Episode 19: Mock Dungeon (3)
The dungeon we were transported to split into paths on both sides, with walls blocking the way.
A typical maze-like dungeon that anyone would recognize.
As mentioned before, “Mock Dungeon Strategy Practice” wasn’t simply a class about conquering dungeons.
I didn’t know what the structure of this dungeon was, but it was highly likely that another team had been placed somewhere on the opposite side.
Four dungeons in total, with two teams spawned in each one.
We’d probably run into them while progressing through the dungeon.
“…What was that just now?”
Even after entering the dungeon, Yoon Sang-hyuk wore a puzzled expression, recalling the instructor’s words.
“So, they’re telling us to fight?”
I turned my gaze toward Sion.
“They want us to fight and beat Kang Arin and Yohan’s team?”
Sion was sitting quietly with her hand on the ground, her eyes closed.
I stood beside her, waiting silently for her to finish.
“…No, we also have Haein…”
As Yoon Sang-hyuk started mumbling, Kim Dae-hyun placed a finger to his lips and whispered.
“Shh.”
Yoon Sang-hyuk’s muttering was cut short by him.
At that moment, Sion slowly opened her eyes and stood up from the ground.
She brushed the dirt off her palms and looked at me.
I asked her.
“How is it? Can you arrange it?”
She shook her head in response to my question and replied.
“No, only a rough direction. There are devices here that interfere with mana sensing.”
Arrange was a skill used by archers to detect the structure of a dungeon and figure out the optimal route for progression.
Typically, once the structure of a maze-like dungeon was identified using Arrange, clearing it became straightforward.
However, the skill required highly advanced mana control, making it almost impossible for students to perform.
I thought we’d have an easier time, but as expected, Gaon was thorough. They had perfectly blocked it.
“Let’s go.”
We started walking in the direction Sion pointed.
I paused briefly and looked back at Yoon Sang-hyuk.
“Sang-hyuk, can you take the guard position?”
The guard position was a role responsible for protecting long-range dealers and supporters in the center of the team.
The guard’s role was to block enemy attacks from reaching key team members while also being versatile enough to switch to offense if necessary.
“Me?”
Yoon Sang-hyuk pointed at himself, looking surprised.
It was understandable. Since I was taking the vanguard role, it seemed more reasonable for Kim Dae-hyun, who wielded a shield, to guard Sion in the center.
But this logic applied only to combat with monsters.
Most monsters lacked intelligence and rarely targeted long-range dealers or supporters in the center unless they were high-tier creatures.
In such cases, Kim Dae-hyun, with his shield, was well-suited to block mindless attacks.
However, things were different in a battle against humans.
Humans always aimed for the center, the core resources of a formation.
In such scenarios, simply blocking with a shield wasn’t enough.
Of course, I didn’t intend to let the opponent reach our center, but it was a matter of efficiency.
“Ah, because it’s a PvP match.”
Kim Dae-hyun nodded in understanding.
‘Good.’
Kim Dae-hyun not only had a solid grasp of basic knowledge but also the ability to quickly assess situations.
Even Sion looked slightly surprised.
It seemed my judgment of them wasn’t wrong.
I briefly explained the role and importance of the guard position to Yoon Sang-hyuk.
Since he had a good foundation, he quickly understood and agreed.
With me in the vanguard, Yoon Sang-hyuk and Sion in the center, and Kim Dae-hyun in the rear, our formation was set.
We organized our positions and continued moving forward.
Yoon Sang-hyuk moved forward following Jung Haein’s instructions.
Truthfully, he didn’t fully understand Jung Haein’s theory, but there was one thing he had come to realize.
‘Just do what he says.’
He was never wrong. It was like being handed success on a silver platter.
Still, he couldn’t help but feel nervous.
This was his first time taking on the guard role.
Moreover, the instructor’s earlier words kept replaying in his mind, making him uneasy.
- “Fight and win if you encounter the enemy?”
It was as good as saying they’d definitely run into them.
It wasn’t a problem when it came to fighting monsters, but he wasn’t sure how well they’d do against top-tier students like Kang Arin or Yohan.
At that moment, Ha Sion, walking beside him, spoke up.
“Don’t worry too much.”
Since earlier, her gaze had been fixed on Jung Haein’s back as he led the group.
“Anyway, Haein will handle most of it.”
Yoon Sang-hyuk couldn’t help but nod at her explanation. Anyone who had been on a team with Jung Haein before would find it hard to disagree.
Just then, Jung Haein suddenly stopped.
“Wait.”
He raised a hand to stop them.
At that moment, his sharp gaze locked onto a crack in the wall.
Then, he shouted.
“Dae-hyun!”
