The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 120

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Yeo Joo Saves the World – Episode 120

“They really came.”
I had posted the joint training schedule with Taesan on the Justice Guild’s social media account yesterday.
It was just a thought—what if they showed up?
But there were actually people who came all the way to the Taesan Guild entrance.
I was even more surprised since I hadn’t really expected it.
Thanks to those four precious people, the guild members’ morale had lifted considerably.
Especially the three teenagers who received plushies as gifts.
“Is this… Maeng Yi?”
Im Chung Soo held a squirrel plushie that looked exactly like him and tilted his head in confusion.
“That’s me.”
“Are your eyes crooked? Of course this one is me!”
The twins were arguing over which of the two prettier jaguars was supposed to represent them.
“Nothing’s changed here. That’s the Training Facility over there.”
Jang Su Ho stopped walking and pointed straight ahead.
The large gymnasium-like space had both doors wide open, and I could see quite a crowd of people gathered inside.
“Oh…”
Nothing special about it.
The twins beside me whispered, apparently thinking the same thing.
“Taesan doesn’t seem to have a Simulation Training Ground like we do.”
“Yeah, Taesan’s pretty basic too.”
They really did have perfect chemistry in moments like this.
I walked slowly into the Training Facility.
“It looks like a basketball court.”
I nodded at Han Ji Sung’s observation.
Except for the absence of basketball hoops, the layout was exactly like one—with seating areas for spectators on both sides.
“Taesan’s already warming up.”
I could see Taesan’s assault team doing light stretches near the opposite entrance.
But the clothes they were wearing were quite distinctive.
They had leather jackets draped over their training suits.
The mismatched outfit caught my eye, and Im Chung Soo trotted over to explain.
“Noona, those leather jackets they’re wearing are B-rank items.”
“Oh, really?”
I pulled up the information window to verify what Im Chung Soo had said.

[ Stone Rhinoceros Leather Jacket ( B )
: A piece of armor that absorbs 3% of physical impact. ]

…So Tae San must have earned some money working under the Sama Guild and taking guerrilla raids all this time.
But unlike the Justice Guild’s uniform, it doesn’t have temperature control functions.
Strangely enough, even though it’s autumn now, the sun is still quite strong during the day, yet he’s wearing it out of necessity.
It was clear he’d had it tailored recently just to show it off to us today.
And Gwak Ho Young, dressed in a B-rank item, approached with his characteristic obnoxious smile and announced matter-of-factly:
“Let’s just warm up briefly and then get straight to practice.”
“Sounds good.”
Kang Han agreed.
“The restroom and break room are over there… Ah, since Jang Su Ho is here, I don’t need to give separate directions.”
As he said this, Gwak Ho Young couldn’t resist casting one last glance at Jang Su Ho—the kind of look one gives something beneath them.
But Jang Su Ho didn’t seem to pay any attention to Gwak Ho Young’s gaze.
I approached Jang Su Ho, who was setting down the bag he’d just brought, and asked:
“Jang Su Ho, what are you thinking right now?”
“Hmm.”
In response to my question, Jang Su Ho scanned the Taesan training facility once, then placed both hands on his hips and grinned widely.
“I’m thinking I need to do well today so I can get praised by Yeo Joo too?”
Even though it clearly couldn’t be that simple, Jang Su Ho smiled as naturally as always.
“Yeah. Good thinking.”
At my praise, he came over and ruffled my hair with his large hand.
Then he removed the hoodie zip-up jacket he’d been wearing, revealing a back that looked even more muscular than before.

