The Support Ate it All

As soon as Lee Soo-dok finished the lesson and left, the classroom erupted into a buzz of chatter.

Everyone was eager to finalize their six-member teams as quickly as possible.

If they couldn’t fill all six spots, they’d have to take the final exam with random teammates. And if those teammates ended up losing the cheese boxes, the resulting point loss would be devastating.

Of course, from my perspective, gathering enough members wouldn’t be difficult.

From both sides, Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in approached me.

Then, after glancing at Seo Ye-in’s expression for a few seconds, Go Hyeon-woo spoke in a concerned tone.

“You look even more exhausted than usual today, Miss Seo.”

“Just one of those days…”

Even after sleeping so much over the weekend, her sloth-like battery still hadn’t fully recharged. And to make matters worse, she had fallen victim to an Inferno Cookie right after breakfast.

Maybe that was why Seo Ye-in quietly grabbed my arm.

“Kim Ho pillow.”

“Right now?”

“Mhm.”

Was she really so sleepy that she was already asking for a pillow?

But then, a thought crossed my mind.

“You’re just going to cuddle up and sleep once we go inside anyway.”

“Mhm.”

“Then wouldn’t it make more sense to recharge later?”

Seo Ye-in slowly shook her head from side to side.

“I need to do it now.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to.”

“You only get this talkative at times like this.”

Feeling a bit mischievous, I gave her nose a light pinch. A few seconds later, she hesitantly shuffled backward.

I wonder if she really recharges this way.

Would sleeping on a Kim Ho pillow really recharge her sloth-like battery faster and restore her luck?

It seemed highly doubtful.

Still, if there’s even a chance, it’s worth trying.

Since we’d be moving together throughout the final exam, the more energy she had, the wider our range of activity would be.

On top of that, if her lucky streak returned, it would be helpful for navigating the labyrinth, finding items, and locating enemies.

So once again, I had no choice but to cooperate.

“But before that, let’s take care of the important stuff first.”

She could sleep all she wanted afterward, but we had to fill our six-member team first.

While we were at it, we might as well come up with a strategy too.

Just then, I happened to glance around and noticed Shin Byeong-cheol hovering nearby.

When all three of us turned our attention to him, he spoke in a solemn tone.

“I may be a man who was once abandoned, but I have returned to uphold my loyalty.”

“You, my friend, are a true man of honor.”

Go Hyeon-woo nodded deeply in admiration.

Shin Byeong-cheol was a master of traps. He must have received plenty of offers, yet he still chose our party first.

Of course, it wasn’t purely out of loyalty. The fact that every practical exam he had taken with us had resulted in high scores likely played a major role.

Not to mention, he had caught a glimpse of my hidden skills.

Still, whatever his reasons were, as long as he pulled his weight, I had no complaints.

With that, I paired up Shin Byeong-cheol and Go Hyeon-woo to complete the second group.

Shin Byeong-cheol then asked,

“What about the last members?”

“I already have someone in mind.”

There was someone who had been asking if we had an open spot every chance they got.

I had always felt a little bad for turning them down, so this time, it wouldn’t hurt to extend the offer first.

So, I sent a message.

[Kim Ho: There’s an open spot in our team.]

[Kim Ho: You in?]

[Hong Yeon-hwa: I’m in.]

[Hong Yeon-hwa: (Panting puppy emoji)]

[Hong Yeon-hwa: (Running puppy emoji)]

Before long, Hong Yeon-hwa burst into our classroom. She was panting just like the emoji she had sent.

Without paying any attention to the other students’ stares, she rushed straight toward us.

“Hah… I’m here…”

“There was no need to hurry that much.”

“Still…”

She must have been worried that I’d change my mind in the meantime.

At that moment, Hong Yeon-hwa and Seo Ye-in’s eyes met in midair.

“……”

Seo Ye-in immediately distanced herself with wariness, while Hong Yeon-hwa still looked apologetic.

It seemed like this awkward tension between them would persist for a while.

Fortunately, the mood shifted quickly when Baek Jun-seok appeared.

He looked around at us and spoke.

“Looks like I’m the last one. I was debating which party to join with Hong Yeon-hwa, but I know I can trust you guys. Looking forward to working together again.”

“Yeah, good to have you.”

With all six of us gathered, the next step was to plan our strategy.

Though calling it a strategy might have been an overstatement. It was more about deciding our general approach once we entered the dungeon.

We moved to a quieter area with fewer people around.

Everyone’s gaze naturally fell on me, as if expecting that I already had a plan in mind.

Well, I had taken the lead during midterms.

Can’t say I mind them relying on me like this.

Living an honest life really did earn people’s trust.

Feeling a bit proud, I began speaking.

“For the very beginning, let’s focus on gathering items and securing food before anything else.”

“There’s no way resources will be unlimited.”

“That’s right. It’s first come, first served.”

The duration of this final exam depended on how quickly or slowly we escaped.

At minimum, we had to prepare for at least two days, but it could easily stretch even longer.

If we could secure food, water, and shelter early on, we’d be able to pace ourselves better and maintain our condition throughout the test.

Items would also be crucial. Not only for navigating the labyrinth but also for regrouping with other teammates.

“Even just finding a GPS would make things way easier.”

“No doubt. But how exactly are we supposed to get those?”

“Monsters drop them, mostly.”

Specters, Banshees, and Doppelgangers had a chance to drop them when defeated.

It was the academy’s cruel way of forcing students to fight rather than avoid conflict.

“Obviously, fighting should be a last resort. We need to find the hidden rooms first.”

Since Iron Maiden was a large-scale dungeon, there were plenty of hidden rooms scattered throughout.

And as a stagnant water, I knew exactly where they were.

