Why Is Everyone in This Dating Sim Trying to Kill Me?!

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: Practical Combat Training (1)

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Riiiiip—!

The rough sound of paper tearing.

Even though it was late into the night, a desk in the Velvet Academy faculty office was still lit.

"This isn't it..."

A man sitting at the desk crumpled the paper he had been scribbling on and threw it into the wastebasket.

However, the wastebasket was already overflowing with discarded paper wads, leaving no room for more.

Sigh—

The man with the cold demeanor let out a frustrated sigh, running both hands over his face.

He was usually known for his sharp intellect and impeccable appearance,

but now, his composure was thoroughly shattered.

"...Seriously, I'm going crazy."

This man was Park Jin-su.

He was the instructor for the 'Understanding Position Formations and Organization' class.

"This strategy, is it really the best?"

A holographic window was open before his eyes.

It displayed the solution presented by a boy named Jin Yu-ha, who had shown a consistently delinquent attitude throughout his class.

The tank spins in place,

healers lead the charge to block monsters.

Then, the monsters devour each other, creating internal strife and self-destructing.

"This isn't a solution anyone sane could come up with..."

Jin Yu-ha called it a beautiful solution, but in Park Jin-su's eyes, it was the solution of a madman.

If the timing was off by even a little,

or the position was slightly misaligned, the entire party would be wiped out—a madman's tactic.

He had already confirmed through hundreds of simulations that there was no other timing or position possible outside of the solution Jin Yu-ha presented.

"It's unusable in real combat, and a strategy that relies solely on such coincidences should be discarded.... However."

Normally, he would never have acknowledged this as a solution.

But.

The reason that had tormented him until now.

He turned his head, and there, a small screen was replaying the recorded footage of the basic training.

It was an incredibly awkward video, showing Jin Yu-ha, a male quota student, acting as the party leader in a group with special admission students Kang Do-hee and Shin Se-hee.

[ Shin Se-hee, burst the Swordsman in 12 seconds. ]

[ Kang Do-hee, take three steps back now. Back off! Why aren't you backing off!? ]

[ Tsk, Kim Cheol-hyun. Heal Kang Do-hee. ]

[ Kim So-hoon, buff me in 3 seconds. ]

Following his commands, the party members moved organically.

Like a single entity.

'Every command is calculated. And when the plan goes awry, commands are adjusted in real-time...'

Jin Yu-ha was actually pulling off that precarious tightrope-walking strategy, segmented down to the second.

So, even if he couldn't acknowledge Jin Yu-ha's strategy as a solution, for Jin Yu-ha, it *was* the correct solution.

Because he had proven that he could utilize that absurd strategy in actual combat.

...Yes, it was a heaven-sent talent.

Whether during his time at Velvet Academy or as a researcher after graduation,

Park Jin-su had always been called a genius, never losing his title as the youngest,

but now, he was frustrated in the face of overwhelming talent.

Jin Yu-ha had rambled on about looking forward to his future classes,

and the absurd solution he presented had spread as if it were something Park Jin-su had intended.

"What in the world could I possibly teach him...!"

The thought of the humiliation he would face in front of the students tomorrow made his vision go dark.

That's when it happened.

Creak—

"Huh? Instructor Park Jin-su?"

The door opened, and a boisterous voice was heard.

A woman with a large, bear-like physique entered his sight.

Instructor Hong Ji-na.

She was the instructor for the 'Practical Combat Training' class, which Kang Do-hee and Jin Yu-ha were taking.

"Instructor Hong Ji-na? What brings you here at this hour...."

"Oh, well, I left something behind. What are you doing here by yourself, Instructor Park Jin-su? Aren't you going home?"

Normally, Park Jin-su wasn't one to exchange casual conversation with fellow instructors.

But this time, he was so frustrated that he poured out his heart.

"...I'm having trouble structuring my lecture."

At that, Hong Ji-na raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Trouble? You, Instructor Park Jin-su?"

Park Jin-su was a genius instructor, a researcher type, who had never lost the top spot in theoretical grades since his academy days.

Having been appointed last year as the youngest instructor, he had already proven that his reputation as a genius was no empty boast.

'Instructor Park Jin-su is showing this side? Is he preparing some amazing class?'

Suddenly, a boy's face flashed through her mind.

"Don't tell me, student Jin Yu-ha is in your class too?"

At that, Park Jin-su's eyes widened.

"Huh, well, I guess so. It seems that student has been stirring up storms everywhere since enrollment..."

Hong Ji-na clicked her tongue, recalling the black-haired student who mimicked the swordsmanship of a murderous maniac, radiating a chilling bloodlust.

"Now that I think about it, your lecture, Instructor Park Jin-su, is right after mine, isn't it?"

"That's right. Meeting his standard in class is.... frankly, impossible."

"Wow, I thought he was only crazy with a sword, but he's smart too? I have no idea where a kid like that popped out from."

"Sigh.... That's true, but there's also the problem that if I tailor the class to his standards, other students will be left behind. He's special, after all."

"Hmm, indeed.... Velvet Academy values nurturing a single genius more, so I can see why you'd be troubled."

Hong Ji-na nodded.

Velvet Academy's motto is essentially to push those who are already excelling.

In a world where one S-rank hunter was more valuable than a hundred A-rank hunters, his dilemma was understandable.

However, while she understood, she didn't empathize.

After all, her lecture was endless sparring.

It encouraged weaker individuals to voluntarily strive upwards,

and after setting up these fights, the class was conducted through student-to-student interaction, with the instructor pointing out deficiencies, so she didn't really need to worry about adjusting the class difficulty.

'Hmm, but couldn't Instructor Park Jin-su's class be conducted that way too?'

She furrowed her brow.

