Wednesday, periods 10 and 11, Base Defense class.
The exam consisted of forming four random groups, entering a Gate, and fighting a defensive siege against a goblin legion.
“Aren’t these bastards afraid of dying!? How are they still trying to charge us when they’re all but dead!?”
“They’re called cocaine goblins. Judging by the look of them, they must have inhaled plenty before the battle.”
“Do Gyeonu! Is this really the time to be so calm!?”
“They’re breaking down the castle gate!”
“We can’t hold them off any longer! Wouldn’t it be better to hurry into the inner castle and reorganize our forces!?”
I could see the goblin legion swarming thickly below the wall.
The ones heavily armed for a siege were all in a frenzy, as if drugged out of their minds.
Meanwhile, we, who had to stop them with only twenty-five people, had consumed a great deal of stamina and couldn’t help feeling exhausted.
The students guarding the gate were gradually showing signs of being pushed back.
In that situation, it was only natural that the triplets, acting as representatives, urged me to retreat.
But I thought differently.
“What are we going to do if we retreat to the inner castle already? We need to reduce their numbers as much as possible here and hold out as long as we can.”
“Do Gyeonu! That’s easy to say!”
“Do you think they can deal with those things without reinforcements!?”
“What if someone dies doing that? It won’t end with just a deduction in points then!”
“I know that too. So…”
The triplets’ chattering was noisy.
While cutting down the goblins that had climbed up the wall, I answered their perfectly reasonable argument.
“I’ll take outside the gate, so you guys just guard the wall.”
“What!? What are you even—”
“Hey! Do Gyeonu! What are you doing, jumping down by yourself!? Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
“Ah, that lunatic’s at it again…”
No matter what the triplets shouted.
Without hesitation, I leapt from the wall and landed on top of the battering ram carried by the cocaine goblin legion.
Kireuk!?
“If you’re coming in, you should enter the password first, not bring something like this.”
Of course, there was no password.
Chuckling lightly, I slaughtered the ones flustered by my sudden appearance in one breath.
I did not forget to destroy the battering ram either.
Kiiiiik!!
Kiak! Kireuk! Kuak!
By then, the goblin legion in the front ranks recognized me as an enemy.
They fired arrows, launched magic, and charged with spears in hand.
[You have encountered monsters.]
[Cocaine Goblin General (Rank. 03) x 1]
[Cocaine Goblin Knight (Rank. 02) x 4]
[Cocaine Goblin Archer (Rank. 01) x 7]
[Cocaine Goblin Spearman (Rank. 01) x 12]
[Cocaine Goblin Mage (Rank. 01) x 3]
[Cocaine Goblin….]
There were too many.
But it was not a crisis.
Crackle!
My Evasion Instinct was activating.
Moving according to the pleas of my Gift, I dodged the attacks coming from all directions and swung my sword.
‘That Rank 3 bastard is the most troublesome. I need to kill him first for the morale of the ones here to drop.’
In addition, I would likely be able to break their coordination as well.
Having made my judgment, I immediately ran toward him.
Kireuk! Kuak! Kwayayayak!
Naturally, other goblins were stationed around the Rank 3 cocaine goblin.
It was fine.
I just had to break through.
I released the Blue Lightning I had gathered in the Ultramarine Sword until now in a straight line.
A thick, flashing blue streak raced across the ground and tore apart the ones clustered in front of me.
Not missing that opening, I forced my way in and cut off the Rank 3 cocaine goblin’s head.
Kirureuk!?
As it oxidized into particles of mana, the subordinates who had been following its orders until now were greatly shaken.
Drugged out of their minds, with their normal judgment impaired, they were no longer worthy opponents.
The students, following my orders, rode the momentum and intercepted the ones in front of the gate.
“Is it okay to drop high-firepower magic when Gyeonu is there too!?”
“It’s fine! Even if we don’t worry, that lunatic will dodge on his own!”
“Our lunatic is good at dodging!”
“Just attack him together with the goblins!”
Geum, Eun, and Dong, those little…
Letting out a hollow laugh at the voices coming from the ramparts, I did not stop running.
I dodged the allied attacks pouring endlessly down from above my head and finished off the remaining goblins.
Around then, the ones who seemed to have sobered up from the drugs charged in a swarm as if they had nothing left to lose.
It was dangerous.
But this, too, was fine.
‘My first actual combat, huh.’
I activated the magic built into the Ultramarine Sword.
