Chapter 251: Side Income
Chapter 251: Side Income
Rumble… Rumble…
A faint vibration shook the earth. The sounds of many footsteps were jumbled together, but upon closer analysis, they maintained a steady rhythm. I gently closed my eyes and pressed my palm to the green earth. I could feel the presence I’d caught at the edge of my circular Sensing range rapidly closing in on the center.
The sound shaking the ground is strong. It has four legs. It’s in a state of extreme agitation.
A flood of information from my Sensing poured into my mind. When the presence had crossed the halfway point of my range, I finally lifted my hand from the ground and stood up.
“User Ko Yeonju. Do you happen to know of any four-legged monsters that appear on the Plains of Wailing?”
“Huh? I don’t remember every single one, you know. But from what I understand, almost nothing appears here anymore except for the Weeping Girl… Why the sudden question?”
“I detected monsters ahead to the northeast. They appear to be Rhinoceroses—around eight of them.”
“Rhinoceroses? Why would those monsters be on the Plains of Wailing…? I’m sure they’re native to the region after the plains…”
As I spoke with Ko Yeonju, our surroundings fell silent in an instant. But the silence was brief. Starting with Ahn Hyun, who shot to his feet, all the clan members scrambled up from their positions.
Lee Yoojung quickly moved to Ahn Sol’s side, drawing her Skurepf and katana as she spoke.
“Oppa, what kind of monster is a Rhinoceros?”
“Hm? You never fought one when you were with Monica?”
“No.”
“…Well. To put it simply, I guess you could call it a rhino.”
Despite my attempt at an accurate comparison, Lee Yoojung tilted her head, unable to picture it. Rather than offering a more detailed explanation, I slowly raised my hand and pointed diagonally.
“Enhance your vision and keep watching where I’m pointing. It’s better to see it for yourself than to hear me describe it a hundred times. Ah, but everyone should still prepare for battle, right?”
The moment I gave the order, the clan members swiftly began to form up.
When a battle occurred during an expedition, the Mercenary Clan’s basic tactic was to always adopt a square formation. I walked toward Ahn Hyun, who stood at the vanguard, gripping his Pitch-Black Spear. But instead of stopping to stand with him at the front, I passed him and moved to the center. Ahn Hyun, who had been taking a deep breath, turned his head with a startled expression.
I said nothing and took up a position to the right of Ahn Sol and Baek Hangyul, shielding them. From behind me, Ko Yeonju’s sharp voice rang out.
“Oh my. Wasn’t I the keeper?”
“The left flank is open. Ko Yeonju, you can cover that area.”
“Hmm~. Then what about the front?”
“Ahn Hyun is the main tanker.”
The moment I said that, the look in the clan members’ eyes—especially the younger ones—changed distinctly. The moment I named Ahn Hyun the main tanker, they seemed to grasp, at least partially, why I had stepped back from the front.
I paused for a moment before speaking in a quiet voice.
“The Rhinoceroses are within 250 meters. They’re approaching from fifty-three degrees northeast. Their path isn’t aimed directly at us, but if they come close, they’ll charge us without fail.”
Thud-thud-thud-thud. Thud-thud-thud-thud.
At 250 meters, they were close enough to be seen by enhancing one’s vision. As soon as I finished speaking, I felt the vibrations that had been shaking the ground grow in intensity. A few seconds passed, and I could hear the sound of clan members swallowing nervously one by one.
In the direction I had indicated, a thick cloud of dust was billowing up. The cloud grew larger as the distance shrank, and soon, I could see the massive forms of the Rhinoceroses bursting through the dust.
THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD! THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD!
“GUOOOOOOOOH!”
“GUOOOOOOOOH!”
Just as I’d expected, they spotted us as they drew near. The Rhinoceroses let out guttural roars and veered slightly to charge directly at us.
They were about three meters long and weighed around 1.5 tons. Their skin, covered in what looked like a tough, calloused hide, was particularly striking. A menacing, yellowish horn protruded from above their snouts, swaying threateningly. The beasts, whose shoulders were as high as Ahn Sol was tall, charged toward us, their four legs pounding the earth relentlessly.
Something’s a little off.
Enhancing my vision to observe them more closely, I noticed a few strange things.
First, their eyes were an abnormal, bloodshot red. Of course, a monster’s eye color can change when it’s agitated, but this was far beyond that. And that wasn’t all. Sweat poured from their bodies like rain, as if they had been running day and night without rest.
As I pondered this, their roars pierced my ears once more, snapping me out of my thoughts. There had been more than one strange occurrence since dawn. The questions filling my head wouldn’t fade, but I knew I’d only get the chance to think after dealing with the immediate problem.
Just in case, I took the sheathed Sun and Moon Divine Sword from my waist. I hadn’t drawn the blade yet. I watched Kim Hanbyul, who was just fidgeting with her jewel, and barked out in a sharp voice.
“Kim Hanbyul. What are you doing?”
“Huh?”
“Are you planning to take that charge head-on? The battle has already begun.”
“Ah. Yes! ———. ———. ———.”
Alright, let’s see what you’ve got…
Kim Hanbyul immediately began her incantation. My sharp command spurred not only her but the others into taking their stances as well. I tapped the scabbard of my sword with a fingernail and spoke once more.
“All of you, remember when you first fought the Black Scorpions in the Black Forest.”
THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP! THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP!
“For the record, while they might be formidable in a group, individually, a Black Scorpion is stronger than a Rhinoceros.”
“———. ———. ———. Radiant. Hugging dawn.”
As I finished speaking, Kim Hanbyul’s spell followed immediately. Her left hand shot into the air, and the crystal resting on it floated up.
Whoosh!
