[Trantor - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Chapter 18: Proof of Worth (6)
A day.
That was the time it took to walk to the designated coordinates.
"You got here pretty quickly."
Even considering that Mari''s reins hade loose once on the way, it was still an impressive pace to reach the destination.
It would have been impossible without Yon’s thorough knowledge of the terrain.
Of course, it wasn’t as if the walk had been entirely without gain.
"I wanted to eat more chicken skewers..."
Mari, who had been thinking about the chicken skewers from the vige they passed through, grumbled as she followed behind.
[Would you like to convert your points?]
‘Yes.’
[Converted 100 points]
As the points were converted, the sound of jingling coins apanied a silver coinnding in my hand.
I handed the coin to Mari.
"Buy some on the way back."
"Thank you!"
With rewards in hand, the employees would surely work harder.
Of course, that was just a side benefit.
The most significant gain was this:
[Would you like to use ‘Recall’?]
I wasn’t going to use it right away, but the fact that I could use certainpany functions even outside the office was a huge find.
‘If pushes to shove, I can use this to escape.’
An exit strategy was secured.
As long as I didn’t die.
And so, we continued walking for a while.
"We’re here."
The party stopped in response to Yon’s signal.
"There should be a creature beyond this hill."
In the direction Yon pointed, there was a steep incline, almost too high to be called a hill.
‘...When am I going to climb that?’
I sighed as I looked at the slope.
[Sixth Sense LV. 2]
A chilling sensation washed over my body.
I nced over to see Khan also reacting, his nerves on edge as he began to scan the surroundings.
At that moment, a massive pir of fire shot up from beyond the hill.
BOOOOOM!
As the mes surged, the wind swept violently from behind.
Though sudden, the most important thing in moments like this is the ability to grasp the situation.
"Run!"
I led the employees and charged up the hill.
And then—
"Aaaaah!"
"Water! Water magic, quickly!"
"Over there! It''s on fire! Put it out!"
Hell had broken loose.
mes were everywhere, and people were screaming in panic.
I frowned at the scene.
"They’ve already regrouped and started the hunt?"
ording to Yon, there had already been a hunt the day before.
But for them to have already assembled anotherrge-scale hunting party...
‘Damn it. It’s not just an ordinary hunt but a joint one.
A dryugh escaped me.
A joint hunt.
It’s exactly as it sounds.
Instead of just onepany taking responsibility, all the nearbypanies join forces to capture the creature.
‘That crazy bastard...’
The reason I was rushing and getting so worked up was clear.
‘Am I just afraid anotherpany will steal the creature?’
No.
It’s not that simple.
‘I can see about 20 rank 7 employees and 40 rank 8 employees at a nce.’
There were already more than 20 casualties.
As for the creature, it was even worse.
The sight of a man, burning more intensely than Yon had described, came into view.
The creature affected its surroundings by moving, indicating that it had already reached rank 6.
‘Just how much has it devoured?’
Creatures grow.
Whatever the trigger, creatures grow as long as they have a reason to.
"Pour more water on it! It’s bound to tire! Keep iting!"
The person who seemed to be themander was shouting from below the hill.
At hismand, employees with water-rted skills began pouring water over the creature.
But it was a pointless effort.
Creatures aren’t something you can defeat with sheer force alone.
‘Even if you could defeat a creature with brute strength, not with this force.’
A rank 6 creature can’t be subdued by rank 7 or 8 employees alone.
‘But that doesn’t mean there’s no way.’
The difference in rank is overwhelming.
However, the right strategy can offset that difference.
What’s needed now is to understand the creature’s characteristics.
"Embrace... the pain..."
The creature opened its arms, epting all the water being poured on it.
Ssssss.
A massive cloud of steam billowed up, obscuring the creature.
"Did we get it?!"
Themander smiled triumphantly.
But that smile didn’tst long.
Thud—
Crackle, crackle—
The sound of a campfire burning filled the air.
"Embrace... the pain!"
The creature roared.
The beast roared.
mes scattered everywhere, subduing the employees of the rivalpany.
But this wasn’t the time to sit back and watch.
If I let him continue, there would be no way to stop him.
“Khan, Mari, Yon! You guys pull those idiots back! I''ll stop the creature.”
“Yes!”
