Episode 98 Week 6 Mentoring, Strategy Battle (5)
“Was I a bit harsh?”
“Senior, why did you do that? The child was almost on the verge of crying.”
“No, I didn’t do it on purpose. I didn’t know you’d throw a knife there.”
Dang Gyu-yeong scratched his cheek in embarrassment.
It was not intentional for the goblin decapitator to throw his cleaver at the last moment.
[Commander] The only instructions that can be given through rules are simple ones.
For example, moving to a certain location and attacking a certain target.
‘Keep a distance and only use long-range attacks’ or ‘Ignore everything and only use one-shot attacks on the statues of the goddesses’ are the maximum limits.
After that, since monsters act according to their instincts, large and small variables are bound to occur.
In a similar vein, Dang Gyu-yeong had no authority to control every single movement of the beheaded person.
Perhaps the final instruction was something like, ‘Do whatever it takes to damage the statue of the goddess right before you die.’
“But the situation is a little, funny, heh, heh heh heh.”
Dang Gyu-young’s laughter bursts once again.
I never expected the goblin slayer would throw a cleaver,
I didn’t know that the cleaver would be stuck squarely in the waist of the goddess statue.
I had no idea that 40% of my stamina would be lost in one hit.
Even I, who had been through a lot of defense, and Dang Gyu-yeong, who was in command, felt embarrassed, so Song Cheon-hye, who fought the assassin until the end, must have felt incredibly shocked.
That blank expression on his face was quite different from his usual strict, dignified, and serious appearance, and that may have been why Dang Gyu-yeong failed to hold back his laughter.
Thinking back, it was funny again, Dang Gyu-yeong kept hitting my shoulder for a long time while laughing.
And after quite some time had passed, I finally calmed down a bit and took a deep breath.
“Oh, my stomach hurts. Anyway, I really didn’t do it on purpose. What are you doing today?”
Today’s strategy battle ended with two challenges, and after that, just like last week, Dang Gyu-yeong decided to provide one-on-one training.
Of course, unlike the other three crew members, I am excluded from one-on-one close combat.
Because I already took off all three stickers and got recognized.
That doesn’t mean I intend to waste my time.
[Event: 1st Mentoring](In progress…….)
[Remaining period: 20 days]
▷Grow faster with the help of a mentor.
▷Increased probability of acquiring skills/traits
▷Increased skill/trait growth rate
▷Bonus enhancement (large) applied… … .
The mentoring event continues throughout the month, and the bonuses received as sub-quest rewards from last week are still in effect.
If you don’t practice at times like this, you’ll be at a loss.
“For the time being, I plan to work on my skills.”
“Skills? Ranked works?”
“yes.”
Currently, the main skill, Windforce, has reached a stagnation point at C rank.
It takes an incredibly long time to reach B-class, but it is important to consistently devote yourself to training.
Besides, it’s not just about ranking.
“I’m going to try to learn a skill while I’m at it.”
[Skill]
▷Windforce (C+)
▷Inferno Fist (C)
▷Amplification (D)
▷Copy-Skill [2/2]
1. Thief’s Step (B+)
2. Overheat (D)
The more types of useful skills you have, the better.
[Inferno Fist] is a banned skill, so it is sealed in official settings.
[Overheat] and [Thief’s Step] registered in the copy slot provide excellent physical abilities and mobility, so it would be a waste to cover them up with other skills.
Right now I’m blocking by using Windforce in all sorts of ways, but it’s time to start learning other skills.
I recalled and categorized the wind-type magic from my memory.
Something that can be learned solely through training, without the help of skill books or relics.
However, if it is a skill that performs above my standards,
‘[Spiral Explosion] would be good.’
Spiral Blast was one of my main skills before I entered the game world.
To be exact, it was the main skill of the wind magician I brought with me.
To exaggerate a little, I would have taken this out just to see it.
It means that it is a magic that is highly useful, difficult for the opponent, and frustrating to translate.
