Heroine Hunter

I died in an unfortunate accident. 

When I opened my eyes, I was in a strange cave.

[Quest]

[As a veteran web novel reader, you have entered the novel. Enjoy your second life by indulging with the heroines!]

I frowned at the notification window that appeared before me.

“What’s this? A second life? Indulge?”

The notification window disappeared. 

I was sure I had died, but I was clearly alive.

“Ian, get a grip.”

A cute short-haired girl said to me.

“Excuse me?”

I looked around in confusion. 

The girl, who was dressed like an instructor, glared at me. 

Beside her, a blonde girl with long hair, who appeared to be of mixed race, crossed her arms and muttered.

“Seriously, of all people…”

She glanced at me and shook her head.

Even at this moment, I couldn’t help but notice her large chest supported by her crossed arms.

“But what exactly is going on here?”

[You have entered ‘Veteran of the Academy Inside a Novel.’]

Huh?

It was a web novel I had read. 

It was once considered a masterpiece, but then the story went off the rails midway, issued several hiatuses, and eventually ended up with a disappointing conclusion.

[Please correct the twisted timeline caused by the useless protagonist and save the heroines.]

The notification window seemed to express a lot of emotion.

“Fix the story I liked? Well, okay, but saving the heroines? What does that mean? Earlier, it said to indulge with them.”

[Indulging with the heroines is the way to save them.]

What?

[You will receive rewards♥ upon success.]

What’s with the heart?

[Some parts of the plot have been adjusted to make your involvement seem natural.]

The notification window disappeared. 

I decided to observe the situation for now. 

It appeared like a dungeon, with one side of the wall completely collapsed.

“Seol-ha! Instructor Choi Ji-yoon! Are you okay?!”

A man’s voice faintly echoed from beyond the collapsed wall.

I had become the veteran in a novel set in an academy, abbreviated as ‘Veteran Academy.’ 

The main heroines were blonde Yoo Seol-ha, and this was Instructor Choi Ji-yoon, right?

“They’re both way prettier than described in the novel.”

Yoo Seol-ha rushed to the collapsed wall.

“Seong-hyeok! Are you okay?”

Kim Seong-hyeok? The protagonist?

Even banging on the wall was useless. 

It was clearly too thick and completely collapsed. 

Yoo Seol-ha placed her hand on the wall and began to chant a spell.

“Fire Sp-“

Instructor Choi Ji-yoon grabbed her wrist.

“Seol-ha, no. It’ll collapse further.”

She was right. 

A wrong move, and we could all be crushed.

Despair clouded Yoo Seol-ha’s eyes. 

Calmly, Instructor Choi Ji-yoon called out to the people beyond the wall.

“Everyone, we’re fine. How about you?”

“We’re safe too!”

“The wall is completely down. For now, don’t stay in one place for too long. Move to a safe zone. We might find a way to meet.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The voices on the other side faded, indicating they had started moving.

“Right. This part was in the story.”

It was the mid-point of the novel. 

The dungeon near the academy was attacked by the protagonist Kim Seong-hyeok and some cadets under the command of S-rank Hunter Instructor Choi Ji-yoon. 

It was a five-person dungeon, and this scene was part of the story. 

When the wall collapsed, Kim Seong-hyeok saved Yoo Seol-ha and Choi Ji-yoon. However, in the process, he got trapped under the rubble himself, where he awakened new powers and freed himself. 

This event significantly increased Yoo Seol-ha and Choi Ji-yoon’s affection toward him.

Yes. 

That’s how it went.

But something had changed.

Was it because of me?

“Let’s move too.”

In the novel, the dungeon was divided into safe zones and monster spawn areas. 

The place where the wall had collapsed was a monster spawn zone, so Instructor Choi Ji-yoon decided to move to a safe zone.

We walked in the opposite direction of the collapsed wall. 

This route wasn’t taken by the protagonist and his group in the story.

I gripped the spear in my hand tightly. 

The thought that I might die again just ten minutes into my second life made me tense.

Choi Ji-yoon, who was leading the way, stopped. 

She glanced ahead at the turning path and spoke to us in a low voice.

“Seol-ha, there are two nightmare spiders. You and I will each take one. Ian?”

“… Yes.”

“There’s also a goblin next to the spiders. Can you handle it?”

I couldn’t exactly say no to the task of taking down a goblin while they were dealing with nightmare spiders. 

It wasn’t as if I could politely ask them, ‘Would you mind taking care of the goblin too while you’re at it?’

