Chapter 50
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Translator: MJK
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Roar of the Azure Dragon (10)
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“Got it.”
Their movements were so natural that even the instructor didn’t intervene.
It was as if the two of them had been planned to tackle this dungeon together from the start.
The aura of the Azure Dragon swirled into a vortex once more.
The intense pressure surging forward threw all the kids off balance at once.
I quickly raised my hand.
“Anyone need stamina? Hands up!”
Three hands shot up simultaneously.
I gathered the potions and handed them over.
“Share them out a little at a time.”
“Hari... don’t you need some too?”
“I’m fine. I’m still good.”
The heart chamber fully opened.
At that moment, every current in the passageway vanished.
Silence settled over the water like a blanket.
Yoo Han-seong and Lee Seo both turned their gazes to the depths of the heart chamber.
Floating inside was a small core.
It glowed faintly, like a piece of bluish crystal—the nucleus of the Azure Dragon’s power.
Don’t touch it.
And definitely don’t break it.
Just ‘close’ it—that’s all.
Lee Seo’s eyes deepened with focus.
He slowly extended his hand.
Blue threads extended from his fingertips, wrapping around the core.
Yoo Han-seong supported him from the side, maintaining the barrier.
Their abilities meshed seamlessly, and the core began to seal shut, bit by bit.
The gap in the heart chamber started closing gradually.
The kids watched the scene, holding their breaths.
Even the instructor stared in stunned silence.
And that was when I knew for sure.
No one was dying today.
The damage would be minimal.
Lee Seo finally withdrew his hand.
As the heart sealed completely, the watery glow in the passageway dimmed.
All the pressure vanished in an instant.
The instructor let out a deep breath.
“Clear.”
The kids erupted in cheers, finally unleashing their pent-up relief.
Some collapsed to the ground, legs giving out; others hugged and cried.
Some just clasped hands and laughed.
I stood quietly in the middle, drawing in a breath.
In this dungeon too, it felt like I hadn’t done a thing.
That’s what I thought.
I’d just handed out the potions I’d prepared.
Lee Seo and Yoo Han-seong were the ones who saved the kids. Everyone’s efforts combined.
I really hadn’t done anything at all.
The air outside the dungeon felt warm.
Maybe because the cold currents from the Azure Dragon’s abyss still lingered in my body, just feeling the sunlight made my spirits lift strangely high.
The kids started leaving the site one by one, checking on each other.
“You okay?”
“You were in real danger back there.”
“Nah, I held on thanks to the potion.”
Every time I overheard words like that, I bowed my head.
I couldn’t understand why they were thanking me so much. What had I even done?
I hadn’t even used a single heal.
Normal healers showed miracles to the whole party with their heals. Compared to that, what I did felt so insignificant.
I’d just packed potions like always and given them to whoever seemed to need them.
The instructors were checking and sorting the injured.
No serious cases.
In the original story, stretchers would’ve been rushing back and forth by now, but there wasn’t even a sign of that.
Yoo Han-seong finished talking with the instructor and turned my way.
Our eyes met, and I gave a small wave.
He nodded silently.
That was it.
Yoo Han-seong melted back into the crowd, checking on everyone’s conditions.
Meanwhile, Lee Seo leaned against the wall, catching his breath.
The aftereffects of his awakening left a faint blue glow lingering at his fingertips.
The kids swarmed him, pouring out their awe.
“That was insane.”
“That power back there—was that yours? A new form? Sensory type, right?”
“I’m not really sure myself.”
Probably won’t show it off much since it’s curse-related, huh?
I hesitated for a moment, then approached Lee Seo.
“You okay?”
He slowly lifted his head.
“Yeah. Still a bit dizzy, but I can manage.”
Lee Seo fiddled with his fingertips and added softly.
“But... this is all new to me, so I’m kinda thrown off.”
I spoke in a low voice.
“Congrats. You got way stronger. One less thing to worry about.”
Lee Seo paused, unable to respond right away.
Then he gave an awkward smile.
“Thanks. You worked hard too. Lots of people made it because of you.”
I shook my head.
“I just handed out potions.”
“That’s huge. Everyone held on after drinking them.”
Lee Seo said it more firmly.
