Leveling Up With Skills - Chapter 239: The Fourth Return. Earth (6)

“So many people survived…”

“All thanks to someone,” Kim Hwiyeon said with a smile, glancing at Taesan. The looks of respect and trust toward Taesan grew even stronger.

On the other hand, the leader of Daejeon grimaced as if he wasn’t happy with the current situation.

“With this many people left alive… we can definitely do this.”

With the increased possibility of survival, a renewed sense of motivation appeared on their faces.

“So, who will be the leader?” asked the leader of Jeju Island. All of them had been managing the players in their respective regions. But now that everyone was gathered in Seoul, it would be best for one person to give the commands, to avoid confusion.

All eyes turned to Taesan.

Taesan shook his head.

“That’s not my job. You know who the leader of Seoul is, don’t you?”

“I’ve heard that, but…”

“I didn’t think it was actually true…”

They had heard that Kim Hwiyeon was managing the people as Seoul’s leader. However, with Taesan’s overwhelming presence, they assumed Kim Hwiyeon was just a figurehead and that Taesan was pulling the strings from behind.

But seeing it firsthand, they realized that wasn’t the case.

Taesan was stepping back and letting Kim Hwiyeon manage things.

“I’m not good at managing people.”

What he excelled at was killing monsters. Kim Hwiyeon’s strength lay in managing people and assigning roles. Taesan firmly believed that people should do what they were best suited for. Kim Hwiyeon looked at him with gratitude and gave him a slight bow.

The expressions on the others’ faces also brightened. They realized that Taesan, despite his power, was not the type to impose his will on others.

If Taesan wanted to assert his authority, they wouldn’t have been able to refuse. Some had been worried that he might force them into dangerous situations, but that concern disappeared.

Even the leader of Daejeon looked more at ease as he glanced around approvingly.

“So, who will be the leader?”

The people’s eyes turned to Kim Hwiyeon. She pulled a face.

“Again? Me?”

“Of course.”

“You’ve been managing everything in Hard Mode so far, right? Just hang in there a bit longer.”

“Ugh, I don’t want to…”

Though she grumbled, she didn’t refuse. She knew that she was the best person for the job.

“Please take care of it.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Kim Hwiyeon took a deep breath. Just as everyone was agreeing on Kim Hwiyeon being the leader, the leader of Daejeon spoke up.

“I disagree.”

“Huh?”

The sudden opposition surprised everyone. They turned to look at him.

“Lee Juhyuk, you disagree?”

“Yes.”

Lee Juhyuk, the leader of Daejeon, nodded.

He looked at Kim Hwiyeon.

“If she becomes the leader, we’ll have to follow her orders, right?”

“Well, of course.”

That’s what it meant to be a leader. The leader would take responsibility for everyone’s lives, give commands, and manage people.

While the role came with power, it also carried heavy responsibility. If people died, it would be on Kim Hwiyeon’s shoulders.

Lee Juhyuk spoke up again.

“Then I don’t want it. I don’t want to entrust my life to someone else.”

“…Are you saying you want to be the leader?”

“Yes.”

Lee Juhyuk answered confidently.

His response drew uncertain glances from everyone.

“Hmm…”

“Not sure about that.”

Kim Hwiyeon pressed her temples, clearly starting to get a headache.

“I had a feeling this would happen.”

Lee Juhyuk had constantly clashed with Kim Hwiyeon, even in the labyrinth.

Whenever she proposed a strategy, he would object and offer his own ideas. There was nothing wrong with offering opinions, but Lee Juhyuk’s attitude was the problem.

He spoke as if he were the only true leader, dismissing others and acting like his opinion was always the right one. His approach often caused arguments.

He was the type who believed only he was right and wanted to rule everyone as a sole, absolute leader.

That was Lee Juhyuk.

“This shouldn’t be an issue. You’re tired of being the leader, right? Just leave it to me,” Lee Juhyuk said, the desire for power evident in his eyes.

“Hmm…”

Kim Hwiyeon glanced at Taesan with a complicated look. Taesan had only one thing to say.

“Like I said before, I have no intention of getting involved in your affairs. You decide.”

Taesan chose to stay out of it.

That left the decision entirely in Kim Hwiyeon’s hands. She closed her eyes.

Honestly, it was burdensome. The responsibility of managing people’s lives and turning them into numbers often kept her awake at night. She had only taken on the role because there was no one else. She would have preferred to give it up.

Now, Lee Juhyuk was claiming the role for himself.

