Chapter 19

#019 Chapter

It had only been a day since they bought the horse…!

“Oh, damn it! What was that?!”

Before Miguel’s scream even ended, Ian kicked off the ground.

In a single breath, he dashed to the carnivorous tree and disappeared among the dense leaves, leaping over branches.

Rustle—Crack! Crunch—!

The entire tree convulsed, and a terrifying roar followed.

A moment later, a large something fell to the ground below.

Ian, who landed lightly, piercing through the leaves, picked it up and approached.

He soon threw the lump in front of the group.

“Rusola, my God….”

Philip, who had been watching in a trance, finally sighed.

It was the mouth that had chewed the horse’s head. The horse’s head, half-crushed, was still inside, and a dark red liquid oozed from the severed cross-section.

“A tree with a mouth. What kind of damn monster is this?”

Ian just shrugged.

Originally, monsters tainted by the madness of the Black Wall were often species never seen before.

Miguel, who had been sitting on the ground, staring at the mouth, turned his gaze back to Ian.

“You said it wouldn’t attack unless we touched it…? My neck almost got cut off.”

“…I thought so too.”

Ian wiped the blood from his face with his palm and added,

“It seems to react to external stimuli like sound.”

“External, what…? Anyway, does that mean we shouldn’t make any noise from now on?”

“Rather, it’s a good thing. I won’t have to hear your chatter.”

Ian turned his body, replying calmly. He approached the horse’s corpse and picked up the saddlebag.

He handed one to Mev.

“Since it’s like this, we need to transfer the load.”

“Yeah, I get it….”

She took the bag with her left hand and quickly switched it to her right, placing it on the saddle.

Ian looked at her, tilting his head.

“Is there a problem?”

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

In that case. Ian shrugged and added,

“We need to change the formation. These things might keep appearing.”

“That’s a good idea. Let’s do it.”

“Philip, you take the rear. Miguel, you go in front of Philip.”

Philip, who had the horse, stood behind Ian, and Miguel, who was alone, stood in front of Mev.

It was a formation to protect the two.

Miguel said awkwardly,

“Do I really have to lead? I’m fine, but I’m supposed to be the guide….”

“I’ll just need you to tell me if I go the wrong way.”

Ian added, looking around the path.

“We’ll move through the night as quickly as possible. We won’t be able to sleep tonight anyway.”

Actually, he wanted to go find the source of the contamination.

But the mission was a priority, so he had to postpone it.

‘We should be back in no more than ten days. Nothing dramatic will change in that time.’

Just as Ian was about to take a step,

“Ian.”

Mev suddenly spoke.

“Yes?”

“It seemed like the contamination hadn’t been around for long.”

“…That’s right.”

“Then, if we act now, we might be able to find the root of the contamination without much difficulty?”

Ian turned back and asked,

“Are you serious?”

Philip, who seemed to think the inevitable had arrived, was in the corner of Ian’s vision, while Mev’s voice continued.

“Of course. We can’t just let this contamination spread.”

“…”

Ian thought for a moment whether this was out of patriotism or a sense of duty as a messenger of Tir En.

Either way, it was a significant decision.

Especially since it involved the lives of his kin.

Is this the Dark Age style?

Impressed inwardly, Ian nodded.

“If that’s your wish….”

It was something he had secretly hoped for.

With Mev, it would take no more than half a day at most.

“What? Hold on. What are you saying?”

Miguel suddenly interjected.

Philip, who had been standing next to him, turned to Ian.

“You’re suddenly changing the route? And going into this damn forest?”

“Yeah.”

“What…? Do you know how many monsters there are? And why me? I was hired to guide you to the Tomb Forest!”

“I apologize for the sudden decision, Miguel.”

Mev interjected calmly.

Miguel blinked, looking doubtful.

“Huh…?”

“I’ll pay you additional compensation later. You won’t get hurt or injured. I promise.”

Miguel slowly turned around.

His muttering voice continued.

“If you say so, my lord….”

His voice was subdued, as if moved.

Ah, that guy still doesn’t know his fate.

Ian added with a smirk.

“Just hold the torch.”

“So, do you have a way to find it?”

“There is a way….”

Ian’s gaze turned to the forest.

In that brief moment, a faint gleam appeared in his eyes.

Magic detection. His sixth sense, a unique trait, awakened, making his hair stand on end.

A new world unfolded before him.

The contaminated roots spreading like blood vessels underground.

The grass and trees mutating from within.

The pulsating waves of magic spreading.

