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Dungeon Practice (2)

Baek Ahyeong spotted me and came over with a playful grin.

"Ta-da! Surprise! It\'s a surprise~"

She said it with that adorable, beaming smile of hers. Her charm wasn\'t the kind that seduced you like a femme fatale, but rather the kind that made you want to shield and care for her.

"Wha… H-How?! Though it feels a bit strange running into you here."

"It does feel different from when we meet outside, right? How do I look? I\'m an adult after all."

She seemed thrilled to show off her more grown-up side. It only made me want to protect her even more!

As association hunters, they were required to wear sleek suits provided by the association. Unlike regular suits, these were designed for flexibility and enchanted with various enhancements.

Even in her office-girl suit, the desire to protect her never waned. It was truly one of her talents.

"Indeed… Seeing you in that suit, you exude such a mature aura. Back when we first met at the orphanage, it wouldn\'t have been strange for me to call you \'Noona,\' but now I\'m not so sure."

But despite that, I decided to go with the flow, knowing she appreciated being treated as an adult.

"Aww, come on, just keep treating me the way you have been. It\'s easier for both of us that way."

On the left side of her chest, the association\'s mark proudly displayed a vibrant yellow yeouiju—a Korean dragon.

The color of the dragon clutching the orb revealed the individual\'s rank within the association hierarchy—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Yellow indicated the third position. To simplify, red signified the president, while orange denoted the executives beneath the president.

In corporate terms, it\'s like the chairman of a major company being red, and the executives falling under orange. Knowing that Baek Ahyeong held the yellow rank gave me a sense of her standing within the association.

Her rare healing magic attribute, coupled with her remarkable skills, garnered immense respect. It was rumored that as long as a person was still breathing, she could work wonders and save lives.

"Alright. Oh, I visited the orphanage over the weekend, and they mentioned that you had been there. Will you be going there again this weekend?"

"Oh, I probably won\'t be able to go for a while. I have to participate in a mandatory dungeon raid as a helper."

"I see…"

Just like being assigned to the academy, she often went as a helper to other guilds.

"Hoyeon, this is your first dungeon practice, right? After the third practice, there\'ll be an exam, so you\'ll get to experience three times."

She had a bright and cheerful smile. No one would have guessed that someone like her had such perverse thoughts.

"Yes, please take care of me during the upcoming practices. I\'ll probably see you a lot since I\'m not that strong."

"Hoyeon, if you keep getting hurt and come to me too often, you might end up on my blacklist, hehe."

As I took in her words, I thought to myself… Ahyeong, next time during class, there\'s going to be a dungeon rampage, so there won\'t be as many opportunities to meet. However, that will also be the perfect moment to capture you, Baek Ahyeong.

The 1st and 10th teams entered the first dungeon. I was in the 13th team, so we were the second team to go in. Our team members gathered together to watch the preceding teams.

However, Nam Daeun and the guy were nowhere to be found, so Lumi and I decided to have our own little spectacle. The hologram screen projected the movements of the first team.

"Whoa, that\'s incredible. Hoyeon, those invisible eyes following each participant are really something."

"Yeah, I wonder if they\'ll follow us too when we go in."

"I guess so, right?"

It\'s said that it\'s some kind of artifact used by mages, but I don\'t know the exact details.

Lumi came closer to me, giving off a hint that she felt more comfortable when we were alone.

"Look at the 7th team, they really stand out."

"Well, it\'s because Alice is there."

Ten teams were dropped into the same dungeon, starting from different locations but with only one exit. However, the positions were carefully chosen, making finding the exit equally challenging for everyone.

The 7th team, led by Alice, was showing off an incredible speed of progress.

She ran swiftly, swinging her sword horizontally.

Slash!

The goblins, serving as dungeon trash mobs, were easily sliced and taken down. Their blood sprayed as their bodies fell apart, putting an end to their pitiful existence.

Swoosh!

The spot where Alice\'s sword passed burst into flames, leaving the goblin\'s flesh smoldering.

"Whoa, that\'s the first time I\'ve seen it so clearly. She really is the famous swordmage."

"…Yeah."

Swordmage… ugh, it\'s so cringe-worthy and such a disgusting class for her.

In the game, depending on whether the protagonist becomes a mage or a swordsman, Alice\'s prominence leans towards one path.

If the protagonist focuses on magic, Alice becomes and is referred to as a battlemage, which sounds cool. But this is reality, so that doesn\'t happen.

Even though I\'m a mage and the protagonist now, Alice is a swordmage. Oh well, I think battlemage has a better ring to it. It\'s a shame.

It\'s true that the right term to describe Alice is swordmage. If she uses both magic and swordsmanship, she\'s a swordmage. Simple as that.

Swordmages typically end up being ambiguous hunters who can\'t excel in either class. In the beginning, it might be fine, but later on, they end up stuck in the middle, unable to fully maximize either path.

