512

 [Chapter 140]

[At the Dungeon Entrance (2)]

The day of the Comprehensive Ability Evaluation.

The enrollment of 2nd year students at the High Academy was about 1,800.

Students had to enter the Academy Dungeon in groups of 50 in order.

The time between one group entering the dungeon and the next group entering was 10 minutes.

As a result, the start time of the final evaluation differed for each group.

15th... 

It'll be my turn soon.

Eunha's group was assigned number 17.

Each group had to come out 30 minutes earlier than the scheduled time for prompt headcount.

He who came out on time was now waiting for the final evaluation to start soon.

Before long—

[—Group 17. We will begin entry. Please keep in mind that the moment you enter the dungeon, a trap that summons you to a random location will activate.]

It was group 17's turn.

Eunha looked at the door guarded by instructors in front.

The instructor opened the tightly closed door.

""""...""""

A width that one person could pass through.

Red stairs leading down.

Only darkness, darkness, darkness beyond a few steps down.

The students became solemn facing a world completely different from reality.

"Enter!"

"E-Enter!"

The instructor shouted.

Then the student at the front of the group hastily echoed the instructor's shout.

The student who submitted a pledge taking responsibility for their own death stepped through the door.

That student disappeared into the darkness.

The students lined up went down the stairs in order.

Eunha also took a step.

...It's started.

Stairs that seemed to be spiral.

How much time was passing.

Where he was.

Whether there was an end to these stairs.

As the concept of time and place became increasingly unclear.

Thump

He felt a sensation like his heart suddenly leaped.

His vision shook.

The trap had activated.

A sensation like his body and soul were separating.

Enduring the unpleasant sensation with difficulty, he took a few more steps—

"—...Looks like I've entered the first underground floor."

His vision that had been filled with darkness changed as if it was a lie.

The stuffy sensation disappeared, and Eunha was standing in a wide open place.

The first thing to do after entering a dungeon like this is to figure out where I am.

Eunha looked around the red world.

Cave-like terrain.

Rocky area with holes everywhere.

Stagnant puddles.

"...I landed quite far away."

I know the geography of the Academy Dungeon to some extent.

Eunha searched his memories of the dungeon, figured out his location, and clicked his tongue.

It was the edge of the first underground floor.

Eunha who had been inwardly hoping to be summoned directly to the plaza area couldn't help but feel disappointed.

"The map isn't much help either."

Eunha took out the booklet handed out by the instructors from his bag.

General information about the Academy Dungeon was recorded.

There were blank parts here and there, which were problems for students to solve during the final evaluation.

Also, the map was not complete.

It only showed very general information or didn't show even that.

But Eunha wasn't flustered.

"...Is it that way?"

Usually mana flows towards the core of the dungeon.

Eunha released his mana.

Mana rising like a heat haze.

He confirmed the direction it mainly flowed and figured out the vicinity of the plaza area.

Wubo

There were a few other students at the location where he was summoned.

He ignored those watching him and moved his feet.

He advances quickly.

Kieee...kuk...!

When monsters appear, he kills them in one strike.

Quickly gathering mana stones.

He goes on his way.

"—Move."

"...Huh? No Eunha?"

"It's Eunha!"

He sees familiar faces along the way.

He cuts down the monsters they were struggling with in passing.

""""...""""

At the sudden event.

The students were at a loss for words.

He who appeared like the wind and disappeared like the wind soon arrived at the plaza area.

"We have 4 people in our party now, looking for one more person! Especially welcome a dealer!"

"Looking for 1 ranger! If I say I'm using Desert Eagle now, I can provide bullets too!"

"Ham-choi-myeot party gather quickly! Who's not gathered now?"

"Anyone want to exchange potions and sweet red bean jelly! Ah, I have potions!"

The plaza area was no different from a marketplace.

Students were shouting loudly surrounding the path to the second underground floor.

No matter how early they entered.

Students had to spend time here until all party members gathered.

In a way, the plaza area could be said to take up the most time in conquering the dungeon.

Well, what does that have to do with me?

Of course, Eunha was an exception.

While some students made party proposals to him.

He rejected all their proposals and cut through the crowd.

Arriving directly at the second underground floor.

It was the advantage of solo play.

"From here on I know the way, so I'll be even faster."

Unlike the first underground floor where he didn't know where he'd be placed.

The second underground floor ended when you came down the stairs from the first floor.

Of course, since the starting point was fixed, he was very familiar with the way down to the third underground floor.

If I go the shortest route, I can probably arrive today.

I'll eat dinner then take a nice hot bath.

I'll go the shortest route.

Eunha who had a broad smile on his face was about to leave quickly.

Just then.

[—Stop right there!]

"...Huh?"

Jin Seo-na's telepathy suddenly flew in.

Eunha who was about to use Wubo slowly turned his head towards the direction the telepathy came from.

"Huhu... I knew I'd meet you Eunha if I waited here."

"...Why are you coming out from there?"

I didn't expect her to be hiding in the shadows of the stairs leading to the first underground floor.

Eunha made a dumbfounded expression seeing the fox reveal herself from the corner.

The fox was shrugging her shoulders with her arms folded, as if something was so delightful.

