The moment I heard the voice, I noticed it.

 

My master was more flustered than ever before.

 

[Are you alive!!!]

 

‘…Huh?! Did Master just use ‘Huh’!?’

 

My master was Japanese. Because of that, he found Korean words ending in ‘-냐’ very embarrassing. He said it made him feel like he was meowing like a cat and being all cutesy. So sometimes, I used to ask him to do it before I regressed. Anyway.

 

It was no ordinary thing for Master to use ‘-냐.’ The fact that he used something he found so embarrassing without hesitation showed how worried he was about me.

 

‘I appreciate the concern, but if you look at the current situation….’

 

Quickly assessing the situation, I inspected the scene.

 

First, Alice.

 

Her top was almost completely burnt, leaving her in just her bra. Although I had given her my outer garment, it didn’t fit well around the chest, ironically emphasizing it more.

 

Second, the director.

 

The chest part of her sweater was cut off, giving her an underboob fashion. If she moved wrongly even a little, her chest might pop out of her clothes.

 

Third, me. A man.

 

…The result was that evidence needed to be destroyed urgently.

 

‘If Master sees this, he’ll slap me, for sure!!’

 

It wasn’t on purpose. Alice burned her clothes herself. I did a good job by giving her my clothes. The director… I did cut her clothes, but it was her fault for following me into the gate without saying anything. It was 100% her fault, 0% mine. I did nothing wrong. Honestly.

 

But in Master’s eyes?

 

Oh dear. My disciple. You came running because you heard the gate broke, and now you’re indulging in debauchery with naked women. What? It’s not your fault? You saw a woman’s bare skin and now you’re making excuses? I’m disappointed in you, my disciple.

 

It was obvious this would happen. Master was very Confucian.

 

‘He doesn’t care much about seeing his own skin, but he cares a lot about me seeing others.’

 

But then again, it was cute how he showed his unguarded side to his disciple so much that I wondered if he did it on purpose. Anyway.

 

After a brief assessment, I immediately started attacking the boss.

 

[Kukuk, you have arrived. Pitiful ■■■ ■■….]

 

[Skill ‘Perfect Hypnosis’ is activated!]

 

“Die!!!”

 

[…Huh?]

 

I was in charge of the front line. I swung my sword with the sheath still on.

 

[It doesn’t reach? No, there’s ■■■, so it should be understandable….]

 

“Alice!! Cast magic quickly!!”

 

“Yu-jin might get caught in it, and he’s coming soon.”

 

“I’ll do anything you want later, so please!!”

 

“…!!!? O-okay, you promise!!!”

 

-Whoosh… Bang!!!

 

“Nice!!”

 

[…Kuaaaak!!! Stop pretending you can’t hear and just listen!!!]

 

In the rear, providing fire support, was Alice. She must have gotten really motivated by my words because she was casting spells faster than I had ever seen. She’d probably be exhausted after the battle, but… I’d send her away immediately afterward, so it should be fine.

 

And finally,

 

[I hear the sounds of battle, I’m coming now, just hold on until then!!!!!]

 

‘It’s been 30 seconds since we started fighting, why does your voice already sound so close!?’

 

Time limit: Master.

 

…I knew the dungeon path, so I took the shortest route, but Master wasn’t supposed to know it. Yet he caught up with my brainpower through sheer physical prowess. What was this? Is this what they call the body suffering because the mind is weak?

 

[Listen!! Your pitiful fate, the future that will discard you like an old shoe….]

 

“Head!!”

 

-Clang!!

 

I jumped up and struck down on the head where the fireball had hit with Zaha Swordsmanship. The boss monster, Dueokshini’s crown, became slightly concave. It entered a berserk pattern as a bonus.

 

[…You wretched creature!!!]

 

-Crunch.

 

Dueokshini, who had been leisurely until now, moved for the first time.

 

The first pattern was breaking the tree branches attached to his head like antlers. The broken branches swelled up immediately to form a giant club. He intended to smash the Awakened’s heads with that club…

 

“Alice, now!”

 

“Haaa!!!”

 

-Swish… Bang!!!

 

[Kuh!?]

 

The countermeasure: Because the club was lifted high, his lower body was left wide open, so hitting it with magic to unbalance him was the way.

 

[This…!]

 

“Head!!!”

 

-Smack!

 

Taking advantage of the opening, I dealt more damage. Dueokshini’s crown became a bit more concave. If he turned his neck a little, it would be concave enough for a certain fruit logo company to file a lawsuit.

 

As expected, Dueokshini went wild.

 

[Y-you miserable creature dares to touch my head!!!]

