1.
Nahan had never formally trained in fighting.
Of course, like most children, he had wanted to learn martial arts such as Taekwondo, hapkido, kendo, or boxing,
– …I’m sorry, Mr. Jung. I couldn’t even give you your final paycheck properly and ended up firing you.
– No, Director. I stayed because I wanted to. I understand your feelings completely.
It was something he had never voiced.
And whether it was unfortunate or fortunate,
– Hey! Is that all the clothes you have?
-Yeah.
-Ugh, let me buy you a set?
– Sure.
Because of the strangely high number of people who picked fights with Nahan,
– I’ll buy it for you!! Really, I will!! So please, stop hitting me already!!
– …Sure.
Nahan was able to develop his fighting skills without any help from others.
This continued until just before he dropped out of high school after middle school, and after he eventually dropped out of high school,
– Wow, look at this guy go?
– Young’un, you see? It’s like this. You need to use your waist strength when punching.
– Knives are the best, knives. One good sashimi knife and all these martial arts and stuff are useless.
He stayed at the hoodlums’ quarters and learned directly from the brothers and the big boss.
Thanks to this, his undefeated record was maintained up until now,
“Keeeeeel!!!”
“Shut up.”
Paaak!!
Even without aura, he was able to defeat a C+ level swordsman.
Of course,
” Khhhup…….”
Though his whole body was covered in wounds, and his side, pierced by a longsword, bled profusely,
“This damn… .”
Paaak…
In the end, the victor was Nahan.
Beeeep! Beeeep! Beeeep!
As his vision blurred whiter and whiter from blood loss, a red system window appeared.
【Attention!】
【<Savior – Nahan(?)> HP is below 10%!】
【Would you like to use the healing effect of <Iaso's Ring(SS+)>?】
A priest uses one divine power.
Iaso’s Ring, which he had turned off right after securing victory in the fight with Kilkilson to avoid suspicion, faintly glowed.
【Attention!】
【<Savior – Nahan(?)> HP is below 8%!】
It roughly dropped by 2% every ten seconds, as if asking if he was going to use it or not.
But,
” …It’s fine. I’m not dead yet.”
If he were truly on the brink of death, his survival instinct would have kicked in without any thought process.
“If I raise suspicion here, there’s a chance my identity as <Black Wolf> might be revealed.”
If that happened, it would be the end.
Main quests, main scenarios, nothing would matter. The bad ending would proceed one by one, and without returning to his original world, he would meet death alongside his companions.
“So, I need to endure.”
It didn’t matter much if he could return to his original world or not, but at least he shouldn’t die.
“Kueuup…!!”
Unknowingly curling up against the encroaching cold, his bleeding worsened.
【Attention!】
【<Savior – Nahan(?)> HP is below 3%!】
His health suddenly dropped to 3%.
“Damn, I’m really going to die.”
Just as Nahan expected, his body reacted faster than his thoughts and his hand shot out,
‘Ah.’
Along with the ringing in his ears, his vision turned completely white, and dizziness set in.
‘Damn, with this…’
He couldn’t press accept.
【Attention!】
【<Savior – Nahan(?)> HP is below 1%!】
In the moment where his remaining HP was at 1%, with only a few seconds left before his death,
【”What I hope for is what you want, and what you hope for is what I want. Remember this as a contract.”】
“…Li!! …Need to drink…!!”
A familiar voice could be heard, and something flowed into his mouth.
Glug, glug…..
Was this survival instinct too?
As he somehow swallowed the liquid that tasted like strawberry cold medicine, his whitened vision gradually returned to normal.
“PUHAA!!”
As he spit out the breath that had been cut off and tried to sit up, someone asked him.
“Huh…. You almost got into real trouble.”
The accent sounded familiar, as did the calmness that he had felt somewhere before.
Following the sound, he looked to find a heavy-set middle-aged man looking down at him.
Dark and white mixed hair,
Dark brown eyes,
A solemnly closed mouth.
‘Tehelaran Gardner, the head of the Gardner family.’
Having immediately processed the information, Nahan tried to rise and bow, but,
“I’m sorry, but we should leave this place first, so you need to be carried by me.”
Tehelaran effortlessly lifted Nahan onto his back and stood up.
“The situation has worsened.”
The concise information.
At that moment, Nahan had a sense of déjà vu and looked down at the red status window.
【You failed children, you too are the seeds of calamity.】
【Attention!】
【The calamity planted within <Hounds (A)> goes out of control!】
The status window that had lost its original light and turned pitch black must’ve been a sign of something that had already happened long ago.
As if reading Nahan’s doubts, Tehelaran, while hanging an axe on his waist, added,
“The reasons are unclear, but these fellows who were already strong have started to wield energy at the level of Sword Masters.”
