I Must Get Stronger! (5) - Growing Lust
I Must Become Stronger! (5) - The Lust Grows Stronger
"Kyaaaak-!"
Along with the grotesque reptilian shriek-
Three 'Poison Lizards' burst out from the bushes.
"Three in front! They're fast! Everyone, be careful!"
"Hmph!!"
[Whoosh-!]
As the giant Barek, who was at the front, swung his mace,
the momentum of the charging monsters faltered-
It was only a brief opening, but
it was enough time for Sven to draw his bowstring.
[Pishoot-!]
"Kueeek!"
At the same time, Carlton and Luke charged from the left and right, swinging their longswords.
[Shooook-]
"Die, you monstrous bastards!"
"Kraaak!!"
The monsters were helplessly struck by the two men's swords.
It was a sudden ambush, but they were no match for the coordinated efforts of the veteran mercenaries.
However, it seemed they had no intention of dying quietly.
"Kyaaaah-!"
While Carlton and Luke each took down one, the last one, staggering with an arrow lodged in its shoulder, opened its maw wide in a final desperate struggle.
"Be careful! It's poison!"
Green venom spewed from its mouth like spit.
As it scattered in the air, randomly assailing the party-
[Wooong-]
"!!"
As if time had stopped, the fragments of venom flying through the air halted in unison.
Soon, they were drawn by an invisible force, coalescing into their original form.
"Eit!"
With a short shout of effort,
it flew towards the Poison Lizard at a furious speed, dozens of times faster than when it was first spewed-
[Pwooook-]
"Kieek...!"
The creature, its throat pierced by the mass of venom it had spewed itself, collapsed onto the ground.
"Hoo."
Rose, lowering the Gauntlet on her left hand,
could feel the Mana flowing from the fallen monsters towards her.
'Too weak....'
If the Mana of an Intermediate-level Magical Beast was a vast lake, what she felt now was like a single drop of morning dew.
For her, who was growing stronger, the Mana of weak, ordinary monsters like these was now barely impactful.
"You worked hard, Rose-yang! As expected, the Guardian-nim's magic is amazing!"
Luke smiled good-naturedly, and the other mercenaries also looked at Rose with expressions of admiration.
In truth, it was Rose who was impressed by the mercenaries' skill in dealing with the monsters, coordinating naturally without panicking-
But the mercenaries, with movements as accustomed as battle itself, began cleaning up.
They inspected the monsters' corpses, cutting off any useful parts, and so on.
"Indeed... so far, only these ordinary monsters have appeared."
As Rose muttered with a hint of regret, Carlton, who was wiping blood from his sword, nodded.
"It's all thanks to the Lord-nim and the Guild Leader-nim. Since the two of them arrived, they've completely wiped out all Magical Beasts near Deluna.
Unless new ones have appeared, like the Gate in the mine they destroyed last time, it will be hard to find strong Magical Beasts around here."
"Will there be any in the eastern swamp we're heading to now?"
"I can't be sure, but that area isn't under Deluna's jurisdiction. I don't know how other territories managed it, but it's still worth looking into."
'How thoroughly I manage my territory! My people are all satisfied!' - Balthazar's confident face came to mind.
Of course, it was Risolde who actually fought the Magical Beasts.
Thinking that, one question arose-
"By any chance... were there no Magical Beasts strong enough to even give Risolde a hard time?"
"Oh, there's no way such a monster exists! Our Guild Leader-nim is so strong! Most Magical Beasts are sliced apart with a single swing of her sword!"
"Luke is right."
Carlton added with a serious expression.
"I haven't accompanied the Guild Leader-nim on all her subjugations, but at least in the battles where we provided support, I've never seen her struggle.
Among the other mercenaries who went with us, none died or were seriously injured, so there probably weren't any opponents that strong."
'I see....'
Rose let out a small sigh inwardly.
One thing she worried about when setting out on this subjugation.