 

‘Still sensitive about the head, I see.’

 

Dueokshini, a Korean goblin known for crushing human heads, was named by the Chairman himself, who defeated him in the game. True to his name, touching his head drew a tremendous amount of aggro.

 

‘But at this pace, we’ll finish soon….’

 

[I hear explosions too, are you hurt anywhere!!!]

 

[Please stop!!! No, I won’t even ask you to stop. Just don’t shout so loudly!!!]

 

‘…Why are you coming so fast!?’

 

In the brief moment I got distracted, Master’s voice got significantly closer. It seemed we had only a few seconds left until he arrived.

 

I moved quickly.

 

“Alice, on my signal, hit the crown with your strongest spell!”

 

“Are you sure!? From what I’ve seen, the head doesn’t seem like a weak point….”

 

“Trust me and do it!!”

 

“…Okay!”

 

After preparing Alice’s ultimate spell, I also readied my sword. I poured all the mana I had preserved until now.

 

I was still far from mastering Zaha Swordsmanship… but I had grown enough to handle it temporarily without much difficulty.

 

[You pitiful creature, I was going to show mercy for your fate as a pawn!! Just die, wretch!!!]

 

-Crunch.

 

At that moment, Dueokshini entered a guaranteed pattern.

 

A pattern triggered only when his anger was sufficiently provoked. He broke all the branches protruding from his head, creating a giant club at least 10 meters long. He then swung it indiscriminately in front of him.

 

It was a simple but surprisingly hard-to-break attack. The speed was too fast for most magic to block, and the front line couldn’t approach at all. If it wasn’t Shia, breaking through from the front would be tough.

 

‘Originally, the attack timing is when the pattern ends, but… if we wait for that, Master will arrive.’

 

“Haaa!!!!”

 

Despite that, I charged in like a moth to a flame, heedless of consequences.

 

Immediately, the club rushed toward me. It struck diagonally, leaving no room to evade.

 

And I…

 

-Bang!!!

 

“Yu-jin!!!?”

 

I just took the hit. I was thrown like a baseball, flying through the air. Just as expected.

 

-Ding!

 

[The effect of the trait ‘Indomitable’ reduces the damage by 90%.]

 

“Alice, now!!!”

 

While being flung away, I called out.

 

My eyes met Alice’s, who was reaching towards me.

 

Her lips twisted into a sharp smile.

 

“I’ll scold you later, Yu-jin!! Haaa!!!”

 

-Whooooosh….

 

Alice, looking displeased with the human shield strategy, glared at me but obediently conjured flames.

 

Afterward, her magic, packed with her full power, was fired.

 

It was a spell powerful enough not to lose against an active A-rank Awakened.

 

Dueokshini, who would have usually dodged it easily…

 

Was still off balance from attacking me.

 

It hit directly.

 

-BOOOOM!!!!!

 

[@#$@%@#!!!!]

 

A scorching blast wind and deafening explosion sound.

 

I smiled involuntarily at Dueokshini’s cry of pain.

 

Unlike me, Alice, who had collapsed, looked horrified.

 

[Ugh, attacking my head since earlier…!!!]

 

“….!!!!? Yu-jin, you’re still fine!? Maybe the head isn’t the weak point after all!?”

 

Dueokshini, despite being hit directly by such magic, regained his balance nonchalantly.

 

Perhaps anticipating annihilation, Alice’s face darkened instantly…

 

“I’m exhausted, I can’t move a finger….”

 

“No, we got it.”

 

“…Yu-jin!”

 

Her face brightened again.

 

My eyes, which had stood back up from being thrown against the wall.

 

From them, a golden light was shining brightly.

 

-Step, step.

 

“Hey. You.”

 

[You’re alive. As expected of ■■■ ■■. You’re tough….]

 

And I stood before Dueokshini once more…

 

Declaring checkmate.

 

“———Kneel on all fours.”

 

[Skill ‘Perfect Hypnosis’ activated. Failed….]

 

[The target is currently suffering from ‘Concussion’! Despite the difference in level, the target falls into a ‘Simple’ hypnosis!!]

 

-Thud.

 

Dueokshini’s drowsy eyes slowly lowered.

 

As if bowing, he knelt on all fours before me.

 

Thanks to this, his nape.

 

The weak spot where the monster’s core was embedded became clearly visible.

 

‘I aimed for the head repeatedly to expose the weak point.’

 

…As Alice said, Dueokshini’s weak point wasn’t the head at all.

 

Being a creature that crushed heads, it was rather tough.

 

But, who am I?

