Chapter 73

Chapter 73. Scramble (1)

"Yes!"

"That's exactly it!"

"This is why we watch Kang Yujin!"

"Who else could smash a giant dragon species like that with one punch?"

"Wait."

"Kang Yujin only landed the finishing blow."

"Lee Hyeonje did almost everything."

"And Cheon Sangwoon helped at the end too."

"Nata is nitpicking again."

"Are you jealous of Kang Yujin's performance?"

"I'm only analyzing it objectively!"

"If Kang Yujin were an absolute monster who could kill something like that alone, it wouldn't be as interesting."

"Exactly."

"And they couldn't have killed it without Kang Yujin either."

"If Lee Hyeonje were alone, all he could've done was stall."

"Kang Yujin can't do everything alone."

"But the important thing is that he played the decisive role in creating victory."

"That's right."

"Well said."

"Kang Yujin is the kind of guy who plays the decisive role."

"The qualities of a hero."

"A hero..."

[A-rank Constellation "Monk with Flower Tattoos" is amazed by the incredible destructive power.]

[A-rank Constellation "Monk with Flower Tattoos" sponsors you with 5,000,000 Coins.]

[B-rank Constellation "Young Master Who Rules Goblins" evaluates the intense battle very highly and smiles in satisfaction.]

[B-rank Constellation "Young Master Who Rules Goblins" sponsors you with 10,000,000 Coins.]

[S-rank Constellation "Hero King of Monstrous Strength" laughs happily because the final blow was so satisfying.]

[S-rank Constellation "Hero King of Monstrous Strength" sponsors you with 20,000,000 Coins.]

[S-rank Constellation "Hero Who Escaped the Labyrinth" highly evaluates that you defeated the monster while minimizing surrounding damage and applauds.]

[S-rank Constellation "Hero Who Escaped the Labyrinth" sponsors you with 30,000,000 Coins.]

Constellations Kang Yujin had never seen before...

Were sending enormous sponsorships.

The familiar Constellations were also continuously sending Coins.

The amount Kang Yujin had gained today alone...

Had already exceeded five hundred million Coins.

"I'm soaked."

As Kang Yujin climbed out of the water and shook himself off...

Lee Hyeonje hurried over.

"Kang Yujin!"

"Are you all right?"

"As you can see."

"I'm perfectly fine."

"Amazing..."

Lee Hyeonje shook his head.

"Anyway..."

"I'm glad you're safe."

"You really did something incredible."

"It was because you helped."

"I mentioned having a meal earlier."

"How about today?"

"Once we finish cleaning up, I'll arrange somewhere good."

"Well..."

Before Kang Yujin could answer...

A voice came from beside them.

"Lee Hyeonje."

"I worked hard too."

"You're not going to invite me?"

"Cheon Sangwoon..."

Cheon Sangwoon approached while putting his radiant holy sword back into its sheath.

Cheon Sangwoon and Lee Hyeonje.

The two strongest pillars of the Eight Guardians are standing together.

Lee Hyeonje glared at Cheon Sangwoon.

"Why did you appear?"

"Hm?"

"Didn't you ask Shin Minyu to contact me?"

"I rushed over as soon as I got the message."

"For someone who rushed..."

"You arrived quite late."

"Not everyone can fly like lightning."

"Ridiculous."

"Someone like you would've been watching this area before the incident even started."

"Do you have proof?"

Watching the two of them compete...

Kang Yujin tilted his head.

"Do you two not get along?"

"Lee Hyeonje dislikes me."

"I don't have that kind of emotional dislike."

Lee Hyeonje answered.

"I simply dislike the fact that you always seem to have some hidden motive."

"If someone heard that..."

"They might think you never have hidden motives."

"What?"

"So you really don't get along."

Kang Yujin muttered and looked away.

Lee Hyeonje's Forbidden Thunder had electrocuted every monster in the area.

There shouldn't be any monster problems around here for a while.

The only issue...

Was the grotesque number of corpses scattered around the river.

How were they going to clean all that up?

"Seriously..."

Cheon Sangwoon stroked his chin.

"How are we supposed to clean that?"

"Maybe it'd be easier to bring in some monster with an enormous appetite and let it eat everything."

Apparently...

He had been thinking the same thing.

"Lee Hyeonje."

