Team 25A gathered as a complete unit for the first time in a while and stood in the Training Ground.

This was their first meeting since Seo Gangjin was discharged from the hospital.

Seo Gangjin was discharged after 20 days and fully recovered his body after a week of rehabilitation.

He was in perfect condition for training.

“Let’s begin.”

Instructor Ji Yun-oh’s illusion magic filled the Training Ground.

It was a terrain reminiscent of Korea’s mountainous areas.

Trees stood sparsely, making it easy to secure a clear view.

Team 25A formed a defensive formation and began to walk forward.

Kweeeek!

A loud monster roar was heard from the side. Team 25A looked to their right as if they had been waiting.

There, a monster as big as an ox was charging.

Its huge maw glowed red, and the scales on its body looked quite tough.

Its jagged teeth drew closer with each passing moment.

“Shall we warm up a bit!?”

Seo Gangjin stepped forward first. He advanced with large strides, his movements even faster.

The moment he collided with the monster, a faint light emanated from Seo Gangjin’s sword.

It was an aura, and it meant that Seo Gangjin had entered the ranks of Sword Experts.

Swish!

Seo Gangjin powerfully cleaved the air. The aura followed its trajectory, drawing a green light path.

The illusion immediately dispersed. The illusion magic was dispelled under the judgment that the attack had landed accurately.

Ji Yun-oh, who was watching, thought to himself.

‘It won’t be meaningful anymore.’

This illusion combat training was fundamentally designed to help adapt to dungeons.

The trainees’ skill level had now become too high for it.

With Seo Gangjin being the last, all members of Team 25A had qualified to enter E-rank Dungeons.

The criteria were Mage 2nd Circle Beginner or higher, and Swordsman Sword Expert or higher.

Originally, with other swordsmanship styles, it would take longer to achieve aura emission, but the swordsmanship adopted in the Republic of Korea allowed for very rapid aura emission.

Of course, there was the drawback that it was difficult to become a Sword Master, but by accelerating the timing of aura emission, the Republic of Korea was able to endure to this extent.

“We’ll conclude.”

Ji Yun-oh, who had been observing Team 25A’s training, spoke.

The illusion disappeared, and Team 25A waited, wiping away their sweat.

Ji Yun-oh descended from the platform and stood before Team 25A.

“You probably felt it. The gap with real dungeons has become too great.”

All team members nodded at Ji Yun-oh’s words.

For goblins and other small monsters, simply responding to their appearance was sufficient training.

But as monsters grew larger, it didn’t feel like fighting for real.

They didn’t have a sense of how much force to use when cutting, and even when magic was fired, it just passed through, so they couldn’t tell if it was effective or not.

Unlike F-rank, E-rank monsters have more distinct special characteristics.

Such as being fast or tough.

Such characteristics could not be reflected in illusions.

“I will recommend a promotion to E-rank to the Education Director. Please be prepared.”

Combat training instructor Ji Yun-oh said.

***

As expected, it wasn’t long before Team 25A was promoted to E-rank Dungeon.

There was no reason not to promote them.

They had already met the conditions.

The moment they were promoted, the F-rank Dungeon entry date changed to the E-rank Dungeon entry date.

A few days passed quickly.

Team 25A gathered in the Guardian Hall to enter the E-rank Dungeon.

“I didn’t expect us to go up together.”

Oh Songhui said as she entered the lobby.

“What are you talking about?”

Seo Gangjin asked.

“No, I mean uncle. At first, I thought we’d go up first.”

“I thought I’d go up first.”

When Kim Songcheol retorted with a joke, Oh Songhui laughed as if she couldn’t win.

However, Oh Songhui’s thoughts weren’t entirely far-fetched.

Team 25A, which Kim Songcheol joined, was the strongest team in F-rank.

That meant they were the closest team to F-rank Graduation.

When a new team member joined, it was hard to imagine they could go up to E-rank together.

Because the gap would have already widened significantly.

But now, it was time for the original 25A team members to worry if they could keep up with Kim Songcheol.

Moon Gijeong was only a 2nd Circle Beginner, while Kim Songcheol was already close to being a master.

“See you in a bit.”

Oh Songhui, the only female member of Team 25A, took her equipment and went into the female changing room.

The rest were all male changing rooms.

Kim Songcheol changed into his now familiar combat uniform, put on his gear, and came out.

There was nothing extra added for an E-rank Dungeon.

There were restrictions on items that could be brought into the dungeon, and the current equipment was close to optimal.

