Chapter 147 - Memorize | Novel Seeker

The Cave of Screams (1)

The creatures were still hesitating, watching us closely. We had formed a defensive formation, knowing that if the LadolRofs decided to charge, their momentum would be formidable. Our best strategy was to reduce their numbers with a preemptive strike.

Of course, with just me, Go Yeon-ju, and Vivian, we could easily handle the LadolRofs. In fact, any one of us could take them on as a warm-up exercise. But we couldn’t keep doing everything ourselves. I decided to let the others fend for themselves, except for the ones coming directly at me. It was time for them to understand their roles, experience some injuries, and learn the consequences of failing their duties.

“───. ───. ───.”

I could hear Jeong Ha-yeon and Shin Sang-yong chanting their spells. There seemed to be over thirty of the creatures, with about twenty responding quickly to our intrusion. If twenty of them charged with their horns, they would surely break through somewhere. I wondered how many Jeong Ha-yeon and Shin Sang-yong could take down with their initial attack. Just then…

“Thud! Thud! Thud!”

“Snort! Snort! Snort!”

Most of the monsters in this realm have some level of intelligence, and many are sensitive to the flow of mana. When a mage begins to gather power for a spell, they react sharply. As expected, the LadolRofs, sensing the gathering mana among us, snorted and thrust their heads forward.

When one or two do it, it’s one thing, but when over twenty act in unison, their intent is clear. With a roar from the largest one at the front, they charged at us.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The ground shook with their pounding hooves, the rhythm quickening like knights charging with lances in a medieval battle. I swung my sword, gauging my defensive range, and targeted the three leading the charge. In a low voice, I warned my companions.

“They’re coming. The first line will try to break our formation with their charge, and the second will trample us with their powerful legs. If we can withstand the first line and push them back, the fight will be much easier.”

As they closed in, I heard deep breaths behind me, signaling the completion of spells. We had kept some distance, giving the mages time to cast. But with the creatures accelerating, I hoped they would unleash their magic soon.

“Dig In The Ground!”

Surprisingly, it was Shin Sang-yong who cast the first spell, not Jeong Ha-yeon. It wasn’t a direct attack, but knowing their penchant for combo spells, I decided to wait and see. Against the LadolRofs, “Dig In The Ground” was a smart choice.

An invisible force swept across the ground ahead of the charging creatures. Suddenly, a long trench appeared with a soft thud. It wasn’t deep enough to trap them completely, but it was enough to trip them up. The spell was cast with precision, aiming for maximum efficiency.

“Neigh! Neigh!”

“Crash! Crash!”

Several of the leading LadolRofs stumbled and fell, causing chaos among the rest. Those following had to slow down, and confusion spread through their ranks. Seizing the opportunity, Jeong Ha-yeon’s clear voice rang out.

“Ice Spear! Rapid Fire!”

Unlike the fire mage from yesterday, Ha-yeon specialized in water magic, so she used ice spears. I counted the spears forming and smiled inwardly. Thanks to her special ability, “Blessing of the Lake,” she could conjure and launch six spears without exerting her full power. The spears, launched with slight delays, targeted the fallen creatures, hitting their marks amidst the chaos.

The LadolRofs cried out in pain, but Jeong Ha-yeon’s magic wasn’t finished. Normally, a spell contains one circuit, but she had a trump card: Memorize. As a white light glowed from her Necklace of Glory, she cast another spell.

“Broken!”

With a shattering sound, the ice spears embedded in the creatures exploded into shards, sweeping through the surrounding enemies like a storm. The spears lodged inside shattered, wreaking havoc within.

“…Sorry. It wasn’t as powerful as I hoped.”

“No, it was more than enough.”

I shook my head at Jeong Ha-yeon’s apologetic tone. Six of the creatures were killed instantly, and the rest, though injured, resumed their charge. While it hadn’t halved their numbers, it had disrupted their assault and inflicted significant damage. It wasn’t her fault my expectations were high.

Just then, a strange flow of mana began to form beside me. As a magic circle appeared, I remembered the other mage we had: a far more skilled alchemist than the previous two.

“Come forth, Acacia! Queen of the 29th Legion of Pain!”

Vivian’s voice rang out as black flowers bloomed from the trench Shin Sang-yong had dug. The flowers quickly spread their vines, ensnaring the LadolRofs. With a snap of her fingers, Vivian activated the spell.

Snap!

Thorns shot out from the vines, piercing the trapped creatures mercilessly. Those caught in the vines cried out, but were soon overwhelmed. Six more fell to the thorns. Those who escaped or jumped clear survived, but the combined efforts of the three mages had already taken down twelve before they even reached us. Vivian flashed a V-sign and grinned, while I sighed and clicked my tongue. She pouted at my reaction.

The large creature that had first roared was still alive, wounded but undeterred. It lowered its four-horned head and charged again, followed by the survivors, their horns gleaming in the sunlight.

The mages had done their part. Now it was time for the melee fighters to step up. With their numbers reduced, I decided to adjust our formation and called out.

“An-hyeon! Lee Yu-jeong! Move forward!”

At my command, An-hyeon and Yu-jeong quickly took positions on either side. I didn’t need to instruct Go Yeon-ju; she would protect the mages and provide support from the rear.

The lead LadolRof charged at me, bellowing. Its horns glinted sharply as it lunged, and I stepped back, swinging my sword upward. I felt the blade catch, and the horns shattered, fragments flying through the air. The creature’s head snapped back, and I kicked its jaw hard.

The impact reverberated up my leg, and the monster staggered back. Seizing the moment, An-hyeon and Yu-jeong attacked its flanks with fierce cries.

Thud! Slash!