Of course, even if a mentoring event is in progress, it is impossible to complete such a powerful skill overnight.
‘You have to learn them one by one, step by step.’
This is a method of learning several lower-level skills to ultimately complete the spiral explosion.
Among them, if there is a skill that can be learned at the same time as Windforce training,
‘Twister.’
A magic that twists the wind to create rotational force.
To put it simply, it is a whirlwind magic.
If you create a whirlwind outward, it will have the effect of reflecting and deflecting enemy attacks, and if you create it inward, it will have the effect of absorbing and drawing them in.
If the enemy is located in the center of the whirlwind, it is possible to tie them down there.
The last example is a method I’ve used a couple of times using Windforce.
Once before finishing off the priest with Inferno Fist at the Feather Serpent Altar in the basement of the Dungeon.
Another time was just last week during the sticker battle, when Hong Yeon-hwa used it to restrict Dang Gyu-yeong’s movements right before she peeled off the sticker.
However, since it was applied inevitably, the efficiency was not very good.
He had to put in the effort to manually blow the wind from various directions, and even though he had raised his rank by two levels through amplification, he was only able to stop Dang Gyu-yeong for a very short time.
If Dang Gyu-yeong hadn’t been wearing the C-rank restriction bracelet, even that moment would have been impossible.
In order to bind stronger enemies, including Dang Gyu-yeong who took off his bracelet, for a longer period of time, you need a twister that is fully implemented as a skill.
“Well, it’s a new skill.”
Dang Gyu-yeong looked at me as if he was talking to himself.
Then suddenly, as if a thought crossed his mind, his eyes became anxious.
“… … Wind magic, perhaps?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“… … .”
Dang Gyu-yeong took a few steps back without saying a word, then took a defensive stance as if I was about to do something bad.
“What’s wrong, senior?”
“I won’t do it. I said it clearly. I won’t do it.”
“Let me start by asking you why. Why don’t you do it?”
“You’re going to use that wind magic on me.”
I paused for a few seconds before answering.
“It’s faster to learn how to use it against strong opponents.”
“Jeul, tte, eun, huh!”
He says it one letter at a time, step by step, until he gets to this point.
It seems like he really hates being a training subject for Windforce.
It doesn’t seem like I’ve used it that much for Dang Gyu-yeong, but this is how I perceive the forced movement skill.
The number one most hated skill.
Since I couldn’t force someone who didn’t want to do it, I suggested an alternative.
“There’s nothing I can do. Then, please just drive away the monsters. I’ll use them on them.”
The good news was that this week was a battle of wits.
As long as your mentor, Dang Gyu-young, is watching, the event bonus conditions will be met, so it doesn’t really matter if your practice target is a monster.
Moreover, it is a defense strategy battle with a large number of monsters, and you can use the commander rules to focus attacks on me.
In many ways, it was a good environment to hone Windforce.
Dang Gyu-yeong accepted the alternative plan I suggested very willingly.
“Yeah, that’s okay.”
The mindset that no matter how annoying a skill is, it should not be used on oneself.
Plus, you can just sit back and watch without lifting a finger, so it couldn’t be better.
Enter the temple together.
Dang Gyu-yeong sat comfortably near the statue of the goddess without even thinking about hiding her body.
And I stood in front of the main gate that Song Cheon-hye had defended.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
“Keeruk!”
“Keeek.”
Goblins rushing in, competing with each other.
The difference is that they are only after me, not the main gate or the statue of the goddess.
I looked at them with bored eyes, and when I got close enough, I cast Windforce.
-Whew—
The wind blew from many directions and was concentrated in one place.
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
And the goblins began to gather together, and gather again.
What used to be a goblin rice ball soon became a goblin mountain.
I continued to cast Windforce and piled the goblin mountain higher and higher.
* * *
The next morning.
As usual, I met the calligrapher at the student cafeteria.
