RE: Player again

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[Chapter 107] [Hell is Always Near (4)]

The food was all gone.

Because they boiled and ate all the ramen last night.

Party members only realized this in the morning.

"...うそ。"

...Lie.

They didn't even have the strength to panic anymore.

Party members who woke up late in the afternoon due to accumulated fatigue from the previous day blankly stared at the sea with faces not fully awake from dreams.

Among them, only Hoshimiya Kaede who still didn't know Eunha muttered hopelessly while shrugging her shoulders.

She went crazy without even thinking of tying her messy hair. She let out a soulless laugh while speaking Japanese that no one could understand.

"So. What are we going to do now?"

Yoo Dojun sat down on the sandy beach as if he didn't know anymore and closed his eyes to listen to the sound of waves.

Subin had a haggard face, and Eunhyeok was lying sprawled on the sandy beach in resignation.

Among them, Seona who somewhat came to her senses asked Eunha with a cracked voice from not drinking water properly.

Eunha answered nonchalantly.

"We still have calorie bars left for lunch, so let's make do with those."

"And then what?"

A thorny tone.

Nevertheless, her voice lacked strength.

Eunha who confirmed she was tired continued speaking while handing her the calorie bar he was eating.

Meanwhile, Seona quickly snatched it and hurriedly stuffed it in her mouth.

"I think it's better to stay here for today. Let's depart for Deokjeok Island tomorrow morning."

She seemed very hungry.

Eunha thought while watching Seona eat the dry calorie bar in one bite. To the extent he couldn't blame her for eating all of his share.

Well, it's understandable.

Soon Eunha inwardly understood.

He who gave calorie bars to other friends too knew well how fiercely they fought the previous day.

We pushed too hard from the first day.

It was his fault too.

Seeing friends following along, he ended up pushing them until they collapsed from exhaustion.

If he made a mistake, they might catch a cold and be unable to train for the remaining 4 days.

"...Then we're staying here today? I don't think I'll have anything to do so I'll sleep more. Ah, half of mine is left, anyone want to eat it."

""Me!!""

""...."""

"Choi Eunhyeok, you take your hand off?"

"Bae Subin you know too. How much I struggled yesterday... Do you know how much stamina is consumed fighting monsters right in front?"

"What about you, do you know how much I had to rack my brains constantly supporting with magic from the rear?"

So Eunha didn't announce wake-up time to let party members sleep well for a day, realizing his mistake.

Thanks to that, they could wake up long past noon.

Therefore, it could be said it was somewhat late to cross the sea to Deokjeok Island after eating lunch.

Because the sky at this time darkens after 6 pm.

There was no such danger in the sea without even city lights.

"Tsk... Don't fight over food. Split it in half and eat."

"This is all because of who..."

"If I knew this would happen, I should have eaten a little more yesterday..."

Eunha mediated between Eunhyeok and Subin arguing over the small calorie bar.

The two who were upset at him due to yesterday's events expressed some dissatisfaction but accepted his proposal without complaint.

Eunha sighed seeing the two munching on the calorie bar.

"Okay, it's late so staying here for today is fine. But what will we do for dinner?"

Then Seona who was combing her messy hair asked.

She who somewhat regained her strength explained point by point that it was impossible to find food on Heukdo made almost entirely of rocks.

Eunha knew well too.

That there was nothing to be gained on a small island.

But she was overlooking one thing.

"Why isn't there anything? What's all that?"

"The sea."

"What's in the sea?"

"You don't mean..."

Noh Eunha pointing at the sea with his finger.

Ordinary people might not know, but players could move in the sea too.

Seona who realized that made a dumbfounded face.

"When did I say we'd rest? Even if we don't go to Deokjeok Island, we should hunt monsters nearby and find food."

""""...."""

"Just now you said there are flatfish and rockfish in this sea. How about trying to catch some fish while we're at it?"

"...You're really crazy."

Eunha said confidently.

And Seona momentarily lost her mind. Other friends just shut their mouths and stiffened.

"Hey, get up."

"...Huh? What?"

"What do you mean what. You have work to do too."

