NOVEL NEXT chapter 6
Chapter 6. The Great Beast War
In ‘Arc,’ the finest talents from around the world gathered.
As a result, many already well-known figures were present, and Misaki Ai was one of them.
Thus, Kim Dojin had come to know what Misaki Ai’s ability was.
After searching post-ceremony, he discovered that Misaki Ai’s ability was, surprisingly, ‘fascination.’
A powerful psychic ability that literally mesmerized anyone who gazed into her eyes.
The problem was that she couldn’t control its constant activation, which is why she always wore specially crafted blindfolds to cover her eyes.
If she had walked around without her blindfold, it was said that all the men in Arc would have become her slaves by now, so the danger of her ability needed no further elaboration.
Anyway, as the team members’ gazes turned toward her, Misaki Ai’s face flushed slightly as she began to explain.
“Ah, I have mental domination… and healing…”
“Mind control” was a term she could not bring herself to utter, a euphemism for the power of “fascination,” while the mumbled “healing” amusingly referred to her other ability—restoring wounds with her saliva.
Restoring wounds with saliva.
Literally, when Misaki Ai applied her spit to an injured area, the wound would close swiftly.
Of course, Misaki Ai was extremely embarrassed by the thought of applying her saliva to others, effectively sealing that power away.
Yet now, perhaps feeling the need to be of any help, she cautiously spoke up.
“As you know, I cannot use my mind control ability, but in a dire situation, I can treat you with this potion…”
As she spoke, Misaki Ai subtly revealed a small vial, the size of a finger, secured to her belt.
Inside that vial was none other than her own saliva.
She carried at least one vial of her spit, just in case of unforeseen circumstances.
“Ah…”
Naska, Renya, and Ryuujin averted their gazes from the vial, feeling an awkwardness wash over them.
But not Kim Dojin.
Instead of looking away, he gazed at the transparent liquid in the vial with sparkling eyes and asked, “When did you collect the saliva?”
It was a question thrown out of pure curiosity, without any ulterior motive.
However, upon hearing it, Misaki Ai could not help but feel flustered.
“What!?”
Kim Dojin, still maintaining a nonchalant tone, pressed on, “Saliva can’t hold mana indefinitely, right? Do you discard it daily and refill it? Or does that vial have some kind of function to maintain the internal magic?”
“Ah, um… I collected it this morning… Usually, the effect fades after 24 hours, so I only refill it on days when I think it might be needed… The vial is just an ordinary one…”
“Is that so? Hmm…”
Kim Dojin continued to stare at the vial, lost in thought, while Misaki Ai’s face grew increasingly red.
Even with half her face obscured by the eye patch, it felt as if she might burst from embarrassment at any moment.
Fortunately, that moment did not last long.
“Next up is the team of Kim Dojin, Naska, Renya, Misaki Ai, and Ryuujin. To the testing grounds.”
At last, it was Kim Dojin’s team’s turn.
“Yes!”
Kim Dojin and his teammates immediately stood up to gather their weapons, which were all standard issue provided by the Ark for fairness.
In Kim Dojin’s case, he had chosen a longsword and a dagger.
These were the two weapons he had selected when the possessed Kim Dojin was granted the right to choose his primary and secondary weapons during the very first week of school.
Kim Do-jin felt no discontent; had it been him, he would have chosen those two without hesitation.
– Clunk.
As he fastened his weapon back onto his belt and turned around, the team members were finishing their equipment checks.
After walking for a while, they arrived at their destination.
– Ziiing!
At last, they opened the door and stepped into the testing ground.
“Wow! Why is it so spacious…!”
Naska and Renya gaped, their mouths agape as they surveyed the surroundings.
Indeed, the interior of the testing ground was astonishingly vast.
It was large enough that even a colossal beast could rampage without issue.
“I wonder what kind of monster will appear…?”
“Well, I just hope it’s not an insect type.”
As Naska, Renya, and Ryu-jin exchanged various conversations to ease their tension, the atmosphere shifted.
– Ziiing!
Finally, the test began.
In the distance, the ground split apart, and a monster emerged.
“Whoa! That monster is…!”
The creature for this test was none other than the ‘Bald Monkey Beast.’
As the name suggested, it bore a resemblance to a monkey, its head completely bald, and it was classified as a medium-sized creature, towering over three meters tall.
‘Not bad.’
Seeing this, Kim Do-jin wore a satisfied expression as he glanced at his teammates.
“Perfect, we have the advantage in compatibility, so let’s finish this quickly. Renya, you know its weak point, right?”
At his words, Naska and Renya flinched, recalling their lessons.
