Ch.178High School Senior Year

# 178. Ancient (3)

“Didn’t you say an explanation was needed?”

“What more explanation is required? It’s exactly as I reported.”

“Are you playing word games with me right now?”

At Fort Paelm, in the Deputy Commander’s quarters, a battle of nerves was unfolding.

As soon as the Scout Captain returned alone after separating from Seonghyeon’s raid party, the Deputy Commander frowned. After hearing his report, he barely contained his anger and demanded a more detailed explanation. But the Scout Captain maintained that he had explained everything, concluding by emphasizing once more the increased danger in the areas outside the fortress.

‘These people…’

By reputation, the Deputy Commander was someone far removed from what one might call “political games,” but that didn’t mean he was oblivious to how situations unfolded.

It was simply in his nature to avoid getting entangled in unnecessary matters. Rather than wasting energy and time on such things, he preferred to train more, practice more, study more battle tactics, and hunt one more monster.

Charitably speaking, he was a true soldier and brave commander; less charitably, a rigid military man.

Having experienced battlefields for decades, he could see that the Scout Captain’s report was heavily laced with “politics.” This was evident both subjectively and objectively. That’s why he was angry.

“Do you realize that while your scout team was out, the fortress was attacked multiple times, suffering significant damage, and the evacuation operations around the fortress have been severely disrupted? You must have been well aware of the importance of this scouting mission.”

“Of course I was aware.”

“And yet you…”

The Deputy Commander finally rose from his desk. As the large-framed officer planted both hands on the desk and stood up, the Scout Captain flinched momentarily but didn’t back down. The Deputy Commander’s eyebrows twitched.

“You abandoned your mission and returned, yet you stand here with such confidence?”

“Abandoned? What do you mean by that?”

“Did you not say with your own mouth that you withdrew without even entering Zone 3? When your primary mission was to scout the seal site, how could you do such a thing?”

“As I’ve already explained, the reason was…”

“I appointed you as the leader of this scouting team, regardless of whether I personally liked you or not, because I acknowledged your abilities! It was a selection made considering your record of the highest safety rate while achieving meaningful accomplishments, as well as your personal capabilities! And this is how you repay me? Look me in the eye and tell me again. Is that really all? Was this truly your best effort?”

“Yes. That was all, and it was my best effort.”

The gazes of the Deputy Commander and Scout Captain clashed briefly. Soon, the distance between them closed completely.

The Deputy Commander looked down at the Scout Captain standing right in front of him and spoke in a low growl.

“I am the highest authority in this fortress. Yet there are many times when it’s best to respect the judgment of the field commander, which is why I have no choice but to believe your words right now, as you were there personally… But if it’s revealed that your report is false or omits information.”

The Deputy Commander’s hand, which had been about to grab the Scout Captain’s collar, changed course and headed for his shoulder.

“Even if the worst-case scenario I fear doesn’t come to pass, I guarantee your future will be ruined according to international military law and fortress regulations. Is this not a deliberate act threatening everyone’s safety and peace?”

“That won’t happen. And I won’t forget this unjust treatment I’ve received today.”

“If it was truly unjust, you can crush my shoulder. I’d rather you did.”

The Scout Captain gritted his teeth under the powerful grip on his shoulder but nodded, pretending to be unfazed.

**

Do it!

All seven members of our raid party were exceptional raiders who could each handle at least their own share, or rather, 1.5 times their share. However, there were occasions when, due to mistakes or because of certain gimmicks or compatibility issues, we had to rely on (cheer for) one or two people.

For example, there were times when we were in “Do it!” mode for Arang or Yuri against bosses with high magic resistance, and conversely, times when we were in “Do it!” mode for Subin or Sister Yehyun against bosses with high physical resistance.

The current situation was both similar and different. It wasn’t that the others’ attacks weren’t effective.

But when overcoming obstacles conventionally became too difficult. When monsters swarmed beyond our expectations.

Since ancient times, haven’t we sought out mages in such situations?

I felt that a maximum-output strike from Subin, our raid party’s spear and glass cannon, was the answer. Of course, annihilation wasn’t the goal.

Like the parting of the Red Sea in ancient times, only Subin among us could momentarily cleave through the monsters blocking the path to the seal site and touch the grotesque membrane-like thing surrounding it. At least at this point in time.

