There were limits to rescuing everyone trapped in the library.
The people participating in the operation were nowhere near enough.
Knowing that, Do Sieun had contacted the representatives of the major factions in advance and borrowed their strength.
As those who spoke for the consensus of each faction, they followed her will for the shared purpose of resolving the crisis that had befallen the Academy.
“Send in the next group! There may still be thorny vines inside, so be careful!”
“Stand to the right so we can transport the injured smoothly!”
“What’s wrong with this kid all of a sudden!? Supporter! Someone come take a look! He’s foaming at the mouth!”
“Hey! Are you out of your mind!? You’re the supporter!”
“This person is fine. It’s mild mana depletion. Give him a potion and keep an eye on him.”
“Are there any more sports drinks!? If not, someone get some from a vending machine!”
“We’re out of medicine here! We need supplies here too!”
While the student council directed the operation, the major faction representatives controlled the students belonging to their factions.
Thanks to that, the rescue operation was proceeding steadily without any setbacks.
They focused on going up to the cleared floors, rescuing the people caught by the thorny vines, treating them, and transporting them outside.
Looking down from the air, one could see them busily moving in and out of the library.
“I’m sleepy.”
It was well past midnight.
Normally, it would have been the time when she was comfortably asleep in her room.
Having been tricked by Do Gyeonu and made to participate in the operation against her will, Cha Eunsol looked down beneath her feet and muttered.
Her tone was tinged with displeasure.
As someone who lived true to her desires, it was only natural that her mood would sink when she was holding back her urge to sleep.
The one fortunate thing was that the operation seemed to be nearly over.
“The assault team has entered the top floor!”
“Good! There’s not much left now! Everyone, just hang in there a little longer!”
“Send in the next rescue team!”
“…”
Cha Eunsol could hear the students talking below through the wind.
Their voices, though they must have been exhausted from the hard work, were very bright.
Her mood improved along with theirs.
So, while dealing with the thorny vines in the air, she took out her smartphone.
“I can order chicken now.”
If she placed the order now, she would be able to eat piping-hot chicken right when the operation ended.
Cha Eunsol’s mouth watered just thinking about it.
When she opened the delivery app and looked at the menu, it felt like her sleepiness vanished completely.
Even during that time, the thorny vines kept attacking in an annoyingly persistent manner.
“Stop bothering me.”
Interrupted while choosing from the menu, Cha Eunsol frowned.
She stirred up wind around her and quickly settled the situation.
Then, with the momentum of someone about to clean out an entire restaurant, she put the food she wanted into her cart.
Since she was not going to be the one paying anyway, she intended to order generously.
‘How many kids were there again…? Whatever, I’ll just order a lot.’
Cha Eunsol’s decision was not entirely without consideration for her friends.
In any case, she selected pay-on-delivery as the payment method and pressed the order button.
“Ah.”
Unfortunately, the order completion notification did not appear.
Cha Eunsol stared at the notification that appeared instead and opened her mouth.
[※You are outside the service area.]
“…”
It seemed a communication error had occurred because she was at such a high altitude.
Cha Eunsol quietly lowered her altitude and tried to order again.
But the result did not change.
“Ah…”
The connection still would not go through.
Only then did Cha Eunsol realize that the communication error was being caused not by her altitude, but by another factor.
The condition of the ambient mana was poor, causing interference.
And the culprit was right before her eyes.
“My chicken…”
Cha Eunsol glared at the thorn-vine spire.
To stabilize the ambient mana, there was no choice but to get rid of the spire.
In other words, she could not order chicken until the situation was resolved.
When her thoughts reached that point, she stirred up a storm around herself.
The fierce storm tore through the night sky, ripping the thorny vines apart.
“I’m going to get rid of you.”
As if nature itself had grown angry, Cha Eunsol’s green eyes flashed.
She began destroying the thorn-vine spire in earnest.
* * *
The thorny vines guarding the entrance to the rooftop focused on me.
They reacted sensitively, as if they had no intention of letting me approach.
Thanks to that, the burden on the others who had to fight the monsters was reduced.
They did not miss the opportunity I had created for them.
“Gyeonu! Hold out just a little longer! We’ll finish this quickly!”
“Don’t fall back, everyone! Keep pushing like this.”
A battle was in full swing behind me.
I heard Kang Hanbyeol and Do Sieun shouting.
I wanted to glance back, but unfortunately, I was not given the chance.
The thorny vines did not leave me alone for even a moment, lashing out at me without rest.
…Here they come again.
Crackle!
The instant my Gift activated, I dashed forward.
My senses sharpened.
Through sight, hearing, and the sensation of the wind touching my skin, I grasped the trajectory of the attacks and adjusted my speed.
I dodged the first attack by hitting the brakes and changing direction.
For the second attack, I slowed down, and for the third, I sped up instead.
The fourth attack was nothing more than a feint for the fifth.
Whoosh!
I stepped forward, took my stance, and swung my sword at the right timing.
A navy-blue light surged diagonally upward and cut down the fourth attack.
Immediately after, I half-turned my body and slashed through the fifth attack.
Even then, my feet did not stop and continued to dance.
Swoosh!
