Day 1 in the Deep Layer.
It felt like the resident monsters were rolling out the red carpet to welcome the new arrival—me.
A giant anaconda three times my size. Wolves that looked like they hadn’t eaten in days. A massive boar that had developed a taste for meat.
Just because I had entered the Deep Layer didn’t mean the mutated beasts from the Middle Layer wouldn’t appear here.
They were still around—just stronger and more savage.
Fortunately, being in the outermost edge of the Deep Layer meant that I wasn’t in too much danger yet.
The monsters didn’t come at me all at once; most of the time, they appeared one at a time, making things manageable.
That said, every creature here was leagues above an owlbear in terms of strength and ferocity.
I had no choice but to use my abilities to deal with them.
To the powerful denizens of the Deep Layer, humans are nothing more than tempting prey.
At least, that’s how it must seem from their perspective.
Any commotion attracts them. The scent of blood pulls them in.
As a result, I was forced into fight after fight.
Despite my resolve to venture deeper, I found myself circling back to the edge of the Deep Layer.
Looking at it another way, this was my initiation into the Deep Layer.
The first day passed like that, with me covered in blood as I dug out a small hollow at the base of a tree to sleep in.
Perhaps the earthy smell helped mask my presence because, luckily, no monsters came to attack during the night.
Day 2.
"There!"
Barely awake, I stumbled into the morning, only to encounter an intruder—a Player.
A scout, to be precise.
Knights only have one life and wouldn’t dare venture into such dangerous territory.
Players, on the other hand, could resurrect after death, making them perfect for reconnaissance in high-risk areas.
As soon as the Player saw me, they pulled out a device to take a picture.
I let them think they were safe before swiftly subduing them and conducting a quick interrogation.
The Player had likely anticipated dying upon entering the Deep Layer but probably hadn’t expected to be captured and questioned first.
According to their information, the knights were slowly advancing, carefully neutralizing all potential threats as they went.
It was what I had expected, so the news didn’t surprise me.
If anything, it gave me more reason to head deeper into the forest.
My location was compromised, so I had no choice but to move.
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After forcing the Player to log out, I ventured further into the depths.
That day, the monsters kept coming, and my so-called initiation dragged on.
Day 3.
By the third day, the monsters had noticeably stopped charging at me mindlessly.
The initiation was over.
The Deep Layer's inhabitants had learned that I wasn’t an easy target.
I hadn’t expected their behavior to change so quickly.
It made me wonder—do these monsters have a communication network, like the Players?
Thanks to the reduced attacks, I was able to make significant progress.
I hadn’t encountered the Mountain Lord or any other high-level creatures yet, which was a relief.
I hoped my luck would hold.
Day 4.
That hope shattered early the next day.
Not long after I resumed my journey, a massive monster appeared in my path.
It was a Twin-Headed Ogre.
With two heads and a body twice the size of a regular ogre, it was an imposing sight.
Having fought ogres before, I rushed at it without hesitation.
BOOM!
“Holy sh—!”
One swing of its club was all it took to change my mind.
I immediately turned tail and ran.
I had anticipated its size would mean greater strength, but I hadn’t imagined it would be this absurd.
Its sheer power made even the Mountain Lord look like a novice.
A direct hit would mean instant death. Even a glancing blow might take a limb off.
Fortunately, its speed didn’t match its strength, and I managed to escape easily.
This ogre was likely one of the few monsters in the Deep Layer with its own territory.
My path forward was blocked. I considered retreating but decided against it.
There could be something even worse deeper in.
Running blindly wasn’t an option either.
For the rest of the day, I avoided further encounters and dug out another hollow to sleep in.
Day 5.
That morning, I encountered another Player in the Deep Layer.
I hesitated. Should I deal with them immediately?
The Player turned out to be Shin Hanbyeol.
“What a mess. Do you even bathe these days?”
Our relationship was... complicated.
While she was affiliated with the knights, she also had a unique connection with me due to our past interactions.
She wasn’t an enemy, but she wasn’t exactly an ally, either.
Hanbyeol’s unexpected arrival and her subsequent cryptic remarks further complicated matters.
Even as I questioned her motivations and the nature of her visit, it became clear that her actions were guided by a mix of personal conflict and a genuine, albeit awkward, attempt to offer assistance.
Her offer to trade holy water was both a relief and a mystery—especially in such a dangerous place.
Her lingering questions, particularly about my combat techniques, sparked a series of thoughts that would occupy my mind in the days to come.
The days continued to blur into one another as I pressed deeper into the forest, battling exhaustion, injury, and the relentless challenges of the Deep Layer.
Each step further into this cursed realm revealed new dangers and mysteries, as well as faint hints of something more sinister lurking at its core.
