Main Event (3): The Corrupted Sacred Beast
After dealing with the incoming monsters, we left the forest and reached the lake.
The number of monsters was high, but none possessed regeneration as strong as the Purple Poison Boar, so we dispatched them all in a single strike without much trouble.
If anything, collecting the magic stones and storing the corpses afterward proved more tedious and time-consuming.
"So this is Lazenta Lake… It's beautiful."
"Whoa…"
"Nature's splendor at its finest!"
Though surrounded by forest, Lazenta Lake was vast. It was one of Laden Kingdom's most famous landmarks and a popular tourist destination. Of course, exploring it required hiring adventurers as escorts.
Click! Click! Yeon-hwa and Atsbal pulled out their cameras and began photographing the lake's scenery.
"These turned out quite well."
"Once the investigation is over, I could add my own image to the landscape!"
"B-but how should we proceed with the investigation?"
Having already seen the event in the game, I knew the answer, but I offered a plausible method first.
"We've recovered plenty of magic stones from the rampaging monsters, so we can leave the detailed analysis to the guild. For now, let's search the area around the lake and see if we can spot any visible cause."
"That does seem to be our only option right now."
In the game, simply wandering the forest would trigger a cutscene revealing the cause of the monsters' rampage. There was no guarantee events would unfold exactly the same here, but it was better than doing nothing.
We stayed alert, immediately eliminating any monsters we encountered and collecting their magic stones as we circled the lake. Its enormous size meant a full lap would take hours.
Fortunately…
"H-huh? Th-this is strange. I can feel some kind of ominous energy."
Things began unfolding similarly to the game's cutscene. While searching the lakeside, the player would sense an ominous presence, approach, and discover the source of the monsters' rampage.
"Protection Talisman!"
Yeon-hwa immediately deployed barriers around us, preparing for whatever might happen.
"Pamela, where is the energy coming from?"
"O-over there!"
We moved toward where Pamela pointed.
And then we saw it.
"Th-that's…"
"It can't be. That's definitely…"
"The Water Sacred Beast… Praton."
A massive deer with deep blue fur, pure white antlers, and sky-blue eyes. The main boss of Chapter 1's main story—and in a sense, the tutorial boss of the game. The Water Sacred Beast, Praton.
But the Praton standing before us now looked different from the original.
"Wait, something's wrong!"
Atsbal was the first to notice the change.
"There's something embedded in Praton's forehead!"
Just as he said, between Praton's two antlers sat a dark red, cone-shaped gem. Not only that—the once-pure white antlers were now partially eroded by the same crimson hue.
"Wh-why is the Water Sacred Beast here!?"
"We came to investigate the cause of the monster rampage and ended up witnessing something truly extraordinary."
"Young lady, please step back immediately! This doesn't look good."
"Gyeong-hu! Retreating now would be no different from tarnishing the Shu family's name!"
"But…"
"Everyone, battle positions!"
I quickly restored order to the slightly shaken atmosphere upon seeing the Water Sacred Beast. Pamela, Yeon-hwa, and Atsbal focused on Praton, ready to move at a moment's notice.
At that instant, Praton turned its gaze toward us.
After a brief silence…
———!
A pained animal scream, utterly unfitting for a sacred beast, erupted from Praton.
In response to its cry, monsters emerged from the surroundings. Then, a dark red aura burst from Praton's eroded antlers and the gem embedded in its forehead. The moment the aura touched the monsters…
-Kgyaaaak!
-Kigeeek!
-Kieeeek!
The monsters went berserk, roaring and screaming as their eyes turned an even deeper red.
"Th-that…!"
"It seems we've found the cause."
"Atsbal."
"Right! I'll turn them all to ash with my magic—"
"Take a picture first."
Atsbal stared at me in disbelief.
"What? A picture? Are you out of your mind!?"
"We need evidence that the Water Sacred Beast is the cause of the rampage. With Yeon-hwa's barriers, the risk is minimal."
"Ugh, fine!"
Seeing Atsbal pull out his camera from his spatial ring, I immediately signaled Pamela.
"Pamela!"
"Vines of Tenacity!"
Pamela's magic ensnared both the monsters and the Water Sacred Beast. But the moment Praton thrashed once, the vines snapped easily.
"Aah! The vines…!"
As expected of a Chapter 1 boss monster, it possessed the power to instantly break free from restraints.
