Chapter 167: The Last Nemesis Before Summer Vacation (9)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 167: The Last Nemesis Before Summer Vacation (9)
Woo Jae-hee.
He felt a profound sense of displacement being part of this group.
When he looked back at his own grades and abilities, he knew he was nowhere near the level required to be standing here.
Just a quick glance at those around him revealed the likes of Lilac, Yu-hak, Kang Han-hee, and Lee Yu-na—all top-tier cadets.
And then there was him. Ranked 97th among the first-years.
His innate talent, the B-rank “Survival Instinct,” was impressive in its own right, but it was focused entirely on defense and evasion, making it not particularly useful in a team setting.
While 97th wasn’t exactly a bottom-tier rank, and there were a few others here with lower rankings, those cases were limited to supporters or individuals with very specific, clear utilities.
In terms of pure combat-related talents, the only person ranked lower than him was Kang So-hyun—the very person who had practically kidnapped him into this mess. But since So-hyun was a monster whose strength couldn’t be measured by rank alone, Jae-hee was effectively the bottom of the barrel.
No, seriously, why? Why did he specifically target me?
“Oh, Hero Woo Jae-hee. I have very high expectations for you.”
And how does he even know about that?
How on earth did So-hyun find out about that embarrassing dream he’d had that day?
At first, Jae-hee thought it was a coincidence, but seeing the way So-hyun kept mentioning it with that sly smirk, he was certain the guy knew something.
To make matters worse, every time So-hyun made that joke, people nearby would peer over and ask, “Hero Woo Jae-hee? What’s that about?” It made his heart feel like it was going to explode from sheer embarrassment.
Should I just say it? If I honestly tell him I don’t know why I’m here, will he realize he called the wrong person and let me go?
It was driving him crazy.
The fact that they were even entertaining the insane idea of hunting down professors was ridiculous enough, but he couldn’t fathom why he’d been dragged into the party.
It’s not like we’re even that close.
I just wanted to act cool in front of the girls during this exam and survive comfortably.
* * *
…The kid looks pretty spooked, doesn’t he?
He was so terrified that he flinched every time our eyes met. It was almost pitiful.
I tried cracking a joke to help him relax, but it seemed to have the opposite effect; the fear in his eyes only deepened.
Geez, man, can’t a guy have a little fun?
But seriously, how can someone be “Hero Woo Jae-hee”?
I had hoped to find all of Cheon Yu-hak’s party members today, but while Woo Jae-hee was found quickly, the others were nowhere to be seen.
Aisha wasn’t causing any trouble, but she wasn’t exactly blending in well either.
Well, it is a makeshift party, so it’s bound to have some friction.
That was exactly why I chose this lineup, though.
“Everyone, I know it’s a bit awkward, but we’re going to be cooperating during the exam, so let’s try to keep things friendly.”
It was only thanks to Lilac, who was friendly with almost everyone, that the atmosphere was holding together this well.
What I wanted them to learn this time was that you can’t always work with people you like. But there was actually one more thing I hoped they’d realize.
Specifically, that sometimes it’s actually more comfortable to work with people you maintain a certain distance from.
“Don’t you think so, Hero Woo Jae-hee?”
“Huh?! What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Sadly, it seemed our Hero Woo Jae-hee wasn’t quite ready to grasp my deeper intentions yet.
“It’s fine. You’ll understand soon enough.”
Not just him, but everyone would soon find out.
I had prepared much more thoroughly this time than when we faced Professor Park A-ram, and I’d made sure everyone had a hearty breakfast, so their condition was peak.
Ideally, I hoped the professor who ambushed us would be a physical combat type.
Some felt uncomfortable with each other, some didn’t care at all, and some were simply terrified.
Time flowed on, and the moment arrived.
Beep.
The bracelets chimed in unison.
[The NPC ambush will begin shortly. For the next 30 minutes, survive the NPCs or defeat them.]
“Alright, everyone, maintain formation.”
With both Ga-eul and Woo Jae-hee here, one of the professors was guaranteed to show up.
The moment the signal ended, someone began charging toward us.
