Chapter 13
Chapter 13
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Highest and Lowest Ranked Heroes
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“What’s the highest rank among all the heroes summoned so far?”
A pure white temple stretched endlessly toward the heavens, so vast its boundaries faded from sight.
Simply gazing upon it filled one with a sense of sanctity—this was the innermost sanctum of the Holy Kingdom of Aier.
“An intriguing question.”
The high priest stroked his chin, sifting through his memories in response to Seong Yura’s query.
“According to the surviving records, S-rank was the highest.”
“……S-rank?”
Seong Yura inwardly thought, *That’s it?*
Of course, she knew it was a high rank, but she herself was SS-rank.
*And that guy’s SSS-rank.*
As Seong Yura’s expression shifted oddly, the high priest burst into laughter.
“That’s why this summoning is such a resounding success. The most we’ve ever called before was nine.”
Over ten times that number.
Even combining every hero summoned in history wouldn’t match this haul.
A triumph like this naturally brought out many high-rankers.
“What was that S-rank hero like?”
“Well, I’ve only seen the records myself, so I don’t know the details. But……”
“But?”
As the high priest trailed off, Seong Yura tilted her head.
“It’s nothing major, but the records note heavy casualties during that Descent War.”
It made no sense.
The highest-ranked hero summoned, yet massive losses?
Shouldn’t it have been the opposite?
“I wouldn’t know the reason.”
The high priest scratched his head and shook it.
It had happened centuries ago.
Even the records were incomplete; piecing together the fine details was impossible.
Whether the S-rank hero had some issue or if it was something else entirely.
“Still, with a hundred heroes this time, we won’t suffer losses like that.”
The high priest looked at Seong Yura with a reassuring expression.
“Then what was the lowest rank?”
More people meant high-rank heroes.
The reverse held true as well.
“D-rank.”
Seong Yura immediately thought of one person at that answer.
“Is D-rank really that low?”
“Unfortunately so. The records say they didn’t accomplish much in the Descent War. Without the other heroes, it would’ve been a disaster.”
Seong Yura nodded.
Before dispersing to their kingdoms, she’d seen how the D-rank guy faced subtle discrimination from the soldiers and knights. It all made sense now.
*If you’re useless, you can’t complain about the treatment.*
“There is a folktale about a D-rank hero defeating the Demon King, though.”
“……Is that even possible?”
“That’s why it’s a folktale. No official record mentions it.”
Of course.
It sounded like pure fiction.
People loved underdog stories.
Tales of the ordinary and downtrodden rising to glory.
Like Cinderella.
The D-rank hero yarn had probably spread for similar reasons.
“Oh, I heard a D-rank hero was summoned this time too.”
“That’s right.”
“Hmm… Of course, that hero could grow somewhat stronger. But nothing compared to you, Yura, or the others.”
It went without saying.
D-rank versus SS-rank.
A gap of five whole ranks.
Even bridging one rank was deemed impossible by common wisdom—five?
The very idea was laughable.
“Do you know which kingdom that D-rank hero went to?”
The high priest asked with curious eyes.
“I do.”
Seong Yura was confident in her memory.
Not photographic, but she could memorize most things after two or three looks.
So she remembered where most heroes had been sent.
“I think it was Sion.”
“Ah…….”
The high priest’s face soured.
“That hero… we might never see them again.”
“What do you mean?”
Seong Yura blinked.
The high priest sighed in reply.
“At this time, Sion is no different from a battlefield.”
* * *
“Ah, we’re screwed.”
He meant it.
Fighting a pack of snowls alone would’ve been preferable.
At least he could swing a sword at those.
“How the hell do you even fight something like that?”
Even carving up a steak that size would take all day with a knife.
And this was a monster.
No ideas came to mind with just the sword in his hand.
“Give me a gun or something.”
Not that a rifle would scratch it, probably.
He’d need a tank to even have a shot.
*No, this isn’t the time for that.*
He’d slipped into escapism without realizing.
The ice worm loomed high above, staring down.
