Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Crouching Dragon (2)

After the vanguard departed.

Until now, the people left behind had nothing to do but clasp their hands and pray.

But from now on, things were different.

Even the idle surplus resources now had a role.

"Hello."

I spoke into the Mana Stone being used as the input device -- the microphone.

Edelin's voice came through the output device stone.

-- Huh? Professor Cha's voice... from the Mana Stone?

She seemed to have noticed I was speaking to her.

The test was successful.

Of course, I'd been confident it would work.

-- Did you record your voice onto the Mana Stone? Hmm, 70 points. If you'd put it inside a doll, that'd be 100.

"A doll?"

-- Well, that'd be... huh? Wait, what?

It seemed Edelin had only just realized I was actually speaking to her in real time.

What was that about a doll, anyway?

-- H-Hold on! What is this? Is it really you, Professor Cha?

"Yes. It's Professor Cha."

-- No way. How can you be talking to me?

The confusion was evident in her voice.

This was the first time I'd seen Edelin this flustered.

"Magic."

-- Magic? No, that can't be...

"Never mind the details -- please hang the Mana Stone around your neck."

-- Details? Do you have any idea how important this is?!

Even as she said that, Edelin obediently followed my instructions.

When I activated the output device for the video magic, footage played from the Mana Stone.

The Mana Stone projected light like a beam projector, casting the video onto a screen on the wall.

"This one's a success too."

-- What do you mean, success?

"That Mana Stone is a camera, microphone, and speaker all in one."

-- What?

"Come in."

I had the entire command staff, who'd been waiting outside, enter the room.

They, too, were shocked by the scenery on the screen.

Their reactions were just as rich as Edelin's.

"That's impossible!"

"How can this be......"

"I-Is this really the situation inside the dungeon? This isn't fabricated?"

"What would be the point of fabricating this?"

Several theoretical mages examined my magic circle from every angle.

The circle itself wasn't complex, so they'd grasp the principle quickly.

One of the mages exclaimed,

"My god! The man who already advanced humanity by half a century has just done it again!"

That declaration put all doubt to rest.

"Professor Cha, does this Mana Stone have a recording function?"

"No, it doesn't."

"Then... hurry and film! Don't miss a single frame -- capture everything and analyze it!"

The experts brought in by the American Hero Association, along with every Hero, were glued to the footage.

As for me, I planned to review the data they'd compiled after everything was done.

Right now, there was something more important.

"I hope you appreciate my gift."

"Heh... well, well."

Chairman Daniel.

I couldn't have been part of his original plan.

But the situation had changed.

Even someone ignorant about Heroes would roughly understand what I'd done.

In an SS-rank dungeon, time was gold.

With this, the dungeon investigation that was originally estimated at two weeks would be drastically shortened.

Daniel said,

"Professor, you've already scored the expedition's greatest achievement right from the start."

"Yes. It wasn't an easy task for me either."

This was no place for modesty.

I needed to get my value recognized as high as possible.

My conscience stung a little, but this was all for the sake of the world.

Sorry, Yeeun.

But when we submit the paper, I'll put your name first.

"To describe a puzzle that tormented the world's mages as merely 'not easy' -- truly remarkable."

Even Daniel couldn't deny my contribution.

No matter what anyone said, right now I was this expedition's number one contributor.

Which meant Daniel's plans had been significantly derailed.

"Well, well."

Daniel stroked his mustache, lost in thought.

His mind must be racing.

If the American Hero Association snubbed me here, they'd lose the trust of every mercenary.

There was only one move Daniel could make.

He had to give me an opportunity.

"Professor Cha, your reputation precedes you. Edelin in particular had nothing but praise for your party management."

"Thank you."

"After this vanguard returns, I'd like to entrust you with the operation of the first strike team. What do you say?"

The first strike.

Generally, the first strike was called a throwaway turn.

With the least accumulated data, it was essentially no different from a vanguard mission.

Especially in an SS-rank dungeon, nobody expected any real results.

Accordingly, the Heroes assigned were the weakest of the lot.

Instead of providing an environment where past achievements could lead to greater ones, they were shoving me into a situation where success was impossible.

If I accepted and failed the raid, the standing I'd built with the communication and video magic would crumble.

No matter how great an achievement, an overnight reputation was one that collapsed just as easily.

But if I refused, they'd use that as an excuse to never give me another chance.

I hadn't expected them to go this far.

What a pathetically petty man.

"I'm honored to be given the chance to assist such distinguished Heroes."

Full speed ahead.

It was an impossible-looking task.

Which made it all the more of an opportunity.

If I succeeded here, my status within the expedition would become an untouchable icon of victory.

There was a high chance every subsequent raid would want me involved.

"Haha! Thanks to Professor Cha, the commanders must be relieved."

Daniel laughed heartily.

His laughter oozed composure.

A laugh borne of certainty that I would fail.

***

"Professor Cha, have you lost your mind?"

"Professor, what were you thinking taking the first strike team?"

When Jo Seongung and Lee Yeeun heard the news, their reactions were extremely negative.

"No matter how talented you are, this is too reckless."

"Exactly. Professor, do you even know who's on the first strike team?"

"No idea."

"See! And you accepted with what kind of confidence?"

"Who's on it?"

"Three five-person parties are being deployed. They're all overseas mercenaries, and the only notable Hero is Lie Xiao."

Lie Xiao.

A familiar name.

A powerhouse acknowledged by both Jo Seongung and Jeivult. Having him included was reassuring.

The problem lay elsewhere.

"If he's participating, does that mean the other Chinese members are too?"

"Yes. Wang Sheng is on it too."

Hearing Wang Sheng's name made my confidence plummet.

Could even I make that guy function like a real person?

