[Chapter 182]
[Life of the Weak (5)]
Somewhere in the Taebong Mountain forest, Seongnam City.
Noh Euna, Ryu Yeonhwa, and Hoshimiya Kaede were also in the midst of attacking a village of Grand Apes.
The tide of battle was flowing to the players who quickly launched a surprise attack without giving the creatures a chance to counterattack.
The fact that the monsters were living divided into several villages probably means there's no monster overseeing the entire group.
Ryu Yeonhwa who mainly fought the 5th tier Grand Apes with the highest rank in the village.
By the time Ryu Yeonhwa took down the last Grand Ape, the situation had already entered a lull.
She quietly watched the players cleaning up, then shifted her gaze elsewhere.
There was a hut of the creatures.
It's just like watching primitive tribes living.
...They're like humans.
A hut woven with branches and grass.
Below the hut, a wooden board had fallen.
Intricate patterns were carved on the wooden board.
It was a part that showed the ape-type monsters' hand skills were quite good.
"..."
A scene just like looking at the Neolithic Age.
Ryu Yeonhwa was lost in thought.
Soon she picked up a bone necklace that had fallen on the ground, which the Grand Ape had been wearing just before.
"They even made things like this."
Various animal teeth were strung on a cord woven with stems.
Ryu Yeonhwa stared at the necklace for a while, marveling at the monsters' craftsmanship.
But that was only for a moment.
"This is..."
While examining the necklace for a while.
Her face gradually hardened.
She discovered a particularly square tooth among the sharp teeth.
No matter how she looked at it─.
"─This doesn't seem to be an animal bone."
It looked just like a human tooth.
With that thought, she examined the bone the Grand Ape had just been using as a weapon.
A weapon that looked like a thighbone.
It was too long to be an animal bone.
It looked like a human leg had been torn off.
"..."
It was just chilling.
It felt like goosebumps were rising on her arms.
She gently put down the necklace she was holding.
At that moment─.
"Hey, you do it."
"Why are you telling me to do this? Then you kill it."
""""..."
The sound of an argument was heard.
Ryu Yeonhwa turned her gaze.
Players and Pandora Clan new recruits were gathered on one side.
She moved her steps towards them, wondering what was going on.
"What's the matter?"
"Ah, Senior Yeonhwa. It's not that..."
She asked the new guardian.
Then she cast her gaze into the space the people were surrounding.
"Please... spare us..."
""""..."
There was an ape-type monster.
A monkey-shaped monster about the size of a forearm.
An ape that seemed to be 8th tier was speaking while tightly hugging each other.
They were begging for their lives using human language, albeit clumsily.
"They were hiding inside the hut. So we were going to kill them but... They look just like children..."
The new guardian explained.
Only then could she understand what the people gathered there were hesitating about.
"Don't... kill us..."
"Please spare us..."
""""..."
The opponents were monsters that needed to be killed.
Nevertheless, their appearance that looked like children seemed to make them hesitate.
Ryu Yeonhwa could understand their feelings.
Although they received mental education at the Academy not to feel guilty about killing monsters, it was unavoidable.
How could one calmly kill when the monsters didn't show any monstrous appearance at all, and were using human language to beg for their lives?
Nevertheless, because they were beings that had to be killed.
They were trying to pass the responsibility to each other.
At that moment─.
"─Euna unni! Hurry over here!"
There was an old mountain lodge near the village.
Hoshimiya Kaede burst out of there, flinging the door open.
She was holding something in both arms and calling for Noh Euna at the top of her lungs.
People's gazes couldn't help but be drawn to her.
And what she was holding was─.
"─There's still breath! The condition is very critical so hurry and treat her!"
It was an emaciated-looking woman.
The woman had her eyes closed as if she had lost consciousness.
An arm so thin it looked sickly was drooping outside the blanket.
The people present were startled and rushed over to her.
Noh Euna, who had been commanding players, also quickly ran to Kaede.
"Everyone please step back. Where did you find her? Consciousness?"
"I found her inside the lodge. It seems she's been starving for several days. Consciousness... she just lost it when she saw me."
"Okay, I got it! Can someone bring some water!"
"And the ankle area is serious."
"The ankle? Let me see. This is..."
""""..."
Kaede put the woman down on the ground and.
Euna pushed people away and removed the blanket that was on the woman's body.
Her clothes were very tattered.
With blood stains here and there, it seemed she had been abused by those creatures.
And as Kaede said, she examined the woman's ankle.
The heel was caked with dried blood.
Noh Euna frowned.
"─The tendon is cut?"
""""...!!""""
The ankle tendon was cut.
The people present couldn't help but understand what that meant.
Those creatures had cut the ankle tendon to prevent the woman from escaping.
"Damn those bastards."
"There might be more people! You guys search the surroundings thoroughly!"
"Hey! Kill those things quickly!"
All the players were enraged and.
Only then did the people who had been shaken by the 8th tier apes get angry and walk towards the creatures.
They gripped their weapons and.
"Please spare... Kieek...!!"
"How dare you bastards imitate humans! Disgusting creatures!!"
