Ch.7070. Clash Head-On!

Excluding Do Jonghyun, the strongest students in the lower class who would be offended to be called second-rate were currently struggling.

It was one thing when competing against other lower-class students, but against upper or middle-class students, the difficulty level was completely different.

“Yu Deokmin! Hurry up and follow me!”

“Yes! Yes!”

Yu Deokmin was following a third-year senior who was barking orders.

Even though he had become stronger with the power of the red powder, he was originally so weak that the monsters the upper-class students were facing were definitely overwhelming for him.

Only a select few could handle them with ease.

[A-Rank Record Shortened]

-Seol Yuhwa

In joint simulations where all grades were mixed, facing various monsters meant that records themselves weren’t particularly meaningful. However, it was different for high-ranked monsters. Those always attracted attention.

And now, Seol Yuhwa had shortened that record.

“As expected of the White Dragon Guild!”

The seniors surrounded Seol Yuhwa, showering her with praise.

“Yuhwa has good manners and a kind personality. She’s truly the epitome of a well-bred young lady, isn’t she?”

As the seniors continued their endless praise, Yu Deokmin felt envious.

Moreover, even her elegant gesture of brushing her hair back was overflowing with charm.

‘…’

Yu Deokmin sent her a gaze mixed with envy and desire.

His true talent just hadn’t blossomed yet, that’s all.

‘Someday, I’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with her.’

When he becomes a second-year, he’ll submit an application to move to the middle class. No matter how confident Yu Deokmin had become lately, he didn’t think he could go straight to the upper class right away.

‘But from now on, everyone will notice me. It’s just because I’m with the upper class now that I’m struggling, but if I were with the lower class, I could do just as well.’

Yu Deokmin looked toward Ariel.

Today, Ariel had achieved a joint third-place record with Geum Dohyeon.

Seeing Ariel’s sharp gaze fixed on Seol Yuhwa, Yu Deokmin felt a strange sense of kinship.

‘Ariel. You and I are compatible. It’s because Seol Yuhwa is suddenly doing well, right?’

For him, Do Jonghyun was that kind of existence. Though now his image was tarnished and he was disliked by the seniors, during the first semester, he had been enviably impressive.

If they shared such a sense of kinship, becoming friends with Ariel might be possible.

‘Damn it. First-years will be with seniors all the time. What should I do?’

Yu Deokmin believed he could become friends with Ariel, but unfortunately, there was no such opportunity at present.

‘Should I join a club? What club is Ariel in?’

While he was pondering this, Kim Jiwoo smacked the back of his head.

“Hey! Pay attention! Let’s move!”

“…”

At that moment, Yu Deokmin almost lost his temper, but he held back for Ariel’s sake.

“…What?”

“Nothing. Senior, I was just spacing out.”

Yu Deokmin smiled and ran alongside the upper-class students again.

He was in a position where he could only observe and learn from what the upper-class students were doing.

‘It’s not just me, everyone’s like this. Who would try to steal the upper-class students’ opportunities? It’s normal to watch and learn from the sidelines.’

Everyone was like that, and he was just part of the crowd. There was nothing wrong with it.

As he was observing, one area became noisy.

This was because a man with thick eyebrows, third-year Go Jiyun, had joined Yu Deokmin and the others.

After spending a few days here, even first-years like Yu Deokmin had figured things out. He was one of the strongest third-years along with In Yeseul.

Though not one to show off, he naturally caught the attention of other third-years.

Among the third-years, Go Jiyun grabbed the head of Do Jonghyun, who was supposed to keep quiet like a mouse.

“I’m telling you, this kid is no joke! I was surprised too. At this rate, he could help shorten records, don’t you think?”

“Do Jonghyun? This kid? How good is he?”

“No lie, he caught a Water Slime by himself without my help? Not by brute force, but by hitting all the right points. I’ve never seen a first-year like this before.”

The third-years were buzzing with excitement. Do Jonghyun was getting attention again.

“A first-year catching a Water Slime? Without a summoning spirit?”

