Labyrinth Exploration 101 - L.E Chapter 77 (Part 2): A Bit of Fresh Air (2)

Ryu Yeon-hwa glanced between Kim Doo-gyeom and me. Kim Doo-gyeom, now closer, grabbed his sleeve with a concerned look.

“Yeon-hwa, you saw that post too, didn’t you?”

“…Yeah.”

Ryu Yeon-hwa stepped toward Kim Doo-gyeom.

“You should’ve told me first…”

Kim Doo-gyeom shot a glance my way. I sipped my tea quietly.

Me, asking for operational funds. Kim Doo-gyeom, pretending to empathize while gaslighting.

Who seemed more trustworthy, and who seemed like a con artist? That was up to Ryu Yeon-hwa.

I wasn’t fixated on this. If Ryu Yeon-hwa crashed and burned like before my regression, it’d boost my ranking. If he asked for my help, I could sabotage Kim Doo-gyeom. Either way, I win.

I offer choices, not coercion. I’m not that nosy.

Will the young master take the hand of a devil in human skin—Kim Doo-gyeom—or my bloodstained one?

The choice was entirely up to the noble scion.

“This’ll be fun.”

*Clink.*

I set down my teacup.

* * *

After savoring a cup of tea, I returned to DK’s classroom.

“Hey, Seol Ha-woon?”

DK called me the moment I sat down, his tone sharp.

“Memorized everything?”

“Yes, sir. All done.”

“You didn’t even… Wait, what? All of it?”

“Yes.”

“Hah. Pretty smart, huh?”

DK smirked, crossing his arms.

“Can you recite it?”

“Yes.”

“…Look at this guy. Fine, go ahead. Start with this one.”

A monster appeared on the beam projector.

A lanky figure, maybe 3 meters tall, with long limbs and a red, torn mouth.

Red Mask. Incredibly famous in Korea—and a monster unique to this country. A manifestation of old ghost stories and fears coalesced within the labyrinth.

“Red Mask. Physical type, primary weapon: claws. Uses long arms and legs for unpredictable movements. Speed varies by individual but generally exceeds 30 meters per second. Highly flexible, navigating terrain like a snake. Weak to light attributes, resistant to darkness. The key to breaking its pattern is targeting its blind spot…”

I recited every detail about the Red Mask as written in the documents.

“…How about this one?”

DK seemed a bit thrown but quickly flipped to the next page.

Flesh Golem.

“Flesh Golems undergo endless cell division from an internal core, spewing blood and flesh. Their flesh and blood are toxic and explosive, so…”

I recited the information exactly as stored in my Sequence. DK, as if determined to trip me up, asked about seven more monsters in a row, but I passed every one.

“…Damn. Got a photographic memory or something? How’d you memorize it so fast?”

“I have my methods.”

“Methods, huh… Sit down. We’ll talk later.”

I took my seat, feeling oddly cliché and a bit embarrassed.

*Sniff, sniff.*

Suddenly, I heard sniffing nearby.

It was Kate. Sitting in front of me, she seemed to be smelling my tea, sniffing a few times before quietly standing and heading to the pantry.

“…Whoa, Master. How’d you memorize all that? Teach me your secret.”

Lim Hae-jun, sitting next to me, tapped my desk with his pencil.

Wasn’t he in a different seat before? Must’ve switched.

“It just stuck.”

“What? Acting like a genius now?”

“Quit chatting and memorize~ This in-camera scouting is way more important than you think~”

DK prowled the room like a hawk, keeping an eye on the explorers.

* * *

Three hours later.

We arrived at the combat training room. DK, now in battle training gear, stood at the front.

“Alright~ Time to start. The monsters you’re facing here are real. Don’t just think of this as a simulation—if it feels like too much, surrender immediately.”

*Gulp.*

Lim Hae-jun, to my right, swallowed hard.

Kang Hyun, on my left, spoke up.

“Don’t be nervous.”

“…I-I’m not nervous.”

Since when did these two plant themselves on either side of me? It’s annoying, but it’s not bad. They’re like buffs, increasing my chances of getting camera time.

“Now! See that balcony up there? Lots of faction and school representatives are watching.”

DK pointed to the balcony.

“We won’t reveal who’s there or where they’re from until it’s over—no excuses about being nervous. Their evaluations will factor into the mentor scores. Got it?”

“Yes.”

The explorers responded in unison.

“Okay. First up, Seol Ha-woon.”

DK gestured at me.

“You’re up. Memorized it the fastest, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

DK clearly didn’t like me.

The feeling was mutual.

I stepped into the training room.

An empty, wide space. Mana began to swirl, forming obstacles one by one, and a message appeared on my retina.

[ NaN Combat Simulation Initiated. ]

[ Monster Hunt Stage 1: Rock Golem ]

Stage 1, Rock Golem. Pretty tough for a first stage.

I called up the visual data from my Sequence.

The strategy was simple but not easy. You had to pinpoint the tiny “golem core” and strike it.

*Thud!*

The Rock Golem stomped heavily. Its encounter pattern was a charge.

*Thud, thud, thud, thud!*

It barreled toward me with unnecessary flair. I located its core in an instant—near the collarbone, if it were human. The core was encased in rock armor, making penetration tricky.

By then, the golem was already in my face.

[Sequence].

Time seemed to slow. No need to waste resources on a mere golem.

I raised my hand.

Aim. I targeted the golem’s core and loaded a mana bullet. A precisely telekinetically crafted large-caliber mana round, modeled after a 20mm bullet capable of shredding tank armor.

Even a seasoned explorer would die instantly if hit unprepared. I fired.

*Shwiiiiiing—*

The ferocious mana mass tore through the air.

*Crack, crunch!*

It ripped through the rock surface, obliterating the core and the golem’s upper body. The golem staggered a few steps, swinging its fist, but shattered into pieces. The remnants of what was once a golem collapsed at my feet.

“Phew…”

I exhaled softly and glanced at the balcony. A subtitle appeared on the nearby display.

[ Stage 1 Complete: Seol Ha-woon Success ]

Dangun

I'm currently Translating the following novels: "Labyrinth Exploration 101" & "The Monarch Who Levels Up by Devouring " If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!

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