Chapter 176
“Let’s hurry and go.”
The team leaders looked at Jae-Hyeok with disdain before urging the group. To defend against guerrilla attacks, the sooner they established a base, the better.
In the center of the group, Da-Hee glanced around with squirrelly eyes.
“W-w-will we be okay?”
“W-w-what is wrong with you? Did you bite your tongue?”
“Be serious, Do-Jin! This is an S-grade gate. S-grade.”
“Yup.” Do-Jin laced his fingers behind the back of his head. “You knew that before coming here, so why bring it up now?”
“I-I wanted to help Mr. Jae-Hyeok and Hae-Rin! That doesn’t mean it isn’t scary... ”
“Idiot～ If this were really some dangerous place, would Kang Jae-Hyeok have let us come with his personality? No. Instead, he would’ve kept it a secret and come alone, and we wouldn’t have heard a thing about it until it was already over.”
Do-Jin sighed and shook his head. Da-Hee was really pitiful. How could she not know this? Jae-Hyeok had fought the beastmen, confronted the Baus family, and saved Guardian—all without telling them. He was clearly the sort to bear twice the burden alone to prevent his friends from getting involved and being put at risk. Naturally, since Jae-Hyeok had invited them this time, it meant this gate wasn’t that dangerous.
Gu Suk-Jeong scoffed. “You put too much faith in that guy? Kang Jae-Hyeok is a bit... No, he’s really strong, but he is still just a freshman and has no experience inside gates. Don’t let down your guard.”
“Huh? He has no experience?”
“Isn’t that obvious? How would he? Don’t tell me you didn’t know?”
“D-don’t mess with me! What kind of madman would pick an S-grade gate for their first time?”
“You tell me. I see a bunch of madmen right here.” Gu Suk-Jeong pointed at Jae-Hyeok before swinging his finger toward Do-Jin. “There are also Park Hae-Rin and Chae Da-Hee. Feel free to consult with them and report back. I’m also curious what kind of mental disability you four share.”
“But, but you’re also here—”
Gu Suk-Jeong’s face darkened and he slapped the backpack that was slung over his belly, “You think I want to be? At our level, no one with half a brain would choose to be here.”
“N-no way.”
Do-Jin’s face turned pale.
“But... we'll be okay, right? We’re with Guardian after all, one of the five major guilds. With them here, even if it’s dangerous, we can just sit in the middle of the bus. Right?... Right?”
Gu Suk-Jeong shook his head. “Do you think the top five guilds are gods? Guardian only has three S-class players; the guildmaster isn’t here, and of the remaining two, one of them died a few days ago. In the end, we can only count on my grandpa. But he retired from active duty a long time ago. Expecting him to essentially solo an S-grade gate is too much.”
Listening to Gu Suk-Jeong, Da-Hee and Do-Jin grew paler by the moment. Finally, Jae-Hyeok intervened, “‘S-class’ this, ‘S-class’ that—why are you so obsessed with class tier? Anyone who heard you would think an S-grade gate requires S-class players to clear.
“Sure, a gate’s grade is a good predictor of the grade of the boss monster, the danger posed by traps, and the difficulty of the clearance quest—but that doesn’t mean everything inside the gate can claim your head.” A provocative smile spread across Jae-Hyeok’s face. He patted Gu Suk-Jeong’s shoulder, which was as solid as a horse's flank. “An ordinary adult dark elf is B-grade. I think you can hunt at least one, right?”
“A-am I afraid of the dark elves? It’s the traps and boss monster that are the problem... ”
“Nonsense. Guardian has already attacked this gate once, right?”
Gu Suk-Jeong’s mouth became a thin line. He didn’t have much faith in Guardian’s strategy.
Jae-Hyeok spoke up, “Okay. Now that everyone has calmed down, it’s time to focus. Don’t lower your guard, and don’t lose confidence. Do that, and most dark elves are practically walking levels.”
“Yes!”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
Da-Hee, Hae-Rin, and Do-Jin all nodded energetically.
Their simple attitude made Gu Suk-Jeong feel tired.
Right now, even Guardian's top players were tense, scanning the brush and treetops with bloodshot eyes. Even his grandpa stared ahead with intense focus.
Before it was too late, he’d wanted these juniors of his to understand the gravity of the situation. But despite his efforts, it only took a few words from Jae-Hyeok, and Da-Hee and Do-Jin were back bobbing their heads like chickens.
They worship him as if he’s some type of god.They will get hurt badly at this rate.
He wished the dark elves would appear soon. The image of Kang Jae-Hyeok, wounded and scrambling to hide behind Guardian’s shields, brought a gentle smile to Gu Suk-Jeong’s lips.
Just then–
“Enemies at the front. Defend!”
—He heard his grandfather’s loud cry.
“......!”
Gu Suk-Jeong snapped back to reality, and not a moment too soon. A swarm of arrows arced down from the trees ahead.
“Wall of Protection!”
“Divine Shield!”
“Evasion!”
The guild members in the vanguard raised their shields and mobilized their Skills, not allowing a single arrow to slip by.
They deserve to be the shield of South Korea.
Jae-Hyeok was genuinely impressed. Guardian’s shield techniques were far more powerful when performed together in tight formations.
Their unified intent and coordination carried the spirit of an elite martial army.
Ordinary attacks won’t break through their barriers.Just...
While arrows fell from above, packs of hair-thin stingers flew under the Guardian members’ inclined barrier Skills. Their armor and shields stopped most of the stingers, but some slipped by, grazing their skin.
The guild members were oblivious to the attack. That they didn’t see them was no surprise; Jae-Hyeok had seen them only because he’d reached the stat-equivalent of an S-class, and benefited from inhumanly keen sight. Jae-Hyeok’s real concern was that the guild members didn’t react even after being struck.
