Chapter 52
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: The Best Choice (1)
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With this, everyone had gathered.
Dan-woo and his younger sister Seo-woo. So-hee and her father Jung Jin-ho. And even Jung Jin-ho's team's youngest, Geon-ho.
For the first time all together, we exchanged introductions before starting to discuss our future plans.
"All rescued now, so we're heading back? If so, escape via Garak Market Station. That's where I fled to from here."
"Ah.... So that was you, hyung?"
"....?"
"After you ran off there, spiders smashed up all the nearby stations. Can't go that way anymore."
"See? I told you not to trust that guy. I said his word wasn't reliable, didn't I?"
With news that the last escape route was blocked, Kim Geon-woo despaired, while So-hee smirked beside him as if she'd expected it.
Perhaps because Jung Jin-ho was there, So-hee seemed more lively than usual. Min-jun smiled inwardly at her positive change but voiced the problem that needed solving.
"Dan-woo's right. Now there's only one way out of here. Collapse the Labyrinth Garden. That's it."
"Leader, not that I'm objecting, but to close a gateway, we have to kill its owner."
His head throbbed as the older man not only used formal speech but kept calling him "Leader," though Min-jun had built some immunity from being called "Chief" before, so he held it in and continued.
"...From facing off against Sicarius myself, I think if we all combine our strength, it's plenty doable."
"You faced Sicarius, so does that mean...."
"Ah, Firefighter Uncle doesn't know? This uncle killed Sicarius, so we all woke up safe and sound. We all received the Grace of Regeneration."
He spoke casually to the others but used formal speech only to Jung Jin-ho, his benefactor—Song Dan-woo.
"The leader took down that vicious poison spider alone? Then what So-hee said... was all true."
"Leader, strong."
"...Haha, no. Just got lucky trying to survive. Anyway, we've closed one, so two more and we can escape this place."
"Then, which gateway are you thinking of next?"
To Jung Jin-ho's question, Min-jun answered immediately.
"The System said Sicarius was the third daughter. So next should be the second one. Regina seems tricky to face until we pinpoint where the captured people are and how to rescue them."
"Uncle, you wanna catch Fraus? We got zero info on that guy.... All we know is he uses illusions and handles the Labyrinth Garden's software. Never come out of his gateway."
"Right, Leader. I scoured Garak Market like crazy to save people, saw Regina and Sicarius, but never Fraus."
"Then this time, we head into the tiger's den to catch one."
Clap!
Despite everyone's worries, Min-jun clapped and continued with a relieved expression.
"First, before entering the den, we need to start your training."
* * *
Hunting for training continued for several weeks, and the group evolved from haphazard, chaotic hunts into a systematic unit with defined roles. At an astonishing speed.
At the center of it all was the 'mana stone.'
'Who would've thought the "production capacity" mentioned in the camp command room meant producing mana stones.'
When a 'rift' lingers too long and becomes a 'gateway,' the surrounding environment changes.
We decided to call that 'otherworldization.'
Areas partially otherworldized—livable for humans but with alien elements visibly scattered—were dubbed semi-realms.
Unlike Songpa Outpost Camp, which became a base camp right at the 'rift' stage.
This place, turned into an outpost camp after conquering the gateway, was purified enough for humans to live in.
But as a semi-realm with lingering alien elements, things like mana stone-producing trees were set as camp assets.
This was what we'd learned living in Garak Cathedral, the 'Garak Outpost Camp.'
At the same time, info most survivors wandering the Labyrinth Garden had picked up.
'Monopoly on mana stones.'
How tempting.
Unlikely any other star power awakeners here, but mana stones were lifelines for survivors who avoided monster fights.
To get them, others dodged spiders through Garak Market's alleys. Even knifed each other.
Yet in this outpost camp—valuable just as a relatively safe home—mana stones respawned too.
No need to say how envious other survivors were.
They admired us, envied us, watched us.
Of course, us—gearing up for fights against Fraus, Regina, and... Atlnak—couldn't yield mana stones giving survival time and star power EXP.
