Chapter 312: The New Skill

Within two weeks of the Awakening Class’s formation.

Even with the core member, the original protagonist, absent, having the remaining students face a boss monster was never an easy task.

It was only a matter of time before everyone became exhausted.

‘I wanted to prevent this, but it ended up like this after all…’

Just as a bitter taste spread through my mouth.

Reysir’s eyes finally snapped open.

He swept his gaze over the boss monster’s entire body with his ever-concealed silver eyes, then stepped out from behind Liolikin, who had been guarding him.

At that moment, the spear he gripped tightly began to radiate a brilliant silver light.

Sensing the ominous aura, the boss monster threw a punch toward Reysir to eliminate the threat.

Seeing this, the corners of Reysir’s mouth curved into a deep smile.

As if this was exactly what he had been waiting for.

He didn’t tense up at all, even as the massive boulder came flying straight at him.

No, there was no reason for him to.

With just a light stamp of his foot, his physical abilities allowed him to cover a considerable distance in a single leap.

The original protagonist used this to casually dodge the incoming boulder, then jumped high and landed on top of it.

The next moment, the boss monster’s fist returned to its original position.

He ran along the uneven arm of the boss monster, which was made of large and small rocks clumped together, using it as an upward slope.

The boss monster couldn’t even react in time.

Thus, in the blink of an eye, Reysir reached the boss monster’s shoulder.

The spear, now twice its original length and brimming with silver energy, was driven without hesitation into the ground beneath his feet.

Every movement flowed so naturally and smoothly that one might even suspect he and the boss monster had rehearsed it.

Crack!

The sound of something solid breaking rang out.

At the same time, the rock-formed boss monster’s movements came to a halt like a statue.

Those who had been running around frantically to fight it also stopped in their tracks.

Silence fell, and just as everyone’s gaze gathered on the original protagonist—

Rumble…!

Starting from the farthest extremities from where Reysir had plunged his spear, the boss monster’s body began to crumble.

Large and small rocks tumbled down, some breaking on impact, others rolling away, and still others piling up to form a massive stone mound.

Finally, the boulder that had housed the power engine came to rest at the very top.

With the spear firmly lodged in it, the figure standing majestically looked like a conqueror planting a flag on subjugated land.

Even the gray veil covering the sky parted, and a dazzling ray of sunlight poured down at just the right moment.

Looking up at the original protagonist standing high against the sun, I couldn’t help but feel awed.

The scene before my eyes was nothing short of magnificent.

‘As expected, a protagonist is a protagonist.’

I couldn’t help but realize that fact anew.

Even I, who knew full well that the author had crafted this scene to make the protagonist shine, felt my heart stir.

If I felt this way, how much more would others?

‘They must be looking up at him in awe!’

It was obvious without seeing, but I still wanted to confirm, so I tried to tear my gaze away from Reysir.

But then, the original protagonist suddenly turned his head toward me.

Maybe because I had just felt his overwhelming presence, my body instinctively stiffened when our eyes met.

Before I could carry out my plan to check the others’ reactions, my gaze was locked on him.

A bright smile spread across Reysir’s face.

It was brimming with a sense of pride.

His imposing demeanor vanished completely, leaving only an innocent expression.

‘To think I felt threatened by a protagonist from someone else’s novel…!’

Feeling embarrassed, I hastily turned my head away—and I shouldn’t have.

Because, in doing so, I didn’t notice the original protagonist leaping off the rock mound and charging straight at me.

I failed to dodge in time and was grabbed by him.

“Wh-what do you think you’re doing…!”

“Karbaldr, you’re a genius!!”

Startled, I cried out, but the original protagonist’s unexpected words drowned out my voice.

“I knew you had keen insight, but I never imagined it was to this extent! You’re incredible! I’m genuinely amazed! You’re the best! How did a treasure like you end up in my life?!”

Not only had he suddenly run over and hugged me, but he was also spewing all sorts of incomprehensible words.

And the content was embarrassing to boot.

I had no idea why I was being captured in a hug by the original protagonist and listening to this.

My mind was a complete mess.

“W-wait, wait…! L-let go of me first…!”

“I got a new skill!!”

“…What?”

