Leveling Up With Skills - Chapter 240: The Fourth Return. Earth (7)

Kim Hwiyeon was deep in thought, wrestling with the allocation of personnel and strategies for the upcoming challenge. Taesan offered her a word of encouragement and then stepped outside.

“Ooooh!”

“The great spirit!”

People bowed their heads when they saw Minerva and Varkaza, showing deep reverence and devotion.

A heavy aura of worship and veneration flowed from the people toward the two spirits.

Minerva and Varkaza had safely escorted their assigned groups to Seoul. The power they displayed during this journey was nothing short of miraculous.

It was no wonder that the people who traveled with them now showed such awe and reverence.

The aura of worship directed at Minerva and Varkaza eventually flowed into Taesan.

“Is it because of our contract that the energy is coming to me?”

“Exactly. What’s the point of a contract if I don’t share the benefits with you?”

Taesan observed the worshipers and assessed the overall situation.

As discussed during the meeting, there was no friction among the people. The residents of Seoul were diligently sharing their produce from their small-scale farming efforts.

“Vegetables? And they’re so fresh, too.”

“Wow… I didn’t think this was even possible…”

Other regions’ people couldn’t hide their amazement at the sheer quantity of vegetables, more than they could eat.

They had heard of small-scale farming within the labyrinth. However, since the minimal conditions needed for seeds to sprout were not met, they hadn’t been able to attempt it themselves.

People devoured the vegetables hungrily. While some had shared food they had grown within the labyrinth, the limited personnel issues often prevented them from eating as much as they wanted.

A man responsible for the small-scale farming clapped his hands.

“Anyone who wants to learn small-scale farming, gather over here! I don’t know if we’ll have the time, but I’ll try to teach you!”

A crowd surged toward him.

Learning how to farm in the labyrinth required waiting for the seeds to sprout, which took about three to four weeks. Though it required patience, more than half the people received seeds, eager to learn how to cultivate them.

And the visitors from other regions realized something: the atmosphere in Seoul was completely different from the rest of the country.

In the other regions, the mood could hardly be called positive. Survival was uncertain, and there was no guarantee anyone would make it to the next return.

As a result, the returnees often faced depression and the looming reality of death.

But Seoul was different.

Here, the people were optimistic. It wasn’t the blind hope of fools ignoring reality; it was a belief, rooted in reality, that they could survive.

Seoul had achieved real success. Far more people had survived here than in any other region.

And the one responsible for this difference was none other than Taesan.

The people’s reverence for him deepened.

As the divine power continued to rise within him, Taesan muttered, a bit bewildered.

“What happens when this reaches 100%?”

“Well… I’m not sure,” Minerva replied, hesitating for the first time.

“Reaching transcendence through faith alone isn’t unheard of, but typically, it requires worship from an entire world. It’s nearly impossible. But this… I don’t know.”

Her once confident tone faltered.

Taesan moved past the worshiping crowds and approached Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyeok.

The two were sparring intensely. Judging by their appearance, they hadn’t stopped training since they arrived.

Seeing Taesan, they paused and greeted him, their faces dripping with sweat.

“Brother, you’re here?”

“Hello.”

“You’re working hard?”

“We still feel like we’re lacking,” Lee Taeyeon replied with a bitter smile.

They knew they had a long way to go. There was no time to rest if they wanted to grow stronger.

Taesan looked into their eyes and nodded.

“Good.”

The two were mentally tougher than before. The weakness and fear they once had were nowhere to be found.

**[Not bad.]**

“Hmm, are these the two heading deeper into the labyrinth? The others were lacking, to be honest… but these two are decent. They’re still weak, but that’s just due to a lack of experience and time. They have all the necessary foundations,” Minerva and Varkaza complimented them.

Kang Junhyeok and Lee Taeyeon bowed their heads in gratitude.

Taesan, still watching them, spoke.

“You encountered a C-class monster, right?”

“Yes…”

“What was it like?”

