"We're going to separate into three groups."
KangWoo, Kim ShiHoon, Han Seol-ah, Echidna, Chae YeonJoo, Kang TaeSoo, Baek HwaYeon, Goo HyeonMo, Cheon SoYeon, and Cheon MooJin.
Since he'd started, KangWoo decided to drag in as many people as possible and went to Latin America.
They landed in the country that was at the top of the continent, Venezuela.
Most of the Latin American countries had collapsed after the Cataclysmic Day, but Venezuela was the exception.
It wasn't because Venezuela was a strong country or had an amazing player…
It was thanks to the USA.
The USA was using Venezuela as a base to eliminate the monsters in Latin America; they were also planning to recover the rest of the Earth.
'Of course, they aren’t doing it for selfless reasons.'
It was obvious, but the reason why the USA was working so hard to take back the countries that monsters had invaded wasn't that they were selfless.
On the outside, they said it was for world peace or the advancement of humanity, but everyone knew that, in reality, that was to maintain the title of 'strongest country.'
'Well, leaving the reasons aside, it's true that they're helpful.'
If the USA wasn’t around, they wouldn't have been able to start the job of trying to reconquer the world.
China, Korea, and other countries had also begun trying to reconquer the world after being influenced by them.
"We have ten people, so isn't it too much to divide the groups into three?" Chae YeonJoo asked.
KangWoo shook his head.
"The main forces is going to be the army from the US. The indigenous people are scattered around, so moving together won't be very effective."
Most of the people remaining in Latin American countries were indigenous people that lived in small towns. When monsters attacked them, they left their towns and escaped from them.
They were basically living as refugees.
That's why saving them wasn't easy.
"Then… how are you going to divide the groups?"
"Judging from the situation, we should divide into groups that focus on hunting monsters and groups focused on guiding the refugees to the US troops," Cheon SooYeon, who was looking at documents, answered.
Those two were collaborating with China and Japan to recover the Middle-east, but after receiving KangWoo's call, they’d accepted since they thought it might be of help to them to learn and have as a reference for the future.
KangWoo nodded.
"Then, with Mr. Cheon MooJin as a center, SooYeon, Mr. Goo HyeonMo, HwaYeon, and YeonJoo… please be in charge of eliminating the monsters. ShiHoon, you take Seol-ah and TaeSoo, save the indigenous people, and take them to the US soldiers."
"What about you, Hyeongnim?"
"I'm going to wander around with Echidna and eliminate monsters, but we're also going to try to find traces of the Demon Cult."
"Ah."
"Do you think this incident might be related to the Demon Cult?" Han Seol-ah asked.
KangWoo shrugged.
"I'm not sure, but if there were sudden attacks of monsters out of the blue in succession, it might be worth investigating."
"Is… isn't it dangerous?"
Han Seol-ah grabbed his arm while making a worried expression.
KangWoo was about to smile but let out a fake cough.
"Ehem. Well, I'm not going to do anything dangerous, so don't worry."
Judging from the number of people, KangWoo and Echidna might look like the ones that were the most exposed to danger, but that wasn't necessarily the case.
It had been quite some time since KangWoo's strength had reached a point that couldn't be compared to other humans on Earth.
The only way he'd be in trouble was if an archduke appeared on Earth.
"Mr. Cheon MooJin’s group is probably the one that's going to be exposed to the most danger. Oh yeah, if something happens, send me a message. Everyone has the necklaces Echidna gave you, right? They have translation and localization magic, so don't lose them."
"You don't need to worry about things like that," Chae YeonJoo snorted and turned around.
Baek HwaYeon smiled bitterly, "I hope you understand that this is all because she isn't in the same group as you…" she said in a low voice.
"Baek HwaYeon!!"
"Oops. Hahaha. Then we'll be going."
Cheon MooJin's group was the first one to move.
KangWoo approached Han Seol-ah.
"I heard they were ambushed by monsters, so there are probably a lot of people that were injured."
"Yes."
"Don't heal every injured person. Focus only on those in a bad state and lead them to where the US soldiers are. Take a break when you use half of your mana and focus on refilling it."
"Fufu. You're telling me to save up mana just in case, right? You don't need to tell me that kind of thing anymore."
Han Seol-ah nodded while smiling brightly.
"ShiHoon and TaeSoo, if there's conflict among the people, try to stop them. If there's a monster trying to ambush the people, stop them. And make sure Seol-ah doesn't get hurt."
"Haha! Just believe in me, Hyeongnim! I'm going to make sure no one touches sister-in-law!"
"We're going to save people as quickly as possible."
"Okay."
KangWoo turned around and rose to the sky with Echidna.
"…"
Kim ShiHoon looked at KangWoo's back.
"Let's go."
