Chapter 39: The Presence or Absence of Just One Person （2）
Memorized magic cannot be overused.
Definitely at the necessary timing.
Yeon Woo-bin judged that now was the time to show a powerful blow, even if it was just to change the atmosphere.
“Salamander’s Breath.”
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
Flames erupted.
With the effect of Magic Eye and Elemental Bless, it surpassed the realm of 3rd Circle, and Salamander’s Breath, classified as a special magic, exerted explosive power. It was literally a flood of flames. The surging flames soared enormously as if causing a tsunami, and swept away the monsters in front at once.
Fwoosh!
Kieeek!
Kreeeek!
The Troll that was rushing in was swept away.
Its tremendous regenerative ability regenerated its skin as soon as it touched the flame, but even with such regenerative power, it could not withstand it, its skin melted, and its bones shattered. And the Goblins around it were also burned black. They couldn’t withstand the attack that even the Troll, called the natural enemy of the Mage, couldn’t withstand.
At least dozens.
Swept away by a single spell.
The mercenaries, who were losing their will to fight, were astonished by the overwhelming sight Yeon Woo-bin showed.
“…Th, this is what.”
“Didn’t you say he was definitely D-rank?”
It was unbelievable.
Because they also knew common sense, they knew that a D-rank Mage couldn’t exert this much power. In terms of the power of magic alone, it was on par with C-rank. They realized once again that Yeon Woo-bin was an extraordinary being.
But the admiration was only momentary.
Yeon Woo-bin shouted.
“Quickly regroup! If we can buy some time, we can definitely pass the test.”
Everyone came to their senses.
As Yeon Woo-bin expected.
Yeon Gyu-seong, under the pretense of protecting the safety of the mercenaries, had told them that this test was fraught with enormous danger. That’s why they lost their will to fight early on. They were thinking of giving up early if they felt they couldn’t handle it, but seeing Yeon Woo-bin perform like this, they decided that they should try their best until the end.
Anyway.
They were comrades now, weren’t they?
The Tanker gritted his teeth and raised his shield.
“I’ll buy some time. Guardian Shield.”
Whoosh.
Crack, crack.
The monsters surged in.
Despite attacks coming from all directions, the Tanker desperately held on, activating Iron Man and defense skills.
Thanks to that, the formation was reorganized.
The Sub-Tanker and Warrior also found their positions, creating a formation to block the monsters that were surging in like waves. Meanwhile, Yeon Woo-bin’s magic exploded once again. His pounding heart calmed down at some point, and even though he was using minor magic, the effects of Magic Eye and Elemental Bless showed tremendous destructive power.
Kwaang!
Fwoosh!
He gained confidence in himself.
The talent he possessed.
This was real.
Yeon Woo-bin realized that he possessed such a brilliant talent that it was too much to be buried under his father’s protection.
‘I’m strong.’
I can win.
I can pass.
Confidence spread.
The result, which he had created himself, not with someone else’s help, was directly linked to his self-esteem.
The summit was in sight.
And at that moment.
Another variable occurred.
✦✦✦✦✦✦
Clang, clang.
It was an unpleasant bell sound.
Beyond the monsters.
A Hobgoblin appeared through the damp darkness, and with blackened eyes, it began to shake a staff with bells attached.
Clang, clang.
Clang, clang.
Then.
A horrifying sight was witnessed.
The monsters that had fallen and burned, began to rise one by one, making eerie bone-creaking sounds.
Crack.
Crackle.
“…A, a Necromancer!?”
Hobgoblins are unique monsters.
Their intelligence, comparable to humans, allows them to devise strategies to command monsters and learn special skills to deliver unexpected blows. That’s why they are evaluated as unpredictable monsters. The Necromancer Hobgoblin was the hidden weapon Yeon Gyu-seong had prepared. In fact, if their skills matched their rank, they could withstand the combination of Goblins and Trolls, so he prepared one more to put a final stop to it.
Crackle.
Caw!
Zombies rushed in from all directions.
It was meaningless to cut them down or push them away.
They were already beings who had lost their souls, so they didn’t fall, and the Tanker’s face was filled with bewilderment at the sight of them rushing in from all directions.
“Th, this is cheating.”
Their will to fight was broken.
The mercenaries knew it too.
With this level of force, even if it was filled with D-rank monsters, it would be classified as a C-rank hunting ground.
The difference in will was immediately apparent.
As the Tanker faltered and showed signs of being breached, the team collapsed like dominoes, unable to cope with the overwhelming number of enemies.
Crack.
“Aah!”
The Sub-Tanker was bitten on the shoulder.
It was a Troll that had lost its lower body, but it dragged its upper body, jumped, and pounced on him. The Sub-Tanker, entangled with the Troll, stabbed his sword into it with a terrified face. The Troll, which already had strong regenerative abilities, had become a zombie, so the sword that was piercing it with a thud couldn’t bring it down.
It was the beginning of the collapse.
The Warrior also faltered, surrounded by zombies, and the Assassin-type Dealer couldn’t collect himself in the midst of the swarming enemies.
Yeon Woo-bin’s thought process stopped.
The situation before his eyes.
It was utter chaos.
Even if he used powerful magic, he didn’t think he could resolve this situation.
‘This is wrong. No matter how much you want to make me give up, you shouldn’t go this far.’
Emotions surged up.
He wanted to prove himself.
He wanted to show his father that he was a being that met his expectations, based on common sense standards.
But the answer that came back was harsh.
This test, which went far beyond the normal range, had its outcome predetermined from the beginning.
Failure.
You absolutely.
