Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Preparation
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The executives who could be considered the top brass of the Cheonbu Sect, sensing the gravity of the situation, had gathered.
I attended along with Seolhwa.
I hadn't expected them to call me, but for some reason, Seolhwa insisted it was only natural.
My joining the Cheonbu Sect was an unspoken promise to lend my strength.
They had to know that.
'So that's why they're treating me well?'
When every ounce of power mattered, it made sense.
Honestly, I hadn't wanted to come at all, but I showed up for Seolhwa's sake.
Most of them looked a bit older, but not all were Awakeners.
There was a C-rank martial artist I'd never seen before.
A middle-aged man in his forties, a touch weaker than Seolhwa, with a taciturn and serious air about him.
(The quiet type.)
Sensing my curiosity, Seolhwa whispered an explanation.
Opinions were exchanged, but no one seemed to have a way to turn the tide.
It was absolute inferiority, plain and simple.
Still, the common consensus was to fortify their defenses for now.
It was the obvious conclusion—and the only option left.
Even that depended entirely on whether that Black Wolf bastard felt like it, which was the grim reality of the Cheonbu Sect.
But no one voiced it aloud.
The Cheonbu Sect needed to bolster its forces, even if just a little.
"What's this?"
"A monster detector."
I'd originally planned to hand it over through Seolhwa, but since I was there, I gave it directly.
"N-No way... this detects monsters?"
"Yeah... pretty much. It'll be useful for keeping watch. Don't forget to return it when this is over."
The kids had Combat Suits, so I could lend it easily enough.
Awakeners were precious in times like these.
It would've been better to give it before sending out scouts, but I hadn't even known they were doing that.
A little late, sure, but what could I do?
"H-How in the world did you get something like..."
Explaining it was tricky, and I was too lazy to bother anyway.
Reading my expression, the sect leader grandpa didn't press further.
I also pulled out a few drones and handed them over.
With two already dead, they could've whined about why not sooner, but no one did.
The Cheonbu Sect started hastily piling up barricades inside the apartment, dragging in every scrap they could find.
The commotion outside grew because of it.
"Thank you, my lord."
The moment I got back and flopped onto the sofa, Seolhwa expressed her gratitude.
She was probably talking about the monster detector I'd lent the Cheonbu Sect.
I got what she was misunderstanding, but it wasn't for them.
It was for the kids,
and for me.
I couldn't charge out recklessly because of Seolhwa and because I didn't trust the Cheonbu Sect guys.
Seolhwa would likely fight on the front lines.
She was Cheonbu Sect to begin with, and with family there, it was awkward to stop her.
The Cheonbu Sect needed to hold out at least somewhat for me to hunt comfortably.
Of course, without the kids, I wouldn't have cared this much—but even so, it was strange how much I was looking out for people now.
Impossible to imagine in my old days.
Chasing women had been awakening's biggest flaw, the thing that always tripped me up...
But I didn't hate it.
"What do you think will happen?"
"We'll have no choice but to go out and fight in the end."
I agreed with Seolhwa's assessment.
But no one had said it aloud in the meeting.
For now, with families and civilians there, they were hunkering down—but supplies would run out eventually.
The Cheonbu Sect leader had to be sweating bullets right now.
When things hit rock bottom...
The choice would come.
Dying of thirst wasn't an option; they'd have to go out swinging.
I glanced over; the save point hadn't activated yet.
'Tomorrow... or the day after should be good.'
I could only hope the Black Wolf took its sweet time coming.
As night fell and pitch-black darkness settled, they appeared.
The Black Wolf was glaring at this place from a good distance away.
I pondered.
Just 3 skill points short of maxing Body Strengthening.
Once I did, it'd be easier.
The Black Wolf didn't seem like the straightforward type, like that B-rank T-Rex monster from my original world.
One-on-one, maybe—but with mobs in tow, it was risky.
Monsters in this world were annoyingly smart.
The cat monsters had already pissed me off proving it.
No reason to think the Black Wolf was dumber.
Four C-ranks.
Spaced out far apart.
Before I could take out three, the Black Wolf would probably charge in.
Turning into all-out war.
We weren't ready yet.
