Red Moon's Leader
The battle was over.
Ji-sung, Jin-ho, and the Avenger party stepped away from the blood-soaked battlefield and gathered together.
“Hah! You really do fight like the guy who cleared the tutorial in first place! That was incredible!”
“It was all thanks to everyone here.”
Jin-ho bowed his head once more in response to Dong-cheol’s booming praise.
For a while, Jin-ho and the Avenger party discussed the fight. They learned why he had charged straight into the monster horde instead of running. Afterward, the three of them scolded him just as they had scolded Ji-sung, pointing out his recklessness. Jin-ho, already aware of his mistake, simply accepted the criticism with a contrite expression.
‘He’s finally realized it. He almost ended up in a grave. Forming a party… still seems too much for him right now.’
From what had just happened, it didn’t look like Jin-ho’s mind would change easily. Today he had simply lost to his own pride and charged in. He still intended to climb the Tower alone after experiencing his limits. That resolve wouldn’t be broken so easily.
‘He’ll be more careful from now on. If he makes the same mistake again, he’s not even human.’
At least the goal of getting Jin-ho and the Avenger party acquainted had been achieved. It was annoying to watch Dong-cheol and Jin-ho get along so well, but Ji-sung forced himself to ignore it.
Just then, Dong-cheol glanced at Ji-sung.
“From what I heard earlier, you and our Ji-sung here seem pretty familiar with each other. Am I right?”
“Huh? You two… don’t tell me you knew each other before entering the Tower?”
“Not exactly. When we came out of the tutorial, Jin-ho was already waiting outside. That’s when we met.”
“Whoa! Jin-ho oppa cleared the tutorial in first place! Then what about you?”
‘Hey. Since when are you calling him “oppa”? Why are you all suddenly so friendly today?’
Ji-sung shot A-reum a sour look, but she was too starry-eyed to notice. She simply waited for his answer with bright, expectant eyes.
Unable to resist her gaze, Ji-sung nodded.
“If Jin-ho cleared it first, then I must have been second. I finished not long after him.”
“This… must be fate.”
A-reum’s eyes grew dreamy at Ji-sung’s reply. The first- and second-place clearers of the tutorial had appeared in the same village. In the eleventh floor, where countless villages existed, that kind of coincidence was rare. On top of that, her sharp intuition told her there was something more between the two men.
“You look even stronger than before.”
“It’s all thanks to my party members. You’ve grown a lot too, Jin-ho. Your equipment, and that last fight… it was really impressive.”
“I showed an embarrassing side. I didn’t want you to see me like that, at least.”
“What?”
Ji-sung asked, puzzled, but no answer came. A-reum clutched her cheeks, flustered by the strange atmosphere between the two men. Ji-sung found her reaction slightly irritating, but she wasn’t the one he needed to focus on right now.
‘You little punk. You don’t want your rival to see your weak side? We’re going to be working together soon. What’s the big deal about showing each other our good and bad sides? We’re friends. What’s there to be embarrassed about in front of a friend?’
Whether he sensed Ji-sung’s thoughts or not, Jin-ho genuinely looked mortified. The way he averted his eyes and coughed awkwardly made Ji-sung’s chest feel stuffy.
At that moment, Dong-cheol, unable to wait any longer, spoke up.
“Hey! I heard about you when we got to Marin. They say you single-handedly wiped out all the monsters that showed up in Marin! Everyone’s been praising you, saying Marin’s the safest village because of you since so many monsters come there. Did you learn some martial arts before coming in?”
“Yes, I’ve trained a bit with the sword.”
“I knew it!”
‘A bit, my ass. I bet you’ve held a sword more days than you haven’t in your life.’
“Um… Jin-ho oppa? You and Ji-sung oppa seem pretty close……”
‘What is she trying to say now?’
Interest in Jin-ho, the hero of Marin and this cycle’s rising star, was far greater than expected. Having already scolded him and given him a warning, the others now seemed determined to satisfy their curiosity about him. Dong-cheol and A-reum fired off questions while Su-ho also listened with clear interest. Ji-sung sighed at their behavior but didn’t bother stopping them.
‘It’s annoying, but they’re not a bad party. Jin-ho must have noticed too.’
Thinking that, Ji-sung looked up at the sky.
When they discussed strategies for clearing the eleventh floor, Jin-ho glanced at Ji-sung as if he had expected nothing less. A-reum caused another scene, but Ji-sung was slowly getting used to her antics.
‘I never imagined getting used to someone would feel this depressing.’
With that thought, Ji-sung stood up. Jin-ho and Su-ho rose right after him.
“Huh? Oppa?”
“Su-ho hyung-nim? Why did you two suddenly stand up?”
“Haa… Look to the left. I’ve been watching them ever since you started making all that noise. I’ve told you plenty of times that chatting is fine, but never forget to keep an eye on your surroundings. I trust you’ve all rested enough.”
Su-ho shook his head and drew his bow. Jin-ho had already unsheathed his sword, and Ji-sung tightened his gloves until they fit snugly over his hands. Only then did Dong-cheol and A-reum spot the tiny figures in the distance—people being chased by monsters.