"Yes, Mr. ShiHoon."
"ShiHoon hyeong, it seems like it's been a while since we formed a group!"
"Haha, that's right. Although EunBi isn't here."
"Tsk. We cannot bring a kid who isn't even twenty years old to such a dangerous place."
"That's right."
Kim ShiHoon smiled after looking at his party members.
* * *
"Thank you! Thank you very much!"
"Mom!"
A kid that seemed to be five years old hugged his mother.
He hadn't completely healed, but it was still much better than before—considering he'd been about to die.
Han Seol-ah waved at the kid while smiling brightly.
The kid’s mother bowed once again.
It was at that moment…
- WOAAHH!
She could hear the cheers from outside of the barracks. TaeSoo, who was guarding Han Seol-ah, laughed out loud.
"It seems like ShiHoon has returned!"
"Yes, that seems to be the case.
They saw Kim ShiHoon and the town's men as they went outside.
The men all shouted.
"Everyone! It seems like the US soldiers are going to arrive today!"
"This person has defeated all of the monsters that were around here."
Everyone looked at Kim ShiHoon.
Kim ShiHoon scratched his head while smiling awkwardly.
The leader of the town approached him and grabbed his hand; you could see tears in his wrinkled eyes.
"Thank you. Thank you very much… If it weren't for you, we would've all died."
"N-no…"
Kim ShiHoon didn't know what to say at those sudden words.
"Mr. ShiHoon is our hero."
"…"
After seeing a bright smile, a weird sensation spread through Kim ShiHoon's body.
- For giving birth to you…
He could hear a sad voice.
Kim ShiHoon shook his head.
"N-no. I'm not…"
‘I'm not a hero.’
He didn't say the last words and smiled awkwardly. It was hard to express his emotions.
Kim ShiHoon turned around and walked toward where Han Seol-ah and TaeSoo were.
"Haha. It's our hero, ShiHoon."
"Ugh. I told you to not say things like that."
"You've saved hundreds of lives these past few days. Who else could we call a hero?"
"I didn’t do it all alone," Kim ShiHoon said while looking at them.
Han Seol-ah and Kang TaeSoo were moving busily for the native people that had been attacked by monsters.
"Were you able to make contact with Hyeongnim KangWoo and master—"
BOOM-!
"KYAAHH!!"
A loud sound cut Kim ShiHoon's words short and spread through the place.
A huge impact shook the barracks, and it crumbled.
"M-Mr. ShiHoon!"
"What's going on?!"
Han Seol-ah and Kang TaeSoo stood up.
Before they could stand up, Kim ShiHoon had gone running in the direction of the explosion.
"What the…?"
Kim ShiHoon's widened.
There were holes in the ground as if someone had poked through a piece of paper.
The townspeople began screaming.
"M-Mr. ShiHoon!! Save us…!"
"Ah…"
A round hole appeared in the town leader's stomach who had just called him a hero. It was cut in such a clean way that it was as if someone had used a machine.
Blood poured out; the town leader collapsed.
Kim ShiHoon wasn't looking at the town leader that had collapsed—he looked at the entrance of the town.
"Demons…"
He saw two horns, bent, black wings, and yellow eyes that resembled a reptile's.
Three demons that looked as if they were clones were standing at the town’s entrance.
[Is it that human?]
[Yes. I can feel the energy of a god.]
[A servant of Gaia.]
The three demons talked with each other.
Kim ShiHoon's body trembled.
'They're strong.'
He knew it just by looking at them.
He felt a chill run through his body.
[Let's kidnap him and then ask him where Gaia's Incarnation is.]
* * *
[Halphas. Are you going to do it?]
[Yes. I want to know how strong Gaia's servant is.]
The demon that was in the middle took a step forward.
"Mr. ShiHoon!"
"Hyeong ShiHoon!"
Han Seol-ah and Kang TaeSoo arrived and stood next to him.
"They…"
"They're demons."
Kim ShiHoon bit his lips anxiously.
His head became blank; he wasn't sure what to do.
[Then let's start.]
The demon didn't give him time to think.
Halphas extended his hand toward him.
A body of black demonic energy flew at him.
"Hyeong ShiHoon!"
BOOM-!!
"Cough!!"
Kang TaeSoo blocked with his shield. It was just one attack, and after being hit with the black sphere, TaeSoo bounced back as if he were a piece of paper.
"Mr. TaeSoo!"
Han Seol-ah quickly shouted his name and used healing magic.
White light covered Kang TaeSoo's body.
[Hmm?]
Halphas eyes shone. He looked at the light that covered TaeSoo's body with interest.
[This…]
"Ha-ab!!"
Kim ShiHoon stomped on the ground and leaped forward.
Blue sword energy stormed from the El Quero Blade.
