Chapter Index





    Ch.2Monster Rush (2)

    Even though I keep calling this game garbage, I can’t deny that it’s still a game. That’s a fact.

    One reason for this is the fixed events—events that are guaranteed to happen.

    And the first fixed event you can encounter is the Monster Rush, which also serves as the tutorial for this game.

    The event trigger condition: 10 minutes of game time must pass after starting.

    The event content: indiscriminate attacks by monsters existing in the area.

    ‘So far, I don’t see any differences from the game.’

    Outside the carriage, the slave merchant was fighting desperately against the swarm of Demonic Wolves.

    Thanks to that, I could relatively calmly observe the situation while unlocking the chains binding my body with the key I took from the rookie’s pocket.

    The Demonic Wolves kept coming endlessly, occasionally mixed with other monsters. The slave merchant was putting up a decent fight, but I could see him visibly tiring in real-time.

    ‘So, what now?’

    First, escape is impossible.

    During this event, monsters swarm toward my location. They don’t specifically target me, but the structure doesn’t allow for escape either.

    If this were a city or a sizable village, I could easily overcome this with help from the locals, but that’s impossible too.

    ‘If only there were a village nearby to run to…’

    The problem is that this is Delon’s Forest. While there aren’t particularly strong demonic beasts, it’s overrun with Demonic Wolves in overwhelming numbers, as I can see.

    A village has never existed in a place like this. Even if there were one, I’d have no way of finding it.

    It’s truly a desperate situation.

    That’s why I was hoping this wasn’t Delon’s Forest when I looked at the surrounding terrain.

    ‘Would I have a chance if I drew my sword and fought directly?’

    I slightly unsheathed the sword I had taken from the rookie’s corpse earlier and examined it.

    It wasn’t exactly a legendary blade, but it appeared well-maintained, with a sharp edge that gleamed in the light.

    The only sword I’ve ever handled was a kitchen knife for cooking. Would I even be able to wield this properly?

    While I was thinking this…

    “Grrrr!”

    Was it the smell of blood from the rookie’s neck?

    While I was examining the sword, a Demonic Wolf spotted me and immediately charged.

    “Oh no…”

    I immediately drew the sword completely. In that moment, all my previous anxiety and doubts melted away like snow.

    Though I shouldn’t know how to grip a sword, it felt natural in my hand.

    Things that should feel unfamiliar felt strangely familiar.

    My body began to move naturally, as if this was exactly how it should be.

    Half a step forward, matching the charging wolf’s movements.

    Measuring the distance between us, I thrust the sword into the wolf’s palate.

    Of course, this alone wouldn’t kill the Demonic Wolf.

    If given a chance, it would quickly recover and attack again.

    So without pausing, I flowed into the next attack like water.

    Adding rotation and body weight to compensate for my lack of strength, I sliced vertically from the head where my sword was embedded, cutting through the wolf’s bones and muscles.

    “I didn’t know it had this effect…”

    Sword talent and the Sword Saint characteristic. They were already good enough in the game. They increased damage and stats when equipped with a sword and gave bonuses to sword-related skill acquisition.

    But when the game became reality, they became incomparable treasures.

    They didn’t simply make the sword more powerful; they taught me how to act while holding one.

    How to swing a sword.

    How to step and maintain distance.

    Even how to breathe.

    Things I never knew unfolded naturally.

    “At this rate, I think I can manage.”

    My gaze turned back outside the carriage.

    There, I saw the slave merchant being mauled by Demonic Wolves. Despite putting up a good fight, he seemed to have collapsed from exhaustion.

    That could be my future in a moment, but strangely, I wasn’t afraid at all.

    Was this arrogance or confidence?

    I wasn’t sure yet.

    ‘Well, I’ll have to find out.’

    There’s nowhere to retreat or escape to anyway. If you can’t avoid it, might as well enjoy it.

    “Let’s dance with the blade properly.”

    The wolves that had finally torn the struggling slave merchant to death now looked at me.

    And I, gripping my sword, looked back at them.

    Then, as the wolves began to charge, the battle commenced.

    * * *

    Around the same time.

    A pure white space.

    Exactly 10 minutes after Frey opened her eyes, a mechanical voice echoed through the silent space.

    [Multiple intruders detected.]

    And then.

    [Defense protocol initiated.]

    In Delon’s Forest and several other locations, monsters began exhibiting unusual behavior.

    * * *

    A wolf leaps at me from the front, jaws open, seemingly aiming for my throat.

    I dive deeper and slice through its neck.

    The next wolf targets my legs from behind, trying to rob me of mobility.

    I spin around to avoid the attack and use the rotational force to cut the wolf’s body in half.

    Yet the wolves’ attacks continue relentlessly. This time, one rushes from the side, aiming for my arm.

