Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Yongsan Station Sweeping Operation
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Some kind of realization had dawned on me.
"An attack meant to kill me."
When I dodged the first blade thrown by the buzzcut guy.
I felt something ominous.
It might have been the magical backlash of resistance to someone else's skill.
After dodging his attack, this thought crossed my mind too.
"If skills require mana, couldn't Target Detection pick up on that too?"
Target Detection reads the energy and emotions of humans and monsters.
Skills have no emotions, but I figured they could carry the user's intent.
These fleeting thoughts converged, blooming into a new possibility.
Under the name of a special skill.
Trajectory Detection combined with my imagination, drawing lines.
Lines close to precognition.
Shiiik
I simply dodged the imaginary line.
The blade whistled through empty air once more, futilely.
"It doesn't react to every attack."
It didn't respond to Yu-na's skill.
So, trajectories were...
Paths of projectiles, and at the same time...
Lines leading me to death.
"Grab him! Just grab him for a second!"
The buzzcut guy bellowed as his attacks failed repeatedly.
His rage-filled voice brought a smile to my lips unbidden.
So I moved even more leisurely.
Hit me if you can.
I toyed with his friends right in front of him.
"Gaaah! No... no..."
One man clutched his gut and collapsed.
His abdomen split open, spilling organs that he desperately tried to hold in.
I stomped the thigh of the guy staring blankly at the sight.
He lost balance and toppled over.
Next...
"N-no, I was just following the others..."
A man who looked a bit younger than the rest.
Terror-filled eyes peered from behind his glasses.
Kwak!
I grabbed his hair, yanked him forward, and smashed my knee into his face.
His glasses shattered, and his forehead caved in.
Shiiik
I half-turned my body, and the blade passed by my side.
"F-fuck!"
The buzzcut guy spat curses.
This was fun.
Not holding back against humans who came with malice...
Turning imagined movements into reality...
And dodging the sudden lines that slashed across my vision...
"Heh heh heh."
There were fewer than ten opponents left now.
I brushed the blood from my face and laughed.
It was so amusing, the laughter kept coming.
The men couldn't even think of charging at me despite seeing it all.
"I'll kill the ones who run first."
With those words, I charged at them first.
I could have slit throats one by one, but I didn't.
I wanted to savor this life-or-death fight a bit more.
Just drag it out a little longer.
I casually evaded another of the buzzcut guy's blades.
"Urgh... Chang-ho! Hurry! We'll all die like this!"
"Why... why won't it hit..."
I could see an easy victory unfolding.
I wasn't going to die to these guys.
At least, not me.
"Hey, you bastard!"
But Jang Ho-seop might.
He dropped his invisibility and shouted.
No. You don't need to help.
We were all too excited.
Jang Ho-seop while posting on the plaza...
The women while shopping...
Me, thrilled by my new skill and the life-risking battle...
We were all too excited.
Not fleeing, but able to hunt monsters...
Eating warm food instead of mixed rations...
Feeling like we could live decently like this...
That elation turned into crisis.
"Dodge!"
The buzzcut guy, who had been focused solely on me, shifted his gaze.
And swung his arm toward Jang Ho-seop.
Swiik—slash
Jang Ho-seop must have thought my dodges looked precarious.
That's why he dropped invisibility even with some distance left.
His movements slowed when invisible.
"Ah..."
Jang Ho-seop probably wanted to make up for his mistake.
I had been taking it easy.
I wouldn't die to them, but Jang Ho-seop...
Thud
No.
One of Jang Ho-seop's arms hit the ground.
At least it was fortunate.
Thanks to Jang Ho-seop twisting away quickly, his head stayed on.
"Ho-seop!!!"
Kim Soo-jung screamed and leaped down.
She had been holding a shield, protecting Yu-na.
"Sunbae!"
Yu-na waved her arms wildly.
Water arrows she created rained down everywhere.
She had broken from her support role for me.
"Get lost!"