"...What? You said you'd give me a ride."

"You still have to pay the fare."

"Oh my god..."

Moreover, Eunha dragged out Dojun who was sleeping again after just eating inside the tent.

Dojun who only stuck his head out of the tent frowned at the intense sunlight and cursed at Eunha.

Eunha ignored those words.

In the middle of an uninhabited island with no one around, words from Yeongwon Group's direct descendant ultimately had no effect.

"Yoo Dojun, you go fishing while the kids are training. If you fish in the middle of the sea, you'll catch well."

"Hey friend... This really isn't right. Are you telling me to become monster food? No, more than that, we don't even have fishing rods?"

"We can make fishing rods... Don't worry, Subin will protect you."

"This son of a..."

We should have another productive day today.

Eunha decided to rest for a while then start training while ignoring Dojun's complaints.

Fortunately, friends all seemed to understand.

While thinking that─

"─This is different from the promise."

Hoshimiya Kaede raised her hand and protested with a blank face.

She was glaring at Eunha with a face covered in sand.

Then she said.

"You Noh Eunha told me. That if I become your party member, you'd help me get good grades in the final evaluation."

"So?"

"So if we waste a day here, it's obvious other parties who arrived at Bijobong first will have already found the flags. Our chance to get 1st place is already gone."

"Yeah, well done. You speak well once."

"This is Eunha's fault."

"That's right, boss. If we train here, 1st place is out of reach."

"Friend, this really isn't right."

Friends each speaking up starting with Hoshimiya Kaede.

They were trying hard to avoid training somehow.

And Hoshimiya Kaede's heart was no different from theirs.

The reason Kaede spoke up was just a pretext.

"─Don't worry."

However, Eunha didn't care about friends' passionate arguments.

He just replied nonchalantly.

"With just the mana stones we gathered in one day yesterday, there probably isn't any party that can catch up to us? Then what use are flags. Right?"

""""...."""

He wasn't interested in flags from the start.

The part Eunha was interested in for this final evaluation was that the opportunity came to train party members he had his eye on.

1st place was just a side benefit.

In the end, those who read his true intentions─

"...We're dead."

"This is a dream..."

"Anyone want to bury that bastard with me?"

"Hey, I want to get off. Stop."

"...マジかよ。"

...Is this really true.

─Denied reality.

☆

Meanwhile, Mok Minho's party was barely able to spend the night at Sojae Beach.

They who woke up late in the afternoon also boiled ramen to satisfy their hunger.

From Sojae Beach, there was a road leading to Bijobong, so they didn't have to push themselves like yesterday.

That was surely what other parties somewhere on Deokjeok Island were thinking too.

Therefore, Minho who talked with Hayang decided to depart from Sojae Beach after fully recovering their stamina.

So a problem arose.

"...Are you joking now? I have to share ramen with you guys? Ramen mixed with your dirty saliva?"

Choi Gain who slept without even standing guard at night recovered from fatigue first among party members.

Then she who regained energy threw a tantrum at lunch.

She said she didn't like sharing one pot of ramen with everyone.

"Gain, then I'll separate some for you. If I put it in the lid, you can eat alone."

"You call that talking!? Are you telling me to eat miserably now!?"

"...Then should I boil separately for you after everyone else eats?"

"Are you kidding me!?"

In advance, Mok Minho instructed Jin Parang to only bring one pot. It was to simplify luggage.

But she unusually fussily made a fuss saying she couldn't share ramen together.

Eunwoo made several suggestions to soothe her mood, but nevertheless, she wouldn't bend her will.

"─Then Gain, you don't eat."

"...What?"

"There are calorie bars left, so you can fill your stomach with those."

"......"

Party members had their mood ruined as soon as they woke up.

Party members who were too tired to deal with her hysteria let Hayang speak indifferently.

"Hey, Jung Hayang. Are you looking down on me?"

"No? I'm not."

Jung Hayang and Choi Gain's battle of nerves.

The two groups' direct descendants had been having a battle of nerves since yesterday.

Come to think of it, Choi Gain making a fuss over one ramen was also because she was pushed back by Hayang yesterday.

