Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: How the Rank 1 Hero Saves the World
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The moment I opened my eyes, my hand instinctively went to my waist, searching for my sword.
The feel of the hard hilt brought my mind back into focus.
"C-Captain! Are you awake?"
But I still couldn't grasp the situation. The one asking if I was conscious was a man I didn't recognize.
"You..."
"I'm the medic, Captain. Your condition isn't good. You've got external wounds, but your internals seem damaged too..."
I half-listened to the man as I looked around. I was in a shabby tent, lying on a makeshift cot.
Wait, why was I here?
For a moment, I panicked with no memory coming to mind, but as I lifted my head, a message floating in the air caught my eye.
- Sixth Night Phase in progress. 08:21:09
Seeing the message jogged my memory. Right. I was in the middle of conquering a dungeon.
"No, hold on."
But no matter how I looked at it, the remaining time was off. The last message I'd seen was right after the Sixth Day Phase had ended.
I grabbed the medic in front of me.
"How long was I out?"
"About five hours. You should rest more!"
Before the medic could say another word, I waved him off. No point listening—it wouldn't solve anything, and time was precious.
I got off the cot and planted my feet on the ground. Thankfully, my vision didn't shake. My hand gripping the sword didn't tremble either.
Good enough.
I gestured for the medic to leave.
"I'll freshen up and head out, so go check on the others."
"But your condition..."
"I said go."
"...Understood."
The medic didn't press further at my firm tone and left the tent. I took a deep breath.
I'd abandoned the war and blacked out for five whole hours?
Was I insane?
Focusing, I sensed presences surrounding the tent. No killing intent, but being this exposed and defenseless? I'd have no excuse if I died.
"...Damn it."
I glared at the empty air. The last message I'd seen before passing out was long gone.
But its contents were vivid.
"Error message this, overload that. What the hell does that mean?"
I half-hoped the System might respond, but it stayed silent. As if that earlier message had been a lie.
I really wanted to punch it. Why the hell did I pass out? Overload on my body? It still felt fishy no matter how I thought about it.
The error message part was suspicious too.
The message before that had only said some information would be provided during the dungeon conquest.
Oh, and there was that ridiculous one cheering on the conquest. What part of that was an error?
Lost in thought, I tapped my sword hilt with my fingers.
Error, error...
Had 'errors' been happening more frequently since I returned to Earth? Or was it just my imagination?
It was definitely something I'd never experienced in Tartarus.
'The System itself isn't normal to begin with. Something incomplete or erroneous happening isn't surprising, right?'
That's when it hit me—Lee Woo-yeon's words.
About the System being incomplete.
Back then, I'd wondered why he suspected the System's flaws. I'd never doubted it in my ten years.
But now it was different. With error messages popping up right in front of me.
Did Lee Woo-yeon know something?
Should I press him, or was I overthinking?
"No, no."
I shook my head to clear the jumble.
My ignorance of the System was spawning possibilities in every direction. This wasn't deduction—it was baseless delusion without evidence.
What was certain: the System was operating with clear intent.
Whatever was behind it—god or otherwise—it had purpose.
My mind was a mess, but it also felt clearer. The target was now defined.
The vague, formless goal had narrowed to one.
Whether that had really happened in Tartarus, and how to save my friends... Reaching whatever was behind the System would reveal it.
That was enough for now. No time for groundless fantasies.
- Sixth Night Phase in progress. 08:18:53
Even now, time was ticking.
Took about three minutes to get my bearings. All I could do was hope no one had died in that span.
I pulled up my status window to check my stats.
Player Name: Wandering Pilgrim (Status: Possession)
LV.79 (LV.22)
Trait: Piercing Talon (Honorable Warrior)
Class: Hero (Knight)
HP: 440 (+350)
Strength: 385 (+300)
Agility: 325 (+200)
Mana: 750 (+100)
Skills: Flame of Annihilation lv.max, Return from Death (Unavailable), Indomitable Will - on
Return from Death skill in use: HP rapidly decreasing for a set duration. Remaining time 00:10:00
My condition was better than expected.
I checked my status as I loosened my wrists and ankles. Only ten minutes left on the post-Return from Death penalty.
Perfect. Just enough time to leave the tent and assess the situation.
The Cloak Honoring the Hero was on cooldown, but from my earlier battlefield test, these stats were fine against regular soldiers.
Not enough for a boss monster, but... I let out a laugh.
"Still alive, though."
