Chapter 113
Chapter 113
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: The Necessity of Parties
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"Gates that allow free entry and exit like Lion's Castle are rare even across the entire world. Generally, there's only one way to escape a Gate. Clearing it. You can't leave a Gate once you've stepped inside until you clear the quest or raid the boss monster."
It was one of those routine theory lessons.
Today's topic was 'The Necessity of Parties.'
"And the types of quests and boss monsters are incredibly diverse. In most cases, individual ability alone isn't enough to handle them. Even if you're S-rank players who can shatter mountains and part seas, it's hard to shine against a boss monster that only takes damage from specific patterns."
Cheon Hye-ji, bored enough to yawn during the dull lesson, slyly raised her hand.
"But Teacher, the vast majority of players only challenge Gates that have攻略 guides available, right? There are solo clearers monopolizing rewards everywhere. I don't get why you're trying to scare us with obvious stuff."
Unless they had a death wish.
Players always studied Gate information in advance before attempting a clear.
To begin with, challenge rights for new Gates with 'first clear rewards' were reserved for the government, associations, and nobles.
As the students reacted without much tension, Kim Jin-myeong's expression turned serious.
"Gates are unstable spaces. There are cases where a new Gate appears inside one, sweeping people up in unexpected accidents."
Nested Gates.
Disasters that caused mass casualties whenever they occurred.
"That's what I mean—even ordinary players can end up facing quests or raids without攻略 methods. Even for familiar Gates, that's why you need to habitually form thorough parties."
"Aw, come on, the odds of hitting a nested Gate are like getting struck by lightning."
"You'll learn someday when you're reinforcing items that lightning odds aren't as low as you think."
Kim Jin-myeong's gaze, misty with memories of his active days, brushed past Jae-hyeok.
"And one of you might even earn the right to challenge a new Gate."
"..."
The students' eyes lingered on Jae-hyeok for a moment.
Not all nobles had great privileges.
Especially a fallen house like House Kang might never have a voice in the player world.
But did Jae-hyeok need his family background?
Wouldn't that kid, who trained until he dropped every day, eventually seize noble rights through his own skill?
'...That's too naive a thought.'
The students shook their heads as they pondered Jae-hyeok's future.
No matter how talented Jae-hyeok was, it was only among first-years.
Even compared to first-years like Silla-gyeong and Loren, his duel evaluation performance wasn't that impressive.
They needed to evaluate without personal feelings.
"...In conclusion, the team-based learning you'll start experiencing in earnest from the second semester will be a huge help when you form parties out in society later. Experiencing in advance which job classes bring out your best is something only possible at a place like Lion's Castle. Of course it is."
The importance of parties connected to the importance of teams.
This was where the lesson's main point began.
Kim Jin-myeong glanced fondly at Jae-hyeok, Hae-rin, the Lee Jin-seong trio, and Kim Jin-rae before tapping the podium twice.
"The first semester has less than two months left. I recommend you all follow Jae-hyeok and Jin-seong's example and start forming teams soon."
"Eek!"
The students cried out.
With most of Class B's ace players already taken, trying to form teams felt hopeless.
Some even started grumbling, so Kim Jin-myeong offered advice.
"You don't have to team up only within the class. Jae-hyeok even took in Class A's Chae Da-hee and second-year Baek Do-jin."
"Class A and second-years... Isn't that only possible because it's Jae-hyeok?"
The students' eyes widened.
"Who'd want to team with upperclassmen anyway?"
"Yeah! Even Class A guys look down on us like we're jokes every time we pass them! Why would they team with us?!"
In the end, we have no choice but to team up among ourselves.
Kim Jin-myeong soothed the kids who had reached that grim conclusion.
"Don't worry. Plenty of kids will reach out to you first."
"How do you know?"
"As I've said many times, what matters in party play isn't individual prowess but overall synergy. Take Loren as an example—with his Necromancer traits, he's weak to holy damage, right? For him, would the ideal teammate be a top-tier combat specialist, or a totem shaman or black mage who weakens holy with curses?"
"...Huh? So I could team with Loren?"
"Kyung-su, your grades are too low, aren't they...? Synergy matters, but basics are basics."
"Wow, that heartless jerk."
"......"
While some students despaired, others buzzed with excitement and anticipation.
On a clear blue day before full summer hit.