I glanced around briefly, but I couldn’t feel any sign of stability.
Well, it’s not like mentors are always free.
This morning’s menu features freshly baked bagels.
There were all kinds of toppings lined up there, so you could make a sandwich that suited your taste.
“… … .”
The calligrapher picked up a bagel and a piece of cream cheese.
And then he just stands there and stares at me blankly.
“Aren’t you going to pick up any more?”
“… … .”
A look of hesitation, not an immediate answer.
I thought so.
Since it’s breakfast, you may not have much of an appetite, so you can just eat a bagel with cream cheese.
But I’m a person who believes in eating well when you eat.
Toppings were piled on top of the bagel.
Cheese, scrambled eggs, some vegetables, thinly sliced ham… … .
In no time, a fairly thick bagel sandwich was ready for breakfast.
“… … .”
The calligrapher’s gaze slowly descended and was fixed on my plate.
From my experience so far, this is the look in your eyes when you want something.
“Make me one?”
– Nod.
“plate.”
When the calligrapher handed me a plate with only a bagel and cream cheese on it, I took it and piled on the toppings.
And in no time, a bagel sandwich exactly like mine was completed.
I was just about to sit down,
“Hello, hello!”
A bright and cheerful greeting came to my ear.
When I turned my head in the direction where the sound came from, I saw Han So-mi waving her hands and Song Cheon-hye right next to her.
Song Cheon-hye greeted him in a businesslike tone as their eyes met.
“hello.”
His usual haughty and cold demeanor.
But if you look closely, you can see that the facial contour is half a tone darker than usual, and there is a faint shading around the eyes.
My eyes also seem a little swollen.
‘I guess you had a bit of a hard time last night.’
I guess the shock of failing the second challenge yesterday was huge.
It seems like you’re the type to pretend not to care but secretly care, but you probably can’t sleep properly because yesterday’s highlights keep replaying when you close your eyes.
In that respect, Song Cheon-hye has good friends.
Han So-mi, the embodiment of positivity that goes beyond Go Hyun-woo.
He has a talent for brightening the mood of the surroundings just by his presence, so even now, Song Cheon-hye’s mood seems to be improving little by little.
“Oh! Bagel!”
Han So-mi smiled brightly when she saw the tower of bagels on our plates.
“Cheonhye, it’s bagel today, bagel sandwich!”
“Why are you so surprised? A bagel might come out.”
But contrary to her tone of disinterest, Song Cheon-hye’s gaze was quickly scanning my plate.
The shadowed face brightens slightly and the lips slightly lick themselves.
I asked Song Cheon-hye that.
“Shall we talk about the strategy while eating?”
“Yeah.”
Han So-mi and Song Cheon-hye leave to pick up their share of bagels.
The calligrapher looked at his back, then tilted her head slightly while looking at me.
“Are you close?”
If you include the omitted words, it would probably be ‘When did you guys become so close?’
“We’re not close.”
It may sound harsh at first glance, but that was the reality.
Han So-mi is a very cheerful and friendly person, so she is always the first to approach people without hesitation, but that is probably the same for everyone else.
That means we’re not particularly close.
Song Cheon-hye and I are only temporarily tied together as mentors, and we do not have any particular feelings for each other.
The investigation into Inferno Fist is probably still ongoing, so there’s no way they’ve let their suspicions about me go away.
“But can’t we have a meal together? Is that okay?”
“huh.”
The calligrapher shook his head up and down as if he didn’t really care.
First, we secured seats for four people and sat down, taking bites of our bagels, when Han So-mi and Song Cheon-hye came and sat across from us.
The two of them were just about to start their breakfast, seemingly calmly, but I couldn’t help but look at their plates and ask.
“How come they all look the same, Bagel?”
“lol…….”
Han So-mi smiles shyly and Song Cheon-hye avoids eye contact.
There was a perfect replica of the bagel sandwich I had made.
Two or more.