[Hmm…]
Halphas waved his hand. He created black spheres and launched them toward Kim ShiHoon.
"Damn!"
TDDDD-!!
ShiHoon quickly rolled onto the ground. The black spheres hit the place where he'd been standing and exploded.
Kim ShiHoon dodged Halphas's attack and swung his sword.
The fight kept going on.
BOOM-!
"Ugh!"
Kim ShiHoon was being overwhelmed.
He couldn't land a successful attack and kept dodging Halphas's attacks.
[Is this the strength an underling of Gaia has?]
[How disappointing,] Malphas and Phenex said, disappointed.
The conversation between them reached Kim ShiHoon's ears.
'Damn.'
He frowned and clenched his fists harder.
During that short time, attacks poured on him once again. A black sphere brushed past his legs. His cloth tore, and a wound appeared on his skin.
"Mr. ShiHoon!"
"…"
Han Seol-ah used healing magic and buffs on him.
The wound closed, and he recovered vitality, but he knew better than anyone that he was still lacking and wouldn't be able to win against the demons.
"Escape with Mr. TaeSoo…"
"Yes?"
"Take the townspeople and escape!"
"B-but…"
"NOW!"
He didn't hesitate.
The result wouldn't change even if two people fought simultaneously.
He wasn't sure he'd be able to beat the demon called Halphas, so winning against three demons simultaneously was impossible.
Kim ShiHoon took out a piece of paper from his pocket.
"This is the place where the US soldiers said they'd be. Go there as fast as you can. I'm going to stall for as much time as possible."
"…"
Han Seol-ah looked at Kim ShiHoon with hesitation.
Kim ShiHoon shouted aggressively.
"Go now! Even if we fight together, we'd just die!"
Han Seol-ah took the paper while closing her eyes.
TaeSoo was about to say something when she pulled his hand.
"I'm going to contact Mr. KangWoo immediately."
Han Seol-ah grabbed TaeSoo and started to escape.
Kim ShiHoon watched them escape and sighed, relieved.
[I'll go.]
Malphas turned to the escaping Han Seol-ah and TaeSoo.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
Kim ShiHoon stomped on the ground.
Blue Dragon's Step… Marks appeared on the ground as if a snake had passed through, and his body shot forward.
Qi came out from the dantian, moved to his arms, and concentrated on the El Quero Blade.
Sword energy rose and targeted Malpha's head.
[Ugh.]
It seemed like he couldn't ignore the sword energy. Malphas moved back while frowning.
The El Quero Blade brushed past his shoulders and chest, a wound appeared on his body, and black blood poured out.
Malphas extended his hand, created a black sphere, and launched it toward Kim ShiHoon.
BOOM-!!
"Cough!"
Kim ShiHoon rolled to the ground from the explosion.
"Coff!"
He vomited blood. He had only been hit by one of the black spheres, but he could feel intense pain spreading through his body.
He clenched his teeth, used the sword as a cane, and stood up.
[Woah. Is he trying to say that, even though he's weak, he's still a servant of Gaia?]
[Back off, Malphas.]
[What about those that escaped?]
[They aren't important. The only one that matters is the servant of Gaia.]
Malphas took a step forward.
KangWoo looked at the three demons in silence.
'I cannot win.'
He couldn't even properly face one.
If they attacked him simultaneously, his chance of winning was close to zero.
"Haaa. Haaa."
His body trembled in fear; his two legs shook.
He wanted to follow Han Seol-ah and TaeSoo in escaping.
[He's trembling.]
Halphas laughed at him. He could see Kim ShiHoon's legs trembling in fear.
Kim ShiHoon took a step backward.
"…"
Tap. He hit something with his feet. He lowered his face.
It was the corpse of the town leader that had said he was a hero.
'Once again…'
He wasn't able to save people.
- I'm sorry for giving birth to you.
He heard that voice once again—it was something he was used to.
He couldn't get away from that voice.
"A hero? Bullshit."
He gripped the sword tighter. He gave more strength to his trembling legs.
He raised his head and glared Halphas.
'I…'
He wasn't thinking of being a hero, nor did he want to become one.
'I…'
He wanted to become free from that voice so that, when someone else said that to him, he could shake his head confidently and speak…
'I…'
It was childish and stupid.
A kid that admired a hero he saw through the screens was probably better than him.
He was just a pathetic person that struggled because of a trauma. He was an idiot who couldn't act his age. He wasn't able to move away from his unfortunate past.
'I…'
He knew that.
It wasn't that he didn't know.
He knew how stupid his thoughts were.
But…
Despite that…
[Ho.]
He raised his sword.
He took a step forward with his trembling legs.
'I won't run.'
Kim ShiHoon stomped on the ground.
