The area in front of the stone tomb was littered with the bodies of several deadmen, each with an arrow lodged in their foreheads. I counted about seven, but there were still plenty more to deal with. They clambered over their fallen comrades, desperate to take a bite out of me.

“You’re really trying, aren’t you?”

I hummed a tune as I reached into my pocket for more arrows, only to find it empty. After rummaging around and scraping the bottom, I finally managed to pull out two deeply buried arrows. It seemed I’d have to retrieve the ones I’d already shot on my way back.

Not all the deadmen had gathered yet. I could see more of them rushing over from a distance, but I figured it was time to retreat. Even if a few stragglers remained, Ahn Hyun could handle them on his own.

Looking down, I saw the deadmen below, mouths agape, shaking their heads and wailing. It was so amusing that I found myself mimicking their head movements.

‘What am I doing?’

A wry smile crept onto my face, and I quickly covered my mouth. I was getting too excited. Ever since I became a Sword Master during my first run in Hall Plain, I’d kept my emotions in check, especially before battles. That’s how I survived the notoriously difficult battles like the Atlanta Recapture and the Ragnarok Siege.

This feeling was a rare one. Despite the overwhelming odds, I was being swept up in the thrill of the fight. It wasn’t as dire as those past battles, but a sense of anticipation was coursing through me.

The more I watched the creatures from atop the stone tomb, the more I felt my instincts stirring. I leapt down into the forest, trying to calm myself. The deadmen, who had been struggling to climb up, howled in frustration as I descended.

“Hey, guys. There are too many eyes here. Let’s move a bit further in.”

Growling!

Whether they understood me or not, they followed, growling all the while.

I deliberately slowed my pace as I entered the forest. Originally, I planned to sprint and create distance, but I changed my mind. I wanted them to keep up, just enough to not lose sight of me.

They seemed ravenous. As soon as I reached the stone tomb, I casually shot a crossbow bolt at a deadman that tumbled down. The one that had climbed the hardest ended up with an arrow in its head, still hungry. After confirming its demise, I turned and continued into the forest.

Growl! Growl! Growl! Growl! Growl!

The growls were becoming familiar. I adjusted my speed, keeping just out of reach, and the sound of snapping jaws behind me added a new thrill. Then it happened.

Snap!

“Oh.”

I got carried away. Weaving through the trees in an S-pattern, I suddenly felt something clamp down on my left arm. Startled, I turned to see a deadman with a bizarre expression biting my wrist. It must have been lurking nearby and got lucky.

It didn’t hurt much, but the shock of being bitten by such a creature was greater. That shock quickly turned to anger. Even if it was luck, it was a blow to my pride. I glared at the deadman biting my wrist and spoke in a disgruntled tone.

“What are you looking at?”

Growl.

“You scared me… damn it.”

The deadman’s eyes were strange. It had bitten me, but its teeth couldn’t penetrate. Of course not. Did it think it could chew through a body with a durability stat of 92 points? With a curse and a swing of my right hand, its head exploded.

While I was dealing with the creature, the deadmen chasing me caught up and surrounded me. Some of them grinned, thinking they had their meal. I gauged the distance I’d run and decided it was manageable, so I loosened my wrist.

Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl. Growl.

The growls surrounded me, but I wasn’t afraid. Compared to the hellhounds I faced in the depths of hell, these were nothing more than playful pups. Still, I hoped they could satisfy my craving, even a little.

“Let’s have some fun.”

I greeted them kindly, and they responded by baring their teeth. No manners, these creatures. I extended my fingers toward the deadmen charging at me. Starting with the one in front.

Crunch!

The sensation of my fingers piercing its head was like driving through a rotten log rather than soft human flesh. As I lifted my arm, the deadman dangled from my fingers, its body limp. The other deadmen, witnessing this, froze in their tracks.

Fear. Do they even understand it? These creatures, who always saw humans as prey, were now realizing they could be hunted. I was surprised, though. Whether it was thought or instinct, they hesitated in the face of my presence.

