Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Mock Reverse World (4)
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A massive cave—more precisely, a simulated Shadow Realm built for training.
The moment we stepped inside, the first thing I did was check the practice objective Instructor Kang Cheol-su had mentioned.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
【Team 1 Practice Objective】 [Virtual Situation Explanation] Sudden rifts have appeared, dragging multiple citizens into the Shadow Realm. This Shadow Realm takes the form of a maze-like cave riddled with forks in the path, crawling with monsters. It's an urgent crisis where the citizens could lose their lives at any moment—hurry and rescue them. Goal: Rescue Survivors (0/3) - Time Limit: 30 minutes ※ The survivors are currently injured and immobilized by nearby monsters. ※ Rescuing all survivors will transmit the Shadow Realm exit location to your Smart Watch. Tip. Survivors emit sounds every 5 minutes.
'Oh, survivor rescue. Nice.'
Luckily, we'd drawn a super easy objective.
But unlike me, Park Garam and Im Da-hee didn't look thrilled at all.
"S-Survivor r-rescue?"
"...In a maze cave?"
Park Garam and Im Da-hee balked at the idea of rescuing survivors from a maze cave.
Yeah, I get it.
That's the normal reaction.
Who in their right mind would think rescuing three survivors from a vast, pitch-black maze cave teeming with monsters—in just 30 minutes—is easy?
But this 'survivor rescue' objective is a cakewalk if you know the trick.
And the trick is that the survivors scattered throughout this cave aren't real people—they're dolls embedded with mana stones, customized for the simulation.
And in my inventory, I have the 'Mana Stone Worm' from the first phase of the entrance exam, the 'Test of Wisdom'—a mana stone detector.
I immediately opened my inventory and pulled out the Mana Stone Worm along with various other items, setting them down on the ground.
Park Garam and Im Da-hee, who had been fretting about how impossible the objective seemed, looked utterly baffled by my sudden actions.
"T-Top s-student, wh-what are you d-doing?"
"...What are you planning to do with those?"
Ah, they don't know?
Then I guess I should explain what I pulled out.
But first, let's fix this darkness.
I grabbed one of the 15cm light sticks from the ground and snapped it.
Crack.
With a sound like breaking a twig, yellow light glowed from the stick.
Our vision brightened a bit.
But I didn't stop there—I snapped two more, revealing purple and green glows.
"Here, wear these."
"O-Okay."
"...Thanks."
I handed the purple one to Park Garam and the yellow to Im Da-hee, instructing them to wear them.
Handing out light sticks wasn't just for visibility—it was for friend-or-foe identification too.
In the dark, vision suffers, but your other senses sharpen.
You become hypersensitive to even tiny sounds or touches, which could lead to accidentally attacking an ally.
That's why I distributed the light sticks.
"...When did you get these?"
Im Da-hee, clipping a light stick to her waist, asked in her still-downcast voice.
As I clipped a light stick to the back of my tactical vest—which we'd grabbed from the training grounds together—I answered.
"Stocked up before the entrance exam."
"...Before the entrance exam?"
I clipped a military lantern to the front of my tactical vest and continued.
"Yeah, before. No idea what tests we'd face, so I bought a ton of stuff."
"......Impressive."
Her tone said 'impressive,' but her face looked a little drained.
Well, can't blame her.
If someone seems prepared for every contingency, like they've foreseen the future, it can be kinda scary.
But by my standards, my current prep is woefully inadequate.
'If only I had a bit more money.'
It wouldn't be this meager.
'Just wait till I get that infinite item cheat.'
I'll show everyone what perfect preparation looks like.
As I inwardly hoped my next cheat would be infinite items—
"T-Top s-student... I-I c-can't w-wear th-this."
Park Garam approached with a pitiful whimper, clutching the light stick tightly.
That's when I realized she was wearing a dress.
"Oh... come on......"
I was speechless.
Partly my fault for not checking sooner, but seriously—even for a mage.
Wearing a dress to training practice?
We'd had a 10-minute armament check before departure.
"Wh-Why the long face?"
As I rubbed my forehead with one hand and sighed, Park Garam fidgeted anxiously, wondering what she'd done wrong.
"...No, it's just... a dress...? Why......"
I was so flabbergasted, the words wouldn't come.
Thankfully, Im Da-hee—who'd also just noticed Park Garam's outfit—spoke up for me.
"...Park Garam, you really think that outfit is appropriate right now?"
"M-My outfit?"
Park Garam looked down at her clothes at Im Da-hee's words.
"Wh-What's wrong with it?"
She tilted her head, completely clueless.
Im Da-hee let out a short sigh and explained patiently: We're here for training practice; you need comfortable, mobile clothes; a dress might be comfy but it's totally wrong for this, etc.
Her calm explanation—like someone used to teaching kids—finally made Park Garam realize her mistake. She looked genuinely sorry as she gazed at me and Im Da-hee.
"S-Sorry. I d-didn't know."
I let out a short sigh at her apology.
...She's a bit gloomy and brutally honest, but she's got a good heart.
I accepted it.
"...Next time, wear something comfy instead of a dress."
Saying that, I pulled a spare tactical vest from my inventory and handed it to her.
But Park Garam just stared blankly.
I instantly realized she didn't know how to put it on.
So I helped her into it myself and attached the light stick.
"There, all set."
Now we were ready to move.
Smart Watch showed 25 minutes left—more than I'd thought. Guess time had flown subjectively; plenty remained.
Still, considering this mock Shadow Realm could turn 'real' any moment, we needed to hustle.
