Chapter 124
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Midterm Exam (6)
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As expected, after walking for about an hour, they arrived at what they presumed to be the boss monster's lair.
The reason it was specifically called a "place" was because, instead of a boss-grade monster right in front of them, there stood a structure the size of a building.
"......Is that a beehive?"
"It doesn't look exactly like one, but yeah, kinda."
The hive resembled an ant mound stacked layer upon layer from the ground up like a massive tree.
But with a large hole big enough for humans to enter and exit, and actual hornets visible, it seemed to be a beehive after all.
"Killer hornets. I've fought them in the virtual training room, but never in such numbers."
"Probably a few hundred, right?"
While Oh Ye-rin and Park So-yul exchanged words, Lee Seongmin also stared at the hive.
'Calculating the size of the hive and the hornets......'
As Park So-yul said, not quite a few hundred, but there had to be at least 70 or 80.
The problem was that their side only had five people, making it tough to take on monsters numbering more than ten times that.
'If someone gets hurt, Park Ji-mok from the back will step in.'
Even so, handling it alone would definitely deduct points.
'Need a strategy.'
Rather than everyone charging in and someone getting injured, or him wiping them all out solo, a plausible plan was necessary.
After staring at the hive and pondering for a while, he soon came up with a decent strategy.
"I've got a good idea."
"A good idea?"
"Hear me out."
He gathered everyone and explained the plan, and they all wore strange expressions.
From their faces, it seemed they were surprised he'd come up with such a plan at all.
"Not bad? Actually, it's fine. Didn't know you could think."
"When have I not thought?"
"Figured you just went with the flow."
Oh Ye-rin said that and glanced at the hive once more.
Thinking it was better than a full-frontal assault, she soon nodded.
"Got it. I'm in. Jeong Yu-mi, you?"
"Me? No better ideas, so yeah, I'm in too."
"Right. With Cheon Seo-yun here, it won't be that dangerous anyway."
Oh Ye-rin and Jeong Yu-mi said that, then turned to Park So-yul last.
"Killer hornets, so the boss is the queen hornet, I bet."
Park So-yul guessed the boss monster inside the hive and soon agreed.
"Yeah. Should be no problem if we follow the plan."
"Alright, let's do it."
Hearing everyone's approval, he first dismissed the wind spirit and summoned the fire spirit.
"Fire Spirit, come forth."
Flash!
A burst of red light flashed, and the fire spirit appeared—short-haired with a prickly demeanor.
[Fire Spirit]
[I'm here!]
"See that big hive ahead? Attack it."
[Burn it?]
"Burn it, then run as far away as possible."
His plan was simple.
Attack the hive with the spirit and Warlord's Weapon, then when the hornets swarm out, lure them to one side.
Once lured, the team—led by Cheon Seo-yun—would storm the hive and take down the boss-grade queen hornet.
The fire spirit nodded.
[Don't like running, but...... fine.]
Honestly, using the online game summoner's spirit skills, he could probably burn the hive solo.
But he went through this hassle to show teamwork and maximize their score.
"Good. Go."
Thus, he sent the fire spirit off with this elaborate plan.
Following his command, the fire spirit flew straight to the hive, with two swords floating nearby.
[Burn to ashes!]
Roar!
As the fire spirit spewed flames, he controlled the two swords to shred the hive.
Naturally, the outer layers shattered, allowing the flames to penetrate and set the interior ablaze.
Buzzz!!
'Here they come.'
No sooner had they disturbed the hive than human torso-sized hornets poured out, glaring fiercely at the fire spirit.
Endless hornets emerged from within, flying toward the spirit, but the flames thinned them out first.
'Wings burned, they drop...... but.'
Still monsters, they didn't die from burned wings alone.
Instead, they climbed nearby trees, stubbornly pursuing the fire spirit.
"Fire spirit. That's enough. Retreat."
He said it softly, but the soul-linked spirit immediately pulled back.
As it retreated, the hornets chased relentlessly, but he skillfully maneuvered the two swords to assist.
'Really wanna sweep them all with Warlord's Weapon.'
He could, but it wouldn't help this exam.
