Chapter 91. Real Combat Monster Training
"A-Young, I'll get going now."
Thankfully, Baek A-Young seemed to understand my situation and didn't give me those sex-hungry looks anymore.
After finishing with just a cleaning blowjob, I settled lunch with a quick bento box.
"Mm... I-If your sex drive suddenly spikes, you can come find me..."
"Yeah. Thanks. I feel refreshed now."
"O-Okay."
She didn't even try to act anymore and just said it outright like that.
But once we start fucking, she demands threats again, so I don't even know how to deal with her.
I stepped out of the infirmary and checked the time: 12:50 PM.
I had to be at the testing ground by 1, so I had exactly 10 minutes left.
It wasn't late even if I walked, so I took my time to help digestion.
"Ah, right. I should contact Surin noona."
I ate lunch, so time to get to business.
- Me: Surin noona, sorry to bother you when you must be busy. There are a lot of fakers in the infirmary. We need a solid punishment plan.
The reply came right away.
- Surin noona: Got it. I'll bring it up with the Chairman.
- Me: Yep. Thank you! Take care!
That was the last reply, probably because Moon Surin was super busy.
She had so much work, after all, so it's understandable.
Of course, I was partly to blame for that extra workload, but I couldn't let Baek A-Young become a spectacle.
I'll have to go eat with Moon Surin again sometime. That Korean restaurant was so good. smack
When I arrived at the testing ground, I looked around.
Multiple large dueling arenas had been prepared, and the A-Class students were gathered in a corner.
I walked over and joined the group.
"We've done this training before, so I won't explain in detail. Step onto the measurement magic circle in order, get your combat power measured, then enter the dueling arena. That's all."
Professor Kim Jinhyuk explained the test and then entered another dueling arena.
Seems he's also acting as a referee for another class.
To prevent any bias, professors from other classes act as referees instead of a student's own class professor.
I mean, there's the Mana Oath anyway, so it shouldn't matter, but better safe than sorry.
A-Class students lined up in front of the measurement magic circle, waiting for their turn.
Since the entire first-year class was here, the measurements took a while.
I found Lucy and Lumi and stuck right behind them.
"Hoyeon... what did you have for lunch?"
"Hm? Just... I grabbed something quick at the student cafeteria."
"We ate at the cafeteria too, but we didn't see you."
"...Uh, I was eating alone in a corner, hiding."
If you were going to the cafeteria, you could've brought me too.
Not that I regret spending time with Baek A-Young. It felt good.
The cadets in front of us stepped onto the magic circle one by one.
"Wonder what score I'll get this time. Think I can break into tier 8?"
"You hit tier 7 last time... you might reach tier 8 this time, Lucy."
"I think so too. Lucy, you've gotten super strong."
"Really? Hehe."
Lucy twisted her blue hair, looking pleased with the praise.
In games, major characters tend to get insanely strong as the story progresses.
Lucy's the same. She'll probably break into tier 8 easily.
Last time, I was evaluated as tier 5 and cleared up to tier 7.
Now, I've gotten way stronger than I was back then. How far can I go this time?
"I'm going first!"
Lucy quickly hopped onto the measurement magic circle.
Soon, the number 8 appeared above her head.
"Yay! Tier 8!"
"Congrats, Lucy...!"
Lucy jumped with joy on the magic circle, and Lumi whispered a quiet congrats, too shy to shout it out loud.
"Pff."
"W-Why are you laughing...!"
"Just say it loud, why whisper it."
"Uuuugh..."
Teasing the embarrassed Lumi, I stepped up onto the measurement circle.
"Please state your name... Ah, Cadet Lee Hoyeon. Please place your hand on the orb."
"Yep."
Even though it was a professor I hadn't seen before, they recognized me, which felt kinda strange.
I placed my hand on the blue orb in the center of the magic circle.
Vwooom—
The mana from the artifact scanned my body several times, then returned to the device.
