Chapter 89
Yoo Chae-rin, Im Ha-neul.
Although they couldn't handle Deep Layer Monsters, they had their own survival strategies.
Yoo Chae-rin had a skill called 'Concealment' that she learned a long time ago.
And while not to the same extent, Ha-neul could hide herself with an 'Illusion' Magic.
This meant they could at least avoid other people's eyes.
Therefore, they headed to the Deep Layer as soon as the next day arrived.
Of course, using just that to fool the Deep Layer Monsters was a bit naive.
But currently, most of the attention was on the Knights' Order. The Raiding Party had a significant presence in this Forest.
Thanks to this, they were able to head to the Deep Layer more smoothly than expected.
Naturally, they hadn't told anyone about moving here.
There was no reason to, and if things went wrong, their livelihoods could be at stake.
For Streamer Chae-rin, this game was her livelihood.
The same went for her Editor, Im Ha-neul. If they got caught and imprisoned, it could affect their real lives too.
And in other words, they were taking such risks to help him.
Doing this for one NPC… They found themselves ridiculous, but they didn't want to just stand by. If they left things as they were, they felt like they would regret it later.
“Hey, Unnie, do you have any ideas？”
“···Well.”
Despite their resolve, honestly, neither of them had a solid plan.
It's not that they hadn't thought about it.
It's just that in this situation, there wasn't much they could do. Their opponent was the Knights. A Raiding Party joined by Otherworlders. Not to mention the military force that group wielded, but behind them stood an entire nation.
Their support would be nothing more than throwing an egg at a rock.
“···Well, we’ll just have to try and help him escape somehow.”
In the end, all they could do was help him secretly escape.
So they headed towards the Deep Layer.
“It's a relief that Rage Mode is still a while away… Whew.”
“···Rage Mode？”
“Ah, um, there's something like that, Unnie.”
Chatting like this along the way.
Since Ha-neul had been to the Deep Layer once, they reached it quickly.
Although the siege was wide, no one noticed them.
Trees towering high as if they didn’t know the sky were visible. The trees densely covering all directions felt both enclosed and vast.
‘Wow…’
Chae-rin admired the eerie atmosphere inwardly.
She worried briefly about how they would find Yor here, but fortunately, meeting him was quick as well.
“Gasp.”
“Shh- Quiet.”
Not long after entering the Forest, he suddenly appeared.
And seeing him, Chae-rin couldn't help but be startled.
Because after a long time, he was exuding a very ferocious atmosphere.
His injuries seemed to be healed, but the bloodstains on his clothes remained. A beggar's rags from the Slum would be better.
He looked exhausted, as if he hadn't slept properly in days.
Well, with people searching for him in the Forest all day, it was natural that he couldn't sleep deeply.
But what truly surprised her was the vigilance ingrained in him despite all that.
Even while looking at Chae-rin and Ha-neul, he was glancing around.
His eyes were checking if anyone had followed them.
It was a natural reaction, but they only found it bitter.
It was like looking at a hedgehog covered with thorns.
“···Sigh.”
After confirming that there were no more people, Yor carefully opened his mouth.
He judged that it was safe to lower his thorns around these two.
“It’s been a while. …I told you not to come. What’s going on?”
“We came to tell you to run.”
Ha-neul was the first to speak. Since she was the one who suggested coming here, she was also quick to start the conversation.
“Let’s go, I’ll get you out. There are a lot of people outside, but… I think we can get through safely if I cast Illusion.”
“If we get caught, you won't escape punishment, you know？”
“Is that important right now? You have to live first, right?”
Her eyes furrowed slightly. She felt a surge of frustration at his words.
Regardless, Yor smiled, grateful for her kindness.
He'd received so much hostility lately that such kindness felt immense.
But his answer was already decided.
“Sorry, but no.”
A straight refusal.
“No─”
“No, why?”
Chae-rin immediately jumped in at his answer. Because she couldn't understand his answer at all.
Her face showed how frustrated she was.
“Hurry and run. You’ll die if you stay here! Can’t you see the people surrounding the Deep Layer out there?”
Currently, the Raiding Party was simply waiting, having formed a perimeter outside the Deep Layer.
They judged it too dangerous to enter the Deep Layer and continue the pursuit.
It was uncertain whether they could catch him even if they went in, and they might even be annihilated together.
Thanks to that, he could breathe, but that was all.
From their perspective, it just seemed like a temporary postponement of certain death.
Regardless, Yor remained calm. As if he had already made up his mind.
“You have to survive first.”
“Where am I supposed to go if I run?”