The stingers were weak and the Guardian members were well armored, but who’s to say how curses spread? Perhaps a few grazes were all it took.
Jae-Hyeok considered, It makes sense if the potency of the curse scales with exposure. Hae-Rin’s father was cursed so badly, and with his role and personality, he definitely leads at the vanguard, where he would also be most exposed to those stingers.
“It isn’t over yet! Rearguard, defend!” Elder Gu Suk shouted.
Just then, dark elves shot out from the thicket behind the back of the group—only to be met by a tight wall of shields, their daggers sparking uselessly across the metallic surfaces.
“Middle guard, advance to the rear!”
The players nearest to Jae-Hyeok summoned long halberds and swept toward the rear before aligning in a neat row. Then, without a word spoken, the rearguard parted their shields, and the middleguard thrust their halberds through the narrow gaps.
In moments, all the elves were dampening the grass—large, leaking holes in their chests and faces.
The dark elves ahead retreated soon after.
The players of Guardian let out a unified shout. Had it not been for Elder Gu Suk, their forces would’ve suffered under the dark elves’ two-pronged ambush. Yet with Elder Gu Suk here to lead them, they’d crushed the dark elves without a single loss.
“As expected of Elder Gu Suk! You are still a pillar of Guardian!”
“I respect you, Elder!”
“I just responded according to the strategy left by the master. It’s useless to flatter a retired old man like me. Just get back in formation.”
Elder Gu Suk spoke coldly, but he was inwardly happy.
He’d managed to maintain his dignity in front of his eldest grandson. Naturally, he wanted to show that child what his Grandpa was made of.
It’s a shame I’m too old now.I might never get another chance to go on an expedition with Suk-Jeong. I need to inspire him while I have the chance.
The group resumed its march in good spirits.
However, not long after, several people in the vanguard staggered and fell. All of whom had been grazed more than three times by the stingers.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“W-why all of a sudden?”
Flustered, the others in the vanguard moved to help their comrades.
“Don’t break formation!”
Elder Gu Suk shouted, but it was too late.
There was the sound of branches breaking, accompanied by a low whistle. Several arrows escaped the tree line, the speed and size of which were incomparable to those from earlier, and they headed straight for the vanguard.
A few players managed to react, raising their shields and stepping forward, only to be knocked flat on their backs.
Elder Gu Suk used a Skill to protect the players who had yet to react, while he crashed against the remaining large arrows with his bare shield. Each time, a white pressure cone flashed around his shield.
Elder Gu Suk groaned. Contesting those arrows without a Skill had left his wrists throbbing in pain.
“Inferior humans dare to invade the sacred forest?”
“Pay with your life for polluting Mother’s land.”
Dark elves dropped from the treetops.
“Umbrella, umbrella formation!” Elder Gu Suk shouted, veins bulging in his neck.
The guild members raised their shields and interlocked them above their heads.
The umbrella formation was Guardian’s proudest aerial defense. However, as it was, there were gaps in the steel canopy—holes where the shields of the guild members who’d been cursed or injured were meant to fit. Moreover, Elder Gu Suk was meant to be the focal point, supporting the center of the umbrella, but he’d been slow to react. The Elder’s arms were red and swollen. His shield, riddled with dents. He had been the last to raise his shield, and by then, it was too late.
The elves dropped through the gaps and brandished their daggers. At the same time, another volley of arrows left the tree line, battering the side of the formation and slipping through the openings.
With every passing moment, the guild members suffered large and small wounds. Shields fell one after another, the formation bordering on collapse.
"Grandfather!"
Gu Suk-Jeong’s face distorted and he threw himself toward Elder Gu Suk. The forward-facing side of the umbrella was nearly gone, and arrows were pouring through.
From the moment he’d been dragged here, Gu Suk-Jeong had been grumbling; but none of it mattered then. So long as he could save his Grandpa, his coming today would be worth it.
The boy who’d once hoped that Kang Jae-Hyeok’s group would howl in regret against the dark elves was on the verge of tears.
“Damn!”
Do-Jin used Flash Steps and appeared at the front of the umbrella formation, angling the flat of his greatsword to shelter Elder Gu Suk and Gu Suk-Jeong from the arrows.
Unfortunately, one among them was thrice as large and left the tree line like a rocket.
Boom.
Do-Jin crashed onto his back. His eyes fluttered, and dark blood trickled from the corners of his mouth.
Before he could recover, a dark elf that was taller than the rest closed toward Do-Jin in a flash, driving the point of its dagger toward his heart.
Hae-Rin arrived one step earlier, repelling the elf’s blade with her shield. From behind her shield, Da-Hee dashed out and thrust her rapier through the elf’s chest.
“Cough! You little... humans!”
The dark elf team leader who’d brought Guardian to the brink of disaster died without leaving proper final words.
Do-Jin used Flash Steps to appear at the front and attract attention; Hae-Rin provided cover and concealment with her shield as well as buffs with Link; and Da-Hee delivered the explosive finishing blow.
They had practiced that combo against Jae-Hyeok every day without rest, and now it had found its chance to shine in real combat.
The guild members’ morale soared.
“Wow, the young lady’s performance...!”
“Her friends are all amazing too!”
“I’ve never seen anyone use Flash Steps in actual combat!”
Gu Suk-Jeong also seemed to have been influenced. He charged forward like a bull.
Using his Crusher Skills, he charged to the forefront. The dark elves invading the front of the umbrella formation were sent flying with their limbs bent at strange angles. Still, Gu Suk-Jeong knew he couldn’t block their advance for long.
“Save Grandfather!”
“On it!” Do-Jin used Flash Steps again to rescue Elder Gu Suk.
Meanwhile...
Jae-Hyeok’s dark eyes rested on a certain cluster of trees.
There they are.