Blue currents of electricity flashed up from the sword and ran over my body.
Power surged through me.
Feeling the changes in my body, I charged at the enemies faster than before and swept through their formation.
And so.
[You have acquired a skill.]
[Charisma Lv 1]
[Command and Leadership Lv 1]
We were able to finish the exam with high marks.
And having completed a certain level of the class content, I was able to acquire the skills.
They were skills that would help me persuade and lead party members.
[Charisma Lv 1]
◆ Skill Classification
―Always Active
◆ Detailed Effects
―Makes your presence stand out, drawing a small amount of attention from other beings.
―When dealing with opponents of lower status, your dignity increases slightly.
―When dealing with opponents of lower status, your words become slightly more persuasive.
―During combat, the probability of becoming the top-priority target increases by 10%.
―Evasion rate against ranged attacks increases by 3%.
―For buff-type skills of the 3rd tier or below, the applied effect and duration when used on you increase by 1%.
[Command and Leadership Lv 1]
◆ Skill Classification
―Always Active
◆ Detailed Effects
―It becomes slightly easier to gain the trust and affection of party members.
―It becomes slightly easier to persuade party members.
―The probability of party members refusing orders decreases slightly.
* * *
Thursday, periods 8 and 9, Endurance Mountain March class.
Over the course of a semester under Su Hoguk’s instruction, we had learned how to get hit less painfully and had built up our stamina, and now we had to prove the results.
The exam location was the Mist Mountain climbing route, where we had once taken the entrance exam.
However, the Gate number was different.
[You have entered a Gate.]
[Yellow: Mist Mountain Climbing Route I]
[This Gate has already been cleared.]
It was a Gate that began not from the coastal road, but from the entrance to Mist Mountain.
Wearing the equipment required for the exam, we had to climb the mountain covered in mist and reach the summit.
The equipment’s role was to restrict us from using any magic other than simply wrapping ourselves in a barrier.
Because of that, we had no choice but to climb Mist Mountain relying purely on our physical abilities.
If there was one fortunate thing, it was that there were no troublesome traps like when we had taken the entrance exam.
Still, that did not mean we could let our guard down.
Click!
It seemed someone up ahead had stepped on a trap.
Hearing the sound of a switch being pressed, I sharpened my senses.
A moment later, the mist to the side stirred, and something came flying in.
It was a log hanging from a rope.
But the side was only the beginning.
“Gyeonu! They’re coming from over there too!”
“I don’t know who stepped on it, but they must’ve really stepped on it properly.”
One after another, logs came swinging at us from all directions like pendulums.
On top of that, a barrage of rubber balls joined in.
Kang Hanbyeol and I, who were climbing Mist Mountain together, clicked our tongues in dismay.
For us, restricted in handling the mana within our bodies, dodging every attack was close to impossible.
That is, if we hadn’t had Hard Skin.
Dodge what could be dodged, and efficiently block what could not.
Having learned Hard Skin through class, we dealt with the attacks skillfully.
Crackle!
With Evasion Instinct, I was able to make my way through the traps even more easily.
In that way, we cooperated with each other and steadfastly advanced toward the summit of Mist Mountain.
Su Hoguk was waiting at the summit.
“…Among everyone who has taken my class until now, no one has climbed faster than you two. Kang Hanbyeol, Do Gyeonu, you are first in this semester’s class. Congratulations on receiving an A+.”
“Is that so? Then our efforts paid off. Thank you.”
“Thank you for the semester, Instructor! Though we’ll still see you in morning class too.”
For me, who used evasion as my main focus, it was a class from which I gained a lot.
After expressing our gratitude to Su Hoguk, Kang Hanbyeol and I left the Gate as we were.
‘Does that mean today’s exam is over?’
Since Mysteries of the Human Body on Friday was being replaced by an assignment, the only things left were Basic Swordsmanship Sparring 1 and the written and practical exams for the grade on Saturday.
Aside from Basic Swordsmanship Sparring 1, a required major course in which I could easily get an A+ with my current skills even without studying, in effect only Saturday’s exam remained.
For me, it could be said that the burden of preparing for exams had been considerably reduced.
So if there was an opportune time, it was today.
I said to Kang Hanbyeol.
“Hanbyeol, today’s exam is over with this, right? There aren’t any more classes, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right. That’s it for today. Why do you ask? Ah, you want to go have dinner together? I’m obviously fine with that. I was getting hungry from climbing Mist Mountain anyway.”
