Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: 18. Attribute Tutoring (2)
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Nearby cafe.
Jeong Hye-mi, sitting across from Kang San, got straight to the point.
"...This is the situation right now. In half a month, Project A Team and B Team will face off, and the losing team won't receive any more support as a unit, even if they stay with Heavenly Firmament. So, to be honest, I need your help, Mr. Kang. It was only a short time, but your lectures definitely raised the quality of our teamwork, and I've seen real growth in B Team's members. I know it's outside the contract, but I'd like you to focus intensively on teaching us for the remaining sessions over the next half month."
This match.
It was truly crucial for Jeong Hye-mi.
The disbandment of Project B Team—something she had poured her heart into—would mean her standing in Heavenly Firmament would shrink.
That alone was reason enough to be desperate, but with her opponent being her older brother, Jeong Chan-hyuk? There was no need for further explanation. Their father would surely weigh the siblings on the scales. Project A Team's success would drag down Jeong Hye-mi's evaluation, and she couldn't easily accept that outcome.
She had racked up countless achievements so far.
Even though Jeong Chan-hyuk had joined three years earlier, she had caught up in a flash, earning recognition for her abilities. She didn't want all that effort to crumble so meaninglessly. Though it was just suspicion, she couldn't shake the doubt that Jeong Chan-hyuk had pushed for this match intentionally.
It had always been that way.
Brother or not, Jeong Chan-hyuk drew no lines in competition.
Kang San spoke up.
"Let's do it."
"The conditions... What? You're just agreeing?"
"Yes. I promised to give the lectures in the first place, but I delayed because of personal reasons. I think just waiting for me is reason enough to repay the favor. That said, there is one condition."
"Name it, anything."
Half a month.
To boost B Team's abilities in that time, he needed a solid method.
Besides, with an S-Rank outbreak looming, Kang San wanted to kill two birds with one stone if possible.
"Let's change the lecture format a bit. Not as formal lessons like before—instead, I'll bring my own party and we'll spar with you. For the next half month, I'll be B Team's sparring partner."
Jeong Hye-mi was definitely easy to talk to.
Without prying, she accepted it on the spot, figuring there must be a reason if that's what the instructor wanted.
Heavenly Firmament's team leader.
It wasn't a position she'd gotten by luck.
Kang San thought that if he'd chosen management, someone like Jeong Hye-mi as his handler would have been ideal.
After parting with Jeong Hye-mi.
Kang San met up with Jo Han-byeol and the others right away.
"It's been a while."
"Bro. Seeing you like this brings tears to my eyes."
Jeong Chan-woo put on his usual sycophantic act.
After a brief reunion, Kang San got to the point.
"Like I said before enlisting in the stat training camp, I have a burning desire to reach even higher levels than now. Fighting the Werewolf Lord showed me just how insignificant I am. Who knows when or where a disaster beyond my current power might strike—settling for mere D-Rank is foolish. So, what I'm saying is, I'm planning hardcore raids for the next half year. If that's too much for anyone, tell me now, no hard feelings."
"I'm all in, no question."
"Hardcore or not, with you leading, no worries. And honestly, when have we not been grinding?"
"Bro, what's first on the list?"
Their reactions.
A chuckle escaped him.
They were always so blindly loyal.
They might have been awkward with each other at first, but overcoming trial after trial had built trust between them.
Truth be told, no other party caught Kang San's eye anymore.
They'd synced up through repeated raids, and from what he'd seen, the juniors had plenty of talent. Above all, they embraced 'trials.' For Kang San, who couldn't raid with just anyone, these guys—who'd weathered countless crises together—were the most comfortable choice.
And the juniors felt the same.
If things were going to get dangerous anyway, better with Kang San guarding their backs.
Kang San said,
"First off, Team Leader Jeong Hye-mi requested us, so for the next half month, we'll spar with Project B Team to test our teamwork. But before that, I need to check your current level."
Six months ago.
Kang San had warned them clearly.
If they didn't meet expectations, they might not continue together.
"Let's move spots and do a one-on-three. If you're no different from six months ago, pretend I never said any of that."
They changed locations.
It was the premium training ground that Yeon Woo-bin and Jo Han-byeol frequented; they'd rented out a section for sparring.
The match began thirty minutes later.
The three juniors huddled for a strategy meeting.
"Do we really need a strategy huddle? Even against Kang San bro, it's three against one."
It was Jeong Chan-woo.
He'd analyzed Kang San's playstyle endlessly and truly respected him, but the situation didn't make sense.
Think about it.
Kang San was D-Rank.
Sure, he was way beyond that label with his insane skills, but they had two D-Ranks and a C-Rank mage. Simple math said it was one-sided. Plus, with a tanker up front tanking and two dealers behind, no single person could break that setup.
