Chapter 722: Week 9–10 Midterms (1)
[Will you use the ‘Challenge Book’?]
[Accept/Decline]
Honestly, I’m already doing a challenge.
Just starting a day late was a huge blow.
And if an additional condition was added on top of that?
Whatever came out, it definitely would not be easy.
Still, I have to do it.
Since it was midterms, the quest rewards were far better than usual.
If I strengthened it with a challenge, they would get even better.
If my completion rate was too low, it might become worse than not receiving it at all, but I still had to try.
So when I selected “Accept,” the quest details updated.
[Sub Quest: Week 9–10 Midterms](In progress....)
▷Condition: Failure upon retiring
▷Goal 1: Achieve A-rank party members (-/2)
▷Goal 2: Defeat competitors (-/20)
▷Goal 3: Seize competitors’ items (-/10)
▷Goal 4: Defeat field bosses (-/2)
▷Note: Rewards will be reduced if completion rate falls below the standard value.
▷Reward: Differential payment according to completion rate
Number one is already a spectacle.
We were already behind, but it wanted us to reach A-rank with not one, but two party members.
That was the kind of level where we would have to pour in almost a truckload of crystals.
But we can’t just farm endlessly either.
Since there were “defeat” and “item seizure” goals, sooner or later, we would have to clash with other participants.
And since rank restrictions were applied through several rules, suppressing opponents would be even more difficult.
And finally, field bosses too.
As anyone could tell just from the word boss, they were the strongest beings in the area.
Defeating them itself was an issue, but the external problems were also huge.
We had to catch them “first,” before the other participants wiped them all out.
And we had to catch them while enduring interference from those same participants.
Put together, this is a total disaster.
To achieve every goal, we would have to start running around like our feet were on fire the moment we entered.
If the others are doing well, that’ll at least make things easier.
The more crystals and item cards Go Hyeonwoo, Han Somi, and Hong Yeonhwa farmed, the less I would have to do afterward.
But as always, I kept my expectations low.
Not because I did not trust them, but because I was not the type to depend on my group.
Right now, they’re only three people, so they’ll be disadvantaged in both PVE and PVP.
Most other parties would be made up of four to six people, and in plenty of cases, even more than that.
With numbers far below that, they were bound to fall behind in everything.
And that had happened because we arrived late.
So I did not hope for much.
Just don’t die, guys.
*****
Around the same time.
Dungeon wing, Great Forest.
Perhaps Kim Ho’s wish had reached them, because Go Hyeonwoo, Han Somi, and Hong Yeonhwa had not become unable to fight.
The problem was that the chance of it happening had grown high.
Han Somi spun 360 degrees in place and looked around.
“Huge crisis!”
Just as she said, they were surrounded by more than a dozen participants.
On one side stood Sagong Uk, a member of the Swordsmanship Club’s dark-blade side, leading his group.
On another side was a Guild Alliance party, including Cha Hyeonju and Eom Jeongtae.
And behind them were two parties made up of members from smaller clubs who did not have much direct connection to them.
Go Hyeonwoo gave an awkward laugh.
“Ha ha, I was well aware that Brother Kim was popular, but I did not know it was to this extent.”
The fact that Kim Ho and Seo Ye-in had gone out on an outside request and had not yet returned had spread by word of mouth, and now everyone knew.
On top of that, the fact that Go Hyeonwoo, Han Somi, and Hong Yeonhwa had formed a party by themselves meant the remaining two would join them later.
Those who inferred that had acted the moment midterms began and started persistently keeping them in check.
Normally, even if they were disadvantaged in numbers, it would have been worth trying, but right now the [Rank Up] and [Fixed Zone] rules were in effect.
There were limits to overcoming it through control too.
So Go Hyeonwoo’s group had no choice but to take the exam very defensively.
Even if they had to give up some crystals or items, they endured and endured.
But now, even that seemed to have become difficult.
Sagong Uk laughed low and sneered.
“This much time has passed, and that bastard hasn’t even shown his nose. Maybe he isn’t coming?”
Hong Yeonhwa answered briefly.
“He’ll come.”
“On what basis?”
“Because he said he would.”
The last time she had exchanged messages with Kim Ho had been right before midterms began, and afterward, due to the dungeon’s nature, contact had been blocked.
But Hong Yeonhwa trusted his words completely.
Cha Hyeonju slowly lifted her bow and took aim.
“Then all the more reason to take you down here before he does.”
If they made Go Hyeonwoo’s group unable to fight, they would be able to reduce the strength of Kim Ho’s entire party in the long run.
Until now, they had only kept them in check, but by this point, they intended to properly take them out and then focus on pulling ahead.
Sagong Uk stared at Hong Yeonhwa with another low laugh.
“And even if that bastard comes, it won’t change much. I’ve already made arrangements.”
“......What did you do?”
“Would I tell you just because you asked? For now, worry about yourselves.”
Then a murmur rose from among the smaller-club parties in the rear, and one party leader stepped forward as their representative.
“We don’t plan to work that hard to keep you in check. You’ll catch up to everyone later anyway.”
“......”
“But we do want good grades. Hand over some cards and we’ll leave.”
Even while pushed onto the defensive, Go Hyeonwoo’s group had obtained crystals and item cards as Kim Ho had instructed.
From the smaller clubs’ perspective, just using those would make the exam much easier.
Since those were items they would drop anyway if they became unable to fight, the proposal was to hand them over now and at least reduce the number of people they had to deal with.
At that, Go Hyeonwoo slowly nodded.
“That is certainly a reasonable point.”
“Right? Let’s compromise.”
“However, unfortunately, I must refuse that offer.”
“No, why?”