As Kim Songcheol, Moon Gijeong, and Seo Gangjin waited in the corridor for a moment, Oh Songhui soon came out.

Unlike Seo Gangjin, who wore his sword on his back, Oh Songhui wore hers at her waist.

It was a matter of preference, and Oh Songhui’s sword was a bit shorter, making it easier to carry at her waist.

“Headcount. One.”

Kim Songcheol smiled and began the count. Normally, they don’t bother with headcounts.

Since there were only four of them, it was unlikely to mistake the number of people.

But since it was their first day entering an E-rank Dungeon, they did it as a commemoration.

“Two.”

Team’s second Mage, Moon Gijeong, responded.

“Three.”

First Swordsman, Oh Songhui.

“Four, last number.”

The check was finished with the second Swordsman, Seo Gangjin.

“Am I always last? Can’t I be the first Swordsman?”

Seo Gangjin grumbled as soon as the numbering ended.

“How many times do I have to tell you it’s not possible? It’s not even in order of Thread power, is it? It’s just a division of roles.”

“Prestige is also important. One is better than two.”

“It’s just a division of roles, you idiot.”

“Alright, alright.”

Kim Songcheol, as always, soothed the two bickering individuals and sent them onto the Stone Slab.

He thought it was better than their bodies stiffening from tension.

Kim Songcheol stepped onto the Stone Slab and, unlike usual, set the difficulty to E-rank.

As always, after a countdown, he pressed the transfer button with his finger.

Team 25A, briefly enveloped in light, appeared on a Snowy Mountain.

Pristine white snow was piled up, and their feet were already buried up to their ankles in the snow.

“Ah, a snowfield,” Moon Gijeong said, sounding displeased. Usually, Oh Songhui was in charge of complaints, but this time, Moon Gijeong was the first to voice one.

Moon Gijeong said, sounding displeased. Usually, Oh Songhui was in charge of complaints, but this time, Moon Gijeong was the first to voice one.

E-rank Dungeons take longer than F-rank Dungeons.

They usually have to sleep for a day, and the thought of pitching a tent and sleeping in a snowfield inevitably led to complaints.

“But it’s not cold, is it? Just cool?”

Seo Gangjin said, drawing his sword.

For a place with so much snow, the temperature wasn’t that low.

“You’re less sensitive to the cold… Oh, monsters are already appearing.”

Oh Songhui turned her head mid-sentence.

As if to celebrate their entry into the E-rank Dungeon, the sound of monsters rushing was coming from afar.

The high altitude made them visible from a distance.

They were Wild Boars with shaggy black fur. At least they had the decency not to have white camouflage fur.

Instead, their tusks were incredibly long and sharp.

Their size was also immense. They were almost the size of a small car.

Crackling!

Kim Songcheol was the first to step forward. Monsters of that size, even for the most skilled Swordsmen, couldn’t be confronted head-on.

Due to the difference in size, they would be thrown back the moment they collided.

“Lightning Spear.”

The lightning spear created by Kim Songcheol was fired, tearing through space.

The lightning spear flew in a straight line and accurately struck the Wild Boar’s forehead.

The Wild Boar stiffened for a moment and then fell forward.

It never got up again. He killed it in one shot.

“Tsk.”

Kim Songcheol tilted his head.

The Wild Boar’s bones were harder than he expected.

It felt like he barely managed to pierce it.

“Hold.”

Kim Songcheol immediately cast another 2nd Circle Magic.

Hold is a Magic that physically immobilizes the target’s entire body.

The Wild Boar caught by Hold fell and rolled, kicking up a snowstorm.

But Kim Songcheol knew that the Hold Magic had broken the moment the Wild Boar fell.

As proof, the fallen Wild Boar sprang up and was charging again.

‘Hmm, the power of Hold is about this much…’

“Air Blast. Stone Wall.”

Kim Songcheol subsequently cast two more Magic spells.

Air Blast was a Magic that blew away targets with a powerful gust of wind.

When Air Blast pushed it from the side, the Wild Boar lost its balance, rolled, and then sprang back up.

It was a gust strong enough to send a person flying several meters, but for a Wild Boar the size of a small car, it only made it lose its balance.

Stone Wall was, as the name suggests, a Magic that created a wall of stone.

A wall about a handspan thick rose in front of the Wild Boar.

Of course, it wasn’t very fast, but as a stone wall, it was certainly sturdy.

Crash!

The Wild Boar crashed into the stone wall, shattering it. However, the Wild Boar also seemed disoriented, staggering for a while before regaining its composure.

