The eyebrows of Jeong Yusin, who was lying on the ground, trembled.
Breen was squatting next to him.
A strange situation.
How did she sneak here?
And.
‘Why… me…?’
It was hard to understand Breen’s actions.
They hadn’t been together long enough to know much about each other.
But, people can’t completely hide their true natures. They eventually reveal certain traits.
He was lazy but not stupid. She was emotional but still made sound judgments. He thought of her as a proper student.
“I… I’ll pour you some potion.”
“…”
Why was she helping him?
She could just have run away.
Plop.
The sound of uncorking a bottle was heard.
Jeong Yusin forgot his pain and began thinking. In no time, he reached a conclusion.
‘Could it be…!’
Had she been touched by the self-sacrificing spirit of the party members?
Even if not, it didn’t matter. This was an opportunity too good to pass up.
“Uuuuuhh.”
A sound like air escaping from a balloon.
Then the potion was poured all over his body.
The sticky liquid ran down his head and face.
“···Ah… It’s a mi… mistake.”
A flustered tone reached his ears.
‘Could it be…?’
“He… Here’s antidote. Aaah?!”
Drip drip.
The contents were poured again. This time, his hair was thoroughly soaked, and the liquid got into his nose and ears.
“…”
Jeong Yusin moved his eyes and glared at Breen.
Breen, sweating profusely, avoided his gaze.
‘No, this is an opportunity.’
Despite the uncertain situation, thanks to Breen’s help, he could barely move his neck and tongue.
Jeong Yusin moved his neck and mouth, licking up the scattered potion and antidote on the ground.
And he even chewed on the soil soaked with potion and antidote.
“Uuuh… Ugh, this is disgusting.”
“…”
He swished the dirt around in his mouth and spat it out.
“…Give me all the potions and bandages in my bag.”
“…Here you go.”
Breen took out a large number of potions and placed them on the ground.
‘Already brought them?’
All the potions he had carefully stockpiled were right there.
Recovery potion, stamina potion, antidote, everything was there.
Thanks to the antidote, his mobility improved somewhat.
But it was still insufficient. With trembling hands, he uncorked the potion bottle and drank everything.
He even poured the powder into his mouth.
“Excuse me.”
Breen pointed her finger at Jeong Yusin’s stomach. Though it had shrunk due to the recovery potion, there was still a hole.
Due to the mixture in his abdomen, the brightly colored potion liquids were leaking out.
It didn’t matter.
He roughly wrapped the wound with a bandage and stood up.
“…Breen, leave. I have to go fight.”
“But… it would be better if you just ran instead of talking to me.”
“…”
‘Focus.’
Sshhh.
He tore off the remains of the light armor that had turned into a mesh and stood naked.
The helmet had also flown away somewhere, revealing the burning spirit marks on his face due to the Revenger brand.
Swish.
He drew the longsword and placed it on his shoulder, taking a step forward.
Towards the one he would kill.
The sharp blade gleamed with a fierce light.
*
Iron Mask staggered as he got up.
The brave Dwarf Priest stood before the Giant Spider, holding only his staff.
Iron Mask’s eyes were on Kubo, but his mind was reminiscing about the past.
‘Evan Lionel, must you truly go?’
‘Yes, Father.’
‘Did you not consider other options? The Great Labyrinth is a perilous place. It’s like a bottomless swamp. Once you step in, it’s very hard to come out. Heroes and villains alike flail and die in that swamp.’
‘Doesn’t all life end the same way? I will go.’
‘…Must you truly go? Are you unaware that the people love you?’
The sorrow in his father’s eyes.
The sky was breathtakingly beautiful when he left the palace, having let everything go.
Swoosh!!!
Kubo, hit by the spider’s leg, flew through the air. His broken staff twirled in the sky.
Gaaaah!!!
Firmly gripping the greatsword, he prayed for his dying body to obey.
He stood up, walking towards the wicked demon.
One step. Two steps.
His unsteady steps soon turned into a sprint.
He raised the greatsword, forged with great care by the royal blacksmiths.
He already held his own funeral when he left the palace. There’s no regret. Isn’t that how life goes?
Wandering through the labyrinth of desires and boredom until you enter your final resting place.
“HaaaAAAAAA!!!”
Huuuuuung!!!
The greatsword produced an immense sound.
The Giant Spider dared not face it and stepped back.
‘I won’t let you escape.’
Evan Lionel twisted the sword from a downward cut to spin and make a circle.
He threw himself forward, swinging the sword.
A horizontal slash without reserve.
Sssshhhh!!!
The greatsword cleanly cut through two thick spider legs in one stroke and passed through.