Judging by the way they were sprinting without even trying to hide their overwhelming physical prowess, it was likely a physical-type professor.
Looking around, I saw some cadets trembling, remembering the majesty Professor Park A-ram had shown yesterday, while others were looking for an opening, recalling how we had managed to push her back regardless.
“They’re coming. To your positions.”
Everyone except Woo Jae-hee and Ga-eul, who were acting as bait, and Aisha, the pure tanker, moved to their pre-arranged spots.
Alright, time to start the raid.
I wonder who it is.
At the moment when anticipation and tension reached their peak, like a tautly pulled string, a figure crashed through the trees and appeared before us.
“So, this is where the cadets were hiding.”
It was Kim Min-soo, the Basic Physical Training professor.
Ah, damn it. We’re screwed.
The string of tension snapped, and several cadets let out sighs of relief, their guards dropping instantly.
Who was Kim Min-soo?
He was the professor who had recorded the most losses against cadets during the early-semester ranking tournament. He was the professor who had been defeated by Choi In-ho’s surprise attack during the entrance ceremony. He was the man who had been miserably beaten down during the lone farmer Ban Gi-san’s terror incident. To this year’s freshmen, he was the very symbol of defeat.
And so, they let their guard down.
They grew complacent against an opponent they had never actually bested themselves, deceived by his image and repeated misfortunes.
They paid the price for that complacency immediately.
Woo Jae-hee, who was at the very front, was sent flying into the air, and Aisha, whose guard was a split second too slow, saw her first set of armor shatter helplessly.
“Why do you all look so relieved the moment you see me?”
It would have been better if someone overwhelmingly strong had shown up.
In truth, his track record so far was mostly due to incredibly bad luck.
Choi In-ho was a seasoned villain using magic tools far beyond his own capacity, and during the ranking tournament, professors are forbidden from using power exceeding a certain level against cadets.
And Ban Gi-san… well, his abilities were basically a cheat code wrapped in a gag.
But now, things were different.
“True, I will admit that my performance as an instructor has been somewhat pathetic until now.”
He wasn’t the one being ambushed; he was the one doing the ambushing. There were no restrictions on his power, and he wasn’t facing a ridiculous cheat-user.
“However, I would appreciate it if you kept in mind that I am not so weak as to be dismissed so lightly by mere cadets.”
Seeing Aisha pull out a new set of armor, he took a stance.
As he settled into a posture that looked like he was about to perform a starting dash, Aisha hesitated, unsure of how to defend. He spoke in a calm, steady tone.
“If the last remaining main tank is that indecisive, the party will be wiped out in no time. Cadet!”
The last remaining main tank, huh?
“Ugh…”
That wasn’t quite right.
“…What?”
He turned his head at the groan coming from behind him.
It was Hero Woo Jae-hee… no, Tanker Woo Jae-hee, who had lost his footing and been sent flying by the first blow.
The professor must have been bewildered.
He surely thought he’d landed a clean hit on a vital spot.
Imagine his surprise when the student he was certain he’d taken down just stood right back up.
But Woo Jae-hee isn’t someone who goes down that easily.
Did he really think I put him in the party just to tease him?
As a hero, Woo Jae-hee is a hopeless piece of trash, but as a tanker, he’s a different story.
This was the guy who had stood back up perfectly fine after taking a hit from a villain who was genuinely trying to kill him while his guard was down.
Even if there was a bit of a stat correction involved, he was the man who had parried my serious attacks dozens of times in the Nightmare World, rising again and again like a zombie.
Sure, he lacks offensive power.
“I must have made a mistake…!”
Maintaining his clean dashing form, the professor charged and slammed into Woo Jae-hee.
“Aaaaaagh!?”
Jae-hee went flying like he’d been hit by a truck, screaming as he curled his body. He naturally performed a breakfall to disperse the impact and bounced back to his feet with an unnecessarily flashy motion.
“I almost died…”
“…Hoh.”
But so what?
He was another individual who was severely undervalued because of his lack of gravity and his usual behavior.
Survival Instinct.
A man whose innate talent for tanking alone was recognized by Cheon Yu-hak couldn’t possibly be incompetent.