Impressive, but I had no intention of letting them go. I released a bit of magic, shattering the head of the creature in my hand, and beckoned with my fingers. Despite the signal, the deadmen took a step back.

I didn’t plan to use my sword. It wasn’t necessary. I could turn a broken branch or a blade of grass into a deadly weapon. But I was thirsty for bloodshed, and I wanted to feel it with my hands. I cracked my knuckles, a dark smile on my lips. Suddenly, I realized why I couldn’t stop smiling.

I was starving for my instincts. After ten years of wielding a sword to survive, my very nature was steeped in blood. Watching the retreating creatures, I twisted my lips into a grin.

“I think he did well. Everyone, get up. We need to get over that wall.”

The forest, once teeming with monsters, was now eerily quiet. Ahn Hyun’s voice was strong, but the group’s mood was somber. As he said, Kim Su-hyun had successfully lured all the creatures away. The monsters that had swarmed around them were nowhere to be seen. Yet, an inexplicable despair seemed to hang over everyone.

“Do you think he’s okay? Maybe we should just…”

Lee Yoo-jung’s voice was uncharacteristically subdued, and Ahn Hyun felt a pang of anxiety. But he couldn’t show it. Su-hyun had trusted him to protect the group. He couldn’t betray that trust.

“No, we can’t. Stop talking nonsense and get up. What if they come back?”

“Aren’t you worried about him?”

“I trust him. He told us not to do anything foolish like going back.”

Lee Yoo-jung fell silent at Ahn Hyun’s calm words. But seeing her dejected face made Ahn Hyun feel a wave of helplessness. He shook his head, steeling himself, and spoke with renewed determination.

“Let’s trust him. Just like he trusts us, I trust him.”

Ahn Hyun stood and stepped outside to survey the area. Thankfully, there wasn’t a single deadman in sight. Ahn Sol cautiously followed, and Lee Yoo-jung reluctantly got up as well. As they prepared to leave their hiding spot, Lee Yoo-jung tapped Kim Han-byeol on the shoulder.

“Hey, get up. Why are you spacing out?”

”…”

Kim Han-byeol didn’t respond. She glanced at Lee Yoo-jung with her usual cold expression before slowly rising and stepping outside. Once everyone was out, Ahn Hyun looked at the stone wall ahead and spoke.

“Come on, everyone. Once we get over that wall, we’ll be out of this wretched forest. Let’s stick together until we reach it, and I’ll go over first. We don’t know what dangers might be outside.”

Ahn Sol and Lee Yoo-jung nodded, their faces tense with worry. Kim Han-byeol remained silent, her gaze fixed on the forest where Kim Su-hyun had disappeared. But when she felt Ahn Hyun’s eyes on her, she turned and spoke.

“Understood.”

What did he think he understood? Ahn Hyun sighed inwardly but kept his expression neutral. When his brother was around, everything seemed to run smoothly with their combined efforts. But now, without him, it felt like everything was off-kilter from the start.

”…I get how you all feel. I’m in the same boat. But if we just head into the forest like this, it would make my brother’s sacrifice meaningless. Su-hyun risked his life to give us this chance. He asked me to keep you all safe. The best thing we can do now is to get over that wall and wait for him to come back safely. So let’s keep it together, everyone.”

Despite his words, the somber mood lingered. Once morale drops, it’s hard to lift it back up. Ahn Hyun knew he was trying his best, but everyone remained silent, lips tightly sealed. The more he spoke, the more he realized just how significant Su-hyun’s absence was. An inexplicable sense of unease crept up inside him, and he closed his eyes, overwhelmed by the mounting pressure.

The rest of the group, all clutching their crossbows, couldn’t help but think of the man who always wore a calm expression. In just half a day, Kim Su-hyun had made a lasting impression on them. It was thanks to him that they managed to escape the clearing quickly, that An Sol was saved from being bitten by monsters, and that the team didn’t fall apart when Park Dong-geol threatened to divide them. In every critical moment, Su-hyun had been their steadfast protector, like a sturdy fence shielding them from danger.

But now, that fence was gone. He might never return. And those left behind were acutely aware of the emptiness his absence left behind.