The Support Ate it All
Chapter 369: 2nd and 3rd Week Large Scale Dungeon (4)

– Awoooo—!

The White Wolf Tribe continued their relentless wave attacks.

Just when we thought we’d dealt with them all, more would gather from somewhere and climb the hill again. And when we cleared those out, even more would come.

In response, we mechanically continued our defense as if performing a repetitive task.

Seo Ye-in sniped the chieftain-level members of the White Wolf Tribe, while Hong Yeon-hwa spread fire magic over a wide area, burning the wolves.

Occasionally, some still managed to break through.

Like the one from the White Wolf Tribe now standing before us.

Up close, the thing was at least two heads taller than us and as bulky as a bear.

It bared its fangs and growled—

With a single roar, it leapt high.

Its movements were surprisingly agile for its size and it closed the distance in an instant.

But the next moment, Go Hyeon-woo stepped in its path.

A soft breeze wrapped around his diagonally tilted sword.

When the beast’s forepaw struck the blade—

Thud.

A powerful rebound force flung it backward.

Go Hyeon-woo didn’t stop there. Stepping forward, he slashed his sword.

Slash.

The White Wolf Tribe member collapsed where it stood and died.

After casting a glance at its fallen body, Go Hyeon-woo calmly moved on to the next target.

With everyone fulfilling their roles like this, the seemingly endless onslaught from the White Wolf Tribe gradually weakened and eventually came to a halt.

It’s probably one of two things.

Either they decided this wasn’t working, or they still had the will to fight but had all died.

Whichever it was, it was good news for us.

“Looks like they won’t come anymore today. Let’s take a break.”

“……!”

At those words, everyone brightened and began tidying up the area.

No one was injured, but fatigue had quietly built up.

We added more firewood to the campfire and set up alarm spells just in case of another ambush.

Then we pitched the tents and sat down for a meal.

On the menu were piles of instant food we’d picked up from the supply store.

Hong Yeon-hwa handed a triangular rice ball to Seo Ye-in.

“Here.”

“……”

But Seo Ye-in subtly backed away without taking it.

She had a bad experience with a spicy cookie once, so she was being cautious.

Hong Yeon-hwa seemed to notice and quickly added,

“D-Don’t worry. It’s not spicy at all.”

But can she really trust those words?

For her, even things with names like “Inferno~” aren’t spicy at all.

Still, Seo Ye-in seemed willing to give it a shot. She accepted the triangular rice ball and carefully took a small bite from the corner.

Once she confirmed that it truly wasn’t spicy, she began eating the rest.

“…Pass.”

Relieved, Hong Yeon-hwa also started munching on her own rice ball.

Go Hyeon-woo watched them with a satisfied smile.

“The relationship between you two young ladies seems reasonably friendly. That’s a relief.”

“Yeah, they’re getting along just fine.”

Both Seo Ye-in and Hong Yeon-hwa had fairly strong personalities.

So I expected there to be some friction between them, but it looks like that phase passed quicker than expected.

“They’ve already fought enough times.”

“True. They’ve clashed more than once or twice.”

From the first semester up to last week, they’d faced each other countless times in duels, trading blows and more or less settling the pecking order.

And through midterms, finals, and other experiences, they’d grown closer too.

At the very least, they’d confirmed that they weren’t incompatible.

In other words, there’s no real reason left for them to butt heads.

Though it’s not completely over yet.

As long as Hong Yeon-hwa keeps that competitive fire in her heart, they’ll probably clash again someday.

Other problems could arise too.

Go Hyeon-woo smiled lightly in agreement, then stared into the campfire for a moment before changing the subject.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask.”

“What is it?”

“I heard this dungeon is considered roughly D-rank in difficulty. How does it compare to the ones we’ve been through before?”

“Pretty similar, I’d say.”

The Feathered Serpent Temple we snuck into in the first semester, the Great Eagle Escort Agency, the Sealing Demon Chest….all of those.

In terms of difficulty, they’re more or less on the same level as this place.

I asked back,

“But why do you bring it up?”

“Back then, I felt a strong sense of urgency while going through them. But this time, things feel a bit… underwhelming.”

“That just means we’ve gotten stronger.”

“It’s quite the change over time.”

A faint smile appeared on Go Hyeon-woo’s lips.

I smiled back and added a word of my own.

“We need to get even stronger. Strong enough that even B-rank dungeons feel easy.”

“I fully intend to.”

“If we keep at it, the day will come when we see the White Elder again.”

“……!”

Go Hyeon-woo’s eyes sharpened with a piercing energy.

The White Elder. The hidden boss of the Black Death Dungeon and an elder of the Demon Sect.

Back then, Go Hyeon-woo and Shin Byeong-cheol had stumbled across him while digging for a way out, and by sheer luck, they managed to survive by passing his ‘test.’

It was then that Go Hyeon-woo made a promise to the White Elder, warrior to warrior:

That someday, they would meet again to settle the unfinished match.

Go Hyeon-woo gave a slow nod.

“That promise is still etched in my heart. I’ll continue to train.”

“If it’s you, I know you’ll do it.”

After that, we kept talking as we gazed into the campfire.

Before we knew it, the night had deepened, and Seo Ye-in who was nodding off grabbed my arm and led me toward the tent.

“Pillow.”

“Right, time to get some sleep.”

We’d spent the whole day in the cold. What’s a pillow after all that?

Hong Yeon-hwa, who’d been lingering nearby, quietly followed us.