Right then—
Click!
The shutter sounded.
"Got the picture! …Hey, you! Hold onto this."
Atsbal hurriedly handed the camera and photo to Gyeong-hu.
"Huh? Why not just store them in your spatial ring?"
"One photo isn't enough! Take more evidence of my heroic performance from behind!"
"Gyeong-hu, please!"
"Understood, Lady Yeon-hwa! I shall capture your magnificent figure perfectly on film!"
"It's my camera! Focus on me!"
"M-monsters are coming!"
At Pamela's warning, Atsbal immediately turned and assumed a combat stance.
"Judgment Lightning!"
Crackle-crackle-crackle!
After watching Atsbal's magic engulf the monsters, I charged in as well.
The number of monsters Praton had summoned was considerable, but still fewer than those we'd faced upon first entering the forest. Moreover—
Thud!
-Kueeeek!
'Even if they've been strengthened, they're still one-shot material. No problem at all!'
I swung my spear along its trajectory, moved my body, and unleashed seamless combo attacks. Once the gathered monsters were dealt with, Praton was supposed to scream again and disappear—that was the scripted sequence. After all, the Chapter 1 main boss couldn't be defeated during the very first exploration quest.
But…
'It'd be a waste to just let it go like this.'
Since we were already doing this, speeding things up would be better.
So, before finishing off the remaining monsters, I aimed at Praton.
Absolute Spear
Kwaaaaaang!
A massive spear descended upon Praton, accompanied by a thunderous roar and a cloud of dust.
"Kyaa!"
"Uwah! Warn me before you do that!"
You have penetrated the Water Sacred Beast Praton.
A notification confirmed a direct hit. But there was no message indicating it had been defeated.
As the dust settled, Praton's form came into view. The sacred beast was breathing heavily, its torso severed in two and gushing blood.
"Th-the Water Sacred Beast…"
"C-can we really attack it like this? The Water Sacred Beast is revered as sacred in Laden…"
"That spear was much larger than the one you used during our spar…"
"Don't let your guard down. It's still standing."
The torso that had been bleeding profusely moments ago had already stopped. Then, a rather grotesque scene unfolded before our eyes.
"I-it's regenerating."
The completely severed torso sprouted bones, muscles, and skin with a push! before fur grew back, restoring its original form.
'Well, it is a boss monster. No way it'd go down to one ultimate skill.'
"So this is what it means to be a sacred beast. It regenerates even after being bisected."
"Hmm~ But it looks quite angry at us, doesn't it?"
Just as Yeon-hwa said, its previously calm gaze had sharpened into clear hostility directed at us—specifically at me.
I had no intention of standing still and getting counterattacked.
Thud!
"Ah! S-Si-han!"
I charged along the trajectory, aiming for the gem on its forehead this time. But the moment I prepared to attack, the visible trajectory suddenly vanished.
'What the…'
———!
The instant Praton cried out toward me, a massive sphere of water engulfed me. The sudden creation and speed made it impossible to dodge, and I was sent flying backward upon impact.
Fortunately, the barrier protected me from damage—I was only knocked back. Protection Talisman was originally a skill that also blocked knockback effects.
But…
'It felt more like it was pushing me away rather than attacking.'
Proof of this was that the water sphere didn't burst upon colliding with the barrier. Instead, it maintained its shape, pushing and launching me away. Only after I crashed into a tree did the sphere finally burst.
'I didn't know it had this kind of ability.'
"Si-han!"
"Si-han!"
"Lee Si-han!"
My party members—and even the surprised Gyeong-hu—called out my name as I was sent flying.
"I'm fine! Focus on the Water Sacred Beast!"
Once the water sphere burst, I immediately looked for Praton again.
"I-it's gone!"
"Where did it go?"
"Did the sacred beast actually run away?"
Praton's form had vanished without a trace. All that remained were the slowly dissipating Absolute Spear and the bisected lower half of Praton's body left behind.
'Tch.'
I'd wanted to progress quickly, but things weren't going to be that easy.
Just as I was feeling disappointed—
Liberate the Water Sacred Beast Praton from the Chaos Cult's Demonic Beast.
📍 Location: Lazenta Lake
🎁 Reward: 8 Points, 30 Fame. Failure: World Destruction.
Meeting Praton had been the trigger to officially start the quest.
Black and white version!