Chapter 85: Exchange Match (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 85: Exchange Match (8)
A considerable amount of time had passed since the team battle began.
The eighth wave had just ended.
In the VIP room on the top floor of Gaon’s central building.
This was a space reserved only for the guilds and organizations that managed the Frontline.
Fewer people had shown up than one might expect.
For one, individual matches were generally a better showcase of a person’s skill than team battles.
There was little reason to watch the team competition unless you had a promising recruit in mind or were keeping an eye on someone in particular.
“Ho ho, straight to observing your daughter as soon as your training ends, I see.”
A guard warrior from the Cheongpung Sect spoke with a smile.
Beside him, a middle-aged man in neat, traditional robes watched the battlefield with narrowed eyes.
The head of the Yu Family, Yu Mujin.
He offered no reply.
His gaze was fixed solely on the battlefield displayed on the large screen.
There, the team his daughter, Yu Hana, belonged to was locked in a fierce battle.
He had to see.
He had to confirm it for himself.
The face of the thief who had stolen his daughter’s heart.
Hana, what in the world did you mean by that…?
Her husband.
The words his daughter had uttered refused to leave his mind.
He had forgotten to even call her his daughter as he hastily asked her to repeat herself, but…
Yu Hana had nodded without a hint of hesitation.
Her eyes were firm, her voice unwavering.
It was the serene expression of one who had already made up her mind.
Yu Mujin knew it all too well.
His daughter, Yu Hana, had been the type since childhood to never look back once she had chosen a path.
She takes after her mother.
Stubborn, quick to decide, and never one to back down.
Who in the world is he…!
That brat who had snatched his precious daughter’s heart before he could even lift a finger.
Just what kind of bastard had taken advantage of her father’s absence to settle into her heart?
He tried to analyze the boy named Jung Hae-in from a completely objective and dispassionate perspective.
However.
“……”
As a man whose entire life had been a continuous pursuit of honing the martial way…
The more he watched, the more Yu Mujin had to acknowledge the boy named Jung Hae-in.
The boy was someone who perfectly understood his role.
A team, a party—it doesn’t function just because one person is outstanding.
This was especially true in a battle situation like this assignment, which demanded organic, team-based coordination.
Of course, there were cases where one exceptional individual could force their way through.
But the test being conducted here was not meant to evaluate that kind of strength.
In that sense, Jung Hae-in was, astonishingly…
Devoid of any wasted movement.
Neither too much, nor too little.
He moved with precision, strictly maintaining his position.
He created a flow with proper positioning, seemingly without effort, making it easier for his teammates to act, to move more comfortably.
Such movements could be detrimental if overdone, but…
Not at all.
At his young age, he already understood the profound principles of the martial arts.
It was obvious at a glance that he wasn't even using thirty percent of his full capabilities.
That orange-haired mage girl was somewhat headstrong.
Whenever Yoon Chae-ha got carried away and disrupted the center of their formation, he would gently support her from the side, creating an environment where she could shine the brightest.
And the mage, sensing precisely that he was watching over her…
Would instantly ramp up her momentum, unleashing her magic more brilliantly, more boldly.
Like a child seeking praise.
He never stepped into the spotlight, but if he weren't playing his pivotal role, the other five members would have struggled just to keep up with the two women at the front.
“Hah…”
And it was the same with his daughter, Yu Hana.
When Jung Hae-in was focused on the mage, his daughter would wait for an opportunity and slip out of his line of sight.
Then she would deliberately place herself in the most dangerous part of the battlefield.
And like clockwork, the boy would notice and support her with perfect timing.
In response, Yu Hana would show off, performing a flirtatious sword dance as if to thank him.
Yu Mujin pressed a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes.
It would have been better not to know.
Hana…
To think the one making advances wasn't him.
On the contrary, the boy was almost too earnest.
He was faithful to his role and coordinated the team perfectly.
The only problem was that he willingly walked right into the traps the two young women so casually laid for him.
Without a shred of suspicion. Naively.
From Yu Mujin’s perspective…
The battlefield had, at some point, transformed into a stage for two women to compete for Jung Hae-in’s attention.
*
Beeeeep.
“Nice!!!”
At the sound of the beep signaling the wave’s defeat, the members all collapsed to the ground.
Their breathing was ragged, their bodies drenched in sweat.
“Let’s just keep this up…”
Yoon Sang-hyeok said from the rear, laughing weakly.
Team Yu Hana had already cleared up to the ninth wave with excellent performance.
Their rank on the scoreboard… was first place.
Second place, as expected, was the team with Joo Seo-jun and Yohan.
The point difference wasn't large, but the key was that they were in the lead.
More importantly, I hadn't stepped up to the front lines.