“Hari, you helped way more than you think.”
I couldn’t reply.
Not because it felt unfamiliar, but because it just didn’t sink in.
That was when the instructor called out loudly.
“Don’t push yourselves—move slowly! The Azure Dragon’s aftershocks aren’t fully gone. Stay cautious until we’re clear of the area!”
The kids started moving at the instructor’s command.
I followed the flow.
Han-seong was up front, counting heads.
Spotting me, he came over.
“Hari.”
“Yeah?”
“You were in a lot of danger this time. Back when things got shaky.”
“Oh, that... Everyone was...”
“No. You wouldn’t have held up alone.”
I drew in a small breath.
Han-seong continued.
“Next time we go in, prep some defense for your side too. That domain takes mana, so use something else. Potions are good, but your safety comes first.”
“Okay... I’ll try.”
He looked at me for a moment, then nodded without a word.
Then he moved on to check on another student.
I was used to seeing that by now.
Yoo Han-seong always checked on people’s conditions precisely.
Not overbearing, not excessive—just right when needed.
I fell back a step behind him, murmuring to myself.
Everyone did great in this dungeon.
I didn’t do anything.
Really.
That was when a small voice came from behind.
“Hari.”
Turning, I saw Gong Seo-yoon standing there.
Her eyes were a little red, but her expression was bright.
“Thanks for the potion back there... I was really in trouble.”
Gong Seo-yoon’s attribute was fire, so this dungeon must’ve been a nightmare for her.
I’d heard she didn’t like fountain-type dungeons much either—wonder how this one felt?
I glanced at the back of her hand.
The trembling was gone.
“You okay now?”
“Yeah. All good.”
Seo-yoon smiled a bit.
“Lucky you were there.”
I smiled back instead of answering.
It felt the most natural.
And the most comfortable.
A temporary rest tent had been set up some distance from the Azure Dragon dungeon.
The kids filed in one by one, grabbing warm drinks or wrapping up in blankets to rest.
I sat in a corner, sorting through the potion bottles in my bag.
Checking for breaks, reorganizing what was left.
These basic habits mattered more than any fancy strategy.
You never knew who’d need what, when.
Then a shadow fell over me.
Looking up, an instructor stood there.
“Jin Hari.”
“Yes?”
“Can I check the records of the potions you handed out in this dungeon?”
“Records?”
“Yeah. The injured kids all mentioned getting something from you.”
A bit dazed, I pulled out my small notebook.
“I just... jotted down who used which potion...”
“That’s plenty.”
The instructor quietly flipped through the pages.
After a long look, he nodded.
“This’ll help with the debrief.”
Then, in a tone that almost sounded like a smile,
“Good work. Really.”
It felt like too much, so I waved it off.
“No, everyone’s skilled anyway. I just... made them just in case...”
“Having them there, whatever the reason—that’s what counts.”
The instructor stated it flatly.
He was also the dedicated leader who deployed support teams when needed, and an instructor for upperclassmen dungeon training.
Guess I left a good impression on my future teacher?
“Your preparedness saved a lot of students today. Don’t downplay it.”
I bit my lip lightly.
I didn’t know what to say.
It wasn’t some noble selflessness that drove me.
If anything, I’d acted to protect myself.
Even though his tone was calm, like a report, it left me feeling oddly flustered.
The instructor wrapped up.
“We’ll head back once rest is over. Get some proper sleep.”
Then he headed toward the other students.
I stared at my notebook for a good while.
The tiny writing: names like sesame seeds.
Which potion each one drank.
Stamina, antidote, recovery, stabilizer.
Just a simple habit, but I never imagined it’d make such a big difference one day.
Then someone slipped in beside me.
Turning, it was Lee Seo.
He sat quietly, blanket draped over his shoulders.
“Jin Hari.”
“Yeah?”
“When I first awakened, remember? You talked to me, and it felt like I could breathe again.”
Lee Seo fiddled with the edge of his blanket as he spoke.
He’d gotten strangely frank lately—once you got close, he seemed the type to open up completely.
“No big deal. Where’re the kids?”
“Scattered. Honestly, all those eyes on me were suffocating. But you talked like normal, so it was nice. Thanks to you calling out, I escaped.”