Chapter 78

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 78

Chapter Title: Leader

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Whiiiiiing!

The over ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠two thousand monsters dominating the sky flew about menacingly.

There were so many of them that the blue sky was nowhere to be seen, their lewd bodies and wings filling the entire field of view.

Caw! Caw!

The flapping of wings and their highly agitated cries pierced my ears.

'They're coming.'

The massive flock gliding through the sky like fish suddenly shot toward me.

'The direction they'll attack from is set.'

Unless they planned to stupidly charge into the cliff, the only ways they could approach were from the left and right flanks.

I immediately slammed down the rope I was holding with all my strength.

Bang!

The rope in my left hand whipped like a lash, wrapping around the rock I was standing on with a whirrrr, coiling around it with its long length.

Creak.

I tugged on the rope to confirm it was securely wrapped around the protrusion, then lifted my head to look straight ahead.

Screeeeech!

The two thousand harpies were already right in front of me.

Their ferocious charge carried the clear intent to ram me straight off the cliff below.

'Smart indeed. If they attacked by swooping in one by one like usual, even with their numbers, they wouldn't gain much advantage.'

With the limited space, only two or three could attack at once.

But if they came charging in as a mass to body-slam me, that was a different story.

'Even if I slice the front ones, the rest keep coming, so I can't just fight head-on, nor can I stop their momentum.'

If I messed up and collided wrong... it wouldn't end with just a couple of cracked ribs. Even I would struggle to protect my body.

So—

Hop.

I leaped off the cliff face just before they hit me.

「?!」

I could see the harpies panicking. They hadn't expected me to jump off the rock.

My body, falling under gravity, suddenly halted midway, caught by the rope wrapped around the cliff.

'Dodged the first attack somehow.'

Just as that thought crossed my mind, Caw! A sharp cry rang out, and the harpy flock split into two groups.

"?"

The ones charging over the cliff protrusion kept flying straight, while those from the middle of the flock veered downward toward the spot below the protrusion where I hung.

'Look at these things? They can split into two teams and operate them? And adapt this quickly?'

Their intelligence surpassing my expectations made me chuckle for a moment. No way—weren't these supposed to be low-level mobs?

Thud thud thud.

To evade the new pursuers, I channeled telekinesis into my shoes and dashed along the cliff.

Walking was one thing, but running was awkward at first. Humans are amazing, though. When life hangs in the balance, they unleash peak focus and turn the impossible possible.

'...Still, they'll catch up soon.'

Even running as fast as I could wasn't enough to shake them. Glancing back, I saw the harpies closing in tight behind me.

'Fast speed, huge numbers, and a leader who's great at commanding... A real headache all around.'

But the most troublesome part was their cohesion. I didn't know how much trust they had in their leader, but everyone followed its commands without question.

No backtalk, just blind faith. Even if it meant death.

'Are they serious?'

Even as they closed in on my back, they didn't slow down at all.

They didn't even extend their talons. They just thrust their heads forward.

In short, leading with talons would slow them, so they planned to max out speed and slam me with their whole bodies.

Even if it snapped their own necks.

'They're gonna get me.'

With that resolve, no matter how much I dashed along the cliff, there was no escaping.

How to deal with them? Anyone else would be clueless... but for me, it wasn't that hard.

'Numbers don't always mean better.'

As the lead harpy's head drew close, nearly touching my back, I twisted my body sideways to dodge.

「?!」

Whoosh—

The harpies streamed past me.

Confusion spread across their faces.

'Let's see, the other group... Ah, coming from there.'

Spotting the harpies shooting from the opposite side, I shifted ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sideways again. They streaked past where I'd been.

'Moving in a tight pack at high speed? No fine control possible.'

In other words, wait until a harpy was right in my face, then dodge sideways a bit, and they couldn't brake or turn mid-pack.

Mess up the timing even slightly, and disaster with the ones behind.

'So I just lend a hand.'

Gripping my sword loosely, I quietly laid the blade against the massive wave of harpies speeding past.

No need to swing. They provided the speed.

