Chapter 3: The Wait in the Dark
Only a day had passed since the incident in the forest, but already another wave of adventurers arrived, eager to harvest items from the feeble creatures like slimes and rabbits that roamed my territory. This was not good news. With each passing day, more and more of them discovered this once-quiet corner of the forest. The sanctuary I had carved out for myself was slowly transforming into a playground for novices, and if I let it continue, the peace I'd fought so hard to maintain would vanish entirely. These adventurers, though weak, were becoming more frequent, their presence like a creeping shadow eroding the tranquility of my refuge.
"They're multiplying," I muttered to myself, perched on a high branch of my tree, watching the latest group of intruders. "If I let them keep coming, they'll turn this place into their daily hunting ground. They'll strip it bare until there's nothing left for me."
This time, I decided to act. I wasn't about to wait for them to stumble closer. Slipping down from my tree, my small feet barely disturbed the grass and roots beneath me, I approached the group of four young adventurers—a swordsman, a mage, a healer, and a hunter. They were a party, likely taking on a simple quest to earn coin for daily expenses or to buy better gear. Their movements brimmed with enthusiasm, but their inexperience was painfully clear. The swordsman tripped over his own blade, the mage fumbled a spell, and the healer looked more terrified than the rabbits they were chasing.
"Poor things," I whispered to the wind, observing their earnest efforts. "If I stop them from earning their meager rewards from this quest, I'd be a bit too cruel, wouldn't I?"
But the sentiment didn't last. Why should I care about their well-being? These kids, full of dreams and ambition, wouldn't hesitate to attack me if given the chance. Who would feel pity for a group of young adventurers with bright futures, only to realize they're ready to cut me down without a second thought? Who's the monster cruel enough to ruin their memories and prospects? "Me, that's who," I said to myself, a smirk curling my lips as I readied my bow and took aim, one by one.
My arrows pierced their flimsy armor as if it were paper. With my attack damage maxed out, their cheap equipment stood no chance. Their magic—if they even had any—was too weak to dodge or escape. My accuracy, honed to perfection, made me a specter of death in their inexperienced eyes. In an instant, their bodies dissolved into the air, their souls carried upward by an unseen wind, bound for Rifongie's chapel, where they'd be revived for the right price.
"Why should I feel sorry for them when they don't think twice about attacking me?" I muttered, watching the crystals they dropped—slime shards and rabbit pelts—glitter briefly before fading into the earth, likely to be scavenged by the next group. "I don't need to pity them. They'll come back to life anyway. All I need is to scare them enough to stay away."
This forest is vast, more than large enough for them to hunt elsewhere. They didn't need to invade my territory, disrupting the quiet life I'd built. If anything, I'm the unlucky one here. For a year, I've lived alone, while they revel in the thrill of adventure with their friends. "They're the lucky ones," I said, my voice tinged with bitterness as the last crystal vanished. "They're human, born into a world full of opportunity. Let them try being me—a monster hunted by all, always alone in this boring place."
With the task done, I turned to head back to my tree, ready to sink into the comfort of solitude. But before I could take another step, a searing fireball struck my back, catching me off guard. "What the hell was that?" I exclaimed, spinning toward the source of the attack.
Before me stood a young woman with vibrant orange hair, clad in a brown cloak typical of mages. A quick glance at her status revealed she was Level 10, just another novice adventurer. But like the silver-haired girl who attacked me yesterday, something about her was off—her name, physical stats, defenses, and abilities were all hidden from my sight. "This is weird," I whispered, studying her closely. "Why can't I see her information? What kind of creature is she?"
Her attack hadn't hurt me—my defenses were far too high for such a feeble spell. Like always, I just needed to dispatch her, scare her off, and return to my perch. "She probably saw I'm only Level 10 and thought I'm an easy target," I mused. What she didn't know was that my abilities—attack, defense, speed—were at 99,999, equivalent to an Alpha Class monster, the kind that lurks in the Sky Tower or the deepest chambers of the Dungeon of Darkness. The special powers granted by Lunaria made me untouchable, despite my low technical level.
But as I faced her, a strange unease settled in my chest. "Why do I feel like something's wrong with this one?" I wondered, my heart beating faster. She raised her staff—a simple wooden rod etched with peculiar runes—and cast another spell. A small energy ball hurtled toward me. I didn't bother dodging; I knew it couldn't harm me. "A weak attack like that won't kill me," I boasted, bracing for the impact.
But it didn't explode. Instead, when I caught it in my hand, the energy ball stayed there, pulsing like a living thing. "Huh?" I muttered, startled. "Why isn't it exploding?" As I stared, bewildered, the ball grew hotter, expanding in my grip. For the first time, I felt a sting of pain on my skin—pain I hadn't expected. My defense, nearly impervious to magic, seemed to falter. A powerful force pushed me backward, nearly knocking me off my feet.
"How is this happening?" I whispered, struggling against the energy ball's force. I glanced at the girl, who stood silent, her head bowed, exuding an eerie aura. "This is the first time I've felt pain in this world from a magical attack. What kind of creature is she?"
Before I could devise an escape, she vanished from my sight. In an instant, I felt something press against my back. Whirling around, I found her standing behind me, her staff now prodding my spine. "How did you get there?" I demanded, panic creeping into my voice. Her smile—cold, almost mocking—sent a chill through me, as if she were plotting something I couldn't comprehend.
"What are you?" I whispered, my eyes locked on her next move. In a flash, glowing magic circles erupted around me, their light so blinding I could barely see. The radiance burned against my skin, the power behind it unlike anything I'd ever faced. "This isn't good," I thought, my instincts screaming for action. "I need to find a way out."
Before I could move, the entire area exploded. The blast shook the ground, sending shards of stone and leaves flying. Fortunately, my high defense shielded me from serious harm, and I leaped away just in time to avoid the worst. But I couldn't deny it—for the first time, I was afraid. The stinging wounds on my hand and arm, left by the explosion, were unexpected. I wiped the sweat from my brow, staring at the marks of damage. "She caught me with that attack," I muttered. "Good thing my defense is so high."
A sudden gust of wind cleared the thick smoke, revealing the girl once more. Her presence was terrifying—not because of her level, but because of the inexplicable power she wielded. I could barely breathe under the weight of her aura, and for the first time, my legs trembled beneath me. "I need to get out of here," I whispered, but my body refused to obey. "Why can't I move?"
What was happening? Who was this girl, and what did she want with me? I didn't know if I could face her in a real fight. All I knew was this: today was going to be different, and likely far longer than I'd ever anticipated.