“Oppa, I’m sorry.”
“Oppa, I apologize…”
As we walked through the forest, I heard the kids murmuring behind me. My face, leading the group, twitched at their words. I couldn’t see my own expression, but I knew it wasn’t a pleasant one.
“Sigh…”
The kids seemed anxious at the sound of my regretful sigh, something they weren’t used to hearing. I turned my head to look at them as they walked beside me. After taking a moment to steady my breath, I spoke, maintaining our current pace.
“The battle with the scorpions made me think a lot. We struggled with just one or two, not even three or four. It makes me wonder if the way I’ve been handling things with you all is wrong.”
“O-Oppa, that’s not it…”
“I’m speaking right now.”
At my low, sharp words, Yujeong quickly closed her mouth. Her eyes trembled slightly, as if she might burst into tears if I pushed any further. But since we had vowed not to return to the city without results, I needed to stay firm.
“I’ve always tried to make the best decisions in any situation. I turned down countless offers from other clans because I believed in my judgment. But now, for the first time, I’m not confident in my decisions. I’ve always thought that the path I wanted was beneficial for you too, but maybe that was just my arrogance.”
My tone was more serious than ever before. After signaling them not to interrupt, the kids listened quietly. Hyun focused intently on my words, while Yujeong and Sol exchanged worried glances, their eyes cast down.
“I’ve cared for you all deeply. Yujeong, when you said ‘us’ as you left the city, I was overjoyed, though I didn’t show it. But I never expected that feeling to come back to haunt me like this. Or maybe I did know and just ignored it. Of course, it’s my responsibility for sticking to that approach, but your attitudes in following it are also problematic. The concerns I had since the initiation are now becoming apparent.”
Hyun bit his lip, looking gloomy as he listened. But they couldn’t say anything. They knew well enough without needing an explanation. Breaking formation, putting Sol in danger, stopping spells when a tail flew by, watching idly while a comrade fought, and fighting recklessly without considering power distribution—all these issues were clear.
I stopped walking and turned around. Yujeong and Sol looked like they were about to cry. I decided to wrap things up for now because…
“Honestly, I feel like going back to the city right now. I want to regroup and start over, even with a minimal caravan. But part of me still wants to believe in you. Can I? Can you promise not to disappoint me anymore?”
Hyun looked speechless at my question, but I could see the frustration in his eyes, as if he was gritting his teeth inside. Unlike the other two, Hyun had something different. I wasn’t looking for apologies; I wanted them to question why things had to be that way.
I continued with a firm voice.
“From now on, we’ll change the Keeper formation. We’ll form a triangle with Sol at the center. I’ll lead, and Hyun and Yujeong will take the sides.”
”…”
Hyun silently moved to stand beside Sol, gripping his spear with determination. Yujeong, after glancing at me, took her place on the other side. Sol looked uneasy about the change in formation, but I spoke firmly with a calm face.
“I’ll explain this once, so listen carefully. A triangle formation doesn’t mean there’s no Keeper. Each member forming the triangle is essentially a Keeper.”
“So, we mustn’t let the formation break.”
I turned my head slightly to look ahead. I heard something moving slowly. After carefully scanning the front, I signaled only to Hyun. He seemed to understand and subtly adjusted his spear’s direction. I began walking slowly again.
“Exactly. Don’t just use your senses to dodge. Focus on reading the enemy’s moves, countering, and exploiting openings. If this formation breaks, Sol will fall too. Maintain the formation as if your life depends on it. It’s about teamwork and coordination; otherwise, you might as well be alone.”
“Understood.”
“And one more thing. I’m not leading just to guide the way. There’s another reason. What do you think it is?”
“I’m not sure.”
Yujeong and Sol tilted their heads at the slightly off-topic exchange between Hyun and me. We were moving at less than half our initial speed. I glanced at the trees and large rocks we passed, gripping my sword tightly.
“Because… situations like this can happen!”
