Life Rebooted with Copy and Paste-Chapter 46. The Stem

Kim Do-Joon passed through the academy's main entrance, heading straight for the shelter building. He knew the location from his orientation with Kwon Soo-Young on the first day.

"Hey, there is an opening there! Block it!"

"Yes, sir!"

A dozen people were already fighting monsters at the entrance. They were security Hunters from the academy. The one who seemed to be the team leader was giving orders, but widened his eyes as soon as he saw Kim Do-Joon. Not only was Kim Do-Joon covered in blood, he was also wielding a long spear.

"Are you a Hunter?" the team leader asked.

Kim Do-Joon nodded. "Yes."

"Great timing! We were in desperate need of support!" the team leader stared at Kim Do-Joon, full of relief.

Kim Do-Joon spoke to him with a serious expression. "I'm sorry, but can I please check the shelter for a moment?"

"Huh? Why would you do that?" the team leader looked at him suspiciously.

Their duty was to protect the shelter, so it was natural for them to find a blood-soaked Hunter seeking entry without explanation suspicious.

"My daughter is inside. I want to make sure she's safe," Kim Do-Joon explained.

"Oh..." the team leader nodded in understanding and called over a team member.

The team member ran over with a frown and asked, "What's the matter?! We’ve got our hands full already!”

"Take this man to the shelter. He's a Hunter, and his family is inside," the team leader instructed.

"Got it. Please follow me.”

As the team leader resumed his battle, Kim Do-Joon followed the team member to the basement. Given the urgency, their pace was quick.

Chik! Chiiik!

The massive underground door opened to reveal a large crowd. The space was packed with tents, and people listened intently to the news. Many children in academy uniforms were among them.

Kim Do-Joon quickly entered and shouted immediately, "So-Eun! So-Eun!"

"Huh? Daddy?" a voice responded quickly.

Kim Do-Joon spotted his daughter and ran to her.

Kim So-Eun ran toward him, leaving Siwelin's side.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Kim Do-Joon asked, examining her.

"I tripped earlier and scraped my knee, but Unni healed me," Kim So-Eun replied.

"Oh, really?" Kim Do-Joon checked his daughter, relieved to find no serious injuries.

He looked up at Siwelin, who nodded at him.

"Phew...” Kim Do-Joon let out a deep sigh of relief.

“Hello, Mr. Do-Joon,” Kwon Soo-Young approached him, her face full of concerns.

"Thank you for escorting So-Eun to safety, Teacher." Kim Do-Joon said, bowing.

"It was my duty," Kwon Soo-Young replied.

She was surrounded by other children. Seemingly having picked up on the adults' anxious atmosphere, the children were unusually quiet.

Suddenly, the shelter shook violently, and dust fell from the ceiling.

Thud—!

Zzzzz—

“Aaah!”

"W-what’s happening?!"

The citizens screamed in fear. Thankfully, nothing collapsed, but the anxiety only grew.

The team member who had brought Kim Do-Joon spoke with a tense face. "I’m sorry, but I’ll have to go back and help upstairs."

Kim Do-Joon called Siwelin over and entrusted Kim So-Eun to her.

"Daddy?" Kim So-Eun looked worried.

"So-Eun, I need to go for a bit. Stay close to Unni and listen to the adults, okay?" Kim Do-Joon said, patting her head.

"Do you have to go, Daddy? There are scary monsters outside," Kim So-Eun pleaded.

"Protecting people from those monsters is my job," Kim Do-Joon replied with a wry smile, stroking her hair.

The monsters that posed an immediate threat were located right above them. By defeating them, this place would be a lot safer.

The next moment, Kim Do-Joon stood up with a determined expression.

"I’m going to help," Kim Do-Joon said to the team member.

"Thank you. The team leader will be glad," the team member responded quickly.

Kim Do-Joon gave Kim So-Eun one last pat before following the team member back to the surface level. He glanced back once, seeing Kim So-Eun watching him intently while being held by Siwelin. Then, his eyes met with Siwelin’s.

“...”

Then, Siwelin silently moved her lips. Suddenly, Kim Do-Joon felt a surge of strength. His muscles tightened as energy coursed through his body.

This must be...

Kim Do-Joon quickly realized that it was a blessing, like the ones the saintesses would cast to protect soldiers in battle. With this, he wouldn’t be defeated by the monsters.