[Combat power measurement in progress. Please wait a moment.]
Last time, I got tier 5. What will it be this time?
Soon, the number 8 appeared above my head.
"A-Class, Lee Hoyeon. Score: 8. Oh, up three tiers from last time? You really are a rising star."
"Right? Thanks."
Last time, they questioned if I even belonged in A-Class. Now I'm getting compliments—it feels good.
"Whoa, Lee Hoyeon jumped three tiers since last time. That's insane."
"His progress is crazy fast... but isn't tier 8 kind of mid? I'm tier 8 too."
"Nam Daeun is tier 10, so shouldn't Lee Hoyeon be around that level too? Two tiers is a huge gap..."
Other cadets who had already finished measuring started paying attention to my result.
Tier 8 was slightly above average.
But the expectations on me had already surpassed just a tier 8.
After all, I killed an ogre, and the public magic footage spread too. People already saw me as beyond cadet level.
The reason it only came out as tier 8 is because the measurement circle doesn't recognize my special traits.
My [Combat Sense] and [Mana Sensitivity] make up most of my combat power, and without those, the number comes out lower.
Last time, I got tier 5 but cleared up to tier 7.
Now I'm measured at tier 8, so aiming for tier 10 is worth a shot.
*
'Flame Chains'
Clang—!
Screeeeech!
Dozens of flame chains burst from the ground and bound the last of the Moonlight Moths.
"Ugh, these damn moth bastards."
Watching moths the size of a human palm swarm was grotesque as hell.
I finally managed to bind them all—there were dozens at the start.
They flew above my head, scattering some kind of paralyzing dust, and I barely blocked it with a rune barrier around my body.
I channeled mana into the flame chains binding the moths, intensifying the heat.
The burning flames turned the moths to ash, and once the paralyzing dust surrounding my barrier vanished, I deactivated the barrier.
"Whew..."
[The test has ended.]
The mana barrier surrounding the dueling arena lifted, and I could hear sounds from outside again.
"Nice one, Lee Hoyeon!!!! You got this!!!"
"Hoyeon... you can do it...!"
I smiled at Lucy and Lumi, who were cheering from the front row.
Lucy cleared up to tier 8, and Lumi reached tier 7.
For reference, the moths just now were tier 9.
In the real combat monster training, with the professor's permission, you could challenge up to two tiers above your combat power.
"Professor. I'd like to challenge tier 10."
"Cadet Lee Hoyeon, requesting tier 10 challenge. Approved."
"I'll go right away without a break."
Despite the name 'Moonlight Moth' sounding weak, my heart was pounding fast thanks to [Combat Sense].
The combo of paralysis dust, which could paralyze you with even a little inhalation, and their charging speed backed by tough bodies was nastier than expected.
I wanted to keep fighting while maintaining this state of heightened combat sense.
[Summoning suitable opponent. Tier 10. Nightmare of the Hamel Dungeon appears.]
From the other side of the dueling arena, mana began to stir violently.
- Grumble grumble—
With a bizarre sound, a mass of darkness began to fill the far side of the arena.
"What shitty luck. Why does it have to be a Nightmare."
"What's a Nightmare? I've never heard of it."
"You don't know the Nightmare of the Hamel Dungeon? Half the Hamel raid team went brain-dead because of just that one thing."
"Seriously, who thought it was a good idea to put that thing in the curriculum?"
From outside the dueling arena, I heard cadets speaking as if they knew what that creature was.
I remembered reading about it in a paper.
Half of the raid team that attempted Hamel Dungeon ended up in a frenzy, killing each other because of the boss monster Nightmare.
It was a raid team that had no casualties and worked harmoniously throughout the dungeon, only to be shattered by a single mental attack from the boss.
Its physical strength is trash, but all of its stats are dumped into mental attacks.
"Cadet Lee Hoyeon. The Nightmare of Hamel Dungeon may cause lingering mental damage even after the test ends. Do you still want to proceed?"
