Get Some Fresh Air, Part 2
All 70 participants, please gather at the studio set by 3:00 PM.
It had been a while since the last group shoot after the World Labyrinth. All seventy survivors gathered on a single set.
"Is everyone here?"
The mentor in charge was DK. He always wore sunglasses, spoke in a low, gravelly voice, and scowled constantly, earning him the nickname "The Tryhard." Yet, he was one of the nation's top high-ranker martial artists.
"Well, let's skip the pleasantries. Today isn't actually a class; it's a test. There are two weeks left until the first tally, so we won't be entering the labyrinth until then. After all, twenty of you are going to get eliminated anyway, right?"
Only the top fifty would survive the first tally. However, if the voting score gap wasn't too wide, the mentor evaluations could turn the tide. For those at the bottom, this was their final opportunity.
"It's a monster hunt and an In-Camera Scouting session all in one."
The events unfolded exactly as they had before my regression.
In-Camera Scouting was a segment designed to help eliminated explorers find alternative career paths while allowing the survivors to build connections with prestigious organizations.
"You all know that monsters don't just appear inside labyrinths. Some escape from them, and others naturally manifest near dimensional rifts. But let me tell you, your generation has it incredibly easy."
DK flaunted his old-school boomer attitude as he gestured to the staff.
"Why? Because all the monster data and patterns have been neatly analyzed for you. As long as you memorize them, you can handle a monster you've never seen before as if you fought it yesterday."
The staff began handing out documents to the explorers.
"Alright. From now on, I'm giving you three hours."
The thick packet contained dozens of pages detailing various monster patterns. Goblins, Orcs, zombies, Werewolves, giant spiders, headless knights, the Red Mask, Flesh Golems, explosive spiders, and more...
"Memorize everything. Once you're done, you fight. It's a five-stage simulation, and one random monster from those documents will appear in each stage. Honestly, I doubt more than three or four of you will even make it to Stage 5."
This kind of memorization was a basic skill for any explorer. Even more so when it came to tests.
"Memorize every single detail. If you slack off or ignore this, you might actually die."
I focused my mana into my optic nerves. My retinas burned hot.
Because of Sequence, any visual information I saw once was completely engraved into my mind.
Of course, since this was also a type of spell, it wasn't permanent. It would fade after a day or two unless I actively sustained it with mana.
*Snap.*
I flicked my fingers.
It was a signal for self-suggestion. Like the click of a camera shutter. According to spellcaster theory, the presence of this physical trigger made a massive difference in the activation of a spell.
I flipped through the documents.
The memorization was completed in an instant, as if taking snapshots, but it left me with a mild headache. My temples throbbed.
"Alright. Time is ticking~ Get to memorizing~"
*Tick, tack, tick, tack.* DK mimicked the sound of a ticking clock with his mouth.
I stood up from my seat. I felt like brewing some black tea.
Surprisingly, someone was already in the lounge before me.
A strange girl clutching her smartphone, looking as if she wanted to tear her hair out. It was Ryu Yeon-hwa.
"What are you doing?"
I sat down on a chair. Ryu Yeon-hwa flinched and looked back at me. Her complexion was incredibly pale.
"Ah, is it because of the young master's little escapade?"
At that, her face instantly flushed bright red. She looked like a human ketchup bottle.
"W-W-What on earth are you talking about, you strange man?!"
"Strange man." That seemed to be the absolute limit of Ryu Yeon-hwa's vocabulary for insults.
"Or could it be...!"
She suddenly stared at me with a shocked expression.
"Did *you* write that post?!"
"What are you talking about? Why would I do that? I'm doing perfectly fine right now without resorting to such things."
"...Then how did you find out? My, my, my... that thing."
"The post uploaded to the community is already spreading to social media. I'm pretty sure quite a few people here already know about it."
Ryu Yeon-hwa smacked her forehead in despair. I let out a soft chuckle.
"Don't worry too much. There's still time. These days, people assume everything is fake unless there's concrete proof."
"...For the record, I didn't do anything. I am completely innocent. Even when I go to clubs, I only dance."
"So you *were* enjoying those refined pleasures."
"Ha, seriously."
Ryu Yeon-hwa jumped to her feet. Steam looked ready to puff out of her ears.
I steeped the black tea leaves in my teacup.
"If you're innocent, what are you worried about? You hold the advantage. Just use your massive backing and push straight through."
In my past life, Ryu Yeon-hwa had chosen the exact opposite approach. She had desperately tried to cover up the truth. It was likely due to Kim Du-gyeom's gaslighting. That was why the backlash had been so severe.