“It was strong,” Lee Taeyeon murmured. It was more powerful than any other monster she had faced before, even the ones in the labyrinth.

Every attack from the creature was strong enough to deplete her health significantly, and its tough shell made it nearly immune to her attacks.

But she had won.

Lee Taeyeon clenched her fist, and Taesan smiled as he saw the determination in her eyes.

“Good. Ambition and a fighting spirit. These two things are essential. Don’t lose that mindset.”

Taesan pulled out his weapon.

“The ability sword. You’re managing it well?”

“It’s more than I can handle. I would’ve died a long time ago without it.”

“Both of you, draw your weapons. Let’s train again.”

“Yes.”

The two of them drew their weapons with serious expressions.

Taesan stomped his foot.

Neither of them backed down.

They stepped forward and continued sparring with Taesan.

By the end of their session, their skill levels had noticeably improved. Although their progress was limited on Earth, they would definitely feel the effects once they returned to the labyrinth.

One day passed.

The quest began.

“Is everyone ready?”

Everyone turned their serious eyes toward Kim Hwiyeon as she spoke. She scanned the group and frowned.

“Lee Juhyuk…”

“I told you, I’m going alone.”

Behind him stood the players from Daejeon.

Lee Juhyuk raised a finger.

“I’ll take care of the eastern side. Don’t interfere.”

“Tsk. Damn bastard,” Kim Hwiyeon clicked her tongue but said nothing more. She turned her attention back to the others.

“Alright, let’s go over the roles and positions.”

She began assigning everyone to their respective positions. Her decisions were clean, rational, and left no room for complaints. As she gave her orders, Lee Juhyuk left with a look of frustration.

After all the assignments were made, Kim Hwiyeon spoke in a calm voice.

“Everyone, survive. We can do this. We’ll live through this and seize the future.”

Everyone nodded solemnly.

**[Quest start.]**

“Move out!”

At her command, people quickly leapt into action.

**Kiiiing.**

Outside, violet cracks began to appear one after another. Along with them, monsters emerged to guard the cracks.

**Kaaaang!**

Humans and monsters clashed.

Taesan stood inside the city hall, calmly observing the scene.

He had assigned Minerva to the west and Varkaza to the north. The two of them could handle the monsters without any issues. If something went wrong, they’d contact him immediately, so he didn’t need to worry about those areas.

That left only the east and south for him to keep an eye on.

Taesan turned his gaze to the south.

“They’re strong!”

“Uwaaaah!”

The monsters guarding the cracks were powerful. Though classified as B or C grade, even within the same grade, there were significant differences in strength.

The monsters that appeared now were top-tier D-class. They were opponents Hard Mode players had to focus entirely on defending against, while Easy or Normal Mode players stood no chance against them.

“What the hell! Why are they so strong?!”

The players from other regions were panicking. They had never faced monsters this powerful before.

As they hesitated, confused and afraid, Seoul’s players stepped forward.

“Don’t be afraid! Focus on your tasks!”

The Easy and Normal Mode players from Seoul charged in from the sides.

The players from these modes used their lack of health depletion to act as shields. Meanwhile, the Hard Mode players took advantage of this to press their numbers against the monsters.

And in situations where even this wasn’t enough, Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyeok stepped forward.

The people of Seoul had experience. They had fought overwhelming monsters before. Following their lead, the players from other regions slowly began stepping forward, too.

Though things were tense, the situation was stabilizing, and the players were holding their ground against the monsters.

‘Looks like I won’t need to step in.’

That left Daejeon’s group.

Taesan turned his gaze to the east.

Just a few minutes before the cracks opened, Daejeon’s players were moving eastward. One man who had been following Lee Juhyuk cautiously spoke up.

“Uh, Juhyuk… are you sure this is okay?”

“What?”

“Well…”

The man glanced nervously toward the city hall.

There, countless people were gathered, listening to Kim Hwiyeon’s instructions.