No, it wasn't just the fox.

"Why are you coming out from there too?"

"...This was the only place not noticeable to others."

"Thanks to that, no one but you Eunha knew we were hiding here."

Hoshimiya Kaede is there too.

She had a sullen face.

Then when the fox clung to her, the corners of her mouth rose slightly.

Meanwhile, Eunha was flabbergasted.

"Did you two come down here now?"

"That's right. It takes a long time to gather up there if there are many party members."

"So you formed a party with just the two of you?"

"That's right."

Jin Seo-na and Hoshimiya Kaede.

A telepath and a ranger.

Eunha couldn't understand the fox boasting about forming a party with just the two of them.

But the fox said—

"—Anyway, what's the need to find other party members when we just need you Eunha? I'll be the telepath, Kaede will support as the ranger, and you can do everything else."

As if saying don't you know this?

Jin Seo-na explaining while waving her finger.

Eunha was dumbfounded.

She's trying to put me in her party on her own?

I don't know why the fox is so confident.

Eunha had no intention of joining Jin Seo-na's party.

He was going to aim for solo play.

And enjoy the hot springs.

So Eunha decided to just pass by the two.

He decided to pass by, but—

"—Should I tell Ha-yang everything?"

"What?"

"Did you think I wouldn't know your thoughts of staying in the hot springs during the final evaluation period?"

"..."

When he turned around, Jin Seo-na was smiling brightly.

It's a smile with some scheme.

He who momentarily lost his words calmly gathered his emotions.

"So you're going to blackmail me?"

"Come on, how is this blackmail? I'm just suggesting we join hands."

"Suggestion? What suggestion?"

"I want to rest in the hot springs too."

"...Huh?"

"I want to soak my body in hot water and rest comfortably too."

A truly unexpected suggestion.

Now that I look, it seems the fox really likes baths.

Eunha let out a dry laugh seeing the fox whining like she was throwing a tantrum.

So the reason you were waiting for me was to just relax in the hot springs without caring about the final evaluation?

Of course I welcome that.

I was thinking it might be boring to rest alone anyway.

I'd welcome having companions.

Moreover, if a telepath and ranger join the party, conquering the dungeon will become even easier.

Above all—

"—If Ha-yang finds out somehow, I'll put in a good word for you later. How about it? Is this enough for a deal?"

"Deal."

Eunha quite liked Jin Seo-na's final proposal.

The two shook hands and made a deal on the spot.

By the way...

Meanwhile, Eunha looked at Hoshimiya Kaede who had been sullen until then.

Their eyes met.

She frowned.

"What."

"...Do you perhaps?"

"...What."

"No, I was wondering if you liked hot springs too. Then you should have said so earlier. I needlessly tried to conquer alone."

"..."

"I didn't think you'd want to enter the hot springs so much you'd give up on grades. It's unexpected."

"Kuk..."

"It's okay. You don't have to be embarrassed. I understand your feelings."

"Shut up, be quiet."

"Your face is red?"

"I said shut your mouth..."

They say Hoshimiya Kaede whose face turned red couldn't even raise her head properly.

☆

I formed the party wrong.

Having barely met his party members.

Min-ho who came down to the second underground floor thought so.

If it was going to be like this, I should have put that Jin Pa-rang in the party instead.

Mok Min-ho rubbed his temples.

He didn't expect he would evaluate Jin Pa-rang as better.

That's how mentally taxing it was.

Because of Ariel who had been chattering non-stop since earlier.

"Huh? What did I do?"

Ariel didn't seem to know.

When he told her to be quiet, she made a wronged face.

That wasn't all.

"Mok Min-ho, am I that disappointing? How much have I talked for you to treat me like this?"

"If you have a conscience..."

"Hiiing... Eun-woo, Min-ho is scolding me. Scold Min-ho for me!"

"Come on, why are you making a fuss over this? You're making Riel cry because of you Min-ho."

"That's right! That's right!"

"...She's crying? That's crying?"

"Sniff sniff."

"Why are you making the kid cry?"

"Hah..."

Knowing he couldn't do anything against Cha Eun-woo.

Ariel even dragged in Cha Eun-woo.

And Cha Eun-woo who fell for Ariel's friendliness only defended her.

The two got along very well.

In the end, Min-ho gave up on dealing with Ariel.

Jin Pa-rang is like that, Bae Soo-bin is like that, Ariel is like that...

How on earth does that No Eunha manage his party members?

Mok Min-ho thought No Eunha was amazing all over again at this point.

He just wanted to know how he managed the constantly whining Ariel.

Meanwhile, Ariel's eccentricities didn't end here.

"...What is this?"

"Dew!"

"..."

"What did you say this is?"

"I said it's dew? Don't you know dew?"

"Hah..."

Somewhere on the second underground floor.

Mok Min-ho who stopped conquering and decided to camp encountered an unbelievable situation.

After setting up tents separately for men and women and sitting down to eat dinner.

Ariel casually took out a green bottle from her bag.

It was alcohol.

"Who brings alcohol to a dungeon..."

"I'm here! Why not?"

Setting aside how she smuggled alcohol past the instructors' inspection.

