Chapter 1090: Scorched World.

Above a mountain range not particularly high. It was a space colored by fallen leaves, signaling the arrival of autumn.

As it was a mountain range located in Hanam, where the Alliance existed, it was a place where abundance and peacefulness should have coexisted.

Because it was also one of the few places where herb gatherers could legally travel back and forth, even in the current era rampant with monsters.

Because of that, only a calm tranquility should have resided in the mountain range.

Grrrrrrr–!!!

For some reason, the cries of monsters could be heard echoing from such a mountain range.

Grrrrrrrroooowl–!!!

At the rough, roaring sounds, the surrounding beasts held their breath.

Why had monsters suddenly broken out? The reason for this was simple.

‘Because someone released them on purpose.’

For a mountain range of this scale, the Alliance itself should have been managing it.

If it was peaceful enough to be called so, the Sword Units would naturally step in and eliminate any Monster Gates the moment they opened.

Especially at this point in time, since it would likely only be green or blue grade monsters, dealing with them wouldn’t be that difficult.

Yet, the existence of monsters meant that the Martial Arts Alliance hadn’t directly exterminated them.

‘From the looks of it, they say monsters were left unchecked for nearly seven days and nights.’

They must have set it up for today’s training.

However, there was one problem here.

“Somehow, don’t monsters seem fewer than during normal training?”

“Right? Normally, it wouldn’t be strange if they were spread out everywhere… Why are there so few today?”

“Wasn’t the number of Monster Gate outbreaks lower?”

“No way. Last time the Dragon Unit checked, the numbers were even higher than usual.”

The seniors who were moving ahead.

The members of the Blue Dragon Unit’s Sword Unit pondered their confusion while using their swift movement techniques. If they had prohibited entry and exit to the mountain range for nearly seven days and nights and allowed monsters to build up…

…a considerable number of monsters should have existed, yet even running around like this now, they had discovered and dealt with only three at most.

It was strange.

“……What the? Are the Iron Dragon Unit guys moving faster?”

“No way. Our areas of operation are completely different. We still have an hour before the actual joint training begins.”

“Then does it make sense for there to be so few monsters…? So-i. Do you feel anything?”

The senior asked swordswoman So-i, who was behind him, but upon hearing this, So-i merely shook her head.

“I don’t feel anything at all.”

“……Tsk, ……This is really strange?”

Their reaction was one of utter confusion. Seeing that, my peers behind me were also looking puzzled, but…

‘……Ah, this is problematic?’

I, following at the very back, had to break out in a cold sweat. The reason was none other than…

‘Damn it, who knew they’d schedule this kind of training.’

…I was the reason there were so few monsters in the mountain range right now.

‘……Come to think of it, I did think there were quite a few monsters.’

On the first day I arrived in this world. I had cleared away some monsters to secure a place to sleep.

Even back then, I had wondered why there were so many monsters, especially for Hanam.

‘So this was the reason.’

That was the very reason monsters were overflowing. Because they had been left unattended for nearly five days, monsters had been swarming.

‘And I cleared them all away.’

Because I needed money and ended up killing all the monsters, that’s why there were so few monsters in the mountain range currently.

‘Hmm…….’

It was an incredibly awkward situation. I had no choice but to swallow nervously and follow the members.

To think I’d interfered without even realizing it myself.

‘Maybe it’ll be fine…?’

Even so, I wouldn’t get caught, so it didn’t matter. Rather, it would be fortunate if things just passed without any incident, but…

‘……No chance of that.’

As for me, I had absolutely no expectations for that.

It was called joint training, but this was clearly a competition.

‘Training focused on how many monsters one could hunt.’

They called it joint training but had set up a competitive structure. They did say they would observe joint efforts and cooperation with other Sword Units to face stronger monsters, but…

‘What a joke.’

I knew better than anyone that such things would never happen.

And what’s more, there were few monsters?

If that’s the case…

‘A problem is bound to occur.’

The problem would break out before long.

And.

‘It’ll likely be a problem between people, with high probability.’

Not a problem with monsters, but one involving people.

Not long after I concluded this with certainty.

A problem broke out, uncanny as it was.

---

Kuaaaang–!!!

A monster fell with a rough roar. It was a green monster shaped like a bear. Although classified as a monster, its low grade meant it was about the same size as an actual bear.

Kwoong-!!

The rather large monster collapsed.

“Got it.”

A warrior from the Blue Dragon Unit grinned smugly, looking at the fallen monster. And then, as he approached the monster.

“Hey. Don’t touch it.”

Another voice came from the opposite side.

“What?”

As the senior frowned and spoke at those words, the person who appeared before him pursed his lips.

