“Collaboration?”
“Yeah, collaboration.”
Her short hair swayed as it brushed her shoulder. Her features hinted at mixed heritage, and her eyes, like the lake around her, were a striking shade of blue. Despite the fierce battle she’d just fought, Do Si-eun’s elegant beauty remained untouched. She looked at me in surprise, as if questioning my sudden proposal to team up.
“Is it because she’s fourteen? She does seem a bit young.”
In the game, Do Si-eun was portrayed as unflappable, always calm and charismatic, never showing emotional fluctuations. She was older than Kang Hyeonbyeol and depicted as cool-headed and mature. But now, tilting her head at my words, she seemed somewhat out of character—refreshingly so.
Anyway.
“Talking here isn’t ideal. Let’s move somewhere else to chat?”
“…Sure, let’s do that.”
I shrugged and gestured toward the lake’s edge with my chin. The water’s surface, where the sovereign and its minions lurked, was nearby. Though we’d fended off the creatures close by, more had taken their place, slowly closing in as we spoke. Conversation was impossible.
So, we decided to leave and talk elsewhere.
[Monster Encountered.]
[Drone (Rank 01) x 6]
Creatures slightly shorter than me, childlike in form, blocked our path.
“Move.”
“I’ll handle the ones over there.”
But when Do Si-eun and I joined forces, the foes stood no chance. We brushed them aside and emerged from the lake onto a meadow. The monsters’ pursuit stopped.
“They won’t follow us out of the water, so we can talk now.”
“Explain. Collaboration?”
“Exactly.”
“…”
“If Si-eun and I team up, can’t we take down the sovereign? You’ve fought it yourself—you know how tough it is to face alone.”
“…”
“So let’s do it together.”
I plopped down onto the meadow and invited her to sit beside me. But she ignored my offer, just staring at me silently.
Then she spoke.
“Fighting the sovereign alone is hard. But even if we collaborate, nothing will change.”
“Because of the minions around the sovereign? They’ll block our approach?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Do Si-eun nodded. I knew exactly what she was worried about—it was a concern I’d considered too.
“We’re not enough on our own.”
At least, not just the two of us.
“I wouldn’t suggest this if I hadn’t thought it through. No need to worry.”
“What?”
I glanced behind her. She followed my gaze and turned around.
Relatives who’d been fending off minions were heading our way. Others who’d been observing the situation, like me, also emerged one by one. Everyone looked exhausted.
“I’m not just proposing we collaborate. I’m suggesting we all work together.”
“Then…”
“We’ll leave dealing with the sovereign’s minions to them.”
“…”
“We’ll focus on the sovereign.”
I brushed the dirt off my rear and stood up. It was time to persuade them.
I called out to the group approaching the meadow.
“Hey, bros and sis.”
“Ah, Gyeon-woo. We saw you fighting with Si-eun earlier…”
“How about collaborating with us?”
“Huh?”
The relatives looked bewildered. After hearing my proposal, they frowned in displeasure.
“Why should we? Who are you to ask?”
“…”
Yeah, I knew this was coming.
At That Moment, Above the Cliff
Participants in the evaluation match were gradually reaching the lake. Around then, most of the screens the clan members monitored switched to the lake where the sovereign was.
“They’re all struggling.”
Someone groaned.
Others watching the screens nodded in agreement.
“Even though the sovereign was weakened, maybe it’s too early for the kids to handle it?”
“They hardly have experience fighting on water, and with so many monsters around, approaching the sovereign must be tough.”
Even Do Si-eun, the first to reach the lake, had tried various ways to get to the sovereign but achieved little, only briefly clashing weapons with it.
What about the others? They couldn’t approach the sovereign at all, only fighting minions and occasionally aiding Do Si-eun.
No wonder the clan members thought the difficulty was too high.
Moreover,
“The kids look exhausted. They must’ve drained their stamina pushing through the forest and reaching the lake.”
“Si-eun’s paralyzed too—imagine the state of the others.”
“Trying to fight the sovereign like that… no wonder things are this way.”
In their first forced march inside the gate, all participants were worn out. The fatigue on the kids’ faces in the screens was unmistakable, and sounds of heavy breathing came through.
[Huff, huff…!]
[Damn it, come out already…]
[…Phew!]
