Chapter 607 – Even if it takes my last breath (8)
"Are all of my thoughts being read?"
– Yeah. I saw it all.
Cale closed his eyes for a moment after hearing the original Kim Rok Soo of this body respond.
Kim Rok Soo added on at that moment.
– Including your past. All of it. I saw all of it.
Cale could hear that Kim Rok Soo's voice was slightly shaking.
Twenty years old.
The Kim Rok Soo of this world was still young and had not experienced a lot of things.
But he had seen Lee Soo Hyuk and many others die, team leader Kim Rok Soo who continued to live even after their deaths, and even his life as Cale Henituse after that.
Even if he was a cold and stoic bastard, these were extremely difficult memories for the twenty years old Kim Rok Soo to process.
– … You've suffered quite a bit.
This was the thought that Kim Rok Soo had after looking at Cale.
"We need to stop suffering. And that's both you and I."
'And the others as well.'
These were Cale's honest desires.
Choi Jung Soo and Jae Ha-Jung, who were next to Cale, understood what Cale was mumbling to himself and stopped moving for a moment.
They didn't know why he was mumbling like this, but the fact that he was saying such a thing on the battlefield made their hearts hurt.
"Commander-nim-"
Jae Ha-Jung subconsciously called out to Cale.
He couldn't stand not calling out to him during this pitiable situation.
But Cale heard the Super Rock's voice at that moment.
– Cale.
Cale's eyes clouded over.
The pain had lessened.
It was less than half of what it used to be.
– I can't see because your eyes are closed on the other side, but the attacks on the black orb surrounding you have disappeared.
– He's right. The shock transferring from the black orb to your body is gone!
The Fire of Destruction added on with excitement.
Cale realized it at that moment.
It wasn't that the attacks toward the black orb have stopped.
'…Raon!'
He was certain that Raon's shield was protecting the black orb.
His friends were also defending against the attacks headed toward him inside the black orb.
'They're doing well.'
His friends were doing a good job.
Cale's eyes filled with energy.
It had been about 1 hour and 30 minutes since the battle had started.
That meant that it would soon be dawn on the other side.
"Heh."
Cale let out a short chuckle.
It was at that moment.
– You're at your limit.
It was the voice of the glutton priestess.
Cale nodded his head.
She was right.
He was at his limit.
– You can't faint.
Putting the White Star's attacks on the other side aside, Kim Rok Soo's body would not be able to handle it and he would faint if he used any more of his ancient powers.
Cale slowly raised his head.
"Y, you're getting up?"
Choi Jung Soo and Jae Ha-Jung quickly supported Cale.
Cale raised his head and could see the battlefield that was bright from numerous people's light abilities.
It was bright even though it was night time.
"…Huuuuuu."
Cale slowly started to catch his breath.
The pain was only half of what it was before, but it was still painful.
"Everybody is doing well."
Cale started to think.
'My friends here are doing well too.'
– Hey. You cannot die.
He heard this world's Kim Rok Soo's voice.
Cale could not die right now as he mentioned.
'That's why I should rest for a bit. I can't let anybody die. I can't die either. I will definitely survive.'
He had persisted through everything until now so that he could survive.
He needed to survive in order to be able to create a small farm and be a slacker.
He would achieve everything he's wanted to achieve.
– Yes. Let's chat some more while you rest.
As Cale started to smile after hearing the shaking voice of the young Kim Rok Soo…
Booboobooboooooom—-.
The trees stopped moving.
"Mm!"
"Ah."
The others quickly understood what was going on.
Everybody's heads turned toward the watchtower on top of a tree.
They could see their commander looking down at the battlefield while being supported by two people.
Someone started to speak.
"Don't stop the attacks!"
The trees had stopped.
That meant that there was nothing to hold the yellow monster down anymore.
"Roooooooooooooooar!"
Crack, crack.
The yellow monster started to twist its body and roar out loud.
But nobody was complaining about the fact that the trees were no longer helping them fight this monster.
"Don't waste this opportunity that the Commander-nim has created for us!"
"Attack some more before the trees are completely destroyed!"
