A Veteran Teaches Very Well

part 36

When everyone first encountered Mine Krong, they were all taken aback.

Mine Krong was the boss of the Slime Tunnel, yet it wasn’t a slime by species, and despite having the name “Mine,” it wasn’t a mine either.

─Kerrrrng!

Mine Krong was a giant with the face of a wild boar and four arms.

The term “wild boar” was not just a metaphor.

It was literally a wild boar’s head.

Team C, facing Mine Krong, was horrified.

Nam Hye-joo provoked it in a rough tone.

“Wow! Damn, look at that double-headed freak. Did it rub its face on asphalt or something?”

─Kerrrrng!

As if it understood the words, Mine Krong reacted.

Soon, Mine Krong charged forward.

“It’s coming!”

The target was the red-haired female.

—

Mine Krung decided to smash the face of the female that had humiliated him.

Four arms each wielded a sword resembling a saw.

He gathered them into a single point and thrust forward like a spear.

─Kyaang!

“Shield!”

Seo Da-yoon chanted in a clear voice.

Just before shattering the female’s face, a translucent barrier blocked the blade.

Mine Krung, filled with rage, continued to pound against the barrier.

Crack—

The shield began to fracture.

Good, good. It’s breaking.

“I’ll fire at the moment the shield shatters!”

“Okay.”

Clang!

Finally, it broke.

Now, that damned female…

─…!

As soon as the shield shattered, four attacks came flying in simultaneously.

A sword, a spear, an arrow, and a magical gift set all at once.

Fortunately, Mine Krung also had four arms.

If he were of an inferior race with only two arms, he wouldn’t have been able to block them all.

─Kraang!

He deflected the sword and spear with two arms, and split the magic with another.

When he tried to deflect the arrow with his last arm.

Whoosh—!

─Kraaang!

In turn, Mine Krung’s body was pierced.

Krung began to think in his mind.

That female shooting arrows is dangerous.

He wanted to kill the red female, but he had to take that one down first.

—

—

Otherwise, one would be in danger.

Jump!

The Mine Krong leaped high.

In an instant, it crossed the formation of Team C and headed towards Anseri.

It was just a thought that if it got close, it would be the end, since it was a female archer.

Anseri scoffed at that complacent thought.

“Forget the prejudice that archers are weak in close combat.”

Just before striking down with four blades simultaneously, Anseri gripped the bowstring with both hands.

And swung with all her might.

Thwack!

With a refreshing sound of impact, the Mine Krong’s massive body flew back in the direction it came from.

The Mine Krong screamed in pain.

─Kuh-ung! Keng!

“Wow, as expected of the team leader.”

“How can an archer be that strong…?”

“Everyone, focus! This is just the beginning.”

The Mine Krong began to swing the sword it held wildly.

“That guy doesn’t seem to have any swordsmanship, does he?”

“Tsk. Why is someone who doesn’t even know what swordsmanship is using a great sword? He should just use a simple weapon that suits him. Like a spear or something.”

Nam Hye-joo’s words provoked Gam Mi-seong.

“Ha! You think a spear is simple? I never thought I’d hear that from a swordsman.”

“Am I wrong? A spear is nothing but a clumsy weapon that can only stab. Swordsmanship allows for thousands of derivative movements compared to a spear, you know?”

“Not at all! A spear is a million times deeper than a sword!”

“Both of you, stop it. We’ll fight later.”

Only after Anseri intervened did the quarrel end.

The two set aside their competitive spirits and aimed their weapons at the Mine Krong for now.

─Kraaang!

The Mine Krong’s flailing was a waste of crude energy.

Swinging like that for a hundred days, it would tire itself out before even reaching Team C.

But what mattered was the test score.

—

The goal is at least an A. There’s no time to wait until exhaustion sets in.

“If we drop our guard, Dayun will unleash something big. Got it?”

“Yeah!”

“Lord! Save your little lambs!”

After Abraham cast the buff, Nam Hye-joo and Gam Mi-seong charged at the Mine Krong with all their might.

The formidable giant possessed skin that could deflect even weapons forged from special metals.

Swish!

However, against the aura-infused strikes, even that strong body was torn apart.

Every time Nam Hye-joo’s rough swordsmanship and Gam Mi-seong’s refined spear techniques flashed before their eyes, the Mine Krong’s wounds multiplied.

