The interviews were over.
Out of 215 applicants, twenty were chosen, and the rest were sent away.
Only dust and silence remained in the Training Ground.
The sun had already begun to set, and the evening glow hanging at the edge of the eaves was rapidly fading.
Dong Bongsu stood in the middle of the empty Training Ground, looking down at the Guild Quest window floating before his eyes.
・Solidify the Guild's Foundation: Raise the average combat level of guild members above a certain standard.
├─ Progress: 0%
└─ Reward: Guild Member Limit +10, Guild EXP +100
・First Resonance of Martial Fame: Resolve a crisis outside of the River Capital in the name of the Hero's Sect.
├─ Progress: 0%
└─ Reward: Guild Member Limit +15, Fame +10, Guild EXP +200
Looking purely at the numbers, the expected value of the second option was overwhelming.
However.
'To go outside, and to go the distance, I need to build my strength.'
The twenty people chosen today.
They weren't chosen because they were strong.
They were chosen because they believed.
The 'Faith Weight' I used today proved it.
They are resources who believe in me, not a fighting force to be sent to a battlefield.
'Not yet.'
There was still no news on the outcome of Dongmun Mutoe.
For the Sect Leader to leave the River Capital without knowing what decision the Formation Tower had made was the height of inefficiency.
For now.
'I will solidify the inside, then venture out.'
As his finger clicked the upper option, the familiar mechanical sound rang out.
Instantly.
The second option scattered like paper turning to ash, and the first option flipped over like a sign, revealing new text.
[Solidify the Guild's Foundation] ― Accepted
: Raise the average combat level of guild members to 'High-Beginner Rank' or higher.
├─ Current Average: Low-Beginner Rank
├─ Goal: High-Beginner Rank
├─ Progress: 12%
├─ Time Limit: 7 days
└─ Reward: Guild Member Limit +10, Guild EXP +100
12%.
It means a portion has already been accounted for.
The levels of Jeon Rahwa and the ten children have been reflected.
In the end, it will be determined by the average of thirty people.
Dong Bongsu quickly made a mental calculation of the levels of Jeon Rahwa, the children, and the newly chosen members.
He weighed their levels against the standards of this Murim.
Their skill and talent were at a level where it would be impossible to turn them into an elite force in just a week.
But there were certainly parts that were possible.
'What the System wants is precisely a survivable level.'
The point where they can take care of themselves.
Just crossing that line would be enough.
He could have closed the quest UI then, but Dong Bongsu stood still for a moment and waited.
And before long.
Du-woong-.
The sound he wanted echoed in his head again.
[Urgent! The guild has exceeded its member capacity. If the guild is not expanded within one week, all guild functions will be suspended!]
"..."
The corner of Dong Bongsu's mouth twitched slightly.
'As I thought.'
He remembered.
This warning had appeared even when the guild capacity was exceeded by just one person.
Back then, he solved it through Facility Expansion.
— The System never overlooks exceeding the member limit. Yet, it faithfully provides an opportunity.
That was the biggest difference between 'Murim Online' and 'What is Hero'.
Having confirmed whether it was an exception or a rule, he finally closed the Guild Quest window.
In the meantime, the evening glow beyond the Training Ground had completely faded.
The lanterns hung here, and there began to light up one by one.
Dong Bongsu closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, a suitable warmth had returned to the skin of his face.
He turned his head.
He saw her walking towards him, holding a register.
"You worked hard."
"Yes, I did. And-"
Jeon Rahwa took the register from her arms and held it out.
"While I was at it, I also drafted a plan for organizing the twenty new members."
"A plan? What's that?"
"Wow! You did all this without even thinking about something like that?"
"Well, no. If I created a sect and held an opening ceremony, it's only natural to have members, right?"
"Then don't you think about how to place them, how to utilize them, or how they'll be able to eat well?"
"Yeah. I don't."
"…You don't? Or you can't?"
"The former."
Kim Rae-won gave a nonchalant smile.
"I have you, after all."
"...What would you do if I weren't here?"
"You can't not be here."
"In this Jianghu… who can be so sure of the future? Who knows when or how…."
"No."
Kim Rae-won cut her off in a tone that held not a hint of wavering, hesitation, or doubt.
"You are my guidepost. No one can touch that, or destroy it."
"..."
"You are me. As long as I do not die."
"..."
Hwiii-.
Jeon Rahwa didn't open her mouth until the slightly chilly night wind broke the silence.
For some reason, her heart was beating irregularly, a little faster than usual.
"…Aren't you embarrassed?"
"About what?"
"No. Forget it. If you don't know…."
Quickly recovering her usual composure, Jeon Rahwa put on a prim expression.
"Anyway, I organized it right after the interviews ended, so just take a look."
Dong Bongsu took the register and flipped through it, page by page.
Group assignments.
A simple evaluation of their basic Martial Arts level.
Dormitory placement plan.
She had certainly finished almost everything one step ahead, without even being asked.
'As expected.'
"Well done."
"Is that all the praise I get? Really?"
"What more should I do?"
"Well… Ah, whatever. Forget it."
Jeon Rahwa lightly ruffled her hair with her hand and picked up a sheet of paper from the register.
