[The Boss]
[Educational Golem]
It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered this fellow. As the first boss players encounter in the game, it wasn’t too difficult to defeat in the game. However,
“No, what’s this?! Why isn’t my attack working?”
“Aaargh!”
“You idiot! What are you going to do if you step out there?”
That’s a story about the male leads, who are top talents in their field, and the tutorial that kindly teaches the strategy step by step. The creaking sounds can already be heard from here and there. Among them were major characters such as dukes and counts that I had glimpsed in documents from Wolbaek.
“Can we really do this?”
One of our mercenaries on our side seemed to be quite scared already.
And it wasn’t just him. Although the other mercenaries were keeping quiet, their expressions were full of negativity.
I was a bit puzzled. ‘How did these guys even get into the academy?’
They must be promising mercenary candidates. At the very least, if they get paid, they should do it. Isn’t that the rule of adventurers and mercenaries?
“Morale is low. What a state to be in before a fight.”
Only one person. Georg, mumbling in disappointment, was the only one fired up with fighting spirit.
Right. That’s how a mercenary who’s been paid should be.
“That’s a great attitude. If we’re going to face it anyway, it’s better to be positively charged rather than deflated.”
“So, employer, what will you do?”
I had already grabbed Georg, who seemed ready to burst forward with his breastplate jutting out.
Having enthusiasm is good, but one must know the strategy before diving in.
“Just wait a moment. There’s no point in rushing in alone against this opponent.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Do you know why even the renowned nobles over there are hesitating?”
Pointing towards the scene of chaos, everyone turned their gaze in that direction. There was-
“Why isn’t the magic working?!”
Screaming at the top of her lungs, a pink-haired lady had thrown all decorum aside.
“Sir Hyran? Why did you let the golem approach the mage?”
“…Well, if you had activated the trap in time, Lady Frontal wouldn’t have been exposed to danger, would she?”
Ah. It was a very familiar atmosphere.
– Can’t dodge a single platform pattern, tsk. Are your eyes not working?
– Done talking? You wouldn’t know since you only heal and don’t move. A dealer has to dodge patterns and deal damage, it’s enough to make your head explode!
– XX! It’s just a mess!
Every worthy young man of Daehan must have stumbled into a valley or a dark cave at least once or twice in their life.
Just before the raid team collapses. The chaos of the scene, stained with blame and swearing, felt as if it came from the engagement party of a fiancée far away.
“If we’re comparing tastes, it’s like the taste of my mother’s cooking back in my hometown.”
“?”
Ah, I got absorbed in it without realizing.
“Ahem. As you can see, simply charging in will get us defeated one by one. We need a good strategy.”
Don’t worry.
Even if you are frightened and your hands holding weapons are shrinking, we have experts here!
“Strategy?”
“Yes. Have you thought about why they start with a party-based grade test, even though more than half of the freshmen are meeting for the first time?”
The reason Elizabeth, who ranks among the top five in the North, is struggling, lies in the special gimmick of that golem.
“Do you see the magic circle on the chest of that golem?”
“…I can see it. However, I’m not knowledgeable enough about magic to understand its effect.”
That can’t be helped. In fact, that magic circle was created specifically for this entrance ceremony.
-Magic circle, you say? Let me see… Hmm. The more attacks it absorbs, the more damage it absorbs. That’s highly inefficient.
As Bathory explained, the more you attack it, the less effective your attacks become. However, that was not the end.
[Tutorial Boss, ‘Educational Golem’ requires everyone’s cooperation.]
[All party members have made successful attacks.]
[Now, it’s your turn.]
The system message from the tutorial vividly came to mind. That means,
“This golem is engraved with a conditional damage absorption magic circle. If one person inflicts more than a certain amount of damage, its efficiency dramatically decreases. In other words, all of you need to participate in the attack to some extent.”
For parties like Elizabeth’s or the noble students, who might be physically fit but have never experienced real combat, this was definitely not an easy test.
“Eek, to that golem? It seems like even a sword wouldn’t do any damage…”
However, as the law goes, if five people gather, one is bound to be a fool. Among those who have experienced real combat, there are always gaps.
I approached Mr. Glasses from the South, who was still sounding hesitant.
I don’t know what kind of monsters he has faced until now, but hesitating like this won’t do.
“I’m not speaking as a fellow student but as an employer who has paid you. Don’t forget that you’re supposed to follow orders.”
