"Hey."
"Is now a good time for greetings?"
"Is it?"
"..."
Sihyun looked at Gunwoo with a perplexed expression as he blinked his eyes. It was obvious he had been pulled in here and was standing there in a daze.
Even when someone was pulling at his feet, Gunwoo just kept tilting his head, looking absent-minded. Sihyun sighed, surprised, and then sat down and reached out to him.
Despite wondering if there was any life left in him, Sihyun reached out, and Gunwoo's tilted head shifted slightly. Sihyun reached out again.
"I'm reaching out to help you stand up. We didn't plan to have a good time dying here, did we?"
Asking if he had gathered the scores, almost as if checking on his well-being, Gunwoo stayed silent. Seeing him just staring blankly without a word, Sihyun, half with certainty and half with suspicion, looked at Gunwoo.
Maybe.
Nah, that didn't make sense.
But if it was Baek Gunwoo, it was possible. As this thought crossed his mind, Sihyun gazed at him, half convinced and half doubtful. Gunwoo's clean and deep blue eyes continued to wander aimlessly.
"You really don't know how to check your scores?"
"Nope."
"Well, well. That's quite an achievement. Very impressive."
Sihyun had to reflect on himself when he first met Gunwoo, thinking he was a reserved and cold guy. He wasn't reserved or cold; he just lacked thoughts.
He wasn't entirely thoughtless, but he always seemed absent-minded.
When he realized that, it felt like shattering an illusion.
Remembering the disappointment from back then, Sihyun explained to Gunwoo how to check scores, watching him in amazement as Gunwoo let out a short sigh and checked his score. Sihyun had anticipated it ever since Gunwoo mentioned not knowing how to check, but his score was 0.
"...Really?"
Sighing at what to say, Sihyun rubbed his temples, trying to swallow the headache coming on. How could it be a zero? Wasn't this enough reason to send him to the offenders' zone? Sihyun grabbed Gunwoo's shoulders, wearing a determined expression.
"Baek Gunwoo, how much mana do you have?"
"All of it."
"Have you used any skills?"
"Just got here."
Then what have you been doing until now? Sihyun, swallowing that question, grabbed Gunwoo's shoulder, resolved. It wasn't an option to let our school's face and property be taken to someone else's school.
"Let's get out then."
The spider's domain automatically vanishes when the spider dies. If someone remains inside the domain when the spider dies, they can rise back to the surface. When the spider came seeking to devour people, that was the chance.
"When it comes to provoking, do you know how?"
"Yeah."
"How long do you think you can hold on? Assuming the opponent is Lee Hamin."
Provocation: a tanker skill that agitates the opponent to focus on the caster, depending on the opponent's level, the duration of the skill varies.
Closing his eyes briefly when asked to compare it to Hamin, Gunwoo hesitated for a moment and then answered.
"10 minutes."
If the shield breaks, 5 minutes.
The existence of the shield made a huge difference in time. No, even enduring for 5 minutes without a shield was impressive. Glancing at Gunwoo's shield subtly shining with a silver sheen, Sihyun scrutinized it. His own eyes were barely a pink staff.
Looked like something made of cheap plastic from DAXO.
Sihyun examined Gunwoo's shield again. With the patterns clearly embedded, Sihyun eyed Gunwoo.
"Let's consider it as 10 minutes."
"Sure."
The nonchalant reply made Sihyun's heart skip a beat.
Initially planning to copy Donghyuk's skill and strike while Gunwoo held on, Sihyun's urgent need for an attack skill changed his strategy. Healers were responsible for support and assistance, not dealing damage.
He chose to be a healer for that reason.
With that in mind, Sihyun changed his plan.
"Do you have an attack skill?"
"I do."
"Is it strong?"
"...Not sure."
"If you had to imagine pouring almost all your mana into it?"
"..."
Even if the tanker's attack skill was powerful, it wouldn't surpass a dealer. It seemed that pouring out that much would be necessary for it to be effective, but Gunwoo just blinked without a word, gazing at him.
"I'll protect you."
Gunwoo's pupils shifted minutely. Sihyun moved his lips once again.
"You're worried about what happens after using up mana. If we set up a barrier and flee to a safe place, you can hold out until your mana returns. Or would you rather stay here together and be the culprit?"
