'Ridiculous. I've not fallen that far to steal someone's lip without their permission.'
Crashing the Manion Herbs in my hand, I lifted Tilda's neck by her jaw and she swallowed it without a problem.
Seeing how smooth this went, I glared at Shouta only to find out he was rubbing his head, shamefully that his plan failed.
It was about when Tilda consumed 25 Manion Herbs' her complexion but gan to regain its original color and her breath was not as rash as before.
"Shouta, let's run away sneakily from here now," I suggested Shouta.
"It's impossible, Rein-san. The [Fang Snake] senses the temperature to capture its prey. Although we are camouflaged by our surroundings, if we move even slowly, it will soon detect us." Shouta mentioned Fang Snake's traits.
Shouta's words caused me to be troubled. Under the calm thinking, while also being hurried by the impending danger, I quickly thought.
"Alright here's the plan. Shouta, use your [Auto Run] against the snake and buy us a time. Meanwhile, I will carry Tilda away. When we are beginning to be out of your sight, you start running as well." I said to Shouta.
I considered many things when I said this to Shouta. I doubted I would last long against this snake no matter how much I can see its movement. My body just won't stand it.
If we ran together, the snake will be caught up to us. In the worst case, the snake aim at Shouta, since we still don't fully understand how [Auto Run] works, Shouta may dodge the snake attack at the cost of throwing Tilda's body.
Me carrying Tilda while trying to escape from the snake together was also a big no. I can't dodge without looking at the snake and even if I looked at the snake, carrying Tilda while dodging was a hard thing.
Although it may not be the best plan, it was the best one I could think of. Of course, being scared was also one of the reasons I mentioned this 'Shouta decoy' plan.
Despite his innocent looks and personality, Shouta was quite crafty, as shown in his intention to trick me into kissing Tilda.
Shouta probably understood my intention and he didn't complain.
"Shouta, definitely come back to us alive." I looked straight at him and said.
"Of course." Shouta said and left the hiding spot, exposing himself.
Confirming this I carried Tilda and ran with all my might.
The snake tried ignoring Shouta to chase us, judging that the useless and unconscious were easier prey but Shouta sneaked onto the snake and stabbed its eyeball with a shortsword.
"Fight me, you bastard," Shouta spoke to the snake while provoking it by curling his fingers inside gesturing 'come to me.'
*Ssshaaaaa!*
The snake was provoked rather easily as it shrieked toward him. Although a slit eyeball could be healed if you spent time, during that time the snake may be attacked or can die of hunger. It was obvious that it was angry.
The snake's attack pattern was rather simple as it did nothing but pounce forward.
At this rate, Shouta can dodge it even without [Auto Run] if he was careful. However just as he dodges the snake sideways causing it to pass him., Fang Snake's lower body curves at an abnormal rate.
'I can't dodge i-'
To respond to the attack, he barely reacted, his body surpassed the boundary of the number of his stats indicates.
Shouta discarded his short sword and with two hands, he grabbed the launching tail tightly. Along with the momentum in the snake's tails, Shouta's body was launched backward.
Instead of crushing the wall intensely, Shouta rotated his body a few time midway, landing his feet on the tree trunks.
And just like that, as if ignoring gravity, Shouta's leg kicked the tree forcefully and launched toward one direction, at great speed.
Sometimes, to not lose the momentum, he somersaulted, front-flipped, and once again launched his own body forcefully by kicking the trees once again.
.
.
.
"Shouta?" the mid-the road after exiting the forest I spotted the young figure launching itself at great speed and I tried catching him by extending my other arm.
However, at that moment, Shouta front-flipped so as to bring his leg up and not lose momentum, then, his leg used my arm as a stepping.
The timing was way off as Shouta's body twitched for a small moment and stopped jumping by using my arm, he fell to the dirt ground.
"H-haha... Rein-san... I think I shook the snak-... AAARGH" Shouta showed a bitter smile then he suddenly screamed in pain.
On his leg was his muscle flexed to the limit. As I flipped his body, I could see his vein just about to burst and his eyes were dyed red.
'Crap. Of course, this would have happened. No matter how good the A. I am, in the end, it is Shouta's body... I'm sorry for forcing you, Shouta...' I knitted my brows.
'But what Shouta wants to hear right now probably isn't an apology.'
"Thank you, Shouta. You've done well. From here on out, leave everything to me. I will definitely carry you all back alive. Rest well," I firmly clenched my fist as I sent my 'assurance' toward Shouta.