Fortunately, perhaps the threat from a noble closer to him was scarier than the distant golem, as he nodded vigorously with a pale face.
“There’s nothing difficult about it. You just have to follow what I do.”
Slowly, we headed towards our target, the Dean’s golem.
“It’s dangerous!”
“Haha, dangerous? That’s a funny joke. Now, listen carefully.”
What’s needed is to draw out the courage to face the golem from these foolish mercenaries. The golem might look intimidating, but as expected of a tutorial boss, its movements were excessively slow. Even Elizabeth, whose physical abilities aren’t considered outstanding, could see and avoid it.
Naturally, it wouldn’t be able to reach me, or the freshmen.
Even if it lifts its greatsword as tall as me with its giant arm, what use is it if it doesn’t hit?
However, to those who are scared right now, such things wouldn’t be visible.
“Don’t get scared just by its size. Now, pay attention. It just lifted its right arm, right? That means you just need to get closer.”
As my words ended and I dove towards the golem, a cool sound of a greatsword scraping the ground hit my ears from behind.
“But simply dodging isn’t enough. If we only dodge, we can’t defeat it, can we? Plus, if the attack shifts to another person, that’s a nuisance as well.”
In other words, aggro might be drawn to someone else. To prevent that, we need to keep accumulating damage.
With a clang, my dagger, swung horizontally, deflected the golem’s greatsword, creating an opening.
As the attack was clearly visible, deflecting it wasn’t too difficult. It was slightly heavy, but that was all. If the rhythm and angle were matched well, it was manageable.
“Did you see? Up close, the precursor actions are shorter, but the power is weaker, so you can deflect it easily. Like this!”
Raven claw clawed through the gap in the golem’s armor plating, tearing through its skeleton. The golem staggered momentarily, having been damaged in its skeleton. My role in dealing damage, my share, was done.
“How about it, really easy, right? Just do this and dodge, and you’re doing your part.”
“Could it really be…”
“Hm?”
I turned around and tilted my head. I understood the mercenaries making a fuss, but why did Georg look like that too? They were quite a handful.
“Well, it can’t be helped. Let’s show it again.”
But if it doesn’t work, just repeat until it does. A timeless truth I learned from Yegor, excluding brewing tea, of course.
Thump, thump.
“Why, why are you bringing that golem over here?!”
Georg’s tone was unusually panicked. But it couldn’t be helped. Physically and mentally superior to the others, wouldn’t it be best for you to be the test subject… no, the example, and teach them directly?
“Come on, lift your greatsword. Just follow me.”
“Wait, wait a minute! I’m not ready yet…!”
His protest was cut off in front of the golem, which raised its right arm.
“I said earlier! Let’s dive in! One, two, three, now!”
“Damn it! Such a reckless employer!”
A reluctant voice came from behind his helmet.
***
“Indeed, this year’s freshmen might well be called the golden cohort.”
On the desk in the dean’s office, a situation in the hall was being shown through a brilliant light emanating from a magical stone.
The dean could see it. Just like this magical stone, these yet unpolished gems held a brilliant glow within them.
“I will bestow a blessing upon you. Everyone, to your positions.”
A candidate to stand against the destruction of the world. The saintess from Saleranto, with a dignity, beauty, and charisma fitting her position, showed wisdom beyond that of a commoner. Truly, as if chosen by a god.
“Luciana! Can’t you hear me?! Retreat!”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but please stay safe. I can handle this myself. In matters of combat, please follow my judgment.”
And Luciana Speda, already renowned before enrollment. A treasure from the North, engaging the golem with pure skill, undeterred by the magic circle’s damage mitigation.
Among the many talented individuals, one student stood out in particular.
“Come on, the mercenary from the North did it. You’re not planning to just lose to a country bumpkin, are you? Let’s show them the prestige of the Central region!”
“That doesn’t matter at all! It’s the nobles who care about such things, not mercenaries! How can… Aaah!”
“Good. Just follow me.”
Leading ordinary mercenaries while holding the baton, a man methodically takes down the golem.
“Was his name… Hans Byron?”
The dean’s gaze shifted back and forth between the image shown in the crystal ball and the enrollment documents.
“Byron, a baronial family… I haven’t heard of the family, but it makes sense if he’s a martial arts tournament champion.”
It was a rare sight to see someone who wasn’t a high noble standing out.
“Hmm. I’d like to test him a bit more.”
After some deliberation, he manipulated the golems targeting the three parties he was most interested in.
