Monster Hunt (2) - Don't Rush In Recklessly
Monster Hunt (2) - Don't Rush In Recklessly
On the way to the West Iron Mine.
As they delved deeper into the forest, the fresh atmosphere vanished.
Tall, ancient trees intertwined densely, blocking out the sunlight,
and the damp fallen leaves underfoot squelched unpleasantly with every step.
The refreshing scent of grass that had tickled their noses was now replaced by the musty smell of earth and a faint scent of blood.
Crucially.
"Kyaaaak-!"
Tearing through the eerie silence—
Three shadows leaped out from the dense undergrowth with grotesque roars.
"Are those Magical Beasts?!"
Rose instinctively gripped the Rapier at her hip.
Bloodshot eyes, yellowish saliva dripping from their wide-open jaws, and overly massive and grotesque muscular bodies that were far too large for mere beasts.
"No, Bloodhounds. They're regular monsters, not Magical Beasts. We can handle them easily."
No sooner had Risolde's dry analysis finished than.
[ Taat-! ]
Rose kicked off the ground with Mana-infused legs, springing forward.
[ Woooong- ]
Mana condensed at the tip of her Rapier, emitting a blue light.
"Haap!"
[ Pwook-! ]
As she precisely pierced the forehead of the first Bloodhound that charged at her, baring its fangs,
the dull sensation of a skull shattering traveled up to her fingertips.
"Kya-gaeng...!"
As the creature screamed and collapsed, she pulled out her Rapier and spun her body like a top.
At the same time, the second one lunged, aiming for Rose's flank—
but her cloak, fluttering like a bullfighter's red cape, disoriented the creature's vision,
[ Chwaak- ]
and the blue-glowing Rapier sliced across its neck.
"Kiaaa...!"
[ Koong! ]
Hot blood splattered into the air, and as the second Bloodhound also tumbled to the ground, the last remaining one instinctively recoiled in fear—.
[ Oodoodook! Kwadeuk! ]
"...!! Kyaaaak..!!"
As Risolde, with an expressionless face, extended her hand from behind, rough clumps of earth and tree roots shot up from beneath the fleeing creature's legs, firmly entangling its feet.
"Rose, now!"
[ Taat-! ]
While the trapped monster thrashed in confusion, Rose kicked off the ground, and her Rapier pierced its heart.
[ Teol-sseok. ]
It took only a few tens of seconds to dispatch the three monsters.
Rose exhaled lightly, flicking the blood from her Rapier into the air.
"Excellent."
Risolde's brief comment as she watched Rose.
"The way you use Mana to enhance your physical abilities and imbue your weapon with energy in combat is very natural and powerful. You have innate combat sense."
"Hehe, really? I think it's also thanks to the improved equipment."
As Rose fluttered her red cloak and smiled shyly, Risolde's expression grew a little more serious.
"However, you also need to get used to ranged combat and magical applications."
"Ranged combat?"
"Yes. Right now, you're focusing Mana solely on physical enhancement and close-range weapons. But there are enemies who attack from beyond the reach of your sword, and some you can't approach due to poison or curses. You can't always gain the upper hand by fighting enemies hand-to-hand."
Rose nodded at Risolde's advice.
She didn't have to look far; even when she sparred with Risolde at the Mercenary Guild—
'In close combat, I fought somewhat evenly, but as soon as my ankle was restrained by tree roots and we engaged in ranged combat, the fight was over quickly.'
"I know that in my head... but once a battle starts, my body instinctively charges forward. I guess this method has become the most comfortable since I've been fighting this way constantly."
"That's the most dangerous habit. Charging in without even knowing what your opponent is."
"Hmm... now that you mention it, you're right."
"You don't need to try anything grand from the start. Just begin with the attribute that feels most natural and familiar to you. In my case, it's using the power of the earth."
[ Oodoodook- ]
As Risolde lightly flicked her hand, a clump of earth rose from beneath Rose's feet to knee height.
'The most familiar attribute...?'
When she first learned how to use Mana from Lucian.
He had emphasized that it was important not to force out power,
but to assimilate with the surrounding environment and use Mana naturally.
Of course, Lucian himself, who said this, was a transcendent Lord,
so he could create firestorms in snow-blasted mountains and freeze over boiling lava.
But that was advice tailored to Rose, who had just gained Mana and was learning to use it.
So, instead of contemplating complex applications, Rose naturally learned to imbue her own body with Mana and use it in combat.
'If it's the most familiar and easily usable attribute anywhere...'
Rose recalled the moment she first used Mana after becoming a Guardian.
When she sent a gust of wind towards Lucian.
[ Woooong- ]
As she turned her palm upwards, a subtle current of air began to swirl around her fingertips,
"Haat!"
[ Swaeeeaek-! ]
When she swung her hand, the condensed Mana at its tip transformed into a sharp blade of wind, cutting through the air.
[ Jjeo-eok-! ]
A branch of an ancient tree split with a clean cut, as if severed by a sword.
"As expected... this feels the most natural to me."
"The wind attribute. It suits your agile combat style very well. From now on, before you charge in recklessly, you need to get used to using that wind to create openings or keep enemies in check."
