Combined Class #4
Combined Class #4
The discussion went more smoothly than I'd expected. Ma O-hun started cooperating, and Park Ha-yul had been willing to participate from the start anyway.
We exchanged opinions like we were playing a TRPG or a wargame.
"Mm... in a search-and-recon operation, my ability's... not really needed..."
"Well, you never know. Yo. Ma O-hun. What do you think?"
"Hm."
Ma O-hun, with his arms crossed, considered it for a moment.
"We can just find it. I'll fly."
He said, looking at me.
"Flying, huh."
"They're land-type monsters. Antazora."
"Well, yeah."
"They can't touch me. While I'm flying. I'll fly and find them."
He sounded confident, but just sending him up for naked aerial recon felt a bit iffy.
I know because I just fought this bastard. Ma O-hun's defense is low. On top of that, his mobility's sluggish compared to how flashy it looks.
If a giant guy like that floats up with his wings spread wide, he's just a target. Hell, it makes you want to chuck darts and pop him, so he'd have to watch out for humans too, not just monsters.
"Well, that's fine and all. But if over a hundred monsters have been identified, there's a good chance other species are hiding too. Ma O-hun, your actual defense is weak, right?"
"That's..."
"If you fly out in the open, you're just a target. If there are long-range monsters mixed in, you'll get shot right down, won't you?"
Maybe remembering the recent violence, Ma O-hun scowled for a second. Still, he soon nodded as if conceding the point.
"I agree. With your opinion."
Then he said, acting like he was the coolest bastard alive.
"In that case, you must have one. Another clever scheme. Bring it. The next proposal. Since you objected to my idea."
"Prick... do something about the way you talk."
"I'll pass. On an unnecessary suggestion."
"Ha, fine. Whatever."
So then, what can we do.
"Mmm... s-see, someone like me is just... n-no help... sorry..."
While I was thinking, Park Ha-yul apologized, fidgeting. When it comes to Park Ha-yul, she's a fixed shield. Her defense is strong, but her mobility isn't especially good. Nor does she have a meaningful attack.
She'd be useless in recon, so exclude her... nah.
"Ah, that's it!"
That's the ticket!
"Park Ha-yul!"
"M-me...?"
"You can just go piggyback on Ma O-hun and use your ability! Then we can recon safely!"
"Wh-what?"
Park Ha-yul's jaw dropped.
"Look. Ma O-hun can fly, but his defense is too low to protect himself. But what if you, Ha-yul, piggyback him and deploy your barrier? Then at least you guys can observe safely from the air."
Truly a perfect plan!
In a safe state, observe the operational zone as fast as possible and acquire the target. Let me know, and I'll use my high mobility to avoid the Antazora horde and head to the site.
"Ah, th-th-that...! P-piggybacking Ma O-hun...!"
"...I have to carry her? This woman."
No, but these bastards.
"Yo, yo. It's just a scenario, okay. You think I'd make you really do it? We just write it on a piece of paper and submit it. Why are you worried?"
From the looks of it, Park Ha-yul was horrified at the thought of actually piggybacking Ma O-hun, and Ma O-hun looked tense as hell at the idea of having to carry a woman.
"Th-that's true..."
"...I see."
The two squad members looked relieved.
"Anyway. You fly up like that. Ma O-hun, you'll observe properly while being protected, and then tell me the location. Then I'll punch through the monster horde and go subdue the monsterkin."
"Will you be okay...? There are a hundred monsters?"
"At my level, dodging monsters like that is nothing. And one monsterkin, I can slice up in no time. We achieve the objective and pull out, done."
I'm the one who one-shot an Antillery General in the Otherworld.
There's no way I'd lose a one-on-one fight against a monsterkin.
"Got it. Write it like that. Squad leader."
"Yeah. Ha-yul, no complaints, right?"
"Mm... I think that's right. And I can participate..."
"See? A barrier ability is pretty damn useful."