I'm not as strong as Risolde yet-
What if I encounter a Magical Beast stronger than me, like last time-
If I were alone, I could at least try to escape-
As if reading the anxiety that flickered across her face,
Carlton cautiously opened his mouth.
"Before setting out on Magical Beast subjugations, the Guild Leader-nim always said something."
"Yes? What did she say...?"
"She said that if we ever encountered an enemy even slightly stronger than the Guild Leader-nim, we mercenaries must risk our lives to charge in and create an opening."
"......."
"And if... we were to encounter an overwhelming enemy that even the Guild Leader-nim couldn't possibly defeat."
Carlton's voice sank heavily.
"She said we must become shields and tie down the enemy's feet. So that the Guild Leader-nim could escape safely."
"...What? Risolde said that?"
That's just saying, 'I need to live, so sacrifice your lives.'
It didn't fit Risolde's personality that she had seen so far, but
what was even more perplexing was.
Carlton's calm expression as he spoke, and
the atmosphere of Luke, Sven, and Barek who were listening.
As if it were a natural, unremarkable thing.
They continued their work without paying it much mind.
"Of course, we intend to act that way in this subjugation as well."
"No, I... not to that extent... "
"That's only natural, Rose-yang. It's better for the most useful person to survive than for everyone to be annihilated fighting recklessly."
Carlton firmly cut off Rose's words.
A Guardian incomparably stronger than himself.
But he knew that Rose was still inexperienced and soft-hearted.
Instead of trying to exploit such a person as he pleased,
he was someone who guided her in what he believed was the right direction-
Among the many mercenaries, meeting Carlton was fortunate for Rose.
Since all the mercenaries she had met so far had been like trash, perhaps it was only natural that it was now her turn to meet a good person.
"If Rose-yang weren't here, those guys would have to throw their lives away to save me. And conversely, if the Lord-nim were present, people like the Guild Leader-nim or Rose-yang would have to sacrifice themselves."
It was true, but-
She didn't think Risolde or Carlton were particularly bad or cruel.
Using others to achieve victory, and if it's impossible to win, the more valuable person survives.
Even considering her responsibility as a Guardian, that would be correct. As he said, Risolde would surely willingly throw away her own life in the opposite situation.
But-
"Carlton. And everyone."
"Yes, Rose-yang."
"I can run away faster than anyone here. So, if we encounter an enemy too strong for us to defeat... there's no need to tie down its legs or become a shield to clear a path for me to escape."
Rose's red eyes swept over the four people one by one.
"If I shout 'Let's run!', don't think of anything else, just do your best to escape. Don't look back, just save your own lives and run with all your might. Understood?"
"......."
The mercenaries stared at Rose with blank expressions.
Still a rookie Guardian.
Not even as strong as Risolde.
Because of that,
she worried first if her own strength would be insufficient,
and even worried about the lives of the mercenaries she hired.
Should one call her a rookie Guardian, indeed?
"We will do so, Rose-yang."
For Carlton and the mercenaries, too,
being with such a Rose would surely be a stroke of luck.
As the sun eventually set and darkness descended-
"Eungcha-!"
The mercenaries, with practiced skill, found a safe clearing and set up camp.
The process of burning incense to ward off insects and beasts, pitching tents, and building a bonfire to prepare meals flowed as naturally as water.
"I should also help with something..."
"To be honest, you'd be a hindrance. Please just rest quietly."
Due to Sven's polite (?) refusal, Rose sat awkwardly in front of the bonfire, idly poking at the fire.
After all the meals and tidying were done-
"Ahem, ahem. Rose-yang, could I have a word with you for a moment..."
"...??"
Carlton, who had briefly separated from the group, spoke.
Scanning his surroundings, in a hushed voice.
"The four of us will take turns on night watch. Rose-yang doesn't need to worry about it, but..."
"?? But what?"
"It might be uncomfortable, but it would be best if you set up your sleeping spot near me or within my line of sight. The guys with us now are ones I'd stake my life on, so they wouldn't harbor any ill intentions rashly, but...."
