Blooming in the Swamp (6) – Predator's Swamp
Standing before the rift that had appeared on the Scandinavian Peninsula, no one brimmed with more confidence than the strongest guild in Europe: Bohemian.
“It was just bad luck until now.”
“Yeah! Not only the Mage Tower, but why were all the rifts popping up in Asia? Looks like things are finally balancing out.”
“To be precise, it was Asia or Russia, right? Moscow or Hokkaido—that cold still gives me chills just thinking about it. I thought I was gonna freeze to death in the shower for real.”
They had the full backing of the European Union. Thanks to that support, the early atmosphere wasn't bad at all. Gaiber, the rank 1 paladin and guild master, even cracked a rare smile.
“Once we clear this rift, everything will go back to normal.”
One of those things was the guild rankings. Bohemian had held the perennial third place behind Shining and Cheonha Tongil. Even if the gap with the leaders was wide, Gaiber overflowed with confidence that no one could catch them.
Even as latecomers, it was only guilds like Japan's Inazuma or Korea's Gaon. How much could players from those small countries achieve? Even with national support, they couldn't catch up to Bohemian, backed by the EU.
But something had gone wrong. The perennial third place, Bohemian, had lost its spot. Not to fourth-place Inazuma, but to fifth-place Gaon.
“Luck doesn't exist in the Colosseum.”
Yes, Gaon had just been lucky. That's what Gaiber believed. So when the Predator Zone appeared as a rift, he voiced his overflowing confidence.
“Not just Gaon, but even Cheonha Tongil...!”
Big and small guilds receiving EU support like Bohemian. Since it was a rift in their home turf of Europe, Gaiber utilized every card meticulously.
“Master! Mana at limit!”
The support players positioned in the rear. Gaiber swapped them out like machine parts, sending players outside the rift.
“Team 2, enter immediately.”
Essentially a united front of dozens of guilds. By selecting high-level players even from there, the replacements weren't far behind in level. They were plenty capable of supporting from the rear.
Amid that overwhelming support, Gaiber and the Bohemian guild members focused solely on hunting monsters. It had been ages since they'd seen such a steep experience gain.
“About time we save some face, right, Gaiber?”
Gaiber nodded silently. Yes, they could afford a bit of arrogance in this rift. Neither Shining nor Cheonha Tongil could match their overwhelming hunting speed.
Yes, if they kept this up, Gaon would never challenge the rankings again...
“...Lee Hoyeol entered the rift?”
Wait, who entered? Lee Hoyeol! Crunch—! At that name, veins bulged on Gaiber's forehead. It was a name that grated on his nerves just to hear.
'Gaon took third place because of that guy.'
All the luck that had followed Gaon. The biggest stroke of fortune among them was Lee Hoyeol. In the Yusra Kingdom, in the Frost conquest... Gaon had reaped the benefits of allying with him.
'The Berserkers too.'
Just shuffling around the top 10 guilds. They weren't worth considering as rivals yet. But Berserker was also an EU-backed guild.
'The UK’s Second Sun is no longer part of the European Union.'
Within the EU, they were the guild that had taken second place behind Bohemian. So Gaiber couldn't help being sensitive to Lee Hoyeol's appearance.
'What's he lacking that he's entering this rift?'
No matter how you sliced it, even a Predator Zone was too easy for Lee Hoyeol. There must be some other purpose.
...What if that other purpose is?'
What if it involved Gaon or Berserker? Or some other guild? Beads of sweat formed on Gaiber's brow.
'He must take responsibility for my words.'
They'd received massive support. They had to deliver results worthy of it. Impatience began to sprout in Gaiber's chest.
“Pick up the pace. Team 1, re-enter!”
“But Team 1 hasn't fully recovered mana yet?”
“Doesn't matter. From now on, it's a speed race.”
Then a message appeared.
Someone has formed a contract with a spirit.
“!”
Lee Hoyeol. So the contract with a spirit was his goal. A brief relief—
'...He even knew there was a spirit here?'
Impressive as always, Lee Hoyeol. But that wasn't news. So Gaiber focused on the following messages. Experience gain and drop rate buffs. Color returned to Gaiber's face.
'Raising the tempo was the right call.'
Faster progress than any other guild. Thanks to that, Gaiber reached the center of the swamp. And witnessed it.
“A gift from the gods.”
A chance to strike it big! In the rift's core, monsters were battling each other. The analysis team's voice came through his earpiece.
—Outwardly, it looks like a Ragged Giant and a Black Iron Eagle.
Followed by the updated info.
Ragged Giant: Lv.600
Black Iron Eagle: Lv.600
Two Lv.600 named-grade monsters locked in mortal combat. Being the same level, it was a fierce fight. Both seemed to have taken significant damage. Gaiber licked his lips.
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
Yes, this was a chance to hunt two named monsters. Normally, facing even one would be tough. But they were focused on each other. Strike at the right moment, and they could take them both.
'But before anyone else snatches it.'
With the experience and drop buffs active, other guilds would speed up too. They couldn't let this slip away. Rank 1 paladin. The skill from his class quest.
[Paladin's Benediction] activated.
Shwaaaa—! Golden light poured from Gaiber.
Gaiber shouted.
“Rally around me. Charge!”
