It’s an Academic Fact That Rankers Are Model Students – Chapter 149

Chapter 149: BlACK★LEOPARD SHOOTER (2)

By joining forces against the Black Leopard, Kyung-joon told the Whale Forest Wolves to watch the battle and not participate.

One reason was that if they participated, it would only hinder his movements, but in reality, he placed more emphasis on ‘watching.’

They weren’t as fast as Kyung-joon, so they needed to figure out Black Leopard’s ‘pattern.’

That way, they would be able to survive for 5 minutes without Kyung-joon.

“Groooowl!”

“Grrr?! Dodge! It’s black lightning……!”

Crackle!

Fssssss…….

“Are you alright, Grrr?!”

“Grrr……! I’m fine!”

But figuring out the pattern wasn’t enough.

They needed a strategy.

A strategy for the weak to fight the strong.

“We have to endure, Grrr!”

The pinnacle of endurance is the tanker.

To endure like this, they first had to become tanks.

However, Whale Forest Wolves were rogue-type monsters that specialized in dodging rather than blocking.

They were not suitable to be tankers at all.

━But did you know? There are many types of tankers.

From the most classic tankers who block all attacks at the forefront with shields and plate armor.

To dealer-type tankers, also known as bruisers, who handle both attack and defense with giant axes or greatswords.

And even mysterious tankers who wield dual swords, displaying dazzling sword blocks and swordsmanship.

In fact, anyone who stands in front and takes attacks instead is called a tanker.

That means.

━If you can take attacks instead and dodge them all at the same time, that can also be a great tanker.

Behold, the Dodge Tank!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

One of the Whale Forest Wolves at the forefront was dodging Black Leopard’s attacks here and there according to the pattern they had carefully observed earlier.

But was Awakened Black Leopard too much for an ordinary Whale Forest Wolf?

Crackle!

“Yelp……!”

A Whale Forest Wolf at the forefront is sent flying by Awakened Black Leopard’s downward strike imbued with black lightning.

But there were results.

Because at the last moment, a Whale Forest Wolf blocked the Black Leopard’s attack with the Ice Demon Claw that Kyung-joon had given him!

[ Awakened Black Leopard is being eroded by the cold energy of 『Ice Demon Claw』. ]

A claw weapon that reduces all speeds when hitting, blocking attacks, or being hit.

At first, it’s a 5% reduction, then 10%, 20%, and so on, ultimately slowing down by up to 40%.

[ Awakened Black Leopard’s movement speed, attack speed, casting speed, and all other speeds are reduced by 『39.99%』. ]

[ Currently 『32 stacks』. ]

“Grrr! Why can’t I get it past 39.99% no matter how many times I stack it! It would be easier to deal with if it were over 70%……! Is this also the curse of the Demon King, Grrr?!”

‘He’ll never be chosen as the leader. Maybe a blockhead at best.’

‘Grrr…… He doesn’t even know the sum of a geometric series.’

‘He probably doesn’t even know that when calculating the sum of an infinite geometric series, if the absolute value of the common ratio r of the target series is less than 1, it converges…… Hmph, once this fight is over, I’ll be their leader, Grrr!’

In the end, another Whale Forest Wolf, feeling frustrated, stepped forward.

“Grrr! Don’t you ever equip the Ice Demon Claw again, you fool!”

“Yelp……!”

“Give it here, Grrr!”

“I’m next, Grrr!”

And so, the Whale Forest Wolves continued to fight Black Leopard, constantly switching out the Ice Demon Claw.

They would somehow endure using the dodge tank method Kyung-joon had taught them, and when they finally collapsed, another one would quickly jump in and take over.

But this method soon reached its limit.

“Raaargh!”

Crackle!

Black Leopard’s unique skill 『black lightning』 struck here and there among the Whale Forest Wolves.

They had memorized the pattern by watching Kyung-joon’s battle beforehand and avoided fatal blows, but……

“Grrrr……!”

“Huff, huff…… “

“Whimper…… “

The wolves were getting tired.

They had initially taken the initiative and managed to erode Black Leopard with the cold energy, but he was still incredibly fast.

