Skillbook My Way – Chapter 73
Chapter 73
My comrades and I were inside Peter’s tent.
The Hunters of the Exploration Union were currently resting, freed from the tree.
“Is it really okay for us to be here? Even if it couldn’t be helped, we attacked your Union’s Hunters.”
When I asked, Peter nodded.
“That was more like an accident. And even in that situation, no one died. We’re the ones who should be grateful.”
“Um, I just can’t stand being curious. How does everyone speak Korean so well?”
When Hyeri asked, a woman named Lin sitting beside Peter smiled.
“It’s because of the interpreters sold in the RP Store. The Exploration Union is made up of Hunters from many different countries, so most of us buy one if we can help it. They only cost 5,000 RP, too.”
‘So that’s how it was.’
Thanks to Hyeri asking, I had also solved the mystery.
Just then, the tent flap was pushed aside, and people entered.
‘Those guys are…’
Entering the tent were the large Black man and the Hunters who had ambushed us.
Peter stood up and walked toward them.
“John.”
Peter glared up at the Black man who was much taller than him.
“Is it true that you led the attack on them?”
“It is.”
“Why did you do it?”
“Captain Peter, what in the world do you think you’re doing right now?
I could see John making an expression as if he couldn’t believe this.
“The Atlas Guild is competing with the Exploration Union for the initiative in the World. Even if you can’t block them from entering the Safety Zone we secured, how could you bring them into the Captain’s tent?”
I thought, so this is what they mean by a thief crying “thief.”
“Even if we’re rivals, there are lines we don’t cross. Those are what prove we’re human beings, not beasts.”
“This little Captain here is way more of an adult than that big mister.”
O Seyeon said what I’d wanted to say instead. Upon hearing her words, the muscles in John’s face twitched.
“I also heard it was on your orders that traps were laid using marks in the Forest Layer. John.”
“So what if it was? If anything, the idiots are the ones who stupidly followed marks left by others.”
‘Seems like that Black guy hasn’t had his fill of the tree.’
Just as I was moving my hand toward my inventory.
“All right. I’ve heard your thoughts plenty, John.”
Peter said, folding his arms.
“So you finally understand.”
John smirked. But that expression didn’t last long.
“The truth is, I should’ve said this properly from the start—sorry I’m so late. John, you’re expelled from the expedition.”
“Wh-what?”
John was stunned for a moment before his face twisted into a vicious expression.
“If any of the Hunters who followed John’s orders share his views, stay here. Otherwise, you may return to your posts. Good work.”
“Captain Peter……”
I could see Lin standing beside Peter wearing a bewildered expression.
The Hunters behind John glanced at one another, then soon filed out of the tent entirely.
‘Shame I don’t have any popcorn.’
I kept my hand on my inventory as I watched the situation unfold.
“John. I won’t tell you to leave the team right this instant. You’ll travel with us until we find the next Safety Field.”
“Don’t make me laugh!”
Ah, he finally blew up.
“You push and you push! There are limits to how much a brat can look down on people! Just because the Exploration Union pinned a ‘captain’ badge on you, do you think you’re actually a king?!”
“My duty is to lead this expedition safely and succeed in exploring the World. If the Atlas people hadn’t shown mercy, the expedition would’ve been wiped out. Because of your rash choice. This expedition has no need for a vice-captain who recklessly gambles the lives of his comrades without even properly gauging the enemy’s strength.”
At Peter’s words, John said nothing and moved his hand toward his inventory.
“Don’t mess with me! You little brat!”
“!”
I saw Peter also reaching for his inventory and said inwardly,
‘Swiftness.’
The two’s movements slowed. I moved between them and kicked John in the stomach.
“Kuhk!”
I chased after John as he flew outside the tent and used the butt of my spear to slam down on his stomach with all my might.
“Aack!”
Getting hit in the same spot twice hurts. John’s face contorted in pain.
“Lee Hwajin!”
Peter ran outside holding his greatsword.
Looking around, I saw the area was full of Exploration Union Hunters. They all wore surprised expressions.
I spoke loudly so everyone could hear.
“Peter, you told me earlier. You would find the culprit who trapped us, make him apologize, and deliver a punishment we could accept.”
“Of course. I have no intention of going back on my word.”
“But it looks like this culprit doesn’t have even the slightest intention of apologizing to us. In fact, he even tried to jump you and kill you.”
At my words, the surrounding Hunters began to murmur.
“You……!”
“Don’t interrupt. Stay still.”
I pressed my foot down on John’s stomach. Ignoring his scream, I spoke again.
“I wasn’t really interested in an apology to begin with, and I’d say that ship has sailed now. How does this expedition punish a member who tried to kill the Captain?”
“By regulation, one who commits treason against the commander is to be put in a coma and abandoned in the World.”
“Then would you allow me to do that in your stead? Let’s consider everything that’s happened up until now as water under the bridge.”
“……Fine. Do as you wish.”
Peter returned his greatsword to his inventory and folded his arms.
I nodded and removed my foot from John’s stomach.
“There, I’ve even kindly laid out the stage for you, so come at me with everything you’ve got. I won’t use the tree, so don’t worry.”
“Krrgh……”
John sprang up from the ground and grabbed his hammer.
“Kuaaaahk!”
I looked up at the hammer growing enormous above John’s head and raised my spear.