“Are you going to continue demonstrating Magic?” asked Oh Songhui, who had been waiting with her sword.

She asked because if he used Lightning Spear, it would die in one hit, but he kept using other Magic spells.

She asked because if he used Lightning Spear, it would die in one hit, but he kept using other Magic spells.

“Just two more. Flame Ball.”

A Magic formation appeared before Kim Songcheol’s eyes.

A bright red orb emerged from the center of the Magic formation.

The orb flew towards the Wild Boar at a normal speed.

A speed at which an ordinary person could throw.

It was fast, but slow compared to Lightning Spear.

As soon as the bright red orb touched the Wild Boar’s body, flames erupted in all directions.

The Wild Boar’s back was completely engulfed in flames.

It would have been extinguished if it rolled in the snow, but the Wild Boar instead increased its speed and charged towards Team 25A.

Another Magic formation appeared in front of Kim Songcheol’s hand,

“Icicle.”

The moment he touched the ground with that hand, sharp ice spikes sprang up from beneath the Wild Boar’s feet.

Almost two meters long.

Thump!

The Wild Boar was impaled by the ice spikes at full charging speed.

Because of its sheer size, using its momentum against it was more effective than direct attacks.

Now only one Wild Boar remained.

“Catch it. Hold, Hold.”

Only then did Kim Songcheol, having finished his Magic demonstration, continuously cast Hold Magic to bind the Wild Boar’s feet.

The Hold Magic kept breaking due to the Wild Boar’s strength, but the continuous Hold Magic was enough to restrict the movement of one Wild Boar.

“Leave it to me!”

Seo Gangjin leaped forward. He accurately struck the Wild Boar’s neck with his sword, from which a Green Light Aura flowed.

Gag!

Seo Gangjin’s sword seemed to catch on bone for a moment, but then it completely severed the neck.

If not for the Aura, it would have been 100% stuck in the neck bone.

“It does have some difficulty. I need to be more careful.”

Kim Songcheol advised his other teammates, looking at the three Wild Boar carcasses.

The difficulty was certainly higher than an F-rank Dungeon.

Wild Boars, in this case, were easy to deal with because they were discovered beforehand and their stats were concentrated on size and strength.

However, there was no guarantee that battles with other monsters would proceed in the same way.

“Let’s move.”

Team 25A began to advance across the Snowy Mountain in formation.

They encountered Wild Boars occasionally, but since they weren’t in large numbers, they could handle them sufficiently.

After a long time of steadily accumulating Points and descending the Snowy Mountain,

they arrived at a steeply sloping downhill path.

“Come here.”

Oh Songhui, who had gone scouting briefly on the opposite side, gestured.

The members of Team 25A quickly walked over to her.

In front of her was a not-so-high cliff, and below it, Hunters were fighting Monsters.

“That looks like an Arcadian.”

Moon Gijeong said.

All of them were wearing robes.

A Hunter team consisting of four Mages was characteristic of Arcadia.

Arcadians were also one of the few friendly forces on Earth.

They were surrounded by Wolf-like Monsters, and being all Mages, they were struggling.

There were also too many Wolves.

At this rate, it wouldn’t be strange if they fell at any moment.

Crackling!

Kim Songcheol immediately began unleashing magic.

He secured the Arcadians’ safety by binding the attacking Monsters with Hold, while instantly killing them with Lightning Spear.

He blew away the Wolf Monsters, which were lighter than Wild Boars, with an Air Blast, and then slammed another Lightning Spear into them.

Although he couldn’t achieve the rapid fire rate of a 1st Circle Mage, it was a firing speed that most 2nd Circle Mages couldn’t match.

Moreover, he had a lot of Mana.

Standing on the cliff, Kim Songcheol dealt with more than half of the Monsters surrounding the Arcadians, and with the newfound breathing room, the Arcadians also began to counterattack.

As Kim Songcheol joined the battle, the Wolves were quickly dealt with.

“Should we go check if anyone’s hurt?”

Team 25A jumped down to say hello and check on them.

As Team 25A approached, the Arcadians paused for a moment, then began to fidget nervously.

The atmosphere was strange.

“Why are they like that?”

Team 25A also sensed something strange and stopped walking.

The distance between them was about 15 meters.

Then, suddenly, the Arcadians prostrated themselves on the ground, burying their faces.

“We greet the descendant of the Great Sage.”

One of them said so.

It was a greeting that Team 25A couldn’t understand the meaning of.