Chapter 57: Replay Analysis (2)

Chapter 57: Replay Analysis (2)

Normally, Tiger Bum was kept small through a shrinking spell so that it would fit in the palm of a hand, but it towered over humans in its true form.

The phrase as large as a house could not have been more fitting.

When Park Na-ri gently stroked its back, Bum growled softly and moved forward to take its position.

[3]

[2]

[1]

[Start!]

Bum crouched low then sprang forward like a coiled spring.

In the blink of an eye, it charged towards Go Hyeon-woo before swinging its paws with a speed that belied its huge size.

Not only was its movement fast but the full weight of its body was behind each blow, making it heavy and powerful. Its claws even glowed with mana.

As expected of a spirit beast.

That single tiger seemed capable of utterly demolishing any opponent with a score in the 600s.

One might wonder if a blow from its paw could spin someones jaw clean to the back of their head.

And when Go Hyeon-woo managed to block such a brutally powerful swipe,

Crack,

The E-rank [Guards Longsword] broke after just one exchange.

The durability of the blade was on edge, so it wasnt necessarily due to Bums attack alone.

It was inevitable as it had been significantly worn down in the previous match.

Go Hyeon-woo swiftly drew the D-rank [Escorts Longsword]

Swish, swish, swish!

That momentary gap was filled by his partner, Bukgong Han-seol.

As she unleashed a barrage of forceful energy, Tiger Bum hesitated for a moment.

At least this time its a sane one.This chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.com

The lady seems quite in sync with the team battle.

Unlike the previous matchs mage, this one had at least a basic understanding of teamwork.

And just like I had already guessed, Bukgong Han-seol was an expert in martial arts.

The cold aura enveloping her hands as if frosted over was a clear sign she had mastered the techniques of the Cold Ice martial arts.

Go Hyeon-woo and Bukgong Han-seol launched into a full-fledged joint attack.

Sword energy and palms poured down on Tiger Bum but,

[Park Na-ri 94%]

[Park Na-ri 95%]

[Park Na-ri 97%]

They didnt manage to inflict that much damage.

The tigers hide was like armor, repelling the sword energy, and even the minor wounds it sustained healed at an incredible rate.

To find the cause, they turned their gaze toward the main base where Park Na-ri and Jeong Soo-ji were positioned

A fresh green energy was radiating from Park Na-ri.

Shes a support type.

A support druid who uses a variety of auxiliary skills, including protection, healing, and enchantment.

If the skill level is low, it results in a jack of all trades but master of none. However, at a high level, its almost like having a swiss army knife.

And Park Na-ri was a promising talent among the four major powers.

Jeong Soo-ji didnt have much of a presence in the battle compared to the other three, but she kept the two warriors in check by occasionally sending out earthen bullets or wrapping tree vines around their feet.

Even when she was fighting me with Kwak Ji-cheol her slight interference was annoying.

In other words, it means shes good at crowd control. So this was a compliment.

To summarize Park Na-ris strategy in a single line, it involved placing Tiger Bum at the forefront and providing it with full support.

If the battle was to extend for a long time, Park Na-ris side would end up winning since they have good sustainability. Go Hyeon-woo had to find a way to break this formation or else face an inevitable defeat.

I spoke to Seo Ye-in who was silently watching the replay.

This part is important. Watch carefully.

Mhmm.

How they navigated this obstacle would be a testament to the judgment of Go Hyeon-woo and Bukgong Han-seol.

The pair seemed to opt for the most straightforward and brute-force approach first.

A head-on confrontation.

The plan was to inflict damage that exceeded Park Na-ris protective magic and healing capabilities to bring the battle to a swift conclusion.

They rallied their momentum and unleashed their respective ultimate techniques in a burst.

[Clear Stream]

[Ice Snow Soul Palm]

Blades of wind and a wave of cold surged forward.

Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom!

However

[Park Na-ri 79%]

The circumstances being what they were, it couldnt be helped.

The chaos of the tiger darting back and forth and attacking, along with the pressure of the 10-minute time limit steadily decreasing, would have likely hindered clear thinking.

In such circumstances, coming up with new strategies continuously and aligning opinions with team members was an exceedingly difficult task.

You just have to do better next time. I think this much should suffice for the report. Do you have any more questions?

