Chapter 60: Mage and Alchemist (Rare) |
The tail, which had been swaying gently as it sought an opening, suddenly whipped forward with fluid grace. Seeing it shoot straight up from below, I knew it was aiming for Yu-jeong’s upper body—specifically her neck, a clear attempt at an instant kill. I was about to rush forward in a panic, but Yu-jeong’s next move left me stunned.
“Hmph!”
Letting out a peculiar cry, Yu-jeong ducked low and kicked off the ground, sliding forward so close to the earth that she almost touched it. The tail, which had aimed to pierce her neck, sliced through empty air. At the same time, Yu-jeong planted a hand on the ground to change her course, her path curving like a half-moon. Her trajectory shifted, and in an instant, she was behind the Renga.
With its rear now exposed, the Renga let its tail hang limp with a blank expression before whipping around with a start. But by then, Yu-jeong’s dagger had already mercilessly sliced across its neck. After confirming the Renga was collapsing, reflexively clutching its throat, Yu-jeong ran back toward me.
For a moment, I could only stare blankly at the brightly smiling Yu-jeong. An Hyeon, who had been about to charge forward with me, let out a loud gasp, clearly just as surprised.
Until now, Yu-jeong hadn't been fully utilizing her strengths. Of course, I acknowledged the potential of her Agility and Magic Power stats. But their combat styles were fundamentally different. An Hyeon, who relied on Strength, Endurance, and Stamina, could perform above average just by sticking to the basics and a straightforward approach.
However, Yu-jeong, who relied on Agility and Magic Power, needed to employ unconventional tactics in battle—a kind of instinctual play. Moreover, wielding two short-ranged daggers, she would struggle to shine in a standard fight, though she might excel in a chaotic melee.
In terms of pure combat ability, I had always ranked An Hyeon decidedly above Yu-jeong. But now, it seemed I needed to revise that assessment. Clean, simple movements. Yet, they were the most efficient movements. It was only one moment, but what Yu-jeong had just shown me left a deep impression. If she could replicate movements like that in every battle...
“Screeeeeech!”
It was then.
Fwoosh!
Several of the closest Rengas let out menacing cries and leaped into the air in unison. It wasn't a simple jump; they soared well over three meters, leaving the kids momentarily stunned.
An Hyeon, Yu-jeong, and I had all killed a Renga, but Yu-jeong’s performance had been the most impressive. As creatures that felt great anger at the killing of their kind, they were all targeting her.
This was the first time I'd seen a Renga jump that high. But knowing their target, I needed to protect Yu-jeong. A leap attack from that height would carry terrifying destructive power, and it would be impossible for her to block it unscathed with her physical abilities.
However, our party, now riding a wave of momentum, didn't stand idle. As if refusing to be outdone by her elders, this time it was Sol who stepped forward, staff in hand. She had been chanting a spell at high speed, and now, as if she'd been waiting for this exact moment, she thrust her staff toward the descending Rengas.
“Shackles!”
As Sol’s clear voice rang out, the bodies of the Rengas falling from the sky stiffened and then plummeted powerlessly to the ground. Having each taken down one Renga, the kids and I looked at Sol with proud expressions. Any spell’s target count could be increased from one to two or three, depending on the user’s skill, and this was the first time Sol had succeeded. Of course, the spell was weaker than its single-target version, but it was more than enough to bind the movements of the airborne Rengas.
Sol, who had been glaring at the Rengas with a fierce expression that didn't match her innocent face, immediately softened her features when she felt our gazes. We had started by taking out seven Rengas right from the beginning. Our ambush had yielded results beyond imagination.
But there were still about a dozen left. Their eyes had all turned red, a sign of their fury. Raising their claws and radiating killing intent, they slowly advanced on us. To secure an escape route, I began to slowly back away toward the passage we came from, raising my sword into a high guard.
“Kuaaah!”
The Rengas roared at us as a few of them leaped high into the air. This time, however, I wasn't particularly worried. They were slightly different from the Rengas I knew, but our party seemed to have found its rhythm. As if to press their advantage, An Hyeon and Yu-jeong took on stances that were a bit more aggressive than usual.
My sword met the viciously swinging claws that seemed intent on splitting my head open, and that clash signaled the resumption of battle. By engaging them directly, I could clearly discern the details that set them apart from normal Rengas. Their swift movements, their tactical sense in realizing I was the strongest and targeting the others alongside me, and their hit-and-run tactics, feigning retreat when in danger only to re-engage with their allies.
After our advantageous start, I had relaxed a bit, but I quickly snapped out of it and began coordinating the battlefield again. If this had been the kids from their first battle at the entrance of the Obsidian Forest, they would have crumbled long ago. But with my proper support and battlefield management, combined with An Hyeon’s divinely inspired spear work, they were not just holding their ground but were beginning to overwhelm the enemy.
Yu-jeong, too, was no longer just defending and waiting for an opening to counter; she was actively swinging her daggers. I could see her sustaining minor wounds, but in exchange, she was steadily taking down one Renga after another. It was a moment where her dual daggers, so powerful in a chaotic melee, truly shone.
And the tide of battle turned decisively when An Sol’s voice once again echoed through the clearing.
“Shackles!”
“Damn! That's it! An Sol! Nice!”
Sol’s staff was aimed at the Rengas Yu-jeong was fighting. Yu-jeong, who had been furiously brandishing her daggers, let out a cry of joy as her blades easily found their mark in the immobilized Rengas, and she rampaged even more fiercely. Watching Yu-jeong spin like a pinwheel, showering her enemies with dagger strikes, An Hyeon and I charged at the remaining Rengas in front.
