Chapter 88
Honestly, I was pretty confident in my strength.
And that wasn't actually wrong.
Up until now, many Intruders have come to this Forest, but I was able to Repulse them all without much difficulty.
The only Troublesome one was Dantalian, but even he was manageable if I used my Ability.
A lot of my power comes from my Ability, after all.
···But this time, the Feeling itself was different.
The opponent wasn't just some random thug rushing in. They weren't a fool who acted up, relying on their own strength.
They knew a lot about me, and their countermeasures were excellent. It was clear they'd known the information for a while and had been thinking about how to deal with me.
Suddenly, I wondered where they got such information.
The answer came right away. Who else could it be but the Otherworlders?
To make matters worse, even the Knights' Order Commander in front of me was difficult to shake off.
“Crude Spear attack.”
No, beyond that, I even thought I might be slightly losing.
A deep blue Mana surrounded the Sword he wielded.
A highly dense and refined blade of Mana.
Looking at the tightly interwoven Mana, it could be called Sword Force rather than Sword Energy.
···Of course, it hadn't reached the true Sword Force stage. That realm is said to be too far off.
But at least it was at a higher level than my crude Sword Energy.
And in this kind of fight where weapons clash, the mastery of Sword Energy plays a crucial role.
Just like my Blood can tear through most weapons, the difference in power caused by Sword Energy alone is significant.
Not only that, but the opponent's swordsmanship clearly showed signs of training.
“Your attacks are predictable, and your next move is easy to anticipate. The only thing worth seeing is your Physical Ability.”
His sword path was difficult to predict, and his combinations were solid.
No matter how I attacked, I was often blocked.
While my Physical Ability itself seems to be slightly superior for now, the difference in technique and Sword Energy was constricting me.
‘···Damn it.’
I frowned.
If only I could freely use my Ability, I could probably turn things around.
As expected, the variable of Holy Water prevented me from easily acting.
Even if I managed to fling a lump of blood, Holy Water would appear from somewhere and quickly purify the Demonic Power.
While clashing weapons with the Knights' Order Commander, the remaining Knights and Otherworlders steadily approached.
I could roughly see their strategy.
If I fought back, they would use their defenses to surround me, and if I tried to escape, the Knights' Order Commander would step in to tie me down.
The Otherworlders who interfered like moths to a flame were a bonus.
Being on the receiving end of so many attacks alone made me laugh in spite of myself.
It was a self-deprecating laugh born from my pathetic situation.
‘The whole world really is against me…’
Still, I continued to flee somehow.
Although his Sword was persistent, I could get away if I was willing to take some damage.
Swish- Scrape!
Thanks to that, I suffered minor injuries, but I managed to avoid any major wounds.
Instead, I used the blood that spurted out as an opportunity.
Even if it would be quickly neutralized by Holy Water, it could at least slow them down.
“Catch him!”
“Don’t let him get away!”
The Knights were quite persistent. As if they were determined to catch me here no matter what.
I could feel a strange obsession in their pursuit.
Rough breathing echoed all around, but I didn’t stop running.
And there, I felt a slight sense of incongruity.
‘···What is it?’
They had overwhelming power. It wasn’t easy to deal with the Knights' Order Commander alone, and behind him were hundreds of Knights.
Based on my assessment, if I clashed with them head-on, I would be Subjugated before I could even properly deal with a few Knights.
Honestly, I thought a war of attrition was also disadvantageous for me.
I was one, while they were hundreds. If they slowly tightened the noose, I would be the one suffocating.
But right now, the Knights' Order seemed desperate to catch me.
As if things would become extremely difficult if they failed to catch me here.
Moreover, their impatience became more apparent as the Deep Layer came into view.
“Move faster! We have to catch him before he enters!”
“Haa… He, he’s too fast!”
“Damn armor, so… heavy…!”
Only then did I recall a simple fact.
‘…Aha.’
Right, the Deep Layer isn't an easy place. Not for me, and not for them either.
A prolonged battle isn’t only difficult for me. Rather, their larger numbers mean they have to endure more exhaustion.
So, they must be aiming for a short battle. Their persistent pursuit must be because they want to quickly Subjugate me.
In that case, I couldn't afford to be caught.
As I continued running without rest, I eventually saw giant trees.
The trees stretched endlessly upwards, as if it were a place where giants lived.
I had finally reached the Deep Layer.
Click.
And as if to welcome our arrival, a strange sound came from the ground.
A chilling activation sound I’d heard somewhere before. The warning of a Carnivorous Plant, ready to capture and kill those who entered its territory.
“!”
Having already sensed it, I barely managed to twist my body and avoid it.
But not everyone had Heightened Hearing like me. Especially in this chaotic situation.
“Kyaaagh!”
“S-Squad Leader is down!”
“Don’t panic, get him out!”
“What are these crazy plants!”
Their screams echoed from everywhere. I heard the panicked voices of the Knights and Otherworlders.
Their pursuit slowed down as a bonus.
“Ugh, don’t give up! He’s tired, so keep chasing him!”
Of course, that didn't mean they stopped completely.
