Chapter 22: The Boss is Too Weak (2)

 

After storing the provisions in the vacant lot, we finished our introductions and began to walk through the forest, following Park Cheol-jin’s lead.

 

‘...It’s a good thing I didn’t regress.’

 

It was only once that I had come this far, and that was on the sixth day.

 

In the past, when I lazily stayed at the Vacant lot doing nothing, such events didn’t exist.

 

I’ve never even heard of Park Cheol-jin finding the boss.

 

In that case, I should consider myself the butterfly effect... However, I still don’t know why the future changed.

 

“...”

 

“...”

 

Park Cheol-jin, Choi Ji-won, and I walked in silence.

 

The atmosphere felt a bit awkward, but I decided to ask what I was curious about.

 

“How did you know about us?”

 

Perhaps because I used the word “us,” Choi Ji-won’s eyebrows twitched slightly, but she didn’t offer any objections.

 

By the way, Park Cheol-jin’s departure from the vacant lot was in the early afternoon of the second day. Choi Ji-won started distributing provisions after that.

 

Which meant there was no contact between them.

 

“...It was Kim Gun-do who told me,” Park Cheol-jin willingly answered my question.

 

“But who’s Kim Gun-do?”

 

“...”

 

I have no idea. Who is Kim Gun-do?

 

It feels like a stranger saying, “Oh, aren’t you Jun-ho? Nice to meet you!”

 

“He’s someone who came from your group... but I don’t know his name.”

 

“Does he have anything unique?”

 

“He digs the ground everywhere.”

 

“Ah!”

 

It must be that old man who dug the ground. His name was Kim Gun-do, apparently.

 

“He originally planned to leisurely dig the ground at the vacant lot for five days... but there were too many people, and he couldn’t stand the mental strain. Now he’s part of our group.”

 

“Ah, I see.”

 

In the previous round, Kim Gun-do, the old man, disappeared on the fifth night.

 

It seems he left the vacant lot earlier than planned because of the people I sent there.

 

And somehow, he ended up joining the group of the firefighter old man.

 

Is this what they call the butterfly effect? It feels oddly strange.

 

“We’ve arrived.”

 

How long had we walked? Park Cheol-jin finally stopped his footsteps.

 

“Wow...”

 

There were three well-built houses made of wood here. They were a bit small, but the craftsmanship was quite impressive.

 

“Did you build these yourself?”

 

“No. We had a carpenter in our group who had the trait to process wood easily. Those are his works.”

 

“Oh… Wait, he had...?”

 

“He died by a mutant goblin.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Come to think of it, when Park Cheol-jin left the vacant lot, he didn’t believe in status screens or towers at all.

 

He used to insist that all of this was just a joke...

 

But now, he casually uses words like “traits” and “mutant goblin.”

 

How much hardship did it take for him to accept all of this?

 

It makes my heart feel heavy for some reason.

 

“But there’s no one here?”

 

The log houses were empty.

 

Although there were signs of people living here, there was no one to be found, which felt a bit strange.

 

“...”

 

The atmosphere suddenly turned chilly.

 

What is this?

 

Could it be that everyone except Park Cheol-jin died at the hands of the boss?

 

Did I just mess up the timeline?

 

“...They’re hiding far away.”

 

Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.

 

That’s a relief.

 

But something seems a little odd. Why are they hiding?

 

“...Phew.”

 

The old man, Park Cheol-jin, who had plopped down on a wooden chair, took a deep breath and stared at us with sharp eyes.

 

“Before showing you the boss, I want to ask you something honestly.”

 

“...”

 

Choi Ji-won had been silent, gazing somewhere since earlier. Eventually, I answered, “Yes, please go ahead.”

 

Park Cheol-jin still didn’t take his eyes off us. He cautiously asked, “Where did you learn swordsmanship?”

 

“...”

 

“...”

 

This time, I was also at a loss for words. It was because I had already figured out why he was so guarded.

 

Let me reiterate, Today is the sixth day since we entered the tower.

 

And for Choi Ji-won and me to be so skilled in swordsmanship after only six days of self-learning is rather implausible.

 

It’s a very logical question to ask, “So, where did you learn swordsmanship?” As even if you’re familiar with swordsmanship, it’s not something you can master in six days.

 

The same question I once posed to Choi Ji-won now applies to me as well.

 

“...I’ll tell you first.”

 

Choi Ji-won was the first to speak.

 

“My father was a Kendo master.”

 

“...Kendo Master?”

 

“Usually, you’d be familiar with the term ‘Kendo instructor.’ A 5th rank is an instructor, and an 8th rank is a master. I learned how to handle a real sword from my father.”

