baek Jun-seok, and Bum.
The next moment, the Alpha Ogre crouched slightly, then sprang forward like a coiled spring.
With its massive body leaping into the air, it felt almost unreal to see.
In an instant, it flew straight to the front line and brought down the tree in its hand.
Boom!
¡°Ugh.¡±
¡°Argh.¡±
¡°Grrr.¡±
The ground was torn up, and the three of us in the front line were flung in different directions.
We tried to handle it like we would against a normal berserk ogre, but we couldn¡¯t withstand the force and were sent flying.
Go Hyeon-woo seemed rtively unscathed, while Bum and Baek Jun-seok were dazed and unable toe to their senses.
On the other hand, because I had urately gauged the creature¡¯s strength, I used the impact to propel myself backward.
Afternding lightly at the rear, I gave themand.
¡°It¡¯sing. I¡¯m going to knock you back, so don¡¯t panic.¡±
¡°Huh? Oh.¡±
[Activated ¡°Amplification¡±.]
[The rank of ¡°Wind Force¡± has increased. (C+ -> A+)]
[Duration: 00:04:59]
[Cooldown: 00:29:59]
¡°Raaaargh¡ª!¡±
The Alpha Ogre let out a roar and once again leaped forward before flying toward us in an instant.
But just before it couldnd,
Whoosh¡ª
A wind imbued with physical force blew everyone away in all directions.
The tree trunk mmed down into the now-empty space.
Crash!
And the ce where itnded was right in the middle of the trap set up by Shin Byeong-cheol and Park Na-ri¡¯s group.
The chopsticks they had driven in were connected by threads of mana. They entangled the creature as vines and mud climbed up its legs.
While it twisted its body back and forth, trying to break free,
Bang¡ª!
Seo Ye-in¡¯s shot struck its body, which caused the Alpha¡¯s head to jerk slightly backward.
When its face returned to its original position, blood streamed down from one of its eyes.
¡°Blinded. Nice.¡±
With one eye blinded, its field of vision would now have significant blind spots.
This alone made setting the trap worthwhile.
Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa unleashed the Fire Pir she had been preparing.
Whoosh!
A slender but vivid pir of fire shot up and it reached as high as the rain clouds covering the sky.
It was a kind of signal fire, visible not only to the disciplinarymittee but also to all the students across the deserted ind.
For a while, Hong Yeon-hwa had to focus solely on maintaining the fire pir rather than attacking the Alpha Ogre.
¡°Raaaargh!¡±
The trap had been somewhat effective against a regr ogre, but it wasn¡¯t enough to hold down an Alpha for long.
When the creature twisted its body and took a step forward, the mana threads and vines snapped all at once.
The melee sses rushed in to attack the creature as it prepared to leap again.
I was among them.
[Inferno Fist]
[Overheat]
Whoosh,
The mes that had been burning on my fist were absorbed into my body, supplying a surge of immense energy.
I pushed off the ground and faced the Alpha Ogre head-on.
Swish!
¡°Grrrr.¡±
The creature hesitated as it was about to swing its log, and its one remaining eye locked directly onto me.
Then it quickly reached out, trying to grab me as I approached.
Its reaction speed was impressive, which was to be expected from a boss monster but,
My reaction speed isn¡¯tcking either.
Swish!
At thest second, I kicked off the ground and appeared beside its leg.
My index finger was frozen solid, like an icicle.
[Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger]
Thud,
I jabbed the demon finger into the creature¡¯s calf and quickly retreated.
Even if it gets noticed, I have no choice but to use it.
Having already used the only recovery scroll I had on Kwak Ji-cheol, there would be no solution if anyone got hurt.
It was better to risk the demon finger being discovered than to have one of our party members fall.
And the chances of it being noticed are slim anyway.
The battle was in full swing and everyone was too distracted to notice. Besides, with Overheat activated, my speed elerated tremendously.
Because of this, no one else would have seen me cast the demon finger technique. They would simply think I had dodged the Alpha Ogre¡¯s attack and retreated.
And since the rey was also dead, the chances of getting caughtter were low as well.
¡°Graaaah¡ª!¡±
The Alpha Ogre spun like a windmill and started swinging the log in its hand wide.
However, its speed was a bit slower than before. This allowed Go Hyun-woo to leap into the air and unleash a sword strike.
A few long wounds were etched across the creature¡¯s chest.
Its legs have stiffened.
Two Blood Fury Pills were already inside the Alpha Ogre.
With the blood in its body rampaging, the freezing process was slower. Still, it seemed like one of its legs was immobilized.
At the very least, it wouldn¡¯t be able to leap around like a grasshopper anymore.
Boom!
I moved in close, unleashed a Spiral Explosion on its chest, and quickly withdrew again.
¡°Graaaah!¡±
The Alpha Ogre seemed to have decided to target someone easier than me.
It set its sights on Hong Yeon-hwa who was maintaining the Fire Pir.
The fire magic made her an obvious target.
Even with its legs half-frozen, the creature charged at her with terrifying speed.
But I was able to aim my Wind Force at Hong Yeon-hwa and send her flying away long before the creature could reach her.
Whoosh¡ª
Hong Yeon-hwa soared through the air beforending gracefully far from danger thanks to Wind Force.
She shot me a grateful look before reigniting the fading Fire Pir.
¡°Grroar.¡±
The Alpha Ogre immediately whipped around.
Its next target was Shin Byeong-cheol who was the closest to it.
When their eyes met, Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s face turned pale.
¡°Graaaah!¡±
¡°Hey, hey, hey! Blow me out of here too! Quickly!¡±
He frantically called for Wind Force support, but I didn¡¯t need to intervene.
Bum quickly jumped in, grabbed Shin Byeong-cheol by the scruff of his neck, and yanked him out of the Alpha¡¯s reach.
After carrying him a short distance away, Bum spat him out onto the ground with a disgusted snort, as if Shin Byeong-cheol tasted awful.
Even as he rolled in the mud, Shin Byeong-cheol was all smiles. He was relieved to be alive.
¡°Oh my, our Bum is really¡ª¡±
Thud.
Bum silenced him by pressing a paw over his mouth.
Seems like Bum didn¡¯t want to hear it.
¡°Graaaah!¡±
The game of cat and mouse with the Alpha Ogre continued.
Everyone was focused on ying it safe and gradually umted damage on the creature.
Because the initial goal was just to pin the creature in ce.
At least until reinforcements arrive.
And finally, it happened.
The area near the pir of fire that Hong Yeon-hwa had conjured began to ripple and mana gathered on its own to form arge door.
The teleportation portal opened wide and students rushed out from inside it.
The first to be seen were Song Cheon-hye and the four members of the disciplinarymittee.
As soon as Song Cheon-hye stepped out of the portal, she hurled a powerful lightning bolt.
Fzzzzzzt!
Just as nned, they used the Twin GPS and the pir of fire Hong Yeon-hwa had created to locate this spot and then opened the portal using the [Twin Portal Scroll].
¡°We¡¯re here. We¡¯re not toote, right?¡±
¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right on time.¡±
I quickly scanned the group that had poured out.
Including the four from the disciplinarymittee and the other first-year members, there were ten in total.
It seemed they had brought everyone they could find.
¡°A lot of you havee.¡±
Chapter 191: 9th Week Midterms (15)
Chapter 191: 9th Week Midterms (15)
¡°Guaaaargh¡ª!¡±
The Alpha Ogre charged straight at the disciplinarymittee members the moment they appeared through the portal.
It seemed the lightning bolt Song Cheon-hye had thrown had effectively drawn its attention.
The ground trembled as the Alpha Ogre approached at a terrifying speed.
But even though they saw the creature, the disciplinarymittee remained calm and acted swiftly.
The melee ss members quickly formed a line to confront it.
Jo Byeok met the Alpha¡¯s swinging log with a powerful fist,
Boom!
With a deafening crash, the log shattered into pieces.Though Jo Byeok was thrown back by the impact, he effortlessly regained his stance and continued the fight.
Fzzzzzt!
Song Cheon-hye kept hurling lightning bolts as she began directing themittee members.
¡°We¡¯ll chip away at it slowly without taking unnecessary risks.¡±
¡°This is a boss-level ogre, and it has the Blood Fury Pill. Be extra cautious.¡±
With that, I naturally handed over themand to Song Cheon-hye. My reputation still wasn¡¯t the best after all.
From their perspective, I was just some unknown guy with a score in the 600-point range.
So at that moment, rather than stepping forward and provoking any unnecessary resistance, it was better to leave things to Song Cheon-hye who was one of the most skilled members of the disciplinarymittee.
Of course, I had already informed her of exactly what needed to be done against the Alpha Ogre.
In short, I was ying the role of a shadow strategist.
¡°Raaaargh!¡±
After the log was destroyed, the Alpha Ogre swung its arms and legs wildly. It was trying to strike and kick the humans around it.
The melee ss members dodged and neutralized its attacks,
while Han So-mi, Go Hyeon-woo, Geum Jo-han, and other swordsmen leaped forward and started shing at the creature.
sh, sh!
Shallow sword wounds continued to umte on its upper body.
The ranged sses attacked from the rear while also supporting the melee members.
Park Na-ri continuously cast wide-range healing spells,
While Kwak Ji-cheol and Jung Soo-ji used vines and mud to keep the creature restrained.
With twenty people working together, the Alpha Ogre which had been rampaging like a raging bull was finally held in ce.
Of course, the earlier strike from my Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger was likely ying a significant role as well.
In addition, the cold air was gradually spreading throughout the creature¡¯s body, so we would have the advantage as time went on.
However, it was still too early to be optimistic.
The second phase is still ahead.
The difficulty of a boss raid changed drastically at a certain point, which was referred to as moving on to the next ¡°phase¡±.
In the case of the Alpha Ogre, when its health dropped below a certain threshold, it let out a tremendous roar and that would signal the start of its second phase.
Since this second phase was particrly tricky, we needed as much support as possible.
Once the second phase started, it was important to finish off the Alpha Ogre as quickly as possible.
Because the longer it dragged on, the worse it would get for us.
So how could we take it down quickly?
The key was to deal as much damage as possible before moving on to the next phase, or in other words, before it could let out that roar.
I pulled out a [Paralysis Scroll].
At that moment, Song Cheon-hye quickly exchanged nces with me and gave the order.
¡°Using the Paralysis Scroll! Everyone, get ready.¡±
Then she subtly asked me,
¡°¡How long will it freeze it for?¡±
The effect of the Paralysis Scroll was to freeze the target for a certain period of time.
The duration varied depending on the target¡¯s stats.
For example, it wouldst between 15 to 20 seconds on a Beheader Goblin.
For an Ogre, it was around 5 seconds.
So for a berserk Alpha Ogre,
¡°Just under two seconds.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
A time that could be long or short, depending on how we used it.
We had to make the most of those 2 seconds.
¡°Graaa!¡±
Jo Byuk met the Alpha Ogre¡¯s iing fist with a fist of his own.
With a thunderous crash, Jo Byuk was pushed back.
However, before the Alpha Ogre could make its next move, I stepped forward and ripped the Paralysis Scroll.
Fwaaash¡ª!
A bright light burst forth and enveloped the creature.
The Alpha that was bathed in flickering light froze in ce.
Immediately, the twenty people surrounding it unleashed their most powerful skills.
Bum shing its ws in a sh of light,
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s serene and focused clear stream,
Han So-mi¡¯s cold and sharp sword energy,
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s fiery arrows that flew like a phoenix,
Song Cheon-hye¡¯s thick lightning strike,
Kwoooom¡ª!
When the flurry of skills passed, the Alpha Ogre¡¯s body was in tatters; not a single part was left unscathed.
Even itsst remaining eye had been struck by Seo Ye-in¡¯s sniper shot, leaving itpletely blinded.
At that moment, the Paralysis Scroll¡¯s effect wore off.
The creature momentarily staggered as it regained movement, took a deep breath, and opened its jaws wide.
Then,
¡°Graaaaa¡ª!!¡±
It let out a roar with all its might.
The deafening high-pitched scream echoed repeatedly. It even overwhelmed everyone with its sheer force for a moment.
Of course, the Alpha Ogre¡¯s intention wasn¡¯t just to intimidate its enemies.
Thud, thud, thud,
Thud, thud, thud,
The sound of heavy footsteps quickly approached.
It wasn¡¯t difficult to guess that the source of the sound was an ogre.
To make matters worse, there wasn¡¯t just one set of footsteps.
From the left, from the right, and from behind.
There were at least three ogres that we could immediately identify, but there was no guarantee that this was the end of it.
The second phase is starting.
The Alpha¡¯s roar had the effect of summoning all its kin in the area.
From the second phase onward, we would have to face not just the Alpha Ogre, but several ogres at the same time.
There was obviously no chance of victory if we faced them all at once,
We have no choice but to defeat them one by one.
As I had instructed, Song Cheon-hye quickly dispersed the group.
¡°We¡¯ll split into teams of 4, 4, 6, 6.¡±
Song Cheon-hye promptly designated two teams of four and two teams of six.
The four-person teams mostly consisted of the members of the disciplinemittee, while one of the six-person teams included those who were rtively less skilled, like Baek Jun-seok, Kwak Jicheol, and Shin Byeong-cheol.
After sending off the three teams in different directions, only six people remained to face the Alpha Ogre.
Me, Go Hyeon-woo, Jo Byeok, Song Cheon-hye, Hong Yeon-hwa, and Seo Ye-in.
It was a team heavily influenced by my input.
This was the best option we had to wrap things up.
¡°Grrrr¡¡¡±
Though it was staggering, the Alpha Ogre turned its body to face us directly.
Even though its eyes were blinded and it couldn¡¯t see anything, it seemed to sense us through the monster¡¯s unique instincts and sense of smell.
Jo Byeok and Go Hyeon-woo stepped forward before exchanging a few words with each other.
¡°So, we finally get to see each other¡¯s skills. I had hoped it would be in a morepetitive setting, though.¡±
¡°Haha, I agree. But for now, let¡¯s focus on getting out of here alive. As long as we survive, we¡¯ll have plenty of chances topete, don¡¯t you think?¡±
¡°¡Indeed.¡±
Jo Byeok¡¯s usually expressionless face curled into a slight smile.
The two then fixed their gaze on the Alpha Ogre and, without needing any signal, simultaneouslyunched themselves forward.
¡°Graaaah!¡±
As the two rapidly closed the distance, the Alpha Ogre instinctively stepped forward while swinging its huge arms.
Go Hyeon-woo redirected the trajectory of the first arm using his pure flow skill, while Jo Byeok struck the second arm aside with a powerful blow.
Boom! Boom!
Meanwhile, I reimed themand that I had temporarily handed over to Song Cheon-hye.
Then I gave orders to the three at the rear.
¡°Let¡¯s finish this. We¡¯ll keep it from moving.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
Song Cheon-hye raised one hand high as if she was pointing toward the sky.
Electric currents sparked from her fingertips before shooting up into the sky.
Fizzzzzzz,
The dark clouds above us crackled with growing intensity as thunder rumbled louder and louder.
¡°¡¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa also began drawing a fire pir magic circle beneath the Alpha¡¯s feet.
Therge circle was filled with geometric shapes and symbols and was glowing with a fierce red light.
Bang! Bang!
Seo Ye-in had positioned herself a short distance away and relentlessly sniped at the Alpha Ogre¡¯s heart.
I couldn¡¯t just stand by either, so I joined the front line.
I kept the Alpha Ogre in check to prevent it from moving out of position.
I used the storm clouds to lessen the impact on Jo Byeok and Go Hyun-woo,
And whenever the Alpha Ogre tried to step forward, I pushed it back with Wind Force.
Boom! Boom!
¡°Graaaah!¡±
As this pattern repeated, the creature seemed to realize who was the most troublesome.
The punches and kicks that had been evenly distributed among the three of us began targeting me exclusively.
Well, that¡¯s convenient.
But I wasn¡¯t about to be an easy target. Using the Thief¡¯s Step, I easily circled around the creature.
As I continued ying cat and mouse with the Alpha Ogre, the dark clouds above became crackling masses of lightning, and the red magic circle on the ground was finallyplete.
Song Cheon-hye shouted from behind me,
¡°It¡¯s ready! Fall back!¡±
The three of us unleashed our attacks and then quickly withdrew.
In the next moment, a pir of lightning struck down from the sky,
And a pir of fire surged up from the ground to meet it.
[Heaven¡¯s Retribution]
[Fire Pir]
Fzzzzzzzzzzzzt¡ª!!
Whoooooooosh¡ª!!
We distanced ourselves and watched it from afar.
We prepared the next skill so that we could resume the battle with the creature at any time.
But fortunately, it seemed there was no need for that.
The magic of Song Cheon-hye and Hong Yeon-hwa faded away and the area that was scorched as if bombardedy in ruins.
In the midst of it all, the Alpha Ogre stood frozen in ce.
¡°Grrrrrr¡¡±
Its body barely twitched as if it was clinging desperately to life,
Bang¨C!
Before Seo Ye-in¡¯s final shot pierced its heart.
With thatst strike, the Alpha Ogre¡¯s body slowly tilted backward before copsing onto the ground with a heavy thud.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Everyone stared at it in silence.
It seemed they could hardly believe the creature had finally fallen.
But as reality began to sink in, they let out sighs of relief.
Hong Yeon-hwa and Song Cheon-hye each spoke.
¡°We got it¡!¡±
¡°We did it¡!¡±
Rumble,
Just then, a distant roar echoed, snapping everyone back to attention.
Though the strongest Alpha Ogre had been defeated, the ogres it had summoned still remained.
To ensure our safety, we had to take them down as well.
Song Cheon-hye suggested,
¡°Let¡¯s split into pairs again.¡±
¡°That sounds good.¡±
We split into three pairs and rushed forward.
But while the other two teams quickly took off, Seo Ye-in and I couldn¡¯t move.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°0%¡¡±
It seemed that her battery had drainedpletely after the series of intense battles.
With no other choice, I turned my back to Seo Ye-in.
¡°Let¡¯s take down just one or two more ogres, then we¡¯ll rest. Hop on.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in climbed onto my back and wrapped her arms around my neck.
I thenunched myself forward with her on my back.
***
¡°Grrrrrr¡¡±
The ogre couldn¡¯t withstand the onught and copsed onto the ground.
Sssssshhhh¨C
There were no more loud roars or heavy footsteps to be heard, only the continuous sound of pouring rain.
The one we had just defeated was thest.
As if to confirm this, a notification message appeared in the corner of my vision.
[Main Quest 1] (Completed)
[Starting calction.]
Chapter 192: The End of the Midterms
Chapter 192: The End of the Midterms
When I looked back on what I had done,
It started with apprehending the Blood Cult elder to reduce the danger level of the main quest.
[Sessfully secured a Blood Fury Pill.]
[Rewards have been enhanced.]
I swiftly secured a Blood Fury Pill in advance and handed it over to the disciplinarymittee members.
[Ogres defeated: 9]
[Rewards have been enhanced.]
[Alpha Ogre defeated.]
[Rewards have been greatly enhanced.]By defeating the Alpha Ogre and multiple Ogres, I was able to drastically reduce the casualties among the other students.
[Injured: 72]
[Casualties: 0]
[Rewards have been greatly enhanced.]
And so, while injuries were inevitable, there were no deaths at all.
As a result, the reward level shot up several tiers.
[You have acquired ¡®Enchantment (F)¡¯.]
One of the powerful abilities that once stood shoulder to shoulder with Copy, Amplification, and Monarch had returned.
It was also a skill that greatly contributed to my nickname, ¡°The S-Rank Factory¡±.
I¡¯ll take my time to thoroughly inspect everything once I exit the dungeon.
Even though a storm had swept through, the midterm exam was still ongoing.
In that case, wasn¡¯t it the duty of a seasoned yer to make sure to grab all the benefits avable?
?Crystals
Red 100% x2
Blue 100% x3
Green 100% x2
Yellow 100% x1
Red 0% x1
Green 0% x1
Blue 0% x2
I had alreadypleted one set of crystals, charged the extras at the sanctuary, and even got more from the Ogres¡¯ drops.
I had more than enough, even to the point of overflowing.
So first, I sought Seo Ye-in¡¯s permission.
¡°Is it okay if I use the extra crystals?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in nodded her head casually.
I asked for permission since we shared points as teammates, but I knew she¡¯d easily agree because she wasn¡¯t really interested in the practical evaluation.
Next, I approached the duo of Kwak Ji-cheol and Jeong Soo-ji.
The two were utterly exhausted and sitting haphazardly on the muddy ground.
¡°How many crystals did you collect?¡±
¡°¡Only two yellow ones.¡±
Kwak Ji-cheol replied with a bitter expression on his face.
As expected, they hadn¡¯t gathered much, and to make matters worse, both were the same color.
Typically, on the third day of the midterms, the most crystals are dropped and recharged.
However, the Blood Fury Pill incident erupted on that critical third day, and they had spent all their energy dealing with the Ogres.
Now, even if they rushed to the sanctuary, it would be toote, and if they shed with other teams, they¡¯d be guaranteed to lose.
It seemed they had no choice but to settle with the two yellow crystals.
I threw them a casual remark.
¡°You guys are in luck. I happen to have two of each color except yellow.¡±
¡°¡Really?¡±
¡°Why would I lie? If you don¡¯t want to believe me, then don¡¯t.¡±
¡°I believe you. What do you want in return?¡±
Of course, the concept of ¡°free¡± didn¡¯t exist in my vocabry.
Especially now, when the value of crystals was even higher.
If I were to hand over three, they¡¯d have to pay an appropriate price.
Knowing this, Kwak Ji-cheol immediately asked what I wanted.
I smiled and answered.
¡°An emerald. B-rank would be ideal.¡±
¡°¡Are you telling us to get it outside?¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly what I mean.¡±
¡°¡Hmm.¡±
Besides, there was no rule saying they had to pay immediately.
They could settle the payment after the midterms, once they were outside the dungeon.
The two exchanged nces with each other.
Judging by their interested expressions, they were almost convinced.
Finally, as if she had made up her mind, Jeong Soo-ji reconfirmed the terms.
¡°B-rank emerald in exchange for the charged red, blue, and green crystals, right?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°¡Alright. I¡¯ll hand it over right after we¡¯re done.¡±
I handed them the crystals.
As the unexpected dealpleted their set, Kwak Ji-cheol and Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s faces lit up.
From their perspective, they each gained 1,500 points for the strategy battle and 6,000 points in total.
It was an immense amount for first-years which made it worth paying for the rare emerald.
On the other hand, if I had held onto those crystals, I would¡¯ve only earned 750 points for the strategy battle and 3,000 points in total from them.
The value of a B-rank emerald was far greater.
It was a profitable deal for both sides.
It¡¯s about time I put these gems to use.
Along with the ruby I received from Hong Yeon-hwa, I had also gotten a small emerald while helping Kwak Ji-cheol with his training.
If I added Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s emerald to the collection, it seemed like a good time to go after the hidden piece rted to the gems.
The relentless downpour gradually weakened until it finally stopped altogether.
The dark clouds that had nketed the sky slowly parted, allowing rays of sunlight to break through.
When everyone stared up at the sky and looked to be entranced,
A notification message appeared, signaling the end of the midterms.
Red Crystal*1 = 500 points
Blue Crystal*2 = 500+250 points
Green Crystal*1 = 500 points
Yellow Crystal*1 = 500 points
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª
[Total Score: 2,250 points] * Midterm multiplier x4
= 9,000 points
Even after handing over a bunch of crystals to Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s duo, I still had one excess left over.
The result was over 2,000 points in strategy battle score and a total of 9,000 points.
And it wasn¡¯t even over yet.
[Side Quest: Week 9 Midterms] (Completed)
?Objective: Charge the Crystals
Red (1/1), Blue (2/1),
Yellow (1/1), Green (1/1)
?Reward: 2 Hairpins
Since Ipleted the side quest with the highest achievement, I earned two hairpins as a reward.
It was an incredibly rare and powerful item, one that made any skill or trait obtained through [Copy] fully my own.
¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve felt this satisfied.¡±
[Enchantment], and emerald, loads of points, and even fixed hairpins.
It was worth the effort.
The fact that the midterms were being tallied meant that the academy had regained control over the dungeon.
Soon after, a teleportation portal opened nearby and I stepped through it.
After a sudden shift in my surroundings, I found myself standing in the hall where I had first entered the midterm exam.
Noise swelled from all sides as people murmured among themselves.
¨C Wow, we barely made it out alive.
¨C What did that ogre eat to get so strong?
¨C I heard it was a Blood Fury thing.
¨C Blood Fury? You mean that cult thing?
¨C That¡¯s what they¡¯re saying.
Most of the conversations were about the berserk ogres, while the rest focused on midterm scores.
¨C How many crystals did you get?
¨C Three.
¨C Wow, that¡¯s a lot.
¨C Ugh, I could¡¯ve gotten one more if it weren¡¯t for that ogre.
¨C Shouldn¡¯t the academypensate us for this?
¨C Like they would.
Some expressed dissatisfaction over the disruption of the midterms, but knowing the Dragon yer Academy¡¯s policies, they¡¯d likely brush it off with something about how ¡°dealing with unexpected situations is part of a hero¡¯s virtues¡± or something like that.
The teachers examined the injured and sent them to the infirmary.
Song Cheon-hye and a few members of the disciplinarymittee seemed to be exining the situation to teacher Lee Soo-dok. They were pointing in my direction as they handed over the Blood Fury syringe.
It looked like they were exining that they got it from me.
¡°¡.¡±
Teacher Lee Soo-dok red sharply in my direction, but thanks to Song Cheon-hye¡¯s thorough exnation, he didn¡¯t call me over.
Still, it wasn¡¯t a good idea to keep meeting his gaze since his mind could change at any moment.
So, I looked away and saw Seo Ye-in standing beside me nodding off while clutching my sleeve.
Her energy waspletely drained, much like a sloth battery that had run out long ago.
¡°How much do you have left now?¡±
¡°-5¡¡±
Wait, it could drop below 0%?
With the exam over, there was no reason for her to stay, so I told Seo Ye-in to go get some rest.
¡°Get plenty of sleep over the weekend, and I¡¯ll see you on Monday.¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
Seo Ye-in responded to my goodbye with a slow wave of her hand before trudging out of the dungeon building.
Next, Kwak Ji-cheol and Jeong Soo-ji came over from another ss.
As promised, Jeong Soo-ji handed me arge emerald.
¡°Thanks.¡±
¡°No, we should be the ones thanking you.¡±
I quickly epted it and stored it in my inventory.
Although my business with the two of them was now concluded, Kwak Ji-cheol hesitated as he was about to leave and looked at me. His mouth was slightly moving as if to say something.
Then, after looking away, he finally spoke.
¡°¡I, uh, I also wanted to thank you. For everything. I¡¯ll make sure to repay this debt.¡±
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be expecting it.¡±
I¡¯m not the type to turn down something if it¡¯s offered.
Kwak Ji-cheol then fully turned his back on me and walked away. He was even faster than Jeong Soo-ji.
Watching him go, I thought it was about time for me to leave as well, so I started to move.
¡°Hey.¡±
But Song Cheon-hye and Han So-mi called out and stopped me for a moment.
It seemed they had just returned after reporting to Lee Soo-dok.
Han So-mi cheerfully raised a hand and extended it toward me.
¡°You did great! High five!¡±
¡°Yeah, you too. Good job.¡±
I raised my hand to meet hers, and we exchanged two quick high fives, smack, smack.
Song Cheon-hye also gave me a slight nod.
¡°You¡¯ve worked hard. Thanks to your early warning, we were able to handle the situation before it got worse.¡±
¡°You too. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect you to gather up ten people.¡±
It¡¯s only right to acknowledge each other¡¯s efforts.
From Song Cheon-hye¡¯s perspective, she was grateful that I quickly informed her of the emergency and helped n a response.
From my perspective, things were made easier because she had brought along the disciplinarymittee members in droves.
If it had been just a group of four instead of ten, the damage inflicted on Alpha when I used the [Paralysis Scroll] would have been less, and we would have had to fight off at least one or two ogres after the second phase began.
Perhaps she felt awkward after the rare exchange ofpliments between us, Song Cheon-hye looked around nervously and said,
¡°Well¡ have a good weekend.¡±
¡°Bye!¡±
¡°Yeah, you too.¡±
Even after the two of them left the dungeon building, I still had to exchange a few more farewells.
Hong Yeon-hwa waved hesitantly before leaving, Park Na-ri shyly expressed her thanks, and Bum rubbed his forehead against my knee a few times before retreating into his cube of life which was his personal hideaway.
Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol kept me back and eagerly went over the battle against the ogres and Alpha Ogre in detail.
When these two get together, they can be surprisingly chatty.
Only after that did I finally find myself alone.
I guess it¡¯s time to head out.
I needed to organize what I gained today and n my next steps.
So, once again, my final destination would be the training center.
The midterms had just ended, but for a stagnant water yer like me, there was no such thing as rest.
***
Back at the dormitory, Seo Ye-in efficiently got ready for bed.
She was alwayszy and sluggish, but in moments like this, she showed a bit of diligence.
Before she knew it, Seo Ye-in was dressed in her pajamas and had burrowed into her bed.
She clung tightly to arge tiger plushie.
It was their first reunion in three days.
Seo Ye-in was about to close her eyes when,
¡°¡¡?¡±
She slowly reopened them and looked at the tiger plushie.
Then she tilted her head. She felt as if something had changed.
It was hard to pinpoint, but it felt lessfortable than before.
The tiger plushie was right there as always, so what had changed?
However, Seo Ye-in was far too sleepy to figure out the reason.
So, she hugged the tiger plushie again and closed her eyes.
Soon, the soft sound of her breathing filled the room.
***
TN: She got a favorite human
Chapter 193: They Slept Close Together?
Chapter 193: They Slept Close Together?
Underground Floor of Dungeon Building.
In some dungeon.
This ce, with towering castle walls, was a [Defensive Battle] themed dungeon where the goal was to work with the soldiers stationed in the fortress to repel the attacking monsters.
However, everything was now submerged in ck puddles and rotting away.
¡°¡¡.¡±
A woman in a ck robe stood on the castle walls while looking down at the scene.
Her demeanor was as natural as if she were looking out the window and thinking, ¡°The weather is nice today.¡±
At that moment, the sound of someone¡¯s heavy footsteps came up the castle wall stairs.
When the footsteps finally stopped behind her, the robed woman spoke.¡°Elder.¡±
¡°Commander.¡±
The identity of the footsteps was a man in a martial arts uniform, a Blood Cult elder.
The robed woman kept her gaze fixed beyond the castle walls as she spoke.
¡°As I recall, you mentioned that the results of the midterm exams had already been decided.¡±
¡°An unexpected variable has intervened. I didn¡¯t expect those rookies to be so strong.¡±
If things had gone ording to n, there would have been a tremendous number of casualties caused by the berserk ogres.
The n was to crush the promising young heroes and undermine public trust in the Dragon yer Academy.
There were quite a few injuries, but there were no deaths.
Even the Alpha Ogre, who had two Blood Fury Pills injected into it, was subdued by the first-year students.
It would be hard to understand how even second-year students would manage to subdue such a strong foe without taking any damage.
However, could a single phrase like ¡°an unexpected variable intervened¡± cover up this mistake?
The robed woman¡¯s side had also taken many risks to seize control of the dungeon, but they had gained nothing in return.
¡°It¡¯s quite disappointing. We may need to reconsider our alliance with the Blood Cult.¡±
¡°I understand that the Commander is upset. The fault lies with my inadequate preparations, so I apologize. But wouldn¡¯t it be a pity to dismantle the alliance already?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
Naturally, the two had prepared several things besides the Blood Fury Pill.
It was disappointing to discard all of them just because the initial n had gone awry.
¡°So, let¡¯s set aside the responsibility for now and discuss the next n. This time¡ª¡±
¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, but we¡¯ll have to talk about thatter.¡±
The robed woman interrupted.
The man in the martial arts uniform also sensed something and turned his gaze beyond the castle walls.
Two figures were walking towards them through the ck puddles as if taking a stroll.
One of them was a well-known figure that could be recognized even at a nce by the man.
¡°¡¡the Human Butcher.¡±
Lee Soo-dok with a fierce glint in his eyes,
Beside him was Seo Cheong-yong who was smiling warmly.
***
They¡¯re probably going to have a fight.
There had been an incident where control over the midterm dungeon was seized, but the academy wasn¡¯t going to just sit back and let it happen.
Among the many skills avable, there was one that could track the previous owner of an item.
If they used that skill on the Blood Fury Syringe, it would likely pinpoint their location.
Therefore, it was expected that a significant battle would break out somewhere in the underground levels.
They¡¯ll manage to pull themselves out of it somehow.
They were too strong to fall in one ce.
Still, after facing some intense heat, they would be considerably weakened, so things would be quiet at least for a while.
During that time, I had to keep getting stronger and prepare for their next move.
So it was time to solidify my foundation.
I first checked the [Enchantment] I had received as a reward forpleting the main quest.
[Enchantment (F)]
?Grants a skill/trait possessed by the caster to the target.
?Rank of the granted skill/trait: -3
?Duration: 3 minutes
?Cooldown: 1 hour
It was a powerful skill but it came with several restrictions.
While it allowed the caster to transfer a skill, the power of the skill would be greatly reduced in the process.
For example, when a C-rank skill was granted, the recipient would receive an F-rank skill which was three ranks lower.
Of course, as the rank of [Enchantment] increased, the degree of rank reduction would be mitigated.
The short duration and long cooldown were simr to Amplification, and this too would improve as the skill rank increased.
There was also another restriction that wasn¡¯t mentioned in the skill description:
You have to match it somewhat to the ss.
For example, giving a magic-type skill to a warrior like Go Hyeon-woo would be pointless, and giving a marksman skill to Hong Yeon-hwa would just make it better for her to keep using magic instead.
Despite these restrictions, the fact that you could temporarily add an additional skill or trait to someone was an incredible advantage.
Next, I looked at the Fixed Pins.
Currently, the items registered in the Copy Slots were as follows:
?Copy ¨C Skills [2/2]
1. Thief¡¯s Step (B+)
2. Overheat (D)
?Copy ¨C Traits [2/2]
1. Elemental Resistance (S)
2. The Sovereign¡¯s Crown
Now, which one would I make my own?
The first choice didn¡¯t even require any thought.
[Used ¡®Fixed Pin¡¯.]
[¡®Elemental Resistance (S)¡¯ has been fixed.]
[Traits]
?Elemental Resistance (S)
?Copy ¨C Traits [1/2]
1. (Empty)
2. The Sovereign¡¯s Crown
[Elemental Resistance] was removed from the copied traits tab, which left one of the copy slots empty.
This slot would soon be filled with another trait.
Now, [Elemental Resistance] was fully mine.
It could be ranked up and even fused with other traits or skills.
Perhaps it would be the first trait to break through the S-rank barrier and advance to EX-rank.
Of course, I still hadn¡¯t figured out how to do that, but just knowing that the possibility was now open was significant.
And yet, I still had one more Fixed Pin left.
I¡¯ll save this one.
The other options were somewhatcking to use such a precious Fixed Pin.
Even though [Thief¡¯s Step] had a high rank since I copied it from Dang Gyu-young, it was only mid-to-upper tierpared to other movement skills.
Even Seo Ye-in¡¯s [Feather Step] was a tier above it.
[Overheat] had its uses whenbined with Inferno Fist, but itcked versatility, and there woulde a day when I would abandon Inferno Fist anyway, so there was no need to fix it.
As for [The Sovereign¡¯s Crown], while it was quite rare, it was a trait without a rank. This meant it couldn¡¯t grow.
So, I decided to hold onto thest Fixed Pin for now.
Until I found a skill that was both ¡°rare enough¡± and ¡°capable of growth¡±.
***
Hong Yeon-hwa headed to the cafeteria with Baek Jun-seok to buy some snacks.
But even as she walked, only one thought upied her mind.
That thought was none other than about Kim Ho.
When facing the ogres, Hong Yeon-hwa took on the role of delivering firepower from the rear.
This allowed her to have a broader view of the battle, and in that, Kim Ho¡¯s role was definitely prominent.
He learned something incredible again.
Hong Yeon-hwa saw it clearly.
A seemingly unimpressive spell thatpressed wind into an explosion and tore through the ogre¡¯s thick hide in an instant.
This allowed the other team members¡¯ attacks to inflict even greater damage.
Whether they realized this or not was questionable.
Despite using such a powerful spell, his closebat skills didn¡¯t fall behind the other vanguard warriors.
Hong Yeon-hwa nced briefly at Baek Jun-seok.
I think he¡¯s better than him¡
¡°?¡±
Baek Jun-seok was baffled when Hong Yeon-hwa suddenly gave him a sullen look.
But Hong Yeon-hwa quickly averted her gaze and drifted back into her thoughts.
When they were fighting the Alpha Ogre, she thought she saw Kim Ho briefly use a fire-type skill.
Andter, when the Alpha¡¯s legs visibly stiffened, she suspected it was because of something he did.
However, these were just spections.
If only I had the rey¡
She could have confirmed her suspicions.
The fact that nothing had been recorded left her feeling frustrated.
As her thoughts about Kim Ho continued to spiral, Hong Yeon-hwa suddenly felt her face flush.
She remembered the conversation between Seo Ye-in and Kim Ho on the night of the second day of the midterms.
¨C Sleep with me.
¨C Come to think of it, we slept together yesterday too.
¨C I sleep well with you.
¨C Just this once. And don¡¯t climb on top of me.
Hong Yeon-hwa, who was born and raised in the Ruby Magic Tower, held a subtly conservative mindset.
For her, the conversation between the two had been extremely difficult to follow.
Sleeping together? Because she can¡¯t fall asleep?
So close, practically clinging to each other?
Hong Yeon-hwa asked herself.
If she were suffering from insomnia, could she sleep while clinging to Baek Jun-seok like that?
¡°Ugh.¡±
The thought alone made her shudder.
Hong Yeon-hwa grimaced and moved twice as far away from Baek Jun-seok.
¡°?? What is it now?¡±
Baek Jun-seok asked in confusion, but she didn¡¯t respond.
As Hong Yeon-hwa continued to wrestle with her thoughts, a question arose.
Could it be that her understanding was wrong?
Is it possible for close friends to sleep together like that?
However, she wasn¡¯tfortable asking just anyone about this.
There was only one person at the Dragon yer Academy she could pose such a deep question to.
So Hong Yeon-hwa bought a cup of coffee at the cafeteria.
As usual, it was the kind she always drank¡ªan espresso with endless shots, a coffee that tasted like oil.
Then she arrived at the Ruby Tower club room and handed the coffee to her older sister, Hong Ye-hwa.
¡°Unnie, coffee.¡±
¡°What¡¯s the asion? Anyway, thanks.¡±
Since the two sisters had almost identical tastes, Hong Ye-hwa had no trouble drinking the oily coffee.
When Hong Ye-hwa sipped her coffee, Hong Yeon-hwa who had been hesitating finally spoke up.
¡°Unnie, I have something I¡¯m curious about¡¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°There¡¯s someone I know¡.¡±
¡°Someone you know, huh. And?¡±
Hong Ye-hwa nodded her head slowly.
Of course, she was already guessing that this ¡°someone¡± Hong Yeon-hwa knew was probably Hong Yeon-hwa herself.
It was quitemon for someone to say, ¡°This is about my friend¡¡± when they were embarrassed to talk about themselves.
¡°So, this person¡ they paired up with someone of the opposite sex.¡±
¡°For the midterms?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
¡°Keep going.¡±
Hong Ye-hwa continued sipping her coffee and started reminiscing.
She went to that deserted ind too when she was a first-year.
It was pretty fun for her. It felt like camping.
Hong Yeon-hwa continued her exnation.
¡°So, on that deserted ind¡ they slept at night¡¡±
¡°Mhmm, and?¡±
¡°Well, at night¡ they slept close together.¡±
Whoosh¡ª!
The coffee in the cup burst into mes and evaporated.
Hong Ye-hwa then stood up and slowly approached her sister with her palm engulfed in a zing me.
And she questioned her with a stern expression on her face.
¡°Hey, Hong Yeon-hwa.¡±
¡°Huh? Huh?¡±
¡°Tell me straight. Who¡¯s the guy?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa blinked in confusion. She was startled by her sister¡¯s sudden change in demeanor.
¡°Is that¡ really important?¡±
¡°Of course, it¡¯s important! Why wouldn¡¯t it be? Who is it, Baek Jun-seok?¡±
This time, Hong Yeon-hwa jumped in surprise.
¡°Why would Baek Jun-seok evene up?¡±
¡°Then who is it? Tell me! Quickly!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa couldn¡¯t understand.
Was this really something to get so upset about?
It was someone else¡¯s story anyway, wasn¡¯t it?
Still, seeing her sister¡¯s fierce expression, she felt she had to answer.
¡°Kim Ho. But why is this so important?¡±
¡°Kim¡!¡±
Hong Ye-hwa felt a wave of dizziness and clutched her forehead.
She told her to get along with Kim Ho, and now they¡¯re dating?
And they slept together during midterms?
Soon, the dizziness turned into a burning fury and a fiery smack to the back erupted mercilessly.
Smack! Smack!
With each smack, Hong Ye-hwa spat out her words.
¡°You little! Already! Acting! So shamelessly!¡±
¡°Ouch! Why? What for? Why are you hitting me?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa who didn¡¯t understand a thing got her back scorched by the fiery smacks.
It was quite some time before she got a chance to exin herself.
Chapter 194: 10th Week Duel Battle (1)
Chapter 194: 10th Week Duel Battle (1)
On Monday,
When I entered ss, I heard that both Teacher Lee Soo-dok and Teacher Seo Cheong-yong had been absent for a few days.
I guess they went to confront the hostile forces inside the Academy.
My hope was that Teacher Lee Soo-dok and the other staff members would take care of them on their own, but that seemed unlikely.
The opposite is true as well.
If the ones I knew were involved, they would likely choose to retreat rather than fight to the death.
So I dismissed any worries about the teachers getting into trouble.
The duel battle ss was taken over by the Monster Ecology teacher, Ms. Cho Ok-soon.
Even though it wasn¡¯t her area of expertise, there was no issue in teaching the first-year students.However, if I had to point out one problem outside of the lesson itself, it was that whatever she taught, the students couldn¡¯t help but doze off.
Teacher Cho Ok-soon casually looked around the devastated ssroom and said,
¡°This week¡¯s topic for the duel battle ss is closely rted to ecology.¡±
Then she wrote onerge word on the ckboard and three smaller ones underneath it.
[Environment]
[Friendly], [Neutral], [Hostile]
¡°The environment can be ssified as friendly, neutral, or hostile depending on the situation. So, what would be considered a friendly environment?¡±
Song Cheon-hye who was barely managing to stay awake raised her hand.
¡°Would a fortress be considered a friendly environment?¡±
¡°That depends on the perspective. Of course, from the standpoint of the defenders, a fortress is indeed a friendly environment.¡±
The defending side fights from a stronghold. They were protected by sturdy walls and positioned on advantageous terrain.
If an environment provides even a small advantage to your side, it can be considered friendly.
Teacher Cho Ok-soon continued her exnation.
¡°The environments you¡¯ve encountered in duel battles and strategy battles so far mostly fall under ¡®neutral environments¡¯. The circr arena, the deserted ind, the forests, the caves¡ªthey don¡¯t favor either side. But what about hostile environments?¡±
What if the deserted ind gradually floods or the cave keeps copsing?
Survival would be the priority over fighting.
¡°Unfortunately, some dungeons you will face in the future do contain these hostile environments.¡±
From the perspective of a boss monster that designs or defends a dungeon, it¡¯s more efficient to make the dungeon environment itself disadvantageous to intruders rather than just cing average monsters or traps.
The cunning ones use everything at their disposal.
¡°Therefore, for the remainder of this semester, we will focus on adapting to these hostile environments.¡±
The ckboard was wiped clean, and the rules and environment for the uing duel appeared.
MAP: [Volcanic Zone]
RULE: [Deathmatch] [Three-Way Battle]
¡°I don¡¯t need to exin further about [Deathmatch], do I?¡±
The match continued until one participant was rendered unable to fight or until a deration of surrender was received.
Considering that the volcanic zone was a hostile environment,
The one whosts the longest wins.
¡°[Three-Way Battle] is literally a rule where three participants are divided into three teams andpete against each other.¡±
1 vs. 1 vs. 1.
If a traditional one-on-one duel ended with a winner and a loser,
A three-way battle resulted in a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd ce.
The first participant to fall was ranked 3rd, the next 2nd, and the final survivor imed 1st ce.
Points were lost or gained ordingly.
¡°I¡¯ll now take questions. Is there anything you¡¯re curious about?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Teacher Cho Ok-soon looked around the room, but no one raised their hand.
The rules weren¡¯t difficult enough to warrant any questions.
After a brief pause, Teacher Cho Ok-soon continued in a gentle tone.
¡°The good news is that this week, you only need to participate in two matches.¡±
Since midterms had just taken cest week, some students might still have been feeling dead tired.
The human sloth sprawled across the desk was a prime example.
Therefore, with just two matches assigned this week, they were being given a slightly easier schedule.
When Teacher Cho Ok-soon wrapped up the ss,
I just checked the newly arrived side quest.
[Sub Quest: 10th Week Duel Battle]
? Objective: Complete 2 duel matches. (0/2)
? Deadline: ~ midnight on Sunday.
? Reward: Varies based on rank.
In previous duel battle side quests, better rewards were given for more victories,
and in the three-way battles, the more first-ce wins, the better the rewards.
So my goal was obvious:
First ce in both matches.
And the best strategy was to finish these early.
¡°Hey, Kim-hyung.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo seemed to have the same idea as me and he approached me to suggest we head to the arena together.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in had been lying face down since morning without moving an inch.
She looked like she might stay that way until evening, so I lightly tapped her arm.
¡°Hey, young miss. How about getting up? If you want to sleep, go back to the dorm.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°You slept all weekend, didn¡¯t you? Still tired?¡±
¡°Not enough¡¡±
¡°Not enough? What¡¯s not enough?¡±
When I asked that, Seo Ye-in who was half-asleep barely lifted her head and opened her eyes just a tiny bit.
And then she slowly reached out and gently tugged on my pinky finger.
¡°Pillow¡.¡±
¡°There¡¯s a pillow at the dorm, isn¡¯t there? The tiger plushie.¡±
¡°No¡.¡±
Her gray hair swayed ever so slightly from side to side before she flopped back down.
What she meant by ¡°no¡± I couldn¡¯t tell.
Go Hyeon-woo nced between the two of us and tried to gauge the situation.
¡°Then, I¡¯ll head out first.¡±
¡°No, we¡¯ll go together.¡±
There was a limit to how much I could indulge her whims.
Besides, it was a duel battle, and we were only assigned two matches.
It wasn¡¯t necessary for Seo Ye-in to keep pace with us for the matches.
So Go Hyeon-woo and I left the ssroom and left the sloth behind.
A weak voice called out behind us.
¡°Pillow¡.¡±
***
There were fewer students in the arena than usual.
It seemed they were waiting to challenge after seeing just how hostile the [Volcanic Zone] was in the rey.
It won¡¯t make much of a difference.
Whether they watched the rey or saw it firsthand, it was the same thing.
It wasn¡¯t worth spending 100 points just to preview the map.
Of course, if they did, it would be a nice bonus for me, Go Hyeon-woo, and the others who yed the matches early.
As I scanned my student ID, the terminal began searching for a suitable opponent.
[Kim Ho 608 points]
Go Hyeon-woo nced at my score and remarked, ¡°Kim-hyung, you¡¯re climbing the ranks at an rming pace. Already at 600 points.¡±
¡°And you¡¯re almost at 900, aren¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Haha, not much further to go.¡±
Except for the sticker matches, I had an undefeated record.
Go Hyeon-woo had won every match except for a couple, so our scores which had been in the 300s and 600s had steadily risen to the 600s and 800s.
Of course, with higher scores came stronger opponents, so it would only get harder to keep up the winning streak.
As Go Hyeon-woo and I exchanged small talk, the matchmaking didn¡¯t take long.
When I saw the names appear on the scoreboard, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.
All these names seem familiar.
When I stepped onto the teleportation magic circle and entered the arena, a wave of hot and stuffy air hit me immediately.
The main causes were likely the volcano nearby which constantly spewed ck smoke and ash, and the river ofva that encircled the arena.
Soon, two more people appeared not far from me.
Like I had guessed from the scoreboard, both were familiar faces.
[Kim Ho 100%]
vs
[Kang Hee-chan 100%]
vs
[Son Hyeong-taek 100%]
Kang Hee-chan was the longsword warrior who had paired with Cha Hyeon-joo during the midterms.
Cha Hyeon-joo and Kang Hee-chan hadunched the first attack and were easily defeated, then Seo Ye-in took him out with a single sniper shot.
Son Hyeong-taek was one of the mentees of the toad senior, Kim Gap-doo. He had faced Song Cheon-hye in the Crystal duel battle where he was utterly crushed.
He tried hard to run but got caught in the end.
However, it seemed he had already shaken off that embarrassing memory, as Son Hyeong-taek looked at me with burning determination in his eyes.
Kang Hee-chan also fixed his gaze on me with a sh in his eyes.
¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to face you again if I ever got the chance; looks like I¡¯m in luck.¡±
¡°Are you sure it¡¯s luck?¡±
¡°Of course, this time it¡¯s not a pair match but a duel battle.¡±
He must have thought our victory during the midterms was all thanks to Seo Ye-in.
Well, it¡¯s true that Spiral Burst isn¡¯t very noticeable.
On the other hand, Magic Bullets are highly visible and definitely painful.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Son Hyeong-taek kept his eyes locked on me, then made a suggestion to Kang Hee-chan.
¡°Kim Ho bothers me more than you do. What do you think?¡±
¡°I agree.¡±
After exchanging nces, both of them stared at me simultaneously.
It looked like an unspoken alliance had formed.
Their n was to take me out first and then decide who would be first and second.
¡°How dirty of you.¡±
At this point, I had no choice either.
I had to y dirty too.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Boom!
As soon as the match started, a volcano erupted and the ground shook violently.
Fiery projectiles shot up into the sky, while streams ofva began to flow downward.
It wouldn¡¯t be long before either one reached this ce.
And then, Son Hyeong-taek and Kang Hee-chan,
¡°Got you!¡±
Simultaneously kicked off the ground and charged at me.
Their unspoken agreement was clear; they intended to take me out first.
Kang Hee-chan who reached me first swung his longsword horizontally, then diagonally, and then horizontally again.
I evaded by stepping back, twisting my body, and retreating further.
Then I quickly moved a few more steps to the side,
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
Because Son Hyeong-taek who had just arrived unleashed a barrage of wind fists.
¡°That guy was always a sneaky one.¡±
In the Crystal duel battle, it was understandable since his opponent was Song Cheon-hye, but even in this 2-on-1 situation, he was still throwing in those annoying little attacks.
It seemed like this wasn¡¯t his first time doing it either.
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
He sent out the wind fists with perfect precision. Though he was careful not to interfere with Kang Hee-chan¡¯s attacks.
It was the mark of a seasoned expert at this kind of dirty y.
Their coordinated attack was quite tricky, so I had to quickly retreat with cautious steps.
However, there was only so far I could retreat.
The battlefield waspletely surrounded by a river ofva.
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
As I continued to dodge Kang Hee-chan¡¯s sword strikes and Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s wind fists, I felt a burning heat on my back.
A quick nce over my shoulder revealed that the bubblingva was just a few steps behind me.
Thinking they had finally cornered me, Kang Hee-chan wore a triumphant smile on his face.
¡°This is the end!¡±
¡°W-Wait a second!¡±
¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a wait in a fight!¡±
I urgently raised one hand, but he was so excited that he shed his longsword even more fiercely.
Just when a long wound was about to be carved into my upper body,
I slid past Kang Hee-chan and moved swiftly using Thief¡¯s Step.
In an instant, our positions were reversed and I lightly ced my hand on his back.
Sensing the imminent danger, Kang Hee-chan¡¯s face stiffened.
¡°W-Wait a second!¡±
¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a wait in a fight!¡±
Booom!
Compressed wind exploded and Kang Hee-chan¡¯s body was hurled forward.
He plunged into the river ofva with a ssh.
¡°Aaaargh!¡±
Chapter 195: 10th Week Duel Battle (2)
Chapter 195: 10th Week Duel Battle (2)
Kang Hee-chan¡¯s health was rapidly depleting.
[Kang Hee-chan: 89%]
[Kang Hee-chan: 83%]
[Kang Hee-chan: 78%]
¡°Kraaaah!¡±
Kang Hee-chan desperately swam to escape the river ofva.
You can guess how hot theva river was when you see his swimming speed that surpassed human limits.
However, just as he was about to reach the shore,
Thwack!A powerful strike hit him squarely on the chin.
Kang Hee-chan paused in ce, his head twisted diagonally, then he began to bubble and sank beneath the surface.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
vs
[Kang Hee-chan ¨C %]
vs
I turned my gaze away from Kang Hee-chan who had disappeared into theva, and looked at Son Hyeong-taek who had delivered thest blow.
[Son Hyeong-taek: 100%]
¡°Hyeong-taek, you¡¯re really a bad guy. If you make an alliance, you should stick to it until the end. But you just had to take this chance to stab him in the back, huh?¡±
¡°An alliance can break at any time. I¡¯d rather go solo than team up with a weakling like that.¡±
¡°From where I¡¯m standing, you¡¯re all the same.¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t you check and see for yourself if we¡¯re really all the same.¡±
Boom!
The volcano erupted once again, shaking the ground.
Fireballsrger than a person¡¯s body fell down like corn.
We kept our eyes locked on each other while stepping around to avoid the falling fireballs.
Perhaps because he was a martial artist, Son Hyeong-taek moved his body skillfully.
Soon, he drew both fists to his chest, then extended them forward in quick session like a boxer throwing a one-two punch.
Pah-pah-pah-pah!
I dodged the barrage of wind sts, then threw out a question.
¡°nning to finish this from a distance?¡±
¡°What¡¯s the point of getting close?¡±
For Son Hyeong-taek, approaching me would only result in him being pushed back by Wind Force, and he could end up like Kang Hee-chan.
Looking back, it seemed he had formed the temporary alliance just to send Kang Hee-chan in first and observe my techniques.
It was a cowardly move, but I had to give him credit for using his head.
So, even while dodging the wind sts and fireballs, I nodded my head in acknowledgment.
¡°You analyzed it well. I was nning to push you away if you got close.¡±
¡°At least during this match, our distance isn¡¯t going to close.¡±
¡°But there¡¯s something you¡¯ve overlooked.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
Wind Force isn¡¯t my only skill.
I pointed directly at Son Hyeong-taek with my finger.
Whiiing¡ª
Wind gathered from all directions to form a whirlwind that bound him in ce.
He struggled desperately, but it wasn¡¯t enough to break free from the C+ rank Twister.
Then one of therge fireballsunched by the volcanic eruption struck him directly on the crown of his head.
Boom!
¡°!!¡±
[Son Hyeong-taek: 93%]
Son Hyeong-taek grew flustered and iled his arms wildly as he wandered around.
His entire body was engulfed in mes and he staggered in confusion.
But soon enough, he regained hisposure, took a deep breath, and with a loud shout,
¡°Hup!¡±
the mes scattered in all directions.
It seemed to be a form of protective aura.
However, of course I wasn¡¯t just going to stand by and watch after giving him so much time.
By the time Son Hyeong-taek was iling around, I had already closed the distance.
His pupils dted as he noticed me.
¡°W-Wait a second.¡±
¡°Just now, Kang Hee-chan said something like that.¡±
He said that there¡¯s no such thing as a wait in a fight.
Thepressed wind exploded.
Boom!
Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s body was sent flying in an arc before plunging into the river ofva.
¡°Aaaargh!¡±
¡°See? You¡¯re all the same.¡±
[Son Hyeong-taek: 86%]
[Son Hyeong-taek: 80%]
[Son Hyeong-taek: 73%]
His reaction to falling into theva was identical to Kang Hee-chan¡¯s.
He disyed swimming skills that could rival a gold medalist and swam through theva river.
I silently watched him, and just as Son Hyeong-taek reached the shore, I spoke.
¡°There¡¯s one more thing you miscalcted.¡±
¡°Aaaargh¡ª¡±
¡°This is a long-range spell.¡±
In other words, whether the target is close or far, it doesn¡¯t affect its ability to push and pull.
Whiiing¡ª
The wind that was infused with physical force continued to push Son Hyeong-taek backward.
[Son Hyeong-taek: 55%]
[Son Hyeong-taek: 48%]
¡°Aaaargh¡ª!¡±
Son Hyeong-taek desperately tried to swim in ce, but his speed gradually slowed down, and he was eventually pushed back until he sank beneath the bubbling surface.
Soon, the results were disyed on the scoreboard.
[Kim Ho 1st]
[Son Hyeong-taek 2nd]
[Kang Hee-chan 3rd]
One match down.
I calmly left the arena and immediately queued up for the next match.
[Kim Ho 642 points]
As I waited and idly watched the arena, I overheard the conversations of other students nearby.
It seemed they had just finished their matches as well.
About half of their discussions revolved around the three-way battle rules.
¨C This free-for-all was absolute chaos.
¨C The mind games were intense.
¨C They totally ganged up on me.
¨C Maybe they just don¡¯t like you. Probably because you¡¯re ugly.
The three-way battle was filled with deceit and trickery.
Those who were inexperienced couldn¡¯t survive, just like Kang Hee-chan, who took Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s alliance proposal at face value and ended up being the first to fall.
Meanwhile, the other half of the conversation was filled withints about the hostile environment they were encountering for the first time.
¨C This map is brutal.
¨C One hit from those fireballs and I lost 10% of my health.
¨C I lost 7%.
¨C And theva is insanely hot.
¨C This is going to keeping up for the rest of the semester?
The active volcano rained down fireballs throughout the match, and as time passed, theva overflowed which left no safe ground to stand on.
In this free-for-all battle, yers had to constantly decide whether to y aggressively and take down opponents or to y defensively and simply survive. It required sharp judgment and constant awareness of others¡¯ strategies.
As I continued to wait and looked around,
I came across a very familiar face.
¡°He-Hello ¡¡±
¡°We¡¯ve been running into each other a lottely.¡±
¡°Ah, Mhmm¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa shyly greeted me as she approached.
Compared to before, the fear in her expression seemed to be gradually fading away.
However, there was also aplex mix of emotions in her eyes when she looked at me, though I couldn¡¯t quite figure out why.
Come to think of it, her score is pretty close to mine.
That meant there was a good chance we could be matched up together.
¡°Ah.¡±
At that moment, it seemed Hong Yeon-hwa had the same thought cross her mind.
Unlike me, who didn¡¯t care who my opponent was, she definitely wanted to avoid facing me at all costs.
She quickly rushed over to the terminal and tried to cancel her match.
¡°Ah.¡±
But she suddenly stopped in her tracks and wore an expression like a child who had just dropped their ice cream.
The match had already been made, leaving no room for escape.
[Kim Ho 649 points]
vs
[Hong Yeon-hwa 708 points]
vs
[Wang Min-soo 660 points]
What kind of day is this?
I kept running into familiar faces.
Maybe this meant that the number of people I knew had grown.
As I approached the arena, I spoke over my shoulder.
¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±
¡°M-Mhmm¡¡±
Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯splexion had suddenly darkened.
Her steps seemed unusually heavy today.
When we entered the volcanic zone through the teleportation magic circle, a wave of intense heat hit our faces.
Hong Yeon-hwa also appeared in a corner of the arena, and on the opposite side, Wang Min-soo showed up.
I waved to Wang Min-soo.
¡°Hey, Cheon-sam. How¡¯s it going?¡±
¡°¡It¡¯s Wang Min-soo now.¡±
¡°Still using that alias?¡±
¡°For the time being, yes.¡±
Wang Cheon-sam didn¡¯t seem too keen on the topic and quickly changed the subject.
¡°I heard you took down Sa Gong-wook.¡±
¡°More or less.¡±
The ck faction of the swordsmanship club still wasn¡¯t fond of me, so Sa Gong-wook and five other swordsmen had been hired to take me out during the midterms.
However, thanks to my enthusiastic use of the Spiral Explosion, their attempt failed miserably.
I asked about the current state of Sa Gong-wook¡¯s gang.
¡°How are they doing?¡±
¡°Of course, they got thoroughly beaten by Senior Mak Dae-woong. I heard they lost 6 to 3. Is that true?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo and I, along with three from Seo Ye-in¡¯s group, had faced the six swordsmen, but since Seo Ye-in couldn¡¯t offer much support, it was more like 6 against 2.
Despite having the numerical advantage, they were overwhelmingly defeated so Mak Dae-woong must have been furious.
Maybe if they had at least brought back some useful information about my Spiral Explosion, it could have been different, but with the Blood Fury Pill incident, the rey probably didn¡¯t even get saved.
That seemed to be enough about Sa Gong-wook and his gang¡¯s current situation, so I decided to focus on the duel battle ahead.
¡°I need to ask you a favor.¡±
¡°What now?¡±
When Wang Cheon-sam asked, I gestured toward Hong Yeon-hwa with my eyes.
¡°Have a match with her using your full strength. Make sure the rey is set to private.¡±
¡°Wi-With me¡ ?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected suggestion.
It would be shocking for her to suddenly be told to duel without much discussion.
I spoke to her as well.
¡°Give it a try. It¡¯ll be a good experience.¡±
Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam were in the assassin ss, which was practically the natural enemy of a battery-type mage like Hong Yeon-hwa.
If Hong Yeon-hwa who was a promising student were to face Jang Moo-geuk, she¡¯d likely be taken down in an instant, but Wang Cheon-sam¡¯s skill level was closer to 0.8 of a promising student.
With that in mind, it should at least be a decent fight even if her ss put her at a disadvantage.
However, Wang Cheon-sam frowned. He was clearly not thrilled by the idea.
¡°I don¡¯t see why I should do that. Wouldn¡¯t it just be helping you out?¡±
¡°If that¡¯s how you feel, then fight me instead.¡±
¡°¡¡..¡±
Wang Cheon-sam¡¯sints immediately died down.
In the previous 2-on-2 duel, he had charged at me but was taken out in a single blow after being hit by a Wind Forcebo.
Even when he teamed up with Jang Moo-geuk under Mak Dae-woong¡¯s orders, he was struck by Wind Force and flung far away.
The result this time wouldn¡¯t be much different.
In fact, there was a high chance the oue would be even worse.
After all, rivers ofva were flowing everywhere.
I gently persuaded him,
¡°Just think of it as doing me a favor.¡±
¡°¡Hmm, alright.¡±
Wang Cheon-sam reluctantly nodded his head.
The three of us then reviewed our agreement.
First, Hong Yeon-hwa and Wang Cheon-sam would face off to determine who would take second ce.
Wang Cheon-sam would reveal his hidden skills and fight as an assassin, and the rey would remain private.
Meanwhile, I would take a step back and merely observe.
Once everyone was ready, the countdown began.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Boooom!
As soon as the battlemenced, the volcano unleashed a barrage of fireballs.
A huge fireball that was asrge as a house flew directly toward me, but I didn¡¯t even think about moving. I just stood still in ce.
Boooooom!
The area where I stood became engulfed in mes.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Kim Ho: 100%]
However, there was no way a mere fireball could prate an S-rank elemental resistance.
I could probably take a full-body bath inva and still maintain 100% health.
¡°¡¡.?¡±
¡°¡¡.?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa and Wang Cheon-sam¡¯s faces were filled with disbelief.
They checked the scoreboard, looked at me burning brightly, then checked the scoreboard again.
I politely extended my hand to the speechless pair.
¡°Please finish what you were doing.¡±
Chapter 196: 10th Week Duel Battle (3)
Chapter 196: 10th Week Duel Battle (3)
Hong Yeon-hwa trembled slightly as she watched Kim Ho burn brightly.
I-I knew it would turn out like this¡
This was why she had wanted to avoid the match.
Not even the enhanced Fire Pir had left a mark on him, so how could mere mes orva have any effect?
She wondered if there was any way to deal damage to that man.
Wang Cheon-sam was having simr thoughts.
His endurance is incredible¡
From the moment he first encountered Kim Ho until now, he had never once managed tond a hit.
Seeing Kim Ho maintain 100% health even in the midst of the raging mes, it was clear that his endurance was extraordinary as well.Even if by some stroke of luck an attack didnd, it wouldn¡¯t even leave a scratch.
He would likely be sent flying into theva before that could happen.
So, Hong Yeon-hwa and Wang Cheon-sam reached the same conclusion.
Against Kim Ho, there was no chance of victory at all, so,
This is ultimately a fight for second ce.
In truth, Wang Cheon-sam didn¡¯t mind this oue.
It wasn¡¯t often he got the chance topete against someone of this caliber.
If he could secure a victory against Hong Yeon-hwa, he might finally gain some recognition in the swordsmanship club.
Besides, didn¡¯t Kim Ho even ensure the rey wouldn¡¯t be shared so that Wang Cheon-sam could fully showcase his abilities?
The sword at his waist slid smoothly into his hand.
His eyes gleamed with a chilling intensity.
¡°¡¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa met his gaze and grew a bit more tense.
She instinctively knew he wasn¡¯t an opponent to be taken lightly.
She also suspected there was a reason Kim Ho had suggested she take him on.
If Wang Cheon-sam were someone who could be turned to ashes with a single fireball, Kim Ho wouldn¡¯t have bothered proposing the match, nor would he have encouraged him to show his true abilities.
As Hong Yeon-hwa and Wang Cheon-sam silently locked eyes,
Boooooom!
The volcano erupted once more, shaking the ground beneath them.
In the split second that Hong Yeon-hwa took a half-step to the side to steady herself, Wang Cheon-sam¡¯s figure shot forward with terrifying speed.
In a single breath, he closed the distance and thrust his sword toward her.
Hong Yeon-hwa quickly leaned to the side and narrowly dodged the thrust.
An assassin!
Technically, he was from the martial artist ss. But specifically, he was an assassin type.
He was herplete opposite.
Hong Yeon-hwa stepped back to create some distance, but Wang Cheon-sam pressed even closer and continued his relentless sword attacks.
Since she couldn¡¯t dodge them all perfectly, small cuts began to umte on her arms, waist, and thighs.
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 97%]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 95%]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 91%]
However, just as Wang Cheon-sam was persistently closing in, he suddenly gave some space.
Boom!
A fireball had fallen between them.
If he had continued his pursuit out of greed, he would have suffered significant losses.
Thanks to this, Hong Yeon-hwa had a moment to catch her breath.
She quickly activated the spells she had been preparing while dodging.
[me Orb]
[Overheat]
Whoosh,
Arge orb of me formed at the tip of her wand, which was immediately absorbed into her body.
To keep up with the speed of the assassin ss, enhancing her physical abilities was the top priority.
Wang Cheon-sam closed in again.
He aimed three quick thrusts at three key pressure points on her body.
Hong Yeon-hwa twisted her body desperately to avoid them.
And she surprised herself.
Is this¡ working?
Am I really dodging this?
All the beatings she had endured during her training with Dang Gyu-young and Kim Ho were finally paying off.
She instinctively dodged the sword strikes that she could barely see.
Yet, despite this, the situation hadn¡¯t improved much.
The ss advantage remained unchanged, and she was still on the defensive.
Even though evading had be somewhat easier thanks to Overheat, the damage was slowly umting.
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 87%]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 86%]
If this keeps up, I¡¯m going to lose.
Her health was steadily draining over time, while she hadn¡¯t inflicted any damage on her opponent.
She needed to find a breakthrough.
As Hong Yeon-hwa clenched the hand not holding her wand, her fist burst into mes.
She thrust it forward.
[Fire Punch]
She intended to see how her opponent would react to the ming fist, hoping to devise her next move based on that, but Wang Cheon-sam¡¯s response was unexpected.
He thrust his sword directly at her with his de in front.
Swoosh!
Wait, this isn¡¯t right.
Hong Yeon-hwa was flustered, but she quickly ran a simtion in her head.
If shended the Fire Punch, she could inflict significant damage, but at the same time, her heart would be pierced by that thrust.
If dealing a heavy blow meant bing incapacitated in return,
That¡¯s a huge loss!
As soon as she finished calcting, Hong Yeon-hwa canceled the Fire Punch and flung herself to the side.
In the next instant, Wang Cheon-sam¡¯s sword shed across her shoulder.
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 85%]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 80%]
Ugh¡
Just that took 5% off her health, so if she had been hit directly, the fight would have ended just as she predicted.
It was a mindset typical of an assassin. The opponent was willing to take damage if it meant bringing down the opponent.
Wang Cheon-sam continued his relentless attacks without giving her any time to recover.
Hong Yeon-hwa felt her mind go nk for a moment.
Wow, what do I do now?
A half-hearted counterattack wouldn¡¯t work.
To be precise, it might work, but just like before, he would ignore defense and thrust straight in which would cause far greater damage to her.
That meant she needed to end this with one powerful strike¡ but¡
If I had something like that, I would¡¯ve used it by now!
Hong Yeon-hwa nced toward Kim Ho as if asking for help.
She also wanted to see what he was doing.
He was just standing there and watching them.
With his knees submerged inva.
That¡¯s not a human¡
Hong Yeon-hwa shook her head in disbelief, but then suddenly remembered the advice he had given her.
¨C Think big.
In hindsight, it was thanks to that big-picture approach that she had easily won her fight against Bukgong Han-seol.
Maybe she could try that again now.
Hong Yeon-hwa busily dodged Wang Chun-sam¡¯s sword strikes while taking in her surroundings one by one.
Boom!
The volcano kept hurling fireballs, and theva river continued to overflow, gradually shrinking the size of the arena.
Though theva was dangerous, the fireballs could be put to use.
Amid the confusion in her mind, a n began to take shape.
Hong Yeon-hwa kept retreating as she had been, but now, there was a difference. The wand she held was pointing downward.
With every sh of the ruby¡¯s red light, a magic circle was drawn on the ground.
Wang Cheon-sam didn¡¯t know what kind of magic these circles held, but he knew enough to avoid stepping on them.
She¡¯s using her head.
Her intention was clear. It was to gradually take control of the space.
The longer time he gave her, the more likely the tide would turn against him.
So Wang Cheon-sam pressed his attack even more fiercely.
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 75%]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 72%]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 67%]
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s health gauge decreased even faster.
But she seemed oblivious to Wang Cheon-sam and was focusing solely on increasing the number of magic circles.
One by one, the magic circles multiplied until theypletely covered the area.
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s eyes gleamed, and Wang Cheon-sam instinctively knew she was about to make her move.
And then,
Boom!
The volcano erupted.
At that moment, the magic circles engraved on the ground simultaneously emitted a red glow.
Now.
Wang Cheon-sam quickly scanned his surroundings.
He was already prepared to escape from the area of the magic circles at any time.
The next thing to worry about was the falling fireballs.
Some of them were headed straight for him, and not only did he dodge them, but he also calcted the range that would be engulfed in mes and moved to a safe position.
However, that was exactly what Hong Yeon-hwa had intended.
[Outburst]
A spell that grants explosive power to fire.
And it didn¡¯t necessarily have to be fire magic that she cast herself.
Hong Yeon-hwa pointed her wand at the descending fireballs.
As soon as they touched the ground,
Kaboom!
A huge explosion of mes engulfed the entire area.
It was a range far beyond Wang Cheon-sam¡¯s expectations.
His entire body was consumed by the mes.
What the¡!
At that moment, two thoughts shed through Wang Cheon-sam¡¯s mind.
He¡¯d been outyed, and,
This is all or nothing.
Win or lose, the fight had to end here!
With his body still engulfed in mes, Wang Cheon-sam shot forward.
But then, from the numerous magic circles on the ground, pirs of fire erupted at the same time.
When Hong Yeon-hwa waved her wand once, the pirs of fire connected into one and formed a huge wall of mes.
[Fire Wall]
Whoooooooooooosh¡ª!
However, Wang Cheon-sam was as tenacious as theye.
[Wang Min-soo: 85%]
[Wang Min-soo: 72%]
[Wang Min-soo: 61%]
He should have faltered when he hit the wall of mes, but instead, he charged straight through.
He didn¡¯t care that his health was rapidly draining.
But just as he was about to break through the wall of mes,
[Fire Punch]
Boom!
A ming fist struck him square in the abdomen.
Wang Cheon-sam staggered and was pushed back before disappearing into the mes.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
vs
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 61%]
vs
[Wang Min-soo ¨C %]
It¡¯s, it¡¯s over¡!
Hong Yeon-hwa cheered inwardly as she looked at the scoreboard.
Just then, Kim Ho who had been in spectator mode the whole time spoke up.
¡°Well done.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face lit up.
But the next words made her go pale.
¡°Shall we decide who¡¯s first now?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Whoosh¡ª
A gust of wind blew from somewhere.
Lava bubbled right next to her, but Hong Yeon-hwa shivered as she felt a chill.
Kim Ho looked at theva river and said.
¡°Shall we go in together?¡±
¡°N-No, I-I-I¡¯m fine.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa took a step back and her face grew even paler.
Even for a fire mage, diving into a river ofva was crossing the line.
Before Kim Ho could say anything further, she quickly dered her forfeit.
[Kim Ho 1st]
[Hong Yeon-hwa 2nd]
[Wang Min-soo 3rd]
***
After leaving the arena, Hong Yeon-hwa let out a long sigh.
At least I held my position¡.
Second ce in a three-way match.
She hadn¡¯t gained many points, but at least she hadn¡¯t lost any either.
Considering she hadpeted against a monster and a master assassin, it was a decent performance.
However, she had exhausted so much energy that she felt it would be difficult to continue with the second match right away.
I¡¯ll just rest for today¡.
With only one match left toplete her quota and a whole week to do it, it seemed wiser to finish when she regained her strength.
When Hong Yeon-hwa started to leave the arena,
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
She once again ran into Kim Ho.
Unlike her, it seemed he had alreadypleted his two assigned matches.
As Hong Yeon-hwa gave a small nod in greeting and tried to walk past him,
¡°Hong Yeon-hwa.¡±
¡°M-Me?¡±
Kim Ho¡¯s voice grabbed her attention and stopped her in her tracks.
When she slowly turned her head with a creak, he casually threw out a suggestion.
¡°Coffee?¡±
¡°C-Coffee? You want to¡ drink coffee?¡±
¡°When you have time.¡±
During the mentoring week, Hong Yeon-hwa had bought Kim Ho a cup of coffee as a thank-you gesture and now he was offering to return the favor.
His unexpected offer caught her off guard.
Though she still harbored a strange sense of fear towards Kim Ho, there was also a part of her that wanted to get to know him better.
In that sense, having a light conversation over coffee didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea.
There were also a couple of things she was curious about.
Two big questions, to be exact.
Hong Yeon-hwa nodded her head.
¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±
Chapter 197: Hong Yeon-hwa Is Unjustly Accused
Chapter 197: Hong Yeon-hwa Is Unjustly used
Hong Yeon-hwa and Kim Ho each bought a cup of coffee at the convenience store and sat side by side on a nearby bench.
Perhaps because they had talked over coffee here before, the atmosphere felt a bit less tense.
Hong Yeon-hwa fiddled with her paper cup before speaking.
¡°Th-Thank you. For setting up that one-on-one match¡¡±
Judging from the conversation between Wang Cheon-sam and Kim Ho, it seemed that Wang Cheon-sam not only used a fake name but also hid much of his true abilities.
If Kim Ho hadn¡¯t made the request, Wang Cheon-sam would have continued to conceal his strength during the match.
In that case, while winning and gaining points might have been easier, she would have remained a frog in the well.
On the other hand, even though she had gone through some difficulties this time, she had gained quite a bit.
Kim Ho nodded his head slightly.¡°It was nothing. How was it, facing an assassin?¡±
¡°¡It was difficult.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa answered honestly.
As someone who always attacked relentlessly duringbat, it was almost the first time she had been forced into a defensive position for so long.
If the duel battle hadn¡¯t been in a volcanic area that favored her¡
Although she managed to turn the game around with her strategy in thetter half, it was actually possible because she had been quite lucky in several ways.
And if the fireball hadn¡¯t fallen at just the right moment¡
She likely would have been overwhelmed and lost the match.
Curious about how such a skilled opponent had gone unnoticed until now, Hong Yeon-hwa asked.
¡°Uh, Wang Min-soo? Or was it Wang Cheon-sam? What¡¯s his real skill level?¡±
¡°He¡¯s slightly below the level of a promising student. About a half-step to a full step lower.¡±
¡°¡He¡¯s not a ¡®promising student¡¯?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
This information shocked Hong Yeon-hwa.
If she struggled this much against an assassin who was a step below the promising level, then against a true promising student-level assassin, she might not just be pushed into a defensive position but could lose the match the moment it began.
To avoid such an absurd defeat, she needed to start preparing and improving her skills now.
So, Hong Yeon-hwa sought advice from Kim Ho.
¡°How do you deal with an assassin¡?¡±
¡°You just have to watch carefully and dodge.¡±
¡°¡That¡¯s a bit much.¡±
Kim Ho made an absurd suggestion without batting an eye.
Of course, for him, dodging a barrage of attacks would be a simple task.
Still, wouldn¡¯t it be better to give advice that matched her level so she could at least attempt it?
Perhaps realizing this, Kim Ho took a sip of his coffee before speaking.
¡°I noticed you weren¡¯t using any defensive magic.¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s because¡¡±
Up until now, she hadn¡¯t just neglected defensive magic; she hadn¡¯t even been interested in it.
She thought it was more advantageous to throw another fireball rather than waste time setting up a shield.
But now, the situation changed.
She had faced various opponents in both duel battles and strategy battles and in some cases, she had realized that attacking alone wasn¡¯t always the best strategy.
It was time to address the areas she neglected.
¡°If you have any skill rmendations¡¡±
¡°Try learning something from the armor or barrier categories, whichever suits your style.¡±
¡°Which one is better¡?¡±
¡°If it were me, I¡¯d learn both.¡±
Now that she thought about it, there didn¡¯t seem to be a need to choose just one.
She had heard that it was quitemon toyer barriers on top of armor.
¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll look into it.¡±
¡°One more thing. Go for the ones with long casting times.¡±
¡°¡Ah!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s eyebrows shot up at Kim Ho¡¯s added remark.
These were powerful spells with the drawback of long casting times.
In a battle where every second counted, a lengthy casting time could be fatal.
However, for someone like Hong Yeon-hwa who had an exceptionally fast casting speed, it wasn¡¯t much of a problem.
She could use powerful magic with rtively few drawbacks.
Defensive magic with long casting times.
I should look into spellbooks when I get back.
With that, her path for the near future was decided.
But there was one more thing Hong Yeon-hwa wanted to ask.
In some ways, this question was even more important than the previous one.
It was about the rtionship between Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in.
However, she hesitated for a moment before speaking.
Is this¡ something I should even ask?
The other party was Kim Ho, and even if the other party wasn¡¯t Kim Ho, it seemed like a tricky question to ask directly.
But she couldn¡¯t keep this to herself forever.
The curiosity that had started during the midterms was still lingering in a corner of her mind and tormenting her.
Hong Yeon-hwa desperately wanted to resolve this curiosity.
Besides, the fact that she had brought this up with her older sister and ended up getting a slew of fiery back-smacks yed a big role in her decision.
That was aplete misunderstanding!
It wasn¡¯t about me!
It was really about someone I knew!
It was about Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in!
For the sake of her unjustly sacrificed back, she was determined to get to the bottom of this.
So, Hong Yeon-hwa steeled her resolve.
After carefully choosing her words, she finally spoke.
¡°So¡ you know Seo Ye-in, right?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
¡°What do you¡ think of her?¡±
¡°She¡¯s special.¡±
Seo Ye-in was special to Kim Ho.
After receiving a piece of the puzzle and putting it together, Hong Yeon-hwa continued to ask questions carefully.
¡°Then, are you two¡ dating¡ by any chance?¡±
¡°We¡¯re not dating.¡±
¡°Oh¡ really?¡±
¡°Why do you ask?¡±
When Kim Ho asked her back, Hong Yeon-hwa felt a twinge of guilt.
Prodding into someone else¡¯s love life was indeed rude.
So, she decided to ask just a little more, and if he seemed ufortable, she would quickly apologize.
¡°Well, during the midterms¡ at night¡ you slept with Seo Ye-in, right? You two put your sleeping bags together¡¡±
¡°Yeah, we did.¡±
¡°Seeing that, it seemed like you two were pretty close¡¡±
¡°If you mean close, then yeah, I guess we are. But at that time, we just did it because she said she slept better that way.¡±
Kim Ho answered nonchntly.
The main reason, he exined, was to help Seo Ye-in sleep well and manage her condition.
It made sense that if they considered each other special, there wouldn¡¯t be much resistance to it.
With that, most of her questions were answered, but there was still one crucial thing left.
¡°So¡ did it really help her sleep better?¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s what she said.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s mind grewplicated again.
What on earth could be the reason?
Was his body somehow made of pillows?
But why could she feel nothing while sitting right next to him?
Thoughts spiraled one after another in Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s mind.
Then, without thinking, one of them slipped out of her mouth.
¡°Then¡ can I try it, just once?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°?¡±
¡°?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa blinked as she retraced the words she had just spoken.
Then she gasped and took in a deep breath.
Her face turned as red as her hair.
Oh no! I must be out of my mind!
Asking if she could just stick close to him once!
Did those outrageous words reallye out of her mouth?
Hong Yeon-hwa wanted to p her own mouth repeatedly.
But clearing things up was more important right now, so she quickly added,
¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that. It¡¯s just that when I saw Seo Ye-in fall asleep as soon as she leaned on you, I got curious if it was really thatfortable, that¡¯s all¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Kim Ho silently stared at her.
His gaze was as if he had discovered a strange creature.
Hong Yeon-hwa wanted to jump into a river ofva.
Why did I say that?
How am I supposed to face him now?
Isn¡¯t he going to think I¡¯m weird?
Are people going to start talking about how I asked if I could stick close to him?
How am I supposed to go to school now?
While Hong Yeon-hwa mentally kicked at an imaginary nket, Kim Ho seemed to have sorted out his thoughts and asked calmly,
¡°How do you n to check?¡±
¡°¡¡Huh?¡±
¡°How do you n to check if it¡¯s really thatfortable?¡±
Was he actually agreeing to this??
It was a development she hadn¡¯t anticipated at all.
But by now, the conversation had gone too far to stop.
Hong Yeon-hwa averted her gaze. She started looking around as she spoke.
¡°Maybe¡ if I lean on your¡ shoulder¡?¡±
Kim Ho seemed to think for a few seconds before nodding slightly.
¡°Go ahead, lean on me.¡±
¡°Huh, huh?¡±
¡°Lean on me.¡±
¡°¡Really?¡±
¡°I¡¯m curious too.¡±
This was the first time Seo Ye-in and Kim Ho had slept together like that.
And it was also the first time Kim Ho had discovered he had such an effect(?).
But it wasn¡¯t clear if it only worked on Seo Ye-in or if it would work on others too, so he figured it was a good opportunity to experiment.
¡°Well, then¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa hesitated for a moment. She was wondering if this was the right thing to do, but it was toote to back out now.
Besides, she was just a step away from satisfying her curiosity.
She just had to set her embarrassment aside for a moment and try leaning on him.
Hong Yeon-hwa who was still sitting on the bench slowly inched closer to Kim Ho.
And when she was almost right next to him, she cautiously tilted her head to the side.
Her head touched his firm shoulder.
Oh, this¡?
It was surprisinglyfortable.
It was hard to put into words, but it was unexpectedlyfortable.
Considering that she was in a somewhat awkward position, it was even more surprising.
J-Just a little more¡
Hong Yeon-hwa decided to revise her initial n of just lightly resting her head.
She moved even closer to Kim Ho, then leaned her head against him in a much morefortable position.
And when she closed her eyes,
This is reallyfortable, isn¡¯t it?
Was this why Seo Ye-in fell asleep in just five seconds?
If she stayed like this any longer, she felt she might doze off as well.
But unfortunately, that moment didn¡¯tst.
Kim Ho suddenly got up from the bench.
Because of that, Hong Yeon-hwa almost toppled over to the side.
¡°Hello.¡±
¡°Mhmm, hello.¡±
Judging from the conversation, it seemed he was exchanging greetings with someone.
And that someone¡¯s voice was very familiar.
Hong Yeon-hwa quickly opened her eyes and her face immediately turned pale.
Someone who should never have been there was standing before her.
It was none other than her older sister, Hong Ye-hwa.
It seemed she had just stopped by the convenience store to buy something and was on her way out when she spotted Kim Ho and Hong Yeon-hwa.
The two of them were cuddled up close together.
¡°¡¡.¡±
There was a gentle smile on Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s lips, but her eyes were anything but warm.
She fixed her gaze on Hong Yeon-hwa and slowly gestured for her toe over.
Despite breaking out in a nervous sweat, Hong Yeon-hwa obediently approached her sister.
As soon as she did, Hong Ye-hwa ced a hand on her shoulder like a sister showing affection and spoke softly to Kim Ho.
¡°Sorry, I need to have a little chat with her. I¡¯ll be taking her with me.¡±
¡°Yes, I understand.¡±
When Kim Ho bowed his head, Hong Ye-hwa lightly waved her hand before starting to walk away.
Hong Yeon-hwa who was being practically dragged along kept ncing back and silently pleading for help.
But Kim Ho only stood there and watched them grow distant.
After all, this wasn¡¯t something he could interfere with.
Soon, a cold voice whispered in Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s ear.
¡°¡. Someone you know?¡±
¡°N-No, Unnie, it¡¯s not like that¡¡±
¡°Mhmm, enough. Just follow me.¡±
Any exnation could wait until they got home.
Dark clouds loomed over Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s future.
***
TN: Loll. Well, this could be from a skill he has, like Monarch or something. But it also could be just because they like him.
Chapter 198: Butler’s Chance
Chapter 198: Butler¡¯s Chance
I just stood there nkly and watched the Hong sisters grow distant.
Judging by the cold look Hong Ye-hwa had given her younger sister, it was clear that a full-blown sibling quarrel would break out once they returned to the club room.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa kept looking over her shoulder with pitiful eyes, but I had no reason to get involved in the fight between sisters.
I didn¡¯t even know exactly why they were arguing.
So this was something Hong Yeon-hwa had to resolve on her own.
But was itfortable or not in the end?
I had offered up my shoulder to test thefort of Kim Ho¡¯s pillow, but with Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s sudden appearance, I didn¡¯t get to hear her review.
She did bury her head into it quitefortably, but I would have to hear from her directly to know for sure.For now, I decided to put that matter on hold.
I recalled the notification message I had just received.
[Side Quest: 10th Week Duel Battles] (Completed)
? Objective: Complete 2 duel matches (2/2)
? Reward: Rank Up (E)
I finished both matches in first ce and thus achieved the highestpletion of this side quest.
I already had a n for how to use the E Rank Up I earned.
I¡¯ll use it for [Enchantment].
Copy, Amplification, Monarch, Enchantment.
These were skills and traits that were very difficult to rank up since they were powerful.
In fact, the effort to obtain a Rank Up was less taxing than trying to raise the rank of these skills and traits directly.
So, using it here was the best option.
But I can¡¯t use it yet.
The Rank Up (E) I had just received was an item that raises an ¡°E-rank¡± skill to D.
In other words, I would first need to raise the current F-rank of Enchantment before I could use it.
Come to think of it, Miss Seo is in a simr situation.
Seo Ye-in also acquired [Bullet Time] in the downtown area, putting her at F-rank, and then earned an E-rank Rank Up at the game center.
Likewise, she needed to break out of F-rank before using her Rank Up.
This works out perfectly.
Since we both had simr conditions, it seemed like a good idea to train together.
We¡¯d need a ¡°special device¡± for the training, but I could go get that now.
Maybe it¡¯s time to use the butler card again.
***
I met Seo Ye-in again after the sun had set.
She looked disheveled overall, with a stray lock of hair sticking out like an antenna.
¡°Did you sleep at the dorm?¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
Seo Ye-in replied with a small yawn.
I had wondered if she¡¯d slept in the ssroom all this time, but it seemed she had at least made it to the dorm.
¡°Have you rested enough now?¡±
¡°Not enough ¡¡±
¡°Still? What percent are you at?¡±
¡°Forty¡¡±
Even though she had been sleeping since the weekend, she still hadn¡¯t recharged halfway.
It seemed Seo Ye-in¡¯s sloth battery was seriously low on efficiency.
Seo Ye-in slowly tugged at my sleeve.
¡°Pillow¡¡±
¡°You can finish sleepingter. Let¡¯s go see the butler together.¡±
¡°Butler?¡±
¡°Yeah, for our skill training. Is that okay?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in¡¯s head slowly nodded up and down.
We moved to a quiet ce.
As soon as we sat down side by side, Seo Ye-in quietly leaned her head on my shoulder.
I watched her eyelids gradually droop and then I spoke in a firm tone.
¡°You can lean on me, but if you fall asleep, you get up right away.¡±
¡°No¡¡±
Seo Ye-in who seemed to have been thinking of using me as a pillow looked a bit sullen.
She had to stay awake at least while I contacted Ahn Jeong-mi.
I had already gotten Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s personal contact info in advance during the mentoring period.
As I manipted themunication crystal, the signal rang a few times, and soon, Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s figure appeared.
Judging by the office in the background,
Looks like she¡¯s workingte.
¡°Kim Ho-nim, young miss, how have you been?¡±
¡°Good, it¡¯s been a while.¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi and I exchanged formal greetings, while Seo Ye-in who was still resting her head on my shoulderzily waved her hand.
When she saw this, Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s face lit up with a pleased expression.
But she quicklyposed herself in a professional manner and spoke.
¡°I heard there was an unfortunate incident during the midterms. I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe.¡±
¡°Thankfully, we got through it without any issues.¡±
I reported everything that had happened during the midterms in detail.
From the moment I mentioned that Seo Ye-in and I had paired up, Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s satisfaction seemed to grow.
She was especially pleased to hear about the various experiences we had such as the supply boxes, gathering crystals, and camping.
And when I told her that we had scored a total of 2,250 points, with four crystals and an extra, her face broke into a full smile.
¡°You both worked really hard. I will leave anything concerning the young miss entirely in your hands from now on, Kim Ho-nim. If you need anything at all, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡±
¡°As a matter of fact, the reason I contacted you now is because of that.¡±
¡°What should I prepare for you?¡±
I pointed to Seo Ye-in with a nce and got to the point.
¡°As I mentioned before, she has learned [Bullet Time].¡±
¡°¡Yes, you did mention that.¡±
[Bullet Time] was an incredibly rare skill, one that even Ahn Jeong-mi herself had yet to master.
But the lucky Seo Ye-in had learned it effortlessly from a random skill book.
Ahn Jeong-mi had been quite surprised when she first heard the news, but as a butler, it was pleasing to see her young miss¡¯s abilities greatly improved.
¡°So, are you nning to have the young miss train in [Bullet Time]?¡±
¡°Yes. The timing of my skill training aligns well with it, so I¡¯m nning to run both simultaneously. The only issue is the long cooldown.¡±
¡°You need a cooldown reduction device, huh?¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s eyes lit up as if she had already figured out what I was going to ask for.
I nodded my head to confirm her guess.
¡°Yes, I need a special training room pass.¡±
Just as there¡¯s an advanced version of the mana cultivation room, called the special cultivation room,
There¡¯s also an advanced version of the regr training room and it was called the special training room.
It was a ce where you could twist some of the system¡¯s established rules to allow for unique forms of training.
And the effect I was aiming for there was cooldown reduction.
The shorter the cooldown, the more frequently you could use a skill, and the more you used it, the faster its rank would increase.
However, much like the special cultivation room, the special training room wasn¡¯t just essible to anyone.
It required powerful magical devices to manipte the rules, and as such, ess to it was highly restricted.
What I was asking Ahn Jeong-mi for was essentially a season pass to this facility.
She seemed to understand everything up to this point, but a question crossed her mind.
¡°It¡¯s not difficult to get that for you¡ but wouldn¡¯t it be better to use an F-rank Rank Up instead of the special training room?¡±
The question she was really asking was why not just use consecutive F-rank and E-rank Rank Ups to skip straight to D-rank without needing to train at all?
It was a reasonable suggestion, but I shook my head.
¡°While it¡¯s the easier route, it¡¯s a waste of Rank Ups in the long run. The skill proficiency remains the same.¡±
¡°¡I see. That was shortsighted of me.¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi readily admitted her mistake.
Although the power of skills and traits increases as the rank goes up, proficiency is a separate issue. The best way is for the user to be familiar with it through repeated practice.
In particr, [Bullet Time] requires catching fleeting moments of just one or two seconds during battle, so proficiency ys a huge role.
For example, if you were to activate [Bullet Time] when an opponent is about to shoot an arrow,
Using it either before the arrow leaves the string or right as it¡¯s about to hit wouldn¡¯t be very effective.
In the first case, the trajectory wouldn¡¯t even be visible, and in thetter, there wouldn¡¯t be enough time to dodge.
Maximizing efficiency depends on catching the precise timing between those two points.
So, for ranks between F and E, it¡¯s better to use the special training room.
Ahn Jeong-mi asked,
¡°How long are you thinking for the training period?¡±
¡°A week should be enough.¡±
In about a week, reaching E-rank would be more than possible. This week, I had extra time since my duel battles had ended on the first day.
Besides, both Seo Ye-in and I weren¡¯t exactlycking in talent.
Ahn Jeong-mi immediately took action.
¡°I¡¯ll send someone right away. Please tell me your current location.¡±
¡°Right here.¡±
As soon as I shared the location, Ahn Jeong-mi contacted someone without dy.
And with a soft smile on her lips, she bowed politely.
¡°I¡¯ll leave the young miss in your care.¡±
¡°Of course. I¡¯ll contact you again soon.¡±
Not long after themunication ended, a female student came to see us.
Judging by the tie pin, she was a third-year senior.
¡°Kim Ho?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡±
She really came right away.
I looked at the senior and was impressed by Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s efficiency.
Although there wasn¡¯t a club directly associated with the Hye-seong Group at Dragon yer Academy, students known as ¡°schrship students¡± who received support from the Hye-seong Group, were spread across various clubs.
Even if they avoided acting against the interests of their affiliated clubs, handing over favors like this temporarily was no issue.
Any losses incurred would be fullypensated by the Hye-seong Group.
With that, the schrship senior casually handed me the special training room pass.
¡°Return it by next week.¡±
¡°Yes, senior.¡±
I bowed my head as I epted the card.
Once her task wasplete, the senior gave us a brief nce before turning and leaving.
I showed the card to Seo Ye-in and said,
¡°Shall we go?¡±
¡°Special magic bullet lecture?¡±
¡°No.¡±
I lightly shook my head and corrected Seo Ye-in¡¯s words.
¡°Kim Ho¡¯s special Bullet Time lecture.¡±
***
The training center.
At first nce, the special training room didn¡¯t seem much different from the regr one where I used to beat up wooden and iron dummies.
However, after operating the terminal, features that weren¡¯t avable in the regr training rooms appeared.
Among them, the one I was looking for was:
[Cooldown Reduction %]
It was the cooldown reduction function.
Depending on the setting, the cooldown time for the skills and traits that Seo Ye-in and I possessed would decrease.
Without hesitation, I set it to the maximum.
[Cooldown Reduction 5%]
[Cooldown Reduction 20%]
¡¡
[Cooldown Reduction 90%]
The cooldown for an F-rank Bullet Time was five minutes.
With a 90% reduction, she could use it again every 30 seconds.
On top of that, with asional amplification boosts, it could be reduced even further.
With this, we had all the conditions necessary for our training.
¡°Now, let¡¯s begin the ¡®Return¡¯ of Kim Ho¡¯s special Bullet Time lecture.¡±
p, p, p¡ª
Seo Ye-in gave a silent round of apuse with her fingers.
I took out the items I had prepared one by one.
Then I set up a small folding table in the middle of the training room and ced a pot on top of it.
Pop!
I picked up a toy hammer.
¡°This time, the training event will be a toy hammer game.¡±
Chapter 199: Hammer vs. Pot
Chapter 199: Hammer vs. Pot
I first exined the rules of the toy hammer game.
¡°Let¡¯s y rock-paper-scissors. Rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡°¡ªscissors.¡±
I chose paper, and Seo Ye-in chose rock.
Kim Ho wins.
I picked up the toy hammer from the small folding table and lightly tapped it on Seo Ye-in¡¯s head.
¡°The winner gets to attack with the toy hammer. Again, rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡°¡ªscissors.¡±
This time, I chose scissors, and Seo Ye-in chose rock.Seo Ye-in wins.
Seo Ye-in slowly brought the toy hammer toward my head, as if asking, ¡°Is this how you do it?¡± I nodded and flipped a pot over to ce it on my head.
Then, the toy hammer lightly tapped the small pot.
¡°The loser defends with the pot. Got it so far?¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
¡°And if you grab the wrong thing, it¡¯s a foul. Like if you win rock-paper-scissors but pick up the pot, or if you lose but pick up the toy hammer.¡±
¡°Foul, okay.¡±
In summary, when you win or lose at rock-paper-scissors, you have to quickly grab the right tool from the table and seed in either attacking or defending.
It was a game that required a decent amount of quick reflexes.
Seo Ye-in seemed a little interested, but mere curiosity wasn¡¯t enough.
If I wanted to keep this up all week, I needed stronger motivation.
So I decided to offer a light reward.
¡°If you win 10 times, you get a wish ticket. How about that?¡±
¡°¡A pillow?¡±
Seo Ye-in was always true to her desires.
She has been strangely obsessed with me since she slept soundly on Kim Ho pillow during the midterm exam.
She even leaned on me the entire time while talking to Ahn Jeong-mi.
Since it wasn¡¯t something I couldn¡¯t grant with a wish ticket, I nodded without hesitation.
¡°A pillow¡¯s fine.¡±
¡°10 wins¡!¡±
Seo Ye-in became even more fired up with my approval.
It seemed she was determined to quickly rack up 10 wins and im me as a pillow.
It won¡¯t be that easy.
Whether she could even manage one win, let alone ten, against me remained to be seen.
Before starting, I raised the rank of [Enchantment] by two levels using Amplification.
[Used ¡°Amplification¡±.]
[The rank of ¡°Enchantment¡± has increased. (F -> D)]
Next, I passed a skill to Seo Ye-in using [Enchantment].
[Used ¡°Enchantment¡±.]
[You have granted the skill ¡°Wind Force (C+)¡± to the target.]
[The rank of the granted ¡°Wind Force¡±: E]
[Cooldown time: 00:03:58]
When passing a skill with F-rank Enchantment to someone else, the rank drops by three levels, but with D-rank Enchantment, it only drops by two.
Additionally, as the rank increased, the cooldown time significantly decreased, and the 90% reduction effect of the special training room further cut down the time.
As a result, she could use this powerful skill once every four minutes.
During training, if she just kept using it each time the cooldown finished, escaping from F-rank in her skill was practically guaranteed.
Whirrr¡ª
Seo Ye-in who was curious about Wind Force summoned gusts of wind here and there.
However, since it didn¡¯t match her ss, it only made her hair flutter a little.
I stepped half a step closer to the table and spoke.
¡°Shall we begin?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°Rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡°¡ªscissors.¡±
I chose rock, and Seo Ye-in chose scissors.
Seo Ye-in lost.
However, by the time she reached for the pot, the toy hammer had alreadynded on her head.
Thwack!
¡°Rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡°¡ªscissors.¡±
I chose scissors, and Seo Ye-in chose rock.
Seo Ye-in won.
But before she could swing the toy hammer halfway, it was blocked mid-air by the pot.
ng¡ª!
A clear sound echoed through the room.
Both of us calmly put down what we were holding back on the table and continued our game of rock-paper-scissors like nothing had happened.
¡°Rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡°¡ªscissors.¡±
This time, I won again.
Before Seo Ye-in could react, the toy hammer struck her head once more.
Thwack!
Even when ying rock-paper-scissors against someone as lucky as her, I wasn¡¯t losing at all.
In fact, my win rate was even higher.
It¡¯s not just about luck.
If I relied solely on luck against Seo Ye-in, I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s 15 consecutive losses proved that much.
But for hero candidates who have surpassed human limits, the oue of rock-paper-scissors isn¡¯t decided by luck alone.
It¡¯s about keen observation, catching the slightest movements in the fingers, and responding with lightning-fast reflexes.
From what I had observed so far, Seo Ye-in had a good eye for things, but she still fell short of the level of a stagnant water.
So my win rate was around 75%, with Seo Ye-in taking the rest.
Of course, this was only in terms of rock-paper-scissors wins.
When it came to hitting with the toy hammer, my uracy was 100% while Seo Ye-in¡¯s was 0%.
There was a significant difference in speed, and needless to say, my closebat skills were far superior.
As a result, contrary to her initial n of winning 10 rounds quickly and getting the Kim Ho pillow, Seo Ye-in didn¡¯t manage to win a single round and was repeatedly hit with the toy hammer.
¨C Thump! Thump! Thump-Thump! Thump-Thump-Thump!
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in stared at me nkly.
A flicker ofpetitive spirit shone on her otherwise expressionless face.
This was part of my n as well.
The toy hammer, with its soft impact and that annoying ¡°Thump¡± sound, could really get on someone¡¯s nerves after a while.
In other words, it was perfect for provoking someone¡¯spetitive side.
She¡¯s going to use it soon.
Sure enough, just as we started the next round of rock-paper-scissors,
sh!
Seo Ye-in activated Bullet Time.
Now, she could read every tiny movement of my fingers, so all she had to do was y ordingly and she¡¯d have a guaranteed win.
sh!
Currently, Bullet Time had the special training room¡¯s cooldown reduction applied, which decreased it by 90% and allowed it to be used once every 30 seconds.
In other words, Seo Ye-in could secure a win in rock-paper-scissors every 30 seconds.
So her win rate shot up rapidly, but if there was one unfortunate detail,
Rock-paper-scissors isn¡¯t the end.
To im a win, she had to seed in the next stage. It was hitting with the toy hammer.
And so far, Seo Ye-in¡¯s hit rate was still 0%.
Originally, this toy hammer game was designed to put the defender at a disadvantage because the pot was so small.
If it were arge pot, you could simply wear it like a helmet, but this tin pot was barely the size of a palm.
To block the iing hammer, you had to position the pot exactly at the point of impact.
Of course, this wasn¡¯t particrly difficult for me.
I¡¯d long since mastered closebat.
ng!
The toy hammer kept striking the overturned pot, and each time it did, a clear sound echoed through the air.
ng! ng! ng-ng!
Despite using Bullet Time each time the cooldown reset and winning in rock-paper-scissors, Seo Ye-in kept missing her swings with the toy hammer.
And how was she doing on defense?
Thump! Thump! Thump-Thump-Thump!
She still couldn¡¯t block a single hit. My uracy remained 100%.
Unlike me, Seo Ye-in had only experienced long-rangebat numerous times and was not used to close-range defense.
On top of that, the small size of the pot made it even harder for her to defend.
If she protected her forehead with the pot, the toy hammer would strike the side of her head, and if she covered the side, the hammer would hit her forehead or the opposite side.
Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump!
Seo Ye-in stared at me nkly with her head still covered.
She looks mad.
It seemed she realized something at the same time.
That increasing her win rate in rock-paper-scissors against me was meaningless.
Using Bullet Time in the toy hammer battle was the only way she had a slight chance of winning.
I restarted the game.
¡°Rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡°¡ªscissors.¡±
Kim Ho wins.
sh!
Seo Ye-in immediately activated Bullet Time.
She blocked my hammer which I brought down directly in front of her by using the pot.
ng!
It was the moment my 100% uracy with the toy hammer was broken.
I felt slightly satisfied, as if she had finally taken her first step forward.
¡°Alright, let¡¯s keep going. Rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡°¡ªscissors.¡±
However, gaining one thing often means giving up another.
Because Seo Ye-in had focused her Bullet Time on the toy hammer battle, I regained the upper hand in rock-paper-scissors.
So once again, I won.
sh!
Just like before, Seo Ye-in immediately used Bullet Time but I had already anticipated it.
I just stood still with the toy hammer in hand and waited as the short duration of Bullet Time quickly passed.
And in the next moment,
Thump!!
I struck her gray hair with the toy hammer like lightning.
¡°Don¡¯t use it too hastily. You need to time it better.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in gave a slight nod.
Her already few words seemed to grow even fewer.
The game of rock-paper-scissors continued, along with the back-and-forth of the toy hammer and pot.
I kept adjusting my speed, swung the toy hammer, then paused, then swung again, and repeated the rhythm over and over.
I wanted to help Seo Ye-in find the perfect timing without using Bullet Time too early or toote.
Though she still got hit more often than she blocked,
Thump, thump, thump! ng! Thump, thump, thump! ng!
She¡¯s keeping up well.
The number of sessful blocks was noticeably increasing.
As a result, my hit rate was noticeably decreasing.
It meant her skill was improving rapidly.
As always, her talent was monstrous.
At this rate, she would probably reach E-rank even before using the full week I had expected.
¡°Rock, paper¡ª¡±
I threw scissors, and Seo Ye-in threw rock.
I lost.
I instinctively reached for the table to defend myself.
But the spot where the pot should have been waspletely empty.
Seo Ye-in had already taken it.
Why¡¯d she grab the pot when she won?
I lifted my head with that question in mind, and immediately had to widen my eyes in shock.
¡°Hey, you¡ª¡±
I saw Seo Ye-in swinging the pot at me with a full swing.
ng¡ª!!
***
Due to an unfortunate ident, the toy hammer game and Bullet Time lesson were temporarily halted.
¡°Hold your hands up properly.¡±
¡°¡Sorry.¡±
The offender, Seo Ye-in, stood with her hands raised above her head as a punishment.
When I red at her, she slowly averted her gaze.
I approached her and asked in a questioning tone,
¡°You did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡ªShake head¡ª
¡°No, that pot swing was full of emotion. You were angry, weren¡¯t you?¡±
¡°¡A little?¡±
¡°Yeah, it¡¯s okay to get angry. But does that mean it¡¯s okay to hit someone with a pot?¡±
¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.¡±
I held the pot¡ªthe weapon and evidence of her crime¡ªright in front of her eyes.
¡°Do you see this? Do you see what you¡¯ve done?¡±
¡°A Kim Ho-shaped pot.¡±
She had hit me so hard the pot was deeply dented in the shape of my head.
Seo Ye-in was curious and poked at it with her fingertips, but quickly raised her hands again when I red at her.
I questioned her again while pressing for answers.
¡°Do you regret it?¡±
¡°I regret it.¡±
¡°You won¡¯t hit me with a pot again, right?¡±
¡°¡Okay.¡±
¡°Put your hands down.¡±
When Seo Ye-in lowered her hands and stepped closer, I stuck my hand inside the pot and pushed hard.
The Kim Ho-shaped pot was ttened with a creaking sound, but the dents remained, leaving it uneven.
Looks like I can¡¯t use this for cooking anymore.
I borrowed it from the kitchen.
Still, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem using it to block the toy hammer.
I ced the pot on the table and said,
¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
The toy hammer game went onte into the night.
However, the once-clear ¡°ng!¡± sound from the now-dented pot could no longer be heard.
Chapter 200: I’ve Had Some Free Time Lately
Chapter 200: I¡¯ve Had Some Free Time Lately
Kim Ho¡¯s special Bullet Time lecture continued, but at the same time, I needed to prepare for the following week.
Next week was a strategy battle week.
As usual, we were set to head for the underground floors.
So I sent a message to Shin Byeong-cheol.
[Kim Ho: Errand]
It took quite a while for Shin Byeong-cheol to reply.
It was strange considering that he usually answers sharply in seconds.
[Shin Byeong-cheol: Store]
Even his tone wasn¡¯t the usual cheerful ¡°Where are you, customer-nim~¡± but instead felt strangely stiff.I brushed it off, thinking maybe he was having a rough day.
Who knows, maybe he got another wooden cup from a random box.
When I arrived at the convenience store, Shin Byeong-cheol didn¡¯t show up yet.
Instead, a familiar face caught my eye.
Dang Gyu-young smiled broadly and waved her hand.
I gave a polite bow.
¡°Hello, senior-nim.¡±
¡°Noona.¡±
¡°Hello, noona.¡±
¡°Hehe.¡±
After exchanging light greetings, I stood in front of the store and gazed off into the distance.
Dang Gyu-young came up beside me and asked,
¡°Waiting for someone?¡±
¡°I was supposed to meet Shin Byeong-cheol here.¡±
¡°Byeong-cheol¡¯s noting.¡±
¡°?¡±
When I gave her a puzzled look, Dang Gyu-young smiled and repeated,
¡°Byeong-cheol¡¯s noting.¡±
¡°¡Did he get purged?¡±
¡°Purge? Why would I purge him? I¡¯m here in his ce. You were going to ask him to run an errand, right?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not the kind of request that requires someone of your rank to show up in person.¡±
¡°Of course I know that.¡±
It seemed like she had a pretty good idea of what kind of errand I had in mind.
Actually, I have never asked for any other requests besides asking for a guide for the underground floors of the dungeon.
Dang Gyu-young grabbed my hand and pulled me along.
¡°Let¡¯s sit and talk. What do you want to drink?¡±
¡°I¡¯m good with anything.¡±
I wasn¡¯t the type to refuse anything offered to me for free.
So I ordered a coffee as usual, while Dang Gyu-young went for atte loaded with syrup and cream.
I noticed before that she seemed to have a preference for sweet and creamy drinks.
With our drinks in hand, we headed to the terrace on the second floor and took a seat.
After exchanging a few trivial remarks, Dang Gyu-young brought up the main topic.
¡°You¡¯re heading down next week, right?¡±
¡°I have to.¡±
Currently, the map fragments in my possession were A and C. The map was still iplete.
I needed to find the final piece toplete the map and resolve the conflict with the swordsmanship club.
¡°Where are you going?¡±
¡°Dungeon 410.¡±
Dang Gyu-young flipped through her notebook for a moment to check the dungeon information.
¡°[Sealing Demon Chests], D-rank. How long will it take? Last time, it took you all night.¡±
¡°This one¡¯s short.¡±
Story-wise, it was connected to the previously cleared Great Eagle Escort Agency or Great Eagle Escort Mission, but the major difference was that the rule wasn¡¯t [Escort].
So, as long as I get in and clear it quickly, I can get out without any issues.
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head coolly and took a sip of hertte.
¡°Then I¡¯ll assign Byeong-cheol as your guide for that one. Anything else? Is that all?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll probably enter one more.¡±
¡°With that handsome guy again?¡±
¡°That¡¯s how it¡¯ll go.¡±
I always explored the underground floors with Go Hyeon-woo, and this time was no different.
However, Dang Gyu-young seemed to have a question pop into her mind as she tilted her head slightly to the side.
¡°Kim Ho, I¡¯ve been wondering about something.¡±
¡°Yes, noona?¡±
¡°Why do you always go with that handsome guy and not bring the pretty one with the gray hair? You¡¯re always hanging out with her otherwise.¡±
Why did I keep tackling the underground floors with Go Hyeon-woo and leave Seo Ye-in behind?
To be honest, there was no downside to bringing Seo Ye-in along from my perspective.
Among the many dungeons in the underground floors, not only were there story dungeons we¡¯d already cleared, but there were also plenty that heavily relied on luck.
Bringing someone like her, who was practically a lucky charm, would make clearing those dungeons easier and bring better rewards.
But the reason I couldn¡¯t do that was simple.
¡°Her family is strongly opposed to it.¡±
¡°Ah.¡±
When Seo Ye-in asked about joining, Ahn Jeong-mi had not only been firmly against it but had also repeatedly emphasized her concerns.
¨C Can¡¯t I go too?
¨C Absolutely not. You must only challenge dungeons that match your qualifications.
¨C ¡.
¨C Young miss, you can¡¯t. If anything were to happen to you in the underground floors, many people, myself included, would be heartbroken.
¡°So it¡¯s not an option. At least until she gets permission.¡±
¡°Hmm, I see.¡±
Dang Gyu-young rested her chin on her hand and went into deep thought for a moment.
Then, as if something hade to her mind, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly and she cast a subtle nce in my direction.
¡°Kim Ho, even that handsome guy would get tired if he kept going after dungeons back-to-back, right?¡±
¡°I¡¯m worried about that too.¡±
With the [Sealing Demon] scheduled for next week, it would already be two consecutive dungeon raids in one week.
Adding another one would make it three in a row, and even though Go Hyeon-woo might say it doesn¡¯t bother him, he would be quite tired.
When I agreed with her words, Dang Gyu-young casually asked.
¡°Then instead of a swordsman, how about a skilled rogue?¡±
¡°Are you saying we should go together?¡±
¡°Mhmm, I¡¯ve had some free timetely.¡±
Dang Gyu-young had been incredibly busy over the past month.
Between the standard third-year academic schedule, activities rted to the thieves¡¯ club, preparations for the ck market, and even her mentoring duties.
Even ten bodies wouldn¡¯t have been enough for all of that.
But now that she had sessfully wrapped up the ck market and mentoring program, along with a significant decrease in club-rted tasks, she had more time on her hands.
So she was saying she wanted to go down to the underground floors with me during that free time.
Dang Gyu-young and I looked at each other for a while.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
As the silence stretched on, Dang Gyu-young narrowed his eyes and grabbed my cheek before she started pulling on it.
¡°Hey, don¡¯t just stare, answer me.¡±
¡°Zank yew f¡¯ tha¡ª I mean, thank you for the offer, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s enough to even cover your pay.¡±
The rewards from the dungeon I was targeting probably wouldn¡¯t be appealing to someone of Dang Gyu-young¡¯s level as a third-year club president.
But I didn¡¯t want to push myself to raise the dungeon¡¯s difficulty either.
However, Dang Gyu-young seemed indifferent.
¡°So what? I¡¯m going because I want to.¡±
¡°Then that works for me.¡±
¡°Where are we going?¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡±
¡°That¡¯s unusual for you.¡±
She looked surprised. It wasn¡¯t like me to still not have decided on a dungeon even after requesting help.
¡°I know what I want, but I just can¡¯t find where it is.¡±
¡°What are you looking for?¡±
¡°A dungeon crow.¡±
Dungeon crows, also called dimensional crows. They were intelligent monsters as well as NPCs.
They came in various types¡ªcrow craftsmen, merchants, sages, and the like. Among them, the one I was searching for was the ¡°crow tailor¡±.
It¡¯s about time I started paying attention to my equipment again.
However, dungeon crows didn¡¯t appear just because you entered a specific dungeon.
They wandered from one dungeon to another without any set pattern and only showed up in one ce at a time.
For example, if a crow craftsman appeared in the ck Death dungeon, then you wouldn¡¯t find one in any of the other 999 dungeons.
And if you missed the timing, the crow would move on to the next dungeon.
Dang Gyu-young asked,
¡°How are you going to find them? Even I¡¯ve only seen them a few times.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll have to analyze it.¡±
Though I didn¡¯t know exactly where the crows were right now, if I put my mind to it, I could definitely track them down.
Back when I yed , all the yers in themunity gathered big data and analyzed it. We eventually discovered that there was a specific pattern to the dungeons where those crows appeared.
For example, the ¡°crow sage¡± wandered in ascending order through dungeons with the [Magic] theme and appeared in multiples of six.
Like No. 36, No. 72, No. 84, and so on.
And all those patterns were stored right in my head.
In other words,
¡°We just need to find out where they appearedst.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
I nodded.
Finding their previous location wasn¡¯t difficult either.
If I sifted through the reys of recently cleared dungeons, there would be a recording of them somewhere.
It would cost quite a few points, but this was exactly why I had been saving them up.
¡°Let me know as soon as you find them. I¡¯ll get ready right away.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
¡°Call me noona.¡±
¡°Yes, noona.¡±
Dang Gyu-young smiled happily, but then another question seemed to pop into her head.
¡°But Kim Ho, how did you even figure all that out?¡±
¡°Well, after graduating more than 200 times, you kind of pick up on things.¡±
¡°wless logic.¡±
Dang Gyu-young pouted her lips.
It seemed she thought I was using the ¡°200 graduations¡± excuse whenever I didn¡¯t feel like exining.
But it¡¯s true.
***
¡°Rock, paper¡ª¡±
¡°¡ªscissors.¡±
sh!
Seo Ye-in¡¯s gray eyes gleamed sharply.
She narrowly blocked the toy hammer I swung at her.
A dull sound echoed from the dented pan.
In the next round of rock-paper-scissors, Seo Ye-in won.
Just as I lifted the dented pan,
sh!
Seo Ye-in entered bullet time once again.
The toy hammer swung slightly off course and brushed past the side of my head as it veered beside the pan.
Seo Ye-in stared at me intently.
¡°¡¡?¡±
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll count that as a win.¡±
Though it only grazed me and wasn¡¯t a direct hit, I gave her credit for using bullet time at such a precise moment.
After ying the toy hammer game for days on end,
Seo Ye-in¡¯s bullet time skill had improved significantlypared to before.
My 100% hit rate had dropped to nearly half, and Seo Ye-in¡¯s attacks asionallynded.
And so, her umted win count was now eight.
But after a few more rounds of rock-paper-scissors,
¡°¡¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in turned her gaze to the side and just stared into empty space.
It seemed a notification message had appeared.
I asked to confirm.
¡°Did your rank go up?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°Good work. Use the Rank Up right away.¡±
As soon as Seo Ye-in pulled out and used Rank-Up (E), a bright light filled the special training room.
Fwoooosh!
Bullet Time, Rank D achieved.
Thanks to using Enchantment here and there, I also managed to raise my rank.
I recalled the notification message that had popped up a while ago.
[The rank of ¡®Enchantment¡¯ has increased. (F -> E)]
[Used ¡®Rank-Up (E)¡¯.]
[The rank of ¡®Enchantment¡¯ has increased. (E -> D)]
We didn¡¯t even reach the halfway point of the week, yet both Seo Ye-in and I had already met our goals.
That meant the next step was,
¡°Let¡¯s go do a duel match now.¡±
We needed to test out her upgraded Bullet Time in realbat.
But Seo Ye-in slowly shook her head before pointing at the toy hammer and pot on the table.
¡°¡¡Still only eight wins.¡±
The wish ticket required ten wins, so she meant to get thest two wins before heading out.
Now that Bullet Time had reached Rank D, this kind of repetitive training no longer served much purpose.
I had already honed her proficiency to the level I intended.
Still, I couldn¡¯t just dere, ¡°No wish ticket for you!¡± and leave it at that.
If it were just 2 or 3 wins, maybe, but to let all her hard work getting to 8 wins go to waste would likely crush her motivationpletely.
Maintaining trust was important too.
After some thought, I proposed apromise.
¡°Then, since the next match is a three-way battle, how about we count each first-ce finish as a win?¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Click,
Seo Ye-in loaded her magic gun.
The fire in her eyes already showed her burning determination.
¡°I¡¯ll take them down.¡±
Chapter 201: Bullet Time
Chapter 201: Bullet Time
Hong Yeon-hwa was dragged to the Ruby Magic Tower where she endured harsh trials.
She tried her best to exin herself, but being caught leaningfortably against Kim Ho made it impossible for her to talk her way out of it.
On top of that, her exnation had plenty of issues.
¨C No, seriously, when you lean on him, you sleep really well!
¨C Hey! Hong Yeon-hwa! Are you out of your mind!?
¨C You should try it too!
¨C Yaaaaah!!
Thinking about it rationally, no one would believe a person had the properties of a perfect pillow for a good night¡¯s sleep.
It would only sound like, ¡°I like him.¡±Hong Yeon-hwa realized this fact long after the argument with her sister had ended, just before going to bed.
That night, her mind was unusually clear¡
Because of these ovepping misunderstandings, it seemed Hong Yeon-hwa would have to endure her sister¡¯s suspicious nces for a while.
On the other hand, there had been some noticeable improvement in her skills.
Defensive magic.
Hong Yeon-hwa who had always focused solely on attack after attack had finally turned her attention to defense. This made Hong Ye-hwa overjoyed.
Though she wasn¡¯t too thrilled that it was Kim Ho who had given her that advice.
The Ruby Magic Tower had no reason to withhold support for a promising student of their own, so they immediately provided Hong Yeon-hwa with everything she requested.
Two spellbooks from the [Barrier] series and one from the [Armor] series.
One of the [Barrier] books had arrived first, so Hong Yeon-hwa spent thest few days learning and practicing it.
And now.
She was in the arena, preparing for a match.
It was to test her new magic in a real battle and to finish the one remaining match.
¡°Hmph.¡±
A rxed smile yed on Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s lips.
She had gained a lot of confidence from mastering such powerful magic.
If she were to face Wang Cheon-sam again, she felt she could easily overwhelm him.
In truth, Kim Ho and Wang Cheon-sam were only exceptionally strongpared to their scores; any other opponent in the 600-point range would be no match for her.
Even if they ganged up on her, she was confident she could burn them all down.
However¡
When the match was set and the names appeared on the scoreboard, the smile on Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face slowly faded.
[Hong Yeon-hwa 714 points]
vs
[Seo Ye-in 730 points]
vs
[Kang Hee-chan 658 points]
Why¡?
Why is my match luck always so miserable?
In the first match, an assassin and a monster appeared, and in the second, a marksman showed up.
Considering that mages were inherently weak against marksmen, this match was bound to be extremely difficult.
Hong Yeon-hwa nced around and her eyes caught sight of someone with gray hair.
Seo Ye-in, and in front of her, Kim Ho.
Those two are always together.
They imed they weren¡¯t dating, but it was hard not to wonder when you see them like this.
Seo Ye-in asionally nodded slightly while listening to whatever Kim Ho was saying.
Normally, she gave off a strong impression of wanting to quit everything and go to sleep, but today, she was brimming with energy for some reason.
It was clear she had the mindset of someone determined to win at all costs.
Having that gunslinger girl as her opponent was already bad luck, but on top of that, she was full of motivation.
For Hong Yeon-hwa, this was bad news.
Haah, such is my fate¡
She let out a small sigh before stepping into the teleportation magic circle and entering the arena.
A volcanic zone surrounded by rivers ofva.
A volcano in one corner of her field of view seemed ready to erupt at any moment.
Across from her, two opponents appeared one after another.
For Hong Yeon-hwa, Kang Hee-chan was a stranger.
Judging by his longsword, he seemed to be a warrior type.
His cautious gaze was something Hong Yeon-hwa was used to receiving.
After all, it was widely known that she was a promising student.
Kang Hee-chan then nced at Seo Ye-in and his brows furrowed slightly.
It seemed there was some bad blood between them.
Even so, he asionally snuck side nces at her. While Kang Hee-chan tried to act as if nothing was happening, it was painfully obvious to Hong Yeon-hwa.
She is pretty, after all.
Even as a fellow woman, Hong Yeon-hwa couldn¡¯t help but admire Seo Ye-in¡¯s beauty, so she could only imagine how the men must feel.
The information she could gather from these subtle exchanges of nces was limited; the rest would have to be assessed once the match began.
Once everyone was ready, the countdown quickly started.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Boooom!
The volcano erupted, sending a rain of fireballs down from the sky.
While dodging the fireballs, all three kept their eyes on one another.
Hong Yeon-hwa immediately began chanting her spell.
Geometric symbols formed from mana floated in the air as aplex form rapidly assembled itself into apleted spell.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in pulled something out and threw it over herself.
Swish¡ª
Her figure became transparent and thenpletely vanished.
She had put on her invisibility ghillie suit.
Hong Yeon-hwa was so taken aback that she almost lost focus and disrupted her own spell.
Seriously, that¡¯s just not fair¡
Disappearing right at the start?
In a three-way battle, there really wasn¡¯t a more efficient strategy than going invisible.
If there was no way to detect invisibility, the remaining two would have no choice but to fight each other.
And unfortunately, Hong Yeon-hwa had recently poured almost everything into offensive magic, so not only defensive magic, but she wascking in utility spells as well.
As a result, there was no way for her to locate Seo Ye-in.
¡°¡¡.¡±
It seemed the same situation applied to Kang Hee-chan on the opposite side.
Brainless swordsmen couldn¡¯t help it.
Kang Hee-chan clearly wanted to avoid shing with the promising student, but he had no choice.
Moreover, the more time he gave a mage, the more disadvantageous it would be for him, so he immediately kicked off the ground.
Thud!
Kang Hee-chan closed the distance at a terrifying speed.
However, despite facing him, there wasn¡¯t a single hint of urgency on Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face.
¡°Hmph.¡±
Just a step before he reached her, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s spell waspleted.
She had taken Kim Ho¡¯s advice and practiced casting longer spells, yet still managed to cast it in an instant.
[Reverse Curtain]
Whoosh!
mes erupted from beneath Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s feet and they formed a sphere that enveloped her.
When he saw this, Kang Hee-chan furrowed his brow.
¡°A barrier? What a useless move.¡±
He was a swordsman who could control mana as well.
If she thought a mere barrier could stop him, she was severely underestimating him.
Blue mana gathered at the longsword gripped in Kang Hee-chan¡¯s hand.
As he swung it diagonally,
sh!
The barrier instantly tore apart to reveal Hong Yeon-hwa.
With the next strike, he would be able to deal damage to her.
However¡ª
Whoosh!
mes surged from the torn barrier and spewed out like a methrower.
Kang Hee-chan¡¯s entire body was engulfed in fire.
¡°What!¡±
The Reverse Curtain usually maintained the appearance of a regr barrier.
But the moment it was damaged, the energy forming the barrier reversed and inflicted harm on the attacker.
Despite being a defensive spell, it automatically counterattacked, which was exactly why Hong Yeon-hwa liked it so much.
[Kang Hee-chan: 99%]
[Kang Hee-chan: 96%]
[Kang Hee-chan: 94%]
Kang Hee-chan¡¯s health steadily dropped as the mes consumed his body.
If it had been Wang Cheon-sam, he would have pressed the attack regardless, but Kang Hee-chan wasn¡¯t that ruthless.
He decided to put out the fire first and create some distance, but that was a very poor decision.
It gave Hong Yeon-hwa plenty of time to cast her next spells.
The ruby on her wand glowed a deep red, and she pointed it at a descending fireball.
[Outburst]
Boom!
Arge explosion erupted, covering the area where Kang Hee-chan had retreated.
He tried to escape the mes only to get caught in an even bigger ze.
[Kang Hee-chan: 86%]
[Kang Hee-chan: 82%]
¡°Urgh¡!¡±
It was only then that Kang Hee-chan realized he had been cornered.
In a state of desperation, he charged toward Hong Yeon-hwa once more.
Of course, Hong Yeon-hwa was fully prepared to face him.
[Fireball]
[me Arrow]
[Fireball]
[Fireball]
Dozens of fireballs and me arrows, each the size of a fist, rained down on him.
¡°Kuaaah¡ª!¡±
Kang Hee-chan shed through some with his longsword and took others with his body as he desperately pushed forward, but there were far too many.
Even after enduring the barrage, dozens more were conjured.
She was linking multiple spells with frighteningly quick casting.
In the end, Kang Hee-chan never reached Hong Yeon-hwa. He fell into an incapacitated state and vanished from the arena.
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 100%]
vs
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
vs
[Kang Hee-chan ¨C %]
Despite defeating one opponent with ease, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s expression remained far from bright.
In fact, she began casting spells in rapid session with a more serious demeanor.
I need to be prepared.
That¡¯s because the remaining opponent, Seo Ye-in, was much more powerful than Kang Hee-chan.
She covered the ground with magic circles and replenished her fireballs and me arrows in abundance.
But Seo Ye-in wasn¡¯t going to just stand by and watch.
Ratatatatatatata!
From somewhere, a barrage of magical bullets broke through the barrier and struck Hong Yeon-hwa.
¡°Gah.¡±
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 100%]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 83%]
In an instant, her health had taken a significant hit.
There was no way she could block the magic bullets of a gunslinger with a barrier she had barely mastered in just a few days.
Moreover, the Reverse Curtain was actually a close-range defensive spell.
mes erupted from the destroyed part, but the distance between them was too far for it to reach the enemy.
One way or another, she was at a disadvantage against a gunslinger.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in soon revealed herself after deactivating her invisibility.
Her emotionless gray eyes were fixed on Hong Yeon-hwa.
Hong Yeon-hwa shouted in protest.
¡°That¡¯s too unfair!¡±
¡°I¡¯m taking you down.¡±
With a brief remark, Seo Ye-in charged forward.
At the same time, the assault rifle in her hands continuously spewed blue mes.
Ratatatatatata!
¡°Ugh.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa felt tears welling up in her eyes as the magic bullets struck her again.
The chances of victory had already swung heavily in the enemy¡¯s favor.
However, she wasn¡¯t nning to go down easily.
She activated all the spells she had prepared in advance.
[Fire Pir]
[me Arrow]
[Fireball]
Kwooooom!
Dozens of fireballs and me arrows rained down, all aimed solely at Seo Ye-in.
The pirs of fire erupting everywhere further reduced the space to evade.
¡°¡¡¡±
Yet Seo Ye-in simply stared at them with her still expression and slightly vacant eyes.
Just as the mes were about to engulf her body,
sh!
Her gray eyes gleamed with a chilling light.
Everything in her sight seemed to slow down as if frozen in time.
She could even see each ming fireball in vivid detail as they zed toward her.
Soon, she spotted a tiny, almost imperceptible gap between the iing fire spells and the towering pirs of me.
And she calmly slipped through it using Feather Step.
In the next instant, her slowed perception returned to normal speed, and behind her, the fireballs crashed down, creating a massive explosion of mes.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s mouth fell slightly open.
She dodged all of that¡?
Despite concentrating so much firepower, she hadn¡¯t expected not tond even a single Fireball.
Hong Yeon-hwa pouted as she found herself staring down the barrel of Seo Ye-in¡¯s gun.
Why¡ Why¡?
Why can¡¯t I ever be happy¡?
The magic rifle roared again and started spewing blue mes.
Ratatatatatata!!
Chapter 202: Kim Ho Pillow
Chapter 202: Kim Ho Pillow
Seo Ye-in walked out of the arena in nearly the same condition as when she had entered.
Just from that, I could already guess the oue, but I asked to confirm.
¡°What ce?¡±
¡°First ce.¡±
¡°Very good.¡±
On the other hand, Hong Yeon-hwa lookedpletely different from when she had gone in.
She had entered with a fair amount of confidence, but now she trudged out with a gloomy expression.
Since they had entered and exited at the same time, I asked,
¡°Did you two fight?¡±¡°She¡¯s finished.¡±
Since the distance was not far, Hong Yeon-hwa must have heard this.
And her sad gaze turned towards us.
Seo Ye-in stared at Hong Yeon-hwa for a moment, then slowly extended her fingers to make a V-sign.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°That¡¯s not good.¡±
¡°Not good?¡±
I gently folded Seo Ye-in¡¯s fingers back.
¡°Mhmm, it¡¯s not polite.¡±
Even I, who had grown ustomed to all sorts of unsportsmanlike behavior, tended to hold back right after a match and usually offered encouragement to my opponent.
Provoking anger for no gain went against my principles.
At the same time, I grew curious about the match.
How did they fight for her to end up looking so dejected again?
¡°Let me see the rey.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
When Seo Ye-in handed me the rey, I began to fast-forward through it.
Perhaps curious about my thoughts, Seo Ye-in peered into the crystal ball with me, and even Hong Yeon-hwa who had been about to walk away hesitated and nced over.
I gave my thoughts without taking my eyes off the rey.
¡°Not bad.¡±
¡°Reverse Curtain. You¡¯ve learned that well.¡±
¡°Good decision after taking down Kang Hee-chan.¡±
With eachment, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s expression brightened ever so slightly.
Once the rey ended, I turned to Hong Yeon-hwa and said,
¡°You did well. Don¡¯t be too down about the loss.¡±
¡°¡Thanks.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa slowly nodded her head, then turned and walked out of the arena.
I thought I heard a faint sniffle from somewhere.
As I watched her retreating figure for a while, Seo Ye-in gently tugged on my sleeve.
¡°Praise me too.¡±
¡°Yes, you handled it wonderfully.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s strategy wasn¡¯t bad at all.
The fact that she had trained enough to use the Reverse Curtain in a real battle after only a few days was certainlymendable.
The unfortunate part was that her opponent was a marksman, and that marksman happened to be Seo Ye-in, who possessed overwhelming talent.
If it had been any other long-range fighter, they might have been defeated when Hong Yeon-hwa concentrated her fire magic in the final moment.
But Seo Ye-in calmly observed the barrage from all directions and waited for the perfect moment to activate Bullet Time.
She found the tiniest gap in what seemed like an imprable attack and slipped through it.
It was wless, with no room for criticism. A perfect execution of her skill.
Seo Ye-in who was now tugging at my sleeve more insistently leaned in closer.
Her gray eyes sparkled.
¡°I came in first ce twice.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°Wish ticket.¡±
We had agreed that after she won ten games in the hammer game, I would grant her a wish.
However, since Bullet Time had ranked up during thepetition, she ended with eight wins. We decided thating in first ce in two matches would count for the remaining wins.
Seo Ye-in had effortlessly secured first ce in both matches.
I nodded my head.
¡°Yes, you did so well, I have to keep my promise. A pillow?¡±
¡°Pillow¡!¡±
***
Seo Ye-in and I returned to the special training room.
I asked onest time.
¡°Are you sure your wish is to sleep using me as a pillow?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±
¡°I still don¡¯t get it, but does it really help you sleep better?¡±
¨C Nod, nod.
¡°Well, if that¡¯s your wish.¡±
Whether she wanted to use me as a pillow or a cushion, that was up to her.
Today, I was the Kim Ho pillow.
Standing there nkly, I looked at Seo Ye-in and wondered what she nned to do next.
¡°¡¡¡±
She nced around the special training room, her gaze often lingered in the more secluded corners. It was clear she was scouting out the perfect spot for a nap.
Soon, Seo Ye-in gently tugged me toward one of the corners and I obediently followed.
As expected, the ce where we stopped was in a corner by the wall.
Having chosen the nap spot, the next important thing was to decide on my position.
¡°So should I sit, lie down, or maybe lie face down?¡±
¡°¡¡!?¡±
Seo Ye-in widened her eyes slightly.
It seemed she hadn¡¯t anticipated so many options.
After thinking it over with a seriously thoughtful expression, she finally ced a hand on my shoulder.
That must have meant she wanted me to sit.
I leaned my back against the wall and sat down as she indicated. Then Seo Ye-in rummaged through her inventory and pulled out a thick nket.
¡°You even brought a nket? You¡¯re really serious about this.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in wrapped herself tightly in the nket and sat right next to me.
She rested her head on my shoulder, and within less than five seconds, she was fast asleep.
Watching her, I couldn¡¯t help but seriously consider something.
At this rate, I might end up developing a new trait.
I almost expected a notification message saying I¡¯d acquired the [Pillow] trait.
Of course, no such trait existed to my knowledge.
Even though I was faithfully ying the role of a pillow, just sitting there idly and wasting time didn¡¯t suit my nature.
I wasn¡¯t really tired enough to take a nap with Seo Ye-in either.
So I decided to take care of something I had been putting off.
I need to find it, the Crow.
To decide which dungeon I¡¯d explore with Dang Gyu-young next week, I had to locate the Dungeon Crow¡¯s position and figure out when it would appear, so I could n ahead.
And to do that, I needed something.
Rey.
I opened the student store and navigated to the rey section.
After scrolling through a list of recently conquered dungeon levels, I selected one.
When I paid 100 points, a crystal orb fell gently into my hand.
Soon, the images of several students appeared within the orb.
It was a party made up of second-year seniors.
They were aboard arge sailing ship and sailing somewhere.
asionally, they fought against pirates or sea monsters that appeared.
I only watched up to that point before I began fast-forwarding through the rey.
It¡¯s a waste of time to watch the whole thing.
Usually, it took anywhere from a few hours to several days to clear a dungeon level.
Like how the Feathered Serpent Altar was cleared in an instant, while the Great Eagle Escort Agency took two days.
There was no way I could watch the entire rey of every dungeon clear from start to finish.
Besides, to find the Dungeon Crow, I had to sift through multiple reys.
I need to focus on the important parts.
The fortunate thing was that the Crow¡¯s appearance time and location were fixed.
If I didn¡¯t see it by the time I paused the rey, it was safe to assume it wasn¡¯t there.
By then, the ship in the crystal orb was passing by a rocky ind.
I carefully scanned the highest peak among the rocks, but there was nothing there.
Nothing.
I hadn¡¯t expected to find it on the first rey anyway.
I immediately spent another 100 points to purchase and y the next rey.
This time, the seniors in the crystal orb were standing in an endless field of golden wheat.
In the distance, a horde of monsters was approaching.
Just before the battle began.
Of course, I wasn¡¯t interested in whether they fought or not.
Instead, I focused on the scarecrow standing in the middle of the wheat field, but¡ª
Nothing here either.
Once again, I came up empty.
I moved on to the next rey without hesitation, and then to the one after that.
Each time, the crystal orb showed me bustling city streets with cars moving swiftly, or a high-altitude mountainous region where the clouds seemed within reach.
But nowhere could I find any trace of the dimensional crow.
The points I spent 100 at a time umted and eventually reached around 2,000 points.
¡°I found it.¡±
I peered intently into the crystal orb with gleaming eyes.
The scene inside was an arena where a fierce match was underway.
A student participating in the dungeon raid was locked in a life-and-death struggle with their opponent.
The spectators erupted in cheers with their voices shaking the stadium.
In the midst of themotion, I nced at the highest point of the stands where a crow was watching the match.
However, this crow¡¯s appearance was far from ordinary.
It was muchrger than a typical bird, and it wore a tall top hat on its head.
Adding to its peculiar look, it was dressed in an aristocratic suit and even held a bag in one hand.
The Crow Tailor.
It was exactly the dimensional crow I had been searching for.
After analyzing where the tailor would appear next, I sent a message to Dang Gyu-young.
[Kim Ho: Found the crow.]
[Dang Gyu-young: Where??]
[Kim Ho: Go to No. 294.]
[Dang Gyu-young: Okay. I¡¯ll get it ready.]
[Dang Gyu-young: (Round Fox Emoji)]
With this, the preparations for next week wereplete.
While progressing through the dungeon raid, I would take a brief detour and meet the Crow Tailor.
Whatever I asked of the creature, it wouldn¡¯t be free, but I had already prepared the payment.
Crows like shiny things, after all.
For example, something like a jewel.
Even better if it was imbued with magic.
Fortunately, I had arge ruby that I had received from Hong Yeon-hwa,
A rtively small emerald from Kwak Ji-cheol,
And arge emerald I had exchanged for several midterm crystals from Jeong Soo-ji.
This should be more than enough to cover the cost of the request.
After calcting everything, I subtly turned my head to the side.
Seo Ye-in who was fast asleep came into view.
¡°She¡¯s really sleeping soundly.¡±
Quite some time must have passed while I was checking through all the reys, but she showed no sign of waking up.
She had finally gotten her hands on the ¡°Kim Ho pillow¡± so of course, she¡¯d want to sleep as deeply as possible.
However, I couldn¡¯t let her sleep forever, so I decided it was time to wake her up.
As proven by Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s research, the method for waking this human sloth is quite simple.
You just take away the pillow.
And right now, I was the pillow.
So with a swift motion, I pulled away from Seo Ye-in.
When the shoulder pillow she had been leaning on disappeared, Seo Ye-in¡¯s body tilted to the side and she slowly slumped onto the floor.
¡°¡¡?¡±
In that position, Seo Ye-in barely lifted her eyelids.
She rolled around, then reached out and groped the air.
¡°Where are you¡?¡±
¡°I¡¯m right here, young miss.¡±
Of course, ¡°here¡± was quite far from where Seo Ye-in currentlyy.
Seo Ye-in weakly gestured in my direction.
¡°Come back¡¡±
¡°Let¡¯s call it a day for your nap. It¡¯s time to get up.¡±
Or she could just finish her nap back at the dorm.
However, Seo Ye-in didn¡¯t seem convinced.
She voiced herint while still lying on the floor,
¡°You¡ promised¡¡±
¡°I did promise. But¡¡±
What Seo Ye-in had wished for with her request was to use me as a pillow.
However.
We never agreed on ¡°how long¡± she could use me.
In other words, whether she could use the Kim Ho pillow for an entire day or just an hour was entirely up to me.
¡°These days, premium itemse with time limits.¡±
¡°How could this be¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in had just experienced the bitter reality of time-limited items.
Chapter 203: 11th Week Strategy Battle (1)
Chapter 203: 11th Week Strategy Battle (1)
When I told her that the usage period for the Kim Ho pillow had expired, Seo Ye-in returned to the dormitory with a very dissatisfied expression on her face.
The remaining weekdays and weekend of the duel battle week were spent adjusting and fine-tuning the skills I had.
Monday.
Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong returned to ss as if nothing had happened.
Judging by theck of noticeable injuries, it seemed that a full-scale battle hadn¡¯t urred, just as expected.
The fact that it took them quite a while to return probably meant they had chased after the enemies but ultimately lost track of them.
Perhaps because of this, Lee Soo-dok openly disyed his frustration, and the students had to endure ss in a state of extreme tension.
On the other hand, Seo Cheong-yong showed no change at all from his usual self.
As always, he carried on the lesson with his characteristic friendly smile.¡°We have a very important announcement this week,¡±
Seo Cheong-yong raised his hand slightly and continued.
¡°Alright, how about raising your hands? Who here has a score of over 5,000 points in the strategy battle?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Those ranked at least mid-tier in the strategy battle should have already surpassed 5,000 points, and even those below that likely had around 4,000.
The students slowly raised their hands while ncing at each other.
More than half of the ss had their hands up.
I passed that a while ago.
Before the midterms, my umted strategy battle score was already 5,040 points.
Adding the 2,250 points from the midterms brought the total to a staggering 7,290 points.
In terms of the strategy battle alone, I was ranked near the top.
Even before the midterms, my umted strategy battle score was already 5,040 points.
Seo Cheong-yong nced lightly around the room before he spoke.
¡°Students who have surpassed 5,000 points will now be allowed to ess the underground floor starting today, during each strategy battle week.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
At those words, the faces of the students who had raised their hands lit up, and they exchanged excited nces.
Those who hadn¡¯t reached the required points looked on enviously.
It was understandable. Up until now, the underground level of the dungeon building had been a restricted area for first-year students, and anyone caught there, even by ident, would be penalized.
But now, they had earned the right to confidently go down there.
Seo Cheong-yong patiently waited for the excitement to die down.
Soon, one by one, the students focused their attention back on him and he continued his exnation with a small smile.
¡°It¡¯s your first time going down to the underground floor, so it¡¯s natural to feel excited. But that doesn¡¯t mean you should let your guard down, right?¡±
Dungeon strategy battles aren¡¯t a walk in the park.
Seo Cheong-yong¡¯s usual gentle demeanor turned serious.
Since situations like this were rare, the students listened to him seriously.
¡°First, the most important thing to be aware of. There are no safety mechanisms in the underground dungeons.¡±
The dungeons on the ground floor, which we had entered for practice, were all artificial with various safety devices installed inyers.
For example, there was a practice mode allowing multiple attempts, devices that reduced damage and pain, and an emergency escape mechanism that would teleport participants out of the dungeon if their lives were in danger.
In contrast, the underground dungeons were all naturally urring.
There were no safety mechanisms at all.
If the raid went wrong, one might not only suffer severe injuries but could even lose their lives.
¡°So, if you want to tackle the underground floors, it¡¯s best to thoroughly research and prepare, review how your seniors cleared it, and watch their reys before you go in. Of course, the more dangerous and difficult it is, the greater the rewards will be.¡±
Unlike the ground floor dungeons, the underground dungeons provided rewards upon being cleared.
For example, Go Hyeon-woo was still making good use of the magic sword he obtained from the Feathered Serpent Altar.
I also obtained the priest¡¯s dagger from the Feathered Serpent Temple and attached it to Root, and I secured the Sealing Demon Box from the Great Eagle Escort Agency, which allowed me to rapidly raise the rank of the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger.
The random boxes were pretty useful, too.
As such, the risks of conquering the underground dungeons were high, but the returns were just as rewarding.
If you could continue to clear them steadily, it would be like endlessly mining a gold vein.
¡°Next point, first-year students are only allowed up to the F-floor. You¡¯re not permitted to go any lower yet.¡±
At present, we were only authorized to challenge F-rank dungeons, and higher-level dungeons still remained restricted.
If you¡¯re caught on the D or E floors, you¡¯ll be punished just like before.
Of course, I still fully intended to sneak down regardless.
¡°Next, to earn strategy battle points, you must clear one of the ¡®designated¡¯ dungeons for that week. You also have to record the rey and submit it.¡±
The purpose of teaching students strategy battles was to make them experience and ovee various environments.
If you only picked dungeons that suited your preferences, that intent would be lost.
And so, the dungeons designated by the academy changed every strategy battle week, and only in those dungeons could you earn practical evaluation points.
Additionally, unlike the ground-floor dungeons where everything was monitored, there was no way to know what students did once inside the underground dungeons.
You could even have a second or third-year clear the dungeon for you and then pretend you did it yourself.
Because of this, submitting the rey was required to receive practical evaluation points.
¡°So what kind of strategy battle will we be facing this week? Those of you who are sharp may have already guessed.¡±
When a female student sitting in the front row raised her hand, Seo Cheong-yong pointed at her.
¡°A hostile environment?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right! Correct.¡±
Last week, Ms. Jo Ok-soon had said this:
¨C We will focus on adapting to hostile environments for the remainder of the second semester.
So no matter what other rules were in ce, the environment was bound to be unfavorable for the participants.
Like the volcanic zone where the volcano erupted constantly, andva overflowed without rest.
Seo Cheong-yong pulled up the rules and environment on the board.
MAP: [cier Zone]
RULE: [Defense]
¡°Since we¡¯ve done defense before, you should all be familiar with it. But it¡¯ll feel different when you try it in another environment, right?¡±
Song Cheon-hye nced over in my direction.
It seemed she remembered when we were paired up to defend the old temple together.
I too was suddenly reminded of something and raised three fingers.
Then I mouthed the words,
¨C Three. Wish. Tickets.
¡°¡¡!¡±
The genie¡¯s pupils darted from side to side before she hastily turned her head forward.
She probably hoped I had forgotten, but I never forget a debt owed to me.
Meanwhile, Seo Cheong-yong moved on to exin about the underground dungeons.
¡°If you want to challenge an underground dungeon this week, even if it¡¯s not the [cier Zone], you have to choose a hostile environment. The rule must include [Defense].¡±
Then, with a snap of his fingers, the board filled up with a list of numbers.
They were the numbers of the F-rank dungeons designated for this week¡¯s strategy battle.
¡°Any questions? Anyone curious about something?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
No one raised their hand.
Both the hostile environment and the defense rule were things I had experienced before, and with the underground dungeons, all I had to do was pick one from the list, so there was nothing difficult about it.
Seo Cheong-yong wore a warm friendly smile.
¡°Alright, that¡¯s it for today¡¯s lesson. I wish you all the best of luck!¡±
When Seo Cheong-yong left the ssroom, the room was instantly filled with lively chatter.
¨C Hey, hey, should we go down and check it out?
¨C Wouldn¡¯t it be safer to just stick to the ground level?
¨C Nah, if we go down, we can get items.
¨C But they¡¯re just F-rank items, what¡¯s the big deal?
¨C You never know, we might hit the jackpot.
Some were excited about venturing into the underground dungeon for the first time, while others seemed indifferent and dismissed it as just another F-rank dungeon.
Go Hyeon-woo, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, turned to me and asked.
¡°What do you think, Kim-hyung?¡±
¡°Of course, I¡¯m going down. It¡¯s better to start by gradually experiencing the F-rank dungeons.¡±
¡°I¡¯m of the same mind. You can¡¯t grow if you only seek personal safety.¡±
¡°Speaking of which, let¡¯s head down tonight.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s gaze deepened.
¡°If you¡¯re insisting on tonight, we must be going lower.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
The deal with the swordsmanship club was toplete the treasure map within this week.
However, it was better to secure and deliver this quickly rather than drag it out until the weekend.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded and asked.
¡°So what¡¯s your n for this week¡¯s strategy battle?¡±
¡°I¡¯m nning to finish it right away with her.¡±
I pointed to ¡°her¡± lying face-down in the seat next to me.
Seo Ye-in who was half-awake by now slowly lifted her head and peeked out with barely open eyes.
But before I could say anything, she let her head fall back down.
She¡¯s still mad.¡¯
Go Hyeon-woo felt that something was off and asked us.
¡°Did something happen between you two?¡±
¡°I got tricked¡¡±
Seo Ye-in mumbled while she was still lying down.
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s curiosity deepened.
¡°Tricked? By Kim-hyung?¡±
¡°Pillow¡ limited-time ¡¡±
¡°?¡±
Go Hyeon-woo lookedpletely baffled.
Well, there was no way he could understand what ¡°limited-time pillow¡± meant without knowing the backstory.
Realizing it wasn¡¯t something he should get involved in, he quickly backed off.
¡°Well, I hope you two can resolve things peacefully.¡±
¡°You¡¯re surprisingly perceptive.¡±
¡°Haha, you tter me.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo left the ssroom first, saying we¡¯d meet again in the evening.
I moved to the seat in front of Seo Ye-in and called to the sloth lying face down nearby.
¡°Excuse me, could you get up for a moment?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°Are you asking for an extension?¡±
¡°Extension¡!¡±
¡°Let¡¯s decide based on how you do.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll finish it¡¡±
***
The underground level of the dungeon building was still quiet.
Even though it had been opened for first-year students, there was still hesitation about going in recklessly.
They likely wanted to gather at least minimal information before entering.
Of course, this didn¡¯t apply to us.
Everything from start to finish was already in my head.
If it were a D-rank, we would¡¯ve had to walk down quite a bit, but for F-rank, we only had to take a few steps down the spiral staircase.
It was fortunate since it meant less hassle for Seo Ye-in.
Soon, Seo Ye-in and I reached the entrance of the designated dungeon.
[No. 979] [Lightning Canyon]
¡°Let¡¯s finish this quickly and get some rest.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll finish it.¡±
Chapter 204: 11th Week Strategy Battle (2)
Chapter 204: 11th Week Strategy Battle (2)
Rumble.
The sound of thunder echoed as soon as we entered the dungeon.
When I looked up, the sky was covered in dark clouds; it was pitch ck.
Between the clouds, electrical currents surged, with a frequency so high it seemed excessive.
It felt like lightning could strike at any moment.
Looking down to survey the area, we stood in the middle of a canyon.
The width wasn¡¯t very broad, and steep cliffs rose on both sides.
A lone statue of a goddess stood nearby.
I pointed at it and spoke to Seo Ye-in.¡°We¡¯re going to protect this. Okay?¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
If this had been an above-ground dungeon, it would have kindly waited until we were ready before starting with a countdown.
But underground dungeons don¡¯t do that.
The attack had effectively started the moment we entered the dungeon.
The enemies would soon rush in, so there was no time to hesitate.
First, the rey.
To earn points in the underground dungeon raid, saving the rey was essential.
So I took out the rey crystal orb and infused it with mana.
As the orb activated, fragmented information appeared.
[Kim Ho_Seo Ye-in_979_Lightning Canyon.rey]
[Goddess Statue: 100%]
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
Next, I called up the week¡¯s side quest and checked it again.
[Sub Quest: 11th Week Strategy Battle]
?Objective: Protect the Goddess Statue.
?Deadline: ~ midnight on Sunday.
?Reward: Varies based on performance.
The ¡°performance¡± in this raid wasn¡¯t just based on the remaining health of the Goddess Statue, but also on the average health of Seo Ye-in and myself.
How well we endured the hostile environment would also be a part of the evaluation.
And the maximum achievement for the side quest?
Everything at 100%.
We needed to finish with a perfect game to get the best rewards.
However, this dungeon, as its name implied, was a hostile environment with a lightning attribute.
Even a slight graze could shave off 1%.
Lightning was harder to avoid than fire, and the chances of getting hit were much higher.
So why had I chosen this ce over the other dungeons?
Because I won¡¯t lose any points, even if I get grazed.
I cast the enchantment on Seo Ye-in.
[Used ¡°Enchantment¡±.]
[You have granted the skill ¡°Elemental Resistance (S)¡± to the target.]
[The rank of the granted ¡°Elemental Resistance¡±: B.]
[Duration: 00:09:58.]
[Cooldown: 00:39:58.]
With an F-rank enchantment, the rank usually dropped by three levels when transferred, but with D-rank, the decrease was reduced to two levels.
Even so, two ranks down was still quite a significant drop.
But if it starts at S-rank, it doesn¡¯t matter.
Even after the two-rank decrease, it was still a solid B-rank.
Plus, the duration was a full ten minutes.
More than enough time to clear the dungeon.
¡°¡¡.?¡±
Seo Ye-in stared at the empty space in front of her.
She was probably seeing notification messages about acquiring a new trait and the remaining duration.
Soon, her gaze shifted to me, and I spoke in an impossibly arrogant tone.
¡°Do you feel the power?¡±
¡°Strong.¡±
I raised my hand and pointed across the canyon.
¡°Go, show them your strength.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll finish them off.¡±
Seo Ye-in confidently moved forward with her magic gun.
Since it was an F-rank dungeon, there wasn¡¯t aplex storyline.
All we had to do was protect the goddess statue from the enemies swarming in from both ends of the canyon.
Just as I thought that, the enemies appeared.
Large floating orbs of electricity started drifting toward us.
Lightning Spirits.
They were literally spirits made of lightning.
The attack pattern of the Lightning Spirits was simple.
If the enemy got within a certain range, they would shoot electrical currents.
If they got any closer, they would self-destruct and cause a burst of electrical explosions.
As expected of spirits, their magic resistance was quite high, making it difficult to inflict significant damage with magic.
The best method was to apply a certain amount of shock or physical force.
And this was one of the reasons I had chosen this dungeon.
¡°Physical force means Wind Force.¡±
Whoooosh
Wind gathered and formed a massive whirlwind.
The spirits that were approaching were pulled into the center, tangled and crackled, and soon a chain explosion urred.
Boom boom boom!
The fate of the spirits following close behind was no different.
They were sucked into the whirlwind and burst apart one after another.
An easy win, sessful.
As long as I kept linking Wind Force with Twister, this side of the defense was practically secured.
Now, the only question was how smoothly Seo Ye-in could hold off the other side.
Ratatatatatatata!
An assault rifle unleashed rapid blue bursts of energy.
It looked like she was firing haphazardly, but every magic bullet hit the Lightning Spirits with precision.
As the magic bullets struck, the spirits trembled violently before exploding on the spot.
Boom boom boom!
Seo Ye-in shot and hit every Lightning Spirit as soon as they appeared.
I watched her for a moment, then raised my gaze.
They¡¯ll start dropping soon.
The reason this dungeon was named ¡°Lightning Canyon¡± was due to one decisive factor.
It was the final trait of the Lightning Spirits.
When they exploded, they scattered faint static electricity in all directions. As this umted, it eventually acted like a lightning rod.
It summoned lightning.
And, as luck would have it, the sky was filled with dark clouds.
Crackle, crackle!
Soon, sparks began to fly wildly in midair.
Boom!
The next moment, a lightning bolt struck down, hitting the ground.
It hit an empty spot, so the disced current spread widely across the ground.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Seo Ye-in immediately stepped back, but the current spread faster.
It crawled up her legs and delivered an electric shock.
Fizzzzzzzz!
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
¡°¡¡..?¡±
However, something like that couldn¡¯t break through her B-rank elemental resistance.
Even a direct lightning strike to the head wouldn¡¯t be enough to pierce through it.
Seo Ye-in tilted her head in confusion, then turned to look in my direction.
I gave a small nod of my chin.
¡°Strong.¡±
¡°Strong.¡±
Crackle!
Once again, sparks crackled in the air.
Having already experienced firsthand that lightning would soon strike, Seo Ye-in quickly distanced herself.
Lightning struck, and when sparks appeared in two more ces, Seo Ye-in backed away even farther.
She relentlessly fired her assault rifle while constantly moving her feet and took down the lightning spirits.
Ratatatata!
The debris scattered by the spirits began to pile up and spread out, and as it did, the frequency of lightning strikes increased.
What started as one or two bolts now fell in groups of three or four.
Boom!
Although Seo Ye-in responded swiftly and kept moving, there were simply too many lightning strikes. The electric currents spread widely across the ground when they hit, moving with incredible speed.
Therefore, getting shocked every now and then was inevitable.
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
Despite that, her health remained solidly at 100%, thanks to her elemental resistance doing its job effectively.
Still, getting shocked wasn¡¯t exactly pleasant, so Seo Ye-in did her best to avoid getting hit by the lightning as much as possible.
¡°!¡±
At that moment, an exmation mark seemed to pop up above Seo Ye-in¡¯s head as if she realized something.
She quickly manipted her bracelet, and a cloud the size of a fist popped into the air.
Crackle!
The cloud swiftly flew toward the spot where the sparks were crackling and swallowed it whole.
As a result, the lightning that should have struck didn¡¯t fall.
That¡¯s it.
The cloud from the Cloud Bracelet had the effect of nullifying magic.
While it was difficult to block the lightning itself, it could easily swallow up a lightning rod.
From my perspective, I had hoped she would remember that on her own, so I watched in silence. Thankfully, she quickly realized and put it to use.
The cloud busily moved around, swallowing the lightning rods one by one.
Thanks to that, Seo Ye-in had a moment to catch her breath.
I continued maintaining Twister while offering encouragement.
¡°Let¡¯s keep it up like this. We¡¯re almost done.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Seo Ye-in aimed her gun forward.
Ratatatata!
***
The swarming lightning spirits vanished without a trace.
The sky which was once ck with storm clouds began to clear, and sunlight started to break through.
Bright rays of sunshine shone down like a spotlight on the goddess statue.
And naturally, both the statue¡¯s health and our health remained intact.
[Statue of the Goddess: 100%]
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
A perfect game.
Seo Ye-in trudged toward me.
¡°We finished them off.¡±
¡°Good job again. High five.¡±
We raised our hands for a light high five,
Crackle!
But static electricity shocked us, so we quickly pulled our hands away.
Seo Ye-in had been struck by lightning so many times that she¡¯d practically be a static-charged sloth.
I stayed silent for a few seconds.
¡°Hmm.¡±
Then I lifted Root and held it over Seo Ye-in¡¯s head.
Her gray hair slowly lifted from the static and clung to my Root weapon.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in slowly raised her head to look up.
She reached out and tried to push Root away, but I dodged her hand.
After a while, I had a feeling she might throw a pot shot at me, so I decided to stop.
When I turned my gaze back toward the goddess statue, I noticed a small box lying there.
[Lightning Canyon Random Box (F)]
Just a single F-rank box.
The dungeon level was low, so it couldn¡¯t be helped.
I asked Seo Ye-in.
¡°Want to open it?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
I still have the side quest rewards left anyway.
Moreover, I still had to rely on her good luck for random boxes dropping in other underground dungeons, so I could generously let an F-rank box slide.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in picked up the random box and stared at it silently for a moment, then casually opened the lid.
sh!
In the next instant, instead of the box, Seo Ye-in was holding a piece of parchment with a question mark on it.
[Random Rank Up]
¡°Not bad.¡±
Even just one of these was a pretty decent item for something that dropped from an F-rank box.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in nced at the Random Rank Up for a moment, then gave me a questioning look.
It seemed like she was asking if she could use it now, so I nodded easily.
¡°Yeah, go ahead and use it.¡±
Random Rank Up.
An item that allows the user to randomly select one skill or trait they possess and, with a certain probability, upgrade its rank.
You had to beat the odds twice, and it wasn¡¯t influenced by any luck-rted bonuses.
Even when I had gotten Random Rank Ups from the arcade in the city, only one out of three managed to rank up my Inferno Fist skill, which in hindsight was a miracle.
In other words,
No matter how lucky she is, this one¡¯s bound to fail.
I secretly hoped that Seo Ye-in would fail this time.
For the sake of her mental growth, shouldn¡¯t even someone blessed with luck taste the bitterness of failure once in a while?
Like Shin Byeong-cheol, the woodcup collector.
Whether she sensed my thoughts or not, Seo Ye-in used the Random Rank Up with a nk expression on her face.
sh!
The parchment slowly began to glow brightly,
Fwoosh¡ª!
A wave of light seeped into Seo Ye-in¡¯s body.
She actually seeded.
She raised her rank with just one scroll.
It seems that the bitterness of failure and mental growth would have to wait for another time.
Still, it was something to be happy about that Seo Ye-in¡¯s stats had improved.
¡°What did you level up?¡±
¡°Bullet Time.¡±
¡°From D to C?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
I blinked in surprise.
¡°What the hell, why do you keep pulling off impossible things?¡±
Chapter 205: 11th Week Strategy Battle (3)
Chapter 205: 11th Week Strategy Battle (3)
It was early evening, just after sunset.
Although it was far from bedtime, Song Cheon-hye was already dressed in her pajamas and standing in front of her bed.
A soft smile spread across her lips and she dived onto the bed.
She rubbed her face against the pillow repeatedly.
¡°Ah~ This is so nice~¡±
A small, contented happiness appeared on her face.
Today, she was off duty from the disciplinarymittee.
She was free from the suffocating workload.
On top of that, her usual partner Han So-mi was absent due to personal matters, so their strategy battle had been postponed for a few days.As a result, Song Cheon-hye had stumbled upon one of those rare days¡ªmaybe once or twice a year¡ªwhere she had absolutely nothing to do.
That was why she had already changed into her pajamas early in the evening.
Of course, she didn¡¯t intend to justze around doing nothing.
¡°Even if I rest, I should rest productively.¡±
After rolling around on the bed for a bit, Song Cheon-hye opened the student shop and started browsing through the rey list at a rxed pace.
Even while resting, she figured she could learn something by watching various students¡¯ reys.
¡°Hmm?¡±
Her eyes suddenly widened.
Something had caught her attention.
[Kim Ho_Seo Ye-in_Entry 979_Lightning Canyon.rey]
Song Cheon-hye had never admitted it to anyone, but she was actually an unofficial fan of Kim Ho.
Ever since she learned how to use the Hummingbird technique from one of his reys, she had purchased and watched almost every single one.
It did strike her as odd that Kim Ho hadn¡¯t used the Hummingbird at all recently though.
Seo Ye-in also left a strong impression on Song Cheon-hye.
Ever since they shed during the cement exams, she felt a subtle sense of rivalry with her.
The fact that Seo Ye-in was showing incredible growth and rising fast only fueled that feeling.
Just seeing both of their names was enough to make her buy the rey, but to top it off, the dungeon was called ¡°Lightning Canyon¡±.
A lightning-type dungeon.
She couldn¡¯t resist the curiosity about how the two had navigated through it.
