Chapter 59

### Chapter 59: Dungeon Practical Training (3)

Grrr...

The ogre slowly moved its head as if observing me. In response, my heart began to race.

It's a prelude to the battle sense. I've become familiar with the feeling of battle sense now.

Thump.

The ogre in front of me lives by instinct. Instinctual destruction and plunder, eating whatever it can grab, and smashing anything that moves. This stupid monster, despite knowing nothing, has a strong curiosity. Therefore, it always observes anything it sees for the first time. It's confident that it can counterattack even if an attack comes.

So, now, while the ogre is still observing me, I need to land a hit. I slowly condensed mana within my body to avoid being detected by the ogre. The moment mana moves outside my body, the ogre will charge.

Therefore, I need to manifest the magic circle instantly and deal damage before the ogre can sense it. This was my specialty, and I was confident.

Three seconds to go.

The ogre is still looking at me. Now, it's also glancing at Baek Ayoung behind me.

'Alright!'

Swish!

The completed magic circles instantly released their spells. I aimed a fireball at the ogre's eyes with one hand. Wind blades flew towards the ogre's belly, slashing its skin.

Bang! Bang! Whoosh—

The smoke from the fireball enveloped the ogre. A moment later, the ogre appeared, shielding its face with its arms.

"Damn, this guy is crazy."

Surprisingly, the arms protecting the ogre's face were completely unscathed, not even a scratch. There was only a small wound on its belly, where dozens of blades had slashed.

The ogre growled in displeasure.

Roar!

The ogre stomped its feet, expressing its anger. It now fully recognized me as an enemy.

Roar!

With its eyes bloodshot, the ogre charged at me, swinging its fists. I didn't want to get too close to it, with its drooling mouth.

I glanced behind me. Baek Ayoung was trembling and looking at me.

I quickly circulated the mana in my mana circuits. Using 'Acceleration,' I dashed forward. To protect Baek Ayoung, it was better to fight from the front.

Bang! Bang!

I dodged the ogre's fist and moved away from Baek Ayoung and the battlefield.

Roar!

Whoosh!

The ogre's fist passed by my head, making my hair flutter. If I got hit by that, my ribs would definitely break.

I slowly led the ogre away from Baek Ayoung while gathering mana again.

'What should I do?'

The ogre's skin is too tough for my spells to cause significant damage. I don't have the time or mana to prepare a high-level spell. So, I need a high destructive power with minimal mana.

Thump.

My heart accelerated. My body dodged the ogre's hot breath while my mind remained cold, thinking of a strategy. To achieve high destructive power with minimal mana, I need to attack at close range. This way, I can avoid the loss of power that occurs when the spell travels through the air. I also need to use 'Acceleration' to increase the speed of the attack for maximum efficiency.

I had a plan. There are two things I can do. I can punch the ogre's belly with a mana-enhanced fist, or I can create a new form of magic that can wound the ogre and stab it in the belly.

Fortunately, while the ogre was unscathed by the fireball, it had a small wound from the wind blades. That was my breakthrough.

Roar!

I dodged the ogre's fist aimed at my head by ducking. At the same time, I condensed mana in my hand. I drew out the mana in a spiral shape, similar to when I created a Cotton Guard. The spiral shape, which is designed for strong defense, can also be used for the strongest attack.

I infused the solid mana with a sharp will. The mana became sharp, but it was no different from the wind blades. I condensed the spiral-shaped mana into a spherical shape, making it rotate at an incredible speed. This would gradually wear down the ogre's skin.

Boom!

The ogre's arm struck beside me again.

'I'll break through on the next attack.'

I deliberately maintained a close distance to induce large movements. The stupid ogre fell for my trap and slammed both hands on the ground.

Bang!

'Acceleration.'

I embedded the rotating spiral sphere from my hand into the ogre's side as it tried to lift its hand from the ground.

"Roar!"

Crack!

With a vicious sound, the tough outer skin was gradually worn down. The ogre's side turned bloody, and the softer inner skin appeared. A large crack formed on the ogre's belly.

Once the outer skin was broken, it was over. My mana penetrated deep inside, slicing the inner skin as it rotated.

The ogre's blood and fragments scattered across the dungeon floor.

"It's over."

Bang!

The ogre died with a large hole in its belly.

──『 Spiral 』──

▶ Unique Skill

▶ Twists mana into a triple spiral, making it solid, and compresses it into a spherical shape that rotates in a spiral.

Highly advanced mana control is required. It is more destructive when used at close range rather than thrown.

───────

"Spiral?"

I keep getting close-range skills I don't want. Damn, this isn't what I had in mind.

"Ho Yeon! What were you thinking, fighting the ogre like that!"

Baek Ayoung approached me with a worried look and confronted me.

"I couldn't leave Ayoung. I'd rather die together."

"... You!"

Though she seemed angry on the surface, Baek Ayoung didn't seem to be in a bad mood. It would be good to increase her affection, but my condition is not good right now. My head is dizzy, and I might be suffering from mana exhaustion. I need to quickly replenish my mana.

"I'm going to meditate for a bit. Please guard me."

"Okay, I'll let you know if anyone comes."

Using Baek Ayoung as a human alarm, I meditated to replenish my mana. Since I have very little mana, I almost used it all in the recent fight. However, my meditation efficiency is high, so it won't take long.

"Hmm..."

I closed my eyes and began to slowly absorb the surrounding mana.

*

"President, wait a moment. I understand, but please calm down!"

"Move. I need to see this person right away."

"Hey! Oh!"

Mun Surin pushed aside the secretary guarding the chairman's office and entered.

"Surin, what's the matter?"

A white-haired man sitting on a sofa in the main seat looked at her with a welcoming expression.

"Now is not the time to leisurely drink coffee. Students are trapped in the dungeon."

