Memorize

In front of the stone boulder, a fair number of Deadmen lay sprawled out. Each had an arrow lodged in their forehead, and there seemed to be about seven of them. Of course, there were still more Deadmen left, their numbers exceeding the count of those defeated. As I watched them crawl over the bodies of their fallen comrades, it was clear they were intent on taking a bite out of me if they could.

"Good effort, really."

I hummed a tune as I reached into my pocket to grab more arrows, but there was nothing to be found. After rummaging around in the empty pocket and scraping all the way to the bottom, I finally managed to retrieve the two arrows deeply embedded in there. It seemed I would need to collect the arrows I had already fired on my way back.

Not all the Deadmen had gathered yet. I could see some of them running up from a distance, but it seemed better to withdraw around here. Even if a few were left to target my group, I was confident that An Hyun alone could handle them without much trouble.

Looking down, I saw the Deadmen flailing their heads back and forth, their mouths agape, making a ruckus. The sight was so absurd that I couldn't help but bob my head in rhythm, mimicking their movements.

'What am I doing right now?'

As an ironic smile crept across my face, I instinctively covered my mouth.

I must be too excited. Since reaching Sworduser in my first round of Hall Plain, my emotional fluctuations had nearly disappeared. Especially before battles, I always made an effort to remain as cold and composed as ice. That was why I survived even the most challenging battles, like the Battle of Atlanta and the Ragnarok Siege.

This feeling was truly a rarity. Even when facing overwhelming enemy forces, I never so much as blinked. Yet now, I was being swayed by the emotion of slaughter. And it seemed I couldn't control it. Although the situation wasn't as dire as before, there was a thrilling anticipation coursing through me, like a tinge of excitement that enveloped my entire being.

As I gazed at the monsters on the stone boulder, it felt like my primal instincts were about to explode with excitement, so I jumped down into the woods. I told myself to hold on just a bit longer. The Deadmen, who had been struggling to climb up the stone boulder, howled loudly as I descended, seemingly enraged by my retreat.

"Hey guys, there are too many eyes on us here. Let's move further inside."

"Growl!"

Whether they understood me or not, they followed with their characteristic howling.

I deliberately took slow steps into the forest. My initial plan had been to sprint away quickly, but I changed my mind. Instead, I decided to lead them on, making sure they followed me closely enough not to lose sight of me.

As if they were starving, I took a moment to shoot a crossbow bolt at a Deadman that had just fallen off the stone boulder. The Deadman, who had worked hardest to climb up, was met with an arrow to the head in its hungry state. After confirming it had slumped down with its head hanging, I immediately turned and continued walking into the woods.

"Grrr! Grrr! Grrr! Grrr! Grrr!"

As I continued to hear those growls, I began to get somewhat used to them. Adjusting my pace as if I might be caught any moment seemed to enrage them even more. The constant sound of teeth clacking just behind me added a unique thrill to the chase. And then it happened.

"Crunch!"

"Ah."

I got a bit too carried away. After weaving through the trees in an S-shaped pattern for a while, I suddenly felt a tight bite on my left arm. Startled, I turned to see a Deadman with a grotesque face clamping down on my left wrist. It was probably not one of the ones I had lured but rather a stray that had lucked out by crossing paths with me.

Honestly, it wasn't very painful, but the shock of being bitten by such a creature was overwhelming. That shock quickly turned into anger. No matter how much luck was involved, it was an affront to my pride. I glared at the Deadman clamping down on my wrist and said with irritation,

"What are you looking at?"

"Grrr."

"You startled me, you bastard."

The Deadman's eyes looked strange. It had bitten down, but its teeth couldn't penetrate. Naturally. How could you bite through a body with a durability stat of 92? As I swung my right hand in anger while swearing, I could see his head exploding.

While I was briefly wrestling with the monster, the Deadmen chasing me had surrounded me from all sides. Some of them seemed to be grinning, as if they thought they had finally caught their prey. I assessed the distance I had covered while running and decided it was time. I loosened my grip on my wrist with a sense of readiness.

"Grrr. Grrr. Grrr. Grrr. Grrr. Grrr. Grrr. Grrr."

The growls came from all directions, but I was not afraid in the slightest. Compared to the hellhounds I had faced when I fell into the abyss of Hell, these creatures were practically adorable. I just fervently hoped, and continued to hope, that they would fulfill even a little of my desire.

"Let's do this."

As I offered a friendly greeting, the Deadmen responded by baring their teeth. Clearly, they had no sense of manners. At the same time, I extended my finger and aimed at the head of the Deadman leading the charge. The one at the front.

"Crunch!"

The sensation of my finger penetrating its head felt less like piercing through soft human flesh and more like breaking through a rotting log. As I lifted my arm to look at the dead man who had just been punched in the back of the head, it dangled from my fingers, and the dead men, seeing the sight of it, stopped dead in their tracks.