* * *

“Ugh.”
Bored. So bored.
I covered my mouth for propriety’s sake and yawned while gazing down at the arena below.
“I never expected a joint training to be like this.”
No wonder Jang Su Ho looked so displeased.
There was a reason for everything.
“Since it’s not the Simulation Training Ground, it feels like we’re just playing some kind of war game.”
Im Chung Soo, who had caught my yawn, said this.
It was a sentiment I completely agreed with.
“What if a golem-type monster appears?”
“In that situation….”
The voices of Gwak Ho Young and Kang Han drifted over like a lullaby.
I’d thought that “training” would involve sparring and plenty of physical movement.
All we were doing was projecting holograms created from mana stones and then debating and discussing how to arrange our formations accordingly.
I’d been down there myself until about thirty minutes ago.
But since healers are always the highest priority for protection, I had nothing to do but sit still in the center, so I’d moved up to the spectator seats.
Even Taesan’s healer had long since returned to the Dormitory, claiming boredom and the need for rest.
“Noona, don’t other guilds have larger Simulation Training Ground facilities than ours?”
Im Chung Soo approached me and whispered very quietly.
“The large guilds certainly do. It’s also a sign of how severe the gap between guilds is.”
Remembering when I first arrived at the Justice Guild and they called a training space with just a few exercise machines a Training Facility, it wasn’t really surprising.
I was newly reminded of just how fortunate it had been that Sung Yo Na joined the guild.
“I should be nicer to Ari Noona.”
Im Chung Soo muttered absently while watching the attack hunters scatter about, saying they were changing formations.
But then, the area below grew noisy.
“In that situation, our shield should take the front line.”
“I disagree. Jang Su Ho, who is purely defensive, is the more suitable position.”
It seemed that hunters from some guild were arguing over which guild’s hunter should occupy the position that would make it easier to gain credit.
I quietly descended from the spectator seats and joined the people from our guild.
I wanted to understand more of the conversation.
That was truly all.
“We can’t trust Jang Su Ho to take the front line.”
Until Gwak Ho Young crossed the line with his statement.
“Since it’s not some other guild but our Taesan who has already experienced Jang Su Ho’s failures, I think you’ll understand.”
Understand? Go freeze to death.
There’s no way Taesan hasn’t noticed how much Jang Su Ho has improved.
Yet he spouts such nonsense?
Don’t stop me.
I’m going to tear that mouth of his to shreds.
Just as I was about to lunge at Gwak Ho Young, Kang Han grabbed my shoulder and spoke.
“Then let’s have a match between Jang Su Ho and your Kim Han Kwon to see who’s stronger.”
“…Hyung?”
Jang Su Ho called out to Kang Han with startled eyes, but no answer came back.
Kang Han simply stared at Gwak Ho Young with an impassive expression.
“…Very well.”
In the end, Gwak Ho Young agreed as well.
Suddenly, a one-on-one match between the shields of the Justice Guild and the Taesan Guild was set.

