Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Debut Battle (2)
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I recalled Bella's teachings.
"First, grasp the enemy's characteristics."
Of course, I didn't have the veteran savvy to eyeball it and think, Hmm, insect-type, so the joints must be weak.
But I had the power of capital.
The piping-hot new artifact I'd dropped a whopping 10,000 IP on at the Magic Castle shopping mall.
"......Huh?"
I doubted my eyes for a moment.
1000 IP? Who was this supposed to stick on whose nose? In convenience store gift certificate terms, that was barely 100,000 won.
No, risking my life to smash a monster, and the pay was less than a convenience store part-timer's weekly wage?
It really sank in just how massive the 500,000 IP Shining had so coolly forked over was.
That was the life value of 500 E-rank monsters. Shining, just who are you...
Suddenly my stomach started to ache. The mantis monster Bella had taken down was B-rank, or so I'd vaguely heard.
When she'd offered me the finishing blow, I should've snatched it up without a second thought! A B-rank must pay at least tens of thousands of IP!
"Grrr..."
Ignoring my inner turmoil, the monster approached with a gross noise.
Living point here! Monsters get smarter with higher ranks, but F or E-ranks are basically beast-level intelligence.
In other words, dumb and easy to handle.
Still, pennies make a pound.
100,000 won doesn't grow on trees. I smacked my lips bitterly and reached out into empty air.
"Druruk."
Druruk! Drurrruk!
With a ferocious whir, the hefty sewing machine settled into my grip.
"Grrrr!"
The monster charged, joints creaking.
Toward who? Seo Jun.
I could take it, but the kid would have his bones and flesh ripped apart just from a graze of that stone fist.
I scooped up Seo Jun without hesitation and scooped him into a princess carry.
"Uh, uwaaaah?!"
"You o-kay? Scared, huh?"
The monster's fist hurtled toward me without restraint.
But dodging was easier than I'd thought.
Why? None of that primal terror from the mantis monster last time.
Low rank, maybe? Or mental armor from meeting Bella and Frost?
Either way, I methodically planned my strategy in my head.
Can't fight here first off.
Classroom too cramped. Plus, some students and teachers were still around school.
Gotta lure it outside.
Floating Druruk in midair conjured a transparent pedal beside it.
Squish.
Pedal down, and Druruk started spinning.
Drurrrrruk!
Mana threads blasted from the needle tip like a machine gun.
Pabababak!
"Keeek?!"
White thread-bullets thudded into the monster's body. Normally, they'd bind it up tight like a box.
Ting! Tiiing!
But the threads just bounced feebly off its surface. Plaster statue base made it too hard; the threads wouldn't stick.
Annoyingly tough for 100k trash.
Needed a different tack.
"Hold on tight."
"W-what...?"
Crash!
I smashed through the intact side window and hurled myself toward the playground. Kinda thrilling, window-breaking.
"Kiyaaaaak!"
Seo Jun screamed in my arms.
Thud.
Landed lightly on the playground.
Boom!
As sand dust billowed, the monster that followed me leaped down, shaking the ground. Aggro pulled solid.
"Dangerous here. Head home fast."
"......Uh... uhh..."
I set the shell-shocked Seo Jun down somewhere safe, then bolted to the playground center.
Piiiik! Piiiik!
At the same instant, smartphones across the school building wailed in unison.
Staff startled by sirens and after-school students swarmed the windows.
"Monster? On the playground!"
"That next to it... magical girl? Tiny! Frost?!"
"Huh? New face? White hair?"
"No way... Prima? Is that Prima?!"
Hundreds of eyes stabbed toward me in seconds. Flashing camera lenses extra.
Normally, my total loner bod might've panicked hard.
But splitting Seol Ha-rin and Neph (Prima's granddaughter) identities per Frost's advice? God move.
Prima granddaughter exposed? Seol Ha-rin still safe, free to go wild. And most importantly...
Loner vibe's all Seol Ha-rin's.
Our newbie Neph-chan won't back down from stares like these!
I nimbly dodged the monster's boring punches while stomping Druruk's pedal mercilessly.
Pababak!
Mana threads and needles rained down, but the monster slipped them easily too.
That's E-rank?
Even as a fresh-debut scrub, zero hits landing on E-rank? For real?
Then the mantis Bella one-shot...
Chicken skin city.
But no whining over flashbacks now. Vets got their paths, newbies ours!
After a few clashes, I had its measure.
Threads slip off the slick surface, but straight needle shots deal damage.
Issue: Needles slower than threads, so to tag that flailing thing, bind the legs first.
Perfect outfit for this.
Mana unleashed no hesitation, air chilled to ice instantly.
"Dress Code."
Breath fogged white.
"Type: Frost."
Fwaaash!
Blue flash, Neo Prima suit scattered into light motes, new garb taking its place.
Frost dress base. But axed the kiddie frills, slimmed the lines.
Layered on a plush fur coat for seductive, mature vibes.
Costume design same as the one I'd gifted Frost.
Wuuung!
Chill bloomed from my feet, freezing the playground sand white.
"......Huh?"
"Yo, look! Outfit changed!"
"That's Frost's clothes? Fur coat tho?"
"So pretty!"
Window gawkers' jaws dropped. Yeah, good reactions.
Frost's mana basics flowed into my head smooth. Dress Code perk.
I gripped the ice crystal blooming on my palm and flashed a smile at the monster.
"Be a good boy."
Wrapping this in 2 minutes flat.
Frost's style? Seen it a ton in YouXbe vids, crystal clear.
Problem: I'm the budget version.
True Frost would've trapped it in Ice Mirror Room and ended it quick.
Alas, this is my ceiling.
Kwajik!
Slammed the crystal into the ground—ice spikes erupted from below, spearing at the monster.
Ice thorns snared its ankle, white frost spidering fast over the plaster skin.
"Keeek?!"
Pedal stomp pronto.
Drurrrrruk!
This volley: Not plain mana threads, but Frost-chilled freezing threads.
Pabababak!
Ice thread coils wrapped the torso tight.
No bounce this time. Frost flash-froze the surface on contact.
"Kraaaak!"
Monster shrieked, but thrashing just cinched the threads tighter.
What's left?
"Overlock."
Hiked Druruk high for the finisher. Meant to smash its dome.
Drurrruk!
But Druruk went rogue—supersized, maw yawned cavern-wide, gulped the head whole.
Oh.
Figured it'd be too bulky, but perfect fit.
Druruk jammed thick needles at the temples of the iced monster—no teeth needed.
Druruk! Drurrruk!
Tasty whir kicked in.
Pababababak!!
Needles jackhammered the head relentless.
No blood spray, but plaster dust exploded every stab.
Watching that...
"Uuuu...!"
"Ow, hurts..."
Window-head peekers trembled in horror.
What, sympathizing with the monster?
Okay, fair. Pretty brutal.
Anyone could see it was half-dead—neckless, body just twitching.
I lightly gripped the shrunken-to-fit Druruk.
Jjanggrang!
One swing—shattered the frozen carcass to bits.
Wajangchang!
Thousands of ice chunks and plaster shards flew wild, sparkling jewel-like in the sun.
Tsk.
All this grind for pocket change.
Magical girl life's straight 3D.
"......Wow."
"Insane, OP."
"Saw that? Froze it and blendered the head?"
Cheers and shutter clicks rained from the teacher windows.
In the swirling ice dust, I elegantly shook out my dress hem and turned.
"Alterations finished."
And muttered loud for all to hear.
"...This one's size ran a bit big."
Tonight's brag post is mine.