Slice.

I just needed to hold it steady.

One downside: with so many and so fast, it strained my arm.

'No need to jam the sword hard into rapids and get swept away.'

Just angle it to skim the surface—like parting an upstream current that widens downstream into waves.

Shraaaaa!

Kyaaaaaaa!

The moment the blade touched, the harpies screamed in unison like a chorus. Hundreds at once made my ears ring.

But that roar paled against the spectacle unfolding.

No joke—the sky turned red. Blood gushing from hundreds of bodies sprayed like rain.

「Caw?!」

Some sensed something wrong and hesitated, triggering a massive pileup.

Bam bam bam bam!

Sudden stops colliding with chargers produced sickening bone-cracks echoing out.

Wings tangled, necks snapped, bodies plummeting seaward.

"Whew. Quite the sight. How many went down?"

A lot, at a glance. Just from lightly prodding like tossing a pebble.

'Anyway, muscle fatigue is no joke.'

Back on the rock protrusion, I quickly counted the remaining harpies while massaging my throbbing right arm with my left.

'Really just skimmed it... Numbers are unbeatable. Can't do it twice.'

No exaggeration—I worried my arm might snap midway. If the harpies hadn't frozen in shock, my arm would've given first.

'Let's see. Down by nearly 500.'

I must've sliced close to 800, but the rest, limping on wings, circled unscathed. They dodged lethal hits.

More died from post-slice collisions than the blade itself.

I looked up at the regrouping harpies around me and smirked.

'Not fleeing yet? Guess the leader isn't among the dead.'

Quarter gone, yet they persisted...

Maybe they saw my right arm trembling and thought it a solid hit.

Sure enough, some tested with talon strikes.

「Kyaaaak.」

They fell to my sword swings. But my arm shook from strain—they noticed.

「Caw!」

Emboldened, they reformed ranks and charged again.

This time, ten leads bulked up the front, denying any dodge space.

'Ha, clever bastards.'

Am I fighting people or monsters? Early Trial for real?

"But do you know what this is?"

"You're screwed. Think I went through all this for fun?"

There are ways to add options to normal weapons.

Specifically, to upgrade from normal straight to epic grade in one go.

The method is simple: feed the weapon blood nonstop. Until it strengthens. But not just any blood?

'Weapons that can strengthen are specific, and so are the races that work for them.'

Among them, Giant Slayer was forged from special metal to slay giants.

Giants are earth-attribute, by the way. So to empower this, kill wind-attribute races.

Giant bats, harpies, etc.

'Just 1,000 kills for the option.'

That's why I borrowed the sword from So-hee. To upgrade it for her.

An epic-grade weapon usable only from the twelfth Trial? Flashy options.

My holy-attribute sword only had 10% extra damage—six times less.

Plus a special sword-wind option.

'Who'd guess a normal weapon could become this outstanding.'

Now treasure-grade in a flash, but most who knew the system still couldn't upgrade.

'Even in the first run, fewer than ten used it.'

It only spreads around the thirtieth Trial... when mobs are too strong for 1v1s.

Only top 20% could manage solos.

'Kill 1,000 in that? Absurd.'

Even party sniping 10 finisher kills daily takes 100 days.

Impractical system.

Hence the two-grade leap for near-impossible feat.

'But in a lowbie zone like this? Total trash mobs.'

Third goal here achieved.

No more tedious fights.

I dropped the rope, switched the throbbing right arm for my left to grip the sword.

"Kids, now's your chance to run."

「Caw!」

Seeing one arm neutralized boosted their morale—they charged.

Splitting into two groups to hit above and below the protrusion simultaneously.

Confident smirks, as if no escape this time.

"I gave you the chance."

Braced my legs firm, raised the sword, glaring ahead.

"You rejected the smart way to survive."

Roar!

Rank 19, the Crimson Flame Witch's signature red flames bloomed from my hand, brilliantly enveloping the blade.

「?!」

At that moment, the leaders likely sensed something terribly wrong. Too late. Distance was zero.

Roarrrrr!

