Chap 85-A Red Figure

 

The scene unfolding before her was a nightmare itself.

Twisted limbs, grotesquely torn mouths, and dozens of eerily glowing red eyes.

Magical beasts with bizarre appearances, hardly deserving of the term ‘form,’ were engulfing Elise’s vision.

Those horrifying beings, whom she had only encountered in academy textbooks during class.

Now, dozens of them were writhing in reality.

“Kieeeeeeek!!”

A piercing scream tore through the forest, instantly numbing her ears.

At the center of the horde was a presence exuding an overwhelming aura, incomparable to the other magical beasts.

A far larger physique, seemingly tougher carapace, and ominous Mana that seemed to distort the very air around it.

‘This is… a High-ranking Monster?’

Elise doubted her own eyes.

‘Why is this thing here?’

Surely, this midterm practical exam was supposed to be a relatively peaceful one.

The magical beasts appearing within the ‘Farm’ were supposed to be only one or two lower-level monster, and even those were easily manageable for a group of Elise’s caliber.

The real variable was supposed to be other groups, not the magical beasts.

Because ambushing and eliminating other groups was far more efficient for scoring points than hunting one or two lower-level monster.

If even a single person triggered their survival item and was eliminated, the entire group’s score would take a major hit.

That’s why Elise had been constantly on edge, focusing on the locations of other groups.

But for some reason, even though more than half of the exam had already passed, they hadn’t encountered a single other team.

It was as if they were the only ones left in this vast ‘Farm’.

It was eerily quiet.

Then, suddenly, they encountered…

A massive horde of lower-level monster.

‘That many… were in the ‘Farm’? That’s insane…’

Elise’s group fought desperately.

Fortunately, most of them were lower-level monster, so they managed to break through the encirclement and escape with their lives…

But what awaited them was an even greater despair.

Another horde of magical beasts, led by a High-ranking Monster.

“Lady Elise! You must flee!”

A group member beside her shouted desperately.

But Elise couldn’t move.

They were surrounded by magical beasts on all sides.

There was nowhere to escape to in the first place.

“How… how can I escape that…”

Elise muttered self-deprecatingly and closed her eyes.

At the moment she gave up everything, anticipating her approaching death—

Kwaaaaaang—!!!

Instead of the expected pain of flesh tearing and bones breaking, she heard a deafening explosion.

Elise cautiously opened her eyes slightly.

And…

The sight that unfolded before her was unbelievably surreal.

The High-ranking Monster’s sharp claws, lunging towards her.

That fatal blow was being blocked by a mysterious red figure with its entire body.

‘…Who is that?’

A question arose in Elise’s mind.

An academy professor? Or reinforcements from the outside?

She began to carefully observe the red figure.

‘That’s… could it be… an academy uniform?’

Indeed.

The red figure was clearly wearing an academy uniform.

It was tattered and torn to the point where it might even look slightly lewd, but the form was unmistakable.

But the bare skin visible through the torn clothes didn’t evoke any sensual feelings.

Covered in thick, dark dirt.

An enormous amount of blood, so much that it was hard to believe it came from a living person’s body.

The traces clinging to the red figure’s entire body silently testified to how desperate a battle she had fought to get here.

Bang! Kwaaang!

The red figure seemed to be pushed back for a moment, but soon regained her footing and began to overwhelm the High-ranking Monster.

Her movements were fast, concise, and brutal.

‘Could it be… a student?’

Elise doubted her own eyes.

But no matter how much she observed, she could only conclude that the red figure was definitely an academy student like herself.

Moreover, judging from the overall outline of her body, she was presumed to be a female student.

What kind of female student possessed such monstrous power?

Elise could only blankly watch her fight.

Thud—!

The ground around them rippled like waves as the High-ranking Monster’s massive forefoot slammed down.

A grotesquely twisted form soared up, and the girl who stood in its path took the attack head-on, without even trying to evade it.

“No!!!”

A scream escaped Elise’s lips.

Crack!

The sound of bones breaking.

Blood spurted out, and the girl’s body flew through the air.

She crashed into a tree, scattering leaves and bark in all directions.

The impact was so shocking that it made her stomach churn.

Of course, no one who had suffered that much damage could possibly get up again.

But…

“Hee… haah…”

Elise heard a moan.

A suggestive tone, as if she were in the throes of pleasure.

