SWNOVELXO Chapter 64 - How to Deal with Abnormal Situations (13)
“Right. Considering that Park Yulhan contacted Kang Nahyun, it can be seen that he was targeting a student who was the weak link. Plus…”
Shin Bareun looked at us huddled together like a flock of baby penguins and sighed deeply.
“Kang Nahyun is also a person of interest who has been involved with the Wild Hunter.”
I guess so.
It seems that Shin Bareun decided that the risk was higher for me, who was the subject of intensive surveillance due to matters related to the Wild Hunter, than for the fortress, which they searched all night long and found no problem.
“Just in case, we have prepared holy attribute hunters around the fortress so that we can catch him if he appears.”
How thorough.
Anyway, that’s how Shin Bareun joined our group.
After some time, when we reached the outskirts of the danger zone and saw real monsters, my nerves became even more tense.
Bang—!
There was a gunshot sound and the scope showed the last boss flying monster falling.
Whew
—Choi Garam whistled lightly and spoke to me.
“Oh, good at it, aren’t you?”
“Thank you.”
“You’re good, but why are you frowning like that? Ain’t you raising your eyebrows?”
“I’m nervous.”
“Well, it’s better than not being nervous. Don’t put too much pressure on your shoulders though.”
Choi Garam tapped my shoulder.
I remembered the type of flying monster I had just defeated.
Harpy. One of the weak flying-type monsters that roam in groups that appears at the gate outside the danger zone.
It’s one of the monsters I have defeated countless times through simulations with my friends.
And among the monsters encountered in the danger zone, it was the only monster that was strangely strong, unlike the simulation.
I slightly smiled as I started to talk.
“Contrary to the simulation, it’s stronger than I thought!”
“Originally, there are some differences between individuals. But this group is quite strong.”
Well, did we all eat wild ginseng together?
Choi Garam shrugged her shoulders and said such nonsense, then walked away with light steps, saying she was going to visit Shin Bareun for a while.
Someone tapped me on the back as I looked at the fallen corpse of the harpy leader with a stern expression and the scattered harpies.
“What’s going on?”
It was Calmy.
Calmy was uncharacteristically calm for someone who had just cut up a monster. If it weren’t for the monster’s blood that was slightly on his clothes, no one would have guessed that he had killed a monster.
“Nothing…”
Out of habit, I stopped trying to pretend I was fine. If it’s Calmy with amazing insight, he’ll quickly see through my lies. I decided to stop with the pointless tricks.
“…There’s something that bothers me.”
“I see.”
After Calmy said those words, he stood next to me and looked at the group of harpies scattering together. Silence passed between us.
When the group of harpies was about to completely disappear, Calmy slowly opened his mouth.
“If you have any difficulties, please tell me. We’re friends. I’ll help you anytime.”
It was a remark that reminded me of a time when we were talking alone together.
I felt the strength drain from my shoulders just like that time. It also made my heart feel a little lighter.
“You know.”
And, and…
I thought I might be able to rely on you, just a little bit.
So I decided to tell my story, just a little bit, on my own.
“Can we talk about that difficult thing now?”
It’s about something strange that will happen right now, that’s it, however…
He answered my question like a strong tree.
“However much.”
I was silent for a while, slowly choosing my words to decide how to convey my meaning.
Through the silence between us, I heard something crying. Is it a harpy or really a bird?
“An ‘abnormal situation’ will occur.”
I believe that if he knows so much about me, he will believe any absurd truth.
Therefore, even though I was talking about the tragedy that would happen in the future, my heart was as calm as a calm sea without any waves.
After my whole story was over, he still had a grave expression on his face.
“I see.”
“Yeah.”
“We need to prepare. Are you planning on telling other people?”
“They won’t believe me.”
“Is that so.”
Calmy swept his holy sword, Blue Twilight, with his fingertips. He then smiled softly.
“Don’t worry. As a hero, I will definitely protect the people.”
The appearance of a trustworthy and strong hero. The hero’s smile, meant to reassure people, was written on his face.
“Because it’s my role to protect people from the gate. Because it’s what I have to do.”
However, I felt like something about that smile was twisted.
For no reason, I smiled brighter.
“Alright. Let’s work hard together.”
“Mmhm. I will protect you, and everyone else.”
It seemed like a creaking sound was coming from somewhere.
The sun was setting between the ruins.
***
Before we knew it, evening had arrived, and we returned to the fortress.
Shin Bareun and Choi Garam were outside the room as if they had something to discuss. They have a lot to do.
I was lying on the bed and looking at the meta system window.
[Current meta point: 7750 point]
[System updating: 50%]
The update was progressing step by step. It’ll take care of itself.
I decided to let go of what I couldn’t do and look at the situation from the other side.
Scammer’s schedule was no different from ours.
However, should I say there’s one unusual schedule, I wonder, it contained a point that was close to deviation.
[Episode 60 Appearance Part]
What is Nahyun doing now? After being lost in thought for a moment, I came to my senses and shook my head.
Our side is more urgent now.
I thought about a dungeon where I could get another goblin-level item, and concluded that I needed to go here at night.
