Chapter 70

In strategy games, there is a term called nal-bil, It’s a shortened version of ” sharpened build”,

but it’s short for ‘raw build’ heard in TV shows.

It’s a bit gross to use raw in a broadcast, so that’s why they changed it.

Essentially, Nalbil refers to exploiting weaknesses in game balance, bugs, or pattern loopholes to achieve maximum efficiency with minimal resources. It involves identifying vulnerabilities and formulating strategies that make one go, “Wait, is this really possible?”

Of course, [Velvet School Life!] had its fair share of Nalbil strategies as well. However, pulling them off was not as easy as it sounded.

In Velvet School Life, players could manipulate three aspects of the battle: character movement, item usage order, and skill usage. Among these, “character movement” and “item usage order” had to be pre-determined before the battle, during the waiting window.

Consequently, the only thing players could directly control during the battle was the use of skills for each character. This limitation arose because players could not manipulate all the characters in a party simultaneously.

So, what about the rest of the combat system?

Well, that was left to the AI of each character. Since the AI automatically handled the combat while the player watched, Nalbil strategies in Velvet School Life often relied on luck. It was a “prayer meta,” hoping that your characters would make intelligent decisions. This reliance on luck also contributed to the game’s reputation for being “pay-to-win,” as many players resorted to spending money to obtain powerful breathing-right characters and equip them with the best items and resources to overpower their opponents.

“Most players just spent their way to victory, buying powerful characters with breathing rights and loading them up with the best items and resources. Even those who claimed to be strategic thinkers only focused on attribute strategies and skill timing.”

However, for players like me with a lighter wallet, mastering the art of Nalbil was the only way to go.

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As I stepped forward at the instructor’s call, I gazed at the hologram that appeared before me with a dazed expression.

The familiar control keys, skill windows, items, and movement designations were all too familiar.

The interface was strikingly familiar, and I felt a shiver in my soul.

‘…Velvet School Life.’

Not referring to the world I had been transmigrated to, but the game itself, Velvet School Life, was now a reality before my eyes.

‘Velvet School Life… I can play it here too?’

Moreover, playing this game was a regular subject in the Academy’s curriculum. It was like the fantasy that someone had jokingly spoken of during my school days had come true—a world where gaming could get you into college.

It felt like this situation was tailor-made for me.

If I had known that this was what the lesson was about, I would never have dozed off in the previous class. I regretted the accumulated fatigue that had caused me to nod off.

‘Ah, it’s been a while.’

I brought my hand to the interface and closed my eyes tightly.

‘That cool, heavy feeling.’

The countless days of hardship I had endured in the game, not as a mere player but as a veteran participant, flashed through my mind. Of course, I didn’t dislike the time I spent with the characters I loved, laughing and chatting with them as if they were real.

But as a gamer, this moment was also a part of me. How could I resist such a gift presented before my eyes?

‘Yes, it’s time to go back.’

Velvet School Life player.

Community Official.

Famous for strategizing cheesy builds.

I felt an instinctive urge to return to my online identity—[Kimchi Cream Pasta].

Slowly, I half-opened my eyes and scanned the information presented to me.

First, I assessed the types of monsters we would be facing.

‘Hmm, the enemy monsters include Blade Maw, Spider Lord, Fire Wolf, and Water Elemental. Interesting combination. Quite a fun setup.’

Next, I examined the terrain.

‘Ah, a basin terrain with only one passageway? Well, that changes things. This might even allow us to keep everyone at full health.’

Finally, I reviewed the status windows and item lists of the characters provided. Although their abilities seemed inadequate when compared to the four A-grade monsters we were up against, I furrowed my brows.

‘Sheesh, they didn’t need to give us this many items… Today’s kids don’t know the value of consumables.’

As the information before me combined, several simulations ran through my mind. I envisioned the enemies’ movement paths and attack patterns, and a clear strategy emerged.

I began by arranging the characters’ positions.

‘Let’s put the healers at the front since they have the lowest aggro rating. Place the damage dealers at the back, and as for the tanks… we don’t need them. You, go stand over there and spin in circles.’

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

To an outsider, this arrangement might seem absurd, but I was confident it would yield the highest efficiency.

Next, I removed all the items from the characters.

‘Giving us all these items is a rookie move.’

Well, to be fair, it wasn’t my account, and I didn’t feel particularly attached to the items, but still.

