Chapter 32
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Rio de Janeiro (1)
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Hong Ga-yeon.
The undisputed rank 1 among first-years and the youngest daughter of the Hong Family.
Judging by her combat uniform, she had just finished sparring.
"Hey."
As I responded, Hong Ga-yeon strode over.
"Didn't check your messages...?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I don't really check Messenger much."
"...Whatever. More importantly, about what we talked about last time."
There was only one thing she could mean by "last time."
The alliance between Class B and Class C.
It was Hong Ga-yeon's bold proposal.
Any class would kill for a partnership with her class, the top-ranked one.
"You mean the cooperation?"
"Yeah."
Hong Ga-yeon handed me a paper bag.
I tore open the envelope inside.
-1. Joint Frontline.
-2. Dungeon Assault Team Formation.
-3. Theme-Specific Strategies.
-4. Command Team Formation.
-5. Final Objective.
The document she gave me was the operations plan for this dungeon training.
Even just skimming it, the structure was impressively solid.
One look at this plan told me how much effort she must have put in.
"...It's solid."
"Yeah... That's why I was hoping you'd join the strategy meeting. I couldn't reach you, so I panicked."
"Jae-yeol isn't participating?"
"He is, but..."
Hong Ga-yeon paused for a moment before continuing.
"This operation—you're the key figure. I need you there in person."
"...What?"
Me, the key figure? Not Hong Ga-yeon...?
Lee Jae-yeol. That guy.
What the hell have you been up to?
"Hey. I'm bored. Play with me."
Yoon Ji-yeon hovered around me hesitantly.
I ignored her completely, eyes glued to my phone.
Five minutes until the dungeon training theme was revealed.
Normally, I wouldn't care, but this time was different.
Anxious, I'd pored over the ops plan. Without me, it flat-out wouldn't work.
I swallowed hard and stared at the countdown.
The community chat was exploding.
-Please, anything but desert.
-Go, go, go!!
-Please... just not something weird...
"...Please."
The reason I was on edge like this was simple.
Since regressing, the future had shifted—little by little, but definitely.
To prepare for the theme, I needed advance warning.
-00:00:01
-00:00:00
-This dungeon training theme is 'Rio de Janeiro'.
Rio?
No way—Brazil's port city?
If so, the theme was a fallen city.
A training sim to reclaim Rio de Janeiro, already reduced to ruins by monster attacks.
...Not bad, but not great either.
'In my past life, it was Antarctica.'
Brazil's weather beat Antarctic cold any day.
Most of South America was monster territory now.
Despite monthly and yearly assault teams, they just left bodies behind—no reclamation.
Of course, being training, it'd be adjusted appropriately. Still, no room for complacency.
'Rio means zombies, right?'
Zombies were tricky foes I hadn't faced much.
They revived fast after death, and a bite turned you into one.
"Hey. Let's play already? You're just staring at that."
"...Fine. But, Matriarch."
"Hm?"
Yoon Ji-yeon tilted her head.
"Teach me light-attribute magic."
"Light...? Not hard, but what about your concurrent casting?"
Concurrent casting.
She'd reached triple-skill simultaneous use.
Important, sure—but dungeon assault came first.
Zombies were one of the few monsters I lacked experience against.
"Screw it, I'll self-study."
"...Oh? Confident?"
"Not exactly, but it'll be fine."
"Hmm... alright. Was getting bored anyway."
Yoon Ji-yeon cast a summon spell.
Pfsh! Pfsh!
Skeletal arms burst from the ground.
An insane number at a glance.
"Grr..."
"Gr..."
Zombies clawed out of the earth.
Drooling hungrily.
"Light relates to primal forces."
A pillar of light shot from Yoon Ji-yeon's hand.
Zombies touching it ignited instantly.
"Think of light not as generated internally, but reflecting sunlight. Your body becomes a mirror—absorb light, infuse with mana, release."
Zzzzt...
Ji-yeon's light pillar effortlessly wiped the zombie horde.
Hundreds fell in seconds.
Yoon Ji-yeon recast the summon.
"Hands-on is best, right? This time, no nerfing your physical level."
Generated Zombies: 300
Time Limit: 00:60:00
"Clear them all in an hour. Ready? Go."
"Got it."
I gathered light internally.
Cupped the blazing sunlight in my hands.
Faint, but I felt it building inside.
"Grr... Kraa!!"
"Grr... Kraa!"
Zombies swarmed toward me.
[Form Change: Bracelet → Sword]
I gripped the sword and charged the horde.
"Ah..."
Food just wouldn't go down.
Zombies tearing my flesh, gnawing bones, gouging eyes...
Felt like I'd become a corpse in a dungeon.