The thumb-sized jewel, now hovering in the air, emitted a brilliant light, just as the incantation described. As the light grew so bright it seemed to drive away the twilight of dawn, Kim Hanbyul pulled back her right arm as if drawing a bowstring. Then, with a sharp cry, she unleashed her magic.
“Driving Hit!”
Swish-swish-swish-swish!
It was a single wave of bluish light. The instant she spread her hand, the jewel shattered, and waves of light surged forward, crashing down on the Rhinoceroses. The light, rolling in like a tide, enveloped their bodies before erupting in a flash.
“““GUOOOOOOOOOOH!”””
The light was so intense that even Ahn Hyun at the front had to turn his gaze away. Hanbyul’s magic just now wasn’t the type that meticulously combined spells for chain explosions like Hayeon’s. It was just a single, one-shot spell, but the power of the Jewel Mage it revealed was enough to make the clan members murmur in awe for a moment.
The three Rhinoceroses at the head of the charge, which had been running with such vigor, were all rolling on the ground without exception. Their tough hides were torn to shreds, and they were bleeding from all over. One of the fallen beasts tried to get up, crawling along the ground, but it managed to lift itself slightly, only for its buckling leg to send it crashing back down.
The remaining five had also stopped their charge. They had been thrown in all directions, seemingly knocked back by the force of the explosion. However, they soon stood firm on their legs, indicating that being at the back had spared them from the worst of the damage.
“Guuuuung! Guuuuung!”
The Rhinoceroses that got up immediately began charging again. An explosion of that magnitude should have startled them, leaving them staggering with mental shock, but they paid it no mind. They looked like crazed warriors, charging with the sole purpose of killing us.
I deliberately remained silent. Kim Hanbyul had done her part by killing their momentum and nearly incapacitating three of them. Now, it was the melee classes’ turn. I planned to give minimal orders during combat on this expedition. I intended to use this battle to see just how much they had grown.
A moment later, the five beasts that had charged through the explosion finally reached the formation’s effective range.
“Protect!”
Ahn Sol’s cute voice, having prepared the spell in advance, echoed through the air. As she extended her staff, a round, transparent barrier materialized in front of Ahn Hyun. Three Rhinoceroses slammed their horns violently against it, but the shield didn’t budge. As if he had been waiting, Ahn Hyun thrust his spear at the beast before him.
“Spear Art Shot!”
Oh. Spear Art Shot?
With a clang-clang-clang, the Pitch-Black Spear seemed to split into several copies, its long shaft mercilessly digging into the bodies of the beasts. It appeared to be one of the Aura Spearman’s abilities, but his proficiency seemed low, preventing him from drawing out its full power.
A mournful scream rang out, but three beasts were focused on Ahn Hyun. The two Rhinoceroses on the flanks broke off to either side before charging toward the center.
“Stay still.”
Ko Yeonju was about to move, but I gently pressed the Sun and Moon Divine Sword against her stomach. She gave me a blank look, then glanced at the beast charging from the right. Keeping my eyes fixed on Yoojung, I shifted my body back slightly and simultaneously extended my right foot.
A moment later, I felt a sharp horn graze past my abdomen. The instant I felt something heavy catch on my outstretched foot, I redirected the incoming force and kicked upward with all my might.
Thwack! Whoosh.
I heard something fly through the air, and a dark shadow sailed high above. Still not taking my eyes off the fight, I slowly gripped the hilt of the Sun and Moon Divine Sword.
For once, Yoojung wore an expression of intense concentration. The Skurepf and katana she held in each hand pulsed with pure, bluish mana, showing off their sharpness.
Soon, the distance between Yoojung and the Rhinoceros closed to within striking range. Watching the single beast charge toward her, she suddenly spun her body. Then, stepping forward, she powerfully plunged the daggers in both hands into its flank. But she wasn't done. As she held onto the daggers and leaped slightly off the ground, two black shadows shot out from below and grabbed her feet.
“She and I practiced this together. So I’ll be mad if you criticize it.”
Ko Yeonju pouted slightly and grumbled, gesturing with a finger toward the shadows.
“GUOOOOOOOOOOH!”
Yoojung’s airborne body bent into a half-circle. As if performing a handstand, she traveled up along the Rhinoceros's back before starting to come down on the other side. Even as the beast writhed and roared in pain, Yoojung only tightened her grip on the daggers, relentlessly carving her way down.
It took only five seconds for the Rhinoceros to fall. Ko Yeonju’s role had been significant, but it felt like I had just watched an acrobatic performance. Lee Yoojung landed in a crouch like a monkey and, without pausing, immediately launched herself toward Ahn Hyun’s flank.
I nodded once or twice, then drew the Sun and Moon Divine Sword I had prepared and extended it to my right. The shadow that had flown past was getting closer. Of course, I didn’t forget to turn the blade upward.
“———. ———. ———. Shackles!”
The initial protective barrier was beginning to crack. But with timely support fire from Ahn Sol and Kim Hanbyul, and having already defeated one beast, Ahn Hyun was now vigorously wielding his spear against two of them.
Screeeeeeeetch!
Soon, the gruesome sensation of slicing through flesh that had traveled up my right arm vanished. I glanced down. A Rhinoceros, neatly split in half, lay on the ground.
When I looked forward again, a yellow bolt of lightning zigzagged through the air and struck a Rhinoceros squarely in the eye. Not missing the opening as the beast violently twisted its neck, Ahn Hyun unhesitatingly thrust his spear into its throat. He then gave the embedded spear a great twist before pulling it out, and the Rhinoceros collapsed.
“Ohohoho! Ahahaha!”
And next to it, I could see Yoojung, gleefully hacking away at the last one, which was caught in the Shackles spell.