 

...I see.

 

Choi Ji-won had a reason for being skilled in swordsmanship.

 

Having her father as a Kendo master, she must have learned how to wield a sword properly.

 

Come to think of it, Choi Ji-won has never shown off any fancy sword techniques.

 

She only relies on her solid foundation and overwhelming physical abilities, making her incredibly powerful.

 

“...I also have some connections with people from that side. Can I know your father’s name?”

 

Feeling something, Park Cheol-jin asked slowly.

 

“...Choi Cheol-soon. But he also used to write it as Soon-ja.”

 

“...Ah.”

 

Choi Cheol-soon.

 

It seems to be a name that Park Cheol-jin is familiar with.

 

“As for... my father...”

 

“It’s alright.”

 

Park Cheol-jin seemed apologetic, and Choi Ji-won replied calmly that it was fine.

 

What’s with this atmosphere? Why are they talking about things only they know?

 

“...You probably know even without asking, right?”

 

“Um. I can sense it.”

 

After an inexplicable conversation and a brief awkward silence.

 

“Then... should I tell my story?”

 

Now, it’s my turn.

 

“I... gained swordsmanship after coming to the tower.”

 

“You gained it?”

 

“It’s a trait. It’s called Swordsmanship. The grade is B. Knowledge that I didn’t even know suddenly became embedded in my mind.”

 

“...”

 

The tower granted me Swordsmanship. I don’t know. For more details, inquire with the tower!

 

Of course, the tower doesn’t operate an inquiry service. Park Cheol-jin was at a loss for words, faced with the perfect excuse that could only be used within the tower.

 

“...Miss Choi Ji-won. Can we trust this man’s abilities?”

 

“I think he’s among the top.”

 

“Good. If you say so, then it must be true.”

 

The firefighter, Park Cheol-jin, nodded after hearing Choi Ji-won’s testimony.

 

“As much as I’d like to see Kim Jun-ho’s skills in action...”

 

He sank deeply into the chair and stared at me.

 

“We don’t have much time. The situation is quite dire.”

 

“...Dire?”

 

“You know about the message window that appeared regarding the boss, right?”

 

“Yes, I do...”

 

 

“Aren’t you curious why we found the boss but didn’t immediately kill it?”

 

Come to think of it, that was true.

 

By killing the boss, a portal to the next stage would open.

 

And at first glance, Park Cheol-jin seemed like a formidable opponent. That giant axe, his muscles, and the aura emanating from him all proved his strength.

 

So why did such a powerful individual take the long way around to find us instead of quickly dealing with the boss?

 

“...You’ll understand the situation when you see it for yourself. Follow me.”

 

He stood up and began walking somewhere, and Choi Ji-won and I followed behind.

 

“We came across the boss by a simple coincidence. Kim Gun-do discovered the goblin’s lair while digging the ground.”

 

As we walked, a familiar smell filled the air.

 

A familiar and unpleasant swampy smell.

 

It seemed like we were heading toward the outskirts of the forest.

 

“While exploring the goblin’s lair... we found an exit leading above ground.”

 

Because I called people to the vacant lot, Kim Gun-do left earlier than planned.

 

And then he started digging the ground here, which resulted in Park Cheol-jin discovering the boss - it was mysterious, but in fact, a logical butterfly effect.

 

“...”

 

But the luxury of thinking about such things was gradually disappearing.

 

It was because of a tingling sensation on my skin... A feeling of tension in the back of my neck.

 

I sensed something. The creature was enraged.

 

“Well, that’s the Goblin Shaman over there.”

 

Haah. Haah.

 

As Park Cheol-jin said, an old goblin was breathing roughly.

 

It had some kind of animal bone turned upside down on its head, and it held a decorated staff in its hand. It was obvious that it was the Goblin Shaman.

 

The peculiar thing was that the boss looked extremely weak.

 

Green blood trickled from its mouth, and it seemed like it could collapse with just a slight push.

 

“If we kill that weakling, the portal will open, right?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

The Goblin Shaman stood on a complex pattern and mumbled something incessantly.

 

“...”

 

The problem wasn’t the Goblin Shaman.

 

“Grrr... Grrrrrrrr...”

 

Twitching muscles.

 

Eyes filled with madness.

 

A colossal axe tightly gripped in its hand.

 

The body was humanoid, but the head was that of a bull.

 

The boss, the Goblin Shaman, was struggling to maintain its seal.

 

The seal that restrains the Minotaur, the monster that killed me in one blow.

 

--- END OF THE CHAPTER ---

 

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