Chapter 222: Frustration is What Makes a Man! (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 222: Frustration is What Makes a Man! (2)
After getting out of bed, Lee Yu-na spreads a mat on the floor and begins her yoga routine.
She had been deployed on an operation the previous day and had narrowly escaped a dangerous situation. Despite her exhaustion, she refuses to break her disciplined lifestyle.
While her body appears serene as she loosens up in static poses, she is actually struggling immensely on the inside.
The Black Unicorn party had been far too successful compared to other heroes of the same rank.
They had never used a Jewel of Life, they climbed the ranks at a blistering pace, and their conquests were always stable. Based on their growth rate alone, they were so outstanding they could have been mistaken for S-rank heroes.
Had that success bred arrogance?
The decisive battle against Victoria and Spinner had left her in a state of deep depression.
Even with Han So-ye, who possessed a Tier 1 anti-personnel skill, they had barely managed to hold their own against Victoria. Against Spinner, they hadn't been able to put up a proper fight at all.
Because Yu-na provided support from the rear, she had been able to see the situation on the battlefield all too clearly.
Black Unicorn is strong.
That much is undeniable.
Compared to heroes of the same rank, Black Unicorn was stronger, and their organically linked tactics were capable of overwhelming most opponents.
But that was only against heroes of the same rank.
Maybe an A-rank party is possible too?
Because they had such a reliable leader, their hubris had pierced the heavens.
Realizing the reality of their situation, Yu-na bites her lip.
It stifles her to admit that the only person who had functioned properly in that battle was Jeong Yeon-woo.
In terms of pure stats, he couldn't even be compared to the other members of Black Unicorn. He claimed the role of a Supporter, stepping back from the front line to support the members and focus on command.
But when the situation turned dire, he stepped up to the front.
The man who always placed personnel in the right spots and maintained a perfect formation had moved forward.
He did it because the members were in danger, but conversely, it meant the front line was insufficient and unreliable. It also meant that him being on the front line was, in fact, the most optimal formation.
What was the point of dividing roles into Attackers and Defenders?
They were all inferior to Jeong Yeon-woo anyway.
Yu-na suppresses the surge of emotion.
She usually managed her mind through yoga, but right now, her heart is churning uncontrollably.
If even she, a Supporter in the rear, feels this way, the other members must feel even worse.
Yu-na’s eyes drift toward Satomi’s empty bed.
Satomi had been unable to sleep last night and had gone out at dawn; she still hadn't returned.
Everyone was hurting, but Satomi’s case was particularly severe.
Jeong Yeon-woo had excluded her from the battle entirely.
He had pulled her back and kept her out of the fight. When Satomi ignored his orders and rushed in to save Kwon Ye-jin, who was trapped by Spatial Fixation, she had been defeated effortlessly.
Jeong Yeon-woo had to save her, and she was forced to retreat with a dagger buried in her abdomen.
For someone who was supposed to face enemies on the front line, it was an incident that shattered not only her confidence but her very self-esteem.
Though her life had been saved, Satomi hadn't said a single word the entire way back to the dormitory. Even when Yu-na tried to speak to her, she only offered a strained smile and avoided conversation.
After finishing her yoga, Yu-na takes a quick shower and heads down to the cafeteria.
Jeong Yeon-woo had been called to headquarters early this morning to handle the aftermath of the operation.
He is a man who is simply too outstanding.
Almost too good for us...
The thought brings tears to Yu-na’s eyes.
She remembers when Baek Seo-woo invaded the dungeon.
He had acknowledged Jeong Yeon-woo and Yoon A-young, but he had treated the rest of the members like trash.
She hadn't cared at the time, but chewing on those words now makes her chest ache with a searing pain.
When she arrives at the cafeteria, Kwon Ye-jin and Anna are already seated.
The plates of these two usually hearty eaters hold only a few lonely pieces of bread, and even those they are barely picking at.
Yu-na sits at their table and eats in silence.
There are no greetings, no bickering.
