Chapter 125: Preparation
There had originally been fifty people in total.
Even after subtracting the five already sacrificed and the three Chinese Awakeners, forty-two should have remained.
But the number of gathered awakeners right now was only 27.
The missing fifteen were probably scattered somewhere nearby.
First priority was to find them.
Awakeners split into two groups and searched everywhere.
In that process, the one who helped a lot was Hayangi.
Hayangi followed invisibly, so the other Awakeners did not know it was there. Park Siwoo and Seo Yerim, however, could sense it.
Peck peck.
Peck.
Its beak tapped Seo Yerim’s shoulder. It not only indicated the direction but even conveyed how many people were there.
‘As expected, smart.’
Seo Yerim, receiving the signal, let out a low admiration.
Its intelligence far surpassed that of an average summon.
It was also an excellent scout.
On top of that, it shared attributes with its owner.
Most importantly…
‘Cute.’
Perhaps because it was still a chick, it was unbearably adorable.
Its abundance of charm was another bonus.
Every time Kim Minwoo called himself Hayangi’s father and doted on the bird, Seo Yerim felt a stab of envy.
‘I wish I had a pet like this.’
She really wanted to get one.
The problem was that finding such a pet was anything but easy.
Anyone could adopt an ordinary pet, but a capable combat companion was another matter.
Those had to be found inside Gates.
A mysterious ability, exceptional intelligence, and an adorable appearance—if creatures like that were easy to find, everyone would have one.
Only a handful of Awakeners blessed with both skill and luck possessed pets like Hayangi.
She stroked its head.
Her hand moved almost unconsciously.
―Kku.
A tiny chirp sounded in her ear in response.
‘Uu…’
Seo Yerim shivered at the adorable sound, then pointed ahead.
“… Ahem! Let's go that way.”
“Yes!”
The Awakeners obeyed without complaint. As an archer, Seo Yerim had excellent vision, and every location she indicated contained another missing participant.
It happened too consistently to be coincidence. Within a single day, they found all fifteen.
The full group of forty-two was finally assembled.
Their professions and races were extremely diverse.
Building teamwork among them would be essential.
“Now, we will be in charge of your training instructors. First, individual lessons, and then.”
Seo Yerim.
Park Siwoo.
Cedric.
And Merhen too.
Two humans and two undead as instructors.
Until then, the Awakeners had remained skeptical.
‘We know they’re skilled, but teaching is another matter, isn’t it?’
We're skilled too.
‘And one of the instructors is a summon?’
Hmm…
Those were the thoughts running through their minds.
Still, they kept their complaints to themselves and decided to watch first.
Park Siwoo took the first group.
The close-range fighters had been divided into groups of ten.
His was designated Group One.
The most eye-catching member of Group One was Thompson, an American.
He was a bald Black paladin,
with arm muscles that bulged around the mace in his grip.
Whether by appearance or reputation, he drew the most attention in the group.
“Thompson, can you be group leader?”
“Sure.”
Thompson shrugged.
“So what's the training? If matching teamwork, gathering us alone doesn't mean much…”
“First, check basics. Teamwork after. For now… fight me and endure.”
“Okay.”
Thompson stepped forward first.
He raised a white tower shield and said with a serious expression,
“Won't go down easy.”
Thompson settled into a solid defensive stance. Park Siwoo tilted his head.
“What are you doing?”
“…?”
“Why only Thompson?”
“… Hey Park. Just to confirm, all ten rush me?”
“Yes.”
“… Okay. What? Everyone come out.”
At that, the other Awakeners reluctantly stepped forward.
‘… Well, career feeds you or something.’
Park Siwoo might have been young and newly awakened, but this was a world where skill decided everything.
He had defeated an S-rank opponent in ten moves and placed third in the examination, so they had to acknowledge his ability. Even so, some reluctance remained.
“… Get tense. We're not that easy…”
Then.
Boom!
A tremendous crash rang out.
Aaaak!
Awakeners went flying in every direction.
