Who Will Win? - 2 -
BOOM!! The strategy of deliberately making noise to lure the Big Lizards wasn't bad at all.
"Scatter!"
"Kyaaak!"
"Too many! We herded too many!"
The plan had been perfect right up until the Big Lizards came swarming in hordes. Now it was crumbling, and we bolted through the forest.
"Haaap!!"
Yoo Choa's gathered mana cannon slammed into a cluster of Big Lizards. The explosion sent them flying in all directions, some crashing to the ground. Max cleaved one lunging at me with his longsword. Seizing the brief pause, I fired off a shot! A Big Lizard with an arrow lodged in its mouth staggered.
"Buffs incoming!!"
I quickly cast Blessing of the Holy Spirit on Yoo Choa and Diamond Protection on Max. He was fending off a dozen simultaneous attacks, and thanks to the defense boost, he wasn't taking heavy damage—but bruises and scratches were starting to appear all over.
Max was supposed to tank hits for me, not get hurt like this! He couldn't go down!!
"...This is your heal?!"
This guy?!
"Max! Get back!"
Max, who had been tanking up front with his body, rolled aside. At the same moment, Yoo Choa unleashed the mana cannons she'd been charging in both hands.
BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!B OOOM!!
Five volleys, just like against the sword demon. The clustered Big Lizards were obliterated by the barrage, and only then did Yoo Choa flop down onto the ground.
"Aigoo, I'm dying..."
"You're not dying, though. Max, give me a hand."
I pulled out my combat knife and sliced off the tail of a dead Big Lizard. We needed these to prove our kills.
"How many'd we get?"
"Lemme see. 41 Big Lizards and 2 Dragon Flies."
"Aren't we catching too many Big Lizards?"
"This area's just full of 'em, looks like."
Maybe time to head somewhere else? The Thousand Li Gallop trial counted monster numbers but also required taking down strong ones. At least a D-rank would be nice.
"Moving sounds good, but I'm wiped..."
Our DPS was slumped over in exhaustion, so I tossed her a Choco Pie I'd packed.
"When'd you even grab this stuff?"
"Sugar's the best for tough jobs. Hey, Max, you too. Eat up, rest a bit, then we move."
"Got it."
We had time, so I cast heals on Yoo Choa and Max before sitting on a nearby rock.
"So, what D-ranks are around here anyway?"
"From class, I think... Specterwood... Black King Wolf... and Lamia, right?"
"Specterwood?"
"Yeah, also called ghost tree..."
Just like Yoo Choa said, I'd heard about it in class. About monsters to watch for in Baekryeongdo's cypress forest. The southeast was thick with yin energy, making it dangerous since ancient times, and that energy spawned bizarre monsters.
"Heh heh... Max, Specterwoods move. Like they're alive..."
"But aren't trees already alive?"
Yoo Choa, who'd been grinning mischievously and acting spooky, tilted her head.
"Are they?"
Oh, come on.
"The problem is they spew weird pollen that confuses enemies. Without a mental stabilizer, it's not easy to fight."
I'd heard it in Instructor Kim Yeonha's class too. Specterwoods common in Baekryeongdo's cypress forests could confuse allies into combat incapacity or friendly fire. She recommended popping stabilizers before engaging and fighting only while they lasted. Same in the game.
"Heh. Got stabilizers."
"Huh?"
"Just one dose, though."
"...You planning to solo? Dude, carry more than that."
As Yoo Choa scolded Max, who smugly pulled out an ampule, I shook my head. One was enough.
"Twilight Shadow boosts status resistance, so we're good."
"Oh? Then..."
"The issue's me..."
Kim Yeonha said to bring stabilizers for Specterwoods, but she left something out. High mental stats boost status resistance. In the game, Specterwoods' status resistance was 2.8. My mental power could handle it.
"Eh, I'll be fine."
"Dude, if you get confused and buff the Specterwood, we're all dead..."
"Relax. I won't get confused by that. Alright, let's go."
Heading southeast from our spot, we saw signs of other cadets taking the test. Some must be after Specterwoods too. Hopefully they weren't all snagged already? Deeper in, there'd be clusters, making them a headache.
"Over there."
Specterwoods desertify their surroundings. Considering they suck up soil nutrients, spotting desertified patches pinpointed them easily. The lush grass and trees gave way to dry earth, withered plants twisting around us.
"Stay sharp..."
"Dodge!!"
At Max's shout, I leaped aside. A shuriken embedded where I'd stood. A ninja appeared out of nowhere!
"...Damn."
He wore the academy cadet uniform. One male cadet masked like a ninja; the other two lay unconscious nearby.
"Must be confused. What now?"
"Say hi first."
"Hi's good!!"
