“Rick! Rick is—!”
“He should have gone ahead to the inn to call for help! Just hold on until then!”
The creature before us had an unusually developed upper body, supported by a disproportionately sized lower body. It resembled a gorilla more than a Great Ape. In its hand, it clutched the lifeless body of the Adventurer, Rick, blood dripping from its fingers and pooling on the ground.
Frustrated by the Adventurer who continued to glare at it, the Great Ape slammed its fist down with enough force to crush the earth beneath.
【Raging Chief’s attack! Era takes 193 damage! Era has fallen! HP 0/75】
The sight of Era, reduced to a mass of flesh, left Hart, the other Adventurer, in a state of shock. They had gained confidence from defeating the monsters in the canyon, but now, facing this Floor Monster, they realized how foolish they had been to challenge it. Hart couldn’t help but reflect on how cruel this outcome was.
【The Raging Chief’s anger has increased! The Raging Chief’s attack power has risen!】
The Great Ape danced excitedly, throwing Rick’s corpse into the canyon. Its next target was obvious. As it slammed its fist into the ground, the shockwave caused Hart to stumble. Overwhelmed by humiliation and fear from the Great Ape’s taunting attack, Hart looked up to see the creature descending upon him from the air.
“I’m sorry, everyone… It’s my fault…”
“Take this!”
With an unfamiliar battle cry, the Great Ape was suddenly deflected mid-air, crashing down with a thunderous roar. Seigel landed before Hart, unwavering as he stared down the recovering Great Ape.
【Seigel’s attack! 377 damage dealt to the Raging Chief! HP 1566/1943】
“Y-you are… the Dragon Hunter, Seigel?”
“I’ll sign later. For now, get to the inn!”
Having witnessed Seigel’s strength, Hart felt a surge of trust and quickly fled the scene.
“Alright, you’ve had your fun. Now it’s time for Seigel to deliver the final blow.”
Infuriated by Seigel’s taunt, the Great Ape raised its massive arms.
“I can’t let Rua outdo me.”
Seigel dodged the punch and slipped into the Great Ape’s range.
“Zero Distance Burst Braver!”
【Seigel unleashes Burst Braver! 1436 damage dealt to the Raging Chief! HP 130/1943】
The Great Ape, caught in the explosion at point-blank range, let out a scream as it rolled on the ground, writhing in agony. Its singed fur was gone, revealing charred bones and exposed organs. Without hesitation, Seigel plunged his great sword into the head of the incapacitated Great Ape. After a brief moment of death throes, the creature breathed its last.
【The Raging Chief has been defeated! HP 0/1943】
“Now, I wonder if they managed to escape safely. But first, let’s gather some materials from this one…”
Seigel skillfully harvested materials from the Great Ape’s corpse and began to stroll leisurely toward the inn.
///
Hart and Rex, the two Adventurers, sat despondently in the lobby chairs. Hearing the details of the incident filled me with regret. I shouldn’t have been leisurely soaking in the hot springs. If Seigel hadn’t been there, Hart would have been dead too. I never wanted to witness death again. This scene was painfully heavy.
“It’s my fault… I suggested we challenge that monkey monster…”
In his despair, Hart clutched his hair tightly, as if trying to pull it out. We watched him from a distance.
“Bloom, what should we say to those guys?”
“Roel, it’s unfortunate, but this is the life of an Adventurer. A small misjudgment can be fatal, putting your companions in danger. It’s not a forgiving world.”
Though his words were harsh, Bloom’s expression held a hint of sympathy.
“I’m back, without a scratch.”
Seigel returned, having defeated the Floor Monster, carrying what seemed to be its materials.
“It looks like you managed to escape safely. I took care of that beast.”
“…Thank you.”
“Well, what you do next is up to you. It’s not my place to say. But I believe there’s a reason you survived.”
“Huh? A reason…?”
Hart spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, avoiding Seigel’s gaze. Rex remained silent, simply resting his head on the table.
“I might have died a long time ago. If that had happened, the Dragon Hunter Seigel wouldn’t be here. And the life saved here today might have been lost.”
“So what…?”
“Throughout history, if those who died in accidents had lived, perhaps a different future awaited them. They could have achieved great things, or the opposite could have happened. One thing is clear: only those who are alive can accomplish something.”
Suddenly cutting off his speech, Seigel walked silently toward the hot springs.
“You might not understand, but we have to live for those who have died. I’ve lost comrades right before my eyes when I was part of a party. But I survived, and now I run this inn. If that means saving someone, then my life has meaning.”
