“Simon, what’s going on? Is something wrong?”
Yurina’s voice was calm as she called out to Simon. But her eyes, fixed on the young man standing with his back to her, betrayed a hint of anxiety she couldn’t quite hide.
It wasn’t just Yurina who felt this way. As Simon suddenly stopped in the middle of their run across the field, everyone else halted too, their eyes all turning to him.
“Si…”
“Kushan Thor is dead, isn’t he?”
Yurina was about to speak again when Simon’s low voice finally broke the silence.
“And the spirits have vanished too.”
Simon slowly turned around, revealing his face. Yurina instinctively closed her mouth. His eyes, a devilish red, peeked through half-closed lids, and his lips curled into a smirk. It was his usual cheerful expression, yet there was something unsettling about it.
Having worked closely with Simon for a long time, Yurina could sense it instinctively—Simon Grimes was in a foul mood.
“Damn it, this is annoying.”
The curse slipped out, a rare occurrence for Simon, known for his composed demeanor.
“Why are we getting beaten by just one guy?”
“Si… Simon…”
“Why is everything I’ve planned being controlled by that one person?”
Yurina swallowed the words she was about to say and decided to remain silent. She knew from experience that when Simon lost his temper, he became a completely different person. It was best not to provoke him further.
A few minutes passed, though it felt like an eternity. For some, it was precious time that could mean life or death. For others, it was a golden opportunity slipping away.
Simon, who had been breathing heavily, finally moved, a cold smile on his face. He headed towards the leaders of the vagrants.
I raced across the open field, trampling over charred corpses and swiftly passing through the area where spirits and beasts had clashed. The rush of adrenaline made me feel invigorated, as if the struggles I had faced earlier were nothing but a distant memory.
With renewed vigor, I charged forward and soon reached the edge of the battlefield. I quickly surveyed the scene.
The situation was better than expected. The enemies that should have filled this place were mostly down, and there weren’t as many foes in sight. Of course, this was only within my line of sight, but still, it was a relief.
However, I couldn’t afford to be complacent. This was just the beginning, and the lack of visible enemies likely meant they had gathered elsewhere.
I took a deep breath and scanned the area thoroughly.
‘There.’
I spotted a defensive line set up by Vivian in the distance. Though it appeared as a mere dot, the sight of a giant satyr rampaging confirmed that my orders were being carried out.
I felt a pull to check on the defensive line, but my body was already moving in a different direction.
‘Not a single step can be wasted.’
There was no time to rest. Any delay could mean failing to save someone who could be saved.
The battlefield was such a place.
I passed by scattered people, running for about ten minutes.
As I moved deeper into the battlefield, the “Blessing of the Battlefield” began feeding me information. Thousands of location data points flooded in, making my head spin.
‘Could it be… that everyone here is considered an ally?’
Cursing under my breath, I focused on recalling the users I wanted to find, and the overwhelming information quickly narrowed down. It was unfortunate that none were nearby, but it was a relief nonetheless.
Now, I had to remember their locations and plan my route. I needed to achieve the maximum effect with the minimum path. But without knowing if they would stay put, I was at a loss for where to start.
Boom! Boom!
A faint explosion and a tremor in the ground caught my attention. I looked up to see more users appearing in my line of sight. The enemies were finally converging on this spot. The once faint screams were now clear and loud.
“Ahhh!”
A piercing scream drew my gaze to a group of enemies, their faces twisted with murderous intent.
And with that, the true chaos of the battlefield unfolded before me.
’…’
It wasn’t just happening in one place.
The defensive line I saw earlier seemed like child’s play compared to this.
People groaned in pain from sword wounds.
Others rolled on the ground, struck by flying magic.
Some crumpled under a hail of arrows.
Tears streaming, some cried out for priests.
The situation was a mess, unlike the initial skirmish. Battles raged everywhere, with one side attacking madly and the other resisting just as fiercely.
It was a bloody festival of madness. Identifying friend from foe was nearly impossible.
Amidst the chaos, I enhanced my vision with magic, scanning for familiar faces.
‘No one.’
Neither my eyes nor the “Blessing of the Battlefield” revealed anyone I knew nearby.
So I moved on, ignoring the users caught in the enemy’s tide.
Ping! Ping!
As I passed, stray arrows targeted my back, but a slight turn of my head was enough to dodge them. I swiftly dispatched an enemy blocking my path and continued running, only to find hundreds more enemies ahead. Without hesitation, I leaped with all my might.
Thud!
The sensation of my stomach dropping accompanied my flight through the air, soaring over the clustered enemies before descending to the ground. Just before landing, I tilted my body slightly, sliding across the earth like a sliding tackle.
Screech!
Thud! Thud!
Using inertia, I slid forward, hearing something crash behind me. But my speed was too great for the arrows to touch me.
The battlefield was vast, and so were the enemy’s numbers. I wasn’t the sole target; the numerous users from the East were also in their sights.
Having broken through thousands of enemies and withstood concentrated fire, navigating this dispersed battlefield was relatively easier.
Once I had gained some distance, I sprang up like a spring and resumed running.
Or rather, I was about to.
『Updating location information for user Im Hanna.』
‘Huh?’
The “Blessing of the Battlefield” updated its information.
Northeast, 45 degrees. About 90 meters away.
I briefly questioned the judgment of the “Blessing of the Battlefield,” but I finally had a starting point for the rescue. First, I would save Im Hanna, the closest, and then plan the route to maximize efficiency.
