Malone walked toward him with slightly widened yes and asked, “What did you do just now?”

“As you saw it, I used my power to kill the enemy.”

After he said that, he looked at Balonte.

“Malone wanted to stay here, so we should return to the central road to attack the enemy.”

“Just the two of us?”

“No. If they use the watchtower, they can block our advance if it’s just us two, so let’s call Embla and join her in the attack.”

“With Embla?”

“She can buff us, so she’ll be of significant help.”

What Junhyuk was saying was that she’d be better than Malone, but he did not express his true opinion. Balonte, however, understood what he meant.

“Then, let us return right away.”

At that moment, Malone quickly raised his hand.

“I’ll accompany you two.”

“We’ll be using the center path. Your legs hurt, so stay here and rest,” Junhyuk replied.

He told Embla to return as well. Then, he told the minions to stay within the watchtower and rest. After that, he returned to the sp.a.w.n point. There, Ariel was waiting for him.

[You came!]

“Right. I’m here.”

[How was it?]

Junhyuk shrugged.

“Honestly, I can’t find the right team members among them. The champions were better than these heroes.”

[You don’t like anyone you’ve met?]

“Not sure yet. I’m heading out with another two to decide the battle.”

[I’ll be waiting.]

Junhyuk smiled and asked, “I heard I have to go through you to bet in the Champions’ Battlefield.”

[That’s right. You can bet your coins through me, but I’ll charge you 5 percent as commission.]

“Commission?”

[Yes, 5 percent of your bet, and if you win, I’ll take 5 percent of the winnings.]

“What do you mean you are taking that?”

[Gambling is like that, but I won’t cheat you.]

“If I lose a bet, I’ll lose another 5 percent, but if I win, you’ll also take 5 percent of the winnings?” Junhyuk stared at Ariel and asked, “How many Champions’ Battlefields are there?”

[Right now, we are managing a total of fifteen battlefields.]

“Is there a limit to the bets?”

[Not at all, and you can get information on those champions as well, their battle skills and powers.]

Junhyuk realized that there were more champions than he had expected. With fifteen battlefields, at three champions per battlefield, there were a total of ninety champions.

“Give me the information when I collect my winnings.”

[I’ll get it ready.]

Junhyuk stood in front of the door, and Ariel made a cone with her hands around her mouth and shouted, [Hero Junhyuk Lee deployed!]

Ariel was cheering for him, and he laughed as he walked out through the door. Junhyuk ignored the minions staring at him and walked toward Embla and Balonte.

Embla turned to him and asked, “Are you really killing all of the enemy heroes?”

“I am fighting diligently, and yes, I’m killing them,” he answered. Then, looking at the two, he continued, “The watchtowers have been buffed. We’ll keep heroes on the right and left protecting the towers, and we’ll use the central road to pierce through their defenses. The three of us should be enough.”

“You are confident.”

Junhyuk had meant that the three would take on five. Embla was a little tense, but Balonte agreed and nodded.

“Us three should do the job.”

Embla looked at Balonte.

“One can deal with two, but three taking on five is entirely different.”

Balonte shrugged.

“Honestly speaking, Junhyuk could kill all five by himself.”

“Rubbish!” Embla shouted, and Junhyuk shook his head.

“We’ll try to finish the battle, so let’s take enough minions for that. How about two hundred minions?”

Junhyuk was taking the lead of the group, and after he had selected two hundred minions, they started moving right away. As they walked out of the castle and started up the central road, he heard Ariel’s voice.

[You lost the buff tower to the enemy. For the next three hours, you can’t retake the tower.]

The enemy had the buff now, but Junhyuk wasn’t worried. He looked at the buff tower far away. Their enemies had gotten there first and taken it.

The allies had already pushed through the enemies’ second central watchtower, so they would greet their enemies on the way. Once they had killed the enemies, they would advance.

Junhyuk turned to Embla and Balonte and said, “The center is the shortest path to pierce through. It’ll take the shortest time. It’ll be even better if our enemies are waiting for us.” Smiling, he asked, “Now, can you guys tell me more about your powers?”

Balonte spoke nonchalantly, “I have tanking powers.” He pounded his chest proudly. “I can boost my health by 30 percent. I can throw my sword at an enemy, decreasing his or her speed and damaging them. I have a taunt. When I shout, the surrounding enemies will only attack me.”