Cedric, the instructor for the second close-range group, had already begun.
Every sweep of his spear sent another explosion through the surrounding Awakeners.
“Already started. Me too.”
The holy sword that appeared in Park Siwoo’s hand suddenly blazed with light.
He closed the distance in an instant.
Thompson’s eyes sharpened as he raised his shield.
‘Endure!’
A paladin lacked a warrior’s taunting skills, but possessed even greater vitality and endurance.
He could also use recovery magic. If he blocked Park Siwoo’s attacks, the others could finish the job.
As Park Siwoo swung sword full power, he raised shield.
Clang!
The blow struck the shield.
The other Awakeners rushed in from every direction.
Then.
Thompson squinted.
‘… Light?’
The strike was too light for a full-power stance. Had Park Siwoo withdrawn his strength at the last instant?
Boom!
“Kek!”
A scream came from the side.
It was Lenoir, the French assassin Thompson had briefly greeted earlier.
The flat of Park Siwoo’s sword slammed into Lenoir’s solar plexus like a bat.
Boom!
Boom!
Awakeners went flying in every direction.
‘Did he intend close approach?’
It had clearly looked like a full-power downward strike, the kind that should have left an opening.
The Awakeners were professionals and had targeted that opening perfectly.
Yet Park Siwoo let the blade rebound from Thompson’s shield and swept away everyone around him.
‘What monster…’
In the blink of an eye, all nine attackers had been sent flying. Only Thompson remained standing.
They had lost a ten-on-one fight, never mind a duel.
“Kuh!”
After only two exchanges, Park Siwoo’s sword rested against his neck.
“End. Everyone gather.”
Group 1 members gathered one by one.
“Lenoir, too much arm power in attack. Hard to flexibly parry? Victor, twisting waist in attack habit…”
Park Siwoo pointed out each member’s bad habits one by one.
The Awakeners considered his advice and nodded.
‘… Seems right?’
Then Park Siwoo turned to Thompson.
“Thompson, body too rigid. Curled tight for defense? Try like this?”
He approached and adjusted Thompson’s stance.
“How?”
“Definitely…”
He nodded.
With only a few small corrections, Thompson’s field of view widened considerably.
Thompson bowed politely.
“I apologize. I looked down on you. We were arrogant.”
“It’s fine. Honestly, I’m nothing compared with my bro.”
He waved a hand with an awkward smile.
The other Awakeners tilted their heads.
“By ‘bro,’ do you mean Guild Master Kim Minwoo?”
“Ah yes.”
“His summons are incredible, sure, but you specialize in different fields. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. There’s no need to be so humble.”
Thompson patted shoulder encouragingly.
“…Our fields are different, but my bro is still better with a sword than I am.”
“… Huh?”
Awakeners blinked.
The brief demonstration had made it obvious why Park Siwoo was the Sword Sage’s disciple. His skill was monstrous.
“Guild Master Kim is better with a sword than you?”
“Yes. I’ve never beaten him in a spar. Not once.”
His expression was too serious for it to be a joke. Confusion spread across the Awakeners’ faces.
“… For real?”
“Yes. Why would I lie? I learned the fundamentals I use now from him.”
“… Not from Sword Sage?”
“Ah that too.”
“… Huh.”
They knew Kim Minwoo used a sword and that he was reasonably skilled.
But even the prodigy Park Siwoo had never beaten him once?
‘Really that level?’
Just how monstrous was Kim Minwoo?
* * *
The other instructors were teaching just as diligently.
The most intense atmosphere surrounded Merhen.
[Takeru uses Flame Fury (A)!]
[Jackson uses Flame Spear (A)!]
―Are you idiots? Why are you using it like that?
“Uh…”
“Eh…”
―You need to think when you use magic, don’t you?
Merhen stood before the mage group,
arms crossed as she glared at them in disapproval.
―Fire is hot. It burns. Why are you casting it as though it’s standing still?
“But it works, doesn’t it?”
