Chapter 29: The Thread of Fate （5）
Kim Myeong-min didn’t summon all of his team members for this rescue operation.
Since it was only a D-rank, the team members who received Kim Myeong-min’s call gathered at the meeting place within the promised time.
The current time was 3:39 PM.
The rescue operation was scheduled to start at exactly 3:50 PM.
“Are you sure? That the new recruit is only E-rank?”
“I heard it directly from the team leader. He’ll make an official announcement soon, but I heard the new recruit, who joined after many years, passed the E-rank promotion test recently. Is this even possible? It’s not just a regular party, the Ranger team especially needs a strong Tanker. What the h*ll are they planning to do by recruiting an E-rank?”
A member of the Rangers.
C-rank Hunter Gu Yeon-su spat out his words with irritation.
From a distance, the team leader, Kim Myeong-min, was looking around. Watching him, B-rank Hunter Yoon Ji-tae said,
“I agree. The team leader I know isn’t like that.”
It was definitely strange.
Kim Myeong-min, who was more cold and professional than friendly, always prioritized current needs over potential when selecting raid team members. It was a natural choice. Rangers face dangerous situations every day, and they couldn’t entrust their backs to unreliable colleagues. Moreover, if that person was a Tanker, trying to develop their abilities could put the team members and the rescue targets at risk.
A choice that was hard to understand in many ways.
They accepted it because it was Kim Myeong-min’s choice, but they couldn’t help but have doubts about the situation.
Yoon Ji-tae said,
“Not only the rank, but considering he also added the condition of being a mercenary, it seems like he completely underestimates the Ranger’s job. If he’s the kind of guy who’ll hold us back, let alone having potential… I’ll take the lead and find a way to kick him out, even if it means taking the blame. I acknowledge the team leader’s judgment, but humans can’t be perfect, right?”
“I agree. Honestly, even if he has potential, how can we wait for him to develop?”
Yoon Ji-tae’s eyes gleamed sharply.
For people living on the edge, constantly facing death, a colleague’s incompetence was simply unacceptable.
Time passed.
It was now 5:50, the appointed time.
✦✦✦✦✦✦
5 minutes before the operation.
Kang San arrived at the scene.
Including Kim Myeong-min and Kang San, there were six people involved in this operation. Kim Myeong-min gathered them and said,
“This is our newly recruited team member, his name is Kang San. He’s an E-rank, and his position is Tanker. You might think his skills as a Ranger are lacking right now, but I assure you, he has skills beyond his rank and possesses the basic qualities of a Tanker perfectly. We have to start the operation now, so I’ll stop the explanation here. Kang San-nim.”
“Ah, yes. I’m Kang San. Please take good care of me.”
Clap, clap, clap.
Light applause followed.
Even if they were dissatisfied with Kang San, none of the team members voiced their complaints when Kim Myeong-min was introducing him.
Their reaction proved the trust they had in each other.
If it were any other team, voices would have already been raised, and it would have been a chaotic mess.
After the introduction.
Kim Myeong-min said,
“As you’ve seen in the report, the location where the problem occurred is a D-rank Orc Camp. A party of five entered the Orc Camp, but they were isolated due to stronger-than-expected enemy forces and requested rescue. They’ve been isolated for 50 minutes now. Fortunately, they’re not in immediate danger, so we plan to search for the rescue targets’ location while thoroughly eliminating any variables. Any questions?”
“None.”
“Then everyone, get ready. We’ll enter the Other World in 3 minutes.”
“Yes.”
The briefing was short.
It was a relatively easy hunting ground for their abilities, so they didn’t seem to feel much pressure.
“Kang San-nim.”
Kim Myeong-min called him aside.
As they moved a little away from the team, he spoke in a worried voice,
“Please understand the tense atmosphere. Because the Ranger position is always exposed to dangerous situations, there’s a verification process when a new team member joins. On the surface, it’s because he’s an E-rank, so the atmosphere isn’t welcoming. I should have addressed this beforehand, I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable.”
The team members’ gazes.
Their expressions.
The atmosphere.
Even though they didn’t openly voice their opposition, Kim Myeong-min could tell they weren’t happy. In fact, he knew it was a problem he couldn’t explain himself. Kang San’s uniqueness was something they couldn’t accept without witnessing it firsthand, and Kang San also sensed the subtle discomfort.
He understood.
He would have reacted the same way if he were in their shoes.
“It’s alright.”
“If you don’t want to carry out the mission, please tell me. There will be no penalties, and I would prefer you to fully integrate into the team, even if it takes time.”
“I’ll just do it.”
The Ranger’s mission.
It wasn’t a choice in the first place.
If it was something he had to accept because of Azmoon’s Trial, it was necessary to experience it when the difficulty was relatively low. The team members were a secondary issue. Kang San didn’t have the luxury to worry about their feelings.
However.
“But why did you recruit me? Even if you saw some potential in me, I’m only E-rank.”
He was curious.
Even when Kim Myeong-min offered him the position, he said nice things, but the logic didn’t quite make sense. A situation like Azmoon’s Trial, where you’re exposed to unexpected variables. If the Tanker protecting the team members was only E-rank, it would inevitably lead to distrust within the team.
Kim Myeong-min smiled.
“…Because it’s dangerous. I thought it would be good to have a team member who could put themselves on the line for their colleagues, for us who live with our wills written.”
He turned around.
3 minutes had already passed.
Kim Myeong-min raised his voice.
“Everyone, to your positions!”
✦✦✦✦✦✦
Hwaak━
A bright light flashed.
As they entered the Other World through the gate, the scent of the grass stimulated their noses.
“Yeon-su.”
“Yes.”
