Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Dungeon Practical Training (3)
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Grrr...
The ogre slowly turned its head, observing me.
My heart began to race in response.
This was the precursor to Combat Sense.
By now, the sensation of Combat Sense had become familiar.
Thump.
The ogre in front of me lived purely on instinct.
Instinctual destruction and plunder—it devoured whatever it grabbed and smashed anything that moved.
This dumb monster knew nothing, yet it brimmed with pointless curiosity.
That's why it always observed anything new it encountered.
It had the confidence that it could counterattack even if struck first.
So right now, while the ogre was still observing me, I needed to land a solid hit.
I slowly condensed mana inside my body without alerting the ogre.
The moment mana stirred outside my body, the ogre would charge.
So I had to manifest the magic circle in an instant and strike before it could react.
That was my specialty. I was confident in it.
Three seconds.
The ogre was still staring at me. Now it was even glancing back at Baek A-young.
'Perfect!'
Shwoooosh!
The completed magic circles unleashed their spells in a flash.
With one hand, I fired a fireball straight at the ogre's eyes.
Blades of wind flew toward its belly, shredding the skin.
Boom! Boom! Fwoosh—
Smoke from the fireball enveloped the ogre, and moments later, it appeared with its face shielded by both arms.
"Ha, this crazy bastard."
Surprisingly, the arms that had blocked its face were spotless, without a single scratch.
Its belly, lacerated by dozens of blades, bore only a tiny scrape.
The ogre growled in irritation.
Grrrrowl!
Stomping the ground, it roared in fury.
It had fully recognized me as an enemy now.
Groooar!
Its eyes bloodshot, the ogre charged at me, swinging its fist.
Drool spilling from its maw—I had zero desire to get close.
I glanced back briefly.
Baek A-young was trembling as she watched us.
I rapidly circulated the mana in my circuits.
Activating Acceleration, I dashed forward.
To keep damage away from Baek A-young, it was better to fight head-on.
Thud! Boom!
Dodging the ogre's fist, I maneuvered to draw the battlefield away from her.
Groooar!
Whoosh—!
The ogre's fist grazed past my eyes, whipping my hair.
A direct hit from that would shatter ribs for sure.
I slowly lured the ogre farther from Baek A-young while gathering mana again.
'What now?'
Its skin was too tough—my magic barely scratched it.
No time or mana for high-tier spells.
I needed high destructive power with minimal mana.
Thump.
My heart raced faster.
Even as my body dodged the ogre's hot breath and attacks, my mind stayed cool, devising a plan.
For max power with low mana, I had to strike at close range.
That eliminated energy loss from travel distance.
Plus, Acceleration would amp the attack speed for peak efficiency.
I had a path.
Two options.
Punch its belly with mana-reinforced fists.
Or craft a new form of magic that could wound it and slam it in.
Fortunately, unlike the fireball that left no scorch marks, the wind blades had caused a slight scrape.
That was my breakthrough.
Groooar!
I ducked the ogre's fist hurtling toward my head.
Simultaneously, I condensed mana in my hand.
A spiral form, like when crafting Cotton Guard.
A helix pursuing rigid defense could inversely become the ultimate attack tool.
Infuse sharpness into the rigid mana.
The mana sharpened like a blade, but that was no different from wind blades.
Twist the spiraled mana into a rotating sphere and compress it.
The insanely spinning helix sphere would grind away the ogre's skin bit by bit.
Thud!
The ogre's arm slammed beside me again.
'Next attack pierces it.'
I deliberately kept close, baiting a big swing.
The dumb ogre fell for it, smashing both hands into the ground.
Boom!
'Acceleration.'
I rammed the spinning helix sphere from my hand into the ogre's side as it tried to lift its hand.
"Groooaaaargh—!"
Craaaack—!
A gruesome sound echoed as its tough hide chipped away.
Blood gushed from the ogre's side, exposing softer innards the moment the hide gave.
A massive fissure tore open its belly.
Once the exterior cracked even slightly, it was over.
My mana burrowed deep inside, spinning and shredding the innards.
The ogre's blood and chunks splattered across the dungeon floor.
"It's done."
Thud!
The ogre collapsed, a gaping hole in its gut, lifeless.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ ──『 Spiral 』── ▶ Unique Skill
▶ Twists mana into a triple helix for rigidity, then compresses it into a spinning spherical form.
Requires extremely advanced mana control. Far greater destructive power when embedded up close rather than thrown.
"Spiral?"
Why do I only get close-combat skills I didn't even want?
Damn it. This isn't what I had in mind at all.
"Ho-yeon! You, you! What were you thinking fighting an ogre?!"
Baek A-young rushed over with a worried face, scolding me.
"I couldn't just abandon A-young. Better to die together."
"...You!"
She seemed angry on the surface, but Baek A-young didn't look too upset.
Raising affinity here would be ideal, but my condition was dire.
My head spun—mana exhaustion loomed. I needed to replenish fast.
"Mind if I meditate a bit? Cover me."
"Y-yeah. I'll let you know if anyone comes."
Using her as a human alarm, I meditated to restore mana.
I'd burned through nearly all of it in that fight due to the severe shortage.
Still, my meditation efficiency was high—it'd be quick.
"Hoo..."
Closing my eyes, I slowly drew in the surrounding mana.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Student Council President, wait! I get it, but calm down first!"
"Out of my way. I need to see that man right now."
"Hey! Oh no!"
Moon Soo-rin shoved past the secretary guarding the chairman's office and barged in.
