Valley Camp and a Party Proposal
In the group tutorial, Namgung Seojun and Gisohee's party exchanged light conversation. When it was time to set out, Seojun asked, "You said you're heading to the valley, right?"
"Yes."
"Then let's go together."
And so Namgung Seojun accompanied them, leading the group with ease as they began moving.
Swish... swish...
Seojun cleaved through the dense underbrush with his sword, pressing forward. Whenever he sensed an enemy's presence!
Whoosh!
He hurled a dagger, and a queak! echoed out.
"......"
Everyone was awestruck by how effortlessly he dispatched the goblin with a single dagger throw.
"Um... what about the loot...?"
Gisohee ventured hesitantly, a hint of regret in her voice, but Namgung Seojun replied nonchalantly.
"There's hardly anything worthwhile on goblins. It's a waste of time to check. Let's just keep going. If you need something, I'll give it to you."
With that, Seojun led the group onward.
As Namgung Seojun massacred goblins while advancing, Gisohee, who was following right behind him, asked cautiously, "If it's not too rude, may I ask what your level is?"
"Level 8."
"......"
Gisohee was stunned by the unexpectedly high level she hadn't even considered.
"It's faster traveling alone."
His cool demeanor as he answered matter-of-factly made Gisohee's heart race even faster.
In just three hours, the sound of running water reached the group's ears.
"Water!"
They arrived at the valley by evening. The group instinctively glanced at Gisohee.
"No enemies around!"
"Yahoo!"
At Gisohee's words, all the men except Seojun dropped their bags and plunged into the valley stream.
Splash! Splash!
It had been so long since they'd felt cool water on their skin. If they hadn't been in the cave group, they would've lacked even drinking water and couldn't have washed. Washing in the valley was pure joy for them.
"Hey! Splash some water!"
"Cut it out!"
"More! More!!"
Gisohee watched enviously as the men frolicked and splashed in the water. Then, the only one still by her side, Namgung Seojun, spoke up.
"Gisohee, why don't you get in the water and wash up too?"
"Pardon? But......"
Namgung Seojun knew what worried her and reassured her.
"Even if dozens of goblins attack, it'll be fine. So, go ahead and get in."
True, he was a level 8 master.
"Alright, then I will."
Gisohee set down her bag and gear. Then she jumped into the water too.
Splash.
"It's Gisohee!"
Lee Guho, who was close with Gisohee, splashed water at her playfully.
"What the—."
Her clothes were soaked, outlining her figure perfectly, but she was so happy to be submerged that she didn't care.
Splash! Splash!
"Eek! Stop it!!"
She joined her comrades in joyful water play.
Even with Namgung Seojun watching over them, they didn't let their guard down completely. In just 20 minutes, they finished washing and playing and climbed out.
"Jo Jaehun and Kim Hoon, you two handle the tents."
At Gisohee's instruction, Jo Jaehun and Kim Hoon began setting up tents with practiced skill. Jo Jaehun started by preparing the ground, finding a flat spot, leveling it, and padding it with leaves for softness. Kim Hoon fashioned a frame from branches and secured it with ropes made from torn cloth. Finally, he covered it with leafy boughs.
"Guho, rest and recover your mana."
The mana-using mage Lee Guho got special treatment again. He sat by the tent, assumed a meditative pose, and rested.
"Gu Cheolwoo, you start the fire, and I'll prepare dinner."
While Gu Cheolwoo built a fire pit in a suitable spot, Gisohee scouted the area for edible things. They had plenty of bananas from earlier, but food could run out anytime. So she searched around, and Namgung Seojun followed behind her.
"What are you looking for?"
"Edible grubs, grass, tree roots, or..."
At her words, Seojun chuckled and took her wrist.
"Follow me."
"P-Pardon? Okay."
With her face flushing red, Gisohee let him lead her along.
Namgung Seojun took Gisohee toward the stream. He broke off thin branches nearby, wove them quickly into a wide-mesh wooden basket.
"Hold the basket steady."
Gisohee nodded, her cheeks still pink, and Seojun stripped off his upper shirt, dagger in hand, and waded into the water.
"....."
Namgung Seojun silently gripped his dagger, staring into the depths. After a moment, fish approached him.
Swish!
