Chapter 86

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 86

Chapter Title: Club (3)

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"Don't you think Joo Ha-yeon would join if she saw you guys doing it first?"

"Joo Ha-yeon? The girl who wouldn't budge no matter how much interest another guy shows? Yeah, right."

I tilted my head, recalling Joo Ha-yeon's usual friendly smile as she approached everyone.

Park So-yul let out a small sigh, as if she'd figured out what I was thinking from that gesture of mine, and spoke up.

"She'd probably say something like, 'I don't think I can do it~' and run away. After that, she wouldn't even set foot in the club room."

Park So-yul spoke surprisingly coldly, perhaps because I'd previously said I liked pretty girls like her and Joo Ha-yeon too.

"We can still earn points, though. She might accept."

"Are you running some kind of happy fantasy circuit?"

In any case, after reaching the summit, I had a meal with the two of them.

Once we'd finished eating, we headed down to the Hero Officer Academy and went our separate ways to our dorms.

-By the way, there are no classes this morning, right?

As Lee Seojun said, today was one of those days with no morning classes.

"That's why we need to do something until lunchtime."

-Since the club worked out well, we could practice magic.

I nodded, took a quick shower in my dorm, and thought about the Absolute Clones I currently had summoned.

'What's the current status of my Absolute Clones?'

The number of Absolute Clones I could summon was five.

Two of them had been reverse-summoned from the gate yesterday, so only three were active now.

'One is obviously the healer.'

Another was a 50- to 60-year-old civilian whose appearance I'd changed from a destroyer.

The last one was also a plain guy in his 20s or 30s, tucked away somewhere in the mountains.

'I need to summon two more and stick them in the mountains again.'

Yesterday, I'd been so focused on figuring out how to gather points that I'd forgotten to summon new clones.

A whole day had flown by, but I wasn't too regretful about it. I summoned two more clones and had them space-jump to different mountain areas.

"Ah. When's the next event?"

Having gone through the sudden gate this time, I asked about the next event.

-It's in a month. But I don't know exactly what kind of event it'll be.

"If I just sit still, won't the original event happen?"

-That would be great, but... the Villain Alliance and Geneva Cult are probably keeping each other in check.

Meaning the Villain Alliance and Geneva Cult were likely out of the running automatically, so who knew what would happen.

"What about the Doomsday Cultists?"

-If the Doomsday Cultists make a move, the original event might play out.

"Conversely, if they don't move, something like another sudden gate happens."

-Probably.

I fell into thought for a moment upon hearing Lee Seojun's response.

"What should we do?"

If I made a move, there was a 100% chance something sudden would occur.

But even if I didn't, it felt like there was about a 66% chance of something sudden happening anyway.

"Ah. What happens in the next event?"

-A gate opens, monsters pour out. The instructors here deploy to deal with it. That's when the crime organization strikes.

"So the students have to hold off the crime organization's numbers alone?"

-Yes. Actually, starting from the second event, people start dying one by one if there are mistakes.

For now, it might be tough to hold out with this student's body.

Not only were my physical abilities sealed, but the only ability I could use was Warlord's Weapon.

'While I'm thinking about it, should I seal the remaining physical abilities too?'

With all physical-related abilities sealed, only the body's innate physical prowess was left at a minimal level.

My strength was listed as F-grade in the Status Window, but it actually held D-grade strength. Now I decided to seal even that.

'Even if I seal it, my strength has risen to D-grade now anyway.'

It wouldn't make much difference from before.

After sealing the remaining physical abilities, I turned my thoughts back to the event.

"If I leave it alone, the gate will open anyway... Huh?"

That's when a foreboding thought crossed my mind.

"Lee Seojun. If the gate opens but the Doomsday Cultists don't attack, what happens?"

-Who knows. It might get replaced with a new event like the sudden gate?

"And the gate still opens as normal?"

-Maybe. To begin with, you've changed so much that even I can't predict it well, Lee Seongmin.

In the worst case, both the gate and a new event would welcome us.

"Maybe it's better to at least block one gate."

-That could work, but how about leaving it alone this time?

"Why?"

-To check if the event reverts to normal.

If it did revert to normal, it'd be easier to deal with whatever came next.

-Plus, even if the gate opens, sending one of your clones should be enough.

"Sure, that'd be enough. The problem is when the Doomsday Cultists attack here."

-Even with your current body, you can handle that plenty. It's still early stages, after all.

But hadn't an S-grade ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠history recreation gate hit right at the start of those 'early stages'?

'Well, if students die, I can contact Kang Ju-young as the healer.'

She'd definitely beg me to revive the dead students, claiming she had a favor to ask.

