Chapter 139: The End of Training
Chapter 139: The End of Training
Morning came. It was finally the day to set out on a new expedition. The ruin we would be exploring this time was the Cave of Screams. As it was an expedition that would take at least three weeks, we needed to prepare the caravan thoroughly. As I opened the door of The Demure Lady inn and stepped out, a cool breeze and clear air greeted me. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath of the refreshing air. It felt like my whole body was being revitalized.
“Wow, the weather is amazing. It's the perfect day for a trip.”
When I turned, I saw Hayeon pushing the door open, her shimmering hair swaying as she smoothed it. She was carrying a small backpack on her shoulder. It was an expedition pack, something she'd bought recently. Given the length of the trip, they were decent quality packs. We'd bought four in total and gave them to the mages and priests. (The melee classes didn't get packs, as they could get in the way during combat.)
Seeing her bright smile, I responded with a gentle one of my own.
“In a way, this isn't so different from a trip, is it? There are plenty of scenic places in the Hall Plain.”
“Hoho. I'd rather pass on a trip where my life is in danger.”
A necklace that gave off a beautiful luster was hanging around her neck. It was clearly the Necklace of Glory we'd obtained from the Ruined Laboratory. I was curious what magic she had Memorized, but I held my tongue as the rest of the party came out one after another.
The kids had also come down, fully armed with the gear they'd gotten from the laboratory. Ahn Hyun and Lee Yoojung, in particular, looked completely different from when they first arrived in Mule. Back then, they were such fledglings it was embarrassing to even call them Users, but now they seemed to have shed that novice air. Of course, that was just based on appearances, but I still felt a sense of pride, thinking of them as the kids I'd raised.
“Whoa, these gloves are amazing! My spear feels as light as a reed.”
He swung the spear, which he usually found a bit heavy, around and around, expressing his satisfaction. The Gloves of Reduction. They didn't increase his actual strength, but they were undoubtedly a very useful piece of equipment. Looking past Ahn Hyun, who was happily spinning his spear, I slowly surveyed the rest of the party.
Finally, after Vivian, Shin Sangyong, and Ko Yeonju finished their preparations and came down, I had the party line up. Ko Yeonju casually closed the inn door and stood in the center of the group, while I, at the head, started walking toward the North Gate.
On the way, we passed several groups of Users. Anyone still in Mule at this point would have predictably poor stats, or else very little experience. Every one of them watched us enviously; they were probably struggling just to survive from day to day. I could understand how they felt. During the early days of my first run, I had often envied well-equipped Users setting out on expeditions at dawn.
And so, receiving a sharp salute from the guards, we left through the North Gate. The moment we did, the party's atmosphere changed completely. The boisterous mood vanished in an instant, and the kids, who had been excited, hardened their expressions and began scanning their surroundings. They knew my temperament: they could fool around all they wanted inside the city, but once we were in the field, I wouldn't tolerate the slightest bit of carelessness. The effects of their training were showing. I was especially pleased when Ko Yeonju tilted her head with an impressed look, acknowledging the shift in mood.
Our party currently consisted of eight members. Of course, it wasn't a perfect composition (in terms of class roles, not individual User stats), and we were missing some classes. Still, compared to when we tackled the Ancient Alchemist Vivian’s Dungeon, we had a reasonably balanced party.
As such, it was time to define each User's position more clearly. First, I would take the lead, acting as both the tank and the overall coordinator. Ahn Hyun would be the sub-tank, assisting me while also providing combat support. Ahn Sol stood in the very center of the party, with Vivian, Hayeon, and Shin Sangyong forming a triangular formation around her. At a glance, the center might seem weak, but that vulnerability was completely offset by placing Ko Yeonju there as a keeper.
One unusual point was that Yoojung had requested to be in the rear and also have a free role. In the past, I would have flatly refused and told her not to talk nonsense, but I accepted on the condition that she would only act freely after getting my permission.
We soon reached the plains we had crossed to get to the Ancient Alchemist Vivian’s Dungeon and the Ruined Laboratory. Without delay, I turned east and led the party onward.
The kids were all diligently following my orders, but an undeniable confidence shone in their eyes. The excitement of an expedition after a long time, their good equipment, their improved skills, and the stares of other Users. All these factors had filled the kids with more motivation than usual.
However, I planned to extinguish that motivation in one fell swoop. Riding this momentum was fine, but I thought it would be better to instill a sense of caution in them. Compared to other Users of their year, the kids had become incomparably stronger, but in the context of the entire Hall Plain, they were still just fledglings. And based on their behavior I'd seen so far, there was a high chance this confidence would turn into pride, and then into arrogance. The most effective way to do this wasn't to yell at them, but to create a situation that would make them realize it for themselves.
The party members barely spoke, except when necessary. After maintaining a steady marching pace for a while, I turned back to look. Mule was no longer in sight, not even as a distant speck. The sun had risen higher, and it seemed noon was approaching. I briefly unfolded the map to gauge our current position, then decided to alter our course slightly.
Despite our diligent pace, we saw no monsters or Vagabonds. The lack of Vagabonds was one thing, but it was surprising that not a single monster had attacked us. As we continued marching on our slightly adjusted course, I could see the kids' expressions, which had been extremely wary at first, begin to relax. Figuring it was about time to put my plan into action, I quickened my pace.
Before long, the mountain I had been aiming for came into view. I stopped for a moment, turned to the party, and spoke.
“We're going to cross the mountain you see before you.”
“Huh? Do we need to cross a mountain? You said it would take ten days, and as far as I know, the path eventually merges even if we take the direct route. There's no need to waste our stamina climbing a mountain, is there?”
