Chapter 17
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Kobold Jungle (1)
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The dungeon felt like a slice of jungle ripped straight from the earth.
The sharp scent of vegetation tingled at the nose, utterly unique.
The main difference from Earth's jungles was the massive trees soaring skyward, their roots twisting like giants.
"Tae-hyun. Don't push yourself too hard. Like I said last time, this is just a test."
I signaled Lee Jae-yeol with an acknowledged.
Perched on a branch, I scanned the jungle.
'Even 20 meters ahead is completely obscured.'
The dense tangle of branches blocked all forward visibility.
It was terrain where you wouldn't spot a trap right in front of your face.
"Hoo... hoo..."
Yone Chayengopski, assigned to the same forward scout team, struggled up the tree.
I offered him a hand, but Yone ignored it and hauled himself up on his own power.
Wiping cold sweat from his brow, he checked ahead.
Having grasped the terrain first, I explained it to him plainly.
"The fog is thick, and the lush forest blocks visibility. Scouting from the ground might be better."
"I know that much. Showing off?"
Yone replied curtly before climbing back down.
As Mitsuda's closest confidant, he'd hated me even more since I became vice class president.
Even after Mitsuda fully came over to my side, Yone still refused to acknowledge me.
'...Can't blame him.'
A nobody with no pedigree shows up and takes a superior role.
I understood his position.
I looked down at Jae-yeol and sent the mission complete signal.
'Operation start. Advance team departs in 5 minutes.'
Jae-yeol nodded back at me.
Observer seating area for the examiners.
Instructors and evaluators from each class gathered, monitoring the feeds.
They assessed organizational fusion, improvements, and assigned scores.
"Look at Class C. They're using completion signals to communicate."
"...Without knowing the enemy's situation, it's a sound judgment. Some monsters can even speak human languages. Who's the class president of Class C?"
"Cadet Number 1140. Lee Jae-yeol. Just as you said, the vice president who scored high in this tournament is efficiently running the scout unit. That way, they can steadily grasp the enemy situation."
"Not a bad plan. Hey, Ha Dong-hwan. The class you're in charge of? Pretty solid group."
Ha Dong-hwan crossed his arms and shrugged.
"Of course. Whose class is it?"
The evaluators' and instructors' pens didn't stop, grading each participant individually.
'Arched trap spotted 100m ahead. Recommend bypass route.'
Ah-young struggled to interpret Tae-hyun's completion signal.
With Class C's signals set just two days ago, memorizing them wasn't easy.
"Ugh... arched... trap? But which way to bypass?"
"...Probably take the detour."
The central unit led by Ah-young started veering onto the bypass route.
No enemies had appeared yet.
They didn't even know what monsters lurked or how strong they were.
Ah-young glanced at Tae-hyun signaling from afar.
'...He's amazing. Tae-hyun...'
In just four days since the official class formation, he'd mastered all the signals and devoted himself to the team.
He braved dangers, darting ahead to detect threats in advance.
Even in a training scenario, his passion was remarkable.
'Compared to him, I'm...'
A child of the Yoon family in her twenties, yet her skills fell short.
This time, she wanted her sisters to finally recognize her.
She'd been compared since childhood and shunned by them.
'No. I can't get weak-minded.'
Ah-young shook her head firmly.
How could she enter the academy just to waver?
She was Class C's elite and squad leader.
And she couldn't waste Tae-hyun's efforts.
"Ah-young! Monsters ahead!"
"...Kobolds. Quite a few!"
They'd made contact.
A small unit that evaded the scouts.
About four kobolds at most.
"...Humans. Humans. Attack."
"...Humans. No. Go back and report."
"...Humans. No. Do both."
Two kobolds turned to flee.
If they reported the intrusion to the main force, everyone would be in danger.
"...Humans. Die quietly."
"Die!"
The kobolds charged with crude clubs.
Boom!
Thunder cracked in that instant.
The startled squad members looked skyward.
It was the four-circle spell, Thunderbolt.
The kobold pack was charred and collapsed.
Of course, Ah-young didn't miss the fleeing ones either.
"...Haa... haa."
Smoke rose from Ah-young's palms.
She hadn't been slacking.
Daily stamina and mana training.
Training as if on the edge of a cliff.
Now was the time to prove it herself.
"...Humans... hurts... pain... humans."
One kobold survived.
Ah-young had spared it on purpose.
"Haa... haa... bind that monster."
"Y-yeah!"
The central squad's members rushed forward at their squad leader's order and captured the kobold alive.
'Yoon Ah-young's signal. Enemy count around 100. Main force near giant tree roots.'
I received the signal from Ah-young.
Info gathered from the captured kobold.
A grin crept onto my face.
'She's doing great.'
It was astonishing progress for her.
The timid, frail girl who'd been rated 'elite' was now leading her squad.
It felt gratifying, like a father watching his daughter.
"Then that must be the main force."
A particularly enormous tree caught my eye.
If Ah-young's signal was accurate, that was likely the kobold main camp.
I called to Yone beside me.
"Yone. Our role's done. Link up with our main force and wipe them out."
"...Idiot?"
"What?"
Yone drew his dagger.
"If the main force is right there, scouts should confirm the attack formation first."
Of course, scouts' primary job was relaying enemy intel ahead of time.
Yone's 'scout tactics' worked for medium or large scales.
And the distance between scouts and main force had to be minimal.
But when even one fighter was precious, sacrificing one or two meant nothing.
