RE: Player again

385

[Chapter 113]

[Ending This Ill-Fated Relationship (3)]

Students who initially moved alone began forming teams as their numbers dwindled.

They needed the strength to protect themselves.

Even though combat was prohibited at night, keeping watch was not forbidden.

The reason monsters became more ferocious at night was also included.

Among those who survived in such circumstances, Yu Do-jun had the largest following.

Come to think of it, Do-jun was also the first to form a team.

"Eun-hyeok. Why don't you just give up now? Do you think you can handle all these kids by yourself? It's not like Eun-ha is here."

"..."

On the second day of the comprehensive evaluation.

On the first day, 100 students were eliminated due to Do-jun's schemes.

Today was the same.

Unlike other students, Do-jun had focused on increasing his numbers before the evaluation and now reigned as the leader of over 20 students.

Dozens of students had their necklaces taken away at his gesture today alone.

And now he was speaking to Choi Eun-hyeok, who was left alone, while being protected by the students following him.

"Don't you think it's cowardly?"

"Cowardly? Well, I don't think so. I just used the evaluation rules. I don't think that's cowardly, do you?"

Eun-hyeok was taking the evaluation alone according to the rules.

He focused on fighting students he occasionally encountered and defeating monsters in the outskirts to gather magic stones.

As a result, he was late to receive news.

The flow that had turned into an era of warlords while he was in the outskirts.

"If the captain knew..., do you think he'd just stand by?"

Since Eun-ha didn't participate in the evaluation.

His friends must have used this method.

Thinking this, Eun-hyeok reproached the friends gathered around Yu Do-jun.

At this, Bae Su-bin, who met his eyes, snorted.

"Why is No Eun-ha being mentioned here? I would have done this even if she was here. No, I would have done more. Unless I'm a fool, why would I fight her alone? Of course I'd face her with numbers."

"Haha! Bae Su-bin, well said! That's right. Eun-hyeok, you know too. No Eun-ha's era is over! That guy is a has-been now!"

Jin Pa-rang blurted out excitedly.

Eun-hyeok, who had just been ambushed by Pa-rang, sighed briefly.

If only those two weren't here, he might be able to overcome this situation somehow...

No, even without those two, he wouldn't be able to handle them.

Eun-hyeok denied the hypothetical and turned his head towards the eyes persistently targeting him.

"..."

Hoshimiya Kaede.

She was aiming an arrow from afar.

For some reason, she had sided with Yu Do-jun.

Not just her, Lee Cheon-seo was there too. He almost didn't recognize him mixed in among the students.

"...Just end it."

There was no way he could escape their strict surveillance.

In the end, Eun-hyeok resigned himself to his situation and closed his eyes.

At that moment, Do-jun called out to him.

"Why would I end you? Don't you know why we kept only you alive?"

"...What do you mean?"

"Eun-hyeok. Come under me. I desperately need your strength right now."

"What?"

What is this about?

Choi Eun-hyeok couldn't understand Do-jun's intentions as he extended his hand while commanding such numbers.

Eun-hyeok looked up at him, who had somehow approached and held out his hand.

"Actually, I was planning to just survive moderately. Have you ever seen me obsess over grades?"

"...No."

"But things got complicated along the way, and I ended up gathering kids."

Yu Do-jun explained the situation so far.

His goal was simply to endure the evaluation for a long time.

So he said he used his connections from last year's second semester evaluation to bring in Kaede and Jin Pa-rang.

The problem was that he ended up provoking Jung Ha-yang due to a momentary misjudgment.

As a result, she was now rapidly expanding her forces to punish him.

"You know how scary it is when someone who doesn't usually get angry gets mad? Ha-yang is in that state right now. Please save me."

"...It's your responsibility. You brought this on yourself. I don't see any reason to help you."

"Mok Min-ho is there."

"..."

Mok Min-ho.

The moment he heard that name, ripples appeared in Eun-hyeok's eyes.

Yu Do-jun raised the corners of his mouth.

"You haven't fought him again since losing to him at the sectional competition last year, right? I'll set the stage for you this time. Eun-hyeok, I want you to take care of Min-ho."

A tempting offer.

Eun-hyeok couldn't flatly refuse like before.

Conflict bloomed in his heart.

"...Who's on Ha-yang's side?"

The question Eun-hyeok asked after a long silence.

Yu Do-jun, sensing his hesitation, informed him about the current situation.

