Chapter 39: Liberation
Walking is truly a great exercise.
It calms complicated, agitated minds and grants time for self-reflection.
Thud, thud.
In that sense, Shim Bong-du managed to shake off his shock toward Cheol-du and make a cold, rational judgment.
‘Are these lunatics insane?’
Only four people were approaching the bandit stronghold.
An extermination squad?
Preposterous.
Jang Ho-cheol might have a cowardly streak, but he remained a certified ranker. He was also one of New Seoul’s founding members.
Among Koreans, he was rumored to have the longest tenure in Nova.
While not strictly proportional, those who spent more time in Nova generally possessed higher combat prowess.
To capture Jang Ho-cheol, someone like New Seoul’s Major would need to intervene. Yet our illustrious leader, a master of spineless tactics, would flee the moment this Major appeared.
If Jang Ho-cheol—the linchpin of the bandits—remained unharmed, capturing his lackeys meant nothing.
So long as the core stayed intact, societal rejects would flock to rebuild the gang in no time.
‘Blade-for-hire. They hired a blade-for-hire.’
The defense commander of Seon Seoul.
That bastard obsessed with playing “Sato” must’ve outsourced a mercenary.
‘They noticed the Major has a watcher tailing him.’
No—failing to realize that would make you an idiot.
If the Major joined the extermination squad only to bolt immediately, anyone would suspect a mole.
“Excuse me, may I ask your name?”
“Gang Cheol-du.”
“Ah, an alias?”
“My real name.”
“……”
Unfamiliar.
Even among rankers, it was a name he’d never heard.
“What level were those bandits earlier?”
“Huh?”
Was this to gauge their group’s strength?
‘Did that psycho Sato hire them without sharing intel?’
Perhaps.
“Seems you weren’t fully briefed?”
“What intel?”
“Our group has four rankers.”
“Rankers?”
“Yep.”
Shim Bong-du shrugged smugly.
Cheol-du tilted his head.
“What’s a ranker?”
“Huh?”
“I said, what’s a ranker?”
“A ranker is… a ranker?”
Slap!
“Ack!”
“So what the hell is that?”
“Ugh! People ranked in the system! Those eligible for the duel arena!”
“Duel arena?”
Cheol-du halted mid-step.
“That exists?”
“You… really didn’t know?”
“Do I look like someone who answers questions?”
“……”
Shim Bong-du clamped his mouth shut—any response felt risky.
“Heh. So there’s such a glorious place.”
Is this guy actually deranged?
His speech didn’t match a true ranker’s demeanor.
“You said there are four rankers here?”
“So?”
“Rankers are dangerous!”
“I’m strong too.”
“No, rankers operate on a different plane!”
“I’m a different breed.”
This madman’s impossible. How did Sato recruit such a perfect loose cannon?
“Sir, forgive my bluntness… but you’ve been set up as a kamikaze.”
“Kamikaze?”
Slap!
“Why—why hit me?!”
“Japanese words?”
“……!”
Damn, he’s legit crazy.
“N-no! I meant you’re being used as cannon fodder! You’re strong, but sending just four against a den of four rankers isn’t normal!”
“Heh. Men don’t retreat.”
Fucking hell.
“Fine. I’ll guide you. Follow closely.”
“That’s all you’ve been good for anyway.”
“……”
As they trailed Shim Bong-du, Jin-tae whispered curiously:
“What even are rankers?”
Glancing back, their uneasy expressions unsettled him.
“Do you know about rankers? Huh?”
“N-no! I’m not one!”
Cheol-du snorted at Gyeong-su’s denial.
“Tch. Jun-seop here talks like a ranker, though.”
“Eep!”
Gyeong-su gulped air while Choi Jun-seop’s face twisted like he’d bitten dung.
“Busted, huh.”
Jun-seop resigned himself.
‘Might as well reveal my captain rank.’
If their New Seoul military affiliation leaked, honesty was safer—they’d claim to be observers.
“Heh. Jun-seop said he’s Gyeong-su’s senior?”
“Ah, y-yes.”
“What a devoted hyung.”
“……?”
“Did you approach him from the start to avenge his brother?”
“……?”
You’re interpreting it like THAT?
“Exactly! No wonder he kept suggesting retreating when things got risky!” Jin-tae chimed in.
“Yet he eagerly tagged along when we said we’d hunt bandits!”
“Heh. I see.”
The two friends’ banter widened Gyeong-su and Jun-seop’s eyes.
“Gyeong-su, you’re lucky.”
“Huh?”
“Your hyung and I will help avenge your mother.”
“……”
My mother’s alive, though…
Gyeong-su’s conscience screamed as tears streamed down.
“Jun-seop. Come here.”
“Y-yes.”
Captain Choi Jun-seop obediently approached the high-schooler’s casual command.
