Chapter 3. Mint Hero
In the hazy fog of early dawn, the hero party rose early, scarfed down a quick meal, and prepared to move out. Hero Elraim pointed at the long trail the beast had left behind the night before.
"We follow that trail."
With leader Isaac dead, his replacement, the orc Gulatan, nodded curtly to Alisa and Ji-hyuk, signaling it was time to go.
"...We're not gonna end up as corpses too, are we?"
Alisa shuddered, clearly unnerved by the ominous chill clinging to her skin. Ji-hyuk and the orc said nothing.
The group followed the path where the beast had rolled and tumbled. The moss there had withered and died completely, making it easy to track. Of course, the hero didn't let her guard down. She ordered the party to stay vigilant on all sides.
Thick clouds blanketed the sky, blocking out any sunlight. Because of that, the faint mist never cleared.
"Think praying to the sun god would do any good?" Ji-hyuk joked to Gulatan, the orc who'd taken command. Everyone was desperate for a glimpse of the sun.
"No effect if you're just thinking about receiving without giving."
"Fuck, picky bastard."
Alisa grumbled. But the clouds grew even darker overhead. If it started raining on top of this, it'd be a nightmare. Ji-hyuk's brow furrowed.
"Ah, fuck... this sucks. Just don't rain, for real."
But Alisa's plea backfired spectacularly. Fat raindrops began plummeting from the sky like they were showing off.
Still, the hero pressed on. "We can't waste more time here. Move faster. Hurry—!"
She knew stopping now would screw them over completely. Ji-hyuk agreed.
Soon the downpour hit. The party pulled their thick hoods low over their heads and kept going. The mist thickened around them. Shhh... The rain swallowed every other sound. The eerie aura swelled even more.
Ji-hyuk found himself chuckling oddly. After going through this shit so many times, it felt almost routine, familiar as everyday life. Compared to worse horrors—like clutching your spilling guts to keep walking while your belly's ripped open—getting soaked was nothing.
They trudged on through the rain for a while before the hero suddenly halted. The group spotted a cave entrance ahead.
Ah...
Everyone knew that was the witches' lair. The beast's trail led straight there. The rain pounded harder. Shelter was shelter, rain or not. Creepy as it was, they had no choice but to enter.
The hero flicked her fingers back, signaling the rear to stay in sight. It was the sign to advance.
"Fuck—."
Alisa voiced her anxiety with a curse. The party crept toward the cave. Before entering, the mage scanned the surroundings carefully. Luckily, no witch tricks at the entrance.
"Fuck, why's the rain dumping like this all of a sudden?"
Alisa griped, yanking off her soaked hood and wringing it out. Ji-hyuk stripped off his top and squeezed the water from it too. His underwear was drenched.
Right at the entrance, they caught the metallic stench of blood. A vile odor that wrinkled noses instantly.
"We're going in now. Everyone, stay sharp. This is enemy territory."
Hero Elraim glared, issuing the warning. The group swallowed dryly, tension mounting. They left a trail of puddles as they ventured deeper. The mage's light orb illuminated the cave.
Ugh—.
Healer Bella finally pinched her nose at the intensifying blood reek. The stench was headache-inducing. The cave twisted and turned erratically, but thankfully, there was just one straight path—no forks to choose from.
Ji-hyuk felt the killing intent thickening rapidly.
...Almost at the heart of it.
The hero sensed the sharp prickling malice too; her face hardened. Her steps grew even more cautious. The party stifled their breathing. Soon the tunnel opened into a vast chamber. The rot and blood stench was suffocating.
Healer Bella clutched her pounding head and finally vomited. The beastkin supported her.
"Ah—."
Orc Gulatan spotted something massive crouched in the dim edge of the light. It was that beast. It lay still, as if sleeping. Everyone awaited the hero's command. She seemed torn on whether to fight now.
Suddenly, the beast twitched. It convulsed violently, unleashing a grotesque screech.
- Kieeeeyaaaaahhh—!
Crimson light flooded around it. Blood spewing from a skull head.
Ah—.
The weaker goblins were already half out of their minds. Some pissed themselves. Alisa looked terrified too.
...Everyone here was scared shitless. Except Ji-hyuk.
The screeching beast began melting. It floated upward, forming a blood orb. The cry faded. Ji-hyuk sensed immense demonic energy and malice from it.
A sacrifice...!
He knew this was an offering for something. And that beast was the tribute.
Then the witches appeared. Three of them. They approached the sacrifice. The leader-like one grinned creepily at the hero party.
That's when Ji-hyuk got it. They were planning to sacrifice the whole group too. Especially the premium offering: a hero.
The devil eating that would love it. The leader witch spread her arms wide.
"Accept our devotion—!"
Spikes burst from the blood orb, impaling even the witches.
Aaack—.
All three were sucked into the orb in an instant.
"What the fu—!"