"Instructor, do you really have to be the one teaching it? Couldn't the students come out and teach it themselves?"

"But that's something no student, except for Jin Yu-ha, can do..."

"Hmm, I suppose so. I can't tell students to imitate Jin Yu-ha either. But what I mean is, couldn't you just handle the balance adjustment? You could draw a line, tell them 'you can't do that yet,' and then offer an alternative solution."

"...Balance, adjustment...?"

At the unexpected words, Instructor Park Jin-su's eyes widened like lanterns.

His face looked as if he had finally found the solution he had been pondering for a long time.

"...If so, then definitely. Possible, it's possible."

He shot up and clasped Hong Ji-na's hands.

"...Thank you!"

"Oh, um. Yes. Well, I'm glad I could help."

Instructor Hong Ji-na's face turned bright red.

'Ugh.... When someone who's usually so cold and aloof shows such an unexpected, disheveled side...'

"Hmm, well, I'm keeping a close eye on that student too.... I'll observe him more in tomorrow's class and let you know what I find."

"...Really!? Thank you so much! I won't forget this favor!"

Instructor Park Jin-su looked at Instructor Hong Ji-na with sparkling eyes.

Ahem. Ahem.

Instructor Hong Ji-na awkwardly turned her head away.

* * *

The next day, during Instructor Hong Ji-na's 'Practical Combat Training' class.

"Kang Do-hee, let's grapple."

Jin Yu-ha approached Kang Do-hee and said out of the blue.

Kang Do-hee glared at his smooth, brazen face and bit her lip.

'...He wants to do *that* shameless thing here?'

"...You said, 'let's grapple'."

"Yeah, that was our sparring condition. For you to break free from the grapple."

She remembered.

The day they returned after clearing the Thorn Prairie Dungeon.

What atrocities had he committed when he visited her home?

The Jin Yu-ha video, played over thirty times while she was restrained by him.

The shame and humiliation she felt then were still vividly fresh.

─ Huh? Why am I in that video?

─ Wow, it's filmed like a movie. But who filmed it?

─ Repeat count here is ...257 times? You dog.

Tremble tremble—

As that day resurfaced, her body began to tremble again.

Hoo—

'Calm down.'

If she acted on her temper now, she'd just fall for this scoundrel's tricks again.

She took a deep breath, calming her mind.

"Wait, ...Jin Yu-ha. You said you wanted to teach me grappling, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Then isn't it a bit strange if I'm the only one being grappled? Learning how to counter a grapple is important, but learning how to *perform* one seems important too. Wouldn't that help with acquisition?"

"...Uh."

Jin Yu-ha looked flustered, as if he hadn't considered that point.

"Then, let's take turns."

Kang Do-hee smirked in triumph.

"Jin Yu-ha! Let's have a match!"

Suddenly, a female student with orange hair ran up and shouted at Jin Yu-ha.

*

'Ah, that's true too...'

The training started with the intention of making Kang Do-hee learn grappling.

The pretext was to teach her how to deal with being grappled, but it omitted the process of Kang Do-hee learning how to *initiate* a grapple.

'...Now that I hear it, she's right. I can't logically refute that.'

Tsk.

I thought I could just toy with Kang Do-hee unilaterally, but she's certainly not an easy opponent.

And now, who's this?

"Let's have a match!"

I turned my head to see the orange-haired student holding a small shield and a sword.

Lee Min-young, the 'Path of Righteousness Bug'.

In the last class, I had given her a thorough lesson, letting out all the frustration accumulated from her being the perpetually annoying character in the game.

'Tsk, I thought I'd shown her the difference in our levels last time, but was that not enough?'

"You were completely crushed last time."

I said, furrowing my brow.

She glared back, eyes wide.

"It's different now! I won't lose this time!"

As expected, getting involved with her is a pain.

'Hah, fine. I went too easy on her last time. I cut her a lot of slack because she's a regular character.'

"Don't you regret this."

I turned my head to look at Kang Do-hee.

"Ah, Kang Do-hee, I'll just go teach her a lesson. And the idea of us taking turns with grappling? That sounds good."

"Hmm..."

Kang Do-hee, perhaps annoyed by the interruption, crossed her arms and stared at Lee Min-young.

That's when it happened.

"Student Jin Yu-ha."

Huh? Who's this now?

Another voice suddenly interjected. A rather husky voice. But this time, the voice wasn't a student's.

"...Instructor?"

"Hmm, I'm sorry, but it seems you'll have to be my demonstration sparring partner today."

"...Me, your demonstration sparring partner? Suddenly? Weren't scores originally determined only by sparring among students?"

"Hmm.... Is a 1-on-1 spar with an instructor a bit too much? Alright, then Student Kang Do-hee, and Student Lee Min-young. You two will join in as well."

Instructor Hong Ji-na pointed at the three of us: me, Kang Do-hee, and Lee Min-young.

"If the three of you face me, it might be a worthwhile challenge, don't you think?"

At that, Kang Do-hee's lips curved into a smile, as if amused.

Lee Min-young, flustered by the sudden turn of events, rolled her eyes before nodding.

And I.

"Suspicious.... Did someone tell you to fight me?"

I narrowed my eyes, questioning her sudden involvement.

At that, Hong Ji-na stammered, looking as if she'd been hit where it hurt.

"...T-told me to! I, I just wanted to see your skills since your momentum has been so good lately! Th-there's no ulterior motive whatsoever!"

'Super suspicious...'

Hmm, well. Still, gaining experience sparring with an instructor isn't bad.

And it's something I always did with Instructor Baek Seol-hee anyway.

I nodded.

"Alright. I accept the spar."

And so,

Hong Ji-na VS Jin Yu-ha, Kang Do-hee, Lee Min-young

The spar was set.