“Where’s this duel arena?”
“You need an invitation.”
“How?”
“By reaching a stat threshold—”
“Summarize.”
“Why’s your hand raised?”
“Habit.”
Cheol-du sheepishly lowered his palm—he’d nearly slapped again.
“Strength, agility, stamina, senses—the four core stat stones, right?”
“Obviously.”
(First time hearing this.)
“They’re common knowledge!”
“Right. Everyone has absorption limits—around 30 per stat, varying by talent. Thirty’s the baseline for potential.”
“Huh?”
Both Cheol-du and Jin-tae lagged far below that.
“Exceptional cases exist. Activate 50, and the arena invites you.”
“Duels?!”
“Y-yes. Pass their test, and you’re ranked.”
“Oho! Ranker!”
Cheol-du’s eyes sparkled. A stage where the strongest gathered?
He pressed a hand to his pounding chest.
“Thrilling.”
“Huh?”
“Heh heh heh.”
Destiny.
This is my arena. Infinite battles! Infinite growth!
Rummaging through his inventory, he pulled out agility stones hoarded from troll hunts.
Crunch!
“W-wait! Absorbing so many at once—”
Jun-seop gaped. Over 15 stones glowed in Cheol-du’s hand. Such a sudden surge risked stat-body dissonance—especially agility, tied to reflex adaptation.
“Hmm.”
After a brief, eyes-closed pause, Cheol-du reopened them.
“Done. Let’s go.”
“……?”
As they resumed walking, Jun-seop ventured:
“No dizziness?”
“Adapted.”
“Already?!”
“Heh.”
Jin-tae offered his own agility stones from his pack.
“Cheol-du. Take these.”
“Your share?”
“It’s fine. I benefit more from you anyway.”
“True friendship.”
Cheol-du activated eight more stones.
“Move out.”
“No meditation?”
“Agility adapts on the go.”
“Uh… sure.”
Jun-seop stifled frustration.
“Cheol-du-ssi, your total agility—”
“‘Ss-i’ to your hyung?!”
“Cheol-du hyung…”
“What?”
Swallowing pride, Jun-seop pressed:
“You just absorbed twenty-plus. How many total?”
“Dunno.”
“Huh?”
“Status window doesn’t show it.”
“You… never counted?!”
“Real men don’t penny-count.”
“……”
“Heh. No quest notification means I’m under fifty.”
Jin-tae shrugged at Jun-seop’s bewilderment.
“We just learned about limits today.”
“Right…”
They’re novices? For days?!
This defies logic.
Their combat prowess mimicked 50-stone absorption, yet their actual count seemed low.
Non-ranker killing rankers? Are they monsters?
Can amateur fighters reach this realm?
Incomprehensible—yet the proof marched ahead.
“We’re here.”
“Oh!”
The village matched a bandit stronghold: wooden palisades, watchtowers dotting the perimeter.
“Hey, bandit.”
“Y-yes?”
“Any soup restaurants inside?”
“Huh? S-soup?”
“Yeah.”
“Th-there’s one…”
“Heh. Good.”
Shim Bong-du shuddered.
This lunatic would praise hell’s gatekeeper.
“Gate’s locked.”
“Now what?”
“Break it.”
They strode forward boldly. A watchtower bandit nocked an arrow.
“Who goes there?”
“Cheol-du.”
“Who’s that?”
“Here to avenge Gyeong-su’s mother!”
“……”
Gyeong-su wept internally.
Sorry, Mom. I’ll send more allowance…
The bandit sneered.
“Madman!”
“Heh. Tell Jang Ho-cheol to come out. I dislike killing bystanders.”
“You think I’ll—”
The archer’s words died as a spear—thrown unnoticed—pierced his skull.
Cheol-du knocked the palisade gate.
“Axe’d be better here.”
Swords dulled too easily. Plus, axes countered armor.
He stepped back, crouching like a sprinter.
“Hyung, what’re you—”
“Bone-breaking charge.”
Jun-seop paled; Gyeong-su winced.
Hup!
Cheol-du’s shoulder smashed the iron-reinforced gate.
KABOOM!
Splintered wood burst open.
“Holy shit.”
Gyeong-su marveled.
Will they actually kill Jang Ho-cheol?
New Seoul’s thorn eradicated this easily?
“Badass.”
Calling him “hyung” felt justified now.
Dusting himself off beyond the gate, Cheol-du surveyed log cabins—a rustic contrast to New Seoul’s tiled roofs.
Sensing focused gazes, he inhaled deeply and roared:
“JANG HO-CHEOL! COME OUT!”
The shout shook the stronghold.
“WE’RE HERE TO AVENGE GYEONG-SU’S MOTHER!”
Gyeong-su’s conscience wailed with the echoes.
