Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: 40. Proof of Life (1)
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"What the hell is that!"
"No way, what kind of..."
Right after Yeoreum blasted the dungeon entrance. Angry grumbles echoed through the auditorium.
"Well, isn't that a bit excessive?"
"Can the guardians even get in?"
"Is it okay to seal off the dungeon passage like that?!"
In response to the guardians' protests, Professor Kartrevan, the head of the assignment, spoke up.
"It's terrain utilization, and there's no rule violation. They're not attacking other cadets, after all."
"Even so...!"
Hesitation seeped into their grumbles. It was because the most burdensome 'Yoo family' had stepped in at the worst possible time.
Then came complaints bordering on nitpicking.
"How can the security team protect those kids like this?"
"Of course they can. Security Division 3 is on duty."
Division 3 was the mobile covert security team. They could ride mana flows to bypass physical barriers. Yet more grumbles followed. "Even if it's not against the rules...!", "No manners at all."
It continued until Mikhailov stood up and bellowed.
"Hey! You're all making a racket. If you've got complaints, have your cadets break through the blocked path!"
"That's obvious!"
"You call that an answer?"
"Hey now! The professor said it's by the rules, so shut up and watch! Don't you know our kids are taking risks right now?"
"Well, sure, but..."
...Something felt off.
"Pardon? You're saying a four-man party is taking down a B+ dungeon boss?"
"They're not just buying time to recover?"
The situation had deviated from the original plan.
Even Mikhailov couldn't be certain and kept quiet.
At cadet level. With four people. How do you beat a B+ dungeon boss?
The minimum required was eight. The Spider Queen was massive. And her vitality was tenacious.
The noisy guardians fell silent amid the frustrating scene. One of the four split screens fixed on Yeoreum's party.
At that moment, many were watching the conquest live.
Unlike the 'personal duel' footage that only leaked outside Lair days later, the PR Bureau had released the feed live to prove transparency.
"What a shocking situation."
Petrovich's brow furrowed.
"As I mentioned before, the Yoo family's cadet lineup this year is historically stacked. That four-man party might pull it off. But it'll be a prolonged battle. Assuming Cadet Yong Tae-ha doesn't slip up."
The first-year cadets' battleground. Those interested in Lair gathered from around the world like sports fans. Viewer count: 120,000. Real-time chats flooded in globally.
"What other cadets?"
"Only Yong Tae-ha and Tír Blanc can deal boss damage quickly. The others lack firepower."
That was the problem.
The boss, Spider Queen's tenacious vitality.
"Cadet Yoo Yeoreum's specialty is reinforcement-type."
"Just speculation. She hasn't revealed it. But her duels show overwhelming attack-focused combat."
The chat consensus predicted Yeoreum's team's defeat.
"Indeed... Based on what we've seen, it looks tough."
"Can't say. Superhumans are Overmen who always surpass limits—that's what makes them superhuman."
Petrovich watched anxiously.
Soon, Yeoreum's team clashed with the Spider Queen in earnest.
Petrovich's commentary quickened.
"The Queen's scariest trait is her ability to spawn minions."
No sooner had he spoken than eggs poured from the Queen's abdomen. Each hatched into 'subterranean spiders.' Dozens of them. Freshly hatched, they were weak but ferociously aggressive.
Dozens staggered toward Yeoreum's party. Soji and Kim Ji-in's sniping burst heads and eyes, but their numbers overwhelmed.
"Need solid management. Three secure advantageous terrain, whittle down steadily. One draws aggro."
That was the view of a former S+ dungeon leader, conqueror of 200+ dungeons.
And as he predicted.
Sophia led Kim Ji-in and Soji in clearing spiderlings, sniping the Queen's legs. One of eight shattered.
Simultaneously, Yeoreum bounced off walls and spiders, stealing the Queen's gaze.
"Splitting attention as expected... Ohh!"
Petrovich exclaimed.
Yeoreum charged straight for the boss's head.
Toward the gray-skinned human attached to its chest!
A massive gamble. Matriarch monsters traded agility for diverse defenses.
Tentacles erupted from the Queen, barbed with venom stingers. They encircled Yeoreum.
Then her shoulders, sides, back, chest, legs, ankles. And both hands gripping her sword. Flames erupted explosively.
"My God!"
A performance never seen before.
Yeoreum infused her blade with fire mana, slicing tentacles clean. Severed ends ignited. The Queen raised a leg to block, but Yeoreum's sword triggered a massive blast on contact. Kaboom!!
