A Veteran Teaches Very Well

part 66

The two entered the lecture hall.

Inside the Oseong Hall’s large lecture room.

This was where the class on dungeon research and practice was held.

As they entered the classroom, Lim Hansol from Group B spotted Baek Seolhwa and greeted her.

“Seolhwa, hey.”

“Yeah. Hi.”

Baek Seolhwa accepted the greeting with a faint smile.

“Uh, wait?”

Lim Hansol was momentarily taken aback.

It was so different from her usual sullen expression, where she would merely nod slightly.

He wondered if she had eaten something strange today.

Baek Seolhwa sat down in a good mood.

The cold atmosphere that usually surrounded her seemed to dissipate, leaving the other students looking on in confusion.

Soon, Cha Eunwoo entered, and the lecture began.

“You’ve probably grasped the concepts of the tactical theories we’ve covered so far. Today, I’ve prepared a practical lecture to summarize everything.”

The mention of a practical lecture made the students cringe.

The nightmare of the last class’s Permet Golem resurfaced.

“It was terrible.”

“Terrible.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, but the newly selected students of Group A tilted their heads in confusion.

Cha Eun-woo spoke.

“Before we start the practical lecture, let’s begin with the theoretical one. The basics of tactical theory were covered in the last lecture. From today, we’ll delve into something a bit different.”

He pressed the remote, and the monitor at the front of the classroom lit up.

A prepared PPT appeared on the screen.

“In the previous exam, the boss monsters were the giant monkey and the mine krong. Those creatures could be defeated with sheer strength, but not every dungeon is like that.”

The PPT transitioned to the next page.

It contained an article about a guild in China.

“As you all know, the 19th S-rank dungeon of the year opened not long ago. Last week, the Emperor Guild from China attempted a raid but failed.”

The Emperor Guild.

In China, it was a guild of high prestige. In Korea, it would be comparable to Bisang or Geumok.

Being a powerful guild from a strong nation like China, its scale was far larger than those of Korean guilds.

Typically, it was common sense to tackle S-rank dungeons through collaboration among multiple guilds.

An S-rank dungeon is an outlier.

It is impossible to conquer it with the strength of a single guild.

Many guilds had attempted it, but only the Unicorn Guild from the United States, regarded as a guild beyond guilds, had succeeded.

The Emperor Guild was also a well-known guild worldwide, but it was insufficient to tackle an S-rank dungeon alone.

“Experts pointed to inadequate responses to the monsters at the dungeon’s entrance, the Mongma and Siren, as the decisive reason for their failure.”

In truth, even if that hadn’t been the case, they would have failed, but there was no need to bring that up.

Had things gone smoothly, they might have made it to the mid to late stages of the dungeon before retreating, but the Emperor Guild fell into traps from the very beginning and was annihilated.

A student raised a question.

“Aren’t the Mongma and Siren just minor monsters?”

“Right. If a priest uses mental defense skills or if the party members have some level of resistance, they can be dealt with easily. But that didn’t happen. In a way, it’s ultimately a result of arrogance.”

The next page of the PPT turned.

This time, statistics released by the Hero Association appeared.

“Shall we discuss the topic of mental attacks a bit more? According to a survey conducted by the Hero Association on a sample of 2,000 high-ranking heroes, only 30% knew the correct countermeasures against mental traps.”

The students murmured in shock.

The statistics on the PPT were hard to believe.

If high-ranking heroes were like that, it meant the situation was even worse for the heroes below them.

That meant, of course, that there were just as many cases of failing dungeon raids due to being unable to deal with mental-type traps.

“It’s not just mental traps; the same goes for other traps. It’s easy if you know how to handle them, but there are few who truly know how. Last time, I only gave you a brief overview, right? Starting today, I’ll teach you how to deal with them in earnest.”

The pen of Baeksulhwa glided smoothly as she methodically filled the notebook.

Perhaps it was the excitement in my heart, but I found it hard to concentrate on the class today.

The PPT moved on to the next slide.

“Take notes on everything here. These are the 37 debuffs you might encounter in the dungeon. First up is confusion. You experienced it when we took the test in the less green monkey forest last time, right? When you fall into a state of confusion, your body will move on its own.”

The students nodded vigorously in agreement.

Just thinking about the trouble caused by that monkey still made my teeth clench.

“There are generally 11 ways to cope, so you can choose according to your circumstances. To start with the most commonly used methods…”

Beginning with a topic the students were interested in made it easier for them to immerse themselves in the lecture.

Today’s lecture was once again a clear and impactful one, imprinting the core content into the students’ minds.

“That’s it for now. Any questions?”

The classroom fell silent.