Class B first-years, having already completed five terrain adaptation trainings, had a harmonious atmosphere.
It looked almost like a family scene.
A sight made possible because they didn't hate or envy each other.
'Better than House Kang in its final days.'
Jae-hyeok's heart grew bittersweet with the sudden thought.
***
"You didn't think you'd just end it like this, did you?"
Na Gaeun.
The twin-tailed girl who arrived at the meeting spot ground her teeth.
Her face was full of swelling and scratches.
"Whoa, sis, look at you. Finally found makeup that matches your eyepatch?"
The boy snickered at Na Gaeun's state.
Byeok Sadong.
A second-year Class A student like Na Gaeun, and a powerhouse among Gu Sukjeong's crew who led the strongest team members.
"Mocking me after even Gu Sukjeong failed? Isn't that basically laughing at him too?"
"You calling that a threat right now? Think I'm scared of Sukjeong like you are?"
"...Quiet."
Gu Sukjeong's voice came from the darkness.
He'd failed to secure Kang Jae-hyeok and Park Hae-rin, setting himself up for humiliation before Jeong Ru-han.
She'd expected him to flip out, but surprisingly, he was calm.
Byeok Sadong let out a hollow laugh.
"How are you so composed? Did you hit your head hard?"
"Failing today doesn't mean the chance is gone forever. Kang Jae-hyeok and Park Hae-rin? I can grab them tomorrow. If I make those two kneel before that Jeong Ru-han bastard, today's failure is more than made up for."
Gu Sukjeong's spine chilled for a moment as he spoke calmly.
-Remember this. Touch my team or Archery Club again, and I'll hurl my greatsword straight into your skull with a pure lunge.
Baek Do-jin's warning flashed in his mind.
'Damn it.'
Was he afraid of that guy?
He didn't want to admit it, but his hands trembled faintly.
Because he'd witnessed the power of that lunge firsthand.
Was there any other madman in history who swung lunges wildly in real combat besides him?
'...Just don't snipe from behind like a coward.'
Gu Sukjeong forced himself to calm down.
Lion's Castle had a team versus team competition system.
If he challenged Baek Do-jin's team fairly, even Baek Do-jin would lose any pretext for revenge.
"All of you, from tomorrow, challenge Baek Do-jin's team to team battles. Keep fighting until they collapse from exhaustion and fall into our hands."
Gu Sukjeong commanded nearly 30 followers.
Seven teams in total.
They were the opponents Baek Do-jin's team would face in back-to-back battles starting tomorrow, potentially all night.
That night.
"What the? Whoa, this is bad."
Byeok Sadong, visiting the student council room to apply for team battles, panicked.
Baek Do-jin's team's rating was a measly 1,000 points.
Byeok Sadong's team, at 1,800, had no way to match them in team battles.
The same went for Gu Sukjeong, Na Gaeun, and the others.
Most of their ratings were top-tier, making matches against Baek Do-jin's team impossible due to the score gap.
"What the hell is Baek Do-jin? What'd he do for a year without raising points?!"
"That's just how low performers are."
"Then what does that make Gu Sukjeong, who lost to a low performer?"
"......"
Gu Sukjeong, too ashamed to lift his head, quietly left the student council room.
Not a single person followed.
They'd followed him solely for ties to Guardian Guild.
They felt no need to show loyalty to an incompetent like him.
Gu Sukjeong's crew's unity began creaking at an unexpected moment.
"Crusher's nothing special either. Better to hang with Jeong Ru-han than that loser."
"You're right. The sub-master's son has to outrank an elder's grandson, obviously."
***
"What a bunch of idiots."
After Gu Sukjeong's crew had all left.
Ban Hui-yeol's voice came from behind the total affairs girl, who finally caught her breath.
"Top students throwing tantrums to challenge a brand-new team. Hilarious, isn't it?"
"You're funnier. You disappear when it's busy, then pop up out of nowhere. How'd you snag vice president without doing jack?"
"Haha, keep a kind heart. Comparing your commoner life to my destined high birth will only hurt you."
"Get out to Noble already!"
"...Things have been tense there lately too."
Ban Hui-yeol's expression grew a bit serious as he fanned the total affairs girl to calm her anger.
'Kang Jae-hyeok. Archery Club incidents always involve your team. Can't be coincidence, can it?'