After paying 100 points, a crystal orb dropped into her hand.
The rey began to y.
The sky was overcast as if lightning could strike at any moment.
A narrow canyon, with a statue of a goddess standing at its center.
When Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in took their positions at the front and back of the canyon, enemies began to appear.
Lightning spirits.
They were creatures very familiar to Song Cheon-hye.
She had often seen them near the Topaz Magic Tower.
This was an F-rank dungeon, so only the weakest creatures appeared, but letting your guard down could be a big mistake.
Song Cheon-hye focused a little more on the rey.
How would the two of them respond?
Whoosh¡ª
Kim Ho raised his short spear and pointed it sharply at the lightning spirits.
Arge whirlwind gathered them into one spot, and the tangled spirits caused a chain of explosions.
None of them could break through the whirlwind.
Perfect.
The whirlwindpletely engulfed the narrow canyon.
It was as if the magic had been prepared specifically for this dungeon.
No, it was likely the opposite.
Kim Ho had probably understood the traits of his whirlwind and smartly chosen this dungeon.
And Song Cheon-hye had to admit that his choice was an excellent one.
However, the battle was so one-sided that there wasn¡¯t much to see, so Song Cheon-hye quickly shifted her gaze to Seo Ye-in.
Ratatatatatatata!
Seo Ye-in fired her magic gun in rapid bursts.
As expected, her skills have improved significantly since the beginning of the semester.
Though the lightning spirits fell one by one, Song Cheon-hye couldn¡¯t help but wonder.
What will she do next?
As the lightning spirits dissipated, they released static electricity, which slowly built up in the narrow canyon and formed lightning rods one by one.
And then, just as Song Cheon-hye had predicted,
Boom!
A bolt of lightning struck down, and waves of electricity spread wide.
Seo Ye-in couldn¡¯t avoid it in time and ended up being electrocuted.
Fizzzzzzz!
Just when Song Cheon-hye thought, ¡°Of course, this is how it ends,¡± she suddenly paused.
Huh?
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
Seo Ye-in¡¯s health hadn¡¯t dropped at all.
For a moment, Song Cheon-hye thought she might have been mistaken, but the same situation repeated several times.
Fizzzzzzz!
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
Seo Ye-in¡¯s health remainedpletely untouched.
Even with her own high affinity and resistance to lightning, Song Cheon-hye wouldn¡¯t havee out that unscathed.
Which meant¡
Is her resistance higher than mine?
Whether she had acquired new equipment or developed a new trait, it was clear Seo Ye-in¡¯s resistance had significantly improved since before.
When she thought about it, it wasn¡¯t surprising. After all, it had been Song Cheon-hye who handed her a defeat during the cement test, so it made sense for Seo Ye-in to have prepared a countermeasure.
Song Cheon-hye imagined it in her head.
If she were to face Seo Ye-in now, how would it turn out?
¡I might actually lose.
Song Cheon-hye¡¯s expression darkened slightly.
Of course, her own lightning magic would be far stronger than the lightning in an F-rank dungeon, but its power would be significantly reduced by something Seo Ye-in possessed.
Even those fluffy clouds floating nearby looked like they would be troublesome.
On the other hand, Seo Ye-in had a significant advantage over mages as a gunslinger.
Hadn¡¯t Hong Yeon-hwa also tasted defeat against Seo Ye-in in a duel battlest week?
Considering all these factors, it wasn¡¯t a guaranteed loss, but victory couldn¡¯t be certain either.
I can¡¯t just sit around like this.
Song Cheon-hye sprang up from the bed.
She was overwhelmed by a sense of urgency and couldn¡¯t rest easy any more.
Even while she waszing around like this, Seo Ye-in was probably getting stronger somewhere out of sight.
To avoid being overtaken, she needed to train even harder herself.
Song Cheon-hye changed into her uniform and left the dormitory.
She then headed to the training center and began to relentlessly strike the wooden dummies.
Fzzzzzzt! Bang!
Sweat beaded on her forehead, but she paid it no mind and continued casting lightning magic with even more intensity.
Her trainingstedte into the night.
Meanwhile, at that very moment, Seo Ye-in was sound asleep in her room.
She was tightly hugging a tiger plushie.
As she tossed and turned, murmurs escaped from her lips in her sleep.
¡°Kim Ho pillow¡¡±
¡°Please extend the deadline¡¡±
***
[Side Quest: 11th Week Duel Battles] (Completed)
?Objective: Protect the goddess statue.
Goddess statue health (100/100%)
Participant average health (100/100%)
[Please select your reward.]
?Wind Barrier
?Wind Armor
?Wind Wall
It was the first time I was learning a defensive skill.
There were three choices, but the effect was the same for all.
Each provided a certain amount of defense and resistance using wind.
The only difference was the form of the wind.
Barrier took the shape of a sphere, Armor was like a suit, and Wall stood in the form of a barrier.
So, which one should be chosen first?
I should go with the safest option.
Armor had high mobility but was thin, while Wall was thicker and offered better defense but only in one direction.
Barrier was somewhere in the middle of the two.
[Acquired ¡®Wind Barrier (F+)¡¯.]
Just like I had advised Hong Yeon-hwa, I intended to learn them all eventually.
Defensive magic could beyered, so the more the better.
Afterward, I returned to the dormitory for a short rest, then spent time cultivating my mana in the mana cultivation room.
And then,te into the night¡
When I headed toward the dungeon building, Shin Byeong-cheol and Go Hyeon-woo were waiting for me.
They noticed me approaching and each greeted me.
¡°Oh, you¡¯re here, customer-nim.¡±
¡°Hello, Kim-hyung.¡±
With the three of us gathered, there was no need to mention our next destination.
We naturally made our way down to the underground floor.
First-year students were now allowed to ess up to the F-floor.
So we confidently descended the spiral staircase.
Unlike before, when Shin Byeong-cheol had been overly cautious, he now led the way and was chatting non-stop.
¡°Hey, I heard you already cleared your strategy battle? And on the underground floor, too.¡±
¡°There was no reason to drag it out. It wasn¡¯t even that difficult.¡±
¡°Hehe, well, you¡¯ve been going in and out of D-rank dungeons like it¡¯s nothing, so F-rank must be a piece of cake.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo also had a faint smile on his face, though for slightly different reasons than Shin Byeong-cheol.
¡°Judging by your sess in the strategy battle, it seems you¡¯ve also made up with Miss Seo.¡±
¡°We never really fought to begin with. Anyway, it¡¯s all sorted now.¡±
¡°Haha, that¡¯s good to hear.¡±
I asked Go Hyeon-woo,
¡°Did you bring it? The Dharma Statue.¡±
¡°Of course, I always carry it with me.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo pulled the Dharma Statue out of his inventory.
It was a hidden piece we had found at an inn near the ck Snake¡¯s hideout, and it possessed two effects.
The first was that the statue contained the enlightenment of the swordsman who had carved it. This made it valuable for research on its own.
¡°How has it beentely?¡±
¡°Hmm, the more I look at it, the more there is to learn. But I still can¡¯t grasp its full depth.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo said with a faint bitter smile. I casually nodded my head in response.
It was only natural for it to be difficult, given that it was carved by a master several levels above us.
¡°Keep studying it, but let¡¯s just use it for today.¡±
¡°Of course. I only borrowed it from you in the first ce, so it¡¯s right to return it whenever you need it.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo tried to hand me the Dharma Statue, but I raised my hand to stop him.
¡°Hold onto it for now. I¡¯ll tell you when we need it.¡±
¡°Very well. I believe you mentioned it was for a formation, right?¡±
¡°You remember correctly. That¡¯s right.¡±
The second effect of the Dharma Statue.
It can break through a ¡°specific formation¡±.
In a way, it serves as a type of key.
And that ¡°specific formation¡± could likely be found in the dungeon we were about to enter.
Meanwhile, Shin Byeong-cheol who was leading the way suddenly brightened up as if he had discovered something and shouted with excitement.
¡°Wow, finally!¡±
There, an elevator had been installed.
Both Go Hyeon-woo and I brightened at the sight.
¡°Finally free from walking, at least for F-rank.¡±
¡°Haha, still, it¡¯s a good thing for us, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Up until now, we had to trudge all the way down from the entrance of the underground floor to the D-floor and then trudge back up again.
We had passed by elevators and teleportation magic circles, but since we were sneaking in, we had to pretend they didn¡¯t exist.
However, now that we had been granted ess to the F-floor, we could use the elevator freely.
Considering howrge the area F-floor covered in the underground levels, the walking distance was significantly reduced.
The three of us scanned our student IDs at the terminal in front of the elevator.
As soon as we stepped inside, there was a clunking sound and our bodies were rapidly pulled downward at an incredible speed.
¡°As expected, it¡¯sfortable.¡±
¡°Hmm.¡±
We all wore satisfied smiles on our faces.
The elevator dropped us off at the very bottom of the F-floor, right before entering the E-floor.
Since first-year students were still prohibited from entering the E-floor, we put on our anonymous badges and switched our tie pins.
As usual, Shin Byeong-cheol took on the role of guide.
Though he usually liked to ck off, at this moment he was more serious than ever.
He had improved his skills over time, and when he sensed any presence nearby, he quickly led us through this passage and that passage while skillfully avoiding detection.
Thanks to that, we entered the D-floor without any issues and reached our target destination.
[No.410] [Sealing Demon Chests]
Shin Byeong-cheol nced at the teleportation portal and asked us.
¡°Do I just wait here?¡±
¡°Yeah, just wait for a bit.¡±
I¡¯ll be back soon after I finish.
Chapter 206: No.410 Sealing Demon Chests (1)
Chapter 206: No.410 Sealing Demon Chests (1)
It was alreadyte at night, and the surroundings were shrouded in darkness.
The only sources of light in the area were the scattered torches burning here and there.
In a wide open space that resembled a training ground or arena, hundreds of martial artists stood in formation.
Despite their ck uniforms and masked faces, they looked to be strangely familiar. It was because we had fought them countless times while escorting the Great Eagle Escort Agency¡¯s caravan.
King of Hell Squad
One of the powerful military groups of the Demonic Cult. The King of Hell Squad
And there, both Go Hyeon-woo and I stood at one corner of their formation.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±We looked at each other at the same time, then lowered our gazes to check our attire.
ck uniforms and masks.
We were unmistakably members of the King of Hell Squad, warrior A and warrior B.
Go Hyeon-woo lowered his voice as much as possible, so no one nearby could hear.
¡°Interesting. This time, we¡¯re proceeding from the Demonic Cult¡¯s perspective?¡±
Recover the Sealing Demon Chests.
¡°Yeah. Just following the title.¡±
Even the dungeon¡¯s name revealed the objective.
This time, I didn¡¯t show Go Hyeon-woo any strategy guidebook since we were going to act together anyway.
I could handle the finer details myself.
Still, I needed to give him a brief exnation of the current situation.
¡°We transported the Sealing Demon Chests from the Great Eagle Escort Agency to the branch.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°But some of them ended up in the wrong hands.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s eyes shed with interest.
¡°They were stolen?¡±
¡°It would be more urate to say they were diverted.¡±
¡°I see. Corruption exists everywhere, after all.¡±
Items like the Sealing Demon Chests, which contain powerful demonic energy, often attract those who covet them despite the danger.
And there are always those willing to satisfy that greed to fill their own pockets.
Go Hyeon-woo clicked his tongue in disapproval.
¡°Foolish. Swallowing something like that is bound to cause serious problems.¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s human greed for you. They¡¯re on the verge of a disaster as we speak.¡±
The Demonic Cult had been on high alert and following the whereabouts of the Sealing Demon Chests.
They had inevitably discovered that a portion had been secretly relocated, and the current situation was that the King of Hell Squad was about to be deployed.
¡°So, all we need to do is follow these guys.¡±
¡°Basically.¡±
Like in any dungeon, merely doing the basics would only yield basic rewards.
If you wanted more than that,
¡°We have to take the initiative.¡±
¡°I figured you¡¯d have something in mind, Kim-hyung. Am I right?¡±
¡°Of course I do. Let¡¯s go.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo and I left the formation and walked forward with slow deliberate steps.
Immediately, all eyes were on us.
Some looked at us in disbelief, while others sent res filled with killing intent.
We brushed off those stares lightly and continued walking.
Standing in the direction we headed was a familiar man in ck. He was a middle-aged man.
The Vice Commander of the King of Hell Squad.
In the escort mission, I had stayed with the injured in the rear and there I fought with the King of Hell Squad led by that vicemander.
As a result, they suffered devastating damage from the Inferno Fist and were forced to retreat.
Now, he must be themander.
Go Hyeon-woo had taken down themander back then, so this guy¡¯s rank would have risen by now.
Both in terms of the storyline and reality.
When his gaze locked onto us, I spoke in the most solemn tone.
¡°The Demon Brain sent us.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
The new King of Hell¡¯s eyes zed with intensity.
***
When two members of the group suddenly broke formation, the King of Hell had initially wondered if they¡¯d gone mad and fell victim to demonic energy.
But his expression quickly hardened.
The aura emanating from these two wasn¡¯t something ordinary.
Experts.
None of his subordinates had such a powerful presence.
Which meant they had infiltrated from the outside.
The man in ck, who had been approaching slightly ahead, opened his mouth.
¡°The Demon Brain sent us.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Though the voice sounded young, as if he were barely past his twenties, there was nothing light about the weight it carried.
It felt as if he was facing a seasoned master.
And if the Demon Brain who was the strategist of the cult had sent them, it meant they were more than capable.
However, the King of Hell himself was a veteran who had roamed the martial world for many years.
He wasn¡¯t na?ve enough to take their words at face value.
So he asked,
¡°Can you prove it?¡±
¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡±
The man in ck responded in an unwavering tone.
What kind of nonsense was this?
They imed to havee on the Demon Brain¡¯s orders, yet they couldn¡¯t prove it.
Even so, the King of Hell didn¡¯t lose hisposure.
It was the warning sent by his years of umted experience.
On the other hand, the new vicemander couldn¡¯t maintain the same calm.
He was one of the most capable men and was promoted to the position of vicemander, but he was a man who often got into trouble because of his rash nature.
This time was no different.
Even though he had no idea who the man in ck was, he didn¡¯t hesitate to hurl insults.
¡°I¡¯ve seen all kinds of lunatics, but this is something else. Do you really think barging into someone¡¯s home and making demands will get you anywhere? Take off that mask right now. Or else¡¡±
The vicemander drew his sword. It was sharp as a wolf¡¯s fang and he pointed it at the man.
¡°¡I¡¯ll cut off your heads and check for myself.¡±
¡°That method sounds quite appealing.¡±
The corners of the man in ck¡¯s lips twisted slightly upward.
Seeing this, the King of Hell became certain.
This man had stirred things up to lead them to this very moment.
Rather than talking a hundred times, it was better to show a single example.
The man in ck gave a small flick of his hand.
¡°Come. See for yourself.¡±
¡°You bastard¡ª!¡±
With his sword at the ready, the vicemander charged forward.
The man in ck too stepped forward casually as if he were taking a stroll.
In an instant, the distance between the two closed, and the vicemander¡¯s sword swung with a sharp piercing sound.
At that moment, the man in ck¡¯s figure seemed to glide past the vicemander. They just brushed by each other before a chilling sound of flesh being pierced echoed.
Thud.
For a brief moment, the two stood with their backs to each other.
Then, the vicemander¡¯s body copsed to the side.
¡°¡.¡!¡±
His face was one of disbelief, and his entire body shook as if trembling from the cold.
It seemed as though he was experiencing an extreme chill.
Soon, his movements ceased, but the eerie sound of something freezing continued.
Crack, crack.
¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to find a new vicemander.¡±
The man in ck muttered in a bored tone.
The King of Hell who had been watching the scene widened his eyes in shock.
That martial art!
He hurriedly nced at the man in ck¡¯s fingers, and what he had feared became a certainty.
The man¡¯s index finger was frozen solid, like an icicle.
A technique that sent cold energy into the opponent¡¯s vital points and froze them from the inside. It was a technique that was considered the most vicious among the numerous demonic arts.
Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger!
Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger was not only a demonic art but also imbued with extreme cold energy. A technique that only the most skilled martial artists could ever hope to master.
However, the man before him seemed to have refined that Demon Finger art to an extraordinary level.
He had casually pierced and killed the vicemander with ease.
That alone proved his identity.
Could he possibly be¡ that person?
The King of Hell¡¯s body trembled with shock.
A few figures shed through his mind in an instant.
Just then, a cold voice reached his ears.
¡°Is that enough?¡±
The King of Hell immediately dropped to his knees and bowed his head.
The rest of the warriors quickly followed suit and kneeled as well.
¡°I-I dared not recognize the heavens andmitted a grave offense. Please, kill me.¡±
¡°Kill you¡¡±
The man muttered to himself while staring off into the distance.
He seemed to be genuinely contemting whether to kill them or not, as if the decision weighed no more than choosing between noodles or dumplings for dinner.
It was as if wiping them out would be that simple.
Whirr¡ª
As the man released a fraction of his aura, a light breeze swept over the King of Hell.
His body trembled once more, this time with uncontroble fear.
Even that faint breeze carried an overwhelming sense of pressure.
Just how powerful are his martial arts¡?
A master whose sheer presence caused such pressure.
Having offended someone of this caliber, death was only fitting.
All the King of Hell could do was keep his head pressed against the ground and wait for his fate.
After a moment of thought, the man in ck slowly spoke.
¡°As much as I¡¯d like to kill you all on the spot¡¡±
¡°¡.¡!¡±
¡°But for the sake of rebuilding the cult, I suppose I¡¯ll have to restrain myself. You¡¯ve survived for today.¡±
¡°¡Thank you for your mercy.¡±
The man in ck waved his hand slowly, and only then did the King of Hell dare to rise from the ground.
¡°I hear there are rats who¡¯ve stolen precious artifacts from the cult.¡±
¡°It¡¯s the Golden Elephant Merchants.¡±
The King of Hell answered through clenched teeth.
While they were locked in a fierce bloodbath with the orthodox sects, these scum had been satisfying their greed in the shadows.
Even if what they had taken wasn¡¯t the Sealing Demon Chest, they couldn¡¯t be left alone.
It seemed the man in ck shared the same sentiment.
¡°By tomorrow, the name ¡®Golden Elephant Merchants¡¯ will no longer exist in the martial world.¡±
¡°¡.¡!¡±
¡°But the Demon Brain is concerned about unforeseen variables.¡±
The Demon Brain¡¯s ns were always meticulous.
He preferred to eliminate even the slightest chance of failure, no matter the cost.
That¡¯s why a master who mastered the demon finger hade here in the first ce.
The man in ck continued.
¡°If an unexpected master is found guarding the Golden Elephant Merchants, we¡¯ll handle them. Once everything is ready, we¡¯llunch a night raid.¡±
¡°Understood!¡±
The King of Hell immediately began organizing his forces with precision.
As he observed the preparations, the man in ck spoke once more.
¡°Do you have a fragment of the Treasure Map?¡±
¡°¡..! That¡¯s right.¡±
The King of Hell felt a chill deep inside; he wondered how they had figured it out, but if the Demon Brain had given a hint, it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible.
So he obediently took out the fragment and handed it over, though he cautiously added,
¡°I apologize¡ but what I have is only a portion.¡±
The other piece had been stolen by some brat, who was possibly rted to me Emperor or maybe me Emperor himself.
The man in ck casually epted the fragment and replied indifferently,
¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±
¡°Are you nning to meet him in person?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
The man in ck silently stared at him.
Whoosh¡ª
Once again, a gust of wind swept around him and tightened its grip.
The man in ck had raised his aura once more.
The King of Hell felt an even heavier pressure weighing down on him than before.
A cold voice whispered in his ear,
¡°Are you curious about what I¡¯ll do?¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
In that instant, the King of Hell understood.
He realized he was daring to gaze into a realm he should not.
He bowed his head once again.
¡°I overstepped my bounds. Please forgive me¡¡±
¡°Do not question me.¡±
¡°I will keep that in mind.¡±
Fortunately, the man in ck seemed willing to let the matter pass without making a big issue of it.
The King of Hell let out a sigh of relief inwardly, yet couldn¡¯t shake off a lingering sense of unease.
¡°No matter how I think about it¡ they look familiar¡.¡±
The eyes behind that mask were familiar for some reason.
***
Once preparations wereplete, the King of Hell Squad began moving stealthily through the darkness.
Even though there were over a hundred of them on the move, not a single sound was made, which showed just how thoroughly they had been trained.
I followed them at a leisurely pace and maintained an air of arrogance as I walked.
Meanwhile, Go Hyeon-woo had remained silently by my side all the while, but after quickly scanning the surroundings, he leaned in closer.
Then he expressed his admiration in a whisper.
¡°That was truly an impressive performance. There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t do, Kim-hyung.¡±
¡°Right?¡±
Honestly, I thought so too.
Chapter 207: No.410 Sealing Demon Chests (2)
Chapter 207: No.410 Sealing Demon Chests (2)
Looks like I got some help from the Demon Finger.
Among the demonic arts, the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger is known to be one of the most powerful.
The fact that it makes your index finger freeze is also a prominent feature, which makes it easy to identify.
Thanks to that, I was able to convincingly act as a master of the Demonic Cult and swiftly secure the top priority objective in this dungeon.
[Fragment of the Treasure Map B]
Now it was time to turn my attention to the main objectives of the dungeon.
I showed Go Hyeon-woo two fingers.
¡°We have two main tasks.¡±
The first is securing the Sealing Demon Chest, which has been repeatedly mentioned from the start.To be precise, it¡¯s to help the King of Hell Squad secure the Sealing Demon Chest.
¡°Of course, they won¡¯t just stand there and let it happen.¡±
¡°I have a feeling there will be a master present.¡±
¡°Absolutely.¡±
When I was talking with the King of Hell, I used vague terms like ¡°unforeseen variables¡± or ¡°unexpected masters¡±.
But in reality, a battle with a master is inevitable.
It seems that the Golden Elephant Merchants felt uneasy about having stolen the Sealing Demon Chest, as they¡¯ve enlisted a fairly skilled master.
They will be a major obstacle in taking down the merchant guild, so how quickly we can neutralize them will be crucial.
¡°The other task is finding the head of this merchant guild.¡±
¡°Since he¡¯s the mastermind behind this whole incident.¡±
¡°Yeah. Actually, it¡¯s fine as long as we find the Sealing Demon Chest, but the head of the merchant guild is offering extra rewards.¡±
¡°Indeed, extra rewards make it even harder to pass up.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo, who had been traveling with me, was beginning to adopt the mindset of a stagnant water.
The stealthy movement of the King of Hell Squad slowed down and eventually stopped.
Ahead of us stood a manor. It was neither too big nor too small and was made up of a few pavilions.
The manor was surrounded by fairly high walls for its size, and the signboard at the main gate read:
Soon, the King of Hell Squad exchanged signals among themselves and approached the building with a terrifying speed.
There were guards stationed all around, but by the time they noticed the King of Hell Squad charging in, it was already toote.
¡°Enemy att¡ª¡±
sh!
The guards were taken down in an instant.
The King of Hell Squad surrounded the Golden Elephant Merchant Guild and made sure not even a rat could escape.
Swish
The only sound was the faint rustling of clothes.
As I watched the scene unfold with Go Hyeon-woo, the King of Hellmander approached and respectfully reported.
¡°We¡¯re ready.¡±
¡°Begin.¡±
I nodded slightly as I spoke, and themander signaled with a hand gesture.
A sharp whistle echoed through the air,
Fweeeeeet¡ª!
The King of Hell Squad surrounded the merchant guild and leaped over the high walls all at once.
From this point, there was no need for stealth.
¡°Cut them all down!¡±
¡°Sweep them away, leave no one alive!¡±
Go Hyeon-woo and I exchanged nces before we too jumped over the wall.
Standing atop the wall, we looked down to see the startled faces of the Golden Elephant Merchants¡¯ guards.
One of them shouted frantically.
¡°It¡¯s an enemy atta¡ª!¡±
That was thest word he ever uttered.
sh!
The next moment, his head flew off.
The battle erupted, with the sounds of shing weapons and cries of pain echoing everywhere.
ng!
¡°Guh¡!¡±
A Golden Elephant Merchant warrior crossed des to block the attack from a King of Hell Squad member.
The two locked swords, trying to push each other back, but the merchant warrior gradually gave way, and soon his sword snapped with a dull crack.
The King of Hell Squad member swung his de again and finished him off.
sh!
¡°Aaaargh!¡±
He tossed the fallen opponent aside like garbage and moved on to the next.
The Golden Elephant Merchants had apparently spent a lot of money hiring and inviting warriors, but their individual skills were far toocking to face the forces of the Demonic Cult.
sh!
And so they fell quickly before they could even exchange even a few moves.
In an instant, their numbers dwindled.
asionally, some would engage in fierce battles with a few of the squad members, but the King of Hell Squad was thoroughly trained in groupbat as well.
When two or three attacked together, even those who fought hard eventually couldn¡¯t hold out and fell.
But what if they were even stronger than that?
What if they were so strong that not even abined attack from multiple King of Hell Squad members could bring them down?
It felt like the time for those opponents to appear was approaching.
Sure enough,
Swoosh!
The bodies of three or four King of Hell Squad members, who had been advancing with unstoppable force, were severed in an instant.
Another squad member quickly filled the gap andunched another attack, but he too was cut clean in half.
They were twin brothers who looked nearly identical.
They were short and plump and resembled dwarves.
Each wielded a huge axe the size of their own body, and the blue energy that clung to the axe des was proof of their skill.
Because of that, the King of Hell Squad could not properly withstand their attacks, and their bodies were repeatedly split apart.
The two also had excellent coordination. They seamlessly covered each other¡¯s blind spots.
These were the experts secretly hired by the Golden Elephant Merchants.
The Mountain Splitting Twin Axe Jeong brothers.
I exchanged a nce with the nearbymander of the King of Hell Squad.
His eyes were slightly widened in surprise.
¡°He even predicted their appearance¡ I am in awe of Demon Brain¡¯s foresight.¡±
¡°The Demon Brain sees all.¡±
But in truth, there was no Demon Brain; it was me who had figured it all out.
If the Jeong brothers were allowed to continue rampaging, the damage to the King of Hell Squad would only grow worse.
So I stepped forward with Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°Stand back. We will handle them.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
As the King of Hell Squad retreated, the twin brothers¡¯ eyes naturally locked onto us.
Sensing something unusual about us at a nce, they each made a bold remark.
¡°Finally, some worthy opponents have shown up.¡±
¡°This should be fun.¡±
I was one of the Demonic Cult¡¯s top experts in this dungeon.
With many eyes watching, I decided to maintain my arrogant demeanor.
¡°Big talk from fools who wouldn¡¯tst a second against me. I¡¯m not even slightly amused, so hurry up ande at me.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
The Jeong brothers¡¯ faces twisted into vicious scowls.
It seemed my taunt had hit its mark.
After all, what warrior could calmly ignore being told, ¡°You¡¯re not worth even a single blow?¡±
Their aura surged sharply, and they kicked off the ground at the same time.
Blue energy gushed out and lingered on the axes they were holding.
Go Hyeon-woo watched them with an interested look on his face.
¡°It¡¯s my first time facing an axe master.¡±
He was already holding an iron sword in his hand.
A gentle breeze wrapped around the de.
[Pure Flow]
A defensive technique focused on diverting enemy attacks.
He had primarily used this technique to deflect the ogres¡¯ attacks during the midterm exams.
However, it seemed that Go Hyeon-woo had realized something while using Pure Flow in actualbat.
Instead of receiving the attack in ce as usual, he took a bold step forward and swung his sword.
Thud¡ª!
The trajectories of the two axes, which had been swung with terrifying force, veered wildly.
I wasn¡¯t about to miss the opening that had revealed itself.
In an instant, I closed the distance and stabbed one of the brothers arm with the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger.
Thud,
¡°This¡ this is¡!¡±
One of the Jeong brothers staggered back in a daze before looking down at the pierced spot with panicked eyes.
Crackle,
Frost quickly spread through his body. It passed through his pressure points at an rming rate.
At first, the man who had only been trembling in his arm soon began shaking all over.
The other Jeong brother shouted at the sight.
¡°You bastard! What did you do to my big brother?¡±
¡°So, you¡¯re the younger one. Don¡¯t worry.¡±
You¡¯ll end up just like him soon enough.
This time, Go Hyeon-woo and Iunched our attack.
Go Hyeon-woo focused on the older brother, who was desperately trying to drive out the frost.
I decided to generously deliver the Demon Fingers to both Jeong brothers.
As I approached, an axe swung reflexively.
Whoosh¡ª
I narrowly dodged and closed in even further.
Then I jabbed my index finger into a Jeong brother¡¯s swinging arm.
¡°Grrrk¡!¡±
The Jeong brothers red at us while trembling violently.
Their eyes were filled with a mix of rage and fear.
I met their gaze briefly before giving the order.
¡°Finish them.¡±
¡°As youmand.¡±
The King of Hell Squad members closed in around them and tightened the circle.
At this point, there was no need for us to finish them ourselves.
The Jeong brothers, who were struggling against the cold of the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger, were no match for the King of Hell Squad.
¡°Arghhh!¡±
With the Jeong brothers¡¯ screams echoing behind us, we stepped into the manor.
The King of Hell Squad members, who had entered earlier, were cutting down everything in sight and overturning every room in their search for the Sealing Demon Chest.
We paid them no mind and kept moving forward.
Go Hyeon-woo matched his pace with mine and spoke.
¡°Now that we¡¯ve dealt with the masters, only one remains.¡±
¡°Yes, we need to find him.¡±
The Golden Merchant Guild Leader.
We continued walking until we reached the end of the hallway.
The building¡¯s wall blocked our path.
Go Hyeon-woo turned his head and quietly asked me what we should do next.
I pointed at the wall.
¡°Try cutting this.¡±
Without hesitation, Go Hyeon-woo swiftly swung his iron sword twice.
Two sword strikes crossed each other in an X shape across the wall.
sh-crack!
The wall bore two long scars, but that was all.
Go Hyeon-woo asked as he retrieved his iron sword.
¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a reason for Kim-hyung¡¯smand¡ isn¡¯t there?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
I nodded and ced my hand on the wall.
¡°This, it¡¯s a formation.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Go Hyeon-woo examined the wall closely again and his eyes were newly alert.
He traced the scars on the wall with his hand and lightly sent out his energy, but soon his eyes deepened.
¡°I can definitely feel something off. However, I don¡¯t think I can break it on my own.¡±
¡°That¡¯s enough for today.¡±
Breaking a formation begins with recognizing that the formation is there in the first ce.
Today, Go Hyeon-woo had taken that first step.
As he continued to encounter various formations and learn to sense the oddities, he would eventually be able to recognize them at a nce, just like I could.
So what do we do about the one in front of us?
We already had a very simple solution.
¡°Take out the Dharma Statue.¡±
¡°Ah, of course¡!¡±
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s eyes lit up.
He finally realized why I had told him to bring the Dharma Statue for this mission.
After he pulled the statue from his robes, he asked.
¡°What should I do with it now?¡±
¡°Put it here.¡±
I pointed to a corner of the wall.
And as soon as the Dharma Statue was ced there¡ª
Ssssss¡ª
The wall rippled and parted on its own, revealing a short hallway and a hidden room at the end.
It had been cleverly disguised as a wall using a formation.
We walked down the hallway and stopped in front of the room. Go Hyeon-woo immediately drew his iron sword and swung it.
Swish!
The door shattered to reveal a middle-aged man hiding inside.
From his luxurious attire and greasy sweat-soaked face, it was obvious that this was the Golden Merchant Guild Leader.
His face was filled with shock; he clearly never expected anyone to break through the formation and reach him.
¡°H-How did you!¡±
¡°Peekaboo.¡±
Chapter 208: No.410 Sealing Demon Chests (3)
Chapter 208: No.410 Sealing Demon Chests (3)
Go Hyeon-woo and I looked at the Golden Merchant Guild Leader with disdain.
¡°While others are fighting for their lives, you hide here all by yourself.¡±
¡°How can a man be so cowardly?¡±
¡°D-Don¡¯te any closer!¡±
When we took a step forward, the Guild Leader hastily drew his sword and pointed it at us.
But there was no need for me to lift a finger.
¡°Drag him out.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°At yourmand.¡±With the formation broken, the King of Hell Squad had already swarmed the ce.
Since the mastermind behind this whole affair was none other than the Golden Merchant Guild Leader, their gazes were filled with killing intent.
¡°I-I told you not toe any closer!¡±
The merchant guild leader swung his sword wildly in the air in a desperate attempt to resist.
But the King of Hell Squad rushed in and subdued him in an instant.
And soon, what we had been looking for was found.
After seeing the merchant guild leader being dragged out in a bloody mess, dragged out as a bloody mess, I searched the room thoroughly.
¡°Here it is, the extra reward.¡±
¡°Oh.¡±
Inside the small wooden box, a few golden pellets sparkled.
[Golden Spirit Pill (C)]
The more elixirs, the better.
That¡¯s how you can quickly raise the rank of a [Core] that¡¯s stuck in a stagnant zone.
If you keep raising the rank of magic while the rank of the core is low, you will struggle with a shortage of mana.
Moreover, learning higher-level magic would be impossible if the core¡¯s level was insufficient.
So, even if a C-rank core was sufficient for the time being, there would be a need for continuous investment.
When we moved outside the manor, the battle had already ended.
Needless to say, it was an overwhelming victory for the King of Hell Squad.
A few members were moving jars covered with numerous talismans.
They had secured the Sealing Demon Chests.
Now, neither we nor the King of Hell Squad had any further business with the Golden Merchant Guild.
And so, themander gave the order.
¡°Set it aze.¡±
Whoosh!
mes erupted from various parts of the manor and quickly engulfed the entire ce.
Go Hyeon-woo and I stood there watching the fire for a while.
¡°Burns pretty well.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
Rumble.
Just then, the ground shook as if an earthquake had struck, and a teleportation portal suddenly opened nearby.
Right in front of it were some chests.
[Sealing Demon Random Box (D)] *3
Go Hyeon-woo handed them to me and said.
¡°Judging by the open exit, it seems this is the end.¡±
¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡±
I nced back briefly, but the King of Hell Squad members were just bustling around as if they were unaware of the portal that just opened.
We took onest look at them and crossed through the teleportation portal.
***
We exited the dungeon and looked around, but there was no sign of Shin Byeong-cheol.
Instead, I noticed a lone bamboo straw standing upright on the ground.
¡°¡¡.¡±
I squatted down in front of it before cing my finger on the tip of the straw.
After a few seconds, the ground flipped open and Shin Byeong-cheol popped out.
¡°Puhak! Damn it! Are you trying to kill me? Why¡¯d you block that?¡±
¡°Why are you even in there?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t ask. There was an inspection just now.¡±
¡°When was ¡®just now¡¯?¡±
¡°Uh¡ about ten minutes ago? Anyway, just now.¡±
Faculty members or disciplinarymittee members regrly patrolled various spots in the underground floors, and it had happened just moments earlier.
If we had cleared the dungeon even a little sooner, we might have run right into the patrolling members.
We were lucky to avoid them.
I handed a random box to Shin Byeong-cheol and said,
¡°You managed to avoid getting caught too. Here¡¯s your reward.¡±
¡°I was hiding as quiet as a mouse. Thanks.¡±
¡°Are you going to open it right away?¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol held the random box in his hand and hesitated for a moment before shaking his head.
¡°No, if I open this now, it¡¯ll be 100% a something-cup. I¡¯ll open itter.¡±
¡°You¡¯re holding back, huh.¡±
Thanks to getting ¡°burned¡± multiple times, Shin Byeong-cheol had grown more patient.
Humans truly grow through failure.
To take the elevator, we had to get up to at least the F floor.
So we began trudging along while following Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s lead.
As we walked, I spoke up.
¡°You know this is a guide service.¡±
¡°Yes, customer-nim.¡±
¡°What happens if we get caught on the way up?¡±
¡°Full refund, of course, customer-nim.¡±
The underground guide service promised to safely escort the client to the desired underground dungeon and then back to the ground floor once the raid wasplete.
If we got caught along the way, we would get penalty points or disciplinary action. This meant that the ¡°safe¡± guidance failed, and there would be no need to pay the fee.
This time, Shin Byeong-cheol asked,
¡°But why are you asking that, customer-nim?¡±
¡°I think we got caught.¡±
¡°¡Huh?¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol and Go Hyeon-woo turned to look at me.
Then their gazes followed mine.
From the ground, a tiny mud dwarf popped its head out.
¡°There¡¯s a gnome.¡±
A low-rank earth spirit.
Even in the underground level, this wasn¡¯t the kind of ce where something like that would just pop out.
It meant that someone was controlling the spirit.
And that someone was nine times out of ten an Earth Mage, and most likely a member of the disciplinarymittee.
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
The three of us exchanged silent nces.
There was someone who crossed all our minds at the same time.
As we simultaneously lifted our gazes toward the top of the stairs, there stood Kwak Seung-jae.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Step, step,
Kwak Seung-jae slowly descended the stairs, one step at a time.
His eyes were fixed on me the entire time.
We simply stood there in silence and watched him as he approached.
Step, step,
But contrary to our expectations, Kwak Seung-jae did not stop even after reaching us.
He continued down the stairs with his back to us and spoke as if to himself.
¡°I heard you saved my brother¡¯s life.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
During the midterm exams, the ogres infused with Blood Fury Syringe went berserk, and I saved Kwak Ji-cheol who was on the brink of death by using a recovery scroll.
So, he did end up telling him about it.¡¯
¨C Tell¡ my brother¡ that I¡¯m¡ sorry¡
¨C What are you saying, you idiot.
Though he might have left out that embarrassingst will, he still admitted that someone saved his life and that wasn¡¯t an easy thing to do.
Still, the fact that he mentioned it meant that Kwak Ji-cheol hadn¡¯t forgotten his gratitude, at the very least.
Kwak Seung-jae seemed to be nning to pretend he didn¡¯t see us as a way of repaying that favor.
¡°Be careful.¡±
It was unclear whether he meant to be careful not to break the rules or to be careful not to get caught.
With those words, Kwak Seung-jae continued down the stairs until he disappeared from sight.
We stared at his back for a long while before exchanging nces.
¡°We got caught, right?¡±
¡°Looks like it.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll have to¡ get a refund, won¡¯t we?¡±
¡°Damn it.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol pulled out the random box and held it out again.
Kwak Seung-jae had turned a blind eye purely because of me, but getting caught was still getting caught.
However, I raised my hand and refused to take the random box.
A sudden idea hade to mind.
¡°Isn¡¯t taking back what you gave a bit low?¡±
¡°Oh, absolutely, it¡¯s downright petty.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s eyes sparkled with hope.
I smiled and made a suggestion.
¡°How about this then? If you open it and get a D-rank or higher, we¡¯ll let it slide, but if you get a lower rank, you¡¯ll guide us for free for the next two rounds.¡±
¡°So you¡¯re saying double or nothing, huh?¡±
If a D-rank or higher reward came out of the random box, Shin Byeong-cheol wouldn¡¯t owe us anything and would keep the reward.
On the other hand, if an E or F-rank reward dropped, he¡¯d have to guide us twice without any pay.
¡°It seems you¡¯re fond of that approach too.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo agreed with an interested expression on his face.
Shin Byeong-cheol didn¡¯t take long to decide.
After taking a deep breath, he spoke in a solemn tone.
¡°I, Shin Byeong-cheol, have lived my life as a man. A real man doesn¡¯t shy away from a challenge.¡±
¡°A real man, indeed.¡±
¡°And the odds aren¡¯t that bad for me. Even if you¡¯re not a man, this is the kind of bet you take.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true too.¡±
Since it¡¯s a D-rank random box, the probability of a D-rank reward appearing was fairly high.
It was a risk worth taking.
Shin Byeong-cheol took another deep breath and grasped the lid of the box.
¡°Watch closely¡ as I hit the jackpot!¡±
sh!
The box shone brightly.
When we saw the results that followed, Go Hyeon-woo and I looked a bit surprised.
¡°Well, at least you escaped F-rank.¡±
¡°Looks like Shin-hyung¡¯s luck is gradually improving.¡±
Despite this, Shin Byeong-cheol didn¡¯t seem pleased at all.
¡°No, why this? No way, seriously?¡±
[Golden Elephant Merchant Guild Teacup Set (E)]
***
The next day.
I contacted Jegal So-so, the vice president of the Swordsmanship Club.
It was to finalize the negotiation regarding thepleted Treasure Map.
When I asked her when I could visit, she told me toe right away.
So I headed to the Swordsmanship Club room as soon as ss ended.
When I stepped onto the floor where the Swordsmanship Club was, I immediately encountered a familiar face.
Pang Mi-ryeong.
She was the party leader who led the raid for the ck Death dungeon, the victim in this whole situation, and the person I was going to trade the Treasure Map with.
Seeing her waiting there, it seemed she hade out to greet me.
¡°Hello.¡±
¡°Oh.¡±
When I bowed my head slightly, Pang Mi-ryeong returned the greeting with a light nod.
Because she suffered considerable losses because of me, she initially showed hostility when we first met, but over time, it seemed much of the animosity had faded.
Now, her eyes were glowing with anticipation, likely because she had heard that I hadpleted the Treasure Map.
¡°Follow me.¡±
As Pang Mi-ryeong led the way, even a hint of impatience could be seen in her steps.
She stopped in front of the vice president¡¯s office and knocked lightly.
A soft voice flowed from inside.
¡°Come in.¡±
When we entered the office, Jegal So-so greeted us.
She handed over the Dragon Well tea she had previously rmended.
¡°You resolved it on the first day of the strategy battle week. I thought it would take a bit longer.¡±
¡°No point in dragging it out.¡±
¡°This is great. Thanks to you, we have more time to prepare.¡±
After sipping the tea briefly, we got to the main point.
¡°May I see the pieces?¡±
¡°Here they are.¡±
I handed the Treasure Map pieces A, B, and C to Jegal So-so.
Pang Mi-ryeong stared intently at them while swallowing nervously.
She must have been both excited and nervous.
The method tobine the Treasure Maps was quite simple.
Align the pieces correctly to ignite the True Fire of Samadhi.
Whoosh,
Golden mes rose from Jegal So-so¡¯s hand.
Momentster, she held apleted Treasure Map in her hand.
¡°This is¡!¡±
Jegal So-so and Pang Mi-ryeong stared at the Treasure Map in a daze.
The front side showed the location of the ¡°secret treasure room¡± inside Dungeon No. 88, [Gathering of Viins].
While the back side had a map of the inside of the secret treasure room.
Pang Mi-ryeong let out a low exmation.
¡°It was real¡.¡±
However, perhaps thinking she shouldn¡¯t appear overly excited in front of me, Jegal So-so opened her fan to cover her face.
She then spoke while trying hard to maintain herposure.
¡°You¡¯ve really worked hard. With this, we¡¯ll consider the bidding rights dispute settled.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no longer any bad blood between us. You¡¯ve done well.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong added a word of her own.
With this, the conflict I had with the Swordsmanship Club was resolved.
But it wouldn¡¯t be fitting for a stagnant water to end things like this.
¡°Now, let¡¯s move on to the next deal.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
A thick stack of papers appeared from my inventory.
It was a detailed strategy guide documenting everything about the dungeon Pang Mi-ryeong was about to enter.
The [Gathering of Viins] strategy guide.
Chapter 209: The Value of a Strategy Guide
Chapter 209: The Value of a Strategy Guide
If you have a really important and difficult examing up and someone were to wave the exact answer sheet right in front of you.
Who wouldn¡¯t want that?
And in a dungeon, a strategy guide is like the answer sheet.
The value of a strategy guide skyrocketed as the dungeon¡¯s difficulty increased.
The biggest reason was that higher-level dungeons required the involvement of more skilled individuals.
For example, an F-ranked dungeon might be easilypleted by a couple of first-year students, while a B-ranked dungeon might require a swarm of third-year students to fight their way through it just to get out in one piece.
The resources you need to enter aren¡¯t light either.
Potions and scrolls for healing or buffs, repairs on various equipment. These material resources were just the basics.
Clubs had to gather people amidst various conflicting interests, secure a spot in the dungeon, devise a strategy, and put in tremendous time and effort to achieve a sessful run.And in all of this, the strategy guide yed a crucial role.
It boosts efficiency.
A dungeon that would normally require an investment of 100 resources could be cleared with just 70 using a guide.
From the perspective of the one tackling the dungeon, saving resources meant earning that difference, so it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to value the guide at 30.
In addition, Pang Mi-ryeong was the one leading her party. So there was even more value to it.
A stable clear of a high-difficulty dungeon would boost her reputation and standing within the club.
For these reasons, she was staring at me with burning eyes.
¡°There¡¯s no room for choice here. Name your terms. I¡¯ll meet them as best I can.¡±
¡°That dungeon, its capacity was twenty people, right?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Dungeons had a maximum number of participants allowed to enter.
The [Feathered Serpent Altar] that I had cleared with Go Hyeon-woo was a four-person dungeon.
Meanwhile, the [Gathering of Viins] that Pang Mi-ryeong was about to conquer was a huge dungeon that allowed up to twenty participants.
¡°Still, I doubt you¡¯ll fill the full capacity¡±.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°Considering the distribution of rewards¡ wouldn¡¯t about fifteen people be ideal?¡±
¡°¡You¡¯re spot on.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong clearly didn¡¯t want to reveal her ns, but when my guess hit the mark, she had no choice but to acknowledge it.
Even in a 20-person dungeon, it was rare to fill all twenty slots.
Increasing the number of participants meant that the rewards each person received would diminish ordingly.
If ten people shared the rewards meant for twenty, each person would get double.
So, it was natural for everyone to want to minimize the headcount as much as possible.
Even I had only entered the four-person dungeon with Go Hyeon-woo, just the two of us.
However, if you reduce the number of participants too much, clearing the dungeon might be impossible.
Failure would lead to big losses and potentially severe injuries for someone involved.
Therefore, as a party leader, one needed to strike a bnce between stability and rewards.
In this case, the optimal number was fifteen.
Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s expression hardened. She seemed to realize why I was asking these questions.
¡°Wait, you don¡¯t mean¡.¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s exactly what you¡¯re thinking, Senior-nim.¡±
I smiled slightly before continuing.
¡°I¡¯d like you to give me some spots.¡±
¡°How many?¡±
¡°All five remaining spots.¡±
¡°¡Ha.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong opened and closed her mouth. She touched the back of her neck and then her forehead.
She looked as if she was moments away from shouting, ¡°What? Five spots? You brazen bastard!¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Meanwhile, Jegal So-so who didn¡¯t seem directly involved in the raid stepped back and watched the situation unfold.
She hid her face behind her fan, so her lips were hidden, but her eyes curved softly as if she was thoroughly amused.
Eventually, Pang Mi-ryeong took a deep breath. She was trying hard to suppress her anger before she spoke.
¡°Hoo¡ Sorry, but that¡¯s difficult. It¡¯s not something I can decide on my own, and even if I could, I¡¯d oppose it.¡±
With fifteen participants, the interests of various factions were already intertwined, so the party leader couldn¡¯t just add five more people at will.
If among those five, a first-year student like me who couldn¡¯t even ess the depth floors was included, it would be even more troublesome.
Even if they could be added, she wouldn¡¯t want to increase the carefully reduced number of fifteen back to twenty.
It was understandable why Pang Mi-ryeong would oppose it.
Of course, I had anticipated this response.
I calmly sipped my dragon well tea and then spoke.
¡°I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding, senior-nim. I¡¯m asking to be allowed into the dungeon, not to get involved in the raid or demand a share of the rewards.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not going to take part in the distribution? What about the treasure map?¡±
¡°Of course, I have no intention of touching the treasure either.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong looked a bit intrigued at that.
If raid and dungeon rewards were unaffected, it was like cing five seats on one side of the scale and the strategy guide on the other.
The five empty spots weren¡¯t needed anyway.
If the price was the strategy guide, she could easily give them up.
If the strategy guide was secured, opposing opinions would be easily quelled.
However, Pang Mi-ryeong seemed to have another question in mind.
¡°Then why go in if you have nothing to gain?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that there¡¯s nothing to gain. I have a different objective.¡±
¡°Is there another hidden piece?¡±
¡°There are plenty. That ce is vast, isn¡¯t it?¡±
It was a huge dungeon, sorge that even twenty people would be busy moving around.
Naturally, the hidden pieces scattered throughout weren¡¯t just one or two.
Pang Mi-ryeong pointed at the strategy guide in my hand and asked.
¡°Is it in there?¡±
¡°Not all of it is written down.¡±
¡°Did you leave it out on purpose?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s eyes narrowed.
¡°What if I say we don¡¯t need the strategy guide and that we¡¯ll find the hidden pieces on our own?¡±
¡°I¡¯d have no choice but to back out. But¡ if you could figure it out on your own, would you really need the treasure map?¡±
Even with the treasure map, they had waited for me to gather the pieces and hand them over, so how did they expect to find the other hidden pieces on their own?
Since it made sense, Pang Mi-ryeong fell silent for a moment.
I added ament to that.
¡°And even if I told you, you wouldn¡¯t be able to get everything anyway. There isn¡¯t enough time.¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
¡°You need to set clear priorities.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s top priority was clearing the dungeon itself.
Next was investigating the secrets through the treasure map.
Andstly, there were the other minor hidden pieces.
But if they wasted time trying to collect every little thing, the first two goals would likely end in failure.
That¡¯s why I left them out of the strategy guide so that she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about them.
Only then did Pang Mi-ryeong seem to grasp my intention.
¡°You mean, we should just pretend the minor stuff doesn¡¯t exist, right? Leave it all to you?¡±
¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be simpler?¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong nced down at the dragon well tea in her hand, then lifted the cup and downed it in one go.
Seeing her down a high-quality tea in one shot, Jegal So-so momentarily looked at her as if she were watching a beggar. However, Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s focus remained solely on me.
¡°Let¡¯s just make one thing clear. We don¡¯t interfere with each other?¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong would focus on the main goals of the dungeon and treasure map, while I would concentrate on collecting the hidden pieces scattered everywhere.
And we would never encroach on each other¡¯s territory.
Since that was exactly what I wanted, I nodded readily.
¡°No worries.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong nodded her head in agreement as well.
She extended her hand and I ced the strategy guide in it.
The deal was sealed.
¡°We¡¯ll start by securing the bid rights and begin preparations. We¡¯ll discuss the details again during the next strategy battle week.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
***
After Kim Ho left the office.
For a while, there was silence between Pang Mi-ryeong and Jegal So-so.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Jegal So-so stared at the closed door as if she could see what was beyond it, while Pang Mi-ryeong was busy verifying the authenticity of the strategy guide.
Although there was no reason for Kim Ho to tell a lie that would be caught quickly, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be thorough.
So she checked the reys and strategy guides of previous Dragon yer Academy students and cross-checked them.
After staring at the crystal orb for a long time, Pang Mi-ryeong spoke as if talking to herself.
¡°He¡¯s something else, that guy.¡±
¡°He sure is.¡±
¡°Think we can¡¯t pull him over to our side?¡±
Each strategy guide for a high-level dungeon holds immense value.
Then, how valuable would a walking strategy guide be? How valuable would someone who had all those guides memorized in his head be?
If other factions found out about this, they¡¯d be desperate to recruit Kim Ho with their eyes burning with determination.
Securing the strategy guides alone would have been immensely profitable.
Even Pang Mi-ryeong had been dragged around during negotiations with Kim Ho.
So Pang Mi-ryeong asked the question, thinking they might as well try to recruit him, but Jegal So-so shook her head with a bitter smile.
¡°That would be difficult. He doesn¡¯t use a sword.¡±
The first requirement for joining the swordsmanship club was to use a de as your main weapon.
Unfortunately, Kim Ho¡¯s ss was a mage and a support mage at that.
He seemed to carry a weapon resembling a short spear, but that alone wasn¡¯t enough to make apromise.
And even if Kim Ho switched to a ded weapon,
¡°He¡¯s not the type to work under anyone.¡±
¡°Yeah, he does seem that way.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong clicked her tongue and acknowledged the truth in her words.
From what she had heard, Kim Ho had already received offers from both the Magic Engineering Club and the Thieves¡¯ Club.
These were established, mid-to-high-ranking clubs with solid footing inside Dragon yer Academy, but Kim Ho had rejected both offers outright.
It seemed he intended to remain unaffiliated for the time being.
¡°That¡¯s not necessarily bad for us.¡±
Jegal So-so snapped her fan shut.
A soft smile appeared on her lips.
Even if they couldn¡¯t recruit him, the current rtionship between Kim Ho and the Swordsmanship Club was quite good.
The first contact between them was a bit off, but that was because Kim Ho ignored the priority bidding rights, and even that had been smoothly resolved by now.
As long as they maintained this rtionship and continued to exchange what they each wanted, they could stay far ahead of other clubs.
¡°And besides, we¡¯re the Swordsmanship Club.¡±
¡°The Swordsmanship Club, indeed.¡±
The Swordsmanship Club was undoubtedly the most powerful faction inside Dragon yer Academy.
They would always offer Kim Ho the best possible conditions.
The two of them smiled at each other.
Their smiles revealed the pride they felt in their affiliation.
Pang Mi-ryeong maintained her smile and began to examine the rey crystal orb again.
Likewise, Jegal So-so fell into deep thought while gazing at the office door just as she had moments before.
A minor hidden piece, huh¡
When Kim Ho handed over the treasure map and immediately pulled out a strategy guide, Jegal So-so was convinced.
It was clear that securing the five open slots in the party had also been part of his n.
He had probably been nning it ever since he ignored the priority bidding rights and entered the ck Death dungeon.
Even from their first meeting, when he brought two pieces of the treasure map.
If that were the case, was the hidden piece he was so meticulously nning to obtain really something ¡°minor¡±?
Jegal Soso¡¯s eyes sparkled.
¡°I¡¯ll have to subtly ask Qyu about it.¡±
Somehow, she had a feeling Dang Gyu-young might know something.
Chapter 210: Minor Hidden Piece (or Not)
Chapter 210: Minor Hidden Piece (or Not)
Dang Gyu-young asked,
¡°So, did things end well with the swordsmanship club?¡±
¡°They ended well, but something new hase up.¡±
¡°Something new?¡±
I exined the deal I had made with Pang Mi-ryeong.
In exchange for handing over the strategy guide, I was allowed to form a party of up to five members and enter [Gathering of Viins].
Once we were all inside the dungeon, Pang Mi-ryeong would focus on the main raid and the treasure map, while I would concentrate on the other hidden pieces.
And both sides would refrain from encroaching on each other¡¯s territory.
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head as if she got the gist of it, but she still seemed to have many questions.¡°But isn¡¯t dungeon 88 part of the depths? Did you find a guide?¡±
¡°I¡¯m confident you¡¯ll help us.¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s eyes narrowed.
She showed a faint hint of displeasure.
¡°Kim Ho, of course I¡¯ll help if you ask, but shouldn¡¯t you discuss things like this with me first?¡±
The depths part of the dungeon building had a security that was far more stringent than lower levels, so sneaking in would require high-ranking members from the Thieves¡¯ Club.
For example, when we entered the ck Death dungeon, Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin helped us.
However, if I asked for her to guide us to the depths without any prior discussion, there was a risk it could sh with Dang Gyu-young or Chae Da-bin¡¯s schedules on the day.
It wouldn¡¯t feel great for them to receive a request like a notification either.
So, it was the right approach to consult with the thieves¡¯ club first.
I readily agreed.
¡°You¡¯re right, but this time it was worth skipping that step.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°Because I was sure both of you would agree no matter what.¡±
¡°¡Really? What¡¯s inside?¡±
¡°There is something.¡±
The fact that I was speaking so confidently meant that something inside the dungeon was enticing enough for Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin to ept my proposal without hesitation.
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s eyes sparkled as she waited for my next words.
¡°The first hint lies in the dungeon¡¯s name, [Gathering of Viins].¡±
Just as the title suggested, it was a dungeon where famous demonic martial artists gathered to fight like wild beasts.
Naturally, there had to be an enticing lure strong enough to draw them all to one ce.
And whether righteous or evil, there are things that all martial artists go crazy for.
¡°Relics, elixirs, or a fortuitous encounter.¡±
¡°Yes, in this case, it¡¯s a fortuitous encounter.¡±
And the better it suits your disposition, the more useful it bes.
As a demonic practitioner, using the fortuitous encounters of Taoism or Buddhism would have been somewhat awkward in many ways.
On the other hand, a fortuitous encounter left behind by a master of the Demonic Cult would suit them perfectly.
¡°So what do you get if you follow the treasure map? Let¡¯s reveal the answer first.¡±
¡°Oh! I was curious about that too. What¡¯s the answer?¡±
¡°There is a martial art left behind by the Blood Ghost de Demon.¡±
¡°The Blood Ghost de Demon from the Four Supreme Demons Under Heaven?¡±
Dang Gyu-young was stunned.
The Four Supreme Demons Under Heaven were the four strongest masters of the demonic path in their time.
Their fame was so great that even though they were from a distant past, Dang Gyu-young still remembered their titles.
¡°Wow¡ If it¡¯s the Blood Ghost de Demon, that¡¯s amazing. Lucky for Pang Mi-ryeong. We should make her treat us.¡±
Since the number of members in the swordsmanship club who used swords was rtively small, the odds were high that the de Demon¡¯s legacy would go to Pang Mi-ryeong.
Being the leader of the party increased her chances even further.
Then Dang Gyu-young seemed to have realized something and asked me.
.
¡°You¡¯re not just telling me this to make me jealous, right? So, what do we get?¡±
¡°We have something simr. One of the Four Demons¡¯ legacy.¡±
¡°That dungeon is a total goldmine. Another legacy from the Four Demons? Who is it this time?¡±
¡°It¡¯s the Illusion Demon.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.
Then, in a subtle voice, she asked me for confirmation.
¡°Kim Ho, is it¡ what I think it is?¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s exactly what you think.¡±
The secret of the fortuitous encounter left behind by the Illusion Demon.
It was something that anyone with even a slight connection to the thief ss, including Dang Gyu-young, desperately wanted.
¡°Ghost Dance.¡±
¡°¡Ghost Dance? That¡¯s definitely worth the leap. It¡¯s a definite yes.¡±
In exchange for helping me infiltrate the ck Death dungeon, I had promised Dang Gyu-young, Chae Da-bin, and Shin Byeong-cheol a chance to acquire Ghost Dance, and now, that opportunity has finally arrived.
It was uncertain when another chance like this woulde if they missed it now, so there was no way they could refuse.
Even if there were ovepping schedules, they had to drop everything and go.
¡°You said it¡¯s during the next strategy battle week? When are we going in?¡±
¡°We need to wait until the other side finishes their preparations, so for now, we just have to hold tight.¡±
¡°That makes sense.¡±
By now, Pang Mi-ryeong was probably busy running around and recruiting people to participate in the raid.
Since we were practically tagging along, all we could do was follow their schedule once it was set.
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head slightly which meant she understood.
¡°Alright, let¡¯s wait until the next strategy battle week then. What about our dungeon?¡±
So far, I have explored most of the underground dungeons with Go Hyeon-woo, but the frequency has been excessive.
So, to give Go Hyeon-woo a rest and some time to focus on his own skills, I nned to enter this week¡¯s final dungeon with Dang Gyu-young instead.
The main objective was to meet the Crow Tailor and negotiate a deal.
We had already identified the location and appearance times through recently cleared reys.
¡°We¡¯ll go in on Friday.¡±
¡°Number 294, right?¡±
¡°Yes, [Rainbow Lake].¡±
¡°What kind of ce is that?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a raid dungeon.¡±
The [Raid] rule.
The main goal was to take down the boss monster, which was the core of the dungeon.
¡°But if we want to see the Crow, we¡¯ll need to stall for time.¡±
¡°Yes, we¡¯ll have to drag it out.¡±
However, since the dungeon would copse the moment the boss monster was defeated, it was necessary to keep it alive until the deal with the Crow Tailor was finished.
Because of that, the clear time would naturally extend.
¡°So how long will it take?¡±
¡°At least four to five hours, and if we¡¯re unlucky, it could take even longer.¡±
This dungeon was a bit different from the ones we had cleared before.
The objective was clear, but there was no underlying story to support it.
And while there were certain strategies, the boss¡¯s patterns were heavily influenced by luck.
As a result, the clear time could be either shorter or longer.
This isn¡¯t really my type of thing.
I preferred clearing things with no gaps and 100% certainty.
If it weren¡¯t for the Crow, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered entering this type of dungeon.
On the other hand, Dang Gyu-young took it in stride.
¡°If we¡¯re unlucky, we¡¯ll just stay a little longer. Is there anything I need to prepare?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll handle everything. Just bring yourself.¡±
¡°Hehe, then I¡¯ll really just show up.¡±
Clearing the dungeon didn¡¯t require much preparation, and we were already fully equipped.
As for anything else that might be needed,
¡°This isn¡¯t really about the raid, but if the clear time drags on, it gets boring, you know.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°And it¡¯s kind of quiet there unless we¡¯re fighting the boss.¡±
¡°Guess we¡¯ll need something to kill time.¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s lips curled up slightly.
She seemed more interested in finding things to do than the actual raid.
I added a reminder.
¡°Just don¡¯t prepare anything too extravagant. It might end sooner than you think, so keep it light, like a small pic.¡±
¡°I know, I know. I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡±
Dang Gyu-young answered confidently. She looked more excited than she had all day.
Even more so than when we talked about the Illusion Demon.
***
We decided to enter the underground dungeon on Friday.
I gathered with Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in.
The reason was none other than,
¡°Today, we¡¯re going to open some boxes.¡±
[Sealing Demon Random Box (D)] *2
For the random box opening ceremony.
Since it was a short dungeon, the reward was only three random boxes, and Shin Byeong-cheol had already exchanged one of them for a teacup set.
So, that left us with two.
However, even with just two D-rank boxes, there was a good chance something useful could appear. It all depended on who opened them though.
I handed the random boxes to Seo Ye-in with a very polite demeanor.
¡°Lucky charm-nim, please show us your skills today.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in was half-slumped over the table we were sitting at.
Lately, the sloth battery seemed to be draining faster than usual for some reason.
It was probably the Kim Ho pillow that was causing it.
At the same time, this was an opportunity to test a hypothesis I had in mind.
Is there really a connection between the sloth battery and luck?
¡°¡¡¡±
As I watched with those thoughts in mind, Seo Ye-in who was still half-slumped slowly pulled the random boxes closer.
She ced her hand lightly on the lid and then flipped it open in one swift motion.
sh!
What appeared next was a luxurious piece of parchment.
[Rank Up (D)]
This was considered fairly decent among D-rank items.
Considering how sleepy she looked but still managed to pull a rank-up right away, it seemed there might not be any real link between the sloth battery and luck.
Though a few more experiments would be needed to be certain.
Before using the rank-up, I sought Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s consent.
It was the right step as a teammate.
¡°Mind if I use this?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
And as always, Go Hyeon-woo readily agreed.
Soon, the light emanating from the parchment was absorbed into my body.
sh!
[Used ¡®Rank Up (D)¡¯]
[The rank of ¡®Enchantment¡¯ has increased. (D -> C)]
? Rank of ¡®granted¡¯ skills/traits: -2
? Duration: 10 minutes -> 15 minutes
? Cooldown: 40 minutes -> 35 minutes
I¡¯ve got this on track, too.
Except for the newly learned [Wind Barrier], everything was now C-rank.
I offered thest random box to Lucky Charm-nim.
Twice as polite as before.
¡°Please take care of this one, too.¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
Seo Ye-in who was stillcking enthusiasm as always didn¡¯t refuse the request.
Half-lying down, she gave a slight shake of her head from side to side.
It seemed that nodding was ufortable in her reclined state, so she chose to roll back and forth instead.
Soon, Seo Ye-in slowly dragged the random box in front of her, just as before.
And as shezily grabbed the lid and lifted it¡ª
A bright light burst out like an explosion.
sh¡ª!
¡°Ooh.¡±
¡°Ooh.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo and I eximed in admiration at the same time.
The light was even brighter than before.
Since the previous item had been D-rank, this indicated that a higher-ranked item had appeared.
However, whaty in the ce where the light had faded didn¡¯t quite match the brilliant glow.
A strange ck lump.
It looked like wet y soaked in ink and haphazardly mashed together.
The smell was not pleasant either. It resembled medicinal herbs with a hint of a fishy stench mixed in.
Go Hyeon-woo who was carefully examining it showed a glimmer of recognition in his eyes.
¡°This is¡¡±
¡°Do you know what it is?¡±
¡°I suspect it might be an inner core.¡±
¡°You got it right away.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo who was a warrior had a knack for instantly recognizing anything beneficial for the body, almost as if by instinct.
[Inner Core of the Venomous Horned ck Blood Serpent (C)]
The Venomous Horned ck Blood Serpent was known as a snake with a long, sharp horn on its forehead that resembled a poisonous stinger. It was said that even the strongest of warriors, if pierced by this horn, would instantly dissolve into a mere puddle of blood.
Furthermore, if wounded, the serpent would bleed pitch-ck blood which was known to be a poison among poisons.
For many reasons, it was best to keep a safe distance from it.
Of course, the Venomous Horned ck Blood Serpent was not only a venomous creature but also a mystical one.
Though it was difficult to capture, if one could just obtain its inner core,
¡°It¡¯s very beneficial for the body.¡±
¡°It must have the effect of increasing internal energy.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not just about internal energy; it¡¯s a poisonous creature after all.¡±
Eating it would increase one¡¯s poison resistance.
Chapter 211: A Bitter Black Lump
Chapter 211: A Bitter ck Lump
When consuming the inner core of the Venomous Horned ck Blood Serpent, two effects could be expected.
The first was an increase in mana, simr to the inner cores of other mystical creatures.
The second was a poison-type trait that you acquire with a certain probability.
There was a 90% chance of acquiring the C-rank trait [Hundred Poisons Immunity].
This trait prevented the user from being poisoned by various poisons, which was extremely useful against poisonous monsters.
The remaining 10% chance was to acquire the D-rank trait [Poison Resistance].
While it didn¡¯t prevent poisoning like Hundred Poisons Immunity, it reduced the rate at which health would decrease while poisoned.
Hundred Poisons Immunity was superior in both rank and effect, but either trait was good.
So then, who would be the best candidate to consume this inner core?There was no need for difficult deliberation.
¡°We can just split it.¡±
I precisely divided the pitch-ck inner core into three parts and looked at Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in.
¡°You may each take one.¡±
¡°I am grateful for this opportunity, though I do worry if the effect might lessen.¡±
¡°It does drop a little, but not to a concerning degree.¡±
When consumed alone, the chances were 90% for Hundred Poisons Immunity and 10% for Poison Resistance.
When divided into three, the chances shifted to 50% for Hundred Poisons Immunity, 30% for Poison Resistance, and a 20% chance of gaining no trait at all.
Go Hyeon-woo swallowed hard.
¡°Hmm¡ if the opportunity is given to many, dividing it into three parts does seem like the best choice.¡±
¡°The probabilities are still quite decent.¡±
¡°But if by any chance we fail, the loss would be considerable. Are you sure about this?¡±
It seemed that Go Hyeon-woo wanted to give the entire inner core to me.
It was indeed the safer choice.
I appreciated his thoughtfulness, but I was determined to go with the three-way split.
I continued with a knowing smile on my lips,
¡°Just hear me out. I¡¯ve got a trick up my sleeve.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
When the inner core was consumed alongside another elixir, the sess rate could be further increased.
It was what you¡¯d call a synergy effect.
And as luck would have it, we recently acquired an elixir.
An elixir we obtained after finding the Golden Spirit Pill hidden inside the formation.
I retrieved a small wooden box from my inventory and opened it to reveal the gleaming golden pellets inside.
[Golden Spirit Pill (C)]
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s face brightened instantly.
He looked as if he was about to p his knee in excitement.
¡°Haha, I was worrying for nothing. There was a n all along this time as well.¡±
¡°I wouldn¡¯t split it into three without a solid n.¡±
Although I¡¯ve been consistently paying attention to the growth of Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in, if the efficiency had been excessively low, I would¡¯ve asked for their understanding and taken it all for myself.
This time, sharing was beneficial for everyone.
Go Hyeon-woo asked.
¡°What are the odds if we add the elixir?¡±
¡°With the elixir, the Hundred Poisons Immunity goes up to 60%, poison resistance to 35%, and the failure rate drastically drops to 5%.¡±
¡°Seems worth a try.¡±
The probability of achieving the best oue is more than half, and the failure rate is only 5%, which is extremely low.
However, Go Hyeon-woo and I couldn¡¯t help but hesitate for a moment.
We both thought of the ¡°future teahouse owner¡± who always hit rock bottom whenever challenging any odds.
¡°Let¡¯s not think about him for now.¡±
¡°Agreed.¡±
Dwelling on it might bring us bad luck.
***
To efficiently absorb the elixir¡¯s energy, proper energy cirction right after consumption was important.
And the best environment for energy cirction was, without a doubt, the Mana Cultivation Room.
So we made our way to the training center.
¡°Kim-hyung, Miss Seo. I wish you good fortune.¡±
¡°Come back with the Hundred Poisons Immunity.¡±
Since Go Hyeon-woo held a season pass, he went to the special cultivation room while Seo Ye-in and I headed to the regr cultivation room.
I spoke to Seo Ye-in while we were standing at the entrance of the cultivation room.
¡°Eat it and do your mana cirction. Contact me when you¡¯re done.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in looked down at the pitch-ck inner core fragment in her hand, then poked it with her fingertip and brought it to her tongue.
Her pupils slightly dted.
¡°¡Bitter.¡±
Judging from her reaction simr to when she ate something spicy, it seems she couldn¡¯t eat bitter things either.
I mimicked Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s tone.
¡°Young miss, even if it¡¯s bitter, you have to eat it. It¡¯s all good for your body.¡±
¡°It¡¯s¡ bitter.¡±
¡°If you eat it, you¡¯ll gain the Hundred Poisons Immunity, and your mana will increase too.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Seo Ye-in and I found ourselves facing an unexpected obstacle.
Given her reaction to just a tiny taste, it would be much worse when she put the whole inner core in her mouth.
I began to understand Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s sentiments a bit better.
But this was too valuable an opportunity to simply pass up.
Poison resistance was something we needed to maximize whenever possible.
Enemies who used poison as a weapon would continue to appear in the future.
So I decided to take drastic measures.
¡°Kim Ho pillow for 30 minutes?¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Seo Ye-in perked up and looked at me.
But after a moment of thought, she slowly shook her head from side to side.
I wondered if she was really going to reject the Kim Ho pillow she wanted so much, but that wasn¡¯t the case.
She raised her hand and held up two fingers.
She was trying to negotiate.
This time, I shook my head.
¡°Two hours is too much. Let¡¯s settle for one hour.¡±
¡°¡Good.¡±
¡°Then you have to eat it all and circte your mana once around smoothly.¡±
¡°Deal.¡±
After agreeing on the one-hour deal for the Kim Ho pillow, we each entered the training room.
I took a seat right in the center before pulling out a piece of the inner core divided into thirds and a few Gold Spirit Pills.
Without hesitation, I tossed them all into my mouth.
This is unbelievably bitter.
That was the first thought that popped into my head.
A wave of stinging, fishy tastes flooded my mouth.
The Gold Spirit Pills melted instantly the moment they touched my tongue before sliding down my throat, but the inner core of the Venomous ck-Blooded Serpent was so sticky that it was hard to swallow.
Thanks to that, I got to savor the bitterness in full.
After barely managing to get the core down, my stomach churned as if I had eaten spoiled food.
It¡¯s moments like this that really matter.
Keeping my mouth tightly shut, I calmly began circting the mana within my core.
It felt like something thick and unpleasant was spreading throughout my body, but I ignored it and focused solely on my mana cultivation.
As time passed, the unpleasant sensation gradually subsided and was reced by a powerful energy coursing through my entire body.
After a while, sensing that it was over, I lifted my eyelids and saw a notification message appear at the edge of my vision.
[Acquired ¡®Hundred Poisons Immunity (C)¡¯.]
At least it worked, 60 percent.
Enduring the unbearably bitter taste was worth it.
If I had hit the 5% chance and gained nothing, it would have been deeply frustrating.
My mouth still feels nasty.
This time, I definitely needed something sweet to cleanse my pte.
After I waited a little while, Seo Ye-in¡¯s message arrived.
[Seo Ye-in: Done]
[Kim Ho: Did you get Hundred Poisons Immunity?]
[Seo Ye-in: Got it]
[Seo Ye-in: Bitter]
[Seo Ye-in: (tongue-out cat emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Me too]
[Kim Ho: (tongue-out cat emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Sweet stuff?]
[Seo Ye-in: (tempted cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: Let¡¯s go]
After tidying up my spot, I stepped out of the cultivation room, and almost at the same time, Seo Ye-in walked out from the room next door.
Just like the cat emoji, she had her tongue slightly poking out.
I was feeling yful for no reason, so I poked her tongue with my finger.
After a few seconds, Seo Ye-in turned her head slightly to the side.
I wanted to tease her more, but the lingering bitterness in my mouth kept bothering me, so I decided to stop.
¡°Let¡¯s go; time for something sweet.¡±
¡°Something sweet.¡±
We went down to the first floor of the training center and each got a sweet drink from the vending machine.
I gulped it down and let some linger in my mouth; the sweetness gradually pushed away the remaining bitterness.
Seo Ye-in too pulled her slightly sticking tongue back in and stared directly at me.
¡°One hour pillow.¡±
¡°Yeah, a deal¡¯s a deal.¡±
I nodded readily.
The bitterness of the inner core was beyond imagination.
Even for someone like me who rarelyined about food, it was unbearably bitter, so I couldn¡¯t even imagine how much worse it was for Seo Ye-in.
Since she had absorbed it all just as instructed, an hour of Kim Ho pillow was a small price to pay.
Around the time I finished off the vending machine drink, Go Hyeon-woo sent a message.
[Go Hyeon-woo: It¡¯s done.]
[Kim Ho: Hundred Poisons Immunity?]
[Go Hyeon-woo: Luck was on my side.]
[Kim Ho: Congrats, congrats.]
I had expected at least one of us to get poison resistance, but fortunately, all three of us managed to acquire Hundred Poisons Immunity.
[Go Hyeon-woo: But it¡¯s more bitter than I thought.]
[Go Hyeon-woo: I need something sweet to drink.]
[Go Hyeon-woo: (licking cat emoji)]
¡°¡¡.¡±
I replied with a straight face.
[Kim Ho: (scolding monk emoji)]
[Kim Ho: You weakling!]
[Go Hyeon-woo: !?]
***
Seo Ye-in wrapped herself up in a nket and was dozing off with her head resting on my shoulder.
I let her be and decided to take the opportunity to check a few of the items I had on hand.
They would be used in the next dungeon.
The [Rainbow Lake] we were about to enter was a multi-element dungeon.
Fire, lightning, ice¡ The more elements you could handle, the better.
Usually, the best approach would be to enter with a party of various elemental mages, but since we were sneaking in, such a luxury was out of the question.
It¡¯s not like I could drag Song Cheon-hye into the underground just because we needed lightning attribute.
Still, there was a way to borrow a bit of the lightning attribute.
[Heart of Thunder (E)] *2
Two jagged orbs that looked like they were forcibly packed with lightning.
These were forbidden items I had acquired during the temporary storage infiltration.
Heart of Thunder embeds lightning into the heart, or [Core], for a limited time, which turns all spells the user casts during that period into lightning-type magic.
If I used Heart of Thunder and then cast Inferno Fist, my fire fist would turn into a lightning fist.
Hearing this far, it might seem pretty useful, but there was a reason Heart of Thunder was designated as a prohibited item.
When continuous electric shocks are applied to the heart, there¡¯s a risk of an ident urring. Even at a low probability,
Your heart could just stop.
A temporary attribute switch wasn¡¯t worth gambling your life for, given the risk.
But of course, I was an exception.
I¡¯ve got solid elemental resistance.
I could use Heart of Thunder without worrying about elemental penalties.
That was the reason I grabbed it from the temporary storage in the first ce.
As a result, I secured fire, lightning, ice, and wind attributes.
Next were the items to be used in the deal with the Crow Tailor.
Jewels like rubies and emeralds for the tailoring fee were a given.
On top of that, I nned to add one more item.
[Material Selection (C)]
?Acquire your desired C-rank material.
It was a reward I got from a side quest after sessfullypleting the defense strategy battle with Song Cheon-hye.
It¡¯s about time I put this to use.
The material rank was fixed at a maximum of C-rank, so it was a bitcking for selecting main materials like ingots or fabrics.
Even if I made equipment with it, I would have to rece it before long.
So what I aimed to obtain with my choice was something secondary.
A consumable material.
A material that doesn¡¯t go directly into item crafting but provides a sort of bonus.
I quickly scrolled down the list and soon selected an item.
[Acquired ¡®Mutant Reagent (C)¡¯.]
Chapter 212: No.294 Rainbow Lake (1)
Chapter 212: No.294 Rainbow Lake (1)
It was Friday evening.
Like we nned, Dang Gyu-young and I set foot in the basement level of the dungeon building.
We boldly took the elevator down to the lowest floor, and from there, Dang Gyu-young took the lead as our guide toward the destination.
It¡¯s definitely morefortable.
The difference was obvious when our first-year guide was reced by a third-year club president.
For example, Shin Byeong-cheol would cautiously scout ahead, and if he sensed any presence, he would take a detour to another passageway while keeping his distance.
In contrast, Dang Gyu-young hardly bothered to look ahead. She just confidently took the lead as she briskly descended the spiral staircase.
She was moving at almost a running pace.
Whenever something was detected,¡°Come here for a second.¡±
She would grab my hand and pull me into a shaded spot, hiding us together.
Right afterward, a third-year disciplinarymittee member woulde trudging up the spiral stairs.
This time, it was the Hell Axe senior we had crossed paths with a few times before.
Despite us hiding so close, he didn¡¯t have the slightest clue we were there.
It was proof of just how good Dang Gyu-young¡¯s shadow-hiding technique was.
¡°¡¡.¡±
We watched the back of the Hell Axe senior¡¯s head, and once he disappeared, we stepped out from the shadows.
Dang Gyu-young was feeling a bit smug and she spoke up.
¡°Did you see that? He couldn¡¯t find us. That¡¯s my skill.¡±
¡°You¡¯re the best, noona.¡±
¡°Huhum, let¡¯s keep going.¡±
We picked up the pace again and moved deeper into the underground level.
Before long, a wide-open teleportation portal appeared before us.
[No.294] [Rainbow Lake]
After confirming with a nce that we were both ready, Dang Gyu-young and I stepped into the dungeon at the same time.
Our vision momentarily went pitch ck, then suddenly cleared.
The first thing that caught our eye was the sky which was filled with a deep red sunset glow.
It was clear that evening was approaching.
As we lowered our gaze slightly, a vastke stretched out before us.
Its surface reflected shades of red from the sunset, mixed with other mysterious colors.
Just like a rainbow.
This was the main stage of the dungeon, Rainbow Lake.
¡°¡¡¡±
Dang Gyu-young carefully scanned the surroundings, then summoned a few Shadow Butterflies and sent them flying in all directions.
It was to scout a little farther ahead.
However, as if nothing notable had been detected, she tilted her head in confusion.
¡°Kim Ho, isn¡¯t it too peaceful here?¡±
¡°I told you, it¡¯s pretty quiet.¡±
The main rule of Rainbow Lake was [Raid].
However, aside from the battle with the boss monster, there were no special events.
There wouldn¡¯t be hordes of other monsters rushing out or fireballs raining down from the sky.
¡°So, when does the boss appear?¡±
¡°Soon.¡±
When I pointed to the center of theke, Dang Gyu-young carefully observed that spot.
Bubble, bubble.
Bubbles began to rise and ripple on the mirror-like smooth surface of theke.
Moreover, those bubbles and ripples were slowly approaching us.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
No words were needed.
Dang Gyu-young began preparing for the battle that was about to unfold.
The shadow beneath her feet grew darker and expanded its range.
Then, butterflies began to flutter up one by one from within.
Bubble, bubble, bubble.
Meanwhile, the bubbles rising from the depths of theke grew more intense.
Swoooosh¡ª!
Something huge and round suddenly popped out of the water.
It was a giant fish, the size of a house.
Each of its scales was asrge as a palm and they covered its entire body, making it look as though it was d in armor.
This was the dungeon¡¯s boss monster.
Elemental Fish.
Its tworge eyes stared directly at us.
Its face, which resembled a frog or toad more than a fish, kept reminding me of someone I knew.
Just like¡
At that moment, Dang Gyu-young spoke aloud the thought I had been keeping to myself.
She patted my shoulder repeatedly before saying,
¡°Hey, hey, doesn¡¯t that thing look like Kim Gap-doo?¡±
¡°Why would you say that? That¡¯s mean.¡±
¡°No, seriously, it really does. Be honest.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t deny there¡¯s a resemnce.¡±
¡°¡ª¡ª!¡±
The Elemental Fish apparently didn¡¯t like beingpared to Kim Gap-doo.
It let out a sharp cry, and a wave of mana rippled outward from its center.
Soon, the ground beneath Dang Gyu-young and me shook violently, as if an earthquake had struck and overturned everything.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
We scrambled to find the rtively intact spots on the shattered ground to stand on.
When I examined the creature¡¯s scales, I noticed they had taken on a brownish color.
It¡¯s an earth attribute.
The scales of the Elemental Fish constantly changed color, and with each change, its attributes and the magic it used would shift as well.
Since it was currently exhibiting an earth attribute, it was using earth-type magic.
¡°¡ª!¡±
Once again, the Kim Gap-doo Fish let out a sharp cry.
This time, machine guns made of earth sprang up from various spots and fired soil bullets.
Ratatatatatatata!
Dang Gyu-young dodged the fist-sized clumps of earth and asked,
¡°But why is it so angry? It¡¯s shooting earth magic right in our faces.¡±
¡°It says this is its territory.¡±
I tranted the fish¡¯s words for her.
The Elemental Fish had a notoriously savage nature.
Its behavior was to attack anything that approached its territory.
¡°Where exactly is its territory?¡±
¡°The entireke.¡±
The creature¡¯s territory spanned the entire vast Rainbow Lake, including the shoreline.
There was a reason not a single monster, fish, or even a rabbit could be seen nearby.
Dang Gyu-young looked utterly baffled.
¡°Look at that shameless creature. Does it think it owns the wholeke?¡±
¡°Seriously. Should we teach it a lesson?¡±
¡°Of course we should.¡±
With a light wave of Dang Gyu-young¡¯s hand, the shadow butterflies that had been flying nearby swarmed toward the Kim Gap-doo Fish.
I too used the shadow butterflies as stepping stones, moving closer to the creature.
Thanks to wind magic, my airtime was long, but I still needed to build more specs to float aroundpletely.
As the distance between us narrowed, my fist became engulfed in a dark red me.
I thrust my zing fist forward with force.
[Inferno Fist]
Kwoooosh¡ª!
A fiery storm struck the Elemental Fish squarely in the face.
Above it, the shadow butterflies unleashed an arsenal of shadow weapons¡ªdaggers, axes, spears, and more¡ªupon its head.
¡°¡ª!¡±
The Elemental Fish let out an even sharper scream of pain.
But in truth, it seemed the damage wasn¡¯t significant.
I stepped on the shadow butterflies and returned to Dang Gyu-young¡¯s side.
After the mes subsided, I checked its condition and saw that only the outer part of its scales was slightly scorched and scratched.
¡°Why is that thing so tough?¡±
¡°It¡¯s because the attribute doesn¡¯t match.¡±
To deal meaningful damage to the Elemental Fish, it had to be attacked with the matching attribute.
Since its scales were brown at the moment, it needed to be struck with earth-type attacks.
All other attacks would have their damage severely reduced.
That¡¯s why, even though a B-rank Inferno Fist hit it directly and a third-year club president unleashed a barrage of shadow magic, the creature withstood it without much trouble.
¡°So, we can¡¯t catch it right now?¡±
¡°Not right now.¡±
Since it was currently in earth attribute form, it was hard to inflict damage, but if its attribute changed to match my skills, things would get much easier.
For example, if its scales turned red, Inferno Fist would be able to deal proper damage.
¡°Still, there¡¯s no harm in hitting it a bit now.¡±
¡°True, it¡¯s better than doing nothing.¡±
¡°¡ª!¡±
Once again, the Fish let out a sharp cry and earth-type magic rained down on us.
Dang Gyu-young skillfully dodged and sent shadow butterflies flying.
Using them as footholds, I closed the distance to the creature.
When I thrust my me-covered fist with force, a firestorm raced across the water¡¯s surface.
Whooooooooooosh¡ª!
¡°¡ª!¡±
Once again, the Elemental Fish endured the firestorm and the onught of shadow weapons with little effort.
It red at us with eyes full of hostility.
But instead of continuing its attack, it gradually backed off and sank smoothly below the water¡¯s surface.
The bubbling that had been rising furiously began to subside, and theke regained its mirror-like smoothness.
If it weren¡¯t for the chaos around us, it would have been hard to believe that a battle had just taken ce.
Dang Gyu-young looked at me.
¡°¡It¡¯s gone?¡±
¡°It¡¯s gone.¡±
¡°When will ite out again?¡±
¡°It¡¯ll be a couple of hours.¡±
The Elemental Fish was a vicious monster; it attacked anything that entered its territory, but it also possessed a cunning nature that allowed it to make use of its environment.
After a battle, it would retreat to the depths of theke to recover some of its strength only to resurface about two hourster.
And each time it did, the color of its scales, in other words, its attribute, would change without any specific pattern. It waspletely at random.
¡°But what if it¡¯s brown again?¡±
¡°Then we lose another two hours.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why it takes so long.¡±
Opportunities kepting, but every time we failed to take it down, our time in the dungeon would extend by another two hours.
This was why I had prepared the Thunder Hearts to minimize the influence of luck as much as possible.
Even if it turned into a lightning attribute, we would still be able to inflict damage.
¡°So what do we do now?¡±
¡°We just need to kill time¡ªwait, hold on.¡±
I raised my hand to stop Dang Gyu-young.
Judging by the way her eyes sparkled as she reached into her inventory, it seemed like she had prepared something, but now wasn¡¯t the time to be ying around.
¡°Let¡¯s go check on the crow first.¡±
¡°Oh, so it¡¯s happening now?¡±
The dimensional crow would appear soon, so we needed to be waiting at the meeting spot in advance.
Dang Gyu-young clicked her tongue in disappointment and withdrew her hand.
The area around Rainbow Lake was an unremarkable, typical forest.
A short distance away, a small hill rose up, and after a brief stroll as if we were out for a walk, we quickly reached the top.
At the summit, there was a small clearing, and right in the center, a t rocky there all by itself.
It had the atmosphere of an airship docking station.
¡°This must be the ce?¡±
¡°Yes, this is it.¡±
¡°I¡¯m curious. This is my first time seeing it up close.¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
She had seen the dimensional crow from a distance a few times, but this was her first time seeing a direct transaction or observing one up close.
Unless you nned meticulously like I did, it was rare to encounter these creatures.
¡°It¡¯s a transaction, but would it be okay if I asked you for a small favor?¡±
¡°Of course, it¡¯s fine. What is it?¡±
Dang Gyu-young replied with a grin.
However, as I listened to the details of the favor, my expression subtly shifted.
¡°¡Are you sure this is okay?¡±
¡°It should be fine.¡±
¡°Haah, alright. I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±
We waited in silence for a while and watched the evening sunset.
How much time had passed?
The air suddenly rippled, and a dark figure burst out from the void.
p, p.
The dark figure pped its wings rapidly to slow down and gentlynded on the rock.
It was a giant crow.
¡°Caw.¡±
It was muchrger than a typical bird, wore a gentleman¡¯s hat on its head, was dressed in a dignified suit, and carried a bag.
It looked exactly like what I had seen through the rey.
The Crow Tailor.
The tailor didn¡¯t even nce at Dang Gyu-young.
But when it noticed me, it pped its wings vigorously in surprise and leaned forward as if trying to get a closer look.
Although it was hard to read the expression of a crow, it was clear that it was very intrigued.
¡°Caw, young monarch, what brings you to me?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±
I came tomission some tailoring.
Chapter 213: No.294 Rainbow Lake (2)
¡°Caw.¡±
Dimensional crows were neutral monsters and NPCs, so they didn¡¯t appear particrly strong on the surface.
Because of this, there was a time when yers were swept up in a craze to hunt crows, but ny-nine out of a hundred attempts ended in failure.
They¡¯re ridiculously strong.
If ranked, they would be S-rank.
Even the Blood Cult Elder who we barely managed to defeat by teaming up with graduates in the ck Market was A-rank, and the Dimensional Crow could easily wipe the floor with him.
The fact that they were called ¡°Dimensional¡± already hinted at ¡°These guys are insanely strong¡±.
In any game, space-time magic was considered top-tier, and was no exception.
The Dimensional Crows are so proficient in space-time magic that they move through isted dungeons as if they were their own homes, so it would be stranger if they weren¡¯t that powerful.To such an incredible NPC, even a third-year club president like Dang Gyu-young would look like a mere small fry, and I would appear no more significant than a minnow.
If not for the [Monarch], that is.
A monarch, regardless of their rank, was a revered being.
Even at C-rank, a monarch is still a monarch.
As a result, the Crow Tailor and I were able to talk almost as equals.
¡°Caw, you say you¡¯vee tomission some tailoring?¡±
¡°Something like that.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a shame, young monarch. I no longer make clothes.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not here for clothes.¡±
¡°Caw? Then what is it?¡±
The tailor could create clothing-type equipment if provided with special materials and a hefty fee, but my inventory situation was a bitcking for that.
That¡¯s why I hade to see it today for a different purpose.
¡°I want you to use a skill.¡±
¡°What skill are you talking about?¡±
¡°Weaving.¡±
The Crow Tailor pped its wings in surprise.
[Weaving] was an S-rank unique skill possessed only by the Crow Tailor in the world of .
Its very existence is not well known, so it was no wonder the tailor was surprised when I brought it up out of nowhere.
¡°Young monarch, where did you hear about that?¡±
¡°A young monarch is still a monarch.¡±
¡°Caw, fair enough.¡±
The Crow Tailor was somewhat convinced and reasoned that it might be possible since I am a monarch.
The effect of [Weaving] is just one line.
? It weaves different targets into one.
Simply put, it¡¯s a fusion skill.
And if I had to point out the most broken aspect that wasn¡¯t mentioned in the description, it was that ¡°anything¡± could be fused without any restrictions.
Not only could items be fused with other items, but also items with skills or even the specific options that items possessed.
Of course, that was from the perspective of the Crow, who owned the skill.
From the client¡¯s perspective, however, it was a bit different.
There¡¯s abor cost.
The higher the quality or quantity of the materials being fused, the morebor costs one had to pay.
Fusing B-rank materials was more expensive than fusing D-rank ones, andbining three or four materials cost more than fusing just two.
Because of this, the materials I could afford to fuse at the moment were somewhat limited.
¡°Caw, where should I apply it?¡±
¡°Here.¡±
In response to the Crow¡¯s question, I handed over Root I was holding.
[Root(A)]
? Very high mana conductivity
? Damage protection (A) applied
? Automatic durability recovery.
? Levitate zone (C) constantly activated
? Memorize (C)
? Upgradeable
? Upgradeable
¡°You¡¯re asking me tobine the options?¡±
¡°Yes, [Levitate Zone] and [Memorize], and this one too.¡±
Next, I took out a small vial of reagent from my inventory.
[Mutant Reagent (C)]
It was something I had obtained through the material selection reward.
The effect of the Mutant Reagent was to increase the instability of the item being crafted.
If I simplybined the two options above, the result would likely be something that merged Levitate Zone¡¯s ¡°range of influence¡± with Memorize¡¯s ¡°magic storage¡±.
But with the addition of the Mutant Reagent,
Something entirely different mighte out.
And that was well within my expectations.
The Crow nced down at Root and the Mutant Reagent with an intrigued look then nodded up and down.
¡°Caw, alright. I¡¯ll weave it for you. How will you pay thebor cost?¡±
¡°On the spot, in goods.¡±
By then, my hand was already holding arge ruby and emerald, both shimmering with red and green light.
The Crow Tailor got excited upon seeing them; he hopped in ce a few times and pped his wings.
¡°Caw! Young monarch, you brought something shiny!¡±
¡°You said you liked them, so I came prepared.¡±
¡°A monarch who knows how to trade, I see. I¡¯ll take special care with this.¡±
Soon, the Crow Tailor lightly waved one wing as if gesturing.
Then Root and the Mutant Reagent began to float freely in the air.
? Levitate Zone (C) constantly active
? Memorize (C)
The two options drifted out of the system window, and the sentences were broken down into words, and the words into letters.
The ss bottle containing the reagent shattered on its own with a soft crack, and the contents spilled out, mingling chaotically with the letters.
Then the bag that the tailor had ced on one side opened on its own, and threads and needles made of mana came out of it.
The needles pierced through the letters floating in midair one by one, while the threads of mana wove them together.
I watched the scene unfold and thought to myself.
What a shame, I wish I could have it.
Another reason I hade to meet the Dimensional Crow.
Any S-rank monster would have something worth copying.
If it were possible, I would have prioritized acquiring [Weaving] without hesitation.
[Activate ¡®Copy-Skill¡¯]
[Copy failed.]
Unfortunately, that was something that couldn¡¯t be copied.
It was a skill that ranked above copying.
Other examples include the Amplification and Enchantment skills I possess or the Monarch.
Even if I seeded in copying, I wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the massive mana of S-rank magic.
Until I had a core capable of handling it, it was nothing more than a pie in the sky.
Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I was going to give up.
I¡¯ll just take something else instead.
I recalled the conversation I had with Dang Gyu-young before the Crow Tailor appeared.
¨C You know how to handle poison, at least a little, right?
¨C Of course, I¡¯m a Dang after all.
Dang Gyu-young was a direct descendant of the Dang family.
Dang Gyu-young didn¡¯t like being bound by her family, so she avoided learning their secret techniques, but she still mastered some poison arts to a certain extent.
The reason I confirmed this was simple.
¨C Just poison him once.
¨C You said he is S-rank. Will my attack even work?
¨C It will, as long as we time it right.
When the craze for crow hunting swept through the yers, ny-nine out of a hundred attempts ended in failure.
And I was the one in a hundred who seeded.
Drawing from that experience, dimensional crows had their ws despite being S-rank.
As neutral beings, they weren¡¯t used to battle and were even more vulnerable to ambushes.
This vulnerability became most apparent when they were casting their main skill, particrly during [Weaving].
¨C But Kim Ho, poisoning aside, won¡¯t he get mad if I suddenly stab him?
¨C He will. He¡¯ll definitely retaliate.
¨C ¡I¡¯m not going to get wiped out in one hit, am I?
¨C Leave the aftermath to me.
¨C ¡I trust you.
¡°Caw.¡±
From the moment the Crow Tailor had first appeared until now, he hadn¡¯t paid the slightest attention to Dang Gyu-young.
He alsopletely ignored the shadow moving subtly beneath his feet.
He simply focused on the ongoing Weaving, threading, and stitching of letters in the air with threads and needles of mana.
And just as he was about to stitch the next letter,
Whoooosh¡ª!
Arms of shadows suddenly shot up from the ground, swinging the weapons they held.
It was a sudden ambush, but after all, the Dimensional Crow was still an S-rank.
His only reaction was a brief nce at the iing shadow weapons.
Then, countless dark purple hexagons appeared in front of him, linking together to form a wide wall.
[Hex Void]
The shadow weapons vanished the moment they touched the wall as if they were sucked into it.
It was perfect spatial magic defense, but¡ª
That¡¯s only talking about the front.
Thud.
A very thin needle flew in from behind and pierced the Crow Tailor¡¯s wing joint.
Using the shadows, it had been secretly pulled back and thenunched while attacking from the front.
¡°Caw.¡±
With a single p of his wings, the poison needle disappeared without a trace.
Immediately after, a cone-shaped gust of wind gathered and shot out right in front of Dang Gyu-young.
The whole sequence happened in the blink of an eye. One could question if it could have been avoided even with prior preparation.
[Gale Thrust]
It was a wind magic that pierced the enemy with a spear of air, pushing them far away.
Though it was considered a basic wind magic, this one was ranked as high as S-rank.
If hit, the target wouldn¡¯t just be pushed back; the struck area could very well explode.
Naturally, I couldn¡¯t let Dang Gyu-young meet a tragic end.
[Activate ¡®Enchantment¡¯.]
[¡®Distortion¡¯ has been granted to the target.]
[Rank of granted ¡®Distortion¡¯: ¨C ]
Before the cone of wind could strike Dang Gyu-young¡¯s abdomen, it twisted and veered off course before flying in apletely wrong direction.
Booom-booom-boom¡ª!
And it decimated everything in its path.
Good thing I deflected it with Distortion.
Seeing Dang Gyu-young unharmed, the Crow Tailor tried to cast his next spell, but¡ª
¡°Enough, step back.¡±
I ordered Dang Gyu-young first.
This was to make it clear that everything had been on mymand.
When Dang Gyu-young lowered her head and stepped back, the Tailor turned his gaze back to me while pping his wings furiously.
¡°Caw, young monarch. What is the meaning of this?¡±
¡°I got carried away with my curiosity. I apologize.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll let it slide once. But there won¡¯t be a next time.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±
Since I had already gained everything I wanted, the game was over.
[Activate ¡®Copy-Trait¡¯.]
[Registering the target¡¯s trait ¡®Poison Resistance (S)¡¯ in the slot.]
? Copy-Trait [2/2]
1. Poison Resistance (S)
2. The Sovereign¡¯s Crown
[Weaving] couldn¡¯t be copied in the first ce, and while the skills [Hex Void] and [Gale Thrust] could be copied, I couldn¡¯t use them due to insufficient mana.
It would have been the same even if I had copied other spells.
Having a low-rank core really was this frustrating.
Instead, I decided to take a trait that didn¡¯t consume much mana, and I stealthily poisoned him to copy [Poison Resistance].
While learning [Hundred Poisons Immunity], I had be capable of blocking quite a variety of poisons, but the world was filled with countless poisons.
Additionally, one of the main scenario bosses I would inevitably face someday used poison as a main weapon, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt to prepare for it when the opportunity arose.
¡°Caw.¡±
The Crow Tailor became engrossed in his weaving again, and Dang Gyu-young and I silently watched his work without further interruption.
Momentster, the scattered letters began to weave into words and those words formed sentences.
And as thepleted sentences were sucked back into the system window,
sh!
Root absorbed a faint light and slightly changed its form.
Originally, it had been a short staff with a golden magic dagger attached, but now, instead of being attached, they hadpletely fused into one.
A short spear with an overall dark glow.
[Deep Root (A)]
Sess.
Chapter 214: No.294 Rainbow Lake (3)
Chapter 214: No.294 Rainbow Lake (3)
[Deep Root (A)]
? Very high mana conductivity
? Damage protection (A) applied
? Automatic durability recovery
? Earth Line
? Upgradeable
? Upgradeable
? Upgradeable
The C-rank Levitate Zone and Memorize which had upied two upgrade slots.The two fused with the mutation reagent to create a new attribute.
[Earth Line]
? When the weapon is connected to the ground, the power of your skills increases.
The conditions for Earth Line are two: ¡°ground¡± and ¡°connection.¡±
The ground doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be made of soil or stone, but it must be a ce where I am standing.
Additionally, connecting the weapon means embedding the tip of Root into the ground.
This also meant the user¡¯s position was fixed in one spot.
Of course, it¡¯s not necessary to remain in one ce the entire time but to receive the bonus, Root must touch the ground just before the skill activates.
Since this condition forces you to pause at least once during battle, it can be quite a hindrance to mobility.
However, the reward was as big as the risk.
[Earth Line] provided a bonus regardless of whether the skill was magical or physical.
For example, if I were to use the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger, it would activate with a ¡°+¡± at B-rank.
At this point, the benefit of risking a brief pause in battle was more than enough.
However, aside from the performance of the new attribute, there was another issue:
It¡¯s too short.
Currently, the length of Root was barely longer than my forearm.
To connect it to the ground, I would have to either bend over or kneel, but it wasn¡¯t feasible to constantly sit and stand during the heat of battle.
It¡¯s about time to extend it.
This weapon was designed to be assembled.
The issue of length could be resolved by crafting the next part and attaching it.
While I was staring down at Root and lost in thought, the crow tailor asked me,
¡°Caw. Young Monarch, are you satisfied with the result?¡±
¡°Very much. I¡¯m d I entrusted it to you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m always the best!¡±
Puffed up by my praise, the crow tailor hopped in ce a few times.
Then he asked again,
¡°Is there anything else you need?¡±
¡°This is it for today.¡±
¡°Understood. Until next time, Young Monarch!¡±
With a farewell, the Crow Tailor straightened his outfit.
He adjusted his gentleman¡¯s hat, picked up his bag with one hand, and fluttered into the air.
After circling around once, he vanished into thin air and into another dungeon.
After I watched that scene, I shifted my gaze to Dang Gyu-young who had a strange smile on her lips.
¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±
¡°Young Monarch~¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°You know, I like the way you talk to me casually, but I think I like it even more when you use informal speech.¡±
¡°Why all of a sudden?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not sudden~¡±
Dang Gyu-young lowered her voice and imitated what I had said to the crow tailor.
¡°When you said ¡®Enough, step back!¡¯ it gave me a bit of a thrill.¡±
¡°You¡¯re caught up in something strange again.¡±
¡°Come on, order me to do something. Be as forceful as you can.¡±
¡°No.¡±
¡°Hurry up~ Young Monarch~¡±
¡°Let¡¯s just head down now.¡±
I pretended not to hear her and quickened my pace. Dang Gyu-young happily followed behind.
¡°Young Monarch~ Why are you in such a hurry~¡±
She kept adding ¡°Young Monarch¡± to everything she said.
***
Since the Elemental Fish were due to reappear soon, Dang Gyu-young and I descended the hill and headed toward the Rainbow Lake.
By then, the sun had set, and the full moon illuminated the darkening sky.
Theke reflected the moonlight perfectly while also casting a mysterious rainbow-colored glow.
We stared at theke in silence for a while, reveling in the strange atmosphere.
¡°¡¡.¡±
After some time had passed, a ripple spread across theke that had been reflecting the moonlight.
The difference this time, instead of bubbling with foam,
Crackle,
was that the surface of theke began to slowly freeze.
It gave me a rough idea of the Elemental Fish¡¯s new attribute.
¡°It¡¯s ice.¡±
¡°Seems so.¡±
If it had been fire, this fight would have been cleanly wrapped up, which made it a bit disappointing.
Of course, the ice attribute wasn¡¯t bad either.
After all, it was one of the elements I could use.
I spoke to Dang Gyu-young,
¡°I¡¯ll handle the main damage. Please support me.¡±
Since her attribute didn¡¯t match, the damage she would inflict would be drastically reduced.
So, instead of attacking together, it would be more efficient for her to support me so I could deal more damage.
But Dang Gyu-young crossed her arms with a haughty expression and quickly turned her head away.
¡°No, Young Monarch.¡±
¡°What is it this time?¡±
With her head turned the other way, Dang Gyu-young shot me a sideways nce.
But despite her aloof expression, her lips were curled with mischief.
¡°If the Young Monarchmands me~ I don¡¯t think I could refuse~¡±
She wanted me to stop asking and give her a direct order.
It seemed she was still hung up on the informal speech.
¡°Alright, you win.¡±
There wasn¡¯t time to argue here since the Kim Gap-doo Fish was bound to show up any moment.
Figuring there was no harm in granting her request, I lowered my voice.
¡°Dang Gyu-young, help me.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Dang Gyu-young immediately dropped the haughty act, uncrossed her arms, and summoned shadow butterflies.
Every now and then, she nced over at me and started giggling quietly.
Crackle, crackle,
Meanwhile, theke continued to freeze over and the surface turned into solid ice.
In the next moment, the center of theke shattered with a crash, and arge fish head burst out.
¡°¡ª!¡±
It was Kim Gap-doo Fish who let out a sharp screech.
The scales, which had been a muddy brown the first time we encountered it, now gleamed a frosty blue as if frozen solid.
Just as I suspected, its element had shifted from earth to ice.
Seeing this, Dang Gyu-young yfully patted my shoulder.
¡°It¡¯s Ice Gap-doo now, Ice Gap-doo.¡±
¡°You¡¯re really bad, Dang Gyu-young.¡±
I decided to keep this from Senior Kim Gap-doo.
If he found out, he might take back the basic elixir I got.
¡°¡ª!¡±
Ice Gap-doo red at us with eyes full of hostility.
It could be that it didn¡¯t like its new nickname, or maybe it remembered how we had beaten it earlier.
Or perhaps it was simply angry that we had invaded its territory.
Soon, waves of mana spread out from the creature, and sharp ice shards shot up like icicles from the frozenke¡¯s surface.
Then, all at once, they shattered and came flying toward us.
Shiiing!
A barrage of ice shards filled my vision as they came hurtling forward.
I looked at them and thought to myself.
Time for a test run.
After all, it was a newly upgraded weapon.
I got down on one knee, nted the Deep Root in the ground, and stretched my empty hand out in front of me.
The air gathered into a whirlwind of physical force in front of me.
[Earth Line]
[Wind Force]
[Twister]
Whoooosh¡ª
The whirlwind surged ahead swiftly.
As soon as the flying ice shards touched it, they scattered in all directions.
Though my kneeling position was a bit awkward, the performance was undeniable.
¡°¡ª!¡±
However, as if it was just getting started, Ice Gap-doo began casting another freezing spell.
Of course, I had no intention of staying on the defensive like this.
Before its spell could bepleted, I kicked off the ground and closed the distance between us.
Shadow butterflies fluttered around me, and at just the right moment, they became stepping stones.
Using them like a staircase, I climbed on top of Ice Gap-doo¡¯s head.
I drove Deep Root deep into the gap between itsrge scales, and then I thrust my frozen index finger into the opening.
[Earth Line]
[Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger]
Thunk,
¡°¡ª!¡±
Feeling the foreign sensation between its eyes, Ice Gap-doo shook violently and tried to throw me off.
If I lost my bnce here, I could easily fall into the cracks of the shattered ice below.
So I pushed off from its scales and leaped backward.
As I nced down mid-air,
Icy ground.
Inded and immediately nted the Deep Root into the ice, regaining my bnce.
Scrrrape,
The ice screeched as it dragged, and my sliding slowed significantly.
In the meantime, Ice Gap-doopleted its next freezing spell.
Palm-sized shards of ice rained down.
I stretched one hand forward in a half-sitting position.
Whooosh¡ª
A strong wind blew through, scattering the shards of ice in all directions.
Again.
I charged in once more, not giving Ice Gap-doo a chance to link its spells together.
Stepping on the shadow butterflies, I climbed up and thrust the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger deep into its flesh.
Then, just like before, I retreated and mounted it again before driving the weapon in once more.
¡°¡ª!¡±
Perhaps it was because I had struck it with the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger three times in a row.
Ice Gap-doo¡¯s movements became far slower than when it first appeared, and the power of its freezing magic had diminished significantly.
¡°¡ª!¡±
Before long, it let out a weak cry and slowly began to sink downward.
All that remained on the frozen ground was arge gaping hole.
Dang Gyu-young fixed her gaze on it as she approached me.
¡°Did you finish it off?¡±
¡°It¡¯ll barely survive.¡±
The Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger, strengthened by Earth Line, had pierced it three times in session.
It must have taken a huge amount of damage, and even now that it has sunk to the bottom of theke, the cold air must be piercing through its entire body.
Dang Gyu-young tilted her head in confusion.
¡°Then isn¡¯t it as good as dead anyway?¡±
¡°If its attribute doesn¡¯t change.¡±
If it maintained its ice attribute, it would continue to take damage from the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger, but if it shifted to another attribute, that damage would drastically decrease.
In that case, it might survive and recover some of its strength.
¡°When will it change?¡±
¡°Normally, it takes a while after submerging, but if it¡¯s at a disadvantage, it changes quickly.¡±
¡°That¡¯s pretty cheap.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve almost got it, though.¡±
Even so, the fact that it was in critical condition didn¡¯t change.
Its remaining health was less than 20%.
As long as its attribute matched the one I had when it came back, that would be the end of it.
Even if not, it would be over the next time or the time after that.
Dang Gyu-young asked,
¡°So what do we do now?¡±
¡°We kill time.¡±
There were about two hours left until the Elemental Fish would recover and reappear.
Earlier, we had gone to see the Dimensional Crow but this time there was nothing like that.
Dang Gyu-young subtly lifted the corner of her lips.
¡°So we¡¯re just resting for two hours?¡±
¡°Pretty much.¡±
This dungeon was rtively quiet, so I had given her a heads-up beforehand, and Dang Gyu-young said she would prepare something to pass the time.
¡°Are you excited?¡±
¡°I¡¯m curious, to be honest. I wonder what you brought.¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing special, just something simple.¡±
Like I had mentioned earlier, she had prepared for it like a light pic or camping trip.
Dang Gyu-young nced around and said,
¡°Let¡¯s move to a better spot first.¡±
The area was definitely a mess.
The local terrain had been churned up by the Earth attribute magic of the Kim Gap-doo Fish, and chunks of ice were scattered everywhere, leaving no room to step.
There was no way we couldy down a mat in a ce like this.
¡°Follow me, young monarch~¡±
So we started walking around the perimeter of the Rainbow Lake.
Chapter 215: No.294 Rainbow Lake (4)
Since theke was so vast, it didn¡¯t take long for a clean spot to appear.
Dang Gyu-young looked around and asked,
¡°How about here?¡±
¡°It works for me.¡±
We might have found an even better spot if we kept walking, but Dang Gyu-young seemed to be satisfied enough with this ce.
I wasn¡¯t picky about things like this either, so I just went along with it.
She started pulling out the items she had prepared from her inventory.
Shadow hands rose from beneath our feet to help.
First, arge camping stove appeared and she piled it with firewood before pulling out a magic tool to light it.Whoosh.
Next, she set a grill on top of the stove and pulled out various snacks from an icebox.
Beef, sausages, and whole shrimp began to cook, and as I watched them sizzle, Dang Gyu-young unfolded two folding chairs before she tapped one of them.
¡°Take a seat, young monarch.¡±
¡°It really feels like camping.¡±
Though the setting might have been simple, everything from the equipment to the ingredients showed she had prepared quite thoroughly for just an overnight trip.
¡°You said it was simple, right?¡±
¡°Simple, but pretty serious.¡±
Dang Gyu-young smiled.
¡°I¡¯m really into this kind of stuff.¡±
¡°I figured you¡¯d like something more peaceful.¡±
Though the setting might have seemed simple, everything from the equipment to the ingredients showed she had prepared thoroughly for just an overnight camping trip.
Looking back, it made sense.
While she seemed to enjoy walking through the downtown area together with me, she looked truly at ease when we strolled through the empty school at night or sat side by side on a bench sipping canned coffee.
Somehow, I felt like I understood why.
¡°I lead a pretty busy life.¡±
Things had improved recently, but the workload that came with being the club president was still substantial.
On top of that, she had to juggle the demands of her third-year academic schedule while finding time to sharpen her personal skills.
Thatst part is the hardest.
As a shadow mage, her ss was fairly rare.
Even though there were some precedents, it was mostly a path she had to carve out on her own.
In other words, just to stay average, she had to work twice as hard as everyone else.
With all these reasons keeping her busy, it was clear that,
¡°When you rest, you want to really rest.¡±
¡°As always, you get it right away. It¡¯s so easy talking with you, Kim Ho.¡±
Dang Gyu-young took a canned drink from the icebox and handed it to me before grabbing one for herself as well.
But instead of opening the can right away, she kept her gaze fixed on theke and spoke.
¡°What do you think my dream is?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±
¡°Take a guess.¡±
I thought for a moment before answering.
¡°Based on the conversation, is it something like camping or traveling?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, traveling a lot.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not an easy dream.¡±
The fact that we were at school made things rtively better,
But this world inside the game wasn¡¯t exactly a safe ce where you could travel around freely.
Especially not a ce where you could casually enjoy a camping atmosphere.
Monsters roamed everywhere, and viins operated in secret.
Their threat level ranged from C-rank to A-rank, and sometimes even S-rank, making it dangerous.
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head and casually opened her can.
Ssshh.
¡°¡It¡¯s difficult, yeah, that¡¯s why it¡¯s a dream. But don¡¯t you think it¡¯lle true someday?¡±
When she was about to take a sip, something seemed to cross her mind and she spoke again.
¡°Hey, if we¡¯re talking like this, your dream is even harder!¡±
¡°Mine¡¯s difficult too.¡±
The goal of the EX-rank reincarnation quest was to prevent the world¡¯s destruction.
In short, it was ¡°world peace¡±.
And in this world, achieving world peace was just as tough as world domination.
I smiled and repeated the words Dang Gyu-young had said earlier.
¡°But don¡¯t you think it¡¯lle true someday?¡±
¡°¡Well, I have to hand it to you; you¡¯ve got confidence. I guess I¡¯ll have to help you out.¡±
When world peacees, there will be plenty of ces to go and have fun.
Dang Gyu-young raised her canned drink.
¡°Shall we toast?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±
After a brief moment of pondering what to toast to, Dang Gyu-young grinned and held out her can.
¡°To world peace.¡±
¡°To the dream of camping.¡±
Clink,
The cans gently bumped together.
***
Two hours flew by as we ate, drank, and exchanged small talk.
Dang Gyu-young was the first to check the time and got up.
¡°Let¡¯s start packing up.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
In reality, there wasn¡¯t much for me to do.
The shadow hands moved quickly. They took care of the cleanup, packed up the tools and the freezer, and stuffed everything into Dang Gyu-young¡¯s inventory.
That¡¯s really convenient.
Shadow magic had its surprisingly practical uses.
With the cleanup done in no time, we retraced our steps back to the spot where we had fought the Kim Gap-doo Fish.
It was a wide open area, which made it easy to face the creature.
As I stood there and looked at theke, I saw that the ice had shattered into several pieces, with chunks of it floating around.
It had its own charm before it became a mess; Ice Gap-doo really was a harmful creature.
Bubbling.
Soon, bubbles began rising fiercely from theke, and at the same time, a crackling sound echoed as currents of electricity surged through.
With that, the creature¡¯s next attribute was decided.
Lightning.
Although I hadn¡¯t learned any lightning attribute skills, I had something prepared for this moment.
[Heart of Thunder (E)]*2
An item that infuses the user¡¯s heart with lightning for a set duration, converting all attributes to thunder.
The duration is proportional to the item¡¯s rank.
E-ranksts about a minute.
It was barely enough to cast a medium orrge-scale spell before running out.
I could save one Heart of Thunder if I finished it in a single blow, but considering the elemental fish¡¯s remaining health and the recovery it gained while submerged, that seemed highly unlikely.
I¡¯ll have to use both.
In that case, it would be more efficient if Dang Gyu-young and I used them consecutively.
If one hit finished it, great, but if not, we could immediately follow up with the next attack.
With this in mind, I handed one Heart of Thunder to Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Here.¡±
¡°Wow, you still had this?¡±
¡°I saved it for today.¡±
¡°What was the penalty for using Heart of Thunder again?¡±
¡°There¡¯s a chance your heart might stop.¡±
Dang Gyu-young flinched a little and narrowed her eyes as she looked at me.
¡°¡You¡¯re telling me to use this?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not saying you should use it just like that.¡±
[Activated ¡®Enchantment¡¯.]
[¡®Elemental Resistance (S)¡¯ has been granted to the target.]
[Rank of the granted ¡®Elemental Resistance¡¯: B.]
[Duration: 00:14:58]
[Cooldown: 00:34:58]
When Dang Gyu-young checked the notification, her eyes widened slightly.
¡°Elemental resistance? Young monarch, what is this!¡±
¡°It¡¯s my secret weapon.¡±
¡°You¡¯re already loaded with cheat skills, and now you¡¯ve got a cheat trait too?¡±
No wonder you¡¯re always smashing everything with Inferno Fists!
I raised a finger to my lips.
¡°You know this is a secret, right?¡±
¡°Why do you and I keep racking up secrets?¡±
¡°Do you hate it?¡±
¡°No, I like it.¡±
Dang Gyu-young smiled bashfully, before saying, ¡°The more secrets you share, the better.¡±
Elemental resistance had been granted, so there was no need to worry about penalties.
The moment Dang Gyu-young crushed the Heart Thunder in her hand,
Crackle!
The lightning inside was unleashed and seeped into her heart.
Then, shadow butterflies began to rise one by one, but unlike usual, they crackled with electric currents.
As Dang Gyu-young continued multiplying the butterflies, the bubblingke suddenly surged upward.
Swaaah¡ª!
The third Elemental Fish appeared.
This time, its scales were somewhere between yellow and gold.
Seeing this, Dang Gyu-young grinned mischievously and whispered in my ear.
¡°Say it. You know you want to.¡±
¡°My lips are itching, I admit.¡±
¡°Just shout it out. There¡¯s no rey mode anyway.¡±
¡°¡Fine.¡±
I took a deep breath before speaking.
¡°It¡¯s Lightning Gap-doo!¡±
¡°Pffthahaha!¡±
Dang Gyu-young pped my shoulder repeatedly.
¡°¡ª!¡±
The Lightning Gap-doo didn¡¯t seem too fond of its new nickname.
Though it was still weakened by the lingering effects of three consecutive Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Fingers, its hostility toward us hadn¡¯t faded one bit.
Fzzzzzzzzzzzzzt.
Before long, electricity gathered above its head; it grewrger andrger until it formed a bolt of lightning that shot straight toward Dang Gyu-young.
Dang Gyu-young instinctively started to dodge but then, as if a thought crossed her mind, she stopped in her tracks.
And took the lightning head-on.
Fzzzzzzzt!
¡°¡Interesting.¡±
Despite taking it head-on, Dang Gyu-young was perfectly fine and without a scratch.
She had been testing the effect of her elemental resistance.
I remembered when I first got it; I too had let myself get hit by an unnecessary breath attack just out of curiosity. It seemed people thought the same way about these things.
Meanwhile, the butterflies fluttered diligently, drawing closer to the creature.
When they reached above its head, they simultaneously unleashed their lightning strikes.
Dozens of bolts rained down.
Booom! Booom!
¡°¡ª!¡±
The Lightning Gap-doo let out a sharp scream.
As expected, it didn¡¯t go down with one hit and was barely hanging on by a thread.
¡°Still not dead, huh?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll finish it.¡±
I clenched my fist, and the Heart Thunder shattered, sending a bolt of lightning piercing into my heart.
Crackle!
A tingling sensation spread from my chest to the rest of my body.
When I tried to lightly raise my mana, a faint electric current crackled instead of mana.
I got on one knee and nted deep roots into the ground.
In that position, I extended my empty hand forward.
[Activated ¡®Amplification¡¯.]
[The rank of ¡®Spiral Explosion¡¯ increases. (C+ -> A+)]
Fzzzzzzzzzt!
Faint currents mixed into every strand of wind gathering from all directions.
The currents and wind converged around the Elemental Fish and soon formed a huge whirlwind.
The whirlwind shrank and became morepressed until it finally erupted in a massive explosion of electricity.
Fizzzzzzzzzzz¡ª!
A bright sh flooded my vision.
When the explosion subsided and my sight returned, the Kim Gap-doo Fish hadpletely disappeared without a trace.
It had already been in critical condition, and there was no way it could have survived a spiral explosion enhanced to A+ with additional power.
Rumble,
Soon after, the area trembled, signaling that the dungeon had been cleared and an exit opened up.
In front of it, several chests wereid out.
[Multicolored Scale Box]*2
[Rainbow Lake Random Box (D)]*1
¡°Are the multicolored scales defensive equipment materials?¡±
¡°Yes, they¡¯re for defensive equipment.¡±
Like the Elemental Fish, its attributes constantly shifted, and unless it was attacked with the corresponding attribute, it boasted extremely high defense.
Because it was such a valuable material, it also came with a rtively high price.
Dang Gyu-young seemed pleased with the mention of its expensive price and her expression turned to a satisfied one.
¡°Really? Then let¡¯s each take one.¡±
¡°What about the random box?¡±
Considering Dang Gyu-young¡¯s significant contribution in the dungeon, if she wanted it, I could have easily handed it over.
After all, thanks to her, I had copied poison resistance from the Crow Tailor and we had even managed to prepare for a few hours of camping.
However, after thinking it over for a moment, Dang Gyu-young made a suggestion.
¡°Should we open it and decide?¡±
¡°Sounds good.¡±
We¡¯d open it first and then decide who would take it based on what was inside.
Without much hesitation, Dang Gyu-young swiftly opened the random box with an almost careless ease, simr to Seo Ye-in.
sh!
[Random Rank-Up] *2
¡°Well, not bad.¡±
¡°Shall we split it fifty-fifty again?¡±
¡°No, you can just have it all.¡±
Dang Gyu-young generously handed it over to me, saying she had never had any luck raising her rank with these before.
Her overall skill levels and traits were higher than mine, so her chances of sess were probably even lower.
It really is hard to get it to work.
If it had been Seo Ye-in, that lucky charm cheater, she would have used it on the spot and it would have worked, but since I was neither lucky nor a cheater, I decided to save it forter.
After quickly finishing the distribution, we headed towards the teleportation portal.
But then Dang Gyu-young hesitated again and turned her head towards me.
¡°¡Come to think of it, that¡¯s strange. This dungeon was supposed to be such a hassle, buting in with you, I didn¡¯t even notice the time passing.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s team up more often.¡±
¡°Will you make it fun again next time?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±
¡°Huhum, okay.¡±
We exchanged smiles as we looked at each other.
Then we stepped through the teleportation portal we had almost forgotten to cross.
Chapter 216: Upgrade (1)
Chapter 216: Upgrade (1)
Sunday.
The training center.
I was sitting and leaning against one side of the training room wall.
Resting on my shoulder was a nket-wrapped bundle like a rolled-up kimbap, and from its edge, I could just see a glimpse of gray hair and the top of a head.
As usual, it was Seo Ye-in who was recharging her sloth battery.
I simply epted it and shifted my gaze forward.
There, two iron dummies were facing off and pointing their weapons at each other.
One of them was holding a heavy two-handed hammer, and the other was holding a thick greatsword.
The two dummies inched closer to each other, and the one with the greatsword moved first.Whoosh¡ª!
The greatsword sliced through the air diagonally, leaving a faint sound behind.
I firmly maintained [Earth Line] with Deep Root and reached out toward the dummy with the hammer.
Whooosh¡ª
A gust of wind swept through the training room.
The wind formed a circr barrier around the hammer-wielding iron dummy.
Bang!
As the greatsword struck, its speed momentarily slowed, but soon passed through and finished cutting what it was trying to cut.
A long diagonal mark appeared across the upper body of the hammer-wielding iron dummy.
But the training dummy couldn¡¯t feel pain of course.
It immediately swung its hammer with full force, bringing it crashing down.
Whooosh¡ª
The greatsword slowed again for a moment as it connected, but it sliced clean through,pleting the strike.
Creaaaak!
A long diagonal scar was etched into the upper body of the hammer iron dummy.
When I reached out again, this time a wind barrier enveloped the head of the greatsword-wielding iron dummy.
But, just like before, it wasn¡¯t enough to defend against the huge weight of the descending hammer.
ng¡ª!
¡°¡¡..?¡±
Following the sharp sound, the nket-wrapped kimbap on my shoulder trembled slightly and a bit more of the gray hair peeked out from the edge.
I spoke in its direction.
¡°Doesn¡¯t that sound familiar?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
The nket-wrapped kimbap shrank back and the gray hair slowly slid out of sight again.
It didn¡¯t move anymore.
Ran away, huh.
I tore my gaze away from Seo Ye-in who had drifted off into dreand and alternated casting Wind Barrier on the iron dummies again.
Whoosh¡ª
Currently, Wind Barrier was at F+ rank.
Even with the double bonuses from [Blessing of the West Wind] and [Earth Line], the iron dummies¡¯ attacks kept breaking through.
It¡¯s always like this at the start.
The defense would steadily improve as the rank increased.
nk!
Bang!
After fighting intensely, two of the iron dummies were reduced to scrap metal.
I immediately summoned two new iron dummies to continue the battle and kept casting Wind Barrier without pause.
After repeating this process countless times,
[The rank of ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ has increased. (F+ -> E+)]
Since it wasn¡¯t a skill with a high training difficulty, I quickly managed to escape F-rank.
That¡¯s enough for today.
It was time to start moving.
I deactivated the iron dummies and stood up from my spot.
At that moment, the nket-wrapped kimbap shifted slightly and Seo Ye-in peeked her disheveled face out.
¡°Come back¡¡±
¡°Let¡¯s get up for now. We¡¯ve got somewhere to be.¡±
¡°Just one more hour¡¡±
¡°Miss, you really have no conscience.¡±
¡°Ten more minutes¡¡±
It seemed she felt a bit guilty, as her request for an extension dropped sharply from an hour to ten minutes.
Even so, I shook my head firmly.
¡°You¡¯re already in the negative.¡±
¡°How could this be¡¡±
¡°Get up already.¡±
If she didn¡¯t cooperate, there would be no more Kim Ho pillow for her in the future.
Seo Ye-in had no choice but toply.
***
The [Multicolored Scale Box] I obtained during the dungeon raid with Dang Gyu-young.
When opened, it randomly drops between one to three scales.
After handing it over to the lucky charm,
[Multicolored Scale (C)]*3
It casually produced three scales.
It was perfect for Hyeon-woo, Seo Ye-in, and me to each take one.
The main use for multicolored scales is for armor.
More specifically it was for ¡°upgrades¡±.
After discussing this with Ahn Jeong-mi, I heard the good news that a Hye-seong Group schrship student could help solve this issue.
For this reason, the ce I brought Seo Ye-in to was the sewing tailoring club where that schrship student was.
Inside the room, clothes racks were crammed together; each one was hung with all sorts of garments.
Students were seated at each desk working on their tasks, but their figures were mostly hidden behind mountains of materials.
Looks like they¡¯re busy here too.
Production ss students were always overwhelmed wherever you went.
Tailors in particr had no choice but to be busy because they made armor, which was in high demand after weapons.
Soon a third-year male student sensed our presence and greeted us.
He was beyond slim; he was practically skin and bones with dark circles hollowing his eyes.
He must have been the schrship student Ahn Jeong-mi mentioned since he recognized us immediately.
¡°Kim Ho, Seo Ye-in?¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
¡°I got the message. You want to request an upgrade?¡±
¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±
I pulled out two pairs of sneakers first.
They were white with light blue ents. Apart from the size, they were identical.
[Cloudstepper (B)]
? Bonus to movement skills.
? Inertia Ignoring (C) applied.
? Automatic durability recovery.
? Upgradable.
? Upgradable.
Two pairs of Cloudsteppers, two people.
The senior gave us a strange look.
¡°So, are you two in some kind of rtionship¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in and I answered at the same time.
¡°Friends.¡±
¡°My butler.¡±
¡°?¡±
¡°?¡±
We then nced at each other.
She tried to slyly make me her butler back in the marketce, and now she¡¯s doing it again.
I drew a very firm line.
¡°I¡¯m not your butler.¡±
¡°¡An apprentice butler?¡±
¡°Not even that.¡±
Then Seo Ye-in rummaged through her inventory and pulled out a thick ck card before holding it out to me.
¡°¡¡¡?¡±
¡°¡I said no.¡±
It was a bit harder to refuse this time, but no was still no.
Bing a butler in exchange for a ck card wasn¡¯t a deal worth taking.
The schrship senior who seemed eager to get down to business cut off the conversation.
¡°Anyway, what do you want me to upgrade?¡±
¡°Use these, please.¡±
I handed over two [Multicolored Scales].
The senior epted them without hesitation and then asked again.
¡°Is that all?¡±
¡°One more thing, please.¡±
With that, I pulled out one more multicolored scale and a chestte from my inventory.
It was made of bronze and shaped like a crustacean¡¯s shell.
[Bronze Carapace (D)]
?Physical Defense (E)
?Upgradeable
Go Hyeon-woo had bought this armor from the marketce, and I had borrowed it in advance to use here.
A rare armor called the Transparent Carapace had an unnecessary bronze upgrade added to it.
For someone like Go Hyeon-woo, a warrior, it was extremely heavy and the defense wasn¡¯t particrly outstanding either.
So what I wanted to request was,
¡°I¡¯d like you to cover the bronze upgrade with this scale.¡±
The senior slightly furrowed his brow.
¡°But why are you bringing this armor to me? You should ask a cksmith.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t think the upgrade would be difficult for you.¡±
The application and removal of upgrades could be done by anyone in a production ss as long as their skill level was above a certain threshold.
Since the senior in front of me was a third-year, he obviously met the requirements.
Another reason was that if I gave it to a cksmith, I¡¯d have to pay a separate fee.
As I had already gone through a hassle during the crafting of Root, simply handing over the task wouldn¡¯t be easy either.
Why go through the trouble of doing something twice when the senior could take care of it in one go?
Of course, from the senior¡¯s perspective, it wasn¡¯t appealing to have more work.
He waved his hand dismissively while showing his annoyance clearly.
¡°Ugh, fine. I¡¯ll take care of it when I have time and let you know. Now go.¡±
But then Seo Ye-in quietly watched him while tilting her head slightly as she asked,
¡°Are you busy?¡±
¡°¡.¡!¡±
The senior¡¯s pupils wavered from side to side, and he swallowed nervously while staring at Seo Ye-in.
She probably didn¡¯t mean much by it.
She likely asked because he seemed busy, but to that senior, it would have sounded entirely different.
A request hade from the daughter of the Hye-seong Group, and he who was just a mere senior, handled it carelessly or dyed it because he was busy?
What would happen if this news reached the Future Strategy Office?
¨C Oh, you¡¯re busy. I understand. So, you must be too busy to work with us, then.
¨C That¡¯s¡!
The senior¡¯s schrship status and even his potential employment at Hye-seong Group after graduation might slip away at the same time.
Of course, it seemed like an over exaggeration to me, but to that senior, it probably wasn¡¯t.
And as if he had a split personality, the senior¡¯s attitudepletely flipped, and he began addressing us in a much more pleasant tone.
¡°Busy? Who, me? No way! I¡¯ll upgrade all three items right away. This Wednesday¡ªno, actually,e by tomorrow.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°Sure, take care on your way out~¡±
The senior kindly saw us off, right to the end.
As Seo Ye-in and I left the tailor¡¯s club, we exchanged nces.
¡°Strong.¡±
¡°Strong.¡±
***
After unexpectedly turning the tailor¡¯s club upside down with a bit of forceful persuasion,
The next ce we headed was the magic engineering workshop.
I recalled the conversation I had with Dang Gyu-young a few days earlier.
¨C Bong Jae-seok was looking for you.
¨C What for?
¨C Don¡¯t know, he just asked if you coulde by when you had time.
Bong Jae-seok, the president of the magic engineering club.
Like most people in the production sses, he was always pressed for time.
He was the kind of person who¡¯d even dislike the time spent negotiating.
The fact that he went out of his way to make time to meet me meant one thing.
It must be something he really needs.
If that was the case, he wouldn¡¯t treat me poorly when I visited.
After all, he had a straightforward personality.
I also had a good idea of what the matter was.
There hadn¡¯t been many deals between Bong Jae-seok and me.
And it was likely something I could easily resolve.
For me, it was a favorable situation in many ways.
So, after getting in touch through Dang Gyu-young, I passed by the tailor club and made my way to see him.
When I arrived at the front of the Magic Engineering Workshop No. 1 with Seo Ye-in, I saw a familiar face.
It was Park Na-ri, the promising student from the Mother Nature Club along with her small tiger Bum.
¡°Ah, hello¡?¡±
¡°Meow.¡±
Park Na-ri, as always, waved shyly while Bum slowly moved his front paw through the air.
Then he leaped from her arms and rubbed his forehead against my leg.
I greeted them casually.
¡°Hello. What brings you here?¡±
¡°My sister, no, the club president, told me to hurry ande¡¡±
¡°Who are you here to see?¡±
¡°Uh¡ the club president here¡?¡±
She had been sent directly by the Mother Nature Club, and it turned out Park Na-ri also had business with Bong Jae-seok.
On top of that, they had timed her arrival perfectly with mine.
I became even more certain of what Bong Jae-seok was going to ask.
¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡±
¡°Hello.¡±
Just then, Bong Jae-seok walked out of Workshop No. 1.
Beside him was a third-year female student. This was someone who had tried hard to recruit me before.
She must be the vice president.
¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡±
As if he couldn¡¯t waste even a single second, Bong Jae-seok turned on his heel right after the greeting.
Then he started leading the way toward Workshop No. 4.
Chapter 217: Upgrade (2)
Chapter 217: Upgrade (2)
I arrived at Workshop No. 4 after following Bong Jae-seok.
It was a ce I had visited quite a few times while making my Root weapon, but now it waspletely empty.
I looked around the interior and then asked casually,
¡°That senior isn¡¯t here today.¡±
¡°He moved to Workshop No. 3.¡±
It seemed that all the effort he had been putting in over in the corner had finally paid off.
Bong Jae-seok looked between me and Park Na-ri before getting straight to the point.
¡°As you might have guessed, the reason I called you both here is because of the Cube of Life.¡±
The Cube of Life.It was an item crafted ording to a 10x10x10 cube blueprint.
The current owner was Park Na-ri, the homeowner was Bum, and even the Mother Nature Club held a certain share of it.
Meanwhile, I had given Bong Jae-seok a blueprint that meticulously recorded each of the thousand cubes one by one.
His goal was probably to use that as a foundation to create aplete blueprint and eventually perfect the Cube of Life, but¡ª
¡°Seems like you¡¯re stuck on something.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
The Cube of Life was a solid S-rank item.
Drawing the blueprint was only the first part of a long-chain quest.
Bong Jae-seok nodded his head.
He was already stuck at the very start.
Because he hadn¡¯t drawn the blueprint himself, his understanding of it was significantlycking.
And it seemed that the reason why he had called the two of us was to find a breakthrough.
First, Bong Jae-seok spoke to Park Na-ri.
Drawing the blueprint was only the beginning of a long chain quest.
Yet he was already stuck at that very first stage.
¡°Would it be alright if I took a look at the cube?¡±
¡°Ah, yes. It¡¯s fine¡.¡±
Park Na-ri rummaged through her inventory and pulled out the Cube of Life.
She then removed the various life-type items stored inside and ced them back into her inventory.
Despite it being one of her most valuable assets, she didn¡¯t seem at all hesitant to reveal it. It was likely because she had already discussed it with the Mother Nature Club.
They must be interested in it as well.
The Cube of Life that Park Na-ri currently owned was essentially a prototype.
Since it was made with a rough blueprint, its quality inevitably fell short.
Even so, it was ranked B and had such incredible performance that it yed a major role in helping Park Na-ri lead the promising students race.
Then what would an S-rank cube with full capabilities be like?
Or even if they seeded in mass-producing the B-rank cube and distributed it to their members¡ª
The skill level of not only the Mother Nature Club but also the entire Mother Nature Guild would rise significantly.
It made sense that the Mother Nature Club wouldn¡¯t hold back on cooperation or investment.
However, just as Park Na-ri was about to hand over the Cube of Life¡ª
¡°Meow.¡±
The mini tiger Bum suddenly squeezed in between them and slipped right into the cube.
Then, with a quick tap of his front paw, he shut the lid.
Park Na-ri grew flustered and tried to open the cube again.
¡°Bum, hey, juste out for a moment. I need to show this to the senior.¡±
¡°Meoww!¡±
Bum only stuck his paw out and swatted away Park Na-ri¡¯s hand.
After all, you need the homeowner¡¯s permission for a house tour, and right now, the current homeowner seemed very displeased.
¡°J-Just a moment, please.¡±
While Park Na-ri anxiously tried to coax Bum out, Bong Jae-seok appeared to decide it was best to finish our conversation for the time being.
He pulled out a stack of documents from his coat and handed it to me.
¡°Take a look at this. I¡¯ve listed the tricky parts.¡±
I slowly flipped through the pages and read each one carefully.
From Bong Jae-seok¡¯s perspective, they might indeed be difficult, but from my perspective as a stagnant water, the solutions were obvious to me at a nce.
However, giving him an answer too quickly would only lower my value.
So I deliberately put on a serious expression, pretended to think deeply, and then responded.
¡°I believe I can help you with this.¡±
¡°Great. Of course, I¡¯m not asking for free help. Let me know what you need.¡±
Bong Jae-seok immediately started talking aboutpensation.
And since he didn¡¯t like ying mind games, he would most likely agree to my request.
Just like before, his straightforward personality showed.
I immediately said what I wanted.
¡°I¡¯m looking for ingots.¡±
One of the pressing issues I needed to resolve was the short length of [Deep Root].
During the fight with the Kim Gap-doo Fish, I had to bend my knees every time I used a skill, but that was only possible because the fish was easy to deal with.
For now, I had connected an F-rank iron bar to extend the length, but I wanted to get rid of this makeshift solution as soon as possible.
My n was to quickly craft the next part and attach it.
Bong Jae-seok asked again.
¡°What rank?¡±
¡°At least C+ rank, but preferably B rank.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
The vice president who had been listening to our conversation frowned for a moment.
A B-rank ingot wasn¡¯t something you could just dig out of the ground, and here I was asking for it aspensation for solving a few issues.
But before she could say anything, Bong Jae-seok raised his hand to stop her.
¡°Alright, I can give you that much. But I trust you¡¯ll help me out sincerely in return.¡±
¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll do my best.¡±
¡°Go ahead and pick one.¡±
Bong Jae-seok brought up arge screen in front of me.
It was a list of ingots and ingot boxes stored in the club¡¯s warehouse.
[Refined Iron Ingot (C+)]
[Giant¡¯s Ingot Box (C+)]
[Deldrimore Ingot (B)]
[Eastern Swamp Ingot Box (B)]
¡
Even after narrowing it down to just B and C+ rank, the list seemed endless.
This showcased the strength of a mid-level production club.
They probably have higher-rank ingots too.
But even the club president couldn¡¯t hand those out recklessly.
For now, just asking for a B-rank was enough to have the vice president looking at me like I was a thief.
If I demanded anything higher, they wouldn¡¯t refuse, but it would mean getting more deeply involved in this job.
So,promising with a decent B-rank option was the best choice.
As I continued scrolling through the list, something caught my eye.
They have this?
[Ghost Captain¡¯s Ingot Box (B)]
An ingot box that drops as a reward from a B-rank dungeon.
However, the main rule of that dungeon was ¡°underwater battle¡±, which made it far more difficult to clear than the ck Death dungeon.
It seemed that they either got it as a drop or traded it with another club and stored it in their warehouse.
Hard to obtain, but definitely worth using.
The detailed drop rates weren¡¯t disclosed, but higher-rank items tended to appear more oftenpared to other random boxes of the same rank.
Even with bad luck, you¡¯d get at least C+, and with good luck, up to A rank.
Also, regardless of rank, the types of ingots that appeared were particrly mage-friendly.
It meant there was no need to mix in ck Mithril like I did with the Millennium Iron.
There was no need to look any further.
¡°I¡¯ll go with this one.¡±
¡°Ghost Captain? Sure, why not.¡±
Bong Jae-seok readily agreed and signaled to the vice president.
The vice president still looked dissatisfied, but at this point, there was no room to argue.
So she did as she was told, left for Workshop No. 4, and returned shortly after with a pitch-ck box.
¡°¡¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in had been browsing through random items in a corner, but when she saw me receive the ingot box, she approached.
I casually asked her a question.
¡°Lucky Charm-nim, will I hit the jackpot if I open this?¡±
¡°¡¡..¡±
Seo Ye-in stared quietly at the box.
She tilted her head slightly to the left, then to the right.
And her response was:
¡°¡Later?¡±
¡°If I open itter, it will be a jackpot?¡±
¡°¡¡.?¡±
Seo Ye-in tilted her head again in response.
It seemed even she wasn¡¯t sure.
In any case, there was no need to rush opening it, so I stored the ingot box in my inventory for now.
¡°Meow.¡±
Meanwhile, Park Na-ri¡¯s hands and arms had umted several bite and scratch marks.
Still, it looked like she had almost seeded in convincing Bum.
¡°Se-Senior said he¡¯d remodel it for you. A remodel.¡±
¡°¡..?¡±
Since Bong Jae-seok would be working on restoring the Cube of Life, ¡°remodel¡± wasn¡¯t exactly wrong.
Then, when Park Na-ri yed her trump card,
¡°Let¡¯s have a snack, Bum. A snack, okay?¡±
¡°Meow.¡±
Bum¡ªno, Bum-nim¡ªfinally vacated his spot in his vi.
It was clear, regardless of the industry, being a caretaker was an extreme job.
Bong Jae-seok seemed to share the same thought as he cast a sympathetic look at Park Na-ri before shifting to the task at hand. He brushed off the cat hair and scratches, then began flipping through the prepared documents one by one while asking questions.
¡°Let¡¯s get started. Why doesn¡¯t this part fit?¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim. First, this section¡ª¡±
Ipared the documents with the cube and answered each question carefully.
***
After exchanging questions and answers for quite some time, Bong Jae-seok was able to resolve most of his questions.
He spoke to the vice president with a satisfied expression.
¡°See? I knew it was a good idea to call them. They earned their keep, right?¡±
¡°¡Yeah, I suppose.¡±
The vice president who had been frowning the whole time now looked noticeably more rxed.
Bong Jae-seok was eager to apply what he had learned and he quickly stood up.
¡°Thanks for today. If I have more questions, can I call you again?¡±
¡°Anytime.¡±
¡°Great! I¡¯ll head out first, then!¡±
With that, Bong Jae-seok bolted out of Workshop No. 4 like the wind.
The vice president gave him a light nod as she followed after.
Not bad at all.
I had answered a few questions and received a B-rank ingot box in return.
And just as Bong Jae-seok had confirmed at the end, more obstacles would likely arise in the future.
Each time, we would be able to make mutually beneficial exchanges.
When we left the magic engineering workshop, Seo Ye-in asked me,
¡°Where to now?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go see the senior tailor again.¡±
The schrship senior who had told us toe tomorrow contacted us sooner than expected.
It seemed he had set everything aside to take care of the upgrade first.
The power of authority is truly frightening.
Just a single question, ¡°Are you busy?¡± had this much of an impact.
With that thought in mind, I headed toward the tailor club.
Soon, the schrship senior came into view. He was waiting in front of the club room.
He greeted us with the same incredibly kind smile he had when he saw us offst time.
¡°Hey, you¡¯re here? It finished sooner than I thought, so I called you. I¡¯m not busy at all.¡±
Emphasizing how ¡°not busy¡± he was, he handed over two pairs of sneakers and a set of armor.
The sneakers were mostly white, but the ent colors shifted asionally to pale red, blue, and yellow in certain areas.
[Cloudstepper (B+)]
? Bonus to movement skills.
? Inertia Ignoring (C) applied.
?Automatic durability recovery
?Multicolor Defense (C)
?Upgradeable
With the multicolored scale upgrade, a ¡°+¡± was added to its original rank, and a C-rank multicolor defense trait was included.
It seemed that even though he rushed, he hadn¡¯t done the job carelessly.
I bowed my head slightly.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to finish this so quickly. Thank you.¡±
¡°Oh, no, no. It wasn¡¯t anything difficult. I should¡¯ve finished it quickly.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll make sure to let the team leader know.¡±
¡°Haha, you don¡¯t have to go that far. Thank you.¡±
The atmosphere between the schrship senior and me was rather warm and friendly.
However, from time to time, he carefully nced at Seo Ye-in as if to gauge her reaction.
Chapter 218: 12th Week Duel Battle (1)
Chapter 218: 12th Week Duel Battle (1)
After finishing up at the tailoring club, Seo Ye-in and I returned to the training center.
It was time to resume training with the Wind Barrier.
But before that, I figured it would be better to hand things over first, so I sent a message to Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°Hello, Kim-hyung.¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo quickly came to our training room.
As soon as he arrived, his gaze dropped and he shifted between looking at the upgraded Cloudsteppers that Seo Ye-in and I were wearing.
A satisfied fatherly smile then spread across his face.
¡°They look really good.¡±¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve got yours too.¡±
Without much reaction, I returned the armor that Go Hyeon-woo had entrusted to me.
[Multicolor Carapace (C+)]
? Multicolor Defense (C+)
? Upgradeable
Originally, it had beenrge and heavy due to the bronze upgrade, but that was reced with a multicolored scale upgrade.
The weight and bulk have been significantly reduced, giving it the mobility that a warrior like Go Hyeon-woo needs to wear itfortably.
It was light enough to wear under his uniform, like a t-shirt.
Go Hyeon-woo looked extremely pleased with his new armor.
¡°I always end up getting more than I deserve from Kim-hyung. Thank you.¡±
¡°No need to thank me. It¡¯ll alle out of your share.¡±
¡°Haha, you mean this? I¡¯m quite satisfied with your way of doing things, Kim-hyung.¡±
We shared a lightugh as we looked at each other.
But just then, Seo Ye-in who had been standing there with a sleepy expression suddenly started tugging at my sleeve.
When I met her gaze, she said a single short word.
¡°Now.¡±
¡°Now?¡±
¡°Jackpot.¡±
¡°Box?¡±
Nod.
Go Hyeon-woo was clearly puzzled and seemed unable to follow our brief exchange, but Seo Ye-in and I understood each other perfectly.
Now, jackpot, box.
If you put that together into one sentence, it meant:
¡°If you open the ingot box now, you¡¯ll hit the jackpot.¡±
The ter¡± that was mentioned back in the magic engineering workshop had just be ¡°now¡±.
So I pulled out the [Ghost Captain¡¯s Ingot Box], and as soon as Seo Ye-in took it, she opened the lid.
aash¡ª!
A thick fog poured out of the box and filled the training room.
Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in, who were standing nearby, were barely visible through the thick fog.
It felt as though we had been transported to the sea, with the air humid and carrying the faint scent of salt.
With this level of effect¡
It was practically guaranteed to be a jackpot.
As expected, the item revealed when the fog lifted didn¡¯t disappoint me.
It was a metal with an overall dark blue color and a strange texture.
[Kraketite Ingot (A)]
This was a rare metal that crystallized inside the body of the deep-sea boss monster, Kraken, though it was incredibly rare.
Even the smallest amount held immense value, and this was a fully processed ingot.
If I used this to craft the next part andbined it with Deep Root,
I¡¯ll definitely get at least an A+.
¡°Wow. Miss Seo¡¯s luck never ceases to amaze me.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo didn¡¯t know exactly what Krakatite was, but it seemed he understood it was a powerful item, likely on the level of an A-rank.
Well, just by looking at it, anyone could tell it wasn¡¯t ordinary.
As he marveled at the ingot, Seo Ye-in looked up at me closely and asked,
¡°Helpful?¡±
¡°You helped a lot.¡±
¡°¡pillow?¡±
¡°Yeah, tonight you can use it as much as you want.¡±
Although the current usage of the Kim Ho pillow was in the negatives, she had just pulled out an A-rank material so there was no need to be too strict this time.
Her gray eyes sparkled with excitement at my approval.
Then, as if a new thought crossed her mind, she asked again.
¡°¡Butler?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not happening.¡±
¡°A shame.¡±
Still, some things just weren¡¯t possible.
***
Monday.
Duel battle ss.
Teacher Lee Soo-dok scanned the room before speaking.
¡°The purpose of conducting practical evaluations in hostile environments can be summed up in two main points.¡±
The first was survival in hostile environments.
The second was making use of the hostile environment.
¡°But judging by the results of thest duel battle and strategy battle ¡ hardly anyone used the environment to their advantage.¡±
Take the volcanic zone, for example, which was the environment for thest duel battle week.
It was a dangerous area with rivers ofva overflowing and fireballs randomly raining down from above.
A couple of examples of using this terrain would be when I used Wind Force to throw Kang Hee-chan and Son Hyeong-taek into theva river, or when Hong Yeon-hwa made the falling fireballs explode.
But cases like those were rare, and most students just rushed to defeat their opponent before getting swept away by theva.
The battles ended so quickly that it was hard to say anyone really experienced survival, let alone made use of the environment.
Lee Soo-dok¡¯s lips curled into a smirk.
¡°So this week, we¡¯ve prepared something that will allow you to make use of the environment a bit more.¡±
¡°¡.¡!¡±
The students grew increasingly anxious and their eyes darted nervously.
That was because, up until now, whenever he said he had something prepared, not once had it been anything easy.
Soon the rules and environment for the week appeared on the board.
MAP: [Cloud Stairs]
RULE: [Deathmatch] [Double] [Random Matching]
They were all rules the students had experienced at least once before.
It was a 2-vs-2 battle to take down the enemy.
With random matching, teammates were assigned by chance.
What mattered was the new environment, the Cloud Stairs.
This is my favorite map.
Before exining further, Lee Soo-dok pulled out a bundle of clouds from somewhere and held it in his hand.
It was somewhere between smoke and cotton, soft and fluffy but still tangible.
¡°All of the terrain in Cloud Stairs is made of these clouds. They¡¯ll serve as solid tforms.¡±
Next, a doodle-like drawing appeared on the board.
Cloud tforms floated inyers at regr intervals.
In the drawing, a figure stood on the lowest cloud, then leaped up, and kept climbing higher and higher.
As the figure continued jumping to higher levels, the clouds at the very bottom began to scatter and disappear, one by one.
¡°The cloud tforms will gradually vanish, starting from the lowest level as time passes. Also¡ª¡±
Lee Soo-dok clenched his hand, and with a loud pop, the cloud in his grasp scattered into nothing.
¡°¡ªyou can destroy them by dealing a certain amount of damage.¡±
In summary, the participants must continuously climb upwards by stepping on the cloud tforms.
If you fell behind and stayed on the lowest level, the tforms would disappear and you would drop below.
You can also attack the opponent or the cloud that the opponent stepped on as you ascend to hinder them.
This meant that long-range fighters had a considerable advantage this time.
Whether by defeating or knocking your opponent off, thest one standing would win.
¡°Um¡ Teacher.¡±
At that moment, one student cautiously raised their hand.
When Lee Soo-dok gestured for them to speak, the question everyone was wondering about finally came out.
¡°So¡ what happens if we fall down¡.?¡±
The smile on Lee Soo-dok¡¯s lips deepened as if he had been waiting for that very question.
¡°You¡¯ll find out. What happens if you jump out of a ne without a parachute?¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°Enjoy the thrill.¡±
With that, Lee Soo-dok wrapped up the lesson.
But even after he left, a cold silence lingered in the ssroom for quite some time.
***
[Side Quest: 12th Week Duel Battles] (In Progress)
? Objective: Complete 3 duel matches. (-/3)
? Deadline: ~ midnight on Sunday.
? Reward: Varies based on the number of wins. (-/3 wins)
I had alwayspleted side quests with the highest achievements, but this time, I absolutely had to secure three consecutive wins.
If things went as I expected, a huge reward was going to be given after such a long time.
The Copy Slot.
So the moment ss ended, I headed straight to the arena.
Since it was random matching anyway, there was no need to form a team or strategize in advance.
It seemed the other students thought the same way, as the arena was already packed with arge crowd, even though it was only the first day of the duel battle week.
After scanning my student ID at the terminal and waiting for a moment, the match was set.
I nced at the names that appeared on the scoreboard and thought to myself.
It really matched like this, huh?
I figured there was a chance since the scores were simr, but I never expected it to actually happen.
When I stepped onto the teleportation magic circle and entered the arena, I suddenly found myself standing in the middle of an incredibly high sky.
We were so high up that I couldn¡¯t clearly see what was below.
What I was standing on was a cluster of clouds, just like the one Lee Soo-dok had shown us.
Of course, this one wasn¡¯t just a small cloud; it was wide and thick enough to stand on and even take a few steps.
These cloud tforms were scattered upwards at intervals, yet stretched endlessly.
It was literally a staircase of clouds.
And then the teammate who appeared nearby was¡ª
¡°Kim Ho¡!¡±
It was Cha Hyeon-joo who was building up a bad rtionship with me.
In the crystal duel battle, I had sent her flying twice in a row,
When sheunched a preemptive strike during the midterms, I shattered her attack immediately and tossed her into theke.
And the next time we crossed paths, I had Seo Ye-in snipe her for me.
With this kind of history between us, it was no surprise that Cha Hyeon-joo was ring at me like she wanted to kill me.
Still, since we were on the same team now, we couldn¡¯t just spend the whole match growling at each other.
I casually initiated the conversation.
¡°Since our scores are simr, we¡¯ve ended up on the same team. Let¡¯s try working together for at least this match.¡±
¡°Work together? Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±
¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for both of us to set aside personal feelings? It¡¯s still a duel battle, after all, and our scores are on the line.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±
While I was trying to keep things friendly between us, Cha Hyeon-joo continued to growl.
She was someone who stubbornly insisted on using daggers even if she lost, so I had somewhat expected this. It was clear that she didn¡¯t care about losing points.
I asked again.
¡°So, what do you want to do?¡±
¡°Want to win? Go ahead and try. Make it 3 against 1.¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo scoffed as she replied.
In other words, she was saying she nned to team kill.
Three against one, huh?
It looked like this wasn¡¯t going to go smoothly.
I figured I should first assess the enemy¡¯s capabilities, so I shifted my gaze forward. Both of them looked somewhat familiar.
One of them was Jeong Soo-ji, from the Emerald Magic Tower.
Her skill level was simr to Kwak Ji-cheol, but she leaned more toward a defensive ystyle.
Of course, we¡¯d have to see if her skills held up while fighting above the clouds.
The other one was Choi Jeong-pil from my ss.
Not that it meant much; we only knew each other¡¯s faces and names.
Based on what I saw during the cement exam, he was in the closebat ss.
Judging by the axes he gripped in both hands, that much was clear.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
As the three of them focused their attention solely on me, the countdown began.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Kim Ho 100% Cha Hyeon-joo 100%]
Vs
[Jeong Soo-ji 100% Choi Jeong-pil 100%]
Just like she said, Cha Hyeon-joo immediately aimed her bow at me the moment the match began.
The sudden internal strife startled the opposing team even more.
An arrow could have lodged in my chest at any moment, but I stayed calm and asked,
¡°You really have no intention of cooperating with me?¡±
¡°None!¡±
¡°I see¡¡±
I nodded my head with a bitter expression¡ª
Boom!
¡ªbeforepressed air exploded and Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s body went flying through the air.
¡°Then get lost.¡±
***
TN: Probably the first time I felt that Kim Ho was a bit angry/annoyed. This girl should be proud.
Chapter 219: 12th Week Duel Battle (2)
Even as she was struck by the sudden wind force and sent flying, Cha Hyeon-joo remained calm.
Quickly, she switched out her arrow and fired it.
Whoosh!
The arrow had a hook instead of a tip and a rope attached to its end.
As soon as the hook caught onto a cloud, she grabbed the rope and began climbing up.
She¡¯s definitely a promising student.
Seeing how she easily escaped a situation that would have trapped most people made it clear.
Of course, I wasn¡¯t just going to stand by and watch.
The moment Cha Hyeon-joo finally reached the cloud¡ªBoom!
Compressed air exploded once again, forcefully pushing her away.
It was a wind force I had prepared from the moment her hooked arrowtched onto the cloud.
¡°Ugh¡!¡±
Only then did a sense of danger appear on Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s face.
As she flew through the air, she frantically scanned her surroundings and spotted a floating cloud tform nearby.
Desperately, she stretched out her hand clung to the cloud, and tried to climb up.
¡°Peekaboo.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
But I was already standing there and waiting for her.
I pressed my foot firmly on Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s hand and spoke.
¡°I¡¯ll give you onest choice. Do you want to fall, or fight with me?¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo had already boldly dered her intention to team-kill.
But rather than facing a 3-on-1, it would be better for me to get rid of her early and make it a 2-on-1.
However, if there was even the slightest chance to get the cooperation of a promising student like her, it was worth extending a final offer.
Handling it as a 2-on-2 would be much easier.
Or I could just send her flying right away.
Either way, I had nothing to lose.
Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s face twisted with anger and humiliation.
Ignoring her reaction, I began the countdown.
¡°Five, four, three¡¡±
Whoosh¡ª
At the same time, wind gathered andpressed in my hand.
A clear sign that I was ready to send her skydiving whenever I wanted.
Seeing this, Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s face twitched slightly and she turned her head away before muttering in a low voice.
¡°¡I¡¯ll fight.¡±
¡°The wind¡¯s pretty loud up here. I can¡¯t hear you.¡±
Whoosh¡ª
The wind in my hand swirled even more fiercely.
Cha Hyeon-joo clenched her eyes shut and shouted.
¡°I¡¯ll fight! I¡¯ll fight with you!¡±
¡°Are you going all the way? No backstabbing?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
No matter how much she resisted, she would helplessly fall down with just a wave of my hand.
It seemed she decided it was better to join forces for now. She would watch me fight before she made her next move.
Of course, she might still stab me in the backter.
Then I won¡¯t hold back either.
I removed my foot from Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s hand.
She crawled up onto the tform and red at me with a face full of frustration.
After meeting her gaze for a moment, I gestured to the side with my chin.
¡°Go.¡±
There stood Choi Jeong-pil, approaching us with twin axes in his hands.
My gesture held a clear meaning:
Take care of him.
Cha Hyeon-joo seemed to understand; her eyes narrowed as she red at Choi Jeong-pil with a fierce intensity.
Then, like lightning, she nocked several arrows and fired them.
Whirrrr!
Each shot was filled with emotion, as if she had decided to unleash all the anger she had toward me on him.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Caught off guard by the sudden barrage of arrows, Choi Jeong-pil stopped in his tracks and swung his axes at an incredible speed, deflecting most of them.
However, a few managed to graze his forearm and shoulder.
[Choi Jeong-pil: 100%]
[Choi Jeong-pil: 96%]
Choi Jeong-pil immediately prepared to counterattack.
His arm blurred for a moment, then the hand axe spun like a boomerang and went flying toward Cha Hyeon-joo.
She leaped back into the clouds to avoid the axe while continuing her barrage of arrows.
Whirrrr!
I¡¯ll let them y for now.
I turned my attention to tracking the other one.
Jeong Soo-ji had started heading upward as soon as the match began. She likely judged that herbat abilities were rtively weak.
Despite moving first, the distance between us hadn¡¯t grown much.
She needs to exercise.
The first reason was that her own physical capabilities weren¡¯t particrly impressive.
I remembered she was terrible in closebat, and it seemed she still hadn¡¯t fixed that weakness.
Another critical reason was that the distance between tforms was quite far.
If she missed a jump and didn¡¯t reach the next tform, she¡¯d fall straight down, so each leap required her full concentration.
Guess I¡¯ll go after her.
Whoosh¡ª
I kicked off the clouds lightly and created an updraft with Wind Force as I ascended.
I felt my body lift into the air as my vision blurred past, and I quickly reached the next cloud tform.
I kept leaping upward in the same way.
Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s jumping method involved carefully positioning herself, gathering all her strength, and then jumping with everything she had only to stop at the next tform and repeat the process. On the other hand, I lightly hopped from tform to tform as if stepping on stones.
Naturally, the distance between us closed quickly.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Jeong Soo-ji who saw me closing in grew flustered.
She tried to send earthen bullets my way in an attempt to hold me off.
However, since she wasn¡¯t using the ground as a base, their power was much weaker.
This much, I can handle.
Whoosh¡ª
A gust of wind wrapped around me and formed a thin barrier.
I just cast the E+-rank Wind Barrier.
Moreover, although I had held back during training, the advantage of wind magic was its ability tobine multiple spells.
The wind swirled with physical force.
As a result, each earthen bullet crumbled into dust the moment it touched the barrier and scattered away.
I didn¡¯t stop jumping as I maintained the barrier, and finally, I managed to catch up to Jeong Soo-ji.
In her panic, she leaped to a higher cloud in an attempt to escape.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Whoooosh¡ª
A headwind blew down from above, pressing Jeong Soo-ji downward.
Her upward momentum suddenly slowed.
¡°Wh-What, wh-whoooa¡ª?¡±
She iled her arms and legs as she plummeted.
Fortunately, there was a tform directly beneath her fall.
Jeong Soo-ji managed tond t on it and let out a sigh of relief.
But it was too soon to rx.
Inded right behind her.
For a few seconds, we stood on the same tform while facing each other.
¡°Y-You¡!¡±
That alone seemed to make her lose the will to fight.
She couldn¡¯t defeat me even when it was two against one with Kwak Ji-cheol, so how could she stand a chance now?
Taking a step back, she hastily spoke.
¡°Wait a second! I¡¯ll just forfeit¡ª¡±
Boom¡ª!
¡°Haaaah¡ª!¡±
Jeong Soo-ji was shot straight down, quickly bing a tiny dot before disappearing.
[Jeong Soo-ji ¨C %]
One down.
I shifted my attention back to the two people I had left behind.
Looking at the scoreboard,
[Cha Hyeon-joo: 100%]
vs
[Choi Jeong-pil: 72%]
Choi Jeong-pil had been on the receiving end of a one-sided beating.
He wielded two axes and fought an archer at a distance. The oue was already decided.
On top of that, wasn¡¯t this archer considered a promising student?
Whoosh!
Choi Jeong-pil threw his two hand axes like boomerangs. He then retrieved them as he continued to pursue Cha Hyeon-joo.
But since Cha Hyeon-joo kept leaping backward, the distance between them never closed.
At the same time, she was firing arrows, slowly chipping away at Choi Jeong-pil¡¯s health.
Even just standing by and watching, it was clear this fight would end in Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s victory.
However, I didn¡¯t want to waste any more time just waiting, so I decided to step in.
This is a team game, after all.
I jumped over the cloud tforms and made my way to the battle.
When I was close enough, I nted myself firmly on a tform and cast wind magic.
[Earth Line]
[Twister]
[Wind Force]
Whooooosh¡ª!
Wind blew in from all directions, forming a whirlwind that grasped Choi Jeong-pil¡¯s body.
He suddenly found himselfpletely immobilized.
¡°What¡ª?!¡±
Choi Jeong-pil¡¯s face was filled with shock.
It wasn¡¯t until he shifted his gaze to the side that he realized I had already intervened, but by then it was far toote.
Even at that moment, Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s barrage of arrows continued flying.
Thwack thwack thwack!
¡°Kraaah!!¡±
[Choi Jeong-pil: 68%]
[Choi Jeong-pil: 52%]
As Choi Jeong-pil took the full brunt of the arrows, he seemed to lose consciousness for a moment.
When his body went limp, I gave him a gentle push with Wind Force and he slipped off the cloud tform before plummeting below.
