Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Wrapping Up the Artificial Dungeon Drill
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BOOM—!!
The leader goblin's iron mace slammed into the ground, sending massive rock fragments flying everywhere from the impact.
Kim Do-yoon deflected the debris with his sword while picking off the goblins one by one, and Sophia and Yoon Seo-rin poured fireballs and mana bullets at them from range.
And Amelia...
"Ahh... Dear goblins, I'll send you all swiftly to the goddess's side so she won't torment you any longer."
She charged ahead of everyone else, wrapping her fists in holy power like boxing gloves, and smashed the goblins' skulls.
Crunch—! Crack!
"Kieeeek!!"
"Kreeeek!"
'Whoa... I never thought I'd live to see the smiling priestess in action with my own eyes...'
In most fantasy games, web novels, or webtoons, saints were typically portrayed as healers who couldn't fight.
It wasn't strange—most people imagined compassionate, holy women when they heard "saintess."
But Amelia was a whole different story.
True to her saintess class, she could wield holy power... but her healing method was pretty unique.
Like this...
"Guh... My leg..."
"Oh dear, are you hurt? Why didn't the protection magic or teleport spell activate? Anyway, let me heal you first."
"No, I'm fine!! Amelia, I don't need— Aaaargh!!!"
Thwack!! Pow—!!
"Don't move!! Moving will hit bone!!"
"Ugh!! Ack!! It's already hitting bone!! My bones are gonna break!! Wait, is this even healing???"
'Ugh... That scary girl.'
She healed by wrapping her fists in holy power and injecting it directly into the injured area.
Game devs still had everyone wondering why they gave such a beautiful girl a saintess class—supposedly noble and compassionate—only to make her a physical (fist) therapist.
"The left flank's open!! Block it better!!"
"We're trying our best!! There are too many goblins—we can't hold anymore!!"
The battlefield was pure chaos.
The students teamed up regardless of team, facing off against hundreds of goblins.
Kim Do-yoon, Yoon Seo-rin, and Sophia began their assault on the leader goblin in earnest.
'Amelia's one thing... but how is that even possible? An F-rank artificial dungeon should have an F-rank boss at most, not whatever that is.'
In a normal F-rank dungeon, Yoon Seo-rin alone could've taken the boss goblin already.
The dungeon's owner was only D-rank at best.
But the academy—whether to entertain the seven guild masters watching or to show off the freshmen—had cranked the leader goblin's strength to nearly A-rank boss level.
An A-rank boss needed at least ten active B-rank hunters or two A-rankers. Even future S-rankers had no choice but to struggle now.
Of course, it couldn't surpass goblin limits entirely, so it'd fall to the protagonist and the two girls soon enough.
'So I'll do my part.'
It might seem sneaky to backstab while they fought hard, but I had no choice.
I needed as much SP as possible for the future.
I lowered my body amid the chaos and moved stealthily.
'Let's see... Got my first target... You.'
1-Circle spell—Mana Bullet.
I condensed mana at my fingertip and fired at the back of a flailing mage from Team 18, under goblin fire.
Pow—!
"Guhk!! What the—"
The mana bullet hit his nape dead-on. A barrier activated, turning him translucent.
Eliminated one student. Reward: +15 SP
'...Mmm, sweet as hell.'
Thud! BOOM—!
All eyes turned to the boss goblin roaring and swinging its mace.
In that moment, another student slumped alone in the rear, catching his breath.
'Target acquired... Wait, no.'
I shifted position, aimed at a male student's chest, and cast 1-Circle spell Ice Spear.
A small ice lance shot from my fingertip, piercing his chest.
"Guh... M-magic? Where did this—"
With a short scream, he vanished into his barrier without proper last words.
Eliminated one student. Reward: +15 SP
"What!? Where's the mage?"
"Rear's exposed! More goblins coming!!"
Kim Do-yoon's teammates finally noticed the two vanishings and panicked, but none suspected me.
The boss goblin's overwhelming presence left no room for distractions.
I calmly scanned for the next target amid their chaos and spotted an archer staring straight ahead.
'Hmm... He's got a lot of protectors nearby...'
Melee students guarded him like bodyguards, sensing something off.
Normal spells wouldn't cut it, so I adapted 1-Circle Wind Cutter with a slight sword swing.
Whoosh—!
"Guhk!!"
An invisible wind blade snapped the archer's bow and sliced his shoulder instantly.
