I’ll Retire After Saving the World

Chapter 57: The Strategy Guide (3)

2. However, if the orders are unreasonable, they can be challenged.

This is not something listed in the textbooks used at Hunter Academy. It’s taught during dungeon raid training.

Raid training starts from the second year at the academy. Active hunters serve as instructors for the training, usually hunters from the Ability Management Agency.

The agency also emphasizes the two points mentioned above when educating new hunters. The hunters who learn this then teach the same way when they go to the academy to teach.

The main idea is simple. Listen to the leader’s words well, but if they spout nonsense, smack them upside the head.

“You were eight people… just decide on two, a leader and a deputy leader. Usually, it’s proportional to the number of the raid team. If the team is larger, it needs to be more subdivided.”

The children sat in the classroom with faces a bit more composed than before.

Was it because of the snacks Lee Mi-seon brought? After all, sweet treats are the best for calming down kids.

“I told you to think about how you would conduct the raid if you were the leader, right? Now, choose a deputy leader. You can’t pick someone just because you’re friends. There must be a reason.”

The reason I’m telling them now, instead of earlier, is to see how they respond spontaneously.

Such quick thinking is very important.

I had no intention of listening to their complaints. I immediately looked around at the children.

“Who wants to start first?”

There’s no standard method for dungeon raids.

Since each dungeon is different, with varying monsters, there can’t be a fixed way to do things. Even for the same monster, the strategy changes depending on the dungeon’s structure and difficulty.

Therefore, usually, an experienced and seasoned hunter takes the role of the raid leader.

“No one?”

The children were as quiet as if they had glue on their lips.

It was easier to teach in silence, but it wasn’t fun. I wonder how many days it’ll take for them to recover? It would have been better if Hong Seok-young or Kim Chae-min were here.

With no other choice, I pointed at Oh Hyun-wook, who was sitting in the front row.

“Oh Hyun-wook, you’re the leader. Who will you choose as deputy leader?”

“…Seo Han-seong. We’ve worked together a lot, and he has dungeon experience.”

“Good. You’ve entered the dungeon. According to exploration data, the core is located to the east of the forest.”

“We proceed in the direction of the core. First, we’ll use the runes prepared by the mages and organize our formation. Yoo Hye-eun, the healer, will be in the center, the mages on either side. I’ll take the lead and Seo Han-seong, the deputy leader, will be at the rear.”

“Fifteen minutes after entering. You spot a pixie at the 11 o’clock direction. Leader, what will you do?”

“Kill it.”

“Why?”

“Pixies are monsters that usually move in groups. They typically move in groups of five or six, but within their territory, they patrol as scouts, one or two at a time. If we let it go, it will return to its group and bring others back.”

Oh Hyun-wook answered smoothly without hesitation. It seemed the children were starting to understand what I expected from them.

After tapping the podium with my fingers a few times, I spoke.

“The distance to the pixie is 15 meters. Three trees obstruct your view. The pixie doesn’t know it’s been discovered yet.”

“If there’s no sign the pixie is about to flee, we move until we secure a line of sight. Signal the presence of the pixie using hand signals and prepare the mages. If we secure our line of sight and the distance is close enough, I’ll take the lead and kill the pixie.”

Since it was the first turn and it was Oh Hyun-wook, there was no need to complicate the situation unnecessarily. They needed to overcome it themselves.

I narrated the events that occurred in the dungeon. The first pixie is killed, and the team encounters another pixie group.

Several battles ensue. Easy suppression.

However, Oh Hyun-wook’s voice started to crack, possibly due to a dry throat. The children listening quietly swallowed their saliva nervously.

Even without the flashy simulation devices of Hunter Academy, they are fully immersed. The imagination of children is something else.

“A loud noise can be heard from the direction of the core. Soon, a group of rampaging pixies will attack.”

“……”

“Oh Hyun-wook?”

“First.”

Oh Hyun-wook cleared his throat.

“Ahem. First, we straighten our formation. Be careful not to be swept away by the pixie swarm. Sun Sun-jin and I will face the incoming pixies at the front. Since we don’t know why the pixies are rampaging, our goal is to hold our ground. We will kill those that directly charge at us, but it’s enough to let the others pass.”

