Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: No Shelter Here
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Thud thud thud thud.
Hwan-in sprinted forward, breath ragged, eyes scanning the blurring scenery rushing past him.
He knew exactly how much stamina he had left.
He wouldn't get far running like this. Before his strength gave out completely, he needed to find a spot where he could gain the upper hand against those eight monsters...
But nothing suitable caught his eye.
'Damn it.'
If only he had something like that massive boulder from where he'd first encountered the Green Monsters on day two. That would have been perfect.
Even a steep slope, dense thicket, or cluster of trees would do. But instead, the gaps between trees were widening, open clearings dotting the landscape.
'Like they say, even shit's useful as medicine if you need it.'
Kyigyaaaak!
Krgyoooo!
"......"
As the Green Monsters' high-pitched shrieks drew closer, Hwan-in's gaze sharpened with calm focus.
They were faster than expected—nearly twice as fast.
Soon, even the thudding of their footsteps echoed in his ears. Green Monsters weren't this quick on their feet before. What had changed?
No deep ditches to block their path, as usual. No thick trees to serve as obstacles.
His lungs burned at the brink. Any further, and he wouldn't even be able to fight.
Hwan-in halted his flight, choosing instead to face the eight Green Monsters with his back to a suitable tree and bush.
He untied the pouch of Paralysis Beads at his waist, dumping them into his coat pocket. Then he tossed the Emergency Ration into the bushes and buttoned up the front of his coat.
It was a slightly thick spring suit coat. Add the suit jacket, vest, and dress shirt, and it cost about the price of a used compact car.
A makeshift gambeson. It would serve well enough as padded armor.
"Hoo."
Gripping the Stone Axe in one hand and the Black Club in the other, Hwan-in breathed slowly in through his nose and out through his mouth, waiting calmly for the Green Monsters.
Kihehehihik.
Kyak kak.
Kyarrgh!
The eight Green Monsters arrived moments later, utterly unfatigued, chittering as they fanned out in a semicircle.
If they'd arrived separately, he might have picked off a couple first. But their movements were systematic and coordinated, like veterans of multiple hunts against strong foes.
'...What the hell is that?'
So faint he couldn't even make out the color, but their eyes glowed unnaturally. He'd killed twenty-two Green Monsters so far, and he'd never seen anything like it.
Gyaa. Gyooo, kak! K ak!
The sole Staff-Wielding Green Monster stepped forward among the eight, jabbing its staff and screeching something furious.
It looked enraged, but Hwan-in's blank expression drew no reaction. In frustration, it slammed its staff into the ground, bellowing a kieeeek!
Hwan-in's eyes narrowed.
Inexplicable speed from the Green Monsters. Eyes glowing even in broad daylight.
The other seven cowering before the staff-bearer.
By gut instinct, that Staff-Wielding Green Monster seemed to be the root of this mess.
"......"
Kyyarrgh! Kyigyak!
Glancing sidelong at the frothing, raving Staff-Wielding Green Monster and the seven encircling him, Hwan-in subtly drew two Paralysis Beads from his coat pocket.
"Hup!"
Whoosh—crack!
Kyiek!
He hurled a pre-picked stone at the rampaging Staff-Wielding Green Monster's forehead, sending it tumbling backward.
The seven's attention snapped to it for an instant. Seizing the moment, Hwan-in flung Paralysis Beads at the feet of a bladed spear-wielding Green Monster and the fallen shaman.
Pfhat—fwoosh.
Kugh...?!
Kyihik!
'Tch.'
The two beads burst, dark red smoke billowing like thunderclouds. But the spear-wielder dodged with unbelievable agility.
Only the fallen shaman and one nearby caught the full effect.
Kyyaaak!
Kyarruk!
Three blade-wielding Green Monsters charged like rabid dogs, the remaining three following close behind.
Their speed was too much for Hwan-in to react.
Zigzagging effortlessly with sudden stops and turns—it wasn't even their full power.
Grasping the gravity, Hwan-in dove behind the bushes, meanwhile drawing another Paralysis Bead from the remaining three and tossing it toward the thicket.
Kyyak!
Kyarrgh!
Kyyyih!
Thud. Dark red smoke erupted again. The three blade-wielders burst through it precisely, but their momentum carried them past the bushes in a flash.
Perhaps because of that—none showed signs of paralysis. The other three were circling wide around the trees and foliage.
