Ch.174174. Dokgo Jun’s Inspection

Dokgo Jun looked at the two people collapsed in exhaustion before him.

“How sad. The difference in power is this significant.”

Sprawled before him were Jo Seong-hee and Park Tae-sang, members of the Three Major Guilds.

Dokgo Jun casually tried to raise his arm but winced from the aftereffects.

“The physical burden is worse than before, but it seems to be the price for gaining power. Both of you should take note.”

“Yeah, you’re so great. Happy now?”

Park Tae-sang got up and sighed. Dokgo Jun, who was trying to enter a new level, had become strong enough that even two people from the Three Major Guilds couldn’t defeat him when they attacked together.

“Picking a fight out of nowhere. How brutal.”

“Isn’t it obvious? We need to enter this realm quickly.”

“What?”

Dokgo Jun approached the bewildered Park Tae-sang.

“You know about yesterday’s incident, right? The German Barclay Guild was wiped out while hunting in the Crevasse.”

“I know. The monsters are getting stronger.”

“I can’t do it alone. Everyone needs to get stronger to fight back. We need to wake everyone up, even if it’s somewhat forceful. Don’t complain.”

Indeed, they were in intense practice to enter the Avatar’s realm.

Park Tae-sang opened a can of beer from his pocket.

“If that’s the case, you should properly teach the kids. You should be doing more education.”

“Should I?”

“…Are you really going?”

Dokgo Jun headed to the Academy after a long time.

*

The classroom atmosphere changed dramatically with the news of Dokgo Jun’s planned visit.

“What? Again?”

Personally, I was curious about what that guy was plotting, but I didn’t want him to come.

Eun Se-rin was looking at me with an incredulous expression.

“Why that reaction? It’s actually a good opportunity. It’s connected to your future employment, so everyone prepare. It’s in three days.”

“Yes…”

She talks so easily. Doesn’t she dislike Dokgo Jun too?

But my question was answered just a minute later.

“Instructor Bae Min-seon will be in charge that day, so don’t be nervous and ask good questions.”

I knew it. She’s skipping out herself.

Eun Se-rin added one more thing before leaving.

“And those applying for the representative position should try to score points there. Only a week left now.”

Dokgo Jun is coming. Anyone who performs well and receives praise will have a higher chance of being elected as representative.

Even if not, he might scout someone like Seol Yu-hwa last year.

The whole place was buzzing with anticipation. The school was even planning a major rescue and monster elimination exercise that included all third-year students.

At the same time, a rotation began across the beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes for the three-day period.

I ended up meeting my beginner class peers earlier than expected.

“Since moving to the advanced class, you’ve become quite the precious one, huh?”

“If you’re jealous, you should move up too.”

“You punk, let’s play a round of League later. I’ll destroy you.”

We talk every day, but we’re currently learning basic rescue training in our respective classes.

But with Dokgo Jun coming, they mixed us together earlier than scheduled.

I was happy to see my beginner class friends again, but…

The difficulty suddenly increased. Rescue activities and gate simulations.

But the enthusiasm was incredible.

Especially Ariel, who changed her usual comfortable attire and was proceeding quietly and calmly.

She wasn’t getting angry immediately and suddenly acted like an angel during case studies.

Considering Ariel’s goal, it made sense.

She’s the type who wants to be the best no matter what, so she acts accordingly.

With her changed behavior and good grades, she would normally be a shoo-in… but the problem is her competition is formidable.

“Shall we plan our strategy?”

Next to me was Seol Yu-hwa, commanding another team.

Honestly, Seol Yu-hwa is the one whose behavior has been consistent.

Since freshman year.

In other words, she always acts elegantly at a level that could be considered her true self.

Only I know her true nature now.

Well, I have no reason to comment on someone else’s personal affairs. That’s a powder keg if mishandled.

Anyway, Seol Yu-hwa is so powerful as a competitor that I wonder if Ariel can really be elected as representative.

It wasn’t just for show that she was taught by the White Dragon Guild; her magical power is strong, and with Brisingamen, she can make most monsters kneel.

While a C-rank is appropriate when working with peers, if Seol Yu-hwa activates Brisingamen, it’s practically a free pass.

“This won’t do. Let’s use everyone’s abilities.”

She was quietly and gently encouraging her team members. A skilled person and a definite recruitment candidate for the White Dragon Guild.

Her authority was immense.

Someone who gets more attention than Ariel. Given Ariel’s personality, she definitely wouldn’t tolerate it.

The only reason she’s enduring is because of the representative selection. With only a week left, Ariel wouldn’t throw it away over something like this.

At that moment, Geum Do-hyun slapped my back.

“Hey, pay attention.”

“Ah, sorry, sorry.”

“And here I am trying to help you.”

For reference, Geum Do-hyun was in my team again this time. Not because it was random, but because he requested it.

[Given my ability, I’m developing something with Jong-hyun. Please let me join him.]

For the proud Geum Do-hyun to say that, how surprising.

“Ugh… I really need to go home this weekend, but I don’t want to.”

“Why? Aren’t you seeing your parents after a long time?”

“No, I got scolded a lot because of that incident. Like last time, I don’t know why monsters keep interfering and ruining things. My parents told me to be prepared. Well, I’m a bit… never mind. I’ll tell you later.”

“Why?”

Is it because he spent his parents’ money without permission? Or because he was at the scene of the accident? I don’t know, but Geum Do-hyun was dejected.

That aside, our team was doing well.

Thanks to that incident, Geum Do-hyun learned how to control his maximum output in water.

