Dungeon & Commander (220)
Do Jin-yong, still sporting his short-cropped hair, let out a sharp shout of encouragement, and his team members followed suit.
Just like track sprinters shedding their outer layers right before a race and stepping onto the track, the Blue Lightning team stripped off their clothes.
Bluish training suits were revealed underneath, resembling aerobics gear.
Chuckles erupted here and there.
Do Jin-yong boarded the simulator with his chin held high in triumph, while only a few of his team members hung their heads.
Yoo Min-jeong clenched her fist without realizing it.
How long would Blue Lightning last in the relic? Could they even reach the mana vortex section? How would they handle the monsters popping out from everywhere?
At most five minutes, at least three—she was certain of it.
Do Jin-yong wasn't the type to meticulously refine strategies and tactics to maximize his team's strength. Instead, he emphasized mental fortitude so much that he often overlooked crucial details.
What does Kim Jun think?
Yoo Min-jeong turned her head to look for him, but he was nowhere in sight. Everyone else was glued to the massive display showing the relic, but Kim Jun had vanished.
She stepped back and searched for him, but he wasn't anywhere in the testing area.
No way?
With a hunch, she headed to the training room where participants had been warming up.
Turning the corner, she spotted a familiar face.
It was Im Cheong-ha, Brave's guild master, whose age was hard to guess from her appearance.
"Min-jeong, it's you. Doing well?"
"Yes."
"I heard the news. Looks like your father made a bit of a boring decision out of worry for his daughter."
Most people who'd seen that press conference had reacted similarly. Even Yoo Wan-seop, who'd left Jushin, was just a doting dad in the end. Plenty said it was touching how he'd cast aside his pride as a raider for his daughter.
"Is that so?"
Yoo Min-jeong felt a surge of anger but flashed a smile instead.
In the old days, she would've snapped back, but she'd been heavily influenced by Kim Jun lately. Soon the world would see Uramata in a new light, and realize just how brilliant Yoo Wan-seop's decision had been.
"Well, see you around."
Im Cheong-ha led her attendants away.
Yoo Min-jeong stared at her retreating back.
Why did everyone assume and judge things on their own terms? Fine, think whatever. But why, when they talked or met, did they have to shove their opinions down her throat like this?
She'd always greatly respected Im Cheong-ha. She was the only woman leading one of the four great guilds, having risen there purely on merit.
Respect level minus ten points. They say people get stubborn with age, and she's no exception.
She turned into the hallway lined with ten training rooms. Somewhere, a heavy thud echoed. With the public test underway, this area should have been empty.
Yoo Min-jeong checked each room one by one. In the seventh, she found Kim Jun.
The moment she stepped inside, Kim Jun shot toward her like a spring-loaded projectile.
His speed was... insanely fast.
Thud!
A strange reverberation spread through the room belatedly.
Jungchwi! That's the footwork Master—no, Cheolmin—used in the Honor Hall to save Muhyun!
Kim Jun, who'd crossed the room in an instant, stopped a meter in front of Yoo Min-jeong. He'd halted using the subtle control of Mokhonbo's Po step, but the sheer force of Jungchwi sent him lurching forward.
He kicked off the floor, launching himself into the air.
Yoo Min-jeong looked up as he flipped over her, landing behind.
"Test hasn't started? Not watching?"
Kim Jun asked with a grin.
"What about you?"
Yoo Min-jeong shot back.
"Something more important."
As he walked back to the far side of the training room, he slightly bent his knees, gathering power. Even that stance mirrored Go Cheolmin's from back then.
Yoo Min-jeong barely held back a laugh.
Kim Jun was so consistent. He threw himself into training whenever there was a gap. Once he latched onto something, he wouldn't rest until it was done.
"Blue Lightning's up. I'd say they'll last about three minutes."
"One minute."
A scratching sound came from the floor as Jungchwi's power pressed down hard.
If Kim Jun said that, it meant Do Jin-yong's Blue Lightning was even weaker than expected.
Right now, Kim Jun was leading Pink Team based on info gathered from An Seong-ho, Skyla, Go Cheolmin, and others. His judgment was likely spot-on.
Thud!
Jungchwi unleashed.
Mid-execution, his body wobbled slightly—like a car losing balance and flipping—and he tumbled forward, slamming into the wall.
He sprang up, scratched his head, and returned to his spot. He probably didn't even register Yoo Min-jeong was in the room anymore.
Suddenly, Yoo Min-jeong felt the urge to train. If a bead with Kim Jun's name appeared, her team would come looking.
She immediately deployed mana to summon a salamander.
The little fire lizard burst through space, radiating intense heat.
Right now, the dealing skills Yoo Min-jeong could freely unleash were limited to Fire Arrow and Fireball.
Of course, Fire Arrow had auto-targeting and enough power to fire ten or more at once in a dungeon. Fireball's speed and force overwhelmed most dealers. And if needed, she could do Double Fireball, launching two simultaneously.
Yoo Min-jeong could learn other skills anytime, but her current goal was boosting raw firepower.
The Dungeon Association published average stats annually.
These covered many areas, including average firepower—the heat output of fire magic quantified for fire mages, simply put.
As mana grew, you could fire more Fire Arrows or make bigger Fireballs, but the base heat of each spell barely changed.
Thus, a Level 8 Fire Arrow might match a Level 5 Fire Wall in heat. Differences came from mana input and structural complexity.
Yoo Min-jeong's current average firepower was 2.3.
Double the norm of 1... pretty high, but not satisfying.
Jerry the Fire's was a whopping 42.9.
Over twenty times higher!
She could maintain the salamander for at most three minutes without strain. Longer in a dungeon, but still short.
