LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 102
The day for the joint class of the magic and close combat majors arrived.
Ah-reum and Eun-byeol met in front of the large tree, a landmark of the Academy.
After exchanging greetings as usual, they headed to the auditorium.
Upon arriving, the two women joined Jae-woo, who had already been there.
“Jae, Jae-woo! Eun-byeol said it’s all good!”
“An A-rank dungeon, right?”
“Yeah, yeah!”
Jae-woo grasped the shortened meaning of their words effortlessly.
These days, Ah-reum’s focus was solely on her growth as a Hunter—growth, growth, and more growth.
Jae-woo thought he was quite diligent too, but he still couldn’t compare to Ah-reum.
‘…Ah-reum isn’t number one for no reason.’
Not only in rank but also in performance, she was at the top alongside Eun-byeol.
Jae-woo felt he needed to step up his game too.
After all, the final exams were still ahead.
“Hey, Jae-woo, how’s the shield? Getting used to it yet?”
Eun-byeol, checking the time on her phone, asked.
There was still a bit of break time left.
“Better than the first time? It definitely feels alright now.”
“Really? That’s a relief. It seems like the stability has improved.”
“Yeah, I think so too.”
Jae-woo nodded lightly.
It was advice that Professor Jeong Si-hyun had offered him, almost in passing.
Given his current state, she suggested that wielding a shield would actually suit him better.
Since that day, Jae-woo had immediately acquired a beginner’s shield.
He consulted with Professor Park and other close combat instructors.
Additionally, he consistently practiced while searching for information online.
At first, it definitely felt awkward.
However, as he kept going to dungeons with Ah-reum and Eun-byeol, he gradually started to adapt.
It turned out to be quite a piece of equipment.
He now felt uneasy without it.
“Attention! Everyone gather! The lecture is about to start!”
“Quiet down if you’ve all gathered!”
The two professors entered the auditorium, shouting loudly.
Both were professors within the Academy with a Hunter rank of C.
“Hey, you student! Yeah, you! Go turn on the screen over there!”
“…Ah, yes!”
Professor Yu, who specialized in the magic major, pointed at a student.
The student hurriedly moved, trying to hide their expression of annoyance before being scolded.
“Tsk, tsk! So slow.”
Professor Yu clicked his tongue lightly.
He hadn’t been feeling great lately.
Not long ago, at a faculty meeting, Professor No had revealed his temper toward him.
His standing, which used to lead the charge in criticizing Professor Jeong Si-hyun, was being whittled away.
While he still maintained friendships with other professors, colleagues who had been neutral started avoiding him.
Moreover.
“Hey! You kids! Calm down and stand straight!”
“S-sorry!”
“No matter how promising you are, you’re still students! Got it? Tsk! Kids these days…”
“…”
These unpleasant rising stars.
Those three brats praising the hour lecturer!
That girl’s reputation was rising, while his assessment began to decline in contrast.
Professor Yu was getting more irritated by the day.
“Alright, alright. Professor Yu, let’s begin the lecture.”
“Hmm, fine.”
As a close combat professor interjected, he finally stopped sulking.
The joint class was about to start.
Just at that moment!
“AAAH!”
“It’s a gate, it’s a gate!”
Cleaning ladies rushed out from inside the auditorium.
But even faster than them, a massive gate surged with bright red energy appeared.
Everyone in the auditorium was sucked into the gate without even a chance to resist.
The appearance of a failure-to-observe gate.
* * *
Meanwhile, Si-hyun was out window shopping with her younger sister.
Since she didn’t have any summer clothes, she felt it’d be better to browse in person rather than ordering from an app.
“Unnie, your figure is great, so you’d look good in this too. What do you think?”
“Hmmm… Should I try it on? I think it could work.”
“Wow, you’re being quite proactive today!”
Si-yoon looked at her sister while snorting softly.
Unlike when they shopped together before, today, Si-hyun hardly rejected any recommendations.
To be honest, it was a bit surprising.
“Having already tried on a dress and high heels, this should be a piece of cake.”
“Aah, so that was it.”
