Red Moon (1)
Yoo Ji-sung shook his head, the two voices still ringing in his ears. He was startled to realize he had let his guard down completely while waiting for them to approach. He silently scolded himself for that moment of carelessness, then swept his gaze over the three people with an unreadable expression.
“I don’t recall seeing you in Marin… Did you come from another village?”
“Ah? Sharp eyes, brother! We started in Arcran Village. We were heading to Marin on an escort quest. If it weren’t for us, you’d have been in real trouble, brother. Hahaha!”
No. I could have handled it alone.
Ma Dong-cheol, oblivious to Yoo Ji-sung’s inner thoughts, slammed his shield down with a heavy thud and jutted his chin out. Jeong A-reum, standing beside him, sighed at his unfixable habit of laughing too loudly. She then turned to Yoo Ji-sung with a bright smile.
“Meeting like this must be fate. I’m Jeong A-reum.”
“Yoo Ji-sung.”
Yoo Ji-sung returned the greeting with a slight bow. These were uninvited guests who had appeared out of nowhere. The monsters had been something he could deal with alone, and they were currently interrupting his rest. Even so, he didn’t lose his manners.
They look like a party worth using.
If it benefited him, hiding his true intentions was something he could do without hesitation. At a glance, they were clearly more skilled than the average party one would see at this stage. Ma Dong-cheol with his shield and hammer, and Jeong A-reum, who appeared to be a priest, were both impressive. The quiet man also looked like an experienced Conqueror.
The shield and hammer are well-maintained. The bow, rope, and traps are all meticulously cared for. Good party composition, too.
It was hard to judge Jeong A-reum’s full capabilities from her equipment alone, but Ma Dong-cheol and the archer were different. Every piece of their gear showed signs of heavy use and careful upkeep. A priest who had traveled with them for a long time was unlikely to be weak either.
The archer checked the approaching carriage, then looked at Yoo Ji-sung.
“I’m Jang Su-ho. Did you take on this entire group by yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Handling something like this requires quite a bit of experience. Have you been doing this the whole time?”
“You’re correct. I’m not sure if I’ve gained enough experience, but I’ve been traveling alone.”
Yoo Ji-sung answered Jang Su-ho’s rapid questions honestly. The battlefield bore only his own traces. Judging by the man’s sharp gaze, a lie wouldn’t have worked anyway. If anything, lying would have only made Jang Su-ho wary. Besides, Yoo Ji-sung saw no real reason to lie.
Jeong A-reum’s eyes widened in disbelief at his straightforward answer.
“Oppa was telling the truth? My god!”
“So you’re a fearless one, brother! A magic-type Conqueror wandering around alone!”
“It wasn’t particularly difficult or burdensome……”
“You certainly make it look that way.”
Jang Su-ho nodded. Drawing from experience, he could easily reconstruct what had happened even though the fight was already over.
“They couldn’t even get close. Except for the one Dong-cheol took down, everything was finished cleanly. You’re the real deal.”
“Is that so?”
“Still, it was reckless. Magic-types don’t join parties for no reason. When your mana runs dry and you can’t do anything, you need someone to protect you. You don’t even know that basic fact. Are you a new arrival this round?”
“…You’re correct.”
At Yoo Ji-sung’s reply, Ma Dong-cheol and Jeong A-reum’s jaws dropped. They scanned the battlefield once more before turning back to him.
“Hah! That makes it even more impressive! I thought you were a veteran who’d been climbing the Tower for months like us!”
“Me too! How can someone who just arrived be this strong?”
“I’ve been traveling alone this whole time, so I never thought of myself as strong. People have told me I’m skilled, but… am I really that strong?”
The three of them let out hollow laughs at his words. He had turned the battlefield into this state and still didn’t think he was strong. It made no sense.
Do I really have to keep talking to these people?
Yoo Ji-sung looked at the trio and asked himself the question. He wanted to snap at them to stop bothering him with their concern and praise. But he still hadn’t decided whether they were useful to him or not. So he kept his true thoughts hidden and continued the act.
You three had better pray to the heavens. Pray that you’re the kind of people I need.
If he judged them useless, they would pay dearly for annoying him. Yoo Ji-sung was still mulling over what punishment to give them when the carriages finally arrived. They were loaded with daily necessities. The group that had followed the three who had suddenly run off flinched when they saw Yoo Ji-sung.
Not lowering your eyes?
Yoo Ji-sung narrowed his eyes sharply without the trio noticing. The villagers quickly averted their gazes. Intimidated by his displeased aura, they looked ready to bolt. But since they had accepted the quest from the three, they had no choice but to keep up the villager act.
The man who seemed to be their leader approached the trio with excessive tension.
“Uh… Conquerors. You startled us by suddenly running ahead. What happened?”
“Ah, my apologies. There seemed to be a battle up ahead, so I went to help. It turns out my help wasn’t needed.”
“Su-ho hyung-nim! What are you saying! If it weren’t for A-reum’s divine power and me, brother here would’ve been in real danger!”
Does this guy have no shame?
“Uh… Oppa?”
At least you have some conscience.
Yoo Ji-sung let out a dry laugh at Ma Dong-cheol’s nonsense. Though his eyes were on Jang Su-ho, the leader—who had been focused on Yoo Ji-sung—forced an awkward smile.
