LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 104
……The people trapped in the dungeon hastily concealed themselves in the best places they could find.
However, avoiding battle completely was impossible.
The monsters, sensing their territory had been invaded, quickly detected the humans.
Professor No and Professor Park fought desperately.
With each battle, injuries and fatigue piled up.
In particular, Professor Park, who was at the front lines, sustained serious wounds.
After the tense fight ended, Ah-reum rushed over to heal the professors’ injuries.
Professor Park felt a sense of admiration.
‘If it weren’t for this student, we wouldn’t have been able to hold out this long.’
For a student who had just achieved D-rank, her recovery skill was impressively outstanding.
Even he, who had been a Hunter for years, was surprised.
She truly was a remarkable newcomer.
As the professors took a moment to regroup, Jae-woo, who had been deep in thought, turned to Eun-byeol next to him.
“……Hey, um.”
“If a monster comes our way, you’ll step up, right?”
“Uh, yeah.”
Jae-woo awkwardly scratched his cheek after Eun-byeol preempted what he wanted to say.
“I’m the strongest among us. Plus, we have the supporter, Ah-reum. I think it makes sense for me to take the lead.”
“……Tch, trying to act all cool. I’ll help you, so let’s stick together.”
“Haha.”
When Eun-byeol said this with a cheeky expression, Jae-woo awkwardly smiled.
He glanced back in the direction of the professors.
He tightened his grip on his shield.
“……Professor Park, there have been no reports of Wood Bears appearing with other monsters. It seems we’ll only have to deal with these guys around here.”
“Hmm, that’s actually a relief. In situations like this, that’s better than being swarmed.”
Enduring the pain of his injuries, Professor Park slowly nodded.
It must be accurate, given that it was explained by Professor No, who was responsible for understanding and researching monsters in addition to his major lectures.
Of course, either way, it would be difficult. They couldn’t hold out for long.
However, it was easier to protect the students this way than to be overwhelmed by a horde.
Getting trapped in the dungeon was unlucky, but this was a stroke of good fortune.
‘Still, it doesn’t add up at all.’
Professor Park wore a bitter smile.
Just then, several students screamed again.
“P-professor!”
“They’re coming again! It’s a bear!”
Two Wood Bears, cloaked in dark brown fur, approached.
Professor Park lightly tapped Ah-reum on the shoulder.
It was a signal to fall back.
She wasn’t done healing yet.
After hesitating for a moment, Ah-reum reluctantly headed over to Jae-woo and Eun-byeol.
Professor Park also wanted to fight once his wounds healed, but the situation left no choice.
He stood to block the approaching Wood Bears.
The Wood Bear, walking leisurely on all fours, slowly rose to its full height.
It was massive enough that its shadow could cover a person entirely.
“Hmm….”
Gulp.
Professor Park swallowed hard, feeling nervous.
‘Fortunately, there aren’t many of them.’
The dungeon had only recently appeared.
As time passed, their numbers would increase rapidly.
With determination, Professor Park gripped his sword and shield firmly and took his stance.
GRAAAAW——!
An enormous roar that felt like it could burst eardrums!
Most of the students thought the ground was shaking beneath them.
Their legs trembled.
At that moment, Jae-woo’s party stepped forward.
The battle between the two professors and the bears began.
Whoosh!
The Wood Bear swung its arm, as thick as a tree trunk, at high speed.
Clang!
With a solid stance, Professor Park raised his shield to block the attack, but the powerful impact forced him back.
Naturally, his footing faltered.
GRAAAAW!
The Wood Bear swung its arm again to attack Professor Park.
But fortunately, he managed to roll back and narrowly avoid the blow.
In the meantime, Professor No continuously unleashed spells, inflicting damage on the other bear without rest.
‘Now isn’t the time to conserve mana!’
He unleashed magic with reckless abandon, determined to give it everything.
It was a monster that warranted such an effort.
An A-rank monster, no less.
“GRAAAW!”
The Wood Bear charged at Professor No with a vicious roar.
He quickly dove to the side to dodge a body slam.
Even though he had retired from the front lines, the skills he honed over years in dungeons had not rusted.
However.
“W-What?!”
The charging Wood Bear didn’t stop.
It didn’t veer back toward Professor No but maintained its speed, continuing to charge forward.
Turning mid-stride, it aimed for—
“AAAARGH!”
“It’s coming this way, it’s coming this way!”
