Day One
News spread quickly, and Otherworlders started flooding into the forest. Unlike when the bounty was only five million berries, this time the number of those flocking here was considerable. Probably because they’d get paid just for inflicting significant damage, even if they didn’t finish me off. Naturally, that drew in more participants.
I systematically took down each Otherworlder who entered the forest. Anyone coming here was here to attack me, so there was no need to hold back—it made things a lot easier.
I also got some information while interrogating a few. According to them, the main force, namely the knights, was taking a bit more time to arrive. That was somewhat good news; it meant I had more time to rampage.
As time passed, the Otherworlders did grow stronger, but they were still manageable. In fact, thanks to their reckless charge, taking them down wasn’t hard.
I made good use of the equipment they dropped. I stored the high-quality, expensive-looking items in my weapon pouch. Armor was trickier, so I piled it up in one place.
Day Two
It was similar to the first day, though more people flooded the forest. The first day only drew the reckless ones; the second day would be when things truly began.
Not that it made any difference to me. I found and dealt with every intruder. There was no need to wait in the cave either. Thanks to the heightened hearing Amducias granted me, I could locate and ambush them beforehand.
That day, I managed to take down dozens. Even a few streamers showed up. I felt a bit like a serial killer, but since they were all Otherworlders, there was no particular guilt.
Day Three
The third day was slightly challenging. Thirty Otherworlders had shown up, all A-rank adventurers. They were well-armed, and a few even carried holy water.
No matter how skilled I was, facing thirty powerful enemies head-on was a bit overwhelming. Numbers alone brought a formidable pressure.
But that was it. Though their physical specs were impressive, they lacked the skill and experience typical of A-rank adventurers. This seemed to be the Otherworlders’ limit; even if their stats increased, they simply hadn’t had the time to cultivate true expertise.
The solution was simple: hit hard enough to break their spirits. In any battle, momentum is key.
“What the hell...!” “Take him down! Now!”
Taking down three in the first strike kept the momentum on my side. I sustained a few injuries from pushing myself, but it didn’t matter. Even my spilled blood could be used as a weapon.
And so, I managed to survive the third day as well.
Day Four
Oddly enough, the fourth day was easier. The fallout from taking down those thirty A-rank adventurers seemed to deter more people from coming into the forest.
I considered burning down the goblin village again but decided against it. Burning it four times would be a bit much, and given the situation, any goblin defenses would be useless anyway.
Instead, I burned the armor that the Otherworlders had dropped. Most of it was designed for women, so it was useless to me. Better to destroy it altogether.
The leather and cloth armor turned to ashes, and I threw the metal armor into the goblin settlement. Goblins wearing plate armor... interesting. I even saw a few stone houses popping up in the village.
Hopefully, they’d help fend off intruders. And so, the fourth day passed with just a few intruders to deal with.
Day Five
The fifth day dawned, bringing an unusual guest.
“Hey... Yor... are you still alive...?”
Though the voice was faint from a distance, it was familiar.
I gathered my weapons and headed toward the sound. Intruder or not, I’d return them to the dust.
"Whoa...”
When I arrived, two women stood there. Familiar faces, but not ones I was pleased to see.
There they were: Sephir, the fifth branch leader, and team leader Nikki Tanesia. High-ranking members of Lemegeton had come to the forest.
“Quite the bloodthirsty atmosphere. You should at least clean off the bloodstains on your clothes. If we’d run into you without knowing, I’d have run off in terror,” Nikki smirked.
“Nikki, stop provoking him. We’re here to talk, so show some respect,” Sephir chided.
Unsure of their intentions, I remained on guard and asked, “If I didn’t know you, my blade would’ve been the first to greet you. So, what brings you here?”
“As you’ve probably guessed, it’s a recruitment offer,” Sephir replied.
I frowned at her words.
“Recruitment, again? Haven’t I already refused you enough times?”
“Yes, you have. But the circumstances have changed, haven’t they?”
Her words momentarily silenced me. She was right; things were different now. The knights could march in any moment, and whether I could fend them off was uncertain.
More likely than not, I’d lose... The knights’ reputation precedes them.
The Empire’s protective blade, the self-proclaimed vanguard of humanity. Even if not the full force, they’d sent a terrifying group just to capture me.
That alone lent weight to Lemegeton’s offer. At the very least, joining them might allow me to keep my life.
Yet, I was still hesitant. Why? I couldn’t quite put it into words myself.
“Not sure,” I replied, my response lukewarm.
Annoyed, Nikki scowled and spoke. “Why the hell? Don’t tell me you’re going to give me the ‘I don’t want to serve a demon’ nonsense again?”
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“...”
“Wake up. You’re not in a position to cling to your pride. You need to stay alive first, you idiot.”
Her words hit home. She had a point, but something about her tone irritated me.
Scowling, I retorted, “Isn’t it your fault I’m in this mess in the first place?”
“What?” she replied, taken aback.
“If that damned Dantalion hadn’t shown up here and exposed me, none of this would’ve happened.”
She stepped back, visibly flustered. I wasn’t wrong. The Extermination Edict was issued because Dantalion had forced me into a public reveal. No wonder I didn’t have a good impression of Lemegeton.
Though I’d only started speaking to vent, saying it out loud made sense. Still, it didn’t entirely explain my hesitation.
Nikki offered various excuses, claiming Dantalion had acted independently, and that each branch leader had too much autonomy to be easily restrained.
Yet all those excuses boiled down to one conclusion: she wasn’t directly responsible. And she didn’t seem to like Dantalion either.
“Enough, Nikki,” Sephir interrupted, realizing the argument was pointless. She quickly bowed her head and apologized.
“First... I’m sorry. We can’t deny our mistake has put you in this situation. But our offer is still in your best interest.”
She continued, “We promise good treatment and a safe place. With your talents, you could even aim for a branch leader position. Still going to refuse?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“Then at least take this.”
With a sigh, Sephir pulled out a piece of paper, pricking her finger with an icicle she conjured.
Bright red blood dripped from her finger as she drew a complex, geometric pattern on the paper. Nikki scoffed at the sight, her eyes widening.
“Oh, so now you’re even teaching him that?”
I watched closely as Sephir drew. The pattern looked familiar—something I’d seen before.
‘Where have I seen that...?’
Diving into my memory, I soon recalled where I’d seen it. Lian, a follower of Lemegeton, had drawn that same pattern before dying in front of me.
Once she finished, Sephir handed me the paper.
“Here, a way to contact us. Draw this with blood and infuse it with mana in an emergency, and the second branch leader will respond.”
“Thanks,” I replied, not refusing. It could be a last lifeline. Even if the rope was a bit frayed, in the worst-case scenario, I’d have to grab onto it.
I felt a glimmer of gratitude. Despite being a recruitment offer, they’d gone as far as giving me this information, even though I was an outsider.
Nikki, despite her grumbling, had also shared valuable information with me in the past.
With the paper handed over, they prepared to leave.
“Then we’ll take our leave. Be sure to contact us on time...”
“And what are you going to do now?” Nikki asked.
“We’ll see... For now, I’ll confront them.”
“Seriously? The knight captain’s with them. We’d run if our captain showed up. You think you can handle this alone?”
“Don’t worry. I have an escape route.”
“It’s not worry, just... forget it. We’re leaving.”
And with that, the Lemegeton members left as quietly as they came.
Day Six
The sixth day since the Extermination Edict dawned. The day the elite knight order launched their attack on the forest.