Bloom quietly spoke to the two Adventurers, as if to reinforce Seigel’s words. They listened in silence, but eventually, something broke within them, and they began to sob.
“I… I’m quitting being an Adventurer…”
Hart’s tears of regret seemed to signify a newfound resolve. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing a comrade. I would protect Roel at all costs. The weight of Hart and Rex’s despair was almost unbearable.
“Tonight, we have Swooping Bird hot pot. In times like this, we should warm both body and soul. Everything is already prepared. Please gather in the dining hall.”
Bloom slowly made his way to the dining area, as if urging them to overcome their sorrow and walk on their own.
///
“The bird hot pot was delicious! I can’t believe I ate four bowls!”
“Roel, I don’t really get it, but isn’t hot pot usually just one serving?”
“Bloom was totally shocked, too. But you know, they definitely charge extra for that, right?”
“Yeah… I didn’t think about that.”
In our three-person room, we sat or lay down, chatting and laughing. But no matter how fun the conversation was, I couldn’t shake off the events of the day from my mind.
“It’s a shame about those guys… I wonder what they’ll do now. I couldn’t handle it.”
“Who knows? But being an Adventurer literally means taking risks. They must have faced that challenge with that awareness. It’s a harsh truth, but it’s a matter of personal responsibility. They chose their own path.”
“You didn’t have to say it like that.”
Cynthia, lying on the bed, seemed too relaxed, which irritated me a bit. She wasn’t even an Adventurer, yet she spoke so casually.
“Sorry, I went too far.”
Cynthia apologized sincerely, as if she sensed my inner thoughts. The way she shifted to lie on her back seemed like an attempt to cover up her earlier slip.
“But Rua, you don’t have to worry. Honestly, you’re exceptional.”
“Right? You think so?”
Roel, who had been dozing off, suddenly sat up and joined the conversation.
“I don’t even need your healing.”
“That’s not true! You’ve saved me with your Fire Rod!”
“Rua, that’s not really a compliment.”
We all laughed together. More than anything, I just wanted Roel to stay by my side. I wished she wouldn’t worry about unnecessary things. I wanted to say that, but it felt like it would only add to the burden, so I held back.
“Alright, we have an early start tomorrow, so let’s get some sleep.”
“I can’t wait to see the Royal Capital. I’m curious about that Combat Tournament Seigel mentioned, and I’m looking forward to the festival!”
I hugged my pillow tightly. Perhaps I was trying to forget today’s events. But one thing was certain: I was excited about the festival.
“If it’s Rua, victory is guaranteed! Oh, but I think Tiferia won last time, right? If she’s the opponent, it might be a bit uncertain. Actually, I think you’d lose.”
“Tiferia? Is she stronger than me?”
“She’s the pride of the Kingdom of Avangarde, S-Rank Master Knight Tiferia! All S-Ranks have their own specialized classes. Being the kingdom’s champion, she alone can serve as a deterrent to other nations. It’s said that just one swing of her sword is worth more than the combined salaries of all the soldiers.”
“Wow… She’s that amazing…”
“Are you really going to participate this time?
Since you rarely show up, I still wonder why you entered last time.
Well, just remember that the significance lies in participating, so go and have fun!”
Cynthia leaped off the bed and gave my back a hearty slap.
“I’ll be cheering for you, so do your best!”
For some reason, Roel seemed invigorated.
Is there really someone that strong in this world?
Master Knight Tiferia… I wonder what kind of person she is.
I don’t know if I can win, but I want to fight her.
A strange wave of exhilaration washed over me.
Even though I felt fear, I had fought against formidable foes in the Abyss Cave.
I definitely felt something similar back then.
What was I thinking at that time, knowing I could die?
The more I try to remember, the more unclear it becomes.
Before I knew it, the two of them had fallen asleep.
Cynthia returned to her bed, sprawled out without even covering herself with a blanket.
Roel lay there, breathing steadily in a proper posture.
I should sleep too.
How many more days will it take to get through the valley?
Since this is the halfway point, we still have half to go.
Those two Adventurers probably never imagined they would lose a companion until yesterday.
No one knows what tomorrow holds; maybe by tomorrow, I too…
As I kept thinking about unnecessary things, I gradually drifted into a deep slumber.
Monster Compendium
Raging Chief HP: 1943
The chief commanding the Moonlight Monkeys in Kizel Valley.
His fists crush the dreams of fledgling Adventurers without hesitation.
As time passes, his excitement grows, increasing his destructive power, making him even more uncontrollable.
Known as the Untouchable of Kizel Valley, wise Adventurers put all their effort into fleeing from him.