A Veteran Teaches Very Well

part 46

The golem is animated by the magic circle drawn on the stone.

I touched the incantation to enhance the golem.

“Bios, Juller—Daus, Rukium.”

The magic circle, glowing in vibrant colors, began to alter the golem’s essence.

I erased the unnecessary magic circles and layered new ones on top.

This series of processes was repeated several times.

Instructor Cheon marveled.

“Wow, isn’t modifying a golem’s magic circle incredibly difficult? Professor Yoon Seong-yeop usually prefers to create new golems rather than modify existing ones.”

“Actually, that’s the better option. But I can’t find anything better than a Permet Golem for training at the academy.”

“I see.”

Lee Ye-eun, who had helped with her chestnut hair, came over.

“Professor, can I assist you?”

“Sure, could you hold that purple magic circle over there? We’ll tighten it together with this one.”

“Okay. Is this tight enough?”

“Try tightening it a bit more.”

“Like this?”

“Good.”

With Lee Ye-eun’s help, the modification of the ‘Permet Golem MK-2’ was successfully completed.

With this, I could have a good match against my students.

* * *

Baek Seol-hwa’s steps were particularly light as she left the dormitory.

Today was the day of Cha Eun-woo’s lecture.

It had always been a favorite of hers, but today she was especially looking forward to it.

“Hmm~.”

Baek Seol-hwa hummed a tune as she headed to the lecture.

Florian’s Fourth Training Ground.

Most of the swordsmanship department’s lectures are held in the training ground.

Due to the nature of her major in swordsmanship, it was far more beneficial for Baeksulhwa to engage physically rather than sitting at a desk learning theory.

Baeksulhwa entered the training hall.

For the first few weeks since the first class, the atmosphere in the hall would momentarily quiet down whenever Baeksulhwa walked in, but now everyone had grown accustomed to it.

Even so, there were still many students who were reluctant around Baeksulhwa, and that couldn’t be helped.

Still, there were exceptions.

“Good morning, Seolhwa.”

Today, Park Seohu greeted Baeksulhwa cheerfully.

Park Seohu was one of the few classmates who was relatively close to Baeksulhwa at the academy.

“Yeah, hi.”

Park Seohu was slightly taken aback.

He hadn’t expected Baeksulhwa to respond so readily to his greeting.

Usually, he was either half-ignored or met with a light nod of acknowledgment.

In the two months they had known each other, he couldn’t even remember the last time Baeksulhwa had said “hi” to him.

Park Seohu asked, “Is something good happening today?”

“It’s the same as usual.”

Though she said that, Baeksulhwa wore a faint smile.

Given her typically expressionless demeanor, it was a smile that Park Seohu had only recently begun to recognize.

This clearly meant something good was happening.

“I see.”

“…Why are you coming to your own conclusions? I said nothing’s going on.”

“Okay, okay.”

Park Seohu beamed.

Baeksulhwa felt an urge to hit him.

But since it was a good day, she held back.

As always, the lectures in the Department of Swordsmanship were dull.

For Baeksulhwa, the major lectures were far too basic.

It might be a somewhat arrogant thing to say, but it was the truth.

Baeksulhwa was exceptional.

‘Should I ask to be placed in upperclassman lectures next semester?’

After the major lecture ended, I moved on to the next class.

Park Seo-hoo followed me like a shadow.

“Wasn’t today’s class fun? The professor was hilarious back in the day.”

“You… never mind.”

I almost asked why he was following me, but I stopped myself.

After all, we were heading to the same class, so it wouldn’t hurt to go together.

Normally, I wouldn’t have entertained this thought, but today I was in a good mood, so I didn’t push Park Seo-hoo away.

The two of us entered the lecture hall.

Inside the Oseong Hall’s large lecture room.

This was where the dungeon research and practice class took place.

As we walked in, Lim Han-sol from Group B spotted me and greeted me.

“Seolhwa, hey.”

“Yeah. Hi.”

I offered a faint smile in return.

“Uh, wait?”

Lim Han-sol looked momentarily taken aback.

It was so different from the usual sullen expression where I would just nod slightly.

I wondered if something was off with me today.

I sat down in a good mood.

The cold atmosphere that usually surrounded me seemed to dissipate, and the other students looked on in confusion.

Soon, Cha Eun-woo entered, and the lecture began.

“You’ve probably grasped the concepts of the tactical theories we’ve covered so far. Today, I’ve prepared a practical lecture to summarize everything.”

The mention of a practical lecture made the students cringe.

The nightmare of the last class’s Permet Golem resurfaced.

“It was terrible.”

“It was horrifying.”

Everyone agreed, but the newly selected Group A students tilted their heads in confusion.

Cha Eun-woo continued.

“Before we start the practical lecture, let’s go over some theoretical concepts. The basics of tactical theory are done. From today, we’ll be covering something a bit different.”

As he pressed the remote, the monitor at the front of the lecture hall lit up.

