00582 Everyone Has Their Moment to Shine at Least Once
It’s a rather obvious statement, but Kim Suhyun is human. As such, regardless of right or wrong, he has developed various habits and quirks over the years simply from living as a person. Among these, one that could be classified as a flaw is his fundamental distrust of others.
Broadly speaking, this could refer to his relationships with people in general, but more specifically, he has a habit of not trusting his subordinates to handle tasks properly.
In other words, no matter what the job is, he insists on leading the process himself. And if that’s not possible, he at least has to check the results to feel at ease.
From this perspective, Kim Suhyun is undoubtedly a demanding clan leader from the viewpoint of his subordinates. On the other hand, this very habit is arguably the root cause of the mercenary group’s biggest problem: an overly Kim Suhyun-centric system. His excessive interference and involvement stifle the activities of other users.
However, as with all things, there are exceptions. Kim Suhyun does sometimes set aside this habit—specifically for six, now five, clan members with whom he tends to minimize his direct involvement.
To name them individually: in close combat, Nam Da-eun; in ranged combat, Seon Yuun; among mages, Vivian; among priests, Shin Jaeryong; and among assassins, Go Yeonju.
Of course, there is a clear hierarchy even among these five, and the one Kim Suhyun trusts most without question is none other than the “Shadow Queen,” Go Yeonju.
But there is another clan member he trusts almost as much: Shin Jaeryong.
Their bond began when Shin Jaeryong’s life was saved by Kim Suhyun in the ancient magical city of Magia. Later, when Suhyun went missing after an attack by vagrants on the mule, Shin Jaeryong volunteered to join the rescue team, driven by a determination to repay his debt—even if it meant risking his life.
“So… you joined the rescue team to save me?”
“Yes. You saved my life. To ignore the plight of one’s benefactor, knowing full well, is an act worse than that of a beast.”
Those words left a deep impression on Kim Suhyun, and from that moment, their true connection began.
Since then, Shin Jaeryong has followed Kim Suhyun like a shadow, taking on numerous tasks without ever faltering. He knows when to step forward and when to step back.
Yet, he never flaunts his influence.
Having followed Kim Suhyun since their early days and accumulated countless experiences, it would be natural for Shin Jaeryong to wield considerable power. But he has chosen to decline such authority, respecting Kim Suhyun’s decision to appoint Go Yeonju and preventing any potential discord within the clan.
Quiet as a solitary horn, steadfast and unassuming—that is Shin Jaeryong.
Neither Kim Suhyun nor Go Yeonju is unaware of this attitude.
That’s why Kim Suhyun trusts Shin Jaeryong. Though Go Yeonju claims she fears no one but Kim Suhyun himself, she always shows utmost respect in Shin Jaeryong’s presence.
And now—
Shin Jaeryong, a user recognized for his mastery of two level-10 skills, was fully demonstrating his abilities even in this tense situation.
“Jaeryong hyung!”
An Hyun, who had quickly explained the situation and brought Helena along, frowned as he saw Shin Jaeryong waiting with a group of users gathered on one side. While An Hyun had only managed to find and bring back one person, Shin Jaeryong had already assembled 30 users—26 including himself, to be exact. With An Hyun and Helena joining, the total came to 28.
There was Warrior Lord Go Ohwan, Death Knight Yoo Jitae, Execution Princess Yeon Hyerim…
“Thank you for coming, Helena. Honestly, I was a bit worried about the shortage of mages, so this feels like a godsend.”
As An Hyun scanned the assembled users, wondering when Shin Jaeryong had managed to gather them all, he overheard a quiet conversation between Shin Jaeryong and Helena.
“Not at all. I’m just grateful to be invited to such an interesting matter.”
“Heh. It’s probably not as fun as you think. Anyway, have you heard the details from Hyun?”
“If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t find this interesting.”
“Good. I just finished explaining, so let’s get moving. Hyun! Come here!”
Snapping out of his thoughts at the call, An Hyun ran over to Shin Jaeryong’s side. Moments later, the group of 28 users, led by Shin Jaeryong and An Hyun, left the square and began tracking Joo Hyunho.
Just as they were about to leave the square—
“Hyun?”
An Hyun suddenly stopped and turned back to look at the square.
Kim Suhyun was still fighting Father with all his might. The remaining users were steadily preparing under Han Soyoung’s command. Watching the scene, An Hyun briefly wondered:
Does Suhyun hyung even know I’m leaving right now?
It was a sudden thought, one An Hyun couldn’t explain himself. A strange mix of worry and unease washed over him.
“Hyun!”
But the feeling passed quickly. At Shin Jaeryong’s urging, An Hyun nodded and followed him through one of the square’s many doors—the one marked by Joo Hyunho’s bloodstains—into a dark corridor.