With my plan set, I changed direction and sprinted.
The 90-meter distance quickly closed as I ran with all my might. I could feel Im Hanna’s presence growing nearer. Soon, my enhanced vision caught sight of her and a group of users.
‘Oh.’
There were at least twenty of them, a sizable group. They seemed to have used the time I bought them well, gathering users while fiercely resisting the enemies charging at them.
Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash!
Among them, Im Hanna stood out. Each time she moved her hand, a flash of light erupted, and an enemy fell.
She wasn’t just holding her ground. Occasionally, she fired a large beam of light, accurately sniping the long-range attackers supporting from the rear. Even though she borrowed the power of “Radiant Flash, Laura Phyllis,” Im Hanna was holding her own against three times as many enemies.
I felt confident I could rescue them without any issues and quickened my pace.
But then it happened.
Boom! Boom!
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Magic and arrows rained down from the opposite direction, sweeping over Im Hanna and the users. It seemed reinforcements from another direction had arrived.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Aaah!”
“Ughhh!”
The group that had been holding on somehow was suddenly thrown into disarray. In the wake of the sweeping magic, only the groaning users remained, collapsed on the ground. They were already struggling to handle the enemies in front, and the surprise reinforcements had created an opening in an instant.
The barely maintained formation crumbled in seconds, and the charging enemies began their assault with wild cries. Im Hanna was no exception. Whether it was her beauty or some past grievance, enemies seemed to swarm around her in particular.
One of them flashed a vile grin, whistled, and then stomped on Im Hanna’s chest. She bit her lip in frustration. As a single tear slipped from her closed eyes, I finally managed to get her within my range.
“Im Hanna!”
I shouted loudly to prevent any rash actions. Then, I crouched low and sprang forward with all my might. The enemies, hearing my shout, turned their heads in confusion. But the moment they locked eyes with me, I swung down ‘Victoria’s Glory.’ My first target was the one who had stomped on Im Hanna.
Thwack!
The blade split his skull cleanly, slicing through to his gaping mouth. As his body crumpled, I unleashed a surge of magic, striking the empty air with force.
Boom!
The air rippled violently. The ripple transformed into a wave of magic, indiscriminately sweeping over the surrounding vagrants.
Crash!
Perhaps because my attack was also a surprise, the wave cut through several bodies without hesitation. It continued to flow beyond the captured range, leaving a trail of blood and belated screams in its wake.
After swiftly dispatching the two who had miraculously survived, I helped the dazed Im Hanna to her feet.
“User Im Hanna, are you alright?”
“S-Suhyeon!”
Im Hanna winced slightly, likely from the pain of being stomped on, but thankfully, she didn’t seem seriously injured. She placed a hand on her chest and looked at me with a grateful gaze.
“How… Suhyeon… No, Mercenary Lord!”
Her face was a mix of gratitude and relief. I was glad to see her too, but the situation was urgent. Without time for a proper reunion, I pointed in one direction.
“Explanations later. You understand the situation, right?”
Sensing my urgency, she quickly composed herself and nodded.
“User Im Hanna, there are enemies gathering straight ahead. Move diagonally to the left, and once you’re out of sight, head right. There’s a defensive line there. Join them.”
“A defensive line?”
“Vivian and my brother set it up. By now, they’ve probably gathered a good number of users. It’s the safest place right now.”
“Okay, so I just need to go there?”
Her quick understanding and decision-making were reassuring. If it had been An Sol instead of Im Hanna, there would have been tears and chaos.
“Yes. Go on ahead.”
“Wait, you’re not coming with me?”
“I’m sorry, but I need to find the other clan members.”
If it had been Jeong Ha-yeon, Shin Sang-yong, Ahn Hyun, An Sol, or Lee Yoo-jung, I would have escorted them. But Im Hanna, being an archer, could reach the destination on her own. She was capable enough.
“Then…”
“Mercenary Lord!”
I heard Im Hanna calling after me, but with the others’ safety in mind, I gave her a nod and turned away, starting to run again.
‘Next target is…’
Thud, thud, thud!
But I had to stop. I sensed Im Hanna following me.
I turned back, feeling a mix of disbelief and exasperation.
“User Im Hanna, what are you doing?”
“I’m coming with you. Let’s go together.”
”…What?”
“I want to go with you, Mercenary Lord… Suhyeon!”
Her unexpected words made me frown deeply.
“Don’t be ridiculous…!”
“No! You want me to just sit and wait again?”
”…?”
“I’d rather follow you than lose everything again. This time, I’m coming with you, no matter what!”
Her face was filled with a poignant determination, a stark contrast to her usual gentle demeanor. Her resolve was unmistakable.
I found myself at a loss for words, recalling something Im Hanna had said in the past.
‘Please speak comfortably. Oh, can I still use formal language?’
‘I want to carve out my own destiny.’
”…”
”…”
For a brief moment, I gazed at Im Hanna intently.
Her eyes, visible above her tightly pressed lips, were trembling noticeably.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
I originally planned to include Shin Sang-yong’s perspective after Kim Suhyeon’s, but I swapped it with part of the next chapter.
I have a lot to say in the afterword, but I have assignments to do.
I’m alone. On this rainy day. Kim Tae-woo’s song “What I Want to Say” is really nice.
Heeheehee. Heeheeheehee!