NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Disappointment
The moment Steven drew his Netherite Sword, the eerie balance on this beach was disrupted.
These creatures, known as Seaborns, clearly weren't the most rational beings, and their previous negotiations had been driven by suppressing their wild instincts.
Now that Steven was unwilling to cooperate with them, they no longer needed to restrain themselves.
"Flesh… nourishment…. food."
With a piercing howl, the once relatively calm creatures erupted into action, swarming towards Steven's position like a pack of hungry wolves on the hunt.
In terms of numbers and size, Steven was clearly at a disadvantage against this group.
At least, it seemed that way.
Steven, perhaps realizing this, stood frozen in place after drawing his purple-black longsword, as if he had been intimidated by the terrifying aura emanating from these creatures. It was only when the strongest among them approached him, emitting a foul stench that nearly overwhelmed Steven's senses, that the young man tightened his grip on the sword's hilt.
But it was too late. The creature's claw, dripping with putrid slime, was dangerously close, and a slight swing would have severed Steven in two.
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing resonated as the purple-black longsword appeared in front of the creature's lethal claw, halting its attack midway.
Steven, who had remained motionless until then, shook off his stupor, and with a slight effort, sent the monster, whose claw had been trying to push back his sword, flying.
"Is that it? You look so intimidating, I thought you sacrificed looks for strength. But it seems like you're not that great," Steven said, seemingly finding it hard to believe how weak they were.
His initial surprise was due to their speed, he had expected them to be at least able to keep up with Gladiia, only to be surprised when they moved as fast as a Grandma charging into battle.
It was clear he had overestimated them.
At first, after seeing Gladiia, he thought the netizen of this world is at the level of Captain America, but now, in this actual combat encounter, Steven was disappointed.
Were they really so weak that they believed mutated claws could withstand his well-trained physical strength?
Perhaps subconsciously ignoring the possibility that he was just too strong, Steven swung his sword again, knocking out a monster attempting to ambush him.
"Slow speed, insufficient strength, and their intelligence is not impressive," he commented quietly, shaking his head in disappointment. "Other than being ugly, they're worthless."
For other tasks, Steven might not have been very skilled, but when it came to fighting, he was in his element.
Having spent so many years in the world of Minecraft, he had taken down countless ordinary zombies and skeletons.
This was evident from the fact that with each swing of his swords, dozens of Seaborn life was taken.
At least in the aspect of facing monsters, Steven was quite confident. After killing so many, he had become proficient in it.
Without giving the attacking monsters any time to react, Steven's sword swiftly ended their lives.
While he had some flashy combat moves, most of them were added by mods. In reality, he could rely on straightforward slashes.
Fortunately, the principle of "brute force works everywhere," applied, and Steven wasn't just a regular strong guy; he was a blocky character, and his actual strength was still an unknown variable in his mind.
People die when they are killed, and monsters are no different. Soon, the group of monsters that had attempted to surround and kill Steven were all lying on the ground, except for the exceptionally strong one that was initially thrown away. The rest had been cut in half by Steven from various angles.
[Ding! Eliminate plot monsters, World Acknowledgement Point +10, +10, +10—]
A series of notifications appeared in the lower right corner of his vision, and Steven first froze for a moment, then his smile became even brighter.
So, fighting can also earn these points, and he seemed to understand how to obtain these points.
In any case, it meant he needed to be causing trouble, right?
And the notifications always mentioned plot characters or plot monsters, which meant they corresponded to specific targets.
Stepping over to the struggling monster that had been buried in the sand and was now trying to pull itself out, Steven broke one of its forelimbs with a kick, then crouched down.
"Can you answer a few questions for me?"
Asking questions to a Seaborn might be unprecedented in this world, but Steven's current company was the only one who could have provided answers.
Unfortunately, the other one who might have had answers was conveniently turned into a mute.
"You…. monster…. must warn…. compatriot."
Despite having its limb broken, the monster seemed to feel no pain, only looking at Steven with its one fish-like eye, a touch of wariness in its gaze.
"I'm actually quite honored If a creature like you calls me a monster, and besides, Isn't it just that I'm a bit stronger than you? Why use such an impolite term for me?"
Steven picked up his sword and cut off the body part of the monster hidden beneath the sand, ready to ambush him. He lowered his head and stared at the grotesque creature.
This creature might not look very intelligent, but it had quite a few tricks up its sleeve.
"You cannot stop… evolution… I will return."
Seemingly having foreseen its fate, the Endspeaker stammered its words and turned its single eye towards the girl who had been hiding behind Steven from the beginning.
"Compatriot….. we will eventually meet again…. in the depths of the sea..."
Before it could finish its stuttering words, a pitch-black trident-like lance pierced directly through its skull, spraying a foul-smelling spray of blood and silencing its words.
Steven's mouth twitched, and he turned around to look at the girl who was holding a strange weapon she had apparently acquired from somewhere.
Originally, she had been hiding behind him, appearing fragile. But now, she seemed to have been moved by the monster's words, and her entire demeanor once again returned to the confident, sharp look that Steven had seen when he first met her.
Unfortunately, this state lasted only for a moment. After delivering the finishing blow to the monster, her gaze once again became confused.
"Are you fucking kidding me!? taking my points and then acting dumb again?"
Realizing what had happened, Steven stood up and pinched the girl's soft and pliable cheek.
If it weren't for the status indicator above her head confirming her amnesia, Steven would have thought she was just pretending to be stupid.
Steven felt like he was at a loss, as he didn't get to have fun with her and earn back those ten points.
But before he could react further, the girl, named Gladiia, seemingly exhausted from her previous action, slumped against Steven's chest.
Feeling the warmth and softness against him and the fragrance emanating from the girl, Steven had initially thought of pinching her cheek as a form of punishment but decided against it.