Chapter 125 (1/2)

Chapter 125. Seol Jihu (2)

The minority faction was about 30 percent of the remaining partic.i.p.ants, and they consisted of two types – those who entered the Banquet alone, and those who entered as a team and were now left alone.

Although they were treated like weaklings in the Banquet, looking from an objective standpoint, they weren't so weak as to be treated like dregs. Just the fact they managed to enter was proof of their abilities. After all, they would have had to fend off dozens and dozens of compet.i.tors.

In reality, it wouldn't have been strange for some of the strong teams to try to recruit some of them for the Stage.

But the problem was that the first recruitment targets became sacrificial lambs. And when the same incident occurred a few hours later, the Rubicon had been crossed.

Rather than going into a strong team and fearing for their lives, they chose to remain with people in the same situation. Of course, the problem was that nowhere was safe.

After arriving at the minority faction's camping ground, Seol Jihu felt several stinging gazes sticking on him like bullets. They were so full of hostility and wariness that simply describing them as 'unwelcoming' wasn't enough.

'It would be easier if I could talk to someone I knew….'

Seol Jihu slowly looked around the camp before spotting the white headband girl and her older brother in the distance. The giant still looked intimidating, but it seemed his injuries had been healed, as his complexion looked better.

When the girl waved her hand, Seol Jihu greeted them back. Meanwhile, the giant was staring at him without a single reaction. He must remember being helped, as he revealed no sign of hostility. However, his gaze wasn't so friendly either.

“Ah.” At that moment, someone muttered as if they knew Seol Jihu.

Seol Jihu turned to the direction of the sound and instantly spotted a girl with a bob cut. It was Lara Wolff, the female Archer he met during Stage 1.

“You're….”

“h.e.l.lo,” Seol Jihu bent his waist and greeted her, “I didn't know you were here.”

“Oh, um…. I couldn't find my comrades when I entered Stage 2,” Lara spoke as she scratched her short hair. Then, when she saw Seol Jihu going 'Ah,' she quickly put on a smile. “It's fine. They might have been eliminated instead…. Anyways, why are you here?”

Thanking her for changing the subject, Seol Jihu got down to business. “There's something I need to say.”

“Ah, then I'll come with you….”

Lara tried to walk closer. After thinking for a moment, Seol Jihu shook his head.

After the traitors died, the minority faction lacked someone to call a representative. Lara clearly couldn't be the spokesperson for the group.

“No.”

“Huh?”

“I'll… say it here.”

Lara paused, and her facial muscles froze stiff. Declaring that he would speak here, when everyone was watching, meant that he had come to see everyone, not just her.

“…Okay. Go ahead.”

It wasn't as if she had any authority to decide the matter, but she gave her consent anyways. Although the situation had turned out like this, she still remembered the act of kindness he showed during Stage 1.

To be completely honest, a part of her was hoping he would come save her like he did in Stage 1. It might appear as if she was being shameless, but she wasn't the only one hoping.

People from the minority side weren't antagonistic towards Seol Jihu. It was partly because he had saved the brother and sister not too long ago, but at the same time, it was also because they were hoping for someone to come save them.

Feeling the atmosphere, Seol Jihu felt his heart sink in. He never thought having expectations on his shoulders would be so heavy and compelling.

How should he put it? Seol Jihu hesitated for a long time before realizing that it was meaningless.

They should know the situation they were in better than anyone else.

As such….

“I won't beat around the bush.” He cut to the chase. “I need everyone's cooperation.”

“I know it will be tough… but I'd like you to partic.i.p.ate in conquering the Plaza of Sacrifice.”

As soon as he raised the main point, sighs rang out from his surroundings.

“…I know.”

Lara Wolff smiled bitterly. Neither she nor anybody else here were fools. They knew that was the only way.

“I know, but….”

Lara Wolff raised both hands, twiddling her fingers as if she had something to say. However, seeming unable to find the right words, she put them back down.

“…You know….”

Kazuki had called them the 'people without a choice'. Just like his words suggested, their fate was to enter the Plaza of Sacrifice and become meat s.h.i.+elds, or to become sacrificial lambs without anyone's knowledge.

No matter which path they chose, death was the only thing waiting for them. They were truly driven to a corner with nowhere to go. At first, they were forced by people. Now, they were forced by the circ.u.mstance.

“I will become your s.h.i.+eld.”

Lara tilted her head. He wasn't asking them to become s.h.i.+elds but saying he would become one himself?

Next, Seol Jihu explained his thoughts loud and clear for everyone to hear.

“I understand what you're saying, but…”

Even after the explanation ended, Lara didn't seem all that moved.

“I mean, you're right, but….”

She kept blurring the end of her speech. Almost as if she didn't want to anger the youth, she picked out each word with utmost care.

Seol Jihu patiently waited for her.

“…Can we trust you?”

In the end, they came back to the problem of principle.

It was something they had to address. However, trust wasn't something that could be seen, and the chasm of mistrust had become too deep for words to do any good.

But it was human nature to want to listen, even if the words were empty. Lara Wolff must have asked for precisely this reason.

Seol Jihu calmly replied, “I won't ask you to trust me right here and now.”

“…Huh?”

Lara blinked her widened eyes. Since she asked a question of principle, she expected to receive an answer of principle. Or, at worst, she expected persuasion adorned with grandiosity.

“I'd like you to give me a chance.” However, the youth's words were so clean and direct, they seemed like a meat dish that had all of its oil extracted out.

Moreover, the man in front of her belonged to a powerful team that vied for the top position even among the teams of the strong faction. His desperate, grave face strangely pulled on her heartstrings.

It was to the point that—

“I will bet my name on it.”

She wanted to take a chance…

“I would like you to give me a chance to make you trust me.”

And trust him just once.

A conference was held.

It wasn't just a gathering of the representatives, rather of all the remaining 110 people.

Another noteworthy thing was that the members of the minority faction sat with Carpe Diem and Umi Tsubame's alliance team. It was a rather strange sight for the majority faction, who had stayed silent and non-aggressive.

The first one to speak up was the man who called for the conference — Kazuki. However, he didn't say anything special. He only recounted the situation they were in and described a general direction they needed to go in.

Simply put, he was setting the stage for Seol Jihu to speak.

“So,” Oh Rahee, who was listening with an indifferent face, finally opened her mouth. “I think it's about time you make your point.”

Kazuki must have thought this was enough as he slowly wrapped up his point. As he finished, Seol Jihu exchanged glances with each of his comrades.

Chohong nodded her head slightly, and Hugo gave a thumbs-up in silence. Maria looked unmoved, while the robed Priest… seemed to be looking at him worriedly.

He felt rea.s.sured.

Soon, he got up from his seat after exchanging glances with Kazuki. Curious gazes naturally fell on the two men.

'It's different.'

Faced with dozens of gazes, Seol Jihu felt a different kind of pressure than before. He could see several High Rankers including Oh Rahee, as well as Snake Eyes, or Audrey Basler. Each of them sat with confidence and leisure. However, this att.i.tude got on his nerves.

Meanwhile, Oh Rahee twiddled the ends of her hair and smiled.