    As it jumps to attack, I swing my sword and bisect it in mid-air.

    ‘There’s no end in sight.’

    Wolves keep charging from all directions. Kill one, two appear; kill two, four appear.

    The attacks continue without pause, as if determined not to give me a moment’s rest.

    How many wolves have I killed so far? The area is filled with wolf corpses, and both my sword and I have been covered in blood for a while.

    Yet there’s no sign of the wolves’ numbers diminishing.

    But my stamina couldn’t keep up.

    My body was already covered in minor wounds, though thankfully nothing fatal yet.

    “Hah… Haah!”

    My mouth was dry without a drop of saliva, and my breath was ragged. My heart was pounding so wildly it felt like it might burst at any moment.

    I could feel myself approaching my physical limit. The image of the dead slave merchant overlapped with my own.

    It was as if that fate was my inevitable future.

    “Ha… Haha…”

    But why am I laughing?

    My exhausted body was gradually slowing down, yet I couldn’t stop laughing.

    Had my mind broken from being pushed to the limit?

    Why was it so enjoyable to dance one step away from death?

    Slash!

    In the meantime, another Demonic Wolf died, its blood splattering on the ground.

    I noticed the cross-section where my blade had cut through the wolf. It was remarkably clean.

    I recalled the first wolf I had cut. I thought I had cut it well, but compared to now, it was rough and crude.

    “Ah… Aha.”

    I finally understood why I was laughing.

    With each swing of the sword, my swordsmanship became sharper, my movements cleaner.

    The closer I was to death, the faster this growth seemed to accelerate.

    The growth happening in my body wasn’t just about the precision of the sword and movements.

    With each Demonic Wolf I killed, I could feel something accumulating, and when this accumulation reached a critical point, changes occurred in my body.

    My body became lighter, and the hand gripping the sword grew stronger. Some of my depleted stamina returned.

    Level up.

    Although I didn’t have a convenient tool like a status window to confirm it directly, this was probably the phenomenon I knew.

    I enjoyed the changes, the growth manifesting in my body.

    “More… More… Let’s play more!”

    I was deliriously happy.

    I couldn’t recall anything about the Sword Saint characteristic changing one’s personality.

    If that’s the case, the only explanation is that this is my true nature.

    I never dreamed I’d discover such a battle-hungry personality in this strange place, one I’d been unaware of my entire life.

    It’s funny—I just said the sensation of killing a person felt bad, yet now I find swinging a sword enjoyable.

    ‘Or maybe I’ve just gone mad from losing too much blood.’

    “Pfft…”

    Despite the urgent situation, ridiculous thoughts popped into my head, making me laugh.

    That’s how much leeway I’d gained.

    The Demonic Wolves were still numerous, but I could see them gradually decreasing.

    The attacks remained relentless and fierce, but they no longer felt threatening.

    The blood I’d lost hadn’t returned, but my stamina, which had hit rock bottom, was slowly recovering.

    At the same time, my racing heart began to find its rhythm, and my breathing stabilized.

    This was the result of increased physical abilities from leveling up and my increasingly clean sword techniques.

    I targeted only the vital points of the charging wolves, ending their lives with minimal effort. I dodged incoming attacks with efficient movements.

    At some point, the Demonic Wolves stopped increasing in number. The rate at which their numbers decreased accelerated, quickly reaching bottom.

    At this rate, it would be over soon. Just as I thought that, something unexpected happened.

    Thud… Thud…

    From behind came footsteps with a heavy weight that was on a different level from the ordinary Demonic Wolves.

    Simultaneously, all the mindlessly charging wolves stopped moving, creating distance between us.

    “Right, ending it like this would be somewhat disappointing.”

    Though I was tired and exhausted, if you asked if I really thought I would lose, the answer would be no.

    No matter how difficult or exhausting it was, during the fight, at the very bottom of my heart was the certainty that I would win.

    Perhaps that’s why my body sent waves of heat, as if wanting to fight more.

    With that heat inside me, I slowly turned around to see the source of the footsteps.

    There stood a Demonic Wolf several times larger than the others, with purple-tinged black fur, looking down at me.

    The gaze looking down at me was filled with intense anger.

    “Can’t bear to watch your subordinates being slaughtered anymore?”

    I knew this creature. The only high-ranking entity in Delon’s Forest. The master of Delon’s Forest and king of the Demonic Wolves: Marang Owl.

    “No need for long talks. Come at me.”

    Even under the pressure it exuded, I pointed my sword at it with a smile tinged with madness.


    0 Comments

    Heads up! Your comment will be invisible to other guests and subscribers (except for replies), including you after a grace period.
    Note
    // Script to navigate with arrow keys