To be honest, I could handle this mission by myself, and I already had a solid record of achievements.
So I didn't think there was much point in me taking the lead.
But it was different for the others. An experience like this, where monsters appeared endlessly, was rare.
Therefore, my goal was to let them gain as much experience as possible.
And, over the past nine waves, the conclusion I’d reached was…
“They’re good.”
They were doing well.
I muttered as if to myself.
Yu Hana, of course, was flawless. Her movements were textbook, and though she sometimes put herself in risky positions, I considered that part of her unique combat sense.
In the grand scheme of things, it was a necessary role within the team, so I saw no need to correct it.
Yoon Chae-ha, on the other hand…
It felt like she was enjoying my attention.
Her firepower was outstanding. Her command of magic was superb. Her sense of positioning was genius.
But that wasn't the problem.
She kept deploying large-scale magic.
Of course, that was a mage’s job against large groups of enemies, and usually a shield bearer like Dae-hyun would cover for her.
‘Laaaa—!’
‘You son of a bitch!’
She’d just be throwing out suppressive spells and fireballs over and over, but she’d only conjure a flame spear when I was right beside her.
“Did you say I did a good job?”
It seemed Yoon Chae-ha had overheard my muttering.
Still sitting on the ground, she turned her head to look at me.
“No. Not you.”
I answered curtly, but she looked completely unfazed.
“Really?”
With a cool smile, she used her slender fingers to sweep back her sweat-dampened bangs.
“I’ll just do better next time.”
She grinned, looking me straight in the eye.
Faced with such a confident attitude, I almost laughed in spite of myself.
“Hae-in.”
But just then, Yu Hana approached me, also covered in sweat.
Her breathing was a little ragged, and sweat trickled down her forehead.
“Can you… wipe my sweat for me?”
“Your sweat?”
She had been the one to clash with the monsters the most on the front lines.
Her clothes and hair bore the clear marks of battle.
The time is…
There was still a little left. The short break given after each wave.
There was a bit of a gap before the final wave.
I figured I could at least help her wipe off some sweat.
“It’ll only take a moment, so please help me. It’s… a place I can’t reach.”
Yu Hana quietly glanced around before lightly taking my sleeve.
She then began to carefully lead me toward the woods on the outskirts of the ruins.
Just then.
“Leader?”
Yoon Chae-ha’s voice cut in.
A single, quiet word.
And then.
Fwoosh.
A small flame flickered to life at her fingertips.
The flame drew in the heat and mana from the air, flowing gently toward Yu Hana.
“…!”
The flame expanded with Yoon Chae-ha’s energy.
A refined gust of hot air, guided by her will, quietly enveloped Yu Hana’s body.
A breeze made of soft, warm heat swept gently over her.
The sweat that had been trickling down her skin evaporated in an instant, and her disheveled hair settled as if it had been blow-dried.
Even her skin was left feeling fresh and dry.
“I’ll dry you off.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Yoon Chae-ha sent the same warm breeze to the other team members.
“Whoa. Thanks.”
“Thank you~”
Words of gratitude came from all around.
They had been fighting nonstop, so this was a precious moment of respite.
Yu Hana touched her now perfectly dry hair with one hand, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Her expression was calm, but her gaze was fixed quietly on Yoon Chae-ha.
A quick glance, as if something displeased her.
Yoon Chae-ha, however, naturally took a handkerchief from her pocket.
Ssk.
She walked over to me and, without a word, raised the handkerchief.
“You didn’t sweat much… so a hot breeze would be a bit much. I’ll wipe it for you.”
As she spoke, her hand touched my forehead.
A faint scent of lavender tickled my nose.
Yoon Chae-ha quietly pressed her lips together as she carefully wiped my forehead.
But on her own forehead, beads of sweat had formed from creating the hot breeze just a moment ago.
I looked at her, then slowly reached out my hand.
Swish, swish.
With the end of my long sleeve, I gently wiped her forehead.
The moment my fingertips touched her, she froze and stared at me.
I wiped Yoon Chae-ha’s forehead, and she wiped mine.
Our arms crossed, we wiped each other’s sweat.
“…Thank you.”
Yoon Chae-ha, who had been wiping my forehead, suddenly bowed her head low.
Uncharacteristically, the corners of her lips trembled slightly.
Wipe, wipe, wipe.
Unable to see properly, she ended up wiping the handkerchief all over my eyes, nose, and mouth.
“Hey, mmph… Watch where you’re wiping.”
I said, squinting.
After we finished wiping each other’s sweat, we returned to our positions.
“Hooo…”
Beside me, Yu Hana closed her eyes and began to meditate, letting out a long breath.
Her hands were trembling.
[ Time remaining until the 10th Wave begins: 00:15 ]
The final wave was about to begin.