“If there are none, let’s move on to the practical session. This time, the groups that finish first can go back. Just like before, if you go over the allotted time, it’s a failure.”

As the magic activated, the students moved into the barrier.

Though they had all seen it once before, it was still a spell that drew admiration.

Each group gathered and headed towards the corridor.

“It’ll be harder than last time, right?”

“Yeah. Probably.”

The members of Group B began to worry.

To boost the morale of the group, Im Han-sol stepped up.

“Why are you all so scared? We came in first in the last test. We’re the best group. Just do what you usually do, so don’t worry too much.”

“Right. Just like Han-sol said.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

The members of Group B lifted the atmosphere with their cheerful banter.

In such a lively atmosphere, it was difficult for Baeksulhwa to step forward.

Still, she mustered her courage and spoke up.

“I have a suggestion.”

“Seolhwa?”

The cheerful mood turned cold in less than five seconds.

The position of Baeksulhwa in Group B was ambiguous in many ways.

There was no one in Group B who hated Baeksulhwa.

In fact, if preferences were to be considered, everyone liked her.

Since the skilled bus driver didn’t harass or abuse them, there was no reason for the group members to dislike Baeksulhwa.

However, she was a bit, no, a lot difficult as a leader.

“Since we’re practicing anyway, how about trying something different this time?”

“How?”

“Usually, I roam around the front line as a free roller. This time, I thought it might be good to focus more on team play from a lower position.”

The group members exchanged glances.

There was a memory in Group B of Baeksulhwa having played as a damage dealer and failing, which led to a change in tactics.

They didn’t have much trust in her, but no one could refuse Baeksulhwa’s suggestion.

Im Hansol spoke up.

“Um… I’m in favor. Since it’s practice, isn’t it okay to try various things like Seolhwa said?”

“Me, me too.”

Once one person started, they all agreed in a rush.

The proposal passed unanimously.

“Then let’s get started.”

The structure of the barrier was the same as last time.

To head to the exit, they had to climb the swamp uphill within the barrier.

To ascend the swamp, they would have to defeat the boss inside again.

The members of Group B silently looked at each other.

That alone was enough to share their thoughts.

“Let’s go in.”

Group B entered the swamp together.

As expected, there were dozens of golems inside the swamp.

The cries of the golems filled the swamp.

─工으후루꾸十卞丁下丁卞十꾸루후으工!

“Ahhh!”

“What, what is that!”

The Permet Golem had evolved into the Permet Golem MK-2.

The strange sound of crying evolved into something even more bizarre, startling Team B.

Dozens of spheres adorned with familiar patterns floated in the air.

The difference this time was that the golems were purple.

“Here they come! Maintain formation!”

The spherical golems hovered above.

Team B positioned themselves in a 2-4 formation centered around Baeksulhwa.

In the center, Baeksulhwa provided support, creating a tactical setup that allowed the other dealers to shine.

Clang!

Baeksulhwa’s sword clashed against a golem.

Though it was a blade imbued with aura, the only result was a slight dent in the struck area.

‘They’ve become much tougher.’

The center of the golem glowed brightly.

Instinctively, a sense of danger surged. This was something to avoid.

Zing!

The golem fired a laser.

It was so fast that there was no time to react, at least not at this distance.

Thanks to her earlier leap, Baeksulhwa managed to evade it.

“What, what is that?”

“A golem that shoots lasers! This just got way harder!”

“Damn it! Professor, are you serious about this?”

Baeksulhwa steadied her boiling blood.

Right now, she was the control tower of the party.

If Baeksulhwa couldn’t maintain command, the entire team could collapse.

She couldn’t afford to get flustered.

Calm down using the routine the professor taught her.

“Let’s take down the front line methodically! We can’t let our targeting get mixed up!”

It was crucial to eliminate enemies one by one against a larger force.

If damage was dispersed unnecessarily, even if the fight dragged on, they wouldn’t be able to reduce their numbers, leading to a high chance of a difficult strategy.

For that, it was vital for Baeksulhwa to create a solid formation.

Swish!

The sword of the white snowflake moved back and forth.

First, we had to target just one of them.

I pulled one sphere inward and pushed the others away.

“Now!”

At White Snowflake’s command, Team B simultaneously attacked the golem at the front.

Even a sturdy golem crumbled under the concentrated firepower.

“Nice!”

“Good job!”

But the golem wasn’t just going to take it.

It flashed and fired lasers in retaliation.

Each one was weak, but with dozens of lasers flying simultaneously, it became a force that couldn’t be ignored.

“Maintain the defensive magic! The laser attacks have a delay, so be careful!”

White Snowflake directed while slashing at the lasers with the sword.

As we methodically dealt with the golems and began to gain the upper hand, the golem started to make a strange sound.