As my spoon faltered, Mitsuda asked worriedly.
"Bro. Something wrong?"
"...Nah."
I pondered his question.
Was training to grow good or bad?
Ugh... just call it good.
Negative thoughts breed more negativity.
I eyed my udon.
Looked like scattered brains.
Forced the noodles down.
"In dungeon tactics, there's no one 'right' answer. Take Kurkas's expedition—they placed ranged DPS upfront..."
Even in class, I didn't stop shaping polygons.
Mental fatigue be damned—training couldn't slack.
-Ding.
Class dismissal bell.
Until now, barely four shapes.
A bit more practice, and maybe.
I shouldered my bag and stood.
Normally straight to training grounds, but today: meeting with Class C and B elites, class reps.
Creak—
Into the hallway.
Academy floors were class-exclusive.
This third floor: all Class C rooms theirs.
Same even after grade-up.
Today's meeting: Class C conference room.
Pre-training huddles happened here.
Already a crowd.
I grabbed an empty seat.
"Training tough?"
"Eh... it's alright."
Yoon Ah-young smiled, placing an energy drink before me.
I nodded thanks.
"Still on concurrent casting?"
"Nah... light magic now."
Popped the tab as I answered.
"Light magic? Perfect timing. Theme's 'Rio'."
"Right? Yeah. Great... haha."
I set the empty can down.
Thinking about it, Ah-young finished mid-grade Mana Manual. She'd cleared this training.
Hand on her shoulder.
"Eek! W-what?"
"...Nothing. You've been through a lot."
I nodded sympathetically.
Flesh ripped by zombies, eyes eaten—not easy.
As I pitied her, she looked baffled.
"Uh, yeah? Light attribute's the easiest in mid-grade Mana Manual...?"
"...?"
What?
"Zombies were kinda scary, but Founder canceled skills if you resisted. Easiest overall, beginner to mid."
"...???"
Hold up, lady.
"Let's start the meeting. I'm Class C rep, Lee Jae-yeol."
So all my deaths were pointless...?
Damn it!
Tricked again.
Creak—
Found an empty lecture hall after ages.
Dungeon training tomorrow.
Time to review the ops plan.
This training: cadet officers and NCO cadets joint op.
Hunter NCO cadets lacked officer-level mana/power but volunteered with zeal.
They'd hounded me to "NCO school" pre-graduation.
Of course, NCO numbers dwarfed officers.
Simple ratio: 1 officer slot, 100 NCOs.
Most Defense Ministry hunters were NCOs.
'Hope there's no friction.'
Every unit runs on seniority over rank.
B-Rank+ hunters avoid it, but C- below clash with NCOs often.
I sat, unrolled the plan.
Scout leader: me.
Scout squad leader: NCO cadet Sergeant Hammerd.
Seven years my senior.
To coexist, study their dossiers.
Lost track of time poring over profiles.
"...Hic... sob..."
Women's crying interrupted ops review.
Turned toward the stacks' center.
Irina Delebayne there, head bowed, sobbing.
'What the...?'
She didn't notice me, kept sniffling.
"Hey. What're you doing here?"
"...Huh? Who?? Who're you?"
Irina wiped her eyes hastily, stood.
Still in uniform—no dorm yet.
"Why crying?"
"...Mind your business."
First face-to-face since Anyang Station.
No clue what happened since.
Irina was Class V.
With that prick Yoon Seo-hyun.
She wiped tears on her sleeve, brushed past.
I grabbed her.
"You. Don't tell me."
Normally I'd let go, but her hair...
Plucked the eggshell fragment off.
"...Why."
Irina seemed far more timid than before.
...She was being bullied.
Never dreamed bullying existed in officer school.
"...Let go..."
"Can't."
Yoon Seo-hyun.
Real vicious stuff.
Irina bit her lip, stifling sobs desperately.
She ranked near bottom here.
Strength rules all.
Weak, useless comrades get discarded like this.
Natural push to quit.
Chaebol heir, stunning looks, fame from outing—plenty to envy.
Pitiful.
Like past-life me.
Endless torment.
Treated like trash, pressured to drop out.
Humanity's shield or not, 18 is 18.
Still a kid.
Slap!
Irina shook off my arm.
As she turned to leave, I grabbed again.
"Need help?"
Genuine offer.
She hung her head, muttered.
"...Why? You're not even my friend."
With that, Irina fled the room.
I stood frozen, powerless.
Then called Jae-yeol.
"Yo. You calling? Must be urgent."
He sounded pleased.
I spoke lowly.
"...Can you make room for one more in class?"
"Huh? Oh, sure—for you, easy."
Hung up.
Dungeon training tomorrow.
Anxiety surged for some reason.