Fear. Could these creatures, who had always viewed humans as mere prey, even comprehend that they could be hunted themselves? Despite this, I couldn't help but find it intriguing. Whether it was due to thought or instinct, I wasn't sure. These beings, usually relentless in their pursuit of prey, had momentarily paused, seemingly taken aback by the presence I exuded.

It was admirable, but I had no intention of letting them off. I lightly released my magic, shattering the Deadman's head in my hand into pieces, and gave a subtle flick of my finger. Even with this clear signal to come at me, the Deadmen actually took a step back.

I wasn't planning to use the longsword. Its absence was no problem. I could easily turn a nearby twig or a single blade of grass into a lethal weapon with just a touch. However, I was thirsty for slaughter and wanted to experience the thrill of it. As I flexed my fingers and smiled darkly, a sudden realization hit me. I began to understand why I hadn't been able to stop smiling earlier.

I was starving for my own instincts. After ten years of wielding a sword and repeating acts of killing to survive, it seemed my very nature had become drenched in blood. Watching the monsters gradually retreat, I couldn't help but twist my lips into a smirk.

*

"It looks like hyung did well. Everyone, get up. We need to cross that wall quickly."

The forest, which had just been swarming with monsters, was now eerily quiet. Despite An Hyun's encouraging words, the mood among the group was weird. As An Hyun had mentioned, Kim Su-Hyeon had successfully lured all the creatures away. The monsters that had been everywhere moments ago were nowhere to be seen. Yet, despite this, a sense of inexplicable despair seemed to envelop everyone.

"Do you think he'll be… okay? Maybe we should just…"

When Lee Yun-Jung spoke with an unusually subdued voice, An Hyun felt a pang of discomfort inside, though he couldn't let it show. Kim Su-Hyeon had trusted him to protect the group, and he couldn't betray that trust.

"No, that's not an option. Stop with the nonsense and get up. What if those things come back?"

"Don't you worry about your hyung?"

"I trust him. He said not to do anything foolish, like coming back. He wouldn't do that."

At An Hyun's calm words, Lee Yun-Jung fell silent. However, seeing her face, drained of strength, made An Hyun feel a sense of helplessness himself. He shook his head, trying to rally his own spirits, and continued with a firm voice.

"Let's trust him. Just as he believes in us, I believe in him."

An Hyun finished speaking and stood up, stepping outside to survey the surroundings. Fortunately, not a single Deadman was in sight. As An Sol cautiously got up and followed him, Lee Yun-Jung had no choice but to rise from her spot as well. As she was about to leave the hiding place, she gave Kim Han-Byeol, who was sitting there blankly, a light tap on the shoulder and spoke up.

"Hey, get up. Why are you just sitting there like a zombie?"

"..."

Kim Han-Byeol didn't respond. She gave Lee Yun-Jung a cold glance, as she had earlier, and then slowly stood up and walked outside. Once everyone was out, An Hyun turned to look at the stonewall in front of them and began to speak.

"Everyone, stay strong. Once we get over this stone wall in front of us, we'll be out of this damn forest. For now, let's move together up to the wall, and I'll go over it first. There might be other dangers outside."

At An Hyun's words, An Sol and Lee Yun-Jung nodded in agreement, though their faces were still filled with worry. Kim Han-Byeol, however, remained silent. She continued to gaze into the forest where Kim Su-Hyeon had disappeared. Eventually, sensing An Hyun's penetrating stare, she turned her head and said, 

"Okay."

What does she mean by that? An Hyun sighed inwardly but kept his face neutral. When hyung was around, they had managed well by helping each other, but now that hyung was gone, everything seemed to be off to a rocky start.

"…I understand how you all feel. I feel the same way. But if we just wander into the forest now, it would undermine the meaning of what Hyung sacrificed. This is the opportunity he risked his life to create for us. And he entrusted me with your safety. The only thing we can do now is to get over that wall quickly and wait for him to return safely. Everyone, stay focused."

Despite An Hyun's words, the mood remained heavy. Morale, once lost, is hard to regain. An Hyun knew he was trying his best, but everyone remained silent, their spirits clearly crushed. As he spoke, he couldn't ignore the growing void left by Kim Su-Hyeon. An inexplicable sense of unease seemed to seep into him. Ultimately, An Hyun closed his eyes, grappling with the mounting pressure.

The rest of the group all held their weapon, each of them thinking of the man with the ever-calm demeanor. In just half a day, Kim Su-Hyeon had become a significant presence in their hearts. It was he who had swiftly extricated them from the open field, saved An Sol from nearly being bitten by monsters, and steadied the team when they faced the risk of being torn apart by Park Dong-Gul. In every critical moment, he had been the steadfast pillar, the unyielding shield, and their source of strength.

But now that pillar is gone. He might never return. And those left behind felt the void of his absence more than ever.

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