World's Strongest Survivor-Chapter 49

Duo Squad: How to Create a Pincer Attack

As soon as they slipped over the fence of the small village, which had about 30 houses, Seowoon pressed his back against the nearest house and surveyed the signs of life within.

Kichan stayed in the rear, keeping watch and ready to provide magical support if anything unexpected happened.

Unleashing Silent Ghost Steps at full power, Seowoon scouted the village like a cockroach slipping through the cracks and then returned to his starting point.

"–Clear."

"–Roger!"

He signaled Kichan and began looting from the first house.

As they continued to pick up mediocre items and completed the looting with coordinated rhythm, Kichan let out a sigh.

"Man... loot luck is the worst. Two villages and not even one accessory dropped."

"It's only the first day. We haven't even finished the loot route yet. Now let's make a decision."

"About what?"

"The last quad. Do we sweep it or move on? We have to decide."

Looking at Seowoon asking for his opinion, Kichan shook his head.

"Whatever I say, you're gonna want to clear it anyway."

Seowoon's smile deepened at that.

The last remaining quad—although they hadn't confirmed it—might be from Jongcheon's group, so they had to be sure.

Kichan likely thought the same. They couldn't just let them go, especially with real-world conflict brewing between them.

And since they'd been pulled into the same game instance, it was crucial to force them out of the game.

If they didn't take them out now, those guys would only be trouble later in the real world.

[Survivors: 378/400]

***

Kang Kichan → Galio (Killed with shadow magic)

Jin Seowoon → Taodin (Killed with martial arts)

Ju Rokhana → Zhuojiye Run (Killed with archery)

As Seowoon reviewed the list of survivors, his expression hardened.

Kichan noticed and spoke up.

"What's wrong?"

"Ahh... ran into a nasty old connection."

"Wait... someone from a previous game?"

With his extensive gaming experience, Kichan quickly figured it out.

"Yeah. The bastard who shot an arrow into my head is in this game too."

"So... your first game? That's a tough one."

"Tough and dirty. Always talking about honor, but all he did was gank people."

"Was he a newbie at the time?"

"Think so. Why?"

"Then odds are, this is his third game too. He's progressing as fast as you are. If he was always going on about 'honor,' he's probably not a Murim player... we should avoid him if we can."

"Well, if we meet, it'll just be a good chance for revenge."

"It's still early. Let's take it slow until we're in the top 120. Kill rewards and revenge are great, but the most important thing is—"

"Not dropping out. I know."

Closing the survivor list, Seowoon spoke again.

"Let's move."

As Seowoon took off with graceful, elongated strides, Kichan quickly followed.

The forest surrounding the village was attractive terrain for an ambush.

If you found the right spot and observed, you could keep watch on looting enemies and initiate fights on your own terms.

Conversely, for those looting, it meant they had to stay on high alert, extending their caution even outside the village, wary of enemies hiding in the trees.

Even while looting, the thought of ambushers would weigh on their minds.

–They're probably looting this village or the nearby mine about now.

–Most likely.

–Master! There's an alarm spell set here!–

At Hamit's warning, Seowoon suddenly froze mid-stride.

Kichan, sprinting hard, almost overshot but managed to stop about two steps ahead—mimicking Seowoon's movement, which ignored inertia, was no easy feat.

Seowoon glanced at Kichan's feet and asked Hamit:

'Did it activate?'

–No. Barely dodged it. One more step and we would've triggered it.–

'What's the range?'

–About 100 meters left and right from here. We'll have to circle around.–

"Kichan."

Seeing Seowoon suddenly tense up, Kichan called out cautiously.

"Hmm? Oh. Alarm spell. Don't go any farther—it was a close call."

Kichan was stunned. He, a mage himself, hadn't detected a spell set by another mage, but Seowoon had?

He had so many questions, but didn't know where to start. As he stammered, Seowoon clapped him on the shoulder and started walking, carefully navigating around the magic field. Kichan came to his senses and followed.