Lee Juhyuk, visibly annoyed, spoke.

“Then go join them.”

“No, no, that’s not what I meant…”

The man quickly shook his head. Seeing this, the others looked away nervously. Lee Juhyuk gritted his teeth.

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

He had been a leader before the world fell apart.

In high school, he was the class president. At university, he always led the group.

Even in the military, he had been a leader. Everyone relied on him and trusted his words. He had enjoyed a near-royal authority.

That hadn’t changed when he entered society. Unable to tolerate being beneath anyone else, he had started his own business. Through ruthless, bold strategies, he had achieved significant success.

He had always been a leader. Not once had he failed to be one.

That hadn’t changed even when the world turned upside down. Upon entering Hard Mode, he had aimed to become a leader again. His bold decisions earned him the trust of the people, and he moved forward.

But he hadn’t become the leader.

“Why do they like that coward so much?”

Unlike Lee Juhyuk, Kim Hwiyeon made cautious decisions. She minimized risks and advanced slowly.

Lee Juhyuk had laughed at her.

No one would like someone who only cared about safety. People preferred bold and daring individuals, or so he believed. And it had seemed true. He had become the leader of Daejeon.

But in Hard Mode, people trusted and followed Kim Hwiyeon more than him.

Naturally, she became the leader of Hard Mode players.

Lee Juhyuk couldn’t stand it. He had to be the leader. He had to be the one leading others.

But he wasn’t a fool, obsessed with power.

He knew there was no point in fighting her outright. So, while he antagonized her, he didn’t directly challenge her authority.

Even if he handed over the leadership of Hard Mode players, he believed he could become the leader of Korea. He assumed Kim Hwiyeon would eventually hand the role over to him, as she seemed burdened by the responsibility.

But that wasn’t the case.

She had volunteered to be the leader, and the Hard Mode players supported her.

“Damn it all.”

Lee Juhyuk spat on the ground.

He couldn’t accept this. He had to be the leader of Korea.

So he planned to prove his abilities.

“Everyone, get ready.”

“Are you sure this is okay?”

“I said it’s fine. Don’t you trust me?”

Lee Juhyuk scowled as he pounded his chest.

“Other than Seoul, I saved the most people. And that’s only because Seoul had that monster, Taesan. It’s not because I’m lacking.”

He intended to take control of the entire eastern side with only Daejeon’s people. That would earn him the admiration and trust of others, which he would use to build up his influence and challenge for the leadership again. That was Lee Juhyuk’s plan.

**Wooong!**

The cracks opened at the designated time. With a serious expression, Lee Juhyuk shouted.

“Everyone, get ready!”

The monsters appeared.

Lee Juhyuk charged forward.

“Haaaap!”

He swung his sword with a powerful shout. His plan was to take down a B-class monster first to boost morale.

The monster turned to look at him.

But Lee Juhyuk had made one critical error. He believed that he had saved so many people because of his exceptional abilities.

That wasn’t entirely false, but he had overlooked something important.

The **Old Gods** were targeting Taesan.

Naturally, they were pouring much of their power into Seoul. This didn’t just mean sending stronger monsters—it also meant the overall strength of the creatures.

The monsters in Seoul were noticeably stronger than those in other regions.

Now, with everyone gathered in Seoul, the **Old Gods** could concentrate all their power here, making the monsters far more formidable than before.

And Lee Juhyuk had based his plan on the assumption that the monsters would be similar to the ones he had faced before.

The monster’s arm moved.

‘What?’

Danger. The instincts that had kept him alive in the labyrinth screamed at him. Lee Juhyuk reflexively raised his sword to block the attack.

**Kaaaang!**

“Urgh!”

With a grunt, Lee Juhyuk was knocked backward by the force of the blow. As the shock traveled through the hilt of his sword, his face twisted in horror.

The monster moved again.

“Wha… What?”

One player, frozen in fear, was immediately smashed into the ground.