─工으후루꾸十卞丁下丁卞十꾸루후으工!

The golems gathered in one place.

The golems collided with a loud bang, merging into a massive golem.

“It’s coming! Get ready!”

Phase 2 of the Permet Golem MK-2 had begun.

“Scatter!”

As White Snowflake shouted, Team B quickly moved.

The Permet Golem MK-2 began to glow purple.

Then, it fired a laser from its chest area.

Kwaaang!

The laser swept across the ground as it advanced.

Thanks to dodging in advance, Team B suffered no damage, but once again, the formation collapsed.

─工으후루꾸十卞丁下丁卞十꾸루후으工!

The golem made a loud noise.

It felt as if it was mocking Team B, and White Snowflake nearly lost her composure.

‘Hold on, hold on.’

The situation was far from good.

In this practical lecture, Baeksulhwa had taken on the role of the control tower.

But with B Group’s formation collapsing like this, it was impossible to create a comfortable environment for the dealers.

That cunning golem kept disrupting the formation before it could even be established.

“Damn it! At this rate, we won’t even be able to mount a proper counterattack!”

“Baeksulhwa! What should we do?”

There was only one solution that came to mind.

Someone had to step up to stop the Permet Golem from interfering with B Group.

Naturally, the person best suited for that role was Baeksulhwa.

“I’ll create an opening.”

Baeksulhwa moved.

A battle began, focused solely on her own movements and those of the enemy, without regard for her teammates.

It felt comfortable.

As if she were wearing a perfectly tailored outfit.

After all, team play was not really Baeksulhwa’s style…

‘What am I thinking?’

Baeksulhwa shook her head vigorously.

Suppressing her emotions, she spoke to herself.

It’s not that fighting alone is easier.

It’s just that I’ve gotten used to it.

As time goes on, I’ll become just as accustomed to coordinating with my party members.

Whoosh—!

“Ugh!”

Baeksulhwa was pushed back as she blocked the Permet Golem’s fist.

Its strength was much greater than before.

If she had been in a transformed state, it might have been manageable, but taking it on with her bare body was no easy feat.

‘What a pointless thought.’

Still, she had achieved her objective for now.

Thanks to Baeksulhwa buying time, B Group had gained the opportunity to regroup, and now they could launch a coordinated attack to finish it off.

Just as Baeksulhwa was about to step back, it happened.

─Goruuhuru Kku十Byung Ding Ha Ding Byung十Kkuru Huwu Goru!

Once again, the golem emitted a strange sound.

B Team hurriedly prepared for a large-scale response to the unpredictable behavior.

Flash!

The color of the golem changed.

The once purple permut golem transformed into a vivid pink.

Then, its entire body began to shimmer.

“Is it another laser pattern this time?”

The permut golem flashed with light before firing its lasers.

This was the pattern B Team had observed before.

But this time, it was different.

The glowing permut golem did nothing but continue to shine.

B Team, confused, decided to watch the golem for now.

“Uh?”

“What’s it doing?”

“Is that light a form of physical enhancement?”

One team member stepped forward.

“Whatever it is, we need to take it down… Ugh!”

The member staggered.

“What’s wrong? Why are you acting like that?”

They tried to walk toward the golem, but their body wouldn’t cooperate.

It wouldn’t move as they wished.

That filthy sensation.

A memory of a past experience resurfaced.

“Ugh…”

“Damn it!”

Before long, the same symptoms appeared in the other team members.

It was the state of confusion they had encountered in the less vibrant monkey forest.

“Damn it, how do we….”

“I’ll do it.”

Once again, it was Baeksulhwa.

In the less verdant Monkey Forest, it was Baeksulhwa who solved the second stage.

Baeksulhwa had a resistance to status ailments, allowing her to resist to some extent even when caught in confusion.

“Then, ugh!”

Twist—

But this time, even Baeksulhwa couldn’t keep her body steady.

Why?

Was the confusion from the Permet Golem stronger than the monsters encountered in the Monkey Forest?

Baeksulhwa quickly found the answer.

Ah, I see.

It’s not that the enemy has grown stronger; it’s that I have grown weaker.

Without the eruption, Baeksulhwa was fragile.

So weak that she couldn’t even overcome this minor status ailment, she was faltering.

Crack—

The sound of her grinding teeth echoed.

It was Baeksulhwa’s.

“Se, Seolhwa?”

The team members, sensing something was off, called out her name.

But it didn’t reach Baeksulhwa.

A chilling cold filled the swamp, and the temperature of the air shifted.

The team members, terrified, fell silent and huddled in a corner.

Baeksulhwa’s rage erupted.

* * *

“It’s over.”

As the time limit approached, Team B’s strategy came to an end.