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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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I was confident in my strength. And rightfully so. I’d defeated countless intruders in this forest.
Dantalion had been a nuisance, but even he was manageable with my abilities. My strength came from my demon blood.
…But this was different.
This wasn’t some reckless thug, blinded by confidence.
He knew about me, and he knew how to counter my abilities. He’d clearly been studying me, gathering information and formulating a strategy.
I wondered where he’d gotten his information.
The answer was obvious. The otherworlders.
And the Knight Commander wasn’t easy to shake off.
“Crude spear work.”
I was actually losing ground. His sword glowed with a deep blue mana.
A dense, refined blade of mana. Almost solid, like Sword Aura, not Sword Qi.
…Not true Sword Aura, of course. That realm was far beyond his reach.
But it was far more refined than my own crude Sword Qi. And in a weapon-based fight, the mastery of Sword Qi was crucial.
Just as my blood could tear through ordinary weapons, the difference in Sword Qi mastery created a significant gap in power.
And his swordsmanship was clearly honed through years of training.
“Predictable attacks, easy to read. Your only redeeming quality is your physical strength.”
His movements were fluid, his attacks relentless. I blocked most of them, but the difference in skill and Sword Qi was overwhelming.
‘…Damn it.’
I frowned. If only I could use my abilities freely.
But the holy water was a constant threat. My blood attacks were quickly neutralized.
While I was occupied with the Knight Commander, the other Knights and otherworlders continued to advance.
I could see their strategy. A defensive formation to contain me, the Knight Commander to intercept if I tried to escape. And the otherworlders buzzing around like moths to a flame.
I let out a hollow laugh. A self-deprecating chuckle at my predicament.
‘The whole world is against me…’
I continued to evade, using my superior speed to create distance.
Slice! Scrape!
I sustained minor injuries, but avoided any serious wounds. I even used my spilled blood to create distractions, even though it was quickly neutralized by the holy water.
“Catch him!”
“Don’t let him escape!”
The Knights were relentless, determined to capture me here and now. Their pursuit was fueled by a strange desperation.
Their ragged breaths echoed through the forest, but I didn’t stop.
And then I noticed something odd.
‘…What?’
They had the advantage. The Knight Commander alone was a formidable opponent, and he had hundreds of Knights backing him up.
A direct confrontation would be suicide. I wouldn’t last long.
I’d assumed a war of attrition would be unfavorable for me as well. They outnumbered me. They could slowly wear me down.
But they seemed desperate to capture me quickly, as if they couldn’t afford a prolonged chase.
And that desperation became more apparent as we approached the deeper layers of the forest.
“Move faster! We have to capture him before he enters the deeper layers!”
“He’s… too fast!”
“Damn this armor… so heavy…!”
I realized something.
‘…Aha.’
The deeper layers weren’t a friendly environment. Not for me, and certainly not for them.
A prolonged fight would be detrimental to them as well. Their larger size meant greater resource consumption.
They wanted a quick victory. Their relentless pursuit was driven by that desire.
Which meant I couldn’t let them catch me.
I ran, and ran, until I saw the towering trees.
Giant trees, like something out of a fairytale.
I’d reached the deeper layers.
Click.
A strange sound welcomed me. A familiar, chilling click. The predatory plants, warning of their presence.
“!”
I heard the sound and dodged just in time.
But not everyone had my enhanced hearing.
“Aagh!”
“The squad leader is down!”
“Don’t panic! Pull him out!”
“What the hell are these plants!”
Screams echoed through the forest. The Knights and otherworlders panicked.
Their pursuit slowed.
“Don’t give up! He’s tired! Keep chasing him!”
But they didn’t stop. The Knight Commander led the charge, followed by dozens of Knights.
Arrows whizzed past me. The Knight Commander’s sword aimed for my limbs.
I gasped for breath.
“Ha… ha…”
My wounds burned. My body screamed in protest.
My mind began to cloud.
‘…I’m tired.’
