Chapter 58 – Witch’s Forest (2)

A pillar as large as a house collapsed with a crash, and the evil-filled blue eyes lost their glow. It was an amazing event that occurred when overwhelming physical strength surpassing a giant met a greatsword of transcendent durability.

From the monster’s wrinkled cut surface, dark red blood poured out in torrents instead of sawdust and sap.

‘The bastard. It’s as terrible as it looks.’ Belloc wiped his sword and looked at it without realizing. Not a single chip was on the blade.

‘What on earth did that old man make this out of? Is it indeed because of the demon’s blood?’ Belloc cut off his brief thoughts. Soon, he quickly turned around and swung his sword.

A mushroom monster caught in the trajectory was sliced in half and rolled on the ground. Once again, sticky blood splattered, leaving a dark medal on his armor.

When he slightly raised his eyes, another color intervened in the background mixed with white and red. It was a vivid and clean color, different from the gloomy color falling from the sky. It was the flames of the Sun God.

“O Goddess!”

Adel was slicing the flying specters to pieces while swinging her flame sword. When the forest caught fire because of the heat, Kara threw ice spears to extinguish it.

What about Isabel? Knowing that ordinary metal did not work against specters, she stood near Adel and quietly watched him.

‘What? Why is she looking at me?’ Belloc, slightly dumbfounded, smirked.

At that moment, her green eyes widened. She gestured in the air and shouted something. Belloc’s ears heard it.

“Above, above! Avoid it!”

Belloc slightly raised his head. A woman with pale skin stood before his eyes.

Flowing hair, bloodshot eyes, and a mouth torn to her ears; she was a specter. She stammered with her large lips.

-I must… resolve my grudge. Give me a body…

For a moment, the air around them seemed to freeze. The specter reached out her arm toward Belloc.

To her, who had died long ago, that hot body was like a lamp in the darkness. ‘I want it. Make it mine…’

“-Kieeeek!”

The moment the freezing cold arm touched the knight’s armor, sparks flew and the specter was bounced off. Due to the pain that shook even her soul, the specter’s body grew even fainter. The beast raised its head, and Belloc clicked up his visor.

His pitch-black eyes, dark as an abyss, stared at the fallen soul. The moment it met those indifferent eyes, the specter could do nothing.

Despite the long-awaited opportunity having arrived, it could not move even a speck. Like prey in front of a predator… the specter’s thoughts cut off there.

Because the swung sword split its soul and shattered even the ground.

“Hey! Are you okay?”

Isabel, thinking he might have been possessed, made a fuss, and Adel hurriedly approached. She touched Belloc’s armor and cast a worried look.

“Are you alright?”

“No problem.”

Belloc nodded casually.

Because the specter’s touch actually failed to inflict a single hit on him. Was it thanks to the crest armor, an ancient legacy? Or maybe it was thanks to the ‘Fighting Spirit’ skill, whose level had risen even higher. Or perhaps the mental strength of this body, which had gone through all kinds of hardships, had grown that much stronger.

Whatever it was, he never felt any danger. He just glanced at the experience points given by the new monsters. Was it because there was strength in numbers? A level-up was approaching.

“You guys also worked hard.”

Belloc, who patted Adel on the shoulder, picked up a stone on the ground. Kara, who coughed a few times due to the smoke, spoke.

“What are you going to do? Is there another one left?”

“There is one hiding.”

Belloc turned around, flipping the stone in his hand. His eyes stared into the dark forest. A creature sitting on a slender branch and grooming its feathers was visible. It was a normal crow. However, if it was watching this place closely with red glowing eyes, that was a different story.

For he felt a gloomy scheme from that tiny creature. Did it notice his gaze? The beast fluttered its wings and tried to fly up.

At that moment, Belloc’s shoulder blurred, and a projectile shot like light blew the crow to pieces with a bang. When Belloc shook his hand after confirming the falling feathers, Isabel asked in embarrassment.

“Just now, what did you do? Did you throw a stone? To kill that hiding creature?”

“I killed it. A bird was watching us.”

‘Not only did he pierce through the darkness, but to have such power with a single stone? He’s still a monster of a man.’ The speechless Isabel shut her mouth, and Adel was brushing off flesh stuck to her master’s armor. Standing beside her and carefully reflecting on the meaning of Belloc’s words, Kara spoke.

“A spying bird? Is it a Familiar spell…”

“What is that?”

When Belloc asked, Kara spoke again.

“It’s a spell to tame a bird or a small beast and use it as a mage’s eyes. You can spy on your opponent much more stealthily than peeking through a crystal ball. Of course, there are downsides. The field of vision is not that clear, and if the connection with the creation is suddenly severed, the caster also suffers a heavy blow. So, most mages don’t carelessly…”

When Kara’s words were about to grow long, Belloc cut her off and said.

“So there is a mage in this forest?”

Kara blinked her eyes but eventually nodded.

“Could it be the doing of the witch who boils people to make soup that Isabel mentioned earlier?”

“You are probably right. That woman, no, that monster, easily found people no matter where they hid.”

Recalling the past, Isabel let out a low groan, and Belloc sheathed his sword and gestured with his head.

“Kara. If what you said is true, that bitch must have suffered a big blow right now. I think we can escape the forest in this gap.”

“When a Familiar spell is severed, the damage the caster suffers is somewhat proportional to the pain the creation received before its death. She is probably right now…”

As if she had experienced it herself, Kara trembled as she trailed off. Soon, she smirked.

“She’s probably rolling on the floor and going wild with the feeling of her entrails twisting. I agree with your opinion too. Let’s get out of here quickly.”

Leaving behind the burned and torn bodies of the monsters, the splattered blood and entrails, the half-melted ice, and the smoking bushes, the party moved their footsteps. Although they could not hear it, an untimely scream was echoing deep within the forest.