The pursuit began without incident at first. The faint blood drops on the ground clearly marked the path Joo Hyunho had taken.
However, less than ten minutes into the corridor, the tracking party hit a snag. As Han Soyoung had warned, the trail suddenly vanished, and the corridor split into two paths.
“Hmm. This complicates things.”
Yoo Jitae clicked his tongue, eyeing the fork, then looked to Shin Jaeryong.
“User Shin Jaeryong, what will you do? Will you follow the plan you mentioned earlier?”
The plan he mentioned earlier?
An Hyun looked on curiously as Shin Jaeryong, who had been standing silently, calmly nodded.
“Yes. Let’s proceed as discussed. User Yoo Jitae, lead your team to search this corridor.”
“Hmm. I agree with splitting the team, but… isn’t seven a bit too many? After all, it’s just one guy we’re after, and who knows how many more forks lie ahead.”
In other words, Yoo Jitae suggested reducing the number of people assigned. He voiced his opinion gently, careful not to offend Shin Jaeryong. But Shin Jaeryong smiled softly and shook his head.
“I agree about the corridors, but we cannot reduce the number here. Seven is already the minimum. It’s not that I doubt your skills, but that guy is unlike any other monster we’ve faced. Also, consider that there may be other monsters besides him.”
His reply was calm and measured. Perhaps sensing something in Shin Jaeryong’s serene voice and gentle smile, Yoo Jitae blinked a few times before breaking into a grin.
“Understood. If anything happens, I’ll contact you.”
He then raised his communication crystal and quickly selected six members to head down the left corridor. After watching the seven users disappear into the distance, An Hyun quietly spoke.
“Jaeryong hyung, splitting the team like this?”
“The corridors are branching. Since we have 28 people, we divided into four teams to prepare for this. You and Helena are in my team.”
Shin Jaeryong explained kindly. After finishing, he led the way down the right corridor.
Unfortunately, not long after entering the right corridor, Yoo Jitae’s concerns came true.
Just as An Hyun thought it was hard to believe he had been in the noisy square moments ago, the corridor split again.
This time, it split into three paths, meaning the remaining 21 had to be divided even further.
“Heh, this is like a maze. No joke.”
Yeon Hyerim sneered with a sly expression.
“Can’t be helped. Anyway, team leaders, no matter what forks appear later, do not split your teams arbitrarily. Keep your groups at seven.”
“Agreed.”
“Alright then. Execution Princess, you take the left corridor, I’ll take the center, and the rest take the right.”
“Okay~.”
With a bright voice, Yeon Hyerim led six others down the left corridor. Soon, the other teams entered the right corridor, leaving only seven in the corridor.
Glancing at the remaining members, An Hyun felt a faint unease. Go Ohwan, Shin Jaeryong, Helena… While not weak by any means, the absence of the Death Knight and Execution Princess, whom he had trusted so firmly, left an oddly empty feeling.
“Um, Jaeryong hyung, do you think we’ll be okay?”
“Hm? What do you mean, ‘okay’?”
“Well, you know… like if a bunch of monsters suddenly appeared all at once…”
“Huh? Hey, what kind of nonsense is that?”
It was then. Go Oh-hwan, who had been lingering around aimlessly, suddenly shouted loudly. Startled, Ahn Hyun glanced over at him, and Shin Jae-ryong, who had been watching Go Oh-hwan out of the corner of his eye, gave a faint smile as he looked at Ahn Hyun.
“It’s fine. Of course, there’s some risk involved, but we divided the teams with all that in mind. And above all, we have the warrior Lord with us, right?”
“Ahem, ahem!”
Go Oh-hwan, who was about to shout back, abruptly switched to an awkward cough. Then, with a satisfied grin, he leaned casually against his greatsword.
“Exactly. You guys don’t need to worry about a thing—just trust me. If any runaway monsters show up, I’ll cut them down in one stroke!”
With that, Go Oh-hwan spun around, pointed his greatsword toward the central passage, and shouted, “So quit whining and let’s get moving!” Then, with a slightly unsteady swagger, he took the lead.
Ahn Hyun’s brow furrowed slightly as he stood there, stunned. He thought things had calmed down for a bit, but apparently, Go Oh-hwan was back in action. And of course, he’d kept quiet while there were other players around, only stepping up now that there were just seven of them left.
“Wait a moment. Warrior Lord.”
Just as Ahn Hyun was about to snap back, he suddenly felt a firm pressure on his shoulder. At the same time, Shin Jae-ryong’s voice, low and calm unlike before, whispered in his ear. Reluctantly, Ahn Hyun turned his gaze.
Shin Jae-ryong was quietly staring at Go Oh-hwan.
My breath is ragged, nearly choking me. I can feel my lungs tightening, and sweat drenches my entire body. Now that I think about it, my vision seems a little hazy.
