classifiedscript Chapter 85 : Chapter 85
Chapter 85 : Chapter 85
Chapter 85: Growth (4)
[Visitor. Prove your worth.]
As soon as I heard that voice, I turned my head toward Kim Su-hyeok. Kim Su-hyeok also turned to look at me and spoke.
“Yu-seong, I was not the only one who heard that, right?”
“Yeah. I heard it too. It said to prove our worth, right?”
“Yeah. That is right.”
Seeing that Kim Su-hyeok heard the same thing, it seemed nothing had changed. Although there was a two-person limit, the novel featured Kim Su-hyeok coming here alone, so I had been internally nervous. This was a relief.
‘And Kim Su-hyeok’s condition...’
His eyes were clear, and his hand was already on his sword, ready to fight at a moment's notice. On the surface, he seemed fine.
‘Phew, thank goodness.’
Ever since we fell into this underground area, I had been worried because he seemed lost in thought after what I said. It felt like his mind had become quite complicated. I was concerned that it might interfere with clearing the gate.
‘I said a few more things after that, and luckily, it seems to have helped.’
Thinking back now, I felt those words were a bit cheesy, but it did not matter. As long as I could achieve the best result, that level of embarrassment was well within the acceptable range. Besides, it was not as if I had lied, so I could endure the shame.
‘In reality, Kim Su-hyeok will walk that path in the future.’
Sadly, the trials this world presents are difficult to overcome with Kim Su-hyeok’s strength alone. While he is special and greater than others, that does not mean he can solve everything by himself. That is why, later on, Kim Su-hyeok fights alongside his comrades to overcome their respective weaknesses.
‘In short, I did not just say those things to comfort him with lies.’
If that was the case, someone might ask: If he was destined to be like that anyway, why did I bother saying those unnecessary things in the first place? Why did I disturb his peace of mind when those weaknesses would eventually be complemented? Naturally, there was a reason.
‘Because that process was never smooth.’
Because he cherished those around him so much, Kim Su-hyeok initially fought alone. However, limits are bound to exist, and they brought about a crisis. Yet, Kim Su-hyeok did not die in that crisis. Did he survive because he met a lucky break as a protagonist? If that were the case, I would not have brought this up.
‘Someone’s sacrifice. And naturally, those people were his loved ones.’
Arrogance ultimately demanded a price, and that price was death. Not for the one who committed the arrogance, but for those around him. That was why I said it. I said it because I hope that process does not repeat itself and because I hope no one has to be sacrificed in the process.
‘...Ha. I have been lost in thought for too long.’
I wiped away all the thoughts that had suddenly surfaced. That was a problem for later. For now, it was right to focus on the task at hand. With that in mind, I looked at the statues filling my vision.
‘Those guys are the first enemies.’
In gaming terms, they were the enemies of Phase 1. They felt like elite soldiers that appeared before the boss. However, I had no intention of letting my guard down. Not only had I arrived here earlier than originally planned, but the things I had just said did not mean the enemies were weak.
Shring—
Without hesitation, I drew the sword hanging from my left hip. The red blade revealed itself from the scabbard.
‘It has been a while.’
Since I had been living through busy days, it felt like a very long time since I had drawn my sword against a powerful enemy. Of course, that was not the only reason.
‘How long has it been since I properly coordinated with Kim Su-hyeok?’
I was excluding the battle we had just had above as a warm-up; the last time was probably the joint training. Since then, I had not really had the chance to do anything with Kim Su-hyeok. Perhaps because of that, a certain emotion began to crawl up despite myself.
‘I am excited.’
I was excited. To be with him in real combat, not just training. It made my heart race.
‘So.’
I will do this properly without making mistakes. I will prove right here and now that I am not lacking in my ability to stand by his side in the future. I slowly raised my sword, imbuing it with my conviction and will that would not be visible on the surface.
***
RUMBLE!
How long had I waited after drawing my sword? Since I had been waiting in silence, the time felt like an eternity. A massive vibration signaled the end of that wait.
“Yu-seong!”
“Yeah. I see them.”
Along with the vibration, the statues slowly began to move. Kim Su-hyeok called out to me in alarm, but it was a sight I was already watching.
‘There is quite a variety.’
The types of statues were truly diverse. There were statues holding swords, statues holding staves, statues with hands gathered as if in prayer, and so on. If I started listing them one by one, there would be no end to it.
“It seems "proving our worth" means combat.”
I spoke to Kim Su-hyeok as I identified them individually. According to the setting, I was supposed to not know where this place was. Therefore, I needed to pretend to be appropriately ignorant. Kim Su-hyeok immediately nodded at my words.
“I think so too. Will you be okay?”
“Do not underestimate me too much. I have not been spending my time lazily.”
“Haha... I was not underestimating you. I can fully trust you and fight by your side, Yu-seong.”
A small laugh escaped my lips at those trust-filled words.
“The only time we have worked together was during joint training, though?”
“I know. But I believe in you. The person you are.”
