Chapter 728: Week 9–10 Midterms (7)

I bumped fists with Seo Ye-in and asked,

“What do you call that just now?”

“Finichip.”

“Is that finisher plus chip damage?”

“Yeah.”

“A very economical skill.”

Even if the opponent was a field boss, using a super finisher would have been like using a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken.

But that had sent it off in exactly one shot, no more and no less.

I nodded in satisfaction, then asked again,

“The penalty must be smaller than with a super finisher too.”

“...Probably?”

“Since we’re on the subject, let’s play rock-paper-scissors once. Rock, paper—”

“—scissors.”

As expected, my victory.

I tried playing rock-paper-scissors with mirror-image Seo Ye-in afterward as well, but the result was the same.

Apparently, unlucky-sloth mode had applied.

“How long do you think it’ll last?”

“...Don’t know.”

— It’s our first time too.

Sloth and Fast-Luckless answered while tilting their heads.

Still, since they had drawn on less of the meteor’s power, I figured it would probably be shorter than a week.

We decided to keep an eye on that for now.

Then we approached the place where the sloth had been sprawled out asleep.

Everything in the area had been cleanly erased, but in the center sat a translucent crystal lump and two cards.

[Crystal(B+)]

[Communication(B)]

▷Contact your party members.

▷Duration: 5 minutes

[Payback(B+)]

▷Obtain 1 random card whenever you use a set number of cards.

Solid rewards.

In truth, the B-rank fixed zone was a place people were only supposed to enter in the later part of these midterms.

Raising your rank was extremely difficult, and even if the [Fixed Zone] rule had not been applied, most second-years hovered around B-rank in actual ability.

Since we had taken down a field boss in a place like that, it was only natural for the card drops to be incredible.

As long as we had [Payback], we would not fall behind anyone in card supply.

While I’m at it, should I check everything too?

▷Owned Crystals

[Empty Crystal(F)]

[Empty Crystal(C+)]*2

[Empty Crystal(B)]

[Empty Crystal(B+)]

▷Owned Item Cards

[Map(E)], [Map(C+)]

[Communication(B)]

[Ejection(D)]

[Plunder(B)]*2

[Protection]

[Concealment(B)]

[Payback(B+)]

We had a mountain of crystals that needed to be charged and used for rank-ups.

As for the item cards, we had obtained a fairly balanced set.

Next, combine the [Map] cards.

When I brought the two cards close together, they naturally seeped into each other and became one.

However, the rank was still C+. Apparently, it did not have enough experience to move on to the next rank yet.

Of course, compared to E, an enormous number of functions had been added.

[Map(C+)]

▷Displays your current location and the grades of nearby fixed zones.

▷(New!)Displays the locations of nearby allies.

▷(New!)Displays the locations of nearby sanctuaries and altars.

And we should contact the others.

I used the [Communication] card that had just dropped.

Then something like a call tone rang for a while, and the images of Go Hyeonwoo, Han Somi, and Hong Yeonhwa appeared in front of me.

The three of them brightened and said a word each.

“It has been a while, Brother Kim.”

“Hi, hi! Hi, hi!”

“I was waiting...!”

I smiled and waved at them.

“Sorry I’m late. Were you holding up all right?”

“There was considerable pressure, but no one was taken down. Young Lady Song’s help was substantial.”

“Song Cheonhye?”

Han Somi answered brightly.

“Yeah! She came with the Discipline Committee kids! And fought with us!”

“Is she still there?”

“She left already!”

Well, they needed to farm and raise their scores in their own way too, so of course they could not stay forever.

I would have to thank her when I saw her later.

As I was thinking that, Hong Yeonhwa took over the conversation.

“What you told us about... I gathered a lot. Crystals and cards...!”

“You worked hard. It must’ve been tough just holding out.”

“No...!”

Hong Yeonhwa acted modest, but since being praised always felt good, her invisible tail was wagging nonstop.

I said to them,

“For now, let’s aim to regroup.”

“Okay...!”

“Do you have [Exit] by any chance?”

The effect of [Exit] was leaving the battlefield and joining an ally.

If we used it, we could cross over to them, and the opposite would also be true.

If Go Hyeonwoo’s group had secured three, immediate regrouping would be possible.

Even if they don’t, it’s better to make at least one person come over.

That would weaken their side’s combat power, but in order to protect the items, it was the more rational choice.

After all, the things we were holding had been obtained in a B zone, so their value was far higher.

However, Go Hyeonwoo let out an awkward laugh.

“Unfortunately, we were unable to secure one. I heard it was a relatively common card, but I did not expect not a single one to appear.”

“That happens.”

When your luck was bad, common things could dodge you like ghosts.

Of course, it was not that disappointing.

Walking over and meeting up had been the plan from the beginning.

Soon, we shared our positions with one another and set two or so points in the middle as potential regrouping spots.

“Once we get close enough, it’ll show up on the map too.”

“Then even if something happens along the way, we will be able to move flexibly.”

“We should hope it doesn’t come to that.”

“Haha, I shall be careful.”

“Yeah. See you all soon.”

I waved to Go, Han, and Hong one more time, then ended the communication.

Next, I spread out the map and pointed to a spot northwest of our current position.

“They’re around here.”

