1. The First Letter (18)
The magic beasts moved without a sound. So there was no sound in the forest.
Come to think of it, it was strange that there was no sound in the forest. All kinds of wild animals, including birds, live in the forest. Of course, any sound was normal.
The fact that the depths of the forest were quiet as it is now meant that a predator had appeared that made all living things hold their breath.
As I ran, I stopped at a clearing in the forest. At least there was enough space to swing the sword. However, he had no intention of facing the magic beasts squarely.
There were no rules or etiquette in the battle with the Witchbeast. A fight of whether to kill or not to die.
I took out a potion from my bosom. It was a potion with a soft gray tint.
It was the item Emma had given her as a gift at their last meeting. Emma’s masterpiece returned to my hands after her father’s extreme refusal.
When I opened the lid of the potion bottle, I could smell a spicy scent. Even if you smelled it, it didn’t taste like it. However, I was already too grown up to complain about side dishes.
Without hesitation, he poured the potion into his esophagus. A burning sensation passed as if swallowing poisonous wine. And the heat travels through the blood vessels and gradually into the body.
The heart beat gradually decreased in frequency. Like a corpse that has just met death, the breath is shallow. I felt like my existence was floating, I couldn’t even be sure of my existence.
In return, the movements were a little slow, but it was tolerable. I remembered once again the last conversation I had with Emma about this time.
Emma predicted that this potion would be useless because the ingredients to be gathered had unique smells. That meant that this potion couldn’t even get rid of external odors.
My hand scooped up the damp soil. He sprinkled soil all over his uniform, crushed grass, and applied the juice to his body.
It was strange. I, who used to get sick of the feeling of grass passing by, now I’m dirtying my body casually.
It was not like an aristocratic boy. I felt a slight discomfort, but that was enough for now.
He plunged his sword into the tree, and at once flew his body and climbed onto the branch. Hidden by the leaves, my body went unnoticed.
An ideal state of concealment where you can’t even feel body odor, breath, or heartbeat.
Like a fisherman waiting for the tide, my eyes sank. The world where I couldn’t even feel my breath was infinitely quiet. To the point where even the slightest sign felt like thunder.
A rustle, a faint sound reverberated through the silent forest. My fingertips stiffened with tension.
Holding my breath, I observed the clearing through the cracks in the leaves. There, a large body with gray hair was moving.
It was a wolf. However, even for its size, it seemed larger than most adult men. And those jet-black eyes that don’t seem to shine even in the thick darkness.
The only light-reflecting part of the body was the grotesquely developed molars. I can’t recall seeing anything like it in any biota.
The witchcraft was clear.
The moment that realization flashed through my mind, my heart, which had lost power, started beating again. The breath contains heat. A pleasant tension pulled the muscles tight.
Holding the sword in reverse, I waited for the right time.
The gray wolf tilted its head and pressed its nose to the ground. My scent would still be there. But since I don’t know where it disappeared, it must be frustrating.
The sniffing sound continued right below. My heart was beating like it would explode. And the moment I make up my mind and take a step.
A rustle and rustle of leaves echoed. The gray wolf’s jet-black eyes immediately raised.
However, in those pupils, a solid line of silver that was already falling was reflected.
Pak, my brain spurts.
The magic-encrusted blade delivered the force of the fall directly to the beast’s skull. Due to the lack of density of the aura, it could not penetrate the skull, but the blade stuck at an angle succeeded in creating a crack in the skull.
With a cry of “Kheheheung,” fishy blood poured out. The giant body that had been hit in the brain struggled. Intense, tidal convulsions.
The struggle was short-lived, just like the deathbed. The spark of life gradually went out in the eyes of the demon.
The trembling chunk of meat was the last trace of life left by the witch. I clenched my teeth and held on until the tremors subsided.
After even the slightest movement disappeared from the beast’s body, I raised myself with a long exhalation. I took out the canteen that I had been carrying around my waist.
My throat is burned. I tried to rehydrate by shaking off the canteen, but all that came out was a few drops.
Had I known this was going to happen, I should have saved more. I muttered in a dejected voice.
“… … It sucks.”
It was a feeling I felt for the first time. A life convulsing in my arms, gradually losing its life.
The hand holding the water bottle trembled slightly. I almost spilled the lid on the canteen several times.
However, there was no time to relive the impressions of the first hunt now. I could already feel the signs of the witches.
I must have heard my colleague howl. The forest was quiet enough for the death toll to reverberate everywhere. And above all, this bloody smell that stings your nose.
Even without that, the soil, which had been damp with moisture, was so full of blood that it splattered every time you walked. It was a good thing for me.
Because my body was already drenched in the beast’s blood. The wolves would not be able to distinguish my scent again.
As of right now, the option with the highest probability of survival was to hide as it is.
I don’t know how long the potion’s effect will last, but at least it won’t be long before Professor Derek notices something wrong. A few hours at most.
But if it did, the wolves could give up further pursuit. The moment even one of the Witchbeasts pursued Seria, leaving the revenge of her comrades behind, Seria’s life was in danger.
It couldn’t be. I rolled through the blood-soaked mud and soiled myself again. Then, he dragged the corpse of the demon and threw it into the nearby grass.
And I curled up in the grass next to it. Another short period of patience.
