It has been over three days since we started living and training indoors at the training center. Now, the Sync Room feels like my own bedroom.
“No matter what, asking someone to bring me underwear is just too much! I’m a woman, you know!”
Even heading back to the room to grab clothes feels like a waste of time, so I have no choice but to ask someone else for help.
So, I called on Kim Han-bit.
“You don’t need to worry about hygiene. I cleaned these briefs with fabric softener. All you need to do is grab them straight from the closet.”
“That’s not the point!”
Until now, I’ve had Rashid deliver the panties, but today, he said he had other plans and stepped out.
“Why do I have to do it? Why do I have to bring your underwear? Can’t someone else do it?”
“No.”
If I ask Kang Tae-hoon, he’ll obviously just dismiss me and tell me to eat dirt or something.
Yoo Ji-woo is busy preparing for the final exams’ projects.
And Choi Soo-eun? She’s the one who makes bento lunches for everyone, so it’s not right to burden her with another task.
Last but not least, Moon Shin-chung… Personally, I don’t feel comfortable giving him the password to my room.
After eliminating each person one by one, Kim Han-bit was the only one left.
“Have you never once touched your dad’s underwear?”
“Hmm… If you put it that way, I suppose there’s nothing I can do. Then you don’t have to bring the underwear… Instead…”
“Instead?”
Kim Han-bit’s eyes widened.
I continued:
“I’d like you to just grab me a few from the convenience store nearby.”
“What? That’s even worse!”
Kim Han-bit shrieked.
Why does she think that’s so strange? It’s not like I’m asking her to bring the ones I’ve already worn; I just asked her to buy new ones. Isn’t that easier?
“Think about it from my perspective! It’s weird for a woman to buy men’s underwear at a convenience store!”
“I don’t really see what’s weird about it.”
“IIIIEEEK! Would you be able to buy women’s underwear at a convenience store? Could you just calmly pay for it in front of everyone?”
“Of course I could. I can even buy sanitary napkins!”
“…”
Kim Han-bit staggered as though experiencing vertigo.
“What is going on…? Is something wrong with me…? Am I too conservative…?”
“Judging by your reaction, it seems like you’ve never had any experience with men.”
This was my chance, so I pushed Kim Han-bit towards the exit.
“You’ll only find it difficult the first time. After that, it won’t feel like a big deal anymore. Who knows? This experience might help you in the future.”
“In the future…?”
“When you’re in a relationship.”
In relationships, such things do happen. There’ll be times when a woman buys underwear for a man or a man buys stockings or sanitary products for a woman.
The first time I bought women’s stockings, I wasn’t expecting it to be so complicated. I thought choosing colors would be enough, but I learned there were thickness levels called deniers and all sorts of things.
At that time, I also learned the difference between summer and winter stockings.
“By the way, I prefer boxer briefs that cling snugly around the thighs. Ideally, I would prefer a burgundy color.”
“Boxer briefs… Burgundy color underwear… Boxer briefs… Burgundy underwear… Boxer briefs burgundy underwear…”
My order seemed to confuse Kim Han-bit a bit, but she kept repeating it carefully to make sure she didn’t forget.
Everyone grows in their own way, don’t they?
*
－－－
Individual Tactical Assessment
: Selected Difficulty [B0]
: Enter your student ID number [ ]
－－－
After changing into the new underwear, I decided to see the evaluation. I entered my student ID.
Ping.
I can now enter my student ID with my eyes closed. This feels good right off the bat. This time, I might really succeed.
－Evaluation will begin in 3 minutes. Evaluation will begin in 3 minutes.
Soon after, the formerly empty room transformed into a dazzling new stage before my eyes.
The devastated cityscape stretched out before me.
-Crrroooaaaa…
Together with many Lesser Monsters.
－Evaluation will start in 1 minute. Evaluation will start in 1 minute.
I’ve challenged this so many times; now even the waiting feels like a waste of time.
Why can’t we just skip the waiting and start right away?
Ping!
The final minute ended, and with a loud buzz, the evaluation began. I enlarged my Spoon.
-Kooaaarrr!
The wolf-like Lesser Monsters recognized my presence and lunged at me with their mouths wide open.
Pahk!
Phase one begins with handling the Lesser Monsters. There’s no particular strategy here. All I need to do is beat them.
Pahk!
Swinging my spoon, I smash their heads. This part is fairly easy. I can definitely handle it.
– Kiiiinggg…
As I clear one Lesser Monster after another, phase one comes to an end.
Now we move on to phase two.