He sent a grateful look to Siwelin before turning back.

"Let's go," said the team member.

"Okay," Kim Do-Joon replied.

Then, Kim Do-Joon and the team member headed back to the surface level together.

***

In Hwaseong City in Gyeonggi-do, a mysterious pillar and a horde of monsters appeared out of nowhere. Many guilds joined the fight to combat this threat. Following the disaster protocols, each guild was assigned a specific area to defend.

The plan was simple: hold the line, then counterattack and exterminate the monsters.

Meanwhile, Shin Yoo-Sung was busy moving between guilds, casting healing spells and buffs.

"Oh my god..."

"This is the power of an S-rank buff?"

The Hunters who received Shin Yoo-Sung’s skills were amazed. Their combat abilities skyrocketed with just one buff. Some Hunters even broke their weapons, unable to control their newfound strength.

"Thank you so mu—wait a second. Where did he go?"

Before the Hunter could thank Shin Yoo-Sung, the latter had already moved to another guild's area. With a simple gesture, Shin Yoo-Sung cast buffs, before heading off again.

"Hey! Stop idling around! If you have received the buffs, start moving!”

"Yes, Sir!" the Hunter replied.

The presence of a reliable Healer significantly boosted the morale of the allies. Thanks to Shin Yoo-Sung and the firm support of the Mir Guild, the Hunters fought beyond their limits, successfully driving back the monsters.

"Thanks to Hunter Shin Yoo-Sung and Mir Guild joining the fray, the situation has greatly improved! We've successfully formed a perimeter around the pillar and have contained the monsters!" reported an officer at the temporary command center in Hwaseong.

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"Good!"

"What about the casualties?"

"There are some people who were injured, but they're all being treated right now."

"Phew... That's a relief, then."

Hearing the reports, the representatives from various guilds sighed in relief. The guild association president, sitting at the head of the table, bowed his head toward the Mir Guild's representative.

"Thank you for Mir Guild's swift intervention. If you’d been any later, the damage would have been much worse," said the association president.

"It was all due to our guild master’s instructions," the representative replied.

"I think I've misunderstood Mir for a long time," the president said with a bitter smile.

In the past, when Mir was known as the Korean Priests' Association, they monopolized the Healers to extort substantial money and benefits from the government and other guilds. They used these resources to expand their influence, pressuring others even more.

Since Healers were essential in both battlefields and disaster situations, others had to comply with their demand.

I thought Mir was just the Priests' Association with a different name...

It seemed that more than just the name had changed.

The association president stroked his white beard thoughtfully and said, "Thanks to Mir and other guilds, the situation has settled down significantly. There are still many monsters left, but with the perimeter in place, it's only a matter of time before we wipe them out."

"The monsters' appearances are gradually decreasing as well."

"There don’t seem to be any troublesome monsters above A-rank."

Although it wasn't the time to lower their guard, a sense of relief lingered. Initially, everyone was worried, but humanity was prepared this time. They’d learned from the past disaster and the appearances of roots.

Now, the only question remaining is about that pillar...

The pillar was likely the “stem” that people had been talking about. The root's appearance had already drastically changed the world, sometimes even regressing it. What impact would this stem have?

The association president's eyes darkened with concern.

***

Meanwhile, at that moment, Shin Yoo-Sung traversed the battlefield with a guild member who possessed movement skills. While the headquarters might be somewhat relieved, the situation on the ground was still ongoing. Intense battles were raging, and his help was needed everywhere.

"Haa... Haa... Let's move to the next location," panted the exhausted guild member who had been transporting Shin Yoo-Sung tirelessly.

Noticing his subordinate’s fatigue, Shin Yoo-Sung gently sat him down on the ground.

"Huh? G-Guild Master?" The guild member looked confused.

"Take a short break," said Shin Yoo-Sung.

"I can still go on!" said the guild member.

"This operation is a long-term battle. So, managing your stamina is crucial," Shin Yoo-Sung said as he sat on a protruding rock and extended his hands.

As he extended his hands, a white, glowing spear formed between them. Then, he casually threw the spear toward a monstrous beast that was charging at them from the sky.

"Kiek! Kieeek!"

The spear pierced through the beast's chest and tore through its wings, causing it to crash to the ground.

The guild member was astonished. The monstrous beast had to be at least a B-rank monster, and Shin Yoo-Sung had killed it so effortlessly.

