Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Blood on the Wind
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With a shield and spare weapons secured, along with a modest stock of food, much of the anxiety clouding Hwan-in's mind had lifted.
The fact that four hours had passed since arming himself with the weapons, shield, and Corona Berries—and he was still perfectly fine—had surely played a big part in easing his worries.
"Hm..."
He glanced upward, and the forest canopy blotting out the sky filled his vision once more.
But Hwan-in's goal wasn't the sky itself; it was the direction of the shadows.
He figured he was heading roughly toward where the sun had risen, but dodging the tracks of Green Monsters and beasts had made his path meander unnecessarily, leaving him with that nagging feeling.
The jungle was a mix of flat ground and gentle hills.
Climbing those hills could throw off his bearings, and detouring around obstructing trees or pushing through chest-high underbrush naturally skewed his direction.
On top of that, he'd nearly been bitten by some reptile lurking in the bushes—snake or lizard, he couldn't tell—and a flying pest that looked like a crow crossed with an owl had chased him, piling on the fatigue from every angle.
Luckily, the hilly terrain had yielded another tree hollow like the one he'd crashed in last night, and he'd scavenged more Corona Berries.
He'd taken a piss midway through, and the orange color was worrisome, but if things kept going like this, Hwan-in believed he'd eventually break out of the forest.
He realized that optimism was misplaced less than an hour later.
Kirrrrk.
Kiihiiiii.
He'd run smack into a pack of Green Monsters.
Who could've guessed there was a house-sized boulder just beyond that slope?
If he'd spotted it from afar, Hwan-in would've bypassed it without hesitation.
Such a rock in this jungle was anomaly enough to scream "trouble," and anything might be gathered beneath it.
In fact, the instant Hwan-in laid eyes on the house-sized boulder—cleverly concealed by the surrounding hill and trees—a chill ran down his spine, and he immediately turned to retreat..
If that Green Monster hadn't poked its head out from beside the rock right then.
Kihik.
A filthy hide wrapped around its waist covered its lower half, gripped in both hands as the Green Monster shuffled out from beside the boulder. Hwan-in, easing down the slope, widened his eyes.
About 15 meters away. The boulder blocked some view, but not a wide swath.
No way there was a whole village of them behind it. Even if there was a group, just a handful at most.
In that case, first strike wins.
Hwan-in gripped his wooden club with both hands and charged like the wind, leaping into a swing.
Kii?
He smashed the Green Monster's skull with all his might.
Splak!!
A grotesque thud echoed as blood and flesh burst from beneath the club with a wet splat.
The Green Monster had spotted Hwan-in just meters away and died instantly without so much as twitching.
Stunned for a split second by the club's unexpected power, Hwan-in quickly realized the noise might've reached any others (if there were any) and ducked for cover.
But another Green Monster beat him to it, emerging from beside the boulder.
It saw its clansman with a shattered head and the bloodied Hwan-in but seemed too dazed to process...
"Hup!!"
Hwan-in's full swing turned its upper body into a compound fracture exhibition, hurling it into the gray rock, where it painted avant-garde art with its own blood.
Two Green Monsters down, dead without a scream.
Instead of savoring the feat, Hwan-in spun and bolted for the hilltop.
He'd never realized raw blood reeked this badly. If there was a group, the commotion and stench would've tipped them off.
Kya-kak-kak-kyak-kak!!
Kirrrroooor!!
Kweek! Kweek-kweek!
Sure enough, a clamor like multiple throats making it erupted, and five armed monsters charged into view: a roughly trimmed club, a thorny club wrapped in spines, wooden spears—decently equipped for them.
Kyaaaaah!!
One gripping a blackened club like his stone axe pointed at Hwan-in and bellowed.
Body language was universal, it seemed.
Reading the intent, Hwan-in smirked on one side of his mouth.
A life-or-death fight, yet why was his heart pounding with thrill, a grin refusing to fade?
Reaching the hilltop first—open sightlines, few obstacles—Hwan-in backed against a tree, club in both hands, and scanned the terrain, committing it to memory.
Kyara-ra-rak!!
Kiryak!
Five Green Monsters charging; Hwan-in wore a subtle smile.
Four up front, one lagging. Not a blind rush—coordinated.
'But not formation by weapon type. That one's the leader in the rear.'
Hwan-in locked eyes with the blackened-club wielder; it grinned back at him.
Clear it saw him as prey, but instead of rage, Hwan-in felt... amused?
Meanwhile, the four closed to 10 meters, then fanned left and right, cautiously encircling.