A defeat not just from the fight but from falling as well.
Soon, the scoreboard was updated.
[Kim Ho, Cha Hyeon-joo Win]
vs
[Jeong Soo-ji, Choi Jeong-pil Lose]
¡°¡¡¡±
Despite the easy victory, Cha Hyeon-joo didn¡¯t seem the least bit pleased.
It looked like she wasn¡¯t happy about how closely she had followed my orders.
I opened my mouth to speak with a calm expression on my face,
¡°You did a good jo¡ª¡±
Boom!
¡°¡ªb. Now get lost.¡±
And I walked out, leaving behind Cha Hyeon-joo who was quickly flying away.
***
Not long after I stepped out of the arena, Cha Hyeon-joo followed behind.
Maybe it was because of that skydiving-like experience at the end, but she was ring at me and breathing heavily.
I met her gaze and spoke with my eyes.
¨C So what?
We stared each other down for a moment, but eventually, Cha Hyeon-joo was the first to look away.
Still, she kept ncing over. She was definitelypetitive.
I have to give her credit for her fighting spirit.
Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s strengths: skilled and highlypetitive.
Weaknesses: everything else.
With that thought, I scanned my student ID on the terminal.
¡°¡¡¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo, who had been sneaking nces at me, quickly scanned her own student ID as well.
She must be hoping we¡¯ll be matched up again.
This time, preferably as opponents.
It¡¯s definitely possible.
There are hundreds of first-year students at the Dragon yer Academy.
Of course, not all of them were participating in duel battles at this exact time.
Some might be prioritizing training or club activities and would postpone their duel battles toter in the week or weekend.
So right now, it was likely that less than half of the whole grade was up for matching.
Even within that smaller pool, when divided into score ranges like 300 points, 700 points, and 900 points, the number of participants in each bracket would only be a few dozen at most.
So, the odds of facing the same opponent in consecutive battles became fairly high.
¡°¡¡!¡±
But soon, Cha Hyeon-joo checked the scoreboard and frowned.
It seemed, unfortunately, that she was matched with other students.
Grind,
She gave me onest look and gritted her teeth before stepping into the teleportation circle and disappearing.
We¡¯ll probably meet again soon enough.
Since she mainly used a bow as her weapon, her score would continue to rise for a while, and that meant her score would stay more or less in line with mine as I climbed too.
After waiting a bit, I got matched as well.
First, I checked the two opponents:
[Choi Jeong-pil 695 points, Son Hyeong-taek 688 points]
Choi Jeong-pil, whom I had just faced in the previous match.
The other opponent was Son Hyeong-taek, whom I had faced in a duel battle at the volcanic zone.
My teammate was also someone very familiar.
I keep running into this one a lot.
While the odds made it possible, it felt like I encountered her especially often.
I wasn¡¯t sure if that was good luck or bad.
Just then, I felt someone¡¯s gaze and turned my head. Standing there was a bright red head of hair that always stood out.
[Kim Ho 675 points, Hong Yeon-hwa 718 points]
¡°¡¡!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa was looking at me with a bright face.
If she had a tail, it would probably be wagging furiously.
Chapter 220: 12th Week Duel Battle (3)
When the match was set and Kim Ho¡¯s name appeared on the scoreboard, Hong Yeon-hwa let out a silent scream.
Huwaaa!
¡But when she took a closer look, she realized that she and Kim Ho were on the same team.
She had been through so much at his hands before that just seeing the name ¡°Kim Ho¡± had instinctively filled her with fear.
Once she understood they were on the same side, the feeling that washed over her was a strange excitement.
It was like receiving an unexpected gift.
In the previous three-way duel battle at the volcanic zone, she had suffered through absurd and unfair pairings.
One round was against the monster Kim Ho, and the next was against Seo Ye-in, a monster trained by none other than Kim Ho.
The result of finishing second in both matches? A mere 11 points.When she thought about how she had pushed herself to the limit, it felt like an empty achievement.
But this time¡!
That monster Kim Ho was on her side.
Even just seeing his name on the scoreboard filled her with a sense of reassurance.
Hong Yeon-hwa scanned the crowd of waiting students and immediately spotted Kim Ho.
He didn¡¯t look particrly special, so why was it that he stood out so much?
Perhaps he felt her gaze as he turned to look her way.
¡°¡¡¡±
Maybe it was because they were ying this match together,
But somehow, it didn¡¯t feel as scary as before.
The two exchanged brief greetings, and Kim Ho gestured toward the arena with his eyes.
¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa followed closely behind Kim Ho as he led the way.
As soon as they stepped onto the teleportation magic circle, their surroundings shifted in an instant, and the next moment, they were standing on a wide cloud tform high up in the endless sky.
Simr tforms were floating at a certain distance everywhere in their field of vision, and Hong Yeon Hwa nced down to see what was below.
I absolutely can¡¯t fall. No matter what.
She repeated the thought firmly in her mind.
Next, she checked the opposing team, who had appeared on the opposite side.
From Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s perspective, she didn¡¯t know Choi Jeong-pil at all, and she had only briefly seen Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s face during the 4-on-4 mentoring match.
Still, she could confirm that the former was a dual-axe warrior and thetter a martial artist. At least she knew that much.
This is starting off well.
Not only was she lucky to be teamed up with the monster Kim Ho, but both opponents were close-range sses.
Considering the terrain favored long-rangebat, they were already starting off with an advantage.
But¡ do they know each other?
Just as Hong Yeon-hwa suspected, the other three had met before.
In a bad way.
As soon as Son Hyeong-taek and Choi Jeong-pil saw Kim Ho¡¯s face, they both grimaced at the same time.
Then, after checking each other¡¯s expressions, they spoke at the same time.
¡°Did he get you too?¡±
¡°You too?¡±
Wind magic victims A and B.
Especially Choi Jeong-pil, who had just been humiliated by Kim Ho in the previous match.
His direct opponent had been Cha Hyeon-ju, but since Kim Ho had interfered at the crucial moment, his anger toward Kim Ho was far greater than toward Cha Hyeon-ju.
Choi Jeong-pil gritted his teeth.
¡°¡No matter what it takes, I¡¯m going to make sure that guy is eliminated.¡±
¡°We want the same thing. But you should be careful. That guy¡¯s wind magic is no joke.¡±
¡°I know that.¡±
Kim Ho used tactics that either pushed his opponents from various angles or trapped them in ce with whirlwinds.
And his timing was annoyingly perfect.
On terrain like this, with unstable footing, they¡¯d have to be even more cautious.
Still locking his gaze on Kim Ho, Son Hyeong-taek made a suggestion.
¡°So how about we take him out as soon as the match starts?¡±
¡°Focus all our attacks on Kim Ho?¡±
¡°Yeah. You¡¯ve got at least one ranged attack up your sleeve, right?¡±
It was true that Son Hyeong-taek had his wind fists, and Choi Jeong-pil had the option of throwing his hand axes.
But then Choi Jeong-pil thought of another problem.
¡°What about Hong Yeon-hwa?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
A promising student that anyone at the Dragon yer Academy would know.
Would she really just stand by and watch while they focused their attacks on Kim Ho, her own teammate?
Even if they were lucky enough to take him down, by then she would have prepared all sorts of magic to meet them head-on.
However, in the next moment, the two of them exchanged a nce and came to a silent agreement.
¡°¡We¡¯ll deal with thatter.¡±
¡°¡Yeah.¡±
Even if they lost the match, they still wanted tond at least one blow on that annoying guy.
Kim Ho calmly watched as the two opponents¡¯ faces twisted, rxed, whispered to each other, and then twisted again.
Then, he suddenly threw a question at Hong Yeon-hwa.
¡°What do you want to do?¡±
¡°Huh, uh¡? Strategy¡?¡±
Kim Ho gave a slight nod of his chin.
Just like during the mentoring match, he was signaling that he would follow her lead.
In that case, what would be the best approach in this environment?
After a brief moment of consideration, Hong Yeon-hwa cautiously exined her strategy.
After listening to her n, Kim Ho responded.
¡°So you¡¯re saying I need to buy us time. A two-on-one.¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s not that you need to stall for too long¡ maybe¡?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa felt a bit uneasy about having her teammate face a two-on-one situation, but Kim Ho unexpectedly agreed without hesitation.
¡°Okay.¡±
Soon, the countdown began.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Kim Ho 100%, Hong Yeon-hwa 100%]
vs
[Choi Jeong-pil 100%, Son Hyeong-taek 100%]
Thud!
Choi Jeong-pil and Son Hyeong-taek immediatelyunched themselves forward and charged toward them.
Hong Yeon-hwa cast her fire magic and absorbed it with Overheat.
She could clearly feel her physical abilities being enhanced and there was a noticeable improvement because her skill¡¯s rank had recently risen to C through training.
The next step in her n was to jump to the highest point and secure her position.
But then,
Whooosh¡ª!
A fierce wind gathered andpressed in Kim Ho¡¯s hand.
¡°I¡¯ll throw you.¡±
¡°Me, me¡?¡±
¡°You said you¡¯re going up. This would be faster, right?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true¡ but¡?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t like it?¡±
Kim Ho¡¯s eyes shed.
To Hong Yeon-hwa, it seemed as if his words carried a deeper meaning.
¨C After exining the whole strategy to me ¡
¨C You don¡¯t actually want to go up quickly?
¨C Were you not nning to take this seriously from the start?
¨C Then I guess I¡¯ll have to throw you down instead!
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face turned pale.
Her only options were up or down.
Forcing the corners of her trembling lips into a smile, she managed to respond.
¡°Th-That definitely seems faster! Go ahead, th-throw me¡?¡±
At that, Kim Ho lightly grabbed her arm andunched her upward with a push.
Hong Yeon-hwa felt her body gently float into the air.
Huh, this isn¡¯t so¡
Just as she thought it wasn¡¯t so scary¡ª
Boom!
pressed air exploded behind her, rocketing her body upward like a missile.
¡°Aaaaah¡ª! Ack!¡±
She mmed into a cloud tform above her.
Fortunately, the tform was quite soft, almost like it was really made of clouds.
Hong Yeon-hwa sat up and rubbed her nose.
When she looked down, she saw that Kim Ho wasn¡¯t even checking to see how she was doing. He was simply staring straight ahead.
Meanwhile, Choi Jeong-pil and Son Hyeong-taek were steadily closing the distance toward him.
This isn¡¯t the time to be sitting around.
Hong Yeon-hwa calmed herself and began chanting her spell.
The ruby embedded in her wand shed a vivid red.
[zing Armor]
Fwoosh,
mes rose from beneath her feet and they formed armor that enveloped her.
This was the second defensive spell she had mastered after the Reverse Curtain, the zing Armor.
Its defense was simr to other armor-type spells, but zing Armor had an advantage. It boosted the effect of any fire-type magic cast connected to it.
Although the spell had a long casting time, that was of no concern to Hong Yeon-hwa.
She smoothly connected her spells one after another.
A dome of mes surrounded her.
And on each cloud tform floating around, a magic circle appeared.
In addition, she prepared ranged spells like fire arrows, ready to beunched at any moment.
When she looked down again, Kim Ho was still running and trying to evade the pursuit of the opposing team.
He leaped across the tforms like they were stepping stones, and dodged the iing fists of wind and hand axes with slight shifts of his body.
¡°Hurry up, will you? Why are you moving so slowly?¡±
¡°You punk!¡±
asionally, they exchanged rough words with each other, but in some way, it almost seemed like they were having fun.
¡Are they actually friends?
Thanks to the time Kim Ho had bought for her, Hong Yeon-hwa was able toplete all her preparations.
She began to fully engage in the battlefield.
A fire arrow left her hand and shot forward,
Boom!
It hit the tform Son Hyeong-taek was about tond on.
The cloud was instantly consumed by the mes and scattered into the air as if it were made of cotton.
Son Hyeong-taek and Choi Jeong-pil froze the moment they saw this.
¡°This won¡¯t work at this rate.¡±
¡°¡Seems that way.¡±
Their original n was to focus their attacks and take down Kim Ho first, but that slippery guy was far more agile than expected.
Not a single attack hadnded on him and he was so good at dodging that they couldn¡¯t close the distance at all.
And now, Hong Yeon-hwa had started supporting him with long-range attacks.
It was clear their strategy had to change.
¡°We¡¯ll take down Hong Yeon-hwa first.¡±
The two turned and leaped upward,
They started heading for the cloud tforms closer to Hong Yeon-hwa.
¡°Hmph.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa gazed at them with cold eyes.
In a normal situation, she might have felt a bit nervous about facing a sudden two-on-one scenario, but not this time.
She had already made all the necessary preparations.
With a small gesture of her wand, the magic circles she had etched into the cloud tforms glowed red.
Just as Son Hyeong-taeknded on one of the tforms,
Whoooooooooosh!
A pir of fire erupted.
¡°What the¡ª?!¡±
Son Hyeong-taek instinctively kicked off the cloud and flung himself backward, managing to return to the previous tform in time.
Choi Jeong-pil, however, wasn¡¯t as quick to react.
The moment he touched the cloud tform, a pir of fire shot up and engulfed him.
Boooom¡ª!
¡°Aaaargh!¡±
Choi Jeong-pil iled desperately as the mes swallowed him whole.
However, his pain didn¡¯tst long, as the cloud tform also burned and scattered.
Choi Jeong-pil plummeted below and soon turned into a small dot before disappearingpletely.
[Choi Jeong-pil ¨C %]
¡°Damn¡!¡±
Only then did Son Hyeong-taek carefully survey his surroundings and realize that the tforms etched with magic circles outnumbered the ones without.
He had stepped right into the mage¡¯s domain without even knowing it.
Whoosh!
Fire arrows shot toward him as if they didn¡¯t intend to give him any time to rest.
They targeted both him and the cloud tforms at the same time.
In other words, even if he dodged, the tform would burn and disappear.
The only thing he could do was keep moving.
As hended on the next tform, a pir of fire erupted right beneath him.
In a panic, he blindly leaped to the next visible tform.
While doing so, he sent a wind fist flying as a counter attack,
Bang!
But the wind fist couldn¡¯t even prate the barrier.
Hong Yeon-hwa fired her fire arrows without so much as a flinch.
Damn it¡!
He hadpletely fallen into her pace.
For now, all he could do was frantically leap around every time Hong Yeon-hwa moved her hand.
Then, the continuous flow of her fire magic abruptly stopped.
Son Hyeong-taek felt something was off, stopped in his tracks, and stared at her.
At first, he thought Hong Yeon-hwa was looking at him, but soon realized that wasn¡¯t the case.
Her gaze was slightly off to the side.
And when he turned his head in that direction¡
¡°Wee back.¡±
¡°Kim¡ª!¡±
Boom!
Compressed air exploded, sending Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s body hurtling downward at great speed.
¡°Hwoooaaaah¡ª!¡±
[Son Hyeong-taek ¨C %]
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s strategy was for Kim Ho to buy time while she secured control of the tforms.
The n had worked almost perfectly and allowed them to get rid of Choi Jeong-pil with rtive ease.
Though the final part deviated slightly from the original n, as Son Hyeong-taek frantically evaded the fire arrows and pirs of me, Kim Ho closed in and knocked him down.
¡°¡¡¡±
Kim Ho nced at Hong Yeon-hwa and gave her a slight nod of his chin.
Though they were quite far apart, Hong Yeon-hwa felt like she knew exactly what he had said.
¨C Well done.
A bright smile spread across Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face.
***
Hong Yeon-hwa moved outside the arena.
She quickly nced around and soon spotted Kim Ho.
He was scanning his student ID at the terminal and got ready to queue for the next match.
Should I¡ do it too?
She hesitated for a moment.
What if she queued up after him and ended up facing Kim Ho as her opponent?
Wouldn¡¯t all the points she had worked so hard to earn be reset?
¡No, I¡¯ll do it.
She couldn¡¯t quite exin why, but today felt like a day where things would go her way.
It wouldn¡¯t be like the forced matchups from thest duel battle week.
With that baseless confidence, Hong Yeon-hwa scanned her student ID.
Her heart began to race, and she had to hold her chest to calm herself down.
It¡¯s not, right? It won¡¯t happen, right?
Was she being reckless?
Should she cancel while she still could?
But what about her pride?
Would pride protect her points?
A thousand thoughts shed through her mind.
And finally, when the match was set, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face brightened again.
[Kim Ho 710 points, Hong Yeon-hwa 741 points]
Yes!
She had ended up on the same team as the monster Kim Ho for two consecutive matches!
Today was definitely her lucky day.
However.
When she checked the names of the two students on the opposing team, she couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback.
¡Huh?
[Go Hyeon-woo 803 points, Seo Ye-in 761 points]
Hong Yeon-hwa cautiously shifted her eyes to gauge Kim Ho¡¯s reaction.
The corners of his mouth slowly curled upward and his face became more and more sinister.
Hong Yeon-hwa shuddered.
Chapter 221: 12th Week Duel Battle (4)
I took in the sight of Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in across from me.
This is perfect.
Winning was already a given.
Since there was a copy slot as a side quest reward.
It would be as easy as flipping a hand.
Amplifying Wind Force to A+ and pushing them off the clouds would end it right there.
But that would be a bad approach.
What good would it do to show off power and im a quick victory against those two?
They already knew everything they needed to know.What mattered was the process.
How they won or lost and what they learned from it.
In that regard, Hong Yeon-hwa was the perfect teammate.
Go Hyeon-woo hadn¡¯t faced many true mages before, and Seo Ye-in only secured her victories by exploiting the natural advantage between gunslingers and mages, but in terms of raw skill, she still had a long way to go.
She was a promising mage so with a little nudge from me,
I could definitely help them realize that.
Therefore, in this match, it was important to win while ¡°giving Hong Yeon-hwa the spotlight¡±.
¡°¡¡?¡±
From the moment the match was set, Hong Yeon-hwa kept ncing at me nervously.
It seemed like she wasn¡¯t sure what to expect since the opposing team consisted of my two closest friends.
I calmly broke the silence.
¡°Hong Yeon-hwa.¡±
¡°Y-Yes¡?¡±
¡°For this match, you¡¯re the main damage dealer.¡±
¡°M-Me¡?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll just be supporting from the side.¡±
¡°Is¡ is that okay¡?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa didn¡¯t look confident.
In thest three-way match in the volcanic zone, she had faced Seo Ye-in and lost, and now Go Hyeon-woo was added to the mix.
While he wasn¡¯t quite at the level of a promising student, he was known for being quite skilled.
So it made sense that she couldn¡¯t predict an easy victory.
On the other hand, I had a perfect grasp of both of their abilities, as well as Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s and my own.
So I spoke with certainty.
¡°It¡¯s fine. You can do it.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Of course, I¡¯d be the one steering the ship.
I began exining how we would approach this match.
Hong Yeon-hwa listened to me intently with gleaming eyes.
***
¡°What a coincidence.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo had a pleased smile on his face.
Ever since he first met Kim Ho in the middle of the forest, he wanted to fight with him once regardless of whether he won or lost.
So whenever he had the chance, he would request a spar, but Kim Ho always found some reason to decline.
Yet, unexpectedly, they had now met in an official setting.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in seemed more interested in the cloud tforms than the duel itself.
She squatted down and pressed the clouds with her fingertips, then curled up on top of them before lying down.
As usual, her face was expressionless, but there was an unmistakable air of contentment about her.
Go Hyeon-woo was also curious, so he asked for her thoughts.
¡°How does it feel to lie on them?¡±
¡°Comfortable¡.¡±
Seo Ye-in¡¯s eyelids began to droop slowly.
She looked ready to fall asleep at any moment.
However, as a responsible teammate, Go Hyeon-woo felt it necessary to bring this human sloth back to reality.
¡°I hate to break it to you, but that tform will disappear soon. Didn¡¯t they say it vanishes in sequence?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to fall down there, do you?¡±
Seo Ye-in was reluctant to skydive in her sleep so she sluggishly got up from her spot.
Still, her gaze lingered on the cloud tform with regret.
Still, since he had at least managed to get her on her feet, Go Hyeon-woo proceeded toy out his n.
¡°Our opponent is Kim-hyung, and I know Miss Hong¡¯s skills are exceptional as well. It would be wise for us to cooperate, so listen to this¡ª¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
But throughout his exnation, Seo Ye-in merely stared off into the distance with drowsy eyes.
Go Hyeon-woo couldn¡¯t be sure if she had even grasped what he was saying.
A wry smile tugged at his lips.
This isn¡¯t going to be easy.
Seo Ye-in had never shown much interest in others to begin with.
The only reason she was paying even a little attention was because it was Go Hyeon-woo speaking, someone she saw often enough. If it had been anyone else, she probably wouldn¡¯t have listened at all.
How does this Miss Seo follow Kim-hyung so obediently¡?
Even when she was slouched overzily, she would spring to her feet the moment Kim Ho said anything.
Strangely enough, the situation on the opposite side felt oddly familiar too.
Hong Yeon-hwa was focused entirely on Kim Ho; her ears perked up as if she didn¡¯t want to miss a single word he said.
To Go Hyeon-woo, Hong Yeon-hwa was like a fierce fighting dog.
Her fiery red hair made her stand out everywhere she went, and whenever people would stare at her in passing, her eyes would sh as if to say, ¡°What are you looking at? Got a problem?¡±
And yet, in front of Kim Ho, she acted as docile as amb. She was practically wagging her tail.
It¡¯s really a strange thing¡
At the same time, it made him wonder.
At the moment, Go Hyeon-woo was wondering what Kim Ho might be saying to Hong Yeon-hwa and what kind of strategy they had prepared for this match.
It seems like there will be a lot to learn.
With a pleased expression on his face, Go Hyeon-woo brought his hand to his waist.
The golden magic sword slid out smoothly from its scabbard, and a faint breeze coiled around the de.
Seo Ye-in who was notpletely without enthusiasm took out her magic rifle, inspected it, and switched to assault rifle mode.
Once both sides finished their preparations, the scoreboard began its countdown.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Kim Ho 100% Hong Yeon-hwa 100%]
vs
[Go Hyeon-woo 100% Seo Ye-in 100%]
Even as the match began, Kim Ho and Hong Yeon-hwa seemed to remain in ce for a moment.
But in the next instant,
Boom!
With the sound of an explosion, the two shot upward at incredible speed.
It seemed Kim Ho had beenpressing the wind while they were standing still.
In one breath, they ascended two floors and continued to rise higher still.
Despite moving as one, almost like they were tied together in a three-legged race, their speed was overwhelming.
Go Hyeon-woo who was watching this spoke.
¡°We can¡¯t fall behind either. Miss Seo, let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
The two kicked off from the cloud tforms and leaped upward.
Although their movements were fairly swift, they couldn¡¯tpare to their opponents who soared effortlessly on wind magic.
The distance between the two teams grew wider and wider.
¡°Haha, we¡¯re already in checkmate.¡±
¡°Kim Ho is fast.¡±
A quick nce below revealed that the cloud tforms were gradually disappearing from the lowest level upward.
If the Kim Ho-Hong Yeon-hwa team kept climbing at this pace, the trailing Go Hyeon-woo-Seo Ye-in team might eventually be overtaken by the vanishing tforms.
¡°But it won¡¯t end like this.¡±
Knowing Kim Ho¡¯s personality, Go Hyeon-woo was certain there were plenty of easier ways he could have ended the match by now.
The fact that he had chosen this method meant there was more toe.
As expected, after climbing steadily, Kim Ho and Hong Yeon-hwa suddenly stopped on one of the cloud tforms.
It seemed they had judged that they had gained enough distance.
¡°Distance is time.¡±
While Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in worked hard to close the gap, the other team now had time to prepare from their higher ground.
Whoosh!
Sure enough, Hong Yeon-hwa made full use of the time she had.
The ruby on her wand emitted a dazzling red light and she chanted spell after spell without pause.
Ayer of mes enveloped her entire body like armor, and a protective shield formed around her.
Whirr¡ª
On top of that, Kim Hoyered something that appeared to be wind magic.
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s eyes shed with recognition.
Their defense has threeyers.
It didn¡¯t seem like it would be easy to break through.
Judging that the foundation was now solid enough, Hong Yeon-hwa began to link her offensive spells in earnest.
[Phoenix Feather]
Fwoosh,
Several feathers appeared in Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s empty hand.
The feathers that were each the size of a palm burned brightly as mes danced around them.
She threw them down without hesitation.
Go Hyeon-woo shed with his magic sword, intending to cut down the burning feathers flying toward him.
However, as they approached their target, the ming feathers suddenly slowed and began fluttering irregrly and drifting unpredictably like falling leaves.
Thrown off by the unexpected movement, his magic sword sliced through empty air.
¡°This!¡±
Fwoosh!
The feathers touched Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s body, and in an instant, a ze erupted furiously.
¡°So troublesome.¡±
[Go Hyeon-woo: 97%]
He quickly used wind to blow the mes away, so the damage wasn¡¯t severe for now.
However, as he had just experienced, the irregr movements made it incredibly difficult to deflect or block them.
And it wasn¡¯t just one ming feather.
Each time Hong Yeon-hwa cast her spell, multiple feathers were created and with her continuous chanting, the ming feathers fell endlessly.
Fwoosh!
Even when they managed to avoid them, the feathers set the cloud tforms on fire which forced the two to hurriedly jump to the next tform.
Of course, Seo Ye-in wasn¡¯t just taking hits without fighting back.
Poof!
A small puff of cloud appeared from her bracelet and began floating around her.
It then swiftly swallowed the iing ming feathers.
Hong Yeon-hwa couldn¡¯t help but let out a bitterugh in disbelief.
That thing baffles me every time¡
What rank is that thing anyway?
Still, there seemed to be a clear way to deal with that cloud.
Simply send more feathers than it could swallow.
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s casting speed quickened even more.
More ming feathers appeared in her hand, most of which she directed toward Seo Ye-in.
Seo Ye-in had her cloud swallow some and dodged the rest while continuously hopping from one cloud tform to another.
¡°Jump.¡±
The distance between them slowly began to close.
As Hong Yeon-hwa grew increasingly desperate and started linking her me spells together, there wasn¡¯t the slightest hint of concern on Seo Ye-in¡¯s face.
¡°Jump.¡±
Soon, Seo Ye-innded just one level below the cloud tform where Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s team was positioned.
For the first time since the match began, she raised her magic gun and aimed it at Hong Yeon-hwa.
She had judged that her opponent was finally within range.
The moment Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s eyes met Seo Ye-in¡¯s gray ones, along with the gun¡¯s barrel, she felt her hair stand on end.
The memory of what had happened in theirst match against each other shed through her mind.
Ratatatatatata!
As soon as the magic gun spewed blue mes, she instinctively curled her body tightly.
¡°Nngh¡¡±
But what was this?
There were faint impacts, but that was all.
There was none of the pain from magic bullets embedding into her.
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 99%]
She quickly realized it was thanks to theyers of defensive spells protecting her.
Her zing armor, the reverse curtain, and even the shield Kim Ho had cast.
With threeyers of defensive magic in ce, even the magic bullets from a marksman couldn¡¯t break through.
¡°¡.¡!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa looked over at Kim Ho with a face full of relief.
Kim Ho gave a small nod, as if to say, ¡°Well done¡± and added a singlement.
¡°Stay focused.¡±
¡°M-Mhmm¡¡±
Despite dodging the barrage of ming feathers while frantically jumping from one tform to another, Go Hyun-woo and Seo Ye-in managed to close the distance. They were now just one level below.
Ratatatata!
Seo Ye-in continued to fire her magic gun in rapid session, while Go Hyun-woo gathered wind tounch a sword of energy.
Naturally, Kim Ho had anticipated this situation and had a simple countermeasure ready.
¡°Here we go again.¡±
Boom!
With a burst ofpressed air, both their bodies shot upward.
Go Hyun-woo and Seo Ye-in who were caught off guard could only watch them rise like dogs chasing after chickens.
¡°Huh.¡±
¡°That¡¯s so unfair.¡±
Chapter 222: 12th Week Duel Battle (5)
Chapter 222: 12th Week Duel Battle (5)
The strategy of the Kim Ho-Hong Yeon-hwa team was simple.
They took advantage of their mobility to quickly secure the high ground, then suppressed the opposing team as they tried to follow.
Whenever the distance closed to a certain point, they would swiftly fly upwards and continue their suppression from above and repeat the process.
It was tant and predictable, but effective.
We still haven¡¯t found a breakthrough.
Go Hyeon-woo thought as he shed his magic sword diagonally.
The wind wrapped around the deshed out fiercely and sliced through the falling ming feathers.
Shhk!
However, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s magic was seamlessly linked in the blink of an eye.More feathers immediately flew toward him.
Not even a moment to breathe.
There was the option to just endure it physically.
Those spells were focused on suppression, so their destructive power didn¡¯t seem too significant.
But even with that, there was still one problem.
Boom!
Some of the feathers exploded mid-flight.
It was because Hong Yeon-hwa asionally mixed in a fire explosion spell, [Outburst].
Since he couldn¡¯t tell which ones would explode, Go Hyeon-woo couldn¡¯t afford to ignore the feathers and it slowed his pace even more.
[Go Hyeon-woo: 83% Seo Ye-in: 87%]
Considering the time that had passed, they had only lost a small amount of health.
Still, the current situation wasn¡¯t very optimistic for them.
[Kim Ho: 100% Hong Yeon-hwa: 98%]
On the other side, the opposing team had barely taken any damage at all.
If this keeps up, we¡¯ll lose for sure.
But as Go Hyeon-woo had assessed at the start of the match, Kim Ho could easily secure victory whenever he wanted.
That meant there had to be some reason for dragging the fight out this long.
¡°¡¡¡±
Go Hyeon-woo continued to slice through the ming feathers, all the while keeping his eyes on the opposing side.
Then his gaze met with Kim Ho, who was staring down at him with a calm expression.
Somehow, Go Hyeon-woo felt like he understood Kim Ho¡¯s intent.
He¡¯s waiting for us to make the first move.
Seo Ye-in seemed to havee to the same conclusion.
Her figure wavered for a moment and then vanished.
She had put on the invisible ghillie suit.
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s eyes shed.
If that¡¯s the case¡
He gathered his momentum and pushed off the cloud tform.
Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa had been keeping a close eye on Seo Ye-in and quickly realized that she had gone into hiding.
But why?
Why now, of all times?
She had been sending more ming feathers toward Seo Ye-in than Go Hyeon-woo.
Since Seo Ye-in who was a long-range type was more threatening, the more she was suppressed, the less likely there would be a counterattack.
But it didn¡¯t seem like she was just hiding to avoid the suppression.
There had to be another reason¡
Suddenly, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s eyebrows shot up.
¡Ah! Her weapon!
Come to think of it, Seo Ye-in¡¯s magic gun could transform into several forms.
An assault rifle, a shotgun, or a sniper rifle.
And in this situation, the most fitting choice would be¡
A sniper, most likely.
The assault rifle hadn¡¯t done much damage since it was blocked by the threeyers of defensive magic, so she was probably aiming to end it with one powerful shot from the sniper rifle.
Can I block it¡?
Even now, things were precarious, but could she withstand a sniper shot?
It felt like it would pierce right through¡
Hong Yeon-hwa nced at Kim Ho with a bit of unease, but he responded nonchntly.
¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±
¡°¡Mhmm.¡±
It seemed he had already prepared something.
His calm demeanor filled Hong Yeon-hwa with both reassurance and relief.
Kim Ho added one more thing.
¡°This is actually an opportunity.¡±
It took quite some time to switch the magic gun into a different form.
In other words, during that time, they could cast magic without being interrupted by Seo Ye-in.
¡°Let¡¯s finish this too.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa immediately grasped Kim Ho¡¯s intent.
If the opponent was making a bold move, then they would respond with one of their own.
And the bold move she had prepared was,
Large-scale magic.
She had already decided on the most suitable one for this battlefield.
Until now, she simply hadn¡¯t had enough time to use it.
But now the time hade.
A magic circle appeared beneath Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s feet.
The magic circle rapidly expanded in size. It grew sorge that it extended beyond the cloud tform.
Intricate symbols began to fill the space within it.
This is definitely a bold move.
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s eyes gleamed as he watched the magic circle suddenly appear.
As expected, Kim Ho had been hoping they would confront them with theirst resort.
The fact that they responded with arge-scale spell as if they¡¯d been waiting for it was proof enough.
That was why he had been desperately climbing up the cloud tforms.
The steady stream of attacks had been interrupted, and Hong Yeon-hwa was now bound to remain on the magic circle.
That meant this was his first andst chance.
Thud!
Go Hyeon-woo kicked hard off the tform.
Atst, he reached the same level as Kim Ho and Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s tform.
The two exchanged faint smiles as they faced each other.
¡°You¡¯vee.¡±
¡°I have.¡±
That was the end of their conversation.
Go Hyeon-woo unleashed the technique he had prepared in advance.
The golden magic sword that had been moving smoothly pointed at Kim Ho.
In response, a soft breeze blew in the same direction.
Clear Stream.
Kim Ho who was standing protectively in front of Hong Yeon-hwa nted his ck spear into the tform.
Next to him, a small ck cloud that was summoned at some unknown point floatedzily.
Then, with a simple wave of his hand,
Whoooosh¡ª!
In an instant, the wind concentrated and formed a whirlwind that slowly advanced forward.
Then, as the gentle breeze collided with the whirlwind,
Creaaaaak!
The sound of weapons shing violently echoed in the air.
The whirlwind dissipated first, but Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s Clear Stream had also nearly exhausted its strength.
As a result, part of the sword energy was deflected toward Kim Ho,
¡°¡¡¡±
As if he had expected this, Kim Ho casually moved the ck cloud and effortlessly blocked the remnants of the technique.
Then, once again, he lightly waved his hand.
Whooosh¡ª
¡°Damn¡!¡±
The moment the wind blew in from all directions, Go Hyeon-woo swiftly leaped backward.
Having observed it several times beside Kim Ho, he knew that this was the precursor to a whirlwind.
And after the whirlwind gathered,
Boom!
It would explode just like that.
As expected, the cloud tform that had been there moments ago had vanished without a trace.
Kim Ho didn¡¯t stop there. He immediately unleashed a series of spiral explosions.
Go Hyeon-woo clicked his tongue in regret while evading from one tform to another.
I wanted to exchange a few more blows, but I guess this is as far as we go.
Now, all he could do was hope that Miss Seo would do her part.
Thud¡ª!
At that moment, a heavy st echoed from somewhere.
Hong Yeon-hwa felt as if a thin blue line had been drawn toward her from that direction.
A ck cloud swiftly intercepted the line, but the magic projectile pierced through it with ease, shattering the tripleyered defense and striking Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s body.
Bang!
¡°Ugh¡!¡±
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 98%]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 95%]
Thankfully, the damage wasn¡¯t severe.
Even though all her defensive spells had been breached, they had acted as a cushion of sorts.
Hong Yeon-hwa resumed the casting that had been briefly interrupted.
Just a little more¡!
As if to prevent her from finishing, a second shot came flying soon after.
Bang¡ª!
[Hong Yeon-hwa: 89%]
¡°¡¡..!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s body staggered violently.
With the barrier only partially restored, the impact and damage were worse than before.
But there wouldn¡¯t be a third shot.
Despite the continuous interference, she had finallypleted therge-scale spell.
Whoosh!
Hong Yeon-hwa raised her wand high.
A huge me erupted from the magic circle at her feet and took the shape of a phoenix.
Soon, the phoenix pped its wings powerfully and hundreds of fiery feathers filled the sky, falling like rain.
[Phoenix Flutter]
Fwoosh,
As the feathers poured down like a downpour, they touched the cloud tforms and spread mes like wildfire.
One of the feathers even set Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s shoulder on fire, but he didn¡¯t care and remained focused on the scene unfolding before him.
¡°What a sight.¡±
Fwoosh!
In no time, the cloud tforms werepletely consumed by mes and scattered, not evensting long enough to drink a ss of water.
The sky that was once dotted with scattered tforms was now entirely clear.
With no foothold left, Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in had no choice but to fall.
¡°¡¡.¡±
In the midst of this, Go Hyeon-woo turned to look at Seo Ye-in.
She had a dull expression on her face with one side of her gray hair on fire.
For some reason, Go Hyeon-woo found himself in a strangely good mood.
¡°Haha, Miss Seo. It looks like we lost.¡±
¡°Kim Ho is unfair.¡±
[Kim Ho Hong Yeon-hwa Win]
VS
[Go Hyeon-woo Seo Ye-in Lose]
Hong Yeon-hwa looked at the scoreboard with a face full of joy.
I won¡!
She had two victories now!
Since Kim Ho was on the same team as her, Hong Yeon-hwa had expected they would win somehow, though she thought it might be a bit challenging since their opponents were Go Hyun-woo and Seo Ye-in.
But when she followed his instructions during the match, they managed to secure victory far more easily than she had anticipated.
Even in moments that felt dangerous, he stepped in and resolved everything.
Once again, Hong Yeon-hwa confirmed that Kim Ho was a guaranteed ticket to victory.
The two of them left the arena almost at the same time.
When their eyes met, Kim Ho threw out a simple remark in his usual indifferent tone.
¡°Well done.¡±
¡°Oh, uh, yeah! You too¡ well done¡¡±
Without another word, Kim Ho turned and walked toward the exit of the arena.
It seemed he had already finished all three of his quota matches.
As Hong Yeon-hwa watched his retreating figure, something suddenly came to her mind.
In a rush, she hurried after him.
¡°U-Umm!¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
Kim Ho responded in his usual nonchnt way.
Hong Yeon-hwa shifted her gaze around nervously as she spoke.
¡°Well¡ my sister asked if you coulde by¡ just once¡¡±
¡°Right now?¡±
¡°If¡ it¡¯s not too much trouble¡?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa had received various forms of help from Kim Ho up until now.
During the mentoring period, he had tailored sparring sessions for her which allowed her to master Fire Pir, which in turn helped her secure an easy victory over Bukgong Han-seol.
The same went for the midterm exam on the deserted ind.
At that time, Hong Yeon-hwa had been left alone after her partner became incapacitated, but Kim Ho had readily offered to share his resting spot with her.
He even exchanged items to help herplete the crystal set.
Without that, achieving a high score would not have been so easy.
For these reasons, Hong Ye-hwa had invited Kim Ho to stop by the clubroom when he had time.
As a form of gratitude and to discuss her future ns,
And there¡¯s something I need to check¡ too¡?
However, perhaps because she had vaguely said ¡°When you have time,¡± Kim Ho had only responded with an ¡°okay¡± and she hadn¡¯t heard from him since.
Just a few days ago, Hong Ye-hwa had asked, ¡°When is heing, anyway?¡± and she remembered that and called out to stop him.
After hearing her exnation, Kim Ho seemed to think for a moment.
Then, as if deciding he couldn¡¯t put it off any longer, he nodded his head.
¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±
Chapter 223: Ruby Magic Tower
I had received a request to visit the Ruby Magic Tower during thest week of mentoring, which was the 8th week.
And now it was already the 12th week.
It had been a month since I said I would go.
The reason I had dyed my visit until now was to handle more pressing matters first.
Resolving the conflict with the swordsmanship club andpleting the Treasure Map were prime examples.
Also, I had judged that the Ruby Magic Tower wouldn¡¯t need my consultation urgently.
It¡¯s about time I go now.
Most of the important issues had been dealt with by now. I was left with more free time, and it wasn¡¯t polite to keep dying a visit after receiving an invitation.
So when Hong Yeon-hwa brought it up, I readily agreed to follow her.When we arrived at the Ruby Magic Tower clubroom, the club president Hong Ye-hwa greeted us.
It seemed Hong Yeon-hwa sent word ahead while we were on our way.
¡°Wee. It¡¯s been a while.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry for noting sooner.¡±
¡°No, I told you to drop by when you had time.¡±
Hong Ye-hwa gave me a soft smile and said that she was thankful I came, even now.
Unlike Hong Yeon-hwa who wore her emotions on her face, this older sister of her was far more skilled at navigating social situations.
Having been pushed and pulled between various factions to reach the position of club president, it was only natural that she had be adept at such things.
¡°¡¡.¡±
On the other hand, ever since the three-way meeting had begun, Hong Yeon-hwa had been staring intensely at her older sister as if she was demanding something.
Even though Hong Ye-hwa shot back a stern look as if she was telling her to hold back, Hong Yeon-hwa showed no signs of backing down.
From what I had observed so far, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s fiery personality rarely conceded to anyone, but her older sister was one of the few exceptions.
However, in this particr staring contest, it was surprisingly Hong Ye-hwa who surrendered first.
With a deep sigh, she finally spoke.
¡°I¡¯m really sorry to ask this as soon as you got here, but could I make a small request?¡±
¡°Go ahead, senior-nim.¡±
¡°We had a bit of an argument¡¡±
Hong Ye-hwa trailed off with a conflicted expression on her face as if she was debating whether or not to continue.
But with Hong Yeon-hwa still pressing her silently, she had no choice but to keep talking.
¡°Well¡ she says she sleeps better when she leans on you. Honestly, I don¡¯t really believe it, but if you don¡¯t mind¡¡±
¡°You want to confirm it, is that right?¡±
¡°Mhmm. If you¡¯re notfortable, feel free to say no.¡±
I could already picture what had happened.
After seeing me and Seo Ye-in sleeping together during the midterm exam, Hong Yeon-hwa showed some curiosity about the ¡°Kim Ho pillow¡±.
So she volunteered to be the second test subject and tried leaning on my shoulder.
The experiment had been abruptly stopped due to Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s sudden appearance.
I could only guess that during the sisters¡¯ argument, something along the lines of ¡°You try leaning on him too!¡± must havee up.
Which would exin why she now wanted to test it out.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Hong Ye-hwa waited for my decision with a somewhat ambiguous attitude.
She seemed half hoping I would refuse, but she was also half wanting to see it through.
I felt just as awkward.
If you were visiting a friend¡¯s house and their older sister suddenly asked to lean on you for a moment, wouldn¡¯t you feel ufortable too?
Still, I should go through with it.
Does the Kim Ho pillow really have the power to induce deep sleep?
It was still an unresolved mystery for me.
With the third test subject having walked in on her own, it seemed right to confirm it now.
So I nodded my head.
¡°I don¡¯t mind. Feel free to try it.¡±
¡°¡Okay.¡±
With my approval, Hong Ye-hwa pushed two chairs together.
She sat me down in one, then moved to sit in the other, but paused again and let out a deep sigh.
¡°Haah¡¡±
Her breath carried a mix ofplicated emotions.
After ring at Hong Yeon-hwa for a moment, she finally sat next to me.
Then she slowly leaned over, rested her head on my shoulder, and closed her eyes.
¡°¡¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa watched the scene with bated breath, and her expression showed strong conviction.
She likely believed that her sister would fall asleep any moment now.
Although Hong Ye-hwa had only rested on my shoulder for about ten seconds, for everyone in the room, those ten seconds must have felt like hours.
Atst, Hong Ye-hwa lifted her head from my shoulder and slowly straightened her body.
A thick vein appeared on her forehead.
She then opened her mouth and started emitting a terrifying killing intent.
¡°It didn¡¯t work.¡±
¡°Huh¡?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s pupils trembled violently.
Her face was full of disbelief, like a child hearing for the first time that Santa us wasn¡¯t real.
She jumped up from her seat and tried to rush over.
¡°N-No, that can¡¯t be¡! Let me try agai¡ª¡±
¡°Sit.¡±
¡°Yes¡¡±
At Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s sharpmand, she obediently returned to her seat.
The confident attitude she had until now disappeared and he had be meek and deted.
¡°Haa¡¡±
Hong Ye-hwa let out another long sigh.
Unlike earlier, when her sigh had been filled with frustration, this one seemed to hold back deep anger.
No wonder she¡¯s upset.
I could fully understand how Hong Ye-hwa felt.
From her perspective, she had been pressured by her younger sister into resting on a first-year male student¡¯s shoulder for ten whole seconds.
It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if all that embarrassment had turned entirely into anger.
Subject No. 3 is a failure.
However, it was too soon to definitively say whether the Kim Ho pillow was effective or not.
The sample size was still too small, so it could be determined after conducting a few more experiments.
While I was lost in those thoughts, it seemed that Hong Ye-hwa had managed to momentarily suppress her anger.
After briefly thanking me for cooperating, she moved on to the next topic.
¡°You also had a match today, right?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±
¡°How was it, Yeon-hwa?¡±
She was probably most curious about the performance of the defensive magic she had recently learned.
So I showed her a rey of the second match I¡¯d fought alongside Hong Yeon-hwa, against the Go Hyeon-woo-Seo Ye-in team.
Ratatatatata!
In the crystal orb, Seo Ye-in fired her assault rifle in rapid bursts, but Hong Yeon-hwa was easily enduring the barrage of magic bullets.
As I showed her the scene, Imented,
¡°At this point, I think her defense has been significantly reinforced.¡±
¡°It does look that way. You did add an extra barrier too, but¡¡±
¡°I heard there¡¯s still one defensive spell she hasn¡¯t learned yet. Once she learns that and improves her overall rank, she will probably be just as tough, if not tougher.¡±
¡°Mhmm, this isn¡¯t bad at all.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa nodded her head in satisfaction and said that it was much better than before.
Even Hong Yeon-hwa seemed a bit surprised to hear praise from me. Though she was huddled in the corner and trying to gauge the situation, her expression brightened a little.
Hong Yeon-hwa moved on to the next topic.
¡°There¡¯s something else I want to discuss. Actually, this is the real reason I called you.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
¡°I think it¡¯s time to start investing in Aqua me.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa said this while pointing at her younger sister.
Aqua me was a rare and powerful trait that only Hong Yeon-hwa possessed in the Ruby Magic Tower. It gave her an overwhelming advantage against ice attributes.
For example, she oncepletely overwhelmed Bukgong Han-seol, who had mastered ice-type martial arts.
However, its growth was really difficult, and it had been stuck at E-rank for a long time until it advanced to C-rank after she melted the Millennium Iron.
Now, it¡¯s stalled again.
To move forward from here,
¡°As I mentioned before, you¡¯ll need to enter an ice-themed dungeon.¡±
The goal was to burn down ice-attribute monsters as much as possible.
Among the many dungeons in the underground levels, there were countless ice-themed ones.
The higher the rank, the better.
I had passed this information on through Hong Yeon-hwa.
Hong Yeon-hwa nodded her head.
¡°Mhmm, so I wanted to ask¡ I heard you¡¯ve been going down to the underground levels frequently. Is that true?¡±
Considering how I had been going up and down the underground like it was routine during every strategy battle week, it was only natural for rumors to spread.
Since it wasn¡¯t exactly a big secret, and I didn¡¯t think Hong Yeon-hwa would go around broadcasting it, I decided to give her a partial confirmation.
¡°I sneak down there from time to time.¡±
¡°What rank?¡±
¡°Most of the time it¡¯s D-rank.¡±
Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard the word D-rank.
Then, she made a suggestion.
¡°Would you be able to take Yeon-hwa down with you?¡±
¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more reliable to go with the club¡¯s seniors?¡±
What I meant was, with all the second- and third-year seniors in the club, why ask a first-year like me?
Hong Ye-hwa exined with a wry smile.
¡°For the time being, I can¡¯t get the second and third-years to move. It¡¯s a bitplicated to exin.¡±
¡°I understand.¡±
¡°So, I have no choice but to bring in outside help, and since it¡¯s D-rank, I thought it might be best to ask you.¡±
She had reasoned that it was better to entrust this to someone she was at least somewhat familiar with rather than aplete stranger.
Hong Ye-hwa then took out a jewelry box the size of her fist from her inventory.
A perfectly fitted ruby glowed a deep red.
¡°This is a gift. I really appreciate all the help you¡¯ve given.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll ept it gratefully.¡±
¡°If you¡¯re okay with taking Yeon-hwa down there, I¡¯ll prepare additionalpensation.¡±
It wasn¡¯t a bad offer.
Going down to the underground floors every strategy battle week was a given.
Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s request was simply to choose the ice-themed dungeon from the ones I was already nning to enter and to take Hong Yeon-hwa with me.
For me, it was like gaining free manpower, and since Hong Yeon-hwa possessed Aqua me, clearing the ice dungeon would be a breeze.
On top of that, she¡¯d throw in a ruby as a bonus for the clear reward.
You can never have too many jewels.
¨C Caw! Young monarch! You¡¯ve brought something shiny!
After all, shiny things were the favorite bargaining material for dimensional crows, including the crow tailor.
So, I didn¡¯t take long to decide.
¡°I¡¯ll make time next week.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
For the next strategy battle week, I had already nned to enter [Gathering of Viins] with Dang Gyu-yeong and her group, and beyond that, my schedule was open.
So, clearing the rest with Hong Yeon-hwa wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea.
¡°You¡¯re okay with this too, right?¡±
Hong Ye-hwa asked a question that was more of an announcement than a request.
Hong Yeon-hwa had been visibly shrinking into herself until then, but when she was suddenly pointed out, she flinched and looked back and forth between us.
After a moment of what seemed like hesitation, she finally spoke.
¡°I think¡ it should be fine.¡±
Perhaps the trust we had built while working on our teamwork during the recent battle made her decide it would be okay with me.
Hong Ye-hwa smiled gently and spoke to me.
¡°Then let me know once the details are set.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
The Hong sisters saw me off all the way to the entrance of the Ruby Magic Tower¡¯s club room.
Thest glimpse I caught of their faces had smiles clearly spread across them.
But not long after I stepped out of the room,
Boom! Boom! Boom!
¡°Ahhh!!!¡±
From beyond the closed door, I heard the sounds of something burning, explosions going off, a fierce smack to someone¡¯s head¡ª
And Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s pitiful scream echoed loudly.
Chapter 224: I Was Lucky Again
As I walked, I pulled up the notification message I had received earlier.
[Side Quest: 12th Week Duel Battles] (Completed)
? Objective: Complete 3 duel matches.
? Progress (3/3 Wins)
? Reward: [Copy ¨C Skill] Slot +1
This week¡¯s side quest had been cleared with the highest possible achievement: 1 win with Cha Hyeon-joo and 2 wins with Hong Yeon-hwa.
The reward was an additional copy slot just like I expected.
? Copy ¨C Skill [2/3]
1. Silent Step (B+)2. Overheat (C)
3. (None)
A surprising gain in all this was that Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s Overheat skill had ranked up from D to C.
I noticed it during the duel and overwrote it onto one of my existing slots.
Now, I had to decide what skill to register in the empty third slot.
And as for how to use the one remaining fixed pin, I decided I¡¯d think about thatter.
I had arrived at my next destination, so I shook off my thoughts and lifted my gaze.
It was another club room, and the namete above the door read:
When I stood in front of the sign and waited for a moment, a familiar face greeted me.
It was none other than the president of the Martial Arts Club and the Toad with a Fiery Heart Kim Gap-doo.
¡°You¡¯re here.¡±
¡°Hello.¡±
Kim Gap-doo gave me an unweing look.
But I had business with him, so I came to see him regardless.
In the crystal battle amidst the mentoring week.
Kim Gap-doo had made a bold bet. It was a 4-on-4 duel battle for a chance to win a day with Dang Gyu-young, and as the club president, he had recklessly wagered the club¡¯s items.
He had been confident in his victory, but when his ace Jo Byeok lost, the duel ended with Dang Gyu-young ¡¯s team winning.
However, handing over so many items at once would severely shake Kim Gap-doo¡¯s standing within the club.
Taking that into ount, Dang Gyu-young adjusted things so the items would be handed over gradually, without causing too much strain on him.
Among the items I was set to receive was, of course, my own share.
After all, I was the one who secured the victory against Jo Byeok from the Disciplinary Committee, so it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say I contributed the most to winning the 4-on-4 bet.
In the process, I had to show some of my skills, and in exchange, Dang Gyu-young promised me a portion of the winnings.
The reason I came to the martial arts club was to im one of those shares.
Of course, Kim Gap-doo didn¡¯t know any of this so it would¡¯ve been pointless for me to show up unannounced.
That¡¯s why Dang Gyu-young had sent him a message in advance.
[Dang Gyu-young: Hey]
[Dang Gyu-young: Kim Gap-doo]
[Kim Gap-doo: Gyu-ha!! (short for Gyu-young-ha)]
[Kim Gap-doo: What¡¯s up? ><]
[Kim Gap-doo: (happy frog emoji)]
[Dang Gyu-young: About the items]
[Kim Gap-doo: Yeah yeah >_< How should I prepare?]
[Dang Gyu-young: I¡¯m sending Kim Ho]
[Dang Gyu-young: Later]
[Kim Gap-doo: (serious frog emoji)]
[Kim Gap-doo: Kim Ho?]
[Kim Gap-doo: What item?]
[Kim Gap-doo: Dang Gyu-young]
[Kim Gap-doo: Dang Gyu-young??]
[Kim Gap-doo: ???]
Kim Gap-doo showed me these messages and said,
¡°There¡¯s been no reply since then.¡±
¡°She blocked you again.¡±
¡°Is that so¡?¡±
Kim Gap-doo¡¯s expression darkened suddenly.
Sad Gap-doo.
While I was thinking such rude thoughts, Kim Gap-doo quickly controlled his expression, as if he thought he couldn¡¯t act weak in front of me.
¡°So you came in ce of Dang Gyu-young?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°¡She must trust you a lot.¡±
It made sense that he would think that way, considering I wasn¡¯t even a member of the thieves club, yet I was tasked with delivering the items.
But in reality, the item right now wasn¡¯t being delivered; it was mine.
Kim Gap-doo asked,
¡°What do I need to give you?¡±
¡°A Crafting VIP Ticket.¡±
The problem with the [Deep Root] was that it was too short.
As a temporary fix, I had connected an F-rank iron bar but I wanted to rece it with proper parts as soon as possible.
Normally, acquiring high-rank metals would have taken a bit more effort, but since Lucky Charm had generously pulled out Kraketite from the ingot box, I could start crafting right away.
That¡¯s why I came earlier than nned to retrieve the VIP ticket.
¡°Take it.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Kim Gap-doo handed over the ticket without hesitation.
Despite it being a rare and valuable VIP ticket, there was no sign of regret on his face; he already seemed to consider it as no longer his.
When I bowed my head and turned to leave, Kim Gap-doo asked another question.
¡°Are you using the elixir well?¡±
After the mentoring bet, Kim Gap-doo had called me aside and given me three basic elixirs.
¨C I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re giving me such valuable items.
¨C I¡¯m not giving them to you because I like you. Don¡¯t get hurt and make me worry for no reason, and always keep them with you. Use them if Dang Gyu-young gets into danger.
Seeing me now must have reminded him of that memory.
I didn¡¯t want to go into too much detail about how I used them, but since I had epted them, it was only polite to give him a brief update.
So I gave a short exnation of what had happened in the ck market.
While I was walking around the downtown area with Dang Gyu-young, a blood cult elder suddenly appeared, and we joined forces with the graduates to fight him.
In the process, I treated the injuries we sustained using one of the basic elixirs.
Kim Gap-doo must have already heard the rumors since his eyes narrowed slightly.
¡°They said the Blood Cult elder caused quite amotion, were you there?¡±
¡°Yes, it was unfortunate. But thanks to you, I avoided any major injuries.¡±
When I expressed my gratitude respectfully, the corner of Kim Gap-doo¡¯s mouth twitched.
He tried to calm his expression and asked,
¡°How many do you have left now?¡±
¡°I have one left.¡±
¡°So, you and Dang Gyu-young each used one, I assume.¡±
¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±
In truth, I hadn¡¯t used mine while fighting the Blood Cult elder, but rather during my training with the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger. Still, there was no need to bring that up.
Kim Gap-doo said in a slightly scolding tone,
¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long since I gave them to you, and you¡¯ve already used two? I¡¯m pretty sure I told you not to waste them carelessly.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°The Blood Cult elder was never an opponent you could handle in the first ce. If you had avoided the fight, you wouldn¡¯t have had to waste the elixirs.¡±
Despite his sharp tone, he didn¡¯t seem particrly angry.
I could tell by the way the corner of his mouth kept twitching.
Proud Gap-doo.
Eventually, Kim Gap-doo looked at me with a serious expression on his face.
¡°Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
¡°Get stronger. So that neither you nor Dang Gyu-young will get hurt when facing someone like the Blood Cult elder.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±
¡°You can go now.¡±
With Kim Gap-doo¡¯s dismissal, I took a step forward again after a brief pause.
¡°Wait.¡±
I had barely taken a few steps when Kim Gap-doo called me back.
When I turned around, he was holding another basic elixir in his hand.
¡°You should at least carry two of them, shouldn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°¡Thank you; I¡¯ll take it gratefully.¡±
I didn¡¯t hesitate and epted the elixir.
And then I thought to myself.
Angel Gap-doo.
***
Now that I had the ticket, the next destination was of course the cksmith¡¯s workshop.
The president of this club had a personality simr to Bong Jae-seok. He was someone who hated wasting time on unnecessary things.
Still, I was led into the club room inside the workshop, where the busy cksmith club president was sitting across from me.
He looked at me with a curious gaze.
¡°You¡¯re the third person this year to use two VIP tickets.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t being third fairly average?¡±
¡°If the first two weren¡¯t club presidents, that is.¡±
There were plenty of clubs in the Dragon yer Academy, yet as just a first-year, I was the third to use them. I was ahead of even some high-ranking club presidents.
It was no wonder he found it interesting.
I smiled slightly and brushed it off.
¡°I was lucky.¡±
¡°I feel like you¡¯ve said something simr before.¡±
¡°Well, luck can strike twice, can¡¯t it?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true. But I wonder if it¡¯ll stop at just twice.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
I maintained my silent smile, while the cksmith club president stared at me as if he was trying to read my thoughts.
However, it seemed he didn¡¯t want to waste any more time, so he got straight to the point.
¡°What would you like me to make?¡±
¡°This.¡±
Just like when I requested the crafting of Root, this time too I brought along a blueprint.
The cksmith club president epted the blueprint and unfolded it before his eyes shed with interest.
Then he asked,
¡°I¡¯d like to take another look at the weapon you had made before.¡±
¡°Here it is.¡±
I ced Deep Root on the table.
Aside from the priest¡¯s dagger attached to the tip, everything was just as it had been.
The presidentpared Root with the blueprint and his eyes sparkled with recognition.
¡°They¡¯re designed to connect, I see.¡±
¡°You caught on quickly.¡±
¡°Judging by the additional joints, this won¡¯t be the final form.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°This is an interesting piece, really.¡±
The president nodded as he said that.
It was a sign that he had epted the request for themission.
¡°You¡¯ve brought the materials, I assume?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
I set the chunk of Kraketite onto the table with a thud.
The president¡¯s eyes deepened as he picked up the metal and examined it closely for a while.
¡°Kraketite¡ I¡¯ve never worked with this metal before. Were you lucky this time as well?¡±
¡°Maybe I was lucky a third time.¡±
Though if I thought about it, it wasn¡¯t really my luck at all.
It was the lucky sloth¡¯s good fortune.
The president stared at me a bit longer, but once again, he seemed to set his curiosity aside.
¡°It wouldn¡¯t be polite to pry too much into the source, would it? I¡¯m lucky too, since I¡¯ll get to work on a high-rank piece for the first time in a while.¡±
The importance of skills and traits is just as critical for production sses as it is forbat sses.
To craft high-quality equipment, one must acquire a variety of skills and traits and continuously manage their rank.
However, by the time someone reaches the level of a third-year club president, most tend to stagnate at A or B rank.
In that situation, a Kraketite ingot was like rain in a drought.
It was extremely rare, with hardly any opportunity to work with it, and its rank was A.
Just using this material to craft an item would lead to significant progress.
Perhaps that¡¯s why the cksmith club president made another offer.
¡°Likest time, there will be some leftover material. If you¡¯re okay with it, I can make an additional item for you. What do you think?¡±
When I had the Root made with the Millennium Iron, the leftover materials were used to craft Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s durable pen.
Though back then, it had been a favor in exchange for fulfilling the president¡¯s request.
This time, he offered to make something for me as long as I allowed him to use the leftover Kraketite.
It wasn¡¯t a bad deal, since getting the chance to craft with high-rank materials was never a loss.
I had nothing to lose either since I wouldn¡¯t have to pay for thebor if he made an item for me.
So I epted the offer without hesitation.
¡°I¡¯m fine with it.¡±
¡°Good. I¡¯ll deliver it as soon as it¡¯s finished.¡±
Once all the minor details were settled, the cksmith club president stood up. He was holding the blueprint and the ingot.
It seemed like he was ready to start working immediately.
It¡¯ll probably take about a week at most.
Although Kraketite was ranked the same as Millennium Iron, it was much easier to process.
When we left the club room together, the president added a meaningful remark.
¡°I¡¯m curious. How many more times will your luck hold out¡ I¡¯ll be watching with interest.¡±
¡°You won¡¯t be disappointed.¡±
Because my Lucky Charm isn¡¯t going anywhere anytime soon.
Chapter 225: If It’s Just Money, We Have It
After making a request to the cksmith club, I was on my way to the training center,
¡°Kim-hyung.¡±
When I ran into Go Hyeon-woo.
He wasing after finishing this week¡¯s quota of duel battles.
I asked him as we walked side by side.
¡°How many wins?¡±
¡°Two wins.¡±
¡°As expected.¡±
It meant he had won every match except the one against me.Well, Go Hyeon-woo wasn¡¯t the type to lose to anyone else anyway.
We would see how things go once he entered the 900-point range for real.
The conversation naturally shifted to the duels we had together.
¡°So, how was it, fighting against Hong Yeon-hwa?¡±
¡°I knew Miss Hong¡¯s skills were impressive. We had coordinated during the midterm exam, after all. Now that I faced her as an opponent, she really lives up to her reputation.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa was a textbook example of a battery-style mage.
Given enough time, she would settle down in one spot and either bombard opponents with mid-level spells or quickly unleashrge-scale magic Her firepower was truly overwhelming when she was allowed to build up.
¡°Win or lose, I wanted to experience it at least once.¡±
¡°I figured as much. If it were you, Kim-hyung, you would have won much more easily.¡±
¡°There¡¯s nothing to really learn from fighting me, anyway.¡±
Wind mages themselves are rare, and the odds of fighting on terrain where you could fall to your death are almost nonexistent going forward.
On the other hand, since there were plenty of chances to face off against battery-style mages in the future, I had intentionally put Hong Yeon-hwa in the spotlight.
Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head and asked,
¡°Thanks to that, I learned a lot. But I¡¯m curious, what¡¯s your evaluation, Kim-hyung?¡±
¡°Well, for starters, your strategy was wless.¡±
On the Cloud Stairs where movement was restricted, closebat sses were at a huge disadvantage.
Despite that, Go Hyeon-woo kept leaping up the tforms and trying to close the distance with Hong Yeon-hwa, all while making sure Seo Ye-in faced less pressure.
In the end, Seo Ye-in¡¯s magic bullets were blocked by a barrier but that was a different issue.
Even hisst resort wasn¡¯t bad.
When Hong Yeon-hwa was chanting herrge-scale spell, Go Hyeon-woo immediately seized the opportunity and unleashed Clear Stream.
Although it was blocked in the end, it was the best decision he could have made at the time.
Go Hyeon-woo gave an awkwardugh.
¡°Haha, that¡¯s too much praise. Were there any shorings?¡±
¡°If I had to nitpick, there was one thing.¡±
¡°Nitpick? Not at all, please feel free to say it.¡±
Most martial artists took great pride in the martial arts they had learned and were very sensitive to evaluations.
This was because an evaluation of their martial arts was also an evaluation of their sect and master.
Because of that, I approached the topic carefully and only brought it up once Go Hyeon-woo had given his approval.
¡°What kind of movement technique have you learned?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve learned the Thousand Winds, Endless Step from my sect.¡±
Like his other martial arts, it was of a fairly high level.
You could tell just by watching how smoothly he extended forward with each step.
However, the issue that stood out was this:
¡°Your hands and feet aren¡¯t in sync. When you use clear stream, your feet stop moving, and when you use your movement technique, your sword stops.¡±
When Hong Yeon-hwa had prepared her final move, Go Hyeon-woo made his first andst attack using Clear Stream.
After that, I had to detonate my Spiral Explosion in session, forcing him into a one-way retreat. If he had been able to continue using Clear Stream while retreating, he might have been able to counterattack.
Go Hyeon-woo gave a bitter smile.
¡°As expected, I can¡¯t fool your eyes, Kim-hyung.¡±
¡°So you already knew?¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s something I¡¯ve been struggling with.¡±
All of Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s martial arts were at a high level, but that also made them difficult to master.
Right now, it was impossible for him to use both his sword techniques and his movement technique at the same time. Or even if he did, one would end up out of sync with the other.
For now, I decided to hold off on giving him an answer.
¡°There are a few ideas I have in mind, but I need to think about it a bit more.¡±
¡°If there¡¯s even a slight chance, I¡¯d like to give it a try.¡±
¡°Yeah, you won¡¯t have to wait long.¡±
***
I trained in the Wind Barrier skill at the training center until evening.
Then when I started to feel hungry, I sent a message to Seo Ye-in.
[Kim Ho: (tap-tap cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: (peeking cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: (ring cat emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Wanna grab food?]
[Seo Ye-in: ¡¡ ]
[Seo Ye-in: (ring cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: (hiding cat emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Noting?]
[Seo Ye-in: (peeking cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: Ok]
She¡¯s less angry this time.
Last time, after I sent her flying across the sand with Wind Force, she didn¡¯t even join me for breakfast the next day, so I guess it¡¯s not that bad this time.
It¡¯s probably because I focused more on supporting Hong Yeon-hwa with Wind Force rather than using it directly.
Still, she must¡¯ve been bothered by something, because the first thing Seo Ye-in said when we met in front of the student cafeteria was,
¡°Kim Ho is unfair.¡±
¡°Why am I unfair?¡±
¡°Keep running away.¡±
It seemed she was annoyed that I kept bouncing around on the clouds and constantly slipping away.
No matter how much she chased me, the distance never seemed to close, and on top of that, she had to deal with Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s interference the entire time.
I asked her.
¡°Are you mad?¡±
¡°A little.¡±
¡°What can I do to make it up to you?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Seo Ye-in stared at me silently for a moment.
Then she reached into her inventory and began rummaging around before pulling something out.
That¡¯s¡
What she produced was a slightly dented, but now ttened, tin pot.
It was the prop we had used for Bullet Time training in that whack-a-mole game.
And there, imprinted on one side, was the outline of my head.
It was the ¡°Kim Ho Pot¡±.
¡°You kept that?¡±
No wonder it was missing when I went to return it to the kitchen.
Seo Ye-in raised the Kim Ho Pot slightly.
¡°Just one hit.¡±
¡°No way, we agreed no hitting people with pots.¡±
¡°Just a light tap.¡±
Seo Ye-in raised the Kim Ho Pot a bit higher.
I reached out and grabbed the pot, knowing that if I allowed another clean hit, the Kim Ho Pot would truly be the ¡°Kim Ho Kim Ho Pot¡±.
¡°Let¡¯s put the dangerous thing down first.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in obediently let go of the Kim Ho Pot as I pulled it away, but she immediately extended her hand as if she were asking for it back.
As long as she doesn¡¯t hit anyone, it should be fine.
With that in mind, I handed the Kim Ho Pot back to her.
After confirming that it had disappeared into her inventory, I took the lead and walked into the student cafeteria.
¡°Let¡¯s eat something first and talk after.¡±
After all, people tend to be much more agreeable on a full stomach.
And it seemed my assumption was more or less correct this time too.
As we sat across from each other, picking up small round rice balls one by one, Seo Ye-in¡¯s nearly full anger gauge slowly dwindled to empty.
After dinner, we rented a small student meeting room.
¡°Let¡¯s talk to the butler together.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Not long after we reached out, Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s face appeared in themunication crystal ball.
Judging by the office background, she was workingte again.
She bowed her head politely and asked,
¡°Kim Ho-nim, what brings you to contact me?¡±
¡°I want to give you some feedback on the duel battles of this week.¡±
When I pointed to Seo Ye-in and answered like that, there was a swift sound of something moving quickly on the other side of the crystal ball.
In the next moment, a writing tool appeared in Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s hand.
¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡±
I began to recount what had happened on the Cloud Stairs today.
Though exporting reys outside of the academy was against the rules, simply exining it verbally fell into a gray area.
Besides, there was no need to exin everything in minute detail.
Only one thing mattered here.
Ahn Jeong-mi asked,
¡°Are you saying the young miss magic bullet was blocked?¡±
¡°I couldn¡¯t finish it off.¡±
Seo Ye-in replied with a slightly disappointed tone.
I added more context.
¡°Yes, this time I reinforced my teammate¡¯s barrier with an extrayer, but soon she will be learning another defensive spell, so the result will likely end up the same.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s gaze deepened.
Since Hong Yeon-hwa was a promising first-year student, the Second Future Strategy Office had also been keeping an eye on her.
In thest duel match in the volcanic zone, she had lost in a one-on-one with Seo Ye-in, but she quickly came back with improved defenses.
¡°Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s growth is quite amazing as well.¡±
¡°She¡¯s a quick learner too.¡±
Of course, Ahn Jeong-mi already knew this.
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s rapid improvement wasn¡¯t just due to her natural growth rate; it was also thanks to the full support of the Ruby Magic Tower.
That was the point I wanted to make.
If they¡¯re getting support, we can¡¯t take them lightly.
Now that the Hye-seong Group¡¯s heiress was showing enthusiasm, falling behind the rival faction due tock of support? They wouldn¡¯t stand for it, not with their pride on the line.
It¡¯s not like the Hye-seong Group was short on money.
Ahn Jeong-mi asked calmly.
¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to hear what Kim Ho-nim thinks.¡±
As a veteran marksman, she likely already had her own answer yet she still sought my opinion first.
Maybe there was a hint of testing in her question, but it was also out of respect for how well I¡¯d guided Seo Ye-in so far.
I gave the prepared response.
¡°The most straightforward solution would be to raise her rank.¡±
Of course, this was not a solution that could be realized immediately.
Seo Ye-in¡¯s Marksman skills were all stuck at C-rank.
No matter how much raw talent she had, breaking through the barrier to B-rank would take time.
Naturally, I didn¡¯t bring up the topic of ranks just to end it there.
¡°Still, learning an additional bonus trait shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡±
For example, the [Blessing of the West Wind] that I mastered provides a bonus to wind magic.
The Gunslinger ss also had simr bonus traits, so I suggested having Seo Ye-in learn one of those.
Ahn Jeong-mi diligently took notes.
¡°I¡¯ll prepare it right away. Is there anything else you¡¯ve thought of?¡±
¡°Yes, how about learning a special bullet skill?¡±
As the name implied, these special bullet skills had special effects.
They ranged from piercing, explosion, shock, to cutting, and more.
For example, the bullet Ahn Jeong-mi had fired at the Blood Cult elder in the ck Market was a ¡°shock¡± type special bullet.
There were several ways to manifest these:
1. Using a specialized magic gun.
2. Using special bullets.
3. Implementing it as a skill.
These were the mostmon methods.
However, since Seo Ye-in already had a suitable magic gun, getting a specialized one would be a waste, and using special bullets would be like throwing money into the dirt.
In life-or-death battles, money wouldn¡¯t matter, but in a practical evaluation, it would seem a bit wasteful.
And beyond the cost-effect,
¡°As a Marksman, it¡¯s worth learning at least one or two special bullet skills, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°I agree. Do you have any particr types you would rmend?¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi asked but I passed the choice to Seo Ye-in.
I pulled up the list of special bullet skills and showed it to her.
¡°Pick one.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Her gray eyes slowly scanned the list.
Then, after a moment, she casually lifted her finger and pointed to one without hesitation.
¡°This one.¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi and I exchanged nces and nodded at the same time.
¡°That seems like a good choice.¡±
¡°You picked well.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll prepare it right away and deliver it to you.¡±
As always, Ahn Jeong-mi ended the call with a polite farewell.
The next day,
¡°Kim Ho, Seo Ye-in.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
¡°Here you go.¡±
A senior who seemed to be a schrship student approached us and handed over a skill book and a rolled-up piece of parchment.
Hye-seong Group¡¯s influence is terrifying.
They managed to get all of this, not in a day, but overnight.
Chapter 226: Killing Three Birds With One Stone
First, looking over the skill book,
[Skill Book ¨C Explosive Bullet]
Seo Ye-in had chosen an explosive special bullet skill.
It may be less effective than the piercing bullet or cutting bullet in piercing barriers or strong defenses.
Of course, that was only a rtiveparison.
It¡¯s still stronger than regr magic bullets.
If shebined magic bullet + explosive bullet + ejection, it could easily break through even if Hong Yeon-hwa cast a tripleyered defensive magic.
Provided it¡¯s backed by a sufficient rank, of course.
Another reason most Marksmen prioritized explosive or impact bullets was their versatility.It¡¯s not like we¡¯ll only be fighting against humans.
The majority of monsters weren¡¯t humanoid, and many of them were quiterge.
For example, you couldn¡¯t deal significant damage to a mid-torge-sized monster like an ogre with just piercing bullets.
It¡¯s like trying to stab someone with a needle. It might hurt more, but it¡¯d take forever to kill them.
That¡¯s why impact bullets, which transmitted shock internally, and explosive bullets, which destroyed a wide area, had higher versatility.
Finally, there was the fact that choosing these bullets expanded the range of weapons that could be selectedter on.
She would be able to use various explosive weapons like rocketunchers and mortars.
There was the drawback that the cost of these weapons wasn¡¯t a joke.
But it¡¯s Hye-seong Group, after all.
For this rich girl, it wasn¡¯t much of a drawback.
Whether Seo Ye-in had considered all these factors or simply followed her gut instinct was unclear.
In any case, both Ahn Jeong-mi and I thought explosive bullets were an excellent choice.
As soon as she used the skill book, Seo Ye-in was enveloped in a bright light.
aash!
Probably something like this notification message appeared.
[Activated ¡®Skill Book ¨C Explosive Bullets¡¯.]
[Acquired ¡®Explosive Bullet (F)¡¯.]
Next up was the rolled-up parchment.
[Quest Scroll ¨C Marksmanship]
Marksmanship was a trait that gave bonuses to all ranged skills and traits.
In Seo Ye-in¡¯s case, just learning it would add a bonus to the magic bullet, ejection, and explosive bullet skills.
Because of this versatility, demand was high, and the price was no joke.
But it¡¯s Hye-seong Group, after all.
It seemed there really was nothing money couldn¡¯t solve.
They probably purchased it through a schrship student from the archery club.
I gave Seo Ye-in a light nod.
¡°Give it a try.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
aash!
Once again, the scroll shone brightly and enveloped Seo Ye-in.
As the name suggested, a quest scroll gave the user a quest, and uponpletion, they would receive a reward.
The objectives were assigned randomly but the difficulty was capped based on the level of the reward.
In other words, it wouldn¡¯t suddenly ask her to defeat a Blood Cult elder out of nowhere.
Seo Ye-in stared nkly into the air.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°What did you get?¡±
¡°This.¡±
At my question, she shared the details of the quest.
[Side Quest ¨C Marksmanship]
? Objective: Kill enemies (0/100)
Consecutive kills (0/30)
Headshots (0/15)
? Reward: Marksmanship
It wasn¡¯t far from what I had expected.
There was no need to exin the kill part, while consecutive kills meant taking out enemies one after another without missing a shot.
As for headshots, it required hitting enemies between the eyes with magic bullets.
With Seo Ye-in¡¯s skills, she should be able to meet all three conditions without much trouble.
The only issue was the location. It should be somewhere with over 100 enemies.
For now, there¡¯s only the dungeon.
It would be nice if training dummies counted, but quests weren¡¯t usually that lenient.
¡°We¡¯ll have to wait until the week of the strategy battle.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°Shall we start by dealing with the explosive bullet skill then?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±
We headed towards the training center.
***
Training center.
Training room.
For this session, we had called one more person besides the two of us.
¡°Kim-hyung, Miss Seo.¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo looked back and forth at us with a slightly excited expression.
¡°Come to think of it, this is the first time I¡¯m training with both of you, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°You always manage just fine on your own.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo had entered the Dragon yer Academy with a clear goal of fulfilling his sect¡¯s long-standing desire.
Part of that goal was likely to earn the right to wield his sealed sacred artifact one day.
In any case, his ambition was naturally exceptional.
So whenever he was given opportunities like ess to special training rooms, elixirs, or encounters with legendary masters, he would grow rapidly like a tiger with wings.
Moreover, Go Hyeon-woo had already mastered high-level martial arts, so there was little need to intervene.
Though he wasn¡¯t quite on Seo Ye-in¡¯s level, he was very talented.
He would probably figure out his current problem¡ªthe difficulty of using his movement technique and sword techniques at the same time¡ªif he was just given enough time.
¡°But I want to solve this one quickly.¡±
¡°I appreciate it. Though, may I ask why?¡±
¡°As I mentioned before, we¡¯re entering a B-rank dungeon next week.¡±
¡°I remember. It¡¯s definitely not an easy ce.¡±
Especially for Go Hyeon-woo, who had narrowly escaped death in the ck Death dungeon.
So reinforcing our strength, even just a little, would make it easier to handle unexpected situations.
Next, I pointed to Seo Ye-in.
¡°This young miss still has one more duel left to fight.¡±
¡°It seems the final match will take ce after some additional training.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head in understanding.
Seo Ye-in had just acquired the [Explosive Bullet] skill, and it was at F-rank.
It could still cause an explosion, but its power and range werecking.
It was practically useless in its current state.
¡°To use it effectively in actualbat, she¡¯ll need to raise it to at least D-rank.¡±
¡°I see. So what do you need me to do?¡±
¡°First, go stand over there.¡±
I pointed to a spot on one side of the training room, and Go Hyeon-woo trudged over and stood there.
Then I led Seo Ye-in to the opposite side, positioned her, and spoke as we both looked at Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°What do you see over there?¡±
¡°Go Hyeon-woo.¡±
¡°Looks like he¡¯ll be satisfying to shoot, right?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll take him down.¡±
Seo Ye-in immediately pulled out her assault rifle.
For some reason, she seemed more eager than usual.
Seeing that, Go Hyeon-woo spoke.
¡°Hmm, I think I understand my role now.¡±
¡°Yeah, you¡¯re just going to block and dodge over there.¡±
In my philosophy, the more you get hit, the more you twist your body, and the more you twist, the better your skills be.
And if your skills still don¡¯t improve? Then you just get hit more.
I added one condition.
¡°Use whatever movement technique you want, but stick mainly to Pure Flow for your sword techniques.¡±
¡°That seems like the best option.¡±
Clear Stream created too many openings during its execution, which made it bad for this kind of training.
There was no need for him to counterattack Seo Ye-in anyway.
On the other hand, Pure Flow was rtively easy to deploy, and since it was a defensive technique, it would make it easier to withstand the barrage of magic bullets.
After positioning the two against each other, I took my ce by one side of the wall like a referee.
¡°This time, since one side will be purely defending, I¡¯ll also lend some support to the defense.¡±
Whirrrr¡ª
Wind gathered like a vortex and formed a spherical barrier around Go Hyeon-woo.
I just cast Wind Barrier.
Even Go Hyun-woo would get his hands and feet tangled up if he did something he wasn¡¯t used to, and as his hands and feet got tangled, he would gradually allow effective hits.
To maintain some bnce, I needed to step in and reinforce his defense.
It¡¯s a good chance to rank it up too.
Until now, I had been alternating barriers while making the iron dummies fight each other, but I expected that blocking magic bullets would allow for much faster rank progression.
The simultaneous casting of Wind Force and Twister was just a bonus.
All in all, it was a training method that allowed all three of us to improve our skills at the same time.
¡°Are you ready?¡±
I nced at Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in in turn, and they both gave a small nod in response to signal that they were prepared.
¡°Then, let¡¯s begin.¡±
As soon as my signal was given, Go Hyeon-woo raised his sword to mid-level and slowly picked up his pace while facing his opponent.
Seo Ye-in immediately reached for her magazine.
Her hand, which was now glowing blue, filled it with magic bullets.
If you took one of those bullets and examined it closely, you¡¯d see a bomb symbol engraved on one side of the casing.
It meant [Explosive Bullet] had been added.
Then, her gun was aimed at the opponent, and it began firing bursts of blue mes.
Ratatatata!
Go Hyeon-woo remained calm throughout.
As if to reflect his calm attitude, his magic sword moved smoothly, and the wind wrapped around the de deflected each of the magic bullets one by one.
This is just the basics.
Since the magic bullets were being fired head-on, any swordsman of a certain level could deflect them with ease.
Go Hyeon-woo needed to take a step beyond that.
Whirrr¡ª
Another gust of wind swirled around his legs.
In that state, Go Hyeon-woo began to step forward, one step, then two.
However,
It¡¯s getting clumsy.
Though his high-level movement technique allowed him to extend smoothly in all directions, slight gaps began to show in the once wless defense.
Magic bullets squeezed through those gaps and struck the Wind Barrier.
Pop pop pop,
Tiny explosions that were barely the size of a baby¡¯s fist.
Since they were F-rank explosive bullets, they were rather insignificant.
But this is just the beginning.
Everyone starts off clumsy, after all.
Go Hyeon-woo kept stepping forward, despite how awkward it felt.
I continued reinforcing the barrier in quick session.
And Seo Ye-in kept firing like a machine.
Her magic gun emitted an endless stream of blue light.
Ratatatata!
***
We spent all of our free time immersed in training.
Seo Ye-in fired, Go Hyeon-woo blocked and dodged with his Pure Flow and movement technique, and I cast the barrier.
As expected, Seo Ye-in was the first to show results.
Suddenly, she stopped shooting and said one thing.
¡°It ranked up.¡±
¡°E-rank?¡±
¨C Nod,
From that moment, the explosions that had been no bigger than a baby¡¯s fist grew to the size of an adult¡¯s palm. They broke through the Wind Barrier and gradually caused damage to Go Hyeon-woo.
Of course, Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s pain didn¡¯tst long because,
[The rank of ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ has increased. (E+ -> D+)]
My skill rank had risen by one level too.
Once again, the bnce between offense and defense was evenly matched.
In the midst of it all, Go Hyeon-woo finally reached enlightenment.
Whirrr¡ª
His movement technique and Pure Flow technique, which had been disconnected until now, suddenly connected smoothly for a moment.
Most of the magic bullets missed their mark, while the rest were deflected by Pure Flow.
¡°Kim-hyung.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo looked at me with a big smile on his face.
As expected, getting beaten up always leads to improvement.
I nodded calmly.
¡°Well done. Now, let¡¯s master itpletely.¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Go Hyun-woo was excited and started to use the techniques at the same time again.
Seo Ye-in¡¯s gun barrel followed his movements.
Ratatatata!
***
A few more days of training passed, and by Friday, Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s movement technique and Pure Flow technique, which had only asionally connected by chance, flowed smoothly like water.
Now, it was rare to see any awkwardness.
He was even mixing in the Clear Stream technique from time to time.
Seo Ye-in had also made progress.
In the middle of wildly firing magic bullets, she suddenly stopped again and stared straight at me.
¡°It ranked up.¡±
¡°D-rank?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
It had only taken her a few days to raise a newly learned skill from F to D rank.
No matter how many times I saw it, her talent was terrifying.
Now that she¡¯d leveled it up enough to use in realbat, the next step was clear.
¡°Let¡¯s go finish your duel battles. It¡¯s time to teach a lesson to some mages.¡±
¡°Teach them a lesson.¡±
Chapter 227: I’ll Teach Them a Lesson
Above the sky where clouds floatedzily,
Kwak Ji-cheol stood on a tform and looked at the scoreboard.
His expression wasn¡¯t very bright.
¡°Haah¡ What rotten luck.¡±
[Kwak Ji-cheol 100% Kang Hee-chan 100%]
vs
[Seo Ye-in 100% Jeong Soo-ji 100%]
He had faced Seo Ye-in twice in duel battles before, and he lost both times.
Once he was taken down by her sniping, and the other time he was blown away by her shotgun.Was thest time we fought about a month ago?
Around five weeks.
In that time, how much had their skills changed?
Did the gap between them widen or narrow?
Either way, I won¡¯t go down as easily as before.
During midterms, Kwak Ji-cheol had made his infamous ¡°dark history¡± which painfully reminded him of hisck of skill.
So he had thrown himself into training far more diligently than before.
He even sought advice from seniors at the Emerald Magic Tower.
Thanks to that, his skills have improved noticeably over the past few weeks.
Maybe now he could say he had a bit of a chance?
Another bit of good news was that Seo Ye-in¡¯s teammate was Jeong Soo-ji.
I know her well.
Kwak Ji-cheol and Jeong Soo-ji were both members of the Emerald Magic Tower and spent so much time together that they knew each other¡¯s strengths and weaknesses inside out.
Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s biggest weakness was clear:
Her physical ability iscking.
Though Kwak Ji-cheol couldn¡¯t im to be particrly strong himself, Jeong Soo-ji was at the level of a near-weakling.
If he could exploit that weakness and take her down quickly to create a 2-on-1 scenario, even if there was a skill gap between him and Seo Ye-in, he would have a chance at victory.
Having finished his calctions, Kwak Ji-cheol turned to Kang Hee-chan.
¡°We take out Jeong Soo-ji first. If we engage her in closebat, she¡¯ll go down easily.¡±
¡°¡Okay.¡±
Kang Hee-chan replied half-heartedly.
From the moment he entered the arena, his gaze had been fixed on Seo Ye-in across the field.
She¡¯s pretty. Beautiful. Gorgeous.
There were plenty of beautiful women around Kang Hee-chan after all.
Even Cha Hyun-joo had quite a face.
Her personality was a disaster, though.
But Seo Ye-in stood out among all those beauties.
Normally, someone with messy hair, a sleepy look, or squatting down to press clouds into the ground mighte off a bit gloomy, but even in those moments, Seo Ye-in had a unique charm.
Kwak Ji-cheol also understood why Kang Hee-chan was staring off into space like that, but that was one thing and a duel was another.
So he spoke up again.
¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could focus.¡±
¡°¡Sorry.¡±
Only then did Kang Hee-chan snap out of it.
He shifted his thoughts from Seo Ye-in¡¯s appearance to analyzing her abilities.
He had encountered Seo Ye-in before during the three-way battle in the volcanic zone.
However, back then, she had gone into hiding as soon as the fight began, so he never got the chance to face her, and he was eliminated first in a one-on-one fight with Hong Yeon-hwa.
But when he reviewed the reyter, Seo Ye-in had defeated Hong Yeon-hwa and taken first ce.
The matchup between a mage and a marksman might have yed a role, but it also meant that Seo Ye-in¡¯s skills were that impressive.
If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll have to take this seriously.
Kang Hee-chan put the small wrist shield he had been using into his inventory and pulled out arge tower shield instead.
It might reduce his mobility, but against a marksman, minimizing the number of hits was crucial.
It would also make it easier to block Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s interference.
Kwak Ji-cheol and Kang Hee-chan exchanged nces and nodded at the same time.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in was squatting down and pressing into the clouds with her hands. She was only half-listening as Jeong Soo-ji rambled on about their n.
¡I couldn¡¯t finish her off.
She had hoped for Hong Yeon-hwa to be her opponent, but instead, she got an unexpected match.
Considering it was already Friday, there was a high chance that Hong Yeon-hwa had already finished her three quota matches.
Regrettably, she resolved to deal with the two in front of her.
Soon, Seo Ye-in stood up from her spot, and as if that was the signal, the countdown began.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Seo Ye-in blurred and disappeared right away.
She disappeared with the help of her invisible ghillie suit.
¡°Huh?¡±
Jeong Soo-ji was left all alone in an instant.
Meanwhile, Kwak Ji-cheol and Kang Hee-chan were leaping over the cloud tforms and closing in.
¡°Wait, hold on. The n¡¡±
Jeong Soo-ji tried to speak and started looking around anxiously, but no response came, just like before the match started.
Meanwhile, the two from the opposing team continued to narrow the gap.
Jeong Soo-ji started to panic.
I need to run.
Staying put would only mean handing her neck to them.
So, she kicked off the cloud tform with all her might.
She jumped onto a higher tform and then pushed herself up again, leaping as high as she could.
¡°Hmph.¡±
Kang Hee-chan and Kwak Ji-cheolughed as if it was funny.
Their speed in crossing the tforms was far faster.
Kang Hee-chan was a sword-and-shield warrior after all.
As a closebat ss, his physical abilities were naturally superior.
Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s physical abilities were only slightly better than Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s, but the sand swirling around him provided him with a tform.
Recently, he had shifted his focus to sand magic. So he was carrying plenty of sand in his inventory and using it whenever needed.
As a result, the distance between the three of them continued to shrink.
The closer they got, the more Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s urgency turned into despair.
¡°D-Don¡¯te any closer!¡±
She desperately fired off earthen bullets, but Kang Hee-chan blocked them all with his tower shield.
Then, with a single leap, hended on the same cloud tform.
¡°Ah¡¡±
With every step Kang Hee-chan took forward, Jeong Soo-ji took a step back.
Unfortunately, the cloud tform wasn¡¯t wide enough for her to keep retreating.
Soon, she found herself cornered at the edge and thought to herself,
I should¡¯ve exercised more.
Thud!
Kang Hee-chan charged forward with his shield, and Jeong Soo-ji was struck by the impact and got flung backward.
She plummeted straight down.
¡°Aaaaah¡ª!¡±
However, Kang Hee-chan didn¡¯t notice.
Just as he had charged toward Jeong Soo-ji, the tform behind him wavered and Seo Ye-in appeared.
She had used Jeong Soo-ji as bait and circled around to attack from behind.
Kwak Ji-cheol noticed this and urgently called out to Kang Hee-chan,
¡°Kang¡ª!¡±
Seo Ye-in was quicker to pull the trigger.
Ratatatatatat!
Magic bullets mmed into the back of Kang Hee-chan¡¯s head and spine in a straight line.
Then they exploded in sequence.
Boom, boom, boom!
¡°Ughhh!¡±
[Kang Hee-chan: 99%]
[Kang Hee-chan: 81%]
The sudden impact was so overwhelming that Kang Hee-chan¡¯s mind went nk.
His body staggered once before copsing forward.
He too plummeted down, following Jeong Soo-ji.
[Jeong Soo-ji ¨C %]
[Kang Hee-chan ¨C %]
Damn it, this is driving me crazy.
Kwak Ji-cheol rubbed his face once in frustration.
In hindsight, there had been something suspicious.
He had thought she was giving up a teammate too easily, and it turned out to be a trap.
In the end, they had traded Jeong Soo-ji for Kang Hee-chan.
Now, it was just him and Seo Ye-in, one-on-one.
¡°¡¡¡±
Her gray eyes locked onto Kwak Ji-cheol.
Next, the barrel of her gun aimed at him.
Ratatatatatata!
She fired magic bullets furiously at him.
Of course, Kwak Ji-cheol had already manipted the sand to form a tripleyered barrier around him.
There¡¯s no way she¡¯ll break through that so easily¡ª
Boom, boom, boom!
That illusion of his didn¡¯tst long, as a series of explosions erupted and one side of the sand wall crumbled down.
Magic bullets poured in through the gap.
Kwak Ji-cheol¡¯s health began to drop rapidly.
¡°Ugh!¡±
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 99%]
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 94%]
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 88%]
Even as the dizziness set in, Kwak Ji-cheol quickly moved the sand to repair the broken barrier and cast long-range magic to counterattack.
[Sand Gatling]
[Sand Gatling]
Tututututututututu!
Sand bullets were fired in rapid session.
Seo Ye-in who was standing lightly on a small cloud tform moved gracefully from side to side.
The bullets either missed widely or barely grazed her as she seemed to glide past them.
All the while she reloaded her assault rifle and fired again.
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
Once more, the sand wall crumbled and the magic bullets forced their way through to strike Kwak Ji-cheol.
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 84%]
[Kwak Ji-cheol: 79%]
¡°Gah!¡±
¡I can¡¯tpete with her.
It was only then that Kwak Ji-cheol realized.
He had been confident in his improved skills, but Seo Ye-in had grown even more.
The gap hadn¡¯t closed; it had widened instead.
No, it¡¯s not over yet.
It wasn¡¯t over!
Kwak Ji-cheol opened his inventory and pulled out even more sand.
Then he reinforced the sand walls,yering them even thicker.
He had taken the turtle defense strategy to the extreme.
Let¡¯s see if she can break through this!
Seo Ye-in¡¯s attack power had certainly increased, but with this level of defense, it would be difficult to break through using only an assault rifle.
She would have to switch to a shotgun or a sniper rifle, and as far as he knew, that would take a fair amount of time.
That would be his chance to counterattack.
¡°¡¡¡±
However, contrary to his expectations, Seo Ye-in continued to fire the assault rifle without hesitation.
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
Explosions echoed, but thanks to theyered defensive walls, they didn¡¯t break through.
But his relief was short-lived.
Kwak Ji-cheol felt the ground beneath his feet suddenly give way.
That¡¯s right, here.
¡°Cloud tform Bomb¡ª!¡±
Instead of breaking through his defense, she shot the clouds to eliminate the ground he could stand on.
Kwak Ji-cheol looked down as he fell rapidly through the air. and, to his relief, he saw a single cloud tform floating below.
Heavens are on my side!
It couldn¡¯t end like this.
The moment hended on that tform, he could quickly recover and continue the fight.
However, in the next moment, he looked up and was left speechless.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in was looking down at him.
And the barrel of her gun was aimed at the very cloud tform he was about tond on.
Kwak Ji-cheol shouted in desperation,
¡°No!¡±
Ratatatatata!
Magic bullets pounded the cloud tform relentlessly, causing it to explode into pieces.
With the tform that was supposed to catch him now scattered, Kwak Ji-cheol continued to fall.
¡°Arghhhhh¡ª!¡±
Seo Ye-in stared down at him and spoke for the first time since the match began. Her eyes were cold.
¡°Done.¡±
She had taught a lesson the mage.
[Seo Ye-in, Jeong Soo-ji Win]
vs
[Kwak Ji-cheol, Kang Hee-chan Lose]
***
After Seo Ye-in had ¡°taught a lesson¡± to all three of her opponents, including her teammate, I contacted Ahn Jeong-mi again.
It was to report on her training progress.
¡°¡ªSo, using D-rank explosive bullets, she saw quite the good results in her duel battles. At this rate, I think she will reach C-rank in no time.¡±
¡°I see. You¡¯ve worked very hard.¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi seemed quite satisfied.
With the human sloth participating in training with enthusiasm and producing results, there was no reason for her not to be pleased.
Whatever Ahn Jeong-mi brought her, it was effective, so it felt rewarding.
I continued my report.
¡°I n to tackle the quest scroll during the strategy battle week. Based on the content, she will need to head down into the dungeon.¡±
¡°I trust you, Kim Ho-nim. I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±
At that moment, Seo Ye-in who had been sprawled out on the tablezily rolling around suddenly jumped into the conversation.
¡°I want to go down too.¡±
¡°Miss, you¡¯ve already earned the qualification for the underground level.¡±
¡°Lower.¡±
Seo Ye-in added with a shake of her head.
She meant she wanted to follow me into a D-rank or higher dungeon.
I expected another firm ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡± in response, but Ahn Jeong-mi suddenly turned her gaze toward me and asked a rather unexpected question.
¡°Kim Ho-nim, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask.¡±
¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±
¡°Do you have any ns for summer vacation?¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
At those words, Seo Ye-in immediately lifted her head.
Shen then began tugging on my sleeve with her eyes now wide open and alert as if she had never been sleepy.
¡°Come visit my house.¡±
Chapter 228: 13th Week Strategy Battle (1)
Although Seo Ye-in was showing an unexpected amount of interest, it didn¡¯t seem like Ahn Jeong-mi had brought up this question just to change the subject.
It was an issue that needed to be dealt with sooner orter anyway.
There had to be some connection between taking Seo Ye-in into a dungeon and my summer vacation ns.
So, to confirm, I asked again.
¡°I assume there¡¯s a reason you¡¯re asking this?¡±
¡°The Chairman would like to meet you, Kim Ho-nim.¡±
¡°And the Chairman is¡.?¡±
¡°He is young miss Seo Ye-in¡¯s grandfather.¡±
I nced over at Seo Ye-in.I had guessed she was connected to someone high up.
So, she¡¯s the Chairman¡¯s granddaughter.
It made perfect sense now why she was under the management of the Future Strategy Office and even had a butler.
Given the flow of the conversation, it seemed the Chairman of apany as big as Hye-seong Group wanted to meet me because,
¡°He wants to assess my qualifications?¡±
¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±
He wanted to see if my abilities were sufficient to tackle high-level dungeons,
What kind of person I was,
And whether I was someone he could trust to look after his granddaughter.
He wanted to judge that for himself.
There¡¯s no reason for me to refuse.
Taking Seo Ye-in into the underground dungeons was a hurdle I would have to clear eventually.
Since the rewards from luck-rted dungeons were quite substantial, the sooner I got permission, the better.
There could be some extra benefits too.
They invited me over, so would it really just end with a simple meeting?
Hye-seong Group had often given me decent rewards whenever I helped Seo Ye-in or did her a favor.
This time would probably be no different.
If I have time, I could even grab a hidden piece or two.
The new city where Hye-seong Group¡¯s headquarters were located came to mind.
I remembered a few hidden pieces around there.
Though I was leaning toward going, you never know what might happen in life.
So I decided to hold off on giving an answer.
¡°I don¡¯t have any special ns, but I¡¯d like to think it over a bit more before deciding.¡±
¡°I understand. Feel free to let me know anytime.¡±
Ahn Jeong-mi who was inside the crystal ball bowed politely as if to show respect for my decision.
On the other hand, Seo Ye-in who was eager for a quicker response said,
¡°Come visit my house.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±
¡°Come visit.¡±
She kept tugging at my sleeve whenever she got the chance and repeatedly urged me to visit her.
***
The ¡°three-in-one¡± training continued over the weekend.
Normally, I left Seo Ye-in alone on weekends, but this time, she participated with unusual enthusiasm.
I was curious so I asked her why.
¡°I didn¡¯t get to finish her off.¡±
That was her brief reply.
In thest match of the duel battle, Kwak Ji-cheol ended up being little more than cannon fodder, but it seemed that wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy her.
So she decided to focus on ranking up more in preparation for the day she would face Hong Yeon-hwa again.
Turns out she really doesn¡¯t like losing either.
For Go Hyeon-woo and me, this was wee news.
The three-in-one training couldn¡¯t proceed if even one person was missing.
So by Sunday evening, as Seo Ye-in worked on her explosive bullet skill, Go Hyeon-woo trained both his sword technique and movement technique, and I continued my wind magic practice, we saw significant progress.
The talented monster Seo Ye-in naturally advanced her explosive bullet skill to C-rank, while Go Hyeon-woo became skilled enough to use his sword technique and movement technique in realbat.
[¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ rank has increased. (D+ -> C+)]
I also managed to push my Wind Barrier to the next level.
***
Monday.
It was time for the strategy battle ss.
Seo Cheong-yong began to speak with his usual kind smile.
¡°This week, just like always, we¡¯ll be trying to survive in a hostile environment.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
He hadn¡¯t even exined the details yet, but the students were already filled with exhaustion and annoyance.
Evenst week¡¯s cloud stairs had been an unbearable ce.
The students had to carefully cross the tforms without falling, and even the slightest damage would cause the clouds to dissipate. This would force them to scramble whenever the opponents attacked.
The stress had been no small thing.
On top of that, there was the extremely unpleasant experience of skydiving without a parachute.
Most of the students had likely fallen at least once in the three matches, so there was no way anyone could like the cloud stairs.
And to make matters worse, the teachers said that simr things would continue for the rest of the semester.
It was only natural for the students to be annoyed.
Of course, not me.
Veterans tend to take a twisted pleasure in watching newbies suffer.
Sometimes, we even be the ones causing that suffering.
I wasn¡¯t sure if Seo Cheong-yong enjoyed that kind of thrill, but as a teacher, he had to guide his students in the right direction.
So he began to lecture in a much more serious tone,
¡°I understand it¡¯s tough, kids. But if you go through this now and get used to it, it will definitely help youter.¡±
For now, failing to adapt to hostile environments would only lead to being knocked out of a fight or losing a few points on a practical exam.
But after graduation, those things wouldn¡¯t matter.
In realbat, failing to handle hostile environments wouldn¡¯t cost points; it would cost lives.
So, wouldn¡¯t it be better to have a little trouble now rather than regret itter? Seo Cheong-yong was doing his best to convince the students.
When the atmosphere softened a little, he resumed the ss which had briefly paused.
¡°Alright, here¡¯s the content for this week¡¯s strategy battle.¡±
The ckboard was wiped clean, and in its ce, the rules and environment appeared.
MAP: [Poison Zone]
RULE: [Crystal] [Triple]
¡°First, we¡¯re bringing back the familiar crystal rule.¡±
The rule was to retrieve the crystal located somewhere in the dungeon and bring it to the sanctuary to charge it.
The moment you stepped outside the sanctuary¡¯s boundary, the charge would rapidly decrease, so you always had to stay within a certain range.
At this point, Seo Cheong-yong added ament.
¡°But this time, we can¡¯t forget the hostile environment, can we?¡±
Even if you stayed near the sanctuary, you needed to know when to leave if the situation wasn¡¯t favorable.
Especially since this environment was a [Poison Zone], if you werete in getting out, you¡¯d be poisoned and take continuous damage.
You would have to decide at every moment whether to prioritize safety or charging.
¡°And this week, we¡¯re doing it in teams of three.¡±
The team size which had previously been a maximum of two had now increased to three.
The number of participants in the practical evaluation would gradually increase over time, and it would eventually lead to expeditions or ss-wide duel battles.
This works out well.
¡°Kim-hyung.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in who were sitting on either side of me had a gleam in their eyes.
For the past few weeks, Go Hyeon-woo had made concessions, though not entirely willingly, but now there was no need to worry about which one to team up with.
The three of us can just stick together.
As soon as ss ended, we moved to the dungeon building and descended the stairs to the underground levels.
As expected, the students going up and down the spiral staircase were all second and third years.
Most first-year students still needed to carefully evaluate even F-rank dungeons and go through the minimum preparation process, but I could skip that step without any concern.
I had already selected a dungeon that would be easy to clear.
[No.808] [Herb Botanical Garden]
One by one, we crossed through the teleport portal, and in the next moment, we found ourselves standing in front of a rundown ticket booth.
Seo Ye-in peeked inside with curious eyes but,
¡°There¡¯s nothing.¡±
¡°They¡¯re out of business.¡±
This ce was once a botanical garden that had been forcibly shut down.
A little to the side, there was an oldrge sign that read and below it was the entrance gate.
Like the rest of the ce, it was barely standing and no longer served its purpose.
We roughly pushed through and entered only to find a winding path meant for visitors.
As I led the way down the path, Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in followed while ncing around at their surroundings.
Go Hyeon-woo spoke in a half-curious, half-wary tone.
¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like an ordinary botanical garden.¡±
The environment was bing more like a tropical rainforest, and the size of each nt was anything but normal.
Their appearances were also strange, with many looking bizarre and the colors of the flowers unnecessarily vibrant. This made them look even more unsettling.
¡°They look like poisonous nts, right?¡±
¡°They do.¡±
Shhhhhh¡
In addition, thick smoke was rising from various spots here and there.
¡°That looks like poisonous gas, right?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Large nts were swaying side to side in the distance, almost as if they were dancing.
¡°They look like monsters, right?¡±
¡°They do.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo slowly reached for his waist, but I kept walking ahead regardless.
Before long, a building that had once been a greenhouse came into view.
Its ss walls were shattered, leaving only a bare frame behind, while various nts had burst out from the structure.
I trudged inside without hesitation with Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in following behind me.
In the center of the greenhouse, a small tree was glowing with light.
¡°It looks like a sanctuary, right?¡±
¡°It¡¯s definitely easy to tell.¡±
¡°Just find the crystal and charge it.¡±
The clear condition for this dungeon was to charge two crystals.
¡°The grading is based on average health.¡±
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Go Hyeon-woo: 100%]
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
The score would depend on how much of the group¡¯s average health remained once both crystals were fully charged.
At the same time, I pulled up this week¡¯s side quest.
[Side Quest: 13th Week Strategy Battle]
?Objective: Clear the strategy battle dungeon
?Deadline: ~Sunday midnight
?Reward: Varies based on performance.
The maximum achievement rate required was an average health of 95% or higher.
In other words, we had to take almost no damage.
And with a three-person team, it wasn¡¯t enough for just me to perform well.
We all had to do well.
The difficulty was definitely high,
But it¡¯s definitely worth it.
The rewards were good enough to justify the effort.
¡°I¡¯ve got some good news; the location here is pretty good.¡±
Standing in the sanctuary and surveying the terrain, I noticed a few narrow paths winding through the dense mass of giant nts.
¡°If the monsterse, that¡¯s the only way they can get through.¡±
¡°It looks like a good spot for a fight.¡±
Among other poison zone dungeons like jungles or swamps, I specifically chose this botanical garden for a reason.
The narrow paths made it impossible for us to get surrounded by monsters, and we could take them down as they came.
However, Go Hyeon-woo seemed to have some concerns.
¡°But Kim-hyung, doesn¡¯t that restrict our movement too?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
Shhhh¡
Right then, acrid smoke began rising from the nearby ground.
If poisonous gas or pollen scattered around during an urgent battle, where could we possibly run?
Of course, I had prepared a solution for this problem too.
¡°The second piece of good news is¡¡±
It would be faster to show than to exin a hundred times.
I nced nearby and spotted a colorful flower in full bloom.
When I reached out and grabbed it, purple pollen scattered everywhere.
At a nce, it was obviously full of toxins.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Kim Ho: 100%]
Not only had my health not dropped, but I hadn¡¯t even been poisoned.
I dusted off my hands and asked,
¡°What are we?¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Go Hyeon-woo seemed to remember something he had forgotten when he saw that.
¡°¡We¡¯re immune to most poisons.¡±
All three of us were.
Chapter 229: 13th Week Strategy Battle (2)
Hundred Poisons Immunity.
It was a trait that granted resistance to various poisons.
Since it was a C-rank trait, it could be bypassed by rare or high-level poisons, but it could easily block basic nt poisons like those found in this F-rank dungeon.
¡°Still, be careful not to get scratched.¡±
¡°It only prevents poisoning, after all.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head in agreement.
While we didn¡¯t have to worry about poison, we could still take damage from other types of attacks, such as being pricked by thorns or physical attacks.
Plus, there was a fairly strict condition of maintaining an average health of 95%, so we couldn¡¯t afford to be careless.
¡°Now then, shall we go find the crystal?¡±To charge the crystal, we first had to secure one somewhere in the dungeon.
I spoke to Seo Ye-in in a polite tone.
¡°Lucky Charm-nim, please guide us.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in looked to the left, then to the right, before turning around and ncing behind her.
Then she slowly raised her hand and pointed in one direction.
¡°There.¡±
¡°Very good. Go Hyeon-woo, move out.¡±
¡°Hmm, I shall be off.¡±
Both Go Hyeon-woo and I knew well enough of Lucky Charm¡¯s ¡°abilities¡± so we didn¡¯t have any doubts about her directions.
Whoosh¡ª
As Go Hyeon-woo left at a brisk pace, a gust of wind gently swirled around him.
I cast Wind Barrier.
¡°So, where should we go next?¡±
At my question, Seo Ye-in tilted her head slightly before pointing in a different direction this time.
¡°There.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go, then.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
There were two crystals in total that needed to be retrieved and charged.
Since Go Hyeon-woo had gone for one, the remaining one was for the two of us to collect.
So I took the lead, and Seo Ye-in followed at a simr pace.
As we walked along the botanical garden¡¯s path, following Lucky Charm¡¯s guidance, the crystal soon came into view.
When it came to instincts or luck, leaving it to Seo Ye-in usually worked out pretty well.
However, there was one problem. This was the location of the crystal.
A monstrouslyrge Venus flytrap had its jaws wide open, and the crystaly right in the middle of it.
Seo Ye-in looked at me and I demonstrated with hand gestures.
¡°Just like this¡ªShahh. Easy, right?¡±
All we had to do was quickly stick a hand in, grab the crystal, and pull it out just as fast.
Seo Ye-in stared at the Venus flytrap for a few seconds, then reached her hand in.
¡°Shahh.¡±
Chomp.
The Venus flytrap snapped shut at a terrifying speed and bit down on Seo Ye-in¡¯s arm.
[Seo Ye-in: 100%]
[Seo Ye-in: 99%]
¡°¡Help.¡±
¡°I told you, pull it out quickly.¡±
¡°It¡¯s noting out.¡±
¡°Of course, it¡¯s not going toe out now.¡±
If it slid out easily while trapped, would it even be called a Venus flytrap?
[Seo Ye-in: 98%]
¡°¡Help.¡±
I wanted to tease her a bit longer, but since her health had dropped a little more, I decided to help.
I pried the Venus flytrap open with all my strength, and Seo Ye-in pulled out her trapped arm along with the crystal.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in stared at the Venus flytrap as if she was facing a worthy opponent.
She then slowly brought her hand closer again, as if she was ready for another attempt, but I grabbed her hand to stop her.
¡°Let¡¯s go. We don¡¯t have time.¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
Go Hyeon-woo was probably on his way back with the crystal by now, so we couldn¡¯t waste any more time.
She would just fail again anyway.
If we tried again, it would only drain more of her precious health.
With a bit of reluctance lingering in Seo Ye-in¡¯s eyes, I pulled her along and we started retracing our steps.
The way back had be more difficult, as the nt-type monsters which had only been swaying in the distance earlier were now starting to gather.
They looked like walking candy sticks or bean sprouts.
The only difference was that instead of candy heads, they hadrge flower buds, and thick nt stems supported their bodies instead of sticks.
Whoosh¡ª
At that point, I cast Wind Barrier and picked up the pace.
Seo Ye-in also pulled out her magic gun, but I stopped her.
¡°Let¡¯s just get back for now.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
It was best to return to the greenhouse and set up near the sanctuary before engaging in any battle.
After all, our main objective was to charge the crystal.
So, we focused solely on running while ignoring the monsters.
Ting¡ª
asionally, something would hit the barrier and bounce off. Judging by the long, thin projectiles, they seemed to be poison stingers.
Shhhhhh¡ª
Thick, acrid smoke suddenly rose in front of us, but we didn¡¯t avoid it and charged straight through.
It couldn¡¯t prate the barrier, and even if it did, we were immune to poison.
Without stopping at all, we kept running, and soon the greenhouse came into view.
[Crystal: 8%]
The crystal was already recharging.
As we approached the center of the greenhouse, a beam of light extended from the sanctuary and connected with Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s crystal.
¡°You two made it as well.¡±
¡°You got here quickly.¡±
¡°Thanks to you, I was able to find it quickly.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo credited Lucky Charm for his sess.
However, he soon drew his golden magic sword and looked behind him.
It was because the bean sprout monsters were charging in.
Just as I intended, they were entering in single file through the narrow paths.
I gave Go Hyeon-woo an order.
¡°For now, focus on defense. Gather them so Seo Ye-in can take them all out.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo readily agreed.
He might have been curious about the reason, but that could wait.
After wrapping a gust of wind around his magic sword, he swung it diagonally at the lead monster charging forward.
Thwack!
With the sound of a club striking, the giant bean sprout was flung backward before crashing into the others behind it.
And then, Seo Ye-in¡¯s magic bullets rained down on them.
Ratatatatata!
The bullets exploded upon impact andpletely wiped out the tangled group of monsters.
¡°¡¡¡±
Without missing a beat, Seo Ye-in turned her gun toward another path.
She intercepted the monsters that were approaching from a different direction.
Ratatatatata!
As expected, hunting is best when done from the perfect spot.
The monsters wereing at us in single file on their own, so all we had to do was block off a few paths, and the defense wasplete.
It couldn¡¯t get any easier.
This was the ideal setup for Seo Ye-in to clear the quest.
[Side Quest ¨C Marksmanship]
? Objective: Eliminate enemies (23/100)
Consecutive kills (23/30)
Headshots (9/15)
? Reward: Marksmanship
Killing enemies andnding headshots would naturally bepleted by taking down enough foes, but ¡°consecutive kills¡± was rtively more challenging.
The moment even a single bullet missed, the count would reset to zero. This would force her to start all over again.
With Seo Ye-in¡¯s shooting skills, she could have easily achieved 30 consecutive kills in any other dungeon, but it was better to take a simple and certain approach here.
Ratatatatata!
? Objective: Eliminate enemies (34/100)
Consecutive kills (30/30) (Complete)
Headshots (15/15) (Complete)
With this, the tricky part is done.
[Crystal: 73%]
The crystal was charging steadily as well.
Since the approaching bean sprout monsters were blocked by Go Hyeon-woo and intercepted by Seo Ye-in, they seemed to be trying to change their attack strategy.
It¡¯s about time for the next pattern to appear.
Whirr!
Like a cowboy twirling something in the air, one of the monsters flung arge palm-sized object that resembled a coconut.
The object exploded to spread a thick cloud of purple pollen.
It was clearly poisonous, but I calmly said,
¡°And what are we?¡±
¡°Immune to most poisons.¡±
There was no way such a weak poison would affect us.
Still, having our view blocked wasn¡¯t ideal, so I used Wind Force to clear away the poisonous pollen.
[Crystal: 100%]
sh!
Soon, Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s crystal was fully charged, and the beam of light that had been pouring out of the sanctuary briefly flickered before connecting to Seo Ye-in¡¯s crystal.
Her charge gauge began to fill up slowly.
[Crystal: 1%]
[Crystal: 2%]
Whirr!
The giant bean sprout monsters continued their steady long-range attacks.
It seemed they hadn¡¯t realized that the poisonous pollen wasn¡¯t working.
Of course, some of them also threw spiky cacti or fired thin poison darts, not just the poisonous powder fruits.
But regardless of what they tried, everything was blocked by the Wind Barrier.
The value of upgrading it to C+ rank was more than enough.
Ratatatatata!
Seo Ye-in counterattacked all those creatures without fail.
Go Hyeon-woo handled the luring, I took care of defense, and the asional poisonous smoke was neutralized by our hundred poisons immunity, so we could focus solely on the offensive without worrying about anything else.
Ratatatatata!
Then, at some point, the magic bullets suddenly seemed to grow much stronger.
Even Go Hyeon-woo was startled enough to nce back in surprise.
I threw a quick word to Seo Ye-in as well.
¡°Is it done?¡±
¡°Done.¡±
She hadpleted the side quest and acquired [Marksmanship].
Each of Seo Ye-in¡¯s ranged skills and traits now had an additional bonus, so her overall destructive power had significantly increased.
Her firepower had grown noticeably stronger.
Moreover, Go Hyeon-woo no longer needed to focus on luring the monsters and began actively joining the offensive.
Not long after that,
[Crystal: 100%]
sh!
The second crystal finished charging as well.
The relentless assault of the bean sprout monsters stopped as if it had all been a lie, and the greenhouse trembled like an earthquake had hit before the exit opened up.
At that moment, the rey crystal ball that had been set aside began to score our performance.
[Kim Ho: 100%]
[Seo Ye-in: 98%]
[Go Hyeon-woo: 100%]
[Average Health: 99/100% = 792 points]
+ [Number of monsters defeated: 153 = 51 points]
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª
[Total score: 843 points]
* F-rank dungeon clear multiplier 1.0x = 843 pts
The three of us looked at the results with satisfaction.
During all this, Go Hyeon-woo seemed to have a question and asked Seo Ye-in,
¡°But Miss Seo, when did you lose any health?¡±
¡°Shahh, I failed.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
If tranted, it meant she had tried to swiftly pull out the crystal from a Venus flytrap but got caught.
Since Go Hyeon-woo was still a beginner in slothnguage, it was no surprise he found it hard to understand.
It wasn¡¯t important, so we just moved on.
[Herb Botanical Garden Random Box (F)] *2
Even though Lightning Valley was also an F-rank dungeon, its reward had only been one box.
In contrast, the Herb Botanical Garden, while also F-rank, was a three-person dungeon and had much tighter terrainpared to simr dungeons.
If we didn¡¯t have the Hundred Poisons Immunity, we would have been poisoned every time the bean sprout monsters threw their poison fruit, and it would have been a real hassle.
Because of that, we ended up getting two random boxes as a reward.
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo and I nced at Seo Ye-in at the same time, almost as if we had nned it. Seo Ye-in gave a slight nod and opened both random boxes at once.
Click,
[Random Rank Up] *2
For F-rank random boxes, this wasn¡¯t a bad oue at all.
I handed one of the Random Rank Ups to Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in.
¡°Here, give them a try.¡±
¡°But Kim-hyung, you didn¡¯t get anything for yourself.¡±
¡°So what if I didn¡¯t?¡±
After all, I managed all the rewards from other dungeons, so there was no need to im my share from an F-rank dungeon as well.
And if you¡¯re wondering whether I really didn¡¯t get anything out of this, well, that wasn¡¯t quite true either.
[Side Quest: 13th Week Strategy Battle] (Completed)
? Objective: Clear the strategy battle dungeon
? Average health (99/95%)
? Reward: Stamp Coupon (C)
A reward given whenpleting the side quest with the maximum achievement.
It was a coupon that allowed you to collect multiple stamps.
With a C-rank stamp coupon, you could collect up to ten stamps, and by gathering five and then ten stamps, you could receive an ¡°even more special reward¡±.
So how do you collect the stamps?
By failing.
More precisely, whenever you or a party member received a ¡°failure¡± result on any random item, a stamp would be added.
For example, like that future teahouse owner Shin, who had the special ability to draw a lower than E-rank reward from a D-rank random box.
Or by using the Random Rank Up and failing.
So go ahead; fail for me.
Chapter 230: Byeong-cheol Is Out
If the Random Rank Up seeded, of course, it would be even better.
It would save the two of them the time and effort needed to invest in ranking up some skills.
But realistically, two rank ups are far too few.
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s luck wasn¡¯t good enough to rely on just one chance.
Seo Ye-in had managed to cheat her way to raising [Bullet Time] to C-rank in one shot, but such luck wasn¡¯t likely to happen again.
Now that most things are at C-rank anyway.
While moving from D to C could still happen with a bit of good luck, moving from C to B was impossible without extraordinary luck.
You¡¯d have to break through near-zero odds.
That¡¯s why I had failed thirty times in a row in the past and why I still saw Inferno Fist at B-rank as a miracle.Because of this, I watched the two of them without high expectations.
The first challenger was Go Hyeon-woo.
He held the Random Rank Up with a bitter smile.
¡°I¡¯m a little nervous.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. If you fail, you can just try again next time.¡±
¡°Right.¡±
sh!
As soon as Go Hyeon-woo used the Random Rank Up, the scroll began to glow brighter and brighter,
Fwoosh¡
Then in an instant, the light faded and the scroll crumbled into ashes before scattering into the air.
[Rank Up has failed]
¡°Well, that¡¯s how it goes.¡±
¡°That¡¯s how it is most of the time.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo calmly epted his failure, and a stamp was automatically added to the stamp coupon.
[Stamp Coupon (C)]
? Stamp 1/10
Naturally, both of our gazes shifted to Seo Ye-in who was still waiting.
¡°¡¡.¡±
As always, Seo Ye-in showed no hint of tension.
She quietly nced down at the Random Rank Up in her hand before using it.
sh!
The scroll began to glow brighter and brighter.
Could it actually work?
Considering all the unbelievable luck she had until now, even I couldn¡¯t help but feel a flicker of hope.
But then,
Fwoosh¡
[Rank Up has failed]
? Stamp 2/10
The Random Rank Up crumbled into ashes, and another stamp was added.
¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡±
Seo Ye-in¡¯s expression remained unchanged.
Judging by how indifferent she always was, even during random box openings, it seemed she wasn¡¯t too concerned about the oue either way.
However, Go Hyeon-woo raised an eyebrow with a surprised expression.
¡°This is rare. For Miss Seo to fail.¡±
¡°Indeed.¡±
It seemed that not even her extraordinary luck could guarantee a perfect streak with the Random Rank Up.
Well, if that were possible, it wouldn¡¯t just be luck; it would be a bug.
After all, it would mean gaining second and third-year level specs with just a few Rank Ups.
Still, you never know.
After all, this was only the second attempt.
We would have to wait and see if Seo Ye-in¡¯s sess rate would continue to drop to the average or if she would asionally defy the odds.
***
The brutal odds of the Random Rank Up applied to me without exception.
Fwoosh¡
[Rank Up has failed]
[Rank Up has failed]
The two scrolls in front of me turned to dust and scattered.
They were the rewards from defeating the Elemental Gap-doo with Dang Gyu-young but,
Now they¡¯ve been reced with stamps.
[Stamp Coupon (C)]
? Stamps: 4/10
The silver lining was that I only needed one more stamp to reach the first reward.
I figured I could fill it by clearing the next dungeon.
After all, when you open enough random boxes, you¡¯re bound to get a dud sooner orter.
As if reading my thoughts, a message from Dang Gyu-young came in right on cue.
[Dang Gyu-young: Young Monarch~]
[Dang Gyu-young: (Smiling fox emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Yes, noonim.]
[Dang Gyu-young: (Smiling fox emoji)]
[Dang Gyu-young: Come by our room.]
[Dang Gyu-young: Bring the handsome guy.]
[Kim Ho: I¡¯ll be there.]
The ¡°handsome guy¡± Dang Gyu-young mentioned was Go Hyeon-woo.
They had seen each other a few times and were familiar with each other¡¯s faces, but the fact that she still hadn¡¯t remembered his name showed she didn¡¯t really care.
And the fact that she wanted me to bring along someone she had no interest in meant,
Looks like she¡¯s ready.
It was clearly something rted to the underground dungeons.
So, I headed to the thieves club room with Go Hyeon-woo in tow.
¡°Oh, wee, customer-nims.¡±
¡°Shin-hyung.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol greeted us enthusiastically.
Go Hyeon-woo responded with a friendly smile and then respectfully bowed his head to Dang Gyu-young as well.
¡°Hello.¡±
¡°Yeah, make yourselvesfortable.¡±
The only members left in the club room were Dang Gyu-young, Chae Da-bin, and Shin Byeong-cheol.
It seemed they had sent the others away since something important was about to be discussed.
I nced around the now somewhat empty club room.
Just a month ago, they had been using discarded sofas and chairs they¡¯d scavenged, but now it looked much more put together.
¡°You¡¯ve got new furniture.¡±
¡°We took it from Kim Gap-doo.¡±
Dang Gyu-young grinned as she added that they had taken all the furniture from the Martial Arts Club.
Ikea Gap-doo.
I suddenly felt a bit sorry for Kim Gap-doo, but the world ofpetition is always cold.
It was their side that challenged us with the one-day date coupon on the line, and it was also them who raised the stakes too high.
I let it go and got straight to the point.
¡°Did you hear from the Swordsmanship Club?¡±
¡°Yeah, I talked to Pang Mi-ryeong this morning.¡±
And of course, their conversation must have been about the B-rank dungeon [Gathering of Viins] that we nned to tackle this week.
Gathering of Viins was arge-scale dungeon that allowed a total of 20 participants.
Fifteen of those spots were taken by a main raid team led by Pang Mi-ryeong, while the remaining five were reserved for us.
The main raid team would conquer the dungeon and its sub-areas using the strategy guide and map I handed over, and we had agreed not to interfere while we just collected small hidden pieces along the way.
Finally, Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s side hadpleted all the preparations and provided the exact schedule.
¡°When is it?¡±
¡°Friday evening.¡±
I had expected it to be either Friday or Saturday.
With a party of 20, the difficulty level was high, and it would take a long time to clear. We would need at least two days, so scheduling it on the weekend was inevitable since weekday sses would get in the way.
Dang Gyu-young continued.
¡°We¡¯ll send the raid team in first, and then we¡¯ll sneak in after them when the opportunity arises.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll leave that part to you.¡±
Stealth was entirely reliant on Dang Gyu-young¡¯s abilities.
¡°Then we should start discussing things in detail. So, it¡¯s the five of us entering, right?¡±
Dang Gyu-young looked over the members in the room one by one to confirm.
There were five of us: me, Go Hyeon-woo, Dang Gyu-young, Chae Da-bin, and Shin Byeong-cheol.
But I slowly shook my head.
¡°No. Shin Byeong-cheol is sitting this one out.¡±
¡°Huh? Kim Ho, what are you talking about?¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s eyes went wide in shock at the sudden announcement.
I calmly added an exnation.
¡°I¡¯ll tell you now, just so there¡¯s no misunderstanding. I¡¯ll still make sure you get the Ghost Dance as promised. You¡¯re just sitting out of the raid.¡±
¡°Oh, well, if that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s fine.¡±
Since Shin Byeong-cheol had contributed to the ck Death dungeon raid, his share of the Ghost Dance was already guaranteed.
But that didn¡¯t mean I had to guarantee him a spot in every raid.
Shin Byeong-cheol seemed to ept it, though a bit disappointed, and asked with a click of his tongue.
¡°Can you at least tell me why?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a different situation from the ck Death dungeon.¡±
In the ck Death dungeon raid, Shin Byeong-cheol had dismantled mechanical traps and guided Go Hyeon-woo to the ck Snake Leader¡¯s secret chamber.
When it came tobat, though, his contribution had been close to zero.
But for the Gathering of Viins, fighting power was the top priority.
I pointed to Go Hyeon-woo and said,
¡°If you want to join, you¡¯ve got to fight at least at his level.¡±
¡°¡That¡¯s a high bar. Guess I¡¯ll have to sit this one out.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol finally let go of any lingering attachment.
After all, Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s fighting power was almost at the level of a promising student, and that was just the minimum requirement.
He decided it was better to give up his spot to someone more suitable than to stubbornly insist on joining without being able to fight.
Once everything was settled, Dang Gyu-young spoke up again.
¡°So, with Byeong-cheol out, that leaves four of us. What about thest spot?¡±
¡°We¡¯ll have to bring someone from the outside, a mercenary.¡±
¡°Sounds like you already have someone in mind.¡±
¡°Yes, I have a very capable candidate.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m sure our Kim Ho will do a great job.¡±
Dang Gyu-young seemed to let it pass without further question, perhaps because there was a certain level of trust built up by now.
Next, I handed out a stack of thick papers to each person.
It was the strategy guide for the [Gathering of Viins].
It detailed how we should act after entering the dungeon, what to be cautious of, and other specifics.
Since it was a B-rank dungeon, the guide was written to minimize any risks.
As she flipped through the pages, Chae Da-bin asked a question.
¡°This includes the raid¡¯s strategy guide too.¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s aprehensive version.¡±
¡°.¡¡¡±
Chae Da-bin furrowed her brow.
Our roles and the raid team¡¯s role were clearly divided, so she wondered why I would hand out abined version.
She had figured out my intention.
¡°¡.Aren¡¯t we supposed to stay out of each other¡¯s business over there?¡±
¡°That¡¯s only if they perform well.¡±
¡°Sounds like you¡¯re saying they won¡¯t.¡±
¡°There¡¯s a pretty high chance of trouble.¡±
I had no idea how strong Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s leadership was or how thoroughly they had prepared for the raid.
But a wise man from a distant ind once said this famous line:
¨CIf there are five people in a group, one of them is bound to be trash.
And over there, they¡¯ve got fifteen people, right?
I seriously doubted everything would go smoothly.
I added more exnation.
¡°Honestly, we can just do our part and leave.¡±
Once we retrieved the hidden pieces, we could use the emergency escape portal, and our job would be done.
Even if Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s team asked for help, we had no obligation to assist them.
Besides, the raid team was no pushover.
After all, they had gathered fifteen third-year students, so even if problems arose, they would figure out a way through.
¡°But in the process, they might have to spend a bit more.¡±
They would likely need to use their stashed elixirs and magic scrolls.
In that case, even if they earned dungeon rewards, their losses could outweigh the gains.
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s eyes lit up.
¡°Then it¡¯d be cheaper to ask for our help instead.¡±
¡°Much cheaper.¡±
¡°Helping them and squeezing out more rewards at the same time?¡±
¡°You catch on quick.¡±
¡°Hey, I am the president of the thieves¡¯ club.¡±
As Dang Gyu-young and I were chatting, Chae Da-bin and Go Hyeon-woo who had been watching exchanged their own thoughts.
¡°We can¡¯tpletely rule out the possibility that they¡¯ll handle everything perfectly, but it¡¯s still better to be prepared.¡±
¡°It never hurts to have a backup n.¡±
So, even though it seemed a bit unnecessary, they decided to thoroughly memorize the thick strategy guide.
Dang Gyu-young looked at me again.
¡°Now we just need to solve the mercenary issue.¡±
¡°I was actually nning to meet with someone about that.¡±
Who would we bring as a mercenary?
This was a matter that could be answered quickly by setting a few conditions.
The first condition, as I mentioned to Shin Byeong-cheol, was that they had to be at least as strong as Go Hyeon-woo.
The second was that they had to be willing to forgo other rewards in order to obtain the Ghost Dance.
Lastly, they needed to have some backing.
Since sharing the Ghost Dance just by participating would put us at a loss, we needed somepensation in return.
With these conditions in mind, one person came to mind right away.
Someone who had shown great interest in the Ghost Dance from the moment I first mentioned it,
A promising student from the ck Faction who was known by aliases like Jang Sam and Jang Cheol-soo.
Jang Moo-geuk.
Chapter 231: Octopus Limbs
As soon as I left the thieves club room, I called out to Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam.
There was no need for lengthy exnations; two words were enough.
[Kim Ho: Ghost Dance]
Sure enough, the two assassins dropped everything and came running.
Their eyes were zing with anticipation.
¡°¡Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡±
¡°Is it true?¡±
¡°Why would I lie about something like this?¡±There wasn¡¯t anything to gain by deceiving them, after all.
Wang Chron-sam asked,
¡°Do you have it with you now?¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m nning to pick it up this week. I called you because there are some things we need to coordinate in advance.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±
I briefly summarized the conversation that had taken ce in the thieves club room.
I exined that we¡¯d be joining a raid in a B-rank dungeon, where one of the hidden pieces we¡¯d be retrieving was none other than the Ghost Dance.
And that there was currently an open spot on the team.
Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam exchanged a look.
With only one slot and two people called, it was only fair that the more skilled of the two would take the spot.
In any case, Wang Cheon-sam¡¯s abilities were slightly below my own standards.
Jang Moo-geuk spoke up at this point.
¡°You want me to join the raid?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°And what do I gain from this?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll give you priority rights to the transaction.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
The [Ghost Dance] was a technique left behind by the illusion demon among the Four Supreme Demons Under Heaven.
Its true nature was a highly unique and powerful skill and, at the same time, a form of enlightenment.
While it was notoriously difficult to locate and even harder to obtain, the advantages it offered were astounding enough to offset these drawbacks.
It¡¯s not just a one-time use, after all.
Generally, items that granted skills or special traits would vanish the moment they were used.
The skill book and quest scroll Seo Ye-in had used were good examples of this.
In contrast, although Ghost Dance had a limited number of uses, it allowed multiple people to benefit from it in turn.
After the reserved members of the thieves club and Go Hyeon-woo had their chance, it was likely there would still be two or three uses left. My proposal, then, was to offer them priority ess to those remaining opportunities.
Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s gaze deepened.
¡°It¡¯s certainly tempting, but it¡¯s better to hear the full terms before deciding.¡±
¡°Fair enough.¡±
¡°You said you¡¯d give us priority in the transaction. However, even with priority, if the deal itself falls through, then it¡¯s all meaningless, isn¡¯t it?¡±
In other words, he was saying that they would agree to the mercenary proposal only after hearing the requirements, to prevent any misunderstandingster.
It was a reasonable condition, so I nodded my head.
¡°Of course, I won¡¯t make unreasonable demands. For the two of you, it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡±
In fact, it was something even easier to acquire due to their connections to the ck faction.
When I stated my requirements, a flicker of surprise appeared in their eyes.
¡°It won¡¯t be easy, but it¡¯s not impossible. For something like Ghost Dance, paying that much seems fair. But what exactly do you n to do with it?¡±
¡°Is that really important?¡±
¡°¡No, it¡¯s not.¡±
The important thing wasn¡¯t how it would be used, but simply that I wanted it as part of the deal.
Jang Moo-geuk didn¡¯t press further and nodded in agreement.
¡°Fine, I¡¯ll ept your offer. You said Friday, right?¡±
¡°Yes, Friday. And here, take this and read through it beforehand.¡±
I handed him a strategy guide as well.
Of course,pared to theprehensive version I gave Go Hyeon-woo, Dang Gyu-young, and Chae Da-bin, this one was much thinner.
Since he doesn¡¯t need to know everything.
What I needed from Jang Moo-geuk was his power.
In the event of an emergency, the other party members could handle the rest.
When he tucked the guide into his coat, Jang Moo-geuk asked,
¡°I¡¯ll read it over. Is that all?¡±
¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it.¡±
¡°Then I¡¯ll be off. Came in a rush, after all.¡±
Saying he had run over in the middle of other business, the two of them quickly stood up and went away.
While I was watching their backs as they left, a thought struck me, and I called out with a question.
¡°By the way, do you still use aliases these days?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
¡°What are they?¡±
Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam exchanged a quick look before answering.
¡°Jang Oh.¡±
¡°Wang Gon.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Their naming sense was, as always, spectacrly terrible.
They hadn¡¯t progressed at all from Jang Sam-Wang Pil or Jang Cheol-soo-Wang Min-soo.
Since I stayed silent, Jang Moo-geuk cautiously asked,
¡°¡Not good enough?¡±
¡°Guys, what¡¯s the point of using aliases if they¡¯re so obvious the moment someone hears them?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true. We¡¯ll keep that in mind for next time.¡±
¡°So, whose idea was Jang Oh and Wang Gon?¡±
At that, Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam fell silent for a moment, then simultaneously pointed at each other.
¡°This guy came up with it.¡±
¡°This guy said it was good.¡±
***
The next day.
After ss ended, I was about to leave the ssroom when I noticed the atmosphere outside was more chaotic than usual.
In most cases, this meant someone from another ss or grade had shown up.
When I peeked outside, sure enough, I saw a familiar head of red hair at the center of themotion.
¡°¡..¡±
It was none other than the infamous ¡°Mad Fighting Dog¡± Hong Yeon-hwa.
Because of her outstanding appearance and her fame, she couldn¡¯t help but draw the attention of those passing by.
However, she felt ufortable with people ncing at her, so whenever they focused their gazes on her, she would re in all directions.
Yet even after she managed to drive off one wave of onlookers, new students would pass by and take another nce. This resulted in a seemingly endless staring battle.
Just then, Go Hyeon-woo approached her with his characteristic smile and greeted her.
¡°Hello, Miss Hong.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa maintained her half-scowling expression, but perhaps since they were somewhat familiar with each other, she gave a slight nod in response.
Go Hyeon-woo started speaking with a friendly smile.
¡°It was a good matchst time. I learned a lot.¡±
¡°¡Me too.¡±
He seemed to be referring to the duel battle on the Cloud Stairs.
Though she kept a hard front, even Hong Yeon-hwa couldn¡¯t stay tense when she was praised, and her expression softened just a bit.
They exchanged a few more words about the duel battle, and then Go Hyeon-woo asked,
¡°Did youe here because you had business with Kim-hyung?¡±
¡°¡Mhmm.¡±
¡°Just wait a moment. I¡¯ll call him over for you.¡±
But there was no need for him to call me.
I had already heard everything, after all.
I had just been watching from the sidelines, curious about the unusualbination.
When I approached, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s self-control noticeably improved; the fierce look in her eyes faded and it was reced with an unexpectedly gentle expression.
Go Hyeon-woo looked back and forth between Hong Yeon-hwa and me and smiled meaningfully.
¡°Interesting¡¡±
¡°What is?¡±
¡°Oh, nothing. I just hope you two have a good time.¡±
With that, Go Hyeon-woo walked away. His footsteps were light and swift with his mastery of the ¡°Thousand Winds, Endless Step¡± technique.
Somehow, I doubted that was what he had trained so hard to use it for.
I turned to Hong Yeon-hwa and looked at her.
¡°So, why did youe?¡±
¡°Ah, well¡ I came to give you something¡¡±
A long box and a smaller box appeared from Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s inventory.
Just from the appearance of the boxes, I could guess what they contained.
It¡¯splete.
The second weapon Imissioned from the cksmith club president after Root waspleted.
Apparently, processing the krakatite hadn¡¯t been too difficult, as it waspleted right on schedule.
I didn¡¯t want to show off my new weapon to the passersby, so I took Hong Yeon-hwa to a less crowded ce.
When I opened the long box, a short rody inside.
Overall, it was dark in color with a faint blue color.
The joints were barely visible at both ends.
I immediately took out Deep Root.
I removed the F-rank iron rod I had been using to simply extend its length and attached the newly acquired rod in its ce.
With a satisfying fit, a spear waspleted, as if it had always been one piece.
[Deep Rooted Sapling (A+)]
? Very high mana conductivity
? Damage protection (A) applied
?Automatic durability recovery
?Earth Line
?Octopus Limbs
?Upgradeable
?Upgradeable
?Upgradeable
The item¡¯s name had changed from [Deep Root] to [Deep Rooted Sapling], with its overall rank slightly upgraded from A to A+.
And then there was the newly added trait, [Octopus Limbs].
Didn¡¯t expect to get this one so soon.
I had acquired this incredibly powerful effect much more easily and quickly than I anticipated.
Considering I had only given a few tips to the magic engineering club, the reward felt almost too good.
All thanks to my lucky charm.
In my mind, I offered a deep bow of gratitude to Seo Ye-in who was probably still sound asleep in the ssroom.
[Octopus Limbs]
?Allows simultaneous casting of a skill up to n times.
?Costs and penalties increase by n2 depending on the number of casts.
For example, with Wind Barrier, I would normally have to chant the spell,plete the spell, cast it on one person, then repeat the same process for the next person, and then the next.
But with Octopus Limbs, I could cast Wind Barrier on three people at the same time.
The same goes for skills with cooldown times.
Normally, I¡¯d use a skill, wait for the cooldown, use it again, wait for the cooldown once more, and so on. But with Octopus Limbs, I could cast it on as many targets as I wanted simultaneously.
Of course, the penalty was brutal.
Casting a skill ¡°n times¡± with Octopus Limbs increased the cost or penalty by the square of n.
So, casting Wind Barrier 3 times at once with Octopus Limbs would consume 9 times the usual mana.
If I used Octopus Limbs to cast a skill with a one-hour cooldown five times simultaneously, the total cooldown would rise to a whopping 25 hours.
With skills like Inferno Fist or Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger, I was already barely managing to offset the elemental penalties, so using Octopus Limbs for them would bepletely out of the question.
Still, the potential is limitless.
There were moments in intense battles when, even with such a penalty, it would be necessary to unleash multiple skills at once.
In a way, it was like having another ace up my sleeve.
Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa had been watching me and gauging my reaction the whole time.
When I took my eyes off the sapling, she asked cautiously.
¡°¡So? How is it?¡±
¡°I like it. It was a good choice this time.¡±
I answered her and then asked in return.
¡°Is there something else you wanted to say?¡±
¡°Oh, uh¡ mhmm¡.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa hade to me on an errand, but I knew that now we were getting to the real point.
Though the Ruby Magic Tower and the cksmith Club had a rtively close rtionship, it wasn¡¯t close enough for them to use a promising student as a simple messenger.
She hadn¡¯t even been directly involved in the crafting, like when she melted down that Millennium Iron.
I could guess that Hong Ye-hwa had likely sent her.
She must have told her to hand it over and subtly hinted to ask a few questions while she was at it.
Actually, this works out well.
I had actually been nning to reach out to her today or tomorrow, so hering to find me saved me the trouble.
As expected, her next words didn¡¯t stray far from what I expected.
¡°Um¡ I was wondering if¡ you¡¯d be going into the dungeon sometime this week¡?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa needed to clear an ice-themed dungeon to rank up her Aqua me trait.
However, the second- and third-year students at the Ruby Magic Tower were tied up for some reason. So they couldn¡¯t join her.
And as a result, Hong Ye-hwa had chosen me as her alternative.
Since I had no reason to refuse, I agreed to set aside some time to help her.
And it happens I¡¯m free right now.
This week¡¯s strategy battle had already seen us clearing the Herb Garden on the first day.
And the raid on the Gathering of Viins wouldn¡¯t start until Friday, so I had free time until then.
I nodded my head and asked,
¡°How about today or tomorrow?¡±
Chapter 232: No.490 Winterhalt Fortress (1)
When Hong Yeon-hwa epted my proposal, I immediately selected a dungeon we could finish in a day.
It was a D-rank dungeon with no active bids, ice-themed, and ideal for her rank progression.
Later that evening, I met Shin Byeong-cheol and Hong Yeon-hwa, and we descended the stairs into the depths.
Leading the way, Shin Byeong-cheol cut through the path ahead while chattering non-stop.
¡°Hey, howe you never take a break during strategy battle weeks? You go in more often than most third-years.¡±
¡°That¡¯s because I mostly choose easy dungeons.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that. This Friday, you¡¯re¡ª¡±
¡°Zip it.¡±
¡°Oh, sorry.¡±If I had not warned him in time, he would have almost spilled the beans about our uing B-rank dungeon run.
Shin Byeong-cheol paused briefly but soon resumed his chatter as if nothing had happened.
¡°But, hey, hyung-nim, there really isn¡¯t any reward for guiding this time?¡±
¡°You took that bet because you wanted to, remember?¡±
The previous bet was whether Shin Byeong-cheol would draw something D-rank or higher from the random box.
And sure enough, he pulled an E-rank tea set so this guiding job was free of charge.
¡°Sure, but, you see, my life¡¯s been roughtely with all these tea sets piling up. I would appreciate it if you could show me some mercy¡ª¡±
At that moment, Hong Yeon-hwa spoke up as if she was reaching the limit of her patience.
¡°Hey.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°Shut up.¡±
¡°Yep. Shutting up now.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol zipped his mouth shut.
Since I too felt the need to manage the noise level, I didn¡¯t say much to Hong Yeon-hwa.
Still, I thought it would be best to wrap up the conversation, so I added onest remark.
¡°I might be able to give you a box or two.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol expressed his gratitude with exaggerated gestures.
Well, I really did need his help to get that fifth stamp.
Thanks to the new reward, he eagerly focused on his role as our guide, and we reached the entrance to the D-rank dungeon without any major trouble.
[No.490] [Winterhalt Fortress]
¡°When should Ie back for you?¡±
¡°We¡¯ll probably be in there for a while this time. Morning.¡±
¡°Okay, see you then.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa and I stepped into the teleportation portal one after the other.
In the next moment, we found ourselves inside a tent-like shelter.
The surroundings had a distinctly medieval feel, though the facilities weren¡¯t in great shape.
The chill in the air was there even indoors, making it easy to imagine just how much colder it must have been outside.
Booooooong¡ª!
At that moment, a deep resonant horn sounded from somewhere nearby.
Then came a chaotic mix of hurried footsteps, shouts, and calls, blending together in a frenzied hum.
I exchanged a nce with Hong Yeon-hwa and then stepped outside the tent.
Whoooosh¡ª
Immediately, a blizzard struck against my face.
It¡¯s freezing.
Though my uniform had a built-in cold resistance and elemental protection, the cold still bit through. It wasn¡¯t unbearable, though, so I braced myself and surveyed the surroundings.
Winterhalt Fortress.
That was the setting for this dungeon.
As the word ¡°fortress¡± implied, the main objective here was [Siege Defense].
Booooong¡ª!
And the continued ring of the horn in my ears signaled that the siege defense was about to begin.
Hundred-men captainsmanded troops as they rushed toward the fortress walls.
¡°To your positions!¡±
¡°Move faster, you sluggish lot¡ª!¡±
After watching the scene for a moment, I tossed a quick word to Hong Yeon-hwa and took the lead.
¡°Follow me.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
We headed toward the fortress wall and began climbing the stone steps.
Along the way, I stopped a passing hundred-man captain.
¡°I have a few questions.¡±
¡°I told you to move faster, you maggots¡ªah, yes, Sir Mage.¡±
He had been barking at his soldiers in a gruff tone that matched his rough appearance, but the moment he met my eyes, he flinched and abruptly switched to a polite tone.
It was proof of the absolute authority mages held in this area.
Though it¡¯s probably not just because of that.
The captain was likely sensing an intangible aura of authority from me.
This was one of the minor effects of [Monarch].
Thanks to this, getting information or givingmands had be much easier.
¡°Where should we go?¡±
¡°Yes, if you go in this direction¡ No, allow me to escort you personally.¡±
The captain had started to point the way but then stopped and began leading us himself.
¡°???¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa who was following behind nced between me and the captain with a puzzled expression on her face.
It seemed odd to her that this rough-looking captain had suddenly turned so amodating, as if he were apletely different person.
¡°This way.¡±
The captain guided us to a section of the wall.
It was higher than the other ces, which gave us a clear view of the battlefield below.
An ideal vantage point.
The only downside was that we drew the attention of all the soldiers stationed there, but this was an easy problem to fix.
I frowned slightly as I nced their way.
¡°You¡¯re a bit distracting. It would be better if you could clear the area.¡±
¡°But Sire Mage, if we do that, we won¡¯t be able to protect you in an emergency.¡±
¡°We can handle that ourselves.¡±
The captain hesitated, but as I continued to insist, he finally had to relent.
In situations like this, the mage¡¯s word was absolute.
He gathered up the soldiers and led them away, and the once-crowded wall became empty and quiet.
Having secured our own spot on the wall, we set about properly surveying the battlefield.
The rugged terrain was nketed in white snow, and the monster army advanced, covering the snowy expanse.
Thergest group by number was the E-rank monsters, the orcs.
But these were adapted to their surroundings, with pale skin that matched the snowyndscape.
They were ice orcs, ssified as E+ rank, and their ranks included everything from warriors and archers to shamans.
Scattered among them wererger monsters like ice trolls and golems.
And at the center of the ice monster army stood a woman draped in a robe as white as the snow.
Just the steady blue waves of energy emanating from her made it clear that she was a powerful mage.
Themander and boss-level entity of this army.
The ¡°Ice Witch¡±.
The conditions to clear this dungeon were one of two things.
We could either hold the line for a set amount of time or defeat the Ice Witch.
Of course, there was no rush to take her down.
The longer we stayed, the more opportunities there were for rank advancement.
The ice monster army continued its steady advance.
Though we still had plenty of time before the monsters would be within range of the ally archers, some spells had a longer reach than arrows.
And if you had the range advantage, it was only natural to use it.
I gave Hong Yeon-hwa an instruction.
¡°Go ahead.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa gave a slight nod, then pulled a staff from her inventory.
¡°You¡¯ve switched weapons?¡±
¡°Uh, mhmm¡¡±
She usually wielded a short wand for ease of movement, but now she had switched to a long, two-handed staff.
The ruby embedded at the end was noticeablyrger too.
¡°nning to go for battery?¡±
¡°That¡ I think it suits me better.¡±
Just a few weeks ago, Hong Yeon-hwa had been torn between bing an all-rounder or specializing as a long-range battery mage.
I thought she might struggle with the choice a bit longer, but it seemed she had made up her mind sooner than expected.
¡°Good decision.¡±
It¡¯s better to decide these things quickly.
When I nodded my head, a faint smile appeared on Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s lips.
She seemed pleased to have my approval.
But only for a moment, as she then focused her gaze intently on the battlefield.
Hong Yeon-hwa began muttering incantations under her breath.
The ruby at the staff¡¯s tip glowed a vivid red, and arge magic circle formed beneath her feet.
After a moment, therge-scale magic spell waspleted, the very one that had been used as a trump card back in the duel battle of the Cloud Stairs.
[Phoenix Flutter]
Whoosh¡ª
A huge me rose from the magic circle and took the shape of a phoenix.
With one powerful beat of its wings, hundreds of fiery feathers scattered forward.
The fiery feathers crossed the distance to reach the monster army, sparking countless small mes throughout their ranks.
The damage from this spell wasn¡¯t usually significant, but¡ª
If it¡¯s Aqua me, that¡¯s a different story.
Whoosh!
Monsters touched by the sparks melted away without exception, whether they were orcs, trolls, or golems.
With the added power of Aqua me, the fire magic was absolute poison to ice-attribute monsters.
¨C Ooohhh¡ª!
The soldiers who watched let out cheers filled with awe and encouragement.
Hong Yeon-hwa couldn¡¯t hide her proud expression.
The corners of her mouth kept twitching upward.
I threw in another word.
¡°Let¡¯s keep going like this.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa summoned the phoenix again, and hundreds more fiery feathers swept across the battlefield.
Yet, despite this, the ice monster army still had plenty of forces left and continued their advance.
There¡¯s no better hunting ground than this.
It was the perfect environment to rank up Aqua me and various fire spells.
While it didn¡¯t have the density of Millennium Iron ice-attribute monsters continuously poured in.
She would rely on quantity over quality.
After casting a fewrge-scale spells, Hong Yeon-hwa seemed to get the hang of it.
As if she was ready to get serious about her rank-up work, she pulled out a rolled-up magic scroll from her inventory.
It wasbeled with the word ¡°Boost¡± and several arrows pointing upward.
Rank Boost.
Simply put, it was an experience boost item, almost identical to the event buff I received during the mentoring period.
It granted the user a timed buff and allowed them to gain rank faster even with the same training effort.
Unlike [Rank Up], it could be used at any rank and allowed the honing of various skills and traits at the same time.
I spoke honestly.
¡°How enviable.¡±
In this game, items rted to rank were all highly valuable because they directly impacted one¡¯s stats.
Especially Rank Boost, which onlysted a few hours, so it was typically saved for situations where rank-up efficiency was extremely high.
Hong Yeon-hwa was using it casually in her very first dungeon. Such a move would reveal just how wealthy the Ruby Magic Tower must be.
But for some reason, after hearing my remark about how envious I was, her gaze began to wander around nervously.
Finally, she cautiously extended a Rank Boost toward me.
¡°Do¡ do you want one?¡±
I hadn¡¯t said it because I wanted her to hand it over.
Now I felt like I wasing off as the bad guy.
I shook my head.
¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡±
¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s okay. I have plenty.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa took out even more Rank Boosters from her inventory.
Carrying around so many of something that¡¯s hard to obtain even once¡ the Ruby Magic Tower was really going all out for her.
As I stood there, watching silently and lost in thought, Hong Yeon-hwa shivered.
Then she extended another Rank Boost toward me.
¡°Th-Then¡ how about two?¡±
Did she think I found one insufficient?
At this rate, she¡¯d keep handing them over, so I decided to just ept her offer.
I wasn¡¯t one to turn down gifts in the first ce.
¡°One is enough. I¡¯ll use it well.¡±
¡°Mhmm ¡¡±
Whoosh¡ª
Maybe it was because the snowstorm wasing down hard.
Hong Yeon-hwa looked more timid than usual.
Chapter 233: No.490 Winterhalt Fortress (2)
Even at that moment, the enemies were steadily closing the distance.
Seeing this, Hong Yeon-hwa immediately used a Rank Boost.
A bright light burst forth from the magic scroll and surrounded her body.
[Activated ¡®Rank Boost¡¯.]
[Skill and trait growth rates increase significantly.]
A notification like that probably popped up.
I nned to use mine a bitter.
Since my skills were rtively short-range, I would have to wait until the enemies reached the wall anyway.
Hong Yeon-hwa summoned the giant phoenix once again.Fiery feathers filled the sky as they rained down, with countless small mes bursting into life.
Whoosh¡ª!
Each time, hundreds of ice monsters would burn up and vanish in chunks.
There were so many that it didn¡¯t seem like their numbers had decreased much when looking at the whole monster army.
¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
But there was no reason to stop.
Since we had been fighting them head-on anyway, it seemed best to reduce their numbers before the real siege began.
Hong Yeon-hwa too likely wanted to make the most of her Rank Boost while itsted.
Whoosh¡ª!
Since she unleashed a one-sided barrage of magic, there was no way the enemies wouldn¡¯t notice us.
The Ice Witch was no exception.
Even from arge distance, I could feel her gaze lock directly onto us.
The ice monster army picked up its pace.
Soon, perhaps deciding we were now in range, the orc shamans and the Ice Witch began casting their spells.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa felt the surge of mana from the enemy lines and reacted immediately.
She interrupted herrge-scale spell mid-cast and chained together defensive spells instead.
[Reverse Curtain]
[zing Armor]
Whoosh¡ª
Oneyer of mes took on the form of armor, while another formed a protective sphere around her.
But Hong Yeon-hwa didn¡¯t stop there. She activated a third spell as well.
[ze Shield]
A burning shield floated in midair and zed with intensity.
Looks like she learned something new.
Taking my advice to heart, she now had threeyers of defensive magic.
What would happen if she faced Seo Ye-in like this?
Although marksmen held a slight advantage over mages, I couldn¡¯t be certain which side would win until I saw it with my own eyes.
But there was one thing I knew for sure.
They¡¯ll never break through this.
Shwip! Shwip! Shwip! Shwip¡ª!!
The Ice Orc shamansunched ice spikes, and the Ice Witch hurled a huge ice spear.
They were aiming to shatter the very walls we stood upon.
However, Hong Yeon-hwa merely stared at them with a haughty gaze with her zing shield held firmly before her.
The moment the oing ice spells struck the shield¡ª
Ssssshhhh¡ª
They evaporated without leaving a single scratch.
¡°Hmph.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s lips curled up as if in disdain.
She probably expected this oue.
Even in her duel with Bukgong Han-seol, she had effortlessly nullified her opponent¡¯s attacks.
Such was the absolute power of Aqua me over ice-type magic.
Ice spells continued to rain down a few more times, but Hong Yeon-hwa didn¡¯t bother to defend further beyond maintaining her ze Shield.
She decided that this alone was more than enough.
And with that, she shifted back to offense. She focused on summoning the phoenix.
Fwoosh!
After repeating these spells for some time, a faint look of fatigue began to appear on Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face.
I sensed her condition and asked,
¡°Are you out of mana?¡±
¡°Mhmm, almost¡¡±
After casting arge-scale magic spell dozens of times, her mana was bound to run out.
The enemies were almost at the wall, but for now, she needed a brief rest.
A few blue magic circles appeared beneath Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s feet.
Thin threads extended from the circles and connected to her.
It was a mana recovery spell that absorbed, refined, and supplied the surrounding mana to the caster.
In that state, Hong Yeon-hwa turned her gaze toward me and raised an eyebrow.
Probably because I was leaning back asfortably as could be in a makeshift chair.
I gestured to the empty chair next to me.
¡°Take a seat and rest too.¡±
¡°Oh, uh, thanks¡¡±
Though she hesitated slightly, Hong Yeon-hwa eventually sat beside me.
Her eyes kept darting toward the camping stove sitting next to us.
It was part of a set with the portable chairs. These were things I borrowed from Dang Gyu-young.
¨C Why do you need to borrow these?
¨C To protect world peace.
¨C Ah, fine, just take it, take it!
Apparently, ¡°world peace¡± and ¡°200 graduations¡± were universal cheat codes.
At least, so far.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seeing that the stove was unlit, Hong Yeon-hwa nced at me briefly before lighting it herself.
Fwoosh!
I had been just about to ask, but she beat me to it.
Thanks to her, warmth spread through the air.
I ced a teapot on the stove, and soon, the water began to boil.
By the way, I borrowed the tea set from Shin Byeong-cheol.
I poured hot water into the [Golden Elephant Merchants Guild Teacup (E)] and handed it to Hong Yeon-hwa.
¡°Coffee?¡±
¡°¡I¡¯ll drink it.¡±
Given the situation, I couldn¡¯t exactly prepare anything fancy, but a quick cup of coffee while we took a break seemed fine.
When I mixed a packet of instant coffee into the hot water, the coffee was ready in seconds.
Then I offered Hong Yeon-hwa a handful of coffee mix packets as well.
¡°Add as much as you like.¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
Her demeanor was timid, but her approach to the coffee was anything but that.
She took the entire handful and emptied all of it into her cup.
That¡¯s almost straight concentrate at this point.
Now that I thought about it, she always added a ton of extra shots whenever she ordered coffee at the shop.
It seemed a bit heavy on the caffeine, but since it was her preference, I didn¡¯tment.
We settled onto folding chairs and sipped our coffee.
I took the opportunity to ask about her current progress.
¡°Any rank-ups?¡±
¡°Mhmm, I¡¯ve already ranked up on Phoenix Flutter ¡¡±
Since we had been using that skill continuously in the dungeon, it would¡¯ve been strange if it hadn¡¯t leveled up.
Hong Yeon-hwa then gestured to the ze Shield hovering around her.
¡°And that one too¡¡±
Because of the attention she drew from our enemies, freezing spells kept hurtling toward us even now.
Fortunately, her ze Shield blocked every one of the attacks without a single gap, and it had just ranked up from E to D.
Of course, the boost had likely yed a big role in raising the rank of two skills in such a short period.
¡°You¡¯re doing great. Just don¡¯t let your guard down, and let¡¯s keep going like this.¡±
¡°Mhmm, I will.¡±
We finished our coffee almost at the same time and stood up.
In the meantime, the ice monster army had finally reached the fortress walls, and the full-scale defense battle was about to begin.
¡°Fire¡ª!!!¡±
At themander¡¯s shout, a rain of arrows poured down from the walls.
Ice Orcs were hit by arrows and fell to the ground, but the Ice Trolls and Golems continued on and eachpleted their attack.
They began hurling huge chunks of ice up at the walls or gathering to break through the front gate.
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Quickly assessing the situation, Hong Yeon-hwa unleashed her fire magic.
Up until now, she had scattered fiery feathers over a wide range, but now she concentrated her firepower on key areas in order to protect the most strategic points.
Pirs of me erupted across the battlefield.
Kwooooosh¡ª!
I¡¯d better work on ranking up too.
[Activated ¡®Rank Boost¡¯.]
[Skill and trait growth rates increase significantly.]
I stood next to Hong Yeon-hwa and nted the Deep Rooted Sapling in the ground.
[Earth Line]
[Spiral Explosion]
Fwoooosh¡ª
A whirlwind swept across the area centered on the ice trolls that were walking toward the main gate.
The orcs nearby were also dragged into its pull.
Boom!
Thepressed wind exploded.
Taking advantage of the momentum, I decided to test out the Octopus Limbs as well.
At that moment, Hong Yeon-hwa was engraving fire pir magic circles in two ces, so I cast spells on two spots as well.
[Earth Line]
[Octopus Limbs]
[Spiral Explosion]
[Spiral Explosion]
Whooosh¡ª
Two whirlwinds formed at the same time and started pulling in the monsters.
Soon, fire pirs spiraled up from the magic circles,
Boom¡ª!
Thepressed air burst which caused an evenrger explosion of mes.
In the next moment, everything within the area waspletely obliterated.
The synergy is as strong as expected.
Thebination of Spiral Explosion and Fire Pir.
When fire and wind mixed, the power multiplied even further.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa seemed to be thinking the same and looked at me with a bright expression on her face.
As she kept ncing my way, I spoke in a casual tone.
¡°I¡¯ll aim, so just keep doing what you¡¯re doing.¡±
¡°¡Mhmm, I will.¡±
With her broad awareness and skill at managing the field, there was no need for me to give additional instructions.
She surveyed various parts of the fortress walls and selected weak spots to cast Fire Pir spells.
I would then add Spiral Explosion to those areas.
Kwooooosh¡ª!
After repeating this process for quite some time, once my mana ran low, I would sit on a camping chair to rest, then head back to the battlefield and repeat.
¡°¡ª¡ª!¡±
Amidst this, we often heard furious shouts that came from none other than the Ice Witch.
With two random intruders burning her entire army to cinders, it was no wonder she was filled with rage.
At one point, Hong Yeon-hwa nced at me and asked,
¡°Is¡ is she alright¡?¡±
¡°Yeah. Just ignore her.¡±
I brushed it off casually.
The Ice Witch was more of amander-type creature; her own fighting power wasn¡¯t particrly impressive.
All the ice spells she sent our way were blocked by Hong Yeon-hwa, and with the overwhelming difference in power, there was no need to worry about her.
¡°Honestly, it¡¯d be a waste to attack her.¡±
If we killed her now, the dungeon would close right then and there.
Better to keep her alive as long as possible to keep leveling up, and then, when we were ready to leave, we could treat her like hitting the dungeon¡¯s exit switch.
Hong Yeon-hwa nodded in understanding and continued casting her fire magic, which had been paused for a moment.
Once again, fire pirs began sprouting up all over the battlefield.
Kwoooosh¡ª!
***
For hours, we continued to cast our spells with mechanical precision.
Hong Yeon-hwa used a variety of fire spells in rotation, while I focused mainly on Spiral Explosion.
By now, she had likely made substantial progress in ranking up.
I think it¡¯s about time to wrap this up.
There were two conditions to clear this dungeon.
Either survive for a set period of time or defeat the boss monster.
It felt like the ¡°set period¡± would soon end, and the dungeon would close on its own, but if we defeated the Ice Witch beforehand, we could get an extra random box.
She looks a bit worn out too.
Although Hong Yeon-hwa tried not to show it, she seemed fairly drained from repeatedly exhausting and replenishing her mana.
Just as I was about to give the order to wrap things up,
¡°¡¡..!¡±
An unsettling presence appeared at the rear of the battlefield, something that didn¡¯t belong in this dungeon.
It was a thick, pitch-ck liquid like rotting sludge, but it wriggled like a living creature.
It slithered across the ground and moved steadily toward the Ice Witch.
So, it appears here, huh?
I had expected it to show up around this time, but I never thought it would be in this dungeon.
Hong Yeon-hwa spotted it as well and when she felt that something was wrong, she shot me a worried nce.
For the first time since entering this dungeon, I spoke in a serious tone.
¡°Remember thest day of midterms?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a simr situation to that. Stay focused from now on.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s expression grew more tense.
At the same time, a notification message appeared at the corner of my view.
[Main Quest 2-1]
Chapter 234: No.490 Winterhalt Fortress (3)
[Main Quest 2-1]
? Objective: Investigate the unidentified monster.
? Reward: Random Box Enhancement Scroll
This was the second main quest I encountered since entering the world of this game.
Unlike the one-off nature of the first quest, this one was structured as a series of chain quests.
It was like piecing together arge puzzle, starting from the smallest clues and working toward the bigger picture.
And with the appearance of ¡°that thing¡±,
It seemed like ¡°the bigger picture¡± was still on track.
Due to the ripple effects of the EX-rank reincarnation quest, every character had been reced, and the events they triggered had shifted slightly.Still, it seemed things weren¡¯t straying too far from the original storyline.
At least not yet. Even if I had no way to predict what might happenter.
For example, the assassin who showed up at the ck Market after being fooled by the fake cipher was someone I didn¡¯t know at all.
Even so, he was still a Blood Cult Elder. And the Blood Fury pill incident had still urred during the midterm on the deserted ind.
I expected this time to be no different.
