CH 51

Chapter 51 — Dungeon Practicum (1)

<Right after the endurance test>

JaeHyun immediately received permission from Instructor Kim Seok-Gi to use the AR room. This was because he needed to check his current skill level and prepare for his next move.

As a result, up until a few moments ago, he had been in the AR combat system room by himself trying to see the highest stage he could reach.

It was in Stage 27 that he felt he had reached his current limit. It was a difficulty level that a 6-member party of C-rank raiders could normally clear with effort.

One could say that at least in the academy, there was no one who could be JaeHyun’s opponent.

“This is a good start. To think I got 1st place in the Freshmen Hunt and the endurance test…”

First place even among the freshmen cadets in the elite academy, Millaes.

He had truly achieved overwhelming results.

JaeHyun rotated his shoulder to get rid of the kinks there with a satisfied expression. If he didn’t do some cooldown exercises right after combat, his muscles would be screaming the next day.

Although raiders B-rank and above didn’t need to take care of such cumbersome things by themselves since their guilds would assign them a physician, JaeHyun was only a D-rank Warrior in the past.

Getting treatment from a physician was something he couldn’t even dream about. As a result, JaeHyun had learned how to cool down his muscles by himself.

<Around 30 minutes later>

After he was done, JaeHyun changed and left the AR Combat system room. He could have used the shower facility present, but he figured he’d use the better bathroom in his hotel once he got back.

Bzzt.

Together with the sound of the door opening, a cold gust of wind rushed toward his body soaked in sweat. JaeHyun crouched for a moment and shivered.

“I should make a dash for it. I might catch a cold like this.”

JaeHyun power-walked to the hotel he was staying at.

Passing the clean streets of the park which had evergreen trees growing on each side, he went to the shop selling equipment for a moment. He planned to use the points he got from Instructor Kim Seok-Gi to buy a few items he would need going forward.

‘There’s not much time left until the next event. I have to prepare ahead.’

JaeHyun entered the shop, and his expression quickly turned serious as he bit his lip.

Soon, a very tragic event that cadets could never have imagined would begin.

JaeHyun started to buy a few simple tools he could use in dungeons.

A Mana Shield in case of unexpected variables and a Mana Blade to finish off monsters. And a few items that could increase his mana capacity. 

He didn’t buy any potions since he’d already asked JaeSang to make some for him.

JaeHyun looked around the shop a few more times before heading to the register. After paying for everything, he came out of the shop and thought about the ringleader of the coming incident.

‘Gu Ja-In… that disgusting bastard. One day, I’ll deal with him personally.’

Millaes Academy and Gu Ja-In had always been like this.

They acted as if they were providing the cadets with security when they were in fact hiding a trap inside—since it was possible for unexpected talent to emerge that way.

But it was the wrong method for it. 

Before regression, several innocent cadets had died in this event.

Just because they wanted to find a few more talents.

‘I have to survive.’

JaeHyun increased his resolve. Several events where one’s life was put in danger would occur in Millaes Academy in the coming days.

And in 3 days, the first life-or-death situation JaeHyun would experience after coming back in time would occur—

The Dungeon Practicum Incident.

***

Reaper Scans

Translator - Rainypup

Proofreader - Lyze

***

The Dungeon Practicum Incident.

One of the disgraceful and tragic incidents at Millaes Academy. A terrible event where numerous cadets lost their lives.

In the past, JaeHyun left behind 3 teammates in this event.

He had ignored their call for help in such a desperate situation and ran out, simply to survive.

In the end, being the only member of his team still alive, all the cadets blamed him for the others’ deaths.

They told him it would have been better if he had died with the rest of his team. That it was despicable how he could act so normal when he had left the others to die.

But even as everyone cursed him, JaeHyun couldn’t quit the academy.

He hadn’t wanted to disappoint his mother, who believed in him, and the people around him.

So he gritted his teeth through everything and held on. Of course, the result was just the life of a D-rank raider crawling at the bottom of the barrel.

Recalling the tragedies that had happened, JaeHyun pursed his lips in a tight line.

Was it possible to change his future this time?

He was a raider more used to running away and had always been called pathetic. Just before returning to the past, he was a useless existence who could only hold a buckler and act as a meat shield—

Like a single-use item. 

He had lived to be much like an expendable battery that could be replaced at any moment.

‘I have no plans of reliving the same life.’

JaeHyun strengthened his resolve once more—

—to live this life differently from the last one.

There was no way he would run away twice.

***

JaeHyun, who had gone to the equipment shop, stood in front of his hotel lobby soon after.

“Hey! Min JaeHyun! Why are you so late?”

In the lobby were YooJung, smiling brightly, and Ina, who was slightly more cynical. It seemed they had just finished renting a room.

“Why, what’s wrong?”

“What other problem could there be? We have to prepare.”

JaeHyun was about to ask what she meant, but Ina explained first.

“…We met to discuss how to go about the Dungeon Practicum.”

“Hey! I sent you a text a while ago! Pull yourself together!”

“But why did you guys gather like this here without even asking me? Do you plan to kidnap me or something?”

“When have I ever asked you before doing something?”

“…Never. But I don’t think that’s something to be proud of.”

YooJung looked very nonchalant. JaeHyun sighed and decided to follow along with their plan.

Moreover, he was feeling pretty good today after having finished the endurance test with great results.

“It works out well. I had some things to give you guys.”

“Huh? Food? Did you buy Haagen Daz?”

“No, damn it. Do you only think about food?”