No further commands were needed.
Simply by calling his name, Gu Yeon-su understood his role and stepped forward.
“Hide.”
Suss━
His figure blended into the surroundings.
Hide couldn’t completely conceal him like the magic Invisible, but by blending into the color of the grass, it made him difficult to spot with the naked eye. Gu Yeon-su maintained his position under Kim Myeong-min’s control while moving. This was to allow for an immediate response in case a sudden signal was transmitted from Gu Yeon-su or if they were attacked by monsters.
Eventually.
Gu Yeon-su, who had been exploring the surroundings, spoke.
“There are no particular risk factors in the vicinity. There are only five or six Orcs patrolling the area in groups of three or five, and if you pass through the grass, there’s an Orc habitat formed below the c*iff. It appears the rescue targets are isolated within the habitat, and if we approach the vicinity, I can receive a signal and pinpoint their exact location.”
“Then let’s move.”
Gu Yeon-su’s role.
It seemed to be a Sub-Dealer and a scout.
It was a role usually taken by those with agile bodies, and it suited his slender impression very well.
Now that the exploration was over.
They entered the grass, led by Kim Myeong-min.
Kim Myeong-min had already drawn a sword, thoroughly checking their surroundings while increasing his pace compared to usual.
A D-rank hunting ground.
He was confident he could handle most variables.
That’s when it happened.
Chwik.
Chwik, Chwik━
Monsters were detected in the distance.
Six in number.
Four E-rank Orcs and two D-rank Orc Warriors, which looked somewhat larger than ordinary Orcs, were visible. Kang San immediately prepared for battle. He held his shield close to his body, drew his sword, and just like Kim Myeong-min, stepped forward, ready to clash with the enemies.
However.
“Hey, what are you doing? Aren’t you going to back off?”
An irritated voice came from behind.
Although they kept their words short for smooth communication in the hunting ground, it was a voice laced with considerable hostility.
The source was Yoon Ji-tae.
When Kang San turned around, Yoon Ji-tae shouted.
“How are you going to tank against a D-rank Orc Warrior as an E-rank? Just watch. Just watch from a safe distance how dangerous the things you’ll have to deal with in the future are.”
It was a foreseeable problem.
Feelings of distrust surfaced like a sharp awl.
✦✦✦✦✦✦
The battle began.
The Ranger team was definitely different.
They took their positions and fought in perfect unison without any special signals.
At the forefront were Kim Myeong-min and C-rank Sub-Tanker Kang Gi-dong.
The two of them blocked the Orcs.
As soon as the Orcs spotted the humans, they charged, but before the Dealers could even support them, Kim Myeong-min’s sword tore through their limbs.
‘Dash.’
Whoosh━
Crackle, crackle, crackle.
Kreeek!
Blood splattered everywhere.
Kim Myeong-min instantly decapitated the Orc he faced head-on, then used his speed to slice through the Orc’s chest. Kang Gi-dong was one step behind Kim Myeong-min, prepared for any monsters that might slip through. Just as Kim Myeong-min looked up to check for new Orcs, a dagger embedded itself in an Orc’s forehead.
Thud━!
It was Gu Yeon-su.
Dealing with the six Orcs was a breeze.
Just as they were confident, the Orcs lost their lives and collapsed on the ground in the blink of an eye.
With the situation over in an instant.
The group moved forward.
Then Yoon Ji-tae approached and said,
“I apologize for speaking informally earlier, the situation called for it. But please try not to step forward unless absolutely necessary. I heard you fought a Blood Orc in the E-rank promotion test, but if you rush forward like that to tank in a situation with multiple enemies, you never know what might happen. And speaking of which…”
He glanced at Kim Myeong-min.
They were far away.
Thinking Kim Myeong-min couldn’t hear him, Yoon Ji-tae’s expression turned cold.
He truly hated people who overestimated themselves with their meager abilities.
“If you don’t feel like you belong here, think carefully and make a wise decision. I’m not openly opposing it because it’s the team leader’s choice, but if you decide to leave on your own, there’s nothing we can do.”
Swish.
He turned and walked away.
It was clear hostility.
Despite the one-sided conversation, Kang San didn’t bother stopping Yoon Ji-tae.
‘That’s a natural perception.’
E-rank.
Years spent as a human shield.
To the extent that Cheonsang Management canceled his recruitment, Kang San’s outward profile was definitely unimpressive.
That’s why he didn’t view Yoon Ji-tae’s words and actions negatively.
The world people lived in now was a h*ll where the logic of power prevailed, where people you laughed and chatted with yesterday could be found as cold corpses today. The risks were too great to accept others with an open heart. Yoon Ji-tae had shown the utmost patience by not outright causing a scene.
And in any case.
His irritated reaction, telling him not to step forward, stemmed from a concern that Kang San might get hurt.
He could have stopped him and explained himself.
The years he had lived through.
How tenaciously he had survived as a human shield, and how his tanking ability, proven by his recent survival in the ant nest, couldn’t be defined by rank alone. Of course, he might still be lacking for the C-rank and above hunting grounds where the Ranger team operated, but at least in this place teeming with E-rank Orcs, he was confident.
But.
He didn’t say anything.
He wanted to observe.
Tormented by unanswerable questions, he wanted to experience firsthand how people who had willingly taken on trials lived their lives. That was his purpose from the beginning. It wasn’t about proving himself to the Ranger team members and planning for the future, but about establishing the foundation for the days Kang San would live.
“Let’s move quickly.”
Kim Myeong-min picked up the pace.
Kang San silently followed behind him.
Not paying any attention to Kang San, the Ranger team quickly pushed through the bushes and moved forward.
