Chapter 35
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Something Feels Off
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“These are thigh bands. Wear them so they’re right at hand when your arms are down. And this is……”
Assistant Instructor Song Hye-rin had brought a ton of gear beyond just the combat vest and helped me put it all on.
A while later, I was wearing a combat vest stuffed with darts across my chest, throwing knives strapped to both thighs, a sling and iron ball pouch on my belt.
On top of that, two throwing axes were slung across my backpack, and I held a thrusting spear in hand.
“Perfect! How’s it feel? Not too heavy, right?”
“It’s not light, either.”
“No choice. Can’t exactly skimp on weapons. But since you’ll be in the rear, you can go light on the armor. Oh, you got the orc leather armor, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Wear the leather underneath, chainmail over that, and the combat vest on top. That’ll hold up against orc attacks, not just hobgoblins.”
Now that I looked, the darts stuck in the front seemed to offer some slashing protection too. Sure, it’d lose that once I threw them, but it’d help against sudden ambushes.
“Thanks. I had no idea I needed to prep all this.”
“It’s the instructor’s twisted hobby. Throwing you into real combat without proper prep. It does snap you awake, though—makes you realize you’ve gotta look out for your own life. But if you’re unlucky, you could actually die, so at least gear up properly on defense.”
“People have actually died? Whoa, that’s brutal.”
I tried to play it off lightly, but Assistant Instructor Song’s eyes turned dead serious.
“Remember this: in real combat, no one’s gonna help you. Inside a gate, everyone’s a rival. If the guy next to you gets killed or hurt, that just means more for you. That’s why the scum deliberately let monsters through to injure allies.”
Hard to believe anyone would go that far, but seeing what Kim Cheol-min and Lee Joo-hyuk got up to, it didn’t seem impossible.
Not being able to trust the comrade at your back? Might as well raid dungeons solo.
“Whew. Hearing that makes it all feel real—going into a dungeon.”
“Don’t stress too much. I’ll be there too.”
“You’re coming, Instructor?”
“Yeah. Supposed to have two escorts, and I got picked this time.”
One assistant instructor to immediately rescue trainees in the vanguard if they’re in danger, and another in the rear to monitor the overall situation and control goblin numbers—two in total.
‘No trouble…… right?’
Two 2-star hunters could clear a 1-star dungeon no problem. Even someone like me with around 30 vitality took zero damage from goblin attacks.
The goblin shaman was a pain, but two 2-stars were basically invincible in a 1-star dungeon.
So why was my heart pounding like this? We’d prepped everything—why the unease?
It felt ominous. Like when the gate opened at school, or the orc broke in out of nowhere, or the goblin shaman started chanting.
‘Something feels off……’
* * *
“Here.”
Lee Joo-hyuk pulled a poison vial from his pocket. Kim Cheol-min took it with a reluctant grimace and carefully coated the blade inside his prosthetic arm. Once he slid the prosthetic back on, the poisoned sword vanished seamlessly.
“Don’t need much. Just a graze, and it’ll poison them.”
“Got it.”
Kim Cheol-min’s face was a mess of emotions. The thought of committing murder soon was stirring up guilt.
But he soon hardened his resolve and clamped his lips shut.
‘Right. Can’t let him live. If he gets any stronger, he’ll come after me for sure. Gotta take him out before his skills improve more.’
The gap between Cha In-hyeok and Kim Cheol-min had widened even further since entering the academy.
While Kim Cheol-min clung to 20th place thanks to his higher-than-average level, Cha In-hyeok had climbed to 11th on fully mastered throwing skills.
On that first day, he’d thought their skills were about even. He’d lost purely from letting his guard down.
But a month later, the guy was one-shotting goblins with a gesture. Two months after, he was holding his own against Lee Joo-hyuk.
Six months passed. No matter what he tried, he couldn’t beat him now. The skill gap was overwhelming—and it’d only grow.
‘Gotta kill him. That’s how I survive.’
Fear and spite twisted into killing intent.
* * *
‘This a gate? Looks like the one at school.’
The next day, I eyed the person-sized gate, recalling the school incident.
“Yawn. As you can see, 1-star gate. Terrain’s forest, monsters are goblins. Boss is a 2-star goblin shaman, but we’ll handle that, so don’t sweat it.”
The lead instructor gave a half-assed briefing, yawning hugely.
Assistant Instructor Song behind him subtly raised a hand in greeting. I nodded back slightly.
“Alright, move in! Clear nearby goblins, reform ranks, and advance. Always pairs of two—don’t forget! Squad leaders first. Go!”
“Go!”
With the response, Lee Jin-hyuk and I stepped to the gate. Normally squad and sub-squad leaders moved separately, but our squad was the exception.
