Chapter 16 Academy Underground Dungeon (1)
The familiar office that I’ve visited many times before. Professor Tak Won-ho, with a sharp impression, was sitting there, fully concentrated. I gave a slight nod to get his attention.
“Professor, I’m here.”
“Oh, you came.”
“You called me…”
“Yeah, I called you because I have a favor to ask. Do you have a moment?”
“I have a free period, so it’s okay.”
Unlike when I first met Professor Tak Won-ho, he now speaks more comfortably to me. Though his cold demeanor and stern tone haven’t changed, I feel like we’ve become more familiar after nearly a month of education together. Especially when Professor Tak Won-ho teaches swordsmanship, he does it with a Spartan intensity.
If you can’t do it, he makes sure you can, and if you can, he pushes you further. It’s almost like the mindset of a marine from my previous world. Even though it was awkward between us at first, after hearing Professor Tak Won-ho’s foul language a few times, I couldn’t help but get used to it naturally.
By the way, Professor Kim Myeong-hyun still addresses me formally. The only person Professor Kim Myeong-hyun uses casual language with is Kim Chae-eun.
“Well, then… alright. Have you gotten a sense of the swordsmanship taught by me and Professor Kim?”
Tak Won-ho and Kim Myeong-hyun. I’ve grown like a monster under the joint tutelage of these two professors. In a shorter period than the original Park Jin-woo, I raised [Sword] to level 5, and I gained immediate enlightenment and gained two rare runes related to ‘Swordsmanship’ from their teachings. The growth rate of my abilities was extremely steep. My strength and speed are already above 20, and my willpower and toughness stats are approaching 20.
I had never even held a sword in my previous world, but now, I felt like a master of the sword.
“Starting today, I’ve learned the Water Sword Style and the Wave Sword Style. They were registered with the runes during the training.”
“You’ve already learned them?”
“Yes, I got lucky.”
“No need for such modesty. I don’t need you to be humble in front of me.”
Unintentionally, I flinched at Professor Tak Won-ho’s reproach. Then I quickly mentioned something else.
“Your teachings were exceptional.”
“…Hmm.”
I must have given the right answer.
“Anyway, then the task should become a bit easier.”
Professor Tak Won-ho stood up for a moment and took out a stack of documents from inside the desk. He handed them to me.
“Take this, Do Jae-hyun.”
“What’s this…?”
“Before I explain, we have to make a solemn pledge. The story we’re about to share is top-secret and should never leak outside. You must not tell anyone else about this, not even in writing. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I will never leak the information.”
Seruk-
Professor Tak Won-ho firmly broke the seal on the closed documents. It seemed to be an exploration report, consisting of about ten pages in total. As I expected, it was about the ‘Academy Underground Dungeon’.
“It’s an undiscovered dungeon found in the Academy Minister’s Underground Passage. Currently, nobody knows about this dungeon. Do Jae-hyun, I want you to be in charge of conquering this dungeon.”
“…Me?”
“Yes. I would have personally formed an exploration party, but due to my external position and the situation within the academy, it’s difficult. I think you know roughly why.”
It’s a situation where various successors of the Tak Clan are monitoring Professor Tak Won-ho. Also, with the B-grade monster that broke through the [Magic Barrier], the academy is under attack from all directions. If the news about an underground dungeon discovered within the academy spreads, the current confusion will only worsen. Professor Tak Won-ho has been constantly pondering over this and, as a result, asked me, who recently became his exclusive disciple and gained his trust.
Originally, this offer should have gone to Park Jin-woo. Starting as an exclusive disciple, and now even the academy dungeon. It wasn’t intentional, but somehow, I ended up receiving it.
‘Sorry, Jin-woo.’
I silently apologized to Park Jin-woo inside my heart.
And with effort, I tried to hide my excitement and maintained a composed expression.
Right now, I shouldn’t be happy; I needed to lay the groundwork for my solo exploration.
“But, Professor, although you say I’ve been learning under both of you, I’m still a Holder at the D-grade level. Even the initial monster shown in the report, Lizardman, is a C-grade… Wouldn’t it be too difficult for me to handle alone?”
“Hmm… You have a point.”
Professor Tak Won-ho pondered with his hand on his chin. Then, as if he had made a decision, he nodded.
“Alright. Do Jae-hyun, you can take one student Holder as a companion. But you must make them take a strict oath of secrecy, and they must receive my final approval.”
“I understand. Thank you, Professor.”
That’s settled. Professor Tak Won-ho allowed me to have one companion.
