Chapter 43: Traveling to Selene - What Lurks Within
We left the meadow and entered the forest to the north.
Beyond this point was a low mountain. We thought it would be troublesome if we entered the mountain, but we ran into problems before that.
As soon as we entered the forest, we lost sight of Tess's footprints.
There was too much noise. There were countless footprints and tracks, old and new, all over the place. Tess's light weight made it difficult for her to leave her tracks, and the fact that it hadn't rained recently made things worse. We might be able to find her if we took our time, but the sun was just about to set, making identification difficult, and there was no time left to spare.
I immediately suggested that we split up and search, and the "Sword of the Deep Silence" readily agreed.
They are very quick to understand at times like this. Since they had witnessed the battle with the hunter-fiches up close, they did not worry about anything unnecessary.
I headed northwest alone, while "Sword of the Deep Silence" took a northeasterly course and proceeded deeper into the forest.
As a temporary scout, I was hiding in the forest of Leknod with "Battle Axe of Destruction". But I'm more of a hunter. It was easier to act alone than to team up with someone unfamiliar.
I proceeded through the dark forest, relying only on the moon and starlight.
Soon, I noticed a difference from the forest of Leknod.
I could not feel the breath of life.
The wolves must be devouring all the animals and demons. If it were the forest of Leknod, the wolves would not have been able to expand their influence as much as they did. No matter how many wolves gather, they are still wolves. In that forest, they are nothing but food.
I continued to crawl through the forest but could find no sign of Tess.
I continued, but then I stopped.
It might be a miss.
Since there is nothing so far, I should think that Tess has not come here.
Should I go back?
In the "Sword of the Deep Silence," there is Pidosios, who has better search skills than I do, and Dailas, a beastman. Dailas has good night vision, so he can show more ability than usual when searching in the dark. As long as the direction is right, there is a possibility that he has found it.
But if not, we lost time.
Right now, the only threat in this forest is almost exclusively wolves.
If the wolves are eliminated or driven away, Tess will have a drastically reduced danger.
If that is the case, it would be faster to hit the wolves.
We will search for clues while tracking the wolves. If we get nothing, we will attack the pack and search for Tess again. And then search for Tess again.
That's the best we can do right now.
◇◇◇◇
Somewhere there was a howl.
The howls immediately rose from everywhere and filled the forest with spirits.
Not long after we switched directions, the wolf told us where it was on its own.
We headed for the nearest howl and saw five wolves running through the forest in one direction.
Other wolves maybe summon those wolves.
Perhaps the "Sword of the Deep Silence" was engaging another pack. Even though they are not good at fighting, it is hard to believe that they would fall behind the wolves. They maybe call reinforcements.
If they could join up with us, that would be good too.
Paying attention to the direction of the wind, I activate "Searcher of the ever-darkness" and begin tracking the wolves.
However, contrary to our expectations, the wolves headed deeper into the forest.
Is this a different matter from the "Sword of the Deep Silence"?
I don't know the expression on the wolves' faces, but they don't seem to be in the mood to kill.
And when they reach the foot of the low mountains, they sense the presence of countless others.
It stopped tracking and ducked into the shade of a tree.
Cautiously, he approached the source of the signs and gently peeked out.
In the pale light from the moon, I found the person I was looking for.
This is something unexpected.
Wolves are gathering around a hollow drilled into the slope. There are more than 30 of them. The void seemed to be a den, and the young wolves came running out, messed with their toys, and in a great hurry fled into the dark hole.
The toy was a man.
A bandit, he was on his knees, holding Tess's neck and arms and holding them up like a shield to keep the wolf cub in check. Tess's face was twitching and she was swinging around stiffly.
It was fortunate that she was frozen with fear. If she cried out, I don't know what would have happened.
I suppressed the urge to jump out.
Anyway, I found Tess safely.
She was bleeding from her shoulder, but it was nothing serious.
But the situation was too bad.
There were wolves all around, and Tess was a hostage of bandits.
The problem is that the bandit's hand is around her neck.
The bandit's muscle strength is as high as 14. They would have no trouble strangling a child.
So, ……, why not just kill him?
I can cut off both arms, but there is always a chance. If I want to be sure, I should reap the life out of it with a single blow.
–Kill a person.
I had to do it sooner or later. If I fight as the sword of my father or brother, the enemy is not only demons. I wanted to make my hand after having made up my mind, but I can't say so.
This is fate, too.
I let out a small breath and quietly pulled out my Rhino Sword.
Leaning forward so as not to make any noise, I gathered my strength as he looked at his target.
At that moment, there was a movement.
The wolves, who had been watching quietly, then advance and surround the bandits.
It was time to eat. Was this what they had been called? There was not a moment to spare.
When they were about to step out, activating "Fast Movement," the bandits were about to make their move.
"Damn it, don't come here!"
The bandit pushed Tess toward the wolf.
For a moment, I was caught off guard. But the breath that escaped was a relief.
This is fate, too.
Tess is thrown out with a stiffened body.
Wolves rushed to be the first, and I ran through the gap between them.
The moment I retrieved Tess, the wolves chewed up the space.
Without slowing down, I kicked the trunk of a nearby tree and ran up it.
I penetrate through the branches and leaves, stopping my "Fast Movement" in mid-air.
With Tess in my arms, I landed on a large branch.
"Sorry, I'm late."
I set Tess down and let her sit on the branch.
Stunned, Tess looked at me and her eyes wandered around.
Then, as soon as she saw the confused wolf under the tree, her tension broke.
It clutched at me and cried loudly.
I patted her on the back.
"You did well. It's great you didn't cry until now. But can you hang on a little longer? Because it's not over yet."
