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Episode 23: Helping Hand
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Heinrich’s eyes widened.
“What, what?! Why are you here?”
It was a genuinely startled look. Because this was a forest where only special level 1 could enter.
Sislin responded with his characteristic calm red eyes.
“I came here after hearing you curse.”
“…How do you know that?”
“Because you’re the only one who swears like that in the Forest, Heinrich.”
“……!”
Heinrich was upset. Mind breaking apart. Since there was nothing to refute, he was even more angry.
As he pressed his teeth together, he suddenly raised an eyebrow.
“But, you heard my voice? You must have been very far away.”
“I have good hearing.”
‘…What the hell are you saying, you bastard.’
The special level 1 area was very deep in the forest, so it was quite far from the beginner’s area for those without a level. But he came all the way here?
“You can’t just come in here and do stuff like that. It’s a one-way ticket to the underworld for a weakling like you.”
Sislin responded bluntly.
“As you can see, I’m alive. I’m perfectly fine.”
“……”
That’s true.
As Heinrich looked up at Sislin with suspicious eyes, annoyance crept into Sislin’s face.
“So when are you coming up?”
“……?”
“If I had known that you would have so much energy, I wouldn’t have come to save you.”
At this, Heinrich was furious.
“Hey! Who wants you to save me? Do you think I’ll get help from you?!”
“Never mind if you don’t want to.”
Sislin took his hand back without any hesitation and turned around, stuffing it in his pocket.
‘Damn, how filthy cool.’
(TL/N: somehow MTL translated it as ‘so/ damn cool’ but ‘더럽게’ means something like ‘dirty/ filthy/ awful/ terrible’… in other words, Heinrich was praising Sislin in his usual grumpy manner hahaha.)
With a little redness in his ears, Heinrich muttered.
“…You have to ask twice, you heartless bastard.”
Sislin clicked his tongue in annoyance, then extended his hand again.
Clench–
Heinrich grabbed his hand and climbed up.
***
“Ugh, the forest is so eerie…”
I was walking through a maze-like forest. Even if I walked and walked, it was the same forest. Amazingly, similar types of trees continued to appear.
‘And there is not even a single flower.’
‘Heck, why is it so desolate?’
‘I should quickly hunt just enough to get level 5 and go out.’
But it was a very difficult situation because I couldn’t see any monsters.
‘At this rate, if the sun goes down like this, there’ll be big trouble…’
Hmmm, should I provoke them first?
There were monsters that respond to sounds, so I might be able to call them out first.
“Good.”
With great determination, I shouted, wielding the biggest weapon I had (a little magic wand).
“Come out! I will defeat you all!”
It was then.
The forest swayed, and thump, thump; the earth began to ring.
Surprised, the birds spread their wings and flew away.
Soon after, a huge monster appeared through the dense forest.
“……!!!”
‘Oh my, teacher… what?!’
The monster was like a giant slime or giant jelly monster.
It had eyes, nose, and mouth, but its body was not properly shaped and somewhat transparent. It’s face looked pretty stupid, but the overwhelming sense of intimidation it exuded because of his oversized body was great.
Before long, the monster roared in a stern, low voice.
“Koong—ya!”
‘It’s an insignificant cry…’
But… It was too big and a little scary. I trembled, grabbing the magic wand and taking a step backwards. Then I suddenly realized it.
‘No, maybe it’s a chance?’
I suddenly thought that there was no way the teacher could have matched a dangerous monster as I was just a level 5 Awakened.
It looked similar to a slime, so shouldn’t it be treated similarly?
“Koong-ya~”
‘Besides, it’s crying so stupidly.’
‘All right, let’s do it. I don’t think it’s as strong as it looks!’
I swallowed a gulp and swung my magic wand towards the monster with all my might.
But–
Damn!!!
‘It’s surprisingly hard?!’
The magic wand that hit the monster completely broke in half.
“…Koong-ya?”
Then the monster looked down at me.
Gulp–
I automatically swallowed saliva.
“…Oh no, that’s not it. Please calm down!”
“Koong? Koong-ya?”
It’s a simple repetition of words, but it hit me. Do you want to die? Do you want to be buried? Do you want to eat ritual food behind the folding screen at the age of 12?
But then, something surprisingly started happening. As the body of the mushy monster changed, it began to take on a clear shape.
In an instant, its body hardened, and it had brittle hair, teeth that seemed to break in half if it bit anything, and dark red eyes. Slime-like saliva dripped from its mouth.
“Grrrr…”
To anyone looking at it, this one was most definitely a ‘monster’.
I looked at it with eyes filled with astonishment.
Crazy, damn crazy!
“Ahhhhhh!!!”