But Alice is different. She possesses the talent in both swordsmanship and magic. Even if she had only one of those talents, she would be hailed as a genius of the century, but she was born with both, a selfish genetic anomaly.

Currently, she combines magic with her sword, infusing magic into her physical strikes, which may seem inefficient but amplifies the destructive power upon impact.

In the future, as she continues to grow, she\'ll demonstrate a balance-breaking performance of wielding a sword while unleashing a barrage of magic from her shadowless spear.

"So cool…"

"What\'s up?"

"Huh? Oh, it\'s nothing."

The 7th team was overwhelming. Their speed was so impressive that it seemed like they wouldn\'t even encounter other teams and would easily escape.

The 8th team, led by Lucy, wasn\'t bad either. She continuously dealt damage and provided support from the rear with her fire arrows.

The 7th team was way ahead, and the 8th team was also leading compared to the other teams.

"But hey, Lucy is in second place."

"Lucy\'s team has a good atmosphere. Ever since we were kids, any place with Lucy has always been filled with harmony. Not for me, though. Hehe…"

"Lumi, people just don\'t realize your charm. I like being around someone like you more."

During our conversation, she seemed to be self-reflecting, so I responded with a compliment.

"Oh, me too! I really like you too, Hoyeon."

"Hmm?"

"Uh, umm.. No, it\'s nothing!"

Suddenly, Lumi blurted out a confession that wasn\'t really a confession, playing with her hair tied up with a red ribbon.

I\'m not sure how to express it, but Lumi has a charm that makes me want to take care of her in a different way than Baek Ahyeong.

★ Heroine Status Screen

[Lumi]

[Affection: 66]

[Lust: 60]

[Appetite: 10]

[Fatigue: 25]

After drinking together, both her affection and lust grew noticeably stronger. I never expected Lumi to be the first heroine to make such strides—I had always assumed it would be Moon Soorin.

With an affection level of 66, she should be receptive to my confession since she likes me that much, but I don\'t see any progress. Last time, we went drinking, and when I woke up, we were in a motel, so it\'s a bit awkward for me to suggest drinking again.

I never imagined that the reserved Lumi would make the first move in confessing her feelings.

"Oh! The 7th team has already completed the run."

I heard Lumi say as I looked at the screen, and it showed that Alice\'s team had finished.

Alice was calmly adjusting her disheveled clothes while receiving a medical check, and the other team members had expressions like, "It\'s great to be the bus passenger, but I hope our score turns out well…"

Soon after, Lucy\'s 8th team also finished their run, and the other teams started to finish one by one.

The guy, Lee Byunghoon, also made his way to our team\'s spot.

"Where\'s Nam Daeun? We should start preparing soon."

"I\'ll go and look for her."

"Hmm, I didn\'t see her when I was walking around. Maybe she\'s resting in some corner?"

Following Lee Byunghoon\'s advice, I left the student waiting area and walked around in search of a place with no people. Then I heard Nam Daeun\'s voice from behind the corner.

"Don\'t worry. Have you ever seen me lose? I\'ll be first place again today. I should go now, let\'s talk later."

"That\'s right! Big sis, I love you!"

"…Yeah. I love you too."

A tender voice came from Nam Daeun, a side of her that I rarely saw. It contained a warmth reserved for someone truly precious.

I subtly peeked my face out from the corner, showing only half of it.

Nam Daeun was tearfully looking at the hologram, and in front of her eyes, there was the face of a young girl. Every time the girl opened her mouth, Nam Daeun would smile.

Even when she had a blank expression, there was a sculptural charm to Nam Daeun, but she radiated even more when she smiled.

"…."

That young girl is Nam Daeun\'s younger sister.

★ Heroine Status Screen

[Nam Daeun]

[Affection: 11]

[Lust: 10]

[Appetite: 30]

[Fatigue: 83]

Her abnormally high fatigue level seems to be a plea for understanding of how difficult her situation was.

I quietly retraced my steps, making sure I wasn\'t caught peeking.

My head started to ache as I wondered how I should approach and capture Nam Daeun.

I returned to my seat. Lumi and Lee Byunghoon asked where Nam Daeun was, but I answered that I couldn\'t find her.

Soon after, Nam Daeun arrived. While others didn\'t pay much attention, I could see a slight moisture in her eyes.

After the completion of the first teams and before the second teams went in, we were given a break.

In front of me, I saw the students from the first teams who had returned from their dungeon training.

The injured ones were heading towards Baek Ahyeong. With only four members per team and a total of ten teams, Baek Ahyeong was able to handle the injured students on her own.

"It\'s okay. Take it slow, close your eyes, and take deep breaths. It\'ll be over soon."

"Ugh, huff, huff, huff…"

Some of the students had severe wounds.

It truly was a dungeon "practice" training. While the monitoring eyes keep a close watch to ensure that the students didn\'t end up in the worst situations, accidents could still happen.