"How did you detect it?"

"Let's clean up here first, then we'll talk."

To be honest, Seowoon was reluctant to talk about Hamit, even with Kichan, whom he trusted.

After all, Hamit was a weapon drawn from the Gold Weapon Box that had originally belonged to Kichan. It felt awkward to explain that in detail.

He didn't want to lie either, so instead he shut down the conversation and pretended to focus on scouting to avoid the topic.

Seeing Seowoon tense up, Kichan did the same and switched to team voice chat.

–If there's an alarm spell here, that means there are enemies in this village, right?

–Yeah.

–It's a 4v2, so we need to be careful.

–Don't assume. Could be a solo quad, could be two duos. We can't be sure. Don't make assumptions—prepare for everything.

At those words, Kichan nodded and swallowed nervously.

It was a prejudice that had formed without them even realizing it.

After all, this was Cloyd—a place where even small mistakes could come with big consequences.

Cautiously approaching the bushes near the wall of a three-story house close to the fence, Seowoon raised his hand and crouched lower.

"I'll check first. Wait here."

As soon as he finished speaking, Seowoon climbed over the fence and pressed himself against the wall. Carefully, he climbed along the railing and peeked into the second-floor window.

He spotted a scroll on the floor inside the room. He opened the window and slipped inside.

"Come in."

Kichan followed him through the window.

"They're probably guarding the outskirts of the village. At most, they'll be looting in pairs. They'll be coming into this house soon. We hold position and wipe them as soon as they enter. Once we engage the first ones, you climb onto the roof through the window and watch for any who follow."

Kichan nodded, inwardly impressed.

He had expected something like a surprise assault, but formulating and executing a strategy this quickly was no small feat.

Anyone could make a plan, but in real combat, executing that plan was another matter entirely, with countless possible obstacles.

They remained as silent as possible, watching the second-floor entrance, when a sound echoed.

Creak.

The sound of the door opening on the first floor—normally insignificant—boomed like thunder.

"Try not to use magic unless you absolutely have to," Seowoon said.

Kichan nodded. He knew that already.

"I don't like that knight guy."

"Same here. Acting all high and mighty just because he's got a mage on his side. But he's still a teammate. Stirring conflict will only hurt the whole group."

"I know."

Their grumbling about a teammate grew louder as they got closer.

"Still, that mage guy set up an alert spell, so—cough!"

Before he could finish his sentence, the archer with a bow on his back collapsed forward, eyes wide, a dagger embedded in his throat.

The knight behind him drew his longsword.

Crash!

But he couldn't move as he'd intended.

Seowoon had dropped down from above, crushing the knight's helmet with a single blow and ending his life.

Absorbing the life force, Seowoon looked to Kichan, who was already slipping out the window.

"Hyung! They're coming! A mage and a knight!"

Just as expected from their earlier eavesdropping.

"Attack!"

At Seowoon's command, Kichan, now lying flat on the roof, launched magic at the two approaching enemies.

They had approached the house, suspicious of something. As they looked up, they were forced to defend against the Ice Snake crashing down from above.

But Kichan, wasting no time after his first attack, had already descended to the ground and was preparing his next spell.

Just as the knight spotted him and moved to charge—

Clang!

Seowoon burst through the second-floor window and dropped toward the two enemies with an Ice Lance.

Still reeling from the Ice Snake's chill, the knight's feet were frozen in place by the new spell.

He grimaced as the cold froze his greaves and ankles—just before Seowoon's fist came crashing down on the top of his helmet.

Boom!

Unlike the knight they took down in the house, this one had a strong resistance. Seowoon's fist bounced off.

"Kaier Earth!"

The knight shouted, and a soft yellow glow enveloped his body.

To Seowoon's surprise, the helmet that had been dented moments ago began to return to its original shape.

Seowoon rained down a flurry of attacks.

Clang-clang-clang-clang!

The knight deflected them all with a modestly sized round shield, naturally falling back to protect the mage behind him.

