[Infected Human]
“Ugh…”
Yesol, Baedeokgae, and Kang Hangeul, who were pushing through the Main Quest with me, frowned at the sight of the NPC in front of us.
The description said that this NPC had been infected by an unknown substance flowing from the 5th World and had turned into a monster.
“Something like this doesn’t even happen in the Abyss…”
As Yesol spoke, everyone focused on her words.
I had mentioned that Yesol runs a Leore-related story on Ryutube, and Baedeokgae had even thanked her for the summary video she watched when starting Leore, which helped her play the game well.
So now, we were progressing through the Main Quest with Yesol’s guidance.
“Is it similar to that cordyceps thing from the Abyss?”
At Kang Hangeul’s words, I nodded as well.
In the Abyss season, dungeons, hunts, and raids all revolved around infection, parasitism, and control.
Like cordyceps, parasites would enter the body, infect it, gradually take over, and eventually control it. Over time, the infected would sprout grotesque forms.
-MMMM… MMM!!! MMMM!
Looking at the limbs, it was clear this was once human, but without the title [Infected Human] above the NPC’s head, you wouldn’t recognize it as such.
“Arang, it’s not right for you to see something like this.”
Swish.
Baedeokgae, not wanting me to see the grotesque NPC, came behind me and raised her hand.
She placed it on my stomach.
Huh? Wasn’t she trying to cover my eyes? Did she just touch my stomach?
Sigh.
As expected, Baedeokgae’s unwavering love for my stomach led me to ignore her and look at Yesol instead.
“So, Yesol unnie, what do you think? I feel like the Abyss, which we thought was a new region, might actually be the 5th World.”
“Hmm… I’m not sure yet. In my opinion, the creatures from the Abyss didn’t destroy the bodies they parasitized like this. Instead, they made them stronger. The reason is obvious—they needed strong, healthy bodies to control. But this infection is destroying the bodies it infects—”
“…”
As Yesol, who had been quiet until now, became more serious and immersed in the Main Quest, everyone stared at her as she rambled on.
“Ah, sorry, sorry. I have a habit of rambling to myself when I get immersed. The Main Quest is just so exciting that I couldn’t help it…”
“No, Yesol unnie. Honestly, it’s beyond expectations.”
Now that we’ve gotten closer and more comfortable, even though it’s the first time I’ve seen her like this, I really liked it.
—
About an hour later, while progressing through the Main Quest, we found a knight with dark blue skin and armor.
The problem was that he wasn’t in a normal state—he was writhing and moving unnaturally.
We found this knight while investigating a cleared dungeon, following the energy flow from a broken core, and discovering a new area.
We initially thought it was a new dungeon, but no—it wasn’t a dungeon. So, while figuring out what this place was, we stumbled upon this knight.
At first, we thought it was just a regular NPC.
—
LV: 90 – 5th World Knight
[Field Boss]
Level Restricted Area.
As we approached, we saw the level, the knight’s identity, and the large red circle marking the Field Boss area.
It had been a while since a new Field Boss appeared.
“I’ll be back!”
“Arang!”
I immediately charged toward the Field Boss.
As soon as I entered the red circle, the Field Boss, who had been bowing his head, locked eyes with me and rushed at me.
First strike wins, so I gripped my daggers tightly, maximizing my attack speed to strike faster than the knight’s sword.
Clang!
“Huh?”
My daggers, which were supposed to hit the Field Boss, disappeared before my eyes, and my arm was forced upward.
‘Parry?’
Suddenly, the Field Boss used a parry, leaving me stunned and unable to defend against the next attack. I was hit repeatedly and died.
—
After respawning at the Guild House, I immediately recalled the moment the Field Boss parried.
‘That movement…’
It was the same movement I often used when parrying.
No doubt about it.
I quickly teleported back to where I died.
“Arang, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
I answered Baedeokgae and charged at the Field Boss again.
This time, instead of daggers, I wielded the Tashim Sword.
As soon as I entered the red circle, the Field Boss charged at me again.
From the motion to the impact, it was unmistakably the charge skill I always used as a Sword Master.
The Sword Master’s charge skill, [Whirlwind].