"Huat!"
He couldn't win unscathed.
Sensing this instinctively, Hwan-in snorted with adrenaline and hurled his Stone Axe at the broken longsword-wielding Green Monster.
He'd practiced throwing it sporadically over the past three days.
At 15 meters, his hit rate was 90%. At 30 meters, it dropped to 60%, but widening the target to a 50cm diameter brought it back to 90%.
Aim for the torso, and he hit nine out of ten times. And...
Kyak!
Whirr whirr whirr—the spinning Stone Axe embedded in the leftmost one's shoulder, the broken longsword wielder.
"......"
That 10% failure right here.
Even as their kin flopped bleeding, the shortsword and spear Green Monsters fixed on Hwan-in, charging weapons raised.
Kyyak!
The spear thrust home as it entered range.
Hwan-in focused with laser precision he'd never known in his 26 years, swinging the Black Club diagonally upward at the shaft.
Krunch—a splintering crack unbelievable for wood-on-wood sent the spear-wielder spinning aside with its weapon.
Its speed hadn't translated to much extra strength. Just a tad stronger than a regular Green Monster.
He twisted fully, but the rusty shortsword still grazed his side with a riiip. Lightning-fast, Hwan-in switched the Black Club to his left and clubbed the passing Green Monster's skull from behind.
Thwack!
Khehk...
Confirming the shortsword one crumple forward, Hwan-in had no time to catch his breath before facing the returning spear-wielder.
Thump, boom, thump, boom.
His heartbeat thundered deafeningly. Heat surged from his chest, enveloping his head.
Perhaps that's why—the Green Monster's movements seemed sluggish.
The spear's trajectory.
The monster's motions.
Bloodshot rabbit eyes, gnashing teeth on its ugly mug.
Switching the Black Club back to his right, Hwan-in sidestepped the thrust, grabbed the shaft with his left.
Grab.
Kyihik?!
Startled, the spear Green Monster yanked desperately to keep its weapon. Instead of resisting, Hwan-in dropped the club, seized the spear two-handed, and swung with all his might.
Kieeeek?!
Like swinging a barbell with a 30kg plate on one end.
Power flooded his arms, muscles bulging to their limit—or so it felt.
The Green Monster's desperate grip only spread its arms invitingly.
"Hraaah!!"
The roughly 2m spear shaft matched the Black Club's material. No fear of snapping yet. Using the spear-wielder as a flail, he smashed it into the rising shortsword Green Monster rubbing its skull.
Kwangtang!
Kygyak!
Kwieeek!
As the two tumbled entangled, dull pain bloomed in Hwan-in's shoulder and side.
While wrestling the three blade-wielders, the two who'd circled the trees had struck him with thorn-wrapped clubs.
"Should've aimed for the head."
Grinning fiercely, Hwan-in thrust deep into one beast's gut, yanked free, parried the other's attack with the shaft.
Thud!
Front kick slamming full force.
Spinning, he stabbed repeatedly at the approaching Green Monster—bloodied left arm clutching its broken longsword—at arm, neck, belly. Pu-pu-puk.
It dodged the arm and neck with nimble twists. But the final belly stab landed. Kuuuuh, clutching the wound with a groan.
Hwan-in slit its throat clean and grinned with feral eyes.
"Kekeke."
Who knew bayonet drills from the army would prove so useful.
Kyihik?! Kyak! Kyahak!
Kkigek! Kkihiiit!
The collided pair flailed poorly entangled, thrashing spasmodically at Hwan-in's approach.
Their faintly glowing eyes had returned to normal. Their speed matched ordinary Green Monsters now.
Stab, stab.
The sensation of mercilessly claiming helpless life.
The feel of metal piercing soft flesh.
Exhilaration rising with ragged breaths, Hwan-in stepped toward the last one trembling helplessly.
Kuboom!
Caught in an intangible blast, Hwan-in was flung like a ragdoll.
Ziiing...
Ears ringing like after a car crash, world spinning.
Every bone throbbed, especially his right side's joints.
"Kuhk...!"
What the hell happened?
Struggling up, Hwan-in instinctively glanced at the bushes—and spotted a Green Monster flushed red enough to call it crimson-faced.
Veins bulging on its face, staff aimed right at him.
Gu-gya... Kr ak!
Feeling the staff tip flash with its screech, Hwan-in rolled without thinking.