 

The hypnosis master who could snap into action at the slightest opportunity.

 

I persistently targeted the head to create an opening.

 

To directly cut the weak point, which required severing all limbs due to his berserk reactions when touched.

 

The result was sweet.

 

‘Zaha Swordsmanship First Form. Kamaitachi.’

 

-Swish!

 

Before the hypnosis broke, I poured all my mana into a downward slash.

 

Even Dueokshini’s toughened skin couldn’t withstand it.

 

Slicing the incredibly hard core in half.

 

The cut was so clean that it looked like a thin line on the surface.

 

Dueokshini vanished without uttering a single word.

 

[This… How could a mere pawn… have such… authority…]

 

-Thud.

 

‘What’s he been mumbling about this whole time? Was he always this noisy?’

 

I didn’t know why he was chirping from the start.

 

As if trying to talk to me.

 

I couldn’t understand the beastly noises anyway.

 

* * *

 

The end of the battle was marked by Pine Needle’s Eye.

 

“Yu-jin, we did it…!!”

 

“Yeah. Here, drink this.”

 

“……Pine Needle’s Eye!”

 

Alice, who was exhausted and lying down, got excited and drank the can of soda I took out from my pocket for filming.

 

‘Where’s my share….’

 

-Swoosh.

 

‘Oh, nice catch, Director.’

 

Realizing it was a perfect PPL opportunity, the director handed one to me too.

 

I gulped it down refreshingly.

 

Because of Alice’s fire magic, it was hot, and my throat was extremely dry.

 

It was like finding an oasis in the desert, truly satisfying.

 

[Skill ‘Perfect Hypnosis’ activated.]

 

-Gulp, gulp.

 

“…Ahh!! This really hits the spot!”

 

Actually, I didn’t have the confidence to enjoy the taste, so I relied on hypnosis. But it worked out well.

 

The director, seemingly pleased, gave me an okay sign.

 

“That’s amazing! How did you clear an A-rank gate with just the two of you…!!”

 

“Did you get good footage? Is there more to shoot?”

 

“The battery’s dead, so we can’t shoot anymore. But we got everything we needed.”

 

“That’s great.”

 

Hearing that, I smiled…

 

And lifted her.

 

In a princess carry.

 

“Up we go.”

 

“…Huh?”

 

“Please handle the editing well. Only include the battle and the drink scenes~.”

 

-Swoosh.

 

Then I quickly placed her in the return portal that appeared in a corner.

 

The director, whose face turned red, was instantly sent outside the gate.

 

Next was Alice’s turn.

 

“Phew, it’s hot~.”

 

“Alice? You know… Huh.”

 

​”Why?”

 

…To attack at the very end, huh.

 

Well, Alice did get hot easily.

 

With all that sweat, she probably wanted to cool off by flapping her clothes, regardless of modesty.

 

Still, come on. Doing that with a guy around.

 

Someone might think she’s not wearing a bra.

 

It wasn’t visible because of the angle, but she obviously was.

 

Avoiding my gaze as much as possible, I lifted Alice too.

 

“Tired? I’ll take you to the return portal.”

 

“…? ………!!!!!!!?”

 

Her cheeks turned bright red, embarrassed by her sweat.

 

As a bonus, she zipped up her jacket belatedly.

 

“Wait a second, Yu-jin!! My stuff….”

 

“I’ll collect your wand and such, don’t worry.”

 

“No, it’s not that. It’s just….”

 

“Go rest first. I’ll talk to Master and come.”

 

-Sneak. Swoosh.

 

But I ignored her protests and sent Alice back too.

 

A perfect crime.

 

Footsteps approached, as if celebrating my success.

 

-Tadat.

 

“Disciple!! You’re safe…… Huh?”

 

“This, this is…?”

 

And there they were.

 

The Chairman and Master.

 

“You didn’t… clear an A-rank gate alone, did you?”

 

“I did it with Alice.”

 

Both seemed surprised that Alice and I had cleared an A-rank gate by ourselves.

 

I puffed out my chest and stood confidently.

 

Confident that no one would ever know what had happened here.

 

-Step, step.

 

“…Disciple.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“What is this?”

 

Look. Even Master was amazed by this incredible feat…

 

“Why is there a bra here? And it’s soaking wet?”

 

“…What?”

 

In Master’s hand was a black bra.

 

The one Alice was wearing.

 

“………!!!!!!!?”

 

‘Did Alice take off her bra because she got hot in that short time!?’

 

“———Disciple. Kneel here and lower your pants. I need to give you a lesson.”

 

Master’s expression turned stone-cold.