◈ Episode 3. If Education Is Needed (2)
Dodge the claws and teeth of the enraged gnolls.
Throw a punch.
I was merely repeating that simple motion.
And yet, I could feel it.
There wasn’t the slightest bit of waste in my movements.
What happens if I can’t dodge?
If my attack misses, will I be mauled right then and there?
Won’t I die from excessive blood loss?
Thoughts any human being would naturally have.
Granfell’s mind and body completely ignored such worries.『His pride is incomparably heavy and unwavering. Even if that weight drags him down and drowns him.』That “setting” was drawing out the abilities of a paltry demon hunter to a hundred percent—no, even beyond that. At this point, even I was amazed.‘I really was a severe case of chuunibyou, wasn’t I?’I really had been a dangerous bastard who valued looking cool over his own life.
But even if it was thanks to the influence of that setting.
In the end, my hand-to-hand combat skills were terrible.‘I never learned any skills related to fighting.’Thud—
This was a punch I’d thrown with all my strength.
“Grr, grr!”
But it failed to deal any meaningful damage to the gnoll.……
Wouldn’t I be at a disadvantage if this turned into a drawn-out fight?‘It’s a waste of durability, but I’ve got no choice but to use it.’In my head, I’d made a truly rational judgment.
And yet there was no change in my actions.
How pitiful.
My situation was like that of a swan on a lake.
To others, I probably looked as if I were truly disciplining the gnolls.
But I was serious.
Just as a swan paddles its webbed feet beneath the water to stay afloat.
I, too, was doing my utmost to dodge and swing.
Regardless of what was going on inside me, a carefree remark slipped out.
“Is my discipline still insufficient?”
It was then.
Seo Jeongyeon’s shout rang out.
“My casting is done! Get out of the way!”
Flames surged from her staff.
Click-clack—
Once again, I walked with overflowing dignity.
The incoming spell was Fire Arrow.
I didn’t know much about mages.
But I did know that was a low-tier spell.
More than anything, the projectile was slow.
At that rate, it might miss.
I made that guess and was thinking of my next move when……
For some reason, the gnolls didn’t move.
“Y-yelp!”
Their tails drooped.
I could no longer hear them growling, either.
Seeing that, I said.
“As expected, discipline is inefficient against stray dogs.”……
There was a limit to shamelessness!
Even as I said it myself, I was genuinely dumbfounded.
But in the end, wouldn’t I just be spitting in my own face?
Restrain yourself, Lee Hoyeol.
This is all karma from the past.
“Yes, it hit!”
Clench—
Seo Jeongyeon showed me her clenched fist.
If I kept watching, I didn’t know what other nonsense might come out of my mouth.
So I shifted my gaze toward the gnolls.
Fwoosh—!
Only items remained where the gnolls had burned away.[Crude Arrow][Grade: Normal][Restriction: None][Effect: None][Description: A crude arrow.][Crude Longsword for Self-Defense][Grade: Normal][Restriction: Lv.30][Effect: Low chance to inflict the status abnormality ‘Rabies’ on attack][Description: Its blade has dulled, reducing its attack power.]
When you form a party, experience is shared by default.
Items are obtained with priority according to contribution.
Of course, that system only applies to items of Rare grade and above.
In other words, I could take these without worrying about anyone’s opinion.‘Thirty-two arrows, huh.’I figured that would be enough for now.
If I needed more arrows, I could hunt other gnoll archers and restock.
I took the bow out of my inventory.
It definitely felt like it fit snugly in my hand.───────Shooting Mastery (21%): Increases shooting accuracy.───────My proficiency was only 21 percent.‘I was too busy doing quests rather than hunting.’Compared to archer-type classes, it was probably a pathetic number.
But the mere existence of a skill made it on a completely different level from fighting with my fists.
Seo Jeongyeon spoke to me.
“Wow, you can use a bow too?”
Of course.
It was the only thing I could call my main weapon.
The other party members each chimed in.
“Huh? Weren’t you a martial artist type? The way you were punching just now looked exactly like martial arts. What was it again. Right! Tai Chi? The way you redirected attacks and countered them looked just like that!”
That wasn’t Tai Chi. It was struggling.
“In any case, this is a relief. I was worried because Jeongyeon was our only ranged dealer.”
Yeah, I’m finally relieved too.
That was how I wanted to answer.
But I didn’t open my mouth.
What was it I said earlier?
That since I was here, you all had nothing to worry about?‘There’s a limit to acting cool. Am I in any position to say that?’I felt like that kind of bullshit would come out again.
Thankfully, the topic soon changed.
The man holding up a greatsword, Choi Jeonghun, muttered.
“Anyway, what’s wrong with hyung today? Hyung! Cheolmin hyung!!”
He was calling Nam Cheolmin.
At some point, Nam Cheolmin had gone past the ticket gate.
He beckoned.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and come.”
Seo Jeongyeon tilted her head.
“But is he usually like that? I don’t have a lot of party hunting experience, but…… I haven’t really seen a tanker go off ahead alone like that……”
A warrior armed with a shield and mace.
Han Seonguk also nodded.
“If our teamwork is like this from the start, that’s going to be a problem.”
“Ha, I’m really sorry. I’ll apologize on his behalf. Cheolmin hyung isn’t normally like this, you know? But why is he acting like this today? I’ll talk to him properly later.”
The atmosphere grew cold.
Understandable.
After all, he had done something that would be a problem even in a game, inside a Rift where lives were on the line.
“Still, Cheolmin hyung did choose the route well. If we run into another party, we’ll only waste time.”
“……
But hasn’t he gone too far ahead by himself?”
“You’re right. I’ll call him. Hyung! Cheolmin hyu—?!”
Swish, swish, swish—
It was an ambush.
The gnolls that had been lying in wait revealed themselves.