As far as confirmed, Ha-yang's team currently includes Kang Si-hyeong, Mok Min-ho, Cha Eun-woo, and Kim Min-ji.

"What about Seo-na?"

"Ah, Seo-na? I don't know either. She doesn't seem to have shown herself yet."

While knowing which side Jin Seo-na had already taken.

Yu Do-jun responded nonchalantly.

Then he cleverly deceived the information to entice Eun-hyeok.

"What side do you think someone like Seo-na would join? A sneaky kid like Jin Seo-na is probably quietly watching amidst the internal strife, right?"

"Seo-na isn't sneaky."

"Sorry, I was a bit harsh in my expression. Anyway, with Seo-na's personality, she's probably trying to reap the benefits. Or she might join the winning side."

"..."

"So come under me, Eun-hyeok. I'll create your revenge stage. I'll make you win. In that situation, wouldn't Seo-na want to come to your side?"

"...You're right. She would."

"And we struggled together under Eun-ha last year, right? Huh? That's what friends are for."

"Well..., you and I did suffer together."

As planned, Choi Eun-hyeok came over.

Yu Do-jun gladly embraced Eun-hyeok, who took his hand.

"Eun-hyeok! My friend! I'll show you what the world is! I'd gladly give you half the world if it's you!"

"Hey! You just said you'd give me half the world earlier!"

"That's right, I have to give Pa-rang hyung half too! I don't need to take any! You guys take it all instead of me!"

Yu Do-jun shouted joyfully.

If he had the world, he could give it to them.

After all, as long as they were his people, the world was in his hands anyway.

"Crazy bastards..."

Meanwhile, Hoshimiya Kaede, who had been caught up in Do-jun's pace, finally came to her senses belatedly.

Without realizing it, she had become tainted by No Eun-ha's group.

☆

Academy Dungeon Underground Floor 3.

The steaming hot spring area was occupied by monsters.

The sight of slimes and goblins bathing was not uncommon.

Ugh, my eyes are ruined.

However, Eun-ha's interest was not in them but in Hong Jin-woo's group.

Students known as promising talents from the 027th and 27th classes were gathered around Hong Jin-woo.

In a way, it was inevitable.

Monsters were rampaging due to Eun-ha stirring up the 3rd underground floor.

Students who had been driven several times chose to band together to survive.

"Why are there so many monsters coming out? Even if there are a lot of people, isn't this too much?"

"We reclaim the hot spring area, and reclaim it again, but monsters keep popping up. How are we supposed to wash up like this!"

"...My food is gone. My bag is soaked."

The students complained.

The 3rd underground floor was the best space for living in the dungeon.

It was understandable for students to look dejected after losing it to monsters.

On the other hand, Eun-ha, who created this situation, took out food from bags left behind by retreating students earlier.

She gathered what she could and threw what she couldn't into the hot spring so students couldn't use it.

"Jin-woo. Doesn't something seem strange?"

"...It's clear that an anomaly has occurred in the dungeon. I think it would be good for parties to join forces."

"If there are this many monsters on this floor, there could be even more on the lower floors. Shall we wait for kids coming down from the upper floors?"

Hoshimiya Kaede or Jung Ha-yang would have seen through the camouflage magic not far away.

But Hong Jin-woo's group didn't notice the hidden Eun-ha's presence.

No─.

─One person noticed.

Eun-ha found the student turning his head towards where she was.

Choi Jun-ho, the player known as who was active in the Dangun Clan in his previous life.

He didn't seem to have detected her presence, but he seemed to sense that something was there.

"...Hey guys. There's something bothering me... doesn't it seem like there's something over there?"

"What? What is it?"

"I don't see anything?"

While the students were having a meeting, he who had been uncomfortable as if sitting on pins and needles spoke up.

The students' gazes swept over where Eun-ha was.

"I don't see anything?"

"It must be your imagination."

Eun-ha inwardly sighed in relief.

When she caused a commotion on the 3rd underground floor, it was fortunate that she first separated the telepathist from Hong Jin-woo's group.

Otherwise, the telepathist with developed senses would have caught her scent.

"...That's strange?"

"It's just your imagination. It's because you haven't slept."

"Is that so? Maybe you're right."

"So what are we going to do? Are we going down to the 4th underground floor like this?"

Hong Jin-woo's group had discovered the way down to the 4th floor but hadn't left the 3rd floor.

They were waiting for other students.

Most parties had lost members. During the commotion in the middle of the night, they scattered while retreating.