“That’s why it’s impressive, right?”

“Wow~ I thought this kid was arrogant, but…”

Suddenly, Do Jonghyun’s reputation began to change dramatically among the third-years.

Yu Deokmin’s expression twisted.

‘Suddenly? What did he do now?’

Do Jonghyun was being praised. Though it had nothing to do with Yu Deokmin, he was intensely aware of it.

Moreover, even Ariel, whom he didn’t dare approach, went over to Do Jonghyun.

“Through combat? You? That’s unexpected.”

“Why is that unexpected?”

“Hahaha. Do Jonghyun fighting directly, that’s surprising. Trying to show a new side of yourself? Give it up. Give it up. You’re pushing yourself too hard with skills you don’t have. Will you even find a job after graduation?”

Ariel was approaching him quite amicably. Though her words weren’t particularly kind, others could sense it.

Her behavior was friendly. Something Yu Deokmin couldn’t even imagine.

Ariel naturally touched Do Jonghyun’s shoulder or chest while laughing.

“Since you can’t do it anyway, want to be a combat analyst at our company? You’re good at that at least. Or maybe security. You can’t get a better position than that.”

“I’ll consider it if you pay me billions.”

“Who do you think you are? Don’t regret it later.”

Ariel waved her palm and even gave him an eye-smile. She wouldn’t normally do that to ordinary people, but Do Jonghyun already had that status.

Yu Deokmin envied that so much.

‘When I get stronger, I’ll also…’

“Hey… Yu Deokmin.”

At that moment, Kim Jiwoo, who was behind him, hit his head again.

“The senior has been talking to you, why aren’t you responding?”

“What?”

“Where’s your mind wandering? They’re both first-years like you. Are Ariel and Do Jonghyun really dating? I saw them together in the newspaper?”

“No, they’re not!”

Yu Deokmin made one mistake here. His voice rose.

Kim Jiwoo’s eyes narrowed.

“Why are you getting angry?”

“No, it’s just…”

“Senior, what’s going on?”

The large-built Baek Dongguk suddenly intervened. He was known for his bad temper in the middle class.

Yu Deokmin didn’t know what to do. If he messed up here, he could end up being disliked by second-years like Do Jonghyun.

Kim Jiwoo scratched his head.

“Well, I think the kid likes Ariel? He’s been staring at her the whole time.”

“Ah… this punk. A first-year already distracted by someone else in front of his seniors? Are you crazy?”

“Hey, it’s fine, it’s fine. She’s pretty, so his eyes wandered. I understand.”

Fortunately, Kim Jiwoo covered for Yu Deokmin. Baek Dongguk immediately rubbed his palms together.

“The third-year seniors are all really nice. If it were me, I would have just hit you. Consider yourself lucky.”

At Baek Dongguk’s warning, Yu Deokmin felt his heart pounding.

‘He caught a Water Slime? If he can do it, so can I.’

He asked Kim Jiwoo to let him try catching a C-rank Water Slime.

“Well, I guess you should try it once.”

Fortunately, Kim Jiwoo allowed it.

But the result was a disaster. He knew the theory, but his body was too hasty.

‘I am strong!’

He knew the strategy, but he was impatient. With his mind racing, he missed the subtle timing.

“Damn it!”

“Deokmin. Take it slow!”

The image of Do Jonghyun being praised flashed before his eyes, and he forcefully tried to tear the Water Slime apart.

But since he didn’t hit the weak point, he was quickly overwhelmed.

“Ugh!”

In the end, Kim Jiwoo had to step in and help him.

‘Damn it. This isn’t working. This isn’t working.’

Yu Deokmin felt embarrassed and ashamed. And then he thought of the powder.

‘Too slow. This isn’t enough. I need to get stronger. He told me to take it slow, but…’

Yu Deokmin felt an even more desperate need for the red powder.

*

Being surrounded by seniors and receiving praise? It feels strange.

This wasn’t something that happened before my regression.

“You sprinkle sand to easily deduce the weak point? How many times have you faced it? You’re so calm?”

