Breaking Up with the Heroine of the Female-Oriented Game

“Ahh, ugh, uuugh.”

“Pant, pant…”

“Damn it, that monkey… uggh.”

It was a predictable outcome, really.

After all, the Long-Armed Ape was a monster too formidable to merely be described as ‘any ordinary opponent.’

‘Ah, I guess a head-on approach isn’t going to work.’

Tactics, strategy? They seemed laughable now. Those only work when levels are somewhat comparable. In an RPG, how could level 5 NPCs hope to take down a level 35 monster?

‘Everyone’s in bad shape.’

The students had been hit by the ape’s attacks more than just a few times.

Their clothes were half torn, shields cracked and nearly shattered, and they all gasped for breath with various injuries.

All of this happened within mere minutes.

The until now leisurely Long-Armed Ape suddenly steamed up like a locomotive, turning a fiery red, and it didn’t take long for the children to collapse.

Yes, the ape had entered a new phase.

The second phase. Now in the state of the Crimson Rage Ape.

“In that state, its stats shoot up.”

Its physical attack power, physical defense, and magical defense all increased by two levels, and its temperament turned savage. Not to mention, it developed a habit of playing with its prey slowly before killing.

Just like that.

“Ugh, ughhhhh…”

The ape reached out with its massive hand, firmly grasped Yoo Seolhyun’s neck, and then began to gape its filthy maw wide open.

“Keeeee, eeeeek!”

Its jaw split four ways, revealing countless, densely-packed teeth sharp as a shark’s, slowly approaching Yoo Seolhyun.

It was a ‘trap and eat’ pattern.

“Ugh, uuugh! Let, let me go, aah!”

Yoo Seolhyun’s face turned deathly pale as she flailed her arms and legs, but it was as futile as a butterfly caught in a spider’s web.

“Kiiii, kiiii.”

Instead, the Crimson Ape seemed to savor the terror on her face, slowly, very slowly, extending its jaws towards her.

“Is Hong Daye… in any position to help?”

Engaged in a fierce battle with the Minotaur, Hong Daye could hardly spare the effort to help anyone else.

Her supernatural abilities nearly depleted, it seemed she was relying solely on her swordsmanship.

It appeared she was so focused on her fight with the Minotaur that she might not even be aware of the crisis unfolding on this side.

“Cough, cough. Seolhyun… Seolhyun…!”

“Ha, ha, ugh, phew…”

Wiping the blood away, Sunari and Jin Soyeon, gasping for breath, summoned all their strength for another attack.

“Kiriri? Kiiii.”

Mocking the children’s struggles, the ape swung one arm loosely, fending off both their attacks while simultaneously landing a blow on their shoulders and sides.

Thump!

“Ugh, ack.”

“Ugh.”

With short groans, they tumbled pathetically across the training ground floor.

Once the ape turned into the Crimson Ape, almost all the attacks seemed ineffective. The ape cackled mockingly. As if taunting them to try and save her, the Crimson Ape leisurely flicked its tongue while observing the children’s reactions.

‘So this is it.’

Yes, this was it.

The children had fought valiantly and given their all.

But it wasn’t a monster that could be taken down conventionally, and enduring this much was commendable.

It was supposed to be an unwinnable battle event, after all.

Dragging it out further would surely result in casualties.

Under no circumstances should there be any sacrifices, so it seemed like it was time to finish this.

“…”

I unscrewed the lid of the water bottle I had brought before the match started and poured its contents onto the arrowhead.

The sticky liquid coated the arrowhead thoroughly.

There was also a sweet scent.

“Alright. That should do it.”

What was this liquid I had just poured on the arrowhead?

It was neither a dangerous chemical nor a deadly poison but rather something easily obtainable anywhere—pure apple juice with a 99% concentration rate.

No joke. Seriously.

It’s really apple juice.

If it had been a dangerous substance, it couldn’t have been brought into the Academy, and it wouldn’t have been available in stores.

“Looking back at it now, it’s quite absurd.”

I hadn’t smeared apple juice on the arrowhead in this critical situation just for kicks.

No joke, this apple juice was the key to taking down that monster.

“What kind of setting is this, seriously.”

Are you familiar with the game called StarCraft?

It was one of the massive strategy simulation games that swept across South Korea at one time.

In the hugely popular esports game StarCraft, there was a terrifying monster known as the ‘Zergling.’

A ruthless creature that could tear through thick steel as if it were paper, yet the Zergling had a ridiculously simple weakness.

What was the weakness?

Lemon juice.

