The next morning, exactly at nine o'clock, Andress stood before a hidden G-rank portal. He took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the swirling energy slowly churning before him.
Just as planned, he intended to enter the portal right away to grow stronger. In truth, he had meant to do it the night before—but that plan fell apart after he accidentally ran into Frisa.
He had considered sneaking out at midnight instead, but a bad feeling stopped him. He suspected Frisa's subordinates might follow him in secret.
『Hidden Portal – Rank G』
『Monster Type: Spider』
"So this is the portal... Pretty well hidden," Andress muttered. "Alright, let's get started."
As soon as he stepped inside, Andress was greeted by the sight of a vast, pitch-black cave. Like the previous portal, it was eerily quiet and tense—but this time, there was one major difference: spider webs were everywhere. Thick, sticky, and unnervingly strong.
If he wasn't careful, he could easily get trapped.
'Ugh, another cave... Honestly, I'm kind of traumatized by places like this.'
Memories of green goblins and the raw meat he once had to eat made his stomach churn.
'The taste and smell of goblin meat... absolutely revolting.'
He opened his Map skill. The area of this portal was about one kilometer wide—smaller than the previous one. That meant, hopefully, he could clear it much faster.
Without wasting any time, Andress pulled out a pair of special goggles from his inventory—gear that allowed him to see in the dark. He had learned from experience and had no intention of repeating past mistakes.
After putting them on, he smiled slightly.
'Totally worth buying these goggles, even if they were expensive. Now I can see the cave clearly.'
He could still see a little without them, but the goggles made everything much easier.
Andress then drew his sword from his weapon bracelet and got into position.
'Alright, let's begin.'
Andress checked his Map skill again. The display showed eight spider monsters roughly a hundred and fifty meters ahead. Without hesitation, he moved in to attack.
Spider Monsters.
This type came in three sizes: small at one meter tall, medium at two meters, and large at three. The ones standing in front of Andress now were the small type.
"So these are the monsters... Creepy. Their red eyes are pretty unsettling."
Instead of using his sword, Andress switched it out for a bow from his bracelet. He activated his skill, Five Arrows, and aimed straight at the monsters' eyes.
His strategy was simple: blind them first. Then he'd go in and finish them off with his sword.
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
All five arrows flew and hit their marks—right in the eyes. Without wasting time, Andress stashed the bow, dashed toward the monsters, and raised his sword.
But before he could strike, the spiders suddenly spat venom from their mouths. Andress quickly backed off, looking for a new angle of attack.
'Even after getting hit in the eyes, their vision is still good enough to aim?!'
He knew spider venom was extremely dangerous. A single hit could destroy a human body in an instant.
He kept moving, circling the five monsters while dodging their poison sprays. At first, it was easy to avoid. But over time, their aim became more accurate, making it harder for him to get close.
"This is getting ridiculous. I can't fight with a sword like this."
"I wanted to practice my swordsmanship here, but I guess that plan's on hold."
He sheathed his sword and grabbed his bow again. With a high leap, he fired another volley of five arrows—this time with full power.
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Three out of five arrows hit. The other two were dodged.
As soon as he landed, Andress fired one more arrow at a surviving spider.
Thwip! Thwip!
Direct hit. He charged forward without hesitation, drew his sword, and sliced through the spiders one by one.
"Finally... Got them."
He let out a heavy breath. These monsters were far stronger than he'd expected.
"I didn't think spiders would be this tough... and they're only G-rank."
Even though they were supposed to be on the same level as the green goblins from the last portal, the spiders were far more dangerous. Clearly, monster rank didn't always reflect actual threat level.
Spider monster meat is not edible due to toxic compounds that are harmful to the human body.
"Can't eat it, huh... What a waste. I even brought cooking supplies."
He had hoped to score an extra benefit like he did with the goblins, but no luck this time.
Ten hours had passed since Andress entered the hidden G-rank portal. His body was covered in wounds, his breathing ragged—but he had finally eliminated all the regular spider monsters lurking in the cave. Only one enemy remained: the portal boss.
Unfortunately, he only had five percent of his stamina left. Even just standing was starting to feel like a struggle.
"Just as I thought, I really need to rest first. Good thing I prepared everything in advance—unlike last week's mess."
Andress opened his inventory and began pulling out his supplies one by one: a lightweight tent that could be set up quickly, a soft folding mattress, a small pillow and blanket, plus cooking tools and instant food. He had even brought firewood, gasoline, and a lighter in case he needed to make a campfire.
