[Chapter 182]
[Life of the Weak (2)]
The identity of the monster subjugated by Hoshimiya Kaede's party was revealed.
When Eunha, who returned to the Pandora Clan headquarters, showed the mana stone to Jeong Hayang, she immediately accessed the Player Library and found out.
"The wavelength emitted from the mana stone and the mana arrangement pattern... Considering the characteristics Kaede mentioned, there's a high probability it's the 5th tier monster Grand Ape."
"What kind of monster is it?"
"It's a monster first discovered in the Amazon... It evolves quickly to adapt to its surroundings, and it's an ape-type monster with high intelligence that can use tools. Ape-type monsters are generally like that but... this one has a thick skeleton so attacks don't easily work, and in terms of pure physical ability, it's said to be among the stronger ones among ape-type monsters. And..."
"And?"
"It can understand human language, and not just through thought transmission but can imitate human speech with its mouth."
"It sounds quite unpleasant to deal with."
Eunha frowned.
Generally, monsters that could speak human language were viewed with discomfort by players.
It's because a sense of dissonance arises in a corner of their consciousness, as if they're killing people rather than monsters.
This was especially true for monsters that had a form similar to humans and used human speech through vocal cords rather than thought transmission.
If that's repeated, your mind gets polluted without knowing and you go crazy.
The monsters know this too.
Because they know, they try even harder to imitate humans.
They're troublesome creatures.
According to Hoshimiya Kaede's report, such creatures are now scattered in groups around Taebong Mountain, Eungdal Mountain, and Jinjae Mountain.
Eunha groaned.
"It'll be troublesome in many ways. We need to wipe them out in one go, otherwise the surviving ones will form groups somewhere else and cause trouble like this again..."
"I know. Since they're not gathered in one place but scattered in groups, it will be tricky to subjugate them."
Eunha sighed and.
Jeong Hayang agreed.
The monsters hiding in Seongnam City in the previous life weren't like these, seems the future has changed.
At least they don't use magic and live on the ground, so the difficulty is lower...
Meanwhile, Eunha's thoughts were directed elsewhere.
The future had changed to a somewhat better direction compared to before the regression.
Even so, they were still monsters that couldn't be taken lightly.
"For now, I should report to the Mana Management Organization and ask them to raise the request reward. And ask them to send out official documents to bring in the clans in Seongnam City."
"Okay, I'll organize the data and send it to Seohyun unni today. Then Seohyun unni will report to the Mana Management Organization and process it within today or tomorrow."
"I'm counting on you."
Jeong Hayang who was just complaining about having a lot of work until a moment ago.
She decided to prioritize handling the work Eunha requested.
Eunha expressed his gratitude while massaging her shoulders.
Soon she took a bite of the hamburger Eunha bought.
"How is it? Delicious?"
"Yes, it's good. I like that the hamburger bun is sweet and savory. It would be even more delicious if eaten right after it's made, huh?"
"Is it that delicious? Then should we go eat together next time?"
"Huh? Really?"
Jeong Hayang's ribbon twitched.
Eunha was satisfied seeing her reaction.
She looked very cute with her eyes wide open, giving a positive signal to his words.
So when Eunha suggested going together next time─.
"─We'll have to go down to Seongnam City again to subjugate these guys anyway, so we can go together then. I was thinking it would be good to have a navigator whose hands and feet match well..."
"Yes, I'll pass. I have so much work to do right now, it would be difficult."
"Tsk."
Reading Eunha's thoughts.
Jeong Hayang turned her head away sharply.
To this, Eunha could only express regret while looking down at her head as she chewed the hamburger.
It was quite a problem.
"The kids said not to include them in the subjugation mission since they finished their task, what should I do..."
"Why do you make the kids suffer like that? Making them camp in the mountains for two days was a bit harsh."
They had to go down to Seongnam City again to subjugate the monsters.
But Hoshimiya Kaede's party protested to let them rest since they worked without even sleeping.
Eunha couldn't ignore it.
I can't take all of them. I'll have to somehow drag Kaede along to search the monsters' nests, but I should let the others rest.
As a result, Eunha had to form a new party to carry out the mission with him.
So when he subtly suggested it to Hayang, she immediately refused after grasping the situation.
Not just her, but other clan members were in a similar state.
In Lee Cheonsu's case, he even ran away as soon as they made eye contact.
It seemed the rumors had spread.
"If it comes down to it, should I just go with Kaede and make up for the lack of manpower with local clans..."
"Everyone has so much work to do, it will be hard for them to make time."
Eunha clicked his tongue.
Hayang comforted him, but she didn't seem to have any other solutions in mind either.
At that moment─.
"─Hayang, is Eunha here?"
"Ah, unni."
"Noona?"
Opening the door to Jeong Hayang's office.
Noh Euna poked her head through the door gap.
"Can we come in?"
"Yeonhwa noona?"
And above Euna's head.
Ryu Yeonhwa's head popped out.
☆
Along with Technical Advisor Bruno.
The reason Noh Euna and Ryu Yeonhwa, who are currently in charge of educating Pandora Clan's new recruits, came to find Eunha was simple.
"The kids are really nice. There are no ill-mannered ones, and no one who needlessly disrupts the clan atmosphere, so it's really good."
"That's fortunate then. Seona and Eunwoo did have good eyes."
Noh Euna started like that.
Then she furrowed her brow and began to voice the problem.
"The issue is that when forming parties with the kids, they subtly show self-centered aspects."
"Self-centered aspects?"
"Being called promising talents, they unknowingly become overconfident in their abilities."
"Well... that would be the case. But Yeonhwa noona seems to like it too. Is it delicious?"
"Yes... it's to my taste."
Ryu Yeonhwa added the last words.
Then she munched on french fries.
