Chapter 8: Hitting the limit
"Ryung, our side has been cleared..."
Inho approached, eyes glued to the map projected by his system interface. His voice was steady but faltered slightly when he noticed how close the two were standing. Cheon Areum, catching the shift, quietly let go and placed Kim Ryung’s hand back at his side without a word.
"As I was saying, the left side’s been cleared too. Not that there were many over there to begin with."
Kim Ryung leaned in to inspect the map himself, scanning the data with sharp eyes before offering a simple nod of approval. The rest of the team emerged from the scorched forest and lingering smoke, stopping behind Inho.
"We’re regrouping now. It’s time to locate the boss. Let’s head over and see how the other side is faring."
The distance between the left and right sections of the island was considerable, but finding the other two members wasn’t difficult. Their side of the battlefield was unmistakable—every tree had been sliced clean at knee level, the trunks toppled in chaotic piles, crisscrossing over each other like a shattered wooden graveyard. Aera stood atop one of the fallen tree trunks, surveying the wreckage. With effortless grace, she leapt down, landing beside Jia, who was standing near the edge of the water—just as Cheon Areum had earlier, keeping a safe distance.
Jia was the first to spot them approaching. She pointed over her shoulder and said something to Aera, who turned to look. Neither of them bore a single scratch—they hadn’t needed any healers, it seemed. Cheon Areum’s pace quickened as he made his way toward Jia. He enjoyed the company of another healer.
"Some refined work you’ve done here," Kim Ryung remarked, his tone dry but amused as he glanced around at the toppled forest. Aera brushed a loose strand of hair back into her braids and shot him a sharp glare.
"They kept clinging to the trees. Since you took the map, I had no choice. And if you were going to blow up half the island anyway, why bring Inho along at all?"
"My bad, my bad," Kim Ryung said with a chuckle, entirely unapologetic. "But you handled it just fine, didn’t you?"
Aera scoffed dramatically and walked over to Inho. They began discussing where the boss could be hiding. Cheon Areum stood by Jia’s side, but her eyes were fixed on Aera.