Im Nayeon (5)
Im Nayeon (5)
"Hah."
Kim Ha-rin sighed without realizing it.
To act like she was going to help, only to suddenly dump it on someone else—it was absurd. She briefly thought about the man who had helped her.
Lee Si-woo.
The boy who received the first perfect score in the written portion of the Hero Academy. He was a very famous boy both inside and outside the Hero Academy. Rumors were rampant that professors who saw his answer sheets said it wouldn't be strange if he won a Nobel Prize if he just focused on theory.
Although it's said he's weak in duels, the techniques he handles are beyond that of a student. It's openly rumored that even the academy's professors are impressed, and there aren't even five professors who could display the same techniques as him. His weakness is his absurdly low physical ability that doesn't match those techniques.
That's not all.
His revealed abilities are at this level, but there's also his unawakened unique ability and the Mask ability mentioned by the chairman. A boy with many things hidden in many ways. That's why she tried to find out using her personal information network, but he had strangely little information.
So, she appealed to his timid personality and secretly sent a signal asking for help. But the boy refused, giving an absurd reason.
Did he notice?
My true nature.
But that didn't seem right, his actions were too natural.
In all the time she's lived, the people who have noticed her true nature can be counted on one hand. Herself, the existence of an older brother who is so disgusting that it's shameful that they share blood, and her parents. And the principal of the Hero Academy, who is said to have lived for 800 years.
She thought about the boy named Lee Si-woo.
If he knew.
She would have to find a time to silence him.
Jigeusi.
I could feel Im Na-yeon staring at me from the seat next to me. Is it because she saw me going to school with Kim Ha-rin earlier? As soon as class started, she kept looking at me with an anxious expression.
Honestly, it felt good. In my previous life, I wasn't a life popular with women; rather, I was in a position where I was only used. Being liked here and there with my current face is better than being used.
......Actually, if I hadn't known about the True Ending, I would have enjoyed this gaze. No, would I have just enjoyed it? I might have already started a messy life after having relations with a few people. If R.O.C. recovers some important figures and artifacts, it's an easy game to win, but the True Ending was far from that.
I thought while spinning my ballpoint pen.
When playing the game, there were a total of four scholarship students in the first year of the academy. The Hero, a playable character. You can choose between male and female, but the rest of the composition was the same. The Hero, Kim Ha-rin with the Mad Wings, the owner of the Seven-colored Sword, and Lee Ji-ah with the Karma of Magic.
But currently, there are a total of six students receiving scholarships at the academy. It wasn't a structure where the Hero received it alone; there were separate male and female Heroes. And I was included in that.
And perhaps this implies... that there's a high probability of entering the True Ending route. A world where everything is destroyed by the Demon God. That was the True Ending of R.O.C.
It still makes me angry thinking about it.
When I first experienced that ending, my mind went blank. I cursed a ton while playing the game. The "distribution ending" was shitty, but the True Ending was even shittier. My teeth still grind when I think about that ending.
So I have to become strong enough to smash the Demon God's head.
Everything else is secondary. First, let's focus on getting stronger. Second is making reliable colleagues. Lee Ji-ah and Im Na-yeon are reliable colleagues. I can't give up on the Heroes either. The owner of the Seven-colored Sword is the same. They were a bit cringey, but a good kid at heart. Kim Ha-rin with the Mad Wings is on hold for now. She's a person I can't easily control. Still, if I get close to her, I can get help, so let's just build a friendship.
Deureuk.
The front door of the classroom opened.
"You all trained hard from the morning."
A muscular, brown-skinned man with impressive white hair opened his mouth while scanning us for a moment. He was the professor in charge of weaponry, and he was a famous Strong Man... As you can infer from the name, he is the older brother of Kang Hannam, who is like the right-hand man of Han Jong-woo. And... he is one of the Heroes of the Middle Assault, who are called true heroes.
Although his hair turned white due to injury and he had to step back from the front lines, no one ignores him just because he stepped back.