As long as I'm alive, I can do anything.
Alive means I can try anything.
Get it together, Kang Ye-na.
I'm not omnipotent. So tackle what I can, step by step.
Think: what can I do right now?
That's how I'll reach it.
Exactly ten minutes later.
The first thing I sensed was a boulder flying through the sky.
No time to catch my breath—Elisa May rushed to me and reported.
"Captain! The moat's filled, and enemy troops are scaling the walls! We're holding for now, but the west wall's been breached multiple times. Our casualties are heavy."
Elisa May's hair was matted with blood, and she wasn't even wearing her heavy armor. Her state spoke volumes of the fierce fighting. No wonder—the deep moat had been filled with enemy corpses.
"I'm sorry. This is my failure!"
"No. You did well."
Holding out five hours against overwhelming numbers—with mages helping, heavy losses were inevitable. The fact they hadn't fallen yet was miraculous.
Of course, the reason was plain to see from atop these high walls.
I surveyed the battlefield below.
An army of a hundred thousand, but not all elites. Most scaling the walls now were rabble. No proper command structure—they milled about in chaos.
"What the hell is that lunatic doing?"
"Pardon?"
Elisa May asked back, but I didn't answer. A knight captain cursing the lord wasn't fitting.
But... what the hell was that madman doing?
A circular gap amid the packed enemy ranks.
That was where Lee Woo-yeon stood.
Seemed all their elites were swarming him.
Mounted knights charged without regard, but every swing of his sword scattered them like weeds in a typhoon.
No one could touch him.
The knights were like that—regular soldiers were fleeing in terror.
How the hell did he rack up those stats in just five years? It stung my pride... though this wasn't the time for ego.
Anyway, before I jumped in, I needed to sync with Lee Woo-yeon.
Conveniently, I had the right item.
I ordered Elisa May back to the fight and used it.
- Blue Bond Earrings used!
- Confirming the other party's intent...
- Other party's intent confirmed!
Even with the system message in his view, his sword didn't hesitate as it cleaved through foes.
Soon, an irritating message popped up.
― Oh, full recovery in five hours this time.
"Thanks to you! You just sat there for five hours?"
― Yeah, got about 50% of the objectives done thanks to it. Summon the boss conquest conditions.
I paused, then did as he said and called up the system window.
- Conquest Tip: To defeat the Lord Corroded by Truth, first eliminate 30% or more of its minions.
- 'Lord Corroded by Truth' Minions Eliminated: 24,985/36,746
This guy's a maniac.
I let out a hollow laugh. 24,000 in five hours? Pure admiration-inducing numbers.
No wonder it bruised my ego. Why couldn't I have magic talent?
"You suck at math or something? That's 67%."
No reply for a bit. I could picture Lee Woo-yeon's dumbfounded face beyond the messages.
― What... Are you a STEM major?
What does he think STEM is?
"Enough chit-chat. Conquest's going smooth, so boss probably won't spawn this phase. Keep at it."
― Harsh. Not even 'come back and rest'?
"I could swap in. Want me to?"
- Connection terminated.
It cut off abruptly. Guess no interest in swapping.
Whatever. He looked fine—no need to rush help yet.
The conquest progress was insane. Five hours to pull that off. The castle side had killed some too, but... At this rate, boss conquest next phase.
But only if we survived.
I scanned the walls.
First priorities: endless catapult boulders and the useless filled moat.
Silver lining—they seemed short on ammo too. Five hours of fighting would do that.
A little time before the next volley.
I returned to Elisa May.
"Lady May, weapon status?"
"Arrows are nearly gone. Civilians are hauling rocks. If they keep coming, the walls fall in an hour!"
Priorities set.
Breached walls mean losing our edge. Outnumbered, we'd crumble. Restore the moat first to stem the flow.
Nighttime—they wouldn't force a march if reformed.
But how?
The torch smoke stung. Enemies swarmed visibly below. Numbers that mocked our progress.
Staring at the corpse-filled moat, I chuckled bitterly.
"Elisa May, you're in command."
"Understood!"
She affirmed without questioning the sudden order.
I headed to Lee Seon.
He stood barely, leaning on his wand with aides supporting and guarding him.
Pale as a ghost.
Trying incantations in that state.
I'd jumped in seeing mana gathering around him. Good timing.
Or maybe my arrival was bad luck for him.
With a wry smile, I whispered low in his ear, inaudible to others.
"Got a fear of heights by any chance?"