A single swing of the girl's blade was enough to graze the giant werewolf's finger, causing it to fall back in the face of possible danger.
The sound of the sea presented itself as the mysterious woman swung her sword and adjusted her posture against another attack.
The hounds reacted with grunts and howls, calling for more allies against the downed halberdier and the exceptional swordswoman. Contrary to Jae-Hwa where the enemies were bold enough to go against her individually, this time they are actually scared to go against the beast woman with crimson hair.
With simple horizontal and vertical slashes, the hounds were cut one by one in their cervical bones, skulls smashed and body severed in half with one fell strike as if it was the most basic thing in the world to do.
As the mutts concentrated their attacks on the woman, a stray
"...Thank you..."
"Enough with the pleasantries, just smell that already."
Contrary to what used to be a shy and nostalgic voice had now transformed into something similar to an angry aunt's scolding.
For some reason unknown to Jae-Hwa, the woman that resembled Marni turned cold after their last interaction, even showing a clear hint of anger towards her.
Although that bothered her, there was no other way around it but to listen to the swordswoman.
Even if she wanted to, her body didn't allow her to move anything but her arms and head. Her ribs hurt like it was living hell, definitely feeling something cracked that stopped her from getting up.
Slowly, but steadily, the halberdier dragged her body using every ounce of strength left in the frails arms that trembled incessantly while gazing to the battle as drops of blood interrupted her vision from time to time.
Upon reaching the bag filled with countless tiny yellow grains, her fingers extend until some grab onto her skin, just enough to feel the arid sensation that for some reason was fading away as time progressed.
A couple of the grains reached her nostrils painfully, slowly, but upon just catching a whiff of the substance, a stinging burning sensation filled her nose and her body contorted until she was curled like a hedgehog from the pain of smelling something so horrid.
Yes. Even the young woman herself was surprised at how quick her whole body moved without feeling any pain despite the injuries and yet that thought was left to the side as her nose afflicted her even more.
"What— what is this...?"
The fencer indirectly protecting the downed halberdier looks back, affording to keep her attention away from the battle due to how easy it was.
"Revigorating Dust. It's an item that completely heals your body conditions, although it messes with your sense of smell for some time and doesn't really recover any health. Basically smelling salts that recovers what the meds usually don't."
The air around the mysterious fencer was somewhat different. Although there wasn't anything different from the norm, for Jae-Hwa it was as if she was looking at the embodiment of a blade, slashing through the rotting meat and bones of her opponents while balancing her arms and legs in a beautiful dance, using her whole body like the sword she wields.
As she spins and twirls, dancing elegantly like a ballerina in the middle of the battlefield, her body arches back without falling, letting her very long hair touch the ground and a puddle of pure mystical water to start forming in a spot where no moisture or humidity resided.
The woman's expression was impossible to be known, her lips remained sealed in neutrality and her eyes were veiled by a dark cloth. Only through her words the annoyance made itself obvious.
"This is a tad too much. Even I have limits, after all."
From the tip of her blade touching the water created by her, a jet of endless water started to spill as her hand pointed it towards the blood moon that covered the sky in its ominous red light.
A couple of seconds and no one attacks, even the enemies had become fazed by her beautiful performance. As she lowers her weapon to the point it covers the woman's face, the Skull Hounds surround her, ready to attack.
Now that Jae-Hwa had sacrificed her nose for the burning pain that was starting to reach her eyes, her body's movement had improved and was finally able to sit, holding to her weapon while still being numb all over, as a side effect.
She was now able to see the beast woman in all her glory, feeling the pressure that was accumulating in the swordswoman's blade as it became sharper with the accumulated water.
Crouching down slightly, the fencer places the position of her longsword to a horizontal stance. Then, as the enemies leaped forward targeting her head all at the same time, the graceful dancer performed a clockwise pirouette, balancing her weapon to her front, perfectly still as it sliced the hounds without much effort and left a veil of water around her that remains held in time.
After doing a full circle, she sheathes her weapon and time progressses once again on the water, letting it fall like afternoon rain as she uttered some words, loud enough for the halberdier behind her to listen.
"
"...I will help."
Jae-Hwa slowly rises, holding onto her halberd as her whole body trembles from the numbness.
"Then tell me, what can you do with your body in that state?"