After using all his magical power to save me, he got a sense of how to move efficiently.

In rescue activities, we could now see him flying in with explosions underwater.

[I can’t see anything because of the steam, you idiot!]

[Don’t interfere! Geum Do-hyun!]

The angry voices of our peers came through the radio, but regardless, we succeeded in achieving our goals quickly.

Geum Do-hyun might be excessive, but he was taking the training seriously, and thanks to that, we were fast.

Especially by controlling the flow of rescue materials with explosive force, making them easy to deliver.

Plus, the color of his flames had changed a bit since last time. Isn’t that blue form evidence that he’s gotten stronger?

“This is more like it. See? I feel more comfortable now.”

He was returning to his usual self during case studies too.

So Geum Do-hyun is fine now. Next, I’d like to work with Seol Yu-hwa.

But it’s all random. Unless it’s artificially determined like Eun Se-rin does, it’s random.

Especially from today, with third-years mixed in, it’s even harder for us to work together.

And today’s instructor is Bae Min-seon. Unlike Eun Se-rin, she’s not the type to accommodate preferences.

So tomorrow is Eun Se-rin, the day after is Bae Min-seon. That’s how it will go.

Originally, gate simulations require at least four people, but rescue activities add two more.

It’s also where the importance of sidekicks increases, for treatment or protection.

The problem is that the number of students doesn’t match up perfectly.

“Alright! Everyone line up according to your selection!”

With Bae Min-seon’s energetic voice, teams were selected one by one.

In the process, three unbalanced students remained.

It was awkward to proceed as is, and also awkward to add them all at once.

In the end, they decided to split them up one by one. And Senior Ju A-ra came to our side.

“Hello!”

“Long time no see.”

Senior Ju A-ra’s expression looked slightly dark. I had no way of knowing why a sidekick who would do well in the future was like this… or so I thought.

But once class started, Senior Ju A-ra began making mistake after mistake.

“Senior! You need to focus!”

Her condition is exactly the same as last year?

Strange? Surely Senior Ju A-ra would have made a name for herself from her third year, so why is she the same?

The only difference is her magical power. She’s clearly not performing well. We either waste energy fighting monsters and miss the rescue deadline, or focus on rescue and end up losing to monsters.

A complete mess.

From the first day, it was a total disaster.

Well, let’s accept it and prioritize analyzing what the problem is.

Her magical power seems fine.

When she dodges or puts excessive buffs on us, the effects are definitely there.

If it’s not a magical power issue, then it’s a judgment problem.

She can forget everything when confused.

But while I was analyzing, the practice ended, and Ju A-ra apologized with an even gloomier expression.

On the last day before Dokgo Jun’s arrival, an incident finally occurred.

Seo Jin-won, who had moved up to the advanced class with me, forfeited during practice.

The reason was obviously because of Ju A-ra. Working with her had been a complete mess, and he gave up.

Rather than getting angry at a senior, Seo Jin-won expressed his feelings through forfeit.

But why is Ju A-ra performing so poorly?

This is different from the future again…

It’s a future that has changed in a bad way. I had no choice but to find Senior Seong Ho-chang.

“Ho-chang, Senior Ju A-ra’s judgment has become really clouded. She’s not getting good feedback from the juniors.”

“It is a concentration issue… she’s become timid, I guess? She hesitates a lot.”

She did her job well before the regression, so what changed?

Ho-chang seemed to be thinking about something and then remembered.

“Last year, when more than half of the current third-years were wiped out, she became depressed. It could be because of that.”

Because her peers all left together and her influence disappeared? Was that it?

I didn’t know the future could change like this. Interesting.

The problem is that Dokgo Jun is coming tomorrow. Each mistake could be fatal.

Especially if she ends up with sensitive people like Ariel or Seol Yu-hwa…

No. I quickly shook off these ominous thoughts, as they might come true.

As I was walking, I ran into Seo Jin-won.

He was walking with some intermediate class students.

“Seo Jin-won.”

“Do Jong-hyun. Both you and I are suffering because of our team members.”

I know exactly who he’s talking about. I smiled bitterly.

“But Senior Ju A-ra has good abilities and could do well, she just seems to be very nervous.”

“That woman? She’s been a problem since last year.”

But Seo Jin-won’s attitude was strange.

“Why? Did she hold you back last year?”

“No, she keeps lecturing inappropriately. Even after her peers were wiped out. So I deliberately ignored her. I mean, no matter what, you can’t just confront someone directly, right?”

“…”

Suddenly, the puzzle pieces started fitting together in my mind.

Even if her peers were wiped out and she’s being cautious, fundamentally she’s a senior and has no reason to be intimidated based on her abilities.

But in a situation where I wiped out her peers and the third-years were generally subdued, a junior openly acts like this?

Senior Ju A-ra must have been shocked. A situation where she had to accept being ignored—I was the one who created that situation.

As I realized the full picture, Seo Jin-won looked at me with a puzzled face.

“What?”

“Still, she’s a senior. Isn’t that too much? You should make up quickly.”

“Why should I? What did I do wrong?”

“…”

No, forget it. This guy has no intention of apologizing anyway.

“Hey, you got rid of the trash seniors, right? Strictly speaking, it’s because of you.”

“That doesn’t mean I told you to ignore them. It was for seniors and juniors to get along well… isn’t that too much?”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. You’re worrying about the strangest things. Stop overreacting. She should blame herself for her incompetence.”

Seo Jin-won got angry and left.