Thwack thwack thwack, swinging their weapons.
They beat the monsters to death as they made sounds like children crying.
The monsters who had been begging for their lives gradually couldn't withstand their attacks and their breathing stopped one by one.
The Pandora Clan new recruits were also mixed among them.
That day, they newly realized that monsters were beings that couldn't be associated with.
☆
Opportunities to face 5th tier monsters are rare.
Eunha showed hell to the new recruits while waiting for other players to clean up the village.
Still, there's a taste to working them.
If it were the kids, they would have protested to me saying they couldn't do it, but these guys at least don't protest.
Is it because of the rank and age difference?
Although he threatened them saying he'd work them harshly enough for their arms to fall off.
Eunha adjusted the pace while examining the new recruits' conditions.
By the time the players finished cleaning up the village─.
─Revolver Thorn
Eunha killed the Grand Ape that had served as a practice opponent for the new recruits.
The creature that met its death being pierced by a huge thorn at the end turned back and looked at Eunha resentfully.
Eunha read the creature's gaze that looked betrayed but didn't care.
Who keeps promises made with monsters?
Promises are made between humans in the first place, not with monsters.
Some players watching them looked at Eunha like he was an evil spirit but.
No one said anything.
It was quite ambiguous whether it was behavior that should be criticized.
Moreover, it was strange for them to take the monster's side and pick on Eunha.
Only Yeowoobi spoke.
"Anyway, you're really evil..."
That was the end.
She didn't say anything more either and.
Eunha approached the new recruits who were sitting down covered in dirt.
"Are you alive?"
""""..."
Including Oh Seonghwan.
The new recruits were silent.
They were too exhausted to speak after desperately rolling to survive and.
They couldn't pour out their complaints to the Clan Lord.
"These guys haven't rolled enough..."
""""We're perfectly alive!!""""
"Anyone injured? If so, quickly go get treated by Woobee noona."
""""Thank you!!!""""
When Eunha was about to say they hadn't rolled enough.
The new recruits reacted immediately.
They answered in resounding voices.
Eunha chuckled seeing the new recruits answer with stiff bodies.
"Senior Minji was right. I should have believed when I first heard the Clan Lord's personality was psycho..."
"You heard that too? I heard it too..."
"Who did you hear it from?"
"Senior Subin and Senior Eunhyuk."
"Senior Hayang didn't say that... She said he's a blunt person but infinitely warm to his people..."
"Now I understand why Noh Eunha's squad was so strong."
"Those seniors must have suffered for 3 years, no, 6 years."
""""Sigh...."""
When Eunha turned his body.
The new recruits whispered among themselves.
Only then could they shatter the illusions they had of Eunha and face reality.
And realizing their situation, they couldn't help but sigh.
Because a future of being worked to death by Eunha after joining Pandora Clan without knowing better loomed before them.
At that moment─.
"─Pandora Clan Lord! There's one more Grand Ape inside the lodge! It seems to be overrank! We just entered combat but it looks like we'll need your help!"
A player who had gone into the lodge came out and shouted.
Tension returned to the players' faces.
The new recruits sitting on the ground also gripped their weapons and stood up.
"It must have been hiding while suppressing its presence. But other villages only had one overrank, why are there two here?"
Reports were coming in constantly from players carrying out operations in other villages.
When he compared their reports, it seemed their attacked village was unusual.
Is it because it's the largest among the villages?
Anyway, we need to finish quickly so we can attack other villages as soon as we're done here.
Eunha organized his thoughts.
He spoke while walking towards the lodge.
"Tell the people who went inside. It will be difficult to fight in the cramped space so tell them to drag it outside. No, Dambi you relay it through telepathy."
"Yes! Clan Lord!"
Eunha ordered Seo Dambi.
She who was following behind immediately answered and was about to send telepathy to the people fighting inside.
Right at that moment─.
─Kuooooooo!!
Such a sound erupted from the approaching lodge.
The sound of an ape roaring loudly.
The forest shook greatly as birds in the mountains flew up.
And a moment after the sound was heard, the lodge exploded.
"─It came out on its own."
The lodge was destroyed and.
The players inside were thrown out and.
An ape with a huge body landed on the ground with a thud from inside the lodge.
☆
The creature was very angry.
It was threatening the players while revealing its presence as it was.
"Is it threatening us not to approach if we don't want to die or something?"
Its behavior was exactly like that.
Eunha couldn't help but sneer.
The creature's aim was clear.
It was to make the players pointing weapons at it clear out on their own.
It was a battle of nerves.
"Come close, I kill."
""""..."
"I, don't want, kill humans. Let me... go, like this."
Speaking human language clumsily.
The creature appealed.
Hearing those words, some players hesitated for a moment.
Those who had been overwhelmed by the creature's pressure were tempted by its words.
To this, Eunha─.
─Winter Blooming Coldly
Idiots, he thought.
Eunha cursed those who momentarily fell for the monster's words.
Then he scattered flower petals around as if there was nothing more to see.
Deep red petals that fell from the snow-white blade fluttered everywhere.