The girl immediately snapped her broken arm back into place and charged at the magical beast again.

And now, it was clear.

She wasn’t afraid of pain.

No, perhaps…

“…No way.”

Elise murmured quietly.

Even so, she tried to deny what she was seeing.

‘It must be a delusion… She just looks like that because she’s intoxicated by blood and battle.’

Her brain was forcibly piecing together the scene before her, unable to comprehend it.

Nevertheless,

That sharp moan and smile continued to linger painfully in her mind.

Finally, after a long and arduous struggle, the High-ranking Monster let out its last scream and collapsed.

“Kreeeeeee-giiiiiiiek!!”

The magical beast’s torso split in two, emitting a gruesome shriek.

Red slime and black blood splattered everywhere, and the ground shook with a brief tremor.

And then, the red figure slowly turned her body and looked towards Elise.

At that moment.

“Ugh…!”

Elise reflexively gagged and covered her mouth.

Forgetting that she was looking at the benefactor who had saved her life.

Because her condition was so appalling.

Her left arm was missing, as if it had been forcibly torn off, revealing a gruesome cross-section.

Blood was still dripping from the wound.

In the place where her right eye should have been…

There was only an empty socket, and a dark red liquid was streaming down her cheek.

And countless wounds were visible through her torn academy uniform.

Traces of being cut, torn, and pierced.

She was in such a ghastly state that one could easily believe she was a living corpse.

But what Elise found most unbearable was…

More than all those wounds…

It was her face, which had been so mangled that it was hard to recognize.

As if someone had ground it with something sharp, dozens or hundreds of times.

Her eyes, nose, and mouth had lost their original positions and shapes, and were distorted.

Despite Elise’s rude reaction, the red figure girl raised her remaining right arm and pointed south without saying anything.

“…That way…”

The voice that came from her cracked lips sounded like an old door creaking.

Her voice was hoarse and distorted, as if her vocal cords had been severely damaged.

“A-Are you… really okay?”

Elise asked unconsciously.

She couldn’t understand how she could still be standing after suffering such injuries.

She quickly took out an emergency recovery potion from her pocket.

She had to treat her wounds and stop the bleeding, even if only a little.

But…

Thud.

The girl gently grabbed Elise’s arm and shook her head.

“If you… have something to give… give it to someone else…”

She struggled to continue speaking.

“What are you saying! Don’t you know how serious your condition is? You could die if you don’t get treatment right away!”

Elise shouted, almost crying.

Anyone could see that her body was barely holding on.

“…It’s okay.”

The girl replied briefly.

And as if to prove her words, she lightly struck a thick tree next to her with her remaining right hand.

Crack-!

The tree split and shattered as if it had been struck with a sledgehammer.

How could she have such strength with a body like that…

“…Move south. Other students will be gathered there.”

The girl pointed south again and said with difficulty.

Then, without any hesitation, she turned her body back towards the north, where the magical beasts had been swarming from.

As if she still had something to do.

“W-Wait a minute!”

Elise called out to her urgently.

“What about you? You need to evacuate too!”

The girl paused for a moment, but didn’t turn around.

Her voice quietly flowed from behind her back.

“There are… still students left.”

With those words, she limped away towards the north, dragging her blood-soaked body.

That small figure from behind… looked so immense.

“Your name…! At least tell me your name!”

Elise shouted desperately, but there was no reply.

Only silence swallowed her tracks along with the darkness.

Elise stood there blankly for a long time.

And then…

As if possessed by something, she took a step towards the north again.

She couldn’t just leave the girl who had saved her alone like that.

“Lady Elise, no! It’s dangerous!”

But her group members urgently stopped her.

“But! How can she face all those magical beasts alone in that condition! We have to go and help her…”

“We’ll only be a hindrance if we go!”

One group member said firmly.

His face was a mixture of fear and awe at the power of the girl they had just witnessed.

Elise couldn’t argue with that and closed her mouth.

He was right.

They were helpless even against a single High-ranking Monster.

If they followed her, they would only hold her back.

In the end, they reluctantly moved towards the south, where the girl had pointed.

“……”

‘Something’s strange. I’m sure I know her…’

That voice, that physique, and even the way she treated her.

It wasn’t unfamiliar.

It was definitely familiar somehow.

Because of that horribly mangled face, Elise couldn’t figure out who she was.