As a ranged dealer, I needed a reliable frontliner partner.
Jin-hyuk fit the bill. Plenty of combat experience, shield specialist—solid at holding the front.
‘Way better than pairing with a creep like Kim Cheol-min.’
Jin-hyuk went first through the gate, me right on his heels.
A brief floating sensation, and suddenly I stood in a dense forest. Sure enough, void barriers hemmed the path like cave walls.
‘So this is it.’
First time crossing from Earth, so it threw me a bit. Up ahead, Jin-hyuk was huffing hard.
“You okay, hyung?”
“Yeah. Just winded. You good?”
“Huh? Oh, haha. Kinda tough for me too.”
“Whew. Gate aftereffects, huh? Feels like high altitude. Hard to breathe.”
Gate aftereffects hit right after crossing—a sort of sickness as your body adjusted to the alien environment.
In 1-star dungeons, they lasted about an hour, stats dropping 50% before slowly recovering.
Boss room was an hour’s walk, so you’d shake it off en route, per the instructor.
‘But why am I fine?’
Checked my status window—no changes. Made sense; crossing between Earth and the otherworld with the golden key never hurt or debuffed me.
Probably the half-human half-demon trait. Hybrid nature lets me adapt to both worlds.
‘Course, if my identity leaked, I’d belong nowhere……’
“Grrr!”
Then it happened. Bushes rustled ahead, a goblin pack emerging. They hadn’t spotted us yet, strolling casually.
‘First strike wins!’
I loaded an iron ball into my sling and whirled it. Good thing gate areas had sparse trees—clear sightlines.
Whoosh—thunk!
“Kyak!”
One goblin dropped, headshot. The rest spotted us late, screeching as they charged.
Jin-hyuk raised his shield in front of me as I fired another slingshot.
“Guh!”
Hit again. One goblin left. I could’ve darted it, but left the last for hyung.
One goblin? Even debuffed stats, he’d win.
“Hyaah!”
Sure enough, easy win. Blocked with shield, bashed it down, then cleaved its head like splitting logs. Blue blood sprayed with a crack.
“Ugh! Damn, aftereffects? Axe feels heavier than usual. Shouldn’t have switched weapons?”
“You fought great for that.”
“You were the star. How’re you unscathed? Aftereffects vary by person?”
“I used the sling. Centrifugal force—less strength needed. Trickier to handle, though.”
“Should’ve learned throwing. Nah, that’s for talents like you. Hey, after certification, what’s your plan? Got something in mind?”
“Dunno. No real plans—just focusing on cert for now.”
“Cool. Wanna team up with me later?”
“Huh? Team up?”
“Yeah. You’re skilled but green on this world. I know the ropes but lack your edge. We’d cover each other.”
Sounded good, but didn’t pull me in. Six months with Jin-hyuk meant dealing with his crap—dumping squad leader busywork on me.
Needed to grind throwing ASAP, explore the otherworld too. All these squad chores were a drag.
If “team up” meant an easy mark to boss around, hard pass.
Couldn’t say that, so I brushed it off.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Cool, mull it over. Hey, why’re the others so slow?”
Right on cue, Kim Cheol-min stepped through. He scowled at me, then blanched at the goblin corpses.
Six months in, and goblins still terrified him.
‘Gave him a lifelong trauma—karma’s a bitch.’
Payback, in a way. Kids he bullied were still suffering.
If I hadn’t overcome my trauma, I’d be sleepless or agoraphobic now.
Not much pity there. His choice. If goblins scare him that bad, quit hunting or man up.
I wanted him to quit. Thug in a mob guild? Obvious: bully, extort like school.
‘Watch yourself. Pull that shit again, and you’re done.’
I gave Kim Cheol-min a cold glance, then rounded up the squad.
* * *
‘Bastard. Let’s see how long you strut.’
Kim Cheol-min ground his teeth at Cha In-hyeok’s back. He was prepared. Timing was key.
‘Fight half-assed, fake panic, open a path toward him—goblins swarm.’
Then, while “cleaning up,” swing the prosthetic blade at Cha In-hyeok. Look like an accidental graze amid the chaos.
‘One touch, he’s paralyzed—goblin chow.’
A satisfied smirk curled Kim Cheol-min’s lips.
Cha In-hyeok’s throwing was killer, he admitted. But close range? Ambushed by three or four goblins after a “mishap”? He’d crumple.
Dungeon goblins were tougher than Earth ones, too.
‘Only wild card’s the instructors…… But once in the boss room, they’ll be too busy with trainees. That’s my shot.’
Kim Cheol-min stroked his steel prosthetic, grinning cruelly.