“It is about time for dinner. Then shall we talk while we eat? Since we’re at it, let’s call the others who have time too.”
“What talk? Is it something important? What’s going on?”
Now that I had acquired Charisma and Command and Leadership this time.
My words would be even more persuasive.
Taking that into account as well, I told Kang Hanbyeol, who showed interest, about the situation.
“It looks like the kids under Oh Junsu have been hanging around Lisa lately. I had a bad feeling about it, so I looked into them separately…”
“Oh Junsu’s guys are after Lisa? Why? So what happened?”
“It’s not certain, but… it seems like they’re trying to take Lisa hostage and lure you out.”
“What?”
“So what I’m saying is…”
After dinner, why don’t you come with me to catch those bastards?
At my proposal, Kang Hanbyeol raised his voice as if it were only natural.
“Who are they? Let’s go, Gyeonu. To beat the hell out of them. If that bastard Oh Junsu wants to mess with someone, he should mess with me, not try to mess with my friend.”
Kang Hanbyeol was furious.
Having gotten the reaction I wanted, I contacted my friends right away and decided to take action.
‘Attempted kidnapping is unquestionably a crime too, yes indeed.’
* * *
“What the hell is Junsu thinking?”
“No idea. How would we know what that lunatic is thinking? Have you ever seen him act normally? He probably got his pride hurt after losing to Kang Hanbyeol and couldn’t control his temper, so he snapped.”
“Still, don’t you think he’s gone too far off the rails?”
“What are we supposed to do if he has? Since we’re attached to him, we have no choice but to do as we’re told.”
Oh Junsu, the Black Feather of the Black Horse Oh Family.
Among those in the know, he was secretly called a delinquent, and he was a person befitting that alias.
His usual conduct was poor, and at the drop of a hat, he used his family’s name as a shield to commit tyranny.
For the students receiving sponsorship from the Black Horse Oh Family, they had no choice but to endure that temperament.
Having to serve him closely to that extent, they had sensed the change that had recently come over him.
“Why did he have to start a ranking match in the first place… If they’d settled it quietly between the two of them and he lost, who would’ve said anything?”
“There probably would have been some kids saying things. It wouldn’t have been to this extent, though.”
“He probably wanted to defeat the Fighting Demon’s disciple and brag about it to the whole school. That’s just his personality.”
“So I don’t fail to understand why he’s holed himself up in the villa out of embarrassment, but… is this really okay?”
“He’s not even showing up for finals. I have no idea what he’s thinking… Is he planning to retake the semester?”
The Young Fighting Demon, Kang Hanbyeol.
Ever since he lost to the disciple of the Fighting Demon Seo Jeongjin, Oh Junsu’s personality had become even rougher and more violent.
In the end, driven by the single-minded desire to take revenge on Kang Hanbyeol, he even gave an absurd order.
“No, he told us to kidnap the princess of the Grace Empire and bring her to the villa. Is this really okay? If something goes wrong, won’t it become a diplomatic issue, not just a problem between families?”
“Even if she’s low in the line of succession, the fact that she’s royalty doesn’t change. If things go wrong, there’s a chance we won’t get out of it safely either.”
“No matter how I think about it, there’s no answer… It’s too dangerous. Should we really do it? Even if Junsu says he’ll take responsibility, is this really something he can take responsibility for?”
To lure Kang Hanbyeol into the Black Horse O Clan’s villa, where he himself was fully prepared.
Given the circumstances, bring Lisa Grace, the princess of the Grace Empire, who was presumed to be his lover.
For the students who had received O Junsu’s order, it could only be an extremely difficult situation.
In the end, opinions were divided even among them.
“Sorry, but I can’t go along with this one. I won’t tell anyone else, so you guys do what you want. I’m out. Whatever happens later, I’ll just take the blame and be done with it.”
“I’m out too. The plan itself is way too reckless. Why go about it in such a roundabout way? It’d be better to swallow his pride and contact Kang Hanbyeol to challenge him to a fight.”
“I knew he was that kind of guy, but still… kidnapping a princess? I’m seriously disappointed this time. I can’t hang around with him anymore. I’ll have to find a way to survive on my own, or latch on to O Junsik from the first year. He may be from a collateral branch, but he’s still unquestionably a member of the Black Horse O Clan. He won’t be as good as Junsu, but something’s bound to fall my way.”
“And it’s not even confirmed that Kang Hanbyeol and Her Highness the Princess are lovers.”