It was a summary of the organization plan.
"Anyway, the real problem is this."
"What is it?"
"Most of these people's Martial Arts are only at a third-rate level. There are ten people like that. The rest are barely at a second-rate level."
"I know."
"The only thing I can teach is the Twin Snow Yin Cold Art. It doesn't suit these people, and it's not a martial art I can just teach to anyone in the first place."
"I know."
"Wow! Look at this guy. You have no thoughts again, do you?"
"No."
"Then what are you going to do?"
"What do you mean?"
What Kim Rae-won had to do was very clear.
The same went for Dong Bongsu.
"I'll do it myself."
Jeon Rahwa's hand, which was flipping through the register, stopped.
"You? Yourself?"
"Yeah. Myself."
"…You do know what 'doing it yourself' means, right?"
"What, is it hard? First, I'll make it so they don't die."
"..."
"Making them strong comes after that."
Jeon Rahwa's incredulous expression was becoming more and more pronounced, but Kim Rae-won paid it no mind.
"Basic Internal Energy, basic Footwork, basic Weapon Arts. I'll even teach them how to survive first."
"How long will it take to teach all that?"
"7 days."
"7 days… you say?"
"Yeah. Once I've taught them everything, they'll have to go through a real battle."
"…Hey, if it were that easy, why didn't you just pick them sooner?"
Jeon Rahwa's eyes scanned Kim Rae-won's face.
It was unclear if she was trying to read something or if she was confirming something she had already read.
"Ah, I see. You should have told me beforehand."
"Ha. Ha. Ha. That was funny. Really funny."
"As expected, you're the only one who laughs at my jokes. The kids all run away."
"…I'm going to run away too. From next time."
"..."
"Anyway, since you say you can do it, I guess it's not impossible. Right?"
"Yeah. It's possible."
"Yes, it's possible. Yes, yes."
Jeon Rahwa started flipping through the register again, the corners of her mouth curling up.
It was a smile that made it hard to tell if she was trying to hide something or reveal it.
"Then what about me?"
"You'll do what you've always been doing. Organization, schedules, supplies, and lodging. I'm leaving all the administration to you."
"That was already my job."
"That means you're doing a good job."
"Ah, yes. Thank you so much. I'm so grateful that I've been sleeping like a log these days. Ha. Ha."
Then, Jeon Rahwa hesitated for a moment, swallowing the words she was about to say next.
Her hand, which was rising towards her neck, paused mid-air before falling.
It was the spot where her jade pendant used to be.
But Dong Bongsu already knew everything.
The circulation of her Twin Snow Yin Cold Art was already rougher than before.
The flow of her Qi lacked its smoothness.
The difference between having the jade pendant and not having it was already palpable.
Nevertheless, he let out a light chuckle and said.
"Don't worry. Even without it, you're already a master."
"…A master? Someone like me?"
"Well. You should probably refrain from calling yourself 'someone like you'."
"..."
"Because when you actually go out into the Jianghu, you'll realize there are thousands, even tens of thousands of people below you. You wouldn't lump all those people together and call them 'someone like that', would you?"
Jeon Rahwa's expression was the very picture of the question, 'No way, really?'
Dong Bongsu lightly tapped her arm and smiled.
"Have some faith. Anyway, I have one more favor to ask."
"One more? Why don't you just give me a hundred more tasks while you're at it? A thousand would be great too."
"That's enough. For now, just bring me Hoae."
"What? Hoae?"
"Yeah. I have something to check."
Jeon Rahwa tilted her head but soon nodded and started walking towards the children's dormitory.
● ● ●
"You called for me?"
Dong Bongsu faced Hoae and asked.
"You've been looking after the other children's training lately, haven't you?"
"Yes. Something like that."
Dong Bongsu knew very well that it wasn't 'something like that', but almost entirely her.
Whenever he checked the individual status of the guild members in the system UI, the children's training patterns were consistent.
It meant someone was managing them, and since Jeon Rahwa had become buried in administrative work, it could only be Hoae.
"When the ten of you move together, what do you do if the formation breaks?"
A sudden question.
Hoae thought for a moment.
"Um… Instead of trying to align the front from the back, I go to the front."
"Why?"
"If I shout from the back, the kids in front will turn around. That slows them down even more. If I stop at the front, the ones behind will naturally stop too."
"..."
An answer a child shouldn't know, one not found in any textbook, that could only come from real experience.
"Then, what if one of the ten gets injured?"
"…It depends on where they're hurt."
"Which part is the most dangerous?"
"The legs."
"Why?"
"If your hand is injured, you might not be able to fight, but you can still run away. If your leg is injured, you can't do anything."
"Let's say you fought with enemies, and one of your younger siblings' legs was injured. What should you do?"
"It's a sad thing for the injured kid, but… for the sake of the remaining children, I have to leave that child behind."
"Why?"
"Because it's better for nine to live than for all of them to die. Depending on the situation… for that child's sake, I might even have to kill them myself first…."
Hearing her answer, Dong Bongsu gave a pale smile.
Not a shred of hesitation.
Environmental factors might have played a part, but she was definitely different.
This child was a natural.
Just like me….