Then Go Hyeon-woo peeked into the tent, gave a soft smile, and said,

“It’s a bit cramped, so I’ll spend the time outside in meditation.”

“You don’t have to take watch. I set up an alarm trap, remember?”

“I know. I just need some time alone to gather my thoughts.”

“Suit yourself.”

Whether it was true or not, I decided to let him be.

Staying up one night wouldn’t do much harm, and someone like Go Hyeon-woo could manage his condition just fine.

Even with the fire blazing just outside, the inside of the tent felt cool.

So we each crawled into our sleeping bags and lay side by side.

“Pillow.”

Seo Ye-in rolled over inside her sleeping bag and bumped into me.

Maybe it was colder than usual because she was clinging even more than normal.

Then she actually climbed on top of me, so I pushed her off.

“I need to breathe too. Get down, please.”

“…Okay.”

Meanwhile, Hong Yeon-hwa had settled on the opposite side of the tent.

But as Go Hyeon-woo had said, the space was cramped, so she was only a few hand spans away from me.

It was a setup quite similar to the one during finals.

“……”

Maybe because of that, Hong Yeon-hwa kept pretending to sleep, only to sneak glances at me with half-closed eyes.

It looked like she was waiting for a chance to roll over quietly.

Wondering if all that effort was really necessary, I said something.

“If you’re cold, come over and huddle.”

“……”

“I’m not going to make a big deal out of it.”

“……”

Embarrassed that I’d seen through her, Hong Yeon-hwa looked away awkwardly.

But in the end, unable to resist the temptation, she rolled over and pressed her sleeping bag against mine.

***

The next morning.

I woke to a sharp sound.

Kiiiiing—!

It was the alarm magic.

Someone had triggered the trap. Meaning someone was approaching.

And of course, that someone had to be the White Wolf Tribe.

I immediately sat up, and so did Hong Yeon-hwa.

Seo Ye-in, who had lost her Kim Ho pillow in her sleep, also woke up with a disgruntled expression.

When we stepped outside the tent, Go Hyeon-woo was already there with his sword in hand.

“Good morning.”

“Hey. Did you get some rest?”

“I managed to get some, in my own way.”

We exchanged greetings calmly as we finished preparing for battle.

Before long, just like the day before, the White Wolf Tribe’s wave attack began.

Wolves climbed the hillside, with large werewolves scattered among them.

Just like yesterday, we held our ground, and the battle raged on until the sun was high in the sky.

Kwoooosh—!

The last remaining pack of wolves was engulfed in a pillar of fire and melted away.

Hong Yeon-hwa slowly surveyed the battlefield, then spoke in a puzzled tone.

“It’s… over? Already…?”

“Seems like it.”

Judging by how long we’d fought, it hadn’t even lasted a quarter as long as yesterday’s battle. And yet, it was already over.

This time, it wasn’t a “maybe”. It was definitely the latter.

Looks like the White Wolf Tribe around here has been completely wiped out.

If that’s the case, then it’s time to wrap up the hunting operation.

From here on out, it was our turn to move.

We quickly grabbed a bite and made our way down the hill.

Then we picked a direction and began moving straight ahead.

Fwooooosh—

“I hate the cold wind…”

Seo Ye-in gave a slight shiver and glanced around.

The moment she spotted a totem, she took aim and shot it down.

She’s handling things on her own now, without even being told.

Along the way, we occasionally came across small huts. Likely the nests of the White Wolf Tribe.

Normally, the moment we stepped close, someone would have come rushing out. But now, the huts were completely empty.

They must have all been swept up in the hunting raid.

In effect, all the battles we might’ve faced along the way had been concentrated on that hill.

To sum up the operation so far: cause a commotion, herd the enemies, then raid their empty homes.

And now, we were on our way to take down the boss.

Despite being a dungeon, it felt more like a leisurely hike.

After passing by a few more huts,

The scenery slowly began to change. Ice structures began appearing in place of the forest.

We’re getting close.

We exchanged glances and quickened our pace.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before a fortress made of ice came into view.

The walls weren’t particularly high, but with the White Wolf Tribe standing guard, charging in recklessly would be tough.

They’d already noticed our approach, too.

Of course, our party had someone who could handle this easily.

“Hong Yeon-hwa.”

“Mhmm.”

Hong Yeon-hwa nodded and stepped forward.

Sensing what was about to unfold, her face brimmed with anticipation.

The spell incantation lasted longer than usual.

The magic circle was more than twice its normal size, signaling that she was preparing a large-scale spell.

There was no way the White Wolf Tribe couldn’t see this from their side, and a wave of unrest rippled across the fortress walls.

Still, instead of rushing out recklessly, it seemed they’d chosen to hold their position.

Of course, that was a very poor decision.

At last, the magic circle flared with a vivid crimson light as Hong Yeon-hwa raised her staff high above her head.

[Phoenix Flutter]

Whooosh!

Flames surged up, taking the shape of a huge phoenix.

As it beat its wings with power, fiery feathers scattered wide and rained down across the entire fortress.

– …!

– …!

Another stir ran through the White Wolf ranks, but they still appeared to place their trust in the strength of their fortress.

Even if it was a large-scale spell, each feather was only about the size of a palm. They must’ve thought it was hardly enough to damage a structure.

But that was a serious underestimation of Hong Yeon-hwa.

The moment the fiery feathers touched down—

Fwoosh—

The fortress that seemed sturdy began to melt violently and was on the verge of collapse.

She’s got Aqua Flame, after all.

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