Some participants slipped off platforms or lost focus, falling into the water while walking on it.
Morale was dropping. Those who reached the lake stopped participating in the battle, instead watching from afar.
Seeing this,
“Head of the household.”
“…”
Those who’d been observing the evaluation match had to speak up to Do Ye-eok.
“The kids don’t look good. Maybe we should lower the difficulty.”
Do Woo-joon, Do Ye-eok’s eldest son and the most likely next head of the household, stepped forward.
“It’s not that the kids are weak. I just think we should consider their stamina and improve the situation.”
“Right, Head of the household.”
“I agree.”
To avoid upsetting the kids, Do Woo-joon spoke politely. Others chimed in.
“Hmm…”
Do Ye-eok sighed briefly. Like the others, he couldn’t help but think the same.
“Was it too much for those kids…?”
His grandchildren, not yet seventeen. Considering their age, they’d already shown impressive skill. He wasn’t disappointed—just regretful.
“Seo Jeong-jin took on a disciple.”
A hunter who’d risen to fame solely by his own strength, without the backing of a noble family.
Togui, Seo Jeong-jin.
The world thought Seo Jeong-jin, obsessed with fighting, couldn’t compare to Do Ye-eok and the current heads of the Ten Great Clans, but Do Ye-eok didn’t see it that way.
He was certain he’d surpass Seo Jeong-jin in swordsmanship.
But in “combat,” it was different. He couldn’t make a reckless claim.
“That guy’s a monster.”
Seo Jeong-jin didn’t possess genius-level talent in any specific field, which ironically allowed him to train relentlessly across all areas.
Thus, he wielded all kinds of weapons without being bound to any, and even ventured into production skills. Though he never reached the pinnacle in any field, he’d achieved a certain level in all—making him a “monster” in his own right.
This was why Do Ye-eok couldn’t easily claim superiority in a fight where everything he’d accomplished was at stake.
Hence,
“A disciple taken in by that monster must be another monster capable of surpassing him.”
Do Ye-eok felt considerable curiosity toward Seo Jeong-jin’s disciple, but couldn’t help being wary.
If the disciple’s talent and Seo Jeong-jin’s dedication combined perfectly,
“…”
A hero leading a new era would be born.
A hero surpassing the authority of the Ten Great Clans.
That could lead to a new order in the country, a situation the established noble families wouldn’t welcome.
Of course, more than such worries…
“I absolutely don’t want my grandchildren to lose to that brat’s disciple.”
In truth, that sentiment took precedence.
Do Ye-eok possessed a burning competitive spirit akin to Seo Jeong-jin’s.
In that sense,
his grandchildren and Seo Jeong-jin’s disciple were an extension of his rivalry with Seo Jeong-jin.
Thus, fueled by this competitive fire, he’d planned this evaluation match.
“Head of the household, please reconsider.”
“…You’re right.”
But it seemed his enthusiasm had overstepped.
Watching his struggling grandchildren, Do Ye-eok chided himself.
He was about to order the hunters to lower the evaluation’s difficulty when—
“Hold on.”
He changed his mind.
His gaze fixed on a screen showing the lake’s outskirts.
“…”
All participants who’d reached the lake had gathered.
At the center was Do Gyeon-woo.
[Stick with me.]
Do Gyeon-woo’s confident voice.
Unlike the participants with defeated expressions, he wore a starkly contrasting look.
His face filled most of the screen, shot from the participants’ perspective.
“Phew…”
After seeing the same screen multiple times, Do Ye-eok sighed.
Then the sigh turned into a wry smile.
A smirk formed on his lips.
“It seems the kids have something up their sleeves. Let’s watch and decide.”
How confident were they?
Do Ye-eok decided to check Do Gyeon-woo’s self-assured expression.
“Si-eun, sure, I’ll give her that. She’s got the skills to fight the Sovereign. But Gyeon-woo, what have you shown us? Why should we help you? What makes you think we can trust you?”
“I’m all for working together. I think we need to. But helping you get to the Sovereign? That’s a bit much.”
“Who’s this kid to act so arrogant? Just because you beat Seung-woo, you think we’ll take you seriously?”
“We already saw that. But thinking you’re on our level now? That’s a stretch.”
“This is just rude.”
