NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Leira
“Hmm.”
It has been about three days since we began the hunt. I glanced at my status window in silence.
[Name: Park Jeong-yong]
[Nickname: The 163417413th Hero. Guardian of the Demon King’s Egg. One subjugated to immortality.]
[LV. 17]
[HP: 215/345 MP: 130/130 Physical Condition: Severely Starving]
[Strength: 27 Agility: 38 Intelligence: 10 Hero Sense: 3]
[Remaining Stat Points: 0]
During this time, I have managed to level up significantly. My level is now 17—my highest record from lifetime to lifetime.
I have genuinely become so much stronger to the extent of being noticeable, to the point that even I, who grew through despicable and dirty methods, feel bashful. To put it into perspective, at 17 levels, I can slice a rock with full force like butter, and my speed can make Usain Bolt look like a jogging club member traversing Mount Chilgap.
‘At first, I thought it might have been rigged… but I guess I have truly become a hero.’
Such growth really hits home. When I reach around level 50, I might even be able to reduce steel to rubble and stride the air like martial arts experts. The development system crafted by Minerva and the gods of the Second World is truly incredible.
‘But… what do I do now?’
Despite this, my current concern is simple: leveling up has slowed down.
The reason for my concern is even simpler: the cause for the slower leveling up is something that I cannot rectify with effort.
I sighed deeply and muttered.
“Ah, well. This isn’t a game, after all. Regeneration doesn’t work here, does it?”
Regeneration—more precisely, Regenerate. In games, when monsters vanish from the field, users can’t hunt anymore. To counter this, the monsters regenerate in the hunting grounds after a certain period, which is called regeneration, or “regen” for short.
In games, the regen rate adjusts based on the turnover of the hunting ground field to maintain the game system and prevent the hunting grounds from depleting.
However, this world is not a game.
The speed at which I hunt monsters… the Hunting Rats is increasing exponentially every day, while their rate of reproduction is only arithmetic. At this point, having caught the last hidden one, it’s like the rats’ lineage has dried up.
‘The rats from the sewers have… run out.’
That’s right.
There are no more to catch. Not a single one remains. And with this, there is no leveling up.
I put my hand on my forehead and shook my head.
“Should I have gathered them together and farmed them?”
I should have managed them thoroughly—let them multiply in a penned-in environment, catching and killing them gradually. The leftover meat could have been eaten, solving the food crisis simultaneously. It would have been a two-for-one deal, unfortunately.
Of course, that’s already water under the bridge.
‘If this continues… there is only one method left?’
I returned to the starting crossroads, scanning both sides with my gaze. Since this is a place where water flows slowly in four directions, the echoes from the ceiling were unusually loud.
There is no more to be gained from the front and rear waterways. Now, the only choice is to take on the waterways to the left and right that I have postponed.
Whether it’s a thug or another monster up ahead, it was something I eventually had to face.
It’s just happening a bit earlier than expected, that’s all.
‘Level is still a bit low, but…’
Perhaps due to the Hunters being large, there weren’t enough individuals to start with. As my level increased, the experience gap to the next level widened more and more. By the time I reached level 15, killing 100 rats gave me less than half the needed experience.
‘Well, there is no choice but to face it head-on.’
It’s pointless to dwell on the inevitable. Though I may be simple, I’m no fool. Worrying about something that cannot be changed is something only truly pathetic people do.
“Alright. Let’s decide now.”
A bull’s horn is best pulled while it’s still hot. I decided to determine the direction to investigate first.
I rummaged through my pouch and pulled out an emblem. Then I tossed it high into the sky. The emblem spun through the air before crashing to the ground.
Trunkety-Trunk. Before the emblem had flipped to reveal its side, I stomped on it.
‘If the moon shows, it’s left. If the goddess shows, it’s right.’
The simplest and fastest way to decide when there are only two choices is with a coin toss.
I gradually lifted my foot, my heart pounding as I confirmed the emblem’s side.
The emblem displayed the form of the goddess.
“Okay. Let’s start with the right side.”
I picked up the emblem and slipped it back into my pouch.
Ancient Maiden, please watch over this humble offering of trust. I silently prayed as I trudged along the waterway to the right.
*
“Are there any delicious monsters on this side?”
How long had I traveled along the waterway to the right? I muttered this naturally and then felt a sense of self-loathing for even thinking it.
But what can I do?
Of the basic needs of life—clothing and shelter—I can somehow endure even if they’re dirty and messy, but hunger isn’t something that can be overcome just by toughing it out. Cooking rat kebabs by creating fire with a lighter has started to bore me.
I didn’t grow up in luxury, so I have no aversion to eating whatever is available, but the problem is: it’s tasteless.
“Um?”
I paused mid-step. I peered through the darkness with my eyes straining and silently drew my sword, muffling any noise.
‘There’s something there.’
From beyond the dark, the sounds of metal grinding and overlapping footsteps reached my ears. Moreover, the gritty, raspy murmurs akin to the sound of metal being rubbed together also reached me. Realizing what these noises meant, I swallowed hard.
