Chapter: 450
I felt the air in the forest change and blinked, gripping my mace tightly.
It was a phenomenon I had never seen before.
It’s clear. Such things didn’t exist in the game.
Ganshu must have played a prank because he’s peeved that I messed up his trial.
I chuckled softly, but at the same time, I felt cold sweat trickling down my back.
Ganshu’s trial is not just a simple mini-game.
Everything happening here is no different from reality, so in the worst case, my life could really be at risk.
So, this situation is one I should not be happy about at all.
If only someone else were here beside me like before, I would have genuinely let loose a stream of curses at Ganshu.
Thinking this way, I couldn’t help but grin.
There’s no one beside me right now.
The crisis that exists here belongs solely to me.
The only one who will suffer from my actions is none other than me.
Grrr…
Turning my head towards the sound from behind, I saw a being that looked eerily similar to the fairy I saw earlier.
The difference this time is that it looks even darker and creepier.
Ah, and it seems way stronger than what I saw last time too.
As I tightened my grip on the mace, I watched the fairy-like creature spread its decaying wings.
Dust scattered from its moth-like wings riddled with holes.
Though it was my first time seeing something like that, one thing was certain.
That isn’t going to bring anything good.
Convinced of that, I spread divinity around me and created a barrier centered on my shield.
My choice was right.
The tainted dust didn’t dare approach me.
However, at the same time, my choice was wrong.
My divinity, resembling the sun, felt so out of place in this night where not even the moon could rise.
The beings that existed in this forest sensed my divinity and one by one approached my direction.
Grrr…
Grrr…
Grrrr…
The invasive sounds of bugs echoed from all around.
The sounds of legs skittering.
The wind created by the unfurling of their punctured wings.
The noise from all directions in the forest was enough to chill the sweat on my back.
Grrk?
Looking at the swarm of creatures popping out from the darkness, I pondered.
It wouldn’t be difficult to deal with one of them. I could handle two easily.
But what about four?
Ten?
Anything beyond that?
Not a chance.
I’m no monster like Benedict!
With a focus that sharpened rapidly, I scanned my surroundings.
My aesthetic sense was of no help this time.
All I heard were screams of disgust.
But it’s not the same as weakness detection.
The openings they showed allowed me to recognize their weaknesses.
Why are the skills given by heroes more useful than those given by gods?
That damn pervert crow is utterly useless.
Only able to caw like a pathetic waste.
The weakness detection revealed three of those fairy-like creatures lurking nearby.
They looked menacing enough that no normal person would dare charge at them.
But I had no doubt about the weakness detection.
Hoo.
Let’s do this.
Thud.
The moment I stepped forward, a sound of kyaak echoed from the swarm of fairies.
Numerous attacks aimed to exclude the unfamiliar and the strange.
As I watched the trajectories of all those attacks, I formulated how I would move.
One.
I burst forth my divinity and shattered the attacks surrounding me.
Two.
I dashed in full force toward what I deemed an opening.
Three.
I didn’t stop even while seeing the multiple attacks shot at me to block my path. I let those aimed at me take the space I occupied.
Four.
And just when I reached that opening, I charged in, my shield raised towards them.
Though they were formidable beings, they were also under the influence of the Evil God’s malice.
Thus, they inevitably became weak in the face of my divinity.
Plop!
One of the fairy-like creatures was struck by my shield and was sent flying, creating an opening.
I crushed the sprawling enemy underfoot and dashed into the forest’s darkness.
Think.
Ganshu’s trial is ultimately just a trial.
There has to be a way out.
Ganshu, who has been enduring my impurities, wouldn’t be trying to kill me…
…would he?
Surely, right?
He wouldn’t suggest that we both die together just because of the Mesugaki Skill, right?
Especially with Grandpa beside me; such a disaster couldn’t possibly happen. It must not.
Anyway, first things first, I need to figure out what kind of forest this is based on the assumption there’s an escape route.
Knowing the location means I can base my strategy on that knowledge to find clues.
Thwang!
As I blocked something shot from the darkness with my shield, I clicked my tongue at the red-eyed figure beyond the shadows.
