Another Deron

[Wandering Knight Crow]

“Ugh…”

I groaned, looking at the grimy knight in front of me.

I knew this was a different dimension from the original Deron, but it was still a bit disconcerting to see the existing NPCs appearing in such different forms.

Arthur, a paladin-type class, also looked slightly surprised at Crow’s unfamiliar appearance.

His once-gleaming armor was covered in blood and dirt, and dented in places from lack of proper repair.

And what about his cloak? It wasn’t the cloak that never lost its sunlight-like brilliance.

The cloak, riddled with holes, was no better than a rag.

What the hell happened to Crow?

“Do you have business with me?”

Crow, who had been sitting by the central fountain in the capital city, raised his head and spoke, as if he had sensed my gaze.

His revealed face was also shocking. Where had his neatly groomed face gone? A messy beard covered his face.

The Crow who scattered the divine power of sunlight was gone.

The Crow here was just an ordinary knight.

I nodded at Crow’s words.

Because the main quest was directing me to him.

[Hire Crow to search the forest]

To be honest, I didn’t think there would be any point in hiring such a broken-down Crow.

Maybe the developer just wanted to show users the ruined appearance of a cool NPC?

I opened my mouth, thinking of the developer’s sinister intentions.

“I want to hire you. I need to go into the forest.”

“Me?”

“Yes, how much do you want?”

“Hmm…”

Crow seemed to hesitate for a moment at my words, then held up five fingers.

So, how much is it?

When I just stared blankly without saying anything, Crow cleared his throat and added.

“5 gold. That’s enough.”

It was an absurdly cheap price considering Crow’s worth.

But since he was satisfied, it wasn’t my concern.

I nodded and handed him five gold coins.

“Hmm…?”

“What’s wrong?”

“What kind of gold coin is this from?”

Crow took the gold coin I gave him and began to turn it around in his hand.

“It’s definitely gold… but it’s not currency used here. It’s worth enough, but it will take time to process. Do you have anything else?”

At Crow’s words, I took out a small jewel from my inventory.

It was a special item that monsters occasionally dropped, a junk item that could earn a decent amount of gold when sold at the store.

If the currency used in another dimension wasn’t accepted, wouldn’t a jewel of equivalent value be okay?

“How about this?”

I took out a sparkling ruby and handed it to Crow.

It was an item that could fetch more than the 5 gold he had asked for.

“Hmm… Is it genuine?”

“Why don’t you ask a merchant to appraise it?”

“There’s no need to do that. I can appraise it myself.”

Crow said that and took out a small magnifying glass from his pocket and began to examine the ruby.

To think that the paladin Crow would show such a sight… it was quite shocking.

Why the hell is he carrying something like that around?

“A good ruby. This is worth enough.”

Crow said that and got up from his seat.

I take the hired Crow and leave the castle, following the main quest marker.

The place we arrived at was a forest not far from the capital city.

It was a place I remembered. If it’s a forest near here, it was definitely a place where red orc warriors respawned.

But, instead of them, there were large dire wolves.

“Wolves. It’s dangerous, so stay back.”

I was so dumbfounded by Crow’s words that I let out a hollow laugh.

Arthur, who was standing next to me, also looked dumbfounded by Crow’s words, his mouth agape.

I hired Crow because the quest told me to, but I couldn’t hide behind him because of mere wolves.

I confidently drew my sword.

An level 85 world item. Dragonslayer Sword – Black Flame, its dark blade gleaming, extended outward.

“A good sword…”

As a swordsman, Crow seemed to recognize the true value of my sword.

Even though he was an NPC, he had a good eye.

I shrugged and walked forward.

It was in front of a new friend. I wanted to show him the coolest side of me.

“Stand back. I’ll take care of it.”

Keureureung-

Crow, who had been blocking the wolf’s path, stepped back with a slightly uneasy gaze.

The appearance of the large wolf that was revealed was quite intimidating.

[Level: 85]

[Dire Wolf]

Just a wolf, but it’s level 85.

But what difference would it make if the wolf’s level increased?

I said to Arthur with a confident expression.

“Arthur.”

“Huh?”

“Watch closely. This is what swordsmanship is.”

“Eummegeol’s swordsmanship…!”

“Don’t call me Eummegeol.”

I took a breath and glared at the large wolf in front of me.

Its large, exposed teeth, and the sticky saliva flowing beneath them.

The stiff fur and the elasticity felt in every muscle of its body.

“Hayat!”

As I charged towards the wolf with a short shout, it also began to move.

Using my forward-extending leg as a central axis, I twisted my body as if deflecting the wolf’s attack and swung my sword.

I should be able to catch it. I was sure of it as I watched the blade being swung towards its neck.

But.

Kang-!

