Ikana Village
A nostalgic landscape unfolds, with greenery stretching far and wide, dotted with fields here and there. In front of the house, my mother from those days beckons me over. No matter how much I wished for it, that time would never return, yet here it is now. Whenever she called me to stop playing and come for lunch, she wore her apron.
“What’s wrong, Lua? Come over here.”
“Mom…”
Tears streamed down my cheeks. That voice I heard ten years ago gently called out to me. With each step I took closer to the house, my mother smiled.
“Mom, you were alive all this time…”
“Hehe, come here.”
I thought I would never hear that voice again, let alone touch her. I thought I would never see my mother again. Just being able to see her like this made me want to break down and cry. Standing here like this was already a struggle. I wanted to go to her and be embraced tightly. But I was satisfied just to hear her voice. I couldn’t give in to such temptations.
Because this isn’t Ikana Village.
Mist Village – Abandoned Village
When I slapped my cheeks hard with both hands, the scenery around me changed completely. To be precise, nothing had changed from the beginning, but I was the only one shown this truth. My mother never existed. Ikana Village was a figment of my imagination. All that remained was the ruins devastated by the flood.
Shinbu had said it was a mist that devoured people, but could this mist have shown me such illusions? Of course, I understood the meaning behind that metaphor. Right before my eyes stood the decaying walls of a house, leading into a bottomless swamp. If I had continued forward, I might have fallen into the swamp and died without waking from the hallucination.
I wasn’t about to die from something like that, but the current illusion accurately reflected my heart. I wondered if this mist had formed naturally.
“Lua-chan! Where did you go?”
From beyond the mist, Roel called out to me. The reason I thought Roel had disappeared was that I had stopped seeing her. I wanted to rejoice that she was safe, but for a moment, I had been deceived by this mist.
If something happened to Roel while I was distracted, it would be too late. I couldn’t underestimate a dungeon like this. I needed to focus more, much more. I had to become stronger, stronger, stronger, stronger, stronger, stronger, stronger, and stronger still, so I would never be misled by this mist again.
“There you are! Thank goodness… You suddenly took off running, and I couldn’t catch up… Lua-chan, were you crying?”
“Huh? N-no, I wasn’t crying!”
“Your eyes are so red!”
“I told you, I wasn’t crying!”
I turned away, feeling stubborn. It only made me seem more suspicious, but I felt a mix of shame and embarrassment, not wanting Roel to see my face. Yet, without asking too many questions, Roel hugged me from behind, showing her kindness. I didn’t understand why, but she was just so gentle.
“If you weren’t crying, then we need to get out of here right away!”
“Right! We were in the middle of an exam!”
Being left behind in such a gloomy place was all for the sake of the exam. This mist not only showed illusions but also obscured our vision. If it thickened any further, it would become troublesome, so we decided to leave this abandoned village.
By the way, I wondered if Roel had been shown any illusions by the mist.
Mist Village – In the Forest
I avoided the swampy areas and searched for paths that looked easier to walk on. From deep within the mist, zombies were approaching at a surprisingly slow pace. That meant there had been many lives lost here.
The trees weren’t dense enough to be called a forest; it was more like a grove. Thanks to the sparse trees, it was relatively easy to walk. The problem was whether we were heading toward the forest’s exit. Since there had once been a village here, there should be a path somewhere. Roel had said that. But the flood had changed the terrain of the forest, making it difficult.
Should I just carry Roel on my back and dash? Just as I thought that, I heard a scream from within the mist.
“Lua-chan, did you hear that?”
“Yeah, it came from over there. Let’s check it out.”
That wasn’t an illusion. Thanks to being deceived by the false Ikana Village, I could now distinguish between what was real and what was not. Thinking back, I had adapted to various situations like this when I was in the Abyss Cave.
No, more importantly, there was that scream. Someone was being attacked by a monster, and I couldn’t just ignore it.
【The Mist Stalker has appeared! HP 3670】
【Borbs’ Explosive Punch! Dealt 61 damage to the Mist Stalker! HP 3609/3670】
“Hey, are you okay?! I think your name was Josh or something.”
“B-Borbs… san.”
“Stop! Run away! Even you can’t defeat that Floor Monster…”
“The Mist Stalker… Once it spots you, it will chase you until you escape the forest! Even a fast Thief can get caught by it, and I’m not stupid enough to not understand that!”
There stood Borbs and Josh, along with a grotesque creature that resembled a cockroach with twenty legs. Its unnaturally thin and long legs and oval-shaped body made it quite unsettling.
There was no way Borbs could win against this. It looked slender and not very defensive, but it was covered in a tough shell, making it immune to most attacks. However, even though he struck first, Borbs managed to deal a tiny bit of damage, which meant his punches weren’t weak. But this wasn’t the time to analyze the situation calmly.
“Take this! Fire Rod!”
【Roel swung the Fire Rod! Dealt 640 damage to the Mist Stalker! HP 2969/3670】
Roel took the initiative and attacked that cockroach. The fierce flames engulfed it, but it didn’t seem to deal a fatal blow. Perhaps it had resistance to magic or fire; the Mist Stalker was tougher than I had expected, able to withstand Roel’s flames, which came from a Level 67 mage.