"Yes! I'll try my best."
Not long after,
the entrance to the West Iron Mine, carved through a massive rock face at the edge of the forest, appeared.
However, the expressions of the two who arrived there turned grim—.
"This is..."
The surroundings truly resembled a horrific slaughterhouse. Broken carts and pickaxes lay scattered, and the ground and rock face were covered in dark red bloodstains.
Most gruesome were the scattered corpses of Dwarf miners.
Their bodies, with limbs gruesomely torn off as if they had been ripped apart alive by a giant beast,
vividly showed what a terrible scene of massacre this place had been.
"...It's a miracle that there were Dwarves who escaped alive to Deluna..."
"Let's go inside first. The one who did this might still be in the tunnel."
The interior of the mine was in complete darkness, not a single ray of light penetrating.
But as Risolde snapped her fingers, a glowing orb of magical power floated into the air, illuminating the area around the two of them.
[ Ttuh-beok, Ttuh-beok. ]
For about ten minutes, they cautiously walked along the mine's passage, cutting through the damp, cool air.
[ Kiririk... Kyaaaak! ]
Along with a chilling shriek echoing from the darkness, dozens of red eyes glinted along the ceiling and walls.
They were a group of grotesque monsters, 'Cave Crawlers,' a bizarre mix of bat wings and spider legs.
"Above us!"
[ Kyaaaaaa-! ]
Simultaneously with Risolde's shout,
the monsters clinging to the ceiling bared their fangs and poured down like rain.
Rose, who instinctively reached for her Rapier at the sight—
'No, this is the moment...!'
Rose extended her weapon-free left hand into the air, drawing forth Mana.
"Be swept away!"
[ Kwaaaaaa-! ]
A fierce gust of wind, unleashed from Rose's palm, swept through the narrow tunnel.
That storm of magical power, like a sharp blade, tore apart the wings and legs of the monsters pouring down from above—
"Kieeeek-!"
And the creatures that plummeted to the ground, splattering green bodily fluid, had their lives extinguished as they were impaled by dozens of sharp rock spears that Risolde's magic had conjured.
"Phew... that was okay this time, right?"
"Hmm. It was an unexpected ambush, but you handled it very skillfully."
"Hehet."
Watching Rose wipe the sweat from her forehead and smile, Risolde inwardly admired her, though she didn't show it.
Mana is simply the power that governs all things.
When, how, and to what extent it is used ultimately depends on the skill of the one who wields Mana.
Even though she had only been given a few words of advice—
the way she precisely unleashed Mana, just enough to tear apart the enemies pouring in from all directions in the darkness, without waste...
'For a novice Guardian to be this good...'
It was an application that would be impossible for anyone who hadn't known about Mana for a long time.
Putting such questions aside,
they stepped over the monster corpses to the deepest part of the mine.
The two stopped abruptly upon reaching a massive mining cavern.
What came into their sight in the middle of that cavern was—.
"As expected... a Gate was open."
The air distorted grotesquely, and a dimensional rift, spewing pitch-black Mana, was swirling.
A calamitous passage connecting the Demon Realm and the Human Realm, allowing Magical Beasts to cross over into this land.
"We should destroy it quickly, right?"
"No... wait..."
Just as Rose drew her Rapier and was about to approach the Gate—.
[ Koo-goo-goo-goong-! ]
With a tremendous tremor that felt like the entire mine was collapsing, the bedrock in front of the Gate split open, and a colossal form rose up.
"Kwaraaaa-!!"
With a furious roar that seemed to tear their eardrums.
"This is... a Golem...??"
A monstrous creature formed from the mine's iron ore and rocks.
What surprised the two of them more than its overwhelming size, easily exceeding five meters, was—.
the crimson glow emanating from its face, like hellfire burning.
"That one is also a Magical Beast imbued with Mana! Get back!"
Simultaneously with Risolde's urgent cry, the Golem's massive rock fist descended upon Rose's head.
[ Kwaaaang-! ]
Rose narrowly dodged the attack by exploding Mana at her feet—.
From a distance, she extended her hand and unleashed a sharp blade of wind.
[ Kkang! Kkang! ]
"...It's tough."
Only sparks flew from the Golem's skin; not a single scratch appeared.
"Kwaraaa!"
Even though the attack caused no damage,
the Golem, filled with rage towards the frail human who had targeted it,
let out a furious roar and advanced towards Rose—
Risolde placed both hands on the ground and activated her magic.
[ Kwagagagak-! ]
Massive stone pillars shot up from the ground, striking the Golem's jaw,
and towards the Golem, which staggered and lost its balance from the impact, Rose kicked off the ground and leaped.
"Kyaaa-oh-ah-!"
"!!"
The Golem's massive arm thrashed wildly as it flailed—
Rose dodged it by leaping through the air.
She ran up its arm and thrust her Rapier towards its head, where the red eyes glowed.
"Die-!!"
[ Kkang-! ]
But even her decisive strike, fully imbued with Mana, was repelled by the Golem's red eyes,
which glared at Rose, who was now right in front of it.
< Illustration - Feeling somehow stronger? >
