The Support Ate it All

[Earth Magatama(A+)]

▷Small growth bonus to the lowest-ranked trait

▷…….

▷…….

Magatamas were totem-type items, so their effects applied just by keeping them in the inventory.

At present, my lowest-ranked trait was C-rank [Movement Command].

Everything else was mostly A-rank or above, so until it all rose to a similar level, I’d keep receiving the growth bonus.

‘And if I get a new trait, I can pull that one up the same way.’

That alone already made it more than worth sending Go Hyeonwoo off with the walkthrough and asking Fist King and Sword Empress for help.

But the magatama’s real value was still a long way from being exhausted.

‘Because it’s a set item.’

[Earth Magatama(A+)]

▷Small growth bonus to the lowest-ranked trait

▷Taeguk[1/2]: ??

▷Taeguk[1/2]: ??

▷Triad Taeguk[1/3]: ???

▷Triad Taeguk[1/3]: ???

▷Triad Taeguk[1/3]: ???

If I got [Heaven Magatama] and completed Taeguk, two more option lines would be added.

And if I gathered Heaven, Earth, and Human and completed Triad Taeguk, another three lines would be added.

‘Its overall performance is S-rank or higher.’

That made three A+-rank items more than worth collecting.

And of course, one of the places to obtain one of them was—

‘The underground floors.’

The deeper section, an A-rank dungeon.

Back in first year, both I and the others had been too lacking in specs, so I’d put it off, but this year, I figured we were fully equipped to challenge it.

So I added “complete Heaven-Earth-Human” to my list of things to do.

The next topic of conversation was [Invitation].

When I explained that it could arrange sparring matches against powerful people, Go Hyeonwoo showed immense interest, like the martial artist to the bone that he was.

“You mean to say such a thing is truly possible?”

“She’s already gotten one.”

I answered while pointing to the side, and Hong Yeonhwa excitedly began recounting the experience.

The place they had gone after receiving the Invitation, the countless powerhouses, Hong Hyeona—the far-removed former Ruby Mage Tower master who had come out to greet them—and the duel with her….

“…And then she showed me how flame magic is supposed to be used, and it was really on a whole different level.”

“Hoo.”

“After I came out, I also did the [Austerity] quest. Cleared it and learned a new spell.”

“So something like that happened.”

Go Hyeonwoo couldn’t hide his admiration.

Then he looked at me with eyes full of anticipation.

“Could I also receive that Invitation?”

“Of course. That’s why I brought it up.”

“Then I would be deeply grateful if you would.”

“Once the cooldown rotates, and after I use it on Seo Ye-in, you’re next.”

After chaining [Octopus Arms] onto father-in-law and mother-in-law candidate number three, the 10 days * 4 multiplier was still in effect.

I’d gotten lucky and had [Déjà Vu] activate when I cast [Time Allocation], but even after shaving it down that much, I still had about two weeks left to wait.

And the reason Seo Ye-in came before Go Hyeonwoo wasn’t anything complicated.

▷Cooldown when used on a [Bond] target: 7 days

“Because the 30% discount applies.”

“Makes me want to establish a Bond immediately. It is only regrettable that the situation does not allow it.”

“Nothing we can do about that right now.”

Go Hyeonwoo’s Bond was supposed to happen after he fulfilled his sect’s long-cherished wish.

He hadn’t even attempted the Blood Wind Sword (not) yet, so that meant it was still a long way off.

Still, if he came right after Seo Ye-in, he wouldn’t be waiting that terribly long.

Meanwhile, Han Somi had been eavesdropping on the conversation with obvious fascination.

She might not have been as crazy about martial arts as Go Hyeonwoo, but she was still a proper martial artist, so of course she was interested in sparring against strong opponents too.

Before long, she shot her hand straight up and said,

“I want an Invitation too!”

“Sorry, but that’ll probably be difficult.”

“Why?!”

“It’s a VIP benefit.”