It would be the same even if we'd teamed up with a different, more ordinary long-range projection-type Awakened instead of Ma O-hun. While Park Ha-yul protects them, they cast and launch abilities like a fixed artillery turret—that would be very handy.
Instead of losing one person's firepower, the other person can unleash 100% of their power and pour on the damage.
"Good. Man, but Ma O-hun, how great would it be if you'd cooperated from the start? Class would've gone so smoothly."
I said that while writing our team's solution on the paper.
"..."
Ma O-hun avoided my gaze.
"Cooperate from the start, I said. From the start."
"...A defeated dog doesn't speak."
"What?"
"A defeated dog."
Interpreting that, he seemed to be saying, Since I lost, I'll do as you say.
"You mean a defeated pig."
"You...! I told you I hate being called a pig!"
"Then beat me."
"...Kgh."
Anyway, we finished the answer sheet and submitted it.
"Instructor. We're done. It's absolutely perfect."
"You submitted quite quickly."
"Yeah."
"Hmm... well, good. Kim Geun-cheol. You seem to have a knack for grasping your squad members' abilities. Later, when you have to sync with Awakened of other types, remember today's experience and figure out their abilities fast."
"Heh heh heh, very wise words."
Whatever the case, the key is to grasp your allies' abilities as fast as possible and use them precisely.
That is team play.
"Isn't today's class—getting a situation, discussing it, organizing, and submitting it—exactly meant to train that sort of skill?"
"Correct. Your head works well. Anyway, I'll grade these answer sheets in discussion with Instructor Kawar."
Meaning Instructor Kawar, who knows the Mage Class kids well, will look at things like abilities and the situation and assign scores.
"No, but Instructor. What the hell is this? The Mage Class kids are way too weird. How are they both so uniquely..."
"Ahahaha! Kim Geun-cheol? Haven't you solved that mystery yet?"
"No, Instructor Kawar?"
Speak of the devil, and he appears. He suddenly jumped out.
"What can you do? The schedule changed all of a sudden. Originally, first year is the stage where we let them show as much individuality as possible, right? Loosen up and focus on skill development. Training for cooperativeness and team play starts from second year, it was."
Ah.
"So, right? Just accept it as unavoidable!"
"If that's how it is... I understand."
Then I'll accept it.
* * *
Like that, with a chaotic feel, all classes were finished.
Even though it was just the first day of Combined Class and we only did indoor work, I was completely drained. No, why is this so hard? This is harder than brutal training.
"Oh my, what to do. Kim Geun-cheol? Your face has shrunk to half its size?"
Leona said that, touching my cheek.
"Tell me about it. My energy's totally sapped."
"Hehehe, I was watching all of it. Still, you know, you seemed to unite your squad members well? In the end, you just beat them down outside, right? Kim Geun-cheol?"
"No, beat them down? I just, you know, had a dialogue of iron."
"A dialogue of iron?"
"You know. Efficient communication. More than that, Leona, how was it for you?"
Leona was in the same group as the Mage Class rep. And that bastard seemed a bit odd too.
"Mm, just normal, I guess? No trouble really."
"Look at that team luck, seriously. Leona. I'm dying of envy."
"Hehehe, you big baby."
I'm not being a baby, I tell you.
"Yo! Kim Geun-cheol!"
"Geun-cheol."
"Yeah!"
Yu-ri and Si-hoo approached, waving their hands.
"Yu-ri! Si-hoo! How was it for you guys?"
"Yeah. I'm curious too. It was definitely Seo Su-ji, right? How was it?"
"She was just normal? Not the hard-to-talk-to type, anyway."
"Yeah. No problem at all."
"I'm so deeply wronged I can't live. Everyone but me has absolute peak team luck."
How the hell did I, who isn't even the leftover trash, manage to draw two weirdos? When I lamented my misfortune like that, Yu-ri snickered and said something annoying.
