18. Eating Delicious Food Is Always a Battle of Timing
18. Eating Delicious Food Is Always a Battle of Timing
18. Eating Delicious Food Is Always a Battle of Timing
Looking at the current students' ability scores, the average hovered between 5 and 6.
Reasonably talented students sat around 6 or 7.
Among active field heroes, those numbers compared to D-rank or C-rank.
Stats alone didn't determine rank.
There was the sheer gap in power between Unique Abilities to consider.
Some S-rank heroes posted an average stat of 7 yet stood shoulder-to-shoulder with other S-ranks.
And it wasn't just abilities. Innate talent. Sustained effort. Instinct for a skill.
Weapon mastery. The situational awareness to read a battlefield. An unyielding will that refused to break no matter the odds.
Even with identical stats, the impact someone made on a fight could differ enormously.
Watching my squadmates fumble against the Horned Wolves, I wanted to tell them one thing.
'This is a disaster.'
If you're going to waste stats like that, just hand them over to me.
What was the point of sorting everyone into a neat vanguard, midline, and rear formation
if you couldn't piece together a basic battle plan?
There was a reason I'd never used Ahn Ji-ho in the early game despite his great stats.
It was his leadership—and the tactical sense that never measured up to it.
Watching ten fighters operate as ten completely separate units,
I was impressed.
"S-somebody help...! I can't do this alone...!"
"Kyaaah! What are our tanks doing?! This wolf-thing is about to gut me...!"
"Incredible. Just incredible."
A textbook case of inefficiency.
At this rate, we'd be too late.
Other squads would snatch the boss monster right out from under us.
Yu Ha-yeon and Na Yu-na would cook five Horned Wolves without breaking a sweat.
I had to accelerate our clearing pace.
I shouted at the squad with everything I had.
"Everyone, against the right wall!"
The cave ran straight, but its width was enormous on both sides.
If we strung ourselves out single file like a train, those agile Horned Wolves would surround us.
That meant our backline—weak in melee—would get hit.
'Cut off their attack route.'
Press against the wall. Flatten the backline against it. Have the vanguard and midline form a protective shell.
A standard tactic for handling agile Magic Beasts: eliminate the rear.
They clearly hadn't learned even the basics.
Ahn Ji-ho, who grasped the meaning of my yell, shouted out.
"Everyone, against the wall! We're protecting the backline!"
That was his signature leadership.
The students, who had been eyeing me with doubt, moved the instant Ahn Ji-ho gave the order.
"...Grrr?"
A wall formed by six students with melee weapons.
The Horned Wolves, which had been trying to weave around and strike the weakest backline members, halted in what looked like confusion.
If you don't have overwhelming strength, you tip the fight with strategy.
That was a foundational combat rule in V. AGE.
The ranged attackers, now hidden behind the vanguard, rained attacks through the gaps.
"Die...!"
Mana-infused arrows and throwing weapons buried themselves in the Horned Wolves' bodies.
When the beasts sensed danger and lunged with their horns, the vanguard students battered them back again and again.
A victory won by strategy alone.
While the backline hammered them with ranged attacks, I was diligently pulling my trigger too.
Bang! Bang!
"...Grrr?"
The moment a bullet struck a Horned Wolf's body, it lost its momentum and crashed to the floor.
Since the bullets held no mana, they apparently couldn't pierce a Horned Wolf's hide.
Wow, I'm pathetically weak.
Meanwhile, the students, having seized the momentum, shouted with glee.
"Alright, two left! Let's go, everyone!"
The squad poured their strength into pushing back the charging Horned Wolves.
Defense, then attack.
After repeating that cycle, the five Horned Wolves vanished without a trace, leaving only their Magic Stones behind.
A tiger leaves its hide; a Magic Beast leaves its Magic Stone.
The students of Squad 4 savored the joy of their first victory.
After the Horned Wolf ambush, we fought two more battles.
All our opponents were Magic Beasts common to C-rank Gates—creatures with very clear strengths and weaknesses.
A bear that walked on two legs like a person.
