20
20 - The Black-Haired Elf
As soon as they started running, arrows poured down from everywhere. Even though they seemed to be shooting randomly, each shot was sharp. When he took one more step to run, the arrows flew precisely to where he would be hit.
"Jin-woo! Catch!"
Bulkar took out a shield from his inventory pouch and threw it to him. It was a shield made by attaching water-soaked leather to an iron plate, and its heaviness was quite reassuring.
Each holding a shield to cover their bodies, the two ran even faster.
Several times, shock and vibration echoed through the hand holding the shield. It was the impact of arrows hitting and bouncing off.
When they perfectly blocked the arrows and responded, the other side's response also changed. They put away their bows, drew their swords, and charged.
"Die!"
With short words that Jin-woo could understand, the Dark Elves swung their swords.
They had already tormented them for two days, draining both their stamina and mental strength, so they thought it would be fine to engage in close combat. But Jin-woo had been waiting for this moment.
Without even needing to use his shield, he stabbed the Elf's chest with the sword in his opposite hand. The blue flame trembled bururu and then scattered into pieces, being absorbed by Jin-woo.
"Mar!"
Shouting the name of his dead comrade, the second one charged. The Elf was burning with vengeance, but it was useless. That guy also shared the same fate as the first Elf.
"Jin-woo, strong."
"Unexpected."
Bulkar uttered words of admiration, and Jin-woo also made an expression as if it were unexpected.
He knew his ability was stronger than he thought, but he didn't know it would be to this extent. To think he could overwhelm those notoriously fearsome Elves.
'Is the opponent weak?'
Even if Elves were fearsome beings, there would be individual differences. These guys might be F or E-rank level by Earth standards, right? That's why they're robbing Dwarf dwellings in the Primeval Forest.
Anyway, he gained confidence. By absorbing the blue flames, his vitality also recovered little by little.
At this level, there was no big problem in fighting back. It was much easier compared to blocking Werewolves for days on end in the 0th Realm.
[ A fragment of a past life comes to mind. That breathing shall be as calm as sleep. ]
'Huh?'
It was unexpected. It wasn't particularly difficult, and it wasn't really a crisis situation yet, but he awakened a new ability.
'They say you do realize many minor abilities during F-rank or E-rank times.'
For example, like the ability to run faster that Jin-woo first awakened.
This ability also didn't have flashy or dramatic effects. His breathing just became more stable.
Breathing became more comfortable and made no sound. When he inhaled once, he could breathe more deeply, with a sensation of breath spreading from head to toe.
'......This is pretty good?'
The ability to run faster was also minor but very useful. This breathing ability was similar. Just by changing his breathing, fatigue was reduced, and vitality filled him.
If he had this good ability in his previous life, he would have awakened it while fighting the Werewolf. If he had awakened it then, it would have been a really big help.
'Rather, did the experience from that time accumulate and awaken now?'
That might be the case. Or it might not be.
"Ahhh!"
"Save me......"
As his breathing changed, combat became much easier. After cutting down several more like that, there were no more charging at them.
But they were still being tracked from afar, so arrows were still flying steadily even now.
Since they had shields, they weren't hit by arrows, but maintaining a constant state of vigilance while holding shields was itself a factor that accumulated fatigue.
Seeing them persistently tracking even after losing this many comrades, it seemed they wouldn't let them go easily.
After that, Jin-woo and Bulkar tried to shake off the pursuit using all kinds of means.
When they sensed a group of monsters in their ki sense, they deliberately jumped into that area. They hoped to erase their traces by mixing with these many monsters and having the pursuing Dark Elves fight the monsters.
While passing through a dry-looking forest, they also threw fire bottles behind them. Among Bulkar's possessions was something with flames inside a bottle, which he called a flame seed.
The bottle was for storing fire, and the fire burning inside was the flame seed, which was high-purity fire with a much higher temperature than ordinary flames.
Originally a tool used to produce strong firepower when lighting the first fire in a cold furnace, he threw several bottles of it into the dry forest.
Chareureureuruek-!
The fire spread instantly, creating a huge forest fire. In Jin-woo's ki sense, he caught the presence of Dark Elves who seemed panicked.
Calling it successful, he high-fived Bulkar, and the two went downstream along the river they had spotted in advance.
That fire did help them shake off a lot of the pursuit. However, their relief was brief. After about half a day, the flames of the Dark Elves following behind them were detected again.