*gigi~*
I quickly carried Shouta's body and tried escaping from the spot after seeing the goblins noticing us but it was too late.
Rather than a weak tired person carrying 2 unconscious fellows, a healthy herd of goblins was much faster.
I thought I was quite lucky because my Unique Skill provided me an additional 2 lucks but I cursed this very Unique Skill: [Prothor's Luck!] I wanted no more challenge, trial, or additional story.
I ran with all my might but it was slower than goblins.
Just before I ran, I confirmed 2 goblins with their slingshot, 1 goblin holding a stone hammer and 2 goblins wielding a spear.
It definitely hurts and I knew I had no chance of winning. So I ran. In fear of my unconscious teammate being injured, I carried the two with my arms.
The stones that were launched by slingshot escaped the gap between my cheap armor and hit my neck accurately. It hurts.
Carrying the two put a lot of stress on my arms ad tired be easily combined with the distance I ran from getting out of the forest, I was out of breath.
My lung sought air intensely as my whole body ached. I began regretting going out of town and started questioning why I was putting all this work just for the party member I met today.
*Gagiii!*
*Pik!*
A strong sound resounded as the goblin's stone hammer which also resembled an axe hit my head strongly. In an instant, my pupils looked at the back of my head as I lost consciousness.
In my last thought, I chanted for this magical skill as my pupils looked back to the front. My brain wasn't working properly anymore but the commandment 'run away' was as simple as it gets.
At the same time, everything turned strange, it was as if I'm looking at my body from a third-person-perspective.
I'm feeling everything my original body experiences and I'm seeing myself running forward but I can't do anything else.
In this space where I'm half-awake and half-asleep, I was mysteriously able to calmly think.
'I caused everything. The skills to change the fate of anyone without resistance not only meant turning a mob character possibly into the main character, but it can also mean the death of the main character at an early stage.'
'It is my responsibility that the two are in danger and it is also my responsibility to return them alive.'
Responsibility...
Responsibility...
Responsibility... This word recalled me of my previous world. It was also the most thing I escaped from.
I escaped from a responsibility called education. It ruined my future.
I gave up on my responsibility called dream. It trapped in an endless loop of 'present.'
I don't want my 'laziness' to control me anymore and rather than moving based on 'realistic thoughts,' I wanted to act based on my ego.
'Because you called me a dependable leader.'
'Because you trusted me, whatever the reason it is.'
Before I noticed it, I was back in the reality.
[Through intense moving, your strength has increased by 1.]
[Through intense moving while carrying weight, your agility has increased by 2]
'I will never betray the trust you guys put on me anymore, even if it kills me.'
For the first time after remembering the importance of my life, my belief has surpassed fear.
[You have obtained the title: Extreme Willpower]
After the title notification, I suddenly feel my sight expands.
[Clairvoyance has leveled up from Lv: 7 -> Lv: 10]
I only shook my head sideway but the ultra-clear sight of the goblin preparing his hammer to smash my back entered my eye.
'If he is trying to do that..' almost unconsciously, just as the hammer was about to descend, I suddenly stopped my speed.
My back powerlessly hit the goblin's descending hammer. And because of its weight and the push from the side, the goblin couldn't stop it as the hammer hit another goblin on his side.
[You have leveled up to level 4!]
Not expecting that blow would kill the goblin but also lacking the power to be surprised, I ran forward with my burning lung and chilling head.
*Gagi Gargi!*
It was slightly off the angle and I couldn't see it but, the spear pierced my leg and it made me fall. In the end, shifting my body to not injure the two I am carrying was all I could.
*Gaga! Gaga!* as if proud to have immobilized its prey, the goblin spearsman turned back to inform to his ally.
*Gagi, Gghi!!* the other goblin patted the goblin spearsman's shoulder.
'Damn it...'
"I don't want to... die just yet..." I complained.
'I was so close...' with an unstable breath, frustrated tears began mixing with the tears of fear from before.
*Good grief, personally, I'd feel better if a helpless monster were being attacked by humans." a mysterious voice sounded out.
Pyon. Pyon.
Making a sound, the blue gelatin substance bounced.
"As a fellow monster, I feel sorry but, I cannot just leave a human getting killed." the blue gel substance, slime talked.
"So, Wind Slash." it's unknown how a creature without a mouth is speaking.
'Wind Slash' as the signal, multiple streaks of crescent arcs flew toward the goblins, slicing their bodies mercilessly.
[You have leveled up to level 5!]
Feeling my eyelids getting heavier, I slowly closed my eyes.