* * *

Kim Han Kwon was the vice guild master of the Taesan Guild.
He was also a hunter who had been with Taesan for as long as Gwak Ho Young.
In other words, he was someone with a long history with Jang Su Ho.
At the same time, when the accident occurred, he was the one who stood beside Gwak Ho Young and pushed Jang Su Ho out more sincerely than anyone else.
“Hey, you’re not going to rush at me trying to kill me even if you lose, right?”
Kim Han Kwon taunted Jang Su Ho.
It was a calculated provocation meant to shake Jang Su Ho before the match began.
But unlike the past, Jang Su Ho, who would have bristled and charged forward, instead let out a soft chuckle and shot back.
“Oh, scared?”
“You bastard?”
In the end, it was Kim Han Kwon who lost his composure.
Jang Su Ho simply walked to his position regardless of Kim Han Kwon’s huffing and retrieved his shield from the Subspace.
It was an old D-rank shield, dented and scarred in places.
“Look at that equipment.”
Kim Han Kwon openly mocked Jang Su Ho and drew his own weapon.
It was a B-rank shield and a one-handed sword.
There were broadly two types of shields.
The type like Jang Su Ho, who carried only a shield and focused solely on defense, and the type like Kim Han Kwon, who combined offense as well.
“Han Kwon.”
Yoo Jin Rok, an advisor of the Taesan Guild, approached Kim Han Kwon and offered counsel.
“You should pay careful attention to how Su Ho uses his shield….”
“I’ll handle it myself.”
But Kim Han Kwon cut off Yoo Jin Rok’s advice as if it were a nuisance.
There was not a shred of courtesy toward Yoo Jin Rok, who had once been the guild master of the Taesan Guild.
“…Don’t overdo it.”
In the end, Yoo Jin Rok had no choice but to turn away, leaving only words of concern.
And watching that retreating figure, Kim Han Kwon clicked his tongue in disdain.
As Gwak Ho Young had said, it was a problem that such an indecisive person had led the guild.
Sometimes it was necessary to charge forward with reckless abandon.
A guild that didn’t do so would simply be left behind.
Kim Han Kwon adjusted his grip on the sword in his right hand with that thought.
Yoo Jin Rok took on the role of referee for the hastily arranged duel.
“Begin.”
The match started with that brief command.
The two Shielders facing each other charged forward simultaneously.
Boom!
The sound of shields colliding echoed through the Training Facility.
In the second head-on collision that followed, Kim Han Kwon was taken aback.
‘What kind of strength does this bastard have…!’
I already knew Jang Su Ho possessed considerable strength.
But he was the type who always fought defensively, terrified of becoming a Berserker.
‘Damn it.’
It felt as though a mountain stood behind that shield rather than a person.
Kim Han Kwon eventually brought both hands together on his sword and pushed harder.
But the shield he struck didn’t budge an inch.
Naturally, the offensive advantage shifted to Jang Su Ho.
“Hup.”
Jang Su Ho drew in a deep breath and began pushing Kim Han Kwon back by driving power through both legs.
‘I’m being pushed back!’
Jang Su Ho was inwardly startled.
In the past, Kim Han Kwon had been a distant senior.
But the Kim Han Kwon visible beyond the shield now seemed far too weak.
‘Is this really happening so easily?’
Compared to his usual matches with Kang Han and Lee Yu Eul, Kim Han Kwon was riddled with openings.
Jang Su Ho tensed both arms and shoved Kim Han Kwon backward with a sharp thrust.
A gap opened between the two Shielders who had been pressed together without even a paper’s thickness between them.
Jang Su Ho stepped back half a pace and tried to assess his opponent carefully.
But Kim Han Kwon had no such luxury.
“Don’t dodge—come at me, you bastard!”
Kim Han Kwon, his frustration boiling over, shouted loudly and charged forward.
Gritting his teeth and pushing for maximum speed, his movements seemed far too slow.
At least, that’s how it appeared to Jang Su Ho.
The trajectory of Kim Han Kwon’s descending sword was crystal clear.
Jang Su Ho sidestepped it smoothly and used his shield to strike the flat of the blade.
Crash!
With a loud sound, the sword flew from his hands and Kim Han Kwon’s body lurched violently.
‘This is too easy.’
It almost seemed as though Kim Han Kwon was mocking him.
‘Then I’ll have to force him to fight seriously.’
Jang Su Ho drove his rear foot forward in a wide stride and poured his body’s weight into his advance.
It was a speed so fast that even an Awakened’s eyes couldn’t fully track it.
Kim Han Kwon, caught off guard, raised his shield, but it was already too late.
“Ugh!”
As if struck across his entire body, Kim Han Kwon staggered backward under the impact.
And before he could even raise his guard again, the match was over.
There was no elaborate technique involved.
“Thwack!”
Jang Su Ho, maintaining his lowered stance, simply nudged Kim Han Kwon’s shield aside.
Thud!
Kim Han Kwon found himself sprawled on the ground.
Silence fell over the gymnasium.
Especially those from Taesan’s side seemed shocked by the fact that Jang Su Ho had defeated Kim Han Kwon.
Yoo Jin Rok, who had stepped back to observe the match, declared in a low voice.
“…Justice Guild’s Jang Su Ho, victory.”
“Hah.”
Only then did Jang Su Ho lower his guard and catch his breath.
And gazing down at the hand that had held the shield, he reflected.
‘I’ve grown stronger.’
Without anyone—not even Jang Su Ho himself—realizing it.
And once more, he looked around at Taesan’s familiar training facility.
This place that had once seemed so immense now appeared to be nothing more than an eggshell he had long since broken free from.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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