“Kuuuuggh!”

A stout, large-framed old crone clutched her stomach. Soon, she rolled on the floor, even drooling. The old wooden house let out a creaking sound, and the furniture colliding with her body shattered.

Although the cups made of human skulls that she usually cherished, and things like stuffed human statues, crashed and broke, the crone went wild without caring.

“I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you!”

The old crone, a servant of the Great Demon and the keeper of his garden, huffed and puffed for a long time in wounded pride and pain. Soon, when the pain subsided a bit, she sprang up from her seat and rolled her head.

“Is it the doing of a mage? That cheeky bitch is quite skilled. It’ll be worth hunting her.”

Clutching her chest and taking a light deep breath, the crone flung open the door of the house.

Under the wide yard, a bonfire was lit. On top of it, a huge pot was bubbling and boiling. The crone’s distorted face drew a slight arc. ‘Shall I see if it’s cooking deliciously?’ At that moment, a scream echoed.

“H-help me! Please!”

“Aaaaargh!”

The crone walked with a casual expression. As she approached the pot and examined it, a half-melted arm was holding onto the edge of the pot. Snorting with her protruding hook nose, she lifted the ladle lying on the floor. Soon, she began to stab and poke it down.

The trembling arm slid deep into the pot, and the dark red soup overflowed. Along with groans of vomiting, the screams also grew louder. The crone’s cheekbones soared to the sky, and her smile deepened.

“It seems cooked.”

The crone, who put the ladle in and scooped a bowlful of soup, brought it close to her mouth. The taste was very good.

The boiling mind also seemed to have calmed down a bit. Straining a thud on the huge pot with the ladle in her hand, the crone giggled.

“I look forward to seeing what kind of taste your broth will have.”

Tossing the ladle away, the crone moved her footsteps into the forest.

#

The pile of bones stacked like ornaments rumbled and shook, and the human skin hung on the tree after being peeled off whole also fluttered. It was all a commotion caused by the four humans wandering the forest.

The party continued to walk among the dense trees. Under the falling moonlight, their faces flashed past. They had shapes that looked like ghouls, soaked in blood and flesh. If they went down to a nearby territory right now, a wanted poster would be issued. One of those ghouls spoke. It was the elf with dull blonde hair.

“I think the exit is getting close. Look. The moonlight is coming in more and more, isn’t it?”

It was evidence that the forest was thinning.

“Good news.”

The Black Knight, who replied briefly, swung his sword. A specter stabbed in the belly disappeared with a bizarre sound. Adel spat and kicked hard. A spider lunging at Kara was crushed with a cracking sound. Kara screamed in horror.

“Ugh, I hate bugs so much.”

It was not something a woman who burned people alive should say. Adel also thought so, showing an absurd expression.

“Don’t make a fuss over a mere bug.”

“Mere? Nonsense! Look at that terrible monstrosity! Look at its wriggling legs and eyes! It’s a disgusting creature that would only come out of hell…”

Adel silently raised one hand. It meant she would slap her buttocks if she spoke any more. The whining Kara shut her mouth tight. ‘She listens well. It must have hurt quite a bit.’

While he was having silly thoughts, something caught in Belloc’s senses. There were many. When Isabel, who noticed the sign, stopped her steps, he said.

“It seems they have prepared a welcoming greeting before we leave.”

“Can we bypass it?”

“No, they are coming from all directions.”

Shaking his head at Isabel’s words, Belloc sent her to the back and stepped forward a few paces. In his eyes, shapes approaching while piercing through the darkness were visible. ‘Is something strange?’

Bending his waist, Belloc picked up a few stones rolling on the ground. Kara, who was in the back, recited a spell. The floating light spheres illuminated the surroundings. Only then could the party examine the area.

Through the bushes, trees, and rocks, figures holding weapons were approaching with a clatter. They were the soldiers who had fallen here along with them. Adel shouted.

“Expedition? Hey. Are you alright?”

As if in response, a knight approaching while stumbling opened his mouth.

“H-help us. We… hic.”

The man’s head exploded like a smashed watermelon with a pop. It was because of Belloc’s stone throwing. Kara screamed in horror.

“Belloc?! Why on earth…?”

Belloc did not bother to answer. He just gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and glared at the approaching humans.

“A bad taste. Did you put it inside their stomachs?”

At that moment, the headless corpse of the man trembled. Soon, the belly swelled up and exploded with a tear. Between the pouring blood and intestines, slender legs revealed themselves. As the creature that regained its freedom shook its body, four pairs of dark eyes glistened as they received the moonlight.

Keeeeeek

“Shit. Why is that popping out from there?” When Kara spat out a curse and gripped her staff tightly, a voice was heard from inside the forest. It was a husky old crone’s voice.

“It wasn’t put in, it moved on its own. Once a ghost spider eats the host’s brain, it goes inside the stomach to lay eggs. By the way, how did you know? Both the way of speaking and the habits matched the knight when he was alive?”

‘The culprit has appeared. Is it that monster who boils people to make soup?’ Belloc was not flustered. He just looked around as if searching for something.

“I didn’t hear a heartbeat.”

“You hear the heartbeat of a creature dozens of steps ahead? Don’t make me laugh! A mere swordsman is talking nonsense.”

The voice giggled, and Belloc’s head, which was turning, stopped dead. His colorless eyes stared into the dark forest. ‘Right, you were hiding there.’

“I hear it well, and I see it well. That face of yours too. Wait, you hook-nosed monster. I’m going to split your head open right now.”

Chuckling, Belloc reached out his hand. His shoulder blurred, and a tearing shriek echoed from within the darkness.