Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Act 9. Unclaimed Land (2)
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“You must have been worried.”
I gave a wry smile, stroking Jo Min-ah's hair as she hugged me tightly, showing no sign of letting go.
Min-woo was clinging to my other side.
I thought I saw a smear of snot on my sleeve, but I decided to let it slide just this once.
“Of course. I knew you'd come back without a scratch.”
“No, I have a few.”
“Hmm…?”
Jeon Do-jin looked at me quizzically before turning his gaze to Cha Eun-ha, who was standing beside me.
Seeing her frowning, seemingly debating whether to hit me or not, he seemed to grasp the situation immediately. Jeon Do-jin chuckled again and held his tongue.
“More importantly, there are others over there who have been waiting for you.”
Following Jeon Do-jin's gaze, I saw the people who had followed us from Dongdaemun.
At the very front of the group.
The mother of the child who had nearly lost her mind when she lost her son.
She was holding her child's hand, looking at me with trembling eyes.
The moment our eyes met, she bowed deeply as if she'd been waiting.
“Th-thank you! Thank you so much! Thanks to you, we were able to make it here safely!”
“Thank you!”
The child, too, as if he had practiced, offered his thanks with all his might, despite his clumsy pronunciation.
It was nothing special.
And yet, I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.
“I'm glad.”
[‘The Angel of Benevolence’ sniffs and wipes away a tear.]
[You have been sponsored 500 Coins.]
The other survivors were the same.
Each of them expressed their gratitude, showing me their goodwill.
Things were going according to plan so easily that I couldn't stop smiling.
It wasn't just the survivors from Dongdaemun.
Those who had been surviving around Seoul City Hall also began to warm up to me rapidly, as if they had decided I was their leader.
*Sniffle, snort.*
“…”
At this point, shouldn't I be allowed to smack them on the head?
Just as that thought crossed my mind, the twins, having finally stopped crying, slowly pulled away from me.
I saw her absorb the Seed of White Flame earlier.
Let's check.
[Character Information]
Name: Jo Min-ah
Gender: Female (15)
Strength: 10 Stamina: 10 Agility: 10 Mana: 15
Unique Ability: Witch of Blue Flames (A)
Traits: Overcoming Fear (D), Intelligence (D), Soul Flame (B)
Skills: Detection (D)
She succeeded in awakening.
However, it didn't turn out 100% as I had hoped.
It should have been White Flame, not Blue Flame, and the rank should have been S.
Was something missing?
This was my first time trying this method, as I'd only learned about it in my final playthrough.
There could have been additional conditions I didn't know about.
Or perhaps her base stats were too low, so she couldn't absorb it fully.
If that was the case, it could be remedied through training.
‘And I have to do something about that Soul Flame, too.’
A trait that granted immense power but required a corresponding price.
True to its name, it drew power by sacrificing one's own soul, so if possible, she should never have to use it.
It was an issue that would resolve itself once her mana stat increased anyway.
I decided I needed to find a useful item for Jo Min-ah and looked around.
The sight of the area, now completely covered in vegetation, entered my view.
I'd been keeping an eye on it since Dongdaemun, but it was still unsettling.
The progression is faster than I remember.
Unnaturally so.
“What is it?”
I had been staring at a giant vine for a while when Jeon Do-jin spoke to me.
I casually shook my head as if it were nothing and turned away.
“We'll be using this place as our base from now on. Shall we start by clearing out these annoying plants?”
If I rescue the citizens in the process, they will naturally follow me.
Domination born not of fear, but of heartfelt respect.
The sponsorship from the angels for my good deeds is a bonus.
This time, it was my turn to become the ruler.
***
“You… you've gotten stronger in such a short time.”
An hour had passed since we started clearing the massive, overgrown plants around Seoul City Hall.
At some point, Jeon Do-jin, who had been moving with me, nodded his head in admiration.
He's sharp to have noticed my stats went up.
