Chapter 178

Opening my eyes, I found a young man who didn’t look very old staring at me with wide, gleaming eyes.

‘Level 48… a 2nd-Rank, I see.’

Given the already tight situation with supplies and space, this small lodging wasn’t for me alone.

In other words, he was a comrade who would be sharing this space with me for the duration of this subjugation.

“Is something the matter?”

“Matter? Of course there is. What’s a greenhorn like you doing here? If you don’t want to die, get lost right now.”

He probably looked at my age and assumed I didn’t have the skill to participate in the Subjugation Force.

‘…Again, huh.’

I had roughly expected this, but such cases were quite frequent. Even Yoo Haon’s party in the original work had been repeatedly ignored in similar situations.

“Damn it, we’ll clearly be moving as the same team in actual combat, but can I really entrust my back to a brat like you? Leave on your own while I’m still asking nicely.”

The man waved his hand dismissively with an expression full of annoyance.

However, upon closer observation, there was no genuine hostility contained within it. Having ascertained that much, I could also grasp the man’s true intention.

‘Surprisingly naive.’

In other words, the man didn’t dislike me; he was worried and wanted me to sit out this battle.

Well, even I would shake my head immediately if some middle school kid approached and said they wanted to fight alongside me. Perhaps that’s how I appeared to the man?

In response, I chuckled softly, ignored the man’s words, closed my eyes again, and entered meditation.

I could feel the man glaring at me as if to say ‘what kind of guy is this?’, but there was no need to bother reacting.

After all, soon enough, the meaning behind the gazes they directed at me would change.

After meditating for a good while and opening my eyes, I saw the man sitting there with a sullen expression.

“…Fine, you’ve got guts. I’ll acknowledge that.”

But.

“Judging by your age, you’re probably a 3rd-Rank. I’ll be frank; there’s nothing you can do in this battle.”

Furthermore, as if dissatisfied with the current reality, the man redirected his hostility towards someone other than me and continued.

“Do you know why Headquarters accepted 3rd-Ranks like you, and what your role is?”

“……”

“Cannon fodder. Cannon fodder. Take one hit, buy some time, and die. Do you really think that has any meaning?”

The man’s words were quite accurate.

In fact, although they didn’t say it outright, what the upper echelons expected from us in this battle was largely that role.

“…Do you have experience participating in battles like this?”

“Not S-Rank, but I’ve seen up to the level just below it. A 3rd-Rank can do nothing before that.”

One level below would be A+. Certainly, even that level is a Specter whose power is difficult for humans to handle.

No wonder he knew the details; it seemed the man was also a warrior who had narrowly escaped death in his own way.

However, there was a fact even such a man didn’t know.

“It won’t be just that level.”

“What?”

“To survive, you’ll have to discard all the common sense you’ve held until now.”

As if I had experienced such a situation myself, the man made a puzzled expression.

And at that moment, an urgent broadcast echoed throughout the entire building.

[Exorcists participating in the Subjugation Force, please complete all preparations immediately and gather at the entrance. Once again, we inform you. Exorcists participating in the Subjugation Force…]

Hearing that, the man clicked his tongue, rummaged through his belongings, and began preparing.

‘It’s moving.’

Finally, the moment of the decisive battle was approaching.

In fact, ahead of this Subjugation Force’s participation, I urgently contacted one person. That person was none other than Seo Jian.

‘In terms of compatibility, she’s the best talent.’

Yoosakbi is a Specter that manipulates fire and earth; Seo Jian, with her Water God Trait, is strictly speaking close to its natural enemy.

In fact, ever since I first met Seo Jian and assisted in her growth, I had always envisioned the current situation.

‘But…’

Of all times, right now, I couldn’t reach Seo Jian. So, suppressing my disappointment, I had to register for the Subjugation Force alone.

That’s why, all the more, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

“…Long time no see. I didn’t expect to see you in a place like this.”

“I feel the same. What happened?”

As it turned out, Seo Jian was already part of the pursuit team that first detected Yoosakbi’s appearance and had been chasing it.

Naturally, that led to her being in the current situation.

‘She shouldn’t have the qualifications yet, so how is that possible?’

In my case, I actively utilized the connections I usually had to try and get Seo Jian to participate as my assistant, but for her, there would have been no way to officially participate in subjugation activities like this.

As if sensing my curiosity, Seo Jian, turning her head slightly as if she had forgotten, opened her mouth.

“…Come to think of it, did I not tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“I have the qualifications too. I took the exam last time.”

No joke, I had no idea at all. ‘Last time’ must have been the same exam period as mine, but I had never heard a single word about it.

Seo Jian blushed slightly at her ears, looking somewhat embarrassed.

“I chose a different Examination Ground. Having too many familiar faces isn’t great.”

Indeed, she meant she had deliberately taken the exam without drawing attention.

Come to think of it, at that time, the four of us were already gathering and coordinating our breathing, so she might not have wanted to throw cold water on things unintentionally.

I felt a bit sorry, feeling like I had unintentionally excluded her.

Seo Jian quickly changed the subject and asked me a question.

“…Anyway, which unit are you in?”

“B-2 Team.”

“That’s our side. We probably won’t be too far apart when forming up either.”

