TSOT#1 Chapter 9

As Joo-ah hurried out of the training ground, the rest of the team prepared to leave as well, checking their items in the system window and confirming their inventory.

 

Emergency alerts poured in on their phones, signaling that monsters had appeared outside the training center.

 

Joo-ah quickly followed the other team members out of the special-grade training room.

 

Outside, people were moving in perfect synchronization amid the chaos and noise. In the sky, bird-like monsters were flying freely.

 

Upon reaching the fifth tower, a swarm of monsters attacked. Jae-rim took out a taser gun and struck the monsters, while Yeon-joo followed up with an ice spell.

 

Once the area was cleared, they walked leisurely into the tower.

 

Chan-hee and Yeon-joo entered first, with Joo-ah following behind Jae-rim.

 

“Hunter Seo Joo-ah.”

 

Jae-rim, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped.

 

He turned his head and met Joo-ah’s gaze.

 

With a determined look, Jae-rim spoke.

 

“Stay here.”

 

“What?”

 

Joo-ah questioned his words, as if not understanding. He repeated in a firm tone.

 

“We can’t climb the tower with you. I’m sure you know the reason better than anyone.”

 

Joo-ah’s expression faltered briefly, and she asked in a subdued voice.

 

“Is it because of my grade?”

 

“That’s correct. No E-rank Hunter has ever climbed the fifth tower. If something goes wrong, it could harm not only you but also us.”

 

Joo-ah glanced at Yeon-joo and Chan-hee, but they showed no disagreement with Jae-rim’s words.

 

Joo-ah clenched her fists, biting her lower lip.

 

It hurt her pride. She wanted to retort, but she couldn’t—because Jae-rim wasn’t wrong.

 

The fifth tower had high-level monsters. With her low stamina, she would indeed be a risk to her teammates.

 

“…Understood.”

 

Joo-ah reluctantly stepped back and nodded.

 

As soon as she agreed, Jae-rim walked off with the team without a second glance.

 

Another team entered the tower behind Joo-ah’s teammates.

 

Joo-ah looked at the entrance of the tower, frustrated that she couldn’t join them.

 

Why did she assume she’d go in with them?

 

She was no longer a rank-one, SSS-grade Hunter.

 

For a moment, she’d forgotten reality.

 

Joo-ah let out a small, bitter laugh and turned away.

 

The real problem was that she, an E-rank, had been assigned to a high-ranking team. If she’d been with Hunters of similar grade, she wouldn’t be so isolated.

 

If that were the case, it might have been easier to build her abilities.

 

While other teams could enter the tower freely, individual activities were restricted for everyone except the elite corps.

 

For Joo-ah to climb a lower tower, her team would need to go with her. But since they only targeted high towers, they’d never join her in climbing a lower one; it’d be a waste of time for them.

 

Looking toward the Association building as she headed back to the training center, Joo-ah scowled.

 

“This is all Yoo Tae-jun’s fault.”

 

She cursed the Association Chairman for assigning her to such an unreasonable team.

 

Inside the training center, she found the attendant who managed the standard training rooms.

 

“Is there an empty standard room right now?”

 

Special-grade rooms were reserved for fixed teams, but standard rooms could be booked as needed by various Hunters.

 

Normally, there wouldn’t be an open room, but most Hunters were out climbing towers.

 

“May I have your name?”

 

“Seo Joo-ah.”

 

The attendant checked her name on their laptop and looked at her in confusion.

 

“Hunter Seo Joo-ah is assigned to a special-grade room.”

 

“My team assignment is strange. I haven’t even used the special-grade training room properly.”

 

After Joo-ah explained, the attendant nodded understandingly.

 

“Then you must vacate the room as soon as another Hunter arrives, as standard rooms aren’t generally available to those using special-grade facilities.”

 

“Of course. I’ll leave as soon as another team arrives.”

 

Knowing the attendant’s flexible attitude from her time as Kwon Eun-young, Joo-ah was able to secure the standard room easily.

 

[Choose a virtual monster to fight.]