Perhaps having his curiosity somewhat satisfied, Go Hyeon-woo did not speak.

When I glanced toward Seo Ye-in, she too shook her head.

Given both of their sharp intellects, they have likely grasped the gist of it by now.

Now lets talk about something that cant be included in the report. Honestly, even if you had used the method I just mentioned, the outcome wouldnt have been much different.

Why is that?

The difference in specs, especially in equipment, was just too great.

Writing in the report that we lost due to a difference in specs might just earn a smack on the back of the head from Lee Soo-dok.

Although it should be omitted from the report, the reality was that the difference in specs played a huge role.

Park Na-ri was a promising student who received full support from the Guild Union and the Mother Nature Club.

The range of skills and traits she has mastered was very wide and her own capabilities were also good. She was decked out in various items from head to toe.

Including the [Cube of Life] I had recently traded with her.

In contrast, all Go Hyeon-woo possessed was a single sword.

And even that was far from a famed blade; its only merit was that it didnt break quickly.

After pondering my words for a moment, Go Hyeon-woo let out a heavy sigh.

It makes sense that I lost. Not only was my opponent not less skilled than me, but she was also thoroughly prepared I must reflect on this.

You dont need to match Park Na-ris specs. Thats impossible anyway. Shes practically being showered with the resources of an entire club. Having just a few key countermeasures can make a huge difference in facing such opponents.

Is there such a thing?

Go Hyeon-woo had a curious expression on his face.

And perhaps considering that she might soon face an opponent like Park Na-ri, Seo Ye-in listened intently to my words.

I slowly looked from one to the other before speaking.

A magic sword.

To be precise, I suggested switching to a magic sword imbued with a healing reduction curse.

For example, if one were to scratch an opponent with a [Hungry Sawtooth Sword], for a certain duration, the healing that the opponent receives would be absorbed by the sawtooth sword.

Those afflicted by the [Gut Prick] would find that healing spells cause them additional damage instead. The terrible pain was just a bonus.

Beyond the reduction of healing, the range of situations that can be dealt with increases as the type of sword you have increases. For example, there were weapons that could inflict paralysis or poisoning or even some weapons that specialized in shattering the barriers of mages.

If you were to look at the inventory of top-ranking swordsmen, you might think you were attending an exhibition of legendary blades.

Though they did not use swords, marksmen were similar in that they used a variety of [Special Bullets]

After hearing the entire explanation, Go Hyeon-woo let out a soft exclamation of admiration.

Indeed I confess my knowledge of items is still quite shallow. I find myself learning yet another thing from Kim-hyung. It truly brings home how far I have yet to go.

Youre right about the long road ahead. But were only in our third week of the first semester, so lets not get too impatient.

Ill keep that in mind.

With the topic of items on the table, perhaps its time to move on to the main point.

There was something else Go Hyeon-woo needed to prioritize over amassing a collection of legendary swords.

It was the management of their durability.

It was also the fundamental reason why we watched the replay together.

Goh Hyeon-woo had most frequently employed the technique [Clear Stream], and based on that, an E-rank longsword could barely withstand one use, while a D-rank would not break until after four uses.

A rough calculation could be made from this.

With a few more durability-type artifacts and a B-rank or higher weapon, the worry of breaking should almost vanish.

B-rank, huh That wont be easy to come by.

Its a bit of a distant goal for now. Using a C-rank as a stepping stone should pose no immediate issues.

However, C-rank was by no means common.

Some of the decent ones were even used by second-year students.

Goh Hyeon-woo pulled out the catalog to check the longsword section.

He was gradually getting used to navigating the student store.

But to buy a C-rank weapon with points

Its not going to be easy.

Its expensive. Save your points. Itd be a waste to spend them on disposable weapons.

The [Guardian Series] had been bought partially as an experiment and also because their lower rank meant a lesser burden on points.

However, the prices were quite high from C-rank onwards.

It seemed unnecessary to invest points in disposable weapons that were bound to be destroyed eventually.

There had to be another way to acquire them without spending money or points.

Go Hyeon-woos gaze followed mine and shifted in a specific direction.

A hill that was neither too high nor too low occupied one side of our view.

The Dungeon building.

Well get them through drops.