Oh Hyun-wook answered without hesitation, probably having mulled over it several times in the past few days.

I considered pressing Oh Hyun-wook but decided against it. I could always increase the intensity later.

A carrot. A carrot. Should I give Oh Hyun-wook a compliment too…?

…Maybe there’s no need? If I provoke him just right, he’ll get fired up and follow along.

“The pixie swarm passes by. There are some that charge at you, but… you can easily handle them. What’s next?”

“There’s no need to find out why the pixies are rampaging. We’re here for the raid. It’s better to destroy the dungeon core before any other variables arise.”

I nodded.

“Good. Raid complete.”

Oh Hyun-wook let out a big breath and slumped into his chair.

“Got it?”

I chuckled at his reaction.

“How many points did I get?”

“There are no points in dungeon raids.”

“Then?”

“It’s pass or fail.”

“What about retreat?”

“Do you think just anyone can retreat? If you declare a raid failure and manage to pass through the gate alive, that’s a pass.”

“…Then what’s a fail?”

“Death of the raid team. What kind of question is that?”

I clapped my hands to get everyone’s attention.

“Before class ends, everyone has to give it a try. Let’s see… Oh Hyun-wook chose Seo Han-seong as the deputy leader, right? Then let’s have Seo Han-seong try.”

“What?”

Seo Han-seong, startled, straightened his back.

“M-Me too? Hyun-wook just did the raid?”

“So?”

“Then, uh, I don’t need to…”

“How will you know if the leader is doing well or not if you don’t try being the leader yourself?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Alright. Seo Han-seong is the leader. Who’s the deputy leader?”

Seo Han-seong rolled his eyes and answered.

“Hyun-wook again…”

“Why?”

“He’s better than me and has more dungeon experience…”

“Skipping the tedious procedures, we’ll enter the dungeon right away.”

“W-Wait a minute!”

“Hmm?”

“We need to organize… our formation and equipment first.”

Good point. I nodded.

Seo Han-seong, despite looking flustered, began talking about various things. He checked the supplies and reviewed the dungeon exploration data once more before organizing the formation. The only difference was that Oh Hyun-wook and Seo Han-seong swapped places.

“We enter the dungeon…”

I smiled broadly.

“Dungeon entry. Six pixies are hovering around the gate.”

“What?!”

“Several pixies are hovering around the gate.”

“But the dungeon we entered didn’t have that!”

“When did I ever say this was the same dungeon you entered?”

“What?”

“No two dungeons under the sky are the same.”

Even entering the same dungeon again, the strategy changes.

“I told you I’d teach you how to use your brain.”

I tapped my temple.

“It wouldn’t be fun if it were easy.”

* * *

With a single flap of wings, the sea moved.

It felt like being trapped in a small box filled with water. The sea that had been in the sky fell like rain, sloshing around their feet.

Hong Seok-young, swept away by the water, lost his balance but managed to grab onto the vines connected by Kim Chae-min between the rocks, barely avoiding falling into the sea. Other hunters were also clinging to the vines in a similar state as Hong Seok-young.

Bringing Kim Chae-min along was indeed the right decision. Without this magic, they would have struggled considerably with the footing.

“……!”

The sea moved again.

A wave the size of a house crashed over the hunters hanging from the vines. As the hunters, unable to steady themselves, were about to be swept into the ocean, the vines caught hold of their bodies.

“…!! ……!!!”

The monster, flapping its wings, clicked its teeth together with a displeased expression. The feathers on its wings and body were as sharp as well-honed blades. Its large claws, capable of snatching up a person, were equally menacing.

Yet, the face visible through the dark green, seaweed-like hair was strikingly beautiful. A pale face contrasted by the hair, with a sharp nose, slender lips, and a red tongue flicking between them.

How many hunters had that beautiful face devoured?

Once it was known that the monster in the dungeon was a siren, there were still hunters who underestimated it. This dungeon had no survivors for three years.

As a result, the sirens feasted endlessly. Occasionally, someone would return alive, so a surprising amount was known about the dungeon’s interior: the sea that shifted with the siren’s wing flaps, the pillars and rocks where the sirens would sit and rest.

Thus, when the Gangwon Provincial Office requested a raid, the first person Hong Seok-young included was Kim Chae-min. He believed her magic would be sufficient as footing.