With these thoughts settled, I focused my gaze back on ¡°that thing¡±.
Dark Oobleck.
A slime-type undead monster.
Its rank ranged widely, from A to D.
Given that this was a D-rank dungeon, it was likely they would send in a C-rank. Half a rank to a full rank higher than the dungeon¡¯s level.
It wasn¡¯t an utterly hopeless situation, but it wasn¡¯t one to be optimistic about either.
So we had to prepare now.
¡°Hong Yeon-hwa.¡±
¡°Y-Yes¡?¡±
¡°How much mana do you have left?¡±
¡°Not¡ much.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s expression darkened slightly.
For hours now, we had been in the dungeon with her casting spells in rapid session, recovering, and then casting again, over and over.
The fatigue had built up so much that even using mana recovery magic wasn¡¯t as effective as it had been.
Still, it was better than nothing.
¡°Recover as much as you can, even a little.¡±
¡°¡Got it.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa immediately chanted a spell, and blue magic circles appeared beneath her and she started to replenish her mana.
¨C ¡..!
Meanwhile, the army of ice monsters paused in their siege and turned their attention all at once to the rear.
They had spotted the approaching Dark Oobleck.
Its appearance was very bizarre, so it was only a matter of time before it caught their attention.
The moment it was detected, the Dark Oobleck writhed and charged forward with incredible speed.
It rapidly closed the distance toward the Ice Witch as its target.
To block its path, a horde of Ice Orcs and Trolls stood in the way, while shamans and the Ice Witch cast freezing spells at it.
Yet the creature slipped right through and evaded their attacks without suffering much damage.
In an instant, it reached the front of the Ice Witch, spread itself wide, and engulfed her entirely.
There was a brief struggle from inside and signs of a jerking motion, but it quickly went still.
She¡¯s been devoured.
As if that wasn¡¯t enough, the Dark Oobleck moved quickly again and ate a nearby Ice Golem.
Clump, slosh.
The Dark Oobleck that was now swollen in size writhed violently before the ck ooze began to harden as if frozen solid.
Its new form appeared to be a mix of the Ice Witch and the Ice Golem.
That¡¯s what makes it so tricky.
The Dark Oobleck would devour victims in this way. Then it could borrow their appearance and powers.
And when there were multiple victims like now, it would merge their features into a singlebined form.
Now that it transformed into a giant Ice Witch Golem, the Dark Oobleck turned its head and fixed its gaze directly on the fortress wall.
Then, imitating the Ice Witch, it let out a piercing shriek.
¨C ¡ª¡ª!
The Ice Monster army, which had fallen into disarray, quickly regained control and the siege resumed.
The Dark Oobleck took a few steps forward, then began charging with astonishing speed for its massive size.
Boom, boom, boom!
The ground rumbled a few times before, in the blink of an eye, it reached the fortress wall and crashed into it with its full weight.
Crash¡ª!
A deafening shockwave burst forth, scattering debris and dust in every direction.
A momentter, as the dust settled, a deep crater in the fortress wall came into view.
It won¡¯t hold for long.
If the wall were breached, it would mean a failed defense and, ultimately, failure to clear the dungeon.
I turned to Hong Yeon-hwa and said,
¡°Let¡¯s move. Have you recovered enough?¡±
¡°¡A little. I¡¯ll try anyway.¡±
She hadn¡¯t been able to fully restore her mana with the limited time, but at this point, there was no other choice.
Hong Yeon-hwa must have understood that reality, which was why she answered as she did.
¡°We¡¯ll do it just like we did during midterms.¡±
¡°¡Mhmm.¡±
Like when we faced the Alpha Ogre, the n was for the vanguard to hold it in ce while the rearguard dealt damage.
Splitting roles this way was not only more efficient but also increased our chances of sesspared to me tackling it alone.
Especially since that creature was both undead and of the ice attribute, Hong Yeon-hwa could deal devastating damage with her Aqua me.
I checked in with Hong Yeon-hwa onest time.
¡°We don¡¯t have many chances. Maybe once, twice if we¡¯re lucky. Can you do it?¡±
¡°I can. I will.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa met my gaze directly with an unusual show of resolve.
A trace of fear flickered in her eyes but determination held strong.
That was enough for me.
¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go.¡±
Rumble¡ª!
The ground underfoot shook violently once more.
The Dark Oobleck had mmed into the fortress wall a second time.
We have to finish this fast.
Just like I told Hong Yeon-hwa, we didn¡¯t have many chances.
With the walls on the verge of copse, we couldn¡¯t afford a drawn-out battle.
My stamina and mana were nearly depleted as well.
So, the method I chose was simple:
Overwhelm it. Finish it in an instant.
[Activated ¡®Octopus Limbs¡¯.]
[Activated ¡®Amplification¡¯.]
Abination of Octopus Limbs and Amplification.
Normally, the cooldown would be thirty minutes, but if I was willing to take the penalty, I could cast them multiple times at once.
I started by amplifying Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s main skill and trait.
[The rank of ¡®Fire Pir¡¯ has increased. (C+ -> A+)]
[The rank of ¡®Aqua me¡¯ has increased. (C+ -> A+)]
¡°¡¡!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s eyes went wide with surprise.
With her rank suddenly increased by two levels, it was only natural she would be stunned.
She probably had plenty of questions, but those would have to wait untilter.
I went on to amplify my own skills.
[The rank of ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ has increased. (C+ -> A+)]
[The rank of ¡®¡®Overheat¡¯ has increased. (C -> A)]
[The rank of ¡®Wind Force¡¯ has increased. (C+ -> A+)]
[The rank of ¡®Spiral Explosion¡¯ has increased. (C+ -> A+)]
[Duration: 00:04:58]
[Cooldown: 17:59:58]
Using Octopus Limbs to cast a skill with a 30-minute cooldown six times in a row resulted in a penalty multiplier of thirty-six times.
The cooldown had now extended to eighteen hours.
It¡¯s a shame I can¡¯t push it further.
It would¡¯ve been ideal to boost everything else too, but that would make the cooldown impossibly long.
If I couldn¡¯t use Amplification for the B-rank dungeon run on Friday, the impact would be severe, so I had to stop here.
This should be more than enough to handle it.
I had only five minutes but with specs far beyond the Dark Oobleck¡¯s.
Iunched myself over the fortress wall without hesitation.
The snow-covered ground rushed up to meet me, then slowed dramatically.
I used Wind Force andnded easily.
[Inferno Fist]
[Overheat]
Fwoosh!
The mes imbued in my fist were absorbed, and power surged throughout my body.
Even before, absorbing Inferno Fist would cause my physical abilities to surge, but now Overheat had reached A rank.
My view shifted rapidly with every push off the ground.
Swish, swish!
I summoned dark clouds, wrapped them around the sapling, and surrounded them with Wind Barrier which was now strengthened to A-rank.
And when I shed with the Ice Monster Army in that state¡ª
Boom!
Whether it was ice orcs or trolls, they all flew back in a heap, tumbling across the ground.
For the five minutes while the amplificationsted, I was nothing short of a wrecking ball.
Nothing in this dungeon could stop me.
Just like the Dark Oobleck, I plowed straight through the army of ice monsters and advanced toward my target.
The creature had put some distance between us near the fortress wall, seemingly preparing tounch itself at me again.
But just as it was about to charge¡ª
[Wind Force]
Boooom!
A burst ofpressed wind exploded from its side, forcing it to veer sharply off course.
The Dark Oobleck staggered momentarily but quickly regained its bnce. Then it fixed a deadly re on me.
I¡¯ve got its attention at least.
I scanned the area and noticed arge circle etched into the ground.
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s Fire Pir magic circle.
My role was to push it into that range and keep it restrained.
¡°¡ª¡ª!¡±
The Dark Oobleck let out a sharp, piercing sound simr to the Ice Witch¡¯s scream, then shot one of its fists at me with terrifying speed.
I didn¡¯t dodge but swung the sapling to meet it head-on.
Boom!
The Dark Oobleck slid back.
The dark clouds wrapped around the sapling neutralized its physical force, while my Wind Force added extra power to the impact.
Not stopping there, I drove in deeper and struck its torso.
Boom!
Even though it was heavier and faster than an Alpha Ogre, it was helplessly pushed back.
While the Dark Oobleck¡¯s rank at best, was C+, I was fully equipped at A-rank skills so the result was inevitable.
Rank rules this ce.
Boom! Boom!
After several shes with it repeatedly taking losses and being pushed back, the creature seemed to realize this wasn¡¯t working.
Suddenly a fierce blizzard surged around us.
It was drawing on the Ice Witch¡¯s magic.
As it extended one hand forward¡ª
Whoooosh¡ª
The blizzard concentrated on me.
Thanks to my S-rank elemental resistance, the effect was minimal, but I could still feel my movements slowing.
That¡¯s a pretty good skill too.
Chillwind.
A magical skill with half ice and half wind attributes.
It was high-level spell and quite rare too.
It was also the reason I chose this ce among several ice-themed dungeons.
Originally, this was a spell the Ice Witch could only cast under specific conditions, so I nearly missed my chance to acquire it when it was absorbed by the Dark Oobleck.
¡°Thanks for using it for me.¡±
[Activated the ¡®Copy Skill.¡¯]
[The target¡¯s skill ¡®Chillwind (F)¡¯ has been registered in the slot.]
? Copy Skill [3/3]
1. Silent Step (B+)
2. Overheat (A) (Amplification ¡ü)
3. Chillwind (F)
Thinking my movements had been slowed, the Dark Oobleck swung its arm again, but that level of force was hardly enough to affect me.
I swung the sapling weapon without a hitch to meet its attack.
Bang!
The creature was forced to stumble back again. This time, it linked a dark spell to Chillwind.
ck crystals flew at me, mixed into the raging blizzard.
¡°Still not enough.¡±
[Wind Barrier]
A barrier of wind wrapped tightly around me and it deflected every one of the dark crystals.
Keeping the shield up, I closed in and struck again.
Bang!
The Dark Oobleck who was continuously pushed back finally came to a halt with both feet nted within the magic circle.
The once simple, wide circle was now filling up with intricate symbols.
¡°Stay right there. Don¡¯t go anywhere else.¡±
¡°¡ª¡ª!¡±
It answered with a sharp screech of defiance while twisting its body to step sideways.
But before it could even take its next step, I appeared right in front of it.
¡°Gotcha.¡±
Bang!
¡°¡ª¡ª!¡±
For the Dark Oobleck, this was all frustrating.
The army of ice monsters crumbled at a mere gesture from me,
It was repeatedly overpowered in closebat,
Its magic had no effect,
And whenever it tried to escape, I blocked its path like a ghost.
With nothing else left to try, it finally resorted to itsst option.
The giant Ice Witch Golem which had been solid and formidable copsed into a shapeless heap and returned to its original oozing sludge state.
It tried to scatter in all directions like that.
¡°I said no.¡±
Whiiirrr¡ª
The wind blew from all directions and trapped it in the form of a whirlwind.
A spiral explosion amplified to A+ rank.
The huge whirlwind even pulled in the entire army of ice monsters in the area.
Then the magic circle glowed a bright crimson and unleashed a towering pir of me.
Kwoooosh¡ª!
The fire pir spiraled upward endlessly as if to reach beyond the fortress wall and up to the sky.
Following that, the airpressed by the Spiral Explosion burst free.
Booooom¡ª!
It triggered an even greater explosion of mes.
In the aftermath, not only the Dark Oobleck but also the entire army of ice monsters evaporated without a trace.
Looks like it¡¯s over.
I retraced my steps and climbed back up the fortress wall.
With a few uses of Wind Force, I quickly propelled myself up to the top.
¡°Finished it in one go without any mistakes. Well done.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Though I offered apliment, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s response was utterly t.
She was exhausted and so she copsed to the ground. When her tension eased, all the umted fatigue seemed toe crashing down at once.
On top of that, she had overused the little mana she had left.
Her core was still at C-rank, yet I had raised her Fire Pir skill to A-rank and she even used it at maximum output, so by now, her mana was likely depleted.
Even so, the dungeon would be closing soon, so rest or not, she needed to get outside to recover.
I reached out my hand to Hong Yeon-hwa.
¡°It¡¯s over. Let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa stared at my hand in a daze, then slowly ced her own on top of it.
¡And then she just stayed there for a long moment.
She must have been too weak to put any strength into her grip.
¡°Can¡¯t stand up?¡±
¡°¡Mhmm.¡±
I had no choice. I moved closer and bent my knees as I turned my back to her.
¡°Climb on.¡±
¡°..¡.¡±
Under normal circumstances, she would have hesitated or shrunk back, but this time, Hong Yeon-hwa quietly stretched out her arms and wrapped them around my neck.
It seemed like her mind wasn¡¯t working quite right.
As we walked toward the exit, Hong Yeon-hwa mumbled like someone a little drunk with her face buried against my back.
¡°Unnie¡ liar¡¡±
Why was she suddenly talking about her older sister (unnie) here?
Maybe something she had been keeping to herself slipped out without her realizing.
That made it likely to be close to the truth.
So I threw out a casual question.
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°You know¡ the effect¡¡±
¡°.¡..¡±
¡°This¡ so warm¡¡±
Her words trailed off.
Soon, all I could hear was the soft, steady sound of her breathing against my back.
Chapter 235: Chillwind
The portal for teleporting outside the dungeon stood before me.
In front of ity four small boxes.
[Winterhalt Random Box (D)] *4
The standard reward was three. Plus one extra for defeating the Ice Witch made for a total of four.
And on top of that, the main quest reward was included.
[Main Quest 2-1] (Completed)
?Objective: Investigate the unidentified monster.
?Reward: Random Box Enhancement Scroll *2
[Main Quest 2-2] (In progress¡)?Objective: Gather information.
?Reward: Reward varies based on achievement
Since the second main quest was connected to the previous one, the rewards weren¡¯t overly generous right from the start.
Still, this is decent enough.
The Random Box Enhancement Scroll.
Using it on any random box would add a ¡°+¡± to its rank.
If it was used on a D-ranked box, it would be D+, and the chances of better rewards appearing would increase.
Naturally, it made more sense to save it and use it on a B-ranked box I would obtain soon rather than using it right away.
We¡¯ll split the loot fifty-fifty.
So, my share would be two random boxes and one enhancement scroll.
I had already used the rank boost thanks to Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s help, and soon I would be getting rubies as well, so it didn¡¯t feel like I was missing out at all.
Once I stepped through the teleportation portal and exited the dungeon, Shin Byeong-cheol who had been waiting camouged against the wall smoothly revealed himself.
He bowed politely.
¡°You¡¯ve returned, hyung-nim.¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
The reason he was showing such respect with his entire body was because I had promised him a random box I didn¡¯t actually need to give him.
A faithful servant to capitalism, really.
Shin Byeong-cheol started to say something but stopped short when he noticed Hong Yeon-hwa on my back.
¡°What¡¯s this? Is she hurt?¡±
¡°She¡¯s just tired and asleep.¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s a relief, then.¡±
Entering a dungeon below one¡¯s qualification level was already a rule vition, and if she were to get seriously injured there, the issue would only escte.
In that case, every person involved, including the guide, would be investigated.
Shin Byeong-cheol might have had those calctions in mind too, but it seemed he was genuinely more concerned as a fellow human being.
Only after he confirmed the soft rise and fall of Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s breathing did he finally rx his expression.
He lowered his voice significantly. As if he was trying to be considerate.
However, his tone remained asid-back as ever.
¡°So, how did it go? Did you clear it sessfully, hyung-nim?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
For me, clearing a D-rank dungeon wasn¡¯t particrly difficult.
In fact, it was practically like a ce I visited as routinely as eating.
Still, the reason Shin Byeong-cheol asked was likely due to a train of thought that went something like this:
Kim Ho cleared the dungeon well.
¡ú The rewards must be generous.
¡ú There¡¯s enough for my share too.
¡ú Jackpot, this is awesome!
So I gave him the words he wanted to hear and handed him the random box.
¡°Go ahead, open it now if you want.¡±
¡°How do you read me so well, Kim-hyung?¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol epted the D-rank random box with a dramatic imitation of Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s voice.
Then he took a few deep breaths.
¡°Ssssss, haaa¡ª¡±
He must have been secretly nervous because he had steadily walked the path of a cafe owner up until now.
But I couldn¡¯t wait forever, so I threw out a tauntingment.
¡°What, nervous?¡±
¡°Hey now, give me a second to build up my energy.¡±
¡°Hurry up and build it.¡±
The taunt worked; Shin Byeong-cheol immediately ced his hand on the box lid.
Then, in a sh, he narrowed his eyes in intense focus.
¡°Here goes nothing!¡±
sh!
¡°Ooh.¡±
¡°Ooh.¡±
We both let out sounds of amazement at the same time.
It was the brightest light yet from any box Shin Byeong-cheol had opened.
As the glow faded, the results were revealed:
[Random Rank-Up]*2
Well, this was unexpected.
To be honest, I handed him the random box with the idea of filling up the ¡°failure¡± stamp, but I was genuinely impressed.
¡°Not bad. Congrattions.¡±
¡°Aw,e on, no need to congratte me. This kind of thing¡¯s a breeze.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheo who had been nervous until just now was full of arrogance.
But at the same time, he smacked his lips as if he was slightly disappointed.
¡°¡But it feels like it¡¯s a bitcking.¡±
¡°What is?¡±
¡°Well, if it¡¯s going to show up, it might as well have been something a little better.¡±
It seemed human greed really knew no bounds. Even though hended a solid hit, Shin Byeong-cheol was already wishing for ¡°something just a little nicer¡±.
Quietly, I pulled out a second random box from my inventory.
Then I offered in a voice like the devil¡¯s whisper,
¡°One more time?¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s face froze in ce.
He was probably running the calctions through his head at lightning speed.
Would he be satisfied here and make do with the two random Rank Ups he just earned?
Or would he hand over the Rank Ups to me and take a fresh gamble with a new random box?
The deliberation didn¡¯t take long.
A grin slowly curled at the corner of Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s mouth.
¡°Looks like I don¡¯t have much choice. A real man never shies away from a challenge.¡±
¡°As expected. You¡¯re a real man.¡±
¡°And today¡¯s me is different from yesterday¡¯s. I¡¯m on a roll; that¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡±
Having done well with this box, he now fully believed he would have even better luck next time.
At moments like these, he seemed even more optimistic than our positive boss Go Hyeon-woo.
Then Shin Byeong-cheol chuckled to himself.
¡°I¡¯d better apologize in advance to Hong Yeon-hwa. Tell her I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°Why would you be sorry?¡±
¡°Because the brilliance of my pull is going to wake her up!¡±
¡°Ooh.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol opened the random box vigorously!
Click.
[Winterhalt Mug (F)]
Shin Byeong-cheol silently stared down at the mug in his hand.
Then he asked with a pitiful smile.
¡°Any chance of a refund?¡±
¡°Not a chance.¡±
***
Leaving Shin Byeong-cheol to wallow in regret, I headed toward the girls¡¯ dormitory with Hong Yeon-hwa on my back.
When I finally reached the entrance, I called over my shoulder.
¡°Hong Yeon-hwa.¡±
¡°¡..?¡±
¡°We¡¯re here.¡±
Though she had dozed off until that moment, my voice seemed to rouse her just a bit.
Her arms which had been loosely draped around my neck rxed as she got her feet under her and stood.
She was still half-asleep. She didn¡¯t even bother to say goodbye and just wobbled her way inside.
Well, can¡¯t really me her.
Given the circumstances, I let it go and returned to my dormitory to take stock of things.
The first thing to check was the stamp coupon I managed to fill thanks to Mr. Shin¡¯s help.
[Stamp Coupon (C)]
? Stamps: 5/10
? Reward for 5 stamps: Rank Up (D)
Stockpiling Rank Ups was always beneficial.
There would be no shortage of skills and traits to upgrade in the future.
On top of that, I had just secured two [Random Rank Ups].
Now, I just needed to fail three more times toplete all 10 stamps and im the final reward.
Rank-Up C.
With this, I could raise one of my skills or traits stuck at Rank C up to Rank B.
If things went well, I might even manage to fill all 10 stamps by the end of this week.
Next, I looked over the newly copied skill, Chillwind.
? Copies ¨C Skills [3/3]
1. Silent Step (B+)
2. Overheat (C)
3. Chillwind (F+)
Dark Oobleck¡¯s skill, or more precisely, the magic skill it had swallowed from the Ice Witch.
The skill¡¯s main effect, as I had experienced firsthand, was slowing down all enemies within range.
There were quite a few skills that inflicted the slow status, but Chillwind was known for being exceptionally potent in this regard.
Even though I had only faced the F-rank Chillwind, my S-rank elemental resistance hadn¡¯t been able to fully counter it.
Naturally, if its rank increased, its potency would only grow stronger.
It¡¯s a tricky one to block.
With its dual nature as an ice attribute and wind attribute, ways to defend against or dodge it were severely limited.
And then there was the third, final effect.
Cold Amplification.
Any target that entered Chillwind¡¯s range would receive additional ice attribute damage and effects.
This was part of the reason why even the F-rank slow effect had been able to partially pierce my elemental resistance.
Of course, a skill this powerful came with its downsides.
It¡¯s an absolute nightmare to rank up.
Why else would the D-rank boss Ice Witch have kept it as an F-rank skill?
She must¡¯ve learned it but hadn¡¯t managed to rank it up herself.
Being a high-level spell, it had a growth difficulty simr to Amplification or Monarch.
It was virtually impossible to grow through repetitive training alone, so I had to use Rank Up.
Of course, this didn¡¯t surprise me.
It¡¯s not like that¡¯s the only one.
I already had five or six skills and traits that barely advanced, so adding one more made little difference.
And since high-difficulty skills came with a guarantee of exceptional performance, I had no reason to hesitate.
Then the investment is already decided.
To grow a copied skill, I had to make it mine first, so I took out thest remaining fixed pin.
[Used ¡®Fixed Pin.¡¯]
[¡®Chillwind (F+)¡¯ has been fixed.]
[Skills]
?Chillwind (F+) New!
?Wind Force (C+)
?Wind Barrier (C+)
?Spiral Explosion (C+)
?Inferno Fist (B)
?Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger (B)
?Amplification (C)
?Enchantment (C)
?Copy-Skill [2/3]
1. Thief¡¯s Step (B+)
2. Overheat (C)
3. (Empty)
The next fixed pin should probably go to Poison Resistance.
The S-rank trait Poison Resistance that I copied from the Crow Tailor.
Even without fixing it, its performance was already exceptional on its own, but once I was fully ¡°prepared¡±, I nned to use a fixed pin on it as well.
Just as Spiral Explosionbined three C-rank wind spells, certain skills or traits could merge into something even more powerful if the right conditions were met.
In fact, I had considered dying fixing Poison Resistance, but with the second main quest confirmed, that wasn¡¯t an option anymore.
The Dark Oobleck hadn¡¯t appeared naturally. It had been intentionally unleashed by someone.
Normally, I would have to uncover its origin by following a sequence of chain quests, but I had already solved this puzzle enough times to already know the answer.
The Witch of Corruption.
An A-rank necromancer and one of the corpse dragon¡¯s legionmanders.
As the name implied, she specialized in poison magic.
To handle her effectively, the best course would be to fix [Poison Resistance] and merge it with rted traits before reaching the final stages of the second main quest.
In other words, I still have some time.
For now, this was just the beginning phase.
The Witch of Corruption had shattered the Dark Oobleck into dozens, even hundreds of fragments before scattering them across the underground floors of the Dungeon Building, and now they were starting to be discovered.
This week alone, at least dozens of parties would venture into those underground floors, and a few of them would run into a Dark Oobleck like we did.
Even if they didn¡¯t die, the students were in for a tough time.
After much struggle, they would manage to escape the dungeon, and whether they shared their rey, confided in those around them, or reported it to the Academy, the news would spread anyway.
And as simr reports piled up, the academy would gradually be more vignt.
This was the series of events set to unfold this week.
The danger wasn¡¯t right in front of us yet, and I had a rough idea of when it might get closer.
In that case, it was better to act quickly rather than shrink back because of the main quest.
I need to secure what I can and fast.
As rumors spread, the atmosphere would grow more tense and the security on the underground floors would be reinforced.
That would make sneaking in and out much harder.
I had to move before that happened.
I sent a message to Dang Gyu-young.
Chapter 236: I Don’t Like Him
Hong Yeon-hwa was walking.
It was pitch-dark all around which made it impossible to tell where she was, yet she somehow felt she had to keep moving.
¨C Hong Yeon-hwa¡
Then she heard a voice.
It echoed from all directions, as if it was resounding through a cave and she couldn¡¯t discern who it belonged to.
Yet, strangely enough, it felt familiar.
¨C Hong Yeon-hwa¡
The farther she walked forward, the louder and clearer the voice seemed to grow.
Guessing it was because she was getting closer, Hong Yeon-hwa extended her hand and started groping her way forward while steadily pressing on.¨C Hong Yeon-hwa¡
As she walked a bit farther, she felt she was beginning to recognize the voice¡¯s owner.
A strange sense of unease crept up on her, but the urge to confirm was stronger.
So Hong Yeon-hwa kept moving without stopping.
¨C ¡¡
How much longer had she walked?
The voice that had been calling out periodically suddenly stopped.
Hong Yeon-hwa came to an abrupt halt.
Then she asked a question cautiously.
¡°Are you¡ there?¡±
¨C Ssss¡
Instead of an answer, what emerged from the darkness was the face of Kim Ho who had been calling her this whole time.
The only problem was that his face was enormous. Like that of a giant.
¡°Uh, uh¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa froze and her mouth slightly opened in shock.
Soon, the giant face of Kim Ho lowered its gaze to meet hers.
¡°Hoooong Yeoeoneon-hwaaaaaa¡.¡±
A giant hand reached toward her.
The pale-faced Hong Yeon-hwa began to tremble uncontrobly.
¡°Uwaaa¡¡±
¡°Yeeeeon-hwaa¡sooon¡¡±
The shadow of that enormous hand began to envelop her.
Hong Yeon-hwa curled up tightly and squeezed her eyes shut.
¡°Ah!¡±
Then suddenly, she opened her eyes.
The pitch-ck darkness was gone. It was reced by bright sunlight streaming in through the window.
She was lying in her dorm room, on her own bed.
Hong Yeon-hwa let out a sigh of relief.
¡It was just a dream.
Right, there¡¯s no way a giant Kim Ho could be real.
She decided to go back to sleep.
Pulling the nket over herself, Hong Yeon-hwa closed her eyes again.
But only a short momentter¡ª
¡°Ah!¡±
She snapped her eyes open once more.
A single thought had crossed her mind.
But¡ why am I here?
Just a moment ago, she had been with Kim Ho in the dungeon fighting a defensive battle.
They had even taken down a strange ck monster together.
Could this still be part of the dream?
Hong Yeon-hwa tried to make sense of her current situation as she stared up at the ceiling.
Gradually, though only faintly, scattered fragments of scenes began toe back to her.
Kim Ho amplified her Fire Pir to A-rank.
She had poured everything she had into it and finally seeded in defeating the giant Ice Witch Golem.
In the next moment, she feltpletely drained of mana. Her energy was utterly spent, and her memory faded out for a brief instant.
¨C It¡¯s over. Let¡¯s go.
¡°¡¡¡±
She remembered resting her hand on Kim Ho¡¯s and remaining like that for quite a while.
¨C Unnie¡ liar¡
¨C What is it?
¨C You know¡ the effect¡
She recalled nuzzling her face happily into Kim Ho¡¯s back as he carried her.
¨C Hong Yeon-hwa, we¡¯re here.
¨C ¡¡
And finally, she remembered Kim Ho setting her down in front of the girls¡¯ dormitory.
He must have carried her all the way from the dungeon building to the dormitory.
And then, without even saying goodbye, she had stumbled back to her room and copsed onto her bed.
As the memories resurfaced, Hong Yeon-hwa let out a low sigh.
¡°Ah¡¡±
She really must have gone crazy.
Hong Yeon-hwa berated her unconscious self.
At the same time, she made a firm resolve.
I really need to conserve my mana¡
She tried hard to recall anything else embarrassing she might have said, but that was all that came to mind.
Still, even if she was relieved, it was hard to feel at ease given all that had already happened.
In the end, Hong Yeon-hwa chose to escape reality and burrowed deeper into her nkets.
Maybe I should just sleep a little more¡
Even though she had rested enough to feel reasonably clear-headed, she had absolutely no desire to get up.
However, before much time passed,
¡°Ah!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa opened her eyes again with a start.
When she looked outside, she saw that the sun was already high in the sky.
Frantically, she checked the clock. It was 11:30.
¡°¡ss!¡±
She hadpletely missed her morning sses.
Hong Yeon-hwa hurriedly began to get ready to leave.
***
After finishing her afternoon sses, Hong Yeon-hwa headed to the Ruby Magic Tower clubroom.
Though it was practically a second dormitory to her, she entered with the caution of someone visiting a friend¡¯s house she wasn¡¯t all that close with.
She opened the clubroom door just a third of the way and peeked her head in.
In the next instant, she pulled back and quickly shut the door.
Bang!
A fist-sized fireball hade flying toward her.
From beyond the closed door, her sister¡¯s voice called out.
¡°Hong Yeon-hwa,e in.¡±
¡°..¡.¡±
With no other choice, Hong Yeon-hwa stepped inside the room.
As her eyes darted around nervously, the question she had expected finally came.
¡°Why did you skip ss?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that I wanted to skip¡ really¡.¡±
Having missed her morning sses, Hong Yeon-hwa felt like a criminal.
However, she was a criminal with at least some defense to offer.
After all, justst night, she had gone into a D-rank dungeon and only made it back afterward.
And not just for a simple clear. It had been for training purposes.
To top it off, an unexpected strong enemy had appeared at the end.
Since rey recording wasn¡¯t possible, Hong Yeon-hwa exined everything in detail, step by step.
Of course, she kept silent about the [Amplification] skill that Kim Ho had used and his overwhelming strength disyed at the end. Somehow, she just felt it was best to keep that part to herself.
¡°¡¡¡±
Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s face, which had shown a hint of frustration, grew more serious as she listened to the story.
Then, she pulled up a rey purchased from the student store.
It was from just yesterday, filmed as another party tackled an underground dungeon.
¡°That thing you saw at the end. Did it look something like this?¡±
In the crystal ball, a second-year party was struggling against a single monster.
Its appearance was a bit peculiar; it walked on two legs with the head of a deer, and instead of arms, writhing snakes sprouted from its shoulders.
It looked like a mix of several monsters.
Its entire body was jet ck with a faint sheen.
Though the appearance was different, the details were extremely simr, and Hong Yeon-hwa slowly nodded her head.
¡°¡Mhmm, it looked like that.¡±
¡°You really went through a lot.¡±
Even as a club president, Hong Ye-hwa had only recently been informed of this.
Earlier in the week, a few parties had encountered undocumented monsters in the dungeon and had struggled to defeat them.
She never would have guessed that Hong Yeon-hwa and Kim Ho had been among those parties.
She felt immense relief that nothing major had happened.
At the same time, Hong Ye-hwa raised her evaluation of Kim Ho by a notch.
He¡¯s definitely got decent skills.
The areas where the ck monsters had appeared were rumored to have increased in difficulty by about half a level, and every witness had reportedly struggled.
But Hong Yeon-hwa and Kim Ho had encountered one in a D-rank dungeon and seemed to have handled it without much trouble.
This meant that they dealt with the situation flexibly and had the skills to make it possible.
I can trust him to handle things.
He seemed to be reliable enough for at least D-rank dungeons. With some observation, maybe even for more than that.
Hong Ye-hwa asked again.
¡°So, what about the loot?¡±
¡°We got two random boxes and one scroll.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa pulled out the dungeon-clear rewards.
At some point, they appeared in her inventory, and it seemed Kim Ho had already divided them evenly with her unconsciously storing her share.
¡°I used up one mana potion and two rank boosts¡ª¡±
¡°Wait, two?¡±
Hong Ye-hwa interrupted.
One boost should¡¯ve been more than enough for the whole dungeon; why two?
Hong Yeon-hwa averted her gaze and answered while trying to sound casual.
¡°One of them¡ I gave to Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Why¡¯d you give it to him?¡±
¡°Well, am I supposed to be the only one boosting my rank while he just watches? That¡¯d be kinda awkward, don¡¯t you think?¡±
¡°Still, how could you just give away a boost like it¡¯s nothing?¡±
It was true that the Ruby Tower fully supported Hong Yeon-hwa, but it wasn¡¯t to the extent that she could use rank boosts as if they were water, let alone share them with someone else out of generosity.
So, it was no wonder Hong Ye-hwa was reacting so strongly.
¡°At least try to negotiate. Like giving the boost instead of the ruby!¡±
¡°How could I even do that?¡±
Negotiate with Kim Ho? For Hong Yeon-hwa, that was an unthinkable idea.
Besides, from her perspective, she felt she had a valid reason.
¡°Still, he went in there because of me, so I had to show some appreciation.¡±
¡°Then why show appreciation with a rank boost? And was it even yours to give?¡±
Hong Ye-hwa was implying that the boost was provided by the magic tower, not for her personal use.
Hong Yeon-hwa was momentarily at a loss for words because it was a fair point, but she also started to feel a bit irritated.
So she shook a random box and held it up.
¡°I¡¯ll make up for it! I¡¯ll break open my piggy bank or draw something out from here!¡±
¡°Do you really think you¡¯ll get anything useful? Out of that?¡±
Hong Ye-hwa scoffed.
A rank boost wasn¡¯t the kind of item that would just drop so easily. Maybe if it were a B or C-rank box, but D-rank? Absolutely out of the question.
It would be lucky if she didn¡¯t end up pulling something useless like a cushion or a teacup.
Regardless, Hong Yeon-hwa seemed already fired up.
[The ¡®Random Box Enhancement Scroll¡¯ has been used.]
aaash!
A burst of light radiated from the scroll as it merged into one of the random boxes.
[Winterhalt Random Box (D+)]
The rank shifted from D to D+.
Hong Ye-hwa felt it was a waste to use the enhancement scroll, and she also thought her sister was doing something reckless, but she decided to stay quiet and watch.
It was her sister¡¯s item to use as she wished, and if she failed this time, it might cool her down a bit.
But the moment Hong Yeon-hwa flung open the random box¡ª
aa¡ªsh¡ª!
A dazzling light, almost too bright to believe it came from a mere D+ rank box, filled the room.
When the light finally faded, two rolled-up magic scrolls appeared in Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s hands instead of the random box.
[Rank Boost] *2
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°It¡ really came out.¡±
¡°¡Mhmm.¡±
The Hong sisters were dumbfounded.
Hong Ye-hwa, who had been nning how to calmly reason with and persuade her sister afterward, found herself stunned at this unexpected oue.
Hong Yeon-hwa was equally speechless. She had opened the random box out of frustration, without really expecting much.
But now that things were turning in her favor, the corners of her mouth couldn¡¯t help but twitch into a small smile.
¡°See? S-Satisfied now? I got it, didn¡¯t I?¡±
¡°¡ So you¡¯re still nning to give one to Kim Ho?¡±
¡°What? Can¡¯t I?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa shot back confidently.
On the other hand, Hong Ye-hwa was left speechless at this unexpected windfall.
What could she say when her sister was offering her own item as a gesture of goodwill?
Still, she felt uneasy and asked anyway.
¡°Why are you going that far? Do you¡ like him?¡±
¡°What? Why are you suddenly pushing it in that direction?¡±
¡°You¡¯ve been acting strangetely; that¡¯s why. Just tell me. I won¡¯t get mad. What do you think of him?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t like him.¡±
Her answer came without hesitation.
Yet Hong Ye-hwa was still unconvinced and pressed her further.
¡°Really?¡±
¡°I said I don¡¯t! Stop meddling already!¡±
¡°¡Alright, sorry.¡±
As Hong Yeon-hwa snapped back, Hong Ye-hwa apologized.
After all, no matter how close they were, there was a limit to how much she should interfere in her sister¡¯s personal life.
Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa silently repeated her sister¡¯s question to herself.
What do I think of Kim Ho?
Honestly, she didn¡¯t know.
Until recently, even meeting Kim Ho¡¯s gaze had made her shrink back, buttely, her preconceived notions had been breaking down, and she found herself noticing his positive traits.
He seemed reliable, and she even thought he was impressive.
When they shared coffee together, she felt at ease.
But still, liking him¡ that¡¯s not it, right?
Probably not.
Chapter 237: No. 88 The Gathering of Villains (1)
The atmosphere in the disciplinarymittee room was heavy.
Arge screen on one side was split into numerous smaller screens and each was reying different footage.
Themon element across all of them was that every screen disyed various grotesque forms of ck monsters.
Next to it, a whiteboard had some key information listed by Kwak Seung-jae, while themittee members, including the club president Oh Se-hoon and the second and third-year members, focused their attention on him.
Atst, Kwak Seung-jae looked around the room and began to speak.
¡°After cross-verifying, we have confirmed that these monsters are Dark Ooblecks.¡±
¡°¡So it¡¯s as we suspected.¡±
¡°We had a hunch, but it really is the Witch of Corruption.¡±
Eachmittee member murmured in turn.During the first-year midterm exam, there had been an incident involving the Blood Demon Cult, led by an elder of the cult and the Witch of Corruption.
They had been defeated in a battle with faculty members, including Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong, and had retreated to even deeper underground levels.
Things had been quiet for the past few weeks, but the fact that activity was resuming suggested they had regained a fair amount of strength.
Kwak Seung-jae continued the briefing.
¡°As of Thursday, there have been fourteen reported cases, and it¡¯s expected that this number will double by the weekend.¡±
¡°Most major attacks usually peak on weekends. How many bids are left for this week?¡±
¡°Seventy-one.¡±
¡°That¡¯s quite a lot.¡±
The disciplinarymittee member who had asked the question clicked his tongue.
Forrge dungeons or those that required a long time to clear, they typically began exploration on Friday afternoons to avoid ovepping with the academic schedule.
Additionally, these types of dungeons generally had a high average difficulty.
Most of the current bids were for B and C-rank dungeons.
If these Dark Ooblecks appeared in these dungeons, the danger level would increase, and the likelihood of students dying would rise as well.
One of themittee members posed a question to Oh Se-hoon.
¡°What about closing the dungeon building temporarily?¡±
¡°A decision was already made at the faculty meeting. Right now, they feel there isn¡¯t enough justification.¡±
¡°Yeah, I figured as much.¡±
The member nodded in agreement as if he anticipated the answer.
Though it was an unexpected situation, so far, no students have been seriously injured or killed.
As a result, despite the widespread rumors about Dark Ooblecks, most parties with active bids would likely push forward and just ept the risks to clear the dungeons.
If they postponed, resources invested in their preparations could end up tied up or lost entirely.
Moreover, those students who had alreadypleted their dungeon runs would gain an advantage through practical scores and rewards from clears, which would lead to a widening gap in growth and performance.
If the faculty locked down the dungeons in such a scenario, the bacsh would be significant.
In other words, unless someone¡¯s life was lost, they didn¡¯t have sufficient grounds to close them down.
Of course, beyond these somewhat political factors, there were other reasons as well.
So, Oh Se-hoon added an exnation.
¡°During the faculty meeting, they also raised this idea. It might actually be the Witch of Corruption¡¯s intention to provoke a shutdown of the dungeon building.¡±
¡°She intended to close off the dungeon building¡? What does that mean?¡±
As themittee member furrowed his brows, Oh Se-hoon smiled slightly and turned his gaze toward Kwak Seung-jae.
It was as if he was inviting him to answer.
With a slight nod, Kwak Seung-jae began to speak.
¡°The Dark Oobleck is known to grow stronger over time.¡±
It has the habit of eating everything it sees and absorbing its power, so if left alone it would naturally absorb more.
¡°For now, since it¡¯s still in its early stage, its power isn¡¯t much different from the dungeon¡¯s difficulty level, but if it¡¯s given more time, who knows.¡±
¡°We need to deal with it before it bes uncontrobly strong.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
Either way, the Dark Oobleck has to be dealt with, and if left alone, the parties clearing the dungeon would handle it in their stead.
So from the academy¡¯s perspective, there¡¯s even less reason to close the dungeon.
Anothermittee member asked a question.
¡°Then, are we nning to keep the dungeon building open this week? Have you set up any countermeasures for emergencies?¡±
¡°We confirmed that the rescue request system is functioning properly.¡±
The rescue request.
In effect, it was the only means to contact the outside world from inside the dungeon.
However, using it would nullify the practical evaluation, and a portion of the clear rewards would have to go to themittee.
Still, it was better than having no option at all.
¡°At least this way, we can be fairly sure no one will lose their life.¡±
¡°Yes, assuming we respond immediately, of course. ordingly, here¡¯s the n.¡±
They would significantly increase the number of disciplinarymittee members stationed on the underground floors.
On the whiteboard appeared ayout showing the new patrol distribution on the lower levels.
The patrols were now more densely positioned, with shorter intervals between rounds.
¡°Additionally, I¡¯ll be opening the doors myself.¡±
This was the main reason Kwak Seung-jae was taking charge of operations.
He could instantly move to almost anywhere through his unique magic of the Wooden Door.
Since everymittee member had experienced it firsthand, they all acknowledged Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s skills.
¡°Alright, let¡¯s proceed with this n.¡±
¡°Can I ask just one question?¡±
At that moment, a second-year disciplinarymittee member who had been quietly listening in the corner raised his hand.
Kwak Seung-jae gave a slight nod of his chin.
¡°Go ahead.¡±
¡°What about the rest? I mean, the dungeons where Oobleck has entered but no bids have been ced?¡±
All they had uncovered so far was that the Witch of Corruption was behind it all and that she had scattered Oobleck throughout the underground dungeons.
There was no way to know if it was in a dungeon without going in directly.
So wasn¡¯t there a significant chance that some dungeons untouched by students this week could also have Oobleck and be left unchecked?
Kwak Seung-jae had considered this himself at least once, so he responded without hesitation.
¡°Of course, we need to investigate the other dungeons too. But that¡¯s a matter forter.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°We don¡¯t have enough manpower.¡±
The underground dungeons numbered over a thousand.
Even excluding the depth dungeons, there were still hundreds.
Even if theybined all disciplinarymittee members and staff, they were severely understaffed to enter and exit each one.
¡°So for now, ensuring the safety of students participating in raids takes priority.¡±
¡°Seung-jae is right.¡±
Oh Se-hoon supported Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s words.
He had already considered a few solutions, but none had taken concrete shape yet.
They would still need approval from the academy side.
¡°For now, let¡¯s just get through this week smoothly, and we¡¯ll revisit the investigation of the lower floors afterward.¡±
¡°¡Understood.¡±
¡°Everyone, make sure you¡¯re familiar with your positions.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
The disciplinarymittee members all bowed their heads.
***
One benefit of keeping friendly ties with the thieves¡¯ club was that it allowed me to obtain quality information quickly.
And I¡¯m close with the club president, too.
[Main Quest 2-2] (Completed)
?Objective: Gather information.
?Reward: Rank-up (F)
Normally, gathering intel on something like Oobleck would require asking around or buying reys.
But all I had to do was chat with Dang Gyu-young and receive the intel from the thieves¡¯ club.
With that, the second chain quest wasplete.
The reward, for something so easily gained, was rather generous.
I had already decided where to use the F-rank Rank Up.
[Activated ¡®Rank-up (F)¡¯]
[The rank of ¡®Chillwind¡¯ has increased. (F+¡úE+)]
It was a rare skill that was useful even at F-rank, and now I raised it to another level.
Immediately afterward, the next chain quest appeared.
[Main Quest 2-3] (In progress¡)
?Objective: Collect a sample.
?Reward: Varies ording to achievement level
A small ss vial dropped into my hand.
It meant I had to defeat the Dark Oobleck and bring back a sample in this vial.
For now, though, hunting it down in the dungeon building could wait; the hidden piece right in front of me took priority.
So I decided to put it on hold for the moment.
Dang Gyu-young was sprawled halfway across the sofa and was rolling around with a clear look of frustration.
¡°Ah, what a mess. What kind of disaster is this?¡±
The main cause, of course, was the Dark Oobleck.
Though there hadn¡¯t been any direct harm, its presence had heightened security within the dungeon building to the max.
The ce was probably crawling with disciplinarymittee members by now.
That made unauthorized raids practically impossible.
Even if she sent scouts, they¡¯d be caught right away.
Yet, there were still things that were hard to give up on.
¡°I really need to go. I have to get down there.¡±
¡°We have to find a way through somehow.¡±
The [Gathering of Viins] dungeon.
The hidden piece at stake wasn¡¯t just any prize; it was the Ghost Dance. The very thing the thieves¡¯ club had been searching for.
Even better, the trouble of handling the main part of the raid was being taken on by Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s raid team, so this was a rare opportunity for them.
Naturally, this held true for me as well, so I asked Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Do you think it¡¯ll be difficult?¡±
¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not so sure. There isn¡¯t just the disciplinarymittee, you know. There might even be teachers patrolling.¡±
¡°Mind if I ask you something?¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°About a few skills and ranks of yours.¡±
¡°¡I¡¯m only telling you this. What are you curious about?¡±
Asking about someone else¡¯s skills or traits, and especially their rank, is something that¡¯s practically taboo.
Still, I needed to check to make a solid n.
Perhaps understanding this, Dang Gyu-young hesitated slightly but answered my question honestly.
The fact that we had built up some trust between us was probably a big reason why.
When I mentioned my n, Dang Gyu-young looked at me with a strange expression.
¡°Kim Ho-ah, why do I sometimes feel like you know me better than I know myself?¡±
¡°Can I use the cheat code again?¡±
¡°You know everything because you¡¯ve graduated over 200 times?¡±
¡°You know me well.¡±
¡°Haah.¡±
Dang Gyu-young shook her head as if she had half given up.
It¡¯s not like I could just admit that I¡¯ve spent some time ying as a Shadow Mage too.
I moved the conversation along.
¡°So, what do you think? Our odds of sess now.¡±
¡°Honestly? Still fifty-fifty?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s give it a shot.¡±
Dang Gyu-young narrowed her eyes.
¡°And if we get caught?¡±
¡°What¡¯s the worst that could happen? Penalty points?¡±
¡°You¡¯re a real thief at heart now. You¡¯ve got the mindset down.¡±
Are you still not joining the club?
Dang Gyu-young threw in yet another casual recruitment attempt.
Then suddenly, as if a thought crossed her mind, she asked,
¡°But that¡ what was it, Oobleck or whatever it¡¯s called. Wouldn¡¯t it show up in the dungeon we¡¯re going into?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t say there¡¯s a 0% chance, but realistically speaking, it won¡¯t appear.¡±
The Witch of Corruption was A-rank.
Naturally, the Oobleck she controlled would be ranked below that.
For it to appear in a B-rank dungeon, it would need to be at least B+ rank, but even then, there¡¯s no guarantee it would have any meaningful impact.
B-rank bosses were all strong, after all.
Take the ck Snake and White Snake as examples. The Dark Oobleck wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against them.
So, from the Witch of Corruption¡¯s perspective, it¡¯s more efficient to send her forces into sure-thing C- or D-rank dungeons rather than wasting resources on an uncertain B-rank dungeon.
Even after exining all this, Dang Gyu-young still seemed uneasy.
¡°You never know, though.¡±
¡°Well, does it matter? It¡¯s not like we¡¯ll be the ones facing it.¡±
¡°¡Now that you mention it, true.¡±
Our role was simply to provide the treasure map and strategy guide while keeping a low profile inside the dungeon.
Even if the Dark Oobleck does show up, it will be Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s raid team dealing with it.
¡°It¡¯s like a ¡®pleasure without responsibility¡¯.¡±
¡°I like that.¡±
Dang Gyu-young smiled bashfully.
***
TN: Last one was probably a dirty joke. It¡¯s like a saying in Korean, though it¡¯s not always used in such way.
Chapter 238: No. 88 The Gathering of Villains (2)
On Friday night,
Go Hyeon-woo and I headed toward the dungeon building a little earlier than the arranged time.
As we waited a bit out front, we spotted Jang Moo-geuk approaching from a distance.
As expected of an assassin, his stride was perfectly measured as if by a ruler, and his footsteps were nearly silent.
Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s eyes gleamed as he met Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s gaze.
¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day.¡±
¡°Likewise.¡±
From their words alone, it seemed they might draw swords and start a duel at any moment, but the tone between them was surprisingly gentle.The faint smiles at the corners of their lips meant they were actually pleased with the situation.
Go Hyeon-woo spoke up.
¡°Though we¡¯re on the same side today, if the opportunityes, I¡¯d like to ask for another lesson from you, Jang-hyung.¡±
¡°A good day wille. When the time is right, I won¡¯t avoid it.¡±
Jang Moo-geuk replied in an even tone.
Shortly after, Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin arrived precisely at the scheduled time.
The two martial artists bowed their heads politely.
¡°You¡¯re here.¡±
¡°Yes, let¡¯s get going right away.¡±
Dang Gyu-young returned their brief greeting and took the lead.
Then, just as she stopped in front of the door leading down to the underground, she looked around at us and spoke.
¡°Come down after five minutes.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
¡°See you below.¡±
There was no issue with essing the F-floor itself, but if the five of us moved together in a big group, we¡¯d be sure to catch the attention of the Disciplinary Committee.
Especially since two of them were the president and vice-president of the thieves club.
If word spread to the lower floors, security would only tighten unnecessarily, so we decided to split up for now and move separately even just to the F-floor.
Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin went down first, and we waited a moment before following.
The moment I set foot on the spiral staircase, I felt it.
It¡¯s cold down here.
The atmosphere permeating the entire underground level was visibly more tense than usual.
The expressions on the passing students¡¯ faces looked downright serious.
And in one nce, I spotted three different students wearing Disciplinary Committee armbands.
For the F-floor where incidents are rare, this was an unusual amount of monitoring. I could only guess there would be even more security below.
All this was due to the chaos that A-rank viin had stirred up.
I moved my lips slightly to signal the two with me.
¨C Let¡¯s act natural.
¨C Understood.
Neither Go Hyeon-woo nor I were strangers to the underground level, so keeping a poker face was no problem.
And as for Jang Moo-geuk whose profession as an assassin had trained him well, he waspletely at ease.
If only his naming sense were as perfect as his skills.
Honestly, there¡¯s just no fixing the ¡°Jang Oh-Wang Gon¡± pair.
As I walked along, thinking about all this, a second-year member of the disciplinarymittee passed by.
He nced in our direction, but when we bowed our heads slightly, he simply gave us a quick nod before averting his gaze.
The same went for the othermittee members we encountered after that.
Without drawing much suspicion, we changed elevators a few times and finally reached the lowest level of the F-floor.
In the next moment, a small shadow butterfly fluttered in front of us from somewhere.
We followed the butterfly¡¯s lead, and soon, Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin emerged from a shaded spot.
¨C This is just the beginning. Stay focused.
As soon as we regrouped, we stepped onto the E floor.
Just as expected, there were moremittee members patrolling here than on the F floor.
Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin exchanged a quick nce.
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s usual guiding style was to spread shadow butterflies around and push forward based on the information they gathered.
But now, even a single butterfly in sight would set off an rm across the entire floor, so the strategy had to change.
[Shadow Sanctuary]
A shadow rose from the ground and formed arge dome, like ink spreading over us all.
It was a skill that granted a stealth buff to allies within range for a limited time.
Highly useful, though it had one drawback.
There¡¯s still the cooldown.
For a B-rank, the stealthsted three minutes with a five-minute cooldown.
Which meant for two minutes, we would have to move without stealth or use another concealment skill.
Of course, that¡¯s assuming only one person uses it.
If two people took turns using it, the story would change entirely.
[Activated ¡®Copy-Skill¡¯.]
[Registering the target¡¯s skill ¡®Shadow Sanctuary (B)¡¯ in the slot.]
?Copy ¨C Skill [3/3]
1. Thief¡¯s Step (B+)
2. Overheat (C)
3. Shadow Sanctuary (B)
If A and B each used the skill with a 3-minute duration once, it wouldst a total of 6 minutes.
Then, before B¡¯s skill ended, A¡¯s 5-minute cooldown would be over.
In effect, we could maintain stealth indefinitely.
The day before, I had confirmed Dang Gyu-young¡¯s avable skills and ranks, not just to gauge our strength before forming a n but also to meet the copy conditions.
Dang Gyu-young mouthed a question.
¨C Are you ready? Can you copy it?
¨C Yes, I¡¯m ready.
By now, I had built enough trust with her to give a hint about my copying skill, though only to the extent of letting her know I could mimic a few of her skills.
¡°¡¡¡±
That alone was enough to seem ridiculous, and she kept giving me suspicious looks.
As if to say, ¡°What are you, having so many cheat skills and traits?¡±
Meanwhile, Chae Da-bin was busy tapping on her tablet.
The screen split into multiple views and disyed the view of various parts of the E-floor.
In an instant, she had hacked the surveince crystal balls in the area and seized control over the entire view.
That¡¯s hardly second-year skill level.
As had already been proven in the ck Market, Chae Da-bin¡¯s skill in magic engineering surpassed that of most graduates.
If her skill was to be represented on a hexagonal graph, it would look almost like a sharp spike.
Chae Da-bin stared at the tablet screen for a moment, then raised her hand to point toward the passage on the left.
¨C Over there.
She had pinpointed the spot with the weakest defenses.
We quickened our pace and pushed our way through, and once again Chae Da-bin set our direction.
Then, just as Dang Gyu-young¡¯s stealth buff was about to end,
[Shadow Sanctuary]
I took over.
An identical dome of shadows spread over the group and renewed the stealth buff.
Seeing that, Chae Da-bin¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest. As someone who regrly worked by Dang Gyu-young¡¯s side, she immediately picked up on the subtle discrepancy.
¨C President, did you rank that up?
¨C Rank it up?
¨C The cooldown feels shorter.
¨C ¡Something like that.
Dang Gyu-young cast a sideways nce at me; she was clearly itching to say something, but she eventually let it go with a vague response.
Chae Da-bin continued guiding our route, and we took turns casting Shadow Sanctuary as we moved downward.
Unfortunately, we had to abandon using the elevator or teleportation magic circle.
With so many eyes watching, we¡¯d be detected the instant we tried.
Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin each made a remark.
¨C Been a while since I¡¯ve had to ride it like this. Brings back memories.
¨C So this is what Byeong-cheol feels like.
We went down to the D floor. We stayed in stealth mode and moved quietly.
Here, the disciplinarymittee members were even more densely positioned.
This was because most of the sightings of the Dark Oobleck had been concentrated on the C and D floors.
Chae Da-bin was still controlling all the crystal balls in the area, but she started taking longer pauses to strategize.
With more disciplinarymittee members to avoid, the route naturally became moreplicated.
¨C Wait a minute.
¨C ¡?
¨C Go back up. Quickly.
Sometimes, we even had to backtrack up the stairs we¡¯d just descended.
Still, thanks to Chae Da-bin¡¯s quick thinking, we managed to make slow but steady progress.
Then, Dang Gyu-young suddenly halted and hurriedly led us into a nearby shadow.
She pulled up a dense veil of shadows to cover us.
Rumble¡
A wooden door suddenly emerged before us.
The door opened, and out stepped Kwak Seung-jae along with some other senior disciplinary members from the second and third years.
Did they spot us?
Everyone stared at them with bated breath.
However, Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s group didn¡¯t look in our direction and instead approached the other members patrolling nearby.
¡°Time for shift change.¡±
¡°Got it, thank you for your hard work.¡±
It seemed we had coincidentally arrived at the exact time and ce for the shift change.
Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s gaze flicked briefly in our direction, but he didn¡¯t seem to sense anything.
Once the disciplinarymittee members dispersed to their new positions, we carefully stepped out from the shadows.
I looked at Dang Gyu-young with a newfound appreciation.
¨C .¡..
¨C Why are you looking at me like that?
¨C One win for you.
I had always seen her getting caught and chased by Kwak Seung-jae, but this time her stealth was wless.
However, Dang Gyu-young looked less than pleased with my assessment.
¨C No, what do you mean? This is just my normal skill level.
¨C Let¡¯s go with that.
¨C No, really, it is! When ites to ying tag with Kwak Seung-jae, I win eight out of ten times. Right, Da-bin?
When Dang Gyu-young asked for backup, Chae Da-bin reluctantly agreed.
¨C ¡Yes, I guess that¡¯s true.
¨C Why do you sound so unconvincing? I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s true!
We continued making our way down amidst the whispering and bantering.
Finally, we arrived at the C-floor, thest section we had to get through.
The moment we entered, Dang Gyu-young let out a dryugh.
¨C Wow, this just keeps getting better and better.
The security here was even tighter.
Above the D-floor, the disciplinarymittee members were stationed in a tight grid, and even teachers were visible here and there.
The probability of an encounter with the Dark Oobleck was highest here, and the potential damage was worse than at the D-floor, so they¡¯d stationed extra defenses.
Cha Da-bin diligently manipted the tablet and checked the view here and there.
Her expression darkened slightly.
-This is going to be tough for me, too.
No matter how perfect the field of view was, it would be meaningless if we couldn¡¯t map out a route.
At that, Dang Gyu-young and I exchanged a nce.
¨C Let¡¯s use it here.
¨C Looks like we¡¯ll have to.
We had one more trick up our sleeves from our discussion the previous night, and now was the time to put it to use.
[Activated ¡®Amplification¡¯.]
[The rank of ¡®Shadow Leap¡¯ has increased. (C ¡ú A)]
[Duration: 00:04:57]
[Cooldown: 00:29:57]
Dang Gyu-young had mastered a high-level movement skill called Shadow Leap.
It was a skill that allowed her to teleport to the next avable shadow.
Like [Blink] or [Teleport] which were advanced space spells known only to high-ranking mages, Shadow Leap was a high-level space skill.
Naturally, the growth difficulty of this skill was extremely high, and even for a third-year club president like Dang Gyu-young, her skill rank was still at C.
Of course, the skill performed well even at that rank, but the upgrade to A-rank made it much more powerful.
With that upgrade, the number of targets increases.
At C-rank, the skill could transport two people including the caster; at A-rank, it allowed for up to five people.
In other words, she could transport all of us.
Dang Gyu-young sent a shadow butterfly fluttering to the opposite side.
When the butterfly fluttered to its destination, it spread wide and cast arge shadow.
[Shadow Leap]
Swoosh¨C
There was a sensation as if we were being pulled down beneath our feet, and then the scenery abruptly changed.
The next moment, we were standing at the spot where she had sent the shadow butterfly.
Chae Da-bin looked a little surprised and repeated the question she had asked earlier.
¨C Did you rank up on that too?
¨C ¡Something like that. Anyway, how¡¯s this?
¨C It seems doable.
Chae Da-bin¡¯s face brightened again.
She stared intently at her tablet and began to think hard. And I could almost hear it say, ¡°Recalcting route¡±.
Then, Chae Da-bin pointed in one direction.
¨C Over there.
Dang Gyu-young sent the shadow butterfly to the next location again, then used Shadow Leap to instantly transport everyone.
Chae Da-bin would point out the direction, and we repeated this cycle of teleportation over and over.
In this way, we quickly descended the C-floor and almost reached the depths.
At that point, Dang Gyu-young leaned in close and whispered.
¡°¡Hey, Kim Ho-ah.¡±
¡°Yes, noona?¡±
¡°The amplification¡ it¡¯s worn off.¡±
The amplification¡¯s duration had ended, and [Shadow Leap] had returned to C-rank.
The C-rank amplification duration was only 5 minutes, with a cooldown of 30 minutes.
I had saved it until the very end, but it still wasn¡¯t quite enough to bypass the entire C-floor in one go.
¨C Over there.
Chae Da-bin wasn¡¯t aware of this and continued pointing out directions.
Chapter 239: No. 88 The Gathering of Villains (3)
We hade to a stop right in the middle of the C-floor.
With the Disciplinary Committee members still patrolling, there was no benefit to lingering here.
I guess it¡¯s time to go with n B.
I had hoped it wouldn¡¯te to this, but I had prepared just in case.
I leaned over and whispered to Dang Gyu-young.
¨C Could you make a few round trips?
¨C What, four times?
At C-rank, Shadow Leap could only transport two people at a time.
For Dang Gyu-young to move all five of us, she would have to make four round trips.The risk would increase considerably, but¡ª
¡°Two trips will be enough.¡±
¡°How?¡±
¡°I can use it too.¡±
If I copied Shadow Leap, we could transport everyone together which would make it far more efficient.
?Copy ¨C Skill [3/3]
1. Thief¡¯s Step (B+)
2. Overheat (C)
3. Shadow Sanctuary (B)
[Overheat] was a skill I had copied from Hong Yeon-hwa,
And Shadow Sanctuary was essential for keeping the party hidden.
So, the best copy slot to overwrite was Thief¡¯s Step.
After all, since Thief¡¯s Step was originally Dang Gyu-young¡¯s skill, I could just copy it againter.
Of course, even with this approach, Dang Gyu-young would still have to make two round trips, so the risk level would inevitably increase.
Chae Da-bin would likely wonder why our pace had suddenly slowed down as well.
Still, it¡¯s better than getting caught.
Adding a bit of risk was definitely better than failing before we even reached our destination.
Just as I was about to start the copying process with these thoughts in mind¡ª
¡°!¡±
One of the patrolling Disciplinary Committee members suddenly stopped in their tracks, as if they received some sort of message.
With a tense expression, they exchanged a few quickmunications, then hurriedly pushed off the ground and headed upward.
Dang Gyu-young watched them disappear before turning back to me.
¨C ¡Seems like it showed up. That thing?
¨C Seems that way.
Apparently, a party exploring a C-rank dungeon had encountered a Dark Oobleck and sent out a distress call.
Some of the Disciplinary Committee members were deployed for the rescue.
Although others still patrolled their assigned areas without deviation, from our perspective, it felt like a huge gap had opened in the once stiflingly dense security.
Chae Da-bin was excited by the opportunity and led the way.
¨C This way!
Following her, we arrived at the depths.
With the Disciplinary Committee clustered on the C- and D-floors, I had hoped the security here might be morex. Yet the depths were still the depths.
Guard posts stood at intervals, crystal balls were embedded everywhere, and themittee members continued their patrols.
But then again, look who we had with us.
The president and vice president of the thieves club, after all.
The two had already broken through this ce once before, back when we had infiltrated the ck Death dungeon.
It seemed like this time would be no different.
Soon, Dang Gyu-young began gathering mana inrge amounts, while Chae Da-bin furiously tapped away on her tablet at an incredible speed.
[Shadow Pouch]
A shadow emerged from Dang Gyu-young and turned into a giant pouch that quickly swallowed all the first-years, including me.
Go Hyeon-woo and I remained still since we experienced this before, and Jang Moo-geuk only briefly blinked his eyes as if he was amazed but kept hisposure.
After a moment of letting ourselves be jostled around, the shadow pouch spat us out right at our destination.
[No.88] [Gathering of Viins]
Dang Gyu-young waved urgently in front of the teleportation portal.
¨C Go in, go in, quickly, quickly.
Without waiting for anyone to take the lead, we all rushed inside.
Our surroundings shifted abruptly, and we found ourselves standing at the edge of a forest outside the city.
Only then did the group finally rx.
Although we hadn¡¯t even officially started the operation, everyone already looked exhausted.
Yet alongside the relief was a sense of achievement at oveing a significant hurdle.
Especially for Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin who wore expressions of pure satisfaction.
¡°Wow, this is truly a triumph of human determination.¡±
¡°It goes to show that if you put in the effort, there¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t achieve.¡±
Just the day before when we were nning this, we weren¡¯t sure if sess was even possible, but in a desperate search for a possible breakthrough, we had managed to prate the iron-d defenses of the Disciplinary Committee.
Even ounting for a bit of luck toward the end, it was still an impressive feat.
However, the satisfaction was brief, as something suddenly seemed to dawn on Chae Da-bin and a look of concern appeared on her face.
¡°But I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯ll be able to break through the same way on our way back.¡±
¡°¡I¡¯m already feeling tired just thinking about it.¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s face darkened with concern as well.
The thought of having to go through that same exhausting ordeal on the way back weighed on her.
Since it was my job to keep up the morale of the group, I decided it was time to step in.
¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when wee to it. Let¡¯s focus on getting everything we came here for first.¡±
¡°You¡¯re right.¡±
With plenty to deal with right in front of us, there was no need to worry about whaty far ahead.
As Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin nodded in agreement, I continued.
¡°It¡¯d be a good idea to get in touch with Senior Pang Mi-ryeong now.¡±
¡°Mhmm, let¡¯s do that. Just a moment.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s raid team of fifteen had already entered the dungeon.
We needed to hear how far along they were in their progress so that we could gauge the remaining time and locate any safe zones.
Dang Gyu-young pulled amunicator out of her inventory.
This special item, which Go Hyeon-woo had purchased from the student shop, allowed us to keep in contact even within the dungeon.
Chae Da-bin linked themunicator to her tablet so everyone could hear, and soon we were connected to Pang Mi-ryeong.
Dang Gyu-young spoke into themunicator.
¡°Hey, Pang. We¡¯re here.¡±
¨C Wow, so you actually made it through. I thought you¡¯d never make it in.
Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s voice came through. She sounded impressed.
The corner of Dang Gyu-young¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, but she replied in a casual tone.
¡°It was rough, but we managed. How far have you gotten?¡±
The main rule of the Gathering of Viins was a step beyond a typical [Boss Raid]. It was a [Boss Rush].
You would have to eliminate multiple B-rank mid-boss-level demons.
The condition for clearing the dungeon is to defeat at least twelve out of the twenty bosses.
Naturally, those demons didn¡¯t move around in arge group.
They shared the same goal but preferred to act alone, so they were scattered throughout the vast dungeon.
To efficiently take down as many of them as possible, Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s raid team had split up. The fifteen members were divided into three teams of five.
And as for their current progress,
¨C We¡¯ve taken down four so far. Our team got two, and each of the other teams got one.
That meant they had achieved a third of the clear requirement.
Of course, the raid¡¯s purpose went beyond simply clearing the dungeon.
Dang Gyu-young asked,
¡°You¡¯ll be heading into the hidden area soon, then?¡±
¨C Mhmm, we¡¯re nning to head in after taking down eight demons.
One of their main goals was to investigate the Blood Ghost de Demon¡¯s legacy using the treasure map.
But since expending too much energy on the legacy could disrupt theirter progress, they aimed to secure eight kills early.
I had mentioned this approach in the strategy guide I handed out.
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head.
¡°Seems like things are going smoothly. Well, keep it up, and contact us if anything happens.¡±
¡°Will do. You guys too.¡±
Themunication with Pang Mi-ryeong ended there.
For now, they seemed to be following the strategy without issue, but we¡¯d have to wait and see if any unexpected challenges arose in theter stages.
Still, it didn¡¯t seem like we needed to intervene at this point, so everyone could just focus on their own tasks.
¡°Let¡¯s start moving too.¡±
In this dungeon, I had implicitly taken on the role of the party leader.
Since I was the one who created and distributed the strategy guide, they likely figured I knew a bit more than the rest.
So, as I led the way, everyone began to follow my movements.
The starting point was a forest on the outskirts of the city, with a few pavilions visible not too far off.
However, we had no business in the city just yet, so I turned my back on it and led the group deeper into the forest.
As we went up and down some low hills, a few tall bamboo stalks started appearing here and there.
The bamboo grew denser as we went along until we were standing before a lush bamboo grove.
Even at a nce, it seemed like there might be something interesting deeper inside, but¡ª
¡°This should be the spot.¡±
There was something minor to collect here first.
After turning ny degrees and walking a little farther, we came upon a small clearing.
It was overgrown with wildflowers and weeds, looking about as messy as it could get.
¡°All right, everyone, take one of these.¡±
I handed out some F-rank iron hoes.
And there was only one thing to do with them.
¡°Let¡¯s dig.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
One advantage of distributing a strategy guide was that I didn¡¯t need to give lengthy exnations every time we did something new.
For reference, the guide had mentioned this:
[In the weedy area near the bamboo grove, you can find elixirs.]
Elixirs were never in enough supply.
And since this was a B-rank dungeon, any elixirs we found here would likely be of a decent rank. Without a word, everyone crouched down and started digging through the weeds.
Only Jang Moo-geuk seemed a bit skeptical.
¡°To think I¡¯d live to do farmwork in a dungeon.¡±
¡°Haha, it¡¯s an experience too, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±
¡°You certainly have a positive attitude.¡±
¡°I hear that often.¡±
Jang Moo-geuk who thought no one would agree with him kept silent and concentrated on his digging.
After a while, he seemed to find something, pulled it up by the roots, and showed it to me.
¡°Isn¡¯t this a poisonous nt?¡±
[Blood-Coagting Herb (D)]
This nt had the effect of congealing the blood. It was somewhere between a medicinal nt and a poison.
When refined it could be used as a medicine, but eaten raw it was deadly.
Mixed among the weeds were other poisonous nts ranging from C to E rank.
Roughly speaking, about 80% of what we found were weeds, 19% were poisonous nts, and maybe 1% were actual elixirs.
I answered him casually.
¡°Keep the poisonous ones too. They¡¯re too valuable to toss.¡±
¡°Sure thing.¡±
Since I wasn¡¯t wrong, Jang Moo-geuk nodded in agreement.
In reality, gathering poisonous nts was also a minor goal of mine.
The more I collected, the better prepared I¡¯d be for the next step of my n.
Meanwhile, Dang Gyu-young used her shadow hands to hold a hoe. She worked much morefortably and quickly than the others.
After a while she snuck up close to me and tickled my cheek with a weed that looked like foxtail grass.
¡°Young monarch, be honest with me.¡±
¡°About what?¡±
¡°You know exactly where it is, don¡¯t you?¡±
Dang Gyu-young had learned through countless experiences that my eye for detail was near supernatural.
The idea that I wouldn¡¯t be able to spot an elixir hidden somewhere in the weeds and that the whole party would have to dig around for it didn¡¯t make sense.
In the end, she concluded that I was pretending not to know.
I admitted it freely.
¡°You caught me.¡±
¡°Why pretend not to know?¡±
¡°Because I need the manpower.¡±
Out of the five of us, I was the only one who needed poisonous nts.
If I suddenly pulled out an elixir, there¡¯d be no reason for anyone to keep digging around.
Even Jang Moo-geuk would immediately drop his hoe.
But if I let them search on their own, it might take a bit longer, but we¡¯d end up with a bigger stockpile of poisonous nts.
Dang Gyu-young narrowed her eyes.
¡°Using your party members for personal gain. Don¡¯t you feel a little guilty?¡±
¡°A little. But can you keep it a secret?¡±
¡°Another secret?¡±
¡°The more, the better, right?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true, but¡ why are you so annoying.¡±
As Dang Gyu-young crept closer, I took a step back to keep our distance.
¡°Why are youing closer?¡±
¡°Just one good pinch of those cheeks.¡±
¡°No, thank you.¡±
She kept moving toward me, and I kept backing away.
While we were half-crouched and ying this game of tag, Chae Da-bin¡¯s voice was heard.
¡°I found something!¡±
We both turned to see Chae Da-bin holding a thick root of Tuber fleeceflower.
[300-Year Tuber fleeceflower (C+)]
¡°It actually showed up.¡±
Jang Moo-geuk remarked.
A C+-rank elixir would be quite effective even if we divided it five ways.
But it wasn¡¯t over yet.
I casually added,
¡°There¡¯s one more. A 500-year one.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Go Hyeon-woo and Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s eyes lit up.
And they began to turn over the field with burning enthusiasm.
Chapter 240: No. 88 The Gathering of Villains (4)
When the five superhumans charged in with their hoes, the weed-covered field quickly turned into barren ground.
And like I had predicted,
[500-Year Tuber Fleeceflower (B)]
Anotherrge root of fleeceflower emerged.
Thanks to this, any lingering dissatisfaction Jang Moo-geuk had was instantly swept away.
In fact, he looked more than pleased.
¡°Taking a quick detour to pick up two high-grade elixirs. This is a great start.¡±
¡°Kim-hyung, you really do bring us all good fortune with your knowledge.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo was eager to praise me as well.In reality, though it might seem like we found this hidden gem effortlessly, this kind of hidden piece is notoriously hard to find.
This was because you would have to dig through every nook and cranny of the vast dungeon and even turn over the weed field.
While I could have easily sold this information, I chose instead to share it with my party members.
After all, it benefits me too.
[Blood-Spotted Herb (D)] x3
[Short Leaf Herb (C)] x2
[Sharp Leaf Herb (C)] x2
¡
With the manpower I gathered here, we dug up a pile of poisonous nts.
They weren¡¯t exactly low-value items, but thanks to my role in finding the elixir locations, they were all mine.
The elixirs would be sharedter, while I¡¯d make good use of the poisonous nts myself.
¡°Now then, shall we go collect it? The Ghost Dance.¡±
¡°Are we finally going?¡±
An undeniable sense of anticipation seeped through Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s tone.
It made sense. What he had so eagerly awaited was now right in front of him.
We retraced our steps back to the edge of the bamboo forest and stepped inside.
As we continued to walk, the fog gradually began to settle.
The fog continued to thicken, to the point where not only our feet but even the figures of the people behind us became blurred.
But it was broad daylight, and the weather had been clear just moments before. Could such a heavy fog even form so suddenly?
Dang Gyu-young nced around and spoke up.
¡°A formation.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
This area wasyered with a rather advanced formation.
The fog obscured our vision and even created a disorienting effect that made it easy to lose all sense of direction.
Pressing on without any countermeasure in a situation like this would be a terrible choice.
I had no intention of doing so, so I turned my head to the back.
¡°Go Hyeon-woo.¡±
¡°Right here.¡±
At that, Go Hyeon-woo handed me a small wooden figurine that was barely the size of my palm.
It was the Dharma statue we¡¯d obtained from the ck Death dungeon.
It was a remnant of a nameless swordmaster¡¯s legacy, but it also served as a tool for dispelling formations with ease.
When we tackled the [Sealing Demon Chests] dungeon, we used it to locate the hidden Golden Merchant Guild Leader beyond the barrier.
It¡¯ll work here too.
As soon as I held the Dharma statue forward, it took immediate effect.
Like a candle lighting up the darkness, the fog thinned around me to reveal the dirt path ahead.
Its performance is excellent.
The Ghost Dance was a rare legacy left behind by the Illusion Demon, one of the Four Supreme Demons Under Heaven.
It is not inferior at all to the Blood Ghost de Demon¡¯s legacy, which was the destination of Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s raid team.
Just as the Treasure Map was needed over there, we too were supposed to have a simr key item prepared for this ce.
Even so, the reason I chose to push forward was thanks to my first secret weapon, the Dharma statue.
While not the exact key, it would serve as a kind of master key.
And my second secret weapon was¡ª
Me, of course.
Someone who could instinctively navigate through the barrier formations set up by former graduates.
Besides, I had broken through this ce countless times even without the Dharma statue, so finding the path wasn¡¯t difficult.
Of course, this didn¡¯t apply to the rest of the party, so I gave them a quick reminder over my shoulder.
¡°From now on, stay close to the person in front of you and follow them while keeping your eyes on their back.¡±
¡°If we¡¯re not careful, we¡¯ll get separated?¡±
¡°That could happen.¡±
At my response, Dang Gyu-young smiled slightly, then extended her hand toward me.
¡°Shall we hold hands?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±
It seemed a bit obvious that she wanted to take advantage of the situation, but holding hands would actually keep us more stable.
Perhaps she wasn¡¯t only acting on impulse because she extended her other hand behind her.
¡°Da-bin, grab on.¡±
¡°Yes, President.¡±
Chae Da-bin then took Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s hand, and Go Hyeon-woo grabbed Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s hand, though thetter looked less than thrilled.
¡°¡Is it really necessary to hold hands?¡±
¡°Haha, it¡¯s all for safety, isn¡¯t it?¡±
Once I confirmed that the human train wasplete, I turned my gaze forward again.
Holding the Dharma statue out in front, I began leading the way.
¡°Alright, follow closely. The Kim Ho train is departing.¡±
¡°Departing~.¡±
Dang Gyu-young snickered behind me.
The Kim Ho train made its way through the bamboo forest, sometimes advancing in a straight line, other times swaying along the twists and turns of the terrain.
asionally, the path split into two or three forks, but most of the time, the way narrowed down to a single route as soon as I held out the Dharma statue. Almost like magic.
And in cases where it didn¡¯t narrow¡ª
I just have to look carefully.
By focusing my gaze, I could usually sense the correct path.
Moving forward bit by bit, we finally reached a wide clearing as the fog began to thin.
When I looked around, I noticed not only the tall bamboo stalks but also several statues standing in ce.
Each statue held a short candle, and as we stepped into the clearing, the candles lit up on their own.
Fwoosh, fwoosh,
The moment all the candles were illuminated, the fog lifted in one corner of the clearing and a narrow path was revealed.
Dang Gyu-young pointed to it and asked,
¡°If the mes go out, does that path disappear too?¡±
¡°Yes, we need to keep them lit.¡±
Since the candles had ignited and revealed the path as soon as we entered the clearing, it meant that someone would have to stay behind to keep the path open.
But simply standing around here wasn¡¯t going to be easy.
After all, the candles had revealed more than just the path.
Ssshhh¡
From all directions, presences began to gather, and soon figures in ck masks emerged from between the bamboo trees.
They were dressed head-to-toe in ck with even their weapons painted in a dark color.
It was as if they had anticipated our arrival andin in wait, but since that couldn¡¯t have been possible, there was only one answer.
Go Hyeon-woo looked at them with interest.
¡°This is a formation technique, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s an Illusion Formation.¡±
A formation that manifests illusions.
Fog was only the beginning; it could cause natural disasters like firestorms, earthquakes, or like now, summon martial artists or monsters to appear.
¡°But if it¡¯s just an illusion, can¡¯t we ignore it?¡±
¡°Usually, yes. But this one is far from ordinary.¡±
After all, this was an Illusion Formation set by the Illusion Demon.
Its level was so high that the boundary between reality and illusion was blurred beyondparison.
If we were hit by their attacks, we¡¯d actually sustain injuries.
Go Hyeon-woo let out a murmur.
¡°Hmm, in that case, a battle seems unavoidable.¡±
¡°Be careful; they¡¯re pretty strong.¡±
The strength of each masked figure in ck wasn¡¯t something to be taken lightly.
This Illusion Formation was the main reason we had left Shin Byeong-cheol behind.
It would take someone with the skills of Jang Moo-geuk or Go Hyeon-woo to stand a chance.
Sssss¡
The masked figures were closing in and tightening their encirclement by the second.
Knowing that the fight was about to break out, I stepped up to the side path.
¡°Hold them off and buy me some time. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±
¡°Mhmm, go ande back.¡±
Leaving Dang Gyu-young¡¯s words of farewell behind, I stepped onto the side path.
At that moment, the masked figures charged all at once and the shing sounds of weapons rang out.
Yet before I had taken a few steps, the noise became muffled and then vanished entirely.
As if the sounds had been swallowed by the mist.
They¡¯ll manage just fine.
There was no need to worry since they were skilled enough to avoid any serious idents.
I just needed to focus on my role.
As I moved swiftly, the side path soon ended and another clearing appeared.
Compared to the spot where the others were fighting, this area was much smaller, with square marble tilesid across the ground.
Like a personal training area.
Also surrounding the marble were giant statues of goblins and demons, each a head or two taller than a person.
They stood as though they were watching over anyone training here.
This was the ce where the Illusion Demon¡¯s treasure called the Ghost Dance could be obtained.
Of course, just finding it wasn¡¯t enough.
I have to pass the trial.
When I stepped into the center of the marble floor, the atmosphere immediately shifted.
In an instant, fog swirled in like clouds. Everything was hidden from view.
All that remained visible were the marble floor and the statues of goblins and demons.
Rumble¡
Then the statues began to move, and all at once they stood up and walked toward me.
Each of them held either a long staff or a club resembling a Yeoui staff as thick as a building pir. Just a single blow of those seemed capable of breaking bones.
Anyone would have instinctively felt threatened in such a situation, but I simply stood on the marble with my arms hanging loosely at my sides.
Fighting them is meaningless.
After all, this was part of the Illusion Formation.
They were difficult to defeat, and even if they fell, new statues would quickly rece them, which would just waste my energy.
It¡¯s not something I can force my way through.
While I could use a few tricks to reach the treasure, obtaining the skill or trait was another matter entirely.
I¡¯d have to undergo the trial just as the Illusion Demon intended.
Of course, like with any trial, there were some useful tips.
Ignore the statues.
It didn¡¯t mean I should just ignore them and take the hits.
It meant to abandon any fear of the statues and focus on something else.
I lowered my gaze just a bit in front of me.
Footprints were appearing one by one as if someone had walked this path before me.
I moved forward and carefully stepped on each one.
Whoosh!
The statues swung their heavy weapons, but I kept all my attention on the footprints.
I made sure to step precisely, with every movement flowing naturally,
Each step connecting smoothly to the next.
And then, even though I wasn¡¯t trying to dodge, their attacks passed just a hair¡¯s breadth away from me.
This is why it¡¯s said to ignore the statues.
Just following instructions allowed me to avoid their strikes.
If I focused too much on them, my tension and scattered concentration would make it harder to hit each footprint precisely.
The Illusion Demon¡¯s trial continued.
Though it felt like I hade a long way, I was still in the center of the training hall, still surrounded by statues.
Looks like the difficulty¡¯s about to increase.
As soon as I thought that, the attacks of the statues became fiercer.
Where before two or three statues had swung their weapons, now it was five or six, and their speed had picked up as well.
In response, the footprints began appearing faster.
Sometimes they spread out with wide gaps; other times they zigzagged in erratic patterns, and I had to follow closely to avoid being hit by the statues.
Thud! Boom!
Heavy weapons crashed down behind or next to me. They filled the air with deafening noise and scattered clouds of stone dust.
Even so, I continued to ignore thempletely, and I just stepped on the footprints over and over again in a state of half-consciousness.
I repeated this over and over who knows how many times.
Then, suddenly, the footprints that had appeared without pause were gone and I stopped in ce.
When I looked around, I noticed the fog had cleared and the open space had returned to its original state.
The training area that should have been shattered into pieces was intact, and the stone statues were still in their ces.
As if nothing had happened.
It¡¯s over.
I had passed the Illusion Demon¡¯s trial.
As if to confirm my thought, a message appeared in the corner of my vision.
[Acquired ¡®Ghost Dance¡¯.¡±]
Chapter 241: No. 88 The Gathering of Villains (5)
[Ghost Dance]
? Moves quickly over a set distance.
? While moving, evasion rate and stealth are significantly increased.
Ghost Dance was a hybrid skill thatbined movement, evasion, and stealth.
Usually, the effects of hybrid skills tend to be somewhat mediocre when examined individually, but this one was exceptional in all three aspects, much like Spiral Explosion.
It delivers outstanding power no matter which ss uses it, but it pairs especially well with thieves or assassins who benefit from the element of surprise.
Its drawbacks were that it couldn¡¯t be ranked up, so growth was impossible, and it had a 5-minute cooldown.
This meant it could only be used at most twice per battle, so it was best to use it strategically.
As for its actual performance, I would test it out when the opportunity arises.Now it¡¯s time for the next person.
The usual method is to send the second participant back into the trial when you return to the clearing where the party members were fighting.
After the second personpletes the Illusion Demon¡¯s trial and acquires Ghost Dance, then the third person enters, and so on.
But I didn¡¯t find this approach all that appealing.
It¡¯s inefficient.
I may have passed the trial in a single attempt since I¡¯vepleted it so many times I could practically do it with my eyes closed, but it¡¯s impossible to predict how long it will take others.
With their talent, they¡¯ll likely get the hang of it in two or three tries, but if all four have to go through it¡ª
It will take far too long.
During this time, we would have to withstand the relentless attacks of the masked men in ck, which would take a heavy toll on our stamina.
I think it would be far more efficient to save my time and stamina for gathering other hidden items and to leave learning Ghost Dance forter.
The question remained, though. How could we dy the Illusion Demon¡¯s trial?
There was a very simple answer.
Just take it with me.
It sounded ridiculous but I could do it.
To be exact, I had a cheat item that could make it possible.
It was the statue of Dharma, which I¡¯d been keeping temporarily in my inventory.
When I took it out and brought it close to the goblin statue¡ª
Srrrkk¡
Therge statue that was once bigger than a person began to shrink rapidly. It deted like a balloon until it was norger than the palm of my hand.
This is its true size.
It had only appearedrger due to the illusion formation, but now that the Dharma statue had partially dispelled the effect, its real form was revealed.
I ced the miniature goblin statue into my inventory, then repeated the process, shrinking and collecting the other statues in the same way.
Before long, only the marble floor remained in the hall.
These statues weren¡¯t just decorative. They were keyponents of the illusion formation.
If you set them up properly, you can recreate the Illusion Demon¡¯s formation and take the trial.
In other words, the others could ess the trial and acquire Ghost Dance even outside the bamboo forest, or even beyond the dungeon itself.
Though there¡¯s still a limit on how many times it can be used.
After all, they had durability.
But at least I could take them with me. That was something.
With that thought in mind, I retraced my steps back along the side path.
When I arrived at the clearing, the battle was already in full swing.
The masked men in ck attacked like well-trained elite warriors, and each member of the group responded in their own way.
Dang Gyu-young positioned herself protectively around Chae Da-bin and took on most of thebat herself.
Shadow arms rose from the ground, wielding a variety of shadow weapons to bring down the enemies.
Chae Da-bin focused less on attacking directly and more on supporting her allies; small drones flew around, casting shields or buffs here and there.
As expected, she¡¯s a support type.
Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s skills had been improving noticeably by the day, and recently, he¡¯d been practicing his movement technique through the three-in-one training method.
He slipped between the masked figures with smooth, flowing movements, and weaved his way through them as he swung his sword.
Jang Moo-geuk focused mainly on evasion and defense, but at decisive moments, he wouldnd a single fatal strike to the masked figures¡¯ necks or chests.
During this intense exchange, Dang Gyu-young noticed me stepping out from the side path and called out to me.
¡°Is it done?¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯ve got it.¡±
I pulled out one of the goblin statues and continued,
¡°Let¡¯s head out now.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
With a smooth wave of Dang Gyu-young¡¯s hand, the shadow arms copsed all at once and rippled forward like a wave to push back the enemies.
Boom¡ª!
A gap instantly opened in the encirclement.
Seizing that moment, we swiftly escaped from the clearing.
As we ran, Chae Da-bin paused to look back and remarked in amazement,
¡°¡It¡¯s all gone.¡±
The clearing had already beenpletely cleared out.
It was as if the intense battle we¡¯d just fought had been nothing but a lie.
That was because it had all been an illusion, crafted by the formation.
Now that we were outside its range, it couldn¡¯t affect us anymore.
Of course, there were also formations set along the exit path, so I extended my hand to Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Hold on tight; the round-trip train is departing.¡±
¡°Departing~¡±
Dang Gyu-young quickly took my hand with a smile.
Just like when we entered, we walked in single file, hand in hand.
As we walked with the Dharma statue and my veteran¡¯s senses in front, the thick fog gradually lifted, and the dense bamboo forest began to thin out.
We had exited the bamboo grove.
Once we were safely outside, everyone gathered around me.
Dang Gyu-young, Jang Moo-geuk, and Go Hyeon-woo each spoke up.
¡°Show us that thing from before.¡±
¡°Are we really going to learn from that?¡±
¡°I¡¯m curious too.¡±
Chae Da-bin didn¡¯t say anything, but she hovered nearby. She was clearly interested.
I took out one goblin statue and one demon statue from my inventory.
¡°Just look with your eyes. If they get scratched, it¡¯ll reduce the number of attempts we have.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
When I said that, everyone who had been about to touch the statues quickly pulled their hands back as if they got burned.
I continued my exnation.
¡°The Ghost Dance trial will be arranged after we finish clearing this dungeon. Everyone will have a fair chance.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
¡°Looking forward to it.¡±
Since we agreed on this from the start, everyone readily epted.
Now that it was time to focus on retrieving the remaining hidden pieces, we set off again.
The demons of the [Gathering of Viins] had a tendency to act on their own whims, yet their zones of operation and movement paths were fairly predictable.
To avoid shing with them, the best strategy was to steer clear of those areas.
So, even though my next destination was within the city, I chose to take a long detour around the outskirts.
Then suddenly¡ª
Whoosh¡ª!
A sharp sound cut through the air as if tearing the sky itself.
When we turned to locate the source of the sound, we saw two demons scurrying nimbly across the rooftops. They were jumping quickly from one structure to the next.
Go Hyeon-woo and Jang Moo-geuk each made ament.
¡°Amazing movement technique.¡±
¡°Are those the demons we heard about? They don¡¯t look easy to deal with.¡±
Meanwhile, my thoughts were a little different.
Why are they here?
Their usual area was quite a distance from this ce.
That could only mean some unexpected development had urred, and that likely pointed to the Pang Mi-ryeong raid team as the cause.
Moreover, the fact that these two were still alive meant¡ª
Looks like something¡¯s gone wrong.
It also implied that Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s side had likely made a mistake somewhere.
Perhaps thinking along simr lines, Dang Gyu-young turned to me and asked.
¡°What do you think?¡±
¡°No need to provoke them. Let¡¯s just leave them alone.¡±
Our current fighting strength was barely enough for a B-rank dungeon, so it was best to avoid unnecessarybat and conserve our resources.
If they chose a peaceful path, I nned to let them go their way.
But¡ª
They¡¯reing.
Unfortunately, it seemed they had other ideas.
They changed course and started heading directly toward us with quick strides.
The hostility radiating from them left little room for doubt about their intentions.
I gave instructions to the group.
¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to fight. Get ready.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Everyone raised their guard and prepared for battle.
Chae Da-bin opened a bag that looked like a travel suitcase andunched her drones, while Jang Moo-geuk and Go Hyun-woo each drew their swords.
I took out the sapling and nted it firmly in the ground.
Soon, two middle-aged men who looked almost like twins descended into the scene.
One wore a dark yellow martial robe, the other wore a green martial robe, and neither was carrying weapons. This meant that they were likely masters of unarmedbat.
In fact, they were not only experts in martial arts but also skilled in poison techniques.
The one in yellow specialized in paralyzing poison, so he was known as the paralyzing demon, while the one in green used corrosive poison, so he was known as the corrosive demon.
Together, they¡¯re called the Paracorrosive Twin Demons.
And, just as I suspected from a distance, their bodies were covered inrge and small wounds, likely from a recent fight with Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s party.
Traces of blood around their mouths and noses hinted they had even sustained internal injuries.
The paralyzing demon nced around at us and sneered.
¡°So, you¡¯re a cautious bunch. I wondered why you stopped pursuing us, only to find you lying in wait here.¡±
When I heard that, I quickly pieced the situation together.
It seemed Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s party had gained the upper hand in battle, but for some reason, they withdrew during the pursuit. This was probably to regroup and conserve their strength.
The Paracorrosive Twin Demons must have thought they¡¯d escaped sessfully, but after spotting us, they decided they needed to shake off any pursuers and approached.
I wondered if there was any room for negotiation and asked,
¡°Should we just let you go?¡±
¡°Heh, you think we¡¯d fall for such a shallow trick? Pretend to let us go so you can stab us in the back, is that it?¡±
I had genuinely meant to let them pass.
But it looked like fighting was inevitable.
If that were the case, then it made sense to block their escape route so we wouldn¡¯t end up empty-handed as well.
So I changed my approach slightly and began to subtly provoke the Twin Demons.
¡°Wow, just a moment ago you two were running like your lives depended on it, so why the sudden urge to fight? Not like it matters; you¡¯ll probably just flee again if things get tough.¡±
¡°¡Don¡¯t worry about that. We¡¯ll settle things with you to the end.¡±
Judging by their reaction, it seemed my taunt had been sessful; the Paracorrosive Twin Demons¡¯ lips curled into a murderous smile.
As they raised their auras at the same time, the surrounding nts darkened and withered under the oppressive energy.
¡°Since you¡¯ve entertained me with those little remarks, I¡¯ll leave you forst. I¡¯ll y with you a bit before you die.¡±
I slipped behind Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Did you hear that? They¡¯re going to ¡®y with me¡¯ before killing me.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not going to happen. You¡¯re ying with me.¡±
Dang Gyu-young lightly brushed a hand over my head.
Then, her expression turned serious as she carefully shifted to the side.
Sensing that the fight was about to break out, she positioned herself in the optimal spot.
It¡¯s only just starting¡
I still didn¡¯t know how Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s party had ended up dealing with the Paracorrosive Twin Demons, but I remembered the strategy guide advising to avoid fighting them if possible.
Unlike most demons who roamed individually, these two stuck together which made them especially difficult to face.
On top of that, they were experts in poison technique which made them even trickier to handle.
But, of course, that was based on the general strategy guide rmendation.
For me, they¡¯re manageable.
After all, those two had already gone through a fierce battle, so they weren¡¯t in peak condition.
If they had a health gauge, I¡¯d guess it was around 70 percent.
And most importantly¡ª
They¡¯re masters of poison techniques.
Which made it all the more manageable for me.
I first linked [Octopus Limbs] and [Enchantment].
[You have granted the skill ¡°Poison Resistance (S)¡± to the target.]
[You have granted the skill ¡°Poison Resistance (S)¡± to the target.]
[You have granted¡.]
[The rank of the granted ¡°Poison Resistance¡±: B]
[Duration 00:14:58]
[Cooldown 09:19:58]
I granted [Poison Resistance] to four people.
However, that alone left the rank a bitcking,
So I¡¯ll have to amplify it.
[Activated ¡®Octopus Limbs¡¯]
[Activated ¡®Amplification¡¯]
[The rank of ¡®Poison Resistance¡¯ has been increased. (B¡úS)]
[The rank of ¡®Poison Resistance¡¯¡¡]
After I amplified the poison resistance granted to the four people, I also amplified my own skills.
[The rank of ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ has been increased. (C+¡úA+)]
[The rank of ¡®Overheat¡¯ has been increased. (C¡úA)]
[The rank of ¡®Wind Force¡¯ has been increased. (C+¡úA+)]
[The rank of ¡®Spiral Explosion¡¯ has been increased. (C+¡úA+)]
[The rank of ¡®Chillwind¡¯ has been increased. (E+¡úC+)]
[Duration 00:04:58]
[Cooldown 40:29:58]
Casting back-to-back with [Octopus Limbs] triggered a huge penalty. The cooldown of [Enchantment] was increased by 16 times and the cooldown of [Amplification] was increased by a staggering 81 times.
Both skills were effectively sealed for the next few days.
Still, it had been worth it.
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
The corners of everyone¡¯s lips subtly lifted.
Just a moment ago, there had been a tangible tension in their gaze toward the Twin Demons. Now, though, they wore expressions that seemed to ponder how best to handle these enemies.
I also snickered and said,
¡°Let¡¯s finish this in five minutes.¡±
Chapter 242: No. 88 The Gathering of Villains (6)
The Twin Demons stared at us with baffled expressions.
Just a moment ago, we had been nothing but serious, so seeing us all grinning together must have been unnerving.
¡°¡Have these fools all gone mad?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s begin. There¡¯s no point wasting time with chatter.¡±
I cut off the conversation deliberately.
With only five minutes left on the amplification duration, there was no room for dy.
The Twin Demons hardened their expressions again, though they seemed to agree that time was too precious to waste.
Both of them raised their energy at the same time and scattered their power in all directions.
Pop pop pop!Typical strategy.
They spread their poison far and wide to take control of the space, with the goal of slowly poisoning us all. Their n was also to identify any weaker opponents andy the poison on them for maximum effect.
However, what they hadn¡¯t ounted for was,
I have S-rank poison resistance.
With Wind Barrier wrapped around my body, I charged straight at the paralyzing demon.
After taking a few hits, the Wind Barrier started to crumble and the poison began seeping into my body, but I ignored it and closed the distance between us.
¡°This bastard¡?¡±
The paralyzing demon¡¯s eyes widened in shock.
In all his life, he had likely never encountered an opponent as recklessly daring as me.
But his shock onlysted a moment before he swung at me with both fists.
I dodged his arm by a hair¡¯s breadth and drove my Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger right into him.
Thud.
Got one hit in.
I then stepped back to create some distance to regroup,
¡°You!¡±
The paralyzing demon pursued me as if he was unwilling to let me go.
When his palm struck toward my head, I tilted slightly to avoid it. When he aimed a blow at my abdomen, I diverted it with a gentle twist of my waist.
The demon hesitated for a moment just as he was about tounch another attack, then stepped back.
Swish, swish, swish!
Shadow des shed through the spot he had just vacated.
Dang Gyu-young had intervened.
Shadows rose from beneath her feet and ced daggers in her hands, which she threw quickly, one after the other.
Taking advantage of the distraction, I nced over to check on the corrosive demon. He was being handled by Go Hyeon-woo, Jang Moo-geuk, and Chae Da-bin.
Good.
The Twin Demons were difficult to deal with when they were together, having perfected their teamwork over many years. Now that they were naturally separated, I could focus all my attention on the paralyzing demon.
Swish, swish!
¡°You¡¯re getting on my nerves.¡±
The paralyzing demon scowled as he dodged the iing shadowed daggers, then unleashed a barrage of energy attacks in Dang Gyu-young¡¯s direction.
Pop, pop, pop!
Thanks to her nimble movements, none of the attacksnded, but from each point where his energy had struck, a thick poisonous smoke began to rise.
Seeing this, a sinister smile crept across the paralyzing demon¡¯s face.
He was a master of poison techniques.
Even if his attacks missed, he could gradually cover the area with poisonous smoke, so he wasn¡¯t at a disadvantage.
No matter how agile the opponent was, as long as they were human, they¡¯d inevitably inhale some of that smoke over time, and soon Dang Gyu-young would sumb to paralysis and copse. Or so he calcted.
That¡¯s assuming she doesn¡¯t have poison resistance.
With her resistance holding at S-rank, she¡¯d likely be fine standing amidst the poisonous spoke for at least five minutes.
Sensing it was time to go back on the offensive, I called out to Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Support me.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Then I activated Wind Barrier andunched myself forward.
Whoosh!
The distance between me and the paralyzing demon closed quickly.
Maybe remembering that I had just struck him with the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger, the paralyzing demon kept a cautious distance between us and continued to unleash his energy.
I didn¡¯t push too hard and kept pace while continuously casting Wind Barrier.
As I followed, shadow butterflies began gathering around the paralyzing demon one by one, until in an instant, more than a dozen had swarmed around him.
[Dream of Shadow Butterflies]
They suddenly dissolved and clung to the paralyzing demon¡¯s body like a sticky, viscous liquid.
¡°Hmm!¡±
The paralyzing demon immediately generated a protective energy to shake them off, but in that brief moment, I drove the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger into him.
Thud.
Only then did his expression harden, as though he just suddenly realized something important.
The cold air spreading through his meridians and my index finger that was frozen solid.
¡°¡The Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger!¡±
¡°So, you recognize it.¡±
¡°You¡¯re from the Demonic Cult? A young one, yet skilled in powerful martial arts.¡±
¡°Oh, thank you for noticing. I just learned this. Care to try it?¡±
It was the perfect chance to test out my newly acquired skill.
I extended a hand toward the paralyzing demon, and a chilling wind swept toward him.
[Chillwind]
[Twister]
Whoooooosh¡ª
¡°What ¡?¡±
Perhaps sensing the danger, he immediately dodged to the side, but his movements were oddly sluggish.
Though he managed to avoid Twister, he couldn¡¯t fully escape the range of the Chillwind which slowed him down.
And on top of that, the Chillwind had a second effect: Cold Enhancement.
The cold energy I had infused into Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger spread even faster.
Whoooooosh¡ª
I continued to direct Chillwind to pursue the demon, and the paralyzing demon began to tremble like an aspen tree, perhaps because he felt the cold air through his eyes.
¡°You damned bastards¡!¡±
Nevertheless, the demon gathered his energy and began to unleash poisonous attacks on us with renewed intensity.
By now, he likely expected that either I or Dang Gyu-young would soon copse under the umted poison.
Whoooooosh¡ª
Waves of chilling wind shed repeatedly with the poison attacks imbued with paralyzing poison.
Each exchange only deepened the suspicion in the paralyzing demon¡¯s expression.
¡°What in the world are you two¡?¡±
By this point, even a small sign of poisoning should have been visible, yet both of us continued moving as if unaffected. This only made him suspicious.
¡°Are you both immune to poison?¡±
¡°Something like that.¡±
Though, to be fair, we¡¯re not quite at full immunity.
In the end, it was the paralyzing demon who sumbed first.
Even while beingchased by Chillwind, he had continued moving and attacking. Well, until his feet froze in ce.
After being hit twice by the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Fingers and the effects of the Chillwind, his entire body finally froze.
Then the ground beneath his feet turned pitch ck, and countless long shadow thorns rose up and pierced his body.
Thud thud thud!
¡°¡¡!¡±
Unable to even scream, the paralyzing demon red at me with bloodshot eyes.
Then, after he got impaled by the shadow thorns, he slumped forward lifelessly.
¡°You bastard!¡±
The corrosive demon saw this and let out a cry of anguish.
He then began to shake with fury.
¡°You miserable bastards. I¡¯ll tear you apart!¡±
Then he unleashed his energy in all directions with even more ferocity than before.
Pop, pop, pop!
It was a desperate determination. As if he wanted to take at least one or two of us with him even if he fell here.
Go Hyeon-woo barely deflected the energy and stumbled back a few steps.
¡°Urgh¡!¡±
Until now, he managed to push back the corrosive demon, thanks to Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s joint attack, Chae Da-bin¡¯s drones, and his own poison resistance. But as soon as the enemy charged with a resolve for mutual destruction, he began to be relentlessly driven back.
It was difficult enough for Go Hyeon-woo to hold his ground; if he was to strike the enemy down, it would take considerable time.
[Duration: 00:02:08]
Another problem was that the amplification¡¯s duration was now less than halfway remaining.
There was nothing to be gained from dragging out the fight.
Let¡¯s end this quickly.
I signaled to Dang Gyu-young with a look.
Dang Gyu-young then sank down into her own shadow, while I moved into the corrosive demon¡¯s blind spot as stealthily as possible.
And then I stepped forward.
[Ghost Dance]
Just like during the trial, it felt as if invisible footprints were appearing between me and the corrosive demon.
When I moved along those footsteps, my body slid forward as if I had turned into a ghost.
In no time, I was close behind the corrosive demon and I drove the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger straight into his back.
Thunk.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Only then did the corrosive demon turn around and look at me.
His eyes were wide open, almost as if they were being torn apart. This was because he hadn¡¯t noticed me sneaking in close enough to strike with deadly precision.
Perhaps too shocked, he stood frozen for too long.
Dang Gyu-young jumped out with a shadow leap, bound him tightly, and gave Go Hyeon-woo the perfect opportunity to sh diagonally with his magic sword.
Srrk!
Then, Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s voice rang out.
¡°Well done.¡±
Thud!
A long, needle-like de pierced through the corrosive demon¡¯s upper body, sticking out the other side.
As to be expected from an assassin, Jang Moo-geuk had waited for the perfect moment tond the finishing blow.
When the corrosive demon¡¯s crumbling body fell, Jang Moo-geuk withdrew his sword and looked over at me.
¡°So, that¡¯s the ghost dance. It¡¯s not just fast; its stealth abilities are astounding. Even while I was watching, you vanished for a moment. The stories I¡¯d heard hardly did it justice.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a truly remarkable technique. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±
It was, after all, the ghost dance technique that had brought him into the dungeon. Now that he¡¯d seen its performance firsthand, he was sure to be excited.
But this wasn¡¯t the best time to focus on the ghost dance.
¡°Good work, everyone. First, let¡¯s start with the antidote.¡±
Everyone was dealing with a gradual umtion of poison.
Even though Go Hyeon-woo and I had [Hundred Poisons Immunity], it wasn¡¯t enough to fully guard against the deadly poison used by a mid-boss B-rank poisoner.
Moreover, [Poison Resistance] only reduced the damage from poison after it had already entered the system; it couldn¡¯t prevent poisoning itself.
Even as an S-rank skill, its limitations were clear.
[Duration: 00:01:02]
Moreover, soon the [Amplification] would end, and everyone¡¯s poison resistance would drop from S to B, meaning the damage would starting in rapidly.
If the enchantment goes away as well, they might end up copsing and coughing up blood.
The poison needed to be dealt with before that happened.
I turned to Dang Gyu-young and asked,
¡°Do you have any antidote? If not, we can use this.¡±
In my hand was a basic elixir I had received from Angel Gap-doo.
If she didn¡¯t have anything suitable, I intended to share this with the group.
But Dang Gyu-young immediately stopped me.
¡°Why use that? It¡¯s too precious.¡±
After that, she pulled a few antidotes from her inventory and handed them out.
¡°As expected, you¡¯re prepared.¡±
¡°Of course. I¡¯m still part of the main family, after all.¡±
Though she hadn¡¯t mastered the Dang family¡¯s secret techniques, she had once been a direct descendant, which meant she had extensive knowledge about poisons and always carried antidotes with her.
She even used that knowledge to apply poison to the dimensional crow before.
Once we dealt with all the poison, I looked around to see two small chests ced near where the twins had fallen.
[Gathering of Viins Random Box (B)]*2
Unintentionally, we just earned rewards by joining in this ¡°boss rush¡± raid.
These would be divided upter.
Dang Gyu-young gazed off into the distance. Her expression was a mix of worry and skepticism.
¡°Did Pang Mi-ryeong and her team get tangled up somehow? Looks like they let them slip by.¡±
¡°Seems that way. We¡¯ll probably hear from them soon.¡±
Sure enough, just a momentter, themunicator rang like a ghost.
After a quick exchange of nces between us, Dang Gyu-young put on an innocent expression and answered while feigning ignorance.
¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡±
¨C There¡¯s been¡ a bit of a problem.
¡°Oh? What, did something blow up?¡±
¨C ¡Yes, Team 2.
Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s voice came through. It was low and tinged withplex emotions.
Apparently, it was Team 2 that had faced the Paracorrosive Twin Demons before we did.
Judging by her call, it seemed they took a fair amount of damage.
Well, we already took them down.
There was obviously no reason for us to tell her that just yet.
We had to keep the upper hand after all.
Chapter 243: No. 88 The Gathering of Villains (7)
Humans were crafty creatures; their mindset when borrowing money differed from when it was time to pay it back.
And right now, Pang Mi-ryeong was in the position of needing a loan.
Sure, she¡¯d appreciate knowing that we had dealt with the Paracorrosive Twin Demons, but any reward for that would be on her terms.
On the other hand, if we started with negotiations, we could tailor it to our liking.
Dang Gyu-young knew this too, which was why she kept it under wraps for now.
After taking themunicator from her, I spoke in a deliberately regretful tone.
¡°Senior-nim, didn¡¯t I advise you to avoid the Twin Demons if possible?¡±
I¡¯d even mentioned it two or three times in the strategy guide.
If I didn¡¯t have an S-rank [Poison Resistance], I would¡¯ve done whatever it took to steer clear of them myself.Like blowing them away with Wind Force and making a run for it.
¨C ¡¡.
A faint sigh came through themunicator.
I could almost picture Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s troubled expression.
¨C ¡I know. I did warn them, but they must have thought it was worth a shot.
The Team 2 leader had probably been feeling overconfident, given how smoothly things had been going with the strategy.
Not realizing, of course, that it was entirely thanks to the guide.
Amidst their false bravado, they had taken on the Twin Demons and suffered huge losses as a result.
Another team acting on its own was beyond Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s control, and it was pointless to dwell on things that were already done, so I kept the conversation moving forward.
¡°I¡¯m assuming you reached out because you need our help.¡±
¨C That¡¯s right.
¡°I¡¯d like to get a sense of the big picture first. How many did you manage to take down?¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong paused in silence before responding.
¨C Altogether, we¡¯ve got six. Team 1 is investigating the legacy, Team 2 is recovering like I mentioned, and Team 3 is continuing with the raid.
¡°And the n going forward?¡±
¨C Team 3 should be able to take down two more, and if Team 2 recovers quickly, they might manage at least one.
¡°Still, that leaves us pretty short.¡±
Even adding it all together, that only made nine demons down.
Far from the dungeon-clear target of twelve.
They were missing the contribution Team 2 would have provided.
It seemed Pang Mi-ryeong was thinking the same thing, as a sigh came through themunicator once again.
¨C What else can we do? We¡¯ll just have to work harder. So, can you give us a hand?
¡°¡¡¡±
Instead of replying, I nced sideways and Dang Gyu-young took themunicator from me.
¡°First, I¡¯d like to hear what you¡¯re offering.¡±
¨C I¡¯ll split a bit more of the clear rewards with you.
¡°How much?¡±
¨C Just take down one more. No, make it two, and I¡¯ll give you one random box.
Items from a B-rank random box were of fairly high value, after all.
Since we had already taken down two demons, this would mean getting one more box at no extra cost.
But we weren¡¯t about to settle for that.
Dang Gyu-young responded. She sounded anything but impressed.
¡°Sorry, but that doesn¡¯t exactly motivate us. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re a team of third-year seniors; there are three first-years here. There¡¯s no reason for us to take on that kind of risk.¡±
¨C ¡Fine. Whatever you want. Name it.
¡°What about the legacy thing¡ª¡±
¨C Except for that.
Pang Mi-ryeong cut her off firmly.
No matter how bad the situation was, she wouldn¡¯t budge when it came to the Blood Ghost de Demon¡¯s hidden treasure.
After all, that was the very reason this raid had been put together in the first ce.
It seemed Dang Gyu-young had only been testing the waters, judging by how easily she tossed out her next proposal.
¡°Then, give us three.¡±
¨C ¡Three random boxes?
¡°Yes.¡±
¨C That¡¯s too many. Let¡¯s make it two boxes for two kills.
Apparently, she found this eptable, as Dang Gyu-young nced at me to gauge my opinion.
I took themunicator again and replied,
¡°Please make it three.¡±
¨C I¡¯m telling you, that¡¯s too many. There are limits to what I can authorize on my own. Even two will raiseints.
¡°In exchange, we¡¯ll take care of one more target.¡±
Like I heard earlier, Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s side could handle nine of the demons without problems.
If we added three more to that tally, the clear conditions would be met.
Of course, two of those targets were already down.
Pang Mi-ryeong asked with a hint of curiosity and a touch of concern in her voice,
¨C ¡Are you sure about this?
¡°Let¡¯s give it a try. I¡¯ll let you know if it¡¯s too much.¡±
¨C That would be best. Even two kills will be more than enough, so don¡¯t overdo it.
¡°Just one more thing. On our way back up, could we get a little assistance?¡±
As the raid was moving into itster stages, we would need to think about how we would exit the dungeon afterward.
Though honestly, if we had no other option, getting captured wouldn¡¯t be a big deal.
Getting caught on the way down would have been a huge risk that could have possibly stopped the whole raid, but on the way up it would only happen after we already collected everything we came for.
At worst, we¡¯d just get a few penalty points and be done with it.
Still, it¡¯s better if we don¡¯t get caught at all.
When we broke through the C-floor, we had used the amplified version of Dang Gyu-young¡¯s [Shadow Leap], and luck had been on our side as well.
But for now, ¡°amplification¡± was sealed, and there was no guarantee we would be that lucky again.
So I asked if there was any other way,and Pang Mi-ryeong who seemed to think that we were now on the same side readily agreed.
¨C That¡¯s no problem at all.
¡°Thank you.¡±
¨C Let¡¯s keep in touch then. If anythinges up, let me know immediately.
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
After themunication with Pang Mi-ryeong ended, I turned to the party members and started speaking.
¡°As you all heard, we just need to take down one more.¡±
¡°Good thing we kept quiet about it.¡±
Dang Gyu-young added with a satisfied smile.
¡°We managed to get a lot out of it.¡±
Then she double-checked,
¡°So if we take down one more, we get six boxes, right?¡±
¡°Right, six.¡±
Each time we defeated a mid-boss, we earned one B-rank random box which added up to three. And with the three more that Pang Mi-ryeong would provide, that brought us to a total of six.
It was the equivalent of a medium-sized B-rank dungeon reward.
Dang Gyu-young asked again,
¡°Are we giving up on the other hidden pieces?¡±
¡°Not much choice. We¡¯ll handle this first and only grab it if we have time.¡±
¡°Still, six random boxes are plenty. Da-bin.¡±
¡°Yes, president.¡±
Chae Da-bin quickly tapped on her tablet as if she understood Dang Gyu-young¡¯s intention.
In response, drones rose high into the sky from a travel case and scattered in all directions.
The tablet screen then split, each view showing a different drone¡¯s feed.
We wanted to pinpoint the exact location of each demon before moving in.
Having a support like this really makes things easier.
An information-based role like Chae Da-bin¡¯s might not stand out in direct battle, but it greatly reduced the strain in other areas.
Strategy guides only gave a rough idea of the demons¡¯ general range, but they couldn¡¯t track their constantly shifting positions.
As everyone watched the split screens in fascination, several figures moving swiftly across some of the views appeared.
They had located the demons.
Chae Da-bin pointed to a screen and asked,
¡°Found them. Which one are we targeting?¡±
¡°It seems the Bloodlust Demon is still around. Let¡¯s go with that one.¡±
It didn¡¯t matter to us how strong or weak the demon was, as long as we hit our quota.
In that regard, the Bloodlust Demon was an ideal target.
It was practically the weakest thing in the area.
Compared to the other demons, this one¡¯s skills were about half a level to a full level lower. If the Twin Demons each ranked around mid-B level as bosses, this one was closer to a C or C+ rank.
It was likely even weaker than the Alpha Ogre.
No need for all five of us to swarm it¡
I pointed my chin at the Bloodlust Demon on the screen and asked Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°Think we can take it down if we go with the same setup as before?¡±
¡°Myself, Jang-hyung, and Senior Chae, you mean?¡±
¡°Yeah, just the three of you.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo rested his chin on his hand, thought for a moment, then answered.
¡°I can¡¯t guarantee with absolute certainty, but we should have a solid chance of winning.¡±
I nced over to see that Jang Moo-geuk and Chae Da-bin seemed to share his opinion.
They had pushed through against one of the Twin Demons with just the three of them, so this weaker Bloodlust Demon should be much easier.
I made a suggestion.
¡°Then let¡¯s split up just this once.¡±
While Go Hyeon-woo and the other two took down the Bloodlust Demon, Dang Gyu-young and I would recover a different hidden piece.
They had memorized the entire strategy guide, so there was nothing they didn¡¯t know. Moreover, they had wlessly executed every order I gave them so far.
Even though the odds of sess were high, it wasn¡¯t 100%, so it was ultimately just a suggestion.
¡°If you want to y it safe, we can go together; if you think it¡¯s doable, take it on yourselves. Either way works, so no pressure.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo hesitated for a moment, then resolved himself and replied.
¡°If we¡¯re afraid of even this little danger, we¡¯ll never grow. I¡¯ll give it a go. Leave it to us.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
After a few additional reminders, we split into two groups.
¡°Well then, Kim-hyung, good luck.¡±
¡°You too.¡±
The three of them quickly sped off into the distance and used their movement techniques to disappear from sight.
After watching them go, I began walking alongside Dang Gyu-young.
When I nced over, I noticed that she was also sneaking a sidelong look at me. A faint, mysterious smile lingered at the corners of her mouth.
¡°Why are you smiling?¡±
¡°Can¡¯t I smile?¡±
¡°You can, but there must be a reason.¡±
¡°Just feeling good that things are working out well.¡±
Dang Gyu-young answered in a calm tone and quickly changed the subject.
¡°So, we¡¯re heading to that ce from before, right?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±
We had been interrupted earlier by the sudden appearance of the Twin Demons, but now that the obstacles were out of the way, there was no reason not to go.
So we turned and began heading toward the city.
Even as we entered the marketce, there were few people around.
The atmosphere was tense, and the expressions of the few passersby we did see were filled with fear.
With demons roaming everywhere and skilled warriors, including Paeng Mi-ryeong¡¯s raid team, frequently shing with them, it was a ssic case of shrimp caught in the whale¡¯s battle for themon people.
As a result, most inns and taverns had shut their doors and there were few vendors on the streets.
Dang Gyu-young clicked her tongue in mild disappointment as she took this in.
¡°I was hoping to pick up a few things, but it looks like everything¡¯s closed.¡±
¡°If we look around carefully, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find something. Let¡¯s finish our task and then browse.¡±
¡°Huhum, sounds good.¡±
Soon, we arrived at a fairlyrge manor.
Its walls were correspondingly high, but we already had experience leaping up to rooftops.
We jumped over the wall at the same time and started scanning the grounds.
There were traces of people here and there but,
¡°Not that many.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve got to make the most of times like this.¡±
That¡¯s what we came here for, after all.
Dang Gyu-young narrowed her eyes at me.
¡°The more I look at you, the more you seem like a thief.¡±
¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong. I¡¯ll admit it.¡±
¡°How about joining the club when we get back?¡±
¡°No thanks.¡±
Dang Gyu-young was constantly on the lookout for a chance to rope me in.
Of course, I was determined to stay unaffiliated, so I refused again.
But she seemed unusually persistent today.
¡°Then how about bing an honorary member?¡±
¡°Is that even a thing?¡±
First time I heard of it.
Dang Gyu-young answered with confidence.
¡°I just created it. It¡¯s within the club president¡¯s authority.¡±
¡°Why waste your authority on something like that?¡±
No doubt she¡¯d find a way to sneak me in as a full member after making me an honorary one.
This was a good time to change the subject.
¡°Let¡¯s just get going.¡±
Dang Gyu-young pouted in frustration, but she seemed to agree that we needed to move.
We couldn¡¯t stay perched on someone else¡¯s wall forever.
A ck butterfly fluttered gracefully into the manor below.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 244: No. 88 The Gathering of Villains (8)
The sun was high in the sky, and broad daylight wasn¡¯t exactly the best time for stealing.
Of course, Dang Gyu-young was an exception.
Anywhere you go, there¡¯s always shade somewhere, and she was a master of shadows.
Swish¡ª
We used the shadowy ces to sneak into the manor, and when there was nowhere to hide, Dang Gyu-young made a temporary shadow by summoning a shadow butterfly.
She paired that with [Shadow Leap] to teleport us. This allowed us to steal what we needed and slip out nearly undetected.
While the manor was vast, it didn¡¯t hold any gold, jewels, elixirs, or legendary weapons, but it did have something of equal value.
Dang Gyu-young was quickly flipping through the pages of an old, worn book.
[True Interpretations of Heavenly Formations (B)]True Interpretations of Heavenly Formations was a high-level book on formation techniques, and as a B-rank text, it held some advanced insights.
Even though none of our party members used formation techniques, quite a few students at the academy did.
Dang Gyu-young closed the book and spoke.
¡°This will be something that Jegal So-so will love.¡±
¡°Please handle the sale.¡±
Jegal So-so would definitely be interested in True Interpretations of Heavenly Formations, and as the vice president of the Swordsmanship Club, she would probably pay well for it.
I could have handled the trade myself, but Dang Gyu-young was closer to her, so I decided to leave it to her.
¡°What now?¡±
¡°First, let¡¯s check on the situation over there.¡±
It had been some time since we sent Go Hyeon-woo and the others to take care of the Bloodlust Demon, and even more time had passed while we carried out this theft. ?
So by now, there was likely news?
When I sent a message, the response came in just three seconds.
¨C Kim-hyung.
¡°How did it go?¡±
¨C It was resolved without much difficulty, thanks to Jang-hyung and Senior Chae¡¯s help.
¡°Good work. So, what are you nning to do now? You can either join us or kill some time over there.¡±
¨C I recall there¡¯s a ce nearby that Kim-hyung pointed out. I¡¯d like to investigate it.
¡°You remembered that?¡±
There was indeed a hidden piece near the Bloodlust Demon¡¯s activity zone.
Although I had mentioned it in the strategy guide, I thought he might have forgotten due to the urgency of the situation. Yet, he made sure not to overlook it.
His thorough execution of the tasks assigned to him wasmendable.
Moreover, he had managed to work smoothly with Jang Moo-geuk and Chae Da-bin, despite it being their first time coborating. At this rate, when we eventually form arge raid team, Go Hyeon-woo seemed like a solid candidate for a team leader position.
¡°Anyway, do as you see fit. Our location isn¡¯t great, so we¡¯re just nning to take it easy for now.¡±
¨C Hmm, understood.
While Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s side had a hidden piece nearby, we would need to travel a significant distance to reach our next destination.
Moving now at thiste stage of the raid could throw off our timing, and forcing it could lead to unnecessary risks. It was better to be satisfied with what we had achieved so far.
Go Hyeon-woo understood this as well and readily agreed.
¨C Then, let¡¯s meet up when it¡¯s over.
¡°Yeah, good job.¡±
Themunication ended.
Dang Gyu-young who had been listening beside me asked,
¡°So, we¡¯re done now?¡±
¡°Yes, we¡¯re done.¡±
Like we nned before entering the manor, I intended to buy some local specialties or snacks if we came across any.
While we were walking side by side, Dang Gyu-young suddenly started talking.
¡°Hey, Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about something.¡±
¡°About what?¡±
¡°Why did you send those three ahead and leave just the two of us here?¡±
Judging by the narrowing of her eyes as she looked at me, it seemed she had figured something out.
To be honest, the manor¡¯s defenses weren¡¯t that strict. If I had wanted to steal something, I could have done it alone.
Even so, there was a reason I specifically brought Dang Gyu-young along.
¡°Shadow Leap shuttle, right?¡±
Honestly, I couldn¡¯t deny there was some truth to that. Her ability had made things significantly easier for me.
Still, words can make all the difference depending on how they¡¯re phrased.
¡°Shuttle? That word sounds so negative. There are better ways to put it.¡±
¡°Like what?¡±
¡°For example, something like ¡®high-level personnel¡¯ or ¡®right person in the right ce¡¯. Doesn¡¯t that sound better?¡±
Dang Gyu-young seemed slightly intrigued as if the phrasing had won her over for a moment. But then, her eyes narrowed again.
She must have realized I had only changed the wording without changing the meaning.
¡°You sure know how to talk. But if I¡¯m high-level personnel, shouldn¡¯t I be treated ordingly?¡±
¡°I was nning to do just that.¡±
That answer piqued her interest again.
¡°Really? How do you n to treat me?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s grab something to eat. Do you like dumplings?¡±
¡°Dumplings? Yeah, they¡¯re good.¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°Alright!¡±
We started heading toward the market street.
Just like when we first entered, the market was eerily quiet.
The inns were all locked up as well.
If bandits suddenly barged in or a fight broke out inside, not only would the inn be wrecked, but lives could also be at stake.
However, the important thing here was that they closed up out of fear, not because they didn¡¯t want to do business.
In other words,
¡°If you look closely, there are ces that only pretend to be closed.¡±
¡°Oh, I see.¡±
Of course, there were inns that locked their doors but secretly epted guests.
And I had already figured out which ces were still operating, and among them, which ones served the best food.
I¡¯ve explored every corner of this dungeon after all.
Compared to finding a rare herb in a field of weeds, scouting out these inns was a much easier task.
Eventually, Dang Gyu-young and I stopped in front of one particr inn.
The signboard featured a roughly drawn duck holding an egg with crooked handwriting that read:
¡°Duck egg inn? Do they serve boiled duck eggs or something?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±
As expected, this ce had its doors tightly locked, but I lightly knocked on the closed door.
Soon, the door opened just a crack, revealing a man who seemed to be a shopkeeper peeking out with only his eyes visible.
I asked him in a casual tone, as if it were the most natural question in the world,
¡°Are you open for business?¡±
¡°¡Yes, we are.¡±
The shopkeeper opened the door to let us in, then immediately locked it again once we were inside.
As soon as we entered, I ced my order.
¡°One duck soup and a te of dumplings, please.¡±
¡°Ah, sure.¡±
My rxed demeanor, as if I were a regr, left the shopkeeper with a slightly puzzled expression. But he seemed to decide it wasn¡¯t his concern and headed toward the kitchen.
Dang Gyu-young nced briefly at him before leisurely inspecting the inn.
¡°Not bad, the atmosphere here.¡±
The inn seemed to have been in business for quite a while, as traces of time were evident throughout the ce.
Still, it didn¡¯t give off a dirty or unpleasant vibe, thanks to its neat and tidy upkeep.
We were sitting across from each other at a corner table and started chatting about this and that, when the waiter came out with duck soup and dumplings.
When she looked down at the te, Dang Gyu-young chuckled as if she was amused.
¡°So, this is why they call them duck eggs.¡±
Each dumpling was round and smooth like a duck egg and small enough to be eaten in one bite.
Dang Gyu-young picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks and popped it into her mouth.
After chewing for a moment, her eyebrows shot up in amazement, as though she was genuinely impressed.
¡°This is a real gem. Wow, this is the best dumpling I¡¯ve ever had.¡±
¡°It¡¯s good, isn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s eat.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
For a while, we set aside our conversation and focused on devouring the duck soup and dumplings.
When the te was nearly empty, Dang Gyu-young nced around the inn and spoke.
¡°But it¡¯s a bit disappointing. When will we evere here again? It¡¯s so good, it makes it even harder to leave.¡±
To return to this inn, we would have to enter either [Gathering of Viins] or a dungeon set in this city.
Of course, dungeons like that weren¡¯t exactlymon, and tackling one just for a food tour was absurdly impractical given their high level of difficulty.
In reality, this was both our first andst visit.
I answered casually.
¡°Is this the only good ce? There are plenty of others.¡±
¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯ll take me to other spots too?¡±
¡°You¡¯re high-level personnel, after all. I have to treat you well.¡±
A wide grin spread across Dang Gyu-young¡¯s face as she slyly extended her pinky finger.
¡°Promise?¡±
¡°Promise.¡±
Only after linking pinkies and sealing the deal did Dang Gyu-young finally let go.
Then, as if something else came to mind, she asked another question.
¡°By the way, what are you doing during summer break?¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t decided for sure yet, but I¡¯m nning to stay at Seo Ye-in¡¯s ce for a while.¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s face momentarily froze in confusion, and then the smile slowly disappeared from her lips.
¡°¡Why there?¡±
¡°Remember when we talked about the underground floorst time? Her family was strongly opposed to it, right?¡±
¡°Yeah, they were.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why they want me to visit. Looks like they¡¯re nning to run some kind of test.¡±
If Seo Ye-in participated in underground floor raids, the range of dungeons we could choose from would increase significantly.
So even though I said it wasn¡¯t confirmed yet, the decision to visit Hye-seong Group was almost finalized.
On top of that, ever since Ahn Jeong-mi mentioned it, Seo Ye-in had been throwing invitations at every opportunity which yed a big role too.
¨C Come over.
¨C Come visit my ce.
With invitations like that, it didn¡¯t feel necessary to make other ns.
Dang Gyu-young seemed to understand my reasoning and nodded her head.
¡°Yeah, it sounds like you have to go at least once.¡±
¡°It¡¯s the better option.¡±
However, despite the casual tone of her words, Dang Gyu-young¡¯s chopsticks were pointlessly poking at the duck egg dumplings on her te.
Even the shadow at her feet seemed to darken a bit and swirl in a faint way.
I could guess what might be going through her mind, but I pretended not to notice and replied in aposed manner.
¡°We¡¯ll still see each other during the break.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not spending the whole time there?¡±
¡°Of course not. I¡¯ll also be getting mentoring.¡±
¡°¡Ah!¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s eyes lit up with sudden realization.
The second mentoring session.
The schedule depended on the mentor¡¯s avability and whether the mentees chose to participate, but it was usually held during the summer break.
For Dang Gyu-young, this was her first time serving as a mentor, and since the official notice hadn¡¯t been issued yet, she hadpletely forgotten about it.
¡°If it happens, will youe?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
If it opened, I would participate without question.
Just like the previous mentoring session, quests would be assigned and event bonuses would be up for grabs.
This time, I asked a simr question.
¡°Will you be doing it?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Dang Gyu-young was burning with enthusiasm. She said that she would do it even if it meant putting aside her schedule for the Thieves Guild.
***
After filling ourselves with dumplings, we leisurely strolled through the marketce and bought a few regional specialties.
Since the trio from Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s side was still working hard to secure the hidden pieces, I figured we should prepare some snacks to share with them once everything was over.
Meanwhile, I kept in touch with Pang Mi-ryeong who asked the same question several times in disbelief when she heard about our situation.
¨C Did you really get three kills? Really?
¡°I told you so.¡±
Dang Gyu-yeong answered with a smile.
Only then did it start to sink in, and Pang Mi-ryeong expressed her amazement.
¨C Even just two kills would¡¯ve been amazing. Thanks to you, I can finally rx a bit. Thank you.
¡°How many have we taken out so far?¡±
¨C Including you all, eleven kills. Three teams are working on thest target. It¡¯ll be over soon, so get ready.
¡°Okay.¡±
After giving Go Hyeon-woo a heads-up, I spent some more time sharing some tanghulu (sweets) with Dang Gyu-young.
Soon, the ground began to tremble as if an earthquake had struck, and a teleportation portal suddenly appeared in the distance.
Just as Pang Mi-ryeong had said, it meant the three teams had defeated the final demon and cleared the dungeon.
We exchanged a quick nce.
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
And with that, we walked into the teleportation portal together.
Now all that was left was to ascend without getting caught by the disciplinarymittee.
***
TN: She wants him.
Chapter 245: Dividing Shares
As soon as we exited the dungeon, Dang Gyu-young drew out a massive surge of mana and prepared a skill.
The next moment, our surroundings abruptly shifted and the depths of the dungeon building were revealed. The other participants who had joined the raid also poured out in droves.
Amidst the noise and chaos, the five members of our party and Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s party exchanged quick nces.
As soon as we regrouped, Dang Gyu-young unleashed the skill she had been preparing.
[Shadotcher]
Shadows surged from beneath our feet. They enveloped the five of us before merging with Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s shadow.
Shadotcher.It was a skill that allowed one to conceal themselves within another¡¯s shadow.
Depending on the user¡¯s abilities, it could even hide multiple people at once, just like now.
However, it had a critical w. If attacked, the concealment was immediately broken. For this reason, it was essential to cast it discreetly enough that the host wouldn¡¯t notice or you could just secure their consent beforehand.
Naturally, we fell into thetter category.
Another downside was that the shape of the shadow would not reflect Pang Mi-ryeong alone but would instead disy the clustered forms of the five of us.
If someone were to single out Pang Mi-ryeong and examine her shadow closely, the difference would be obvious at a nce.
Of course, we had thoroughly nned for these drawbacks in advance and made sure that the other members of the raid formed a circle around Pang Mi-ryeong.
Now, no matter which direction the light hit from, the shadows would appear to blend seamlessly. It would be difficult for anyone to notice.
Now that the front of a dungeon grew crowded all of a sudden, a patrol member of the disciplinarymittee started to approach.
The patrol member gave a cursory nce over the raid team members and then asked Pang Mi-ryeong,
¡°Are there any injuries?¡±
¡°None.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a relief. You must all be tired, so go in and rest.¡±
¡°Sure, you too. Good work.¡±
Since the raid had been carried out following proper registration, the disciplinarymittee had no reason to detain them for long.
With that, he left to continue his patrol. He showed no sign of realizing that we were hidden within Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s shadow.
After briefly ncing in the direction he had disappeared, Pang Mi-ryeong spoke,
¡°Let¡¯s go up.¡±
Everyone began heading toward the spiral staircase.
On the way, a third-year student approached Pang Mi-ryeong and handed her an apology.
Judging by the pale expression on his face, it was probably the leader of Team 2 who had gotten carried away and was severely defeated by the Twin Demons. ??
¡°¡I¡¯m sorry. I should have stuck to the n.¡±
¡°You should be sorry. Because of you, the entire raid was almost put in danger. If you pull something like that again, we won¡¯t work with you.¡±
¡°I promise, next time I¡¯ll follow orders to the letter.¡±
The leader of Team 2 repeatedly swore to do better.
While his apologetic demeanor stemmed partly from genuine regret, it was also clear he wanted to salvage his reputation.
If word got out that he was a troublemaker, it wouldn¡¯t just affect the rest of his school year; no raid team would ept him after graduation either.
Then he lowered his gaze to the shadow and offered a word of gratitude.
¡°Thank you, Dang Gyu-young. We avoided major problems thanks to you.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. I just did the job I was paid for.¡±
When Dang Gyu-young responded as if it was no big deal, the leader of Team 2 turned back to Pang Mi-ryeong and spoke again.
¡°I¡¯ll cover the losses myself.¡±
¡°Do as you like.¡±
Team 2 had missed three demons from their quota.
However, because they had made an urgent request to us, the practical loss to the raid team had risen to six random boxes.
To make up for that out of his own pocket, he¡¯d have to sell off a significant portion of his inventory.
Even so, he seemed to have decided that taking an immediate loss was better than damaging his reputation.
As long as he could maintain his position as a party leader and keep moving upward, opportunities would surelye his way in the future.
He knows how to handle himself.
Despite acting recklessly during the raid, his qualities as a leader seemed passable.
Considering the pride he must have in himself, the fact that he apologized in front of everyone and promisedpensation spoke volumes.
Perhaps because of that, the gazes of the other raid members had noticeably softened.
The Pang Mi-ryeong raid team continued their upward march, leaving the depths behind.
On the C-floor, just like when we had descended, the disciplinarymittee maintained a tight defensive perimeter as they carried out their patrols.
Of course, they exchanged only brief greetings and didn¡¯t hold the Pang Mi-ryeong raid team for long.
Among them, Kwak Seung-jae seemed to have caught on to something and started observing the group carefully.
¡°Is there a problem?¡±
¡°No, senior-nim.¡±
When Pang Mi-ryeong asked, he immediately stepped aside.
Dang Gyu-young who was hidden in the shadows whispered quickly to me.
¨C Did you see that? I won, didn¡¯t I? Two to zero, right? Two to zero?
¨C You¡¯re on a roll today.
¨C I told you, it¡¯s an 8-to-2 match against Kwak Seung-jae. He¡¯s no match for me.
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s confidence was soaring.
Even after that, a few sharp-eyed members of the disciplinarymittee sent curious nces our way, but no one managed to detect the concealment.
Well, unless they knew the person hiding was Dang Gyu-young, who would think to examine the shadows so closely?
Meanwhile, the raid team changed elevators several times and quickly reached the D, E, and F floors, and we were finally able topletely leave the underground level.
Perhaps because the raid had taken quite some time, the sky was gradually turning a soft blue, and there were barely any people around.
Even so, Pang Mi-ryeong made onest check to make sure no one was watching before she spoke.
¡°You cane out now.¡±
When Dang Gyu-young immediately deactivated [Shadotcher], Pang Mi-ryeong¡¯s shadow suddenly rose up in a three-dimensional form to reveal the five of us.
¡°Wow. We got out so easily. Thanks a lot.¡±
¡°No, we should be thanking you. Here.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong was already holding three random boxes in her hand.
After exchanging brief farewells with the raid team, we went our separate ways, and likewise, decided to disband for the time being.
The long distances covered and numerous battles fought inside the dungeon had left us all utterly drained.
Dang Gyu-young spoke up.
¡°Get some rest, and let¡¯s regroup after you¡¯ve had a chance to recover. Great work, everyone.¡±
¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±
I spent some time at the training center practicing mana cultivation before taking a short nap.
***
Saturday morning.
At the appointed time, I headed to the thieves¡¯ club room where Dang Gyu-young greeted me as though she¡¯d been waiting.
¡°You¡¯re here. Did you get some rest?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Take a seat.¡±
She led me to the central round table in the clubroom, where an assortment of snacks like dried fruits, jerky, and rice crackers that were bought from the market frequented by thieves were spread out.
It seemed she intended to share them with the party members as a post-mission gathering.
Once I took a seat at one side of the table, Dang Gyu-young sat right next to me and popped a piece of dried fruit into my mouth.
¡°Try this. Isn¡¯t it super sweet?¡±
¡°Oh, it tastes like pineapple.¡±
¡°Right?¡±
Then as if she nned to feed me another piece, she held a sweet treat close to my mouth and was ready to offer it.
Chae Da-bin nced at us briefly with an unreadable expression on her face, then seemed to decide to ignore us entirely and started focusing on her tablet instead. Of course, her hand kept busy, moving back and forth between the snack table and her mouth.
Not long after, Go Hyeon-woo and Jang Moo-geuk arrived at the clubroom only a short time apart.
¡°Hello.¡±
¡°Yeah,e in and sit down. Help yourselves.¡±
We all gathered around the round table and started chatting about what had happened in the dungeon.
As the snacks dwindled and the conversation began to dry up, Chae Da-bin started tidying up one side of the table.
At that moment, Dang Gyu-young stood up and got straight to the point.
¡°Shall we start dividing things up?¡±
Before we could proceed, we needed a clear understanding of what we had gained.
Dang Gyu-young began taking items out of her inventory one by one and cing them on the table.
Two elixirs harvested from the weed field:
[300-Year Tuber fleeceflower (C+)]
[500-Year Tuber fleeceflower (B)]
A bunch of poisonous nts gathered along the way:
[Blood-Spotted Herb (D)] x3
[Short Leaf Herb (C)] x2
[Sharp Leaf Herb (C)] x2
¡¡.
The random boxes received as clear rewards and from Pang Mi-ryeong wereid out.
[Gathering of Viin Random Box (B)] x6
There was also the book we stole from the manor and a hidden piece that Go Hyeon-woo had diligently secured at the very end.
[True Interpretations of Heavenly Formations(B)]
[Grand Azure Elixir (C+)]
Additionally, there was the most crucial item, the Ghost Dance, but since everyone would eventually have a fair chance at it, there was no need to ce it on the table.
Dang Gyu-young nced around the group before continuing.
¡°It¡¯s better not to open the boxes and just divide them as is. Everyone okay with that?¡±
Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.
In cases where two party members, like Go Hyeon-woo and I or Dang Gyu-young and I, had a close rtionship, it wasmon to open the random boxes first and then distribute the contents based on individual needs.
Even if there was some ovep in what we needed, it rarely led to serious conflicts.
However, the five of us here were a temporary party formed out of aligned interests.
For example, while Chae Da-bin and Jang Moo-geuk were friendly with me, it would be a stretch to call us close. Simrly, Go Hyeon-woo and Dang Gyu-young¡¯s rtionship was nothing more than that of senior and junior.
If someone struck gold with an unexpected jackpot from a random box or conversely got nothing but scraps, it could easily lead to hurt feelings.
That¡¯s why Dang Gyu-young decided it was fairest to distribute the random boxes in their unopened state and let each person handle their own box opening.
It was also the less headache-inducing option.
¡°Take one each.¡±
Following the number of party members, each person received one box.
Next, Dang Gyu-young turned to me.
¡°Kim Ho, you choose first.¡±
Considering that my contribution to this raid had been the highest, I was given priority.
Thanks to my strategy guide, we were able to obtain numerous hidden pieces, including the Ghost Dance, and in the battle against the Twin Paracorrosive Demons, I had turned the tide early on with S-rank [Poison Resistance].
I scanned the itemsid out on the table.
Most of them were B-rank and roughly equal in value, but I had already made up my mind.
¡°I¡¯ll take another box.¡±
With the random box enhancement scroll and my ¡°Lucky Charm¡±, it made sense to take a gamble on the odds.
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head readily.
¡°Sure, take the poison herbs too.¡±
The next turn went to Dang Gyu-young and Chae Da-bin.
Both had made significant contributions in the dungeon and had diligently fulfilled their roles as guides to the depths.
If not for their help, reaching the dungeon without drawing the attention of the disciplinarymittee would have been impossible.
Dang Gyu-young seemed to have decided long ago what she wanted. The moment her turn came, she reached for the True Interpretations of Heavenly Formations.
¡°I¡¯ll take this. It¡¯ll fetch a high price if I sell it. Da-bin, do you need this by any chance?¡±
¡°No, I¡¯ll take the elixir instead.¡±
Chae Da-bin shook her head.
As expected, being from the magic engineering field, she didn¡¯t seem particrly interested in items rted to formations.
In the end, Chae Da-bin took the B-rank Tuber fleeceflower, while Go Hyeon-woo and Jang Moo-geuk each chose one of the remaining C+-rank Tuber fleeceflower and Grand Azure Elixir.
With the table now cleared of items, Dang Gyu-young smiled in satisfaction.
¡°This distribution went really smoothly. Now all that¡¯s left is the main dish¡¡±
When she said that, she cast a subtle nce in my direction.
All eyes were brimming with anticipation as they turned to me.
Jang Moo-geuk in particr looked beyond eager. His gaze was practically zing with excitement.
I gave a small smile, then stood up from my seat.
¡°Thank you for waiting. Let¡¯s get going right away.¡±
To obtain the Ghost Dance.
Chapter 246: Ghost Dance
Chapter 246: Ghost Dance
I contacted Shin Byeong-cheol on the way to the training center.
Since he had contributed to the ck Death dungeon raid, it was only fair for him to have a chance as well.
[Kim Ho: Been a while]
[Shin Byeong-cheol: Where are you, hyung-nim?]
[Kim Ho: Training center]
[Shin Byeong-cheol: I¡¯ll be there right away, hyung-nim!]
True to his word, Shin Byeong-cheol came running at full speed.
¡°Ah, thank you so much for calling me.¡±
¡°I promised, didn¡¯t I?¡±¡°Of course! A man¡¯s got to live by keeping his promises, after all.¡±
I nced at Jang Moo-geuk and silently asked for his opinion. He gave a slight nod of his chin in response.
It seemed he had already called Wang Cheon-sam.
We reserved a spacious training room at the training center.
Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, I began setting things up one by one.
As I operated the training room terminal, a square-shaped stage appeared.
It looked very simr to the one-person training area I had seen in the Bamboo Forest.
Next, I retrieved the statues of the demons and goblins from my inventory and arranged them around the stage.
To recreate the Illusion Demon¡¯s formation, the cement of each statue had to be precisely urate, without even a millimeter of deviation.
Fortunately, this setup didn¡¯t require any special skills or knowledge rted to formations.
As long as you memorize everything.
There weren¡¯t many statues; there were barely around ten. So memorizing their positions wasn¡¯t much of a challenge.
A goblin at the eastern corner, a demon opposite it in the western corner, another demon at the next edge¡
I carefully considered the cement and orientation of each statue and positioned them one by one.
Hissssss.
Fog began to spread gradually across the square stage, and the statues of the goblins and demons started to growrger.
Dang Gyu-young who seemed to be interested reached out and lightly touched one of the statues.
¡°This feels like a balloon. I get that it¡¯s an illusion formation.¡±
The fact that we could see the illusions meant that the formation was functioning correctly.
It also meant I was doing it right.
So I continued arranging the statues, and by the time I was finishing up, their sizes had grownrger than a person.
When I turned my back to the stage, Dang Gyu-young asked,
¡°Is it done?¡±
¡°Yes, would you like to go first?¡±
¡°Sure.¡±
Dang Gyu-young stepped onto the stage and positioned herself in the dead center.
Immediately, the fog thickened and swallowed herpletely.
Only her silhouette remained faintly visible.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Curious about how the Illusion Demon¡¯s trial was conducted, everyone focused their attention on the fog and strained their eyes to see.
But Dang Gyu-young¡¯s silhouette remained motionless in the same spot.
The trial wasn¡¯t taking ce on the stage but within the illusion.
Before long, the fog rapidly cleared to reveal Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Ah!¡±
She flinched before regaining herposure, though her expression didn¡¯t look great. It seemed like she had failed.
She probably ended up getting beaten up by the statues, which brought the trial to an abrupt end.
When Dang Gyu-young stepped off the stage, I asked her,
¡°Do you want to take a break before trying again?¡±
¡°No, I¡¯ve got the hang of it now. I should finish it while I¡¯m in the zone.¡±
¡°That¡¯s probably a good idea.¡±
I nodded my head in agreement, and she returned to the center of the square stage.
The second attempt took considerably longer.
When the fog finally lifted, Dang Gyu-young let out a long sigh, but a small smile began to form at the corners of her lips.
She nced to the side briefly; she was likely reading a notification message.
¡°I got it.¡±
¡°You finished quickly.¡±
¡°Two tries were enough.¡±
She smiled triumphantly.
As someone with a thief ss, she probably had confidence in her ability to evade, though I had expected it might take her three attempts.
Managing it in just two meant Dang Gyu-young had more talent than I thought.
Next up was Chae Da-bin.
This time, my prediction was spot on. It took her three attempts to clear the Illusion Demon¡¯s trial.
While her magic engineering skills were exceptional, she seemed tock proficiency in other areas.
That¡¯s why she¡¯s a spiked hexagon on a stat graph.
If she were to face a promising first-year, she might hold her own, but it¡¯d be close?
While I was lost in thought, Dang Gyu-young approached and asked,
¡°So we¡¯re done now, right? Is there anything else to do?¡±
¡°No, nothing. You¡¯re free to go.¡±
Both of them had already learned Ghost Dance, and since the trial took ce within the Illusion Formation, there wasn¡¯t much to oversee.
It was more productive to move on to other tasks.
¡°Rest well over the weekend~¡±
Dang Gyu-young waved her hand yfully in farewell and left the training room with Chae Da-bin.
Next, I turned my gaze to Shin Byeong-cheol and Go Hyeon-woo, and shifted my eyes between the two.
¡°Who¡¯s going first?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t mind taking my time.¡±
When Go Hyeon-woo gave in, Shin Byeong-cheol smirked and raised the corners of his mouth.
¡°Hmph, finally, it¡¯s my turn.¡±
With confident strides, he climbed onto the stage and dered,
¡°I don¡¯t need two or three tries. I¡¯ll finish this in one go.¡±
¡°What¡¯s with the confidence?¡±
Soon, the fog engulfed Shin Byeong-cheol, marking the start of the Ghost Dance trial.
It didn¡¯t take long before¡ª
¡°Urgh.¡±
A deting groan escaped him as he stumbled backward.
It seemed like a goblin statue hadnded a solid blow to his abdomen.
Even so, he didn¡¯t lose hisposure.
¡°I let my guard down. But this time, it¡¯ll be different.¡±
Without hesitation, he jumped into his second attempt.
Of course, the result wasn¡¯t much different.
The third attempt? The same oue.
¡°Urgh.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Neither I, Go Hyeon-woo, Jang Moo-geuk, nor Wang Cheon-sam said a word, but an unspoken understanding formed between us.
Our thoughts were likely the same.
Better not get cocky.
There was always a chance they could end up in the same situation, so keeping quiet was the wisest choice.
Shin Byeong-cheol who was now preparing for his fourth attempt said confidently,
¡°Ah, I¡¯ve got it this time. I¡¯m just going to learn Ghost Dance now.¡±
¡°Hold up, stop.¡±
But I stopped him and said,
¡°You¡¯ve failed three times already, so wait until everyone else has gone once, then try again.¡±
¡°Do we really need to take turns? Wouldn¡¯t it be cleaner if each person kept trying until they got it?¡±
¡°It might be cleaner, but there¡¯s a limit to the number of attempts.¡±
Crack!
As soon as I said these words, a sharp cracking sound echoed through the room.
When we turned to look toward the stage, we saw that a few of the statues had fractured with faint cracks spreading across them.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Everyone¡¯s expressions stiffened slightly.
They had realized that failing too many times could cause them to lose their chance entirely.
Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s once-inted confidence deted in an instant.
¡°¡¡Hyung-nim? I can still try again, right?¡±
¡°Who knows?¡±
It would likely depend on how many attempts the others used.
After ncing at Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s anxious face, I turned my attention to Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°It¡¯s your turn now.¡±
With light steps, Go Hyeon-woo ascended the stage to face the Illusion Demon¡¯s trial.
As expected, he didn¡¯t let me down.
When the fog cleared after his second attempt, a satisfied smile spread across his lips.
¡°I¡¯ve done it.¡±
¡°Well done.¡±
He wasn¡¯tcking in talent either.
Next up were the two assassins.
¡°It¡¯s my turn now.¡±
Unlike Shin Byeong-cheol, Jang Moo-geuk didn¡¯t boldly dere a one-try victory. Still, just before stepping onto the stage, he shot apetitive nce at Go Hyeon-woo; his eyes were brimming with determination.
It was clear he intended to finish in two attempts as well.
And he had the skill and talent to make it happen.
When the fog covered the stage twice and then cleared, a smile identical to Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s was on Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s lips.
¡°Jang-hyung finished in two attempts as well.¡±
¡°One failure is more than enough.¡±
Jang Moo-geuk replied nonchntly.
Next, Wang Cheon-sam stepped forward to take on the challenge.
Like the two martial artists before him, he also seemed determined to clear it in two tries. Unfortunately, his skills were somewhatcking inparison.
¡°¡Hmm.¡±
As a result, he failed twice in a row.
Before he could attempt a third time, I stopped him for a moment.
I lowered my voice and reminded him of an important fact.
¡°Cheon-sam, if you fail again, you¡¯ll end up like Byeong-cheol over there.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°You¡¯ll even have to change your name to Wang Byeong-cheol then.¡±
¡°That can¡¯t happen. I¡¯ll seed no matter what.¡±
With a determined expression on his face, Wang Cheon-sam steeled himself for his third attempt at the Illusion Demon¡¯s trial.
Soon, the fog lifted.
¡°¡Whew.¡±
A sigh of relief escaped from Wang Cheon-sam.
Somehow, he seemed more relieved that he hadn¡¯t be ¡°Wang Byeong-cheol¡± than over sessfully learning the Ghost Dance.
The two assassins approached me. They each offered a word of thanks.
¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I¡¯ve finally obtained the fortuitous opportunity I¡¯ve been searching for all this time.¡±
¡°You kept your promise, so we¡¯ll keep ours.¡±
With that, they handed me a few finely crafted wooden boxes.
The reward Jang Moo-geuk earned by joining this raid as a mercenary was simply a ¡°priority in trade¡±.
The trade itself was a separate matter.
Now that they had acquired the Ghost Dance, they were fulfilling their promised payment.
I decided to inspect the contentster.
After storing the wooden boxes in my inventory, I said,
¡°You¡¯ve all done well. You can head out now.¡±
¡°Will do. Thanks again.¡±
As Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Chun-sam were about to leave, they paused for a few seconds to nce at Shin Byeong-cheol.
He was still the only one who hadn¡¯t obtained the Ghost Dance.
Whatever crossed their minds, they casually turned away and without a word,
Swish¡ª
Swish, swish¡ª
They actually demonstrated the Ghost Dance as they exited the training room.
As he watched their backs, Shin Byeong-cheol put his hand to his forehead with a deep sense of frustration rising in him.
¡°No, seriously, this is just¡ªwow.¡±
¡°Let it go. If you fight them, you¡¯ll lose.¡±
¡°I mean, sure, but¡ªargh,e on.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol seemed to agree with my words and quickly worked to calm his anger.
Or rather, he redirected it.
¡°Fine. Out of sheer spite, I¡¯ll seed no matter what.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol strode up to the stage with determined steps to take his trial.
¡After two more attempts, he finally seeded in acquiring the Ghost Dance technique.
Although the process had its ups and downs, the fact remained that he had obtained a high-performance skill in the end. This made Shin Byeong-cheol look visibly satisfied.
Once Shin Byeong-cheol had departed, only Go Hyeon-woo and I remained in the training room.
¡°Thankfully, everyone managed to seed. I was worried we might run out of attempts before they did.¡±
¡°It was close. There¡¯s really not much left now. At most, two or three more tries?¡±
Unlike when the formation was first set up, the statues now appeared weathered, as though they had aged significantly over time.
Not only were cracks visible in various ces, but some parts had even broken off.
Still, they weren¡¯tpletely destroyed, and the formation was functioning well enough, so it could still be used for the time being.
Since it was a high-level formation, it could have been passed on to Jegal So-so as research material but¡ª
I¡¯ll use it to its fullest before handing it over.
In fact, I had already sent a message for that earlier.
[Kim Ho: knock knock]
[Kim Ho: (cat knocking on door emoji)]
[Kim Ho: (cat knocking on door emoji)]
[Kim Ho: Wake up, please.]
[Seo Ye-in: (sleepy cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: ?]
[Seo Ye-in: (rolling cat emoji)]
[Kim Ho: I¡¯ve got something to show you.]
[Kim Ho: (shy cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: (tilted head cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: ????]
[Kim Ho: Come to the training center.]
Before long, I sensed someone¡¯s presence and turned my head to see Seo Ye-in standing at the door of the training room.
She looked just as disheveled as the cat emoji she had sent earlier.
As usual, it seemed she had just woken up from a deep sleep.
¡°¡¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in stared at me nkly.
Her gaze seemed to ask, ¡°What is it you want to show me?¡±
I took a step forward and adjusted my stance.
¡°Watch closely.¡±
¡°?¡±
Swish
Then I activated the Ghost Dance and my body started gliding forward as though I was sliding effortlessly.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Her gray eyes sparkled brightly.
It was the look she always had when she found something she wanted.
Chapter 247: Swish
[Bullet Time], the ability to seize a fleeting moment.
And [Ghost Dance] which granted incredible speed, evasion, and stealth in the blink of an eye.
The synergy between the two was nothing short of extraordinary.
Because of this, I had already decided that if I had any remaining attempts, I would first give Seo Ye-in the opportunity.
Even though she hadn¡¯t contributed much to acquiring Ghost Dance,
The trade is more than worth it.
If it had been anyone else, I would have started by negotiating terms, but I already had an ideal partnership with the Hye-seong Group.
Even if I acted first and reportedter, they would willingly providepensation.
Especially for a skill as powerful as Ghost Dance.Besides, considering how much I had benefited from the luck of my ¡°Lucky Charm¡±, I tended to be lenient with my calctions as well.
However, the human sloth had a tendency to lose more than half her motivation on weekends.
If I simply asked, ¡°Want toe learn a skill?¡± she¡¯d likely just fall back asleep.
That¡¯s why I opted for a different approach:
The curiosity bait strategy.
After calling her out, I demonstrated Ghost Dance right in front of her and the strategy worked remarkably well.
Seeing Seo Ye-in¡¯s eyes light up with excitement was proof enough.
I casually threw her a question.
¡°Want to learn it?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°This way, please.¡±
I led Seo Ye-in to the square stage and briefly exined the Illusion Demon Trial to her.
I told her there was an illusion formation set up, and once she got inside, the statues would attack her.
¡°¡ªSo basically, you just have to step on the right footprints as hard as you can. Understand?¡±
¡°Understand.¡±
Seo Ye-in nodded her head slowly, then stepped onto the center of the stage and stood still as fog thickened around her like a cloud in an instant.
Go Hyeon-woo watched with a face full of curiosity.
¡°I wonder how many attempts Miss Seo will need.¡±
¡°Probably just two.¡±
¡°I expect that too¡±
But once again, our predictions were spectacrly off the mark.
When the fog cleared, Seo Ye-in nced back and forth between us, then slowly raised one hand and formed a V-sign.
It meant she had seeded.
¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned.¡±
¡°She cleared it in a single try.¡±
It was a level of talent that went beyond overwhelming. It was almost violent talent.
Seo Ye-in stepped off the stage and walked toward us.
I waited until she was close enough, then,
Swish.
I used Ghost Dance to glide backward.
Then I gestured for her toe closer from a distance and saw Seo Ye-in staring at me in silence before¡ª
Swish.
She mirrored my move and used Ghost Dance to glide after me.
Go Hyeon-woo watched the exchange with a warm fatherly smile.
Since the skill had a five-minute cooldown anyway, I decided to cut the yful teasing short.
I reached into my inventory and pulled out two random boxes.
¡°While we¡¯re all here, let¡¯s take care of these.¡±
¡°A good idea.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo eagerly took out a random box of his own. He was clearly pleased with the suggestion.
Seo Ye-in wouldn¡¯t open his own box, of course, but he seemed intent on soaking up some of that lucky energy from nearby.
I pulled out another item.
It was a Random Box Enhancement Scroll.
This was one of the rewards from clearing Main Quest 2-1. There had been two scrolls in total, and Hong Yeon-hwa and I each took one.
I wonder if she made good use of hers.
Surely she didn¡¯t waste it on a D-rank box?
That would be a bit of a shame.
I put those thoughts aside and used the scroll.
[Activated the ¡®Random Box Enhancement Scroll¡¯.]
A bright light seeped into the Gathering of Viins Random Box.
sh!
[Gathering of Viins Random Box (B+)]
[Gathering of Viins Random Box (B)]
The scroll had upgraded one to B+ and left the other at B.
With this, everything was ready.
I presented the random boxes to the Lucky Charm-nim with the utmost respect.
¡°Please, open them.¡±
Seo Ye-in silently epted the boxes and gazed down at them for a moment.
She picked up the B-rank box first and opened it without hesitation.
aa¡ªaash¡ª!
¡°Hmm.¡±
¡°Hmm.¡±
A sh of light that was as bright as a stun grenade exploded outward, but Go Hyeon-woo and I had already covered our eyes. We were well-prepared from past experience.
As the light faded, what appeared was a neatly rolled-up magical scroll.
[Skill Tuning Scroll]
¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen one of these. How does it work?¡±
¡°It¡¯s exactly as it sounds. It lets you adjust the fine details of a skill.¡±
Every skill had various detailed stats, such as power, range, and duration.
Using this item would allow the user to tweak those specifics to better suit their preferences.
This is perfect. I¡¯ve been needing something like this.
However, in terms of value, it was about B-rank. It was useful, but not exactly a jackpot.
Seo Ye-in had apparently opened the B-rank random box first, and it seemed that luck hadn¡¯t yete into y this time.
I still haven¡¯t figured out what her special trait was, but it seemed to be fickle in many ways.
So I asked,
¡°Are you ready to show us now?¡±
¡°¡Not yet.¡±
Seo Ye-in looked at me for a few seconds before shaking her head.
Then she shifted her gaze toward Go Hyeon-woo.
¡°Okay, I shall go first.¡±
¡°Good luck.¡±
¡°Thank you. For some reason, I have a good feeling about this today.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo picked up his random box and gave a small smile.
Even so, the fact that it was a B-rank box seemed to make him a bit nervous, as his hands moved carefully while opening the lid.
a¡ªaaash¡ª!
¡°Oh.¡±
¡°Oh¡¡±
We both let out murmurs of admiration at the same time, as the burst of light was almost identical to the one before.
The simrity of the effect meant that the quality of the item would likely be simr as well.
Once the light faded, Go Hyeon-woo was holding a thick ginseng root in his hand.
[Ginseng of the Guardian (C+)]
¡°A good elixir appeared.¡±
¡°Indeed. It seems your luck isn¡¯t bad at all.¡±
A satisfied smile spread across Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s face.
For a martial artist, an elixir that immediately aided internal energy was far more useful than a mediocre B-rank item. Even if its rank was slightly lower, its practicality made up for it.
Including the Tuber fleeceflower he had acquired, this made two C+ rank elixirs secured from this dungeon raid alone.
However, because the item was lower in rank than the random box, it was ssified as a failure, and one stamp was added to the tally.
[Stamp Coupon (C)]
? Stamps: 6/10
Not bad.
Now, the only thing left was the much-anticipated B+ random box.
¡°Are you ready?¡±
¡°Ready.¡±
At my question, Seo Ye-in gave a small nod and ced her hand on the box lid.
The moment she opened it,
Booom¡ª!
A blinding burst of light apanied by intense energy surged forth.
The force was so powerful it felt as if it was pushing us backward.
Finally, Seo Ye-in was holding a dark blue hoodie instead of a random box.
At first nce, it looked like a mundane item for daily use, but in reality, it was far from ordinary.
[Hidden Master hoodie (A+)]
? Automatic Durability Recovery
? 150% Efficiency for Energy Cirction Training
? Removes Harmful Effects During Small Cirction Training
? Restores Stamina During Large Cirction Training
? Greatly Enhances Sleep Efficiency
It was an item with every single feature focused entirely on Energy Cirction Training, which was essentially mana cultivation.
It provided the efficiency of fifteen hours of training with ten hours of training.
On top of that, its additional effects were nothing to scoff at.
This is practically top-tier.
Considering it was an A+ rank item and that dedicated equipment for Energy Cirction Training was rare, its value was undeniable.
Even Go Hyeon-woo who rarely showed any material desire couldn¡¯t help but cast an envious nce at me.
¡°Wow, even I find myself wanting that.¡±
¡°Nope. You¡¯ll have to be satisfied with the special training room.¡±
Since I practically lived in the training center myself, there was no way I could let this go.
Besides, I wasn¡¯t far from reaching a B-rank [Core], so it wasn¡¯t the time to make sacrifices.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in gently stroked the hoodie. She seemed more interested in its texture than its capabilities.
At a nce, it did look incredibly soft and fluffy.
But no matter how much she admired it, I couldn¡¯t give this to her, so I extended my hand.
¡°Hand it over.¡±
Seo Ye-in hugged the hoodie tightly. She was clearly unwilling to part with it.
As if that wasn¡¯t enough,
Swish.
She activated her Ghost Dance technique and retreated several paces away.
Had her cooldown already reset?
Even so, rules were rules. I slowly shook my head and wagged my finger.
¡°Nope. Come back.¡±
Reluctantly, Seo Ye-in returned and ced the hoodie in my hands.
The moment I received it, I put the hoodie on, pulled the hood over my head, and tugged the strings tight before tying them into a butterfly knot.
¡°Everyone, let go of your greed. This is mine.¡±
Seo Ye-in stared intently at the hoodie as if she still couldn¡¯t let go of her lingering attachment to it.
Then she began to tug lightly at my sleeve before pulling out a thick ck card.
¡°¡..?¡±
¡°Not for sale. Not for sale.¡±
Even after my repeated refusals, Seo Ye-in still couldn¡¯t bring herself to release the hoodie.
She really seemed to want it.
In situations like this, there was no choice but to take special measures.
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you a choice. Option one: spend summer vacation with Kim Ho. Option two: spend summer vacation with the hoodie.¡±
Seo Ye-in looked back and forth between the hoodie and me; she was clearly unable to give up on either.
After agonizing over it for a while, her eyes suddenly widened as if she¡¯de to some realization.
¡°¡Butler?¡±
¡°No, pick one of the two.¡±
***
After sending off Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in, I sat alone in the center of the mana cultivation room.
Though I wanted to test the great performance of the Hidden Master hoodie right away, I needed to take some time for an initial inspection first.
I started with the first item pulled by my Lucky Charm. The Skill Tuning Scroll.
I had been feeling the need for it for some time, and of course, I already knew where to use it.
[Activated the ¡®Skill Tuning Scroll¡¯.]
[Tuning the skill ¡®Amplification (C)¡¯.]
When broken down, Amplification functioned as follows:
It allowed you to designate one skill or trait, either your own or an ally¡¯s, and enhance it by two stages.
The ¡°duration¡± and ¡°cooldown time¡± scaled proportionally to the rank.