While fighting the Black Wolf, I couldn't watch this place.
Cheonbu Sect casualties? Whatever.
But Seolhwa could be in danger.
Luckily, the monsters kept their distance from the on-edge Cheonbu Sect, circling without attacking.
They'd retreat now and then, only to slink back and harass them.
That alone was enough to wear on the Cheonbu Sect's nerves.
Still, the night passed without major losses.
But everyone's nerves were frayed.
No sleep, naturally.
'Damn... the detector's pointless at this rate.'
Reduced to a staring contest with those bastards.
I wanted time to drag on like this, but...
In the end, the Black Wolf snatched one Cheonbu Sect member, returning only his head.
That confirmed it.
The bastard was toying with the Cheonbu Sect.
I could've saved him, but I didn't.
I didn't want to give the Black Wolf any reason to be alert.
I didn't want all-out war right now.
Compared to those things, the Cheonbu Sect was too weak.
Losing one person was a bargain for them, in my book.
"Don't you hate me for it?"
I asked Seolhwa.
She had to know I could've saved him.
Yet Seolhwa said nothing to me about it.
Neither did the sect leader grandpa.
"You don't need to torment yourself, my lord. This is the fault of the weak Cheonbu Sect, not yours."
"...?"
She thought I was feeling guilty?
I'd only worried about her favor dropping.
Seeing her earnest eyes, full of trust, made me a bit embarrassed.
I'd seen plenty of deaths.
Killed my share too.
Sorry to her, but I wasn't good enough to feel anything for some stranger with no bond.
Still, no intention of spoiling her good opinion of me.
And time passed; the save point activated.
I had no plans to let this drag on.
Prolonged, it'd plunge the Cheonbu Sect into endless despair.
If they weakened, the kids would be at risk, and I couldn't hunt comfortably.
"This is..."
Through Seolhwa, I gathered the Cheonbu Sect executives and handed out Combat Suits from my original world.
Arm the martial artists with suits.
Basic defense models.
Of course, I couldn't give my woman Seolhwa the same as them.
Hers was top-spec, expensive stuff.
"These are Combat Suits, artifacts that block monster attacks. My lord brought them for the Cheonbu Sect martial artists to wear."
Seolhwa explained in my place.
"Th-These artifacts..."
A bushy-bearded uncle was eyeing it eagerly, fiddling nonstop.
'Not an Awakener, huh...'
Suits weren't great against C-rank or higher, but solid against D-rank attacks.
Useful for these skilled martial artists; it'd prevent fatal wounds.
Couldn't boost their offense, so defense it was.
'They won't stubbornly stick to hanbok in this mess, right?'
Not giving away for free—lending.
Cost-effective picks, but still suits. Money down the drain.
They might wonder why hold out till now, but no time for that.
Seolhwa had seen one on the rooftop before,
and probably guessed I'd gone somewhere.
Thought about giving guns to civilians, but friendly fire would be a miracle.
D-rank monsters shrugged off bullets anyway.
Scrapped that idea.
Once suits were distributed, lure the bastard out.
"Not giving them for free."
All eyes turned to me; question marks on their faces.
"Tomorrow at dawn, I want to hunt it down."
Using the Cheonbu Sect to catch it.
Day or night didn't matter to me, but they had to hold; daytime it was.
Lucky it's early sunrise season.
While I handled the bastard, Cheonbu Sect holds.
They'd screwed things up before, but...
They were the kids' bare-minimum safety net.
"T-Tomorrow?!"
"I-Isn't that too sudden?"
Sudden Black Wolf hunt announcement; everyone jumped, shouting.
"If anything, we're late. You all know dragging it out just makes it worse, right?"
"........."
They knew.
Stalling bought nothing.
I nodded to Seolhwa; she continued.
"The Black Wolf will be my lord's to handle. We'll deal with the rest."
I'd briefed her on the plan beforehand.
Figured it'd go over easier from her than me.
"Will you be alright..."
Even then, the sect leader grandpa fretted over me.
Polite facade or genuine, who knew.
No yielding my skill points regardless; no one else could face the Black Wolf anyway.
"Doesn't matter if I'm not—there's no one else who can."
"........."