Main Episode Quest Evaluation Begins (6)
Bang, kaboom!
Kababoom! Boom!
“Krrk?! Mooo-o-o-o!”
With terrifying telekinetic power, she struck the Minotaur repeatedly.
The Minotaur bellowed in pain. As the floor of the training ground cracked and split, dust and rock fragments showered into the air.
In that brief instant, she focused her intangible force to firmly bind the Minotaur’s limbs, intending to swing her sword with all her might.
However, from far away, a black hand shot forward like an arrow, attacking Hong Daye from behind.
“Kee-ree-ree, keek, kee-ree-ree, keek-keek.”
“You little monkey bastard.”
The razor-sharp claws of an ape—a good two handspans taller than an adult man—grazed Hong Daye’s cheek by a hair's breadth.
Drip.
Drops of blood trickled down her cheek and fell to the ground.
“Kee-e-e-e, e-e-e keek, kee-keek.”
Excited by the sight of blood, the monkey let its hair-covered arms drop long like rubber bands, flailing them around as if swinging whips.
Whoosh, whoosh.
It swung its arms with blinding speed, slowly closing in on Hong Daye. However, suppressing an attack of that level using telekinesis shouldn't have been difficult.
The problem was that every time she tried to use her telekinetic powers, the Minotaur seemed to sense it like a ghost and stepped in to disrupt her.
Because the two beasts were attacking in tandem, she couldn't fight properly.
To make matters worse, her abnormal ability was acting up.
Bit by bit, her abnormal ability was falling apart. Her body, already broken beyond repair, seemed unable to endure any further use of her telekinetic powers.
Is my body really failing me after all?
“Moo, o-o-o! O-o!”
“!”
Capitalizing on her moment of broken concentration, the Minotaur drove its fist through her guard and struck her abdomen. Ah, damn it.
Thwack!
It felt as though she had been hit by a truck.
She managed to defend with telekinesis at the very last moment to avoid a fatal injury, but it felt as if one of her ribs had cracked.
“Cough, cough... Whew.”
Curse it all.
In the old days, she could have brought these down without much trouble. To think she was struggling against a mere calf. Was it time to curse the relentless passage of years?
‘If that damn monkey wasn’t around, I could at least handle this.’
The black-handed gibbon lingering behind the Minotaur and constantly keeping Hong Daye at bay was getting exceptionally annoying. Whenever she tried to bind the bull with telekinesis, the monkey would intervene.
‘If this keeps up, I might not last until the security team arrives.’
Wiping away the blood trickling between her lips, Hong Daye summoned her telekinesis once more.
She couldn't show weakness in front of the kids.
After all, Hong Daye was a hero.
I have to protect these children at least.
“...As you can see, the instructor won't be able to hold out for long.”
“...”
The cadets from Team 1 and Team 16 fell silent.
They couldn't just abandon the injured Hong Daye. However, blindly jumping into the fray would only turn them into minced meat rolling on the filthy ground.
“Our job is simple. We take on one of those monsters so the instructor can focus.”
“Which monster, the bull or the monkey?”
At the question from Yuliya, who spoke with polite formality, Lee Jinhyuk lightly gestured with his chin toward the gibbon.
“The monkey, obviously.”
It was the obvious choice. The Minotaur was simply on a whole different level.
“That doesn't mean the monkey is an easy target, though. It’s only weaker compared to the Minotaur; it’s still not something cadets can easily defeat.”
That certainly sounded plausible. Yuliya nodded smoothly, agreeing with his words.
She didn't know exactly how strong that monkey was, but just watching it move a few times made it clear that it was far beyond what students could handle.
“Rather than defeating that monkey monster, all we need to do is draw its aggro until the security team arrives.”
“...That doesn't sound as easy as it words.”
Draw the monkey's aggro? Talk was cheap.
For cadets who had never faced a monster of that caliber, it was anything but easy. Unlike practicing at the academy, a single mistake in actual combat could lead to an irreversible tragedy.
Besides, their bodies were still stiff from the murderous intent radiating from those beasts, meaning they wouldn't be able to display their usual skill.