“But just because doesn’t mean I’ll suggest something weird.”
“Hey, when have I ever suggested something weird? You were just embarrassed.”
“…Ahem.”
That was honestly a fair point.
Si-hyun awkwardly cleared her throat and turned away.
Si-yoon enjoyed her sister’s cute reaction, grinning widely.
“Want me to broaden my recommendations?”
“Sure, broadening is fine, but don’t force me.”
“Do you think I’m someone who would force you?”
Si-yoon giggled.
Their older sister was someone who could waver but would never break.
Clearly, she had her own standards.
After all, they had only managed to get through that one experience together after sticking by each other for days.
‘…Ah, right!’
At that moment, Si-yoon suddenly felt a strong curiosity.
“Unnie, unnie.”
“Yeah?”
“If we go to the pool or the beach this summer, you’ll go with me, right?”
“Ah, yeah. I like swimming too.”
“Hehe, then what about swimsuits?”
“Uh….”
Si-hyun was suddenly at a loss for words.
She hadn’t thought about that part yet.
In the other world, there weren’t any kinds of swimsuits.
And when she returned to Earth, the weather had been chilly, so it hadn’t come up.
It was the emergence of an unexpected dilemma.
“…”
“Hmm?”
Feeling her younger sister’s blatant gaze, Si-hyun pondered for a moment.
Swimwear. Women’s swimwear…
‘…No, but this is still better than the dress and high heels combo, right?’
Si-hyun’s gaze quickly scanned the surroundings.
Since they were in a women’s clothing store, clothes to wear for summer were flaunting themselves everywhere.
Of course, both the design and the exposure varied.
Swimwear likely wouldn’t be that different.
Either way, the dress she wore at the party was such a formidable opponent.
Everything else seemed quite harmless by comparison.
“…Possible.”
“Oooh!”
When Si-hyun declared confidently, Si-yoon clapped her hands excitedly.
To be honest, she thought her sister would hesitate more.
‘If she keeps this up, shopping trips will definitely turn more fun!’
If her attitude remained this proactive, the range of suggestions would endlessly widen.
Si-yoon examined her sister from head to toe like a doll.
Then, raising her head, she began to scout the store’s interior.
“…Unnie, we’ve seen everything here, so let’s go to the next store!”
“Yeah, should we?”
The two of them stepped outside the store.
With a lively spirit as if they intended to check out all the stores, they began to skip here and there.
Si-hyun’s arms started to fill up with more and more items.
Just when Si-hyun was about to suggest wrapping up the shopping, her attention was suddenly drawn to a TV displayed in one store.
– This is breaking news. A failure-to-observe gate has appeared inside the Academy auditorium just moments ago.
“…Si-yoon.”
“Yeah? What’s up?”
– According to the reporters on the scene, this dungeon is classified as an A-rank special dungeon and allows only one-way access. We’ll connect you with more details from the scene.
Si-yoon, who had stopped in her tracks, followed her sister’s gaze to the news.
The chaotic scene at the site unfolded.
It was reported that dozens of people inside the auditorium had been sucked into the dungeon.
And that wasn’t the end of it.
The reporter explained that due to the recent situation, forming a raid team had been challenging.
“…Ha.”
Letting out a light sigh, Si-hyun brushed her hair back and reflected on the situation.
No matter how she thought about it…
“…Si-yoon, I think we need to go.”
“Ah, yeah! Got it! Be careful!”
Si-yoon raised both hands energetically.
Si-hyun gently ruffled her sister’s hair and handed over the stuff she was holding.
With her lips pressed tightly together, Si-hyun quickly picked up her pace.
She took out the smartphone she had kept in her pocket.
‘Everyone has to be safe…’
Regaining her composure, Si-hyun sent a message to Jang Han-soo.
Then she immediately hailed a taxi and headed toward the Academy.
* * *
At that moment, at the Academy.
Several people gathered near the gate where the incident occurred.
Among them were many professors.
“How did it go, Professor?”
“They said it’s tough.”
Some professors attempted to reach out to their contacts via phone.
