Choi Jung Soo instantly furrowed his brow upon hearing Cale’s desire to fight.

“What do you think you can do in your current condition-?!”

“Do you have any other ideas?”

Choi Jung Soo was speechless.

Was there another way to defeat this upgraded yellow monster right now?

There wasn’t.

This damned upgraded monster was even using the blue head’s abilities.

It was larger than before, and its body was even stronger.

It possessed the yellow head’s original electricity, dirt, and sound abilities.

Now, it also had the blue head’s water, horn, and poisonous fangs.

Finally, it had those scales that only Lee Soo Hyuk’s sword could pierce.

Was there a way to overcome all this and kill this monster?

“…For a very long time.”

It was possible if they fought it for a long time.

There was only one monster. Compared to it, they had many people.

But Choi Jung Soo lowered his head after hearing Cale’s next words.

“Many people will die if this continues.”

Choi Jung Soo looked down at the battlefield.

He saw Choi Han charging forward again.

“Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”

Kim Min Ah was following close behind him.

“I can’t stop.”

She frowned upon hearing Choi Han’s reply.

“Damn it!”

She swore before rushing past Choi Han, swinging the large spear in her hand with all her might.

“Chhhssssssschhh!”

The monster’s eyes turned towards Kim Min Ah, then curled up.

It was as if it was laughing at her.

“Don’t laugh at me, you stupid oversized eel!”

Crack.

The spear began to crack under the force of Kim Min Ah’s grip. That was how angry she was at the monster right now.

One hour.

She had been unable to damage the yellow monster at all during the entire hour of fighting it.

The spear stabbed forward, trying to break through the scales.

Baaaaaang!

However, the spear struck the solid dirt surrounding the yellow monster—no…

“It’s a boulder.”

It hit the dirt barrier, as strong as a boulder, and the attack was nullified.

Then the yellow monster unleashed its ability.

Crackle, crack!

Golden currents formed into a spear and attacked Kim Min Ah.

“Move!”

Choi Han rushed past her and moved forward.

Kim Min Ah frowned.

‘Again.’

Choi Han was in the front once more.

Baaaaaang!

The currents crashed into the black aura.

The powers clashed so violently, it looked like they were trying to devour each other, then exploded and vanished.

Choi Han leaped through the smoke from the explosion.

“Han has incredible stamina.”

Kim Min Ah saw Lee Soo Hyuk make that comment before he too disappeared into the smoke.

Choi Han’s sword slashed against the yellow head’s horn.

The yellow head quickly moved its massive body.

“…What a clever eel.”

It was to handle Lee Soo Hyuk, expecting him to pursue Choi Han.

That was dangerous for Lee Soo Hyuk.

Chhhhhhhh-

Water turned into arrows.

Electric currents surrounded those water arrows as they flew towards Lee Soo Hyuk.

Boom!

Lee Soo Hyuk rolled on the ground to dodge the arrows.

“Damn it!”

The yellow head’s tail, covered in dirt thorns, flew towards him.

“Are you alright?”

Choi Han deflected the tail.

Lee Soo Hyuk chuckled before rising.

“Aren’t you protecting me too much?”

There were two reasons why they hadn’t been able to attack effectively until now.

One was that Cale, capable of widespread attacks, was currently unable to fight.

The other was that Choi Han couldn’t unleash his full potential.

“…We can’t let anyone die.”

Choi Han was preoccupied with ensuring no one was killed by the yellow head, preventing him from fighting properly.

Cale had said they must ensure everyone survived.

‘The vanguard attack squad has already retreated to the rear.’

The vanguard attack squad was waiting at a distance to avoid the monster’s numerous AOE attacks.

But they weren’t just waiting; they were fighting.

“Roooooooooooooooar!”

“Screeeeeeeeeeeeech!”

Agitated monsters appeared to attack from time to time, even with an unranked monster present.

“Slash it! We can’t let it cross the boundary!”

“Gather together to fight if you don’t want to die!”

The vanguard attack squad was dealing with these monsters.

Choi Han’s gaze briefly turned towards the castle walls.

‘Long-range attacks aren’t easy either.’

They couldn’t damage the boulder-like dirt armor and scales, no matter how many times they attacked from a distance.

The only damage they could inflict was Lee Soo Hyuk slashing at the monster while Choi Han and Kim Min Ah distracted it.

Initially, they had assumed they could attack it the same way they had attacked the blue head once Lee Soo Hyuk damaged the scales.

‘But the scales are much thicker than last time.’

Lee Soo Hyuk had damaged the black scales, but his attacks weren’t enough to completely cut through them and expose its skin.

Was it because he lacked the strength to do so?

No.

This wasn’t a narrow subway tunnel like before, and the yellow head could move quickly despite its large body.

That’s why only minor injuries were inflicted.

“Han, I don’t think it’s going to work.”

Lee Soo Hyuk needed to properly slash those scales.

The other options were to attack its horn or inside its mouth.

Those were its weaknesses.

But the yellow monster thoroughly protected its horn and the inside of its mouth from Lee Soo Hyuk.

It was a very intelligent monster.

Lee Soo Hyuk knew that.

That’s why he began to speak.