After Go Hyeonwoo, it would be Dang Gyu-young’s or Hong Yeonhwa’s turn again.

Since they were tied to me through [Bond], not only did they get the cooldown reduction, their priority for growth was also higher.

For the time being, I’d have to focus [Time Allocation] entirely on Austerity, so Invitation’s cooldown would stay at 7 days and 10 days.

It would already be tight just rotating through the four people already in the group.

And if I had to wedge in someone the way I had with Grandpa Mo Yong or father-in-law and mother-in-law candidate number three, it would get even tighter.

Han Somi tilted her head.

“Go Hyeonwoo’s a VIP too?”

“He’s VIP reserved.”

“Then I want to reserve too!”

“Do you even know what you’re signing up for?”

“No! But I want it!”

Between wanting to go down to the underground floors and everything else, it looked like her whole mindset was just that she wanted to follow Go Hyeonwoo no matter what.

As Han Somi kept chanting, “VIP! VIP!” I sensed several presences approaching outside the compartment.

The person who soon appeared was Song Cheonhye.

Maybe she’d been making rounds, because she was with other Discipline Committee members.

In a soft voice, she admonished Han Somi.

“Somi, people can hear you from the next compartment over—”

“Hi, Cheonhye!”

“—so let’s keep it down.”

“Hi, Geum Johan! Hi, Seulbi!”

But Han Somi just waved both hands around brightly.

At that, Geum Johan and Lee Seulbi returned the greeting with expressions that said she was hopeless, and behind them, Jo Byeok exchanged a light greeting glance with me.

Then Song Cheonhye noticed me too, and her complexion brightened at once.

But the moment she realized Hong Yeonhwa was beside me, she started managing her expression.

“…It’s been a while.”

“Been a while.”

“Why haven’t you contacted me?”

“Did something happen?”

“No, but it doesn’t have to be because something happened.”

“I figured you were doing fine.”

When I answered indifferently, Song Cheonhye shot me a sulky look.

Apparently she’d wanted me to speak to her first, but what was she expecting? Winter break was already over.

Song Cheonhye let out a small sigh, then changed the subject.

“What were you talking about just now? VIP?”

“Yeah. She keeps saying she wants in.”

“Somi does? Into what?”

“It’s still too soon for you….”

What I’d meant was that it was too soon for her to become number four, but Song Cheonhye seemed to take it a different way.

You could tell from the way her brow twitched.

“I’ve improved a lot too, you know?”

“Is that so?”

“Try me in a spar. You won’t be able to make fun of me anymore.”

“Did I make fun of you?”

“You did.”

“What did I say?”

“……”

I deliberately asked with a perfectly innocent face, and Song Cheonhye started to flare up and open her mouth, only to shut it again.

Apparently her pride wouldn’t let her say it out loud herself.

But at the same time, letting it go like this must have felt like losing too, because she looked thoroughly frustrated.

At that moment, Geum Johan cut in and ended the conversation.

“Do it later. Let’s go.”

“…All right.”

They were in the middle of patrol, so they couldn’t waste too much time on idle chatter.

So Song Cheonhye led the Discipline Committee members out of the compartment.

Leaving me with one last line.

“Just you wait! Later! Definitely!”

*****

We spent the time chatting about this and that, and at one point pulled snacks from a vending machine and shared them. By the time enough time had passed, everything outside the train windows had been dyed blue.

Which meant the train was crossing a giant lake.

And far off in the distance, I could faintly make out the outline of Dungeon Island.

Go Hyeonwoo and Hong Yeonhwa each said a word.

“Looks like we’re nearly there.”

“Let’s get ready.”

We straightened our seats, lightly loosened up our bodies, and waited. The train gradually slowed, and at last, came to a stop.

When we got off, the sight before us looked much the same as it had in first year.

A boiling cauldron of chaos packed with students.

Song Cheonhye and the other Discipline Committee members were shouting while waving their batons.

“Freshmen this way!”

“Second- and third-years to the path on the left!”

