Dungeon Practice 3: The Student Council President's Sudden Arrival
It was the event where she and Yoo Choa first crossed paths in the game. Of course, it didn't lead to them partying up like this.
As the girl who'd just locked eyes with Yoo Choa fell silent for a moment, Kim Yeonha scanned the surroundings and spoke up.
"Everyone knows what kind of dungeon this is, right?"
"An artificial dungeon."
"That's right. An artificial dungeon. The Academy, working with the Association, created this man-made one for cadet training using an energy core and a few artifacts."
Kim Yeonha's explanation was straight out of the game and our classes, so I didn't need to pay it much mind. What had my full attention was Ryu Sena—and the Yoo Choa she was eyeing.
If it's Ryu Sena, she must know Yoo Choa's aptitude...
Guess she came just to get a look at her face.
"...So this class will be scored based on how quickly you clear the dungeon. Seniors, take good care of the underclassmen."
"Yes!"
Like a rooster's neck getting wrung wouldn't stop the dawn, class went on regardless of our situation.
"Yohan! Let's go! The president can come with us too! I had no idea she'd show up!"
"To be honest, the reason I came this time is to check the skills of the famous first-years."
Ryu Sena's blunt tone swept over Elizabeth, then me, then back to Elizabeth. The grade-topper Elizabeth. And me, the trash kicked out of the student council. But her gaze didn't waver between us.
"I'll just give a quick demo, so follow closely."
With that curt declaration, she plunged into the dungeon without hesitation. Watching her go, Elizabeth furrowed her brow slightly.
"Hm. Did something bad happen or what?"
Being Elizabeth, even the student council president's icy demeanor didn't faze her. Tough mentality—nice.
"It's the student council president. Just roll with it."
And besides, she's probably not acting cold because she wants to.
The moment we passed through the dimension gate wrapped in faint black energy, a dim cave greeted us. It looked just like the beginner dungeon from the game.
Well, it's the first one—no way they'd throw us into ruins-level stuff.
"Dungeons are generally known to occur naturally, but that's not always the case."
"I know! They use energy cores to generate dungeons for training, right?"
"Correct. Inject a special energy core into a collapsing dungeon, and it stabilizes. You can even spawn monsters weaker than the originals."
"But it takes so much energy core material that only major groups can pull it off. Pretty much just nations or the Hero Association..."
"You know your stuff. As expected from the grade-topper. And... Kim Yohan. Got nothing to say?"
"I don't really like artificial dungeons since there's no clear reward."
"...I wasn't asking about your tastes."
"But it's not wrong."
"True. Clearing a dungeon nets rewards that make heroes stronger. Now, here's the first obstacle in this artificial dungeon."
No sooner had Ryu Sena finished than footsteps echoed. Coming down the cave passage was a small, brown-skinned freakish monster. A Mook.
"Mooks are entry-level, the most common in artificial dungeons. Might even be what you see most as cadets."
There was just one monster. Only one! So Ryu Sena casually continued while eyeing it.
-Kieeeek!!
She effortlessly dodged its charge—complete with a jagged bone dagger and eerie screech—then booted it away and grabbed her spear.
"Countering them is simple. Just deal enough damage, and they vanish."
-Pabababat!!
Three spear thrusts in an instant—head, chest, gut. The Mook crumpled into smoke and dissipated. Elizabeth nodded solemnly.
"Next ones, you try."
-Thud!!
The moment she stomped, three Mooks appeared. Just like in the game.
"I'll hang back, then."
True to her word, she was just demoing and observing. Time to show my full hand, then.
"Don't let your guard down."
Even a lion goes all-out against a rabbit. But as I moved to buff her—
Elizabeth drew her sword.
"Ohohoho!! Got it! Yohan, you rest! I'll handle this! Time to show the Taylor family's might!"
With a confident laugh, she dashed forward.
"Haaaaap!!"