'Wow, why are they so persistent?'
Shouldn't they give up after all this?
Jin-woo watched the movement of the blue flames with genuine disbelief. Far from giving up, they seemed to be chasing with even more indignation.
'Tenacious, so tenacious.'
He definitely learned about the Elves' persistence. Come to think of it, the black-haired Elf he met at the first Gate was similar.
Leaving rabbit corpses every night, leaving wild boar, leaving wolves - he really thought she was crazy.
"Bulkar. This way."
"Where?"
If the opponent was this tenacious, they had to be tenacious too. Jin-woo led Bulkar and headed somewhere.
The endlessly high sky. Below their feet was a vast green sea of trees spread wide.
It was atop a cliff.
"Su, surely......"
Bulkar stepped back with an ominous premonition. Grabbing that hand and pulling him, he firmly connected Bulkar's body and his own body with rope.
"No! Die! Die!"
Bulkar screamed and shook his head. His eyes shook like crazy, and his face was so blue he looked like someone truly about to die.
Fortunately, he didn't plan to fall without preparation. Jin-woo took out a parachute bag from his inventory and put it on.
"Departure."
"Keuaaaaaaaah!"
Jin-woo jumped with all his might down the cliff.
***
"Damn!"
Seeing the human and the Dwarf moving away below the cliff, Benvil stamped his feet.
No matter how much they were Elves and this was a forest, jumping off this high cliff was too much.
They could find a way down the cliff, but they would have to go around for quite a while. By then, those guys would have already erased all traces and escaped. They might even find the Blue Portal.
"Retreat! We retreat!"
With a rotten expression, Benvil ordered his subordinates to withdraw.
A situation full of damage with nothing gained. The subordinates returned to base camp with their spirits completely crushed, overwhelmed by great exhaustion.
At the base, there were 5 more subordinates on standby whose condition was still fine. But even if he took everyone now, it was impossible to find and capture those guys.
"Damn it!"
The operation failed and was full of damage. The souls of lost compatriots amounted to 8.
Dying was fine, but losing souls was unacceptable. The Mother World Tree was already withering, and to lose 8 more high-purity souls in a place like this.
"What happened?"
Then a clear voice was heard.
It was a beautiful voice, but Benvil's expression became even more rotten.
"Sir Garcia."
"Your expression doesn't look good, Benvil. It seems some of the subordinates you took are missing, too. Where did they go? Are they scouting?"
"Keuk......"
He had nothing to say. How could he tell that he went to rob a Dwarf hiding in a cave and ended up having 8 die instead?
Moreover, it would be fine if they just died. Elves, whose souls circulate around the Mother World Tree, don't feel much emotion about death itself.
The problem was that the souls needed for that circulation were stolen.
Since he couldn't not tell her, Benvil took out a crystal from his bosom.
When he put Magi into it, thread-like light escaped and began to weave. Then it created a painting in mid-air.
Jin-woo's figure swinging his sword at Dark Elves was drawn in detail, similar to a photograph.
The woman's eyes widened greatly.
"This is......"
"One of my subordinates discovered traces of a Dwarf hiding in a cave."
Not knowing what the other person's expression was like, Benvil told her what had happened. Starting from discovering the Dwarf's traces and ultimately losing 8 souls.
The woman who heard the whole story glanced at the image woven by the Magi threads and spoke.
"This is an inexcusable blunder. To lose so many souls. Mother World Tree will be sad. Your king will be furious."
"Acting like this is someone else's business......!"
"Well, it's not my business, is it?"
Ppeodeuk.
Benvil gritted his teeth but had no words to retort.
"What will you do now?"
"I'll go back. The damage is too great. I need time to return to the hideout and reorganize. You don't have any complaints, do you?"
Benvil called some subordinates and gave instructions. Instructions to pack up the base camp and prepare to return.
"I have no complaints. But what will you do with that crystal?"
"I have to report to the king. That there's an evil being who stole eight of our compatriots' souls. With this much, a wanted order will be issued immediately."
"......"
"No matter how strong that guy is, he's a being active in the Primeval Forest. If those who access the 2nd, 3rd floors and above pursue him, not even his bones will remain."
"I'm also a knight who accesses the 3rd floor and above. Would you like to leave it to me?"
"Nonsense! Since Dark Elf souls were stolen, it's proper for Dark Elves to retrieve them!"