When you're a Hero of the Middle Assault, your connections are no joke, after all.
"Early dawn is best for training. Because it's the time when mana is the purest. Mana training is good, and physical training is good. Just keep at it steadily. Well, I doubt there are any students who came all this way just to play."
I caught a few people flinching at Kang Han-ja's praise of training. Naturally, none of the main characters were among those flinching. They are kids I don't need to worry about. They're the ones who will soon be expelled due to poor grades or end up as stepping stones for others.
Just entering the Hero Academy isn't the end. The academy constantly imposes trials so that students can become stronger. The moment you settle, you fall behind.
"As announced, today we will practice the theory regarding dungeons."
At Kang Han-ja's words, assistant instructors handed out papers to the students. The paper was densely packed with text. 10 sheets were distributed per person.
"When you become heroes, you will experience many things. Starting with dungeons, artifact battles, and sometimes you'll have to move to kill villains... But as a hero, you should basically be knowledgeable about dungeons."
Cockatrine.
The content of the printout was simple. It was about writing down the safest and most efficient method to catch a Cockatrine. Im Na-yeon was struggling next to me. Given her nature of hating to study, this kind of test must be a headache. I looked at the knowledge using [Knowledge Browsing] and wrote down things about the Cockatrine on the paper.
The Cockatrine has excellent defense and only lives in mana-abnormal spaces where mana is reversed.
Throw a mana doll imbued with curse magic at the Cockatrine...
Then I wrote appropriately, got up, and submitted it to Kang Han-ja.
"...It's a strategy composed only of theory. But the idea is surprising. Indeed... Is this how one can see it? Is this what you have to do to be the only one to get a perfect score in the written exam at the academy? Perhaps... No, surely, according to this theory, it would be extremely efficient to catch a Cockatrine."
Kang Han-ja started praising me to the point of embarrassment while looking at my answer sheet.
"Naturally, it's a 10 out of 10. It's a shame that I can't give a higher score than that."
"Then, can I go to train?"
"Of course. Although there are still 2 hours left in class time... Since you made a strategy guide of this level, it won't matter. You might even be able to use this as teaching material at this school later. Will you upload this strategy to the Hall of Fame?"
Hall of Fame.
It's a site mainly used by heroes, and the information uploaded here is famous for being worth the money. A site where strategy guides for efficiently attacking monsters are uploaded.
If a strategy uploaded here is recognized by the Association, it is divided into Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum depending on its value, and even if you receive the lowest Bronze grade here, you can earn enough money to live and play for the rest of your life even if you splurge normally. It would take a long time if you just uploaded a strategy, but if the academy's name is attached, it will be reviewed quickly.
"Yes, please do."
"Understood. I'll make sure to put in a good word."
2 hours left, what should I do? Should I just sleep in the lounge for an hour and think about it?
"Siwoo, could you teach me some studying today?"
A fragrant scent tickled the tip of my nose, and a beautiful voice was heard. When I turned my head, Im Na-yeon was speaking from the side.
"Studying?"
"Yeah. I'm weak at written exams, you know."
Im Na-yeon said while looking at the book with a tearful face. In my previous world, the female employee who would cry and ask for help with work because she couldn't finish it on time while playing around texting her boyfriend was the most fucking annoying thing in the world, but when Im Na-yeon did it, it was the cutest thing in the world.
But for me, it wasn't something I could help with. Me taking the test and passing was entirely due to the power of the special trait. But I couldn't refuse Im Na-yeon outright.
"Hmm."
"Please! If I slip up again this time, my ranking will drop!"
Im Na-yeon said, clasping her hands together. If her ranking drops, that's really serious. I sighed in my heart.
Mask Window!
