Chapter 43
Part 42
Tomorrow.
Yugeon leaned back against the sofa.
Before his regression, the wave that was about to occur had turned everything north of Daejeon into a region no one could enter.
The entire central part of the country had become a forbidden land.
But that won't happen this time.
The warning had already been issued, and the citizens had finished evacuating.
The Association, the guilds, and even the military had been deployed.
As long as I kill the boss, there shouldn't be any danger.
Yugeon rose from the sofa.
He should get some sleep.
At that moment...
BZZT.
"...?"
The Status Window before him flickered slightly.
[Time of the Next Wave]
June 5, 2040
Boss Appearance Locations: Incheon, Gwangmyeong
"..."
Yugeon's expression turned cold when he read the updated information.
Chirp.
Chirp. Chirp.
"Haa..."
Yugeon sighed as he listened to the birds chirping from the branches in the yard.
In the end, he hadn't managed to sleep at all.
I checked it repeatedly throughout the night, but...
The Status Window hadn't changed.
[Time of the Next Wave]
June 5, 2040
Boss Appearance Locations: Incheon, Gwangmyeong
There were still two locations.
In my previous life, there was only Incheon.
He was certain of it.
During the fourth wave in his previous life, the boss had emerged from Incheon.
And that single boss had devastated the entire central region.
So why has another one appeared?
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Yugeon tapped his knee with his fingers.
He couldn't find an answer.
Was it because he had changed the future?
Or had there always been two bosses, and he simply hadn't known about the second one?
That's not what's important right now.
Only one thing mattered.
He had only one body.
Step. Step.
At that moment, footsteps came from the second floor.
"Hyung, you're up early."
Mincheol came down the stairs, rubbing his eyes.
Hwarin and Woojin followed behind him, both yawning.
"All three of you, sit down."
"?"
The seriousness in Yugeon's voice immediately changed their expressions.
Thump.
Once the three of them sat on the sofa, Yugeon spoke.
"Two bosses will appear during today's wave."
"...What?"
"Two bosses?"
Mincheol and Hwarin's eyes widened.
"One in Incheon and one in Gwangmyeong."
"Gwangmyeong..."
Mincheol's expression stiffened slightly.
His family home was there.
It was where his mother lived.
"I'll go to Incheon."
"Then what about Gwangmyeong?"
"You three will go there."
"..."
A heavy silence settled over the living room.
Woojin swallowed nervously.
Neither Mincheol nor Hwarin could immediately find the words to respond.
"Are you saying... we have to defeat the boss ourselves?"
"That's right."
Yugeon nodded calmly.
"I'll be straightforward with you. This is the first time I've encountered a situation like this. There should originally have been only one boss during this wave."
"...So another one suddenly appeared yesterday?"
"That's right."
Yugeon gave a short answer.
He had no intention of hiding anything.
They were his companions.
There was no need to conceal the situation from them.
"I don't know why this is happening. But one thing is certain. Leaving Gwangmyeong undefended would be dangerous. Even if I rushed over there immediately, the front line would continue collapsing as long as the boss remained alive."
"..."
Their expressions grew increasingly serious.
After all, they had never fought a Monster Wave without Yugeon.
"Are you scared?"
"...Honestly, a little."
Woojin was the first to answer.
He was the youngest and had the least practical combat experience.
"Then listen carefully."
Yugeon leaned forward.
"Being afraid is normal. In fact, the people who charge into battle excitedly without feeling any fear are usually the first to die."
"?"
"But there's one thing I want you to remember. You're strong enough to win."
If the three of them had been unaware of the boss's existence, things might have been different.
But now they knew that a boss would appear.
With that knowledge, they were more than capable of defending a single Tower.
"..."
"I'm not saying this just to encourage you. It's the conclusion I've reached after watching all three of you."
Yugeon began extending his fingers one by one.
"The monsters emerging during the wave are still from the lower sectors. The same applies to the boss."
"Ah..."
Mincheol finally nodded.
That was certainly true.
If monsters from Sector 8 or Sector 9 started pouring out...
Forget the three of them.
Even ten Great Stars fighting together wouldn't be able to stop them.
After all, the wave would be occurring across the entire world.
"Mincheol, you've already defeated the Orc Lord on your own. Woojin, you've restrained ten Ogres at once. And Hwarin can control an army of six hundred undead."
"..."
"There's no reason the three of you can't defeat the monsters that will appear today."
"Then... what about the boss?"
Hwarin asked cautiously.
Ordinary monsters were one thing.
But bosses were different.
Even at the same level, a boss was considerably stronger.
"The same applies to the boss. The ones appearing this time shouldn't be any higher than the early fifties."
"..."
"So don't worry. I wouldn't send you if I thought you couldn't do it. And most importantly..."
Yugeon slowly looked at each of them.
"I believe in you."
Clench.
Those words made Mincheol tighten his fists.
Hwarin bit her lip.
And the look in Woojin's eyes changed.
"Hyung."
"Yeah?"
"Thank you for believing in us. We'll make sure Gwangmyeong stays safe."
"Good. That's the attitude I want. I'll finish the wave in Incheon as quickly as possible and head straight to Gwangmyeong. But don't get lazy just because you know I'm coming."
