Yoon Si-ae and I placed our hands on the doorknob to the chamber where the Skull Drake waited.
All that remained was to push it open—and the final room would reveal itself.
"Um… Baek Kang-hyun. Are you really sure about this?"
"Hm? About what?"
"I mean… honestly, I didn't think you'd accept this method so quickly."
"Why? You're not confident?"
"N-no, it's not that I lack confidence…"
Then why trail off like that, Yoon Si-ae?
But it doesn't matter. Even if you're not confident, I'm here.
In fact, I'm already certain.
If it's that method of Yoon Si-ae's, then without a doubt we can slay the Skull Drake in a single strike.
After all, in the past, Yoon Si-ae really did clear this dungeon using that method.
'The only variable is that this time, I'm her partner.'
But that doesn't change anything about executing the plan.
Just in case, I left my Status screen open.
'Empty slot ready… maybe I'll slot in a Temporary Gate.'
No way of knowing how things will unfold. Insurance is mandatory.
Honestly, if this plan succeeds, taking down the Skull Drake will be over in an instant.
'Ten seconds if it works. If it fails… well, no idea.'
With the skills Yoon Si-ae and I currently have, there are very few possible approaches.
We can only pin our hopes on this one.
And truthfully, I don't feel like we'll fail at all.
"Alright, opening it now. One, two… three!"
With a creak, the final chamber of the dungeon opened.
Inside looked exactly like the pictures attached in my notes.
Ten skeletons standing guard, and farther in, one Skull Drake lounging idly.
But now that Yoon Si-ae and I had entered—
—KIIIIIEEEEEEHHH!
The undead stirred.
Skeletons armed with bone clubs blocked Yoon Si-ae's front.
And the moment my eyes met the glowing gaze of the Skull Drake—
The battle began.
As expected, Yoon Si-ae's strategy matched the one I knew.
After all, she's only borderline A-rank at best, and I have just two skills.
There's no way the two of us could defeat this dungeon's ruler with conventional tactics.
A change of perspective was absolutely necessary.
And Yoon Si-ae's perspective shift? Golden answer.
'Those ten skeletons are just the Skull Drake's summons.'
Meaning—take out the Skull Drake, and they all vanish instantly.
Of course Yoon Si-ae knows this too. She's meticulous, more than anyone.
If that's the case, I have no reason left to hesitate.
"Hoo…"
I steadied myself with a short breath.
"Baek Kang-hyun. Like I said, ten seconds. Just hold on for ten seconds."
"Sure. Don't worry. I can handle ten seconds."
Not more, not less. Ten seconds.
My role: prevent the Skull Drake from crossing the Gate during that time.
'If it does cross, I just need to smash its jaw.'
Strike the weak point, and it should falter.
Ten seconds. That's all I need.
Though even knowing this is a hologram simulation, that face is still hideous.
Looks worse than the pictures, honestly.
At that moment—
—KIIIEEEHHH!
The Skull Drake, eyes blazing red, charged at us.
Meanwhile, the skeletons spread out around the chamber.
Didn't matter.
In less than ten seconds, the Skull Drake would be finished.
"I'm opening it now!"
Before her words even ended, a Gate manifested directly in front of the charging beast.
But hold on. "Temporary Gate," she said?
'That's not "temporary" sized at all.'
I expected something barely big enough for one person.
But this Gate swallowed the Drake's entire head.
Still, that solved the first step.
'…Alright, it's coming!'
Another Gate opened right in front of me.
Unlike the first one that appeared near its head, this one was angled so only the Drake's jaw jutted out before me.
'That's future Silver Wing for you!'
Her skill proficiency might still be low, but her sense was sharp.
I swung my ice club upward like a golf swing, slamming it into the Drake's jaw.
Target: the cracked spot, the Skull Drake's known weak point.
Crunch!
That satisfying feeling shot up my hands.
'Ghh—!'
But pain shot down my arm too, muscles screaming.
Of course—a low-stat guy like me hitting an A-rank boss head-on.
Still, no way I could stop here.
'If I lose ground now, it's over!'
I'd taken out all those skeletons to get here. I couldn't fail now.
Just then—
—KIIIEEEHHHH!
The Drake roared with its jaws wide.
"Urgh!"
The sound rattled my skull, my ears ringing.
Even the air shook with the force, shoving me back inch by inch.
'Dammit!'
The sheer stat gap was crushing.
'So this is what it means to lack stats?'
I thought sheer willpower might be enough to hold.