If they are truly seeds of greatness, their sprouts will be different. This level of trial should be well within their capacity to endure.
***
“Now, only the finish is left!”
Following Georg, even the last, most frightened mercenary from the south completed their part. Although those who had already finished their share were sprawled out behind.
As long as the golem hadn’t fallen yet, I urged the mercenary to stay tense.
-You have a talent for pushing people, don’t you?
“Ha ha… there, when I give the signal, thrust with your spear! …Now!”
Of course, staying close and instructing was quite exhausting for me too. But the results were clear.
Boom!
“…Impressive.”
The way Georg and all the mercenaries looked at me changed. They no longer saw me just as an employer, but as a distinguished warrior.
“Have I laid the foundation for a reputation with this?”
-The envy of others must feel pleasant. What does it taste like?
“Sweet. So sweet it might rot my teeth,” I whispered to Bathory, ensuring only she could hear, as I approached the fallen golem. Now, only destroying the core, which had been exposed after all the armor plates were torn off, was left.
But then,
[Beep-. Command executed.]
[Switching to advanced education mode.]
It was at that moment. The golem’s blue eye turned red, accompanied by a monochromatic voice.
-Hisss!
Dropping its greatsword, the golem extended its steel fists alone.
“Ugh. That was close.”
A few strands of hair from my forehead were cut off and scattered into the air. Was this what they call perceived speed? The attacks, which were yawningly slow before, had suddenly sped up, and I was a step behind in adapting.
Thump, Thoom!
The golem, having promptly gotten up from the ground, resumed its stance.
“Damn, I’m completely drained from helping the mercenaries, and now there’s advanced training out of nowhere?”
The mana and stamina meticulously calculated for a strong first impression were nearly depleted, and a new crisis emerged.
Bathory, noticing my weary state from my labored breathing, asked with concern,
-You seem quite tired. Need help?
“That won’t do. Most of them are still unaware of Lady Bathory’s existence, and unnecessary confusion is the last thing we need.”
While stepping back, the sight of mercenaries frozen in fear under the golem’s menacing aura caught my eye.
“Did it get an upgrade all of a sudden? Its movements have changed.”
Only one person stood by my side. It was Georg.
“It’s good timing. Could you help me out?”
“I’ve got to earn my keep. Just say the word.”
“I’m a bit exhausted. I’m aiming for a quick decisive battle.”
Dragging this out could lead to real trouble.
I whispered, expelling the sweet taste filling my mouth, “I’ll counterattack the moment it attacks again. Aim for the core in that moment.”
Without waiting for a response, I dashed towards the golem. Georg, a true mercenary, would naturally follow.
‘After all, I have neither strength nor mana left.’
All that remained was to throw myself into the fray.
Clang!
Lacking strength, my wrist twisted, and the Raven claw flew far away.
[Target neutralization, initiating suppression.]
Seizing the moment, the golem launched another punch at me.
-Frost Mane! Why won’t you dodge?
With Bathory’s shock, a heavy punch landed.
[Stone Skin (Rank: S) is activated!]
-Huh?!
For the first time since the ceremony began, the blow that hit me was immediately redirected in an unexpected direction along my arm.
‘I thought its performance was inferior compared to what gargoyles possess… Surprisingly useful?’
To deflect an attack like that, breaking the opponent’s stance, was far more effective than merely entering an invincible state.
“Georg, now!”
Following my command, a streak of blackness darted towards the golem. He used my shoulder to jump, leveraging the fall to strike down.
Clang!
As glass shattered, I too collapsed.
Thump!
Simultaneously, the golem’s massive body entrusted itself to the hall floor. Glancing at Elizabeth’s party, unsurprisingly, a countess wrapped in shock and fury was looking this way.
‘So, my WIN.’
Character by character. The taste of provocation!
‘I could get addicted to this.’
How far would our Lady Elizabeth go to fulfill a wish-granting right? I was truly looking forward to it.
-Such an arrogant servant…! My fate is intertwined with yours…
Ah, but first, I had to soothe the contract holder who was quite upset. The prickling at my feet was already sending shivers through my body.
***
Class A Roster
1st [Luciana Speda – Swordsmanship Department]
2nd [Rine – Magic Department]
3rd [Hans Byron – Swordsmanship Department]
21st [Elizabeth Frontal – Magic Department]
Below this is the Class B list.
You’ve worked hard during the entrance examination.
Cliche Novel 