Red Moon's Fury
Jin-ho Lee pondered for a moment before nodding.
"Very well. Experiencing something like this will prove useful later—whether we're facing other parties or forging alliances with others."
'So you're saying you'll keep going solo forever. And why "others"? We've got each other. Like I'd ever watch you laughing it up with strangers. Besides, why the hell would you even fight a Conqueror party?'
Yoo Ji-sung swallowed his retort and glanced at the trio.
"My mana hasn't fully recovered yet, so I'll need to conserve my skills. Su-ho hyung, would it be alright if I took command?"
"Go ahead. I still haven't fully gauged your combat ability, Jin-ho. Since you've fought together before, it shouldn't be a problem. I know you have a talent for leadership and a broad view of the battlefield. I'll leave it to you."
"Thank you."
Su-ho Jang nodded readily, acknowledging Yoo Ji-sung's authority. The gesture felt fresh to him. He'd seen countless people who stirred up bloody storms to cling to their rice bowls or who went mad with power, but few like Su-ho Jang.
The man stood silently, bow at the ready, showing no desire to take command himself. Watching him, Yoo Ji-sung smiled.
"I'll live up to that trust."
"Hmph! As much as you want! I already know how sharp that head of yours is! And with Jin-ho hyung here, who's worth a thousand troops by himself, just say the word! We'll crush everything! Wahaha!"
"Me too! Just give the order! I'll even bring the dead back to life!"
"Excellent. Jin-ho?"
"I'll cut down whatever you point me at."
Yoo Ji-sung smiled at their responses. Unlike when he'd rushed to join them just to help Jin-ho, this time they were fighting together with proper formation. The thought alone lifted his spirits. Out of habit, he tapped his thigh with his index finger. His gaze swept sharply across the battlefield.
"Jin-ho and Dong-cheol will take the vanguard. Jin-ho is stronger against the monsters on the right, so he'll handle that side while Dong-cheol takes the left."
Before Yoo Ji-sung even finished speaking, Ma Dong-cheol moved into position. Jin-ho Lee hesitated briefly but soon followed the order. Yoo Ji-sung nodded in approval.
"A-reum, save your divine power as much as possible and focus on supporting Jin-ho. Dong-cheol has high durability, so he can hold the line. Su-ho hyung, concentrate on the ranged monsters. You two will hold the middle."
"Huh? Then what about you, hyung? The rear won't be safe like this… Honestly, my mana is running low. I can't guarantee how many times I can use Provoke."
Thud!
A monster charged the group while they were still forming up. Yoo Ji-sung gifted the approaching creature a massive earthen spike from the rear.
"Even if my mana isn't abundant, I have enough left to guard the backline. Our target is that Hop Goblin."
"Ugh… Times like this make me wish I had two bodies! Hyung, I'll trust you with the rear! Jin-ho hyung, you heard what Ji-sung hyung said, right?"
"Of course. Let's move immediately."
Jin-ho Lee advanced toward the Hop Goblin without hesitation. Yoo Ji-sung began issuing rapid commands while blocking monsters approaching from behind. All the while, his eyes scanned every corner of the battlefield without missing a single detail.
"What the hell…"
"Is that even possible?"
The Conquerors who had been moments from being surrounded by monsters found salvation. They drew renewed strength from the sounds of battle echoing from one side. A ranker had come to help. That alone was encouraging, but the death cries of countless monsters gave them even greater hope.
Before long, the battle sounds drew closer. The ranker group, previously hidden behind the monster horde, began to come into view.
"They're insane. Now I get why Noah had that look on his face."
"They were on the carriage, so they've been watching how these people fight from the start."
"If they saw their strength, they should've helped sooner…"
"They ran out of mana! Can't you see them still shooting arrows?"
"Hey! Put that bow away! What are you doing just nocking arrows?"
The Conquerors each threw in their own comments while watching Yoo Ji-sung's party and Jin-ho Lee. Their performance was simply overwhelming. Jin-ho Lee cutting down monsters as he advanced was like watching a monster in human form. Even among them, there were those who had climbed past the 20th floor, yet none could display such prowess. It was because they lacked anyone skilled enough to match his breathing.
The Conqueror who had climbed beyond the 20th floor narrowed his eyes sharply.
'His level and stats are lower than mine. But his battlefield awareness and judgment completely overwhelm me. On top of that, he seems to have learned swordsmanship systematically. Unlike me, he can manage his stamina far more efficiently. He may lose in levels, but he's stronger than I am.'
That was his assessment of Jin-ho Lee. And beside that Jin-ho Lee stood Ma Dong-cheol, with Jang Su-ho, Jeong A-reum, and Yoo Ji-sung supporting from the rear. Seeing them, the Conquerors were certain.
"That must be the party rumored to have reached nearly the 30th floor. No way their coordination would be this perfect otherwise."
"That's not all. That tank is completely insane, isn't he? Only flaw is he talks too much…"
"That woman's impressive too. She looks like a priestess, yet she's using her abilities to the fullest. Even though her physical abilities must be lacking, she shows no sign of faltering in the heart of the melee. She completely trusts her comrades. Her staff handling is quite good as well."
"That archer is a perfect shot. You could call him the second coming of Robin Hood."
