Chapter 271 - Chapter 269: Episode 269
It felt like life had returned to normal, but the National Hunter Academy was, after all, an institution with a proper academic curriculum.
With the four-day cultural festival finally behind us, the season for study, training, and testing had arrived.
The long-awaited final schedule was, naturally, the last exam of the year: the 'Final Exam.' And the National Hunter Academy had a specific tradition regarding the first-year finals.
< Notice to all 1st-year students >
-All 1st-year students will enter a 1-month final exam testing period.
-Capture any monster or villain of your choosing, by any means necessary, and submit them to the administration office by the deadline.
-You are free to capture any monster or villain.
-You may work individually or in teams, but your capture method must be verifiable and public.
(Recording devices such as body cams or drone cams are mandatory)
-If the capture method cannot be proven and made public, cheating verification is impossible, resulting in a significant disadvantage in grading.
-Faculty members and external professors will grade from A+ to F (Fail) based on target difficulty, methodology, and team size.
-However, cooperation with incumbent Hunters and faculty members who are not Academy cadets is prohibited.
-For details, inquire with the faculty member in charge.
"Hmm..."
Word was, even catching a single goblin solo would net me an E-, so I wouldn't technically fail.
The problem was, I couldn't even beat a goblin.
A few days ago, while having sex with Azael, I tried to wrestle her on the bed as a joke, and I got absolutely crushed.
Even though I aimed for gaps in her defense and launched a surprise attack, Azael just thought it was a game and smiled while handling me.
It was like a human punching a grizzly bear with everything they had, only for the bear to think it was just playing and enjoy the tickle.
"...If I fail this... that's going to be a massive problem."
I needed to get out of this hellish Academy as soon as possible.
If I failed and had to repeat the first year, it would be a worst-case scenario.
Graduation would be delayed by another year.
I had no choice but to look for someone to save me among the people I considered somewhat close.
"Min-seo. Do you want to team up with me for the final exam...?"
"Ah, sorry... I've already teamed up with some of the top students in our class. We're heading to the Lava Zone to catch an Igni monster. Do you want to come too?
The others might hate it, but I'll find a way to get you in. But you... can you even handle the Lava Zone?"
"...No, that's a real Lava Zone. A place where you die if you make one wrong step."
"You just have to not make a wrong step. If you protect your body with mana, even if you fall in a little, the damage isn't that... ah... right, you can't do that."
I had trotted over to Min-seo and begged her with aegyo to let me join the team project, and she agreed, but the place where Min-seo and the high-achievers were going was way too difficult for me.
Places like the Lava Zone or Glacier Zone were impossible for a piece of trash like me who couldn't protect his body with mana.
I asked Choi Seo-ah in the same class just in case, but...
"Do-jin, I'm really, really sorry... but I need to get good grades this time to keep my scholarship. My GPA is barely hanging on.
You know, right? This final exam counts for the whole grade. If I don't get the scholarship, I'm dead to my parents.
I really want to take you with me, too. My pussy is throbbing... you've been so cute and handsome lately, haa...
Should I just take you, blow off the scholarship, and fuck you for a month? I've actually been thinking about that a lot...
I think other kids are probably having the same dilemma while looking at you, haa... what do I do? What should I do?"
"...Yeah, okay. Sorry. I asked for nothing. You have to get the scholarship. You said you'd get in trouble with your parents if you don't."
Choi Seo-ah was debating between 'scholarship vs. Fucking me for a month.'
Seeing as other students had similar worries, there seemed to be quite a few female students who wanted to give up on the final exam and just play around having sloppy sex with me for a month.
But that kind of approach was actually troublesome for me.
I wanted to ride a good bus like a free-rider and suck up the honey.
I wanted to get into a good team and get the highest grade possible comfortably.
Since it was obvious I wouldn't have any particular achievements in team play, I felt I had to get into a good team to avoid a failing grade.
"Ahn Seo-yeon is a Holy Sword Department teacher, so that's a no-go. Kim Ji-na said she has other plans... which leaves... Lee Ji-eun? Are you serious?"
I heard it's okay to team up with upperclassmen and get help.
I had no choice but to go to Lee Ji-eun first.
From the moment Lee Ji-eun realized I came to ask for a favor, she gave me a very arrogant look.
"Hmm~ Is that so~? So you came to me because you think you're going to fail the final exam~?"
"...Look, you know. We've had some sexual history, can't you just help me out this one time?"
"...Fine, I'll help you."
"Really?"
This easily?
Lee Ji-eun?
Did she eat something wrong today?
"In return, your attitude in asking... it seems a bit inappropriate."