I swung my sword with all my might at a large rock we were about to pass. The rock split open, and red blood gushed out. The assassin, skilled enough to evade the kids’ senses, couldn’t fool my eyes.
“Damn it! Jongmin!”
“Crazy!”
After taking down one of them, three more people quickly surrounded us. Two men and a woman, looking ragged and clearly vagrants. They must have planned to ambush us, but since I took one down first, they revealed themselves.
Yujeong and Sol looked startled again, but Hyun remained relatively calm, thanks to my earlier warning. Though surprised to see they were human, Yujeong and Sol quickly drew their weapons as the vagrants exuded killing intent.
“You bastard! You killed Jongmin! Aaargh!”
“They said they were newbies! How did they spot the ambush?”
“Calm down. We underestimated them. Hey, you. How did you know someone was hiding in the rock?”
The female user addressed me, but I didn’t respond. Analyzing the shouting vagrants, I quickly relayed the information to the kids.
“These guys are called vagrants. Do as you learned at the academy. Don’t engage in conversation; think of them as monsters. The moment you see them as fellow users, you’ll hesitate. Kill without mercy. There’s a shield warrior, an axe warrior, and a mage. We have the advantage in numbers and class composition. Sol, what are you waiting for? The battle has started. Do you know who to target?”
“Huh…? They’re just rookies! Let’s get them!”
“Wait…!”
The axe warrior, listening to me, charged at us with his axe. The swordsman followed, raising his shield. The female mage seemed to try to stop them but quickly realized it was too late and began casting a spell.
I watched them with a disdainful expression. They were clearly new to the Hall Plains and being vagrants. If the shield warrior had broken our formation first, followed by the axe warrior’s attack, it might have been a threat. But they were charging at us just as chaotically as we were. They must have underestimated us, thinking we were just new users.
Then, I noticed the two charging users closing their eyes. I quickly spoke to the kids.
“It’s a Light spell! Close your eyes!”
At the same time, the female mage extended her glowing hand toward us and shouted in a thin voice.
“Light!”
Being a basic spell, she completed it faster than Sol. A sphere of light formed in front of us and burst, intending to blind us. The problem was, we had already learned to sense.
I glanced sideways to see Yujeong and Hyun taking defensive stances with their eyes closed. Sol was also gritting his teeth, chanting a spell. Yes, this was the response I wanted.
After briefly observing the kids, I turned my cold gaze to the vagrants. Despite being hit by the Light spell, the axe warrior looked startled as I stared directly at him, slowing his charge. The shield warrior, unable to see from behind, veered left, likely targeting Yujeong.
These guys were just as untrained, so-called idiots. The hidden assassin and female mage seemed competent, but the two charging at us were hopeless.
Just as I was about to strike, a long spear suddenly thrust from the side. The axe warrior, not expecting an attack after the Light spell, turned his body in panic. Hyun, with his eyes closed, had successfully disrupted the warrior’s path with a precise thrust.
“Impossible…! How can rookies sense…?”
“It’s possible.”
I simply replied as I thrust my sword into the warrior, who had exposed his belly to avoid the spear. The sound of leather armor tearing and the sensation of flesh being pierced traveled up my sword. Their plan to use Light and attack was decent, but their overconfidence was their downfall. Watching the warrior cough up blood with a hollow expression, I turned my head.
Clang!
The harsh sound of metal scraping against metal echoed around them. Yujeong stood firm, holding her dagger upright, skillfully blocking the charge of the shield-bearing warrior. The warrior, in turn, gaped at Yujeong in disbelief.
“Wha… what? My strength should be… higher…”
Indeed, the shield user had the advantage in raw strength. As they pushed against each other, Yujeong was slowly being forced back. However, the warrior had underestimated Yujeong’s magical prowess. With a determined glint in her eyes, Yujeong summoned her magical energy, letting out a powerful shout.
“Hiya!”