“...Is that so?”
Believing, huh... It had a truly nice ring to it. So much so that it felt like it did not suit me. Perhaps that was why my response trailed off. However...
“What about you? Do you find me reliable, Yu-seong?”
I knew one thing for certain. Unlike me, I knew exactly who those words suited perfectly.
“Of course.”
Therefore, I could answer this question confidently.
“I also believe in you. The person you are.”
I believe in you. I could entrust my everything to you.
“Thank you for saying that.”
“Do not thank me. I was just stating a fact.”
With that, our short conversation ended. There was no more time for leisure against the statues that had already approached right in front of us. So...
“Let us show them.”
Now was the time to show it through actions, not words. To prove that he believed in me and that I believed in him. It was time to prove it through action.
***
BOOM!!!
It started with Kim Su-hyeok’s strike. Kim Su-hyeok charged toward the swordsman statue standing at the very front and shouted toward me.
“I will leave my back to you!”
“Go ahead. Swing to your heart’s content.”
He would take the front, and I would handle the remaining enemies on the flanks and rear. This was an act impossible without mutual trust. In that case, it was time for me to repay that trust.
‘First, the left.’
An archer statue positioned on the left flank caught my eye. Since it was a long-range unit, it would surely become troublesome later if left alone. Now, while the battlefield had not yet stagnated, was the perfect opportunity.
Flash!
Having finished my thought, I immediately dashed toward the archer statue. Once a decision was made, hesitation was a luxury. However, the enemy was unfortunately not stupid.
Rumble—
The archer statue stared at me as if it knew exactly who I was targeting. The bow held in its grip began to aim at me.
‘My talent... no.’
I debated whether to use Embodiment of Admiration at that sight, but I immediately wiped that thought from my mind. As I said earlier, this is only Phase 1. Even while doing my best, I needed to keep a few tricks up my sleeve. It was not wise to waste points when I did not know how the future battle would unfold. So...
‘I believe in myself.’
I had to believe. I had to believe in myself without using the hero’s talent. I had to believe in myself, who had trained endlessly for a moment like this.
‘First, I will prepare the performance enhancer.’
With that thought, I immediately pulled a Blue Nightmare from my Spatial Storage Bracelet. It was impossible to cut through those massive rocks with strength alone without mana. Therefore, I needed to prepare in advance for any potential situation.
‘This much should be enough for now.’
I pulled out a total of five vials. This should be sufficient. Now that the safety net was in place...
“Let us do this properly!!”
All that was left was to trade blows. I shouted with high spirits and raised my sword toward the archer statue.
Whiz!
The archer statue immediately fired an arrow it had readied toward my head. I could not help but smile.
CLANG—!!
The massive stone arrow was deflected powerlessly by the slanted blade of my sword. After all, this was my specialty. I could deflect a giant arrow like that with my eyes closed.
“Then it is my turn now, is it not?”
If the attack failed, what comes next? Naturally, one must pay the price for the failure. And needless to say, that price was not going to be light.
‘The wrist area.’
I did not know if they possessed intelligence since they were statues, but they were guys who knew how to fight. If I tried to land a critical hit all at once, they would surely block it. In that case, I had to land an attack that would be most fatal among those that were not critical hits. The conclusion I reached was the wrist area. Now, only one thing remained.
CRASH!!!
I simply swung my sword as planned. A loud roar immediately enveloped the archer statue and me. And amidst that roar, I could feel it.
‘Success.’
My attack had succeeded. The statue’s arm had shattered.
“It is over, then?”
An archer losing an arm—that meant only one thing.
“You are dead.”
The tide of the battle had completely turned to one side. An armless archer statue was nothing more than a punching bag, and I just had to strike it relentlessly.
Thud!
Boom!!
CRASH!!!
It felt more like I was striking with a hammer than swinging a sword... but so what? The result was all that mattered. After hitting, striking, and smashing it for a short time...
Crumble...
The archer statue eventually lost its original form and shattered into pieces. The system voice echoing in my head also confirmed it. The archer statue was now in a state where it could no longer recover.
“Phew...”
After finishing the battle, I let out a long sigh. Was it because it was difficult? Not particularly. It was just...
“I am used to this.”
It was because I found it truly fascinating how accustomed I had become. It felt like a lie that I came from a world where I had never engaged in a life-or-death battle. I did not know if it was thanks to the talent for adaptation I possessed or if I was simply this kind of person to begin with. I did not know the answer. However...
“What does it matter?”
The important thing was that, thanks to that, I was not afraid of combat. Good things were good things. This was better than dying because I could not adapt.
“So, let us keep it up and keep going.”
I felt a bit more relaxed after smashing one statue, but that was all. The entire battle was not over yet. There were still plenty of statues to shatter. So, I had to find the strength, right?
“For my hero, who is shining brilliantly ahead of me.”
With that thought, I threw myself toward the remaining statues. I was filled with the single-minded determination to fulfill my role and be a help to Kim Su-hyeok.