Chapter 254
Chapter 254
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 254
Chapter Title: 드래곤을 유괴하다-254화
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 254
Chapter Title: 82. Who's in the Lead? (4)
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All sorts of media outlets were churning out countless articles.
At the center were Summer and Autumn.
And Team Mochi and Team Lair.
The long rainy season had finally come to an end.
Mornings brought cool breezes perfect for light clothing.
In a mountain town where the sky stretched high and the sunlight felt exceptionally clear, Team Mochi was waiting for the federation's first mission deployment order.
Sitting midway up the mountain, as the wait dragged on, Sophia kept fiddling with her watch.
"Hey. Sophia."
"Huh?"
"Stop staring at that watch."
"Why? My post went up. Wanna see?"
"Ugh, just stop if I say stop. You're losing focus."
"No way. This is the first time I've gotten this much attention."
"Jesus Christ."
Summer reached for the watch to snatch it away. 'Don't look. Don't look. She's being such a hardass.' Finally annoyed, Sophia shut off the hologram.
"You guys okay?"
"Huh? Oh... yeah... Whew. I'm nervous."
"...Eh, whatever."
So Ji-ro and Kim Ji-in toyed with their respective weapons. A bow and a musket. The metal felt chillier than usual, thanks to the early autumn air.
The cold seeping into their fingers soon chilled their hearts as well.
Just sitting there blankly, the four fell silent under the weight of the pressure.
In the lengthening silence, Kim Ji-in spoke up.
"...Do you think we can do well?"
Words that voiced what everyone was thinking.
"Yeah, fuck. People have crazy high expectations. Even our guardians were babying us like crazy. Tsk..."
"My mom called too. Haha... They hung another banner at the village entrance. Wanna see?"
"No."
"Yeah... Sorry, Sophia."
"Kim Ji-in. You?"
"Mom's got high hopes. Though honestly, it's probably just 'cause Summer's on the team."
Kim Ji-in's words reminded them of the team's center of gravity.
They were here thanks to Yoo Yeoreum.
Without Summer, they'd never have gotten this kind of attention.
That's why the worry was even greater. The three knew they weren't superhuman enough to deserve such special treatment. They knew they could be pointed at and ridiculed any time.
They stood high thanks to Yoo Yeoreum.
But because of Yoo Yeoreum, they had to do even better.
For kids who'd always competed with their peers, the pressure of real combat was no small thing.
Can we do well?
Everyone thought it. Even though it was just a simple monster subjugation, the tension began to choke them. Breath catching, So Ji-ro panted heavily.
In that silence where doubt had settled like a shroud, Summer spoke.
"Let's do our best..."
The three looked at their team leader.
Gone was her usual bravado and confidence.
Hard to believe even seeing it, but for some reason, Summer seemed a bit down.
"Let's try hard..."
Summer muttered.
"At least until we claim the first ranking. Let's give it everything..."
"Let's fight like hell..."
"Even if we can't be the best. Let's give it our all..."
"If we line up the world's efforts, let's stand at the front..."
To Kim Ji-in, it felt like Summer was talking to herself.
Summer lifted her red eyes and looked at the three.
"Lately I've realized something. I used to think most people in the world were idiots."
Sophia giggled at Summer's words. 'That's so you.'
"Nah. But living like others do seems pretty impressive now."
"What're you talking about?"
"I thought everyone weaker than me was living meaningless lives, but up close, that's not true. Everyone's busting their asses. Even keeping up with others is tough..."
Everyone charges ahead in their own fierce way. So what must they, the untalented, do to pull ahead?
"So what can we do? Work harder."
"Honestly. That pisses me off."
"Work harder?"
"Yeah. Fuck, that word 'harder'."
"Then what? We have to. Harder."
"What more can we do here? I'm already half-dead, whipping myself is too cruel."
"Does ambition die if you don't? No. If I'm not harsh on myself, the world will be harsh on me, right?"
"..."
"If we had no ambition, fine. But we do. When I proposed this team, you all said you wanted to be world rankers too."
Kim Ji-in and So Ji-ro nodded. Sophia reluctantly bowed her head.
World ranker. Earning a higher number in that elite spot is every superhuman's dream.
But what everyone wants can't be had by all, making it precious.
Anyone can have ambition. Even a worm's larva dreams of soaring high. Reality just never supports it...
"But we've done well so far."
As the kids grew gloomy, Summer spoke up.
"They say people don't change easily, but we've changed a ton up to now."
"..."
"Be honest. Don't other cadets envy you? 'They rode the Yoo Yeoreum bus like pros.'"
"Yeah." "Y-yeah..."
"But those fuckers don't know. What you do behind the scenes. How you train till you bleed."
There had been times they'd overcome hardship.
Things they'd achieved by breaking themselves.
The very existence of these four standing here proved it.
"Hey. Remember how brutal our training was? Huh?"
No more was the drooping lump of flesh that was So Ji-ro.
Now, her small frame couldn't hide her superhuman training, her presence—that belonged to So Ji-ro.
The ever-melancholy Kim Ji-in of old was gone.
She didn't erase or hide the scars on her cheeks and neck. Kim Ji-in had become someone who fought when she had to.
"We've changed that much to get here."