That was good news. However it happened, this way I could include Seo Jian in my calculations again.

With just her presence alone, the things we could do would change 180 degrees.

As I harbored such thoughts, Seo Jian soon gave me a final piece of advice.

“Be careful.”

“I will.”

“…If I couldn’t handle Natural-Type Sorcery of water, I wouldn’t have even dared to set foot in this battle from the start.”

Come to think of it, Seo Jian said she had been chasing it from quite early on. As such, she must have had opportunities to witness its power.

Contained within Seo Jian’s eyes were a hint of competitive spirit and a faint trace of fear.

And as time passed, the one Exorcist who was the overall person in charge of this Subjugation Force and held command authority revealed himself before everyone.

“…This is our first official greeting. Pleased to meet you all.”

He was the 9th Elder of the Hwang Family, Hwang Se-woong.

The biological father of Hwang Sejin, with whom I had clashed before, and one who held the title of Special-Rank Exorcist.

Hwang Se-woong’s greeting didn’t last very long.

To begin with, anyone could see the current situation was unusual. Therefore, the Exorcists gathered decided to head to the site first and commence the subjugation rather than engage in empty theorizing.

“It’s quite a distance to the summit where it is. Let’s move quickly.”

Even though it was merely the foot of the mountain, the greatly increased atmospheric temperature and the continuously shaking ground.

The Exorcists climbed the mountain, sweating cold sweat at the incomprehensible phenomena.

In the midst of this, the man Lee Eun-chan, who had stayed in the same lodging earlier, chattered away, striking up a conversation beside me.

“Hey, you know that person from before?”

“Do you know Seo Jian?”

“Of course, she’s the youngest daughter of the Daejin Group. I heard her give a lecture at a startup expo.”

Perhaps he had been quite interested in that field all along, Eun-chan showed a noticeably different, warmer reaction compared to before.

However, I could feel the emotion contained within it very clearly.

“Are you nervous?”

“Wh-who, me?”

“If not, then it’s fine.”

All things considered, he wasn’t a bad guy. He was sincerely worried about the life of a complete stranger, so one could even say his heart was pure.

That’s why I really didn’t want to see him die if possible.

“…Get ready. It’s coming.”

An extremely violent wave of energy. Simultaneously, the ground began to shake to an incomparable degree compared to before.

Rumble rumble rumble.

BOOM!

BOOOOM—!

The scene that unfolded soon after was frankly something I didn’t want to believe even with my own two eyes.

“Oh my god.”

“H-hey, everyone. Th-the mountain…!”

Flames soared in various parts of the mountain range, and unknown ash-like powder scattered along with black smoke.

The ground was sunken here and there as if a giant had pounded it, and something carrying unimaginable heat began to flow down between those paths.

“I-is a volcano really erupting or something?”

It was nonsense. This Mudeungsan is an extinct volcano; the last time it was active was also in the distant past.

But looking at the scene unfolding before our eyes now, anyone would be forced to utter such words.

‘I’ve seen it in images… but this is incredible.’

It was a thought I’d had countless times before, but now its meaning was different.

Because what was bearing down on us now was nothing short of the wrath of nature itself.

‘…I must not be deceived.’

This is a phenomenon artificially induced, literally nothing more than an imitation.

A conventional volcanic eruption couldn’t possibly be happening right now, and nothing more than this would be coming.

However, that alone was enough. In reality, the Subjugation Force’s steps had been completely halted, unable to move even a single step since earlier.

They were utterly overwhelmed by the sublime wrath of nature.

And on top of that.

“Guh, th-the heat…!”

“Huff. Hah.”

“…I can’t breathe on my own.”

Although it was merely an imitation, all of those things were undeniably real.

In the scorching heat that distorted the very atmosphere, the Exorcists each exhaled heavily and drew up their Spiritual Power.

A situation where just standing still consumed stamina and Spiritual Power.

For the Subjugation Force, this mountain was completely the worst kind of enemy territory.

“Huff. Huff. D-do we continue advancing like this?”

Someone asked Hwang Se-woong in a frightened voice.

However, despite their attitude, Hwang Se-woong remained unshaken.

“Of course.”

Even if the opponent was a monster with unprecedented power, the same was true for this side.

Hwang Se-woong took a deep breath and finally gave the Subjugation Force clear instructions.

“Move as planned, blocking three directions. Everyone, climb the mountain along the designated routes according to your assigned teams.”

Bolstered by Hwang Se-woong’s firm resolve, the Exorcists shook off their fear and shouted loudly.

“Yes!”

And so the Subjugation Force scattered in three directions, and I too climbed the mountain with everyone according to my assigned team.

“W-wow, a Special-Rank really is different. To not waver at all even in this spectacle…”

“He must have the skill to match. We just need to faithfully carry out our assigned tasks.”

I agreed with that sentiment. Although I had a Fateful Connection with his son, regardless of that, Hwang Se-woong was a remarkable Exorcist.

However, precisely because we trusted him, the news that came next plunged the party into immense despair.

[Th-the Subjugation Force Captain is seriously injured! He has sustained serious injuries from an enemy ambush! We will urgently descend the mountain for treatment!]

It was the moment everyone’s footsteps froze once again.