Chapter 112
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Chapter 112
-----------------------------------------------------------------
```html
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Road Back to Nobira
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As sighs burst from everyone's mouths all at once, as if they'd been holding them in, an awkward silence fell over the group.
This reaction... it's been so long.
Exactly... this reaction, it's been ages.
Han Somi noticed it and gave an awkward smile.
"Ha... haha... How are you all laughing like it's scripted... It wasn't on purpose, Oppa."
"......"
"Hey, Puppy Kyung-taek. Say something."
"Bro, we're in deep shit."
"Hey! You wanna die?"
"Ah, come on! Reality is what it is—what do you want me to do? Find the silver lining here?"
"That's not what I..."
Kang Seol turned to the group, who were bickering noisily.
"What's the problem?"
Jo Kyung-taek scratched his head as he replied.
"Those two who got smashed flat were our frontline tanks. Since they died from their bodies getting wrecked, we're left in a weird spot."
"Yeah, pretty much. No matter which side of the five died, it would've been a problem. We lost the option of fighting unknown enemies, but then Seol Oppa showed up, so we got our hopes up for a second. Ah, there's Sis up front, but Fairies aren't Transcenders, so..."
"Hm..."
They had pinned their hopes on the new addition of Kang Seol's strength to find a way out of their dead-end situation.
'Summoners are tricky like that.'
That was the common perception of Summoners.
A class whose presence or absence in a party didn't make much difference.
Kang Seol didn't bother correcting their view. Until he showed them otherwise, they wouldn't believe it anyway.
"Actually, this works out better. We can focus solely on the goal without distractions. Right, Kyung-taek?"
"...Yeah, that's true. We were gonna do that whether Bro showed up or not."
The goal.
What was their goal?
"What's this goal of yours?"
"Do you know where we are?"
"The Great Forest, right?"
"Yep. Is this your second adventure here, Oppa?"
"Yes. My first one was in the Great Forest too. Seems like I got caught in a random event nearby by coincidence."
"As expected... You came into the Great Forest alone, huh?"
"That's right."
"So naive..."
"Pardon?"
"So naive. You let your guard down like always, right? Like, 'It's a safe area normally, so solo adventuring should be fine.'"
Han Somi nodded knowingly, judging Kang Seol's situation all on her own, her face screaming I get it.
She'd have nailed it perfectly if she'd patted his shoulder too.
Like she was some detective.
Kang Seol chuckled and played along.
"How'd you know?"
"Huh? Obviously... 'cause that's what we did."
Unapologetic power!
Reasoning born from experience lol
"Ahem... Anyway, since you know we're smack in the middle of the Great Forest... Can you guess our exact position?"
"...Are we close to the center?"
"Bingo. Whoa, chills..."
"Don't overreact, Noona. Anyone could've guessed that."
"Shut it, Puppy Kyung-taek! Don't butt in every time I say something."
Kang Seol asked,
"How long do those two have?"
"No!"
"No way!"
"They're sick of each other. This guy's always trying to climb over her."
"One year apart and you're calling it 'climbing'? That's ridiculous."
"Where does he get off..."
The noisy bickering resumed.
As Kang Seol looked bored, Jo Kyung-taek and Han Somi halted their spat.
"Surprisingly, we're near the Great Forest's core. Our guide died with them, so we drifted here."
"You weren't planning to head into the core, were you?"
"Are you insane? Why would we go there? I just want out ASAP. I miss hot baths."
The Great Forest's core was inexplicably teeming with monsters that rarely ventured out.
"Was the spot where the vanguards died close to here?"
"Ah... yeah. They scouted too thoroughly and got too deep—that was the problem. Should've just gone through the motions."
"......"
"Ignore that, it's just me mumbling, Oppa."
She's a quirky one.
"If we're near the Great Forest core... our top priority is getting back to Nobira."
"Yeah, probably... Not sure if leaked monsters will tail us, but optimistically, we can reach safety in max three days, min two."
"Put two or three days' distance between us to shake pursuit or sneak to Nobira..."
"Yep. After that, it's not a full monster invasion—just one strong unknown beast leaked out, so Nobira can handle it. The evacuated adventurers are trickling back too."
That should suffice for the scouts' role.
"Alright, let's map a route back."
Not long after the group set off toward Nobira, Han Somi said,
"If we can just keep going like this."
"Don't jinx it."
That was when it happened.
Kraaaaaaaaagh—!
Everyone except Kang Seol and Karen flinched, clamping their ears and ducking low.
'Close by.'
The monster wasn't far.
Kang Seol scratched his chin, waiting for them to recover.
"Huff... gasp... Did you hear that?"
"Insane. What kinda monster makes a noise like that?"
"Ugh, I wanna turn back... We far enough yet?"
"We just started, mister?"
"Sorry..."
The timid-looking Shin Mun-ho.
He'd stayed quiet while others shared opinions.
"Maybe... we moved too rashly? Should we have waited for daytime?"
"We don't even know what the monster is—can't say what's right."
"True? So we keep going?"
Kang Seol spoke up.
