“He mastered… the 1st Circle?”
Kim Myung-joo’s voice trembled.
Despite hearing it clearly, he couldn’t help but ask again.
It was content that was difficult to believe so easily.
Mastery of the 1st Circle in the third week of being introduced to Magic.
The important thing here was not simply being able to perform all 1st Circle spells.
It was literal mastery.
It meant he could perfectly manifest 1st Circle Magic.
This was a speed without precedent.
—
While Kim Myung-joo was lost in thought, Instructor Ji Yun-o quietly approached Seo I-tae.
Ji Yun-o was a 3rd Circle Mage and a practical combat Instructor who would soon be teaching Kim Song-cheol.
“How long did you say it’s been since he entered?”
Ji Yun-o whispered.
“Three weeks.”
“Three weeks? Then you’re saying the period from Mana Sensitivity to Circle Activation and Magic training all combined is three weeks…?”
“Yes.”
Seo I-tae answered in a clear voice.
There was no reason to hesitate. It was because she was telling the truth.
“…That’s insane.”
Ji Yun-o clicked his tongue.
Normally, it takes at least three months if one is truly fast, and one to two years if slow.
Since the Republic of Korea’s top Mage, Cha Se-hyeon, mastered the 1st Circle in three months, the surprise was even greater.
“Now.”
Kim Myung-joo, who had been lost in thought, drew everyone’s attention.
Ji Yun-o immediately straightened his posture and prepared to listen to the Director’s words.
“Right now, the F-rank Dungeon team, it’s Team 3, right?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“Which team do you think would be good?”
“That…”
Ji Yun-o could not answer readily.
It was a look that did not suit his appearance, which resembled a sharp soldier.
“…I will be honest with you.”
Ji Yun-o soon began to speak as if he had made up his mind.
“The three teams currently formed have been working together for at least three months.
They already have many experiences clearing F-rank Dungeons, and their teamwork is also on the good side.
In this situation, if we exclude one person and put in Trainee Kim Song-cheol, I anticipate there will be a lot of resentment.”
“Then are you saying it’s better to match him with the second-string Trainees now?”
“That is my judgment. While it is true he reached 1st Circle Mastery in a short time, the Mages currently forming the teams are also at 1st Circle Mastery.”
“In fact, it would have been right to put him in before he mastered 1st Circle Magic.
It is normal to be deployed once one can use all the spells of the 1st Circle without difficulty.
Even so, I waited until mastery. I didn’t know he would reach mastery this quickly, but…”
Ji Yun-o quietly waited for the next words.
“It was for Trainee Kim Song-cheol’s safety.”
“…”
“But to form a team with second-string Trainees? With Trainees who have zero Dungeon experience? That is not what I desire.”
“I understand. However, the experience of other Trainees is also important, not just Trainee Kim Song-cheol’s. If a member replacement occurs at a point where they are just beginning to coordinate their teamwork, the other Trainees will suffer damage…”
“No. Trainee Kim Song-cheol is more important.”
Kim Myung-joo spoke with a strong voice.
Ji Yun-o was startled by that tone.
It was the first time he had put such strength into his voice and shot such a look.
“What I want for Trainee Kim Song-cheol is experience with uncooperative Hunters. You know… what I mean, right?”
Currently, there are about 30 people who have graduated from the Training Academy and are active as proper Hunters.
Among them, there were cases where a person did not have a ‘proper personality.’
However, since there were so few Hunters, it was a situation where they could not afford to be picky about team members.
There was a need to prepare Kim Song-cheol for that as well.
“I understand that part, but… do we have to go this far?”
Ji Yun-o was being somewhat stubborn.
He acknowledged Kim Song-cheol’s ability.
However, for now, his own students were more important.
That was why he spoke up.
“Cha Se-hyeon… we don’t know when she might collapse. I hope that answers your question.”
But at Kim Myung-joo’s following words, Ji Yun-o could not say a single word more.
Because the complaints of a mere Trainee could not be more important than the fate of the Republic of Korea.
“Put him in the strongest team.”
Kim Myung-joo’s order was given.
Three Trainees were out in the spacious training room.
There were two men and one woman.
Their expressions could by no means be called good.
It was because one of the team members had been excluded by the Instructor’s instruction.
“To suddenly receive a new team member, does this make sense?”
“My thoughts exactly. The four of us cleared Dungeons so many times together…”
The excluded team member was a female Mage, Ji-yun. Between the two Mages in the team, she was the one with less skill.
However, the lack of skill was not to the point of justifying exclusion.