The Human-Yearning Bear.
A terrifying creature that yearns to become human and therefore eats people instead of garlic and mugwort.
Its front paws were powerful enough to tear a person apart.
One solid hit meant a fatal wound.
My veteran player knowledge came in handy here, too.
"The Human-Yearning Bear's ears twitch right before it attacks. Focus on that."
"Oh? You're right."
The squad watched the bear's ears and kept striking back.
With my advice, they put in minimal effort and brought it down easily.
Next was a white Lizardman that skulked along the ground.
The White Snake.
Sunlight is its natural enemy, so it stalks around in a low posture—that was the lore, anyway.
I handled it just as easily, using the strategies in my head.
"If you hear 'Sssss,' it's targeting your legs. 'Sssaaa,' and it'll strike at your torso. Everyone, keep unnecessary noise to a minimum."
The White Snake's gimmick was sound.
Having already dealt with the Horned Wolves and the Human-Yearning Bear, the squad took my instructions without hesitation, and we cleared the area far more smoothly than before.
I'd never imagined all those hours in V. AGE would actually pay off.
After that string of events, I began to hear positive murmurs about me among the squad.
"...That guy might actually be okay."
"Right? He seems to know a lot. He's not exactly warm, but... he doesn't strike me as a bad person."
Since I was still buried under those rumors, the suspicion didn't dissolve instantly—but that was only a matter of time.
As the misunderstandings cleared, the rumors would die down too.
Later on, they'd even defend me against all the bad talk.
'Yeah, once you actually talk to him, he seems like a decent guy.'
I could see it.
A future where I reclaimed my place as a model student, defying my fate.
A real shot at breaking free of the Womanizer's Fate.
Indulging in that daydream, I followed the torchlight ahead and walked on without incident.
Step. Step.
A light appeared, marking the exit from the long, long cave into a vast open space.
We had finally reached the Boss Floor, where the final objective awaited.
—KA-KOO-KWANG...!!
A deafening roar of brutal combat.
The other squads were already locked in battle.
The space opened into a colossal cavern.
Its ceiling gaped open, letting sunlight pour down.
"Seems we're a little late."
Only Squad 1 with Yu Ha-yeon and Squad 2 with Na Yu-na had already arrived.
Just how late were we?
Looking at the boss monster, the Magic Stone Golem, they didn't appear to have wounded it yet.
That meant I still had a chance.
A Hidden Piece.
A supplementary item you could acquire by meeting specific conditions at the right timing.
It was almost within my grasp.
Given that I had to at least snag a Hidden Piece instead of high scores,
I offered Squad 4 a silent apology in my heart.
'Sorry, but we're not getting first place in the squad evaluation.'
To be blunt, our squad didn't have an explosive damage dealer.
The other students assumed I filled that role, but I had zero desire to shave another six months off my lifespan by pulling that stunt again.
Still, knowing the result in advance would kill the fun.
For the students who might help me down the line, I needed to give them a little hope.
"All of you, watch closely. Pay attention to the color the golem's Magic Stone glows."
The Magic Stone Golem shifted colors depending on the attack type.
They'd been with me up to now; they should understand from that much.
They were students of Hero Academy, however you looked at it. If they knew the strategy and still floundered?
That student deserved to be expelled.
Having heard my words and steeled their resolve, Squad 4 began to join the fray.
"Everyone, charge...!!"
Instead of recklessly discarding what they'd learned, Squad 4's vanguard pushed forward in a proper formation.
Thirty students converged on one spot and hammered at the giant Magic Stone Golem's body.
The Magic Stone Golem was a Magic Beast classified as a B-rank Gate boss.
It stood seven times the height of an average person.
A titanic creature roughly ten meters tall, an anomaly that could regenerate using its Magic Stone even after being shattered.
Its movements looked sluggish, but contrary to appearances, it possessed a wide variety of attack patterns.
The colossal golem roared toward the front lines.
—GWOOOOOOH...!!
As the sound erupted, the Magic Stone Golem's color shifted to red.
You guys handle the fighting.