Among these factors, the two aspects I couldn¡¯t change were ¡°designate one target¡± and ¡°increase rank by two ranks¡±.
If the number of targets were doubled, the trade-off would be a decrease in rank increase to only one rank.
And so, my focus was on one particr element:
Duration.
Looking back, the battle with the Twin Demons had been precariously close.
The poison resistance I granted my party members had only maintained an S-rank level for five minutes.
If those creatures had decided to change tactics, retreat mid-fight, or prolong the battle into a war of attrition, things could have gone very badly.
Of course, Amplification increased duration and reduced cooldown time as its rank rose.
But that alone wasn¡¯t enough, which was why I decided to tune it.
[Duration]
? 5 minutes ¡ú 10 minutes
[Cooldown Time]
? 30 minutes ¡ú 1 hour 20 minutes
Doubling the duration caused the cooldown to more than double in return.
It was significantly heavier than before.
Still, heavier is better.
I¡¯d likely continue using multitasking skills like Octopus Limbs often, which meant the cooldowns might eventually stretch into days rather than hours.
If I had to wait a long time anyway, it was better to maximize the duration when I did use it.
Besides, in the mid-tote stages, I¡¯d likely acquire time-based skills or items that would make cooldown management much easier.
With the tuningplete,
Now, the real work begins.
I took out the items I had obtained during this dungeon raid.
There were various poisonous nts I had harvested from the weed field, as well as the wooden boxes I had received from Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam in exchange for Ghost Dance.
All of these were gathered for a single purpose.
The Main Quest.
The Witch of Corruption¡¯s main skills revolved around poison.
Even though I already possessed the S-rank skill [Poison Resistance], it wasn¡¯t enough topletely avoid poisoning. This was proved in the battle against the Twin Paracorrosive Demons.
I needed to prepare for a stronger countermeasure.
For example,
Poison Immunity.
Chapter 248: The President, the Vice President, and the Raid Team Leader
Poison Immunity was an S-rank trait.
Naturally, it wasn¡¯t something that could be obtained as easily as it sounded.
However, I was confident that more than half of the preparations were alreadyplete.
There were two main methods to achieve it.
The first was the straightforward approach: gradually progressing step by step through Hundred Poisons Immunity, Thousand Poisons Immunity, and finally Poison Immunity.
The second method was to fuse Thousand Poisons Immunity with another poison-rted trait.
And that other trait was none other than:
Poison Resistance.
By locking in the S-rank Poison Resistance trait with the fixed pin and then reaching Thousand Poisons Immunity, the two traits would naturallybine to be Poison Immunity.Then how could I obtain the most crucial Thousand Poisons Immunity?
I had acquired Hundred Poisons Immunity by consuming the inner core of the Venomous Horned ck Blood Serpent. I gained it at a certain probability.
The same principle applied to Thousand Poisons Immunity.
By consuming the inner cores of poisonous creatures or poisons that Hundred Poisons Immunity couldn¡¯t block, there was a chance to upgrade to the next level.
The only difference was:
The probability is much lower.
As a B-rank trait, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to consume just one or two poisons.
That was why I had prepared so much in advance.
I opened the wooden boxes I had received from Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam.
Immediately, the pungent smells of blood and bitterness filled my senses.
[Inner Core of the Human-Faced Spiderlord (B)]
[Green-Blood Red Leaf Flower (C+)]
[Inner Core of the Desert Python (C+)]
[Inner Core of the White King Snake (C+)]
Since I had traded the opportunity to obtain the Ghost Dance, each of these items held immense value.
When I added the poisonous herbs I had gathered from the weed field to the mix,
The chances should exceed 10%.
Of course, with just a 10% chance, the likelihood of failure was still much higher.
Even so, I remained fairly optimistic about the situation, and the main reason was that this probability was cumtive.
The first time I consume an inner core, the chance of sess would be less than 1%. But as the number of inner cores and poisons umtes in my body, the chances would increase to 3%, 5%, 8%, and so on. R?
Eventually, I was bound to reach Thousand Poisons Immunity, and once the cumtive probability hit 10%, it would be a fairly meaningful gamble.
I¡¯ll also umte quite a bit of mana along the way.
Just like elixirs, poisons also contained powerful energy.
The key difference was that before the energy could be controlled, it harmed the body. However, I could mitigate this damage thanks to my Poison Resistance and the ¡°Harmful Effects Removal¡± effect on my hoodie.
So regardless of sess or failure, I would still be able to amass a significant amount of mana.
Alright, let¡¯s give it a try.
I settled down in the center of the mana cultivation room and popped one of the inner cores into my mouth.
It tasted like a sock that had been soaking in a sewer, but I forced myself to swallow it.
Then I slowly began to guide the mana within my body.
***
In the meantime, Pang Mi-ryeong was sound asleep in her dormitory room.
Since it was the weekend, she nned to catch up on all the rest she¡¯d been missing.
However, that n didn¡¯tst long before it was interrupted.
Knock, knock, knock, knock.
Someone was knocking at her door.
Pang Mi-ryeong groggily opened her eyes and felt a sudden surge of irritation.
Why can¡¯t I even rest on the weekends?
Can¡¯t they just leave me alone for once?
Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock.
The knocking continued relentlessly,pletely ignoring her frustration.
And beyond the closed door, a familiar voice called out.
¡°Hey, Pang! Open the door!¡±
It was none other than Dang Gyu-young.
To be fair, she had somewhat anticipated this.
There were only a handful of people close enough to her to barge into her room on a weekend.
As if the knocking wasn¡¯t enough, messages started flooding in.
[Dang Gyu-young: Open the door, hurry up.]
[Pang Mi-ryeong: I¡¯m outside.]
[Dang Gyu-young: Don¡¯t lie.]
[Dang Gyu-young: I know you¡¯re inside.]
[Pang Mi-ryeong: Whatever, I¡¯m going back to sleep. Bye.]
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!
Dang Gyu-young began pounding on the door even harder.
Almost to the point where it sounded rhythmic.
Pang Mi-ryeong was caught off guard and found herself absentmindedly moving to the beat. Then she realized something.
It¡¯s not just one person.
Although Dang Gyu-young had the ability to summon shadow hands, this felt more like actual human hands knocking.
She had a pretty good idea who else might be involved, and her suspicions were confirmed by the next message.
[Jegal So-so: I brought tteokbokki (simmered rice cake).]
[Pang Mi-ryeong: What vor?]
[Jegal So-so: Hellfire.]
[Pang Mi-ryeong: Extra cheese?]
[Jegal So-so: A waterfall.]
Hellfire Cheese Waterfall Tteokbokki¡just hearing the name was enough to make her mouth water.
Thanks to that, thest traces of her sleepiness faded, and Pang Mi-ryeong got out of bed and headed for the door.
In the meantime, the knocking had escted from rock to full-blown heavy metal.
Tudadada-Tudadada!
¡°Enough. Stop knocking.¡±
When Pang Mi-ryeong opened the door with those words, sure enough, Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so were standing there.
They didn¡¯t look much different from her who had just woken up. Instead of their usual neat and tidy appearances, they wore simple sweatpants and T-shirts.
Of course, Pang Mi-ryeong was used to seeing them like this.
It wasn¡¯t the first or second time these two had barged into her dorm room.
Dang Gyu-young frowned slightly.
¡°Why did you take so long to open the door?¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t you let me know before youe?¡±
¡°Then you¡¯d just go back to sleep.¡±
¡°Ugh.¡±
Knowing that Dang Gyu-young would force her way in no matter what she said, Pang Mi-ryeong gave up and let them both inside.
The three of them pulled out a small table, gathered around it, and ced the tteokbokki in the center.
Even without touching it, the warm heat radiating from the dish made Pang Mi-ryeong feel a little better.
¡°Who bought this?¡±
¡°Byeong-cheol ordered it.¡±
¡°That guy¡¯s quick on his feet.¡±
¡°He¡¯s basically a promising student when ites to running errands.¡±
Being friends with the president of the thieves club had its perks.
You could use an errand promising student to fetch tteokbokki for you.
The moment they opened the delivery container, all three of them let out sounds of admiration at the same time.
¡°Oh.¡±
¡°Wow¡¡±
Inside was a vivid red tteokbokki that looked like moltenva, with a sharp spicy aroma spreading through the air.
Pang Mi-ryeong stirred it lightly with thedle and let out another exmation.
¡°Wow, the cheese is insane.¡±
¡°It¡¯s like a waterfall.¡±
Casting aside all pretense, the three of them began devouring the Hellfire Cheese Waterfall Tteokbokki.
Even Jegal So-so who was usually so careful and calm attacked her food with surprising speed. Though she asionally waved her hand to cool off from the heat.
¡°..¡¡±
In the midst of all this, Dang Gyu-young gazed down at her te with a faint smile.
Something about her expression carried a hint of mncholy, which prompted Pang Mi-ryeong to ask,
¡°Why are you getting sentimental again?¡±
¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think this would taste amazing with dumplings?¡±
¡°Are you a genius?¡±
Now that she mentioned it, dipping fried dumplings or tempura into the tteokbokki sauce sounded perfect. Pang Mi-ryeong made a mental note to order some next time, while Jegal So-so tilted her head curiously.
¡°But why do you have such a wistful look on your face?¡±
¡°It¡¯s just¡ I used to eat dumplings with Kim Ho. It reminded me of that.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong and Jegal So-so exchanged nces.
Lately, Dang Gyu-young had been bringing up Kim Ho¡¯s name and praising him more frequently than ever.
It seemed like she was just about to get started again today.
Still, Dang Gyu-young¡¯s mention of the ¡°Duck Egg Dumplings¡± she had near the end of the raid piqued considerable interest.
Even though Pang Mi-ryeong had entered the same dungeon, she hadn¡¯t even glimpsed such a ce, and the thought left her feeling regretful enough toin needlessly.
¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about it?¡±
¡°Would you have gone if I told you?¡±
¡°¡Well, no.¡±
She was the raid team leader, after all.
With a dozen people under hermand, she couldn¡¯t afford even a moment of indulgence.
Until the very end, she had been too busy thoroughly investigating every corner of the Blood Ghost de Demon¡¯s legacy.
No matter how delicious the dumplings might have been, fortuitous encounters like this always came first.
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head.
¡°Now that I think about it, I never even got to ask. What did you find in there?¡±
¡°One martial arts manual and this.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong pulled a thick de out of her inventory.
A red aura flowed faintly from the hilt to the de¡¯s sheath.
[Blood Ghost de (A)]
¡°¡Wow.¡±
¡°It was worth all the trouble.¡±
Pang Mi-ryeong smiled in satisfaction as she put the Blood Ghost de back into her inventory.
Then she turned the question back to Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Didn¡¯t you guys pick up a lot too?¡±
¡°Mhmm, a little of this and that.¡±
As Dang Gyu-young nced toward Jegal So-so, she also pulled out an old book to show them.
It was none other than the ¡°True Interpretations of Heavenly Formations¡± she had obtained from Kim Ho.
Of course, Dang Gyu-young had paid a price more than sufficient to satisfy him.
Afterward, she nned to study the so-called Ilusion Demon Formation with Kim Ho¡¯s help.
Pang Mi-ryeong marveled aloud.
¡°That guy is impressive. Where does he even learn all this stuff?¡±
¡°He graduated over 200 times, apparently.¡±
Dang Gyu-young replied casually.
Naturally, the three of them weren¡¯t naive enough to take those words at face value.
It seemed far more usible that he had backing from one of the graduates.
Yet, they hadn¡¯t even managed to catch a hint of who that backer might be or which group they belonged to.
Rather than dwelling on that unresolved mystery, Pang Mi-ryeong decided to satisfy a different curiosity.
Specifically, the rtionship between Dang Gyu-young and Kim Ho.
¡°So, what¡¯s the deal between you and him?¡±
¡°What do you mean, ¡®deal¡¯? We¡¯re just good senior and junior, that¡¯s all.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you say you went on a camping trip with him recently?¡±
¡°Why not? And when did I ever say it was just camping? We entered a dungeon and took a short break, that¡¯s all.¡±
Dang Gyu-young responded as if she was exasperated.
At that, Jegal So-so and Pang Mi-ryeong exchanged nces before each chimed in with a serious tone.
¡°Qyu, no matter how you spin it, seniors don¡¯t go camping alone with juniors.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never gone into a dungeon with a junior either.¡±
However, Dang Gyu-young was not shaken by thebined attacks of the Swordsmanship Club members.
¡°Come on, can¡¯t you take a cherished junior out to hang out? Am I the only one who does that?¡±
Just as Pang Mi-ryeong was about to retort, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the only one,¡± Jegal So-so held her back momentarily.
Then, with an even more serious tone, she posed another question.
¡°Qyu, let¡¯s be honest. Would you ever go on a trip like that with Byeong-cheol too?¡±
¡°..¡!¡±
Dang Gyu-young flinched and mped her mouth shut.
When she heard that, Pang Mi-ryeong felt like giving a standing ovation.
As expected of Jegal, she¡¯s sharp as ever.
For Dang Gyu-young, there was no way to im, ¡°Shin Byeong-cheol isn¡¯t a cherished junior,¡± nor could she admit, ¡°Kim Ho is special.¡±
In situations like this, silence often spoke volumes.
It seemed Dang Gyu-young herself was aware of this, as her lips began to pout slightly.
Jegal So-so decided it was time to step back.
¡°In matters like this, pacing is key.¡±
Pushing too hard might cause Dang Gyu-young to close herself offpletely.
That would mean losing one of her small sources of amusement, which was hardly worth it.
So she pretended to agree just enough to let her off the hook.
¡°You know, now that I think about it, it could just be a senior and junior who are a little closer than usual.¡±
¡°¡Right?¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s expression softened a little, as though she liked how that was phrased.
Taking advantage of the moment, Jegal So-so casually slipped in her next question.
¡°So, what would you say is your junior¡¯s most charming quality?¡±
She emphasized ¡°junior¡± deliberately, hoping to lower her guard.
Dang Gyu-young furrowed her brow slightly and remained silent.
She herself had never really given this part much thought before.
Eventually, the answer that came out of her mouth was:
¡°His eyes are cute.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°What?¡±
Jegal So-so and Paeng Mi-ryeong both froze. Their expressions momentarily turned nk.
Kim Ho¡¯s face surfaced in their memories.
Fierce eyes, sinister eyes, scheming eyes stered with hidden intentions. He literally had the eyes of a mastermind crafting dark plots.
¡That¡¯s cute?
Seriously?
Does she actually have this kind of taste?
Or is she so smitten that even that outweighs any preference?
Dang Gyu-young who waspletely oblivious to their thoughts smiled brightly and added,
¡°The more you look, the cuter they get?¡±
***
TN: Oh wow!
Chapter 249: 14th Week Duel Battle (1)
As expected, it¡¯s not working.
I spent the entire weekend alternating between consuming poison and cultivating mana and repeated the cycle until all my stock was exhausted.
Even so, it seemed I was still far from achieving the Thousand Poisons Immunity.
I was hoping it might work in one go just once.
There was a faint hope, just a sliver, that like striking gold, I might suddenly achieve it in one try. But of course, nothinges that easily.
Still, the poison had steadily bolstered my internal energy, so the results weren¡¯t entirely in vain.
I was confident that if I continued consuming poison and cultivating, the Thousand Poisons Immunity wouldn¡¯t remain out of reach for much longer.
There was, however, one thing I regretted.
It¡¯s already Monday.While I was engrossed in mana cultivation, I had effectively erased the weekend.
Even though I felt some regret, I still had to attend ss, so I sent a message to Seo Ye-in.
[Kim Ho: Swish.]
[Seo Ye-in: ?]
[Seo Ye-in: Swish.]
[Kim Ho: Swish~]
[Seo Ye-in: Swish.]
[Kim Ho: Food?]
[Seo Ye-in: Ok.]
I met Seo Ye-in in front of the student cafeteria.
She wore a hoodie over her school uniform. It was a size or two too big, the same one she had been wearing when we first met on the train.
¡°Haven¡¯t seen that in a while.¡±
Seo Ye-in slowly extended her arms forward.
Her sleeves were so loose that her hands werepletely hidden.
¡°Exchange.¡±
¡°For mine?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
I hadn¡¯t expected her to boldly demand a one-to-one exchange.
Of course, that hoodie didn¡¯t look like just any ordinary hoodie.
It seemed to carry the touch of Hye-seong Group¡¯s advanced technology and was probably at least B-rank in quality.
Even so, trading wasn¡¯t an option, so I refused outright.
¡°No.¡±
Seo Ye-in waved her outstretched arms slightly as if insisting I ept the trade.
The loose sleeves swayed along with her movements.
In situations like this.
I grabbed both sleeves and tied them into a knot.
Seo Ye-in looked down at the knot, then raised her head to stare nkly at me.
¡°¡Untie it.¡±
I calmly untied her sleeves, then took the lead.
¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±
You should smoothly divert the topic. It was only natural.
The breakfast menu was instant omelets.
You could choose from a variety of ingredients, including eggs, and take your te to the egg station where they¡¯d make an omelet for you on the spot.
I preferred sticking to the basics, so I piled my te with eggs, plenty of cheese, finely chopped ham and bacon, and a bit of vegetables.
Seo Ye-in nced at my te with curious eyes.
¡°The same?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
I made Kim Homlet No. 2 like I wanted and handed it over to the chef, who skillfully began to shape the eggs into rugby ball shapes.
In the midst of all this, I felt eyes on the back of my head and turned my head,
¡°H-Hello¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa was shyly waving her hand.
It seemed she had noticed us while choosing ingredients for her omelet.
I waved back in response and asked,
¡°Did youe alone?¡±
¡°Mhmm, just today¡¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t mind, join us.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face lit up with delight.
Out of courtesy, I turned to Seo Ye-in and asked her as well,
¡°You¡¯re okay with it, right?¡±
¨C Nod.
Since Seo Ye-in and Hong Yeon-hwa had taken the deserted ind midterms together, they were at least familiar with each other.
Even in the duel battles against each other had led to a healthy rivalry, with wins and losses depending on their progress.
Because of this, I figured having breakfast together wouldn¡¯t feel awkward for anyone.
By the time both Kim Homelets were ready, I gestured with my chin toward an empty table.
¡°I¡¯ll grab us a spot.¡±
¡°Mhmm, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±
I found a table and sat down, side by side with Seo Ye-in.
Seo Ye-in steadily moved her fork. She seemed to be satisfied with the Kim Homelet recipe.
After a short while, Hong Yeon-hwa also returned with a cup of coffee and a freshly made omelet, and then took a seat across from us.
The coffee, as always, was her usual espresso loaded with ck, concentrated bitterness.
And then¡
Why is that so red?
I had no idea what she¡¯d put in it, but sitting on her te was a bright red rugby ball of an omelet.
Even from across the table, the spicy aroma was strong enough to reach me.
While Seo Ye-in subtly leaned back to increase the distance, Hong Yeon-hwa nonchntly went about eating her omelet, as if nothing was unusual.
I quickly adjusted to the spicy scent and, after slicing off a corner of my Kim Homelet with my fork, I decided to strike up a conversation.
¡°Did you rest well that day?¡±
¡°O-Oh? Oh, yeah! I rested well, Mhmm!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa stammered and her eyes darted around nervously.
It seemed like the various embarrassing memories from her mana exhaustion were surfacing.
Judging by how she kept opening and closing her mouth, it was clear she had something to say but couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it.
At times like this, it was best if I took the lead in the conversation.
There was something I was curious about, anyway.
¡°Did you open the random box?¡±
¡°Mhmm¡ I even used an enhancement scroll¡¡±
¡°Is that so.¡±
As I feared, she had used an enhancement scroll on a D-rank box. What a waste.
Of course, it was her choice, so it wasn¡¯t my ce toment.
However, I was a bit surprised by what Hong Yeon-hwa said next.
¡°I got Rank Boosts. Two of them.¡±
¡°Two?¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
Two Rank Boosts would be almost a B-rank or higher reward.
It seemed that while she wasn¡¯t as lucky as Lucky Charm, Hong Yeon-hwa had pretty decent luck.
¡°What about the other one?¡±
¡°From that one¡ I got this.¡±
She replied while showing me a small keychain.
[Ice Golem Keychain (F)]
In some ways, it was even less useful than a teacup.
At least a teacup had practical uses as a lifestyle item, but this was purely a souvenir.
Still, with the two Rank Boosts she¡¯d gotten earlier being such great rewards, the overall haul was a significant gain.
After poking at her omelet a few more times with her fork, Hong Yeon-hwa hesitated before speaking again.
¡°Um¡ so, you know¡¡±
¡°Yeah? What is it?¡±
¡°Well, when are we¡ going back down again?¡±
She seemed curious about the next dungeon trip and Aqua me training.
When she heard that, Seo Ye-in quietly tugged at my sleeve.
¡°Me too.¡±
¡°Nope. You¡¯ll have to wait until summer break.¡±
I firmly refused in a calm yet authoritative tone.
As much as I wanted to sneak her along, I couldn¡¯t risk losing Hye-seong Group¡¯s trust.
I turned back to answer Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s question.
¡°Well, we¡¯ll figure out the next dungeon tripter. Things have been a bit tensetely, haven¡¯t they?¡±
¡°Mhmm, that¡¯s true.¡±
Even we had faced unnecessary trouble during ourst raid when we encountered the Dark Oobleck.
Since a simr situation could happen again, we needed to proceed with caution.
On top of that, like we had confirmed during the Gathering of Viins, the defenses on the lower floors had been significantly reinforced.
It had taken thebined efforts of the thieves club president and vice-president to barely break through, so if we left the navigation to Shin Byeong-cheol, he¡¯d likely be caught immediately.
Until the threat of the Witch of Corruption waspletely eliminated, the situation was effectively frozen.
Hong Yeon-hwa seemed to understand that much, though she also looked a bit disappointed.
I continued speaking.
¡°It shouldn¡¯t take too long. If things go well, the dungeon might reopen as soon as next week.¡±
The faculty wouldn¡¯t just stand by and let the Witch of Corruption keep causing trouble.
They¡¯d likely want to resolve the issue during this week when the dungeons were closed and aim to reopen them for normal operations by next week.
Of course, we¡¯d have to wait and see how things progressed.
Hong Yeon-hwa nodded her head slowly.
¡°Mhmm, let me know once it¡¯s decided.¡±
¡°Okay, and while we¡¯re on the topic¡¡±
¡°¡..?¡±
I pulled up my message window and showed her.
¡°If you have something to say, don¡¯te all the way to our ss, just send me a message.¡±
Having a promising student loitering outside another ss would only stir up unnecessarymotion, and Hong Yeon-hwa wasn¡¯t fond of drawing attention to herself either.
It was a reasonable suggestion, but Hong Yeon-hwa reacted as if it was something she hadn¡¯t even considered.
¡°Can I¡ really do that?¡±
¡°Of course you can. Wouldn¡¯t it be more convenient for both of us?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face lit up with a bright smile.
***
[Hong Yeon-hwa: (waving puppy emoji)]
[Kim Ho: (waving puppy emoji)]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: (tail-wagging puppy emoji)]
¡°Do it after ss.¡±
¡°Sorry.¡±
At Lee Soo-dok¡¯s curt remark, I immediately closed the message window.
Lee Soo-dok nced at me briefly before sweeping his sharp gaze across the ssroom.
¡°Recently, the scores for both duel battles and strategy battles have been notably poor.¡±
¡°It¡¯s obvious that it¡¯s due to the hostile environment, isn¡¯t it? Or am I wrong?¡±
Since it was true, the students kept their mouths shut and merely exchanged nervous nces.
From my perspective, duel battles and strategy battles conducted in hostile environments weren¡¯t all that different from before.
In some ways, they were even easier for me.
But that was only because I possessed overpowered traits like elemental resistance and poison resistance.
Most people don¡¯t have those.
So most students were busy dodging fireballs, avoiding lightning strikes, and staying clear of poisonous gas.
Under such circumstances, it was nearly impossible for them to perform at their best.
¡°It seems many of you are still struggling to adapt. Therefore,¡±
Lee Soo-dok projected a set of rules and an environment map onto the board.
MAP: [cial Zone]
RULE: [Crystals] [Double]
¡°The hostile environments will continue to appear from now on, until you can fully adapt to them.¡±
The students¡¯ faces turned pale.
Perhaps displeased by their reaction, Lee Soo-dok frowned and spoke sharply.
¡°Mark my words, it¡¯s better to go through this now and adapt. If you¡¯re still like this after graduation, it¡¯ll cost you your life.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t need to exin the rules, do I?¡±
By now, everyone was familiar with the Crystal rule. They have encountered it in duel battles, strategy battles, and midterms.
The double rule required no further exnation either.
¡°Use your brains and give it your all. That¡¯s all.¡±
With that, Lee Soo-dok said no more and left the ssroom.
As the students¡¯ murmurs grew louder, I checked the recently arrived side quest.
[Side Quest: 14th Week Duel Battles] (In Progress)
? Objective: Complete 2 duel matches. (-/2 matches)
? Deadline: ~ midnight on Sunday.
? Reward: Varies based on the number of wins. (-/2 wins)
It¡¯ll probably be a random rank up reward.
Since this was another chance to collect a stamp, I nned to clear it with the highest achievement possible, as always.
It was best to get it done on the first day.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in was lying down with her hoodie half-pulled down.
Every single day, without fail, Seo Ye-in dozed off in ss so much that even the infamous human butcher Lee Soo-dok eventually gave up on waking her.
In a way, wasn¡¯t that an achievement of its own?
Still, if we were going to head to the duel battle, I had no choice but to wake the human sloth.
¡°Hey, Miss Seo. Wake up. ss is over.¡±
¡°Miss Seo. Let¡¯s go to the duel battle.¡±
¡°Change¡ my hoodie¡¡±
Even then, Seo Ye-in didn¡¯t budge an inch.
Left with no other option, I decided to take drastic measures.
Whoosh
When I cast [Chill Wind] at the weakest possible strength, a cold breeze swept over her.
At that, Seo Ye-in shivered slightly while still slumped over her desk, then slowly lifted her head.
¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±
She looked around slowly, as if trying to grasp the situation, and finally turned her gaze to me.
It seemed she had figured out that I was the source of the cold wind.
Then, she pulled out the Kim Ho pot from her inventory and gripped it in her hand.
It was clear she was very upset, so I quickly apologized.
¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t like cold wind.¡±
¡°I won¡¯t do it again.¡±
It had been an effective solution, but since it could provoke resentment from the other party, it wasn¡¯t the best option.
This was something to be used only asionally.
Seo Ye-in put the Kim Ho pot back into her inventory and nced around the room again.
Realizing that the ssroom was already half-empty, she asked,
¡°Is it over?¡±
¡°Yeah, ss is over. Let¡¯s go for the duel battle.¡±
¡°
Seo Ye-in slowly got up from her seat.
***
TN: Just noticed the heroines are using cat, fox, and puppy emojis¡ so cute!
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 250: 14th Week Duel Battle (2)
As soon as we arrived at the arena, we scanned our student IDs on the terminal.
While we waited for the match to be assigned,
¡°Open the store.¡±
¡°¡..?¡±
Seo Ye-in tilted her head in confusion but opened the student store nheless.
She quickly skimmed through the endless list of items being disyed.
Why the student store all of a sudden?
Of course, it was to prepare for the uing duel battle.
The cial zone was clearly a hostile environment.If you gather information and equip yourself with the necessary equipment, you can adapt much more easily.
It was just like preparing gas masks, antidotes, or poison immunity before entering an area filled with poisonous fumes.
Though it seemed like most students hadn¡¯t realized this yet.
Eventually, I pointed to an item on the list and said,
[Spiked Soles]
¡°They say it¡¯s a cial zone. Don¡¯t you think the floor will be slippery inside?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°We should buy them, right?¡±
¡°Buy them.¡±
[Bought ¡®Spiked Soles¡¯ (-300pt)]
As soon as the points were deducted, a pair of shoe soles dropped onto my hand.
They were equipped with sharp spikes and could be attached to shoes to act as crampons.
I made another subtle suggestion in a soft voice.
¡°It¡¯ll be cold in there. Why don¡¯t you buy some hand warmers too?¡±
¡°¡Buy.¡±
[Bought ¡®Hand Warmers¡¯ (-100pt)]
I bought one, but Seo Ye-in bought a whopping three.
Together, we spent a total of 1,000 points.
It might seem excessive for just one week of duel battles.
However, if the opponents weren¡¯t as prepared as we were, it would give us a clear advantage in battle.
And if the rey sold well, we¡¯d earn back more than what we spent.
Soon, the match was set, and the scoreboard disyed the names of both our team and our opponents.
[Kim Ho: 738 points, Seo Ye-in: 752 points]
vs
[Jeong Soo-ji: 601 points, Park Na-ri: 1,013 points]
A promising student, huh.
The druid promising student Park Na-ri, along with her mini-tiger familiar Bum.
And paired with her was Jeong Soo-ji, who had an annoying knack for chipping away at opponents with precision.
At the start of the semester, Go Hyeon-woo had struggled against this duo.
Even with relentlessbined attacks from him and Bukgong Han-seol, they couldn¡¯t break through Park Na-ri¡¯s health, and in the end, they lost by timeout. ??
I had expected it would be a while before we faced Park Na-ri in a duel battle, but it seemed Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s recent losing streak had caused her to drop a significant number of points.
As a result, their average score dropped to the 800s, and they ended up matched against us.
They were certainly tricky opponents, but¡ª
You never know until you try.
This was a 2-on-2 duel battle.
And it was also a crystal-based duel.
I turned to Seo Ye-in and said,
¡°Shall we go?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
We walked toward the arena and stepped onto the teleportation magic circle.
Our view immediately opened up to reveal an expanse of pure white cier terrain.
While a few gentle hills rose here and there, the area wasrgely t.
The only problem was¡ª
Whooooosh¡ª!
A fierce snowstorm pelted our faces.
Even with the cold resistance magic cast on our uniforms and elemental resistance in ce, the chill was sharp enough to seep through.
It¡¯s colder than Winterhalt.
Then again, that ce focused more on defensive battles, while this was an overtly hostile environment designed as a survival challenge.
They deliberately created these blizzard conditions, and if it wasn¡¯t freezing, that would be even stranger.
I nced at Seo Ye-in to see how she was holding up.
She had her hood pulled low over her face and was huddled tightly into herself.
Still, her eyes darted around, and she was scanning her surroundings. I asked her,
¡°What are you looking for?¡±
¡°¡I want out.¡±
So she was searching for the exit.
Just from the fact that Seo Ye-in had pulled out her ¡°Kim Ho Pot¡± at the faintest trace of a chill, it was clear how much she hated the cold.
And now, in a ce nketed entirely in snow and ice, with a relentless blizzard raging, it was no environment for someone like her to endure.
Unfortunately, the match had already been set and we were already inside the arena.
¡°The exit doesn¡¯t open until the match is over.¡±
¡°¡Forfeit?¡±
¡°You want me to get angry?¡±
No matter how cold it was, forfeiting wasn¡¯t an option.
There were too many stakes involved. This duel battle, the side quest, and even the items we just bought.
I wasn¡¯t sure if Seo Ye-in fully grasped all of this, but the fact that I said I¡¯d get angry seemed to have convinced her to abandon the idea of forfeiting.
So I asked her in a firm tone,
¡°Do you want to get out of here quickly?¡±
¡°I want out.¡±
¡°Then we¡¯ll have to finish this fast.¡±
I raised my hand and pointed toward the distance.
Amid the low-lying hills stood one that rose noticeably higher than the rest.
At its peak, arge boulder glowed faintly with a blue light.
That was the sanctuary of this crystal duel battle.
¡°Head straight for the crystal. I will be the one to restrain the others.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
The n was simple. Seo Ye-in would charge the crystal while I focused on keeping the opponents distracted.
But judging by her hunched shoulders and stiff movements, it looked like she was already feeling the effects of the environment¡¯s slowing debuff.
At times like this, a little more effort was needed.
[Activated ¡®Enchantment¡¯.]
[You have granted the skill ¡°Elemental Resistance (S)¡± to the target.]
[The rank of the granted ¡®Elemental Resistance¡¯: B.]
[Duration: 00:14:56.]
[Cooldown: 00:34:56.]
It was only a B rank, but even this would help alleviate the cold considerably.
I handed her the hand warmer I brought for myself as well.
The hand warmer disappeared into her hoodie in an instant.
¡°Feeling warmer now?¡±
¡°¡A little.¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll take them down.¡±
It seemed the opponents were ready as well, as the countdown began.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Kim Ho 100%, Seo Ye-in 100%]
vs
[Jeong Soo-ji 100%, Park Na-ri 100%]
The moment the match began, Seo Ye-in turned invisible and disappeared.
She had cloaked herself with her invisible ghillie suit.
Not that it¡¯ll matter much here.
The blizzard made her faint outline asionally visible, and her footprints were clearly imprinted in the snow-covered ground.
Still, since her role was to charge the crystal, it wasn¡¯t a bad idea to stay hidden even for a little while.
Her footprints were heading in a slightly different direction from where the sanctuary stood.
She must be looking for the crystal first.
The crystal¡¯s location was random.
The blizzard partially obscured the view, making it necessary to search around extensively under normal circumstances.
Yet Seo Ye-in moved forward with unwavering confidence as if she was certain the crystal was in the direction she was heading.
I didn¡¯t question her judgment much either.
I trust you, Lucky Charm.
Seo Ye-in had an uncanny intuition in moments like these, and even when her intuition failed, her luck always seemed to make up for it.
Meanwhile, checking the scoreboard revealed the other side was struggling just as much under the blizzard.
[Jeong Soo-ji 98%, Park Na-ri 99%]
[Jeong Soo-ji 97%, Park Na-ri 98%]
[Jeong Soo-ji 96%, Park Na-ri 98%]
Their health was steadily dropping on its own.
Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s health, in particr, was decreasing faster.
She really is the weakest link.
I had told her before to exercise more, but whether she had listened or ignored me, I couldn¡¯t tell. I had even brought it up when we were on the Cloud Stairs because of how poor her physical ability was.
[Jeong Soo-ji 96%, Park Na-ri 98%]
[Jeong Soo-ji 97%, Park Na-ri 99%]
It seemed Park Na-ri was using healing magic, as her health dipped slightly only to recover. And the cycle was repeating over and over again.
On the other hand, thanks to the elemental resistance, we remained entirely unharmed.
[Kim Ho 100%, Seo Ye-in 100%]
As I idly observed the scoreboard, the path of invisible Seo Ye-in shifted slightly. She was heading straight toward the sanctuary.
As expected of Lucky Charm.
She must have pinpointed the crystal¡¯s location and retrieved it in one go.
While scanning the surroundings again, I caught a faint glimpse through the blizzard. It was a silhouette of two people and arge beast.
It was unmistakably Park Na-ri¡¯s team.
Since I was in charge of keeping them in check, I started moving toward their direction.
The snow was piled up to my knees, which caused my feet to sink with every step, and where it didn¡¯t sink, there was ice.
Of course, the soles of my shoes were fitted with spikes, so I didn¡¯t have to worry about slipping.
It seems like they¡¯re more concerned over there.
Park Na-ri¡¯s team was moving much slowerpared to Seo Ye-in and me.
They even stopped asionally, as if they were struggling to maintain their bnce and avoid slipping.
Thanks to that, it was easy to close the distance between us.
When I got closer, they seemed to notice my approach and assumed a defensive stance.
I casually greeted them.
¡°Hope you¡¯re all doing well.¡±
¡°H-Hello¡¡±
Park Na-ri waved her hand timidly.
When it came to timidity, she was on apletely different level than Hong Yeon-hwa when it came to ¡°Kim Ho¡±.
Jeong Soo-ji gave me a slight nod, and even the tiger who was now asrge as a house let out a low growl.
While exchanging greetings, I discreetly checked their footwear.
Nothing there.
Just as I had guessed on my way here, their shoes didn¡¯t have spiked soles.
That meant the difference in mobility would be significant, and I could count that as a major advantage in my favor.
Whoosh¡ª
I conjured up a small gust of wind to test the surroundings. The entire area was made up of arge ice sheet with a little snow on top.
It was as slippery as it could get. A perfect battlefield.
After checking up to this point, I looked at the three of them and spoke honestly.
¡°As you can probably tell, I¡¯m just here to buy time. I¡¯m in charge of keeping you upied.¡±
¡°Where¡¯s Seo Ye-in?¡±
Jeong Soo-ji asked the question, but there was no need for me to answer.
Wooong¡ª
At that moment, the sanctuary glowed even more blue and sent down a pir of light.
Though it was hard to see clearly from this distance, it was obvious who the target of that light was.
[Crystal: 1%]
[Crystal: 2%]
Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s face turned frantic as she quickly looked toward Park Na-ri and spoke.
¡°Na-ri, I¡¯ll take care of¡ª¡±
Then, perhaps she remembered that she had no chance of winning if she fought me one-on-one, she closed her mouth for a moment and spoke again.
¡°Na-ri, I¡¯ll hold her off. You handle this one.¡±
¡°U-Uh, okay¡.¡±
Park Na-ri nodded her head in response and turned to face me.
The tiger Bum also let out a low growl in my direction.
It seemed they had divided their roles. Park Na-ri would engage me, and Jeong Soo-ji would go after Seo Ye-in.
At a nce, it might have seemed like a reasonable strategy, but it had a fatal w.
¡°Do you think I¡¯ll just let you go?¡±
I was here to keep them both tied up, after all.
Just as Jeong Soo-ji began to leave her position, I cast Wind Force in her direction.
Whooosh¡ª
¡°Huh? Huh?! Whoa!¡±
The headwind pushed Jeong Soo-ji backward, causing her to lose her bnce and il her arms.
Eventually, she fell t on her butt and continued sliding a considerable distance across the ice.
Meanwhile, I stood firmly in ce on the icy surface. As naturally as if I were standing on solid ground.
Only then did Park Na-ri and Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s gazes drop to my feet.
¡°That¡?¡±
¡°Oh, this? I spent some points on it.¡±
A hefty sum of 300 points had gone into it.
And when you spend that much, it¡¯s only natural to show off a little.
I stood on my tiptoes and showed the sole of one foot.
The underside was covered with sharp, protruding spikes.
¡°They¡¯re superfortable. You should each get a pair.¡±
Both of their faces turned noticeably serious.
They had realized how severely disadvantaged they were in terms of mobility.
And that dividing roles between them was virtually impossible.
Still, they seemed confident they had the upper hand inbat.
Their n in a two-on-one situation was probably to quickly overpower me and then move on to interfere with Seo Ye-in.
Park Na-ri took a deep breath before calling out to Bum.
¡°B-Bum.¡±
¡°Grrr¡¡±
Bum let out a low growl as it red at me while crouching low.
Then, like a coiled spring, itunched itself at me.
¡°Graaaaah¡ª!¡±
Chapter 251: 14th Week Duel Battle (3)
Chapter 251: 14th Week Duel Battle (3)
The tiger was a spirit beast in its own right; it even knew how to use mana, and each of its attacks carried the full weight of its body. This made it difficult for most closebat sses to withstand.
As for a mage like me, there was no question about it.
I just have to dodge no matter what.
The moment the tiger¡¯s front paw swung toward my face, I lightly twisted my body and sidestepped.
Bum realized immediately that it had swiped at nothing but air and swiftly adjusted its body tond.
However, the spot where itnded wasn¡¯t solid ground but an ice sheet.
It couldn¡¯t avoid slipping either.
To make matters worse¡ª
Bang!Compressed air exploded and forcefully shoved Bum away.
As the tiger slid rapidly into the distance, I briefly shifted my focus away from it and cast Wind Force on Park Na-ri and Jeong Soo-ji.
Whooosh¡ª
¡°Ah, ahhh!¡±
¡°S-Stop¡!¡±
The two of them wobbled and iled like intable dancing tube men at a festival.
They could barely stay upright on the ice, as if someone kept pushing them from the side.
As the wind continued to blow, Jeong Soo-ji lost her bnce and toppled over again.
[Crystal: 23%]
The charge is going smoothly.
¡°Graaaah!¡±
When I turned my body again, I saw Bum charging at me with terrifying speed.
I nted the sapling firmly on the ice and stretched out my other hand toward the tiger.
[Earth Line]
[Chill Wind]
[Wind Force]
Whooooosh¡ª!
A wind imbued with cold and physical force swept forward.
The charging Bum began to slow down, and before long, it was being steadily pushed backward.
Even just thebination of slowing effects and pushing force was impressive on its own, but with the blizzard raging and the slippery ice beneath it, the effects were amplified significantly.
¡°Grrrr.¡±
¡°B-Bum!¡±
But Park Na-ri was a promising student and she wasn¡¯t about to just stand idly by.
At some point, she had cast a spell and a green light radiated from her staff before it enveloped Bum.
sh!
Debuff weakening.
¡°Grrrgh!¡±
Thanks to her spell, Bum shook off the slowing effect and regained its speed.
With a powerful leap, it moved to my side and swung its front paw in a wide arc, as if to strike across a broad range.
Mana infused into its ws created three streaks of crescent-shaped shes.
I surrounded the sapling with dark clouds and cast Wind Barrier while retreating.
The crescent-shaped shes tore easily through the barrier but ultimately collided with the dark clouds and were neutralized.
As if determined not to give me any breathing room, Bum kept following me while swinging its ws relentlessly.
I narrowly dodged each strike, and when a small opening appeared, I used the chance to cast Wind Force on Park Na-ri and Jeong Soo-ji.
Whooosh¡ª
¡°Ugh.¡±
¡°Ah¡¡±
Jeong Soo-ji slipped and fell again, causing the spell she was casting to be canceled, while Park Na-ri, though staggering as she lost her bnce, managed toplete her spell to the end.
This was the difference between someone with their score in the 600s and someone in the 1,000s.
sh!
Once again, a glowing aura enveloped Bum¡¯s body.
As the buffs kept stacking, the longer the fight dragged on, the more it worked in their favor.
Still, it won¡¯t go on for too long.
[Crystal 61%]
The charge would beplete soon enough. I only needed to hold out until then.
A w swung diagonally toward me.
I leaned to the side to dodge and simultaneously explodedpressed air.
Bang!
Bum slid across the ice once more, but the distance it was pushed was noticeably shorter this time.
I had a good idea of what kind of buff Park Na-ri had just cast.
Increased weight.
The less Bum slid, the more opportunities it had to attack, and the more force its strikes carried. It wasn¡¯t a bad choice.
As expected of a promising student, she had learned a variety of buffs.
That said, it¡¯s about time for this to end.
Every buff had a duration.
The green glow surrounding Bum¡¯s body began to fade and eventually disappeared entirely.
This meant the ¡°Debuff Weakening¡± buff she had used to counter Chill Wind was no longer in effect.
Which meant¡ª
I can use Chill Wind again.
Whoooosh¡ª
The chill wind slowed Bum¡¯s movements considerably.
¡°Grrrr.¡±
The tiger let out a frustrated growl as it nced at Park Na-ri. Irritation was clear in its voice.
If tranted roughly, it might mean something like, ¡°What is my team even doing?!¡±
¡°A-Ah, s-sorry.¡±
Park Na-ri fumbled and hurriedly cast another debuff-weakening spell.
At this point, it felt like the scoreboard should disy Bum¡¯s name instead of Park Na-ri¡¯s.
Of course, such trivial internal conflicts were nothing but opportunities for me.
I cast Wind Force again and aimed at Park Na-ri¡¯s main base.
Whooosh¡ª
¡°Ugh.¡±
Once again, Jeong Soo-ji iled and fell, scrambled to her feet, and iled some more.
But whether it was misfortune or mercy, her clumsy struggle ended here.
Bang!
A magic bullet struck her temple.
Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s body twisted sideways as if she were stretching, then copsed t on the ice.
Momentster, she disappeared in a swirl of white light.
[Jeong Soo-ji ¨C % Park Na-ri 92%]
I nced briefly in the direction of the sanctuary.
Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect this.
The blizzard had ruined visibility, making it nearly impossible to attempt long-range shooting.
I had only hoped Seo Ye-in would recharge the crystal, yet somehow, she had managed tond a direct hit with a magic bullet despite the severe conditions.
It made me realize again how exceptional her aim was.
¡°Grr?¡±
Even Bum who had been charging at me suddenly stopped in its tracks and quickly retreated.
The next moment, a streak of blue light zipped past the spot.
I felt immensely satisfied.
Sniping and support fire. Excellent teamwork.
I decided I¡¯d buy her some hot chocte after this was over.
With that thought in mind, I turned to Park Na-ri and asked,
¡°Do you want to keep going?¡±
¡°Ah¡¡±
[Crystal: 94%]
The crystal¡¯s charge was almostplete. Even if she somehow managed to take me down, the match would end before she could even reach the sanctuary.
¡°Grrr¡¡±
Bum too was openly showing its reluctance to continue fighting. Through the repeated shes, it hade to understand one thing: ¡°This human is cold and annoying.¡±
On top of that, Jeong Soo-ji had been rendered incapacitated without contributing anything, and Seo Ye-in¡¯s support fire continued to rain down.
Park Na-ri seemed to realize all this as well. Her arms dropped limply to her sides.
[Kim Ho, Seo Ye-in Win]
vs
[Jeong Soo-ji, Park Na-ri Lose]
As soon as I stepped onto the teleportation circle and exited, warmth rushed in from all directions.
Seo Ye-in appeared right after that. She had pulled her hoodie low over her face while tightening the drawstrings as much as possible.
¡°Why are you turning into a hoodie person?¡±
¡°It¡¯s so cold¡¡±
Even after I gave her elemental resistance and four hand warmers, she still seemed particrly vulnerable to the cold.
Then again, the environment was harsh for everyone.
Nearby, groups of students gathered in small groups and were chatting loudly. Judging by their stiff movements, they had probably just finished a match like us.
¨C Seriously, how is it even allowed to be this cold?
¨C I almost froze to death!
¨C You almost froze. I actually froze to death.
Only a small handful of teams, like ours, had prepared hand warmers (heat packs).
Park Na-ri¡¯s team had managed to hold out thanks to their health regeneration, but teams without even that would¡¯ve steadily lost health in the blizzard until they became incapacitated.
On top of that, they must have struggled terribly with the snowfields and ice. By the next match, they¡¯d surely bring at least the bare minimum of items.
In other words¡ª
Taking it easy from now on is impossible.
In the first match, there had been a noticeable gap in information and item preparation between teams, but now the ying field would be much more even.
That being the case, it seemed wiser to take a break before rushing into another match. Besides, we needed to wait 35 minutes for the cooldown to reapply elemental resistance anyway.
I turned to Seo Ye-in and asked casually,
¡°Want to grab something to drink before the next match? Something warm.¡±
¡°Something warm.¡±
An imaginary exmation mark seemed to pop up over Seo Ye-in¡¯s head.
We stepped out of the arena for a while and headed toward the snack bar.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°Feeling better now?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in who was evidently melting in the outside warmth slowly began shedding her hoodie mode.
Meanwhile, although I hadn¡¯t suffered much from the cold itself, my body still felt like a block of ice.
I brought the back of my hand to Seo Ye-in¡¯s cheek.
¡°Look, my hand¡¯s still freezing. See?¡±
¡°!!!¡±
Seo Ye-in suddenly shrank back and sidestepped away like a crab, increasing the distance between us.
Her eyes were filled with caution as her hand hovered near her inventory; she was hesitating whether to grab something or not. It looked like she was moments away from pulling out her beloved Kim Ho pot.
¡°I don¡¯t like cold things.¡±
¡°I won¡¯t do it.¡±
At that, Seo Ye-in slowly approached me and ced a hand warmer in each of my hands.
¡°Your hands will be warm now.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
But isn¡¯t one of these originally mine?
It didn¡¯t seem worth arguing over, so I just fiddled with the hand warmer as we walked.
Before long, we arrived at the snack bar. Each of us bought a cup of hot chocte and sipped at it as we walked.
It seemed other people had simr ideas, as Jeong Soo-ji and Park Na-ri¡¯s duo also entered the snack bar and ordered their own hot choctes.
When our eyes met, the two whispered to each other briefly before Jeong Soo-ji hesitantly approached me and started to speak.
¡°Uh, so, um.¡±
¡°Hmm?¡±
¡°Well, about the rey¡ I was wondering if you could, maybe, keep it private¡¡±
Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s face was flushed with embarrassment, probably because she had spent the entire game performing what could only be described as ¡°sophisticated performance art¡± on the ice.
And all of that mortifying disy had been perfectly captured and stored in the rey.
What made the situation worse was that her partner in this tragedy was none other than the promising student, Park Na-ri.
If that rey were to be uploaded to the student marketce, it would sell like hotcakes. But for her, it would mean her entire cringeworthy disaster would be preserved for the future.
It would be like switching sses from ¡°Earth Mage¡± to ¡°Clown¡±.
I understood how she must feel and readily agreed.
After all, it was partially my fault.
¡°Sure, no problem.¡±
¡°¡Thank you.¡±
Jeong Soo-ji let out a deep sigh of relief.
As a token of appreciation, Jeong Soo-ji handed me two Random Rank Up scrolls.
Since keeping the rey private would mean a loss of points for me, this was her way of helping offset the cost.
¡°I¡¯ll get going now.¡±
¡°Alright, take care.¡±
After Jeong Soo-ji and Park Na-ri left, I handed one of the Random Rank Up scrolls to Seo Ye-in.
¡°Here, this one¡¯s yours.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in wasn¡¯t the type to care about umting points or saving reys, so I epted Jeong Soo-ji¡¯s offer without bothering to ask for her opinion.
Still, since we were on the same team, splitting the reward felt fair.
Seo Ye-in stared quietly at the Random Rank Up scroll in her hand.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°Are you going to use it right away?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
sh¡ª
The scroll began to emit a faint, bright light.
Whooshhh¡
Then it turned to ash and scattered.
While her innate luck might help push through in other areas, Random Rank Up scrolls weren¡¯t so easy to exploit.
They weren¡¯t affected by probability-rted skills or traits.
Still, thanks to this, I managed to add another stamp to the collection.
[Stamp Coupon (C)]
? Stamps: 7/10
Not much left now.
Random Rank Up scrolls also appeared as side quest rewards, so the goal was finally within reach.
Of course, toplete it, we would need to sessfully finish the remaining matches.
¡°Now that we¡¯re warmed up, shall we get going again?¡±
The cooldown for buffs was almost over as well.
However, Seo Ye-in averted her gaze and started inching sideways.
It seemed the thought of diving back into the snowstorm made her hesitant.
I approached her and spoke gently to persuade her.
¡°Let¡¯s do just one more match.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°If we finish this, we¡¯re done for the week. Let¡¯s charge just one more crystal, then we can rest.¡±
¡°¡¡A pillow?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll positively consider that too.¡±
Using sweet talk, I coaxed the human sloth all the way to the arena and queued us for a match.
I checked over the items while waiting.
There¡¯s no need to spend more points.
The spiked soles were still intact, and the hand warmers were holding their warmth.
Of course, as usual, all four hand warmers belonged to Seo Ye-in.
Soon, the scoreboard disyed our names alongside our opponents¡¯ names.
¡°¡¡It¡¯s these two again.¡±
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 252: 14th Week Duel Battle (4)
[Kim Ho: 763 points, Seo Ye-in: 775 points]
vs
[Wang Gon: 698 points, Jang Oh: 828 points]
The assassin duo.
For some reason, this week we¡¯ve only had two matches, but both were against promising students.
On top of that, assassin-ss characters were natural predators of ranged sses.
While the Gunslinger ss was agile enough to make it a somewhat even match, we were still at a disadvantage.
This might actually be a good thing.
It doesn¡¯t seem like a bad idea to use this opportunity to gain some realbat experience.Seo Ye-in, on the other hand, didn¡¯t care about experience or anything else; she just wanted to finish this quickly. Still, once the battle began, she¡¯d show her usual enthusiasm.
Before entering, we took a final moment to check our preparations.
¡°Make sure the spikes are on tight.¡±
¡°Spikes tight.¡±
¡°Get your hand warmers ready.¡±
¡°Hand warmers.¡±
¡°Put your hood on to stay warm.¡±
¡°Hood on.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s move out.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s teach them a lesson.¡±
With that, we stepped onto the teleportation magic circle.
Whiiiiiish¡ª!
Instantly, a snowstormshed at our faces without mercy.
The bit of enthusiasm Seo Ye-in had mustered quickly started to fade.
¡°¡¡I want out.¡±
¡°Sure, let¡¯s finish quickly and get out of here.¡±
¡°Now.¡±
¡°Yeah, let¡¯s start right now.¡±
I responded naturally, and just in time, the countdown began.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Kim Ho: 100%, Seo Ye-in: 100%]
vs
[Wang Gon: 100%, Jang Oh: 100%]
¡°This time, we¡¯ll move together.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
The Park Na-ri/ Jeong Soo-ji duo had been easy for me to handle alone, mainly because they were a defensive team with low offensive power, and the difference in mobility caused by the presence or absence of spiked soles worked in my favor.
This time, however, dividing roles would only put us at a disadvantage.
The opponents had overwhelming attack power, and there was no guarantee Seo Ye-in could endure it.
I asked her as we walked side by side,
¡°Which way is the crystal?¡±
¡°Over there.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
Seo Ye-in slowly raised her hand to point in one direction.
Even in this bitter cold, Lucky Charm¡¯s radar seemed to be functioning perfectly.
Sure enough, after walking a little further, I spotted something standing out amidst the swirling snowstorm.
A makeshift altar with a crystal ced on top of it.
After retrieving the crystal, we turned toward the sanctuary.
¡°Let¡¯s go charge it.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
But before we got very far, we had to slow down.
Two silhouettes appeared ahead, blocking our path.
Naturally, they were Jang Oh and Wang Gon. Or more urately, they were Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam.
I gave a light wave as a greeting and tossed out a question that had crossed my mind earlier.
¡°Are you sticking with those aliases? Jang Oh and Wang Gon?¡±
I had already told them those names wereme.
They each muttered a response with awkward expressions.
¡°¡We¡¯re not using them because we like them.¡±
¡°But we can¡¯t keep changing them all the time, can we?¡±
It seemed they had no choice but to stick with those aliases for the time being.
In the first ce, if they had chosen decent aliases, they wouldn¡¯t have needed to change them so often. But since I could understand their situation well enough, I decided to let it slide.
Next, the two of them simultaneously turned to look at Seo Ye-in.
Although it was their first time meeting her, it seemed they had already caught on to the fact that she was someone who often apanied me.
Perhaps because of this, Jang Moo-geuk asked in a somewhat yful tone.
¡°Is this our sister-inw?¡±
Wang Cheon-sam also raised the corners of his lips and corrected his words.
¡°Wouldn¡¯t ¡®Hyung-nim¡¯s wife¡¯ be a more appropriate term?¡±
¡°Then that would make Kim Ho our Hyung (older brother).¡±
¡°He doesn¡¯t look like a younger brother, though?¡±
¡°If it¡¯s neither, then ¡®sister-inw¡¯ sounds like the best option.¡±
These two could seriously argue about the most trivial things.
I decided to intervene.
¡°Guys, neither is right, so just stop arguing.¡±
The premise itself was wrong.
We weren¡¯t even dating, so why were they tossing around terms like sister-inw?
Seo Ye-in gave a light nod before pointing at me.
¡°Buttler.¡±
¡°Buttler? That¡¯s even less fitting.¡±
The longer this went on, the messier it was bound to get, so I quickly decided to move to the main point.
¡°Let¡¯s keep the rey private and go head-to-head with our real skills.¡±
Since Jang Oh and Wang Gon were operating under false identities, they tended to hold back their true abilities in formal matches and challenges.
That¡¯s why, even though the two of them were a promising student and a 0.8-promising student, their ranking scores ended up simr to ours.
However, since fighting them like this wouldn¡¯t provide meaningful practical experience, I suggested we face each other with our full strength.
Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam exchanged a nce before nodding and replying one after the other.
¡°Since you already know who we are, there¡¯s no reason to hide it anymore.¡±
¡°Besides, don¡¯t we still have an unfinished match to settle between us?¡±
When I had faced them in a two-on-one match under the orders of the ck Faction, the confrontation had ended inconclusively when the disciplinarymittee intervened midway.
Because of that, they must have been secretly waiting for a chance to settle the score. And now, with the numbers bnced at two versus two, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.
Jang Moo-geuk turned to Seo Ye-in to confirm.
¡°Is it okay with you, sister-inw?¡±
Seo Ye-in tilted her head slightly and then looked at me.
¡°Will it be over quickly?¡±
¡°Probably.¡±
She didn¡¯t seem to care about anything else. She just wanted to get out of the freezing cold as soon as possible.
Of course, since the opponents were both assassins, the match was bound to be short, regardless of who won.
In fact, it would be faster to render the two of them unable to fight than to charge the crystal.
Click.
When Seo Ye-in loaded her magic pistol, Jang Moo-geuk seemed to take it as her agreement.
¡°Alright then, let¡¯s begin.¡±
The four of us immediately shifted intobat stances.
The first thing I checked was the footing of our opponents.
They¡¯vee prepared.
Their shoes had sharp, spiked soles attached to the bottoms.
News of the first match must have spread quickly among the students, and most had likely prepared for the snowstorm and icy ground.
And they¡¯re assassins, after all.
For assassins where each mission could mean life or death, gathering intelligence and thorough preparation were standard practices.
They had probably prepared their gear before their first match even began.
To sum it all up,
We have no advantage in equipment.
It was actually better this way. Competing purely with skill against skill.
I cast Enchantment and Amplification.
[Octopus Limbs]
[Enchantment]
[You have granted the skill ¡°Elemental Resistance (S)¡± to the target.]
[The rank of the granted ¡®Elemental Resistance¡¯: B.]
[You have granted the skill ¡°Distortion¡± to the target.]
[Duration: 00:14:58]
[Cooldown: 02:19:58]
[Activated ¡®Amplification¡¯.]
[The rank of ¡®Elemental Resistance¡¯ increases. (B ¡ú S)]
[Duration: 00:09:58]
[Cooldown: 01:19:58]
I could have distributed the amplification more evenly, but that would have defeated the purpose of giving Seo Ye-in some practical experience.
If all I cared about was winning, I wouldn¡¯t have asked those two to show their real skills in the first ce.
I need to manage cooldowns, too.
There was no telling what might happenter this week. If I overused Octopus Limbs in this match, the cooldown could be so long that Enchantment and Amplification might be unavable at a critical moment.
So, I settled for granting Elemental Resistance to help Seo Ye-in move more freely in the cold and Distortion to give her at least one more opportunity to act.
Thanks to the four hand warmers and the S-rank Elemental Resistance, Seo Ye-in looked much less cold.
She nced between Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam, then raised her assault rifle andunched the first attack.
Ratatatatatata!
As the barrage of magic bullets rained down, the two split to either side to avoid the attack while closing the distance with frightening speed.
Jang Moo-geuk headed toward me, while Wang Cheon-sam charged at Seo Ye-in.
Pyoong!
A fist-sized ck cloud materialized in midair.
While wrapping it around the sapling, I cast Wind Force and Chillwind toward Jang Moo-geuk at the same time.
Whiiing¡ª
Even under the slowing effect, Jang Moo-geuk charged forward at an impressive speed.
At the moment of impact, he swung the sword he had been holding low.
ng!
I crossed the sapling just in time to deflect the blow.
As soon as Jang Moo-geuk brushed past me, he pivoted sharply and redirected his attack toward Seo Ye-in.
So that¡¯s been his n all along.
Distract me momentarily, slip past, and take Seo Ye-in out first. That was his intention.
And it was working to some extent; the two assassins closed in from either side before converging on Seo Ye-in in a coordinated assault.
Of course, I wasn¡¯t about to stand by and watch.
¡°Jump.¡±
¡°Jump.¡±
At mymand, Seo Ye-in activated Feather Step and leaped straight up into the air.
Bang!
I used Wind Force, and her trajectory curved as she flew through the air toward me.
The moment shended beside me, she stabilized her stance and resumed firing.
Ratatatatatata!
¡°Damn it¡¡±
The opponents, who had been confident they had her cornered, were momentarily startled as Seo Ye-in abruptly soared out of their reach. Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam scrambled to dodge the iing magic bullets.
But they couldn¡¯t evade them all; a couple of shots grazed Wang Cheon-sam and caused some damage.
[Wang Gon: 97%]
[Wang Gon: 93%]
The assassins were not discouraged and attacked again with the same unrelenting ferocity.
I made the dark clouds float near Seo Ye-in and let them drift aimlessly, then nted the sapling into the ground.
Then I stretched my hand forward.
[Earth Line]
[Chillwind]
[Wind Force]
Whiiiiiish!
¡°So annoying.¡±
Wang Cheon-sam muttered with a frown.
It wasn¡¯t just the constant pushing and pulling that irritated him, but the fact that the umted cold slowed him down more and more with each passing moment.
[Wang Gon: 93%, Jang Oh: 97%]
On top of that, Chillwind¡¯s freezing enhancement effect doubled the power of the blizzard and caused their once-steady health to chip away bit by bit.
Even so, their focus remained fixed on Seo Ye-in. Once again, they thrust their swords from two directions.
While I parried Wang Cheon-sam¡¯s attack, Seo Ye-in used Feather Step to evade Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s sword.
But as if anticipating her movements, the de tip wavered and pursued her, only to collide with the dark clouds I had sent, causing its trajectory to falter.
In that brief opening, Seo Ye-in took aim with her gun.
Ratatatatatatatatata!
Even at such close range, Jang Moo-geuk deftly dodged and weaved through the magic bullets with movement technique.
As expected from a promising talent, his mastery of movement techniques was remarkable.
At the same time, the two assassins widened the distance before each of them hurled a dagger toward us.
Ssshhhkk!
A distraction.
The real attack wasing next. I deflected the daggers roughly and kept my eyes locked on them.
As expected, a thin nearly invisibleyer of energy enveloped Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s sword, which made it harder to detect.
With a few swift steps forward, he suddenly blurred, and his form faded as though he had be a ghost.
Ghost Dance.
A quick nce to the side confirmed that Wang Cheon-sam was also activating Ghost Dance. His movements were smooth, stealthy, and incredibly fast as he closed the gap.
In an instant, Jang Moo-geuk reached Seo Ye-in with his de poised to strike¡ª
sh!
Seo Ye-in activated Bullet Time.
Her gray eyes captured the trajectory of the two des.
In an instant, her presence seemed to fade.
Swish.
With movements as smooth as a sliding shadow, she slipped past the assassins¡¯ attack.
She used Bullet Time to perceive their attacks and Ghost Dance to escape.
The two assassins, who had been confident their strikes wouldnd, were visibly shaken when their des sliced through nothing but air.
They frantically scanned their surroundings, but Seo Ye-in had already repositioned herself at a distance with her gun barrel aimed squarely at them.
Her magic gun unleashed a relentless barrage of blue fire.
Tututututututu!
The magic bullets mmed into Wang Cheon-sam¡¯s shoulder and side before exploding on impact.
¡°Urgh¡!¡±
[Wang Gon: 91%]
[Wang Gon: 64%]
The two were quite surprised and couldn¡¯t speak for a long time with their eyes wide open.
Finally, Jang Moo-geuk broke the silence.
¡°¡What just happened?¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡±
She learned it too.
Chapter 253: 14th Week Duel Battle (5)
Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s gaze deepened.
So that¡¯s how it is.
If Seo Ye-in had mastered Ghost Dance, then what had just happened made sense to some degree.
He had noints about the fact that she had learned it.
In the first ce, it was only because of Kim Ho that he was able to reach the illusory demon¡¯s formation and even retrieve the statues from there.
How it was used was entirely up to Kim Ho¡¯s discretion.
He and Wang Cheon-sam had paid the price to earn their opportunity, and he assumed Seo Ye-in must have done the same.
But he was still curious, so Jang Moo-geuk fixed his gaze on Kim Ho and opened his mouth to speak.
¡°I¡¯d like to ask you something.¡±¡°What is it?¡±
¡°Our sister-inw¡¡±
Jang Moo-geuk cast a brief nce at Seo Ye-in before continuing.
¡°¡How many times did she fail?¡±
¡°How many attempts did it take for her to seed?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
Perhaps because the question felt so trivialpared to his serious tone, Kim Ho¡¯s expression momentarily grew strange.
Still, he seemed to think there was no harm in answering and gave a short reply.
¡°Once.¡±
Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s face froze in shock.
He nced subtly toward Wang Cheon-sam who wore a simr expression on his face.
Even someone as confident in their movement technique as Jang Moo-geuk had barely managed to clear the Illusory Demon¡¯s trial on his second attempt.
The same had been true for Go Hyeon-woo and Dang Gyu-young.
But to hear that she had seeded without even a single mistake on her first try was shocking.
¡°How did you do it?¡±
When Jang Moo-geuk asked that, Seo Ye-in simply tilted her head in confusion.
Her reaction was as if he had asked her, ¡°How do you breathe?¡± or ¡°How do you drink water?¡±
It was as though seeding on the first try was only natural for her.
She¡¯s worthy of being paired with him.
Jang Moo-geuk suspected there must be a reason why Kim Ho had chosen to pair with Seo Ye-in instead of Go Hyeon-woo for the duel battle.
From what he had observed so far, Kim Ho was meticulous and calcting by nature.
Even if she was their sister-inw, he wouldn¡¯t have chosen her out of personal attachment.
And just now, Jang Moo-geuk had caught a glimpse of the reason. It was Seo Ye-in¡¯s extraordinary talent.
If that was the case, then perhaps it was time to act, even if it was a bit early.
It¡¯s time to make my move.
In reality, ever since Seo Ye-in had countered their trump card of Ghost Dance with the same skill, their options had be extremely limited.
Ghost Dance provided a powerful stealth effect, making it almost impossible for the opponent to detect or respond to an attack.
Yet Seo Ye-in had seen through that stealth, seized the briefest moment, and sessfully evaded.
What this meant was clear.
She has another skill.
It was clear that some sort of utility-type skill or trait was at work.
And that skill, in all likelihood, had a cooldown simr to Ghost Dance.
If it were any shorter, there would be no reason for her to save it until now.
In conclusion, the moment the five-minute cooldown reset, Seo Ye-in would not only regain Ghost Dance but also have a definitive countermeasure ready.
On the other hand, they had no such advantage, meaning they needed to make their move before the situation became even more unfavorable.
Wang Cheon-sam seemed to sense this as well. When Jang Moo-geuk sent him a nce, he responded with a slight nod of his chin.
Having worked together for so long, they could understand each other with just a look.
¨C Can you do it?
¨C At least once.
[Wang Gon: 64%]
Wang Cheon-sam had taken a direct counter and suffered huge damage.
Even now, he was barely holding up.
Still, he could handle one final effort, enough to support Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s decisive move.
Whoosh¡ª
Meanwhile, as the blizzard continued to rage, Seo Ye-in hunched her shoulders against the cold.
She then spoke to Kim Ho in a tone that sounded like aint.
¡°It¡¯s cold.¡±
¡°Yeah, let¡¯s wrap this up.¡±
As if she had been waiting for permission, Seo Ye-in immediately took aim with her assault rifle.
Ratatatatata!
Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam split to either side and exchanged another look.
¨C I¡¯m going in.
¨C Anytime.
The energy of the two suddenly surged, only to disappear as if it were extinguished.
Of course, it hadn¡¯t truly disappeared. It had just beenpressed to an extreme, so it looked like that.
In that state, they slid forward with practiced movement technique and rushed toward Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in.
Kim Ho immediately stepped in to block Wang Cheon-sam.
Watching this, Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s eyes gleamed.
As expected.
Kim Ho¡¯s main goal in this duel battle was to build Seo Ye-in¡¯sbat experience.
That¡¯s why, in most encounters, he focused on restraining Wang Cheon-sam while attempting to pit him against Seo Ye-in.
Now was no different.
The only thing Kim Ho sent his way was the dark clouds.
Though they were bothersome, the dark clouds were manageable, and once they were cleared, an opportunity would surely arise.
Ratatatatata!
Despite Seo Ye-in firing continuously at closer range, Jang Moo-geuk advanced with a steady movement technique.
Along the way, a couple of magic bullets grazed him, leaving minor injuries.
This much, I can endure.
He adopted the mindset of sacrificing flesh to strike bone.
The moment Seo Ye-in entered Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s striking range, the first technique was unleashed.
[Soul Chasing Snake sh]
Swish!
The de lunged forward with fierce precision, aiming directly for her heart.
Seo Ye-in used Feather Step and stepped back diagonally to avoid it.
Even so, Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s de twisted like a snake. It was relentlessly pursuing her heart.
The dark clouds sent by Kim Ho swept between them and disrupted the de¡¯s trajectory.
But that too was part of Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s n.
Now¡¯s the moment.
Sensing the opportunity, he unleashed the next technique.
[Life Snatching Lightning]
sh!
The longsword in his hand pierced Seo Ye-in¡¯s chest like a streak of sharp lightning.
After nullifying the opponent¡¯s evasive and defensive techniques with the Soul Chasing Snake sh, he would finish them off with Life Snatching Lightning.
Using thisbination, he had defeated countless foes before, and this time was supposed to yield the same result.
[Activated ¡®Distortion¡¯.]
If only the longsword hadn¡¯t twisted like a piece of taffy.
Jang Moo-geuk and Wang Cheon-sam¡¯s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.
¡°Wh-What the hell?!¡±
While they were frozen in shock, Seo Ye-in continued the battle without so much as a change in her expression.
Magic bullets rained down from her assault rifle.
Ratatatatata!
¡°Ugh.¡±
Even in his momentary panic, Jang Moo-geuk twisted his body just enough to avoid taking more than a hit or two.
Wang Cheon-sam was not so lucky however. Magic bullets lodged in his body, triggering a chain of explosions.
Boom-boom-boom!
He couldn¡¯t even scream before copsing onto the snowy ground. He then got ejected from the arena.
[Wang Gon: ¨C %, Jang Oh: 81%]
Jang Moo-geuk looked back and forth between Seo Ye-in and his bent sword. He waspletely dumbfounded.
There were countless skills and traits in the world, but how could a sword bend like taffy?
This is no ordinary monster.
His Ghost Dance was dodged, his ultimate attack was deflected by inexplicable skills, and the match had now all but been decided.
¡°¡ Let¡¯s stop here for today.¡±
Though he still had some strength left, he couldn¡¯t afford to reveal it all.
And even if he revealed everything, there was no guarantee he could break through that mysterious skill.
To make matters worse, Kim Ho was still perfectly fine. So this was a two-on-one situation.
¡°We lost.¡±
¡°You fought well.¡±
As soon as Jang Moo-geuk acknowledged Kim Ho¡¯s words of respect, he turned his back and walked toward the exit.
For some reason, his mouth tasted bitter.
I need to improve myself too.
One day, he would face those two again.
If he wanted a different oue then, he would have to devote himself to relentless training.
[Kim Ho, Seo Ye-in: Win]
vs
[Wang Gon, Jang Oh: Lose]
***
I watched Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s retreating figure and thought to myself.
He¡¯s soposed.
Even in a two-on-one, he could have kept fighting a bit longer, but as soon as he judged his chances were slim, he dered his surrender without hesitation.
It meant he wasn¡¯t attached to his score.
Though the match felt iplete, Seo Ye-in must have learned a lot from it, so my goal was aplished in the end.
¡°Let¡¯s head out.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
The snowstorm was still raging mercilessly, but we could talk once we were outside.
With that, we stepped through the teleportation portal one by one.
The moment we exited the arena, warmth and lively chatter rushed in from all directions.
As I warmed my body and turned my gaze to Seo Ye-in, I saw that she wasn¡¯t in her hooded human mode like in the first match.
It was probably thanks to the elemental resistance being raised to S-rank.
I held out my hand.
¡°Give me one hand warmer.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
When Seo Ye-in handed me a hand warmer, I fiddled with it and asked,
¡°They¡¯re strong, huh?¡±
¡°Strong.¡±
Seo Ye-in, of course, would already know that.
If I hadn¡¯t granted her the distortion skill, she would have been the one copsing under Jang Moo-geuk¡¯s ultimate technique.
Moreover, in a one-on-one situation, even the dark clouds wouldn¡¯t have been there, and the oue might have been decided even faster.
Perhaps that was why Seo Ye-in seemed subtly provoked.
The cold and sleepy look she had earlier mostly disappeared, and apetitive spirit now burned in her eyes.
Then she stepped closer and looked up at me intently.
¡°Kim Ho, special training.¡±
¡°Sure, should we do a special training session after a while?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go right now.¡±
Seo Ye-in, this human sloth incarnate, usually only trained when I forced her.
But now that she was showing rare enthusiasm, it was best to make the most of the opportunity.
As we walked together toward the training center, I pulled up my quest window.
[Side Quest: 14th Week Duel Battles] (Completed)
? Objective: Complete 2 duel matches (2/2 Wins)
? Reward: Random Rank Up x2
Currently, I had collected seven stamps.
Including the random rank up I received from Jeong Soo-ji, I had now three random rank ups. Using them all wouldplete the stamp coupon.
There was no reason to drag it out.
Might as well get it done right away.
Since random rank ups weren¡¯t influenced by external factors, the results would be the same no matter where I used them.
So, as we walked, I began using the random rank up scrolls one by one.
Fwoosh¡
[Rank Up failed.]
[Stamp Coupon (C)]
? Stamps: 8/10
¡°Of course.¡±
Since I hadn¡¯t expected much to begin with, I naturally moved on to the next random rank up, and Seo Ye-in watched the process with curious eyes.
sh!
A magic scroll lit up brightly.
But, as expected, the light quickly faded before scattering like dust.
Fwoosh¡
[Rank Up failed.]
? Stamps: 9/10
¡°Just one more to go.¡±
I used the final random rank up scroll and showed the stamp coupon to Seo Ye-in as I exined.
sh!
¡°When you fail ten times, this lets you exchange it for something else. I¡¯m going to use that to rank up a C-rank skill¡ª¡±
aaaaashh¡ª!
At that moment, the random rank up emitted an even brighter light, and the radiance surged into my body.
[Rank Up seeded!]
[The rank of ¡®Monarch¡¯ has increased: C ¡ú B.]
¡°¡ªbut it actually seeded.¡±
I hadn¡¯t expected it to work at all.
The odds of advancing from C to B were ridiculously low.
Moreover, Monarch was a trait that couldn¡¯t grow through conventional means. It required a rank up scroll to progress eventually.
This was like hitting the jackpot twice.
Seo Ye-in stared at me nkly for a moment before echoing the words I often said to her.
¡°That¡¯s cheating.¡±
¡°Right. Totally cheating.¡±
What a huge win.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 254: Shin Byeong-cheol’s Greatest Crisis
The training center.
The training room.
Seo Ye-in aimed her magic gun at the approaching iron dolls.
The muzzle continuously spewed bursts of blue fire.
Ratatatatata!
The magic bullets struck the iron dolls, triggering small explosions upon impact.
However, their bodies didn¡¯t bear so much as a scratch. Their durability had been set to an extremely high level after all.
The iron dolls that seemed to be unaffected by the barrage marched steadily forward with theirrge arms swinging toward Seo Ye-in.
Of course, she wasn¡¯t someone who would fall victim to such crude attacks.She skillfully weaved through their attacks and continued firing without hesitation.
Ratatatatata!
I thought to myself as I watched her.
At least the direction is clear now.
Through the match against the assassin duo, Seo Ye-in¡¯s strengths and weaknesses had be even more obvious.
Her offensive power was strong enough to take down any first-year student, but it was meaningless if her attacks didn¡¯tnd.
Even against Jang Moo-geuk, none of her shots hadnded squarely, with only a few grazing him lightly.
This highlighted a critical issue. Her utility was stillcking.
This weakness could bepensated for by acquiring secondary weapons, essories with bonus effects, or by learning new skills or traits.
But there¡¯s no need to rush.
Bullet Time or Ghost Dance-level utility skills weren¡¯t exactly easy toe by, and as for a secondary weapon, it was already in production by Hye-sung Group.
It would take about two weeks, they said.
For the time being, the direction was clear.
Rather than increasing variety, focus on building a solid foundation.
The priority was on ranking up existing skills.
Most of the skills Seo Ye-in had learned were stuck at C-rank, so consistent training would eventually allow her to reach B-rank, one skill at a time.
With that in mind, I added a few new traits to the iron dolls, such as enhanced durability and knockback resistance.
If she kept fighting them repeatedly, she¡¯d be able to train a wide range of skills and traits evenly.
Ratatatatata!
She¡¯s got a lot of energy today.
Seo Ye-in kept moving without pause.
Normally, her sloth-like stamina would have given out long ago, leaving her copsed on the ground, but today she wassting much longer than usual.
As expected, pitting her against promising students had proven effective.
Even Jang Moo-geuk, by the end of the match, seemed to have fired up hispetitive spirit.
Next time, I¡¯d try pairing her against Cha Hyeon-joo if the opportunity arose.
Meanwhile, my thoughts drifted elsewhere.
The n¡¯s gone a bit off track.
[Stamp Coupon (C)]
? Stamps: 9/10
The original n had been to use up all the Random Rank Ups andplete the Stamp Coupon.
Unexpectedly, though, [Monarch] had ranked up to B.
Of course, this kind of surprise was a wee one.
Obtaining another Random Rank Up wasn¡¯t exactly difficult.
Maybe I should ask the butler.
I hadn¡¯t yet contacted Ahn Jeong-mi.
If I told her that Seo Ye-in mastered Ghost Dance thanks to me, she would surely offer a generous reward, and perhaps she wouldn¡¯t mind throwing in a Random Rank Up as well.
Of course, the ¡°generous reward¡± was another matter entirely.
Should I ask for more poisonous herbs, or maybe¡.
I pondered the matter for a while.
***
The next day.
It was time for the strategy battle ss.
Seo Cheong-yong, as always, conducted the lesson with his warm and amiable smile.
The good news was that the ss was finally nearing its end.
The bad news was that he had assigned homework right at the end.
¡°¡ªSo, everyone, pick an F-rank boss dungeon and take some time to analyze it.¡±
¡°I heard Teacher Jo Ok-soon assigned a simr homework recently, so you can tackle both at the same time and finish it faster, right?¡±
Just as Seo Cheong-yong mentioned, Jo Ok-soon had given us an assignment in the Monster Ecology ss not long ago to investigate and analyze a boss monster.
Now, with the addition of the boss dungeon analysis, one couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this was mere coincidence.
Those with sharp intuition seemed to have caught on to the topic of the next strategy battle session, and their eyes shed with realization.
Seo Cheong-yong¡¯s smile appeared especially meaningful.
¡°Well then, that¡¯s it for today¡¯s ss. Enjoy your lunch!¡±
When Seo Cheong-yong left the ssroom, the students stood up in droves to follow.
But then, Song Cheon-hye and Han So-mi stood and addressed the room.
¡°Everyone, stay seated.¡±
¡°We will be checking your belongings right now!¡±
The bustling noise in the ssroom, which had been growing louder, quickly shifted into hushed murmurs.
The students quickly checked the ssroom door and windows, and sure enough, a translucent barrier had been set up.
It was arge-scale barrier spell cast by the academy.
This was a clear sign that an inspection, or the so-called ¡°Ban Wave¡± was underway.
They¡¯re starting early this time.
Typically, the second ban wave was carried out closer to the final exams.
That was when the highest number of students resorted to tricks to boost their grades.
But with about a month left before finals, this timing was unusually early.
This way, it¡¯s more effective.
Inspections were supposed to be unannounced.
If students could predict when they¡¯d happen, they¡¯d only be cautious at those times.
Meanwhile, a frantic whisper came from Shin Byeong-cheol who was seated diagonally across from me.
¡°Hey, hey, hey, help! Help!¡±
¡°What help?¡±
¡°Do you have anything? Something to hide?¡±
Back during the first ban wave at the start of the semester, I had hidden a bunch of high-grade prohibited items in the Cube of Life for him.
It seemed he was hoping for simr help this time, but I could only shake my head.
¡°I don¡¯t have any way. You know that.¡±
The Cube of Life had long since been transformed into a private vi for Bum.
And even if I still had it, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to use now.
The disciplinarymittee members were keeping an extremely close watch nearby.
In particr, Song Cheon-hye seemed to have marked the two of us as persons of interest with her gaze fixed on us the entire time.
¡°Are you really sure? Seriously?¡±
¡°Give it up. The guilty should submit quietly.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol was about to say something else when¡ª
Fzzzzt¡ª!
A barrier formed of electromaic waves appeared at one end of the ssroom.
The barrier swept rapidly to the opposite end, detected every prohibited item, and red warning lights shed throughout the room.
Some lights activated in the pockets of students¡¯ uniforms, while others activated in their desk drawers.
Additionally, on the foreheads of several students, a red ¡°I¡± appeared like a brand. This sign meant they had stored prohibited items in their inventories.
Shin Byeong-cheol was caught in both categories.
In particr, the mark on his forehead was so bright it was iparable to the others. This drew Han So-mi¡¯s curious gaze.
¡°Wow, his is so bright!¡±
¡°Be serious.¡±
Song Cheon-hye approached Shin Byeong-cheol with a mild scolding and issued hermand.
¡°Take everything out. Don¡¯t leave a single thing.¡±
The ¡°I¡± mark on the forehead wouldn¡¯t disappear as long as even one prohibited item remained in the inventory.
With no other choice, Shin Byeong-cheol began to reluctantly pull out his items one by one, while Song Cheon-hye promptly stored them in her own inventory.
By the time the mark on his forehead started to fade slightly, Shin Byeong-cheol hesitantly asked,
¡°Uh, Miss Song? How about calling it a day with this?¡±
¡°I said take everything out.¡±
Fzzzt.
A hummingbird formed of pure lightning flickered into existence at Song Cheon-hye¡¯s fingertips before vanishing.
It was a clear warning. If he resisted, he¡¯d get a taste of the hummingbird before everything was confiscated.
In the end, Shin Byeong-cheol had no choice but to empty out everyst item he had.
He brought so much.
Prohibited items kepting out endlessly.
To the point where even the onlookers were astonished.
Considering that most of the confiscated items belonged to the thieves club, the damage this time seemed substantial.
It was also easy to guess where Dang Gyu-yeong¡¯s anger would be directed.
Perhaps for that reason, Shin Byeong-cheol pleaded with a pitiful expression on his face.
¡°Aigoo, if you take everything like this~ how am I supposed to live~? At least leave me a little~¡±
¡°Sit down.¡±
Of course, his plea had no effect.
Song Cheon-hye cut him off firmly and decisively and then began circling the ssroom with Han So-mi.
They confiscated prohibited items from the remaining students and scanned their ID cards.
During the first ban wave, there had been those who resisted, but now, perhaps realizing the clear difference in strength between them and the disciplinarymittee members, everyone cooperated withoutint.
Once the inspection wasplete, Song Cheon-hye addressed the ss.
¡°Depending on the severity of the vitions, penalty points and disciplinary actions will be imposed. The details will be sent to you via message.¡±
¡°All done! Time to grab lunch~¡±
She then left the ssroom with Han So-mi waving her hand.
Since they were carrying a lot of high-risk items, it seemed they were heading straight to the disciplinarymittee room without dy.
¨C Murmur, murmur¡
The students began cautiously whispering among each other, and before long, the noise grew louder.
Most of them didn¡¯t carry prohibited items to begin with, and even if they were unlucky enough to have theirs confiscated, they just shrugged it off as bad luck and moved on.
Shin Byeong-cheol, however, wasn¡¯t in the same boat. He sat in his seat lifelessly, as if his soul had left his body.
After sitting dazed for quite some time, he finally regained a bit of hisposure and began furiously grabbing at his hair.
¡°Wow, they really took everything? I¡¯m totally screwed.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I told you to carry just a little at a time.¡±
¡°Dang-noonim is going to rip all my hair out. Am I going to go bald at this rate?¡±
¡°Wear a wig.¡±
It¡¯s not like you need hair to run a teahouse, right?
I answered indifferently while thinking to myself.
For the disciplinarymittee, this ban wave had allowed them to confiscate a pile of prohibited items, so they needed to store and manage those items until they could hand them over to the academic side.
However, any task carried out by people inevitably leaves room for small orrge oversights, and it¡¯s in the nature of thieves to exploit those gaps.
Simply put,
They¡¯ll be heading to the temporary storage again this time.
The likelihood of a break-in event at the temporary storage was very high.
So the first thing I needed to do was,
I should borrow the cube.
The hidden effect of the Cube of Life.
If you ce prohibited items inside, it can evade detection by ban waves or simr detection spells.
Therefore, it was worth seeking permission from the Mother Nature Club to borrow it for a few days.
With that thought in mind, I left the ssroom and headed to the neighboring ss.
Since the ban wave had been conducted across the entire grade, the atmosphere in the next ss was simrly chaotic.
In the meantime, Park Na-ri was dutifully serving as a punching bag for the mini tiger Bum.
Of course, unwillingly.
¡°B-Bum, stop hitting me, please stop.¡±
¡°Meow!¡±
Bum continued to throw soft paw punches repeatedly.
Whether something had rubbed him the wrong way or he simply felt like hitting something, who could say?
But soon enough, he noticed someone approaching, turned his head in this direction, and spotted me.
¡°Meow.¡±
¡°Hello, Bum.¡±
Bum leaped down from the desk and approached me but stopped a short distance away before hesitating.
It seemed he recalled the time during the cial environment duel battle when I had shoved him back with Wind Force and chilled him with Chillwind.
However, as I stood still, he gradually let his guard down and finally came closer, then rubbed his forehead against my knee.
¡°Meow.¡±
¡°I brought snacks.¡±
By chance, one of the specialties from the Gathering of Viins could serve as a treat for cats.
It was dried fish.
When I broke it into small pieces and offered it to him, he eagerly epted and gobbled it up.
With him upied, I brought up the main topic.
¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask you.¡±
¡°Meow.¡±
Bum responded while crunching on the dried fish.
If I were to trante his reaction, it might be something like, ¡°Go on, let¡¯s hear it.¡±
So I spoke.
¡°Could I borrow the cube for a bit?¡±
The dried fish slipped from Bum¡¯s mouth.
He stared up at me with a serious expression as if to say:
¨C What did you just say?
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and
continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
Chapter 255: The Challenge
It was a reaction I had somewhat anticipated.
For Bum, the Cube of Life was practically like his own private vi.
From his perspective, it was as if an acquaintance he barely knew suddenly asked, ¡°Hey, mind if I crash at your vi for a couple of days?¡±
Of course, I had already prepared some persuasive arguments.
¡°I¡¯m not asking to borrow it for free. I¡¯ll pay you rent.¡±
¡°..¡?¡±
Bum raised his little paw as if to attack, but then put it down again.
It seemed he wanted to hear me out before deciding.
¡°Hasn¡¯t your vi been getting a lot of scratchestely?¡±¡°Meow.¡±
¡°It¡¯s about time for a remodel, don¡¯t you think?¡±
¡°Meow¡¡±
At present, I was the only one capable of maintaining the Cube of Life.
Repairing magical engineering items wasn¡¯t particrly difficult, but for Bong Jae-seok and the other members of the Magic Engineering Club, the Cube of Life was a difficult object.
They hadn¡¯t fully figured it out yet, and messing with it carelessly could lead to unexpected problems.
¡°Meow¡¡±
Bum seemed interested.
If it can be remodeled neatly in exchange for leaving the vi for only two days, wouldn¡¯t it be a good deal?
When I felt that he was almost convinced, I delivered the final blow.
I pulled out a handful of dried fish. These were the same specialty from the Gathering of Viins which Bum had been munching on earlier.
¡°Just snack on this for a few days. I¡¯ll return it to you as good as new.¡±
¡°Meow.¡±
Bum gave a short reply before resuming his nibbling on the dried fish.
It was his way of agreeing to my proposal.
Having resolved the biggest hurdle, I turned my gaze to Park Na-ri next.
¡°He¡¯s fine with it. What about you?¡±
Park Na-ri stared at me with wide eyes, as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she had just witnessed.
Perhaps she hadn¡¯t expected me to sessfully negotiate with Bum.
But when I continued looking at her, she dropped her gaze diagonally and stammered nervously.
¡°If, if Bum¡¯s okay with it, th-then I¡¯m fine too.¡±
The reason I asked Bum first was simple.
After all, I needed the consent of both the owner and the resident.
If I had asked Park Na-ri first, she would¡¯ve likely said something like, ¡°We should check with Bum first¡¡±
Such is the exhausting life of a caretaker.
Park Na-ri cautiously asked.
¡°H-How long are you nning to borrow it for¡?¡±
¡°About two days should be enough. You don¡¯t need it this week, right?¡±
¡°M-Mhmm ¡ The duel battles are all done anyway¡¡±
Park Na-ri wasn¡¯t the type to go around challenging people to duel battles, and her magic training was something she usually did without the Cube.
That meant she could lend it to me until the next strategy week.
¡°S-So¡ what are you going to use it for?¡±.
¡°For research. And to help out Senior Bong while I¡¯m at it.¡±
It wasn¡¯t a lie.
Bong Jae-seok had recently started asking for help more often.
Hiding prohibited items is not something you want to make public.
Unless the other side somehow discovered it by chance, I nned to keep it confidential.
Although Park Na-ri wasn¡¯t the type to break school rules, I couldn¡¯t say the same for the members of the Mother Nature Club.
Even their leader Ha Soo-yeon had a subtle, scheming side to her like a tactician.
If the Cube was used too openly, it could draw attention, and there was a risk the repercussions might reach both me and Dang Gyu-young.
Perhaps the exnation about using it for research convinced her because Park Na-ri pulled the Cube of Life out of her inventory and emptied its contents.
I epted the Cube and handed her a specialty product set from the Gathering of Viins.
¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll use it carefully and return it clean.¡±
¡°M-Mhmm¡¡±
¡°Meow.¡±
Even then, Bum who had been busily chewing on dried fish lifted his head and let out a sound as if to say,
¨C Take good care of the remodeling.
***
After securing the Cube, I busied myself with tasks while waiting for a message.
Because of the sudden ban wave, the thieves¡¯ club would need some time to assess the situation.
Like before, I helped Seo Ye-in with her training, and while I was at it, I practiced wind-type magic like Wind Barrier.
Just as expected, a message arrived.
[Dang Gyu-young: (Waving Fox emoji)]
[Dang Gyu-young: Where are you?]
[Kim Ho: (Waving Fox emoji)]
[Kim Ho: At the training center.]
[Dang Gyu-young: Let¡¯s talk for a bit.]
[Kim Ho: Ok.]
Seo Ye-in¡¯s sloth battery seemed to be running low, so we decided to wrap up her training session.
¡°That¡¯s enough for today.¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
Seo Ye-in stared at me for a moment, then tilted her head slightly as if she was puzzled by something.
But soon, she gave a small wave and began walking toward the dormitory.
I watched her retreating figure for a moment before I too started moving toward the meeting spot.
The second-floor terrace of the convenience store.
Dang Gyu-young was already there sitting with drinks prepared for both of us.
As usual, she had a sweettte with plenty of cream.
When I sat down next to her, she met my gaze and smiled silently.
¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±
¡°Just because.¡±
She kept staring at me with a yful smile as if there was something on my face, so I decided to break the silence first.
¡°What happened to Byeong-cheol?¡±
¡°Oh, Byeong-cheol.¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s expression shifted to indifference as she replied in a casual tone,
¡°He was expelled for causing significant damage to the club.¡±
¡°I see.¡±
I had a feeling things weren¡¯t going well for him, and it turned out I was right.
Then, Dang Gyu-young rxed her expression and let out a smallugh.
¡°Kidding. We¡¯re not that petty. If something gets stolen, we just steal it back. No big deal, right?¡±
¡°You really do have a unique way of thinking.¡±
¡°You were mocking me just now, weren¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Just a little.¡±
She gave me a sideways nce, then sipped hertte through the straw.
After taking a sip, she continued,
¡°Still, we should recover what¡¯s ours.¡±
¡°Are we going? To the temporary storage?¡±
¡°Absolutely.¡±
¡°When are you nning to go?¡±
¡°Probably tomorrow night.¡±
Infiltrating the temporary storage was always a race against time.
If you dyed too long, the disciplinarymittee would hand over the prohibited items to the academic side, and once those confiscated items were transferred to the storage facility, retrieving them would be nearly impossible.
The disciplinarymittee too would tighten their defenses the more time they had to prepare.
That was why acting quickly was ideal. However, with all the preparations required on this side, tonight would be too soon. Tomorrow night was set as the deadline.
It was a reasonable n, and I nodded my head in agreement.
Then I asked the next crucial question.
¡°Where is the temporary storage this time?¡±
¡°Look at this. These guys are seriously unbelievable.¡±
Dang Gyu-young let out a dryugh as she showed me a few photos.
They were images captured from the surveince crystal balls installed around the downtown area.
In the photos, members of the disciplinarymittee were loitering near a particr building.
The sight of that building struck me as very familiar.
It was the same ce I had visited multiple times during the ck Market event.
The C-Exchange.
¡°Looks like they¡¯re recycling it.¡±
¡°Yeah, it does.¡±
Each exchange had been equipped by our graduates with passage techniques and disruption formations.
While the passage techniques may have long lost their effect over time, there was a high chance the disruption formations remained intact.
The disciplinarymittee appeared to be restoring those formations for their own security purposes.
Their intent was tantly clear.
Setting the temporary storage at the old school building as before would have been much safer, yet they deliberately chose the downtown area.
And using the same tricks that the thieves¡¯ club had employed at the ck Market?
¡°It¡¯s a challenge.¡±
¡°They¡¯re basically daring us to try.¡±
A formal rematch challenge.
If you looked purely in terms of pure results, this year¡¯s ck Market was a resounding victory for the thieves club.
Things had been fairly bnced in the back-and-forth struggle until the Elder from the Blood Sect appeared, forcing the entire disciplinarymittee to mobilize to contain the situation.
After that, they could do nothing but watch as prohibited items were traded in abundance. It was a humiliating blow from the disciplinarymittee¡¯s perspective.
Naturally, they had spent time sharpening their knives in preparation, and when the moment was right, theyunched a surprise ban wave, dealing a significant blow to the thieves club.
Now, it seemed they intended to lure us into their trap with this challenge, aiming to p us with penalty points and disciplinary actions.
¡°This does seem pretty shady.¡±
¡°Mhmm, it¡¯spletely shady.¡±
¡°Looks like a trap no matter how you look at it.¡±
¡°An obvious trap.¡±
We couldn¡¯t help but exchange small, knowingughs.
¡°You¡¯re still going, though, aren¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Of course. No question about it. You¡¯reing too, right?¡±
¡°Absolutely. No question.¡±
To make smoother progress on the main quest, I needed to power up as much as possible.
For the sake of world peace, sometimes breaking a few school rules was inevitable.
Dang Gyu-young leaned in and lowered her voice slightly.
¡°So, you know¡ that cube? Can you borrow it for me tomorrow?¡±
The Cube of Life was a guaranteed way to smuggle out any prohibited item ced inside it.
It was practically a game-breaking item for infiltrating the temporary storage.
But the owner of the cube was Park Nari.
Since Dang Gyu-young had no real connection with her, asking to borrow it would undoubtedly be awkward.
The first thing that woulde to Park Nari¡¯s mind would be: ¡°Why does the president of the thieves club need a life-type item?¡±
I smiled and casually ced the cube on the table.
¡°This one?¡±
¡°¡Wait, what? You already borrowed it?¡±
¡°Call it intuition.¡±
Then Dang Gyu-young leaned toward me and began roughly ruffling my hair and cheeks.
¡°Aww¡ªour Kim Ho, how can you be so clever? You¡¯re just too cute. Too cute, I swear.¡±
I could understand how Dang Gyu-young felt, but I still wanted to finish the conversation we were having.
So I subtly leaned my body to the opposite side and asked,
¡°But what about the rest? Just having the cube won¡¯t be enough.¡±
Using the cube to store prohibited items was only possible after reaching the temporary storage.
If we got caught by the disciplinarymittee before then, it would all be for nothing.
On top of that, there was no way to know what awaited inside C Exchange, which was upied by the disciplinarymittee members.
Whether their members would be lying in wait or if additional traps had been set beyond the formations, no one could tell.
Navigating that middle stage was up to the thieves¡¯ club.
Dang Gyu-young countered with a question.
¡°For now, Kim Ho, you can break through the formations, right?¡±
¡°Most of them, yes.¡±
¡°Knew it. That makes things much more doable.¡±
Thanks to my stagnant water sense, I could pinpoint the weak points in most formations and break through them.
Even the disruption formation that a graduate had once installed at C Exchange had been easy enough for me to handle. Even if the disciplinarymittee had reinforced it, the result would likely be the same.
Even so, there were still mountains of issues to deal with, but Dang Gyu-young grinned confidently.
¡°This time, we¡¯ve got reinforcements. Go ahead and put that in for now.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
When it came to the Cube of Life, the fewer people who knew about it, the better.
So I stored it in my inventory as Dang Gyu-young sent a message to someone.
Not long after, as if they had been waiting nearby, two third-year seniors appeared and joined us.
One of them was a familiar face. It was Hong Ye-hwa, the president of the Ruby Magic Tower.
The other was a man wearing sses with an intellectual air about him.
Hong Ye-hwa greeted us with a faint smile and a wave, while the man in sses nced at me briefly before turning to Dang Gyu-young and asking,
¡°Is this the first-year you mentioned?¡±
¡°Yeah, that first-year.¡±
I wasn¡¯t entirely sure what ¡°that first-year¡± was supposed to mean.
Still, judging by the attitude of the two seniors, it seemed Dang Gyu-young had told them I would be ying a significant role.
I bowed my head first as a greeting.
¡°Hello, seniors. My name is Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Jeong Chong-myeong.¡±
The man replied with a brief introduction of his own. Then Dang Gyu-young added an additionalment.
¡°He¡¯s the president of the White Magic Club.¡±
The White Magic Club was arge organization rivaling the Swordsmanship Club in influence.
And now, its president has joined our operation to infiltrate the temporary storage.
Chapter 256: Book of Chaos
The Magic Tower Association only recognized members belonging to Magic Towers, such as Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald.
In contrast, the White Magic Club allowed anyone to join as long as they had learned White Magic regardless of their affiliation. Much like the Swordsmanship Club.
Furthermore, the club permitted dual membership which meant that many mages from the Magic Tower Association also had one foot in the White Magic Club.
Even Hong Ye-hwa standing right in front of me was the president of the Ruby Magic Tower but seemed closely tied to the White Magic Club.
There was always a significant reason when influential figures like these supported a group like the thieves club, and I could guess that reason was almost certainly prohibited items.
Jeong Chong-myeong adjusted his sses, nced at me briefly, and then asked Dang Gyu-young,
¡°Did you tell him?¡±
¡°Not yet, I was about to.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±Jeong Chong-myeong turned to me and asked,
¡°Kim Ho, do you know what the [Book of Chaos] is?¡±
¡°Yes, I do.¡±
The Book of Chaos.
It was a bookposed of dozens of magic scrolls called [Scrolls of Chaos] that were bound together into one volume.
Each scroll could be torn out and used individually, and its effects were:
Increasing the uncertainty of a dungeon.
The dungeon¡¯s storyline could deviate from its established structure, the terrain might change, or mutant monsters could appear. Basically, the variables increased dramatically.
Of course, the additional rewards made it worthwhile to take the risk.
With every dungeon raid, there was potential to earn additional rewards dozens of times over. This was why it was managed at the club level.
However, this uncertainty couldn¡¯t be controlled at will, and sometimes the dungeon¡¯s difficulty would skyrocket.
For example, if someone tore a Scroll of Chaos in a C-rank dungeon and its difficulty suddenly rose to A-rank,
Everyone dies.
Of course, the chances of that happening were infinitesimally low, but since lives were at stake here, the academy couldn¡¯t afford to take even the smallest risk lightly.
That¡¯s why the Book of Chaos was registered on the list of prohibited items.
Jeong Chong-myeong continued speaking.
¡°Well, that makes things easier. No need for further exnations. The Book of Chaos has fallen into the hands of the disciplinarymittee.¡±
Originally, the Book of Chaos was supposed to pass from the White Magic Club to the Ruby Mage Tower.
However, the member tasked with transporting it had carelessly stored it in their inventory and got caught in a sudden ban wave that activated without warning.
This time, I was the one to ask a question.
¡°Can¡¯t you recover it through other means, senior-nim?¡±
¡°Of course we can. But there¡¯s no rush for that.¡±
The White Magic Club, being asrge as it was, also had considerable influence, so if they bargained properly with the disciplinarymittee, they might be able to get a prohibited item or two back.
Even so, negotiation had been relegated to n B. There was enough time to spare, and there was always a slim chance the talks could fall through.
Naturally, n A involved coborating with the thieves club.
It was a reasonable decision, so I nodded my head in understanding.
¡°I see. Understood.¡±
¡°I think that covers the general overview. Let¡¯s move on to the details.¡±
At that, Dang Gyu-young spread out photos of the C-Exchange building, maps of the surrounding area, and blueprints of the buildings on the table.
Jeong Chong-myeong carefully examined them before speaking.
¡°You secured the surveince?¡±
¡°Yes, Da-bin did the hard work.¡±
Thanks to Chae Da-bin¡¯s exceptional magical engineering skills, she had obtained ess to the surveince crystal balls installed in the downtown area.
This had been done during the ck Market event too, though Jeong Chong-myeong and Hong Ye-hwa had no way of knowing that, which gave Dang Gyu-young an opportunity to subtly take credit.
¡°If the surveince is secured, then¡.¡±
Jeong Chong-myeong narrowed his eyes as he stared at the sketch of the area near the C-Exchange, then pointed to a building a little farther away.
¡°We¡¯ll provide support from here.¡±
¡°This distance should be fine.¡±
Hong Ye-hwa agreed with a nod.
The n was to provide support from a distance using battery-type mages.
Too close and they risked being discovered by the disciplinarymittee, but too far and the effect of their magic would diminish. They chose a ce that struck the right bnce.
Dang Gyu-young spoke up.
¡°Do whatever works best. Long-range support is fine at this distance, but I¡¯d like to have a few all-rounders join us too.¡±
It was important to prepare for the possibility of encountering the disciplinarymittee inside the C-Exchange.
Even just two or three members of the second or third-year disciplinarymittee could easily overwhelm the club members from the thieves club.
Jeong Chong-myeong seemed to think the suggestion made sense. After mulling it over, he named two people.
¡°What about Gyeol-woo and Han-gil?¡±
¡°That¡¯s perfect.¡±
A satisfied smile immediately appeared on Dang Gyu-young¡¯s lips.
The two of them must be quite skilled for her to react this way.
Since we would meet soon anyway, I didn¡¯t bother asking about them.
The discussion then shifted to how we would enter the C-Exchange building, how we would move once inside, and how we would make our escape afterward.
In the midst of these discussions, my role was also brought up.
¡°So, you¡¯re saying this guy can break through formations?¡±
¡°I¡¯m telling you, his instincts are spot on.¡±
Dang Gyu-young said confidently.
Despite her assurance, Jeong Chong-myeong and Hong Ye-hwa still seemed a bit skeptical.
The formation had been set up by graduates and reinforced by the third-year members of the disciplinarymittee, so it was no wonder that they doubted that a first-year could break through it.
However, Jeong Jong-myeong soon rxed his expression as if he had decided to put his doubts aside.
¡°You wouldn¡¯t rmend him without reason. I¡¯ll trust you this time. But, Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim?¡±
¡°You¡¯re unaffiliated, right? Not part of the thieves club?¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯m unaffiliated.¡±
Dang Gyu-young pursed her lips in dissatisfaction but didn¡¯t bother to make up a lie.
If she did, I might somehow end up beingbeled as ¡°Kim Ho, the honorary member of the thieves club¡±, so it was best not to leave any room for that.
Jeong Chong-myeong continued.
¡°The retrieval of the Book of Chaos is an official request. We¡¯ve also promised a reward to the thieves club for their help.¡±
¡°But since you¡¯re not part of their group, it¡¯s only right that you getpensated separately. If you have something in mind, name it.¡±
Of course, there was something I wanted.
More urately, the thought had only just urred to me.
¡°If it¡¯s alright, I¡¯d like to use the Book of Chaos a few times.¡±
¡°¡That¡¯s something we only share with members.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking for it as my reward.¡±
I was implying that exceptions could also be considered part of thepensation.
At this, Jeong Chong-myeong turned his gaze toward Hong Ye-hwa.
Since the Book of Chaos was ultimately destined to be handed over to the Ruby Magic Tower, it was only natural to leave the decision to its current president.
Hong Ye-hwa didn¡¯t seem particrly opposed to the idea, but she appeared intent on settling the finer details first.
¡°How many times are you thinking?¡±
¡°Twice should be enough.¡±
¡°Twice might be reasonable.¡±
Hong Ye-hwa added a condition.
¡°You can use it as long as it doesn¡¯t ovep with our raids.¡±
¡°I can adjust for that.¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s do it that way.¡±
The two mages readily epted my proposal.
Since it was an item with dozens of uses avable, just two wouldn¡¯t mean much to them.
Of course, from my perspective, even just two uses were an incredibly valuable opportunity.
Because what mattered wasn¡¯t how many times it was used.
What matters is where it¡¯s used.
I had already tested the Book of Chaos in every conceivable way.
***
The following evening.
The downtown area.
Just like during the previous infiltration of the temporary storage, I wore a mask and a ck stealth outfit.
Dang Gyu-young and the other members of the thieves club were dressed in a simr way.
As we continued walking, we finally arrived at a building across from the C Exchange.
It was the location Jeong Chong-myeong had marked on the map, where the White Magic Club would provide support.
Sure enough, when we climbed to the rooftop of the building, several mages cloaked in robes were waiting there.
They all turned their heads at the sound of our footsteps, but when they realized that we were allies, Jeong Chong-myeong came over to us.
He directed his question to Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Nothing unusual, right?¡±
¡°It¡¯s been quiet so far.¡±
I cast a casual nce beyond the rooftop edge.
The disciplinarymittee members had positioned themselves at a certain distance around the C Exchange.
Most of them were first- or second-year students, and among them, Jo Byeok and Han So-mi stood out.
However, ording to Chae Da-bin who had been keeping watch through her crystal balls, there were no further movements.
This meant that while they might know about tonight¡¯s n to infiltrate the temporary storage, they didn¡¯t know about the detailed strategy.
Jeong Chong-myeong gave a small nod of his chin and called out a few names.
¡°Alright. Han Gyeo-wool, Choi Han-gil.¡±
At his call, a female student and a male student who both looked to be third-years stepped forward.
They seemed to be the all-rounders mentioned during the strategy meeting.
Judging by the atmosphere, Han Gyeo-wool likely belonged to the Sapphire Magic Tower, and Choi Han-gil to the Guild Union.
Choi Han-gil gave us a quick once-over before asking Dang Gyu-young.
¡°When are we going?¡±
¡°As soon as you¡¯re ready.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve been ready for ages.¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s head out now.¡±
With that, Dang Gyu-young nced at the thieves, and they naturally split into two groups. Most joined the mages, while a smaller number came to our side.
The roles had already been assigned.
The first group would stay behind to help conceal the mages as much as possible and assist with evacuation in case of an emergency.
The second group, of course, would infiltrate the C Exchange with us.
The lineup was nearly identical to thest mission, with the addition of Choi Han-gil and Han Gyeo-wool, and Chae Da-bin taking on the role of control tower.
The team included the twins, the male student with the short wand, and Shin Byeong-cheol.
As we descended the stairs, Dang Gyu-young contacted Chae Da-bin.
¡°Da-bin.¡±
¨C Yes, President.
¡°We¡¯re about to go in.¡±
¨C The direction at eight o¡¯clock looks weak.
Chae Da-bin¡¯s view through the crystal balls was broader than ours at the scene.
Following her guidance, we moved stealthily.
The C Exchange was a four-story abandoned building that looked like a small shopping mall.
Simr buildings of the same height surrounded it.
Since the disciplinarymittee closely guarded the area, it was almost impossible to enter from the ground floor. The n was to cross from the second or third floor of a neighboring building.
Of course, the disciplinarymittee had likely anticipated this and might have prepared some form of countermeasures.
Before stepping inside, Dang Gyu-young stopped the group and gave Choi Han-gil a subtle nod.
After a swift chant, faint waves of mana rippled outward from around him.
He had cast a detection spell.
¡°One person on the roof, another on the second floor¡ they¡¯re moving upward.¡±
¡°Any traps or rm spells?¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol and the male student with the wand answered this question.
¡°None, noonim.¡±
¡°There aren¡¯t any.¡±
¡°Good. Let¡¯s go.¡±
At Dang Gyu-young¡¯s signal, everyone rushed into the building. We climbed the stairs cautiously and reached the second floor.
There were no signs of the disciplinarymittee, but like Choi Han-gil had mentioned, it seemed they had moved further up.
Still, there was no telling when they might return, so we had to act quickly.
When we moved toward the windows, the C Exchange came into full view.
From there, Dang Gyu-young contacted Jeong Chong-myeong this time.
¡°We¡¯re in. Can you run a scan for us?¡±
¨C Wait a minute.
A short reply came through, and while waiting, the members of the thieves club began preparing to cross over.
Shin Byeong-cheol shot a ck rope toward the C Exchange and secured it to the windowsill, while the male student with the wand neutralized the rm spells set up nearby.
At the same time, Dang Gyu-young summoned shadows and prepared her skill.
Soon, a discreet magic circle formed in one corner of the C Exchange building.
sh!
For a brief moment, it felt as if the entire building glowed blue.
Jeong Chong-myeong had scanned the building with arge-scale spell.
There was a risk that the disciplinarymittee might notice, but it was a better option than barging in blindly.
As Dang Gyu-young listened to the detailed internal information being ryed, she frowned as if she sensed something unusual.
¡°What? There are way too few of them.¡±
Where did the rest go?
Chapter 257: Breakthrough
Chapter 257: Breakthrough
At the same time.
Kwak Seung-jae was walking through the forest in the dead of night, pushing through the underbrush.
The faint almost inaudible sound of footsteps on either side told him he wasn¡¯t alone.
I knew something was off.
The first time he sensed this unease was at the ck Market.
The thieves club¡¯s behavior this year was drastically different from the previous one.
Normally, they wouldn¡¯t even be noticeable, and on the rare asions they were discovered, they slipped away like eels and vanished without a trace.
It felt as if they were watching his every move and acting ordingly.
If that were true, what could they possibly be using to observe him¡?¡Crystal balls.
Could they be using surveince crystal balls?
When he reconsidered this hypothesis, so many things began to align perfectly.
This year, Dang Gyu-young had been heavily relying on Chae Da-bin, and with her genius-level magical engineering skills, such a feat was entirely possible.
From the perspective of the disciplinarymittee, this posed a very serious problem.
If we don¡¯t solve this, we¡¯ll be constantly outmaneuvered.
Whether or not they had clear surveince was a monumental difference in information.
The thieves club would always stay one step ahead, and even the disciplinarymittee¡¯s dyed responses would likely be anticipated.
Neutralizing Chae Da-bin had thus be one of the disciplinarymittee¡¯s key objectives for this operation.
In some respects, it was as high a priority as guarding the temporary storage.
The disciplinarymittee also had several members skilled in intelligence work.
By deploying all of them to track her down, they managed to pinpoint Chae Da-bin¡¯s approximate location, which was why they were now advancing through the dense foliage.
There it is.
Eventually, a dpidated three-story building came into Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s view.
The ss windows were all shattered, and ivy covered its walls, so it was clearly an abandoned building.
But Kwak Seung-jae and the other disciplinarymittee members were certain they had found the right ce.
Members of the thieves¡¯ club stood guard around the building and on the roof.
Some were concealed, but they couldn¡¯t escape Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s notice.
At that moment, one of the thieves spotted the disciplinarymittee members and widened his eyes in rm.
Just as he opened his mouth to shout,
¡°Se¡ª!¡±
A member of the disciplinarymittee dashed forward like lightning and subdued him.
Another member fired a crossbow bolt toward the rooftop,
Crackle!
The thief on the roof, who had been scanning the area, copsed as if hit by a jolt of electricity and his body stiffened.
Following Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s signal, the rest of the disciplinarymittee members began silently taking down the remaining thieves.
¡°Guhk.¡±
¡°Ugh.¡±
The student disciplinarymittee was a groupposed of the most skilled students in the Dragon yer Academy.
Even among them, those participating in this operation were an elite selection of the best.
As a result, the thieves were taken down in quick session. They couldn¡¯t even scream before falling.
Soon, one of the disciplinarymittee members approached Kwak Seung-jae and reported.
¡°All clear. Shall we proceed?¡±
Kwak Seung-jae gave a slight nod to signal his approval, then stared at the abandoned building as he spoke.
¡°Using surveince crystal balls for personal gain is a serious vition of school rules and a criminal act. Everyone involved should be punished. Apprehend them without exception.¡±
The members of the disciplinarymittee leaped effortlessly to the second and third floors. They shattered the partially broken windows as they entered the building.
Crash¡ª!
***
¨C We¡¯ve been exposed.
¡°What? Who¡¯s here?¡±
¨C ¡¡.
Dang Gyu-young asked in shock, but there was no reply from Chae Da-bin.
It was likely that they could no longer maintainmunication.
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s expression turned bitter.
¡°Damn it¡ We got hit hard.¡±
As expected, they weren¡¯t an easy opponent.
The disciplinarymittee wasposed of carefully selected elites. Someone must have suspected the crystal balls, and from there, they had tracked them step by step until they finally caught a lead.
Judging by the fact that Kwak Seung-jae had yet to appear, it seemed like he was the one behind the n.
They struck us precisely where it hurts.
Dang Gyu-young too understood the significance of the control tower. That¡¯s why during the ck Market event, she had stationed not one but two graduates there.
But now, with no help from the control tower, there was no way to counter the disciplinarymittee if they pushed in.
Even so, abandoning the control tower wasn¡¯t an option either, as it would drastically reduce the sess rate of this operation. For Dang Gyu-young, there was no choice but to use it, even if it had weaknesses.
And Kwak Seung-jae had exploited that weakness with ruthless precision.
Even though the situation was bad, Dang Gyu-young knew she needed to share the information with her allies. She establishedmunication with Jeong Chong-myeong.
¡°Da-bin¡¯s out. Looks like Kwak Seung-jae went after her.¡±
¨C ¡I thought so. I guess we¡¯ll have to assume we¡¯re blind now.
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¨C So, what¡¯s the n?
Jeong Chong-myeong left the decision to Dang Gyu-young.
They could either proceed without surveince or pull out now.
But the answer had already been decided.
A grin tugged at the corner of Dang Gyu-young¡¯s lips.
¡°This is all or nothing. We¡¯re seeing it through, if only for Da-bin¡¯s sake.¡±
¨C I figured you¡¯d say that. Get ready.
Themunication ended there.
While waiting, Dang Gyu-young made one final check.
She pointed to the rope connecting the building¡¯s window to the C Exchange building.
¡°The rope¡¯s secure, right?¡±
¡°Of course. It¡¯s not breaking, no matter what.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol stomped down on the rope repeatedly as if to prove a point, but it didn¡¯t budge an inch.
When it came to setting up and dismantling equipment, he really pulled his weight.
Before Dang Gyu-young could ask her next question, the male student with the wand answered first.
¡°All the spells have been dispelled. At the very least, the area is clear now.¡±
¡°Good. Let¡¯s move in as soon as they make their move.¡±
Not long after, a powerful surge of mana rippled through the air.
The White Magic Club had made their move.
Even from a significant distance, the intensity was so strong it was easy to imagine the sheer magnitude of the magic¡¯s power.
Next, huge magic circles appeared above the C Exchange building, one after another, releasing a series of engraved spells in session.
Whoooooooooooosh¡ª!
The entire building was first engulfed in a purple color, then shifted to yellow, then dark green, and eventually froze solid.
The intent was clear. It was to incapacitate the disciplinarymittee members inside or, at the very least, stack debuffs on them.
If the magic had been designed to cause lethal damage, the entire building would have been wiped out without a trace, but they had obviously held back.
If anyone were injured, it could escte into a bigger issue, and if the building copsed and prohibited items were lost, it would all go to waste.
¡°An attack¡ª!¡±
Someone who was likely a disciplinarymittee member shouted.
Then again, with suchrge-scale spells being unleashed all at once, anyone who wasn¡¯t blind would have noticed by now.
Of course, the White Magic Club hadn¡¯t yed all their cards yet.
Cracks began forming around the perimeter of the C Exchange building, releasing a flood of elemental spirits¡ªfire, ice, lightning, and more¡ªwho surged forward to engage the disciplinarymittee members in battle.
In an instant, the entire area descended into chaos.
However, it was certain that this situation wouldn¡¯t remain one-sided for long.
Once the control tower was secured, the main forces of the disciplinarymittee would immediately converge here.
On top of that, Kwak Seung-jae had the absurd ability to transport himself and others with a wooden door.
There was no time to waste, so Dang Gyu-young gave a shortmand.
¡°Gather.¡±
[Shadow Sanctuary]
Shadows surged from beneath her feet before spreading like ink and enveloping the group.
¡°Move out.¡±
In that state, we stepped onto the rope one by one.
We ran quickly like acrobats to reach the window of the C Exchange. Then we cut out the whole window frame and slipped in.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Dang Gyu-young and the all-rounder mages heightened their vignce and scanned their surroundings carefully.
Once they confirmed there was no sign of the disciplinarymittee members, Dang Gyu-young gestured with her hand.
¡°Advance.¡±
ording to the detection magic Jeong Chong-myeong had cast earlier, the building¡¯s internal structure was the same as it had been during the ck Market event.
It seemed they hadn¡¯t remodeled the ce.
The most crucial area, the temporary storage room, was located on the top floor which was the fourth floor.
Since we had entered from the second floor of the adjacent building, it was only natural that we¡¯d need to use the stairs to go up.
As we moved quickly, Dang Gyu-young who was leading the group suddenly came to a halt and called out to me.
¡°Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°We¡¯ve hit a formation.¡±
Sure enough, I felt an unsettling sensation emanating from up ahead.
If we had pressed forward blindly, we would have wasted time wandering aimlessly.
As nned, this was my task to handle.
I stepped forward and spoke.
¡°Tie us all together.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s shadow stretched into the form of a rope and connected the group in a single file, like a train.
She then gave instructions.
¡°Ignore everything else; just follow the direction the rope pulls.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°Yes, noonim.¡±
Choi Han-gil and Shin Byeong-cheol replied.
When I took a few steps forward, the corridor shimmered and split into two.
Of course, using my stagnant water senses, I knew both paths were wrong. The correct choice was to go straight.
I ignored the split and kept walking, and just as I was about to hit the wall, the two paths merged again of their own ord.
After taking a few more steps, the corridor stretched out and abruptly twisted to the left.
However, I stopped in ce and refused to move. After a few seconds, the corridor seemed to realize it wasn¡¯t working and returned to its original state.
Just observe carefully and move through.
After that, I continued to rely on my stagnant water senses and quickly advanced, and in no time, I had broken through the formation.
Shin Byeong-cheol exaggerated his amazement as he mimicked Go Hyun-woo¡¯s voice.
¡°Hoho, Kim-hyung¡¯s sharp eye is truly remarkable. To break through such a tricky formation so effortlessly!¡±
¡°Hey, Shin Byeong-cheol. Is now the time to be joking around?¡±
Dang Gyu-young scolded, but I simply chuckled.
¡°What¡¯s wrong? It lightens the mood. I think it¡¯s nice.¡±
¡°Take my side.¡±
¡°Byeong-cheol, are you here for a pic?¡±
¡°Pfft, haha!¡±
However, we all quickly stopped chatting when we spotted a staircase not far ahead.
We approached little by little with our guard up, but we noticed there was still no sign of the disciplinarymittee.
Dang Gyu-young seemed slightly deted.
¡°Seriously, how have wee this far without seeing a single one of them?¡±
Through Jeong Chong-myeong¡¯s scan, we confirmed that there were very few people inside. Even those few must have been affected by therge-scale magic cast by the White Magic Club.
Still, having made it this far, we should have encountered at least one of them by now.
This isn¡¯t good news.
If they weren¡¯t here, it most likely meant they were near the temporary storage.
Perhaps others had reached the same conclusion, as the atmosphere grew even heavier.
In contrast, Choi Han-gil ced his foot on the staircase without much concern.
¡°What¡¯s the point of worrying? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re turning back now.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head in agreement and began climbing the stairs with the rest of the group.
But just as we passed the third floor and stepped onto the stairs leading to the fourth, we froze in ce as soon as we looked upward.
A female student was standing there while calmly gazing down at us.
On her arm was the disciplinarymittee armband, and her gold tie pin gleamed in the light.
She was a third-year member of the disciplinarymittee.
So, there was one here after all.
Since reaching the top floor required using the stairs, it made sense for them to station at least one person there.
¡°¡¡¡±
Without a word, the girl drew a slender rapier from her waist.
She held it upright in front of her chest. She put her other hand behind her back and assumed the graceful posture of a swan.
Then, in an instant, she rushed down the stairs toward us with terrifying speed.
Swishhh!
Chapter 258: Time’s Up (1)
The disciplinarymittee member descended the stairs at a terrifying speed as she thrust her rapier toward us.
Swiiish!
At that moment, Han Gyeol-woo who had been silently following us all this time spoke for the first time.
¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡±
She stepped forward and instantly unleashed her magic.
[Ice Wall]
[Triple Layer Wall]
[Triple Layer Ice Wall]
Boom!Three thick ice walls erupted, blocking the opponent¡¯s path.
The disciplinarymittee member responded swiftly.
shes of light danced, apanied by the sharp sound of something slicing through.
Shhk¡ªsh¡ªShhk!
One of the ice walls was reduced to pieces in an instant.
At this rate, the remaining walls wouldn¡¯tst more than a few seconds.
But Han Gyeol-woo remained calm, as if she had anticipated this.
Without hesitation, she ced her hand on the ice wall and cast her next spell.
[Shatter]
Cha-ching!
The entire ice structure shattered into hundreds of shards. Each shard was the size of a fingernail as they scattered into the air.
Then, with a snap of her fingers¡ª
[Ice Prison]
The shards in the air instantly converged toward the disciplinarymittee member before trapping her in ice.
She was trapped in mere moments, frozen inside a sculpture of jagged shards.
Great skill synergy.
She erected walls of ice, shattered them, and then reassembled the shards to trap her opponent.
It was a seamless flow of magic, as natural as water running downstream.
Crackle.
However, judging by the fissures already spreading across the ice, it didn¡¯t seem like it would hold for long.
Perhaps she was aware of this herself, Han Gyeol-woo murmured softly.
¡°Go on ahead.¡±
Her intention was clear. She would stay behind even after the ice shattered and buy everyone time by holding off the disciplinarymittee member.
If we fought together, we could probably bring her down, but even that brief amount of time felt too precious to waste.
After all, wasn¡¯t she assigned to our group by the White Magic Club precisely for situations like this?
After exchanging brief nces with Han Gyeol-woo, everyone passed her and went up the stairs.
Still, I¡¯ll take this with me.
[Activated ¡®Copy-Skil¡¯.]
[The skill ¡®Ice Wall (B)¡¯ has been registered in your slot.]
? Copy ¨C Skills [3/3]
1. Thief¡¯s Step (B+)
2. Overheat (C)
3. Ice Wall (B)
Ice Wall was a B-rank spell.
With my current C+-rank core, its mana consumption was too high to be used frequently.
Still, it had its merits, andpared to the near-useless [Shadow Sanctuary] that had been taking up a slot, this was far more practical. So I copied it without hesitation. ??
As we hurried up the stairs and reached the fourth floor, another formation awaited us.
Just like before, I took the lead while Dang Gyu-young extended her shadow to tie the group together.
Although we entered the formation, there was no visible change to our surroundings. But that itself was the trap.
With both our vision and sense of direction distorted, continuing to walk aimlessly would only lead us to circle in ce.
I reminded the group of what to do and gave them a simple instruction.
¡°Just follow the pull of the rope.¡±
Then, I sharply adjusted our direction and walked straight toward the wall.
Just as I was about to crash headlong into the wall, the hallway twisted on its own to align perfectly with my path.
In the end, nothing beats experience.
This was the stagnant water sense I had honed through countless encounters with such formations.
All the hard work from back then had paid off now. We were able to break through the formation with ease this time as well.
Meanwhile, I had a thought.
I have a feeling they¡¯ll be waiting right outside¡
At the moment, the distorted view made it seem like there was nothing beyond the formation.
However, this area was the perfect spot for the disciplinarymittee to lie in wait.
They could observe anyone breaking through the formation and easilyunch an ambush.
They had even stationed someone on the staircase earlier. Would they really leave such a prime location unguarded?
Whoosh!
In anticipation of this, I had already set up a Wind Barrier and Choi Han-gil who had also noticed something covered the barrier with additional defensive magic.
Sure enough, the moment we stepped out of the formation¡ª
Swish!
A piercing sound sliced through the air.
The sharp projectile which was likely a sword energy collided violently with the defensive spells before dissipating entirely.
Our group quickly scrambled out of the formation, and everyone¡¯s faces hardened as they stared ahead.
A temporary storage facility was visible a little further away.
The problem was the two third-year disciplinarymittee members standing guard in front of it.
It seemed the sword energy hade from one of them.
More specifically, it wasn¡¯t a sword energy but an axe energy sh.
It¡¯s the Hell Axe senior.
I didn¡¯t know his real name, but since he used an A-rank Hell Axe as his main weapon, I just referred to him that way. I¡¯d seen him quite often, even during the ck market event.
The other disciplinarymittee member seemed to be a mage, judging by the two or three floating orbs hovering around them.
The Hell Axe senior¡¯s eyes lit up with recognition when he saw Choi Han-gil.
¡°Fancy meeting you here. What a surprise. Breaking school rules¡isn¡¯t this a first for you?¡±
From what I heard, Choi Han-gil was apparently known as a model student.
He responded in a calm tone.
¡°I¡¯m part of a group too, you know. Sometimes I have to do things I¡¯d rather not.¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t want to, then step away now. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re spared from punishment.¡±
¡°Aftering this far? Not a chance.¡±
Choi Han-gil said this with a sly smile.
His refusal was clear, and the two disciplinarymittee members immediately assumed battle stances.
Still keeping his gaze fixed on them, Choi Han-gil threw a question to Dang Gyu-young.
¡°How much time do you need?¡±
¡°Three minutes? Maybe five?¡±
¡°That¡¯s too long¡¡±
¡°Then hold out as long as you can.¡±
¡°Got it.¡±
Suddenly, Choi Han-gil bolted forward.
The two disciplinarymittee members responded instantly, sending axe energy and spells flying his way.
Papapapat!
Somehow, Choi Han-gil blocked it all, usingyers of defensive magic that he must have set up in advance.
In the next moment, a dagger appeared in his hand.
Its ck de shimmered like the night sky and it was dotted with tiny stars.
Everyone froze in shock at the sight.
He has that?
An A+ rank dagger, Night of Severance.
Its cutting power and durability were only slightly better than those of an ordinary dagger.
Even so, it earned an A+ rank because of its overwhelmingly powerful magic enchantments.
To the disciplinarymittee members, it was a weapon they absolutely couldn¡¯t afford to face, and they hastily tried to put distance between themselves and Choi Han-gil.
But the dagger thrust forward faster than they could retreat.
[Dimensional Severance.]
The night sky that formed the dagger expanded at a terrifying speed, swallowing everything within its range before vanishingpletely.
In the next moment, Choi Han-gil and the two members of the disciplinarymittee were nowhere to be seen.
As expected, third-years always carry at least one trump card.
Dimensional Severance.
It was a spell that created an isted space and dragged everything within its range into it.
To escape, one either had to use spatial magic or wait for Dimensional Severance to be dispelled.
Dispelling it isn¡¯t too hard, though.
The greatest weakness of Dimensional Severance was itsrge mana consumption.
Since it was a space-time magic spell, even casting it consumed an enormous amount of mana.
On top of that, maintaining it continuously drained both mana and concentration. This made it a considerable handicap for Choi Han-gil.
For the two disciplinarymittee members, escaping was as simple as overpowering their handicapped opponent.
In other words, the time he could hold out was the time we had been given.
And that time would certainly be short.
Dang Gyu-young seemed to havee to the same conclusion and quickly gave instructions to the team.
¡°Let¡¯s go, there¡¯s no time.¡±
¡°Yes, noonim!¡±
Everyone rushed into the temporary storage.
Another second-year disciplinarymittee member was waiting inside, but Dang Gyu-young and the other thieves quickly overwhelmed him with a coordinated attack.
After tying up the member and tossing him into a corner, Dang Gyu-young gave another order.
¡°Grab everything, fast.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
The thieves moved swiftly through the storage area and started sweeping up prohibited items indiscriminately.
On the other hand, Dang Gyu-young and I were the ones who carefully picked them out one by one, because the Cube of Life had a limited capacity.
Prioritize high-value and low-volume items.
Dang Gyu-young darted to one side, grabbed a prohibited item, scurried back, and dropped it neatly into the Cube.
¡°This one~.¡±
Then, she dashed to another spot, picked up another item, and slipped it into the Cube.
¡°And this one too~.¡±
She ran again to another ce again and repeated the process.
Each item was undoubtedly a high-risk prohibited item, yet her demeanor made it feel oddly like she was grocery shopping.
In the middle of filling her metaphorical shopping cart, she suddenly eximed,
¡°Found it.¡±
She returned holding a thick, hardcover book.
Its dark purple cover was worn, with a few pages torn out.
[The Book of Chaos (A)]
It was the very item requested by the White Magic Club.
When she casually flipped it open, it was clear that only a few pages were missing. This meant that the book had likely been recently acquired.
It was confiscated before they could even use it properly, so it was no wonder they wanted it back.
After carefully tucking the Book of Chaos into a corner of the cube, she resumed her ¡°shopping¡±.
I should pick out some things for myself too.
Back at the first temporary storage and the ck market, I had focused on items that negated elemental penalties while relying on my S-rank Elemental Resistance.
Now, though, there was a new category added to my list.
Poison.
With poison resistance to minimize damage and the Hoodie of the Hidden Master to remove harmful effects, I could handle poisons with rtive ease.
Plus, to fully achieve Thousand Poisons Immunity, I needed to consume every poison I could find, whether it was mild or deadly.
So I filled the cube with all kinds of poisonous items. From poison vials, pills, herbs. Anything I could get my hands on.
[Regicide Toxin (B+)]
[Blue Hemlock (C+)]
[Cute Deadly Poison (C)]
[Fruit of Condemnation (B)]
¡¡
I had no idea what someone had been nning with all these before they were confiscated, but the stash turned out to be far more impressive than I had anticipated.
On the other hand, I looked around with the intention of picking up any useful elemental penalty items.
Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t anything this time that caught my eye.
I supposed it wasn¡¯t realistic to expect something on the level of the Inferno Fist or the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger every time.
This time, I¡¯ll settle for poison.
Besides, the items currently stored in the cube couldn¡¯t exactly be called mine yet.
Infiltrating the temporary storage was only half the battle; escaping safely was still ahead of us.
When Dang Gyu-young added yet another prohibited item to the cube, I closed the lid and said,
¡°That¡¯s enough for now.¡±
¡°Just one more.¡±
¡°It¡¯s already full, and we¡¯re out of time.¡±
Though she seemed a bit reluctant, she appeared to agree that time wasn¡¯t on our side.
We immediately connected to Jeong Chong-myeong.
¡°We¡¯ve got everything.¡±
¨C The book?
¡°Of course, we secured it. Now get us out of here.¡±
¨C Lock in the coordinates.
¡°I already did.¡±
A device resembling a camera tripod had already been set up in one corner of the temporary storage room.
It was a coordinate stabilizer. That was an item that made using spatial magic much easier.
Dang Gyu-young turned to me and asked,
¡°Do you know how to use this?¡±
¡°Yes, I do.¡±
¡°Then you go first.¡±
Since I was holding the Cube of Life, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say I was the key to this operation.
I waited with the coordinate stabilizer clenched tightly in my hand.
Fzzzzzzzzzt.
Momentster, the mana began to ripple more violently, and soon it started to pull me somewhere.
This was the activation of a medium-to-long-distance teleportation spell for a single user.
However, just as my vision was about to shift, a space resembling the night sky opened outside the temporary storage room.
The Dimensional Severance had been undone.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Choi Han-gil let out a pained groan and copsed to the floor.
He hadn¡¯t even been inside for a few minutes, yet his entire body was covered in minor wounds.
Right after that, two third-year disciplinary members trudged out and fixed their gazes on us.
Time¡¯s up.
Chapter 259: Time’s Up (2)
sh!
The teleportation magic circle shone brightly, and Kim Ho appeared.
The same thought shed through Jeong Jong-myeong and Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s minds when they saw him.
He¡¯s calm.
He¡¯s so calm.
Though a fair amount of time had passed since the semester began, Kim Ho was still a first-year student.
This was an operation involving numerous seniors, and he was tasked with a critical role. It would have been natural for him to feel the pressure, yet there wasn¡¯t the slightest sign of it. His expression remained calm andposed.
He even approached them directly, met their gaze, and said what he needed to say.
¡°Please prepare the next teleportation.¡±¡°¡¡.¡±
Jeong Chong-myeong¡¯s eyes deepened.
The fact that he was urging them immediately upon arrival meant that the situation in the temporary storage area must have grown urgent.
He was curious about what exactly had happened, but that could wait untilter.
After exchanging a nce with Hong Ye-hwa, Jeong Chong-myeong infused the teleportation magic circle with mana.
At the same time, he sent amunication to Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Dang Gyu-young, we¡¯re activating it again.¡±
¨C Hurry! Quickly!
A desperate voice responded.
The two mages focused their minds even further, and¡ª
sh!
Dang Gyu-young stepped out of the brilliantly glowing magic circle.
When he saw the slight frown on her face, Jeong Chong-myeong asked her,
¡°Should we prepare another teleportation?¡±
¡°No, that¡¯s enough.¡±
Dang Gyu-young shook her head.
The disciplinarymittee members had been released from Choi Han-gil¡¯s Dimensional Severance and started fighting the thieves who were rummaging through the temporary storage facility.
In the midst of it, even the coordinate stabilizer had been destroyed.
Hong Ye-hwa asked,
¡°What about the others?¡±
¡°¡We can only hope they make it out on their own.¡±
Of course, the chances of those left behind safely escaping the C-Exchange building were exceedingly slim.
The opponents were two third-year disciplinarymittee members, and on top of that, there were defensive formations set up everywhere.
Dang Gyu-young said,
¡°Still, they¡¯ll buy us some time. They¡¯re pretty good at slipping away.¡±
¡°You¡¯d know your people best.¡±
Jeong Chong-myeong nodded his head and moved on to the next topic.
¡°The book is with Kim Ho, right?¡±
¡°Yeah. Want it now?¡±
¡°After it¡¯s all over.¡±
Taking it now would be meaningless if they got captured by the disciplinarymittee.
Leaving it with Kim Ho and Dang Gyu-young until the veryst moment to focus on assisting their escape was the better option.
The problem was the escape itself¡
Jeong Chong-myeong nced lightly beyond the rooftop and remarked,
¡°Most of the escape routes are blocked.¡±
The original n had been to raid the temporary storage, slip into the downtown area, and return after the disciplinarymittee withdrew.
With Cha Da-bin providing vision, it would have been possible to move unnoticed.
However, with the control tower now upied, that n was no longer viable.
The disciplinarymittee was also steadily tightening their encirclement.
And so, there was only one option worth considering.
Jeong Chong-myeong infused mana into the teleportation magic circle once more.
¡°No time to waste; both of you get on.¡±
Dang Gyu-young asked in confusion.
¡°Wait, can this thing even handle two people at once?¡±
¡°It can¡¯t, but we¡¯re going to try anyway.¡±
Teleportation was a long-distance spatial movement spell.
The number of targets you could move, with the distance, uracy, and such, increased with rank.
However, due to the extreme difficulty of mastering it, even a president of the White Magic Club like Jeong Chong-myeong was only at C-rank.
At his current level, teleportation was highly unstable without using tools like the magic circle and coordinate stabilizer, and it was barely capable of transporting one person at a time.
But they didn¡¯t have the luxury to use it twice in session.
With the disciplinarymittee possibly storming in at any moment, they had no choice but to risk sending two people at once.
Dang Gyu-young also understood that fact, so she grabbed Kim Ho¡¯s arm and tugged him closer with an uneasy expression on her face.
Then, as if determined not to let go, she locked arms with him.
When he saw this, Jeong Chong-myeong¡¯s expression shifted slightly.
There¡¯s no need to cling that tightly¡
Standing on the magic circle together would have sufficed.
He nced at Hong Ye-hwa who wore a simrly strange expression on her face.
Still, it wasn¡¯t the time to focus on such trivial stuff, so they concentrated solely on powering the teleportation magic circle.
Before long, the ground beneath Kim Ho and Dang Gyu-young¡¯s feet lit up brilliantly and¡ª
aash!
The two vanished without a trace.
Hoping they had been sent as far as possible, Jeong Chong-myeong turned to the remaining mages and gave an order.
¡°Get ready. We¡¯ve gotpany.¡±
Ruuuumble¡
Sure enough, it wasn¡¯t long before a wooden door suddenly sprang up in a corner of the rooftop.
When the door opened, Kwak Seung-jae stepped out. He was apanied by the senior members of the disciplinarymittee from the second and third years.
Jeong Chong-myeong let out a wry smile without realizing it.
The world really is unfair.
Some people struggled to teleport just two others even as third-years, while others could summon dozens with a single door.
Of course, he wasn¡¯t entirely envious. He had his own specialties, after all.
Setting aside such idle thoughts, Jeong Chong-myeong calmly spoke.
¡°Seung-jae, you¡¯re here.¡±
¡°Good evening, senior. I apologize for visiting at such ate hour.¡±
Kwak Seung-jae bowed politely as usual, but there was a sharp edge to his words.
It was as if he were saying, ¡°I¡¯m only here because you broke school rules.¡±
Jeong Chong-myeong didn¡¯t seem to care and continued in his usual casual tone.
¡°Indeed. It¡¯ste, but you¡¯re working hard.¡±
¡°There were surely many other ways to retrieve the confiscated items. Did you really have to team up with a thieves¡¯ club?¡±
¡°Sometimes, I think a little change of pace isn¡¯t so bad.¡±
¡°I would have preferred it if that change of pace stayed within the rules.¡±
Jeong Chong-myeong¡¯s lips curled slightly upward.
¡°I apologize. This isn¡¯t something we¡¯re proud of either, but this time, we had our reasons.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know what those reasons are, but it doesn¡¯t seem like a good choice. If the thieves¡¯ club fails, won¡¯t you just end up with penalties for nothing?¡±
When Kwak Seung-jae said this, he turned his head slightly to the side.
His gaze settled somewhere far off, toward the forest between the downtown area and the academy.
It seemed he had found traces of Kim Ho and Dang Gyu-young.
Ruuuumble¡
Kwak Seung-jae closed the door he had summoned earlier and conjured a new wooden door.
Just as he was about to lead themittee members through it¡ª
Whoosh!
The door was suddenly engulfed in mes and reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye.
When he lowered his gaze slightly, Kwak Seung-jae saw a red magic circle glowing brightly beneath him.
He then turned his eyes to Hong Ye-hwa who smiled brightly and remarked,
¡°You can¡¯t use that here.¡±
Not only that, but hidden magic circles began to reveal themselves one by one, gradually brightening the rooftop.
It was clear they had fortified the area in anticipation of the disciplinarymittee¡¯s arrival.
Though they had clearly walked into a trap, there wasn¡¯t the slightest hint of unease on the faces of the disciplinarymittee members.
In fact, most of them wore amused smiles.
¡°This is more like it. Makes things interesting.¡±
¡°Catching petty thieves is just too boring, you know?¡±
Their confidence in their own abilities was absolute.
Kwak Seung-jae spoke calmly.
¡°You might be able to buy yourselves a little time, but the oue won¡¯t change.¡±
¡°Still, isn¡¯t it better than doing nothing?¡±
At Jeong Chong-myeong¡¯s subtle nce over his shoulder, the mages immediately activated their magic circles.
The downtown area in the middle of the night became as bright as day.
***
Fwaaash!
A brilliant blue light filled my vision before it was abruptly swallowed by pitch darkness.
My body spun round and round like I was on a carnival ride.
The ride quality left a lot to be desired though.
Using a single-person teleportation spell for two people was bound to cause instability.
Momentster, I copsed onto a patch of grass with a thud, and right after me, Dang Gyu-young tumbled down as well.
Not onto the grass. She fell onto me.
¡°Ugh, Kim Ho, you alright?¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±
Dang Gyu-young quickly sat up, but for some reason, she paused and muttered,
¡°¡Huh? Wait a second?¡±
Then, without warning, she lowered herself back down onto me.
Not only that, but she began shifting her position this way and that.
At this point, I was being treated like a Kim Ho mattress.
¡°Hey, Miss Dang Gyu-young. Is this really the time to be lying down?¡±
¡°Just a moment. Seriously, just a moment.¡±
¡°What now, again?¡±
¡°Hey, this¡ feels kind offortable?¡±
Test Subject No. 4, Dang Gyu-young, seemed to find the Kim Ho mattress quitefortable.
With this, everyone except Test Subject No. 3, Hong Ye-hwa, had shown positive results.
But now wasn¡¯t the time to leisurely conduct experiments. Ignoring the fact that Dang Gyu-young was on top of me, I raised myself up.
¡°Save it forter. For now, let¡¯s move.¡±
¡°Mhmm, you¡¯re right.¡±
With Dang Gyu-young suddenly serious again, I began making my way through the forest with her.
Thanks to the two-person teleportation, we had skipped a considerable distance and managed to escape the disciplinarymittee¡¯s encirclement.
But it¡¯s never truly over until it¡¯s over. There was still a chance someone was lying in wait in this forest.
Until we reached the dormitory, we couldn¡¯t let our guard down.
As expected, after advancing a little further, a familiar face came into view.
Song Cheon-hye.
Song Cheon-hye looked a little bored, probably from having to spend time in such a remote ce. But she still kept a serious eye on her surroundings, as if she considered this her duty.
Though her skills were significantly inferior to Dang Gyu-young¡¯s, she had no idea we were hiding nearby. Still, it didn¡¯t look like we could slip past her easily.
Fzzzzt,
Thin strands of nearly invisible electrical currents filled the area, drifting around like a web.
Lightning Thread.
She had used that skill to catch Seo Ye-in¡¯s invisible ghillie suit in the cement test.
As expected from a mana monster. She had spread it over a ridiculously wide area. No matter how well we hid, the moment we brushed against just one of those strands, we¡¯d be exposed.
Circling around wasn¡¯t an option either, so I turned to Dang Gyu-young and said,
¡°Let¡¯s take her out.¡±
¡°That¡¯s probably the best option.¡±
The best option was to subdue Song Cheon-hye and move past her.
It would cause somemotion, but that was a risk we had to take.
Soon, two ck butterflies fluttered from Dang Gyu-young¡¯s hand.
[Shadow Butterfly]
The butterflies soared high into the sky and started pping gently, before plummeting straight down onto Song Cheon-hye¡¯s head.
¡°!!¡±
Song Cheon-hye flinched in shock and tried to react, but by then, the shadow butterflies were already exploding.
When she nced at Song Cheon-hye who was now tightly bound in shadowy ropes, Dang Gyu-young spoke.
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
We began running across Song Cheon-hye¡¯s designated area.
The strands of lightning brushed against us and crackled constantly, but this level of interference wouldn¡¯t affect even Shin Byeong-cheol.
After all, it wasn¡¯t magic designed to harm or restrain anyone.
But before long¡ª
¡°Stoooooooop!¡±
Song Cheon-hye¡¯s shout rang out from behind us.
We exchanged nces as we kept running.
¡°Why did she get free so quickly?¡±
¡°¡I have no idea.¡±
Even if it wasn¡¯t for very long, it should have held her for at least three to five minutes.
It seemed she¡¯d managed to acquire some high-rank item or skill.
Fzzzzt!
With her entire body covered in lightning, Song Cheon-hye charged at us with ferocious speed.
Just like during the 4 vs 4 mentor duel, it looked like she was aiming for a full-on lightning tackle.
She was surprisingly fast, and the distance between us was shrinking little by little.
Dang Gyu-young nced back over her shoulder and asked,
¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to take her downpletely.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡±
I had been running at a steady pace when I suddenly turned my body and reached out toward Song Cheon-hye.
[Ice Wall]
Boom!
In an instant, a wall of ice rose in front of Song Cheon-hye¡¯s eyes.
It was the Ice Wall skill I had copied from Han Gyeol-woo.
It was a B-rank skill, so it was remarkably thick and sturdy.
¡°!!¡±
Song Cheon-hye looked startled by the wall that had appeared so suddenly, but it was already toote for her to react.
She had gained too much speed to stop or change direction.
In the end, she crashed directly into the Ice Wall.
Bang!
A loud impact echoed through the forest in the dead of night.
Dang Gyu-young nced back again.
¡°That must¡¯ve hurt.¡±
¡°I do feel a little bad, but hey, we¡¯ve got to survive too.¡±
Whoosh!
At that moment, something faintly white flew toward us from up ahead.
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Chapter 260: The Disciplinary Committee President
Whoosh!
At that moment, something faintly white flew toward us from ahead.
We quickly stepped aside, and as it passed by, we managed to catch a faint glimpse of its form.
It was a hammer glowing brilliantly white.
Dang Gyu-young turned her head sharply to look ahead as if she had identified who had thrown the hammer.
Soon, the bushes rustled, and a male student stepped out.
A sturdy build like a bear, slightly curved eyes that seemed to smile faintly, and a soft yet ambiguous expression.
It was none other than the disciplinarymittee president, Oh Se-hoon.Although we were still wearing ck uniforms and masks, he seemed to have seen through our identities at a nce and spoke to us.
¡°Gyu-young, I have to admit, I¡¯m a little surprised. This was a n we prepared for a long time, but I didn¡¯t expect you to break through all the way to here.¡±
Dang Gyu-young immediately removed her mask. She seemed to decide that there was no point in denying it.
After all, breaking past someone as skilled as the disciplinarymittee president would inevitably require shadow magic, so it was only a matter of time before our identities were exposed.
¡°You definitely put a lot of effort into it. Got me good. Was this Seung-jae¡¯s idea?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. These days, Seung-jae handles all the major ns.¡±
¡°I figured as much. But what are you doing here?¡±
It was a pointed question, asking why someone as important as the disciplinarymittee president wasn¡¯t participating directly in the operation but instead lurking in a corner of the forest.
Oh Se-hoon¡¯s lips curved into a gentle smile.
¡°Seung-jae handled things so well that I didn¡¯t have much to do. So I decided to take a stroll and prepare for any unlikely situations. Judging by the fact that we¡¯ve run into each other like this, it seems I made the right call.¡±
After ncing briefly at Dang Gyu-young who frowned in annoyance, Oh Se-hoon turned his gaze toward me.
¡°Kim Ho, I¡¯m very disappointed. If you keep breaking school rules, we¡¯ll have no choice but to impose disciplinary action.¡±
¡°Why do you think this is Kim Ho?¡±
It could be someone else.
Dang Gyu-young tried to throw up a smokescreen, but it didn¡¯t work on Oh Se-hoon.
¡°I think I¡¯ve mentioned this before, but the two of you give off a very simr vibe.¡±
¡°¡Really?¡±
Dang Gyu-young seemed pleased for a moment but quickly masked her expression and feigned indifference.
¡°That¡¯s just your opinion, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°True, it¡¯s my intuition. But we¡¯ll find out soon enough, won¡¯t we?¡±
It seemed Oh Se-hoon was getting ready to start, as he began to prepare for battle.
Fwoosh¡ª
Light gathered in his hands, forming arge shield in one and the shape of a hammer in the other; it was the same hammer he had thrown at us earlier.
This confirmed his ss beyond a doubt.
Hammer Pdin.
The Pdin was a branch of the Holy Knight ss. It was a ss known for its solid defense and skillful use of divine magic, making it a formidable opponent.
The key difference from a typical Holy Knight was that it sacrificed some defensive capabilities as a knight in favor of focusing on divine magic.
To put it simply, he¡¯s like a magic swordsman.
Oh Se-hoon smiled faintly and spoke.
¡°How about a proposition? In a little while, the others will get here, but if you can break through me or evade me before then, I¡¯ll act like none of this ever happened.¡±
¡°What¡¯s gotten into you to say something like that?¡±
When Dang Gyu-young asked with a hint of surprise, the smile on his lips deepened slightly.
¡°Well, since we¡¯re already fighting, I thought it¡¯d be nice if you put in some effort. It seems like this might be a good motivator.¡±
Although he didn¡¯t say it outright, he probably had confidence that he could win even if Dang Gyu-young and I teamed up against him.
It was a proposal that wasn¡¯t disadvantageous for us.
After all, it was a given that we would face Oh Se-hoon in some way.
So, after exchanging nces with Dang Gyu-young, we both nodded at the same time.
Then, drawing upon our mana, we began to prepare for battle.
A tense atmosphere enveloped the area.
It¡¯s better not to use prohibited skills.
Unless I was certain it would take him down, a Pdin at the level of a third-year disciplinarymittee president would likely withstand even Inferno Fist.
Not to mention, he¡¯d probably withstand the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger with a debuff removal skill.
That would mean exposing the existence of prohibited skills for no gain.
Therefore¡ª
Win or lose, I¡¯ll have to settle this with wind-type skills.
[Activated ¡®Octopus Limbs¡¯.]
[Activated ¡®Amplification¡¯.]
[The rank of ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ has increased. (C+ ¡ú A+)]
[The rank of ¡®Wind Force¡¯ has increased. (C+ ¡ú A+)]
[The rank of ¡®Spiral Explosion¡¯ has increased. (C+ ¡ú A+)]@@novelbin@@
[The rank of ¡®Chillwind¡¯ has increased. (E+ ¡ú C+)]
[Duration: 00:09:59]
[Cooldown: 21:19:59]
Although I had used Amplification through Octopus Limbs multiple times, there was only one trait I could immediately grant through Enchantment.
[¡®Distortion¡¯ has been granted to the target.]
Whoosh¡ª
When I enveloped us with Wind Barrier, Dang Gyu-young mouthed silently.
¨C We don¡¯t need to take him downpletely. You know that, right?
¨C Of course, I do.
The goal was solely to break through Oh Se-hoon or shake him off.
In that case, the best strategy would be for one of us to distract or hold him down while the other escaped.
The moment Oh Se-hoon opened his mouth,
¡°Looks like you¡¯re ready. Let¡¯s get started.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡±
Thud!
Dang Gyu-young and I immediately split to the sides and started running.
Oh Se-hoon stood still for a moment, watched us alternately, and then said,
¡°It¡¯s better to follow Kim Ho.¡±
He began chasing after me.
The fact that a mere first-year like me was moving with Dang Gyu-young was suspicious enough.
In reality, I was the one carrying the Life Cube.
Dang Gyu-young, after sprinting hard, suddenly turned and dashed back.
¡°Ugh, his instincts are sharp as ever.¡±
She muttered that to herself and sent out a swarm of shadow butterflies.
Oh Se-hoon deflected the butterflies with his shield while simultaneously throwing the hammer he held at me.
Whirl!
The glowing hammer spun rapidly as it flew toward me.
I dodged it with a slight sidestep, but before I knew it, two more hammers were flying toward me.
As I zigzagged with Thief¡¯s Step to avoid them, yet another two hammers followed.
To make matters worse, the hammers I had previously dodged didn¡¯t vanish. Instead, they orbited around me like satellites and continuously flew back at me.
His control is impressive.
As expected of the disciplinarymittee president, he didn¡¯t just throw hammers but could control each one with meticulous precision.
On top of that, their number was bound to increase, which would make it harder and harder to dodge as time went on.
So,
I¡¯ll have to deflect them.
Whooosh¡ª!
[Wind Force]
[Twister]
A whirlwind infused with physical force wrapped around the sapling.
I lightly deflected the iing hammer with it, causing its trajectory to shift before it embedded itself in the ground.
Oh Se-hoon chuckled as if he was amused.
¡°That¡¯s right, nice deflection.¡±
Whirrr!
Then, with ease, he threw more hammers to rece the ones I had knocked away.
At the same time, his entire body shimmered incessantly.
sh!
sh!
Buff stacking.
While my attention was fixed on the hammers, he wasyering various buffs on himself: increased attack power, resistance to debuffs, increased speed, and more.
Sure enough, Oh Se-hoon¡¯s speed grew faster and faster.
The hammers too felt heavier with each strike, and even when deflected with the sapling, they didn¡¯t stay down. Instead, they regained their speed and came after me again.
Dang Gyu-young wasn¡¯t just standing idly by either.
From beneath Oh Se-hoon¡¯s feet, shadow hands emerged and gripped him tightly.
As a result, he was pinned in ce for a few seconds, but¡ª
sh!
A burst of radiant light spread out from him, reducing the shadow hands to scattered dust.
It seemed he had used a skill to dispel debuffs.
Of course, even those few seconds were more than enough for Dang Gyu-young to prepare her next spell.
[Shadow Leap]
The shadows beneath Oh Se-hoon rippled again, and Dang Gyu-young suddenly emerged from them.
With daggers gripped in both hands, she lunged and started stabbing and shing with fierce precision.
Oh Se-hoon blocked each one with his shield and countered with swings of his hammer as he spoke.
¡°Looks like your skills have improved. You¡¯re a bit trickier than before.¡±
¡°You seem awfully calm for saying that.¡±
Dang Gyu-young replied through gritted teeth.
In reality, even as Oh Se-hoon busily exchanged attacks with her, he asionally hurled hammers in my direction.
Whirrr!
By now, more than ten hammers were orbiting around me.
Looks like it¡¯s about time.
With so many hammers gathered, it was the perfect setup for a chain attack.
I kept my speed steady, staying ready to react at any moment, and just as expected, faint ripples of mana began emanating from behind me.
[Detonate Light]
Fwoosh!
The glowing hammers exploded simultaneously, flooding the area with blinding white light.
At that moment, I stepped forward.
[Ghost Dance]
Swoosh¡
With a fluid, gliding movement, I slipped out of the explosion¡¯s radius.
Oh Se-hoon looked slightly startled. He was clearly not expecting me to evade his chain attack.
What¡¯s more, thanks to Ghost Dance, he momentarily lost track of me.
If I¡¯m going to counterattack, this is my chance.
I nted the sapling in the ground and extended my hand forward.
[Earth Line]
[Chillwind]
[Wind Force]
[Spiral Explosion]
Whooosh¡ª!
A fierce whirlwind blew around Oh Se-hoon and Dang Gyu-young.
Having suffered repeatedly from my wind magic in the past, Dang Gyu-young quickly realized what was about to happen. She hastily used Shadow Leap to escape.
Momentster, the wind that had been gathering andpressing erupted in a huge explosion.
Boom!
¡°Well done.¡±
The next moment, Oh Se-hoon¡¯s voice echoed from above me.
I immediately kicked off the ground and retreated backward¡ª
Crash!
A hammer mmed into the spot where I had been, sending shockwaves rippling outward.
Of course.
If Dang Gyu-young could use Shadow Leap, it stood to reason that someone as skilled as Oh Se-hoon would have a simr ability.
Sure enough, just before he could be caught by Spiral Explosion, he had moved above me.
He had used Blink which was a short-range teleportation skill.
Oh Se-hoon who was close by swung his hammer at me.
As he did, he continued to praise me.
¡°Your skill and psychological tactics are wless. I¡¯d believe it if someone told me you were a second-year.¡±
¡°You tter me.¡±
Soon after, Dang Gyu-young rejoined the fight using Shadow Leap, and the three of us began a two-against-one close-quarters battle.
Shadow daggers, glowing hammers, wind imbued with physical force, holy energy, sapling attacks, and a radiant shield shed in a chaotic whirlwind.
But it wasn¡¯t long before Oh Se-hoon suddenly stopped in ce.
The hammers that had been circling him without pause were all withdrawn.
He spoke with a gentle smile.
¡°Shall we call it a day?¡±
From all directions, presences were closing in.
It was undoubtedly the disciplinarymittee members.
Blinding shes of light and deafening roars echoed around us. It would have been impossible not to notice.
Failing to shake them off in time meant we had effectively lost.
I bowed respectfully to Oh Se-hoon.
¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot from you, senior.¡±
¡°Yes, Kim Ho, you fought well. You too, Gyu-young.¡±
In contrast, Dang Gyu-young merely pouted with her lips jutting out in displeasure.
Soon, members of the disciplinarymittee swarmed around us and surrounded uspletely.
Rumble¡
A wooden door rose from the ground not far away.
Through the open door, the interior of the disciplinarymittee¡¯s room came into view.
Momentster, Kwak Seung-jae stepped through and bowed to Oh Se-hoon.
¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±
¡°No, you¡¯ve had the hardest job here. Let¡¯s head inside.¡±
Following their lead, we stepped into the disciplinarymittee¡¯s room.
Chapter 261: Magnifying Glass
Rumble¡.
The disciplinarymittee¡¯s room was nothing short of a bustling marketce.
With disciplinarymittee members, the Thieves¡¯ Club, the White Magic Club, and even the Ruby Magic Tower all gathered here due to their involvement in the incident, therge crowd was only normal.
Oh Se-hoon who had stepped into the room maintained a reserved stance. This confirmed the fact that he delegated most of the important work to Kwak Seung-jae.
In fact, this operation had been led by him as well.
Soon, Kwak Seung-jae stepped forward. He nced at Dang Gyu-young and me in turn before leading the way.
¡°This way, please.¡±
He guided us through a door on one side of the office and led us to an adjacent room.
It was the disciplinarymittee¡¯s exclusive interrogation room which was known as the ¡°Room of Truth¡±.Once inside, everyonees out a better person¡
Typically, the Room of Truth amodated no more than three or four people at a time for their ¡°nice talk¡± but today, even this space was crowded.
The scale of the incident involved several clubs. So it was inevitable.
As we entered, Jeong Chong-myeong and Hong Ye-hwa both turned to look in our direction.
Jeong Chong-myeong smirked faintly.
¡°So you got caught?¡±
¡°That¡¯s how it went~ Oh Se-hoon was lying in wait.¡±
Dang Gyu-young replied nonchntly, then plopped down onto an empty folding chair.
I moved to take the seat beside her, but then I felt an intense, almost stinging gaze on me, which caused me to turn my head.
That was when I met the sharp eyes of Song Cheon-hye staring straight at me.
Arge bump had formed on her forehead, and she had tissues stuffed into both nostrils, likely from a double nosebleed.
This was the result of her charging full speed into the ice wall.
And since I was the one who had summoned that ice wall, I offered an apology.
¡°Sorry, I went a bit overboard, didn¡¯t I?¡±
Song Cheon-hye grimaced and spoke in a nasal tone.
¡°Thad¡¯s enough. Hurry up and dake out the prohibited itens.¡±
¡°Prohibited items? What prohibited items?¡±
I feigned confusion and acted as though this was the first I¡¯d heard of it.
At that, Song Cheon-hye¡¯s expression shifted to a mix of disbelief and rising anger. She quickly spun around, pulled the tissues from her nose, and then whipped back to re at me. ?
¡°You¡¯re seriously going to deny it even now?¡±
¡°Denial is for people who actually have something to hide. How am I supposed to im something exists when it doesn¡¯t?¡±
¡°Why are you lying when it¡¯s obviously going toe out?¡±
¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. Why would I tell a lie that¡¯s so easy to find?¡±
If I were to lie, it would be about something impossible to reveal.
Like right now, for instance.
Perhaps because I was so brazenly confident that Song Cheon-hye appeared momentarily shaken.
But she quickly steeled herself and hardened her expression.
¡°Fine. Then let¡¯s confirm it.¡±
Song Cheon-hye took out a terminal with a crystal ball embedded in it.
The device functioned simrly to a Ban Wave detector. If the target possessed or stored a prohibited item in their inventory, the ball would glow red.
Song Cheon-hye immediately pointed the device at me.
However, contrary to her expectation that the crystal ball would light up red right away, it remained unchanged.
There was no way it would detect anything. I had stored everything inside the Cube of Life.
Song Cheon-hye¡¯s pupils quivered violently.
¡°Wh-What¡ There¡¯s really nothing?¡±
¡°I keep saying there¡¯s nothing. Can¡¯t you trust what someone says?¡±
¡°No, no, not yet.¡±
Song Cheon-hye turned to look at Dang Gyu-young.
It seemed she thought if I didn¡¯t have them, then Dang Gyu-young must have them.
She quickly excused herself and held the terminal out to her.
¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡±
¡°Well, sure.¡±
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head casually.
Some time passed in that state, but¡
¡The crystal ball remained silent.
Song Cheon-hye became even more flustered and started stammering her words.
¡°N-No, this, this can¡¯t be¡¡±
The reactions of those watching were simr.
They had been certain that one of the two of us must have prohibited items.
Jeong Chong-myeong and Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest, while Oh Se-hoon smirked silently.
Even Kwak Seung-jae stared intently at me as if trying to figure something out.
I calmly met their eyes and spoke to Song Cheon-hye.
¡°Do you understand now? I¡¯m innocent. That¡¯s all.¡±
Song Cheon-hye who was about to apologize for using the wrong person suddenly seemed to think of something and asked again.
¡°¡Then why did you run? If you don¡¯t even have any prohibited items?¡±
Her question implied that if I were truly innocent, we wouldn¡¯t have needed to restrain her with shadow butterflies or create an ice wall to block her.
Of course, I was prepared to answer this, too.
¡°Honestly, I wasn¡¯t entirely innocent. Causing that ruckus in the middle of the city¡¡±
¡°You tampered with the temporary storage but didn¡¯t take anything out?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°And I¡¯m supposed to believe that?¡±
¡°Whether you believe it or not is up to you.¡±
But if she wanted to press further, she¡¯d need to bring some evidence.
Dang Gyu-young watched my audacity with a look of pride and amusement.
It was the expression of someone marveling at a master thief.
Jeong Chong-myeong seemed to have simr thoughts and slyly asked Dang Gyu-young.
¡°¡Didn¡¯t you say that guy wasn¡¯t a member of your club?¡±
¡°He¡¯s an honorary member. An honorary thief.¡±
As Song Cheon-hye remained speechless, Kwak Seung-jae seemed to decide it was time for him to step in. He stepped forward and spoke.
¡°There were too many items stolen tonight to conclude that you two are innocent.¡±
¡°Is that so? But you just saw it; we didn¡¯t take anything.¡±
Dang Gyu-young replied with a shrug.
Kwak Seung-jae continued his questioning.
¡°We¡¯ve caught everyone who broke into the storage. The stolen items must be with one of them. Since the others have already been cleared, it¡¯s only natural to suspect thest two caught.¡±
¡°I get it, but nothing came out of us, right? Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to start checking from the beginning again?¡±
As to be expected from the president of the thieves club, Dang Gyu-young responded withposure and audacity.
