The tail, which had been swaying gently, suddenly straightened and shot forward, aiming directly for Yu-jeong’s upper body, specifically her neck—a lethal target. I was about to rush forward when Yu-jeong’s unexpected move stopped me in my tracks.
“Hmm!”
With a peculiar sound, Yu-jeong bent low and pushed off the ground, sliding forward so close to the earth that the tail’s deadly strike sliced through empty air. In a swift motion, she planted a hand on the ground, pivoted, and curved her path into a half-moon shape, ending up behind Renga in an instant.
Caught off guard, Renga turned with a startled expression, but it was too late. Yu-jeong’s dagger had already slashed across his neck. As Renga clutched his throat and crumpled to the ground, Yu-jeong dashed towards me, a bright smile on her face. I stood there, momentarily stunned, while Ahn-hyun, who had been about to charge forward, let out a loud exclamation of surprise.
Until now, Yu-jeong hadn’t fully utilized her strengths. I acknowledged her potential in agility and magic, but her combat style was vastly different from Ahn-hyun’s. Ahn-hyun relied on strength, endurance, and stamina, sticking to the basics and achieving above-average results. Yu-jeong, on the other hand, needed to employ a more unconventional, intuitive approach, especially since she wielded two short daggers, which were less effective in standard combat.
Previously, I had ranked Ahn-hyun above Yu-jeong in terms of pure combat ability. But now, I realized I needed to reassess. Her movements were clean and simple, yet highly efficient. The scene she had just demonstrated left a deep impression on me. If she could replicate such maneuvers consistently in battle…
A chorus of angry hisses from the Rengas reached my ears. Watching Yu-jeong rejoin our formation, I nodded slightly. She seemed to catch my expression, her face flushed with excitement, a smile playing on her lips. This battle felt promising, the first time since entering the Black Forest that I felt a sense of satisfaction.
Then it happened.
With a loud bang, several nearby Rengas leaped into the air, soaring over three meters high. We all stood there, momentarily dumbfounded.
Though all of us—Ahn-hyun, Yu-jeong, and I—had killed Rengas, Yu-jeong’s performance was the most impressive. The Rengas, enraged by the death of their kin, focused their fury on her.
I’d never seen Rengas jump like that before, but knowing their target, I knew we had to protect Yu-jeong. A leap attack from such a height would be devastating, and Yu-jeong’s physical abilities alone wouldn’t be enough to block it without harm.
But our group, riding the momentum, didn’t stand idly by. Sol stepped forward, staff in hand, determined not to be outdone by her older siblings. She quickly chanted a spell, and as the Rengas descended, she pointed her staff at them.
“Shackles!”
Sol’s clear voice rang out, and the Rengas in mid-air suddenly stiffened, crashing helplessly to the ground. We, who had each taken down a Renga, looked at Sol with pride. Though the spell’s power was weaker than when targeting a single individual, it was enough to immobilize the airborne Rengas.
Sol, with a fierce expression that belied her innocent face, seemed to sense our gazes and quickly relaxed her features. We had started by taking down seven Rengas, achieving more than we had imagined in our ambush.
Yet, a dozen or so remained, their eyes red with rage. Claws raised, they slowly advanced towards us. I began to retreat slightly, raising my sword to secure our escape route.
“Roar!”
The Rengas howled and a few leaped high again. But this time, I wasn’t worried. Though these Rengas were different from what we knew, our group seemed to have found a rhythm. Ahn-hyun and Yu-jeong adopted bolder stances, eager to capitalize on our momentum.
As my sword clashed with a Renga’s claws, the battle resumed. Engaging them directly, I noticed their differences from ordinary Rengas: their swift movements, tactical awareness, and the way they feigned retreat only to rejoin the fray with their comrades.
Initially, I had been overconfident, but I quickly refocused, coordinating the battlefield once more. If this had been our first battle at the forest’s edge, we might have faltered. But with my strategic support and Ahn-hyun’s masterful spear work, we not only held our ground but began to overwhelm them.
Yu-jeong, too, was no longer just defending and countering; she actively wielded her daggers, inflicting small wounds and steadily reducing their numbers. Her dual daggers shone in the chaos, proving their worth.
The tide turned decisively when Sol’s voice echoed through the clearing once more.
“Shackles!”
“Yes! That’s it! Nice one, Sol!”
Sol’s staff was aimed at the Rengas Yu-jeong was fighting. With her daggers finding their mark easily, Yu-jeong let out a cry of joy and fought with renewed vigor. As she spun like a whirlwind, Ahn-hyun and I charged at the remaining Rengas.
I hadn’t used any magic against the Rengas. As I swung my sword at a charging Renga, it sliced cleanly through, as if cutting through tofu. The power of a swordsmanship expert was truly captivating.