Stunned, Petrovich shouted.
"Fire! Cadet Yeoreum has a fire blessing!"
The PR edit hadn't shown how she blew the entrance.
To the public, it was her first blessing display.
"Thinking back, when Cadet Ling Ling unleashed fire, she walked out unscathed. I suspected then!"
The Queen's second leg severed. But the boss fought back. Her grotesque maw split wide, spewing massive venom.
Yeoreum dodged with a shout. The cadets broke formation and scattered.
Mana venom. The floor melted instantly where they'd stood.
Melee ensued. The Queen thumped, leaped, slammed legs into walls. She skittered toward Yeoreum with unbelievable agility.
All while spewing venom and eggs nonstop.
Tension skyrocketed.
"Be careful now! That human shape on the Queen isn't just taxidermy!"
Suddenly, ice spears formed from the human's hand, firing at Yeoreum. Unexpected magic. She raised her sword but got blasted back into the wall.
Petrovich bellowed again.
"Perfect defense!"
As the spear flew, Yeoreum channeled mana to her blade tip in ~0.1 seconds!
Impressive even for internal reinforcement. External too?
Shocking to Petrovich, focused on Yong Tae-ha, Tír Blanc, or Zhou Lushin.
'Yoo Yeoreum!'
The red-haired girl's name etched in his mind—not just pretty.
As Yeoreum recovered, teammates moved.
The three regrouped in a narrow passage.
Sophia wielded her blessing Refraction masterfully. Bending sword paths repeatedly, blocking all incoming spiderlings.
Whoosh! Her shout pierced the chaos.
Using her as shield, Kim Ji-in and Soji screamed, firing guns and arrows.
Pierce! A spiderling's fangs sank into Sophia's shoulder. Without hesitation, she bent the sword path through her own shoulder.
Venom followed. Soji couldn't dodge fully; her suit melted, leg festering. She leaned on the wall, kept shooting arrows.
"Lacking strength and experience. But their ferocity is incredible!"
Kim Ji-in closed for boss snipes, got spotted, kicked into the wall. Blood sprayed from her mouth. A bit more force, and the necklace would've triggered.
But good angle. Boss closer now. Spitting blood, she peered through her musket scope.
RT rounds. Explosive anti-monster armor-piercers at close range.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Shaky hands. But close. Three central eyes shattered.
Screeeeech!
The human clutched its eyes, thrashing.
"Direct hit! Perfect! Stayed conscious, amazing focus!"
Petrovich roared.
"That was life-risking in real combat! Necklace or not, no fear?"
For an assignment, such intensity?
No. The whole team radiated battlefield vibe. Like they'd trade flesh for bone.
Petrovich felt his blood boil after years.
"Now's critical! Boss eyes blinded! Slowed! Spiders will defend matriarch defensively! Exploit the gap! Land lethal blows!"
As he spoke, spiderlings webbed everywhere, shielding the Queen.
Next instant. Sharp tentacle bundle flew at Yeoreum.
Sophia appeared, bending Refraction five times, curving the extended sword like a shield.
"Saved strength thanks to her! But smart decisions from here!"
Power is consumable.
Attack spiderlings, lose boss damage.
Target boss, spiderlings block.
Time short. Boss regenerates.
"Cadet Yoo Yeoreum! What now?!"
Yeoreum closed her eyes.
Memories of walking hand-in-hand with Yoo Ji-tae surfaced.
She'd asked why walk. Walking was hard, everything hurt. Why not other training?
He'd said, "To live, you must walk."
She hadn't understood then—or now.
But she trusted him. It skyrocketed her footwork mastery among dragon techniques.
Yeoreum opened her eyes.
Shaky vision. White steel-like webs entangled, guarding the mother. Hitting there wastes power.
But.
If one step pierces webs to the core...
Flames exploded from Yeoreum's toes.
Ancient Kal-Gulakwa warriors, earth-walkers rivaling flying wyrms, launched themselves like missiles.
Blazing Step
Crosses room in one stride / Flames consume webs / No mana loss
Yeoreum engulfed in fire. Focused blast from soles. One step crossed the boss room end-to-end.
All webs burned on contact.
Her mana. The flames. The power. Untouched.
Yeoreum beheaded the Spider Queen.
The severed head ignited wholly.
Kabooooom!!
Immediately after, the Queen's body exploded massively.