“Ah?”

The blade, swung with all my might, failed to cut off the wolf’s neck.

It was as if I had struck a hard iron plate.

Keurareurang!

My attack was blocked in an unexpected situation. As I stood there blankly, greatly embarrassed, the wolf, not missing the opportunity, howled and charged.

Chwaak!

“Eut.”

My arm was grazed by the wildly swung forepaw attack.

I frowned and stepped back sharply.

Because my health had been drastically reduced by just one attack.

I could feel the gaze from behind me.

I turned to look at Arthur with an awkward smile.

I had confidently stepped forward, but I retreated without even succeeding in an attack.

I had never felt such humiliation.

“This humiliation… I can’t forgive it.”

My chest burned hotly. I didn’t want to admit that I had retreated from a mere wolf.

Keureureureung-!

The large wolf, the dire wolf, lowered its body and let out a slow howl as I retreated.

It was the starting stance for the charge pattern that all wolf monsters had.

Keuwaaang!

The moment it started running towards me quickly, I also started to move.

Extending my right foot out wide, I lowered my upper body. My quickly moving gaze read where the wolf’s attack would be directed.

It’s a biting attack aimed at my neck.

If I lower my upper body, dodge to the side, and swing my sword, I should be able to leave a large gash on its belly.

It definitely should have been that way.

Kang-!

“Euk?”

The attack didn’t work this time either.

The moment the sword swung to the side hit the wolf’s body, I felt a strong repulsion and was knocked sideways.

I desperately rotated my wrist.

The trajectory of the sword that had been knocked to the side was corrected, and black magic power soared above it.

Using my right foot, which had been extended forward, as an axis, I moved as if rotating my body, and swung my sword once again.

But the result was no different this time either.

Kang-! The quickly swung sword failed to tear the wolf’s hide.

The moment I recognized that fact, I had to quickly roll forward to avoid the wolf’s attack.

“Eugyak!”

As I rolled through the bushes and created distance from the wolf, Arthur was looking at me with a strange look in his eyes.

I got up from my seat, pointed my sword, and stepped back. The attacks weren’t working at all.

I even used skills, just in case, but all attacks were nullified as if blocked by a transparent barrier.

This wolf was no ordinary dire wolf. It was definitely a super, super powerful dire wolf.

“Are you perhaps playing with the wolf?”

“N, no way!”

Absolutely not. Playing with a wolf? I occasionally summon Eureurangyi in the village to play with, but I had no desire to play with a monster like this.

“Is that so…?”

Arthur tilted his head and drew his sword.

Seureureung-

With an eerie sound, golden divine power soared above the drawn sword.

“Eummegeol. I enjoyed watching Yeon-i’s cute swordsmanship. I’ll show you mine this time.”

He must have felt frustrated by my actions.

I nodded and stepped back behind Arthur.

“Be careful. For some reason, attacks aren’t working.”

Arthur nodded at my warning and took a stance.

He raised his sword as if pulling it back. The tip of the sword is pointed at the enemy, and his stance lowers.

It’s an attack-only stance that doesn’t consider defense.

Keueoong!

The large wolf, the dire wolf, charged as if angered by the humans’ cowardly tag-team tactics.

I widened my eyes and watched Arthur’s movements.

Arthur’s body was also moving right after the wolf started charging.

With his cloak fluttering behind him, his body moved forward greatly, and the bright sunlight sword was swung diagonally.

A clean, uncluttered movement. It was a sharp strike aimed at the enemy’s vitals.

It hit accurately. The wolf’s neck would be cut off.

Kang-!

But the result was no different. Like my attack, Arthur’s attack also didn’t work.

“Th, this…!”

Arthur, as if not believing it, swung his sword continuously and struck the wolf’s head, but the wolf took no damage.

Rather, Arthur’s arm was bitten.

Arararang!

“Iyayayat!”

The wolf’s widely opened mouth chewed on Arthur’s arm. The sturdy gauntlet was distorted in an instant, and blood flowed from the inside.

It was at that moment that Crow, who had been watching the situation from behind, moved.

Crow approached silently and swung his worn-out sword, beheading the wolf in one strike.

Seogeok-!

A strange silence descended.

Both Arthur and I must be thinking the same thing.

I thought it was an opportunity to show my cool side to my new friend. But all I could show was embarrassing humiliation.

The tips of my ears were slightly hot.

Contrary to my embarrassing feelings, my eyes were examining Crow’s sword.

Because a strange, unfamiliar power was flowing over that worn-out sword.

“You guys… don’t you use Aether?”

Aether? What the hell is that?

I looked up at Crow with a questioning gaze.

At that moment, the main quest was updated.

[New Power]

Collect information on Aether and return to the original dimension 0/1