Chapter 19: The Replay (1)

Chapter 19: The Replay (1)

When the strategy battles test concluded, Lee Soo-dok gathered the class 3 students just like he had done during the duel battles.

Ill explain about the scores and points. Check the back of your student ID cards.

As the students pulled out their student IDs, they saw a new entry added where there had been a blank space.

Kim Ho

[Duel Battle: 300 points]

[Strategy Battle: 683 points]

(2,049pt)

At the same time, a large student ID card appeared in the empty space next to Lee Soo-dok.

It was a sample ID of Mr. Student with a question mark for a face.

Mr. Student

[Duel Battle: 300 points]

+30 points

-25 points

The duel battle test is similar to a zero-sum game you are all familiar with. If you win you gain points, if you lose you lose them.

[Strategy Battle: 500 points]

+400 points

+300 points

On the other hand, in the strategy battle test, points are continuously accumulated each time you successfully conquer a dungeon. In both practical tests, the higher the total score, the higher your rank. Now, pay attention.

Mr. Student

[Strategy Battle: 500 points]

(1,500pt)

A new line was added under Mr. Students strategy battle score.

Available points are currency that can only be used at Dragon Slayer Academy. They can be used to purchase various items that will help you in your future duel battles and strategy battles. Please refer to the catalog for more details.New novel chapters are published on

The main things you could buy with these available points included replays from other student battles, simplified dungeon maps, and escape items.

If one wanted it, they could even purchase elixirs, skill books, or equipment.

That is, if one had enough points.

So, how do these points get earned? The quick-witted among you might have already guessed.

Mr. Student

[Strategy Battle: 500 points] * 3.0 multiplier

= 1,500 points

The points you earn in the strategy battle are converted into points at a certain multiplier. This was the first strategy battle, and taking into account the fact that it was a fixed zone, a 3.0x multiplier was applied.

Ah.

A look of regret shadowed the students faces.

Even though they hadnt fully grasped this concept of points, they intuitively understood that a 3.0 multiplier was fairly high.

This was the source of their disappointment.

They wished they had tried a bit harder during the tests.

To earn even just one more point.

Especially the students who had retired early wore expressions as if the sky had fallen.

They might have thought to give up on the tough fixed zone and do better next time but they never imagined they would be awarded so many points.

But it was a situation they had brought upon themselves; it was too late for regrets now.

Their eyes might have been filled with desperate hope, but they quickly lowered their gaze under Lee Soo-doks intense and threatening stare.

Lee Soo-dok concluded his explanation.

The key is to accumulate points by conquering dungeons and then using those points wisely. Everyone should look at the catalog and think about the most efficient strategies. Thats all for today. Make sure to get enough rest so youre ready for tomorrows classes. Dismissed.

While other teachers stayed back to engage in Q&A sessions with their students, Lee Soo-dok appeared to be heading somewhere else immediately.

Even as the eliminated students tried to speak to him at the last moment, he ignored them and went on his way.

He seemed to have little interest in the students.

Since the strategy battle test itself did not take up much time, there was still a long time left until dinner.

In such a situation, one way to pass the time was,

Lets have a cup of coffee.

Good idea. Ive been quite curious about this coffee myself.

Go Hyeon-woo readily accepted.

I invited Seo Ye-in as well,

Would you like to join us, Miss Seo?

Instead of replying, Seo Ye-in covered her mouth and yawned softly.

She then slowly shook her head.

Im sleepy. Im going to go sleep

Her eyelids had been drooping a bit since earlier.

It seemed better to let her rest than to force her to come along.

Lets go by ourselves.

***

We ordered iced coffee at the cafeteria and each of us held a cup.

You must have realized today that your skills are comparable to those of the top first-year students.

I know Kim-hyun has a great eye for talent. If youve judged it to be true, then it must be.

However, you know your weaknesses better than anyone.

I have painfully realized them, especially after todays events.

Go Hyeon-woo gave out a self-deprecating bitter smile.

His first weakness was the lack of internal energy due to a low-rank [Core].

The second was his weapon which broke too easily.

There was nothing I could do immediately about the weapon issue.

This was because it looked to be deeply related to Go Hyeon-woos long sword, which was said to be a sacred artifact of his sect.

If I meddled carelessly, it could appear as me interfering in his sects matters and this was very disrespectful to a warrior and a martial artist.

I could only help after we built more trust and Go Hyeon-woo reached out to me first.

So, back to the issue of the [Core].

Go Hyeon-woo had been significantly overpowered in the internal energy clash against Han So-mi.

It was only after I enhanced his Core by two ranks with [Amplification] that he could somewhat keep up.

At first glance, it seemed like the match against Jo Byeok was an evenly matched one, but in reality, that was not the case.

Not only was his weapon destroyed, but he had also exhausted all his internal energy. As a result, he needed to perform energy circulation and recovery immediately after the duel battle ended.

To put it bluntly, you only ranked first in this strategy battle because it was a fixed zone. In a mana fight, youd lose without a doubt. So right now, you should set everything else aside and focus on your [Core].

What should I do?

Go to the Training Center.

The training center.

It was more than a simple training ground.

Similar to an arena, it was a place infused with the essence of magic engineering, allowing for all kinds of training.

If you go to the training center, youll find a mana cultivation room.

!

The concentration of mana there is much denser, so the same amount of time spent in energy cultivation will build your internal energy much faster.

Theres such a place?

Go Hyeon-woo exclaimed in amazement.

His body seemed eager to rush there immediately.

I held back Go Hyeon-woo from going and continued my explanation.

Listen to the end. This is the most important part. Theres also a place called the Special Cultivation Room. The concentration of mana there is extremely high, easily more than ten times that of a regular mana cultivation room.

!!

Go Hyeon-woos eyes trembled intensely.

Any warrior would react the same way.

The efficiency of a regular cultivation room was already impressive, but what kind of place was this special cultivation room that surpassed it by more than tenfold?

Of course, such an incredible place cannot exist for just anyones use. Not just anyone can enter.

Following the flow of this conversation it requires points.

Thats right. 500 points for six hours of use.

The cost was exorbitant.

Even if used only six hours a day, Go Hyeon-woo would burn through the 3,000 points he earned from the strategy battle in less than a week.

On weekends, warriors often devote an entire day to cultivation. In such cases, 18 hours would cost 1,500 points, and 24 hours would quickly consume 2,000 points.

To use this throughout a semester it was unimaginable how many points would be needed.

Its possible if you really work hard to gather points and pour them all into the special cultivation room but you wont be able to afford anything else.

Hmm Is there no other way?

There is. A Season Pass.

The Season Pass.

If you owned it, you could have free access to the special cultivation room throughout the semester without consuming any points.

Such an item must be incredibly difficult to obtain.

The easiest way is through an auction. They usually go for between 30,000 to 40,000 points.

Heh, thats the easiest way? Then whats the other method?

The Season Pass is one of the many privileges at Dragon Slayer Academy. Its mainly given to clubs with good performance. Traditional powerhouses like the swordsmanship club or the white magic club usually have five or six of them.

Even these powerful clubs struggle to allocate one or two passes each to their first-, second-, and third-year students.

So, they distribute them to the most outstanding members.

All you have to do is join the swordsmanship club and take the spot of a promising first-year student.

The problem was that Mo Yong-juns skills were on par with Han So-mi and Jo Byeok.

When asked if he could win against him, Go Hyeon-woo shook his head.

To be honest, its difficult right now. I guess Ill have to put the season pass on hold. But if I invest points from time to time, I can still frequently visit the special cultivation room.

No, its too early to give up.

Is there another way?

Of course there is.

I then pointed to myself.

Ill get it for you.