The Support Ate it All - Chapter 588: Chatty Sloth (2)

Startled for only a moment by the sudden declaration of war, Dang Gyu-young soon let a spirited smile form at the corner of their mouth.

“Well, it’s not like this is new.”

“Bond #1 got taken.”

“So I can’t give you the others?”

“I’m going to work for it.”

“Fine. But I’m not planning to hand them over easily either.”

Then they looked at me and said,

“Kim Ho. Use Austerity on her this time, and when the cooldown cycles, tell me.”

“You’re going right after it?”

“Yeah. Even Challenge.”

“Didn’t you say starting next time, there’d be no Challenge or anything?”

“I changed my mind.”

Dang Gyu-young’s eyes looked like they were burning.

They gestured slightly toward Seo Ye-in and continued.

“She suddenly starts sprinting like that—how am I supposed to just sit there? I’ve gotta sprint too.”

“So you’re saying you’ll maintain the dignity of first place.”

“Exactly.”

Their competitive spirit had fully kicked in.

At least until the effect of the “less annoying” medicine wore off, they’d probably be running neck-and-neck.

Honestly, it worked out better for me—no need to persuade them anymore.

Soon, I stood facing Seo Ye-in.

“Using it.”

“Do it.”

[‘Austerity’ will be used.]

[Stage 11 Austerity has been bestowed on the target.]

For Austerity races, Seo Ye-in ranked last.

Maybe because “less than nine hours of sleep per day” had left a bad memory, she rarely wanted to accept it.

Though once she did accept it, she tended to clear it the fastest.

For reference, first place was Hong Yeon-hwa, who was currently pushing Stage 24.

They handled things perfectly on their own, so they needed the least attention.

Anyway, I checked the quest contents.

[Sub-Quest: Stage 11 Austerity] (In Progress….)

▷Objective: Win an evasion duel against a hologram

—FWOOOSH—

Light projected in multiple directions a short distance away, forming a human-shaped hologram.

Even at a glance, it looked like she was supposed to have an “evasion duel” with that.

Next, I handed over the Challenge Book.

“Use it.”

“Okay.”

[‘Challenge Book’ will be used.]

[Accept/Decline]

The moment the notification popped up, Seo Ye-in selected “Accept” without hesitation.

Then the Austerity quest updated.

[Sub-Quest: Stage 11 Austerity] (In Progress….)

▷Random turbulence occurs

▷Deactivated: [Distortion], Ghostless Shadow, Immortal Kim Ho Kim Ho Pot, Puffy-Cloud Puffy-Puff Bracelet

▷Objective: Win an evasion duel against your mirror image

—FWOOOSH—!

A second blast of intense light poured down, sculpting the 3D hologram—previously only a rough human outline—into something far more precise.

What emerged was Seo Ye-in herself.

But while the appearance was the same, there was an obvious difference from the original—

—Sleepy……

She looked two or three times more exhausted than usual.

Her shoulders drooped, and her head was tilted slightly, like she was about to fall asleep standing up.

This wasn’t a sloth. This was practically a slooooooth.

Maybe because of that, her expression also looked gloomy.

If I were going to give her a nickname based on all that—

‘Depresso-Sloth.’

As if she could read my mind, she muttered.

—Sad……

“Why are you sad?”

—Rest disappeared……

“Because we said two days of rest and then did it right away?”

Depresso-Sloth nodded slightly.

Then she shot a look this way like she was interrogating us, so I smoothly shoved the responsibility onto the less-lazy Seo Ye-in.

“She said she’d do it.”

Depresso-Sloth and Fast-Sloth stared at each other for a few seconds.

—…Why.

“First place matters more.”

—Day after tomorrow challenge……

“Day after tomorrow might be annoying again. I have to do it now.”

—…That’s true.

Depresso-Sloth accepted it readily.

It was true we didn’t know when the effect would end.

Still, maybe it was annoying all the same—she trudged over to one side of the training grounds with slow steps and took her °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° position.

Seo Ye-in immediately took position opposite her, and as the two sloths faced each other, wind began to blow in.

—WHOOOOO—

Not just whirlwinds—gusts from front, back, left, and right tangled together chaotically.

Just like the quest said: random turbulence.

—FWOOOSH—

Then light projected again, generating holograms.

One in front of Seo Ye-in, and one in front of Depresso-Sloth.

They took the shape of soldiers, and without warning, raised their bows and drew the strings.

—SHWIIK—!

Seo Ye-in stepped into [Featherstep] to evade, while pulling out a mana gun and firing back.

—TUDUDUDUDU!

Blue bullets punched through the upper body of the hologram soldier over and over.

But it acted as if nothing happened, focusing only on firing arrows nonstop.

Depresso-Sloth commented dryly.

—Invincible……

As if she’d known from the start, she didn’t even draw a weapon—she just kept stepping, arms hanging loose.

‘Because it’s an evasion duel.’

A hologram made for dodging would lose the point of the quest if you could take it down.

So it was basically set to be invincible.

Me or Ahn Jeongmi and the others could probably interfere, but then it would be meaningless.

“…Confirmed.”

Seo Ye-in nodded slightly and put the mana gun back into Inventory.

Then she started dodging arrows with empty hands too.

—SHWIK SHWIK SHWIK!

For a first round, both sides looked smooth.

But the quest was only just beginning.

Since it was an evasion “duel,” it would inevitably create a situation where one of the two had to fall behind.

No sooner had that thought crossed my mind than another hologram projected.

—FWOOOSH—!

This time, it was a soldier holding a long spear.

Just like the archer hologram, it attacked immediately.

—FWOOOSH—

Next, another archer was added.

