Chapter 61

Chapter 61 – Special Training (3)

The next day.

The training became even more dangerous.

Today, even An Yu-seong and Shin Seong-a, who had only been observing until now, joined the battle.

“Don’t fight alone! Group in threes and eliminate blind spots!”

Jo Seong-chan excelled at leading and commanding people as he had been taught.

The experience he had built up as the leader of a fairly large guild called ‘Haeseon’ still shone even now that the situation had changed.

“Understood!”

Although only a day had passed, the attitude of the guild members towards Jo Seong-chan had changed a lot.

Even those who initially resisted his words were now following his instructions without complaint.

“Kerarara!”

“Keurk, keurk!”

The goblins, now a sight they were sick of seeing, poured out in droves.

Originally, this dungeon required facing a large number of enemies, but because Kang Hyeon had driven them all together, many more enemies than usual had gathered.

“Aaah! We’re really going to die at this rate.”

“Isn’t this too much?”

“Damn it! Why am I suffering like this..!”

The guild members hadn’t even properly recovered from yesterday’s fatigue.

Their tired bodies felt like they would collapse just from swinging a sword.

“Kuaah! Die!”

But their minds were becoming sharper with each passing moment.

Without even realizing it, they were changing at an incredible pace.

“Hey! Who’s that over there?! It’s dangerous!”

During the chaotic battle, one guild member broke formation.

As he was about to be surrounded, Kang Hyeon, who had been observing, sprang into action.

“Move aside! You tiresome things!”

Kang Hyeon jumped into the air, stepping on a goblin’s head.

“Keeek!?”

Then he dashed forward, using the goblin’s heads as stepping stones.

-Puk, puk, puuk!

“Kek!”

Some of the goblins that became Kang Hyeon’s foothold without knowing why had their necks snapped and died on the spot.

“Watch out!”

Kang Hyeon finally reached the vicinity of the guild member. His eyes caught sight of the guild member about to be skewered, surrounded by goblins.

‘At this rate, I’ll be too late.’

Kang Hyeon decided to first throw a magic orb to repel the goblins.

His judgment was quick and his action was faster.

“Magic Explosion!”

-Kwagwagwang!

“Aaargh! I’m getting caught up in it too!”

“Open your eyes properly and get a grip!”

The guild member floundered in the dust swirling from the magic explosion.

-Pusuk!

Eventually, a sharp spear pierced the flailing member’s side.

“Kuaaaaargh!”

“Kekeke!”

The spear, which had cleverly struck a spot unprotected by armor, instantly penetrated the guild member’s flesh.

“Kuaaa! Save me!”

The guild member with a hole in his side screamed in panic.

“Stop whining.”

-Seuk!

The goblin that had stabbed the guild member was bisected at the waist in an instant.

Kang Hyeon grabbed the injured guild member.

“Ugh, uugh...”

“Is this your first time getting a hole in your body? Why are you acting like a baby?!”

Far from comforting the injured man, Kang Hyeon berated him even more.

“Do you think those goblins over there are going to say ‘Sorry!’ and apologize if you whine about being hurt?”

The guild member’s face contorted even more at Kang Hyeon’s words.

‘Damn it. Are you talking trash because it’s not happening to you?!’

If there had been any strength left in his body, he surely would have used it to punch Kang Hyeon in the face.

“Haa, haa...”

“Looks like your internal organs aren’t damaged. You’re not going to die right away, so get yourself together and move!”

“...”

The man glared at Kang Hyeon with eyes full of resentment.

“What are you going to do by staring? If you hate it so much, come at me! If you win, I’ll make you the guild leader!”

“Uugh...”

“Feeling wronged? Annoyed? Then go kill some goblins and come back stronger! You bastard!”

“Uaaaaargh!”

The power of anger was remarkable.

In an instant, the frail child who had been trembling just moments ago turned into a warrior with burning eyes.

“What is this...?”

An Yu-seong, who was surprised by the man who suddenly appeared beside him and started massacring goblins, muttered.

“Yes.”

“And I’m not the Vice Guild Leader of the Guardian Guild anymore. Just call me Team Leader.”

The Guardian Guild members thought about it.

The reason they joined the Guardian Guild. Their personal goals. And their beliefs.

All these things swirled in their minds, causing confusion.

[Protect Humanity]

There were those who sneered at it as a cheesy and ridiculous phrase.

But these people had seriously fallen for that sentence and joined the guild, and in the end, they left the changed guild, following Han Si-hwan, who was the only one still keeping that promise.

‘Maybe it’s not the guild that has changed, but us...’

They had talent and they worked hard.

They thought they had become strong enough.

People looked up to them.

And at some point...

Those people started to feel insignificant.

As protectors of humanity, they had become great humans different from others.

[Protect Humanity]

The great belief that had led them.

It had somehow made them arrogant and was eating away at them.

-I’m going to watch and see how determined those who were shouting about protecting humanity really are.

Kang Hyeon’s last words kept echoing in their minds.

***

Ippotranslation

***

In the van returning to the safe house.

Shin Seong-a spoke to Kang Hyeon, who was looking out the window.

“Kang Hyeon.”

“Yeah.”

“How many of them do you think will show up tomorrow?”

“Why? Are you worried?”

“A little. Yesterday and today. I’m thinking maybe you treated them a bit too harshly.”

Kang Hyeon smiled at Shin Seong-a’s words.

“An Yu-seong, what do you think?”

“I don’t care.”

“Come on, give a more sincere answer.”

“They all look like they’re going to die soon anyway. Why bother caring?”

“I must be crazy for asking you a question.”

It was a mistake to expect a normal answer from An Yu-seong.

“To conclude, yes, I did treat them harshly.”

“Is there a specific reason?”

“I just don’t like seeing people who can’t even protect themselves making a fuss about protecting humanity.”

“...”

Shin Seong-a, who was waiting for more words, scratched her head.

“Is that all?”

“Yeah. Is there supposed to be more?”

Honestly, even Kang Hyeon didn’t know why he was doing this much.

Originally, he expanded the guild for money.

He could have just accepted them, had them run dungeons, and taken the profits from that.

That should have been the extent of their relationship.

There was no reason for him to waste his time running dungeons with them and expending his emotions.

‘Surely that should be it, but...’

For some reason, Kang Hyeon didn’t want to treat them lightly.

He didn’t want to give up on them.

“Hey. Why are you asking things like that? It’s bringing down the mood.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. What time is it now?”

“It’s 7 PM.”

“Let’s go eat some beef. Have a beer too.”

“Sounds good.”

Shin Seong-a smiled at Kang Hyeon’s suggestion.

“What about you?”

“I’m a minor, you know.”

“Oh, come on, cut the crap.”

It’s still hard to believe, but An Yu-seong should originally be enjoying his freshman year in college right now.

Even that is misleading because he’s actually barely 19 years old.

“You look like someone who’d be hooked on marijuana, but you’re surprisingly principled in weird ways, huh?”

“Kang Hyeon. I can enjoy myself plenty without relying on such things.”

An unexpected declaration of happiness.

Kang Hyeon looked at An Yu-seong with a surprised expression.

‘I didn’t know he was such a positive person. I thought he was just a weirdo... Well, he’s just a 20-year-old who recently graduated from school and likes games after all.’

Kang Hyeon realized he had misunderstood An Yu-seong all this time and felt regretful.

“Ah, the thrill of smashing something with a mace... It’s probably unbeatable even if you brought all the drugs in the world. Hehehe!”

“Oh geez, damn... I should’ve kept my mouth shut.”