"Yes!"
"I'll... do my best too."
Woojin adjusted his glasses and nodded.
Yugeon took out his phone and sent a message.
[Please take a small number of the personnel deployed in each city and send them to Gwangmyeong. Don't withdraw everyone. Transfer only a few from each location.]
A reply arrived almost immediately after he pressed Send.
[Pardon? Understood. I'll arrange it.]
[My companions will head to Gwangmyeong, and I'll go to Incheon.]
Yugeon put his phone away and looked at the three of them.
"Mincheol."
"Yes, Hyung."
"You'll be in command at Gwangmyeong."
"...M-Me?"
Mincheol was startled.
Hwarin was four years older than him.
"I'm not choosing based on age. You've served in the military, and you understand how to maintain a front line. Hwarin and Woojin are also at their strongest when they're fighting behind you."
"He's right. I'm more comfortable in the rear."
"I prefer having Mincheol Hyung in front of me too."
When Hwarin and Woojin immediately agreed, Mincheol scratched the back of his head.
"...Understood. I'll take command."
"Hwarin, don't push yourself too hard. If you get a nosebleed, withdraw, recover, and then return to the fight."
"Okay."
"And Woojin."
"Yes?"
"Here. Take this."
Yugeon took an item out of his spatial storage and handed it to Woojin.
He had originally intended to give it to him after his level increased a little more.
But circumstances had changed.
He would have to give it to him now.
[Item: World Axis Ore]
Grade: Mythic
Category: Auxiliary Weapon
When the gods established the world, the first thing they did was mark a single point.
From that point, distance and direction came into existence, and the heavens and earth found their places.
In later ages, it became known as the origin of all coordinates in the world.
[Unique Authority]
[Observer's Record]
Can store an unlimited number of formulas and values used by the user.
[Special Notes]
Enhanced into a growth-type item using the Star-Striking Hammer.
Forcibly promoted to Mythic grade using the Needle That Stitches the Flow.
"Eeeek?!"
Woojin nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the item's description.
A Mythic item.
The kind of item he had only ever heard about.
And Yugeon was giving it to him.
"Wow, lucky you, Woojin."
"Now you've got a Mythic item too! Congratulations!"
"Hyung... Why are you giving this to me...?"
"I've been keeping it for you. There probably isn't a better auxiliary item for your abilities."
Yugeon smiled.
"More importantly, you shouldn't have to worry about headaches anymore when you use it."
"Hyung..."
Woojin looked deeply moved.
Yugeon had just handed him a Mythic item whose value was practically impossible to calculate.
And he had done so without the slightest hesitation.
"Hyung, this is that item, right? The Star-Bearing Ore that Hwang Moongi brought back."
"That's right. I enhanced it."
Yugeon chuckled as Woojin hugged the item protectively.
"Woojin, you can do this, right?"
"Yes!"
Woojin nodded energetically.
Yugeon rose from the sofa and picked up the Godslayer Sword.
"Then I'll see you later."
"Hyung, please be caref..."
"Hmm?"
"...No. It's nothing."
Mincheol cleared his throat and shook his head.
What was he worrying about?
This was his hyung, after all.
Incheon.
RUMBLE.
The entire area within a three-kilometer radius of the Tower had been evacuated.
There were no vehicles.
No ordinary citizens.
Instead, the area was filled with Awakeners.
Response teams from the Association.
An alliance of major guilds.
And even military personnel controlling the surrounding area.
All of this was possible because of the national disaster warning issued three days earlier.
I used to imagine something like this before my regression.
Yugeon smiled faintly as he looked at the assembled Awakeners.
Whenever he witnessed the world falling apart, he had imagined what might have happened if humanity had prepared like this.
The more he imagined it, the more miserable his hellish reality had seemed.
Yet he couldn't stop imagining it.
Wasn't it the same for people who bought lottery tickets or invested in stocks?
Didn't they sometimes imagine what would have happened if they had bought something at the right time?
Yugeon had been no different.
Before his regression, Incheon would have been enjoying an ordinary morning at this hour.
People would have been heading to work.
Students would have been going to school.
But today, there were no ordinary citizens in sight.
Only Awakeners.
"...He really came."
"That's Han Yugeon."
"So that's the famous Han Yugeon?"
Step. Step.
As Yugeon approached alone, the formation parted to let him through.
Thousands of eyes turned toward a single person.
"Isn't he the guy from Mongolia...?"
"Where are his companions?"
"I heard they went to Gwangmyeong."
"Why?"
"Who knows?"
The Awakener who answered shrugged.
According to the information they had received from the Association, Yugeon's team had split into two groups.
"Han Yugeon, huh..."
"Our Guild Master told us to come and see what he's like."
The Awakeners belonging to the major guilds stood toward the rear with their arms crossed, observing him.
At first glance, he didn't look particularly strong.
He had a well-built body, but his overall frame was relatively slim.
Nothing about his appearance suggested overwhelming strength.
"Awakener Han Yugeon, your assigned position is..."
"I'll stand at the front."
"Pardon? But we have a formation to maintain..."
"Independent Operational Authority."
"...Ah!"