She could more than pull her weight, and considering the period she had been learning Magic, her growth was on the fast side.
“Has there been a case like this?”
“I don’t know.”
“Have you heard anything? About the new team member who’s coming.”
“Isn’t it someone pushed in by some agency? Aren’t there people like that sometimes? People who get pushed in to learn Magic even when their Mana Affinity doesn’t even show up. Like the military or the NIS.”
“No.”
Mun Gi-jeong, who had been listening to the conversation quietly, shook his head.
He had a solid build for a Mage.
He was the Trainee who was the leader of this team.
“Haven’t you guys heard the rumor?”
At Mun Gi-jeong’s words, Oh Song-hui and Ser Gang-jin turned to him at the same time.
“What rumor?”
“What rumor?”
The two spoke identically, as if they had made a promise.
“I’m talking about the ‘Uncle.’ Have you really not heard?”
“Uncle?”
Oh Song-hui frowned as if asking what that meant.
Oh Song-hui and Ser Gang-jin are Swordsmen.
Normally, Swordsmen and Mages have little interaction.
It’s not that their relationship is bad, but because they take classes completely separately, there was no occasion to become close.
“The Mages are in an uproar over there… they say he reached 1st Circle Mastery in just three weeks after entering the Training Academy.”
“Three weeks? Isn’t that a false rumor? He probably learned it somewhere before coming. If he’s an Uncle, it sounds like he’s quite old, too.”
“Even Cha Se-hyeon wasn’t at that level.”
The Swordsmen could not accept the rumor at all.
Since they refused so stubbornly, Mun Gi-jeong felt a sense of injustice.
“It’s true, though…”
“Whether it’s three weeks or an Uncle, I can’t accept it. Let’s chase him away.”
Ser Gang-jin said.
His expression was already filled with determination.
“Chase him away? Then Ji-yun can come back?”
Oh Song-hui also nodded.
“Exactly. We have to kick him out so Ji-yun can return.”
Oh Song-hui and Ser Gang-jin only thought about bringing back the excluded team member.
“What do you think? You’re the leader, aren’t you?”
Oh Song-hui asked Mun Gi-jeong.
Mun Gi-jeong looked back and forth between the two Swordsmen for a moment before carefully opening his mouth.
“…Will it work?”
“What?”
“Will we be able to chase him away?”
Mun Gi-jeong was already overwhelmed after hearing the rumor that he had reached 1st Circle Mastery in three weeks.
Although Mun Gi-jeong held the role of leader, he was also at a level where he had just started training in 2nd Circle Magic.
To be precise, he was a 2nd Circle beginner.
If Kim Song-cheol had reached 1st Circle Mastery in three weeks, it would not take that long for him to surpass a 2nd Circle beginner.
The proposition of a weak Mage chasing away a strong Mage did not hold up well.
“What are you talking about? Ji-yun was excluded without a proper reason. Anyway, for that old man, there are many teams other than us, right?”
“Think of Ji-yun. How much training did we do together, and how many Dungeons did we clear?”
However, at the persuasion of his team members, Mun Gi-jeong mustered up courage.
He was the leader of the team.
He had the duty to make clear judgments and lead the team members.
“Alright. Let’s try it. We have nothing to lose.”
The leader made a decision.
It was the moment Team 25A solidified their bond.
—
Kim Song-cheol entered the training room with the practical combat Instructor Ji Yun-o.
Three Trainees were already out in the training room, which was about the size of a gymnasium.
They were Team 25A, who would coordinate with Kim Song-cheol from now on.
‘Oh boy.’
Kim Song-cheol scratched his cheek after checking the faces of the three Trainees.
It was because he could feel their hostility at a single glance.
‘They’ve put a lot of strength into their eyes.’
He had heard a rough explanation from Ji Yun-o.
The fact that a team member who had been with them was excluded and he was taking that spot.
Ji Yun-o said there would be some backlash, and it was exactly as expected.
“Alright, this is Trainee Kim Song-cheol, who will be coordinating with you starting today.”
Ji Yun-o’s brief introduction.
Kim Song-cheol greeted them with a nod of his head.
“As you’ve heard, I’m Kim Song-cheol. I look forward to working with you.”
“I’m Mun Gi-jeong.”
“Oh Song-hui.”
“It’s Ser Gang-jin.”
The Trainees each introduced themselves.
‘At least they’re greeting me.’
Kim Song-cheol took some comfort in that.
Because what he had imagined was a much more intense backlash.
“Then, I will briefly explain today’s training.”
As Ji Yun-o raised his hand, a Magic Circle was generated in the air.