Anna’s face is swollen as if she had cried all night, and Kwon Ye-jin just stares gloomily, shredding her bread into tiny pieces over and over again.
Soon after, Yoon A-young and Hornet come down to join them.
Their meal proceeds as usual.
"Did somebody die? Perk up, you losers."
Hornet scowls, clearly displeased by the members picking at their food.
However, even at her provocation, no one reacts. They keep their eyes fixed on their own plates.
"Sigh, you pathetic bitches."
Letting out a deep sigh, Hornet drops her fork onto her plate with a clatter and gets up to leave.
Even after Hornet departs, Kwon Ye-jin continues to tear at her bread in silence before finally speaking in a voice uncharacteristically devoid of spirit.
"Are we... actually strong?"
"We are," Yoon A-young answers calmly, deboning her fish.
At her answer, Kwon Ye-jin’s eyes dart around before she casts her gaze down again.
"I'm a Defender, but I couldn't protect anyone."
"You did protect us. That's why we're all sitting here alive," Yoon A-young says firmly, her chopsticks busy trying to catch a stubborn bone.
"It wasn't me who protected us, it was Master... He protected everyone, including me, the Defender..."
"Sometimes you protect, sometimes you're protected. That's what a party is."
Though she answered coldly, refuting every word, Yoon A-young was trying to comfort her.
Yu-na, who had been quietly sipping her soup, speaks up in a low voice.
"To put it nicely, it's a party. To put it bluntly, it's a nursery where Yeon-woo is the nanny."
"Yu-na, not you too. What's wrong with you?"
Yoon A-young stops her aggressive chopstick movements and glares, but Yu-na meets her gaze with a bitter smile.
"It's the truth, isn't it? We're nothing without Yeon-woo. Every tactic Black Unicorn uses came from his head, and he's the one who trained us. If it weren't for him, I'd still be stuck in C-rank, putting on a pathetic show trying to be an Attacker."
Yoon A-young scowls, but Yu-na doesn't stop.
"Jewels? Records? Being called prospects? We didn't earn any of that. Yeon-woo earned it all and kindly decorated Black Unicorn with it. So there's no need to be depressed. This was our level to begin with."
Yu-na lets out a mocking laugh, her words cold and biting.
Yoon A-young frowns as she notices Anna and Kwon Ye-jin’s expressions darkening further at the harsh words. Just as she is about to speak, Yu-na continues.
"But it's infuriating, isn't it?"
"..."
"Aren't you angry? I'm so mad I feel like I'm going crazy. Why am I only capable of this much? Why am I always the one being protected? Yeon-woo’s going to go broke if he keeps giving to us like this. I guess I should be happy—I met a great leader, so my rank goes up even if I just stand still. Oh, I'm so happy."
Sarcasm dripping from her voice, Yu-na grits her teeth and clenches her fists.
"I am going to be useful to him. Before Yeon-woo—who loves giving so much—goes bankrupt, I'm going to help him. I'll make it so Black Unicorn can't function without me. I don't have time to sit around being frustrated."
As if making a vow to herself, Yu-na tosses her spoon—now bent from the pressure of her grip—onto the table and stands up.
Kwon Ye-jin watches her retreating back blankly before looking at Yoon A-young.
"Does that mean... she's going to try harder?"
"Let's go train."
Yoon A-young also sets down her chopsticks and stands.
Anna, who had been discouraged, hops up as well. Kwon Ye-jin follows them, but not before turning back to grab a handful of shredded bread and stuffing it into her mouth as she runs to catch up.
Despite Hornet’s worries, the members bounced back faster than expected. Even though Jeong Yeon-woo had given them time off, they went to train of their own accord.
Thanks to their spirited departure, a sign was left in the cafeteria: 'Please clear your own seats before leaving.'
Satomi sighs, unable to settle her turbulent heart.
She had been excluded from the battle.
It was a humiliating situation, the likes of which she had never experienced.
And yet, it was her own fault for acting out alone to save Kwon Ye-jin and getting injured.
His orders had been precise, and his judgment of the situation had been cold and accurate.