Kwaang!
"Kuhk!"
Invisible... hazy something detonated where he'd been.
The nearby blast jarred his joints loose with pain, but no respite—Hwan-in rolled again.
Slice—
But the shortsword from a dead one's wielder—snatched by the last foe—grazed his thigh first.
Fire-hot agony engulfed his leg. Yet that pain sharpened his mind instantly, a blessing in disguise.
Stay put, and he'd die.
Fortune: his right hand still gripped the spear. Springing up, he rammed it into the swinging swordsman's throat.
Krrurek...!
Slightly off, but a third severed neck wouldn't survive.
Moments ago, pain had locked him rigid. Where this strength came from was baffling, but Hwan-in launched at the Staff-Wielding Green Monster.
Kyihiik?!
The shaman was equally baffled.
Its spirit blast staggered even Gray Forest occupiers on direct hits. Yet this scrawny bastard shrugged it off unscathed.
Aiming another at Hwan-in, it belatedly realized its staff was empty—and panicked.
Seeing him close in an instant, it regretted touching the untouchable monster.
They'd cornered him, watched him win one-on-one against a Gray Forest occupier—yet fooled by his bizarre, skinny frame.
Kyuk.
Don't want to die.
The Staff-Wielding Green Monster's final words.
"Hahk, hahk. Hahk... Hahk."
Having slit even the shaman's throat, Hwan-in truly thought he'd die.
Each pounding heartbeat throbbed his right-side bones and joints. The thigh slash stung like needles, burned like fire.
Shoulder and side from the thorn clubs ached badly too.
Just twice as fast, and this much damage. Six days of caution wasted—he let out a hollow chuckle.
"......"
A queer feeling made him count the corpses: seven.
Remembering the paralyzed one, he pushed past the bushes. Its effects waning, one shuddered upright into view.
Puk.
Kek.
Spear to where its heart should be. Deflating groan, collapse, death.
Slumping beside it, Hwan-in grimaced at the throbbing, stripping off coat and jacket to check his side and shoulder.
"Hoo..."
Just bruises.
Coat and jacket torn, but thorns barely missed the vest.
The severe pain? Probably from the air blast aggravating prior bruises.
No swelling meant no breaks or cracks—just body-wide bruises.
Bruises weren't major. Rest would heal them.
The thigh gash was the issue.
Luckily, only half a finger deep. Tough suit pants reduced it to a third of potential damage—a godsend.
Thinking briefly, Hwan-in limped among the corpses, hunting the shortsword.
"...Damn it."
Found: rust-eaten, crusted black scabs, mystery oil oozing.
Sighing deeply, face grim, he built a fire and heated his Multi-Tool knife.
Antibiotics would spare this.
Cauterization???—last resort against tetanus or infection sans meds.
But burned wounds damage tissue, making it more infection-prone.
"This damn forest always forces choices between bad and worse."
Tearing his relatively clean running shirt hem into a long bandage. Balling his coat in his mouth, Hwan-in gripped the glowing red knife and deep-breathed.
Sizzle—
"Kuuuuugh...!!"
Indescribable agony.
Bloodshot eyes and forehead, trembling—yet pressing the hot knife harder into the wound.
Ten seconds like ten minutes passed. Removing it, sweat pouring like rain, he bound the wound with the shirt bandage.
Now, pray for no complications.
"Huwk, huwk."
Snorting roughly, he pulled the Corona Berry bundle from his coat's inner pocket.
After the blast and rolls, feared smashed—but only a few were; rest intact.
Still, wash at the lakeside. Dried juice might attract bugs or spoil...
Eating the crushed ones for hydration, Hwan-in closed his eyes at the hollow under them, sighing deeply.
What was that Staff-Wielding Green Monster?
In novel terms, a mage-type made sense.
Magic.
Such rare, judging by the escort-level grunts. Couldn't be many.
Encountering them... Green Monsters hunted Gray Monsters; he'd intruded.
Sighing again, Hwan-in looked up at the leafy canopy high above.
Blue sky peeked through, faint wind and birdsong. Utterly peaceful.
Craved to flop down and nap. But using the spear as a crutch, he rose halfway.
Dizziness hit suddenly—stumbled, caught himself on the staff.
Ziiiiing!
"Kuhk...!?"
Brain-splitting pain, and consciousness fled.