She compensated for her lack of physical strength with magic. Yujeong was adeptly applying the basics she had learned at the User Academy. Her dagger began to hum with energy, its cutting power and durability enhanced. Just as the warrior attempted to attack with his other weapon, a long spear suddenly shot between me and Sol, piercing through the air.
I twisted my sword free and swiftly swung it, decapitating the axe warrior. Anhyun’s spear followed, slicing through the air to pierce the exposed side of the shield warrior.
The shield warrior looked down at the axe warrior’s severed head and the spear lodged in his side, disbelief etched on his face as he dropped his shield. Yujeong hesitated for a moment, conflicted, but then bit her lip and drove both her daggers into the warrior’s body.
“Ugh.”
I wasn’t sure how they had heard we were new users, but these guys seemed no different. They were likely just six months in, maybe a year at most. Whatever had led them to become vagrants, they were now a testament to those who couldn’t adapt to the Hall Plain. They lacked skill, training, and effort—a truly pitiful sight.
Watching the warrior crumble, Yujeong’s expression hardened with resolve. Perhaps she was putting on a show for my benefit. Her hands, gripping the daggers embedded in the warrior’s chest, visibly trembled.
But there was no time to rest. One female mage remained. She had been silent, likely preparing a powerful spell, but Sol had already completed her own incantation. Holding her glowing staff, Sol confidently chanted the activation word.
“Shackles!”
A bright flash filled the forest, and the female mage snorted, continuing her incantation while forming a hand seal with one hand. My eyes widened at the sight. She was double-casting, using her mouth for the spell and her hand to form a magic resistance seal.
This required considerable focus, indicating she was a skilled user. However, she overlooked one crucial detail: Sol’s magical prowess.
“Wha… what? Impossible! My magic power is over 60!”
Her hand, forming the seal, began to falter. She screamed, abandoning her spell to focus on resisting the magic. It was a quick decision, but she was no match for Sol, who boasted a starting magic power of 75.
Though she resisted briefly, Sol’s binding spell clung tenaciously. I held back Hyun and Yujeong, who were ready to charge again. Sol was straining to maintain the magical connection, and I wanted them to experience what a magic-based battle was like.
Eventually, the female user collapsed, unable to withstand Sol’s magic. Her body stiffened, her face a mask of despair.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
(Today’s note is quite lengthy, so I’ll skip the usual replies. I appreciate your understanding.)
Magic detection can be classified as a control ability. It’s a basic skill. While casting it isn’t difficult, the key lies in how cleanly and how long you can maintain it. Efficiently distributing your magic and maintaining a steady flow is crucial.
The User Academy teaches the principles of manifesting control abilities. They cover the types of abilities, their usefulness, and importance. They don’t provide detailed know-how like Suhyeon does.
They simply teach the basics of adapting to the Hall Plain. Of course, they rigorously train users in general background and job-specific skills. However, for advanced techniques, promising individuals are recruited into clans for further training.
During the rite of passage, under Suhyeon’s protection, they underwent harsh training but never faced life-threatening situations like the scorpion battles. This led to their cautious approach during the scorpion fight.
As you might have noticed in this part, my intention isn’t to highlight the kids’ lack of ability. I want to change their reliance on Suhyeon.
In their first encounter with the scorpions, they didn’t know how to respond, disrupting their formation. However, they handled the fight against the more familiar users (vagrants) without issue. They have the ability but lack the experience to handle unfamiliar, unpredictable situations. (Of course, there are differences between fighting scorpions and vagrants, as mentioned in the text. They can’t be viewed the same.)
After Suhyeon’s scolding and reflecting on their mistakes, Anhyun quickly adjusted his attitude. Yujeong and Sol are still hesitant, but you can see their progress in the battles with the vagrants following the scorpion fight.
Suhyeon was frustrated because, with their abilities, they should be able to manage, yet they still haven’t stepped out of their comfort zone.