Chapter 153
Chapter 153
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: Nayeo-ju Saves the World
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The Magma Guild had quite the solid reputation, as anyone could tell from the reactions at the last auction house.
Maintaining that kind of image while primarily focusing on joint raids wasn't easy.
It was also why the hunter community had been buzzing for a while when they recruited new members last time.
But.
"Wahahaha!"
"Do it again, Guild Leader! One more!"
"Alright, this time even bigger!"
With Yang Hwa-yeon's shout, a massive fireball began zipping around above the training grounds.
The fireball soon spelled out "IDIOT" in huge letters in the air.
They were using the skills of Yang Hwa-yeon, an A-rank flame magician, for playground antics.
"Kuhaha!"
"Kyak!"
Those idiots were going to burn down someone else's guild at this rate!
I was about to step in and say something when Kang Han beat me to it.
"Yang Hwa-yeon, cut it out."
"Hmph. You're no fun, no fun at all."
After getting scolded by Kang Han, Yang Hwa-yeon grumbled but flicked her hand to dispel the flickering fireball.
At least she listened well.
Once Yang Hwa-yeon's antics ended, the Magma Guild members, who had been scattered freely around the simulation training grounds, began gathering in the center.
The team from Magma Guild joining us for the Labyrinth Gate raid totaled five members.
"Alright, before we start training, how about proper introductions?"
Led by Yu Jin-rok, a sort of meet-and-greet kicked off.
Everyone already knew each other somewhat, but this was a formal greeting before joint training began.
"I'm Yang Hwa-yeon, leader of Magma Guild. As you saw, I'm a flame magician. My skill control is top-notch."
"Shin Dan-ju, vice leader. I'm a close-range swordsman with physical enhancement skills."
"Shin Dan-bi, vice leader. I shoot a bow and can act as bait when needed."
"I'm Ryu Sang-eun. I've got stealth skills. Don't freak out if I vanish and reappear mid-battle."
"Jeong I-do here. I'm a shielder with buff skills, so I handle rear support too."
Their self-introductions revealed Magma Guild's wealth of experience.
You could tell they'd taken on various roles suited to their abilities in combat situations.
"Hello. I'm Kang Han, leader of Justice Guild. I fight with a spear using lightning combat skills."
Our side followed suit, starting with Kang Han, wrapping up simple introductions.
Overall, it was a highly satisfying lineup.
Both guilds had assembled people with diverse skills, not skewed toward any one specialty.
For example, if it were like the last Taesan Guild, packed with nothing but melee brawlers, they'd excel in chaotic close-quarters melees but be vulnerable to ranged-attack monsters.
'Those guys had personality issues from the start anyway.'
But this time, Magma Guild was different.
Heading into a gate with a guild you could trust at your back was a bigger advantage than I'd thought.
Plus, Yang Hwa-yeon, who had been giggling and playing with fire just moments ago, completely shed her playful demeanor once serious training began.
"I watched some Justice Guild raid videos. Hmm, let me show you something."
Yang Hwa-yeon stood at a distance with her archer, Shin Dan-bi.
"This is a combo attack we use often."
Shin Dan-bi nocked an arrow on her long, large bow, different from Lee Yu-chan's.
The moment the arrow launched with a twang, Yang Hwa-yeon's flames enveloped it entirely, flying together.
The arrow slammed into a distant training dummy at a speed too fast to track with the naked eye, incinerating the target before vanishing.
"My skill has limits flying solo at range, so I use a medium like this. But pairing with Yu-chan this way could be useful too. What do you think?"
"Can you handle two at once?"
Kang Han's question drew a snort from Yang Hwa-yeon.
"What do you take me for? Of course."
"Lee Yu-chan, give it a try together."
"Yes, sir!"
Lee Yu-chan's eyes sparkled as he stepped forward eagerly.
He'd apparently felt frustrated stuck on rear support all this time.
Lee Yu-chan and Shin Dan-bi stood side by side, facing the target.
As the two arrows left their strings, Yang Hwa-yeon's skill activated.
The flames riding the arrows were slightly smaller than before, but the destructive power on impact matched perfectly.
"Seems like a solid way to deal damage from range."
"Right? We use it a lot with guilds that have archers. Plus, racking up contributions without moving is pretty sweet."
