The Support Ate it All

I had briefly wondered if the totem’s performance was unexpectedly not that great, but it seemed Dang Gyu-young had spotted something crucial.

Would anyone else have noticed if they’d used the totem? Probably not.

“Hey, by the way, that suit’s really working for you today.”

“Do you like the all-black look?”

“Hmm, maybe a little?”

Despite her casual words, Dang Gyu-young seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. She was smiling brightly as she admired my battle suit.

“…Huh?”

Suddenly, she paused, grabbed one of my arms, and looked down at it closely.

Specifically, at the fluffy cloud bracelet around my wrist.

“…Kim Ho.”

“Yes, noona?”

“…Why is your bracelet white?”

Her gaze turned sharp and she silently demanded an explanation.

The lighthearted atmosphere quickly grew tense.

Instead of stammering or making excuses, I chose to answer confidently.

“I switched it just this once. The effects are different.”

“Wait, was that a couple’s item?”

“They’re a matching pair.”

“Who did you switch with?”

“Seo Ye-in.”

“…….”

Dang Gyu-young’s lips pursed into a pout.

Then she asked while clearly sulking,

“What about me? Don’t I get one?”

“Shall we get a matching set too?”

“I think we should.”

“Let’s consider it step by step.”

After all, items like that don’t just magically appear because you want them.

Seeing her mood improve slightly, I quickly changed the topic.

“So, about tomorrow’s dungeon…”

“You’re really, really good at switching topics, aren’t you?”

She lightly tapped my shoulder and asked with a slightly grumpy look,

“…What about the dungeon tomorrow?”

“I need to revise the guidebook a bit.”

“That would be great, but is it even possible?”

“It is.”

I wouldn’t have brought it up otherwise.

The revisions were already complete, anyway.

I pulled out a stack of papers that were thicker than the guidebook Seo Cheong-yong had distributed.

Dang Gyu-young flipped through the pages and remarked,

“This is way better.”

The original guidebook covered about 30-40% of the dungeon while this one mapped out over 70%.

It addressed the parts that the original guidebook had overlooked and improved it overall.

The reason it wasn’t 100% complete was that certain details had been intentionally left out.

Only the essentials need to be shared.

The subjugation team’s goal was to reach the boss room as efficiently as possible.

Mentioning hidden pieces would only cause unnecessary confusion.

Besides, I had plans to return to the dungeon someday, so it was better to keep some things to myself.

There was also another reason why I brought this up to Dang Gyu-young first.

It didn’t take him long to catch on, as she casually waved the revised guidebook in her hand.

“You want me to distribute this?”

“As you know, I can’t move around freely.”

While increasing the subjugation team’s efficiency with the revised guidebook was necessary, I needed to keep my abilities under wraps.

Even Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong only knew about the Poison Immunity and Enchantment. They had no idea I was the one behind the creation of the guidebook.

Revealing more of my capabilities now wouldn’t be a smart move.

“Fine, I’ll do it.”

The reasoning was convincing enough, and Dang Gyu-young nodded her head in agreement.

However, she seemed to have another question in mind.

“But even if I hand this out, I doubt anyone will believe it.”

The original guidebook was already the product of Seo Cheong-yong and several other faculty members putting their heads together.

Even if this one was better, there was still the issue of whether people would trust a guidebook of unknown origin.

I replied nonchalantly,

“If they don’t want it, they can leave it.”

It made no difference to me. I had nothing to lose, and I certainly wasn’t going to beg them to believe it.

The original guidebook wasn’t entirely useless, after all.

Dang Gyu-young seemed to agree as she stored the revised guidebook in her inventory.

“Alright, I’ll try handing it out.”

***

“Revised guidebook?”

Jegal So-so tilted her head in confusion.

The other club presidents that Dang Gyu-young had summoned reacted in a similar manner.

Jeong Chong-myeong asked,

“Where did this come from?”

“Sorry, I can’t say. Look it over and decide for yourselves whether to trust it.”

Dang Gyu-young firmly refused to disclose the source as she handed the guidebook copies to the club presidents.

The club presidents participating in this raid included those she had some connection with. They were Jegal So-so, Jeong Chong-myeong, and Kim Gap-doo.

“…….”

“…….”

For a while, everyone silently reviewed the strategy guide.

Occasionally, only the sound of paper rustling broke the quiet.

Jeong Chong-myeong was the first to speak.

“This is excellent. It’s worth trusting.”

“I think it’s good too.”

Jegal So-so agreed.

However, her reasoning differed slightly from Jeong Chong-myeong’s.

This is Kim Ho’s strategy guide.

Jegal So-so recalled other guides Kim Ho had shown before. Like the ones for the Feathered Serpent Altar, the Black Death Dungeon, and the Gathering of Villains.

The style and structure of the guide she now held in her hands were strikingly similar to those.

That makes it trustworthy.

Not long ago, Pang Mi-ryeong had returned from the Gathering of Villains raid and couldn’t stop praising Kim Ho.

She claimed that, despite it being a B-rank dungeon, they had faced almost no difficulties.

If someone had that level of information, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had equally detailed knowledge of A-rank dungeons.

How he had obtained it was still a mystery, but that wasn’t the concern right now.

Meanwhile, Kim Gap-doo directed a question at Dang Gyu-young.

“Do you trust it?”

“Yes, I trust it.”

“…Is that so? Then I’ll trust it too.”

Kim Gap-doo said no more and fell silent.

His suspicions had solidified into certainty.

Though he wasn’t particularly close to Dang Gyu-young, three years at the same school had taught him a few things about her.

One was that Dang Gyu-young only truly trusted a very small number of people.