Eliminated one student. Reward: +15 SP
"Damn it!! What the hell? Who's attacking our team!!"
"Three archers down already!!"
'Kuh... SP's so sweet.'
The other students finally realized it wasn't just goblins attacking, but it was meaningless.
The boss goblin's phase 2 was imminent, turning the chaotic field into total hell.
And I? I'd clean up the rest in that hell.
'Sure, the UFC with Wol Ha-yeon comes after... but later for that.'
I planned how to farm more SP and moved stealthily again.
But then—
BOOM—!!
"KREEEEEEEK!!!!"
The leader goblin's phase 2 roar shook the forest.
"Uwaaah!! Phase 2!! Dump everything you've got!!"
"Now!!"
Kim Do-yoon bellowed orders as Sophia unleashed her prepared spell.
"Flare Explosion!!"
BOOM—!
Flames erupted, charring the boss goblin's skin black.
Yoon Seo-rin followed with the mana bullet she'd used on Lee Soo-hyuk.
Bang! Bang!
The shots hit its eye and shoulder, staggering the giant briefly.
Amelia seized the opening and charged.
"In the goddess's name... rest!!"
Her holy-powered fist uppercut the boss's jaw.
Crack—!
The blow sent its massive body crashing back, splintering trees.
Finally, Kim Do-yoon cleaved its nape in two for the finishing blow.
"Huff... It's over!"
The huge goblin dissolved into blue particles.
Students sighed in relief—some collapsed, others embraced and cheered.
But the peace didn't last.
"Good. Wave's done, so let's finish what we started?"
Wol Ha-yeon, who'd watched silently, drew her twin swords with a beaming smile.
"Hyun-sol, you've got enough points now, right? Time to fight for real?"
"...What?"
I feigned confusion, but she whispered just for me.
"You're good at acting. But I saw everything. While everyone fought the boss, you were busy backstabbing other teams."
"..."
'Damn, she saw it all? She had her eyes closed?'
I'm no idiot.
I knew stealthy magic couldn't fool everyone while dodging students.
I was extra careful to avoid detection, netting less SP than hoped.
And Wol Ha-yeon—half-asleep with eyes closed—saw it all?
The absurdity left me frozen, speechless.
Sophia swapped her red mana stone for another on her staff and stepped forward.
"I said I won't hand over team leader easily, remember?"
Yoon Seo-rin drew a unique pistol from subspace instead of her rifle.
"I know you're strong, but I'm not yielding."
"Hmm? I just don't get it. Why protect Hyun-sol so much? I'm not gonna eat him—just a light spar."
"......"
"......"
Wol Ha-yeon looked baffled, but the two stayed silent.
"Sigh... I'm fine, everyone calm down."
I hadn't hit my SP goal, but minimum secured—no big issue if eliminated now.
Team 4 topped rankings thanks to my backstabs and their boss kill, so Wol Ha-yeon wasn't a burden anymore.
'Yeah, positive: no matter the path, Wol Ha-yeon stays at the academy.'
I gritted my teeth and gripped my sword.
"Fine, let's finish that spar from two days ago."
Wol Ha-yeon grinned like a kid with a gift, infusing her blades with moonlight aura.
As the real fight loomed—
A bell-like alert from the drone echoed, followed by a professor's voice.
"I'd love to see Wol Ha-yeon and Kang Hyun-sol's thrilling duel to the end, but time's up. Prepare for dizziness—teleporting all."
"...!"
Blue light enveloped us as the announcement ended, teleport activating.
Wol Ha-yeon tilted her head, spun her twinswords, and sheathed them.
She eyed me, smirking.
"Too bad. That's why I hurried to find you... Guess today's it. Plenty of time left, though..."
She mimed slitting my throat and winked.
"Next time for sure... Got it?"
"..."
I turned away silently, avoiding her gaze.
'...I'll figure out why this shit keeps happening, damn it... Scary as hell.'
"Phew... Lucky we took 1st?"
"Honestly didn't expect 1st—good luck."
Sophia lowered her staff with a sigh; Yoon Seo-rin eased her gun down.
Students vanished one by one in blue light.
Last were me and Wol Ha-yeon.
She yawned boredly till the end.
"I get using only magic due to circumstances today, but next time, more swordplay please."
"...Sure."
Wol Ha-yeon teleported out, and blue light finally filled my vision.