In the eastern region of the Rosso Corsa, the forest was on high alert due to the presence of the laughing devils; however, the monsters were also being vigilant against a group of people who were coming from the southern part of the eastern region and were believed to be very dangerous.
The ruthless and infamous group of individuals were well-known for their destructive behaviour and had a reputation for leaving a trail of chaos and devastation wherever they went.
This group hunted monsters inhumanely because they had adapted to their current situation, which also meant that they had adapted to Rosso Corsa's brutality.
Realizing they were trapped in an entirely fictitious universe, they had to accept their predicament, a place referred to as the tower.
The group of four individuals had vastly different upbringings, and it was highly unlikely that their paths would ever cross. Yet, here they were, risking their lives and coming to each other's aid.
What exactly does it signify to endanger one's life for the sake of another, specifically if that other individual happens to be a fellow member of the human race?
It was a monumental occasion, one that carried great significance even for individuals who had only recently met and spent the past four days in a state of intense uncertainty.
Humans are, by nature, creatures that tend to primarily act in their own self-interest. This tendency is so strong that they are unlikely to engage in any task unless they perceive that there is some personal benefit to be gained. This was certainly the case with the group in question, who were somewhat influenced by this same mindset.
The primary benefit for all of them would be a heightened sense of safety derived from their ability to survive in this dangerous and bloodthirsty forest. What was particularly noteworthy was their ability to put aside their differences, come together, and ultimately save one another, leading them to eventually take on the role of predators in this perilous environment. Therefore, the assertion that humans are inherently selfish is only partially accurate for this particular group.
The four individuals belonging to this group were in the midst of a conversation that revolved around a being that was discernible in the distance. This constituted their first encounter with a creature such as this in the forest, and it seemed as though it was functioning as a protector for an unknown entity or area.
Although the experience was truly breathtaking, what was even more captivating was the creature itself, which appeared to possess an enchanting quality and seemed quite extraordinary. They were unsure of the exact reason they felt this way, but all of them could sense it, which only served to further stimulate their fascination.
The creature stood motionless, its eyes trained on the earth before it. It was as if it longed for the ground beneath its feet, an unspoken desire that seemed to emanate from its very being.
The creature's physical form was indicative of a rich and complex past, while the environment around it was equally steeped in an ancient history that was impossible to ignore.
It appeared as though it had been standing there for an incalculable amount of time, steadfastly protecting something of great value, and due to this, it could have remained in that position for an indeterminate length of time.
The creature was wearing a rough helmet; the edges of the armour looked damaged with the passage of time, and there were two buster swords that were stuck into the ground beside it.
At first glance, it was apparent that the creature had a similar body structure to that of a human. However, it was the creature's towering height and impressive physique that truly stood out. Standing at a staggering 5 metres tall, the creature's body seemed to be specifically designed for its size.
[A/N: Buster sword reference art is in the comments section.]
The appearance of the body seems to have been crafted in a manner that is suitable for engaging in combat. The shoulders are broad, and the arms are muscular, which implies that they have the capability to effortlessly lift heavy objects. The legs are thick and robust, which suggests that they possess the ability to run at high speeds and leap great distances.
The impression given was that of a barbarian who had been hardened by battle and had taken the lead role in the vanguard rather than playing a supportive role such as guarding.
"Will it really be worth fighting it for whatever it's protecting?" A teenage-looking girl spoke, her voice trembling: "Look, isn't it massive, and it doesn't look like any normal monster we have fought till now?"
"Hanah is right, big sister, but we will wait for your decision." A young boy spoke in a supportive voice. He also looked like he was in his teens and had a charming presence about him.
"Yes, Miss Kate, your decisions have always been right." A man who appeared to be in his late 20s claimed in a melodious voice that even though he had only spoken a few words, they were still enjoyable to hear, similar to listening to music.
As the three of them spoke, they focused in a particular direction, where they could see a girl who had just entered her twenties named Kate.
She had a queenly presence and a beautiful dark complexion with perfect proportions for a girl of her calibre, and the respect all three of them showed her was enough to show the respect they had for her.
The person named Kate looked towards the creature, and they were all debating whether to fight or not.
The fact was that Kate too was brainstorming whether she should fight this creature or not.
The information they gathered from their appraisal skill showed that this creature's level was 10, it had a large chunk of HP, and its name was The Guardian.
From this much information, Kate could tell that this guardian was extremely powerful and would be very difficult, if not impossible, to defeat, but she was not intimidated by it.
In her life, whatever she wanted, she fought for it, and however impossible it seemed to others, she got what she wanted through her own abilities. She never cared about other people's opinions; throughout her life, people constantly tried to knock her off the rungs of the ladder she had managed to climb on her own.
But currently, she was second-guessing her decision for just this group. There was something about this group that she liked and couldn't understand, and she could tell that they trusted her decision, even in previous dangerous battles, as if they had known each other forever. She could see genuine concern and trust in their eyes.
She could tell that they would still trust her decision to fight this scary guardian.
She closed her eyes; she could feel her heart beating wildly, as this would not only affect her but also the group.
She pondered this for a while before deciding to focus on what she did best: accomplishing the impossible.
She turned around and spoke to the group in an angelic voice befitting her presence.
"We'll fight."
A short sentence was used, but the group was accustomed to it, and as if that were the key phrase, they understood that Kate had a plan and that they would fight this creature.
Hannah, who had previously seemed worried, also started preparing for the upcoming battle without any hesitance, as if she were not even worried in the first place.
She looked towards the teen boy, who was trying to control his laughter.
She frowned at him for the behaviour he showed and glared at him as if asking with her eyes, 'What are you laughing at ?'
Upon seeing her gaze, the boy spoke in a cheeky tone with a fake cough, "Ahem... Weren't you worried a moment earlier, like a scaredy cat? Uhh, mama don't wanna fighttt."As he said, he laughed this time without holding back.
As she listened to this and saw him laughing, she retorted as if she wasn't even worried in the first place. "Hmph. As if I'm scared of that pile of big peaches, I was just worried about our big sis Kate; I don't want her to overdo it again and be in pain."
Both looked towards their older sister with worried expressions as they listened to this; even the large man turned to face Kate after hearing this.
Sensing their concerned gaze, Kate's heart tingled with warmth, and, not to worry about this group, she replied, "I won't overdo it."
Hannah, the big man, and the teen boy all simultaneously looked at each other and laughed as if they had heard this response a lot of times.
And after some time, they were prepared for the battle that would come against the Guardian.
They talked about some of the possibilities, like how the Guardian would fight and how they would defeat it. Since he has a large chunk of HP, they knew this would be a prolonged battle, so they brought the basic healing and mana potions from the trading area.
As soon as they got close to the guardian, he moved his head for the first time as if he sensed their presence, and they could see a look of annoyance on his face as if they had interrupted his enjoyable time.
They could audibly perceive the sound of bones cracking in his neck, which indicated that he had been keeping his head immobile for an extended period of time. Shortly afterward, they could also hear the sound of bones cracking throughout his body as he started to move his hands and feet.
His hand was shown with a dark light, and soon the ground where his two buster swords were buried shook, and the swords, which already appeared to be a metre long now after being out of the ground, looked even bigger.
CRACKKK!!
CRACKKK!!
The ground where the sword was taken had a small crater and cracks like those in a spider's web.
Without even giving the group a chance to process the shock from the small crater due to the pulling of swords, the guardian jumped towards them, swinging both swords at them.
BOOM!!