—
Chapter 51
—
“Pro… Professor…?”
“Hm?”
Hearing the voice of her student calling out, Si-hyun turned to Areum with a gentle smile.
She lightly patted Areum’s shoulder as if to reassure her, then turned her gaze forward again.
Kang Do-jun issued an order to one of the other rogues.
“Hey. I’ll handle that guy. You take care of the ordinary-looking one over there.”
“Got it, boss!”
“Heh heh, let’s have some fun.”
At the signal from the rogues, the male members of the Wings Guild also prepared for battle.
Finally, the clash between hunters began.
First, Ji-han’s opponent was Kang Do-jun.
Even if Ji-han was a promising talent within the guild, he was still only a C-rank hunter.
Moreover, he was already exhausted from the large dungeon’s conquest and the series of battles that had just taken place.
As a result, Do-jun toyed with Ji-han openly.
It was akin to an adult bullying a child—an overwhelming gap in skill.
“Haha! You’re so boring, it’s putting me to sleep.”
“Ugh, damn it!”
“How about this!”
Shwiik—
In a close-quarters, high-speed duel, Ji-han failed to completely evade Do-jun’s dagger, resulting in a scratch on his shoulder.
Ji-han had no advantage over Do-jun, whether in stamina or skill.
Biting his lower lip in frustration, Ji-han fought on.
Meanwhile, Han-gyeol found himself in a one-on-one battle with a C-rank rogue from the opposing party.
Han-gyeol’s situation wasn’t much different from Ji-han’s.
The rogue’s skill wasn’t as extraordinary as Kang Do-jun’s, but this man was still a seasoned hunter with extensive experience in close combat.
Additionally, thanks to Do-jun consistently creating opportunities, the rogue was in much better condition.
“Hyaaah! Hyaaah!”
Swoosh, swoosh, swish—
Han-gyeol tried his best to defend, but the rogue relentlessly pressured him in close combat.
Han-gyeol steadily retreated, forced into a defensive stance.
If the battle continued like this, defeat was inevitable.
“Hup!”
Taking a risk, Han-gyeol quickly counterattacked.
But the rogue twisted his body, effortlessly dodging the attack and creating distance again.
“You think I’d fall for that? Hahaha!”
Adding insult to injury, the rogue mocked him.
Though Han-gyeol managed to gain a moment’s respite, a long gash had formed on his forearm.
It was not an exchange that benefited him.
“Come on, guys! Step it up!”
“Hah… Huff…”
Even the D-rank hunters on the Wings Guild side were struggling.
Having been mentally and physically drained from the half-day-long conquest of the dungeon, they were hoping to quickly defeat the boss and rest.
But now, a battle between hunters had broken out.
They weren’t in the right condition for combat.
Conversely, the two D-rank rogues, who were in much better shape, employed devious tactics.
They never attacked first.
Instead, they baited the exhausted Wings Guild members to initiate, only to dodge and hide.
When the Wings Guild hunters caught their breath, the rogues would block their path again, sneering.
“Hahaha! With stamina like that, can you even last through the night?”
“Four of you can’t even handle just two of us?”
Their mocking laughter echoed.
The Wings Guild’s archer, thoroughly provoked, gripped his bow tightly and drew an arrow.
Swoosh—
The arrow flew at incredible speed.
But—
“Aww, you think I wouldn’t see that coming?”
“Look at that pathetic excuse for a ranged attack! Hahaha!”
The rogues, who had been keeping a close eye on the archer, easily evaded the attack.
It was clear how much experience they had in combat against other hunters.
Cold sweat dripped down the archer’s back.
If this hadn’t started as a standoff but rather a sudden ambush, he knew he would have been the first target.
Goosebumps ran across his body.
“Wha… what do we do…”
Watching the fight from a distance, Areum trembled, her voice filled with anxiety.
It was clear to anyone that their side was losing.
On top of that, the despicable rogues would escape using their stealth skill if they ever found themselves at a disadvantage.
And if they brought back monsters to hide again?