Soon, as if she liked the french fries, she dipped them generously in ketchup and ate them next.
Meanwhile, Eunha could roughly understand what the two were saying.
They're kids called promising talents.
As such kids, they would have confidence in their abilities, and probably show self-centered aspects without even realizing it.
Since only such kids joined the clan, their individual skills might be good, but party play doesn't work well?
Generally, students called promising talents at the Academy often showed such confidence along with arrogance.
Pandora Clan's new recruits seemed no different in that aspect.
It was unavoidable.
It was growing pains experienced by promising talents.
Or it was a chronic disease.
Either way, they would finally bloom after realizing their shortcomings in the real world, or sometimes end up stagnating or falling behind without ever blooming.
And many times, as a result of overestimating their abilities too much, they would lose their lives too easily.
It was something they would realize when they came out into the world.
But according to Noh Euna─.
"─Fortunately, it's much better now. After experiencing actual combat a few times, the kids who were overestimating their abilities now know how to cooperate with each other."
The new recruits who used to do solo play while outwardly doing party play have softened, she says.
Hearing Euna's words.
Eunha nodded.
It seems the two had worked hard to make the proud new recruits cooperate.
They all probably thought they were the best while pretending not to, so it's unavoidable that they couldn't cooperate.
Rather, our time was strange.
Because that didn't happen.
Eunha smiled bitterly.
The chronic disease experienced by promising talents.
It didn't appear in Eunha's first-year clan members.
They didn't become arrogant and constantly strived to grow.
In a way, it was natural.
It's embarrassing to say myself but─.
─Was it because I was there?
So that the clan members couldn't overestimate themselves.
Because he was several steps ahead.
The clan members had no time to overestimate their abilities.
Even if they wanted to become arrogant, they couldn't because he was overwhelmingly higher.
But there was one person among the new recruits who played a similar role to himself, they say.
Noh Euna opened her mouth.
"The problem is Seonghwan."
"Oh Seonghwan? What about him?"
"He's too reckless. Dangerous."
When Oh Seonghwan's name came up.
Eunha tilted his head.
Ryu Yeonhwa evaluated briefly.
That alone wasn't enough to understand.
So Euna continued─.
"─He pursues the same style as you."
"..."
"He rushes forward recklessly, tries to swing his sword without thinking, and doesn't care about getting injured. No, he takes pride in getting injured."
Oh Seonghwan, who is said to have the most outstanding skills among the new recruits.
As a result, he didn't find the actual combat experienced so far difficult, they say.
Because of that, his overconfidence increased, and he's even taking risks while imitating Eunha's tactics.
Eunha couldn't say anything after hearing such words from Euna.
Somehow it feels like I'm being scolded.
Whether she was talking about Oh Seonghwan.
Or talking about himself.
He wasn't sure which.
Eunha just listened sheepishly, like a thief feeling his own feet.
Then he summarized the story.
"─So you're saying we need to correct his thinking, even if we have to work him to death once?"
"No... That's not what I meant... I thought since Seonghwan admires you so much, he might listen to you well, so I was going to ask you to set a date and kindly persuade him..."
"That's the same thing, isn't it?"
"""..."
Whether Euna was uncomfortable or not.
Eunha dismissed it outright.
He was confident in working someone to death.
Eunha raised the corners of his mouth.
"─This works out well."
"Huh? What does?"
The situation was quite appropriate.
Eunha chuckled.
"I was just worrying about being short-handed, but we can take the new recruits down to Seongnam."
"""What?"""
"The new recruits probably haven't faced 5th tier monsters directly yet. While we're at it, we can give them experience fighting high-tier monsters."
7th tier, at most 6th tier.
It's because Oh Seonghwan and the new recruits are still overestimating their abilities after only facing such monsters.
Then we just need to make them fight 5th tier monsters.
It was perfect.
"What clan in the world would make new recruits face 5th tier monsters..."
"Why not? It's not impossible. Noona, have you forgotten our time? In our time, right after graduating from the Academy, monsters suddenly invaded and..."
"""..."
Noh Euna who realized Eunha's thoughts clicked her tongue saying it was nonsense.
Eunha shrugged and.
The three were at a loss for words.
"Of course, you and Yeonhwa noona will come too, right? You're in charge of the new recruits."
"Ah, well, um..."
Noh Euna was flustered.
She looked like she didn't expect things to turn out this way.
She seemed to know what kind of experience Hoshimiya Kaede's party had in Seongnam City.
So she hesitated to answer right away.
Right at that moment─.
"─Yes, I'll go."
"...Right, I should take care of my little brother. I'll go too."
As if there was no need to hesitate.
Ryu Yeonhwa answered immediately.
Euna who was ambushed by the hidden card next to her made a startled expression.
Soon she reluctantly agreed following Ryu Yeonhwa.
Then he opened his eyes wide.
"─Noona, isn't that your second one?"
"Yes... the hamburger is so delicious... The french fries earlier too, everything seems to be to my taste."
"""..."
At some point, Ryu Yeonhwa was eating her second hamburger.
She sharply averted her gaze after being pointed out by Eunha.
Her nape was red.
What's up with that noona?
She usually doesn't eat much...
Is the hamburger that delicious?
Ryu Yeonhwa eating with her head turned.
Her chewing with white cheeks looked quite cute.
It's nice to see her eating well, it looks blessed.
Although Ryu Yeonhwa might not think so.
Eunha was satisfied.
"I bought a lot of hamburgers, so eat more."
"No, this is enough. I'm full..."
"It tastes even better when eaten freshly made. This works out well, let's stop by this shop when we go down to Seongnam City."
"Okay."
""..."
Not noticing Noh Euna and Jeong Hayang narrowing their eyes at him.
Eunha urged Ryu Yeonhwa who had reddened her neck showing fine hair.