It was now that the battle had calmed down and the mysterious girl looked at her that she was able to see her appearance with more accuracy.
Although in her face there was a black cloth with embroidery on the borders covering her eyes, it seemed unnecessary as her crimson bangs covered most of that zone.
Since her hair was so long that it covered most of her body, she didn't notice the scarce armor that protected her body, hidden by a black mantle.
She merely had a metal chestplate, most likely nanite due to its silver color and a top beneath it, an ashen blue long skirt covering her lower half with tights and plated boots. Despite that, her skin was exposed, albeit some blue gloves that covered until her forearms.
It was clear that this person was not Marni, be it due to her more busty figure or mature vibe, but the resemblances were enough for them to be related.
That only made her more worried, however, since on her head, adorning the hair near her mighty wolf ears is a black hairpin with the shape of a wolf's head, the same that resides in her inventory.
"In some seconds—"
What should be the heat of battle turned into a moment of weakness once again, knowing that there wasn't much that she could possibly do but to be a nuisance.
Compared to the mysterious woman, she wasn't recovered enough to freely move just as before, but the feeling of helplessness that keeps overwhelming Jae-Hwa is something she simply cannot accept any longer.
Even if it was through lies or forced movements, she had to do something and stop being useless.
"In some seconds, I will be okay to battle again... My weapon has the sacred element and I have quite some skills that can contribute to the battle."
The greaceful lady turns her back on her once more, this time just keeping her attention to the rare enemy that was starting to rampage while saying words that cut like sharp knives.
"In the case you happen to hinder me more than you help, I will be the one to personally add to your injuries."
With a simple jump forward, the beastwoman reaches the monster and immediately starts attacking it.
Jae-Hwa could not see beyond the covered eyes, but she still felt fear run down her spine at the thought that someone would be able to threaten to kill a human so easily.
It was obvious that her word were serious.
With a single vertical crescent swing of her light blue longsword, sharp water flowed from the blade's edge, forcing the enemy to retreat its steps, falling to the ground after tripping on a root.
"
Her words packed strength, showing clear results through the beauty of her skills.
Just how many did she have? How strong were they? A resident of this world, not even a player, to be so strong — that and more were topics Jae-Hwa wanted to explore and question, but helping with the battle came first.
Dragging her polearm on the dirt and occasional mud of the forest until the weight finally became manageable, she blinked twice with all the strength contained in her body and shaked the worry away with her head.
In the next couple of seconds that followed, the halberdier joined into the fight searching for an open space. Upon finding a strike zone on her left, her foot dragged itself forward until it was planted on the ground unmovable and with an upwards sudden attack, removed two fingers from the
ENEMY HEALTH: 98/135
It's below a hundred health now, but then my health...
HEALTH: 87/150
...It has also seen better days. I better heal first.
Retreating with the impact of her halberd on the ground, she materializes two of the medical rectangular syringes, one
After injecting both into her body, she was ready for battle once again with a hundred and thirty-seven health, although still indecisive about what her next actions should be.
As her mind wondered, the mysterious swordswoman kept attacking. Despite the countless attacks she performed, only some seemed to do some damage, but then just as Regg' Dob had said, without a sacred element, it would be easier to guess who would go down first than to actually do it.
"You, pipsqueak!"
"Do not call me that!"
As the woman retreated as well for a moment of conversation, it seemed she had ran out of optimal decisions already.
"Never call me that again! I have a name, it's Cho Jae-Hwa!"
Disregarding her words, both start running towards different paths due to the werewolf lauching its giant fist towards them.
"Whatever. Can you make the bastard's flesh show up? I need something more vulnerable or else we will just be stuck here for who knows how long."
"...Sure, but I need to catch it off guard or else my skill won't hit."
With a grin in the corners of her lips, the beastwoman comes to a halt, holding her sword up in the air like one would with a rapier. Jae-Hwa follows right behind her.
"That's easy to do.
Creating water ripples in the air, the moment the rare foe steps into range, she thrusts foward and a gentle explosion of liquid causes the monster to lose its balance.
Following her movement with the help of
As the explosion occurred, she quickly moved to the side with enough distance and the stream of water returned to the sword, this time being impaled on a giant puddle of water that was most likely created by the beastwoman's skill.
After some time, the liquid emerges and two clones identical to her pushed forward as soon as their forms had been completed. Two slashes of each clone vanished into puddles after cutting further into the burning meat of the horrendous mutt, then finishing her performance with an attack of her own.