“…”
Younger relatives stayed quiet, watching. Older ones openly fumed.
“One at a time, guys. Calm down…”
I inwardly clicked my tongue. After being mocked as “Rabbit” in the clan, my proposal to collaborate was bound to draw resistance. I’d anticipated this.
So, I stayed calm, ready to handle it.
“I’d rather settle this with swords than words, but I can’t.”
I’d checked their status windows earlier—they were all exhausted. If I wanted, I could challenge them to duels and win easily. But wasting time and energy to prove myself to them? No way.
Time was running out—00:52:34 left.
So, instead of duels, I decided to persuade them another way.
“If I don’t fight the Sovereign, who will?”
“That’s not your concern. We’ll handle it…”
“Can you even fight? With that body?”
“What?”
“I’m asking if you’ve got the strength to fight the Sovereign. Is the paralysis gone yet?”
“…”
My words silenced the relatives who’d been shouting moments ago. The latecomers knew they were spent too.
“See? You’re out of it.”
“…”
“That’s why I’m asking for your help.”
Then, I laid my trump card on the ground—the Packet Ape’s satchel. I spilled its contents for them to see.
Clatter.
Vitality Fruits, Energy Fruits, and Mud Herb roots tumbled out.
I addressed the stunned relatives.
“I’m not asking for free help. If you collaborate with me, I’ll give you these. Honestly, aren’t you tempted?”
“…”
“With stamina and mana, you could do better than this—especially if you’re not paralyzed.”
“…”
“That’s what you’re thinking, right? Admit it.”
I didn’t miss the动摇 in their eyes. They were hooked.
I pressed on.
“So, eat these, recover your strength, and show the adults watching us that we’re not a joke. The time limit’s almost up—do we really want to end this looking pathetic?”
Whoosh!
“…Huh?”
I chucked a Vitality Fruit at someone nearby. They caught it reflexively, then looked stunned.
“Eat it if you want to fight.”
“…”
I urged them to decide. The hesitant one popped the fruit in their mouth.
Crunch.
The sound of biting into the fruit echoed in the silence, swaying the others’ resolve.
I kept tossing fruits to fuel their urgency. People began to accept them.
“Stick with me.”
“…”
“Collaborate, please.”
That was all it took.
Crunch.
Relatives who’d cursed me moments ago started siding with me.
Soon, I handed a root to Do Si-eun, who’d been observing quietly.
“Sis, have this too. Paralysis makes fighting tough, right?”
“…Thanks.”
Do Si-eun now clearly intended to collaborate. She chewed the root, winced at the bitterness, then swallowed it quickly.
“The paralysis is gone now.”
I confirmed her status window cleared and closed it.
Meanwhile, relatives who’d reached the lake joined the flow, agreeing to collaborate.
“Is this the Energy Fruit?”
“I need to cure paralysis…”
“Thanks, I’ll eat it.”
“Gyeon-woo, you…”
“Are you alive?”
Among them was Do Seung-woo, covered in mud—almost unrecognizable.
“So? Are you in too?”
“…Damn it.”
He was in rough shape but had no choice but to collaborate. More allies were better.
I gladly handed him a root.
“Now, pay attention. I’ll explain the plan.”
“…”
Perhaps because they’d received a price, they obediently listened.
I outlined the strategy to attack the Sovereign step by step.
“And Sis Si-eun.”
“Yeah.”
“You’ll control the Sovereign’s left side. I’ll take the right.”
“Got it, I’ll do that.”
“Left side. Don’t forget.”
I specifically reminded Do Si-eun.
She agreed, then questioned.
“But why specifically the left?”
Blinking her blue eyes, Do Si-eun asked.
I replied matter-of-factly.
“Because you’re stronger than me.”
“Huh?”
“Relatively speaking, the left side will be tougher than the right. So I’m asking you to put in more effort there.”
“Oh, right… I see.”
“Can you handle it? Thanks in advance.”
“…”
The Sovereign’s left arm was severed, leaving its left side poorly guarded. That’s why I’d control the right, and she’d control the left.
A perfectly logical decision.
In any case, thus began—
[Monster Encountered.]
[Sovereign (Rank 03, Boss) x 1]
[Drone (Rank 01) x 17]
The Sovereign assault commenced.
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