Mok Min-ho was shocked looking at Ariel's bag.

It wasn't just one bottle.

The bag was full of alcohol.

"This is crazy..."

At this absurd situation.

Mok Min-ho couldn't help but spew out curses.

Even Cha Eun-woo couldn't defend Ariel this time.

"Ah! My alcohol!! How can you take it all away!?"

"It should have been written in the final evaluation notice not to bring alcohol to the dungeon. I'm confiscating all of this."

"No! Don't do that! Don't take away my life water!"

Mok Min-ho's decision was firm.

He confiscated all the alcohol regardless of Ariel's fuss.

Eventually Ariel threw a tantrum.

Her whining voice was too loud.

Min-ho asked Eun-woo with his eyes to try calming her somehow.

"...Si-hyung hyung."

"Yeah."

"What should we do..."

"Haha... Ariel will do well too."

"I think I'll go crazy if I'm with her for a week..."

"Uh... Min-ho, hang in there. I'll help you as much as I can."

"Thanks for saying that at least."

Ariel tests his patience.

Min-ho complained to Kang Si-hyung while realizing Eunha's greatness.

Then he looked at Yoon I-byeol who was eating dinner quietly.

She's a problem too...

All day today.

Yoon I-byeol had been in a gloomy mood.

She didn't talk much.

Min-ho wasn't unaware of the reason.

 But with Yoon I-byeol like that, the party atmosphere was just gloomy.

In fact, though Ariel was noisy, thanks to her being so talkative, the party atmosphere was fairly lively.

And Ariel subtly took care of Yoon I-byeol too...

In a way, Ariel may have been trying hard to refresh the mood.

Mok Min-ho suddenly thought.

But he soon erased it from his mind seeing Ariel crying and begging Eun-woo.

"...Then I'll just drink one glass a day. Okay?"

"Hah... can you really promise that?"

"Of course! There's a saying that I'm a corpse without promises!"

"Why did I really put you in the party..."

"Hehe, because I'm pretty?"

"...No Eunha is really admirable."

But unfortunately.

Min-ho couldn't completely take away Ariel's alcohol.

Just one glass a day.

Min-ho allowed her to drink after discussing with the party members.

"Then I'll drink well!"

"Wait."

"Huh?"

"...I can't trust you with the bottle."

"You don't trust me now? How can you do this to me Min-ho?"

"The leader can do this."

"Tch."

"From now on, party members will take turns keeping the alcohol. You just drink what we pour for you."

"That's too much. I'm hurt."

"There's a chance you won't get any."

"Hey, of course I'm joking! Don't you know how much I love you!"

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

"So you'll pour as much as you love me?"

Not even a day had passed yet.

Mok Min-ho felt a sudden fatigue.

He fully understood why No Eunha said he would conquer the dungeon solo.

"But am I the only one drinking?"

"Then who else would drink besides you?"

"Ah, drinking alone isn't tasty. Let's all drink together!"

Just then, Ariel suddenly suggested.

Mok Min-ho sighed.

His eyes met with Cha Eun-woo's.

Their opinions matched.

The two concluded they shouldn't let Ariel drink alone like this.

"Then everyone just drinks one glass. And you all know not to tell anyone about this... right?"

I don't know how it ended up like this.

It goes against my values but.

Mok Min-ho reluctantly decided to drink with his friends in the dungeon.

Anyway, Min-ho thought this would appease Ariel.

He thought so, but—

"—The alcohol I drink with Eunha is the most delicious. Sometimes I drink with just Eunha..."

Those words from Ariel were the root of the problem.

She who had agreed to drink just one more glass after begging Min-ho rambled on.

The friends thought, I see.

Moreover, Min-ho was touched thinking No Eunha was working hard to manage Ariel.

But Yoon I-byeol who had been hanging her head and keeping her mouth shut until then—

"—Riel."

"Huh?"

"You never told me about that."

"Huh? Did I not?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Huh? Uh? What?"

In a tone as if interrogating.

Yoon I-byeol opened her mouth for the first time today.

Once she started talking.

She continued speaking with a displeased face.

"That you drank with Eunha alone."

"Huh?"

"I'm asking why you didn't tell me."

"You didn't ask."

"Then you should have told me."

""""...""""

Silence fell.

Mok Min-ho, Cha Eun-woo, Kang Si-hyung.

The three rolled their eyes.

They noticed her attitude was not friendly.

There's no way they wouldn't know that.

And since there's no way they wouldn't know, there's no way Ariel who was being interrogated by Yoon I-byeol wouldn't realize.

No matter how easygoing her personality—

"—Do I have to tell you everything one by one?"

""""...""""

"I'm asking because I don't know well, this isn't strange of me, right?"

She absolutely does not make the mistake of treating hostility as goodwill.

Ariel smiled innocently as if it was very strange.

"This is really driving me crazy..."

From then on.

Though outwardly there was no difference.

Ariel and Yoon I-byeol didn't speak a single word to each other anymore.

Mok Min-ho could only sigh.

"—I want to learn from you No Eunha."

Really.

I want to blow up this party.

Mok Min-ho suppressed his emotions.