That was exactly the case.
A plus sign had been added several times to the level of the originally A-class level thugs.
“At least one, at most three.”
Though they hadn’t broken through the S-class barrier, it was clear that they had substantially increased in strength.
“Their number has decreased, but only to a very small extent. Some of these entities have detected us.”
Only then could he see beyond the shields.
“Tehelaran!!!”
“Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord….”
“We must kill. Everything. For the new sun to rise…!!”
All the strangely distorted enemies faced this direction.
“At least it’s fortunate.”
“Huh?”
“If they’re gathering here, then this spot where I stand is the only path. If we hold this position, the others will be safe.”
Thereafter, as Tehelaran wordlessly gripped his shield, Nahan, pretending to be Ian Red, asked,
“What is your plan?”
“Just to hold out.”
Tehelaran, without a trace of wavering.
“But isn’t just holding out inadequate?”
“To hold out… That’s all Gardner does.”
“But…!!”
If he just holds out, wouldn’t it eventually fall apart?
‘Rather, we need to retreat.’
Tehelaran is an irreplaceable man, but frankly, those who’ve fallen are replaceable man-power.
Strategic withdrawal isn’t a disgrace but a prerequisite for victory.
Take one step back, gather information, and respond accordingly.
After completing his thoughts, as Nahan was about to open his mouth to persuade Tehelaran somehow,
“……Huh.”
Gudddeeeek…!!
Tehelaran began to take his stance.
His left foot a step forward,
His right foot a step back.
Left hand holding me,
Right hand gripping a large shield.
Under the shield, his whole body,
Above, his gaze.
The steps rooted into the ground like the roots of a giant tree, and the raised shield blocked the enemies like a massive fortress.
“I’ll hold back here. If your HP recovers, make sure to run away while you can.”
Under the shield was my safety, and beyond it was an unwavering gaze.
At that moment,
Without knowing why, Nahan was certain.
‘He will never fall.’
Even if one day he does fall, it’ll be due to his physical body, not his will.
‘Unyielding will.’
Protector of the empire,
An unyielding iron wall.
“You stay here, don’t worry and just go somewhere.”
Such was Tehelaran.
Thus, Nahan decided.
“I’ll help.”
Even if it means abandoning Ian Red, I’ll make sure this man doesn’t die here.
‘Characters can be remade, but living beings cannot.’
Even if one could make a character out of the deceased and act as their memory, it would merely be mimicry.
And most importantly,
Help someone with the power to, rather than ignoring them,
【Skill – <Ex Sunlight Beam> selected.】
Because it simply didn’t fit his character.
Holding his sword up, Nahan smiled at Tehelaran and said,
“I will—”
【Attention.】
【<Asha Mirabel(SSS)> is using 2nd Skill – <Snow Lightning(SSS)>.】
“——Huh?”
Right after Nahan’s “I will—huh?”,
Gurrrrr…!!
The previously clear sky was violently covered, and streaks of bluish lightning danced.
Amid the swirling storm of snow and lightning, the only undisturbed presence was the central woman.
The woman with azure hair that billowed in the wind floated in the air, looking down at the enemies,
“Seventy-three.”
Saying this, she swung her sword.
In the next moment.
Flash──!!
A flash comparable to the Yellow Dragon’s strike instantly engulfed the surroundings in light,
◆ Completion conditions.
1. Apply medicine to Asha’s face. (Achieved!)
2. Attend the party with Kwangmyeong. (Achieved!)
3. Have a conversation with <Hestia>. (Achieved!)
4. Prevent the attack by <Eclipse>. (Achieved)
The final condition of the side quest was achieved.
2.
‘…Am I the one who needs saving here?’
Despite everything, as the situation ended, I was about to quietly slip away,
-[…Impressive.]
For a while, the voice of the Heavenly Shield –
No, more accurately, Balak Gardner, the progenitor inside it, asked Nahan.
-[I’m curious about that. Have you ever tried to block it? Can you provoke it again?]
‘…Would it work?’
Both defense and nonsense, even if Gardner’s predecessor were here, he couldn’t stop that.
It seemed the elder Gardner had similar thoughts, nodding his head while murmuring.
-[Geez, I guessed as much?]
‘Yes, so please rest a bit more.’
-[Alright. Then I’ll provoke it directly. I happen to have found a suitable candidate right now.]
‘Yes?’
Before I could respond, the soul of Balak that had been lingering around suddenly disappeared somewhere.
And not long after,
“Hey!! You, the aloof-looking kid over there!!”
“Eh, me? What is this?!”
“…Hmm?”
“…Hestia?”
Hestia, appearing as if she had just seized Balkin’s shield, while standing on both feet, shouted.
“Shoot whatever you just did at me!!”
I’ll block it no matter what!