A firm will that he could not live as a Hunter.
Yeon Woo-bin wanted to keep fighting.
Just like what he learned from Kang San in the ant den, he believed that there was always a way to survive if he didn’t give up.
The problem was.
“Aah, aah! Stop it! Why is the test this extreme!”
At the sight of the screaming Sub-Tanker, Yeon Woo-bin could no longer be stubborn.
Because of him.
Others could get hurt.
His father must have targeted his weak heart from the beginning.
Eventually.
“I lost! I’ll admit defeat, so let’s end it here! Please!”
He closed his eyes tightly.
Surrendering was the only option left for him.
✦✦✦✦✦✦
The situation was over.
The mercenaries were immediately transported to the hospital, and Yeon Gyu-seong spoke, facing the haggard Yeon Woo-bin.
“You failed the test. As promised with your father, don’t ever say you’ll live as a Hunter again.”
Clench.
He clenched his fists.
He must accept the result.
That’s what his father taught him, but this time, he couldn’t do it.
Yeon Woo-bin looked at his father with teary eyes.
“…This is wrong.”
“What’s wrong?”
“How is this a normal test? I’m D-rank, and the mercenaries you called are also D-rank at most. Trolls and even Necromancer Hobgoblins. You put enemies that even decent D-rank forces couldn’t handle. This is a test that anyone, not just me, would fail!”
“So what? What’s the problem?”
“Huh?”
“I think you’re mistaken about something. That doesn’t change the facts.”
Yeon Gyu-seong showed a cold expression.
He had no intention of accepting his son’s complaints.
“The work you’re trying to do is that dangerous. You never know when and where variables will arise, and every time, the opponent might be stronger than you thought, or it might be an unexpected situation. Or you might encounter a monster of a level you can’t handle. Are you going to satisfy yourself with such self-consolation? Woo-bin, what do you think being a Hunter is all about? Even those with more brilliant talent than you, if they encounter a monster stronger than themselves, they d*e tragically. That’s the world of Hunters. But how can I trust you, who can’t even handle a situation that’s a little tough for your rank and complain about it? How can I stand by and watch you, my only family, walk into a deathtrap!”
His father’s voice became increasingly agitated.
His son didn’t know.
The day his wife died.
His world collapsed.
From that moment on, he lived with resentment, and he vowed and vowed again that he would raise his son safely.
It’s okay if his son resents him.
That’s an emotion only allowed when you’re alive.
If he could save his son, he would even sacrifice hundreds of others to stop his son’s decision.
“And is this really an impossible test? If you were stronger, if you had the ability to handle all the variables. It was definitely a possible test for your rank. The reason for your failure was that you didn’t have the ability. So I can never send you into a deathtrap. The moment you become arrogant, the moment you encounter an opponent even slightly beyond your capabilities. A situation like today will definitely come.”
“…”
His father’s words.
They were right.
Both the Hobgoblin and the Troll.
In the end, they were just D-rank monsters.
If Yeon Woo-bin’s abilities were stronger than that, he definitely wouldn’t have chosen to surrender.
But why?
Suddenly, a certain being came to mind.
‘If Kang San-nim were here. Wouldn’t I have been able to pass the test?’
His role wasn’t tanking.
If someone had bought him some time, he was confident that he could have swept away those D-rank monsters.
He didn’t want to give up.
He couldn’t accept it.
Just as his father’s will was desperate.
Yeon Woo-bin’s will was also desperate.
The day his father’s world collapsed.
Yeon Woo-bin’s world also collapsed.
Yeon Woo-bin said.
“…Please give me one more chance.”
“What?”
He looked straight at his father.
Even if it was pathetic, he pleaded once more.
“If I fail the test again this time. Then I’ll follow your words without any excuses.”
✦✦✦✦✦✦
Silence fell.
Yeon Woo-bin’s will was clearly weakening.
It seemed like he was accepting and understanding his father’s opinion, but suddenly his eyes changed and he shifted his stance.
Yeon Gyu-seong said.
“One more time? What exactly does that mean?”
“It means exactly what it says. You can structure the test however you want, but I’ll choose the people to take the test with me. If I can’t pass it then, I’ll admit and accept that I’m lacking, just like you said.”
“…”
He stared at Yeon Woo-bin.
He was disappointed.
Shifting the blame for his failure onto his colleagues.
He didn’t expect such irresponsibility from his son.
‘To completely break Woo-bin’s spirit, it would be better to crush him one more time so that not a shred of hope remains.’
He accepted it, but.
There was a condition.
“In exchange for challenging again, I’ll increase the difficulty. Are you okay with that?”
“…I’ll accept it.”
“Alright. Then I’ll give you exactly three days. Finish your preparations within three days and take the test again here.”
“Okay.”
With that, the conversation ended.
Yeon Gyu-seong turned around coldly.
He showed a firm will not to be swayed by emotions.
Yeon Woo-bin, left alone.
He collapsed and covered his face with his hands.
“…Ha. What was I thinking?”
At the edge of a c*iff.
The last person that came to mind was Kang San.
The problem was that he wasn’t sure if it was right to ask Kang San, who had no relationship with him, to share this danger. Wouldn’t it be a huge burden? It would be putting Kang San in danger for his own personal problems.
But.
There was no other way.
He knew it was wrong, but his unwillingness to give up made him do it.
If Kang San refused this request, Yeon Woo-bin would have no choice but to accept his father’s decision.
Yeon Woo-bin immediately sent a text message.
『Are you available for a call right now?』
Truly the last resort.
Yeon Woo-bin reached out to the straw that was Kang San.
