Chương 70: GOBLIN FOREST RAID (1)

A little while later, at the School Training Hall- The atmosphere felt a little tense. The entire class was standing in formation, lined up in rows. Everyone had at least some form of gear equipped. Jimin stood among them, his expression calm. At the front, Seong-ho stood still, his hands behind his back. His posture was straight and his expression, unreadable as always. Then, he spoke.

"We have fully booked the E-Rank Field Rift in Seongbuk district for our training. And as you already know, it's a goblin forest." Seong-ho continued.

"I will say it again. This is going to be your first time in an E-Rank Rift. Though it's a Field Rift, you should still be careful. It's nothing like an F-Rank Rift." His tone got more serious.

"The training will be 4 hours long this time. There will be traps. And the goblins will attack in numbers. So, be vigilant." Whispers spread among the students. The pressure was starting to sink in. But Seong-ho didn't give them time to process. He dropped a sudden bomb.

"You may borrow gear from the arsenal today. But there won't be any combat suits this time. And we won't be providing any gear starting from tomorrow. So, you should buy your own as soon as possible." That statement alone made several students stiff. The whispers turned sharper.

"Wait… no gear?"

"I can't afford proper gear yet…"

"Then what are we supposed to do?"

"Gotta take a loan. No other way." But it wasn't an issue for Jimin anymore. Makes sense. They were not going to provide them forever. Good thing I'm clear.

"Silence." Seong-ho's voice cut through the noise instantly. The hall fell quiet. He cleared his throat slightly.

"I would like to inform you that unlike the F-Rank Rift, there are no requirements today. You may use this chance only to adapt and prepare yourselves for your final evaluations." Then, his gaze swept across the room.

"But remember this. Your final evaluation will take place in just two weeks." The weight of that statement hit harder than anything else.

"You can train in the Field Rift till then. But you will have to clear an E-Rank Instant Rift in order to pass and obtain your novice license." A wave of excitement spread instantly. Jimin's lips curled slightly. Instant Rift, huh… Seong-ho continued.

"And lastly, the party member limit is minimum of 6 to maximum of 8 this time. So, many of you will need to switch parties or add new members." That caught everyone off guard. The students glanced at each other. Confusion spread like wildfire.

"What?"

"We only have three…"

"Who do we even recruit?"

"Should we merge with another group?"

"Keep in mind," Seong-ho added calmly, "that you will go through the final evaluation with this party as well. So, discuss among yourselves and form the parties carefully." Jimin grinned faintly. I see… I won't need to worry about my party members then. At the front, Seong-ho's expression remained unchanged. The students need to come out of their comfort zone. They should learn how to adapt to new members, parties and formations.

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"We will be leaving in 30 minutes." That snapped everyone back.

"So, get your gear and finish party formation before that." With that he turned and exited the hall. The moment he left, the assembly broke. The existing parties gathered among themselves to discuss the situation. Some argued, some negotiated. While some looked completely lost. Jimin and his party were no exception. Gun-woo scratched his head.

"What is this new drama about?" Yu-jun crossed his arms.

"I think Instructor Ryu is testing us." Jimin nodded.

"Yeah… He wants to see how well we can adapt." Min-ji frowned slightly.

"So, what do we do now?"

"We need to recruit at least one more member," said Yuna.

"Right," said Jimin. But his tone became slightly awkward. He said, "But before that… I need to tell you guys something."

"What?" Yuna asked. Jimin took a small breath and said, "I will go solo again." The reaction was instant.

"What?" everyone shouted in unison. A few nearby students turned their heads. Jimin noticed and lowered his voice.

"Keep it down, guys." He leaned in slightly.

"It's not gonna be for the whole raid. I'll stick around at the start," he continued.

"But I'll leave afterwards." Everyone stared at him.

"But don't worry," Jimin said, "I'll join you guys back halfway through." Yu-jun frowned.

"That makes no sense." Yuna's expression sharpened.

"What are you talking about? Have you gone crazy? It's not safe."

"Yeah," Yu-jun added.

"Yuna's right." But Jimin didn't back down. His gaze sharpened.

"I'll be fine… I need to." It was an honest statement. And Yuna noticed it immediately. She understood what he was trying to convey. It's about his slow growth, isn't it? So, she gave in. She exhaled quietly.

"Fine." Everyone turned toward her.

"Only if you can show us that you can manage well by yourself."

"What?" Gun-woo blinked.

"You're agreeing with him?" Min-ji looked surprised. Yuna crossed her arms.

