Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: 9. The Presence or Absence of a Single Person (5)
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A little while ago.
Kang San had explained Plan B separately from the basic strategy.
"...I hope it doesn't come to that, but if we truly have no choice—if holding the line isn't enough—I'll carve open a path. We won't try to handle every single enemy. We'll prioritize taking out the hobgoblin first and clean up the rest afterward. That's Plan B."
And now, that moment had arrived.
Swarms of goblins, trolls protected by armor over their vitals, and boulders raining down from afar.
The hobgoblin was cleverly herding the humans, its endless reinforcements like an inexhaustible spring certain to crack their defensive formation eventually. So they switched tactics. Plan B. Before stamina ran dry, before some unforeseen variable arose. They chose the bold approach of rapidly breaking through the battlefield.
Whoosh.
He kicked off the ground.
In an instant, monsters swarmed from all sides, and Kang San gritted his teeth against the surging waves of killing intent.
Clang-!
He blocked the attack.
And immediately after.
Flash.
Splat-!
He decapitated the enemy.
The troll barely dodged, but the Blood Demon Art-enhanced strike sliced through its armor and carved into its chest. This was his chance. He didn't miss the momentary opening. Amid the ferocious onslaught, he blocked with Iron Body, leaped onto the crumbling troll, and brutally thrust his sword into its throat.
Stab.
Stab, stab!
Gurgle...
The troll foamed at the mouth.
One by one.
He methodically eliminated every monster in sight.
And whenever possible, he prioritized goblins over trolls to trigger the Blood Demon Art's buffs.
Meanwhile.
"Salamander's Breath."
Roar.
Roar, whoosh!
Yeon Woo-bin's magic erupted.
Kang San advanced to secure a position, the rear damage dealers followed, and then they unleashed a barrage of firepower.
Kang San advanced again to secure the next position, and the rear dealers followed suit. They progressed like this.
It was the safest method.
Blindly charging ahead would create gaps in the formation, so Kang San took the lead, bearing the risks himself. Attacks poured in from every direction, his head spinning. Block overhead, and they targeted his side; twist away, and fangs lunged from the front. The goblins' daggers in those split-second gaps reeked of viscous intent to kill a human.
Thud.
He blocked most attacks.
But if one seemed unavoidable.
Crunch.
He just took it.
As a goblin tore into his shoulder, Kang San didn't even flinch—he simply crushed its skull with his sword.
Stab.
Squish.
It was chaos.
No time to rest.
He took out trolls whenever an opening appeared, but prioritized goblins above all.
The effect of Blood Demon Art.
His body boiled.
This was what he'd aimed for.
Kang San moved with explosive power and swift agility, instinctively deflecting attacks without fully defending. After slaying over twenty, the savagery of Blood Demon Art triggered. It activated later than before, but there was no mental collapse. Thanks to his Concentration stat, his senses sharpened even further.
He opened a path.
They advanced bit by bit.
Bold movements let some monsters slip past, but he trusted Jeong Chan-woo completely.
If he couldn't trust him that much, he never would have invited him to the party.
His role in this moment was clear.
'Take every attack and carve the path forward.'
Kang San's presence swelled.
That figure.
It was far too extraordinary for an ordinary tanker.
Slam.
Yeon Gyu-seong shot to his feet.
His eyes, fixed on the screen, trembled faintly.
"...Didn't you say he was E-Rank?"
"Y-Yes, that's correct."
"Then how do you explain that? That can't be E-Rank skill."
He was flustered.
He'd suspected something was up.
He'd seen trust in Yeon Woo-bin's eyes toward Kang San and figured if anyone pulled off a reversal, it'd be him—not Jeong Chan-woo or Jo Han-byeol. But this exceeded expectations. He'd already been impressed by the steady tanking at the start, but now Kang San was plunging solo into the enemy ranks.
Speechless.
He couldn't tear his eyes from the screen.
A goblin slipped through the gap.
This attack was unavoidable.
The moment he thought Kang San might finally falter, he simply offered his shoulder.
No grimace.
No groan.
Kang San seized the goblin gnawing his shoulder and casually impaled its head on his sword. A shocking sight. Tossing the limp goblin aside, he pressed on, and Yeon Gyu-seong couldn't believe this man was merely 'E-Rank'.
This party.
On the surface, they were at a clear disadvantage compared to before.
Not just lower ranks, but one fewer member.
So he'd thought his son's chances of passing were zero. Yet Kang San was single-handedly balancing the scales with his ironclad defense. It was one-sided now. With Kang San blocking everything upfront, a few leaks to the rear caused no real issues.
