Chapter 171
Chapter 171. Attack (5)
Yoo Ji-han casually turned his gaze and looked down at the 1st floor.
Park Jae-kyung and Yoon Do-ha’s party were taking down the monsters that had been released from their cages, replacing the paralyzed IUPC members.
‘This guy!’
‘How dare you turn your head away!’
Someone charged at Yoo Ji-han, furious.
The blade of a long rapier gleamed from beneath his robe.
Clang!
A thrust aimed at his heart.
It was a surprise attack as the sword slipped out from between the long robes.
But Yoo Ji-han deflected the attacker’s sword away from his body.
Swish! Swish!
A second and third thrust followed.
No way was this amateur’s handiwork.
The swift and precise movements indicated that the opponent was a decent swordsman.
However, Yoo Ji-han’s eyes and arms accurately tracked his movements.
‘You’re blocking it with your eyes?!’
The man, taken aback by having his confident thrusts continuously parried, retreated without attempting another attack.
After gauging his opponent’s skill level, Yoo Ji-han tried to pursue him, but his companion brandished a staff.
[Mystic Illusion]
Swoosh!
Yoo Ji-han felt the 3rd floor briefly distort.
A moment later, everything returned to normal, and the robed beings from another world had vanished entirely.
It was as if they had collectively teleported.
“Chilla?!”
With wide eyes, Chilla stood on alert, fur bristling.
The animal sensed that something was right nearby, yet nothing was visible.
“Hmph.”
Still, Yoo Ji-han remained notably composed.
He assumed a posture, similar to Chilla’s, of looking around and casually swung his sword at the empty air.
Slash!
“Greeaah!!”
What lay in the path of the sword was a mage who had been using illusion magic.
His arm was severed from the shoulder, bone and all, and dropped to the ground.
With the caster’s injury destabilizing his magic, it quickly shattered.
“Everyone, stop!”
“If you move, I’ll shoot!”
Kim Si-hu and Min Yu-ri then stepped into the 3rd floor.
The people from another world, keeping their backs turned, continued to retreat to the corners, but there was no room left for them to escape.
Pointing his staff forward, Kim Si-hu declared, “If you don’t want to die, surrender quietly!”
“…Does that mean you’ll spare us?”
“That’s something to think about!”
“……”
*
The plan to ambush the IUPC’s ceremony space was extremely successful.
While the number of released monsters was considerable, the fake drugs had eliminated the one who could control the monsters, causing them to panic and fall.
What remained in the aftermath of the battle was merely post-processing.
“Just kill me.”
The mage, with his arm severed, remained obstinate.
His attitude exuded a stubbornness, underscored by his decidedly sour expression.
Park Jae-kyung, who attempted to interrogate him, let out a deep sigh and promptly severed his other arm with a sword.
Slash!
“Gah!”
The two-armed mage received treatment from the healer.
As the bleeding quickly stopped, Park Jae-kyung spoke coldly.
“Each time you refuse to answer, I’ll cut off another limb.”
“Urgh…”
“If someone wants to answer on his behalf, feel free to step forward. If you cooperate quickly, I might consider leniency.”
An implicit threat to force responses from the people of another world.
As Park Jae-kyung crossed his arms, they began to gauge one another.
It felt as if a volunteer might come forward any moment.
However, the mage, with bloodshot eyes glaring at them despite having lost his two arms, kept them silent.
The mage looked to be in his forties.
‘Is that mage the one in charge?’
As time passed with no change in the situation, Park Jae-kyung eventually turned to Yoo Ji-han with a pleading look.
“I’m sorry, Ji-han.”
“I’m fine. Si-hu!”
“Yes!”
“Draw it out.”
Kim Si-hu, rubbing his palms together like a mosquito, approached the mage and extracted his magical energy.
Yoo Ji-han quickly fed the magic stone that was formed in an instant to the Sylph.
Soon, a familiar darkness settled over his field of vision.
‘Hmm?’
What first appeared before Yoo Ji-han wasn’t Earth but Ajesia.
In a world that had yet to perish, the mage spent peaceful days with his wife and young daughter.
Then, a meteor crashed from the sky, sweeping around him.
—Boom!
With the shock of the world shaking, the image cut out.
The second scene was of a mage with a long unkempt beard.
Much time seemed to have passed since his family time.
Unlike the past filled with laughter, he now appeared like a complete recluse, seemingly severed from the world.
‘He lost his family in that disaster… but why show me this?’
Yoo Ji-han pondered.
As he became accustomed to the newfound abilities derived from sampling, he already knew that the Sylph showed specific memories of the target.
However, what he wanted was information related to the plans that the people from another world were hiding.
Why was he being shown such bleak and personal memories first?
‘Could it be that I’m supposed to feel sympathy for him?’
Yoo Ji-han shook his head.
For those whose world had perished, perhaps they had no choices.
Unfortunately, it was impossible to sympathize with those who attacked Korea first.
“Sylph! You don’t need to show this.”
Thud!
No sooner had he spoken than everything visible to him disappeared.
It seemed communication with the Sylph was indeed possible even in this special space.
Yoo Ji-han then said, “The citizens who died in Suncheon or Yeosu are several times more pitiful and wronged.”
People who lost their lives due to the disaster of a meteor were unfortunate.
But even more tragic were the citizens murdered by the actions of the people from another world.
As a human from Earth, it was clear where his emotions laid.
Seemingly understanding his intentions, the reappearing image changed.
‘Yes, this is what I wanted.’
The leader of the beings from another world, referred to as the Captain.
Memories featuring Jerry and other elites who faced off at the airport.
“Very well done, Sylph.”