Then again, mana is the stat whose changes are easiest to detect.
“I was lucky.”
“They say heaven helps those who help themselves. That wasn't luck; it was the result of your effort. You should be proud.”
I wasn't used to such flowery compliments.
Whether it was really luck or I'd fulfilled some hidden condition, the result was good, so it didn't matter.
I wiggled my fingers and manipulated my mana. The now-familiar sensation spread smoothly around me.
Vines that were already trying to grow back were sliced apart by blades of darkness and vanished.
I dealt with them not long ago, and they're already trying to regrow.
At this rate, this will never end.
“…You're not the type to fight a battle with nothing to gain. You were aiming for something this time, too, weren't you?”
Kim Ji-hyeon said that as I passed by her.
“It's also true that it was the only option.”
“So? Did you get what you wanted?”
“I can say… it was a success.”
“I see.”
Kim Ji-hyeon fell silent.
During our conversation, Kim Ji-hyeon never once looked at me.
She just kept staring at the plants, as if deep in thought.
Kim Ji-hyeon couldn't have known anything about this phenomenon.
She must be racking her brain, trying to squeeze out any information.
“But don't you think this is strange? It's only been a few days since the world became like this, and the area around City Hall is already covered in trees and vines like a jungle…”
A player, sweating profusely while working on the rescue, spoke up as if he couldn't understand.
Most of the survivors from Dongdaemun are players, so we certainly have enough manpower.
“It is… strange.”
“It's not normal.”
“Really? I just kind of accepted it. I mean, with monsters and weird portals popping up, I'm not sure if plants suddenly growing like we're in the Stone Age is all that strange.”
“Hehe. When you put it like that, I guess it makes sense.”
It wasn't just this area.
Dongdaemun, Dongmyo Station, Sinseol-dong Station.
This 'greening' phenomenon occurred over a very wide area.
It was so widespread that it made people wonder if this was just a natural part of the world changing.
*Fwoosh!*
With Jo Min-ah taking the lead, the plant removal went smoothly.
The power to incinerate them with just a wave of her hand.
She wasn't used to it yet, so there were times she almost burned down entire buildings, but each time, we managed to deal with it using nearby puddles of water.
If Jo Min-woo had awakened, it would have been prevented naturally.
I clicked my tongue in disappointment.
“Kim Se-hyeon.”
Just as the work was nearing completion.
Kim Ji-hyeon made a sudden declaration.
“From now on, I'll be acting on my own. I'm sure you can lead the survivors here well enough.”
“What!?”
“Gah!?”
Jo Min-ah was so startled she let go of the piece of rock she was holding.
Suddenly left holding the large boulder by himself, Jo Min-woo screamed and collapsed.
Jeong Ha-yeon, also surprised, grabbed Kim Ji-hyeon's arm.
“Wait! Kim Ji-hyeon-ssi! If you could just help us a little longer…!”
“No, if I don't investigate now, it'll be too late. Just as you all have your own things to do, I have mine.”
Kim Ji-hyeon's gaze fell on me.
Her eyes held a complex mix of emotions.
I didn't miss the fact that suspicion towards me was part of that mix.
…Since Jo Min-woo was screaming for me to help him first, I quietly went over and lifted the boulder for him.
“Kim Se-hyeon. I trust that you'll be able to lead these people well.”
“You trust me?”
“I may not be sure about other things, but your abilities are real.”
Kim Ji-hyeon had been observing me closely all this time.
She must have been planning to leave this party for a while.
She just remained silent and acted with us until a catalyst appeared.
‘It's not that she trusts me, but rather my abilities.’
That sounded just like Kim Ji-hyeon.
Those who had been with us since the stadium showed particular disappointment, but Kim Ji-hyeon didn't even blink.
She probably never let herself get attached from the beginning.
She wasn't the type to easily form attachments.
Her way of speaking informally to everyone, regardless of who they were, was a part of that.