At that point, the Hell Axe senior who had been observing from the side intervened.
¡°Isn¡¯t it possible they hid the items somewhere on their way here?¡±
He was saying that perhaps we hadn¡¯t stored the items in our inventory but instead hidden them in the city or the forest.
However, Kwak Seung-jae slowly shook his head.
¡°They wouldn¡¯t have had the time to stop. We¡¯ve already searched their entire route.¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
The Hell Axe senior hummed thoughtfully, while Song Cheon-hye who had been deeply lost in thought finally spoke up.
¡°I still find the two of them suspicious. Isn¡¯t it possible they used some item or skill to conceal the prohibited items?¡±
¡°For example, what kind of skill?¡±
¡°For example¡ that is¡¡±
Song Cheon-hye faltered.
She had no idea what kind of skill or item could aplish such a thing, despite her suspicion.
Though she hade surprisingly close to the truth, it slipped just out of reach.
After observing her for a moment, Kwak Seung-jae finally spoke.
¡°Song Cheon-hye.¡±
¡°¡Yes?¡±
¡°It¡¯s good to present alternative perspectives. But before you do, take a moment to think it through a bit more deeply.¡±
¡°¡I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±
¡°And here¡¯s the more important question. If, by any chance, Senior Dang Gyu-yeong or Kim Ho possessed such a skill, how would we neutralize it?¡±
That¡¯s a valid point.
Even if they figured out the existence of the Cube of Life, it would be meaningless without a way to see through it.
However, it seemed Song Cheon-hye had already given this matter some thought.
¡°¡Wouldn¡¯t it work if we used a magnifying ss?¡±
¡°That could be possible. But you understand that itcks justification, don¡¯t you?¡±
¡°¡Yes, I understand.¡±
A magnifying ss, depending on its type, was an item that could reveal a target¡¯s skills, traits, or inventory information.
Since such information was not something people could easily share, the use of a magnifying ss was also heavily restricted.
While it was true that we broke school rules and caused chaos in the downtown area, that alone didn¡¯t give them the right to say, ¡°Hand over your skill information!¡±
At that moment, Oh Se-hoon added with a light smile,
¡°If, by any chance, the party involved agrees, we could impose conditions and use it in a limited capacity.¡±
¡°I refuse.¡±
Dang Gyu-yeong immediately rejected the idea outright.
Oh Se-hoon nodded his head as if he fully understood, then turned to me and asked,
¡°Kim Ho, what about you?¡±
Everyone assumed I would also refuse without hesitation.
Even Song Cheon-hye who had been the first to bring up the idea of the magnifying ss didn¡¯t seem particrly hopeful.
But after slowly looking around at everyone, I spoke up.
¡°If you agree to my conditions, I will allow it.¡±
¡°Kim Ho, you can just refuse. Why agree to this?¡±
Dang Gyu-yeong tried to persuade me with a worried expression on her face.
After all, there was absolutely no value in revealing inventory information for something like this.
No matter how well the prohibited items were hidden inside the Cube of Life, there was still a high chance that the magnifying ss could expose them.
However, I smiled lightly and said,
¡°It¡¯s fine. Just trust me this once.¡±
¡°¡Aah.¡±
Dang Gyu-yeong still looked uneasy, but perhaps deciding it was pointless to argue further, she sighed deeply and gave up.
Kwak Seung-jae asked,
¡°Let¡¯s hear your conditions.¡±
¡°First, I¡¯d like to minimize the number of onlookers.¡±
¡°That¡¯s only fair.¡±
The purpose of using the magnifying ss was solely to check for the presence of prohibited items. There was no reason to reveal one¡¯s inventory in front of a dozen or so spectators.
¡°And if the magnifying ss is used and you find no prohibited items, I ask that there be no further pursuit regarding the stolen items.¡±
Kwak Seung-jae exchanged a quick nce with Oh Se-hoon before nodding his head in agreement.
¡°Alright, we¡¯ll let it go.¡±
¡°And finally¡¡±
I looked directly at Song Cheon-hye as I voiced my final condition.@@novelbin@@
¡°If you¡¯ve wrongly used someone, you should take responsibility. If no prohibited items are found, I¡¯d like to receive a wish ticket from Song Cheon-hye.¡±
¡°A wish ticket?¡±
¡°Yes, a promise to help me with something in the future, no matter what it is.¡±
At the moment, Song Cheon-hye still had three ¡°small¡± wish tickets left from the mentoring bet.
But this was on an entirely different scale. This was a powerful, so-called rge¡± wish ticket.
With the seniors watching, there would be no room for her to feign ignoranceter.
Kwak Seung-jae turned to Song Cheon-hye and asked,
¡°Song Cheon-hye, will you ept?¡±
At this point, it seemed Song Cheon-hye had realized something strange was happening here, but it was already toote to back down.
Having started this herself, could she retreat now aftering this far?
Her pride wouldn¡¯t allow it.
¡°I-I ept. The wish ticket.¡±
¡°Good. Then let¡¯s proceed.¡±
Kwak Seung-jae exchanged another nce with Oh Se-hoon before quickly chanting a spell.
Rumble, rumble¡
A wooden door suddenly rose from the ground.
Taking the lead, Kwak Seung-jae turned to Song Cheon-hye and me and spoke.
¡°Follow me.¡±
Crossing through the door, we found ourselves standing in the middle of a forest.
It was slightly removed from the ce where Oh Se-hoon¡¯s intense battle had urred.
The surroundings were dark, illuminated only faintly by the moonlight filtering through the trees.
Kwak Seung-jae gave a final confirmation.
¡°Are you both ready?¡±
¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±
¡°Y-Yes, I¡¯m ready.¡±
Song Cheon-hye¡¯s voice trembled slightly.
Momentster, a magnifying ss emerged from Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s inventory.
Under the moonlight, it gleamed with a golden light.
[Pure Gold Magnifying ss ¨C Inventory (B)]
¡°Song Cheon-hye.¡±
¡°Y-Yes?¡±
Song Cheon-hye carefully took the golden magnifying ss and cautiously pointed it at me.
Her fingertips trembled visibly, which betrayed how nervous she felt.
However, after taking a deep breath, Song Cheon-hye infused mana into the magnifying ss. Momentster, a notification message appeared at the edge of her vision.
[Failed to use the magnifying ss.]
¡°H-Huh¡?¡±
Song Cheon-hye¡¯s eyes widened in shock; she was clearly flustered.
Thinking she might have made a mistake, she tried using the magnifying ss again.
[Failed to use the magnifying ss.]
[The magnifying ss has been destroyed.]
Crack.
Fractures spread across the surface of the magnifying ss, and in an instant, it crumbled into pieces and scattered as fine dust.
Song Cheon-hye stared nkly at the scene and was unable to process what had happened. Gradually, her expression shifted as tears began to well up in her eyes.
Chapter 262: Kwak Seung-jae’s Grand Plan
Items or skills that extract information about others, such as magnifying sses, were ssified as ¡°mental interference¡± category.
This was because they worked by reading the necessary information from the target¡¯s unconscious mind and disying it.
And I possessed a trait that resisted such mental interference.
Monarch.
The mental barrier of a Monarch was particrly strong, making it nearly impossible to prate unless the one attempting interference had an exceptionally high rank.
They¡¯d need to be at least two ranks higher just to have a chance.
The magnifying ss prepared by the disciplinarymittee was, in all likelihood, B-rank, or A-rank at best.
When [Monarch] was C-rank, there had been a slim chance that an A-rank magnifying ss could breach my defenses.
But now that it had risen to B-rank, it would take an S-rank item to get through.And the probability of the disciplinarymittee possessing a rare S-rank magnifying ss was practically zero.
Even if they had one, they¡¯d hesitate to use something so precious.
With all this in mind, I had ced my bet and easily beat the magnifying ss Song Cheon-hye used.
To be honest, I hadn¡¯t intended to destroy it, but it must have already been on the verge of breaking.
¡°Se-Senior¡¡±
Song Cheon-hye¡¯s voice trembled as she nced at Kwak Seung-jae; her eyes were welling up with tears.
She was probably feeling utterly defeated.
She had confidently brought up the magnifying ss, epted the bet, and not only failed to use it but even ended up breaking it entirely.
I do feel a little bad.
After all, she had simply been trying to fulfill her duties as a member of the disciplinarymittee but ended up bearing the brunt of the failure.
This was why you shouldn¡¯t ept bets recklessly.
Especially when your opponent is me.
Meanwhile, Kwak Seung-jae had fixed his gaze on me ever since the magnifying ss was destroyed.
After a moment of silent observation, he finally spoke.
¡°Judging from your reaction, I guess you expected this to happen.¡±
¡°Yes, I did.¡±
I readily admitted.
If I didn¡¯t have [Monarch], I would have tly refused to use the magnifying ss, just as Dang Gyu-young had done.
¡°Looking back, there was a w in the conditions you set. ¡®If the magnifying ss is used and you find no prohibited items¡¯¡.¡±
If I had wanted to make it more precise, I could have worded it more precisely, such as, ¡°if no prohibited items are listed¡±.
For the list to appear, the magnifying ss would need to function properly in the first ce.
But instead, I had left it intentionally vague and phrased the condition as, ¡°if it¡¯s used and you find no prohibited items¡±.
It¡¯s not technically wrong.
Failing to use it also meant no prohibited items were revealed, after all.
Kwak Seung-jae looked straight at me and spoke firmly.
¡°Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t like word games.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°You¡¯re aware, aren¡¯t you, that we could y the same game if we wanted to?¡±
The first condition for allowing the use of the magnifying ss had been to reduce the number of observers.
Since there was no condition that they couldn¡¯t talk about it, they could easily spread the word of what had happened here if they felt like it.
¡°However, that¡¯s not my style. What happens here will remain here.¡±
True to his straightforward nature, Kwak Seung-jae chose not to act otherwise.
When Kwak Seung-jae sent a nce toward Song Cheon-hye, she nodded as if in agreement.
This condition had been set from the start while taking their personalities into ount.
¡°And as promised, I won¡¯t pursue the matter of the stolen prohibited items further. However¡¡±
Kwak Seung-jae¡¯s gaze grew even sharper.
¡°¡Because of this incident, you¡¯ve officially made it onto the list of people to watch. At the very least, the two of us will be keeping a close eye on you.¡± ??
¡°I¡¯ll be more careful in the future.¡±
Though the suspicion had been cleared, there was no escaping their watchful eyes.
If anything, the fact that the magnifying ss didn¡¯t work on me would make me seem doubly suspicious.
It was something I¡¯d expected ever since acquiring [Monarch].
Since it was inevitable, I had wagered on the situation to reap as much benefit as possible.
After staring at me for a while longer, Kwak Seung-jae finally shifted his gaze to Song Cheon-hye.
¡°Song Cheon-hye.¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
Perhaps realizing what wasing, Song Cheon-hye tensed up and hunched her shoulders.
¡°I won¡¯t hold you ountable for the broken magnifying ss. But I hope you¡¯ve learned something from this incident.¡±
¡°¡I¡¯m
¡°Regardless of theck of information, a bet is still a bet. Whatever Kim Ho demands with his wish ticket, make sure it¡¯s fulfilled.¡±
¡°¡Understood.¡±
Song Cheon-hye¡¯s shoulders slumped dejectedly.
After saying his piece, Kwak Seung-jae opened the wooden door that had been closed until now.
When we followed him back into the Room of Truth, everyone fell silent and their attention turned to us.
Curious gazes were fixed on us.
No doubt they were eager to know the results of using the magnifying ss.
However, as he had said earlier, Kwak Seung-jae seemed to have no intention of sharing this incident with outsiders.
Even his report to Oh Se-hoon was concise.
¡°We¡¯ve decided to let it go.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
The phrase ¡°we¡¯ve decided to let it go¡± meant no prohibited items had been found.
Perhaps because of this, Oh Se-hoon responded with a faint smile and didn¡¯t ask any further questions, and the others seemed to ept it without much reaction.
Only Dang Gyu-young appeared somewhat surprised, likely because she was the only one here aware of the existence of the Cube of Life.
If prohibited items had been inside, the statement ¡°we¡¯ve decided to let it go¡± could only mean that I had somehow neutralized the magnifying ss¡¯s ability.
This was something to exinter when the opportunity arose.
Since the matters here weren¡¯t fully resolved yet, I returned to my seat beside Dang Gyu-young.
At that moment, Kwak Seung-jae scanned the room before starting to speak.
¡°Even without the issue of prohibited items, I believe you all understand why you¡¯re here.¡±
He continued listing the offenses:
Unauthorized use of surveince crystal balls installed in the downtown area,
Causing disruption and damage withrge-scale magic and spirit summoning in a busy district,
Trespassing into a restricted temporary storage facility,
And obstructing the disciplinarymittee¡¯s official duties.
¡°If you have anything to say, speak now.¡±
¡°No, nothing.¡±
The evidence was overwhelmingly clear, and most of these acts had beenmitted right under the disciplinarymittee¡¯s watchful eyes, so the club presidents had admitted their guilt without resistance.
Kwak Seung-jae nced in my direction as well, as if to say, ¡°Kim Ho, this includes you too.¡±
I also had to admit my crimes, which included trespassing in the temporary storage and mming Song Cheon-hye into the ice wall. Like the club presidents, I epted responsibility without objection.
While there was no immediate evidence or way to detect the possession of prohibited items, the other vitions could not be denied. We had been caught red-handed after all.@@novelbin@@
Kwak Seung-jae continued speaking.
¡°Therefore, all individuals involved in this incident will receive penalty points and disciplinary action.¡±
¡°We¡¯re really going to end up cleaning the sewers, huh.¡±
Jeong Chong-myeong smirked faintly.
As someone who had always been something of a model student, Jeong Chong-myeong had rarely faced disciplinary actions before. But now, after causing this incident, he was about to be dragged into the infamous sewer cleaning task.
However, unexpectedly, Kwak Seung-jae shook his head.
¡°This time, you¡¯ll be assigned a different task. There¡¯s a more urgent matter to handle.¡±
The club presidents¡¯ gazes deepened.
It seemed the same thought had crossed everyone¡¯s minds.
A matter that had recently be a hot topic, something the academy was eager to resolve quickly.
The witch of corruption lurking in the dungeon building, and the dark Oobleck she had widely scattered.
As if confirming their suspicions, Kwak Seung-jae drove the point home.
¡°We need your help cleaning the dungeon building.¡±
So that¡¯s what this is about.
I had been wondering from the beginning.
Did they really need to activate the Ban Wave during such a chaotic time?
Wouldn¡¯t it just add to the confusion?
Now it was clear. They intended to use the disciplinary actions as a way to clean up the dungeon building.
Requesting help from clubs or other groups would meanpensating them, but by confiscating prohibited items and issuing punishments, they could effectively get freebor.
On top of that, clubs involved in infiltrating the temporary storage could be forced to participate even more actively. So this approach was highly efficient in terms of cost and effort.
Dang Gyu-young grumbled as she asked,
¡°I figured it¡¯d be something like this. When is it going to start?¡±
¡°You can start as early as tomorrow.¡±
¡°Is that even possible? This is the duel battles week.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve obtained permission from the academy. The dungeon building will be opened for this week only.¡±
The sooner, the better, huh?
The dark Ooblecks, even at this very moment, were devouring everything in sight and growing stronger.
The more time they were given, the harder it would be to bring them down, so rather than waiting until the strategy battle week, it was better to deal with them as soon as possible.
Hong Ye-hwa and Jeong Chong-myeong nodded and made brief remarks.
¡°Well, sure. Cleaning a dungeon sounds better than cleaning sewers.¡±
¡°What exactly do we have to do?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll exin everything now.¡±
Kwak Seung-jae beganying out the detailed n.
***
By the time we were released from the disciplinarymittee room, dawn was already breaking.
Everyone was visibly exhausted and returned to the dormitory, but Dang Gyu-young and I still had unfinished business.
It was time to distribute the prohibited items.
I separated my share, emptied the cube, and handed the rest of the items over to Dang Gyu-young.
At this, she forgot her fatigue and started grinning widely.
¡°Heheheh.¡±
¡°Are you that happy?¡±
¡°Of course I¡¯m happy. We made a huge profit this time too~¡±
¡°You do realize it¡¯s all thanks to me, right?¡±
¡°Of course~ I know~¡±
Dang Gyu-young replied with a big smile.
The prohibited items we had retrieved from the temporary storage were mostly highly valuable ones.
On top of that, we would also receive amission from the White Magic Club, so a little dungeon cleaning as punishment didn¡¯t seem like much at all.
If the disciplinarymittee had kept pressing the issue about the missing prohibited items, our punishment might have been worse, but even that had been swept under the rug thanks to the magnifying ss bet I orchestrated. From Dang Gyu-young¡¯s perspective, this was an undeniable win.
She waved the Book of Chaos in her hand.
¡°I¡¯ll deliver this one. I need to meet with them anyway to collect themission.¡±
¡°Please do.¡±
¡°No rush, right?¡±
¡°Yes, take your time.¡±
Thanks to themission, I gained permission to borrow the Book of Chaos, though I couldn¡¯t raid dungeons without permission for the time being.
The threat of the Witch of Corruption still lingered, and as a result, the dungeon building¡¯s security had been tightened.
I nned to borrow it once things settled down.
Dang Gyu-young spoke with a hint of disappointment.
¡°I guess we can¡¯t share the punishment. It¡¯s fun when we go into dungeons together.¡±
¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡±
ording to Kwak Seung-jae, the cleanup of the dungeon buildings would be carried out with selected people targeting specific dungeons as assigned by the disciplinarymittee.
And unless the disciplinarymittee hadpletely lost their mind, there was no way they¡¯d put first-years and third-years in the same dungeon.
I replied casually,
¡°There¡¯s still plenty of time. Let¡¯s go together when things calm downter.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head with a smile, then asked again,
¡°When are you nning to go in?¡±
¡°After resting a bit. Maybe Friday or over the weekend.¡±
¡°What will you do while resting?¡±
¡°Even if I say resting, it¡¯s more like training. Strengthening my foundation.¡±
While working on dungeon cleanup, there was a good chance I¡¯d encounter Dark Oobleck at least once or twice.
This wasn¡¯t just a simple punishment; it had ties to the main quest as well.
If that was the case, I needed to boost my stats as much as possible beforehand.
I have plenty of materials.
My inventory was already filled with various poisonous stuff.
Chapter 263: Remodeling the Villa
In reality, I wanted to gulp down a heap of poisons and dive straight into mana cultivation, but there was something I had to take care of first.
I need to return the cube.
The Cube of Life was only a borrowed item from Park Na-ri and Bum.
Two days had passed already, so it was only right to return it.
Of course, as promised, I would finish the remodeling before handing it back.
Building trust like this would make it easier to borrow from them again next time.
So, after school, I headed toward the Magic Engineering Workshop.
As always, Workshop No. 1 was bustling with activity, leaving no time to catch a breath.
While I waited outside, a few seniors passing by recognized me and gave me polite nods of acknowledgment.¡°You¡¯re here.¡±
¡°Hello.¡±
Havinge and gone here many times, we¡¯d be familiar with each other¡¯s faces.
Perhaps guessing why I was here, one of them turned immediately to call for Bong Jae-seok.
Before long, Bong Jae-seok dropped whatever he had been doing and came rushing out.
The anticipation in his eyes was impossible to hide.
¡°I was thinking of calling you soon anyway. What brings you here?¡±
¡°Of course, it¡¯s this.¡±
I didn¡¯t disappoint his expectations.
As I answered, I casually took out the Cube of Life and Bong Jae-seok¡¯s lips curled into a wide grin.
¡°¡Are you returning it?¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯m returning it today, but I want to make a few adjustments first.¡±
¡°You did well bringing it. Come on in,e on in.¡±
Bong Jae-seok and the Magic Engineering Club¡¯s ultimate goal was to create a fully functional S-rank Cube of Life.
Of course, it was an incredibly distant and difficult objective.
In such circumstances, the chance to examine a sample was like rain during a drought. It was a rare and precious opportunity.
Even just watching me work from over my shoulder would likely yield them significant insights.
On top of that, I added a suggestion.
¡°Why don¡¯t you try it yourself?¡±
¡°I¡¯d love to, but what if I mess it up by tinkering with it?¡±@@novelbin@@
Naturally, Bong Jae-seok wanted to examine and study it in greater depth, but the risk of breaking it was too high to take lightly.
I reassured him as he hesitated.
¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. If anything goes wrong, I¡¯ll fix it myself.¡±
¡°Really? In that case, I¡¯m all in.¡±
Bong Jae-seok quickly took a seat in front of the Cube of Life and pulled over a few magic engineering tools.
As he activated his skill, the tools and his hands glowed faintly blue.
I pointed to one corner of the cube and gave him instructions.
¡°Start from here.¡±
¡°Got it.¡±
Following my lead, Bong Jae-seok began carefully repairing the Cube of Life step by step.
To be honest, I could have just copied [Magic Engineering] and done the work myself.
There weren¡¯t any particrly challenging parts, so it would have saved a lot of time, too.
Even so, I deliberately chose this more difficult approach because,
I can¡¯t waste my slots.
? Copy ¨C Skills [3/3]
1. Thief¡¯s Step (B+)
2. Overheat (C)
3. Ice Wall (B)
All three were valuable skills with no room forpromise at the moment.
If I copied [Magic Engineering], I¡¯d have to overwrite one of the three slots above. Once the job was done, I¡¯d then need to track down either Dang Gyu-young or Hong Yeon-hwa to copy their skills again. R
As for Han Gyul-woo, she was someone I barely knew, so she waspletely out of the question.
Even setting aside the trouble of finding them, it felt awkward to suddenly ask someone to demonstrate their skills just for this purpose.
Even Dang Gyu-young who knew quite a bit about my secrets didn¡¯t fully understand how my copying worked.
¨C Could you use Thief¡¯s Step for me just once?
¨C Huh? Why all of a sudden?
It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine a scene like that happening.
In the end, dealing with all that hassle felt like more trouble than it was worth. So I decided not to touch my copy slots at all and proceed with the current setup.
Besides, from Bong Jae-seok¡¯s perspective, it was far more beneficial to get hands-on experience rather than just watching.
With that in mind, I kept giving instructions, and Bong Jae-seok continued manifesting [Magic Engineering].
¡°This section of the inner wall needs particr attention. The amplification effect originates here.¡±
¡°So that¡¯s what it is. I saw it in the blueprints.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s save that part forst. If you handle it wrong, it could cause serious problems.¡±
¡°¡Really? Got it.¡±
We became so absorbed in our work that time flew by.
Eventually, in front of us was a clean Cube of Life that looked like it had just been made.
The scratches that had marred its surface were gone, and a faint vibrant energy of life radiated from it.
In some ways, it even seemed better than before.
For a moment, we stood in satisfied silence admiring the result of our work.
Then I finally broke the silence.
¡°You did great.¡±
¡°I just followed your instructions, but I learned a lot this time. Thanks.¡±
After storing the Cube of Life in my inventory, I bowed slightly to Bong Jae-seok.
¡°Well, I¡¯ll head out now.¡±
¡°Sure. If you ever need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to drop by.¡±
When I heard his words, something suddenly came to mind, so I asked Bong Jae-seok a question.
¡°Do you happen to have any spare Random Rank Ups? If so, I¡¯d like just one.¡±
¡°Of course I do. Take it.¡±
Bong Jae-seok pulled out Random Rank Ups from his inventory. Three of them, no less.
¡°One is more than enough.¡±
¡°Just take them all. Think of it as the tuition fee.¡±
With that, he practically forced them into my hand and I epted with a show of reluctance.
I wasn¡¯t the type to refuse something freely given in the first ce.
With a deepened sense of respect, I bowed politely.
¡°I¡¯ll make good use of these. Thank you.¡±
¡°By the way, Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim?¡±
For a moment, Bong Jae-seok hesitated, which was something uncharacteristic of his straightforward nature, before cautiously asking his question.
¡°I noticed you¡¯re still unaffiliated. Do you have any ns to join somewhere?¡±
¡°No, not yet.¡±
¡°If you can¡¯t decide, seriously consider our side. With your skills, you¡¯d probably master the cube in no time.¡±
He wasn¡¯t wrong. If I focused solely on the Cube of Life, I could probably make an S-rank cube before the end of the year.
Even that would be a legendary achievement, and I¡¯d still have two more years until graduation.
In Bong Jae-seok¡¯s eyes, I likely seemed like more than just a promising talent.
However, I politely declined.
¡°I appreciate the offer, but right now I¡¯d like to focus on other goals.¡±
After all, I came to this world of the game aiming for EX-rank.
There were still dragons to y, an EX-rank human sloth to raise, and world peace to achieve. My journey was far from over.
Compared to all that, even an S-rank Cube of Life was just a stepping stone. Joining the Magic Engineering Club and wasting time there didn¡¯t align with my priorities.
Seeing my firm resolve, Bong Jae-seok gave a slight nod.
¡°Fair enough. But if you change your mind, let me know anytime.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
***
Now that the repairs wereplete, it was time to return the item to its rightful owner.
When I called Park Na-ri out, she came running in an even greater rush than Bong Jae-seok had; she waspletely out of breath.
The moment she saw me, she immediately started thanking me.
¡°Th-Thank you!¡±
¡°Why are you thanking me? It was yours to begin with.¡±
¡°For¡ for returning it so quickly¡?¡±
I found it odd that she was so grateful to receive her belongings on time, but soon, I had more than enough reasons to understand.
From head to toe, Park Na-ri was covered in cat fur, which clung to her and fluttered with every movement.
Her hands and arms were marked with an unusual number of scratch marks.
And the cat cradled in her arms, Bum, was letting out a low growl.
¡°Grrrr.¡±
His displeasure was obvious.
I could guess what had happened over the past two days.
Bum had likely used Park Na-ri as a vi, or maybe a scratching post, in ce of the cube.
¡°Meow!¡±
Before long, Bum twisted his body ufortably, then used his front paw to bat at Park Na-ri¡¯s chin.
Thwack!
¡°Ugh!¡±
Park Na-ri¡¯s head snapped backward.
It looked like a typical ¡°cat punch¡± but the force was clearly something else entirely.
¡Fine. I believe it. You really are a devil-cat.
The life of a cat owner seemed endlessly grueling.
Park Na-ri put her head back in the right position with a groan and rubbed her sore chin as she spoke.
¡°Th-The cube, please¡¡±
¡°I¡¯ll give it to you right away.¡±
If I dyed any longer, her chin might not survive the second or third ¡°cat punch¡±.
I quickly pulled out the Cube of Life, opened the lid slightly, and spoke in a gentle tone.
¡°Bum-nim, the remodeling isplete. Please, take a look.¡±
Bum stared at the cube for a few seconds before leaping down from Park Nari¡¯s arms.
I got on one knee to meet his eye level.
Bum sniffed all around the cube while pressing his nose against various spots before effortlessly hopping into the box.
¡°Meow.¡±
¡°Does it suit your tastes?¡±
Instead of answering, Bum lightly tapped the box lid with his front paw and shut it closed.
I decided to interpret that as a yes.
Without hesitation, I handed the Cube of Life that was still closed back to Park Na-ri.
¡°Take it.¡±
¡°¡Thank you.¡±
Park Na-ri let out a sigh of relief, mixing it with her words of gratitude, and started walking away while clutching the cube tightly in her arms.
Her retreating figure looked twice as exhausted as usual.
Scratch, scratch, scratch!
From inside the cube came the constant, enthusiastic sound of ws scratching against its interior.
***
At the Training Center,
I sat down in the middle of the Mana Cultivation Room.
The first thing I did was use the Random Rank Up I received from Bong Jae-seok.
Fwoosh¡
The magical scroll crumbled into ck ash and a notification appeared.
[Rank Up failed.]
Even so, the corners of my lips curled upward slightly.
Finally.
[Stamp Coupon (C)]
? Stamps: 10/10
? Reward for 10 Stamps: Rank Up (C)
It was because I hadpleted the Stamp Coupon by umting ten failed attempts.
I had already decided in advance where to use the Rank Up.
[Activated ¡®Rank Up (C)¡¯.]
[The rank of ¡®Amplification¡¯ has been increased. (C¡úB)]
[Duration: 10 minutes ¡ú 15 minutes.]
[Cooldown: 1 hour 20 minutes ¡ú 50 minutes.]
Amplification was the most powerful and versatile skill I had, so it was the first choice worth investing in.
Recently, I had been extending its duration with the Skill Tuning Scroll, which also increased its cooldown, and with the addition of Octopus Limbs, it had be increasingly difficult to manage.
Now that it had risen to B-rank and the cooldown had decreased again, I could finally breathe a bit easier.
I still had two Random Rank Up scrolls left, but I decided to save them for the next Stamp Coupon.
¡°Time to give it a try.¡±
I prepared to consume the poisons I had packed from the Temporary Storage and take on the Thousand Poisons Immunity.
While wearing the Hoodie of the Hidden Master, I reached into my inventory.
The first thing my fingers touched was a small ss bottle filled with pink liquid.
At first nce, it looked harmless, but that was far from the truth.
[Cute Deadly Poison (C)]
An item that asionally appeared from the slot machine on the Dragon yer Academy train.
Back then, I had tried to avoid it since I had no countermeasures against poison.
Now, if it¡¯s poison, it¡¯s all good.
When I removed the ss stopper, a sweet smell of cotton candy wafted into my nose.
It seemed like it was tempting for me to drink it.
So, as I intended, I downed the contents of the ss bottle in one gulp.
Ugh, bitter.
An unimaginably bitter taste overwhelmed my taste buds.
The Cute Deadly Poison didn¡¯t stop there. It burned its way down my esophagus to my stomach and tried to melt everything it touched.
A stinging sensation spread throughout my body, but I had already anticipated as much.
Well then, let¡¯s get started.
I adjusted my posture and closed my eyes.
Then, I focused my mind entirely on mana cultivation.
Chapter 264: Disciplinary Action (1)
The White Magic Club.
The club president¡¯s office.
The seated Jeong Chong-myeong was facing two guests.
Those guests, of course, were Dang Gyu-young and Hong Ye-hwa.
Although they had all received disciplinary action for their recent infiltration of the temporary storage, the atmosphere between the three club presidents was unexpectedly cheerful.
This was because the rewards they gained far outweighed the consequences.
Jeong Chong-myeong and Hong Ye-hwa had managed to recover most of the prohibited items that had been confiscated from their members, including The Book of Chaos.
Dang Gyu-young had received amplepensation for getting involved, and the profits from selling the remaining prohibited items would surely be substantial.
Of course, if Kim Ho and Dang Gyu-young hadn¡¯t smuggled out the prohibited items through some undisclosed method, they would have been left with nothing but disciplinary actions.So Jeong chong-myeong snickered as he recalled that night.
¡°I thought it was all over when I saw you two getting caught.¡±
¡°Same here. I¡¯d half given up, but you held on to the end.¡±
Hong Ye-hwa chimed in as well.
As a club president, she had her pride to maintain, so she hadn¡¯t shown it outwardly, but when Song Cheon-hye had aimed the prohibited item detector at the two of them, her heart had been pounding nervously.
When the magnifying ss came out after that, she¡¯d thought it was truly over.
But then, shortly after putting on the magnifying ss and returning, Kwak Seung-jae had only uttered a single sentence.
¡°We¡¯ve decided to let it go.¡±
Even Song Cheon-hye¡¯s expression had turned pale by that point.
What exactly had happened beyond that door?
The curiosity in the eyes of the two presidents gleamed brightly.
¡°How did you pull it off?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a secret. We have to keep some tricks up our sleeves, don¡¯t we?¡±
Dang Gyu-young brushed it off with a calm demeanor.
Though inwardly, she was actually thinking the same thing.
I¡¯m the one who wants to know that the most.
Even if the prohibited item detector had been beaten by the Cube of Life, how did he deal with the magnifying ss?
She was curious, so she had asked Kim Ho directly.
¨C Young Monarch, how did you manage it?
¨C I used a cheat skill.
¨C How many cheat skills do you even have?
Her questions only grew, leaving her even more perplexed.
Still, believing that she would find out someday, Dang Gyu-young decided to set her curiosity aside for now.
The two club presidents also seemed to think it was rude to keep prying about his skills, so they let the matter drop.
Of course, even if it wasn¡¯t about prohibited items, there was still plenty to say about Kim Ho.
¡°He¡¯s a real piece of work.¡±
¡°The more I look, the more it feels like he¡¯s someone who had been held back a year.¡±
¡°Right? I¡¯m not the only one who thought that, am I?¡±
For once, all three club presidents were inplete agreement.
In particr, Jeong Chong-myeong seemed almost excessive in his praise.
¡°The kid¡¯sposed. He¡¯s got guts too.¡±
Even in the middle of a crisis, he had shown no signs of nervousness.
He¡¯d been dragged into the Room of Truth, confronted with the magnifying ss, yet he hadn¡¯t been scared in the slightest. Instead, he had calmly turned the situation around by making a bet and winning.
Hong Ye-hwa added her ownment as if to agree.
¡°He seems like he¡¯d be perfect to excel as a mage.¡±
¡°Right? Right, right.¡±
Jeong Chong-myeong nodded enthusiastically.
Dang Gyu-young too found herself nodding in satisfaction.
It was clearly Kim Ho receiving all the praise, but somehow, she couldn¡¯t help feeling pleased as well.
In the midst of it all, Jeong Chong-myeong adjusted his sses and spoke up.
¡°So, Dang Gyu-young.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Kim Ho¡¯s main focus is wind magic, right?¡±
¡°¡Probably?¡±
Dang Gyu-young answered in a somewhat uncertain tone.
Based on what she had observed so far, it seemed like he dabbled in various skills but his main focus was definitely wind magic.
Jeong Chong-myeong nodded his head knowingly as if he had expected that.
¡°So, it¡¯s safe to say he¡¯s not into dark magic.¡±
¡°¡Hey, wait a minute. You¡¡±
Surely, he wasn¡¯t about to bring that up?
Sensing an ominous turn to the conversation, Dang Gyu-young narrowed her eyes.
The fact that he wasn¡¯t a dark mage meant he met the requirements to join the White Magic Club.
And just as she feared, Jeong Chong-myeong¡¯s lips curved into a sly smile.
¡°I¡¯m thinking of throwing him a recruitment offer. What do you think¡ª¡±
¡°No way!¡±
Dang Gyu-young cut him off firmly, leaving Jeong Chong-myeong surprised enough to ask again.
¡°Why not?¡±
¡°He¡¯s mine.¡±
¡°¡Yours?¡±
The two club presidents gave her a peculiar look.
When she thought about her own words, Dang Gyu-young quickly realized that her wording was far from ideal.
However, she calmly corrected herself in a matter-of-fact tone.
¡°No, I mean we¡¯ve already imed him. We¡¯ve been working on this for a while now, so it wouldn¡¯t be right for you to just swoop in and steal him.¡±
Jeong Chong-myeong could have argued against her reasoning, but he decided to hold back. He saw no need to ruin the good atmosphere unnecessarily.
Instead, he subtly reminded her of one small fact.
¡°We allow dual memberships, though.¡±
¡°Even so, no.¡±
¡°And why¡¯s that?¡±
¡°It feels wrong.¡±
It might have seemed trivial at first nce, but it was actually a critical issue.
There was a significant difference between Kim Ho joining the White Magic Club first and then the Thieves¡¯ Club versus joining the Thieves¡¯ Club first and then the White Magic Club.
In most cases, even with dual memberships, people tended to feel more attached to the club they joined first and became more actively involved there.
Jeong Chong-myeong understood this point as well, but he couldn¡¯t help thinking, ¡°Still, her reaction seems a bit extreme.¡±
Was there something going on between the two of them that he didn¡¯t know about?
If that were the case, how could he exin the fact that Kim Ho was still unaffiliated with any club?
Jeong Chong-myeong fell silent for a moment and started considering various hypotheses.
Eventually, he reached a conclusion.
¡°Alright, fine. I¡¯ll put the recruitment offer on hold for now.¡±
For the time being, he decided to step back and observe the situation.
Of course, his decision wasn¡¯t just to amodate Dang Gyu-young¡¯s feelings.
There¡¯s no reason to gamble on a losing bet.
Kim Ho was undoubtedly aware of the White Magic Club and the fact that dual memberships were allowed.
If he were interested, he would have already submitted a membership application.
In other words, making a recruitment offer now would likely be a futile effort.
If the odds were so slim, was it worth shing with the Thieves¡¯ Club just to push forward?
Jeong Chong-myeong had weighed all these factors and decided to step back for now.
Still, he added onestment.
¡°At least make sure he knows we¡¯re keeping a close eye on him.¡±
How their evaluation of Kim Ho might change in the future, or whether the judgment Jeong Chong-myeong made now would hold trueter, was something only time could tell.
***
Even after absorbing the cute deadly poison, I continued the cycle of consuming poison, cultivating mana, consuming poison, and cultivating mana.
Just as I was about to consume the next dose of poison, I noticed a notification message pop up.
I must have missed it while I was immersed in my cultivation.
[The rank of your ¡®Core¡¯ has increased. (C+ ¡ú B+)]
Atst, the core had broken through its stagnant phase and reached B-rank.
I figured it was about time.
While it was an unexpected achievement, it wasn¡¯t entirely out of the blue.
I consumed elixirs as if they were daily meals and practically lived in the mana cultivation room.
On top of that, I absorbed the energy contained in various poisons and effectively consumed even more elixirs in the process.
My body feels lighter.
I could clearly sense that my mana capacity had significantly increased.
Along with this came a surge of confidence, as if I could aplish anything.
This wasn¡¯t just a feeling. My actual capabilities had expanded as well.
I could now learn more advanced magic and handle spells with much less strain on my mana.
For example, the [Ice Wall] spell I recently copied was a B-rank spell with high mana consumption, so I had nned to reserve it for crucial moments.
But now, there was no need to hold back; I could use it freely whenever I needed.
If I could push my core to the next level and reach A-rank,
Advanced magic will unlock.
A simple example was space-time magic.
The [Blink] spell that Oh Se-hoon had used during the chase fell under this category.
Of course, achieving an A-rank core would be exponentially harder than reaching B-rank, so I still had a long road ahead of me.
Well, let¡¯s finish what I was doing.
Although I had been momentarily distracted, my original goal wasn¡¯t the core.
I resumed my training by swallowing the next dose of poisons and focusing on cultivating mana once again.
Who knows how much time passed as I remained in this state?
By the time the poisons I had stored in my inventory were nearly depleted, another notification message appeared.
[You have acquired the ¡®Thousand Poisons Immunity (B)¡¯]
Thousand Poisons Immunity.
I had now reached a level where I wouldn¡¯t even suffer poisoning from most types of poison.
This alone would give me a fair chance against the Witch of Corruption.
If her difficulty level had once been hell mode, it now felt more like normal mode.
However, some of the witch¡¯s spells were A-rank, so the danger hadn¡¯t disappeared entirely.
To lower the difficulty to easy mode,
I¡¯ll need to prepare for Poison Immunity.
Fortunately, I was only one step away frompleting it.
Once I secured the pin to fix my poison resistance permanently, it would be done.
Now, where could I acquire that important pin?
[Main Quest 2-3] (In Progress¡)
?Objective: Collect the sample.
?Reward: Rewards will vary based on achievement level.
As I progressed steadily through the chain quests, I knew the reward would eventuallye.
I pulled out a small test tube from my inventory.
It had been provided along with the quest, and I needed to defeat the Dark Oobleck to collect a sample in it.
To defeat the Dark Oobleck, I would first need to search through dungeon after dungeon to track them down.
Perfect. The disciplinary punishment will fit the task.
Honestly, I didn¡¯t mind it at all.
This disciplinary punishment was unusual in several ways, particrly because it required ¡°entering a dungeon¡±.
No matter how severely a student vited the school rules, it wouldn¡¯t make sense to throw them into a life-or-death dungeon without any preparation.
Since there was a significant chance I¡¯d encounter the Dark Oobleck during the search, I needed to prepare thoroughly.
For this reason, even the disciplinarymittee showed some flexibility, and coordinated the schedule rather than simply ordering, ¡°You¡¯re going to the dungeon starting tomorrow, no exceptions!¡±
I had chosen to begin my punishment today, Friday.
***
After school.
While the other students poured out of the ssroom in droves, I leisurely walked over to Song Cheon-hye.
At that moment, Song Cheon-hye who had just risen from her seat turned to look at me after she seemed to have noticed my gaze.
Her expression was anything but pleasant, but I asked her casually,
¡°Who¡¯s on the team?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a four-person group. You, me, and two others.¡±
I was about to ask who the other two were when a familiar voice came from behind me.
¡°Well, well, look who we have here!¡±
It was none other than Shin Byeong-cheol, a disciplinarymittee regr.
Not only had he recently had a pile of prohibited items confiscated during thetest ban wave, but he¡¯d also brazenly broken into the temporary storage area without showing a hint of remorse.
It¡¯s a wonder he hasn¡¯t been expelled yet.
I didn¡¯t know the details, but it was safe to assume he¡¯d take disciplinary actions for the rest of the semester.
Despite his bleak future, Shin Byeong-cheol grinned from ear to ear and said,
¡°You should¡¯ve told me we¡¯d be carrying out punishment together!¡±
¡°I just found out myself.¡±
¡°Fair enough. Anyway, let¡¯s get along, right?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t ¡®get along¡¯ with me. Just pull your weight.¡±@@novelbin@@
¡°Oh, of course! I¡¯ll definitely pull my weight.¡±
Song Cheon-hye watched the two of us with a disapproving look on her face before cutting into the conversation.
¡°This isn¡¯t a day off. Take it seriously, please.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol and I, as if on cue, immediately hardened our expressions with exaggerated seriousness.
¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t we already look serious?¡±
¡°Wow, man, why does your face look so serious?¡±
¡°You¡¯re no different.¡±
With amon enemy, we were perfectly in sync.
Song Cheon-hye sighed and started shaking her head as though giving up on the conversation.
At that moment, I threw the same question back at her.
¡°So, who¡¯s thest one?¡±
¡°That¡¯d be me!¡±
This time, the answer came from somewhere else.
Han So-mi appeared with a bright cheerful voice.
It was as if the sound effect of ¡°Ta-daa!¡± was echoing.
Chapter 265: Disciplinary Action (2)
On the way to the dungeon building,
I was reenacting the brief fight with Oh Se-hoon at Han So-mi¡¯s request.
I also added light gestures to emphasize.
¡°The hammer flew at me like this while spinning around.¡±
¡°Mhmm, mhmm! And then?¡±
¡°So I barely dodged it. But instead of just flying past, it started circling nearby and came back at me again.¡±
¡°Whoa¡ª¡±
Han So-mi responded with constant admiration and encouraging sounds.
Oh Se-hoon tended to let his team members handle most of the fights rather than stepping in himself.Because of that, even though Song Cheon-hye and Han So-mi had been active as lead disciplinary members, they had never actually seen him fight.
But for some reason, on that night, Oh Se-hoon decided to challenge Dang Gyu-young and me to a match, and naturally, the three of them couldn¡¯t help but be immensely curious about the experience.
¡°So? Then what happened?¡±
Not only was Han So-mi eagerly pressing for more of the story, but Song Cheon-hye who was pretending not to listen had her ears perked up, and even Shin Byeong-cheol who was usually chattering nonstop had gone quiet to focus on what I was saying.
I continued with the story.
¡°¡ªDang Gyu-young and I barely managed to tie him up, but then he suddenly disappeared.¡±
¡°What? Where did he go?¡±
¡°He just poof disappeared, then reappeared above us. He used Blink.¡±
¡°Blink! What happened next?¡±
Han So-mi¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement.
I mimicked the motion of mming down a hammer.
¡°After that, of course, boom happened.¡±
¡°Poof! and then boom!¡±
Han So-mi¡¯s enthusiastic reactions always made storytelling enjoyable.
By the time I finished sharing my experience, we were already quite close to the dungeon building.
Just as I was about to speak again, Song Cheon-hye smoothly cut into the conversation.
¡°Can I talk to you for a moment?¡±
¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±
I didn¡¯t see any reason to refuse, so I gave her a small nod. Song Cheon-hye turned to Han So-mi.
¡°Go wait for us over there.¡±
¡°What are you two talking about?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±
¡°A secret? I want to hear it too!¡±
¡°It¡¯s something important.¡±
¡°An important secret? I really want to hear it!¡±
Curiosity practically shot out of Han So-mi¡¯s wide eyes likesers.
Even so, Song Cheon-hye firmly shook her head.
¡°Not this time.¡±
¡°Thenter!¡±
¡°¡We¡¯
But judging by Song Cheon-hye¡¯s evasive tone, it was doubtful whether she would share itter either.
Once Han So-mi and Shin Byeong-cheol had walked far enough away, Song Cheon-hye spread her mana widely to create a soundproof barrier.
She was taking precautions against the possibility of anyone eavesdropping.
Since it seemed like she was finally ready to talk, I asked,
¡°So, what is it?¡±
¡°¡Have you decided?¡±
¡°Decided what?¡±
¡°How you¡¯re going to use your wish ticket.¡±
The ¡°wish ticket¡± she was talking about wasn¡¯t the small wish ticket I had earned from the mentoring bet but the big wish ticket I won from the magnifying ss bet. ??
Although there hadn¡¯t been any clear boundaries set, it basically meant I could ask Song Cheon-hye for almost anything¡ª
Even if it vited school rules.
For her, it was an enormous source of anxiety, so she was probably desperate to resolve it as quickly as possible.
Better to face the music sooner rather thanter.
But I had no intention of using it anytime soon.
¡°Is there any reason I have to use it right now?¡±
¡°What if you don¡¯t use it now?¡±
¡°I thought I¡¯d hold onto it for a while.¡±
¡°¡How long?¡±
¡°Maybe until third year?¡±@@novelbin@@
As bright as Song Cheon-hye¡¯s future was, the value of the wish ticket would only grow over time.
Right now, as a first-year, she was just an ordinary member of the disciplinarymittee, but who knew what she might be by her third year?
She could end up leading the Topaz Maguc Tower, or she might be the president of the disciplinarymittee or even the student council president.
The more authority she gained, the broader the range of wishes I could demand, so there was no reason to waste it now.
Perhaps because my unexpected response had thrown her off guard, Song Cheon-hye¡¯s voice began to tremble slightly.
¡°Th-That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not ridiculous; it is what it is.¡±
¡°¡I-I mean, there¡¯s an expiration date. An expiration date!¡±
¡°The expiration date is three years.¡±
¡°I never said anything like that!¡±
¡°No, you didn¡¯t. You should¡¯ve brought it up before the bet.¡±
The finer details were supposed to be negotiated before making a bet.
If not, then the winner has to decide everything.
Song Cheon-hye¡¯splexion turned paler and paler.
Then, as if trying to resist, she shouted in a shaky voice.
¡°I-I¡¯m not doing it! Do you think I¡¯ll let you wait until third year for something like that¡ª¡±
¡°Whether you do it or not is up to you. It¡¯s not like we wrote a contract.¡±
¡°¡Really?¡±
¡°Yeah, if you don¡¯t want to, don¡¯t. But¡ wouldn¡¯t Senior Kwak Seung-jae be disappointed if he heard about this?¡±
¡°T
The magnifying ss bet had taken ce right in front of Kwak Seung-jae.
After the winner was decided, he had even emphasized it repeatedly.
¨C Whatever Kim Ho demands with his wish ticket, make sure it¡¯s fulfilled.¡±
Ignoring such a wish ticket would be the same as ignoring Kwak Seung-jae.
With Song Cheon-hye¡¯s personality, that was something she could never do.
Realizing there was no way out, Song Cheon-hye trembled slightly on the spot.
At that, I casually tossed out a suggestion.
¡°There is actually one way to get rid of it.¡±
¡°¡What is it?¡±
¡°Another bet. With the wish ticket on the line.¡±
¡°And if I lose, it bes two?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡±
Song Cheon-hye spoke in the firmest tone imaginable.
¡°I¡¯m not doing it.¡±
¡°Really? You¡¯re sure?¡±
¡°Absolutely, never doing it.¡±
¡°Yeah, it¡¯d be pretty foolish to take another one. You¡¯ve finally learned something.¡±
¡°Ha, seriously.¡±
Song Cheon-hye sharply turned her head, as if there was no point in continuing the conversation.
But judging by her asional side nces in my direction, her anxiety seemed to be growing even more.
On the other hand, nothing had changed from my perspective, so I spoke calmly.
¡°If we¡¯re done talking, let¡¯s go. The others are waiting.¡±
¡°¡Fine.¡±
We hurried our steps to catch up with the group that had gone ahead.
¡°What were you talking about? What were you talking about?¡±
Song Cheon-hye lightly brushed off Han So-mi¡¯s curious questions and stepped out onto the circr staircase.
As we descended, she began briefing us on what we had to do.
¡°The first-year groups will be clearing F-rank dungeons.¡±
A list of dungeons appeared in the air, streaming downwards.
Since we weren¡¯t qualified for E-rank yet, they were all F-rank.
Recently cleared dungeons were also excluded because the Dark Oobleck disappeared when a dungeon reset.
So, although the list looked a little sparse, there were still an overwhelming number of F-rank dungeons, stretching far down the screen.
Shin Byeong-cheol already looked defeated.
¡°Hey, this is way too much. Even if we worked all weekend, it wouldn¡¯t be enough.¡±
¡°It would be if we cleared them one by one. But our goal is just to check whether there¡¯s Dark Oobleck in each dungeon.¡±
¡°And if we don¡¯t find them?¡±
¡°We¡¯ll use this.¡±
Song Cheon-hye pulled out a bundle of magic scrolls from her inventory.
[Emergency Escape Scroll (F)]
It was a magic scroll that opened an exit regardless of whether the dungeon had been cleared or not once it was torn.
We had used the same scroll when tackling the ck Death Dungeon when we grabbed only the ingot chest and escaped with it.
Normally, these scrolls had to be purchased from the student store, but considering the circumstances, it seemed the school had provided them as support.
¡°Oh, well, that makes it a bit better.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol looked slightly relieved to hear they wouldn¡¯t need to clear every single dungeon.
But then, as if another question had suddenlye to mind, he asked,
¡°¡But what if there is a Dark Oobleck?¡±
¡°Then we fight it, of course.¡±
That was the whole reason the party was formed with four members and included two disciplinarymittee members.
While the dungeons we were entering were F-rank, the moment Dark Oobleck appeared, they wouldn¡¯t remain F-rank anymore.
To take it down with minimal damage, we needed an overwhelming power difference, even if it seemed excessive.
In the end,bat was unavoidable and Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s expression turned sour again.
But at this point, there wasn¡¯t much he could do.
If he wanted to survive, he had no choice but to give it his best effort.
Before long, we exited the circr staircase and entered a hallway.
We passed countless dungeons waiting with their entrances wide open and finally reached our first destination.
[No. 886] [Mole Mine]
Shin Byeong-cheol stood in front of the teleportation portal and spoke with a determined tone.
¡°Phew¡ Looks like I¡¯ll have to take charge of reconnaissance here. I¡¯ll go in first.¡±
¡°Huh? But we¡¯re going in right after you though?¡±
When Han So-mi tilted her head and asked, Shin Byeong-cheol snapped back at her.
¡°Hey! It¡¯s just a figure of speech! Count to thirty and thene in.¡±
With that, he put on airs until the very end and entered the dungeon.
As soon as Shin Byeong-cheol disappeared, Song Cheon-hye stepped forward, not even a secondter.
¡°There¡¯s no time for jokes. Let¡¯s enter right away.¡±
¡°Still, you could¡¯ve let the kid save face for at least 20 seconds.¡±
¡°¡10 seconds. Not a second more.¡±
Then she counted exactly 10 seconds and crossed the teleportation portal.
I looked at Han So-mi.
¡°She¡¯s really heartless, isn¡¯t she?¡±
¡°But Cheon-hye¡¯s still nice!¡±
¡°That¡¯s true. She justcks flexibility. Shall we go in, too?¡±
¡°Mhmm! Let¡¯s go!¡±
One by one, we crossed the teleportation portal.
The first thing that came into view was a long tunnel.
Lights were sparsely installed, and the path split into multiple branches, so it was impossible to see whaty far ahead.
Tracks wereid on the ground, and several mining tools, including minecarts, caught my eye.
This was a clearance dungeon, right?
[Clearance] Rule.
The goal was to explore the mine and eliminate monsters like giant moles, bats, and insects.
Although it was somewhat tedious to search through the vast andplex mine, the overall difficulty was on the easier side.
However, what we saw next was¡ª
¡°Hey, hey, hey! Help! Someone help!¡±
It was Shin Byeong-cheol running toward us as if his feet were on fire.
Chasing behind him was a ck mass that wasn¡¯t clear whether it was liquid or solid.
It was the Dark Oobleck.
In Winterhalt Fortress, it had taken the form of an ice witch mixed with a golem, but now it resembled a giant mole.
This was because its shape changed depending on the monsters it devoured.
Of course, in addition to the mole, it also had bat wings and insect forelegs attached to it.
Looks like it ate quite a variety of monsters.
I exchanged nces with Song Cheon-hye.
¡°It came out right from the start, huh.¡±
¡°This works in our favor. Let¡¯s take care of it.¡±
Song Cheon-hye put on ck gloves on both hands, and Han So-mi cheerfully drew the sword from her waist.
Meanwhile, Shin Byeong-cheol was still running desperately and shouting.
¡°Quick, quick! Help! Someone help me, please! It¡¯s gonna catch me!¡±
The two members of the disciplinarymittee took a step forward, but I raised a hand to stop them.
¡°Hold on for a moment.¡±
Then I ced the sapling against the ground and stretched my hand forward.
[Ice Wall]
A thick wall of ice suddenly rose up between Shin Byeong-cheol and the Dark Oobleck.
The creature couldn¡¯t stop its momentum and rammed straight into the ice wall.
Thud!
A deafening boom echoed through the mine, and dust trickled down from above.
Even if the two had joined the fight, separating the creature from Shin Byeong-cheol wouldn¡¯t have been easy.
If everyone had gotten tangled up together, cutting it off with the ice wall would have been even harder, so I held them back for a moment.
Works like a charm.
As expected of the B-rank core, the wall formed quickly and had impressive durability.
Even though the Dark Oobleck had crashed into it at full speed, there wasn¡¯t even a crack, let alone aplete break.
At that moment, I felt a gaze on me, so I turned my head slightly. Song Cheon-hye was staring at me with a clearly dissatisfied expression on her face.
¡°What?¡±
¡°¡It¡¯s nothing.¡±
Song Cheon-hye brushed it off as if it was no big deal.
But she started gently rubbing her forehead with her hand.
Chapter 266: Disciplinary Action (3)
Unlike Song Cheon-hye who was visibly shaken as if her trauma had been triggered just by watching, the Dark Oobleck seemedpletely unfazed after mming into the ice wall.
Though it now had a grotesque form that mixed features of a giant mole, a bat, and insects, it was originally a slime-type monster.
It must have a great resistance to impact.
Squirm, squirm.@@novelbin@@
The Dark Oobleck immediately began moving while slithering around the edge of the ice wall.
However, at that moment, Han So-mi had already closed the distance.
As if trying to sweep away an annoying obstacle, the Dark Oobleck swung its forelimb which resembled an insect¡¯s front leg.
Han So-mi dodged by stepping skillfully, all while swinging the sword in her hand.
For an instant, the de seemed to blur and disappear.Ssssshrk!
The limb it had swung was sliced cleanly into pieces.
However, it didn¡¯t seem to deal significant damage even this time.
The Dark Oobleck swayed its body a few times, and the severed limb regenerated almost instantly.
As if that weren¡¯t enough, the scattered fragments on the ground gathered back together and were reabsorbed into its body.
Not a good matchup for a swordsman.
Ordinary shing attacks wouldn¡¯t be very effective.
If she went all out and used her special techniques, she could likely take it down, but for now, all Han So-mi could do was prevent it from advancing further.
Just as it was about to swing its forelimb again, a bolt of lightning shot through the air and struck it squarely between the eyes.
Boom!
The one who had fired the lightning, of course, was Song Cheon-hye.
It seemed the attack had worked, as the spot where the Oobleck was hit twisted grotesquely.
Song Cheon-hye observed the creature closely for a moment before speaking.
¡°I¡¯m going to userge-scale magic.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the standard move.¡±
¡°You two should help So-mi hold it down.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±
The n was simple. The rest of the party would pin the creature in ce while Song Cheon-hye unleashed arge-scale spell to take it out in one blow.
This had worked back in Winterhalt, so there was no reason it wouldn¡¯t work now.
First, I need to block its escape routes.
With that thought, I began casting Ice Wall repeatedly.
The ice walls rose and merged, sealing off every passage without leaving any gaps.
Considering the nature of the Dark Oobleck, if the battle became unfavorable, it would immediately try to escape, but this dungeon was sorge andplex that there were many ces to run and hide.
Rather than risk letting it get away and doubling our trouble, it was better to prepare in advance.
While I was casting ice walls, both Song Cheon-hye and I turned our gazes toward Shin Byeong-cheol.
He was still catching his breath in a corner and was panting heavily.
¡°Huff, keuk, hah, cough, hah.¡±
¡°Ahjussi, your stamina is awful. If we¡¯d run just a little farther, you¡¯d have thrown up.¡±
¡°I-I ran in a hurry¡ haah, th-that¡¯s why¡ huff¡¡±
¡°Alright, deep breaths. Inhale, exhale. You heard the n, right?¡±
¡°..¡.¡±
Instead of replying, Shin Byeong-cheol simply raised his hand and made an OK sign with his fingers.
It seemed like he needed a little more time to recover, so I decided to leave him be for now. Turning my focus back to the fight, I summoned yet another ice wall to trap the Dark Oobleck further.
Ssssshrk!
Meanwhile, Han So-mi was effortlessly cutting down the enemy on her own.
Normally, she seemed worlds away from anything involvingbat with her ever-cheerful smile and gentle demeanor, but once she drew her sword, she showed no mercy.
Perhaps because she had trust in her skill, Song Cheon-hye began chanting a spell without hesitation.
On one hand, intricate runes floated up and assembled themselves.
While her other hand was extended forward, sending out arcs of lightning that gathered above the enemy¡¯s head.
Crackle!
Perhaps it sensed the threat instinctively.
The giant mole raised its head and followed the path of the lightning with its gaze. Eventually, it locked eyes with Song Cheon-hye.
Ignoring Han So-mi, it attempted to charge straight at her.
Screeeech!
At that moment, long chopsticks flew through the air and embedded themselves deeply into various parts of its body.
The chopsticks didn¡¯t stop there; they connected with each other via threads of mana, forming a web that trapped the creature.
I turned to Shin Byeong-cheol who had thrown the chopsticks and asked,
¡°Are you feeling better now?¡±
¡°Ghhhk.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol responded with a strange sound as if to say he still wasn¡¯t quite fine.
Still, he kept throwing the chopsticks while half staggering. Surprisingly, his aim was remarkably urate.
Perhaps sensing danger, the Dark Oobleck¡¯s form began to copse slightly.
Its body twisted grotesquely and its shoulder bulged unnaturally before dozens of bats burst forth flying straight at us.
But Han So-mi wasn¡¯t about to let them go just like that.
¡°Hup.¡±
With a light leap, countless shes carved through the air.
Slice!
The bats were shredded into pieces and fell to the ground in fragments.
Finally, the Dark Oobleck turned its body to flee but its path waspletely blocked by the ice walls.
On top of that, I had joined in and held it in ce with a whirlwind.
Above the immobilized creature, a mass of lightning continued to growrger.
Fzzzzzzt!
Soon, thick bolts of lightning began raining down in rapid session.
Boom!
The deafening roar echoed through the mine, shaking the air as shes of light repeatedly pierced the darkness.
When the lightning finally subsided, the pitch-ck Oobleck had been scorched even darker. Its form was burnt beyond recognition.
ck liquid oozed helplessly in all directions.
While Han So-mi stared at it curiously, I walked over to her.
¡°Good work. The disciplinarymittee really is something else.¡±
¡°Mhmm! Good work!¡±
We exchanged a light high-five, then I knelt near the ck liquid and crouched down beside it.
I took a ss vial from my inventory and carefully collected the dark substance.
A notification popped up immediately.
[Main Quest 2-3] (Completed)
? Objective: Collect a sample.
? im your reward?
[Yes/No]
The longer I dy, the better it gets.
The reward wouldn¡¯t disappear if I didn¡¯t im it now; it would be added to future quest rewards and increase their value.
And the more they umted, the better the quality of the final reward.
Without hesitation, I chose ¡°No¡±.
Meanwhile, Song Cheon-hye approached. She was holding a ss vial of her own; she likely had received simr instructions from the academy.
She nced at the sample in my hand and asked,
¡°Why do you have that one¡?¡±
¡°To give it to you. Take it.¡±
I had nned to give it to her anyway.
Although Song Cheon-hye seemed a bit unsure, she eventually epted the ss vial.
[Main Quest 2-4] (Completed)
? Objective: Deliver the sample to the disciplinarymittee.
? im your reward?
[Yes/No]
The follow-up quest waspleted as soon as it appeared.
In a way, the disciplinary action had made things much easier.
Once again, I chose ¡°No¡± without hesitation, and another follow-up quest immediately popped up.
The objective wasn¡¯t too different from before:
[Main Quest 2-5] (In Progress¡¡)
? Objective: Collect additional samples.
? Reward: Reward varies based onpletion progress.
Although the Dark Oobleck was technically the same entity, the samples varied depending on the environment and what it had consumed.
Finding other Ooblecks would obviously mean searching through more dungeons.
This works out perfectly.
I still had plenty of time left on my disciplinary action anyway.
Rumble¡¡.
Just then, the ground trembled as if struck by an earthquake, and the dungeon¡¯s exit opened.
I had a feeling this would happen.
In a [Clearance] dungeon, the fact that the Oobleck hade to meet us at the entrance signified there was nothing left for it to consume.
By defeating it, we hadpletely cleared out the monsters in the mine, and the dungeon was marked as cleared.
To confirm this, several chests appeared at the entrance of the teleport portal.
[Mole Mine Random Box (F)] ¡Á2
Shin Byeong-cheol moved slyly to im them, but he froze under Song Cheon-hye¡¯s cold re and quickly withdrew his hands.
¡°Oh, no, no, of course not. You take them, hehe.¡±
¡°All rewards will be distributed together at the end.¡±
¡°Of course, of course. That¡¯s the fairest way.¡±
Since we were still under punishment, the disciplinarymittee had assigned personnel to each party far stronger than the ones punished; this arrangement was only natural.
Even if they imed 100% ownership of the rewards, no one could argue against it, but it seemed they intended to distribute a certain percentage to everyone involved.
Judging by the enthusiasm radiating from Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s face, it seemed like a good decision.
After exiting the dungeon again, Song Cheon-hye brought up a list and deleted number 886.
There were several parties besides ours assigned to clean up dungeons and the list was updated to avoid any confusion.
She then immediately turned and took the lead.
¡°Follow me.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
The next dungeon was both numerically and geographically quite close.
[No. 870] [Elemental Hill]
Shin Byeong-cheol confidently stepped up to the portal.
¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be scouting again this time. Thirty seconds¡ª¡±
¡°Hold it.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
But just as he was about to step forward, I stopped him in his tracks.
I spoke to Shin Byeong-cheol who looked at me with a puzzled expression.
¡°This time,e inst. You don¡¯t need to scout.¡±
¡°Why not?¡±
¡°It feels like you¡¯re jinxed.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheolughed sheepishly and waved his hands dismissively.
¡°Oh,e on, where¡¯s the logic in that? Everyone has a little bad luck sometimes, right?¡±
¡°No, you have it far too often.¡±
There were too many examples. The countless teacups he earned as a future caf¨¦ owner; the hidden boss ¡°White Snake¡± that he somehow encountered during the ck Death Dungeon even though meeting it was supposed to be rare.
And in the Gathering of Viins, the sudden appearance of the Twin Demons who changed their route and crossed paths with him.
Until now, I had thought Go Hyeon-woo was just unlucky, but what if the truly unlucky one was actually Shin Byeong-cheol?
¡°If we send him in first, there¡¯s a chance another Dark Oobleck could get summoned.¡±
¡°Hey, this is unfair. Can you really treat an innocent person like this?¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s settle it coolly with a majority vote.¡±
We decided to let the disciplinarymittee make the call.
Song Cheon-hye nced at both of us briefly before opening her mouth.
¡°From my perspective, the whole idea of being jinxed doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±
¡°See? Look at that. For once, Song Cheon-hye is siding with me¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol said while grinning from ear to ear.
But Song Cheon-hye wasn¡¯t finished yet.
¡°But more than that, scouting itself seems useless. It just makes things more dangerous for one person unnecessarily.¡±
¡°Juste inter.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol fell silent for a moment, then turned his hopeful eyes to Han So-mi. He was clinging to the possibility of a 2:2 tie.
Han So-mi smiled brightly before speaking.
¡°Come inst!¡±
¡°Wait, you too? At least give me a reason.¡±
¡°Just because!¡±
¡°That¡ª¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol started to say something but stopped, as if realizing it would be futile and closed his mouth again.
He resigned himself to the rule of majority vote.
After things had settled to some degree, Song Cheon-hye spoke.
¡°Then, let¡¯s proceed.¡±
We stepped one by one into the teleportation magic circle.
Naturally, Shin Byeong-cheol went inst.
The scene shifted abruptly, and we found ourselves standing in the middle of a dense forest.
When we looked further ahead, the terrain undted up and down in a way befitting the word ¡°hill¡±.
The elevation wasn¡¯t particrly steep but it was immediately clear that this was no ordinary hill.
Whoosh!
Crackle!
Here and there, mes roared up or lightning shed unpredictably.
It¡¯s an Elemental Hill, after all.
It was a dungeon where spirits of various elements shed against one another.
The main rule of this ce was [Crystals].
We needed to locate and charge the crystals scattered somewhere within the area.
On the way, we¡¯d have to either avoid or defeat the spirits we encountered.
Though, there¡¯s no real need to clear it entirely.
Our objective was simply to confirm whether Oobleck had infiltrated this dungeon or not.
So how would we confirm it?
Just then, Song Cheon-hye pulled out a device resembling a radar scanner.
¡°That¡¯s it?¡±
¡°Yes, we¡¯ll use this.¡±
Song Cheon-hye immediately activated the scanner.
Beep¡ª
Chapter 267: Disciplinary Action (4)
The four of us stared silently at the detector for quite some time.
Yet, the screen disyed nothing.
Naturally, everyone¡¯s gaze shifted to Shin Byeong-cheol and I held out an imaginary microphone toward him.
¡°Any words to share?¡±
¡°No, we can¡¯t say for sure yet. If we go deeper, we might find something, right?¡±
Even now, Shin Byeong-cheol refused to back down.
To be fair, he wasn¡¯t entirely wrong.The detector only sensed Dark Oobleck within a certain range.
In other words, even if it was inside the dungeon, it might not register if the distance was too great.
Song Cheon-hye must have had simr thoughts because she took the lead and started walking.
¡°Let¡¯s move out.¡±
She likely nned to reactivate the detector after covering more ground.
We followed Song Cheon-hye without saying a word.
asionally, we encountered elemental spirits like lightning or ice along the way.
Crackle!
But against a lightning specialist like Song Cheon-hye, they didn¡¯t stand a chance.
Most were dealt with effortlessly using her Hummingbird skill.
She¡¯s definitely hit C-rank.
Though I found Hummingbird to be an excellent control skill, I decided to hold off since it didn¡¯t quitepare to my B-rank Ice Wall.
We repeated the same process. We reached a target hill, activated the Oobleck detector, and then moved on to the next hill.
Beep¡ª
Yet, the screen remained nk every time.
Eventually, Song Cheon-hye drew her conclusion.
¡°Looks like there¡¯s nothing here.¡±
¡°Mhmm, seems that way.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s head out.¡±
With that, she pulled out an emergency escape scroll from her inventory and tore it in half.
Rumble¡
The air split open as if forcibly twisted, revealing an exit slightly smaller than a typical teleportation portal.
As soon as we stepped outside, Song Cheon-hye deleted number 870 from her list.
Meanwhile, I exchanged a meaningful look with Shin Byeong-cheol.
¡°It didn¡¯te out, did it?¡±
¡°¡Looks like it didn¡¯t.¡±
¡°Guess you¡¯ll have to go inst from now on, right?¡±@@novelbin@@
¡°No, what¡¯s the point? Isn¡¯t it one-on-one now? We should try it again.¡±
There still wasn¡¯t enough evidence to confirm the hypothesis that Shin Byeong-cheol was a ma for bad luck.
Since his argument made sense, I nodded in agreement.
¡°Fine, let¡¯s settle this. Loser buys dinner?¡±
¡°Deal.¡±
Song Cheon-hye looked at the two of us with a baffled expression on her face.
¡°You¡¯re betting on something like that?¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol and I, as if we hadn¡¯t just been arguing moments ago, simultaneously turned serious and stared at Song Cheon-hye.
¡°¡Something like that?¡±
¡°Do you even realize how important this is?¡±
¡°A man without pride is as good as a corpse.¡±
Unable to withstand our united front, Song Cheon-hye gave up on continuing the conversation.
On the other hand, Han So-mi seemed inexplicably delighted and smiled the entire time.
¡°I¡¯m cheering for you two!¡±
Of course, in the next dungeon and the one after that, the battle of pride always ended with my victory.
There was no way Dark Oobleck would show up so frequently.
¡°¡I guess you¡¯ll have to buy dinner?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s not over yet. Not over yet.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s expression grew darker with every loss, but for a while, our dungeon-cleaning remained peaceful.
We carefully avoided dangerous areas and powerful monsters. We circled the dungeon and stopped periodically to use the detector.
If nothing showed up, we would escape using a scroll and repeat the process.
In this way, numbers like 860, 850, and 840 gradually dwindled until we stopped in front of the next dungeon.
[No. 833] [Trident Lake]
As usual, Song Cheon-hye casually stepped toward the portal, but I stopped her with a question.
¡°Do you know the strategy for this ce?¡±
¡°¡Not exactly. I do have the guidebook, though.¡±
With that, she pulled out a thick stack of documents.
It was better than knowing nothing at all, but it also meant she hadn¡¯t reviewed it thoroughly yet.
So I made a suggestion.
¡°I think we should follow my orders for this one.¡±
¡°You know the strategy?¡±
¡°Of course I do. That¡¯s why I¡¯m suggesting it.¡±
Song Cheon-hye exchanged a silent nce with Han So-mi.
Han So-mi, for her part, tended to express herself seriously in moments like this, and the nod she gave seemed to indicate she was willing to give me a chance. ?
Shin Byeong-cheol added his opinion as well.
¡°This guy knows his stuff when ites to strategies.¡±
Although Song Cheon-hye didn¡¯t seem entirely convinced by Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s support, she appeared to agree that it was worth trying.
After all, following my directions during the midterms had allowed us to subdue the Berserk Ogres with minimal casualties.
¡°Understood. We¡¯ll follow your orders.¡±
¡°Good. Let¡¯s head in.¡±
With that, we all entered the portal.
As expected, Shin Byeong-cheol went inst.
The next moment, we found ourselves standing on a pier made of connected wooden nks.
At the end of the pier, a few log boats resembling canoes were moored. They weren¡¯t particrlyrge; they looked to fit no more than two people per boat.
Turning our gaze, we could see a wideke stretching out far into the distance.
What we had to do was obvious.
We¡¯re supposed to ride the boats, clearly.
However, this dungeon, despite its peaceful atmosphere, was likely to cause significant trouble if approached carelessly.
That was precisely why I had taken overmand before we entered.
¡°Song Cheon-hye.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Hand me the guide.¡±
Song Cheon-hye readily passed over the guidebook, and I quickly flipped through it to find the section with the map.
The river stretched out straight ahead before splitting into three branches along the way like a trident.
¡°We¡¯ll divide into groups ordingly.¡±
¡°Is that really necessary?¡±
¡°It is. Otherwise, we can¡¯t progress.¡±
The dungeon was structured so that each group had to fulfill their roles at designated positions to open the path and clear it.
This time, Shin Byeong-cheol chimed in with a question.
¡°Just hearing this sounds like a pain. Can we exit midway?¡±
¡°No. We need to use the detectors. It¡¯s a linear dungeon, so we have to use them as we proceed all the way to the end.¡±
In smaller dungeons, you could use the detectors at critical points, and if they didn¡¯t pick up the target, you could simply leave.
But this dungeon was not onlyrger but also linear, meaning we had no choice but to continue to the end if we wanted to use the detectors.
Song Cheon-hye let out a small sigh before asking another question.
¡°So how are we dividing the groups?¡±
¡°Normally, in a six-person party, we¡¯d split into three teams of two, but that¡¯s not possible for us.¡±
As a result, we had no choice but to go with a 2-1-1 formation.
This was one of the reasons the difficulty would be even higher.
I turned to Shin Byeong-cheol.
¡°Do you like puzzles?¡±
¡°I hate anything that makes me think.¡±
¡°How about monsters, then?¡±
¡°I like puzzles.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol switched his stance in an instant.
I pointed to each of the three branches of theke and continued my exnation.
¡°Simply put, the right side is puzzles, the left side is a cluster of monsters, and the center is the boss fight.¡±
¡°Definitely puzzles for me.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol nodded his head with even more conviction.
Compared to the others, his fighting power was far from impressive, so that choice made the most sense. Even if he wasn¡¯t confident in solving puzzles, he could manage with a guidebook in hand.
I turned to Song Cheon-hye and Han So-mi and asked,
¡°I¡¯ll be heading to the center no matter what, but I need one more person. Who¡¯sing?¡±
¡°Me!¡±
Han So-mi shot her hand up immediately.
Song Cheon-hye who was about to raise her hand hesitated, then slowly lowered it and said.
¡°¡I¡¯ll take the left side.¡±
¡°Alright, then that¡¯s how we¡¯ll split.¡±
I went over a few key points with Song Cheon-hye and Shin Byeong-cheol to make sure they understood their tasks.
Afterward, we distributedmunication devices, detectors, and escape scrolls to everyone.
These would allow us to stay in touch to some extent, continue using detectors as we progressed, and have an emergency escape option if necessary.
Of course, by the time we reached the end of this dungeon, we¡¯d likely havepleted the mission, which would make the escape scrolls unnecessary.
With preparationsplete, we boarded the log boats.
Song Cheon-hye and Shin Byeong-cheol each took one boat, while Han So-mi and I sat across from each other in the remaining boat.
Once the ropes were untied, the boats began to drift gently along theke on their own.
Although oars were attached, there was no real need to use them.
¡°Wow~!¡±
Despite that, Han So-mi excitedly grabbed the oars and began rowing back and forth as if testing them out. She seemed to be fascinated.
Meanwhile, Shin Byeong-cheol opened his inventory and pulled out something piece by piece, then installed it at the edge of his log boat.
Buuuung¡ª
It was none other than a boat motor.
I stared at him in disbelief and asked,
¡°Why on earth are you carrying a motor around?¡±
¡°You never know when it mighte in handy. Life is all about good gear.¡±
¡°Give us one too.¡±
¡°There¡¯s only one, sorry.¡±
Buuuung¡ª
Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s log boat gradually picked up speed and began pulling ahead.
He taunted us as he sped forward.
¡°See youter! Take your time catching up!¡±
I turned to Han So-mi with a determined expression.
¡°We can¡¯t let this slide.¡±
¡°Is this apetition?¡±
¡°It¡¯s apetition. Let¡¯s show him the power of human effort.¡±
¡°Mhmm!¡±
With our resolve solidified, the two of us sprang into action.
Han So-mi began rowing furiously, her strokes elerating at an incredible pace.
Chwacha-chwacha-chwacha!
At first, her movements were a bit clumsy, but as expected of someone with a physical-ss job, she quickly got the hang of it and transformed into an expert boatwoman.
On top of that, I used Wind Force to propel the boat forward, and the small log boat shot ahead at an unbelievable speed.
Seeing this, Song Cheon-hye¡¯s face twisted in disbelief.
¡°Is it really worth going that far¡?¡±
Of course, it was worth it; this was about a man¡¯s pride.
Song Cheon-hye quickly fell far behind until she was out of sight, and soon after, we caught up to Shin Byeong-cheol and overtook him as well.
Now it was his turn to be shocked.
¡°Why are you wasting a skill on something like this?¡±
¡°Life is all about good skills.¡±
¡°See youter~!¡±
We returned Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s earlier remark almost word for word.
Before long, even his motorboat became smaller and smaller until it disappeared from sight.
Only then did we slow down.
¡°We won. High five.¡±
¡°High five!¡±
p!
Han So-mi smacked my palm with such force that it stung.
Then she tilted her head curiously and asked,
¡°What do we do now?¡±
¡°For now, nothing at all.¡±
The real exploration would only begin when theke split into three branches.
Until then, there wasn¡¯t much need to rush, so we sat back and leisurely enjoyed the surrounding scenery.
As I was taking in the view, Han So-mi suddenly raised her hand high.
¡°I have a question!¡±
¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±
¡°What did you talk about with Cheon-hye?¡±
¡°It was an important secret.¡±
¡°Tell me!¡±
Curiosity sparkled in her eyes likesers, but I firmly shook my head.
¡°No. That wouldn¡¯t be polite to her.¡±
¡°Aw, really? You¡¯re not gonna tell me?¡±
¡°Really, I can¡¯t.¡±
The truth was, from my perspective, it didn¡¯t matter if the secret about the wish ticket got out.
But from Song Cheon-hye¡¯s perspective, it was a serious weakness.
Even if it was Han So-mi asking, she¡¯d want to keep it confidential, so I answered with her feelings in mind.
At that, Han So-mi¡¯s expression gradually turned serious and she spoke hesitantly.
¡°I have an important secret to share too.¡±
Maybe she had been testing just how tight-lipped I could be.
So I gave her the response she was waiting for.
¡°All right, let¡¯s hear it. I promise I¡¯ll keep it a secret.¡±
Chapter 268: Disciplinary Action (5)
Chapter 268: Disciplinary Action (5)
Han So-mi looked at me for a while before finally opening her mouth.
¡°Hey.¡±
¡°Mhmm?¡±
¡°What do you think about Cheon-hye?¡±
I had somewhat expected it, but as I thought, the topic of conversation was Song Cheon-hye.
To be honest, there wasn¡¯t much else that connected Han So-mi and me.
I gave her an honest answer.
¡°We¡¯re probably closer than just acquaintances. We took the mentoring program together.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t dislike her?¡±¡°Why would I? She works hard at what she does. What about her, though? What does she think of me?¡±
What does Song Cheon-hye think of me?
At that, Han So-mi tilted her head back and forth, as if she was sifting through her memories.
Then she pointed straight at me and dered,
¡°When it¡¯s just the two of you, she gets angry a lot!¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that a bad thing?¡±
¡°No, no, Cheon-hye doesn¡¯t get angry at other people. She only says what¡¯s necessary; even when she¡¯s upset, she just ignores it.¡±
¡°So you¡¯re saying she treats people in a businesslike manner.¡±
¡°Right, businesslike!¡±
Han So-mi nodded her head rapidly as if the word was a perfect fit.
That does seem about right.
Looking back, there was quite a difference between how Song Cheon-hye treated Shin Byeong-cheol and how she treated me.
Shin Byeong-cheol was practically a walking rule vition machine, but I couldn¡¯t recall seeing Song Cheon-hye openly express her emotions toward him.
Though there were times when she would scold him through a Hummingbird.
¡°Well, that makes sense, but what¡¯s so great about her getting angry often?¡±
¡°Cheon-hye gets angry at me a lot too!¡±
¡°¡I see.¡±
Now, I thought I had a good sense of what Han So-mi was trying to say.
Han So-mi = Song Cheon-hye¡¯s friend = Song Cheon-hye gets angry often
Kim Ho = Song Cheon-hye gets angry often = Possible friend?
It seemed she believed this kind of syllogism made sense.
However, from my perspective, it seemed sloppy and overly simplistic so I couldn¡¯t help butment.
¡°Well, there could be all kinds of reasons for getting angry. She might just be mad because she doesn¡¯t like me.¡±
¡°No, no, that¡¯s not it.¡±
¡°Why not?¡±
¡°Just because!¡±
¡°Is it your intuition?¡±
¡°It¡¯s my intuition!¡±
If her intuition told her so, there wasn¡¯t much I could do about it.
This wasn¡¯t a matter of logic, and it could very well be something only Han So-mi who had observed from the sidelines could sense.
So I decided to let it be and continued the conversation.
At this point, I started to guess why Han So-mi had brought up this topic.
¡°You¡¯re saying I should get along with her, right?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Han So-mi¡¯s expression settled into a calm seriousness again.
Then, she looked off into the distance and spoke again.
¡°¡You know, the disciplinarymittee members don¡¯t have many friends.¡±
¡°Well, yeah. That position makes it easy to be disliked.¡±
The main goal of the disciplinarymittee was to guide students onto the right path and make sure they followed the school rules.
And conflicts arising from that were unavoidable.
Even during the recent ban wave, there must have been resistance from those whose prohibited items were confiscated.
And vitions of school rules certainly aren¡¯t limited to just that.
Students breaking into restricted areas like the depths of the dungeon building or the old school building, damaging school property, or dueling outside the arena¡
These were just some of the school rules that got vited.
When the disciplinarymittee caught students breaking these rules, it was inevitable that their rtionships with those students would sour.
Of course, the students themselves probably realized they had broken the rules, but still¡
People¡¯s feelings don¡¯t change that easily, do they?
Most would end up distancing themselves from the disciplinarymittee without even realizing it.@@novelbin@@
Perhaps someone with a softer, more easygoing personality might still manage to make friends, even while being part of the disciplinarymittee.
But expecting that from Song Cheon-hye who was strict, serious, and unyielding in every matter seemed impossible.
I turned to Han So-mi and asked her,
¡°She¡¯s not close to the other disciplinarymittee members either?¡±
¡°Mhmm, she¡¯s not close to any of them.¡±
¡°What about Jo Byeok? He seems rtively normal.¡±
¡°He¡¯s normal, but he doesn¡¯t talk.¡±
¡°¡I see.¡±
Well, if he didn¡¯t talk, it wouldn¡¯t be much fun to hang around him anyway.
I looked at Han So-mi and said,
¡°Anyway, I understand. Whether she gets along with others or not is up to her, but I¡¯ll at least give it a shot.¡±
¡°Mhmm, mhmm! I¡¯ll try talking to Cheon-hye too!¡±
Han So-mi nodded her head enthusiastically and her face lit up with a bright smile.
As I watched her, a sudden thought crossed my mind and I asked,
¡°By the way, doesn¡¯t that mean you don¡¯t have any friends either?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t!¡±
Han So-mi replied with a cheekyugh.
She always smiled so brightly, and her personality was lively and cheerful which made it easier for others to approach her. But she spent most of her time sticking to Song Cheon-hye.
Even if that was by her own choice, the fact remained that she didn¡¯t have many friends either.
¡°You¡¯re not exactly in a position to talk about others, are you?¡±
¡°Hehe.¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t we take this opportunity to be friends too?¡±
¡°Sounds good! Let¡¯s be friends!¡±
Han So-mi readily epted my suggestion without hesitation.
That reminded me of another question, so I asked,
¡°What about Go Hyeon-woo? You¡¯re in the same mentoring program, and you¡¯ve sparred with him too.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Suddenly, Han So-mi¡¯s expression turned sour and she puffed out her cheeks like she was upset.
¡°He¡¯s an idiot.¡±
¡°Why is that?¡±
¡°He¡¯s just an idiot.¡±
What on earth did he do to provoke this kind of reaction from her?
I considered asking, but before I could open my mouth¡ª
Buuuuung¡ª
The sound of a motor came from behind us.
The source of the noise, of course, was Shin Byeong-cheol who had transformed his wooden boat into a motorboat.
¡°Wow, I finally caught up. How fast are you guys?¡±
¡°Oh, you¡¯ve arrived.¡±
¡°Hey, isn¡¯t wind magic basically cheating?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s talk after you remove your motor, shall we?¡±
If we were ying fair, he should¡¯ve been rowing from the start.
Meanwhile, not far away, I noticed Song Cheon-hye¡¯s boat.
Judging by her less-than-pleasant expression, she must have been rowing hard to keep up.
As our eyes met, I spoke.
¡°You didn¡¯t have to rush, you know.¡±
¡°I have to keep pace with my party members.¡±
That¡¯s what she said, but she lightly tapped her arm with her fist.
Since her ss wasn¡¯t even in the physicalbat category like Han So-mi¡¯s, rowing that hard must have guaranteed sore arm muscles for a while.
Perhaps because of that, she alternated sharp res between Han So-mi and me.
In response, Han So-mi beamed brightly and said,
¡°We were sharing a secret conversation!¡±
¡°¡What?¡±
Song Cheon-hye¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.
She probably couldn¡¯t imagine the two of us having a serious discussion.
¡°Wh-What kind of conversation?¡±
¡°A super important secret!¡±
Han So-mi was fully enjoying herself at this point.
How could she not enjoy returning the same frustration she had felt?
In contrast, Song Cheon-hye who was facing this kind of counterattack for the first time could only gape silently.
Just as she was about to say something, I nced at the group and gave instructions.
¡°Continue the conversation after we¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s get ready.¡±
¡°¡Understood.¡±
¡°Use the detector periodically andmunicate.¡±
¡°Yes, I understand.¡±
When I turned to Shin Byeong-cheol for confirmation, he nodded as well.
¡°Of course, of course. I¡¯ve got it all down. Detector,munication, check.¡±
Soon, the straightke stretched out ahead of us and split into three forks.
This marked the beginning of the Trident Lake raid.
As nned during our briefing, we steered our boats ordingly.
Shin Byeong-cheol headed toward the right where puzzles would appear.
Song Cheon-hye took the left where clusters of monsters awaited.
Meanwhile, Han So-mi and I steered toward the center where the boss was located.
¡°Let¡¯s move straight ahead.¡±
¡°Straight ahead!¡±
As we continued forward, a small ind came into view.
It was a very small ind, not even a few pyeong wide.
I turned to Han So-mi.
¡°Let¡¯s stop here.¡±
¡°Okay!¡±
We couldn¡¯t go any further anyway.
Beyond the ind, jagged rocks jutted out of the water, which made it impossible to continue without risking our small wooden boat capsizing or breaking apart.
So how were we supposed to ovee this obstacle?
The others would have to handle their parts well.
The Trident Lake was a cooperative dungeon, after all.
If Song Cheon-hye or Shin Byeong-cheolpleted their tasks in their respective areas, the blocked path on our side would clear, and when wepleted our task, the path on Song Cheon-hye or Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s side would open.
Since it was Song Cheon-hye¡¯s turn now, I sent her a message.
¡°How¡¯s it going? Can you handle it?¡±
Rumble! Crash! Boom!
¨C Yes, I think I¡¯ll wrap it up soon.
Her response came back through the ceaseless lightning.
Her tone was calm,pletely devoid of any sense of urgency. It seemed that being part of the disciplinarymittee meant that even handling tasks for two people alone wasn¡¯t much of a challenge for her.
Just as she had said, it wasn¡¯t long before the situation on her side seemed to settle.
Ruuumble¡
The entire area trembled as if an earthquake had struck and the countless rocks that had been blocking our path suddenly sank into the depths of theke.
The way forward had opened.
Even so, we didn¡¯t board the boat immediately but kept our eyes fixed on theke.
¡°Get ready. It¡¯sing up soon.¡±
¡°Mhmm!¡±
The first boss was about to appear.
It was a giant catfish monster, and it bore a slight resemnce to Kim Gap-doo.
Anyway, we needed to defeat it to move forward and open Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s path.
With that, I nted the sapling firmly into the ground while Han So-mi unsheathed her sword and stood ready.
She was prepared for battle at any moment.
¡°¡¡..¡±
¡°¡¡..¡±
Yet, despite the passage of time, theke remained eerily still.
Han So-mi tilted her head as she looked at me.
¡°Huh? Why isn¡¯t iting out?¡±
¡°¡Good question. Hold on a second.¡±
I walked to the water¡¯s edge, drove the sapling into the ground, and cast a Spiral Explosion downward.
Then a whirlpool formed violently in the water a short distance away.
Thud!
A dull sound echoed from beneath the surface.
I couldn¡¯t help but narrow my eyes.
At this point, it should have shown itself.
Theck of any response suggested the possibility of a different exnation.
With that in mind, I immediately contacted Shin Byeong-cheol.
¡°Is your path clear?¡±
¨C Yeah, just now.
If it had just happened, that meant it urred when Song Cheon-hye had wiped out the monster horde.
Normally, Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s path would only open after we had defeated the boss, but if that step had been skipped, then¡ª
¡°Looks like the boss might already be taken care of.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
Han So-mi¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as well.
The boss which should have been here had already been dealt with by something else.
And in a cooperative dungeon like this, leaving out just the boss was inefficient and not cost-effective.
So it was unlikely that a person was responsible for this.
Which meant, there was a big chance¡ª
¡°A Dark Oobleck might have made its way in.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
I contacted both Song Cheon-hye and Shin Byeong-cheol to share my hypothesis.
¡°So, from now on, let¡¯s proceed more cautiously. If anything feels off, retreat immediately and keepmunicating.¡±
¨C Yes, I will.
¨C Understood.
Next, I took out a detector from my inventory.
When I pressed the center button,
Beep!
The radar began spinning in circles on the screen.
I stared at it for a while, but nothing notable appeared.
Han So-mi tilted her head again.
¡°Nothing¡¯s showing up?¡±
¡°Not yet.¡±
The detector could only sense Oobleck within a certain range; if it was too far away, it wouldn¡¯t register.
This was why, even in previous dungeons, we had to scan multiple times before using an escape scroll.
And this dungeon was annoyingly linear in structure. Just because it wasn¡¯t showing up now didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t there.
In any case, we had only one option. I climbed into the wooden boat and said,
¡°Let¡¯s go for now. We¡¯ll know more as we move.¡±
¡°Mhmm!¡±
We slowly started to move forward across theke.
Chapter 269: Disciplinary Action (6)
Not long after, the second ind came into view.
Its size was as narrow as the previous one.
Beyond it, dozens ofrge and small whirlpools were churning violently. If the boat got too close, it would be sucked in immediately, leaving us as drowned corpses.
So we docked the boat at the ind and started up the detector first.
Beep¡ª
¡°There¡¯s nothing here either.¡±
¡°Looks like it!¡±
Next, I connected with Shin Byeong-cheol tomunicate. He needed to solve a puzzle on his end for the path on our side to open.
¡°How far along are you?¡±¨C Almost done, just wait a little longer.
¡°It¡¯s really almost done, right? If you¡¯re stuck, just say so.¡±
¨C No, I¡¯m serious. Have you always been this distrustful?
¡°Coming from someone who lies the moment he opens his mouth.¡±
¨C That¡¯s nder. This time, it¡¯s really the truth.
For once, Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s voice was brimming with confidence.
Well, it wasn¡¯t surprising. We had sent him a guidebook to help with the puzzle, so solving it shouldn¡¯t have been difficult.
Sure enough, after waiting a little longer, there was a change.
The whirlpools that had been covering the area ahead gradually began to diminish, and eventually, they disappearedpletely.
We stared at the now-calmke and contacted Song Cheon-hye.
¡°Is your side open?¡±
¨C It just opened now.
Normally, we would have had to clear the boss battle on our side, and only after Gap-doo No. 2 was defeated would the path on Song Cheon-hye¡¯s side open.
The fact that the process had been skipped probably meant the creature had already been dealt with.
Han So-mi seemed to have the same thought as she asked,
¡°Do we leave right away?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
We boarded the wooden boat again and began to move forward.
As we drifted along with the flow of theke, Han So-mi suddenly raised her hand high.
¡°Question! I have a question!¡±
¡°Alright, what¡¯s on your mind?¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t all the bosses gone now?¡±
¡°That¡¯s probably not the case.¡±
The bosses in Trident Lake numbered three in total. There were two mid-level bosses and one final boss.
The two mid-level bosses could sometimes be eliminated for various reasons, mostmonly when a previous party had entered the dungeon but left halfway through.
In such cases, their absence could be overlooked, but the final boss was practically the core of this dungeon.
The moment the final boss waspletely defeated, the dungeon would be cleared and reset.
¡°So, it has to still be alive.¡±
¡°I see!¡±
In other words, the next encounter would inevitably involve a boss fight.
Whether it turned out to be Gap-doo No. 3 or the Dark Oobleck, we¡¯d face it soon enough.
Amidst the quiet, the wooden boat drifted gently downstream.
Then, Han So-mi turned her head this way and that as if she was trying to confirm something. She then raised her hand again.
¡°Another! I have another question!¡±
¡°Alright, what else are you curious about?¡±
¡°Can¡¯t we go over there?¡±
The spot Han So-mi pointed to was a steep cliff.
It was a cliff that divided theke into three parts, so high that it seemed steep and unscble. Its surface was slick with moisture so that even a single step would cause one to slip.
¡°Well, if you¡¯re determined, it might be possible to scale it.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
¡°There¡¯s no such thing as impossible for humans, after all.¡±
If we managed to climb it, we could cross over to theke where the other party members were, and conversely, they coulde to our side as well.
But I shook my head slowly.
¡°Even so, there¡¯s a good reason why no one does it.¡±
¡°Why not?¡±
¡°Because it¡¯s a trap.¡±
Atop that cliff was an incredibly powerful spatial magic that didn¡¯t match the level of an F-rank dungeon.
Even if one somehow seeded in scaling it after tremendous effort, they would be instantly swept away by a teleportation spell and sent flying far away.
Han So-mi¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
¡°Where would they get sent?¡±
¡°To the starting point. And here¡¯s what¡¯s really important.¡±
I lightly tapped the wooden boat we were riding in.
¡°You¡¯d be sent there without this.¡±
¡°What?¡±
In other words, to return to the original position, you¡¯d have to swim back without a boat.
It was clear that attempting it would be a foolish endeavor.
Unless you could resist it, of course.
If someone had the extraordinary skills to ignore the spatial magic and do what was forbidden inside the dungeon, they could freely roam atop that cliff.
Moreover, they might even im a very special hidden piece.
But naturally, that kind of talk was far beyond our current capabilities.
I asked Han So-mi,
¡°Does that satisfy your curiosity?¡±
¡°Totally!¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s start preparing.¡±
While we chatted, the third and final ind was drawing closer.
Before reaching it, I pulled out the detector and pressed the button.
Beep¡ª
The radar began spinning in circles across the screen.
Han So-mi and I carefully watched the disy when¡ª
Beep beep¡ª!
A bright red dot appeared clearly on one side of the screen.
We looked at each other.
¡°It finally showed up. I thought this thing was broken.¡±
¡°Finally!¡±
We ryed the discovery to Song Cheon-hye as well.
There was a noticeable pause on the other end of themunicator, followed by her response.
¨C I¡¯ll join you immediately.
However, at this point, the idea of Song Cheon-hye catching up to us was practically impossible.
Crossing the cliff was, of course, impossible, so the only option was to retrace the path and take the route on our side. Even that would take quite some time.
On top of that, Song Cheon-hye was still dealing with the relentless attacks of the catfish monsters, so it was impossible for her to leave her position.
For these reasons, I spoke into themunicator.
¡°We¡¯ll try handling this on our own.¡±
¡°We can do it!¡±
¨C ¡Understood. Just don¡¯t push yourselves too hard. If it gets dangerous, retreat immediately.
¡°Of course.¡±
¨C So-mi, you be careful too.
Song Cheon-hye¡¯s voice carried a hint of concern.
Before long, we docked the boat at the small ind, just as we had done before.
After climbing onto the ind, we scanned the area ahead and¡
¡°Doesn¡¯t that look suspicious to you?¡±
¡°Mhmm, really!¡±
There were no reefs or whirlpools, but one side of theke was unusually dark and murky.
Almost as if it had been contaminated by something.
It matched perfectly with the spot indicated by the Dark Oobleck detector.
Then it¡¯s time to call it out.
I nted the sapling into the ground and unleashed a Spiral Explosion in that direction.
Soon, a small whirlpool began to form.
Thud!
A dull sound echoed from beneath the water¡¯s surface.
There¡¯s no better way to provoke it.
As if to prove its effect, ripples began spreading rapidly across theke, apanied by foaming bubbles.
Finally, the surface of the water swelled upward and¡ª
Whoosh!
A monstrous creature emerged. It looked like a cross between a human and a giant catfish.
Its appearance was quite different from what I remembered. It was muchrger, grotesquely twisted, and had six arms.
It was also wielding not one but three tridents.
The Dark Oobleck must have devoured and fused several bosses together.
Most notably, its skin gleamed with Dark Oobleck¡¯s signature ck sheen.
If Dang Gyu-young had seen this, she probably would have said something like:
¨C Look at that, a Dark Gap-doo, huh?
¡°¡ª!¡±
The moment its gaze met ours, the creature thrust its tridents forward.
Immediately, the water of theke rippled more violently. Some parts rose in dense clumps before rushing towards us.
Boom!
I used Wind Force to shatter one of them, while Han So-mi shed through the remaining two midair with her sword energy.
Next, I ced the sapling against the ground and extended one hand forward.
[Spiral Explosion]
A whirlwind formed around the Dark Ooblec. It converged before erupting in a huge explosion.
Boom!
¡°¡ª!¡±
A gaping hole appeared in the creature¡¯s chest, but in the next moment, it healed as if nothing had happened.
Since the creaturecked any inherent defense, the defense-piercing effect of Spiral Explosion was diminished.
If only I could use Inferno Fist, this would be over in one blow.
But using Inferno Fist in front of Han So-mi was out of the question.
Though her demeanor often seemed casual andx, she was surprisingly strict about separating work and personal matters.
Unless my life was truly in danger, there was no reason to reveal it now.
I dodged the iing water bombs one by one and proposed an idea.
¡°Why don¡¯t you unleash your sword energy to cool things off?¡±
¡°Should I?¡±
Han So-mi raised her sword into a mid-stance, but then, as if something urred to her, she hesitated.
¡°There¡¯s a problem!¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°It¡¯s too far!¡±
Han So-mi pointed her sword toward the Dark Gap-doo.
The creature was a mage-type boss. It kept its distance in the middle of theke while relentlessly casting water-based magic.
At this range, even if Han So-miunched her sword energy, it wouldn¡¯t reach, and if it did, its power would be severely diminished.
Fortunately, this was a problem I could solve.
¡°Then I¡¯ll create a foothold for you.¡±
¡°How?¡±
¡°Like this.¡±
When I cast Ice Wall, a patch of ground a short distance away froze over and an ice barrier abruptly shot upward.
Han So-mi let out an exmation of admiration.
¡°What a clever method!¡±
¡°I¡¯ll create them one by one, so use them as stepping stones. Just be careful not to slip.¡±
¡°Mhmm, mhmm!¡±
Han So-mi leaped toward the ice wall.
As soon as I conjured the next one, she deftlynded on it.
¡°¡ª!¡±
Noticing her intent, the Dark Oobleck concentrated its water magic on her.
Jets ofke water surged upward, forming into spheres that shot toward her.
Han So-mi nimbly hopped between the ice walls and dodged the iing attacks.
At one point, she slipped slightly and lost her bnce.
¡°Oh, ohhh~?¡±
She wobbled unsteadily with her arms spread wide but managed to steady herself again.
Even in the middle of battle, there wasn¡¯t the slightest hint of tension on her face.
She really does have the mindset of someone who enjoys the fight.
Still, that was far better than being intimidated.
I continued conjuring ice walls in session, and Han So-mi used them to gradually close the distance toward the Dark Oobleck.
¡°¡ª!¡±
Perhaps sensing the growing threat, the Dark Oobleck seemed to react.
Its three tridents merged into a single, muchrger weapon, which it aimed squarely at Han So-mi.
The surface of theke churned violently before¡ª
Swooshhh¡ª!
A wave taller than a person surged toward Han So-mi, threatening to engulf her.
Having anticipated this attack pattern, I immediately shouted instructions as soon as I saw the wave.
¡°Jump high. Now, jump!¡±
¡°Jump!¡±
Han So-mi kicked off the ice wall with ease and leaped into the air. At the same moment,pressed air exploded beneath her feet.
Boom!
¡°Ooooh~¡±
Han So-mi floated in midair with a bright smile on her face.
As soon as the wave subsided, shended gracefully on the ice wall and moved to another one that I had just summoned.
In doing so, the distance between her and the Dark Oobleck narrowed significantly.
Judging that she was now close enough, Han So-mi finally spoke.
¡°Got it~!¡±
With that, she began to unleash her full energy.
An icy, bone-chilling aura gathered around her de.
I, in turn, supported Han So-mi¡¯s ultimate move.
[Activated ¡®Octopus Limbs¡¯.]
[Activated ¡®Amplification¡¯.]
[The rank of ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ has increased. (C+ ¡ú A+)]
[The rank of ¡®Spiral Explosion¡¯ has increased. (C+ ¡ú A+)]
Whooooosh¡ª!
Just in case Han So-mi got hit by any water magic, I cast a barrier around her and simultaneouslyunched the upgraded Spiral Explosion at A+ rank.
A fierce whirlwind, like a raging typhoon, trapped the Dark Oobleck tightly.
¡°¡ª!¡±
The Dark Oobleck seemed to instinctively realize that this was the end.
Its trident absorbed huge amounts ofke water before transforming into the shape of a thick whip.
Atst, the watery whipshed out with great force, just as Han So-mi¡¯s de shed downward.
aash¡ª!
Rather than cutting through, it appeared as though the immense pressure crushed it entirely.
Right after, the Spiral Explosion detonated, unleashing windspressed to their absolute limit.
Boom¡ª!
When the explosion subsided, the Dark Oobleck hadpletely evaporated without a trace.
Only patches of theke were left stained ck.
The only problem now was that Han So-mi¡¯s figure was nowhere to be found.
She must¡¯ve fallen.
It seemed the impact of the explosion had knocked her off the ice wall.
Sure enough, a section of theke suddenly bulged upward, and then¡ª
¡°Puh¡ª!¡±
Han So-mi¡¯s head popped out of the water.
Her hair was a tangled mess of algae as she looked around to confirm what had happened to the Dark Oobleck.
¡°Did we defeat it?¡±
¡°We did. Stay right there.¡±
I slowly steered the wooden boat toward her.
After helping her climb aboard, I took a ss bottle from my inventory and collected some of the darkenedke water.
A notification appeared immediately.
[Main Quest 2-5] (Completed)
? Objective: Collect an additional sample.
? Would you like to im your reward?
[Yes/No]
As expected, I chose ¡°No¡± this time as well.
Then, I handed the collected sample to Han So-mi.
¡°Here, you need this, right?¡±@@novelbin@@
¡°Mhmm, mhmm! Thanks!¡±
Han So-mi stored the ss bottle in her inventory.
As soon as she did, the next quest in the chain appeared and was instantlypleted.
However, instead of asking whether to im the reward, the system calcted everything that had been postponed all at once.
[Main Quest 2-6] (Completed)
? Objective: Deliver the sample to the Disciplinary Committee.
? Reward: Fixed pin
Finally, it¡¯s here.
Chapter 270: Poison Immunity
The fixed pin could wait forter.
For now, getting outside was the priority.
Since the final boss, the Dark Gap-doo, had been defeated, the dungeon had begun to copse.
Rumble¡
The once calmke trembled violently and the waves crashed chaotically in every direction.
At the same time, an exit appeared on the small ind and we steered the wooden boat toward it beforending on the shore.
But before we crossed the portal,
¡°Take this with you.¡±
¡°Mhmm!¡±[Trident Lake Random Box (F)]
Although we had defeated the boss, only one drop appeared.
Of course, Song Cheon-hye and Shin Byeong-cheol would have gotten one each as well, so it wasn¡¯t too little.
We passed through the portal and returned to the dungeon building¡¯s underground floor. Shortly after, Song Cheon-hye and Shin Byeong-cheol emerged as well.
Song Cheon-hye looked at us and spoke.
¡°Thank you for your hard work, everyone.¡±
¡°You too. Fortunately, we worked well together.¡±
In a dungeon split into three groups, if even one had failed to fulfill their role, we would¡¯ve struggled immensely to cover for them.
However, both Song Cheon-hye and Shin Byeong-cheol had carried their weight wlessly. This allowed us to focus entirely on the boss battle.
I asked,
¡°What¡¯s next?¡±
¡°For today, let¡¯s stop here.¡±
It was clear that fatigue had piled up for everyone, even if no one outright said it.
We had entered quite a few dungeons and faced two Dark Ooblecks along the way.
Song Cheon-hye, in particr, was lightly tapping her arm as if testing it.
¡°Is your arm hurting?¡±
¡°¡No, I¡¯m fine.¡±
She pretended to act like nothing was wrong, but it was clear that the effort of rowing hard had left her arms sore with muscle pain.
I turned to Han So-mi.
¡°Give her a massage.¡±
¡°Mhmm! I¡¯m good at massages!¡±
With a swift motion, Han So-mi moved near Song Cheon-hye and began vigorously kneading her arms.
¡°!!¡±
Song Cheon-hye jumped back with a yelp as if she was in pain and put some distance between them.
Han So-mi tilted her head in confusion.
¡°Huh? Why?¡±
¡°I-I can handle it myself.¡±
¡°But I¡¯m really good at giving massages! Even Master said so!¡±
¡°No, don¡¯te near me.¡±
Han So-mi tried to approach again, but Song Cheon-hye strongly resisted.
She was so adamant that static electricity seemed to crackle around her.
Keeping a safe distance, Song Cheon-hye finally spoke in the calmest tone she could muster.
¡°Really, it¡¯s fine. I appreciate the thought.¡±
¡°Are you sure?¡±
¡°Yes, thank you.¡±
Song Cheon-hye was still wary and approached cautiously. She was clearly reluctant to let her guard down, and she resumed speaking after a brief pause.
¡°We¡¯ll handle the remaining quota this weekend.¡±
At that moment, Shin Byeong-cheol who had been quietly lingering in the corner stepped forward.
¡°So¡ how are we dividing the rewards?¡±
¡°We got five items today, right?¡±
Two from the Mole Mine and three from Trident Lake.
Song Cheon-hye nced at Shin Byeong-cheol and continued.
¡°We¡¯ll take three, and you two can take one each. Does that work for you?¡±
¡°Sounds fair.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol nodded his head without hesitation.
Given the circumstances, he was already grateful for such an even split during disciplinary action.
Without dy, Shin Byeong-cheol pulled out one of the random boxes.
¡°Shall we open it now?¡±
¡°You really need to work on your patience.¡±
I scolded him lightly.
Rushing to open the box right after dividing the rewards¡.it was very typical of him.
However, Shin Byeong-cheol shook his head wildly.
¡°No, I can¡¯t wait. I have to open it now.¡±
¡°You always end up with teacups when you do this.¡±
¡°Not today, okay? I have a good feeling about this!¡±
It was a serious case of random box addiction.
By this point, convincing him with words was no longer an option.
When I nced around, Song Cheon-hye stood with her arms crossed while Han So-mi was watching us with curious eyes.
She even started encouraging him.
¡°Open it! Open it!¡±
Since it wasn¡¯t mine to begin with and the mood was already like this, I decided there was no need to stop him.
¡°Do whatever you want. But isn¡¯t it just going to be another F-rank item?¡±
¡°You never know. I¡¯m telling you, I have a good feeling today. Something big ising. Something big.¡±
¡°Fine. Who knows? Maybe you¡¯ll hit the jackpot.¡±
¡°Alright then, here we go. Big one¡ is it here?!¡±
With a dramatic shout, Shin Byeong-cheol flung open the box lid.
Click.
The next moment, the random box in Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s hands expanded ominously before revealing an item.
When we saw it, not just Han So-mi and I, but even Song Cheon-hye muttered ament.
¡°It¡¯s big.¡±
¡°It¡¯s really big!¡±
¡°It¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡±
[Wooden Table (F)]
Shin Byeong-cheol stood there holding the table with both hands with his mouth opening and closing like a fish.
¡°This can¡¯t be real. This can¡¯t be real.¡±
***
After withdrawing from the dungeon building,
I took some time alone to review my gains.
[Activated ¡®Fixed Pin¡¯.]
[¡®Poison Resistance (S)¡¯ has been fixed.]
[Traits]
? Poison Resistance (S)
? Copy-Trait [1/2]
1. (None)
2. The Sovereign¡¯s Crown
As soon as I made Poison Resistance one of my traits, a new message appeared.
[You have acquired ¡®Poison Immunity.¡¯]
Thebination of Thousand Poisons Immunity and Poison Resistance resulted in acquiring the ultimate Poison Immunity.
Its effect was short and simple.
?Immunity to Poison
Poison attacks couldn¡¯t harm me, let alone cause poisoning.
To prate the Poison Immunity, one would need to stack numerous poisoning debuffs or apply a highly rare debuff that restricts traits. However, both options were almost impossible to realize.
Another subtle strength of the Poison Immunity was,
It doesn¡¯te with a rank.
Just like [Distortion], despite being equivalent to an S-rank trait, it wasn¡¯t assigned a rank.
Even in rank-restricted zones like the Fixed Zone, its effects remained fully intact,
And when using [Enchantment], there was no rank reduction, so there was no need to amplify it further.
With this, the preparations are done.
I checked the main quest.
[Main Quest 2-7] (In progress¡)
? Objective: Contribute to the subjugation.
? Reward: Varies based on contribution.
Even with such an overwhelming trait, I still wasn¡¯t strong enough to face an A-rank boss head-on.
The actual batle against the Witch of Corruption would fall to faculty members with roughly equivalent skills.
And so, the main quest objective wasn¡¯t to ¡°defeat¡± the Witch of Corruption but to ¡°contribute¡±.
The reward would be determined by how much I contributed.
I¡¯ll aim for the maximum reward, no matter what.
Main quests were known for their especially generous rewards, so I couldn¡¯t afford to miss this one.
Just as I had gained [Enchantment] bypleting the first main quest with maximum achievement,
If I cleared the second quest with maximum contribution, I was sure to acquire something equally powerful.
So how could I raise my contribution level?
I need to join the subjugation team.
Even if someone else took on the Witch of Corruption, simply participating in the subjugation team would ensure my contribution.
The only issue was whether they¡¯d allow a first-year student to join such a dangerous team.
But I wasn¡¯t too worried about that.
They¡¯lle looking for me.
When it was just Thousand Poisons Immunity, it was somewhat uncertain, but now that I had achieved Poison Immunity, they were bound toe looking for me.
And not just anyone. Specifically the academy side.
***
At the old school building,
Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong walked silently. Their footsteps echoed through the empty hallway.
After walking a short distance, they saw someone waiting ahead.
The figure was a woman perfectly dressed in a suit.
Her expression was as rigid as her attire, making her seem as if not a drop of blood would spill if she were pricked.
Of course, the two recognized her face which made Seo Cheong-yong greet her with a friendly smile.
¡°Vice Principal.¡±
¡°Teacher Seo, Teacher Lee. Please follow me.¡±
The vice principal responded with a brief bow before turning to lead the way.
Now, the sound of footsteps in the hallway increased to three.
They continued walking in silence for a while until, unexpectedly, the vice principal broke the silence.
¡°The first semester is almost over. It¡¯s good to see you both seem to be adjusting well.¡±
¡°Haha, teaching suits me better than I expected. If I¡¯d known, I would¡¯ve started earlier.¡±
Seo Cheong-yong replied with a bright smile.
Lee Soo-dok, on the other hand, gave a curt response.
¡°It¡¯s just a job.¡±
After all, it had been none other than the principal who personally visited and persuaded him to take on the teaching position.
Lee Soo-dok was notorious for his brutal methods, yet his reputation for wlesslypleting any task he was assigned was unmatched.
The faculty and staff were well aware of this, though his appointment wasn¡¯t without its controversies.
¨C Is it right to hire a teacher based solely on skill?
¨C Can someone nicknamed the ¡°Human Butcher¡± really teach kids?
¨C What if he snaps and breaks a student¡¯s arms and legs because they annoy him?
However, contrary to all the concerns and worries, Lee Soo-dok carried out his duties wlessly without a single problem.
The vice principal slightly bowed her head.
¡°I look forward to your continued efforts.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Once again, Seo Cheong-yong replied softly, while Lee Soo-dok gave a half-hearted nod.
His mind had long since left the Dragon yer Academy behind.
Only one month left in the first semester.
The task he had epted from the principal was to work as a teacher at the Dragon yer Academy for one year.
Initially, the proposal was for three years, but he had firmly refused, reducing it to one year.
Now that he thought about it, even one year felt too long.
Time really does crawl.
For the first time in a while, Lee Soo-dok found himself regretting his decision.
He should have declined the offer altogether.
The only silver lining was the promise of an opportunity to put his specialty to use soon.
Catching and killing bad guys.
The three of them were heading deep into the old school building precisely for that reason.
Eventually, they stopped in front of a door marked with arge sign that read, ¡°No Entry¡±.
The vice principal retrieved a bundle of keys from her pocket, selected one, and unlocked the door.@@novelbin@@
Beyond ity arge empty room.
The only thing inside was a single thick wall, as though it had been torn straight out of some ancient temple.
Mysterious characters appeared and vanished repeatedly on the wall, radiating a faint glow each time.
In front of the wall sat a man slouched carelessly.
He had a scruffy, half-shaven beard, wore a shabby tracksuit, and had slippers on his feet.
Despite his appearance which resembled that of a neighborhood fool, this man was none other than the former hero and the principal of the Dragon yer Academy.
¡°¡¡¡±
The principal, with a cigarette in one hand, stared intently at the wall.
As if he was trying to read something hidden within it.
The vice principal approached him and spoke sternly.
¡°How many times do I have to tell you? No smoking indoors.¡±
¡°I know, I know, but I¡¯ve had a lot on my mindtely.¡±
¡°And that¡¯s your excuse?¡±
The vice principal let out a small sigh and abruptly handed him something. It was an ashtray.
The principal extinguished his cigarette in it without hesitation, as if this exchange were amon urrence to them.
The principal then stood up and scratched his back as he greeted Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-ryong.
¡°You¡¯re here, Teacher Lee, Teacher Seo.¡±
¡°Hello, sir.¡±
¡°Did you bring it?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Lee Soo-dok gave a short reply and pulled out a small briefcase.
When he opened it, it was filled with test tubes containing a dark liquid.
These were samples of Dark Oobleck collected by students who had explored the dungeons thoroughly.
¡°Is this enough?¡±
¡°This is more than enough. Please tell them they did a great job.¡±
The principal took the samples and stepped closer to the wall, one step at a time.
As if in response, the wall began to emit an increasingly intense light.
Chapter 271: The Wall of Wisdom
Chapter 271: The Wall of Wisdom
Traditionally, the position of principal at the Dragon yer Academy was filled by a retired S-rank hero.
Of course, stepping back from the frontlines didn¡¯t mean the strength of an S-rank hero simply vanished, and each principal in the academy¡¯s history had dedicated their formidable strength entirely to a single goal.
To make the Dragon yer Academy a better school.
Because the principals¡¯ personalities were so varied, the directions they pursued were equally diverse.
Some principals focused on improving the facilities.
Some established regtions and even developed the Ban Wave.
Others dealt with external threats.
And some ventured into the deepest levels of the dungeon building.
Among the thousands of dungeons, only ten were considered the most dangerous of all.These principals had challenged the S-rank dungeons.
The wall standing before them now was one such relic from those raids and was referred to by insiders as the ¡°Wall of Wisdom¡±.
The Wall of Wisdom had consistently offered solutions whenever danger loomed over the Dragon yer Academy, and this time was no exception.
As the principal stepped closer, the chaotic characters scattered across the wall converged and formed the shape of arge eye.
It seemed as though it were examining the samples.
At the same time, a single word appeared.
[Observation]
Soon, the eye disassembled back into scattered characters, leaving behind two words in its ce.
[Confirmation]
[Offering]
There was a corresponding price to pay for borrowing such transcendent power.
Naturally, this wasn¡¯t the first time it had happened, and the necessary offerings had already been prepared.
Two items emerged from the principal¡¯s inventory.
A pair of gleaming golden boots and a bracelet encrusted with jewels.
Both were A-rank items.
¡°Here you go.¡±
When it was held forward, the chaotic characters on the Wall of Wisdom busily gathered again and formed the shape of two hands.
The hands then mimicked a grasping motion.
¨C Purseok¡ª
The A-rank equipment turned to dust and scattered into the air.
They had been destroyed as sacrifices.
Once more, two words appeared on the wall.
[Nom nom] (TN: sound of eating.)
¡°Ugh, do you have any idea how much just one of those costs?¡±
The principal felt a pang of pain in his chest.
Even for a legendary hero, each piece of A-rank equipment held immense value.
And now, two of them had been destroyed in an instant. It was only natural for him to feel the sting.
But no matter how precious the items were, could they really outweigh the value of a human life?
Their priority was to stabilize the Dragon yer Academy as quickly as possible and minimize harm to the students.
So, putting aside his regrets and heartburn, the principal turned to the wall.
¡°Tell me where the Witch of Corruption is.¡±
The Wall of Wisdom functioned this way. It answered questions if presented with suitable offerings.
Moreover, if the offering was an item rted to the subject of the question, it provided even more detailed answers.
For example, after the midterm exams, they had used a Blood Fury Syringe as a medium to pinpoint the locations of the Witch of Corruption and the Blood Cult Elder.
Although they had failed to capture them back then,
I won¡¯t let it happen twice.
That was why he had gathered the Dark Oobleck samples. It was to use them as a medium to demand the same information.
But something seemed off.
Instead of an answer, only a single word appeared on the wall.
[Insufficient]
At the same time, the characters reformed into the shape of a hand and the hand wiggled its fingers.
The principal furrowed his brow.
You¡¯ve got quite the appetite today, huh?
It was asking for three A-rank items.
However, the Wall of Wisdom always demanded only a fair price.
In other words, asking for more sacrifices meant it was offering equally valuable information in return.
Enduring the ache in his chest, the principal opened his inventory and retrieved a blood-red dagger.
When he extended it forward,
¨C Purseok¡ª
The dagger too disintegrated into dust and scattered away.
[Belch]
The principal sighed deeply as he ran a hand over his face.
¡°Whew¡ now, finally, speak.¡±
If it dared ask for more offerings or spout nonsense, he was ready to abandon the whole thing.
Perhaps sensing his determination, the Wall of Wisdom began to form words and the characters gathered in order.
[Teleportation]
[Trap]
[Labyrinth]
¡°¡¡.!¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Everyone present brightened with understanding.
Though it was only three words, it was sufficient to pinpoint the Witch of Corruption¡¯s location.
A dungeon filled with teleportation traps from start to finish.
50th Floor. An A-rank dungeon.
The Teleportation Labyrinth.
Seo Cheong-yong spoke up.
¡°As expected, she went into an A-rank dungeon. There¡¯s no better ce to hide.¡±
¡°She¡¯s likely fortified the entire dungeon.¡±
It had been nearly a month since Seo Cheong-yong and Lee Soo-dokst shed with the Witch of Corruption after the midterms.
The Witch of Corruption had had plenty of time to recover her strength and fortify the dungeon.
By scattering Dark Oobleck across various dungeon zones, she had likely secured even more time for herself.
Despite this, there was no sign of anxiety among the four people present.
Still, the principal made a suggestion just in case,
¡°Should I join the team?¡±
Seo Cheong-yong and Lee Soo-dok responded in unison.
¡°We¡¯ll take care of it.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no need to bring a ughter knife to hunt a chicken.¡±
Although they had failed once before, they were confident they could resolve this matter themselves.
Of course, if the legendary hero joined the raid party, clearing the dungeon and defeating the enemies would definitely be far easier.
But the King never moves recklessly.
The biggest reason was that they still hadn¡¯t fully grasped the enemies¡¯ intentions.
What if their goal was to tie down the academy¡¯s strongest asset, the principal, in the Teleportation Labyrinth whileunching an invasion on the Dungeon Ind in the meantime?
The potential damage could be far greater.
There were also political reasons to consider.
If the principal personally intervened every time something happened, how would that appear to outsiders?
They¡¯ll think it¡¯s because the faculty are ipetent.
If word spread that the academy¡¯s faculty were ipetent, it could lead to a loss of trust in Dragon yer Academy itself.
That too might very well be part of the enemies¡¯ n.
That¡¯s why this was something they had to resolve themselves.
Finally, there was one more reason. A personal reason for Lee Soo-dok.
If it¡¯s going to end, it¡¯ll be by my hand.
The Witch of Corruption was his prey.
Having let her escape once before, his pride had already suffered a blow, and he had no intention of handing her over to anyone else.
Not to the principal, not to another teacher, and certainly not to anyone else.
The vice principal gave a slight nod and spoke.
¡°If that¡¯s what you both have decided, I understand. Still, considering it¡¯s an A-rank dungeon, it would be wise to organize a subjugation team.¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Seo Cheong-yong replied with a gentle smile.
They didn¡¯t think they would lose once they faced the enemies, but reaching that point was a different matter entirely.
Especially when the location in question was none other than an A-rank dungeon.
Even for Seo Cheong-yong, a teacher specializing in dungeon strategy, it was not a ce to be taken lightly.
¡°I n to enlist the help of a few other teachers and some third-year students.¡±
¡°Very well.¡±
The details would need to be worked out over the next few days of meetings.
With the major points settled, they began tidying up and preparing to leave the room.
Just as they were about to step out, another word appeared on the Wall of Wisdom.
[Enchantment]
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Everyone stood frozen with their eyes fixed on the wall.
Even Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong, as well as the principal and vice principal, were experiencing something like this for the first time.
Soon, the letters rearranged themselves and formed two characters.
[Kim Ho]
The principal tilted his head slightly toward the vice principal and whispered.
¡°What does that mean?¡±
¡°¡I¡¯m not sure either.¡±@@novelbin@@
¡°Is it someone¡¯s name?¡±
¡°Probably.¡±
They couldn¡¯t figure it out immediately.
Seo Cheong-yong, however, seemed to recall something and spoke.
¡°Teacher Lee, I think there¡¯s a student named Kim Ho in your ss.¡±
¡°¡That¡¯s correct.¡±
Lee Soo-dok was uncharacteristically caught off guard but he confirmed it.
Kim Ho was indeed in his ss 3, and it was true that the student had been on his mind for various reasons.
But why had that name appeared here?
Just when I¡¯m about to forget, ites up again.
The principal who was listening to their conversation asked,
¡°Since this student is in your ss, does that mean he¡¯s a first-year?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
The principal hummed thoughtfully.
A name appearing on the Wall of Wisdom meant that the individual would y a key role in subjugating the Witch of Corruption.
Bringing him along would be a significant advantage in some way.
But why?
For what reason, out of all the many faculty members and senior students, was a first-year student singled out?
His curiosity grew and the principal subtly gestured with his eyes.
The vice principal understood the unspoken request and she immediately pulled up Kim Ho¡¯s information.
First, the academic record.
¡°In terms ofbat performance, except for the cement test and the mentoring program, he has won every match. His dungeon strategy grades are among the highest.¡±
¡°And his background or affiliation?¡±
¡°Both are unknown.¡±
The principal was puzzled and asked,
¡°¡Then how did he even get admitted into the academy?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll look into it further.¡±
The principal turned his head and this time directed his question to Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong.
¡°What do you both think?¡±
¡°He doesn¡¯t stand out much. Though his written test scores are quite good.¡±
For Seo Cheong-yong, ny-nine out of a hundred encounters with Kim Ho took ce in the ssroom. Kim Ho was the kind of student who kept quiet and concentrated on his lessons. He never drew attention to himself.
Naturally, his observations of the boy were limited.
On the other hand, Lee Soo-dok took a moment longer to answer.
It was because his thoughts had wandered to the night the ck Market had opened.
He remembered the time they had dealt with the sudden appearance of the Blood Cult elder and then interrogated Kim Ho.
That night, Lee Soo-dok had used his information-type skill, [Truth or Lie], and to his surprise, he received an unexpected system message.
[??? detected.]
¡There¡¯s no need to mention this now.
Lee Soo-dok decided to keep that detail to himself for the time being.
This decision was heavily influenced by his own curiosity and desire to investigate Kim Ho more thoroughly, much like the Witch of Corruption.
Instead, he provided different information.
¡°He often hangs out with two unaffiliated ssmates. One of them happens to be the youngdy of the Hye-seong Group.¡±
¡°Hye-seong Group, you say¡¡±
¡°He also seems to have great connections with the president of the Thieves¡¯ Club. It appears he frequently receives their help for unauthorized raids in the underground floors.¡±
¡°A first-year conducting unauthorized explorations?¡±
¡°Recently, he has been receiving disciplinary action for breaking into the temporary storage room and viting several school rules.¡±
¡°¡Interesting.¡±
The principal stroked his chin with a look of interest on his face.
The two teachers had presented opposing views, but it was likely that both were true.
That¡¯s what makes it even more interesting.
On the surface, the boy yed the role of an unremarkable Student A, yet behind the scenes, he was busily working toward some goal.
The school rules vitions were probably just the tip of the iceberg. Undoubtedly, there were far more incidents that had gone unnoticed.
After mulling it over briefly, the principal reached a conclusion.
In reality, the decision had already been made the moment Kim Ho¡¯s name appeared on the Wall of Wisdom.
¡°I think it¡¯s time I met this student, Kim Ho.¡±
Before cing him in the subjugation team, he decided to see for himself face-to-face.
Chapter 272: The Principal’s Office
The sample collection had beenpleted, but the dungeon cleanup was far from over.
Since the Dark Oobleck posed a significant risk during the raid, it was necessary to hunt down and eliminate everyst one of them.
And so, the disciplinary action continued through the weekend.
We entered the dungeon, ran detectors at major checkpoints, used escape scrolls if nothing appeared, and asionally defeated any Dark Oobleck that popped out.
It was tedious work, but it wasn¡¯t entirely without reward.
Specifically, there were the random boxes distributed as my share.
All of them were F-rank, so there was no need to involve Lucky Charm¡¯s hand, and even if stamp coupons appearedter, they wouldn¡¯t apply, so I opened them right away.
Fortunately, they yielded some fairly useful items.
[Rank Up (F)][Random Rank Up] x2
Including the ones I received from Bong Jae-seok and set aside, there were now a total of four Random Rank Up scrolls.
Since items rted to rank were always better to have in abundance, I decided to store them safely.
Meanwhile, Shin Byeong-cheol kept drawing F-rank wooden chairs and eventuallypleted a full wooden furniture set.
¨C Hey, can we sit on these?
¨C No, get lost. All of you, get lost.
¨C I want to sit too!
Amid such small incidents, the disciplinary action continued without issue.
By Sunday morning, the endless dungeon list had finally dwindled to just two remaining entries.
Song Cheon-hye spoke with a face mixed with exhaustion and satisfaction.
¡°We¡¯re almost done now. Next is¡ª¡±
But then, the remaining dungeon number erased itself, leaving the listpletely empty.
It seemed another party had finished the cleanup.
Han So-mi was overjoyed and began jumping up and down.
¡°It¡¯s! Done! At! Last!¡±
¡°Y-Yeah, it is.¡±
Song Cheon-hye paused for a moment but soon wrapped up the dungeon cleanup with a pleased expression.
I asked,
¡°Can we leave now?¡±
¡°Yes, thank you for your hard work. Just remember to follow the school rules.¡±
¡°Of course, of course.¡±
¡°Absolutely.¡±
Though Shin Byeong-cheol and I nodded coolly, Song Cheon-hye still gave us a doubtful look.
She quickly softened her expression, as if deciding it wasn¡¯t worth ruining the good mood.
Han So-mi who was cheerful as ever waved her hands vigorously in farewell.
¡°Great job! Bye-bye!¡±
¡°Yeah, you worked hard too.¡±
I waved back before turning to leave.
But then¡ª
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°¡.¡?¡±
Both members of the disciplinarymittee suddenly froze and summoned floating windows in mid-air.
It looked like they were checking a message.
After a moment, they both turned their gazes toward me at the same time.
I asked,
¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±
¡°We¡¯re supposed to bring you in.¡±
¡°Where to?¡±
¡°The principal¡¯s office!¡±
So, it¡¯s finallye.
It had been a few days since I delivered the sample, so by now, they must have used the Wall of Wisdom.
And the Wall of Wisdom always presented the most efficient solution.
Since I could halve the Witch of Corruption¡¯s power just by my presence, there was a very high chance that I would be mentioned.
So I asked again,
¡°When do they want me toe?¡±@@novelbin@@
¡°They said toe as soon as possible.¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s head over right away.¡±
Meanwhile, Shin Byeong-cheol, perhaps sensing the gravity of the situation, had gone pale.
¡°I, uh, don¡¯t have to go, right?¡±
¡°No, you¡¯re all set. Thank you for your help.¡±
¡°Okay, then! Take care, everyone! Have a great weekend!¡±
With that, he quickly made his escape, as if worried someone might change their mind.
What a spineless guy. May he keep drawing nothing but tea sets from now on.
Song Cheon-hye¡¯s brow twitched slightly as if she shared the same thought, but she soonposed herself and took the lead.
¡°Follow me.¡±
***
We soon stopped in front of a door marked
.
Song Cheon-hye who looked slightly tense knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
The door swung open abruptly, revealing Lee Soo-dok.
Beside him, Seo Cheong-yong stood with a warm smile as he casually waved his hand.
They had probably sensed our arrival long before we got here.
Song Cheon-hye bowed slightly and spoke.
¡°I¡¯ve brought him.¡±
¡°Thank you for your hard work. You may leave now.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
When Song Cheon-hye nced briefly in my direction, I also bowed politely to the teachers before stepping into the principal¡¯s office.
The door closed behind me, but not long after, Lee Soo-dok suddenly flung it open again and stormed out.
¨C What are you standing there for?
¨C ¡Sorry.
It seemed she had been lingering nearby to eavesdrop, perhaps out of curiosity, and got caught.
Even Dang Gyu-young would get caught if Seo Cheong-yong and Lee Soo-dok were involved, so how could someone like Song Cheon-hye hope to seed?
Finally pulling my gaze away from the door, I took in my surroundings.
The principal¡¯s office exuded an atmosphere of solemnity and gravity.
Underfoot, soft carpet cushioned each step and every piece of furniture seemed to boast, ¡°I¡¯m expensive.¡±
The walls were lined with evenly spaced frames that disyed photographs of past principals.
In one corner, a bookshelf held tightly packed volumes that were likely high-ranked magic books or martial arts manuals.
At the center of it all was a desk with a namete that read
, and behind it sat a man who looked utterly out of ce in such a dignified setting. ?????¦Ï??§§S?
His hair stuck out in every direction and his beard was unkempt.
Although he was wearing a suit, the loosened tie and undone buttons made it clear he found it ufortable.
Despite his disheveled appearance, I already knew he was the principal, so I immediately bowed politely.
¡°Hello.¡±
¡°Ah, wee, Kim Ho.¡±
The principal answered in a calm tone.
Then, as if something was bothering him, he scratched his head vigorously and said,
¡°Sorry to ask this right after we¡¯ve met, but is it okay if I speak informally?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡±
¡°Ah, thank you. I swear, trying to keep up formalities is exhausting. Makes it hard to breathe.¡±
While ncing sideways to gauge the mood, I noticed a woman in a suit standing nearby.
It was the vice principal. She was radiating about 2.5 times the seriousness of Song Cheon-hye.
She¡¯s no joke.
Not in terms of personality, but in sheer ability.
Judging by an experienced eye, she seemed to be knocking on the door of S-rank strength.
She might even be stronger than Lee Soo-dok or Seo Cheong-yong.
¡°¡¡¡±
The vice principal remained silent. Her gaze was sharp and cold.
The principal, perhaps feeling the tension, shifted his focus to me and asked,
¡°Any idea why you were called here?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±
For now, I decided to act clueless.
Even if the oue was the same and I ended up joining the subjugation team, there was a significant difference between volunteering knowingly and being formally approached with an exnation and proposal.
Thetter is much more advantageous.
Considering that someone of the principal¡¯s caliber, who was practically a legendary hero, had called me, the benefits on offer were likely substantial.
The principal asked,
¡°You¡¯re familiar with the Witch of Corruption, right?¡±
¡°Yes, I am.¡±
It was the hottest topic among studentstely, and given that I¡¯d encountered Dark Oobleck multiple times during disciplinary action, there was no reason to deny it.
The principal exined,
¡°We¡¯ll soonunch a full-scale battle against the Witch of Corruption. A subjugation team is being organized, and I¡¯ve been told you could y a critical role in it.¡±
¡°This is the first I¡¯ve heard of it. May I ask who said that?¡±
¡°¡.¡¡±
The principal was momentarily at a loss for words.
The Wall of Wisdom was a top-secret matter, known only to a select few insiders.
It wasn¡¯t something that could be casually disclosed to a mere student.
Of course, I already knew all about it.
At that moment, the vice principal who had been silently observing finally spoke up for the first time.
¡°That¡¯s ssified information, so I hope you¡¯ll understand Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Is that so? Understood.¡±
What I gained from this was a small debt of gratitude and a slight upper hand in the conversation.
The principal asked again,
¡°Anyway, if you can think of anything, why don¡¯t you tell us what you can do?¡±
After deliberately pausing for a moment, I spoke.
¡°There¡¯s one thing I can guess. But before that, may I ask another question?¡±
¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±
¡°You said you were organizing a subjugation team. Does that mean I¡¯ll be part of it too?¡±
¡°¡That¡¯s how it¡¯ll likely turn out.¡±
I made a face that clearly showed I was already reluctant.
¡°I¡¯d like to hear more details.¡±
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll exin.¡±
This time, Seo Cheong-yong answered in the principal¡¯s stead.
The Witch of Corruption had hidden herself in an A-rank dungeon, the Teleportation Labyrinth.
Furthermore, it was highly likely that she had fortified the ce, which was why a subjugation team was being formed.
The Teleportation Labyrinth, huh?
As expected, given the change in the yers involved, she had hidden herself somewhere I hadn¡¯t anticipated.
I could roughly guess her intent, though.
Still, since my bargaining process wasn¡¯t over yet, I lowered my head with an even more reluctant expression.
¡°If it¡¯s the Witch of Corruption in an A-rank dungeon, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m up to the task. My apologies.¡±
¡°¡I suppose that¡¯s to be expected. I understand.¡±
The principal spoke with a tone of disappointment.
Participating in the subjugation team was a matter of life and death, so it wasn¡¯t something that could be forced upon a student.
All the more so if that student was only a first-year.
However, the moment I met the principal¡¯s gaze, I realized it instinctively.
As expected, he hasn¡¯t given up.
His eyes were still brimming with curiosity and interest.
He hadn¡¯t said anything, but he must have done some digging into my background.
And whatever he discovered had likely interested him even further.
The principal raised the corners of his mouth slightly and said,
¡°Still, I¡¯d like to hear if you¡¯ve got something.¡±
I could have wriggled out of it here, but if I did, they would genuinely n the operation without me.
It was time for me to prove my worth.
¡°I have a countermeasure for poison.¡±
¡°She does use poison techniques. But an ordinary countermeasure won¡¯t work.¡±
¡°It¡¯s more than enough.¡±
Rather than exin with words, I decided to show them directly.
Since it would be revealed during the subjugation anyway, there was no need to keep it tightly under wraps.
[Activated ¡®Enchantment¡¯.]
[You have granted ¡°Poison Immunity¡± to the target.]
¡°Immun¡ª!¡±
The principal¡¯s expression froze solid.
It was astonishing enough that a student possessed an ability like Poison Immunity, something even graduates and faculty members hadn¡¯t mastered, but the fact that I could bestow it on others was beyond belief.
He immediately shared the notification message with the other teachers who reacted simrly.
Their attitudes shifted entirely.
Just moments ago, they had been half resigned to leaving me out of the subjugation team, but now their gazes carried an almost desperate determination to include me no matter what.
¡°Couldn¡¯t you reconsider? That skill would be of great help.¡±
When the principal asked this, I once again put on my ¡°reluctant expression¡±.
¡°As I mentioned, my abilities alone aren¡¯t enough. Just because I have Poison Immunity doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m invincible.¡±
At that, Seo Cheong-yong and Lee Soo-dok chimed in.
¡°The teachers and seniors will make sure you don¡¯t get even a scratch.¡±
¡°We can guarantee that much.¡±
Then the principal made an offer.
¡°Alright, if you¡¯re going to risk your life to join us, it should be worth it. Tell me what you want.¡±
¡°After the subjugation is over, I¡¯d like to make a small request of you, Principal.¡±
There¡¯s nothing more certain than a nk check.
And if the person granting it is the principal, that makes it all the more solid.
¡°¡¡!¡±
The principal¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply.
He realized that the reason I had been negotiating up until now was precisely for this moment.
Even so, he seemed to ponder what could possibly be so unreasonable before nodding in agreement.
¡°Fine, let¡¯s do that. If it¡¯s something I can manage, I¡¯ll take care of it. So, you¡¯re joining us?¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°The subjugation team will be led by Teacher Seo and Teacher Lee, so make sure to coordinate well with them.¡±
¡°Yes, understood.¡±
***
After Kim Ho left and even Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong had gone,
Only the principal and vice principal remained in the principal¡¯s office.
The principal who was lost in deep thought for a while finally spoke.
¡°¡That one, he¡¯s a Monarch, isn¡¯t he?¡±
¡°Yes, without a doubt.¡±
¡°A Monarch, Poison Immunity, and even can bestow his abilities¡¡±
Where in the world did someone like thate from?
While the Witch of Corruption subjugation would undoubtedly end in sess this way, the principal couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he had invited a tiger into the fold just to catch a fox.
Chapter 273: 15th Week Strategy Battle?
Since there needed to be more discussion about the subjugation team, I followed Lee Soo-Dok and Seo Cheong-Yong as we moved along.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
No one spoke during our walk. The risk of someone overhearing us was too great.
Even so, the two teachers¡¯ gazes stayed fixed on me the entire time.
Lee Soo-Dok¡¯s stare grew so intense it was almost piercing, while Seo Cheong-Yong¡¯s expression remained gentle as always. However, I could sense subtle changes in his demeanor that were hard to notice otherwise.
Eventually, we entered an empty conference room.
The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and with the addition of powerful soundproofing magic, there was no risk of our conversation leaking outside.
As soon as we sat down, Lee Soo-Dok and Seo Cheong-Yong each made ament.¡°So you were hiding an ace up your sleeve all along.¡±
¡°I have to admit, I was surprised. For a first-year, your level is far too advanced.¡±
It¡¯s only natural that they¡¯d be shocked.
They probably had some anti-poison measures of their own, but at most, they would have been at the B-rank level with immunity to basic poisons.
The wall of invulnerability I¡¯d reached was on an entirely different level.
Without using tricks like copy, poison resistance, and fixed pins, I likely wouldn¡¯t have gained it until my third year. That¡¯s if I ever managed it at all.
The Enchantment skill is even more ridiculous.
Even among the faculty, and likely the principal as well, this skill would be unheard of.
Its acquisition difficulty was so astronomical that no one in this world had likely ever mastered it.
I remember vividly when I first acquired [Enchantment]. It had been after I¡¯d established myself at ¡°Dragon yer Academy¡±. I also remember struggling for a long time even after dragging S-rank heroes along to get it.
[Copy] and [Amplification] were no different.
The reason I had already obtained so many of these overpowered skills was simple.
They were mine to begin with.
I hadn¡¯t ¡°learned¡± them anew. Rather, I reimed them while progressing through my reincarnation quest.
Of course, I had no intention of revealing any of this, so I responded naturally to the teachers¡¯ments.
¡°To be honest, I wanted to keep it hidden a bit longer. But considering the situation, I decided to reveal it after much deliberation.¡±
¡°You made a tough decision. But it would be best to keep it as concealed as possible moving forward.¡±
Seo Cheong-Yong said with a nod.
The ability to grant Poison Immunity would definitely y a crucial role in this subjugation, and my reputation would soar to unprecedented heights as a result.
But that would also make me an easy target for enemies.
They¡¯d want to nip me in the bud before I could grow stronger.
This was why Seo Cheong-Yong believed it was better for me to keep a low profile, especially as a first-year. I fully agreed with his opinion.
After all, I couldn¡¯tpletely trust the faculty, either. The only reason I revealed a portion of my abilities was that they were bound by various magical constraints.
Seo Cheong-Yong turned to Lee Soo-Dok.
¡°We¡¯ll need to prepare a disguise item. Something even the other teachers wouldn¡¯t recognize.¡±@@novelbin@@
¡°Do as you see fit.¡±
Lee Soo-Dok replied casually.
Then, as if he had been waiting for the right moment, Lee Soo-Dok met my gaze directly and got to the point.
¡°Even if we keep your identity hidden, you¡¯ll need to share more about that skill.¡±
¡°Yes, I understand.¡±
It was a basic principle to assess each team member¡¯s strengths and abilities.
The more crucial the role, the more detailed the assessment needed to be.
Since this was within my expectations, I answered Lee Soo-Dok¡¯s questions without resistance.
¡°How long does itst?¡±
¡°Fifteen minutes.¡±
¡°Fifteen minutes¡ Not bad. What about the cost or penalties?¡±
¡°It has a cooldown period.¡±
¡°How long?¡±
¡°It¡¯s long. You can consider it a one-time use.¡±
The cooldown period for the C-rank Enchantment was 35 minutes.
That alone was already quite long, and it was uncertain how much more it would increase if it was cast on all team members.
Still, just in case, I decided to add a suggestion.
¡°If there¡¯s a way to manage the cooldown, I could use it again.¡±
¡°There isn¡¯t. That¡¯s unfortunate.¡±
Lee Soo-dok shook his head firmly.
Cooldown management items or skills were usually time-based, starting at a minimum of A-rank and often reaching S-rank.
Not only that, but their rarity far exceeded other A-rank items, so it was uncertain whether even the principal would possess one.
That was why I hadn¡¯t expected much and had only thrown the idea out there.
The two teachers exchanged nces.
¡°If it¡¯s a one-time use, we¡¯ll have to save it for the end.¡±
¡°That seems best.¡±
It was decided to save the granted Poison Immunity as a trump card for the decisive battle against the Witch of Corruption. Until then, everyone would rely on detoxification magic or potions.
Now it was my turn to ask a question.
¡°When do you n to enter?¡±
¡°The day after tomorrow. We can¡¯t give her more time.¡±
The Witch of Corruption had already established her fortress within the Teleportation Labyrinth.
From our perspective, the more time we allowed her, the worse it would be.
Moreover, there was always the risk that she might decide to move to another dungeon on a whim.
If that happened, we would have to sacrifice another rare offering to the Wall of Wisdom, and even at Dragon yer Academy, A-rank items weren¡¯t in infinite supply.
For these reasons, we were heading into the dungeon with a much shorter preparation period than usual.
Seo Cheong-Yong smiled faintly.
¡°Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ll be going in unprepared. In reality, we¡¯ve beenying the groundwork for a while now.¡±
Though the Witch of Corruption¡¯s exact location had only recently been confirmed, the faculty had already recruited members and conserved resources to be ready for any dungeon raid.
Seo Cheong-Yong turned to me and said,
¡°So, Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°It¡¯d be better for you to skip this strategy battle week. You need to manage your condition.¡±
With the A-rank dungeon raid and the showdown against the Witch of Corruption looming, the instructions were clear: conserve as much energy as possible over the next two days.
Some might think it was unnecessary to save energy for something as trivial as an F-rank dungeon strategy battle, but even minor exhaustion could cost lives in the heat of battle.
So I nodded my head without hesitation.
¡°I¡¯ll rest.¡±
¡°I heard you were doing disciplinary action all weekend. Is that true?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±
¡°And you caught quite a few Dark Ooblecks while cleaning the dungeons?¡±
¡°I did.¡±
A deeper smile spread across Seo Cheong-Yong¡¯s face.
¡°As I hinted earlier, the main rule for this week¡¯s strategy battle is [Boss]. But you¡¯ve already defeated bosses much stronger than that.¡±
Then, he turned slightly to ask Lee Soo-Dok a question.
¡°Do you have any objections?¡±
¡°Strategy battles fall under your jurisdiction, Teacher Seo.¡±
Lee Soo-Dok replied nonchntly. He was essentially granting permission.
Taking that as an agreement, Seo Cheong-Yong said,
¡°I¡¯ll give you full marks for this week¡¯s strategy battle.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°As for the Teleportation Labyrinth, we¡¯ll discuss it tomorrow when everyone is gathered. For now, go and rest.¡±
¡°Yes, understood.¡±
***
I spent the remainder of the weekend as instructed, focusing on recovering my condition.
Monday came.
Seo Cheong-yong conducted the strategy battle ss as usual.
The sense of distance between us remained the same as before. I didn¡¯t go out of my way to stand out, and Seo Cheong-Yong didn¡¯t specifically single me out, either.
¡°Well then, as previously announced, this week¡¯s strategy battle will¡ª¡±
The rules and environment appeared on the ckboard.
As always, the [Hostile Environment] was there,
Along with [Boss] and [Double] rules.
At the same time, a notification message appeared in one corner of my field of vision.
[Side Quest: 15th Week Strategy Battle] (Completed)
? Objective: Clear the Strategy Battle Dungeon
? Reward: Rank Up (E)
This is way too convenient.
Thanks to having already taken down Dark Oobleck and Seo Cheong-Yong granting me full marks, the side quest was cleared the moment it appeared.
Since there was no downside to enhancing my abilities, I used the Rank Up reward as soon as I received it.
[Used ¡®Rank Up (E)¡¯¡]
[¡®The rank of Chillwind¡¯ has increased. (E+ ¡ú D+)]
Meanwhile, before wrapping up the ss, Seo Cheong-Yong made one more announcement.
¡°¡ªAlso, starting tomorrow, Teacher Lee Soo-Dok and I will be absent for a few days. Like before, Teacher Jo Ok-Soon will be covering for us.¡±
A collective groan rose from all sides.
Jo Ok-Soon was practically a walking sedative.
No matter what ss she taught, she had the uncanny ability to put students to sleep.
Monster Ecology was already mind-numbingly boring, and the thought of that dullness extending to Strategy Battles and Duel Battles was enough to make anyone sigh.
Perhaps interpreting the groans differently, Seo Cheong-Yong chuckled in amusement.
¡°Why, do you miss me already? It feels nice, like I¡¯ve be a popr teacher. I¡¯ll finish everything quickly and be back soon. That¡¯s it for today¡¯s ss!¡±
After casting a brief nce in my direction, he left the ssroom.
When the ssroom gradually filled with noise, a message unexpectedly popped up.
It was from Hong Yeon-Hwa, of all people.
[Hong Yeon-Hwa: (Waving Puppy Emoji)]
[Kim Ho: (Waving Puppy Emoji)]
[Kim Ho: What¡¯s up?]
[Hong Yeon-Hwa: Uh, well¡]
[Hong Yeon-Hwa: (Puppy Looking Around Emoji)]
[Hong Yeon-Hwa: Have you chosen your partner for the strategy battle?]
For some reason, the image of a puppy approaching with a ball in its mouth came to mind.
She must have mustered up some courage to send that message.
Unfortunately, the strategy battle was already over for me.
So I replied honestly.
[Kim Ho: I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible this time.]
[Hong Yeon-Hwa: Oh¡ I see.]
[Hong Yeon-Hwa: (Sad Puppy Emoji)]
It seemed like that was the end of the conversation, but another message arrived not long after.
[Hong Yeon-Hwa: Then¡]
[Hong Yeon-Hwa: What about going down¡.?]
[Hong Yeon-Hwa: (Tail-Wagging Puppy Emoji)]
It seemed like she was talking about tackling an ice-theme dungeon as part of her Aqua me training.
Thanks to the thorough clearing of dungeons we did over the weekend, there was no risk of encountering Dark Oobleck anymore.
However, a new obstacle had unfortunately arisen.
Because I¡¯ll be entering the Teleportation Labyrinth.
Entering the Teleportation Labyrinth on a Tuesday meant that clearing it would take at least a full day, or up to three or four days at the longest.
I couldn¡¯t be certain when I¡¯d emerge, nor could I guarantee my condition when I did. Making ns right now wasn¡¯t possible.
So, once again, I sent an honest reply.
[Kim Ho: This week¡¯s going to be tough.]
[Kim Ho: Sorry, sorry.]
[Hong Yeon-Hwa: (Droopy Puppy Emoji)]
[Hong Yeon-Hwa: Got it¡]
It felt like the ball the puppy had brought over was now rolling away limply.
I did feel a bit guilty, but what couldn¡¯t be done simply couldn¡¯t be done.
The real problem is that I¡¯ll probably have to exin this all over again.
With that thought, I turned my head.
On one side was Go Hyeon-Woo approaching confidently with steady strides.
¡°Hey, Kim-hyung.¡±
On the other side was Seo Ye-In, with a sleepy look on her face as if she had just woken up, tugging lightly on my sleeve.
¡°¡Let¡¯s go together.¡±
Both of them had the same goal as Hong Yeon-Hwa.
They wanted to team up with me for the strategy battle.
In most cases like this, I would side with the lucky charm, but today was a little different.
The strategy battle had already ended. What could I do?
Well, I should at least exin the situation to them.
So, while alternating my gaze between Go Hyeon-Woo and Seo Ye-In, I finally spoke.
¡°You two will have to handle this strategy battle together.¡±
¡°Hmm?¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
Seo Ye-In tilted her head in confusion.
Chapter 274: Briefing
Seo Ye-In kept holding onto my sleeve and looking up at me intently.
Then, after ncing briefly at Go Hyeon-Woo, she looked back up at me and spoke.
¡°No.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°No.¡±
Go Hyeon-Woo who had just been rejected twice without even making a suggestion let out a bitterugh and asked,
¡°I imagine Kim-hyung has a reason for saying that. May I hear it?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
However, since there were still too many ears in the ssroom, I took the two of them to a quieter spot where fewer people were around.There, I carefully exined the current situation.
I told them that I¡¯d be participating in the Witch of Corruption¡¯s subjugation team and that I was taking a break from this week¡¯s strategy battle to manage my condition.
Go Hyeon-Woo nodded his head in understanding.
¡°I see. That makes sense. If you¡¯re facing such a strong opponent, it¡¯s wise to conserve your energy.
Then he added with another faint bitter smile,
¡°Still, it¡¯s a bit disappointing. The thought of not being able to help Kim-hyung nags at me. I suppose it¡¯s because my skills are stillcking.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t need to feel too bad about it. This time, I¡¯m just tagging along myself.¡±
Compared to the third-years and the staff, my skills weren¡¯t up to par either.
In the subjugation team, I was basically just a transport for antidotes.
I continued speaking.
¡°Let¡¯s not rush. We¡¯ll go at our own pace, and in a year or two, we¡¯ll be able to handle things on our own.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-In had been listening quietly from the side.
When our eyes met, she stepped closer and gently tugged on my sleeve.
¡°Give me your hand.¡±
¡°My hand?¡±
Although I wasn¡¯t sure why she suddenly asked, I offered my hand without hesitation. Seo Ye-In removed the fluffy cloud bracelet from her wrist and fastened it onto mine.
¡°Use this.¡±
¡°Alright, thanks.¡±
Since the Witch of Corruption dealt with magic, the fluffy cloud bracelet would indeed be far more effective than the dark cloud one.
Whether she gave it to me because she knew this or because of her instinct as the Lucky Charm, I couldn¡¯t tell.
¡°Then you take this one.¡±
This time, I removed the dark cloud bracelet and fastened it onto Seo Ye-In¡¯s wrist.
Since most of the bosses in the uing strategy battle would likely rely on physical attacks, the dark cloud bracelet would probably be more useful for her.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-In turned the dark cloud bracelet around on her wrist and seemed to be satisfied.
In the meantime, Go Hyeon-Woo watched us like this with a pleased fatherly smile.
Ignoring him, I asked Seo Ye-In another question.
¡°Should I lend you the hoodie too? I won¡¯t be able to use it anyway.¡±
Since I wouldn¡¯t have much time to focus on my mana cirction training while inside the dungeon, I didn¡¯t mind lending out the Hoodie of the Hidden Master as well.
Contrary to my expectation that she would eagerly ept, Seo Ye-In shook her head.
¡°Later.¡±
¡°Really? That¡¯s surprising.¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to train.¡±
With those words, I nced toward Go Hyeon-Woo. Though his expression didn¡¯t reveal it, it seemed he was stimted by the remark. It was as if he heard Seo Ye-in say, ¡°I can¡¯t help you because my skills are stillcking, so I¡¯m going to train.¡±
If the sloth was willing to train on her own, it wasn¡¯t a bad deal for me.
Since things hade to this, I decided to offer a little carrot as well.
¡°Alright, do your best. When you¡¯re done, how about we go to the downtown area next weekend or the one after that?¡±
¡°Bakery.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll go to the bakery too.¡±
¡°Arcade.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll visit the arcade as well.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
A spark of enthusiasm lit up in her gray eyes.
***
Before the strategy meeting for the subjugation battle.
Seo Cheong-Yong called me aside and handed me two items.
¡°Here, take these.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
The first item was a small totem about the size of a finger.
Intricate patterns were engraved on it, and small gems dotted its surface here and there.
It even had a hole, so it could be strung on a cord and worn as a ne.
[Totem of Disguise (A)]
It was a perception-blocking item, simr to the anonymous badge made by the thieves¡¯ club or the mask Cha Hyeon-joo often used.
However, its power was iparable to the other two.
Seo Cheong-Yong instructed,
¡°Try putting it on.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
As soon as I put the totem around my neck, my hair color, physique, and even my voice transformed into those of someone entirely different.
The anonymous badge was so rudimentary that a close look would immediately reveal its secret, but this totem was both powerful and natural, leaving no trace of the disguise.
At least at the A-rank level, no one would be able to see through it.
The next item was something quite familiar to me.
I¡¯m getting to wear this already?
It was a set of clothing resembling a school uniform, including a shirt, jacket, and pants.
The only difference was that this set was entirely ck, except for a tie that was a deep shade of red.
[Battle Suit (A)]
This was special protective gear provided to faculty members defending the Dungeon Ind or students challenging very high-difficulty dungeons ranked A or higher.
Seo Cheong-Yong observed my reaction and spoke.
¡°Looks like you know what this is.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve heard about it here and there. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d lend me a battle suit too.¡±
¡°Well, we don¡¯t want you getting hurt. We¡¯re doing what we can. Go ahead and change.¡±
***
After equipping the totem and the battle suit, I moved to the meeting room with Seo Cheong-Yong.
The room was steeped in a heavy and serious atmosphere.
It was only natural, considering that the very next day, we would be entering an A-rank dungeon.
Theyout was closer to that of a ssroom than a meeting room, as the tables had been removed and the chairs arranged to face a single direction.
When I sat down next to Seo Cheong-Yong, Lee Soo-dok who had joined us at some point quietly took the seat beside me.
He silently gave me a sharp gaze, so I pretended to nce away while carefully surveying the room.
There were several others dressed in battle suits like me. They were members of the battle team tasked with defending both the Dragon yer Academy and Dungeon Ind.
In simpler terms, they¡¯re the security guard ahjussis.
Of course, the term ¡°security guard ahjussis¡± didn¡¯t quite fit here, since the group was mixed-gender and included people of various ages.
Still, since most of them were academy graduates, their skills were unquestionable.
Among them were several third-year club presidents and vice presidents. I even recognized a few familiar faces scattered around the room.
Jegal So-so, Kim Gap-doo, Jeong Chong-myeong, and even Dang Gyu-young.
Their disciplinary actions were probably wrapped up by the weekend.
Even so, there was ample reason for the clubs to assist in the raid.
Providing aid to the academy would likely have a positive impact on future budgets or the allocation of benefits.
¡°?¡±
Suddenly, Dang Gyu-young tilted her head and fixed her gaze directly on me.
Thanks to the Totem of Disguise, my appearance hadpletely changed, so she didn¡¯t recognize me. However, she asionally shot suspicious nces in my direction.
Sharp instincts.
To be fair, Dang Gyu-young already knew enough that it wouldn¡¯t matter if I revealed myself to her.
Even so, I needed to keep my identity hidden for now, so I remained silent while staring straight ahead.
After a little while, once everyone had gathered, the meeting room door closed firmly.
Seo Cheong-Yong and Lee Soo-dok walked to the front and began to speak.
¡°Since time is short, we¡¯ll skip the introductions and get straight to it. Please review the strategy document distributed to you.¡±
I quickly flipped through the stack of documents ced before me.
And I assessed it coolly.
It¡¯scking.
The Teleportation Labyrinth was an A-rank dungeon, so there likely weren¡¯t many sessful raids on record.
There probably weren¡¯t many reys saved, either.
As a result, the strategy document which had been created by analyzing those few avable records was inevitably iplete.
Still, it¡¯s better than nothing.
There was a world of difference between charging in blindly and having even a half-finished strategy guide.
It shouldn¡¯t be too hard to improve on this.
Of course, given that I had gone to the trouble of using a totem to conceal my identity, there was no need to draw attention here.
Handling this quietly was the best approach.
While I was lost in thought, Seo Cheong-yong continued his exnation about the Teleportation Labyrinth.
On the screen beside him, hundreds ofrge and small rectangles were scattered in a chaotic pattern. This was the dungeon map.@@novelbin@@
¡°¡ªAs you can see, the interior is divided into countless rooms.¡±
Each room waspletely isted, with not a single connecting passage.
The only way to navigate between the many rooms was to use the teleportation magic circles installed in each one.
The problem, however, was this.
¡°There isn¡¯t just one magic circle in each room. And since their activation conditions vary, you¡¯ll need to proceed with caution.¡±
Some magic circles were triggered just by stepping on them, like a trap. Others required breaking objects to reveal them, or they activated automatically after a certain amount of time.
And each magic circle teleported you to apletely different location.
That¡¯s why they call it a teleportationbyrinth.
Of course, it wasn¡¯t entirely hopeless from the perspective of the raid party.
Seo Cheong-yong disyed various types of magic circles on the screen and pointed at them as he spoke.
¡°By analyzing the runes and patterns inscribed on the magic circles, we can predict their destinations. These examples are all documented in the strategy guide, so make sure to study them thoroughly.¡±
The method was to use the correct teleportation magic circle to move to the next room, and then the next, and so on.
In a way, it was simr to a puzzle game where you had to figure out the password to progress.
Soon, the screen returned to the dungeon map, and one particrlyrge rectangle among the many was erged.
¡°The Witch of Corruption is most likely stationed here, in the boss room. The moment you enter, a full-scale battle will start, so make sure to prepare thoroughly beforehand.¡±
The objectives of the raid could be summarized as follows:
Find the appropriate teleportation magic circles in each room, use them to navigate through thebyrinth, and get as many members as possible into the boss room to defeat the Witch of Corruption.
Of course, the process would be far from simple.
There would undoubtedly be people who got lost along the way and others who would be injured or even killed.
¡°Still, I believe we can do it.¡±
Seo Cheong-yong¡¯s tone was filled with strong confidence.
***
After the briefing ended, I left the meeting room and began walking alone.
Soon, I heard footsteps rapidly approaching from behind.
¡°Excuse me.¡±
I slowed my pace and turned around to see Dang Gyu-young standing there.
She walked closer and immediately said,
¡°Let me check something real quick.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Then, without another word, she began scrutinizing me from head to toe.
Even during the meeting, she had been watching me with a strange look in her eyes, and now it seemed she had caught onto something.
As expected, Dang Gyu-young¡¯s eyes narrowed further and further until she finally said,
¡°What are you doing here?¡±
Her tone had be casual as if she was nowpletely certain of who I was.
There was no point in pretending otherwise, and I had nned to reveal myself eventually anyway, so I took off the ne.
Immediately, Dang Gyu-young smirked.
¡°Knew it, didn¡¯t I?¡±
¡°How did you figure it out?¡±
I thought back carefully but couldn¡¯t recall doing anything particrly suspicious.
The smile on Dang Gyu-young¡¯s face deepened.
¡°I just had a feeling~ Like, ¡®Oh, this guy has graduated over 200 times!¡¯ or something~¡±
¡°Dang Gyu-young, how is your intuition so good?¡±
***
TN: Best girl!
Chapter 275: No. 50 Teleportation Labyrinth (1)
I had briefly wondered if the totem¡¯s performance was unexpectedly not that great, but it seemed Dang Gyu-young had spotted something crucial.
Would anyone else have noticed if they¡¯d used the totem? Probably not.
¡°Hey, by the way, that suit¡¯s really working for you today.¡±
¡°Do you like the all-ck look?¡±
¡°Hmm, maybe a little?¡±
Despite her casual words, Dang Gyu-young seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. She was smiling brightly as she admired my battle suit.
¡°¡Huh?¡±
Suddenly, she paused, grabbed one of my arms, and looked down at it closely.
Specifically, at the fluffy cloud bracelet around my wrist.With my all-ck outfit, it stood out even more.
¡°¡Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Yes, noona?¡±
¡°¡Why is your bracelet white?¡±
Her gaze turned sharp and she silently demanded an exnation.
The lighthearted atmosphere quickly grew tense.
Instead of stammering or making excuses, I chose to answer confidently.
¡°I switched it just this once. The effects are different.¡±
¡°Wait, was that a couple¡¯s item?¡±
¡°They¡¯re a matching pair.¡±
¡°Who did you switch with?¡±
¡°Seo Ye-in.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s lips pursed into a pout.
Then she asked while clearly sulking,
¡°What about me? Don¡¯t I get one?¡±
¡°Shall we get a matching set too?¡±
¡°I think we should.¡±@@novelbin@@
¡°Let¡¯s consider it step by step.¡±
After all, items like that don¡¯t just magically appear because you want them.
Seeing her mood improve slightly, I quickly changed the topic.
¡°So, about tomorrow¡¯s dungeon¡¡±
¡°You¡¯re really, really good at switching topics, aren¡¯t you?¡±
She lightly tapped my shoulder and asked with a slightly grumpy look,
¡°¡What about the dungeon tomorrow?¡±
¡°I need to revise the guidebook a bit.¡±
¡°That would be great, but is it even possible?¡±
¡°It is.¡±
I wouldn¡¯t have brought it up otherwise.
The revisions were alreadyplete, anyway.
I pulled out a stack of papers that were thicker than the guidebook Seo Cheong-yong had distributed.
Dang Gyu-young flipped through the pages and remarked,
¡°This is way better.¡±
The original guidebook covered about 30-40% of the dungeon while this one mapped out over 70%.
It addressed the parts that the original guidebook had overlooked and improved it overall.
The reason it wasn¡¯t 100%plete was that certain details had been intentionally left out.
Only the essentials need to be shared.
The subjugation team¡¯s goal was to reach the boss room as efficiently as possible.
Mentioning hidden pieces would only cause unnecessary confusion.