"
Crouching down and placing her weapon horizontally, Jae-Hwa instantly recognized the move, now contemplating it again in full glory.
As a stream of liquid formed in the tip of her blade and spreading onto the rest of her longsword, the woman simply directed it in front of her, digging into the flesh wound of the beast.
With a swift and precise clockwise pirouette accompanied by a slash, she managed to cut most of its body, leaving only the spine connecting both parts of the body.
For a moment, still rain poured on her surroundings and a surprise opened her eyes.
ENEMY HEALTH: 3/135
It's still alive!?
Both thought at the same time, but only one could react. For a reason unknown to the halberdier, the gorgeous dancer remained in position, barely able to move or flee, much less attack.
As fast as possible, Jae-Hwa balanced her halberd with both her hands and like a mighty lumberjack sank the axe head into the rare enemy's heart.
Moments after, the enemy explodes into particles of dust.
—CONGRATULATIONS————————
+ 30 EXP
CREDITS: +15
DROPPED ITEM(S): Bone x2, Skull x1, Silver Pelt x2, Crest of Rage x1
—LEVEL UP—————————————
The moon returns to the calming shine it usually has and the sky stops bleeding from its light. Everything had returned to normal, besides the armed beast of a woman.
"You little..."
Exploding in rage where even her hair seems to be alive, the crimson lady now freed from her restraints points her sword directly at Jae-Hwa's throat, stopping with just enough distance to not cut into it.
"...You have the gal to do the last hit and get the rare drop, huh?"
"Wh—What might you mean? I was simply trying to protect you from the monster...!"
"Protect me? Ha! Don't make me laugh! Even if it hit me at full strength, I would have survived! This rare enemy is at most around level eight, I'm level thirteen! Don't joke with me!"
It was true that she seemed far stronger than anyone Jae-Hwa had seen, but that doesn't excuse her reactions over something even the halberdier didn't quite understand.
"I see now... You're strong for this domain, but you're still a newbie... Listen to me well, rare enemies and rulers have certain rarer items that they drop under two conditions: Either have the most contribution in battle or deal the last attack that kills it.
So now, since the chance is random and you didn't know it, give me it and I will consider not killing you."
It made sense, since Hyeong Hae was the one to get the rewards from Terazus, it was obvious she was not lying. But no matter how true or scary her threat was, it made ground for some kind of negotiations that Jae-Hwa was ready to risk.
"I can give it to you—" She said, readying her legs to start fleeing at any time. "—If you answer my questions."
As the blade in front of her starts moving, the halberdier stores her weapon in the inventory and jumps back with more mobility, avoiding the slash that was about to cut into her esophagus.
While leaping backwards into the woods, the crimson woman kept slashing forward, always trying to hit a vital spot of her prey's body.
"Now, now, there's no need to be so aggressive. I just want to know more about you."
"That is information I can't just give you. I'd rather have you dead."
The morning spartan runs were proving beneficial as she managed to run fast enough to not be caught, but that could not go forever, eventually. Instead, since she didn't seem eager to talk about herself, despite claiming to want have a lengthy conversation earlier, Jae-Hwa focused on a topic that would surely pull a reaction from her.
It's all or nothing...
"Then, why don't we talk about that rinan hairpin?"
"How do you know it's made of rinan metal!?"
Dodging a horizontal slash, she quickly manages to materialize the hairpin into her hand, showing it to the crazed wolf.
"Because I also have one."
Upon listening to her words, they both stop, one being ready to thrust her blade forward and the other to flee from there.
"You... How do you have that?"
Bingo! Time to activate my fake skill
"Someone gave it to me, a man in a hooded cloak, but he didn't say anything and just left."
It's quite a stretch but better than nothing...
"You met master!? Just how— No, it's possible, he does that sometimes."
The woman remains puzzled, questioning whether it was true, but still reluctantly sheathed her sword.
"Feeling ready to have a talk now? I'm Cho Jae-Hwa, and you?"
"Lila. Lila Flowcreyst. If master recruited you, then I can see why. Did he... Say anything?"
To not seem suspicious, she couldn't just say 'yes, he missed you' or something of the sort just to win her favor, but nevertheless, it is strange how she possesses a family name when Marni didn't have one.