One, two……
There were ten in total.
The arrows narrowly missed, but we were at a numerical disadvantage.
Even if Nam Cheolmin joined us, they were exactly double our numbers.
“Cheolmin hyung! No, hyung!!”
But Nam Cheolmin didn’t seem to have any intention of joining us.
Choi Jeonghun’s face began to redden and twist.
“No, fuck. What the hell are you doing!! Hey, Nam Cheolmin!!”
The stairs leading down to the platform.
Nam Cheolmin simply stood there, watching us surrounded by gnolls.
I looked into his eyes.
Unfocused, pitch-black eyes.
For some reason.
Those eyes felt familiar.‘……
What is this? It’s not like I know him.’Wasn’t this the moment to feel resentment, not familiarity?
Yet regardless of that question, I was already moving.
Slide—
A textbook stance, not a single inch out of place.
As if an archer were drawing a bowstring.
Without the slightest agitation, I aimed at the gnolls.
Swish—
Until the very moment I released the bowstring.
There was not even the faintest tremor in my breathing.
“Yelp!”
Headshot.
It struck the head precisely.
One gnoll warrior fell in a single shot.
Even so, I didn’t feel even a shred of joy.『The first thing Granfell learned as the next family head was not to be elated or disheartened by trivial matters.
The position of head of the Claudi Family was one that allowed not even the slightest agitation.』Rejoicing over defeating a mere gnoll?
That was something impossible for Granfell.
I was in the same position.
Swish—
Another headshot.‘Eight remaining.’I nocked another arrow onto the bowstring.
The gnolls weren’t just standing by and watching, either.
“Grrrr!!”
The gnoll warriors charged.
Choi Jeonghun and Han Seonguk stopped them.
Each of them held back two gnoll warriors.
But they couldn’t overcome the numerical disadvantage.
“Damn it……! Be careful!”
Two gnoll warriors came charging toward us.
Two gnoll archers remained, nocking their arrows.
Seo Jeongyeon, who had been casting a spell, spoke in a tearful voice.
“Um, what should I do……?”
The gnoll warriors were targeting me and Seo Jeongyeon.
The gnoll archers were targeting Choi Jeonghun and Han Seonguk.
No matter what choice was made, there would be damage.
Seo Jeongyeon seemed unable to decide easily.
But ironically, I answered indifferently.
“I will leave the gnoll archers to you.”
At the same time, an arrow left my fingertips.
Hit.
The gnoll warrior that had been charging toward Seo Jeongyeon collapsed.
Thanks to that, Seo Jeongyeon successfully finished her casting.
“Please…… hit!!”
Fwoosh—!
Fire Arrow stretched toward the gnoll archers.
Choi Jeonghun and Han Seonguk were tangled up with their kin.
The ones focusing in order to hit the two of them failed to notice the Fire Arrow flying in.
By the time they felt the heat, it was already too late.
Now, all that remained was the gnoll warrior charging toward me.
“Grrrr!!”
I didn’t have the “Rapid Shot” skill.
There wasn’t enough time to reload an arrow.
Even so, I had the longsword for self-defense I’d obtained from the gnoll.
If I swung it somehow and blocked, I could buy time.
However,“Regrettable as it is.”
What I raised was not the sword, but my right leg.
My loftily extended leg struck the gnoll warrior’s head as it was.
Thud—!
Just like in the first battle.
The option of being counterattacked didn’t exist in my mind.
And so, the extreme reaction speed that could be expressed through my body.
“Y-yelp!!”
Toward the gnoll warrior sent flying by my shoe-clad foot.
“I will not permit you to splatter blood on me.”
Pshuk—!
With an expressionless face, I drew the bowstring....
Everyone except me let out ragged breaths.
“Haa. I really thought I was gonna die.”
“I didn’t expect them to be lying in ambush.”
“……
But why didn’t you warn us?”
No one had to say it first.
All eyes turned toward Nam Cheolmin, who was still watching us from the top of the stairs.
The one angriest of all was probably Choi Jeonghun.
“Fuck. Hyung, do you have something against us?”
He stormed toward Nam Cheolmin.
His voice grew louder and louder.
“Fuck. This is exactly like you lured us into a trap! Fine, let’s call it a mistake. Let’s say you didn’t know they were lying in ambush. But why the hell were you just standing there staring blankly? Huh?! Say something! If you’ve got a damn mouth!”
The two drew closer.
If they were left alone, a fight was obviously going to break out.
Seo Jeongyeon and Han Seonguk held Choi Jeonghun back from both sides.
“I understand, but please calm down a little.”
“That’s right. Fighting here won’t do us any good.”
“No, stay out of it. This is between me and hyung. Hyung! Hey, Nam Cheolmin! Did you think you were really something just because I followed you around calling you hyung? Fuck, without my younger brother, you’re nothing but a piece of shit……”
I took one step back and watched the scene.
“Hahaha! Khahahahaha!”
At that moment, Nam Cheolmin burst into laughter.
At the same time.
Bzzzt—
The faintly glowing lights began to flicker.
“Have you lost your mind? Why are you suddenly laughing like a maniac?”
“Hahahaha! Haa…… I knew it would be fun.”
“This is fun? Fuck, have you said everything you wanted to say?!”
I stared at Nam Cheolmin beneath the flickering lights.
His incomprehensible odd behavior.
The atmosphere around us hurtling toward catastrophe.
His unfocused, pitch-black eyes.
The familiarity I had felt upon seeing those eyes.
And decisively.
The words that appeared in my vision at that moment.[Skill, “Natural Enemy Relationship,” is activating.]───────Natural Enemy Relationship: When fighting against demons, combat power rises dramatically.───────Click-clack—
Looking at Nam Cheolmin, I said.
“As expected, you are indeed a demon.”