"What do you think?"

"We'll need to consider several methods."

"If we leave them like that, it'll negatively affect civilians."

"So we should remove them quickly."

"I should tell Somun Gwang too..."

Cheon Sangwoon murmured.

Then he looked toward Kang Yujin and smiled.

"Kang Yujin."

"That last attack was incredible."

"That was your Awakening Skill, right?"

"How do you know that?"

"Haha."

"I have my ways."

"Anyway..."

"I'm satisfied that I got to see your true ability."

"Don't think that was my normal strength."

"I can only use it once a day."

"How often do you think you'll face something worthy of that Awakening Skill?"

"Once a day is more than enough."

Cheon Sangwoon smiled...

And placed a hand on Kang Yujin's shoulder.

"Knowing I can put a promising guy like you in my party makes me feel very reassured."

"Wait, Cheon Sangwoon."

Lee Hyeonje interrupted.

"What did you just say?"

"That once a day is enough?"

"No."

"After that."

"You said Kang Yujin would be in your party."

"What does that mean?"

"Kang Yujin agreed to join my party."

"For the next Scenario?"

"Exactly."

Lee Hyeonje's expression changed.

"Kang Yujin."

"What?"

"Join my party instead."

Kang Yujin blinked.

"If you follow this man..."

"Nothing good will come from it."

"You'd be better off moving with me during the next Scenario."

"With you?"

"Yes."

"I'll guarantee the best possible treatment."

Lee Hyeonje looked completely serious.

"That battle showed me exactly what you can do."

"And what you cannot do."

"If your goal is to reach my level..."

"I can help you."

"That..."

"Hey."

Cheon Sangwoon cut in.

"Kang Yujin."

"What does he mean?"

"Your goal is to reach Lee Hyeonje's level?"

"Kang Yujin said that himself."

"Why him and not me?"

"Shouldn't your goal be reaching my level?"

"You said your dream was to fight me."

"I said I wanted to fight you."

"I never said it was my dream."

"Hmm."

Lee Hyeonje crossed his arms and smiled.

"Too bad, Cheon Sangwoon."

"It appears Kang Yujin saw the image of an ideal Contractor in me."

"Not someone like you."

"..."

Cheon Sangwoon looked slightly offended.

"Anyway, Kang Yujin."

Lee Hyeonje continued.

"Move with me during the next Scenario."

"It'll be better."

"But what about Cheon Sangwoon?"

"Abandon him."

"I can't do that."

"I already promised him."

"You promised?"

"Already?"

"Yes."

"I don't break promises."

Cheon Sangwoon's expression immediately brightened.

"Haha!"

"Exactly."

"Kang Yujin already promised to form a party with me."

"There's no place for Lee Hyeonje between us."

"Cheon Sangwoon."

"When exactly did you make that promise with Kang Yujin?"

"Back when you weren't even interested in him."

"I already marked him first."

"Just give up."

"I can't."

Lee Hyeonje's voice became serious.

"Cheon Sangwoon."

"I can't hand Kang Yujin over to you."

"I'll take responsibility for him."

[A-rank Constellation "Fairy Who Controls Water" watches with extreme interest.]

"Didn't someone imagine a scene like this earlier?"

"They're only fighting over Kang Yujin because of the Scenario."

"But because of what someone said before..."

"It sounds weird now."

"What is this?"

"A love triangle?"

"I don't know what's going on..."

Kang Yujin sighed while watching Cheon Sangwoon and Lee Hyeonje glare at each other.

"Why don't the three of us just form one team?"

"No."

"Absolutely not!"

Cheon Sangwoon and Lee Hyeonje rejected the idea at the same time.

"If you hate it that much, forget it."

Their refusal was so intense...

Kang Yujin actually felt slightly intimidated.

"But..."

"What?"

"What kind of Scenario requires everyone to recruit party members?"

"Is that normal?"

Lee Hyeonje nodded.

"Not every Scenario works like that."

"But we've been told that forming a small elite party will probably be better this time."

"Where did that information come from?"

"There's a prophet among the Eight Guardians."

"Ha Mina."

"A prophet?"

"Her ability isn't perfect."

"But she can roughly predict future events."

"That information came from Ha Mina."

Kang Yujin vaguely remembered hearing something like that from Joo Minha.