To be a person of the sword and yet be useless on the front line...
The confidence she once had to introduce herself as a warrior had vanished.
Satomi couldn't bear how pathetic and powerless she felt.
And then, there was the swordsmanship he had shown.
She was experienced enough to have seen almost every style of swordsmanship in the world, but she had never seen anything like Jeong Yeon-woo’s.
It felt familiar yet entirely different—a style so powerful it made her wonder why he bothered being a Supporter at all.
When she first joined Black Unicorn, she had already lost to him a few times.
She had teamed up with Hornet for a test match against Black Unicorn and lost every single time.
But back then, she thought she had lost to his brilliant tactics and the way he brought out his teammates' strengths.
He had avoided direct engagement, supported his members, and used a peculiar strategy of alternating buffs and debuffs on the enemy.
She had been impressed by the unimaginable tactics, but she hadn't been shocked by his individual combat ability.
But when Jeong Yeon-woo took her sword, he held the front line alone.
Satomi was captivated by his honest, extremely utilitarian sword that lacked any unnecessary flourish.
Why would someone who could fight like that be a Supporter?
Comparing his skill to her own, Satomi’s heart grows heavy.
A sense of helplessness takes hold of her, and the hand that should be gripping a sword begins to tremble.
Come to think of it, Kwon Ye-jin had told her about the first time she met him at a bar.
She said they had fought one-on-one, and she had been beaten without being able to do a thing.
Since they were D-ranks at the time, Satomi hadn't thought much of who won or lost.
At lower ranks, the gap isn't that wide, and even those called prospects often get humiliated by heroes of the same rank.
But as if mocking her thoughts, Jeong Yeon-woo’s sword had been chillingly precise.
Precise enough to push back the front liners and face Victoria and Spinner alone.
Whenever she closed her eyes, his swordplay flickered in her mind, keeping her from sleep.
Still, she had taken a certain pride in the field of swordsmanship.
Hadn't Jeong Yeon-woo trusted her enough to leave the swordsmanship instruction of Yoon A-young and Anna to her?
No, that wasn't it...
Satomi gives a bitter smile and lets out a long breath.
When she looks up, she sees Jeong Yeon-woo walking out of the Support Headquarters.
He was smiling brightly and greeting the people inside as he left, but when he spots Satomi, he approaches with a look that suggests he expected her to be there.
"I told you to rest. Why did you come all the way out here? You don't need to protect me."
He isn't someone who needs protection.
Especially not from someone like me...
Satomi unfastens the sword at her waist and bows deeply to him.
"Tsukushima Satomi of the Niten Ichi-ryu. I request a duel with the leader of Black Unicorn, Hero Jeong Yeon-woo."
"..."
"I know this is rude, and I know the timing is strange. But would you please duel me, just once?"
With her head bowed, Satomi couldn't bring herself to look up, fearing the expression he might be wearing.
Unbeknownst to her, and contrary to the face she imagined, Jeong Yeon-woo was busy stealing glances at her waist and hips.
After a moment of silence, Jeong Yeon-woo’s voice reaches her.
"Fine. But shall we make a few promises first?"
"Yes, anything."
"Regardless of who wins, you won't leave Black Unicorn."
"Yes, of course. I like Black Unicorn."
Satomi lifts her head and speaks with conviction.
A strange light glimmers in Jeong Yeon-woo’s eyes as he continues.
"And, the loser must do whatever the winner says."
"...Excuse me?"
"For the record, if I win, I'm going to change you however I want. Your swordsmanship, your combat style, and your body. Your entire life will change, so think about it seriously."
Satomi is taken aback when Jeong Yeon-woo says he will change the swordsmanship that is her very foundation.
And what did he mean by her body?
There were many things she didn't understand, but if he was going to look over her sword, it was something she would actually welcome.
He always moved toward the right answer and had never been wrong during training.
"Yes, that is fine."
"Good. It's a promise then."
His smile, which had always been pleasant, looked strangely frightening today, but Satomi accepts the duel nonetheless.