“I need to climb onto the monster’s body.”

Lee Soo Hyuk calmly continued.

“It’s impossible for me to grab the monster, so I need to at least get on it to launch a proper attack.”

No matter how fortified these scales have become, Lee Soo Hyuk’s sword would be able to slash it until its flesh is revealed as long as the monster stopped moving.

“But the chances of you being seriously injured increase if you do that.”

“Han, we don’t have time.”

Lee Soo Hyuk had already given everything he had to attack the yellow head a couple of times.

He might not have enough strength to use his slashing ability soon if it continued like this.

“Han, as long as I create a deep enough injury, Jin Tae, Min Ah, or you will be able to open it up.”

If they could do that, the long-range attack squad had a much higher chance of hitting the enlarged injury.

“This is the right thing to do.”

Lee Soo Hyuk’s plan was decided, keeping Kim Rok Soo out of the fight.

Choi Han spoke.

“I will climb on top of it and suppress it. Please aim for that opening.”

“We have better chances of success if you distract the yellow monster and I get on top of it.”

He was right.

That’s why Choi Han paused for a moment.

He recalled Cale’s gaze.

At that moment…

“Han. I won’t die.”

Choi Han spoke after seeing the smile on Lee Soo Hyuk’s face.

“Please take care of it.”

“Okay.”

The plan was set.

All that remained was to put it into action.

The two of them made eye contact with the yellow head, which was quietly looking down at them.

Choi Jung Soo spoke, looking at them from above.

“Yeah. We can’t let anyone die.”

He raised his head and looked at Cale’s back.

Cale stood firm, but his back looked rather weak compared to usual.

Although he couldn’t see it because Cale was wearing a thick uniform, Cale’s neck and hair were quite damp with cold sweat.

“…Then what about you?”

That’s why Choi Jung Soo asked.

“Will you not die if you do that?”

Choi Jung Soo hated himself for being so weak.

Objectively speaking, he wasn’t weak. But he lacked the experience to fight in the vanguard and was weaker compared to Choi Han, Lee Soo Hyuk, and Kim Min Ah.

“Yeah, I won’t di-, ugh!”

Choi Jung Soo saw dark red blood spurting from Cale’s mouth, even from behind him.

“Look at you lying about not dying when you’re in such a serious condition!”

Choi Jung Soo told Cale to hold on, but unfortunately, Cale couldn’t hear him.

‘…Why all of a sudden?!’

He felt a pain far worse than before.

The earlier pain was already difficult enough to handle, but Cale’s body was now trembling from an even worse pain.

– …Cale!

At that moment…

“…Huh?”

He heard a voice.

–

Hey, are you sure this is connected?

–

I think so.

–

Then why isn’t he responding?

They were familiar voices.

–

I knew we shouldn’t trust the Super Rock!

–

…My hypothesis should not be wrong.

‘Why?’

“Why can I hear your voices?”

– Huh? You can hear us?

He heard the Fire of Destruction’s voice.

– I guess he can hear us.

The husky voice of the Sound of the Wind commented as well.

– I knew my hypothesis was correct. Ahem. Ahem.

The Super Rock chimed in with a tone of relief.

It had been a long time since he had heard the voices of the ancient powers since coming to this world.

‘Why am I able to hear their voices?’

He could hear the Super Rock’s voice.

– A gap was created as your body and soul were shaken, creating an opening for us to communicate with you.

“Ha!”

This extreme pain, quite dangerous for him…

The White Star’s attack, likely taking place on the other side…

“Ha, haha-”

These things didn’t only bring negative results.

Cale couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hey, why are you suddenly laughing after talking to yourself?! Hey, Kim Rok Soo! Commander-nim!”

Cale ignored Choi Jung Soo’s anxious voice.

His mind became clear even through the pain.

A path had been created.

“Am I able to use my original powers now?”

He had been using the ancient powers at half-power until now.

– No. You are not able to use all of your original powers.

The Sound of the Wind calmly responded.

– But we are able to connect one power to you!

The Fire of Destruction added.

The Super Rock spoke seriously at that moment.

– It seems you already know, but your body on this side is under attack. Your friends are trying to save you, but it won’t be easy.

He knew it would be hard.

The White Star was quite strong, and neither Cale nor Choi Han were there right now.

– Anyway, we will send the Vitality of the Heart to you since we can only connect one of us.

“No.”

Cale shook his head.

“It’s fine.”

– What? Do you know how much you’ve bled already?

Cale shook his head after hearing the Fire of Destruction’s shocked question.

The Vitality of the Heart.

He didn’t need that power right away.

‘The pain I’m feeling now won’t disappear just because my ability to regenerate and heal comes over.’

His pale face, from coughing up so much blood, might look better, but his friends on the other side needed to work hard for this pain to disappear.

There was one more thing.

‘I need to overcome this present situation.’

Cale looked down.

Lee Soo Hyuk and Choi Han had stepped forward, with Kim Min Ah and Bae Puh Rum following behind them.

It was obvious what they were trying to do.

It was easy to tell after observing everything until now.

“…They’re probably thinking about fighting, knowing they might get injured.”

