1.
Nahan had never formally learned how to fight.
Of course, like many children, he had wanted to learn martial arts such as Taekwondo, Hapkido, Kendo, or boxing.
– …I’m sorry, Mr. Jung. I couldn’t even properly arrange your last paycheck before letting you go.
– It’s okay, Director. I stayed because I wanted to. I understand your situation.
But he had never voiced it out loud.
And whether it was fortunate or unfortunate.
– Hey! Is that the only set of clothes you have?
– Yeah.
– Ugh, should I buy you a new one?
There were strangely many people who picked fights with Nahan.
– I’ll buy it for you!! I’ll really buy it!! So please, just stop, stop hitting me!!
-…Okay.
Thanks to this, Nahan was able to hone his fighting skills without anyone’s help.
This continued from middle school up until right before he dropped out of high school, and after he finally left school—
– Wow, this guy’s got some skill.
– Kid, let me teach you. You have to punch like this, with your hips, like this.
– A knife is the best. With a sashimi knife, martial arts or whatever else is useless.
He ended up staying at a gang hideout, learning from his seniors and even the big boss himself.
As a result, his undefeated streak remained intact.
“Ki, Kiiiiiill!!!”
“Shut up.”
Smack!!
Even against a C+ ranked swordsman without Aura, he managed to claim victory.
Of course—
“Ugh….”
Along with multiple stab wounds, blood was gushing from his side where a longsword had been embedded.
“You son of a….”
Smack….
In the end, the one who remained standing was Nahan.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
As his vision turned white from blood loss, a red system window appeared.
【Warning!】
【<Savior – Nahan (??)> has less than 10% remaining HP!】
【Would you like to activate the healing effect of <Iaso’s Ring (SS+)>?】
A priest has only one divine authority per day.
To avoid suspicion, he had turned off Iaso’s Ring right after securing victory against Kilson. Now, it flickered faintly.
【Warning!】
【<Savior – Nahan (??)> has less than 8% remaining HP!】
It was as if the system was questioning him—”Are you really not going to use it?”—since his HP was dropping by about 2% every 10 seconds.
However,
‘…I’m fine. I’m not dead yet.’
If he was truly on the brink of death, his survival instincts would have acted before he could even think.
‘If I get caught here, they might find out that I’m <Black Wolf>.’
That would be the end.
Both the Main Quest and the Main Scenario would fail instantly.
The remaining Bad Endings would come crashing down one after another, and he would die alongside his comrades, never returning to his original world.
‘So I have to endure.’
He didn’t particularly care about returning to his original world, but at the very least, he didn’t want to die.
“Ugh…!!”
As the chilling sensation washed over him, he instinctively curled up, worsening the bleeding.
【Warning!】
【<Savior – Nahan (??)> has less than 3% remaining HP!】
His HP plummeted to 3% in an instant.
‘Shit, this is really bad.’
Just as he expected, his body reacted before his mind could catch up, and his hand shot out.
‘Ah.’
A ringing noise filled his ears, and his vision turned completely white. Dizziness struck him.
‘Damn it, at this rate….’
He couldn’t even press “Accept”.
【Warning!】
【<Savior – Nahan (??)> has less than 1% remaining HP!】
As his remaining HP dropped to 1%, he was seconds away from death.
【“What I desire is you, and what you desire is me. Remember, this is the nature of our contract.”】
“…li!! …must drink…!!”
Just as a vaguely familiar voice echoed in his ears, something flowed into his mouth.
Gulp, Gulp….
Was this also his survival instinct?
As he desperately swallowed the liquid, which tasted like strawberry-flavored cold medicine, the whitened world slowly regained its colors.
“Puha!!”
Gasping for air, he jerked upright, and someone spoke to him.
“Whew… That was close.”
The voice had a familiar accent, a composed tone he had heard before.
Following the sound, he turned his gaze and saw a heavyset middle-aged man looking down at him.
Brown and white-streaked hair.
Deep brown eyes.
Firmly pressed lips.
‘Count Tehelan Gardner of the Gardner Count family.’
Nahan immediately processed the information and barely managed to straighten himself to offer his respects.
“I’m sorry to say this, but escaping from here should be the priority. You need to get on my back.”
Tehelan lifted Nahan, who was trying to get up, and rose to his feet.
“The situation has worsened.”
A concise report.
Feeling a sudden sense of déjà vu, Nahan lowered his gaze to the crimson system window.
【Failed children, you too are seeds of disaster.】
【Warning!】
【The seeds of disaster implanted in <Hounds (A)> are rampaging!】
The system window had already lost its initial brilliance, turning a dull, murky color.
As if reading Nahan’s doubts, Tehelan fastened a hand axe to his waist.
“I don’t know the exact reason, but those bastards, who were already strong, have started wielding the energy of Sword Masters.”
And he was right.
The enemies, who had originally been at the edge of A-rank, now had multiple plus signs attached to their rank.
