chapter 159
Jin Cheon-ha isn’t exactly talented.
He awakened late, and his magical skills aren’t particularly outstanding.
Yet, he wants to modify magic into his own style and turn it into “Tosul” (a type of Taoist or mystic technique).
“Of course, there will be no results.”
Even focusing solely on regular magic, it’s questionable whether he could grow properly. And a person with no talent, obsessed with Tosul instead of concentrating on magic? Growth is bound to be delayed.
In the end, before the regression, Jin Cheon-ha graduated high school, failed to get into the academy, and became just an ordinary awakened.
“Thinking about that, it’s actually surprising he passed the qualification exam.”
Even before the regression, I heard that he passed the qualification exam at the start of high school.
However, Jin Cheon-ha passed it by the narrowest of margins.
“That means his skills are among the lowest of those entering dungeons.”
Even among the non-combatants or porters, he would probably rank as weak. In that sense…
“Why don’t we try entering a dungeon with those who passed the exam?”
Jin Cheon-ha’s suggestion to the students of our class was basically insane. He seemed confident just because he passed the exam, but at his current level, it would be lucky if he didn’t just get in the way rather than contribute.
“I want to spar with Doomin!”
“Did you hear that?”
Elliot and Lee Doo-min said they would spar at the school training ground after hearing Jin Cheon-ha. They even did this at Kang Garam’s house yesterday—are they planning to do it again today?
“I’ll pass too. If a foreigner enters another country’s dungeon recklessly, it could complicate things…”
Elena also withdrew, giving a similar reason. Naturally, the remaining people were just me and Lee Ha-eun.
“Hmmm… I’ll go if Geon-woo goes.”
“…Then let’s go.”
If I had refused, Jin Cheon-ha would have gone into the dungeon alone. At that rate, he’d most likely die there. I decided that at least Lee Ha-eun and I had to accompany him.
“If he fights a few monsters, he’ll figure out his limits.”
He might be able to take down a single goblin, but he couldn’t handle more. If things got truly dangerous, we could intervene. Even if he got injured, we have Lee Ha-eun, a proper archmage, even if limited to support magic, so healing wouldn’t be difficult as long as he didn’t die.
“Should we just let him lose an arm or something?”
“Hm? What did you just say?”
“Geon-woo, no bad words.”
Jin Cheon-ha and Lee Ha-eun reacted to my muttering. By the way, I spoke very quietly, so only Lee Ha-eun next to me likely heard me.
“Anyway! I’ve booked a dungeon with goblins! A raid team went in first to check it, but knowing it had goblins, they came straight out!”
Jin Cheon-ha said.
The previous team likely left under the pretense of considering the dungeon too dangerous for beginners, even though goblins are weak individually. Realistically, the effort to kill goblins probably isn’t worth the reward.
“Anyway, Jin Cheon-ha must have reserved the dungeon after confirming it had goblins.”
However, we needed to check the dungeon location in advance.
“Where’s the dungeon?”
“Um… the address is…”
Jin Cheon-ha checked the location of the dungeon on his smartphone and his expression stiffened.
“Not Seoul or Gyeonggi-do, right?”
“Uh… well…”
“Be honest.”
“…Gangwon-do.”
I expected as much. I know that reservation app from before my regression. Dungeons from your area show up first, but without settings, dungeons from other regions can appear too.
“Jin Cheon-ha is probably using this app for the first time, so mistakes are understandable.”
Thinking this, I immediately took his smartphone and canceled the reservation. Canceling repeatedly temporarily disables the app, but a couple of times is fine. I then set it to show dungeons within a two-hour round trip and checked the list.
“Goblin… goblin… is there no goblin dungeon?”
Of course, there’s no goblin dungeon nearby, which is why the Gangwon-do dungeon was booked.
“Ah, here it is.”
After refreshing a few times, a goblin dungeon appeared in the reservation list.
“How about this one? About an hour round trip by bus.”
