“Did I go too far?”
“Senior-nim, why did you do that? She was almost about to cry.”
“No, it’s not like I did it on purpose, you know? I didn’t expect that guy to throw the cleaver at that moment.”
Dang Gyu-young scratched her cheek and looked somewhat embarrassed.
She didn’t intend for the Beheader Goblin to throw the cleaver in the final moment.
The commands that can be issued through the [Commander] rule were only simple ones.
For example, things like “move to a certain place 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 monster’s instincts which led to all sorts of unpredictable outcomes.
Similarly, Dang Gyu-young didn’t have the authority to control every minor movement of the Beheader Goblin.
The last command 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-young’s burst out laughing once again.
Little did anyone anticipate that the Beheader Goblin would actually pick up and hurl the cleaver,
Nor that the cleaver would land 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 in command, 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 couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
Recalling the moment seemed to tickle her funny bone all over again, as Dang Gyu-young giggled and slapped my shoulder repeatedly for a good while.
It took her some time before she finally managed to compose herself and catch her breath.
“Ah, my stomach hurts. Anyway, I didn’t do it on purpose, you know. What are we doing today?”
Today’s 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 close combat training.
After all, I had already removed all three stickers.
But that didn’t mean I intended to waste my time.
[Event: 1st Mentoring] (In progress…)
[Remaining Duration: 20 Days]
▷ Accelerate 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 from last week’s side quest reward still in effect.
It would be a loss not to engage in training during such a time.
“I plan to work on my skills for the time being.”
“Skills? Are you planning 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 wasn’t just about upgrading ranks.
“I also plan to learn a new skill in the process.”
[Skills]
▷Wind Force (C+)
▷Inferno Fist (C)
▷Amplification (D)
▷Copy-Skill [2/2]
1. Thief’s Step (B+)
2. Overheat (D)
Having a variety of useful skills is always beneficial.
And since [Inferno Fist] was a forbidden skill, it couldn’t be used in official settings.
The [Overheat] and [Thief’s Step] registered in my copy slot provided exceptional physical abilities and agility, making them too valuable to replace 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 had come 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 my command.
To put it a bit more simply, I kept him around mostly for that skill alone.
Its utility was high and from an opponent’s 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.
I’ll have to learn it step by step.
The plan was to master several lower-tier skills and ultimately come 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.
The latter 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 dungeon’s underground layer.
Another time was just last week in the sticker duel battle when I needed to restrict Dang Gyu-young’s 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, that’s 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?”
“I’m not doing it. I made myself clear. I’m not participating.”
“Let’s hear the reason first. Why won’t you?”
“You’re going to use that wind magic on me, aren’t you?”
I hesitated for a few seconds before responding.
“Using it against strong opponents does tend to accelerate the learning process.”
“Ab,so, lutely, not!”
Each syllable was enunciated clearly and forcefully.
It was clear how much she detested the idea of becoming a practice target for Wind Force.
It seemed she had a particularly strong aversion to being used in this way, even though I didn’t 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 couldn’t force someone who was clearly unwilling, I suggested an alternative plan.
“We have no choice then. In that case, could you at least herd the monsters towards me? I plan 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 didn’t really matter if the practice targets were monsters.
Moreover, it was a defense strategy battle with a large number of monsters and I could use the commander rule to have her direct their attacks towards me.
It was an ideal setting for refining my Wind Force.
Dang Gyu-young readily accepted the alternative option I suggested.
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
Her thought process was simple: any annoying skill is bearable as long as it’s not used on herself.
And it was a bonus for her to just sit back, relax, 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 didn’t feel the presence of Ahn Jeong-mi.
After all, a mentor isn’t always free.
Today’s 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 blankly.
“Aren’t you going to pick up more?”
“…….”
She didn’t 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, I’m of the opinion that if you’re 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-in’s gaze slowly drifted down and fixed on my plate.
Based on past experiences, that look usually meant she wanted something.
“Want me to make you one?”
– Nod.
“Plate.”
When Seo Ye-in handed me her plate 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 was completed.
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 troubles last night.
The shock of failing her second attempt must have been great.
She pretended not to care but she probably couldn’t sleep well as scenes from yesterday kept replaying in her mind.
In that regard, Song Cheon-hye is lucky to have a friend like Han So-mi by her side.
The latter 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-hye’s mood.
“Oh! Bagels!”
Upon seeing the bagel towers on our plates, Han So-mi’s eyes lit up.
“Cheon-hye, it’s bagel day, bagel sandwiches!”
“Why so surprised? Bagels can happen.”
However, contrary to her disinterested tone, Song Cheon-hye’s eyes quickly scanned my plate.
Her previously darkened face brightened a bit and she subtly licked her lips.
I asked her,
“Shall we talk strategy over the meal?”
“Let’s 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.
It’s not that we were particularly close.
Song Cheon-hye and I were only temporarily tied through a mentoring relationship, 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.
“Can’t we at least share a meal together? It’s fine, right?”
“Mhmm.”
Seo Ye-in nodded her head up and down as if she didn’t 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 couldn’t help but ask when I saw their plates.
“How come they all look exactly the same, the bagels?”
“Hehe….”
Han So-mi gave an awkward laugh while Song Cheon-hye discreetly avoided my gaze.
There sat perfect replicas of the bagel sandwiches I had made.
Two of them, in fact.
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