Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Dungeon Practicum
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"Writer-nim."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Yes? "Spy... when are you planning to use her?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ...Do I have to use her now? At Writer-nim's words, which sounded genuinely curious, I couldn't help but slap my forehead.
No wonder she left Laira alone for days—it wasn't building up to anything.
I'd thought Laira was enjoying getting beaten in our spars since she hadn't made a move after all that time.
She kept challenging me to spars every single day, so I'd been hoping it'd wrap up soon and wondering when it would end.
Turns out, she just plain forgot.
"Of course you should use her, right? You set it up to take some time on purpose, didn't you? Feels like it's about that time now."
She went on about caring for plausibility herself and all.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Uh, but. "But?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ I don't know how to use her... Haa.
A sigh slipped out.
"Writer-nim..."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Why, why...! I don't have much experience writing! "Me neither?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Hmph. Pouting again.
No point picking a fight with Writer-nim, so no helping it.
Guess I'll have to guide her.
The only thing I've ever written is a resume—wonder if it's right for me to help Writer-nim like this on the fly.
No other choice, though.
"Let's see, today's date..."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ End of April! "...Perfect timing, then. We can start now."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Yes? ...What? What else?
The one event no student can miss.
"Time to prepare for the exam."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Exam?! Why the shock?
Exams usually happen around late April to early May.
"There are four exams a year normally, right? So it only makes sense to have one right around now."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Four times... "Don't worry. It's a practicum-focused academy, so we've got plenty of material to work with."
What to go with this time?
Tournament? Nah, too flashy for the first one. Save the good stuff for right before summer break.
Field training? No, that's mid-story material.
...Looks like it's gotta be that one.
"Dungeon. Let's draw on the power of dungeons here."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Dungeon...! Really?! She's thrilled.
Does she want a dungeon that badly?
I asked Writer-nim, and an enthusiastic reply came back.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Of course! Dungeon practicum! Staple of academy stories! The fun part where the protagonist shines! She's loving it.
But a doubt crept in.
It just hit me as I said it.
Doesn't this setting feel a bit off?
"Writer-nim, do we even have dungeons?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Dungeons? Her voice was filled with bewilderment.
She seemed like she had no idea what I was talking about, so I decided to explain further.
"No, think about it—aren't dungeons more of a hunter novel thing? You know, gates opening and all that."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ah...? "We've got monsters here, heroes and villains too. It's a different vibe from hunters, so maybe no dungeons... Let's think of something else."
No helping it.
Dungeons are a delicious setting, but if they don't fit the world, we can't use them.
Super tasty, but gotta scrap it...
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ No way! "...Huh?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ I don't want to! I wanna see a dungeon! We're using it no matter what! "But the setting doesn't even exist, and it doesn't fit the world..."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ We can just shoehorn it into the world! Shoehorn it into the world?
Right now?
...How?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Uh, uh... That's right! Hundreds of years ago, gates opened and kicked off the hunter era! "...Huh?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ So, like... it's already a hunter world where the gate crisis ended ages ago! This is the far future after that! "What does that even..."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Gates opened and created mana, and superhumans have had mana manifesting for ages now. Humanity evolved to adapt to mana, so when they awaken, they get one ability each. And... Writer-nim started rapidly churning out settings left and right.
The gate incident 500 years ago, superhumans' abilities that didn't exist before, and even the dungeons that hadn't been destroyed yet.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Dungeons produce byproducts, so they haven't been destroyed... Like mining ore from a mine, we harvest monster byproducts from dungeons! ...Ah, deciding monster habitats now too! The old human territories lost in the gate incident 500 years ago became the monsters' homes! The reason they're fighting humanity is obviously to reclaim territory! She's not even pausing for breath.
How badly did she want this?
No glaring inconsistencies either, which makes it even more infuriating.
She can do it right.
Guess when she really wants something, she gets serious.
She should try that more often.
"Haa, no helping it. Fine."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ...! You mean! "Let's do it. Dungeon practicum."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Yay! If I questioned the logic right now, her enthusiasm would deflate for sure.
Can't let that happen.