The orb pulsed. It morphed into a shape. Twice the size of a full-grown troll. Ji-hyuk recognized it immediately.
The being of lies and illusions: Demon Baloc—.
Kuhuhuhuhu—.
An eerie laugh echoed across the floor. Bear body, lion head, eagle wings, snake tail—the demon exuded bone-chilling pressure just standing there.
Aaah...!
The mage and healer, who'd never seen a demon, were overwhelmed. Alisa and Gulatan weren't much better.
The demon flicked out its long tongue, licking its maw. It stared piercingly at the fairy hero.
- It's been ages since I got a sacrifice I like.
The hero glared back fiercely. A sloppy D-rank might've buckled under the presence, but she was a seasoned C-rank. Days of cowering before some pissant demon—not even a Demon King—were long past.
"Everyone, battle ready."
Ji-hyuk cracked his neck, preparing. He'd stormed otherworldly demon castles like his own bedroom; no way a demon whelp scared him.
The party's tank and beastkin braced boldly too.
...Not being scared didn't mean they had the edge. They'd crawled right into its lair. Plus, the mage and healer were panicking. No help from them.
...Just don't die.
Clearly, no clean win without sacrifices. How many would die? Hard to say.
...Worst case, everyone but the hero and him bites it.
Kuhuhuhu—.
Baloc laughed ominously, spreading its wings. Its already huge frame loomed larger. It lunged with terrifying speed.
Ah—.
Someone got snapped up in its jaws. The tank who'd stepped forward.
"Aaaahhh—!!"
The demon clung to the wall, devouring him greedily. One party member gone in seconds.
"Ah, aaah—."
The healer collapsed, trembling. The mage at least tried to pull it together. The hero nocked and loosed an arrow. The holy shaft streaked like light but clanged off empty stone.
The demon zipped through the air. It was toying with them—savoring their despair before the feast.
This time, it targeted the beastkin. But he twisted away. The mage and hero attacked simultaneously. One of the many arrows finally hit a leg, exploding it clean off.
Low hit rate from its speed, but devastating effect.
—!!
The demon's face twisted. But it went for the mage, aiming to snuff the light orb.
"Block it—!"
The hero shouted urgently. No way the mage dodged. The beastkin and Ji-hyuk charged. Losing the light meant death; save the mage at all costs.
Ji-hyuk bolted like lightning, slashing its shoulder with mana-infused sword. A wing severed, dissolving into blood.
It lost balance. The beastkin scooped the mage and rolled aside. Mage lived.
- These pathetic creatures...!
The demon growled. Meanwhile, Ji-hyuk slapped Alisa and Gulatan's cheeks hard.
"Snap the fuck out of it, you worthless shits?! You wanna die that bad?!"
They loosened up a bit. Not fully over the fear—just enough to grip weapons.
Suddenly, the demon rampaged wildly. Spikes erupted from its body, lashing mercilessly.
The beastkin shielded the mage; Ji-hyuk grabbed the healer. Everyone but the hero got pierced.
"Aaaaaah—!"
They were reeled in. The demon chomped them down.
"Save me, save meee—!!"
Alisa, spiked through the gut and thrashing, had her head crunched soon after. Her piss-soaked corpse followed instantly.
The demon's leg and wing regrew rapidly.
Fuck, goddamn...!
- Kuwaaaaa—!!
It roared, charging the beastkin at blinding speed.
Ah—.
The hero unleashed her remaining arrows like rain. Save the light orb at all costs. Absolutely.
Ji-hyuk dove at the demon too. But it fixated on the mage, willing to take hits.
This fucker—!
Ji-hyuk slashed fast—severing arm and wing. Still, it barreled on. Fairy arrows exploded chunks from its torso, but it lunged only for the mage.
The werewolf tried body-blocking. Its swung arm tore his chest open; he tumbled.
Ah—.
The demon crunched the mage's head. The light orb dimmed fast.
Fuck, fuck—!
Darkness crept in. Then the beastkin screamed. Demon finished him off too.
Ji-hyuk saw his last shot. It was eating the fallen beastkin—back exposed.
Sloppy. Thinks it's won.
Light vanished; afterimages lingered in Ji-hyuk's eyes.
...Still doable.
Fail, and bolt for the tunnel—he remembered the way.
...No, don't fail. End it now.
Save the hero. Kill it. No question.
Ji-hyuk moved. Fast. Faster. Faster still—legs screaming.
No panic in the dark. Utter calm.
One step, two, three, four, five, six. Perfect range.
All visualized in his mind. He moved as if he could see.
Presence shifted.
...Turning slowly.
Ji-hyuk gripped the hilt, muscles straining. Then slashed.
Diagonal low-left to high-right. Then overhead down to earth.
Two swings. Shwaa— Blood poured like a torrent.
Hah, hah—.
Ji-hyuk panted raggedly. The stench intensified. He stood unharmed after a long pause.
Demon Baloc was gone, as if it had never been.