91. Practical Monster Training
"A-young-ssi. I'm going now."
Fortunately, Baek A-young understood my situation and didn't send me any more glances that seemed to demand sex.
After finishing the cleaning fellatio, I solved lunch simply with a bento.
"Yeah... Ho, if my lust suddenly boils up, you can come find me..."
"Yes. Thank you. Thanks to you, I feel refreshed."
"U-uhm..."
Now that she had no more pretense, she said it so openly.
"But even then, when it comes to sex, she demands blackmail, so I don't know what to do."
When I left the infirmary and checked the time, it was 12:50.
I had to get to the test site by 1 o'clock, so there were exactly 10 minutes left.
Since it wasn't late enough to walk, I walked slowly to digest it.
"Ah, right. I need to contact Su-rin noona."
I ate lunch, so I need to do my tasks.
- Me: Su-rin noona, you must be busy, sorry. There are a lot of fakers in the infirmary. I need a plan to definitely punish them.
- Su-rin noona: I got it. I'll suggest it to the chairman.
- Me: Yes. Thank you. Take care!
Su-rin seemed very busy, so the conversation cut off there.
Of course, there are many things to do, so I'll understand.
Of course, it's like adding a spoonful to the hard work, but I couldn't stand Baek A-young being a spectator.
I have to eat with Su-rin later. That Korean restaurant was really delicious. Tsk.
I arrived at the test site and looked around.
Large battle arenas had been prepared, and the A class was gathered in the corner.
I approached and joined the group.
"This training is one I've done before, so I won't explain in detail. Step up to the measurement magic circle in order, receive combat power measurement, then enter the battle arena. End."
Professor Kim Jin-hyeok guided the test and went to another arena.
It seems he's also acting as referee for other classes.
To prevent any bias, a professor from another class is judging.
Even if it's with mana oath, it's fine, but better to be sure.
The A class lined up in front of the measurement magic circle waiting for combat power measurement.
Since all first-years were in the test site, the measurement took a long time.
I found Lucy and Rumi and stood right behind them.
"Ho-yeon-ssi... what did you have for lunch?"
"Yeah? Just, I ate at the student cafeteria roughly."
"We also ate at the student cafeteria, but it wasn't visible?"
"... Uh, because I ate alone, I hid in the corner."
If you're going to the student cafeteria anyway, take me too.
Of course, I don't regret spending time with A-young. It felt good.
The students standing in front of us stepped onto the measurement magic circle one by one.
"I wonder what score I'll get this time. Can I break through stage 8?"
"Last time it was stage 7... maybe this time stage 8, Lucy."
"I think so too. Lucy, you got really strong."
"Is that so? Hehe."
Lucy, happy with the praise, twirled her blue hair.
Main characters in games grow dramatically as the story progresses.
Lucy is the same. Probably can easily break stage 8.
Last time I got stage 5, and cleared up to stage 7.
Now I'm so much stronger than back then, I wonder up to what stage I can go.
"Lucy went first!"
She stepped onto the magic circle.
Soon, the number 8 appeared above Lucy's head.
"Ye! Stage 8!"
"Congratulations, Lucy..."
Lucy was jumping excitedly on the magic circle, while Rumi wanted to congratulate but could only whisper softly because she couldn't shout loudly.
"Kuh."
"Why, why are you laughing...!"
"Just congratulate, why are you whispering."
"Uuu..."
While teasing the shy Rumi, I stepped onto the magic circle.
"Please say your name... Ah, it's Lee Ho-yeon cadet. Place your hand on the circle."
"Yes."
Even though it's the first time seeing the professor, he knew me, which was a bit odd feeling.
I placed my hand on the blue magic orb in the center of the magic circle.
"Woong-"
The mana flowing from the magic device scanned my body several times and then returned to the device.
Last time it was stage 5, what stage will it be this time.
Soon, the number 8 appeared above my head.
