The battle was intense.
Even though Snow Wolf was not a significantly dangerous monster, Seo Woo Jin overcame the danger of death several times.
Due to the combination of his inadequate growth and the crazy weather that made movement difficult, he struggled.
If Irene hadn't intervened in time, Seo Woojin would have already become a cold corpse rolling in the snowy field.
"Haak-haak-"
Every rough breath felt like it would tear his throat apart.
"Stabilize your breathing."
When breathing is disturbed, the mind becomes restless, and movements become clumsy. That's why Irene kept emphasizing it.
Seo Woojin agreed with her.
His current state precisely proved it.
'But what do you do when things don't work out the way you want them to?'
He was already in the middle of hunting the fifth Snow Wolf.
Even exercising this much would be exhausting, but he was putting his life on the line in battle, so it was natural to be even more tired.
Nevertheless, Irene urged him to stabilize his breathing.
Seo Woojin gritted his teeth.
Then, he made an effort to somehow calm his rough breathing.
But it was only for a moment.
"Hey, fuck!"
He spat curses towards the Snow Wolf rushing at him.
"Let me get some rest too, you bastards!"
Whether it was breathing or swearing.
For now, he had to avoid the beast's fangs.
Swish!
Blood splattered. Unfortunately, it was Seo Woojin's blood, not Snow Wolf.
"Aaah!"
Due to the frozen body, the response was delayed, and a long claw mark was engraved on his chest.
He had already suffered many wounds, but this one was the most significant.
Fortunately, it wasn't fatal, so Seo Woojin screamed and swung his sword in a fit of convulsions.
With a sound like slashing, Snow Wolf's front paw, which was rushing towards him again, was cut off cleanly.
It was a skill so clean that it could not be compared to the first time he swung the sword.
"Breath!"
She continued to give instructions, scolding him while he struggled with bloodshed.
However, in Seo Woojin's ears, only the sound of his own heartbeat echoed, not her voice.
Thump thump thump-
Swift and heavy.
Seo Woo Jin took a step forward in response to the sound and stabbed his sword.
As if piercing through tofu, the sword easily penetrated Snow Wolf's mouth.
Phwoosh!
The crimson-stained blade pierced through the back of Snow Wolf's head, revealing itself to the world.
And…
Hwaaaaa!
A bright light burst forth.
* * *
"That's a level up…"
Irene opened her mouth as she saw a light that was so brilliant that it felt sacred.
Theoretically, she knew about it and had heard many stories through records and people's accounts.
It was about the growth method of summoned Heroes.
However, there was a significant difference between knowing something in theory and witnessing it in reality.
The battle momentarily stopped due to the overwhelmingly bright light.
Not only the soldiers but even the Snow Wolf herd lost their focus.
'Warm.'
Irene, facing the light right next to her, felt a sensation as if the cold was being driven away.
No, it wasn't just a simple mood.
The injuries she had sustained while blocking Draconis were perfectly healed.
"Ah…"
She had heard stories about warriors healing their own injuries after leveling up.
But she didn't expect the effect to extend to the injuries of those around him.
The light that healed not only Irene but also the injuries of the surrounding soldiers disappeared shortly.
Then, Seo Woojin's figure, hidden until now, was revealed.
Despite being covered in blood, there was no trace of wounds anywhere.
In fact, he looked healthier than when he first started the subjugation.
"Seo Woojin?"
Unconsciously, Irene called out Seo Woojin's name.
Seo Woojin, who had been standing blankly, suddenly snapped out of it at her words, turning his head.
A look of embarrassment was evident on his slightly red face.
"Are you okay?"
In response to Irene's question, Seo Woojin nodded.
"Oh, yes."
"How does it feel?"
The method of growth through levels was perplexing to Irene.
Since she only perceived it as 'getting stronger as the level rises,' she was curious about what it specifically felt like.
However, Seo Woojin couldn't provide a clear answer.
"I'm not sure what to say."
It was a feeling that he couldn't explain at all.
Fulfillment?
Satisfaction?
Such simple words were absurdly insufficient.
"What I can definitely say is that I've become a bit stronger than before."
Seo Woojin became stronger.
His physical strength seemed to have increased, and his body felt lighter.
Of course, reaching Level 2 alone didn't make for remarkable growth.
Nevertheless, Seo Woojin now had the confidence to hunt a Snow Wolf without getting a single scratch.
'Are the others experiencing the same thing, or is it just me?'
Since there were no other warriors around, he couldn't accurately compare.
'Compared to Irene…'
As Seo Woojin pondered in his mind for a moment, he lowered his head.
No matter how much he thought about it, it seemed that he would need to reach at least Level 5 to be on a similar level as Irene.
"It's fascinating."
In Irene's eyes as she looked at him, curiosity was mixed with jealousy.
Seo Woojin, feeling that, subtly avoided her gaze. He could well guess what emotions Irene might be experiencing.
