Saliva dripped from his gaping mouth. It was a symptom that only appeared when Ogreman went berserk.
Perhaps even more excited by the sight of the low-level monster, he wildly swung his club in the air.
Whoo-oong.
Each swing of the club produced a sound as if the air itself was being crushed.
The ringing that struck the ears was quite threatening.
I could sense it immediately.
The moment you got hit by that club, your entire body would be crushed beyond recognition.
'Aen against something like that...'
Suddenly, anger surged, and strength entered my fingertips.
'Get a grip.'
Now is not the time to be caught up in such emotions.
'Levil has long since joined Miracle.'
The speed of the enraged Ogreman was increasing even more.
At this rate, I'd be caught before I could escape the forest.
For a moment, I squeezed my eyes shut at the overwhelming feeling, then opened them.
'Stay calm.'
And I moved one hand behind my back to draw my spear.
I don't expect to be able to defeat Ogreman with this spear.
Foolish confidence only leads to death.
But.
'I can at least buy some time!'
I gripped the reins tightly with my remaining hand.
I braced myself firmly by squeezing my thighs and twisting my upper body.
I saw Ogreman, with his bloodshot eyes, drooling as he charged toward me.
Thump, thump- Thump!
The distance gradually closed.
My whole body trembled with instinctive fear.
I'm going to die.
I might really die.
'No.'
I won't die.
I won't die in the future either.
'Closer.'
A little more, just a little closer.
Just a little more...
'Now!!'
Whoo-oong-
The moment Ogreman brought his club down on me, I steered sharply, maneuvering the reins.
Koo-oong-!!
The club narrowly missed me, slamming down beside me, and the moment Ogreman's upper body leaned forward.
'Reach!'
I hurled the spear at Ogreman's eye with all my might.
And.
Poo-ook!
Uwooooaaack-!!
It hit perfectly.
The spear pierced right through Ogreman's eyeball.
Ogreman writhed in agony, swinging his club wildly.
I used that opportunity to increase my speed even more.
I can escape now!
But.
Thwack!
Crack-crack...
Thump!
Unfortunately, a tree that was hit by the club broke and blocked my path.
Hee-iing!
The galloping horse, startled, stopped abruptly.
My body lurched forward due to the sudden stop, and I tumbled to the ground.
"Augh..."
It hurts.
My whole body ached, but fortunately, the horse wasn't too tall, and I held onto the reins as I fell, so I wasn't seriously injured.
But that was where my luck ran out.
Uwooooaaa!!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The problem is that thing.
The swamp-colored giant was charging toward me, eyes pierced with a spear, dripping green bloody tears, ready to kill me.
I turned my head and looked at the log lying on the road.
I could climb over it, but I would surely be crushed by Ogreman's club that would arrive in the meantime.
"Haa..."
I sighed deeply and thought.
'How did things end up like this?'
Who would have expected it?
That a high-level monster would appear during a monster hunt.
I never dreamed that the very monster that had driven Aen to his death would now drive me to the edge of the cliff.
'It's hard.'
My body hurts too much.
'I want to rest.'
A strong urge to just sit down surged over me.
My stamina was already quite low from hunting low-level monsters.
Not only was I being chased by Ogreman, but I was also forced to attack, and I was in a state where even standing was a struggle.
My will is breaking.
Hope is fading.
But...
'When was it ever easy?'
Falling into the Abyss, making a contract with an evil god within it, and coming back here.
There hasn't been a single easy moment.
So...
'I won't give up.'
If I was going to give up here, I would have given up a long time ago.
I staggered to my feet.
"You should run away too."
I hit the horse's flank, which was lurking around me.
Startled, the horse looked at me and then ran away, avoiding the fallen log.
After confirming that the horse had escaped safely, I turned around and looked at the charging ogre.
Whoosh!
Then I turned and ran to the side.
It's a path away from the training grounds, but there's no choice.
The good thing is.
'I know the geography of this forest very well!'
The forest, called a maze by some, is like my front yard.
'Someone will tell them this news.'
It will take some time, but a subjugation party will come.
'I have to hold out until then.'
But just running away like this is impossible.
I sent the horse away, and my stamina had already reached its limit long ago.
'I have to hide.'
To a place where Ogreman can't find me.
I ran forward, rolling my eyes around.
First, I identified exactly where I was.
Fortunately, a tree caught my eye.
It was a tree that I had scarred with a rock in the past so I wouldn't get lost.
'If I go around that tree...'
I went around the marked tree to the left.
Soon, two paths appeared.
'The right path.'
I entered the right path without hesitation.
Uwooooaaa!
Ogreman roared like a volcano, perhaps greatly angered by my appearance as I dodged his club like a fly and ran away.
The footsteps became even louder.
Thump thump thump!
I could feel the vibrations as Ogreman got closer and closer.
How close was he? Would I be crushed if he swung his club?
The desire to turn around and check Ogreman's location surged, but I struggled to suppress that desire.
Nothing will change by checking behind me now.
It will only break my will.
So I run, looking ahead.
Until I reach my destination.
'I'm glad I trained my stamina.'
Just as I was thinking that, an area full of thorny bushes appeared.
'This is it!'
I immediately lay flat and crawled under the bushes.
My arms, legs, and face were scratched by thorns, but I didn't care.
Fortunately, the bushes didn't extend all the way to the ground, so it wasn't too difficult to crawl through them.
But the story would be different for a large monster.
Koo-oong!
A huge tremor echoed.
After passing through the bush forest, I finally turned around and saw Ogreman struggling, his feet tangled in the bushes.
Thick bushes were entangled like a spider web around the club with protruding thorns.
'It won't last long, but.'
It will buy me enough time.
I turned back around and ran forward.
"Hee, hee..."
I was so out of breath that I was almost blacking out, but I forced myself to put strength in my legs and somehow moved forward.
How long had I been running?
Hwaa-
With a cold wind hitting my face, my vision cleared instantly.
"...Found it..."
A secret lakeside surrounded by trees and bushes.
This was a secret place that only I knew about.
Seeing the familiar scenery of the lakeside, I unknowingly relaxed.
'Not yet.'
It's too open here.
I don't think Ogreman can chase me all the way here, but just in case...
I moved my legs that were shaking as if protesting that they wanted to rest immediately and moved inside.
There was a small cave where a person could barely lie down.
'I'll be safe here.'
I pushed myself inside.
I leaned my back against the cold wall and let out a breath.
I lowered my gaze, which was as heavy as if a weight was hanging from it.
'I'm tired.'
I gathered my knees and hugged my arms tightly.
I rested my head on them.
"Haa..."
I breathed roughly.
'How long do I have to hold out?'
After defeating Ogreman, the Duke will look for me.
'It'll be a problem if I disappear.'
I just have to hold out until then.
'Just until then...'
Flicker, flicker.
My vision repeatedly went dark and then came back on.
My body, which had been exhausted to the limit due to accumulated fatigue, was desperately asking for rest.
'Just for a moment, just a very short moment...'
Thud. Consciousness flickered out.
"What!"
Suddenly, the ground shook and a roar echoed, and Banshees stopped hunting and looked around.
"It seems something has happened. I think it's best to return first."
"Tch. Let's go."
Following the knight's advice, Banshees immediately returned to the training grounds.
Just as they came out of the forest, they ran into Miracle.
"Hey, Miracle. What-"
"Oh, brother! It's a disaster!!"
Before he could finish his sentence, Miracle ran over and hugged him with a pale face.
"What, what is it? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
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