As I quickly turned my head, another monster and Ethan were fighting.
Ethan’s throat was bitten, and his side torn, with a stream of red blood painting the ground.
“That bastard?!”
Is it that easy to fall?
The strength in my arms, which was pulling me terrifyingly, weakened.
The monster I was dealing with jumped towards me.
Pak!
After slamming the creature to the ground, I swung the tongue-wrapped forearm left after it bit.
“Kiaak!”
The monster’s body floated into the air as I swung my arm with all my strength, knocking down Ethan and the other monster with him.
With a dull thud, two monsters and one person rolled like bowling pins.
I immediately switched my weapon to a dagger and cut off the monster’s tongue.
As black blood splattered on my face, I was already charging forward.
The weapon in my hand turned back into a spear, and I threw it towards the monster’s back, showing me its back.
Almost simultaneously, the monster with its tongue cut off rushed towards me.
Once again, my concentration heightened, and everything started to slow down.
I blocked the creature’s nails with my left forearm as it leaped from below.
Then, the motion of swinging the sword I pulled from the storage was as smooth as flowing water.
Schwack!
The monster’s chest split open, and black blood splattered.
I didn’t stop there. I rotated my body using the foot in front as the pivot.
When I swung the spear horizontally.
Swish!
With a chilling sound, the monster’s head floated into the air.
Black blood sprayed from the severed section like a fountain.
[Successfully eliminated the enemy….]
The message popped up, but I was still moving.
Towards the monster lying on the ground with a spear pierced through him.
In the pouring rain, my spear surged towards his head.
The moment the contaminated magic was absorbed again, the spear penetrated through the solid skull.
I collapsed to the ground.
[There is contaminated Mana inside the body. Check the chaos index.]
[Mental contamination is starting.]
[Purify the contaminated magic.]
As I struggled in pain while laying beside the bodies of these monsters, voices echoed in my head again.
“Ugh, ugh….”
After absorbing Mana twice, I slumped to the ground.
The absorption process was too painful.
It’s challenging to engage in battles in this way.
Because Mana is absorbed intermittently during fights.
“This damn system….”
I couldn’t control my boiling anger.
I’ve never felt positive emotions towards the system, but this was different.
It felt like someone else’s emotion pretending to be mine.
Awkward, disgusting, and trembling.
I tried to ignore the voices in my head.
Perhaps because I had experienced it before, I could somehow suppress the surge of emotions.
When I turned my head, I saw Ethan covering the wounded area with his hand.
Seeing him, the first thing I felt was irritation.
“If you can’t handle even one, what’s the point?”
With the skill that Ethan possess, moving together would only be a burden.
I had already decided on the answer to the dilemma I had been pondering before the monsters appeared.
It’s better to move alone than carry baggage.
I was a bit worried about encountering many monsters, but…
“When it seems dangerous, run.”
I opened the status window. The chaos index had increased again.
With just absorbing 62 and 57 Mana moments ago, the total Mana became 311.33.
In this situation, the chaos index was about 38%.
It represents the proportion of contaminated magic in the total Mana.
“What happens if this gets higher?”
Even when it was just in the 30s, I couldn’t control my emotions.
What will happen if the number goes up?
Staring at the status window, I took out a Purification agents.
“Wait.”
However, this time, instead of consuming it right away, I hesitated.
There were only three Purification agents.
Since I had already used one, if I used it now, I would be left with only one.
“Does it cleanse all at once when consumed?”
Or is there a predetermined purification value?
Regardless of the answer, it wasn’t necessary to consume it right now.
“I don’t know how many more I’ll hunt in the future.
The contaminated Mana will continue to increase.
Moreover, I don’t even know where to get this Purification agents.
“A shop.”
I muttered with a doubtful heart. It was clearly the end of the tutorial.
[On the beta server, the shop service is not available.]
But this damned system fooled me as if it was obvious.
Judging by the situation, this Purification agents is essential.
As the missions continue and I kill those monsters, contaminated Mana will inevitably follows.
