Speedrun
[Team 7 dungeon clear complete. Time elapsed: 17 minutes 16 seconds.]
The expressions of the students from Team 7, emerging from the artificial dungeon generator—commonly known as a "Gate"—were far from pleasant. They had succeeded in the clear, and their score was perfect, but they had failed to break the record they were aiming for.
"They said they were sure they'd get it this time, but they failed in the end. Well, it’s not like getting on the leaderboard is easy."
"But seriously, how on earth did they hit 4 minutes and 58 seconds for first place?"
"I heard the top four students in the grade went in all at once just to take the top spot. They were third-years two years ago, so they're fifth-years now."
"Whoa, doesn't that make the dungeon difficulty skyrocket? The difficulty changes based on who enters, right?"
"Yeah. But apparently, they just sprinted straight through and killed the boss."
"...That's insane."
The dungeon clearing practical had a ranking system that tracked all previous records. It had been recording data ever since the course was established. Teams capable of stable dungeon clears would often challenge themselves to break the top records. If they succeeded, they could etch their names into the academy's history.
However, the 4-minute 58-second record set two years ago still showed no signs of being broken. It was nearly impossible to begin with—a record achieved through the collective effort and loopholes of the grade's top talents.
"But does getting first place actually get you anything? Besides the bragging rights?"
"There is something. I heard you get a perfect grade for the dungeon clearing class that semester. The principal approved it, too. Though, that rule only came about after the current first-place record was set."
"...So they're just teasing us."
"Pretty much. Honestly, does 4 minutes and 58 seconds even make sense? You wouldn't even get that time just by running through it."
As Team 7 walked away with disappointed looks, the next team was called.
"Team 8, step forward."
'When was my turn again?'
Kim Ilshin, who had been unintentionally eavesdropping on the students next to him, checked his order. He was 15th.
'Still a long way to go.'
Since the dungeon clearing practical was conducted sequentially for each team, the wait time was quite long. He figured he would have to wait at least another hour. Kim Ilshin leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He decided to use the time to practice his Mist Spirit Vision. He closed his eyes and spread his mana. If he focused solely on the Mist Spirit Vision, he could reach a diameter of 10 meters.
'Should I try expanding it to 12 meters?'
As Kim Ilshin began to focus with his eyes closed, someone was watching him from afar. It was Seo Ye-ryeong.
'...Did he really forget me?'
When they were young, Seo Ye-ryeong and Kim Ilshin had trained at the same martial hall. They hadn't interacted much; they used different weapons, so they had never even crossed paths. Their only commonality was their age. Yet, Seo Ye-ryeong remembered Kim Ilshin vividly. It was because of a defeat in a sparring match they’d had once.
Aside from her older sister, it was the first time in her life she had experienced such an overwhelming defeat. She had thought that, excluding her sister who was two years older, there was no one in her age group who could beat her. Therefore, that defeat had come as a massive shock. Her original goal had been to catch up to her sister, but after that day, it changed to achieving a perfect victory in a sparring match against Kim Ilshin.
The young Seo Ye-ryeong had gritted her teeth and trained for that goal. She had pushed herself so hard that even those around her were astonished. But not long after, Kim Ilshin had left the martial hall as if he had vanished. She didn't know the reason. Even when she asked the people at the hall, the only answer she got was that they didn't know.
However, she hadn't fallen into deep despair. She believed that with Kim Ilshin's talent, the day would come when they would meet again. She had trained tirelessly for her goal, and eventually, as expected, she had encountered him. As her sparring opponent at the academy entrance ceremony two years ago.
The Kim Ilshin she met in the sparring arena still had the same face he had as a child. Seeing him, she recalled his talent from the past and felt a sense of anticipation, wondering how much he had developed.
'Finally... I had thought.'
At that time, Seo Ye-ryeong had felt something close to ecstasy. She was finally going to achieve the goal she had been chasing for over ten years.
'...You jerk.'
And what she got in return was his forfeiture immediately after the sparring match began. It was an unprecedented event in the history of entrance ceremony sparring. But even then, she could accept it. She thought he might have been in poor condition. She told herself that another opportunity would come and managed her emotions.
What drove Seo Ye-ryeong into even greater despair was the pathetic display Kim Ilshin showed after that. He looked as if he couldn't even handle mana, as if his childhood talent had gone nowhere.
