It’s an Academic Fact That Rankers Are Model Students – Chapter 88

Chapter 88: BlackChef’s Alley Restaurant: Study Villa (3)

Ogopogo Raid!

There’s only one reason why this raid is particularly troublesome.

It’s because the damn thing is in the water!

Even if you want to launch a proper attack, you can’t if it hides deep underwater.

Even if you manage to attack somehow, the water drastically reduces its power.

So, in order to attack effectively, it was necessary to first pull Ogopogo out of the water.

But even if some damage was done, the real big problem came next.

“You’re saying there was a raid last year too?”

“Oh yeah, there was. Didn’t you even think about it? They even brought in a bunch of mercenaries to try and do it easily. But they failed. Why do you think they failed? Just imagine it for a second and you’ll know. That thing came here to eat, not to fight. That’s the point, you see. You really have to be careful about this.”

Ogopogo’s purpose was to grow by eating fish, not to fight players.

If it didn’t feel like fighting, it would just dive back into the water and escape north to its original home.

But now, Ogopogo was as good as trapped in this vast lake.

Of course, there were places where water flowed in and out, but……

━Huue…!

[Mud piles up soil to build a dam.]

They blocked both of those paths, completely eliminating the option of escape.

However.

Ogopogo was a very sensitive creature, able to smell clean water even from afar.

It might notice the change in the current while they were building the dam and quickly escape.

So, they entrusted the solution to this problem to the being closest to water in the entire world.

━Mumul!

[Bangwool manipulates the water current.]

Bangwool continued to manipulate the water current, making sure Ogopogo wouldn’t notice them blocking the waterway with the dam.

Just like that, Ogopogo was trapped in the lake without even realizing it.

Now all they had to do was lure the creature, oblivious and busy gorging itself, out of the water.

But with what?

“This fishing line feels just like jelly! But it doesn’t really taste like it.”

“It wasn’t made for eating. This is the world’s most advanced fishing line, incorporating chemical engineering and slime engineering.”

Kyung-joon proudly showed off the yellow, jelly-like thing attached to the fishing rod.

It was a fishing line made from the core of a Bouncy Slime.

[Bouncy Fishing Line]

▶A fishing line made by infusing the core of a Bouncy Slime with a generous amount of mana. It’s so bouncy and tough that it won’t break with ordinary force. At least not until the concentrated mana is completely depleted!

▶Item Grade: Unique

Bouncy Slime, almost 99% resistant to blunt attacks and somewhat immune to slashing!

Moreover, it was infused with a generous amount of mana, so the slime’s unique regenerative ability would continue to activate while fishing for Ogopogo.

Even for Ogopogo, it would be quite difficult to instantly bite and tear through something as tough, firm, and constantly regenerating as a dried squid.

At least it would hold up during the fishing.

“The plan is simple. When I give the signal, you pull with all your might. Make sure it’s in the air for at least 1-2 seconds. Then I’ll catch it.”

Whoosh!

Kyung-joon threw the modified fishing rod towards BlackChef.

Thud.

Fortunately, BlackChef caught it without a problem.

He looked at Kyung-joon with a grin.

“Well, I wonder what our boss would like to eat. Plesiosaurs have a lot of meaty parts, and there are many ways to cook them.”

“Are you asking for menu suggestions? Hmm.”

Kyung-joon thought for a moment.

Plesiosaur in Korean is ‘Sujanglyong’ (literally “long-necked dragon”).

So……

Kyung-joon finished his thought and spoke.

“Since it’s ‘Jang(長)’lyong meat, how about ‘Jang(長)’uh-gui (grilled eel)?”

“Oh, that sounds good.”

For the record, English was irrelevant.

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

It was late at night, nearing 12 o’clock, and the lake reflected the moon.

━Ogogogogo?

The Ogopogo was puzzled.

There were tons of prey just a while ago.

With the continuous influx of fish, it was like a whole field of them wherever it looked, but now there wasn’t a single fish in sight.

It was as if the fish were avoiding its immediate vicinity.

━Ogogo.

There was nothing unusual about the water current.

It didn’t seem like those humans fishing earlier had pulled any tricks.

Then it must have just eaten them all.

