Chapter 18: Split in Half |
In front of the cairn lay a considerable number of fallen Deadmen. Each had an arrow embedded in its forehead; I counted about seven of them. Of course, more than double the number I’d killed still remained. Watching them crawl over the bodies of their fallen comrades, it was clear they were desperate to take a bite out of me.
“Look at you all try so hard.”
Humming a little tune, I reached into my pouch for another arrow, but my fingers found nothing. After rummaging through the empty space and scraping the very bottom, I managed to pull out two deeply lodged arrows. It seemed I’d have to collect the ones I’d already fired on my way back.
Not all the Deadmen had gathered yet. I could see more of them scrambling over from a distance, but I figured it was best to retreat from here. Even if three or four remained to target the group, An Hyeon could handle that many on his own.
Looking down, I saw the Deadmen wailing with their mouths agape, heads shaking back and forth. The sight was so amusing that I found myself bobbing my head to the beat, mimicking their movements.
‘What am I even doing right now?’
The moment a smirk spread across my lips, I reflexively covered my mouth.
I was getting too excited. Ever since I became a Sword Master during my first life in the Hall Plain, I had rarely experienced emotional highs or lows. Especially before a battle, I always strove to be as cold and composed as ice. That was how I had survived the Battle to Retake Atlanta and the Ragnarok Annihilation Siege, two of the most difficult battles in history.
This feeling was something I hadn't experienced in a very long time. The man who wouldn't bat an eye at an allied force with overwhelming power was now being swayed by the emotion of slaughter. And right now, I felt like I couldn't control that emotion at all. It wasn't a disadvantageous situation like back then, but a thrilling sense of anticipation seemed to melt into my entire being.
“Hey, guys. There are too many eyes watching for us to get started here. So, let’s go a little deeper inside.”
Grrrrr!
I didn't know if they understood my words, but they followed me, letting out their characteristic growls.
I deliberately started walking into the forest at a slow pace. My original plan was to sprint and create distance in an instant, but I had a change of heart. I would let them keep up, making sure they didn't lose me along the way.
They seemed incredibly starved. I casually fired my crossbow at a Deadman that had just scrambled onto the cairn only to tumble down. The one who had tried the hardest ended up with an arrow in its head, still hungry. After confirming it had gone limp, I turned and walked deeper into the forest.
Grrrr! Grrrr! Grrrr! Grrrr! Grrrr!
After hearing it for a while, even that growl was starting to feel familiar. They must have been incredibly frustrated as I adjusted my pace, staying just out of their reach. The constant sound of their teeth gnashing right behind me provided a unique kind of thrill. It was then.
Clamp!
“Huh.”
But I got too carried away. While weaving through the trees in an S-pattern, I felt something clamp down hard on my left arm. Startled, I glanced to my side and saw a Deadman with a bizarre expression biting my left wrist. It probably wasn't one of the ones I had lured, but a straggler that had gotten lucky and sunk its teeth into me as I passed.
Honestly, it didn't hurt much, but the surprise of being bitten by such a creature was greater. And that surprise quickly turned to anger. Even if it was just luck, it was a blow to my pride. In an annoyed tone, I looked at the Deadman biting my wrist and said.
“What are you looking at?”
Grrrr.
“You surprised me... you son of a bitch.”
The Deadman's eyes were strange. It had bitten me, but its teeth wouldn't sink in. Of course they wouldn't. Did it really think it could chew through a body with an Endurance stat of 92? As I swung my right hand in a fury, its head exploded with a pop.
While I was dealing with the monster, the Deadmen chasing me finally caught up and surrounded me, layer by layer. A few of them were grinning, as if they thought their prey was finally caught. I quickly estimated the distance I'd run, decided it was far enough, and casually loosened my wrists.
Grrrr. Grrrr. Grrrr. Grrrr. Grrrr. Grrrr. Grrrr. Grrrr.
The growls came from all directions, but I felt no fear. Compared to the Hell's Messengers I faced when I fell into the abyss of hell, these things were just cute little pets. However, I desperately hoped, and prayed, that they could satisfy even a fraction of my desire.
“Let’s have some fun.”
As I offered a gentle greeting, a Deadman responded by baring its fangs. Such uncultured beasts. I, too, extended my fingers, aiming for the heads of the Deadmen rushing in from all sides. First, the one in front.
Crack!
The sensation of my fingers piercing its head wasn't like sinking into soft human flesh, but more like breaking through a rotten log. The Deadman, struck all the way through to the back of its skull, dangled from my fingers as I lifted my arm. Witnessing this, the other Deadmen froze in their tracks.
