Just Two Exchanges

Pitch-black floors, walls, and ceilings spewed out Oubleck knights in endless droves.

Enveloping the subjugation squad, they took up defensive formations as if shielding a specific entity—one whose head bore not an iron helm, but a jagged crown.

Just as it looks, that's the Oubleck King.

The boss monster of the Transfer Maze.

A faculty member glared down the creature and spoke toward Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong.

"Please handle the Witch, instructors! We will defend the main force!"

Had enough personnel failed to assemble in the boss chamber, one of the two teachers would have been forced to stay behind to hold the line. Thanks to the Crow Branch, however, that precaution was no longer necessary.

Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong offered curt nods.

"Naturally."

"Understood."

Then, as though waiting for that very ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cue, both catapulted toward the Witch of Rot in unison.

The Oubleck King leveled its greatsword toward the subjugation force, formally raising the curtain on the boss battle.

Knights closed their encirclement rapidly from every direction, while the subjugation squad locked into dense, organized defensive positions.

A deafening roar erupted as the two frontlines collided head-on.

First, I carefully appraised the Dark Oubleck ranks.

She certainly came prepared.

The caliber of each Oubleck knight was virtually identical to the ones we had faced in the previous chamber. Their sheer numbers were staggering—just counting those visible at a glance easily approached several hundred. Worse still, the walls continued to vomit forth fresh reinforcements without a moment's respite.

Even so, there's no way we lose.

Because our side had prepared just as thoroughly.

The academy's mages pulled rolled parchment scrolls from their inventories—high-tier magic scrolls hoard-saved exclusively for this final confrontation. High-grade scrolls scaling up to A-rank were ripped straight down the center, liberating the grand-scale spells sealed within.

Bursts of blinding brilliance shot skyward, coalescing into an immense, radiant sphere above the subjugation squad. Like a miniature sun, it cast a searing glow over the entire expanse of the boss chamber. Towering pillars of light erected themselves across the chamber floor, weaving the architecture of a sacred temple.

They're practically bludgeoning them to death with piles of money.

If the environment is disadvantageous, what do you do? You simply reshape it to your advantage. Naturally, that was easier said than done, but Dragon Slayer Academy possessed the bottomless capital to make it reality.

The results were immediate.

The Oubleck knights visibly withered. Their limbs grew sluggish, and their sweeping longswords lost their former snap. Conversely, the subjugation squad surged with empowered vigor, cutting down the enemy ranks like scythes through dry straw. Desperate to inflict whatever casualties they could, Oublecks detonated themselves across the frontline, but their sacrifice was utterly wasted.

Because our side has Immunity to Ten Thousand Poisons.

Another Oubleck knight burst apart, showering jet-black fluid across Kim Gab-du, who was swinging ferocious haymakers at the forefront. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Moments ago, such venom would have corrupted his flesh and rotted him black, but—

"......Mm."

Splattered in ink, Gab-du paused for only a split second before returning to combat as if nothing had happened. Once the rest of the squad confirmed that the lethal bile couldn't poison them, they pressed forward with redoubled savagery.

In the thick of the chaos, a hand grabbed my arm.

Glancing to the side, I found Tang Gyu-young, exactly as expected. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Just as when I had crossed into the boss chamber's portal alone, her eyes were an even split between irritation and worry.

"Now, seriously stay put this time."

"I intend to."

My duties had concluded with distributing the Crow Branch and conferring Immunity to Ten Thousand Poisons. Under normal circumstances, I planned to remain purely in spectator mode.

There was, however, one single exception.

"Unless she comes for me. Then I'll have to respond."

"Who, the Witch? Why would she?"

"Because I've been quite the thorn in her side."

From the Witch of Rot's perspective, her meticulously laid conspiracy had collapsed into ruin all because of me. Calling me a 'thorn' was an understatement; she likely wanted to rip me limb from limb. Furthermore, recognizing that the one who had undone her grand design was merely a first-year, she would have realized that I was bound to grow into an insurmountable adversary down the road.

Eliminating or crippling me right now was her smartest move. Thus, even if it meant taking a desperate gamble, there was a high likelihood she would lunge for me at least once.

