Memorize

The weather was clear. The bright sunlight that we hadn't seen in the forest wrapped around our heads like a gentle embrace. It was certainly not a bad feeling, but the only problem was that our party walked in silence, without a word.

It had been about six hours since we set out from the cabin. During that time, we had hardly exchanged any words, except for what was absolutely necessary. While the atmosphere between Kim Han-Byeol and me was cold, it wasn't just that—there was something deeper going on among the group.

Despite walking for so long, we hadn't taken a single break. We just kept walking, one foot in front of the other.

How long had we been walking? Finally, we caught sight of the warp gate, large enough to be seen clearly, and yet it still felt like we were far from it. As we got closer, everyone seemed to have made a silent agreement to keep their mouths shut. The only sounds were the quiet breaths of our group. Perhaps everyone was feeling a bit more excited now that the end was in sight.

While it was good to muster our strength, we couldn't afford to feel too comfortable. As expected, we hadn't encountered a single monster on the way to the warp gate. Maybe that's why everyone seemed to have let their guard down, even if just a little.

I felt restless. If a boss monster appeared, we wouldn't have time to prepare or discuss our strategy. It would surely sense our presence and rush at us, and it would be a miracle if we didn't scatter in confusion. No matter how confident I was in my abilities, if I didn't reveal my true strength, there was a high chance of casualties.

The warp gate was right in front of us. If we just walked a bit further, we would successfully complete the rite of passage. But it felt too wasteful to abandon the concept and plan we had maintained all this time, especially with only a small distance left to go.

Estimating the remaining distance, it seemed like we had about 600 meters to cover. Wu Jung-Min had said that he was attacked by the boss monster with about 300 meters left, which meant we could potentially encounter it soon if we only had to cover half that distance. I wanted to take my time to sort out my thoughts, but contrary to my wishes, the pace of our group was quickening. An Hyun seemed to have sensed this as well, breaking the silence that had been maintained for a while, speaking to An-Sol with an excited voice.

"Sol, let's keep going just a little bit further. If we can make it to that big oval building up ahead, I'm sure we can finally get out of this dreadful place. Just hang in there until then."

"Okay!"

An Hyun's gentle words seemed to lift An-Sol's spirits, and she nodded enthusiastically with a bright smile. She even flashed a grin now and then, clearly feeling quite happy. I was about to suggest taking a short break, but I quickly closed my mouth. No matter how hard I thought, I couldn't come up with a clever plan. I had no choice but to match their pace, and with each passing moment, the distance to the warp gate grew smaller.

Of course, I knew my worries might be unnecessary. Entering the warp gate without any trouble was indeed the best way. A path where no one gets hurt and no one suffers—an ideal scenario. Yet, an ominous feeling wouldn't leave me. Deep inside, there was an uneasy corner of my heart. Even after casting the most extensive and detailed magic detection spell since we entered the rite of passage, I hadn't sensed a thing about the boss monster.

Before I knew it, we had only 500 meters left to our destination. The warp gate was gradually revealing its magnificent presence. A rectangular altar was supporting the enormous oval structure, impressive enough to rival a substantial building. In the center, a large hole gaped like a donut, with a translucent blue orb floating gently inside. Occasionally, thin streams of blue lightning seemed to flow from it, definitely indicating that it was the magical core powering the warp gate.

From the outside, the orb looked quite beautiful, and it quickly drew everyone's gaze. An-Sol was admiring it with a pure expression, while Kim Han-Byeol also seemed to enjoy it with fresh eyes. In particular, Yun-Jung was gazing at the radiant colors of the orb with a dazed expression, unable to tear her eyes away.

"It's really pretty…. I want to break it into pieces and make earrings. If I wore them, I'd look truly beautiful. I want one." She said.

"Unnie, I just want to look at it as it is. It's really beautiful." An-Sol replied.

As Yun-Jung and An-Sol chatted softly, An Hyun seemed to fall into thought. Perhaps he was imagining what Yun-Jung would look like wearing earrings. After a moment, he shook his head and opened his mouth.

"Terrible." An Hyun said.

"Huh? What does our Hyun mean by that…?" Yun-Jung asked, tilting her head.