"A class Lee Ho-yeon. 8 points. Oh, 3 stages higher than last time? You're a promising kid."
"Yeah. Thank you."
Last time you heard people saying you're not A class, but now hearing praise, it feels good.
"Wow, Lee Ho-yeon got 3 stages higher than last measurement. Are you crazy?"
"Your growth rate is really fast though... Stage 8 is ambiguous? I also got stage 8."
"Since Nam Da-eun got stage 10, shouldn't Lee Ho-yeon also come out at that level? A difference of 2 stages is like heaven and earth..."
The students who had already finished measurement showed interest in my score.
8 points is a bit higher than average.
But the expectations placed on me had already become 8 or more.
Because I caught ogres, and there was the magic video released earlier, there's an expectation that I've already surpassed the students' level.
But why did it come out as 8? Because the measurement magic circle didn't recognize my special abilities.
My Combat Sense and Mana Sensitivity handle most of the combat power, so when measured without them, it comes out low.
Last time, even at stage 5, I cleared up to stage 7.
This time stage 8 came out, so I can aim for stage 10.
'Flame Chain'
"Chwa-ruk-!"
"Kku-ruru!"
In an instant, dozens of flame chains shot up from the ground and bound all the last moonlight moths.
"Aw, these damn moths."
The sight of moths the size of a human palm rushing over was too grotesque.
I had only just bound the dozens of moths that were there at first.
While flying around my head, they were spraying something like paralyzing powder, and I barely managed to block it by surrounding my body with a rune barrier.
I infused mana into the flame chains holding the moths to increase the firepower.
After the moths turned to ash in the burning flames, and the paralyzing powder surrounding my barrier disappeared, I released the barrier.
"Hoo..."
The mana barrier surrounding the arena was released, and sounds from outside began to be heard.
"Ho-yeon nice!!!! Keep it up!!!"
"Ho-yeon-ssi... keep it up..."
I smiled at Lucy and Rumi who were in front.
Lucy had cleared up to stage 8, Rumi was at 7.
By the way, the moths just now were stage 9.
In the practical monster training, with the permission of the observing professor, one could challenge up to a maximum of 2 stages higher than the combat power level.
"Professor. I will challenge stage 10."
"Lee Ho-yeon cadet challenges stage 10. Approved."
"I'll go right away without resting."
Although the moonlight moths look shabby when you just hear the name, my heart was beating quite fast due to Combat Sense.
The combination of paralyzing powder that starts paralyzing the body with just a little inhalation, and the moths that crash at high speed relying on their hard bodies, was beyond imagination.
I wanted to fight while maintaining my current combat sense.
"Summoning appropriate opponent."
"Stage 10."
⟨ The Nightmare of Hamel Dungeon ⟩
From the opposite side of the arena, mana began to churn.
"Kku-ruruk"
Strange sounds came, and the writhing darkness began to fill the opposite side of the arena.
"Bad luck. It's the Nightmare, of all things."
"What is Nightmare? I've never heard of it."
"You don't know the Nightmare of Hamel Dungeon? Half of the Hamel Dungeon expedition team went insane from that one Nightmare and are in brain death state."
"I don't know why they put something like that in the curriculum."
The voices of students outside the arena who seemed to know the creature were heard.
I also remember reading it in a paper.
It was an incident where half of the expedition team that conquered Hamel Dungeon got into a knife fight with each other because of the boss monster, the Nightmare.
It was a team that had no casualties and proceeded harmoniously throughout the dungeon exploration, but it was recorded in a paper as an example where they were shattered by the boss monster's mental attack.
To summarize the characteristics, it's a guy whose own combat strength is insignificant but who has poured all his stats into mental attacks.
"Lee Ho-yeon cadet. The Nightmare of Hamel Dungeon can leave mental damage even after the test ends. Will you challenge?"
If the observing professor is warning directly like this, it's definitely dangerous.
"Will you not give me a chance to change?"
"Yes."
"... I will challenge."