Letting him lead wouldn’t be the worst thing. His judgment was decent, and compared to her cautious and passive approach, Lee Juhyuk made bold and proactive decisions. He even had the support of some Hard Mode players.

“Hurry up and decide. We don’t have time to waste,” Lee Juhyuk said, speaking as if he were certain Kim Hwiyeon would hand over the leadership to him.

Kim Hwiyeon looked at Taesan.

Taesan simply stared back at her, his expression unreadable.

At that moment, Kim Hwiyeon made up her mind.

“Sorry, but no.”

“Right, so you— What?”

Lee Juhyuk’s face froze. Kim Hwiyeon calmly continued.

“I’m rejecting your offer, Lee Juhyuk. I’ll be the leader.”

“You’re rejecting it?”

Lee Juhyuk’s face twisted.

“Are you that desperate for power? Are you really going to insist on this?”

“This isn’t stubbornness. It’s my decision. And it seems like you’re the one desperate for power, not me.”

“You…”

Lee Juhyuk’s face contorted with anger.

Kim Hwiyeon shook her head.

“Either way, I have no intention of giving up the role of leader. So, what now? Are you going to back down? Or…”

She gripped her weapon.

“Are we going to settle this with force, according to the rules of the labyrinth?”

Her words made Lee Juhyuk pause.

Kim Hwiyeon was strong. She was one of the strongest Hard Mode players. Even if he fought, he couldn’t guarantee victory.

“…Let’s settle this with a vote.”

Even as he said this, Lee Juhyuk knew the result.

“Fine. Those who want Kim Hwiyeon to be the leader, raise your hand.”

Everyone except Lee Juhyuk raised their hands.

Kim Hwiyeon spoke.

“Now, those who want Lee Juhyuk to be the leader, raise your hand.”

No one raised their hand.

Lee Juhyuk’s face twisted. The leader of Jeju Island cautiously spoke up.

“Honestly, Hwiyeon has been doing well so far. There’s no reason to replace her.”

“Yeah, Juhyuk, you’re not bad, but you’re too aggressive. We’ve nearly died because of that before.”

“…So that’s how it is.”

Lee Juhyuk smirked bitterly.

“Sorry, but I can’t accept this.”

He slammed his fist on the table, causing it to creak.

“I’m supposed to be the leader. I’m the one who will become the ruler of Korea.”

“But we’ve already made our decision. Are you going to refuse to accept it?” someone asked.

“That’s right.”

“What?”

Lee Juhyuk stood up.

“I won’t accept it. Daejeon will withdraw. We’ll move independently.”

“You!”

Kim Hwiyeon’s face contorted in frustration. Lee Juhyuk sneered.

“What’s the problem? It’s not like I’m opposing you or fighting against you. I’m just going to act independently based on my judgment.”

“Do you even hear yourself?”

Refusing to follow the leader’s orders and moving independently would obviously cause trouble for the other groups. It was better to have no allies than to have an unpredictable, uncontrollable one.

Just as tensions were rising, Taesan spoke.

“Is that so?”

Instantly, the room went silent. The tension was palpable as everyone held their breath.

“…Yes. I’ll move on my own.”

Lee Juhyuk tried to maintain his composure, but his trembling eyes gave him away.

Taesan nodded.

“Do as you wish.”

“…What?”

“Do what you want. Take the people of Daejeon and act however you like. But if you cause trouble for others… you know what will happen, right?”

Taesan smiled.

A cold sensation crept through Lee Juhyuk’s body, and he forced a shaky smile.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

He walked out. Only after Taesan closed his mouth did the others relax and sit down.

“That lunatic. I knew he was obsessed with power in the labyrinth, but I didn’t expect him to act like this even outside…”

“Actually, it makes more sense that he’d act like this outside. ‘Ruler of Korea,’ huh? With his pride, of course he’d want to aim for that title.”

Sighs and complaints filled the room. Kim Hwiyeon pressed her fingers to her temples and spoke.

“Let’s deal with that lunatic later. For now, let’s focus on the pressing matters.”

Having finally shifted the topic, she looked around the room with a more serious expression, now speaking as the leader of all of Korea.

“Now that the survivors of Korea have gathered, what’s the mood like?”

“It’s good. Families who couldn’t meet because of the mode separation have been reunited, and there’s a sense of unity now that everyone in Korea is together. There’s little discrimination between the modes anymore. As for Daejeon, the only problem is that guy.”

Overall, things were fine. Kim Hwiyeon tapped the table lightly with her fingertips.