"Backing?"
Ryu Yeon-hwa glanced down at her own shoulders.
"Not your physical size. Your family."
"...I cannot ask my family for help."
"Why? Are you afraid your dad will scold you?"
I poured hot water over the tea leaves. Not too quickly, not too shallowly. Just the perfect, delicate flow to let the leaves steep completely.
"..."
Ryu Yeon-hwa didn't answer.
It seemed my joke had hit the bullseye.
I let out a dry laugh as I stirred the tea with a spoon.
"You're that big, yet you're terrified of getting scolded by your dad?"
"...It's not just a simple scolding. Please don't speak so lightly of things you know nothing about."
"Why shouldn't I?"
I used telekinesis to strain out the steeped tea leaves.
This way, my mana naturally infused into the tea, which was excellent. It was a well-known fact that a spellcaster's Cognitive Image could enhance flavor. That was the very reason chefs bothered to train their mana.
"Mmm."
A fragrant aroma. The perfect temperature. Kate always looked so elegant when she drank black tea. How did she do it again? Slightly pursing her lips...
"Ah, hot! Fuck!"
I almost burned my entire tongue and the roof of my mouth.
"...Sigh."
Ryu Yeon-hwa let out a deep sigh. Watching someone as tall as a ceiling sighing like a child was slightly pathetic.
"Hey. By any chance... do you have some money?"
"...Money? Money? Do you mean Korean won?"
"What else, US dollars?"
"Why suddenly ask about money..."
"Just give me the operation funds. I'll handle it for you."
If Ryu Yeon-hwa fell into the abyss, only Kim Du-gyeom would benefit. Besides, there was no harm in making Ryu Yeon-hwa owe me a favor.
Every single member of the future debut group was a potential suspect and a victim at the same time.
"Operation funds... What are you talking about?"
Ryu Yeon-hwa looked at me with suspicious eyes.
"Oh, Yeon-hwa!"
Just then, a familiar trashy stench drifted to the tip of my nose. A voice like fermented herring.
It was Kim Du-gyeom.
"Yeon-hwa. There you are. Why haven't you been answering my calls...?"
I whispered in a barely audible voice, making sure Kim Du-gyeom couldn't hear.
"Watch out for him."
"...Watch out?"
Ryu Yeon-hwa looked back and forth between Kim Du-gyeom and me. Kim Du-gyeom, who had approached us before we knew it, grabbed her sleeve with a worried expression.
"Yeon-hwa. You saw that post too, didn't you?"
"...Yeah."
Ryu Yeon-hwa instinctively stepped closer to Kim Du-gyeom.
"You should have told me first..."
Kim Du-gyeom glanced in my direction. I quietly sipped my black tea.
Me, who had demanded operation funds. Kim Du-gyeom, who would gaslight her while pretending to listen to her troubles and empathize.
It was entirely up to Ryu Yeon-hwa to decide who seemed more trustworthy and who seemed like a con artist.
I wasn't particularly obsessed with this matter. If Ryu Yeon-hwa ruined herself just like in my past life, it would benefit my ranking. If she asked me for help, I could sabotage Kim Du-gyeom, which was also a win.
I merely provided options; I never forced them. I wasn't that meddlesome. Above all, Ryu Yeon-hwa wasn't Seo Ji-hyuk's family.
Whether she would hold the hand of a demon in human skin—Kim Du-gyeom—or my blood-stained hand.
The choice belonged entirely to the noble young lady.
"This should be interesting."
*Clack.*
I set my teacup down.
After enjoying a relaxing cup of tea, I returned to DK's classroom.
"Hey. Spellcaster Seol Ha-woon?"
As soon as I sat down, DK called my name. His tone was rather impatient.
"Did you memorize it all?"
"Yes. I memorized everything."
"You didn't even... What? You memorized it all?"
"Yes."
"Ha. Think you're smart, do you?"
DK smirked and crossed his arms.
"Then can you recite it?"
"Yes."
"...Look at this punk. Fine. Go ahead. Start with this one."
A monster appeared on the beam projector screen.
It had a towering three-meter frame, long limbs, and a mouth slit open in a red, grotesque grin.
The Red Mask. It was an incredibly famous monster in Korea, and it only appeared domestically. A manifestation of old urban legends and terror condensed within the labyrinth.