I hadn’t expected Roel to act before me, and I found myself mesmerized.
【The Mist Stalker’s Multi-Leg Dance!】
【Lua’s Attack! Dealt 439566 damage to the Mist Stalker!
The Mist Stalker has been defeated! HP 0/3670】
If left unchecked, several legs would have stretched out and started spinning, dealing damage across a wide area. If that had hit, it could have been fatal for Borbs and Josh. The transition from defense to attack was surprisingly swift; true to its name, the Mist Stalker was a significant threat to adventurers. If chased at that speed, a normal adventurer wouldn’t stand a chance. They wouldn’t even have a chance to run away before getting caught.
I was impressed, but the cockroach vanished without a trace. It seemed that whenever I swung my sword, most opponents were blown away by the sheer force of the wind.
“Wow, every time I see it, Lua-chan’s strike is merciless.”
“I don’t want to hear that from Roel, who vaporized a Poison Zombie with her Fire Rod…”
“What was that just now…? Was that the sword’s additional effect?”
“Don’t be ridiculous; that’s clearly just an ordinary sword…”
The two of them stood there, mouths agape, for a while. Josh seemed to think there was some trick to my sword, staring intently at it. But this was just a cheap Bastard Sword. It was starting to chip in places, and I needed to replace it soon. With 150,000 gold, I hoped I could indulge a little.
Finally, it seemed Josh had sorted out the reality before him and turned to Borbs.
“B-Borbs, I… I…”
“I don’t care about the fact that you tried to steal my money anymore. Just fix that bad habit of yours.”
Though it was Lua and Roel who defeated the Mist Stalker, it was Borbs who had initially tried to protect Josh. Josh probably wanted to thank him, but it didn’t seem to come across well.
“Thank you. Honestly, I thought it was the end for me here.
I’m Borbs, a Knuckle Fighter. If you don’t mind, could I get your names?”
“I’m Lua, and this is Roel.”
“Wait, are you the winner of the Combat Tournament who played a part in repelling the Demon Lord Army…? I see, that explains your strength.”
More importantly, it seemed the existence of the Neo Demon Lord Army was known. Now that I thought about it, Greyman had known too. With the sudden revelation of the Hero’s Sword, it felt like everything was starting to connect, or maybe not.
“More importantly, we should leave here quickly.”
Josh looked around nervously. I wondered what he was so cautious about, but I soon understood. One, two, three cockroaches were rapidly approaching, their legs moving busily.
【Three Mist Stalkers have appeared! HP 3670】
“Besides the mist, these are one of the reasons the Danger Level of this forest is so high…”
Even a single one of these monsters is a threat to an average Adventurer, so seeing this many is dangerous. It seems everyone acted alone, but I can’t help but wonder if they’re going to be alright. No offense, but I can’t believe there’s anyone among them who can hold their own against these creatures. How are they dealing with monsters that can even catch up to the swift Josh?
To begin with, this was once a village inhabited by people, so why are there so many of these monsters swarming here? If there’s a cause beyond the flooding, could this be it?
“Everyone, step back. I’ll take care of this again.”
“Wait! Instead of completely obliterating them like before, we need their shells! I heard they can be traded for a decent price, and they might even serve as proof of passing the exam!”
Everyone nodded in agreement with Josh’s statement. Now that I think about it, just leaving without collecting anything wouldn’t do. If we have the strength to defeat these monsters, Shinbu might acknowledge us.
That’s fine and all, but who’s going to take them down while leaving only the shells behind? Yeah, it looks like it’s just me. With a sigh, I realized I had no choice but to clear them all out.
◆ Mist Village – Near the Exit ◆
It seems that when there are multiple people, the illusions created by the Mist can prevent us from wandering off to strange places. I’m fine now, but Josh and Borbs are in danger. I can’t believe they managed to stay safe while acting alone. Thanks to Josh’s earlier remarks, we’ve gathered quite a few items. It seems even the fangs of the Swamp Snake can be traded for a low price, so it wouldn’t hurt to keep them.
Josh has been sharing items he stole from monsters with us, so he might actually be a decent guy.
“Wow, look at all these shells we’ve collected! It’s all thanks to you, Lua-chan.”
“I never expected them to swarm like that…”
“To think they could take down even an A-Rank party in one hit… What level are they?”
It seems that my ability to take down the Mist Stalkers in an instant is considered abnormal. But if you ask me, it’s even more impressive that those who tried to slip past such dangerous monsters managed to do so alone.
However, from what I’ve heard, most people formed parties to advance, and very few went solo. Even so, we haven’t encountered any other parties since then. I wonder if they made it through safely or not.
By the way, when I showed my Adventurer Card to the two of them because they wanted to know my level, they rubbed their eyes in disbelief. In the end, they even pinched their cheeks to check if they were dreaming. Josh even joked that it was a forgery, which annoyed me a bit.