Lee Soo Hyuk or Choi Han, one of them probably decided to do something that could injure them.

That was the only way to grab this yellow monster and create an opening to slash its scales or attack an area without any scales.

“Shield.”

Cale spoke.

“I need the shield.”

-…You-

The Super Rock barely managed to speak, as if tongue-tied.

– Are you still thinking about protecting others in your current situation?

Cale closed his eyes to focus on his conversation with the Super Rock.

Choi Jung Soo and the Steel Feather Hawk looked at him, their gazes questioning how someone could be like this.

The Steel Feather Hawk was actually crying.

“…My dongsaeng… Is too good of a person…….”

“Damn it.”

But neither of their voices reached Cale.

He was focusing on the Super Rock and the other ancient powers.

At this exact moment…

The Indestructible Shield was what he needed.

– Then should I go?

The glutton priestess cautiously asked.

She didn’t seem to like this idea.

But Cale needed her.

His eyes were brimming with vitality when he opened them again.

“Noonim.”

“Huh, huh? Dongsaeng? What is it, my dearest dongsaeng?”

“Let’s head to the castle walls.”

“Yes, yes! I’ll do whatever my dongsaeng asks me to do!”

The Steel Feather Hawk quickly headed towards the castle walls.

Choi Jung Soo looked at him with confusion.

“What are you trying to do?”

It was because he knew that Kim Rok Soo wasn’t going back to rest.

Cale smiled and spoke at that moment.

“To find a way for us to win.”

“What?”

Choi Jung Soo asked, but the Steel Feather Hawk had lowered her head upon reaching the castle walls.

Everyone could now see Cale on her back.

“…Shit… Commander-”

This was the moment Heo Sook Ja and the others finally realized why Cale had only been watching from the air after giving the order to attack.

“Commander-nim. Are you ill-”

“I don’t have time to chat right now.”

Cale surveyed every corner of the castle walls until… he saw someone standing with Grandma Kim and Mister Jang Man Soo.

He had asked this person to come here with Jang Man Soo just in case, but he had no reason to use his powers until now.

“Mr. Jae Ha-Jung.”

“Yes?”

During the battle at the original shelters…

Bae Cheol-Ho, Park Jin Tae, and Joo Ho-Shik had been the leaders of the original central shelters.

Jae Ha-Jung was from Bae Puh Rum’s eldest uncle, Bae Cheol-Ho’s shelter.

He had protected the shelter from the monsters’ attacks until Cale’s reinforcements arrived.

He had used wood to do it.

“Please get on.”

“Excuse me?”

While Jae Ha-Jung was confused by Cale’s comment…

“Noonim.”

“I got it!”

The Steel Feather Hawk bit down on the back of Jae Ha-Jung’s clothes and threw him into the air.

“What is going on?!”

The Steel Feather Hawk placed Jae Ha-Jung on her back while he was frozen stiff with shock.

Choi Jung Soo caught him and sat him down.

“Please help me.”

“Excuse me?”

He heard Cale’s request as soon as he was seated.

“Mr. Jae Ha-Jung, you can create trees and make them grow, right?”

“Yes… I can? But I can only grow five trees at most.”

“That’s plenty.”

Jae Ha-Jung suddenly felt chills after seeing a pale Cale, covered in blood, smiling brightly at him.

The people who had no idea what was happening could only look up at the sky with confusion.

Lee Soo Hyuk and Choi Han, who were about to attack the monster, were among those confused.

“What is Rok Soo trying to do? Who is that person?”

“That person is Mr. Jae Ha-Jung, and his ability uses wood—”

Choi Han flinched as he responded.

Because a thought crossed his mind at that moment.

One of Cale’s abilities that truly astonished people in the past…

Wood.

In the central region of the Jungle… When dead mana was about to spread throughout the area Litana lived in…

Cale had used this power at that time.

“…Is he planning on using the tree trunks?!”

Choi Han frowned significantly.

The numerous tree roots and trunks had traveled through the night in the past, heading for the palace at the center of the Jungle.

This astonishing power…

If it was this power…

‘It can tie the yellow head down!’

Choi Han’s frown deepened.

“Why?!”

‘Even though he tells us to live, why?! Why?! Why does he push himself overboard every single time?!’

Choi Han glared at the sky instead of the yellow head. This was a sorrowful glare, not an angry one.

“Han, what is it?”

The Steel Feather Hawk began to descend as Lee Soo Hyuk asked with confusion, seeing Choi Han staring at the sky instead of attacking.

Very small seeds fell to the ground.

Plop. Plop. Plop.

These seeds, so small most people wouldn’t see them, fell into the ground.

“…Huh?”

Trees began to sprout rapidly from these seeds.

The trees stopped growing when they reached the size of an average adult.

“That’s good, Mr. Jae Ha-Jung. I’ll take it from here.”

Cale looked down.

The yellow head was glaring at him, its gaze questioning what Cale was trying to do now.

Smile.

Cale smiled.

– Don’t overdo it.

He heard the Super Rock’s concerned voice.

– Don’t worry. I’ll do a good job.

The moment he heard the glutton’s response…

Cale reached out both hands.

That’s how it started.

Plop. Plop.

The trees began to awaken.