This time, attacks came in succession.
However, even if they appeared to approach at the same time, there was clearly a time lag.
With my senses pushed to the extreme by Evasion Instinct, I could read that exceedingly brief interval.
‘I can do this.’
I judged not with my head, but with my body.
My body knew the path to survival.
Regulating my breathing, I calmly responded to the barrage of attacks.
My movements flowed smoothly like water.
‘What is this? Was I always like this? This is too easy.’
My body felt lighter than ever.
It seemed like my field of vision had become much wider than before.
I naturally calculated when the attacks would reach me.
Even to me, it felt strange.
Feeling an indescribable exhilaration, I rode the momentum and advanced.
If I was in this state…
‘I feel like I could break through on my own.’
Grandfather had repeatedly taught me that I had to know how to distinguish confidence from arrogance.
But what I was feeling right now was by no means arrogance.
Even without help from the others, I felt like I could eliminate the wall of thorny vines blocking the way.
‘Should I try?’
I turned thought into action.
I stepped forward even more boldly.
───!!
The closer I got, the more intense the threat of the thorny vines became.
Before I knew it, dozens of stems were rushing toward me.
Even so, I did not stop running as I dodged or cut down their attacks.
Tap!
I leaped into the air.
The stems of the thorny vines stabbed down into the spot where I had just been.
Meanwhile, other stems were flying toward me in midair.
Twisting my body to cut one stem, I hurriedly smacked a grazing stem with the hand not holding my sword.
Using the recoil, I changed direction, performed a breakfall, and rolled across the floor.
Then, the instant I rose from the floor, I responded to each changing situation again.
By then, I realized why I was not struggling.
‘Compared to dodging rubber balls in class, this isn’t difficult. Rubber balls are small, hard to track, and even bounce in every direction.’
The Extreme Mountain March class taught by Suhoguk.
The experience I had gained through that class had made me grow without my even realizing it.
Then, as if it had been waiting, a message appeared.
[Your body has broken through its limits.]
[Agility has increased by 1.]
Among my physical abilities, Agility, the stat with the highest threshold, had risen.
With this, my Agility had truly crossed the wall of 60 and entered the realm of 70.
‘Something… really does feel different.’
The corners of my mouth tightened.
But I had to rein in my emotions.
In battle, excitement only gave birth to carelessness.
I maintained as calm a mind as possible and stared straight ahead.
‘There isn’t much left.’
The wall of thorny vines was right in front of me.
If I approached just a few more steps, it would be within reach of my sword.
But the resistance of the thorny vines was fierce, making it difficult to approach easily.
‘That would have been true for the old me.’
Now, I felt like I could do it.
Recalling Suhoguk’s teachings, I drew in a deep breath.
I held my breath and kicked off the ground.
I widened my eyes and faced the world spread out before me.
───!!
The thorny vines guarding the entrance attacked me all at once.
My Gift strongly urged me to retreat and dodge.
I refused my Gift’s appeal.
[The skill level has increased.]
[Instinct Control Lv 6 → 7]
Dodging was not always the answer.
Sometimes, one had to know how to face things head-on.
That time was now.
‘I just have to take it properly.’
There was also the buff magic Lisa had cast on me, and if I wrapped a barrier around the point of impact, I should be able to reduce the damage.
I gritted my teeth in preparation for the shock and measured the timing.
“…!”
I deliberately allowed the attack coming from the edge of my left vision to hit me.
It was fine. It did not hurt as much as I had expected.
Keeping my balance so I would not be shaken by the attack, I swung my sword through the opening created in that instant.
[You have obtained a skill.]
[Hard Skin Lv 1]
[Hard Skin Lv 1]
◆ Skill Classification
―Autonomous Activation Type
◆ Detailed Effects
―Consumes mana to make the skin as hard as steel.
―Increases defense against attacks judged as contact by 10%.
―Possesses 5% resistance against continuous attacks.
* * *
While I dealt with the thorny vines, the others steadily defeated the monsters.
Having succeeded in clearing the top floor, we finally reached the rooftop.
A bleak atmosphere hung over it.
‘…This is the sort of sight where it wouldn’t be strange if the world ended.’
Beneath the night sky where the full moon shone with a gentle light.
Thorny vines covered the rooftop so thickly there was nowhere to step.
The shapes writhing in the darkness made it feel as if we had stepped into a den of serpents.
Tense, we raised our guard.
Then, the cries of monsters rang out.
Kieeeek.
“…”
Presence stirred all around us.
The monsters that had been hiding in the shadows of the thorny vines revealed themselves.
The ones whose red eyes gleamed were all types we had experience fighting.
But we could not simply feel relieved.
Their numbers were considerable, and above all, they were being influenced by the night.
“One mountain after another.”
“They really are too much, right to the very end.”
The ones whose ferocity had increased could not be underestimated.
We had to consider them stronger than ordinary individuals.
After checking the state of the battle, everyone grimaced in disgust.
Soon, they released their momentum as if to oppose the monsters and kept them in check.
“Gyeonu, where do you think Arin is?”
“Well…”
At that moment, Kang Hanbyeol, standing close enough that our shoulders nearly touched, asked.