While it was true that black Elves and white Elves cooperated, the long-standing antagonism and tensions hadn't disappeared.
If the woman before his eyes retrieved the eight souls lost through his mistake, what would happen to the king's dignity?
The current Benvil might go to prison, taking responsibility for losing his subordinates' souls.
But if he asked this woman to solve the matter and returned, he might face immediate execution for damaging the king's dignity.
"Then......"
"Be quiet. Instead of this, I should pack my things too. You prepare quickly, too."
Benvil told the woman to step back and turned around to start packing. The woman shook her head slightly and passed by him as he moved busily.
At the same time, her hand naturally slipped into Benvil's bosom without presence. Then quietly, she stole that crystal.
The title of knight was a symbol of nobility even in the Elves' world. Benvil was a thief skilled in pickpocketing, but he never thought a knight would pickpocket.
This was because he didn't know the woman's background. She was a knight now, but not when she was young.
Chaengeurang!
The woman completely shattered the crystal by stepping on it from a little distance away.
She couldn't prevent the report about a swordsman who steals souls. But at least she could eliminate the crystal that recorded his face and physique.
"Sir Garcia! I said we're leaving right away, but why are you still dawdling!"
Benvil shouted loudly at the woman who was fiddling around in the corner. The woman answered.
"Go ahead. I'll stay a bit longer and then leave."
Benvil clicked his tongue and told her to do as she pleased. He led his subordinates and withdrew toward the Blue Portal they had found earlier.
To report today's events to the Dark King. He would certainly be punished, but if he hid it clumsily, it would be execution. It was rather cleaner to report immediately and receive punishment.
The woman remained alone in the place that was only the site of the former camp.
'They fell below the cliff?'
Having shaken off the troublesome ones and become alone, she headed toward the cliff Benvil had mentioned.
***
Even after coming down from the cliff, Jin-woo and Bulkar continued moving for quite a while.
Being careful not to leave traces as much as possible, they went down the river and also descended once more at a cliff with a waterfall.
By then, there were no Elves still pursuing them. A cave inside the waterfall. They decided to use that place, where the entrance was naturally hidden by the waterfall, as a temporary dwelling to rest.
"Keu! You worked hard, Jin-woo."
"You too."
Each took out alcohol and food from the inventory and held a small celebration party. Only with low-proof drinks so they wouldn't get too drunk.
Bulkar seemed to be a heavy drinker, as he had dozens of bottles of alcohol in his inventory. He took out several bottles of his favorites, among them.
Jin-woo also took out the wine he received from Shartia, which still had about half remaining since he couldn't finish it all that day.
They held a light party around a campfire. They tasted each other's alcohol, sometimes exclaiming in admiration and enjoying themselves.
They ate, drank, and slept to wash away all the fatigue so far. Even if it wasn't quite like the Werewolf incident on the 0th floor, this time was also quite difficult.
'Now that we've completely shaken them off, I can finally properly explore the gate.'
Starting tomorrow, Jin-woo planned to look for the Blue Portal while simultaneously searching for prey and monsters.
When he asked Bulkar, he said he planned to use this place as a workshop to hammer iron.
It was a cave hard to notice from outside because it was hidden by the waterfall, and the condition of the waterfall, sound erased the sound of hammering iron, was also good.
And above all, he said the water was good.
"Good iron, good water, and good fire are necessary."
He seemed to have a craftsman's stubbornness. Jin-woo couldn't tell what was different between the water here and the water from the previous cave, but there must be subtle differences that only a craftsman could feel.
"Gift for Jin-woo. One sword."
"Really?"
Moreover, he said he would give him one sword he made directly. It was saying he would hammer it himself as repayment for saving his life.
Dwarf-made weapons were already very rare and excellent, to the point where they could name any price on Earth.
Moreover, it wasn't just picking up a finished product, but a Dwarf was going to craft it directly for him, so he couldn't help but be excited.
He said he would custom-make it considering his hands, physique, and even his sword-wielding habits.
'Just this alone makes this Gate a jackpot, right?'
He was worried about wasting a lot of time due to clashing with Dark Elves, but if there was compensation like this, the story would be different. He could waste as much time as needed, whether days or weeks.
The next day, after talking about future plans and resting well.
Both Jin-woo and Bulkar's expressions hardened at the being who suddenly visited the cave.
"Long time no see."
She was waving her hand at Jin-woo as if glad to see him - the black-haired Elf he had met at the first Gate.