—
Individual Tactical Assessment
: Selected Difficulty [S]
: Student Information [2nd Year Combat Division Arna Kristin Dotir]
: Clear Record [Fail]
—
“Ugh…”
Another failure. I don’t even know how many times this makes it now. At least dozens, right?
…
What difference does it make compared to Shin Yoon-seong next door? The only difference is the difficulty level, but we both keep slipping up the same way.
“Ugh…! There was just one tick left…!”
It wouldn’t be frustrating if I’d failed without doing anything, but I failed right at the last phase, with just one step left to clear it.
If only I’d had a little bit of luck…
“No… blaming luck like this is pointless… it’s because my skills are lacking…”
Arna sighed deeply and glanced sideways at the next room.
I wonder what Shin Yoon-seong is doing right now.
…
But there was no sign of Shin Yoon-seong. He seemed to still be in the middle of his evaluation.
He’ll probably fail again like always. He’ll likely show up soon, shoulders slumped in defeat.
Arna decided to wait quietly.
…
As more time passed…
…
And still more…
…
Even after waiting for several minutes…
…
Shin Yoon-seong didn’t appear.
“What… what is going on?”
Arna couldn’t hide her confusion. Has he ever lasted this long? This might be his longest record ever.
“Could… could he actually clear it? No, surely not…”
She felt a strange fear – the possibility that Shin Yoon-seong might actually succeed.
If he really clears this, then there will be no more visits to this indoor training center.
This would be the last time we’re here side by side.
At least part of the reason Arna kept challenging the S difficulty was because Shin Yoon-seong was here, despite everything…
For him to be gone now…
To be left alone…
“No! That’s not true!”
Arna shook her head quickly.
“Who says I’m thinking like that! I can handle it perfectly fine on my own!”
What’s so special about Shin Yoon-seong anyway? He’s only in the way when he’s around.
It’s probably better without him.
“Hmph!”
Arna turned her back on the next room and decided to start another evaluation.
*
Now only the final battle remains. This third phase is the boss fight.
Nothing else appears except one named monster.
Drrrrk—
Right on cue, a metallic scraping sound echoed across the entire cityscape, the kind you’d hear in a horror movie. It sent shivers down my spine.
Kuung.
And then the monster appeared at the city center.
About 2 meters tall, it has a human-like form. On its right shoulder is not an arm, but a chainsaw-shaped longsword installed.
A sword-wielding type.
Kuung! Kuung!
Without any warning, the boss rushed in and slashed downward with a powerful strike.
Chang!
I tried blocking with the spoon, but its power was overwhelming. I was pushed back so hard I almost flew.
“Ugh!”
If I fall here, I’ll take the next attack directly – game over.
I quickly stepped back to steady myself.
Ddueng!
The sword came again. I can’t match its strength.
This time I dropped fully to the ground and rolled away to avoid it completely.
“Can’t keep running forever though…”
That’s the problem. So far so good avoiding the boss’s attacks, but I can’t strike back at all.
Get too close and I’ll just get sliced by that saw blade.
I’ve experienced this countless times already.
“Learning swordsmanship from Kang Tae-hoon, but I haven’t been able to actually use it…”
All the basics I learned from Kang Tae-hoon last time are just that – basics. There’s nothing special enough to use in actual combat, and I’m not skilled enough to handle it properly anyway.
Kuung!
The thing is coming closer. Now is the time to make a decision. Sitting here thinking won’t end the evaluation.
Either I fall first, or it does. One of us has to go down for this fight to end.
Of course, I have no intention of going down first.
Duung!
It’s just an evaluation after all. If I fail this time, there’s always next time. Just try again and that’s it.
Running around like a rat is worse than going all-in and finishing it properly.
No need to be afraid of a measly training monster. It’s not like it’s really dangerous anyway. The Arna in the next room is probably more dangerous.
She could really knock me out after all.
“Hah!”
Anyway, I’ll proudly lift the spoon to meet the monster’s sword.
Chang!
“Ughk!”
It feels even stronger than before. I didn’t just get pushed back, I actually flew through the air.
