Chapter 26
Chapter 26
The top priority is finding Mike's party.
And there was something to check before that.
"It wasn't this One-Eyed Beast that tied you up here. Where are they?"
At my words, Mike dug through the bushes behind the tree with both hands.
"Here…."
Two men lay fallen. Their hearts pierced precisely.
My gaze shifted to the One-Eyed Beast, also sprawled on the ground.
"This thing killed the humans, right?"
"Yes."
This much is manageable.
The ones who died by the One-Eyed's hand might not have been leaders.
Thanks to them, I felt confident that even a leader wouldn't be impossible to deal with by my standards.
"Mike, is there any way to know your party's location?"
Mike's yellow cat ears drooped again.
"I'm sorry… there's a unique, damp scent that emanates within the Forest of Bewitching Beasts, so I can't fully smell it unless I get within a certain radius."
"You mean you can detect it if we get closer. Fine, then."
My gaze turned to the two men.
Both men had a common item on their upper garments: a red insignia. It was small, but eye-catching for its size.
It was an insignia with a very crude, vertical red sword-shaped logo.
It was likely an item worn to clearly distinguish friend from foe.
Without hesitation, I tore off the insignia and pinned it to my shoulder.
This way, the hired muscle sent by the slave caravan would mistake me for one of their own.
If they were a group that remembered each other's faces perfectly, then my luck would be truly terrible.
Preparation was complete.
"Don't stray from my side."
"Yes."
Mike nodded.
After walking for a few minutes.
Snap-
Mike finally gave me a signal.
By grabbing my collar with his wrist.
"Distance?"
As I bent down to match his height, Mike pointed ahead with his right hand and whispered in my ear.
"They're beyond that hill."
My collar trembled.
It meant Mike's hand was shaking.
"I can smell my kin… and the smell of their blood."
I didn't reply, just patted his shoulder.
I gripped a Black Javelin, a black short spear, in my right hand.
I moved slowly, properly concealed by the bushes.
[Skill 'Concealment' level has increased. Lv.4]
I saw them.
Nekomimi Beastmen, their necks and ankles bound by chains, through the bushes.
The number of Nekomimi visible to the naked eye was five.
One of them lay on the ground, pressed flat against the earth.
'They are indeed bleeding.'
Judging by their twitching state, they seemed to still be alive.
I took out a low-grade potion and placed it in Mike's right hand.
"Once I've sorted out the situation, heal your injured kin."
Mike nodded vigorously, clutching the low-grade potion with both hands.
"I'll be putting on a bit of a show, so don't panic and just stand still."
Holding the Black Javelin in my right hand, I grabbed Mike's arm with my left.
Then, I pushed through the bushes and walked out.
A total of seven NPCs.
[NPC - Slave Caravan Rank 2 combatant Veron]
[NPC - Slave Caravan Rank 1 combatant Hans]
Three Rank 2s in total.
Two Rank 1s.
[NPC - Slave Caravan Rank 3 combatant Myon]
Two Rank 3s.
Veron, a man with a gruff face, approached me.
Veron's gaze was fixed on the insignia on my right shoulder.
"Hey, good work. But I told you not to wander around alone."
The others' gazes were mostly directed at Mike, whom I had brought along.
One combatant, who had been grinning at Mike, looked at me and tilted his head.
"Was there someone like him?"
"He's probably a mercenary they hired. There are a few."
I took a deep breath, listening to their voices.
The most efficient way would be to incapacitate one of the Rank 3s with a javelin and then engage in combat.
However, the Rank 2s blocking the way made it impossible.
"What, you only managed to catch one straggler? And you're saying there was someone like him?"
My words came out more brazenly than I had expected.
Marco, the Rank 2 combatant who had asked if there was someone like him, scratched the back of his head.
"S-sorry. My memory hasn't been good lately."
You don't need to be sorry.
[Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.4 - Skill activated.]
CRACK!
Marco's body plummeted to the ground, his head crushed by the Black Javelin I threw.
I drew the Great Enemy Sword Karnavalt, a weapon that increases critical hit chance when fighting multiple enemies.
[Focus Enhancement Lv.4 - Skill activated.]
I swung. Horizontally.
The crescent moon shape that was drawn covered the necks of the two Rank 1s.
Remaining enemies, five.
My mind raced.
Two Rank 2s and one Rank 3 charged at me simultaneously.
Three trajectories assaulted me at once.
[Skill 'Trajectory Insight' level has increased. Lv.2]
The axe trajectory on the far left was too sloppy.
I twisted my shoulder slightly to evade and then swung Karnavalt vertically.
The axe fell to the ground, and the severed arm of the Rank 2 combatant soared into the air.
"Die…!"
The Rank 3, bearing a diagonal scar on his face, lunged at me.
A faint blue Sword Qi enveloped the blade.
But there was no fear.
I had already killed the King of Kobolds, who wielded Sword Qi of a higher caliber than this.
The Sword Qi was clumsy, and the swordsmanship was clumsy.
Dragon Slayer Sword, Sword Defense Technique, Form 1: Libra.
I parried his vertically descending sword and thrust the Bloodied Dagger in my left hand into the Rank 3's neck.
The Rank 2's movement, which had been coming from the side, abruptly stopped.
I had cut him at the waist with the Great Enemy Sword.
The Rank 2 collapsed.
"Your movements, your speed, your situational judgment. Everything is astonishing."
It wasn't difficult to guess who the voice belonged to.