The Magic Circle glowed brightly and scattered, and at the same time, a translucent forest was created around them.
It was 3rd Circle Illusion Magic.
Since it was 3rd Circle and he had set a wide range, the resolution was not high.
One could even see right through to the back because it was translucent.
However, it didn’t seem like there would be any major issues with conducting the training.
“Classification number F324. Mariam terrain.
As you know, it is a place where Goblins appear, and the content of the training Dungeon is dealing with a surprise attack from a Goblin pack.
We will begin training with a surveillance formation.
To ensure smooth training, I will give you 10 minutes for a meeting.”
Ji Yun-o directed the training quite tightly.
This training was completely new to Kim Song-cheol. Despite that, he only gave them 10 minutes of preparation time with unfriendly team members.
‘To raise me tough? Not bad.’
Kim Song-cheol could faintly read the Director Kim Myung-joo’s intention in his attitude.
“Kim Song-cheol, over here.”
Mun Gi-jeong called him.
The title was a bit stiff, but Kim Song-cheol approached him for now.
“The surveillance formation is a single-file column.
The very front and very back are Swordsmen.
The middle two are Mages, and I will stand in the back while you, Kim Song-cheol, will stand in front.”
“Ah, is that so?”
“Your main task is forward support, and you also have to cover the flanks. And…”
“We don’t have time, so why don’t you stop the explanation there?”
As Mun Gi-jeong’s explanation grew longer, Ser Gang-jin cut in.
“Ah.”
Mun Gi-jeong showed a flustered expression.
Kim Song-cheol naturally witnessed that.
It was clear that he had accidentally been kind.
“This much should be enough for you to roughly understand, right?”
Mun Gi-jeong hurriedly wrapped up the explanation.
“Well… it’s training. Let’s just try it for now.”
Kim Song-cheol showed a warm smile.
And Mun Gi-jeong turned his head away, perhaps feeling a prick of conscience.
The 10 minutes passed quickly.
Kim Song-cheol stood in formation as he had been told for now.
In front of him was Oh Song-hui, behind him was Mun Gi-jeong, and at the very back was Ser Gang-jin.
The forest path created by the illusion was not that wide.
The forest was also dense, making it difficult to secure visibility.
It seemed that response speed would be important if Goblins popped out in a place like this.
While Kim Song-cheol was doing his own calculations.
“Training will begin.”
With Ji Yun-o’s guidance, Team 25A began to move forward along the long-stretched forest path.
How many steps did they take?
The sound of leaves brushing could be heard from the bushes ahead.
It was a sound Ji Yun-o had created with Magic.
As soon as Oh Song-hui heard that sound and stopped her steps, a Goblin jumped out from the bushes.
Oh Song-hui swung her sword, closing the distance in an instant.
When her sword cut through the Goblin illusion, the illusion vanished smoothly.
The Goblins’ raid did not end there.
The sounds of footsteps and rustling bushes echoed more and more, heightening the Hunters’ tension.
Kim Song-cheol heard the sound of a sword being swung from behind.
He imagined a scene where a Goblin popped out and Ser Gang-jin swung his sword.
Starting with that, Goblins began to pour out from both sides.
Oh Song-hui cut down two Goblins in a single bout, but in the meantime, other Goblins closed the distance.
A Swordsman’s task is twofold:
Striking the target and guarding the Mage.
However, because the forest path was narrow, the Goblins’ approach was too fast.
It was a situation where she could not protect the Mage, Kim Song-cheol, who was physically closest.
In this case, the Mage behind Kim Song-cheol should provide support fire.
However, Mun Gi-jeong did not move.
He would have naturally helped if it were a real battle, but this was training.
He ignored his comrade’s danger as if trying to wash away the mistake of having accidentally been kind.
Four Goblins were running toward Kim Song-cheol.
*Pshhh!*
Kim Song-cheol stopped one by firing a Magic Missile.
Three remained.
The distance was so close that it would be a relief if he could handle about one more.
The image of the Goblin illusions pouncing on Kim Song-cheol was clearly drawn in Mun Gi-jeong’s mind.
However.
*Flash!*
Three Magic Circles were generated sporadically around Kim Song-cheol.
One Goblin fell backward after bumping into a suddenly rising Magic Shield.
One was torn apart by a Wind Cutter, and another collapsed after being hit by another Magic Missile.
‘W-What? What’s with that casting speed…?’
Mun Gi-jeong’s eyes widened at the performance that far exceeded his imagination.
At the same time, he had no choice but to admit it.
That Kim Song-cheol was ‘the real deal.’