Tang Gyu-young stiffened, drawing the shadows up around her ankles.

"Fine, I'll block her."

"No, don't block her. Let her through."

"Why again?"

Looking at Tang Gyu-young's furrowed brow, I held up two fingers.

"I'll exchange exactly two moves. Pull me out right after that."

"......Really just two moves?"

"Yes. Any more than that would be too much for me to handle."

"Promise me."

We linked pinkies, and shortly after, Tang Gyu-young melted smoothly into the shadows beneath my feet.

Having confirmed she was in position, I turned my attention toward the Witch of Rot.

She's getting thoroughly pulverized.

Over there, a mire darker and more rancid than the pitch-black floor of the boss room was spread wide. It was clearly a domain conjured by the Witch, yet Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong were roaming through the sludge as comfortably as their own living rooms, pressing an unrelenting offensive.

Lee Soo-dok's saber flashed with blinding speed. The Witch of Rot attempted to parry and return fire in her own way, but the damage she sustained vastly outstripped her counterattacks. Slits and gashes multiplied across her flesh one after another.

Kragagak!

"Kuh......!"

Her face contorting in agony, the Witch sank beneath the corrupted mire.

She resurfaced at the far end of the pool, but Seo Cheong-yong was already stationed nearby, waiting. Frostbitten palms unleashed a relentless barrage of palm force.

Pah-pah-pat!

He's mastered ice martial arts.

The same lineage practiced by Bukgung Han-seol of the 900-point tier—though Seo Cheong-yong's techniques were far more consummate and deadly.

Smack!

With a resounding crack, the Witch's head snapped violently back. A frozen handprint was etched deeply into her face. Unable to endure the assault, she scrambled to slip toward another flank, only for Lee Soo-dok to close in instantly, joyfully unleashing his blade once more.

This looked almost like......

......Whac-A-Mole?

In truth, the outcome had been decided before the fight even started.

Up until the midterm exams, she would have had the Blood Cult Elder alongside her, but I presumed they had parted ways when the Blood Gale Bomb plot fell through. Even back then, they couldn't hold out in a two-on-two and were forced to flee; now, she was facing a two-on-one. Moreover, thanks to Immunity to Ten Thousand Poisons, venom couldn't touch either instructor. That was why they could churn through that poisonous sludge without the slightest care. For the Witch of Rot, there was simply no way out.

"Kuh......!"

Even while taking that severe thrashing, the Witch intermittently threw venomous glares in my direction. Her eyes practically screamed that this was all my fault.

Disliking that gaze, Tang Gyu-young grumbled from within the shadows.

"Look at those eyes of hers. Why is she glaring like that? Seriously, I ought to..."

"Wouldn't it be just as problematic if she looked at me affectionately?"

"Fair point. Tell her not to look at all. Keep those eyes on me."

Of course, the Witch wasn't staring at me purely out of spite.

She was measuring the timing.

The exact timing to strike a lethal blow against me.

She'll be diving in any second now.

Sure enough, the Witch submerged herself into the sludge once more to slip past Lee Soo-dok. Seo Cheong-yong prepared to continue their game of Whac-A-Mole, but in the next instant, she materialized not somewhere within the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠swamp, but right before my eyes.

She had cast Blink, the short-range spatial teleportation spell.

I'm the only one without Blink.

Tang Gyu-young had it, Jeong Chong-myeong had it, Oh Se-hoon had it, and even the Witch of Rot had it. Only I didn't. The sorrow of being a pedestrian mage on foot ran deep. Since an A-rank Core was a prerequisite, there was nothing I could do about it for now.

Reaching out toward me, the Witch of Rot hooked her fingers into an eagle's talons. Chilling blue mana coalesced around all five fingertips. Knowing that poison wouldn't work on me, she was executing a raw, non-elemental attack. While slightly inferior to her primary element, it was still at least B-rank.

If those touch me, I'll be shredded on the spot.

Naturally, I had anticipated this as well.

Just as her claws slashed toward my chest—

My frame glided smoothly to the side, already seizing the space behind her. I had circled into her blind spot by activating Ghost Steps.

At the exact same time—

I thrust forward an index finger frozen solid like an icicle.

