Suddenly, a sparring session with the instructor was arranged.

I looked at Instructor Hong Jinada in front of me and tried to recall any information I knew about her.

Hong Jinada, the first-year Dealer lecturer at the Velvet Hunter Academy, was in charge of the “Anti-personal Combat Practice” class.

She was proficient in all types of weapons and was among the top-ranked instructors at the academy in terms of combat strength.

Her nickname was “Battle Maniac.”

That was all I knew.

“…There wasn’t much information to begin with,” I thought. Since the instructors rarely appeared as enemies, I hadn’t fought them before, and the classes at the Velvet Academy were not implemented in the game, there wasn’t much information available about them.

All I knew was that they were much stronger than the students.

“Well, as you progress through the main story, you’ll hear people say that you’ve reached the level of Velvet Academy instructors within a year,” I mused.

What I could gather from the context was that she was a much more challenging opponent than Ryu Jinju, whom I had faced the other day.

In terms of power balance, the Hunter Management Bureau was generally weaker than the Velvet Academy. As an instructor teaching Dealers, Hong Jinada was undoubtedly one of the top-tier fighters among the academy’s staff.

That’s why this sparring session was crucial. I knew that there would be battles ahead where I would face unknown enemies, and I couldn’t afford to be caught off guard. This was an opportunity to prepare for such encounters and devise strategies when facing unfamiliar opponents.

“Still, she’s probably not as strong as Instructor Baek Seol-hee,” I thought.

It wouldn’t make sense if there were monsters like Baek Seol-hee everywhere. If the instructors at Velvet Academy were that powerful, then the academy wouldn’t be in any real danger, no matter how much chaos the Demons caused. They could just swoop in and take care of the problem.

“Hmm, first, I need to gauge Instructor Hong Jinada’s combat strength…”

“Have you come up with any ideas, Jin Yuha?”

Just then, the orange-haired “righteous bug,” Lee Min-young, turned to me and asked a question. I turned to face her, noting the determined look on her face—a face that screamed “stubbornness” more than “conviction.”

I lifted the corners of my lips in a slight smirk.

“Here we have a combat power meter right in front of us,” I thought, amused. Sensing my amusement, Min-young took a cautious step back, her expression uncertain.

“W-what is it?” she asked, her voice slightly raised.

“Hey, I’m not going to eat you,” I said, quickly composing my face into a serious expression. “Lee Min-young,” I began, addressing her directly. “We have three Dealers here right now.”

“Yes, that’s right,” she replied.

“In this situation, if we just blindly charge in with an all-out attack, the outcome is obvious. Academy instructors are not to be taken lightly,” I continued, my tone grave.

Hearing my words, she nodded in agreement, her face hardening further. “Yes, that’s true. We need a strategy. We can’t afford to be reckless,” she said, her voice steady.

Knowing her personality, I chose my words carefully. “Well, you’re the only one among us with a shield,” I pointed out.

“A shield?” she asked, her brow furrowed.

“Yes, and not just any shield. Your balance as a Dealer is exceptional. In fact, I’d go as far as saying that there’s no one quite like you. You’re a well-balanced talent who can seamlessly combine offense and defense,” I praised.

Hearing my unexpected words of praise, Min-young, with her stiff face, swallowed hard, clearly uncomfortable with the attention. This girl, despite her outward appearance of nonchalance, loved being acknowledged and recognized by others. Her sense of righteousness and desire for recognition made her sensitive to the opinions and evaluations of those around her.

“B-but that doesn’t change the fact that I intend to defeat you!” she declared, her voice strong as she tried to hide her pleasure at my flattery.

“And you! After beating me so mercilessly last week, what are you talking about now?”

Min-young exclaimed, her voice quivering with a mix of indignation and something else.

But Min-young, why is your voice so breathless and your expression so flustered? I truly don’t understand.

“Because it was you,” I replied, maintaining my serious demeanor as I suppressed a laugh.

“B-because it was me…?” Min-young’s eyes darted uncertainly.

Now it’s time to deliver the final blow that she’ll love to hear.

“Yes, because you have an unyielding ‘conviction’ that is hard to break. Even before entering the academy, I’ve always ‘admired’ that about you.”

I said, emphasizing the words with a slight smile.

Her eyes widened further, filled with surprise at my unexpected words.

“That’s why I had no choice but to go all out. You’re not someone who surrenders easily, and if I had been careless or underestimated you, I would’ve been the one lying on the ground,” I explained, my voice steady.

Min-young swallowed hard, her throat dry. She shuddered slightly, then abruptly turned her head away, trying to hide her reaction.

“Hmph! So, that’s what it was!?” she said, her voice tinged with embarrassment.

But her shoulders couldn’t hide the joy that was bubbling up inside her, as they continued to squirm with excitement.

“Ahem! So, what’s the strategy then? Please, enlighten me!” she said, her voice still facing away from me.

“First, I need you to take the lead and face the instructor alone. While you engage her, Doh-hee and I will look for an opening and join the attack,” I explained.

“Me, alone…?” Min-young turned back, her face now showing clear concern.