The eternally burning blade hummed—vortices formed, flames erupting wildly.

"This death? You brought it on yourselves."

I swung down.

A massive gust exploded forward, red flames engulfing the world.

So fierce even harpy screams vanished.

Just crimson fire, charred lumps, acrid cooked-meat stench, and ecstasy of wiping 800 mobs in one stroke prickling my skin.

In that inexplicable thrill, I had to admit:

Worthily, the Crimson Flame Witch's power, hailed supreme for destruction.

What a cheat ability.

Primordial Flame: unquenchable eternal blaze.

Doesn't fade until caster recalls mana.

Thus, Giant Slayer's gale met eternal fire—devastation beyond imagination.

A single spark spreads, incinerating flesh to bone.

Fwoosh—

Recalling mana, flames gone, only black smoke remained.

Half the charging harpies scattered as ash on the wind.

Aaaaah...

Harpies stared blankly, lost. No clue how to react to this unprecedented disaster.

So obviously, they glanced at their leader.

"It was you, huh?"

I sprang toward it instantly. My swift move startled it—eyes wide.

「?!」

But harpy's a harpy. It backflipped midair, barely dodging.

「Kick.」

Sneered at me. Like, "Now what?" Below: sheer cliff, no footing.

As if I were already dead, it raised its chin proudly toward fleeing kin, bellowing triumphantly.

「Kyaaang! Kyaaang!」

But it knew one thing, not two. I used telekinesis.

Grab.

The harpy leader's neck slipped right into my grasp.

「???」

It blinked. Utterly confused. Realized only after two seconds plummeting toward sea with me.

Flap flap!

Thrashing to escape—wild wings, flips, triple axels, the works.

But I held firm.

「Caw! Caw!」

Called for help, but kin had fled. A few glanced back, saw the capture, bolted faster.

Leader went blank, then resolute—suddenly stopped flapping.

Meaning: suicide with me for kin.

'Sorry to disappoint.'

Telekinesis. Its wings flapped again.

「?!」

"Freely manipulate" implies a lot. Your wings aren't yours anymore.

Squeak squeak!

It tried stopping wings—no dice. Body obeyed me. Its strength couldn't beat my mana.

Oh, sudden thought: didn't even need its wings.

Halt.

「?????」

Wings stopped, but we hovered midair fine.

Simple: telekinesis. Held harpy suspended, hung onto it.

'Harpies look human-ish but weigh little.'

Put simply: enough Intelligence ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to levitate my weight, grab anything and fly.

No need for awkward cliff-walking—hang off something... or extreme: shoes on, float solo.

'Wish telekinesis worked on myself.'

Wouldn't need this hassle.

Flail flail!

Suicide failed, it thrashed again. I gripped its writhing neck tighter.

"Settle down, you're distracting."

"……."

Obedient instantly. Soon shivering, then... pissed itself.

"Ugh, gross."

「H-heh. H-heh.」

Tears and snot streaming—convinced it was doomed.

Unlike others flailing blindly till necks snapped, this one had brains.

Able to perceive and reason, at least.

'Weird, though.'

I gripped its neck, twisting wrist to inspect thoroughly.

'Nothing standout in looks or size... Average as others. Not boss material.'

Combat power? Not elite.

Yet commanded two thousand kin? Queen-level intellect required...

'Hm. Silver-tongued maybe?'

Shiver.

After full scan, I clicked my tongue.

Conclusion: just a slightly smarter specimen.

'Raid boss? Item farm time. Another epic at least. Tsk, got excited for nothing.'

What to do?

Release? Back tomorrow with more kin.

Kill? Risk even worse leader emerging, cutting future "customers." Big loss.

Pondering deeply, something whooshed past my view.

'Hm? Person?'

Far off, through clouds—someone plunged from above into sea.

Face familiar: one from cave earlier, with Im Man-gil.

'Ah. Their crew was trashy—finally took the full fall.'

Held harpy in one hand, entered cave.

Blood and filth stench hit immediately—proper mess inside.

I headed straight for the commotion without hesitation.