The Break occurred about 5 km away from the Han-yul Military Academy. Unfortunately, it happened in a civilian residential area.
Before officially dealing with the monster, the first thing to do was to protect the civilians. To achieve this, it was necessary to lure the monster away from the city.
For this purpose, the initial response unit was divided into two teams.
One team was responsible for evacuating the civilians and guiding the appeared monster to a nearby plain – the Decoy Team.
The other one was the Combat Team, tasked with subduing the monster upon its arrival at the destination.
Kuaaaang─!
The operation was proceeding smoothly without any major issues. The Decoy Team managed to lead the monster gently out of the residential area by provoking it just enough.
Meanwhile, the Combat Team waited at the designated location for the monster’s arrival.
In this plain.
“Wait a minute! Weren’t you supposed to be on the Decoy Team? Why are you here?”
By the way, I was part of the Decoy Team, yet somehow found myself amidst the Combat Team, sticking closely to Arna.
“Are you defying orders right now?”
“Defying? What nonsense is that.”
I handed over the binoculars I had brought to Arna, motioning for her to confirm the Decoy Team operating far away.
Arna peered through the binoculars.
“Can you see them? There, my spoon is actively in action.”
“….”
It’s not like I’ve been loafing around here. Right now, I’m busy moving the spoon around to keep the monster distracted.
I’m fully committed to my mission above all.
“What are you so proud about just because you sent out that single spoon…!”
Pang─!
Arna struck me hard on the back with her palm. It seemed she didn’t like how I appeared to be slacking off.
Still, what can I do? All I have is just a spoon. It’s not like I can rush over and wrestle with the monster, can I? If I recklessly go to lure the monster, there’s a high chance I’ll get crushed. It’s better to just carefully control the spoon from here.
“Still… There’s no reasoning with you…”
Arna shook her head as if giving up, showing no intention of reprimanding me further.
“But, what were you doing in the command room earlier?”
“The command room?”
“Yes, weren’t you doing various things with the Operator there?”
Was she watching all that?
At that time, I was working with the Operator to devise a new strategy in preparation for any unforeseen variables or mutant types.
By the way, this strategy hasn’t been disclosed to anyone yet. If the situation ends peacefully, there’s no real need to bring it up.
It’s just in case.
“It’s nothing much. I just asked a few questions about the equipment.”
“Mmm….”
Arna narrowed her eyes and stared at me for a long time, a look of suspicion in her gaze.
“What are you staring at? Are you jealous?”
“Wh… What? Jealous? What are you talking about!”
Arna flinched in surprise and shouted at me with a flushed face.
“Why would I be jealous…!”
“There’s no need to shout if you’re not jealous. It only makes me more suspicious.”
“There’s absolutely no such thing…!”
Arna stepped forward with forceful strides, heading toward the monster, Jaggan, that was now approaching from far away.
Kuaaaang─!
Jaggan was a terribly large beast with a fearsome bull’s head and two massive wings, and it also spewed corrosive acid from its mouth.
The Decoy Team skillfully avoided the acid Jaggan expelled while gradually getting closer to the final destination.
“Still, they did a good job getting here. Despite handling such an irresponsible plan.”
We directly used the strategy from last summer here. Back then, the monster appeared in the middle of the mountains, so there was a need to bring it down to flatlands. That’s why we had the Decoy Team back then.
Coincidentally, this battle once again required a Decoy Team. It was about removing the monster from a specific area. Looking at the overall strategy, there was little difference between last summer and now.
Still, every detailed operation was in complete disarray. There was nothing else the students could do but cover for their personal abilities.
“We’d better prepare.”
Ssuring─
Arna drew her sword from her waist. As part of the Combat Team, Arna had the mission of defeating the monster.
She would probably be leading the charge.
“Arna, leave the rear to me.”
Even if I were the villain, I have no intention of troubling Arna here.
It’s actual combat now. I have the obligation to protect Arna.
She is the protagonist of this game and the sole hero who can save this world. Supporting Arna is a given.
“What? What are you saying?”
But Arna just blinked repeatedly, seemingly not understanding my meaning.
At times like this, Arna can be quite dense.
The Decoy Team managed to safely bring the monster to the designated spot. This was a barren expanse where no human had ever passed.
Now it was the Combat Team’s turn.
“Please take charge of the side!”
Arna was the first to move, heading towards where Jaggan’s head was located, according to the plan.
The rest of the monster’s limbs and wings would be covered by other students.
─Kuaaaaaa!
As Arna approached, the monster roared, spewing yellow liquid. It was corrosive acid.
“Huh…!”
Arna nimbly sidestepped and avoided the substance. Despite her mediocre record of just 5cm in this year’s standing long jump, this wasn’t her true ability.
Arna could jump much farther. Dodging these projectiles was nothing to her.
Tak─!
Next, Arna attempted a jumping attack infused with magical power, landing directly on the monster’s knee in a single leap.
“Huh…! Why am I so skilled at jumping…!”
Thinking about it again, I was so unfairly judged in the standing long jump on the first day. That one thing unnecessarily cut down my average stats.
“Well, what’s done is done. Anyway, what matters most is the live combat!”
Rather, it’s for the best this way. This time, let me show them what real skill looks like. True strength isn’t tested by physical exams but in real combat.
Tatatak─!
Arna climbed along the knee towards the summit, passing the monster’s thigh, waist, and reaching the shoulder in one fell swoop.
─Arna! Watch out behind!
That’s when a student below shouted loudly. Arna immediately turned around.
“…!”
The monster was flapping its two wings. Soon, countless feathers rained down like arrows.
Ting─!