The Deep Layer wasn’t just a home to monsters—it was a place with its own rules, its own logic, and possibly its own guardian.
And with each passing day, I felt myself growing closer to whatever it was that lay at its heart.
Day 7.
I defeated the Twin-Headed Ogre.
It wasn’t easy. I kept my distance, hurling daggers and chunks of flesh infused with my abilities. Slowly but surely, I crippled one of its legs and an arm.
Once it was sufficiently weakened, the fight became manageable.
The brute’s inability to fight dirty was its downfall.
“Guess I’m doomed when I hit berserk mode again,” I muttered to myself.
The only concern was how much blood I had to use during the fight.
It meant I’d need more holy water—probably double what I usually used. But it wasn’t a big deal. I had made it through, and that’s what mattered.
Day 8.
I found a lake.
It was a godsend since I was running dangerously low on water.
I finally took a bath, washing away the grime of days spent fighting and fleeing.
However, that night, the real trouble began.
Instead of the usual blood scent, my freshly washed body seemed to give off an unfamiliar smell, attracting a whole new wave of monsters.
I couldn’t figure out why, but the result was clear: I spent the night fending off attacks.
Even while trying to sleep, I had to remain on high alert, relying on the heightened hearing gifted to me by Amducias.
Day 10.
The situation remained the same—perhaps even worse.
After two sleepless nights, I was a wreck.
Fatigue clouded my thoughts and dulled my reflexes, but the monsters showed no mercy.
Every time I tried to rest or find shelter, something would charge at me.
I fought on autopilot, barely holding my ground. It felt harder than when I fought the ogre.
Eventually, I was forced to retreat further back into the forest.
Day 11.
I picked up a shadow.
Not a knight or a Player, but a predator—a sleek black jaguar-like beast.
The creature wasn’t exceptionally large for the Deep Layer, only about twice my size, but it was fast, cunning, and persistent.
Its presence grated on my nerves.
I would hear it padding nearby, and when I woke from brief naps, it would be even closer.
Chasing it was pointless; it would dart away before I got close.
It was clear the beast was waiting for me to tire out.
For now, all I could do was endure, keeping my hearing sharp and staying on edge.
Day 13.
Amducias’s hearing enhancement was a double-edged sword.
While it gave me an edge in detecting threats, it also drained my mental stamina.
Every sound, every movement, fed directly into my brain, amplifying my exhaustion.
Meanwhile, the jaguar continued its relentless stalking.
Its patience was impressive; even though it must have been as exhausted as I was, it refused to give up.
Day 15.
I survived. That’s the only way to describe it.
The battle wasn’t long or flashy.
It came down to who was more ruthless—and I was.
Feigning sleep for hours, I waited for the jaguar to approach.
Even with my eyes closed, I could sense its movements.
The moment it was within striking distance, I drove my spear into its throat.
The beast clawed at me in its final moments, raking my chest and leaving a deep gash.
Pain flared, and blood poured, but I didn’t falter.
The jaguar collapsed, and I claimed its meat, dragging myself to a somewhat safe spot to rest.
Despite the pain and the lingering threat of other monsters, it was the deepest sleep I’d had in days.
Day 16.
The jaguar meat was surprisingly nutritious.
Deep Layer creatures seemed to be packed with mana, their flesh brimming with energy.
Eating it felt like strength was seeping into my body.
Even the gaping wound on my chest had begun to heal faster than expected.
Yet, one question nagged at me: Why are there no spirit herbs here?
With mana this dense, there should have been at least a few.
Instead, they were completely absent—far scarcer than in the Middle Layer.
The only thing that increased as I moved deeper was the concentration of malevolent energy.
It reminded me of when Dantalion visited this forest.
Back then, the strange bone in his hand had pointed inward, as though guiding him toward something.
I hadn’t understood its significance then, but now it seemed clear: something lay deep within this forest, something Dantalion had been seeking.
Days 17–19.
Time blurred as I alternated between advancing and retreating.
One day, I faced a turtle with armor too tough to penetrate.
Another day, a venomous snake tested my agility with its rapid strikes.
Each encounter felt like a brush with death.
Yet, those days were invaluable, sharpening my instincts and fortifying my resolve.
Day 20.
A familiar adversary appeared.
Grrrr...
The Mountain Lord.
Its massive frame emerged from the shadows, its side bearing a scar from our last encounter.
Its delayed appearance was likely due to its vast territory.
Perhaps it had spent time recovering from its wound.
Still, its presence made my hair stand on end, every nerve screaming in warning.
But this time, I didn’t flee.
“Hello again. We’ve met before, haven’t we?”
It was time to settle things with the Mountain Lord once and for all.