The Support Ate it All

Late at night.

We met in front of the dungeon building.

Both Dang Gyu-young and I were dressed in all-black suits instead of our school uniforms.

It was A-rank armor. A battle suit.

The Academy specially rents them out for high-difficulty dungeon expeditions.

"……"

Dang Gyu-young came close and examined me from head to toe.

She'd liked how I looked in a suit before, saying it suited me well. It seemed she still felt the same way.

Then she gently tugged on my tie and asked,

"Why? I tied it fine."

"It feels different when someone else does it. I want to practice too."

"I'm fine, really."

"Just once, please? Hmm? Please?"

While she was pestering me like that, a familiar voice called out from behind us.

"Having fun, I see."

"Best time of our lives."

It was Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong, who had just arrived.

We bowed our heads right away.

"Good evening."

"Let's head out immediately. Don't forget your totems."

At Lee Soo-dok's instruction, I put on the Shapeshifting Totem.

It was a powerful item that disrupted perception. It was also provided by the Academy.

Once the two teachers confirmed my appearance had changed, they took the lead and headed down into the underground levels.

Our destination was the A-floor, located at the very bottom of the deep zone.

To save time, we would once again use teleportation magic.

We entered a room with a large magic circle inscribed on the floor, where faculty members were already waiting.

"Good evening, Mr. Lee, Mr. Seo."

"Thank you for your hard work."

The next moment, their gazes shifted toward me and their expressions turned a little suspicious.

It made sense. Dang Gyu-young had every right to access the deep zone, but I was an unfamiliar face.

Still, entering in disguise using the totem was far better than going in as a first-year student.

Perhaps trusting the teachers to handle it, they soon looked away and focused on the teleportation spell.

Before long, the magic circle beneath our feet began to glow more brightly. So bright it was blinding.

Flaaash!! Мy Virtuаl Librаry Еmpirе (М-VLЕМРYR)

In the blink of an eye, we had been transported to the deep floors' teleportation room.

After exchanging brief greetings with the staff there, we exited the room.

"……"

The A-floor was permeated by a heavy atmosphere.

Probably because each dungeon emitted its own oppressive energy.

However, no one in our group seemed affected.

We walked toward our destination as if it were nothing.

Then, one particular dungeon caught my eye.

[No.38] [Iron Maiden]

The original version of the Final Exam trap dungeon.

The traps here were on a completely different level from the replica version. They were far more dangerous and even included an A-rank doppelganger.

I'd probably have to enter this place myself someday too.

It seemed the two teachers were reminded of the final exams as well, since they glanced briefly at the portal before shifting their gaze two portals over.

[No.40] [Research Facility No. 4]

Seo Cheong-yong turned to me and said,

"Just in case, we'll go in first. Follow right after us."

"Yes, understood."

Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong entered the dungeon one after the other, and we stepped into the portal right after them.

The next moment, we were standing deep in the mountains.

Through the densely packed forest, we could see the large facility looming in the distance.

They always hide places like this in forests.

Must be an instinct of those who have something to hide.

Pushing that thought aside, I exchanged hand signals with the group.

"……"

"……"

Dang Gyu-young scanned the surroundings quickly and pointed to several spots.

As expected, there were surveillance crystals attached to the tree branches.

Still, since we were in the middle of a forest, there were plenty of blind spots.

After roughly mapping out our route, we all gathered around Dang Gyu-young.

In the next moment, shadows surged from beneath our feet.

[Shadow Shelter]

It cloaked the group in a veil of inky darkness, and we began to move forward at once.

Despite moving quickly, not a single footstep was heard. Everyone here was highly skilled.

Our first objective is to neutralize the security room.

It was located in a corner of the first floor.

So we circled around the building and made our way to the back entrance.

There, we spotted two burly men chatting, likely guards.

The two teachers exchanged a glance and sprang into action.

Each one charged at a guard with terrifying speed.

"!!"

"You little—"

The guards reacted quickly enough, summoning mana to form shields and reaching for their communication device.

But Lee Soo-dok's massive cleaver came down even faster.

Slaaash!

The guard was split in half along with his mana shield.

Judging by the mechanical interior of the severed body, he was probably some kind of cyborg.

The other guard was also struck by Seo Cheong-yong's tension force, and his chest was completely shattered.

While Dang Gyu-young manipulated the shadows to clean up the remains, Lee Soo-dok approached the door.

It was a fairly modern building, so instead of a key, there was a door lock.

And not just a mechanical one. This was a magic engineering device.

If we searched the guards' bodies, we'd probably find a keycard, but Lee Soo-dok didn't even glance their way. Instead, he reached into his coat.

And pulled out a thick card.

Master Key.

The academy had put immense effort into securing the lower-floor dungeons, and this master key was one of the results.

It could open not just the door in front of us, but any room in the lab.

The philosophy here seemed to be that magic engineering security could simply be overridden by stronger magic engineering tools.

Beep.

When he tapped the master key on the lock, the door light turned green, and we stepped inside the building without hesitation.

Most labs were brightly lit in all directions, but this one had several dimly lit areas.

Not due to any malfunction. It was clearly intentional.

Because of the chimeras.

Sure enough, we could hear strange, unidentifiable noises coming from a distance.

– Scratch scratch scratch scratch scratch…

– Grrrrrk? Grrrk-grrk.

– Ed… ward… br…other…

The rest were eerie enough, but that last one especially struck a nerve.

At that moment, I knew. I couldn't forgive them.