─Krr, Kwaaah!

The Mine Krong roared.

It wanted to rip them apart immediately, but the occasional arrows shot at it were too bothersome.

Being strong was one thing, but it was also incredibly cunning.

The arrows, coming in at a half-beat delay, were perfectly timed to strike just as Krong switched from defense to offense, which was infuriating.

It was textbook support.

The Mine Krong realized.

This won’t do.

─Krrr…

The Mine Krong began to run.

Turning back, it dashed in the opposite direction of Team C!

“Where’s that pig-headed b*stard going?”

“Shit, aren’t we supposed to follow?”

“No. It’ll be back soon. Get ready!”

An Se-ri’s judgment was spot on.

After putting enough distance between them, the Mine Krong turned back and ran toward Team C.

The Mine Krong ran.

Quickly, faster and faster.

With acceleration added to its powerful physique, it felt like a massive train was charging forward.

“W-What a crazy b*stard!”

“Get out of the way!”

Everyone dodged in different directions.

It was good that they avoided the attack from the Mine Krong, but they scattered, breaking their formation.

Gamiseong worried about the rear guard being left exposed.

“We have to protect Seoda-yoon and the Jesus freak…”

“It’s okay.”

With the formation in ruins, the Mine Krong was now in a position to target the protected classes in the rear, namely the mage and the priest.

However, the Mine Krong was not a highly intelligent monster.

It had a characteristic of focusing its aggression on the most threatening enemy.

─Kyaaa!

So it charged straight at Anseri.

The giant, now accelerated, became a rampaging locomotive once more.

For an ordinary person, even a brush against it would result in their body being shattered into pieces.

“I knew it.”

Thud—

─Krr… Aang?

The world of the Mine Krong was turned upside down.

The momentum that seemed to pierce the sky was instead slammed into the ground, rolling over. The Mine Krong began to tumble helplessly.

It only stopped after bouncing off the ground eight times.

What halted the rampaging locomotive was a small trap.

Anseri had anticipated that the Mine Krong would come for her and, while dodging, had set a simple trap.

Everything was ready.

Seoda-yoon signaled the end.

“I’ll finish it!”

Seoda-yoon prepared her strongest magic.

A massive surge of mana began to stir, eventually transforming into a specific element.

Elemental magic is commonly represented by the four main attributes: water, earth, wind, and fire.

These four attributes were fundamental for any mage. If one couldn’t handle these, it was impossible to touch upon other elements.

Once a certain level of understanding of the four main attributes was achieved, one could begin to use other elemental magics as well.

The pinnacle of elemental magic.

Lightning attribute.

“Lightning Strike!”

Crack-!

A flash descended.

Main Krung was burned alive without even a scream.

“Wow! Crazy!”

“What did I just see!”

“Hallelujah!”

The lightning attribute is far more difficult to handle than even the fire attribute.

Of course, one must have excellent mana control, but innate talent is also necessary.

Among high-ranking heroes, there are even wizards who cannot handle lightning, making the lightning attribute quite rare.

With that, the exam was over.

Without waiting for anyone, they hurried out of the dungeon.

“How long did it take us?”

“21 minutes and 47 seconds.”

“Damn! An A+ is out of reach. Ugh, I should have tried a bit harder.”

Nam Hye-joo grumbled, but her expression was bright.

She was secretly pleased to have received an A in a dungeon that didn’t match her attributes, but felt embarrassed to admit it outright, so she said something she didn’t mean.

“Sister, if you lie, you’ll go to hell.”

“Shut up. If you had just done your part right, we could have gotten an A+.”

“You’ll go to hell even if you blame your neighbor.”

“Honestly, if you could just keep your mouth shut, I wouldn’t find you annoying.”

“You’ll go to hell even if you hate your neighbor.”

“I’m going to hell because it’s filthy! Like a desert deity.”

Seon Da-yoon, the last to exit the gate, stumbled as soon as she came out.

She gasped for breath.

“Haah, huff.”

It was the backlash from using strong magic.

She had exhausted too much mana at once, leading to mana depletion.

An Se-ri asked.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. It’ll get better soon.”

“Just stay still.”

An Se-ri stood beside Seo Da-yoon, massaging her arms and legs.

It wasn’t an ordinary massage.

An Se-ri focused on stimulating the areas that could be called the essence of Seo Da-yoon’s mana.

