Chapter 26
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: How to Save Erina Esnatia
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Professor Sin So-ah raised her voice with a brief introduction to her class.
"As you all know, the most important thing in skill combinations is experiencing various skills. You need to try out skills beyond your own to really see your own skills more clearly."
Erina Esnatia, sitting next to me, tilted her head in confusion and asked,
"Skill combinations? Isn't that no efficiency? I signed up thinking it was practical training, but is this a miss?"
Well, she's not wrong.
The general perception of skill combinations, Professor Sin So-ah's main research field, is exactly that.
"Still, there's a difference between not knowing and knowing. Don't worry. It'll definitely help you."
"Oh! There's no way a class K-Warrior signed up for would be meaningless. I was just thinking wrong."
She covered her mouth as if she'd made a mistake.
"Come to think of it, isn't K-Warrior a freshman? How are you taking this class? Special treatment after all?"
"I really wanted to take this class. When I asked the professor, she gladly let me in."
"Wow! As expected of the professor! She recognized K-Warrior!"
She falls for it so easily.
Erina reacts big to every word I say, attaching meaning to them.
In Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy, Erina Esnatia was a ditzy comic relief character, but her current liveliness is even more upbeat, and it's not bad.
'Erina might have been drawn to Lee Seong-hyeon's power, but there's no way she'd like his personality. So this is natural.'
In that sense, it means I have more trust from Erina than the Lee Seong-hyeon from Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy.
"Since you signed up after seeing my syllabus, you probably know this already~! We'll focus on practical skill usage in real combat..."
Just as Professor Sin So-ah continued speaking, the classroom door opened with a sound, and Lee Seong-hyeon walked in.
'I wondered when he'd show up.'
Lee Seong-hyeon entering the classroom like nothing happened.
All eyes focused on him.
"What's with that guy? Skipping the first lecture altogether."
"Isn't that the boy? The once-in-a-generation genius. Lee Seong-hyeon, right?"
"For real? The one who got offers from major clans right after enrollment?"
The classroom buzzed instantly at his entrance.
Lee Seong-hyeon seemed to be enjoying the attention to some extent.
'Crazy bastard.'
Isn't that a real illness at this point?
I get it's protagonist spotlighting, but showing off by being late? I still can't believe it.
"Student, why are you so boldly late?~?"
Professor Sin So-ah's eyelid twitched.
"Sorry. I've been a bit busy."
She sighed as if her head hurt at his words.
This is definitely Lee Seong-hyeon's first time taking Professor Sin So-ah's class, even in the 5th round.
Yet he acts like that—his guts are almost enviable.
'Lucky for me, though.'
Since Professor Sin So-ah lets it slide without issue, Lee Seong-hyeon doesn't stand out.
Erina Esnatia tilted her head and asked,
"K-Warrior, what's with that rude man? Isn't he a student?"
"Yeah, he's a student. A late one."
"But how is he so brazen about it?!"
Tell me about it. I'm genuinely curious too.
"That kind of man isn't a man... His arrogance pierces the heavens."
Erina squinted like she'd seen something repulsive.
'Even in Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy, she didn't show this much disgust.'
Arrogant and dictatorial personality.
Exactly the type Erina Esnatia hates.
For her to fall for someone like Lee Seong-hyeon, 'power' must mean a lot to her.
"But why have you been like that since earlier, K-Warrior?"
She looked at me with my head slightly bowed and asked curiously.
'I just don't want to run into Lee Seong-hyeon.'
At least until things are done, it's not good if he finds out I'm here.
I couldn't explain the situation to Erina, so I smiled at her and replied,
"I've got a lot on my mind."
"K-Warrior... As expected of you."
Thanks.
You and Yoon So-ah both.
You're both so kind.
Or naive.
"So, to sum up, the key to skill usage is directly experiencing various skills in real combat."
Professor Sin So-ah manipulated the devices on the podium, and a massive hologram of a dungeon's interior appeared in front.