With that in mind, I picked up the remaining item on the ground: the glass jar with the Mana Stone Worm.
Park Garam glanced at it and piped up knowingly.
"Th-That's the M-Mana St-Stone W-Worm, right?"
"Yeah."
"Wh-What're you g-gonna do with it?"
She knew what it was, but not how I'd use it.
Of course not.
How would students know the 'survivors' are mana stone-powered dolls?
I just told her it'd play a key role—nothing too detailed.
"Let's move out."
Vision sorted.
I drew a pistol from my inventory and stepped forward.
&
Bang! Bang!
Boom! Kwang!
Not long after venturing deeper—
Monsters appeared and attacked.
They were 'Shadow Monkeys'—lurkers that ambushed from the dark.
But thanks to our lanterns and light sticks, visibility was good.
Countering their ambushes was no sweat.
- Kieeek!
The monster shrieked in agony from my rubber bullet.
A bead-sized light mark etched onto its forehead like a target.
Why the mark?
⚔ ITEM: HOLY GUN (B) ⚔
Pistol used by demon hunters. Imbued with holy blessings. - Shooting applies 'Holy Strike (C)'. - Shooting applies 'Holy Mark (C)'. - Agility +2, Mind +2
「Holy Strike (C)」 Deals bonus damage to enemies with demonic attributes.
「Holy Mark (C)」 A mark etched on hit enemies. Striking the mark causes it to explode, inflicting holy damage.
It was thanks to this weapon I'd gotten yesterday in the dorm using the 'B-Grade Item Selection Ticket.'
Original plan was to use training weapons until this place went 'real,' then switch.
But facing actual monsters, I figured—why bother with training gear? I just used the new one.
Bang!
Rubber bullet hit the marked forehead.
Kwang!
A small white explosion announced the holy damage.
- Kraaaah!
The monster staggered back.
I'd thought rubber bullets did no damage, but the gun's effects made it decently hurtful.
Still, rubber was rubber.
Holy damage landed, but no real injury—just a stagger and minor burns. Momentum unbroken.
No problem.
Fights aren't solo.
Bang!
Mark reapplied on the forehead.
I shouted at the mark.
"Im Da-hee!"
"...Got it!"
She kicked off the ground, thrusting her spear at the forehead.
As she did, I yelled again.
"Infuse electricity into the blade!"
"...Y-Yeah!"
Crackle!
But the electricity sparked from her body, not the blade.
Kwajik... Kwang!
The uneninfused spear pierced the forehead clean through.
Followed by the gun's effect.
Thud.
The head-holed monster collapsed into dust.
Real Shadow Realm monsters leave corpses, but this mock one's for training—defeated ones turn to dust for reuse.
No demonic energy here, so her spear went right through. Real ones have it; you'd need to coat weapons with superhuman mana to pierce.
Im Da-hee could do that, but that's basic for any superhuman.
To reach main-support level like her, she needs to infuse 'Electricity' skills into weapons.
So, honoring my promise to make her strong—before this turns 'real'—I'll get her doing it.
That means more monsters, more fights.
'Time left...'.
I glanced down at my Smart Watch.
[Remaining Objective Time: 18 minutes.]
'18 minutes... Means 3 more minutes of fighting.'
Three minutes, then hunt the last two survivors.
Why two, not three?
Already got one.
'Lucky break.'
Per the objective tip: 'Survivors emit sounds every 5 minutes.'
Exactly at the 5-minute mark after we moved, we heard a nearby 'Save meee!' cry.
Following it led to a leg-broken doll survivor yelling nonstop.
Now it's in my inventory.
Why? It said to carry it for official rescue.
Inventory works fine. Pull 'em out at the end.
Anyway, 18 minutes left—3 more for Im Da-hee training.
I shouted at Park Garam, hurling fireballs from behind.
"Park Garam! Can you use Thunderclap magic?"
"Y-Yeah! I-I c-can!"
"Then hit 'em with a Thunderclap!"
"R-Right now?"
"Now!"
"O-Okay!"
She stopped fireballs, gathered mana in her hands.
Raised her arms high and clapped.
Claaaaap─!!
The thunderous clap echoed through the cave.
Then—
- Kieeek!
- Kyaaaak!
- Kirrrrk!
Monster cries rang out.
Thud thud thud...
A horde approached, vibrations shaking the ground.
"...T-Top student?"
Im Da-hee paled, looking at me.
Instead of words, I used Transfer to dump mines from inventory onto the floor.
Mob pull for her training, sure—but not an overwhelming swarm.
"...L-Lee Yoo-jin!"
She called again, using my name now—not top student.
That gauged her panic.
Mines set, I approached and gripped her shoulders.
"I promised. I'd make you strong."
"......"
Her mouth hung open, staring blankly.
But her eyes asked, Is this really how?
I nodded.
"You'll get strong. Definitely."
Didn't say it'd be easy.
But this I could guarantee.
People grow strongest when pushed to the brink.
"I-I won't die, right?"
She trembled at the emerging monster pack.
Reloading beside her, I said—
"You won't die. Trust me and fight."
"......"
My bold assurance calmed her shakes.
She stared, then nodded slowly.
"...Got it. I'll fight trusting only you."
Adding softly—
"Don't let me die."
Don't let me die.
Easy promise.
"Yeah."
I grinned and nodded.
Aimed at the horde.
"I won't let you. So you just get strong."
"......"
No reply.
Instead—
Crackle.
The sound of electricity coiling around her spear blade.
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