"He won't stop anyway." Jimin nodded.

"Fair." Yu-jun sighed.

"Alright." Gun-woo shook his head.

"You're insane." Jimin chuckled lightly.

"Thanks, guys." The tension eased slightly.

"Then," Gun-woo clapped his hands once, "let's finish the recruitment now."

"Yeah," Jimin said.

"We should start looking for members."

"I don't think we will need to." Min-ji's voice cut in, as she pointed behind Jimin. Jimin turned. Jimin immediately turned around and saw that a group of two boys and one girl was approaching his party. Suddenly, one of the guys stepped forward and spoke up. His name was Min-su and his gear revealed that he was a swordsman.

"Hi. Can we join your party," said he. Jimin and his party started looking at each other. Yu-jun stepped forward slightly.

"You're a swordsman, right?"

"Uh… yes," the boy nodded. Then, he gestured toward the others.

"Dong-hyun is a healer." A quiet boy nodded slightly.

"And Hye-jin is an archer." The girl gave a small wave. Meanwhile, Jimin was lost in thought. It can't get any better. We needed a proper melee and healer. And the ranger can fill my place. Jimin and Yu-jun looked at each other and both nodded. Perfect. Jimin then looked at the trio and said, "Welcome to the party." Relief flickered across the trio's faces.

"Thank you," they said in unison. The group settled quickly.

After a while, all the parties had been formed. And after the gear issue was solved, everyone boarded the bus one by one. Jimin stepped inside and took a seat near the window. His gaze drifted outside. The engine started. The bus began to slowly move. And then, left for its destination.

Soon, the bus slowed down and came to a halt near a massive Rift Gate. The E-Rank Field Rift in Seongbuk district. Jimin leaned slightly toward the window, his gaze locking onto it. Damn… it's huge. It looks way larger than the F-Rank Field Rift. Unlike the F-Rank Rift, there wasn't any major facility built around it. The surrounding area was far less developed than the military-controlled training zones. There were no towering facilities or elaborate defenses.

Just a basic perimeter, a few stationed guards, Association personnel and a modest registration area set up nearby. It's because it was a general access Rift, open to all. Everyone slowly got off the bus one by one and gathered outside the registration area, forming loose groups around their parties. Seong-ho stood before them.

"This is your last reminder," he said, his voice steady but carrying authority.

"You have four hours. That's it." He paused briefly, letting his words sink in.

"There is no need to engage the boss monster. You are not ready for that yet. Focus on survival, coordination, and efficiency." His gaze swept across the group for the last time.

"Take it easy. And come back safely."

"Yes, Sir!" everyone responded in unison. Seong-ho gave a small nod.

"Now, complete your registration with your party and enter one by one." With that, he stepped aside. With that Yu-jun immediately sent the party request to all the members. Everyone accepted one by one and the party was officially formed.

"Let's go," Yu-jun said. Then, they proceeded to complete their registration by showing their student ID. The process was smooth. And then, the party finally entered the E-Rank Rift, without any hesitation.

The party emerged on the other side. They had walked into an entrance to a gloomy forest. The trees were tall and twisted, their branches stretching unnaturally. Even though it was supposed to be daytime, the entire area was dimly lit. As the sky was covered under thick, dark clouds. The air felt damp. Heavy and unsettling. Everything gave off an eerie feeling.

"This feels creepy for some reason," Min-ji said, her voice slightly tense.

"Yeah… can't deny that," said Gun-woo, as he scanned the surroundings. But Jimin was excited. But he somehow kept it contained. I'm finally here. His eyes sharpened slightly. It's time to slaughter some goblins.

"We should start moving," Yu-jun said suddenly.

"Yes," everyone responded. Without wasting time, the party began advancing deeper into the forest. Their formation naturally fell into place. Yu-jun as usual took the front as the tank. Min-su, the swordsman tailing right behind him. Followed by Gun-woo. Jimin and the ranger, Hye-Jin were in the middle. While Yuna, Min-ji and the healer, Dong-Hyun stayed at the rear. As they moved, Jimin took a deep breath. Now. He then activated his 'Detection' skill.

As he closed his eyes, his surroundings began to turn grey, black and white. He began to feel the skill's effect. Woah… It feels like my consciousness is expanding. Spreading in all directions. I feel like I can sense every presence within its range. He focused for a moment. Hmm… There seems to be no sign of traps here. But then suddenly- Wait, this presence… Something had suddenly entered Jimin's detection range. Small, weak embers of mana. A slight grin spread across his face. Goblins.