Chapter 40
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Translator: MJK
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Dragon's Shadow (9)
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That night, in the dorm room.
I lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. The fluorescent lights were glaring, but I had no intention of turning them off.
Sleep wouldn't come.
So I got up and went to the desk. I powered on my laptop and logged into the Hunter Academy's internal database.
The dungeon information system, accessible to any student.
I typed "Axe Pond Dungeon" into the search bar.
Information filled the screen.
Dungeon Name: Axe Pond Dungeon
Grade: C-Grade
Difficulty: Low
Recommended Level: D-Grade or higher
Features: Motif based on the Golden Axe, Silver Axe legend. Quest-type dungeon where you return an iron axe to the Mountain Spirit.
Clear Condition: Safely retrieve the iron axe held by the Mountain Spirit
Average Clear Time: 15 minutes
Rewards: Random (Common items 80%, Rare items 15%, Unique items 5%)
Caution: Requires a certain level of mana to approach the Mountain Spirit. Insufficient mana may turn it hostile.
The final cautionary note stabbed right into my eyes.
Hostile if mana is insufficient.
Even if the events unfolded differently from the original story like they did with the Moon Halo Dungeon, that "hostile" part would definitely summon the Blue Dragon.
The mana to turn it into an S-Grade dungeon was already building up inside that Mountain Spirit. No matter who went in, it would become the Blue Dragon.
As an F-Grade with woefully inadequate mana, it would be even more so for me. I probably couldn't even approach the Mountain Spirit alone.
I scrolled down. At the bottom was a "Past Training Records" section.
I clicked it.
Dozens of records appeared. Training sessions conducted in the Axe Pond Dungeon over the past few years.
Most were marked "Success."
But...
There were a few "Failures" as well.
I clicked on one of them.
Training Date: March 15, 2024
Participants: Kim Min-jun (E-Grade), Park Seo-yeon (D-Grade), Choi Ji-hoon (D-Grade), Lee Na-young (E-Grade)
Result: Failure
Reason: Mountain Spirit turned hostile due to mana deficiency in students Kim Min-jun and Lee Na-young. Combat incapacity upon seeing blue eyes. Entire party retreated. Minor injuries occurred.
Note: Participation of E-Grade or lower students should be carefully considered.
I opened another record.
Training Date: September 8, 2023
Participants: Jung Soo-ah (F-Grade), Kang Tae-min (C-Grade), Yoon Ha-eun (D-Grade)
Result: Failure
Reason: Mid-training forfeit due to death of student Jung Soo-ah. Mountain Spirit reportedly targeted her heavily. Reason unknown. Other party members assisted, but time expired.
'Did Lee Sang-hee know about this?'
She was a D-Grade light-attribute barrier user. She must have checked the dungeon info beforehand.
If so, she knew just how dangerous it would be for an F-Grade like me.
That I could even die.
'Scary.'
My hands trembled.
Staring at the laptop screen, I realized it.
The Lee Sang-hee from the original story was a possessive yandere. She wasn't there yet, but the seeds were definitely growing.
And it looked like I was her first target.
'What should I do?'
I'd thoroughly read the Axe Pond Dungeon攻略 tips.
Just in case the Blue Dragon appeared midway.
• Mountain Spirit has mana detection. Only recognizes hunters with mana above a certain level.
• If mana is insufficient, a party member must share mana. (Party buff skills recommended)
• Must be "honest" when speaking to the Mountain Spirit. Lies trigger instant hostility.
• Reject the golden and silver axes; request the iron axe. No greed allowed.
• Dungeon internal time limit: 30 minutes. Exceed it for forced ejection.
'Mana sharing...'
That was the key.
Lee Sang-hee's barrier kept my awakened state stable, but it didn't increase my actual mana.
And this time, Lee Sang-hee wasn't coming.
In the end, I'd need help from the other party members.
And that's exactly what Lee Sang-hee wanted.
A situation where "Jin Hari held us back."
I clenched my fist.
'Not gonna let that happen.'
I had to find a way somehow.
A way to not be a burden.
No, a way to actually help.
'My heal skill... Feels iffy, but I guess I'll have to use it this time.'
Lately, my heal skill had been changing little by little.
Truth be told, ever since the Moon Halo Dungeon incident, it felt different.
Maybe it was thanks to Erich, increasing my usable mana.
'Feels like the experience is about 80% full?'
I had no idea why it was filling without using it.
Not certain, but there was definitely a change.
'Can I use this somehow?'
There was almost no combat in the Axe Pond Dungeon. Unless you turned the Mountain Spirit hostile.
But just in case, a healer's role was crucial.
'Gotta train more. Heal training too.'
One week left.
Only a week until the dungeon training.
I had to prepare as much as possible in that time.
I shut down the laptop and returned to bed.
But sleep still wouldn't come.
My mind was filled with thoughts of the Axe Pond Dungeon.
And... Lee Sang-hee's cold gaze. That scrutinizing look kept flashing in my head.
"You're heading to the Axe Pond Dungeon, right?"
"...How'd you know?"
"Word got around. Lee Sang-hee gave her spot to an F-Grade student."
"Ah..."
Rumors spread fast, as expected.
Yoo Han-seong, who I was talking to directly after so long, fell silent for a moment.
Then he said,
"Be careful."
"Huh?"
"Lee Sang-hee."
Yoo Han-seong telling me to watch out for Lee Sang-hee? He shouldn't know yet that she'd turn yandere.
Why?
"What do you mean?"
"...Nothing much. Just a bad feeling."
Was that why he kept his distance from her, unlike in the original?
Yoo Han-seong said no more.
He picked up his sword and returned to his spot.
I stood there blankly.
'Yoo Han-seong... is wary of Lee Sang-hee.'
That light barrier support character.
In the original, he only noticed her personality flaws much later.
Long after joining the party.
But if he was already wary now, there must have been good reason.
I took a slow, deep breath.
Too many variables. Better focus on what's in front of me.
'It's okay.'
I clenched my fist.
Lots of variables meant lots of opportunities too.
Like that, a week passed.
The roar of the blue dragon echoed through the academy.
Not the Axe Pond Dungeon, but the blue dragon's roar.
Erich said in a very low voice.
[Idiots.]
'Why.'
[Not you. Those humans.]
'Why them?'
It was the day we were heading to the Axe Pond Dungeon. I'd just cleared my tray and was coming out with Hae-sol.
Since I hadn't officially said anything else about the potion effects, the excessive interest in my potions was finally dying down.
And inversely, the trend of scorning the F-Grade healer was reviving, even just passing by with whispers.
Ah, how cozy.
But Erich seemed pissed.
[It's absurd enough to make me laugh that they still see you as F-Grade!]
I chuckled at that.
And whispered very softly.
"Don't worry. I'm still F-Grade. And I'll keep looking that way."
Those words were for myself too.
The temperature shift showing now was extremely subtle.
Nothing had visibly changed much on the surface.
I knew it was just one layer of air that had shifted.
In a day or two, some would forget, others would remember without much thought.
As I climbed the stairs, I muttered softly.
"Yeah. This is enough. All I need is to quietly prepare..."
I opened the workshop door.
A light scent wafted out.
The subtle aroma when herb powder mixed with herbal extract.
To me, it was like a stabilizer's fragrance.
I set my bag on my spot and lined up the small vials.
Practice recovery potions.
Today, I'd start with viscosity tests.
Then the workshop door opened.
I turned to see two instructors entering.
"There you are."
"Jin Hari, got a minute?"
I capped the vials and replied.
"Yes."