But Mun Surin ignored the man's gaze and poured out her complaints. People were trapped due to the dungeon's rampage, and this was not the time to be relaxed.

"... Surin. You're not saying this without knowing that I've just finished gathering the rescue team, providing supplies, and assigning mages, right? And I haven't even had coffee."

"I know all that. But do you have time to rest? Students are trapped."

"I've done everything I can. You know that, don't you?"

"No. You should go there yourself."

"... Surin!"

Mentioning his body was taboo. But Mun Surin was in no position to hold back.

When she heard that Yi Ho Yeon was trapped in the dungeon, her heart ached. Only then did she admit that she had feelings for him. Realizing her feelings, she abandoned everything and rushed to the chairman's office.

Seeing the determined look in Mun Surin's eyes, the chairman thought he needed to calm her down.

"I've called all the experts and many active hunters to search. Don't worry, just wait."

"No. If the chairman doesn't go, I will."

"Why are you doing this? Is there a boy you like among the first-year students?"

"That's not it! The students are all part of our Victoria Academy!"

"..."

The chairman's face hardened.

He turned his head away and made eye contact with her briefly before looking away. He often saw this reaction from his granddaughter when she wanted to change the subject.

"Anyway! I'll go in myself, so you know! And I'll go on strike until this incident is resolved."

"Surin! The academy can't function without you!"

"That's not my problem. The most important thing right now is the dungeon's rampage. We need to maximize the search scale and recruit more hunters."

"Isn't that all the academy's budget?"

"I've earned much more than this."

Mun Surin glared at the chairman and left the office coldly.

The chairman felt frustrated. Who is this guy to make my granddaughter act like this?

From his long life experience, such a person doesn't die easily. He decided that he would at least see the face of this guy once he escapes the dungeon.

*

"I feel better now. Thank you."

"Mm, no. I'm doing well because of you."

We explored the dungeon in a friendly atmosphere. My confidence increased after defeating the ogre.

I heard that ogres are monsters that even active hunters find difficult to defeat alone. Defeating such a monster alone is something to be proud of, right?

"Still, no monster stronger than an ogre will appear. The appearance of an ogre in the first place was unrealistic..."

It's unrealistic for an ogre to appear in a dungeon where kobolds usually appear. It seems the mine collective Pandemic used something, but I couldn't remember it from the original story, which was frustrating.

"That's true. A blessing in disguise..."

Bang. Bang.

"Damn."

I inadvertently swore in front of Baek Ayoung. Fortunately, she didn't hear it.

Bang. Bang.

Baek Ayoung was too focused on the ominous footsteps to notice my muttering.

Moreover, these footsteps were not from one creature.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.

Two. Two ogres were approaching.

Thump.

My battle sense flared up again. But it's okay. I've already defeated one, so I'm not afraid.

The method to defeat a stupid ogre is the same, even if there are two. Use 'Acceleration' to dodge simple attacks and stab the belly with 'Spiral.'

Of course, there were some details different from the explanation, but the general idea was the same.

Roar!

The ogre's sound was getting closer. This time, I wanted to reduce the number from the start.

Baek Ayoung's stamina was at a dangerous level, so I needed to end this quickly and find a place to rest.

'Spiral.'

I created a spiral sphere in my hand.

'Acceleration.'

I accelerated the mana around my body. I gathered mana in my feet and waited until the distance was close enough.

Rumble!

Just before the ogre and I came into each other's sight, my enhanced vision, strengthened by 'Kaiyan,' caught the ogre a step ahead.

Boom!

With a force that made the floor beneath my feet crack, I lunged at the ogre.

Grr?

The ogre finally noticed me, but it wasn't a high-level being that could block my attack, which was accelerated.

Grr, Roar!

"Die, you bastard."

A hole appeared in the belly of one ogre, and it fell, spitting blood.

Grr, Roar?!

The remaining one, seeing its companion turn into jelly, recognized me and swung its club.

Thump.

My battle sense was telling me.

Get used to such simple attacks now.

I easily dodged the club and prepared the Spiral. Now, I just needed to stab it in the belly or face.

"Roar!"

The ogre, unable to contain its anger, swung its fist after the club.

I dodged the ogre's fist, which was flying in the accelerated space, and was about to stab its face with the Spiral when I thought:

'This is the last chance.'

The ogre is swinging its fist at me. My speed is much faster.

With speed, I can destroy the ogre's head with the Spiral and end its life.

But that wasn't my goal.

I didn't come here just to kill monsters. My goal is Baek Ayoung.

This might be the last chance.

Unlike the beginning, the dungeon's mana concentration is almost stable now. With this level of mana density, there shouldn't be any monsters stronger than two ogres.

The appearance of an ogre was already unrealistic, so it's unlikely that anything stronger would appear.

I had already killed one ogre in front of Baek Ayoung.

But if I easily killed one ogre and then received fatal wounds from other monsters, it would be too awkward a story.

So, this is the last chance.

With two ogres as the opponents.

Baek Ayoung won't die even if she's here.

'I can do this. No, I have to.'

To win Baek Ayoung's affection, I needed this situation.

I slowly watched the ogre's fist flying towards me and slightly slowed down the speed of my hand with the Spiral.

I focused on making sure the Spiral was in a position to kill the ogre even if I got hit.

Crack! Whoosh!

First, I was hit by the ogre's fist, and immediately after, the ogre's head was torn apart.

The ogre's blood splattered in the air, and fragments stuck to my body.

"Cough...! Gasp...!"

Blood started to come out of my mouth.

It hurts. It really hurts like I'm dying. Damn.

My internal organs feel like they're torn apart.

"Ho, Ho Yeon...! No!"

But seeing Baek Ayoung running towards me, I knew my plan had succeeded.