20 – Parasite Queen (3)
“So can we fight right away?”
Line overwhelms the spider army, leaving behind a blue trail.
Anxiously, he asked about Lily’s condition.
The answer that came back wasn’t good…
Raising her head and biting her lip, her appearance carried an unmistakable sense of denial.
“Well, I feel like I already know without asking.”
Just by looking at her, you can estimate to some extent.
Her left arm bleeding continuously and hazy pupils.
No matter how much of a warrior one may be, it is not something she would take lightly, as long as she is human.
“Ryne, how did you get here….”
As if about to go out at any moment, he asked with a hoarse voice,
Ryne replied with a sly smile and kindness.
“A student who you hit on the throat asked me for a favor. Since they couldn’t get up, they asked me to come instead.”
“Ron….”
“Well, I had a hard time because I missed it in the middle.”
–But it’s fortunate that I found it until the end.
Ryne whispered softly in Lily’s ear, in a voice that wouldn’t reach Lillie.
In fact, when he lost sight of Lillie, he was about to give up and go back.
The air was humid, mosquitoes buzzing around.
He didn’t want to stay any longer in this forest that had nothing good about it.
However, for some reason, a part of his heart resolutely refused to go back like this, stirring inside him.
Thanks to that, he was able to save Lily, who almost died.
“By the way, where did these monsters come from?”
A forest that wasn’t far from the prairie.
But these monsters were different from the ones he encountered in the open field.
Speed, power, skills.
Everything was on a different level from the inferior monsters.
“Probably intermediate.”
Dozens of intermediate monsters.
Ryne knew very well how terrifying that could be.
Because Ryne had already witnessed the fear of monsters.
His father’s territory obliterated by eighteen intermediate monsters.
The fate of those who left without even being able to resist.
Silence.
He tightly bit his teeth, as if they were about to break.
At the same time, he straightened up and rushed towards the army of spiders.
Like a dance, a blue wave fills the air.
Even a giant spider, which is an intermediate magical creature, can be easily cut as if it were paper.
If a novice sword wielder sees it, he might think it’s nothing special.
That’s how extraordinary Line’s skills were.
But he didn’t think about his swordsmanship as he wielded his sword.
“These guys are tougher than I expected!”
Their exterior was tougher than anticipated.
Even though it wasn’t made of steel, the shock of cutting through it was similar to cutting through metal, causing his hand to tremble.
If he hadn’t swung his sword with all his might, it would surely have been bounced back.
As his stamina was quickly exhausted, he ran out of breath.
“How did you fight against these guys?”
She was already unconscious and couldn’t answer.
Before Lily fell, Line witnessed a scene where dozens of spiders were thrown into the air and couldn’t help but admire her.
No matter how young, a warrior is a warrior.
Her overwhelming strength was different than Beomjae’s.
However, seeing Lily’s weaknesses in the end, he felt a sense of humanity.
“Just rest there comfortably. I’ll save you somehow.”
For Line, Lily was a massive wall that needed to be overcome.
***
His father had genuine love for swords since he was a child.
Growing up under such a father, Line also had a longing for the sword.
He swore firmly as a child that he would become a swordsman who surpassed his father someday.
However, Line’s oath was never fulfilled.
He learned that his father had died during a monster hunt.
He couldn’t even recall
After that day, resentment towards the sword became a determination, whipping Line into action.
To become a sword that could defeat his father. To become a sword that could protect his father.
Traveling the world only to become stronger,
Meeting and fighting powerful enemies, and overcoming them again and again.
Yet a lingering emptiness and regret in his heart.
A heart that could not be filled no matter who he fought, no matter what victories he achieved.
It seemed to whisper to me to give up.
Then I heard some news.
A future hero was enrolling in the academy.
Several strong warriors were gathering at the academy because of her.
At first, it was enough to just fight the hero, but now it’s different.
The moment I was defeated by her,
I caught a glimpse of my father’s figure behind her.
“Huh?”
The heart that had lost its fervor at that moment began to beat again.
It was not a simple mistake.
The heart had regained its goal and was overflowing with vitality.
Now I gave up chasing my father’s shadow.
With a new desire in my heart,
I vowed to overcome the enormous wall that was Lily.
***
“Groan!”
The spider army visibly decreased.
At the same time, Line’s stamina also rapidly declined.
He stood up ignoring the pungent smell of blood wafting into his mouth.
It wasn’t poison, but the overpowering attacks made his body not move as his mind wished.