▼
[8/1,000]
[Mask of Serenity Lv. 4]
-When the mind becomes unstable, provides a serenity boost
[Mask of the Gym Rat Lv. 2]
-When exercising, provides a physical ability growth boost
[Mask of Rest Lv. 2]
-When resting, accelerates natural recovery speed
[Mask of Immovability Lv. 1]
-When acting, provides an immovability boost to mind and body
[Swordsman's Mask Lv. 1]
-When using a sword, provides a swordsmanship boost
-Strength +1, Agility +1, Stamina +1 boost
[Spearman's Mask Lv. 1]
-When using a spear, provides a spearmanship boost
-Strength +1, Agility +1, Stamina +1 boost
[Mask of the Erotic Novel's Trainer Lv. 1]
-When acting, provides a boost to act like the trainer from an erotic novel, increases training effect when training
The masks I had created so far floated up like a status window. I thought about the appearances of some instructors I had heard of in my previous life. A star instructor, a star instructor. A 50-year-old male instructor who teaches students with a bald head and a bewitching expression and gestures... Fuck, not this.
I pictured an instructor in my head who speaks well and summarizes key points well.
▼
[Mask of the Star Instructor Lv. 1]
When lecturing, provides a concentration boost to the opponent
Well, this should be enough.
"Which part is weak?"
"Mana mechanics calculation inside the dungeon?"
"To be honest?"
"E-everything..."
"......."
Im Na-yeon answered my question while pouting her lips. Well, since I roughly knew, it wasn't that desperate... It was desperate.
"Then let's start with the urgent ones. What about the mana field equation?"
"......That's also a problem."
"Hmm."
I stroked my chin and thought. Anyway, class is ending soon, so I should be able to spare about 2 hours.
"I have training too, so I can't help you much, but I can spare 2 hours for now."
"Thank you! I'll repay you later!"
An empty club room with no one around, a modern black-colored desk, and an antique classroom with pure white tiles on the floor. That's right. I was currently in a space where I was forced to train her according to Im Na-yeon's wishes.
"Siwoo, how do you solve this part?"
Im Na-yeon asked me from the side with a silly grin. I took a quick look at the problem Im Na-yeon handed me.
-There is a dungeon where about 380,000 mana was measured with a mana meter.
Three people, a mid-tier hero warrior, an archer, and a mage, went out to explore this place. However, they encountered a boss monster and elite monsters with bad compatibility, so they had no choice but to retreat. Find out how many days they can survive in the dungeon at most.
I sighed in my heart and opened the special trait. Knowledge Browsing gave me the answer.
"Maximum 13 days. It depends on the food situation, but if you can consume nutrients quite abundantly, you can survive for 13 days."
"Wow, did you calculate it as soon as you saw it? You're smart indeed."
Im Na-yeon exclaimed softly. I wrote down the equation on the side. As easily understandable as possible. Then Im Na-yeon's expression brightened. It was really easy to understand.
"Phew, studying for today ends here."
"......?"
It hasn't even been 30 minutes since we started studying. I looked at Im Na-yeon, dumbfounded. Im Na-yeon said as if she was shy.
"People are originally not healthy if they are forced to do something because they get stressed."
"......."
I think you need to be a little stressed. I took off the mask and sighed.
"Ahem."
Im Na-yeon suddenly cleared her throat and looked around. There was nothing around...
The trigger Im Na-yeon planted on me with the hypnosis app came to mind. If she claps in an empty space, I fall under hypnosis.
"......."
Deureureuk.
Im Na-yeon suddenly stood up and closed the door. She covered the window in the middle of the door and operated a strange golden handle that looked like an artifact.
Jiiing.
A blue light-like force field appeared and began to block the doors and windows on all sides. It was a completely sealed space.
"....Na-yeon...?"
"Sorry, Siwoo. I couldn't hold it in anymore."
No, what on earth couldn't you hold in? I felt absurd. Honestly, I felt so wronged. I skipped my necessary training time to teach her, so why do I have to do a hard job like training?
However, unlike my feelings, Im Na-yeon had a flushed expression.
Clap.
She clapped her hands.