After discussion, some of them made the wise decision not to participate in O Junsu’s plan.
Most of those who chose to accept the loss were either somewhat free from the Black Horse O Clan’s sponsorship, or people who could find a way to live without following O Junsu.
“We don’t know for sure whether the two of them are really lovers, but isn’t it true they’re close? If we get the princess, Kang Hanbyeol will probably move the way we want him to. The plan isn’t completely full of holes.”
“And did Junsu tell us to kidnap her? He told us to bring her to him. Who said anything about kidnapping? All we have to do is escort the princess here politely. Whatever happens afterward is Junsu’s responsibility, not ours.”
“Right, Junsu will take all the responsibility. He said so himself.”
“If this succeeds, we’ll definitely be able to get into Junsu’s line too.”
On the other hand, some justified themselves and decided to participate in O Junsu’s plan.
They were generally the sort who were deeply tied to the Black Horse O Clan’s sponsorship and could not easily pull out.
Or they were the sort who were gambling their futures.
And so, having decided to side with O Junsu, they began planning to kidnap Lisa, whether they liked it or not.
Ridiculously enough, they set the time to carry out the plan by taking the final exam period into consideration, arranging it for when it would be as convenient as possible for everyone.
“Everyone says they don’t have many exams on Friday and finish early, so let’s do it then.”
“Ah, but the year exam is on Saturday… Wouldn’t another day be better after all?”
“They’re saying the others don’t have time. It can’t be helped. We just need to finish our roles and get back quickly. After that, Junsu and the kids closest to him will handle the rest.”
“Speaking of them, don’t you think they’ve changed a bit lately? Ever since they went to the villa to see Junsu, they’ve seemed strange…”
“Maybe Junsu gave them a beating or something. Don’t mess with them for a while either. You’ll end up getting bad luck stuck to you.”
“Kang Hanbyeol and his group will be busy preparing for the year exam too, so in a way, this might be the perfect time. So I’m in favor of Friday.”
After that, the students watched Lisa’s movements in order to kidnap her.
If she showed even a moment of vulnerability, they were willing to move the plan forward.
However, except when she entered her dorm room, she was rarely alone.
Almost always, Yeon Haneul or her other friends were by her side.
For the students plotting the scheme, all they could do was wait anxiously for the day of execution.
“Everyone knows it’s tomorrow, right?”
“We kidnap… no, politely escort the princess of the Grace Empire.”
“We have to move quickly and avoid attracting attention as much as possible. You all know that, right? Everyone be careful.”
“The car? Did you prepare it?”
“Junsu sent it over today, just in time. I just parked it by the back gate.”
“Good. Since everyone seems to have it down, let’s meet here tomorrow. Then, dismissed.”
The day before the plan.
On the evening of the fourth day of finals, the students gathered in secret and checked the plan one last time.
With faces full of tension, they encouraged and reassured one another.
Then they were about to part ways, but…
“See? I told you they were suspicious.”
“If you were going to mess with someone, you should’ve messed with me. You tried to mess with my friend? You guys won’t get away unscathed.”
“You’re a bunch of unrighteous bastards. O Junsu, that punk, too. And you call yourselves people aiming to become Hunters? I’ll fix that nature of yours myself.”
“So… you were trying to kidnap me, right? I thought Gyeonu was playing another prank on me, but it wasn’t a prank. It was real.”
“They’re our enemies, so we just have to take them down, right? They tried to touch Lisa… I won’t let them off.”
“You guys! You were plotting something fun, weren’t you!? Thanks to you, I’ll get to relieve some stress! My body’s been aching lately from studying anyway, so this works out perfectly!”
“Nam Yuri, you didn’t even study, so what do you mean studying? Anyway, you should’ve kept quiet during exam period. What do you think you’re doing, interfering with people’s studies? You’re all dead.”
“…”
By the time the students realized it, it was already too late.
Before they knew it, Do Gyeonu’s group had surrounded them.
When they spotted Lisa among them, they could not close their mouths.
At that moment, someone barely managed to open and close his mouth.
“How on earth…”
When did the plan leak?
Unfortunately, Do Gyeonu’s group, holding weapons that gleamed with a sharp, chilling edge, gave no answer.
Immediately afterward, Yeon Haneul, furious that they had tried to lay a hand on Lisa, flashed her red eyes and swung down her iron hammer.
Crack!
Starting with one person being smashed into the ground, the students were helplessly beaten down.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss