Chapter 23
At that moment, on the cliff.
The members of the family watched Do Gyung-woo leave without hesitation, leaving Do Seung-woo behind.
On one hand.
“Hey! Do Gyung-woo!”
The sound of Do Seung-woo’s cries echoed vividly.
In another scene, his tearful, pleading figure was captured.
“Come back! You jerk!”
As if to say you shouldn’t be like this.
Like a person betrayed by someone they believed in, Do Seungwoo wore a face of betrayal. Yet, he seemed to not give up on the faint hope.
[Isn’t it? This joke has gone too far…]
However, unlike Do Seungwoo’s wishes, he eventually had to face reality. The monster that Do Gyunwoo had lured, as well as the monsters that responded to his call, appeared one after another.
[Kero?]
[Oh, don’t come… Don’t come!]
[Kero?]
[If I could only move properly, someone like you… Damn!]
Ironically, despite his name Sujae, Do Seungwoo was filled with fear. His face did not resemble that of a brave lion but rather that of a prey facing a predator.
“Don’t chase me!”
Do Seungwoo showed a pathetic sight as he fled from the monsters. Facing them while still partially paralyzed was reckless, yet somewhat a wise decision.
Even so, the spectators watching the screen couldn’t help but chuckle.
“A lion being chased by a frog… Seungwoo isn’t all that.”
“He runs well. Yes, that’s how you can save your life. Run, run, quickly.”
The family members mocked.
Unable to stand by while his and Seungwoo’s honor was at stake, Do Beomjoon couldn’t stay silent.
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“My Lord! We must capture Do Gyunwoo immediately and punish him! Look at how he’s blinded by competition, bringing monsters to kill Seungwoo! Even if our family encourages competition, this has gone too far!”
“What do you think, Sangjoon?”
“I…”
Do Beomjoon pleaded with a flushed face.
Do Yeeik just chuckled. Then, he asked for opinions from Do Sangjoon, who was watching the family and the evaluation match.
‘Gyunwoo again…’
Do Sangjoon sighed inwardly.
No matter how many times he had warned his son not to cause trouble, his son pretended to listen but never took it to heart.
Truly an exasperating child.
But just as children surpass their parents, Do Sangjoon had to resign himself to his fate and had no choice but to support Do Gyunwoo.
“I think it’s fine at this level.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Similar incidents have occurred many times in competition matches. Even more severe things have happened.”
“Hmm, that’s true.”
“To be honest, Gyoun did not intend to kill Seungwoo. He was aware of our presence and assumed there were hunters nearby, so he played a prank lightly, knowing we were watching.”
“A prank? A prraank!? Dosangjun, you…!”
“And Seungwoo said it himself. Even if Gyoun hadn’t helped, he could have killed Radel Kero on his own. The justification was given by Seungwoo first.”
“Justification…”
As if finding it amusing.
Doyeik repeated those words quietly and shrugged.
“Sangjun, your words seem to be correct. We can’t just stop the evaluation match over something like this and needlessly scold a kid who has been doing well so far.”
“Gyoun would appreciate hearing that.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
Doyeik raised his hand to Gyoun.
Only then did Sangjun feel relieved. His wife, Han Jiae, who had been anxious and unable to join the conversation on the side, could also relax.
“He really…”
Fearlessly eating fruits and flowers growing in the gate.
Engaging in dangerous battles against monsters.
She, who could only watch the screen with Gyoun, had to worry time and time again.
But she quietly resigned herself, being a parent who could only support him.
“Don’t get hurt, don’t get hurt.”
“I want to eat those fruits too… Mom, if I go to my brother later, can I try eating those fruits too?”
She clasped her hands together and begged.
Meanwhile, Doyeik whispered quietly, watching Gyoun advancing into the forest.
His eyes shone brightly and never left Gyoun.
“If I didn’t see it wrong…”
Doyeik fell into thought, recalling the swordsmanship Gyoun had shown a while ago.
A short while ago, he had unleashed the Attack Form 7, leaping from a high place to save Seungwoo.
At that moment, although fleeting.
―Crack!
In the spiraling wind.
Gyoun unleashed a blue current.
It was undoubtedly…
‘A Thunderbolt.’
He couldn’t have misjudged it.
Replaying that scene over and over.
Doyeik silently stared at Gyoun on the screen.
At some point, the gaps between the trees were getting wider.
The color and characteristics of the ground had also changed.
The sound of mud keros swelling and popping was no longer audible.
“The jungle is coming to an end.”
I quickly grasped the situation.
The mud keros were moving away from their habitat, getting closer to the lake.
Before long.
“There it is.”
A massive lake came into view.
I landed on a tree that grew at the edge of the jungle’s end.
Around that time, a message popped up.
[Next strategy conditions are being delivered.]
[Slay the ruler in the lake.]
It seemed like we had arrived at our destination.
“The first ones here… 5 people, I suppose.”
I swiftly scanned the number of people and assessed the situation.
They were either stepping on floating platforms on the water or leaping around, battling monsters.
It seemed unfamiliar to fight on the water’s surface.
“Well, that’s understandable.”
Just stepping on the water was challenging enough, let alone fighting monsters in that state.
Even stepping on the platforms was not easy.
If they misplaced their center of gravity, they could easily tip over with the platform.
They were showing some skill, especially considering their older age.
Among them…
“Si-eun is there too.”
Si-eun stood out.
Without using the platforms, she was leaping around on the lake’s surface, facing off against the monsters.
＜Attack Form 5 of the Water King Species＞
Lion’s Roar
A sudden attack ensued.
She advanced, causing a water spout, and swung her sword at the monsters.
Kiiik!
Monsters in a form resembling children, with no facial features.
Those covered in blue scales were cut down by Si-eun’s sword.
Riding on that momentum, Si-eun dashed toward the center of the lake.
Ki-eek!
There was a ruler there.
Similarly, a female monster covered in scales, with blue skin.
The creature was dripping blue blood, its left arm and tail severed.
Must have been the hunters’ doing.
Clearly, the creature was exhausted.
Yet, with ease, it wielded the sword of the ruler with the spear in its right hand.
As she prepared to strike again.
Shaaah!
“…!”
The ruler, with gills on its mouth, let out a strange sound.
Immediately, the surface became rough.
New monsters suddenly appeared in the direction Dosieun was about to rush towards.
“Summoning subordinate monsters.”
No, they were created.
In the game, monsters leading to bosses could summon subordinate monsters.
I frowned.
“Even if the ruler is weakened, approaching with subordinates won’t be easy.”
In reality, others couldn’t even dare to approach the ruler.
Dosieun, for once, had a chance but retreated as new subordinate monsters appeared.
Meanwhile, it was also possible to infer Dosieun’s and others’ conditions.
“…Everyone seems tired. Some even seem unable to move due to paralysis.”
Dosieun was no exception.
With her skills, there was no need to clear the distance to the lake’s outskirts.
It was worth trying to approach the ruler while dealing with the subordinate monsters.
However, her step back indicated she was running out of strength.
Moreover, judging by Dosieun’s movements a while ago, it seemed she, too, was affected by paralysis.
“Hmm….”
Can I face the ruler and its subordinates alone?
I could dodge their attacks with my Gift and seize opportunities, but I couldn’t predict when that would be.
Before that, the probability of my stamina and mana running out and me collapsing from exhaustion was high.
Especially considering the combat while walking on water.
It was too reckless.
“In the end, I need help from those over there.”
I reached a conclusion.
As soon as I caught my breath, Dosieun, as well as other relatives, needed to cooperate to resume the battle.
The problem was convincing people older than me, with higher status and pride, to collaborate.
It was highly unlikely.
“How do I persuade them?”
With no monster presence around, I sat comfortably on a branch, watching the battle unfolding in the lake, pondering.
Crunch.
With that, she ate the fruit of vitality.
As much as she needed to fight against the rulers, she had to store up her stamina…
“Ah.”
At that moment, a single thought flashed through her mind.
Without the need for further contemplation, the method to persuade them was already in her hands.
***
Having somewhat detoxified by raising her physical abilities with internal mana, it seemed that the paralysis poison of the 2nd rank monster, Radul Kero, was much stronger than she had thought.
Occasionally, when Dosi-eun swung her sword, she felt a tingling sensation in her body and bit her lip.
‘…right shoulder, left leg. I can’t delve deep into the crowd like this. If only I could move my body properly…’
She couldn’t exert strength as intended, and it was a situation where the paralysis-induced mana circuit could potentially trigger a mana explosion.
Dosi-eun assessed her condition and took a step back before the paralysis set in.
Kiiik!
“….”
As a result, the path she had painstakingly cleared was blocked by the ruler’s subordinates.
It was a scenario that had already occurred several times.
Her face darkened.
‘Is there no way.’
Nevertheless, she did not give up.
While other relatives stepped forward to confront the monsters, she tried to recover her stamina and mana as much as possible.
‘…I have to go in now.’
But even that was short-lived.
The condition of the other relatives was even worse than Dosi-eun’s.
After straightening the strands of hair clinging to her cheek, she decided to return to battle as the situation intensified.
Swoosh!
As she urged herself forward, a storm loomed.
Realizing Dosi-eun’s advance, her relatives cleared a path and cheered her on.
She sprinted down the path they had cleared, heading towards the ruler.
But even that path was being held from the middle by the ruler’s subordinates.
＜Imperial Attack Form 6＞
Narrowing her blue eyes, Dosi-eun didn’t miss the movements of those trying to block her.
She extended her left leg forward, pressing the brake on the surface, and swiftly twisted her body.
Swoosh!
Due to the friction she caused, a wave suddenly surged upwards.
The splashing wave obstructed the view of the monster in front.
At that moment, her sword gleamed.
Rampant Lions
Amidst the waves, a blade shimmering with a blue light precisely slashed the man’s throat.
Swish!
His head rose into the air.
As his throat vanished into the air, losing balance, his body collapsed onto the water, passing Cityeun.
And she moved towards the others.
Swish!
Clang!
Unrestrained chaos without adhering to any form.
Only focusing on the enemy in front of her, she moved tirelessly according to the situation, rotating her body to enhance the attacking power of her sword with precise swordsmanship.
Cityeun’s dance above the water cut off the men’s breath in a single strike.
“Hoo….”
After catching her breath, she prepared to clear the remaining path.
That was when.
Keyeek!
“…Ugh!”
Despite assigning her relatives to guard the rear.
Her relatives had unknowingly been pushed back to the outskirts of the lake by the enemies.
Cityeun licked her lips.
If she continued to leave her rear vulnerable to the enemies, she would have to focus on the ruler from the rear.
The burden grew heavier.
She had no choice but to act.
＜Water Dragon’s Attack Form Type 3＞
Although the ruler was nearby.
Regretfully, Cityeun decided to turn back to tidy up her rear.
Lion’s Iron Blade
Her sword struck the monster.
With the sound of bones breaking as if hit by an iron club, the man slid face-first into the water and flew far away.
There was no need to confirm; it was an instant kill.
She proceeded to deploy her techniques to kill the others.
But at the moment she raised her sword.
‘My body…!’
Her right shoulder suddenly made a creaking sound, halting her movement in mid-air.
Paralysis struck.
What was misfortune for her turned into fortune for the bastards.
Kiiing!
They charged in unison.
Barely breaking free from the paralysis, she quickly prepared to face them.
But she was a bit late.
“I can handle one. But the other two…”
While dealing with one of them, the other two would surely take advantage of the opening to attack.
She clenched her teeth in frustration.
Nothing could be done.
At least minimize the impact…
Thud!
Then, Doh Si-eun sensed a presence.
Someone was swiftly approaching from behind.
Moments later, the figure passed by her.
“I’ll take the left, you take the right.”
A voice brushed past her ear.
Doh Si-eun couldn’t grasp the meaning.
Yet, contrary to her thoughts, her body moved almost instinctively.
When the unknown figure suddenly moved to the left…
“Ah, so that’s it.”
Her body automatically veered to the right.
Directly towards the monster in front of her.
Thwack!
Kiiii…
Doh Si-eun plunged the sword in.
Having taken out one of the three, she turned around to identify her helper.
By then, that figure had already brought down the other two.
“…Dogyeonwoo?”
The one from the family who was called a coward, ridiculed as “Rabbit.”
Taking in the unexpected presence.
Doh Si-eun’s eyes widened in surprise.
Unfazed by her reaction, Dogyeonwoo casually brought up the topic.
“Sis, care to team up with me?”