When the party leader asked back as if he could not understand, Go Hyeonwoo smiled and answered,
“They are things Brother Kim entrusted to me. I cannot simply trade them away as I please.”
“And if you all get beaten and lose them?”
“That would mean our abilities were lacking, so we would have to accept it. Until then, however, we will do our utmost to defend them.”
“......No matter how I think about it, I don’t get it. You’re going to take that kind of risk over a few cards?”
“Sometimes, one must.”
Watching that, Cha Hyeonju snorted.
“They’re quietly funny too. Hey.”
“......?”
“You seem to be misunderstanding something. You think taking only the cards and leaving will be the end of it?”
“That’s......”
“You’re next. Get lost before you get beaten up for hanging around.”
Insulted to his face, the party leader’s face turned red, then blue.
But his opponent was Cha Hyeonju, one of last year’s prospects.
Eom Jeongtae and the others guarding her side were also fairly high-ranking skill holders.
There was no way he had any chance just because he got a little angry and clashed with them.
So he forced himself to be patient and spoke to his party members.
“......Let’s go.”
And they quickly left the area.
Sagong Uk glanced at them and likewise snorted.
Then he faced Go Hyeonwoo again and said,
“We’ve wasted too much time. Let us begin.”
Both sides began raising their momentum, and a taut tension started to drift through the field.
Right then.
“Why don’t you at least make the numbers even first?”
At the sudden voice, everyone’s heads turned in one direction at once.
Han Somi immediately brightened and shouted,
“Cheonhye! Seulbi!”
Standing there before anyone knew it were the Discipline Committee members.
Hong Yeonhwa let out a sulky complaint for no real reason.
“I never asked you to help.”
“I didn’t come because of you.”
“Then?”
“I was passing by and saw Somi.”
Song Cheonhye answered casually.
But contrary to her words, it was obvious that she and the Discipline Committee members had run here in a hurry.
She sighed inwardly and thought,
I knew this would happen.
Song Cheonhye knew better than anyone that Kim Ho’s karma was enormous.
Because beyond defeating his opponents, he used methods that made them extremely angry.
Just last week during PvP, had he not harassed his opponents with some mark called Concussion whatever?
And the chair and vice chair of the “Kim Ho Victims’ Association” were none other than Cha Hyeonju and Sagong Uk.
Their relationship with each other was not particularly good, but this time, there was a high chance they had formed something like a temporary alliance to keep Go Hyeonwoo, Han Somi, and Hong Yeonhwa in check.
To stop that, Song Cheonhye had used every method she could to track them down and come running.
CRACKLE.
Electricity rose from Song Cheonhye’s body as she added,
“I can’t stand watching this. Chasing them around and keeping them in check when you know they’re disadvantaged.”
“You understand nothing. We keep them in check precisely because they are disadvantaged.”
Would that not make the gap grow even wider? Sagong Uk replied as if it were only natural.
Cha Hyeonju also laughed boldly.
“This actually works out. I was planning to fight you again someday anyway.”
“There seem to be more than one or two people you want to fight again. I suppose that’s because you go around picking fights every day.”
To borrow someone’s expression, like a chihuahua with rabies.
At that, Cha Hyeonju’s forehead twitched for an instant, but perhaps deciding there was no point in snapping back, she closed her mouth again.
Then she nocked an arrow of mana onto her bowstring.
“......”
“......”
For a brief moment, silence and taut tension drifted through the field.
Then both sides charged at each other at once.
*****
The train finally arrived at Dungeon Island.
When we got off at the boarding platform, it was late at night.
But without even having time to stop by the dorm, we headed straight for the dungeon wing.
The wide space where the exam was being held.
Before entry, it should have been packed with students, but now there were only a handful.
They had probably been ejected after becoming unable to fight and were waiting until they could re-enter.
Other than that, the noticeable people were several faculty members.
Lee Sudok was among them, and the moment he saw me, he sent me an intense look.
“You are late.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I warned you repeatedly. There are no makeups.”
“I’ll start now and catch up.”
Seo Ye-in clenched a fist and added one sentence.
“We can do it.”
Lee Sudok’s gaze flashed sharply for an instant.
But even if we were late, if we said we would take the exam, letting us do so was the correct response.
After all, we were the ones taking the loss.
“Have you familiarized yourselves with the rules?”
“Yes, I heard them.”
“Good. Prepare yourselves.”
While Lee Sudok exchanged looks with the other faculty members, we stepped onto a magic circle located to one side.
Soon, the magic circle and the portal in the center lit up at the same time and connected, and a humming resonance grew louder and louder.
And when it reached its peak,
FLASH!
My vision was dyed white, then returned to normal.
What unfolded before my eyes right afterward was a variety of plants, flowers, and trees.
We had entered the Great Forest.
Then notification messages rose one after another and covered one corner of my vision.
[The ranks of skills/traits/equipment will be adjusted.]
▷Wind Force
▷Core
▷Elemental Resistance
.......
The [Rank Up] rule had applied, fixing everything at F-rank across the board.
Seo Ye-in should have been in the same state.
In any case, I took a step forward and said,
“Let’s go immediately.”
“Departure.”
The top priority was joining up with our party members.
Once the five of us gathered, farming, catching monsters, and everything else would become much easier.
The problem was that we had no idea where they were in this massive Great Forest.
And even if we did know, there was no guarantee we could safely move there.
So the best method we could take right now was...
Item cards.
I intended to secure ones that would help us regroup.
So we began moving toward our first destination, the place with the highest probability.
But before we had gone far, a familiar voice came from a short distance away.
“It was worth waiting.”
“Indeed.”
Standing there were Kang Huichan and several others.
Their eyes were filled with murderous intent as they looked at us.