If she wants it this bad, might as well give it to her.
What can you do?
...Somehow, it felt like I was a parent finally giving in after their kid begged and begged.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "So the exam's a dungeon practicum..."
Laira scratched her head as she stared at the notice posted on the bulletin board.
Dungeon practicum, huh.
The old me would've been shaking in her boots.
But I'm different now.
Even that jerk who used to mock me couldn't beat me anymore.
It was especially satisfying to hit her with a bit of pent-up frustration.
I flinched a little at the way she glared at me every time she got hit, but she never properly fought back.
"That girl's taken down a Grade 3 monster, so I could probably handle a Grade 2 pretty easily."
The days when I'd envied her for slaying a Grade 3 monster were long gone.
Ever since taking the elixir, my strength and stamina had been steadily growing.
Before I knew it, Arte Isis—that girl—couldn't even lay a hand on me. She just lost.
It was an easy win even on the day I took the elixir, so maybe it was only natural.
"...Ga-nim, so how exactly..."
A voice drifted over from a distance.
A voice I'd never once forgotten.
As if I could forget it.
"Arte, hey."
"...Ah. Laira. Hello."
"Looking healthy today. That thigh I hit yesterday okay? Think I went a bit hard by accident."
"It's fine. Thanks for your concern."
Tch.
No change in her expression at all.
Pretty sure I hit her hard enough to bruise.
She doesn't even flinch.
...What a pain.
"Laira, who would you like to team up with for the exam?"
"Me?"
"Yeah. They say teams are random, regardless of class."
"Dunno."
Anyone was fine.
There was nothing I couldn't handle with this power.
I couldn't imagine losing to any same-year student.
...Besides, the Academy was irrelevant to me now anyway.
The organization had given me my first mission.
On the day the Academy students headed outside, I'd deliver the warning.
Übermensch was stepping into the light.
To take that first step announcing our greatness to the world, we'd offer the Academy students as sacrifices.
The whole world would learn of Übermensch's existence.
I was still just a probationary member, so I didn't know the exact plan.
But I'd heard their ideology.
It was more convincing than I'd expected.
"...Laira?"
Always rushing me.
Part of me wanted to snap that neck right then, but I held back.
Couldn't let my identity slip before the declaration.
I scratched my head vigorously and answered her question.
...What was it again? Who I wanted to take the exam with.
Anyone was fine.
They were all just fodder for Übermensch anyway.
If anything, a weak one would be more convenient.
As that thought crossed my mind, the girl in front of me caught my eye.
Smiling so casually.
"Ah, actually, there is one."
"Huh? Who?"
"You."
She'd taken down a Grade 3 monster solo, so she wasn't that weak...
But I couldn't imagine losing to her now that I had this power.
I didn't like her anyway, so if possible, I hoped she'd be the sacrifice that helped me make my name known to the world. A personal wish.
"That's perfect!"
"Perfect how?"
"I wanted to team up with you too. You're strong, so if we take the exam together, we'll definitely get great results, right?"
"Yeah, same wavelength. You and me together? We'll ace it."
Her beaming smile was somehow grating.
Irritation bubbled up, and I scratched my head hard.
Aah, seriously.
No clue what she's thinking.
I'd been maliciously beating her all over for days, and she's still grinning like that.
I'd held back my strength, but it should've hurt.
Any normal student would've been laid up by now, days ago.
...No way she wasn't hurting much?
Nah, impossible.
She's obviously just enduring the pain.
Forcing her unresponsive body to move while it's already at its limit.
With the exam coming up, she's just holding it together through sheer will.
"Hope we end up on the same team!"
"...Yeah, same team would be good. We're friends, right?"
I spat out words I didn't mean.
Friends? Me and her?
Ha. What a joke.
Just words to butter her up.
If we end up teamed, I can kill her.
You, who dismissed all my hard work as mere talent.
Aah. How satisfying would it be to see that infuriating smile vanish from her face.
I gazed at her face as she scratched her head and smiled.
"Friends! Sounds great! I'm thinking the same!"
...Still no idea what she's thinking.
My mood soured.