Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Artificial Dungeon Practice (5)
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"Haah… This is driving me crazy, seriously."
My head turned into a chaotic jumble.
Originally, Wol Ha-yeon shouldn't have taken part in the artificial dungeon practice evaluation.
The gap in skill with the other students was so vast that if she joined, the evaluation couldn't proceed properly. That's why the professors normally tested her separately afterward—that was the standard flow.
But right now? That munchkin girl was standing there boldly, facing off against 40 awakeners including the freshman ranked second—all on her own.
She didn't show even a hint of tension.
Far from it—Wol Ha-yeon stood with her arms crossed, her face bored enough that she looked ready to yawn any second.
‘Haah… If there's any silver lining, it's that Amelia joined Kim Do-yoon's group.’
In this situation where every future event I knew was twisting out of shape, at least one thing hadn't changed: a heroine sticking by Kim Do-yoon's side.
Amelia.
One of this world's main heroines, bearer of the Saintess title. Like Sophia, she'd crossed over from France to study at the world's top academy.
The key difference? Unlike Sophia, Amelia had come here purely to learn and grow.
And thanks to that pure setup, her capture difficulty was rated top-tier—equal to Wol Ha-yeon's.
“…”
Still, seeing Amelia let me breathe a little easier, knowing not everything had gone completely haywire.
But relief brought fresh anxiety.
My plan to eliminate as many students as possible during this quest and hoard SP was teetering on the brink of ruin.
‘What about my SP? I'm still starving… I need to bag at least 1000 SP to call this done.’
SP was the system's proprietary currency, spendable in the system shop. With enough points, you could snag any trait, skill, or item you wanted.
It was one of the player-exclusive features I had to drain to the dregs to prep for what was coming.
I'd planned to farm over 1000 SP here, clear the first sub-quest for its 500 SP reward, and buy a trait.
But that tiny, precious dream was getting smashed to bits by munchkin girl Wol Ha-yeon's arrival and the munchkin duo of Kim Do-yoon plus Amelia.
“……”
The forest air grew heavier by the second.
We kept staring each other down, frozen—no one daring to move first.
Wol Ha-yeon remained utterly nonchalant, eyes half-lidded. Kim Do-yoon gripped his sword, tension etched on his face.
Amelia stood behind him, gathering holy power in her fists, primed for heals and support at any moment.
Sophia and Yoon Seo-rin flanked me, eyes locked on them with wary intensity.
"…Hmm, how about we talk it out first? What do you all say?"
Kim Do-yoon shattered the suffocating silence.
"…What kind of talk?"
As I stepped out from the bushes, he flicked up a holographic screen on his wristwatch and began explaining.
"You know plenty of students are still kicking, right? Check the scoreboard—looks like about half are out."
"So what's your point?"
"Simple. Let's clear out the rest first, then duke it out."
"Hmm…"
Kim Do-yoon's pitch wasn't half bad, objectively.
Pitting top-rankers against each other right here would just leave everyone battered.
"Fancy words, but you're basically proposing an alliance?"
Spotting his angle, I pressed. He flashed a grin.
"Exactly. Your Group 4, my Group 18, our allies… and lastly…"
His gaze slid slowly toward Wol Ha-yeon.
"The three of us join hands, and the field's as good as ours."
"…"
Wol Ha-yeon fell silent for a moment.
Arms still crossed, eyes half-shut in boredom, she shrugged like his idea held zero appeal.
Then she glanced at me—mid-ponder on her buy-in—and spoke.
"Anyway, I don't score points for knocking out students or monsters in here. Got a deal with the professor."
"…What deal? And if that's the case, why enter the dungeon?"
Kim Do-yoon shot back, baffled. She quirked her lips and laid it out.
"Oh, no biggie… Promised I'd actually attend classes all semester if he let me take out Kang Hyun-sol myself."
"……"
"……"
"…Pardon? Come again?"
The air iced over the instant she finished.
Sophia scowled and stepped forward. Yoon Seo-rin unslung her shotgun.
"What’s that supposed to mean?"
Sophia bit out sharply.
"Take out Hyun-sol? And before that—what the hell kind of deal did you make with the professor? No clue why you'd brag about it."
Yoon Seo-rin leveled her mana-bullet muzzle at Wol Ha-yeon and yelled.
"No matter how strong you are… we’re not handing over our group leader quietly."
"…Hmm?"
Wol Ha-yeon snorted, uncrossed her arms, and drew the twin curved swords at her waist.
"No grand reason. Just curious how Hyun-sol fights for real. And I never expected you'd roll over easy."