The Japanese mage Takeru answered, and the Canadian Jackson nodded in agreement.
―How frustrating. Don’t just activate the skill. Do it like this.
Merhen stamped her foot and extended both hands.
[Merhen uses Flame Fury (SS)!]
[Merhen uses Flame Spear (SS)!]
The same two spells activated simultaneously in her palms.
The difference in power was like heaven and earth.
The heat was so intense that it distorted the air and melted the ground around her.
―You have to give the mana a clear image. Don’t just move it—make it burn fiercely. Is that so hard?
“… Yeah…”
―Ugh. Just stand still.
She reached toward the two mages and seized control of their mana as though operating them by remote control.
―Memorize this sensation. Move it this way, make it boil, then draw it into your hand…
Fwoosh!
[Takeru uses Flame Fury (S)!]
[Jackson uses Flame Spear (S)!]
―Shoot like this. Got it?
Even with Merhen moving their mana directly, that was all the power they could produce.
Their lack of talent was appalling.
But she could not abandon the lesson after Kim Minwoo had personally asked her to teach them.
Words alone clearly were not getting through.
She had no choice.
She would force their bodies to memorize the correct flow.
“Yes, yes!”
Two mages nodded frantically.
The A-rank spells they had used for years had become S-rank spells overnight.
Despite their different ages and nationalities, the two mages had the same thought.
‘This is insane…’
Until now, they had merely fired the spells exactly as the skillbooks taught them, without truly understanding the magic.
Now they understood that they had to change. They desperately memorized the mana flow Merhen had just guided.
―Now go practice there.
“Yessir!”
“Yup!”
Many mages were already gathered where Merhen pointed.
They practiced desperately, cold sweat running down their faces.
Takeru and Jackson hurried over to join them.
Watching them, the American mage Sophia clicked her tongue.
‘I’m considered one of the top talents in the United States too…’
People said she would enter America’s top ten mages once she reached S rank.
Her skill was unquestionably excellent.
Compared with Merhen, however, she was a firefly beside the full moon.
The banshee countered magic as easily as breathing.
‘She really is a monster.’
Watching Merhen reproduce spells after seeing them once made Sophia’s head ache.
What an absurd summon.
How had Kim Minwoo acquired a monster like her?
Her awe quickly gave way to intense curiosity.
“Instructor! My turn now?”
She asked with shining eyes.
With a teacher this skilled, she was certain she could learn something.
―Yeah. Show.
[Sophia uses Escape Drop (S)!]
She activated Escape Drop, her only S-rank spell.
A massive waterfall crashed into the black ground and gouged out the earth.
“How?”
―Total disaster.
“… Is it?”
―Yeah. But better than those guys.
―At least you think while casting.
“Compared to Angela?”
―… Angela?
“Yes. That mage with water dragon summon. One you took skill.”
―Hmm…
Merhen narrowed her eyes in thought. The comparison was genuinely difficult for her.
Both mages seemed tiny to her.
It was like comparing the sizes of two ants.
―Similar…
“But. Someone slightly better.”
Sophia persisted.
Sophia had always viewed Angela as a rival.
Angela was rumored to rank among the top ten.
That meant Sophia had been competing fiercely with a confirmed top-ten mage.
She wanted Merhen to give her a favorable judgment.
Something like, “You can surpass her.”
Not as empty encouragement, either.
Merhen was famous for speaking bluntly.
Her brutal honesty had caused more than one controversy.
If Merhen said Sophia could surpass a top-ten mage,
the claim would carry real weight.
It would be almost as good as a guarantee.
Sophia’s value would double overnight.
Being rumored to be top ten and being recognized as such were entirely different things.
That was why she kept pressing.
Seeing through her motive, Merhen narrowed her eyes.
‘How tiresome.’
Why did she care which ant was slightly larger?
Merhen answered carelessly.
―I don’t know. Maybe you’re slightly better.
“Really?!”
―Yeah.
Whatever the answer was,
it was none of Merhen’s concern.