Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Group Project - 2
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“…So, I heard you became Professor Park Na-yeon’s personal disciple. Congratulations.”
“Ah, thanks.”
“Your skill earlier was amazing. Even Seok-hwa doesn’t seem to have a skill like that.”
“Ah… well, it just sort of happened while I was practicing. I guess I got lucky.”
“That’s amazing. That’s probably why Professor Park Na-yeon took you as her disciple.”
Mi-jin continued the conversation, complimenting Tae-jin to ease the awkward atmosphere.
Meanwhile, her hands moved ceaselessly.
For Mi-jin, who barely managed to attend the Academy with a scholarship, 60,000 won was a significant sum.
Even with working part-time all week and delivering yogurt before school, she could barely cover her father’s massive debt, her mother’s hospital bills, and their living expenses.
So, when she was assigned to the F12-13 Dungeon, she quickly researched the monsters that appeared there and memorized any information that could be profitable.
The dungeon practical was a money-making opportunity for her.
That's why she had been eagerly awaiting this practical.
‘It’s been tough lately since my part-time hours were reduced.’
Not only were her mother’s hospital bills piling up, but the thought of her younger sibling only eating instant ramen to live brought tears to her eyes.
She wanted to shield her sibling from the pain of not having enough to eat during their crucial growing years, a pain she knew all too well.
That’s why she worked harder at her part-time jobs and dedicated herself to her studies and training.
She was the sole hope for her struggling family.
She longed to become a full-fledged Hunter, raid dungeons daily, and rise to S-rank, earning billions.
She also yearned for a wonderful partner to lean on.
Though she didn’t show it, her days were a constant struggle.
Sometimes, she had dark thoughts, even wanting to give up on everything.
But she persevered through the hardship, driven by her sense of responsibility to protect her mother and sibling.
That’s why she craved someone to rely on.
She wanted to lean on someone, to find comfort and rest in their embrace.
But her busy schedule and relentless pursuit of success left no room for relationships.
Then, a cadet named Choi Do-han entered her life.
-I’ll help you.
It started with a simple act of kindness.
When she forgot her textbook, Do-han lent her his.
When she was injured, Do-han carried her to the infirmary.
When she felt down, Do-han cheered her up.
When she was short on money, Do-han lent her some.
Gradually, Mi-jin began to rely on Do-han and even imagined a future with him.
Do-han was objectively a great guy.
He had a refreshing personality, a cool and aloof demeanor, and he was the top prospect, guaranteed a position in a major guild after graduation.
There was no reason not to be attracted to him, so she opened her heart to him.
And she found herself competing with Han-na and Yoo Soo-ah for his attention.
Unlike Han-na, though, she hadn’t even been on a proper date with him yet.
She was living day by day, vaguely imagining a future with Do-han, when…
A cadet named Han Tae-jin caught her eye.
‘I’ve run into him a few times outside the Academy, haven’t I?’
On the street…
-Oh, it’s Tae-jin? Where are you going?
-Oh, hi. Um, I’m on my way to meet a friend…
Sometimes at her part-time job…
-Tae-jin? What are you ordering? Are you here alone?
-Uh, um, well… my friend suddenly got a stomachache…!
Near her mother’s hospital…
-What’s wrong? You look pale.
-Um, well… I have a stomachache…!
And even in the alleyway leading to her home…
-What? You live nearby?
-No…!! Hic! M-my, f-friend lives nearby!
-What’s with the camera?
-Oh, th-this! I, um! I enjoy taking pictures…!
-Really? That’s an unexpected hobby.
Looking back, she had run into him quite often outside the Academy.
But Han Tae-jin was a typical loner, easily overlooked in class, so she hadn’t thought much of it.
He seemed creepy and often smirked to himself, giving off the vibe that she should keep her distance.
‘But what was this?’
About two weeks ago, he started to change drastically.
A healthy glow replaced his gloomy and pale complexion. His frail body, prone to collapsing during training, became sturdy. Above all, he grew stronger at an alarming rate, as if he had regained some sealed power.
‘How? Why? How is this possible?’
His growth rate far surpassed even Choi Do-han’s, the top prospect.
At this rate, it seemed like he would soon snatch the title of "top prospect" from Choi Do-han.
It was hard to believe even with her own eyes. The fact that he had even scratched Professor Choi Seok-min’s Mana Guard was insane.
She became curious, and that curiosity turned into interest.
She was desperate to know his secret.
What was his training method? Why did he decide to change? Was there some powerful figure backing him?
‘I’m so curious.’
So, when she was assigned to the same group as Han Tae-jin for the group project, she was secretly pleased.
She hoped she could satisfy her curiosity.
“Tae-jin, can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“Um, what’s your secret to getting stronger? Everyone’s curious.”
She asked him during the group meeting before the project.
If he had some special method, she honestly wanted to learn from him.
“Secret? I just worked hard.”
“Wow… Are your parents Hunters? High-ranking ones?”
“I don’t know.”
Tae-jin shrugged.
There were no records or information about Han Tae-jin's parents in his home, phone, or even his memories.
Mi-jin replied, disappointed, “I thought you had some kind of secret technique. The professors said they’ve never seen a cadet like you before.”
In the end, she gained nothing.
As someone who craved growth and yearned for global recognition like Professor Park Na-yeon, Tae-jin’s answer was inevitably disappointing.