"Bullshit. Kim Geun-cheol, that bastard. That Schwarz Flügel? You were in a group with a seriously incredible ability user. You've got the best luck in the world, and you're spouting pure nonsense."
"No! For fuck's sake!"
Enough with the Black Wings...!
"Hehehe, actually, you know, if you run around with someone like Kim Geun-cheol, unless they're exceptionally weird, they just look ordinary. This monster, Kim Geun-cheol!"
"Yeah. Agreed."
Yu-ri nodded at Leona's words.
"Seriously, he's the weirdest person in the world! A preposterous monsterkin!"
"No, Leona, what do you take me for?!"
If I'm a monsterkin, Leona's a devil.
"Hehe, but Geun-cheol. What about that one, Park Ha-yul? How was she?"
"Her? She was pretty mega timid. Several things to fix if we're taking class together. So I'm trying to fix her a bit."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. Gotta correct her if we're in class together."
Am I now at the level where I can teach someone?
"Well, suit yourself. Yo, Kim Geun-cheol. Wanna go spar with your sis?"
"Today, I absolutely cannot hold it in. Ma O-hun, that bastard... Yu-ri. Today, no kidding, I'm gonna wreck you without fail, so follow me."
"Bastard. You talk big."
"Ah! Today, I'm coming too!"
Even Si-hoo?
"Great! Then I'll attend today as well!"
"Ha! Finally, I can breathe!"
Training with my friends!
This is paradise!
"Totally different league from those Mage Class kids!"
* * *
After training hard with my friends like that.
'As expected of Kim Geun-cheol.'
Leona returned to the hotel and, while doing her personal training, thought about Kim Geun-cheol.
'Honestly, he was unreliable at first... but now he's grown wonderfully. To lead the Mage Class kids in just one day.'
Even if there were some creaky spots, Kim Geun-cheol had become a very fine leader in just one day. As a Geun-cheol Mom, his growth is nothing but a joy. How to put it, it makes my heart swell, too.
He gets more and more reliable.
"Haah. So it's a shame. I should have been in the same group as Kim Geun-cheol."
It's so very unfortunate.
Maybe because I was separated from all my friends. It wasn't a particularly fun class. Ahn Do-min. Alice. Both are just awkward as can be.
Should I say our styles don't match?
I can't yell out brashly like when I'm with my friends, so it's just frustrating.
"This—it seems I've been way too influenced by Kim Geun-cheol... More than that, I wonder if his wound is okay, seriously."
Kim Geun-cheol still doesn't seem to have any intention of talking about it.
"What in the world is it?"
If we were in the same group, I would have asked him the whole class.
It's truly a shame.
* * *
The classes from the next day onward were pure shock. Surprisingly, they said we'd maintain the three-person squads and take classes together for the time being.
Hell.
"Agh, Ma O-hun! I'll even pull out your wings!"
"Kgh...!"
A marathon class to build minimum physical strength.
It's a class where the Warrior Class students lead the Mage Class students and build up their stamina.
They say the Mage Class kids build stamina and the Warrior Class kids build leadership, but honestly, I don't even know what this is.
"Huff! Huff!"
Even though he's a superhuman, Ma O-hun kept gasping and running with difficulty.
"Phew... phew..."
But Park Ha-yul is the same. Both are mage types, so their stamina is absolute garbage.
"Yo, yo. This is seriously overkill. No matter how much of a mage you are, how can you take over two hours to run just 40k? Does this even make sense?"
They say this mess also happened because of the suddenly changed class schedule, but frustrating is frustrating.
The Mage Class kids' stamina is way too weak. If you take two hours for 40k, you can't go around calling yourself a superhuman anywhere.
"Just become my body... the physical strain is... kgh!"
"How can I become your body, I'm not your body! Now, now! Adjust your pace! I'll run gently beside you, so all three of us side-by-side, together! One! Two! One! Two!"
"Khhak...!"
"H-h-hard...! Hoo!"