‘We’d… we’d be completely trapped and killed…!’
Just imagining the worst-case scenario sent shivers down Areum’s spine.
She trembled uncontrollably once more.
At that moment, Si-hyun, who had been observing the situation silently, stepped forward.
Areum gasped and looked at her in shock.
“P-Professor?!”
Before entering the dungeon, they had chatted at the café.
The professor had mentioned that she hadn’t applied for a rank-up yet, meaning she was officially a D-rank hunter.
In other words, her actual skill level was equivalent to a C-rank hunter.
But their opponents?
One of them was a B-rank hunter in perfect condition.
“Hahaha! Where’s that cocky guy from earlier?!”
“Ugh—!”
Even now, that B-rank hunter was toying with Ji-han, a C-rank hunter.
He was treating Ji-han like a mere plaything.
It was obvious, even to someone as inexperienced as Areum, that Do-jun could end it at any time but was deliberately holding back to taunt him.
Could the professor stepping in really change the tide of this battle?
In Areum’s mind, it was impossible.
Regardless of her respect for the professor, the current situation was far too dire.
“P-Professor! No matter how skilled you are—”
Trembling, Areum tried to stop her.
Hearing her anxious voice, Si-hyun turned around.
She raised her index finger to her lips with a quiet shushing gesture.
Wide-eyed, Areum fell silent.
Si-hyun nodded reassuringly with a serene expression.
Seeing her student trembling in fear, Si-hyun thought to herself.
It would be easy for her to step in and annihilate these rogues.
Honestly, watching that bastard Kang Do-jun flaunt himself made her want to do just that.
But dealing with it so straightforwardly would be a waste.
She wanted to be the “shining example” Areum envisioned in her mind.
She wanted to demonstrate what it truly meant to be an ideal supporter.
She wanted to show what a true supporter contributing to the team looked like.
Turning back to Areum, Si-hyun gave her a bright, reassuring smile.
“Areum, what do you think is the strength of a Support-type Hunter?”
“Y-yes?!”
The calm tone was out of place in the tense situation.
Areum couldn’t respond right away and glanced back and forth between the men and Si-hyun.
“In a situation like this, adding one of the many C-rank hunters wandering around wouldn’t change much, right?”
“Uh, uh… yes, that’s true.”
“But what if that one person could use Support-type skills?”
The gentle voice continued to explain.
‘What is she trying to say?’
Areum swallowed hard, her gaze fixed on the professor’s lips.
Those cherry-like, beautiful lips opened again.
“What if there was someone who didn’t just add their strength but made all their allies stronger?”
The soft voice, almost like reciting poetry, captivated Areum.
“If that person joined our team, it wouldn’t just increase the number from six to seven—it would bring about a much greater change.”
“Ah… ah!”
Finally understanding the meaning, Areum covered her mouth in surprise.
Even with a simple calculation, the impact was on an entirely different scale.
As an E-rank myself, I don’t have such incredible skills.
But there’s no way my professor would be the same as me!
I had been thinking completely wrong until now.
The professor isn’t just an ordinary C-rank; she’s someone special who can use Support-type skills.
Areum had never seen Professor Jung Si-hyun’s skills before.
So she didn’t know how much of a difference they would make.
But she didn’t doubt it.
Unlike her, the professor hadn’t shown any fear all day.
No trembling, no panic.
She simply observed the situation with composure.
‘I trust her…!’
Si-hyun smiled gently as she saw the change in Areum’s expression.
How often in life do you get a chance to look this cool?
I need to set the stage properly and show my best.
“Watch closely from now on. This is the ideal Supporter you should aim to become.”
After finishing her explanation, Si-hyun snapped her fingers.
Snap!
Amid the chaotic noise of battle, the sound was too faint for anyone to notice.
But from that moment on…
The tide of the battle began to shift dramatically.
This was the prelude to a reversal.
“I knew I could count on you! Hahaha!”
“Huh? What the—what’s up with this guy?!”