Ahh! Help me!
With my mouth wide open, I started running desperately to avoid the monster charging towards me.
If caught, I would be bitten by those teeth or torn to pieces. I knew without having to experience it.
Fortunately, I was small and slender, and the forest was thick, which hindered the movement of the monster.
Using this gap, I desperately hid behind a rock.
“Heh heh, heh…”
Then I quickly picked up the necklace and shouted.
“Teacher! Teacher Rose! Help me, right now!!!”
But it was strange. There was no response from the necklace. It had lost its shine and drooped over my hand, just like a normal necklace.
‘The necklace doesn’t work!’
A cold sweat was running down my back.
Just then, the monster’s huge front paws smashed down the rock I had hidden myself behind.
Bang!!!
***
Heinrich, who was dramatically rescued from the pit, dusted himself off and said,
“Beast, I can assure you that a weakling like you can’t last even five minutes here. It would be better to leave quickly.”
“Are you worried about me?”
In response to Sislin’s expressionless question, Heinrich responded by widening his eyes to convey ‘contempt, extreme hatred, and absurdity’.
“…Are you crazy?”
“If not, nevermind.”
“And you, if you think that I will be grateful to you for saving me, you are mistaken.”
Heinrich said seriously.
“I am not thankful at all. I don’t appreciate it like how I don’t appreciate baby dragon poop, you know?”
Those words sounded strangely and slightly grateful, so Sislin raised his eyebrows and walked forward first.
“…Are you ignoring me again? Hurry up and get out of here! I won’t protect you even if it’s dangerous.”
Step, step–
When Sislin continued to ignore him and move forward, Heinrich walked along and asked curiously.
“Hey, by the way, what’s your awakening ability?”
It was then.
Sislin’s eyes shone sharply as he turned his head toward the wind and whispered.
“Annette…”
In an instant, Sislin leaped off the ground like a spring and started running.
“Hey, where are you going so suddenly?!”
Heinrich, who felt something unusual from the way Sislin recited the name, followed him fiercely.
The two boys ran at full speed, and as they ran, the forest darkened and deepened.
Powered by the name ‘Annette’, the boys ran like crazy and finally came face to face with her.
***
“Krrrr…!”
I was completely lost in thought in front of the monster.
The monster’s earlier attack was barely avoided by swiftly rolling to the side, but it was clear that luck would no longer follow.
The monster’s dark red eyes were so sharp and menacing that they could tear a little girl to pieces.
‘Julius, I need to call Julius, right now…’
But I couldn’t even move.
It felt like my whole body had turned into plaster, with only my jaw trembling because of the monster’s presence.
My fingers were stiff. Perhaps this was the monster’s ability.
I exchanged glances with the monster, my body not moving, like a prey wrapped in a spider’s web.
“Ahhhhhh!!!”
At that moment, the movement of the monster’s huge hind legs could be heard, seemingly about to trample on me.
A thunderous cry pierced through.
“Sister!”
Heinrich’s eyes met mine, which were frightened.
Heinrich reached out towards me and fired at full speed. The dark red magic that spurted from the boy’s body flooded in a terrifying way. However, he, who had to wear a suppressor, faced limitations.
‘It’ll be late.’
Heinrich, realizing this, squeezed his eyes shut once and reopened them.
It was then.
Bam!
Next to him, there was another figure that struck like lightning. It was Sislin.
Sislin forcefully ripped the magic suppressor stuck in his ear. Drops of red blood dripped along the side of his ear and flew through the air.
He gathered all his strength.
At the same time as the pattern of ‘Mephisto’ that cursed the boy appeared on the boy’s neck and cheeks, a huge black force flew out from behind him.
Shiiik— iiiiikkkk!
The black spirits outpaced each other like the fin of an anglerfish, twisting its body, and sprinted towards me like crazy.
However, the distance between us was considerable. The outcome could not be predicted.
‘I’m going to die.’
Frightened, I came to that conclusion…
Then there was a voice that emanated clearly in my mind.
[You are the chosen child. Call me.]
…Who?
No, it didn’t matter who it was. I just wanted to get help from anyone.
In a situation like this where death was just around the corner.
I earnestly replied to the mystery whisper which I couldn’t identify.
‘I’ll call you, please, tell me your name!’
[You already know our names.]
‘I already know?’ The moment I asked, there was a name that was engraved in my mind as if it was carved, it was vivid like a lie.
The owner of the name was the mother and father of all Awakened.
A sublime and great source of power.
The god of all powers and the supreme king of wizards.
I shouted the name that was beating in my head like a thunderbolt.
“Exórdîum!”
***
Then, in an instant, something amazing happened.