episode_0011

What do you think is the most important thing when improving your skills?

High-level learning, unwavering determination, talent that ignores rules.

All are correct. Besides these, there are various branches, but the most crucial thing was one’s capacity.

Each individual’s capacity varies, and increasing that capacity was akin to reaching for the stars.

Unfortunately, Luna chose a method among them.

“Infinite subjugation?”

“Yes! There’s nothing like raising your skills! It just came out fresh on the bulletin board.”

It was nothing special, just ‘severe repetition.’

While it did help improve skills, it was undoubtedly a crude learning method compared to others.

Even though it was the most meaningful way to ‘make progress,’ if it was based on a short period, it would end up being meaningless floundering.

However, there existed a very clear solution to unravel this.

That was constantly attempting ‘even more severe repetition.’

The task she brought was about subjugating unidentified monsters appearing in the southern part of Beheimos.

Rumors had been circulating about strange life forms appearing in places where the Alliance hadn’t found anything before.

The escalating rumors heightened the situation, and upon closer inspection by various forces, they were quite dangerous beings.

While usually beings without intelligence could communicate, these creatures were pure ignorance incarnate.

Everything visible was a wrecking ball; their numbers were so vast that no one dared to estimate.

“…Those who have seen them say their eyes are crimson, they can’t communicate, and they move as if being controlled by something.”

“It seems like the south is in chaos these days. They say there’s no lawless zone as blatant as one where killing and dying happen openly.”

“Aren’t they receiving any support?”

“I heard that not only in the south but in many places, problems have been popping up one after another, which is why they’ve resorted to requests like this.”

There was barely a week left until the guild battle.

To aim for significant progress within that time, visiting Mary would be the shortcut.

“I don’t like that woman.”

As it stands, if they were to meet again, it might really cause trouble, so they had to find another way.

However, upon careful consideration, the options were limited to making meaningful changes in a short period.

Since forming a priestly relationship with someone else was not an option, at present, engaging in intensive training with the elf lad without a plan seemed to be the best course of action.

While he couldn’t fully trust the lad, even a small opening must be seized if it led home.

Even if there was a chance of falling into a trap.

There was no need for long speeches. Additionally, due to the lack of time, the plan needed to accelerate.

Breaking rocks and burning trees would be a waste of time.

True skill would come from practical experience.

With that single determination in mind, the request was accepted.

Soon, as they were about to depart for the southern part of Beheimos.

When he came to his senses, some time had passed.

Exactly three days since participating in the subjugation, his mind was filled with one thought.

‘I want to die.’

The south was more of a hellish place than a battlefield where life slipped away at the slightest lapse of attention.

The smell of blood permeated the air, and the common sight of corpses scattered like weeds made the senses weary.

The guilt of having harmed someone had long disappeared.

Although those who had come to help overflowed, it lasted only for an hour.

The record of the one who endured the longest in this living hell.

Usually, they would escape shortly after.

Clearing an infinite number of monstrous beings was no different from purgatory.

The endless onslaught made it seem as if they were pouring out of a black hole.

On the fourth day.

He acquired a more advantageous and efficient combat style. A strange phenomenon occurred where his declining stamina and mental strength inexplicably recovered.

Relentlessly repeated harvest, could it be.

Certainly, there were countless times when I almost lost consciousness during the process, but each time I managed to come through alive.

If I had known it would be this harsh, I wouldn’t have even attempted it. Sometimes, when I was confused about what we were fighting for, time passed mercilessly.

On the fifth day.

Suddenly, doubt crept in.

Although we had improved significantly in just a few days, we couldn’t gauge the level of this place, which led to my suspicion.

“Would it be helpful to clear out these monsters that are just meant to fill up the numbers?”

At that moment, I looked at Chaeseol.

Unlike Luna, who had already fallen exhausted, she had been the only one who hadn’t wavered since the first day.

Although the flattery that came every night had become less frequent, I could tolerate it to some extent if I considered it her driving force.