The intense cold in the area was blown away by the concentrated heat flying toward them from the mage.

"Hyung! Get out of the way!"

Even without Kichan's warning, Seowoon could tell the spell wasn't one to be taken lightly.

He dodged sideways just in time as the mana surged—and the fire exploded.

Boom!

The force and heat of the blast engulfed Seowoon.

Thrown sideways by the shockwave, Seowoon rolled on the ground and rose to his feet, gritting his teeth.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine!"

Clang!

Before he could even finish his sentence, the knight's sword came crashing down on his head, which Seowoon blocked with the back of his hand.

His hand, protected by a Hamit, throbbed with pain.

The knight was clearly trying to overpower him with brute force, driving the blade down without letting up.

If this kept up, Seowoon might get overwhelmed.

Crackle!

Suddenly, sparks flew from Seowoon's hand, running down the blade and shocking the knight.

Startled by the sudden jolt, the knight staggered back.

But Seowoon wasn't about to let that opportunity pass.

Faster than the retreating knight, Seowoon lunged forward and threw a punch into his chest.

Seowoon's electrified arm tingled, and the knight—thrusting his sword a beat too late—blocked Seowoon's punch with his shield.

Thud.

With a dull sound, the shield-wielding arm was knocked upward.

Clang!

In that moment, Seowoon's strike landed squarely in the knight's chest.

Though his inner energy didn't fully penetrate, it was effective enough that blood sprayed from beneath the knight's fully enclosed helmet.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Clang!

Even as the two clashed, Kichan's magical battle with the enemy mage ignited the surroundings.

Flames clashed with ice, and earth collided with wind.

While obstructing each other's magic aimed at Seowoon and the knight, the battlefield was lit ablaze, chilled with frost, and torn by upheaved ground.

Just as Seowoon was about to advance, he felt the earth beneath his feet grow soft. He instantly leapt backward.

No sooner had he moved than a jagged, pitch-black spear shot from the ground—only to vanish as if swallowed by the surrounding light.

It looked like a spear made of shadow, disappearing the moment it appeared.

Boom!

Meanwhile, Kichan's spell struck the enemy knight.

Earth Wave.

The ground surged, vomiting a massive boulder toward the knight.

The knight raised a small shield to block it, but physics was unforgiving—he was knocked backward by the sheer force.

"Sua!"

As Seowoon rushed in toward the fallen knight, a stone wall rose from the ground in front of him.

Crash!

Smashing through the wall with his fist, Seowoon lunged at the knight who was just barely getting to his feet.

The knight, still only halfway up, swung his sword in desperation.

Though unsteady and lacking full power, it was still a blade—one that could cut if it made contact.

Just as Seowoon's fist connected with the weapon—

Electric Shock.

A surge of electricity shocked the knight once again.

Crackle!

The knight tried to raise his shield in defense, but his eyes widened in panic as Seowoon's form split into two right in front of him.

Before he could fully recover, both versions of Seowoon launched a relentless barrage of punches.

Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!

The knight couldn't properly defend against the torrent. His helmet flew off.

The dented and dislodged helmet clattered to the ground as the short-haired, brown-headed knight coughed up blood and collapsed face-first.

Thud!

At that same moment, Kichan closed in on the mage and stabbed a dagger into his chest.

"Whew. This team's pretty tough," Kichan said.

"Yeah, really."

Seowoon looked down at the fists that had pushed the knight to the brink of death. A dull pain pulsed through them.

He figured at least two fingers were broken.

Shaking his head, Seowoon pulled a scroll from his subspace and tore it. Kichan rushed over in alarm.

"You're hurt?"

"It's nothing serious. He was so damn sturdy, I think my hand gave out before he did."

"Phew. Knights really do have insane durability."

Seowoon nodded. Kichan wasn't wrong—they had both felt it firsthand.

"For now, let's finish looting."

"Got it."

[T/L: Read extra Chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : https://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]