Attack and defense buffs to nearby allies. Continuous damage to enemies. As befitting a class quest reward, the effect was outstanding.
“Whoa! So this is Gaiber's skill!!”
“The effect is insane.”
“Not a ranker for nothing.”
Morale boost as a bonus. Whoosh—whoosh—! Arrows and attack skills rained down under Gaiber's command. Players charging with Gaiber at the front.
“Take out the Ragged Giant first!”
Aim for its back while the Black Iron Eagle clings to it. Flap—!
“?!”
But the plan crumbled with the Black Iron Eagle's wingbeat. It soared into the air, changed direction, and targeted the rear support players.
Gaiber's mind went blank.
“What the—?”
The monsters that had been at each other's throats moments ago were now uniting against them.
“Damn it...!”
Gaiber yelled desperately.
“Everyone, retreat! Protect the rear!”
A frantic rout. No trace of their charge's momentum. Damn, what an embarrassment. Gaiber ground his teeth.
'I admit I was hasty.'
But my judgment wasn't wrong. This pattern is too much. It was a trap. A cunning one anyone would fall for...!!
*
...Whoa, they're fighting like hell.
The Predator Zone really has monsters battling even without players. They're really going at it like they want to kill each other?
From a lofty vantage. The nymph watching spoke.
“What should I do, Lord Hoyeol?”
Spirits generally dislike fighting. But contracted spirits are different. Beyond contract clauses, spirits take on their contractor's nature.
In short, the nymph's sharp situational awareness was my influence.
Let's see. Afloat on a lotus leaf over the swamp.
I observed the battlefield.
'Almost at the swamp's center.'
According to the nymph, fights were even more frequent there. Because of the spoils at the center.
'Proof: from here on, they're grabbing each other by the throat.'
Players forgotten. Monsters deep in their own deathmatch.
'Truth be told, if I could...'
I wanted to crash that fight. Both were exhausted. Hunt them both, snag the experience or spoils. Eat it raw, basically.
'Not freeloading—common sense.'
Who could pass up that chance? But as crazy for battle as I was... in another way?
I told the nymph.
“A battle for their pride.”
Yes, pride-crazed me...!
To prove their strength, seize the spoils. Monsters flocking to the Predator Zone. Grandfell's pride deems that fitting.
Besides.
“Interrupting that deathmatch would betray pride.”
Sneak in and backstab? No excuse fits pride. So I can't freeload unless it aligns.
The nymph bowed gracefully.
“Indeed, that was your intent. I shall remember.”
Don't make that enlightened face. My inner plea echoed briefly. I let go of regrets.
'No confidence in honest hunting anyway.'
Truth: not enough energy to chopsticks for freeloading. Above all, mana drain from the nymph contract was burdensome. She'd fight too, but how much help? Unknown.
'Never seen a spirit in action.'
The only spirit ability I'd confirmed: blessing that boosted the somber mistletoe's growth. That alone made the contract a huge win. Why? Inspired 『Elixir Plant Cultivation』 ideas.
But I wasn't satisfied. Because I'd witnessed it then. [Skill], utterly different from 『Magic』.
The spirits' {Nature} power...!
As noted in spiritology texts.
'Other mages might not, but for me.'
Simple: more varieties of [oddities] to exploit.
I'd seen [oddities]' potential in the last rift.
'Rift fragment even magic couldn't pierce.'
And not ordinary magic. Banggrit's pure magic, top-tier destructive power in the Mage Tower. Yet even that failed. I pierced it with [Aesthetics] + 『Magic』 = [『Oddity』].
'Can be [{oddity}] or {『Oddity』}.'
In short: {Nature} became another lifeline, a dug well. One that doesn't dry easy!
“Like the eye of a storm.”
Stray thoughts ended. I nodded at the nymph.
Leisurely floating fit me perfectly. Nearing the center and spoils, monster infights grew common. Too busy fighting each other to bother with low-level me.
Grateful, really.
'Level matters, but so do spoils.'
Above all, needed to check. What draws named-grade Predator monsters? Like entranced. Like status-afflicted. That spoil making them fight.
'Not low odds it's a demon item.'
Yes. Any demon link? Grandfell's pride won't stand idle.
'Always stepping up, what a hassle.'
Soon, swamp center. Players in sight. Players who'd touched something very wrong.
'Almost a disaster, huh?'
Zombie giant and eagle as huge. Players getting crushed helplessly.
Great minds think alike.
'They acted on my thoughts?'
Result: suffering hard.
'Could've been me.'
They had allies. I was solo.
'Couldn't even enjoy the buffs properly...'
No resistance. Straight to the afterlife. Died doing others a favor.
Should be relieved, but I brazenly declared.
“The wages of scorning pride are heavy.”
The nymph nodded.
“Well said.”
Then gazed somewhere.
“That giant rock is the spoil everyone here craves. More precisely, something inside draws them all.”
Instant understanding. Why no one claimed it yet? Endless fights in Predator Zone. No gaps to smash the rock and take spoils.
But.
“That's no rock.”
Premise wrong. As said, no rock.
“A seed.”
Yes, knowledge. Precisely, from [Quintuple Star of Pure Knowledge]. Said it's a plant seed, not rock.
“...A seed?”
Low spirit, but forest nymph. If even she doesn't know the seed...?