The Real Veteran's Strategy
[Jinwoo: How was everyone's day?]
After finishing dinner and Parnello's successor lessons, I showered and flopped onto the bed. That's when Jinwoo's message popped up in the club group chat.
It looked like the others had all enjoyed their time with their mentors too.
We all got three days off a week for mentoring—not just me, but everyone receiving it. Meaning, aside from Sea-a (whose mentor was instructor Ji Suhyun), the others didn't have to show up at the academy.
Only Sea-a could swing it, huh... No new requests since the Recipe Development Club one anyway, so no big deal.
I finished chatting with the crew and closed my eyes. All the windows floating in my vision shut, darkness settling in.
Figured tomorrow would be chill too as I drifted off...
But why...
"Eugene, that guy asked me to pass this to you again."
[Challenge Letter]
Why won't the world just leave me alone?
"...It's in Korean this time."
"I asked about that too—it seems he thought you tossed it last time 'cause it was in hanja and you couldn't read it."
Because I beat her in the last class ranking match? Choi Yeon, not giving up, sending another challenge right away.
Contents were the same as before. Only change...
"Last time it was Monday, now Wednesday, huh."
I chucked it straight into the trash.
"Tossing it again."
"No reason to fight."
Right now, way more important stuff than scrapping with Choi Yeon. Top priority: clear the main quest.
You've stirred up a storm at the academy! By founding a new club, you've carved your own path in history. Lead your club to success and promote it to Silver tier!
Achievement Condition: Complete 5 club requests!
Requests Completed: 1 / 5
[※ Rewards may vary based on results.]
The food club request bumped it to one now.
"Any requests for us on the school community board?"
Last time Jinwoo shitposted everywhere, so Sea-a took over online promo. We posted about taking requests recently—figured there'd be bites.
But...
"Nope, just reaction comments. No actual requests."
"...Yeah. Too much spotlight, huh."
Familia's got two problems: massive attention, and piling enemies.
Crushing the Ranger Club means we're on the shitlist of their higher-tier buddies too.
Lucky the International Trade Club's basically our ally, so they're staying put. But they definitely hate our guts.
"Yeah... Posting a request to Familia risks pissing off all their enemies too."
Sea-a nodded in agreement.
"...Need an event to flip the vibe."
Anything in the game? Tons of minor events, but club ones were mid-semester.
In the original timeline, newbies had orientation and academy events—makes sense.
So... make our own event?
As I mulled that...
"Everyone sit... Whoa, so many of you snagged mentoring spots? Classroom's emptier than usual."
Ji Suhyun strolled in with the roll call sheet, muttering at the sparse seats.
"Han Yujin, you're here, so the old man's ghosting you after day one?"
She smirked at me. I flashed a casual grin back.
"He said he's prepping and to come back in three days."
"...That geezer prepping for three days? You must've buttered him up good."
I just shrugged at her grin.
"Fine, whatever. Roll call's done... No announcements... Nothing. Anyone got questions or stuff to report?"
"Yes, ma'am."
I stood, handing over the mentoring agreement Gwak Chunsik wrote.
She checked it, eyes widening a bit. Guess she didn't expect me to actually land a real mentor.
"...You really got it. Old man must like you a ton."
"Put in the work."
"If you worked for it, his eyes would've rolled back. Anyway, that's all the class mentoring papers... Anyone else?"
No hands this time. She scanned the room, nodded, and headed out.
"Morning roll call done. Stick around—first period's my class."
Her class: Hero Tactics. All about optimal strategies against villains. She demos with her magic sims, super popular 'cause you see villain standoffs play out.
One of the funnest classes.
I liked it too—using my vet tactics from my gamer days got shocked reactions from her and the class, like they were acknowledging my old self.
Short break later, she slumped in exhausted—total 180 from earlier.
"...Announcement before class. Han Yujin, you nab a villain yesterday?"
Villain? Sinchulguim thing, probably. Hero Association must've buzzed it at the morning staff meeting.
"Gwak Chunsik helped, but yeah, I took him down."
"So it's true... Academy kids catching villains on mentoring trips ain't rare, but day one? Dean wants a word after lunch, before club."
"...The dean?"
"Yeah, not a scolding. Good deed anyway. Go see him."
"Got it."
Dean meet-and-greet? First time this fast on the academy route.
Maybe a reward.
"Class starts."
Snap—class positions shifted, center clearing. Purple mana rose, clumping into a mini-city.
"Battlefield based on a real fight from 8 years ago. Gangnam Station, Gangnam Boulevard. Villain: Golem Master, makes golems from surroundings."
Golem Master. Mid-to-late game villain, name-dropped a few times.
"His power swings wild by environment: sand golem in desert, dirt in forest, concrete/asphalt in city. He popped up downtown, turning roads and buildings into golems."
Golems flooded the sim field, packing the streets.
"But these golems? Kinda meh. Tougher bodies, but not that tough for Awakeners. Dumb too—just basic orders."
Snap—five human figures popped opposite him.
"Our team: five members. Space mage, fighter, holy knight, archer, longsword knight. Question time."
She grinned at us.
"How to beat him with minimal casualties? Noh Yoo-un first."
"Y-yes?! Uh... Textbook: holy knight and sword guy front, fighter mid, archer and space mage back?"
Textbook answer. She nodded, sim rolled.
Party charged, hacked through golems... but endless waves overwhelmed them. Wiped.
"Congrats. Textbook got 'em exhausted and dead. Next?"
She quizzed a girl.
"Space mage and archer team up to snipe the boss? Others tank front."
"Oho, thinking classes this time."
Sim: space mage warps arrow, archer looses full-power shot. Weird trajectory flies true.
Solid... till golems around him blocked it.
"Close. If he didn't prioritize defense, it'd work. Next?"
She went one by one. Some decent plans succeeded... at heavy losses.
My turn.
"Okay, class rep Han Yujin? Your play."
Grinning ear-to-ear, expectant.
I eyed the setup and terrain, then spoke slow.
"...I'd..."
Watch close. This is a true vet's strategy.