Everybody knew what they needed to do and started to move even without Cale giving any orders.
This was not the case for only the people involved in the attack.
Lee Seung Won, who was stationed in a large area on one side of the castle wall…
He was currently using his Recording ability.
"Commander Kim Rok Soo's attacks have stopped. But the trees he created are still present and the attack squads are using them as support to attack as much as possible before the trees are destroyed."
Everything happening on the battlefield was being recorded through his mouth.
Kim Rok Soo had said something to them.
'We need to record everything that happens. It is for the future.'
Lee Seung Won didn't have any power to join the fight, but he was fighting in his own way.
He was thinking that recording everything was his way of fighting.
He turned to the side.
Kim Min Joon, who had the Message ability, had tens of walkie-talkies around him as he delivered information all around.
"Squad 7! Squad 5 says they are about to move up to attack. Please support them from behind!"
– Got it.
"Squad 2. Long-distance attacks will soon start coming from the 3 o'clock direction. Please keep that in mind."
– Yes, sir.
Lee Seung Won's older sister, Lee Jin Joo, ran into the castle with a document Kim Min Joon created for him.
"Mr. Min Joon. I just need to read all of this, right?"
"Yes. Please help everyone not be so anxious."
"Yes, sir!"
She would use her Amplification ability to inform the people inside the shelter about what was going on and lessen their anxiety.
Everybody was fighting.
Lee Seung Won saw an ability user speak to Joo Ho-Shik at that moment.
"Mr. Joo Ho-Shik, are you not participating in the battle?"
He was someone who had seen Joo Ho-Shik's abilities when they took care of the blue head last time.
Lee Seung Won could see the stiff expression on Joo Ho-Shik's face.
He had his arms crossed as he shook his head.
"I wish to fight, but I cannot go to the battlefield."
Grandma Kim and Doctor Kang. Joo Ho-Shik was next to them along with Jang Man Soo.
"Mr. Joo Ho-Shik, wouldn't your ability make it so that our attacks become stronger?"
They could use his faith to amplify their attacks.
That power would be very useful on this battlefield.
Joo Ho-Shik knew this as well.
But he could not do that today.
"My faith will be focused on healing today."
The numerous healing-type ability users who were gathered here heard a tired voice through Kim Min Joon's walkie-talkie at that moment.
– We are moving the first round of injured people.
Everybody looked toward the walkie-talkie.
It was Kim Rok Soo's voice.
– Our number one goal is everyone's survival.
His voice was coming out of not just Kim Min Joon's walkie-talkie but the walkie-talkies of all of the squad leaders.
– Move all of our injured comrades.
To have the person next to you survive…
There was no battle more difficult than that.
Kim Min Joon, who knew that was the case, listened quietly before starting to speak.
"Commander-nim-"
Grandma Kim made a comment as he was unable to finish what he was saying.
"Rok Soo, we should probably bring you over first."
Cale put his mouth to the walkie-talkie and responded to the concerned voice he heard through it.
"I am okay."
– …Haaaaaaaa.
He could hear Grandma Kim sighing after hearing his response.
– You need to get healed.
Cale immediately responded after Grandma Kim asked once more.
"It is useless."
Cale was telling the truth about other people's healing abilities being useless to him right now.
The attacks on Cale Henituse's body on the other side and the rebound from using his ancient powers…
Neither of those were things he could take care of on this side.
All they could do was lessen some fatigue.
'That is why it is more beneficial to use their powers on other injured people rather than me.'
But the others did not hear Cale's words the same way.
– It is useless.
Doctor Kang subconsciously started to shout once he heard those words through the walkie-talkie.
"What do you mean it's useless?! You need to have faith that all illnesses can be cured!"
"That's right. You must have faith."
The injured members of the attack squads were being moved over as Joo Ho-Shik quietly added on.
Once the first group of injured people arrived while being supported by their fellow squad members…
– Please heal the others first.
They all heard their commander's voice.
– I am okay.
Silence filled the castle wall at that moment.
– Until later then.
Cale's walkie-talkie then disconnected.
They heard someone start to swear after a few seconds of silence.