I’m not a baseball!
Tadak!
But even after falling, I won’t give up. I’ll charge forward this time. If I get pushed back again, I’ll just get up and keep charging.
Chang!
This isn’t even a challenge. I’ve faced much harder difficulties in life.
I’ve experienced countless disappointments and despair.
I immediately remembered kindergarten days.
– Oh my! Picky eating is not good! Finish all the cucumber too!
During kindergarten lunchtime when cucumber porridge was served. That day, I experienced hell. It was the first time I realized eating could be painful.
Damn cucumber.
And…
When I first entered elementary school…
– Waaaaah! Teacher! I don’t want to be partners with him!
Monthly seat changes.
I ended up being paired with a cute girl (can’t remember her exact name from first grade). She cried in front of everyone, saying she absolutely couldn’t be partners with me.
That night, I cried into my pillow when I got home. So much that I even skipped the chocolate donuts my mom bought me as a snack.
It was the first time I experienced rejection. I learned the pain of unrequited love. I realized how bitter a man’s tears could be.
And…
When I reached fifth grade…
– Hey, come out here and you’re getting ten whacks per cent!
Got extorted by middle schoolers.
All the pocket money I’d saved up to spend on online games – they took it all from me right in front of the PC cafe.
More bitter man tears.
And…
When I became a middle schooler…
– Hey, look at this! This guy’s reading super perverted light novels! Look at the cover! It’s so dirty!
Got caught reading an extremely ecchi light novel by the cool kids. Got completely roasted in front of the whole co-ed classroom.
Tch. Thought I’d been careful removing the cover, but still got caught.
Anyway, I was sure I’d die of embarrassment.
And…
When I was a high schooler during teenage rebellion phase…
– What the hell! Is this guy’s fashion legendary? Are you in elementary school?
It was during a high school math trip. What happens when a kid who’s never cared about clothes and only wears school uniforms finally wears casual clothes?
That day, I felt ashamed to walk around outside for the first time. I wanted to tear off the clothes I was wearing right there.
Should’ve bought some normal clothes instead of light novels.
And…
When I became a college student and got my first girlfriend…
– Pull out.
The first time, at the most important moment, I accidentally called out the name of the girl I had a crush on in middle school instead of my current girlfriend.
We broke up that day.
And…
When I became a working adult…
– Hey, those Homerun Bars and Swing Chips on my desk? I ate them already.
As a new employee, when my team leader ate the snacks I bought for late night work.
That day, I felt the urge to kill someone for the first time. Since it was my favorite 128g big size Homerun Bar getting netorare’d.
That bastard! Thinking back, I still get so mad. And he stole the Swing Chips too?
Cagh, ffffffft.
Chang!
Got abused by a cucumber, ridiculed by girls, extorted money from by delinquents, publicly roasted by classmates…
Too ashamed to walk around from not knowing how to dress, broke up because I called out the wrong name (though it was my fault), home snacks stolen by my boss…
It’s been quite a tumultuous life. Through all this, I’ve kept going without losing myself. I didn’t break.
Same now. This kind of evaluation is nothing. Compared to messing up in front of my first girlfriend, monsters like this are nothing.
Not scary at all.
Pahh!
At that moment, a system window popped up in front of my eyes.
Is it a quest?
[You have obtained a new skill!]
— Overclock —
Category: Active Skill
Description: ???
Activation Conditions: ???
It’s not a quest. It’s a notification of obtaining a new skill.
Why now? I haven’t completed any quests related to skills. Didn’t invest any skill points either.
The skill just popped up out of nowhere.
Who cares why? I have a new skill now. There’s nothing bad about that.
Just think of it as a blessing from the heavens.
Maybe when my Homerun Bar got stolen, God cried with me too. It rained that day for some reason.
Anyway.
Without any hesitation, I used the new skill “Overclock”.
No explanation, no activation conditions shown. But I have no choice but to use it.
All I can rely on now is this skill.
Waaaaaaah—
The spoon began vibrating, as if a machine’s power had been turned on. Simultaneously, the temperature rapidly increased.