Naturally, a Purification agents is needed.
However, this system doesn’t even tell me how to get it.
The anger that has been building up since earlier writhed within me.
It felt like it was moving, not missing this opportunity to escape my control.
It was an absurd expression, but it was the most accurate.
“Sigh…”
Suppressing my anger forcibly, I looked at the white bead in my hand.
The rage, wanting to cause a commotion, ironically sharpened my reason even more.
I did have a bit of a quick-tempered nature, but it wasn’t this extreme.
This emotional change is not normal.
I must not succumb to the abnormal voice in my head.
I tightened my grip on the purification agent in my hand.
“Not now, let’s use it when it accumulates a bit more.”
After making a decision following my contemplation, I stood up firmly.
Ethan, too, got up groaning and wincing in pain.
Without paying him any attention, I collected the weapons.
Then, I took out the clothes I had stored in the inventory and tore them to pieces.
It was because I had gotten a cut on my arm while blocking the monster’s claws earlier.
The cut wasn’t deep, but it was fairly long, and blood was oozing out.
Continuous bleeding in a situation where I don’t know when the mission will end is burdensome.
“Tch.”
I wrapped the clothes around my arm to apply pressure on the wound and checked the mission window.
As soon as I saw the number in front of me, I furrowed my brows.
“6/13.”
The number had increased during that time.
Since I killed three, the remaining three were presumably killed by other players.
If those three were killed by the same person, the record would be the same.
I need to move faster.
Suddenly, I found it absurd that I had to chase monsters with my feet in the current situation.
How did things end up like this?
I sighed deeply, gripping the broken spear tightly, and resumed walking.
However, before taking a few steps, I had to stop.
It was because I felt a presence from behind.
While checking the mission window, Ethan, like me, was tearing his clothes and applying pressure to his wounds.
“Why is this guy trying to hitch a ride for free?”
I was suppressing my anger and frustration due to the surging contamination Mana.
Because of that, my nerves were on edge.
When Ethan started to follow me, it suddenly shot up even more.
I aimed the spear at him without a second thought.
He hesitated, and Ethan stopped in his tracks.
His Adam’s apple bobbed visibly.
“Don’t follow.”
Even without words, the meaning was clear.
As evidence, Ethan began desperately spouting English.
He was asking to take him along, not to abandon him, and such.
His trembling body vividly displayed the fear he felt.
Unlike me, he couldn’t properly deal with even one monster.
Given the current situation, it must be terrifying for him.
I showed an irritated expression and reluctantly turned away, but I could sense him persistently following.
“This guy, really.”
The anger that had successfully escaped my control with just a tiny provocation manifested in my actions.
I threw the spear at Ethan, who was a few steps away.
The sharp tip penetrated his ankle with a squelching sound.
“Ugh!”
I watched as Ethan fell backward, then approached step by step.
“Don’t follow.”
The intensified sound of breathing, seemingly in harmony with the emotions, felt strange.
I pulled the stuck spear out of the ground.
The impulse to just kill him right here surged.
To resist it, I had to restrain myself as if going crazy.
Leaving Ethan behind, my steps became harsh.
I had to somehow get away from this guy who was less than helpful.
Then, I wouldn’t have to endure this burdensome anger.
“Ha!”
However, I couldn’t go far and abruptly stopped.
Doubt suddenly crept in.
Was it really the right decision to brush off Ethan just now after pushing him away?
“I’m just going to throw away this useless baggage that can’t even handle a single monster, and it’s injured on top of that? If I just look at the words floating in my head, it seems obvious.
Why am I so anxious and feeling dirty?
I closed my eyes, gritting my teeth, and breathed heavily, forcing the rough air in and out. Then, at some point,
“Uwaaa!”
Without being able to deal with the approaching anger, I screamed. When I swung my fist, the nearby tree snapped with a creaking sound.
I was looking at the Mana wavering in my hand.
It was darker than usual. Was it just my imagination that it seemed to be mixed with black, not just red?