Except for Cheon Yu-hak, who already knew him, the perception of Woo Jae-hee was likely shifting in the minds of everyone present.
Professor Kim Min-soo’s expression turned serious.
He had realized this wasn’t an opponent to be taken lightly.
“Cadet Woo Jae-hee. Very impressive. Let’s see if you can withstand this as well…!”
Professor Kim Min-soo’s talent was the instantaneous reinforcement of basic physical abilities.
Yes, I had been waiting for him to go all out.
Mana infused his muscles, and his body, already in the realm of superhumans, was momentarily enhanced even further.
The explosive dash, backed by the professor’s full sincerity, was something that couldn’t be stopped by ordinary obstacles—and consequently, it was something he couldn’t stop even if he wanted to.
Which meant it was finally time for the counterattack.
There’s a common saying: speed is power.
Something fast and hard colliding with an object is a lethal weapon in itself.
However, this also meant that he, running at such high speeds, would also suffer greater damage upon impact.
High speed was a double-edged sword; if there was a weapon capable of breaking through his toughness, he would be putting himself in grave danger.
Woo Jae-hee threw himself aside, and Cheon Yu-hak, who had been hiding in the rear, revealed himself.
Immediately, a spear thrust wrapped in Lightning Qi shot from his hand.
Even as a professor, he tried to veer off course, but Lilac and Ha-ni were already waiting in the directions he could turn. He tried to come to a desperate halt, but thanks to Lee Yu-na’s speed buff, he was actually moving faster than before and couldn’t control his own momentum.
“Urgh…!?”
Finally, having steeled himself, he veered toward Ha-ni—the one with the lowest grades—to avoid the spear thrust. But this was a clear misstep.
If he had gone toward Cheon Yu-hak, I wouldn’t have been able to assist.
I carved out a shape from my overflowing Innate True Qi.
The flooding light dwelled within the sword of the young superhuman, elevating her to the realm of a master.
With a crescent-moon smile twisting her lips, Ha-ni swung her sword in a beautiful silver arc.
The blade cut through the superhuman.
He had been running at superhuman speeds, only to be struck by the slash of a swordsman who had transcended her limits.
Even though the safety devices converted physical impact into mental damage, the shock was beyond imagination. Professor Kim Min-soo’s eyes shook, and a scream escaped his lips.
Honestly, I thought that would be enough to take him down, but I suppose he is a professor for a reason.
He somehow managed to cling to consciousness.
But that was as far as he would go.
Surrounded by the main damage dealers, he was unable to even defend properly in his dazed state, subjected to a barrage of attacks.
In the end, he was the weakest among the professors.
He wasn’t a martial artist trained in technical combat, and he certainly wasn’t a mage who could intercept multiple enemies.
For someone who relied on linear combat using physical abilities enhanced through reinforcement, he had no cards left to escape this situation.
He might have a hidden trump card or a finishing move, but there was no way he’d find an opening to use it while being surrounded and hammered from all sides.
Only ten minutes had passed.
Even for the weakest, the time it took to neutralize a professor was remarkably short.
Honestly, it was a stellar performance.
But it wasn’t enough.
The ideal scenario would have been to neutralize him with the very first blow, or at the very least, to finish him off the moment he was surrounded.
However, he had instinctively defended himself—not perfectly, but enough to buy a tiny bit of time.
Just enough time for the heroes—no, the villains—to arrive and save him from his predicament.
The professors weren’t idiots; they surely anticipated that someone would eventually rally the cadets to ambush them en masse.
Since they couldn’t just hand over points easily, they had prepared their own countermeasures.
It wasn’t even that strange.
In reality, villains often joined forces out of necessity.
A volley of mana arrows forced us to scatter, and then something flying at a ferocious speed blocked our path, shielding Professor Kim Min-soo.
We should have finished this faster.
“Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many kids gathered together before.”
“Oh? There are even more than yesterday. But what should we do? It’s the same on our side.”
The blonde duo of the academy’s most popular female professors.
Professor Cathy and Professor Park A-ram stood before us.
Coming to save someone in danger… what kind of villains are these? No matter how you look at it, they’re heroes.