Ogopogo, deciding there was no reason to stay in this lake any longer, swam towards the water outlet.

At that moment!

━Ogogo!

It discovered a spot teeming with fish!

Thinking it had stumbled upon a feast, Ogopogo immediately opened its mouth and swallowed them whole.

Gulp!

And among the fish Ogopogo swallowed was Bangwool.

━Mumul~

[Bangwool securely ties the fishing line to Ogopogo’s teeth.]

Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!

It wrapped the line tautly around its incisors, canines, and molars, ensuring it wouldn’t easily come loose.

Ogopogo, busy relentlessly swallowing fish, didn’t notice Bangwool’s smooth handiwork.

And so, before it knew it, the fishing line was wrapped around all of Ogopogo’s teeth.

“……”

Kyung-joon and BlackChef held their breath.

Plop~

A single, unnatural water droplet splashed onto the surface of the tranquil lake.

It was the signal from Bangwool.

Kyung-joon raised a hand, gesturing to proceed.

Click! Click!

BlackChef began to reel in the fishing line very slowly.

The slack fishing line gradually rose.

Just before it became taut……

Pong~

The signal arrived.

“Now!”

The moment Kyung-joon’s words left his mouth!

“Hooowah!”

Clench!

BlackChef’s arm muscles bulged as if they were about to burst!

Twang!

The fishing line instantly went taut!

Whirr! Whirr! Whirr!

The reel on the fishing rod started spinning fiercely with a harsh sound!

“Haaargh!”

Crrrrrack!

BlackChef used his entire body, pulling the fishing line left and right, up and down.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

The taut fishing line danced wildly above the lake’s surface.

Other than that, the lake remained still.

Nevertheless, Kyung-joon carefully observed the lake.

‘……There!’

A shadow began to fall upon the moonlit surface.

At first, it was a faint, almost indistinguishable shadow the size of a soccer ball.

Just as it grew like a snowball into a thick, house-sized shadow!

Fwooosh!

━Ogooooooooo!!

Ogopogo finally revealed itself!

Heave! Ho!

The veins in BlackChef’s arms bulged even more prominently.

Clank! Clank! Clank!

With a sound of twisting metal, the fishing line was pulled even more violently.

Normally, even if the fishing line held, the reel winding it would have shattered.

“Hnnngh!”

But BlackChef skillfully used his fishing technique to withstand it.

He wouldn’t miss the brief moments when the fishing line slackened, immediately reeling it back in.

Then, when it became taut again, he quickly stopped reeling, resuming his struggle with Ogopogo.

This repeated countless times.

Ogopogo was gradually being dragged closer to the lake’s edge.

And soon, BlackChef signaled.

“Here we go!”

Kuwoooaaak!

Thud! Thud!

Blood dripped from BlackChef’s hand gripping the fishing rod!

Despite that, he didn’t let go, swinging the fishing rod wide as if hitting a home run……

“Hyyyaaaaaah!”

━Pogoooooo?!!

Fwoosh!

Ogopogo’s entire body, from head to tail, was pulled sideways and lifted into the air.

The 1-2 seconds Kyung-joon had requested.

BlackChef delivered it flawlessly.

Now it was Kyung-joon’s turn.

Kyung-joon’s hands were already filled with something.

Oddly enough, it was a stack of paper.

To be precise, it was 『scrolls』.

[Photon Strike – Kyung-joon style writing method]

▶Kyung-joon’s scrolls, born from the fusion of otherworldly knowledge and the scroll knowledge of the Fairy-Elven Alliance. They contain the magic of 『Photon Strike』, which delivers a deadly beam of light.

▶Activation phrase: 『With this, I declare the 1st Annual Study Village No Studying Day Festival concluded.』

Whizz. Flutter.

The scrolls were already thrown in all directions.

The scrolls danced in the wind, bathed in moonlight.

━Ogo?

One scroll, caught in the wind, landed on Ogopogo’s forehead.

But nothing happened.

It was about to fall back into the water as its brief flight ended.

The fishing line had long since snapped when it was pulled up.

━Ogo! Ogogo! Pogogo!

Ogopogo let out a loud roar, as if mocking Kyung-joon who was watching.

However.

By then, Kyung-joon had already turned his back.