After setting up a small camp in the corner of the cave, he leaned back and began eating heartily. The hunger he'd been holding in for hours finally eased with a bowl of hot instant soup and a sandwich from his original world. Once full, he crawled into his tent and wrapped himself in the warm blanket.
That night's sleep was the most peaceful he'd had in a while.
Eight hours later, Andress woke up refreshed. His body felt light, and both his stamina and energy had fully recovered. He checked the system screen to make sure everything was back to normal.
"That was a real rest. A soft bed, a warm blanket... Not like last time, sleeping on cold stone while eating disgusting food."
After packing up all his gear and storing it back in his inventory, Andress made his way toward the boss's location.
At the end of the cave, he found a massive door standing tall. It looked ancient and mysterious, covered in strange carvings that resembled unfamiliar symbols.
"Whoa... This door's cool. Looks like something straight out of an RPG."
He gave it a gentle push, and the stone scraped loudly as it opened.
Screeeech...
Andress stepped inside.
The chamber stretched wide before him, surrounded by dark stone walls and a high ceiling that faded into pitch blackness. At the center stood a massive spider monster, glaring at him with eight glowing red eyes.
Spider Boss Monster.
It was enormous—around four meters tall. Its legs were long and hairy, with fangs dripping a purple, poisonous liquid. Despite its size, the monster moved with terrifying speed—so fast it was almost invisible to the naked eye.
'That thing is hideous.'
Andress held back a wave of nausea. He could tell instantly that this creature was in a completely different league from the regular spiders.
Without wasting a second, he pulled out his bow and activated his Arrow Bomb skill. This wasn't the time to play around. One mistake, and it would all be over.
'Better to finish it before it even gets close.'
He aimed carefully at the spider's massive body, holding his breath and pulling the string as far as it could go.
Swish!
The arrow shot forward—and then—
Boom!
A loud explosion echoed, but at the same time, Andress caught sight of the monster's silhouette dodging the attack with unbelievable agility.
'What?! It dodged?! That fast?!'
Before he could react, the spider boss darted toward him like a shadow, speeding straight at him with insane velocity. In the blink of an eye, it was right in front of him, raising two of its front legs to strike.
Clang!
Andress instinctively raised his sword to block the blow. The impact was so powerful it sent him flying two meters back. His right hand trembled, barely able to hold onto the sword.
'This is bad… It's too strong! I can't block another hit like that!'
The monster moved again, this time spewing venom from its mouth. A stream of purple-green liquid blasted forward like a deadly projectile. Andress rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the spray. The venom hit the stone wall behind him and instantly burned a hole through it—like acid.
'I won't last long if this keeps up!'
He tried to fire his bow, but there was no time to aim while constantly dodging.
Meanwhile, the spider boss relentlessly pressed the attack—slashing with razor-sharp legs and spraying venom in quick succession. Every step it took shook the ground. Every attack was a potential deathblow.
Andress knew this wasn't a fight he could win with standard tactics.
'This won't work. I have to give it everything. I need to think!'
While running, a wild idea struck him. His eyes shot up toward the ceiling, where stalactites and massive boulders hung ominously.
'If I can bring the ceiling down... maybe I can bury it alive.'
But it was risky. If he failed—or if he was too close when it happened—he'd be crushed too.
Still, it was his only shot.
Gasping for breath, he retreated as far as he could from the boss. Then, he combined two of his skills: Five Arrows at Once and Arrow Bomb.
This time, he aimed not at the monster—but at the weak points in the cave's ceiling.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
All five arrows shot upward and exploded at critical points. The blast was so intense it sent Andress flying backward.
Thud!
He slammed hard against the cave wall. Blood trickled down his temple. The pain was blinding.
His IPR was completely drained. He couldn't even stand.
'If this doesn't work... I'm done for…'
The cave rumbled violently. Rocks began to fall. Massive boulders crashed to the ground with thunderous force. Andress squinted forward, barely able to see through the thick cloud of dust that filled the chamber.
He held his breath. His heart pounded.
'Is it... dead?'
Seconds passed. The shaking slowed.
As the dust began to settle, he finally saw it—a towering pile of stone, nearly twenty meters high, crushing the spot where the boss had stood.
『You have defeated the Spider Boss Monster.
You have depleted all IPR. It is recommended that you rest immediately.』
Andress let his body fall, collapsing to the ground. His breathing was ragged, but a faint smile formed on his lips.
'Thank goodness... If that had failed, I'd be dead.'
The system notification was the sweetest sound he'd heard all day. For the first time since entering the portal, he could truly relax.
...