The dagger plunged into the water in a flash. When he pulled it out, a fish was skewered on it.
"Here."
Seojun tossed the caught fish to Gisohee, who put it in the basket.
Swish. Swish.
Namgung Seojun speared fish rapidly with his dagger. In just 20 minutes, the basket was full with ten fish.
"This should be enough, right?"
Gisohee gazed rapturously at the basket brimming with fish and at Namgung Seojun, his bare torso glistening wet and revealing his sculpted body.
"Y-Yes....... That's plenty. More than enough."
Satisfied, the two carried the fish-filled basket back to the tents.
Upon returning, Namgung Seojun and Gisohee were greeted with cheers from their comrades. The group grilled the fish and prepared a delicious dinner with bananas on the side.
"Whoa, fish!"
"Thanks for the meal!"
"Let's eat big tonight!"
It was the finest feast since entering the group tutorial. The group wolfed down the fish and bananas.
"This is so good!"
"Now this is food."
"After goblin meat, fish makes me wanna cry."
Overwhelmed with emotion, they savored the bountiful dinner, glad they'd come to the valley.
After eating, the group assigned night watches.
"First watch: Jo Jaehun. Second: me. Third: Gu Cheolwoo. Last: Kim Hoon."
Considering combat strength, they let mage Lee Guho sleep. It was the party's unspoken rule, and everyone agreed. Namgung Seojun was naturally excluded but didn't object, lying down in a tent with the others to sleep.
Seojun covered himself with his personal blanket but didn't sleep. No, he couldn't.
This area's crawling with goblins.
As expected, an hour after they dozed off, the first watch, Jo Jaehun, shouted.
"Enemies!"
Five goblins appeared.
"Everyone up! Battle stations!"
At Gisohee's call, the group rose and took their positions. Lee Guho launched spells, Jo Jaehun, Kim Hoon, and Gu Cheolwoo guarded him, and Gisohee stealthily prepared an ambush.
Namgung Seojun roamed, swinging his sword to dispatch goblins effortlessly.
In 10 minutes, the five goblins were cleared.
They'd finished quickly, but the group was pumped up, their bodies sticky with goblin blood.
"You're all awake now, but let's force ourselves to sleep anyway."
At Jo Jaehun's words, they agreed and lay back in the tents, reeking of blood.
Sensitive Gisohee couldn't sleep, so even though Jo Jaehun's watch had time left, she switched with him. Thirty minutes into her patrol...
"...."
Her Presence Detection skill picked something up.
"Ha..."
Six goblins. She woke Jo Jaehun first. But at that moment, Namgung Seojun was already awake.
"Enemies."
The three quietly kept watch... Fortunately, the goblins drank from the stream a bit away and left.
The same thing repeated through the night.
"Up!"
If goblins approaching the valley spotted them, combat ensued. "Careful..." If they drew near, they'd wake and watch until they left.
This valley was a water source for monsters too, so encounters with goblin packs were inevitable.
Morning.
"Ha......"
Gisohee sighed, and the others couldn't hide their fatigue. Constant battles and wake-ups through the night had wrecked their condition.
The party ate a light breakfast of yesterday's bananas while chatting.
"We can't stay here, right?"
Everyone agreed with Gisohee.
"But... where to?"
The problem was they couldn't decide on a destination. The cave area was safe but short on water and food. Here, water abounded and food was easy to find, but goblins swarmed too often.
As they pondered silently, Namgung Seojun, who had been watching, spoke up.
"How about coming to my place?"
"Pardon?"
At the unexpected offer, he smiled and elaborated.
"My cave isn't far from here. It's hidden from monsters, so safe. And plenty of food."
The proposal was tempting, but Gisohee had to ask the key question.
"But Seojun... why?"
She hesitated before finishing.
"Why are you being so nice to us? We don't have that kind of value to you."
No matter how she thought about it, there was no reason for Namgung Seojun to help their party. In the group tutorial, this brutal place, survival hinged on ability and combat skill alone. Seojun was strong enough to handle dozens of goblins solo, had ample food, and a good base. Honestly, her party offered him nothing.
Namgung Seojun answered plainly and honestly.
"I need comrades too."
He emphasized, "To clear the group tutorial, I need allies. That's why I want to join your party."
Namgung Seojun stated his desire to join Gisohee's party.