He couldn’t believe it. In 3 days, they would be going through a life-threatening event. In the face of such a situation, she was calmly looking for ice cream.

“Let’s go in first.”

“Then, let’s go to my room! I just rented it today, but the view’s to die for.”

“…I’m okay with that.”

The three of them cordially headed to YooJung’s room.

The place was already filled with snacks and drinks. As expected of YooJung, it seemed she had filled the fridge first.

The three spent more time talking about pointless things than the Dungeon Practicum, before going their separate ways at around 10pm.

***

“…And so, all monsters have something referred to as an attribute. If you want to hunt a monster, using spells or weapons with an attribute that wins against theirs is safer. As such, when you create a party, it is best to have members with a variety of attributes.”

The classes over the past two days were mostly about things they already knew.

They learned about stuff they’d already studied in middle school and the common factors between Warriors and Magicians.

As a result, JaeHyun could understand what was taught in class even without concentrating. The things he had learned before returning to the past were a big help.

‘I studied a lot since I couldn’t cope physically… Now that I think about it, I was pretty desperate.’

In the past, JaeHyun’s physique was A-rank or S-rank, but he couldn’t even reach C-rank. As such, if he wanted to survive, JaeHyun could only analyze the precise weaknesses of monsters and their attack patterns.

Since his physical skills were worse than the others, he had to move one step ahead somehow else.

And so, JaeHyun was knowledgeable on most theoretical stuff. The only problem was Magical knowledge, but he had learned in 1-on-1 tutoring sessions with YooJung for that, so he would be able to pass the first year without much difficulty.

JaeHyun spun a pen and smiled slightly.

‘Alright. If I just continue like this, I can grow stronger smoothly.’

JaeHyun’s first goal was becoming stronger than his father, Min Seong-Oh, who was an A-rank raider.

The second was protecting himself and his mother while also reaching a higher living standard than in his pitiful past life.

The last was discovering the truth behind his regression.

To make all of these come true, he would probably need strength at the level of an S-rank raider or higher. JaeHyun had to keep moving forward without stopping.

Raiders stopped growing when they reached 20 years of age. If he didn’t squeeze out every drop of potential right now and grow stronger, he wouldn’t be able to change anything afterwards.

However—

‘I shouldn’t be in too much of a hurry, and instead, take care of things one step at a time.’

JaeHyun stopped spinning his pen and turned to the whiteboard.

He decided that instead of major goals he couldn’t reach just yet, he would complete short-term ones that were realistically attainable, one at a time.

<A moment later>

Riiingg~

As soon as the bell announced the end of class, the cadets started to stand up and leave the room.

JaeHyun waited for a moment and slowly walked out once the crowd had already left.

YooJung and Ina quickly stuck to his side. It wasn’t just Ina but also YooJung that didn’t feel very comfortable around strangers.

“Hey! Wait for us!”

When YooJung stuck to his side, JaeHyun seemed to be used to it as he sighed.

YooJung wasn’t one to get along with those she didn’t know well on most days, since she was shy and had no sense of direction, so JaeHyun was pretty used to taking care of her.

“Hey, what should we do about tomorrow? It’s the Dungeon Practicum. We won’t get hurt, will we?”

As YooJung asked worriedly, Ina nodded in agreement.

“…I also couldn’t sleep well last night. If I can’t sleep well tonight either, it might cause problems tomorrow…”

“It’s like that for everyone when they go into a dungeon for the first time.”

JaeHyun said indifferently.

“What, then are you saying this isn’t your first time? Did you go in one for a walk a few times?”

YooJung rebuked with a chuckle and JaeHyun smiled in disbelief.

“I don’t know about dungeons, but I have seen monsters a few times. There’s one in front of me right now.”

“…You’re talking about me, aren’t you?”

“Pretty quick on the uptake, huh. You probably won’t be killed by the monsters in a dungeon.”

“This guy!”

Although Ina was watching the two bicker with a smile, she wasn’t feeling very joyous.

She felt like something was poking her heart. 

Was it because of the Dungeon Practicum tomorrow? 

She looked back and forth between YooJung and JaeHyun. The two were smiling brightly.

She suddenly had a thought. Was it okay for her to be here?

Meanwhile, Jaehyun thought about what would happen tomorrow even as he was talking to the girls.

The Dungeon Practicum. 

He had to survive in the event and become stronger.

‘Last time, I survived because I was lucky. This time, I will survive with my skills.’

JaeHyun clenched his fist while strengthening his resolve.

Finally, the first Millaes tragedy was at hand.

***

[Personal Profile]

Name: Min JaeHyun

Age: 17

Level: 29

[Skills]

Passive: ‘One Watched by the Gods’ MAX, ‘Absolute Eye of God’ MAX, ‘Trained Swordsmanship’ MAX, ‘Quick Step’ MAX, ‘Flexible Body Movement’ MAX, ‘Emergency First-Aid’ MAX

Active: ‘Universal Derivation, ‘Lightning Chain’, 'Sacrifice (Light’s Judgment)', ‘Flash Bomb’, ‘Magic Arrow’, ‘Blaster’, ‘Flash’, ‘Magic Guard’, ‘Mana Weapon’, ‘Indoctrinate’…

[Stats]

HP: 1450/1450

MP: 3300/3300

STRENGTH: 32

DEXTERITY: 42(+5)

MAGIC: 114(+35)

ENDURANCE: 64

*The user is blessed by a god who is against the Aesir.

____