Following the center of the rings, Ian’s gaze moved toward the core.

“…Returning to this path after finishing the job will be a separate issue.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll take responsibility.”

At the response, Ian turned his head with a renewed look.

Miguel, with a grin, moved his facial scar.

“A hunter who can’t find his way in the forest isn’t a hunter. It’s no big deal.”

What a simple guy.

“That alone is worth the pay.”

Smirking, Ian finally took a step.

Into the forest, where a foreboding shadow loomed.

The group’s movement inevitably slowed down.

There was no set path, and the trees, grass, and vines were becoming increasingly dense.

Moreover, as if to prove that Ian’s guidance was correct, carnivorous trees blocked their way.

However, they were not a significant threat.

Ian deliberately ran into the range of the tree’s attack.

The mouth of the carnivorous tree always aimed for Ian’s head.

Crack!

It was easily defeated.

Knowing it only aimed for the head, all he had to do was time his upward slash.

If they were fully grown, it would have been a different story.

But since they were not yet fully mutated, this response was enough to split the mouth.

However, even amidst Ian’s efforts, the group’s tension did not ease.

It was because the sun had set.

The darkness in the forest was of a different density.

Philip and Miguel each held a torch, but it barely pushed back the darkness.

Ian could navigate the darkness without much trouble, but the others could not.

“No sound of insects….”

Miguel muttered, shining the torch around.

Ian replied indifferently.

“You’ll soon miss this silence.”

Miguel spat out, looking disgusted.

“Please be careful with your words. You don’t know that saying ominous things can make them come true?”

“That’s why I said it.”

“Huh…?”

“Since we’ll face them anyway.”

“What? Of course, we should try to delay it as much as possible—.”

Rustle!

The sound of the wind swallowed Miguel’s voice and swept around.

But both Miguel and Philip froze at the sound.

It was only a sound; no wind was blowing.

“…That’s why superstitious people can’t help but be superstitious.”

Slowing his pace, Ian drew his sword.

Rustle!

The sound of the wind came again.

This time, it was not just a sound.

The grass and trees, illuminated by the torch, began to sway.

Crack, rustle, crack!

Then, the ground, including the roots of trees and the earth beneath, began to rise.

“Oh… crazy….”

Miguel sighed.

He had expected at most half-rotten goblins and kobolds shuffling along.

But what appeared now was incomparably bizarre.

Their bodies were horrifically twisted, entangled with roots and vines.

Some had strange mushrooms growing on their eyes or heads.

They were not large, only reaching Miguel’s waist.

But that made them even more ominous.

“Ghoul… right?”

Philip muttered, dazed.

Ian snorted.

“Anyway, they’re all dead. These are just Cordyceps.”

“Cordyceps… what?”

“Follow slowly. Don’t stop.”

With that, he launched himself forward.

In an instant, he reached the nearest host, a goblin, and swung his sword.

Crack!

The goblin’s head split open.

The exact spot where the roots entangled its body.

Thud. The body, deprived of its core, collapsed.

The roots on the ground, like tentacles, twitched.

Rustle!

The other parasitic plants began to sway in unison.

The movement of the hosts changed instantly.

Squeal! Squeal!

They all turned to Ian and charged like beasts.

Swoosh!

Ian cut down another charging host, rolled on the ground, and disappeared into the darkness beyond the reach of the torch.

Scream!

The hosts, covered in writhing plants, charged after him.

“Rusola….”

Miguel, staring into the darkness where the sounds of wind, impacts, and slicing echoed, muttered in a daze.

“Don’t lose your wits, Miguel.”

It was Mev who snapped him out of it.

She, already with her sword drawn, handed Miguel the reins.

“Follow Ian’s lead and move slowly. Don’t stop.”

“To that side? Then, what about you…?”

Miguel, asking dazedly, was cut off by Mev.

“I’ll take the rear. Otherwise, we’ll be completely surrounded.”

“…!”

Miguel, eyes wide, naturally turned his gaze to the rear and sides.

The writhing darkness and the sound of the wind.

“What are you standing there for? Didn’t you hear my lord? Follow me!”

Philip, scolding, began to move forward.

“…Damn it.”

Miguel, looking at Mev’s back for a moment, also took a step.

Philip’s advance was not fast.

But Miguel did not urge him at all.

The monstrous sounds and the sound of the wind had no distance, and the horrific scenes were right before his eyes.

The corpses of goblins and goblins, reeking of decay, scattered around. The remains of the plants and vines that had fed on them. The severed mouths of carnivorous trees.