"Teams 11 to 20, get ready quickly!"

"We should start preparing soon."

"Ready!"

"Okay."

"…."

The students belonging to teams 11 to 20 went to find their respective professors.

Our team\'s professor was Professor Kim Jinhyuk, the homeroom teacher for Class A. He guided us to the underground area of the building.

"Refrain from talking. We\'ll arrive soon, so don\'t worry."

Before long, he opened a door in the underground space, and there was a portal with magic circles drawn on it.

From this point on, I was familiar with the setting. Going through the teleportation portal prepared by the academy led us to the dungeon managed for the exam.

"This portal will take you to the coordinates assigned to your team. Just step in."

Honestly, I was a bit nervous, glancing around. I noticed that Lumi was feeling the same way.

"You\'ll know once you\'re in, but it\'s up to you to figure out where you are and how to get out. No information will be provided in advance."

They didn\'t tell us anything about the dungeon\'s characteristics, the monsters present, or how to escape. Figuring out those things was part of the evaluation, testing our ability to gather information and make judgments.

After the final guidance, Professor Kim stepped back from the portal.

Nam Daeun entered the portal without any hesitation, and Lee Byunghoon followed suit.

"We should go quickly too, Lumi."

"Yes, yes. I\'m feeling a bit nervous."

Carefully, Lumi and I stepped into the portal.

As a bright light engulfed us and a fleeting dizziness subsided, I opened my eyes to discover that I was in an entirely different space.

The air was thick with mana, and the ground beneath my feet felt damp and earthy. Water droplets fell from the ceiling, painting a cave-like dungeon before me.

Nam Daeun and Lee Byunghoon had already arrived and were surveying the surroundings.

If a cave-like dungeon appeared in practice training like this, finding the way itself would be relatively easy. Simply moving forward would eventually lead to an exit. However, that approach would result in a terrible score.

I knew it was time for me to step up as the team\'s leader since no one else seemed to be taking charge.

"Alright, let\'s move forward for now. To explore the exit…"

Swoosh!

Before I could finish my sentence, I heard a bursting sound as Nam Daeun rushed forward.

"…."

"Hey! Let\'s catch up quickly!"

Lee Byunghoon also followed after her.

"Hoyeon, let\'s go!"

"Oh, yeah. Let\'s go."

It\'s strange. Wasn\'t I the leader of the team?

"Damn, she\'s insanely fast! I can\'t believe it!"

The three of us struggled to keep pace with Nam Daeun. Even when monsters popped up, she didn\'t break a sweat and just kept zooming ahead.

Crack!

Warmbats, those cave-dwelling critters, usually hung out in groups of ten or more. They\'d flutter their massive wings, trying to scare the crap out of their enemies before going in for a swift strike with their deadly wings.

Normally, it\'d take around fifteen of these pests to keep five hunters busy for a good five minutes. They weren\'t tough opponents, but their speed could be a real pain in the butt. But with Nam Daeun leading the charge, we had no worries.

After a quick pause, she whipped out her sword.

Swish! Swish!

In a flash, she vanished from sight, only to reappear right where she started, sword poised and ready.

Thud.

And just like that, the warmbats dropped lifelessly to the ground, ruthlessly done in by her.

"That\'s Nam Daeun\'s acceleration…" Lumi murmured, sounding like her soul had temporarily vacated her body.

Hold up, I didn\'t see anything. Is this even real?

Nam Daeun nonchalantly wiped the blood off her sword, sheathed it at her hip, and kept on running without skipping a beat.

She\'s ridiculously overpowered!

But there\'s no time to whine about it. I quickly followed her lead. After about five minutes of sprinting, a few concerns started creeping in.

"Well, this feels like the smoothest bus ride ever."

The occasional monsters that dared show up were swiftly taken care of by Nam Daeun, and the path ahead stretched out like a straight line.

This wasn\'t just any ordinary bus ride; it was Nam Daeun\'s express service. Impressive, indeed. But…

"Yeah, but…"

"Hey, at this rate, we won\'t score anything!"

Lee Byunghoon had a point. Continuing like this would result in a big fat zero for our score.

Earlier, I\'d poked fun at Alice\'s team members, and it seemed like I\'m turning into one of them.

If Nam Daeun kept tearing through the dungeon like this, our teamwork score would go down the drain, even if she aimed for a perfect score in other aspects.

"Sigh, let\'s at least catch up to her quickly."

"Yes, got it!"

Luckily, Nam Daeun had come to a stop in a clearing. We quickly caught up and joined her, where ten different paths stretched out in front of us.

Nam Daeun seemed to be contemplating which path to take for a quick finish. Gathering her magical power once again, she planned to rely on luck and choose any opening.

Before she could proceed, I quickly spoke up, "I think I know which way we should go."

Nam Daeun glanced at me, her head slightly turned.

Finally, it\'s time for the bus passenger to speak up.