The Late Game Healer Is Way Too Strong – Chapter 208

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟖: 𝐔𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐥 1

The black turtle hid dormant within its shell.

No, rather than dormant, it would be more accurate to say that it was unconcerned with the outside world and slept soundly.

Thanks to it, if it could be called thanks.

Thanks to the monster not causing a ruckus, all the civilians in the vicinity were able to evacuate.

It would be great if they could just take the whole thing away and dump it by the beach.

‘𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘜𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴.’

Even if he moved it to the beach, it would only endanger the people nearby.

Red Ear scanned the snapping turtle’s appearance with his sharp eyes.

Even to the naked eye, the hard shell looked thick enough to withstand not only a sword but even a magical attack.

Even if he used all of his magic with his best magic item, the shell probably wouldn’t even get scratched.

“Old man, have you organized your thoughts?”

Volk urged him from the side, leisurely drinking his beer.

“Wait, you easygoing bastard.”

“Why don’t you just go and hit it? What’s with all the planning, planning.”

“Be quiet. What do you think, Hunter Han Tae-chi? Do you like this old man’s plan?”

“The idea is great. . . I’m just not sure if my item is up to the task.”

Han Tae-chi looked anxious.

He had tested items with Siwoo in S-rank Gates and high-level dungeons, but he had never used them against a monster of that size.

Furthermore, this wasn’t a test, it was a real situation.

If he activated the item and it didn’t work as planned. . . the result would be nothing but harm to the citizens.

It wasn’t that Han Tae-chi didn’t want to take responsibility, he just didn’t think he was worthy of taking such responsibility.

What difference would it make to the victims if he took responsibility?

‘𝘐𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. . .’

Han Tae-chi let out a weak sigh, clutching his item bag tightly.

Perhaps it was because of this weak-willed attitude that he had ended up stuck in the deepest part of the research lab, not out in the field.

He might be numb to the resentment and criticism of others.

But he wouldn’t be able to bear the guilt if innocent lives were lost because of his lack of ability, no matter how much he surrounded himself with magic.

Han Tae-chi didn’t have the confidence to withstand that guilt.

He didn’t want to bear even 1% of the responsibility for someone’s death.

That’s why he had given up on being a Hunter and had lived solely focused on research.

At least until he met Siwoo.

“It’s okay, don’t worry too much. It’s not your fault.”

“. . .What?”

“That’s what the Master said. Items are just tools. The magic item I use and the items you make both ultimately depend on the Hunter who uses them.”

Red Ear laughed awkwardly and patted Han Tae-chi on the shoulder.

“Aren’t you worried, Elder? What if it fails. . .”

“Well, if it fails, we’ll just have to come up with another plan. Do you always live your life with such certainty?”

Han Tae-chi shook his head.

How could he live his life with certainty when he didn’t even know what would happen today?

“Hunter fights are the same. We just have to do what we can.”

“Wow. Elder, you’re being uncharacteristically strange.”

“Be quiet, you idiot!”

“Ack! Why are you hitting my head! You’re going to make me stupid!”

Red Ear hit Volk on the head with his staff and turned away.

Perhaps because he had given advice he didn’t usually give, he felt strangely embarrassed.

‘𝘖𝘩, 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴?’

Han Tae-chi looked up at the sky with a slightly dazed expression.

Of course, those few words didn’t wash away the anxiety that had built up over years in an instant.

But one thing was for sure. He had gained a sense of direction.

“Get ready, old man. We need to get that monster out of the street so Master can see.”

“Oh, let’s do it.”

“Yes, Elder.”

Han Tae-chi replied with a noticeably lighter expression.

Red Ear and Volk ran forward first, and Han Tae-chi moved in a different direction from them.

The snapping turtle in front of him was as big as a giant whale.

“It doesn’t look like we’ll be able to win in a fight.”

“Are you thinking about that too, old man?”

“What on earth do you think of me, you bastard?”

Red Ear rebuked Volk and pointed the head of his staff forward.

His sharp, honed eyes shone fiercely as if they would pierce through the turtle’s armor.

“Let’s start.”

“Oh, whenever you’re ready.”

The magic power emitted from Red Ear’s dantian flowed to his fingertips and gathered in his magic item.

Unlike the staves used by magicians, magic items are closer to a kind of magic dispenser with spells already entered.

Usually their power and the number of spells they can use are limited, but the magic item Red Ear used maximized power instead, so it was almost disposable.

The magic item he was handling now was the same.

The staff, fully charged with Red Ear’s magic power, trembled and created a huge magic circle in front of it.

“Now!!”

Hwarrrrruuuuuuuungㅡㅡㅡ!!

An enormous flame shot forward like a flamethrower.

The flames were so large that they enveloped the snapping turtle’s huge body.

It couldn’t be helped that the shell was hard, but the part where the turtle had retreated into its body wouldn’t be hard.

Thud.

An ominous sound like a taut bowstring being released.

The part of the snapping turtle’s head that had been hidden trembled violently.

“Retreat, old man!!”

Volk shouted urgently and grabbed Red Ear’s body and charged forward.

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ Kwa-dad!!

The asphalt where Red Ear had been standing was torn off in one piece.

The monster had thrust its head out in an instant and tried to hunt ‘Red’ with its strong jaws.

“Crazy. . . If we had been just a step slower. . .”

“Are you okay, you bastard?!”