In a situation like this, could they really handle that monster properly?
“Like it or not, we have to.”
Lee Jinhyuk scanned the faces of the group with a solemn gaze.
The cadets quietly met Lee Jinhyuk’s eyes.
“If the instructor falls, we’re all dead anyway.”
“...Haa. Well, that’s true.”
Seo Nari let out a deep sigh and nodded. She wanted to deny it, but it was an undeniable fact. Seriously, when is the security team getting here?
“So, what’s the plan?”
“Do you have a clever idea?”
“Hey, we’re running out of time, so spill it quick.”
Naturally, Jin Soyeon, Yu Seolhyeon, and Seo Nari threw questions at him.
Consequently, the gazes of Lee Siwoo and Yuliya also turned toward Lee Jinhyuk.
Everyone knew the tactical planning skills Lee Jinhyuk had displayed so far, along with his achievements in the round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals. Listening to his instructions felt like a natural course of action.
No matter what anyone said, Lee Jinhyuk was the most suitable operator here. It was far better to leave the planning to him than to let the others come up with a strategy.
“...Well. It’s not some grand strategy, but I’ll assign your positions. As I said before, we just need to stall for time.”
With every second counting, Lee Jinhyuk quickly and simply outlined the plan while highlighting a few characteristics of the black-handed gibbon.
The cadets nodded along to his words, soon taking on their respective roles.
Though feeling a bit anxious, the results Lee Jinhyuk had proven throughout the performance evaluation gave them a degree of trust in him.
‘Alright... then.’
Lee Jinhyuk slowly nocked an arrow onto his bowstring.
He was an archer, after all. For Lee Jinhyuk, who lacked natural talent as a hero, using a bow as his primary weapon was the most rational choice.
“Here I go. Everyone get ready.”
“Yeah.”
“Got it.”
Swish!
An arrow infused with dim mana flew toward the monkey's temple.
However...
“Kee? Kee-e-e-e?”
As if it had eyes on the back of its head, the monkey caught the arrow with absurd ease. Shooting normally won't hit it at all.
Do I really need to push the monkey into Phase 2?
“I've got its aggro.”
“Kee? Kee-e-e-e? Kee-e-e-e...”
The eyes of the black-handed gibbon met Lee Jinhyuk’s.
Uh... now that our eyes have met, I kinda feel a tiny bit of regret over what I just did? Lee Jinhyuk swallowed his dry spit in secret. Whew. Fine. Let’s do this.
As if finding it laughable, the monkey snapped the arrow shaft in half with a crack and slowly flicked its tongue.
Seeing this, Hong Daye knitted her brows and shouted. What are those kids doing? I was trying so hard to keep the aggro from shifting!
“What are you kids doing? It’s dangerous! I told you not to step in unnecessarily—”
“You can’t handle it alone, Instructor! If you fall, it’s over for all of us!” Jin Soyeon yelled back loudly. “We’ll keep this monkey busy, so hurry up and beat that bull to help us!”
“...You guys.”
Hong Daye bit her lip lightly.
Just as Jin Soyeon said, handling both of these monsters alone was tough for Hong Daye. If she made a mistake, got severely injured, and collapsed, the lives of those kids could not be guaranteed.
In a way, their action was a rational choice.
But was it really right to leave a powerful monster like that to mere academy cadets? What if something went wrong...?
“We’re hero aspirants too! So don’t worry too much, Ma’am!”
Suddenly.
— The cadets aren't just kids; they're hero aspirants. You can't keep treating them like children forever.
Words she had spoken long ago bubbled up to the surface.
— As hero apprentices, you will shoulder various responsibilities. If an emergency mobilization order is declared, you will be deployed without exception, duty-bound to protect citizens from active criminals.
These kids were not just students; they were hero aspirants.
— Legally speaking, you are treated almost as adults. Up until now, you were students receiving help, but things are different now. Your role isn't to be helped. Your role is to help.
“It's not about receiving help, it's about providing help,” Hong Daye herself had said those exact words.
So was she going to keep treating those kids like mere students? Prospective heroes who had even obtained their provisional licenses?