Junhyuk thought that Balonte’s powers might be useful, but they were not really special. Since Balonte had a taunt, he had to invest in health and defense stat boosts.

“My ultimate can damage anything within a ten-meter radius.”

“Damage?”

Balonte shrugged and said, “Considering your powers, my damage is rather weak.”

Balonte could taunt the enemies and use his ultimate on them, and the enemies wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. His loadout was better than Junhyuk had expected.

Junhyuk turned to Embla, and she said calmly, “I have a power that buffs defense and another that buffs attack, and I can also heal allies.”

She had real buffs.

“By how much?”

“Twenty percent buffs to both attack and defense, and the regen heals a hundred points per second for ten seconds.”

Because Embla’s buffs worked on percentages, she would be a big help. In fact, she could be an even bigger help later on.

“Your ultimate?”

“For five seconds, my allies’ attack speed increases by 205, and attack and health increase by 20 percent.”

“For five seconds?”

“I know. It’s not long.”

“Can your buffs stack?”

She nodded gravely, “Isn’t that obvious?”

Junhyuk had never really met a full supporter before. Embla’s powers were impressive. She only had buffs, but she had earned her place among heroes.

Junhyuk’s attack would increase by 40 percent, which was amazing. Five seconds would be long enough to kill the enemies.

Junhyuk picked up the pace. He wanted to meet the enemies on the way, but their enemies had evaded them. As he stood on the peak of the mountain, he looked far away into the distance.

“They must have gone somewhere else…”

Balonte rested his sword on his shoulders and asked, “What do we do now?”

“Let’s talk with Malone and Aldrac and begin our attack. They’ll be back.”

“We should attack their castle, then they’ll return for sure.”

Junhyuk looked at the others, and the others nodded, so they began to make their way down the mountain.

—

When they reached the enemy’s castle, Junhyuk said calmly, “They are back.”

Malone had complained incessantly. Three of them had gone to Aldrac’s side, and two had gone to Malone’s. They both had fought within their watchtowers. Malone had complained, but Aldrac had not.

When the group reached the castle, the enemy returned.

Junhyuk looked at the enemies blocking the allies’ path and said, “All five of them are here.”

They knew about his powers and they wanted him dead. Junhyuk would destroy the castle, and the allies would win, but that was if he lived through it.

Junhyuk was strong, which meant that he had rare equipment. His enemies wanted to kill him and pick up his items.

All five of them were there, after his items and his life.

As they stared at him, Junhyuk scoped them out. Once he displayed his powers, his enemies would focus on him, so he would have to be deliberate about that going forward.

He smacked his lips as he looked at the group, and Balonte stepped forward.

“I will draw their attention. Can you kill them all?”

Junhyuk nodded and answered, “I’ll use a nice, huge power on them. If any survive, we’ll kill them together.”

Embla smiled.

“OK. I’ll apply the buffs first, but the’ll only last thirty seconds.”

Every thirty seconds, she would have to buff them again. However, with the buff, it would be easier for them to kill their enemies.

Embla brought two sticks above her head and tapped them together.

“Give them the st.u.r.diness of a bear’s hide!”

Junhyuk saw the shape of a bear around his body, and Embla tapped her sticks again.

“Give them the sharpness of a tiger’s claws!”

Junhyuk saw the shape of a tiger around his body, and because he could feel the extra strength within him, he smiled. He would be able to kill all of the enemies by himself with that buff.

He looked at Balonte, curious about Balonte’s defense, and Balonte turned to Embla.

“Can you start the regen on me as well?”

“Of course!”

Embla tapped her sticks again, and a trail of light green powder was left by Balonte’s body as he ran toward the enemies before him.

Balonte inhaled deeply and pounded his chest. He enlarged, and his health increase, resembling a m.u.f.fin being baked.

As he ran forward, the enemies started moving.

“Catch me, you worthless pieces of garbage!” Balonte shouted.

Like a frenzy howl, the taunt turned his enemies’ eyes red, and they attacked the hero. However, the enemies weren’t using their powers. They were berserked, so they couldn’t.

Junhyuk smiled as he watched them attack Balonte. They were bunching up, which was just perfect for him.

“Shall I start hunting?”