“Hey, old man, do I look like I’m okay?!”

A huge bite mark, like the teeth of a giant beast, was carved into Volk’s back.

His clothes were already soaked with blood.

“Damn it, you bastard, you’re doing things you’ve never done before!”

“Ugh, damn it. . . Even if you spare me, it’s annoying.”

Red Ear put Volk’s arm over his shoulder and ran in the promised direction.

Volk couldn’t come to his senses with the pain that came with each step he took.

“Don’t die, you idiot!”

“Wh. . . Who wants to die. . . like this.”

“Pull yourself together!! Do you want to die?!”

Red Ear slapped Volk on the cheek with his other hand and shouted in his ear.

“This old man. . . hitting my cheek. . . shit. . .”

He had never imagined he would die such a ridiculous death.

Was it because he had lost too much blood?

Volk gradually felt his consciousness fading.

His running steps faltered and the words coming to his ears were as indistinct as a stretched-out tape.

What on earth was that damn old man shouting? He couldn’t understand a word.

Kwaㅡ Ahㅡ Ahㅡ Angㅡ!!

A huge shockwave approached from behind.

Red Ear’s expression changed urgently.

Volk turned his head to confirm the source of the deafening roar.

The snapping turtle, its eyes glowing bright red, was rushing towards them at an incredible speed.

Red Ear’s breath caught in his throat.

Volk’s head was spinning from the throbbing pain in his wound, but he could remember one thing.

‘𝘛𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥.’

The snapping turtle’s sharp, blunt mouth was aimed at them.

Just as he squeezed out the last of his magic power and ran a little further in front of the bastard’s nose,

Click.

With an enormous roar, the black turtle’s upper body lifted high into the air.

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

The final test was underway.

The fourth test was a simple matter of forcefully injecting magic power into the terminal.

Siwoo stood in front of the measuring device and turned his head left and right.

Originally, he had not had a single gram of desire to participate in this test, but as the inconveniences of living quietly increased, he thought it would be better to raise his ranking for the future.

Wherever he went, all he heard was criticism about ‘a guy who wasn’t even ranked’, so even Siwoo had his limits to how much he could endure.

If the reason he entered the HSIU headquarters was for smooth investigations, the reason he participated in the ranking battle was to reduce unnecessary trouble.

Siwoo turned his head slightly and glanced at the eyes focused on him.

Thanks to the words that the test was dirty, he could feel the anger dripping from the gazes of the Hunters glaring at him.

But they were forced to keep their mouths shut by Namir’s mace and Edward’s stern words.

‘𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵.’

‘𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘯 𝘪𝘵!’

‘𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴, 𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘯 𝘪𝘵!’

The Hunters were ready to boo as soon as the fourth result came out even a little badly.

They couldn’t stand Siwoo.

Siwoo’s lips curled up on their own at the sight of them looking like they would rush forward and beat him up if they got the chance.

He had drawn enough aggro, now it was time to get serious.

According to Edward, the highlight of this ranking battle was the final test.

He had advised Siwoo to do his best in the fourth test, saying that even if the results of the first to third tests were good, his rank could be lowered if the results of the fourth test were not good.

So Siwoo had taken Edward’s advice and taken the first to third tests lightly, as if he were just enjoying them.

Of course, he had concentrated on getting good results, but he hadn’t done his best.

‘𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵. . . 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭.’

Beep-!

The starting sound for the fourth test rang out.

The other examinees poured all their magic power into the terminal with all their might.

The purpose of this test was to measure the output of magic power.

No matter how large the amount of magic power one possessed, if their output of magic power was insufficient, the Hunter would not be able to use high-level skills.

It is important to control your magic power finely, but it is equally important to have the power to emit magic power.

“Keughh!!”

“Uaaaaaaaaaah!!”

“Gasp, gasp, gaspㅡ Keuk!”

The examinees, who had squeezed out all their strength for about three seconds, staggered and collapsed to the floor.

If they made a mistake, their mana veins could burst or they could experience severe pain as their dantian suddenly emptied, so they had no choice but to concentrate all their energy on the test, even if it was only for three seconds.

People’s gazes gathered in one place.

The only person who hadn’t taken the test yet.

Siwoo put his hand on the terminal and slowly steadied his breathing.

His dantian opened.

His magic power circulated violently throughout his body like a sports car idling.

A slightly dull and cool sensation spread to every corner of his body.

If you don’t practice circulating your magic power very often, your mana veins could tear or burst at this point.

However, Siwoo enjoyed the rapid torrent for a moment, as if water was gushing out of a fire hose, and then slowly began to gather magic power in his right hand.

A huge aura swelled like a balloon.

The fierce momentum boiled like wildfire and spread through the terminal.

Kwa-dad-dad-!!!

The input terminal receiving the magic power shattered and the building shook.

An enormous amount of magic power flowed out like a dam releasing water, covering the machine and filling the hall.

People opened their mouths in amazement as a chilling sensation ran down their spines.

Jji-jji-jji-jji-jji. . .!!

Peureureureureung!!

The terminal shattered into pieces and fell to the floor.

Siwoo looked at the operating committee, suppressing the torrent of magic power he had been pouring out like a waterfall.

They still hadn’t recovered from the shock of seeing the measuring device break for the ‘first’ time.

“It’s only been 2 seconds. Should I do it for another second?”

Siwoo asked Edward with a smile.

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