Chapter 30 Forgotten Dragon (2)

Chapter 30 Forgotten Dragon (2)

The worldview of this world is unique. It is a kind of game system based on ‘runes’ that permeates throughout Holder society, and Holders grow their runes and increase their Holder grades to prove their inherent abilities. It has become like a form of ‘playing’ where they hunt monsters to earn money and grow. However, no Holder finds this strange. It is a system that has been around for a very long time, and most people have adapted to it. Although there is ongoing research by numerous scholars about the Holder system, much remains unknown.

‘Moreover, no one thinks of it as a real game,’ because it resembles a game in form. They do not consider it a game. The threat of monsters was a clear reality, and anyone could die at the hands of a monster at any time. ‘Dungeons are no different’. Dungeons with monster regens and bosses are similar. Depending on the grade, they could be dangerous with ruthless monsters roaming, but the system itself resembled that of a game.

“Wow, so if we clear this dungeon again, we won’t get these rewards?” Park Jin-woo asked, surprised. After all, would Professor Tak won-ho know that this is a dungeon? Park Jin-woo was someone who only knew how to duel.

I replied with a chuckle, “Yes. We’ll get rewarded for our efforts too.”

“What about the boss?”

“The boss will respawn, but even if we successfully hunt it, the Rest Room won’t open again. Maybe the gimmick will disappear, making it easier to catch.”

The Rest Room opens only for the party that first clears the dungeon and hunts the boss. Therefore, the rewards in the Rest Room are privileges given only to those who have successfully conquered the dungeon for the first time. Not many Holders went through the trouble of conquering undiscovered dungeons and then rapidly growing.

“But can I really choose first?”

One of the rewards displayed side by side. My party gave me the right to choose first. Then, after checking all the items, they would distribute the rewards again. In other words, they gave me the privilege of selecting additional rewards in advance. It was a rather radical distribution method.

‘Seems a bit odd.’ I couldn’t help but think that.

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That thought couldn’t be avoided. Of course, I had significantly contributed during this raid. When we hunted the boss, I poured everything I had, and if it hadn’t been for that, everyone would have been in danger. But still, the human heart is not so logical. Even if it’s a very good item, it can be a headache. If there happens to be an Epic item among the Rest Room rewards, it could be a real dilemma.

“...We would have all died if you weren’t here.”

As Kim Chae-eun was about to reply to my words, Kang Juyeon interjected abruptly. She seemed a bit embarrassed as she averted her gaze.

“You have every right. So, choose first.”

“Yeah, you did almost everything during the boss raid, Jae-hyun. Don’t hesitate and pick first.”

Perhaps it was because of the unexpected words that came from an unlikely source. Kim Chae-eun also added, sounding as if she had been interrupted while trying to say something.

Park Jin-woo and Moon Ga-eun also conveyed their meaning by nodding their heads.

It’s not polite to leave it out like this.

I nodded and began to move. Then I carefully examined the items displayed side by side.

“Hmm...”

The rewards in the Rest Room are diverse, especially in a dungeon with an average monster grade of B. There were various items, including weapons, armor, special items, and magic stones.

“Huh?”

Among them, one item caught my eye. Although there were traces of age here and there, it had a rough appearance, but it was a stone with a majestic aura. Even though it had a simple appearance, it was clear that it was not an ordinary item.

One such stone stood out among the many items, and I had a vague idea of what it was.

‘Isn’t this the stone that Ji Yoon-jae had?’ Ji Yoon-jae, the dragon rider and a spy from the <Villain> clan. He was a future adversary who would grow into a powerful Holder in the later part of the story. The stone that caught my eye was precisely the same as the special item he completed.

I quickly approached and picked up the stone.

<Item Information>

◎ Name: Forgotten Dragon’s Stone

◎ Type: Special

◎ Grade: Legendary

◎ Maker: –

–

◎ Special Effects:

Inside the Academy’s café, Kang Juyeon and Moon Ga-eun were sipping their coffee, which had been pushed to the side. It was their café appointment before going for a dungeon raid as per Do Jae-hyun’s suggestion.

“Ugh, it’s too sweet. I love how they make the vanilla latte here. The milky taste is barely noticeable,” said Moon Ga-eun, shaking her shoulders.

“....”

Kang Juyeon, on the other hand, quietly stirred her straw in the vanilla latte, lost in thought. Her pupils were deeply immersed in something.

Seeing her like that, Moon Ga-eun tilted her head and asked, “Juyeon, what are you thinking?”

When Kang Juyeon seemed to be lost in thought, it was either because she was thinking about something or because she was thinking about nothing – simple but accurate.

And Moon Ga-eun, who had been observing her for a long time, knew that this time it was the former.

“...Thinking about Do Jae-hyun,” Kang Juyeon finally replied.

“What? Seriously? You’ve developed an interest in Do Jae-hyun?” Moon Ga-eun reacted with surprise.

With an unexpected response, Moon Ga-eun started to get suspicious. She had felt that way since the time they applied for the intermediate class together. When did she become so interested in him?

In an instant, Kang Juyeon’s eyebrows twitched.

“... do you have a death wish?”

“Sorry.”

As she started to spin out a fanciful scenario in her head, Kang Juyeon continued, sipping her coffee through the straw. She finished her thoughts that she had started earlier.

The Holder, whom she had simply thought of as a strange person, Do Jae-hyun. Following her father’s advice to find the gemstone, she had been stepping on his traces little by little. And before she knew it, they were raiding undiscovered dungeons together.

He continued to grow as they progressed through the dungeons, the party gradually synchronizing like a well-oiled machine. In some aspects, he displayed leadership even better than herself.

‘And... the boss attack.’

Moon Ga-eun and the other party members didn’t question the method he employed during the boss raid. The runes he possessed, which could bite into the enemy’s defense, were unique and not something ordinary Holders had. But it was an unspoken rule not to inquire about each other’s runes since they were weapons and trade secrets.

Even though the process was somewhat beastly, Kang Juyeon felt that Do Jae-hyun, who utilized everything at his disposal to hunt the boss, was remarkable. He found a way to conquer the boss, even with a deadly gimmick that rendered magic attacks useless.

‘...’

However, during this dungeon raid, she unexpectedly realized that she had much to learn. There were moments when she almost fell victim to a monster and couldn’t contribute much during the boss raid.

Although she was promoted to B-grade Holder, she still lacked experience.

‘He’s an intriguing person,’ she thought.

Before she knew it, Do Jae-hyun had gone from being just a strange person to a fascinating one, someone who constantly showed her new paths and possibilities.

“Let’s recruit him for the Judgment of Fire,” Kang Juyeon said decisively, voicing her thoughts without hesitation to prevent Moon Ga-eun from indulging in unfounded fantasies.

“Huh?” However, Moon Ga-eun’s expression changed, as if she heard an unexpected story.

Kang Juyeon looked at her and continued talking.

“He’s a Holder full of potential. When I look at the boss attack, his judgment and sense of combat are excellent. I need to recruit him before graduation.”

It’s a remarkably long sentence for Kang Juyeon.

He is a worthy Holder to actively participate in <Judgment by Fire>.

And Moon Ga-eun, who heard that...As if embarrassed, scratched her head and said.

“That... I’m going to recruit him for..... too?”

“... what?”

Kang Juyeon’s face was unusually flushed with surprise. Unexpected competition had appeared.