Ahn Hyun’s spear pierced through the monster’s torso, while Yoo Jung’s katana sliced sharply into its right leg. However, lacking the necessary force, her blade halted midway, failing to sever the limb completely. As she paused, another monster charged at her from behind, ready to pounce.

“Hi-yah!”

But Yoo Jung wasn’t idle during this time. She gripped the embedded katana with her right hand, pulling her body towards it. Using the momentum, she deepened the cut in the leg and swung her scurep with her left hand at the oncoming creature.

“Roar!”

“Ack!”

The collision was unavoidable, and Yoo Jung’s body seemed to be thrown back violently. Yet, she managed to hold her ground, using the katana as a support. The charging monster received a direct hit to the head from her scurep, letting out a pained scream.

At a glance, Yoo Jung wasn’t unscathed. Her left arm was awkwardly bent back, barely holding onto the scurep. But I chose to remain silent. At least she had avoided a worse fate, and judging by her steady stance, she seemed to have anticipated this outcome.

“Heal!”

Ahn Sol, seemingly prepared, immediately cast a holy spell towards Yoo Jung’s arm. A warm white light enveloped her left arm, and after rotating it a couple of times, she stood up again.

Ahn Hyun was performing beyond expectations. He was handling three monsters at once, appearing to be on the defensive but never retreating. His martial arts training was evident as he twisted his body to dodge their horns and swung his heavy spear like a windmill, striking them down. Occasionally, he took a hit from a stray kick, but he gritted his teeth and continued to fulfill his role as a tank.

“Bind!”

“Shield!”

“Wind Cutter!”

With the priests and mages providing support, the battle began to turn in our favor. I too joined in, delivering a swift blow to a monster’s face before focusing my attacks on the leader. Yoo Jung had effectively immobilized its right leg, making it easier for me to decapitate it.

As time passed, more and more LadolRofs fell to the ground. After I severed the leader’s head, the morale of the monsters plummeted. With support from Go Yeon Joo and Vivian, Yoo Jung became even more ferocious, and Ahn Hyun, backed by Ahn Sol and Jung Ha Yeon, managed to take down all three of his opponents.

Thud!

For the final monster, Yoo Jung crossed her scurep and dagger at its neck, then spun around. Her jacket and shirt were slightly torn on the left side, but she seemed unharmed. For the first time, I had no complaints about the close combat led by the kids. This meant they had met my expectations.

Despite having been training for less than six months, they held their ground against a formidable group of monsters. While the mages’ initial efforts and support from Go Yeon Joo and me played a part, they each held their own. The kids, perhaps feeling a bit awkward with this new experience, quietly looked at me.

But I had no intention of praising them just yet. I was still hungry, and they needed to grow stronger to eventually handle these creatures with ease. So, I kept my gaze fixed ahead with indifferent eyes.

The monsters and their young had vanished from sight. They had fled the moment their combatants were wiped out. Watching the hesitant group, I shook my head calmly.

“We won’t pursue the ones that ran. They’re hard to catch and not worth the effort. Quickly treat the injured with potions and regroup. We’ll resume marching in three minutes.”

“Yes.”

After hearing their slightly weary voices, I turned around calmly. Go Yeon Joo, for some reason, was smiling softly, clearly enjoying herself.

---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=

Hello, this is Ro Yujin.

We’ve wrapped up the incident, and now all that’s left is to enter the Cave of Wails. We also assessed the kids’ combat abilities during the battle with the LadolRofs. Seeing them grow from struggling against a single black scorpion to this point is truly moving. ㅜ.ㅠ

Have a peaceful night, everyone. I’ll take my leave now. (__)

PS. Amish, your comment last time made me burst out laughing. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ.

『 Reader Comments 』

Riodri: Congratulations on being first! I remember you as someone who always leaves a comment saying you enjoyed it. Haha. Enjoy this chapter too. :)
juan: Haha. It’s too much to pair Choi Joo Hyun with the protagonist. :) Oh, clinical psychology! I’d love to take a psychology course. It sounds interesting!
Passionate: That’s right. If Soo Hyun insists, I might have to accept, but initially, I wasn’t keen on recruiting Soo Hyun. Hehe.
Gahanna: Whoa. In that case, should I respond with a continuous update for every meat dish you offer?! Haha. But seriously, that’s scary. You wouldn’t really do that, would you? :D
Cheon Geop Hyeol Shin Cheon Mu Jon: Hmm. What scene are you referring to with <panting and moaning and doing astral things>? Could it be a lap pillow? Or… that?! (　—) ~ ♪
Blami: Hmm. It’s ambiguous. If there was something to catch Soo Hyun’s attention, I might have considered it. As you can see, Ahn So Yeon’s disposition is quite ambiguous. :)
Yeook Anol: Long time no see! Where have you been? ㅜ.ㅠ It’s a big problem. Sol’s popularity is plummeting because of Vivian and Go Yeon Joo! What if Sol doesn’t even make it to the rankings in the popularity poll after Han Byul’s appearance?!
Punishment: Yes, there are many ambiguous parts. If it’s the same level of <authority>, it depends more on the user’s ability than canceling each other out. If you think about it, you’ll understand why Soo Hyun is such an incredible character. Haha.
Human Life: NO. Only the first commenter gets a 10-chapter coupon. But I don’t see them today. ㅜ.ㅠ
Seol Bi Yeon: Of course, I remember! Haha. Thank you for the coupon. (__) It’s fascinating to see people who have been reading since before the remake (March 2012). It’s amazing that you remember that work. :)
Gae Gi: NO. Not at all. Reading various comments is one of my great pleasures. As I always write below the notes, questions and critiques are always welcome. Haha.
hohokoya1: No, it’s not. When I have the time, I should definitely do continuous updates! I promised, after all~. It seems many people like the protagonist’s original personality. :)

Your recommendations and comments are the driving force for continuous updates. (This is the truth.)