Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: After the Minotaur
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After taking down the [Minotaur].
“Pant… Pant…!”
The labored breathing I'd been short on and the pain from overexerting myself came crashing down.
Thud.
My strength gave out completely, and I collapsed.
‘Damn, this is brutally exhausting….’
Throb, throb.
My legs felt like they were about to burst.
I'd been through plenty of battles, but this was a first.
Before, it had been a mix of mental and physical fatigue wearing me down, but now it was pure physical exhaustion from pushing my body to its absolute limit.
It made sense, though.
I'd cranked up my speed and kept moving without a single break—what would be weirder is if I were fine.
Thud thud thud.
“F-First place! You okay?”
Thompson came rushing over the moment he saw me collapse, his face full of worry.
This guy really worries a lot.
He doesn't look like the type who'd fret over anything.
“…I'm fine. My legs just gave out.”
“Well, yeah, after moving like that, no wonder. Still, glad you're okay. I thought maybe it grazed you while I wasn't looking.”
“It would've been a bit dicey at the end without Kayla.”
We were chatting like that when Barundel and Kayla finally caught up.
Barundel stopped in front of me and immediately bent down, dropping his gaze to my level.
“Barundel, what is it? Something wrong…?”
That's when it hit.
An unbearable heat shot up from my thigh.
I looked down in a panic to see Barundel pressing hard on my thigh with his finger.
“Guh…!”
The intense pain made me groan involuntarily, and Barundel clicked his tongue as he watched.
“Tsk tsk. I had a feeling, but your legs are giving out from just that? You've got a long way to go.”
He probably meant there was still tons of room for growth…
“D-Do you have to say that while pressing on it…? I nearly died.”
“Feeling pain like this once in a while isn't bad. Later, you'll move the same way and feel the pain drop off sharply.”
‘…So, that was for growth feedback?’
I got what he meant, but honestly, it didn't click at all.
Inflicting pain just for that? Who does that?
Not some psycho, that's for sure.
‘…Anyway, this guy can be weird sometimes.’
Super kind one moment, total mad dwarf the next.
Not that I have any room to talk.
“The real madman is you, isn't it? I still can't forget you chugging potions while training like a maniac. Looked like you were desperate to die. And what about the Aldeon rift incident? You were…”
Was he that offended by me calling him a madman?
I shared my thoughts, and Barundel started rapid-firing past events like a machine gun.
With no real comeback, I casually changed the subject.
“So, what now? I don't think I can move for a while.”
“Urgh… changing the subject, huh.”
“I'm serious.”
This was actually a serious issue.
Sure, we'd taken on an upper demon, but wrecking ourselves this bad over just one?
And it wasn't just me.
Thompson, who'd blocked the [Minotaur]'s attacks, was still rubbing his arms from the lingering shock, and Kayla was silently focused on recovering her depleted mana.
Even Barundel's axe was completely smashed.
One fight, and the whole party was shaken.
‘These guys are stronger than I thought.’
Their power far exceeded my expectations.
Of course, my calculations weren't off.
Thompson, just starting to glimpse the 4th circle.
Kayla, dishing out textbook mage firepower.
Barundel, with his perfect physique and seasoned combat skills.
And me, with two mythic traits.
No matter how I sliced it, our party specs should handle one upper demon no sweat.
Which meant…
‘They're even stronger now.’
Something had boosted their power.
And if that was true…
There was only one reason for it.
I naturally tilted my head up to the sky.
The day hadn't faded yet—clear skies.
But I could still see the moon, and that's when I realized why they'd gotten stronger.
My companions followed my gaze and murmured.
“Huh? That…”
“…It's turning red.”
Faint, but definitely different from before—the moon's appearance had changed.
The moment war was all but certain.
***
Thud, thud.
Thompson's footsteps felt heavier than before.
Carrying two people's weight on one body would do that.
“…First place, you're heavier than I thought.”
“Probably 'cause you're tired, mister.”
“That so…?”
Anyway, that was our decision.
Stay outside the border, but retreat to a safe spot and set up a base camp.
We'd need a camp for a few days of hunting anyway, so it was the best option right now.
I looked ahead.