The ability to receive positive bonuses for all sword-related actions was remarkable. Moreover, the EX-rank Sword Unity added its strength. Even a casual swing was devastating, making me curious about the potential of a fully committed strike.
As my sword cut through the air with a fierce sound, the Rengas fell like autumn leaves. Whether it was our growing advantage or Ahn-hyun’s newfound freedom with his spear, he danced with joy. Having broken through the center, he turned to face me, then gleefully attacked the Rengas from behind.
“Light!”
Sol’s voice rang out again, this time casting a Light spell. A white orb appeared before the remaining Rengas, bursting with a blinding flash. It was a tactic borrowed from a previous battle with a mage. Sol’s spell was highly effective.
As the Rengas stumbled, temporarily blinded, Ahn-hyun, Yu-jeong, and I closed in, forming a triangle to pummel them. In no time, we dispatched another five or six, leaving only two Rengas, their ears drooping as if sensing their impending doom.
Unfazed, Ahn-hyun’s eyes sparkled as he spoke.
“I’ll take the one on the left.”
“Then the right one’s mine.”
”…”
After dealing with all the Rengas in the clearing, we took a moment to regroup. Ahn-hyun and Yu-jeong were covered in minor wounds, but after drinking potions and receiving Sol’s healing, their faces were brighter than ever. Though the Rengas’ unusual abilities crossed my mind, I decided to keep quiet for now. Riding this wave of confidence seemed more beneficial than scolding them harshly.
Honestly, it wasn’t that the group had performed exceptionally well. They hadn’t surpassed their limits; rather, they had finally utilized their inherent skills effectively. Still, as they gained experience, they would learn to harmonize their combat styles and teamwork, and for the first time since leaving the city, I felt a sense of pride.
“I bet I took down more than you.”
“Your spear’s longer, making it easier to attack. Considering that, I did better.”
“You’re just making excuses.”
“It’s true, though. Should we ask him?”
Lately, the two seemed to bicker whenever they had the chance. But as they turned their bright eyes towards me, I found myself at a loss for words. Overall, Ahn-hyun still scored higher, having shown more stability. However, Yu-jeong seemed to have found her path, making it hard to criticize her.
“Hmm.”
Seeing my serious expression as I pondered carefully, the kids grew tense, clearly eager to hear my decision. Their expectant faces made it awkward to bring up the topic. In the end, I decided to subtly change the subject.
“You both did well. For now, let’s focus on getting some rest…”
“But still, isn’t there someone who did just a little better? Huh?” Yu-jeong pressed on persistently, leaving me in a bit of a bind. To buy some time, I turned my attention to Sol-i, who was just sucking on her fingers.
“Ha ha. What do you think, Sol-i?”
“Well, I was too focused on chanting spells to notice.”
But when Sol-i subtly averted her gaze, I was taken aback. She had anticipated my attempt to pass the buck and deftly sidestepped it. Shocked by her unexpected reaction, I looked at her with wounded eyes, and she shuffled her feet awkwardly, unsure of what to do.
“Well, judging by your reaction, I guess it’s me. I did better, didn’t I?”
“Nonsense?”
“You’re hesitating because you feel bad for not meeting his expectations. Tsk tsk.”
“What? You little…!”
Watching Hyun and Yu-jeong bicker again, I let out a deep sigh. After all the chatter, it was time to return to our usual atmosphere.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
…I was editing and accidentally hit the submit button. Oh no… Let’s just say it was posted on January 28th. I thought it was just a draft… sigh… ㅜ.ㅠ I’ll see you on January 29th. I’ll update the note and replies soon.
『 Reader Comments 』
Ro Yujin: Hi Yujin. It’s because you included an & in the subtitle. Don’t do that next time, okay?
HumanLife: Hmm. Writing my own comment made me feel a bit of an identity crisis. Sob sob.
Ready: Renga! Renga!
PpuingPpuingA: Ppuing?
GradeRown: Oh. TS. I’m suddenly intrigued too. Hehehe.(?)
Aintje: Yu-jeong is a promising character. I’m torn between my initial concept and a new idea that emerged later. Haha. A character popularity poll might soon decide Yu-jeong’s fate. :)
Blami: Thank you! Enjoy this episode too!
Ramude: Right. Kids learn through experience(?). Gasp.
Ghirrhiheis: It’s become a habit. Ahahaha. I have this compulsion against copy-pasting (……).
Bennet: I’ll keep writing! Enjoy this episode!
I always read all the comments repeatedly. Please don’t feel too disappointed if your comment isn’t mentioned. If you’re really curious, send me a message and I’ll reply! (Please leave lots of comments! And recommendations… ☞☜)
With that, I’ll take my leave for today.
I hope you always read my work with a relaxed mind.
Pre-orders, recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.