Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Overwhelm
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The more I see, the more I wonder what the hell kind of place this tower is?
That's why from Hard, strategies are just for reference. After 30F, they're meaningless even for reference, and Hell might make them pointless right from 3F.
I steadied my mind while inhaling the stimulating stench of blood.
The mission was to protect the lady.
I had to safeguard her until we reached a safe place.
"Kuaaaak!"
Pukeok-!
Kwaduk-!
The sounds of blood spraying and flesh being pulverized rang out.
"To ambush the Rabins Barony—aren't you afraid of the consequences?!"
Bandits? No, these ambushers wore something over their heads to hide their identities and relentlessly cornered us.
They surrounded us on all sides, shooting arrows from afar and attacking in formation up close.
But something was off. Upon closer inspection, they weren't human.
Precisely, they were monsters in the shape of large humans.
If I had to compare, they were like orcs.
"A monster ambush?!"
"Sir Henry, something's wrong! They have too much discipline for monsters."
I sensed it immediately.
Ah, this'll be tough to handle alone.
This wasn't a disorganized orc raid; these were disciplined foes using weapons and bows.
I'd beaten the boss and felt confident, but turning the tide of battle like this was intense.
That meant I had to find the escort target somehow, escape the monsters' pursuit, and drag her all the way to the safe zone.
It looked exhausting and brutal at first glance, but the tower's bullshit wasn't new to me.
I gripped my sword, breathed quietly, and stared ahead.
My advantage was plenty.
I wasn't in the center of the ambush but slightly off on the outskirts, so no one had noticed me.
I could just quietly take them out one by one.
Seogeok-!
Though they were encircling from behind, one monster a bit separated from the line had its neck sliced clean off.
One clean sword stroke, and the head rolled.
D-rank Swordsmanship had surpassed human limits, so unless a master swordsman was here, no one could beat me.
Pukeok- Seogeok- Puk-!
I moved silently, killing the monsters in the encirclement one by one.
Before I knew it, I'd dismantled an entire line.
...I hadn't planned to go this far, but here we were.
Finally noticing, an orc turned its head, spotted its comrades' gruesome corpses, and cried out.
-Guweeeek!
Seogeok-!
Of course, that cry was its last gasp.
But it was effective; gazes turned my way.
Arrows redirected, enemies swarming—just as they lunged in confusion.
-Kwek?
They seemed puzzled by my small frame.
But action came before questions.
The taut bowstrings released, arrows raining down.
I didn't dodge; I parried with my sword.
At D-rank Swordsmanship, tracking and deflecting flying arrows was effortless.
Hell, I could probably catch them barehanded if I tried.
And as I deflected...
I activated Parrying.
Peng-!
In that instant, the archer's head exploded.
Parrying apparently had no distance limit.
Heck, when I beat the boss mob, I swung my sword from afar without touching it, and its chest burst—I'd intuited it then.
-Kweeeek!
-Guweee!
The monsters panicked in unison.
They had reason to.
Deflecting arrows from that range, then the shooter's head exploding? It defied intuition.
The attackers hesitated, unable even to properly harass with arrows.
They feared death if they shot.
Truth be told, Parrying had a 5-minute cooldown, so a volley now could still land hits.
But none dared.
Tipsy with omnipotence, I shook the gore off my sword.
What? Easier than I thought?
Am I actually stronger than I realized?
Obviously. From the moment she has D-rank Swordsmanship, floors 1-4 are a free pass. Hell's just tight on it; Hard would've breezed to 10F.
Yoojin-nyang why no magic, Yoojin-nyang why no magic, Yoojin-nyang why no magic...
Blood-soaked, I took a breather and checked the Constellation Gallery.
Is that nickname really sticking?
Cat girl...
But complaining would just prove I check the gallery, so nothing I could do.
Venting frustration, I hurled a spear from the ground, piercing a fleeing monster's chest.
Pukeok!
-Kweeeek!
It didn't kill instantly from the glancing hit—instead, that was its misfortune.
Better off dying quick.
It writhed in agony on the ground.
I turned to the monsters cornered in the dead end.