Although there is one person she does speak formally to.
“Then, let's meet again later. I trust you're already preparing.”
Kim Ji-hyeon's gaze momentarily flickered to the vines, then beyond them.
Kim Ji-hyeon is a very perceptive person.
The day she trusts me 100% will probably never come.
But she won't oppose me.
Not as long as my actions, like those of any other player, are aimed at 'escaping the crisis of destruction.'
She is a key figure in the Jamryong Guild. I needed her, too.
A practical, mutually beneficial relationship.
With Kim Ji-hyeon, that was enough.
“I'll prepare meticulously.”
When I said that with a smile, Kim Ji-hyeon gave a slight nod.
And with that, Kim Ji-hyeon vanished.
“She's really gone…”
“She was hard to approach, but she was someone you could really rely on.”
The sudden farewell with Kim Ji-hyeon left the group feeling unsettled.
Except for one person, who seemed rather relieved.
“Kim Ji-hyeon is talented in many areas. The fact that she left things in your hands without hesitation means she acknowledges you.”
It was none other than Jeon Do-jin.
As I stood with my arms crossed, lost in thought, Jeon Do-jin must have thought I was worrying about how to fill Kim Ji-hyeon's shoes. He thumped his chest with his fist and said.
“Don't worry. The rain made it difficult for me to use my strength earlier… but I've recovered my stamina. I'll step up properly from now on.”
“That's reassuring to hear.”
“By the way, how did you all meet her?”
“On the first day the gates appeared, we helped her rescue students at a school.”
“Rescuing students?”
“It seems not only Kim Ji-hyeon but other Jamryong Guild members were also scattered about, conducting rescue operations.”
I briefly summarized what had happened.
Fleeing our homes. Rescuing the students at the school. Trying to hold out at the stadium, only to be broken up by a monster wave in less than two days. Barely making it here by subway.
Looking back, it felt like too many things had happened in a whirlwind over just a few days.
“Leading survivors to the World Cup Stadium, you say…”
Jeon Do-jin muttered, stroking his chin.
“It probably wasn't just the Jamryong Guild. The other guilds must have been making similar moves.”
Jeon Do-jin seemed to have already figured out why the Jamryong Guild had taken the initiative to lead people like that.
Lee Seon-yul had already told me directly.
He asked if I would join the Jamryong Guild.
It's a ploy to scout promising new players from the second generation and raise their own profile.
A guild is, after all, an organization.
Rescuing people is a given for guilds, and if they're going to expend manpower, they need to get something in return.
“What?”
“You mean there are other guilds?”
Meanwhile, the others who didn't know this chimed in, surprised.
“What? You don't know anything about that?”
“We've been too busy just trying to survive…”
“Ah, I guess that makes sense. My master was part of a guild called Hongryeon. I'm not, though. I heard a while ago that there are five major guilds. Their names were probably…”
Cha Eun-ha's face scrunched up as she tried hard to remember something.
“Jamryong, Hongryeon, Silver Hawk, Donghae, and Taegeuk.”
“Oh, that's right! Huh? But how do you know that?”
“I heard about it.”
She must have assumed I'd heard it from Kim Ji-hyeon, as she nodded and didn't press the matter.
The five major guilds.
If they were renowned enough to be called that, S-rank players should have already appeared and resolved the situation.
Unfortunately, they currently 'do not exist' here.
That's what makes this early part feel even more difficult.
The absence of powerful allies.
However, the solution is simpler than one might think.
‘I just have to be strong enough.’
[Character Information]
Name: Kim Se-hyeon
Gender: Male (26)
Strength: 50(+14) Stamina: 40(+14) Agility: 50(+14) Mana: 60(+18)
Unique Ability: ???(EX)
Traits: One Who Started from the End (S), Accustomed to Battle (B), Wind and Moon (B), Lord of Darkness (S)
Skills: Extreme Eye (S)