As soon as they heard my orders, the employees ran down the hill.
I, on the other hand, sprinted in the opposite direction—toward the creature.
‘A rank 6, huh? This is still manageable.’
I already knew how to handle this.
Slowly, I closed my eyes.
— It was a man engulfed in mes.
It was a strange creature that kept repeating the words "Embrace the pain."
— Was that all there was?
— One more thing. Before it starts an attack, and before it defends itself, it always spreads its arms wide.
When I first heard this story, I thought it was just an ordinary creature.
I was unsure.
Was it an anomalous entity or not?
But after facing it directly, I was certain.
‘The method to contain this thing is simple.’
Share the pain.
It absorbs both my attacks and its own, diffusing its power by sharing the agony.
‘Now, the question is how to approach it…’
I opened my eyes slowly and red at the man in mes.
He was gathering fire in his hands, seemingly preparing to finish off the employee resisting with water magic in front of him.
Quickly, I grabbed my bow and arrows from my back.
[Refined Bow and Arrows (D)]
— A bow and arrows imbued with the spirit of a master craftsman. Each shot has the power to pierce even stone.
[Intermediate Archery LV. 1]
[Concentration LV. 1]
Shooting an arrow while running—an absurd feat.
But with Intermediate Archery, it was as easy as pie.
Thwack!
The arrow flew and pierced the ming man’s head perfectly.
But the arrow vanished in the mes momentster.
Of course, that didn’t mean it did no damage.
“Pain…”
The man muttered something and then started ring at me.
I had umted enough damage to draw its attention.
An intense heat, along with fear, surged toward me, but I smiled inwardly.
‘Sess.’
That was exactly what I was aiming for.
The arrow was meant to divert its attention.
‘The real attack starts now.’
But, admittedly, I was also afraid.
I had charged in before the creature could grow stronger, but I wasn’t fully prepared.
‘If only I had more time to prepare...’
That thought briefly crossed my mind, but I quickly shook it off.
‘No, now is the weakest time.’
The longer I waited, the stronger it would be.
I couldn’t be scared.
‘If Ick willpower…’
[The Foundation''s Star watches over you.]
Make up for it with mental strength.
I knew what I needed to do to survive, so the dark thoughts eating away at me soon turned into determination.
“Embrace… the pain…”
I threw down my now-useless bow and arrows, raised my sword, and charged at the ming man.
The man burning his surroundings stared wide-eyed at me as I rushed toward him.
Then, he smiled.
“Embrace…”
No, to be precise, there was no change in the expression on the ming man’s face.
It just felt like it.
“Embrace…”
The man spread his arms wide, ready to greet me.
[Sixth Sense LV. 2]
I didn’t leap straight into his arms.
[Trantor - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Instead, I slowed down and rolled to the side.
Whoosh—
An enormous wave of heat passed through the spot I had been rushing toward.
If I hadn’t dodged, I would’ve turned into a roast before even getting close to him.
‘Got it.’
He was guarding against anyone getting too close.
‘Alright. Let’s go with that n.’
If I couldn’t do it alone, I’d have to charge in with everyone.
I called out to the employees with all my strength,
“When I give the signal, everyone charge at him together!”
It was a barebonesmand, with no time for exnation.
On the surface, it might have seemed like a suicide mission.
Any sane person would probably not follow this order.
But…
“Yes, understood.”
“Yes!”
“We’re ready!”
Thanks to everything we had done up until now, and because of the actions I’d taken, the employees’ trust in me was absolute.
‘If it works, great. If not, it’s a one-way ticket to the afterlife.’
Though, even in hell, if my employees were headed there, I would drag them back to work…
[Empathy (LV. 1)]
- You can borrow a creature''s skill for 1 minute.
"Summon Kobold!"
[A Kobold is summoned.]
[Kobold LV. 1]
Screeech.
The Kobold appeared in front of me, swinging its weapon wildly.
Originally, creatures can''t be controlled.
But—
"Beastfolknguage."
[You can understand Beastfolknguage for 1 minute.]
"Bi kwa-shi. (Charge at him.)"
The story changes if I can givemands.
"What the hell is that now?"
"It''s... it''s a creature!"
They were startled by the sudden appearance of the Kobold, but soon realized it was moving under mymand and fell silent.
Screeech!
