Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Nayeo-ju Saves the World
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Sama Young was targeting Jang Su-ho.
The moment he entered a dungeon, Jang Su-ho lost all reason and tried to kill monsters and allies alike without distinction.
And the image of me—the weakest in stamina on the team—falling victim to his hands.
He wanted to put that on display for everyone to see.
To be honest, it was a gamble for me too.
On this stage with all eyes on us, I had to prove to the world that Jang Su-ho was no longer Justice Guild's ticking time bomb.
But.
"So what."
The solution was simple.
I just had to prove Jang Su-ho was no longer a bomb that could go off at any moment.
At least as long as I was around.
Bombs were dangerous by nature, but wasn't that exactly what made them weapons?
"Justice Guild entering."
Kang Han gave a brief report to the Association staff, and we along with the camera crew stepped into the darkness of the gate.
"This really is an abandoned mine."
At Lee Yu-chan's words, Kang Han calmly scanned the surroundings.
The deserted mine, littered with mining tools here and there, was utterly silent, without even the whisper of wind.
"Jang Su-ho, come here. Let's get some healing in first."
"I'm not hurt anywhere."
"Don't you know about preventive heals? Just do it anyway."
"Got it."
Kang Han's green eyes captured the sight of Nayeo-ju grabbing Jang Su-ho's hand.
As well as the camera crew filming the whole thing.
His heart grew heavy.
Last time, he'd witnessed Nayeo-ju calming Jang Su-ho with his own eyes.
So he didn't doubt her abilities.
But still.
"I don't want to hurt anyone ever again. Please... save me, hyung."
On the day Jang Su-ho had first come to Justice Guild, he'd been completely broken.
And it had taken a long time for him to smile again.
If he lost control today and hurt his teammates once more, could Jang Su-ho ever get back on his feet?
His heavy thoughts were cut short by a loud smack.
Clap!
It was the sound of Nayeo-ju's palm striking Jang Su-ho's back.
"Big lug like you! Straighten those shoulders!"
"Ow! You know your hands really hurt, right? Violent maniac!"
"You need a good smack to get your head straight, so it's fine."
"Nayeo-ju noona's doing great."
"Su-ho oppa needs a beating."
The guild members had gathered around Nayeo-ju before he knew it, laughing and chatting away.
A small smile crept onto Kang Han's lips as well.
'Believe.'
In Nayeo-ju.
And in Jang Su-ho's efforts to shed his burdens all this time.
"Su-ho, let's talk for a sec."
Kang Han called over Jang Su-ho, who was rubbing his smacked back and grinning.
"What's up, hyung?"
"You're leading the raid today."
"...Me?"
The grin faded from Jang Su-ho's face.
"Hyung, I'm still not..."
"C-grade. You've done it before."
"True, but..."
Jang Su-ho's worried gaze flicked toward the camera.
"It's being broadcast this time. Wouldn't it be better if you..."
"No."
Kang Han said it even more firmly on purpose.
"Worst case, we do it like last time."
"...Last time was too weak. You'd have to hit me harder."
Even as he answered reluctantly, Jang Su-ho was still talking about the worst-case scenario.
Kang Han recalled what Nayeo-ju had said before entering the gate, seeing Jang Su-ho so cowed.
"Isn't it about time we stopped calling that kid a mad dog?"
She was right.
And it was his own fault for failing to properly help Jang Su-ho, too busy just paying off debts.
"Jang Su-ho."
"Yes, hyung."
"That's an order."
"...Hyung."
An order.
Jang Su-ho had no choice, and thus no responsibility for the outcome.
Kang Han placed a hand on Jang Su-ho's shoulder.
"...Thanks."
"Ah, are we gonna be here all night? You two on a date or what? Let's get this started already!"
At Nayeo-ju's shout from behind, a smile returned to Jang Su-ho's face.
Kang Han gripped his shoulder firmly once more.
"Let's go."
The dungeon raid began in earnest.
It was quiet now, but soon monsters would sense the guild members' presence and reveal themselves.
Kang Han looked around the mine again and spoke.
"Looks like several are hiding in the tunnels, so..."
"Ah, Guild Leader, sorry, hold on a sec."
Ack, almost forgot.
I raised one hand and rummaged in my sub-space for the item I'd prepared.
"Whoa, a mapping item?"
"Isn't this super expensive, unnie?"
Good thing I'd bought it on a whim after seeing Mage Guild and Taesan Guild use one last time.
I spread the empty leather-like item—worth 30 million won—out on the ground and said,
"Gotta use it when it counts."
"What's this from our money ghost?"
"Who's a money ghost?"
It was pricey, sure.
But this raid with the camera crew wasn't just about proving Jang Su-ho's stability.
I had to show that Justice Guild was no longer drowning in debt.
Etching that image firmly into people's minds was just as crucial.
The completed map showed a vast dungeon divided into three zones total.
"Doesn't seem mid-sized."
"Whoa, it's huge!"
Han Ji-seong and Lee Yu-eul each chimed in as they looked at the map.
The camera mics would've picked it up.
But to make it crystal clear, I pointed at the map and asked Kang Han,
"This feels mid-to-large, right?"
"The inner secondary and tertiary zones are bigger than ours, so definitely not mid-sized."
Kang Han answered, squinting his left eye just enough for me nearby to notice.
Prediction HQ had classified this as mid-sized, but it was mid-to-large once inside.
Their judgment was off.
The camera crew stirred, murmuring among themselves before asking,
"What'll you do, Guild Leader?"
Either way, this was an unexpected development.
A mid-to-large dungeon was too vast for Justice Guild—just seven people, even including the new Im Cheong-su—to handle solo.
Backing out here would be perfectly understandable.
And as pros who'd been in all sorts of dungeons, the camera crew knew that better than anyone.
But after scanning the map thoroughly, Kang Han replied quietly,
"We proceed as planned."
Exactly what I'd expected.
It was classified C-grade regardless of size.
If Justice Guild—with its S- and A-rank hunters—bailed now, it'd look bad.
People might say, "Justice Guild can't be helped."
The camera crew nodded and stepped back to resume filming.
I glanced at them, then pointed at the map—complex like an ant hill—and asked Kang Han,
"Where do we start, Guild Leader?"
Without a second thought, Kang Han's long finger pointed to the leftmost tunnel.
"Push clockwise all the way."
"Jang Su-ho, snap out of it!"
"Grrr..."
Jang Su-ho, covered head to toe in the monsters' black blood, charged at the guild members.
"N-No!"
"What strength... guh!"
The twins rushing to block him flew far away with a single swipe.
"Jang Su-ho!"
Kang Han, veins bulging in his neck as he fired a weak electric current, was powerless.
"Freeze!"
Ice spread rapidly from Han Ji-seong's hands pressed to the ground toward Jang Su-ho's feet.
"Cough!"
But the caster collapsed, vomiting black-tainted blood as his own mana overwhelmed him, and the spell fizzled out.
"Grk, grrr."
Nothing stood in the way of Jang Su-ho, now lost to madness and even human speech.
"Kah!"
His blood-red eyes fixed on the two non-combatants left, and he lunged.
"Kyaa!"
"S-Save me!"
The dungeon floor, caught at the edge of the scrambling camera crew's feed as they fled outside, was steadily staining red.
"They were probably expecting something like that picture. Too bad."
I picked at my ear while watching the battle unfolding with Jang Su-ho at the center.
"My ear keeps itching, so someone must be cursing me nonstop."
Perfectly flawless.