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“Tania, get ready!”

My heart pounds fiercely.

It’s not out of fear or panic, of course. After all, I’ve faced things far larger and more intimidating than that thing. There’s no way this is enough to make my heart race like that.

Right now, my heart is beating strongly, channeling all of my remaining mana into my body without reservation. No, I’m squeezing out more mana than I can handle to enhance my entire being. It feels as if my heart is echoing loudly in my ears.

‘Though I’m feeling a bit restrained…this much should be fine.’

For a brief moment, I can move without being too greatly limited, just like I used to.

Even if the fortress has grown stronger, Shione doesn’t have the capability to face this monster, and Diolia protecting her will inevitably be constrained in her actions.

With other half-demons glaring at us, keeping an eye on all of us, it’s pretty difficult to recklessly jump in to help. Instead, it’s much easier to just take Shione and run away.

If I send them off first, I have to push myself to synchronize with that monster ahead now.

‘Surely, they wouldn’t abandon me.’

Even if I survive now, the backlash is bound to be significant….

But considering everything I’ve done until now and Shione being around, they wouldn’t throw me aside because I’m a hindrance.

I cast aside any remaining worries and, at the moment Diolia kicks off the ground, I quickly surveyed my heightened body.

A forcibly awakened mind. Even if it’s just a temporary illusion, the feeling of transcending my limits fills me with a sense of omnipotence.

With this much, even this frail body should be able to move as I envision.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

A woman, shrouded in magic, exuding a terrifying aura more than anyone else present, tries to bypass me and attack Shione and Diolia.

I immediately draw the sword I had sheathed and carve a precise line where her neck would go.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

“……!”

The half-demon seemed completely caught off guard by how I perfectly responded to her speed. She planted her feet firmly on the ground and twisted her momentum.

“Damn it…!”

But even in that moment, this crazy woman seemed unbothered and aimed to sever my legs with her lowered blade.

Even so, I had no thought of defending or dodging her intentions.

‘It’s an opportunity.’

Hunters are mostly lunatics. Especially those of higher ranks, their insanity can’t be understated. I mean, how could the ones willingly entering a dungeon swarming with foes bent on killing me be considered sane?

In that regard, it wouldn’t be strange to consider myself as one of the nicely insane among them.

My style traditionally revolved around reckless fights where I put myself on the line. Even if one arm gets severed, if I’m engulfed by flames, or lose both legs, as long as the one left standing in the end is me, that’s what matters.

‘Sacrifice a leg and strike the neck.’

The thought of hesitating over bodily loss or pain was eclipsed by an intense desire for victory, and thus, drawing my bowstring with my life on the line and wielding my sword seemed only natural. What else could I be if not a madman?

Just like those idiots who perished alongside me in that cursed dungeon. They aren’t much different. As long as I can conclude with the certainty of striking its neck by sacrificing my leg, it’s common sense for me to do it without a second thought.

If my leg is cleanly severed, can be reattached through a priest and a potion in this world. It’s an unavoidable attack, after all. With the momentum to deal a significant blow, I decided to plunge my sword into the neck of the creature before me.

“Park Shin-woo, you crazy bastard! There’s no priest here to fix your leg!”

Boom─!

Tania’s flames, completely uncontrolled, engulfed the woman I was about to strike down with my sword.

The woman staggered back, and I remained attentive, elevating my senses to catch any signs around me.

As if it was the perfect opportunity, a demon surged forward, diving into the explosion of flames.

‘This is troublesome.’

Up until now, I had just been watching from afar, and now it seems like I’d have to deal with it right away.

Moreover, noticing the stance of that half-demon while I was distracted with the demon, it only added to my unease.

“Tania, could you cover my sight for a little while? Something that can explode big for a moment.”

─…Your mana will run out. You’ll be spitting blood and collapsing once it’s over, you know.

“If I don’t do this now, my head’s going to fly off.”

─Sigh…

After simply giving Tania the next command.

I had carelessly turned my back to the demon that had closed the distance.

“You’ve let your guard down! You damned─”

Clang!

Just as the ring on my hand began to emit a white light, fulfilling its role as an artifact, the demon’s blade sliced through thin air and bounced off.

Why would I let my guard down? There’s always a reason for everything.

“Ugh…!”

I immediately swung my blade, striking at the arm that still held the weapon, then grabbed onto its neck with my left hand.

In the moment her distorted pupils reflected my cold gaze, I thrust the demon I had grasped forward.

“…Tsk.”

With the balance of my attack redistributed, my regained left hand rushed to seize the small opening revealed by the demon’s momentary imbalance.

“Orna!”

By borrowing the power of the small spirit, I enhanced my movements to be even more agile.

I thrust my sword straight through the heart of the half-demon.

Clang!

But it seemed she wouldn’t be defeated by such shallow tricks, swatting my weapon away.

She closed in further, raising her blade to aim for my throat.

“Are you trying to engage in a contest of strength?”

“…….”

“Ultimately, you’re going to struggle with a man’s body. You’ve miscalculated.”

With a twisted smile, the woman brought her swirling magic to bear as she pressed her blade against mine, pushing my sword up against my throat.

“I liked you…so your neck shall be taken by me─”

I shifted the direction of power.

Moving back, I quickly twisted my upper body to evade the force coming from my left side, adjusting my sword in that instant.