Extreme Light Flash couldn’t be used yet because I’d spent it on catching the Forest’s Guardian. So I decided to use an old combo I hadn’t used in a long time.
Flame Spear, Lightning Spear, and the last one was…….
“Flash.”
“Kuaaek!”
Along with a pathetic scream, John was engulfed in flames and lightning.
“It’s not over yet.”
“Krrrrgh!”
I used Flash once more. A 6-Word Skill could be used without cooldown as long as you had the mana.
Once John’s screams could no longer be heard, I stopped the skill and lowered my spear.
John lay sprawled on the sand, charred black.
I cast recovery on the unconscious John. Having escaped the coma, John opened his eyes.
“Isn’t it frustrating that it ended too quickly? Let’s continue.”
I used Flash once more on the John I’d just recovered.
“Aack!”
What followed was repetition.
Putting him in a coma, recovering him, attacking again to put him in a coma, then recovering him again.
At first, John had tried to resist somehow, but later he crawled on the ground trying to flee.
I grabbed the crawling John by the head and whispered in his ear.
“How about it? Still think you did nothing wrong? I still have plenty of mana—want to go another round?”
“Aack! I-I’m sorry! It was all my fault! Please just let me live!”
Seeing John begging pathetically, I smiled and looked at Peter.
Peter was giving a bitter smile.
***
“I’ve caused you all sorts of trouble.”
Peter said.
“No. If I kept watching that guy’s act, I felt like I’d develop cancer—that’s all.”
I returned to Peter’s tent.
By Peter’s order, John was put back in a coma and restrained.
Before falling into the coma, John had wept and begged, asking them not to abandon him in the World.
If he was going to cry and beg like that, I wondered why he’d put on such a tough act.
Peter said that once we reached the Safety Field and returned to our world, he would formally process John’s expulsion.
“Nothing like this will ever happen again. I want to defeat you all fairly—by seeing who reaches the end of the World first.”
Peter spoke with such a dignified voice that I almost smiled bitterly.
‘I wonder what kind of reaction he’d show if he knew about the Guide Crystal in my inventory.’
Besides, there was one more thing that stung about the word “fair.”
I stood up from my seat.
“I hate losing, so we’ll head out first. Let’s go, everyone.”
“Ah, wait a moment.”
Just as everyone was getting up, Lin called out to stop us.
“I have something I’d like to ask Hwajin and Seyeon, if you don’t mind?”
“What is it?”
Lin looked at the non-Listeners and kept her mouth closed.
“It’s fine. My comrades already know everything about Listeners.”
“Understood. Have the two of you ever met E?”
At those words, I measured Lin’s and Peter’s eyes.
“Judging by that question, it seems you two have met as well.”
“Yeah, we met. In a dream.”
Peter answered.
“If you know anything about E, I’d appreciate it if you’d tell us.”
“Well……”
I looked at O Seyeon. O Seyeon also looked my way with a troubled expression.
“They suddenly appeared and then suddenly disappeared…… All we know is that they’re the existence who gave us our abilities.”
“I don’t know anything more either.”
“I see……”
Lin made a disappointed expression.
‘Come to think of it, that human(?) said they’d upgrade my skill, but there’s still no word.’
I inwardly grumbled that it was a scam after all.
We exited the tent and headed for the edge of the Safety Zone.
As we were about to leave after saying our goodbyes, Peter spoke.
“Lee Hwajin, wouldn’t it be better to leave after the sandstorm dies down?”
‘What? The sandstorm is going to stop?’
I looked at Peter.
“When we first arrived here, there was no storm. After finding the Safety Point, we got pinned down because a sandstorm suddenly kicked up.”
“Come to think of it, you weren’t here earlier. Where’d you go?”
“Only Lin and I could break through the sandstorm. So the two of us went to find the circle. Ah, sorry, but its location is a secret.”
“I wasn’t planning on asking, so don’t worry.”
I smirked and pulled out my demonic spear.
“Wind Barrier.”
When the storm failed to affect us in the slightest as we stepped outside the barrier, Peter’s face showed surprise.
“Well then, let’s meet again next time if we get the chance.”
I waved and then set off with my comrades to find the circle.
***
“If that person had been one of ours, he would have been a great asset.”
Once Hwajin’s group disappeared over the sand dune and out of sight, Lin muttered.
“He’s a Hunter capable of toying with John—someone the expedition only has you to compare to, Captain. Hard as it is to believe, there are even rumors that he wiped out every field monster that appeared in Seoul by himself……”
“The Union was created with the idea of excluding Korea from the start, so it can’t be helped. And it’s more fun to have a rival.”
Peter said.
“I thought he’d kill John when he asked to take care of it, but I never imagined he’d handle it like that.”
“From the fact that he kept John alive, he doesn’t seem like a cold-hearted man.”
“That’s why I like him. We may not be able to explore together, but I don’t want to be his enemy.”
Peter smirked as he looked at the spot where Hwajin had left.
“Huh?”
The smile vanished from Peter’s face.
“Peter?”
Lin made a puzzled expression. Peter was glaring at something.
“Lin, this is an emergency. Go and tell everyone to prepare for combat.”
“What’s going on all of a sudden…… Ah.”
Lin, who had turned her head to follow Peter’s gaze, froze.
A massive shadow loomed within the sandstorm.