Aiming for top 20, he had to leave the rest to the team.
"Now go."
At his word, the team nodded and charged the hive.
Most hornets seemed to have come out, so few should remain inside.
'Even if a few left, Cheon Seo-yun can handle it.'
Cheon Seo-yun held back to sync with the team.
But she could solo an E-grade gate like this, so no worries.
'Plus I sent the remaining four swords.'
Clearing it was just a matter of time.
Unable to move quickly himself, he stayed put, controlling the swords.
Meanwhile, Park Ji-mok, filming from behind, followed the team to capture their charge.
Lee Seongmin watched, finishing his part.
'First time controlling outside my sight.'
Spreading spatial power let him sense the hive and interior thoroughly—no issue.
'As expected.'
Sure enough, the team entered and raced toward the queen hornet, led by Cheon Seo-yun.
Unfortunately, worker and queen hornets looked similar, so the team couldn't distinguish well—but it didn't matter.
'Just kill 'em all.'
He maneuvered the four swords to slice off every hornet's wings and legs inside.
They inevitably fell, and the team finished them off.
'Hm?'
Then, the lured hornets suddenly turned back en masse.
[Huh? They're all heading back?]
"Then kill them."
With Park Ji-mok now inside filming the team, no eyes on him.
So he wielded the two swords to slaughter every fleeing hornet.
'Just E-grade monsters.'
No E-grade could outpace his Warlord's Weapon.
In that instant of killing the retreating swarm, he sensed the hive's interior was wrapped up.
—Lee Seongmin, how's it going inside?
"All done. Killed every hornet inside. Queen probably too."
—If the queen's dead, gate closes in an hour.
"Only if it's not the boss-grade."
As they chatted while waiting, the team returned.
Not just that—Oh Ye-rin came running, waving a dagger like a sharp stinger from a hornet.
"Lee Seongmin! Look! An artifact dropped!"
Artifact?
'Yeah, about time for one.'
One skill stone and one artifact from the gate—not bad.
【E-Grade Killer Hornet's Stinger】
【A dagger made from a killer hornet's stinger. Coated in faint poison.】
—That artifact can be traded for points or kept by the student.
Listening to Lee Seojun, he eyed the artifact in Oh Ye-rin's hand.
'Poison, huh......'
As expected of an E-grade weapon, it didn't look great.
But Oh Ye-rin, clutching the dagger, seemed thrilled and unwilling to let go.
"Gonna use that artifact?"
"Huh? Can't I?"
"Not that you can't, but it doesn't look that good."
Called a dagger, but really more like an awl.
A stabbing-only weapon, so he honestly said it wasn't great.
"Still an artifact. Sell it outside, get at least a few hundred."
"If selling...... But did the others agree?"
He didn't need it anyway.
His stolen artifacts from the Destroyer were plenty.
So he said do as she liked, but others might differ.
"I don't care."
Cheon Seo-yun showed little interest in artifacts.
"Me too. Not like I'd use it."
"......Can't we hand it to the school for points?"
Jeong Yu-mi and Park So-yul chimed in.
Park So-yul seemed a bit regretful inwardly but relented to Oh Ye-rin's whining.
"Wonder if the gate's cleared."
S-grade gates had obvious boss monsters.
But this low E-grade lacked that boss vibe.
—Probably cleared. Odd for strong monsters in E-grade.
"Let's wait. Hour later, gate exits."
With Lee Seojun's word, they waited an hour.
Right on time, the gate vanished, spitting them back to Gangwon Province entrance.
'Midterms over.'
Now for grades.
—In my view, top 20 easy. Probably 5th or 6th.
"Who's first?"
—Cheon Seo-yun. Topped uninhabited island survival too. Was first when I was there, so now too.
Lee Seojun said since she was first before, she was now.
No one else but her for first, so he had to concede.
Beep beep beep—
—Ah. Grades out.
"Usually send via watch?"
—Tablet too.
He'd thought paper on walls, but didn't say.
Checking his watch, rankings from 1st to 300th with names appeared.
'Let's see.'
Where was his?
Found it—near the top.
[9th: Lee Seongmin (94.4)]
"......"
Somehow ambiguous.