In the end, I decided to follow Lee Seojun's advice and observe how the event unfolded, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah. If we need to check, better to see the next event."

-Yes. And there's still time left, so no need to rush.

I nodded once more and immersed myself in magic practice until lunchtime.

"Right on time. Here's the Multi-Calculation Skill Stone you wanted."

As soon as lunchtime hit, I headed to Kang Ju-young's private instructor office, and she handed me the Skill Stone first.

'C-grade at level 8.'

I checked the Multi-Calculation with my observation skill and quickly took it.

"Next up is the club. Got a name in mind?"

"Yes. I was thinking Gourmet Research Club."

"Gourmet Research Club? Not bad, since you summon various dishes."

Kang Ju-young, who said it wasn't bad, fiddled with her tablet.

I figured it was club-related and quietly watched her while toying with the Skill Stone.

'I should list this with the personal merchant too.'

C-grade at level 8 ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠seemed plenty good enough as material for raising proficiency.

Meanwhile, Kang Ju-young finished the registration and slowly stood up.

"I'll show you to the club room now."

"Is it far from here?"

"In terms of location, it's behind the building with the personal training rooms and virtual training halls."

I thought Cheon Seo-yun would like Kang Ju-young's answer.

"By the way, who are the ones who agreed to join?"

Suddenly asked about the joiners, I answered nonchalantly.

There was no reason to hide it, and she could find out anytime if she wanted.

"Looks like you got close to Cheon Seo-yun during the entrance ceremony spar. You're together in practical combat class too."

"That's right."

"But Joo Ha-yeon is unexpected."

Kang Ju-young seemed to think there was no connection between me and Joo Ha-yeon, showing a genuinely surprised expression.

"Anyway, as I said yesterday, max ten people. And keep the rumors from spreading. It'll get noisy if other students find out."

"Yes."

Even without her saying, I was keeping Collection Cuisine Summon a secret.

Cheon Seo-yun and Park So-yul ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠also seemed to understand the fallout if my dish summoning got out, so they were being careful on their own.

"If it does leak, I'll have to tell you to hold off using it to quell the students' complaints."

"So you're saying to recruit ten people who can keep a secret?"

"Fortunately, you're not slow on the uptake."

With that, Kang Ju-young showed me the club room we'd arrived at.

Clunk―

Opening the door to the club room, which even had a lock, revealed a spacious 20-pyeong studio-like space, just as I'd heard.

-Wow. It really is spacious.

Even Lee Seojun reacted with fresh surprise, as it was his first time seeing a 20-pyeong club room.

"Here it is."

"...It seems kinda empty, doesn't it?"

Looking around, there was just a long table, chairs, and a sofa in the barren space.

Thankfully, there was what looked like a bathroom in one corner, but it was far from what I'd imagined.

"If you need anything more, buy it with points."

"Can we buy stuff to fill this place with points too?"

"Almost nothing here can't be done with points. But the items themselves belong to the club room."

Belong?

I looked at Kang Ju-young with a puzzled expression, not understanding, and she explained further.

"Suppose you buy a fridge. You planning to take it with you? And if so, where to?"

"So bulky items are basically donations to the club room."

Kang Ju-young nodded with a subtly satisfied look, as if no more explanation was needed.

'Hmm.'

On the other hand, gazing at the empty club room, I pondered what to do.

In truth, just pulling out the stuff from my sub-space would decorate this place lavishly in no time.

'The issue is Kang Ju-young might get suspicious if she comes back later.'

With that in mind, I asked Kang Ju-young just in case.

"We can't bring stuff in from outside, right?"

"You think we can?"

As expected, it seemed everything had to be handled with points somehow.

"Still, here's some useful info. There's a woodworking club somewhere. Pay them points, and they'll make furniture. Look into it if you're interested."

As soon as she finished, Kang Ju-young fiddled with her tablet again.

Beep―

"......"

I wondered what she was doing, but it turned out she'd taken all the points I had.

"I've also set up the Gourmet Research Club in the tablet-accessible clubs list and transferred the authority to you. Register future members through there."

With those final words, Kang Ju-young left the club room as if there was nothing more to discuss.

I watched her leisurely departing figure, then turned back to survey the surroundings.

"Will Kang Ju-young come back here?"

-Who knows? Unless it's something major, I doubt she'll drop by. Why?"

"If she doesn't, I plan to decorate it however I want."

Come to think of it, even if I pulled out furniture and arranged it my way, I could just shove it back into my sub-space later if needed.

Having reached that conclusion, I decided to fancy up the club room first before calling Cheon Seo-yun and the others.