That was also why they were gathered now.

At the same time, they were waiting for reinforcements coming down from the 3rd floor.

Reinforcements won't come.

It won't be easy to regroup with scattered people either.

Unfortunately, they were unaware of the situation that occurred on the 2nd floor.

Since the paths and entrances connecting each floor were occupied by monsters, it would take considerable time for reinforcements to come down.

There was no way they could wait for them.

The same was true for party members who separated on this floor.

Some lost their lives to monsters while fleeing in the chaos.

Some were dealt with by Eun-ha as well.

Why is the dungeon used as a place for purges or ambushes?

It's not strange at all for players to die in dungeons, and it's difficult to find corpses, making it hard to determine the cause of death.

Surely those with gloomy expressions must have noticed the fate of their separated party members.

They were just keeping their mouths shut so as not to ruin the party atmosphere.

Eun-ha decided to take special measures this time as they tried to attack the path back up to the 2nd underground floor.

You've exhausted yourselves enough.

Now go down a bit.

Eun-ha hit the head of a passing monster with her scabbard.

The monster, suddenly struck by lightning, looked around and soon spotted Hong Jin-woo's group.

"...Shit! Why is that suddenly charging at us!?"

"Wasn't it just passing by? What the hell is going on!?"

"Hey! Another wave has started! Get ready!"

It was very easy to hit monsters once and run away.

Eun-ha drove Hong Jin-woo's group in the direction she wanted by drawing the monsters' aggro like that.

Still, there are too many.

I need to separate them.

The path down to the 4th underground floor gradually came into view.

Eun-ha easily passed the fleeing Hong Jin-woo group using Cheonbo.

She decided to split the group in two.

Eun-ha swung her sword, disguising it as a monster attack.

"Kyaa!" "W-What!?"

A line was drawn on the ground.

A student who was about to cross it was startled and stepped back.

While they hesitated for a moment, the pursuing monsters all pounced on them at once.

Spirit King

Eun-ha used high-level control techniques to prevent them from responding properly.

Those possessed by the spirit king were counterattacked while trying to control mana.

As a result, students separated from the group had to face monsters with only physical strength.

In such a situation, monsters that noticed the commotion continued to appear.

"...Choi Jun-ho!"

"Jin-woo! Go first! Don't worry! I'll follow soon!"

Hong Jin-woo, standing at the entrance to the 4th underground floor, searched for Choi Jun-ho among the separated students.

Choi Jun-ho, who was in the midst of battling monsters, waved his hand towards Hong Jin-woo calling him from afar.

He put on the brightest expression possible so Hong Jin-woo wouldn't worry about him.

"Choi Jun-ho! Come here quickly!"

By now, the monsters ignored Hong Jin-woo and his group standing at the 4th floor entrance and headed towards the separated students.

As a result, they found themselves surrounded by monsters from all directions.

"What are you doing! Hurry and save Choi Jun-ho...! No, I'll, I'll go!"

"Jin-woo! Don't do this! It's dangerous!"

"It's dangerous here! You guys hurry and take Jin-woo down to the lower floor!"

"Jun-ho is over there so it'll be fine! You need to worry about yourself first!"

A friend is in danger.

Hong Jin-woo tried to jump into the monsters with his sword to save his friend.

But other friends held him back.

Logically, jumping into that den was tantamount to suicide.

"Let go! Let go! I said let go of this!"

Hong Jin-woo shouted at the top of his lungs.

Choi Jun-ho spoke to him as he was held back by other students and taken down.

"Wait for me on the lower floor!"

With those final words─.

─Extreme Piercer

In the battlefield strewn with bloodstains, whether human or monster blood.

Eun-ha, who had been waiting for this moment, did not hesitate at all.

"...Huh?"

Eun-ha thrust a black thorn tree into Choi Jun-ho's stomach as he revealed an opening while battling monsters.

Then she quickly pulled out the sword.

Choi Jun-ho saw nothing but the momentarily revealed form.

He blankly looked down at his stomach gushing blood like a fountain.

His strength drained, he fell to his knees.

Eventually he collapsed forward.

"Jin...woo..."

While sensing his own death, he also detected some kind of plot.

He must quickly inform Hong Jin-woo.

Hong Jin-woo is in danger.

Choi Jun-ho mustered his remaining strength to tell someone that.

But in the end─.

"─Go on ahead."

Choi Jun-ho breathed his last.