'What on earth happened to you?'
She was dying to know, but she couldn't ask him directly. He didn't remember her. Even though they had crossed paths several times, he reacted as if she were a total stranger. It made her feel ridiculous. Going up to such a person and asking if he remembered her, or what had happened before—her pride wouldn't allow such an action.
So, she had been nursing those bitter feelings for two years.
'But why now...!'
Just as her thoughts were drifting toward the recent past, the instructor in charge of the dungeon clearing practical, Gu Han-seok, called out.
"Team 15, step forward."
It was Kim Ilshin's turn. Thanks to his training, the wait had passed quickly. He withdrew his Mist Spirit Vision, opened his eyes, and stood before the massive Gate connected to various devices.
"..."
Even though he was ready, there was no sign of the procedure moving to the next step. Kim Ilshin turned his gaze toward Gu Han-seok. Gu Han-seok raised an eyebrow and asked.
"Are you alone?"
"Yes, I am."
"Arrogance is not a good trait. Why don't you try finding a team, even now?"
"I'm fine."
"...Very well."
Judging that he had persuaded him enough, Gu Han-seok operated the device. The Gate opened, revealing an entrance rippling like water inside the steel frame. Kim Ilshin took a slow step forward.
'I wonder how this will go.'
This device judged the comprehensive strength of those entering and generated an artificial dungeon of appropriate difficulty. That judgment had never been significantly wrong before. However, Kim Ilshin's strength was highly anomalous. Physically, he was still in the lower ranks of the academy, but his actual combat power was incomparable to that.
'I'm looking forward to this.'
If the dungeon were generated by judging his actual combat power, it would serve as a good training tool. But reality didn't go as he wished. The first enemies he encountered while walking down the cave-like path were so weak he could easily handle them with his bare hands. He fought five of them at once, but it didn't even serve as a warm-up. At this rate, nothing would change later on. The day would never come when his external stats caught up to his actual strength.
'Glad I listened earlier.'
He steadied his breathing and lowered his stance. The Heaven and Earth Circle Drawing Art, spinning intensely, compressed his muscles.
BOOM!
A massive resonance shook the cave. The ground supporting his two feet sank rapidly, and Kim Ilshin's body shot forward like a cannonball.
'The end of arrogance is never good.'
As his thoughts suggested, Gu Han-seok did not think Kim Ilshin would succeed in clearing the dungeon. The process of generating an artificial dungeon did not take into account the number of people entering. It was simply created based on comprehensive strength. That was why there had never been a case of someone entering an artificial dungeon alone and succeeding in clearing it. It was extremely rare for anyone to enter alone in the first place.
'He never does anything I like.'
He knew his skills had improved recently. He had heard it from Teacher Joo Chae-rin, and he could see that even the aura he exuded had changed. But apart from that, Gu Han-seok couldn't bring himself to like Kim Ilshin. It was because he was the one who had recommended Kim Ilshin as the student representative for the entrance ceremony. And as everyone knew, Kim Ilshin had forfeited that sparring match. What a massive humiliation he had suffered back then. It was impossible to have good feelings toward him.
'Once he comes out, I'll give him a sermon.'
To return the humiliation from before, and to offer advice as a teacher.
"Huh...? Why is that...?"
"What is it? ...Huh?"
"Hey! What the!"
Suddenly, the practical room became noisy. He hadn't stopped the chatter while waiting, but this was going too far.
"Quiet down."
"Has it been 5 minutes yet? It hasn't, right?"
"Is it a bug...?"
"No, how could that be a bug?"
But strangely, the noise didn't die down. Instead, the commotion grew louder. Seeing some students even starting to act restless, he wondered if they had lost their minds.
"I said be quiet."
"T-Teacher."
There was a student calling Gu Han-seok, who was trying to calm them down somehow. He was pointing at the Gate next to Gu Han-seok. Gu Han-seok turned his head toward it, and his jaw dropped as if it would hit the ground.
Thud.
The Gate opened slowly with a mechanical sound. Kim Ilshin wanted to walk out from within. He looked no different from when he went in—not a single speck of dust on him.
'D-did he give up midway...?'
At that moment, the sound flowing from the Gate drove a wedge into this situation full of questions.
[Team 15 dungeon clear complete. Time elapsed: 3 minutes 12 seconds.]