"It's a bit funny that you want to call it an earring. It would suit Sol much better instead." He replied, his face expressionless.

"What?" 

At An Hyun's nonchalant comment, Yun-Jung playfully punched his waist with a pout. It seemed that An-Sol's face had brightened at the thought that earrings would look good on her. She didn't seem offended at all; instead, she wore a shy smile. Having a brother who might become a harem king but is also a siscon seemed almost like a misfortune in some ways. An absurd thought crossed my mind, and I couldn't help but chuckle softly.

With 400 meters left to go, I looked around and noticed that the environment was quite similar to the starting point where we had begun our journey. There were patches of grass growing in spots and clumps of soil covering most of the ground. However, I occasionally spotted patches of unusually dark soil. When I stepped on them, they felt hard and solid rather than soft like the surrounding earth. Was it soil hardened by blood?

If so, then it must be from the prospective players who had met their fate right before the warp gate during the previous rite of passage. I realized that I might be the only one to notice this, but I said nothing and continued to walk quietly.

There were only 300 meters left. Now, we were practically running at a brisk pace. Everyone's faces were beaming with joy at being alive and having made it this far. Just moments ago, An Hyun and Yun-Jung had been growling at each other, but now they were smiling. An-Sol was openly grinning, while Han-Byeol, though still composed, seemed to be feeling a sense of relief without showing it too much.

Even as we approached the 300-meter mark, the boss monster hadn't appeared. It seemed that Jung-Min and his party had simply been unlucky. With An-Sol, who boasted a luck of 100, this could explain our current good fortune. As I took one last scan and detected nothing unusual, I was just about to relax and ease my magical energy when I had no idea what was about to unfold. I didn't realize that we had popped the champagne far too early.

"Pachut! Pachut!"

At the 200-meter mark, a noise tore through the space around me. The air shifted, and the atmosphere distorted in a strange way. It was a phenomenon that occurred when a massive amount of magical energy was in motion. My companions must have sensed something unsettling as well, for they stopped in their tracks. I quickly activated my Third Eye.

As expected, a sudden magical wave was rippling around the clearing. At first glance, it seemed to be spreading out in all directions, but upon closer inspection, it was moving in a specific direction. Just as I was trying to calm myself and analyze the pattern of the magic being drawn, a sound reverberated throughout the space, and a massive summoning circle began to materialize in the middle of the path we had just walked.

The moment I saw the pattern of the magic circle, I realized, 'Oh no'. It was a high-level summoning magic circle. I hurriedly tried to send my magic to disrupt its formation, but...

It was too late. The magic circle had fully emerged into the air, radiating a pale light as it began to activate.

So, this was how the boss monster appeared, through a summoning magic circle. My party, including myself, stared blankly at the magic circle floating in the air. It was clear that the magic circle was visible to them as well. Yet no one could utter a word. The magic circle was radiating a malevolent, ominous energy that gripped our hearts.

"Wuuuuuuuuuuung! Wuuuuuuuuuuung!"

Finally, the magic circle began the summoning. The first thing that emerged was the boss monster's face and fingers. Its face was grotesque in the truest sense of the word. An elongated visage devoid of eyes, with a mouth that was grotesquely stretched open, revealing sharp teeth. Long fingers gleamed menacingly, sharp enough to be mistaken for scythes. A pitch-black armor enveloped its body, and a long tail suddenly shot out into the open.

At last, the boss monster completed its summoning, showcasing a massive body that appeared to be over five meters tall. It was a terrifying sight.

"Wugugugugu, wugugugugu. Glug!"

As if it had just feasted on its prey, the creature's mouth was smeared with fresh, crimson blood. Yet, it seemed still hungry, licking its lips as it looked at us.

I quickly scanned the faces of my companions. I wanted to commend them for not panicking and fleeing in every direction, but the truth was that Yun-Jung, Kim Han-Byeol, and An Sol were all in a state of shock. They were frozen in place, unable to move as if they had turned into ice statues, overwhelmed by the sheer aura of death radiating from the monster.

Only An Hyun managed to stammer out a response, his disbelief evident on his face.

"T-This… this is impossible…"

"GRAAAAAAAAAAWR!"