‘At least one, at most three.’
They hadn’t broken past the wall of S-rank, but it was undeniable that they had become overwhelmingly powerful.
“I managed to thin their numbers, but only a few. And those few have now locked onto our location.”
Only then did he notice the scene beyond the shield.
“Te, helan!!!”
“Master, master, master, master….”
“Must kill, everything must. For the rising, new sun…!!!”
The grotesquely twisted faces of the enemies all turned toward them.
“At least that is fortunate.”
“…Huh?”
“If they’re gathering here, this path where I stand is the only route. If I hold this position, the others will be safe.”
Tehelan then gripped his shield without another word.
Playing his role as “Ian Red”, Nahan asked.
“What do you intend to do?”
“I will endure.”
There was not a hint of hesitation in Tehelan’s response.
“Is mere endurance enough?”
“Endurance—that is the way of the Gardner family.”
“But…!!”
If they only held their ground, wouldn’t they eventually collapse?
‘A retreat is the better option.’
Tehelan was an irreplaceable force, but to be honest, the fallen ones were not.
A strategic retreat wasn’t cowardice—it was a stepping stone for victory.
They could withdraw a step, gather information, and form a proper response.
Just as Nahan was about to open his mouth to persuade Tehelan—
“……Hoo.”
Crack…!!
Tehelan adjusted his stance.
His left foot took a step forward,
His right foot took a step back.
With his left hand, he held Nahan.
With his right, he raised his massive shield.
Beneath the shield, he protected his entire body.
Beyond it, his eyes burned with determination.
The foot he planted dug into the ground like the roots of a great tree.
The shield he lifted became a towering wall against the enemies.
“I will hold them here. Once your strength returns, you must flee.”
Beneath the shield, he safeguarded Nahan.
Beyond it, his gaze carried unwavering resolve.
At that moment,
Nahan instinctively knew.
‘He will never fall.’
Even if he does one day collapse, it will not be his will that fails—only his body.
‘Unyielding Will.’
The Guardian of the Empire,
The Indomitable Iron Wall.
“They’re coming. I will stay, so do not worry and run wherever you can.”
Such was the man that Tehelan was.
And so, Nahan made his decision.
“I will help.”
Even if it meant abandoning “Ian Red”, he would ensure that this man lived.
‘A character can be remade, but a living person cannot.’
Even if one could turn the dead into a character, reenact them, and cherish their memory.
In the end, it was nothing more than an act—a mere imitation of the deceased.
And more than anything,
To turn away despite having the power to save someone—
【Skill – <Solar Annihilation (EX)> has been selected.】
It simply did not suit his nature.
In the end, Nahan raised his hand like a blade and smiled at Tehelan.
“I will ha──”
【Warning.】
【<Asha Mirabelle (SSS)> is using Skill 2 – <Snow Thunder Strike (SSS)>.】
“──Huh?”
Right after Nahan’s half-spoken words—
Krrrroooom…!!
The once-clear sky was suddenly overtaken by an icy gloom, and flashes of sky-blue lightning erupted across the heavens.
In the midst of the raging storm of snow and thunder.
The only figure left untouched was the woman at its center.
Her blue-tinged hair flickered with electric light as she hovered above the battlefield,
gazing down at the enemies.
“Seventy-three.”
With those words, she swung her sword.
And in the next moment—
Flash──!!
A blinding light, comparable to the strike of the Yellow Dragon,
engulfed everything in an instant.
◆ Completion Requirements.
- Apply medicine to Asha’s face. (Completed!)
- Attend the party with the <Hero Party>. (Completed!)
- Converse with the returned <Hestia>. (Completed!)
- Prevent the attack by <Eclipse>. (Completed!)
The final condition of the subquest was fulfilled.
2.
‘…This is insane.’
Save that kind of monster?
Shouldn’t I be the one getting saved instead?
In any case, with the situation resolved, Nahan tried to quietly slip away.
But just then—
– […Impressive.]
The Celestial Barrier, which had been silent for a while…
No.
The one inside it—the origin of the Gardner family, Balak Gardner spoke to Nahan.
– [That thing just now, I want to try blocking it myself. Can you pick a fight for me?]
‘…Would that even be possible?’
Defense or not.
Even if the ancestor of the Gardner family himself appeared, there was no way to block that.
As if he shared the same thought, the old ghost clicked his tongue and muttered.
– [Tsk, as expected.]
‘Yes, so please just go back to sleep—’
– [Alright. Then I’ll provoke her myself. I just happened to find someone suitable for the job.]
‘…What?’
Before Nahan could even question him, Balak’s lingering soul disappeared.
And moments later—
“Hey!! You there, the cold-looking girl!!”
“M-me?! What the—?! What is this?!”
“…Huh?”
“…Hestia?”
Standing firmly on both feet,
Hestia—who seemed to have somehow snatched the shield—shouted.
“That thing you just did— Shoot me too!!”
Whatever it is.
I will block it all!
