The Black Dark Forest (1)
The Host spoke.
"Once upon a time, she lived a happy life. In a village where flowers bloomed in full, among people who loved flowers just as much as she did. Of course, a small problem did arise — but let's ignore that for now."
"Her happiness, however, did not last long. For a very large and very wicked wolf came calling."
The stage shifted — to a village no longer blooming with flowers, but with blood-blossoms in full, terrible bloom.
"While she was away running an errand to her grandmother's house, the wolf descended upon that small, peaceful village and slaughtered every last resident — and her precious family along with them — in the most gruesome fashion imaginable."
The Host laughed, as if the whole thing delighted him.
"And so she made a decision. She would learn from a very brave and very strong hunter who lived in the forest, and she would kill the wolf."
"For revenge, most likely. To have her revenge."
A great curtain rose.
There lay a dark forest choked with dense fog and trees so vast they blotted out the sky — and perched upon one of those trees sat a hunter who looked exactly like Team Leader Mir.
"Well then — shall we begin the story?"
The Host spread his arms wide.
The story begins.
"Hah... well, the boss finished her monologue, so I guess I should get to work too."
Team Leader Mir — no, the Hunter — looked down.
Specifically, at me and Senior Nova.
"The one you're looking for is in my cabin."
"But I've got some bad news for you..."
The corner of the Hunter's mouth curled upward.
"Getting there might be a little difficult."
A metallic click — the sound of a round being chambered.
"Because..."
The long gun's muzzle tilted toward the sky.
"In this black and dark forest..."
"...there lives a big, scary monster."
BANG—!!
The gunshot split the forest open.
A beat of silence — then:
KRAAAAAAAAK—!!
The entire forest screamed.
A colossal shadow blotted out the sky.
Senior Nova tilted her head back.
"...Whoa~"
I looked up without thinking.
And my breath caught in my throat.
Apocalypse Bird.
Black wings studded with countless yellow eyes. Bandaged arms and bandaged eyes. A sharp beak and a gaping maw — the beast of the black and dark forest.
Don't tell me...
This was the Black Dark Forest all along.
Which means that hunter is a being who operates here...
Then just how strong is the Mir that this thing is imitating?
A single beat of Apocalypse Bird's wings shook the entire forest.
Its gaze turned this way. Countless eyes fixed on us.
Toward the direction of the gunshot — toward us, standing right there.
"Oh... right on cue."
The Hunter grinned.
"Came out immediately."
"Hey.... oh, right — can't be late."
"Hey."
She called out with a laugh.
"If you don't hurry, you're gonna be late, you know?"
"...What do you mean by that?"
"That kid still doesn't know a thing."
"What revenge is. How sweet hatred can taste. And how easily a person loses themselves in the face of vengeance."
She sprang up, launching off a tree branch.
"But you know what? I'm pretty good at teaching that kind of stuff. Got a talent for it."
"..."
"So you'd better hurry."
The Hunter spun her long gun in a lazy circle.
"If I get there first, she won't be the kid you're looking for anymore."
"...Damn it."
I clenched Penitence tight.
I had to go after her right now.
But Apocalypse Bird was here.
KRAAAAAAAAK—!!
Enormous wings unfurled, and a storm howled through the trees.
Apocalypse Bird wheeled toward us.
"...Senior."
Senior Nova turned her head.
"Hmm~?"
"...I'll stay behind."
"..."
"You go, Senior."
I can't afford to lose another person I care about.
No matter how much of a disaster Senior Nova is, she's the one who saved my life — and after everything we've been through together, I can't just leave her behind.
So I'm the one who should stay.
Last time we measured it, Penitence's damage type came back as Pale. I was thrilled at the time, thinking it was broken as hell — but unfortunately, Apocalypse Bird's long arms are immune to Pale damage. Even if the effectiveness drops, it makes more sense for me, the close-range fighter, to stay behind.
That senior's always whining about being a ranged DPS, right?
Senior Nova let out a sigh.
And then —
Smack.
My head snapped sideways.
Ow... did she just slap me?
"Junior~"
"..."
"Get a grip."
Click.
Abraxas chambered a round.
"You already know who should go and who should stay, don't you~?"
"That's an Abnormality from Headquarters. And my Abraxas, which deals White damage, is way more effective against it~"
I knew that. Objectively, the answer to who should stay was already clear.
And that was exactly why I hated it more.
Senior Nova looked at my face and laughed.
"Team Leader told me something~"
"Said her junior's stubbornness is no joke~"
"She was right~ Spot on~"
Senior Nova raised Abraxas.
"Don't worry. This senior's not as weak as you think~ I'm a Grade 5 employee, after all~!"
BANG—!!
A golden bullet split the sky.
It detonated right in front of Apocalypse Bird's eyes.
KRAAAAAAAAK—!!
Apocalypse Bird's gaze locked entirely onto Senior Nova.
"Oh~"
Senior Nova laughed. Not the doped-up grin she usually wore — something that looked genuinely real.
"Got its attention~"
She gave my shoulder a light shove.
"Go~ To the cabin. And bring that kid back~"
Before she'd even finished speaking, Senior Nova charged forward.
In the opposite direction from where the Hunter had gone — buying time.
"Abraxas — deploy~"
Abraxas spat fire in rapid succession.
Apocalypse Bird roared.
A colossal shadow swallowed the forest whole.
"Come here, you ugly bird~!"
Apocalypse Bird fully redirected its course.
Toward Senior Nova.
KRAAAAASH—!!
A massive talon ripped the ground open.
But Senior Nova was already perched on another tree.
"Too slow~"
BANG!!
Another round slammed into Apocalypse Bird's head.
The beast let out a cry thick with rage.
Every time its enormous body advanced, trees snapped and the earth split apart.
It was like watching a natural disaster walk on legs.
And just like that, Apocalypse Bird chased Senior Nova toward the far side of the forest.
I watched for a moment.
Then I turned on my heel.
There was only one thing I had to do right now.
Find the mercenary — before revenge swallowed her whole.
Pull her out before the Hunter's story took root. Smash the play the same way I did before, and save Senior. That was it.
I adjusted my grip on Penitence and ran at full speed.
Cutting through the black forest, punching through the fog, chasing the footprints the Hunter had left behind.
In the distance, a faint light flickered.
The cabin.
And just ahead of it, the Hunter's back — racing through the branches, boots striking wood.
She glanced over her shoulder and grinned.
"You're late."
I didn't answer.
I just ran faster.
The cabin was almost in sight now.
I can do this. It's just a time attack, right? Grab the mercenary fast, gang up on that bastard hunter, take her down, smash the play, and save Senior. A simple time attack. So I have to do it. No — I have no choice but to do it.