Before An Hyun could finish his thought, the monster unleashed a fearsome roar that reverberated through our bodies. The sound was likely laced with its murderous intent, causing a tingling sensation throughout us. It felt like we had been hit by a shockwave. Everyone moved sluggishly, but only managed a step or two forward. There was no time to hesitate. I looked at each of them and spoke in a low but clear voice.

"Everyone, stay calm. Don't panic. Respond rationally."

"B-But, hyung… this is too much. We can't win. We need to run!" 

An Hyun's voice trembled as he mistook my calm demeanor for recklessness, likely due to the immense pressure the boss monster exerted on us. The overwhelming aura had robbed everyone of their fighting spirit. I knew that yelling or pressing them wouldn't help; it would only escalate the chaos. I needed to provide reassurance with a soothing tone that would ease their petrified bodies.

"I'm not suggesting we fight. Confronting that thing would be madness. You're right; we need to escape. But we can't just run anywhere; we'll end up picked off one by one. So we're heading toward the Warp Gate."

"R-Right. Let's hurry…" 

I sighed inwardly as I observed Yun-Jung's hesitance to act despite her understanding of the situation. Yet, it was comforting to see that An Hyun and Kim Han-Byeol were slowly shaking off their fear. A faint glimmer of survival instinct was starting to flicker in their eyes. Seeing my calm demeanor, bolstered by the magic I used to protect them, seemed to inspire a semblance of hope.

"From now on, everyone drop your bags and weapons. We need to lighten ourselves and sprint toward the Warp Gate with everything we've got." I commanded, urgency creeping into my tone.

"Uh, um…?" 

Just then, the boss monster roared once more, shaking the ground and making it clear that time was running out. Frustration welled up in me as I noticed An Sol still dazed and looking around aimlessly. I rushed to her, unbuckling her bag with determination.

"What are you doing, An Hyun?! Drop the sword and shield! Do you really think you can run with that stuff?" 

"Y-Yes!" 

An Hyun, Yun-Jung, and Kim Han-Byeol quickly followed suit, discarding their gear. The boss monster was charging at us on all fours, each footfall creating a thunderous boom that felt like a series of small earthquakes.

Hearing the first quake as a signal, I grabbed An Sol's hand and bolted forward. At that moment, our entire party began to sprint full throttle toward the Warp Gate.

We ran. We ran, pushing ourselves to the limit. Despite our efforts, the rhythmic thuds from behind grew closer, their intervals becoming alarmingly short. When Yun-Jung cast a worried glance over her shoulder, I immediately interjected.

"Don't look back! Focus on moving forward, no matter what!" 

The distance from the boss monster was approximately 300 meters from the Warp Gate, and we had 200 meters left to cover. Although we had a 100-meter gap, I knew the monster would close that distance quickly. My goal was to ensure we survived that first encounter.

The creature seemed to gain speed with every bound. If I could make it pause for just a moment, it would lose the momentum it had built up. In that moment, it would be forced to chase us at a slower pace, allowing us to slip through the Warp Gate.

I tightened my grip on the crossbow strapped to my left hand.

"Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!"

'Distance remaining: 180 meters.'

"Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!"

'Distance remaining: 160 meters.'

"Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!"

'Distance remaining: 140 meters.' I could sense the sound growing more rapid, a clear indication that the monster was hitting its stride. If we continued at this pace, there would be no way to shake it off. I felt the moment had arrived.

Taking advantage of the chaos as everyone focused on running, I channeled a portion of my magical energy into an arrow, knowing that a regular arrow wouldn't pierce the monster's steel-like armor. Once I completed the infusion, an intense sharpness radiated from my left forearm.

With my preparations done, it was finally my turn to act. Hesitating any longer could lead to an irreparable disaster. I stopped running and released An Sol's hand, sensing the tension in the air.

As I suddenly halted, I heard An Sol's astonished voice pass by me, and I knew the others felt a sense of dread wash over them. Before they could look back, I shouted in a firm voice, "Don't turn around! Keep running!"

My angry tone must have caught them off guard. They flinched slightly, but I could see their heads snapping back to face the front as I pivoted my body to confront the approaching threat. 

The boss monster was charging straight at me as I was his first target, and I raised my left arm, aiming the crossbow with focused determination. 

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