Just as I was about to yell at him to let go, clinging to me like a leech, an unexpected remark pierced my ears.

I even stopped trying to push him away and couldn’t help asking.

“You got a new skill…?”

“Yeah, yeah!! It’s all thanks to you!!”

I had assumed that his understanding of the [Jin-Ik-Nun] skill had increased, allowing him to achieve the conditions to unlock the ‘Targeting’ option.

But he said he obtained a ‘new skill,’ and that it was thanks to me?

I couldn’t understand his words, and I was baffled.

“No, um… how…?”

“I just followed your advice diligently.”

What advice had I given him? I had only pressed him to get it done somehow, hadn’t I?

As I blinked, feeling puzzled, a voice tinged with curiosity came.

“Why are you flustered? You were confident I would succeed.”

“Well… that’s true, but… I don’t think it’s right to say it’s thanks to me that you got a new skill…”

“Puhahaha!”

I had only said it wasn’t the case.

The original protagonist burst into laughter, then added in a low voice, “As modest as ever, huh?”

It seemed it really was true that following my advice led him to acquire a new skill.

“I’ll tell you the details when we’re alone later.”

While I stood there dumbfounded, the original protagonist whispered this into my ear.

Just like when he told me about [Jin-Ik-Nun], he planned to give me all the information about the skill he had just obtained.

I was grateful, but…

“Let go of me now! How long do you plan to keep holding me?!”

“Hahahaha!!”

Earlier, no matter how much I struggled, he wouldn’t budge and just kept saying what he wanted.

This time, though he laughed loudly, he reluctantly released me.

It seemed the overwhelming wave of emotion had subsided as our conversation continued.

‘So to pry off the original protagonist who clings to me on a whim, calming him down is the priority…?’

As I was engraving that obvious realization into my mind—

A third party’s voice, clearly displeased, rang out.

“I was wondering when I should separate you two, but I couldn’t find the right timing… So it’s quite a relief that you parted on your own.”

Despite her words, there wasn’t even 0.01 grams of gratitude on Fjodra’s face.

Only a look of incredulity was clearly visible.

“It seems that the two of you are far closer than I had assumed.”

Fjodra put her bow into her inventory, straightened her clothes, and spoke with an elegant smile.

Given the situation, it was clearly sarcastic…

“Is that so?”

The original protagonist turned to me with a very satisfied expression and uttered such nonsense.

It was truly absurd.

If I just stayed still, it would seem like I agreed that we were close.

I quickly opened my mouth to deny it.

“Wh-what…! That’s not true!”

“Not true? You knew not only of the existence of Reysir’s hidden silver ether but also its characteristics, and Reysir knew about the buff skill you hadn’t disclosed.”

“Th-that’s…”

“Not only do you cling to each other at every opportunity to flaunt your friendship, but you also whisper secrets between yourselves. And you dare to say it’s not true?”

There was no such friendship between us to flaunt.

But it seemed that’s how it looked to others.

“There’s a reason for all this! It’s not because I’m particularly close with Reysir that I did that…”

“I’m not asking about the process of how you two came to share secrets.”

I tried to explain that Reysir and I weren’t that close, but Fjodra cut me off with a stern face.

The absurd misunderstanding that I was flaunting my friendship with the original protagonist had deepened to the point where she didn’t believe my correction, and instead assumed I was about to boast about our bond.

‘I’m unfairly accused…!’

She didn’t know how I felt…

No, she knew but pretended not to.

The original protagonist, as if to console me, lightly patted my back and chimed into the conversation.

“Why are you interrogating us for not informing Her Imperial Highness about an ability that could be useful for conquering the demonic realm?”

I wanted to kick the original protagonist, but the atmosphere suddenly turned heavy because of his remark, so I couldn’t.

“Ahem. That wasn’t my intention. But if you interpreted my attitude that way, it must be because there’s something pricking your conscience deep down.”

This was essentially saying, “So you were aware deep down that you shouldn’t have hidden your ability, huh?”—a retort implying the thief was the first to cry out.

It was a statement that confirmed we had done something wrong.

Judging by her demeanor, which revealed her side as a politician, she must have decided that if she let this slide, other students might hide their abilities in the future, leading to defeat in winnable battles due to poor planning—so she had to deal with it strictly here.