"That rotten son of a bitch."
It was Joo Ho-Shik.
The person who always calmly said, 'I have faith,' and seemed quite serene was angry even though his face still looked calm.
"Fine, let's go until I faint."
Joo Ho-Shik pointed to the injured people.
"Please lay down."
Doctor Kang pulled up his sleeves while Grandma Kim headed over to the injured people with the other healing ability users.
Joo Ho-Shik started to speak to the injured.
"You guys will definitely get better. You will all become energetic. Do you understand?"
The injured kept their mouth shut after seeing the look in Joo Ho-Shik's eyes. Joo Ho-Shik didn't care and started to speak to the two elderly healers next.
"Grandma, grandpa, please have the same belief. No, everybody here needs to believe that."
The belief that all of the injured will get better.
The belief that everybody would survive.
Joo Ho-Shik pulled off his white jacket and threw it to the side.
"That is how my faith can be as strong as possible."
An aura started to appear around his body that was full of scars.
He clasped his hands together and started to shout.
"I have faith!"
He believed it would happen.
He believed that everybody here would survive.
The reason behind it was simple.
It wasn't because he believed in Grandma Kim and Doctor Kang's abilities.
And Kim Rok Soo.
That damn Commander's actions and words.
The warmth hidden underneath those words…
Those were what gave him even more certainty and faith than anything else.
Joo Ho-Shik didn't know it yet, but his faith in Cale was stronger and more certain than any faith he had ever had in anything before.
His ability started to explode, similar to the aura that was becoming stronger around his body.
His ability shot up as if it was exploding stronger than ever before.
He was not the only person going through such a situation.
Similar to how Lee Soo Hyuk's ability had grown to where he could even slash through sound…
Similar to how Joo Ho-Shik's faith was more certain that ever…
Similar to how Kim Min Joon continued to slam against his limits to create more walkie-talkies as needed…
Similar to how Grandma Kim, Doctor Kang, and the others were desperately using their healing abilities for the injured…
People all around were reaching the limits of their abilities and exploding past them.
Plop.
A hand holding a walkie-talkie weakly fell to the ground at that moment.
Choi Jung Soo was slightly shocked and quickly started to ask.
"Are you really okay?"
He could hear Cale mumble something instead of responding to him.
"…This is enough."
Choi Jung Soo looked as if he was about to cry as he responded to the weak voice.
"Yeah! This is enough!"
They were able to injure the monster's eyes and slash the monster's poisonous fangs because Kim Rok Soo had held the monster down.
They had finally been able to land some successful attacks and the atmosphere on the battlefield had changed.
The trees were no longer moving but everybody was trying to prolong this environment that their Commander had created for them as long as possible.
But they could not be completely happy.
The moment the trees stopped…
Crackle! Crack!
"Rooooooooooooar—!"
The yellow monster started to move more intensely than before and started to destroy the tree roots and branches.
It looked extremely intense that most people would find it difficult to even approach it.
Choi Jung Soo started to frown while looking at it, but his frown loosened up after he saw something else.
He saw a smile.
He saw that Cale was smiling.
"…They will grow stronger now."
"Huh?"
Cale started to think while seeing the change in the atmosphere.
This was enough.
The wheels had started to turn one by one now.
"If the hunter is weaker than the prey…"
Numerous hunters were waking up.
"You just need to make the hunters grow stronger."
The unranked monsters that showed up became stronger each time one appeared.
But humans managed to survive and create a new society.
It was because they continued to grow through the dangerous situations.
Humans learn and continue to grow stronger as they put in the effort.
And they survive.
Until finally…
They can work together to hunt the monsters.
'By the time morning arrives…'
Cale looked around at his surroundings that were bright even though it was night time.
Once the Cale Henituse on the other side and his friends successfully made it past the day…
Once morning arrives on this side…
"The hunters' counterattack will start."
* * *
– Crown prince, are you okay?
"Ugh!"
Alberu clenched the hand holding Taerang, his white spear.
His palm was numb.
He heard Raon's voice again.
– Hey crown prince! Is it time to get started with phase 2?
Dawn had arrived on this side.