I wasn't using even a shred of magic power against the Rengas. As one rushed me with its sharp claws extended, I swung my sword straight on. This time, instead of shattering, it felt like I was cleanly slicing through tofu. The more I experienced it, the more I found the authority of a Sword Specialist captivating.
Receives a positive bonus to all actions related to the sword. The advantage this authority granted was truly immense. On top of that, my EX-ranked Sword and Mind as One was adding its own power. Even a casual swing now produced terrifying force; I couldn't help but wonder what kind of power a truly heartfelt strike would unleash in the future.
As my sword cut through the air with a sharp hiss, the pack of Rengas fell like autumn leaves in the wind. Whether he sensed our dominance or was just excited that his spear was finally moving as he willed it to for the first time in a while, An Hyeon was also dancing with glee. Soon, Hyeon broke through the center and stood facing me, then cheerfully began striking the backs of the Rengas' heads as he advanced.
“Light!”
Sol’s voice rang out once more. This time, it wasn't Shackles, but the Light spell. A white orb materialized before the eyes of the remaining Rengas and exploded in a blinding flash. She was copying the tactic the mage had used against the Vagrants. And this time, Sol’s spell was extremely effective.
Hyeon, Yu-jeong, and I formed a surrounding triangle and mercilessly beat down the Rengas as they stumbled around, temporarily blinded. After finishing off another four or five in an instant, only two Rengas were left. Their ears drooped, as if they had already accepted their impending deaths.
Ignoring them, Hyeon’s eyes sparkled as he immediately spoke up.
“I call the one on the left.”
“Then I'll take the one on the right.”
“...”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A short while later, after clearing out all the Rengas in the clearing, we took some time to regroup. Hyeon and Yu-jeong had many minor cuts and scrapes, but as they drank potions and received Sol’s healing, their faces were brighter than ever. The thought of the Rengas' abnormal abilities crossed my mind, but I decided to keep quiet for now. I figured it was better to let them ride this wave of momentum than to scold them harshly.
To be honest, it was hard to say the kids had done "well" in this battle. It wasn't that they had surpassed their limits; rather, they had finally started to properly utilize the skills they already possessed. Still, as they slowly accumulated experience and learned to harmonize their individual fighting styles within the group, I felt a sense of pride for the first time since leaving the city.
“I bet I killed more than you.”
“You use a spear; it's long. That makes it easier to attack. If you consider that, I did better.”
“Talk about a mental victory.”
“It's the truth. Should we ask Oppa?”
These days, it seemed like those two fought whenever they had a spare moment. But when they both turned to look at me with sparkling eyes, I was at a loss for words. Frankly, in terms of an overall score, Hyeon was still higher. He had shown a much more stable performance. However, it also felt like Yu-jeong had found her path this time, so it was a bit awkward to criticize her.
“Hmm.”
When I put on a serious expression and pretended to consider it carefully, the kids grew tense as well. They seemed to be eagerly anticipating who I would choose. No, seeing them so focused made it embarrassing to say anything. In the end, I decided to subtly change the subject.
“You both did well. Anyway, for now, let's focus on recovering...”
“But still, one of us must have done better. Even just a little. Right?”
I felt troubled by Yu-jeong’s persistence. To buy some time, I turned my gaze to Sol, who was just standing there sucking on her finger.
“Haha. What do you think, Sol?”
“W-Well... I was just focused on casting my spells.”
But when I saw Sol subtly turn her head and avoid my gaze, I was shocked. Just as I was about to pass the buck to her under the guise of asking for help, she noticed and deftly sidestepped the issue. I never thought she'd do that. I looked at her with wounded eyes, and Sol just shuffled her feet, not knowing what to do.
“Well, judging by Hyeong’s reaction, I think I know. It was me. I did better.”
“Nonsense.”
“He can't answer because he feels bad for you, since you're getting your hopes up. Tsk tsk.”
“What? You really...”
When on earth were they going to grow up? Watching Hyeon and Yu-jeong start bickering again, I let out a deep sigh. They'd had their fun chatting; it was time to get back to business.
============================ Author's Afterword ============================
...I was in the middle of editing but accidentally hit the publish button. Argh... I'll just count this as the January 28th update. I thought it was saved as a draft... sigh... T.T I'll see you all on January 29th. I'll update the afterword and replies to comments soon.
『 Replies to Comments 』
1. Royujin: Hey Yujin. That's because there was an '&' in the subtitle. So don't do that next time, okay?
2. SaramInsaeng: Hmm. Replying to my own reply made me feel some kind of identity crisis. Sob sob.
3. Ready: Rengar! Renga!
4. Ppuingppuinga: Ppuing?
5. GradeRown: Oh. TS. I'm suddenly tempted too. Hahahaha.(?)
6. Eintje: Yu-jeong is also a promising character right now. I'm torn between my initial plans for her and a new idea that came to me later. Hahaha. The upcoming character popularity poll will probably decide her future. :)
7. Blami: Thank you! Please enjoy this chapter as well!
8. Lamude: That's right. The kids learn by getting hit(?) Gasp.
9. Girhihaiseu: It's become a habit. Ahahaha. I have this compulsion that I shouldn't copy and paste (......)
10. Benett: I'll keep writing diligently! Please enjoy this chapter!
I always read every single comment over and over. Please don't be too disappointed if you don't see a reply here. If you have any specific questions, send me a private message and I'll answer! (Please leave lots of comments! And recommendations too... ☞☜)
Well, I'll sign off for today.
I hope you can always read my story with a relaxed heart.
Bookmarks, recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.