I swung my axe viciously too.
I butchered the men around me in an instant and charged.
By then, the buzzcut guy had turned tail and was fleeing.
Clack
I pulled out steel marbles for throwing.
Hurled them with all my strength while running.
Thud—
The buzzcut guy collapsed.
I sprinted up and smashed my axe into the back of his head.
It could have ended so quickly.
"Jang Ho-seop!"
No time to catch my breath, I rushed to where he lay collapsed.
He gave me a faint smile.
"Hyung-nim."
Kim Soo-jung trembled, holding her son's severed arm.
"Auntie! Snap out of it. First aid! Hurry!"
I snapped at her.
Kim Soo-jung slapped her own cheeks hard at my shout.
Then hurriedly opened the first aid kit.
"Lee Yu-na."
"Y-yes?"
The uncle and Bom-i noona helped Kim Soo-jung staunch Jang Ho-seop's bleeding.
I grabbed Yu-na's shoulder.
"Listen well."
"Yes."
"Take everyone home."
"Huh?"
I looked straight into her eyes.
"You're in charge. I have a place to take Ho-seop."
"O-okay! I'll..."
"When I'm gone, you're the leader."
Kim Soo-jung now picked up Jang Ho-seop's severed arm.
"Yi Hyun-ssi. Hospital... this won't work... hospital..."
There were no hospitals.
But there was one place worth hoping in.
"Strike first if trouble comes. Swift and precise. Remember that."
"Yes!"
Lee Yu-na nodded with a hardened expression.
I ended the brief talk and hoisted Jang Ho-seop onto my back.
"Ho-seop-ah... son. Ho-seop-ah."
Kim Soo-jung clung to us.
I ruthlessly pried her off.
"Go home and wait."
I met Yu-na's eyes as Kim Soo-jung fell, checked the group's faces, then ran.
At full speed.
"Hyung-nim. I'm fine..."
Blood dripped from his severed arm.
Was the bleeding not stopped properly?
Or just blood soaked into his clothes falling off?
"Hold on tight."
Still, his level kept him holding on well.
Despite the pain, he swallowed groans and spoke to me.
"My help... it helped, right?"
Jang Ho-seop had been fretting over his mistake after all.
He took the risk to take responsibility and help me.
I could have lied and said yes.
But I told the truth.
"No. You didn't need to step in. I awakened a special skill."
"Huh? Whoa... that's insane."
A moment of silence, then Jang Ho-seop's weak admiration.
Normally, he'd whip out his notebook and grill me.
"Hyung-nim... Hyung-nim."
I was heading south.
A few goblins spotted me but couldn't keep up.
The silent Jang Ho-seop called out again.
"What."
"So... you're discarding me now? My mom..."
Then he started spouting nonsense.
"Why would I discard you?"
"Well, I'm useless now..."
Did he think I'd take him somewhere far and kill him?
I steadied my ragged breath and answered.
"Not discarding. I'll fix you up and use you."
Like Bom-i noona.
This kid was mine now too.
Kang Hye-seon's hunter outpost came into view soon.
Kang Hye-seon's group was expanding their territory, rescuing people.
So I thought there might be potential there.
"I'm here to see Hunter Kang Hye-seon."
I gave her name and passed the outpost.
The guards hurried the procedures upon seeing Jang Ho-seop's state.
"This way."
Good.
As expected, they had medical personnel.
"Where's the severed arm?"
A young woman asked.
"Left it in the new era..."
Jang Ho-seop replied sarcastically from the stretcher.
I thought he'd passed out, but his eyes were still sharp.
"Here."
I cut off his nonsense and handed over the arm I'd brought.
"Time since amputation?"
The woman fired a few questions at me, then vanished.
Leaving only "wait."
I sat in front of the operating room.
Kang Hye-seon appeared shortly after and spoke.
"I heard the news. It won't take long."
We exchanged brief greetings.
"Thanks for the help. And the comments."