Led by the Knights' Order Commander at the forefront, countless people still chased me.
Arrows flew, and the Knights' Order Commander’s Sword constantly aimed for my limbs.
I gasped for breath.
“Haa… Haa…”
My wounded body stung. My body, which hadn’t rested, was starting to complain of fatigue.
At this point, my mind began to become hazy.
‘…I’m tired.’
I wanted to rest, to lie down somewhere and sleep.
Perhaps due to the blood constantly flowing from my body, I felt hungry. I imagined how delicious a few loaves of bread from the City would be right now…
I even briefly thought that I might actually die like this…
…But this situation changed abruptly after just a few more steps.
“Grrrr…”
A roar came from somewhere deep within the forest. The fierce roar of a beast.
The sound wasn't very loud, but it was clear enough to reach everyone’s ears.
Anyone who knew the owner of that roar could never ignore it.
The Knights' Order stopped in their tracks. So did I.
Because a giant Monster was emerging from beyond the direction we were heading.
The Mountain Lord, the Monster dwelling in the Deep Layer, had finally descended after hearing the commotion.
Some of the Otherworlders who were seeing it for the first time made dumbfounded noises.
“Crazy… What is that.”
“Level 175…? Is that even possible？”
Normally, I might have paled and been terrified.
But now, I felt a sense of relief. I looked at it with an exhausted face and smiled weakly.
“…Yeah, let's all just die together.”
Soon, it charged towards us.
“Kwwaaaaaargh!!!!!”
An earsplitting roar.
Its gleaming golden eyes glanced back and forth between the Knights' Order and me.
It probably held a grudge against me. I cut off its tail, after all. But I was alone, and few in number.
It would be the first time the Knights' Order had met the Mountain Lord. But there were many of them. They were practically a feast.
In the end, it chose the Knights' Order behind me.
As expected of an Old Tiger, it chose a larger meal over immediate revenge.
Truly intelligent. I wanted to give it a gold star.
“Retreat!”
At this point, even the Knights' Order Commander couldn't continue the pursuit.
If this continued, they would all really die. The Knights' Order quickly turned around, and the Old Tiger chased after them.
Crunch-!
I heard the sounds of some Knights and Otherworlders being trampled to death.
Shields and everything were useless against its overwhelming mass.
“…”
I watched them for a moment, then quietly slipped away to the side of the path I had been escaping on.
With this, I could finally catch my breath.
＊
+
[Wow, that was really close]
Almost had him, fr
Who knew a Monster like that would show up at the end?
+
[Crazy, what the hell was that lol]
[ㄴ Is a level 175 even possible? Wow, I almost pissed myself just watching the Stream]
[ㄴ I actually died watching it live wow... The size is insane, its tail is as big as my torso]
+
[I now understand why Adventurers hate the Deep Layer]
It’s literally a death trap wow
Traps popping out of the floor, and Monsters with base levels over 100 crawling out everywhere
Is that place even a real location?
+
[fr lol]
[The Knights seemed to be handling it well, but they looked super stressed]
[ㄴ That place is not fit for human habitation]
The Knights' Order had entered the Forest, and the chase had ended anticlimactically.
And most of that scene was shared across the Community.
There were quite a few Streamers among the participating Otherworlders, and other Otherworlders consistently posted on the Community.
Thanks to this, the Community was on fire once again.
Although the chase ended disappointingly, the reviews were just beginning.
Various comments were exchanged, such as the Deep Layer scenery being beautiful, and the Knights NPCs' combat prowess being on a different level.
And among them, there were quite a few comments like this:
+
[Honestly, I was just angry the whole time]
Frankly, is that a Raid? It's nothing more than a bunch of people ganging up on one person
The boss doesn't feel like a boss, the Knights' Order's justification is unclear, I honestly don't get it...
+
[There they go getting invested again]
[ㄴ No, but honestly, what did he do wrong? Seere at least killed people and caused chaos, but why is he a boss?]
[ㄴ Manifestors always have to be dealt with, don’t you even know that?]
[ㄴ I know, but that’s just the opinion of those uncivilized Medieval People, do we have to be like them?]
It was dissatisfaction.
The Raid had never been very well-received. The boss was friendly and hadn't committed any real crimes.
Of course, from the NPCs' perspective, having Demon's Blood was a sin in itself… but that was only from their perspective.
From the Users’ perspective, it couldn't be considered a sin. It just looked like a Witch Hunt.
These complaints had always existed, but this time, the flames were particularly high.
Fights were breaking out all over the posts.
That's how pitiful he appeared in the uploaded videos.
Tap- tap- tap-…
Thanks to this, someone who had been quietly manipulating public opinion in their room was able to make a decision.
“I can’t stand this.”
“Unnie too? Me neither.”
It was Im Ha-neul, and Yoo Chae-rin.
They had been watching quietly, unsure of what to do, but they couldn't anymore.
They had to do something.
“Let’s go find him, whatever it takes.”
“Are you sure? I heard we could be arrested as accomplices if we’re caught.”
“So you’re not going?”
“…No, of course I’m going.”
And so, they headed to the Deep Layer.