I Will Carry as an Academy Veteran

88

Grrr!

A large silvery serpent roared before us.

The sound was so loud that it could tear eardrums apart.

[You have encountered the Basilisk, the small ruler of the desert!]

[Caution! This boss is far beyond your current capabilities! Retreat is strongly advised!]

[Basilisk instills ‘Fear’ in all!]

[The movement speed of all is drastically reduced!]

[Once again, retreat is strongly advised!]

Noisy.

Who retreats just because someone says so.

Basilisk.

This lad is a ‘field boss.’

If the field boss of the ‘Outskirts’ of the western forest, deeper into the ‘Edge,’ is the Orc Warlord, this lad rules the ‘Central Ingress’ of the ‘Scorching Desert.’

Although this lad should also be at the ‘Edge’ of the Central Ingress field, he seems to have been brought forward due to the ‘premature awakening’ of the 3rd act boss.

Yes, this lad shouldn’t have been where he is.

“Ah…. Ah….”

“Ugh….”

With his appearance, including Erhan, they all began to tremble.

Well, suddenly facing a monster that’s only been capturing animals and small slimes, it’s no wonder they’re scared.

Kalren didn’t tremble.

Staring at the Basilisk, then glancing briefly at me, he just gripped his sword and shield even more firmly.

As expected, it’s the unyielding spirit of a knight.

“Ugh, ugh….”

While Erhan tried to steady himself even gripping the sword with trembling hands, Silvi was in a complete state of panic.

Tsk.

This is why newcomers…

[“Intimidation” manifests through “gaze!”]

[The opponent is of common blood!]

“Silvi. Pull yourself together.”

The wizard who lost focus at my words trembled and then bowed his head.

“Yes, yes! Ah… I-I’m sorry!”

“Everyone, calm down. I’m here. And above all, if we don’t capture that lad here, Villem won’t return to normal.”

At my words,

They seemed to calm down and nodded.

“Lord Adrian, what should I do?”

“From now on, I’ll give instructions. Erhan and I will move forward. Kalen, you protect Silvi.”

“Yes.”

“And Silvi, aim precisely and unleash the strongest magic consecutively, focusing on the lad’s eyes if possible.”

“I-I’ll try my best!”

The lad holding the long staff tightly nodded, and I looked at Erhan.

“It’s time to test your limits, Erhan.”

“…Yes.”

“Swallow your fear and overcome it. I only have one chance to save you.”

“…Just one chance.”

“However, even that one chance. Do not forget that I must endure tremendous losses.”

Nodding, he gripped the sword even tighter.

“The rest is up to you. Can you do it?”

“Yes, I will definitely… I will do it, no matter what.”

Of course.

If you die here, I die too.

No, if you die, this world itself disappears.

Everything I’ve done so far will just vanish into thin air.

Yet, the reason I put that lad on the front line is…

“[Hero’s Sword]… I’m ready, senior.”

The lad, whose head turned snow-white and eyes turned red, dispersed energy and looked at me.

Having witnessed his potential and possibilities up close for over ten hours, despite experiencing countless despair, he never gave up and always smiled as he wielded the sword.

To become a hero, the protagonist must ‘grow.’ They must face trials, break their own barriers, and move forward on their own.

If you do nothing and remain idle, you cannot become a hero.

My time as Erhan is over.

Now, as a senior he can trust, I must guide the lad, show him the way forward, and help him break his own mold to become a hero.

“Then let’s begin. Trust me, and fulfill your duties to the best of your abilities.”

“““Yes!”””

And then.

The battle for everyone’s fate began.

* * *

Erhan gripped his sword tightly and struck the ground.

He had heard of various deeds attributed to him. There were times when he fought battles together with others.

The story told by the reliable senior running ahead lingered in his mind.

─The Basilisk’s attacks consist of three main elements. Firstly, there’s the full-body petrification from its gaze, which manifests through its ‘eyes,’ so never look directly at the Basilisk’s eyes during combat.

Eyes.

Just don’t look at the eyes.

Since its body is also enormous, there are many vulnerable spots.

─Secondly, even someone like you now couldn’t pierce its back. It’s covered in a tough shell that resists any physical damage. So, where should you strike? The belly. You must strike the white spot on its belly.

It’s visible.

Up there, the senior who was skillfully diverting the Basilisk’s gaze with great movements.

─Thirdly, this creature is agile and swift for its size. However, there’s always a tell before it moves. If the head moves, it will strike from the head, and if the tail moves subtly, it will attack with its tail. Avoid, and when you strike, be careful not to get blood on you.

─Blood… Why is that?

─Its blood is venomous. Ah, the tail moved. Dodge to the side, I’ll go up.

…Up?

He remembered everything.

The massive tail hitting the ground, a sensation akin to a building collapsing.

Yet, the person who had been running alongside him effortlessly dodged the attack and ran over the large serpent’s body.

It was an unbelievable movement. Only a human who had lost the sense of ‘fear’ from the start could move like that.

Then, a colorful magical counterattack from behind, an explosion at the giant serpent’s jaw, and the black smoke rising to shield the Basilisk’s ‘eyes.