If the supervising professor is giving a direct warning like that, it must be seriously dangerous.
"No chance to change now?"
"None."
"...I accept the challenge."
If you're that scared of mental damage, you shouldn't have put the damn thing in the first place... What a baffling place.
Either way, I planned to go through with it.
thump thump
My surging [Combat Sense] was speaking to me.
That abomination won't be a problem.
[The test begins.]
As the arena was sealed in mana and cut off from the outside, the jet-black darkness on the far end surged toward me, bringing with it a primal fear.
- Kreeek kreeek kreeek kreeek kreeeek!
- Kuhehehe? Kuhehehe?
- Grgrgrr? Grgrrrrrk!
- Help me! Save me! You, over there—save me!
Horrific sounds and the screams of people assaulted my ears, making my skin crawl.
And standing before me was a scarecrow.
Its body was thin, but its hands and feet were shaped like bird claws, and the cloth covering its face was stained with blood.
It swung a rusty sickle in one hand, flailing its arms about, and its grotesque form made me reflexively use magic.
'Flame Burst.'
Screeeeech—!
The scarecrow flailed around before turning to ash.
"Definitely creepy."
'Nightmares' show you all kinds of horror.
It might be a painful past, the death of someone close, or a lover's betrayal.
That scarecrow was definitely not the end.
Its grotesque appearance pissed me off—it was a shitty start to the fight.
"...Hoo."
I took a deep breath, preparing for the mental attack to come.
After all, mental attacks are still made of mana.
I should be able to counter them with [Mana Sensitivity].
Not sure if I can block it completely, so I'd better prepare a rune barrier just in case.
I drew up mana to create the barrier.
Just then, my [Combat Sense] suddenly vanished.
Thump.
"...!"
Is it messing with even my senses now?
Just how powerful is this Nightmare monster...!
[The test has ended.]
"Huh?"
At my dumbfounded voice, the surrounding darkness vanished, and I was met with the stares of everyone watching.
"C-Cadet Lee Hoyeon. Tier 10 cleared."
The stopwatch in the dueling arena pointed to 9 seconds.
"N-Nine seconds?! That guy's insane!"
"It's a new record. Clearing tier 10 in 9 seconds? That's an academy record!"
"Did you get it on video? Yo! Let's get this on Everday's trending page today!"
"How strong does your mind have to be to beat a Nightmare..."
Cadets and professors were all staring at me, excitedly chattering.
I realized what was happening after hearing one professor's words.
'[Steadfast Willpower]...!'
That's the only explanation.
One of the special perks I received when I came to this world: [Steadfast Willpower].
[Steadfast Willpower] grants... immunity to mental attacks.
*
Slash!
Nam Daeun cut down the tier 10 Cyclops all by herself.
The Cyclops, unable to endure the numerous slashes carved into its belly, finally closed its one and only eye.
Thud!
The ground shook as the Cyclops collapsed.
Nam Daeun calmly sheathed her sword.
"Cadet Nam Daeun. Congratulations. You've cleared tier 10."
"...Thank you."
Nam Daeun, unable to ignore the professor's words, gave a short thanks and stepped down from the arena.
Her record was 30 seconds.
She had deliberately delayed the fight, so there wouldn't be any suspicion.
'First place in the real combat monster training is guaranteed now.'
All that's left is the 1v1 duel.
Once the test is over, some of the pressure will probably lift.
Just as she was about to leave the arena, Nam Daeun stopped upon hearing the cadets' chatter.
"Dude, no way! Lee Hoyeon cleared tier 10 in 9 seconds!"
"What? Let's go check it out!"
'Nine seconds...?'
Tier 10 wasn't even meant to be cleared.
Just look at the fact that a Cyclops from a boss monster hunt shows up at tier 10.
It's a difficulty that no cadet is supposed to be able to handle.
But 9 seconds?
'I can't believe it until I see it myself.'
Nam Daeun ran toward Lee Hoyeon's arena.