The academy underground dungeon is a hidden dungeon with high-grade monsters and enormous rewards. It’s practically a convenience dungeon designed for the protagonist alone, granting privileges to the main character. If I could get all the rewards, my growth would skyrocket.
But at my current level as a D-grade Holder, this dungeon is not one I can conquer alone, just as Park Jin-woo said in the original story. I definitely needed a companion.
And at that time, both Park Jin-woo back then and me now, there was only one person we could choose.
‘Kang Juyeon.’
She had to be there to conquer the dungeon safely.
Even though she’s only in her first year, she’s already a B-grade Holder. She possesses an Epic rune, the highest level in the Fire attribute. Among all the students, she is the top in the wizard category.
Kang Juyeon.
I needed her.
***
ippotranslations
***
There’s nothing to learn.
Listening to the boring lectures at the academy, Kang Juyeon thought so. Kang Juyeon was born as the daughter of an S-grade Holder and grew up as an elite. The amount of early education and advanced study she received far surpassed what she was learning in the academy for only three years. She was just learning things she had already thoroughly learned. Naturally, it could only be dull. Moreover, Kang Juyeon was already a B-grade Holder. In a place where most of the academy’s professors and students were of A and B grades, it wasn’t easy for any professor to educate someone at a similar level as hers.
‘…Boring.’
The only reason why Kang Juyeon was attending the class was because of its title, The History and Information on Monsters . And she has to end the semesters with the best grade throughout the school year. As she has to be accountable for all of her actions, then she has to win all the prizes she could use to raise the honor of her family, the <Judgment of Fire> clan.
In particular, the academy is an institution that most Holders go through. It is a place built to grow a lot of personal connections and to form a consensus among Holders. As an elite, she couldn’t give up graduating from such an important institution just because the class wasn’t fun.
‘….’
The class <The History and Information on Monsters> was so dull that even the surrounding students were dozing off. Kang Juyeon pretended to listen to the class, but her gaze wandered elsewhere. In the quiet lecture, there was a man diligently taking notes on his own.
‘…Do Jae-hyun.’
He had been the focus of Kang Juyeon’s interest recently. At first, it was just human curiosity. Now, she became interested in him as a Holder. When he first entered the academy, Jae-hyun had just moved up to the intermediate class after the practical dueling.
As time passed, he showed astonishing growth. When he was still an E-grade Holder, he fearlessly fought against a B-grade monster that appeared in the academy. Astonishingly, he managed to cut off its tail with a valid attack. That alone was already a miracle, but afterwards, he continued to grow and has now become a D-grade Holder. Although she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, there were so many rumors that she could tell.
From the level of a low-end E-grade Holder to the head of the D-grade.
He was the one who earned the title of a growing Holder by his own efforts and challenges, even in the boring environment of the academy where the classes were useless, and the students tried to build connections with higher-grade students without any abilities.
” …Therefore, no matter how powerful the monster with strong defense runes and toughness may be, the location of the magic stone can become its weakness. We can conclude this way. All right! Today’s class ends here. Thank you all for your hard work.”
After a while, the lecture finally ended with the professor’s final words. Students greeted each other lightly and left the classroom one by one.
“Phew, it’s finally over. Phew, it’s so boring.”
The girl sitting next to her, Moon Ga-eun, yawned and stretched. It seemed that everyone felt the same boredom. The professor of this class was particularly uninteresting.
Moon Ga-eun smiled and looked at Kang Juyeon.
“Let’s go to a cafe, Juyeon.”
“A cafe?”
“Yes. I want to have a vanilla latte.”
Kang Juyeon quietly nodded. She usually liked being alone, but whenever Moon Ga-eun suggested doing something, Kang Juyeon usually followed her. Moon Ga-eun was the only friend she had from a young age. With a tough and cold image and a personality to match, Kang Juyeon didn’t make many friends. Even with her family, they were close and had a similar elite status, so they had a lot in common. Though she didn’t show it often, Kang Juyeon trusted and relied on her quite a bit.
So, she had no intention of making other friends.
Her relationships at the academy and society were all viewed as business transactions.
“Excuse me…”
As they were about to leave the classroom, a man blocked their way.
He was tall and had a solid build, clearly looking like a warrior-type. Kang Juyeon raised her head to confirm the person. Then, her eyes slightly widened.
A familiar face stood before her.
“Can you spare some time? I have something to talk about.”
He was the Holder Kang Juyeon had been glancing at throughout the class.
It was Do Jae-hyun.
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