‘Normally, I would have gone in alone to scout the situation first…’

But this time, He didn’t. He wasn’t a young hunter brimming with energy anymore, and there was much he had to take responsibility for. Not only the students of the pilot high school but there was also a young man who would be quite difficult to deal with if he were to die.

‘With hunter Lee there, it shouldn’t be too difficult.’

Still, it was best if he stayed alive. It wasn’t a hard task. The raid would end once they cleared the dungeon.

‘Come to think of it, isn’t there a rune that can block the siren’s voice?’

Something would have popped out just like pressing a button on a vending machine.

Hong Seok-young clicked his tongue unconsciously as a face flashed through his mind.

He knows strangely much. Not that he knows everything, but somehow, if you ask, the answer pops out.

Initially, it couldn’t be denied that he brought him to the school because it was convenient for surveillance. How much harm could he cause to the students without his knowledge?

However, as he kept him around, observed his attitude toward the students, and saw him gradually become more enthusiastic about teaching, which he was initially reluctant about…

‘It’s convenient.’

With the Ark’s matters and the pilot high school, he hadn’t been able to properly raid a dungeon for nearly a year. As a result, the government’s pressure was growing.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to raid. But he wanted to change the dependency on him forever. He couldn’t always win. The creation of the pilot high school had various reasons, but ultimately, it was an extension of that.

In many ways, Woo Hwijae was the most needed talent for Hong Seok-young.

He was sincere enough to organize a curriculum for the students, and his skills were excellent. He had unique knowledge about runes and seemed to have many more tricks up his sleeve.

Once they saved his brother and roughly settled the Ark’s matters, he wanted to properly train that guy too. At thirty, it’s the prime age to blossom as a hunter.

“……!!”

‘Oops. I need to break the habit of letting my mind wander.’

Hong Seok-young hurriedly raised his spear to block the siren’s claws. Putting strength into it, he pushed the claws away and thrust his spear forward.

The spear and claws clashed, making a loud noise. Though the sound didn’t reach Hong Seok-young’s ears, the shock transmitted through his palms was enough to gauge the siren’s strength. The siren’s face twisted in anger, but when their eyes met, it smiled.

A beautiful face. A bird’s body. A voice that mesmerizes people.

It’s only natural it’s named after the mythical monster.

The standoff with the siren continued.

There were three sirens in the dungeon. They need to eliminate at least one quickly. Hong Seok-young spat to get rid of the salty taste lingering in his mouth.

Hong Seok-young swung his spear widely to shake off the siren and then leaped back. Meanwhile, Kim Chae-min’s vines had densely connected between the rocks.

Hong Seok-young checked the vines with his toes. They swayed slightly, but it didn’t seem like they would break even if he kicked them hard.

Without warning, Hong Seok-young lunged at the siren. A few strands of the vine snapped under the force, but they were quickly restored. The siren, momentarily losing track of Hong Seok-young’s movements, opened its mouth wide and flapped its wings.

Boom!!

The siren attacking another hunter intervened to save its comrade. However, this time, the attack landed properly. Hong Seok-young smirked. The blade of his spear was soaked in red blood, and the struck siren fell into the sea.

One down.

The battle continued. It was definitely easier with one less siren. Though the heightened alertness of the remaining sirens was unwelcome.

The shifting sea remained troublesome. Hong Seok-young and the hunters kept attacking to prevent giving the sirens any openings.

But inevitably, each time the sirens flapped their wings forcefully, the sea moved.

Splash!!

With a massive wave, the sea climbed up high like a wall. The wave obscured visibility. No, among the waves, a siren with a large gash on its side hid and ascended.

The wave crashed down on the mage sitting in the center of the vines like a flower. The dark blond siren grinned, showing its teeth.

“Teacher Kim!!!”

Pushing away the siren gripping his spear with its claws, Hong Seok-young twisted his body.

There was no need to control his strength to prevent the vines from breaking. If Kim Chae-min got hit and the magic was undone, it would be over. No matter how capable he was, without the footing, it would be impossible.

Hong Seok-young wedged himself between the siren’s claws and Kim Chae-min. He couldn’t steady his stance properly. There wasn’t even time to raise his spear to block.

“Teacher Hong!!!”

Kim Chae-min screamed.