 

[F-rank]

 

[E-rank]

 

[D-rank]

 

[C-rank]

 

[B-rank]

 

Unlike her assigned special-grade room, the standard room had no separate resting area; it led straight to the training ground.

 

After a brief moment of thought, Joo-ah selected “D-rank” multiple times. In the center of the training room, five virtual D-rank monsters materialized.

 

Joo-ah activated the timer on her wrist communicator.

 

[00:08:00]

 

Her goal was to complete the training in exactly eight minutes.

 

As the monsters charged, Joo-ah reached into her inventory. She pulled out a sharp longsword and swung it through the air, its sharp sound cutting through the room.

 

The four-legged monsters snarled and lunged at her, their teeth bared.

 

Joo-ah dodged swiftly and thrust her sword into one monster’s head. Its wail echoed through the training room.

 

One monster down.

 

There was no time to waste. Another monster attacked from behind, but she swung her sword in time.

 

They were many. As she focused on one, another pounced on her from the side, knocking her down.

 

“Damn it.”

 

She cursed softly as she glanced at the monster, its needle-like teeth dangerously close. Drool dripped onto her cheek.

 

Joo-ah lifted her foot and kicked the monster in the stomach, knocking it back. Seizing the moment, she swung her sword.

 

The monster vanished in a white light.

 

Three left.

 

With about three minutes remaining, Joo-ah charged at the remaining monsters, her silver blade menacingly close.

 

Sensing danger, the monsters glowed white and merged into one.

 

A blue system window appeared before Joo-ah’s eyes, displaying new text.

 

[The monsters have merged, increasing their level.]

 

[D-rank → C-rank]

 

In an instant, the monsters evolved into a three-headed beast.

 

“Disgusting.”

 

Joo-ah muttered, furrowing her brows.

 

A red glow gathered in the monster’s mouths, then suddenly shot toward her in a burst of flames. The three heads spat fire one after another.

 

Joo-ah dodged, but a small flame caught the edge of her uniform.

 

She quickly brushed off the flame, and as she did, the monster lunged again.

 

Joo-ah narrowly avoided its attack, attempting to stab it in the back. But the monster turned too fast.

 

It bit down on her sword, crushing it between its teeth.

 

Quickly, she retrieved a taser gun from her inventory and fired.

 

Bang—

 

Bang—

 

She aimed at each head, but with her limited magic power, she couldn’t finish the last one.

 

Checking the timer, she saw:

 

[00:00:28]

 

With time running out, Joo-ah put away the taser gun and pulled out a dagger.

 

No more holding back.

 

She charged at the monster, her blade slashing as she dodged its attacks.

 

Her blade pierced the monster’s head.

 

With a final cry, the monster disappeared in a white light.

 

[00:00:00]

 

The timer hit zero, and Joo-ah’s training ended.

 

 

The team members returned the next morning after defeating the tower boss.

 

Usually, after clearing a tower, they’d spend about five days resting in the dorms to recover.

 

While her teammates were away, Joo-ah trained alone in the special-grade room, focusing on her healing magic. On days when a gate opened, she rented a standard room to fight low-grade monsters.

 

“…You’re here again today.”

 

Yeon-joo and Chan-hee didn’t return to the training center for five days after the tower run. However, Jae-rim came every morning, training until he was drenched in sweat, then collapsing on the sofa.

 

Every morning, Joo-ah would find him curled up asleep on the sofa.

 

Though he treated her like she was invisible, she’d cast a purification spell to help him sleep more comfortably.

 

As much as he annoyed her, the sight of his tightly furrowed brows was distressing to see.

 

“Today, I’ll succeed.”

 

Joo-ah entered the training room and stood in front of the flowerpot. Her hands cupped the round, brown pot.

 

Healing energy flowed clearly from her skin.

 

The wilted leaves in the pot repeatedly regained and lost vitality, almost coming to life before drooping again.

 

She wasn’t sure how many times this process repeated.

 

Joo-ah’s lips curved into a soft smile.

 

The green leaves in the pot finally stood strong, blooming into a beautiful flower.

 

The healing magic had finally worked.