“Mm.”

“We’re going to move liiike this.”

“Confirmed.”

When I traced our rough route, Seo Ye-in nodded as if she understood.

Then we began walking together.

After pushing through the forest for quite a while, a notification message appeared in the corner of my vision.

[Entering fixed zone.]

Apparently, we had finally left the extremely dangerous B-rank zone.

When I opened the map and checked our current location, we were indeed around the D-rank boundary.

There was no separate grade adjustment because, either way, our ranks were far below that.

Next, I checked the location of the sanctuary.

Regrouping is important, but we need to fix our ranks first.

We had no idea who we would meet or what might happen on the way.

There were two hostile forces too.

Fortunately, there was a sanctuary not far away, so we changed direction slightly and headed there.

Soon, a stone statue towering between the trees came into view. It looked like a mixture of a village guardian post, a moai, and a stone grandfather statue.

So I approached it while holding out the B+ crystal.

FLAAAASH—

The stone statue glowed with a strong light and shot laser-beam-like rays from its eyes.

Then it began filling the crystal with energy.

FLAAAASH—

While it charged, I spread out the map again and checked the location of the nearest altar.

“We’re only doing one, then cutting it off.”

“Confirmed.”

We had five empty crystals in total, but this was not the time to take it easy.

“Someone might see us.”

“Charging.”

FLAAAASH—

The sanctuary continued to spew strong light and flaunt its presence.

That meant someone was charging a crystal, so it was only a matter of time before other participants came looking.

The longer we stayed, the higher that possibility would become.

“And if we fight, we’re at a disadvantage.”

“Still the weakest.”

My current rank was E, and Seo Ye-in had dropped one stage due to the side effect of [Fullness], so she was F.

Meanwhile, any opponent we met would be at least D, whether they were students or monsters.

Since our specs were lacking, our chances of winning were not especially high, and even if we did win, it would be a fairly hard fight.

FLAAAASH—!

Therefore, we left as soon as one crystal finished charging.

But bad premonitions had a way of never missing.

Before we had even walked far, a group blocked the path ahead.

“There you are.”

A three-person party made up of swordsmen.

One of them looked extremely familiar.

When we had first entered the Great Forest, he had been waiting near the starting point.

Sagong Uk’s lackey.

As for his name, I still had no idea because we had never introduced ourselves.

If I had to give him a nickname based on an impressive memory, since he had been hit in the back by Ahn Hyeongi’s magic and rendered unable to fight...

“...Back Guy?”

“...You damned bastard.”

A thick vein bulged on Back Guy’s forehead.

Whether he did or not, I kept talking.

“Looks like you came right back as soon as you re-entered.”

“Did you think I would give up?”

“Of course not. But where’s Sagong Uk? Why is it just three lackeys?”

At that, Back Guy snorted.

“There’s no need to make him move personally. Judging from the look of you, you haven’t raised your ranks much either. The three of us will be enough for a good fight.”

The fight at the starting point had been two against five, but one of them had been Ahn Hyeongi, who had been aiming for a chance to stab them in the back, and two had been rabble who quickly ran away.

On the other hand, the three in front of us had come entirely under Sagong Uk’s orders.

Their rank was obviously the upper limit, D.

So I nodded.

“You’re not wrong, but it does feel a little lacking. You should’ve brought one or two more.”

“If we are not enough, that will happen.”

“Sure. First, take this.”

A card in my hand immediately shone, then shot toward Back Guy.

It was [Plunder].

However, the beam of light bounced away the moment it touched his body.

RUSTLE...

The card also turned into black ash and scattered.

That meant it had been blocked by [Protection], so I raised my eyebrows.

“That startled me. They sent you out carrying something that valuable?”

“Was it not for preparing against a situation like this?”

Back Guy smiled coldly.

Well, a fair amount of time had passed, and they probably expected us to have secured one or two attack cards.

Of course, I had expected them to expect that, which was why I had used [Plunder] first.

I smiled brightly and took out another identical one.

“Then let’s see how much more prepared you are.”

“...!”

FLASH!

Another beam of light shot toward him, and this time it seeped into him for a moment before returning like a boomerang.

It handed me a [Map(D)].

At that, I put on a fairly disappointed expression.

“Back Guy, you talked so confidently, but one card was it?”

“...”

“No people, no cards... How are you supposed to catch anyone like this?”

His face twitched for a moment, then he suddenly shouted like he was roaring an order.

“...Strike!”

The swordsmen immediately drew their blades and charged in.

Every time they kicked off the ground, the distance closed rapidly.

However, the item card in my hand activated faster than they could clash with us.

The two [Plunders] were just to check for [Protection].

If they had it, I would burn through it to land the decisive move.

And that decisive move was none other than...

[Ejection(D)]

▷Sends three D-rank or lower targets in front of you flying to random locations.

FLAAAASH—

A mass of light spewed from the card and wrapped around Back Guy’s trio.

With a warm smile, I waved at them.

“Then take care on your way. Next time, prepare a little more solidly.”

“You bastard...!”

“Anyway, see you again.”

FLAAAASH!

After glaring at me with eyes that looked like they were about to split open, they were engulfed by the mass of light and shot high into the sky.

Then they flew off far into the distance.