Chapter 32 Part1 (1/2)
<chapter 32.=”” t.i.tan's=”” pride=”” -=”” 1=””>
[Prince Altania: Everyone else thinks you've been hiding your level all this time.]
”Huh?”
He'd finished deploying his soldiers, but before he began hunting Metafel in earnest, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo contacted Prince through the chatting channel to get a feel for what his seniors, the ones who didn't appear in the chatting channel often (especially Ethan Cruz), were doing.
[Prince Altania: It doesn't matter what I say; they don't believe that you grew that quickly. Lloyd is convinced that you were halfway through level 6 when you first got here. Like that Kratia girl.]
”Well, there's really no problem with them thinking that way...”
[Prince Altania: Moreover, you're close with that girl. They think you're both the same. Of the two, at least you're the one with manners. Apparently, they all think that you didn't want to brag in front of your seniors, so you acted like you were weak.]
”I'm glad they think of me so highly.”
[Prince Altania: So what's the truth anyway?]
”What do you think, Senior?”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo countered with his own question. Prince pondered briefly and spoke.
[Prince Altania: I think it's the opposite. You were lower than level 4 when you first entered the Empire, weren't you? But you lied because you thought it looked too suspicious to be leveling up so quickly, right?]
”...As expected of you, Senior.”
[Prince Altania: Humph, as I thought!]
Prince, who'd briefly seen Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's unbelievable growth rate firsthand, would know. She swelled with pride at getting to the right conclusion and spoke proudly.
[Prince Altania: I saw it all! You risk your life and boldly charge forward, and when you decide to do something, you follow through, so there's no way your growth rate would be slow! Moreover, you have a growth buff skill. This was probably helpful too.]
This adorable girl tended to genuinely compliment other people when she was in a good mood. It was obvious that she'd be embarra.s.sed later when she remembered what she had said.
[Prince Altania: But there's no helping it. Not risking your life means that you've gotten used to the Underground Empire. That's why Lloyd can't believe that you risked your life so many times and grew. He's not particularly jealous of you per se, but he simply believes that, as a hero, you're too reckless.]
”Jealous? Why would he be jealous of me?”
[Prince Altania: Ah... ah, it's nothing.]
And she also tended to say things without meaning to. Once more, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo realized that he couldn't tell her his secrets, and decided to move on without focusing on what she'd just said.
”Then that's fine. Please keep training hard until we meet again. Kratia's also training really hard right now.”
He was trying to provoke Prince, but it was also true. Since Kratia was taking control of all the mana in the mountain range.
[Prince Altania: Keuk, of course she is. I'll win the next time! Ah, you can't tell Lloyd what I told you, ok? Since everyone else has decided to not worry about your level from now on!]
”Of course.”
It was funny that she actually said that they 'wouldn't worry about his level from now on'. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo finished his chat with Prince and raised his head. He shared his vision with Rem and was able to clearly see where his forces were moving, as well as where the enemy forces were wandering around.
”These guys really are lost. At this rate, they'll actually go outside.”
”What do we do if they do leave?”
”Ah, they can't. You see, if they lose track of the flow of mana, then they'll never be able to get out of this mountain range.”
”...”
Jin pledged that he wouldn't leave Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's side, and ran across the steep hill. It was all covered with ice, so it was slippery, but Jin used his Steel Heart skill to create Eisen. [1] He didn't have any problems running, as the iron tool he'd created at the bottom of his feet kept him from slipping.
”But it's really quiet. I can't believe there are thousands of undead following us in these mountains.”
”The Giants are engaged in battle. The Chi Pauls are as well. s.h.i.+no Rendu's really scary. He broke off a cliff to annihilate two corps and is moving on to the next point.”
”...”
From an outside view, mother nature was silent, but beyond, there was a fierce battle underway even now. Was this also because of the mana? It was, to be honest.
As the s.p.a.ce expanded, several places in the mountain range were blocked off, so it was difficult to communicate here, and it was especially difficult to command a huge army like Metafel's.
It would've been difficult for Lee s.h.i.+n Woo as well, had it not been for his Darkness mana and its resulting links. And if it weren't for him stealing Metafel's magical device (which had split into six pieces), then this operation would've been impossible.
”Chi Paul, just go straight. They're behind that small forest. There's a level 7 elite there. You know that this task is really important, right? The Erem corps will attack from behind simultaneously. Kill them together. If you can kill a level 7 elite, then the strength of their army will lessen.”
[I understand.]
”s.h.i.+no, you're charging too fast. If you go that fast, you'll lose valuable troops. For now, just make sure you collect all the loot. There's a squad at 7 o'clock, so kill them and then come back. Remember, you're still weaker than Metafel. Take your time with your revenge; it won't be too late.”
[Keuk... I understand.]
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo ordered his troops whilst riding atop Jin, and watched the Giants carefully, as he couldn't relay his orders to them directly.
The level 5 Giants would draw the enemies' attention, and the level 6 Giants would be responsible for the actual hunting. He knew that their strength may not be sufficient, so he had stationed the level 7 Giants on standby just in case. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was looking after them so meticulously that the Giants didn't really sustain many casualties.
[Kuwaaaaaaaaah! How dare you covet the land of the Giants, you lowly humans!]
[How dare you! I'll show you that our fury hasn't waned in the least!]
The Giants reacted to the Imperial Army particularly violently and engaged in battle. While it wasn't difficult for them to overcome their foes, it was difficult to get them to retreat at the right times.
”You've already killed them all! Direct your anger at the Imperial troops over there!”
[Ah, Paul Zero...!]
[Ah, is that so? I got it!]
”Hoo, they're being pushed back over there. Jin, run towards 3 o'clock!”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had to even account for insubordination and somewhat regretted bringing the Giants into the fold (under his command). He moved again and again. His nonexistent eyes surveyed the battlefield and he commanded his troops.
[Kuhahk!? T-The Giants have attacked first...!]
[Reinforcements... Request for reinforcements! General Metafel!]
Were his efforts finally paying off? The enemy forces hadn't realized that they were being attacked, as the Paul Zero Corps, as well as the Giants had been attacking them for three hours now.
But in the midst of that, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo discovered a bizarre phenomenon, which made him feel uneasy. The undead, which had been wandering around the mountain range, had at some point, begun moving in a more organized fas.h.i.+on.
'As expected... The troops spread out across the mountain range are getting closer and closer to Metafel. What kind of cheat skill is this? They're moving faster than privates being ordered around by their superior.'
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo couldn't figure out what Metafel's ability was. He would be in trouble if he hadn't asked Kratia for help, in case of a situation like this.
[Kratia Melloi: s.h.i.+n Woo, this is really boring.]
”It's the most important job, so I'm counting on you.”
What was Kratia's job? Her ability to control cold air, which had been amplified to its very limit...
[Keuk... d.a.m.n it. Since when did this glacial mountain become so cold?]