I had questions, but thanked her first.
"No need. In times like these, we save whoever we can."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. It's the path to our survival too. Oh, take this."
Hunter Kang Hye-seon handed me water and a towel.
I wiped my face and looked up, meeting her eyes.
She had something to say to me.
And she seemed to read my expression too.
"You first."
She yielded the turn to me.
"Do you have doctors? Or skills..."
"Both. We have doctors and people with healing-related skills."
Perfect.
Honestly, saving Jang Ho-seop would be fortune enough.
"Can't guarantee, but worth hoping. A few days ago, one of ours had a leg severed..."
Kang Hye-seon shared hopeful news.
She didn't specify their skills.
I didn't pry.
Probably multiple people with healing skills.
Their force had grown larger since I last saw.
"Can I ask a few things too?"
"Sure."
"You're the leader, right? Jang Ho-seop got admin rights."
"Yes."
"Saw you're clearing Yongsan Station, so your base is nearby."
I confirmed.
This was more verification than curiosity.
"Still no thoughts of joining us?"
"Yes. I'll repay the favor another way. Mana stones, food..."
Kang Hye-seon shook her head.
"Not that. Can I ask for your help once?"
"What kind?"
"Anything."
She fiddled with her left fingers using her right.
A habit?
Saw her do it last time.
"We'll have troubles too. I'd like your help then."
What was she thinking, making this offer?
What did she know about me?
Anyway, I didn't like it.
It left a debt.
"Ah, you'd decide whether to help or not."
"Got it. Sure."
Still, I had to nod.
This was her benevolence too.
Whether to keep the promise was up to me.
"Oh, how old are you?"
Then, unexpectedly.
"27."
"Really? Me too."
At my age, her emotions surged.
Her wariness and fondness grew, now mixed with familiarity.
Wariness natural, fondness unclear, familiarity...
She was different from me.
Rescuing people, extending help to us readily.
Just a good person?
Or simply because we were same age.
"How many mana stones to post on the plaza?"
"Depends on the post. Basically..."
We exchanged info as time passed.
Kang Hye-seon stayed businesslike, despite her goodwill and that familiarity.
"Hyung-nim!"
As she said, it didn't take long—Jang Ho-seop emerged.
On his own two feet, perfectly fine.
Waving both hands.
On the way home with Jang Ho-seop.
"How was it?"
"Huh? Uh... young doc, said it'd heal fast since I'm awakened."
"Not that. How many healers with skills there..."
Jang Ho-seop shook his head.
No memory, anesthesia.
"Anesthesia? How?"
"Ah, not normal—seemed like a skill."
He clenched and opened his hand.
Movement natural.
"Good. All set then."
"Heh heh. Yeah. Was shocked when my arm got cut, but fine now."
Seemed truly okay.
Not forced smile.
"Uh... Hyung-nim."
"Yeah."
"Thanks."
Small voice from Jang Ho-seop.
Not for saving him.
"Thanks for acknowledging me."
"Acknowledging? What?"
"Earlier, you said you wouldn't discard me. Felt like acceptance."
Jang Ho-seop overinterpreting my words.
"Hyung-nim... possessive, right? With things or people. Not everything, but things you value."
He was right.
Didn't expect him so touched.
"You're like a watch. Replaced a missing part."
"Oh? A cherished one? Wristwatch... not right arm level, but in that category?"
I said it bluntly, words normal people hate.
Yet he liked it.
"I'll work harder from now! No more mistakes like today!"
Kid motivated, rambling.
Ended well anyway.
I leveled up, he survived.
Just didn't want to lose my stuff pointlessly.
Especially useful skills like his.
"Them tangling us was fine."
"Huh? Ah..."
Irked that Jang Ho-seop nearly died, and couldn't torment the culprits more.
Couldn't tolerate feeling threatened by such idiots.
"So we burn their house."
"Pardon? Misheard."
Jang Ho-seop stared, baffled at the connection.