Overclock. It seems to forcibly boost the spoon’s performance, like overclocking a computer.
They should have given this to me earlier.
Dduung!
The monster swung its saw sword. I countered by swinging my spoon.
Chang!
It’s different from before. I’m not getting pushed back at all against its attacks.
I might even have the upper hand in strength.
“This feels familiar.”
This Overclock skill is being used for the first time, but it doesn’t feel strange. It feels like I’ve used it somewhere before.
When was it…
A few days ago when I was learning the sword from Kang Tae-hoon. The feeling was similar during the last sparring when I successfully executed a chain of movements.
That last attack had proper impact too.
Chang!
If that’s the case, I should be able to replicate that powerful strike now.
First, I need to figure out its pattern.
Precisely start with a diagonal slash from the upper right, inducing it to attack.
Seoek—
I bent my knees to lower my stance and leaned my upper body forward.
Chak!
The monster lifted its right arm to strike down on my crouching form.
It’s showing me exactly the pattern I want.
Dduung!
The monster swung its saw sword. I stood up with my spoon ready, matching the exact upper right slash.
Chang!
As our weapons locked, I poured all my strength into pushing its sword away. Just as our weapons were about to separate.
“Hah!”
This is it. The moment the monster is pushed back, this opportunity when its posture is disturbed, I launch a counterattack.
I spun my body once. Simultaneously, I gathered all my magical power, focusing it into the spoon.
Bwooong—
Just one spinning attack. This one strike will finish everything.
I swung the spoon with all my might.
Kwaang!
The monster tried to block with its sword, but it was useless. Its saw sword was already crushed by the spoon.
Just like when I shattered Kang Tae-hoon’s wooden sword last time, it shattered completely.
-Hey! One swing doesn’t mean the end! Your follow-through is all over the place! What was that earlier?
Suddenly, Kang Tae-hoon’s voice echoed in my mind. Following his advice, I don’t let go of the spoon until the very end. I keep swinging.
Long enough to reach the monster’s body itself.
Kwaang!
This is the first time the spoon has ever reached the enemy’s body. The monster’s body began slowly disintegrating.
From chunks to pieces, from pieces to particles, its massive frame turned to dust and disappeared into the air.
Ssuuuu—
At the same time, the dim cityscape gradually returned to its original form.
An empty room. Back to the Sync Room.
—
Individual Tactical Assessment
: Selected Difficulty [B0]
: Student Information [2nd Year Combat Division Shin Yoon-seong]
: Clear Record [00:14:29]
—
Only after seeing the record on the situation panel did I finally realize that the wretched evaluation was finally over.
Finally, this damn evaluation is done.
Let’s never see each other again.
Kwaang!
“Wait just a moment!”
Just before I could enjoy the freedom from the evaluation, the door suddenly opened.
Arna burst in.
“You cleared it? Already? Impossible! You couldn’t even last a minute at first!”
Arna stared at me in disbelief. Her face was pale.
“I… I haven’t even cleared it yet…”
Her hands were trembling.
We’ve been challenging different difficulties, but she surely didn’t expect me to clear it first.
“It was just good luck.”
I picked up the lunchbox bag given by Choi Soo-eun first.
It’s time to leave this tedious indoor training center.
“Then I’m going ahead.”
“Wha…? You’re not coming to the training center anymore…?”
“Of course. Now that the evaluation is done, there’s no reason to stay.”
Then I gathered the laundry.
I need to do the laundry as soon as I get back.
“Wait just a moment! What about me? How can you just leave like that? That’s dirty fighting!”
Maybe she didn’t want to be left alone. Arna began clinging to me. Have I ever seen her this weak?
But…
“Whatever. You’ll clear it soon too. Look forward to good news sometime.”
I decided to leave the training center without giving it a second thought.
I was too tired now. Let’s go to sleep first.
“Are you seriously just leaving me behind…? Leaving me all alone…? Is this real…?”
Meanwhile, Arna stared blankly at my back as I left.
She was left all alone.