That was just arrogance.
Skills alone can't bridge overwhelming differences.
'Can't… back down!'
I jammed the ice club into the floor for support.
If I got pushed back, I'd lose the angle on its jaw.
But my legs wouldn't move forward, no matter how hard I tried.
"Baek Kang-hyun! Straight ahead!"
Si-ae's desperate shout.
I lifted my head—
And saw blue energy condensing in the Drake's throat.
'No way…'
I'd seen this countless times in footage.
Cool on screen.
Terrifying in person.
A dragon-type? Impossible.
No way.
…But the reality in front of me was merciless.
'A Dragon Breath?! In a test dungeon?!'
The unmistakable sight of Dragon Breath.
ROOOOAAARRR!
It charged in an instant.
I hurled away my club and conjured a shield with Frost Shaping.
Even then, my head spun with questions—
Could this flimsy shield really block it?
Am I about to get knocked out here?
Even if I block it, what about Si-ae behind me?
I knew the power of Dragon Breath well.
Even from a Skull Drake, it's still Breath.
A dragonkin's exclusive authority.
My only synergy skill was "Iron Will."
Otherwise, just Frost Shaping—ranked C.
No way this setup could truly block it.
'How many seconds left?'
I wanted to ask Si-ae. But no time.
There was only one option—
'Hold…!'
I grit my teeth and braced.
I cannot fail here.
I have to get into Polygon.
This is my new life's first step—I won't let it end here!
And then—
BOOOOM!
The Breath erupted.
Heat engulfed me.
My ears still rang from earlier, my head throbbing.
If that blast swallowed me—game over.
"Baek Kang-hyun!"
Si-ae's cry.
Suddenly, my body was wrapped in a glowing yellow sphere.
'Wait… that's a one-time use, isn't it…?'
Shock Absorption Barrier—Light's Aegis.
She'd spent her only cast to protect me.
The flames slammed against it—
But in barely two seconds, the barrier cracked and shattered.
She had given me those precious seconds.
"…Right. I know!"
If I ran, she'd be the one eliminated.
That's why she used it on me.
But I wasn't empty-handed.
I glanced at my Status.
Originally, I had a Temporary Gate planned.
But the situation demanded something else.
'Assign Light's Aegis to empty slot!'
The slot changed—Light's Aegis appeared.
I cast it immediately.
Now it overlapped with Si-ae's.
Mana gauge halved in an instant, power draining from my body.
'So that's why it's one-time use… insane mana cost.'
If I failed now, we'd both be eliminated.
'Still…!'
With her Aegis, my Aegis, Frost Shaping shield, and Iron Will—four skills together—
I became a fortress.
ROOOAARRRRR!
Flames engulfed me.
But I stood, unyielding.
Seconds dragged.
Then—
Thunk.
The Breath cut off.
A crashing noise followed.
'…Don't tell me…'
The Skull Drake had collapsed.
The Gate severed—its head dropped at my feet.
The rest of its body was already gone.
The skeletons crumbled around us.
Victory.
"…We… did it."
Strength drained from my arms.
Mana completely gone.
I finally understood why high-rank absorption skills were valued so highly.
'But Light's Aegis… ridiculous mana hog.'
Then, a system window appeared—
=
Congratulations!
You have passed the 2nd Practical Exam of Polygon, Class 7!
Examinees: Baek Kang-hyun, Yoon Si-ae.
At last—confirmation.
The dreaded 2nd practical was cleared.
'Attack-use Gate… yeah, "Executioner's Gate" is the perfect name.'
Connecting Gates, then severing them, guillotining whatever's caught in between.
Brilliant.
'Still… gutsy of Yoon Si-ae.'
It takes enormous resolve to bet everything on an untested tactic.
If she'd hesitated, we'd have been done for.
But she hadn't.
And so—
Wooooong.
The holographic dungeon faded, returning us to the white room.
It was over.
I turned to Si-ae. A word of thanks, at least—
"Kh-hk! Khhhak!"
Wait—what?
Her face was pale, clutching at her chest, writhing.
'What's wrong with her?!'
I rushed over.
She grabbed my collar, trembling, gasping.
"Kh…hak…khh!"
Tears streamed from her eyes.
I scanned her immediately.
Blue veins rising under her skin.
Short, ragged breath. Confused mind.
'Mana depletion syndrome.'
Overdrawing her mana reserves to the root, triggering rebound.
No time to waste.
I grabbed her jaw and pulled her head back—
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