Thud!!!! Thud!!!
The legs flew and fell to the ground.
“Krelelelelek!!!”
The Giant Spider wildly flailed its legs and shrieked like a mad beast.
Evan stood there still. Having exhausted all his strength swinging the sword, he was unable to move again.
‘Is this the end?’
KUUUAAAAA!!!
The massive leg descended like a guillotine towards Evan.
At that moment.
Teeeerrrrkkk!!!
A golden spear was buried next to the Giant Spider.
Puuuuuurrrk!!!
The Giant Spider’s body swayed once.
The leg missed Evan and struck the ground instead.
Kooowwaaaang!!!
Through flying dirt and grass, a man walked forth.
Naked. His belly was tightly bound with bandages. He had his longsword over his shoulder.
His eyes were blazing with blue flames.
Scath, the hybrid Barbaroy.
He was in no good condition. It was almost a miracle that he was still standing and walking.
“Iron Mask.”
“…Scath, run.”
“Nonsense. You should rest.”
In response to Jeong Yusin’s words, Iron Mask knelt down. He didn’t have the strength to stand any longer.
Jeong Yusin turned his body and looked at the Giant Spider.
The Sacred Weapon that had struck his side had left him unconscious.
‘Different.’
It wasn’t like a normal Giant Spider.
The differences were too great compared to what he had read.
One possibility came to mind but was quickly dismissed.
What did it matter? He would kill it anyway.
The golden spear embedded in the Giant Spider dissolved into particles.
“Krelelelek!!!”
Having regained its footing, the Giant Spider rushed at Jeong Yusin.
Jeong Yusin also ran towards it.
The spider leg descended over Jeong Yusin’s head.
‘Come.’
He immediately stepped aside to dodge.
Boooom!!!
The Giant Spider’s leg merely struck the ground.
A heap of dirt and grass erupted, as if a bomb had exploded.
‘A chance.’
He placed the longsword on his shoulder and twisted his waist fully.
Diagonal Cut.
Sssshiiiieekk!!!
Kuuggaagggack!!!
The sharp blade of the longsword sliced through the spider’s leg halfway.
‘Ainhoffer.’
[Sacred Weapon]
A weapon sharpened through the trials of hell, created in his hand as a golden single-edged axe.
He grabbed it and swung.
Kwwaaang!!!
Like cutting through paper, he swung and cleanly severed the partially cut leg.
Phuuuuaaaaah!!!
Green ichor spurted from the severed cross-section of the leg, soaking the ground.
“Kreeeeeek!!!”
The spider, screaming wildly, swung its front legs randomly.
Huhhhh!!!
Huhhhh!!!
Huhhhh!!!
Jeong Yusin rolled across the mud. Blood seeped through his tightly wrapped bandage, but he ignored it.
He dodged each strike by the skin of his teeth.
A possessed sight. Almost like a madman.
Iron Mask’s mouth was agape.
‘Wh…What kind of tenacity is this?’
Any knight in the royal palace couldn’t match the perseverance of this man.
To see him, almost dead, naturally weaving through the danger lines, performing tightrope walks, sent shivers down his spine.
He was different from the last time Iron Mask had seen him.
Wasn’t he more like a demon rising from hell?
The truth was,
That’s exactly what Iron Mask thought.
Jeong Yusin was moving instinctively within his dazed mind.
Whenever there was an opening, he thrust and slashed.
Stance? Mindset?
Who cared about such luxuries? Kill. That’s all that mattered.
Tsswaaaah!!!
He spun around and swung his sword. A long slash across the stomach sent ichor flying into the air.
Reaching inside, he wildly tore apart the insides and ripped them out with all his strength.
Tttttttttt!!!
“KraaaaAAAH!!!”
The spider went berserk and screamed a familiar cry.
Swoooshhhh!!!
A front leg struck Jeong Yusin.
Clangclangclangclang!!!
Tumbling across the ground like an empty tin can, Jeong Yusin abruptly stood up.
“Hmm…”
Wiping away the blood trickling from his mouth, but not bothering to clean it, Jeong Yusin smirked. The blue flames of madness grew stronger.
The spider turned around, aiming its rear end at him.
Paaabaaaac!!!
Clumps of spider silk flew towards him.
“Huh!”
Jeong Yusin wobbled, twisting his body to dodge them all, then ran at full speed.
The spider, trying to evade as well, moved forward but was too slow because of its many lost legs.
‘If this turns into a war of attrition, escape will be impossible.’
The state of his party members was not good.
An idea flashed in Jeong Yusin’s mind.
‘Can I do it?’