"Soo-rin, what's this about?"
A white-haired man lounged on the sofa in the head seat, looking pleased to see her.
"You think now's the time to leisurely sip coffee? Students are trapped in the dungeon!"
Moon Soo-rin ignored his gaze, venting her frustration.
People were trapped due to the dungeon surge—how could he relax here?
"...Soo-rin. You know I just finished mobilizing rescue teams, securing supplies, and assigning mages, right? And I haven't even touched the coffee."
"I know. But do you have time to rest? With students trapped?"
"I've done everything I can. You know that."
"No. Go yourself, body and all."
"...Soo-rin!"
Talking about his condition was taboo.
But Moon Soo-rin wasn't in a position to care.
Lee Ho-yeon. The moment she heard he was trapped, her chest went numb.
Only then did she admit her feelings for him.
And upon realizing them, she dropped everything and raced to the chairman's office.
The chairman saw her crazed eyes and decided to calm her first.
"All the experts are called in, and active hunters are being deployed for search. Wait without worry."
"No. If you won't go, I will."
"Why are you like this? Got a crush on some first-year boy?"
"N-no! St-students are all members of Victoria Academy!"
"..."
The chairman's face hardened instantly.
He averted his eyes to an empty spot, sneaking glances then fleeing her gaze.
He'd seen this reaction from his granddaughter often.
It was her tell when changing the subject.
"A-anyway! I'll go myself, so know that! And I'm striking until this is over."
"S-Soo-rin! The academy won't run without you!"
"Not my problem. The dungeon surge is priority. Max out search scale and recruit more hunters."
"Th-that's all academy budget!"
"I've brought in way more than that."
Moon Soo-rin glared coldly, spat her words, and stormed out.
The chairman felt exasperated. Who the hell was that guy making his granddaughter act like this?
From his long life, he knew punks like that didn't die easily.
He resolved to see the brat's face once he escaped the dungeon.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Feeling alive now. Thanks."
"N-no, it's nothing. I'm the one who survived thanks to you."
We delved deeper into the dungeon in high spirits.
After slaying the ogre, my confidence had soared.
Apparently, even active hunters struggled against ogres solo.
I'd taken one down alone—brag-worthy, right?
"Still, no monsters stronger than ogres should appear. An ogre was already ridiculous..."
A dungeon spawning kobolds shouldn't have ogres.
Likely fallout from the mine cart pandemic, but no memory from the original story—frustrating.
"Yeah? Lucky break amid the bad..."
Thud. Thud.
"Ah, shit."
I cursed without thinking, right in front of Baek A-young.
Fortunately, she didn't seem to hear.
Thud. Thud.
Baek A-young was too focused on the ominous footsteps to notice my mutter.
And it wasn't just one set.
Thud. Thud-thud. Thud. Thud-thud. Thud-thud. Thud.
Two. Two ogres approaching.
Thump.
Combat Sense surged again. But I was fine.
Having done it once, I wasn't scared, honestly.
Beating dumb ogres didn't change with two.
Dodge simple attacks with Acceleration, then end it with Spiral to the belly.
Of course, details varied, but that was the gist.
Groooar—!
The ogres' cries drew nearer.
This time, I wanted to thin them out from the start.
Baek A-young's stamina was critically low—we needed to finish quick and find rest.
'Spiral.'
I formed the helix sphere in my hand.
'Acceleration.'
I accelerated the mana around my body.
Gathering mana at my feet, I waited until they closed in.
Grrowl—!
Just before we entered each other's sight, my Clairvoyance-enhanced vision spotted the ogre first.
Kaboom!
Propelling off the exploding ground beneath me, I lunged at the ogre.
Gr?
The ogre noticed me too late—too low-tier to block my accelerated strike.
Gr, groooaaagh—!
"Die, you fucker."
A hole punched through one ogre's belly; it vomited blood and crumpled.
Gu, guaagh?!
The remaining one, seeing its kin turn to tofu beside it, spotted me and swung its club.
Thump.
My Combat Sense spoke.
Adapt to these simple attacks now.
I casually dodged the club, prepping Spiral.
Just embed it in the belly or face.
"Groooar!"
The ogre swung its club, lost patience, and followed with a fist.
Dodging the incoming fist in accelerated space, right before smashing Spiral into its face, I thought:
'This is my last chance.'
The ogre was mid-swing at me. My speed far outpaced it.
I could shatter its head with Spiral and end it.
But that wasn't my goal.
I didn't come here just to hunt monsters. My target was Baek A-young.
No better shot than now.
Unlike the start, the dungeon's mana density had stabilized. No way stronger monsters than two ogres lurked at this level.
Ogres were already absurd; nothing beyond that.
I'd already solo'd one in front of her.
But if that easy ogre got critically wounded by other monsters? Too contrived.
This was the final chance.
Against two ogres.
With Baek A-young here, I wouldn't die anyway.
'Doable. No—must do it.'
To win her over, this scenario was necessary.
I eyed the slowly approaching ogre fist, deliberately slowing my Spiral hand just enough.
I positioned meticulously so even if hit, Spiral would still kill it.
Krunch—! Spurt—!
I took the ogre's fist first, then its skull shredded apart.
Ogre blood sprayed the air, flecking my body with gore.
"Kuh...! Guh..."
Blood welled in my mouth too.
It hurt. Felt like I'd die. Fuck.
Not just ribs—my guts seemed torn.
"Ho, Ho-yeon...! No!"
Still, seeing Baek A-young rush over, the plan succeeded.