The battle was fraught with worry and complications. As Taewoo had said, this was truly a fight where it wouldn't have been strange to lose someone, and it turned out to be the strongest irregular we had faced so far.
Yet, we emerged victorious without losing anyone.
Biting down hard, casting healing spells just in time, we managed to avoid any serious injuries.
Though we were left with hardly a drop of mana, feeling as though our bodies were withering away, the outcome was still gratifying. Whispering to myself about how we all survived, Taewoo chuckled beside me.
"With two S-class fighters among us, it would indeed be shameful if someone had died."
"Then why did you..."
"It's necessary to be prepared for that level of risk. The thought that I or one of my friends might die is something we all must face once we're in battle."
...
Rather than getting angry about why he provoked me earlier, I couldn't completely refute Taewoo's point.
Indeed, knowing the battle would be dangerous, I had focused more on improving our relationship with the Muam guild, dedicating a whole month to synchronize our efforts. And in the actual fight against the Titan, I pushed even harder with the healing spells.
Even without Taewoo's warning, I wondered if I would have done the same. Holding my staff tightly, I felt perhaps I would have. It just so happened that the guild leader of Muam had reminded me a bit earlier than expected.
If I were to express my gratitude, it was only as small as a fingertip, and my complaints were as big as a palm. Yet, looking at him with a wary eye, Taewoo laughed again.
The atmosphere eased significantly after the battle ended.
Shaking my head, I thought avoiding conversations with unagreeable people was better for my mental health as I reflected on the battle with the Titan. That's when an unexpected question was raised.
"So, how do we get back?"
After reconfirming the Titan's death and while we were reveling in our emotions, Jinhyuk suddenly broke the silence with his innocent question, causing everyone to fall silent, even Taewoo and Haehyuk.
Only then did we realize the situation wasn't all that great.
Although defeating the Titan was certainly something to be proud of, the ship we arrived in was in such bad shape that it was unrecognizable and sinking. Fortunately, morning was breaking, but that was the only silver lining, as even the ship we were standing on was expected to sink soon, leaving us to clear our throats in anxiety.
"Really, how do we get back?"
Taewoo threw out a question irresponsibly. The others, with wavering eyes, turned their hopes towards Haehyuk, who sighed under their desperate gazes.
"We did consider the possibility of the ship being damaged, so we prepared several lifeboats. But I didn't expect the ship to be destroyed to this extent."
"Then..."
"The boats are unusable. But I had requested backup from the association before we left, so we should be able to get some help."
"Ah..."
Despite the grave situation, Haehyuk's words somehow instilled a belief that things would work out. Watching Haehyuk take out his phone, which surprisingly survived the fierce battle unscathed, made me recall my own phone that I had put away in my pocket. Despite participating as a support and thus facing less hardship, there was a time when I was hit by a chain and knocked out. Worried it might be broken, I took out my phone from my pocket. Fortunately, aside from a slight crack on the screen, it was not badly damaged.
The crack was bothersome but not worth fixing. After turning it on and ensuring it worked properly, I opened the messenger app.
There were three messages each from Daun, Haewon, Jihye, and Gunwoo. There were also calls from Ruth and a couple of messages from unknown numbers. I began replying to my worried friends when I heard Haehyuk calling for support. Standing on the debris of the destroyed ship, he finished his call and turned to us with a smile.
"Fortunately, help is on the way."
"Really?"
"Yes, we should be able to return in about six hours."
"...What?"
His casual response made it sound as though we were only waiting for about 50 minutes. When I asked again, "How many hours?" Haehyuk, putting his phone back in his pocket, smiled serenely and replied, "Six hours."
His face was kind, but his words were far from gentle, silencing everyone.
"I requested a helicopter to come as quickly as possible. It took us two days to get here, so it can't be helped."
The revelation left people speechlessly gasping. Understanding the situation but struggling to accept spending six hours on this vast sea was a different matter altogether.
Waiting versus enduring—the difference was stark.