“...Don't push yourselves too hard. The security team will be here soon. No, wait—I'll smash this bull's head in quickly and come help you.”
For now, Hong Daye decided to yield. She was still worried, but currently, she had no choice but to trust the kids.
“Yes, Ma'am...! Ah, it—it's coming! Jinhyuk, it's coming!”
The gibbon, which had been staring intently at Lee Jinhyuk’s group, immediately took a step and leaped toward the kids.
Having jumped several meters in the blink of an eye, the monkey stretched its arm long like a rubber band, aiming straight for Lee Jinhyuk...
“Where do you think you’re looking?”
Unbothered by the murderous intent radiating from the monkey, Seo Nari swung her fist upward with all her strength, knocking the monkey's arm aside.
With a sharp bang of air rupturing, the monkey's hand soared all the way to the ceiling. An arm stretched out for several meters.
“...Hmph!”
Not missing the opening, Lee Siwoo inhaled deeply, coated his blade with mana, and slashed horizontally across the monkey’s arm.
Splat!
“Kee-e-e-e, e-e-e-e!”
The monster's skin tore open, splashing dark red blood.
“...It’s tough.”
However, the hide was much tougher than expected. It hadn't been cut properly.
Even though it was a training sword, he had poured all his mana into it and swung with full commitment—yet it barely worked? Lee Siwoo bit his lower lip lightly.
“Fall back! Yu Seolhyeon, keep it in check!”
“I know!”
When the monkey tried to crush Lee Siwoo with its left hand, Yu Seolhyeon immediately darted forward to interfere.
Clang, clang! Ting!
Sharp claws and a training spearhead struck against each other, filling their ears with metallic screeches.
As she thrust her spear repeatedly to distract the monkey—
“... ... ... Thunder Spear!”
Having finished her incantation right on cue, Yuliya’s spear of lightning struck the gibbon.
“Kee-e-e-e, e-e-e, eek!”
Taking advantage of the brief window where the monkey’s muscles contracted from the intense shock, Lee Siwoo, Yu Seolhyeon, and Seo Nari launched a joint attack.
Yet, as if the black-handed gibbon felt nothing from their combined assault, it suddenly stretched its long arms without warning, aiming to eliminate the annoying mage first.
Swish!
The black hand rushed forward at incredible speed.
It shot fiercely toward Yuliya’s defenseless abdomen, but Jin Soyeon, who was prepared in advance, used a one-handed shield to parry, deflecting the monkey’s strike.
“Kee-ree, ree-ree-ree-ree, ree-ree-reek!”
The black-handed gibbon retracted its arm in frustration. It seemed thoroughly irritated by how they kept pecking away at it one by one.
“Haah, ha... What’s the big deal? This monkey bastard is nothing.”
“Don't drop your guard. That thing has barely taken any damage.”
Lee Jinhyuk threw a sharp reminder at Seo Nari’s remark.
Even with the six of them teaming up like this, they hadn't managed to inflict any meaningful damage. Still, Lee Jinhyuk thought the flow was better than expected.
For their first time working together with the Team 16 kids, their teamwork was surprisingly solid, and their main priority was just stalling for time anyway.
‘Good.’
Frontline tanking was handled by Lee Siwoo and Seo Nari, who possessed strong defensive capabilities. Mid-range damage was dealt by Yu Seolhyeon, who had fast footwork and long reach. The rear was covered by Lee Jinhyuk as the operator and Yuliya as the mage. And Jin Soyeon, with her balanced stats, served as the keeper in the middle.
‘Not bad.’
Yes, it wasn't bad.
With this level of combat power and positioning, they could easily respond to almost any opponent. Their individual skills were just that impressive.
After all, they weren't the female lead, male lead, and villainess for nothing.
“Gasp, ugh, ugh. Damn it...”
“D-damn it. Cough, cough...”
“Haah, haah, gasp.”
A few minutes. Yes, just a few minutes.
At most, only a few minutes had passed.
Yet here they were, coughing up blood and rolling on the filthy ground.
Lee Siwoo, Yu Seolhyeon, Seo Nari, Jin Soyeon—every single one of them without exception.