The Kobold, waving its weapon recklessly, charged at the burning man.
Naturally, since the Kobold was closest to the burning man, the target shifted from me to the Kobold.
"Embrace the pain!"
mes shot from the man''s hands.
Screeech!
In an instant, the Kobold, having gotten close to him, perished.
The Kobold burned, creating a cloud of smoke.
The burning man, seemingly flustered, tried to swat away the smokeing toward him, but to no avail.
''Got him.''
I had obscured his vision.
Of course, I couldn''t end it there.
It had to be all at once if I was going to strike.
I couldn''t give him time to recover.
"Now!"
As soon as themand was given, the staff charged forward.
I, too, adjusted my stance, ready to dash out.
"Haaah!"
"Raaah!"
Khan and Yon closed the distance on the enemy.
Then, mes erupted from the smoke, engulfing them.
''Does he notice when anyone gets too close?''
I had expected that much.
Khan and Yon, who had been wrapped in mes, burst out unharmed.
[Refined Triangr te Armor (D+) has been destroyed! * 2]
Even though they were right in front of him, they couldn''tnd a follow-up strike.
''Just as I thought! There''s a dy in his attacks.''
I had noticed when there was no finishing blow after dodging his initial attack.
If things go well, Khan or Yon might finish this without me needing to step in... not likely.
"Embrace the pain!"
The man screamed in fury.
Suddenly, a fireball formed around him, as if he was about to explode, and mes began spreading in all directions.
''That''s enough experimenting.''
If Khan and Yon got hit with their armor broken, there was no guarantee they''d survive.
I immediately used my administrator authority to recall them.
[Using Administrator Authority.]
[Recalling 7th-rank employees Khan and Yon.]
Just before the fireball struck them, they vanished, turning into spheres of light.
''There''s a 2-second dy before his next attack.''
That was enough.
I immediately moved.
"Embrace the—!"
The man''s hand reached out toward me.
Heat began to gather.
And soon, a fireball formed.
Just as the fireball was about to shoot toward me—
"Mari!"
"Yes!"
Mari''s arrow whizzed past me, striking the burning man in the arm.
Thud!
Fwoosh—
The arrow quickly burned away, but the man staggered back a step.
Naturally, the mes he had been casting vanished.
Considering whose intermediate archery this was, the result was obvious.
''That bought me 2 seconds.''
2 seconds was more than enough to get right in his face.
"Embrace the pain!"
I had gotten within striking distance.
The man let out a scream, just like before.
mes shot up.
Fwoosh!
The mes engulfed me.
The man smiled triumphantly.
But—
''The feeling is mutual.''
[You have taken damage beyond your limit.]
[Refined Triangr te Armor (D+) has been destroyed!]
I had just one step left to reach him when the armor I was wearing shattered.
[Basic Swordsmanship LV.3]
I followed the visible sword path and shed.
In terms of dealing damage, this act was meaningless.
''But this isn''t a fight—it''s a containment procedure.''
Just as I had heard, the burning man didn''t dodge my attack but spread his arms wide.
Swish—
My sword pierced his burning abdomen.
Without resistance, the de slid smoothly into him.
With every inch, the overwhelming heat intensified, enveloping me.
We shared the pain.
"Aaaaagh!"
mes engulfed me.
Surrounded by scorching fire, the world seemed eerily silent, but the mes showed no signs of disappearing.
My expression began to twist in agony.
‘Hold on. Hold on. Hold on!’
You instinctively pull away when you touch something hot, but I had to endure.
I could feel the pain vividly, as if every vein in my body was melting, but it was fine.
I opened my eyes wide and clenched my teeth.
‘If the pain bothers you...’
[Strong Body will be applied for 10 seconds.]
You just need to be prepared.
‘Let''s see who wins in the end.’
From now on, it was a battle of mental strength.
...
How much time had passed?
The searing heat that seemed tost an eternity suddenly cooled.
...We shared the pain.
Ba-bam!
[The ''Burning Man'' is now recorded in thepany.]
[First Achievement Unlocked]
- Work efficiency increases. (Points earned will increase)
- Ba-bam!
[Unbelievable Achievement Unlocked!]
[Achievement: Unfair Deal (Completed)]
- Earn 10 consecutive employee recruitment tickets.
[Trantor - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]