The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 148

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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 148

The Founder was smaller compared to the magma golem I’d faced before.
But its speed was far superior.
Whoosh—!
Watching the Founder’s fist graze past my nose, I finished assessing its reflexes.
All that remained was to judge its hardness—its durability.
Thud!
I kicked off the ground again and leaped high, my hair whipping in the wind.
My muscular frame in white athletic wear reached its apex before beginning to fall.
Gripping the long spear shaft with both hands, I drove the black spearhead—laden with the full force of gravity—into the Founder’s shoulder.
Crack!
With a sensation like driving a spear into massive stone, cracks spiderwebbed across the entire arm of the white statue.
‘Soft.’
I noted the observation calmly—a remark that would astound anyone who heard it—and deliberately didn’t retrieve the spear, instead dragging it downward as I planted my feet.
“Screeeech!”
Simultaneously, a bizarre shriek—as if multiple people were crying out at once—erupted as a massive hand stretched toward me.
The attack was transparent in its intent: to seize the intruder who dared assault it on this Campus and crush me in its grip.
I didn’t retreat from the incoming assault.
Instead, I charged forward and drove my spear into the Founder’s foot.
As the statue’s form shattered and scattered, a system message flickered into view.

[ Skill ‘Charging Spear (S)’ activation in progress. ]

I noticed the change in my status window four days ago—the moment I opened my eyes each morning, I’d habitually check it, and there it was.
But no matter how much I increased my training time with Yoo Jin Rok or ramped up the intensity, the status window remained unchanged.
And then today, the instant I stepped into the Guerrilla Gate.
That system window appeared before my eyes.
Crash!
The Founder’s massive fist came crashing down where I had been standing just a moment before.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With his feet rooted to the ground, the Founder bent his colossal frame, desperately trying to land a blow on me.
The attacks were devastatingly fast—so swift that the wind itself struggled to keep pace—yet his fists couldn’t even graze my clothes.
Just as I had done when attacking his shoulder moments earlier, I traced a line of force as I withdrew, then planted my foot on his shin and propelled myself upward.
Past his knee, over his torso and shoulders, until I finally stood atop his head.
I didn’t stop.
And the moment I faced one of the grotesquely sprouted faces.
Whoosh—Crack!
I stepped forward and unleashed a strike.
“Kyaaaaaaagh!”
From the bearded old man’s face erupted a woman’s piercing, agonized scream.

[ Skill ‘Charging Spear (S)’ activation in progress. ]

The scream was so loud that the guild members in the distance covered their ears, but I couldn’t hear it.
I simply spun my body and struck the next face, using its shriek as accompaniment to move forward.

[ Skill ‘Charging Spear (S)’ activation in progress. ]

Each time, the system window flickered, flickering—a sign that skill activation was imminent.
As if urging me to continue down this path.
It was when I shattered the fourth face.
As the letters in the system window grew increasingly vivid, a faint, soft chuckle grazed my sensitive ears.
“Kekeke.”
Hidden beneath the countless sprouting faces was the visage of the fountain boy.
At its sneer, Kang Han furrowed his dark brows.
And the Founder began sprinting at tremendous speed.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
Toward where it was headed.
The guild members were gathered there.
Since Kang Han was climbing onto its body and smashing its face, it intended to target the guild members—flesh of Kang Han’s flesh.
“This bastard.”
Between clenched teeth, he spat out crude words uncharacteristic of him.
Confirming that Jang Su Ho had quickly raised his shield to protect the remaining guild members, Kang Han climbed directly onto the creature’s head.
And the moment he reached the highest point, the crown of its skull, Kang Han threw himself forward.
‘Even if I can’t breach the wall today, it doesn’t matter.’
But I cannot tolerate anyone targeting my guild members.
Whoosh—!
He spun his body once in midair, adding momentum.
And with all his strength, he thrust the spear forward.
Crack—!
“…Gahhk.”
The dark spear drove deep into the Founder’s throat, which had been shrieking incessantly.
Crunch—!
Kang Han wielded the spear with pure physical force, tearing through it.
Thud!
The Founder’s head rolled across the ground.
Rumble—!
The body, indistinguishable between limbs and torso, collapsed to the floor.
“Everyone alright?”
As Kang Han turned to check on the Founder, which had begun to slowly turn to ash, he asked.

[ The system reflects your ‘will to protect’ into experience points. ]
[ The existence of ‘comrades’ earns bonus points! ]
[ Skill re-awakening has succeeded! ]
[ Skill ‘Charging Spear ( S )’ has been activated! ]

“Ah.”
Kang Han stared blankly at the system message for a moment, then smiled at his guild members rushing toward him.
“Brother, are you hurt anywhere?”
“You didn’t even use your skills—are you okay?”
In the eyes of those worried about an S-rank Hunter like himself, there wasn’t a trace of deception to be found.
“I’m fine.”
Kang Han answered with a comfortable smile.