The meeting ended, and a few days later, the dungeon practical began.
She glanced at Tae-jin. Her gaze kept returning to him.
His once-slender shoulders now seemed strangely broad.
His previously unimpressive physique now felt imposing and strong.
With his sunken cheeks filled out and his dark, hollow eyes now brighter, his face was almost as handsome as Do-han’s.
It was a strange feeling.
Similar to Choi Do-han, yet different.
She kept comparing him to Do-han, and her preference gradually shifted.
Strangely, it was towards Han Tae-jin.
The interest stemming from her intense curiosity turned into goodwill, and that goodwill was transforming into a strange attraction.
Although the image of the pre-transformation Han Tae-jin still lingered in her mind, making her unsure if it was truly attraction but she was undeniably developing an ambiguous interest in him.
She questioned herself several times.
Why was she interested in Han Tae-jin?
But she couldn’t find a clear answer.
Was it because her position with Choi Do-han, surrounded by strong competitors like Yoo Soo-ah and Han-na, felt precarious?
Like people drawn to a bet with better odds, even if slim, rather than one with almost no chance of winning.
‘Ugh… I don’t know, I don’t know.’
She tried to redefine the changed Han Tae-jin. He was like the cheap snacks she used to buy at the corner store as a child.
Drawn in by the crude yet exaggerated packaging, once she opened it, she couldn’t stop.
And then, he asked her, “This is a bit random… but has anyone ever followed you around because they liked you? I thought I saw someone doing that the other day.”
It was a very unexpected question, but that made it even more intriguing.
Her heart skipped a beat.
“No…? Why?”
“I just thought you must have been popular.”
“I wasn’t… I’ve been too busy trying to make ends meet.”
“Oh… Sorry.”
Her days had been too busy to even notice or feel any sense of popularity.
It made her feel a little melancholic, but Tae-jin’s question gave her a strange thrill.
‘I thought you must have been popular.’
Didn’t that mean he saw her even in her most pathetic state in a positive light?
Didn’t that mean he had feelings for her?
Could Han Tae-jin possibly like her?
With that sudden thought, Mi-jin recalled the past.
‘Wait! Is that why we kept running into each other…!?’
The thought struck her like lightning, and she stared at Tae-jin with wide eyes.
‘No, that can’t be it. Most of our encounters were just coincidences.’
She slammed the brakes on her runaway train of thought.
Her tendency to fall head over heels for any kindness was acting up again.
Just like when she started planning her honeymoon after a single act of kindness from Choi Do-han.
‘Calm down, Mi-jin. That was too much.’
She took a deep breath and calmed herself down.
And focused on the task at hand.
Her priority was to buy her sibling a decent meal.
“Phew, all done.”
“Thanks, Tae-jin. Um… since you helped me, I’ll buy you a coffee later.”
“Sure… whatever.”
They finished harvesting in about seven minutes, and Mi-jin promised to buy Tae-jin coffee as a thank you.
Looking at the Red Wolf claws stored in her mana pocket, she thought about having a feast with her sibling.
‘Heehee, Arin! Big sis is buying pork today…!’
This dungeon practical was bringing a smile to her face for many reasons.
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After resting for about three minutes with Baek Mi-jin, I led the group onward.
We walked through the lush forest for another hour. Finally, the end was in sight.
“We’re almost at the last sector, F11.”
We encountered a Black Bear along the way, but we managed to defeat it without any problems.
Although its large size and thick hide gave us a bit of trouble.
And…
-Let's take a break. I'm pretty tired.
-Okay.
I deliberately called for a break for Baek Mi-jin's sake.
It would have been awkward for her to ask to harvest materials twice.
I had also seen her eyeing the Black Bear’s abdomen.
-Um, would it be okay if I harvested some materials? I'll be done in ten minutes…!
-Go ahead. But we're leaving in ten minutes, sharp.
-Okay! Thanks, everyone!
Who would stop her from working hard during her personal break time?
Besides, I had heard that Black Bear gallbladders sold for 100,000 won each.
The harvesting was easier than the Red Wolf claws, and she finished in three minutes. We continued on and soon arrived at the F11 sector.
The F12 sector was the boss room and was off-limits for the dungeon practical.
This was a precaution for the cadets’ first unsupervised practical.
Even if the boss had been defeated, stronger monsters could respawn in the boss room.
So, F11 was the final sector.
Feeling a sense of relief, we entered the F11 sector.
'Wait a minute...'
I finally realized why this dungeon felt so strangely familiar.
The Forest dungeon… I’d seen it somewhere before.
The monsters, too…
The Red Wolf and Black Bear… I’d seen them in the original story.
In the ‘Group Project’ arc.
‘Uh… don’t tell me this is the dungeon the original protagonist visited…?’
It seemed the dungeon that should have been assigned to Choi Do-han’s Group 1 had been assigned to our Group 4 instead.
That’s why the F11 sector felt so familiar.
- *Keek?*
A Golden Goblin, a monster so rare it only appeared once in every thousand raids, was lying on its back, rubbing its belly, leaning against a bundle as if it were a pillow.
It was exactly as described in the original story.
The color of the bundle, unique to each Golden Goblin, and its belly-rubbing entrance… everything was identical.
…Could it be that we were actually assigned to the dungeon meant for Choi Do-han?
I couldn’t be sure yet.
The original story never mentioned the dungeon number.
-[Gob! Human! It’s a Human]