Tess shuddered at the word "not finished".
"Don't worry. I'll make sure you get home."
I untied her hand and let her grab the trunk.
Then I jumped down.
The wolves rushed to distance themselves at the unexpected appearance, and the bandit turned his head back in shock.
"You saved my life."
I said, and the bandit gave a twitchy smile and slumped into place.
I guess I gave him the wrong idea – well, it doesn't matter.
Tess is on the tree, and for the time being, there is no need to worry.
The "Sword of the Deep Silence" must have heard the howl, and will probably come running shortly.
However, we don't want to be too quick.
I glance toward the bandits.
Countless human bones are scattered around the area. The only survivor had the back of his ankle neatly chewed off.
No matter how many wolves there are in this world, they do not preserve food.
Growling, the wolves close the siege. More than thirty pairs of glowing eyes were fixed on me.
There is something foreign mixed in here.
I have to find it, or there will be no solution.
I must not overwhelm them. I was on the edge of my seat, and I was reducing the number of people in the room. The limit is the arrival of the "Sword of the Deep Silence. If there is a pincer attack, the wolves may flee. We will find them before that happens.
The wolves in the lead attacked at once.
The first one I ducked, and while advancing, slashes at the next one.
I roll across the ground and switch positions.
Slight pain in my calf.
Was it a graze? As expected, without "Fast Movement," I couldn't avoid it. My agility is 19 with compensation, and the wolves' is between 15 and 18. This should be just fine.
The smell of blood inspired the wolves to pounce on me one after the other.
I swing my sword, punch, and kick. Meanwhile, claws slash through my leather armor, and blood spurts from my limbs. I avoid being bitten. I don't know how strong their jaws are. If my muscles can't break free, I'm going to lose my costume.
In the blink of an eye, the area was stained with the wolf's and my blood.
Every time a wolf passes by, a bandit screams.
Countless stares from the void. Child wolves were watching the battle.
For a moment, I was so distracted that I stumbled over a carcass.
The wolves leap at me without a moment's pause, and he kicks the carcass as it is.
With a cute scream, the wolf stalls and slashes its neck.
This is the seventh one.
About the same number of wolves have been seriously wounded and have fallen back. Nearly half of them have driven out of the fight.
The wolves rebuild their crumbling encirclement, and I look at them as I adjust my breathing.
When I decided I couldn't outrun it, I was going to hit it as hard as I could and force it out, but I still had plenty of time. I had already experienced bloodied things in Hunter Fitch. Compared to that one, this was just a joke.
"Give me your sword!"
Suddenly, the bandit shouted.
What the hell is he talking about?
Oh, I see. I must look like I'm in a last-ditch fight and I must look like I'm wounded. Then it's a success.
Maybe it's about time. The numbers have dwindled considerably.
I ignored the bandits who still fussing over me, and I activated my "Appraisal". I confirmed the results.
I should be able to see all the individuals now.
Considering all possibilities, I looked around carefully, yet quickly.
And one point.
I smiled.
I had expected a more troublesome situation, but – just like that? Thank goodness for clarity.
At the back of the pack, a foreign entity stared at me.
It looked like just a big wolf. But everything else was different.
This one.
I pull away from the wolves that leap at me with "Fast Movement".
In an instant, he leaps in front of the alien and swings my Rhino Sword.
A high-pitched sound.
A preconceived move. Has it already grasped the "Fast Movement"?
I take distance and face it.
"You're the culprit, Ovech."
A tentacle with black claws repels my Rhino Sword, which should not exist on a wolf.
It swung next to the head, and one by one more grew.
The tentacles wrapped around the body, or rather, mimicked the body itself.
Its body, which was supposed to be thin, grew, its hair gathered into sharp scales, and its entire body turned a deep black red. Its outer skin was reminiscent of a pressure ulcer or a lid cover.
A crack ran across its reptilian head, and a new pair of eyes opened. I watched it with great interest.
I thought it would transform itself like magic since it said "Mimicry". It was quite a feat of strength.
It can manipulate the volume, color, and texture of even a single hair on its body. I am impressed by this.
Is this its true nature, or is this its battle stance?
Let's give it our all, too.
With one swing of my sword, I slash at once.
At that moment, its tentacles extend like a thousand needles.
I slash away a few while slowing down, but the pursuing tentacles take up the distance.
One attack and one defense, how troublesome.
Ovech cannot compete with "high-speed movement. But you can see it coming. That's a tactic you understand. Its intelligence is the same as Hunter Fitch, and I can't let my guard down.
He slashes again and slashes away the tentacles.
You've even taken into account the length of the sword's body. My Rhino sword cannot reach the head or torso, and the tentacles are just barely extended. But there is no regenerative ability. New tentacles grow, but they move awkwardly. They are not similar, just imitating the outer skin as tentacles.
But what are they going to do?
This is always a step backward.
I know that if I keep going like this, I'll eventually get pushed aside–
At that moment, a short scream came from behind me.
"Don't tell me this isn't some kind of backhand?"
It was little Ovech who was bounced away by "Wind Shield.
I thought I felt a strange gaze, but it was still lurking in the void.
The little Ovech was flying through the air.
I turned around and cut off its head.
Meanwhile, Ovech remained motionless. It knows that no matter how much space I show, it can't win because of my speed. And it seems that he has no way to break the situation.
Ovech backed away and let his fourth eye swim around.
"It may have the same intelligence as that guy, but its abilities are too different. Let's end this now."
I unleashed ten "Lightning Bolt".
Ovech tried to jump back, but all the bullets hit it directly.
It stiffened with a glow and collapsed.
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