Chapter 17: A Date with Su-jin (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 17: A Date with Su-jin (3)
The last time I’d been in a fight was in kindergarten.
As I recall, it was a scuffle over who got to play with a Gold-Run toy.
Since then, I’d stayed far away from violence.
Even when I learned martial arts or hit the gym, everything happened within a set of rules, so there was never any real pressure.
Even if I’d suddenly been possessed by the body of a soldier in the middle of a war, being able to shoot a gun or swing a blade was a completely different matter.
A talent for violence? That was a story for the original Baek Tae-yang.
Maybe Baek Tae-yang would have gone wild even against monsters, beating them down like they were just people.
But I wasn't him. I was Lee Tae-ok.
I wasn't used to seeing people bleed right in front of my eyes.
I could see Su-jin fighting desperately before me.
I knew I had to help, but my body wouldn't move so easily.
Part of me wanted to turn around and bolt right then and there.
After all, I was just an ordinary person who had been living a normal life, now trapped inside the body of someone who was an Awakener in name only.
‘But I have to move.’
Hiding behind a woman didn't sit right with me.
It wasn't because I was in Baek Tae-yang’s body; it was Lee Tae-ok’s own instincts rejecting the idea.
Fear? That’s natural at first.
Terror? Anyone would feel it.
Anyone would shrink back when faced with an unknown, unprecedented situation.
But.
‘No more of this.’
Just because a senior with more experience was fighting in my stead didn't mean I should just stand still.
Baek Tae-yang had the power to protect people.
Standing by and doing nothing was unacceptable.
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[Dignity of the Name 'Sun'] resonates with Lee Tae-ok’s resolve!
Act! Show them! Prove it!
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My trembling body steadied.
My legs, which had been floundering in a swamp of terror, came to a halt.
Step by step, I moved forward.
When countless people are screaming for salvation, one person shouldn't have to shoulder it all alone.
Someone had to help.
This gifted physical body wasn't meant for hiding behind a woman.
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[Emergency Quest]!
Additional monsters have appeared!
Exterminate all monsters in the corridor!
Clear Conditions :: Goblins (0/21), Kobolds (0/14), Orcs (0/3)
Reward :: (To be paid in combination with the previous Emergency Quest) / Penalty :: Deletion of 'Dignity of the Name 'Sun'', ???
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As if the quest didn't like me stepping up, it made the situation even worse.
It didn't matter.
No matter how bad it got, I would settle everything.
Monsters poured in.
People watching the goblins get slaughtered began to scream.
"Hurry up and save us! You're an Awakener, aren't you?!"
"Why! Why are you saving that guy first! Save me! Me!"
"It's your fault! If we die, it's all on you!!! Every bit of it!!! You killed us!!!"
Their shouts snapped me into focus.
Amidst those cries, Su-jin was silently swinging her fists.
She proved herself endlessly through her actions.
She had every right to resent me for standing still, yet she didn't show even a hint of it.
Look at her, fighting like that when she’s only a year older than me.
How could I just stand there, hiding behind that small frame?
I calmly surveyed my surroundings.
For now, Su-jin was drawing their attention and handling the monsters, but it was only a matter of time.
Now, it was my turn to prove myself.
‘The fastest way to solve this.’
The only area-of-effect skill I had was Coercion.
‘Can I do it?’
I pushed the worry aside. It wasn't a matter of whether I could; I had to.
The people around us were already lashing out, hurling crude insults at Su-jin.
If someone died here, it would surely become a massive trauma for her.
Everything for Su-jin’s sake.
Click.
My hesitation was brief, and my action was swift. I turned the control device on my bracelet.
‘Output at 40%, target all monsters in the corridor.’
What if I lacked the skill to control it and hurt the civilians? I didn't even entertain such a hypothesis.
Su-jin’s condition was the priority right now.
Just as you protected me, I will...
"Senior, it’s okay to feel that way at first. Don't blame yourself too much."
I stepped in front of Su-jin. I couldn't let her be hurt anymore.
My body trembled slightly, and then something invisible spread throughout the entire corridor.
I felt it instinctively. That was Coercion.
To my eyes, it looked like the shape of a massive hand.
The hand grabbed the monsters' heads one by one and slammed them into the floor.
Some were caught and smashed down; others were crushed by a descending fist.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Starting from the smallest, they were driven into the ground in order.
They were all forced into a position with their knees buckled and their heads pressed against the floor.
