Chapter 75
Except for its darker skin, the boss monster looked like one of the two twin-headed Declan Warriors I defeated to get here. However, I knew how scary it could be as the monster stood on the platform at the middle of the room, standing at the highest point like a lord. The monster only looked at me, and while it looked like a tired old king, looks were deceiving.
I had seen six E class hunters killed out of a party of ten because of that monster, and as the mutts rushed at me while it remained still, old memories flickered in my mind. Things had seemed easy before, and we had hunted the other mutts in this room mercilessly as they were like simple dumb animals. We had not realized that the boss monster became stronger by each killed mutt until it had changed into a demon.
[You have used the Insignia ‘Speed-up.’]
[The Insignia ‘Speed-up’ has been removed.]
I rushed at them while they were narrowing the distance, and while I had to go through them, there were too many. I had to create gaps, and I had used Odin’s Wrath on my body to increase my speed.
[You have used Iron Skin.]
I could kill a mutt with a punch, but that was taboo since the old king would become enraged. The boss monster would become more and more furious at each one of its dead mutts and would turn into a berserk, vengeful king at the end. I shoved the mutt down by its shoulder, and I felt some pain in my leg as I jumped over it. The mutt must have scratched my leg, but I ignored it. Going to the platform through the mutts meant that I would need to watch my back as I am attacked from the front and sides.
The fallen mutt would be leaping for my back, and I had no time to do something. I needed to reach the platform, but I could not kill any of the mutts. I kicked and shoved the mutts in my way aside, and then I saw the king ready himself in anticipation of my arrival. I saw a gap, but at that moment, I felt a shock on my back. I would have been sent flying if my strength level had not increased.
I saw the monster’s mouth ripping and tearing, and while kicking at another monster, I grabbed the mouth biting my shoulder, and pulled it off my body. I felt a burning pain as my flesh ripped away, but I could not assess my wound as I needed to find a gap to drive through. I looked around and found a spot where only one monster stood. It was there!
[Yeonhee Woo used Bravery.]
[Yeonhee Woo used Physical Healing.]
[Your wounds heal by a little.]
She had used her skills as I had told her not to let me get out of her sight. She could see up to seven meters in the dark with Night Eyes, which meant I had only gone that far. I was moving as fast as I could, but time had slowed down for me. I had been kicking at a mutt when I saw the boss monster stand up.
A mutt must have gone after Yeonhee Woo, and she must have succeeded in killing it.
[You have been distributed 1 point.]
One of them went after her, and now she would have to kill more to protect her life. I had told her to survive in any way possible and keep me in sight when a monster came for her.
***
It was hard to aim for a certain point of a running target, especially when the shooter was terrified. However, Yeonhee Woo’s arrow hit the monster between the eyes, and she darted behind the door to stand against the wall, as soon as she made the shot. She had her bow, but the mutt was too close. She took out a dagger and saw the monster’s head that had come for her. She lunged without any hesitation, as fear gave her strength. She stabbed the mutt’s neck, but the message did not appear then. She knew that the chest was the weak spot, but the mutt was lying face down. Blood gushed out of its cut throat with every heartbeat.
She saw the kill message but could not immediately stand up. Her face was covered in blood, but she had no time for that. She had someone she needed to protect. After Yeonhee Woo rubbed the black blood all over her white exposed skin, she stood up and tried to ready her bow, because she was desperate. Her hand was shaking as she somehow managed to fit the arrow to her bow, and she moved from behind the door. She did not see anything but only heard screams in the dark. Yeonhee Woo took small and careful steps like a cat and saw the backs of many mutts. She was looking for Sunhoo, but there were so many monsters. It was then she saw his face for a moment, disappear, and appear again from the frenzied pile of mutts, tearing and biting into his flesh…
***
I could only see the monsters’ heads and hands, and I realized that I could power though only this far. The boss monster was still distant, but the mutts were everywhere. I used my left arm reinforced with Iron Armor to cover my eyes and my right hand on my abdomen. I could not let them have my eyes and major organs. I was enduring the pressure to take a step, and it seemed like I had been dropped in a world where countless swords stabbed and fire burned me.
It was then I felt a message of hope.
[Yeonhee Woo used Physical Healing.]
[Your wounds heal by a little.]
I forgot those that were killing me slowly, and I think I managed to take some more steps as I dragged along monsters who had bitten me.
It was then that the Man Who Overcame Adversity kicked in. I had five minutes and swung my arms out as hard as I could. Those that had clawed me were tossed away, and I saw them flung away like ragdolls from the force I used. I rushed forward, determined to break the monster wall, and my lightning burned brighter and quicker. Those who touched the blue sparks screamed but did not die. However, the monsters I was trying to push aside to break the wall were also being supported by the mutts behind them. As the pressure mounted, my hands began to tighten on their bodies, and blue sparks were burning their flesh. I threw them behind me before they died, and others took their place.
While they did not know fear, this was because I was the only one bleeding. I had to constantly blink away the blood covering my eyes to see, and the scent of it was making them hungrier. I wished I could kill them all, as time was running out. The Man Who Overcame Adversity only allowed me not to feel pain, and I could see my flesh and blood ripped by claws and teeth. I saw two monsters rushing at me with open mouths, and I had to shatter their faces. I killed them, and the boss monster was glaring at me with eyes that were beginning to be enraged. I was nearer and could see it well. However, it also looked with rage at Yeonhee Woo having killed a mutt as she followed me.
Only four mutts were dead, and things were not bad. The Boss Monster was furious, but had yet to reach Berserk Rage. I only needed to reach the monster before the Man Who Overcame Adversity ended, but my body could not move. I saw that my arms were tattered, even my left arm with the Iron Skin. That meant the rest would be even worse.
I screamed and moved forward until I reached the slope. I pushed aside innumerous monsters and saw that I had seventy-five seconds left until the Man Who Overcame Adversity ended. I first needed to remove those in front of me who were desperate to protect their king.
I used everything I had for the last effort, and it was then nothing stood between me and the boss monster. I unsheathed my dagger I had been saving for this, and the boss monster was too slow. I saw the dagger was deeply embedded in the monster’s chest, and it was then I screamed Yeonhee Woo’s name.
[Yeonhee Woo used Marie’s Hand.]
I heard a woman’s frenzied screaming, and my body began to move again. I saw the boss monster lying down, and I crushed both heads. Then, I saw the monsters gathered around the slope were being attracted to the smell of Yeonhee Woo’s blood. I crushed the boss monster’s chest and jumped down from the platform.
[You have satisfied the conditions for the quest ‘Sock and Buskin.’ Please decide who the first place is.] (EN: Mentioned on Chapter 46.)
I then rushed at Yeonhee Woo while killing every monster surrounding her before seeing her motionless body in a pool of blood. She was in a terrible state, but I could see that she was murmuring something.
“…I’m second…”
The system seemed to have recognized her voice as I muttered I was first.
Edited by Userunfriendly. (EN: Yep, I know you smart readers are already sayin, “Why didn’t he use the ‘Blockade’ Insignia mentioned in chapter 73?” I don’t know, I guess he’s an idiot. ^_^ )