Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: 15. The Tenth Trial (7)
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Werewolf Lord.
Facing an A-Rank monster that was nothing short of a disaster, Joo Seok-hoon recalled the painful memory of "that day."
It had been an isolation incident back then, too.
Having resolved numerous cases led by Kim Myung-min, the Ranger unit was brimming with confidence. Even a B-Rank isolation seemed solvable, and they had indeed located the rescue targets, making it appear as though the problem was under control. The trouble started when they confirmed one rescue target had strayed from the designated position and, under Kim Myung-min's judgment, moved to retrieve him without waiting for the rest of the Rangers.
Beyond the darkness.
Lay disaster.
A Cyclops, an A-Rank monster that appeared out of nowhere, slammed Joo Seok-hoon into a rock wall, and the Ranger unit fell into chaos in an instant. He didn't remember much. Tossed around by the immense impact, he failed to protect his comrades, leading to deaths—and Kim Myung-min received a demotion to a desk job as punishment.
As the Cyclops raised its club, thick blood dripped down.
Flecks of flesh presumed to have once been living bodies.
It sent chills down his spine.
Unable to accept his own incompetence, Joo Seok-hoon submitted a leave request and secluded himself in intense training.
He couldn't let that happen again.
So he burned with rage.
Even if it meant his death, he couldn't stand by and watch his comrades die or get injured against the Werewolf Lord.
His forearm was torn off.
In his desperate attempt to hold the Lord back, Joo Seok-hoon's entire body was soaked in blood within mere minutes. It was a harsh reality. Despite his frantic efforts to avoid repeating the past, there seemed to be no meaningful difference between then and now. The insurmountable wall of A-Rank. Against those monsters, even a seemingly high B-Rank meant nothing.
He crossed the line of death.
He staked his life and grabbed hold of the Lord.
And when he faced his body being torn apart by the Lord's attacks, Joo Seok-hoon resigned himself to reality.
'I failed to hold out again this time.'
He fell backward.
His shaking vision plunged into a pit of despair.
Thud-!
He opened his eyes.
'...Am I dead?'
Recalling the last memory of searing pain, Joo Seok-hoon wondered if the blurry scene before him was the afterlife.
If not for his comrade's voice breaking through at that moment.
"Hey, Joo Seok-hoon. You okay?"
"You're..."
It was the priest.
His C-Rank priest comrade looked at him with urgency, tending to his wounds.
"Sorry, but we don't have time for you to lie here. How's your body? Can you move?"
"...What the hell's going on?"
"What do you mean? After you went down, we retreated to where we rescued the targets. The Werewolves chased us right away, sparking another fight. Now even Ki Dong's collapsed, leaving the rookie to handle this insane situation alone. We need you. Please tell me your body can still move!"
"What?"
A crack appeared on his face.
The rookie.
It was hard to believe a mere D-Rank rookie was holding this situation together.
He turned his head.
Only then did he see it.
At the vanguard.
There stood Kang San.
Covered in blood and dirt, Kang San was desperately blocking the surging Werewolves. It was utterly irrational. A D-Rank should die even from grazing the Lord's attack—or rather, they couldn't even react to it. Yet Kang San, whatever he was made of, was dodging the Lord's strikes by the slimmest margins, like walking a tightrope.
And behind him.
Kim Myung-min was slashing through the enemies like a madman.
It was obvious at a glance: without those two risking their lives at the front, the line would have collapsed long ago.
'What the...'
Then.
His eyes met Yoon Ji-tae's.
His gaze was complicated, too.
Suddenly, Yoon Ji-tae's words came to mind.
"...We've seen too many good people die because they're good. And being responsible for the tanker position means it's far more likely they'll burn out before they have time to grow safely."
A tanker who needs time to grow.
It wasn't wrong, but the sight before him proved it wasn't entirely right either.
Kang San needed growth ahead, but he already had enough combat prowess to deploy into real battles right now.
Joo Seok-hoon said,
"...Looks like you were wrong this time. That guy's exactly what we need. Ngh."
He rose to his feet.
His whole body screamed in protest.
His torn and ragged state screamed abnormality, but there was no time to sit idle.
Being alive.
That was a blessing.
It was enough.
"So let's not let him die like this. Not like back then."
"...Yeah."
Joo Seok-hoon chugged potions down his throat.
He then hurled the empty bottle aside roughly and stepped toward the chaotic battlefield.
Joo Seok-hoon's return.
They caught a breather.
Kang San fell back, and Joo Seok-hoon took the main tank spot again.
"Guardian Shield."
Boom!
Boom boom boom.
Werewolves charged in.
He blocked their snapping jaws from all sides with his shield, thrusting his sword into the momentary gaps they exposed.
He had to endure.
Even a mere D-Rank rookie had managed it.
But things didn't go as planned.
Joo Seok-hoon's return seemed to ease the pressure momentarily, but as soon as he took the Lord's attacks, the line shook precariously again.
Kyaaak-!
It was fast.
