Chapter 15 : Bridge blockade

“Yo, Young Master Ou, we really owe this win to you—total carry!”

The enchanter of Team 023 fawned with a playful grin, trailing a handsome young noble.

“You barely used any holy power and still soloed the beast. These Silver cores will definitely put you at the top!” the priest added in praise.

“Haa~ So boring.”

Owen Lester yawned, utterly uninterested in the assessment.

Son of a high minister in the Saint Ro Empire, heir to immense wealth and talent, Owen had been cultivated with premium resources since childhood—far ahead of peers.

Wealth, gift, looks—hence “Young Master Ou,” with a trail of admirers.

Team 023 was built around him as absolute core.

Priest for constant healing and purification—keeping Owen at peak.

Enchanter for buffs: armor, weapon, stamina…

In short, the assessment was Owen’s solo show.

“Uh, Young Master Ou, about our scores…” the enchanter probed.

“Relax, you both get a Silver core,” Owen said casually.

“Thank you, Young Master Ou!” both exclaimed, overjoyed.

On the surface, flattery; inside, they resented being looked down on.

“I’m tired. No more beast hunting,” Owen declared.

“You’re not going for more Silvers?” the priest asked, puzzled.

“Silvers are rare—probably cleaned out by others. I’m not running around,” Owen shot the priest a glare. “If I get blisters, you gonna lick them clean?”

“Uh… haha…”

The priest seethed but forced a laugh.

Who likes being a bootlicker?

But a Silver core—way above passing—made it worth it.

“Young Master Ou, remember Team 075? They got robbed. Should we be careful?” the enchanter worried.

“They got greedy, left an opening,” Owen scoffed. “Let’s go—safe zone, end this.”

“Young Master Ou, there’s a package ahead?”

The enchanter pointed at a tree trunk by the path—a backpack hanging, battle marks nearby.

“I sense… cores inside? Silver? Probably left after teleport exit?”

“Wait—this feels like 075’s situation,” the priest noted.

“Childish trick. Think we’re those idiots?” Owen saw through the trap.

“Young Master Ou, it is a Silver core… maybe test it carefully…?”

The priest was tempted—another Silver boosted final score.

“Brain flooded? Bait in your face and you have to bite?” Owen snapped. “Wanna try? Go alone.”

“Alone?”

The priest hesitated.

He wanted enchanter to buff Owen, himself ready with sacred arts—Owen probes, they cover.

Him, a priest, going solo?

Pass.

“Young Master Ou, you’re right!”

“Idiot—wasting my breath.”

Owen just wanted it over. Safe zone secured his expected rank.

Whatever floods Evergreen after—none of his business. Why risk?

He led onward—no more traps, uneventful.

Almost boring.

Guarding against such lowlifes—beneath him.

“Young Master Ou, almost at the safe zone!”

Enchanter scanned with mana detection, reporting.

“Cross the big bridge ahead, then the grove—one of Evergreen’s safe zones.”

“That it?”

Owen stood before the bridge.

Looked around—no other path. Just a massive, aged bridge spanning cliffs.

Per handbook, built long ago by Avalon—rarely maintained, but functional.

“Almost done!!” enchanter buzzed.

“Yeah, our Avalon ranking will skyrocket!” priest beamed.

“Let’s go—cross, then grove.”

Owen stayed cool—expected outcome.

Mid-bridge, a figure emerged from the far grove.

Bridge block?

“Interesting. Daring to solo-intercept me*?”

Owen’s gut said: the Evergreen troublemaker.

He raised a hand.

“Buff me.”

“Yes!”

Enchanter and priest obeyed.

Like against beasts—full buffs turned Owen into a war god.

“Want your head stepped on, or come get beaten?” Owen taunted confidently.

“…”

The grove figure stayed still.

Owen frowned—scared stiff?

He stepped forward to attack.

That step shattered everything.

BOOM—!!!

Explosion—pre-set magic circles unleashed shock, destroying load-bearing pillars.

The old bridge swayed violently, snapped, lost balance—front collapsed.

Enchanter and priest gawked.

Owen’s arrogance vanished.

Team 023 never imagined—someone blew the safe-zone bridge!

No buffs could fix this.

“Done for!!”

No front path; Owen tried retreating—bridge too long.

Worse—rear explosion.

Shockwave launched the span skyward—three with it.

Falling, priest and enchanter regretted hitching to this “big leg.”

…

“Anyway, thanks for the delivery~ Hard work!”

At valley bottom, Via stripped Team 023 of cores—met her target count.

She raised one, noticing something odd.

“Huh, this is…?”