LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 29: Renewed Determination
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jake returned, but at what cost? It was the last time he would ever see Lee Joo-Hee, and the weight of that truth crashed down on him like an endless rain of crow feathers.
Crying, he knelt on the ground, the sobs wracking his body as he realized he was utterly alone in a world that felt colder and more hostile than ever. The instinctive fear that once gripped him was gone, replaced by a sense of sadness and emptiness.
Suddenly, a notification from the system flashed before him, but it felt like a cruel reminder of his loss:
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[ You have inherited the forgotten memories of Lee Joo-Hee, a side character from Solo Leveling. ]
[ You have parted ways with a soul fragment of the original host of your body. ]
[ You have absorbed the soul fragment. +18 Magic Power, +12 Intelligence, +15 Wisdom gained. ]
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At that moment, Da-Sol, Jae-Sung, and Yoon-Ji, who were busy fighting, noticed their healer, Joo-Hee, kneeling suddenly. Da-Sol shouted, "Min-Soo, Eun-Bi, protect Joo-Hee now and check her!"
Min-Soo and Eun-Bi rushed to support Joo-Hee, their concern palpable as they hurried to her side. They were surprised to see her crying without any apparent reason, and a deep worry settled in their chests.
What could possibly be causing her distress? They could only conclude that perhaps she was somehow in pain or terrified of the monsters surrounding them, which felt ridiculous considering she was a B-rank hunter.
"Miss Joo-Hee! Are you okay?" Min-Soo asked, kneeling beside her, his brow furrowed with concern. Eun-Bi hovered nearby, her eyes darting between Joo-Hee and the approaching goblins.
Joo-Hee shook her head, unable to articulate the storm of emotions swirling within her. The truth was that the monsters didn't scare her nearly as much as the overwhelming grief of loss and regret. She felt so fragile in that moment, like the very ground beneath her could crumble away at any second.
"It's just—just give me a moment!" she stammered, her voice trembling. The weight of Joo-Hee's burden pressed down on her heart, but to her teammates, she was just a healer who was maybe in pain or struggling with fear.
As Jake slowly rose, wiping away his tears and gazing at the sky covered by dense trees, he thought, Okay, Joo-Hee, I will continue living as you said. I will ensure you... your story will continue and your name is praised by countless people. I promise. Ple... ase... rest now. Goodbye... Joo-Hee. A final tear slid down his cheek, carrying with it the weight of his promise.
Eun-Bi, feeling the urgency to help, focused her energy. She closed her eyes and began casting a spell. "From the heart of the tempest, I forge an edge of purest air! Slice through the silence and strike true, let my enemies tremble before the might of the wind!" With conviction, she shouted, "Wind Blade!" The spell sliced through the legs of one goblin, intending for its neck, but her hands trembled as she held her wand.
Da-Sol, Jae-Sung, and Yoon-Ji remained calm, focusing on the task at hand. Yoon-Ji quickly climbed a nearby tree and expertly pierced the hand of a goblin clutching a rusted dagger. Meanwhile, Da-Sol swiftly beheaded the goblin whose legs had been severed by Eun-Bi, while Jae-Sung held his ground, fending off two goblins at once.
Despite this being their first time collaborating, their teamwork was flawless—quite remarkable for a group of beginners. With three goblins remaining—one severely wounded by Yoon-Ji's arrow and the other two blocked by Jae-Sung—Jake, now filled with renewed determination, clenched his fist as he raised his hand. His voice, though still carrying the weight of grief, was steady as he murmured, "Nature's Embrace."
In an instant, a shimmering green barrier materialized around each of the goblins, trapping them in its unyielding grasp. The goblins screeched in confusion, their jagged claws scraping uselessly at the walls of the barrier, desperate to escape. They thrashed and snarled, but no matter how much they struggled, they couldn't penetrate the natural prison Jake had summoned.
Watching the goblins panic inside the barriers, Jake's expression hardened. His teammates looked on in awe, unsure of what Jake would do next.
As Jake clenched his fist, the barriers surrounding the goblins began to shrink, compressing tighter and tighter. The goblins screamed and thrashed in vain, their grotesque bodies contorting as they were slowly crushed.
The air was filled with their pained groans, but it didn't faze Jake. He watched coldly, eyes hollow, until they finally succumbed to their gruesome fate. His voice, emotionless and chilling, whispered, "DIE."
The scene was unsettling—Jake, visibly haggard, his eyes dull and lifeless, stood amidst the chaos, a bitter smile pulling at his lips. He wiped his face, still wet from tears, but his mind was replaying Joo-Hee's final words. Forcing a smile, he broke the silence. "Sorry everyone, it took me quite a while."
His teammates, frozen in shock, could barely react. The sheer power Jake had just displayed was far beyond what they expected from a healer, and the sight of him standing far from the dead goblins with such pain in his eyes left them speechless. They exchanged uneasy glances but didn't know what to say.
Trying to deflect attention, Jake awkwardly rubbed his lower abdomen as he hurriedly acted. "Well, you see, it's… um, it's my time of the month." He grimaced slightly, forcing out the lie with a nervous chuckle. "Sorry for that, I mean I tripped and crouched to the ground afterall."
Yoon-Ji, the most outspoken of the group, nodded, somewhat relieved. "I see... cramps, huh? That makes sense. Did you bring what you need for that? I mean, you should've known it was coming. Just rest for a while then"
Jake forced another awkward laugh. "Yeah, I've got everything I need, don't worry. It's probably because I ate too much ganjang gejang and jorim yesterday. Maybe that didn't sit too well with me." He patted his stomach, playing into the lie as best he could.
The team, still uneasy but willing to buy into the excuse, nodded along. Yoon-Ji looked mildly reassured, and Eun-Bi gave Jake a small, empathetic smile as a woman herself.
"Please take care of the essence stones for now." Jake continued, "I think I just need to lie down for a bit, I guess."
As he sat down, his mind was far from the fabricated excuses and suspicious act. The weight of Joo-Hee's memories, her final words, and the gruesome reality of the dungeon pressed heavily on him. But at least, for now, he had an excuse to hide behind his grief.