It trembled with eyes full of terror and fear, like it'd seen a ghost.
Strange—a non-human feeling fear.
-Kwi, kweeek!
Chwaaak-!!
I cleaved it.
Sliced the monster diagonally clean in half.
Not wanting to see, I closed my eyes and turned away.
With that final slaughter, the chaotic area fell into silent stillness.
The other monsters had fled or died.
It didn't feel real.
Truth be told, Hell difficulty from floor 1 never felt real anyway.
I shook off my blood-drenched clothes and walked on.
Jeobeok- Jeobeok-
Stepping on bloodstains, grass, rustling sounds.
Only my footsteps echoed.
No breathing sounds at all.
No need to fear.
I'm not that dangerous.
"Wh-who are you?!"
A knightly man, badly wounded and limping, raised his sword.
Even gravely injured, he wouldn't drop his guard—lest I massacre them on a whim.
I shook my head with a sigh.
"I saved you, and this is how you react?"
"Grateful for the aid, but you're too... "
"Too what? Give me some water first."
I approached closer.
The knight trembled, sword hand frozen even in striking range.
He'd seen more than one or two monsters' heads explode attacking me.
Arrows deflected, bodies split; backstabbed, but parried with the back of my hand, chest hole punched through.
Even I thought Parrying was otherworldly.
Auto-deflect, auto-counter.
The bloodied attendant behind me hastily pulled out water as I neared.
He knelt politely, offering the waterskin with both hands.
No need to be that formal.
Gulp gulp-
Half drunk, half dumped on my head.
Blood-soaked? D-rank Swordsmanship let me swing without splashing back much.
A quick rinse, and I looked half a step removed from this carnage.
Deulkeong-
As I caught my breath, someone inside the carriage quietly opened the door.
A blue head poked up perkily.
Then more—a girl's small face with deep navy-blue eyes evoking the night sky's depths.
Her eyes scanned restlessly; catching my gaze, attendants rushed to block her.
Makes sense—the outside wasn't kid-friendly.
"Miss Bell! You can't come out yet!"
"Still dangerous!"
"Eek."
She made that cute noise but stubbornly kept her head out.
Persistently craning to lock eyes with me.
"Who's that cute kid?!"
"M-Miss!"
"Ah, stop forcing me back!"
No matter the scene, attendants couldn't block a noble's procession.
Or maybe they sensed I could bypass them at will and gave up.
The girl struggling out seemed about sixteen, a noble.
Her—the escort target?
She glanced at the gore-soaked horror, flinched with a "hiek," but calmly eyed me.
Noble poise—no fainting like a typical girl her age.
"Who is this child? Sir Henry, was she held by the monsters?"
"Th-that person is..."
"Yes?"
Sir Henry panicked mid-explanation.
The lady approached unabashed, hugging me tight.
Her fragrant scent diluted the battlefield's blood reek.
I was a bit flustered.
No guard up? Wait, having guard up would be weirder. Cooped in the carriage, she missed me slicing half the attackers.
Plus, the ring's effect worked well.
Boosted charm, lowered wariness—Bell Rabins totally smitten.
"We saved her from the monsters; we'll take good care of her. Poor thing."
"N-no, Lady, that's absolutely not—stay away from that child..."
"Then what is it?"
Bell blinked her navy eyes curiously.
Despite battle's end, attendants to knight tensed like facing the biggest foe.
Even oblivious, she'd sense something off.
As she tilted her head...
Hugged in her arms, I shook my head, pouted, and spoke.
Anyway, she's someone I must protect with my life, guards or not.
Why the needless worry?
"No need to worry."
"..."
Teolkeok!
At my words—whether he sensed my sincerity or not—the knight, straining to hold his sword, collapsed.
The clueless lady rushed to the fallen Sir Henry.
"Kyaa, kyaak! You okay, Sir Henry?! Why hold out with such grave wounds?!"
"...Because it was dangerous."
Good start, I thought.
Attendants and knight who would've died lived; smooth ride ahead with legs stretched in the carriage.
I surveyed around.
Most dead monsters were my kills.
Couldn't let this slide.
I snapped photos and posted a brag to the gallery.