The rest of the party was solid too.
Jo Han-byeol showed unexpected poise, and the young Jeong Chan-woo fulfilled his role admirably.
'...So that's why Woo-bin was so stubborn. She was certain she'd pass my test with these people. You really... have to one-up your old man to feel satisfied, huh?'
Frustrating.
Conflicting emotions swirled.
And then.
As his comrades pressed forward, Yeon Woo-bin's presence exploded outward.
A tense situation.
Follow Kang San, reform the line, unleash magic, reform again. Rinse and repeat.
Breath ragged.
Stamina limits already creeping in, but Yeon Woo-bin spotted Jeong Chan-woo's face in her view.
"Die!"
Clang!
Stab.
He blocked the infiltrating goblin.
As Jeong Chan-woo thrust his sword viciously and raised his head, his sharp gaze scanned for new threats. Blood-sweat droplets flew from his brow. Soaked in sweat protecting her and Jo Han-byeol. Kang San up front went without saying.
Comrades.
These grateful people guarding her.
She swallowed down the nauseating bile surging disgustingly.
Strangely, with them, she didn't revert to her cowardly old self.
'Do it. I have to.'
Flash.
She glared fiercely.
Her magic eyes activated, mana swirling around her.
Roar.
Whoosh.
She surveyed the field.
Not blindly—she confirmed the situation and cast precisely where needed.
Whoosh.
Boom-!
Flames surged.
The sweeping blaze cleared space around the monster-encircled Kang San. No need for words. He seized it instantly. He plunged in, shattering enemy coordination, herding them perfectly for her spells.
Intent conveyed.
What Kang San wanted.
What to do.
Her mind raced; every time he secured space, she unleashed mana.
"Chain Lightning."
Crackle.
Zzzap!
Kreee!
People say it.
A protected mage is explosive.
Especially if skilled, their power can match a hundred foes.
Yeon Woo-bin proved her talent.
Trapped by trauma, but innate D-Rank brilliance shone freely on her enemies.
The tide turned.
Enemies were strong.
But they trusted each other.
Kang San holding the front.
Yeon Woo-bin raining fire from behind.
Jo Han-byeol and Jeong Chan-woo stepped up too.
Thwack.
Thwack-thwack-thwack-!
Arrows struck true.
Jeong Chan-woo blocked inflows; Jo Han-byeol calmly targeted vitals on his foes. They ignored Kang San's front—he'd said to focus rear and Jeong Chan-woo in melee. Roles clear. Arrows traced deadly paths, piercing armored weak points, ending lives.
And.
"Above."
"Shit."
Boom-!
Jo Han-byeol called the boulder; Jeong Chan-woo dove to block it.
Reversed.
Guts churning, but with Kang San holding, Jeong Chan-woo refused to break.
Synced up.
Bonds from the ant cave.
Trust shone.
Bit by bit.
Slowly, they carved the path.
The high ground wasn't far.
Soon, Kang San spotted a goblin-infested clearing.
A wide clearing.
Goblins swarmed it.
The target hobgoblin lurked at the rear, with nearby trolls and massive boulders suggesting it orchestrated the siege with raw strength. Target found. Plan simple: Kang San told the two damage dealers to ignore others and hit the hobgoblin first.
"Woo-bin!"
"Yes!"
Signal given.
Jo Han-byeol nocked an arrow; Yeon Woo-bin unleashed her pre-memorized spell.
'Focused Fire.'
"Lightning Spear."
Crackle.
Both struck simultaneously.
Their strongest single-target attacks.
Red-energized arrow cleaved air; potent electric lance targeted the hobgoblin.
Ambush.
Monsters couldn't intercept.
But.
Boom!
Zzzap.
The attacks fizzled harmlessly.
Hobgoblin raised its staff; bones erupted from the ground, encasing it fully. No penetration. Arrow couldn't pierce the tangled bones; lightning sparked blue harmlessly, never reaching. Troubling. Proved the hobgoblin wielded more than necromancy—true magical prowess.
Jingle.
The staff chimed.
Hobgoblin's eyes darkened to black.
Thud!
It slammed the ground.
Mana rippled outward.
Vast power erupted from the hobgoblin, coalescing into something darkness-clad.
3-circle black magic.
Its implications were shocking.
Black magic's destructive power outstripped normal spells; by human standards, it was a full tier higher.
In other words.
Kang San's face twisted savagely.
"...Figures it wouldn't let us pass easily."
As expected.
Azmun's twists never failed.
At the worst possible moment, it cornered Kang San.