Sister Soyu’s Record Erasure might have been able to compete, but we couldn’t spare our healer in this situation, could we?

“Block them!!!”

Meanwhile, monsters surged like a tidal wave.

We were killing and pushing back monsters like a blender gone mad, but the sheer overwhelming numbers meant we were in danger of being crushed under the weight of corpses.

“Aaaaargh! Die! Die!! Diiiiie!!!”

“How much longer! How much longer!!!”

“Just one more minute!!!”

“Kyaak!!”

Three minutes felt like an eternity.

Subin’s mouth and hands were already moving as fast as humanly possible, yet even that seemed slow. I wanted to urge her on, but I didn’t dare for fear of breaking her intense concentration.

“Soyu! Use your own judgment from now on!”

In truth, it was remarkable that we had held out for a minute without anyone becoming incapacitated. Perhaps, despite the precarious situation, we could somehow manage to hold out for three minutes with this momentum… That’s what I thought.

If I set aside giving orders and participated in the defense as just another warrior…

“Oppa!”

“Captain!?”

“Are you crazy?!”

“Focus!!”

“I am… focusing!”

How long had it been since I felt the heat and pressure of the front lines?

Memories of my time in the lower levels flashed through my mind, when Seyeon was my only companion and I fought like a dog regardless of class. A monster’s teeth and claws simultaneously grazed my armor. I quickly cut it down in alarm, but immediately another monster’s jaws targeted my shoulder.

“Shit!”

I couldn’t easily step back. We couldn’t afford to use up our buffer space already if we needed to hold out for another three minutes, or rather two. So, trusting my pauldron and level, I instead tensed my shoulder and thrust it forward. Fortunately, my shoulder bash landed squarely in the monster’s jaws as intended, but the tremendous impact nearly made me tumble ungracefully, feeling like my shoulder might dislocate.

A heal came in immediately, quickly removing the pain, but the dizziness from my vision suddenly shifting and the smell of blood disoriented me.

‘Two minutes.’

In that time, our buffer space had shrunk further. With Subin, our AoE dealer, temporarily out of the battle to prepare her strike, we would have been breached long ago if not for Sister Yehyun’s mud and stone walls created through spirit magic.

But even those seemed to be reaching their limit.

The monsters showed no camaraderie, quickly learning they could use their struggling comrades stuck in the mud as stepping stones. The stone wall side was the same. When claws, horns, and headbutts failed to break through easily, they simply started pushing with sheer mass.

Once the defensive line broke, Sister Yehyun’s mana visibly depleted exponentially to patch it, and soon blood trickled from her mouth.

“Seonghyeon! Yehyun!”

“I’m fine!”

I heard the cries of both Danya and Sister Yehyun. It was much too early, but I realized we couldn’t delay any longer.

“Hold on a bit more! Less than a minute left!”

As I left my position again, the containment line wavered momentarily, but I immediately activated “One for All” while showering myself with health and mana potions from my inventory.

Activation intensity: Maximum.

Activation attribute: Mana.

The effect was instantaneous.

Instead of reproaching me for using that buff skill again, my raid members didn’t waste the opportunity given.

The crumbling stone walls were instantly rebuilt.

The mud, rendered meaningless by corpses, became a deep pit.

Yuri’s tiring axe swings once again became a storm against what were once monsters.

Seyeon’s light, which had been about to extinguish, blazed fiercely to protect the front, and Sister Soyu’s protective barrier also strengthened.

Add to that Danya and Arang protecting the rear with enhanced agility.

The fierce and even desperate defense soon reached its climax.

My buff quickly faded.

The raid members momentarily staggered from the sudden loss of strength.

Sister Yehyun’s stone walls, which had served as ramparts, collapsed again and the pits rapidly filled in.

By then, an enormous mass of magical energy was swirling above our heads, so magnificent it cleared even my fading consciousness and made my heart swell.

“-Direction set. Due north. Output set. Maximum.”

“Yehyun! Maximum fire resistance! Soyu! Maximum barrier!”

Subin, her face pale from excessive mana usage, finally completed her hand signs and finished her incantation, pointing forward with her index finger.

“Fire.”

“Run!!!!”

*Swoosh-*

*BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-*

We charged through the roaring flames.