Mock Sparring
The Camping Club.
Just from the name, it sounded like any other hobby club — pitch a tent, start a fire, enjoy the great outdoors. That was how it was known, at least on the surface.
But to someone who knew the original story, it meant something else entirely. This wasn't just any club. It was the central stage that ran through the heart of the original plot. In other words —
Kim Jin-hyuk. Kang Ha-rin. Lee Si-hyun. And nearly every other major character who would one day make a name for themselves would gather here.
The funny part was that all of it started with a single, unexpected choice from Kim Jin-hyuk. He'd picked the Camping Club simply to broaden his horizons — to throw himself into new environments and learn by colliding with them. Because he believed that what a hunter needed wasn't just raw power.
Everyone else's reasons were a little different. They just wanted to be wherever Kim Jin-hyuk was.
Lee Si-hyun chose the Camping Club because she wanted to spend time with him in the same club. Kang Ha-rin picked it so she could watch him up close — how he carried himself, how he grew — and learn from it. The rest of them joined for similar reasons.
And as a result, the Camping Club arc ended up claiming a bigger share of the original's main story than you'd expect. Which meant that for someone like me, who needed to follow the main story, the Camping Club wasn't a choice. It was mandatory.
Right on cue, a familiar voice drifted over from the seat in front of me.
"Si-hyun, which club are you applying to?"
"...I dunno. I was thinking of joining wherever Jin-hyuk goes, I guess."
"Heh! I knew you'd say that."
"It's a free choice anyway, so just pick whatever you want."
"Should I? Yeah... that's probably for the best, right?"
"Yeah! When else are you gonna get a chance like this?"
Mm-hmm. Those two are following the original just fine.
I was zoning out, half-listening to Yoon Chae-rin and Lee Si-hyun talk in the distance, when a voice cut in from the seat beside me.
"Hey. Which club are you joining?"
Kang Ha-rin had spoken to me.
"......"
What.
I froze for a second. Kang Ha-rin had talked to me first. And about club choices, no less.
Why?
It didn't make sense. In the original, the only person Kang Ha-rin ever paid attention to was Kim Jin-hyuk.
"Why."
When I asked back, Kang Ha-rin looked at me with that same indifferent expression.
"Just a feeling. You don't seem like the type who'd pick something ordinary."
"......"
She wasn't wrong. I didn't think of myself as someone who'd pick an ordinary club either. But that still left the question.
Why does Kang Ha-rin even care what I pick?
I couldn't begin to guess what she was after.
......
Still. Well, no real reason to hide it. If I tried to keep it a secret, I'd just look more suspicious. Pass.
"I'm going for the Camping Club."
"The Camping Club?"
Kang Ha-rin tilted her head like she hadn't expected that, then nodded.
"Never mind. Yeah — no way you'd pick something ordinary."
"Got it."
And with that, Kang Ha-rin said her piece and strolled right out of the classroom.
"...What was that?"
Today was Friday. A few classes were still being held before club activities officially kicked off, and among them, today's class was...
—BANG!
Right in front of me, students were already locking practice swords. As you could tell, today was one-on-one mock sparring day. This training happened every Friday, and the reason was simple.
One month from now came Frontier's signature event. The Duel Festival. A massive festival they called the flower of Frontier Academy, happening in a month. Swordsmanship, archery, magic, alchemy — students from every department gathered in one place to show off their skills.
And it wasn't just a festival. Guild officials packed the stands, scouting for future hunters. For students, it was a chance to make a name. For guilds, a chance to find new talent.
That said, it wasn't all tension and pressure. During the festival period, all kinds of events and attractions ran alongside the matches. It really did function as a festival, in every sense of the word.
Anyway. With an event that important only a month away, mock sparring classes were held every Friday.
That's how it's supposed to work, at least...
I looked around, dazed. Most of the students had already found partners and started sparring.
And yet.
—Ting.
"......"
Why is it empty around me?
Why doesn't anyone want to spar with me?
Right then, I caught some whispering nearby.
"He still hasn't found a partner."
"Well, yeah. Obviously."
"Why?"
"You don't know? He's dead last in the magic department."
"Ah."
"There's nothing to gain from sparring with him. No point."
"Better off pairing with someone else."
"......"
Excuse me?
Ugh. And the worst part was they weren't even wrong, which just pissed me off more.
That was when someone called my name from behind.
"Hey, Seol Dam."
"Long time no see."
"What are you doing over here?"
Han Ji-hyuk?
It had been a while — not since the dungeon expedition. For the record, practice battles worked the same way: people were pulled at random from every department, thrown onto a team, and made to spar.
"......"
"Why so quiet? What were you up to?"
What was I up to. I was standing here alone because I couldn't find a sparring partner. I really didn't want to say that out loud.
"Nothing."
When I hesitated, Han Ji-hyuk glanced around once. He seemed to put it together almost immediately.
"Don't tell me."
"You still haven't found a partner?"
"......"
"I was... observing."
Han Ji-hyuk looked at me for a moment.
"Observing?"
"Yeah. Watching the others spar. Figuring things out."
A complete lie, of course.
"......"
Han Ji-hyuk went quiet for a beat, then let out a small sigh.
"You really pick the weirdest hills to die on."
"Like what?"
"If you don't have a partner, just go find one."
"It's not that simple."