Yang Hwa-yeon shrugged and grinned at Kang Han's assessment.
As the three began seriously training on moving targets, the rest of the guild members broke into small groups to discuss strategies.
"Nayeo-ju Hunter."
"Whoa, you scared me!"
Ryu Sang-eun suddenly spoke up from right behind me.
"Sorry about that. I don't make much presence."
It was uncanny.
Even chatting face-to-face, he felt like he could vanish in a puff any second.
I pulled up Ryu Sang-eun's status window.
Pure assassin skill build.
If he were a bad guy, he'd have made a fortune as a mercenary slicing through crowds.
...Gotta make sure he performs well.
"Do you keep your skills on all the time?"
"Nah, I've just got a naturally low presence."
"Oh... So, what's up?"
"Ah. Normally in joint raids, I handle rear guard for non-combat roles. But you don't seem to need it this time, so I was checking."
"Ah, got it."
This Labyrinth Gate was also Yu Jin-rok's first raid with us.
"Right. With Yu Jin-rok Hunter there coaching beside Guild Leader Kang Han and Shin Dan-ju Hunter, we're good."
"Perfect. That's great."
Ryu Sang-eun nodded, his eyes sparkling just like Lee Yu-chan's.
"Haven't gotten to move freely in ages."
As he muttered that, a sharply edged dagger was already spinning nimbly in his right hand.
...Yeah, he really needs to shine.
Meanwhile, Jang Su-ho seemed full of questions for the middle-aged shielder, Jeong I-do.
"Uncle I-do, don't you attack?"
"Hm, I mostly draw aggro up front and buff the team."
"Doesn't that get frustrating?"
"If I don't hold the monsters' attention properly, the team gets hurt. Want some aggro tips?"
"Yes! Awesome!"
Teaming up with Magma Guild really was an excellent choice.
There were areas only experience could fill, beyond ranks or skills.
After about an hour of training in compatible groups, the simulation system activated.
Whirr—
With a low hum, it spawned Shadow Crows, common C-rank monsters in labyrinth dungeons.
Each flap of the massive crows whipped up fierce winds across the training grounds.
Yang Hwa-yeon floated two basketball-sized fireballs in her palms and grinned.
"Shall we start the real training?"
"Haa, haa."
"I'm dying."
"It's been forever since we trained this hard."
After a grueling five-hour session, break time arrived.
Some headed to the recovery room for water and stamina refills, while others like Lee Yu-chan and Lee Yu-eul sprawled on the training floor.
Beside them lay Magma Guild's teenage member, Shin Dan-bi.
"Here, drink this."
Im Cheong-su handed stamina recovery potions to the trio.
"Oh, Cheong-su, thanks!"
"This stuff's precious! Thank you!"
The elixir from an S-rank potion master worked wonders.
The three, who had been heaving on the floor moments ago, bounced back to peak condition in no time.
"Ah, I can breathe again!"
"Why's your mock training so intense?"
"Our leader's hyped for the first time in ages. The last joint guild was a total mess."
Shin Dan-bi shook her head.
"Hey, that was us, Taesan."
"Right, yeah. You guys had it rough."
The teens chatted casually, cooling off their sweat, but soon grew bored.
Stamina restored, yet no one wanted more training.
That's when Shin Dan-bi clapped and pulled out her phone.
"Let's do a live!"
"Live? Like a broadcast?"
"Yeah, Stargram live! Fans love it when I'm bored."
Even on a weekday afternoon, plenty tuned into Shin Dan-bi's live stream.
"Hi everyone! I just finished training! I'm dead tired, seriously."
"Hey, say hi."
"Hello. I'm Im Cheong-su. I make potions."
The live stream flowed smoothly.
Midway, word must have spread, as Justice Guild fans joined, boosting viewer numbers.
"I nearly died training with Justice Guild today. Oh, Guild Leader Kang Han? He's way hotter in person!"
With more viewers than usual, Shin Dan-bi was thrilled, and the three Justice Guild teens experiencing their first live stream were beside themselves.
"That's pretty cool."
Nayeo-ju muttered while watching from near the training ground entrance.
She then asked Yang Hwa-yeon, who was drinking water beside her.
"Do you go live often too, Guild Leader?"
"Pretty much. It's how we make a living."
"How much... money does it bring in?"