Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: Dividing into Attack and Defense
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#100
"What do you plan to do?"
Goo Dong-hwan came over and asked.
"Hmm. I haven't decided yet."
Seo Woo-jin was deep in thought right now.
Should they just hold out here and face whatever team came their way, or should they take the initiative?
Both options had their pros and cons.
"How about splitting the team in two?"
"......The team?"
Seo Woo-jin blinked at Soo-ji's suggestion.
"Defense and attack squads. One group stays here with Woo-jin to guard the headband, and the other heads out to snag one."
"Think we can pull that off?"
He was confident in defense, honestly.
No matter who showed up, he was sure they wouldn't take his headband.
With just a few people helping out, he didn't think he'd lose even if Baek Si-woo and his elite buddies came charging in.
But attack was a different story.
Their forces would be split, so they'd likely be outnumbered.
Could they really succeed in an assault like that?
"Hmm. With me, Dong-hwan, and Da-hye, it might just work."
Close-quarters fighter, mage, ranged dealer.
Two of them were top-tier among the heroes, and Kim Da-hye had that element of surprise.
Honestly, how many heroes would have expected Kim Da-hye to "summon" modern weapons like a minigun or Ala's magic wand?
With Soo-ji and Goo Dong-hwan charging the front, backed up by Kim Da-hye from the rear?
"Hmm......"
It painted a pretty solid picture.
"Let's hear what everyone else thinks first."
Seo Woo-jin didn't jump to a decision.
He knew his own shortcomings.
'Honestly, I'm no leader material.'
Yeah, right, he nodded to himself.
He'd only ended up as team leader by accident.
"Alright, everyone gather over here."
When Seo Woo-jin clapped and called out, the team members, who had been chatting in small groups, came over.
"I'm thinking we split the team......"
He then relayed Soo-ji's proposal.
The team members started pondering.
"Sounds good to me."
"I'm in."
"Muscle daddy! Why aren't you putting me in the attack squad? I wanna attack too!"
Most reactions were positive.
'Looks like splitting into two groups is the way to go.'
Since everyone seemed to think so, it was probably better than sticking together.
"Huh?"
Then he spotted Kim Woo-ram off in a corner.
He still hadn't warmed up to anyone.
"What do you think?"
So he asked.
Kim Woo-ram jumped in surprise, which made Seo Woo-jin frown.
"...Me?"
"Yeah, you."
Seo Woo-jin nodded.
"Uh, well."
His shaggy hair hid half his face.
But Seo Woo-jin knew he was watching everyone nervously.
Acting tough on the outside, but scared and overly conscious of others' gazes.
'Sounds familiar.'
From his Massive Guardian days.
He'd heard it from soldiers and knights like Testeron.
'Timid D-rank hero who just looks around nervously.'
'Worthless newbie who won't help at all.'
'Dead weight dumped in the north.'
The words came flooding back.
Back then, Seo Woo-jin had been just like Kim Woo-ram.
Pretending not to hear, telling himself he was fine alone.
All while burning with anger and pain inside.
Kim Woo-ram was surely the same.
"...Sounds fine."
He glanced away as he answered.
He couldn't meet Seo Woo-jin's eyes.
'Tch.'
Seo Woo-jin clicked his tongue inwardly.
"Kim Woo-ram. Keep that up, and you'll die."
The team members gasped and stared at Seo Woo-jin.
A few who thought it too harsh started approaching to intervene.
But Seo Woo-jin didn't stop.
"Not by me. When the Demon King descends and war breaks out. You won't survive."
He'd only made it thanks to Ailin and Van Slane looking out for him.
But Kim Woo-ram had no one like that around.
Drifting alone like that, whether it was a monster, demonic beast, or familiar.
If he ran into something he couldn't handle, he'd die for sure.
Lonely and alone, with no help from anyone.
"What do you want me to do?"
Kim Woo-ram's voice trembled despite his attempt at a snappy retort.
Reflexively brusque, but he was scared.
'Of course. He knows best.'
Just how precarious his position was.
If he couldn't join any team, his future was set.
Seo Woo-jin sighed.
A deep sigh, matching the years of scorn he'd endured.
Honestly, he didn't want to care.
He had too much on his plate to babysit some rude middle-school edgelord.
But he couldn't just leave it.
Because he saw his past self in Kim Woo-ram.
He couldn't abandon him.
"From now on, you stick with me."
So he decided.
He'd change that blockhead.
Just like Ailin had done for him.
He'd beat sense into him if he had to.
Kim Woo-ram didn't respond.
But it didn't matter.
Like it or not, Seo Woo-jin would drag him along.
"Mister."
Lee Ji-ah cautiously called out to Seo Woo-jin.
She was rolling her eyes, unaccustomed to the suddenly tense atmosphere.
She wanted to smooth things over somehow.
"Uh, that is......"
She seemed at a loss for words.
Or maybe she'd chickened out seeing Seo Woo-jin's hardened expression.