No joke or prank, it was genuinely susceptible to lemon juice—a setting that the Zerglings had a genetic aversion to lemons, dubbed lemon juice allergy.

It was a situation you’d expect from secondary creations or parodies, but it was an actual official setting.

…And then.

Romance Hero Academy, feeling intrigued by this absurd setting, committed the outrageous act of paying homage to it.

They even went a step further.

They gave the Dark Hand Long-Armed Ape a fatal weakness to apple juice—not just that, but if apple components entered its system, it would suffer continuous damage, and all its stats would plummet dramatically.

To put it in game terms, an ape ‘intoxicated’ (?) with apple juice would suffer a significant reduction in attack and defense capabilities, in addition to continuous damage over time.

In other words, to that ape, apple juice was as deadly as poison.

“Of course, in the game, you couldn’t find apples…”

But this isn’t the game, it’s reality, right?

Apples can be brought in without any issue.

“Phew… So now…”

I cocked my arrow and aimed at the ape.

The ape, confident that my arrow was not worth its concern, cackled with ease.

I could see Yoo Seolhyun, who was being strangled by the ape, had clenched her eyes shut.

Looking at her, I felt a pang of guilt.

‘Feels bad for the kids who suffered for nothing.’

As I mentioned before, if I had used the apple juice earlier, I could have brought down the ape more quickly and easily.

Then the children wouldn’t have had to endure so much pain and injury.

But I had deliberately delayed using the apple juice.

Because I wanted the children to experience a fight with a powerful monster firsthand.

Some might have felt helpless, others despairing. Yet, they wouldn’t be broken.

Rather, this fight would have shown them the necessity to become stronger.

Children like that.

The female protagonist, the male lead, the villainess, the named NPCs, and so on.

They would inevitably get entangled in various dangerous incidents as they continue their studies at Union Academy, willingly or not.

Experiencing various things in advance to survive the many hardships and challenges they would face and fulfill their roles was beneficial.

‘Considering what’s going to happen, it wouldn’t hurt to give Soyeon and the others a bit of an experience boost too.’

Because I am weak… I would need their help a lot in the future.

With that thought, I released the bowstring.

The arrow soared at high speed and finally struck the gaping maw of the ape.

Thud!

***

Yoo Seolhyun bit her lower lip in frustration.

“Ugh. Ugh!”

Initially, she had been able to fight the ape monster fairly well, but at some point, its body reddened, and it knocked down the children with unbelievable strength and speed.

The children, including Yoo Seolhyun, simply weren’t at a level to even contend with it.

“Kiiii, Kiik.”

That ape.

It was toying with us.

Was it arrogance of the strong or just confidence? The Long-Armed Ape held Yoo Seolhyun’s neck and dangled her helplessly in the air as if it could devour her at any moment.

“Kii, Kii.”

It seemed to say, “Come and save her if you can,” while half the kids lay collapsed, chuckling and looking at them. Its intelligence brought out a particularly nasty temperament.

The children tried somehow to save Yoo Seolhyun, but it was to no avail.

With their sparring equipment, landing an effective blow was nearly impossible.

“Ugh, ugh, damn it.”

Yoo Seolhyun gasped for breath and cursed roughly.

Her breath was getting shorter and shorter. The ape’s sharp claws dug lightly into Yoo Seolhyun’s delicate skin. Breath… I can’t…!

“Ugh, ugh! Ugh!”

She struggled desperately.

She tried pulling the ape’s wrist away and pounded on its chest with her fists. It only hurt her hands. The flesh was too hard. Yoo Seolhyun’s face turned bluish-purple. There wasn’t enough oxygen reaching her brain. The ape sneered at her.

Laughing at her futile struggle, the ape gradually tightened its grip around Yoo Seolhyun’s neck.

Was it planning to kill her now? Time’s up?

“…Am I really going to die like this?”

There was still so much left undone.

She hadn’t even earned her grandfather’s recognition, nor proven herself to her siblings.

With a mountain of things she wanted and needed to do, was this the end of Yoo Seolhyun’s life?

Even though she knew that living as a hero meant keeping death nearby, she hadn’t even achieved hero status yet.

To die like this… without accomplishing anything…?

Me?

“…Ah.”

Her strength then ebbed away.

Her flailing arms and legs lost power and slowly sank.

Her bright eyes slowly dimmed, and her heavy eyelids began to close gradually.

“…Save me.”

Someone, please.

“…Save… me.”

Yoo Seolhyun prayed desperately in her heart.

Whoosh.

And was that when?

Thud.

An arrow planted itself into the gaping mouth of the ape.

