Chapter 67
Chapter 67
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Thus Have I Heard, I Thus Suffer in Your Stead
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Woojin's party stood before the gate they had secured.
It was a C-rank gate they had tackled with Sangjin, but the entrance here was overwhelmingly massive from the start.
That meant the space inside was enormously vast.
Woojin tossed a light joke at Kim Cheolsu, whose face was stiff with tension.
"Cheolsu hyungnim, relax. Your shoulders are way too tense."
"Does it show that much? Whew, honestly, yeah, I'm nervous."
"What's to be nervous about? The world's top three powerhouses are all right here."
At Woojin's words, Kim Cheolsu gripped his hefty Desert Eagle without a reply.
"Yeah. Must look pretty pathetic."
Catherine approached Kim Cheolsu and squeezed his hand tight.
"You can do this, Cheolsu-ssi. Don't tense up. Got it?"
"Thanks, Catherine."
Woojin smirked at the sight and continued.
"We're taking this gate nice and slow. They say the inside's huge and packed with monsters."
Eirin picked up from there.
"Mm, C-rank, so not super dangerous, but no slacking. With that many monsters, a swarm could get messy."
Everyone nodded at Eirin's words.
That's when Yoo Jihyun turned to Woojin and spoke.
"Party leader?"
All eyes locked on Woojin.
Kim Sangjin, Eirin, Yoo Jihyun, Jo Ayoung, Catherine, and even Kim Cheolsu.
"Huh? Me?"
Yoo Jihyun beamed brightly.
"Of course, oppa's the party leader. The one leading everyone here."
Woojin scratched the back of his head sheepishly before giving a short reply.
"If you're ready, let's head in. No point dragging it out."
With Woojin's blunt words, the party stepped into the gate.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Hmm, forest terrain, huh?"
Eirin glanced around and nodded.
"Yeah, forests need caution. It's not just the monsters."
She was spot on.
Beyond monsters, all sorts of environmental hazards could turn into threats for Awakeners.
"Jihyun and I step in only for emergencies. Ayoung, you handle half the gate interior solo. Leveling's priority."
Jo Ayoung threw a playful salute.
"Yes, unni!"
"Sangjin and Catherine, prioritize gate clear. Woojin oppa levels when feasible. Everyone clear?"
Orders straight from Unriworld's former Supreme Commander, Eirin.
The perfect strategy for their situation.
"Alright, move out."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Boom—!
Crackle—!
Far off, the sound of Ayoung leveling up echoed.
Left alone, she'd blitz half the gate and rejoin in no time.
Meanwhile, Catherine and Sangjin pressed deeper, cautious.
"Whoa, enemies spotted! Wolves!"
Sangjin's 'DdaekdDaek' was scouting way ahead of the group.
Sangjin shared its senses to pinpoint the foes.
A pack of 'Gray Wolves,' slobbering drool.
A standard C-rank party would've braced shields and formed up, but Woojin's crew? No need.
"How we handling? You two are both level 1."
Sangjin asked Catherine.
"Catherine noona, mind taking one?"
Catherine chambered a round with a grin.
"Just one? I could wipe 'em all."
"One for now, please. Got something I wanna try."
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡
Mana Bullet Marksman
Maximizes firearm destructive power to extremes
A class pushing gunpower to the limit.
Catherine wielded a monster-tuned custom firearm—even at level 1, C-rank fodder was no match.
Bang—!
Her bullet punched through a Gray Wolf's forehead. Sangjin's incantation followed instantly.
"Corpse Explosion!"
Kaboom—!!
The forest turned to scorched earth in a blink.
Sangjin gaped at the ridiculous power, even though he'd cast it.
"Th-this... my doing?"
Woojin chuckled.
"Corpse Explosion scales with the corpse's grade. Higher quality, bigger boom."
"For real?"
"Yeah. Basic knowledge, right?"
"Nah, not even."
DdaekdDaek's scouting, Catherine's pinpoint shots, Sangjin's blasts.
Their levels skyrocketed, and the gate clear devolved into a casual stroll.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Woojin muttered, sounding annoyed at the sprawl.
"Damn, it's huge. Boss room already?"
Eirin snickered.
"Hehe, works in our favor. Young master, level now?"
"18, sis-in-law! Not trash talk!"
Sangjin calling Eirin 'sis-in-law' deepened her smile.
"Hmm... sharp one, eh? Quick on the uptake. Nothing like my bro."
"Too kind, sis-in-law!"
"Hmph. Said I was your only sis-in-law before."
Jihyun's jealous jab drew Sangjin's playful retort.
"Not on me, sis-in-law. Blame bro for dragging two along."
Woojin hacked a loud cough.
"Ahem! Boss room—cut the banter, focus! Slack off and someone gets hurt!"
The party finally reached the boss room.
Jo Ayoung rejoined right then.
"Whoa! Massive in here. But yeah, stress dumped."
Yoo Jihyun asked, stunned.
"You cleared that already?"
"Yup. Unnis said so—gotta hustle."
"Good girl, our maknae."
Ayoung giggled hehe.