Inside, the prepared PPT appeared.

“In the previous exam, the boss monsters were a giant monkey and a mine krong. Those guys could be defeated with sheer strength, but not every dungeon is like that.”

The PPT moved to the next page.

The content was an article about a guild in China.

“As you all know, the 19th S-rank dungeon of the year opened not long ago. Last week, the Emperor Guild from China attempted a raid but failed.”

The Emperor Guild.

In China, it was a guild of very high status. In Korea, it was comparable to the likes of Bisang or Geumok.

Being a guild from a powerful nation like China, its scale was far larger than those of Korean guilds.

Typically, tackling an S-rank dungeon was common sense to do in cooperation with multiple guilds.

An S-rank dungeon is an out-of-standard dungeon.

It was impossible to conquer it with the strength of a single guild.

Many guilds had attempted it, but only the Unicorn Guild from the United States, regarded as more than just a guild, had succeeded.

The Emperor Guild was also a well-known guild worldwide, but it was insufficient to tackle an S-rank dungeon alone.

“Experts pointed out the inadequate response to the monsters at the dungeon’s entrance, the Mongma and the Siren, as the decisive reason for the failure.”

In truth, even if that hadn’t been the case, they would have failed, but there was no need to bring that up.

If things had gone smoothly, they might have made it to the mid to late stages of the dungeon before retreating, but the Emperor Guild was caught in a trap from the very beginning and was annihilated.

A student asked a question.

“Aren’t the Mongma and Siren just trivial monsters?”

“Right. If a priest uses mental defense skills or if the party members have some level of resistance, they can be dealt with easily. But that didn’t happen. In a way, it’s ultimately a result of arrogance.”

The next page of the PPT turned.

This time, statistics released by the Hero Association appeared.

“Shall we talk a bit more about mental-type attacks? According to a survey of 2,000 high-ranking heroes conducted by the Hero Association, only 30% of heroes know the proper countermeasures against mental-type traps.”

The students whispered in shock.

The statistics on the PPT were hard to believe.

If high-ranking heroes were like that, it meant the heroes below them were even worse.

That naturally implied that there were just as many cases of failing dungeon raids due to an inability to deal with mental-type traps.

“It’s not just mental-type traps; the same goes for other traps. It’s easy if you know how to respond, but there are few who know how to respond properly. Last time, I only gave you a brief overview, right? Starting today, I’ll teach you how to deal with them in earnest.”

Baeksulhwa’s pen glided smoothly as she filled the notebook step by step.

Perhaps due to excitement, I found it hard to concentrate on the class today.

The PPT moved to the next page again.

“Write down everything here. These are the 37 debuffs you might encounter in the dungeon. First up is confusion. Remember when you experienced it during the last test in the less green monkey forest? When you fall into a state of confusion, your body will move on its own.”

The students nodded vigorously in agreement.

Just thinking about the trouble caused by that monkey still made their teeth grind.

“There are generally 11 ways to cope, so choose according to your circumstances. To start with the most commonly used methods…”

Beginning with a topic the students were interested in made it easier for them to immerse themselves in the lecture.

Today’s lecture was once again focused, clearly highlighting the key points and imprinting them in the students’ minds.

“That’s it for now. Any questions?”

The classroom fell silent.

“If there are none, let’s move on to the practical session. This time, the groups that finish first can go back. Just like before, if you go over the allotted time, you’ll fail.”

As the magic activated, the students moved into the barrier.

They had all seen it once before, but it was still a spell that evoked admiration.

Each group gathered and headed towards the corridor.

“It’ll be harder than last time, right?”

“Yeah. Probably.”

The members of Group B began to worry.

To boost the group’s morale, Im Han-sol stepped up.

“Why are you all so scared? We came in first in the last test. We’re the best group. Just do what you usually do, so don’t worry too much.”

“Right. Just like Han-sol said.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

The members of Group B lifted the atmosphere with their cheerful banter.

In such a mood, it was difficult for Baek Seol-hwa to step forward.

Still, she mustered her courage and spoke up.

“I have a suggestion.”

“Seol-hwa?”

The once cheerful atmosphere turned cold in less than five seconds.

Baek Seol-hwa’s position in Group B was ambiguous in many ways.

There was no one in Group B who hated her.

In fact, if preferences were considered, everyone liked her.

There was no reason for the group members to dislike her, as a capable bus driver wouldn’t bully or mistreat them.

However, she was a leader who was a bit, no, a lot difficult.

“Since we’re practicing anyway, how about we try something different this time?”

“How?”

“Usually, I roam around the front lines as a free roller. This time, I thought it might be good to focus more on team play from a lower position.”

The group members exchanged glances.

In Group B, there was a memory of Baeksulhwa, who had played as a dealer but failed, leading to a change in tactics.

Though they didn’t have much trust in Baeksulhwa, no one could refuse the suggestion.

Im Hansol spoke up.