Carlton trailed off, but understanding his meaning wasn't difficult.
Even for mercenaries with strict discipline,
it was impossible to know what impulses they might feel upon seeing a sleeping beauty in a secluded spot on a pitch-black night.
"Of course, I trust everyone. But as Carlton said, there's no need to needlessly provoke people. I'll sleep separately, so don't worry."
"Sleep separately? There might not be Magical Beasts, but the forest at night is dangerous."
"Oh, you haven't forgotten what I did last time, have you?"
Rose, reassuring Carlton with a confident expression,
walked towards a tall, old tree near the bonfire.
[Taat-!]
Rose's body, with Mana concentrated in her toes, shot into the air,
then leaped using the branches as stepping stones,
and in an instant, landed on a thick, sturdy branch about ten meters above the ground.
"Wow...!"
"She, she got up there in one go...."
Not only Carlton and Luke, who had seen it a few times before,
but Sven and Barek, who were seeing such a sight for the first time, couldn't even close their mouths in surprise.
"I'll sleep here, so don't worry about me! Everyone, sleep well-!"
Everyone, with blank expressions, waved their hands after Rose in the tree.
Deep night. Camping after a long time.
And on a hard tree branch, no less-
Rose felt no discomfort at all.
'This is truly something else.'
The 'Cloak of Transformation' she had bought from Pankus.
An Artifact that could freely change its shape by injecting Mana.
Rose spread the cloak wide, made it into a small sleeping bag, and tied its ends to the tree to secure it.
Wrapping herself in it and leaving only her face exposed, it was as cozy as a bed in any inn.
Moreover, one even better thing was-
With her body covered by the wide cloak,
whatever she did inside would not be revealed outside.
Of course, being alone high up in a tree, no one would see her even without the cloak.
Still, that sense of secrecy, as if her body was completely hidden.
So Rose,
inside that unrevealing cloak,
[Kkueuk- Kkueuk-]
slipped her hand between her unfastened leather pants,
and was gently pressing down on her already swollen clit.
"Haa... Hng... Eung...."
With her other hand, which had slipped under her top, she fondled her lower breasts, thinking.
'...My Lust seems to be getting stronger and stronger..."
Was it because of the stimulating experiences she had gone through so far?
Was it because her Lust Level was gradually rising?
Or was she just born a lewd woman like this?
But to make an excuse-
The adrenaline that surged while facing monsters.
The slight tension of wandering through the forest with mercenaries.
And even the lingering pleasure from last night, when she had manipulated two men and indulged herself throughout the night.
'Yes, there's a reason for this. It's only like this today.'
Rose, having finished rationalizing to herself, shook off the temptation.
Today- right now-
All she had to do was satisfy this heated body-
"Aah... Hng... Haa...."
Bringing her index and middle fingers together,
she brought them to the moist, slippery crevice that was already dripping with arousal fluid.
And then slowly,
into that smooth opening, already ready to receive anything.
[Jjigeok, Jjigeugeuk.]
She pushed her fingers in.
"...Eut..."
Swallowing her moans, fearing the mercenaries on night watch below might hear.
Feeling tense, wondering if they would find it strange if the cloak covering her body swayed.
She increased the speed of her fingers thrusting into the opening.
[Jjigeok- Jjigeok- Jjigeooook-]
"Haaang... Eut, Aaah...!"
With her other hand, she pinched and rubbed her nipple tips,
as the speed of her fingers thrusting against her inner walls gradually increased.
As if that hand were a man's shaft,
she twisted her hips and tightly squeezed her wrist with her thighs.
"Aaah! I-I'm going to...! Haaaat!"
Rose reached her climax inside the narrow cloak.
She wished no one would hear this sound now-
No, she wished someone would hear this sound now-
'Am I really going to become a pervert like this?'
A faint sense of self-loathing arose-
but it was washed away by the surging waves of pleasure.
Rose trembled, pushing her fingers in once more.
< Illustration - If you're a pervert, would you do this too? >