Hayang knew that too, so she wouldn't back down.

"Wow... Hey, Jung Hayang. Are you showing your temper like this because Eunha isn't here? Really, I thought you'd be like this."

"Why is Eunha coming up here?"

"Hah... This kid is really pretending not to know? Hey, you think I don't know you always act coy next to Eunha? Everyone knows except you!"

"I've never done that."

Hayang retorted in a sulky voice.

She who was upset frowned while looking at her.

Not to be outdone, Choi Gain didn't avoid her gaze either.

As if determined to win today even if she lost yesterday.

But the winner didn't change.

"─Parang oppa, boil water."

"Just try boiling it!"

"Okay! I'll match the water perfectly so look forward to it!"

"Cha Eunwoo! Stop him!"

"G-Gain..."

"Cha Eunwoo! Can't you hear me!?"

"Eunwoo. It seems monsters are approaching now, so I think we need to deploy barriers around."

"...Oh, okay."

"Cha Eunwoo!"

There was no way Jin Parang would follow Choi Gain's instructions.

Jin Parang who even Mok Minho couldn't stop immediately started filling the pot with water after hearing Hayang's instructions.

Choi Gain gave orders to Cha Eunwoo in frustration, but Jung Hayang quickly sent Eunwoo away to perform his role as navigator.

Eunwoo who had no choice but to hear Choi Gain's orders also left without lingering after receiving the navigator's instructions.

"Eeeeek─!!"

In the end, Choi Gain exploded.

She who stomped on the ground several times threw everything she could grab at Hayang.

"Let go! You're not letting go of this!?"

Of course, Hayang deployed a protective barrier to avoid what she threw hysterically.

At the same time, Minho who had been quiet until then snatched Choi Gain's wrist to prevent her from throwing things.

Nevertheless, when she caused a disturbance, Mok Minho applied strength to the wrist holding her.

In the end, she teared up.

"...You...! What are you doing to me now!"

"I understand your feelings, but no matter what, this could become a problem if done to Alice Group's direct descendant."

"So what! Whoever she is, why should I care!?"

"Yes."

Minho was firm.

He who stood with his back to her to protect Hayang grabbed Choi Gain's other hand and fully received her anger.

No matter how much she shouted, he didn't back down.

In the end, she tired herself out and sat on the ground crying loudly.

However, no one cared about her.

"Guys! The ramen is done! Let's eat quickly before it gets soggy!"

Meanwhile, Jin Parang finished the ramen. He called party members with a bright face regardless of Choi Gain crying.

Choi Gain cried even more sadly.

But no one looked back.

"If you don't want to eat, don't eat."

"...I really... I won't let this slide."

In the end, Choi Gain who realized it was no use quietly took a seat with a tear-stained face.

Hayang delivered a blow seeing her defeated on her own.

She who lost to Hayang again gritted her teeth while eating ramen Eunwoo put in the lid for her.

Then she was upset again because the ramen Jin Parang made was so delicious.

Why does Eunha keep someone like her around?

Meanwhile, Hayang who had a fight that didn't match her personality fell into thought while slurping noodles.

From her perspective, Choi Gain clearly deviated from Eunha's standards.

Nevertheless, Eunha didn't try to treat Choi Gain harshly.

With his personality, he wouldn't have left her alone even if she was Galaxy Group's direct descendant.

I... don't like it.

Therefore, Hayang honestly didn't like Choi Gain.

Because she seemed to receive special treatment from Eunha.

While seeming to be of no help to Eunha.

She couldn't help but question.

The reason Eunha didn't try to drive her away.

"Guys."

Soon she had to return from her thoughts at Minji's call.

She who suddenly raised her head looked at Minji sending gazes to party members seriously.

"You know─"

Soon Minji said.

"─I'll make dinner."

""""...."""

"Okay, you do it."

"...No."

Hayang who had no hesitation in suppressing Choi Gain momentarily hesitated on how to answer.

Then when Choi Gain blurted out, she hurriedly spoke.

Jung Hayang and Choi Gain's battle of nerves raised the curtain again.