Coercion wasn't a skill that merely worked on a psychological level.
The concept itself was perfectly manifested as physical force.
It forcibly recreated the sight of the weak bowing before the overwhelmingly powerful.
The drain on my strength wasn't that great.
"No one is going to die, so it’s okay."
As if relieved, Su-jin collapsed on the spot and began to sob.
The pressure of trying to protect everyone with an ability not suited for one-versus-many combat must have been immense.
"I'll handle the rest, Noona."
Looking at the quest window, the monsters weren't all dead yet.
In truth, not many monsters would die just from the impact of having their heads slammed into the ground.
The output was low, but the biggest issue was my lack of skill proficiency.
[Smite activated! Powerful force dwells in your left fist!]
It wasn't a big problem.
I just had to strike the back of their necks with Smite and crush their heads to finish this quickly.
[Smite activated! Powerful force dwells in your right foot!]
There were injuries, but no fatalities.
Since the monsters appeared near the Academy, a rescue team would arrive soon, so there was nothing to worry about.
‘The rule is they usually arrive within ten minutes, right?’
As I quickly cleared them out, I checked the quest window and saw only one Orc left to kill.
The Orc was right in front of the corridor's emergency exit.
It would be horrific if it escaped and caused damage elsewhere.
‘Better go kill it quickly.’
Su-jin seemed to have finished crying; she wiped her eyes and stood up, walking toward me.
Her clothes and hair were a mess, but she looked incredibly cool.
If I had been alone, I definitely wouldn't have been able to do anything.
"Wait! Stop!"
Just as I was about to bash the Orc’s neck to finish it off, I heard a voice from right in front of me.
A group of people wearing outfits that anyone could tell were tactical uniforms began to pour in.
They all carried different weapons; they looked like a rescue team made up of Awakeners.
"We are terribly sorry for being late."
The rescue team moved in perfect order toward the civilians.
‘They’re good at their jobs.’
The injured were evacuated immediately, and those who weren't hurt much were moved for questioning.
Furthermore, they checked every individual's recording devices and deleted all videos of the scene.
The rescue team decided that since they could secure footage from the corridor's CCTV, they didn't need the civilians' data.
In fact, civilians possessing such footage could be a problem in itself.
Actually, they weren't even that late.
Nine minutes after an incident occurs is a timeframe where there might be casualties, but major damage can usually be prevented.
It was only because two cadets happened to be on the scene that there were no deaths.
‘Not bad.’
I had paused briefly at the command to stop, but I didn't think it was directed at me.
Just as I was about to smash the Orc’s head again, someone suddenly grabbed my hand.
"Didn't you hear me tell you to stop, Cadet Baek Tae-yang?"
I looked up to see the person who had shouted earlier.
I remembered him skillfully commanding the rescue workers as they dispersed.
Is this guy the leader? But why did he tell me to stop?
As I stared at him, he scratched his buzz-cut head and spoke with a solemn face.
"This is the first time a monster has appeared without going through a proper Gate. Therefore, we need a specimen for investigation."
Behind the buzz-cut man, people in white lab coats appeared.
They began to slowly bind the Orc with something like rope; it was clear they intended to take it as it was.
What about my quest? My reward? My penalty?
"Thanks to the efforts of Cadet Yoo Su-jin and Cadet Baek Tae-yang, we were able to wrap this up."
"We are truly grateful."
The buzz-cut man let go of my hand and bowed.
Every agent who wasn't busy dealing with the civilians bowed toward Su-jin and me.
Su-jin waved her arms frantically, replying that she had only done what needed to be done.
"And to leave such a good specimen behind... you're quite capable."
At a researcher's comment, the buzz-cut man nodded.
It seemed they intended to take the Orc and study the mysterious phenomenon.
[Coercion activated! Setting target.]
[Target :: Living being in front of you]
Of course, I had absolutely no intention of letting them do that.
Leave it behind? Who said I was leaving it?
Trying to swoop in and take credit when the work was already done? I couldn't stand that.
I activated Coercion to pin down the bodies of the agents nearby.
[Smite activated! Powerful force dwells in your right hand!]
Then, I swung my right hand and struck the Orc’s head.
The Orc’s head exploded instantly.
Green blood splattered across the faces of everyone who had been close to the Orc for transport.
I had to finish my quest first; what the hell were they talking about?
I looked around at them with an incomprehensible expression.
Green blood had suddenly been thrown over the heartwarming atmosphere.