"That's troublesome."

"Why is it troublesome for you? I'm the one who's troubled, you fraud!"

Speak of the devil.

Wang Sheng appeared from behind.

"I won't stand for it! Having to entrust a party to some small-nation nobody... gkh!"

With perfect timing, Lie Xiao appeared and smacked Wang Sheng's head.

"I'm sorry... because of this worthless kid......"

"Lie Xiao, you!"

"Wang Sheng, please just shut up for once."

Lie Xiao grabbed Wang Sheng's head and pressed down hard.

Wang Sheng resisted, but the gap in strength was clear -- he couldn't break free from Lie Xiao.

"Ngh... dammit......"

"Professor Cha, I heard you produced remarkable research. Your reputation is well-deserved."

"It's because Yeeun did such a good job."

"What? Me?"

"Oh?"

Lie Xiao looked at Lee Yeeun with interested eyes.

Lee Yeeun was flustered at being the center of attention.

She waved her hands frantically.

"No, no. All I did was follow the Professor's instructions. It was all the Professor's work."

"None of that matters."

Another uninvited guest butted in.

An insolent voice. The third visitor from China -- Zhuge Soyon.

"This time, I agree with that moron. I refuse to accept this."

"Accept what?"

"We had a deal! The strategist for the vanguard strike was supposed to be me! But because of that idiot!"

Zhuge Soyon jabbed her finger at Lie Xiao. For her, it was a rare display of agitation.

Lie Xiao smiled sheepishly.

"I said I was sorry. Can't you let it go?"

"Shut up! Moron!"

"It's called a vanguard strike, but it's basically a suicide squad. Forget glorious victory -- you'd just get covered in disgrace."

"That's for me to decide!"

I could see what had happened.

Originally, the first strike team's operations had been Zhuge Soyon's to command.

But Daniel, wanting to screw me over, had gotten Lie Xiao's agreement and taken the position away.

"They're giving you the fifth strike team instead, right? That's a much better spot for earning merit."

"Shut up! I like the first strike team better."

Zhuge Soyon yelled at the top of her lungs.

I asked her.

"Is there a reason you're so insistent on the first strike team?"

"Because it's cooler."

"I see."

"What's with that obnoxious look on your face?"

My expression must've let slip what I was thinking -- namely, that this was pathetic.

Not that I'd been trying to hide it.

"Professor, why not just swap with her? She clearly wants it that badly!"

"Hmm."

Truthfully, it didn't matter either way to me.

Devising dungeon strategies and managing parties were my strongest areas.

I was confident I could succeed with either assignment.

Lie Xiao proposed.

"Then how about settling it through skill? Since the first strike team is clearly the harder job, the more capable person should take it."

"I like that. If you're a person of honor, you wouldn't run from this, right?"

Zhuge Soyon was confident, blowing hot air.

It felt oddly familiar.

She reminded me of An Seri from our first meeting.

If An Seri didn't bother keeping up appearances, she might've turned out like this.

"Fine. Let's do it."

"No take-backs?"

"You can set the rules."

"We'll use the tactical simulator with random conditions. Best of three. Any objections?"

"Fine. And I'll add one more condition."

"A condition?"

"If I win, you'll use formal speech and show proper manners."

Zhuge Soyon smirked.

It was the grin of a child about to pull a prank.

"A bet should be fair. Same condition applies if I win?"

"As you wish."

"Hmm~. Oh, how embarrassing. The esteemed Professor is about to be talking up to a little kid."

"Professor, you don't need to go that far......"

Lie Xiao stepped in, not having expected things to escalate this much.

The Lie Xiao I'd observed so far was an extremely polite and upstanding young man.

His suggestion to compete hadn't been intended to put me in a difficult spot.

I raised a hand to stop him.

"It's fine. If we're going to be seeing each other regularly, it wouldn't hurt to teach her some manners while I have the chance."

"...Soyon is no ordinary child. I know you're exceptional, Professor, but she'll be no pushover."

What Lie Xiao said was surely no exaggeration.

Being the best among her peers was a given -- the fact that she'd beaten out every expert across vast China to come here meant her level was far beyond a child's.

Even so, she was merely the best China had to offer.

She was no match for me.

"I'll be a bit rough with her -- is that alright?"

"What? Oh, yes......"

The match didn't take long.

After reviewing the given conditions, we entered the simulator and each input our tactics.

The results, of course, were foregone.

Zhuge Soyon's result: 2 minutes 39 seconds.

My result: 44 seconds.

A clean, decisive victory for me.

"Th-That's impossible......"

"You said best of three, right?"

"Ngh......"

The next match was no different.

I finished more than three times faster than Zhuge Soyon's time.

An unequivocal, total victory with no room for excuses.

"Well? Anything to say?"

"I... I lost......"

"You were the one who talked about honor, yet you can't even keep the promise you just made?"

"...I lost, sir."

Zhuge Soyon fled to her room, eyes welling with tears.

Lie Xiao couldn't hide his astonishment.

"It seems I was mistaken about you, Professor. No one across the entire continent has ever broken that child's pride."

"Is that so?"

"She has rough edges, but she's not a bad kid at heart."

A rough picture of what kind of upbringing Zhuge Soyon had gone through formed in my head.

Zhuge Soyon was exceptional.

Being the best among her peers was obvious, and even among adults, nobody surpassed her.

With no one to check her, her pride had grown stronger day by day, and the result was the current Zhuge Soyon.

Even so, Zhuge Soyon's name wasn't in my memory.

She wasn't a named NPC.

The reason was obvious.

Like countless other Heroes, she'd met her end here.

"A hidden NPC who never appeared in the game, then."

I was curious.

If that girl survived and grew, what would she become?