‘The Blade Maw will be at the front. Once we take care of them… the Spider Lord and Fire Wolf will be following behind. We’ll hit them from the sides, dodge, and…’

Tap. Tap.

My fingers moved swiftly as I anticipated the enemies’ attack ranges and set the healers’ movement paths. I left the damage dealers untouched, as the healers would be intercepting most of the attacks anyway.

‘And there, we have it… Medic Hill Blockade!’

I nodded in satisfaction, pleased with the beautiful strategy I had crafted.

In reality, the “Medic Hill Blockade” was a strategy that involved pitting the enemies against each other. Although a slight deviation in movement paths could result in the healers becoming minced meat, if one couldn’t pull off a strategy like this, they didn’t deserve the title of a master cheesy build strategist, [Kimchi Cream Pasta].

The enemy composition was perfectly designed to exploit their weaknesses and inflict damage on each other, making it incredibly convenient to formulate a strategy.

‘Looks like the instructor intended for us to come up with this solution from the start. Impressive. Truly, the instructors at the Velvet Hunter Academy are a cut above the rest.’

I quite liked the instructor for this lesson.

‘Although giving us all these items was a bit rookie-like, it’s still commendable. A fellow cheesy build strategist, and a man at that. It’s refreshing to meet someone who understands this art.’

I turned and flashed a broad smile at the stern-looking instructor.

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‘Is this really possible…?’

Park Jin-soo, the instructor for the “Understanding Positioning and Organization” class, stared at the hologram in front of him, his usually cold expression hardening further.

His original intention for this lesson had been to teach the students about the relationships between the monsters, and how to utilize terrain and items effectively.

The strategy he had in mind involved the tanks taking the lead, with the healers focusing their healing on the tanks. Then, using their skills, they would herd the monsters into a confined space. At that point, they would use the ‘Acid’ item, which everyone was equipped with.

In the midst of the monsters’ confusion, the tanks and healers would fall back, taking advantage of the terrain, while the damage dealers finished off the enemies. With careful planning, victory could be achieved, albeit with some difficulty.

It was a challenging problem, but one that could be solved with deep thinking. In other words, there was a specific answer to this question.

‘He has induced infighting among the monsters…’

Yes, the monsters had been positioned to influence each other. However, that was intended to prolong the chaos, not to cause them to self-destruct like this.

However, that was precisely what was happening before his eyes.

The healers walked a dangerous path, carefully managing their aggro and returning to the safety of the hill.

As a result…

The monsters began to fight each other.

The healers maintained the monsters’ health at similar levels to prevent one monster from dominating the fight. From their hiding spots, the damage dealers seized the opportunity when the monsters attacked each other, skillfully using their skills without drawing aggro and chipping away at the monsters’ health.@@novelbin@@

It was as if the two healers had become the tanks, while the damage dealers attacked from a safe distance!

Moreover, since the healers kept the monsters’ health evenly matched, it was likely that they would all fall at the same time.

Zero damage taken.

The tank, who was supposed to mitigate the damage for the party, was spinning in circles far away from the action.

‘What…?’

Goosebumps prickled the back of Park Jin-soo’s neck as he stared at the incomprehensible sight before him. He turned to the male student standing next to him, and the boy smirked, baring his teeth.

Chills ran down Park Jin-soo’s spine.

‘…!’

Only then did Park Jin-soo realize that there was something unusual about the male student he had called forward.

Wasn’t there supposed to be a male student chosen by that monstrous woman? A strikingly handsome boy with black hair and black eyes?

Park Jin-soo’s gaze shifted to the boy’s hand, and he noticed the Subspace tattoo.

‘An Subspace tattoo…!’

The male student who had eliminated a Demon upon enrollment!

‘Slaughter Maniac…!’

Suddenly, beads of cold sweat formed on Park Jin-soo’s forehead.

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─ Grrrrr…

─ Crunch…

─ Roaaaar…

─ Ker…

Finally, the four A-grade monsters, their health chipped away by each other’s attacks and the damage dealers’ skills, fell simultaneously before their eyes.

With not a single scratch on their own health bars, Jin Yuha had manipulated the monsters into self-destructing.

The other students murmured, unsure if this was the intended solution to the problem, while Shin Se-hee rubbed her arms, feeling a chilling sensation.

‘…This is the power of future knowledge!’