The fractured balance of power. With her sword gliding past me, the half-demon’s body tilted as she exerted too much pressure on her weapon.

“……!”

As I prepared to lift my sword and shake off the demon to my side, her blade was already angled toward the ground.

Whose neck she was aiming to cut.

Without hesitation, I tried to bring my sword down to sever the woman’s neck.

Smack─!

As if she was unable to stay still, the woman forcefully shoved me using her right shoulder.

“You damned bastard, just keep…!”

I lost my stance, the descending blow from the enraged demon nearly reaching its target.

I whispered softly.

“Tania, something big now.”

Tania was originally a high-level spirit. She had wielded a vast reserve of mana that dwarfed that of even the highest ranks. Therefore, she showcased powers that much higher than others.

The moment I felt her mana draining rapidly, the catastrophe she was unleashing began to surge toward the demon’s back.

Compressed dragon’s breath. Given the current circumstances, how much could the magic surrounding her protect her?

“Ugh…!”

But what was certain was that this last move significantly angered her.

Now, what I need to think about is how to defend against her relentless assault.

‘To protect myself with flames…is it that the magic concentrated on my back…’

The magic lingering on my front and her blade visibly diminished.

Now was the perfect chance. An opportunity to secure her firmly.

So, I resolved to give up my arm and injected killing intent into my sword.

Ignoring the attack directed at my right arm, I aimed to plunge my sword into the demon’s heart.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Boom!

The ring shone brightly.

But the half-demon’s strike was stronger than I could deflect.

Boom!

As the ring glowed once more and lost its effectiveness as an artifact.

Clang!

With two jarring clashes, her blade met my weapon with a jolt.

But these were relatively weak attacks from an unsteady stance. I quickly redirected the blade moving to my left.

“……!”

With the attack that severed my left arm completed, I buried myself into the ground.

As I watched my fallen arm fall from sight, distance expanded between us.

Thump! Thump!

I desperately tried to ignore the growing waves of pain in my heart and shouted.

“Tania, cover my sight now!”

The torrent of dragon flames fragmented. The flame barrier encircled, forming an environment befitting a hunter preparing to ambush.

‘…This is where it gets important.’

I need to stay sharp and respond to the situation.

During that brief moment of distraction, my eyes scanned the battlefield.

Friel and Airine are still fighting bravely. Luckily, it seems Shione was successfully taken away by Diolia; I couldn’t see either of them.

At the very least, I must hold my ground until Friel and Airine join us, or before this woman beheads me like her left arm.

“Stay sharp, Park Shin-woo.”

I need to move as Shin-woo rather than Ray. I must act true to myself.

The artifacts Shia-Bell gifted me had all been used up, losing their effects…….

From now on, it’s about risking my flesh and bones, risking my life.

Whoosh!

I swung my sword to shake off the blood and stowed it away.

“…Archers are archers, no less.”

In its place, I pulled an arrow from my quiver and began to string it.

“Tania, keep them in check. Orna, stay near me and support me.”

Thus, the hunt officially began alongside the spirits.

Riding the ascending, erratically moving pillar of fire, I concealed my form.

For a moment, if Tania managed to shift the half-demon’s focus…

Clatter─!

Dodging swiftly, I created friction against the ground, and as my posture stabilized—

“Orna!”

─Boom!

I draw upon the power of the spirit to shoot my bow.

One shot, two shots, three shots. That’s still not enough. A few more, faster, with more force.

I dart around. Each time I see an opening, I loose an arrow, tightening the noose around the enemy’s breath.

‘Just a little more like this.’

The situation was favorable.

I felt like I’d collapse from exertion if I unleashed a big shot right now. Sadly, landing a blow that could pierce through her defenses was impossible.

But with this method, I could deal plenty of fatigue and keep her spirit drained.

That’s what I thought. I was absolutely convinced of it.

“…It must’ve been fun hiding like a rat, huh?”

For a brief moment, as I focused on Tania’s assault, the maniacal gleam returned to the demon’s eyes the instant she spotted me.

Closing the distance in an instant.

“At first, I didn’t realize…but getting hit with those gadgets of yours just confuses my body’s timing.”

My thoughts were shattered.

“Like your consciousness can’t keep up with your body.”

Even with her left arm severed, what could possibly be so funny right now?

With mirth creeping back into her smile, the woman, the moment I revealed myself to shoot an arrow, advanced right upon me.

As her blade was about to touch my neck.

“Ugh…! I hate this pain…!”

In an instant, Tania dashed ahead of me.

The blade that passed through her narrowly avoided my neck by the skin of its teeth.

The spirit’s form began to disperse from the edges of its existence; it was an omen of re-summoning.

Turning my head, I caught sight of Tania glancing back at me, tears spilling from her eyes, her expression twisted in anguish, glaring fiercely at me.

“I’ve gone this far, so if you die again, you’re dead, you bastard…!”

Having said that, Tania turned back and began to step forward.

In the demon’s gaze reflected Tania’s expression, emotionless yet chillingly calm.

She gently cupped the half-demon’s cheek with her small hands and whispered.

“…If it were normal, I could burn your ass with just a gesture.”

Tania then returned to her usual playful attitude.

“Still, this will sting a bit!”

Boom─!

With a furious detonation.

 

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