"So, I wondered how to give you students good practical experience! Then it hit me! Why not just experience real combat directly? The first test is actual dungeon exploration."
What nonsense.
She's just planning the class to minimize her involvement.
'It's not that there's no learning effect, though.'
"The dungeon for exploration is the academy's internal E-grade training dungeon. You'll proceed in parties of two."
Murmurs rippled through the classroom at her words.
"Uh...? But real dungeons are too dangerous, aren't they?"
Professor Sin So-ah smiled at the student's question.
"It's a dungeon that's already been fully surveyed, and it's been left in this state specifically for training, so it won't be dangerous for you all."
Professor Sin So-ah is right.
The dungeon for this test is the academy's training dungeon.
Specifically, an erosion that influenced reality because a gate wasn't cleared for a long time.
It formed in the caves under the academy.
'It's fully surveyed inside, low monster density, and the few that appear are below E-grade, so it became training material.'
Only possible because it's Seoul Hunter Academy.
Monsters all E-grade or below.
And all paths perfectly explored.
That's what everyone knows.
'Except for me and Lee Seong-hyeon.'
The E-grade [Training Dungeon] turns into the C-grade [Temple of Fate] if certain conditions are met.
Lee Seong-hyeon originally thought you could only access [Training Dungeon] in the 3rd year.
But in this regression—
The 4th round—he learned you could access [Training Dungeon] through Professor Sin So-ah's class.
'That's why he signed up for her class first in the 5th round.'
Lee Seong-hyeon can solo the [Temple of Fate] boss even now.
Still, to counter it conveniently, he brings Erina Esnatia, who has the boss's counter skill.
Up to here, fine.
But he abandons the troublesome Erina Esnatia and lets her die.
The girl with flowers in her head, believing in fate and expecting her destined prince to appear.
She dies to Lee Seong-hyeon in the [Temple of Fate].
What a tragic fate.
Thinking about Lee Seong-hyeon again, isn't he really insane?
"This lecture is about practical skill usage, similar to actual dungeon clears, so we'll form parties and explore the dungeon."
Professor Sin So-ah said with a smile.
This is important.
Parties.
"Now, about forming those parties. It'd be nice to pair guys and girls, but! Excluding the top 1% of you who'll join major clans, most will end up as freelancers or in small clans. Unlike major clans, you'll often need to form instant parties. Even in major clans, it happens on-site sometimes. So, to get used to it, whenever we form teams in my class, we'll use the 'party system' exclusively."
Party system.
Nothing special.
It's a temporary alliance hunters form for gate explorations or clears.
Just systematized.
I have to party with Erina Esnatia.
"The academy-issued smartwatches have the party system implemented. Note that once formed, teams can't be disbanded, so choose carefully!"
At Professor Sin So-ah's words, a student asked,
"Um, what if we can't find a team...?"
"Self-PR is a hunter's virtue. If you're not chosen, I'll assign you arbitrarily! Now, form your teams!"
As soon as she finished, Erina Esnatia looked at me.
"K-Warrior? You..."
"Obviously. Who else would I team with but you, Erina?"
Erina Esnatia smiled happily at my words.
You're the one who suggested partying first?
"This is great! K-Warrior."
"Shall we do it right now?"
"Of course!! How do we do it?"
"It's simple. Just sign here and here, Erina."
"So easy!"
I slyly covered my name, which appeared small on the hologram from the smartwatch.
'She doesn't seem to have the mind for it anyway. But just in case.'
"Alright, sign here last."
With a gentle, bright smile, I calmly guided her.
"All done! Now we're a party!"
"Yep."
I smiled back at her beaming face and pressed the button.
[Party Accepted]
[Party contract established between Erina Esnatia (D-Grade) and Kim Si-woo (E3-Grade).]
"WOW! Look, K-Warrior. Me and Kim Si-woo..."
Her beaming smile froze as she stared at the screen, her voice trembling as she looked at me.
"Something's wrong. E3...? Kim Si-woo...?"
You're kidnapped.