Chapter 18: Fixed Zone (3)

Chapter 18: Fixed Zone (3)

[Kim Ho, 683 points, 38%]

My score found its place around the middle of the leaderboard.

Perhaps due to the overall high level of this years batch, it had fallen a bit short of my expectations.

Still, this should be sufficient for me to finish the strategy battle test in the upper middle range without any issues.

By this stage of the placement test, the topics of conversation among the first years had been divided into two main themes.

The leaderboard and the test content.

And most of the talk about the test content was filled with complaints.

Damn, I totally got wrecked.

Me too. When I went in, it was like my body wasnt my own. It wouldnt listen to me.

Exactly. I was swinging my sword, but it felt so slow.

Never thought Id see the day when fighting a goblin would be tough.

The seniors are going to hate it.

The more skills and traits one usually boasts, the more profoundly they will feel the impact of the F-rank fixed zone.

Its going to be quite a struggle to get used to it.

I understand why they dislike it, but theres really no other choice.

The [Fixed Zone] isnt a common rule, but it pops up every now and then, just when youre about to forget it.

Several infamous boss monsters were placed in their dungeons, which led to disasters where even well-performing parties were annihilated in the fixed zone.

If one didnt want to become the protagonist of such a disaster they had no choice but to quickly get used to this rule.

[Lee Seong-hyeon, 951 points, 1st place]

[Han So-mi, 928 points, 2nd place]

[Mo Yong-jun, 903 points, 3rd place]

The top ranks lived up to their reputation even under such harsh conditions.

The names surrounding Han So-mi must have been the promising students I heard about from Shin Byeong-cheol.

Lee Seong-hyeon was the son of a Sword Master, and Mo Yong-jun was the grandson of a Sword Saint.

If their skills were at a similar level to Han So-mi, then,

Go Hyeon-woo might stand a chance.

That guy hadnt been outmatched in swordsmanship when he faced Han So-mi on the train.

If only in swordsmanship, the syllogism of Go Hyeon-woo = Han So-mi = the promising students could be established.nove(l)bi(n.)com

With the rules being the fixed zone and the spec elements almost completely excluded, the likelihood of him ranking high was very strong.

I was quite curious to see how many points he would score.

I didnt find his figure when looking around, and I didnt see his name on the leaderboard so he must still be taking the test.

As I alternated my gaze between the leaderboard and the teleportation portal while waiting, Seo Ye-in emerged before Go Hyeon-woo did.

She moved her head slowly as if looking around, and then upon spotting me, she approached.

I asked her.

How was it? Did good?

. It was tough.

[Seo Ye-in, 781 points, 21%]

Though she said it was tough, her score wasnt too shabby.

The fixed zone was a very unfavorable rule for magic-based classes such as gunslingers and mages.

They had to score points with extremely limited magical power.

While high scores werent impossible, it was easier for someone like me who relied on physical strength to smash through everything.

Considering that, as a gunslinger, securing a top 21% ranking on her first try was quite commendable.

Seeing that she still held her rifle, it seemed she had followed the strategy I suggested to her earlier.

Wow!

Right then, exclamations erupted among the students who were watching the leaderboard.

The reason was clear.

The first place has been updated.

[Go Hyeon-woo, 1,023 points, 1st place] New!

[Lee Seong-hyeon, 951 points, 2nd place]

[Han So-mi, 928 points, 3rd place]

Oh.

I thought there was actually a very high chance of him ranking very high, but he ended up taking the top spot.

And that too, with a significant margin over the second place.

The audience was ecstatic as if it were their own achievement.

Because they experienced it themselves, they knew how impressive that score was.

So, 1,000 points were possible I am less than nothing in comparison

Which club is he with? The sword club?

No, hes not in our club.

I checked; hes unaffiliated.

An unaffiliated student just beat all the promising ones and took first place.

Didnt he fight Jo Byeok in the duel match earlier?

I think so.

No wonder, he was good even back then.

I need to check out the replay later.

All eyes were on Go Hyeon-woo as he walked confidently through the crowd.

Go Hyeon-woo then expressed his gratitude to me.

Its all thanks to you, Kim-hyung.

Not really. Youre the one who did well.

No, if I hadnt regained my strength during lunchtime, I wouldnt have been able to score so high.

Was that really the case?

Though it seemed a bit of an overinterpretation, it wasnt entirely incorrect.

Since the crowd was closely watching Go Hyeon-woos every move, naturally, their attention also drifted to me who standing beside him.

Whos that guy next to him?

Isnt he the one who forfeited against Song Cheon-hye?

Oh, that coward?

Is he already clinging to Go Hyeon-woo?

Theres always someone like that. They should use that effort to improve their skills.