"Priority is getting as far from the core as possible. Even if we bump into the worst-case monster encounter, being away from the core means facing just them."
"Since even encountering it now would be tough, better avoid it... I get what you're saying, Oppa."
"...Let's carefully slip away from here."
Everyone nodded.
To avoid drawing the monster's attention, they slowed their pace toward Nobira.
Though slower, they pressed steadily onward in silence, already putting considerable distance from their start.
No, "already" wasn't quite right.
Dawn had broken long ago, and the time walked wasn't short.
Kuung...
Kuung...
Faint vibrations rumbled from afar, like something massive moving.
"Wonder if other Transcender scouts got caught up."
"Worry about us first."
"Haha... yeah, guess so? Oppa, just walking's wearing me out. Haven't slept or eaten properly in a bit."
"...Let's rest."
"Shall we?"
Karen spotted a spot and gestured.
"Bushes should hide us here."
"Whew... lucky."
"So sleepy, starving too."
"Everyone, quick nap."
They settled in a spacious, bush-covered clearing.
"Ah... feels alive. When do we move again?"
No attacks overnight prompted the question.
Kang Seol answered,
"Daytime seems riskier, so rest till sunset."
"Long wait. I'll nap, but hungry..."
"Out of food?"
"Personal rations gone. Tons ruined with the vanguards. Normally forage, but as you know, foraging nearly got us foraged..."
Everyone looked drained.
Starving humans fastest to misery. They hadn't eaten properly in ages.
"Favorite foods?"
"Don't tease hunger..."
"Bro, got any food?"
"Some."
"Really? Dried stuff okay? I'll soak it."
"What do you want?"
"Me? Meat... love meat."
"Kyung-taek worked at a BBQ joint. Did server post-high school while figuring life out."
"Noona was a third-time exam taker."
"Hey! Who told you that!"
"Exactly, who spills my past?"
"So what about third try? Applaud my grit! Fewer classmates who went to college before me still alive. See? Makes Noona adaptable. Surviving solo tough!"
"Oh... that's why you lectured me on life experience despite one year diff?"
"O-Oppa. If not busy, help slay the Puppy Kyung-taek monster? Generous reward."
"I'll double it—drop this Noona in hell pit first."
Kang Seol's question was simply what they wanted to eat. How'd it devolve to killing each other?
He smiled unwittingly.
Reminded of orphanage little sibs.
Ebebebe! Snitching to Oppa again! Snitch gets stitches, fatty! Three-piece fatty—look!
I'll show you girl crush. Crush you! - Ack! Ack! What strength... stop hitting!
Faded memories now.
Kang Seol lingered, overlapping past and present.
"Starved long?"
"Uh... over a day?"
"Wait. Something light."
"Y-Yeah? Make?"
Kang Seol dug a small pit, added a warming stone. Firewood might alert monsters.
Sizzle...
"Th-That's mosquito coil?"
"Scent blocker, idiot. Adventurer doesn't know? How'd you survive? Geez..."
"Noona just asked if mosquito coil. Prepping to hate me?"
Crack.
Warming stone overloaded with a pop.
One trick learned cooking: overload for temporary firewood.
One-time use.
Small pot over stone, ingredients from his pouch added.
Prepped and stored, no extra work.
'Madness Shop stuff handy.'
His ingredient pouch from Madness Shop via Janet. Kept freshness perfect.
Not pricey—for him.
Time passed, savory aroma wafted.
Their noses twitched unfamiliarly.
"Wh-whoa... Bro cooks too?"
"Talent's cooking."
"God, someone picked that? Thought decorative! Cleaning next door, so I..."
"Hey! Say that to the chef? Oppa picked it 'cause domestic guys trendy?"
"No."
"......"
These kids so pure lol
So pure lol
Soon, done.
[Cooking completed.]
[Porridge with cured venison and minced vegetables completed.]
[A fine aroma rises. Cooking successful.]
[Cooking skill slightly improved.]
Gulp...
Jo Kyung-taek swallowed hard.
"...Kills."
Karen laughed.
"Why always killing? Heh..."
"Huh? Oh, no, the smell..."
Han Somi teased.
"Look at his red face. Can't handle pretty girls, huh? Sis gets it. Never been with one."
"...Shut up."
Kang Seol ladled porridge into bowls for them.
Slurp...
Hot something slid warmly down their gullets.
Reactions followed.
"Seol, thanks. Delicious. Sell it?"
"Summoner seems decent?"
"Huge party help. Didn't know. Who's trash?"
You guys called it trash lol
And you said trash lol
Han Somi giggled over her porridge.
"Meeting Oppa pure luck. Never dreamed porridge before heading back."
"No big deal."
"No, real luck. Nothing'll happen till we return."
Line crossed...
Jo Kyung-taek chimed in.
"One spot left—who's joining via random event?"
??? : Survive first lol
Han Somi agreed.
"If that person came, perfect."
"That person? Oh, right..."
Intrigued by their talk, Kang Seol asked,
"Who?"
"Don't know? The Transcender who rescued everyone captured by Yogtnun."
Kang Seol's spoon slowed gradually.
```