“We caught that. Don’t touch it.”

Apparently, it was a warrior from the Iron Dragon Unit. As he approached and spoke, the senior’s eyebrows shot up.

“What nonsense is this? Anyone can see our side caught it.”

“Just look at its back and speak.”

Lowering his gaze, something was stuck in the monster’s back.

The sword was the weapon the senior had thrown. And next to it, the dagger…

“We caught it by throwing. Anyone can see it’s stuck near a vital point, so naturally, it’s ours, isn’t it?”

The warrior pointed somewhere with his finger. Following his gaze, a young man was looking this way with a blunt expression.

Seeing the young man, I recognized who he was.

‘……The Poison King?’

It was Tang Cheon-gi, the Poison King. He was the owner of the dagger.

“Ha. What bullshit. I know perfectly well there was nothing there when my guy threw the sword. Who do you think you’re talking to, an idiot?”

The ‘my guy’ here referred to So-i.

The moment she saw the monster, she had thrown her sword.

“Moreover, this is the Blue Dragon Unit’s territory. You bastards shouldn’t be here.”

Each of the two groups had been assigned specific locations. They were supposed to hunt monsters only within those areas. That was the rule set for the joint training, but…

“An hour has already passed since then. Talk like that doesn’t hold water anymore.”

That was conditional on exactly one hour passing. After that time, they could hunt in each other’s designated areas.

It seemed like roughly an hour had passed now. However.

“Even so, it’s undeniable that our side’s attack reached it first. If your eyes aren’t blind, you’d know that, wouldn’t you?”

This was also a valid point. Actually, the Blue Dragon Unit’s attack had reached the monster first.

That they couldn’t see it? That was just a forced argument and proof of their low skill.

The Iron Dragon Unit probably knew this too, so they didn’t mention this part.

Instead, they brought up another point.

“But. We attacked the vital spot, didn’t we? Since our side delivered the finishing blow, isn’t it right to consider it our kill?”

“Nonsense…!”

‘Sigh.’

As expected, they didn’t seem like they would back down easily. Because of that, the intensity from the others began to be clearly felt.

‘I knew it would end up like this.’

Watching it all unfold from behind, I let out a sigh. It was obvious it would turn out this way anyway.

Friction like this was something anticipated within the training from the start. It’s just that, the planners of the training probably didn’t expect it to erupt like this due to the sheer scarcity of monsters.

“Are you trying to pick a fight?”

“Why? Do you think we’ll get scared just because you say that? Ha.”

Shing-! Clang-!

Both sides drew their swords. Seeing that, the others also drew their swords simultaneously.

A sudden fight broke out between the Blue Dragon Unit and the Iron Dragon Unit. As the internal friction was about to erupt, the newly arrived rookies were flustered.

‘What should I do.’

‘Should I just slip away now?’

It felt like more than just a backlash over a mere green monster; it involved emotions and a fight over pride.

They wouldn’t let this go easily, that much was clear. It was obvious a big fight would have to happen to settle it.

Since it looked like it would become bothersome for anyone involved, I figured it would be better to just sneak away and watch.

‘Sounds good.’

Yeah, let’s do that.

I nodded my head as if certain and quietly began to gather my energy. Although I had contained my aura and energy sense to avoid revealing my cultivation level.

To use the stealth technique, I inevitably had to exert some power.

Fwoosh–!!

I put strength into my heart and gathered my energy. Thanks to that, my five senses, which had been suppressed for a moment, heightened.

At that moment.

Grrrrr-!

“……!”

I flinched.

I stopped gathering the energy I had raised and widened my eyes.

‘Huh?’

I turned my head. It was in the direction where I felt the energy.

‘What is this?’

Grrrrrrr—!!

The faint roar of a monster could be heard. That was natural. No matter how few monsters there were, my energy sense could detect their presence throughout the entire mountain range.

The problem was.

‘Why is this thing here.’

It was the fact that I felt something that absolutely shouldn’t exist in the current era.

Flick-!

I immediately moved my feet.

My vision shifted in an instant. While they were busy trying to fight each other, I headed towards where I sensed the presence.

Grrrrrrrrrrr–!!!

Soon, I spotted the thing exuding its presence.

“……Huh.”

A location near the center of the mountain range.

Inside a cave with a large hole torn open, something was visible.

Like the one just caught, it was shaped like a bear.

Though its appearance wasn’t much different.

Grrrung.

Its size was enormous, filling the entire cave.

Unlike the other one that was green, this one possessed vivid red fur.

‘A red monster……?’

This meant it wasn’t a green or blue grade.

It signified a monster of the red grade.

“Why is this thing here now……”

It was a grade of monster that absolutely should not appear in this era.