“Alright, let’s talk about the quest.”

Everyone in Korea had gathered in Seoul.

With the condition met, the next quest appeared before them.

**[Special Quest Start]**

**[In one day, multiple cracks will appear around Seoul’s safe zone. You must eliminate the cracks before they fully expand and become passageways for the monsters.]**

**[Rewards will be given based on your performance when you return to the labyrinth.]**

“What exactly are these cracks?”

People murmured in confusion. It was the first time they had encountered the term.

Taesan spoke.

“Violet cracks will appear around the area. There will be monsters guarding them. You need to defeat the monsters and destroy the cracks.”

“Oh? You know about this?”

“I destroyed one during the first return.”

“You’ve been dealing with things like this since the first return…”

While they had been focused solely on surviving, unable to even notice the cracks, Taesan had already figured it out and taken care of it. The other regional leaders were astonished.

“So, Taesan, and… your spirits?”

“I’m Minerva. And this is Varkaza. You can just call us spirits if you like.”

**[To be mentioned alongside the king… such an honor…]**

“Don’t worry about it. Don’t worry,” Minerva said, waving her hand dismissively. The others exchanged curious glances.

They were clearly intrigued by Minerva and Varkaza’s identities.

Not wanting to go into too much detail, Taesan gave a brief explanation.

“They’re definitely on our side. You’ve seen their strength, so you know what they’re capable of.”

“More than enough,” the leader of Jeju murmured in awe.

They had witnessed Minerva part the sea and crush monsters like insects. As they made their way to Seoul, they had seen firsthand the kind of power that defied logic. Kim Hwiyeon calmly addressed Taesan.

“Then, once again, we’ll have to rely on you, Taesan.”

“I’ll handle anything you can’t deal with. But I won’t do everything for you. You understand, right?”

“Yes, we need to train as well.”

Gratitude was written on everyone’s faces.

With the conversation wrapping up, they all frowned as the discussion turned back to Lee Juhyuk.

“So, what are we going to do about that lunatic?”

“We’d like to bring him over to our side, but it’s not like he listens to reason.”

Taesan spoke up.

“Don’t worry about him. I’ll make up for anything that’s lacking.”

“But…”

“Honestly, a guy like him is more of a hindrance to the group. Do you really think things will go smoothly if we somehow convince him to join? I doubt it.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Even if they forced Lee Juhyuk to fall under Kim Hwiyeon’s command, he wouldn’t follow her orders. He’d likely cause internal discord. In that sense, it was fortunate that he had separated himself early on.

“Alright then… Everyone, rest up. I’ll give you a proper briefing tomorrow.”

“Phew. I need some sleep.”

“Hang in there, Hwiyeon!”

With that, they all left. Geum Jung-geun was the last to bow his head before leaving the meeting room, leaving only Kim Hwiyeon and Kang Taesan behind.

Taesan spoke.

“That was unexpected. I thought you might give up the leadership role.”

“I considered it at first.”

Being a leader was a heavy burden for her. There were times when she wanted nothing more than to hand it over to someone else.

“But…”

She looked at Taesan.

He gave her a curious look. She shook her head.

“Just… I suddenly felt like I wanted to take it on. It’s like I’ve awakened to the allure of power or something.”

She said it jokingly, but the real reason was different.

Taesan trusted her.

He believed she had the ability to manage people and lead everyone. That’s why he had given her the role of leader.

She wanted to live up to his expectations.

That was the reason she had accepted the position.

“But… Hmm. Lee Juhyuk isn’t entirely unfit to be a leader. Maybe it would’ve been okay if he took the role.”

“No.”

Taesan’s response was firm, and Kim Hwiyeon was slightly surprised.

“You really think so?”

“He lacks something important.”

In his past life, Seoul had been ruined.

Many people had died because of Choi Junhyeok and Seojangsan. That’s how Lee Juhyuk, the leader of Daejeon, who had the most survivors, had naturally become the leader.

So, Taesan knew. Lee Juhyuk wasn’t suited to be a leader.

Lee Juhyuk probably thought that, based on his experience in Daejeon, he could act independently without issue. He likely believed that by proving his ability, he could seize the position of leader.

But there was one thing Lee Juhyuk didn’t understand.

The power of the **Old Gods** was concentrated in Seoul.

The strongest monster he would have faced in Daejeon was probably a C-class. Based on that, he likely thought he could handle things on his own. He had no idea how foolish that belief was.

“Don’t worry about it. He’ll collapse on his own.”

Taesan spoke indifferently.