Despite being together in squalor, there was a strange comfort in not being alone in their beggarly state. Even Haehyuk was drenched from head to toe, looking as if he had just stepped out of a commercial with his wet hair slicked back, a refreshing sight amidst their shared misery. He was an anomaly, a living advertisement in the midst of destitution. As Kang Sihyun watched him, it felt as if at any moment, the sound of a camera shutter would accompany the start of an energy drink commercial's jingle, prompting Sihyun to lower his gaze when his foot began to itch from Jinhyuk fidgeting below.
"Stop moving around."
"What can I do if it's cold?"
"Yeah, can't you just compromise a bit?"
Intruding upon someone else's resting place with such entitlement, the Cha siblings retorted. Sihyun, having contemplated ejecting them, decided to let it be, showing leniency instead. Having bonded over a significant battle, he felt a newfound ease among the Muam guild members.
Jinhyuk, trying to initiate a conversation with Sihyun, noticed the prime spots were already taken by Class A students and spoke up.
"Is there no space for me?"
"It's down there. And why are you suddenly speaking informally?"
"You said it was okay if we got comfortable."
"Ah..."
Sihyun remembered mentioning something of the sort. Pondering over it, Jinhyuk chuckled, looking out at the sea, seemingly amused.
"Catching Titan makes me feel like we could take down other catastrophe-class irregulars too."
"You think?"
"Why the sneer?"
An involuntary snort from Sihyun prompted Jinhyuk to ask, leading Sihyun to prop himself up on his elbows and glance sideways at Haehyuk and Taeju.
"We managed this time because there were two S-class rankers. How could you do it alone, Jinhyuk?"
"And have you caught one yourself, Sihyun?"
Feeling disregarded, Jinhyuk reverted to formal speech. Taking him for simple-minded, Sihyun couldn't help but smirk, unintentionally coming off as smug.
"I might not have done it alone, but I've caught one. Haven't you seen the news?"
The news had been abuzz for a moment.
Recalling the event made Jinhyuk fall silent. Sihyun reiterated the fight against Titan, emphasizing it wasn't a solo effort but a team's, highlighting the guild leaders of Muam and his guild's significant contributions.
"That's true."
Sihyun's words were meant for Jinhyuk, but Seowoo chimed in. Haru nodded in agreement, and Hamin, albeit reluctantly, muttered that it wasn't incorrect. The kids each added their thoughts, leaving Jinhyuk speechless, acknowledging the pivotal roles of Taeju and Haehyuk in the battle.
"Well, it's just that..."
Jinhyuk mumbled something before lying back down. Sihyun, losing sight of him, laid back down only to be scolded by Hamin.
"You really have a temper."
"What did I do?"
"Even so, there's no need to trample on his pride like that."
"Whose side are you on?"
After briefly supporting him, Hamin flipped sides as soon as Jinhyuk laid down. Sihyun shot him a look of betrayal, to which Hamin simply shrugged.
"It's harsh, but Jinhyuk does look a bit pitiful."
"Yeah, maybe it was a bit too much."
Just moments ago, they had backed him up, but now the three boys conspired to paint Sihyun as heartless. Sihyun, kicking Hamin for his instigation, checked his core's condition, urging them to stop the nonsense.
Focusing inwardly, Sihyun sensed his mana had replenished enough to create a solid platform. Standing up, he fashioned a platform in the air large enough for ten people, not far from the shore, and added stair-like extensions for access. Although they had seen him perform similar feats, his companions watched with intrigue as if witnessing a magic show, eventually rising to join him.
"Step on the platform. It won't break, so don't be afraid."
Creating a protective barrier strong enough to withstand the weight without automatically breaking was beyond even Sihyun's capabilities, not to mention the hassle. So, he simply made it durable enough to hold them.
With confidence in its stability, Taeju was the first to ascend the protective platform.
"Walking in the air isn't so bad."
Following Taeju, Haehyuk and the Class A students climbed up, with the Muam guild members soon joining. Finally, Sihyun, ensuring the stairway remained intact, surveyed their surroundings.
From their vantage point, the wreckage was even more visible, prompting a hollow laugh from Sihyun.
"All for nothing..."
All their belongings were aboard that shattered vessel. From chargers to spare clothes and various essentials, they had brought much, only to likely return empty-handed. The situation made Taeju's initially minimal packing seem prophetic.