Survivors scouting and begging outside the camp, eyeing it greedily, were our biggest headache now.
'Shouldn't have shared survival time from the start.'
Shared mana stones a few times, survival time too.
But once word spread someone begged and got mana stones, the camp entrance filled with folks begging for time instead of fighting apostles. Led to an incident that shouldn't have happened.
Only after Min-jun lost patience and intimidated them with force multiple times could the group focus on growth.
Now, survivors who'd tested our group's power multiple times seemed to have given up on Garak Outpost Camp.
'Wonder how long the effect of that last show of force will last....'
He even thought nonsense like catching an apostle next time and staking it at the entrance.
Like any other day, while checking gear for an 'outing,' the non-weapon user toddled up to him.
"Uncle, Bear Uncle says we're going to the mart today?"
Seo-woo called Min-jun, Kim Geon-ho, and Jung Jin-ho all 'Uncle,' but to distinguish, Kim Geon-ho was Bear Uncle, Jung Jin-ho Firefighter Uncle, and him just 'Uncle.'
'No idea why I'm plain Uncle.'
With a natural smile, he stroked her head as she nuzzled into his hand like a cute kitten.
"Yeah, gotta find food today. You can do great today too, right Seo-woo?"
"Yeah! Way better than being home alone all day!"
"Good. But outside, stick tight to Bear Uncle, got it?"
"Of course!"
Seo-woo chirped, then trotted to Kim Geon-ho and latched onto his thick leg.
Min-jun clapped, drawing everyone's attention from their bustle.
"Alright! As you know, mart today. Hunt if we run into them on the way, but main goal is food supplies, so take it easy on hunts. ...Shall we head out?"
As he finished, the group wrapped up, shouldered bags for gear and food.
* * *
Kwaduduk!
The greatsword cleaved air, blue fluids splattering as a spider leg rolled across the floor.
"Huff, huff...."
Panting, he scanned around—everyone struggling in their positions.
'Something's off....'
Fights were never easy. Day by day was a struggle to survive, endless desperate battles.
'But.'
Even so, today's foes were definitely different.
Slightly faster, tougher, way more aggressive.
They weren't game monsters, of course. Just like the group grew stronger, they adapted to Earth, growing too—we knew that.
'That's why we're kicking like this, always one step ahead.'
But these exceeded that. Not just physically stronger—their fighting style itself had changed.
'Like they have a brain directing them....'
Min-jun poured all focus into the strengthened spider swarm.
"Whoa?! Whoaaa!!"
"Seo-woo!"
Suddenly, a massive spider hidden in darkness lunged over rear guard Seo-woo and Geon-ho's heads, spreading long legs to hurl a spiderweb net. Dense, no escape.
Startled, Geon-ho flailed his axe reflexively.
But the wide-flung web was tougher and stickier than expected.
Stunned by this never-before-seen attack, Seo-woo tried to pull her ability, So-hee hastily stopping her.
"Fire—"
"Seo-woo, no!"
Burning the web while trapped could cause unmanageable trouble.
In the end, better her—the tank—get caught than young Seo-woo, so So-hee activated her skill swapping positions with allies within 20m: [Emergency Rescue].
Born from trust Min-jun and the grown group would save her.
"I'll handle it, so you two hold on a bit here."
To repay that trust, Min-jun leaped airborne, charging the web-throwing spider.
One strike snapped its long leg like a twig, the next severed the web binding So-hee and Geon-ho.
Slight issue, but resolved safely. Everyone thought so—until.
A massive white orb flew from somewhere, smashing Min-jun into building rubble.
"Uncle!"
"Leader!"
Panicked comrades tried rushing to him.
But the spider that blasted Min-jun appeared.
A giant spider wielding a massive flail of layered webs swung wildly, driving them back.
"Don't worry about Min-jun-ssi, everyone focus!"
As Min-jun vanished, So-hee took command steadily, calming the group. She painfully activated [Guardian Shield] to protect the team from the flail.
So-hee trusted Min-jun.
He was the man who'd returned from worse and slain the monsters.
Her job: minimize damage until he returned.