Kim Dae-hyun quickly moved to the center, raising his shield high.
-Chwarrr!
Light radiated from his shield, forming a barrier. Crossbow bolts started firing, and the sharp metallic fragments struck the barrier with explosive force.
-Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Ugh…”
Kim Dae-hyun groaned.
Through the barrier, they could see Jung Haein.
Trolls wielding massive axes charged at him, but he remained astonishingly calm.
As the axe of the leading troll came down, Jung Haein ducked low to dodge and slipped into its flank.
-Swish!
As his spear cut diagonally, a crimson line appeared on the first troll’s neck, and blood spurted out.
Before the troll could even collapse, Jung Haein was already moving toward his next target.
‘Wow…'
It was hard not to admire his seamless movements.
His evasions and attacks weren’t separate actions; they flowed together as one, and the tip of his spear aimed only at the most critical points.
At that moment, another troll appeared suddenly from behind, aiming for a gap in Jung Haein’s defenses.
Jung Haein tried to twist his body to dodge, but with attacks coming from both sides, the edge of the troll’s club barely grazed his side.
But then-
-Sizzle!
“That fucking bastard…”
A string of curses and the sound of a bowstring being drawn taut echoed from nearby.
“W-what?”
Yoon Sang-hyuk jumped in surprise and turned to look at Ha Sion.
The bow in her hands was already fully drawn, and her gaze remained fixed on Jung Haein.
“Hey, wait—!”
Before Yoon Sang-hyuk could finish his sentence—
—Whoosh!
The arrow shot out like lightning.
It flew straight toward Jung Haein’s back, and for a moment, the tension was so intense it felt like Yoon Sang-hyuk’s heart stopped.
But Jung Haein’s reaction was swift.
Without even looking back, as if by instinct, he tilted his head slightly to the side.
—Thud!
The arrow grazed past Jung Haein’s ear and pierced straight through the center of the troll’s forehead behind him.
Jung Haein turned around and raised his thumb slightly.
Seeing his gesture, a smile bloomed on Ha Sion’s face.
Yoon Sang-hyuk exhaled deeply as he recalled the moment that had just unfolded.
Trolls were nothing like goblins—they were far stronger. Each one had a massive physique and overwhelming brute strength.
Was there anyone among the other students who could take on multiple trolls alone like that?
As he ran through the names in his mind, Yoon Sang-hyuk shook his head.
On top of that, the insane shot he had just witnessed, coupled with Haein’s equally insane dodge, was more than enough to make him stop thinking altogether.
“How is this even possible…”
He murmured to himself quietly.
***
The instructor must be out of his mind.
While traps were indeed the heart and soul of dungeons, I hadn’t expected them to be set up so aggressively.
On top of that, the arrowheads on the crossbow bolts were coated in some slick liquid—clearly a paralysis poison.
‘Are they crazy?’
I closed the distance with the main group a little.
The dungeon seemed more difficult than expected, so I wanted to stay closer to handle any sudden situations.
But as if mocking my concerns, we arrived at a safe zone shortly after.
In the small space were a few chairs and a makeshift table, with basic supplies like bottled water prepared against one wall.
It was enough to take a proper break.
Yoon Sang-hyuk plopped down into one of the chairs, catching his breath, before asking me a question.
“Haein.”
“Yeah?”
“You and Sion… do you know each other?”
At his words, I glanced at Sion.
She was sitting in a corner, inspecting her bowstring. She had her head lowered, looking as composed as ever.
“Why?”
“It’s just… you two work so well together…”
I shook my head slightly and gave him a vague answer.
“Well, we’ve known each other for a long time.”
Still, a strange thought crossed my mind.
Come to think of it, why hadn’t Sion been selected as a Seed?
Her rank of 19th was more than enough to qualify, and honestly, her skills were far beyond what a 19th ranker should have.
I decided to ask her.
“Sion.”
She lifted her head and met my gaze.
“Yeah?”
“During the unit class, did something happen? It doesn’t make sense that you’re not a Seed.”
Sion thought for a moment before responding with a light laugh, as if it were no big deal.
“They were just deciding things among themselves up front, and I didn’t say much… In the end, I finished way down in the rankings.”
I see.
“You can be pretty passive sometimes.”
Considering her personality, it made sense.
Her tendency to avoid conflict often meant her skills weren’t properly evaluated.
“Passive…?”
Yoon Sang-hyuk, who had been listening nearby, murmured in confusion.
“Why? Is there a problem?”
Sion smiled softly and turned to him.
“No, nothing at all.”
She then shifted her gaze back to me with a light smile.
“But if I had been a Seed, I wouldn’t have been on the same team as you, right?”
Her smile carried a mix of playfulness and warmth.
“I like this better.”
