Chapter 58
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Will You Suddenly Pounce Just Because I Became an Adult?
"Everyone, good work!"
"Huff...! Huff...!"
"A bit... moderately... huff... at least..."
The training finally wrapped up after evening fell.
It had dragged on for nearly five full hours.
"Still, the training's super effective, right?"
"That's the problem... it feels like it'll actually kill us..."
"Aw, you're exaggerating."
Sia chuckled softly as she spread her divine power wide.
The bodies of the sprawled-out group began to heal.
Their minds were still a mess, but their bodies grew refreshingly light, creating a bizarre disconnect between flesh and spirit.
It felt almost like they weren't themselves anymore.
Even so, everyone smiled in satisfaction now that training was over.
"That's it for today, and we'll meet here again tomorrow at the usual time?"
But at Sia's immediate follow-up, everyone flinched in shock.
One person cautiously raised a hand to ask.
"Um... how long are we doing this for?"
"Hmm... I can't restore mental strength, so... until the day before the day before we enter the gate, to get you all back to full condition?"
"Ugh..."
At the news they'd have to repeat this for four more days, one person dry-heaved.
In the end, they trained nonstop for five straight days.
A few wanted to bail due to poor condition... but excuses like that didn't fly with Sia.
"If we could just run in place, we could've bolted..."
Someone muttered that.
Everyone nodded vigorously in the ensuing silence.
The training results were just too good to simply flee.
Time flew by, and the day to enter the gate arrived.
This time, reporters were swarming even before entry.
The guilds of the raid members had called them in for promotion.
Everyone had some interview experience, but nothing like this crowd.
They'd steeled themselves beforehand, but the tension was unavoidable.
"If questions come, just say you'll do your best. Say the wrong thing, and it'll haunt you later."
Sia, who'd already self-inflicted a near-black mark of an interview, advised them.
Standing at the front, Sia fielded the reporters' questions lightly, waved, and stepped into the gate.
The full raid followed swiftly behind her and vanished into the gate.
Inside was a gloomy forest.
"There's a decent water source nearby, so split into groups as planned and start building the base camp. Scouts, circle the monsters and report back."
"""Yes, ma'am!"""
Iseo and Sina from the base-building team pitched temporary tents at the pre-scouted spot.
"...Can't ignore it even if I try."
Sina said, shoulders slumping.
Ever since deciding to share a tent with Sia, she couldn't stop being aware of her.
Even in a gate where they had to stay serious—sharing living space with others, no less...
Who knew when those black demonic hands might reach for her.
They were too pretty for a demon's, but still.
And it wasn't just Sina— all the other female raiders felt the same.
Iseo's nonchalance was the real outlier.
"What's the big deal? We're invincible minors."
Iseo shrugged.
She'd known for a while that Iseo hooked up with multiple women.
She'd gotten all cozy with her cousin Chaerin but insisted they weren't dating, so of course there were others.
But precisely because of that, Iseo brushed it off casually.
It might sound cocky to outsiders, but Iseo had never doubted her own appeal.
Plus, she was fairly close to Sia.
They'd trained together multiple times and bonded, and living at Chaerin's place kept them physically near too.
Yet Sia had never made a move, meaning no interest in minors.
In other words: safe.
Iseo laid out her logic confidently, and Sina stared at her pitifully.
"Iseo... we'll all be adults next week."
"Huh?"
"It's mid-December now..."
"Only that much of the year left already...?"
Stunned by her friend's words, Iseo's mouth fell open.
Why was there so little year left...?
No, and...
'Wait... am I... in danger too...?'
Realizing she wasn't safe either, Iseo's heart began pounding wildly.
—Thump thump♡
—Twitch twitch♡
"B-but... she won't suddenly pounce just 'cause we're adults, right? ...Right?"
"Don't ask me... I've only met her a few times during work... You know her better than I do."
"Well... yeah, but..."
The two chatting might've looked anxious at a glance... but faint pink blushes clearly colored their cheeks.
The difference? Sina was purely embarrassed by the topic, while Iseo—
"Monsters spotted! 12 o'clock from base, massive group swarming 1km out!"
Before Iseo's thoughts could continue, the wave began.
Gate terms, including "wave," were often borrowed from games.
Monster waves came from tower defense games: monsters marching toward a base.
Of course, they didn't clump up like in games, marching a single path.
Gates reflected real worlds like mirages, after all.
But when density was high and aimed one way—like other gates, just lumped as "monster wave."
Usually humans at war, but this time, purely monster-driven.
-Kreee!
"Ugh, so gross!"
Every sword slice revealed wriggling pink tentacle bundles inside the hides.