As if it had never happened, the petals cleanly blew away all the pressure that had been weighing down the surroundings.
Right after that─.
─Tyrant Paddock
Yoo Namhun rushed forward.
He who moved first among the players aimed for the back of the overrank Grand Ape.
"Don't, come!!"
The Grand Ape swung its fist.
Yoo Namhun immediately jumped from his position to avoid the creature's attack.
At the same time, the poison on his sword dripped onto the creature's head.
Sizzle
The toad poison took effect and.
The creature stupidly flailed its arms while protecting its head.
Meanwhile, he who landed on the ground rushed at the creature again and─.
─One Point Breakthrough
Eunha charged aiming for when the creature's attention was diverted.
A gust created from the endpoint of Winter Blooming Coldly enveloped Eunha in a drill shape, creating a wind spear.
A charge skill.
Eunha pierced the creature's side.
Although the creature reacted quickly, its bulky body seemed unable to keep up with its reflexes.
Holy Shield
Wind Veil
Soon Yeowoobi's support.
Protective magic enveloped Eunha, and the fist the creature swung reflexively was blocked.
Wind blew in from somewhere, increasing the movement speed and defense of the two.
It wasn't just her.
Mana Crusher
Energy Ball
Dealers, casters.
Other players joined in and attacked the creature.
"No! Don't, do it!!"
Although the creature was 5th tier overrank.
It couldn't withstand people's attacks in a wide open space.
No matter how sturdy a body it has, it will break if beaten.
Even if the creature raised both arms to guard, it couldn't block all the bullets, and then the dealers' swords cut into its body as it faltered.
In the end─.
─Thud
Unlike its intimidating presence just before.
The creature that couldn't withstand the attacks in the end fell to its knees on the ground.
Only then did the barrage of magic stop.
Soon the creature planted its head on the ground.
It wasn't collapsing.
It was a gesture of surrender.
"Please... spare, me."
""""..."
A monster speaking human language.
The creature curled up its body and murmured.
The players were flustered by this unprecedented situation and didn't know what to do.
They just maintained their state of aiming guns at the creature.
As if they would kill it right away if it made any false moves.
But unlike their thoughts, the creature just begged desperately.
"Baby, in stomach."
""""..."
The creature slowly raised its head.
Then it pointed at its stomach.
Its stomach was swollen.
The players furrowed their brows at the sight of the creature speaking as if sobbing.
"Baby, in stomach."
When the players were silent.
The creature prostrated itself again.
It was shameless, outrageous, laughable, useless emotional manipulation.
But the unexpected behavior was clearly working on the players.
They hesitated and couldn't readily approach the creature.
""""..."
Just aiming their swords.
Only conflicted.
They looked at each other's reactions.
Each of them was hoping the other would end the monster's life instead of themselves.
In that situation─.
─Thud
Eunha took a step.
He walked steadily towards the creature that was bigger than himself.
The creature's gaze stopped on Eunha.
Soon it moved its lips.
Crude words came out haltingly.
"Please, show, mercy."
""""..."
"Mercy..."
A monster asking for mercy.
The creature begged while touching its stomach.
"Mercy..."
Eunha laughed dryly.
At the word mercy so unlike a monster.
He couldn't help but laugh.
"Mercy, mercy..."
Eunha repeated the words he heard several times, finding them strange.
Meanwhile, the players were waiting for Eunha's orders.
The creature also seemed to have realized who could now decide its life or death.
It looked only at Eunha.
And Eunha─.
"─Mercy is something the strong bestow. Not something the weak give."
""""..."
As if it wasn't even funny.
He stopped laughing and said.
Winter Crawling with Snow emitted light.
"And we are the weak ones."
Eunha was dumbfounded.
He never expected to hear a monster of all things beg for mercy.
It was an impossible thing.
In a world where monsters exist.
Humans were thoroughly weak.
No matter how much magic they learned and became stronger, the fact that humans were weak didn't change.
While we're off guard, it's us who die to you, so what mercy do we have to give to you creatures.
The players and new recruits hesitating now may be mistaken but.
If the monster before their eyes doesn't die, it's they who will die.
Monsters and humans.
Beings that crave mana and humans could never be in a coexisting relationship.
There can absolutely never be coexistence.
Eat or be eaten.
In this world, there was only the situation of choosing one or the other.
Therefore─.
"─How can you hesitate over this? Of course you have to kill before being killed."
Violent Venom
The blade turned pitch black.
Eunha stabbed his sword into the swollen belly before the creature could even react.
Poison that causes blood poisoning began to invade the creature's body and.
Eunha moved his sword as it was.
Then he sneered.
"─See, where's the lie? You ate quite a lot. This is why I don't trust you."
Eunha raised the corners of his mouth and.
Swung his sword down hard.
The creature whose belly was split open, spilling its contents on the ground, moved its mouth.
"If I, hadn't, just filled, my stomach... I would have, chewed and, eaten, something like you..."
"That's right. Your gluttony brought about your downfall."
Whether the creature cursed or not.
Eunha watched its death.
That day, the players rescued 1 survivor and completely annihilated the monsters.