The remaining Rank 2, Veron, stood awkwardly, while one person watched me with a relaxed expression.
Rank 3 combatant, Myon.
"What is your reason for interfering with the caravan's business?"
The man with neat, swept-back white hair spoke with a plausible demeanor.
A red aura flowed around the spearheads Myon held in both hands.
It could essentially be considered equivalent to Sword Qi.
"Cut one of us anywhere and ask, then you'll get a straight answer."
Myon's lips curled at my provocation.
"That's an excellent idea."
Myon and Veron, standing awkwardly beside him, charged simultaneously.
"Ugh, Aaaargh!"
I don't know why Veron was charging almost in tears.
Slice!
I instantly lowered my body and cut Veron's ankle with Karnavalt.
Veron's body toppled backward.
"Kiiiaaaargh! Ugh, Aaaargh!"
And now he seemed to be genuinely crying.
Myon extended his spear, his aura flaring.
It was extreme speed consecutive thrusts.
Slightly superior to the One-Eyed Beast I had just killed.
Clang!
But it wasn't impossible to block.
Thud.
And as the final spear thrust came in, I didn't evade but caught the spear shaft with my bare hand.
Myon's face turned pale.
My strength was superior.
Hook!
I pulled the spear shaft towards me.
Myon's body lurched forward.
He should have let go of the spear.
I quickly extended my left hand, holding the Bloodied Dagger.
Thwack!
A stab to the shoulder.
Thwack! Thwack!
And twice to the neck.
Myon staggered backward, blood gushing from his neck. He then fell face-first onto the ground.
[Level up!]
[Lv.19 → Lv.20]
['Strength' stat increased by 5.]
['Agility' stat increased by 7.]
['Stamina' stat increased by 6.]
['Mana' stat increased by 5.]
Level 20 achieved.
I wanted to open the Transcendent Gallery immediately and ask about Sword Qi, but there was still an important matter left.
"Hey."
There was only one person left.
The one I had deliberately spared to get information.
"Where are the rest of the caravan members?"
I grabbed Veron, who was holding his face on the ground, by the hair and lifted him up.
Veron's face was filled with terror.
"If you don't talk, this time it'll be your left ankle."
Kingdom of Diet.
Royal Magic Tower, top floor.
"Ophelia."
The platinum-haired girl looked at the man with brown hair bowing his head towards her.
"Yes, Belzep."
"It's time for your lunch. Will the usual steak and salad be alright?"
"Yes."
"Ah, L'Mane Academy contacted us wanting to invite you…"
"I'm not going."
"Yes, understood."
Ophelia, dressed in a navy blue dress, was engrossed in something.
"I wonder if it will work."
Numerous papers were scattered across the white desk.
So many papers that even Ophelia, the one who created this scene, might not be able to discern their order.
On the papers that were somewhat neatly gathered, the following words were written:
Since I, Ophelia, am the only one who can be the magic tutor anyway.
Me, genius, possible.>
Ophelia imagined Han Yoo-seong using the magic he learned from her and writing praises about herself.
"Heehee, hehehet."
And she giggled.
"Ah, was that too undignified?"
Ophelia pulled at her own cheeks and picked up her fountain pen again.
"Hoo! I need to concentrate!"
When Han Yoo-seong reached level 20 and could activate his Mana Circuit, the Climber would naturally open an 'Aura Circuit' to use Sword Qi.
It was the natural path for someone who had already proven their talent in close combat.
Even Ophelia, who was obsessed with magic, thought that was the right way.
A player choosing to be a mage must open a 'Magic Circuit'.
Since the starting points of each circuit were at opposite poles, it was impossible to open both paths.
That was why beings like 'sword mages' did not exist in this world.
However, Ophelia had no intention of giving up on making the Climber use magic.
If it didn't exist, she would create it.
Magic that could be used with just the 'Aura Circuit'.
A normal mage would consider this impossible, but Ophelia was no ordinary mage.
She was creating magic that would be useful as buffs or in close combat.
'I hope nothing happens, right? The Climber is strong enough for the 3rd floor….'
Tap tap!
Ophelia took out a Transcendent Gallery terminal and checked the new posts.
Title: Come on, everyone, let's pray for the Climber's safe return.
Author: oo
-
Hurry back and write posts. I'm bored.
Anyway, I'm really praying. Seriously. Wishing for a safe return!
-
Dude, if you're bored, go farm.
-
Farm what.
-
You're disrespecting farmers. Do you know how many Lizardmen I've killed with my scythe? Anyway, I'm praying. Wishing for a safe return!
-
Ice Queen) Brrr! Safe return! Praying!
-
Scum Sword Saint) Wishing for a safe return.
-
You're back after a long time. What were you doing?
-
Scum Sword Saint) Closed-door training.
-
Hahaha, it was short for closed-door training.
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Scum Sword Saint) It's my business.
-
Heavenly Demon) Wishing for a safe return.
She typed on the floating keyboard and added a comment.
Tap- Tap tap.
Input.
-
Archmage) What are you praying for? The Climber isn't so weak as to die on the 3rd floor.
Ophelia clasped her hands together awkwardly.
"Wishing for a safe return…!"
After her prayer, she looked back at the post.
A reply had been posted to her comment.
-
As expected, the greatest 'cool guy' of the Climbing Gallery back then, Invincible Ironblood Magical Girl Ophelia, and so on.
"Aaaargh!"
Ophelia clutched her head, overwhelmed by remnants of the distant past!