With arrows coming in doubled and a spearman thrusting on top of it, the footwork of the two sloths got far busier than before.

Seo Ye-in leaned back, tilted aside, stepped in zigzags, repeatedly retreating—

And then—

—FWOOOSH!

Another hologram projected.

But unlike before, it wasn’t one per side—only one appeared in the dead center.

And it wasn’t a person. It looked like some kind of table, with a big button on top.

“…!”

The moment she saw it, Seo Ye-in’s gray eyes flashed.

Whatever it was, her instincts screamed it was important.

She kicked off the ground and lunged for the button.

Unfortunately, Depresso-Sloth was a little closer, and her reaction was a little faster.

She arrived first by a hair and slapped her hand onto the button.

—CLICK,

In the next moment, one of the hologram soldiers attacking Depresso-Sloth vanished.

With the evasion difficulty lowered, she’d gained a clear advantage in the duel.

She lifted her hand and made a V.

—…Top-tier genius.

“…!”

Seo Ye-in’s gray pupils expanded slightly.

She stared at her mirror image, then stared at us, then stared back at her mirror image.

Getting teabagged by yourself had to feel weird.

She clenched her fist.

“…I’m going to take you out.”

—Take you out……

Depresso-Sloth parroted the words, and the evasion duel resumed.

—SHWIK SHWIK SHWIK SHWIK—!

Arrows and spears came without rest.

Hologram soldiers increased more and more.

Before long it was two spearmen, two archers—

And then, as the fifth addition, an assassin joined.

It circled to the side or rear, then suddenly lunged in.

—SKRKKK!

Twin blades slashed like it was carving her up.

Seo Ye-in lightly kicked off the ground and went flying—like a balloon swept up by wind.

She’d cast [Sailboat], riding the turbulence’s flow.

“…You learned well.”

Seo Ye-in nodded with satisfaction, like the hardship had been worth it.

She kept drifting and darting through the hologram soldiers and the assassin.

Then—

—FWOOOSH—!

A hologram button appeared again in the center.

Both of them lunged toward it at the same time, but Seo Ye-in’s response was different from before.

She stepped into [Featherstep] and thrust her hand forward.

[Destructive Gale]

—KWAAAAA!

Compressed wind shot forward.

A clear wind-path punched open through the chaotic turbulence.

Seo Ye-in lightly kicked the ground, lifted about an inch, and then used [Sailboat]—

Launching forward at tremendous speed.

She arrived far ahead of Depresso-Sloth and slammed her hand onto the button.

—CLICK,

As the hologram assassin vanished, Seo Ye-in made the same V sign.

“Ultra top-tier genius.”

—…!

She’d returned the teabagging in full.

And of course, being a mirror image, the reaction was similar.

Depresso-Sloth’s pupils expanded, and she reignited her fighting spirit, resuming the evasion duel.

Watching, Dang Gyu-young laughed like they were entertained.

“Looks like her personality’s the same.”

“She actually hates losing more than you’d think.”

“Who doesn’t. Anyway, I’m going to finish mine too—Austerity.”

“You’re almost done, right?”

“Yeah.”

[Sub-Quest: Stage 18 Austerity] (In Progress….)

▷Objective: Achieve proficiency (82/100%)

They’d built proficiency far faster than expected.

If it went well, it might even finish today.

“Shame my older cousins aren’t here.”

“You should still be able to spar.”

I answered like that and tilted my chin toward one side.

Ahn Jeongmi was approaching with Hyeseong Group’s employees.

Seo Ye-in’s surprise “I’m always grateful” had apparently been pretty lethal—Ahn Jeongmi’s eyes were still slightly swollen.

Soon, Ahn Jeongmi returned to their usual businesslike face and spoke.

“It doesn’t seem there’s any room for us to intervene in my lady’s training.”

“Yes. At least for this quest, she’ll be doing it alone.”

“In cases like this, her own motivation is the most important factor, and fortunately, she seems to be working hard.”

It was probably partly the effect of the “less lazy” medicine—but the fact that her opponent was herself also seemed to play a role.

As Ahn Jeongmi said, even now Seo Ye-in was locked in a razor-thin evasion duel with Depresso-Sloth.

After glancing at that, I said,

“If you’re willing, I’d like you to help with our training.”

“I will gladly do so.”

Ahn Jeongmi nodded without hesitation.

Those four had been dispatched for escort duty and training—sparring included—so they were perfect as substitutes for the Dang twins.

In terms of skill, they were either slightly behind or about even.

Soon, Dang Gyu-young took position in the center of the training grounds, and I stood beside them.

When I focused my mind, shadow spread out, forming a huge garden.

“……”

“……”

Hyeseong Group’s four-person team exchanged looks and drew their weapons.

But what Ahn Jeongmi held wasn’t the sniper rifle they’d used before—it was an assault rifle.

The other employees paired dual pistols or a pistol with a baton-type close-range weapon.

‘To match the requirement: fight while maintaining Umbral Garden.’

Even so, they’d still be strong.

Both sides finished preparing, and I spoke briefly.

“We’ll begin.”

And the battle raised its curtain.

The instant a huge shadow surged up, the four shooters’ mana BB pellets concentrated on it.

—TUDUDUDUDU!

Lab Director was shredded into a beehive and scattered—

And then Dark-Shadow Commander surged through.

One Hyeseong Group employee met it head-on, swinging the baton to block, and once again the mana BB pellets concentrated.

—TUDUDUDU!

They moved like a single body, as if they’d been coordinating for ages.

Dang Gyu-young laughed spiritedly.

“Yeah, this isn’t going to be easy.”

And with a wave of their hand, more shadow undead surged up and charged the opponents.

—KWAAAAA—!