Chapter 744: Week 9–10 Midterms (21)

After moving a while longer, we arrived at the A-rank zone boundary.

But we did not enter right away and waited.

Mo Yongjun’s side has to start first.

More precisely, we had to move after the lone-wolf-type boss became fixed in one place.

If we stirred up the A zone before that, there was a risk it might head our way.

So we opened [Map(A)] and watched the movements of the two crowns.

Look at it run around.

It went right, then left, like a bouncing ping-pong ball, then zigzagged, then went up, then down.

It was pure chaos.

Then, at some point, the crown came to a sudden stop and sharply changed direction.

After that, it moved straight toward the exact opposite side from us and stopped again.

They’ve started.

Mo Yongjun and Jeong Jinmyeong’s expedition groups had made a commotion, the field boss had headed there, and the raid had finally opened.

So I exchanged glances with the others too.

“Let’s go in.”

Then we began advancing toward the A zone.

A notification message appeared soon after.

[Entering Fixed Zone.]

I could feel the atmosphere change drastically as well, but we paid it no mind and moved toward the crown.

On the way, Beomi, who had been padding along, turned its head to the left.

“GRRR.”

Following its gaze, I saw two or three monkeys hanging from tree branches far away.

They were also watching us, but unlike before, they did not attack. They only observed.

“OOH? OOH-OOH?”

“EEK? EEK-EEK??”

The closer we got to the crown, the more the number of monkeys increased.

Likewise, they only circled around us at a certain distance.

They’re conserving their strength.

They had realized through experience—or instinctively sensed—that sending three or four at a time would only get them picked off individually without inflicting much damage.

In that case, it was better to gather all of them and decide the fight in one go.

“OOH-EEK-OOH-EEK!”

“EEK? EEK!”

Listening to the cries with one ear and letting them pass out the other, we soon came upon an especially large ancient tree.

It seemed to be some kind of base, and monkeys were swarming all around it. Even at a glance, there were easily several dozen.

There was also an abnormal individual mixed in among them.

It had a small body, its fur was gray-white like an old person’s hair, and even its posture was hunched as it leaned on a staff.

Field boss.

For convenience, I decided to call it Monkey Elder.

Soon after, it slowly scanned our side as if measuring our forces.

Then, when it slightly lifted its staff and planted it against the ground,

“OOH-OOH-OOH-OOH!”

“EEK, EEK! EEK-EEK!”

all the monkeys present screamed at once and began moving frantically.

Until now, they had simply surrounded the elder, but now they were forming a crude formation.

Also, a heavy aura was spreading out from around it.

It was probably a skill with various buff effects.

Seeing that, I grinned and said,

“Let’s have a go.”

At that, the expedition members also took their respective positions as we had decided in advance and cast their skills.

Magic circles of various colors floated up, and force surged from the martial artists’ bodies.

The tension in the area rose higher and higher like that, until—

“OOH-OOH-OOH!”

A group of monkeys charged from the enemy formation.

There were easily over a dozen, but in terms of overall proportion, it was only a portion of their forces.

As expected, it’s managing things cautiously.

It was a tactic of solidifying its defense first, then turning whatever strength it had to spare toward offense.

After clashing a few times like that, it would probably try to pierce through if it saw an opening.

They have nothing to lose.

This was their home ground.

They clearly held the advantage in overall forces, so they could take their time and cook us slowly.

—or so it must have been thinking.

Naturally, we had no intention of playing along with the elder monkey’s intentions.

We go hard from the start.

Go Hyeonwoo and Jo Byeok unleashed their ultimate techniques toward the swarming monkeys.

Soft wind and rocklike fist strikes swept across the front.

RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE—!

“KYAAK!”

“EEK—”

Many of the monkeys were erased on the spot and turned into crystals, while some were flung backward and hurriedly returned to the main formation.

The elder flinched as well, apparently not having expected that response.

“......!”

But then it planted its staff on the ground again, and another group of monkeys charged forward.

This time, they spread wide, as if wary of ultimate techniques.

Of course, our response was the same again.

SWISH-SWISH-SWISH-SWISH—!

Chilly sword energy and golden sword energy were drawn countless times across the front.

Ultimate techniques unleashed by Han Somi and Geum Johan.

As a result, a significant number of the second monkey group were also taken down, but the elder sent out a third wave without batting an eye.

ROAAAAAR—!

CRACKLE-RUMBLE, BOOM!

This time, what manifested was Hong Yeonhwa and Song Cheonhye’s large-scale magic.

Fireballs poured down, and a lightning storm swept in.

Even then, the elder sent out a fourth group.

Look how quick it is to catch on.

Ultimate techniques and large-scale magic not only consumed a ton of mana, but they also required long preparation time and had heavy recoil.

That was why we had two people cast in turns, but there was still a slight gap before Go Hyeonwoo and Jo Byeok could unleash their ultimate techniques again.

“OOH! OOH! OOH! OOH!!”

“EEK! EEK-EEK! EEK!”

The monkeys surged in excitedly.

It was as if they were saying, “Now you’re dead!”

But I wore a relaxed smile.

Not even close.

Then I pulled out [Sanctuary] and used it as it was.

FLASH—!

Shining shields surrounded our allied formation.

They were so sturdy that even when the A-rank monkeys hammered at them wildly, they could not leave a scratch.

And when the duration ended and the light faded, Go Hyeonwoo and Jo Byeok’s ultimate techniques unfolded again.

RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE—!

By this point, the elder monkey seemed to sense that the battle situation was not normal.

And for the first time, it let out a scream.