It’s a charge skill that doesn’t involve a thrust but instead places the sword on the shoulder while charging.
It has lower attack power than a thrust charge, but it offers more options after the charge, which is why I like it.
“Hyup!”
With the Field Boss’s battle cry, I parried the downward slash aimed at me with the Tashim Sword.
Clang!
The exact opposite of the previous situation.
But even though I attacked the Field Boss, as a Field Boss, the damage wasn’t significant.
“Kuooh!”
The Field Boss roared again and charged.
‘A Field Boss using player class skills? This is tough.’
Just like that charge skill, I think the Field Boss can use all the Sword Master’s skills.
As I thought, an effect surrounded the Field Boss’s sword, and from its motion, I immediately recognized my favorite skill, the one I always use as my main—[Square Quadruple].
In the PVP arena, [Square Quadruple] isn’t particularly threatening.
From my perspective, [Square Quadruple] is a momentary attack, hard to use without combat adjustments, and since it follows a set trajectory and timing, it’s easy to parry.
But a Field Boss using [Square Quadruple]? Even before it executed, my internal alarm bells were ringing.
I activated my heightened senses and parried the Field Boss’s onslaught.
Clang!
Due to the Field Boss’s attack power and stamina difference, I couldn’t cancel the [Square Quadruple], but I significantly reduced the damage.
Zap.
My hand barely avoided being stunned.
The problem was that there were still three attacks left.
—
I couldn’t parry the second attack of [Square Quadruple].
Even with heightened senses, the Field Boss’s insane speed forced me to tilt the Tashim Sword sideways and block with my left hand.
Kwaaaang!
The [Square Quadruple] attack clashed with my sword, and a collision effect spread before my eyes.
Amid the deafening roar, I confirmed my still-moving hand and moved the Tashim Sword again to block the third attack of [Square Quadruple].
Kwaaaang!
“Kuooh!”
With the Field Boss’s terrifying roar, the final attack of [Square Quadruple] came flying.
‘…!’
At that moment, I spotted a gap in the Field Boss’s defense.
A mistake I often make—no, not a mistake, but something I’m too lazy to change. That action, motion, timing.
I could optimize it further, but my brain and body are too lazy, and now I saw it in the Field Boss.
I immediately thrust the Tashim Sword upward, attacking the Field Boss’s right shoulder.
—
The final attack of [Square Quadruple], which could have killed me in an instant, missed as its effect vanished, and it grazed past my neck.
With the Field Boss in recovery from using [Square Quadruple], I took a deep step forward with my right foot.
This time, my [Square Quadruple] activated.
The Tashim Sword emitted a blue effect as it pierced the Field Boss’s body.
Unlike before, the HP bar visibly dropped, but as a Field Boss, its HP pool was no joke.
Feeling the momentum, I stepped forward with my left foot to press the retreating Field Boss.
—
“Wow…”
Yesol could only marvel as she watched Arang fight the Field Boss one-on-one.
The reason Arang became famous was for soloing the Orc Chieftain, a Field Boss.
Yesol had also fought Field Bosses with other players, so she knew how absurd this was.
“But what is that Field Boss?”
Kang Hangeul was baffled seeing the Field Boss use Sword Master skills like a player.
“Is it going to use skills in hunts or raids later?”
“Ugh… just thinking about it is terrifying. But there was a time when a boss used skills, right?”
“Thinking about it, it happened during our WFK.”
“But back then, the boss didn’t start with skills. It copied the data of the remaining players at the end. So it wasn’t the boss using skills but turning into the same players. But this Field Boss seems to know the skills from the start…!”
As Yesol explained, Baedeokgae, who had been watching Arang fight the Field Boss, opened her mouth as if realizing something.
“I… just realized something huge. That Field Boss is Arang.”
“… What?”
“The Field Boss has the same patterns, actions, motions, habits—everything as Arang.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“From what I see, that Field Boss. It’s like Arang’s data was transferred. I’m certain because I’ve thoroughly analyzed Arang’s body and memorized all her habits and actions.”
“Whaaaat!?”
Yesol was more terrified of Baedeokgae, who claimed to have analyzed Arang’s entire body and memorized her habits, than the idea of the Field Boss being Arang’s data.