Han Ji-hyuk glanced around again, then said it like it was nothing.
"Then just spar with me."
"...What?"
"I needed a practice partner anyway."
Music to my ears. The problem was —
"Wait."
"What?"
"I've never sparred with an archer before. Go easy on me."
"Nah."
Han Ji-hyuk drew his bowstring as he spoke.
"In a real fight, you don't get to pick your opponent."
"I'm going all out. You'd better do the same."
Survive the Arrow Rain
📂 Type: Sub Quest
Survive the endless barrage of arrows. Read your opponent's attacks and prove you can evade them.
🎯 Objective: Do not allow a single one of Han Ji-hyuk's arrows to land.
🎁 Reward: 10,000 Points
⚠ On Failure: No penalty
The quest reward listed ten thousand points, but I didn't have the luxury of caring about that right now.
I didn't take Han Ji-hyuk for this kind of guy. Was this guy completely insane?
From what I'd overheard last time, Han Ji-hyuk sat somewhere in the 170s. I was ranked 512th. The 170s was solidly upper-mid, wasn't it? At this rate, the ten thousand points wouldn't matter — I was about to get my ass handed to me.
They were practice arrows, so I wouldn't actually get hurt. Still. I need to figure something out, fast.
That was when a blue window flickered to life in front of me.
Insight
Analyzing target's behavioral patterns.
The corner of my mouth slowly curled up.
Right. I had this, didn't I?
I dismissed the window and walked toward Han Ji-hyuk at an easy pace.
"Ji-hyuk."
"Yeah?"
"Mind if I ask one thing before we start?"
Han Ji-hyuk stopped drawing the string and looked at me.
"What?"
"Can I watch you shoot a few times first?"
"I want to get a feel for your pattern."
Han Ji-hyuk stared at me for a moment.
"Are you trying to analyze me right now?"
"......"
Busted. Had I been too obvious?
But then Han Ji-hyuk just snorted a laugh.
"Sure."
"...?"
"I actually like that."
He raised his bow again.
"Reading your opponent is a skill too."
"Then watch closely."
—TWANG!
The arrow left the string. The hand drawing the bow. The direction of his gaze. The placement of his feet. Every motion leading up to the instant the arrow flew etched itself into my eyes, one by one.
—TWANG!
A second arrow. Then a third.
......
A moment later.
Insight has finished analyzing the target's behavioral patterns.
I closed the floating window.
"Alright, alright. Thanks, Ji-hyuk."
"Shall we get started?"
Han Ji-hyuk's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Your face just lit up."
"Did it?"
He nodded.
"You look weirdly cheerful all of a sudden."
"...Well, that's not important."
"Take your distance."
I put some space between us, then called over to Han Ji-hyuk standing across the way.
"Ready."
Hearing that, Han Ji-hyuk drew his bowstring.
"Then we start."
—TWANG!
A blue line bloomed in front of my eyes.
Right.
—Slip.
Easy. Too easy.
Han Ji-hyuk's eyes widened a fraction as he watched me.
"You dodged it."
"Just got lucky."
"Think you can dodge this one too?"
He drew the string again.
—TWANG!
Left.
—Slip.
The arrow hissed past my side.
Right.
—Slip.
The second one missed too.
Straight on.
—Slip.
The third went the same way.
Left again.
—Slip.
By the time I'd slipped the fourth arrow, Han Ji-hyuk's expression had started to change.
"......"
"Didn't you say you got lucky?"
"I did."
"You gonna attack or what?"
"Just haven't found an opening yet."
That wasn't a lie. With my current physique, dodging was about all I could manage. Attacking was a completely different problem.
Then Han Ji-hyuk's mouth actually twitched upward.
"This is fun."
"Seol Dam."
"You're a way weirder guy than I thought."
"At this point, it'd be rude if I didn't get serious."
As he said it, Ji-hyuk settled into a proper stance.
"...Huh?"
"W-wait, you don't have to go that far—"
But I never finished the sentence. Han Ji-hyuk's fingers released the string.
"Rapid Fire."
—TWANG! TWANG! TWANG! TWANG! TWANG!
Oh, you have got to be kidding me.
Five arrow trajectories poured toward me in an instant. The five shafts tangled together like a net, sealing off every escape route completely.
How the hell am I supposed to dodge this.
......
......
...You thought I was going to say that?
—Heh.
The corner of my mouth curled up.
Reaction Acceleration (E)
—HUMMMM.
In that instant, the world slowed down. The arrow trajectories that had been tangled together like a single net resolved one by one, each line etched sharp and clear.
I can see them.
I twisted my body toward a sliver of a gap.
—WHOOSH!
An arrowhead skimmed the tip of my nose.
—SHHKT!
The last one grazed past my shoulder like it had never been aimed at me at all. All five arrows carved through empty air and scattered behind me.
Holy... shit.
That was way harder than I thought.
Han Ji-hyuk's voice came from across the floor.
"...You dodged all of them?"
"Haha... guess I did."
Awe rippled through the crowd right beside us.
"What the hell was that?"
"Was that even a possible move?"
"That's insane."
"Wasn't he supposed to be dead last?"
"What did I just watch?"
Survive the Arrow Rain
10,000 Points acquired.
"Haha... this is kind of embarrassing."
Stuck in the middle of the crowd with nowhere to go, I could only scratch the back of my head.