Though I'd underestimated Donghyuk all along, it seemed he hadn't just lucked into that 10th rank. Watching Sihyun closely, his eyes narrowed at Donghyuk, who seemed ready to unleash some kind of ominous intent with a single powerful strike that could break through a golden barrier.
It's as if an intangible sensation, like an extra layer of skin, envelops the body when a strong blow is about to land.
Donghyuk had just used a skill.
A pretty potent one at that.
Sihyun noticed a change in Donghyuk's demeanor as he examined the paler face of the still-inferiority-complex-ridden Donghyuk. Sihyun hesitated, wondering if something had gone amiss, but even after time passed, the determination in Donghyuk's eyes remained unaltered.
Thud!
Donghyuk once again rushed forth, adding several more cracks to the already damaged barrier. Sihyun furrowed his brow, recalling something observed during a class training session—a sensation akin to the feeling that rushes through fingertips after an awakening mark.
It had always been a thought or a means, never attempted personally.
"Do you have any idea how others perceive me because of you?"
Thud!
Once more, Donghyuk assaulted the barrier. Though less impactful than before, the already battered barrier seemed ready to vanish any moment.
Sihyun squinted, scanning the barrier's state for something useful.
"Why should I even care?"
Thud, Sihyun snapped a nearby branch effortlessly. Despite its thickness, it broke easily, perhaps due to being from a dead tree. Witnessing this, Donghyuk chuckled.
"What are you planning to do with that—"
"You've got the wrong idea."
Sihyun swiftly struck the ground, cutting off Donghyuk's words.
As Donghyuk's widened eyes beheld the unmatched speed, Sihyun grabbed a nearby branch and flung it towards Donghyuk.
-Thunk!
The accelerated branch hurtled towards Donghyuk at a breathtaking pace, grazing past his eyes. It was a perilous moment, one wrong move and it could have been an eye-piercing situation.
As a trickle of blood appeared near Donghyuk's eye, his trembling hand betrayed a hint of shock. Sihyun, now still, met Donghyuk's rigid crimson gaze.
Donghyuk's lips twitched repeatedly, almost like a gasping fish. Sihyun, witnessing Donghyuk experiencing fear of blindness for the first time, slowly spoke, feeling the lingering force of the speed.
"I'm strong. Not just to those around me."
Why won't you use your skill when it's not even lethal?
People instinctively fear and avoid the powerful. It's like an innate sensor warning of danger when approached. Despite this, Donghyuk persistently confronts and challenges me. And the reason is unbelievably simple.
He's never been overwhelmed.
Without experiencing the force firsthand, without feeling the strength oneself, people won't believe it. And even as a Quadruple, having only mastered Copy and Heal, it was more apparent.
"……"
Approaching Donghyuk, Sihyun spoke softly.
"Donghyuk."
"……"
"Your struggle with using a single skill suggests it must be quite potent, doesn't it?"
Well, setting up a barrier to withstand Irregular attacks four times and it breaking at once says a lot.
Sihyun's calm voice sounded as if recounting an old tale, in stark contrast to Donghyuk, who seemed on the verge of breaking down. Moving closer to Donghyuk with each step, Sihyun reached out toward the sword he held.
Two hands overlapped. Sihyun's lips parted slightly.
"Want to hear something interesting?"
"……?"
"If I can ignore mana consumption from your skill, how long do you think you'd endure?"
Donghyuk's pupils dilated. Whether he had unexpectedly grasped some sort of dark magic or simply found it absurd was evident in his expression as Sihyun gripped Donghyuk's sword.
"You won't die, but the pain will remain."
"……"
"Could you survive?"
Even though I'm a healer.
Sihyun's cerulean gaze met Donghyuk's unwaveringly. Should he decide, he could push Donghyuk to the brink of death with massive mana expenditure and then revive him. As many times as needed.
"Whether my mana runs out first or you lose your mind, if you don't want to find out, stay still and live."
"……"
"It's all pointless."
With a push, Sihyun swept away the sword Donghyuk held and turned away. Disengaging was the most efficient way to intimidate Donghyuk in this forest, considering the skills available. He had mimicked the Accelerate skill, but given the limit of three uses per day, it was not entirely in his favor.
