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Swoosh. Crash!
Already thirty mirrors had shattered.
The raid team hadn't done much yet.
They were just watching the unbelievable scene unfold from the safety of the cozy Barrier interior.
"...Are we really okay just sitting here like this?"
The mages hired as mercenaries wore troubled expressions.
They'd already received their advance payment—could they really just sit back and enjoy the honey like this?
"No way. The Barrier probably won't destroy all the mirrors."
If Seo Ji-ah's intuition was right, the Barrier's range was limited to the Mirror Room.
If the real mirror was in the corridor, the raid team would have to move there, smash it, and return.
"And there's a limit to how long the scroll can maintain it."
Mana consumption on the scroll.
asd123 had optimized for efficiency, but holding out while destroying all 999 mirrors was tough.
Nearly 900 attacks were pouring out, after all.
"...At this rate, we'll have to finish it off ourselves."
Probably when about 200 mirrors remained, the mana would run dry.
The hunters tensed a bit upon realizing this.
But this was a raid team with two tanks and six high-rank mages.
Thanks to the Barrier's protection, their stamina hadn't drained much either.
"...Still, this seems pretty easy, right?"
"For real. We just have to be careful in the corridors?"
S-rank gates no longer felt so daunting.
So the raid team counted the shattered mirrors in a somewhat relaxed atmosphere.
And at some point—
"Huh? The Barrier isn't breaking the mirrors anymore."
"...So the real one's in the corridor, right?"
Seo Ji-ah nodded at that.
"Looks like it. Split into two teams and take turns."
Part of the raid team dashed into the corridor timed with the mirrors' attacks hitting the Barrier.
They quickly smashed the real mirror there and returned.
Then the Mana Arrows from the Barrier started piercing mirrors again.
Swoosh. Crash!
This process would repeat as long as Seo Ji-ah's mana held out. A remarkably stable flow.
But the moment the Mana Arrows pierced the 111th mirror—
"Everyone, don't move!"
Mental confusion hit the raid team.
Teammates appeared as 'mirrors,' and if they used skills, it would be perceived as 'mirror attacks.'
But since everyone stayed still inside the Barrier now—
"...I'll release you one by one."
Kim Chae-won, the top healer mercenary, dispelled their abnormalities.
Astoundingly, that was it.
One hunter, regaining his senses, glanced around and asked.
"...The Vietnamese hunters couldn't pass this section, so they sold us the rights?"
"Yeah. They ran 100 simulations, and it always ended in total wipe."
"..."
Because the mirrors' attacks never stopped during the mental confusion.
To block them, you'd have to use skills... but those would register as 'mirror attacks' to teammates.
Without perfect team coordination and iron wills, the Mirror Labyrinth was impossible. But asd123 had shattered that notion.
"A genius."
While others scrambled to follow known solutions, asd123 found the optimal path.
A realm only the top pros in any field could reach.
"Genius..."
The hunters agreed with Seo Ji-ah. asd123 hadn't just sent high-performance scrolls.
"...Enough chit-chat. Stay focused. Get too comfy, and we'll wipe in seconds."
"Yes, ma'am!"
With that balanced tension, they smoothly cleared the S-rank gate.
......
Crash.
The archer's arrow shattered the final mirror. A box appeared before the chair in the Mirror Room.
The gate clear reward.
Seo Ji-ah opened it.
S-Rank Gate ─ Mirror Labyrinth Cleared. Reward Granted.
Along with 50 billion gold, they got two S-rank items and one A-rank item.
"...About average."
Exact value would need appraisal from Lee Dong-gyu.
After selling and deducting costs, 15% goes to asd123.
'...I thought that fee was excessive.'
Today, asd123's value exceeded it.
No bragging about this commission fee.
Still, clearing an S-rank gate injury-free was deeply satisfying.
"Let's head back. Gotta prep for the association's announced wave."
But upon exiting the gate, Seo Ji-ah hit an unexpected snag.
Having cleared an overseas gate, she had to report to the Vietnam Awakener Association first...
[...Secured a safe zone with a Barrier scroll and destroyed 80% of the mirrors in the Mirror Room. The rest was handled by the rested raid team...]
The Vietnam Awakener Association couldn't comprehend the report.
Seo Ji-ah met their president to explain directly, but even he swapped interpreters twice in confusion.
* * *
The next day, in the math department lab.
Park Ha-jun was reading sponsorships from the association.
30 billion gold as commission.
30 billion for one scroll? Incredibly generous. He'd made it somewhat enjoyably, after all.
But.
Hwayeong sent 11.5 billion for the Barrier commission.
A massive difference.
No need to feel slighted by the association, though. Contexts differed.
Earth's Basqui subjugation quest. Immortal drug quest.
Both far from standard gate clears—no gate revenue generated.
Unlike Hwayeong's 15%, the association had no profits to share.
They fought for national safety. Considering that, they were already generous to Park Ha-jun.
If gold ran low, don't beg—take more commissions.
'That aside...'
12 days until the association's monster wave.
The association didn't request specifics—just said they'd buy useful scrolls.
'...Still pondering.'
No solid ideas yet.
But he couldn't idle.
Park Ha-jun was preparing for the monster wave in his own way.
Analyzing 3rd-circle attack spells bit by bit.
Stockpiling mass-produced 2nd-circle Mana Arrow scrolls in the workshop.
Plan to list them cheaply on the exchange when the wave hits.
His recent published paper was part of that prep too.
Magic scroll maker community.
Though submitted to the Magic Association, it covered formulas and circuits comprehensively.
Makers who grasped it reported marked growth.
This overall uplift in mages and scroll makers would hugely aid the wave.
And finally...
Yeonhee University Math Lab Admin Staff Recruitment (+99)
2nd Semester Grad Student Additional Recruitment (+99)
Aftermath of the successful paper? Recruitment posts flooded with hundreds of comments and contacts.
'Feels weird...'
More surreal than receiving 10 billion commission. This much interest in a math lab!
Successful research naturally draws attention.
"..."
Park Ha-jun wanted to hire every math alum, but.
'Lab would explode.'
Needed standards.
So he called Lee Soo-ji.
A lab's a micro-society. Needed someone like her—gets along with everyone.
"...So, can you help with interviews? No if busy."
"Sure! I'd love to! Junior researchers... I'll pick cute, kind ones better than me!"
Next, Kang Eun-ho and Kim Ah-hyun. Prioritize synergy with them if possible.
Yeonhee math grads already in labs—unlikely applicants.
"...You two free?"
Kang Eun-ho fired up.
"Of course! I'll pick sharp ones!"
Kim Ah-hyun flatly.
"...I'll join. Can't hire anyone disruptive."
Meaning no one risking more of Park's teachings.
"Got it. I'll schedule and notify..."
As he sent them back—
A sponsorship arrived.
Knowing Park skimmed mail, they used sponsorship for request.
'...Was gonna look for next gig.'
Out of courtesy, he read Onhwa's carefully.
But.
[...Planning A-rank gate, but if you make the mentioned scrolls, 25% of profits...]
'...?'
25%. No reason to refuse.
'Content intriguing too...'
100 billion in sight.
Brainstorm wave ideas too—keep pushing nonstop.