Dungeon Practice 2

Anyway, there were still afternoon classes left, even if tomorrow was dungeon training. My heart was pounding with anticipation, but I couldn't just waste this precious class time meant for skill practice. So, I sat quietly and paid attention.

Fortunately, no one called me out. Sure, I got a few questions, but I answered them well and followed the lesson closely, so there shouldn't be any issues.

Just as that fulfilling day of classes wrapped up, one of my classmates posted a notice at the front of the classroom. I wondered if it was related to tomorrow's dungeon practice and went to check it out, but it wasn't.

"Club recruitment..."

Hero Academia didn't just follow the academic schedule—it had all sorts of clubs and research groups where you could meet other characters, trigger events, and complete quests. You could join up to two per person. Of course, one was fine, or even none at all, but joining was definitely beneficial. Every club offered rewards, and skipping them just meant your stamina recovered on its own.

Reality was probably no different.

"Yohan. Where are you planning to go?"

Colombo, whose Korean still sounded a bit awkward, approached me. His eyes sparkling, he clenched his fist tightly.

"A warrior should go for shield arts. How about the Shield Research Club?"

"Pass."

A buffer tanking? I'd get flamed for that.

"Then what about the Japanese Culture Research Club?"

Satsuki, who had approached gracefully, flashed a gentle smile. Japanese Culture Research Club, huh. Joining that led to an event in Japan later on. There were skills and gear you could only get there, so it wasn't a bad suggestion... but you could access it other ways too, so it was low priority.

"Ohohoho! Then why not join the Afternoon Tea Club with me?!"

Afternoon Tea Club. Hero Academia was in Korea, but it drew promising talents from around the world. Just look at Elizabeth, the British noble. Naturally, there were other cadets from noble or prestigious families, and the Afternoon Tea Club was made for them. In reality, it was just a social club for the elite to mingle. Joining that...

"You need to be from a certain caliber of family for that one. I'm an orphan."

"Ah."

Elizabeth froze like a retriever that had accidentally nipped its owner while playing, trembling as she muttered to herself, 'Wh-what did I just say...? How could I, as a noble, wound someone's feelings like that...'

"Hey, it's fine."

"Still..."

As she moped, a few others around us chatted about their club or research group choices, but my top pick was the Archery Club 'Bow'. Even if I aimed to be a ramen buffer, until I met Azazel and unlocked reinforcement aptitude, I had to pull my weight somehow. With my current buffs plus shooting arrows from the back to draw some aggro, that should cover my share. And for the second one...

"Manli Chujunghyang? Not a bad choice."

Manli Chujunghyang. The academy's one and only hunting club. Not some fancy hunt for the nobility—this was a volunteer group for taking down rampaging monsters everywhere. The pay was low, but the combat experience was insane. Especially for skill proficiency; this place was the best.

"Right?"

Plus, their events and quests sometimes dropped buffer skillbooks. Essential.

"I'm joining too."

Jin Siyeon nodded slightly.

Oh. Nice to have a familiar face.

"A hunting club... Sounds decent..."

Elizabeth, still a bit down, sidled up behind me.

"I said it's fine."

"Still... It's not proper for a noble, or even as a person..."

No matter how many times I reassured her, she still looked apologetic. Guess I couldn't let this slide.

"Fine, buy me a meal later."

"Mm. In that case... Got it! I'll make it up to you properly at a nice place!"

Now she was perking up. Yeah, her smiling face suited her best.

I turned back to Jin Siyeon, who was staring at her childhood friend with a strange expression.

"...Hmph. Whatever. But don't forget Manli Chujunghyang has an entry test."

I knew. They couldn't afford noobs dragging them down and getting eaten by monsters, so only skilled folks got in.

"Oh? Worried about me? The great Elizabeth ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Taylor?"

"Not you."

Jin Siyeon glanced at me and shook her head.

"Party for the test is random draw. Even if you're skilled, bad luck means you fail."

"Oh..."

"But if you really want in, I could put in a word."

She placed a hand on my shoulder, and Elizabeth grabbed my hand.

"We're friends, right?!"

Hahaha. You two. Hahaha. Mind letting go now? It's starting to hurt.

I didn't take them up on joint training. Elizabeth's idea was triple the usual strength training. Jin Siyeon's was unlimited sparring. Sure, partying with two main heroines would've boosted my stats nicely, but that wasn't the issue right now.