The bear targeted the students behind them.
Students screamed in unison.
Some collapsed to the ground, their knees giving out.
They couldn’t overcome their fear.
“Damn it!”
Professor Park was entangled with another bear.
Professor No, as a mage, couldn’t confidently stand in a one-on-one confrontation against monsters like a frontline warrior.
He hurriedly summoned mana and erected a protective barrier in front of the students.
Boom—!
A colossal thud!
Fortunately, the barrier held strong against the Wood Bear’s charge.
However, this wasn’t the end.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Wood Bear, now upright, kept swinging its hefty forepaw.
With each blow, the barrier cracked and splintered.
“Grrr…!”
Professor No gritted his teeth, pouring every last drop of mana into preserving the barrier.
His hand, gripping the staff, trembled, and beads of sweat soaked his furrowed brow.
‘It absolutely cannot break!’
Why did they come here?
Not to hunt monsters. But to protect precious students.
If the barrier broke now, everything would fall apart.
That must never happen!
With all his strength, Professor No focused on the barrier.
But in the end.
Creak, crackle….
Boom—!
The barrier shattered.
“Ah, no!”
Professor No’s eyes widened as he gazed toward the students.
He had to hold out, no matter what.
He knew it was impossible.
Still, he had to endure.
It wasn’t about whether he could or couldn’t.
He had to block it, whatever happened.
But.
He couldn’t hold on.
The Wood Bear stood tall right in front of the students.
I failed…….
Professor No tightly shut his eyes.
“GRAAAAW!”
The Wood Bear brushed aside the pesky wall and raised its arm.
With lightning speed, it swung down.
In that moment, a male student stepped forward.
It was Jae-woo.
BAM!
“Guh…!”
He had only managed to block one attack.
However, Jae-woo’s shield was now wrecked, and his arm was slightly twisted.
The Wood Bear raised its arm once more.
It swung towards the obstacle in front of it.
If he took that hit now, it would be fatal. No, he would definitely die.
Jae-woo’s eyes widened.
Thud!
“GRAAAW?”
The Wood Bear, whose blow missed Jae-woo, scowled in annoyance.
A thin barrier had gotten in the way of its attack.
That caused its direction to twist.
But that was all it was.
In one stroke, the barrier shattered to pieces.
Ah-reum’s barrier had met its limit.
“Thanks, Ah-reum!”
Jae-woo shouted while stepping back from the Wood Bear.
During the brief window of time he gained, Jae-woo’s arm began to heal.
In the meantime, the Wood Bear raised its arm yet again.
Right at that moment.
ZAP, BOOM!
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning shot out!
The Wood Bear, struck on the side of its head by Eun-byeol’s magic, tilted slightly.
There was hardly any injury.
But it bought a precious moment.
During that fleeting interval, Jae-woo’s arm fully healed.
“Phew…!”
Jae-woo pushed his shield forward once more, ready to block another attack.
Ah-reum stood prepared to support him at any moment.
Eun-byeol kept her eyes on the perfect timing.
The three disciples mentored directly by Si-hyun.
They succeeded in holding back an A-rank monster.
Even if it was only one and for a very brief time, this was truly an incredible feat.
Indeed.
“GRAAAW!”
The Wood Bear lifted its arm once more.
It was focusing all its strength to eliminate the disruptors.
Whoosh—
SMACK!
The Wood Bear’s arm, swung rapidly, rebounded off unexpectedly.
“……You kids did well. Truly magnificent.”
They bought time until Si-hyun could arrive.
Ah-reum, Eun-byeol, and Jae-woo. The three students were extraordinary newcomers.
And what’s more, they had embraced the teachings from a being of immeasurable caliber.
* * *
……Immediately after defeating both Wood Bears.
Professor Yu, who had been swung around by Si-hyun, appeared with a frown as he assessed the situation.
‘……What on earth happened?’
The time instructor had suddenly appeared right before him.
When he pointed in the direction of the people, he was unceremoniously lifted onto someone’s shoulder.
As a mage, he was powerless against the melee Hunter who approached him.
Once he started running, it felt like his head was spinning, and he briefly lost consciousness.
When he came to, he saw a Wood Bear lying on the ground ahead of him.
‘……Damn it!’
He cursed Si-hyun, spat onto the ground, and quickly surveyed his surroundings.
He needed to find a safe spot to hide as soon as possible.