A Veteran Teaches Very Well

part 72

“Hmph, SS rank is nothing special. Is this the best whirlpool you can create?”

—

Beside me, Je-gal So-yeon scoffed.

“Such bravado.”

“What? This little brat… Ah, are you scared, little one? Do you think others will be scared just because you are?”

“Ah, no I’m not!”

Was it the truth that struck a nerve? Je-gal So-yeon seemed flustered.

“The atmosphere on the Chinese side is quite cheerful. At least they’re polite.”

As Jo Seong-woong said.

Not all S-class heroes were warriors who feared death.

Some were overwhelmed by the grandeur of the gate, while others were already frightened by what lay ahead.

“By the way, Professor Cha, where’s your disciple?”

“Yeeun is sleeping in the room. She just came back from working hard on her research.”

“I see.”

He didn’t seem curious about what kind of research it was, so he didn’t ask.

It seemed it was because it was magical research, not tactical.

Soon, the advance party, the Unicorn Guild members, stepped forward.

Naturally, their atmosphere was the most grim.

“Damn it, how do we get into the gate?”

“Just jump in. Getting out seems to be the bigger problem.”

The Unicorn Guild members looked displeased with their unwanted role as the advance party.

Edelin also didn’t seem at ease.

One of the expedition commanders, John Dickel, spoke up.

“Edelin, you really don’t have to go along. It would be troublesome if someone who needs to command gets hurt for no reason.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s my decision.”

“Well, if that’s the case.”

Though he said it was fine, John Dickel’s expression looked rather pleased.

He was probably one of those who would be most delighted if Edelin got into trouble.

“Then we’ll depart.”

All the Unicorn Guild members boarded the small destroyer.

They planned to be sucked into the vortex and enter.

“Unicorn Guild Master.”

Before Edeline boarded the ship, I called out to her.

“Professor Cha?”

“Take this with you.”

“This is… a mana stone?”

An A-grade mana stone.

It contained quite a substantial amount of mana.

It would serve as both a camera and a microphone.

The mana stone was imbued with video magic and communication magic, ready to supply mana to the magic circle.

“Keep it on you.”

Edeline smiled softly.

“I didn’t think you were the type to believe in superstitions, but it seems you do after all. I’ll cherish it.”

Superstition?

Did she mistake it for some kind of talisman?

“That’s not it…”

“I’ll come back safely. I promise.”

Before I could correct her misunderstanding, Edeline had already left, lost in her own little drama.

That’s not what it is.

Besides, isn’t that a death flag?

“Well, it should be fine.”

After all, the advance team’s role is just to go out and come back without incident.

Even if a death flag has been raised, it’s unlikely that a threat to unicorns will appear right from day one.

No matter how high the dungeon’s rank, the final boss isn’t waiting at the entrance.

“…It really should be fine, right?”

* * *

After the advance team departed.

The remaining people had nothing to do but clasp their hands and pray.

But from now on, things would be different.

Even the idle resources would have a role to play.

“Hello.”

I spoke into the mana stone, which would serve as the input device and microphone.

The voice of Edeline echoed from the crystal device.

─Huh? Professor Cha’s voice… from the crystal?

It seemed she had noticed me trying to speak.

The experiment was successful.

Of course, I had confidence it would succeed.

─Did you record your voice in the crystal? Hmm, 70 points. If you had put it inside a doll, it would have been 100.

“Doll?”

─Well, that would be… Huh? Huh?

It seemed Edeline was just now realizing I was trying to speak to her.

By the way, what’s with this doll talk?

─Wait a minute! What is this? Is it really Professor Cha?

“Yes. I am Professor Cha.”

─That’s a lie. How can you talk to me?

Her voice was tinged with confusion.

I had never seen Edeline so flustered.

“It’s magic.”

─Magic? No, that can’t be…

“Let’s skip the trivialities and hang the crystal around your neck.”

─Trivialities? How can this be trivial!

Even as she said that, Edeline obediently followed my instructions.

When I turned on the visual magic output device, a video began to play from the crystal.

The crystal emitted light like a beam projector, casting the video onto the screen on the wall.

“This side is successful too.”

─What do you mean by successful?

“That crystal serves as a camera, microphone, and speaker.”

─What?