“Kiik? Kikik.”

‘…Lee Jinhyuk?’

But it was futile.

Such an arrow couldn’t possibly harm the ridiculously strong ape…

“Kiik? Kikik?! Kieeeeeeeeek!”

The always composed Crimson Ape suddenly let out a tremendous roar and began to vomit blood.

What’s going on?

Why was the monster…

“Kie?! Keek! Keek!”

In apparent agony, it spat out blood and suddenly flung Yoo Seolhyun far away. Ah!

“…!”

Yoo Seolhyun soared meters into the air, but the lack of oxygen supply to her brain meant she couldn’t even prepare to fall properly, and she began to plummet toward the ground…

“Ugh!”

“Phew… are you alright, Yoo Seolhyun?”

“Cough, cough, cough… ha… Lee… Jinhyuk?”

…due to Lee Jinhyuk’s quick dash to catch her, she narrowly escaped death.

“Come to your senses, Yoo Seolhyun!”

“Ha, ha, ugh.”

Taking deep breaths and slowly focusing her blurred vision, she looked towards the ape monster still screaming in the distance.

For some unknown reason, it was thrashing about as if poisoned.

“…Awake, now… I’m okay, cough, cough. I’m okay.”

Gaining a clearer consciousness, Yoo Seolhyun stood up firmly, clenching her fists.

“Kieeeeeek!”

“Ha, ha!”

Lee Siwoon and the ape monster were still fighting in the distance.

Different from before, the monster seemed significantly slowed down, making it more manageable to deal with.

Had Lee Jinhyuk’s arrow hit a vital spot?

She couldn’t be sure of the exact reasons, but if this was an opportunity, she had to seize it. No more needless thoughts—focus on the present.

“Hup!”

“Kiiiiik?!”

Thud.

A blade infused with magic embedded itself into the ape’s jaw, which had been wildly flailing.

Great! Lee Siwoon cheered inwardly.

The previously tough hide seemed to have softened, allowing the blade to penetrate more easily. Its durability seemed reduced, too? In an inexplicable situation, Lee Siwoon suddenly discovered hope. Alright, this seems doable. Lee Siwoon shouted out.

“…Yoo Seolhyun!”

“Got it, go!”

Responding to Lee Siwoon’s call, Yoo Seolhyun gritted her teeth and tightly clutched her lance, which had been rolling around, and hurled it with all her might.

Magic Spear Throw.

The blue-tinted lance, filled with magic, burrowed into the ape’s abdomen. It didn’t penetrate completely, but unlike before, it seemed to deal considerable damage.

“Ugh, ahhhh! Die, you damn ape!”

Staggering, the ape was the target of Sunari’s loud shouting as she charged at it.

One arm wasn’t moving well, but she couldn’t miss this chance.

“Just die! Die, I tell you!”

“Kiik, Kiik?! Kieeeeeeeek?!”

Thump! Thump! Thumpity, thump!

With all her strength, she pummeled the ape. Flesh splattered, blood gushed.

But she didn’t stop.

She couldn’t afford to give the ape any chance to regroup.

“Ha!”

“Ugh, ugh, huk.”

“Ha, ha. Ha.”

Soon, not only Sunari, but all the children who could move joined in attacking the ape.

The Long-Armed Ape could offer no resistance, only vomiting blood.

“This thing’s so damn tough… really…”

“Phew.”

How much time had passed?

“Is that… is it dead?”

“…Probably.”

Suddenly, the ape lay battered, meeting its end.

“Ugh, ugh. Ha. Are you kids still alive?”

“Instructor…”

Thump! The Minotaur’s massive body kicked up dust as it collapsed.

A sword was deeply embedded in the Minotaur’s chest.

Hong Daye, barely catching her breath, surveyed the children. Surely there were no deaths, right? Although wounded, fortunately, it seemed no one had died. Truly fortunate.

“…You guys took down that ape?”

“Ha, ha… We got lucky.”

Luck had nothing to do with it, considering the monster wasn’t easy to defeat.

Honestly, even active heroes might not have taken it down.

“…How on earth?”

As she pondered this.

“2nd Security Team! Over there! Save the students! Call the emergency team!”

“Leave those monsters to Team 1!”

“Is that a Minotaur? Did Hong Daye take it down?”

In the distance… the security team appeared in the children’s view.

They were professional monster hunters composed of numerous heroes.

“…They really got here fast, wow.”

Thump! Jin Soyeon sat down and smirked wryly.

It’s not like this is some movie with cops.

Why do they always arrive after everything is over?