* * *

Damn, this actually works.
Kang Han’s status window had changed.

Kang Han S
Combat Type – Growth
1. Punisher’s Lightning ( S )
2. Charging Spear ( S )
3. Counter Opportunity ( A )
4. [Empty]
5. [Empty]

With this, Kang Han had truly become S-rank.
Not that this meant he’d been a fake S-rank all along.
It was simply that one of his two S-rank skills had been sealed, preventing him from demonstrating his full power.
‘His growth has accelerated.’
I gazed at Kang Han’s status window once more with satisfaction.
Kang Han was growing at a speed incomparable to Sejong Mak.
“Heh.”
I couldn’t exactly claim it was all thanks to me, but in any case, I’d changed much of it.
“Oh, a mana stone!”
Where the founder’s statue had vanished, a single mana stone lay on the ground.
It was C-rank.
I’d ended up clearing a Gate while doing a photo shoot, and now Kang Han’s skill reawakening plus a mana stone to boot.
Unexpected gains always lift the spirits.
Riding high on this good mood, I approached Kang Han and offered a word.
“Good work. Now you can handle C-rank Dungeon bosses without even using skills.”
“Yeo Joo.”
Kang Han, who had been conversing with Han Ji Sung, turned toward me.
“Why are you smiling like that? It’s endearing.”
Because I’m me, that’s why I can be so carefree about it.
If I were anyone else, my heart might have been pounding and my legs might have given out beneath me.
That’s how genuinely Kang Han was smiling.
And dressed so youthfully, just like a typical college student.
I could almost hear the sound of countless people watching the live broadcast of the dungeon conquest collapsing.
Normally, Kang Han would have just chuckled at a joke like mine and brushed it off.
But it seemed the skill reawakening had him quite excited.
“Haven’t you heard it yet?”
“No, not yet.”
“That’s a shame. I’ve heard it quite a lot.”
Look at this guy.
I opened my eyes wide and gave Kang Han, who was still smiling, a cautionary look.
“Don’t say things like that carelessly. Aren’t you supposed to be someone with a strong sense of responsibility?”
“I’ll take responsibility for it.”
“What did you say?”
“I’m saying I intend to take responsibility for you, Yeo Joo, going forward.”
“…What are you talking about?”
Who’s taking responsibility for whom?
I’m the one carrying the weight of this entire world on my shoulders right now.
I glanced at Kang Han, who was still smiling as he looked at me, then checked the position of the broadcast camera.
‘A true veteran, as expected.’
True to the experienced broadcast crew, the camera had already drawn close and was capturing Kang Han’s smiling face perfectly.
Fine, his handsome face photographs well on camera anyway.
As I nodded, my eyes fell on the sneakers I was still wearing.
I’ll need to negotiate for more advertising fees for this.

* * *

With the boss dead and the Dungeon showing signs of collapse—rumbling here, crumbling there—we escaped and headed straight into the Awakeners Association tent to complete our Gate clear report.
“Is the report all done now?”
“Yes. Shall we head back?”
I nodded eagerly at Kang Han’s suggestion.
I still had makeup on my face, uncomfortable clothes, and messy hair.
I wanted to strip it all off and roll around in bed with Baek Ho.
Thinking that if we left right now we could avoid rush hour traffic, I was the first to step out of the tent.
“…What is this.”
I’d expected the area around the tent to be empty since the Gate was cleared and there was nothing left to see, but crowds of people were still gathered everywhere.
And they were all staring at us.
Okay, I could accept that much.
But why did they all have their eyes so wide open?
I stopped just a few steps out of the tent, and the Justice Guild members following behind me came to a halt as well.
Eventually, Im Chung Soo, who bumped into my back, complained bluntly.
“Why aren’t we moving? You’re blocking the way… What’s going on?”
“They’re all… looking at us, right?”
The other guild members had the same reaction as me.
Yeah, I’m not imagining things right now, am I?
“…Justice Guild… Sponsor….”
“What’s this about? I’ve never seen anything like this….”
The common thread among all these people staring at us was that they kept alternating their gaze between us and their phones.
Cold sweat ran down my back.
The one thing that could destroy a promising guild—or one that was just about to become promising—in a single blow.
That was scandal.
“Lee Yu Chan, search our guild name right now.”
“Why suddenly search… Huh?”
Damn it.
Lee Yu Chan’s reaction was ominous.
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, then opened them and grabbed Lee Yu Chan’s hand to check his phone screen.
Fresh articles containing “Justice Guild” were plastered all over it.
And the article at the very top was a “breaking news” post from just fifteen minutes ago.
The headline was.

[ Master “Declares Return,” First Move Is Official Sponsorship Proposal for Justice Guild! ]

Jung Je Hwa, you bastard!

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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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