In short, Andress managed to exit the hidden portal safely. Just in case he ran into Frisa or someone else, he used the last of his water supply to clean off the blood on his body and changed into a fresh set of clothes.
'No more bloodstains, clean outfit—should be safe even if I bump into someone.'
At exactly 7 p.m., Andress arrived back at school. His body felt drained, but his mind remained alert.
Just as he'd predicted, he ran into Frisa again on the way to the dormitory.
"Hey," Andress greeted her with a friendly smile.
But Frisa only glanced at him briefly before walking away without a word, as if they were complete strangers.
'Huh? Why is she ignoring me? Did I do something wrong?'
Andress frowned in confusion. He was pretty sure he hadn't done anything that could've made her upset. Unwilling to let her go just like that, he hurried after her and gently tapped her shoulder.
"Hey, why are you ignoring me?" he asked directly.
Frisa turned around, irritation written all over her face. She sighed shortly and said, "I'm in a really bad mood right now. So just leave me alone."
Andress scowled. "No matter how bad your mood is, that doesn't mean you can treat people like they don't exist. If you keep acting like this, people are going to think you're arrogant."
"I already know that, Andress. So spare me the lecture," Frisa snapped, then stormed off.
Andress could only let out a long sigh.
'Stubborn kid. I was just trying to give her some advice for her own good.'
As annoyed as he was by her attitude, Andress still tried to understand. He knew that, in the original novel, Frisa was portrayed as someone who struggled to manage her emotions.
'Forget it. No point wasting energy on this.'
He finally made it back to the dorm.
As soon as he entered his room, he collapsed onto the bed and let his thoughts wander.
'But why is Frisa acting like that? Could something have happened earlier than it was supposed to?'
Andress tried to recall the details of the Bad End storyline. In that timeline, Frisa did experience a major emotional crisis—but that didn't happen until several months later.
'In the original story, that issue wasn't supposed to come up until months from now. So... why does she already seem affected?'
'Hmph... I should look into this soon. If it's something serious, it might affect my future too.'
Meanwhile, in her own room, Frisa was pacing restlessly.
"Aaahhh!!! What is wrong with me?!"
Ever since the night before, her heart had been pounding every time she saw Andress. She couldn't even look him in the eye.
'Am I still scared of him? But it doesn't feel like fear... I'm not afraid. Then why do I panic whenever he gets close?'
'This... is weird. What am I even feeling right now?'
— — —
A week had passed since the incident. Frisa continued avoiding Andress, and he still hadn't figured out the reason behind her sudden change in behavior. He had tried to investigate, but found no clues at all.
One sunny afternoon, Andress was sitting in the academy garden with Saman and Brian. It was their day off, and the three of them were relaxing under the shade of a large tree.
"What's up with you lately? It's been two weeks since you last talked to Frisa. Did you two have a fight?" Saman asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"There's nothing going on between me and Frisa," Andress replied flatly.
"Don't lie. It's obvious you're avoiding each other."
Brian nodded. "Yeah, come on. Just be honest. If there's a problem, it's better to talk it out."
"He's right," Saman added. "The team's been super awkward lately. You two act like strangers."
Andress let out a long sigh, then stood up from the bench.
"Ugh... How many times do I have to say there's nothing going on? You guys are overreacting."
He turned and started walking away, leaving Saman and Brian staring at each other in confusion.
"Hey! Where are you going?!" Saman shouted from behind.
"None of your business. Mind your own stuff," Andress called back without turning around.
『Map』
Andress is near a hidden portal
Distance from NFS Academy: 15 km
As it turned out, Andress had decided to return to one of the hidden portals. Over the past two weeks, he had made a habit of visiting one every week for training and self-improvement. He opened his Map skill to track the location of the nearest artificial portal.
『Andress's current stats:』
Strength: 33
Endurance: 23
Speed: 28
Magic: 20
Reflex: 25
Stamina: 20
Knight Rank: E｜IPR: C
'My stats have skyrocketed over the past two weeks. The progress has been amazing.'
'But even with all that, I'm still not fast enough to catch up to Leonil.'
Not long after, Andress arrived at the portal area. But just as he was about to enter, a voice shouted from the distance.
"Andress!!"
He turned around quickly. A boy was walking briskly toward him.
"Leonil?" Andress blinked. 'What's he doing here? Isn't he supposed to be meeting someone else today?'
According to the Bad End timeline, Leonil should've been busy with something completely unrelated today—nowhere near this place.
Leonil glanced at the portal. "Andress, what kind of portal is this?"