“Yes.”

I nodded.

“Let’s go.”

Choi Ji-yoon led the charge, and Yoo Seol-ha followed. 

As we took the corner, two spiders the size of cars and a small goblin came into view.

“Screw it. Whatever happens, be it.”

I lunged at the goblin with my spear.

A moment later.

“Squeal!”

“I-I got it…”

After five minutes of struggle, the goblin impaled on my spear stopped moving. 

I wiped the sweat off my forehead.

Thwack!

“Ouch!”

I got smacked on the back of my head.

It was Yoo Seol-ha.

“Are you seriously celebrating after killing one goblin? Get a grip.”

Beside me, the two massive spiders were already torn apart. 

I silently rubbed my throbbing head.

Choi Ji-yoon approached.

“Ian, well done. Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

Choi Ji-yoon (21) looked at me with concern. 

A former S-rank assassin hunter. 

She was hailed as a genius from a young age, and she was only one year older than the protagonist, Kim Seong-hyeok (20). 

Short hair, cute face, and just from the enchanting curve accentuated by her tight-fitting clothes, it was easy to guess her figure. 

Her curves were comparable to Yoo Seol-ha’s. She had a well-proportioned chest, hips, and a slender waistline.

I forced myself to look away, trying hard not to let my eyes wander to her body.

Yoo Seol-ha jabbed at me from the side.

“I brought you along just in case we needed some muscle, but don’t think you can just ride the coattails. Got it?”

Her smile was angelic, but upon getting angry, Yoo Seol-ha’s face could be as fierce as the monster. 

Just like in the novel.

“Got it. Don’t worry.”

Even as an F-rank, I could survive at the academy because despite the fact that I lacked skills, I could endure the harsh training with sheer physical strength. 

My second life’s body was certainly bigger and more muscular.

“Shh.”

Choi Ji-yoon pressed a finger to her lips. 

She must have sensed something dangerous. 

Without a sound, she moved toward the next room. 

Yoo Seol-ha and I quietly followed behind.

In the next room, a hideous skeletal monster was hovering ominously in the air.

Yoo Seol-ha whispered, “What’s that?”

Choi Ji-yoon shook her head.

“I don’t know. It’s the first time I’ve seen this monster. Wait a minute, I need to check what it is.”

Right, Choi Ji-yoon had the ability to see a status window.

Even though readers of this novel would shout about how amazing the female characters were, no one dared say such things about Choi Ji-yoon. Her ability to see status windows was just too overpowered.

But without thinking, I spoke before her.

“Skeletal Wraith.”

“What? Do you know what that is?”

Yoo Seol-ha’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I’m not entirely sure. I just recall seeing something similar in a bestiary at the library.”

That was a lie.

[Skeletal Wraith]

[Status: Depressed]

[Ughhh… Ughhh… Ughhhh.]

It was because a status window appeared before my eyes.

After confirming the status window, Choi Ji-yoon nodded.

“Ian is right. It’s a wraith with undead attributes.”

“Then my elemental magic won’t work on it…”

Yoo Seol-ha gulped nervously.

Choi Ji-yoon then spoke.

“Ian and I both have physical attributes, so it won’t work. Can we just pass by without fighting it? The range is too wide… What should we do?” 

Yoo Seol-ha muttered to herself.

“If Seong-hyeok were here, what would he do?”

At that moment, a troll appeared from the other side and was approaching the Skeletal Wraith.

[Troll]

[Status: Slothful]

“Huh? A troll?”

 I muttered without thinking. 

Seeing a troll, which had only appeared in the novel, was fascinating.

The Skeletal Wraith didn’t even look at the troll and made a slashing motion with its bony hand. 

Then.

Squelch.

The troll was sliced into cubes and killed instantly.

“Insane. It killed a troll in one blow.”

I gulped. 

Even for Yoo Seol-ha, a troll would be a challenge. 

Someone like Choi Ji-yoon could barely handle it, and yet the Wraith had annihilated the troll in one strike.

“Seong-hyeok wouldn’t have been much help either,” Choi Ji-yoon remarked coldly.

Just then, a notification appeared in front of my eyes.

Ding.

A skill window opened.

[Skill Window]

> Spearmanship [F]

> Curse (Mana Regeneration Blocked)

> Holy Explosion [S+] [NEW!]

> Mana Absorption [A] [NEW!]

“Damn! It’s coming.”

Yoo Seol-ha stepped back. 

The Skeletal Wraith had noticed us and was slowly drifting toward us.