Besides, I had ns to return to the dungeon someday, so it was better to keep some things to myself.
There was also another reason why I brought this up to Dang Gyu-young first.
It didn¡¯t take him long to catch on, as she casually waved the revised guidebook in her hand.
¡°You want me to distribute this?¡±
¡°As you know, I can¡¯t move around freely.¡±
While increasing the subjugation team¡¯s efficiency with the revised guidebook was necessary, I needed to keep my abilities under wraps.
Even Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong only knew about the Poison Immunity and Enchantment. They had no idea I was the one behind the creation of the guidebook.
Revealing more of my capabilities now wouldn¡¯t be a smart move.
¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it.¡±
The reasoning was convincing enough, and Dang Gyu-young nodded her head in agreement.
However, she seemed to have another question in mind.
¡°But even if I hand this out, I doubt anyone will believe it.¡±
The original guidebook was already the product of Seo Cheong-yong and several other faculty members putting their heads together.
Even if this one was better, there was still the issue of whether people would trust a guidebook of unknown origin.
I replied nonchntly,
¡°If they don¡¯t want it, they can leave it.¡±
It made no difference to me. I had nothing to lose, and I certainly wasn¡¯t going to beg them to believe it.
The original guidebook wasn¡¯t entirely useless, after all.
Dang Gyu-young seemed to agree as she stored the revised guidebook in her inventory.
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try handing it out.¡±
***
¡°Revised guidebook?¡±
Jegal So-so tilted her head in confusion.
The other club presidents that Dang Gyu-young had summoned reacted in a simr manner.
Jeong Chong-myeong asked,
¡°Where did thise from?¡±
¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t say. Look it over and decide for yourselves whether to trust it.¡±
Dang Gyu-young firmly refused to disclose the source as she handed the guidebook copies to the club presidents.
The club presidents participating in this raid included those she had some connection with. They were Jegal So-so, Jeong Chong-myeong, and Kim Gap-doo.
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
For a while, everyone silently reviewed the strategy guide.
asionally, only the sound of paper rustling broke the quiet.
Jeong Chong-myeong was the first to speak.
¡°This is excellent. It¡¯s worth trusting.¡±
¡°I think it¡¯s good too.¡±
Jegal So-so agreed.
However, her reasoning differed slightly from Jeong Chong-myeong¡¯s.
This is Kim Ho¡¯s strategy guide.
Jegal So-so recalled other guides Kim Ho had shown before. Like the ones for the Feathered Serpent Altar, the ck Death Dungeon, and the Gathering of Viins.
The style and structure of the guide she now held in her hands were strikingly simr to those.
That makes it trustworthy.
Not long ago, Pang Mi-ryeong had returned from the Gathering of Viins raid and couldn¡¯t stop praising Kim Ho.
She imed that, despite it being a B-rank dungeon, they had faced almost no difficulties.
If someone had that level of information, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he had equally detailed knowledge of A-rank dungeons.
How he had obtained it was still a mystery, but that wasn¡¯t the concern right now.
Meanwhile, Kim Gap-doo directed a question at Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Do you trust it?¡±
¡°Yes, I trust it.¡±
¡°¡Is that so? Then I¡¯ll trust it too.¡±
Kim Gap-doo said no more and fell silent.
His suspicions had solidified into certainty.
Though he wasn¡¯t particrly close to Dang Gyu-young, three years at the same school had taught him a few things about her.
One was that Dang Gyu-young only truly trusted a very small number of people.
The number of people she could confidently say she trusted was even smaller.
Narrowing it down further, one junior she had recently been especially fond of came to his mind.
¡This stings.
All Kim Gap-doo could do now was hope the elixir would prove its worth again this time.
In the end, most of the club presidents summoned by Dang Gyu-young decided to familiarize themselves with the new strategy guide.
Meanwhile, Jeong Chong-myeong voiced a question that had just urred to him.
¡°So, is there nothing specific you want from us?¡±
Valuable information naturally carries a high price.
And information that thoroughly analyzed an A-rank dungeon would undoubtedly be incredibly valuable.
Could it really be distributed without expecting anything in return?
That¡¯s why I asked too.
Dang Gyu-young ryed the exact answer Kim Ho had given her at the time.
¡°They just said, ¡®Stay safe ande back alive¡¯.¡±
¡°That¡¯s it?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s all.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
The club presidents exchanged silent nces for a moment.
Then, one by one, faint smiles began to spread across their faces.
¡°¡Right.¡±
¡°We have toe back alive.¡±
***
Tuesday evening.
The subjugation team gathered in front of the dungeon zone.
I had already changed my appearance using the Totem of Disguise.
So, Dang Gyu-young pretended not to notice but subtly took a seat near me.
In reality, protecting and concealing me was part of Dang Gyu-young¡¯s assigned role.
Of course, Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong knew that we were somewhat close, and they also heard that I had revealed my identity to her, so they gave instructions.
¡°Dang Gyu-young, assist from closer range.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
Dang Gyu-young answered with a polite demeanor.
However, the corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly.
Soon, Seo Cheong-yong surveyed the surroundings carefully before speaking.
¡°It looks like everyone is here. We¡¯ll depart immediately.¡±
He then took the lead and stepped onto the underground floor.
Following him, the subjugation team members began to move at the same time down the spiral staircase.
The descent, however, didn¡¯tst long because Seo Cheong-yong soon changed direction and guided us into arge room.
The perimeter of the room was filled with aplex array of magical tools and mechanical devices, while at its center, arge magic circle glowed faintly.
The intricate form felt strangely familiar.
Mass Teleport.
Given the immense distance from the F floor to the A floor, the n was to transport everyone at once using it.
Back when I moved with Shin Byeong-cheol, myck of authority meant I could barely use elevators, let alone teleportation magic circles. But now, moving with the subjugation team afforded such luxuries.
As the subjugation team entered the room, the waiting staff exchanged greetings with Seo Cheong-yong.
¡°Teacher Seo, you¡¯ve arrived.¡±
¡°Thank you for your continued efforts. We¡¯ll be heading down right away.¡±
¡°Yes, we¡¯ll prepare immediately.¡±
The staff then busily manipted the magical devices, while some sent messages elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the subjugation team, following Seo Cheong-yong¡¯s instructions, stepped onto the magic circle.
The circle began to emit an increasingly brilliant glow until it became almost blinding.
Whoosh!
When the light finally faded away, we found ourselves standing in a room simr to the one we had just left.
Waiting staff there also bowed their heads to Seo Cheong-yong.
¡°Wee.¡±
After exchanging brief pleasantries with them, Seo Cheong-yong led the subjugation team out of the room.
When we stepped out, the view of the A floor unfolded before us.
Compared to the other floors, the area was somewhat smaller, but each gaping dungeon emanated an oppressive aura that couldn¡¯t be ignored.
¡°¡¡¡±
Perhaps because of this, nearly half of the third-year students already showed signs of nervousness.
Even Dang Gyu-young who was standing nearby took a small, deep breath.
On the other hand, Lee Soo-dok gave me a peculiar look, as if he was wondering why I remained unfazed.
After walking a short distance, the subjugation team stopped in front of a teleportation portal.
[No. 50] [Teleportation Labyrinth]
¡°Faculty members first, followed by closebat types in sequence.¡±
Following Seo Cheong-yong¡¯s instructions, the faculty and staff members disappeared into the portal one by one.
My turn came somewhere in the middle, as I moved with Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong.
Taking a few steps forward, my vision was suddenly engulfed in darkness.
We had been transported to a pitch-ck location where not even a glimmer of light could be seen.
There should at least be some torches here.
It seemed even those had gone out.
Soon, someone cast a spell, causing a glowing orb of light to illuminate the surroundings.
Whoosh!
The first thing that caught my eye was the wall constructed of worn bricks like those of a medieval castle.
The walls encircled us entirely, making it clear we were in an enclosed space.
And directly ahead¡ª
nk, nk¡
Dozens of knights d in heavy armor were advancing toward the subjugation team.
Despite being armored, their forms were irregr and they were coated in a dark dull sheen.
Completely consumed.
As everyone suspected, this dungeon had already been fortified by the Witch of Corruption.
Every monster inside had been devoured by the Dark Oobleck.
Given the strong foundation, these were clearly a different kind of Dark Oobleck from those we had faced before.
¡°Prepare for battle!¡±
At Seo Cheong-yong¡¯smand, everyone swiftly moved into their designated positions.
The front line formed a defensive wall, while the rear line readied their ranged attacks.
Even those entering shortly after were startled for a moment but quickly adoptedbat stances.
nk, nk, nk!
In the meantime, the Dark Oobleck knights elerated their charge and collided directly with the front line.
Boom!
The result of the sh was one-sided.
The subjugation team sustained no damage, while most of the Dark Ooblecks were crushed or sent flying in a single strike.
Given that only the most skilled members were selected, the oue was only normal.
Ranged attacks followed immediately, decimating the formation of the advancing enemies.
Of course, it was impossible that the Witch of Corruption hadn¡¯t anticipated this.
Just as the armored knights¡¯ forms began to crumble and copse¡ª
Boom!
Boom!
They all exploded at the same time, scattering ck liquid in every direction.
Chapter 276: No. 50 Teleportation Labyrinth (2)
Rattle, rattle.
Fragments of Dark Oobleck rained down like a torrential shower.
Everyone knew there was nothing good abouting into contact with it, and the mages quickly deployed protective barriers in time.
Sizzle¡ª
Each time the ck liquid touched the barrier, a continuous sizzling sound echoed, apanied by acrid smoke.
As expected, it seemed to be strongly acidic and toxic.
Once the ck rain stopped, Seo Cheong-yong waved his hand in the air, and the filth filling the room rapidly disappeared.
¡°Let¡¯s take a moment to regroup.¡±
The battle had been so one-sided that there were no injuries and little need for rest.Still, everyone checked their condition to rule out any potential surprises.
In the meantime, Seo Cheong-yong spoke to Lee Soo-dok.
¡°She must have noticed.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure of it. The scouts were taken out, after all.¡±
The Ooblecks they had just faced were akin to gatekeepers or scouts.
They would wait in the first room and would rush forward to self-destruct as soon as anyone entered the dungeon.
And that information would inevitably be ryed to the Witch of Corruption.
¡°She¡¯ll try some tricks from the next room onward.¡±
¡°Not that it changes anything for us.¡±
¡°True enough.¡±
Lee Soo-dok¡¯s calm response earned a nod of agreement from Seo Cheong-yong.
After all, they had entered fully aware that the Witch of Corruption had fortified this ce and would resort to any strategy.
The only option was to keep pressing forward.
Seo Cheong-yong addressed the group.
¡°We¡¯re moving to the next room. Prepare yourselves.¡±
As the mages spread their mana outward, magic circles began to emerge gradually on the floor.
Some were justrge enough for one person to stand on.
Others were vast, filling the entire room.
The bigger, the better.
Therger and moreplex the magic circle, the more powerful it bes.
The teleportation magic circle, like others of its kind, allowed more people to move at once as it grewrger.
To transport all the dozens of members of the subjugation team, they naturally chose thergest magic circle avable.
Since everyone had already mastered this basic strategy, we channeled mana into thergest magic circle in the chamber.
Before long, the ground beneath my feet began to glow brightly,
Fwoosh¡ª!
And my vision shed blindingly before plunging into sudden darkness.
We had arrived in the next room.
This space, at least, wasn¡¯t entirely dark. Torches hung along the walls and they cast light throughout the chamber.
The room was much like the one before it, with old, weathered walls enclosing them on all sides.
The difference was that this room waspletely empty.
¡°¡¡?¡±
¡°¡¡What? Nothing here?¡±
Just as everyone began to lower their guard,
I pointed upward and shouted.
¡°Above us!¡±
¡°!!¡±
Everyone¡¯s eyes shot to the ceiling, where they spotted dark masses clinging above them.
In an instant, the Dark Ooblecks dropped down between the members of the subjugation team. They transformed into knight-like forms and swung their swords.
ng!
The battle began with the first sh of swords as one member blocked an enemy¡¯s attack.
Two dark Dark Ooblecks fell to my sides. One was shing diagonally while the other lunged to stab.
I shifted my body slightly and stepped back half a pace, dodging their strikes.
The creatures pressed their attacks, trying to follow up, but¡ª
sh!
One was cut to pieces by Dang Gyu-young¡¯s twin shadow des, while the other was obliterated by Lee Soo-dok¡¯s sweeping sh, leaving no trace.
The rest of the subjugation team, though initially startled, quickly regained theirposure and engaged the Dark Ooblecks. Overwhelming them wasn¡¯t difficult.
However, just like in the first room, the Dark Ooblecks¡¯ forms began to crumble and their bodies dissolved into ck sludge.
Boom!
They exploded in unison, scattering ck liquid everywhere.
Because the explosions urred deep within their formation, a few members were unable to dodge and were sttered with the substance.
Sizzle¡ª
¡°Damn it¡!¡±
¡°Argh!¡±
Their armor melted away almost instantly, and their skin turned ck as the poison seeped in.
The wounded quickly discarded their damaged armor and drank potions to counteract the effects.
The mages cast ovepping detoxification and healing spells, and themotion soon subsided.
Seo Cheong-yong gave the same calm instruction as before.
¡°Regroup quickly, and we¡¯ll move to the next phase.¡±
Before long, the subjugation team discovered thergest magic circle in the hall and infused it with energy.
The field of vision brightened.
Fwoosh!
Once again, the torches illuminated the room.
Everyone¡¯s gaze instinctively turned upward, but fortunately, nothing was clinging to the ceiling this time.
Instead¡ª
tter, tter, tter!
Knights d entirely in pitch-ck armor came charging toward them.
The closebat sses stepped forward, formed a battle formation, and shed with the iing knights.
Boom!
However, the room didn¡¯t only house these knights.
Four figures in robes appeared. They were mages, alsopletely ckened as if they had been consumed by Dark Ooblecks.
The moment we entered, they began chanting spells, and small magic circles on the floor started glowing brightly.
When he realized their intention, Seo Cheong-yong shouted urgently.
¡°Mages! Take out the mages!¡±
¡°!!¡±@@novelbin@@
The de in Lee Soo-dok¡¯s hand blurred before slicing through the torsos of two Oobleck mages.
Seo Cheong-yong and the ranged sses quickly aimed their firepower to eliminate the remaining two. However, at that exact moment, the Oobleck knights who had approached exploded in unison.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
¡°Ugh¡!¡±
The team had to divert all their efforts to block the sttering ck liquid, and in that brief moment, the remaining two Oobleck magespleted their magic circles.
A blinding light engulfed the subjugation team.
Fwoosh!
Momentster, when the light faded, only about half the team remained.
Seo Cheong-yong was nowhere to be seen.
The teleportation magic had activated. It teleported half of the team to another room.
After clearing out the remaining Dark Ooblecks, Lee Soo-dok surveyed the room and clicked his tongue briefly.
¡°We¡¯ve been had.¡±
I had a feeling this might happen.
The moment the Witch of Corruption settled in this dungeon, it was inevitable.
The subjugation team¡¯s power was overwhelming, leaving no chance of victory in a direct confrontation.
That¡¯s why she¡¯s trying to split us up.
Just like moments ago, activating small-scale teleportation circles separated part of the team into another room.
Naturally, the subjugation team would divide, and if this was repeated multiple times, everyone would eventually scatter in all directions.
That would make it possible to pick us off one by one.
Even if she failed to defeat us individually, she could still significantly weaken the team.
After all, we would have to fight battles like the one just now with only a handful of members.
Moreover, since the enemy always held the initiative, we would inevitably find ourselves walking into traps, even if we knew they were there.
And there weren¡¯t many options avable to us.
We just have to fight well.
All we could do was defeat the enemies with minimal casualties, find the most efficient route, and make our way to the boss room.
Lee Soo-dok seemed to think the same, as he issued amand.
¡°Rest up and move on.¡±
He then turned to a nearby faculty member and asked,
¡°Can we regroup?¡±
¡°¡It¡¯s not possible.¡±
The magic circle activated by the Dark Ooblecks had already lost its power.
Even though other team members tried to infuse it with mana, there was no response.
Lee Soo-dok asked another question.
¡°Are themunicators working?¡±
¡°No, they¡¯repletely dead.¡±
The faculty member shook his head with a bitter expression on his face.
All the rooms in thisbyrinth were perfectly isted spaces, except for the teleportation magic circles that connected them.
Lee Soo-dok probably asked just in case, but he had likely already realized that it wouldn¡¯t work.
Once preparations wereplete, the mages activated another magic circle.
Fwoosh!
The surroundings became blindingly bright for a moment before dimming slightly.
Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming presence next to me. Lee Soo-dok was radiating a fierce energy.
In the next instant, his de shed, and a huge wave of energy swept through the Dark Ooblecks.
Boom!
In an instant, they werepletely obliterated, leaving not even a drop of their ck liquid behind.
As expected, he¡¯s strong.
The strength of an A-rank hero.
It was clear why the academy had entrusted the subjugation to Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong.
¡°¡¡.!¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Everyone around looked on, half-shocked and half in awe.
But Lee Soo-dok who maintained his usual stoic tone merely said,
¡°Move out.¡±
***
Boom!
Each time Lee Soo-dok unleashed his de, the Dark Ooblecks were erased without resistance.
However, even an A-rank hero couldn¡¯t continuously execute such powerful attacks indefinitely.
He needed time to recover his strength.
Yet we couldn¡¯t stay in one ce for long, as there were magic circles that activated automatically after a certain time.
When that happened, no one could predict how many people would be transported or to which room they would end up.
Rather than staying idle, constant movement was the better choice. And while Lee Soo-dok recovered his strength, the rest of the subjugation team engaged inbat with the Ooblecks.
Fwoosh!
Each time the teleportation magic circles activated, our numbers dwindled little by little.
Sometimes half of the group was abruptly separated, and at other times only two or three people were taken.
As we continued to advance through thebyrinth, the number of remaining members dwindled to just seven.
Me, Lee Soo-dok, Dang Gyu-young, Jegal So-so, and a few faculty members.
¡°Move out.¡±
Lee Soo-dokmanded again, and the magic circle lit up brightly.
Fwoosh!
Everyone expected the next encounter to follow a simr pattern, but this time, the room was exceptionally spacious.
It was the ¡°mid-boss room¡±.
Sure enough, more than twice the number of Oobleck knights and mages surrounded us, and among them emerged a huge knight.
He carried a shield in one hand and a mace asrge as a person¡¯s body in the other.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Lee Soo-dok locked eyes with the knight for several seconds.
Then his energy surged dramatically, and he swung his de diagonally toward the knight.
Crashhh!
The Dark Ooblecks nearby were all swept away, but the huge knight endured behind his shield which was expected from a mid-boss.
He then charged at incredible speed before mming his mace down with devastating force.
Boom!
As Lee Soo-dok and the knight shed, the Oobleck knights surrounding us began to close in from all directions.
I have to use it.
This was no time to worry about prohibited skills. I clenched my fist and focused my energy.
A crimson me engulfed my fist, and I thrust it forward with all my might.
Whoooooooooooosh!
A zing storm of fire tore through the enemies, leaving a gaping hole in their formation.
But their numbers remained overwhelming.
Some of the knights quickly filled the gap and closed in, but¡ª
Slice¡ª
They were suddenly sliced apart and cut cleanly into pieces.
Jegal So-so intervened and swung her sword.
Dang Gyu-young and the other faculty members also held their ground, fending off the relentless attacks from their positions.
Meanwhile, a little farther away, a group of Dark Oobleck mages was infusing mana into a teleportation circle.
There were more of thempared to the previous rooms, and as a result, the circle was beingpleted much faster.
It looks like it¡¯ll go through.
Still, I had to try.
With that thought, I unleashed my Inferno Fist.
As expected, the Dark Oobleck knights swarmed together, forming a thick wall as if determined to protect the circle at all costs.
Boom, boom, boom¡ª!
The storm of mes dissipated before it could reach the mages, and the teleportation circle waspleted.
A bright light burst forth, engulfing me.
sh¡ª!
So they did it.
Up until now, the Ooblecks had activated countless teleportation circles but always stayed close to Lee Soo-dok. It seemed this time, they had finally seeded in separating us.
At least I¡¯m not alone.
I exchanged nces with Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so.
Chapter 277: No. 50 Teleportation Labyrinth (3)
I was wearing the Totem of Disguise along with the battle suit, so I looked exactly like faculty member K.
However, Jegal So-so gave me a curious look and spoke.
¡°Inferno Fist.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°You¡¯re Kim Ho, aren¡¯t you?¡±
I had anticipated that someone with sharp observation skills might figure it out, and as expected, her position as the vice president of the Swordsmanship Club wasn¡¯t for nothing.
How she connected the dots to reach that conclusion would have to wait for another time.
Clink.
For now, we needed to deal with the enemy before us.Apparently sharing the same thought with me, both Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so turned their gazes forward at the same time.
There stood a lone andrge knight.
Looks like the difficulty is increasing.
We had involuntarily cleared the mid-boss room, and from this point onward, the monsters that appeared would shift to small, elite groups.
Naturally, the Dark Ooblecks that consumed those monsters would be even stronger.
It seemed they had fused two or three knights into one, as this creature now had four arms. The two arms on its right held huge greatswords, while the two on its left carried a longbow.
The knight slightly twisted its body before suddenly nocking an arrow and shooting it in one swift motion.
Whizz¡ª!
I dodged the arrow aimed at the center of my forehead and spoke.
¡°I¡¯ll handle the damage-dealing. You two tie it down.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Jegal So-so and Dang Gyu-young readily agreed.
They likely had their own B-rank offensive skills, butpared to Inferno Fist, they might fall a bit short.
Inferno Fist, though penalized with heavy drawbacks, was overwhelmingly powerful. Since it was a fire area-of-effect skill, it was especially effective against Dark Ooblecks.
Whizz¡ª!
The Oobleck knight loosed another arrow, and then immediately charged toward us.
Its speed was astonishing, to the point that ogres seemed sluggish byparison.
At the same time, it swung its greatswords in wide arcs. As we ducked or lightly leaped to evade the des¡ª
Whizz¡ª!
The creature¡¯s left arms fired arrows once again, this time aiming at Dang Gyu-young.
¡°¡¡!¡±
Caught in the motion of evading the greatswords, Dang Gyu-young nearly lost her bnce as the arrows closed in. But she seeded in evading it with acrobatic, flexible movements.
I called out to her.
¡°They¡¯reing from behind, too.¡±
Screeeeech!
Sure enough, the arrows the creature had fired were now flying back toward us.
Though they took the shape of arrows, they were essentially parts of the Dark Oobleck itself. Each one moved as if it were an independent entity.
Shadow butterflies intercepted them mid-flight and knocked them down one by one. However, the Oobleck knight¡¯s relentless barrage meant the number of arrows continued to grow.
Dang Gyu-young frowned slightly.
¡°This isn¡¯t something we can drag out.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s finish it quickly.¡±
I replied as I leaned to dodge the greatsword¡¯s swing.
Taking a step back, I clenched my fist tightly and ck mes began to ignite from it.
The Dark Oobleck swung its greatsword again as if determined not to give me an opening, but Jegal So-so stepped in and thrust her sword in response.
Her thin, delicate rapier collided with the huge thick greatsword that was nearly the size of a human body.
The greatsword froze in ce as if caught in an invisible lock.
Momentster, shadows rippled at the Oobleck¡¯s feet, and spikes like skewers burst forth, piercing through it repeatedly.
Though it was a slime-type monster and wouldn¡¯t take significant damage from such attacks, Dang Gyu-young had anticipated this.
The shadow spikes that were still impaling the creature shifted and connected together to form a that trapped it.
Seizing this brief moment when its movements were restricted, I thrust my fist forward.
A fiery storm surged forth, engulfing the creaturepletely.
Whooooooooooosh!
Even so, I tightened my fist again.
¡°Once more!¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so who had been starting to rx immediately tensed and refocused on the front.
Sure enough, through the mes, a ck silhouette flickered. Despite taking the Inferno Fist head-on, the creature hadn¡¯t fallen.
Soon, the Oobleck knight emerged with its form partially copsed. Its greatsword which was also crumbling swung wildly.
But Jegal So-so lightly struck it with her rapier, and each time she did, the greatsword stopped unnaturally mid-swing or sliced harmlessly through empty air.
Dang Gyu-young followed up with her shadow magic, chaining it with precision. Once again, the restrained creature was struck by another Inferno Fist.
Whooooooooooosh¡ª!
This time, the Dark Oobleck waspletely consumed by the fiery storm.
Dang Gyu-young peered cautiously into the mes and asked,
¡°It¡¯s over, right?¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s over.¡±
Only then did Dang Gyu-young let out a sigh of relief. But a momentter, she turned to Jegal So-so with another question.
¡°But how did you know?¡±
It seemed she was curious about how Jegal So-so had realized my true identity.
Jegal So-so smiled gently.
¡°I actually suspected it from the beginning. I tend to have a widework after all.¡±
Jegal So-so, as the vice president of the swordsmanship club, actively interacts not only with students but also with faculty members.
On the other hand, I was someone she had never seen before, so she had been keeping an eye on me the whole time.
¡°I also thought there must be a reason for distributing the strategy guide.¡±
The revised strategy guide had been distributed with the good intention of helping the subjugation team clear the dungeon efficiently.
Although Jegal So-so understood that fact, she still suspected that there might be some connection between me and the subjugation team.
¡°And the decisive factor was the Inferno Fist.¡±
A prohibited skill that very few people have mastered.
Even fewer can nullify its penalties.
Jegal So-so¡¯s smile deepened slightly.
¡°Each clue on its own might seem odd but could be overlooked. But when three clues all point to the same person, the story changes.¡±
¡°¡That makes sense.¡±
Both of their gazes turned toward me at the same time, and I decided not to hide it any longer.
¡°Great deduction, senior-nim. It seems you even knew I had mastered the Inferno Fist.¡±
¡°I found the connection while covering up the ck Death Dungeon issue. This is my first time seeing it in action, though.¡±
Jegal So-so turned to Dang Gyu-young and asked,
¡°Did you know too?¡±
¡°Oh? Oooh! I met and talked with Kim Ho in advance.¡±
Of course, Dang Gyu-young hadn¡¯t pieced together clues; she had simply guessed the totem by instinct.
But it seemed she didn¡¯t want to reveal that to Jegal So-so, so she brushed it off vaguely.
From the way Jegal So-so¡¯s eyes shed briefly, it seemed she sensed something odd, but she let it slide for now.
Then she looked at me and asked,
¡°What do you n to do now?¡±
¡°Please feel free to speak casually, senior-nim.¡±
¡°In that case, I will.¡±
Perhaps because of Jegal So-so¡¯s friendly tone, Dang Gyu-young pursed her lips in mild displeasure.
However, the moment Jegal So-so turned back, she returned to her expressionless face.
I pretended I hadn¡¯t noticed anything and began to speak.
¡°To answer your earlier question, of course, I n to continue moving forward.¡±
¡°Do you think the three of us can manage? It¡¯s not that I doubt your skills, but we don¡¯t know what mighte next. We might get separated again.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about that.¡±
By now, the subjugation team members should have been sufficiently dispersed.
Even if left alone, they would wear themselves out in repeated battles with the Dark Ooblecks. The Witch of Corruption wouldn¡¯t need to intervene unnecessarily.
For her, it would be more efficient to concentrate her forces on key areas, like strongholds or the boss room.
With the risk of being caught by a teleportation magic circle greatly reduced, all we need to do is focus on navigating the dungeon efficiently.
¡°In fact, moving around has be much easier.¡±
When mana was spread lightly in all directions, it reacted and revealed an array of magic circles, bothrge and small.
When dozens of members of the subjugation team moved together, they had to use thergest magic circle to teleport everyone at once.
¡°But there are only three of us.¡±
This meant we could choose from any magic circle except the ones meant for one or two individuals.
We could even decide the direction freely.
There was still the issue of figuring out which magic circle connected to which room among the hundreds scattered throughout the dungeon.
This ce is like my own living room.
If I wanted to, I could write not just a revised guide to the dungeon but aplete version.
Naturally, I also knew about all the rooms the Witch of Corruption didn¡¯t.
And there was one more advantage we had.
¡°Honestly, the problem isn¡¯t that we have to fight; it¡¯s just that they keep getting in the way.¡±
¡°¡So, if they don¡¯t spot us, we¡¯re fine?¡±
Dang Gyu-young grinned as she caught on to my meaning.
If we could avoid being noticed by the Dark Ooblecks, we could move to the next room without engaging in battle.
And as the president of the thieves¡¯ club, she could surely hide the three of us without any trouble.
¡°Well then, let¡¯s get moving.¡±
Finally, I chose one of the teleportation magic circles and began pouring mana into it.
Fwoosh!
Bright light erupted from the circle, and Dang Gyu-young cloaked the group in shadows.
Our vision soon cleared, revealing the next room.
It was one of the countless rooms we¡¯d seen before, surrounded on all sides by old, crumbling bricks.
At the center stood arge Oobleck Knight.
nk.
The knight stirred briefly when it saw the glow of the teleportation magic, but it quickly settled back into ce, showing no further hostility.
Dang Gyu-young mouthed the words with a curious expression on her face,
¨C It really doesn¡¯t move?
¨C Let¡¯s move on immediately.
¨C Mhmm, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go.
When I scattered mana widely again, the knight flinched for a moment but soon went still.
I chose another magic circle in the corner and poured a significant amount of mana into it.
It wasn¡¯t until the circle began radiating intense light that the Dark Oobleck finally charged at us with frightening force.
nk, nk, nk!
¡°See youter~!¡±
I waved casually in farewell.
Before the knight¡¯s attack couldnd, the radiant light engulfed us.
Fwoosh!
***
We continued moving from one room to the next while maintaining our stealth all the while.
The speed at which we moved forward was incredible since we weren¡¯t wasting time on battles.
As we continued, Dang Gyu-young tapped me on the shoulder and asked,
¡°Where exactly are we going?¡±
¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±
Rather than exining, I decided it would be faster to show her. Once again, I infused mana into the magic circle.
Fwoosh!
A scene very different from anything we had seen so far unfolded before us.
The surroundings were still enclosed by aged walls from all four sides like a castle.
However, unlike the previous areas, this one had no torches or other sources of light, yet it was as bright as day. The floor was covered with thick grass.
In front of us stood a solitary, ancient tree.
The tree appeared unremarkable, save for its twisted and gnarled branches and its sparse withered leaves.
Jegal So-so stared at it for a while before speaking.
¡°This ce wasn¡¯t mentioned in the guide.¡±
¡°No, it wasn¡¯t. It¡¯s a hidden room.¡±
I had deliberately left it out of the strategy guide, nning to visit itter if the opportunity arose. Now that it was just the three of us, there was no reason to skip it.
Might as well grab everything we can.
It would definitely prove useful for the strategy guideter.@@novelbin@@
¡°What¡¯s this ce for?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough. For now, let¡¯s take a break.¡±
¡°Is that okay?¡±
¡°Yes, this ce is specifically designed for resting.¡±
Most other rooms would activate a teleportation magic circle after a set period, forcing you to keep moving whether you wanted to or not.
But this hidden room was an exception.
You could rest here for as long as you wanted before leaving.
So we all settled downfortably on the grass floor and passed the time with lighthearted conversation.
I wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed when I stood up and announced,
¡°It¡¯s here.¡±
¡°¡What?¡±
Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so also got to their feet, and together we walked toward the ancient tree.
Soon, the air above the tree began rippling like disturbed water, and a dark shape suddenly emerged.
¡°Caw¡ªCaww¡ª!¡±
Chapter 278: No. 50 Teleportation Labyrinth (4)
Chapter 278: No. 50 Teleportation Labyrinth (4)
Its true identity was, of course, the dimensional crow.
The creature circled once through the air before settling on a branch of the ancient tree.
For beings that traveled dimensions, spatial dungeons like this one were both a homnd and a vacation retreat.
The Teleportation Labyrinth was no exception. The crows make their own hideouts in a few very remote rooms among the hundreds of rooms and stop by every now and then to rest.
Of course, this time, this dimensional crow hadn¡¯te to rest. It had sensed someone trespassing in its retreat and hade to investigate.
The creature before me looked slightly different from the ¡°Tailor¡± I had encountered at the Rainbow Lake.
This one wore an old pointed hat on its head and held a crooked wooden staff in one hand.
The ¡°Grand Sage Crow¡±.
Among the various kinds of dimensional crows, it was the most adept at magic.If ranked, it would likely be S+ or even EX-ss.
Even so, the Grand Sage¡¯s reaction upon seeing me wasn¡¯t all that different from the Tailor¡¯s.
It pped its wings in apparent curiosity and asked,
¡°Caw. Young Monarch, how did you find your way here?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯te here on purpose.¡±
In situations like this, it was better to maintain an air of mystery than to admit to any ulterior motives.
¡°I just happened to pass by and decided to stop in when I noticed something.¡±
¡°Caw, is that so? A young monarch is still a monarch, indeed!¡±
The Grand Sage Crow seemed to ept my exnation easily.
One small perk of being regarded as a monarch was that even unusual actions could be dismissed with a casual, ¡°Because they¡¯re a monarch.¡±
Before it could ask me another question, I decided to take the initiative.
Feigning interest, I looked at the ancient tree and asked,
¡°So, what is this ce for?¡±
¡°It is a ce for studying magic, caw.¡±
The crow lightly tapped the branch it was perched on with its staff.@@novelbin@@
At that moment, the ancient tree revealed its true nature.
Its appearance shifted. It grew translucent and dark, yet it was faintly glowing which was a paradoxical sight.
It was like gazing into the night sky itself.
It must be some kind of medium for spatial magic.
Such things had been nted not only here but also in other hidden rooms and dungeons.
This just went to show the dimensional crows¡¯ incredible power.
Still, I nodded nonchntly.
¡°That makes sense. But this ce seems to have bad energy.¡±
¡°Caw, it was good until recently. Now, it¡¯s not.¡±
¡°Because of the Witch?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
This dungeon must have been left unattended for a long time.
Being an A-rank dungeon, its difficulty was immense, so unless a team of exceptionally skilled individuals was gathered, no one would even dare to attempt it.
And being abyrinth only makes it less appealing.
In such a peaceful ce, the sudden invasion of the Witch of Corruption, releasing hordes of Dark Ooblecks, would certainly have been unpleasant to the dimensional crows.
I asked as if the answer were obvious.
¡°Why not just blow her away? You could do it easily.¡±
¡°Caw. Young Monarch, you speak so recklessly. That is not our way.¡±
Dimensional crows were neutral by nature.
Even someone like the Witch of Corruption would be no match for them if they decided to fight, but unless the other party crossed the line first, they wouldn¡¯t attack.
The Witch of Corruption knew this, which was why she left the hidden rooms untouched.
¡°Still, she seems to be bothering you.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true. Will you take care of it for us?¡±
¡°I could, as long as I¡¯m properlypensated.¡±
After all, taking care of annoying tasks for others always came with a price.
The Grand Sage Crow seemed to agree and asked,
¡°Caw, what do you want in return?¡±
¡°Nothing too much. Just one branch from the tree. It¡¯d be even better if you gave it upfront.¡±
At my words, the Grand Sage Crow pped its wings as if it was startled.
Then, in a tone of growing curiosity, it asked,
¡°How did you know about that?¡±
¡°Who do you think I am?¡±
I couldn¡¯t exactly tell it that I was a stagnant water of this game, so I deployed the usual ¡°Monarch¡¯s vague authority¡± strategy once more.
The Grand Sage Crow once again seemed to agree easily.
¡°Caw, is that so! But, young Monarch, don¡¯t you think your request is a bit greedy?¡±
¡°I¡¯d prefer if you thought of it as an investment. After all, we¡¯ll be seeing each other often in the future.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
It gazed down at me and was lost in thought for a while.
I maintained an attitude of indifference while meeting its gaze without flinching as if to say, ¡°Take it or leave it.¡±
After some time, the crow seemed toe to a decision. Its beak opened.
¡°Caw, fine. I¡¯ll consider it an investment.¡±
Then, it slowly moved toward the edge of the old tree, snapped off a branch with its beak, and tossed it in my direction.
The branch was thin, scraggly, and about two palm lengths long. It looked nothing impressive at first nce.
However, when the Grand Sage lightly waved its staff, the branch transformed.
It was no longer an ordinary, unimpressive stick; like the ancient tree it came from, it now shimmered with starlight from the night sky.
[Crow¡¯s Branch (S)]
? Caw¡ª!
? Usage Limit (1/1)
This was the first S-rank item I had obtained since entering this game world. Its power and value were extraordinary.
Still, I kept my calm and maintained my ¡°Monarch¡± persona. Without showing any excitement, I casually collected the branch.
¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll put it to good use.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll be watching you, young Monarch!¡±
¡°Consider it already taken care of.¡±
¡°Caw¡ª!¡±
With that, the crow great sage jumped up, circled the air once, and disappeared.
It had crossed over to another dimension.
Only then did I turn to the two bystanders who had silently observed everything. Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so.
¡°It¡¯s gone.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Dang Gyu-young¡¯s lips.
Her yful demeanor pointed at what she was about to say.
¡°Here we go again.¡±
¡°Yoooung~ Moooonarch~! p-p-p~!¡±
Dang Gyu-young mimicked pping wings with her hands.
Even Jegal So-so seemed amused and joined in, attacking me from both sides alongside Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Young Monarch~!¡±
¡°Youuuuung Monarch~!¡±
¡°Youuuuung¡ª¡±
Until now, I had thought of Jegal So-so as aposed and serious strategist type. Apparently, even she had a mischievous side to her.
If I didn¡¯t stop them, this nonsense could go on all day. So, I decided to end it here.
¡°That¡¯s enough, both of you. It¡¯s making me dizzy.¡±
At my words, Jegal So-so dropped the teasing and returned to her usual calm demeanor.
However, her eyes still sparkled with curiosity.
¡°What kind of item is that? Considering it was given by the Dimensional Crow, it doesn¡¯t seem ordinary.¡±
¡°It¡¯s an item that will y a decisive role in this dungeon.¡±
¡°Really? What does it do?¡±
¡°It¡¯s hard to exin everything right now, but it¡¯s space-rted.¡±
That meant that despite being a single-use item, it had to be incredibly powerful.
This time, Dang Gyu-young asked a question.
¡°You got that as a reward for clearing the dungeon?¡±
¡°Something like that.¡±
¡°But weren¡¯t we going to clear the dungeon anyway?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true, too.¡±
¡°¡Wow, that¡¯s like pure profit.¡±
Even though we had fallen into the Witch of Corruption¡¯s trap, the academy¡¯s resources were still formidable.
Just considering the staff alone, there were more than just a few of them.
Even without my help in this strategy, there was a high probability they would seed.
Once the dungeon was cleared and reset, the messy Dark Ooblecks scattered everywhere would also be cleaned up.
In essence, it was like selling water from the Taedong River.
Of course, I had my own justification.
¡°As you might have guessed from what I said, it¡¯s partly an investment. And even if the dungeon¡¯s going to be cleared anyway, it¡¯s better to do it efficiently.¡±
¡°Hmm, that makes sense too.¡±
Dang Gyu-young nodded her head in agreement.
Currently, the subjugation team was scattered, fighting Ooblecks across various locations. In the process, casualties could ur at any time.
If we used the Crow Branch to clear the dungeon more efficiently, we could reduce the damage ordingly.
Jegal So-so raised an important question next.
¡°How do we use it?¡±
¡°There aren¡¯t any specific conditions, but since it¡¯s single-use, it¡¯s best to save it for a truly critical moment.¡±
¡°You mean in the boss room.¡±
¡°That would be best.¡±
With the Crow Branch secured, it was time to refocus on the original goal.
To reach the boss room as quickly as possible.
***
After finishing our preparations, we left the hidden room and began navigating the dungeon once more.
Just like before, thanks to Dang Gyu-young¡¯s stealth ability, we managed to bypass most rooms without engaging inbat.
But tricks like that always have their limits.
As soon as we stepped into the next room via the teleportation portal¡ª
nk.
A hulking Oobleck knight spun around to face us.
The knight which had likely absorbed several others had six arms. Five of them held longswords, while one gripped a staff.
A mage mixed in, huh?
Despite Dang Gyu-young¡¯s stealth still being active, the creature walked directly toward us, as if it could see through the ability.
Dang Gyu-young asked cautiously.
¡°¡Do you think we¡¯ve been spotted?¡±
¡°Yes, we¡¯ve been spotted.¡±
This was a type that could detect stealth.
Once the Oobleck knight determined we were within its range, it began swinging all five longswords wildly.
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
Pitch-ck sword energy rained down in every direction.
We dodged by throwing ourselves out of the way.
Jegal So-so deflected some of the iing sword energies while dodging others, and then asked,
¡°Do we tie it down again this time?¡±
¡°Yes, same n as before.¡±
Just as we had done against the greatsword-archerbo, Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so would immobilize the enemy while I attacked with Inferno Fist.
This one looks like it¡¯ll be harder, though.
Unlike before, the creature¡¯s type was closer to a ranged fighter.
Instead of using its longswords for melee attacks, itunched sword energy from them while darting around the room at incredible speed to control the distance.
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
To make matters worse, its numerous arms created an overwhelming barrage of sword energy, leaving barely any gaps to evade.
The staff appeared to be for support, casting buffs like increased sword energy and enhanced movement speed.
Jegal So-so weaved through the oing sword energy using her movement technique. She steadily closed the gap between herself and the Oobleck knight.
She struck smoothly with abination of thrusts and shes, but the creature merely staggered momentarily before quickly retreating to widen the distance again.
Next, Dang Gyu-young made a gesture, causing the ground beneath the creature to ripple as shadow spikes erupted upwards.
However, the knight¡¯s rapid movements allowed it to narrowly avoid them, leaving only scratches on its armor.
¡°This isn¡¯t easy.¡±
¡°Stay calm.¡±
¡°I know.¡±
Jegal So-so continued her relentless pursuit while I used wind magic to restrain the creature, and Dang Gyu-young summoned more shadow butterflies one by one.
Together, the three of us gradually pressured the Oobleck knight and started cornering it bit by bit.
sh!
Suddenly, a brilliant light filled one corner of the room, and from that radiance, three people emerged.
It was a faculty member, Jeong Chong-myeong, and Kim Gap-doo.
By some stroke of luck, their teleportation portal had opened into this very room.
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
The blind sword energy flew toward them, but Jeong Chong-myeong calmly raised a translucent barrier to block the attack.
Kim Gap-doo quickly surveyed the scene. He nced between the Oobleck knight and us, then stepped forward decisively after assessing the situation.
¡°So there were others here already. Allow me to join you.¡±
Chapter 279: No. 50 Teleportation Labyrinth (5)
Chapter 279: No. 50 Teleportation Labyrinth (5)
Kim Gap-doo shot forward in an instant and arrived directly in front of the Oobleck knight.
As if it intended to swat away an annoying obstacle, the creature frantically swung its five arms, but Kim Gap-doo narrowly dodged each attack and pressed in even closer.
Then, at a distance so close he could almost touch it, he thrust his fist forward like lightning.@@novelbin@@
Boom!
A resounding explosion echoed as the huge Oobleck staggered backward.
Perhaps deciding that a frontal confrontation offered no chance of victory, the creature reverted to the same tactics it had used against Jegal So-so. It quickly increased the distance andunched sword energy in retaliation.
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
Jegal So-so continued the pursuit alongside Kim Gap-doo. At the same time, she swiftly assessed the newly joined allies and issued orders.
¡°Jeong Chong-myeong, you are the battery.¡±¡°Okay.¡±
The battery position was best assigned to the person with the greatest firepower.
If Jeong Chong-myeong put his mind to it, he could deliver an even stronger attack than Inferno Fist.
There was also the matter of keeping my identity as hidden as possible.
Though I had already used Inferno Fist in front of a few people, increasing the number of people who knew wasn¡¯t ideal.
After all, it¡¯s a prohibited skill.
Unless the situation became truly dire, it was best to keep it under wraps.
Before long, Jeong Chong-myeong took a position in one corner and began chanting a spell.
The faculty member at his side appeared to be of a support ss and provided support.
He intercepted the asional stray de of sword energy and enhanced the power of Jeong Chong-myeong¡¯s magic.
As theirbined incantation progressed, a huge magic circle began to form on the ceiling some distance away.
Jegal So-so pointed to the area within the magic circle¡¯s range and gave the next order.
¡°Drive it over there.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
Kim Gap-doo replied curtly before forcefully kicking off the ground and shooting forward again.
Once more, he closed in on the Oobleck knight and delivered another devastating punch.
Bang!
The Dark Oobleck was pushed back, sliding toward the magic circle. Sensing the need to create more space, the creature began to retreat quickly.
However, just as it was about to step beyond the edge of the magic circle, a thick wall of ice suddenly erupted behind it.
I had cast Ice Wall.
The creature failed to evade and crashed straight into the wall.
Thud!
The ice wall cracked heavily and looked as though it might shatter at any moment.
One more strike would likely do the job, but the Oobleck knight seemed unwilling to waste even that much time.
It abruptly changed direction and dashed off toward another area.
But, of course, Jegal So-so was already there blocking its path.
She didn¡¯t dodge the iing longsword swings; instead, she deflected each one with precision.
It might have seemed like an unnecessary move, but it kept the creature¡¯s arms upied and prevented it fromunching sword energies elsewhere.
In addition, shadow spikes suddenly shot up from beneath its feet, piercing the creature and further restricting its movement.
Dang Gyu-young wore a triumphant smile on her face.
¡°Now it¡¯s properly caught.¡±
As expected, restraining is best done with multiple people.
With so many of us, there was no room for it to escape.
Kim Gap-doo, Dang Gyu-young, Jegal So-so, and I blocked all its escape routes, forcibly pinning it within the magic circle.
A short whileter, Jeong Chong-myeong seemed to have finished his casting. A blue pir of light descended from the magic circle etched into the ceiling.
Boom¡ª!
The Oobleck Knight was crushed t beneath the pir of light and soon disintegrated without a trace.
Even so, Jegal So-so stared at the spot for a while longer. Only after confirming that the creature had beenpletely eradicated did she lower her sword.
¡°We¡¯ll regroup.¡±
Everyone readily followed Jegal So-so¡¯s instructions.
This indicated tacit approval of her authority as the leader.
While the support staff cast light recovery magic on everyone, Kim Gap-doo nced at the three of us in turn and remarked,
¡°Looks like none of you are hurt.¡±
Kim Gap-doo¡¯s group, however, had umted numerous injuries, bothrge and small, from continuous battles and were visibly fatigued.
In contrast, the three of us werepletely unscathed and rtively rxed, thanks to the rest we¡¯d taken in the hidden room.
Dang Gyu-young responded nonchntly.
¡°We were hiding in secret the whole time.¡±
¡°That¡¯s definitely something you¡¯d pull off.¡±
Kim Gap-doo quickly epted the exnation and moved on.
But then, as if another question had urred to him, he gestured toward me and asked,
¡°And¡ who is this?¡±
I was still disguised using the Totem of Disguise.
Not everyone was as quick-witted as Jegal So-so, so it was only natural that Kim Gap-doo and Jeong Chong-myeong didn¡¯t recognize me.
Of course, we had anticipated this situation and prepared an exnation in advance.
Knowing it was best for me to remain silent, Dang Gyu-young answered on my behalf.
¡°I didn¡¯t hear all the details, but apparently, he ys a very important role in this raid. You saw Teacher Lee guarding him, right?¡±
¡°I did.¡±
¡°While the teacher¡¯s away, it¡¯s our job to protect him.¡±
¡°Got it. Understood.¡±
Kim Gap-doo nodded his head.
For a brief moment, Jeong Chong-myeong¡¯s eyes glinted sharply, but he too set his doubts aside and focused instead on the raid¡¯s objectives.
After all, my abilities would be revealed once we reached the boss room.
Once we finished regrouping, the party continued onward to the next room.
As before, Dang Gyu-young cast Shadow Magic to cloak us in stealth, but the frequency of detection increased.
With such arge group, the effect of the stealth spell was diminished, and the Oobleck mages were appearing more frequently.
As a result, we engaged in several more battles, taking additional time to regroup after each fight.
Amidst this, Jeong Chong-myeong let out a small sigh andmented,
¡°Well, at least we¡¯re not getting lost.¡±
If we had taken on this dungeon without any prior knowledge, we might have ended up retracing our steps or even straying farther from the boss room.
We would also have been forced into countless unnecessary battles.
In contrast, by following the strategy guide, we were progressing steadily without deviation.
Jeong Chong-myeong held up the revised edition of the strategy guide and waved it at Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Make sure to thank whoever gave this to you.¡±
¡°Mhmm, I¡¯ll do that.¡±
Dang Gyu-young responded nonchntly and then slyly shed a yful grin in my direction.
It was as if she was asking, ¡°Hey, did you hear that just now?¡±
***
The raid continued to proceed smoothly after that.
The Oobleck knights gradually grew more grotesque, with an increasing number of limbs that made them resemble octopuses or centipedes. This made them trickier to deal with.
Still, since the party was well-organized, we were able to advance without much damage.
We gathered to review the strategy guide during one of the many breaks, though no one could keep track of how many there were.
Jeong Chong-myeong¡¯s gaze deepened as he spoke.
¡°We¡¯re almost there. The boss room.¡±
ording to the map, we had nearly reached our destination. Soon, teleportation portals leading directly to the boss room would begin to appear one by one.
Despite this, the expressions of our party members were far from bright.
One more hurdle remains.
The monsters guarding the rooms surrounding the boss chamber were significantly stronger. The strategy guide had emphasized this with a clear warning: ¡°Be cautious.¡±
It was also likely that the Witch of Corruption had prepared something even more dangerous for us.
Kim Gap-doo shrugged nonchntly and remarked,
¡°It¡¯s not like we have a choice, do we? We¡¯ve just got to go.¡±
¡°If anything, we should hurry. For all we know, other parties might already be engaging the boss.¡±
Jeong Chong-myeong added a word, and everyone nodded in agreement.
Finally, Jegal So-so gave thest instructions.
¡°Let¡¯s stay calm, just as we have been. Everyone, get ready.¡±
Before long, we gathered around the teleportation magic circle. As we infused mana into it, a radiant light burst forth, enveloping the entire party.
Fwaaaash!
But before our vision could fully recover, we heard a courteous voiceing from somewhere nearby.
¡°Wee.¡±
Startled, we all quickly turned to the front, where a single knight stood. It was bowing politely in our direction.
Unlike the others we had encountered, this knight had a normal set of limbs, two arms and two legs, and its equipment was rtively simple.
Still, not a single person in our party underestimated it.
Kim Gap-doo narrowed his eyes and red at the Oobleck knight.
¡°¡It speaks.¡±
¡°Is that so strange?¡±
¡°Well, not strange exactly. Just surprising.¡±
The fact that it couldmunicate meant it was a higher-level entity with more intelligence.
The Oobleck knight continued,
¡°Your surprise is understandable. I was told that my master put considerable effort into creating me.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure she did.¡±
After all, creating a creature capable of consuming even an A-rank monster would not have been an easy feat, even for the Witch of Corruption.
Still, with over a month at her disposal, she had evidently seeded.
The Oobleck knight bowed politely again before speaking.
¡°Of course, my role is simple; to stop you, or at the very least, deplete your resources as much as possible.¡±
¡°That¡¯s only to be expected.¡±
¡°Yes, so I hope you¡¯ll understand.¡±
¡°¡Understand what?¡±
¡°That my methods might be a bit cowardly.¡±
With that, the knight suddenly kicked off the ground and hurtled toward us at an incredible speed.
Its target was the rear of our formation.
It was the location where Jeong Chong-myeong, the support staff member and I were positioned.
How cowardly. I like it.
If the mage group could be wiped out, it would weaken both their firepower and sustainability. So it was the best choice for the enemy.
I silently acknowledged its cleverness.
Of course, the frontline wasn¡¯t foolish enough to simply let it pass unchallenged.
Kim Gap-doo and Jegal So-so blocked its path andunched a coordinated attack.
However, just as they were about to sh, multiple long, thick arms suddenly extended from what was once a single arm of the Oobleck at incredible speed.
Whooosh!
¡°¡What the¡ª!¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Kim Gap-doo and Jegal So-so were forced to retreat hastily.
Considering the opponent was a slime-type monster, they must have anticipated some unconventional moves.
However, the sheer power behind the attack far exceeded their expectations, and both were flung to the sides.
At that moment, the Oobleck knight broke through the frontline and rapidly closed the distance toward us.
An ice wall abruptly rose in its path, but the creature immediately swung its arm down.
Crash!
The sturdy ice wall shattered in an instant, scattering shards everywhere.
Until now, such defenses had been effective, but with this mid-level A-rank boss, it was inevitable that it would break through so easily.
Of course, my intention was never to stop it outright.
It¡¯s to obscure its vision.
Not just its vision, but mypanions¡¯ vision as well.
[Inferno Fist]
[Overheat]
The mes enveloping my fist channeled tremendous power throughout my body.
With my physical abilities heightened to the limit, I leaped into the midst of the scattering ice shards.
The creature instinctively swung its arm, but I narrowly dodged it.
At the same time, without anyone noticing, I discreetly extended my index finger.
Thud.
Then, with a swift kick to the ground, I pulled back and retreated from the monster.
My index finger which had been frozen solid like an icicle quickly melted and returned to its original state.
This tactic works surprisingly well.
Chrrrk.
A part of the creature¡¯s arm rapidly froze over.
Chapter 280: No. 50 Teleportation Labyrinth (6)
Chapter 280: No. 50 Teleportation Labyrinth (6)
¡°You got me. That was an excellent move.¡±
The Oobleck Knight spoke in a mechanical tone.
It was as if being struck by the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger was not something that had happened to it at all.
Honestly, I wanted to throw in some trash talk, but I couldn¡¯t reveal my identity at this point, so I decided to hold back.
When ites to concept y, consistency is key, after all.
Crackle, crackle.
Meanwhile, the cold energy of the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger was rapidly expanding its range.
It seemed like the Oobleck knight was trying to suppress it in its own way, but if even the Blood Cult Elder couldn¡¯t manage it, there was no way a mere monster could.
Before long, it withdrew all its outstretched arms and returned to a normal form. Only then did it seem to regain better control of its body.Thanks to that, most of the cold appeared to be subdued, but the sound of freezing could still be faintly heard.
Crunch, crackle.
While the creature¡¯s movements slowed, Dang Gyu-young moved Jeong Chong-myeong and the support staff member to the opposite side of the room before rejoining us.
She cast Shadow Leap and emerged right beneath my feet.
Meanwhile, Jegal So-so and Kim Gap-doo were closing the distance at a ferocious pace from behind.
Judging that he had to deal with them first, the Oobleck spun around and charged toward them.
He collided with Kim Gap-doo, whounched a powerful fist strike.
Boom!
With the impact, Kim Gap-doo staggered back two steps, while the Oobleck Knight retreated one step.
Despite being at a disadvantage, Kim Gap-doo didn¡¯t shrink back; instead, he charged forward with even greater ferocity.
Jegal So-so also assisted from the side. She was stabbing and shing with her sword.
The Oobleck¡¯s two hands softened and morphed; one turned into a longsword, and the other into a shield.
With the sword, it parried Jegal So-so¡¯s attacks, and with the shield, it blocked Kim Gap-doo¡¯s strikes as it spoke.
¡°So it¡¯se down to a direct confrontation after all.¡±
¡°Being more cowardly than humans isn¡¯t as easy as it sounds.¡±
¡°You have a point.¡±
The Oobleck knight nced over at us slyly as it said this.
For a creature to engage in subtle mockery¡it was almost human now.
Of course, I could understand why it might feel that way.
Crunch, crackle.
The sound of freezing was still echoing faintly from within its body.
Each time it happened, its movements became awkward and full of gaps that allowed Kim Gap-doo and Jegal So-so tond attacks.
The Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger technique was truly a terrifying martial art.
On top of that, the others joined the battle and started steadily putting more pressure on the Oobleck knight.
Shadow butterflies flew in one by one, and fist-sized orbs of magical energy struck the creature and exploded.
Boom!
The oneunching the orbs, of course, was Jeong Chong-myeong.
The most effective way to deal with the Dark Oobleck was to unleash a concentrated burst of firepower all at once, but the situation didn¡¯t allow for that right now.@@novelbin@@
You never know when it might break through again.
If the defensive formation was broken through again, lives would immediately be in danger, and even retreating would mean having to cancel the spells.
So, Jeong Chong-myeong chose to maintain some degree of mobility while taking an all-rounder approach to the battle.
Boom!
Once again, the magical energy orbs struck the Oobleck and exploded.
Explosive magic. A wise decision.
Since it was a slime-type monster, piercing or shing attacks weren¡¯t nearly as effective as this kind of damage.
As expected of someone at the rank of a third-year club president, he handled it well on his own.
But I have nothing to do.
As for me, I couldn¡¯t obstruct their vision or use prohibited skills, and using wind magic would instantly give me away.
And so, I started erecting ice walls around the room.
It might have seemed pointless at first nce, but¡
It never hurts to have insurance.
Meanwhile, the tide of battle was steadily turning in our favor.
Crackle, crackle.
The cold continued to wreak havoc inside the Oobleck knight. At the front, Jegal So-so and Kim Gap-doo attacked in unison.
On top of that, Dang Gyu-young and Jeong Chong-myeong asionallyunched shadow butterflies and magical energy orbs, steadily chipping away at the enemy.
As expected of an A-rank opponent.
Even after taking so many hits, the creature showed no signs of weakening.
In fact, it asionallyunched fierce counterattacks that sent Jegal So-so or Kim Gap-doo flying.
Of course, though it didn¡¯t show, the umted damage was evidently taking its toll.
As the intense battle continued, the Oobleck knight suddenly stopped and spoke.
¡°It seems I have lost.¡±
¡°¡It was a good fight.¡±
Kim Gap-doo frowned as he responded to the creature¡¯s words.
The Oobleck Knight twisted its body grotesquely, like a twisted coil, and continued speaking.
Screeeech,
¡°Though it is a dirty move, I must fulfill my duty. I ask for your understa¡ª¡±
¡°Take cover!¡±
I interrupted, shouting loud enough to snap everyone back to their senses. Without hesitation, they each dove toward the nearest ice wall.
Fortunately, Dang Gyu-young was close to me, so I grabbed her arm and pulled her along as we ducked behind an ice wall together.
In the next moment¡ª
St!
The Oobleck Knight¡¯s contorted body suddenly straightened, and ck liquid sprayed in all directions.
Even behind the wall where we took cover, we could hear the wet sttering as something mmed repeatedly against the barrier.
As I thought, it¡¯s self-destructing.
The creature¡¯s goal was clearly to inflict as much damage as possible on the subjugation team.
I had anticipated it would resort to self-destruction when defeated and had preemptively built ice walls for cover.
After a moment, the torrent of ck liquid subsided.
When I prepared to step out from behind the ice wall, Dang Gyu-young tentatively extended an arm toward me.
Her face was slightly flushed.
¡°..¡¡¡±
¡°What¡¯s with the arm?¡±
¡°Pull me again. Hard.¡±
¡°You¡¯re really getting hooked on weird things.¡±
¡°Just once~¡±
This was hardly the time for such nonsense, so I ignored her and stepped forward.
Dang Gyu-young pursed her lips in mild dissatisfaction but followed me.
As we emerged, the others began revealing themselves one by one.
Jegal So-so looked around and asked,
¡°Is everyone okay?¡±
¡°We¡¯re fine.¡±
Jeong Chong-myeong and the support staff member replied.
They nodded at me in gratitude.
Without the ice wall, theck of time to cast any defensive magic might have resulted in serious injuries.
¡°Ugh¡¡±
Meanwhile, Kim Gap-doo, who had been closest to the Oobleck Knight, appeared to have taken some damage.
It was minor: only a few droplets of the slime-like substance had touched his skin. But even so, the affected areas were already turning ck with necrosis.
¡°This is a really bad poison¡¡±
The support staff member quickly cast healing spells and poured an antidote, while Kim Gap-doo retrieved a pill from his inventory and popped it into his mouth.
A momentter, he looked visibly better and muttered,
¡°I forgot they self-destruct. That was careless of me.¡±
Up until now, the Oobleck Knights had always been eliminated with powerful magic before they could self-destruct.
However, this time, Jeong Chong-myeong wasn¡¯t in a position to be the battery, so weaker spells had to be used to chip away at its health, which ultimately gave it the chance to self-destruct.
Jegal So-so responded in a calm tone.
¡°I only noticed at the very end, too. Let¡¯s just be more careful from now on.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll also need to keep preparing for poison countermeasures.¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Once the group was ready, Jeong Chong-myeong activated the magic circle.
A brilliant light burst forth, engulfing the party.
Fwooosh!
¡°Wee.¡±
¡°Wee.¡±
t, monotonous voices greeted us.
When we checked ahead, there stood two Oobleck Knights, nearly identical to the one we had just faced.
Two of them, no less.
Kim Gap-doo muttered a low curse.
¡°Damn it ¡¡±
The rest of the group was equally tense as the Oobleck Knights began to speak, one at a time.
¡°You¡¯ve experienced this in the previous room, so we¡¯ll skip the exnation.¡±
¡°But our master has one proposal for you.¡±
¡°¡What kind of proposal?¡±
Jegal So-so asked, and one of the knights spread its mana widely.
As hidden magic circles revealed themselves, one in particr glowed with a distinct red hue in a corner.
Even at a nce, it was clear where it led.
The boss room.
However, the circle was incredibly small, barelyrge enough for one person to enter. Once someone went in, it was unlikely to activate again.
The Oobleck Knight continued speaking.
¡°Our master says you may send someone ahead if you wish. No one will stop you.¡±
¡°What about the rest of us?¡±
¡°Of course, you¡¯ll have to defeat us and proceed to the next room to enter.¡±
It was clear that arger magic circle capable of amodating the entire group wouldn¡¯t appear until after several more rooms.
Even just getting there would take considerable time, and the odds of someone surviving alone in the boss room until then were slim.
And so, the proposal had no real value.
It was obvious to everyone that the best approach was to progress carefully as a group and reach the boss room together.
That¡¯s what everyone must have been thinking.
Not bad at all.
But from my perspective, it was an incredibly tempting offer.
My top priority was to shorten the time required toplete this raid.
To achieve that, I needed to enter the boss room as quickly as possible, and now they were saying no one would stop me if I went alone.
Several potential risks came to mind, but I was confident I could handle them.
So I made my decision and stepped forward.
¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±
¡°¡..¡!¡±
¡°¡..¡!¡±
All eyes turned to me.
¡°Why is the quiet guy suddenly acting like this?¡± That was the look in their eyes.
Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just any decision; it was practically a suicidal move. Why on earth was I volunteering for this?
As I brushed off their stares and kept walking, Dang Gyu-Young hurriedly ran forward and blocked my path.
¡°You can¡¯t go¡yo!¡±
It was only after she opened her mouth that she seemed to remember she was supposed to hide my identity. Hastily, she added a polite ¡°yo¡± at the end.
(TN: ? ¡°yo¡± is added at the end of a sentence as a polite speech level marker.)
Even so, she worked hard to persuade me.
¡°We just need to stick together for a little longer, okay¡yo?¡±
I stepped closer to Dang Gyu-Young.
And then I looked straight into her eyes and said.
¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
Maybe she caught the firm resolve in my eyes, or perhaps she just decided there was no stopping me anymore.
Slowly, Dang Gyu-Young stepped aside.
When I passed her, she muttered under her breath, just loud enough for me to hear,
¡°¡Just wait until this is over. I¡¯m going to rip your cheeks off.¡±
But despite her words, her eyes were still filled with worry.
The Oobleck knights also stepped aside to let me through.
As I stepped onto the magic circle, they gave me a polite bow.
The red magic circle soon grew brighter and brighter, painting my vision red.
Fwoosh!
In the next moment, I found myself standing in a room dozens of timesrger than anything I had seen before.
However, the boss room didn¡¯t quite match my memory.
It waspletely empty, and everything from the floor to the walls to the ceiling was pitch ck.
asionally, there were faint writhing movements in the room, which meant that¡
She¡¯s really gone all out decorating, huh?
It meant that all that ckness was Oobleck.
I shrugged it off and calmly scanned the area. Suddenly, a soft, melodic voice tickled my ears.
¡°Wee.¡±
I turned toward the sound, and there she was. A woman cloaked in robes as ck as the room itself.
The mastermind behind all of this chaos and the second main quest boss.
The Witch of Corruption.
Chapter 281: The Witch of Corruption
Chapter 281: The Witch of Corruption
As expected, she doesn¡¯t attack right away.
I had considered the possibility of a battle breaking out the moment I entered the boss room, but the Witch of Corruption didn¡¯t seem inclined to do so.
Instead, she looked at me with an interested expression and spoke.
¡°You¡¯ve got some guts. I¡¯ve made simr proposals to others, but no one else epted.¡±
Other teams besides ours must have also approached the boss room.
Apparently, the Witch of Corruption had made the same offer to them.
If only one person entered, she wouldn¡¯t stop them.
Of course, from their perspective, it was essentially sending someone to their death, so they all refused, leaving me as the only one who entered.
Though if it were Lee Soo-dok or Seo Cheong-yong, they might havee.For some reason, they seemed to be running a littletepared to the others.
I responded nonchntly.
¡°I understand. People naturally want to choose the safest and most reliable path.¡±
¡°Then why did you make a different choice?¡±
¡°To me, both options seemed the same.¡±
If both were equally safe and reliable, why not take the shortcut rather than go the long way around?
The confidence behind my words brought a soft curve to the Witch¡¯s lips.
¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve prepared.¡±
¡°You won¡¯t be disappointed. I¡¯ve prepared something that¡¯ll leave you speechless.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll see soon enough. But before that, could you spare me a moment?¡±
It seemed she wanted to satisfy her curiosity before the battle began.
Since she was an A-rank opponent, I also needed to find the right moment to act rather than jump into a fight.
So, I gave a casual nod.
¡°If it¡¯s just a moment, I don¡¯t mind.¡±
¡°It won¡¯t take long.¡±
The Witch of Corruption guided me to one side of the boss room.
With a simple wave of her hand, a table and two chairs appeared out of nowhere.
We sat facing each other, and soon, a teapot and two teacups materialized on the table.
This was the kind of skill that Shin Byeong-cheol would probably find incredibly useful if he could learn it.
As she tilted the teapot to pour tea into the cups, the witch spoke.
¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to see your true form.¡±
Whether it was because she was exceptionally skilled for an A-rank or as perceptive as someone like Jegal So-so, she had seen through my disguise.
Since it wasn¡¯t a difficult request, I briefly removed the Totem of Disguise.
When my appearance shifted from Faculty Member K back to Kim Ho, the Witch¡¯s eyes gleamed with curiosity.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be this young. Are you a student?¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯m a first-year.¡±
¡°¡This just got more interesting.¡±
After all, a mere first-year had cleared an A-rank dungeon and entered the boss room. Alone, no less.
The Witch of Corruption offered me a cup of tea.
¡°Have a drink.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Normally, one shouldn¡¯t carelessly consume something offered by others.
But I took the cup without hesitation and drank a sip.
The Witch of Corruption asked for my thoughts.
¡°How is it?¡±
¡°It¡¯s quite an unusual vor. I think one of my friends would enjoy this.¡±
I wondered if this was what Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s favorite espresso, the one overloaded with an oil-like bitterness, tasted like.
Of course, since my taste buds had long been numbed by exposure to various poisonous nts and cores, it wasn¡¯t difficult to maintain a straight face.
The Witch of Corruption smiled faintly.
¡°It¡¯s one of my favorite teas.¡±
¡°It¡¯s¡ unique.¡±
¡°That¡¯s ament I hear often. Now, shall we have a conversation? I have a lot I¡¯m curious about.¡±
¡°Go ahead, ask me anything.¡±
The Witch of Corruption pondered briefly before speaking.
¡°You mentioned a friend as soon as you sipped the tea. You must be quite close?¡±
¡°They¡¯re preciouspanions.¡±
¡°Could you tell me more about them?¡±
Since there was no reason not to, I shared what came to mind.
¡°The first friend I made is a swordsman. He¡¯s a typical model student. But at the same time, he¡¯s flexible in his thinking and remarkably perceptive.¡±
¡°Those traits are ideal for excelling as a swordsman.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I have high hopes for him.¡±
The Witch of Corruption gave a slight nod.
¡°And the next one?¡±
¡°The next one spends most of her timezing around and sleeping.¡±
¡°Sounds a bitzy.¡±
¡°Even so, she¡¯s surprisingly willing to train when asked. For someone so sluggish, her growth rate is unmatched by anyone I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±
¡°A genius, then.¡±
¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s almost frightening.¡±
We looked at each other andughed.
The questions kepting.
¡°Another one?¡±
¡°The next one is my senior.¡±
¡°A close senior-junior rtionship? I like that kind of bond. Do they take good care of you?¡±
¡°Yes, she¡¯s someone who¡¯s incredibly sensitive to profit and loss, but when ites to my matters, she jumps in without hesitation.¡±
The Witch of Corruption smiled gently.
¡°Seems like she¡¯s quite fond of you. Is that senior strong?¡±
¡°She falls shortpared to the first two. But anythingcking can always bepensated for.¡±
The Witch of Corruption didn¡¯t seem to grasp exactly what I meant by pensated for¡±.
Still, she nodded slightly, as if she¡¯d managed to catch the general gist of it.
¡°They must really be precious friends. I can feel how much you care for them.¡±
¡°Yes, they¡¯re the reason I exist.¡±
The biggest reason and goal for me being in this game world.
To raise EX-rank heroes.
World peace is just a secondary concern.
This time, I asked a question.
¡°So why are you curious about that?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
She¡¯d sat me down to ask about myself, but why were her questions about my friends?
Then, the Witch of Corruption shed an evil, twisted smile that was entirely unlike her usual gentle one.
¡°¡Knowing what someone cherishes most only makes it more fun to take it away, don¡¯t you think?¡±
¡°Right, you¡¯vepletely lost it.¡±
She kept drinking strange concoctions; no wonder her mind was off.
A proper diet is so important.
The witch let out a small sigh.
¡°In that sense, it¡¯s a shame. If possible, I wanted to snatch it away right in front of your eyes.¡±
Since my ¡°friends¡± were first-years, they wouldn¡¯t have participated in the subjugation team.
In truth, Dang Gyu-young was part of the team, but there was no reason to share that detail with her.
The Witch of Corruption¡¯s twisted smile deepened as she spoke again.
¡°But there¡¯s no need to worry. Before long, your friends will follow along nicely as well.¡±
¡°So you¡¯re starting to move, then? The ¡®dormant phase¡¯ is almost over, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°..¡¡!¡±
The Witch of Corruption flinched momentarily before ring at me with piercing eyes.
¡°¡How do you know that?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Things are wrapping up, so you came to scout. Stir up some trouble while you¡¯re at it.¡±
The Witch of Corruption was one of themanders under the control of the Corpse Dragon.
Her active movements meant that the dragon was preparing to move as well.
And that meant the creature that was long dormant was waking up.
¡°¡¡.¡±
The witch stared at me in silence for quite some time.
I threw her own words back at her.
¡°But there¡¯s no need to worry. I¡¯ll stop it all. That¡¯s why I came here in the first ce.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll give you this; you¡¯ve got guts. But shouldn¡¯t your priority be getting out of here alive?¡±
¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡±
I agreed readily.
Then, I downed the rest of the tea in my cup and set it down.
¡°Thank you for the tea.¡±
With that, I rose from my seat and began walking leisurely.
One step, two steps¡.each step I took made suspicion rise in the Witch of Corruption¡¯s eyes.
It was as if she were silently asking how I was still able to walk. I answered her unspoken question without much concern.
¡°The taste wasn¡¯t great to begin with, but whatever you added made it worse. Not that it matters; it doesn¡¯t work on me anyway.¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
The witch¡¯s eyes widened in shock.
She immediately shot to her feet, but by then, I had already pulled an ugly branch from my clothes.
With a flick of the crow branch through the air, I began chanting an incantation.
¡°Caa¡ªaaaw¡ª!¡±
At that moment, the ugly branch took on the colors of the night sky.
The colors spread throughout the room in an instant, and teleportation portals began appearing one by one in various ces.
Beyond the portals, different rooms became visible along with the startled faces of the subjugation team members.
A summoning portal.
It was a spatial magic ability imbued into the branch by the Grand Crow Sage.
Its effect was to summon allies by opening portals at the current location, no matter where they were scattered throughout the dungeon.
This was the reason I had entered the boss room alone.
Before long, the subjugation team members began stepping through the teleportation portals.
Some burst in, clearly in the middle of battle, while others walked in calmly.
Lee Soo-dok was among thetter, though he had probably been anticipating this moment more than anyone else in the room.
When he bared his teeth in a grin, the scars covering his face twisted, making him look like a demon.
¡°Atst, we meet again.¡±
Seo Cheong-yong seemed just as pleased about the reunion as Lee Soo-dok was.
Meanwhile, the Witch of Corruption paid no attention to the two teachers; her gaze was fixed solely on me.@@novelbin@@
¡°You¡¯ve really prepared something incredible, haven¡¯t you?¡±
She had likely invested considerable effort into taking control of the entire dungeon and setting traps.
In the early stages, she manipted teleportation portals to scatter the subjugation team.
And in the middle andter stages, she introduced increasingly powerful Dark Ooblecks to wear down their strength.
Her calction must have been that the subjugation team would eventually reach the boss room, but they¡¯d be in tatters and few in number, making it easy to pick them off one by one.
But all of that crumbled to pieces because of a single item I had used.
She was probably feeling both astonished and deted.
This is when you¡¯re supposed to trash talk.
My mouth itched to speak, but with so many eyes watching, I pretended to be indifferent and avoided drawing attention.
I had already reequipped the Totem of Disguise as well.
I also put away the Crow Branch and brought out the sapling disguised as an iron staff.
Actually, there¡¯s one more surprise left.
It was time to reveal the decisive reason I had joined the subjugation team.
It was time to use the Poison Immunity.
[Activated ¡®Octopus Limbs¡¯.]
[Activated ¡®Enchantment¡¯.]
[You have granted ¡®Poison Immunity¡¯ to the target.]
[You have granted ¡®Poison Immunity¡¯ to the target¡..]
[You have granted¡]
[Duration: 00:14:57]
[Cooldown: 21 days 20:59:57]
So, the Enchantment will be on cooldown for a while.
A cooldown of over three weeks.
It had increased exponentially because I had overused Octopus Limbs so much.
Still, sacrificing three weeks was more than worth it.
The subjugation team members checked the notification messages that popped up and were collectively astonished.
¡°¡¡.!¡±
¨C What is this?
¨C Poison Immunity was granted?!
¨C Who did this?
Of course, only a handful of people in the room knew I was the source of it: Lee Soo-dok, Seo Cheong-yong, Dang Gyu-young, and probably Je Gal So-so.
They seemed rtively less shocked, as they had been informed beforehand.
Sensing the need to restore order, Seo Cheong-yong stepped forward and spoke.
¡°We can win. Don¡¯t be afraid and fight!¡±
¡°¡¡.!¡±
At that, everyone stopped murmuring and their eyes began to gleam with confidence.
They were confident because they were armed with the perfect traits to deal with Dark Oobleck.
The Witch of Corruption likely couldn¡¯t even imagine that they had gained Poison Immunity, but she seemed to sense that the suddenly changed atmosphere was unusual.
She ground her teeth in frustration.
¡°Fine. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.¡±
With a casual wave of her hand in the air, the entire boss room began to shake violently.
Chapter 282: I’ll Just Exchange Two Moves
Chapter 282: I¡¯ll Just Exchange Two Moves
The pitch-ck floor, walls, and ceiling spewed out Oobleck Knights in droves.
They surrounded the subjugation team while simultaneously positioning themselves as if to protect a single entity, and that entity wore a crown on its head instead of a helmet.
It¡¯s the Oobleck King, just like it looks.
It was the boss-level monster of the entire dungeon.
One of the faculty members gazed at it and spoke to Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong.
¡°Both of you, please handle the witch. We will protect the main force.¡±
If not enough people had gathered in the boss room, then one of them would have had to remain with the main force. However, thanks to the Crow Branch, that was no longer necessary.
And so, Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong gave a slight nod.
¡°Of course.¡±¡°Understood.¡±
Then, as if they had been waiting for just this moment, they shot toward the Witch of Corruption at the same time.
The Oobleck King also raised its sword and pointed it at the subjugation team, and with that the boss fight finally began.
All around, Oobleck Knights closed the encirclement with rming speed, while the subjugation team formed up at their assigned positions.
When the two forces collided together, a deafening roar rang out.
Booom!
First, I carefully scanned the Dark Oobleck ranks.
She definitely prepared a lot for this.
Each Oobleck Knight was on par with the ones we had faced in the previous room.
There was also an enormous number of them. Just counting the ones in in sight pushed the total close to the hundreds.
On top of that, even at this very moment, the walls continued to spit out knights without pause.
Still, we won¡¯t lose.
We had done just as much preparation on our side.
The mages took out parchment scrolls that had been rolled up tightly in their inventories.
They were magic scrolls we had saved for this final showdown.
High-rank scrolls that were about A-rank were ripped neatly in half, releasingrge-scale spells that had been sealed within.
ash¨C!
The burst of light soared upward, forming a huge orb over the subjugation team¡¯s heads.
Then, like a sun, it began to brightly illuminate the entire boss room.
Next, pirs of light rose up beneath it, and a temple was constructed.
We¡¯re practically beating them with money.
If the environment was unfavorable¡ª
¡ªyou just changed it to your advantage.
Of course, it wasn¡¯t as simple as it sounded, but the Dragon yer Academy had the means to make it possible.
The effect took hold immediately.
The Oobleck Knights visibly weakened.
Their movements were sluggish, and even the long swords they swungcked real force.
Meanwhile, the subjugation team that was further strengthened began cutting them down like bundles of straw.
Several Ooblecks tried self-destructing here and there in an attempt to deal more damage, but it was a pointless gesture.
We have Poison immunity after all.
Boom!
Another Oobleck Knight exploded, sttering ck liquid all over Kim Gap-doo, who was in the front line throwing punches.
If he had been the same as before, his entire body would have turned ck and rotted away from the poison.
¡°¡Hmm.¡±
The Ink-covered Gap-doo paused briefly, then resumed fighting as if nothing had happened.
The rest of the subjugation team, upon confirming their total immunity to poison, pressed the attack even harder.
In the midst of it all, I felt a hand grab me firmly.
When I turned slightly to look, sure enough, it was Dang Gyu-young.
Just like when I went through the boss room portal alone, she looked at me with equal parts of annoyance and worry.
¡°Now, seriously, just stay put.¡±
¡°I intend to.¡±
My role ended with the Crow Branch and granting Poison Immunity.
I nned to remain in spectator mode unless something truly extraordinary happened.
However, there was one exception.
¡°If somethinges our way, we have to respond.¡±
¡°Who, the witch? Why?¡±
¡°I did something a bit irritating to her.¡±
From the Witch of Corruption¡¯s perspective, the n she had painstakingly devised had copsed entirely because of me.
She probably didn¡¯t just find it annoying; she likely wanted to tear me to shreds.
Moreover, the fact that I was only a first-year student who had managed to topple her n meant she would realize I could be a fearsome opponent in the future.
It was best for her to strike me down or at least injure me in some way now.
Hence, there was a high chance she would make a reckless move at least once.
Dang Gyu-young tensed up as she drew on her shadows.
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try to block her.¡±
¡°No, don¡¯t block her. Let here.¡±
¡°Why again?¡±
I opened two fingers to show Dang Gyu-young, who was frowning in confusion.
¡°I¡¯ll only exchange exactly two moves with her. After that, pull me back out.¡±
¡°¡Really just two moves?¡±
¡°Yes, any more than that is too much for me.¡±
¡°Promise.¡±
We hooked our pinkies together, and then Dang Gyu-young quietly slipped back into the shadows.
After confirming that, I turned my gaze toward the Witch of Corruption¡ª
She¡¯s getting thrashed, alright.
Therey a pitch-ck, foul pool even darker than the already dark boss room.
It must have been the domain the witch had unleashed, but Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong moved through it as though it were their own living room and kept relentlessly attacking her.
Lee Soo-dok¡¯s sword shed at an incredible speed.
The Witch of Corruption tried to parry orunch a counterattack in her own way, but she still ended up taking more damage.
Cuts started to appear on her body, one after another.
sh-sh-sh!
¡°Geuk¡!¡±
The witch distorted her face severely and sank straight into the pool.
Then she reappeared on the far side of the pool, but Seo Cheong-yong was already waiting there.
A torrent of force burst from his frozen palm.
Crackle-crackle!
¡°You must have mastered Ice Arts.¡±
It was in the same category as Bukgong Han-seol, who had a score of around 900 points.
Of course, Seo Cheong-yong¡¯s martial arts were far more refined.
Bang!
With a sharp smack, the witch¡¯s head snapped backward.
A solid, frozen palm print remained on her face.
When the witch could no longer hold out and fled elsewhere, Lee Soo-dok charged in and brandished his sword with enthusiasm.
It was almost like¡
¡Whack-a-mole?
In reality, the oue of this battle had already been decided.
Until right after the midterm exam, there had likely been a Blood Cult elder on her side, but it seemed they went their separate ways after the Blood Fury n failed.
They reportedly ran away back then, unable to withstand a 2-on-2. Now it was 2-on-1.
On top of that, thanks to theplete Poison Immunity, neither of the teachers was affected by poison at all.
That was why they could navigate through the pool so casually.
From the Witch of Corruption¡¯s perspective, there was no way out of this.
¡°Grrk¡!¡±
Even while she was being beaten, the Witch of Corruption asionally threw a hostile re in my direction.
It was as though she were saying this was all my fault.
Apparently annoyed by that look, Dang Gyu-young grumbled from within the shadows.
¡°Look at those eyes, look at them. Why¡¯s she ring at us like that? Makes me want to¡ ugh.¡±
¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be a problem if she looked at you nicely, too?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true. Fine, just don¡¯t look at her at all. Only look at me.¡±
Of course, it wasn¡¯t purely out of hostility that the Witch of Corruption was ncing this way.
She was biding her time.
Looking for the timing tond a decisive blow on me.
She¡¯ll being soon.
Sure enough, the Witch of Corruption hid herself in the pool again, trying to evade Lee Soo-dok.
Seo Cheong-yong attempted to continue his whack-a-mole approach, but the next moment, the ce where she emerged was not somewhere in the pool; it was right in front of me.
She had used a short-distance teleportation spell, Blink.
I¡¯m the only one without Blink.
Dang Gyu-young had it, Jeong Chong-myeong had it, Oh Se-hoon had it, and the Witch of Corruption had it; but not me.
How miserable was it to be a pedestrian mage.
Since an A-rank core had toe first, there was nothing I could do about it right now.
The Witch of Corruption reached toward me and clenched her hand like an eagle¡¯s talons.
An intense blue mana gathered on her five fingers.
Knowing her poison wouldn¡¯t work on me, she attacked with a non-elemental assault.
It might have been weaker than her main attribute, but it was still probably B-rank.
If it hits, I¡¯ll be ripped apart.
Of course, I had predicted this as well.
Just as her ws were about to rake my chest¡ª
Swish¡ª
My body slid sideways as if on ice, and before she knew it, I was behind her.
I had activated Ghost Dance to slip around her.
At the same time,
[Activated ¡®Amplification¡¯.]
[The rank of the ¡°Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger¡± has increased. (B ¡ú S)]
I thrust my now icicle-cold index finger forward.
But the sensation at my fingertip felt oddly dull.
It seemed some sort of defensive mechanism had been triggered.
Chaaeng¨C!
Indeed, one of the ornaments the Witch of Corruption wore shattered into dust.
That¡¯s one move.
Even then, she refused to give up and persistently followed me and shed with her ws.
Her speed was so remarkable and unbelievable for a mage that it seemed difficult for me to dodge at my current level.
In moments like this, the solution was,
Don¡¯t dodge.
I simply thrust the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger straight forward.
Fwoop,
This time, I felt at least some resistance at my fingertip.
Although it was reduced by some kind of defensive trait, the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger was S-rank, so it managed to pierce through.
Meanwhile, her ws which had been aiming for me,
[¡®Distortion¡¯ has been activated.]
[Cooldown: 23:59:58]
They got distorted on their own before they could touch my body.
The Witch of Corruption¡¯s eyes flew wide in shock.
¡°You¡!¡±
That makes it two moves.
Dang Gyu-young darted out of the shadows and pulled me back in.
In the next instant, we had moved quite far away.
As agreed beforehand, the moment I exchanged exactly two offensive and defensive moves, she used Shadow Leap.
¡°I did well, right?¡±
¡°You did very well.¡±
But at that moment, first aid mattered more thanpliments.
Crackle-crackle-crackle,
Because of the penalty from the S-rank Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger, the cold and demonic energy had already spread up to my forearm.
I immediately took out a basic elixir and chugged it, causing the fierce frost to slowly subside.
Of course, the power was just as extraordinary as the penalty.
The Witch of Corruption tried to use Blink to follow us,
Crackle-crackle-crackle¡ª
But the spot where the Demon Finger had pierced her froze at a terrifying speed and interrupted her spell.
She hesitated for a moment, and in that instant, a sh of light sliced past her.@@novelbin@@
Split,
One of her arms dropped to the floor with a thud.
The Witch of Corruption let out a wail of agony.
¡°Kyaaaah!¡±
¡°You sure you can afford to look away?¡±
It was Lee Soo-dok who had unleashed that sh.
And it still wasn¡¯t over.
Seo Cheong-yong charged forward at an incredible speed and struck the Witch of Corruption with full force.
Boom!
The Witch who got flung backward rolled across the floor. Seo Cheong-yong spoke to her with a friendly smile.
¡°You¡¯ve underestimated us far too much.¡±
The Witch of Corruption nted her remaining hand on the ground to push herself up.
She hurriedly attempted to cast a counterspell, but even that wasn¡¯t easy.
Crackle-crackle-crackle,
The ice energy rampaging through her body severed her mana flow, leaving her vulnerable to Lee Soo-dok¡¯s next attack.
A sharp sword energy shed diagonally through her body.
sh,
Her upper body was severed and slid to the floor.
Her flesh which seemed to be made of something like Oobleck revealed a ck, slimy substance at the cut.
¡°Guh¡!¡±
¡°It¡¯s over.¡±
Lee Soo-dok pressed his boot firmly on the writhing Witch of Corruption.
Amidst her struggles, she twisted her body in frustration and red in my direction and started speaking rapidly in a spiteful tone.
¡°This is just my doppelg?nger! I¡¯ll return someday! With my master! When that dayes, you and your friends¡ª!¡±
Crunch!
¡°Be gone.¡±
Lee Soo-dok ground the remains beneath his boot.
Like the witch had imed, the one we had just defeated was merely a doppelg?nger.
She had set up a backup n, which was the only reason she dared infiltrate Dungeon Ind alone.
Though the proportion was a bit excessive.
Calling it a doppelg?nger was an understatement; she had invested over 90% of her power into it, making it practically indistinguishable from her true form.
Recovering from this would likely take her a very long time.
And in the meantime, we would grow strong enough to face her head-on, even without the help of our teachers.
I repeated her words silently to myself.
Yes,e back if you can.
It would be even better if you brought your master along.
After confirming that the Witch of Corruption was utterly defeated, Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong immediately rejoined the subjugation team.
The battle that was already turning in the subjugation team¡¯s favor, shifted even more decisively. The Oobleck King was soon brought to the ground as well.
At that moment, a notification message appeared in the corner of my vision.
[Main Quest 2] (Completed)
[Beginning calctions.]
Chapter 283: Let’s Eat in My Room
[Beginning calctions.]
If everything had gone ording to the Witch of Corruption¡¯s n, it would have taken the subjugation team much longer to reach the boss¡¯s room.
It would also have taken even longer for all the members to gather.
In effect, that long stretch of time had beenpletely skipped thanks to a single crow branch.
[You drastically reduced the raid time.]
[Your reward has been increased.]
During the boss battle, I anticipated the Witch of Corruption¡¯s arrival, lured her in, and stabbed her with the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger twice.
Because of that, the witch could no longer use her magic properly, and she ended up helpless against the two teachers.
It was true that Lee Soo-dok dealt the final blow, but I had contributed a great deal as well.[You inflicted a huge amount of damage upon the Witch of Corruption.]
[Your reward has been greatly increased.]
Thanks to those factors snowballing, the boss battle proceeded unusually smoothly for an A-rank dungeon, and it ended with far fewer injuries than expected.
[Number of injured: 16]
[Number of deaths: 0]
[Your reward has been greatly increased.]
The reward kept getting increased and increased, and as a result:
[You have acquired ¡®Hardship¡¯.]
I had recovered yet another powerful ability.
[Hardship] was a nonbat skill.
However, it was among the skills that earned me the nickname ¡°S-rank Hero Factory¡±.
I nned to check it outter.
After the battle ended, the subjugation team was in a very happy mood.
¡°Everyone, you worked so hard.¡±
¡°Defeating that infamous witch with barely any losses was truly miraculous.¡±
Simply bringing down the Witch of Corruption was already a huge achievement, yet no one lost their life or even sustained serious injuries.
It was impossible for anyone to feel gloomy in such an atmosphere.
However, there were quite a few people who felt some curiosity.
¡°But what were those portals?¡±
¡°I was also startled when they suddenly opened.¡±
¡°It all worked out in the end, but I found it suspicious. I wondered if it was yet another trick by the witch.¡±
I feigned ignorance and pretended not to know anything.
After all, I couldn¡¯t just blurt out, ¡°I opened them! Caw¡ª!¡± to everyone.
And so, while everyone¡¯s suspicions were growing,
¨C Caw¡ª!
The members of the subjugation team all turned in the direction of the crow¡¯s call they heard from somewhere.
A tree branch extended into the empty air, and perched on it was the Great Crow Sage.
Someone eximed in surprise.
¡°A-A Dimensional Crow?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re seeing a crow here.¡±
Dimensional crows were like mythical creatures.
They hopped between dungeons so freely that you needed extraordinary luck to spot even one.
I, however, had umted a wealth of big data from othermunity users, so I could guess when and where they might appear. I also knew the secrets behind hideout rooms, but the rest of them didn¡¯t.
¡°¡¡¡¡±
The Great Crow Sage preened its feathers with its beak as it looked this way, or more precisely, at me.
Then, without any warning, it suddenly pped its wings and flew away to another dungeon.
To those who didn¡¯t know the full story, it only looked like it stopped by for a moment and then took off. However, I actually received something from it.
It¡¯s an after-sales service.
So I casually checked my inventory,
[Crow Branch (S)]
?You can feel a strong dimensional energy from it.
The one-time skill [Caw¡ª!] had disappeared and was now reced by an iprehensible description.
So it changed it into a material item.
It was a powerful spatial-type material that, if used in item crafting, wouldpletely imbue it with its power.
Of course, it wasn¡¯t easy to find a craftsman who could handle it, but that was a problem forter.
It also seemed to inadvertently resolve the subjugation team¡¯s questions.
¡°I think I know what those portals were earlier.¡±
¡°It seems the Dimensional Crow helped us.¡±
¡°Maybe it wanted to clear out themotion in its home?¡±
Since their exnation made enough sense, most people epted it and moved on.
On the other hand, there were some who weren¡¯t quite convinced. Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so sidled up to me from both sides and whispered mischievously.
¡°Hey, young monarch~¡±
¡°Aww, young monarch~¡±
¡°Let¡¯s talk about this outside. Outside¡±
It wasn¡¯t something I wanted them broadcasting around town.
Regardless, it was time for us to leave anyway.
Rumble¡
The boss monster had fallen, and the dungeon¡¯s core was destroyed.
It wouldn¡¯t be long before itpletely copsed and reformed.
Therefore, the subjugation team followed Seo Cheong-yong¡¯s orders and headed for the exit.
There were several A-rank random boxes ced in front of us.
It would be shameless if I were greedy enough to take those as well.
The items that dropped from the random boxes were meant to help recoup the resources used during this raid.
Naturally, even if we sold them all, the Dragon yer Academy would still be running a deficit.
Not to mention all the A-rank magic scrolls and potions that were used in the boss battle.
I had already secured my share, so I didn¡¯t feel even the slightest regret.
A powerful skill, an S-rank crafting material, and
I still have a nk check left.
In recognition of my contribution to subjugating the Witch of Corruption, the former Hero and current principal was going to grant me a ¡°small favor.¡±
Of course, the notion of big or small was rtive, so whether my favor was truly small remained to be seen.
***
The journey back was nothing special.
After stepping on therge-scale teleportation magic circle with the subjugation team, we arrived directly at the F Floor.
And that was the end of our time in the dungeon building.
After the subjugation team disbanded, I met separately with Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong to return the items I had borrowed.
The Totem of Disguise was such a powerful camouge item that even the faculty hadn¡¯t sensed anything.
Because it could be misused, it had to be reimed.
The battle suit was also strictly managed by the Academy.
I felt a bit regretful about returning it, but since it wasn¡¯t originally mine, I brushed away any lingering attachment.
¡°..¡¡¡±
Seo Cheong-yong, who epted the items in silence, simply stared at me.
Lee Soo-dok was also giving me a look intense enough to shootser beams from his eyes.
Both of them seemed to have plenty they wanted to say.
After all, I had revealed quite a bit of my abilities, including my Poison Immunity Enchantment.
Even if Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger and Ghost Dance were rtively inconspicuous, there was no hiding Inferno Fist or Distortion.
Especially Distortion, which was probably their first time seeing it.
Yet, as though deciding not to ask just then, Seo Cheong-yong shed a light smile and spoke.
¡°You must be tired, so go in and get some rest. Make sure you check your messages tomorrow.¡±
¡°Yes, understood.¡±
¡°You did well.¡±
After a short bow to both teachers, I walked away.
Before long, I saw Dang Gyu-young waiting for me while waving his hand in my direction.
When I waved back, she came over and fell into step beside me.
¡°Kim Ho, I have some astonishing news.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°It¡¯s already Thursday evening.¡±
We had gone in on Tuesday, so that meant we¡¯d been inside for over two days.
Of course, I had expected it to take that long to clear the dungeon, so I just nodded my head slightly.
¡°We were fighting so hard that it makes sense we lost track of time.¡±
¡°I feel like I skipped at least two meals.¡±
¡°I probably did, too.¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±
When I heard that, I realized I did feel a little hungry. So I answered honestly.
¡°I¡¯m a bit hungry.¡±
¡°Late-night snack? My treat.¡±
¡°Sounds good. Where at?¡±
Dang Gyu-young pointed to a building not too far off. It was the girls¡¯ dormitory.
¡°My room.¡±
¡°There are plenty of other ces. Why your room?¡±
¡°I¡¯m too tired to go anywhere else.¡±
We had just finished a major raid, so it made sense she wouldn¡¯t feel like traveling any further. But there was one problem.
¡°How am I supposed to get in there?¡±
To prevent ¡°unseemly incidents¡±, the rules forbade male students from entering the girls¡¯ dorm and vice versa.
But Dang Gyu-young asked indifferently,
¡°Who am I?¡±
¡°You¡¯re the president of the thieves club.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t sweat the small stuff like school rules.¡±
¡°One of these days, you¡¯re going to be in big trouble. Mark my words.¡±
She shook her head as if brushing aside my words.
¡°Aaah, I don¡¯t care. We¡¯re using my room tonight. End of story.¡±
Then, all of a sudden, she narrowed her eyes and red at me.
¡°¡You don¡¯t like to?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that I dislike it.¡±
¡°My room?¡±
¡°Sure, let¡¯s do it.¡±
I decided to just go with the flow. Even if I got reprimanded, that would be a problem for tomorrow¡¯s me.@@novelbin@@
And since Dang Gyu-young needed a bit of time to prepare, I dropped by my own dorm for a moment before heading to the girls¡¯ dorm at the appointed time.
And right there, in front of it, I unexpectedly ran into Shin Byeong-cheol. He raised his eyebrows when he saw me.
¡°What are you doing here at this hour?¡±
¡°What about you?¡±
When I asked him back, Shin Byeong-cheol slyly showed me something he was holding.
It was a neatly wrapped package that seemed to be emitting hot steam.
There must have been food inside.
¡°I¡¯m running an errand for Dang-noonim.¡±
¡°You¡¯re really working hard. Have you always been this diligent?¡±
¡°I have to make up for my screw-up.¡±
During thest ban wave, Shin Byeong-cheol had been caught lugging around prohibited items and lost them all.
Although Dang Gyu-young and I managed to recover quite a bit from the temporary storage, the club as a whole still took a loss.
That exined why he was now running errands for the thieves clubte at night.
He has no choice if he wants to stick around in that club.
I didn¡¯t think Dang Gyu-young would go so far as to squeeze him for morepensation, but how one performed in the thieves club heavily influenced whether they could join the Thief Guild after graduation.
A reputation for causing huge losses would be a significant ck mark.
So, naturally, Shin Byeong-cheol wanted to leave a record of himself at least trying to be useful.
This time, he asked,
¡°So what about you? Who are you here to see?¡±
I was about to answer when a voice came from somewhere else.
¡°You¡¯re here.¡±
¡°Noonim, that¡¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol offered up the packaged food and started looking from her to me.
Dang Gyu-young casually nodded her head.
¡°Mhmm, I was nning to eat with Kim Ho.¡±
¡°A-Aah! Please enjoy your time together.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol quickly assessed the situation and made his exit.
Dang Gyu-young watched him out of the corner of her eye and then spoke.
¡°Let¡¯s go inside quickly. It¡¯ll get cold.¡±
She then took the lead and began to move forward.
Though it wasn¡¯t as closely monitored as the dungeon building, the girls¡¯ dormitory still had watchful eyes here and there.
Of course, for the president of the thieves club, evading those eyes was hardly a problem.
As a result of using various Shadow spells at maximum power, including Shadow Cloak and Shadow Leap¡
We soon found ourselves on the third-year floor, standing in front of a door.
Dang Gyu-young opened it and stepped inside before saying,
¡°Come in.¡±
I followed her in and nced around the room. It was spotless.
It didn¡¯t look like it had been hastily cleaned; rather, it seemed she just didn¡¯t keep much in the room to begin with.
Most of the prohibited items, I assumed, were probably stored either in the clubroom or her inventory.
Next, she took a wooden table and chairs out of her inventory. They looked strangely familiar.
¡°Are those Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s?¡±
¡°Mhmm, they are.¡±
¡°He wouldn¡¯t even let me sit on them.¡±
Dang Gyu-young let out a mysterious smile.
¡°Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s assets are the assets of the thieves¡¯ club.¡±
The misery of being in debt hit hard.
I resolved right then and there not to join the thieves club.
With that thought, I sat across from Dang Gyu-young at the wooden table.
Just as I was about to unwrap the food containers,
Knock, knock, knock.
A knock came at the door.
¡°¡..¡?¡±
¡°¡..¡?¡±
We exchanged nces quickly.
Questions raced through my mind.
Who could it be at this hour?
We hadn¡¯t been spotted on the way here¡ had we?
Knock, knock, knock, knock.
The knocking continued. It was persistent and steady.
We couldn¡¯t just sit there frozen, so Dang Gyu-young raised a finger to her lips, signaling for me to stay silent.
She tiptoed toward the door and asked in a deliberately calm tone,
¡°¡Who is it?¡±
¡°It¡¯s me! Qyu!!¡±
The voice of Jegal So-so rang out from behind the door.
***
TN: Oh shit!
Chapter 284: Ho-Gyu-So
(TN: It might appear at first nce that the ¡°Qyu¡± and ¡°Sho¡± nicknames are actually ¡°Gyu¡± and ¡°So¡± for Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so. But no, the nicknames really are spelled Qyu and Sho. I think because the two girls thought they were cuter this way.)
***
Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so argued for quite some time with the closed door between them.
¡°Hey, you could¡¯ve at least sent me a message.¡±
¡°You always barge in without a word.¡±
It seemed that barging in without warning had be half a daily urrence for them.
While it showed how close they were, one could also say this was the price Dang Gyu-young had to pay.
Dang Gyu-young was still gripping the doorknob when she spoke.
¡°Hey, Sho. I¡¯m really sorry, but I don¡¯t think I can eat with you tonight. I¡¯m feeling a bit under the weather.¡±¡°What? Open up. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±
¡°Everything just feels off. Go on in.¡±
¡°Wait, at least open the door first. Let me see your face.¡±
Worried that refusing any longer would look suspicious, Dang Gyu-young opened the door halfway.
Jegal So-so¡¯s voice became clearer.
¡°You look fine to me.¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m tired. I just want to rest.¡±
¡°Eat and then rest. I brought something you like.¡±
Judging by the rustling sound, Jegal So-so seemed to have brought somete-night snacks as well.
However, Dang Gyu-young kept declining.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but really, not tonight. You can eat with Pang.¡±
Sensing something odd, Jegal So-so¡¯s tone changed.
¡°Why are you blocking me? Is someone inside?¡±
¡°What are you talking about? There¡¯s no one here.¡±
¡°No, this is suspicious. Also, you¡¯re not set up for sleeping yet. You look a bit dressed up.¡±
¡°I told you I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±
They fell silent for a moment.
From this side, it sounded as though they were exchanging a tense look.
Then Jegal So-so sighed and stepped back.
¡°¡All right, I¡¯ll just go for today.¡±
¡°Mhmm, sorry.¡±
¡°But let mee in for just a moment. That should be fine, right?¡±
It turned out she was taking one step back to take two steps forward.
As expected of the vice president of the swordsmanship club, she was formidable.
Dang Gyu-young was caught off guard and began to stammer.
¡°Ah, no. I¡¯m going straight to bed.¡±
¡°You won¡¯t even let me step inside? Qyu, are you really going to do this?¡±
¡°Just for tonight, okay? Just tonight.¡±
After that earnest plea, Jegal So-so¡¯s presence seemed to retreat a little. But in the next instant¡ª
Tap-tap!!
She dashed into the room as quick as lightning. She even used her movement technique to get past Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Sho¡ª!!¡±
¡°Hehen.¡±
Jegal So-so ignored Dang Gyu-young¡¯s outcry and smiled triumphantly.
But the moment her eyes met mine, she froze like a statue.
The takeout food she had been carrying dropped onto the floor with a thud.
She remained motionless, so I broke the silence by bowing my head.
¡°Hello, senior-nim.¡±
Hearing that, Jegal So-so seemed to snap back to reality and quickly regained herposure.
Then she shed her usual gentle smile.
¡°¡Kim Ho was here.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I begged her to see the room for a bit.¡±
Dang Gyu-young, who hade in behind her, quickly nodded her head in agreement.
Jegal So-so didn¡¯t look entirely convinced, but she seemed to realize I was trying to cover for her.
Immediately, she shot a sharp, piercing re at Dang Gyu-young.
¡°Qyu, you¡¯ll really get kicked out of the dorm if you keep this up!¡±
¡°Well, if they kick me out, I¡¯ll just find a ce in the downtown area. Or pitch a tent in the woods. I can sleep anywhere.¡±
Come to think of it, Dang Gyu-young always seemed to be a camper type (hopefully).
Jegal So-so shook her head and continued.
¡°Still, you have to follow the rules. You can¡¯t do this. Hurry up and send him away.¡±
¡°Okay, okay, I will. But since he¡¯s here, let¡¯s feed him before he leaves. He¡¯s had a rough day.¡±
¡°¡Ugh.¡±
Jegal So-so let out a deep sigh, looked conflicted, and began setting out thete-night snacks she had brought on the wooden table.
Then she checked again.
¡°You¡¯re not going to do bad things with him, are you?¡±
¡°What do you mean ¡®bad things¡¯?¡±
¡°Bad things are bad things. Why are you acting like you don¡¯t know?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but anyway, no.¡±
Even so, Jegal So-so asked several more times for confirmation.
¡°You¡¯re sure it¡¯s nothing?¡±
¡°I said no. Stop asking.¡±
Although Dang Gyu-young snapped back, she discreetly averted her gaze.
Then, she quickly changed the subject.
¡°Let¡¯s talk while we eat. Everything¡¯s getting cold.¡±
We gathered around Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s table and officially started ourte-night meal.
Dang Gyu-young had ordered bite-sized boneless chicken.
While Jegal So-so had brought inferno spicy tteokbokki piled with cheese.
I tasted a bite of the tteokbokki and thought:
It¡¯s pretty spicy.
From what I¡¯d heard, it was on par with the inferno pizza bread from the downtown area, and it was tough to handle.
My tongue was already practically numb.
I wondered how Ahn Jeong-mi had managed to finish an entire pizza bread on her own.
While recovering my sense of taste, I asked something that had been on my mind for a while.
¡°I knew you two were close, but I didn¡¯t realize you called each other by nicknames.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve been friends since forever.¡±
¡°We met when we were five.¡±
They both answered almost at the same time.
The Jegal and Dang families were prestigious families that maintained close ties with each other for a long time, and it seemed the two of them had grown up no differently.
Now, though Dang Gyu-young had stepped down from a direct lineage position and found herself in a somewhat ambiguous role, their friendship remained the same.
Dang Gyu-young pointed back and forth between herself and Jegal So-so.
¡°So, I¡¯m Qyu, and she¡¯s Sho.¡±
Then, with a yful smirk, she turned to look at me.
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
¡°Give it a try.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m not really feeling it.¡±
¡°Oh,e on, just once. Please? Pretty please?¡±
I declined several times, but Dang Gyu-young kept pestering me persistently.
She seemed to want it so badly that I figured, why not humor her? Besides, Jegal So-so was watching, and I didn¡¯t want to lose face.
So, I looked directly at Dang Gyu-young and said briefly,
¡°Qyu.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s face lit up instantly.
¡°Do it again, more!¡±
¡°Qyu Qyu.¡±
¡°More, more, more!¡±
¡°Qyu Qyu Qyu.¡±
¡°Huhum.¡±
Dang Gyu-young smiled in satisfaction and started nodding approvingly.
¡°Great, from now on, call me that.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not happening.¡±
¡°What? Why not?¡±
¡°I just don¡¯t like it, no reason. This was a one-time thing.¡±
¡°See what I mean? Doesn¡¯t listen to a word I say.¡±
She grumbled while pointing at me.
Jegal So-so alternated her gaze between us, clearly confused, before breaking into a mischievous smile.
¡°You¡¯re enjoying this that much? Now I¡¯m curious. Kim Ho, do it for me too.¡±
¡°Hold on, that¡¯s not fair.¡±
Dang Gyu-young suddenly interjected with a serious look on her face.
Jegal So-so frowned in confusion and asked,
¡°Why not?¡±
¡°Do you know how hard I worked to get this far? You can¡¯t just skip all that. No way.¡±
Dang Gyu-young protested, iming it wasn¡¯t fair.
But Jegal So-so didn¡¯t see the problem.
¡°What¡¯s the big deal? It¡¯s just for fun. Kim Ho, just once,e on.¡±
She tried coaxing me gently, but I gave her an awkward smile and politely declined.
¡°I¡¯ll take her side on this one. I hope you understand.¡±
At that, Dang Gyu-young¡¯s expression softened, and she began patting my head and cheeks enthusiastically.
¡°Oh my~, our pretty Kim Ho. We¡¯ve got to take care of you, don¡¯t we? Want some tteokbokki?¡±
¡°I¡¯d prefer chicken.¡±
¡°Alright, chicken it is. Say ah~.¡±
And then, she fed me a piece of boneless chicken.
On the other hand, Jegal So-so clicked her tongue in disappointment.
¡°¡Tch, this isn¡¯t as easy as I thought.¡±
After watching us for a moment longer, she moved on to the next topic.
¡°Then, can I ask you something else?¡±
¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±
¡°That thing at the end, with all those boss room portals opening¡.was that you?¡±
Even Dang Gyu-young seemed curious about this and nced in my direction.
If it had been anyone else, I might have feigned ignorance, but these two were exceptions.
Dang Gyu-young had earned my trust after all we had been through together, and Jegal So-so had proven her discretion by keeping the ck Death dungeon incident a secret.
Besides, we had entered a hidden room together in the Teleportation Laybrinith, so there was no reason to withhold the rest of the story from them.
I pulled out the Crow Branch.
¡°Yes, that was me. I used this.¡±
I exined that I had used the [Caw¡ª!] skill to summon the gathering portals. It was a one-time-use ability, so now the item was no more than crafting material.
Both Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so nodded their heads and seemed to be satisfied, but their expressions soon changed as another question came to mind.
Their eyes narrowed at the same time.
¡°But, young monarch, why didn¡¯t you tell us about this earlier?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, young monarch. You just went in without a word.¡±
¡°We were really worried, you know, young monarch!¡±
They must have been upset that I entered the one-person boss room portal without providing a proper exnation, even though the talking Ooblecks had opened it for me.
Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so each grabbed one of my cheeks and started pulling.
¡°Exin yourself, young monarch!¡±
¡°Yes, young monarch! Hurry up and exin!¡±
¡°Yesh¡ I¡¯ll shell you, jush le o¡¯ of my cheeksh firsh. (Yes¡ I¡¯ll tell you, just let go of my cheeks first.)¡±
Only then did the two finally release their grip.
However, their hands stayed poised like ws, as if ready to attack again at any moment.
So, I quickly began to exin.
¡°I wanted to minimize the risks as much as possible.¡±
When I yed Dragon yer Academy as a game, the Witch of Corruption mainly upied B-rank dungeons. This time, however, she appeared in the Teleportation Labyrinth, which was likely due to the reincarnation quest.
Since it was an A-rank dungeon, I couldn¡¯t guarantee my survival with my current abilities. Plus, there were too many uncertainties about how the Ooblecks might act.@@novelbin@@
For example, it waspletely unexpected that the talking Oobleck Knight let me in without resistance.
To ount for such variables, I had decided to keep the existence of the [Summoning Portal] skill a secret until the very end.
Dang Gyu-young tilted her head in puzzlement.
¡°What does keeping it a secret have to do with the risks?¡±
¡°Well, if I had told you, who knows? You might¡¯ve decided to use it yourselves instead of letting me handle it.¡±
¡°¡That¡¯s true. And that wouldn¡¯t have been okay?¡±
¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t. You don¡¯t have the Poison Immunity.¡±
The only reason I was able to meet the Witch of Corruption one-on-one, drink tea with her, and walk away unscathed was because I trusted my Poison Immunity.
If not, the only chance I¡¯d have had to use [Caw¡ª!] would have been the moment I walked in, and even then, failure wouldn¡¯t have been unlikely.
If I hadn¡¯t been prepared from the start, I wouldn¡¯t have even taken the one-person portal.
¡°You always try to handle everything by yourself.¡±
Dang Gyu-young understood my reasoning, but she still seemed a little dissatisfied.
***
As we continued chatting about all sorts of trivial things, the crispy fried chicken and Inferno Tteokbokki eventually disappearedpletely.
Time passed as well, teetering betweente night and early morning.
Dang Gyu-young looked outside and talked to Jegal So-so.
¡°Let¡¯s wrap it up here for today. I¡¯ll take him back.¡±
¡°Alright, I need to sleep anyway.¡±
Jegal So-so, seemingly of the same mind, helped tidy up the table and left the room.
Then she waved her hand with a soft smile.
¡°Kim Ho, get home safe.¡±
¡°Yes, senior-nim.¡±
I bowed my head in farewell and followed after Dang Gyu-young.
Since I had snuck in, I¡¯d have to sneak back out as well.
Once again, Dang Gyu-young used her Shadow Magic to the maximum and cleared the path for us.
Before long, we were outside the dormitory.
Looking up at her window, Dang Gyu-young let out a smallugh.
¡°We were nning to eat quietly, just the two of us, but then Sho showed up out of nowhere.¡±
¡°It was fun, though. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get another chance to eat alone.¡±
¡°Huhum, right?¡±
Just as I was about to say goodbye, Dang Gyu-young took a few steps past me, and then turned back.
¡°I think I¡¯ll walk a little more.¡±
We could have parted ways here, but she insisted on walking me all the way to the men¡¯s dormitory.
Judging by her expression, she seemed to have something else to say.
That must have been her intention from the beginning when she invited me to her room.
It felt like something I should hear today, so I nodded my head.
¡°Sure, let¡¯s do that.¡±
And with that, I began walking in step with Dang Gyu-young.
Chapter 285: Hardship
It seemed as if Dang Gyu-young was about to bring up a heavy topic, because her expression grew increasingly serious.
However, she appeared to struggle to get the words out and kept hesitating.
This isn¡¯t something that can be rushed.
So I decided to wait patiently until she was ready to speak.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
We continued walking in silence, and before I knew it, the men¡¯s dormitory was right in front of us.
Thinking that she might not bring it up after all, I was about to say my goodbye when Dang Gyu-young slowed her steps and looked at me.
¡°Kim Ho.¡±¡°Yes, noona.¡±
¡°Can I ask you something?¡±
¡°Anything.¡±
I nodded my head readily, but Dang Gyu-young hesitated again for quite some time before finally managing to ask her question.
¡°In the eyes of a senior who¡¯s graduated over 200 times¡ what do you think of my skills?¡±
¡°Before I answer, I¡¯d like to know why you¡¯re asking that.¡±
Dang Gyu-young let out a deep sigh.
¡°¡It¡¯s just that,tely, things have beenplicated for me. My skills don¡¯t seem to be improving, yet strong opponents keep appearing. Meanwhile, you¡¯re getting ridiculously stronger at such a quick pace. Even this time, you ended up contributing more than I did.¡±
¡°In simpler terms, you¡¯re worried about falling behind, right?¡±
¡°¡Honestly, yes.¡±
The truth was that while Dang Gyu-young excelled in utility skills such as stealth and teleportation, herbat contributions had been rtively limited.
In a direct confrontation, she wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against disciplinarymittee president Oh Se-hoon, nor even against other third-year disciplinarymittee members.
Even during the battle at the Gathering of Viins where we defeated the Twin Demons, my contributions had been significant. I granted poison resistance and used techniques like Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger and Ghost Dance.
Having gone through such experiences, it was only natural that anxiety had begun to take root in her heart.
Someday, won¡¯t Kim Ho catch up to me and surpass me?
When that dayes, will I still be needed?
Will someone else end up taking my ce?
The recent subjugation mission must have been the breaking point.
Even though I had exchanged only two moves with the Witch of Corruption, I had done so on equal terms and even gained the upper hand.
It was something Dang Gyu-young wouldn¡¯t have dared attempt, and my sess meant that, in some ways, I had already surpassed her.
This had shaken her confidence even further, and she likely felt the need to hear my honest opinion at this point.
Well, this day was bound toe.
It was an inevitable conversation that we would have to face eventually.
As such, I looked at Dang Gyu-young seriously and began to speak.
¡°I¡¯ll give you my thoughts honestly, without holding back.¡±
¡°¡Mhmm.¡±
¡°If you continue training diligently even after graduation, I believe you will be able to reach A-rank.¡±
¡°A-rank¡ What about beyond that?¡±
¡°That¡¯s the ceiling for you.¡±
A shadow fell across Dang Gyu-young¡¯s face.
She cautiously asked again.
¡°What if I train like that and face the Witch of Corruption?¡±
¡°If it¡¯s one-on-one, you¡¯ll lose. No exceptions.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s expression darkened further.
Even if she were to train relentlessly from now until after graduation, A-rank would still be her ceiling.
And to make matters worse, she wouldn¡¯t even be able to defeat the Witch of Corruption. Her abilities were nowhere near sufficient to keep up with me.
The vague sense of anxiety she had been feeling now took a definite shape. Still, Dang Gyu-young forced a smile, as if trying to pretend it didn¡¯t bother her.
But it didn¡¯t seem to work. Her smile appeared heartbreakingly fragile.
¡°Well, I still have to try my hardest if I want to at least make it to A-rank. Thanks. I¡¯ll be going now.¡±
¡°We¡¯re not done yet.¡±
At my words, Dang Gyu-young paused mid-turn. She stopped in her tracks and asked in a defeated tone,
¡°¡What is it now?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t say there¡¯s no way to surpass your limit.¡±
¡°¡.¡!¡±
Her eyes widened slightly in surprise.
As the saying goes, you should always hear someone out until the end.
While sheer effort alone might not be enough to break through her limits, there were other ways to do it.
Like I had told the Witch of Corruption, if something iscking, you just have to find a way to make up for it.
¡°And I happen to have one such method. To be precise, I recently acquired it.¡±
¡°¡What is it?¡±
¡°Before I tell you, let me ask you onest thing.¡±
I looked straight into Dang Gyu-young¡¯s eyes and asked in a serious tone.
¡°This won¡¯t be an easy path. Are you sure you won¡¯t give up?¡±
Her deliberation didn¡¯tst long.
She looked me straight in the eye. Her eyes were full of resolve, and she answered with determination.
¡°I¡¯ll do it. Whatever it takes. I won¡¯t give up.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
I activated a skill toward Dang Gyu-young.
[Activated ¡®Hardship¡¯.]
[Cooldown: 6 days, 23:59:58.]
[¡®Stage 1 Hardship¡¯ has been granted to the target.]
Hardship was a quest-type skill.
It assigned a custom-tailored quest to the target that was perfectly suited to their needs.
For a swordsman, it would give a task relevant to a swordsman. For a mage, it would assign a task fitting for a mage.
The types of quests ranged from repeated training and material collection to defeating specific monsters.
The important thing, however, was the difficulty.
Just like the word ¡°Hardship¡±, it required an effort so grueling it felt like shaving down one¡¯s own bones, and only by pushing oneself to the absolute limit could the quest barely be cleared.
And there are even more stages.
When Dang Gyu-young cleared the Stage 1 quest, I would simply use Hardship again to assign Stage 2. The stages could go on endlessly.
Naturally, the difficulty would increase exponentially.
That¡¯s why I had asked onest time before using the skill.
If she was truly confident she wouldn¡¯t give up.
Of course, the rewards are well worth it.
The rank of a stagnant skill or trait could leap dramatically, or one could acquire something entirely new and powerful.
As long as one endured the trials and cleared the quest, growth was guaranteed.
And not just gradual incremental growth. This was growth that would make her visibly and significantly stronger in a short period of time.
The reason I earned the nickname ¡°S-Rank Factory¡± wasrgely thanks to this skill.
For heroes with less natural talent, Hardship could push their growth to the next level.
Even for those with exceptional talent, it significantly shortened the time required for their development.
I had already raised several heroes with talents on the level of Shin Byeong-cheol to S-rank,
So turning an A-rank like Dang Gyu-young into EX-rank was entirely possible.
Of course, whether it seeded depended entirely on her.
¡°What kind of cheat skill is this¡?¡±
Dang Gyu-young muttered half to herself, and her gaze was fixed on something in the air.
She was probably reviewing the contents of the quest.
After a moment, she looked at me and said,
¡°The quest¡¯s no joke. But I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡±
¡°You can definitely do it.¡±
We smiled at each other.
But then, as if a thought suddenly struck her, Dang Gyu-young narrowed her eyes and stared at me suspiciously.
¡°¡Wait a second. Did you purposely wait until the end to tell me this?¡±
¡°No way. There¡¯s an order to how things should be said.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not true. You totally paused halfway through.¡±
¡°Well, that makes it more impactful.¡±
¡°I knew it! You did it on purpose! I¡¯m mad now.¡±
Dang Gyu-young crossed her arms and turned her head sharply to the side.
It was obvious she was pretending to sulk.
Should I even bother trying to make it up to her?
So I deliberately looked off into the distance, pretending not to notice. For a while, an unspoken battle of wills ensued between us.
¡°¡¡¡±
Eventually, Dang Gyu-young nced at me out of the corner of her eye. When I turned to meet her gaze, she quickly snapped her head away again.
Instead, a shadow rose up from the ground near her feet and lightly tapped me.
Then, she scribbled a few words in the air.
[Sulking]
[Must be appeased]
[Hurry]
Wasn¡¯t this just fishing for attention?
Even as I thought that, I walked over to her side.
And then, in a low voice, I said just one word.
¡°Qyu.¡±
¡°¡Pffft.¡±
Dang Gyu-young¡¯s shoulders quivered slightly, as if she was trying to stifle herughter.
But her head still remained turned in the opposite direction.
It seemed like she was silently urging me to keep going, so I obliged and added another line.
¡°Qyu, don¡¯t be mad.¡±
¡°Pffft! Hahaha!¡±
Dang Gyu-young smacked my shoulder repeatedly. She couldn¡¯t hold back herughter in the end.
***
For the time being, Dang Gyu-young would be busy with that Hardship quest.
And I had quite a few matters of my own to handle as well.
Among them, the most important was managing the aftermath of thetest subjugation mission.
The next day, as soon as I received a message from the academy administration, I headed straight for the principal¡¯s office.
Just as I was about to raise my hand to knock, the door swung open on its own, as if it were automated.
Beyond the door, I could see the principal waving me in.
¡°Come on in.¡±
As usual, he sat slouched in his chair, dressed in his typically sloppy clothing.
The only difference this time was that he had both legs propped up on the desk.
The vice principal was ring at him with a look of utter disapproval, but the principal seemedpletely unfazed as he spoke in a calm tone.
¡°I heard from Teacher Lee and Teacher Seo. They mentioned the witch shook them off and targeted you once during the battle, but you still managed to recover. How did you do that?¡±
¡°Yes, I figured she¡¯d target me at least once, so I prepared for it.¡±
¡°Well done. Still, what¡¯s a mistake is a mistake.¡±
He then mentioned that both Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong had admitted their own mistakes, and he offered an apology on their behalf.
Though to be fair, it really wasn¡¯t their fault.
After all, the witch had used Blink to break in. Even if they¡¯d anticipated it, it¡¯s questionable whether they could have stopped her.
In fact, I had deliberately left an opening to lure her in.
Of course, there was no need to bring that up and devalue my contribution, so I decided to follow the age-old saying:
Silence is golden.
The principal continued speaking.
¡°So, let¡¯s hear what your ¡°small favor¡± is. Considering the teachers¡¯ mistake, I¡¯m willing to grant something a little more extravagant. Go ahead, tell me.¡±
With that, it was practically guaranteed that he¡¯d agree to my request.
If I wanted, I could ask for new equipment, skills, or traits, possibly even something up to the A-rank level.
I could even request ess to the Prohibited Item Storage.
Of course, there would be several limitations on what I could take out of there.
Though those options were tempting, I had already decided what to ask for.
I raised a fist in front of the principal.
¡°This is what I want.¡±
¡°A spar? Quitebative, aren¡¯t you?¡±
The principal chuckled and rose from his seat.
But I shook my head.
¡°Not a spar.¡±
¡°¡Then what is it?¡±
He looked puzzled, so I shed him an innocent smile.
¡°Please let me hit you.¡±
¡°How many times?¡±
¡°Just ten.¡±
The principal¡¯s face twisted into an odd expression.
¡°I naturally assumed it would be a spar.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯d lose if it were.¡±
Challenging a former hero to a spar?
It would be no different than signing the nk check to get beaten up.
I only fight battles I can win. Battles where I stand to gain something.
At that moment, the vice principal who had been silently observing quietly chimed in.
¡°I think that¡¯s an excellent idea. Go ahead.¡±
She was normally a strict woman. Strict to the point of being described as 2.5 times as strict as others. But now she seemed particrly pleased with my suggestion this time.
Did she secretly want to hit him, perhaps?
The principal nced at the vice principal with a betrayed look, then turned back to me and made a counterproposal.
¡°Sorry to go back on my word about granting unreasonable requests, but I can¡¯t just let you hit me for nothing. How about this? One question per hit. You answer them honestly, no lies.¡±
I had a feeling he¡¯d say something like that.
He clearly had a lot of questions about me. No matter what I asked for, he¡¯d probably have found some excuse to attach conditions.
I nodded my head and made a counterproposal of my own.
¡°Then I¡¯d like to add one condition too. No items or skills.¡±
¡°¡You really want to hit me that badly? Did I do something to upset you?¡±
¡°No, there¡¯s no personal grudge.¡±
I simply want to hit you, that¡¯s all.
The principal¡¯s face contorted even more strangely.
He stared at me as if trying to gauge my true intentions, but he didn¡¯t seem to find anything.
In the end, he gave up and confirmed the terms onest time.
¡°Fine then. No items, no skills; only traits. Ten hits, and for each hit, you answer one question honestly. Deal?¡±
¡°Deal.¡±@@novelbin@@
I followed the principal and vice principal to another location.
***
TN: Lmao¡.Also, Qyu is the best
Chapter 286: Attack on the Principal
The ce we arrived at shortly after was the faculty training room.
Its structure was simr to that of the training center.
The difference, perhaps, was that it was built far sturdier, considering that its users were much more powerful.
Before long, the principal positioned himself across from me and began deactivating his skills one by one.
They were various enhancement spells he usually carried around as if they were part of his body.
Next, he stored all the equipment he had been discreetly wearing into his inventory.
Bracelets, watches, tie pins, even the pen in his front pocket¡
Then, he looked at me and spoke.
¡°Only my traits are left. Satisfied?¡±¡°Yes, I¡¯m satisfied.¡±
The reason I had insisted on the condition of ¡°no skills or items¡± was simple. It was to focus on his traits.
Traits are hard to notice.
It¡¯s not easy to determine whether a trait has been activated, and gauging its exact rank is even trickier.
If skills and item abilities were mixed in, it would be even more confusing, so I had excluded both of them right from the start.
Once I figured out the principal¡¯s trait and its rank,
I¡¯ll copy it.
? Copy ¨C Trait [1/2]
1. (Empty)
2. The Sovereign¡¯s Crown
Originally, the first slot had been upied by [Poison Resistance], but after fixing it with a fixed pin andpleting Poison Immunity, an empty slot had opened up.
My goal was to register a new trait here.
I wanted a defensive trait, which is why I had dered that I¡¯d be hitting him one-sidedly.
While we were facing each other, the vice principal stood by the wall and assumed the position of a bystander.
She¡¯s not just here to watch idly.
It was likely that she intended to assess my skills and intervene if necessary.
The condition of not using skills or items only applied to the principal, so the vice principal could use them as much as she wanted.
It might seem like a loophole, but I had no reason toin.
I need to leave at least one safety.
That way, I could hit him without worrying.
[Activated ¡®Amplification¡¯.]
[The rank of ¡®Inferno Fist¡¯ has increased. (B ¡ú S)]
To deal meaningful damage, I needed to raise my own rank as well.
Considering the principal¡¯s level as a former hero, his resistance traits were likely top-notch.
Just the elemental resistance alone would be at least B-rank, maybe A-rank or higher.
At least, that had been the case with the heroes I had trained.
¡°I¡¯ll begin now.¡±
¡°Come at me whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±
The principal gave a casual nod as if it were no big deal.
I clenched my fist tightly, and dark red mes like blood began to ze from within.
As I thrust it forward with all my strength,
Whoooooooooosh¡ª!
A fiery storm roared fiercely, swallowing the principal whole in an instant.
One side of the training room was engulfed in mes, and a dark silhouette flickered faintly within the fire.
Seeing that, I thought to myself,
It didn¡¯t work.
As expected, the principal emerged momentster and waspletely unscathed.
Not only was he not burned, but there wasn¡¯t even a single scorch mark on him.
As solid as ever.
If you looked closely, he was surrounded by a faint light, as if he was wearing it like armor. It was his defensive trait.
That alone had been enough to endure the S-rank Inferno Fist.
The principal looked at me and gave a sly smile.
¡°I heard you¡¯d learned it, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be true. Inferno Fist.¡±
This was something Lee Soo-Dok and Seo Cheong-Yong must have already reported, so I didn¡¯t bother denying it.
¡°My opponents have been tough, so I¡¯ve needed stronger skills.¡±
¡°Even so, you should manage the penalties when you use them. Look at your hand; it¡¯spletely burned.¡±
¡°This much is fine.¡±
Just as he said, one of my hands had turnedpletely ck, charred like a lump of coal.
Since the penalty was S-rank, even my S-rank elemental resistance hadn¡¯t been enough to fully negate it.
Of course, I anticipated this oue when I activated the amplification and had already prepared a countermeasure.
I still have the elixir.
It was a basic elixir I received from Kim Gap-Doo. The Gap-doo Elixir
I had used some of it while facing the Witch of Corruption, leaving me with about one and a half bottles.
After taking a sip and pouring some on my hand, the burn gradually disappeared, leaving my skinpletely healed.
The principal watched this and nodded his head.
¡°As expected, you know how to take care of yourself. Seems like I don¡¯t need to worry.¡±
¡°I won¡¯t push myself too far.¡±
¡°Good, good. Then, here¡¯s the first question.¡±
The principal¡¯s gaze suddenly sharpened and his demeanor shifted from that of the neighborhood fool to someone deadly serious.
¡°Are you¡ a Monarch?¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯m a Monarch.¡±
¡°¡You admit it so easily.¡±
¡°I figured you already knew.¡±
He probably realized I was a Monarch the first time we met.
At S-rank, one¡¯s perspective broadens to the point where they can see what¡¯s invisible to others.
This question must have been to confirm his suspicion.
The principal¡¯s expression turned slightly disappointed.
¡°Well, now it feels like I wasted a question¡ Oh well, there¡¯s plenty more to go.¡±
¡°Yes, let¡¯s move on to the next one.¡±
As soon as the principal returned to his original position, I cast a second Inferno Fist.@@novelbin@@
For the second time, a storm of mes engulfed him.
Whooooooooooooosh¡ª!
This time, it hit.
However, when the mes subsided, the principal stood there just as before with not a single hair burned.
But I noticed something.
The light that had surrounded him was now gone.
Armor of Valor.
It was an S-rank trait exclusively for warriors.
Its defense was powerful enough to withstand two Inferno Fists, and its recharge time was incredibly short.
If it were something I could copy, I would have taken it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, it was a unique trait, like the [Weaving] ability of the Crow Tailor.
Still, I broke through his first line of defense.
With my next attack, I would be able to identify another defensive trait.
While the principal used a protection elixir to treat his burns, his next question came flying at me.
¡°Next question. What¡¯s a Monarch doing enrolling here?¡±
¡°I came for the same reason as everyone else. To learn.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t mess around. You promised to answer honestly.¡±
¡°I am answering honestly.¡±
For a while, we stared at each other in silence.
Then the principal furrowed his brow and asked again.
¡°¡Really?¡±
¡°Yes, really.¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. Something doesn¡¯t add up here.¡±
From his perspective, it was probably hard to believe that a being as extraordinary as a Monarch would be studying among first-year students.
Of course, this was because I wasn¡¯t just any Monarch. I was a young Monarch. But unless he specifically asked about that, I had no reason to reveal it first.
If he was curious, he could ask after taking another hit.
¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡±
I had to keep attacking before his Armor of Valor recharged.
I clenched my fist again and thrust it forward as if I was throwing a zing fist.
Whooooooooosh¡ª!
¡°Kuaagh!!¡±
The principal¡¯s scream echoed from beyond the mes.
This time, it seemed like the attack had definitelynded.
I would see the extent of the damage soon enough, but there was a way to check a bit earlier.
I¡¯ll just watch the vice principal¡¯s reaction.
Considering how long they had worked together, I figured they would know each other¡¯s skills and traits fairly well.
If the damage was significant, the vice principal would surely show some concern.
So I subtly shifted my gaze to the side.
¡°¡¡¡±
The vice principal stood exactly as she had at the beginning while maintaining her cold and strict expression.
However, I had be a master at reading tiny facial expressions through my experience with the sloth, so I was able to pick up on the subtlest changes in her face.
She¡¯s extremely pleased.
It was as if she had been eating nothing but dry sweet potatoes and had just downed a can of soda in one shot.
As if she had been satisfied by me doing what she had wanted to do all along.
Even so, the fact that the vice principal didn¡¯t intervene meant that the situation hadn¡¯t yet escted to a truly serious level.
This ability might turn out to be a dud.
As I shifted my gaze back to the front, the principal staggered out of the mes at just the right moment.
¡°Urgh¡ Maybe I should¡¯ve gone with a different request. This is a bit spicy.¡±
His entire body was ckened, and faint burn marks were visible here and there.
But in the blink of an eye, all of his injuries healedpletely.
On the outside, I maintained a calm and indifferent expression, but inside, I was genuinely impressed.
This is crazy.
I had expected him to have several overpowered abilities, given that he was an S-rank hero and all, but I never imagined he would have that trait.
This was something I absolutely had to acquire, no matter what.
Without hesitation, I activated my copy ability.
[Activated ¡®Copy-Trait¡¯.]
[Registering the target¡¯s trait, ¡®Retrocovery (S)¡¯, in the slot.]
? Copy-Trait [2/2]
1. Retrocovery (S)
2. The Sovereign¡¯s Crown
[Retrocovery (S)]
? Automatically activates when taking damage.
? Restores health to 100% when triggered.
? Cooldown: 3 days
The activation condition was both an advantage and a disadvantage. It would trigger even from minor injuries, such as a light scratch or a pinprick, and the three-day cooldown would still apply.
Of course, it would also activate and fully heal you even if your body was split in two or your forehead was pierced by a sniper¡¯s bullet.
Additionally, Retrocovery was categorized as a ¡°time¡± skill.
Because it was ssified as a ¡°reversal¡± effect rather than a ¡°healing¡± effect, it could easily bypass various debuffs that interfered with recovery.
There was a reason why the cooldown was as long as three days.
[¡®Retrocovery¡¯ has been activated.]
[Cooldown: 2 days, 23:59:58.]
As expected, Retrocovery activated immediately after I copied it and started healing the burns caused by the Inferno Fist penalty.
To avoid suspicion, I sprayed the elixir on my hand.
While I looked down at my rapidly regenerating hand, the principal¡¯s question came flying at me.
¡°Continuing from earlier. Are you really here to study? No other objectives?¡±
¡°I do have other objectives. Like helping my friends grow alongside me.¡±
¡°¡Friends?¡±
¡°Yes, as you know, this year¡¯s first-year students are exceptionally talented.¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but what¡¯s in it for you?¡±
¡°That¡¯s what I enjoy doing.¡±
The principal¡¯s curiosity seemed to deepen even further.
¡°You¡¯re more and more peculiar the more I hear. Anyway, let¡¯s continue.¡±
However, contrary to his expectations, I released the strength from my hand.
¡°This will be it for today. Thank you for your efforts.¡±
¡°¡What? You¡¯re not going to hit me anymore?¡±
¡°No, I think ten hits would be a bit too much.¡±
Even just copying Retrocovery was already a sufficient achievement.
I could copy one more and overwrite it in the [Sovereign¡¯s Crown] slot, but¡ª
It¡¯s not cost-effective.
A faint glow was beginning to reappear around the principal¡¯s body.
This meant that his [Armor of Valor] had recharged.
To break through that, I would need to unleash Inferno Fist twice more. But Retrocovery was already on cooldown, and I only had one elixir left.
I needed to keep thatst one as an emergency reserve.
I can¡¯t afford to make him ask too many questions too.
From the beginning, I never intended to hit him ten times or give him ten opportunities.
Doing so would mean I¡¯d have to reveal too many of my hidden cards.
Until now, he had been focused on me as the Monarch, but soon, he would start asking questions that would hit closer to the core.
For several reasons, it was better to step back now.
On the other hand, the principal who was perhaps expecting things to go all the way seemed noticeably flustered.
¡°Wait, that¡¯s it? You¡¯re just stopping here? You should keep going. After all the trouble I went through to ask you for this. I still have plenty of questions to ask.¡±
¡°I¡¯vee to realize myck of skill. I think it would be better to continue the Q&A another time. Thank you.¡±
I bowed politely, and while the two of them seemed a bit taken aback, they didn¡¯t try to stop me.
As I walked away, I could hear the principal muttering in an uneasy tone behind me.
¡°Feels like I¡¯ve been robbed of something¡¡±
Chapter 287: 16th Week Duel Battle (1)
The principal remained in ce for quite some time even after Kim Ho had left.
Eventually, he turned to the approaching vice principal and asked,
¡°Feeling satisfied?¡±
¡°Not at all.¡±
¡°Not at all? Your face lookspletely refreshed and pleased.¡±
In reality, these two had known each other since the days when the principal was a hero.
There was no way he couldn¡¯t notice even the slightest change in her expression, andpared to usual, the vice principal¡¯s face looked not just bright but practically glowing.
She replied with a neutral expression on her face,
¡°To be honest, I feel a bit disappointed.¡±¡°Disappointed? About what?¡±
¡°He only hit you three times.¡±
She had hoped to see him go the full ten.
The principal palmed his face with his hand and let out a faint chuckle without realizing it.
Then he turned his gaze back toward the door.@@novelbin@@
¡°What can you do? If he says he¡¯s stopping, I can¡¯t very well tell him to finish all ten before leaving.¡±
He too felt a twinge of regret but was also somewhat relieved.
Even though this situation hade about due to Kim Ho¡¯s request, it was still rather embarrassing for someone of his stature as a school principal to be hit by a student.
There were plenty of questions he still wanted to ask, but did it really have to be today, and while taking more hits?
Besides, though some of the questions had been a bit surface-level, he had managed to grasp a vague understanding of Kim Ho through their brief exchange of words and actions.
In a way, he had achieved some measure of sess.
The principal turned to the vice principal to confirm.
¡°For now, I think it¡¯s okay to leave him be. What do you think?¡±
¡°I feel the same way.¡±
Currently, Kim Ho had mastered Inferno Fist and another prohibited technique that appeared to be the Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger.
Both were ranked high on the prohibited skills list.
Yet, instead of imposing sanctions or bringing the matter to a faculty meeting, the principal and vice principal chose to put the issue on hold.
¡°It seems like he knows where the line is.¡±
¡°Yes, he¡¯s clever.¡±
At Dragon yer Academy, the main reason certain items and skills were prohibited was because of the penalties associated with them.
Even if one gained immense power in the short term, it would inevitably lead to losses in the long run.
What was the point of unleashing such immense firepower if it only ended up burning one¡¯s own hands?
On the other hand, Kim Ho had managed to cast Inferno Fist repeatedly without facing severe penalties. It seemed he had prepared some sort of buffer in advance.
He also demonstrated restraint. He knew knowing to step back without pushing himself too far, which significantly reduced the likelihood of any problems arising.
The goals Kim Ho had disclosed were just as modest.
¨C I¡¯m here to learn.
¨C To grow alongside my friends while helping them out.
¨C That¡¯s what I enjoy doing.
Since mental interference skills didn¡¯t work on a Monarch, it was impossible to determine whether he was being honest.
Still, based on the conversation they had while facing each other directly, it didn¡¯t seem like a lie.
And if it turned out to be a lie, they could deal with it then and there.
¡°If it¡¯s true, then it¡¯s something to celebrate.¡±
After all, it would mean that such a powerful being as a Monarch would eventually join their side.
Kim Ho had already proven his capabilities by defeating the Witch of Corruption without losing a single life.
In that regard, helping him and those around him grow seemed like an excellent choice.
Of course, the principal and vice principal couldn¡¯t get too involved due to their positions.
¡°But we can at least act as a safety.¡±
They would make sure that he could grow freely without interference.
At that moment, something crossed the principal¡¯s mind and he asked,
¡°What about the Blood Cult?¡±
¡°They were confirmed to have left Dungeon Ind just a few days ago.¡±
¡°They¡¯ve got an uncanny sense for timing, don¡¯t they?¡±
The Blood Cult had gone so far as to sneak in two Elder-rank members during the mentoring program on the Dungeon Ind.
One of them had been caught in an utterly ridiculous manner during the final week of the program at the ck Market in the downtown area.
On top of that, their meticulously nned ¡°Blood Fury¡± incident, into which they had poured significant resources, was resolved without yielding any meaningful results. This had weakened their momentum.
And now, during their retreat, even their ally the Witch of Corruption had been taken down, which forced them to decide to pull outpletely.
After all, they knew they could be next, and getting caught without achieving anything would only mean a meaningless death.
¡°Still, do you think they¡¯ll give up? Those persistent bastards?¡±
¡°They¡¯ll return. Definitely.¡±
Whether they tried something during the break or sent another master infiltrator to Dungeon Ind in the second semester, they were bound to make a move.
But, of course, Dragon yer Academy had no intention of giving up either.
No matter what tricks the enemy tried to pull, they were determined to protect their students.
¡°For now, let¡¯s focus on the final exams. We can¡¯t let them catch us off guard a second time.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll make sure we¡¯re fully prepared.¡±
***
Monday morning.
As usual, I called out Seo Ye-in.
While killing some time at the meeting spot, I spotted a head of gray hair in the distance.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in noticed me as well and walked toward me at a rtively brisk pace.
Then she gently tugged on my sleeve and gazed up at me intently.
¡°I missed you.¡±
¡°It¡¯s been almost a week.¡±
Since I skipped an entire week of the strategy battle and sses,
It wasn¡¯t a particrly long time, but it wasn¡¯t exactly short either.
¡°Did you train hard?¡±
Seo Ye-in slowly nodded her head up and down in response.
¡°Didn¡¯t sleep much.¡±
¡°Really? How many hours a day?¡±
¡°Ten hours.¡±
¡°¡You really worked hard.¡±
For a human sloth like her to sleep only ten hours a day. It was impressive.
If Ahn Jeong-mi heard about this, she¡¯d probably be so moved she¡¯d get teary-eyed.
Just as I was about to ask her how the strategy battle had gone,
¡°Kim-hyung, Miss Seo!¡±
Go Hyeon-woo waved at us from a distance as he walked over.
Once he got close enough, he asked,
¡°What happened to the Witch of Corruption?¡±
¡°She¡¯s no longer a threat to Dragon yer Academy.¡±
¡°I see.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo smiled. He interpreted that as confirmation that she¡¯d been taken down.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in who had been moving stealthily in the opposite direction since Go Hyeon-woo appeared ended up hiding behind my back.
Peeking out from over my shoulder, she cautiously eyed him.
For some reason, it felt like the distance between them had grown even wider than before.
I nced back and forth between the two of them and said,
¡°Looks like something happened during the strategy battle.¡±
¡°Haha, nothing gets past you, Kim-hyung.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo let out an awkwardugh.
If something had happened between the two, it would¡¯ve been during the strategy battle. That much was clear.
I pressed him further.
¡°Last week¡¯s rules were for a boss raid, right? In a hostile environment?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°Let me guess. You guys couldn¡¯t sync up well, so the strategy battle dragged on. And you kept encouraging her like, ¡®Miss Seo! Let¡¯s push through! Just a little more effort!¡¯ or something along those lines.¡±
¡°Exactly as you said. Did you watch a rey or something?¡±
¡°No. I just know you two well enough to piece it together.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo looked a bit impressed.
He seemed amazed that I¡¯d urately guessed what had happened without actually seeing it.
To be fair, it wasn¡¯t entirely his fault.
Objectively speaking, Go Hyeon-woo had done his part diligently.
There wasn¡¯t much to criticize about him as a teammate.
But since I was firmly on Team Seo Ye-in, my judgment was inevitably biased.
¡°This one¡¯s mostly your fault.¡±
¡°Hmm, can I ask why?¡±
¡°Because you couldn¡¯t match the sloth¡¯s tempo.¡±
Given their skills, the two of them should¡¯ve been able to crush an F-rank boss with ease.
In that case, they should¡¯ve focused on maintaining their condition and taken things at a more rxed pace.
Seo Ye-in popped her head out from behind my shoulder and added her ownment.
¡°Disqualified as a butler.¡±
¡°The sloth¡¯s tempo¡ I see. I hadn¡¯t considered that. As expected, Kim-hyung seems like the right person to lead Miss Seo.¡±
Even though I had half-jokingly thrown that out there, Go Hyeon-woo nodded his head as if he was fully convinced.
Seo Ye-in stared at me and dered,
¡°Qualified as a butler.¡±
¡°I told you, I¡¯m not doing it.¡±
She just wouldn¡¯t give up.
***
The duel battle ss.
Teacher Lee Soo-dok scanned the room and uttered a single word.
¡°Final exams.¡±
¡°¡.¡!¡±
¡°¡.¡!¡±
It seemed like the timing was about right to make the announcement, so the students weren¡¯t as shocked as they had been during the midterm exam announcement.
Still, the weight of the word ¡°final exams¡± carried a lot of significance, and a heavy tension hung in the room.
Regardless of their reactions, Lee Soo-dok continued his exnation in an almost casual manner.
¡°Starting in two weeks, on the 18th week, we¡¯ll begin the final exams. The format will be simr to the midterms. Everything you¡¯ve learned and experienced so far wille into y. Of course¡¡±
A slight smirk curled the corner of Lee Soo-dok¡¯s lips, and the scars crisscrossing his face seemed to twitch.
¡°¡hostile environments will be waiting for you in the final exams as well. For those of you who still haven¡¯t adapted, you¡¯re in for a treat.¡±
Not a single person brightened at those words.
Lee Soo-dok¡¯s eyes scanned the room again as he took in the reactions, though his eyes lingered on me for a moment before narrowing slightly.
It was as if he were silently saying that I had spoiled his fun.
Well, it made sense. After all, I had returned unscathed even from an A-rank dungeon.
Since I hadn¡¯t done anything wrong except being a ¡°stagnant water¡±, I calmly met his gaze until he finally looked away and resumed the lecture.
¡°This week is no different. Among the hostile environments, there are natural ones, but there are also quite a few artificial ones.¡±
With that, he snapped his fingers and a word appeared on the ckboard:
[Traps]
The students¡¯ reactions were strikingly divided.
The majority disyed expressionsyered with disgust, while a small minority looked delighted with their faces lighting up in excitement.
That small minority, of course, included Shin Byeong-cheol and the members of the thieves club.
Well, it made sense. What could be more fitting for thieves than setting and dismantling traps?
Next, Lee Soo-dok disyed the rules and environment for the test on the board.
MAP: [Trap Labyrinth]
RULE: [Double][Three-Way Battle][Blind]
¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to exin the environment. You¡¯ll experience it for yourselves.¡±
After all, there wasn¡¯t much more to say beyond ¡°abyrinth filled with traps.¡±
What¡¯s more, if my memory served me correctly, the terrain was random and the locations of the traps were random.
And to make matters worse, the number of traps increased as time went on.
Therefore, there was no point in showing it in advance, and watching other people¡¯s reys would just be a waste of 100 points.
¡°You¡¯ve all experienced both double battles and three-way battles at least once before. Think of this as abination of the two.¡±
In short, it was 2:2:2.
The rankings were determined by how long each team could hold out.
The key point here was that even if one teammate became incapacitated, as long as the other teammate managed to hold out until the end, there was still a chance to finish in first or second ce.
¡°Lastly, for this week, no information will be disyed.¡±
The [Blind] rule.
Previously, the scoreboard kindly disyed the names of opponents and their health gauges, but this time, the scoreboard itself wouldn¡¯t exist.
This meant you had to enter and see for yourself who your opponents were and how much health they had left.
Because in real battle, there¡¯s no such thing as disyed information.
Duel battles and strategy battles weren¡¯t sports; they were nothing more than practice drills for actual battle scenarios in the future.
When I heard this, I nodded my head with great satisfaction.
This is my favorite type of week.
Chapter 288: 16th Week Duel Battle (2)
After ss was over,
Most students stuck with their usual partners, but there were also quite a few who paired up flexibly.
And naturally, thetter group flocked to the thieves.
¡°Hey, hey! Partner with me!¡±
¡°Shin Byeong-cheol, you don¡¯t have a partner yet, right?¡±
¡°If you team up with me, we¡¯ll win for sure!¡±
Depending on the type, traps could deal damage or cause various status effects when triggered.
For those stepping on them, neither oue was desirable.
However, if you paired up with a thief-ss student, you could worry less about traps. It was no surprise they were in high demand.Among them, Shin Byeong-cheol was particrly popr. While he might not have excelled in every area, his skill in handling various devices was on par with second- and third-year students.
Even in the ck Death Dungeon, Shin Byeong-cheol had bypassed all the mechanical traps, and he had also participated as a key member of the thieves¡¯ club during the temporary storage room operation.
But for some reason, Shin Byeong-cheol ignored all the offers pouring in and walked over to this side.
Seeing him, Go Hyeon-woo spoke up.
¡°Shin-hyung¡¯s skill with mechanical devices is truly unrivaled. It¡¯s only natural he¡¯s so popr.¡±
¡°My time hase, that¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol said with a smirk before quickly shifting to a more serious expression.
¡°However, as a man of honor and romance, Shin Byeong-cheol does not turn his back on those who lend him a hand in difficult times.¡±
Even when Shin Byeong-cheol was considered the weakest in other duels or midterms, Go Hyeon-woo had always teamed up with him.
So this time, it seemed Shin Byeong-cheol intended to prioritize forming a pair with Go Hyeon-woo.
I thought he would chase after his own interests and immediately team up elsewhere, but this was unexpected.
It was a surprisingly heartwarming moment, but now Go Hyeon-woo wore an awkward smile.
¡°Shin-hyung, I really appreciate your offer, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t ept it.¡±
¡°¡What?¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s face stiffened as if he couldn¡¯t believe he was being rejected.
¡°I already have a prior arrangement. I¡¯ll take your feelings to heart, though.¡±
¡°What? With who?¡±
The answer came from elsewhere.
¡°Hurry up! Hurry!¡±
Beyond the ssroom door, Han So-mi was waving her hand energetically.
We all turned to look at her and then shifted our attention to Go Hyeon-woo.
I asked him,
¡°How did you end up teaming up with her?¡±
¡°It¡¯s one of those things. Sometimes, things just take an unexpected turn.¡±
¡°For now, just go. Don¡¯t keep her waiting any longer.¡±
¡°Okay. See youter.¡±
With quick steps, Go Hyeon-woo walked off.
Shin Byeong-cheol who was left behind looked at me this time, but of course I was already spoken for.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Lucky Charm had already grabbed hold of my arm.
As if to make it clear that she had no intention of letting me go, she gently but firmly started pulling me toward her.
As I was slowly being dragged along, I spoke to Shin Byeong-cheol.
¡°I think you¡¯ve done more than enough to prove your loyalty. Now, it¡¯s time for you to set off in search of a new connection.¡±
¡°¡¡There¡¯s no helping it, is there? But you¡¯ll regret turning down my offer.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol replied with a dramatic, chivalrous tone before turning on his heel.
The others who had been watching quickly realized that Shin Byeong-cheol was back on the market. Like a school of piranhas sensing prey, they swarmed toward him.
After observing the scene for a moment, I turned my attention to Seo Ye-in.
¡°Shall we get going?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
***
The moment we arrived at the arena, we scanned our student IDs on the terminal.
While waiting for the match to be assigned, I checked this week¡¯s side quest.
[Side Quest: 16th Week Duel Battles] (In Progress¡)
? Objective: Complete 2 duel matches (-/2 matches)
? Deadline: ~ midnight on Sunday.
? Reward: Vary based on achievement
Maximum achievement would being in first ce in both matches.
It wouldn¡¯t be easy.
Since it was a two-person three-way battle, there were a total of six participants, which meant there would be many variables to consider.
Of course, because of that, the rewards were likely set higher than those of other duel battle weeks.
It should be pretty rewarding.
If things went well, there was a decent chance of earning a Rank Up or a high-rank Stamp Coupon.
As I was lost in these thoughts, a notification message appeared.
[Kim Ho: 789 points, Seo Ye-in: 801 points]
vs [?]
vs [?]
Because it was under blind rules, all information about the opponents waspletely hidden. Including their names and scores,
After all, opponents in simr score brackets were often evenly matched, so revealing the scores could make it easy to identify who they were.
Since I was already aware of this, I brushed it off without much thought, and Seo Ye-in and I stepped into the teleportation magic circle.
The ce we arrived at was a small room enclosed on all sides by walls.
¡°¡¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in curiously poked and tapped at different sections of the walls, but they were just ordinary walls.
It was a measure to prevent participants from wandering around thebyrinth before the match began.
Fortunately, we didn¡¯t have to wait long.
Once the other teams hadpleted their entries, the countdown began.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
Immediately, one of the walls began to fade and dissolve, revealing a narrow passage just wide enough for two people to pass through.
Seo Ye-in and I exchanged nces.
¡°Let¡¯s stay calm.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±
Since it was the first match, the priority was to figure out thebyrinth¡¯s structure and identify where any traps were set.
With that in mind, we cautiously began advancing through the dark corridor.
After walking a short distance, we reached a corner and turned, only to encounter another corner soon after.
After navigating a few more turns, we found a wall blocking our path.
It seemed to be a dead end.
¡°¡¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in stared straight at the wall for a few seconds before tilting her head in confusion.
Then, she raised her magic gun and aimed it at the wall. Her eyes were asking me if it was okay to give it a shot.
It wouldn¡¯t hurt to try once.
I nodded readily and the magic gun immediately let out a burst of blue mes.
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
The magic bullets embedded themselves in a straight line along the wall, triggering a series of blue explosions.
However, the wall remained intact, with only slight dents as the result.
It was clear that brute-forcing our way through was not an option.
If we had a skill like [Through Walk], which the senior graduate had once demonstrated at the ck Market, it might have been a different story. But among the current first-year students, those who had learned spatial skills could probably be counted on one hand.
In conclusion, we had no choice but to navigate thebyrinth as the academy intended.
Seo Ye-in seemed to agree, as she turned the muzzle of her gun without hesitation.
We continued exploring thebyrinth searching for a different path, but soon slowed our pace again.
¡°They¡¯re starting to show up.¡±
¡°Traps.¡±
At first nce, it looked like an ordinary corridor. But with closer inspection, traces of traps could be spotted here and there.
For example, faint thin diagonal lines were barely visible along the walls, or a subtle magic circle glimmered faintly on the floor.
Most of the traps were mechanical devices, while some used magic circles as magical traps.
Of course, I could catch all the traps of this level with my stagnant water senses.
Seo Ye-in¡¯s gaze oftennded on the same spots as mine. Like I had noticed before, she seemed to have a sharp eye for details.
¡°¡¡¡±
The only problem was that she didn¡¯t seem willing to just pass them by.
She moved closer to a trap and peered at it with eyes brimming with curiosity.
Then, just like when she had fired at the wall earlier, she nced at me with a look that clearly sought permission.
Realizing what Seo Ye-in was about to say, I preempted her.
¡°You want to step on it?¡±
¨C Nod.
¡°Do you really have to?¡±
¡°¡A little?¡±
¡°You¡¯re way too curious for your own good.¡±
She couldn¡¯t handle spicy food but still couldn¡¯t resist poking at it when she saw something spicy.
She couldn¡¯t climb down on her own after scaling a high spot, but she¡¯d still insist on being hoisted up there in the first ce.
This seemed to fall in the same category.
Still, it might be better for her to experience it firsthand.
Rather than wasting my breath exining and trying to convince her, letting her suffer the consequences once would leave a far moresting impression.
It would cost a bit of health, but since this was a blind match, the opposing team wouldn¡¯t notice anyway.
After some deliberation, I finally nodded my head.
¡°Go ahead and step on it.¡±
When I gave my permission, Seo Ye-in cautiously brought her foot toward the trap.
However, nothing happened. Just as she tilted her head in confusion¡ª
nk!
Metal parts sprang out from the ground and mped tightly onto one of her legs.
Seo Ye-in who was caught in ce stared at me intently.
¡°¡Help.¡±
¡°I knew it would end like this.¡±
The two of us fiddled with the trap here and there, and surprisingly, she was freed quite easily.
It was designed more to restrain someone temporarily and buy time, rather than to cause any real harm.
Of course, traps with the opposite intention were scattered all over the ce as well.
For example¡ª
Swoosh!
Fwoooosh!
There were devices that fired arrows when someone approached.
Or magic circles that engulfed an entire passageway in mes.
With so many different types of traps around, Seo Ye-in¡¯s curiosity didn¡¯t seem to die down just yet.
This time, she was staring intently at a faintly engraved magic circle on the floor.
Fine, do whatever you want.
I maintained my position as an observer, while Seo Ye-in, perhaps a little more cautious now, decided to prod the magic circle with the tip of her magic gun instead of stepping on it herself.
But that wasn¡¯t a particrly wise choice either¡ª
Squish¡ª
The solid floor in that area instantly turned to mush, flowing like a swamp.
Before she could react, Seo Ye-in sank waist-deep into the sludge.@@novelbin@@
¡°¡Help.¡±
¡°Had enough yet?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not going to try anything else, right?¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Only after receiving her firm answer did I extend my hand. Seo Ye-in grabbed hold of it, and I pulled her out of the swamp.
For a moment, I locked eyes with her pale gray ones, then shoved her back in without hesitation.
Squish¡ª
Seo Ye-in, once again waist-deep in the floor, looked up at me.
Her face was expressionless, but her eyes seemed to ask, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±
¡°I just felt like being mean¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be mean.¡±
¡°Alright, I won¡¯t. Take my hand.¡±
Just as I had done moments before, I pulled Seo Ye-in out of the trap.
From then on, Seo Ye-in became more cautious, and we carefully avoided the traps as we moved forward.
asionally, we encountered traps so widespread that they would activate no matter how close we got. In those cases, we simply treated them like walls and looked for another path.
Who knows how much time passed like that?
I feel like we should run into someone soon.
It had been quite some time since the match started, so I figured at least one of the teams would cross our path by now.
As if on cue¡ª
Screeeeeech¡ª!
A familiar sound of projectiles tearing through the air echoed in my ears.
Turning my head in the direction of the noise, I saw a few arrows flying toward us from the other end of the corridor.
¡°¡¡¡±
A wisp of ck mist rose from Seo Ye-in¡¯s wrist. It darted through the air before nudging the arrows off course.
As expected, rounding the corner of the corridor were Cha Hyeon-joo and a male student I¡¯d never seen before.
Cha Hyeon-joo red at me and started grinding her teeth audibly.
¡°¡Kim Ho.¡±
¡°It¡¯s been a while. Where¡¯s Hee-chan?¡±
¡°I ditched him.¡±
¡°How cold-hearted of you.¡±
¡°Shut up.¡±
Of course, I couldn¡¯t say I didn¡¯t understand Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s reasoning.
Kang Hee-chan¡¯s skills were far from impressive for someone considered a promising student.
It¡¯s human nature to want even slightly better teammates when given the choice.
On top of that, Kang Hee-chan¡¯s repeated losing streaks had caused his score to drop significantly.
If paired with him, the average score would lower, making it less likely for someone like me to end up as her opponent in the match.
In that sense, Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s n had worked out for her.
After all, I was the one matched against her in this duel battle.
Of course, whether it was a good decision or not was a different matter altogether.
Cha Hyeon-joo red at me and said,
¡°Don¡¯t run away. Let¡¯s settle this once and for all.¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡±
I rested my chin on my hand, pretending to think deeply for a moment.
Everyone focused their gaze on me, waiting for the next words toe out of my mouth.
Atst, I opened my mouth to speak.
¡°Let¡¯s settle th¡ª¡±
But before I could finish, a wall of ice suddenly shot up andpletely blocked the corridor.
I had cast Ice Wall.
¡°¡ªsettle this? What are you even talking about, you brat? Do you know how many times I¡¯ve wiped the floor with you already?¡±
¡°Get rid of this!!¡±
Thud, thud!
Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s shouts and the sound of furious pounding came from the other side of the ice wall.
The male student standing beside her must have joined in as well, but breaking it wouldn¡¯t be easy.
After all, this was a B-rank Ice Wall I had copied from one of the high-ranking members of the White Magic Club.
I reinforced the wall of ice with Chilwind and spoke again.
Whiiirrr¡ª
¡°You two can go ahead and deal with that. We¡¯ll be on our way now.¡±
¡°Get¡ª! Get rid¡ªof¡ªthis¡ª!!¡±
With that, I turned and walked off with Seo Ye-in to another ce.
Chapter 289: 16th Week Duel Battle (3)
Chapter 289: 16th Week Duel Battle (3)
I¡¯ve confirmed Cha Hyeon-joo with this.
I also identified the location,position, and near-perfect condition of Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s team.
Even if I didn¡¯t directly fight them, it was always beneficial to gather as much information about the opponent as possible.
Especially since most information had been blocked off by the blind rule.
Depending on the situation, I could adjust by either widening the distance between us or going on the offensive.
Next, I need to check on Team 3.
Whether I fight and take them down or drag this into a long-term battle by using the environment is a decision I can maketer.
That¡¯s exactly why I left after erecting just one ice wall against Cha Hyeon-joo.
If we shed now and wasted health, it would only work to Team 3¡¯s advantage since we haven¡¯t even encountered them yet.On top of that, there was another card I was ying here¡ª
Thud, thud!
The fact that Cha Hyeon-joo was making a ruckus trying to break the ice wall.
Even though we had put a good amount of distance between us, I could still hear the sound of her pounding on the wall.
If Team 3 happens to be nearby, their attention would naturally be drawn to themotion.
And if the two sides end up shing and exhausting themselves, that¡¯s even better.
Meanwhile, we needed to keep moving without pause.
Thisbyrinth is already a headache to navigate, and it¡¯s riddled with traps. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just hole up in one spot, whether it works out or not?
It¡¯s a thought that anyone might have.
Of course, the academy anticipated such ¡°endurance¡± or ¡°turtle¡± strategies and prepared plenty of ways to counter them.
In a very tant way, no less.
Right on cue, a wave of mana rippled through the area, sweeping across the surroundings.
I could hear the metallic grinding of gears from the walls, ceiling, and floor at the same time.
¡°¡¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in grew curious and looked around curiously before pointing to a spot on the floor a short distance away.
¡°They increased. The traps¡±
¡°They¡¯ll increase even more soon.¡±
As time went on, the traps continued to increase in number.
And if someone stayed in one spot for too long, the traps would concentrate heavily on that area.
In other words, traps could even appear and activate right beneath your feet while you were standing still.
Therefore, it was clear that sticking to the original n of constant movement was the best course of action.
However, there was a new problem that had just arisen.
¡°There are a lot, aren¡¯t there?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Looking at the passage ahead, it was almost impossible to find a spot to step on.
Magic circles lit up in rapid session, and the number of various mechanisms scattered everywhere was beyond count.
The situation behind us was simr, creating a structure where it was unavoidable to trigger something no matter which direction we took.
And this kind of situation was only going to get worse.
¡°What choice do we have? We¡¯ll have to step on them and move forward.¡±
If avoiding them wasn¡¯t an option, the best n was to trigger the safest ones possible.
A pitfall trap, for example, would be far less damaging than a fire explosion trap.
With that in mind, I pointed to a small gap between the magic circles a short distance away.
Even there, there was something that resembled a stepping stone, which clearly seemed like it would trigger a trap as soon as it was stepped on.
¡°That one looks like the least dangerous option. I¡¯ll throw you over there, so step on it and jump forward.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in nodded her head and took a few steps back.
Then she activated Feather Walk and moved quickly forward a few paces.