Damn. They’re not giving me a moment to think.
Is my divinity too noticeable?
But if I withdraw my divinity, I’ll be devoured by the darkness and meet my end.
The Iron Wall and Shield Mastery advise me. Following them, I raised my shield as the vibrations filled my ears.
I couldn’t perceive it.
I couldn’t comprehend it.
An attack pierced through my senses.
Power of Darkness.
A location connected to the Evil God of Darkness.
Considering that the one who set forth this trial is Ganshu, it implies a historical event related to the Evil God of Darkness.
Evil God of Darkness. Forest. Fairies.
All these elements combine into only one possibility.
The Evil God of Darkness had consumed the Fairy Queen’s forest.
Recalling the scene I had seen beyond the monitor, I unconsciously clenched my lips.
I know almost nothing about that forest.
The forest where the Fairy Queen lived became a lifeless area after the passing of the Evil God of Darkness.
Surely, I wouldn’t know anything about that place which had been designated as a restricted area even in the game.
However, I knew well how to strategize regarding a location ridden with the Power of Darkness.
Thunk!
As I blocked yet another attack following the indications of my skill, I jumped into the air to evade the tree roots attempting to grasp my ankle.
So now I just need to ascertain where the end of this trial lies.
Several scenarios popped into my head.
Each with its own reasoning and suspicions.
If I were still behind the monitor, I’d be sitting there with my arms crossed, pondering over this troubling situation.
“…Tsk.”
Lost in my thoughts, I failed to react in time.
An arrow made of tree roots grazed my cheek.
I felt a sharp pain as blood trickled down.
Ah. Right.
What kind of thoughts could a fool with intelligence 58 have?
I cleared my mind and focused on where my instincts were leading me.
My intuition instantly answered my doubts.
The place where the Fairy Queen would be.
The most dangerous spot in this forest at the moment.
It told me to head there.
A chuckle escaped me involuntarily.
Going to the Fairy Queen, who was likely consumed by the Evil God of Darkness, was insane.
If I meet her here, I’d be dead instantly.
Even with a dreadful scene in mind, I followed my instincts.
In this unfamiliar area, that was all I had to rely on.
With every step I took, the malignant energy grew stronger.
With each step forward, the opposition sharpened.
With every advancing footstep, the sounds around me thickened.
With each breach of these barriers, my wounds increased one by one.
The thought of “maybe…”
The doubts assuming what could go wrong.
The fear of death.
Gradually.
Gradually.
It gnawed at me.
Ignoring the chaos swelling in my mind, I suddenly realized Grandpa’s absence.
That reassuring voice which used to convey certainty in my moments of unease was no longer there.
When I return, I should make sure to clean up properly for him.
He’d probably be freaked out wondering why I was acting like this, but he wouldn’t truly dislike it. That’s just how he is.
With thoughts of Grandpa in mind, I steadied my resolve and pressed forward once more.
If the opposition increases, then I’ll just move more fiercely.
Forward.
Forward.
Again, forward!
The moment I set foot in the center of the forest, the assaults aimed at me disappeared as if it were a lie.
The air pressing down on me. The sounds filling my ears.
The attacks targeting my throat.
The unidentifiable dust wrapping around me.
In the sudden stillness, I didn’t let my suspicion fade.
This forest is a place taken over by the Evil God of Darkness.
The sudden peace might not be the end of trials but rather a pathway leading to even greater tribulations.
“…I didn’t expect such a cute one.”
What pierced through my sharp suspicions was a bewildered woman’s voice.
“I thought for sure you would come, Hero.”
The woman, exuding an enchanting aura, was bound by the rotting roots corrupted by the Power of Darkness.
As I focused my divinity into my eyes, I could see the energy within her being siphoned by the roots.
“Hey.”
“What is it, chicken coop-smelling auntie?”
“Chick-chicken coop?…”
It was easy to guess who she was, as the woman, unsure of how to react, wobbled her lips.
In the forest where fairies lived, only one could assume the form of an adult instead of a child.
The Fairy Queen.
Caught by the Evil God of Darkness, the one hunted by heroes was merely chuckling awkwardly in this trial.
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