Silvi’s magic.

Yes… Now is the time.

Erhan put all his strength into pounding the ground and rushed, swinging his large sword with all his might.

“aaah!”

Roaaar!

It penetrated properly.

─Krrrunch!

The resounding cry of the enormous monster echoed.

As Erhan lightly retrieved his sword and stepped back, he looked at the blood that spilled and soaked the ground.

Turning back for a moment, he saw Calen blocking the venom that had splashed towards Silvi with his ‘Ice Shield Technique.’

Erhan gripped his sword tightly and charged again.

The recoil of the Hero Sword was coming. It was a bit taxing, but it was fine. If he could endure, it would be fine. If he could cut them all down before time ran out, it would be fine!

“aaah! 【Hero Sword: Rotating Thrust】!”

Dark magic imbued the sword, and Erhan pulled it with force, rotating it fiercely to thrust in all directions.

A technique he had devised after suffering a bitter defeat to the Knight Department’s top student in the midterms.

It consumed quite a bit of magic power, more than he had anticipated, but he could do it now.

The black sword extended, leaving numerous wounds on the white and fragile belly of the snake. Skillfully avoiding the venom, the sword was wielded.

If it continues like this, I might win!

That was Erhan’s thought, just as he was about to strike the ground again.

“…Ugh?!”

“Erhan!”

His body wouldn’t move.

…Why, he wondered. …Understood.

He had recently expended quite a bit of stamina.

Just two days ago, during the exploration, he hadn’t pushed the ‘Hero’s Sword’ beyond its limits to escape from here.

The recoil… surely not now.

“No.”

Everyone was currently engaged in a battle for their lives.

Absolutely, he couldn’t afford to be a burden… It was an opportunity someone had arranged!

But his body wouldn’t listen.

And at that moment.

A slight movement of the tail was seen, and before Erhan could react, a large shadow loomed over him.

His body froze.

Even the strength to lift the sword disappeared.

The once white hair now looked like the black hair he always saw, probably not shining eyes now.

“This… way.”

And then.

“I did mention I would give you one chance.”

With a familiar voice, a small blue sphere appeared beneath his feet, bursting and pushing him far away.

And.

“…That’s why you’re a newbie. An existence that veterans must take responsibility for.”

Unfamiliar words.

…What’s a newbie, and what on earth is a veteran supposed to be responsible for?

When he opened his eyes, he saw that the one who had pushed him away was now in the basilisk’s attack range instead of him.

“…Senpai! No! I… Ugh…!”

Just as he gritted his teeth against the intense pain that would rush in if he moved.

A gust of wind passed by Erhan’s side.

“Ice Shield Technique: Beginner.”

Without knowing when he had jumped in, Calen Senpai extended a large shield forward. A wide shield of ice enveloped him.

However.

“Ugh, Adrian! The shield!”

“…Drop the shield. It seems the durability had reached its limit.”

Upon those words, Calen Senpai immediately dropped the shield, pulled Adrian Senpai to his side, and escaped.

The ice shield that had been withstanding the impact soon shattered, and the steel shield behind it turned into complete pieces and scattered.

And a single command came.

“I misjudged. We can’t do this anymore. Everyone retreat outside.”

“Adrian!”

“A tank without a shield cannot stand in the front line.”

“I have a sword.”

“Step back. This is an order. Kalen, stay there and protect those guys.”

With those words, as he waved his hand, a gust of wind swept all three of them outside.

In one hand, a dagger, in the other, a long staff.

Dressed in a seemingly ridiculous armor, he muttered something while looking up at the basilisk…

Immediately after.

The three witnessed something unbelievable.

* * *

Goodness.

This is why you shouldn’t bring newbies to high-level dungeons. Look, they’re about to perish.

Nevertheless, it was unexpected that Kalen’s shield broke.

No, it’s actually fine. I was planning to replace it anyway, and that shield from the weekday dungeon was unusable for the 3rd act, so it’s better that it broke beforehand.

With that in mind, I looked up at the basilisk.

“It seems you consider me strong.”

─Grrr.

“Alright. Then let’s play. However, I’m a busy person.”

My stamina is already on the edge.

I can’t expect a battle lasting more than 30 minutes.

So, I have no choice but to pour out all the skills I have to deal with the opponent as quickly as possible.

Charge.

Avoid tail and head attacks, strike with the dagger.

With the left dagger, worsen the wound left by Eran, and with the right staff, inscribe magic symbols along with magic into the wound.

The damage I can inflict on this guy is infinitely weak.

Even if I do well, it’s probably a stat damage worse than a tick damage.

However.

If once is weak, then a hundred times.

If a hundred times isn’t enough, then a thousand times should do the trick.

If one strike deals a total of 150 damage, then a hundred strikes will be 15,000, and a thousand strikes will be 150,000 in total.

Scrape off the epidermis and inscribe magic inside.

This is one of the methods I quite favor when facing large monsters.

Land on the ground, observe the ‘tail’ raised above, and move 0.2 seconds later.

0.2 seconds is the most efficient time.

Moving later means death, moving faster shortens the time for the opponent to enter the next action.