Even with dozens of them attacking at once, it was all they could do to dodge and block.

Moreover, he was using a ranged magic attack called black lightning, so they couldn’t turn the tables.

Even though they were dodge tanks, minor injuries were inevitable, and the wolves’ concentration began to waver.

“Grrrr…… You small fries…… Get lost……. “

Black Leopard, who had gained a demonic heart through awakening.

He wouldn’t get tired no matter how much mana he used.

He was very different from the Whale Forest Wolves, who were barely holding on with a desperate will to survive.

“Grrr…… If this continues……. “

The Whale Forest Wolf Deputy Leader let out a low growl as he looked at his pack, who seemed about to collapse from exhaustion.

If this continued, all the wolves would die.

Of course.

“Good job. You’ve held out well.”

Kyung-joon wouldn’t just let that happen.

“Grrr! Finally……!”

At the sound of Kyung-joon’s voice, the faces of all the Whale Forest Wolves lit up.

Thud.

Kyung-joon stepped in front of the Whale Forest Wolves and said,

“Everyone, get back. It’s dangerous.”

Thanks to the 5 minutes they had bought him, the 『preparation』 was complete.

Slide.

Kyung-joon took something out of his inventory.

It was tea.

Tea made from the herbs he had gathered while climbing Sky Cliff with Ceram and traveling all over Whale Forest.

As he drank it all down without hesitation.

[ You have consumed 『Ceram-style Four-Color Herbal Tea』. ]

[ All stats increase by 2% per second. ]

[ Concentration and memory temporarily increase by 50% each. ]

[ Duration: 60 seconds ]

[ After the duration, you will suffer from strong stat side effects. ]

The world instantly began to look different.

Just standing face to face with Black Leopard, he could feel his whole body overflowing with power as time passed.

The second thing Kyung-joon took out was paper.

To be precise, it was the Energy Bombard scroll he had used in the last Luxemb defense battle.

He had slightly modified it for the past 5 minutes.

[ Energy Bombard – Area Version ]

▶ Advanced skill 『Energy Shooter』 and various other skills are interwoven with advanced techniques… (omitted)…

▶ The activation key is… (omitted)…

▶ Modified. Reduced the density of the bombardment and increased the duration to about 60 seconds.

This was the part Kyung-joon had changed while modifying the scroll for 5 minutes.

He had changed the scroll, which was originally a high-powered, short-burst bombardment, into one that rained down energy continuously for an extended period.

An easy analogy would be to think of rain.

It was like changing from a heavy downpour in the Amazon to a drizzle in South Korea.

Thus, the scroll, which was originally a 『high-powered area skill』, became a scroll inscribed with a 『long-lasting area skill』.

Whoosh!

Kyung-joon tossed the crumpled scroll high into the air.

[ ※ Due to the rapid scroll modification, most of the mana has been lost! Additional mana supply is required for activation! ]

“Ugh……!”

He almost lost consciousness for a moment as a tremendous amount of mana drained from his body.

But he managed to endure thanks to his stats boosted by the herbal tea and the continuous healing effect of the unique bread.

That’s how much mana the Energy Bombard scroll required.

Swoosh!

The paper ball, glowing blue as it absorbed mana, soared high into the sky.

Swoosh!

The energy spheres began to rain down like rain.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

They immediately hit the ground, exploding indiscriminately here and there.

And into that barrage, Kyung-joon stepped without hesitation.

“Grrr! What the……!”

The Whale Forest Wolves were startled by Kyung-joon’s unexpected action.

It was already too late for them to stop him.

In their eyes, Kyung-joon must have looked like this:

‘A suicide mission.’

To die beautifully in a hail of bullets, with Black Leopard as his dance partner.

It wasn’t a bad ending, he thought……

‘But it’s not my favorite ending.’

The Four-Color Herbal Tea he usually drank one cup a day for studying.

He had used it here instead of for studying.

‘There’s nothing better than drinking Four-Color Herbal Tea when I’m stuck on a difficult problem…… sigh.’

It was an unbearable loss.

So, for the sake of that precious tea, he had to end this quickly.

In one fell swoop!

