Ralph and Travis, they all agreed.
"Then I'll explain the plan."
I explained the plan to the team members.
Soon, their eyes widened.
"Isn't that too dangerous..."
Travis glanced around at the team members and then stopped speaking.
"I'm fast on my feet, so I think it's worth a try... but aren't the roles Noctar and Ralph are taking on too dangerous?"
"...Hmm."
There was a moment of silence.
No one said a word.
It wasn't that they didn't understand.
'Should we give up?'
If even one person slips up, we're all done for.
No matter how much we desire first place, it's not more valuable than our lives.
Just then.
"Krrrraaah─!"
Breaking the silence, Noctar suddenly rose from his seat.
"As I thought, weighing the odds isn't my style. I'm in."
"...I'm in too."
Ralph nodded.
"If you two, who are most at risk, are okay with it... then of course, I'm in."
Travis also nodded.
So, the only one left is...
"Aisha, what do you think? If you don't want to do it, we won't blame you."
I looked at Aisha evenly.
She met my gaze without flinching.
"You heard me earlier."
"What?"
"Theo, I said I trust you."
A small, genuine smile spread across her face, a welcome change from her usual forced smile.
"······It's decided then."
I dusted off my clothes and stood up.
"Then let's go catch that thing."
"Let's go! It's been a while since my blood boiled. To be honest, the spiders we've been fighting so far have been too boring. A true warrior should go for the boss, not the little minions!"
Noctar said, loosening his body with a big movement.
Ralph joined in, warming up in a similar fashion.
"I'll do my best... I'll keep the attention on me, make sure you guys are safe!"
Travis glanced at the two towering figures, then copied their movements.
We approached the target, a mutant spider twice the size of its regular counterparts.
Its exoskeleton was tough, and each of its eight legs was as thick as Noctar's.
'It's a lot scarier up close,' I thought, tension filling my body.
But I wasn't afraid.
A creature like this is a mere stepping stone on my path to top grades in this deadly academy.
While I was mentally preparing myself...
[Sudden Quest: Subdue the Mutant Giant Underground Spider.]
Reward: 2 Shop Gold Coins
A quest window popped up. Sudden quests are unexpected, they don't give any warning.
They weren't in the original game.
In fact, a mutant underground giant spider wasn't even part of the current timeline in the original game.
Well, anyway, it doesn't look like there are any special conditions.
I just have to take it down to earn 2 gold coins from the shop.
That's pretty good.
They rushed straight at the spider.
The spider, having better vision than a normal specimen, quickly noticed the team's approach.
Theo darted towards its right side.
"Travis, the left side is yours!"
"Got it!"
Immediately, Travis advanced towards the left side.
They aimed to distract it until Noctar and Ralph could get underneath its body.
Thump, thump, thump.
Continuously, Theo jabbed the spider's thick leg with his longsword.
Likewise, Travis also jabbed at its thick leg with his spear.
─!
In response to the pain, the spider shuddered greatly.
It charged towards Theo in a fit of anger.
For a creature its size, it moved surprisingly fast.
But Theo avoided its charge with minimal movement, focusing only on its first right leg.
Mutants heal quickly. If the cut isn't deep enough, the wound heals fast.
But small cuts like these can build up, causing temporary harm.
'Good.'
Dodging the spider's continuous charges, Theo saw two figures stealthily approaching its rear.
As the spider dashed towards Theo,
"Let's move! Are you ready, Ralph?"
"···Of course!"
Noctar and Ralph slipped under the spider's body.
Simultaneously, Theo shouted.
"Aisha, now's the time!"
"Yes!"
Grrrrrr───
Red mana gathered at the tip of Aisha's arrow.
Boom!
Her mana-charged arrow smashed the spider's second right leg.
─!
Silent screams filled the air.
With two right legs injured, the spider faltered.
Travis took the chance to jab its first left leg.
Losing balance, the creature slumped.
"Gr, Grrrr-! Lift it up now!"
“It's tough, even with three legs hurt!”
Noctar and Ralph hoisted the weakened spider and threw it aside.
The creature's belly, marked with a large red spot, was fully exposed.
At the same time, Aisha's bow flashed,
─!
The mana arrow pierced right through the creature's midsection.