Not that hi, idiot. As Max charged with his longsword, I cast Blessing of the Holy Spirit and Diamond Protection. Feeling the buffs, he grinned and swung faster. The ninja blocked the strike but stabbed at Max's side with a dagger in his other hand—then tilted his head blankly. No wonder. The dagger hadn't pierced his gut.
"Hraaap!!"
Light gathered on Max's sword. He was using a skill to end it quick—sword aura, unique to sword aptitudes. The wide swing batted the dagger away, followed by a pommel strike to the ninja cadet's head.
CRACK!!
Critical hit, probably. The guy crumpled unconscious. Yoo Choa approached the other two.
"Guess these three were fighting, and he was the last one standing."
"Yeah. He must've been beat. Didn't expect a pommel smack to drop him."
"What do we do? Wake 'em?"
"Just pile 'em up here nicely."
We gathered the three and fired a signal flare. Not long after, two seniors I'd seen earlier approached.
"You guys fire the flare?"
"Yeah. These three are out."
"We can tell. Tried for a Specterwood and got got, huh."
"Looks like."
"Knowing your limits is key... Anyway, thanks. Saves us work."
"But what if they retire like this? Could get hurt or worse."
"Can't help it. That's hero life. Not that dangerous here anyway. Specterwoods are riskier, but they don't eat prey right away."
The other senior shrugged after explaining. They wait till it starves, then absorb it.
"Takes time to recover, sure."
"Ah."
"You guys after Specterwoods too?"
"Yes."
"Good luck. Nailing one puts you safely in passing range. Time's almost up, yeah?"
One senior eyed me, chuckled, and patted my shoulder.
"Didn't think you'd last this well. Keep it up."
His friendly vibe was nice. I smiled back at the encouragement, then turned to Yoo Choa and Max as they left.
"Rested enough? Let's move."
Deeper in the forest, we found a wounded Specterwood. The one those guys failed on.
"Talk about luck! Max! Pop the ampule!"
Its injured branches stirred. Max slashed the knife-like limbs with his sword, channeling aura from the start for a hard push.
"Incoming!!"
A fruit on one branch burst—Confusion Seed, straight from the game. But Max had his stabilizer, Yoo Choa had Twilight Shadow. And me...
"Nothing!"
I was fine. Just attack, attack. With the deadliest threat neutralized, only branch strikes remained. Max handled the omnidirectional assault masterfully. Not perfectly, but with Diamond Protection and my spot heals, he tanked like a pro.
Yoo Choa stuck close to Max, spamming close-range mana shells like against the sword demon.
I wasn't slacking either—sniping every ripening Confusion Seed with arrows.
RUMBLE...!!
Under relentless attacks, cracks spiderwebbed the Specterwood's trunk. Soon, the massive body toppled.
Got it.
"Whew. Tough."
"Proof of kill?"
A small blood-red twig lay in the fallen trunk. Max snapped it off, tossed it to me, and I stowed it in my bag.
"Time?"
"Almost up. Let's head back."
So, who took first?
We reached the gate near test end. No one's missing. Elizabeth's party looked fine too.
"First, dropouts: B-Team, E-Team, F-Team, I-Team, L-Team, K-Team. Retest tomorrow if you want."
"Ugh..."
Disappointed groans. Still, they passed.
"Rankings now. Third: M-Team. Thirty Big Lizards."
"Whoa... Thirty Big Lizards for third?"
"Impressive."
I clenched my fist hearing the murmurs. Top two.
"Second..."
I glanced at Elizabeth. She smiled brightly as our eyes met. Then the senior on stage read from his papers.
"D-Team. Twenty Big Lizards, fifteen Worms, and a Lamia."
Heh. Knew I'd win. As stunned Elizabeth looked over, I winked.
"First: A-Team. 41 Big Lizards, 2 Dragon Flies, and a Specterwood. Plus, saved cadets done in by it."
"Ooh."
"Not bad."
"Isn't that Kim Yohan's team? Dude caught villains last time too... He's got skills."
"A-Team, come up."
Me, Yoo Choa, and Max climbed up. The senior grinned and handed over a prepared box.
"First-place prize, as promised."
"What's in it? What's in it?"
Yoo Choa eagerly opened it, her face turning subtle. Max too.
"This is..."
"A skillbook! Thousand Li Gallop, a stamina-boost buff!"
"...Ehh..."
"A buff skill..."
The mood sank.
"Oh, and not just that—common attack skill Light Source Blast book, defense skill Ironclad Armor. Plus a Class-3 gear voucher!"
"Wooo!!"
The vibe flipped instantly. Light Source Blast: gathers mana for a powerful strike. Ironclad Armor: stamina and strength-based shield against frontal attacks. Both used by pro heroes. Gear voucher goes without saying.
All great rewards, but...
Thousand Li Gallop. Lets you sprint a thousand li—stamina buff. Yeah. While everyone else was disappointed, it was the perfect prize for me.