I showed Lee Ha-eun and Jin Cheon-ha the dungeon information.
“If Geon-woo thinks it’s okay, I’m good.”
“I’m fine too. Not too far…”
After hearing their responses, I reserved the dungeon and returned the smartphone to Jin Cheon-ha.
“Thanks! You don’t have to help at all if you don’t want to! I’ll take on the dungeon myself!”
“Uh? Really?”
“……”
Earlier, he spoke quietly due to his mistake, but now he spoke loudly again. He even claimed he could clear the dungeon alone.
“…Sigh…”
I sighed internally. Fine, I’ll put up with it for today. After he gets thoroughly beaten in the goblin dungeon, he’ll understand his limits.
Time passed, and we arrived at the goblin dungeon…
“Ugh?!”
Jin Cheon-ha was rolling on the floor.
He had been hit by a goblin’s club.
“Kiiik…!”
“Tch… spit…!”
When the goblin approached him, Jin Cheon-ha got up and spat out blood. His willpower was at least commendable.
“An ordinary student would probably be unable to stand from unfamiliar pain.”
Yet, even injured, he didn’t ask Lee Ha-eun or me for help, so he hadn’t fully realized the situation.
“Geon-woo, should we really just leave him like that?”
“Yes.”
Lee Ha-eun, next to me, was ready to use recovery magic, but I had no intention of helping Jin Cheon-ha—at least until he humbles himself and asks.
“Don’t help him until he asks.”
He was taking hits but pushing the goblin back with strength.
“It looks like he’s using body enhancement magic, but it’s not ordinary.”
He called it “Gangsinjool” (Spirit Invocation Technique). Before regression, Jin Cheon-ha called his modified body-enhancement magic—or Tosul—by that name. He claimed it invoked an animal’s spirit to use its strength. Judging by the speed, it must be a bear spirit.
“And it’s inefficient…”
He gained strength but consumed too much mana. Using regular body enhancement magic would have been far more efficient.
“Kiiik…”
“Phew…”
Watching him, the goblin eventually died from Jin Cheon-ha’s strangling. Killing even one exhausted him.
“He initiated the attack, but his magic—or Tosul—mostly missed, allowing the goblin to counterattack, and he barely managed to strangle it to death.”
Seeing him catch his breath, I realized there was only one goblin.
“If a goblin acts alone, this must be one of the easiest goblin dungeons.”
Weak goblins usually move in groups to survive. The single goblin meant there weren’t many in this dungeon.
“Even a weak awakened could handle this alone.”
He could potentially clear it…
“……”
But recalling his inefficient Gangsinjool, I reconsidered—this was still too much for him.
“Ugh…!”
Jin Cheon-ha, partially recovered, got back up. Being a mage, he knew basic recovery magic, though he might have modified it as Tosul.
“All right! Next time, I’ll defeat them without taking a single hit!”
He seemed to think his earlier hit was his own fault.
“Hm?”
At that moment, I sensed someone entering the dungeon. Even though we reserved it.
“What? Could it be scavengers?”
Scavengers steal leftovers from dungeons. Even a goblin dungeon could attract them. They take monster remains and dead awakened’s equipment.
“No, they’re too obvious to be scavengers.”
Scavengers move stealthily, but these intruders were in a hurry.
“They’re coming this way.”
They seemed to know our exact location, heading straight for us.
“…Lee Ha-eun, take out your staff.”
“Eh? Ah, okay!”
Lee Ha-eun noticed them and aimed her staff. I drew one of the numerous mass-produced swords from the extra-dimensional space at my waist.
“Eh? Why are you two doing that?”
“Just hide behind us.”
At that moment…
Swish…!
The intruders reached a visible distance. Upon spotting us, they increased speed. We both tightened our grip on our weapons.
“Master Jin!”
“Are you okay?!”
“Huh…? You guys…”
Seeing them call Jin Cheon-ha “Master” and his recognition of them, my tension eased.