In a way, it was like training for me.

Even the guy who hesitated at first stood up and endured another day.

The day before the dungeon raid.

In the end, we decided to return.

When we returned home after crossing the long distance again, the caretaker who heard the news asked:

Have you given up?

Or have you resigned yourself?

If not, have you compromised?

All those questions turned out to be wrong answers.

“…You haven’t forgotten the plan, right? Tomorrow, as soon as the sun rises, let’s be the first to enter.”

Since the monsters from the Infinite Domain had been completely wiped out.

Number of monsters defeated by Yohanul’s party: 94,557,526,631…

Reward allocation: Approximately 600 million Korean won.

***

“Minas.”

Taro tried to wake Minas up despite the bright sunlight streaming in. His sleep seemed so deep that even after shaking him several times, he showed no signs of waking up.

He even flipped his long padding over his head and closed his ears.

As if there were no caterpillars around. Despite involuntarily nodding at his appearance, today was not a day where he could afford to laze around like usual, so Taro shook him more vigorously.

“Oh, why…”

“Please wake up. We’re really going to be late.”

“I went with the captain and… just smelling the orc guys’ stench… ugh.”

“Oh, I knew this would happen. You’re going to be late for the ‘dungeon raid.’ The dungeon raid!”

“What? Dungeon raid?”

The man who hadn’t budged a moment ago suddenly sprang up.

Then, rubbing his head where a magpie nest seemed to have been built and blinking his eyes that were still half-shut, he began to regain his senses.

After a while, he glanced at Taro and spoke.

“So today… I see, it’s already that day.”

To Taro, his companion of two years, this man was beyond comprehension.

In short, he was a hikikomori without a plan.

Three years ago.

The day he first arrived in this world, struggling to survive all day, barely clinging to a thread of life, he was picked up by the “Flame Tank.”

It was just luck.

Because he was human, he ended up joining a faction. Running a fencing hall on the brink of closure was also a stroke of luck.

Joining was luck, but adaptation depended on skill.

So for a year.

He couldn’t find a way back. Later, he found out that the captain of the Flame Tank had been here for five years.

Gradually, his memories of that place faded, and he became more familiar with this world, and then a newcomer arrived.

A man named Choi Woogyung quickly grasped the situation here.

The Flame Tank was a secret group formed by humans who fell into this world, but more accurately, it was closer to mercenaries who worked for hefty rewards alongside dangerous tasks.

Squad leader.

In a group with a strict hierarchy, rank was synonymous with authority.

The somewhat childish-sounding rank was both granted by the captain and his current position.

He had risen from the ranks to squad leader in just two days.

Here, power was strategy and truth, so he had to follow.

“Kim Taekang.”

“Why are you suddenly calling me by my name?”

“Just because. Isn’t it funny? Minas, Taro.”

“The Commander’s reputation is inevitable, isn’t it?”

“Well, should I just let the Commander take the lead then?”

His position was not solely based on his sheer strength, but another characteristic of his.

“Just kidding, buddy. Don’t mess with the Commander.”

Despite his casual appearance, he did not joke around.

“……”

“Well then, shall we go? But whether or not a winner emerges from our side seems irrelevant.”

“The Commander should be cautious.”

At those words, a moment of silence passed.

Usually one to ignore commands, he suddenly seemed attentive.

Although Kim Taekang merely interpreted it as a simple greeting, the message conveyed to his ears was quite different.

“Is that so.”

Finally standing up with his long padding still on, he signaled readiness by putting his hands in his pockets.

“…Are you going like this?”

“Well, this is my favorite outfit. I should wear it on important days at least once.”

“I told you not to stand out, Commander.”

“If the Commander wants me dead, I’ll die. Let’s not worry and just get going.”

Being the center of attention for everyone present for being human, he did not shy away from it. He even seemed to deliberately draw attention to himself.

As if he was looking for someone.

Kim Taekang quickly finished preparing and followed him to the ‘Voltech’ where the battle was about to begin.