I'll back you up from here.
"Everyone, three steps back!!"
A red Magic Stone signified strength.
It was the signal that the Magic Stone Golem's power had been maximized.
The golem raised both hands high above its head and slammed them into the floor with all its might.
—KOO-GOO-GUNG...!!
Huge craters formed where its fists landed. Nearby students who couldn't dodge in time vanished, their bodies consumed along with a magic barrier.
A system that expelled you the moment the barrier activated.
That was Hero Academy's insurance policy—safety above all.
Scanning the battlefield with that thought, I began to spot people with hair colors I recognized.
'Oh, there's Na Yu-na.'
I was only pretending to pull the trigger from the backline, so I picked her out easily.
Yellow hair and a fighting style that flitted like a swallowtail butterfly.
There was simply no way I'd miss her.
I read her lips to see what she was saying.
"...So annoying?"
Sweat streamed down her cheek.
Her face was blank, but you could feel the anger radiating off it.
Na Yu-na, whose specialty was piercing attacks, seemed to be struggling.
Her Unique Ability was also illusion-type.
There was no way it would work on a golem that was practically an inanimate object.
Her damage output probably wasn't as high as expected.
Above the struggling Na Yu-na, Yu Ha-yeon hovered in the air.
It looked like she had activated her Unique Ability, All Creation.
Seeing that she held no sword, she seemed to have realized sharp weapons wouldn't work on it.
Yu Ha-yeon, who controlled all objects and phenomena,
was gathering the loose rocks from the floor.
"Gather. Tightly. And form. A wide weapon."
Following the resonance of her voice, the rocks converged in one spot and began to shape themselves into a massive form.
A gigantic hammer.
Yu Ha-yeon issued her final command.
"Strike."
At her word, the colossal mass of rock slammed heavily into the Magic Stone Golem's torso.
—KUUUUWOH...!!!
The Magic Stone Golem felt no pain, but it let out a tremendous groan.
Its body staggered for a moment, then quickly regained its balance.
The solid frame seemed to have absorbed most of the shock, but the dent in it said it had taken considerable damage.
'Good. Looks like the core didn't take the impact.'
The Magic Stone Golem's core essence: a small spherical nucleus.
Whoever destroyed it would be recognized as the finisher.
As I thought about the core, the color of the red Magic Stone on the golem's back shifted to green.
'If I don't warn them, this'll be a total wipe.'
For the sake of my squad, I shouted out the information.
"Nobody move!!"
My yell filled the open space.
Students from other squads heard me too—and the result was that every single student froze in place.
A green Magic Stone signified agility.
The Magic Stone Golem stopped moving and shut its eyes, relying entirely on its other senses.
Why had it suddenly stopped like that?
Puzzled, a student from Squad 2 opened his mouth.
"Did... did we kill it?"
Just because it stopped moving didn't mean it was dead, kid.
The sound of something crawling along the ground was followed by it pouncing on his body.
"Kyaaack...!!"
With a final cry, the student was expelled from the Gate.
The Magic Stone Golem had no ears, but it detected sound vibrations.
A single utterance was all it needed to track you.
It wasn't a B-rank dungeon boss for nothing.
In that situation, with everyone frozen absolutely still,
no one dared to utter a word. Only silence reigned.
That was when the tardy Squad 3 emerged from the cave.
"Huh? Why's everyone standing still?"
"What, are they all passed out already?"
Still baffled, Squad 3 looked at one another and tilted their heads.
'You idiots. Of all times, you had to show up now.'
My ears caught the sound of the Magic Stone skittering across the floor.
They generated a loud noise as they approached Squad 3.
"Aaaagh...!!"
Without having done anything, they were met with total annihilation.
A truly anticlimactic end.
As they vanished along with their barriers, the golem began to open its closed eyes.
That sound signaled the transition to the next pattern. It meant my window had arrived.
'Hidden Piece. Here I come...!'
I shoved the pistol I'd been dry-firing without bullets back into my coat and broke into a sprint toward the golem.