Whatever happened, I'm the squad leader, and I have to lead these guys for a while. I paid maximum attention to their stamina, running together and keeping the pace.
After we did stamina training for the entire morning like that, we trained by continuously using our abilities and calming our mana.
They say it's a task to grasp each other's abilities more deeply while watching each other train. But from what I see, at this rate, this member lineup seems like it'll become permanent... Thinking that, I'm terrified right now.
"Kim Geun-cheol!"
"Sob...! Leona!"
Break time.
As I was giving Ma O-hun and Park Ha-yul water, Leona came over.
Seriously, tears well up just seeing Leona's face.
"No, you've gone and done some weird stuff again. What in the world are you crying about?"
"Just saw your face and the tears started coming."
In this harsh environment, a being like Leona is akin to a single ray of light.
"You really are the king of overreaction. Hehehe, anyway. Come on. Come this way."
"Yeah. Yo. Ma O-hun? Ha-yul? Rest well."
Saying that, I followed Leona and sat down in a decent spot.
"Kim Geun-cheol? Is class going well?"
"The kids' stamina is too garbage. It's not going well."
"Kim Geun-cheol was like that at first too, you know? Anyway... here, eat this."
"What is it?"
Looking at what Leona held out.
"This is...! A red ginseng stick!"
"Ah, such a precious thing! Leona. What's this? All of a sudden?"
"Why are you saying it like it's unexpected? Am I giving you precious things for the first or second time? I've been giving them constantly."
"Ah. Well, yeah. Heh heh heh, thanks. But this."
"Is your arm getting any better?"
A voice that crept into my awareness. So she brought this for me worrying about my health.
"No, well... yeah. It's definitely better. You know my recovery rate."
"As if I know. Anyway. I need to see that wound. Show me."
Oh, what is this!
"Show you what! You already stripped my clothes off and looked last time!"
"Only to the shirt! I didn't see the bare arm!"
"People will die!"
Leona is way too persistent!
Naturally, she's worrying that much, but showing her this is a bit...
It hasn't fully healed yet.
Plus, a pro of Leona's caliber... wouldn't she figure out what I did to get hurt just by seeing the wound? That's why I can't show her. It'd be a huge deal if it was exposed that I got stabbed.
"Goodness, so frustrating! Kim Geun-cheol! Hah! Aren't you a man! Just! You just need to show it! Why hide it so much!"
"That's...!"
It was then.
—Step.
Feeling a presence, I looked over there.
"That bastard?"
The Mage Class rep was approaching.
"Leona? Looks like he's here to get you?"
"Huh? What is it? Break time should still be left?"
Leona tilted her head.
She's right.
Soon Ahn Do-min came over and spoke.
"Hey, Kainus? Break time's ending soon. Come join up."
"Isn't there still about 7 minutes? I'll go in a bit."
"Well, Alice said she had a question. That's actually why I came to find you."
"Alice did?"
Alice is the name of a squad member.
"If that's the case. Kim Geun-cheol? Then I'll go first? See you next break."
"Yeah. Hang in there. I should go discuss things with the kids too."
"Do that. Fighting."
So I was about to go.
—Step.
Ahn Do-min, who had turned around to walk away, glanced back at me and said bluntly.
"Warrior Class rank 5... you're working hard too, I see."
"Tell me about it. Working my ass off."
"Is that so?"
But then.
—Smirk.
For a moment, the guy showed some unknowable smile.
And then turned his head again.
"What's with this bastard?"
Why does that bastard keep flashing that meaningful smile at me?
"Yo!"
"Huh?"
So I called him, and the guy paused.
"You got business?"
"What the hell was that smile? That one?"
"A smile?"
Ahn Do-min tilted his head for a second at my words.
"I don't know what you mean."
"What?"
"Aren't you being oversensitive?"
He answered like it was a bother.
"Oversensitive? Is that even a thing?"
"Who knows? Then, I'm off. No time."
"What the hell's his deal?"
Seriously, those Mage Class brats aren't normal.