"Okay, well then. I'll rest for a bit," the guild member said because his earlier thoughts of protesting completely vanished.

The rest period would be about ten minutes. The guild member’s new duty was to focus on recovering as much strength as possible during that time.

Ten minutes later, the guild member stood up, looking somewhat rejuvenated.

"I'm alright now, Guild Master! Let's head to the next area!" the guild member said with renewed enthusiasm.

However, something was off. Shin Yoo-Sung remained still, his eyes narrowed.

"Guild Master?" the guild member called out.

"Hold on a second," Shin Yoo-Sung replied, slowly rising to his feet and staring intently at something.

Following his gaze, the guild member saw a suspicious figure in a green hooded cloak standing at a distance.

Who is that?

Shin Yoo-Sung pondered with a frown. The figure didn’t match any of the Hunters they had been fighting with. Was it a Hunter who had joined the battle during the last minute? Or perhaps a civilian who hadn’t evacuated?

Both sounded implausible. Although he couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong, alarms were blaring from the back of Shin Yoo-Sung's head. He always trusted his instincts.

The suspicious figure began to move. Beneath the hood, pink lips could be seen moving.

"... Aquila."

Rumble!

Dark clouds suddenly covered the sun, and a fierce storm began to brew.

***

Thunk!

Kim Do-Joon drove his spear into the heart of the last visible monster. Without stopping, he kicked the creature's chest, yanking the spear out with force.

Thwack!

Then, he smashed the monster's head with the spear’s shaft, sending it flying. The monster rolled across the ground like a skipping stone, before crashing into the wall of a building. The team leader’s jaw dropped seeing Kim Do-Joon’s skills.

"I-incredible! I didn’t know you were this strong...”

"It's nothing. That seems to be the last monster in this area," Kim Do-Joon said, scanning the surroundings.

There were no monsters in sight, and he didn’t sense any nearby.

"I think so, too," the team leader replied, relief evident in his voice.

The team leader gathered his subordinates and instructed them to remain alert and secure the perimeter. Once the team members dispersed, the team leader extended his hand to Kim Do-Joon for a handshake.

"Thank you for your help. It was an honor to fight alongside such a formidable Hunter."

"Oh no, thank you for keeping my daughter safe," Kim Do-Joon replied as they shook hands.

The team leader was clearly excited, thinking he’d fought alongside a high-ranking Hunter. Kim Do-Joon also didn’t mention that he was only an E-rank Hunter to avoid confusion and disbelief.

"By the way, what do you think these stems are? Will monsters start appearing from the sky without any roots now?" the team leader asked worriedly.

Up until now, people only had to be wary of the roots. However, the thought of monsters appearing without any warning was terrifying. People didn’t even want to entertain the possibility.

"I have no idea...” Kim Do-Joon trailed off, unable to provide any answers.

Seeing his response, the team leader didn’t pursue the matter. He hadn’t expected a clear answer from Kim Do-Joon anyway. They fell into a brief, uneasy silence.

Just then, the team leader's walkie talkie rang.

— Leader, we’ve found someone who hasn't evacuated yet.

"What?" the team leader exclaimed as he heard the report from his subordinate.

He could not believe someone was still on the surface level at this stage.

— Yes. It's someone in a hood, just standing in the middle of the road... Wait, huh? Aaah!

"Hey! What's happening? Report!" the team leader shouted, but only static noise could be heard.

The team leader’s face turned pale. Could that person be a rogue Hunter taking advantage of the situation?!

"Let's get going," Kim Do-Joon said, snapping the team leader out of his thoughts.

The two of them sprinted toward the location of the distressed team member.

They arrived to see a tall, hooded figure holding the team member by the head, lifting him off the ground.

"Aaah!" The team member struggled desperately, trying to pry the hand off his head, but to no avail.

"Let him go! Now!" the team leader yelled with his face contorted in anger.

Suddenly, black clouds began to cover the sky, and a fierce storm broke out. The suddenness of it was too unnatural. Before they could fully grasp what was happening, the hooded figure spoke.

"Who are you?"

The voice was strange, as if resonating directly in their minds rather than being spoken aloud. The eerily beautiful voice filled Kim Do-Joon and the team leader with nothing but unease.

Then, a gust of wind blew the hood back, revealing long, elf-like ears that were distinctly inhuman. Kim Do-Joon's eyes widened in shock.