“After a Water Slime attacks, its weak point is revealed, but there’s a characteristic pattern. It tries to move as far away as possible from the side that was attacked.”

“Really? I didn’t know that?”

Of course. It’s well-known that slimes reveal their weak points, but the fact that the direction is somewhat predictable isn’t widely known yet.

I had to share my not-so-heroic tale while surrounded by third-year seniors.

“But you’re praising me too much just for catching a Water Slime. Haha.”

“That’s impressive.”

A woman with a ponytail approached beside Go Jiyun.

This person is In Yeseul. She’s considered one of the strongest among the third-years, along with Go Jiyun.

“So you’re the famous first-year I’ve heard so much about? Ariel’s boyfriend?”

“No!”

Ariel’s voice can be heard from behind. She has sharp ears.

“Want to team up with me next time? If you can work with Go Jiyun, you can work with me too.”

Senior In Yeseul smiles calmly.

What? That would be great for me.

“Anytime.”

“Good. I like your straightforward response. See you next time.”

Leaving the noisy reactions behind, our class finally ended.

Gicheol signaled that we should all hang out today, but unfortunately, I can’t join.

“I’m going out today.”

“What? Where are you going? Got a date or something?”

“If it were a date, would I tell you before leaving?”

“Ariel said she’s going out too. Don’t tell me…”

Suspicious gazes turn toward me.

“I didn’t even know she was going out. Anyway, I’m leaving.”

“Then what about Cheongi…”

“Sorry. I got scolded by the seniors, so I have to do special training with them.”

Kim Cheongi was hanging his head, looking depressed. Special training? Those seniors are really passionate.

“Who is it?”

“Senior Bang Seokcheon.”

I felt incredibly uneasy at that moment. Bang Seokcheon is the ringleader of the second-year troublemakers.

Special training for Kim Cheongi?

This is beyond my control.

“If they bully you, tell the school immediately. They’ll take action.”

“No way…”

Kim Cheongi left like that.

And I also had to go out. Where? To the gate, of course.

I called the person guarding me here.

“Hello, sir. I’m going to the gate? It’s a D-rank gate.”

“What? D-rank? Will you be okay?”

“I can handle it with my enhancement suit. I’m only going to be there for about 30-40 minutes, and then I’m meeting friends at the PC room? Don’t worry, just wait for me.”

The strategy I’m using here is to use my friends as an excuse.

I’ll call again later and say I’ll join them after about 40 minutes.

I’ve made him believe that since it’s only 40 minutes in a D-rank gate, there’s no need for him to come inside.

“Ah, it probably won’t happen, but if I don’t come out after 40 minutes, please come check on me.”

“Alright, alright.”

This is how important words are.

This way, he’ll have no choice but to wait outside.

Unlike with White Dragon, the advantage here is that I can contact him directly.

As soon as I entered, I tried to hide my body as much as possible.

The reason I chose this swamp field gate is because it’s easy to hide.

After hiding, I took out my main card.

I transformed into the Half-Dragon Asura and then took out my evolution card.

[Avian Asura]

As the evolution card emitted light and enveloped my body, I changed into the newly acquired evolved form.

And I flew into the sky.

From the wide view, what I checked was whether this guardian had entered or not.

Fortunately, he’s not visible.

For reference, this gate connects all the way to B-rank. Obviously, my goal is to reach the B-rank.

The field remains a swamp, but the problem is that the length, width, and depth of this swamp are beyond imagination.

“This is indeed a moment that requires transformation.”

After quickly entering the B-rank gate, I took out another evolution card.

[Marine Mammal Asura]

As I dove down with my wings folded back, the card emitted light.

The moment my entire body sank into the water, threatening monsters appeared.

From catfish-shaped monsters to worm-shaped ones. All eyeing the prey that had walked right into their territory.

[Evolution]

My body began to evolve. Into a massive creature befitting the vastness of this swamp.

Today I’m going to make the most of this opportunity.

I moved my tail powerfully and advanced toward the enemies.