The massive stone door ground open, revealing the boss's silhouette.
Eirin grinned.
"Oho, Forest Keeper. Solid brute."
A house-sized mash of tree and boulder, the 'Forest Keeper' loomed imposingly as it rose.
"Groooaaarrr!"
Thud—!
The ground quaked with every stomp.
Eirin, Jihyun, and Ayoung exchanged glances.
"Who wants it?"
Ayoung shot her hand up.
"Me! Maknae privilege!"
Whoosh—
Ayoung's form vanished in a flash.
She'd powered up huge clearing half the gate solo.
Slipping to the Guardian's feet, she skipped the punch—instead hooking thumb to middle finger, pulling taut.
Woojin's tip: channel her mythical strength into 'that move.'
"Flea flick?"
Jihyun eyed it dubiously—then—
Snap—!
Air burst like an explosion as Ayoung's finger nailed the Forest Keeper's head.
A colossal shockwave ravaged the boss room.
Kaboom boom boom—!
The multi-ton head exploded into shards and crumbled.
"Huh? Not there?"
Eirin yelled to Ayoung.
"Forest Keeper's got a core! Green gem usually—smash away till it shows!"
Ayoung flashed a grin.
"That right?"
From there, merry(?) snaps echoed through the boss room.
Snap—!
Snap—!
Snap—!
"...Insane."
A short gasp escaped Woojin.
That flick inferno? Pure nightmare fuel.
At last, the body collapsed, exposing Eirin's mentioned green core.
Kim Cheolsu's turn.
"Alright, Cheolsu hyungnim. Finish it. Clear your mind, stay calm! Got it?"
Gulp—
Cheolsu clutched the Desert Eagle and approached the near-dead Keeper.
'Clear the mind...'
Memories flooded his mind.
Nothing special, really.
How his life led here—scenes flashed like a montage.
Youth hauling rice sacks for village elders, bowing apologies for DH Group flubs as secretary.
Serving Jihyun, witnessing her pain, thinking 'let it be me hurting' a thousand times over...
And now, Catherine at his side.
Cheolsu met her blue eyes.
"Be back soon, Catherine-ssi."
"You're one hell of a man, Cheolsu-ssi."
Mwah—
Her lips brushed his cheek lightly.
"Ooooh!"
Cheers rang out; Cheolsu's face tinted red as he gripped the pistol firm.
'No need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder. Shadow guarding their backs—that's enough for me.'
Kim Cheolsu shed his fixation.
And—
Bang—!
The Desert Eagle roared flame.
Craaack—!
The core shattered; mana vortexed wildly.
Whirrr—!
Everyone watched, breathless.
Woojin nudged Sangjin's ribs.
"Hey, what ya think hyungnim pulls?"
"Dunno... tank? Sturdy fit, yeah?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
Analyzing 'Kim Cheolsu's soul... Analysis complete – Devotion and supportive spirit for others has surpassed the threshold. The soul of the 'Saint' who shadowed his master, remembering every step, takes interest in you.
Eirin and Jihyun gawked.
"Jihyun! This—!"
"Y-yeah...!"
✨ AWAKENING COMPLETE! ✨
Job: First Among the Many Hearers (The Foremost in Learning) — Ananda
Rank: Legend
Kim Cheolsu stared at his status window and murmured.
"...Ananda?"
Cheolsu hovered midair, bathed in golden aura.
His eyes brimmed with compassion and serenity.
The system window kept scrolling, dumping his skills.
⚔ STATUS ⚔
1. Thus Have I Heard: "Thus have I heard." Bears 50% of selected target's HP/MP costs instead. 2. Nursing Merit: Restores HP/MP for allies in range. Scales with caster's level & skill level. 3. Eightfold Holy Law: Generates 8-layer barrier on target. Caster takes all mental/physical debuffs instead. Caster immobilized until end, then clears own debuffs.
Cheolsu descended slowly.
A shimmering golden lotus-pattern shield rippled around him.
Woojin couldn't hold back and rushed over.
"Hyungnim! What job?!"
Cheolsu stayed silent a beat, then met Woojin's eyes with trembling hands.
"Ananda... that's what it says."
"......Huh?"
Woojin's face twisted in shock as he read the skills.
"Cr-crazy! Legend rank! Dude!! We struck gold! Legend healer alert!!"
Eirin and Jihyun's jaws dropped.
"R-real Ananda?!"
"For real, oppa? Not Ananta?"
"Ananta'd be even better, dummy!"
It was a miraculous class, perfectly embodying Kim Cheolsu—selfless support incarnate.
'Ananda, huh...'
As a Buddhist, Cheolsu knew him well.
Buddha Sakyamuni's secretary and attendant.
A smile tugged at Cheolsu instead.
He turned to Catherine.
"Now I can truly protect you, Catherine-ssi."
Catherine flushed red.
Yoo Jihyun pouted at Woojin's side.
"I'm the paycheck, and they're over there flirting."
Woojin chuckled, ruffling Jihyun's hair.
"Let 'em. I get where he's coming from. Though, wonder if hyungnim needs the monk shave."
```