Seeing that, Ahn Ji-ho stammered in alarm.
"Wha... What's going on? Han Si-jun? What are you doing...?"
"Its eye is about to turn blue. Do you trust me?"
All those impressive moments I'd shown so far.
Ahn Ji-ho would have absolute faith in me by now.
As expected, he nodded.
With a grave expression, I spoke to him.
"Throw me. Right into that golem's mouth."
"...What?"
Ahn Ji-ho had the highest stats in Squad 4.
With his strength and focus, he could land me right inside the golem's mouth.
"Come on, hurry—throw me. I'm light, so watch your strength, please."
"B-but I can't..."
"Now! There's no time...!"
Ahn Ji-ho's mind seemed firmly set in its ways.
Throw the guy who's only been plinking away from the backline straight into the golem's maw?
Anyone would think that was insane.
—GRAAAAHH...
Right then, the Magic Stone began to glow blue.
Mana started collecting toward the Magic Stone Golem's open mouth.
Damn. At this rate, I'd be too late.
A good method to persuade Ahn Ji-ho.
What did I have?
Think.
If I couldn't get this Hidden Piece, I'd spend the rest of my life sacrificing my lifespan.
No matter how I racked my brain, an answer refused to come.
Left with no choice, I decided to switch tactics.
"You have a girlfriend, right? From the next class over. Kim Ah-yeong, wasn't it?"
"Wha... How do you...?"
"Throw me. If you don't, I'll pay her a visit."
Ahn Ji-ho's expression turned cold.
I licked my lips and made a show of smacking them.
If persuasion fails, resort to threats.
A truth and a law of life.
Thinking of the rumors and his girlfriend, Ahn Ji-ho grabbed my body with a stiff face.
Yeah, that's more like it.
Did you really need me to bring your girlfriend's name into this?
Propelled by a force charged with emotion, I soared into the golem's mouth as it gathered mana.
"...Si-jun? What are you doing over there...?"
Yu Ha-yeon stared at me with bewildered eyes, but my destination was already set.
'Libra. For ten seconds, make my Stamina 10.'
—Offer a price.
A body that could withstand the storm of mana.
The price I would pay for it.
This time, it wasn't my lifespan.
"I offer my sense of taste as the price."
The taste of food.
Some people live just to eat.
Giving up one of life's joys—Libra deemed it worth a considerable price.
—The price is too large. Adjusted value. Your sense of taste will be taken for three years. Do you agree?
"Fine by me. I agree."
Losing the taste of food doesn't mean losing your life.
I could just binge-eat later, three years from now.
Libra maintained its equilibrium, and power began flooding into my body.
Time remaining: ten seconds.
I shoved my body into the golem's gaping mouth.
From behind me, Yu Ha-yeon's voice rang out.
"Hey! Han Si-jun, where are you going...!!"
To land the finishing blow on the golem.
I didn't even have time to answer.
The clock kept ticking.
Eight seconds.
Before the barrier could pop out and burst, I had to reach that place.
Seven seconds.
My skin stung slightly as the mana storm grazed it.
Six seconds.
I tumbled down the golem's gullet and landed in the hollow space within its torso.
The chamber was dyed in blue light from every direction.
Five seconds.
A blue sphere, smaller than a golf ball, floated dead center.
It was saturated with immense mana.
Four seconds.
I laid my hand on it.
The sphere had a texture similar to a Magic Stone.
The item's name was the Magic Stone Golem's Core.
A Hidden Piece for tanks who had invested in Stamina but lacked offensive power.
'Thank you for the meal.'
Without mercy, I shoved it into my mouth.
Three seconds.
I had to swallow it.
No chewing. I had to force it all down my throat.
Two seconds.
The sphere's mana convulsed in my throat.
But a Stamina stat of 10 rivaled that of A-rank and S-rank heroes.
The sphere steadily descended into my body.
One second.
The mana storm vanished without a trace, and the sphere that had been emitting blue light fell silent.
The core wriggled around inside me and began to nestle into place.
Zero seconds.
Only stillness lingered there.