Of course.
I wondered why she agreed to help so coolly.
"...What do you want?"
"First, let's start with a naked dogeza."
"Haa..."
I took off my clothes and did a naked dogeza in front of Lee Ji-eun, slamming my head down.
Perhaps remembering the old days, Lee Ji-eun pressed down on the back of my head, giving me a moderate amount of humiliation, and then helped me think about what we should catch so I wouldn't fail.
"First, based on my memory from 1st year, if we're going to catch something as a pair, we need to catch at least an orc.
But that's the standard when skill levels are similar... for someone like you who has no particular combat achievements to avoid failing...
you'll have to catch the most dangerous and rare monster possible. That's the only way you won't fail."
"How about a villain? I heard villains have higher scores."
"Haa, Kim Do-jin. Please, think before you speak. Why do you think villains have higher scores? Huh?
Because catching villains is harder. Are beings with high intelligence the same as monsters that don't have it?
And, you've been speaking informally strangely since earlier. Didn't I tell you not to speak informally? Do you want to get hit?"
"...Ah, okay. I won't speak informally. Lee Ji-eun 'senior.' Are you happy?"
"You're talking like a total prick. And don't call me Senior, call me Mistress. Suck my pussy too."
"......."
"Don't want to? Then I won't help you."
"...Okay. Mistress. Slurp♥ Slurrrp♥"
"Haa...♡ Feels good...♡ Your sucking skills and beauty just keep increasing day by day...♡
Shall we look into the Alraune or plant-type monsters I caught when I was a 1st year?
My Sword Energy and Hand Qi are cutting-type, so they have great compatibility with them. Since I've already done it, I don't even need to do research."
For a while, Lee Ji-eun rambled on about the Alraune and plant-type monsters she caught when she was a 1st year.
Starting from researching weaknesses and strengths, to habitat surveys, etc., she was the type to prepare thoroughly.
Since the purpose of her talking was to tell war stories, it was mostly bragging, but since it was useful knowledge, I listened attentively.
"Slurp♥ Slurp♥ Lick♥ Do whatever you want. I'll just follow."
"Hmm♡ I have a good idea. I'll kill them almost to death, and we can slightly manipulate the evidence video so you get the last hit."
"...Is it okay to do that? They said they verify everything...."
"Everyone does a little bit of this kind of thing. It's fine. It's fine.
Ah, but there's one more condition. If I help you with this, you have to live in my basement for 1 month. How about it?"
"...Are you crazy, human? There's a limit to your bullshit. Seriously....
I'd rather take the failing grade. Why would I go there? Ptooey! Ptooey! ...Damn, I sucked her pussy for nothing."
"Ah, if you don't like it, forget it. Then I won't help you, and I'll actually hinder you. Hehe."
"Ah, fuck. Seriously, don't do that."
"Oh? Speaking informally again? Bring your stomach here. Let's get some belly punches. You've been getting surprisingly ill-mannered lately. Since I haven't hit you for a while, you're totally climbing over my head, huh?"
"Aaaah..., I won't speak informally, so..., ...aaah, I won't. I won't...!"
"You only become obedient when I raise my fist."
Negotiations with Lee Ji-eun broke down.
'I knew it.'
Because that crazy bitch set a condition for me to be locked in her basement for a month.
Who knows what would happen to me during that month....
And above all, there's no guarantee it would end in a month.
Frankly speaking, I would have voluntarily locked myself in Lee Ji-eun's basement without any trace, so if Lee Ji-eun didn't let me out, that would be it.
I returned to the dormitory without any gains.
As I was slumped over without energy, Azael approached me as if to comfort me and asked if I was okay.
Ah..., this is why you keep a pet....
Of course, if Azael knew my thoughts, she would be angry, but....
"Haa..., Azael. What should I do?"
"Husband. Why are you like this?"
"I have to catch a monster or villain for the final exam....
Ahn Min-seo is going somewhere too dangerous so I can't follow,
Ahn Seo-yeon is a teacher so she's faculty and that's a no,
Choi Seo-ah says she has to get a scholarship,
Kim Ji-na already has another prior engagement,
and Lee Ji-eun is just spouting bullshit...."
I explained to Azael what had happened so far.
Azael listened to me carefully..., then gave me a light tap on the head.
"Husband, are you a fool? I am currently a monster tamed by Husband. A tamed monster.
If I catch it, it's the same as Husband catching it. Did you not think of this? Are you a fool? Husband, fool."
"Ah..., oh.... Ohhh.... Azael..., you're smart...!"
Azael became a ray of hope for me.