But a shield immediately appeared, protecting Arna’s back. No feathers were allowed to touch her.
“Spoon…”
That shield was actually a giant spoon. It was the spoon that protected Arna.
Suddenly, I remembered what Shin Yoon-seong had said earlier.
─Arna, leave the rear to me.
“Hmm…”
It was then that he’d meant this. Arna smiled slightly, having unintentionally received help from Shin Yoon-seong.
“Then, I’ll let you handle the rear.”
Thanks to that, one annoying obligation disappeared. There was no need to worry about the rear. Arna moved forward without hesitation.
Aim for the precise head area, specifically the two large horns jutting out—those were the weaknesses of Code 61 Jaggan.
Pat─!
She jumped vertically again, soaring so high it felt like she was piercing the sky. She quickly reached a position overlooking the monster’s crown.
At that moment, Arna gathered her magical power, concentrating all her strength into her sword.
Swoosh─
The sword blade, which had been shimmering silver, began turning gold. It shone brighter than the sun.
Arna descended while swinging her sword with all her might.
“Let’s make those horns into dog toys…!”
Chaac─!
With a single blow, Arna cleanly cut off Jaggan’s left horn. Without stopping, she also removed the right one.
Chaac─!
In an instant, both horns fell off, as if a mechanical component had been neatly detached.
─Gooaaaah!
The hornless monster lost its balance and began to reel. Soon, it collapsed onto the ground.
Kung─!
The monster no longer roared. It no longer moved.
Jaggan had fallen.
─Waaaahhh!
Even though it was just a Grade C monster, we still managed to take down a giant beast. All the students cheered in celebration.
Tak.
“Phew.”
Arna, who landed on the ground, exhaled a breath and put her sword away.
“Good work.”
Shin Yoon-seong approached to greet Arna. In his hand was the spoon that had acted as a shield earlier.
Arna instinctively turned away and snapped.
“Hmph! I never asked for your help!”
Uh?
Here, she should’ve said thank you. Instead, her mouth moved on its own.
Though she might hate him, that’s no excuse to talk rudely to someone who went out of their way to help. Arna harshly reprimanded herself in her mind for saying such a mean thing.
“Hmm.”
But Shin Yoon-seong wasn’t paying much attention. He was too focused on the fallen monster.
“Why doesn’t it look like it plans to leave clean?”
“What? What do you mean…?”
Arna quickly turned to look at Jaggan. Her eyes widened in shock.
“That… that’s…!”
“Looks like it was a variant after all.”
Draaaa─!
Just then, black smoke began to rise out from the monster we had just felled.
Chejik─!
Subsequently, fine straight lines appeared on the corpse’s skin, just like a ceramic breaking.
“Dangerous! Everyone, step away from the monster…!”
Arna instinctively shouted a warning to everyone. The students quickly entered a state of alert upon hearing her words.
Again, tension spread through the plain.
Chejik─!
The Jaggan we saw before was merely the shell. The real body was something else entirely. A new monster was breaking out of its cocoon, appearing in the real world.
It turned out to be a Grade A monster, Code 35 Marquseas.
“….”
There was no time to stand around dumbfounded. Shin Yoon-seong quickly activated his earpiece and attempted to contact the command center.
“Not possible…! A variant?!”
The situation room was in utter chaos. Han Yoomin, who had just received the field report, broke out in a cold sweat.
“Wh-what should we do…? What should we do when facing an A-Rank monster…? Aaaaagh…!”
Kang─!
In his endless pacing around the situation room, Han Yoomin tripped over a wire and fell over.
He cried in pain.
“Ughh…! Why at this point…! Why does an A-Rank monster appear during my shift…!”
Kang! Kang!
Han Yoomin hit the floor hard with both fists.
It was almost impossible to take down an A-Rank monster with just the students. At least a major guild needed to make an appearance if we had any hope of defeating the emerged Marquseas.
If things continue as they are, the complete destruction of the students is inevitable.
“Waaahaaahh…!”
All the blame would fall squarely on Han Yoomin afterwards. He was the general coordinator of this battle, after all.
Han Yoomin screamed in frustration.
“Why! Why do bad things only happen to me? What did I do wrong?! I was only… only…!”
There was no sign of him trying to resolve the impending crisis. Han Yoomin was too busy blaming the world.
He was completely in a panic. It was impossible for him to command anything effectively. He had totally lost his fighting spirit.
“Understood. From this moment onward, all command will be handed over to the field.”
“Wha…?”
Then suddenly, the Operator made a bold decision to transfer command authority, without even getting permission from the overall coordinator, Han Yoomin.
“Wha, wait! What does that mean…!”
Han Yoomin, who was floundering in confusion at the appearance of the A-Rank monster, suddenly snapped back to reality upon hearing the news that his control was being taken away.
“Who, who is taking the authority to command things on their own…!”
“…”
The Operator simply ignored Han Yoomin’s protests and focused entirely on maintaining contact through the headset, steadfastly gripping it.
“Yes, I will request reinforcements from the Hero Management Bureau and Regional Guilds as per your orders.”
Tap. Tap.
The Operator skillfully operated the equipment one after another without a hint of nervousness, as if everything had been pre-anticipated.
Subsequently, she picked up the microphone to broadcast an announcement.
“Attention all members of the Initial Response Unit. All reset the Playbook slot 1 and update to the new Slot 2.”
“Slot 2…? What is this nonsense?!”
The Operator quickly typed on the keyboard to transmit data about the monster Marquseas and the newly designed operation plan file to all squadron members.
“Once again, please reset Playbook Slot 1 and update to the new Slot 2.”