As was common lately, everyone replied that it was difficult at the moment.
“Professor Kim! Is there any chance you’re a B-rank…?”
“This is an A-rank dungeon!”
“Y-yeah….”
“If it weren’t a condition-based dungeon…!”
The professors themselves were among those lacking the ‘courage to enter directly.’
They quickly absorbed the skeptical responses from their contacts.
They stopped additional outreach without any further complaints.
To begin with, there were few professors with contacts capable of entering an A-rank dungeon.
“Let me in! I will go in myself!”
“No, President! Please refrain!”
On one side, the President was shouting, being held back by some of the professors.
The professors trying to dissuade the President shouted back.
“With your injuries, you can’t even show half of your prime ability! If you go in, it’s certain death!”
“Professor No and Professor Park have already gone in! They’ll hold the line!”
The story was that two B-rank professors, a magician and a swordsman, had entered to rescue the students.
However, this gate, hastily assessed, had been classified as A-rank.
Logically, it was reasonable to think the inside would be wiped out soon.
Rather, it was akin to the two professors entering late choosing to commit suicide.
Most professors present thought so.
“There are students! Students who will lead the future are inside!”
“It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing we can do! You know how dungeons have changed lately!”
“President! This is an accident, an accident! It’s a natural disaster we can’t control!”
Although the victims of the disaster were unfortunate, if it was an A-rank dungeon, even if it couldn’t be done immediately, forming a raid team within a few days was likely.
That was how they had to think.
It was the rational thing.
“Seriously, what are we going to do….”
“By now, everyone inside has probably been wiped out, right?”
A little distance away, students who had been watching murmured.
Perhaps the two professors rated B were doing their best to hold the line.
But even so, it would only be a fleeting moment.
Waiting would be too late.
Yet, the only choice was to wait.
“Sigh….”
Everyone sighed.
Just then.
“…President, please calm down.”
A soft, soothing voice rang out.
All eyes turned in that direction.
“I will go in. I’ll bring everyone back within half a day.”
Si-hyun, who had approached the President, declared confidently. Her voice was calm, yet brimming with confidence.
The President’s pupils quivered slightly.
Other professors nearby shouted.
“But you’re a C-rank!”
“Don’t be foolish and step back!”
Si-hyun was already moving toward the gate. Her steps appeared quite determined.
Several professors approached to stop Si-hyun’s actions.
In an urgent situation, with her path blocked, Si-hyun lowered her voice to ask.
“…Are you all telling me to give up on the students?”
“W-we don’t mean it that way!”
One professor shouted back in protest.
Si-hyun asked again.
“Then what are you all doing right now?”
“We’re controlling the situation to prevent further accidents!”
“Controlling…?”
Ha!
Unintentionally, Si-hyun let out a sigh.
“You said you were actively figuring out a solution, but instead, you’ve just been controlling things?”
“If you think there’s a way, then what is it?! This is an A-rank special dungeon!”
“Ha, where’s all the connections you claimed to have registered so proudly?”
Under Si-hyun’s question, the professor in front fell silent.
At that moment, no matter how they answered, it was a losing proposition.
“You seem to lack the courage to even directly enter.”
Si-hyun asked coldly.
She slowly surveyed her surroundings.
No one could answer and all avoided her gaze.
“And all that boasting about your connections is utterly useless. You can’t even step up for the students.”
Click!
Somewhere, the flash of a camera went off.
“I don’t want to be hindered by people lacking a sense of duty as professors.”
Si-hyun lightly pushed past the shoulders of those blocking her.
Everyone was gravely shoved aside.
“I hope everyone reflects on this. Honestly… it’s pathetic.”
Though it was just the words of a part-time instructor, no one dared to rebut.
The professors became as silent as a mouse.
That’s how overwhelming Si-hyun’s presence was.
Stepping briskly—
Si-hyun entered the gate with quick strides.
No one bothered to try to stop her again.
For a brief moment, silence fell around them.
However, no one followed Si-hyun into the gate after her.
Click!
Once more, the sound of a camera flash erupted.