[ Mythical Skill 『Dimensional Study Room (Lv.2)』 ]

▶ Time Dilation: 3.75x

As he reactivated the Dimensional Study Room, which he had temporarily deactivated for dramatic effect, everything but Kyung-joon began to move slowly.

A world where only Kyung-joon was fast.

In that world, Kyung-joon looked up at the sky.

Hundreds of energy spheres were about to rain down.

First, his concentration and memory, greatly enhanced by 50% each due to the Four-Color Herbal Tea.

[ Entering a state of Trance. ]

[ Concentration, including mode buffs, is doubled. ]

And his concentration, doubled by Trance, allowed Kyung-joon to roughly predict where the spheres would fall.

Kyung-joon took in all this information at once!

He looked ahead.

And then he saw it.

A safe path through the bombardment, minimizing the damage from the explosions!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As if executing pre-programmed commands, Kyung-joon followed the path he had just seen, effortlessly navigating through the rain of exploding spheres.

And while Kyung-joon was minimizing the damage from the explosions.

“Grrr?! Groan……!”

Black Leopard couldn’t help but be tied down by the continuous small explosions.

[ Ceram-style Four-Color Herbal Tea ]

▶ Remaining Time: 19 seconds

[ Energy Bombard – Area Version ]

▶ Remaining Time: 23 seconds

The 『Ceram-style Four-Color Herbal Tea』 that he was able to make thanks to climbing Sky Cliff countless times with Ceram.

And the 『Energy Bombard – Area Version』 that he was able to create thanks to the Whale Forest Wolves buying him time with their lives.

A unique opportunity that he was able to obtain only by sacrificing both of them, an opportunity that would never come again.

Seizing that opportunity, he grabbed the weapon he hadn’t drawn even once since encountering Black Leopard.

[ Wild Horn Pierce ]

▶ When charged with mana, 『doubles the damage of the first thrust (600-second cooldown)』

Kingyear, who always boasted about his glory days, had told him.

A thrust is a decisive blow that pours everything you have into a single point.

So, no need to drag it out.

Let’s end this with one blow!

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

A rain of bullets poured from the sky.

And right in the middle of it all, where mana explosions ripped through the earth.

Kyung-joon and the Black Leopard clashed, their weapons and claws flashing.

Shing!

Blood splattered across the sky, drawing a crimson line.

A sharp, searing pain tore through his back.

The blood in the sky, it was Kyung-joon’s.

Thud! Roll……!

Kyung-joon tumbled across the ground, painting it with his blood.

“Kyung-joon-nim……!”

Ceram’s frantic voice reached him from afar.

Soon, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from behind.

Ceram, who had been hidden from view, suddenly appeared, rushing towards him.

“Ah…… It stings…….”

Kyung-joon muttered with a wry smile, his face pressed against the ground.

He slightly lifted his head to see the Black Leopard, an air of triumph about him.

The Black Leopard, assuming victory, had turned his attention towards the wolves.

…….

But.

He should know better.

The 『Wild Horn Pierce』 that Kyung-joon had just charged hadn’t touched the Black Leopard’s flesh, not even by 1mm.

The charged mana still lingered within the weapon.

“Gasp…… Huff……!”

And Ceram, who was running towards them now, wasn’t worried about Kyung-joon in the slightest.

『Wild Horn Pierce』, an arrow that was also a sword.

『Wild Canine Bow』, a bow that was also a spear.

Kyung-joon had just charged the mana of the former’s ‘arrow’.

And the mana of the latter’s ‘bow’…….

“Absorb!”

Ceram abruptly knelt, his hand slamming onto the ground.

Woong!

Ceram’s mana surged through his hand and into the earth.

Rumble.

The sound of something shifting beneath the surface reached their ears.

Thump!

Dirt erupted before the fallen Kyung-joon as something burst forth from the ground.

[Wild Canine Bow]

▶A bow crafted from two fangs of a Triple Horn Wild Boar. In a pinch, it can be used as a spear instead of a bow.

▶When used with 『Wild Horn Pierce』 charged with mana, the special skill 『Wild Break』 can be activated.

▶Item Grade: Unique

[※Currently at maximum mana charge!]

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