NOVEL NEXT chapter 64
64 – The Last (3)
The large monsters seemed to have many openings at first glance.
They were generally bulky and slow-moving, so it seemed they would be slow.
Some of them actually were, but their speed was not as slow as expected, causing confusion.
I felt the same way when I first faced a large monster.
“Hoo, Hoo….”
All three of us, including me, breathed heavily.
Dealing with fast-paced medium-sized monsters and slow-paced large monsters at the same time was not easy.
Fortunately, we managed to take down a few large monsters, giving us some leeway to use them as barricades.
Without that, the situation would have been pitch black in front of us.
It felt like being crushed by an elephant’s foot, or being trampled by a rhinoceros horn.
“How are our mana levels?”
I asked while catching my breath, and the two of them answered in unison.
As if they had already discussed it.
“It’s good. Thanks to the magic that dragon gave us.”
When the monsters entered the ant den that was bustling with activity, it consumed a lot of mana.
So, Sila took the opportunity to cast a magic spell that would automatically replenish mana.
However, the replenishment speed was slow, so it took some time.
We could cast a faster replenishment spell, but it could overwhelm our bodies and cause them to explode.
“Thank goodness. Then let’s catch our breath for a moment… Ugh?!”
Thud!
While they were taking a break amidst the strong smell of blood, the elephant carcass used as a barricade suddenly shook violently.
It felt like a powerful earthquake concentrated in one spot and struck the whole body.
“Is everyone okay?”
As my face involuntarily contorted, both of them displayed a similar expression, seemingly in the same predicament as I.
“Mr. Sihu! It’s dangerous!”
However, the two of them, who had been peering beyond the corpse, immediately leaped in my direction.
Despite their contorted expressions, their desperation was blatantly evident.
I was pushed back by their touch, as if I had been flung a few steps backward.
The force of the push was strong enough that I could hear a loud thud and feel a dull pain as if I had been punched.
“Ah!”
But the two of them screamed in agony much louder than me.
Thick and massive ivory protruded beyond the elephant carcass.
At the end of it hung a fairly chunky piece of flesh.
And the two individuals with torn, hole-ridden arms writhing on the ground.
Anyone could see that their flesh had been sliced by the enormous tusks.
“This is insane…!”
I rushed to their side, fearing that the dizziness would fade away.
I had the vibrating needles attached to my back and immediately reached behind to grab their waists.
Since the guys who had just been kicking now began to use their heads, there was no guarantee that the barricade would hold.
Furthermore, we needed to retreat a bit and regroup.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes… fortunately, I didn’t break any bones. I’m just lucky to be alive.”
Seoha-neul covered her left arm, which had been sliced open, with her hand and smiled.
The sight of her white bones was incredibly shocking.
“This is nothing… Ugh! I can endure it. But… it’s been so long since I’ve been hurt like this.”
This summer also had flesh sliced from her left arm.
Perhaps that’s why she was wielding the knife in her right hand relatively freely.
A moment later, I glanced back and saw Seoha-neul’s beam penetrating the forehead of the jaguar that was now close by.
“Just a moment.”
I nervously searched my belt pouch upon arriving at a secluded forest.
Inside, I found medical supplies like bandages with healing properties.
Being a hunter, life was always at risk, so it was essential to carry such minor tools.
This way, survival rates would increase.
Moreover, especially when it’s a situation like today, where they were intruding on Maru’s stronghold.
“Thank you…”
He administered the injection with a syringe and applied a bandage.
Upon seeing this, Seo Haneul smiled, her expression changing from a pained grimace to one of relief, as if miraculously healed.
“The bandage is… a bit loose.”
Lee Yeorum twisted her lips while looking at Seo Haneul’s bandaged arm.
Fortunately, the flesh didn’t hang too loosely. If nearly half of it had been torn off, they wouldn’t have been able to apply a bandage.
I couldn’t afford to let my guard down, but it was uncomfortable to see the extent of the injury caused by my momentary lapse.
If we were still a team, they wouldn’t have pushed me away so desperately in a situation like this.
“Take a break for a while. Don’t come back until you’re feeling better.”
“What about you, Siho?”
Seo Haneul asked in surprise.
“Yeah, don’t go alone. Rest as well. You’ve used your abilities a lot, after all.”
Lee Yeorum also urged me to rest, but I could see that they needed it more.
With their strength significantly reduced and such injuries, it was inevitable that their judgment and reflexes would be dulled.
“No, you stay here and rest properly while I keep watch. That’s the wisest choice.”
I spoke firmly, conveying my intention for them not to follow, and reluctantly, both of them nodded.