Yet the sensation transmitted through the tip of my finger was strangely dull. Some defensive mechanism had activated.

Clang—!

Just as suspected, an accessory worn by the Witch of Rot shattered, dispersing into fine dust.

That's one.

Even with that, the Witch had no intention of giving up; she spun around tenaciously, raking her claws toward me once more. The agility was so extreme it was hard to believe she was a mage, making it seem nearly impossible for my current self to evade.

The solution in times like this was simple:

Just don't dodge.

I thrust the Mystic Yin Jade Demonic Finger straight back at her.

Pshk.

This time, a distinct sensation resonated through my fingertip. Though mitigated by some defensive trait, the Mystic Yin Jade Demonic Finger had reached S-rank, successfully boring through.

Meanwhile, the talons sweeping for my flesh—

—curved unnaturally off course on their own right before reaching my body, whistling harmlessly through empty air.

The Witch of Rot's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

"You......!"

And that makes two.

Tang Gyu-young surged from the shadows and yanked me down. In the next instant, we were transported a considerable distance away. Just as instructed beforehand, she had cast Shadow Leap the moment two exchanges concluded.

"I did good, right?"

"You were brilliant."

However, first aid took precedence over praise right now.

Cr-cr-crack.

As the penalty for wielding an S-rank Mystic Yin Jade Demonic Finger, biting frost and demonic qi were already encroaching up my forearm. I promptly whipped out an entry-grade elixir and downed it, causing the fiercely spreading cold to gradually subside.

Of course, the technique's destructive power was just as monumental as its penalty.

The Witch of Rot attempted to cast Blink to pursue us, but—

Crack, snap—

The wound pierced by the Jade Demonic Finger froze over at terrifying speed, instantly severing the flow of her spell.

As she stalled for that fleeting instant, a flash of light swept past her.

Slash.

An arm severed cleanly at the shoulder fell and rolled across the ground.

A bloodcurdling shriek tore from the Witch of Rot's throat.

"Aaaaargh!"

"Do you have the leisure to look away?"

The one who had unleashed that flash was none other than Lee Soo-dok.

And it didn't end there.

Seo Cheong-yong closed the distance with staggering speed, slamming his palm directly into the Witch.

Boom!

As she was sent violently skidding across the floor, Seo Cheong-yong spoke with a genial, good-natured smile.

"I think you're underestimating us far too much."

Pushing against the ground with her sole remaining hand, the Witch of Rot struggled to her feet. She hurriedly attempted to cast a counter-spell, but even that proved impossible.

Creeeak.

The frost qi rampaging within her body repeatedly severed the flow of her mana, leaving her completely open to Lee Soo-dok's follow-up strike.

A keen wave of saber qi sheared diagonally across her torso.

Squelch.

Her severed upper body sloughed off, sliding down to the stone floor. As if her physical vessel had been forged from something akin to an Oubleck, thick black viscous slime oozed from the cross-section.

"Khuurgh......"

"It is over."

Lee Soo-dok planted his boot firmly atop the writhing remains of the Witch of Rot.

Twisting in impotent fury, she glared straight at me, spewing venom from her lips.

"This is merely an avatar of mine! I will return! Alongside my Master! When that day comes, you, your friends—all of you—!"

Crunch.

"Begone."

Lee Soo-dok crushed the remaining remnant beneath his heel.

Just as the Witch of Rot had claimed, what had fallen was merely an avatar. Having taken out that minimal insurance was the only reason she dared infiltrate Dungeon Island alone.

Though the share she invested was pretty steep.

She called it an avatar, but she had poured over ninety percent of her total power into it, making it virtually identical to her main body. It would probably take ages just to recuperate. And in the meantime, we would grow strong enough to face her head-on without the instructors' assistance.

I quietly repeated her parting words in my mind.

Yeah, make sure to come back.

Even better if you bring that master of yours with you.

Once Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong confirmed that the Witch of Rot had been completely eliminated, they immediately joined the main battle lines. The tide of battle, already heavily tilted in our favor, cascaded into an absolute rout, and the Oubleck King was soon laid flat on the floor as well.

Simultaneously, a notification window flared to life in the corner of my vision.