The number of people she could confidently say she trusted was even smaller.

Narrowing it down further, one junior she had recently been especially fond of came to his mind.

…This stings.

All Kim Gap-doo could do now was hope the elixir would prove its worth again this time.

In the end, most of the club presidents summoned by Dang Gyu-young decided to familiarize themselves with the new strategy guide.

Meanwhile, Jeong Chong-myeong voiced a question that had just occurred to him.

“So, is there nothing specific you want from us?”

Valuable information naturally carries a high price.

And information that thoroughly analyzed an A-rank dungeon would undoubtedly be incredibly valuable.

Could it really be distributed without expecting anything in return?

That’s why I asked too.

Dang Gyu-young relayed the exact answer Kim Ho had given her at the time.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“They just said, ‘Stay safe and come back alive’.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes, that’s all.”

“……”

The club presidents exchanged silent glances for a moment.

Then, one by one, faint smiles began to spread across their faces.

“…Right.”

“We have to come back alive.”

***

Tuesday evening.

The subjugation team gathered in front of the dungeon zone.

I had already changed my appearance using the Totem of Disguise.

So, Dang Gyu-young pretended not to notice but subtly took a seat near me.

In reality, protecting and concealing me was part of Dang Gyu-young’s assigned role.

Of course, Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong knew that we were somewhat close, and they also heard that I had revealed my identity to her, so they gave instructions.

“Dang Gyu-young, assist from closer range.”

“Understood.”

Dang Gyu-young answered with a polite demeanor.

However, the corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly.

Soon, Seo Cheong-yong surveyed the surroundings carefully before speaking.

“It looks like everyone is here. We’ll depart immediately.”

He then took the lead and stepped onto the underground floor.

Following him, the subjugation team members began to move at the same time down the spiral staircase.

The descent, however, didn’t last long because Seo Cheong-yong soon changed direction and guided us into a large room.

The perimeter of the room was filled with a complex array of magical tools and mechanical devices, while at its center, a large magic circle glowed faintly.

The intricate formula felt strangely familiar.

Mass Teleport.

Given the immense distance from the F floor to the A floor, the plan was to transport everyone at once using it.

Back when I moved with Shin Byeong-cheol, my lack of authority meant I could barely use elevators, let alone teleportation magic circles. But now, moving with the subjugation team afforded such luxuries.

As the subjugation team entered the room, the waiting staff exchanged greetings with Seo Cheong-yong.

“Teacher Seo, you’ve arrived.”

“Thank you for your continued efforts. We’ll be heading down right away.”

“Yes, we’ll prepare immediately.”

The staff then busily manipulated the magical devices, while some sent messages elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the subjugation team, following Seo Cheong-yong’s instructions, stepped onto the magic circle.

The circle began to emit an increasingly brilliant glow until it became almost blinding.

Whoosh!

When the light finally faded away, we found ourselves standing in a room similar to the one we had just left.

Waiting staff there also bowed their heads to Seo Cheong-yong.

“Welcome.”

After exchanging brief pleasantries with them, Seo Cheong-yong led the subjugation team out of the room.

When we stepped out, the view of the A floor unfolded before us.

Compared to the other floors, the area was somewhat smaller, but each gaping dungeon emanated an oppressive aura that couldn’t be ignored.

“……”

Perhaps because of this, nearly half of the third-year students already showed signs of nervousness.

Even Dang Gyu-young who was standing nearby took a small, deep breath.

On the other hand, Lee Soo-dok gave me a peculiar look, as if he was wondering why I remained unfazed.

After walking a short distance, the subjugation team stopped in front of a teleportation portal.

[No. 50] [Teleportation Labyrinth]

“Faculty members first, followed by close-combat types in sequence.”

Following Seo Cheong-yong’s instructions, the faculty and staff members disappeared into the portal one by one.

My turn came somewhere in the middle, as I moved with Lee Soo-dok and Seo Cheong-yong.

Taking a few steps forward, my vision was suddenly engulfed in darkness.

We had been transported to a pitch-black location where not even a glimmer of light could be seen.

There should at least be some torches here.

It seemed even those had gone out.

Soon, someone cast a spell, causing a glowing orb of light to illuminate the surroundings.

Whoosh!

The first thing that caught my eye was the wall constructed of worn bricks like those of a medieval castle.

The walls encircled us entirely, making it clear we were in an enclosed space.

And directly ahead—

Clank, clank…

Dozens of knights clad in heavy armor were advancing toward the subjugation team.

Despite being armored, their forms were irregular and they were coated in a dark dull sheen.

Completely consumed.

As everyone suspected, this dungeon had already been fortified by the Witch of Corruption.

Every monster inside had been devoured by the Dark Oobleck.

Given the strong foundation, these were clearly a different kind of Dark Oobleck from those we had faced before.

“Prepare for battle!”

At Seo Cheong-yong’s command, everyone swiftly moved into their designated positions.

The front line formed a defensive wall, while the rear line readied their ranged attacks.

Even those entering shortly after were startled for a moment but quickly adopted combat stances.

Clank, clank, clank!

In the meantime, the Dark Oobleck knights accelerated their charge and collided directly with the front line.

Boom!

The result of the clash was one-sided.

The subjugation team sustained no damage, while most of the Dark Ooblecks were crushed or sent flying in a single strike.

Given that only the most skilled members were selected, the outcome was only normal.

Ranged attacks followed immediately, decimating the formation of the advancing enemies.

Of course, it was impossible that the Witch of Corruption hadn’t anticipated this.

Just as the armored knights’ forms began to crumble and collapse—

Boom!

Boom!

They all exploded at the same time, scattering black liquid in every direction.