Chapter 44

The battle probably lasted for less than twenty minutes.

By the time I had defeated over thirty and counted forty monsters, my SP, which had already dipped into the danger zone, was nearly depleted, making it hard to breathe.

The monsters I had defeated kept being replenished, and including those I could see in my field of vision, I had already fought nearly sixty of them.

"Ahh..."

After throwing another Meteor Impact Zero to eliminate three monsters, I tried to dodge an Ice Ball that came flying from behind, but my body froze.

My SP had run out.

Upon impact, my HP, which had already been drastically reduced due to my low magic defense, predictably dropped below half, entering the danger zone.

Unlike when I had deliberately taken a hit head-on, I couldn't brace myself. The force of being blown away prevented me from taking any additional hits, but it also further reduced my HP.

SP, which can recover even during battle, is a fluid resource, but once it runs out, it apparently causes severe penalties.

This includes a period of complete immobility that makes the post-ability cooldown seem like a joke.

In most cases, unless you're fighting an extremely weak opponent, death is inevitable.

Ah, if only I had removed the "Lone Moon Azalea" before this, the penalty would have been halved.

I thought this, but unfortunately, my avatar's movements had completely stopped, and I couldn't even access the menu.

Colorful magic spells were closing in on me. The situation was completely hopeless.

In the midst of this, a single talisman floated into my field of vision.

"Seal Art: Demon-Banishing Barrier"

A high-pitched, sharp sound echoed, and a translucent purple semicircle spread out from me.

The semicircle absorbed all the incoming spells and continued to cover me.

"Phew... I'm glad I made it in time."

A woman in a kimono appeared, speaking in a light tone.

She had white hair and a tall stature, and a blue horn stood prominently on her forehead, indicating she was a demon clan member.

"I'll take care of the rest."

The woman, who had appeared suddenly, released a talisman from her sleeve and clapped her hands, chanting a spell.

"Seal Art: Thunder Array"

The talisman itself, not the sky, crackled with a loud popping sound. It began to envelop itself in lightning and, after a brief pause, exploded.

Not even a scream could be heard.

The monsters surrounding me were literally consumed by the lightning and vanished.

And if my eyes weren't deceiving me, the demon clan woman who had made a dramatic entrance was also caught in the lightning.

☆

"Are you alright?"

"Ahem... Ugh... The power is high, but the downside is that it can backfire if you don't set up a barrier. Still, I'm glad I could help you."

I couldn't help but ask, and the woman, adjusting her attire, replied.

I looked at her again. White hair, red eyes, a blue horn on her forehead—different from mine—and a black kimono. She didn't have any visible weapons.

And she didn't have an HP bar.

This meant she was an NPC, not a player.

"My name is Kohaku. I'm also a demon clan member."

"I'm Sukuna. Thank you for helping me."

"You don't need to be so formal. Besides, I was following you because I was curious after seeing you at the teahouse."

"Wh-What...?"

The demon clan NPC, Kohaku, declared herself a stalker with a smile, leaving me speechless.

"Are you blessed by the Demon God? That's the symbol of 'pure violence,' which is considered the most sacred by the demon clan."

Kohaku, blushing slightly, spoke with a look of curiosity in her eyes.

To think that the most sacred ideal of a race is pure violence.

Well, given their racial characteristics, it's not entirely surprising, but they might be a genuinely muscle-headed race.

I realized something from her reaction. The blessing of the Demon God she mentioned was probably not the hairpin but the job "Shinno."

I had forgotten, but that job has an effect of increasing the NPC demon clan's favorability.

And when I actually met Shuten Doji, I understood why the job "Shinno" was created.

This race, which worships him as a god, is the demon clan in this world.

"Here, drink this. It's an apology for not helping you sooner."

"Thank you."

I took the potion bottle she handed over, as if remembering something. If the system is correct, it's a "High Potion," an advanced potion.

When I drank it, I didn't notice much of a change in taste, but I could tell the recovery speed had significantly increased.

"Sukuna, would you like to come with me for a bit? I'd like to hear your story."

"Sure, I'd like to learn more about you too."

