Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: 9. The Existence of a Single Person (6)
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Transcendence of rank.
Powerful black magic.
There was no time allowed to accurately judge the situation.
The moment Kang San received the trial, explosive mana was already surging toward the party like a wave, ready to swallow them whole.
Space twisted.
The target was Yeon Woo-bin.
His body reacted first.
Kang San kicked off the ground and hurled himself directly into the path of the incoming Dark Spear.
'Iron Body.'
BOOM-!
Crackle-crackle-crackle.
"Urk."
He widened his eyes.
The immense shock nearly caused even Kang San to black out, but he simultaneously activated Aura of Recovery to instantly restore the damage taken. Even so, his body staggered. Barely keeping himself from collapsing, he lifted his head, and there was the horde of monsters charging right at him. This was only the beginning. With Kang San out front protecting Yeon Woo-bin behind him, the Hobgoblin knew exactly how to capitalize on the advantageous situation.
Jingle-jingle—
Keeek.
Kyakyakya.
He gritted his teeth.
Far from dealing with the Hobgoblin first, even handling the monsters swarming right in front of him was proving overwhelming.
"Plan C. Fall back for now!"
"Shit."
Three strategies.
The standard Plan A.
The bold breakthrough Plan B.
He had planned to resolve the situation with one of the first two if possible, but if even Plan B didn't pan out as hoped, he couldn't just give up. He needed a new path. On the way here, Kang San had scouted terrain with a cliff at its back, and retreating there was Plan C.
A defensive standoff with their backs guarded.
The only way to counter attrition warfare head-on.
Kang San retreated swiftly while thrusting his sword into the faces of monsters lunging from all directions.
Stab.
Kreeek!
His breath came in ragged gasps.
Even felling one or two made no noticeable dent, and at the thump-thump sounds, he glanced up to see boulders flying overhead. The situation at the rear was likely just as dire as the front. And yet, there was nothing he could do about it. Just blocking the charging monsters required Kang San to draw on his full strength.
And then.
BOOM-!
Crackle-crackle-crackle.
Kang San was flung backward.
He had barely evaded the attack, but the mana shockwave alone made him feel like vomiting up his guts.
Endless swarming monsters.
A Hobgoblin biding its time for an opening.
Cornered.
The white flag was practically waving.
Thinking about it, there was no reason to risk his life on some stupid test.
But at that moment.
An unfamiliar voice, different from any before, rang out.
Burning Time.
No explanation followed.
But it was enough.
In the relentless onslaught that allowed no moment to breathe, Kang San quickly grasped the meaning of Burning Time.
Thud-!
An arrow lodged in him.
While retreating, he had failed to protect his blind spot, and with the arrow burrowing into his forearm, Kang San jabbed under the goblin's jaw without even pulling it out. Dizziness swirled. The battle had dragged on for over an hour, and the numbers that refused to dwindle despite his kills gnawed at his hope. There was still some distance to the cliff. If he broke through, it would all be over, so he raised his shield upon spotting the troll's club swing.
Thud.
Crash!
He tumbled across the ground.
The moment he sprang back up and checked the enemies' positions, the miracle of Burning Time manifested.
'What?'
Stat increases.
He nearly blurted out in surprise.
People poured tremendous effort into raising a single stat by 1, yet he had just gained an effect boosting two stats by 1. In other words, Burning Time could be interpreted as a "time when stats increase." The Hobgoblin's transcendence was a trial too much for him right now, so this damn god had tossed in a sweet carrot to keep him from quitting.
Kyaaak!
The charging troll.
Why was that?
His mind felt at ease.
Gripping his sword tightly, Kang San's eyes gleamed fiercely.
'If there's a reward... I'll devour it like a dog.'
All his life.
He had lived without rewards.
The existence of a reward gave him ample justification to stake his life on this mere test.
Swish—
Crack.
He blocked the attack.
After blocking the troll's club swing once more, Kang San darted into its space and severed its Achilles tendon. The opponent staggered. He could have pushed further to end the troll right there, but Kang San knew what mattered most at this moment.
Dash.
Step-step.
He created distance.
For now.
He had to reach the planned position.
Kang San limited himself to holding them off as best he could, and thanks to that, he achieved his goal.
"There! If you can hear me, remember this. As long as I don't fall, we won't give up. So no matter how dangerous it looks, don't intervene. Not if you don't want to break the promise you made with your son."
The situation had changed.
He couldn't squander this heavenly opportunity called Burning Time with needless interference.
Until he collapsed.
Even if it meant death.
Kang San seized the chance.
Judging the cornered moment as their opportunity, the enemies surged with even greater ferocity than before.
Stab.
Thud-thud-thud!
Weapons flew in from all sides.
Kang San raised his shield to block while stepping back once, deflecting the attack lunging from his blind spot. Then he immediately darted back in. He knew that repeating the block-and-retreat would eventually push him all the way to where the rear party members were.
'Blood Demon Sword Art, First Form: Blade Kill'
Flash.
Thud!
He cleaved a goblin's head.
With Blood Demon Art, mana surged within him, and Kang San swung at another goblin.
Slash.
Slash.
Slash again.