Thus, extending salamander uptime and raising average firepower were her top priorities.
Sweat was already pouring.
The salamander devoured mana greedily. It felt like standing under the midsummer sun.
The training room door opened.
In came Choi Muhyun.
"Knew it. Knew you'd be doing this. Everyone's watching the public test, and you're here training? Really?"
"Result?"
Kim Jun asked.
"Blue Lightning—total wipe at 57 seconds after relic entry."
Yoo Min-jeong glanced at Kim Jun.
He met her eyes, as if to say, Told you so.
Calming his excitement, Choi Muhyun took a spot and began Moon Shadow Diamond Heart Technique training. Starting with Earth Dragon Stance, then Moon Chase Stance, Gold Full Stance—various poses and movements.
Each step or turn ground against the floor with a screech. The room was built to withstand heavy impacts. His inner power and form synced perfectly, amplifying the force.
Moments later, Yeom Sang-taek entered.
"Everyone here's? Leaving me out."
"Second team?"
Yoo Min-jeong asked.
"An Seong-ho's."
"Result?"
"Just starting now, probably."
Yeom Sang-taek went to a corner and began Fusion Magic Scripture drills. Casting buffer skills one-handed—success rate much improved from before.
Yoo Min-jeong marveled at one-hand magic every time. It was his talent. Even more amazing: he was forming a marble right now. Casting without one was mind-blowing.
Yoo Min-jeong could float Fireballs in each hand to strike monsters. But strictly, she used her whole body. One-handed Fire Arrow like him? Tough.
She looked at Kim Jun.
"How long for An Seong-ho's team?"
"Hmm, five minutes."
Generous estimate.
"Five's too much. Two minutes, I'd say. No different from Blue Lightning."
Choi Muhyun chimed in.
Yoo Min-jeong eyed Yeom Sang-taek.
"...Four minutes."
He seemed to echo Kim Jun.
Soon, Skyla came down.
"Hey! What're you guys doing? Not watching the other teams?"
"How long did An Seong-ho last?"
Choi Muhyun asked, switching stances.
"Five minutes eleven seconds. Didn't even reach the mana vortex zone. Blue Lightning and An Seong-ho—both locked in C Group."
Skyla answered.
Yoo Min-jeong instinctively looked at Kim Jun. So did Choi Muhyun and Yeom Sang-taek.
"They got lucky."
Kim Jun said.
But no one bought the luck excuse. He'd accurately read both teams, predicting their adaptation test results.
Finally, Sa Yeonggyo and Go Cheolmin entered together.
Go Cheolmin gaped at Pink Team training in their spots, but Sa Yeonggyo stormed up to Yoo Min-jeong, fuming.
"You're ditching me on purpose, right?"
Ditch the Association President's granddaughter? Me?
Yoo Min-jeong nearly burst out laughing.
A real laugh might've soured the mood. Sa Yeonggyo wouldn't let it slide, and it could've sparked a duel before the public test.
Kim Jun stepped in.
"Pink Team tradition."
Everyone looked at him, realizing a new tradition was born that instant.
"...Tradition?"
"Train whenever there's a gap."
Sa Yeonggyo fell silent. But resentment lingered—she shot Yoo Min-jeong a glare.
Great figure, prettier, and superior in skill... Somehow, Yoo Min-jeong found Sa Yeonggyo cute. Same age, but like a rebellious little sister.
Keep this feeling hidden.
Sa Yeonggyo would flip if she knew.
Then An Seong-ho entered. Seeing sweat-drenched Pink Team training, he was momentarily speechless.
Sensing it was Pink Team's turn, Kim Jun said,
"Pink Team, assemble."
They rushed to him instantly.
"Let's go."
Kim Jun led the way.
Pink Team followed.
* * *
Sharp gazes flew their way.
Their eyes had definitely changed.
Before, it was mostly contempt, dismissal, mockery. Now, intense scrutiny from observers and evaluators tracking their every move.
"Guess we're not pushovers anymore."
Yeom Sang-taek snickered.
"Yeah, a team led by a carrier ex."
Choi Muhyun followed up.
No one belittled Kim Jun as a former carrier. They saw him as a fellow raider, a team leader—staring to psych each other out.
Kim Jun walked to the simulator.
This latest model dwarfed the ones at Uramata Guildhouse. Priced over 500 million won each, only guilds like Brave could field multiples.
He checked the settings, about to board, when a voice called from behind.
"Hold on."
Kim Jun turned slowly.
Stepping forward, hand raised: Han Ye-jin, Apgujeong team leader.
He glanced at Jeong Myeong-ho.
Tension rippled in his clenched jaw. Understandable—the test switch to public and lottery draw were at her request.
"What now?"
Jeong Myeong-ho asked.
"Got an urgent guild call. Due to circumstances, can Apgujeong go first?"
Jeong Myeong-ho's eyebrow twitched upward.
Kim Jun spotted Hwang In-su and Jason Tyler behind her, postures supporting her request.
As expected, team leaders slated for B Group—relic interior—knew the test's stakes. That's why they timed this order swap perfectly.
Jeong Myeong-ho had no counter.
Refuse, and he'd have to explain why—risking total chaos.
"This is official. Demanding order change for guild reasons? Gonna shuffle team assignments like that in the dungeon too?"
To Kim Jun, Jeong Myeong-ho's retort felt weak.
"This isn't a dungeon. Please?"
Han Ye-jin smiled sweetly.
"Not my call. Pink Team's ready—they'd have to yield."
Jeong Myeong-ho looked at Kim Jun.
Then, a faint voice whispered in his ear.
It was Jeong Myeong-ho's voice. A precise voice spell for Kim Jun alone.
A special measure just for Pink Team.