Golden energy gathered on her blade. Taylor family secret swordsmanship unfolded.
-Kwaaaang!!
Her single strike obliterated the Mooks.
"...Heard she was strong, but not this strong."
"Haha..."
No wonder she's top of the grade.
After that, the dungeon crawl was a breeze. A few Mooks were no threat to Elizabeth anyway.
"You sure you don't wanna join?"
"Let her have her fun."
She's loving it—hard to butt in. And I don't need to go all-out yet.
"Ah! Looks like we're at the end!"
The passage opened into a wide chamber. At the center, an altar held a small gem pulsing with red energy. The dungeon core.
"Destroy that, and we're done. But stay sharp. Even in an artificial dungeon, first-years alone won't catch the boss. I'll join now."
And as if to prove it, the red glow intensified, and something stirred in the darkness.
-Grrrrroooaaar...!!
"Ugh! The smell!"
A nose-stinging stench of rotting flesh. The monster that demoralized just by its odor. A D-rank Ghoul by Association standards.
"Eugh..."
It must've hit hard. Ryu Sena smirked at Elizabeth pinching her nose.
"Most undead spew corpse stink. I'll give you some anti-stink meds. But struggling with this much..."
Wonder what fancy stuff she's got.
Anyway, that stink inflicts status ailments—no need for meds.
"Ready, Elizabeth?"
"Yes! Of course, Yohan!"
"...What are you two planning?"
Buff time, obviously. Time for the triple buff set...
"Fuaaaah...!"
Blessing of the Holy Spirit. Diamond Protection. And the Twilight Shadow from last time. With status resistance buffs stacked, Elizabeth dropped her nose-pinch and gripped her sword two-handed.
"Whoa?!"
-Groooar!!
"Ghouls hit hard! Don't block—dodge..."
-Claaang!!
The Ghoul's claws met Elizabeth's blade. But with Diamond Protection and Blessing of the Holy Spirit, no way it'd push her!
"Iyaaap!!"
With a mighty kiai, she shoved the Ghoul back and drew her sword. Golden energy enveloped the blade.
-Slash!!
One strike. Two. Three. Four. Five. Just five slashes shattered the Ghoul to bits.
Nice. Always impressive.
"...Pretty strong for a freshman."
"Ohohohot! Gotta fight tougher foes ahead—this is basic!! President!!"
Ryu Sena eyed the beaming Elizabeth proudly proclaiming it, then turned to me. Her inscrutable gaze lingered.
Artificial dungeon cleared, core destroyed. Normally you'd get energy and artifacts, but it's man-made training—no dice. At least we'd get Academy rewards back home.
"First dungeon clear reward comes from the Academy."
If the president says it, it'll be good. Exciting. Game gave 100,000 won cash and random starter gear.
No buffer stuff expected—hoping for spirit or mental boosts. Or dexterity...
"Alright, let's head out."
The Ghoul's corpse—no, already dead, so "corpse"? Anyway, it fully smoked away, revealing the exit. Stepping out, Elizabeth, Ryu Sena, and I all felt something off.
"...The vibe's weird, huh?"
Elizabeth nailed it. We'd cleared fast, but others were out already. Normally they'd brag or swap info. But no.
The waiting cadets—first-years, seniors, even instructors on hero levels—all stared tensely at the sky.
"What the... is that."
"Weapons out. Everyone."
Kim Yeonha's icy voice rang. She was on high alert, ready for anomalies.
-Kiiiiieeeek!!
A horrific scraping like claws on stone. The sky began blackening.
"...That's."
In the pin-drop silence thick with tension...
Someone spoke. Yoo Choa. This world's protagonist. She pointed at the blackened sky. There, amid the darkness staining the heavens, a single bird flapped its wings.
A bird with icy-blue wings gracefully beating, blotting out the sky. Hovering, gazing down at us.
A mandatory gatekeeper for the true ending.
The Blue Bird that Heralds the Apocalypse.