As a result, the mana began to circulate smoothly, improving Seo Da-yoon’s condition.

“How is it? Feeling any better?”

“Yeah! Thank you.”

“Liar. You’re still struggling.”

Mana exhaustion affects those who are sensitive to it more severely.

For Seo Da-yoon, who was born with exceptional talent, it was even more pronounced.

An Se-ri bent her knees and offered her back.

“Climb on my back.”

“Huh? No, it’s okay. I can walk by myself.”

“Don’t be modest. You’re still having a hard time.”

“Ugh, I really am fine…”

Seo Da-yoon hesitated.

She felt guilty for refusing the repeated offer, and it was true that her body was struggling, just as An Se-ri said.

“Well, I’ll just rely on you a little.”

In the end, she let An Se-ri carry her all the way back.

* * *

“Here you come.”

From a distance, she could see a familiar figure approaching.

The leader of Group D, Oh Jae-hak.

“Professor, I’m back!”

“Good. You’ve worked hard.”

Group D had scored better than in the last exam.

It was clear that having a renowned name made a difference.

When I was an unknown professor, the lectures were just a way to fill credits, but now that I was a star professor, everyone was desperate.

Unfortunately, Group C’s scores had dropped even lower.

C Team’s performance was by no means lackluster. They were the kind of kids who always gave their best, so there was no higher place for them to reach.

However, this dungeon didn’t suit C Team’s strengths, and their scores dropped.

Next was B Team.

They narrowly missed an A+ but secured first place in this exam.

What was amusing was that Baek Seolhwa boasted about going into the tunnel in the second stage and catching a slime.

Just thinking about that foolish scene made me chuckle.

They were told to strategize based on what was taught in class.

What kind of trouble were they expecting to face by going in there?

Finally, A Team.

Among the four teams, these guys had the most problems.

The teaching assistant, Lee Yeo-eun, whispered beside me.

“Professor, doesn’t something seem off? A Team still hasn’t arrived.”

It was indeed strange.

Why hadn’t A Team arrived yet?

While the other teams struggled with this dungeon, A Team was different.

The key to conquering the slime dungeon was the wizard.

It didn’t make sense that A Team, led by Song Seok-hwan, still hadn’t shown up.

If I had manipulated Song Seok-hwan, what’s 20 minutes? They would have cleared it in 10.

There was only one possibility to consider.

This wasn’t a training ground, nor was it a barrier created for lectures.

This was a dungeon where real heroes came and went.

I couldn’t rule out the possibility of an unexpected incident occurring.

“Assistant, keep an eye on the kids for a moment.”

“What about you, Professor?”

“I need to find A Team. Looking at the gate response, they haven’t cleared it yet. Something might have happened.”

“Don’t worry about here, just go.”

Lee Yeo-eun replied with a serious expression.

I could trust her; she was someone who got things done when it mattered.

I set off toward the gate that A Team had entered.

Forty-five minutes had passed since the exam began.

—

If I come out now, it’s a D. If I give up, it’s an F.

Though it was unlikely, I had to consider the possibility that the exam was still ongoing.

I decided not to disturb the monsters inside until I confirmed that Team A was in a situation they couldn’t handle.

“What’s going on in there, Song Seok-hwan?”

I stepped into the gate.

Chapter 1. Song Seok-hwan (2)

Inside the Slime Tunnel.

The first stage was marked only by traces of battle.

Signs of Team A having defeated slimes were visible everywhere. Up to this point, there were no issues.

“The next stage should be fine too. Was there an incident in the boss room?”

The boss of the slime tunnel, Mine Krong, had low intelligence but high physical stats and a strong aggressiveness, making it potentially lethal if one misstepped.

I could roughly estimate the situation.

Did Song Seok-hwan get careless while trying to clear it quickly and end up getting wiped out?

He might have been anxious due to failing the last exam.

Mine Krong is a ferocious creature.

If Team A was wiped out in the boss stage, there was a real possibility that their lives were in danger. I needed to hurry.

“There he is. That’s the guy, right?”

“Yeah. I’m sure of it.”

I heard voices from behind.

Someone had just entered the gate. There seemed to be about ten of them.

“Hey, professor. Stop right there.”

They didn’t look like heroes who had come to tackle the dungeon.

A strong smell of blood filled the air. Not the blood of monsters, but of humans.

Crack—