Ko Yeonju's point was certainly valid. She was saying that we had a long ten-day march ahead of us and needed to conserve our stamina. But since I had a specific goal in mind, I had a smooth answer ready.
“Just in case, I did some simple research on other ruins besides the Cave of Screams. The original plan was to take the direct route, but I don't think it would be a bad idea to pass by one on the way. Of course, we can't explore every nook and cranny, but it's better than not checking at all. Even though the path is a bit of a detour, I'll make sure our estimated arrival date doesn't change. However, that means I plan to increase our marching speed, so I expect everyone to keep up.”
“Ha. So you're saying you researched all the other ruins in addition to the Cave of Screams?”
“Yes. I only picked and researched ruins that were in the same general direction. We needed to be prepared for any contingency.”
I replied humbly and immediately turned away. Ko Yeonju made a strange face, as if she didn't quite understand, but I was the leader of this caravan. Besides, she was the one who had pointed out the need for a contingency plan in case we couldn't find the Cave of Screams, so she couldn't really argue since I framed this as an extension of that.
I felt a little sorry for Hayeon, Shin Sangyong, and Vivian, but this was a necessary process. The Cave of Screams was, for all intents and purposes, a training exercise to wrap up our time in Mule. Right now, with few other Users around and in a small city, they probably think things are manageable.
But the moment we advance to a regular city or a metropolis, the situation will change 180 degrees. Users everywhere you look, Vagabonds who'll backstab you the moment you let your guard down. And on top of that, dungeons with much higher difficulty and more powerful monsters. To survive wedged between all that, they needed to recognize where they currently stood.
Thus, the method I chose was a forced march. I planned to crush their spirits with a march, the most basic requirement for any User in the Hall Plain.
Before we knew it, we were standing before the mountain I had targeted. They might not have realized it from a distance, but now that the massive mountain range was right in front of them, their expressions were clearly different. Before entering the mountain, I reiterated my instructions, warning them sternly.
“From now on, we will cross the mountain before us. This mountain doesn't have a name yet, but according to library records, it's part of a huge mountain range formed by three connected mountains. Climbing will be tough, but I won't extend our estimated arrival time. Everyone must match my pace, and while maintaining that speed, you must also remain vigilant of your surroundings. The frequency of monster appearances is high in the mountains.”
I heard someone gulp.
I let out a small smirk at the cute sound and sent Ahn Hyun to the rear with Yoojung. I sent them back in case the mages or priests collapsed. Ahn Hyun followed my order with a confident look still on his face. He was probably remembering the forced march we did in the Black Forest.
But that march had been strictly tailored to their pace. This time, I was going to give them a harsh taste of how other, ordinary Users typically handle expeditions.
“Let's move out.”
At my words, the party members nodded, and I immediately strode into the mountain.
“Pant, pant.”
“Gasp, gasp.”
The kids had begun the climb with great enthusiasm, but in less than an hour they were all gasping for breath. Ahn Sol was the first to show signs of exhaustion. As expected of a priestess whose Stamina had always been low, she revealed the first weakness. Even so, I absolutely refused to slow down.
The other party members, besides the kids, were all following, even if they had to grit their teeth. With the mages pushing on like that, it would have been ridiculous for Ahn Hyun and Lee Yoojung to complain about being tired. But eventually, Ahn Sol started to fall behind, and Ahn Hyun and Lee Yoojung had to pull her along as they climbed. The physical burden on them would only increase.
I could feel their gazes on my back, pleading for a short rest, but I continued up the mountain without a hint of hesitation. Watching me leap over high ground without any trouble, the party must have felt like they were dying. And the moment the formation wavered even slightly, I immediately called out the User responsible.
Each time, I could see the desperate looks on the kids' faces. But I thoroughly ignored their pleas. Instead, I rebuked them with harsh words.
“Focus! Don't fall behind and maintain the formation. We haven't even fought a battle. If you can't even keep up with a simple march, what are you going to do?”
Still, it seemed their training hadn't been in vain, as the kids kept following, even while panting endlessly. After confirming this, I increased my speed even more. From now on, I intended to make them feel that their time in Mule had been true happiness.
After marching for another hour, I found a small clearing and finally came to a halt. Glancing back, I saw the Users' faces beaded with sweat. I briefly used Sensing to check the surroundings before speaking calmly.
“We'll take a ten-minute break here. I'll keep watch, so all of you can sit down and rest comfortably.”
At my words, all the kids collapsed right where they stood. Ko Yeonju stretched her arms wide with a look that said she'd had a good workout, while Vivian and Hayeon shared some water. Shin Sangyong also took out his water canteen and was giving the kids a sip each.
“Isn't this marching pace a bit too fast?”
Ko Yeonju, who had been enjoying the scenery with a pleasant expression, approached and spoke to me.
“It was a pace that anyone with a Stamina stat of 50, no, even 45, could have kept up with. After all the training they've done, it would be a problem if they couldn't handle this much.”
“Hoho. They did manage to keep up, in the end. The mages barely made it, and the two melee Users used up twice the stamina taking care of the one who fell behind.”
At her words, I turned my head and saw Ahn Hyun chugging from Shin Sangyong's canteen as if it were a trumpet. His own stamina was fine, but he had wasted a lot of it bringing Ahn Sol along while barely keeping up himself. And the same went for Yoojung. Toward the end, Ahn Sol had practically been dragged here by both of them. Looking at her face, I saw she was biting her lip hard, her eyes trembling, but she was managing to hold back her tears.
“It's a problem if they're struggling with a simple march. When you think about it, the mages kept up just fine, didn't they? In the end, it just means their mentality is still rotten.”
“My. You're completely different from how you are in the city. So strict.”
Ko Yeonju let out a bashful smile and covered her mouth. I watched the kids for a moment, then shook my head and looked away.