At that moment, I grabbed Seo Ye-in¡¯s wrist, gently hurled her forward, and cast Wind Force at the same time.
It was the two-person skill Wind Leap.
¡°Jump lightly! Jump!¡±
¡°Jump!¡±
Whoosh¡ª
Seo Ye-in soared through the air in a long arc.
Shended lightly on the stepping stone I had pointed out earlier.
¡°Jump.¡±
Without missing a beat, she kicked off from there and leaped forward once more.
Because the trap had been triggered, sharp spears shot out from the walls on both sides. However, Seo Ye-in had already soared gracefully through the air andnded far away.
She looked back at me and started waving her hand lightly as if signaling for me to hurry up.
I used a simr method bybining Thief¡¯s Step with Wind Force to leap across the distance.
Since we still had to explore more of thebyrinth, I figured we¡¯d have to keep doing this repeatedly, but the situation wasn¡¯t too bad.
It¡¯s not like we¡¯re the only ones struggling with this.
Boom¡ª!
A distant explosion echoed, and a faint tremor traveled under my feet.
Judging by the direction, it seemed to havee from Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s team. Unfortunately, it looked like they had set off some sort of explosive trap.
All three teams were facing the same treacherousbyrinth filled with traps, but when it came to spotting traps, Seo Ye-in and I had the upper handpared to the others.
Because of that, the other teams were likely taking much more damage from the traps.
Still, they¡¯ve caught up quite a bit.¡¯
Boom! Boom! Boom¡ª!
Another loud crash came from a slightly closer distance.
This time, it sounded like something heavy had mmed down.
What mattered most was the distance between us. Compared to the previous explosion, it was noticeably closer.
We would probably encounter them again soon, but from our perspective, the longer we could dy that, the better.
So, our strategy remained the same. It was to keep moving.
Meanwhile, an idea suddenly urred to me, so I asked Seo Ye-in,
¡°Lucky Charm-nim, where should we go to find the other teams?¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
Rather than wandering aimlessly, I figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to trust her luck.
If we headed in the direction she chose and ran into the third team, that¡¯d be great. If not, it¡¯d still be the path we were originally taking, so there¡¯d be no loss.
Seo Ye-in tilted her head repeatedly and started ncing around at the various passageways. After spinning her gaze left and right for a moment, she finally pointed in one direction.
¡°Over there.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
Just like before, we used Wind Leap to jump over traps and sometimes broke through them as we made our way through thebyrinth.
Eventually, we came to a fork where the passage split into two paths.
¡°Left or right?¡±
¡°Right.¡±
After turning right and traveling for a while, we came to another fork, this time splitting into three paths: forward, left, and right.
¡°What about this time?¡±
¡°They¡¯re over there.¡±
Instead of pointing, Seo Ye-in made a strange remark.
Curious, I checked the direction she had mentioned, and sure enough, the third team came into view.
They noticed us as well and slowed down their pace.
¡°The bald monk¡ or should I say, baldy.¡±
It was Ilgong.
At the start of the semester, he had been randomly teamed up with Seo Ye-in for a 2v2 duel battle. During the mentoring period, he had joined Kim Gap-doo¡¯s martial arts team for a 4v4 bet match.
I still remembered how he had enthusiastically beaten up Kwak Ji-cheol back then.
Since our scores were in the 600¨C700 range, I figured we¡¯d eventually run into each other. And as it turned out, that moment was now.
Ilgong looked straight at me and muttered a quiet chant.
¡°Amitabha¡¡±
His demeanor was so calm and rxed, it was hard to believe we were in the middle of a duel.
Though I had seen him act simrly on other asions and wasn¡¯t surprised, I had no intention of matching his pace.
So, while I returned his greeting, I directly asked the question that piqued my curiosity.
¡°Hello. Who¡¯s the person next to you?¡±
Standing beside Ilgong was another monk with a simrly shaven head. Unlike Ilgong, who was a martial arts expert, this monk held a sword in his hand.
When I pointed him out, the man pressed his palms together in a gesture of respect and responded.
¡°This humble one is called Igong.¡±
Wow, they really put no effort into their names.
Ilgong and Igong?
I was tempted to ask how many ¡°Gong¡± members they had in total, but it felt a bit inappropriate, so I decided to hold back.
At least their names were easy to remember, which made them slightly better than the assassin duo from before.
Ilgong asked with his usual calm expression,
¡°Would you be willing to give me some guidance?¡±
¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind, but¡ how about getting it from them instead?¡±
I gestured over my shoulder with a tilt of my chin, redirecting everyone¡¯s attention.
Over in that direction¡ª
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
¡°Kim¡ªHo¡ª!¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s team was charging toward us. She was firing arrows as they ran.
She was so enraged her eyes were practically bloodshot.
They were triggering every trap in sight on their way. des popped out, and magic spells rained down, but she didn¡¯t seem to care in the slightest.
It seemed I was truly the only thing she could see.
Her desperate feelings were clear enough, but¡ª
¡°No, I¡¯m not going to fight you.¡±
If I had any intention of doing what she wanted, I would¡¯ve done so earlier.
I retraced the path I had taken with Seo Ye-in and then blocked the corridor with an Ice Wall.
On the other side of the ice wall, Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s team and Ilgong and Igong¡¯s team were now isted.
¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop making walls¡ª?!¡±
¡°Enjoy your time together, all four of you.¡±
¡°You bastard¡ª!!¡±
¡°Let¡¯s refrain from using badnguage, please.¡±
Seo Ye-in nodded her head in agreement.
¡°Bad words, not allowed.¡±
Even in such an absurd situation, the monk duo remained as calm and carefree as ever, as if this was the most natural order of things.
From beyond the ice wall, Ilgong¡¯s voice could be heard.
¡°May I ask for some guidance¡ª¡±
¡°Shut up¡ª!¡±
As expected, Cha Hyeon-joo immediately redirected her rage toward Ilgong and Igong.
If it were any other team, they probably would¡¯ve formed a temporary alliance to deal with how annoying I was being, but her mind was so clouded with rage that she couldn¡¯t see anything else.
She simply attacked anyone who got in her way.
Boom! Boom!
Leaving the two teams shing behind, I turned to Seo Ye-in and said,
¡°Let¡¯se back in a bit.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
In the end, one of the two teams would end up defeated, and I nned to swoop in and reap the rewards like a cunning opportunist.
However, because of the dungeon¡¯s nature, staying in one ce would only lead to traps being set up all over that spot.
Even while waiting, I had to keep moving.@@novelbin@@
So, I strolled through thebyrinth with Seo Ye-in as if we were on a leisurely walk before returning to the same location.
Boom! Crash!
The Ice Wall was now heavily cracked as if it might shatter at any moment. From the sounds beyond the wall, they seemed to still be frantically hammering away at it.
Finally, with a crumble, a corner of the wall copsed, and Cha Hyeon-joo came into view.
¡°¡¡!¡±
The moment she saw me, her eyes filled with killing intent.
Despite how utterly exhausted she must¡¯ve been after such an intense battle, her eyes still brimmed with venom.
She really is a promising student.
That level of determination was what it took to reach S-rank.
I met Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s gaze and asked,
¡°What about Hee-chan¡¯s stand-in?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°Did they lose?¡±
¡°¡Yes.¡±
It seemed her team member had been rendered unable to fight while facing the Ilgong duo.
When I nodded and lightly stirred the sapling, the ice wall copsed with a crumbling sound.
But immediately after, a perfectly intact ice wall rose up just a bit ahead.
And if that wasn¡¯t enough, I added anotheryer of ice wall on top of it.
With a bright smile, I said,
¡°This time, it¡¯s doubleyered!¡±
¡°Stop¡ Just stop¡!¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo, having reached her limit, began to sound a little tearful in her rage.
Honestly, I was just messing around this time, and since it was about time to wrap things up, I dispelled the Ice Wall.
Then I posed a question to Cha Hyeon-joo.
¡°Why are you so determined to fight me?¡±
¡°Why do you keep avoiding it?¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo answered my question with a question of her own.
I already knew she had a fiery personality, and it wasn¡¯t exactly a difficult question, so I shrugged and responded.
¡°I just don¡¯t waste my energy on pointless things. Besides, you¡¯re too weak.¡±
¡°¡What did you just say?!¡±
As if I had delivered a grave insult, Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s face went rigid.
Regardless of her reaction, I continued speaking.
¡°Let¡¯s be honest here. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve just barely lost so far; you¡¯ve beenpletely overpowered every time. If you¡¯d at leastnded a single hit, it¡¯d be a different story, but even that hasn¡¯t happened.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°This isn¡¯t aboutpetition anymore; it¡¯s just recklessness. And I¡¯m not the kind of person who has time to entertain something like that.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
Cha Hyeon-joo couldn¡¯t say a word; her body started trembling with frustration.
Whether she silently acknowledged what I said or was simply too enraged to respond, I couldn¡¯t tell.
Then as if a thought suddenly came to her, she took a deep breath, red at me, and asked,
¡°So you¡¯re saying you won¡¯t fight me?¡±
¡°For now. There¡¯s an order to these things.¡±
¡°What do I have to do, then?¡±
At Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s question, I pointed to Seo Ye-in who was standing nearby.
¡°Try taking her down first.¡±
Chapter 290: 16th Week Duel Battle (4)
Cha Hyeon-joo red at Seo Ye-in for a moment, then gripped her bow tightly and curled her lips into a fierce smirk.
¡°Well, this works out. I was nning to face her again anyway. Let¡¯s just say we switched the order.¡±
Seo Ye-in didn¡¯t avoid her gaze and stared right back, clearly showing her displeasure toward Cha Hyeon-joo.
¡°You keep saying mean things.¡±
¡°Mean things? Hey, try putting yourself in my shoes. Let¡¯s see if you wouldn¡¯t curse too.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in nced at me briefly and tilted her head as if she couldn¡¯t understand what Cha Hyeon-joo meant at all.
¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡±
A thick vein bulged on Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s forehead.However, as if she had entered battle mode, her eyes remained cold andposed.
While the two locked eyes,
Click,
Somewhere in the passage, a trap was triggered, apanied by the sharp sound of metal. That seemed to act as the starting signal, and the battle began.
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
Swish-swish-swish-swish!
Seo Ye-in and Cha Hyeon-joo fired at each other. Seo Ye-in with her magic bullets, and Cha Hyeon-joo with her magic arrows.
Blue streaks of light crisscrossed wildly in midair.
A long-range bombardment.
The key was to evade the opponent¡¯s attacks whilending your own to secure victory.
Seo Ye-in activated her Feather Walk to dodge the arrows, while Cha Hyeon-joo used her own movement technique and started stepping nimbly to the left and right.
But this ce had an additional challenge.
It¡¯s riddled with traps.
While dodging the opponent¡¯s long-range attacks, it was inevitable that one would step into a trap.
Would you avoid the arrows but trigger a trap?
Or would you avoid the traps but get hit by an arrow?@@novelbin@@
This required the kind of decisiveness only a true daredevil could muster.
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
Seo Ye-in fired her assault rifle in rapid bursts as she moved diagonally across the passage.
But then, the ground beneath her foot sank about the depth of a fingertip.
She had stepped on a pressure te.
Immediately, the corridor began to rumble.
Rumblee!
The walls on either side started closing in.
Knowing she¡¯d be ttened like a pancake if caught, Seo Ye-in rushed forward. The arrows she couldn¡¯tpletely avoid were deflected using her conjured dark clouds. ?¨¤¦?¦Â???
Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t much different.
Fzzzzzzzzzzzzzt!
As she fired her arrows, she stepped on the edge of a magic circle, and a lightning explosion erupted from its center.
Though she managed to avoid being swept up in it, a few stray currentsshed out and hit her.
¡°Tch.¡±
Clicking her tongue briefly, Cha Hyeon-joo kept her hands and feet moving swiftly.
Swish-swish-swish-swish!
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
Meanwhile, I was observing their exchange from a safe position.
Cha Hyeon-joo still has the upper hand for now.
Both of them were moving quickly, making it nearly impossible tond a direct hit.
But while Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s magic arrows grazed Seo Ye-in two or three times, Seo Ye-in¡¯s magic bullets barely managed to touch Cha Hyeon-joo even once.
It was clear that Cha Hyeon-joo had the overall edge in skill.
It¡¯s probably because of the gap in their specs.
Seo Ye-in might surpass her in terms of control, but her skillset and abilities wereparatively limited.
In fact,pared to other promising students, Seo Ye-in¡¯s toolkit still left something to be desired.
And it seemed Cha Hyeon-joo had already realized this. Using her advantage, she continued to vary her attacks with every move.
Swish-swish-swish-swish!
Once again, magic arrows streaked across the air in sharp blue lines.
But this time, they weren¡¯t aimed directly at Seo Ye-in. Instead, they were fired toward the walls, the floor, and the ceiling around her.
At first nce, it looked like a misfire. But as soon as the arrows struck the surfaces, they ricocheted like rubber balls before shooting back toward Seo Ye-in.
Ricochets.
These were far harder to read and evade than projectiles that flew straight toward her.
¡°¡¡¡±
Even so, Seo Ye-in scanned her surroundings with a calm expression, and with one step, then another, she activated her Feather Walk. She weaved through the gaps between the ricocheting arrows and dodged with remarkable precision.
Still, a couple of arrows grazed her despite her deflections with the dark clouds, which left her with minor injuries.
But from my perspective, her response was nothing short of impressive.
The real problem is that this isn¡¯t over yet¡.
Rumbleee,
Once again, the ceiling began to tremble violently, as if another trap had been triggered, and then it copsed with a deafening roar.
While Seo Ye-in busily moved to avoid the falling debris, Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s bow remained steadily aimed at her.
A massive amount of mana gathered at the tip of her arrow, causing it to growrger and more menacing by the second.
This is her decisive move.
And just as Seo Ye-in barely escaped the danger of the copsing ceiling, the arrow was loosed from the bowstring.
Whoooooosh!
The arrow shot forward in a straight line, carving a brilliant beam through the air, but midway through its trajectory, it split into dozens of smaller arrows and they started raining down like a merciless storm.
Seo Ye-in, however, simply stared at the seemingly unavoidable attack with an expression of indifference.
Then, just as the arrows were about to strike her¡ª
sh!
For a brief moment, her gray eyes seemed to gleam sharply, almost as if they hade alive.
In the next instant, Seo Ye-in¡¯s body slid forward as though she were gliding across the ground.
Swish.
She hadbined Bullet Time and Ghost Dance into a seamless move.
The arrows appeared as if they would surely hit her, yet each one narrowly missed, grazing past her by the smallest of margins.
As she weaved through the hail of arrows, the distance between her and Cha Hyeon-joo quickly closed. From my vantage point, it was a puzzling decision.
She¡¯s going for closebat here?
It was true that Ghost Dance gave her the upper hand, and shooting at closer range would improve her uracy.
But was there really a need to get this close?
The reason soon became clear.
Seo Ye-in had drawn near to Cha Hyeon-joo. So close they were almost face-to-face.
Rather than firing her magic pistol in rapid session, she suddenly reached into her inventory.
What she took out was a wide, round, and ck object with a handle.
¡A frying pan?
Seo Ye-in gripped the frying pan tightly and swung it without hesitation at Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s head.
ng!
With a crisp, ringing impact, Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s body staggered and wobbled uncontrobly.
She looked at Seo Ye-in with her mouth slightly open in disbelief.
¡°Y-You¡¯re seriously using something like thi¡ª¡±
ng!
Her words were cut short as a second strikended squarely on her.
In the end, Cha Hyeon-joo¡¯s eyes lost focus, and her body slumped to the ground. Momentster, she was engulfed in a radiant light and disappeared entirely.
She had been rendered incapacitated.
Since it was just the two of us left, the scoreboard disyed the final match results.
[Kim Ho, Seo Ye-in 1st]
While Seo Ye-in stared nkly at the scoreboard, I approached her and asked,
¡°You did well, but where did you get that?¡±
¡°I borrowed it.¡±
¡°From where?¡±
¡°The kitchen.¡±
¡°To use as a weapon?¡±
At that, Seo Ye-in casually lifted the frying pan, as if to say, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just see?¡±
¡°A backup weapon.¡±
I¡¯d heard that her backup weapon was being specially developed by the Hye-seong Group.
This must¡¯ve been a temporary substitute.
Come to think of it, a thought suddenly popped into my head, so I asked her again.
¡°Where¡¯s the pot?¡±
Seo Ye-in put the kitchen frying pan back into her inventory and pulled out a pot instead.
It still clearly bore the imprint of my head.
¡°Kim Ho Pot.¡±
¡°Right, so why aren¡¯t you using that one?¡±
Seo Ye-in shook her head and hugged the Kim Ho Pot tightly to her chest as if it were precious.
¡°No way.¡±
¡°Because if you hit her with it, it¡¯ll be the Kim Ho-Hyeon-joo Pot?¡±
¨C Nod, nod.
¡°Unbelievable.¡±
Falling for the feel of kitchenware, huh.
If I had known this would happen, I never would have let her hit me in that hammer game in the first ce.
But it was already far toote to take that back.
¡°Anyway, let¡¯s head out.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
***
As soon as we exited the arena, we scanned our student IDs at the terminal.
Then, while waiting for our next match to be assigned, we reviewed the battle that had just taken ce.
¡°So what did you think? Fighting Cha Hyeon-joo one-on-one?¡±
¡°Strong.¡±
¡°She¡¯s good at fighting.¡±
To be fair, Cha Hyeon-joo had already expended quite a bit of health breaking through the ice walls. She had also taken damage from traps while chasing us and had to take down the Ilgong-Igong Monk duo along the way.
By the time she faced Seo Ye-in one-on-one, she likely didn¡¯t have much health left, and most of her powerful skills and abilities were probably on cooldown. Yet, she had still managed to hold her own and even gained the upper hand in their duel.
She truly had the grit of a promising student.
¡°If you fought her when she was in top condition, you¡¯d lose.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in nodded her head in agreement, but there was a subtle glint ofpetitive spirit in her eyes.
Having a rival isn¡¯t such a bad thing.
It would only motivate her to train even harder.
Cha Hyeon-joo, in turn, would keep striving and getting stronger to avoid falling behind, which would create a positive cycle of growth.
Before long, our second match was assigned, and Seo Ye-in and I stepped into the teleportation magic circle.
Our vision shifted instantly, and we were greeted by a small room with walls enclosing us on all sides.
After waiting for a moment, the countdown began.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
¡°Let¡¯s finish the second match quickly, too.¡±
¡°Finish it.¡±
We began moving swiftly through thebyrinth.
In the previous match, by the time we had reached theter stages, traps were everywhere, leaving hardly any safe ground to step on. But since this match had just started, thebyrinth felt much more open and manageable.
Whenever the path split into multiple directions, we relied on our Lucky Charm radar for guidance.
¡°Straight ahead?¡±
¡°Straight.¡±
¡°Right turn?¡±
¡°Left turn.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
As we continued advancing at a fast pace, we both slowed down almost at the same time.
We had sensed faint signs of movement up ahead.
And sure enough¡ª
Swiish¡ª!
Thin, chopstick-like rods came flying toward us.
However, they weren¡¯t aimed directly at us. Instead, they seemed to target the area around us, likely meant to trigger traps.
To counter, Ibined Wind Force with Twister.
Whoooosh¡ª
The strong whirlwind changed the chopsticks¡¯ trajectories little by little, causing them to embed themselves harmlessly into random spots.
And as for the person who had thrown the chopsticks¡ª
¡°Well, well, who do we have here?¡±
As expected, it was Shin Byeong-cheol.
Judging by how quickly we encountered him after the match began, it seemed our starting points must have been quite close to each other.
I asked him,
¡°Weren¡¯t you in the 400-500 point range?¡±
¡°Yeah, pretty much. To be exact, I have 503 points.¡±
¡°How did you end up getting matched with us?¡±
¡°Fufu, there¡¯s a reason for everything.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol let out a low chuckle and gestured toward a teammate standing behind him.
¡°As you know, I¡¯ve been pretty popr this week, haven¡¯t I? I brought along someone skilled.¡±
At Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s gesture, a male student stepped forward a bit.
But his face looked strikingly familiar, so I asked,
¡°Are you rted to Jeong Chong-myeong, by any chance?¡±
¡°He¡¯s my older brother. I¡¯m Jeong Jin-myeong.¡±
¡°I see.¡±
Jeong Jin-myeong was also a mage ss, but like Jeong Chong-myeong, he didn¡¯t seem to have any particrly unique characteristics.
An attribute-less mage.
Most likely, he was a member of the White Magic Club.
His score must be pretty high, too.
Seo Ye-in and I had an average score in the low 800s.
Since we got matched, their average score must be simr.
Considering Shin Byeong-cheol revealed that his score was 503, it meant Jeong Jin-myeong¡¯s score was at least close to 1,000.
He was practically on the level of promising students or disciplinarymittee members.
¡°He¡¯s definitely skilled.¡±
¡°Fufu, didn¡¯t I tell you? I warned you you¡¯d regret it.¡±
For once, Shin Byeong-cheol shed a confident smile.
Jeong Jin-myeong, however, didn¡¯t join in his enthusiasm and simply said to us,
¡°Let¡¯s get started. No point wasting time.¡±
He was right. There was no room for idle chatter.
We didn¡¯t know when additional traps might spring up.
And since one of them had a score in the 1,000s, it didn¡¯t look like they had any intention of avoiding the fight.
While Jeong Jin-myeong began channeling mana, Shin Byeong-cheol positioned himself slightly in front as if to protect him.
But then¡ª
[Ice Wall]
A thick wall of ice suddenly rose between the two of them andpletely sealed off the passage.
Shin Byeong-cheol whipped his head around. He grew startled and began fumbling at the ice wall in confusion.
¡°What¡.hey! What is this?¡±
¡°What do you think it is? It¡¯s a partition.¡±
I answered casually and gave a slight nod with my eyes. Seo Ye-in nodded her chin slightly in response.
Then she pulled the frying pan out of her inventory and gripped it in her hand.
¡°You¡¯re all alone now¡¡±
Chapter 291: 16th Week Duel Battle (5)
Chapter 291: 16th Week Duel Battle (5)
Jeong Jin-myeong¡¯s magic struck the ice wall.
Boom, boom!
With a score in the 1,000s range, his magic was powerful and he could tear down the ice wall quickly.
But,
I can just put the wall back up again.
Even Cha Hyeon-joo gave up after twoyers of walls. What would he do if I kept putting up three or even fouryers?
Besides, I had no intention of just letting him keep breaking it.
When I subtly signaled again, Seo Ye-in began to slowly raise the frying pan in her hand.
It was as if she was ready to bring it down the moment I gave the signal.Sensing the threat, Shin Byeong-cheol desperately pounded on the ice wall.
¡°Hey, hey, hey! Stop, stop! Wait a second, pause! Stop!¡±
Jeong Jin-myeong must have realized there was room for negotiation because he momentarily stopped casting his magic and called out from the other side of the wall.
¡°What do you want?¡±
¡°What I want is for you to tell me what you want.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
¡°Do you want second ce, or do you want third ce?¡±
Jeong Jin-myeong caught the meaning behind my words and responded.
¡°You¡¯re saying if I want second ce, I should cooperate, right?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
I nodded my head.
If he didn¡¯t intend to cooperate, I was ready to make Shin Byeong-cheol the first victim of Seo Ye-in¡¯s frying pan.
After that, taking care of the now-alone Jeong Jin-myeong in a two-versus-one fight would be easier than flipping my hand.
Especially since Seo Ye-in was a marksman, she already had the advantage over a mage.
There¡¯s also the option of not fighting him at all.
Taking care of Shin Byeong-cheol and then leaving the area wasn¡¯t a bad option either.
Jeong Jin-myeong would have to deal with the traps alone, which would naturally lower his survival rate.
In either case, he¡¯d most likely end up in third ce.
It seemed Jeong Jin-myeong had reached a simr conclusion because he let out a long sigh.
¡°Whew¡ What a mess. I came here thinking I¡¯d get an easy win, and now look at this. Totally got caught in the wrong situation.¡±
His original n had been to team up with Shin Byeong-cheol and easily handle the traps together.
As a bonus, with a lower average score, battles would¡¯ve been easier.
But that n was now in shambles because of one partition I had erected.
I spoke casually.
¡°Given the situation, isn¡¯t it better to at least break even?¡±
¡°¡Yeah, I guess.¡±
In the end, Shin Byeong-cheol and Jeong Jin-myeong epted the offer they couldn¡¯t refuse.
Rather than letting their pride get the better of them, it was smarter to take second ce, hold onto their points, and aim for first ce in the next match.
Still, the voice from beyond the ice wall sounded slightly bitter.
¡°So, how are we doing this?¡±
¡°Byeong-cheol moves with us. As we go, he¡¯ll work hard to clear the traps wee across.¡±
¡°And me?¡±
At Jeong Jin-myeong¡¯s question, I answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
¡°You¡¯ll need to move separately, won¡¯t you?¡±
¡°It¡¯d be more efficient for all four of us to move together.¡±
¡°Speed takes priority over efficiency.¡±
The next goal was to locate Team 3, who had to be somewhere out there.
And splitting into two groups would make the search much faster.
Jeong Jin-myeong might sustain some damage, big or small, from traps while moving alone, but that wasn¡¯t my problem.
Another sigh came from beyond the ice wall.
¡°Man, I really picked the wrong fight this time. So what happens when we find Team 3?¡±
¡°You know how to usemunication magic, right?¡±
¡°I do.¡±
¡°Contact us immediately and fight.¡±
¡°¡Two against one?¡±
¡°Yeah. Wear them down as much as you can, and we¡¯ll finish the job.¡±
After dealing with Team 3, Shin Byeong-cheol who had been working with us would dere forfeit.
That way, second ce would be guaranteed for them.
Shin Byeong-cheol who had been listening quietly cautiously asked,
¡°But what happens if we can¡¯t find them in the end?¡±
What would happen if we kept missing Team 3 and couldn¡¯t find them until the match was over?
Seo Ye-in answered in my ce.
She raised her frying pan once more.
¡°Bang.¡±
¡°Ahem¡ I¡¯ll do my best to find them.¡±
Of course, that was half a joke, and we had already ounted for the possibility of not running into them at all.
¡°If it turns into a long match, we¡¯ll have the advantage anyway.¡±
¡°Now that you mention it, that¡¯s true.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol would take care of most of the traps, and since we had three people on our side, our chances of survival were significantly higher.
¡°No more questions, right? Let¡¯s get moving.¡±
¡°Wait.¡±
As I started to move, Jeong Jin-myeong stopped me for a moment.
¡°I¡¯ve been curious for a while now. How do you know my brother?¡±
It seemed he¡¯d been subtly bothered ever since I mentioned Jeong Chong-myeong the first time we met.
If I were acquainted with his brother, it would make it harder for him to treat me recklessly.
Maybe that was why my proposal (or threat) had been so effective.
Of course, I had no intention of answering easily, so I gave a sly grin.
¡°Go ask him yourself.¡±
***
After sending Jeong Jin-myeong off on his own, the three of us also began making our way through thebyrinth.
The passage in front of us was filled with traps, bothrge and small, but we didn¡¯t have the slightest reason to worry.
After all, we had a trap master with us.@@novelbin@@
I turned to Shin Byeong-cheol and asked,
¡°Care to show us?¡±
¡°Hmph, these traps are nothing.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol stepped forward while showing off as usual.
But unlike his usual bluffing, this time he had the skills to back it up.
Swoosh!
Chopsticks shot out in all directions, embedding themselves deep into small crevices in the walls or the gaps in the floor.
A metallic clinking sound followed briefly before fading into silence.
The traps malfunctioned and came to a stop.
Shin Byeong-cheol gestured politely and led the way.
¡°Right this way, if you please.¡±
¡°Ah~ how convenient~.¡±
I muttered with a half-hearted tone of admiration.
After advancing a bit farther, Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s chopsticks flew out once again.
Swoosh!
Once more, they embedded themselves into the ceiling, walls, and other surfaces.
While most of the traps stopped functioning as before, a few of them didn¡¯t.
A low rumbling came from the ceiling, and then¡ª
Bang!
An iron contraption about the size of a human body came crashing down.
Shin Byeong-cheol simply shrugged as if he had nned for it.
¡°If the trap won¡¯t deactivate, just set it off first. Right?¡±
¡°Ah, I see. Impressive.¡±
I replied with the same empty enthusiasm while ncing to the side.
Seo Ye-in silently pped her fingers together in response.
¡°Wow¡ª¡±
But no matter how skilled a trap master he was, everyone had their weaknesses.
When magic circles began appearing, Shin Byeong-cheol¡¯s face immediately soured.
¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to avoid these ones¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll throw you over.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
Boom!
With a sudden burst ofpressed air, Shin Byeong-cheol soared through the air in a wide arc.
In an instant, he cleared the magical traps and tumbled to the ground before rolling across the floor.
Inded lightly beside him with Seo Ye-in, looked down at him, and said,
¡°Yournding could use some work.¡±
¡°Ugh, it¡¯s just because I haven¡¯t practiced enough. The more you do it, the better you¡¯ll get.¡±
Even when sprawled out on the ground, Shin Byeong-cheol didn¡¯t lose his dignity as a man.
Thebyrinth exploration and search continued for quite some time, but we didn¡¯t have any noteworthy results on our side.
Instead, Jeong Jin-myeong was the first to send amunication.
¨C I found them. Going in now.
It seemed he had discovered Team 3 and, as instructed, immediately engaged inbat.
I turned to Seo Ye-in and Shin Byeong-cheol and said,
¡°Let¡¯s go too.¡±
We then changed direction and began moving toward Jeong Jin-myeong¡¯s location.
Although we didn¡¯t know the exact spot, just getting close would increase the chances of encountering Team 3.
We had made it about halfway there when Jeong Jin-myeong sent another shortmunication.
This time, his voice sounded quite exhausted.
¨C Took one down. Make sure you win.
That was all he said before themunication ended.
As expected from someone with a 1,000-point, even in a 2-on-1 situation, he managed to take down one opponent. However, it seemed his health had given out first, leaving him unable to continue fighting.
I exchanged a nce with Shin Byeong-cheol.
¡°We just need to take down one more.¡±
¡°Then it¡¯s three on one. We¡¯ve already won.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not guaranteed until we meet the opponent.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll break through in no time.¡±
Shin Byeong-cheol began tossing his chopsticks around with enthusiasm.
Swish!
***
After advancing a little further, we suddenly heard a small explosion in the distance.
Boom.
The sound of an explosion meant a trap had been triggered, and a triggered trap meant someone was there.
And that ¡°someone¡± could only be the remaining member of Team 3.
¡°Fufu¡ Gotcha, you little bastard.¡±
With a sly grin, Shin Byeong-cheol led the group forward.
As expected, we soon came face-to-face with the remaining member and it turned out to be someone I knew.
I greeted him cheerfully while waving my hand.
¡°Hey, Hyeong-taek! How¡¯s it going?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
The moment our eyes met, Son Hyeong-taek¡¯s face twisted into a grimace.
It seemed like the painful memories from the battles in the Lava Zone and the Cloud Stairs wereing back to him.
Swimming inva couldn¡¯t have been a pleasant experience for him.
To make matters worse, his expression grew even darker when he noticed Shin Byeong-cheol standing beside us. It wasn¡¯t just two people; there were three of us.
¡°So you guys teamed up, huh? What a bunch of dirty cheaters.¡±
¡°Hyeong-taek, are you really in a position to say something like that?¡±
After all, back in the three-way battle in the Lava Zone, hadn¡¯t he formed a temporary alliance with Kang Hee-chan to take me down first?
And then he turned on Kang Hee-chan and stabbed him in the back too.
¡°¡¡¡±
Son Hyeong-taek, while sly, wasn¡¯t shameless, and he seemed at a loss for words as the memory of that time shed through his mind.
Eventually, he must have decided there was no chance of winning. He turned to leave, but¡ª
¡°Hyeong-taek, where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±
An ice wall suddenly shot up, cutting off his escape route.
Son Hyeong-taek clicked his tongue softly and threw a punch with all his strength.
¡°Like this is going to stop me¡ª!¡±
Boom!
But all he managed to do was leave a dent in the ice wall.
Even Cha Hyeon-joo or Jeong Jin-myeong would have trouble breaking through it easily, so how could a single punch possibly do the trick?
If it had worked, he¡¯d be considered a promising student by now.
I asked him,
¡°That wall¡¯s a bit tougher than you expected, huh?¡±
¡°Grrr!¡±
Perhaps deciding that he had nothing left to lose, Son Hyeong-taek finally charged straight at us.
I looked at him with pity in my eyes.
¡°Hyeong-taek, I really think that¡¯s a terrible choice.¡±
¡°What the hell else am I supposed to do?!¡±
¡°That¡¯s something you¡¯ll have to figure out on your own.¡±
I shrugged my shoulders and reached my hand out in front of me.
Whoosh¡ª
A whirlwind infused with physical force wrapped around Son Hyeong-taek, locking him in ce.
As luck would have it, he had just stepped on a magical trap.
The magic circle beneath his feet began glowing red, while Shin Byeong-cheol started flinging chopsticks all around. The traps activated and began assaulting him.
mes erupted beneath him, while sharp weapons rained down from above.
Whooooooosh¡ª!
ng! ng! ng! ng!
¡°Aaaagh!!¡±
Before long, Son Hyeong-taek was nowhere to be seen.
It seemed he had quickly run out of health and be incapacitated.
Now, only the three of us remained in thebyrinth.
Seo Ye-in silently stared at Shin Byeong-cheol.
¡°Finish you off.¡±
Then she raised her frying pan and slowly began to approach him.
Shin Byeong-cheol stepped back and started waving his hands frantically to keep her at a distance.
¡°Whoa, whoa! Wait a second! Just hold on!¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
¡°Why are you so quick to try and smash someone¡¯s skull in? Can¡¯t I just forfeit instead?¡±
Seo Ye-in turned her head toward me and her eyes silently asked, ¡°Can¡¯t I just hit him?¡± I slowly shook my head.
There was no need to resort to violence now that it was all over.
Seo Ye-in let out a faint sigh of disappointment and lowered her frying pan. As soon as she did, Shin Byeong-cheol hastily dered his forfeit and fled thebyrinth as if he was running for his life.
Shortly after, the scoreboard disyed the match results.
[Kim Ho, Seo Ye-in 1st ce]
¡°Good work. Let¡¯s get some rest.¡±
¡°Kim Ho pillow.¡±
Seo Ye-in looked up at me and spoke.
Her gray eyes sparkled brightly.
I guess I can make an exception today.
Thinking back, Seo Ye-in had even turned down my offer to lend her a hoodiest week and had been cutting back on her sleep to train.
On top of that, she tackled this duel battle with energy, so it seemed only fair to offer her some sort of reward.
So I nodded readily.
¡°Alright, you can use me as a pillow.¡±
But Seo Ye-in¡¯s eyes continued to shine as she added an unexpectedment.
¡°Today is the day to do it.¡±
Chapter 292: Get Stronger Just by Sleeping
Seo Ye-in had a habit of keeping her conversations short while focusing only on the main points, which often led to misunderstandings.
And it was always my job to fill in the missing parts.
¡°What kind of day is it today?¡±
¡°A day to rank up.¡±
¡°Rank up? What?¡±
¡°Core.¡±
I found this a bit puzzling and kept asking.
¡°Wait, weren¡¯t we talking about you using me as a pillow?¡±
¡°Mhmm, Kim Ho pillow.¡±¡°Then why does your core rank go up?¡±
At this, Seo Ye-in tilted her head slowly to the side, as if she was wondering why I was even asking such an obvious question.
¡°¡Because I sleep?¡±
¡°You rank up your core while sleeping?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Mana cultivation typically required maintaining an extreme state of focus, guiding the mana within your body along the proper pathways, and allowing it to circte.
And through this process, you would gradually umte mana in your core.
Just sleeping can aplish that?
From my perspective, it sounded utterly absurd.
But on the other hand, it was oddly convincing.
Seo Ye-in had spent most of her time with me since enrolling, and whenever she wasn¡¯t with me, she was usually sprawled out asleep in her dormitory room.
Which is to say, I had never once seen her do mana cultivation.
And yet her [Core] rank is C.
Although it¡¯s the average rank for first-years, it¡¯s not something you could achieve without a significant amount of time and effort.
Never seeing her practice mana cultivation yet finding out her core rank was that high?
It didn¡¯t add up.
I had been curious about this for a while, but¡@@novelbin@@
What if her mana control is extraordinarily advanced?
If she were capable of performing mana cultivation while sleeping, something that should only be possible in an intense state of concentration, then¡
Seo Ye-in¡¯s strange growth would start to make a bit more sense.
So she¡¯s basically a passive sloth now that I think about it.
Her core grows steadily, even if you just leave her be.
From my perspective, this was actually a rather wee revtion.
One of the things I had been concerned about in the long term had essentially been resolved.
On top of that, as Seo Ye-in had said, ¡°Today is the day to do it.¡±
In other words, it was the day she would reach a B-rank core. There was no reason to hold back on supporting her.
¡°Let¡¯s go right now.¡±
To be a Kim Ho Pillow.
I took Seo Ye-in and moved to another spot.
***
¡°Today, we¡¯ll sleep here.¡±
The ce we arrived at was none other than the Mana Cultivation Room.
Even for a genius sloth who could automatically cultivate mana no matter where she slept, it was still better to have her rest in an environment rich in mana to maximize efficiency. ??????§§?
Especially at such a critical moment before a rank-up.
¡°¡¡.¡±
However, Seo Ye-in didn¡¯t seem too happy with the Mana Cultivation Room.
This space was designed mainly for ¡°training¡±.
It was about the size of a single room, cramped and narrow, with a hard floor and a consistently cool temperature.
Other than the dim lighting, it was far from an ideal habitat for a sloth.
Well, of course, I can just improve the environment.
I immediately began renovating the Mana Cultivation Room.
This was all in preparation, knowing that Seo Ye-in would soon demand to use me as her Kim Ho Pillow.
I pulled out the dormitory bedding from my inventory and set up a mini heater in one corner.
In no time, the Mana Cultivation Room transformed into a warm and cozy space.
¡°How is it?¡±
¡°¡Approved.¡±
Seo Ye-in¡¯s eyes sparkled brightly.
But I still had onest ace up my sleeve.
[Hoodie of the Hidden Master (A+)]
? 150% Efficiency for Energy Cirction Training
? Greatly Enhances Sleep Efficiency
This A-rank daily life item was something drawn from the Gathering of Viins Random Box, all thanks to Lucky Charm.
As the description indicated, it was solely an item meant for energy cirction and mana cultivation.
I couldn¡¯t afford to part with it entirely, since I also needed to grow my core, but lending it for a day wouldn¡¯t hurt.
I held up the hoodie and said,
¡°Raise your hands, like you¡¯re cheering hurray.¡±
¡°Hurray¡±
Seo Ye-in raised both hands into the air, and I slipped the hoodie over her arms.
For a moment, she squirmed around inside the hoodie, then her face popped out from the hood.
At the same time, she sniffed the air a few times and murmured,
¡°¡It smells like grass.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been eating vegetariantely.¡±
Though in truth, it had been all poisonous nts.
Still, Seo Ye-in seemed quite satisfied with the hoodie.
Next, it was time to prepare the most important piece. The Kim Ho Pillow setup.
Seo Ye-in grabbed me by the arm, pulled me to a corner, and sat me down. Then she curled up beside me andid down.
It seemed that today, instead of using my shoulder as her pillow, she was opting for myp.
I felt a little mischievous and shook my leg slightly, causing her to wobble. In response, she gently ced a hand on my knee and whispered,
¡°Don¡¯t move¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s just a joke. Sleep well.¡±
¡°Mm¡¡±
When I stopped shaking my leg, Seo Ye-in put her head back on myp and settled downfortably.
And within five seconds, she was fast asleep and breathing softly.
As I looked down at her peaceful face, I couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°Does this really help with mana cultivation?¡±
***
Jeong Jin-myeong and Jeong Chong-myeong were brothers who had a rtively close bond.
Their simr personalities created plenty ofmon ground, and they often had long conversations.
They had no hesitation in asking each other questions or seeking advice.
This time was no different.
As soon as Jeong Jin-myeong entered the White Magic Club room, he immediately posed a question.
¡°Hyung, do you know Kim Ho?¡±
¡°I know him. Why?¡±
When Jeong Chong-myeong asked back, Jeong Jin-myeong began recounting everything that had happened during the duel battle match.
He exined how Kim Ho mentioned his brother the moment he saw him.
He also described how Kim Ho suddenly cast an Ice Wall, which separated him from Shin Byeong-cheol, and how he ended up epting an offer (or rather a threat) he couldn¡¯t refuse.
When he heard all of this, Jeong Chong-myeong chuckled softly.
¡°You tried to take the easy way out and got burned.¡±
¡°No, honestly, this was just bad luck.¡±
Even though he finished the first match in second ce, he won the next one, so his choice wasn¡¯t entirely wrong.
Jeong Chong-myeong agreed with that point and didn¡¯t press the matter further.
Instead, he returned to the original topic and asked his younger brother again.
¡°Did Kim Ho say anything about me?¡±
¡°He told me to ask you directly.¡±
¡°My answer¡¯s pretty much the same.¡±
Jeong Chong-myeong shrugged as he replied.
When it came to Kim Ho, he believed it wasn¡¯t his ce to exin everything in detail. It was better to meet the person directly and judge for oneself.
After all, isn¡¯t that how you develop the ability to read people?
Of course, before asking his brother, Jeong Jin-myeong had already done some analysis of Kim Ho himself.
¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to be at the same skill level as the rest of us.¡±
The skill Kim Ho had demonstrated in front of him was Ice Wall.
It wasn¡¯t a particrly advanced spell, but that was exactly the issue.
If their skills were trulyparable, the wall should have been dismantled quickly. Instead, it turned out to be far sturdier than expected.
This meant that Kim Ho¡¯s skills were not inferior to his own.
¡°Looking at his record, it¡¯s almost all wins.¡±
Kim Ho¡¯s current score was in the mid-800s.
However, the fact that he was on a winning streak meant that his actual abilities far exceeded his current score.
Until his momentum slowed down, it would be impossible to urately gauge his skill level based solely on his score.
¡°¡ªThat¡¯s my take on it so far. So, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time you shared your opinion, Hyung?¡±
It seemed clear enough now that some level of judgment had been reached, so adding his own thoughts likely wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference.
With that, Jeong Chong-myeong adjusted his sses and spoke.
¡°I don¡¯t really know much about his skills. He hasn¡¯t shown us much, after all.¡±
Even during the infiltration of the temporary storage, Kim Ho hadn¡¯t taken a direct role and had only followed along with the members of the thieves club.
He had heard from Dang Gyu-young that Kim Ho yed a ¡°key role¡± but what exactly that entailed had never been disclosed.
¡°Still, one thing¡¯s for sure. He¡¯s got potential.¡±
This infiltration of the temporary storage had involved arge number of third-years, and the situation had been extremely urgent.
Even so, Kim Ho had remained calm andposed throughout.
In the end, he had been caught by Oh Se-hoon, the president of the disciplinarymittee, but even as he was dragged into the Room of Truth, he hadn¡¯t shown any fear. Instead, he had made a bet and won.
Hearing all this, Jeong Jin-myeong¡¯s eyes glimmered with interest.
¡°¡So, he¡¯s got something. I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t mess with him after it was all over.¡±
¡°It was good that you didn¡¯t respond emotionally. But don¡¯t let yourself get too intimidated, either.¡±
¡°I know, I know.¡±
Whether to view Kim Ho as an enemy or to build a friendly rtionship with him was a decision that Jeong Jin-myeong himself would have to make.
Jeong Chong-myeong trusted his younger brother to handle the matter wisely.
***
sh!
A brilliant light red, causing Dang Gyu-young to wince slightly.
It wasn¡¯t just the blinding brightness; it was irritating as well.
Damn, that¡¯s annoying.
She was surrounded by iron training dummies.
Their stats were set extremely high, making them impossible for most first- and second-years to handle, and even third-years would find themselves in trouble if they let their guard down.
Of course, that also meant they weren¡¯t too hard to deal with as long as one went all out.
Whooosh!
From beneath Dang Gyu-young¡¯s feet, shadow arms erupted and they started swinging various shadow weapons around.
The iron dummies were struck and scattered in all directions, only to bounce back up like punching bags and charge at her again.
Up to this point, there hadn¡¯t been any issues but¡ª
It¡¯s going to explode again soon.
Dang Gyu-young looked up at the ceiling of the training room with a displeased expression.
To be more precise, she was ring at the glowing orb of light floating there.
Sure enough, the orb of light emitted a brilliant sh, like a camera¡¯s shbulb going off.
aash!
In an instant, the shadow arms which had been long and thick like a giant¡¯s arms shrank down to the size of a child¡¯s arms.
Some of them grew faint andpletely disappeared.
Because of that, the iron dummies which should have been knocked down merely flinched for a moment. Then they quickly closed the encirclement again.
Dang Gyu-young suddenly found herself on the run.
¡°Ugh, seriously.¡±
Even as she dodged their punches in a flurry of motion, Dang Gyu-young kept grumbling.
¡°What am I even doing this for? For what kind of glory?¡±
The glowing orb had appeared ever since Kim Ho gave her the [Hardship] quest.
It would hover nearby and, as it had just done, periodically release a blinding sh of light.
In the face of such intense light, shadows naturally lost their power.
And the shadow magic Dang Gyu-young had mastered was no exception.
The fact that its power was drastically reduced was already a major problem, but the way the skill¡¯s flow was abruptly severed was an even greater source of stress.
This really is a hardship, no doubt about it.
Kim Ho¡¯s confidence in the quest suddenly made sense to her.
Right now, she was barely holding on. But if she could ovee this ordeal, she was sure to grow significantly stronger.
At the same time, Dang Gyu-young realized something else.
There was a reason why Kim Ho had repeatedly asked for confirmation before giving her the quest.
This is ridiculously difficult.
She had expected as much, but this truly was a hardship worthy of its name.
And to top it off, this was just the first stage.
She couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what stages 2 and 3 might hold, let alone whaty beyond them.
It felt like she hadn¡¯t even climbed halfway up the mountain, yet she could already see even taller andrger peaks looming in the distance.
Even so, she was determined to ovee it all in the end.
Because I made a promise.
¨C Are you sure you won¡¯t give up?
¨C I will do it. Whatever it takes. I won¡¯t give up.
Dang Gyu-young reaffirmed her resolve and drew forth the shadows once more.
The shadow limbs surged like a tidal wave before crashing into the iron dummies.
Whooooooosh¡ª!
Chapter 293: Because I Feel Like It
Chapter 293: Because I Feel Like It
While Seo Ye-in slept soundly, I took some time to check through things on my own.
First, the side quest.
[Side Questt: 16th Week Duel Battles] (Completed)
? Objective: Complete 2 duel matches (2/2)
? Reward: Stamp Coupon (C+)
I had finished both matches in first ce and received the best possible reward.
The C-rank stamp coupon I had earned previously allowed for a maximum of 10 stamps, but the C+ rank coupon increased that to 15.
Naturally, the rewards improved by an additional tier as well.
I saved these just for this.I had four unused random rank ups saved up.
I decided to save those forter.
Next, I pulled up the skill and trait windows for review.
[Skills]
? Chillwind (D+)
? Wind Force (C+)
? Wind Barrier (C+)
? Spiral Explosion (C+)
? Inferno Fist (B)
? Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger (B)
? Ghost Dance
? Amplification (B)
? Enchantment (C)
? Hardship New!
? Copy-Skill [3/3]
1. Thief¡¯s Step (B+)
2. Overheat (C)
3. Ice Wall (B)
[Traits]
? Core (B+)
? Monarch (B)
? Blessing of the West Wind
? Distortion
? Elemental Resistance (S)
? Poison Immunity
? Copy-Trait [2/2]
1. Retrocovery (S) New!
2. Crown of the Wise King
[Equipment]
? Deep Root Sapling
? Storm Cloud Bracelet
? Cloudstepper
Based on all of this, if I had to set a direction moving forward¡
The first priority is strengthening my foundation.
Achieving a B-rank Core had only been a rtively recent development for me.
For now, I believe it is more efficient to raise the skills I already possess to B-rank rather than increasing the variety of my skills.
After all, if I tried learning something new, I would have had to start from F-rank, which would inevitably be weaker than focusing on bringing Wind Force or Spiral Explosion up to B-rank.
It probably won¡¯t take too long.¡±
Since I used Wind-type skills often, my proficiency with them was already quite high.
In particr, the lower-tier versions of Wind Force and Spiral Explosion were my corebat techniques, so I figured they would soon break through their stagnation period and reach B-rank.
The second priority is utility.
Among utilities, I needed to secure skills or traits that helped manage penalties.
With just an S-rank Elemental Resistance, the highest level of elemental penalty I could neutralize was B-rank. Anything higher than that would inflict some amount of damage.
Even though B-rank Inferno Fist or Mysterious Yin Jade Demon Finger were already formidable, the enemies I would face were only going to grow stronger.
In those cases, I would need to amplify them to S-rank, much like I did when I fought the Witch of Corruption. But I couldn¡¯t rely on basic elixirs indefinitely.
At least I got Retrocovery.
Even if I amplified Inferno Fist or the Demon Finger to S-rank and used them, Retrocovery would at least heal me thoroughly once. Of course, that alone didn¡¯t solve all the problems.
Moreover, there was another penalty I had to watch out for:
The cooldowns keep getting longer.
When my C-rank [Enchantment] had a reuse cooldown of about 35 minutes, it wasn¡¯t a big deal until I used it 30 times in a row with Octopus Limbs.
Thanks to that, I managed to pummel the Witch of Corruption into submission, but the cooldown soared to a whopping three weeks.
Essentially, it was sealed away until the end of the first semester.
On top of that, [Retrocovery] had a cooldown of three days, and [Hardship] was seven days. If I linked those with Octopus Limbs again?
It wouldn¡¯t be strange if it stretched to a few weeks or even months.
Hence, it became increasingly important to manage these penalties. That was the situation I found myself in.
Lastly, the third priority.
This was a lower-priority issue that I needed to tackle slowly over time:
[Crow Branch (S)]
It was an S-rank spatial-type material item that the Great Sage Crow had given me as both an investment and a reward.
If I processed it into equipment, it would definitely produce something incredible, but getting there wouldn¡¯t be easy.
Finding a master craftsman is one step.
Obviously, such experts were notmon. Compared to my other two concerns, though, this seemed less pressing.
If I just go find another Crow, that¡¯ll be enough.
Dimensional Crows generally knew how to handle items like this.
Tracking these crows down might be difficult for someone else, but to an experienced stagnant water, it was practically second nature.
The real problemy elsewhere.
I bet the crafting fee will be no joke.
When I met the Crow tailor at Rainbow Lake, I paidrge rubies and emeralds. That was enough only because the materials I used back then were C-rank.
Handling S-rank materials wouldn¡¯t be covered by just a ruby or two.
And I still don¡¯t have all the materials.
Even if I made equipment using just the Crow Branch, it would be at least A-rank. But since it was hard-earned, I wanted the best possible result.
Which meant I needed supplementary materials as well. Most of which would be A-rank, and therefore just as tricky to obtain.
The first ce that came to mind for acquiring them was the deeper-level dungeons, but Dang Gyu-young was busy with her Hardship quest, so that was out.
The principal and vice principal seemed fairly friendly, but I wasn¡¯t sure if they¡¯d be willing to trade, so I set that aside too.
By process of elimination, that left me with:
I¡¯ll have to get help from the Hye-seong Group.
I would have to discuss this with Ahn Jeong-mi, but it seemed better to do it all at once after Seo Ye-in woke up. So for the moment, I stayed in my ¡°Kim Ho pillow mode¡± and waited.
I wasn¡¯t sure how much time passed after that.
The mana that filled the Mana Cultivation Room began rushing into Seo Ye-in at a terrifying speed.
Fwoosh¡ª
For a moment, Seo Ye-in¡¯s entire body seemed to glow blue, then she floated slightly in midair before sinking back down.
¡°¡¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in finally opened her drowsy eyes.
While still using myp as a pillow, she wriggled around and then looked up at me before speaking in a small voice.
¡°Today¡¯s really¡ the day¡¡±
¡°You leveled up, right? Your rank?¡±
¡°Mhmm¡
Seo Ye-in gave a small nod of her chin and shared the notification message with me.
[The rank of ¡®Core¡¯ has increased. (C¡úB)]
¡°Wow, it really was the day to do it.¡±
At this point in time, there couldn¡¯t be more than a handful of first-year students with a B-rank Core.
Song Cheon-hye, me, and maybe one or two other promising students.
I had been expecting Hong Yeon-hwa to be the next strong candidate, but once again, Seo Ye-in defied my expectations and reached B first.
A true passive sloth. How terrifying.
Anyway, since she seeded in ranking up, the next step was obvious.
I looked down at Seo Ye-in and spoke.
¡°Let¡¯s see your butler for the first time in a while.¡±
¡°I saw her.¡±
¡°I meant show her to me, not you.¡±
***
As soon as themunication connected, Ahn Jeong-mi appeared beyond the crystal ball and bowed politely.
¡°Young miss, Kim Ho-nim. Has everything been well?¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a while since west got in touch.¡±
I summarized the recent events while focusing on the main points.
Seo Ye-in had acquired Ghost Dance through the illusions conjured by the Illusion Demon, had recently been training so diligently that she¡¯d cut her sleep to just ten hours a day, and moments ago, she had achieved a B-rank Core.
As I continued, Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s face increasingly filled with emotion.
By the time I finished, she looked close to tears.
¡°The young miss has been working so hard¡ I¡¯m not sure how to express my gratitude.¡±
¡°Most of it is thanks to her own effort. Especially with Mana Cultivation, it happens even while she sleeps, so it¡¯s not really due to me.¡±
Since Ahn Jeong-mi had been supporting Seo Ye-in for a long time, she must have known about her genius-level mana control and her passive sloth nature.
So I judged it would be a stretch to take credit for her [Core] progress as well.
But unexpectedly, Ahn Jeong-mi shook her head.
¡°That¡¯s not true. ording to the Future Strategy Office¡¯s predictions, the young miss shouldn¡¯t have been able to reach a B-rank Core until thetter half of the second semester.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t quite follow. Why such a big discrepancy in the timeline?¡±
Even if she could cultivate mana just by sleeping, how could the prediction be off by almost half a year?
Ahn Jeong-mi made a slightly bitter expression and exined.
¡°It¡¯s true the young miss is capable of Mana Cultivation during sleep, but whether she actually does it is another matter.¡±
¡°You¡¯re saying she only does it when she feels like it.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
Apparently, the passive sloth mode can be toggled ON or OFF.
And from Seo Ye-in¡¯s perspective, it¡¯s probably much morefortable to sleep without doing any Mana Cultivation.
Because she would train off and on like that, the Future Strategy Office had predicted she wouldn¡¯t reach a B-rank Core until well into the second semester.
Ahn Jeong-mi continued,
¡°So it¡¯s thanks to you, Kim Ho-nim that she achieved it sooner. You also willingly shared the Illusion Demon¡¯s formation and we owe you a great deal for that. If there¡¯s anything you need, please let us know.¡±
¡°Actually, there is something I need these days.¡±
I then ryed the item list I had organized in my mind.
The items I needed were rted to penalty-reduction skills or traits or materials necessary for crafting equipment using the Crow Branch.
Even for the Hye-seong Group, these weren¡¯t things that could be easily acquired. Ahn Jeong-mi remained silent for a moment before making a suggestion.
¡°How about you check out the shops in the downtown area first? We¡¯ll cover all the expenses.¡±
In other words, I¡¯d essentially been handed a nk check.
If I could find what I wanted, great. If not, there was always the chance I¡¯d stumble upon something unexpected.
And if I found nothing at all, Ahn Jeong-mi would figure out another way to procure the items, so there was no real loss.
I nodded my head readily.
¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±
¡°When were you thinking of going?¡±
¡°Next weekend seems like the right time.¡±@@novelbin@@
The weekend before the strategy battle week. Essentially, the weekend just before finals week.
Since it was right before a big test, students would flock to the downtown area to blow off steam or stock up on items.
This also meant that the shops in the downtown area would stock up heavily during this time.
But just then, Seo Ye-in suddenly jumped into the conversation.
¡°This weekend.¡±
¡°You heard me. It¡¯ll be more fun next weekend.¡±
I calmly tried to reason with her, but for some reason, Seo Ye-in was unusually stubborn.
¡°This weekend.¡±
¡°Why are you so set on going this weekend?¡±
If she had a good enough reason, moving it up by a week wouldn¡¯t be a big deal.
But Seo Ye-in answered confidently,
¡°Because I feel like it.¡±
¡°Wow, look at you being all talkative for once. Still, no.¡±
I was firm. No meant no.
Caving in to every whim would only have a negative impact on our long-term rtionship.
That said, attaching a condition could change the situation.
¡°It¡¯s Monday today, right?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°If you can hit B-rank for Magic Bullets by Friday, I¡¯ll consider it.¡±
I intentionally set an absurd condition.
Partly to encourage her to train harder and partly to ensure we¡¯d end up going next weekend as originally nned.
But whether she saw through my intentions or not, Seo Ye-in stared at me quietly for a moment before nodding her head.
¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±
No way she pulls this off.
Magic Bullets were one of the core skills for a Marksman.
It had been a while since Seo Ye-in achieved C-rank in it, so her proficiency must have grown considerably during that time.
But no matter how I looked at it, jumping to B-rank in just a few days was an impossible feat.
***
Thursday.
I had been training in wind magic, sending the iron dummies flying around the training room.
In the middle of it, Seo Ye-in sent me a message, so I checked it.
[Seo Ye-in: Done.]
[Kim Ho: ?]
[Seo Ye-in: Magic Bullets.]
[Seo Ye-in: B.]
[Seo Ye-in: (victorious cat emoji)]
[Kim Ho: ??]
[Kim Ho: (shocked cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: (victorious cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: (majestic cat emoji)]
[Seo Ye-in: Let¡¯s go to the downtown area.]
She really managed to hit B-rank?
And not even on Friday. On Thursday?
This is totally cheating.
***
TN: You¡¯re one to talk¡
Chapter 294: Event Boss
Chapter 294: Event Boss
Saturday morning.
I met Seo Ye-in at the shuttle bus stop.
Seo Ye-in was usually twice as energetic as normal whenever we went to the downtown area, but today, she seemed even more lively than that.
Curious, I decided to ask her a casual question.
¡°How much battery do you have today?¡±
¡°Ny-one percent.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a new record.¡±
¡°Full of energy!¡±
She even struck a yful fighting pose.It was clear she was fully prepared to enjoy herself today.
At the same time, I wondered if there was a specific reason why she had been so insistent about going downtown this week.
Could it be that her lucky instincts were kicking in?
For now, though, the ¡°I just really want to have fun¡± theory seemed more usible. Either way, I figured we¡¯d find out soon enough.
We boarded the shuttle bus that arrived shortly after and headed toward the downtown area.
Though next week was expected to be busier, downtown was still bustling this week.
I went with the flow of the crowd and asked Seo Ye-in,
¡°Where do you want to go most?¡±
¡°¡The arcade?¡±
¡°Knew it.¡±
Seo Ye-in had so much fun at the arcade every time we came downtown that it seemed like her mind had developed a simple form: downtown = arcade.
Since the arcade also offered small prizes as rewards, I had no reason to object.
However, the main goal of this trip was to browse the shops and, if we found something we wanted, to make a purchase.
With that in mind, I made a suggestion.
¡°There¡¯s a magic shop on the way, so let¡¯s stop there first. What do you think?¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Seo Ye-in nodded her head coolly.
The ¡°Long Ears Magic Item Shop¡± was located along the path to the arcade.
On our first trip downtown, we hadbined some items from that store to create the Fluffy Cloud and Storm Cloud bracelets.
The n for today was to browse the magic shop first, spend time at the arcade, and then visit one more store afterward.
We had plenty of time, so the n could be flexible, and there was no need to rush straight to the magic shop.
So, I strolled leisurely with Seo Ye-in, taking in the sights of downtown as though we were on a casual walk.
¡°¡¡.¡±
By now, I¡¯d figured out Seo Ye-in¡¯s patterns of behavior during our previous two trips downtown.
She would wander around, slow down when something caught her interest, stare at it intently, or gently tug at me to follow her.
When that happened, I either followed her to check it out or stopped her if we seemed to be straying too far from our route.
Sure enough, her steps slowed into a hesitant shuffle, and she started drifting toward a street vendor.
Before long, she came back holding a mini hotdog.
¡°I¡¯ll give you half.¡±
¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡±
The two of us quickly finished off the mini hotdogs,
And then Seo Ye-in, once again, started inching toward a street vendor. She returned with a bag of mini pastries.
¡°I¡¯ll give you half.¡±
¡°Alright, thanks.¡±
After we finished off the mini pastries, I noticed her gaze drifting back toward the street vendors again. This time, I decided to intervene.
¡°Hold it right there.¡±
¡°¡.¡?¡±
¡°If you snack too much, you¡¯ll end up too full.¡±
The street vendor snacks were tempting, sure, but I¡¯d recently received a bakery coupon from Ahn Jeong-mi.
Since it wasn¡¯t an opportunity that came around often, it seemed wiser to save our appetites for the bakery.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in hesitated for a moment. She nced back and forth between the street vendors and me. She looked to be clearly torn.
After a bit of deliberation, she suddenly seemed toe to a realization, as though a light bulb had gone off above her head.
¡°¡I¡¯ll give you half.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s be honest here. You just want to eat it, don¡¯t you?¡±
¡°¡Maybe a little?¡±
When I gave her a stern look, Seo Ye-in sheepishly averted her gaze.
Of course, in the end, we split it evenly.
¡°This is thest one. You understand?¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
After that, we wandered around and watched various street performances.
For some reason, there seemed to be a lot of students from different clubs out today.
Maybe it was because the semester wasing to an end, and they wanted to showcase their achievements outside of academics.
There was a performance by what seemed to be members of the Great Mother Club. A group of second- and third-year beast tamers were showing off tricks with their animalpanions.
A wolf was catching baseballs in its mouth and tossing them high into the air, while an eagle soaring overhead would swoop down to catch them and throw them back.
Park Na-ri was there as well on one side, but for some reason, she was getting repeatedly smacked with ¡°cat punches¡± by an irritated tiger.
¡°Ah, no! Stop¡ªow! Stop hitting me!¡±
Poor thing¡
She¡¯s really having a hard time dealing with her tigerpanion today.
I felt a twinge of sympathy and kept walking.
As we continued on, I spotted Han Gyeo-wool and Choi Han-gil, the seniors we had seen during the infiltration of the storage facility, performing a street act.
Han Gyeo-wool would conjure an ice wall, which Choi Han-gil would then carve into a sculpture in an instant.
It was mana control worthy of the White Magic Club senior members.
¡°¡¡?¡±
Just then, I noticed Seo Ye-in staring intently at something with curious eyes.
In the distance, bursts of colorful explosions filled the air, apanied by plumes of smoke in various colors.
When Seo Ye-in gently tugged on my sleeve, I followed her lead.
It¡¯s the Alchemy Club.
Small potion bottles, no bigger than a finger, were neatly lined up on the disy shelf, and students passing by were taking turns sampling them.
When a female student cautiously drank a blue potion, there was an audible bang! followed by an explosion of blue smoke.
As the smoke cleared, her hair had turned the same shade of blue as the potion.
¡°Wow¡¡±
The student admired herself in a handheld mirror and let out a soft exmation.
It¡¯s a dye item.
A cosmetic item that temporarily changed the color of hair or eyes.
In most cases, the color would match the potion¡¯s hue.
¡°¡¡.!¡±
Seo Ye-in turned to me with her eyes sparkling with excitement.
At that moment, a senior from the Alchemy Club who had been waiting nearby noticed immediately and approached us like a hawk. He was eagerly pitching his product.
¡°Give it a try! It¡¯s tasty, it¡¯s fun, and guess what? It¡¯s free of charge.¡±
Well, of course it was free.
Their goal wasn¡¯t to make money. It was likely to test the performance of their dye potion.
Not that there was any real risk of an ident.
For one, they wouldn¡¯t bring untested products, as it would tarnish their club¡¯s reputation. Even if, by some minuscule chance, there was something harmful in the potion, Seo Ye-in had Poison Immunity and I was the same.
So I epted the orange potion bottle the senior handed me and drank it down.
It actually tastes like orange.
It wasn¡¯t bad at all.
As I smacked my lips lightly, there was a loud bang! and my vision was suddenly engulfed in orange smoke.
When the smoke cleared, Seo Ye-in looked at me and said,
¡°Orange Kim Ho.¡±
The Alchemy Club senior grinned ear to ear while holding up a hand mirror for me to see.
Sure enough, my hair and eye color were now dyed a bright orange.
¡°Well, I can¡¯t be the only one.¡±
I handed Seo Ye-in a pink potion, and she took it and slowly drank it.
Bang!
A pink explosion erupted, and Seo Ye-in¡¯s hair and eyes shifted from their usual gray to a vibrant pink.
¡°¡¡.?¡±
¡°Well, look who we have here. A pink sloth?¡±
¡°¡¡¡!¡±
Seo Ye-in who was full of curiosity kept handing me potion bottles. Each time I drank one, I transformed into Blue Kim Ho, Green Kim Ho, White Kim Ho, and so on.
I started to understand, at least a little, how Rainbow Gap-doo felt.
Bang!
As she looked at my newly transformed appearance, Seo Ye-in said,
¡°¡Gray Kim Ho.¡±
¡°Looks like you like this one.¡±
¡°Approved.¡±
It seemed Gray Kim Ho, with gray hair and gray eyes, was her favorite. Seo Ye-in stopped handing me any more potions after that.
For the record, Seo Ye-in was still in her transformed state. A blonde-haired, blue-eyed sloth.
With that, we decided to call it a day for potion tasting.
Before leaving, I asked the Alchemy Club senior a question.
¡°How long does thisst?¡±
¡°About two hours. After that, you¡¯ll return to normal. Unless, of course, you want toe back to our club.¡±
Unless? Did that mean there was a chance I wouldn¡¯t go back to normal?
Herment didn¡¯t inspire much confidence, but it wasn¡¯t something to worry about just yet. It was just hair color, after all.
Afterward, as I kept wandering around, taking in the sights, I eventually spotted a shop in the distance. It was the ¡°Long Ears Magic Item Shop¡±.
But then Seo Ye-in tilted her head and stared intently at something for some reason. Curious, I turned my gaze in the same direction.
And that¡¯s when I saw it. It was something familiar.
That¡¯s still here?
A masked gentleman was strolling toward us with exaggerated, theatrical steps.
He was a field boss and an event boss who liked to challenge anyone he fancied with light quizzes or mini-games.
If you won his mini-games, he¡¯d give you hidden rewards.
The first time we¡¯de to the downtown area, Seo Ye-in had seen through one of his tricks and won the [Lucky Trump Card] as her prize.
That had been nearly two months ago. I¡¯d figured he would¡¯ve left Dungeon Ind by now, but to my surprise, he was still hanging around.
¡°~~! ~~!¡±
Like before, the masked gentleman didn¡¯t make a sound, but he waved his arms and gestured excitedly. As if he was clearly delighted to see us again.
At the same time, he began rummaging through his pockets, likely searching for a trump card or something simr.
But he wasn¡¯t the only one approaching Seo Ye-in.
The attention of passersby suddenly converged on one spot, where a clown was merrily dancing his way closer to us.
His outfit was extravagant, and like the masked gentleman, he wore a mask over his face.
When I saw this, my eyes lit up with interest.
That¡¯s an event boss too.
The only real difference between him and the masked gentleman was the type of mini-games he offered and the kinds of rewards he gave out.
The strange thing, though, was that it was extremely rare for two event bosses to show up in the same ce like this.
Usually, they would stick to their own zones, and even if they happened to cross paths, one of them would quickly leave the area.
But now, despite clearly being aware of each other, they were both eagerly approaching Seo Ye-in in apetitive manner.
What¡¯s gotten into them?
Normally, if a yer didn¡¯t interest them, they wouldn¡¯t even acknowledge their presence, let alone initiate a mini-game. Yet here they were practically desperate to offer Seo Ye-in an event.
Guess I¡¯ll just wait and see for now.
Although both of them were powerful bosses, they weren¡¯t dangerous.
Even if she were to lose a mini-game, it wasn¡¯t like her life would be at risk.
Besides, I had a hunch that Seo Ye-in, being the lucky charm she was, would handle this without much trouble.
The masked gentleman was the first to reach her.
As if ready to start a mini-game right away, he began skillfully shuffling a deck of cards in a shy manner.
But just as he did, the masked clown arrived and put a hand over the cards to stop him. The two event bosses then began to argue with animated hand gestures and exaggerated movements.
Judging from their actions, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess what they were saying:
¨C I¡¯m going to do it! You back off!
¨C I was here first! You back off!
¨C Why should I care?
Seo Ye-in nced back and forth between them, but she seemed to be losing interest.
The moment she tried to move away, the clown and the gentleman abruptly stopped their squabbling and scrambled to block her path.
From their frantic gestures, it seemed like they were begging her to spare them just a bit of her time.@@novelbin@@
What could possibly have these two so desperate? I had no idea.
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
When Seo Ye-in remained still, the two bosses quicklymunicated and reached an agreement in no time.
Soon after, the clown stepped back, and the gentleman began shuffling the deck of trump cards.
Are they nning to take turns one by one?
Shuffle-shuffle!
Seo Ye-in stared at the dazzlingly shuffled deck of cards with an indifferent expression on her face.
Chapter 295: Surprise Magic Box
The masked gentleman eventually spread the cards out like a fan and held them out in front of her.
It was as if he was silently asking her to pick one.
When Seo Ye-in pointed to a card as instructed, it floated up into the air.
[J of Hearts]
Next to it, another card rose, showing only its back.
¡°¡ª? ¡ª?¡±
The masked gentleman pointed at the two cards, gesturing up and down with his fingers.
It seemed like he was asking, ¡°Will this card be higher or lower than the J of Hearts?¡±
Based purely on probability, it should be ¡°lower¡±.If A is 1 and K is 13, then J is 11.
But without a moment of hesitation, Seo Ye-in gave her answer.
¡°Higher.¡±
As soon as she spoke, the facedown card spun around, revealing a Queen of Spades.
It was higher than the Jack, so her answer was correct.
The masked gentleman pped his forehead with a dramatic smack! Meanwhile, the masked clown silently pointed at him and mockinglyughed.
However, it seemed the mini-game wasn¡¯t over yet.
The masked gentleman shuffled the cards again with a flourish before spreading them out in a wide fan.
When Seo Ye-in picked another card, it floated into the air, showing its back, and four symbols appeared before it:
Heart, Club, Spade, Diamond.
This time, the goal was to guess the suit of the card.
Though the odds were much lower in this four-choice scenario, Seo Ye-in once again gave her answer immediately.
¡°Club.¡±
The card spun around, revealing a Seven of Clubs.
Having secured her second win in a row in the blink of an eye, the masked gentleman grabbed his head and swayed in despair.
On the other hand, the clown who was now even more delighted silently shook withughter.
Before long, the masked gentleman ced the recently chosen Seven of Clubs in midair and began shuffling the cards for the third round.
Shuffle-shuffle¡ª
The masked gentleman¡¯s shy hand movements revealed his determination not to lose this time.
When he spread the cards out into a fan, Seo Ye-in pointed to one, and it floated into the air, showing its back as it rose next to the Seven of Clubs. ????§£¦¥?
Besides the card, four suit symbols and an up-and-down arrow appeared at the same time.
This time, she had to guess both the suit and whether the card was higher or lower than the Seven of Clubs.
That¡¯s just unfair.
Even if it was a mini-game, there were rules about maintaining some semnce of fairness.
It seemed the masked gentleman was truly desperate not to lose.
Of course, by that logic, Seo Ye-in herself could be considered shamelessly lucky.@@novelbin@@
At this point, one would expect her to hesitate or deliberate a little, but instead, she simply nced at the card and dered,
¡°Diamond.¡±
¡°~?¡±
The masked gentleman leaned forward and cupped his hand to his ear, clearly signaling that he wanted to hear the rest of her answer.
Seo Ye-in answered curtly.
¡°Equal.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
The card that appeared next was the Seven of Diamonds.
If she had answered higher or lower, she would have been wrong.
She actually got that right.
To pick both the correct suit and the exact number out of thirteen options; it was nothing short of incredible.
There was no doubt about it: Seo Ye-in¡¯s victory was absolute.
The masked gentleman, seemingly resigned to the oue, slumped his shoulders in defeat.
Meanwhile, the clown pped his hands enthusiastically before stepping forward with a sly grin.
Now it was the clown¡¯s turn to host a mini-game.
The masked clown rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a toy crocodile head.
Its mouth was wide open, revealing eight unevenly spaced teeth.
The crocodile tooth game.
Also known as ¡°Crocodile Roulette¡±. The game required participants to take turns pressing the teeth.
However, one of the eight teeth was a trap. Pressing it would cause the crocodile¡¯s jaws to snap shut with a mp!
The unlucky yer whose hand got caught would lose the game.
¡°~~!¡±
The clown extended the crocodile head toward Seo Ye-in with a polite gesture.
Just as she had done during the game with the gentleman, Seo Ye-in pressed down firmly on one of the teeth without a moment¡¯s hesitation.
Click.
A small sound echoed, but the crocodile¡¯s mouth remained open.
Next, the clown exaggeratedly deliberated, saying, ¡°Which one should I press~? This one? Or maybe that one?¡± After his theatrical pondering, he finally pressed a tooth. Without dy, Seo Ye-in pressed the next tooth.
Click.
She¡¯s seriously bold.
Most people, when feeling even a little tense, would hesitate. But Seo Ye-in acted immediately every time her turn came.
Was it because she had such strong confidence in her luck? Or perhaps she simply wasn¡¯t afraid, having rarely experienced defeat? It was hard to tell.
Click.
Oddly enough, it was the event boss, the masked clown, who seemed more nervous.
The mini-game progressed so quickly that there were soon only three crocodile teeth remaining.
The probability of the jaws snapping shut was now significantly high.
The clown hesitated, then cautiously brought his hand toward one of the front teeth.
Click.
Once again, nothing happened.
The clown sighed in relief, but Seo Ye-in immediately pressed the next tooth without hesitation.
Click.
Finally, with only one tooth left, Seo Ye-in handed the crocodile to the clown.
¡°¡¡¡±
The masked clown stared at the toy crocodile as if he was looking at a self-destruct button. After a moment of resigned silence, he pressed the final tooth.
Snap!
The crocodile¡¯s jaws snapped shut at lightning speed, biting down on the clown¡¯s hand. The clown jumped up and down as if to dramatically mimic the pain.
Onlookers burst intoughter.
The masked gentleman who had also been watching chuckled along at first, only to remember his own loss and slump his shoulders again in dejection.
¡°¡¡¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
The result of both mini-games had been Lucky Charm¡¯s victory.
The clown had put away the crocodile roulette and, instead, had taken out a brightly colored box that looked like a child¡¯s toy.
When the lid was opened, it seemed as if a spring-loaded doll would pop out.
[Surprise Magic Box]
That¡¯s unexpected.
It wasn¡¯t something you saw very often.
Among the various rewards obtained for clearing mini-games, this one had a rtively low appearance rate.
And yet, it didn¡¯t stop there.
When the masked gentleman snapped his fingers, the box began to shimmer with vivid rainbow hues.
[Brilliant Surprise Magic Box]
Not only was it a rare reward, but now it had the word ¡°Brilliant¡± added to it as well.
Apparently, this was possible when there were two event bosses.
In contrast, Seo Ye-in seemed to be unimpressed and tilted her head in mild confusion before gently tugging at my sleeve and holding the box out to me.
¡°I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±
At her words, both the masked gentleman and the clown simultaneously turned to look at me. Their expressions were somehow filled with betrayal.
They had gone through the trouble of hosting the event and giving out such a good reward, only for her to hand it off to another guy without hesitation.
However, with no way to protest, the two eventually slumped their shoulders even further and disappeared into the crowd.
After briefly watching them go, I shook the box lightly and said,
¡°It doesn¡¯t feel right to use this alone. Let¡¯s open it together.¡±
¡°Together?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
The [Surprise Magic Box] was a type of random box item.
The main difference from a typical random box was that it was empty when first opened.
The type of item that appeared depended on what was ced inside the box.
If you put in a sword, you¡¯d get a sword. If you put in a potion, you¡¯d get a potion in return.
Of course, since there was an element of randomness, there was always a chance you¡¯d end up with something worse than what you had put in.
But this one has the Brilliant word attached to it.
The chances of obtaining a good result were dramatically higher.
With Lucky Charm¡¯s skill added to the equation, it was practically a guaranteed jackpot.
Still, it would be a waste to put in something like the sapling or crow branch.
If I put the sapling in, there was a chance the [Octopus Limbs] cheat-like skill would disappear, and the crow branch might also get reced by something other than a spatial-type item.
Keeping these items as they were seemed like the wisest choice.
Besides, the Surprise Magic Box was something I had obtained entirely thanks to Seo Ye-in.
Summoning two event bosses and winning two mini-games in a row wasn¡¯t exactly an easy feat, even for me.
Since she had managed to pull off such a challenging task, it only felt right to share the reward with her.
Luckily, we had just the perfect item for this situation.
¡°Give me your bracelet.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in took off her Fluffy Cloud Bracelet and handed it to me.
The Fluffy Cloud Bracelet and the Storm Cloud Bracelet were a pair.
I was confident that if we put them in the Surprise Magic Box, it would return them to us in some form as a set.
Although proceeding as-is seemed like a good n,
¡°Let¡¯s check out the shop first.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do that¡¡±
The was just a few steps away.
There was no harm in dying the box opening until we looked around.
Who knew? We might find something useful in there.
When we entered the shop, the familiar-looking shopkeeper greeted us.
She had a kind face and her ears weren¡¯t pointed at all.
Even though we were now in the Gray Kim Ho and Gold Sloth state, she recognized us at a nce.
¡°It¡¯s been a while. Wee!¡±
¡°Hello.¡±
¡°Looking for anything in particr?¡±
¡°Today, we¡¯d like to see some A-rank items.¡±
Shops typically didn¡¯t expect much from first-year students.
After all, how much could a first-year afford to buy, even if they did manage to scrape together some money?
However, we¡¯d already proven our buying power during our first trip to the downtown area by using two B-rank exchange coupons.
Because of that, the shopkeeper casually guided us to the A-rank section.
Compared to other parts of the shop, the A-rank disy area was noticeably smaller.
The immense value of each A-rank item exined why even a magic item shop located in the downtown area of Dungeon Ind couldn¡¯t afford to stock them in abundance.
Because of that, it didn¡¯t seem like it would take long to browse through everything.
I started by quickly scanning the skill books and trait scrolls.
There¡¯s nothing for penalty reduction.
Clicking my tongue in slight disappointment, I moved on to check if there were any materialspatible with the Crow Branch.
Unfortunately, it was another dead end.
I had a feeling there wouldn¡¯t be anything.
After all, it wasn¡¯t exactlymon to find itemspatible with spatial materials.
Since I hadn¡¯t expected much to begin with, I wasn¡¯t too disappointed.
This was something that would take time, and I had no choice but to be patient.
With that thought in mind, I was about to turn away when one particr item caught my eye.
It was a transparent ss bottle filled with a shimmering, translucent liquid.
[Fairy Queen¡¯s Delight (A)]
¡If it¡¯s this.
Although it wasn¡¯t directly rted to my original goal, it was a fantastic item to use for an impromptu surprise reveal.
I didn¡¯t hesitate for long before making my decision.
¡°I¡¯ll take this.¡±
***
Despite being a consumable item, Fairy Queen¡¯s Delight carried a hefty price tag, as befitting its A-rank status.
Of course, with the promise Ahn Jeong-mi had made to me, I was more than willing to pay that amount.
Seo Ye-in and I left the downtown area and moved to a quiet resting spot.
It was the same ce where we had obtained the Fluffy Cloud and Storm Cloud Bracelets.
Sitting side by side, we opened the brilliant surprise magic box and ced the two bracelets inside.
Then I poured everyst drop of the Fairy Queen¡¯s Delight into the box, leaving none behind.
If I had ced the entire ss bottle inside, it might have been ssified as a ¡°potion¡±, which would potentially change the surprise box¡¯s result.
But if it¡¯s already used, that¡¯s a different story.
With these three items now in the box, my first goal was to obtain a ¡°bracelet set¡±.
The second goal was tied to the effect of the Fairy Queen¡¯s Delight.
The potion I had poured in instantly seeped into the two bracelets, and from them, a fresh, vibrant energy began to radiate.
Its powerful enchantment effect would greatly enhance the value of the bracelets.
They would likely be at least A+ rank, which meant I could expect even better results.
After closing the lid, I handed the surprise box over to Seo Ye-in and asked,
¡°Lucky Charm-nim, are you ready?¡±
¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±
¡°Feeling good about this?¡±
¡°Very Lucky!¡±
¡°Excellent. Let¡¯s see what we¡¯ve got, shall we?¡±
Seo Ye-in pulled the box closer, slowly lifted the lid, and then¡ª
Boooom!
A loud explosion echoed as cloudspletely engulfed our view.
Chapter 296: Fluffy Fluffy, Soft and Cushy
When special items appeared from the random box, they were often apanied by unique effects.
Judging by the clouds, it must be something in a simr category.
Considering the effect of the surprise magic box, I anticipated a high possibility that the Fluffy Cloud and Storm Cloud bracelets would be reced with a different bracelet set.
However, perhaps reflecting Lucky Charm¡¯s wish, it seemed that the ¡°cloud¡± theme remained the same.
From beyond the dense clouds that blocked all visibility, I could hear Seo Ye-in¡¯s voice.
¡°¡Where?¡±
¡°Here. Give me your hand.¡±
Seo Ye-in gently took the hand I offered.
When I shook her hand lightly as if in a handshake, the clouds gradually began to clear.A pair of braceletsy where the surprise box had been. They looked almost identical to the previous set.
They resembled thin strands of golden thread connecting small, fingertip-sized clouds.
The only noticeable difference was the addition of a rtivelyrger cloud among the smaller ones.
When I checked the item effects, it showed:
[Fluffy Cloud Bracelet (A+)]
? Summons fluffy clouds.
? Fluffy clouds protect the user from magical damage.
? Fluffy Fluffy (Cooldown: 1 hour)
? Upgradeable
[Storm Cloud Bracelet (A+)]
? Summons storm clouds.
? Storm clouds protect the user from physical damage.
? Soft and Cushy (Cooldown: 1 hour)
? Upgradeable
Not bad at all.
The usefulness of the Fluffy Cloud and Storm Cloud bracelets had already been proven in several duel battles and strategy battles.
Now, each had gained an active skill and even an upgrade slot.
Depending on what was added, they could potentially reach S-rank.
As Seo Ye-in examined the item descriptions, she tilted her head in curiosity.
¡°Fluffy Fluffy?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s test them out here before we go. Give me your hand.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
I secured the Fluffy Cloud Bracelet around Seo Ye-in¡¯s wrist, while I wore the Storm Cloud Bracelet on mine.
With a soft pop, a fluffy white cloud and a small storm cloud, each about the size of a fist, appeared. They began darting around and chasing each other as if ying tag. ?¨¢???¨§?
As I watched them for a moment, I gave Seo Ye-in a subtle signal with my eyes. She promptly activated her skill.
¡°¡Fluffy, fluffy.¡±
Boom!
The fluffy cloud instantly expanded. It swelled in size until it looked like a thick white smoke bomb had gone off.
So that¡¯s how it blocks magic.
Previously, the small fluffy cloud could only absorb individual spells one at a time, and even then, it couldn¡¯t handle too many at once.
Now, however, its size had temporarily grown sorge that it could almost form a wall, providing much wider coverage.
Soon, the fluffy cloud shrank back to its original size. This time, it was my turn to use a skill.
¡°Soft and Cushy.¡±
Boom!
The storm cloud expanded and started growing to the size of arge pillow.
While ¡°Fluffy, fluffy¡± spread wide and thin, ¡°Soft and Cushy¡± had a morepressed form. It covered a smaller area but with greater density.
The fluffy cloud had the property of absorbing magical attacks, while the storm cloud absorbed physical attacks which exined the difference in their skills.
Seo Ye-in who was interested started poking the storm cloud with her finger.
¡°Soft and Cushy.¡±
¡°Why not lean on it for a bit?¡±
Seo Ye-in then reced her finger with the palm of her hand, cautiously leaned her head against the storm cloud, and soon hugged it with a satisfied look.
¡°¡Soft and cushy.¡±
She looked as though she might fall asleep right there, but her bliss didn¡¯tst long.
The storm cloud quickly shrank back to its original size.
¡°¡¡.?¡±
Seo Ye-in turned her gaze toward me with a questioning expression as if to ask, ¡°Why would you ruin this?¡±
I shrugged and answered casually,
¡°It wasn¡¯t me. That¡¯s just how long itsts.¡±
Both ¡°Soft and Cushy¡± and ¡°Fluffy, fluffy¡± provided immense physical and magical defense, but their duration was short-lived.
On top of that, the cooldown was an entire hour, meaning they could only be used once per battle.
Still, their power made them more than enough as a trump card.
¡°¡¡..¡±
Despite the exnation, Seo Ye-in still seemed visibly upset.
It looked like she wasn¡¯t too happy about having a pillow given to her, only to have it taken away.
Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to change the topic.
After all, we were in the middle of the downtown area.
¡°Shall we go now? To the game center.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
As expected, Seo Ye-in perked up and nodded her head in agreement.
***
The Game Center.
We headed straight for the student-only section.
Nearly two months had passed, but the arcade machines were arranged almost exactly as they had been before.
The games were much the same, too. Over half of the machines were still upied by .
It was popr among students and, more importantly, a sneaky point-drainer which probably exined why it dominated the space.
I exchanged nces with Seo Ye-in.
¡°Let¡¯s check out the prizes first.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
The right way to do this was to set a goal first and then pick the games that would help achieve it.
So we skimmed through the prize list.
[This Week¡¯s Prize List]
¨C Majestic Aura Effect
¨C Giant Banana Plushie
¨C Random Rank Up *2
¨C All-in-One Whitening Cream
¡
¡°There¡¯s a Random Rank Up.¡±
That one was rare toe across.
It seemed like a good decision to havee to the downtown area this week.
The downside was that there were only two avable, but considering it could improve skills and even stamp coupons, it had to be the top priority.
¡°¡¡.¡±
I nced to the side and noticed that Seo Ye-in seemed eager to get her hands on a Random Rank Up as well.
Next, we checked the conditions for acquiring it.
[Random Rank Up] x2
? Condition 1: Achieve abined total of 15 kills and assists in Weapon Master.
? Condition 2: Die fewer than three times.
¡°This time, it¡¯s a bit easier.¡±
Last time, we had to split it with Seo Ye-in getting 20 kills and me racking up 20 assists. But now, the requirement was abined total of just 15.
We didn¡¯t have to stack everything on one person, and the numbers were lower this time.
It seemed the difficulty had been adjusted down a bit since there were only two Random Rank Ups avable.
Of course, the rule about failing if you died three times still applied, so we couldn¡¯t afford to let our guard down until the very end.
We took our seats in the two-person seats.
Each of us paid 300 points to purchase tokens and inserted them into the machine.
A silhouette of a person marked with a ¡°?¡± appeared on the screen, rapidly flickering through different images.
The characters we¡¯d y were being randomly selected.
Seo Ye-in watched the screen for a moment before casuallymenting,
¡°Barbarian.¡±
¡°You want to y as that?¡±
¡°Strong.¡±
She must¡¯ve had fun ying as the Barbarian before and wanted to try it again.
Back then, she had torn through enemies like a wrecking ball.
While I had yed a sneaky support role as a Poison Dart Barbarian.
But I doubt you¡¯ll get the same one again.
Although the character selection was random, the system seemed to cleverly avoid giving yers a character they had already used before.
I assumed some kind of magical mechanism was at work behind the scenes.
Still, I didn¡¯t want to ruin the mood, so I kept that thought to myself.
Finally, the ¡°?¡± over my character disappeared and its form was revealed.
A man wrapped from head to toe in ck cloth, holding sharp, thorn-like daggers in each hand.
He crossed the daggers to produce a sharp, chilling sound.
Shing!
An assassin.
Like most assassins, he was fragile and would copse after just one or two hits. But in exchange, his attack power was immense, and he could vanish into stealth to hide himself.
My favorite character.
Just when I thought that, Seo Ye-in¡¯s character was also decided.
Shing!
It was an assassin, identical to mine except for a slight variation in coloring.
¡°Why are you copying me?¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in tilted her head from side to side as if to say she had no idea what I was talking about.
Just like that, we became an unexpected duo of assassins.
Well, that¡¯s not so bad.
The assassin was a character heavily influenced by teamposition. If luck wasn¡¯t on your side, you¡¯d often end up out of sync with your teammates.
A prime example was being paired with a mage. Both were fragile, so they couldn¡¯t protect each other, and a poorly coordinated move could easily result in both getting caught in area-of-effect spells.
In that sense, having two assassins on the same team wasn¡¯t such a badbination.
We could move together, synchronize our actions well, and I could handle the strategy.
Before long, it seemed like all the participants had their characters assigned. The screen flickered, and in the next instant, we found ourselves standing in the middle of a lush forest.
¡°This is a good start.¡±
¡°Plenty of ces to hide.¡±
Huge boulders jutted out here and there, and the trees were thick and sturdy, providing excellent cover.
On top of that, the forest was filled with dense bushes, making it an ideal spot for assassins.
Soon, the countdown began, signaling the start of the match.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
[Seo-sassin 0K/0D/0A]
[Ho-sassin 0K/0D/0A]
¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. Start your engines.¡±
¡°Vroom vroom.¡±@@novelbin@@
We began moving through the forest, carefully observing our surroundings as we went.
Before long, we stopped in our tracks.
¡°Guests iing.¡±
¡°Guests.¡±
Because we saw two shadows walking from the opposite direction.
One of them wasrge and broad-shouldered, while the other was small and slight.
I gave Seo Ye-in an instruction.
¡°Hide for now.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
As soon as we activated stealth, the two assassins¡¯ figures turned semi-transparent.
In that state, we hid behind cover and waited.
Before long, the enemies came into view. A Barbarian was leading the way and he was followed closely by a Mage.
I gave another instruction.
¡°Let¡¯s take out the Barbarian first.¡±
¡°¡¡..¡±
Seo Ye-in gave a slight nod in response.
We kept our eyes locked on the enemies while maintaining a state of heightened concentration.
The moment they entered our range, we simultaneously leaped out of hiding and charged straight for the Barbarian.
Four razor-sharp daggers stabbed into vital points like thorns.
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack!
¡°What¡ª?!¡±
A startled shout came from across the student section.
It must have been the participant controlling the Barbarian.
As expected, the Barbarian died instantly from the ambush.
The Mage flinched and tried to react, but his fate wasn¡¯t much different.
Before he could even start chanting a spell, a dagger buried itself in the back of his neck.
Thwack, thwack.
[Seo-sassin 1K/0D/1A]
[Ho-sassin 1K/0D/1A]
¡°Strong.¡±
¡°Strong.¡±
By the book, we should have targeted the backline Mage first, but with two assassins, our burst damage was overwhelming.
Even closebat characters like the Barbarian couldn¡¯t survive a single coordinated attack.
On top of that, it was still early in the match, so we¡¯d correctly guessed that they wouldn¡¯t be prepared to counter an ambush.
After securing an easy two kills, I turned to Seo Ye-in and said,
¡°Let¡¯s stay here for a while.¡±
¡°Good ce.¡±
This spot was perfect for hiding, so rather than continuing to move, staying in the area seemed like the better choice.
Even just dealing with the enemies who wandered in would probably be quite rewarding.
With that in mind, I hid among the rocks, while Seo Ye-in concealed herself in the bushes. Both of us waited in silence.
Sure enough, it wasn¡¯t long before some ¡°guests¡± appeared.
¡°They¡¯re back again.¡±
It was the Barbarian and Mage duo we had just taken down earlier.
It looked like they were here for revenge.
The Barbarian swung his sword pointlessly at bushes and trees, while the Mage began chanting a spell, ready to fire at a moment¡¯s notice.
Their spirit wasmendable, but their skills werecking for challenging the ¡°Minigame Demon King¡±.
As they got close, Seo Ye-in and I leaped out of hiding.
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack!
Once again, the Barbarian was pierced by four daggers.
The Mage managed to unleash the spell he had been chanting, but we dodged it with ease. I then quickly took his head just like before.
[Seo-sassin 1K/0D/3A]
[Ho-sassin 3K/0D/1A]
¡°Agh! Again?!¡±
The victim¡¯s cries echoed through the student section.
Coming for revenge only to be taken out without even putting up a fight. It was no wonder they were furious.
But then, another thought crossed my mind.
That voice¡ it sounded oddly familiar.
Isn¡¯t that Hong Yeon-hwa?
Chapter 297: Playing Dirty
Hong Yeon-hwa had heard about the game ¡°Weapon Master¡± in passing.
She wondered just how fun it had to be toe up in conversation so often and felt the urge to experience it for herself.
So, to take her mind off things, she headed to the game center in the downtown area over the weekend.
Weapon Master generally encouraged yers to participate in teams of two.
Solo yers would be automatically paired with a teammate, but team-based games were always better when yed with someone familiar.
Just then, she spotted a second-year senior she knew by face and teamed up with her to enter the game.
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s character was a Barbarian warrior, while the second-year senior¡¯s character was a Mage.
She had heard that yers often ended up with a sspletely unrted to their real-life expertise, and sure enough, she was assigned a closebat ss.
I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually ying a Barbarian.Her heart pounded with excitement.
But that excitement didn¡¯tst long.
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack!
Out of nowhere, two dark figures emerged and drove their daggers into her.
In the blink of an eye, Hong-barian had be a cold, lifeless corpse.
She returned to the same spot for revenge, but the result was the same.
Thwack, thwack!
[Hong-barian 0K/2D/0A]
¡°Agh! Again?!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa trembled with rage.
Seeing her frustration, the second-year senior cautiously asked,
¡°What do you want to do? Should we go somewhere else?¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
The two assassins were clearly more skilled than them and even had the advantage of the terrain.
Considering these factors, retreating to another area and continuing the match elsewhere would have been the rational choice.
But Hong Yeon-hwa couldn¡¯t ept that.
Run away? Me?
To her, running away felt no different from giving up on the match itself.
What was the point of racking up 10 or even 20 kills elsewhere?
They would still be beneath those assassins anyway.
So, Hong Yeon-hwa decided to let her stubbornness take over.
¡°I¡¯ll give it a few more tries.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Her second-year senior smiled faintly and nodded.
The oue was obvious, but it didn¡¯t matter.
She hade to the game center for fun, not for prizes, and besides, she owed a debt to the Ruby Magic Tower.
Wasting a few points was nothing.
And so, for the third time, the Barbarian and the Mage returned to the same spot.
With her senses sharpened more than ever, Hong Yeon-hwa pushed through the forest.
Come out¡ Come on¡ Let¡¯s fight¡
Maybe her wish had been granted.
A rustling sound came from up ahead.
Then, two knights in heavy armor emerged.
One carried a greatsword, and the other carried a sword and shield.
No, not you guys.
Why was it knights appearing instead of the assassins she was looking for?
She wished they would step aside, but unaware of her frustration, the knights charged forward.
Hong Yeon-hwa had no choice.
If she didn¡¯t want to die, she had to fight.
Whoosh!
The knight in the lead swung his huge greatsword.
The Barbarian barely dodged in time but didn¡¯t counterattack.
The sword-and-shield knight right behind had already begun shing with his longsword.
Only after dodging that as well did the Barbarian finally bring down his axe.
Crash!
But the longsword knight wasn¡¯t going down so easily. He barely managed to block with his shield.
Just as Knight A was about to swing his greatsword again at the Barbarian, he suddenly pulled back.
Boom!
An instantter, a fireball crashed into the spot where he had just stood.
It was a spell cast by her second-year senior.
As the four of them shed fiercely¡ª
Swish!
From somewhere, two arrows whistled through the air. One struck the barbarian, the other hit the knight.
Right after that, a second Barbarian and an archer revealed themselves.
Hong Yeon-hwa was dumbfounded.
What the hell now?
Two more had joined the fight?@@novelbin@@
She hade to hunt down and kill the assassins, yet somehow, she found herself caught in an all-out brawl.
Of course, just like before, she had no other choice.
Once again, two knights came at her, shing with a greatsword and a longsword. Hong Yeon-hwa pushed her focus to the absolute limit and started narrowly dodging their strikes. ??§¡??????
Swish!
Arrows continued to rain down.
Meanwhile, the enemy barbarian also charged in, eager to join the fray.
This is a total mess.
Hong Yeon-hwa sighed in her mind and swung her sword desperately.
And then¡ª
Thud, thud!
The archer, who had been shooting from a distance, suddenly copsed to the ground.
For a brief moment, two dark silhouettes flickered into view beside him before vanishing again.
Hong Yeon-hwa instantly recognized them. The assassins.
Of course. There was no way they¡¯d just leave.
They had probably been lurking somewhere, watching and waiting for the right moment.
And a lone archer that was isted from the rest must have looked like the perfect prey.
Wait a second¡ that means¡?
A realization struck her like lightning.
Someone else was in the exact same vulnerable position as that archer¡ª
Thud, thud!
Her senior, the mage, became the assassins¡¯ next target.
Seeing that, Hong Yeon-hwa couldn¡¯t help but blurt out in frustration.
¡°Oh,e on. I get that you want to win, but this is just in dirty.¡±
Of course, that didn¡¯t change the fact that it was, objectively speaking, the most efficient strategy.
And there was nothing she could do about it.
She was already too busy grappling with two knights and a barbarian right in front of her.
Thud, thud!
The assassin duo reappeared and stabbed their daggers into the barbarian¡¯s body before vanishing once more.
Now, only three fighters remained.
At this point, Hong Yeon-hwa had had enough.
¡°Ah, screw it!¡±
She was going to die no matter what. So might as well go down swinging!
With a battle cry, she charged forward.
¨C Kraaaaaaaaah!
She paid no heed to the greatsword and longsword slicing toward her and started hacking away relentlessly with her axe.
Crunch! Crack! Smash!
Though she took heavy damage in the process, she managed to take down the greatsword knight.
[Hong-barian 1K/2D/0A]
Just as she turned to face the longsword-and-shield knight¡ª
Thud, thud!
The assassins reappeared and swiftly finished him off.
And this time, they didn¡¯t even bother hiding again. Instead, they came straight for her.
Hong Yeon-hwa mustered thest of her strength to resist, but Assassin A easily dodged her axe and delivered the finishing blow.
sh!
[Hong-barian 1K/3D/0A]
¡°Ugh¡!¡±
She instinctively raised a fist.
But she stopped herself before she could unleash a fire punch at the arcade machine; instead, she gritted her teeth and seethed in frustration.
Her second-year senior spoke up again.
¡°Wanna go somewhere else now?¡±
¡°I-I¡ I can¡¯t just leave it like this.¡±
She knew she couldn¡¯t win, but she had to take down those dirty bastards at least once.
Only then would she feel even a little better.
Her second-year senior let out a wry smile.
¡°You¡¯re really something else. Alright, go ahead.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa took a deep breath and steeled herself over and over again.
Just once. Just take them down once.
As if it had read her determination, the barbarian let out a thunderous roar.
¨C Kraaaaah¡ª!
***
[Hong-barian 2K/9D/1A]
¡°He¡ Hehe¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa let out an emptyugh while half-dazed.
Dying, respawning, and dying again¡..before she knew it, she had racked up nine deaths.
Nearly 3,000 points had vanished into thin air.
And yet, she hadn¡¯t even touched the assassin duo. The only thing she managed to do was take down some random enemy.
She lowered her head and muttered to her senior,
¡°¡I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine. This is all part of the experience.¡±
Her senior smiled warmly before asking again.
¡°Wanna keep going?¡±
¡°No¡ I¡¯m done¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa hadpletely lost her fighting spirit.
Besides, the match would be over soon anyway, so there was no point in continuing.
Let¡¯s just get something to eat¡
Maybe filling her stomach would make her feel a little better.
As she trudged forward, she suddenly turned her gaze.
Her eyesnded on the screen of a two-yer setup.
On the screen, two assassins darted nimbly across the battlefield, leaving gaping holes in their enemies.
It¡¯s them!
The ones who had thrown her into utter despair.
A gray-haired male student and a blonde female student.
Something about their backs felt oddly familiar, but she was sure she had no memory of anyone dressed like that.
Let¡¯s at least see their faces.
Hong Yeon-hwa decided to wait until the match was over and just watched.
It wasn¡¯t like she was going to vent her frustration on them; it was just a game, after all. She was simply curious about what they looked like.
Before long, the assassin duo wrapped up the match with an overwhelming score and slowly turned around.
The moment she saw their faces, Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s mouth slowly fell open.
Huh¡?
It was Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in.
No wonder their backs had seemed familiar; they had dyed their hair.
Kim Ho recognized her instantly and gave a casual wave.
¡°Knew you¡¯d be here.¡±
¡°Uh¡ uh? Uh¡¡±
He knew I was here all along?
Looking back, she realized she had blurted out quite a few things during the game without thinking.
If they had heard her, they might have recognized her voice.
Hong Yeon-hwa darted her eyes around and started searching for the right words.
¡°Uh¡ you were¡ pretty good.¡±
¡°We did y a bit dirty, huh?¡±
¡°N-No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face turned pale.
She even praised them!
Kim Ho let out a deep sigh and admitted,
¡°I just really wanted to win. The prize was too tempting¡¡±
¡°N-No, I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡ª¡±
Flustered, Hong Yeon-hwa tried to smooth things over, but before she could, Kim Ho turned to scold Seo Ye-in.
¡°You can¡¯t y that dirty. Look, she¡¯s mad.¡±
¡°..¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in stared at Hong Yeon-hwa with an unreadable expression.
That alone made Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s stomach tighten.
After getting beaten down in every match, the hierarchy had naturally been established.
Then Seo Ye-in tilted her head slightly and asked,
¡°¡Are you mad?¡±
¡°No? No! Not at all! Not even a little!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa frantically waved her hands.
To be honest, she had been pretty mad just moments ago, but the second she saw the two of them, her anger dissipated almost instantly.
Seo Ye-in continued to stare at her in silence. Then she turned to Kim Ho and said just one word.
¡°Bread.¡±
¡Bread?
What was that supposed to mean?
She had tossed out a single random word, making it impossible to understand her intent.
Kim Ho, on the other hand, seemed to get it after a brief moment of thought.
He looked directly at Hong Yeon-hwa and said,
¡°Hong Yeon-hwa.¡±
¡°M-Mhmm?¡±
¡°She wants you to go buy bread.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
For a moment, Hong Yeon-hwa was utterly nk. Then, anger surged through her.
What? Buy bread? Hey! There¡¯s a limit to how much you can treat someone like an errand girl! I¡¯m Hong Yeon-hwa, the promising student of the Ruby Magic Tower! You go buy the bread! Right now!!
¡Of course, that was all in her head.
What actually came out of her mouth was,
¡°Uh¡ what kind of bread? From where¡?¡±
At that, Seo Ye-in tugged on Kim Ho¡¯s sleeve and shook her head.
It seemed that wasn¡¯t what she meant.
Kim Ho who was already aware of this turned back to Hong Yeon-hwa and said,
¡°It was a joke.¡±
¡°Oh¡.¡±
¡°She wants to eat bread together.¡±
He pulled out a bakery coupon as he spoke.
It was a coupon that allowed up to four people to dine and order a variety of foods beyond just bread.
Considering the bakery¡¯s prestigious reputation in the downtown area, it was practically equivalent to a meal ticket for a high-end restaurant.
Naturally, getting one required oveing intensepetition, so Hong Yeon-hwa had never actually been inside to eat before.
Faced with this unexpected stroke of luck, she suddenly felt hesitant.
¡°Are you sure¡ it¡¯s okay?¡±
¡°As long as you¡¯re okay with it.¡±
Judging by Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in¡¯s demeanor, they seemed to be making the offer with genuine goodwill.
So after a brief moment of hesitation, Hong Yeon-hwa gave a small nod.
¡°¡Let¡¯s go.¡±
Chapter 298: Hong Yeon-hwa Is Lucky
As we walked,
Hong Yeon-hwa kept ncing at my hair before cautiously asking,
¡°Um, your hair color¡¡±
¡°You mean how it ended up gray?¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡±
I exined casually.
The alchemy club had held a dye potion tasting event, and I had participated, which temporarily changed both my hair and eye color.
At that, Blue eyes and Gold hair Seo Ye-in added proudly,
¡°Gray Kim Ho.¡±¡°¡¡¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa seemed to understand, but she still couldn¡¯t stop sneaking curious nces at me.
I let her be, and before long, we arrived at the bakery.
When I handed the coupon to the waiting staff at the entrance, he performed a brief verification process before guiding us inside.
As soon as we sat down at our table, we opened the menu.
¡°Let¡¯s order first.¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Since it was around lunchtime, everyone was bound to be hungry.
We flipped through the menu and ordered a few dishes¡ª
Salmon sd, seafood pasta, chop steak¡
However, there was something a bit concerning about the dish Hong Yeon-hwa picked.
¡°I¡¯ll have this¡?¡±
The more I observed, the clearer it became. She really had a thing for spicy, salty, bitter, and intensely vored foods.
Even I might struggle with that one.
Back during Ho-Qyu-Sho¡¯ste-night snack party, even the Inferno-vored tteokbokki that Jegal So-so had brought was pretty spicy.
And Hellfire vor was a step above that.
It was infamous even at this upscale bakery in the downtown area. Ahn Jeong-mi had once eaten a Hellfire pizza bun and ended up feeling unwell.
Yet Hong Yeon-hwa was already licking her lips in anticipation. Her face was brimming with excitement.
Might as well let her order it.
If she liked it that much, there was no reason to stop her.
She was good with spicy food, so she could handle it herself.
Curious, Seo Ye-in pointed at the Hellfire Gratin as well.
¡°I¡¯ll have one too.¡±
¡°No, you won¡¯t, young miss.¡±
I cut her off firmly while imitating Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s tone.
If you eat that, it¡¯ll be a disaster.
With that, we finished ordering.
While waiting for our food, we decided to check our rewards.
The Seo-sassin & Ho-sassin duo had taken down more than twenty opponents with precise, deadly blows.
And zero deaths.
So we easily met the reward criteria and received two Random Rank Ups each.
Including the ones I had stashed in my inventory, I now had a total of eight.
¡°Since we¡¯re talking about it, let¡¯s use them here.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Seo Ye-in gave a small nod.
Not fully understanding the situation, Hong Yeon-hwa asked,
¡°Random Rank Up? You¡¯re using them together?¡±
¡°I have a Stamp Coupon.¡±
[Stamp Coupon (C+)]
? Stamps: 0/15
Each failed Random Rank Up attempt would add a stamp.
If we seeded, we¡¯d gain stat boosts instead, even if we collected fewer stamps. So either way, it was a win.
After hearing that, Hong Yeon-hwa hesitated for a moment, then rummaged through her inventory and pulled out two Random Rank Ups.
¡°I-I have some too¡.¡±
She hadn¡¯t earned any from the event since she got beaten up by the assassin duo, but she had apparently been carrying some around.
I shook my head.
I had only suggested using them now because we had some spare time, not to make it a group activity.
¡°You don¡¯t have to use them right now.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I was nning to use them anyway. And if it helps, even better¡.¡±
¡°If you say so. In that case, I appreciate it.¡±
In reality, Random Rank Ups weren¡¯t influenced by luck-rted traits, items, or environmental factors. No matter when or where we used them, the odds remained the same. ??????o?§£?s
With Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s addition, we now had ten Random Rank Ups in total.
If things went well, or ¡°wrong¡±, we might fill all ten stamp slots in one sitting.
Since I was the one who brought it up, I went first.
The Random Rank Up started glowing brightly before¡ª
Fwoosh!¡ª
It instantly fizzled out and scattered like ashes.
Fsshhhhh¡.
[Rank Up Failed.]
[Rank Up Failed¡]
[Rank¡]
¡¡
¡¡
Six failures in a row.
Figures.
This waspletely normal.
I hadn¡¯t expected much to begin with, but I couldn¡¯t deny that it stung a little.
After a few lucky hits, I had secretly wondered, ¡°Maybe this time¡?¡±
Chance-based items were truly bad for mental health.
In any case, I had already secured the first reward.
[Stamp Coupon (C+)]
? Stamps: 6/15
? Reward for umting 5 stamps: Rank Up (D)
I used the Rank Up as soon as I got it.
At this point, the only skill I had at D-rank was [Chillwind], and since it was a skill that was difficult to improve through normal means, I had nned to use it anyway.
[Activated ¡®Rank Up (D)¡¯.]
[The rank of ¡®Chillwind¡¯ has increased. (D+ ¡ú C+)]
Next, I handed things over to Lucky Charm.
¡°Go ahead and use it.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Before I even finished speaking, Seo Ye-in activated her Random Rank Ups.
Fwoosh¡
Both attempts failed and turned to dust.
Since luck bonuses didn¡¯t apply, everyone was equal when it came to Random Rank Ups.
[Stamp Coupon (C+)]
? Stamps: 8/15
Now, it was Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s turn.
Maybe watching eight attempts vanish into thin air had gotten to her, because she looked a little uneasy.
She also seemed to be regretting stepping up in the first ce, so I reassured her again.
¡°Like I said, no pressure. If you really want to use it, go ahead. If not, just save it.¡±
¡°I-I¡¯m fine. Really¡¡±
But despite her words, she still couldn¡¯t shake off her nerves.
Cautiously, she activated a Random Rank Up, and the magic scroll began to glow.
aash¡ª
¡°¡¡¡±
As if expecting failure, Hong Yeon-hwa instinctively covered her eyes.
But contrary to her expectations¡ª
aaash!
The magic scroll shone even brighter, and the light seeped into her body.
[Rank Up Seeded!]
¡°¡¡!¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face lit up just like the magic scroll.
But then, she immediately nced at me and Seo Ye-in with a hesitant face.
¡°Oh¡ but, um¡ you only get a stamp if we fail, right?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to feel bad. It was yours to use, and besides, ranking up is something to celebrate.¡±
Seo Ye-in seemed to agree and gave her a silent round of finger ps.
Hong Yeon-hwa darted her eyes around before mumbling in a small voice.
¡°¡Thanks.¡±
Then, she immediately used herst Random Rank Up¡ª
Fwoosh¡
And, of course, it failed.
She let out a small sigh as if she had expected it and asked,
¡°How many do you have now?¡±
¡°Nine.¡±
[Stamp Coupon (C+)]
? Stamps: 9/15
It hadn¡¯t even been a week since I got it, yet I had already gathered this much.
Hong Yeon-hwa kept asking.
¡°If we get one more stamp, do we get the next reward?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll ask my sister if she has any left.¡±
¡°That¡¯d be great if she does, but there are plenty of other ways to get stamps.¡±
As long as we used any probability-based item and got a ¡°failure¡± result, it counted.
¡°The mostmon method is using a random box.¡±
¡°Ah¡!¡±
A figurative exmation mark seemed to pop up above Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s head.
But just as quickly, her excitement faded.
¡°I don¡¯t have any left¡ I should¡¯ve saved the one I gotst time.¡±
¡°No big deal. We can always go get more.¡±
¡°¡.¡?¡±
Something in my words must have clued her in, as her eyes widened slightly.
I gave her a nod, confirming her suspicion.
¡°Let¡¯s head down next week.¡±
¡°¡Really?¡±
¡°We¡¯ve been resting for a while. It¡¯s time to go back and work on ranking up again.¡±
With the Witch of Corruption defeated, Dark Oobleck had disappeared, eliminating any unexpected variables in dungeon exploration.
That also meant security on the lower floors had likely weakened, making it easier to move around unnoticed.
¡°¡! I¡¯ll clear my schedule.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s face lit up with excitement.
If she had a tail, it would¡¯ve been wagging like crazy.
When Seo Ye-in saw this, she tapped my shoulder and looked up at me.
¡°What about me?¡±
¡°Not until you get permission.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Her expression remained nk, but I could tell she was brimming with dissatisfaction.
I grinned and teased,
¡°Disqualified as a butler?¡±
Immediately, Seo Ye-in shook her head, as if the very idea was absurd.
¡°Lifetime butler.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a scary thing to say.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t go.¡±
To emphasize her point, she even grabbed my wrist, as if she was ready to hold me back.
As I yfully shook my captured wrist back and forth, the food we had ordered arrived.
The waiter ced the dishes on the table one by one.
Seafood pasta, chopped steak, and¡
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle¡@@novelbin@@
Hellfire Chicken Gratin.
It was far too red to be considered just food.
It looked as if someone had poured moltenva into a dish, thrown in a few pieces of chicken, and topped it off with cheese.
¡°¡¡¡±
Seo Ye-in stared at the dish with that same curious look in her eyes.
Hong Yeon-hwa noticed this and offered,
¡°Wanna take a bite?¡±
But before Seo Ye-in could even lift her fork, I cut in.
¡°No way. You can¡¯t even handle spicy food, but you¡¯re always so curious.¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Even so, she clearly wasn¡¯t ready to give up just yet.
I turned to Hong Yeon-hwa and said,
¡°I¡¯ll take a little.¡±
¡°Sure, take as much as you want.¡±
When Hong Yeon-hwa pushed the dish toward me, I ced a small piece of chicken breast on my te.
Then, just to let her get a whiff, I brought it close to Seo Ye-in.
¡°¡¡?¡±
Her eyes widened slightly before she recoiled in the opposite direction.
Just the smell alone was enough to make her flinch.
¡°See? If you put it in your mouth, you¡¯re done for.¡±
¡°It¡¯s spicy¡¡±
¡°Let¡¯s eat something else. The salmon¡¯s good. So is the steak.¡±
Only then did Seo Ye-in finally give up and focus on the food she had ordered.
For the record, I ended up eating the small portion of Hellfire Gratin I had taken.
I figured I had to try it at least once to see just how spicy it was.
And I immediately regretted that decision.
Wow¡ this is no joke¡
One tiny piece of chicken breast was enough to make my tongue go numb.
Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa kept digging into her dish of moltenva. Her face was the picture of pure happiness.
She didn¡¯t even seem the slightest bit affected by the spice.
***
With everyone satisfied, the meal came to an end.
Before we left the bakery, we each packed a few pastries to go.
Hong Yeon-hwa grabbed a Hellfire Pizza Bun for her sister, while Seo Ye-in picked out a set of new-release cookies.
Seeing that, Hong Yeon-hwa asked,
¡°You like cookies?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
Seo Ye-in gave a slight nod and held up the cookies.
¡°For research.¡±
¡°Research¡?¡±
Since Hong Yeon-hwa wasn¡¯t yet fluent in slothnguage, a single word wasn¡¯t enough for her to grasp the full context.
So I added an exnation.
¡°She bakes for me sometimes. They¡¯re pretty good.¡±
The taste was good.
The appearance, on the other hand, still hadn¡¯t improved.
At that, Hong Yeon-hwa alternated nces between the two of us and went into deep thought.
¡°Cookies¡¡±
Leaving her to her musings, I turned to Seo Ye-in and asked,
¡°What¡¯s your battery at right now?¡±
¡°Fifty-four percent.¡±
¡°Why¡¯s your fuel efficiency so good today?¡±
¡°Fuel efficiency, full power.¡±
On a normal day, she would¡¯ve been almost drained by now.
Which meant there was no rush to head back.
¡°Should we hang out a little longer?¡±
¡°Shop.¡±
¡°We already did that.¡±
After all, we had just bought an A-rank item from the Long Ears Magic Item Shop using Ahn Jeong-mi¡¯s nk check to its fullest.
With our bracelets upgraded, we¡¯d already gained more than enough.
Even so, Seo Ye-in shook her head.
¡°Buy one more.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not how this works. We agreed to get just one.¡±
I wasn¡¯t the type to turn down gifts, but there were still boundaries I needed to respect.
Seo Ye-in stared at me in silence for a moment before rummaging through her inventory.
Before long, she pulled out a small and thick rectangr ck card.
A Hye-seong Group ck Card.
¡°My gift.¡±
¡°You¡¯re buying it for me?¡±
¡°Mhmm.¡±
¡°¡Let¡¯s go.¡±
Chapter 299: Hong Yeon-hwa Is Curious
The ce we arrived at was right in front of arge shoppingplex.
It was a general store in the heart of the downtown area.
If the ¡°Long Ears Magic Item Shop¡± focused solely on archery, woodcraft, and nature-type items used by elves, this ce dealt in all kinds of items across the board.
And the quantity is insane.
Of course, that also meant the quality varied greatly, with some items being noticeably inferior.
At ¡°Long Ears Magic Item Shop¡±, all we had to do was take a quick look at the A-rank section, and we were done. But here, we had to sift through an entire building filled with items to find anything worthwhile.
Naturally, that took time, and luck and a keen eye yed a major role.
Not that I was too concerned about that.
If it¡¯s about having a good eye, that¡¯s my specialty.I was a stagnant water, after all. I could tell whether an item was good or bad at a nce.
Besides, I had my lucky sloth with me, so we might finish sooner than expected.
And as a bonus¡ª
¡°Hong Yeon-hwa.¡±
¡°H-Huh¡?¡±
¡°nning to buy something?¡±
¡°No¡? Not really¡?¡±
¡ªI had a portable lighter Hong Yeon-hwa tagging along too.
She had followed us here despite insisting she had nothing to buy.
Judging by how she kept ncing at us more than the disyed items, she was probably curious about what we were looking for.
Well, no need to chase her off.
The items I was after were rted to my own power-ups, but it wasn¡¯t like they were some top-secret information that needed to be hidden.
Besides, there was always a chance she could help in an unexpected way.
So I decided to let Hong Yeon-hwa stick around.
I spoke to Seo Ye-in who was standing next to me.
¡°Lucky Charm radar, activate.¡±
¡°Whiiiin¡ª¡±
Seo Ye-in imitated the sound of a radar in her usual monotone voice.
She slowly looked to the left, then to the right, tilted her head slightly, and finally pointed toward the stairs.
¡°Whiiiin.¡±
¡°You¡¯re saying we should go up?¡±
¡°Whiiiin.¡±
I stepped onto the stairs, following the direction of the Lucky Charm radar, while Hong Yeon-hwa trailed behind us with a doubtful expression, as if unsure if this was the right way. ????¦??????
As soon as we reached the next floor, Seo Ye-in adjusted her bearings once again.
¡°Whiiiin.¡±
¡°There, huh?¡±
The spot she pointed to had a disy of ice-element items.
Curious about what had caught her attention, I was about to take a look when Seo Ye-in suddenly stopped in her tracks before reaching the disy case.
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°It¡¯s cold.¡±
She even took a step back.
Since all the ice-element items were gathered in one ce, the area around them was noticeably chilly.
Considering how much Seo Ye-in hated the cold, it made sense that she wouldn¡¯t want to get any closer.
I spoke casually.
¡°Then just wait there. I¡¯ll take a quick look.¡±
¡°Mhmm¡¡.¡±
The Lucky Charm radar had already done its job.
There was no need to drag her in against her will.
So I had her sit on a nearby sofa and walked over to the disy case alone to browse through the items.
While I was scanning the shelves, Hong Yeon-hwa hesitantly approached me and asked,
¡°What¡ are you looking for?¡±
¡°I¡¯m focusing on penalty reduction. Cooldown reduction would be even better.¡±
¡°Cooldown reduction¡.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa muttered to herself and shifted her attention to the other side of the screen, seemingly trying to help me find something.
[Ice Princess Tiara]
[Mini Ice Skull]
We silently examined various items for a while until I noticed Hong Yeon-hwa suddenly freeze in ce.
Peeking over her shoulder, I asked,
¡°Did you find something?¡±
¡°Uh, no. I don¡¯t think so.¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
Even if she had misread something, there must have been a reason she stopped like that.
Thinking it would be best to check, I moved closer. Hong Yeon-hwa hesitated for a moment before cautiously raising her hand and pointing to a section of the disy case.
¡°That one¡ over there.¡±
A chunk of ice, about the size of a child¡¯s fist.
A peculiar feature of the item was that it had hour, minute, and second hands trapped inside. Just like a clock.
[Frozen Time Crystal (B)]
? Slightly reduces cooldown time upon use
? Can only be used for ice-type skills/traits
? Cannot be used multiple times
Nice find, Sloth Radar.
It was exactly the kind of cooldown reduction item I had been searching for.
The only drawback was that it could only be used for ice-type abilities.
¡°Hong Yeon-hwa.¡±
¡°H-Huh?¡±
¡°Nice job.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa looked puzzled, but her expression brightened as if she was happy to be praised.
I took the Frozen Time Crystal to Seo Ye-in.
She had dozed off in the meantime, but she groggily opened her eyes as I approached.
¡°Young miss, this is the one.¡±
¡°Paying.¡±
Seo Ye-in who trusted that I had chosen well barely nced at the item before pulling out her ck card.
The payment waspleted in the blink of an eye, and then I called for Hong Yeon-hwa again.
¡°Hong Yeon-hwa.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
¡°Melt this for me.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s unique trait. Aqua me.
It had an overwhelming advantage against ice-type elements, capable of melting most frozen objects instantly.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Perhaps feeling slighted at being treated like a portable lighter again, Hong Yeon-hwa hesitated for a moment. But when I silently stared at her, she reluctantly lowered her gaze.
Then she lifted her index finger.
¡ªFwoosh¡
A tiny flicker of me appeared. It was timid like her gesture but its effect was anything but small.
The moment it touched the Frozen Time Crystal, the ice melted away, turning into mist and vanishingpletely.
In the next instant, only the hour, minute, and second hands remained, floating above Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s palm.
[Time Crystal (B+)]
? Slightly reduces cooldown time of skills/traits upon use
? Cannot be used multiple times
A hidden piece rted to some ¡°frozen¡± items.
The crystal was already useful as it was, but by melting it with Aqua mes, its restriction could be erased.
I turned to Hong Yeon-hwa and thanked her.
¡°Thanks. This thing is B-rank, so it¡¯s not easy to melt, but you did it in one go.¡±
¡°N-No, I didn¡¯t really do much¡.¡±
Hong Yeon-hwa waved her hands dismissively, but the corners of her lips were already twitching.
She was still terrible at hiding her expressions.
Since I had obtained the Time Crystal, I decided to use it right away.
Although [Amplification] and [Enchantment] also required cooldown management, the most urgent priority at the moment was [Hardship].
Its cooldownsted an entire week, and since it wasn¡¯t a ranked skill to begin with, it couldn¡¯t even be improved.
[Activated ¡®Time Crystal¡¯.]
[The cooldown time of ¡®Hardship¡¯ has been reduced.]
? 7 days ¡ú 6 days
It was only a slight reduction, but given that the base cooldown was a full week, shaving off a day made a noticeable difference.
This would make scheduling future ns much easier.
Even when chaining it with [Octopus Limbs], it wouldn¡¯t be as suffocating.
After that, I spent the rest of the day wandering around the downtown area with Seo Ye-in. By the time we returned to the dormitory, the sun was nearly set.
***
Hong Yeon-hwa stepped into the Ruby Magic Tower clubroom.
Her older sister Hong Ye-hwa gave her a strange look.
Feeling irritated by the persistent gaze following her, Hong Yeon-hwa finally asked,
¡°What? Why are you looking at me like that?¡±
¡°Did something good happen?¡±
She hadn¡¯t realized it herself, but from the moment she entered the room, a silly smile had been stered on her face.
As always, her emotions were written all over her expression.
Hong Yeon-hwa who was still smiling responded,
¡°Well¡ just because. Here, eat some bread, unnie.¡±
With that, she plopped a bakery bag onto the desk.
Hong Ye-hwa peeked inside and pulled out a Hellfire Pizza Bun.
¡°This is unusual. How thoughtful of you.¡±
¡°I thought of you, that¡¯s all.¡±
¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡±
Hong Ye-hwa took a bite of the Hellfire bun while clearly pleased.
She nodded her head slowly as if savoring the taste.
Under normal circumstances, she would have been scrambling for water right away. But, as expected, both sisters had an unusually high tolerance for spicy food.
It seemed like a warm and pleasant atmosphere was settling in, but suddenly, a thought shed through Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s mind.
¡°But how did you buy this?¡±
¡°What do you mean, how? I bought it at the bakery.¡±
¡°I mean, how did you even get in?¡±
The bakery in the downtown area only sold its goods in very limited quantities at the student cafeteria.
Entering the bakery to buy bread or have a meal there was impossible without a special coupon.
And those coupons were so rare that even Hong Ye-hwa, a third-year club president, had trouble getting her hands on one. The fact that her sister had somehow managed to get one was bound to raise suspicion.
Although Hong Yeon-hwa was starting to sense an ominous feeling from her sister¡¯s tone, she decided to answer honestly.
¡°Well¡ I didn¡¯t get it myself. I ate there with someone.¡±
¡°With who?¡±
¡°¡Kim Ho?¡±
¡°¡¡¡±
Hong Ye-hwa blinked twice.
Then she put down the half-eaten Hellfire pizza bun, got up, took a step, and then another toward her younger sister.
One of her hands slowly began to flicker with mes, as if she were about to unleash her signature ming Back Smash.
Sensing this immediately, Hong Yeon-hwa quickly took a defensive stance and backed away.
¡°Wh-Why are you doing this? Why?¡±
¡°You said you didn¡¯t like him. And now you¡¯re out on a date in the city?¡±
¡°It wasn¡¯t a date!¡±
¡°If you ate together, just the two of you, that¡¯s a date!¡±
Hong Ye-hwa kept closing the distance.
Hong Yeon-hwa retreated further and further until she found herself pressed against the clubroom wall.
But that didn¡¯t mean she had nothing to say in her defense.
She quickly spoke up.
¡°I-It wasn¡¯t just the two of us!¡±
¡°Oh yeah? Then who else?¡±
¡°Seo Ye-in was there too.¡±
¡°Seo Ye-in?¡±
Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly.
It wasn¡¯t a name she was hearing for the first time.
As she carefully traced back her memories, she soon recalled that she was an opponent her younger sister had faced multiple times in duel battles.
Since she was a marksman ss, most of those matches had ended in Hong Yeon-hwa¡¯s defeat due to the unfavorable matchup.
Now that she thought about it, she also remembered hearing that Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in often stuck together.
Hong Ye-hwa asked,
¡°What¡¯s going on between those two? Are they dating?¡±
¡°How would I know?¡±
¡°Ask him.¡±
This time, Hong Yeon-hwa snapped.
¡°Why should I ask that?¡±
¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Why are you so nosy about other people¡¯s business?¡±
¡°Because of you! You!¡±
Who Kim Ho dated was none of Hong Ye-hwa¡¯s concern.
However, if Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in really were in a rtionship, then her younger sister would have no chance to squeeze in between them.
That meant there would be less to worry about when it came to distractions from romance.
So, Hong Ye-hwa spoke in a calm, reasoning tone.
¡°It¡¯s something you can bring up naturally in conversation.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°If you really can¡¯t do it, then forget it.¡±
She had no intention of forcing the issue if it made her sister too ufortable.
Besides, there was always the option of finding outter on her own.
Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa furrowed her brows slightly and was lost in thought.
Honestly¡ I am curious.
The two of them were always together, teaming up in both duel battles and strategy battles.
If they hadn¡¯t run into her in the city, they probably would have spent the whole time together.
By that logic, wasn¡¯t it just like her sister said¡a date?
Were they really dating?
But then, there also seemed to be something going on between him and senior Dang Gyu-young.@@novelbin@@
So what about those two?
Should I really ask¡?
Chapter 300: 17th Week Strategy Battle (1)
Chapter 300: 17th Week Strategy Battle (1)
Sunday evening.
Dang Gyu-young had called me out for a moment.
A bench on the outskirts of the walking trail.
There, Dang Gyu-young sat with her legs stretched out.
She noticed my presence then turned to me and waved her hand lightly.
¡°Young Monarch,e here.¡±
¡°Caa¡ªw.¡±
I grabbed two canned drinks from a nearby vending machine, handed one to Dang Gyu-young, and sat at the edge of the bench.
She then naturally leaned her back against my arm.¡°Ah, sofy~¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t lookfortable.¡±
¡°Nope. Superfy.¡±
As if telling me not to argue, she lightly bumped her head against my shoulder.
We sipped our drinks and exchanged casual updates for a while.
Then after staring down at her legs, Dang Gyu-young spoke.
¡°¡I worked really hard this week, you know?¡±
¡°I know. I saw your effort.¡±
The reason she had called me out was obvious; she hadpleted the Stage 1 Hardship Quest.
I had estimated it would take about a week and a half, but she finished it a few days early.
Which meant she had pushed herself even harder.
Dang Gyu-young grinned.
¡°You should praise me, right?¡±
¡°You worked hard.¡±
¡°Hmph. That¡¯s it? No reward?¡±
¡°Of course, there¡¯s a reward. Stage 2.¡±
Once again, she bumped her head against my shoulder.
¡°You really have no sense of atmosphere. None at all. Hey, use it.¡±
Without hesitation, I activated the skill.
[Activated ¡®Hardship¡¯.]
[Cooldown: 5 days 23:59:58]
[¡®Stage 2 Harship¡¯ has been granted to the target.]
Dang Gyu-young fixed her gaze on empty space for a moment, as if she was reading the quest details.
Then she grimaced in disgust.
¡°¡Two!? I¡¯m not doing it.¡±
¡°You mean the quest where those light orbs appear?¡±
¡°Yeah, how did you know?¡±
¡°That one goes up to four.¡±
¡°¡I¡¯m not doing it! Seriously, I¡¯m not! I¡¯m going home.¡±
With that, she really did brush herself off and stand up.
I lightly grabbed her wrist.
¡°Where are you going? Since you¡¯re here, stay a little longer.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
She hesitated for a moment, then nced down at her captured wrist.
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as she spoke in a coy tone.
¡°Let go. I¡¯m really leaving.¡±
But she showed no real sign of pulling away or taking a step forward.
All she did was lightly shake her wrist in my grasp.
It was obvious she wanted me to y along, so I decided to humor her.
I tightened my grip slightly and spoke in a firmer tone.
¡°Qyu, you¡¯re not going anywhere today.¡±
¡°I¡¯m goi¡ªpfft, hahahaha!¡±
Dang Gyu-young burst intoughter and started smacking my shoulder as she cackled.
Once herughter died down a little, I spoke in a slightly more serious tone.
¡°That quest is annoying, right? Your skills keep getting interrupted and canceled.¡±
¡°Mhmm, mhmm. You get it.¡±
¡°But it¡¯s a necessary step. Now that you¡¯ve cleared Stage 1, you¡¯ve improved a bit, haven¡¯t you?¡±
¡°¡I have, yeah.¡±
The streemp cast a wavering shadow of Dang Gyu-young.
Most people would overlook it as just an ordinary shadow, but I noticed the difference.
It had grown darker than before.
She had probably noticed it too.
¡°As you progress through the stages, it¡¯ll keep getting darker. And then, you¡¯ll learn.¡±
¡°¡Learn what?¡±
¡°Shadow Mark.¡±
A trait that allowed her to cast shadows even in the light.
From the moment they mastered this, Shadow Mages were no longer bound by attributes or environment.
It was also an essential trait for progressing to the next stage.
¡°You might even be able tond a hit on the Disciplinary Committee President.¡±
¡°Oh Se-hoon? That part sounds nice.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s aim to clear Stage 2 before summer break.¡±
That way, I would be able to use it again once the cooldown was up.
Dang Gyu-young met my gaze and nodded her head.
¡°Okay. I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±
***
Monday.
Strategy Battle ss.
Seo Cheong-yong, as always, continued his exnation with a gentle smile on his lips.
¡°Final exams are right around the corner. Next week, to be exact! Time to start preparing, don¡¯t you think?¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°Last week, you had a duel battle inside the Trap Labyrinth. Let¡¯s go around and hear what each of you took away from it.¡±
A few students raised their hands, and as Seo Cheong-yong called on them one by one, they shared their thoughts.
¨C Just making it through the Labyrinth was exhausting.
¨C On top of that, we had to watch out for traps, so it felt harder than other duel battles.
¨C Our team got taken out by a trap before we even got to fight anyone.
¨C We did manage to encounter another team, but by then, we were both in shambles.
Seo Cheong-yong nodded along as he listened to their responses.
¡°That¡¯s right. Labyrinths and traps are the most effective way to wear down intruders. And since your enemies know this, expect these kinds of situations to be moremon, not less.¡±
Then, with a serious expression, he offered a word of caution.
¡°Even in these unfair and disadvantageous situations, you must win. Think about what rests on your shoulders.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
The students¡¯ expressions hardened as they silently reaffirmed their determination.
After setting the mood for a moment, Seo Cheong-yong smiled again and resumed the lesson.
¡°So, both this week¡¯s strategy battle and the final exam will take ce inside a trap dungeon. To give you a little hint, the two are closely connected. Let¡¯s start by looking at the map.¡±
With a casual wave of his hand, a dungeon map appeared on the ckboard.
Arge rectangr maze was intricately tangled together. Its shape resembled that of a mousetrap.
¡°C-Rank Dungeon, Cheese Trap.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°¡ªor rather, a replica of it.¡±
The students gasped before letting out sighs of relief.
Of course, it would have been absurd to throw them into a real C-Rank dungeon for just a strategy battle.
A replica dungeon was essentially a recreated version of an existing dungeon. It was a type of duplicate.
While it didn¡¯t grant rewards uponpletion, it could be modified to suit the academy¡¯s needs, making it perfect for training.
Most likely, only the structure had been preserved while the traps¡¯ lethality had been significantly toned down.
Of course, since it was still adjusted to fit first-year students, getting caught in one would hurt all the same.
Just then, a student sitting near the front raised a hand and asked a question.
¡°So we¡¯re not going down to the lower levels this week?¡±
¡°Good question. I was just about to bring that up. This week¡¯s strategy battle will take ce only on the ground level.¡±
Since it was connected to the final exam dungeon, experiencing Cheese Trap firsthand was more beneficial than exploring any other dungeon.
Seo Cheong-yong pointed to the map and continued his exnation.
¡°So what exactly are you supposed to do here? If you¡¯re entering a dungeon, you should have something to gain from it, right?¡±
After all, without a goal, there would be no reason to risk one¡¯s life clearing a dungeon in the first ce.
At the very center of the map, a room began shing in golden light.
¡°Simply put, it¡¯s the Cheese Room. Your main objective is to secure the reward from this ce.¡±
At some point, aically shaped cheese box had appeared in Seo Cheong-yong¡¯s hand.
It was nothing more than a prop, but holding onto it was necessary to earn points in the strategy battle.
Then, a knowing smile formed on Seo Cheong-yong¡¯s lips.
¡°Of course, if that were all there was to it, this dungeon wouldn¡¯t be called Cheese ¡®Trap¡¯ now would it?¡±
A mousetrap existed to catch mice.
Likewise, the Cheese Room¡¯s reward was merely bait to lure challengers in.
Just then, the golden light in the center of the map flickered out, and in its ce, red markers began appearing all across the map.
¡°The moment you pick up the cheese, the number of traps will increase significantly. Monsters will also be more active. You¡¯ll have to break through all of that to clear the dungeon. Now then, where do you escape?¡±
This time, green door icons began shing in the four corners of the map.
¡°At a nce, they look like exits, don¡¯t they? Once you take the cheese and leave through any of these, it¡¯s over. It doesn¡¯t matter which one you choose. And finally, one more thing.¡±
Four locations on the map lit up in a vivid red.
¡°The Control Room. Destroying it will disable the traps. Of course, it won¡¯t be easy, but any student who seeds will receive bonus points.¡±
To summarize, this week¡¯s strategy battle goes as follows:
Fight through a maze filled with traps and monsters to reach the ¡°Cheese Room¡± at the very center.
Once you obtain the cheese, additional traps will be triggered, and the number of monsters will increase. You must break through all of that and reach an escape point to clear the dungeon.
If you destroy the Control Room along the way, the traps will be disabled, but if memory serves me right, a powerful monster guards it, making it no easy feat.
Of course, for me, there was no choice in the matter.
[Side Quest: 17th Week Strategy Battle] (In Progress¡.)
? Objective: Clear the strategy battle dungeon
? Bonus Objective: Destroy the Control Room (0/1)
? Rewards: Varies based on achievement level
To earn the best reward possible, passing through it was unavoidable.
While I was lost in thought, Seo Cheong-yong¡¯s exnation continued.
Instead of a map, the ssroom ckboard now disyed the rules and environment.
MAP: [Cheese Trap]
RULE: [Three yers]
¡°There are no time or health limits, and as long as you clear it, you¡¯ll get scores and points, so take your time and analyze it thoroughly. I¡¯ve said it multiple times, but this is also connected to the final exam. That¡¯s it for today¡¯s lesson!¡±
After Seo Cheong-yong left the ssroom, students began grouping up to form parties.
Since two-person teams were somewhat set in stone, today¡¯s three-yer requirement meant they needed to bring in one more member.
Of course, my three-yer team had already been decided.
Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in approached me from both sides.
¡°Kim-hyung.¡±
¡°Butler.¡±
I responded with a single sentence to each of them.
¡°You¡¯re not going to join Han So-mi? And also, I¡¯m not a butler.¡±
¡°I only spent time with Miss Han on a whimst week. She said she had something to test.¡±
¡°What did she test?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure. She wouldn¡¯t tell me at all.¡±
Just then, I felt someone staring at us. When I turned to look, Han So-mi was ring at Go Hyeon-woo with her cheeks puffed out.
What on earth did he do to make the always-smiling Han So-mi this upset?@@novelbin@@
Go Hyeon-woo let out a strained chuckle and continued speaking.
¡°Besides, it seems she feels morefortable with you and Miss Seo.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
Since Go Hyeon-woo had been one of the key contributors to clearing dungeons with me alongside Dang Gu-young, he was always wee in the party as long as he was willing to join.
Of course, that meant I¡¯d have to give up on n B. Hong Yeon-hwa or Shin Byeong-cheol.
Just then, Hong Yeon-hwa had asked if there was a spot avable, so I sent her a reply.
[Kim Ho: Already full.]
[Kim Ho: sry sry]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: (Sad puppy emoji)]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: Okay¡¡.]
[Kim Ho: Should we go down tomorrow evening?]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: Mhmm.]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: (Tail-wagging puppy emoji)]
[Hong Yeon-hwa: I¡¯ll wrap up the strategy battle before then!]
¡°You seem busy too, Kim-hyung.¡±
¡°You¡¯re this perceptive, so why is Han So-mi acting like that?¡±
As I closed the message window and replied, Go Hyeon-woo let out an awkwardugh.
¡°Haha, well, they say even monks can¡¯t shave their own heads.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s the case. Anyway, let¡¯s get going.¡±
We moved toward the dungeon building.
Chapter 301: 17th Week Strategy Battle (2)
Chapter 301: 17th Week Strategy Battle (2)
¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been on the ground floor.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo said this as he looked around.
After the midterm exams, most students had only been venturing into the underground floors. Even at F-rank, random boxes could drop, which exined why.
Unless the academy forced us to do otherwise, just like this week, everyone will just keep going deeper and deeper.
I looked at both Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in in turn, then spoke up.
¡°Let¡¯s head in.¡±
¡°I¡¯m ready whenever you are.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
As soon as we stepped onto the teleportation magic circle, our surroundings instantly changed. A narrow passage stretched out before us.Old bricks formed the walls, ceiling, and floor, and the torches hanging on the walls lit up the interior.
Further along the passage, I could see a fork branching off to the left and right.
As we walked in that direction, Go Hyeon-woo posed a question.
¡°Kim-hyung, are you nning to stop by this ¡®control room¡¯ too?¡±
¡°We might as well. There¡¯s extra points in it.¡±
¡°I think that¡¯s a good idea. In that case, how about we split up?¡±
Our main objective was to retrieve the chest from the Cheese Room, then escape.
On top of that, we intend to neutralize the control room as well.
With two targets, it would be more efficient in many ways to split into two groups, one for the cheese room and one for the control room, so that each could escape separately.
However, I shook my head.
¡°Let¡¯s all go together. Chasing efficiency won¡¯t earn us any extra rewards, and this is also a sort of preliminary field trip for the final exam.¡±
¡°Hmm, you have a point.¡±
Seo Cheong-yong repeatedly stressed that a simr dungeon would appear in the final exam.
It¡¯s likely not just simr, but a higher-level version of this dungeon.
With that in mind, it was better to build experience, even if we lost some efficiency.
Having settled on that approach, we continued to make our way through the dungeon.
We noticed traps here and there, but for Seo Ye-in and me, they were no big deal.
I wondered how Go Hyeon-woo would handle them, but surprisingly, he avoided them quite well.
He gave an awkwardugh.
¡°I had a rough time with a certain youngdyst week.¡±
¡°Must¡¯ve stepped on a lot of traps.¡±
¡°To be honest, yes. But thanks to that, I¡¯ve sharpened my eye a bit. You could call it a blessing in disguise.¡±
Last week¡¯s duel battle involved abyrinth, traps, and even a three-way battle. It was a total disaster.
Go Hyeon-woo and Han So-mi, who didn¡¯t have much knowledge about traps or mechanical formations, probably had to brute-force their way through.
Could that be why she was upset?
That thought briefly crossed my mind, but I chose not to dwell on it.
I¡¯d find out eventually anyway.
Soon enough, Go Hyeon-woo who was leading the way slowed his steps and pointed at the floor.
Barely visible traps were lined up in a row.
¡°We¡¯ll have to jump over them.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±
We each took a turn leaping over the traps.
Just as Seo Ye-innded, she tilted her head, and then nced behind us.
¡°.¡¡?¡±
I wondered what she was looking at and turned around to see a translucent humanoid figure sticking halfway out of a wall, as if it had tried to pass through but got stuck.
When our eyes met, the creature snickered at us.
¨C Hehehe!
¡°A Poltergeist.¡±
It was a ghost-type monster. Despite being incorporeal, it could physically interact with objects. That was its defining trait.
Seo Ye-in stared at the thing, then asked me,
¡°Strong?¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡±
Without hesitation, Seo Ye-in fired a rapid series of magic bullets at it.
Tudududududu!
The Poltergeist tried weaving through the air to dodge, but before long, it was riddled with holes.
With a shriek and one final gasp, it vanishedpletely.
Seo Ye-in stared at the spot for a moment, then said,
¡°Weak.¡±
¡°That¡¯s normal.¡±
They¡¯re not known for having high fighting power.
Of course, it did go down rather easily, likely because this is a replica dungeon.
The monsters¡¯ durability was presumably scaled down.
It also helped that Seo Ye-in¡¯s magic bullets were now at B-rank.
Go Hyeon-woo who saw this spoke up.
¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen something like that. I wonder what it actually does.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s find out.¡±
Sure enough, as we went a bit farther, another Poltergeist popped out from the ceiling.
¨C Hehehe!
Curious about what it might do, both Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in refrained from attacking.
It responded by sliding its translucent hand into the wall. We heard a loud click sound of machines interlocking.
It had triggered a trap.
Immediately, a section of the ceiling opened and arge metal ball about the size of a person crashed to the ground.
Then it began rolling toward us at a terrifying speed.
Rumble¡
Facing the oing metal ball, Go Hyeon-woo bobbed his head thoughtfully.
¡°So that¡¯s how it works.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re ced in this dungeon.¡±
A Poltergeist could pass through walls and could also exert physical force.
In other words, it could activate every trap set in this dungeon.
¡°Understood. Time to block it, then.¡±
With that, Go Hyeon-woo stepped forward.@@novelbin@@
He drew a golden magic sword and pointed it ahead.
A gentle breeze began swirling around its tip.
[Pure Flow]
Whiiiing¡ª
The moment the metal ball touched the tip of the sword, it came to an abrupt halt, as if frozen in ce by magic.
Seeing this, the Poltergeist let out a series of amused chuckles, as if it found the whole thing hrious.
¨C Hehe¡ª
Swish!
In the next instant, Go Hyeon-woo swung his sword, and the Poltergeist was sliced clean in half by the energy de.
¡°It¡¯s best to take them down the moment we see them.¡±
¡°That would certainly make things easier.¡±
From then on, weunched attacks at any Poltergeist that so much as cast a shadow in our direction.
Most of them were eliminated, but the clever ones slipped into the walls or ceiling, making it nearly impossible for us to deal with them.
Whoever designed this Cheese Trap must have anticipated this and strategically ced the Poltergeists ordingly.
As we continued exploring thebyrinth, something clearly out of ce caught our eyes.
Amidst the old brick walls stood a bright yellow door that stood in stark contrast to its surroundings.
Go Hyeon-woo looked at it and remarked,
¡°That must be the cheese room.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
As we approached, we noticed that even the door itself was deliberately designed to resemble cheese.
Inside, everything from the furniture to the decorations was cheese-themed.
It was as if the room itself was saying, ¡°This is the cheese room! You¡¯vee to the right ce!¡±
At its center sat a box that was also designed to look like cheese. It was the very same one Seo Cheong-ryong had shown us during our strategy battle lesson.
¡°It¡¯s so obvious that it actually makes me suspicious.¡±
¡°No need to be.¡±
This was exactly what the dungeon intended.
Without hesitation, I picked up the cheese box.
The moment I did, I felt an intangible wave ripple outward from the spot where we stood.
Wuuuuung¡ª
Immediately, the sounds of machines activating, metal grinding against wood, and magic being cast filled the air from all directions.
Go Hyeon-woo nced around curiously before letting out a small chuckle.
¡°We¡¯ve triggered a trap.¡±
¡°This is where things really begin.¡±
With the cheese box secured, our next objective was reaching the exit.
Of course, the path ahead wouldn¡¯t be easy.
More traps were bound to appear.
Sure enough, the moment we stepped out of the cheese room, our eyesnded on¡ª
¨C Hehe! Hehehe!
The Poltergeists were flying around several times more frantically than before.
As they flitted from ce to ce, they activated one trap after another.
The floor caved in and arge axe de swung back and forth like a pendulum.
Then a blue magic circle flickered to life on one of the walls, followed by a barrage of icicles raining down.
Swish-swish-swish¡ª!
Since I had anticipated this, I cast Wind Barrier on Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in.
The iing icicles veered off course.
Swish!
Immediately after, Go Hyeon-woo unleashed a sword energy, slicing the Poltergeist diagonally in half.
¡°I expected more traps, but I didn¡¯t think these things would get even more active.¡±
¡°The best n is to get out of here quickly.¡±
Of course, that would have to wait until we stopped by the control room.
¨C Hehe! Hehe!
Another Poltergeist appeared out of nowhere.
However, before it could even touch a trap, Seo Ye-in¡¯s assault rifle red with blue fire.
¡°Enough already.¡±
Ratatatatatatata!
***
Before long, we came to a halt in front of a highly suspicious-looking door.
A sign on the door read:
I fixed my eyes on it and asked Go Hyeon-woo,
¡°This looks like the control room, doesn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°Sure seems that way.¡±
At the very least, this dungeon didn¡¯t y tricks with its rooms.
Maybe it figured the ones we encountered on the way were more than enough.
Next, I looked at Seo Ye-in and asked,
¡°Who am I?¡±
¡°Authorized personnel.¡±
¡°And who are you?¡±
¡°Authorized personnel.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
Without hesitation, I flung the door open and stepped inside.
The control room, much like the cheese room, was simple.
At the very center of the spacious room stood a lever designed to be raised or lowered.
All I had to do was pull it down, and the traps in the area would be neutralized.
No way it¡¯s going to let me do that so easily.
Since this was the heart of the dungeon, a powerful guardian was bound to be stationed here.
As expected, dark energy swelled near the lever, twisting and taking the shape of a person.
A ghost-type monster much like the Poltergeists.
The difference? This one was far more powerful inbat.
Its sole purpose was to eliminate intruders.
At that moment, I felt its gaze lock onto me.
Why me of all people?
I clicked my tongue inwardly and watched as its shape suddenly changed.
ck hair.
Sharp eyes¡.no, they were downright sinister.
The Dragon yer Academy uniform.
It was a perfect copy of me.
¡°A Doppelganger.¡±
It was a monster that borrowed its opponent¡¯s appearance and abilities to fight.
Go Hyeon-woo looked back and forth between me and the fake Kim Ho. His expression was filled with curiosity.
¡°Huh, it really is identical to you, Kim-hyung.¡±
¡°¡¡?¡±
Seo Ye-in also alternated her gaze between the real Ho and the fake Ho, then repeated the motion once more.
She pointed at the fake Kim Ho and spoke.
¡°Doppelgang-Ho.¡±
¡°You¡¯re surprisingly good ating up with nicknames. First ¡®Gray Kim Ho¡¯ and now this.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
At mypliment, Seo Ye-in raised her hand and formed a V-sign.
Meanwhile, Go Hyeon-woo who was maintaining a rtively serious demeanor asked a question.
¡°Should I assume I¡¯m up against you, Kim-hyung?¡±
¡°It¡¯ll be a little easier than facing me.¡±
A Doppelganger didn¡¯t just copy the appearance of its designated target; it also replicated their skills and traits.
Of course, it wasn¡¯t possible to copy everything from A to Z; there were several restrictions.
¡°For starters, it can¡¯t take equipment.¡±
I was holding the sapling, wearing the Dark Cloud Bracelet and Cloudstepper shoes, while Doppelgang-Ho stood there empty-handed. It was wearing only the school uniform and shoes.
A spot-the-difference game was surprisingly possible.
¡°Its skills and traits will also be significantly weaker.¡±
Another key restriction was that the number and rank of skills and traits a Doppelganger could copy depended on its own level.
An F-rank doppelganger could copy one skill/trait up to F-rank,
And a C-rank doppelganger can copy four skills/traits up to C-rank.
Go Hyeon-woo asked,
¡°Then what level is this fake Kim-hyung?¡±
¡°E-rank.¡±
If we had encountered it in the original Cheese Trap, it would¡¯ve been C-rank. But this was a replica dungeon.
It had likely copied two of my skills and two of my traits, but they would have been restricted to a maximum of E-rank.
¡°Still, don¡¯t let your guard down.¡±
I was someone who walked around wrapped in cheat-like skills and traits.
Even with an E-rank limit, depending on what it had taken, there was still a chance it could catch us off guard.
If that happened, Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in would be taken out in a single hit.
Perhaps taking my advice to heart, the two of them adjusted their stances with a somewhat serious demeanor.
¡°¡¡.¡±
¡°¡¡.¡±
The standoff continued for a while¡. until suddenly, Doppelgang-Ho clenched one fist.
Dark red mes red up from its hand.
I couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh.
¡°Of all things, it had to take that one.¡±
Looks like I¡¯ll have to keep this rey private.
The moment it thrust its fist forward, a storm of mes surged ahead.
Whoooooooooosh¡ª!
Chapter 302: 17th Week Strategy Battle (3)
Chapter 302: 17th Week Strategy Battle (3)
Whooooooooooooosh¡ª!
We dove to the sides, dodging the oing storm of mes.
Even though it was just an E-rank Inferno Fist, with my S-rank elemental resistance, I could have taken the hit head-on without much trouble.
Still, I chose to avoid it.
Because it might have taken [Copy].
If, by any chance, it had managed to copy a high-rank skill or trait, it would be a disaster. Leaving no openings was the safest choice.
Whooooooooooosh¡ª
Even with the E-rank restriction, Inferno Fist unleashed power worthy of a prohibited skill.
Dark red mes smoldered in the path of the passing firestorm.I felt the lingering heat and looked at the creature¡¯s fist.
It had burned pitch-ck, reduced to charcoal.@@novelbin@@
That meant it had taken the full brunt of the elemental penalty.
No elemental resistance.
But in the next moment, the charred fist rapidly regenerated and became as good as new¡ª
As if time itself had rewound.
So it has Retrorecovery instead.
It must have copied skills at random, but thebination was surprisingly effective.
However, Retro Recovery had a cooldown of three whole days, and the battle had only just begun.
From this point on, it wouldn¡¯t be able to manage its penalties at all.
I turned to Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in.
¡°At most, it can take three or four more hits.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
With brief responses, the twounched their assault on Doppelgang-Ho from both directions.
Sword energy shed forward, while a battle rifle spat blue fire.
Swish¡ª!
Tutututututututututu¡ª!
¡°¡¡¡±
The fake Kim Ho flicked its eyes back and forth, moved through the onught with precise footwork, and slipped through the smallest gaps in the attacks.
des and magic bullets narrowly grazed past.
Go Hyeon-woo let out an impressed murmur.
¡°Fake Kim-hyung sure fights like the real Kim-hyung. This won¡¯t be easy.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. It dodges well.¡±
Maybe because it was my clone, but its movements were sharper than I expected.
Of course, without any significant movement skills, it was impossible to dodge every attack using only basic movements.
Especially when the opponents were none other than Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in.
The two coordinated their attacks, steadily pressuring the doppelg?nger and gradually umting damage.
Before long, Doppelgang-Ho seemed to realize that things couldn¡¯t continue like this and decided to y its next card.
Whooosh¡ª
A whirlwind erupted around it.
The trajectories of the iing sword energy and magic bullets subtly shifted, creating small gaps in the once-tight offensive.
Dodging became a bit easier.
Whooosh¡ª
Immediately after, Doppelgang-Ho directed the wind toward Seo Ye-in.
Judging by the aggressive way it wielded the skill,
It¡¯s not Twister; it¡¯s Spiral Explosion.
Since it was abination skill, it essentially meant the doppelg?nger had taken Twister, One Point Explosion, and Air Burst all at once.
However, this also confirmed that it hadn¡¯t taken the copy.
Which means I can make my move.
Whooosh¡ª
I generated a counteracting whirlwind, scattering its Spiral Explosion.
My rank was far superior, and with the added bonus of the Blessing of the West Wind, there was no way it couldpete with me.
I was about to rush in and beat down Doppelgang-Ho, but then I changed my mind.
Maybe I should wait a little longer.
Opportunities like this didn¡¯te often, so it seemed better to let them gain as much experience as possible.
Besides, they were holding their own well enough even without my intervention.
So I decided to take a step back and offered advice instead.
¡°One trait left. Just watch out for that.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
Its E-rank [Core] must have been there from the start, and one of its traits was [Retrorecovery].
Depending on what the remaining one was, it could still catch us off guard.
As its Spiral Explosion was effortlessly dispersed, Doppelgang-Ho clenched its fist tightly once more.
Then, it thrust an Inferno Fist straight at Seo Ye-in.
Whoooooooosh¡ª!
Meanwhile, Go Hyeon-woo was rapidly closing the distance behind the doppelg?nger and stepping swiftly with precise footwork.
It seemed he had decided that engaging in closebat would be more effective than sending out sword energy.
His magic sword traced a golden arc through the air.
Swaaash¡ª!
Doppelgang-Ho mixed and employed the sub-skills of Spiral Explosion.
It shed its sword with Twister and counterattacked with One Point Explosion and Air Burst.
Nevertheless, it was outmatched in trading blows with Go Hyeon-woo, and its entire body quickly became covered in sword marks.
At the rear, Seo Ye-in resumed her attack, having temporarily withdrawn to avoid the Inferno Fist before rejoining the fray.
At the moment when the fake Kim Ho¡¯s vulnerability became even more apparent,
[Rapid Current]
Swish!
The golden magic sword sliced through the creature¡¯s throat.
It appeared to have sliced cleanly through, but the moment it touched the throat, the de twisted and curled like a piece of taffy.
The final trait it took was [Distortion].
At the same time, the creature clenched its fist tightly, and deep within, dark red mes erupted.
Go Hyeon-woo was impressed by that.
¡°Damn¡ª¡±
Whoooooosh¡ª!
A firestorm swept across Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s position.
Honestly, that was well done.
It had been holding its guard tightly, then deliberately allowed an opening and seized the moment when Distortion was triggered tounch a counterattack.
As expected from my clone, it had employed my skills and traits superbly.
However, Doppelgang-Ho had not emerged unscathed, as it had used Inferno Fist twice.
One of its hands had been burned so badly that it resembled a lump of crumbling charcoal.
¡°¡¡.¡±
Nheless, as if nothing were wrong, the creature casually nced at that hand and resumed fighting with its other.
And just as it was about to pivot abruptly towards Seo Ye-in,
¡°I can feel the gap between me and Kim-hyung.¡±
Fwoosh!
Doppelgang-Ho¡¯s chest was pierced by the magic sword.
Go Hyeon-woo, whom everyone had assumed had been engulfed by the Inferno Fist, emerged suddenly.
¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m having such a hard time even against a knockoff. Fortunately, I still have a trump card left.¡±
The reason I refrained from intervening at the moment the Inferno Fist ignited was that I had caught sight of Go Hyeon-woo¡¯s new form starting to blur.
That signified he had narrowly managed to use Ghost Dance.
Immediately after evading, Go Hyeon-woo unleashed ¡°Thousand Winds, Endless Step¡± to approach once again, and he was able to inflict a fatal blow upon the creature.
Tutututututututututu!
Seo Ye-in too had been incessantlyunching her shots.
Doppelgang-Ho, who had allowed Go Hyeon-woo to make a move, was momentarily frozen, unable to dodge, and ended up getting hit by a barrage of magic bullets.
¡°¡¡!¡±
The umted damage had taken its toll, and Doppelgang-Ho staggered repeatedly.
In a final act of defiance, it clenched its only remaining fist tightly.
Then it extended his Inferno Fist toward Seo Ye-in.
Whooooooooooooosh¡ª!
Instead of dodging the firestorm, Seo Ye-in deployed a cloud about the size of a fist.
Then, she murmured the incantation under her breath.
¡°Fluffy Fluffy.¡±
Bang!
The cloud spread out in an instant, much like a smoke grenade bursting.
And it absorbed the firestorm as if cotton were soaking up water.
Before long, the cloud diminished to the size of a fist, but her figure was nowhere to be found within it.
Before long, she had closed the distance and positioned herself right in front of Doppelgang-Ho.
In one hand, instead of an assault rifle, she gripped a familiar pot.
Seo Ye-in swung the Kim Ho pot with all her might.
ng¡ª!
A sound that was somewhere between dull and resonant echoed, and Doppelgang-Ho¡¯s neck twisted diagonally.
It soon copsed onto the floor with a thud before disintegrating into dust.
I approached the two and said.
¡°Good job. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be this tough in the first ce.¡±
¡°Since it was Kim-hyung we were facing, it was inevitable, right? Still, it turned out to be a good experience.¡±
Go Hyeon-woo responded with a gentle smile.
I half-jokingly scolded Seo Ye-in.
¡°You¡¯re hitting me with that pot again?¡±
Seo Ye-in proudly held up the Kim Ho pot,
So that the dented area was clearly visible.
¡°The Kim Ho, Kim Ho Pot.¡±
¡°It had been upgraded.¡±
I had sworn it would never hit me again, yet here it was being used on Doppelgang-Ho.
I had tomend her adaptability.
Anyway, since we had sessfully dispatched the doppelganger, it was time to carry out our objective in the control room.
I signaled to Go Hyeon-woo, and he smiled softly as he grabbed the lever and applied force.
The lever slowly descended, just a little at a time.
Crrreeeak,
¡°¡It¡¯s heavier than it appears.¡±
¡°If it weren¡¯t set up like this, people would just pull the lever and run.¡±
¡°That makes sense.¡±
Anyone holding the handle would inevitably be vulnerable to attack.
The intention was to force us to deal with the doppelganger rather than resort to any underhanded tactics.
Before long, the lever reached the bottom and a series of nking noises echoed from all directions.
And then, an almost terrifying silence ensued.
Every mechanical device installed throughout the dungeon hade to a stop.
I said to the two, who were looking around in wonder,
¡°Let¡¯s move. This thing¡¯s going to start rising again soon.¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
¡°¡¡!¡±
The two promptly began to follow me.
It appeared that neither Seo Ye-in nor the ever-optimistic Go Hyeon-woo wished to linger in the trapden area for long.
With the poltergeists constantly poking and prodding at us, their irritation must have doubled.
We left the control room and made our way toward our final destination. The exit.
The good news was that since we had just pulled the lever, all the traps had been deactivated.
Even the poltergeists that had been popping up here and there hadpletely vanished.
¡°¡¡..?¡±
Curious, Seo Ye-in cautiously nudged the edge of a trap with her toe.
Naturally, nothing happened.
¡°It¡¯s broken.¡±
¡°It will be fixed soon.¡±
After a certain amount of time, the control room would restore itself, and the deactivated traps would reactivate.
With that in mind, we quickened our pace and pushed through the dungeon.
After pressing forward for a while, we finally spotted a green emergency light glowing in the distance.
Right beneath it was a teleportation portal leading outside.
We had reached the exit.
Go Hyeon-woo let out a wry smile.
¡°This was more mentally exhausting than I expected. I didn¡¯t realize my weakness to mechanical traps would be holding me back this much.¡±
¡°Well, what can you do? You¡¯ll have to get used to it.¡±
After all, even the uing finals would take ce in a dungeon that was essentially an upgraded version of the Cheese Trap.
¡°You¡¯re right. I should take this as a learning opportunity.¡±
Nodding to himself, Go Hyeon-woo said he was going to seek advice from Shin Byeong-cheol and walked off.
Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in hugged the Kim Ho, Kim Ho Pot tightly and headed back to the dorms.
I watched them leave and pulled up my quest window.
[Side Quest: 17th Week Strategy Battle] (Completed)
? Objective: Clear the Strategy Battle Dungeon (1/1)
? Bonus Objective: Neutralize the Control Room (1/1)
?Reward: [Copy ¨C Trait] Slot +1
? Copy ¨C Traits [2/3]
1. Retrorecovery (S)
2. The Sovereign¡¯s Crown
3. (Empty)
I finally had three slots each for skills and traits.
Thinking back to how I had barely scraped by with just one skill slot and one trait slot when I first enrolled, this was a huge leap forward.
With this, the Strategy Battle was officiallyplete.
The next thing on my schedule was entering the ice-themed dungeon with Hong Yeon-hwa.
While she worked on ranking up Aqua me, I nned to do some rank training of my own.
The rubies I¡¯d receive aspensation were just a bonus.
But before that¡ª
I should pick up what I left in safekeeping first.
With that in mind, I headed toward the Ruby Magic Tower clubroom.
***
As always, Hong Ye-hwa greeted me with her business-like smile.
¡°Wee. Yeon-hwa isn¡¯t here yet. Want me to call her?¡±
¡°No, I actually came to speak with you today, senior.¡±
¡°With me?¡±
Surprised by my words, Hong Ye-hwa raised an eyebrow slightly.
I nodded and continued.
¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to use the Book of Chaos.¡±
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