"The Scenario is highly likely to be one that should be tackled by a small elite group."

"That's why each Eight Guardian is trying to build the best party."

"Why don't the Eight Guardians cooperate and build a joint team?"

"That would be..."

"Too difficult."

Cheon Sangwoon smiled.

"Everyone is too greedy."

"Except for Jegal Geum and Won Pilso, whose forces have weakened..."

"Everyone is building their own team."

"Even Ha Mina, who isn't a combatant."

"If you perform well during a Scenario, the reward is enormous."

"Everyone wants to monopolize as much of it as possible."

"..."

That line of thinking didn't really resonate with Kang Yujin.

If he were leading...

He would gather as much strength as possible.

Because he would want to clear the Scenario quickly and certainly.

"I don't care if you people play political games."

"But I don't want to get dragged into annoying problems because of them."

"Haha."

"Kang Yujin, you don't need to worry about any of that."

"Just follow me."

"I'll lead you properly."

"Cheon Sangwoon!"

Lee Hyeonje shouted.

"Are you planning to turn Kang Yujin into your puppet?"

"I said I'd protect and guide him as a senior Contractor."

"That's all."

"Either way, I can't leave Kang Yujin to someone like you!"

While Cheon Sangwoon and Lee Hyeonje started arguing again...

People began gathering nearby.

Won Pilso was leading them.

He had arrived with reinforcements, although a little late.

"Kang Yujin."

"Why are Cheon Sangwoon and Lee Hyeonje fighting over you?"

"Is this a love triangle?"

"I don't know either."

Kang Yujin sighed.

"This is getting very interesting, Unknown."

Jason's voice came through the communication window.

"The other Constellations are cheering because Kang Yujin defeated a huge dragon species."

"But that's not the true meaning of this battle."

"..."

"The important thing..."

"Is that you made Kang Yujin the most talked-about person in the Capital Region."

Listening to Jason...

I quietly sighed.

As expected...

Despite how useless he often looked...

This man was far from ordinary.

"Until now..."

"Kang Yujin mainly dealt with Jegal Geum and Won Pilso."

"They're more like peripheral powers among the Eight Guardians."

"Their personal combat strength and military forces are far behind the others."

"But Cheon Sangwoon and Lee Hyeonje are different."

"Right."

I nodded.

"Cheon Sangwoon and Lee Hyeonje rule Gangnam and Gangbuk, the center of the Capital Region."

"They are the core figures among the Eight Guardians."

"They compete for first and second place in strength."

"And they possess the strongest presence in the entire Capital Region."

"And now..."

Jason continued.

"Those two fought over Kang Yujin."

Unlike when Cheon Sangwoon secretly visited before...

There were many witnesses this time.

Won Pilso and the other Contractors had seen it directly.

And more than a thousand Constellations had watched through observation devices.

Rumors were inevitable.

Both on Earth...

And in the Spirit Realm.

"Kang Yujin is no longer just a promising newcomer."

"He's now one of the central figures of the Capital Region."

"Exactly."

Through this Event...

Kang Yujin had instantly become a Contractor watched by the entire Capital Region.

Defeating a huge monster in the middle of the Han River was already impressive.

But then rumors spread that Cheon Sangwoon and Lee Hyeonje had openly competed to recruit him.

"I wonder how much bigger he'll get."

Jason laughed.

"At this rate, won't Kang Yujin become one of the Eight Guardians soon?"

"Who knows."

I answered casually.

Jason smirked.

"Nameless Constellation."

"What?"

"For this situation to happen..."

"Kang Yujin, Cheon Sangwoon, and Lee Hyeonje all had to be in the same place."

"Cheon Sangwoon's movement was especially important."

That was...

Exactly right.

"How much of this did you manipulate?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You gave Cheon Sangwoon information beforehand, didn't you?"

Jason smiled faintly through the communication window.

"How did you control Cheon Sangwoon's movements?"

"That would've been impossible unless you understood his psychology almost perfectly."

"..."

"Truly impressive."

"You're an incredible Constellation."

That was my line.

Jason was probably the only person in the entire universe who had seen through this much.

"Jason."

"What?"

"Don't go around telling other Constellations."

When I warned him...

Jason grinned and nodded.

"As you command, Boss."

Boss.

The unfamiliar title made me laugh without realizing it.