After all, I had cleared the original version, not just the replica.

The only issue was that each person’s starting point was randomized.

That meant Go Hyeon-woo’s team and Hong Yeon-hwa’s team would have to locate the hidden rooms on their own.

There was no choice but to leave that part up to them.

“I’ll give you a few pointers. Watch the replays and get a feel for it.”

“We’ll do that.”

“Mhmm.”

Go Hyeon-woo and Hong Yeon-hwa nodded in unison.

Then, Shin Byeong-cheol asked a question.

“So when are we regrouping?”

“The best approach is to let it happen naturally while gathering items.”

Once we secured tracking devices or communication-related items, regrouping would be easy.

Still, in case our luck with items turned out to be terrible, I pointed out a designated meeting spot.

It wasn’t a guaranteed location, but I made sure everyone would try to move in that direction.

I continued speaking.

“After that, we’ll head for our main target. The Cheese Room.”

“What about the Control Room? Are we going for it?”

At Baek Jun-seok’s question, I nodded without hesitation.

“Of course.”

“I see. I don’t object, but… can the six of us really handle it?”

“It’s worth a shot.”

While Baek Jun-seok and Shin Byeong-cheol weren’t the strongest fighters, Hong Yeon-hwa alone was a promising student.

Go Hyeon-woo and Seo Ye-in weren’t far behind either.

All things considered, we had a pretty solid team.

“And there’s no rule saying only six of us have to take it on.”

“…That’s true.”

Since the Control Room didn’t have a participant limit, it was a valid strategy to gather dozens of people and charge in all at once.

Plus, every team that participated would receive 1,500 bonus points, making it a win-win if we succeeded.

At that moment, Hong Yeon-hwa cautiously joined the conversation.

“Still… wouldn’t it be better if they had at least some skill…?”

“Obviously, we need an elite squad.”

Our opponent was a teacher.

Throwing in a bunch of randoms wouldn’t help at all.

The more people involved, the higher the chances of betrayal.

That’s why we needed teammates who were both skilled and trustworthy.

“I’ll handle that part.”

Fortunately, I already had a few candidates in mind.

***

After sharing a few more minor but useful tips, we wrapped things up and went our separate ways.

And now, I was acting as the Kim Ho pillow in the Mana Cultivation Room.

“……”

Seo Ye-in was sound asleep, clinging to me as if I were a pillow.

After glancing at her briefly, I sent a message.

[Kim Ho: Knock, knock.]

[Song Cheon-hye: Who’s this?]

[Kim Ho: The wish ticket.]

“……”

There was no reply from Song Cheon-hye for a long time.

She was probably feeling a sinking sensation in her chest.

It was like a long-forgotten debt collector suddenly showing up at her door.

Even though it was just a message, I could almost picture her letting out a deep sigh.

[Song Cheon-hye: Go ahead.]

[Kim Ho: I’m planning to use a small one this time.]

The large wish ticket I won from the magnifying glass bet felt too valuable to use just yet.

The small wish ticket I won from the mentoring bet would be enough for now.

But Song Cheon-hye clearly wasn’t too happy about that.

[Song Cheon-hye: When are you going to use the big one?]

[Song Cheon-hye: You just keep hoarding it.]

[Kim Ho: Don’t rush me.]

[Kim Ho: If you keep pushing, I might start having bad ideas.]

“……”

Again, there was a long pause before her reply.

She was probably imagining what kind of “bad wish” I was referring to.

As expected, she quickly backed down.

[Song Cheon-hye: Take your time to think it over.]

[Song Cheon-hye: ^-^;;]

[Song Cheon-hye: So, what’s the small wish?]

[Kim Ho: Final exams.]

[Kim Ho: I’m planning to challenge the Control Room.]

[Song Cheon-hye: Perfect timing.]

[Song Cheon-hye: We were planning to do it too.]

Since they were part of the Disciplinary Committee, it was only natural for them to take on the challenge.

They always had to prove they were the most skilled.

And as top students, they probably wanted the personal satisfaction of excelling.

[Kim Ho: Since you were going to do it anyway, does that mean I don’t have to use my wish ticket?]

[Song Cheon-hye: No take-backs.]

[Song Cheon-hye: But how are you planning to join us?]

[Kim Ho: I have my ways.]

I exchanged messages with Song Cheon-hye for a while, discussing the details.

Just as I was about to contact the next candidate, a message arrived first. As if by coincidence.

[Jang Moo-geuk: Be careful.]

[Kim Ho: Why?]

[Kim Ho: Did senior Mak Dae-woong do something again?]

[Jang Moo-geuk: Yeah.]

That senior really holds a grudge.

I had clashed with the Black faction of the swordsmanship club once before.

Because of that, my relationship with Mak Dae-woong who was a second-year senior wasn’t exactly great.

I thought things had improved somewhat after dealing with the Assassin Duo and Ghost Dance, but if he was making moves now, that clearly wasn’t the case.

Maybe he’s been waiting for the right moment all along.

An ambush is most effective when the target least expects it. When it’s been forgotten.

This kind of persistent grudge felt very fitting for the Black faction.

Of course, my response wouldn’t be any different from before.

If he comes, I’ll just beat him up and send him back.

Hopefully, he’d at least bring a cheese box or some items with him.

I expressed my gratitude and asked a question.

[Kim Ho: Thanks for the heads-up.]

[Kim Ho: But can you help?]

[Jang Moo-geuk: It’s something the seniors decided.]

[Jang Moo-geuk: I can’t interfere.]

[Kim Ho: No, not that.]

[Jang Moo-geuk:?]

[Kim Ho: Against the teacher.]

Wanna run the raid together?