The sound of weapons clashing. And voices directed at each other.
‘Intelligent beings. And they use tools!’
I crouched as low as I could, trying to minimize any signs of my presence. These movements had become ingrained in my body over the past three days of hunting rats.
‘Stealth.’
My skill activated. With a faint fizzling sound, my body blended into the darkness. Though still low in level, it wasn’t invisible, but at least it made identification difficult.
I hid in a narrow water passage and carefully observed the situation. The chaotic footsteps and commotion grew closer.
“Kyaaaak! Kyaak!!”
“Do! There’s a monster!!”
When the shapes were close enough to be clearly seen, I blurted out the first word that came to my mind.
“Goblins?”
Green skin, about a meter tall, long ears and grotesque faces. Around six of them, clad in shoddy armor, wielding old swords. They were running chaotically, constantly looking behind them.
Sure enough, they were goblins. Looks like this world has goblins as well. Fantasy cheers!
The most notable thing was their severely depleted health. Looking at other specimens, it was the same. Just from their appearances, they were obviously covered in minor injuries.
And the way they ran, constantly glancing behind them in panic, made me come to a conclusion.
‘Escaping from… someone?’
My whole body tensed with renewed caution. The object of this tension wasn’t the goblins who were mindlessly fleeing before my very eyes.
The unknown force that was sending goblins in flight. The source hidden in the darkness.
“Kyaaaak!”
“Save me! Kyaa! Run!”
The goblins didn’t even notice my presence hidden near them. They passed by me, their tears and snot streaming down, as they ran in the direction I had already gone.
I stared at their backs blankly and regained my senses. My gaze turned toward something that had yet to reveal itself.
Klirr, klirk.
A sound reached my ears.
It was reminiscent of rusty gears grinding or perhaps the wheezy turning of some sort of wheels.
When I focused again, something was moving closer. And when it came closer, its outline became clearer.
The noise was from a cart.
A yellow cart.
A cart overflowing with corpses of goblins wobbled its way toward me.
‘This is…!’
The cart was packed with the pale blue corpses of goblins.
Corpses and a yellow cart. Two words formed a vivid image that flashed in my mind like lightning.
“Isn’t this familiar?”
My whole body froze.
My head spun, and my vision blurred, yet the cart and the one pulling it kept getting closer every moment.
I’ve definitely seen this cart somewhere before.
In my previous life. No, was it two lifetimes ago?
‘That which was placed before the heap of corpses!’
A shiver ran down my spine.
When I think about it, I saw the cart when I was before the pile of corpses in my life two lifetimes ago. In my previous life, I didn’t even approach the pile of corpses, so I don’t know whether it was there.
But now, in this life, was there a yellow cart before the pile of corpses?
‘…No.’
There wasn’t.
No matter how thoroughly I searched my memory, there was no yellow cart in this life. The shock was so overwhelming that I couldn’t even breathe.
‘Different from before?’
The time has rewound, yet it’s not just me that has changed. The actions of others can be different too. I don’t know if it’s due to my actions this time around, or if it’s for some other reason.
In any case, the crucial point is that the cart that was beside the pile of corpses before now isn’t there. And…
Klirr, klirk…
The entity who used to stack human corpses ahead in the main and rear sewer routes in my past life…
This time, it showed up in the right sewer route, carrying a cart full of goblin corpses.
“Damn… What should I do…!”
Should I flee like the goblins did?
No. It’s too late. It’s already close enough to be within my line of sight, so if the owner of the cart is the culprit, there’s no way they would let me go easily.
Then, should I fight?
No. Can I even handle it at my current level? But I have no other options… What do I do?
While I was in this indecision, a voice called out:
“Who’s hiding over there?”
A voice unfamiliar to me, speaking in an alien tongue.
A chill ran down my spine, but that chill quickly turned into confusion. A surprised exclamation escaped my lips without me realizing it.
‘…A woman?’
The voice didn’t sound distorted or gruff, but instead, it belonged to a woman. Moreover, it was a soft, somewhat shaky voice lacking confidence. The unexpected revelation blanked out my mind momentarily.
Even so, the woman pulling the cart continued speaking.
“Why don’t you come out first? The goblins have fled.”
“…”
“If you continue hiding silently, I have no choice but to suspect your intentions.”
That’s right. With no other choice, I reluctantly forced my hesitant steps forward. I emerged from the narrow passageway into the cart’s front view. I locked eyes with the cart’s puller.
As expected, it was a woman. A maid dressed in a black-and-white uniform, with brown hair tied in twin tails, and beneath it, emerald-green eyes that glimmered with an air of melancholy.
“My name is Leira. I’m a maid to Lord Halsenberg, the owner of these sewers.”
The maid, Leira, who showed her face to me, gave a slight nod. It was evident that she had impeccable manners ingrained in her behavior.
She stared at me in my frozen state, and after a moment, stepped forward and asked in a voice that exuded gloom, as fitting the atmosphere of these sewers.
“Who might you be?”