“Freshmen! Don’t follow the upperclassmen, this way!”

Soon the crowd slowly began moving in one direction, and we followed along.

Then, in the distance, a familiar head of gray hair entered my view.

‘Seo Ye-in.’

Looks like she’d arrived on the same train after all.

She looked completely disheveled, as if she’d slept the whole ride and only just woken up.

She drifted helplessly wherever the crowd pushed her, then turned her head as though she’d felt my gaze.

“…!”

Seo Ye-in gave a gentle little wave.

Then she tried to come over this way, but it didn’t seem easy.

She got bounced this way and that like a ping-pong ball.

In the end, maybe deciding it was hopeless, she mouthed the words at me.

—Help….

And even while doing that, another student brushed past and bumped her.

In response, the Immortal Kim Ho Kim Ho Pot in her hand slowly began rising upward.

If I left her like that, this might turn into an indiscriminate pot-barrage incident.

So before it got that far, I said to the others,

“I need to go pick her up.”

“So ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ Miss Seo was here.”

“I’m going on ahead, so follow after me.”

Crossing through that sea of students would have been a massive pain for all of us, but I didn’t need to bother with that.

‘Because I’m Blink Kim Ho.’

I focused my mind and cast the spell, and WHOOSH—my vision changed.

The next instant, I’d already reached my destination.

Seo Ye-in came right over and stared up at me.

“I missed you….”

“It hasn’t been that long.”

“It was long….”

As if determined not to lose me again, she grabbed hold of my sleeve.

Meanwhile, it looked like the others had chosen to approach on foot.

Hong Yeonhwa, unlike the blinkless sword-walkers, was a noble who knew how to use ★Blink★, but with remarkable nobility of spirit, they were moving together with the group instead.

They were even taking the lead and clearing a path.

A couple of times they nearly bumped into other students, but every single time, they dodged at the last possible instant.

All while rolling their eyes in a way that made their displeasure obvious.

The freshmen who met their gaze apologized on the spot.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Coming through.”

“Yes, Upperclassman.”

The freshmen immediately lowered their eyes and stepped aside.

As that atmosphere spread, the students instinctively started avoiding Hong Yeonhwa’s path.

Thanks to that, joining up again was easier than expected.

Go Hyeonwoo smiled and spoke first.

“Miss Seo, it has been a while.”

“Mm….”

Still apparently not fully awake, Seo Ye-in slowly nodded in reply.

Hong Yeonhwa greeted her too, and Han Somi beamed brightly as she said,

“Hi hi!”

“……”

Seo Ye-in answered with a slight dip of her head, but quietly hid behind me.

She was always a little uncomfortable around Han Somi. Maybe because Han Somi was basically a walking lump of energy.

A natural enemy for a sloth, really.

“Let’s go for now.”

If we kept standing there, we’d just be in the way of the people passing by, and things were hectic for us too.

So I hurried my group along.

In the direction we were headed stood a huge building, almost like a gymnasium.

‘The Great Hall.’

It was the place we came whenever there was a big or small event—entrance ceremonies, graduation ceremonies, that kind of thing.

When we entered, countless students were already seated in rows of chairs.

The first-year seats were toward the front of the first floor, close to the stage.

The second-year seats, on the other hand, were in the back or on the second floor.

“If we’re sitting anyway, let’s go up.”

The view was better there.

So we headed to an empty spot on the second floor, sat down in a row, and started looking around here and there.

Before long, my eyes turned toward the first-years.

For the most part I could only see the backs of heads, but among them was one back of the head I recognized.

‘Dang Eunbi.’

She was chattering away to someone beside her, and given the circumstances, that other person had to be Dang Gyu-young—or rather, Dang Gyu-ri.

‘They definitely do look different.’

Looks like the disguise item the academy said it would provide was doing its job.

The ponytail probably helped too.

Meanwhile, Seo Ye-in was staring somewhere else.

Then she kept tilting her head, so I asked,

“What is it? Did you see something?”

“…? Don’t know.”