Barundel and Kayla, in relatively decent shape, were scanning the surroundings warily.
“How's it look? See anything?”
Kayla shook her head at my question.
“Nope, not even a rat. This place seems pretty good.”
“Yeah?”
I patted his back to signal, and Thompson, who'd been carrying me, spread his arms wide.
“Hoo-!”
He even exhaled—must've been wiped.
I'd recovered enough to stand by now, and I landed safely.
Plop.
“Hmm…”
Standing there, I surveyed the area right away.
Just like Kayla said, no demons lurking nearby, and the ground was flat—perfect for a camp.
“Nice. Let's do it here.”
“Okay.”
Snap, crack, snap!
The team moved like clockwork at my command.
Rumble rumble rumble!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Thompson laid the foundation with earth magic, and Barundel, with his skilled hands, shaped it with a work hammer.
A bit off, Kayla was diligently gathering firewood and stacking it neatly.
Probably for meal prep there.
‘Fast.’
They'd just started, but the base camp was already shaping up nicely.
Teamwork at a perfect level now.
The battles over the past few days had synced us up.
‘Good, good.’
Satisfied, I sat down on the spot, figuring I should do something.
Injured or not, I couldn't just sit idle.
And I had just the thing.
I slowly drew up my mana.
Luckily, unlike my wrecked body, my mana had fully recovered.
Vmmm!
-Magic calculation ability is maximized.
Complex shapes and formulas floated before my eyes, forming a magic circle.
Soon it was complete, and I flicked it with my finger.
It landed right where I wanted!
The magic circle sank into the ground.
A flame trap spell I'd used often, planted underground.
It'd serve as our invisible barricade guarding the base camp.
‘One's not enough.’
I pulled up mana again and repeated the process.
Flame traps, electric traps, detection light spells, and more.
Plop! Plop! Plop!
Magic circles of all attributes and functions dotted the area.
The base camp finished up around then.
“Whoa, thought it was too rough at first… but done up, it's pretty solid.”
Thompson, first to finish his part, looked around in admiration.
The others too.
“Compared to my old place, this is heaven.”
“Not to brag, but my handiwork's a work of art, Miss Kayla.”
“Ah… yeah, it is.”
Everyone seemed pleased with their handiwork.
‘Not bad.’
Even I thought we could hold out here for a while.
That's when Thompson sidled up.
“First place, what's next?”
Asking how we'd use the remaining time.
I answered matter-of-factly.
I'd come here to grow fast—what else?
“We hunt again.”
“Huh?”
He blinked, caught off guard.
“Not resting?”
He nodded at my legs.
“How do you hunt in that state?”
“Oh.”
From his view, it made sense to wonder.
He'd seen my abilities, but not how to use them in this situation.
“There's a way.”
I flashed a confident grin at the cocking his head.
Time to show this world how amazing a player could be.
***
Rustle!
“Phew…”
Thompson ducked behind a rock safely and muttered to himself.
‘What the hell's first place thinking?’
He was following orders, but doubts lingered.
More precisely…
‘This could get dangerous if we're not careful…’
Worry fit better than doubt.
Party aside, this guy absolutely couldn't get hurt.
‘If shit hits the fan, I'll step in.’
Couldn't let a little hero's tale end so pointlessly.
Thompson clenched his fist, resolving.
Even if it cost his life, he'd protect first place's safety.
If that meant crossing a river of no return…
‘That's just my fate to accept.’
That's how much he trusted Yoo Han.
‘First place doesn't make mistakes.’
Thud, thud.
Resolve set, Thompson stepped out from cover and stood tall.
And then.
“You fake crow bastards! Over here!”
He bellowed at the top of his lungs.
Just like Yoo Han instructed.
Kiek?
Three or four crow demons whipped their heads around, red eyes glowing.
At the same time.
“Uwaaaaaah—!”
Thompson sprinted full tilt toward the base camp.
The pissed-off crow demons flapped after him.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
A frantic chase where slowing even a bit could spell disaster.
“Pant, pant…!”
Desperately pounding the ground, Thompson muttered as something hit him.
“But why am I bait again…?”
He'd sworn never to do it again.
Thompson had forgotten that day's nightmare.