"A hidden portal. I found it yesterday," Andress answered calmly.
"What? Yesterday? Why didn't you report it to the knight association?" Leonil asked in shock.
"Relax. It's an hidden portal, so there won't be any cracks forming."
Leonil stepped closer, eyes fixed on the portal with curiosity and awe.
"Whoa... This is my first time seeing a hidden portal up close. Pretty cool. I can't even sense any monster aura from inside."
Without saying a word, Andress began walking toward the portal entrance. But before he could go any farther, Leonil placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Wait, you're going in alone?"
"Yeah. I'm going in now."
"Are you crazy? The teacher said hidden portals are way more dangerous than regular or cracked ones!"
Andress felt irritated being lectured by someone he thought was a hypocrite.
'Easy for him to say. In the future, he'll be entering hidden portals all by himself too.'
"Let go of me. I want to get this over with."
He brushed Leonil's hand off his shoulder.
"If you're worried, come with me. If not, I'm going in alone."
Leonil hesitated. "But... the teacher said it's dangerous."
"Then goodbye."
Andress stepped into the portal. But just a few seconds later, Leonil followed behind.
"Fine, I'm coming."
Leonil had joined him—not out of courage, but because he didn't want to let Andress go alone.
『Map』
Portal area: 2 kilometers wide
Portal type: Forest
Monsters: Mini Golems
As they entered, they were greeted by the thick atmosphere of a dense forest. Sunlight filtered through the leaves above, and the air inside was damp and heavy.
Leonil began analyzing the surroundings. "Huh... So hidden portals aren't that different from regular ones."
Andress gave him a sideways glance. "By the way, how'd you even find me? Weren't you supposed to be meeting someone earlier?"
"Yeah. I just finished meeting them. On my way back, I happened to spot you from a distance."
"Oh, so basically... you followed me."
Leonil chuckled. "Haha, not on purpose, I swear."
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Suddenly, heavy footsteps echoed in the distance. Andress and Leonil immediately got into combat stance.
『Map』
Five Mini Golems detected – distance: 50 meters
Andress narrowed his eyes as the monsters came into view.
'Mini? These things are huge.'
The golems were far bigger than the mini golems Andress had fought during the academy exam. These stood around three meters tall—twice the size of the ones before.
'What a coincidence. I've never actually seen Leonil fight before. Maybe I should use this chance to test him.'
Up until now, Andress had only heard about Leonil's reputation as one of the academy's strongest students. But he had never seen that power firsthand.
"Leonil," Andress said casually, "You go. Take them on by yourself."
"Huh? You're not fighting with me?"
"I want to analyze the enemy's strength first. I'll jump in afterward."
Leonil eyed the golems for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. Watch closely."
Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the five golems. As soon as he got within striking distance, he leapt nearly four meters into the air and brought his sword down from above.
Slashhh!
The first golem's head split open instantly. Leonil landed cleanly and moved straight to the next target. Every strike was sharp and precise. Within ten seconds, all five golems were reduced to rubble.
Andress stood still, stunned.
'Holy crap... He wiped them out in ten seconds. If it were me, I'd need at least a full minute.'
'Main characters really are something else. Compared to me, it's like heaven and earth.'
After the fight ended, Andress casually walked over to the remains of the golems. He broke open their chests one by one and pulled out greenish energy cores from inside.
"What are you doing with those?" Leonil asked, curious.
"Selling them, obviously," Andress replied, continuing his work.
"But we don't have any bags. Where are you gonna put them?"
Instead of answering, Andress activated his Inventory skill right in front of Leonil and stored the cores in his virtual storage space.
"See? Problem solved."
Leonil stared, dumbfounded. "What... kind of skill is that?"
"My unique skill. It works like a weapon bracelet, but I can store any kind of item inside a virtual space."
"That's amazing! I've never seen anything like it. Is there a limit to how much it can hold?"
"No limit on quantity, but there is a size cap. Anything too big won't fit."
Leonil nodded, clearly impressed. "Man, your skill's incredible…"
Andress gave him a serious look. "But Leonil, can I ask you to keep this a secret? I don't want people knowing about it."
"Why keep it secret? It's super useful."
Andress sighed. "Don't ask. Can you or can't you?"
Leonil raised his hand. "Alright, alright. I promise I won't tell anyone."
Regular Skills vs. Unique Skills
Regular skills are abilities anyone can learn as long as they meet the requirements.
Unique skills, however, are extremely rare and only possessed by certain individuals. Their power often surpasses ordinary skills by a wide margin.
...
Six hours passed. Every monster inside the portal had been wiped out—by Leonil.