Offering a brief compliment to the Sylph, Yoo Ji-han concentrated his mind not to miss anything in front of him.
But then—
—Wheehee! Did I do really well?
“……?!”
A voice rang out that was completely unrelated to the replaying footage.
It sounded like a bright-spirited teenage girl, responding as if in acknowledgment of the praise.
Startled, Yoo Ji-han asked, “Sylph. You could talk?”
—……
“Answer me!”
He waited, but there was no response.
However, he was convinced that the voice from moments ago was no mere hallucination.
‘This means I might be able to converse soon…….’
Yoo Ji-han harbored faint hopes within.
*
In the hidden space of the Turtle Ship model.
Jung Young-wook, waiting with the party members, had his eyes closed.
He was sorting through complex thoughts.
‘I never imagined I’d be this troubled because of those people.’
The Yoo Ji-han party.
They had made a name for themselves through filming a movie, quickly rising to Rank 3 at lightning speed.
Continuing on a remarkable path, they were showing an unmatched presence in this local expedition, centered around the party leader Yoo Ji-han.
Jung Young-wook couldn’t help but be concerned.
‘I don’t want to be a sidekick.’
Even if they were placed in the same rank, when comparing Yoo Ji-han’s party and Jung Young-wook’s party?
Every member of this expedition would undoubtedly favor Yoo Ji-han’s party.
The Jung Young-wook party hadn’t shown anything as impressive.
‘There’s no denying the gap in party leadership.’
Yoo Ji-han was a hero acknowledged by the Vice Guild Master of the large guilds, Park Jae-kyung and Jung Gi-jun!
Anyone that could be compared within this expedition would find his contributions overwhelmingly superior.
The fact that Yoo Ji-han was rank 3 was merely a number.
‘All the members from Cheongyeongsa are complete fools.’
He had heard several times about how heroes who belittled Yoo Ji-han at Cheongyeongsa had faced severe consequences.
He treated those classmates who, due to their affiliation or lack of recognition, even tried to deny the obvious skills of Yoo Ji-han as fools.
He recognized Yoo Ji-han to that extent.
“……But not Kim Si-hu.”
Gritting his teeth, Jung Young-wook thought of Kim Si-hu.
The mage who had surpassed Jung Young-wook, the top student from the Blue Moon Hero Academy, in just one semester.
The relationship between Jung Young-wook and him had been a thorn in his side since both entered Hero Academy until after graduation.
‘If it weren’t for being a party leader, he’d have quickly faded away!’
Kim Si-hu had shown no remarkable activity as a one-man guild.
But everything changed once Yoo Ji-han joined.
What did this signify?
It meant that the Guild named Sweet Fun had revived solely thanks to Yoo Ji-han.
‘Half-baked success from catching one lucky fish.’
Jung Young-wook felt greatly uncomfortable about the situation where Kim Si-hu was gaining attention.
But what could he do? Yoo Ji-han, the savior of Kim Si-hu, was there.
And such a figure didn’t exist in Jung Young-wook’s party.
“Hey, Young-wook! Want a snack?”
“Yes! Please leave it there!”
A warrior from Jung Young-wook’s party placed a chocolate bar on the desk for him, who hadn’t eaten.
Jung Young-wook expressed his gratitude with words, but—
In his heart, he begrudged him slightly.
‘If only I had recruited a more capable party member……. my position would be different now.’
If he had a party member like Yoo Ji-han, not just one who casually shared chocolate bars.
He believed he would be standing next to Park Jae-kyung.
Thinking that Kim Si-hu had reached his current position solely by luck, Jung Young-wook found that Half-Elf quite detestable and provoking.
“Hey! Give us some food too!”
“What?”
“Since we can’t run away now anyway, just give us something to eat.”
The beings from another world requested food from the heroes watching them.
The heroes were dumbfounded by their audacity.
However, Jung Young-wook, who had remained silent, approached them directly with the chocolate bar.
“I’ll give you food if you answer my question honestly.”
“A question?”
“It’s a very simple question.”
The beings from another world exchanged glances, nodding their heads.
“Just tell me. I’ll listen and make a judgment.”
“Do you remember the mage wearing the black hat earlier?”
“Yeah, I remember.”
“Between that mage and me, who do you think is the better mage?”
Who was the better mage, Kim Si-hu or Jung Young-wook?
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, the beings from another world furrowed their brows.
Yet Jung Young-wook’s expression remained serious.
A woman cautiously gauging his response said, “…I think you seem like the better mage.”
“And why is that?”
“Well, I don’t know how to put it, but it’s like the unique atmosphere one feels from a person, you know? I feel your aura is more impressive than that hat-wearing mage.”
“…I appreciate your honest answer.”
With a faint smile playing on his lips, Jung Young-wook handed the woman a chocolate bar.
The other beings from another world shouted in unison that Jung Young-wook was the better mage.
Satisfied with the fawning responses, Jung Young-wook began distributing the snacks.
Meanwhile, the figure of Adem, who found the scene somewhat pathetic, spoke up.
“I cast my vote for that hat-wearing mage.”
“…Seriously? Why?”
“Because if he were truly an outstanding mage, he wouldn’t need to ask us such a question.”
“Ha! What nonsense.”
Jung Young-wook, with a stiffened expression, glared at Adem.
A moment later, he addressed his party members.
“Guys! Let’s move right now.”
“What? But we’re still far from the time we promised Yoo Ji-han?”
“It doesn’t really matter! More than that, I need to show these bastards my skills.”
Jung Young-wook, moving the location far ahead of the scheduled time, flicked a glance at Adem’s gaze, which seemed to regret answering honestly.