I wanted to rest, to lie down and sleep. The blood loss was making me hungry. I craved the bread from the city…
I wondered if I was going to die here.
…But the situation changed abruptly.
“Grrr…”
A growl echoed from the depths of the forest. A ferocious, animalistic growl.
Not loud, but clear. A sound that couldn’t be ignored, especially by those who knew its source.
The Knights stopped. So did I.
A massive creature emerged from the depths of the forest.
The Mountain Lord, drawn by the commotion.
The otherworlders who’d never seen it before gasped.
“What the… what is that?”
“Level 175…? Is that even possible?”
Normally, I would have been terrified.
But I felt a strange sense of relief. I looked at the creature, a weary smile spreading across my face.
“…Let’s all die together.”
The creature charged.
“Rooooar!!!!!”
An ear-splitting roar. Its golden eyes flickered between the Knights and me.
It probably held a grudge. I’d cut off its tail. But I was alone, and there weren’t many of us.
The Knights were fresh meat. A veritable feast.
The creature chose the Knights.
Wisely choosing the larger meal over a single, albeit annoying, foe.
Smart. I almost wanted to give it a gold star.
“Retreat!”
The Knight Commander abandoned the pursuit. They couldn’t afford a fight with the Mountain Lord. They turned and ran, pursued by the roaring beast.
Crunch!
I heard the screams of Knights and otherworlders being crushed beneath its massive paws. Shields were useless against such brute force.
“…”
I watched for a moment, then quietly slipped away, moving perpendicular to my previous escape route.
I’d bought myself some time.
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+
[So close]
We almost had him.
Who knew that monster would appear?
+
[What the hell was that thing? lol]
[Level 175? Is that even a real number? I almost peed myself just watching the video.]
[I saw it in person before I died. It was huge. Its tail was as big as my torso.]
+
[Now I understand why everyone hates the deeper layers]
It’s a death trap ㄷㄷ
Traps in the ground, level 100+ monsters everywhere…
It’s a nightmare.
+
[Seriously lol]
[Even the Knights were struggling.]
[That’s not a place for humans.]
The Knights’ pursuit had ended in chaos. And the entire event had been documented and shared online.
Many of the participating otherworlders were streamers, and others posted their experiences in the community forums.
The community was abuzz. The chase might have ended anticlimactically, but the post-mortem analysis was just beginning.
Comments ranged from admiring the scenery of the deeper layers to praising the Knights’ combat prowess.
And many expressed a different sentiment.
+
[I was just angry the whole time]
Is that even a raid? It’s just a bunch of people ganging up on one guy.
The boss isn’t even a real boss, and the Knights’ justification is flimsy… I don’t get it.
+
[Here we go again with the overreacting]
[Seriously, what did he even do? Seere actually killed people and caused chaos. Why is Yor even a boss?]
[Because he’s a Carrier. All Carriers must be eliminated. Don’t you even know that?]
[I know, but that’s just the ignorant medieval mindset. Why should we follow their rules?]
Discontent simmered. It wasn’t a popular raid. The boss was friendly, and he hadn’t committed any crimes.
Of course, to the NPCs, being born with demon blood was a crime in itself… but that was their perspective.
To the players, it was nothing more than a witch hunt.
The discontent had always been there, but it burned brighter now.
Arguments erupted in the forums.
Yor’s plight, as depicted in the videos, had struck a chord.
Click, clack…
Someone, quietly manipulating public opinion from their room, made a decision.
“This can’t continue.”
“You too? Me too.”
Im Ha-neul, and Yoo Chae-rin.
They’d been watching from the sidelines, unsure of what to do. But they couldn’t stand by any longer.
They had to do something.
“Let’s go find him.”
“Are you sure? We could be arrested as accomplices.”
“So you’re not going?”
“…Of course I’m going.”
They set off for the deeper layers of the forest.
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[Your Text Here]
Harem to the rescue!
Thank you for chapter. I will be back soon.