No defeated kid wallowing in pity, bawling her eyes out.
Here was RIL's hunting dog, rising again with weapon in hand even after crumbling.
"Even trash can have ambition. But for trash like us to aim higher, we gotta work harder."
Even caterpillars have dreams.
"I really wanna get stronger. Learn more. Hit higher ranks. You guys too, right?"
Someday spread wings.
"So let's be harsh on ourselves."
And fly into the sky.
"Let's push a bit more."
The kids were dreaming.
Summer's words, directed at herself but shared with all, pushed away the anxiety in their hearts.
Strangely empowering and comforting. In the wake of the silence, So Ji-ro began wiping tears with her wrist.
Not liking the softening mood, Sophia suddenly grinned and quipped.
"But. Other teams are probably thinking the same, right? Work hard, rank well, let's live great from now on—planning their futures?"
"Obviously. You think we're the only humans?"
"Then they're wasting their time."
"What?"
"Guys living for tomorrow are mine to eat."
"...You psycho. What the hell?"
Another nonsense rant. They chuckled.
But Summer's smile faded at the next words.
"I'm serious. I live for today."
"Live looking far ahead."
Those were the words of Team Lair's leader, Tyr Blanc.
Gloomy voice. Depressed gaze.
His slightly slower speech dragged in an odd rhythm.
"Like I said, no need to push too hard. Safety first."
Team Lair was also waiting for the federation's signal before the rift assault.
In front of the jagged black rift.
The geniuses conversed.
"Yeah, uh-huh."
"No, do whatever you want. Just no overreaching. Don't get hurt. We're playing the long game in assaults. Let's dream of the distant future."
"Uh-huh."
Autumn answered, and Ling Ling asked.
"Hey, then... next is...?"
"Next? If we secure safety, it's self-exploration. You don't wanna be like other superhumans, right? Gotta figure our own path. Ling Ling. What superhuman did you wanna be?"
"One who protects people...?"
"More specific?"
"If China gets attacked, I'll be the last one standing in the most dangerous spot..."
"Awfully romantic. Yong Tae-ha. You."
"I wanna be a superhuman as asymmetric power."
"Like one of Kaliovan's Five Transcendents?"
"Something like that. Fighting matters, sure, but a symbolic superhuman who maintains peace before it even starts. So image-making is key."
Black hair. Black eyes. A face exuding leisure and elegance.
The kind voted most heroic in fashion mags—Yong Tae-ha said so.
"I wanna be a superhuman who crushes threats before they arise."
Ling Ling and Autumn nodded at Tyr Blanc's words.
Their worries were framed differently from most superhumans.
They'd started ahead from the moment they opened their eyes.
They knew their starting line was different.
And as they ran, the latecomers fell hopelessly behind.
For them, fretting over the future couldn't be the same as those struggling not to fall behind just by running.
They knew they'd reach high places anyway. So they pondered not how high, but what peak to claim.
Then Yong Tae-ha asked.
"But Blanc, that's different from yesterday."
"What is?"
"Yesterday you said career exploration first."
"Yeah, 'cause I figured no greed."
"What's there to greed over?"
"Missions will spark plenty now. Even if you were leader instead of me."
"Why suddenly?"
"Think. With just a knife, dodge bears, catch rabbits. But now we've got grenade launchers. No greed?"
Ling Ling and Yong Tae-ha looked like they agreed.
Even knowing it was about her, Autumn just blinked, unsure how to react.
Blanc looked at her and asked.
"What about you."
"Huh? M-me?"
"Yeah, you. Grenade launcher. What superhuman do you wanna be?"
"Uh, I, um..."
Autumn pondered, then grinned foolishly and asked back.
"What can I be?"
"Dunno. Can't predict a grenade launcher's future dreams."
"Mm, how 'bout a nuke...?"
Yong Tae-ha and Ling Ling tossed jokes and laughed; Autumn burst into giggles too. It was her first laugh there—so pretty, regardless of age or gender, that the three blanked out or cleared throats awkwardly.
"We'll figure it out slowly...!"
"Yeah. Till then, follow orders. We're all in for hardship; don't get in each other's way."
Tyr Blanc nailed it down.
"Uh-huh."
"No, you bitch."
Summer smacked the back of Sophia's head.
"Why the fuck."
"I said don't rush, look far ahead."
Summer quoting someone was rare. She was all ego, after all.
Wondering, Sophia asked.
"Who said that?"
"My house dildo."
Sophia cackled.
"Your house dildos talk too?"
"Lately does comedy too."
"Haha, what else? Hilarious. What'd it say last?"
"If it's tough, say so anytime."
Confused at first, Sophia realized there was one guy in Room 301 and exploded laughing.
"Kyahahaha! You crazy bitch!"
Kim Ji-in and So Ji-ro sneaked chuckles, gauging moods.
Laughing lightened the crushing pressure.
About then, the federation's operation deployment signal came.
Summer stood with sword in hand; the cadets followed a beat late, weapons ready, falling in line.
They'd been assigned the highest-level mission possible for a first op. To grow stronger in extreme combat, they'd twist their bodies. Perfect execution would launch them skyward.
As tension pulled taut like a rubber band.
Summer spoke.
"Team Mochi. Commence subjugation operation."
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