Exhausted and unable to even flick a finger due to mana depletion, the thought of enduring here for six more hours seemed almost impossible. Seeing the disheartened expressions around me, Haehyuk offered an awkward smile.
"Seems like dealing with the Titan was easier for you all, wasn't it?"
His question, almost like a reprimand, snapped everyone back to reality. They shook their heads in denial. From the corner, observing everyone's reaction, I couldn't help but smile inwardly at Haehyuk's adept handling of the situation.
"Such a way to set the mood."
It was obvious that surviving six hours on the sea was easier compared to battling the Titan. After all, the fight with the Titan lasted just over five hours. Thanks to Jinhyuk's flight buff, I was completely drained of mana and lay sprawled beside him.
If there was any flaw in Haehyuk's reasoning, it was that enduring six hours on the sea after the fight felt fundamentally different in terms of impact.
But considering everything, it was still preferable to fighting the Titan again.
"Once my mana is replenished, I'll create a shield platform for us to stand on. It'll be safer than here."
Though the idea of standing on a thin, transparent shield was daunting, it was certainly safer than being on a sinking ship without knowing when an irregular might attack.
At that moment, Yoonju, deep in thought, raised her hand slightly.
"Could we possibly use that shield to move?"
...
It was a startling question. Obviously, Yoonju had never set up a shield platform herself, but even then, I couldn't hide my momentary shock before responding after a pause.
"It's possible, but it would take a long time, and the helicopter will arrive by then. It's better to just wait quietly than to waste mana."
Yoonju's suggestion would essentially be no different from using a flight buff to fly away. When I subtly glanced at Jinhyuk, who suddenly became aware of the suspicious atmosphere, he vehemently shook his head.
Seeing his adamant refusal, I nodded in agreement, and Yoonju also gave up on the idea. Relieved, I focused on mana recovery.
Though slow, the feeling of mana gradually refilling was reassuring, but an unforeseen problem arose.
The morning air was cold, and the harsh chill of early spring penetrated our relaxed bodies. Damp clothes caused our body temperature to drop, making it feel even colder. Initially manageable, the cold became progressively worse, leading to shivering and eventually coughing, prompting the children around me to offer their jackets.
Without exception, the Class A students simultaneously removed their outer layers, prompting a bewildered response from me.
"What are you doing?"
"You're cold, aren't you?"
"It's fine, your clothes are wet too."
"But if we layer them up, it'll be warmer than now."
Soo-woo, taking the lead, combined his jacket with those of Ha-min and Ha-ru, placing them over me. The weight of three wet layers felt heavy but might indeed help retain some warmth. Skeptical, I looked at them, now in thin long sleeves.
"Aren't you cold?"
"I don't really feel cold."
Ha-min, who had turned red-nosed from cold before, asserted unconvincingly.
"Me neither."
Ha-ru seemed genuinely unaffected.
"I'm fine too."
Soo-woo, who had cuddled for warmth just weeks before, claimed bravely.
Doubtful of everyone but Ha-ru, I noticed the three boys smiling. Resigning myself to the situation, I laid Ha-min beside me to warm up his already pale lips, then made room for Soo-woo and Ha-ru, spreading the jackets wide over us.
It was awkward for all four of us to be covered at once, but sharing the warmth felt more comforting than being alone.
In a corner of the sinking ship, as the four of us lay side by side, Haehyuk chuckled softly, removing his suit jacket to cover Ha-ru, who was at the edge and least covered. Taewoo, intrigued, joined us, contributing to a collective warmth that felt surprisingly effective against the chill.
Despite past conflicts, the sight of us sharing warmth under one cover seemed ironic. Though my head ached from the situation, I couldn't muster the energy to scold the kids. This was a necessary measure to prevent our temperatures from dropping further.
Though it felt like a desperate measure, the slight warmth we managed to share seemed to alleviate the cold, allowing me to appreciate the sun's warmth drying our clothes.
After defeating the Titan, I had expected nothing but accolades and glory. Yet, here we were, in a situation reminiscent of beggars.
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