Fueled by determination, I followed the teachers.

Not far ahead, a security room came into view, and Lee Soo-dok who was still holding the master key stepped toward the door.

At the same time, Seo Cheong-yong gathered a large amount of mana. This time, it didn't seem like martial arts. He was preparing to cast a spell.

A thin layer of frost began to form over his body, and a chilling aura seeped out.

Beep.

As soon as the security room door swung open, Seo Cheong-yong unleashed the freezing spell he had prepared.

Whoooooooooosh—!

A thick blizzard burst forth, obscuring everything from sight.

To save time, I cast Wind Force, and only then did the inside of the room become visible again.

Everything had been frozen solid.

The guards and researchers inside had all turned into blocks of ice.

Frozen mid-motion, half-turned toward us.

Once he had confirmed that, Seo Cheong-yong smiled faintly and closed the door again.

"It'll hold for a while. Let's move."

"Yes."

Next up, our primary and final objective. That was securing the dark magic thesis.

To do that, we had to reach the archive room on the fourth floor.

We had to move fast before the ice spell wore off, or the situation in the security room would be discovered.

Taking the lead, I spoke up.

"From here on out, I'll be giving the orders."

"Got it."

When facing a chimera, you have to instantly identify what kind it is and decide whether to evade or push through. That's why I was taking the lead.

From that point on, Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong fell back, and the formation shifted so that Dang Gyu-young and I were at the front.

As we moved quickly down the hallway, we reached the corner of a building shaped like a square, and Dang Gyu-young released a butterfly to scout ahead.

But just as the shadow butterfly fluttered around the corner—

Tap tap tap, screeeeech!

A sound like something bouncing off the floor rang out, and in the next instant, the butterfly was sliced apart at incredible speed.

The chimera appeared to be originally based on a Beheader Goblin.

However, its body was so emaciated it looked like a stick, and its legs were shaped like springs.

It wore a helmet-like mechanical device on its head.

The creature let out a low growl with a butcher knife in its hand.

"Grrrrr…"

"All in on detection and speed, huh?"

I analyzed it in a single glance.

Its sensitivity was high enough to detect Gyu-young's butterfly right away, meaning it would be hard to shake, and even if we did, it would catch up quickly.

Lee Soo-dok clicked his tongue quietly.

"Looks like we'll have to take it down."

"It's not very tough. Just land a single hit."

"Grrrrr."

The Beheader Goblin let out another low growl, then kicked off the floor with its spring-like legs.

It bounced once off the wall, then the floor, ceiling, and walls again, gaining speed in an instant.

Tap tap tap tap tap!

"……"

"……"

In contrast, the rest of us froze like statues.

Only our eyes moved quickly, tracking its erratic movements.

Tap tap tap tap—screech—!

The bouncing Beheader Goblin darted past our group, swinging its butcher knife.

In that instant, Lee Soo-dok's eyes flashed, and he drew a slash with his blade—

Slash!

"…Too shallow."

The wound it took was barely a scratch.

It was just too fast, and its unnaturally thin frame made it hard to hit.

Tap tap tap tap—screech—!

The Beheader Goblin's attack continued.

Seo Cheong-yong's tension field missed it by a hair, and Dang Gyu-young's shadow bat cleaved through empty air.

Next, the butcher knife came swinging toward me.

I didn't even try to counter. I simply stepped back.

And then said a single word.

"Fluffy, fluffy."

Boom!

Then, the fist-sized black cloud swelled to the size of a pillow, and the thing flew backward from the rebound.

Seizing the opportunity, Dang Gyu-young brought her shadow bat down hard.

Thwack!

"…That really did it in one hit."

Looking at the limp Beheader Goblin, Bat-Gyu-young finally looked a bit relieved.

Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong exchanged a few words.

"I didn't expect to miss."

"We can't let our guard down."

Even in an A-rank dungeon, it seemed the fact that they missed was surprisingly jarring.

Of course, it was only the first exchange of blows. On the second, they'd likely have cut it in half.

We turned the corner and kept moving forward.

Then, just as we neared the next bend, a chimera suddenly dropped from the ceiling.

Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong were about to step forward, but I held up a hand to stop them.

"……"

Despite facing us, the creature showed no reaction.

Looking closer, where its eyes should've been was smooth and featureless.

Instead, its ears were trumpet-sized, and one arm was abnormally large; it was shaped like a hammer.

I communicated with the group using lip movements and hand signs.

– It reacts to sound. Pure strength type.

– Do we take it down?

– Yes, I'll hold its attention.

Dang Gyu-young was about to object to my volunteering as bait but she remembered her promise to follow my lead and closed her mouth again.

The same went for the teachers.

As the three of them prepared a powerful strike, I stood in the middle of the hallway holding a pot.

Then I flicked my fingers a few times.

Ting, ting,

"Kwaeegh?"

The chimera instantly snapped its head toward me.

Then, with a shriek, it charged forward.

"Kuwoooorgh—!"

It closed the distance in a flash before swinging its huge hammer-arm.

Its arm alone was the size of a human torso, filling my entire field of vision.

In response, I calmly held the pot out in front of me.

Tang.

"Kuurk?"

Its arm was stopped cold.

Before it could even register surprise, Dang Gyu-young, Lee Soo-dok, and Seo Cheong-yong launched a combined attack.

Whooooosh—!

Slash!

Moments later, the chimera was left in a barely recognizable heap.

I glanced over the wreckage and thought,

Who am I?

A not-hurt Kim Ho.