Regardless of the questions bugging her mind, she needed to be careful in her answers.
"He said nothing, and his figure was also covered so I couldn't see him, but he did give me it."
"That's just like him... Then, I will guide you, so you can sort things out— Although, I have a question of mine. How did you know Marni's name?"
Lila tightened her fist, showing what could only be pain or remorse from her past.
"I met her, on the first domain. What is your relation to her?" Jae-Hwa asks, attempting to say it as nicely as she possibly could to ease her.
"She is my dear little sister, that was abandoned because of the damn Forgotten One that we thought was trying to help us. Is she at least alright?"
"..." It was difficult to find an answer, not knowing whether to lie or tell the truth about the miserable system that is controlling her. "She... lost her friends, so I tried to help her... but she kept forgetting, I am sure that by now she also forgot me... Are you sure that you are her sister, though? I don't remember her having a family name."
Obviously, the wolf woman was not happy that her family links were being disregarded, but something else seemed to bother her that caused her fingers to trace the cloth covering her sight.
"That family name was given to my mother and then to me after she became property of a nobleman that resided in the tenth domain... The reason for Marni's forgetfulness is also related."
"What do you mean?"
The story was already creating a disgusting flavor in her mouth, but Jae-Hwa could only endure until it was over.
"Our blood is cursed, it's hereditary. The reason for my mother to be a property of someone, essentially just a sex slave is because of her curse
Lila makes a pause to clean the tears that subtly leave her eyes.
"If the curse is satisfied, she regenerates again and lives another day, so we both made the decision for her safety.
I also have one that affects my eyes... meanwhile, Marni has the curse of
Following some silence of the wildlife, Jae-Hwa returns to her questions after processing everything.
"Then, because you couldn't watch it any further, you tried to escape the first domain."
"Yes. As for my curse, Master found me and gave me a new way of life, along with this eye cover."
Lila touched it carefully, as if treasuring something precious, something that she would not dare to lose.
"Just knowing that she still exists is all I need." The wolf swordswoman added, with a gentle bittersweet smile.
As uncomfortable as she was, the halberdier could not back down on the conversation, as she wanted to get Lila out of the organization known as being filled with wrongdoers.
"Then, this group that helped you... What are they?"
Upon listening to her question, Lila Flowcreyst stores her weapon into the inventory and takes out a black cloak with the face of a wolf drawn on its back in white, showing it to Jae-Hwa.
"Even if you are scared, you are part of it, so you can't back down now. We are the assassin clan, Howling Claw."
Jae-Hwa's eyes widen in anger, not believing that it would be possible for anyone to be interested to do it in a world like this where danger lurks everywhere.
"An assassin clan!?"
"Don't worry, we don't do it that much, so you'll get used to it eventually. Today's objective was just to get the rare item or else I would have also killed when you were weak."
"Even then, there are monsters everywhere, why would there be a need for people to kill other people!?"
"..." Lila stood silent, just before asking the halberd user to take the cloak.
Jae-Hwa hesitated, worried about the hands filled with hypothetical blood that she could be nearly touching, but ended taking it and putting it on her body.
A slight sense of vomit overwhelmed her as her mind created a connection between the corpse of a victim and the black cloak that she is wearing.
"We don't kill just anyone and we can show you that. Put the pin on your hair and follow me. I will take you to our temporary base in this domain."
"Wait, what!?"
Out of reaction, she did as told, there was no other option at this point, but Jae-Hwa kept regretting her decision on her way.
Sinking herself so much into it that at any point she could explode and blow her cover.
Truth be told, what kind of man was their leader for Lila to adress him as master so passionately? Or for her to just accept her lies as if it was normal? It's not like Jae-Hwa was a good liar as well.
There was so much in her mind, but so little answers.
Just what did I get myself into!?
—CURRENT STATS——————————
PLAYER NAME: CHO JAE-HWA // LEVEL: 6 <0/210 EXP>
BLESSING: Phantasmagoria
TITLE: Giant Slayer
HEALTH: 137/160
DAMAGE: 45 (+28) // DEFENSE: 37 (+15) // ENERGY: 21/45
WEAPON: Ceremonial Nanite Halberd
ARMOR: Reinforced Hunter's Garb
ACTIVE SKILLS:
PASSIVE SKILLS:
CREDITS: 56