The knights concentrated on training all the time, except when eating or sleeping. That was the only way to become even a little stronger.
However, he had only hunted a few monsters, and he thought about growing up just like that. Despite feeling envious, jealousy was inevitable.
'I would be pissed off too.'
From her perspective, it was no different from using cheat codes.
Irene looked at Seo Woojin, realizing her mistake.
"The battle is slowly coming to an end."
She awkwardly changed the subject. Though awkward, Seo Woojin pretended not to notice and played along.
"Yeah, there's no place for me to step forward, right?"
The battle, which had temporarily calmed down due to the bright light, resumed.
The soldiers, whose conditions had recovered thanks to the light, were driving the Snow Wolf pack more fiercely than before.
"We should take a little rest."
Seeing that there was no room for Seo Woojin to intervene, Irene chose to take a break.
'Something seems different….'
Irene observed Seo Woojin walking beside her without saying a word. The atmosphere seemed to have changed a bit.
'I don't feel like he's strong yet.'
He was only level 2. A novice Hero who had just begun to grow.
It is said that there are Heroes in the empire who have already reached level 5, so Seo Woojin was at best only in his infancy.
However, Irene felt a strange sense of intimidation.
"He's only at D grade."
D-rank Heroes had limited growth. So, there shouldn't be much change from before.
But Seo Woojin was different.
'Could it be that all Heroes are like this?'
If D-rank was like this, how much stronger would A-rank, S-rank, and higher grades become?
Lost in thought, Irene began to clear her mind. She didn't want to be captivated by jealousy if she continued to dwell on these thoughts.
Meanwhile, Seo Woojin moved to the rear and recalled the recent events.
The characters that appeared before his eyes with the momentary burst of light.
[You have leveled up.]
It was just one sentence, but the result was not so simple.
The strength began to flow through his entire body, and his senses became as sharp as a honed blade, cutting through the air.
However, the reason Seo Woojin was most astonished was not because of that.
'Darkness….'
In contrast to the light bursting forth with level up, Seo Woojin faced pitch-black darkness.
So black and deep, an abyss with no end in sight.
Normally, one would feel fear, but Seo Woojin, on the contrary, felt an endless warmth.
'It felt like being embraced in a mother's arms.'
The embrace of his mother, whose memories were not clear due to her passing when he was young.
Even thinking about it himself, he couldn't understand.
"Irene."
At that moment, someone's voice woke Seo Woojin from his thoughts.
"And Seo Woojin."
When he raised his head, Testeron came into view.
Like Irene, he sent a curious gaze towards Seo Woojin.
"What's going on?"
Irene asked with a raised eyebrow.
It was strange for Testeron, who should be standing guard next to Van Slaine, to appear here.
"The Lord is looking for you."
Although he addressed Irene, his gaze was fixed on Seo Woojin.
'It's a bit awkward.'
Meeting Van Slaine was always something Seo Woojin didn't particularly enjoy.
However, that didn't mean he could refuse, so ultimately, he had no choice but to follow Testeron along with Irene.
As Seo Woojin moved forward, the warm gazes of the soldiers focused on him.
"He really is a hero."
"Yeah, but he's still D-rank. Did you see him fighting with Snow Wolf?"
"Well, it was a mess."
Despite his growth, being D-rank made it difficult for them to expect significant power. Most of the talk was still negative.
'I thought I fought well for the first battle.'
Wasn't it a complete mess?
Admittedly, it was chaotic, but he still killed five Snow Wolfs.
That was a commendable feat, even if praise seemed insufficient.
However, the soldiers were not friendly.
"Don't let it bother you."
Did Irene notice Seo Woojin's disappointment? She spoke up.
"It's not easy."
"Everyone's expectations for heroes are high."
The power one Hero possessed surpassed imagination. It could be likened to a nuclear weapon on Earth. Thanks to powerful Heroes, countries could gain even more strength and influence.
Especially Sion, which needed stronger and higher-ranked Heroes due to conflicts with monsters.
"But now that a D-rank has come, it's not worth much."
Seo Woojin said mockingly.
"Sorry."
"Oh, no, I wasn't talking to you."
In response to Irene's abrupt words, Seo Woojin awkwardly waved his hand.
"You don't need to apologize."
It was Testeron.
Whether he overheard their conversation or not, he suddenly stopped walking and looked down at Seo Woojin, speaking.
"He's just a D-rank, and it's a fact that he won't be of much help to Sion."
"Lord Testeron!"
Irene scowled, but he paid no attention.
"The soldiers are disappointed in you, and it's inevitable that they curse you because of it."
"That…"
"So, grow even more."
Irene, who was about to stop Testeron, stopped.
It seemed like he was making fun of Seo Woojin, as usual, but it didn't seem that way.
"Whether it's D-rank or S-rank. Become so strong that no one can touch you."