I nodded. “This is a task that only you, a Dealer with the capabilities of a Tanker, can pull off. It’s a role that suits you perfectly.”

“Because it’s me…” she murmured, her eyes narrowing as she processed my words.

“So, what do you say? Can you do it? If you think it’s too much, just say so,” I offered, giving her an out.

“Hmph! What do you take me for?! Leave it to me!” she declared, her shoulders straightening with determination.

“Easy,” I thought to myself as Min-young readily bought into the plan. As expected of a top-tier “righteous bug,” she was easily swayed once I gave her a little push.

And with that, she confidently took the lead, tightening her grip on her shield and assuming the stance of a Tanker.

Standing beside us, Kang Do-hee, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, now stared at me as if I were trash.

“…”

Why are you looking at me like that? What did I do?

.

.

.

“Alright, so the strategy is set. Hmm, this is getting interesting,” Hong Jinada said, observing the group as they stepped into the sparring arena.

She couldn’t help but recall Park Jin-soo’s whining from the day before, a rare display of vulnerability from the usually stoic man.

‘Hmm, that icy exterior cracking to reveal a whiny side was quite adorable—no, wait, he mentioned something about possessing a genius-level strategic mind that no one else could replicate, didn’t he?’ she thought, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

Even without being a disciple of Baek Seol-hee, whom she considered a rival (a sentiment that was entirely one-sided), Jin Yuha was already an intriguing student.

But the mention of his exceptional intellect only added to her curiosity. That’s why she had arranged for this sparring session, pitting herself against a team of three Dealers instead of a solo opponent.

‘I’ll experience it firsthand and then share my insights with Park Jin-soo. It’ll be a great help to him,’ she reasoned, although her motivation was mostly driven by her desire (90% of it, to be precise) to see the usually stoic Jin-soo melt again and cling to her with gratitude.

Shaking off the playful thoughts, Hong Jinada focused and prepared herself for the upcoming spar, reminding herself that she was facing upper-grade students, not first-year students.

“Then let’s begin. I’ll be fighting with full force,” she announced, her spatial magic tattoo glowing brightly.

Axes, spears, swords, greatswords, arrows, katanas, daggers… an array of weapons rained down from the sky, each one a deadly projectile.

Shrieeeek!

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

The clanging symphony of metal filled the air as the weapons, summoned from thin air, plummeted towards the ground. Min-young, her face set in a determined scowl, turned to Jin Yuha and Kang Do-hee.

“Be careful! Get out of the way!” she shouted, her eyes wide with concern.

But even before she finished her sentence, Jin Yuha and Do-hee had already moved away, putting a safe distance between themselves and the falling weapons.

“…!”

Min-young’s expression softened for a moment, and then she clenched her jaw, turning to sprint towards the rear.

The sound of metal crashing against the ground pursued her as she ran, filling her with a chilling sense of danger.

BOOM!

BOOM!

And so it began, with an overwhelming display of firepower.

Soon, the summoning of weapons ceased, and an impressive array of armaments now surrounded Hong Jinada, each one embedded in the ground.

“Shall we begin?” she asked, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

.

.

.

“Wow, that’s a whole different level…”

“I’ve heard that Academy instructors are on a whole different level compared to students, but this is insane…”

“This is crazy OP! She can use all those weapons?”

“With that initial weapon summon, she could wipe out most monsters in an instant!”

“I wonder what her Hunter rank is?”

The students enrolled in the “Anti-personal Combat Practice” class watched the spar from a safe distance, their eyes wide with awe and excitement.

Shrieeek!

Arrows flew, spears lunged, and swords slashed in a dazzling display of martial prowess.

Instructor Hong Jinada seamlessly transitioned between various weapons, each move executed with precision and fluidity. The students, accustomed to sparring only among themselves, were shocked to witness the prowess of a true “Hunter” recognized by the state.

“I hope Min-young is okay…” one student whispered, concern etched on their face.

“Yeah, and she’s not even a Tanker. What’s she doing there?” another chimed in.

“Poor girl, getting tangled up with Kang Do-hee and Jin Yuha. What a tough break,” a third student added, shaking their head.

“Well, Min-young has a good heart, but her personality…” the first student began, trailing off.

The others nodded in understanding, their expressions conveying their agreement without needing to speak the words.

“Hey, she’s actually dodging pretty well, isn’t she?” one student observed, drawing their attention back to the spar.

Indeed, Min-young was holding her own against Hong Jinada, taking on the brunt of the instructor’s attacks. While Hong Jinada utilized long-range weapons like bows and arrows to target Jin Yuha and Kang Do-hee, the distance and their agile movements meant that most of the attacks were directed at Min-young.

“I didn’t know she was this good,” one of the students remarked, their eyes widening as they watched Min-young desperately dodge and weave, her face a mask of sheer determination.

Unbeknownst to them, Min-young was internally screaming for help.

‘Ahhhhhh!!! Save me!!!’ she thought, her face pale with fear.

[Min-young, roll to your right now.]

Roll, roll, roll…