I took a deep breath, removed the small dart I had attached to my back, and held it in my hand.
Was it because of the guilt of being the only one unharmed?
Or was it because of the dedication that had protected me by taking the blows?
I didn’t know the exact reason, but it felt right to say it now.
“When we safely finish this mission… I will apologize.”
“…What?”
“Huh? I think I heard it wrong… Can you say that again?”
“Apologize.” The word had their eyes widen in shock.
Like someone who had witnessed an unbelievable spectacle.
That’s why it was awkward and embarrassing to say it again.
“I’ll forgive you. So, take a proper rest and come back. It’ll increase your survival rate.”
However, despite somehow squeezing out his voice, they threw their bodies in the direction teeming with monsters.
Is this really okay? I even thought it might be too hasty due to an impulsive decision…
But in the end, the thought that it was the right decision wouldn’t fade away.
“Luckily, there doesn’t seem to be a place set up like a secret dungeon…”
Alex leisurely looked around and consumed the dark red liquid in the glass bottle.
It was a potion made from purifying monster blood.
Potions varied in their ability to restore mana or health depending on their quality, and the one Alex drank was of the highest grade.
Good. When he felt the fatigue dissipating, a smile crept onto Alex’s lips.
Marina Isaac, standing beside him, also took a sip of the potion and let out a sigh.
In reality, they were only providing security for Alex and weren’t particularly exhausted.
Alex had handled over 90% of the monsters they encountered on his own.
“There are so many monsters like a swarm of ants, so it’s tiring, isn’t it?”
“hahahaha, you’re right.”
When Alex muttered with a sigh in his voice, Isaac, who was standing next to him, laughed like a treacherous bandit.
Thanks to the fact that things were resolving more easily than they thought, they felt nothing but gratitude.
To him, Alex was not a tyrant but a commander in his own right.
“Still, there should be something supplying nutrition in the center, as you said… That seems correct.”
Marina, who had been silent for a while, mumbled while looking ahead.
Her eyes were fixed on the giant tree radiating light in the distance.
Alex, who had already heard the explanation in advance, nodded without much surprise.
“That’s right. If we break that, it should be easier to clear out the monsters.”
“That’s what they said.”
“Then, let’s proceed as agreed. I’ll guard, Mrs. Marina and you cut down the tree.”
“Understood. I guess I’ll finally put on a little show.”
As Isaac raised his oversized blade and shook it, Alex chuckled.
“Then I’ll go ahead.”
With the tree in front of him, Isaac jumped towards the lower part of the tree.
It seemed like it would take several hours just to cut down the tree, given how massive it was.
Alex turned his attention to Mary’s back, following Isaac. He glanced around.
It wasn’t too bothersome to see mostly medium-sized mounts, and it saved mana too.
Thanks to the smooth flow in various aspects, they had come this far.
“But being smooth means…”
If one side is too smooth, the other side bears the burden to the same extent.
This was a common saying in most gate cleanings.
Therefore, there was a high possibility that Yoo Si-hoo would bear a heavy burden.
Although Yoo Si-hoo divided the team evenly, if asked whether he could overcome the heavy burden, well…
As Alex, he couldn’t help but be skeptical.
He recognized Yoo Si-hoo’s courage and ability, but he was still stuck at the wall of being an A-class hunter.
However, if Yoo Si-hoo was alone…
“Hmm…! It seems like that side carries a greater burden.”
As Isaac swung his blade while chopping wood, he muttered, with a thoughtful expression.
His gaze was still directed at the wood, but it contained the sound that could be heard from a distance.
Mary was the same.
No, it was even worse when she was on fire.
And on top of that, Yoo Si-hoo was heading in the direction of the battle.
“We should deal with it quickly and go help.”
“Yes. That’s right…!”
Isaac opened his eyes wide and swung his blade.
Even so, the thick wood was quite sturdy, so it seemed to take longer than expected to cut it down.
Fortunately, Alex could use gravity to crush the mounts, but the more he pulled, the more disadvantageous it became.
“Will it be okay…”
Mary muttered, glancing at the wood with an eager look.
Alex quietly stored her voice in his ears and used gravity to crush the approaching horde of mounts.
Their heads and bodies were crushed and burst out, and dirty blood flowed out.
“Don’t worry. He’s a man I trust. Mrs. might not know, but he’s cold in crisis situations.”
“Cold?”
Mary asked with a skeptical tone.
She knew that Yoo Si-hoo had a cold side, but hearing it from Alex’s mouth made her feel even more amazed.
Alex responded with a relaxed tone, whether he knew his intentions or not.
“Yes. So I will survive in any situation. However… it would be wise to hurry to increase that probability.”