He twisted to meet the lunge from the left, only for it to blur in an instant and slash claws from the right. The speed was beyond what eyes could track. If Kim Myung-min hadn't covered quickly to attack the Lord, his side would have been ripped open. It made even less sense now. How could a D-Rank handle speeds that even a B-Rank tanker with 300+ stats couldn't?
Whatever the case.
This wasn't the time for logic.
Joo Seok-hoon blocked the onslaught desperately, and Yoon Ji-tae squeezed out every drop of mana to unleash his full power.
"Wind Field."
Whoooosh.
He glared fiercely.
As fierce winds howled, Yoon Ji-tae's body became engulfed in flames.
"Memorize, Fire Field."
Fwoosh.
Roooarrrrr.
It was a spectacle.
The biting winds tore the Werewolves' flesh to shreds, and the raging flames burrowed into wounds, charring them black in seconds. Even the Lord couldn't escape unscathed. Kim Myung-min, Joo Seok-hoon, Yoon Ji-tae—the B-Rank members' desperate efforts kept the Ranger unit hanging on by a thread.
Everyone thought it.
They could hold.
If they endured like this, reinforcements would come eventually.
But one minute, two, three.
As time dragged on, the mood darkened.
Joo Seok-hoon's return was just a stopgap; if one person could turn the tide, they wouldn't have been cornered to begin with. The wall of reality closed in. Fatigue accumulated from endless fighting, and aggro skills were on cooldown, unusable. Deep down, everyone probably knew. Like Ki Dong collapsing after ten minutes, still out cold.
The outcome was already set.
No one dying, or the whole unit wiping—neither would be surprising.
That was reality.
Thung-!
Crash.
Kang San rolled across the ground.
It wasn't even the Lord—just a regular Werewolf's attack sent him flying back, unable to withstand it.
"Hah, hah."
His breath came in gasps.
Cold sweat dripped from his forehead.
When facing hordes, Guardian's Will boosted his defense, but as their numbers thinned, it felt heavier on Kang San. His vision spun. Heart pounding like it would burst, he sucked in breaths and fixed on the enemy ahead. He knew all too well: on this tightrope, stopping from exhaustion meant death.
Tap tap.
Kyaaak-!
A Werewolf lunged.
Clang!
He blocked the attack.
But there was more than one.
As tangled strikes aimed for vitals, Kang San deflected them to counter.
Boiling feral instinct.
His attack power was plenty.
But.
'...!'
The enemy's speed was faster than expected.
Or rather, Kang San was slower.
His mind reacted perfectly, but with stamina depleted, reality deviated from intent.
Crunch!
"Krak."
His shoulder bitten straight on.
Kang San's face twisted in agony.
At that moment.
The 1st Company entered the operational zone.
Outside, the full moon blocked comms, but after repeated tries in the Backside World, they connected.
"What's the situation there now?"
[It's extremely dangerous. An A-Rank Werewolf Lord appeared, and the visible Werewolves number dozens—far more than the report. It could collapse any second. Request immediate support. We can't guarantee holding another 10 minutes.]
It was Gu Yeon-su.
The line cut sporadically, but the urgency for rescue was clear.
"Keep reporting the situation... What?"
[Static]
Comms dropped.
The 1st Company commander eyed the comms soldier, who looked troubled.
"Seems the full moon's interfering. I'll try again."
"Damn it."
The situation was dire.
If it were just numbers, they could charge in with their forces.
But an A-Rank monster had appeared.
With their current strength, it'd be a slaughter against the Werewolf Lord.
"Keep trying to reconnect. We fortify here and wait for the main force."
"Yes, sir."
It was the sensible call.
Everyone moved efficiently.
Hearing the comms report amid it all, Kim Chun-sik felt his heart pound.
'Kang San's in danger.'
His mouth went dry.
Dangerous thoughts tangled in his mind.
Per pre-mission intel, Kim Myung-min's Rangers had no A-Rank hunters. Could they hold the Lord? Even if reinforcements arrived in time, could a mere D-Rank tanker like Kang San survive until then? Logically, no. If Kang San played it safe, maybe—but in a position with low survival odds, he was excessively devoted.
He gritted his teeth.
This wouldn't do.
If he were content praying for Kang San's survival, he wouldn't have volunteered.
He approached the 1st Company commander immediately.
"I have something to say."
"What is it?"
The commander looked puzzled.
Kim Chun-sik's deployment was already outlandish to him; he couldn't predict what this soldier wanted.
Kim Chun-sik said,
"If the Rangers are under attack from the Werewolf Lord, our advance unit can't help much, that's true. But we should prepare for when the main force arrives. The full moon's up now. How about sending a scout to at least secure the Rangers' position?"
"That's risky. The scout could be in danger."
He knew.
The forest shrouded in darkness.
Anyone entering faced certain peril.
That's why Kim Chun-sik believed that role was essential.
A difference of one minute, one second.
It would decide Kang San's life.
With resolved expression, Kim Chun-sik said,
"I'll go. I'll scout and pinpoint the Rangers' location."