Using these as landmarks, Philip, cutting through the grass, looked brave.

“Rusola, please watch over this mortal with your radiant light….”

Even though he was muttering non-stop in a voice that sounded like he was about to cry.

“…!”

Miguel, following behind, suddenly widened his eyes.

The bundle of vines, lying on the ground, began to twitch as Philip approached.

“Oh, aah?!”

The vines instantly entangled Philip’s legs. The horse neighed and Philip screamed as he fell.

Smack!

Miguel, rushing over, struck the vines with his torch.

“Let go! You damn thing!”

He wildly beat the vines and Philip’s legs, entangled by the vines.

Surprisingly, it worked.

The vines began to twitch convulsively as they touched the fire.

“Let go! Right now! You bastard!”

Miguel struck the torch mercilessly.

“Aah, aah! Aaaah!”

Philip’s screams grew louder.

At some point, it was not because of the vines but because of the beating.

“Stop! Aah! I’m letting go! I’m letting go!”

The beating continued even after the vines released his legs, only ending when Philip shouted in a frenzy.

Miguel, panting, muttered.

“So, just a plant, damn….”

His voice was oddly relieved.

Looking at the sprawled Philip, he added,

“Are you okay?”

“…Do I look okay?”

“You don’t seem injured. That’s fortunate.”

Miguel smiled and extended his hand. Philip, looking at it for a moment, swallowed and grabbed it.

Miguel added calmly,

“I did it to save you, understand?”

“You seemed like you were trying to kill me….”

Ignoring his voice, Miguel burned the sprawled vines.

“Do you have any oil? Bring it out. These things seem to burn well.”

Philip quickly rummaged through the saddlebag and moved forward.

Miguel followed closely.

Both had the reins looped under one arm and held the oil bag and torch in their hands.

“…You really are a mercenary.”

Miguel snorted at Philip’s sudden comment.

“Did you think I wasn’t one until now?”

“Well… you’re different from our mercenary lord in many ways.”

“Damn. If you compare me to that guy, anyone would be.”

Miguel, chuckling, took in the scene before him again.

An endless parade of corpses.

“How many people can do something like this alone? Are there so many in the borderlands?”

“Certainly… but that’s true.”

Philip fell silent.

There was no more conversation.

Despite the numerous corpses.

The sound of the wind still swept around, and the sounds of impacts, monstrous cries, and battle cries were the same.

How far had they advanced, intermittently burning the moving parasitic plants?

Crack! Crunch!

Ian, striking the head of a host, was faintly visible under a tree.

“Phew….”

He straightened up and turned to Miguel and Philip.

His body was covered in rotten blood and entrails.

Annoyance was evident as he wiped the blood from his face.

Just as he thought this made him look more like a monster,

“Hey, bro! On your side!”

Miguel, extending his hand, shouted.

Immediately, Ian moved again.

Squeal!

The goblin, its vines swaying, charged at Ian and was struck in the head.

Crack! Snap!

At the moment Ian’s sword severed the goblin’s neck, it broke.

Ian threw the broken half of the sword at another approaching goblin and reached for his waist.

A new sword, as if by magic, appeared in his hand.

“…?!”

Miguel, blinking, saw that Ian had already beaten the goblin and straightened up.

“Cost-effectiveness is terrible….”

Ian, muttering inaudibly, turned his head.

Miguel then realized he was not looking at them but at the rear.

“…Finally.”

At the voice, Miguel finally turned around.

“…!”

His eyes widened.

A blue light was rising from the darkness beyond.

The blue light rapidly grew in size.

The full-body armor, enveloped in divine power, illuminated the forest like midday.

Thanks to this, Miguel finally saw the true form of the approaching monsters.

“Oh… crazy….”

An overwhelming number, easily exceeding a hundred.

The goblins and goblins, once the masters of the forest, were now hosts of parasitic plants, charging toward new potential hosts.

Swish!

Mev swung her sword at them.

Whoosh!

A blue arc swept through the forest.

Dozens of hosts, charging forward, were sliced in one go.

“Good Lord….”

Miguel’s mouth opened wide at the overwhelming sight.

“Should have used it earlier.”

Ian only clicked his tongue.

His voice was devoid of tension.

It was natural.

Now that Mev had started using divine power, the number of these hosts was meaningless.

If Ian used magic, it would be the same, but he needed to conserve his magic for the source of the contamination.

‘This is already extra work. Now, I’ll