“Come in, please.”

I allowed the command center, which had been waiting outside, to enter the room.

They too were astonished by the scenery on the screen.

They showed reactions as rich as Edeline’s.

“Unbelievable!”

“How could this happen…?”

“Is this really happening inside the dungeon? It’s not a trick, right?”

“What would I gain from tricking you with something like this?”

A few theoretical mages examined my magic circle here and there.

The magic circle itself wasn’t complicated, so they would quickly grasp its principles.

One of the mages shouted.

“Goodness! Someone has already advanced humanity by half a century, and now they’ve advanced it another half-century!”

With that statement, all doubts were dispelled.

“Professor Cha, does this magic stone have a recording function?”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“Then… hurry up and film it! Capture every scene without missing a single detail for analysis!”

Experts invited by the American Hero Association, along with all the heroes, were glued to the footage.

As for me, I planned to review the materials they organized after everything was over.

But there was something more important at hand.

“I wonder if you liked my gift.”

“Ha ha… this is something else.”

Daniel, the association president.

He probably hadn’t included me in his initial plans.

But circumstances had changed.

Even someone completely ignorant about heroes would have a rough idea of what I had accomplished.

In an SS-class dungeon, time is gold.

This would significantly shorten the originally estimated two-week dungeon investigation.

Daniel said.

“Professor, you’ve already made a significant contribution to the expedition as soon as you started.”

“Yes. It wasn’t an easy task for me either.”

Here, I couldn’t afford to be modest.

I had to ensure my value was recognized as highly as possible.

I felt a twinge of guilt, but this was all for the greater good.

I’m sorry, Yea-eun.

—

Still, when I submit the thesis, I’ll make sure to put your name at the very top.

“To say that the homework that has tormented wizards around the world is merely an easy task is truly impressive.”

Even Daniel couldn’t deny my contribution.

No matter what anyone said, I was the foremost contributor to this expedition.

That meant Daniel’s plans had been significantly derailed.

“Well then.”

Daniel stroked his mustache, lost in thought.

His mind must be in turmoil.

If the American Hero Association treats me poorly here, I would lose the trust of all the mercenaries.

There was only one course of action Daniel could take.

He had to give me a chance.

“I’ve heard much about Professor Cha’s reputation. Especially how Ms. Edeline praised you regarding the operation of the party.”

“Thank you.”

“I would like to entrust you with the operation of the first raid once this advance team returns. What do you think?”

The first raid.

Typically, the first raid is referred to as a sacrificial turn.

Since it is sent out with the least accumulated data, it essentially serves a role not much different from that of the advance team.

Especially in an SS-level dungeon, I had no hope of achieving any results.

For that reason, the heroes assigned were the weakest among them.

If I had made a significant achievement, I should have been provided with an environment to achieve even greater feats, yet I was being pushed into a situation where it was impossible to produce results in order to keep me in check.

If I accepted and failed in the strategy, my standing built through communication magic and visual magic would collapse.

No matter how great an achievement I made, a position established in an instant can easily crumble.

Yet if I refused, that would serve as an excuse for never being given another opportunity.

I never expected it to come to this.

What a petty human.

“It’s an honor to be given the chance to assist distinguished heroes.”

Here, it’s a straight shot.

It seemed like an impossible task.

Yet, it was also an opportunity.

If I succeeded here, my status within the expedition would become untouchable, a symbol of victory.

—

—

There was a high possibility that they would want me in all future raids.

“Haha! Thanks to Professor Cha, the commanders can breathe a little easier now.”

Daniel laughed heartily.

His laughter carried a sense of ease.

It was a laugh filled with certainty that I would fail.

* * *

“Professor Cha, are you out of your mind?”

“Professor, what were you thinking taking on the first raid?”

The reactions of Jo Seong-woong and Lee Ye-eun, who had heard the news, were very negative.

“No matter how talented you are, this is too reckless.”

“Exactly. Professor, do you even know who’s in the first raid?”

“I don’t.”

“See! What kind of confidence do you have to take it on?”

“Who’s in it?”

“There are three five-person parties being deployed. They’re all foreign mercenaries, and the only notable hero is Rie Xiao.”

Rie Xiao.

It was a familiar name.