But I don’t stop. No, I have no intention of stopping. I regulate my breathing as best I can and keep up the relentless assault using the Transformed Phantom Technique.
Sizzle, crackle!
I watch the wounds I’ve carved with my blade burn bright red, then swiftly pivot, circling around.
How many times have I used the Transformed Phantom Technique already? I haven’t counted, but it must be over a hundred. The only consolation is that Father’s movements have slowed down, even if just a little.
Honestly, it’s a bit strange. Despite my continuous successful attacks, Father’s body has been reduced to something like a ragged mess. You’d think he’d try something different by now, but he stubbornly sticks to attacking with his tentacles and powder, as if determined to catch me no matter what.
Whoosh!
A tentacle attack brushes past my ear, sending a chill down my spine, but I quickly regain my focus. Unlike before, this attack lacks the sharp, overwhelming force—it’s wild and weak.
That means one thing: though I’m far from perfect, Father is clearly starting to show signs of exhaustion.
At that moment, Hwa-jeong, who had been silently supporting me, suddenly spoke up.
‘What are you talking about all of a sudden?’
I was about to ask what I needed to prepare for, but I swallowed the question and focused on my movements. …Come to think of it, the frequency of tentacle attacks seems to have dropped a bit?
‘What?’
I couldn’t believe my ears. What was Hwa-jeong saying?
‘Strike once? What the hell are you talking about?’
‘I have no idea what you’ve been saying all this time. So basically, you don’t trust me?’
Hwa-jeong fell silent all of a sudden.
‘…’
‘Heh.’
I couldn’t help but chuckle quietly to myself. I’m curious where this newfound confidence is coming from, but for now, I decided to follow Hwa-jeong’s plan. With her wider perspective, doing as she says can’t hurt.
Did she just realize something?
Hwa-jeong snapped, spinning fiercely. Just then, Father’s powder attack covered me from head to toe, and I gave a light, grateful nod. Ignoring Hwa-jeong’s frantic protests of “No! That’s not it!”, I landed softly on the ground.
“…Hah.”
And then I saw it.
The countless tentacles that had been so overwhelming just moments ago were now more than half gone. And all without me even noticing.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
I’m sorry. Honestly, last time I expected about 200 comments on the poll, but I never imagined it would top 600. Going through all of them was… well, quite something. Haha. Still, I truly, sincerely appreciate all the interest. (__)
Now, here are the results!
『Second Character Poll Results』
『Character (Name) / Votes / Rank / Notes』
Vivian / 234 votes / 1st place / Illustration confirmed!
Kim Han-byul / 87 votes / 2nd place / Eliminated.
Nam Da-eun / 87 votes / 2nd place / Eliminated.
Kim Yoo-hyun / 57 votes / 4th place / Eliminated.
Hwa-jeong / 29 votes / Hwa-jeong, try again next time~.
Father / 4 votes / Father~ Do you really want to see him? Haha.
Han So-young / 4 votes / Han So-young’s illustration is confirmed~.
Kim Soo-hyun / 4 votes / As the protagonist, illustration is guaranteed. Maybe not now, but someday. :)
Mar / 1 vote / -
Surama Sword / 1 vote / -
Wife / 1 vote / -
Im Han-na / 1 vote / -
Bing-jeong / 1 vote / -
Helena / 1 vote / ?
Kim Bi-ang / 1 vote / ??
Ro Yumi / 16 votes / ???
Loli Yumi / 1 vote / Seriously.
Ero Yumi / 12 votes / Fake. (…Sorry, it means “Juice Juice.”)
ロユミ (Translation: Ro Yumi) / 1 vote / —. I ran this through a search engine and was speechless.
Ero Yujin / 12 votes / Oh, come on.
Ro Yujin / 6 votes / I think it’s better, but why do I feel sad? ㅜ.ㅠ
Loli Geo Yujin / 1 vote / Oh no.
Ro Pervert / 1 vote / Conda.
Big Yumi / 1 vote / …….
Ero Yumi Hyun / 1 vote / Hmm?
Ero Yumi / 1 vote / Wow. Impressive.
X Yumi / 1 vote / =ㅁ=
Ro Euri Yumi / 1 vote / LOL.
Ro Yumi Jjaeung / 1 vote / Ebe be be?
Yumi Yumi Ro Yumi / 1 vote / Ebe be be be be be be?
Ro (Loli + Geo) Yumi / 1 vote / Phew….
Ero Writer / 1 vote / Hmm. That’s acceptable.
Anyway, the illustrations are confirmed for Han So-young and Vivian! Nam Da-eun and Kim Han-byul did well but just missed out. Kim Yoo-hyun also got more votes than expected. Haha.
P.S. Looking at the invalid votes, I’m tempted to unleash my hidden BL skills. Yes, that’s right, everyone. Let’s just call it a truce here. :)