Its body convulsed violently.
Still, it tried to rise again.
Noctar lifted his axe.
"Let's cut off the remaining legs just to be sure!"
"Good idea!"
Noctar and Ralph, weapons aloft, were about to charge at the spider once more when...
"Ah, too bad. Size isn't everything. Monsters aren't true warriors."
"True. It didn't last long."
The creature's body vanished.
Leaving behind only a large, crimson mark.
[You have cleared the sudden quest. As a reward, you have obtained 2 shop gold coins.]
[Total Reward: 2 shop gold coins]
"Phew, that was tough. My blood is still boiling. It's been quite a while since I had to fight like that."
"I almost died. I didn't think I'd have to use my buffs twice in one day."
Noctar and Ralph lay sprawled out on the ground, absolutely spent.
"You all did an amazing job! Who would've thought we'd take down a monster like that. Even the 3rd and 4th-year seniors wouldn't have managed this well!"
Travis, eyes shining with admiration, held up a large, red mark as he spoke.
"Ugh, I might have tensed up too much... I'm feeling it now that I've relaxed. I'm wiped out, utterly wiped out. And I didn't even do much, hehe."
Travis then joined Noctar and Ralph on the floor.
I glanced at Travis.
"No, the success of our mission is due to everyone performing their roles flawlessly.”
"But still, Theo, I can't help but think you could've done it all on your own. You did most of the distracting. I felt like I was useless.”
"Every member is essential, Travis. That's what it means to be a team.”
"······Thanks for saying that, Theo. Ever since I started at the academy... that's the first time I've heard something like that."
Travis raised his arm to cover his eyes.
"Hey, hey. Are you crying? Hey, a man doesn't cry over something like that. It's embarrassing.”
Ralph laughed heartily, patting Travis on the back.
Aisha, who was standing next to me, looked down at Ralph.
"Ralph. You cried too, remember? After you lost to Theo, you cried in the middle of the arena. I can still hear your sobs. Waaaah, sniffle."
Aisha mimicked wiping tears from under her eyes.
With a sour look, Ralph hastily sat up.
"I didn't cry that much! And that was then, this is... different.”
"Well... If you say so, I suppose. Anyway, you all worked hard.”
“······.”
Ralph sulked, lying back down again.
The team clearly needed a rest.
A break is crucial during missions.
Keeping both mind and body fit increases the success rate of the mission.
'This is a good time to retrieve the [Magic Cartridge].'
It's not too far from here. If I hurry, I should be able to make a round trip in 30 minutes.
"Everyone, take a breather for a moment."
With those words, I turned my back to them.
"Where are you going?"
"Just going to see how the other teams are faring and scout around."
"I can come with you."
Noctar attempted to sit up.
Ralph followed suit, attempting to sit up as well.
"No, just rest. As Aisha said, there are no other monsters around, so I can manage on my own."
"Uh, alright. Be careful then."
Once again, Noctar and Ralph lay down flat.
"Sure."
After one last look at my teammates, I headed straight towards the treasure.
Aisha, meanwhile, shot me a subtly curious glance.
'She's probably planning to follow me.'
Well, it doesn't matter.
It had no form anyway.
Soon, I stood before the resting place of the [Magic Cartridge].
A peculiar stone tower reached into the sky before me.
The [Magic Cartridge], a relic that allows one to wield magic up to the third circle.
At last, it was within my grasp.
A considerable asset to my arsenal.
When boosted with the [Amplification Orb], even third-circle spells could become potent magic.
"Hmm."
I took a deep breath, clearing my mind.
The process was straightforward.
Just as when I acquired [Natural Power], all I needed to do was input a specific pattern.
The original game 'Kyren Zena Chronicles' typically maintained a grave and somber tone.
Perhaps to lighten the mood, it frequently incorporates details in unexpected places and elements inspired by popular phrases & memes.
The pattern I was about to input fell into the latter category.
"Hmm..."
Exhaling deeply, I began entering the sequence.
Tap tap tap, tap tap tap.
Three taps on the left, three taps on the right.
I alternated between the left and right sides of the stone tower, tapping thrice on each side.
Then,
The stone tower crumbled with a thunderous rumble.
***
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