Knowledge of monsters was fundamental for a ‘Hunter.’
Moreover, this particular beast had been covered in their theoretical class just days prior.
“Uh? Ah, the Bald Monkey Beast… It has rapid regenerative abilities, but if you strike its head, it falls into a groggy state and loses its regeneration?”
“Exactly. It’s strong against opponents approaching from the front. However, it has a weakness in its ability to sense threats from above.”
Kim Do-jin supplemented their knowledge, positioning Naska and Renya accordingly.
He took a few steps back, slightly turning his body to the left.
“…Huh?”
Nasca and Renya stared at Kim Do-jin, their expressions a mix of confusion and disbelief, as if asking what on earth he expected them to do.
“Leap and smash your head down. Just look at it; the angle is perfect, right?”
It was only now, with Kim Do-jin’s helpful explanation, that Nasca and Renya began to grasp the situation.
Yet, even so, the problem remained.
“How are we supposed to jump that far?”
With incredulity etched on their faces, Nasca and Renya pointed ahead.
The bald-headed beast he indicated was easily over 30 meters away.
Though Awakened Ones could transcend human limits through their magical powers, for a 17-year-old student with only an E-grade in magic, that distance was utterly impossible.
Thus, Misaki Ai and Ryu-jin, standing nearby, tilted their heads in confusion, looking at Kim Do-jin.
Their expressions clearly asked what he was talking about.
Of course, Kim Do-jin had a plan.
“I’ll help you, so just run with all your might.”
“Huh? How are you going to… Ah!”
Nasca and Renya finally recalled Kim Do-jin’s supernatural abilities, their faces shifting to a look of realization, but soon doubt crept in—was it really possible?
“…Is it really going to work?”
Kim Do-jin answered succinctly and firmly.
“Yeah.”
“…….”
Though Nasca and Renya hesitated, still unsure, they ultimately decided to trust Kim Do-jin and give it a shot.
“Alright. Let’s try it.”
With that, Nasca and Renya prepared to leap, while Kim Do-jin issued tactical orders to Misaki Ai and Ryu-jin.
They were to wait at the shortest distance, and when Nasca and Renya leaped to put the beast in a groggy state, they would rush in and unleash their attacks.
“Okay.”
“Yes, understood.”
With the plan set, there was no reason to delay any longer.
“Haah!”
At Kim Do-jin’s nod, Nasca and Renya finally began their sprint.
– Thud-thud-thud!
With a shout, they closed the 10-meter gap in an instant.
– Bang!
With a breathless leap, they surged up the steep slope.
‘Oh ho…’
Even if it was a lower tier, it seemed to whisper that not just anyone could enter ‘Arc.’
Naska and Renya, as one of the ten talents selected from Japan, displayed truly remarkable jumping prowess.
But.
“Ugh!”
Indeed, leaping over thirty meters appeared impossible.
Thus, it was now Kim Do-jin’s turn to step forward.
– Crack.
Kim Do-jin, channeling strength into his outstretched right hand, pushed back against Naska and Renya’s stone fists with his magic.
“Whoa!”
Fueled by the exquisite thrust Kim Do-jin provided, Naska and Renya soared, ultimately flying above the bald monkey’s head.
And they maintained that momentum.
Boom!
They slammed their stone fists down onto the bald monkey’s skull.
“Keheh!”
Caught off guard, the bald monkey, with its weak defenses above, let out a shriek and immediately staggered, unable to regain its senses.
“This is the moment!”
Ryuujin and Misaki Ai, who had spread out to the sides in anticipation, seized the opportunity without hesitation.
– Slash!
Thus, Naska, Renya, Ryuujin, and Misaki Ai began to unleash a relentless barrage of attacks on the groggy bald monkey.
“Kieeeek!”
Had it not been struck on the head, it would have surely healed its wounds at an astonishing rate, but not now.
Boom!
After enduring dozens of blows, the bald monkey finally gasped its last and collapsed to the ground.
A clean, flawless hunt, nearly a perfect score.
“Whoa!”
In disbelief at the unexpected outcome, Naska, Renya, and Ryuujin leaped with joy, and a smile bloomed on Misaki Ai’s lips, visible beneath her eye patch.
Meanwhile, Kim Do-jin, who had fallen behind at the starting point, pondered.
‘Clear time, strategy… With this, I should probably get a perfect score.’
—
With such thoughts swirling in his mind, he subtly turned his head to the side.
His gaze fell upon the observation seat prepared nearby.
There sat Astrid Lindel, the instructor who had been watching the trials unfold until now.