"Red Mask. Physical type, primary weapons are its claws. It exhibits unpredictable movements due to its long arms and legs. Although there are variations among individuals, they generally move at speeds exceeding 30 meters per second. Its entire body is highly flexible, allowing it to utilize terrain like a snake. It is weak against the light attribute and resistant to darkness. The way to counter its pattern is to get behind it..."
I recited all the information on the Red Mask exactly as it was written in the document.
"...And this one?"
DK seemed slightly flustered, but he quickly flipped the page.
The Flesh Golem.
"The Flesh Golem continuously undergoes cell division within its core, expelling blood and flesh. Because its flesh and blood are toxic, explosive substances..."
I spoke exactly as my Sequence had recorded. DK, as if determined to catch me, asked about seven monsters in a row, but I passed every single one.
"...Damn. Do you have a photographic memory or something? How did you memorize all that instantly?"
"I just have my ways."
"Ways, my foot... Sit down. I'll see you later."
I sat back down. It felt like a cliché web novel scenario, which made me feel a bit embarrassed.
*Sniff, sniff.*
Suddenly, I heard the sound of someone sniffing the air.
It was Kate. Sitting in front of me, she sniffed a few times as if trying to catch the scent of my black tea, then quietly stood up.
She was probably heading to the pantry.
"...Whoa. Master. How did you memorize all that? Tell me your secret."
Im Hae-jun, sitting next to me, tapped my desk with his pencil.
Wait, wasn't his seat somewhere else? He must have switched seats when I wasn't looking.
"It just came to me."
"What? Master, stop pretending to be a genius."
"Stop chatting and memorize! This In-Camera Scouting is far more important than you think!"
DK walked around like a high school dean, keeping a watchful eye on the explorers.
Three hours later, we arrived at the practical training room. DK, now changed into combat training gear, stood at the front.
"Alright~ We're going to start now. The monsters you'll face here are all real. Don't just think of this as a simulation. If you feel like you can't handle it, forfeit immediately."
*Gulp.*
Im Hae-jun, to my right, swallowed hard.
Kang Hyun, to my left, spoke up.
"Don't be nervous."
"...I-I'm not nervous."
At some point, these two had taken up positions on my left and right. It was annoying, but actually beneficial. They were like buffs that increased my chances of getting caught on camera.
"Now! Everyone, look up at the balcony. Many representatives from various martial arts sects and magic schools have arrived."
DK pointed toward the balcony.
"I'll reveal who came from where after everything is over. I don't want you making excuses about being nervous. Their evaluations will be combined and reflected in your mentor scores. Understood?"
"""Yes!""" the explorers shouted in unison.
"Okay. First up, Spellcaster Seol Ha-woon."
DK gestured toward me.
"You go first. Since you memorized everything the fastest."
"Yes."
DK definitely didn't like me.
The feeling was mutual.
I stepped into the training room.
It was a vast, empty space. Soon, mana began to coalesce, generating obstacles one by one, and a message flashed across my retina.
NaN Combat Simulation is commencing.
Monster Hunting Stage 1: Rock Golem
Stage 1, a Rock Golem. It was a pretty tough opponent for the very first stage.
I recalled the visual information stored by my Sequence.
The counter-strategy was relatively simple, but executing it was difficult. You had to pinpoint the location of the "golem core" and pierce it.
For me, it was child's play.
*Thud!*
The Rock Golem stamped its foot heavily. Its encounter pattern was a charge.
*Thud, thud, thud, thud!*
The core of the creature, which was rushing forward with unnecessary dynamism, was identified in an instant. On a human, it would be near the collarbone. Since the rock was layered like armor around it, penetrating it wouldn't be easy.
Meanwhile, the golem reached my immediate vicinity.
Sequence.
My perceived time slowed down. There was no need to waste too many resources on a mere golem.
I raised my finger.
Aim.
I aimed precisely at the golem's core and loaded a magic bullet. It was a highly refined bullet manifested through my Cognitive Image. The motif was a 20mm large-caliber round, about the size of a human palm, designed to rip through even tank armor.
Something that would leave even a well-trained explorer hovering between life and death if hit unprepared—I fired.
*Swoooooosh—*
The vicious mass of mana surged forward, tearing through the air.
*CRACK!*
The magic bullet tore through the rocky outer skin as if ripping it apart, completely destroying the core and the upper body. Despite that, the golem took a couple more steps forward, but as it extended its fist, it shattered into pieces. The debris that once made up the golem collapsed in a heap at my feet.
"Whew..."
Taking a short breath, I looked up at the balcony. On the electronic display board nearby, a caption appeared.
Stage 1 Complete: Seol Ha-woon [SUCCESS]