If mental damage is scary, they shouldn't have put it in... Anyway, this place is incomprehensible.
Well, I was going to challenge anyway.
"Thump thump."
The boiling Combat Sense was saying.
I can easily defeat those weird creatures.
As soon as the arena was wrapped in mana and communication with the outside was cut off, the pitch-black darkness that had been filling the opposite side enveloped me, and primal fear surged.
"Kki-kkeukki kki-kkeuk kki-kkeuk kki-kkeuk kki-kkeuk kki-kkeuk kki-kkeuk kki-kkeuk kki-kkeuk!"
"Ku-he-he-he? Ku-he-he-he?"
"Kku-ruru-? Kku-ruru-ruk-!"
"Save me! Save me! There, you save me!"
The grotesque sounds that made one's mood dirty just by hearing them and the screams of people hit my ears.
And in front of me, there stood some kind of scarecrow.
It was thin-bodied, but hands and feet looked like bird claws, and the cloth wrapping the face was stained with blood.
Holding a rusty scythe in one hand and swinging arms wildly, in that bizarre appearance, I unconsciously used magic.
'Ash Flame'
"Kkeue-eek-!"
The scarecrow shook around and turned to ash.
"Definitely unpleasant."
"The 'Nightmare' really shows various nightmares."
It could be a difficult past, the death of a close person, or the betrayal of a lover.
That scarecrow isn't the end.
With the truly bizarre appearance, my irritation rose, so I didn't like it from the start of the fight.
"...Hoo."
I took a deep breath and prepared for the mental attack that would come.
Mental attacks are also attacks made of mana in the end.
I can deal with it with my Mana Sensitivity.
I don't know if I can block it, but I need to prepare the rune barrier for now.
I gathered mana to draw the barrier.
At that moment, my combat sense suddenly disappeared.
"Thump."
"...!"
Could it be that it's even deceiving my senses?
How strong this Nightmare monster must be...!
"Eh?"
Along with my dumb voice, the darkness surrounding me disappeared, and I faced the gazes of the people looking at me.
"Lee, Lee Ho-yeon cadet. You passed stage 10."
The stopwatch on the arena was pointing at 9 seconds.
"9, 9 seconds?! Is that guy crazy?"
"Record! Academy record with 10 stage 9 seconds!"
"Video? Hey! Let's go to the Everyday recommended post today too!"
"How amazing is the mental strength to... the Nightmare..."
The students and professors were all staring at me, pouring out words in excitement.
I heard one professor's words and realized the current situation.
'Clear Mind...!'
This is the only one.
My special perk Clear Mind received when I came to this world.
The Clear Mind has... immunity to mental attacks.
"Chwa-ak!"
Nam Da-eun alone cut down the Cyclops that was stage 10.
The Cyclops who couldn't withstand the many scars engraved on its belly finally closed its single eye.
"Ku-woong!"
The Cyclops fell and the ground shook.
Nam Da-eun calmly sheathed her sword.
"Nam Da-eun cadet. Congratulations. You passed stage 10."
"... Thank you."
Nam Da-eun couldn't ignore the professor's words and gave a short thanks before descending from the arena.
The record is 30 seconds.
By dragging time appropriately, there won't be any suspicion.
"Practical monster training also has first place confirmed."
Now, I just need to finish the 1v1 duel.
After the test, the burden will disappear a bit.
As Nam Da-eun was about to leave the arena, she stopped upon hearing the students' voices.
"Hey, amazing! There, Lee Ho-yeon passed stage 10 in 9 seconds!"
"What? Let's go watch together!"
"9 seconds...?"
Stage 10 wasn't made to be broken from the start.
Just seeing the Cyclops that appeared in boss monster hunting at stage 10 is enough to know.
It's a difficulty that no single student can handle from the beginning.
But, 9 seconds?
"I can't believe it until I see it with my own eyes."
Nam Da-eun quickly ran to Lee Ho-yeon's arena.