Though the tone remained unchanged, the words lacked kindness. Geonu, staring at Sihyun as if contemplating, looked down at my hand. The boy, clenching his fists, raised his head. It was a decision made.
"Probably, strong enough."
"How much?"
"At Yuseowoo's level."
Sihyun nodded. That was sufficient.
"Take it."
"…?"
"Will you swing it like a shield? You should have a sword."
Sihyun, procuring a somewhat acceptable sword from where a deceased student lay, handed it to Geonu. He also found a small dagger for himself. Geonu seemed hesitant to take the dead student's sword, but Sihyun didn't.
After all, the student wasn't actually dead.
It was akin to being forcibly logged out of a game. And apart from that, the living had to survive. Thinking so, as Sihyun picked up the sword and turned his head, Geonu glanced at him as if asking why he was taking the sword, to which Sihyun shrugged.
"I have a use for it."
"Do you have a plan?"
"Yeah."
How? Geonu cast a spell with his eyes, while Sihyun, holding the dagger steadily, fixed his staff with one hand and created a barrier. He set the intensity to a level that utilized a quarter of his remaining mana.
"I'm changing roles."
"How so?"
"I'll be the tank. You'll be the dealer."
"…?"
"The barrier will play the sturdy shield role. Since I can provoke, you, using your maximum strength, will exploit the spider's weakness when it lets its guard down. Exploiting its vulnerability will deal greater damage."
Just as a person suffers severe damage when struck at the throat or back, similarly, attacking an irregular's weakness amplified the attacking effect. Even if Geonu's damage was insufficient, targeting the spider's vulnerability, its abdomen, would suffice for a successful defeat.
"Still, you must hold out until the end. It's a high-risk situation. Different from the Wormman, who was of a lower level even among the deterrents."
"Yeah."
"There's only one opportunity. If your attack fails or misses, and the spider attacks you, consider it the end."
Though there was remaining mana for copying, speaking in this manner was likely to enhance concentration. Thinking so and looking at Geonu, who wore a doubtful expression, Sihyun calmly opened his mouth, trying to calm the anxious child, akin to pacifying a worried child.
"I can do it."
"If you're unsure, believe in my class. Know that," I added, and Geonu nodded.
Although Sihyun suggested trusting in his copied class, in reality, he didn't intend to use abilities other than his healer class. Even amidst his blatant lie, seeing Geonu easily succumb to it, Sihyun felt relieved.
It would have been tough if it were Haewoon or Seowoo.
"Let's take a break for now. When the spider comes looking for prey, it's our chance."
Mana spent erecting the barrier needed replenishing while avoiding the risk of being ambushed. Not wanting to sit idle and possibly be caught off guard, Sihyun leaned against the wall, and upon seeing him, Geonu followed suit, leaning against the wall.
How much time had passed?
*Rustle.*
Only after quite some time did a faint sound register in their hearing. Sihyun immediately stood straight, pushing Geonu to the side.
"Don't stick close. The spider shouldn't be able to attack us both at once."
He had to be the one attacked by the spider. That way, Geonu could aim for the spider's weak spot, its abdomen. So, pushing Geonu aside, who obediently complied, Sihyun nodded, and Geonu distanced himself from me.
*Rustling.*
The sound was closer this time. Gradually increasing in volume, it signaled the approaching danger. Aware of this, Sihyun held his breath.
*Rustle.* Once more, the sound echoed.
It was significantly louder than the initial one, causing Sihyun to bring the dagger he held with one hand closer to the staff in his other hand.
*Thump.*
The ground trembled slightly, revealing a colossal spider in the distance. It looked like it could be the size of a house, exaggeratedly speaking.
*Rustle!*
The massive spider swiftly approached, mouth gaping, racing towards me. Its eight legs moved rapidly, and two legs twitched aggressively. Sihyun deeply slashed his hand with the dagger he held, and as the pain surged, he clenched the staff tightly, and drops of crimson blood fell to the ground.
*Sizzle!* The excited spider, heavier than before, bypassed Geonu and directly charged towards Sihyun.
While the spider rushed toward me, visible in my field of vision, Sihyun's lips curled up slightly.
Though I lacked the skill 'provocation,' I had a body fluid that drove the spider crazy.
Sihyun's provocation was a success.
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