Fumiko clapped her hands, gathering everyone's attention. "Alright, let's not waste ti. Everyone, gear up and be ready in five minutes. The Siphon Wraith nest is reported to be deep inside the forest area. We move out as soon as preparations are complete," she announced firmly.
The guild mbers scattered to get their weapons and supplies. So were still whispering, occasionally glancing at Seojun, who remained calm, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
Kang Daewon nudged Seojun's side with a grin. "I hope you don't disappoint, kid. Siphon Wraiths aren't easy prey," he said, swinging his massive hamr onto his shoulder.
Seojun glanced up at him, unfazed. "I wasn't planning to," he replied simply.
Daewon laughed loudly. "I like your spirit! Maybe after this, we can have that duel, huh?"
Fumiko walked back to them, adjusting her glasses. "Save your energy for the raid, Kang Daewon. We don't need any unnecessary fights," she said sharply.
Daewon shrugged but didn't argue. "Fine, fine. I'll wait," he said with a smirk.
Just then, one of the scouts ran up to Fumiko. "Ma'am, the path is clear, but there are traces of mana residue leading toward the east side. Looks fresh," he reported.
Fumiko nodded. "Good work. Everyone, gather up!" she called out.
The team assembled, checking their weapons and adjusting their armor. Fumiko glanced around, making sure everyone was ready.
As the group moved deeper into the forest, the shadows grew thicker, and the air beca colder. Daewon, with his massive hamr resting on his shoulder, turned back to Fumiko. "I'm going ahead. I can't stand walking at this slow pace," he announced, cracking his neck.
Fumiko frowned. "You know the plan, Daewon. We move as a team," she said firmly.
Daewon just waved his hand dismissively. "I'll be fine. It's just a bunch of bugs, right? I'll clear the path for you." Without waiting for permission, he stomped forward, the ground shaking slightly with each step.
Fumiko sighed but didn't stop him. "Stubborn as always," she muttered under her breath.
Seojun stood quietly at the back, observing but a few mbers imdiately blocked his path.
One of them, a tall man with spiked hair, raised his hand. "Hey, newbie, just stay back. We don't need you ssing things up," he said bluntly.
Another mber nodded in agreent. "Yeah, no offense, but we're used to Slyphy. She knows our rhythm. We don't know you," she added, crossing her arms.
Fumiko turned around, eyebrow raised. "Are you refusing his help?" she asked, her tone sharp.
A few others nodded in agreent, whispering among themselves. "He's just a kid," soone said.
Seojun looked at them, his expression calm. "I'm not here to ss things up," he said simply.
The spiked-hair man scoffed. "Sure, whatever. Just stay out of the way. We don't need a rookie screwing up the formation," he replied.
The spiked-hair man crossed his arms and looked Seojun up and down with clear doubt. "There's no guarantee you're really that new S-ranker, you know," he said, his tone dripping with skepticism. "If you want us to believe that, you'll have to prove it."
So of the other mbers murmured in agreent, their eyes filled with suspicion. "He just appeared out of nowhere," one whispered. "How can we be sure?"
Fumiko's eyes narrowed. "Are you questioning Daewon's words?" she asked, her voice firm. "He personally introduced Mr. Han as the new S-ranker."
One of the mbers hesitated before speaking up. "Sorry, Ms. Fumiko, but it's hard to trust soone who suddenly appears and is announced as an S-ranker. It just doesn't add up," she said, shaking her head.
Fumiko crossed her arms, clearly displeased. "So you're saying you don't trust Daewon's judgnt?" she pressed.
The group glanced at each other, shuffling their feet. One of them finally muttered, "It's still hard to believe... I an, Guildmaster Daewon's strong, but he's always been reckless. What if he's just overhyping this guy?"
Fumiko's gaze hardened. "If Daewon, of all people, acknowledges him, you should too. Or do you want to challenge his judgnt when he gets back?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
The murmurs died down, but the doubtful glances lingered. Seojun watched quietly, unfazed by their distrust, his hands still casually in his pockets.
They advanced through the dense forest, their footsteps muffled by the thick layer of fallen leaves. Suddenly, a sharp growl echoed from the shadows. Erging from the trees were monsters—large, four-legged beasts with spiked fur and crimson eyes. Their skin was rough like bark, and sharp tusks jutted from their jaws.
[System Notification: C-Rank Beast Detected — Ironhide Boar]
There were about five of them, each snorting and pawing at the ground, ready to charge. One of the mbers smirked. "Just C-rank? Alright, let's clean this up!"
Without hesitation, they charged forward, weapons drawn. Swords glead under the sunlight.
"Get ready!" one of the swordsn yelled. He swung his blade at the first Ironhide Boar, its tough skin clanging against the tal but giving way with enough force. Another mber flanked it, slicing at its legs to bring it down.
Arrows flew from the back, aid precisely at weak spots—its eyes and joints. The Ironhide Boars retaliated, thrashing and swinging their tusks, uprooting dirt and sending splinters flying.
Amidst the chaos, Seojun stood back, hands in his pockets, simply observing. One of the mbers, a tall guy with ssy hair, turned back and sneered. "Hey, new guy! Stay back, you're just gonna get in the way!"
Another mber chuckled. "Yeah, just watch and learn, 'S-ranker.' Wouldn't want you to get hurt."
Seojun raised an eyebrow but didn't respond. He stepped back calmly, leaning against a tree as if watching a performance. Fumiko, observing the whole scene, sighed and rubbed her forehead. "These idiots... If only they knew," she muttered under her breath.
The fight continued, their working together to bring down the beasts. A woman with short hair, shoulder length and sharp eyes stepped forward, holding a staff that glowed with a soft light. She chanted softly, and a green aura wrapped around the group.
[System Notification: You have received a Buff — Healing Light, Minor Agility Boost]
"That's Si-eun," soone whispered from Seojun's side. He glanced to see a man with a bow slung over his shoulder, his eyes still on the battle. "Go Si-eun, B-rank healer. She's the best we got, really. Handles healing and buffs better than anyone I know."
Seojun nodded slightly, still watching the fight. The guy leaned in a little closer, lowering his voice.
"And just so you know, kid," he smirked, "if you think you can fool us, you got another thing coming. No way the white-haired S-ranker is so brat like you." He patted Seojun on the back as if congratulating him for the effort, then jogged back into the fight.
Seojun just blinked, unfazed. His eyes shifted back to the monsters, watching every movent, every strike, and every spell. He wasn't bothered by their doubts—in fact, he found it mildly amusing.
Reviews
All reviews (0)