Treasure Hunt
The classroom at Raven Academy looked the same as always today. Before class started, the students had gathered in their usual cliques, chattering away about whatever caught their fancy. If you watched them, you'd notice every group had completely different topics.
The girls, for instance, seemed to be busy bragging about their boyfriends.
The boys, meanwhile, were looking at photos of pros in Hunter Magazine and sharing all kinds of opinions.
I turned my gaze forward again. That was when I caught the girls' conversation drifting over from the far side of the room.
Yu Hae-rin looked especially radiant today. A whole crowd of girls had gathered around her.
That aside... besides the mess I'd gotten tangled up in with her yesterday, there had been one other major incident.
Another group of male students had been glaring at the back of my head for a while now. The problem was that they'd also started spreading weird rumors about me.
What? These guys are writing full-blown novels now.
The ones churning out these ridiculous rumors were mostly from the Nobility Hall. Those students—who sat squarely between the Emperor Hall and Citizen Hall—were always like this. They usually looked down on Citizen Hall students like they were beneath them, but the moment someone looked like they might surpass them, they instinctively tried to hold them back.
They seemed especially pissed that I'd somehow skipped over them and received "special treatment."
Right then, the Nobility Hall guys who had made eye contact with me started slowly backing away.
They sure have sharp instincts, I'll give them that. Just like the sneaky nobles you read about in history books.
I chewed over their words and turned my head the other way. The source of these dirty rumors was probably that group sitting by the window—Seo Geon-woo's crew. I didn't have solid proof, but for some reason those bastards who kept smirking at me since earlier wouldn't leave my mind.
That was when the sliding door opened.
Clatter.
The noisy students immediately returned to their seats. I opened my textbook and sat up straight. It was time for a new class to begin.
"Therefore, hunters must carefully observe every single object inside a dungeon. For example..."
Professor Lee Jun-gyeom was writing on the board as he taught The Theory of Dungeon Strategy. He was a sickly-looking man with a prominent hooked nose.
Scratch scratch— The students of Class 1 were diligently taking notes on what was written on the blackboard. But I wasn't paying attention to the lesson at all.
Because I wanted to check the rewards I'd obtained.
I pressed a hand to my temple.
Current Points: 1900 P
I planned to organize the items I'd secured first. Having already sold the Scarecrow's Core once before, I was very positive about selling items at the Cheon-gye Shop. However, not every item could be sold. For example, every item I currently possessed was rejected by the shop.
Just in case, I pressed the sell button again.
The 'Queen's Crystal' cannot be sold.
As expected. Come to think of it, the Scarecrow's Core had explicitly stated in its description that it could be sold. Which meant I had no choice but to use the second method...
It was a shame, but there was nothing I could do.
I secretly took out my smartphone.
<Mystic Auction> was an auction site where hunters could sell loot and treasures obtained from rifts. Of course, regular people could use it too.
After logging in, I immediately started writing a post.
HA123: Selling the genuine 'Queen's Crystal' obtained from Queen Arachne. Authentication available!
...That should be enough, right?
I took a photo to attach at the end and finished registering the item.
Well, it'd be nice if it at least earns me some pocket money.
"Alright. Next..."
I slipped my phone back into my pocket. Now it was time to use the remaining points, and I didn't hesitate.
Invested 1100 points into Strength.
Strength 6 → Strength 7
I'd felt it painfully during the fight with the Queen Arachne. A strength value of 6 wasn't weak by human standards at all, but it was utterly lacking against a boss-class monster.
So my immediate goal was to get every stat except Magic Power up to 7!
I checked my status window.
I'd grown quite a bit. The biggest achievement was that my skills had leveled up. And I'd finally reached a strength value of 7...
I couldn't help but smile. This was outstanding. At this rate, I could go outside right now and—
My name was called right at that moment. When I looked up, I saw Professor Lee Jun-gyeom's wrinkled face glaring at me fiercely.
Oh crap!
Professor Lee Jun-gyeom pushed up his glasses and pointed at the question on the blackboard. It looked like he wanted to make an example out of me for not paying attention in class. All the students' eyes focused on me.
I got up from my seat slowly, flipping through every page of the textbook in the process. Because I had a very useful ability for situations like this.
Blessing 'Speed Reading' activated.
Reading speed increases dramatically!
Whoosh! Five seconds were all I needed. To others it probably just looked like I was flipping through the book randomly, but in reality I was absorbing every single line with Speed Reading.
Thud. I closed the book and carefully walked up to the blackboard. The students sitting on either side of me looked even more nervous than I did.
Professor Lee Jun-gyeom seemed certain I wouldn't be able to solve it and had already prepared a scolding. After all, it was a problem no first-timer could possibly solve.
But using the information I'd gained from Speed Reading, I quickly searched for the answer in my head.
"Various traps are expected to be hidden throughout the underground dungeon. The item occasionally found there, the 'Ghost Lantern,' is a non-powered light used to detect traps. However, incorrect usage may cause the user to suffer mental derangement. In that case, the correct way to use it is..."
I grabbed the chalk with a slightly trembling hand and copied the exact content from the textbook onto the blackboard.
At that moment, Professor Lee Jun-gyeom's eyes widened. The students who had been smirking in anticipation of my failure quickly shut their mouths.
He spoke with a tight voice.
That was when the familiar narration rang out.
I returned to my seat and let out a sigh of relief. That was close. I almost got completely humiliated...
Then Professor Lee Jun-gyeom spoke again.
The mention of practical training caused the students to start murmuring. But the professor simply added quietly,
And silence fell over the classroom.
Beneath Raven Academy existed a maze-shaped dungeon called the 'Labyrinth.' Its outer walls formed a regular octagon, and its size was about half that of the academy itself.
The Class 1 students who had arrived in front of the Labyrinth all rubbed their eyes in disbelief. I did the same.
Because the students from Class 2 were gathered on the opposite side, staring at us.
"Now then..."
Professor Lee Jun-gyeom began speaking right at that moment.