I nodded happily to her proposal while waiting for my HP to recover.

It was a rare opportunity to connect with a demon clan NPC. It would be a waste to turn it down.

I had many questions, like about those "Seal Arts."

"Great! Let's get out of this forest first."

"I was planning to do that anyway, so it's perfect."

"Alright, let's go."

Finally, in this game, I was able to interact with an NPC.

"I see, so you were the one who defeated that red wolf."

"Yeah, it was a really tough opponent."

"I was surprised to hear that the Wolf King's manifestation had been defeated, but it somehow makes sense."

As we progressed through the Demon Forest, we had a peaceful conversation.

The stream was still ongoing, but I had prioritized my interaction with Kohaku.

Kohaku was very beautiful, and the audience's reactions were very positive.

"The Wolf King's manifestation?"

"Yes. The Lone Red Wolf, Aria, is a phantom image of a single monster."

When I asked about the unfamiliar terms, Kohaku explained, raising her finger.

"The Wolf King of the Celestial Pivot, Requiem. One of the absolute beings in this world, said to be the closest to the power of a god."

Kohaku's eyes reflected both awe and admiration.

A mix of fear for an incredibly powerful being and admiration for something so powerful.

"The Lone Red Wolf, the Pack Black Wolf, and the Illusory White Wolf. According to legend, these three named monsters are all manifestations of the Wolf King. It is said that 'when the manifestation of the Wolf King is defeated, the path to the Wolf King will open.'"

"So, the three named monsters are the key?"

"That's what is believed. However, they have never been defeated, so the truth is uncertain."

The Pack Black Wolf and the Illusory White Wolf.

Aria being in the Starting City couldn't have been a coincidence.

From what Kohaku said, while it might not be common knowledge, it seems to be a well-known piece of information among NPCs.

The reason for placing one of the keys to the presumably strongest class monster, Requiem, in the Starting City.

I thought about it, but I couldn't come up with any ideas.

"By the way, I had never seen that proof before."

"Proof of a solo named monster slayer?"

"Yes, that gift from the gods. There are very few named monster slayers, but solo slayers are so rare that you can count them on one hand. The only one currently existing is the vampire hero, Melti of the Heavenly Eye."

I touched the proof at my chest, which reflected a blue light.

In a world without players, how many NPCs are capable of defeating named monsters?

NPCs have only one life. If they die, they disappear, unlike players.

They can't try and fail... and a solo named monster slayer is an extraordinary being, a true hero.

"Do you know that named monsters come in different types?"

"Are you talking about the number of people who can fight them?"

"Yes, that. The Lone Red Wolf, including solo slayers, has the characteristic of 'changing strength based on the opponent.' They never attack the weak. Therefore, they are also called 'Messengers of Trials' in this world."

I see. That explains why Aria, despite the level 60+ players, hadn't been defeated.

The idea that their strength changes based on the player's parameters is quite ruthless.

However, I felt a bit of a discrepancy in her explanation. The part about solo named monsters not attacking the weak.

"Wait, I was level 14 when I was attacked by Aria, who was level 28..."

"I've never heard of someone being challenged at such a low level... They are said to be able to identify the strong. For example, have you ever defeated hundreds of wolves without taking a single hit?"

"Umm..."

I have a pretty good idea...

"Watching your battle just now, I could tell. You, blessed by the Demon God, have an extraordinary sense of combat. The red wolf must have recognized this and challenged you."

Kohaku said this with a sigh, looking somewhat pleased.

I had a feeling, but Kohaku's gaze on me seemed to have more heat than a first meeting would suggest.

Was it because I was a "Shinno," inheriting the power of Shuten?

Or was it because I was a solo named monster slayer? I couldn't tell.

A small note:

When a solo named monster starts a battle, it grants a certain percentage of its stats based on the player's stats.

Levels are based on stats, so the level of a named monster itself isn't that important.

However, as players level up, they gain more skills and better equipment, while solo named monsters don't change much beyond their stats.

Therefore, leveling up and improving combat skills is the best way to defeat a solo named monster.

However, there is another reason why Aria hasn't been defeated.

That's all for the mini-explanation.