"……"
My throat went rigid. I swallowed hard.
‘Fuck… she’s dead serious? She’s really out to kill me? Why? What’d I even do…’
At this rate, forget alliance laughs—we’d be lucky not to get carved up by Wol Ha-yeon.
Sacrificing myself solo for Group 4 in some 1v1 cage match? No dice.
I needed every scrap of SP possible for what lay ahead.
"…"
I was mulling options when Sophia raised her staff and shouted.
"Top seat and SS-Rank Awakener, but aren’t you overconfident? You really think you can handle everyone here?"
Red mana vortexed around her. Two massive fireballs materialized in the air.
"If you wanna take our leader, go for it. But we won’t stand by."
Yoon Seo-rin chimed in agreement from the side.
"We know your strength. You could mop us up in a blink if you wanted. But no leader handover."
"Hmm~ Got it…"
Wol Ha-yeon clashed her twin blades thoughtfully, ringing metal. Then she began channeling a moonlit aura along the edges.
"Didn’t see this coming… The Litwell heiress and the Association president’s granddaughter stepping up personally… Hyun-sol, you’re more popular than I thought?"
"…"
Frankly, Wol Ha-yeon taking an interest wasn’t bad in itself.
In the original plot, she’d lose interest in Kim Do-yoon, drop out after a year, and vanish.
Her exit guaranteed bad ends.
Her having a reason to stay at the academy? Huge win.
Even if I was the reason… massive problem.
"Phew… Popularity’s debatable, but I get you wanna fight. Can we at least hold off till eval’s done?"
Survival and max SP came first, so I tossed her a mutually beneficial olive branch.
"If Group 4 stays out… no issue—hey!"
She replied casually, then swung her twins lightly my way.
A blade of lunar mana slashed toward me at blinding speed.
"Shit…"
Clang—!
"Urk…"
Luckily, I deployed a mana barrier and barely blocked it.
Pleased that I’d parried her strike, Wol Ha-yeon beamed and summoned more aura.
"See? You’re so intriguing. How do you block me with that mana pool and control? Show me more. Your limits!!"
"…"
‘Gonna lose my goddamn mind? I did jack shit—why the hell me!!’
I still couldn’t fathom why this munchkin girl had fixated on me for a fight.
Defense first. I gritted my teeth, reset my stance.
But Sophia blocked my front.
"We’ll handle you."
Red flames slithered like snakes around her. The giant fireballs spun wildly in midair.
"And honestly? Heard a few pre-enrollment rumors about you. Never dreamed we’d clash like this. Eh, whatever now."
"……"
Yoon Seo-rin murmured assent beside her.
"Never imagined you—zero interest in anyone but Wol Cheon-mu—would eye Kang Hyun-sol."
"Hmm? You girls know your stuff."
Wol Ha-yeon appraised them with interest, then swung her gaze back to me.
"Gotta wonder what you did to rile them up like this."
"…Beats me."
Situation screamed it: no backing out now.
‘Then it’s preemptive strike time…’
Zero odds of success, but surrender? Hell no. I signaled Sophia and Yoon Seo-rin—both attack-ready—and lunged.
But Kim Do-yoon, who’d watched silently, cut in calmly to rein her in.
"Wol Ha-yeon, all good—but keep it off our side. Eval’s not done."
"…"
She eyed him briefly, nodded agreement, then rocketed toward Kang Hyun-sol.
"Damn!!"
"Hyun-sol!!"
Full combat was about to erupt.
Boom—!!
Sudden thunderous impact rocked the ground.
Goblin shrieks exploded from the forest depths.
"Keeeaak!!"
"Krooo!!"
Dozens of goblins swarmed in. At their center loomed their boss: musclebound, clad in iron plate.
"Damn!! Timing could not be more perfect!!"
I clenched my jaw, gripped my sword tight.
Sophia tsked, swelling her fireballs bigger. Yoon Seo-rin unhesitatingly swung her muzzle toward the horde.
Wol Ha-yeon regretfully sheathed her twins.
"Shame… Goblin wave means attack ban, per agreement."
"……"
Even in her breezy tone, her spark of interest in me hadn’t dimmed.
Kim Do-yoon raised his sword, bellowed to his team.
"Alright—goblins first, whatever."
Amelia nodded quietly, unfurling holy power into a vast silver barrier enveloping everyone.
Thus, my brush with death earned a temporary reprieve courtesy of the boss goblin’s intrusion.
And I thought:
‘…Before Wol Ha-yeon offs me, I gotta backstab every student I can. Rack up that SP.’