Jo Han-byeol said,
"I don't get it either. Logically, a tanker like Kang San bro is at a disadvantage in one-versus-many. He's overwhelming in tanking and stalling, sure, but this is a whole different beast. Breaking through defense to collapse the backline dealers? We're not that sloppy to let one guy do us in."
"Agreed. We're not the scrubs we were when we met; we've synced up plenty, so we should dominate."
Jeong Chan-woo and Jo Han-byeol.
Their thinking aligned.
Common sense led to a common-sense judgment.
Even highly rating Kang San didn't change their advantage.
But Yeon Woo-bin was different.
"...No, that's not how to look at it."
"You think otherwise?"
"Yeah. Remember that absurd test my dad threw at us? Kang San bro showed he's more than just a tanker. What E-Rank tanker puts out that kind of firepower? We've raided tons together, but if he's prepped something over these six months, it'll be beyond imagination."
Yeon Woo-bin wasn't certain either.
No idea what Kang San was thinking.
Even knowing three-on-one favored them, he urged no complacency.
"Let's give it our all. So Kang San bro isn't disappointed. Prove our efforts weren't wasted. We can't just get steamrolled by one guy, no matter what."
"Yeah."
"Obviously."
They all nodded.
The past three months.
Jo Han-byeol's group had run fifty raids.
They wanted to show Kang San their growth.
No clue what he'd been up to, but they hadn't been slacking either.
Whoosh.
On the training ground.
They stared each other down from a distance.
Already outnumbered, starting far apart made it even worse for Kang San.
Kang San said,
"Timer signals start. Victory by surrender. Okay?"
"Yes."
"Get ready then."
Kang San lightly stretched.
Meanwhile, the timer on the board ticked down fast.
[3]
[2]
[1]
Ding!
Bam.
Kang San kicked off the ground.
Fast.
His movement pierced the space in an instant, but Jeong Chan-woo gripped his shield tight and blocked his path.
'Right side.'
He saw the direction.
Raising his shield to block—then the sword whipped like a snake.
Swish.
"!?"
Clang!
He instinctively raised his arm.
A split-second late, and it'd have been fatal. Even thinking he had the edge, Jeong Chan-woo's mind sharpened. He'd never missed an attack like this in raids. As the chaining follow-up pressed in, he gritted his teeth and activated Iron Body.
Clang.
Clang-clang-clang!
He blocked the front.
For Kang San, breaking Jeong Chan-woo was key—anything less exposed his back too much.
In the tangled chaos, an arrow shot toward a sharp opening.
"Focused fire."
Bam.
Whoosh.
By a hair's breadth.
Kang San twisted his head to deflect it, then ramped up pressure on Jeong Chan-woo.
Kaaang!
Kaang-kaang-kaang!
Jeong Chan-woo moved frantically.
Attack right? Switch left. Turn to block left? He dives the gap for the waist. Breath caught in his throat. Kang San was so fast now, hard to track visually. The silver lining: Jeong Chan-woo's skills had skyrocketed. As he struggled more than expected, Jo Han-byeol quickly supported.
"Rapid shot."
Clang.
Ta-ta-ta-tang!
Arrows flew.
Jeong Chan-woo raised shield? Arrows skirted him for Kang San's chest.
He staggered back? Arrows sliced air at Kang San's pursuing legs.
Synced perfectly.
Jo Han-byeol's precise shots aside, Jeong Chan-woo, even on the defensive, perfectly predicted arrow paths. Smart. Their breathing held one back while the mage chanted. They weren't cocky in a numbers advantage.
"Chain Lightning."
Zzzt-zzzt-zzzt.
Yeon Woo-bin summoned electricity.
Not high-circle power—instead, a spell to bind Kang San's feet, hard to dodge.
Arrows incoming too.
All on one target.
Their combo screamed intent to crush him.
But then.
Bam.
Bam-bam-bam-bam.
Kang San moved oddly.
Lightning crashed, arrows from all sides—he deflected everything by millimeters.
Arrows whizzed past his nose, lightning flashed bright, yet his eyes didn't waver. As if they could never hit. Amid the frenzy, he kept pressuring Jeong Chan-woo, sticking close to splash backlash on him.
"Ngh."
Stumble.
Jeong Chan-woo winced.
Unexpected.
Sword swinging at him—he'd planned to grab and tank.
"Iron Armor."
Thud!
Boosted defense.
Shield out, blocking the path.
Swoosh.
Kang San vanished.
He whipped his head the other way.
Still no Kang San.
"Huh?"
Kang San's target wasn't Jeong Chan-woo to begin with.
Jeong Chan-woo had been lured reverse.
A slight delay in the feint, and instead of Guardian Shield aggro, he chose Iron Armor block. Logical. With attacks converging, hard to imagine dodging all to bait him. Normally, smash the front tanker first—that was standard from his experience.
Whooosh.
Wind blew.
Kang San brushed past.
Then a voice from behind.
"Block—!"
Before wide-eyed Jo Han-byeol, Kang San—having pierced space—swung his sword.