Hwan-in found it ridiculous.
Encirclement? Fine tactic—trap prey, pummel from all sides with numbers.
But pick your time and place.
Ten-year-old elementary kids, wielding sticks at best—third or fourth graders surrounding you? Would any adult panic?
Especially when you're packing a baton and riot shield?
Sure, if they meant murder, it'd be eerie—but after dropping three Green Monsters, Hwan-in had confidence.
Not arrogance. Confidence.
Moreover, they clearly grasped "encircle" as just "surround and beat."
Why leave the tree at my back exposed? Front wide open?
Wondering if there was intent, Hwan-in tightened his guard and lunged at the lone Green Monster, separated from the other three.
Kihik?!
The one tapping the ground with its stick shrieked as Hwan-in closed in a flash.
Made no sense. Enemy charging? Scream or attack. Dodge, block, counter.
But it froze until Hwan-in swung like a baseball pro.
Thwack!!
Perfect form: angle and impact spot-on. Heavy thud sent it flying 5 meters.
Knocked out or not, it tumbled down the slope.
Kigyaaaak!!
Kiryyoooooot!!
Kyarrrrk!
That sparked the rest; encirclement forgotten, the three rushed him together.
"..."
Hwan-in flicked a glance at the blackened-club leader—it hung back, unmoving.
But he didn't buy it'd do nothing.
Clutching his two-handed club tight, he hurled it at the middle of the clustered three.
Whiiish-whiiish-whiiish—
A good 5kg club; no scrawny 30kg Green Monster dodges that clean.
Splat!
One went down with the club, right arm dangling limp—bad hit.
Hwan-in drew his stone axe from his belt, blocked the left one's thorny club swing with his wooden shield, stomped its side hard, then...
Craaack!
Yanked wide.
Kihyaak!
Guts spilled like a waterfall from the gash.
He drop-kicked the monster fumbling to stuff them back, heaving a breath to vent his adrenaline, then charged the fourth hesitating stutter-step and slammed its face with his shield laid flat like a Yankee boss.
Bam!
Kwiiiyaaaak!!!
Shield's sharpened edge crushed its face, eye pierced—clear fluid mixed with blood streaming down.
As it shrieked, dropping its spear and flailing, Hwan-in raised the axe for the headshot.
But...
"...!"
The fifth Green Monster—watched all along—dipped a hand into its filthy belt pouch.
Too far. No clue what's in there, but too late to close and stop it.
Plus, after sprints and poor stamina pacing, lungs burned from dropping four.
Still, can't just watch.
Hwan-in eyed the hand vanishing into the pouch, raised his arm to hurl the axe.
Best case, it hits—perfect. Miss? Startle and freeze works too.
The instant he cocked for the throw...
Hroooorooong—!!
Not ear-splitting physically, but a chest-rattling otherworldly roar exploded from beyond the boulder.
"Guh...!?"
Kweek!?
Hwan-in startled; the fifth did too. But its reaction—ten times more panicked—sent dread washing over him.
Face ashen, it whipped its head side to side in frenzy, then ignored Hwan-in entirely, bolting to a nearby tree and...
Kiyaiiiit!!
Clawing up, heedless of nails ripping, feet snagged on thorns, bark shredding skin.
Puzzle pieces clicked in Hwan-in's head.
"Hup!"
He launched toward the tree, climbed 2 meters up, and axed the fifth's ankle clean.
Kyaaaak!?
It plummeted in agony, face a mash of shock, pain, rage, terror—shrieking at Hwan-in.
To him, it sounded like "What the hell are you doing?!" But ignoring the wail, he snatched the leather pouch from its belt as it rolled.
Kiiiiiik!!
Fury boiling at the theft, it lunged with gnarled claws.
Hwan-in bashed it aside with the shield and snagged its blackened club too.
"Farewell."
Heart be damned, he sprinted full-tilt down the opposite slope from the roar.
Kigyaaaaak—!!!
Glancing back at the enraged screech, Hwan-in saw it stagger up then flop.
Just as expected. Good.
Turning forward, he slid down the steeper drop on long grass like a chute.
Seconds later at the bottom, he sprang up into a sprint. Once trees hid the battle site...
Hroooorooong...!!
Kyiiit...!
Keeeek...!
Mysterious roar and faint Green Monster screams echoed.
'Just buy me time to run.'
Hearing it, Hwan-in guessed the source. And if right, no fighting it—ever.
Run. No question.
As far as possible.