“Um… I agree. Since it’s practice, isn’t it okay to try different things like Seolhwa said?”

“Me, too.”

Once one person started, the others quickly followed suit in agreement.

The proposal passed unanimously.

“Then let’s get started.”

The structure of the barrier was the same as last time.

To reach the exit, they had to climb the swamp uphill within the barrier.

To ascend the swamp, they would have to defeat the boss inside once again.

The members of Group B silently looked at each other.

That alone was enough to share their thoughts.

“Let’s go in.”

Group B entered the swamp together.

As expected, there were dozens of golems inside the swamp.

The cries of the golems filled the air.

─工으후루꾸十卞丁下丁卞十꾸루후으工!

“Ahhh!”

“What, what is that!”

The Permet Golem had evolved into the Permet Golem MK-2.

Its bizarre cries had evolved into something even more strange, startling Group B.

Dozens of spheres adorned with familiar patterns floated around.

The difference this time was that the golems were purple.

“They’re coming! Maintain formation!”

The spherical golems hovered in the air.

Team B faced off in a 2-4 formation centered around the Snow White tale.

In the center, Snow White provided support, creating a tactical setup for the other dealers to shine.

Clang!

Snow White’s sword clashed with the golem.

Though it was a sword imbued with aura, the only result was a slight dent in the struck area.

‘It’s gotten much tougher.’

The center of the golem glowed brightly.

Instinctively, a sense of danger surged. This was something to avoid.

Zing!

The golem fired a laser.

It was so fast that there was no time to react, at least not at this distance.

Thanks to her earlier leap, Snow White managed to evade it.

“What, what is that?”

“A golem that shoots lasers! This just got way harder!”

“Damn it! Is the professor really doing this?”

Snow White calmed the boiling blood within her.

Right now, she was the control tower of the party.

If Snow White couldn’t command, the entire team could collapse.

She couldn’t afford to get excited.

Let’s use the routine the professor taught to steady herself.

“Let’s take down the front line methodically! We can’t let our targeting get mixed up!”

It was crucial to eliminate enemies one by one against a larger force.

If damage was spread out unnecessarily, the fight would drag on, making it difficult to reduce their numbers and increasing the chances of a tough battle.

To achieve this, it was vital for Snow White to create the right setup.

Swish—!

Snow White’s sword moved back and forth.

First, they needed to focus on just one enemy.

She drew one orb inward while pushing the others away.

“Now!”

At Snow White’s command, Team B launched a coordinated attack on the golem at the front.

Even a sturdy golem shattered under the concentrated firepower.

“Nice!”

“Good job!”

But the golem wasn’t just going to take it.

It shot lasers in a flash and counterattacked.

Each one was weak, but when dozens of lasers flew simultaneously, their power became impossible to ignore.

“Maintain the defensive magic! The laser attacks have a delay, so be careful!”

Baeksulhwa commanded as she sliced through the lasers with her sword.

Just as they were gradually gaining the upper hand by taking down the golems one by one, the golem began to emit a strange sound and started to move.

─工으후루꾸十卞丁下丁卞十꾸루후으工!

The golems gathered in one place.

The golems collided with a loud crash, merging into a massive golem.

“It’s coming! Get ready!”

Phase 2 of the Permet Golem MK-2 had begun.

“Scatter!”

At Baeksulhwa’s shout, Team B quickly moved.

The Permet Golem MK-2 began to glow purple.

Then, it fired a laser from its chest area.

KWA-BOOM!

The laser swept across the ground as it advanced.

Thanks to their timely evasion, Team B suffered no damage, but once again, their formation collapsed.

─工으후루꾸十卞丁下丁卞十꾸루후으工!

The golem made a loud noise.

It felt as if it were mocking Team B, and Baeksulhwa nearly lost her composure.

‘Hold on, hold on.’

The situation was far from good.

In this practical training session, Baeksulhwa had taken on the role of the control tower.

However, if Team B continued to have their formation disrupted like this, it would be impossible to create a comfortable environment for the dealers.

That cunning golem kept scattering their formation before it could even be established.

“Damn it! At this rate, we won’t even be able to mount a proper counterattack!”

“Seolhwa! What should we do?”

There was only one method that came to mind.

Someone had to step up to stop the Permet Golem from interfering with Team B.

The person most suited for that role in Team B was, of course, Baek Seolhwa.

“I’ll create an opening.”

Baek Seolhwa moved.

A battle began where she focused solely on her own movements and those of the enemy, disregarding her teammates.

It felt comfortable.

As if she were wearing a perfectly tailored outfit.

After all, team play was not really Baek Seolhwa’s style…

‘What am I thinking?’

Baek Seolhwa shook her head vigorously.

Suppressing her emotions, she spoke to herself.

It’s not that fighting alone is easier.

It’s just that I’ve gotten used to it.

If I keep at it, I’ll become just as accustomed to coordinating with my party members.

Whoosh—!