“Forget about Lua’s level for now; even Roel’s level is already at the upper tier of A-Rank… Why are you taking this exam now?”
“Because they say you can’t even take the exam without achievements…”
Even B-Rank Adventurers need a certain level of achievements to take this exam. If we hadn’t made a name for ourselves during the Neo Demon Lord Army’s attack, we probably wouldn’t have been able to take it either. I wonder what kind of achievements Borbs and Josh have.
As we walked, chatting about such trivial matters, I felt surprisingly relaxed. I had a good grasp of the monsters’ levels, and the Mist didn’t bother me. The real question was whether Shinbu would recognize us as having passed based solely on these collected items.
Josh said we were almost at the exit. A large river flowed nearby, and we were walking alongside it. Apparently, the flooding was caused by this river overflowing, but I still couldn’t figure out where this Mist and those monsters came from. I thought this place was inherently difficult for people to inhabit.
“Hey, doesn’t it look like we can get out over there? The Mist is thinning, so the exit must be close… Huh?”
What we spotted simultaneously was an Adventurer lying on their back. Just by looking, I could tell they were dead. Why? Because an arrow was lodged in their head.
“Borbs, watch out!”
Just as I grasped the situation, an arrow flew out from the thin Mist, aiming straight for Borbs’ head. I snatched the arrow just before it hit, and it was clearly not from a monster. Some monsters possess a high intelligence and can handle bows and arrows. I’ve seen such creatures in the Abyss Cave.
But this was clearly human-made. And the one who shot the arrow was targeting Borbs.
“W-What was that?”
“Everyone, huddle together. It’ll be easier for me to protect you that way.”
“Who shot that arrow?! If you want to fight, come out and face me like a man! I, Borbs, will take you on!”
“How brave of you.”
Emerging from the shadows of a tree was Marilyn. Given the blood already staining her slender sword, I could guess what had happened. I couldn’t see any men around, but it was likely that Kank was the one who shot that arrow.
“Why are you doing this? We’re all supposed to be taking the exam.”
“That’s exactly why. The one I killed earlier was a loser. He didn’t have anything worth taking. But you lot? You’ve got some nice stuff. That shell is from a Mist Stalker, isn’t it?”
Marilyn smirked with a greedy glint in her eyes. What these people wanted so desperately that they would kill others wasn’t to knock out other Adventurers; they simply wanted to wait here and steal what others had worked hard to obtain. That poor person thought they had finally found the exit, only to be murdered by them.
What had that fallen Adventurer done? They must have had their own goals and dreams of reaching A-Rank. They had no right to snuff that out for selfish reasons. And while that person only had an arrow lodged in them, Marilyn’s sword was stained with blood. This means she wasn’t the only one who had killed.
“If you leave quietly, I might let you go.”
“Do you really think you can pass by doing something like this?! I’ve seen your wicked deeds right here and now!”
“We can pass. After all, that Crusher Hecaton is sitting pretty at the top. The essence of this exam is simply to identify the strong—that’s all.”
Even as Roel shouted with her face flushed, Marilyn merely laughed mockingly. In this world, being strong is all that matters; even someone like Hecaton can be recognized for that alone. It’s no wonder scum like them can thrive.
“Are you planning to resist? You seem pleased with defeating the Mist Stalkers, but you won’t win against us. Unfortunately, our specialty is this: monster hunting and human killing are two different games.”
“Everyone, step back. I’ll finish this.”
“Huh? You’re resisting… So you must be Lua, huh? I see, I see… Hehe.”
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, it’s just that you don’t seem to understand the situation you’re in. Truly, what a pitiful child you are. By the way, have you had any close calls lately?”
The meaning behind Marilyn’s words caught me off guard, but that didn’t matter. I had one thing to do: silence them. I sheathed my sword and approached Marilyn.
“Oh, unarmed, are we? I must be underestimated. Hehehe.”
I relaxed my body, deliberately feigning vulnerability. I hadn’t felt this much anger towards humans since Hecaton. Looking around, I saw that there were many worthless individuals like them. So I would teach them a lesson.
“Feel free to come at me anytime, Landlady.”
At the mention of “Landlady,” Marilyn gritted her teeth and began to chant. Soon, her slender sword crackled with lightning.
Monster Compendium
Poison Zombie HP: 644
A human who died but couldn’t fully pass on, now wandering. A classic undead-type monster, but if it recognizes someone from its past life, it can be quite formidable.
Swamp Snake HP: 503
A snake that resides in marshlands. It usually preys on frogs, but when humans approach, it ambushes from the bottom of the swamp. Its size isn’t particularly large, but its speed is extraordinarily high, making it capable of inflicting unexpected damage.
Mist Stalker HP: 3670
An insect-like monster whose detailed ecology is not well understood. Despite its slender appearance, it possesses surprisingly high defense and terrifying speed, making it difficult for humans to shake off. It reacts to sound and the location of its companions, making it a nuisance whether defeated or not. It’s a voracious carnivore, so if you throw some meat, it will become preoccupied with that.