Linking with the main force for a decisive strike was wisest.
I tried persuading him.
"Fall back and regroup. Rash moves could hit traps..."
"...Damn it."
Yone raked his hair in irritation.
"I've got more scout experience than you. Sorry, but I don't recognize you yet. Don't think brute strength makes everyone follow you. Scared? Go link with main. I'm heading there."
Yone pushed forward.
I blocked his path.
And glared sharply.
"Wait. That's an order. Return to main."
"Order? What happens if I refuse?"
"Dungeon violations fall under commander discretion—up to execution."
"Pfft... hahaha!!!"
Yone doubled over laughing.
He bellowed even in enemy territory.
"That's for 'subjugation' or 'operations.' This is training. Right, vice prez?"
He jabbed my chest with his nails and continued.
"Listen up. If you're dumb, just stay put. No clue where you crawled from, but in a year, you'll lose that shiny golden eagle badge."
With that, Yone headed for the tree.
I tried grabbing him, but he surged ahead faster.
Cold sweat beaded from holding back my rage.
But I was vice class president.
I couldn't forget my duty.
Victory in combat trumped personal feelings.
I decided to follow him.
And that's when it all went down.
As they neared the kobold main force, Yone darted through the trees.
A foul blood stench hung heavy.
By the time he realized something was wrong, it was too late.
Snap!
"Urk?!"
A snare at Yone's feet hoisted him into the trees.
He dangled helplessly.
'That idiot...!'
I rushed to save him.
Then kobolds burst from the bushes.
"Caught! Caught! Caught!"
"Caught."
"Kill! Cut throat!"
"Stab heart!"
They wielded weapons, but not beyond Yone's level.
Just three, and weaklings even among kobolds.
But spotting the pack, Yone freaked and screamed.
"Hiiiik!!! Kaaaaah!!! Save me! Save me!!! Vice prez!! Help!!"
His shrieks echoed through the forest.
Birds fled the branches in fright.
"...Damn."
He shouldn't have made noise.
This was near the kobold main force.
His yells could draw more.
And alert them to our infiltration.
"Vice prez!!! Save me!!! Help, I said!!!"
I instantly shaped my slime weapon into a bow.
A green arrow emerged from the slime limbs.
I nocked it.
Yone's thrashing made aiming the rope tricky.
'This won't work...!'
I had to end it fast.
One shot now, and he'd die before the next.
Shing...
Three more arrows formed.
Now four arrows gripped in one hand.
My finger muscles cramped from the weight.
You have acquired Quad Arrow.
I released.
The four arrows sliced through the air toward their targets.
Thuk! Thuk! Thuk! Thuk!
All four hit true.
Each kobold's head, heart, throat... and the rope.
"Uwaaah!"
Thud. Yone hit the ground.
The pierced kobolds spewed blood and crumpled.
First time trying the skill, and luck was on my side.
Switch weapons excelled in versatility, but transformations drained mana, hard to sustain long.
Yet I'd landed all four arrows perfectly.
I took a deep breath and eyed Yone.
Calming my anger, I spoke slowly.
"...Yone. Last order... return now...!"
"...U... u...!"
Then Yone's face twisted, and he screamed again.
"Uwaaaaaah!!!!"
He bolted upright and fled without looking back.
Cold sweat trickled down my forehead.
Ominous hunches never failed.
I turned slowly.
"...Kikikik."
"Kikikikik."
The ground and trees teemed with a kobold horde.
At least a hundred.
They'd swarmed to Yone's screams.
The horde's blades pointed solely at me.
"...Fuck."
??? Awakening conditions met!
Condition 'Acquired with set probability during battle against weaker foes' fulfilled.
Acquired new awakening skill Hunt Begins.
Hunt Begins: The caster temporarily steals 'stamina' from slain targets. This effect is not permanent.
Forward and rear squads merged to assault the kobold main force.
Class C, holding off sporadic kobolds before the central squad joined, suddenly grew chaotic.
"Hey! Look over there!"
A chill swept the skies.
Ah-young gazed toward the wind.
A man sprinted from that direction.
Pants soaked, wailing every sob.
Yone Chayengopski.
"S-save meee!!! Uwaaaah!!"
"What happened, Yone!"
Mitsuda rushed over and asked.
Yone clung to him, sobbing.
"...Ugh...! The vice prez went off on his own...! That was the kobold main! Overwhelming numbers! Mitsuda! Retreat and get the instructors!"
"What...?"
Ah-young reacted first and approached.
She questioned Yone again.
"Tae-hyun... what?"
"Vice prez...! He charged the main alone! I-I tried to stop him!"
"...When?"
"Ab... about 30 minutes ago... He's probably dead by now..."
Slap!
A sharp crack echoed through the forest.
Yone touched his swelling cheek and stared at Ah-young.
"Don't jump to conclusions."
Ah-young dashed toward where Yone had come from.
Mitsuda, flustered, looked to Jae-yeol.
"What do we do? You're class prez."
Yone wailed desperately instead.
"What do you mean? Over a hundred kobolds! Run first...!"
"Shut it."
Mitsuda shoved Yone aside.
Jae-yeol replied without hesitation.
"Chase Yoon Ah-young. Plan changed. I'll handle scattered Gamma 2. Go ahead."
"P-prez! Kang Tae-hyun is already...!"
Jae-yeol shot back sternly at Yone's cry.
"Tae-hyun won't go down that easy."
(Continued in the next chapter)