The best thing for sneaking around is…
“‘Information Erasure’ skill…”
I muttered unconsciously and bit my lip.
You’re crazy. How much of Choi Soo-jeong’s landmine are you planning to touch? Moving with the wind is enough.
But…
“Are those guys… following me?”
Honestly, I think I lost favor with my companions after the fox bead incident. I might not have seen it before, but now I know it.
Fortunately, Nahyun protects me… No, let’s stop thinking about this. What matters is how I move them.
I wrote ‘abnormal situation’ on the device screen. And I asked myself:
Will my companions… believe me?
I don’t know.
Even if they believe me, will they follow me to a dangerous place?
I randomly drew an X on the device screen.
However, without the Will-O’-The-Wisp, the difficulty of attacking the abnormal event increases exponentially. It’s necessary for everyone’s safety.
…I can’t help it.
Let’s use the information I have and the reliability and usefulness of the information I have proven so far.
You bastard, you still haven’t recovered from being downcast during the midterm exam.
Everyone doesn’t hate you that much. What fool would entrust leadership to someone they couldn’t trust in the first place? Just have a talk first, idiot.
I grumbled to myself for no reason, saying things I should never say.
…Maybe he would even give me a pat if he was in front of me.
What was truly surprising was what happened next. This shovel genius, a guy with low self-esteem, managed to muster courage.
“So it might be a little dangerous, but I’d like you to come with me.”
I feel eyes looking at me. Yet I couldn’t raise my gaze from the ground. Silence filled the space between us.
Surprisingly, Na Yuri was the first to speak.
“Na Yuhan, I hate you.”
“I know.”
“I really wanted to kill you when you put Miss Nahyun in danger.”
“I’m sorry.”
Is it, as expected, a rejection?… The moment I thought so,
“But,”
A sigh-like sound was heard.
“It seems like even people like you can change.”
When I raised my head without realizing it, Na Yuri was looking at me with an expressionless expression.
“You made a bad choice last time.”
An expression without warmth. Or contempt. Or hate. Or other negative emotions.
This is the basic facial expression that Na Yuri shows to me when Nahyun isn’t around.
“If you were the same as before, I would beat you up.”
Right. A resentment that can’t be eliminated due to hatred or something like that. If you peel back a layer of teamwork, this feeling is always lurking. I, who thought of the world as a game, just ignored that feeling.
I breathed into her eyes, ready to accept whatever sharp words Na Yuri uttered.
“But you made the right choice, and damn it, you’ve been a pretty trustworthy person ever since you entered the Academy.”
However, what she said was different from what I expected.
“It’s a shame I can’t beat you up.”
Na Yuri sighed after seeing my wide-open eyes and took out a weapon from her inventory.
“I’m coming with you. For the sake of my friend, who believes in you.”
Flame-like red eyes looked at me.
“Because I have to keep my promise to watch over you.”
Those eyes are burning with the scars of the past.
I realized how miraculous it was to be with her again and to be on her team. If it weren’t for Nahyun, we wouldn’t have been able to have a proper conversation.
And Choi Soojung stretched out her hand between the two of us.
“Now that I think about it, I didn’t even bother questioning you during the last round.”
“That…”
Choi Soojung grinned and shrugged her shoulders.
“Well, it looks like you’ve reflected properly, so it’s okay. I want to go with you! Because it looks like fun~”
If Choi Soojung joins, it is already a success.
Lee Hana too, listening to Choi Soo-jeong’s words, nodded her head, and then she added.
“…I believe in your words.”
Tears welled up at those words.
A part of my heart felt warm, so I wiped my eyes.
Crybaby.
I pouted my lips for no reason, imagining Scammer shedding tears.
< Comment
ㅇㅇ
Ice wins!!!
> ㅇㅇ
Holding on wins
ㅇㅇ
Kang Nahyun trend is gone now it’s Lee Hana era!!!!!
ㅇㅇ
So is this pure love or harem?
> ㅇㅇ
Pure love harem
> ㅇㅇ
What else is that fucking genre
ㅇㅇ
The MC is frustrating to death… When is he going to come to his senses?
ㅇㅇ
If you’re a brainless one who follows this until here I recommend
> ㅇㅇ
I recommend you to drop it
I felt it before, but there seemed to be a movement among readers to push Lee Hana as the heroine instead of me, whose importance had recently died down.
Regardless of whether the two actually had such feelings for each other, I was naturally being pushed out thanks to the growing strength of such forces among readers. The meta point growth is also slowing down.
If things continue like this, I will easily be able to enter the ‘losing heroine’ group.
Moreover, isn’t this Scammer asking other friends for help, I wonder. It seemed like he was gradually breaking away from being dependent only on me, so it was a relief.
I fell asleep with a peaceful mind.
It was the commotion in the middle of the night that broke the peace after a long time.
I heard loud shouting and people’s footsteps moving in a hurry.
“Bring all the gate closing items!”
“We’re all out of it!”
“How about contact with headquarters?”
The other children must have noticed the commotion, they were already up and equipping their weapons.
At that time, communication arrived through a communication device distributed at the fortress.
— Wait in the room. Choi Garam Hunter is on the move.
I had an ominous feeling.