While staring at it, I turned my body involuntarily. I didn’t want to be easily swayed by this contaminated Mana.
As I took a few steps, Ethan appeared not long after.
I hadn’t gone far in the first place. Ethan, who was wiping away tears with a clenched fist, holding the broken dagger, spotted me and quickly got up.
Seeing someone bigger than me struggling like that irritated me.
“I’m going crazy….”
I muttered with an impressed expression, flicking my hand.
Ethan, still in a crouched position, wiped away his tears and apologized, gasping and making strange sounds.
While doing that, he approached me step by step, and it seemed pathetic and pitiful.
I sighed deeply and retied the cloth around his neck and side.
* * *
The monster I encountered together with Ethan was only one.
Of course, I was the one who killed it.
I had a total of 4 kills, and the mission count was up to 11 out of 13.
‘I hope no one has caught more than me.’
The system said it gives differential rewards.
It’s obvious that the first place gets the most.
The system clearly stated differential rewards based on performance from the tutorial.
I couldn’t afford to lose the first place.
I diligently moved around with a restless heart.
But the speed didn’t pick up easily.
Ethan’s stamina had dropped rapidly due to continuous bleeding.
At some point, he couldn’t walk properly, so I had to support him.
“What am I doing right now….”
I couldn’t believe I was carrying a wounded person in this situation.
The voice in my head even whispered to just kill Ethan.
But I couldn’t understand why I was voluntarily going through this ordeal.
“Sorry….”
Ethan apologized intermittently while panting.
Fortunately or unfortunately, every apology seemed to break a bit of the hostility.
Of course, the boiling anger was inevitable.
“Ugh!”
While venting my frustration on the nearby trees, at that moment, I didn’t miss the faint sound.
Quickly catching the faint sound, I changed direction.
When I ran towards the direction where the sound was coming from, another monster appeared.
The newly discovered monster was wandering in front of a white wall.
‘What’s that again?’
Looking at the protruding rocks on the outer edge of the wall, it seemed like the entrance to a cave.
When the monster sensed my presence and turned around, it opened its mouth wide and roared.
“Kyaaaah!”
While quickly examining the monster, I was shocked.
Next to the monster, there was a large beast and a human corpse.
Looking closely, there were long streaks of blood around.
It looked like the corpse had been dragged for a long distance.
‘Why?’
It seemed strange, but I didn’t have the luxury to think deeply.
The aggressive monster didn’t wait for me to finish my thoughts.
As soon as I put Ethan down, the monster slammed into the ground.
I also rushed towards it.
When the distance narrowed, the monster opened its mouth wide.
Now, I was no longer confused by the pattern of creatures sticking their tongues out.
Boldly, I grabbed the monster’s tongue and closed the distance.
Eventually, when the creature entered the range of the spear.
I appeared to be holding nothing in my hand, but a spear suddenly appeared in my hand.
A cold sneer formed on my lips.
Knowing that the spear was dangerous, I could hide it and stab when necessary.
Thud.
“Kkyeeeek!”
The monster couldn’t avoid the spear stuck in its abdomen.
However, as if not willing to be easily defeated, it grabbed the handle of the spear and pushed it in.
“You poisonous bastard!”
While the spear was still stuck in its abdomen, the creature, who had come close, lifted its leg.
A heavy blow struck my side.
There was a sound of something breaking.
It felt like my ribs had cracked.
“Kuk!”
As my body was pushed to the side, my neck was caught.
I wrapped my right hand with magic and hit the creature’s arm.
Wooden crack.
The broken bone broke through the black fur.
Then, suddenly, my foot left the ground, and I felt a sense of floating.
The creature had lifted me up by wrapping its tongue around my leg.
As my leg went up, my head naturally dropped below.
After hitting the ground with the back of my head with a thud, my body soared through the air.
As my body was pushed to the side, my neck was caught.
I wrapped my right hand with Mana and hit the creature’s arm.
Crash!