Andress had done nothing but sit and watch.
'What the hell? He cleared the whole portal in just six hours. If it were me alone, it would've taken at least fifteen.'
'Damn author... Why did I have to end up in this body instead of Leonil's?!'
Andress and Leonil sat side by side near a small campfire. The atmosphere inside the portal had calmed; there was no sound except for the breeze rustling through the leaves.
The scent of instant food slowly filled the air, adding a bit of warmth to what had been a cold and tense evening.
Leonil sipped from a metal cup, then turned to Andress with a look of honest envy.
"I'm really jealous, Andress. Having an inventory skill like yours must make life way easier. Seriously, that's everyone's dream skill."
Andress stared into the fire without replying right away. After a few seconds, he spoke softly.
"If I could choose... I'd rather have your strength."
Leonil raised an eyebrow. "My strength? Why?"
"Because in the future, I'll be facing enemies that can't be beaten with just strategy or a well-stocked inventory. Enemies who are cruel, bloodthirsty, and won't hesitate to destroy everything."
Andress's voice gradually grew more serious and heavy.
"They're not normal monsters. They have intelligence. They're cunning, ruthless, and incredibly powerful. If I'm not strong enough, they'll wipe out everything—everyone I want to protect."
Leonil stared at him, unblinking. "Are they... human?"
Andress didn't answer right away. He took a breath, then looked up at the leafy canopy above them.
"Some of them, yeah. And that's what makes them even more dangerous than any monster."
"How many are we talking about?" Leonil asked quietly.
"A lot. More than I can handle on my own."
Leonil clenched his fists, then looked over with determination. "Then let me help you."
Andress shook his head. "Don't say that so easily, Leonil. This isn't some sparring match. The enemies I'll be facing... they're not the kind you beat just by getting fired up and landing a clean hit."
"I know," Leonil replied. "But you said they'll destroy everything, right? You need power, and I have it. So no matter who your enemies are, I won't just sit back."
Andress remained silent, but deep down, he was a little surprised. Not because Leonil had offered to help—but because his words felt genuine. No conditions, no hesitation.
Then Leonil added more softly, "I don't know what you're really facing. But if your enemies are that cruel... then I'll stand by your side. Whether you like it or not."
Andress glanced at him. "Don't get too full of yourself. I don't even consider you a friend."
"I don't care," Leonil replied with a faint smile. "To me, you already are."
Andress let out a small laugh—but it wasn't joyful. It was tired and bitter.
"You're so damn stubborn."
Silence returned between them. But this time, it felt warmer. Even if Andress still kept his distance, he was beginning to realize that Leonil wasn't just the protagonist of the story... he was also someone—annoying as he was—who could be relied on.
Once they'd finished eating and fully recovered their stamina, they stood up and prepared to continue.
After a decent rest, Andress and Leonil finally reached the area where the boss monster was located. The pressure in the air grew heavier as they approached, and the atmosphere turned tense in an instant.
Just before they entered, Andress suddenly stopped walking.
"Leonil," he called out.
"What is it?" Leonil asked, glancing back.
"We've been fighting golems together for about seven hours now, right?"
"Yeah. So?"
Andress gave a small smirk. "How about we play a little game?"
"A game?" Leonil narrowed his eyes. "What kind of game?"
"A duel. Whoever defeats the boss first is the winner."
Leonil thought about it for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "Sounds fun. But... is there a punishment for the loser?"
"Nope. No punishment. Just for fun."
Leonil nodded confidently. "Alright. Whoever lands the killing blow wins."
They both readied themselves. Andress took a deep breath, while Leonil rolled his shoulders, loosening up.
The moment the door opened, the golem boss appeared before them. Its body was massive and solid—far bigger than a regular golem. The pressure radiating from it made the ground tremble.
Without any signal, both of them charged in at the same time. The battle was fast and intense. They leapt, attacked from every angle, and tried to outpace one another.
Andress used his Arrow Bomb skill to deal damage faster, while Leonil focused on swift sword strikes and precise movements.
As the boss's HP dropped to its final sliver, Andress aimed one last arrow, certain it would finish the job.
But just before the arrow hit, Leonil's sword struck first.
Crack!
The golem boss collapsed, crumbling into rubble.
"Haha! I win!" Leonil shouted, grinning with satisfaction.
Andress held his breath. He'd been so close—just a fraction of a second too slow.
"So close," he muttered. "If my bomb arrow had hit just a bit earlier, I would've won."
He didn't make a big deal out of it, though. The match had only been for fun.