Yet why did he stand up.
Line himself could not understand why he had risen.
A giant spider radiating a sense of intimidation, unlike himself worn out.
“Someone who sees the situation can clearly determine the outcome.
However, Line raised his sword once again and glared at the spider.
“Come at me!”
As if understanding human language,
The spider army rushed forward as one.
Line swung his sword, driving it into the ground.
He promised himself that he would not release the sword until the very end, and he struck down the spider that had approached him.
Although he couldn’t defeat it in a single blow, he succeeded in inflicting a wound.
Even the thought that he could still fight lingered in his mind.
But that was only for a moment.
Crackling sounds.
Gold cleaved sharply by the sword.
It was a signal that the life of the sword was coming to an end.
A precious sword that had protected him for a long time.
It announced its death at the worst possible timing.
“I’m sorry. It was nice meeting a master like you.”
He apologized to the sword that he had already grown attached to.
Although there was no response expected,
it was the only praise he could give to the loyal sword until the end.
With a bittersweet smile, as he tried to swing his sword once again.
Whoosh…
“A blue sword?”
A sky-blue sword that appeared from nowhere.
It emitted a faint aura as if it was meant specifically for him.
Unable to resist, he reached out and grasped the sword.
“…What is this exactly?”
The sensation gradually enveloping his hand.
He felt a sense of bewilderment as if it was a copy of his own loyal sword.
“It’s not just an ordinary sword.”
As he held the sword, its power resonated with his own power.”
This is the first time I’ve felt like a single body so far.
It wasn’t even as much anguish as right before it broke.
“Hoo.”
They exhaled a deep sigh, lifting their sword onto their shoulder.
The feeling that can be felt just by hearing it.
If it’s not a delusion, even the spider swarm, who doesn’t have much left, couldn’t be an opponent.
Thinking that way, LINE powerfully pounded the ground.
The spider swarm, which was bewildered by the suddenly appearing magic sword,
Regained their composure when LINE’s attack began and tried to attack again.
“Die, uh?”
They swung the sword toward the running spider.
However, the feeling of cutting the spider was clearly different from before.
Almost no resistance cut.
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In contrast, the overflowing magical power drew a grin on LINE’s face.
“I don’t know where you came from, but I’ll use it well!”
Since then, they were on a roll.
Unhesitatingly cutting down the spider and finally having time to look around after sticking their sword in the last one.
“Lily! Wake up! Are you alive?”
No matter how much they called her, there was no response.
However, they breathed a sigh of relief at the faint sound of breathing.
And they secured the safety of the S-class student who had been caught by the spider.
Now, what’s left is….
“What?”
A nightmare beast crow that didn’t twitch even when all its comrades died.
Are they already dead?
Approaching with that question in mind, it suddenly raised its front leg and roared.
Frowning and covering their ears from the ear-splitting sound.
The never-ending roar of the nightmare beast crow didn’t last long.
Instead, LINE’s face was filled with surprise.
Thump.
With a small earthquake emerged an unidentifiable monster from the ground.
The massive creature, revealing itself, swallowed a crow with one bite.
“This is too much.”
Like a combination of various insects and bugs,
the eerie-looking monster stood proud.
And even on top of the monster’s body existed something resembling a human torso.
Fortunately, it was preoccupied with swallowing crows with its giant mouth in front of its body, so we were safe.
Could we really get away?
As we recoiled in fear of the unknown terror,
Thud.
We accidentally stepped on a fallen tree branch, catching the monster’s attention towards us.
“Why do I have such bad luck!”
I raised my sword towards the ferocious beast running towards us.
S-student S and Lily were still unconscious.
Knowing that we couldn’t escape while leaving them behind, we stood our ground.
Two forelegs that were presumed to be crows’ wings flew towards us cutting through the air.
Although I blocked the attack with my sword, I immediately regretted it due to the immense pressure transmitted through the weapon.
“Krek!”
Finally, Line, unable to withstand the pressure, flew away.
Line, who was losing consciousness, was relieved to see that the monster was heading towards her.
At least she wasn’t the first one to be eaten.
Finally, Line lost consciousness, and her body collapsed.
***
At the same time, not far from there.
The black-haired youth glared with bloodshot eyes.
“Hey, you stupid idiot! What are you doing!? Do you know how hard I worked to make that? I don’t care if you win or not, but at least hold out for a few rounds! Are you still a protagonist even after all that?”
Ron’s lament mixed with regret could not reach anyone.