Ma Dong-cheol, shoving monsters aside with his shield and swinging his hammer, resembled a heavy tank. Jeong A-reum swung her staff to knock monsters away while casting heals and buffs to rally her allies. Jang Su-ho fired arrows at high speed, breaking the monsters' formation. The Conquerors could only marvel at their perfect coordination.
"That person…"
The Conquerors' gazes then shifted to Yoo Ji-sung. He followed behind the party, calmly surveying his surroundings. He seemed far too serene to be in a fight, almost as if he were out for a leisurely stroll. Yet the area around him was anything but peaceful. With a single gesture from Yoo Ji-sung, the earth rose to impale monsters and leaves scattered like blades. His ability to wield nature itself as a weapon left their jaws hanging open. He appeared to be constantly speaking, but the noise made it impossible to hear his voice.
"What the hell is that ability?"
"I don't know what it is… but he's definitely a monster."
"Sword and magic… With just those two, they'd already be the strongest party."
When they looked at Jin-ho Lee, they saw a monster. When they looked at the party members, they burst with admiration and spared no praise. And when they finally looked at Yoo Ji-sung, they could only gape as if entranced. His command over nature made it seem as though a god had descended.
Only one question remained: how their equipment had become so tattered, as though they had already endured an enormous battle. Whether Yoo Ji-sung's party knew it or not, they continued steadily advancing straight ahead. Before long, they came face to face with the Hop Goblin that had been preparing its spell.
"That guy…"
"Isn't this a bit dangerous…?"
"Aren't they being too hasty?"
The Conquerors wore worried expressions. They too had seen the Hop Goblin and sensed something special about it. But they hadn't been able to approach it at all. The monster numbers were too great, and the Hop Goblin's spells deflected all magic and ranged attacks. It was only natural to worry—after all, it was a named monster, nearly on the level of a boss.
"Kyaaak!"
"Kweee!"
"Gwooooor!"
"Damn it!"
"What the hell is this all of a sudden!"
After the party's appearance, the monsters that had been moving sluggishly let out collective roars. As the monsters began to rampage, the Conquerors could no longer focus on Yoo Ji-sung's party. Yoo Ji-sung, watching them, furrowed his brow.
'What are those idiots doing? I came all this way to help, and they're just standing around like idiots?'
Because he was leading the party and surveying the battlefield, he had seen everything the Conquerors were doing. His party members were focused solely on his commands and the fight. They didn't even realize the Conquerors were evaluating them as they continued battling. Yoo Ji-sung let out a small chuckle at the sight of the Conquerors shouting while fighting.
'Idiots. They should've thinned the numbers more while the Hop Goblin was focused on us.'
He found it ridiculous that they had let their guard down just because they had gained a bit of breathing room. The Hop Goblin's focus on their party had created problems with its command. The Conquerors had missed the chance they should have seized. Now the Hop Goblin had completely abandoned command and prepared for battle. Naturally, discord would arise among the monster forces. They wouldn't fight each other with a common enemy right in front of them, but the battlefield would grow far more chaotic.
"Dong-cheol, it's preparing another fireball! Use your shield to interrupt the cast. Su-ho hyung, aim for its staff! That staff seems to block not just ranged attacks but everything. Hit it with everything you've got! A-reum…"
Yoo Ji-sung issued orders to his party once more. The moment his command fell, they moved.
Thud!
"Kyaaak!"
Thwock!
Clang!
"Kiek?!"
Clatter!
The Hop Goblin staggered after being struck by Ma Dong-cheol's shield. Jang Su-ho's arrow followed, striking its wrist precisely. A defensive barrier formed, but it couldn't withstand the impact—the staff slipped from its grasp. Jin-ho Lee swung his sword at the flustered creature.
Clang!
"Tch!"
As expected of a named monster, it drew a crooked dagger in its other hand and swung. Jin-ho Lee clicked his tongue and swung again. With Jeong A-reum's buffs enhancing his strength, the Hop Goblin couldn't resist. Its arm was knocked far to one side. The Hop Goblin's head, eyes wide, rolled across the ground.
"Ji-sung, it's done."
"Not yet. There are more commanders besides that one. Thanks to the divine power, it won't revive as an undead. Let's target the other command units immediately. We can't let our guard down until we've dealt with all of them. I think I have some mana left, so I'll clear a path."
Hearing Jin-ho Lee's words, Yoo Ji-sung began leading the party once more. Long earthen spikes extended, pushing monsters aside to the left and right. The corners of his eyes trembled from mana depletion. Yet Yoo Ji-sung walked without the slightest falter, following his comrades.
'Since that guy seems to see me as a rival, I can't show any weakness.'
It had been a mistake to use all his mana thinking they would return to the village after wiping out the previous horde. His heart pounded and his mouth felt parched. But if he had collapsed from something like this, he never would have been able to toy with the Conquerors as the Tower's administrator. Nor would he have been able to get one over on Markrun and Marknus. He pierced through monsters aiming for Jin-ho Lee and Ma Dong-cheol's blind spots while focusing on defending the rear.
'Hurry up and finish this, you bastard… I'm dying here!'
A cry he couldn't voice to others. In the solitude of his own battle, Yoo Ji-sung screamed desperately within his heart.