In just a few minutes, a wolf appeared wandering around. This guy wouldn’t be the last. I could already feel the presence of several monsters approaching.
It was at least five. Wolves are animals that naturally live in packs. Even if he became a Witchbeast, his fundamentals did not change.
Since a high density of magical energy is required to become a Witchbeast, it seemed that even a large group of wolves would not amount to dozens of them. However, about ten of them had to be prepared.
The fortunate thing was that his heart sank once more when he put the demon in front of him.
The shock of the first hunt hadn’t even gone. Even so, I was only feeling the subtle tension of a hunter ahead of a hunt.
The question of why was unnecessary.
My eyes framed the path. Before the wolves got any closer, I had to deal with that one.
The wolf that appeared in the clearing looked a little flustered. If there’s a lot of blood on it, that’s okay. He put his nose on the ground and started sniffing, as did my colleague.
It slowly approaches along the path leading to the bloodstains. The closer I got to my side, the quieter my breathing became.
It didn’t take long for the wolf to discover the body of its comrade. At least it was thrown into the tallest grass, but since the monster was so huge, it couldn’t be completely covered.
Cautiously, the wolf approached the corpse of his comrade. His vigilant appearance was like a prudent skirmisher.
It was a great attitude, but the opponent was bad. No matter how vigilant they were, there was no way they could notice me drinking the potion.
I gripped the handle of the sword with both hands. The beast’s hide was tough, so stabbing was more advantageous. It will be able to transmit maximum power in a small area.
The wolf came right in front of you. It had a fishy smell unique to the canine. It hadn’t noticed me yet.
And it was a stab, a blow fired like a flash.
Because it was stabbed in a crouching position, it could not contain its full power. However, it was strong enough to pierce the wolf’s defenseless flank.
A high-pitched scream rang out. I gritted my teeth and vigorously cut the beast’s tough hide.
Chew, the intestines leaked out little by little along with the blood. The unpleasant smell of intestines stung my nose. Feeling like your sense of smell will be paralyzed.
So I didn’t even notice.
Pain in the forearm with a clicking sound.
“Keuuu, kuh… … !”
I forcibly swallow the scream that bursts out. I don’t care if the wolves’ location is discovered, but I shouldn’t have made my presence known.
I had to remain an unknown enemy forever. I tried to ignore the wolf’s grip on my forearm and lowered the knife all the way.
Slowly, the intestines spilled out, and the wolf’s life was over. The witch’s eyes, which bit my forearm while forcibly crouching down until the very end, were mixed with raw poison.
I looked at those eyes and laughed at the absurdity.
“Then why are you arguing in the first place? You son of a b*tch… … .”
Pak, hit the nose with the handle of the sword, and the wolf’s mouth opened helplessly. Those jet-black eyes had long since loosened up in a daze.
dead. The wolf didn’t even feel the slightest breath. I stumbled and squeezed the bitten forearm.
sick. His grotesque molars pierced his muscles, and his bones tingled. I fumbled in my bosom, looking for the cheesecloth. Then, the wound was closed to prevent bleeding.
There was a risk of secondary infection if the wound was not disinfected properly. But now there was not even enough time for such treatment.
Maybe it was because he had already lost a lot of blood, so his mind was hazy. The feeling of dizziness, the more the magic power circulating in my body became more and more lively.
It was unknown. Even though my head wasn’t turning properly, I hid myself like an instinct and waited for the wolves.
like a skilled hunter.
A few times, when the corpses of wolves lined up in the clearing, the range of motion was limited.
My sword found another victim. The wolf that had been pierced through the neck looked at me with wide eyes in disbelief.
He didn’t know, that he was hiding in the corpses of his dead comrades.
Another gigantic body collapsed to the floor helplessly. At the same time, I had to exhale, exhale, and exhale.
The body is stiff. The power didn’t go well. The blood on his forearm had stopped, but his injuries were accumulating while dealing with the wolves.
Seria, where is Seria?
Have we reached Professor Derek now? Surely he would not have missed the magic beast, and no one would have passed this place with such a strong scent of blood.
please i hope so Because this was my best.
I could feel the sweetness in the sharp breath. The limit was slowly approaching. It was then that a growl was heard.
Two wolves were walking into the clearing. It was only natural that they were beasts of collective action. But the problem is, so far I’ve tried breaking each one.
More than one came, but I was hiding at the time.
However, he couldn’t even hide now, and his body was facing its limits.
Did you go out for nothing? I used my sword as a staff and gasped, thinking so. However, regret is always too late.
My golden eyes glared at the wolves with hostility. His blood-soaked hair obscured his vision, but he didn’t care.
The two wolves flinched when they met my gaze. It had to be. There are eight corpses of wolves stretched out in this clearing.
It was something I did alone. No matter how beast he was, he would have known intuitively that I was not an easy opponent.
Whoa, I catch my breath. As my mind grew hazy, my senses sharpened. Mana pulsates and travels through every corner of the body.
That’s when my body regained a little bit of energy.
“… … Come on, you bastards.”
Aiming at the sword, I smiled with a bluff.
Soon, two wolves came crashing in like lightning. The battle isn’t over yet.
*
It was about an hour after she left when Ceria limped to Professor Derek.