No matter how many he cut down, their numbers didn't dwindle, and there was no sign of victory in this situation.
But.
He was glad.
That his sacrifice.
Was returning as reward, this situation.
His mind was completely disheveled, and there wasn't a spot on Kang San's body not stained with blood.
Covered in his own blood from slashes and tears, as well as the enemy's, but Kang San blocked the monsters' attacks as if he were truly prepared to die right there. For Kang San, it was a choice with reason. With the safety net that Yeon Gyu-seong would intervene if his life were truly at risk, there was no reason not to stake it all on an incredible opportunity like Burning Time.
The problem was.
To his party members, that sight took on an entirely different meaning.
The sequence of events.
Jung Chan-woo was genuinely awestruck.
'...How can someone go that far?'
He was an elite.
Born the son of a high-ranking executive at Heavenly Firmament Management, whom everyone admired, he had received every lesson needed to grow as a hunter from childhood. So he understood the woes of a tanker well. The tanker position was essential, but unlike in games, there was no way to revive a tanker who held out until death.
That was why everyone shunned it.
No matter how much preferential treatment or care they received, there weren't many fools in the world willing to stake their own lives.
Jung Chan-woo was the same.
He had chosen the tanker path for the benefits, but lacking confidence as a main tanker, he had stepped back. His current role as a sub-tanker had been decided that way. To him, who had been steadily building a solid career with some recognition, the sight of Kang San holding out as if every moment were his last was shocking beyond measure.
'Is there any tanker I know who can match that?'
In terms of skill, there were plenty.
Those called rankers displayed truly overwhelming prowess incomparable to Kang San.
But all of them.
If asked whether they would truly risk their lives in an extreme situation, he couldn't claim they were as remarkable as Kang San. Tankers were always cautious. They meticulously calculated whether a hunting ground was within the party's capacity, and if it seemed even slightly unfavorable, they urged retreat. That was the norm. No one criticized their culture of cherishing their one and only life.
That was why.
Jung Chan-woo was completely captivated.
The figure stained in blood, veins bulging in his neck as he refused to yield an inch—it was cooler than any tanker he had ever seen.
'That's it. The ideal I should pursue.'
One day.
His father had asked.
Why insist on being a hunter when he could follow him and learn administrative work?
Jung Chan-woo had answered.
"...Because it's cool."
Right now, in this moment.
Jung Chan-woo thought.
The ideal of "cool" that he pursued was right there before his eyes—Kang San.
Defeat loomed thick.
Unlike Jung Chan-woo, who had glimpsed a new future, Yeon Woo-bin staggered and vomited up everything inside her.
"Urk."
She retched.
It was mana depletion.
After over an hour of casting spells, the mana in her circle was nearing its end.
She looked up.
There were still many enemies to face.
'It's over now.'
Even with infinite mana, victory wasn't guaranteed.
And now, with Kang San yet to fall but her mana about to run dry, even Yeon Woo-bin—who had been running hopeful scenarios—had no choice but to consider giving up. Further sacrifices were meaningless. Rather than drag the party into an irreparable situation because of her, it seemed better to accept this harsh reality.
They were grateful people, weren't they?
She couldn't demand more hopeless sacrifices.
That was when.
"Mana running low?"
"...Yes?"
It was Jung Chan-woo.
As Yeon Woo-bin looked at him in surprise, Jung Chan-woo stepped in front of her and said,
"Our leader hasn't given up yet. If it's mana shortage, take a mana potion and go into meditation. To resolve this absurd situation, we absolutely need your magic, Miss Yeon."
"But that's too dangerous."
"I know."
Their eyes met.
Jung Chan-woo's gaze had changed.
Beyond the sly glint, something new and indescribable had taken root.
"Before joining this party, I hunted comfortably with skilled comrades at my grade. Management handled everything, so there were no difficulties. But comparing then to now, I prefer this party by far. Kang San, Han-byeol, Woo-bin. So let's go all the way. He's holding out so desperately up front—what right do we have to quit?"
He readjusted his grip on his shield.
No matter how fiercely Kang San fought, monsters kept slipping through.
Yet strangely, he wasn't anxious.
The thought that Kang San was still standing made him feel like any danger he faced was nothing.
"I promise. Until I fall, no monster will touch even a hair on your head."
"...!"
Yeon Woo-bin was at a loss for words.
Meditation.
It was dangerous.
It was said that taking an external shock during meditation could cause internal injuries severe enough to threaten one's life. But Yeon Woo-bin wasn't worried about herself. Full recovery required about three minutes of meditation, and she was concerned for the party members who would have to hold off the monsters that whole time.
"Woo-bin. Let's keep going as long as we can. No one's given up yet."
Jo Han-byeol stepped up too.
Emotion welled up.
They were good people.
That was why she had found the courage, and with people like this, she felt she could keep going together in the future.
He was right.
This was her problem.
In a situation where no one else had quit, it didn't make sense for her—the one directly involved—to give up first.
Yeon Woo-bin gritted her teeth.
"Got it. I'll do it."
She pulled out a mana potion.
Downed it in one gulp, then sat down right there and closed her eyes.
Darkness.
For a moment.
She severed her connection to reality.