Even though I was just having a normal conversation with Go Hyeon-woo, my image seemed to be deteriorating in real-time, perhaps due to the poor first impression.

There was no way Go Hyeon-woo, with his keen ears, didnt hear such murmuring.

His expression hardened in an instant.

I stopped Go Hyeon-woo as he seemed about to rebuke the crowd.

Forget it, let it be.

But, Kim-hyung

Its okay, really.

Alright. If thats what you wish, Kim-hyung.

As I cut him off decisively, he closed his mouth and suppressed his anger.

His expression remained stern though.

Magic was ineffective, time was passing, and the number of monsters was increasing.

Her mind turned blank in confusion.

Then, it happened.

The mans advice suddenly came to mind.

It might be better to switch to a rifle.

Even as she frowned, wondering why this thought came to her, Song Cheon-hye continued pondering.

Why did he suggest switching to a rifle?

The biggest difference between a pistol and a rifle would be multiple light shots versus a single heavy shot.

Maybe

Song Cheon-hye raised one of her hands.

The electric current generated on the black glove coalesced and compressed, forming a sphere the size of a baseball.

The F-rank single-target spell, [Thunder Ball].

When she hurled it at an approaching goblin,

kwaeaeg!

[+4 points]

It worked surprisingly well.

That was it. If area-of-effect spells didnt work, she could use single-target spells.

How had she not thought of something so simple?

Song Cheon-hye kept throwing [Thunder Ball].

I must be a retard.

I must be an idiot.

I must be a retarded idiot!

She repeated to herself with each throw.

But soon, she hit another limit.

My mana

It wasnt completely depleted, but there was too little left for the remaining time.

Moreover, the increasing number of orcs and trolls made [Thunder Ball] less effective.

Then, Kim Hos second piece of advice echoed in her ears.

If you feel that mana management is becoming difficult, just focus on headshots for those that get close.

Only headshots for the ones that get close.

If I interpret this for myself

Suddenly, a sense of rebellion stirred in a corner of her heart.

Do I really have to do as he said?

I thought his idea was ridiculous earlier.

Dont you have any pride?

But its still better than retiring

Images of the eliminated participants rolling on the ground flashed in her mind.

The thought of ending up in such an embarrassing state was unbearable to her.

Just imagining it made her face burn with humiliation.

I absolutely cant let that happen!

Song Cheon-hye made her decision.

She would choose the lesser of the two evils.

[Lightning Enchant]

She wrapped currents of electricity around her gloved fists.

Then, she assumed a clumsy fighting stance.

It felt like the first time she was fighting this way since kindergarten, but what other choice did she have?

Grrrrr

A troll stood right in front of her and growled menacingly.

Maybe because it was in the fixed zone, it seemed twice as big as the ones she had defeated before.

!!

With her eyes tightly shut, Song Cheon-hye thrust her fist forward.

***

[Remaining Time: 0:00]

[Current Score: 571 Points]

As soon as the remaining time hit zero, the monsters that had been charging at her all evaporated.

The misty forest regained its initial stillness.

Only then did Song Cheon-hye let out a deep sigh and collapsed on the spot.

Its over, finally

She lasted 10 minutes.

For those 10 minutes, she managed to survive.

She was never so glad to see the exit open its mouth.

Wait a minute.

Just as Song Cheon-hye was about to step outside, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Looking at herself, she realized she looked no better than a ghost.

After all, in the final moments, she had been grappling and wildly swinging her fists at the monsters.

In any case, she couldnt go out looking like this.

Fzzzt

A short current of electricity buzzed at the tips of Song Cheon-hyes fingers.

As she brushed it from the top of her head down, her disheveled hair was instantly neatened.

She tidied her hair into a neat bun, straightened her clothes, and finally, sent another current through to blow away every speck of dust on her body.

[Would you like to save the replay?]

[Accept/Decline]

Never. Absolutely not.

She couldnt bear the thought of this embarrassing history being saved, even in death.

***

When she stepped outside, Song Cheon-hye caught the attention of the other students as usual.

Despite enduring ten hellish minutes in the fixed zone, she appeared completely unruffled and perfectly in control of herself. The others even let out an impressed sigh at her composure.

There were already those searching for her name on the leaderboard.

But they would not find it easily.

[Song Cheon-hye, 571 points, 47%]

Her score was much lower than what they might have expected.

It didnt meet the reputation of the Topaz Magic Tower, but that wasnt important to Song Cheon-hye at the moment.

I want something sweet

She promised herself to buy strawberry milk after it ended.

Song Cheon-hye, who was walking back with a graceful gait, spotted Kim Ho in the crowd.

She suddenly felt embarrassed.

The realization hit her that she had overheard, dismissed, and, ultimately, survived thanks to his advice.

Song Cheon-hye quickened her pace slightly.