He didn’t know. Failure wasn’t an option. He had to succeed.
While running, he bit the hilt of the longsword and placed it in his mouth.
[Sacred Weapon]
He wished for a pole.
‘About here.’
He grabbed the long pole and drove it into the ground.
Ding!
With the pole, he soared into the air.
What they called pole vaulting.
Iron Mask, Kubo, Mars, and Breen all looked up at Jeong Yusin with wide eyes as he flew into the sky.
Mid-flight, Jeong Yusin waved a rude gesture to his party members.
Then.
He spat out the sword and held it with both hands, pointing it downward.
A downward thrust.
The spider saw him and tried to move, but it was too late. No escape.
Kuuuung!
Jeong Yusin landed on the spider’s upper body.
At the same moment, the longsword plunged deep into the spider’s body, handle and all.
“Kweeeeeeek!”
The spider screamed, twisting its body violently.
‘Sure enough.’
[Sacred Weapon]
I need to crack its skull a bit.
Wishing for a warhammer appeared in both hands high overhead.
Top to bottom.
‘This ends it.’
Paaarrrrkkk!!!
The brilliant golden warhammer smashed into the Giant Spider’s eyes, cracking its head in half.
“Kueeuuuuu…”
The spider wavered.
No stopping now.
One more time.
Kwaarrrrraaaang!!!
The warhammer crushed the spider’s head and shattered its eyes. The Giant Spider couldn’t hold on and collapsed.
Kuuuung!
With the impact of its heavy body, the ground shook violently.
Jeong Yusin pulled the sword out and stepped off the spider’s body.
Jeong Yusin placed his lips close to the Giant Spider’s head.
“Are you human?”
The Giant Spider’s body twitched slightly.
He was certain for one reason.
When the venom sank in, his mana was sealed temporarily, like being shackled in chains.
A regular Giant Spider doesn’t have a poison that seals mana.
So the remaining possibility was one: a curse seal.
Lifting his sword high,
“Actually, it doesn’t matter what you really are.”
Sssshhh.
The spider’s crushed head was cleanly cut off and rolled on the ground.
Eradication complete.
“Kaaaaaak Phoo!!!”
Spitting out the rising blood, he leaned on the sword as a cane.
What should he do first?
Should he heal Kubo first? He had a Festiside given by Edel. It’s a drug used to kill parasites in the body.
Or the Iron Mask, lying there spitting out blood.
Or Mars, trapped in spider silk and about to be devoured by baby spiders.
“B…Breen.”
Struggling not to fall, he called out the young woman’s name. Where had she gone?
At that moment.
Someone approached. Jeong Yusin’s eyes widened. It wasn’t Breen.
A towering, muscular Deer Centaur stood there, looking down at him. His height was well over two meters.
His armor was camouflaged with leaves, and he carried a man-sized longbow and a dagger.
“You’re late.”
“More like you’re way too late. Who are you?”
“Look at how you talk. I came because Ashur sent me. Grow up.”
“Phooowwwt!!!”
Jeong Yusin spat out more blood and glared at the centaur.
Why would Ashur send this Deer Centaur?
“It’s not time to sleep yet.”
“…Is there madness clouding your mind?”
“Ashur said he sent you, and I’m supposed to believe that? These bastards suddenly appear out of nowhere and cause trouble…”
Tik.
Without a word, the centaur threw something on the ground.
Jeong Yusin’s eyes widened.
A pouch.
With trembling hands, he picked it up.
It was heavy, and his name was carved on it.
Could he forget it? Before entering the labyrinth, with this hanging, he had swaggered arrogantly at the swordsmanship guild.
Ashur’s devilish smile appeared in his dreams now and then.
Jeong Yusin, leaning on his sword while blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, bowed deeply.
“…Please, heal my party members.”
The centaur crossed his arms and nodded slowly.
“…Understood. You’re lucky. Surviving that Giant Spider.”
“Sh…Shit. I think that’s not it. Sorry, thank you.”
Jeong Yusin uttered one last sentence before deeply bowing his head.
“…”
The centaur watched silently as Jeong Yusin, leaning on his sword, passed out.
“…”
The centaur turned his head toward Breen.
“Girl, is this Barbarian always so rude?”
“Ch…He’s actually a good person. Please don’t… swear. Shit.”
Breen defended Jeong Yusin.
“Hmph.”
The centaur sighed deeply and muttered while fiddling with his antlers.
“That Giant Spider’s dead too. I should’ve just stayed quiet and hidden in some city. Why did I come back here and bother people? Tsk.”
In the dark forest clearing.
The centaur and the girl began moving busily.