Even decapitated, the inner tentacles kept moving.
Once all tentacles were done, Iseo and Sina's party gathered to talk.
"All parasitized? Ew—!"
"Seems so? But where are the hosts heading?"
"Like horsehair worms, driving to breeding spots?"
"Thousands, tens of thousands of them?"
"Parasitic curse? Seen something similar."
They theorized lightly while hunting on.
True to "wave," new groups hit soon after moving.
Exaggerating a bit, combat every five minutes.
"Mana's low!"
Mage-position Sina shouted.
She grabbed a backup weapon to face the charging low-level monsters.
Not skilled, but enough to tussle and hold multiple.
Iseo finished first and rushed to help.
Battle over, unaccustomed Sina collapsed.
"...Tough."
"But manageable, right? Would've been worse before."
"True..."
Sina smiled wryly at a party member's words.
Naturally, heavy-mana backliners like Sina tapped out fast in training.
Sia could heal stamina, not mana.
But she didn't let them rest—made them fight weapon-in-hand like frontline.
Not without pushback...
"Gonna die when mana runs out?"
Sia's line shut them up; they learned unused melee skills.
With solid physical specs backing, all survived five days unscathed.
Plus, not just backline: Sia targeted mana-less ones relentlessly, training frontline rescues.
"Hoo... cleared surroundings. Rest till Sina's mana recovers?"
The interim party leader said.
With Sia's divine barrier item up, they circled, munching jerky and high-cal protein bars.
Sina sat meditating, sipping potion from Iseo.
"Iseo, seriously, thank you."
"Huh? For what?"
"I saved you from tentacle porn, y'know?"
"Nooo—not that. Though thanks for that too... I mean volunteering first for Sia's tent."
"Oh... that."
All women except Iseo and Jiyu had balked at sharing with Sia.
Not hating her many flings.
"Just... being near her is scary? Intimidating? No, unsettling?"
"...What exactly?"
Male members tilted heads, confused.
Females smiled wryly, relating. Iseo now too.
"You guys wouldn't get it. You're men."
"Ever had your heart race for another girl? How confusing that is?"
"Guys make hearts flutter too, scary sometimes. Ugh... I'm not gay..."
"Kinda gets it now..."
"Sia looks like a guy? Hmm... pretty as a girl guy... oof, possible?"
"Hell no. Just die."
Most knew each other only by face or name before.
But hellish training bonded them fast.
Similar ages, superhuman goals helped.
Training planned for that—unlike studies/sports with fixed ranks.
Bad personalities wouldn't qualify or pass interviews anyway.
The leader guy protested.
"What's the difference from what you said?!"
"Nuance... huge."
"Ours pure, innocent vibe. Yours sleazy."
"I like girls too... strong cool ones like Guild Master Yeon Haran!"
"That's creepy in its own way..."
"Empathize, then get bashed blindly... Scary scary."
"Wanna take party leader instead...?"
Everyone chuckled softly.
Sina's meditation broke; she laughed too.
"Maybe 'cause she was a guy, that vibe?"
"Think so...?"
"But she knows makeup talk super well."
"When'd sis chat cosmetics?"
"Just... day three, I arrived first, small talk..."
Seeing her sheepish smile, Iseo's chest tightened.
"Teacher lives at cousin's building; knew girly stuff as guy too. All friends girls originally."
"Ah—yeah, those types."
"Tch. How handsome was she as guy...?"
"Kinda curious."
Once aware, they fixated on every Sia mention.
'Maybe just ask straight-up...'
Better than brooding alone.
"Call it for today?"
Three hours after resuming hunt, dusk fell; monsters thinned.
"Yeah. Ngh—! How many downed?"
"Dunno. But way better than Sia's training all day."
"Zero breather seconds there."
Back at base, other parties already rested.
"No support calls sent. Teacher's thrilled!"
Sia beamed, chest puffed as all gathered.
"Planned to drill any first-day callers extra later. Shame."
"Ugh..."
"Imagining it makes me wanna puke..."
"Dinner first, then crash! Injured, see me!"
Post-dinner, Iseo calmed her nerves and resolved.
Asked Sina to join, but blushing furiously: 'I barely know Sia sis... she won't go for me...' She fled.
Abandoned by her friend, Iseo entered the tent alone.
There, as requested... Jiyu waited solo.
"...So you're asking if Sia will... ahem... pounce when you turn adult?"
Just a year older, but crude words felt off around "the kid."
Experience gap was adult-child level anyway.
"Yeah..."
Jiyu sighed, pondering seriously.
Only one conclusion.
"...100%?"