Han-gyeol, who had been maintaining a defensive stance until now, suddenly switched to offense.
His focus on defense vanished entirely.
Instead, he charged forward aggressively, pressuring his opponent.
“I’ll pay you back for everything you’ve done!”
“Argh—!”
The rogue, who had been overwhelming him earlier, began retreating step by step.
With the buffs enhancing Han-gyeol’s movements, he was now fast enough to keep up with the rogue.
Previously, the rogue could comfortably suppress Han-gyeol with a clear advantage.
But now, the situation had reversed.
The rogue, losing his edge, was being forced onto the defensive under Han-gyeol’s relentless attacks.
Every step Han-gyeol took with his longsword made the dagger-wielding rogue falter, struggling to defend.
The balance was breaking.
And Han-gyeol wasn’t the only one experiencing this change.
“Hahaha! Where’s all that cockiness now?!”
“Shit! What the hell?! How did you change like this?!”
“Hahaha! If you’re so upset, maybe you should find someone who can back you up!”
Ji-han, receiving a buff from Si-hyun for the first time in his life, began fighting with unparalleled energy.
Having been struck by an inexplicable force before, Ji-han immediately realized who was behind this newfound strength.
There was only one person here capable of such a feat.
‘Hahaha! Si-hyun noona, you’re amazing!’
The exhaustion and weariness in his body faded rapidly.
But it wasn’t just recovery—it was more than that.
Ji-han felt himself surpassing his own limits.
Dopamine surged through his body.
An overwhelming sense of euphoria coursed through his nervous system.
Amid this exhilarating rush, he focused on his opponent.
‘Now… I can do it!’
He was confident he could defeat the B-rank rogue standing before him.
“Hahaha! Didn’t you say you were bored and yawning earlier? Now I’m the one feeling bored!”
“You brat!”
“Yawn—!”
“You son of a bitch!”
Ji-han openly mocked his opponent.
An enraged Kang Do-jun spat out a curse, but the situation had already shifted beyond his control.
Just moments ago, he had been dominating his opponent.
Now, they were engaged in an almost equal fight.
It was an unbelievable turn of events.
That guy had been on the verge of collapse!
Even if he hadn’t been exhausted, a mere C-rank shouldn’t stand a chance against me!
‘What the hell is going on here?!’
Ji-han and Do-jun exchanged fierce blows, combining their combat skills into a savage battle.
Each clash of their weapons echoed sharp, piercing sounds.
Swish, swish, swoosh!
Clang, clang, clang!
Neither side faltered easily.
However, Ji-han gradually gained momentum, pushing his opponent back.
Do-jun attempted a sharp counterattack, but Ji-han twisted his body, deflecting the strike.
Without missing a beat, he swung his sword into the opening.
Whoosh—!
Do-jun barely managed to duck, narrowly avoiding the blade.
His bloodshot eyes glared at Ji-han.
‘This is dangerous!’
Do-jun felt a shiver run down his spine.
Was it fear of the situation? No, it wasn’t that.
Something had been clawing at his body with an inexplicable force for a while now.
The unsettling sensation was accompanied by a growing sluggishness, as if his strength was draining away.
If this condition persisted…
An ominous premonition struck him: he would lose to this damned rookie.
It felt unjust, but he trusted his instincts.
He needed to turn the situation around.
‘What should I do… what can I do?!’
Do-jun racked his brain, desperately searching for a solution.
He thought relentlessly, again and again.
At that moment, by sheer chance…
At the edge of his vision, he noticed a strikingly beautiful woman standing tall.
Dodging Ji-han’s next attack, he shouted with all his might.
“Guys! Target the women—!”
And then, once more, he bellowed.
“Bring the monsters here—!”
Hearing his orders, the rogues began moving differently from before.
—
Read More at – GENZNOVEL.COM!!
PLEASE JOIN OUR DISCORD AND SUBSCRIBE THE ROLE TO RECEIVE LATEST NOTIFICATIONS!!
Click here -> https://discord.gg/S8c2kGVr2g
Comment