In this virtual world, he'd have to endure three days, but in reality, it hadn't even been a full day, so the use count wouldn't reset.
Ultimately, a useless fellow.
Feeling exasperated by Donghyuk's continued defiance, Sihyun released the crumbling barrier and moved on. Just as he contemplated finding the most efficient skill to intimidate Donghyuk in this forest, a sudden jingle rang out.
Suddenly, a holographic window appeared before him.
"Escaped multiple Irregulars successfully. 100 points awarded."
"Why now of all times?"
Bewildered, Sihyun stared at the hologram window, wondering why it was settling matters that had occurred quite some time ago. Then, he absentmindedly swiped it away and looked around.
Ding!
A faint sound echoed in the distance. The Nightmares were here.
Accelerate.
It was a copied skill that seemed most efficient in this presumed haunt of Nightmares. But if they were awarding points for specific actions, it felt wasteful to simply use acceleration to escape this place safely.
Might as well maximize the efficiency of what was copied.
Sihyun decided that since there was something he needed to obtain by coming first in this assessment.
With that thought in mind, Sihyun took a deep breath. Then, like an arrow shot towards a sound, he darted forward.
....
"You've successfully escaped from multiple Irregulars. 100 points awarded."
"You've successfully escaped from multiple Irregulars. 100 points awarded."
"You've successfully escaped from multiple Irregulars. 100 points...."
.
.
.
"Your accumulation of achievements against the same target has reached its maximum. Find a different target."
"It's not working now."
After repeatedly catching the attention of Nightmares and fleeing, as the duration of the acceleration came to an end, a holographic window appeared. Unfortunately, Sihyun realized that enjoying an endless streak was impossible and checked his score.
1,000 points.
It seemed that the same score would accumulate only up to 10 times against the same Irregular.
Considering all he'd learned as gains, Sihyun, while fleeing from the Nightmares, set his sights on the exit he discovered. He wasn't sure why there was a sign indicating 'This Way Out,' but it was beneficial for Sihyun.
Step by step, as he walked, the darkness transformed into a spectrum of colors upon exiting the dreary forest. From green trees to flowers and even a refreshing stream, the scenery changed dramatically. Observing these sights, Sihyun turned to glance back at the path he had emerged from the forest.
It was dark.
He couldn't understand how the environment shifted like entering another world simply by exiting a forest. It was absurdly reminiscent of how insane the school was.
Could there be other Irregulars?
Despite the place seemingly changing peacefully, Sihyun couldn't assume it was a safe zone, so he scanned his surroundings.
Splat!
Just as he took a step forward, Sihyun's foot unexpectedly plunged into the ground. The area around his foot instantly began shifting into a swamp-like terrain. Surprised, he frantically looked around for something to grab onto.
As it was a swamp, struggling would only sink him deeper. Considering that holding onto some vines was the best option, he scanned the surroundings. Unfortunately, the vines were out of his reach.
Disappointment clouded his expression. Even though he tried to move forward with determination, suddenly...
Thunk!
Something beneath his foot forcefully pulled Sihyun downward.
"....!"
Without a chance to react, Sihyun's body was dragged into the swamp in an instant.
His vision turned green.
As Sihyun, who was being rapidly pulled beneath the swamp, saw his view shift from green to black as if entering the soil, he recalled one piece of information.
An Irregular that hides in the ground, changing the terrain and instantly dragging people into their space. It was undoubtedly an Irregular he had learned about.
Struggling not to become the spider's prey, Sihyun desperately squirmed, but the sturdy web didn't release his leg.
"Snap!"
Instead, the web tightened further, pulling Sihyun forcibly into the spider's space.
Thud!
As his body slammed hard against the ground, the web disappeared. He groaned, coughing a couple of times. It was lucky his backbone didn't snap.
As he moved, he felt pain radiating from his back and frowned when he spotted the emaciated bodies of students in the dim space.
The spider hadn't consumed the bodies but drained their fluids.
In other words, those students weren't alive; they were in a dead state.
Even though it was a virtual scenario, it was still chilling.
Darn it.
Of all places, in this hellish spot, Sihyun, while walking, stumbled upon someone who seemed oddly familiar, like someone he hadn't seen in a long time.
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