Children rode in a carriage while adults fought to protect them. Several people who looked like Conquerors were using skills to shield the group.
Dong-cheol and A-reum’s eyes widened in shock. Then they began looking guilty for their earlier mistake.
“Ah… Sorry. I get so worked up that I stop paying attention to what’s around me……”
“I’m sorry too.”
“It happens. We should help them first. Jin-ho?”
Ji-sung spoke up. Normally he wouldn’t have cared about a random group, but this was in front of Jin-ho. If he wanted to show he was someone worth keeping around, he needed to make a good impression.
Jin-ho nodded as if he had expected Ji-sung to say that.
“I’ll go ahead. Follow at your own pace.”
Jin-ho sprinted straight toward the fight at Ji-sung’s call. Ji-sung and the rest of the party chased after him.
“Pyuang! Watch your back!”
“Damn it! You watch your own back, Anton! I already knew that!”
“Everyone shut up! Aaaagh! Why are there so many monsters?! Fireball!”
“Noah! Be careful! It’s hot!”
“Kyaaah! Watch out! Watch out! They don’t even flinch?! Just deal with them yourselves!”
The group that had left Croxen Village had already passed through several other settlements. Every village they reached was in ruins, forcing them to waste time. There had been one village that wasn’t destroyed, but its people had refused to take them in. The only place they had been told about was Marin—the village with the most Conquerors and residents. The information had been given with sneers and false kindness.
It was humiliating, but they had no choice but to believe it. They were exhausted, starving, their stomachs sticking to their spines. With their last hope, they kept moving. That was when they ran straight into a massive monster force.
The sight of over a thousand monsters was enough to make their minds go blank.
“Ugh… It hurts… I’m hungry……”
“Hang in there! We’ll reach Marin soon! We can eat until we burst once we get there! Just don’t die before that!”
Noah, the woman who had been firing magic from the carriage, bit her lip. The wagon was packed with the wounded—stragglers they had picked up along the way and isolated fighters they had rescued. They had grown close through shared battles, and now those same people lay injured in the carriage. Watching their conditions worsen made her eyes sting with tears.
‘Marin will be safe, right?’
Noah wiped away the tears threatening to fall and glared at the monsters. She had already used up all her mana and couldn’t cast any more spells. She clenched her jaw and gripped her bow instead.
While scanning the battlefield for anyone who needed support, her eyes caught a man holding a sword. He was charging alone toward their surrounded group.
She screamed.
“Be careful!”
Slash!
Thud!
Crunch!
“Kreeeeek!”
“Gwoooar……”
“Huh……?”
Noah’s eyes trembled violently. Someone had rushed in alone to help them. Every time his sword swung, monsters let out dying screams. He kicked and shouldered aside the monsters swarming him, carving out space. Only one thought filled Noah’s mind as she watched him.
“A… Ranker?”
Rankers were those who had climbed high enough to make a name for themselves. Anyone who had reached the upper floors was bound to be strong. As someone who had climbed close to the twentieth floor herself, Noah could only see the swordsman as a Ranker. His movements were flawless, like a storm sweeping through the monsters. He fought as if he had years of experience battling large groups. Hope surged within her at the sight of his seasoned skill—something only possible after rolling around in the Tower for over half a year.
Then, in her vision focused on the swordsman, another figure appeared—a man holding a shield.
Boom!
“I told you you’re too fast! I know you’re strong, but don’t go charging in alone! This is the second wave, you know that, right?”
“The situation looked urgent. Besides, I’m fine thanks to you.”
“Hmph! I can see that with my own eyes! My awareness might be lacking, but I’m confident when it comes to reading the battlefield! Hup!”
When Dong-cheol swung his shield, the monsters were sent flying, unable to withstand the force. Several more people rushed in through the opening— A-reum casting buffs on Jin-ho and Dong-cheol, Su-ho sniping monsters with his arrows, and finally Ji-sung reaching out to manifest his miracles.
Noah shouted with joy at the sight.
“Everyone, hang in there a little longer! They’re Rankers! Rankers came to help!”
Cheers erupted across the battlefield at her cry.
“Jin-ho, that one over there seems to be commanding the horde. The hobgoblin with the staff. Can you see it?”
“Yes, I see it. It definitely looks like the commander.”
Jin-ho, who had been cutting down monsters, nodded. Following Ji-sung’s gesture, his eyes landed on a red-skinned hobgoblin. The creature was screeching and glaring at the monsters around it. The monsters that received its orders let out roars and moved accordingly.
“There are too many monsters. It’ll take time to reach it. I haven’t fully recovered yet, so we might have to push ourselves.”
“We’re not alone. We can do it together.”
“Hmm……”
Jin-ho let out a low hum at Ji-sung’s words. Aside from the two times he had traveled with Ji-sung and his party, he had always moved alone. Because of that, he was used to treating himself as the sole standard when facing enemies. The word “together” stirred something in his chest.