Thanks to all that bone-grinding effort, I'd finally hit 3 in mental power. Surprisingly, holy power went up by 0.01. The others had at least climbed 0.1. Why was my aptitude still Heal? Normally, healers got bonuses to holy power. Whatever. To join Manli Chujunghyang, I needed basic combat ability, so prioritizing the Archery Circle to build archery skills came first. Buffs alone wouldn't cut it, and I hadn't learned dexterity buffs yet anyway...

"Sigh."

Look on the bright side. I'd need archery practice for dungeons anyway.

— Trainee Cadet Kim Yohan enters the archery training ground.

I swiped my cadet ID on the device, and the archery training room door slid open, revealing other cadets training. None were using the provided practice bows—everyone had their own personal ones. That was the right way. Weapons performed best when tailored to you. I had none, so practice bow it was.

Damn capitalism!!

"He's gonna use that one?"

"But his stance is killer..."

"No way... Proving a true artisan doesn't need fancy gear?"

Was my stance that good? Just deploying the form the club president taught me last time drew burning stares. Anyway...

Shot!

"...Just a good stance, huh."

"Figures. Isn't that Yohan? The healer with crap heal output? Aptitude heal, but good at archery?"

What a Udyr-level mood swing. The stares focused on me vanished the instant my arrow missed the target. All but one.

"That bow."

"Huh?"

"String's tied wrong at the ends. Balance is off too."

"Huh? What are you doing here?"

It was Jin Siyeon. Missed her sitting alone in the corner. Why was a sword user in the archery range?

"That bow. Hand it over."

She took the practice bow I was holding, inspected it every which way, and nodded. Then—

Wait, was that okay? It's academy equipment!

"Calling crap like this a bow."

She muttered irritably, picked another practice bow, and handed it to me.

"Your stance is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠solid. Time to learn to judge bows."

"Uh, yeah. Thanks. Hey."

"Whatever. I just couldn't stand archery being insulted."

"You know archery too? Something up with it?"

"Used to. Switched to swords since they suited me better. Still do it as a hobby."

Her voice carried a hint of nostalgia.

"Who taught you?"

"A close big sis... Ugh. Why am I telling you this? Just train."

With her usual cynical tone, she returned to her spot. I drew the new bowstring.

Hit!

Yeah, can't underestimate gear.

The next day, instead of heading to the main building classroom, we moved to the gate for dungeon practice.

"Oh? Kim Yohan?"

"Come on in."

Quite a few cadets were using the gate, including familiar faces: Colombo from our last group and Max, class rank 3.

"Dungeon practice today, right? Can't wait!"

"Mm. First dungeon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for me too..."

Same here. But Max, with some experience, seemed smug.

"I've done a few. Speaking of dungeons, you guys know? There are weird ones out there."

"...Aren't dungeons all weird?"

"No, like... one with infinite beer."

"Whoa, can't destroy that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one..."

"No snack dungeon?"

We bantered nonsense as we passed through the gate. Outside the gate facility, a whole new landscape greeted us.

Hero Academia sat on an artificial island in the West Sea. Most facilities were on-island, so cadets rarely left unless for something special—like dungeon practice, the start of Main Story Chapter 1.

True enough, the Gangwon training facility beyond the gate was packed with first-years, just like at the entrance ceremony. We found our class area and waited. Soon, Kim Yeonha took the podium once everyone was accounted for.

"Attention! I'm not sending you rookies in alone. Too dangerous for first-years anyway. Here's the team lineup."

No self-assigned teams this time. Good.

The sheets passed from the front... I checked mine.

"Oh! We're teamed up again!"

Elizabeth beside me was on my team. She grinned wide, fist pumping, then glanced at Jin Siyeon—who just crossed her arms and snorted.

"Why only two people?"

One cadet raised a hand. Kim Yeonha pointed at the gate.

"Even artificial, it's a dungeon. Can't send newbies solo. Called some helpers."

Right on cue, people emerged from the gate.

"Whoa, Senior Shin Jeong-cheol!"

"Senior Kang Suo too!"

Second- and third-years, geared up, grinned and headed to their assigned groups.

"......"

I couldn't look away from the crimson-haired woman approaching us.

"It's been a while."

Everyone fell silent at her appearance. No wonder.

"Why is the student council president here?"

The very core of the student council stood before us.