A strong contender acknowledged by Jo Seong-woong and Jaybult. Having him on board was reassuring.

The problem lay elsewhere.

“Does that mean the Chinese guy is joining too?”

“Yes. Wang Sheng is also there.”

Hearing the name Wang Sheng made my confidence plummet.

Could I really make that guy act like a human, no matter how much I tried?

“That’s going to be a problem.”

“Why are you the one worried? I’m the one in trouble, you scammer!”

They say when you talk about a tiger, it comes.

Wang Sheng appeared from behind.

“I can’t accept this! To think a small country like yours would be entrusted with a party… Ugh!”

Just in time, Rie Xiao showed up and smacked Wang Sheng on the head.

“I’m sorry… because of this foolish child…”

—

“Rieshao, you!”

“Wangsheng, please just shut up.”

Rieshao gripped Wangsheng’s head tightly.

Wangsheng resisted, but perhaps due to the difference in strength, he couldn’t break free from Rieshao.

“Th… this is…”

“Professor Cha, I’ve heard you’ve done remarkable research. Truly, your reputation is well-deserved.”

“Thanks to Yieun’s efforts.”

“Me? Really?”

“Oh.”

Rieshao looked at Lee Yieun with interest.

Yieun was flustered to find herself in the spotlight.

She waved her hands vigorously.

“No, no! All I did was follow the professor’s instructions. It was all the professor’s doing.”

“Such things don’t matter.”

Once again, an uninvited guest interrupted.

A cocky voice. The third guest from China, Jeonggalsoyeon.

“This time, I agree with that idiot. I can’t accept it.”

“What do you mean?”

“We had a deal! The Vanguard troops were supposed to be under my command! But because of that fool!”

Jeonggalsoyeon pointed an accusing finger at Rieshao. It was a rare display of excitement for her.

Rieshao chuckled awkwardly.

“I’m sorry, but can’t we just let it go?”

“Shut up! You idiot!”

“Calling it a Vanguard is just a euphemism for a suicide squad, you know? Instead of a glorious victory, you’ll be drenched in disgrace!”

“That’s for me to decide!”

I understood what was happening.

It seemed that the original operation of the first raid was supposed to be Jeonggalsoyeon’s responsibility.

But it appeared that Daniel had sought Rieshao’s approval to take that position, just to mess with me.

“They say they’ll give you the fifth raid instead, right? This one will be much easier to achieve merit with.”

“Shut up! I like the first raid group more.”

Jae-gal So-yeon shouted with a fierce expression.

She asked me.

“Do you have a reason for insisting on the first attack team?”

“Because it’s cool.”

“I see.”

“What’s with that annoying expression?”

It seemed that my thoughts of her being pathetic had unintentionally shown on my face.

I hadn’t really planned to hide it anyway.

“Professor, how about just switching it? She wants to do it this way!”

“Well…”

To be honest, I didn’t really care either way.

Devising strategies for the dungeon and managing the party were my strongest areas.

I was confident I could succeed no matter which side I was given.

Lié Shao suggested.

“Then how about we compete based on skill? It’s obvious that the first raid group is more challenging, so let someone more skilled take it.”

“I like that. If you’re someone who values honor, you won’t back down, right?”

Jae-gal So-yeon spoke loudly, as if she was confident.

It felt oddly familiar.

It reminded me of Ahn Se-ri from our first meeting.

If Ahn Se-ri didn’t care about appearances, wouldn’t she have a personality like that?

“Alright. Let’s do it.”

“No backing down?”

“You decide the method of competition.”

“Let’s set the conditions randomly in the tactical simulator for a best of three. No objections?”

“Sounds good. And let’s add one more condition.”

“Condition?”

“If I win, you’ll use formal speech and show some respect.”

Jae-gal So-yeon grinned.

It was the laughter of a child playing a prank.

“Bets should be fair. The conditions are the same when I win, right?”

“Do as you please.”

“Hm~. I feel a bit sorry about this. The esteemed professor is using honorifics with a mere child.”

“Professor Cha, there’s no need for that…”

Perhaps not expecting it to go this far, Lixiao stepped in.

The Lixiao I had seen until now was a very polite and earnest young man.

He wouldn’t have suggested the bet with the intention of putting me in a difficult position.

I raised my hand to stop him.