“Really, can Kim-hyung really get me the Season Pass?”
“It’s possible for me.”
“How?”
As I casually waved the catalog, Go Hyeon-woo coughed softly.
“I could explain it to you, but even if I did, you probably wouldn’t understand.”
“Ahem…”
Considering he couldn’t even recognize all the items in the catalog, how could he comprehend their uses?
“What matters isn’t how, but the fact that I can get the season pass.”
“That’s 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 aren’t 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-playful and half-disappointed.
“I feel a bit let down. If it were such, I would help Kim-hyung even without the season pass. Aren’t we friends?”
“For a normal dungeon, that’s 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 place I’m 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 couldn’t do the same for a life-threatening situation.
A fair compensation had to be offered.
Go Hyeon-woo asked a question.
“If I agree, when do you plan to attempt this deep dungeon?”
“Of course, it’s 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 don’t 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 wasn’t 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 contemplation.
“I will accept Kim-hyung’s 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. Don’t hesitate to use your points.”
“Will my points be sufficient for that?”
“The replay sales will keep coming in, so you shouldn’t run short for the next two weeks. I’ll get you the season pass within that time.”
“Two weeks sounds reasonable. I will wait accordingly.”
***
After sending Go Hyeon-woo off to the training center, I pulled up the quest window.
[Side Quest: Placement Test] (Completed)
▷Objective: Achieve a mid-tier or higher rank on the placement test.
▷Win at least once in the duel battle placement test (1/1)
▷Rank in the top 50% in the strategy battle placement test (Current Ranking: 41%)
▷Reward: [Copy-Skill] Slot +1
Copy-Skill [1/2]
1. Hummingbird (E)
2. None
An additional empty slot was now available.
The placement 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, it’s not a huge amount compared to the points I’ll accumulate over the semester.
This reagent is not as precious as it seems.
However, it’s 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 guy come 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 slayer as well.
He could handle this level of hostility with ease.
It didn’t seem like Lee Soo-dok had come 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 replay.”
A replay? What kind of replay?
The data room staff frowned in confusion.
“Do you mean a replay from a strategy battle?”
“That’s correct.”
“That… you should be able to purchase from the student store.”
“It’s a private one, that’s why.”
A private replay.
He could guess what was going on.
A student had set a replay to be private and Lee Soo-dok had come 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 explain rather than just saying it wasn’t possible and sending Lee Soo-dok away.
“The student’s name is…?”
“Kim Ho. First year, Class 3.”
As the staff typed on the keyboard, the student’s information appeared on the screen along with his strategy battle score.
[Kim Ho, 683 points, 38%]
He tried to access the replay to show Lee Soo-dok, but the screen only displayed the message [Access Denied].
The staff shook his head.
“As you can see, it’s 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 Slayer Academy like him should already be aware of this; why did he need an explanation?
Yet Lee Soo-dok seemed to insist on hearing it.
With no other choice, the data room staff member explained.
“…Our authority might be higher, but this isn’t about authority. The replay wasn’t saved at all. It’s impossible to access something that isn’t even in the database.”
Lee Soo-dok’s 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 wasn’t interested.
So the staff member cautiously asked a question.
“Why are you curious about this? There seems to be nothing noteworthy about the student’s scores.”
“…Kim Ho left the dungeon in less than four minutes after entering.”
“What? That can’t be right.”
Exiting in less than four minutes with a score of 683?
That sounded impossible.
He must have completed 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 replay isn’t available, we can’t access 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 glasses, 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-dok’s suspicions to be true.
Lee Soo-dok thought to himself,
If it’s almost 700 points in 3 minutes, then by simple calculation, 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 the late 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,
“…Shouldn’t 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 Slayer 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 Slayer Academy had as many enemies as it had allies.
The dragon’s 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 plan 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 replay 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 outcome leaned towards the latter…
“I am the homeroom teacher, after all.”
His words were laced with deep killing intent.
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