Kang Byung-gyu came to her rescue.
"Woo-jin, incoming."
Whoosh—
Everyone turned to look at his words.
"That western team I mentioned. They're charging straight here."
They hadn't even split up yet......
Wasted time had cost them the initiative.
"How many?"
"Ten. Looks like the whole group."
Instead of splitting, they were sticking together to handle both attack and defense.
Seo Woo-jin grinned.
A forced smile to break the tension.
"Soo-ji."
"Yes?"
"Wanna take those two and clash with them?"
A sudden proposal.
But Soo-ji smiled.
"Sounds good."
* * *
"That the right spot?"
Lee Sung-hyun double-checked.
"Yeah. I saw them head that way."
Yoo Jin-ah, one of the team members, nodded vigorously with confidence.
"Didn't confirm which team?"
"Nope, unfortunately. But I saw one face......"
"Who?"
At Lee Sung-hyun's question, Yoo Jin-ah giggled.
"That kid with the spear from before. The one begging to join."
"Oh, that rude punk?"
Lee Sung-hyun laughed.
"He actually got into a team, huh."
"Numbers worked out, dummy. Anyway, he was trailing behind the others like a lost puppy."
Lee Sung-hyun pondered her words.
'That guy's B-rank. Level under 30.'
He hadn't let him join not just because of attitude, but because his specs sucked.
What good was a level 20-something?
'If I'd taken him, we'd basically have nine.'
So he'd kicked him out.
And when the guy got mad and lunged, he'd given him a few smacks to teach manners.
'And his team's ahead?'
Useless guy meant they had the advantage.
That's what Lee Sung-hyun thought.
"Alright, let's hit 'em."
"You sure?"
"Shouldn't we play it safer? Their terrain's better."
Some team members voiced concerns, but Lee Sung-hyun brushed them off.
He could afford to.
A-rank level 38, 'Blunt Warrior.'
Team leader and strongest.
"If I say we're doing it, we do it."
He slung his massive hammer—man-sized—over his shoulder with arrogant poise.
The team fell silent at the sight.
They couldn't match him, so they had no choice but to follow.
They'd chosen him as leader, after all.
"Jin-ah, we strike now. They haven't scouted us yet, so surprise them and seize the momentum."
Yoo Jin-ah nodded.
B-rank 'Jaeger,' she lived up to the hunter name with ambushes and scouting.
Low level 31, but Lee Sung-hyun recognized her skills, making her second-in-command.
"I'm good. Then, the plan is......"
That's when she started outlining it.
"Uahaha! You little rats really are here!"
A booming laugh echoed as something dropped from the sky.
KABOOM—!
"What, what is it?"
"Scatter!"
Lee Sung-hyun's team scattered in panic.
The sudden shockwave was incredibly powerful.
Caught off guard, dodging completely was tough.
"Urk!"
A far more vicious 'magic wand' than Lee Sung-hyun's hammer was embedded in the ground.
Beneath it, one team member who hadn't evaded in time lay foaming at the mouth.
"Shit! It's Goo Dong-hwan!"
"The magic klutz!"
They gasped upon recognizing the attacker.
"Uhehe."
Goo Dong-hwan chuckled as he lifted his 'Mjolnir.'
Blood trickled down it.
The struck hero wasn't dead, obviously, but out of the fight.
"Daring to ambush our team?"
Goo Dong-hwan's eyes gleamed madly.
A insanity unfit for his ribboned yellow dress.
"Surround him!"
Lee Sung-hyun barked urgently.
'Goo Dong-hwan......'
He was hugely famous among heroes.
Not just the ridiculous 'Magical Girl' class and outfit, but his strength topped the charts.
'But he's alone. Ten of us. Nine now, still plenty.'
No matter how strong, he couldn't beat nine heroes at once.
Not even Baek Si-woo could.
Lee Sung-hyun steeled himself with confidence.
But there was more than one attacker.
Crack—
"Aaaagh! My arm!"
Bone-snapping and a scream erupted.
From behind Lee Sung-hyun.
He whipped around in horror to see Soo-ji utterly demolishing a hero.
Grab, crush, snap.
Destruction in its purest form.
When the hero passed out from pain, Soo-ji released her grip.
Thud—
He collapsed, limbs limp.
"Oh, it's Lee Sung-hyun's team. Perfect timing. I had something I wanted to test."
Her eyes on Lee Sung-hyun gleamed like a hawk eyeing prey.
"Uh, Soo-ji, sorry, but can I take that guy?"
Goo Dong-hwan asked then.
"As a fellow big hammer user, I wanna spar."
Lee Sung-hyun seethed at the sheepish grin as he asked her permission.
Like they were divvying up caught game?
"Who the hell do you think we're......"
KABOOM—Thwack—!
"Huh?"
His legs gave out.
He crumpled and checked—his right knee was shattered.
As if something had precisely pierced it.