“Ah, then it couldn’t be helped. You stepped in to help another Conqueror. I’m glad I asked you to escort us. It’s not easy to go out of your way for someone else. You really are trustworthy Conquerors. By the way, is it all right to stay here like this?”
“The monsters will come after hearing the noise. But we still have time, so it’s fine.”
Jang Su-ho nodded as if he understood the leader’s concern. Then he turned to Yoo Ji-sung.
“We’re planning to leave. You look pretty tired. Want to come with us?”
“Would that be okay? I’m worried I’d be in the way of your quest.”
“There’s plenty of room. And since we’re heading to Marin anyway, you won’t be a bother.”
“Then I’ll be in your debt.”
At Yoo Ji-sung’s words, Jang Su-ho looked at the leader as if seeking permission. The leader hesitated for a moment before smiling.
“If that’s what you want, then so be it. There’s more than enough space.”
The trio looked puzzled at the leader’s somewhat sorrowful expression. But as he said, they couldn’t afford to linger here. Thinking of the monster packs that would come after hearing the battle, they needed to move quickly.
The group Yoo Ji-sung had joined left the area and continued toward Marin. Riding in the carriage, Yoo Ji-sung listened to the leader’s story about the trio.
“They’ve reached beyond the 20th floor.”
“Yes. They’re quite talented. A party with a promising future.”
Yoo Ji-sung crossed his arms at the leader’s words. No matter how hard he thought, he had no memory of them. That meant they had been ordinary Conquerors who never caught his attention before the regression.
If not, they probably all died attempting reckless climbs. Or they hit the wall of talent and broke on their own. They’re naive enough to let a stranger join on the first meeting—maybe they got used and discarded.
Because of that, he didn’t feel much expectation about how far they could grow. Even if the Tower had changed, people remained the same. Variables existed depending on environment and situation, but he couldn’t bring himself to trust them. Still, he decided to trust the leader’s judgment once. As a former resistance squad leader, the man might have seen something special in their fighting style.
“Roa, guide a medium-sized monster force this way.”
Understood.
“Tower… Master?”
“Shut up and stay quiet. You said they’re outstanding, right? I need to test whether they’re actually strong enough to fight Markrun’s lackeys.”
Yoo Ji-sung leaned back against the seat and smiled.
“You’d better hope your eyes were right. If they don’t meet my standards, there will be penalties.”
“There’s no way that will……”
“Oh? Really?”
Yoo Ji-sung’s eyes gleamed at the leader’s words. Honestly, he hadn’t expected much from the trio, but seeing the leader’s reaction made him slightly more hopeful. Because of that, he could wait for the upcoming battle with a pleasant mood.
After some time passed, the monsters’ voices pierced through the tent. The villagers were shouting that monsters had appeared, weapons in hand. Yoo Ji-sung, who had been silently waiting for this moment, curled his lips upward.
This should be fun.
“Damn it! Monsters! Brother! There’s too many of them! Can you help us out?”
“Gladly.”
Yoo Ji-sung nodded at Ma Dong-cheol, who had appeared after pulling back the tent flap. He needed to go outside anyway if he wanted to evaluate them. Yoo Ji-sung stepped down from the carriage and saw Jang Su-ho and Jeong A-reum. Both were already prepared for battle. Jang Su-ho was nocking an arrow. Jeong A-reum cast a buff on him and imbued the arrow with divine power. Then she applied divine power to everyone’s equipment.
Fast skill activation. Her control over divine power is quite good, too.
The divine power coating the arrows and gear was just enough to damage undead monsters—neither excessive nor insufficient. Yoo Ji-sung gave Jeong A-reum points for her efficient use of power. The arrow she fired next buried itself between a monster’s eyes. Even if the divine power had struck the heart instead of the head, the monster wouldn’t have been able to revive as undead.
“Kyaaak!”
“Kuhuhung!”
“Gwooo……”
“Quite a lot of them.”
Jang Su-ho continued firing arrows as he watched the monsters charge. Every arrow found its mark in a monster’s head or vital spot, as if they had made a promise. Thud! Thud! Thud! The charging monsters collapsed with arrows lodged in their vitals. Even as undead, the divine power made no difference. They were soon trampled by the monsters behind them and disappeared from view. But Jang Su-ho’s attacks didn’t stop. Mana gathered on the arrow he held. The next arrow split into several and struck different monsters. Even the arrows that followed pierced through multiple monsters, showcasing their power. Yoo Ji-sung couldn’t help but admire what he saw.
“Impressive.”
“Surprised? Oppa used to be an archery athlete! Hah!”
Jeong A-reum manifested her magic with a proud expression at Yoo Ji-sung’s admiration. Holy Bolt. A sphere of divine power struck an undead monster. Its accuracy was lower, but divine power was extremely toxic to undead. The monster spewed black smoke before turning to gray ash and scattering in the wind.
Not bad.
Yoo Ji-sung whistled quietly to himself. Jeong A-reum was fulfilling her role as a priest, and Jang Su-ho was doing the same as an archer. No—as Conquerors who had once reached beyond the 20th floor, they were demonstrating their true skill. Because of that, Yoo Ji-sung’s gaze shifted to Ma Dong-cheol. His eyes on the man took on an ambiguous look.