“Get behind me, everyone.”

Choi Ji-yoon protectively stood in front of us.

I quickly checked the new skills in my skill window.

Holy Explosion?

“Instructor, it’s coming from the other side too!” 

Yoo Seol-ha shouted from behind.

Another Skeletal Wraith suddenly appeared from where we had killed the spiders and was heading our way. 

I didn’t want to be torn apart like that troll.

I had barely started my second life, and I wasn’t about to die again. 

I had nothing to lose, so I acted on instinct.

Snap.

I snapped my fingers.

[Holy Explosion]

A shower of golden light rained down on one of the Skeletal Wraiths.

Crack.

The skeleton shattered into pieces and crumbled into dust on the floor.

It worked!

I quickly turned to the other Skeletal Wraith and used the skill again.

Snap.

[Holy Explosion]

Crack.

The dungeon fell silent.

I… I had just taken down both Skeletal Wraiths.

Yoo Seol-ha and Choi Ji-yoon were staring at me.

“H-how did you… Ian, did you do that?” 

Yoo Seol-ha couldn’t hide her excitement.

Choi Ji-yoon walked over to me and gazed deep into my eyes before smiling.

“Ian, you’ve awakened!”

It seemed like she had used her status window ability.

“I think so.”

“Hold on. Let me see. You’ve acquired the Holy Explosion skill. It’s S+ grade with holy attribute damage, which is why you were able to take them down in one hit.”

Yoo Seol-ha grinned at me.

“Ooh? You might actually be useful now.”

“Wait a second.”

Choi Ji-yoon frowned.

“Your maximum mana is… Two?”

When I thought about checking my mana, the status window appeared immediately.

[Mana: 0 / 2]

“I just used the skill twice, so I guess it uses one mana each time.”

I scratched my head.

“Then we can just wait for your mana to recharge and move forward. I can already see the safe zone beyond the last Skeletal Wraith.”

Yoo Seol-ha said casually.

Choi Ji-yoon shook her head.

“No, no. Ian, you can’t regenerate mana, remember?”

“Oh, right. That’s why he was using a spear. Ugh!” 

Yoo Seol-ha groaned and clutched her head.

[Skill Window]

> Spearmanship [F]  

> Curse (Mana Regeneration Disabled)  

> Holy Explosion [S+] [NEW!]  

> Mana Absorption [A] [NEW!]  

That’s right. 

I couldn’t regenerate mana.

“Wait a second. It looks like you’ve also awakened the Mana Absorption skill along with Holy Explosion.” 

Choi Ji-yoon studied me closely.

Yoo Seol-ha perked up at this revelation.

Choi Ji-yoon then placed my hand on her shoulder. 

“Ian, would you like to try absorbing my mana? Let’s just take down that last one and move to the safe zone for a rest. Both Seol-ha and I are quite exhausted.”

“Okay.”

I closed my eyes and then opened them again.

[Mana Absorption]

“Huh?”

[Mana: 0 / 2]

I furrowed my brow. 

“Why isn’t it working?”

“Let me check.”

Choi Ji-yoon looked into my eyes.

I also glanced at the Mana Absorption skill in the skill window for more details.

The skill description appeared.

[Mana Absorption – You can absorb mana through sexual intercourse. Mana is absorbed when you ejaculate inside the target.]

Choi Ji-yoon flinched and stepped back, shock and despair covering her face.

“Oh no, this can’t be.”

“What? Why? What happened?” 

Yoo Seol-ha asked, looking concerned.

Choi Ji-yoon tried to remain calm and explained the situation.

“The skill only works if you engage in sexual intercourse with the target.”

“What?!”

Yoo Seol-ha glared at me with disgust.

“What do we do now?”

I rubbed my forehead, feeling the weight of the situation.

Yoo Seol-ha scowled.

“Instructor, let’s just go back to where the wall collapsed earlier.”

“Think logically, Seol-ha. That’s not a safe zone. As soon as night falls, even stronger monsters will come out. Another Skeletal Wraith might suddenly appear just like before.”

“But if we stay here too long, the ones Ian killed will respawn.”

It was a tough situation. 

We had to defeat the last Skeletal Wraith and move to the safe zone before the others respawned. 

We had about thirty minutes left.

Choi Ji-yoon made up her mind and looked at me with determined eyes. 

She grabbed my wrist.

“Ian, come with me for a moment.”

Translator’s Note: If you like the novel, please don’t forget to leave a comment or review. Happy reading!