“Anywhere. You have the skills, right? If it really comes down to it, you can enter Lemegeton…”
Yor smiled silently as he watched Chae-rin suggest various options in a worried voice.
Their concern was evident, but he, the one concerned, seemed consistently relaxed.
As if his mind was already made up.
Finally, Yor quietly asked her.
“If I run, I might never see you again, you know？”
Freeze.
Chae-rin's body stiffened at his words. Not only her, but Ha-neul next to her too.
They were only thinking about securing an escape route; they hadn't thought that far ahead.
But Yor was different.
This was a topic he had been vaguely thinking about since the Subjugation Order was issued.
That his barely established daily life would be destroyed once again. And that he might never return.
“If I run, I’ll have to live on the run for the rest of my life. I’ll have to constantly worry about Guards popping up anytime, anywhere.”
“Since my face is already known, wherever I go, I’ll have to live in hiding like a mouse. What if other Otherworlders see my face and report me.”
“And then, if I happen to encounter the Raiding Party again, I'll be chased to the brink of death again. Or maybe I’ll actually die then.”
And these thoughts deepened when Lemegeton extended the Invitation once again.
At that time, honestly, while refusing, he didn't even know why he was refusing.
Not even understanding his own feelings, Yor thought he was a fool.
But now he knew. After thinking about it for a long time, Yor came to a clear answer.
“I don't want to live like that.”
Thinking about it, he had always made choices as if he was being pushed around.
No, thinking about it, it wasn't even a choice. Because it was something that happened regardless of his will.
It wasn't that he hated civilization that he left the comfortable City.
It was just that he had to run away because of the blood in his body.
Likewise, the reason he entered this Forest wasn't because it was comfortable and pleasant to live in.
Paradoxically, he could live here because everyone avoided the Forest.
Because he had to avoid people, he came into the depths of this Forest, risking his life.
He fought beasts with a body that hadn't even finished growing, and endured this dark night thousands of times alone.
It wasn't something he did to become stronger. He just had to do it to survive.
…So, how long did he have to live like this?
Was he destined to survive by being pushed around by his environment forever?
He refused Lemegeton’s Invitation for that reason.
If he entered there, it would be a choice he made because he was forced to by the Raiding Party.
That’s why he stayed in the Forest.
After pouring out his words, Chae-rin carefully asked.
“Then, what are you going to do now…?”
“Fight.”
If two irreconcilable positions collide, there is only one way.
To break the other. Even if that might be himself.
He would fight with all his might so the world would have no choice but to acknowledge him.
She asked again.
“Do you have a plan?”
“I don’t know, I’ll have to find one.”
“Do you think you have a chance?”
“It’ll be better than fighting outside, at least. I’m familiar with the Forest.”
The Forest was his home ground.
It was incredibly daunting now, but that’s why he had to fight here.
Chae-rin frowned at the sight. Ha-neul did the same.
To them, it seemed like nothing but stubbornness.
Looking at his precarious figure, they felt like he would vanish into thin air.
“Do you need any help？”
Yor spoke forcefully on purpose. He knew it was obvious they would only suffer losses if they got involved.
“No. You’ll only be a hindrance. So just leave.”
“Why are you being so harsh? At least in times like this, you should get someone’s help. Whether it’s helpful or not!”
Throwing an egg at a rock. But it can leave a mark on the rock.
She was speaking so desperately.
Yor hesitated for a moment at that sight.
To be honest, he was tired.
Facing so many people alone was exhausting, both physically and mentally.
He wasn’t wishing for a vast army. He just wanted a place to lean on and rest, even for a moment.
So Yor hesitated for a long time, then sighed.
“···Sigh.”
Then, putting aside a bit of his pride, he spoke to them.
“Help me… a little.”
And at that moment, a spear appeared before them.
+
[QUEST – Change]
+
Until now, he had been designated as a boss.
A potential evil threatening humanity. A time bomb waiting to explode.
A being that must be dealt with no matter what.
The world, the game settings, had already declared it so, and the Users had no choice but to comply.
But now, something was different. It felt different.
With trembling hands, they checked the window that appeared before each of them.
+
[QUEST – Change]
Manifestors have always been regarded as objects of contempt and Fear.
But is that truly right？ Is that their only predetermined fate？
The answer is up to you. Find the answer you desire.
Help him and force the Raiding Party to retreat.
Success Reward - ???, Increased chance of dealing with the Future Calamity
Failure Penalty - Imprisonment or Exile from the Empire
※This Quest is a shareable Quest.
+
At this moment, another path opened for them.