A Terminal Healer Needs an Obsessive Maniac

Chapter 20

A tropical rainforest area with humid air. This was a type commonly seen in real dungeons. It was also a type that appeared frequently in hunter exams due to the great variety of vegetation in different regions.

“Ugh, it’s really freaking hot. Hack, ptooey!”

Uncomfortable with the sweltering weather, a man covered in tattoos grumbled in an irritable tone and spat phlegm. A high school girl in uniform nearby frowned and distanced herself from the tattooed man.

“Hey, Chinatown healer. You said you can do support roles too, right? Do something about this heat.”

Ryu Seo-ha, who had been observing the bespectacled man while assessing the surrounding terrain, shifted his gaze to the tattooed man who was ordering him with a flick of his finger. Rather than frowning at the rudeness, he felt puzzled first.

‘I don’t think he was this obnoxious in the original work.’

Of course, not all applicants’ personalities were described, but if he had shown such conspicuous behavior, he would have received a so-called “lesson” from Choi Gang-hu and then some. Ah, perhaps he was the type to particularly look down on support classes.

“Come on, did I put you in charge of buffs?”

“What did you say?”

Before he could answer, a man in military uniform interjected, chiding the tattooed man. Judging by his closely shaved head and youthful face, he seemed to have awakened right after enlisting.

“We should try to be polite to each other as much as possible. You know, cooperation is included in the scoring.”

“What the hell are you...”

“Come on, everyone calm down. We don’t have time to argue like this. We need to quickly form a movement formation.”

As the tattooed man raised his voice, bristling at the young soldier’s candid words, a man with hair grown to his waist quickly stepped in to mediate. He was the one who had volunteered for the leader role in the original work too.

“And who the hell are you, kid?”

“I’m an exploration-type awakened. I checked for the dungeon core and it’s closer than we thought. I’d like to decide on positions and set out right away.”

“Let’s do that.”

“I agree.”

“Me too.”

As the high school girl, soldier, and Ryu Seo-ha came out in support of him, the tattooed man also shut his mouth. Under the long-haired man’s lead, each person’s position during movement was decided. In order of tank, melee DPS, healer and support, ranged DPS.

This would have been impossible in a real dungeon. If they had fumbled around like this, they would have been wiped out without even responding to monster attacks. It was only possible because a tacit short preparation time was given even after entering.

The conquest difficulty of artificial dungeons for hunter exams is not very high. The test is meant to weed out those unfit for combat. Barring any extreme variables, passing shouldn’t be a problem.

The important thing was to publicly expose and weed out the doppelganger’s identity. Until that timing came, he couldn’t miss even the slightest movement from it. To avoid creating helpless victims like in the original work.

“Why are you doing that?”

Even while positioned in the rear, he didn’t let up his surveillance of the bespectacled man at the front, when Choi Gang-hu approached him and quietly expressed his doubt. However, the psychological burden was too great to reveal the truth right away.

If he was challenged on how he knew and asked for evidence, he would have nothing to say. He couldn’t answer that he had read it in advance in a novel. For now, he had to wait for the creature to take suspicious actions.

“Doing what?”

When he feigned ignorance and asked back, Choi Gang-hu, who had been staring intently into Ryu Seo-ha’s eyes, silently stepped back. It felt a bit regretful that he gave in so easily. Still, it shouldn’t take long until he could reveal the truth. This was because the doppelganger was estimated to have sneaked in during the break a few hours ago.

Doppelgangers that have recently parasitized often make mistakes in the process of absorbing the host’s memories, speech patterns, and habits. As they try to act based on the host’s personality, those characteristics become awkwardly exaggerated. Like the bespectacled man who was completely silent while stiffly frozen. In the current situation, it would just look like normal nervousness.

“Well then, shall we depart...”

“Wait a moment.”

“Aaargh!”

As he collapsed, instantly paralyzed all over, something like an unidentified stem flew in with a whoosh and snatched up one of the ranged attackers.

Applies debuff ‘Defense Weakening’ to designated target (1 D-rank Shadow Thorn Tree).

The shuriken Ryu Seo-ha threw sliced through the moving tree stem with a rustle. Before the person who fell with a loud crash could recover,

Applies buff ‘Strength Enhancement (3 minutes)’ to designated targets (C-rank awakened and 2 others).

Applies buff ‘Agility Enhancement (3 minutes)’ to designated targets (D-rank awakened and 3 others).

Stat-increasing buffs were applied to the comrades still standing unharmed.

“Damage dealers, deal damage confidently. The skin of poison dart frogs has significantly lower durability in the air.”

He advised while accurately embedding shuriken between the eyes of poison dart frogs with each throw, but most of the awakened, bewildered by their first real combat experience, seemed to hear nothing.

This is a mess. Even if it’s a realistic illusion, this is a bit much. This must be why academy graduates established to replace the hunter exam are gaining popularity. The shuriken he had prepared in advance were already used up.

Ryu Seo-ha glanced at Choi Gang-hu, who was standing beside him and leisurely throwing stones one by one. He wouldn’t be considering the other applicants by not monopolizing the contribution. He probably just didn’t want to waste energy unnecessarily on a boring rite of passage.

Applies buff ‘Paralysis Detox’ to designated targets (B-rank awakened and 1 other).

After healing the tattooed man and long-haired man who had fallen ungracefully, Ryu Seo-ha picked up the bow that had been tossed on the ground. Originally, the thirsty dig wells. He had no capacity to retake the test.

He nocked an arrow to the bowstring, pulled his arm straight, and firmly fixed the anchor point in the middle of his lips. Drawing without a finger tab made the tender skin of his fingers cry out in pain.

Click, the heavy bow weighing well over 20kg bent flexibly, painfully brushing against his chest that lacked protective gear. The unfamiliar size of the bow caused discomfort.

But the vivid memory engraved in his body skillfully implemented the shooting posture. Just like when he provided covering fire for the guards while hiding in buildings in the quarantine zone.

Aiming with the arrowhead without a sight, checking wind direction with skin texture, were all familiar sensations. So was supporting the evenly drawn bow with back muscles.

Ping─!

He released without hesitation, flinging his hand back. The arrow that left the string in the blink of an eye pierced through a poison dart frog’s head. The remaining arrows fired in succession were all perfect hits as well.

“Holy shit!”

The poison dart frogs that had filled the area about 80m ahead quickly dwindled. The tattooed man, freed from paralysis, exclaimed in disbelief. If he had the presence of mind for that, he should have joined the attack.

“W-we’ve won this fight! Ranged attackers! Pour attacks to the front!”

The long-haired man, finally coming to his senses, raised his voice to boost the morale of his companions.

Applies buff ‘Healing Regeneration’ to designated targets (C-rank awakened and 1 other).

Ryu Seo-ha returned the bow to the tattooed man who was sitting stupidly and returned to his original position. The evaluation criteria for the hunter exam are how well one adapts to the field and how well one fulfills their assigned position, these two things.

After that, everything went smoothly. Because everyone listened to Ryu Seo-ha’s opinions. When moving again after the battle ended, and when preparing to camp after sunset.

He, who was in charge of setting up tents at the campsite, moved busily while not losing sight of the doppelganger, the bespectacled man. Everything seemed to be going well.

“Aaargh!”

At least until a sharp scream rang out. Unlike during the daytime battle, the companions who had formed battle positions quite familiarly rushed to where,

“Why... why...”

The youthful soldier was trembling. In front of the corpse of the long-haired man with a fist-sized hole in his head.