The feeling was like this:

A slightly empty feeling that the fight was already over.

Or rather, the regret that the festival was coming to an end.

“Well then.”

In that moment, time seemed to slow down.

“L, Lord―”

The residents, finally regaining their senses, came running towards them.

They must have sobered up and wondered what the commotion was all about.

To them, Kyung-joon, as the lord of Study Villa, declared.

“With this, I declare the 1st Annual Study Village No Studying Day Festival concluded.”

Twinkle.

Twinkle, twinkle.

Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle!

The scrolls scattered everywhere began to emit light.

Kyung-joon, with his back turned, wouldn’t have seen it.

But the others, who had been watching him, couldn’t help but think the same thing.

That moment, it was as if……

“Lord!!”

They were looking at the sun in the middle of the night.

―Flash!

The same beam of light that had engulfed Mutated Minto Morco back in the Fairy-Elven Magic Academy.

With the territory buff and the unique bread, his mana recovered over 2,000% per hour.

That meant he could make roughly over 20 scrolls per hour.

He had been writing for over 5 hours, so there had to be over 100 scrolls.

Each and every scroll contained a deadly blow infused with maximum mana, and at this very moment, as the clock struck 12.

They engulfed Ogopogo.

[You have defeated the giant plesiosaur raid monster 『Ogopogo』.]

[You have gained 1.4 billion experience points.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

.

.

.

[Kyung-joon: Lv.136→Lv.166]

And because it was now past midnight, the notification that Koreans saw every day popped up.

[It is now 12 AM.]

[The shutdown system is now in effect.]

[Users under the age of 16 are no longer allowed to stay logged in.]

Fortunately, Kyung-joon was over 16 years old.

Anyway.

Thus concluded the first festival of Study Villa.

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

Banks of the Françoise River.

Many people were still gathered there.

They had all gathered for the Ogopogo Raid, but no matter how long they waited, the raid wouldn’t start.

Because the Ogopogo simply wouldn’t show up.

“Didn’t you say the Ogopogo would appear soon once this many fish gathered?!”

“W, Well, that’s exactly what happened last time! I’m not sure why things are different this time……”

“Damn it! Are you saying you tricked me, the leader?!”

“T, That was never my intention…!”

The kingdom’s knights were arguing amongst themselves in their tents, their voices raised in near shouting…

“Hic! Those knights were acting all high and mighty, but they can’t even get this one thing right!”

“Hahaha! Drink up! Drink up!”

“Snore! Zzz!”

The mercenaries, tired of waiting, had already started a drinking party.

“Just how long do we have to wait?”

“I think we got scammed.”

“Seriously! They said it would come out soon! How much longer do we have to wait? Damn it! I’m going to complain!”

“Complain my ass. The kingdom issued the quest, so what are you going to say to the king?”

“You’ll end up in jail.”

“So you’re saying we should just sit here and do nothing?!”

“Honestly, I agree. We need to find whoever issued this quest and complain, whether it does any good or not.”

The players were also getting impatient.

But all they could do was wait endlessly.

It wasn’t like this last year; it was truly baffling.

[It is now 12 AM.]

[The shutdown system is now in effect.]

[Users under the age of 16 are no longer allowed to stay logged in.]

“The shutdown notification finally popped up.”

“We actually went past midnight.”

“Looks like 20% of the players disappeared in an instant.”

“As expected, there are a lot of Koreans among the high-level players.”

“And they’re not even 16 yet?”

“Kids are always better at games.”

Despite it being past midnight, the players still showed no signs of leaving.

They had waited far too long today, but there was a silver lining.

“Yeah, let the kids sleep.”

“This is our chance. With fewer players, we can raise our contribution and monopolize the rewards. It’ll be a jackpot.”

“That’s right! There are a lot of NPCs this time, so we should be able to clear it even with fewer players!”

The shutdown system had reduced the number of players, presenting them with an opportunity to claim all the rewards for themselves!

The players had already reached a tacit agreement to wait a little longer.

“BJMiguning said she tried using her Seduction skill earlier. It might be worth waiting to see what happens.”

“Oh, then there’s a chance.”

“As expected of a ranker.”

“Alright, let’s wait a little longer.”

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