Fear. Did these creatures, who had always seen humans as prey, even know what it was? The possibility that they could be hunted so one-sidedly. Still, I was secretly impressed. I didn't know if it was thought or instinct, but these creatures that normally charged recklessly at their prey had actually paused, if only for a moment, in the face of the presence I was emitting.
It was commendable, but I had no intention of letting them go. I lightly released my mana, shattering the monster's head in my hand, and beckoned with my fingers. Despite my signal to come at me, the Deadmen actually took a step back.
I had no plans to use my longsword. Not having one wasn't a problem. I could break off a nearby tree branch or even pluck a single blade of grass, and in my hands, it would become a lethal weapon. But I was thirsty for slaughter, and to quench that thirst, I wanted to feel the raw impact with my own hands. I cracked my knuckles, a dark smile spreading across my face. And then, a thought crossed my mind. I finally understood why I couldn't stop smiling.
I was starved of my own instincts. After ten years of swinging a sword to survive, repeating the act of killing over and over, my very nature had become drenched in blood. Watching the monsters slowly back away, I twisted my lips into a sneer.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Looks like he did a good job. Everyone, get up. We need to get over that wall, fast.”
The forest, which had been crawling with monsters just moments before, was now unnaturally quiet. An Hyeon tried to sound energetic as he looked at the empty woods, but the group's mood was heavy. Just as An Hyeon said, Kim Su-hyeon had succeeded in luring all of them away. The monsters that had been swarming the area were nowhere to be seen. But despite that, a sense of inexplicable despair seemed to cling to everyone.
“Do you think... he’ll be okay? Hey. Maybe we should just...”
As Lee Yu-jeong spoke in an uncharacteristically subdued voice, An Hyeon felt a sharp pang in his heart. But he couldn't let it show. Su-hyeon had trusted him, telling him to protect the group. He couldn't betray that trust.
“No. Don't say that. Get up, quickly. What if they come back?”
“Aren't you worried about him?”
“I trust him. And he told us not to do anything stupid like going back for him.”
Lee Yu-jeong fell silent at An Hyeon's firm words. But seeing her drained face, An Hyeon himself felt a wave of helplessness wash over him. He quickly shook his head, telling himself to stay sharp, and continued in a forceful voice.
“Let's trust him. Just like he's trusting us, I'm going to trust him.”
An Hyeon finished speaking, stood up, and surveyed the surroundings. Thankfully, not a single Deadman was in sight. An Sol cautiously got up and followed him out, and Lee Yu-jeong reluctantly rose to her feet as well. Just as she was about to leave the shelter, she tapped the shoulder of Kim Han-byeol, who was sitting there blankly.
“Hey. Get up. Why are you spacing out all of a sudden?”
“...”
There was no response from Kim Han-byeol. She glanced at Lee Yu-jeong with the same cold expression as before, then slowly stood up and walked outside. After confirming everyone was out, An Hyeon looked at the stone wall ahead and spoke.
“Everyone, hang in there. Once we get over that wall, we can finally escape this miserable forest. We'll move to the wall together, and I'll go over first. We don't know what other dangers might be on the other side.”
An Sol and Lee Yu-jeong nodded in agreement, their faces anxious. But Kim Han-byeol remained silent. She had been staring into the forest where Kim Su-hyeon had disappeared. Finally, as if sensing An Hyeon’s gaze, she turned her head and said.
“I understand.”
What did she understand? An Hyeon sighed inwardly but didn't let it show. When Su-hyeon was here, they had worked together seamlessly. Now that he was gone, it felt like things were already falling apart.
“...I know how you all feel. I feel the same way. But if we go back into the forest now, his sacrifice will have been for nothing. Su-hyeon risked his life to give us this chance. And he asked me to keep you all safe. The only thing we can do now is get over that wall quickly and wait for him to return safely. Everyone, pull yourselves together.”
Despite his words, the gloomy atmosphere didn't lift. Once morale drops, it's not easily restored. Everyone knew An Hyeon was trying his best, but they all remained tight-lipped. The more he spoke, the more An Hyeon realized just how significant Kim Su-hyeon's absence was. A nameless anxiety began to creep up inside him. Overwhelmed by the mounting pressure, An Hyeon closed his eyes for a moment.
The rest of the group was also thinking of the man with the crossbow and his ever-calm face. In just half a day, Kim Su-hyeon had carved out a significant place in their hearts. It was Kim Su-hyeon who had gotten them out of the clearing, who had saved An Sol from being bitten, who had prevented the team from fracturing because of Park Dong-geol, and who had fired arrows to save them whenever they were in danger. At every critical moment, he had been their reliable pillar of support, a protective fence.
But now, that fence was gone. He might not come back. And the ones left behind were acutely feeling the emptiness of his absence.