Ready to swing my sword at any moment, I raised my head.
If this followed the game’s story…
“She’s probably inside that spire.”
I stared at the thorn-vine spire rising as if to pierce the full moon.
When I spread out my detection net, I felt traces of mana from inside the spire.
Judging by that, Min Arin was surely trapped in there.
‘Getting her out will be another job in itself.’
In the game, once you killed the monsters, it automatically moved on to the scene where Min Arin was rescued.
But in reality, not a game, we had to consider not only killing the monsters but also rescuing her ourselves.
Thinking of the increased burden, I sighed.
“Commence battle.”
At last, Do Sieun gave the signal.
We moved to rescue Min Arin while facing the thorny vines and monsters.
‘The thorny vines are the biggest nuisance. So we have to deal with them first.’
The battle situation was nothing but chaos.
In the limited space of the rooftop, the thorny vines and monsters rampaged indiscriminately, making no distinction between friend and foe.
In such a situation, the formation everyone had taken quickly lost meaning and collapsed.
In an instant, we were forced into individual battles.
“Everyone, keep your heads on straight!”
“It’s so dark I can barely see! Someone give us some light!”
“Supporters, hold your positions as best you can!”
Chosen from among the participants in the operation as the very best, they were fighting well even after being scattered.
Thanks to the experience they had gained working together several times, they even managed to coordinate on the spot.
But the difference in environment couldn’t be ignored.
Already exhausted as we were, it was too much to keep fighting in terrain that favored them.
If the time came when our stamina ran out, the tide of battle would tilt sharply.
Therefore, any environment we could change had to be changed.
“Hanbyeol, follow me.”
“Where are you going!?”
“We’re going to save Arin.”
Since we couldn’t very well drive away the night, destroying the thorn-vine spire was the most effective method.
If there were no thorn vines throwing the battlefield into chaos, people would finally be able to breathe.
It should be possible as long as we pulled Min Arin out, since she was serving as the nutrient source inside the spire.
Having made my decision, I took Gang Hanbyeol and ran toward the spire.
“Protect Gyeonu and Hanbyeol!”
Do Si-eun seemed to have realized our intent.
While in the midst of fighting monsters, she shouted loudly enough for those around her to hear.
Then the people nearby repeated her words.
Soon, we were receiving support from the people fighting frantically all around us.
Kieeeek!
Meanwhile, the thorn vines and monsters didn’t just sit still either.
They surged toward us.
From that moment on, a chaotic melee broke out with us at its center.
Gang Hanbyeol and I had to keep our wits about us and push through the darkness.
We couldn’t afford to hesitate even a little.
If we fell back once, it would take a lot of time to advance again.
So I relied on my evasion instinct and used Hard Skin at the right moments.
Its effect of raising my defense against attacks and granting resistance was helpful enough.
‘Almost there.’
I gradually closed in on the thorn-vine spire.
But Gang Hanbyeol, whose circumstances were different from mine, had at some point begun to fall behind.
In the end, he spoke as if conceding.
“I’ll cover you from below, Gyeonu! I’m leaving Arin to you!”
“….”
…Hanbyeol, originally, this was supposed to be your job.
Having arrived at the thorn-vine spire, I had mixed feelings in more ways than one.
But I composed my expression and replied.
“Got it. Cover me.”
There was nothing to be done, since I was the only one fit to take on this role.
Turning my back on Gang Hanbyeol, I climbed the thorn-vine spire.
There was enough space to place my feet, so climbing wasn’t difficult.
The thorn vines tried to interfere, but they couldn’t harm me.
And so.
“…Around here, huh.”
I was able to reach the spot where Min Arin was trapped.
Lion’s Rending Slash
There was no time to waste.
After roughly gauging the depth, I dug into the thorn-vine spire with my sword.
Before long, I found Min Arin.
“Hey, Min Arin. Get a hold of yourself. Open your eyes.”
“Uuuh….”
Min Arin had her eyes closed as if she were Sleeping Beauty.
If so, the only thing that could wake her was a kiss.
To bring her back to her senses, I flicked her on the lips.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
“Hey, wake up. Open your eyes.”
“Uuuh….”
I had suffered because of Min Arin.
Filled with resentment, I kept flicking her lips.
Each time, her red lips trembled.
At last.
“Ah….”
“You awake?”
“Do… Gyeonu…?”
“Yeah, it’s Do Gyeonu.”
“It… wasn’t a dream….”
Min Arin, who had only been furrowing her brow the entire time, opened her yellow eyes.
Then, as if coming to her senses, moisture welled up around her eyes.
A moment later, she pleaded in a tearful voice.
“Kill… kill me….”
“….”
It was the complete opposite of her usual confidence-filled self—a face sunken in self-loathing.
Seeing her cry with that expression, I was dumbfounded and replied.
“What kind of bullshit is that?”
“…What? What are you saying right now….”
“That’s all you have to say to the person who saved you? Just tell me thank you for saving you.”
“….”
“And hand over your card too.”
“Uh… my card?”
“I’m telling you to pay up.”
At the words I said with a snort,
Min Arin’s face turned strange.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss