When Five People Gather, One of Them Is Bound to Be Trash (1)
I don’t hate it.
Showing off magic had been a good choice.
Kim Hyunsung and Park Deokgu were undeniably strong. But strength like that was easy to misread—was it power the system had given them, or power they’d always had? For people who were still struggling to wrap their heads around this world, a shield and a promise that new strength could be theirs right now didn’t land all that well.
Compared to that, magic was different.
A fireball materializing out of thin air. A sight that shattered common sense so completely you could hardly trust your own eyes.
It was the perfect way to lure the people who had been crouching inside back out of the tunnel.
Watching the quietly stirred excitement among them, Kim Hyunsung muttered, “A success, then.”
“It’ll probably only make a slight difference. People who don’t want to fight will still be afraid… and maybe some of them will overdo it, thinking they can gain new power.”
“Still better than starving to death, brother.”
“Yeah. Maybe.”
Park Hye-young was making her way up to the platform, and I could see her being congratulated by a crowd.
“If Hye-young and Hayan return safely, that phenomenon will probably accelerate even more.”
That was how important this expedition was to Kim Hyunsung.
I still didn’t know exactly how this dungeon was meant to be cleared, but it was fair to say that the whole thing was beyond what Kim Hyunsung could handle on his own.
At this point, his abilities were only a little better than Park Deokgu’s.
His mana was high, yes, but not high enough to take on dozens of those things at once.
Since he was already carrying too much on his shoulders, he would at least want to leave the monsters around the Shelter to someone else.
Useless sense of responsibility.
If not for that, the bastard might have taken one more step forward.
While I was lost in thought, Park Hye-young came up to us, taking Kim Hyunsung’s hand, then Park Deokgu’s, then mine in turn as she greeted us.
“I’ll be in your care.”
“The pleasure is mine.”
I had to admit, she was good at making people feel at ease.
I put on a businesslike smile and looked at her, and she in turn touched the back of my hand, sending a signal of her own.
More important than her, of course, was Jung Hayan.
When I turned my head, I could see Jung Hayan watching me in silence.
Hm.
It was a little different from the expression she usually wore.
As she looked at Park Hye-young with lowered eyes, a strange prickling sensation ran down my back the moment I met her gaze.
Damn it.
My whole body had broken out in goosebumps in an instant.
What was that? What the hell was that just now?
“Hyung, are you feeling all right? You’re sweating…”
“I’m just a little under the weather…”
“Come on, tomorrow’s the expedition already. Rest up properly today. This is probably because you keep studying like that, ain’t it?”
“Understood.”
“Tsk. Just like a bookworm, aren’t you… You’ve been eating poorly lately, haven’t you? I mean, it’s not like I’m worried about you or anything, but… if there’s extra food, I guess I could take some of it off your hands…”
I ignored Park Deokgu’s muttering completely.
I hurriedly turned my head again and looked back at Jung Hayan.
Her usual eyes.
Was I imagining things? I tried to tell myself that, but there was no mistaking it. She was looking at me, smiling like an idiot.
What the hell.
Something was wrong.
I didn’t know exactly what it was, but the uneasy feeling made me swallow hard.
* * *
“I’ll say it again. Deokgu, you’re at the very front. Hyunsung and Hye-young will be behind you. Hayan and I will follow in the rear. The battle plan is simple. Block the front with your shield, and I’ll cover the back. There aren’t many monsters gathered around the Shelter at the moment, so we’ll move a little farther out before we start hunting. Any questions?”
“None.”
“None here.”
“Same for me.”
“N-no…”
It was already the same briefing for the umpteenth time.
The content was different from when the three of us—me, Park Deokgu, and Kim Hyunsung—had gone out before.
That alone showed how seriously Kim Hyunsung was taking this expedition.
Bringing in two new people was only part of it.
Depending on how successful this hunt was, the fate of the group inside the Shelter could change.
If everyone came back safely, the people in the Shelter would gain a little more confidence. If anything went wrong, things could get complicated.
The arrangement of the party had purpose, too.
He’s probably trying to score points somehow.
Kim Hyunsung’s goal was quite similar to mine.
Getting Jung Hayan.
Of course, he wasn’t pursuing her in any romantic sense. His goal was simply to build a connection with a future powerhouse whose rise was already set in stone.
Jung Hayan.
To put it simply, he wanted the group to return safely and to become acquainted with a mage who possessed legendary-tier talent.
There was no need to object to the placement, and no reason to feel impatient about it.
I just need to watch the situation closely.
That look in Jung Hayan’s eyes from before.
I wanted to believe it had been my imagination, but I felt a need to keep an eye on her from a little farther away.
“Wouldn’t it be better to put Hayan noona farther inside? Being in the same position as hyung is the best…”
“No, we’re keeping it like this. This is the best position.”
“Well, if hyung says so then, yeah…”
“Hyunsung is stronger than we think. Since it’s best to hunt the monsters from the front in the first place, we’ll leave Hayan at the very back and use Hyunsung as our insurance. As long as we don’t get surrounded, this is the most efficient arrangement.”
“Yes. That makes sense.”
Kim Hyunsung nodded as though agreeing with me.
It felt like I’d scored a point somehow, but whatever.
Looking at Jung Hayan, whose expression had slightly stiffened, Kim Hyunsung spoke in a low voice.
“There’s no need to worry too much.”
“Huh? Ah… yes.”
“Then I suppose I’ll be able to spend some quiet, intimate time with Kiyoung?”
“Hye-young, please make sure you support Kiyoung well. A spear would be suitable.”
“Yes. Understood.”
“Then let’s depart. The route is as I told you earlier…”
“Uh, where was it again…?”
“I’ll show you.”
I’d already memorized the layout of this place.
Park Deokgu shot me a grateful look.
I didn’t know whether he was simply uninterested in his surroundings or just relied on me too much, but he looked like the sort of man who couldn’t be bothered using his brain.
As he got to his feet with the large wooden shield in hand, he looked incredibly dependable.
Purely based on appearance, I’d be inclined to give Park Deokgu more marks than Kim Hyunsung.
His gear was nothing more than the crude leather armor I’d made for him and the shield he’d picked up at the Start Point, but it didn’t look too bad.
“Then let’s get moving.”
“Let’s do that.”
Everyone gave a slight nod.
Park Hye-young and Jung Hayan, in particular, seemed a little tense.
It was only natural to be afraid if you were about to face the same monsters you’d encountered back at the Start Point.
I turned to the person beside me and tossed out a bit of reassurance.
“You don’t need to worry too much.”
“Did I show it?”
“The monsters won’t all come rushing at once like they did at the Start Point. This area has already been cleared somewhat, and if you calmly stab the ones Deokgu is holding back at the front with your spear, that’ll be enough. It’ll be scary, but I think you can do it.”
“You’re kinder than I expected.”
Of course I was.
If you panic, I’m the one who dies.
In battle, you never knew what might happen. Who knew whether I might get skewered by that woman’s blind stab of a spear if things went wrong?
When I glanced back, I saw Kim Hyunsung speaking to Jung Hayan.
He was, as always, trying to take care of every little thing, but Jung Hayan didn’t seem to have any real interest in him.
She kept lowering her head or answering in one word at a time, making communication look like a struggle.
It reminded me of the long, grueling time I’d spent trying to get close to Jung Hayan.
A slight meeting of the eyes, a smile, and Jung Hayan nodding back with an expression full of delight.
At the very least, when it came to my relationship with her, I felt like I was the one with the upper hand, and that made me feel better.
“My, are you losing focus? Weren’t I your partner?”
“I was just checking the rear for a moment. And unnecessary chatter while moving is…”
“Yes. I know.”
That was when it happened.
“It’s here. Get ready.”
“Right, got it.”
Kim Hyunsung’s voice came from behind us, and Park Deokgu muttered from the front.
Even now, with the tension still on him, I could see the force of it running through Park Deokgu’s body.
“While Deokgu holds it off, Hye-young will finish it. Kiyoung, prepare yourself in case anything unexpected happens.”
I nodded.
Park Hye-young’s face, which had seemed calm enough before, was now clouded with a little fear and tension.
Even if we were here, the one who had to finish the job was her.
It would be strange if she weren’t scared.
There was only one voice coming from the left.
“Deokgu, it’ll be right around the left corner.”
“I know, hyung.”
Park Deokgu charged forward, rounded the corner in one motion, and slammed his shield into the monster.
With a wet crunch, the thing was trapped between the dead end wall and the shield.
Park Hye-young followed me in, but she still looked flustered.
“Gyaaaah!”
“Damn it… that ugly face is still as annoying as ever.”
“What are you doing?”
Her arms were trembling. Her legs were shaking.
I could tell exactly what was going on.
It was a miracle she hadn’t pissed herself.
“H-how…”
“Stab it.”
“Come on, hurry up and finish it. This is hard to hold.”
“A-ah…”
The somewhat composed look she’d shown until now was gone.
Her eyes were still alive, at least, but her body looked like it had stopped obeying her.
She probably didn’t even know why she was acting like this.
Idiot… all that acting tough.
I reached out and gently took hold of her arm from behind. When I squeezed the trembling hand that gripped the spear, her shaking began to subside.
I leaned in and whispered into her ear.
There was no way she could shout right now, and I figured speaking quietly would be more effective than barking at her.
“If you keep doing this next time, everyone dies. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Put some strength in your arm.”
“……”
Power gathered in her arm.
As I slowly thrust the spear toward the monster’s torso, which Park Deokgu was pinning down, Park Hye-young’s arm moved with mine.
I was the one driving the spear, but she would feel the impact too.
Thud.
With a sickening sound, an unknown fluid began spurting out in thick bursts.
Horrified, she looked ready to let go of the spear, so I tightened my grip on her hand again.
“It’s not dead yet. Don’t let up.”
“Gyaaah!”
The thing was still struggling, and whether in pain or anger, it tried to claw at Park Deokgu, who was pinning it down.
Holding her hand from above once more, I drove the spear in again.
It was disgusting, of course.
“Think of it as meat.”
“Y-yes. Yes.”
Thud.
Crunch.
I kept thrusting the spear.
The monster was already motionless, but forcing her to adapt like this would be effective.
After a little while, Park Deokgu slightly pulled his shield back and retreated from the monster.
I also eased the arm I’d been using to hold Park Hye-young’s hand.
The monster collapsed naturally. Even so, she kept stabbing at it.
Maybe it was her way of forcing herself past the fear, but she bit down hard on her lip and squeezed the spear in both hands.
I can understand that.
Taking a life was, by nature, an unfamiliar act.
No matter that the target was a monster, that didn’t change.
It was only after the horrible sounds had continued for quite some time that I finally heard her breathing, exhausted and ragged.
Of course she was thinking all sorts of things inside her head.
I walked over to Park Hye-young, who had sunk down on the ground, and spoke to her gently.
“Good work.”
There was no reply.