In a shrill voice like an old man’s.

“OOH-OH-OOH-OH! OOH-OH-OH-OH!”

FLASH—!

At the same time, energy shot up from its staff like a firework. It seemed to be requesting support.

Originally, the other field boss would have flown over in one breath, but—

“That one’s busy right now.”

It should be in the middle of trading blows with Mo Yongjun and Jeong Jinmyeong’s side.

They were fairly strong too, so it could not simply ignore them and come over.

Still, the elder half achieved its goal.

“OOH? OOH-OOH?”

“EEK? EEK-EEK??”

Monkeys appeared from all over and joined the formation.

There were now more of them than when the battle had first begun.

Of course, this is within expectations.

I had already told everyone during the operation meeting that this would happen.

So I gave the party instructions in an ordinary tone.

“Let’s keep going like this.”

“Understood.”

“How much longer for you guys?”

That question was aimed at the Nature Club and Emerald group.

There were no fewer than five green magic circles floating above their heads, because all of them were casting large-scale magic together.

Soon, Park Nari looked back this way and answered.

“It’s complete......now......!”

FLASH—!

The magic circles connected into one and radiated a powerful light.

Then a sapling glowing blue rose from the ground and began scattering energy around it.

“......!”

At that, the expressions of the party members grew noticeably more comfortable. They must have felt the mana and stamina consumed by their consecutive ultimate techniques being replenished.

With this, we had secured a certain degree of sustain.

BANG-BANG-BANG!

Meanwhile, as the battle continued, Hong Yeonhwa’s firepower kept growing stronger.

Magic overlapped, and within the flames, three-headed snakes and burning chicks were born.

The other expedition members were also pouring everything they had into the fight.

Even so, it was inevitable that openings would show from time to time, and when the elder monkey seized those openings and attacked—

FLASH—!

We defended with [Sanctuary].

As expected, games are all about item advantage.

The Discipline Committee members still had two or three, and I had given one to Park Nari as well, so we had a decent margin.

In the middle of that back-and-forth—

WHIRRRR—!

A sharp sound of something slicing through the air rang in my ears.

I immediately raised [Ice Wall(B)] on the side the sound had come from, and mana arrows thudded into it.

You finally arrived.

As expected, Cha Hyeonju soon appeared, leading her group.

She threw out a line while grinding her teeth.

“You told us to come, so we came, you bastard!”

Sagong Uk’s group was also walking over from another direction.

After sweeping his gaze across the battlefield and realizing the raid was in full swing, his expression turned very pleased.

“Fortunately, it seems we timed this well.”

“Yeah, you came right when we were fighting the boss.”

“I told you again and again. Grudges and debts on the dark-blade side are never forgotten. They will be returned in full.”

“That really did happen, huh?”

“......?”

Sagong Uk frowned.

Probably because he could not sense even the slightest feeling of crisis from us.

Even though we were surrounded on three sides by the field boss and expedition groups.

I continued speaking to them.

“First, I’d like to say thank you. To think all of you would follow me this passionately.”

If the rank gap was too large, even if they came to stab us in the back, it would only amount to flies buzzing around.

To inflict meaningful damage on A-ranks, their average rank had to be at least B.

Considering there were quite a lot of them, that could not have been easy, but they had not given up and had clawed their way up.

“You really are full of fighting spirit. Impressive.”

“You seem to be talking more. Trying to buy time, are you? Do you think we’ll fall for that?”

“Listen just a little longer. This is the important part.”

“......?”

I asked Cha Hyeonju a question.

“Did you think about it? Why I told the two of you to join hands and come after me?”

“Because you underestimated us.”

“Honestly, that’s part of it, but it’s not the full answer.”

At the words “part of it,” both of their expressions rotted.

Meanwhile, I sighed and shook my head.

“It was getting annoying. You kept coming at me half-baked, I’d thump you and send you away, then you’d come at me half-baked again.”

“......!”

“It’s not fun, and there’s no nutritional value. At least bring an entry fee or something.”

“What are you trying to say?”

Before answering, I pulled out one card.

The hidden piece I had saved for this moment.

[Overreach]

▷Escape the constraints of [Fixed Zone] and [Rank Up].

▷Duration: 20 seconds

▷After the effect ends, the user’s rank drops by 3 stages.

“I figured I should show you properly at least once. How big the gap in skill is.”

Only then would they think at least a little, instead of charging blindly according to their tempers next time.

FLASH—!

Soon, [Overreach] activated, and notification messages streamed out.

A considerable number of my skills and traits had escaped the restrictions of [Fixed Zone] and returned to S-rank.

Next, I raised my hand and covered one eye.

[Sky Vision(S)]

A gentle blue curve was being drawn high in the sky.

Until now, I didn’t have a reason to use it.

[Sky Vision(S)] was a skill that provided vision, but at the same time, it was also a skill that exposed oneself.

It was practically advertising to the entire neighborhood, “There’s a person under this eye!”

In most cases, it was no different from a white elephant.

Then why had I copied this specific skill from among the many S-rank skills Sky-Healing Dragon Jupiter possessed?

Because the story changes when I use it as a linked technique.

[Diamond Freeze(B)]

[Mutual-Destruction Eye(B)]

The curve drawn high in the sky took on an ice-cold light.

Then it slowly opened, took the shape of an eye, and shone down on everything on the battlefield.

The monkeys.

Cha Hyeonju.

Sagong Uk.

And all of their groups.

“Even if the two of you join hands and come at me, you can’t beat me.”

[Diamond Mutual-Destruction Sky Vision]

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK—!!

Everything froze in an instant.