It resembled an earthworm overall, but its mouth bristled with teeth larger than Seo Woo-jin.
*That thing looks like a conger eel?*
An arm-thick one was gross enough; at ten meters, it was terrifying.
Kwa-gwak!
The ground ahead erupted like a geyser, revealing a tentacle.
Smaller than the one Ban Slaine and the knights fought, but overwhelmingly beyond what Seo Woo-jin could handle.
*Gotta dodge!*
Seo Woo-jin hurled himself aside.
A wise choice.
Kwaaaang!
The spot he’d just vacated shattered under the tentacle’s blow.
He barely evaded, swallowing hard.
*Can’t fight this.*
Unless it was Testron or Gerald’s level, no way solo.
Even they’d struggle.
“Need a lord’s power for this.”
Impossible without Ban Slaine.
Yet strangely, he wasn’t shaking.
He’d trembled like a leaf against one snowl.
Now facing something far deadlier, he was fine.
Calmer than ever, even.
Scared and wanting to run, sure—but his body and mind didn’t freeze.
He wondered if fear had broken his brain.
“Seo Woo-jin!”
Ailin’s urgent voice came from across the way.
She’d run off without looking back, spotted the ice worm late, and doubled around.
“Run!”
Seo Woo-jin yelled at her.
Her presence changed nothing here.
Just one more corpse.
But naturally, Ailin had no intention of fleeing.
Especially not when her mistake had put Seo Woo-jin in peril.
“Back away slowly!”
Ailin shouted, drawing the ice worm’s gaze.
They couldn’t lose Seo Woo-jin here.
Sion’s honor was at stake, but more than that, she hated seeing a life lost to her error.
Regretting her rashness, Ailin charged the ice worm headlong.
Chwaaak!
One tentacle split in two.
Thicker than three Ailins combined, yet severed in a single stroke.
Dozens remained, but it wasn’t meaningless.
The ice worm’s attention swung from Seo Woo-jin to her.
*Again!*
Seo Woo-jin turned to flee.
With her pulling aggro, escape was viable now.
And yet……
These damn legs lurched forward instead of back.
Same as with Drakas—utterly baffling.
*Going will just get in her way.*
Fleeing would help Ailin more.
No need to split her focus protecting him.
Plus, he’d be useless anyway.
So why charge ahead?
“Shit!”
He wasn’t heartless enough to abandon someone dying before his eyes.
Precisely, he didn’t want to watch Ailin die.
Seo Woo-jin wanted to save her.
No matter how slim the odds.
“Urk!”
The ice worm ignored him.
Tentacles flailed on instinct alone.
Still, he nearly died.
Ice shards from a shattered tentacle lacerated his face, blood trickling.
No time to wipe it; he pressed on, reaching the beast’s flank.
“Is this a living thing? It’s a building.”
Up close, the ice worm’s size was insane.
Like the storefront by his old apartment.
Gulp.
Ailin, on the other side, vanished behind its bulk.
Her battle cries meant she lived—for now……
“What now?”
He’d snuck here while she fought.
But next move? Clueless.
“Poke it first.”
Gripping his sword two-handed, Seo Woo-jin thrust with all his might.
Puk!
“Huh?”
It sank in easier than expected.
But that was it.
Pathetically shallow.
Without proper mana infusion, his blade inflicted zero damage.
Like a needle prick at best.
The ice worm didn’t even register it.
Still, offense was possible. Good enough.
If once failed, try ten times.
A hundred if needed.
It’d notice eventually……
*What else can I do?*
Seo Woo-jin withdrew and stabbed again.
Plenty of surface area.
Puk-puk-puk!
Crude compared to his momentum……
But it worked.
Twitch!
Unlike before, it flinched.
*It’s effective!*
Drenched in ice worm blood, Seo Woo-jin cheered, looking up.
“How’s that, you worm b——”
About to boast triumphantly, he shut his mouth.
A tentacle plummeted straight at him.
“Whoa, fuck.”