– Kruuuuu…
More Lesser Monsters appeared than before. The black smoke emanating from their bodies made them look more dangerous.
But the real issue wasn’t the Lesser Monsters before my eyes…
Koo-goo-goo-gooong!
Suddenly, the ground trembled as a massive tentacle erupted from the ground in the distance.
Paah-t!
The tentacle wriggled around and then spat out a large toxic sac with its mouth.
If that toxic sac falls on my head, the evaluation ends immediately. I quickly dodged.
Kang!
The sac hit the ground, and the contents exploded. Viscous green liquid oozed out.
Daaah-a-ah…
The green liquid corroded everything around it, leaving a white fog behind from the eroded areas.
Shwooong…
There was no time to catch my breath. The tentacle spat out another toxic sac.
Unless I deal with this tentacle first, the toxic sac attacks will keep coming until the evaluation ends.
I need to prioritize and eliminate the tentacle.
– Krooooh…
But Lesser Monsters are blocking my path. They certainly won’t make it easy for me.
…
In that case, there’s only one option left: the spoon I have. While I might not be able to reach the tentacle, the spoon certainly can.
Ssssuuuu…
Using telekinesis, I levitated the spoon high into the air. It sailed over the Lesser Monsters and headed towards the tentacle.
– Kooaaak!
Meanwhile, now that my weapon was gone, the Lesser Monsters, who weren’t about to leave me alone, charged at me with their sharp teeth.
Tadadadak!
I can’t fight them head-on without a weapon. I’m not Rashid who likes to settle disputes with his fists. I need to buy time until my spoon returns.
This is a cityscape. I entered a nearby abandoned building, heading for the tallest high-rise in the area.
Tang! Tang! Tang!
I climbed the emergency staircase as high as possible. From here, it’s all about endurance.
Tang! Tang! Tang!
The Lesser Monsters followed me into the building. But the emergency staircase was much too narrow—a tight corridor barely wide enough for one Lesser Monster to squeeze through.
– Kooaaak!
– Kiiyaak!
In the end, the Lesser Monsters began attacking each other at the base of the stairs, fighting to be the first to climb up.
Tang! Tang! Tang!
This is the method I found after countless retries. Now I can rest easy knowing I’ve bought enough time.
I activated the Blind Side skill. It’s time to pull out that huge tentacle.
Paah-t!
Through Blind Side and the spoon, I switched the viewpoint to the outside.
I can see the tentacle. Seeing the floating spoon, the tentacle threw a toxic sac to intercept it.
Whish!
But no matter what, that’s just a projectile weapon. It won’t be easy to bring down this spoon as long as it’s not a bullet.
I casually twisted the spoon to dodge.
Paah-t!
The tentacle spat out another toxic sac. This is the second attack. I decided not to dodge this time, since it’s already closed the distance.
I stopped the spoon in place to catch the toxic sac.
Kang!
The spoon and toxic sac collided. The sac’s membrane tore open, and just as the acid was about to cover the spoon…
Daaah-a-ah-k!
I activated another skill, Reflection. The acid meant to cover the spoon reversed course and shot towards the tentacle.
– Kiiioooohhhh!
The tentacle, bathed in its own reflected toxin, emitted an eerie scream and started to twist. But its resistance didn’t last long.
It dissolved at an alarming speed. You could say it completely disappeared down to its roots.
– Kooaaak!
While I was focused on the tentacle, the Lesser Monsters had begun to climb the stairs one after another.
The survivors of the battle.
…
I still don’t have a real weapon. The spoon is still on its way back.
Dang-grrrang!
Without hesitation, I broke the window and hurled myself outside from the 30th floor.
Heeeeeeewwwww!
As I fell through the air, bracing against the force of the wind…
Tac!
I caught the spoon that had returned just in time.
I still don’t have the strength to completely control its weight, but I can manage enough to keep me steady. While I can’t soar through the air like a bird with the spoon, it might be enough to function as a parachute.
Holding onto the spoon, I slowly descended to the ground.
-Kiiiinggg…
I then proceeded to clear out all the remaining Lesser Monsters one by one.
With that, I managed to clear the second phase without much trouble.
Now if I can just get through the last third phase… This tiresome evaluation will finally end.
Finally, I’ll be able to get my B0 grade.
…
That said, I shouldn’t underestimate it. The third phase isn’t the same level as the ones before. It’s a boss battle, after all.
By the way…
My longest time surviving against the boss was only 39 seconds.
39 seconds. Just about the time it takes to reheat a hot dog in the microwave.