If only I had known, I might have packed lighter.
Despite appearances, Taeju was the head of a guild, leading Sihyun to suspect he had anticipated such a predicament. Turning to Haehyuk, who had brought the most luggage, Sihyun felt a mix of sympathy and regret.
"What a waste."
"Hm? What is?"
"All our stuff. You brought quite a bit."
Though Sihyun had his own substantial load to worry about, it paled in comparison to Haehyuk's more valuable gear. As Sihyun lamented their loss, Haehyuk glanced back at the sea, then shrugged off the loss with a nonchalant laugh.
"It's unfortunate, but what can we do? We can always buy new things."
His indifferent response put a slight strain on their camaraderie, prompting Sihyun to leave the disheartening heir behind and join the Class A students. As he pondered how to spend their remaining time, a loud grumbling noise echoed from behind.
"Ah..."
Turning around, he saw Yeonju holding her stomach.
"Sorry about that."
She apologized, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, as if it was a fault. Taeju gently patted her shoulder, chuckling softly.
"Looks like we forgot to eat."
"Right. We would have prepared a feast under normal circumstances, but circumstances are anything but normal."
The two guild leaders stroked their chins, mulling over their predicament. Haru raised a hand, breaking the silence.
"Should I... try catching some fish?"
The suggestion shifted everyone's attention to Haru. Taeju snapped his fingers.
"There's plenty to eat in the sea."
"Shall we take turns fishing, or does everyone fend for themselves?"
"Being guild leaders, we should provide, shouldn't we?"
"How will we cook it?"
"We can eat it raw or grill it."
"But we have no fire."
As Haru's suggestion sparked a plan, the leaders quickly hashed out details. Sihyun, catching the mention of fire, hesitated before speaking up.
"I can make fire if needed."
"You, Sihyun?"
"I still have some copy uses left."
Though reluctant, the need for survival outweighed his reservations. A small fire for cooking seemed manageable without expending too much mana. The thought of using his skills in such a mundane situation was absurd to him, but the leaders, after a brief exchange, clapped their hands together, drawing the group's focus.
"Is anyone else hungry?"
The question, almost childlike in its simplicity, had most hands shooting up, except for Sihyun's. Taeju nodded, as if expecting as much.
"Anyone want to try surviving on an empty stomach for another six hours?"
The absurdity of the question left the group staring dumbfounded at Taeju. Sihyun rolled his eyes, but Taeju just laughed it off and got to the point.
"With everyone hungry and nothing to eat, we'll follow through with the plan to fish. It might be risky with too many people, so just three of us will head out. Haru and I will go, and we need one more from among you. Any objections?"
No hands went up. With the promise of the guild leaders fetching dinner, no one dared complain.
"Then it's settled. Sihyun, we'll need your help with the cooking. We'll need clean water for the sashimi too."
"No problem. I've got enough mana for that."
Though he volunteered, Sihyun felt uneasy about it. With his cooperation secured, Taeju confidently called for fishing volunteers. As everyone hesitated, weighing each other's intentions, Haru raised his hand, and Sihyun turned to him.
"Do you know how to catch fish?"
"Yeah, I've done it before."
"You have?"
"Well, at home..."
Haru's evasive reply, under the watchful eyes of the others, made Sihyun frown, realizing what kind of "home" he was referring to.
"Did they take you to a jungle or something?"
Sihyun's incredulous comment made Haru flinch. As Taeju called Haru over, he assured the group.
"We'll be back soon. Sihyun, get the fire ready."
With a quick briefing on which fish were safe to catch, the three leaped from the platform into the sea. The top guild leaders of the country diving into the ocean to catch fish seemed almost comical. Haru, an assassin class, joined them with a similar intent. Lost for words at the absurdity of the situation, Seowoo suddenly burst into laughter.
"It feels like we're on a field trip."
His genuine amusement was infectious, resonating through his laughter. Hamin joined in, and the Cha siblings agreed, finding some humor in the situation themselves. As they engaged in light-hearted banter, Sihyun closed his eyes, grappling with the surreal turn of events.
A field trip? It felt more like they were cast in a gritty reality show of survival. "Adventurers in the Jungle" might be a fitting title, he mused.
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