Leap up, then land again. Repeat the same process as before, continuously evading attacks by a hair’s breadth.

Process.

This is not hunting or raiding, it’s just a process.

After inscribing the last magic symbol, I lightly landed on the ground.

Storing the dagger in my bosom and twirling the staff, I straightened my disheveled tie.

And then……

Whoaaa!

A bright magic circle unfolded inside his body, unleashing all sorts of magic.

Wind Blade, Fireball, Sermon Lightning, Create Water, and Ground Rock.

The magic manifested from his numerous wounds tore him apart, burned him, electrocuted him, and shattered him into rocks.

Ahhh……!

Leaving a deafening sound, a large body plummeted towards the ground.

Kwoong……!

I looked at the unfolding scene, lightly neutralizing the sandstorm coming towards me with the remaining magic power.

An only silver snake building lay fallen.

This isn’t the end yet.

Approaching, I forcefully struck and shattered the large gem on his forehead with the staff.

─Whooooo……

This is the absolute end.

[Unbelievable Achievement!]

[You have subjugated the Basilisk, the small ruler of the scorching desert!]

[You have defeated an enemy that you could never defeat at your current level! Additional special rewards will be granted!]

Yes.

[Reward given!]

[This is an honorable conquest of the first field boss! You can definitively obtain two rewards!]

First things first.

[Obtain Petrification Antidote x1!]

[In addition, items such as Basilisk’s venomous fangs, intermediate health and mana recovery potions will also be dropped!]

[Through consecutive battles and surpassing limits, the Wind Element affinity level increases! From now on, ‘Lower Magic’ at ‘Maximum Level’ can be used immediately without additional casting!]

Nice.

[You can definitively secure one more reward!]

This is hunting.

* * *

After confirming the rewards, they simply bowed their heads in silence.

“……I’m sorry. I, I’m too weak.”

Ernan had a truly ashamed face.

“It’s okay.”

“Th-thank you……”

“I said it’s okay.”

This guy is a… first-year student.

Moreover, he’s only been in school for barely half a semester.

Isn’t it remarkable enough that a newbie like him didn’t get scared looking at the Basilisk and managed to wield a sword to inflict wounds?

Well, isn’t it the norm to go out on a veteran raid with newbies, get some scolding, and cause some trouble? Hasn’t everyone learned that way? Wasn’t there a time when they were not newbies?

“……But, I hope you gained some insight from today’s events.”

“Yes, I thought it’s best to challenge only when you are in perfect condition and can confidently defeat the opponent.”

……Hmm.

Has the newbie who knew nothing transformed into a perfect ‘intermediate’ mind now?

Even an intermediate will eventually reach the level of an expert, then surpass the expert, decay into a ghoul after just a few hours, and transform into me.

The intermediate mind is not about arrogantly challenging bosses after leveling up enough but becoming cautious, like when challenging a boss.

The guy who gained enlightenment from this raid will be even less likely to die alone somewhere.

Starting to reflect objectively on oneself is the way to approach becoming a hero.

Then, it’s a relief.

I took out a small vial from my pocket and tossed it to the guy.

“……This is.”

“It’s an antidote. If you go back and feed it to Bireum, she will recover cleanly.”

The guy once again bowed his head.

“Thank you…… Thank you so much…… Um, the reward, I don’t have much, but……”

As he tried to take out money from his pocket, I calmly said,

“You’ve received your reward.”

“…Pardon?”

“The basilisk’s corpse and the debt I erased for you. That’s your reward. So, quickly take this and go back to treat Bireum. It seems urgent, doesn’t it?”

After tossing him health and mana potions obtained as boss rewards, along with a camping set, the guy once again bowed his head, clearly touched.

“I, I will never forget this favor. I will definitely repay you.”

“Keep that in mind and go quickly. Cherish the Hero’s Sword, use it for what’s necessary when the time comes.”

“I will remember!”

As he walked back with Silbi, he kept waving his hand until he was out of sight.

Yeah.

What’s money for.

It’s not abundant, but I’m not in such dire straits to accept the money from a first-year newbie who just enrolled.

Instead of taking the newbie’s dirty money, it’s much better to have ownership of the basilisk’s corpse and leave a debt to the guy who will become a hero later.

Unfortunately, if that guy snatches the Demon Lord’s position and says, ‘I support Adrian as the successor of Repelheight,’ even with just one word, the support base of Evniss’s guy will soon crumble.

“……Adrian.”

Kalen approached me.

A gloomy expression.

“Well, the shield is broken. It’s regrettable, but nothing can be done about it. I was already considering replacing your shield.”

“I’m sorry. If my ice shield skill had been stronger, if I had trained a little harder……”

This guy is blaming himself too much.

I raised my hand and lightly tapped his forehead.

“Ouch?!”

“Stop blaming yourself. The opponent was just too strong. Come here and help with this. Let’s start by tearing out the fangs.”

“W-what, what do you mean?”

Well.

“Hmm? Don’t we need to dismantle this guy?”

“……A-are you serious about all this?”

Well then.

Just leave it and go?

When there’s no other treasure like this treasure?