Episode 7
The Black Spirit’s Words and the Sudden Assault
At the Black Spirit’s words, I froze in place.
“What did you say?”
-Kik-kik, why so surprised?
It seemed to enjoy my reaction, letting out a mocking laugh. It only had red eyes, so where was the laughter coming from? But there were too many questions before I could dwell on that.
“How did you know? No, was it you who brought me here? And what exactly is this world…?”
-Full of questions. Time is short, Outsider. But I’m in a good mood now…
The Black Spirit rippled as if about to disappear any moment. Its already faint form was losing shape even more. Its antics felt like it was toying with me.
-It’s not unusual for beings from other dimensions to visit this place.
Gods who slip through dimensional rifts, of course.
Beings who manifest in response to desperate calls, or are dragged here, those who crossed the Sea of Void and fell to this land—they exist everywhere.
And the words it spat out…
-Judging by your look, you don’t even know how you came here.
Agonize, Outsider.
Even I do not know.
However, arriving here is not possible by one side’s will alone.
Though I don’t know how you came, I do know that you also wished to come here.
“Just what are you?”
-What you call me doesn’t matter.
Black Spirit, Black Sage, Plague, Harbinger of Destruction, Meteor… Words are not important.
I am merely an existence that grants suitable power to those who crave it and takes the price in return.
“Then what do you want from me? What do you want me to do here?”
-Kik-kik, I don’t care how you live.
Just fulfill the contract, that’s all.
“Contract?”
-You need not recall. Everything will flow in the direction we desire, regardless.
Whether it was intended or not.
How many exchanges passed?
Instead of resolving questions, more arose, and suddenly, the creature trembled.
-Now, time’s up.
Simultaneously, the space I was in began to shake entirely.
“No…! I still have things to ask…!”
It was the first entity I’d met in this world that knew about me. Even if I didn’t get satisfactory answers, I couldn’t let it leave like this.
-If you wish to find answers, seek the remnants of darkness. If I’m in a good mood, I might tell you.
But my wish didn’t come true.
-However, as you are now, forget the contract—even surviving the danger you’ll soon face seems difficult.
I shall help you.
The Black Spirit said only what it wanted to say until the end and scattered away, disappearing again. Light flowing from the cracks in the space that had begun to split gradually expanded its domain.
And then…
“Savior! Snap out of it!”
At Ethan’s urgent voice shaking my arm, I realized I had returned to the ruin.
“The ruin is starting to collapse!”
Simultaneously, the ruin crumbled, giving me no time to gather my wits.
-Groooan! Crunch-crunch-crackle!
The earlier shaking seemed to be the entire ruin’s doing; dust fell from the ceiling, and cracks spread. Walls and pillars that had looked sturdy as if having done their duty crumbled powerlessly.
“I was mistaken. It seems the Black Stone was a device to collapse the ruin. Follow me quickly!”
With an urgent cry, Ethan ran without looking back. In my daze, I followed.
What could it have been?
I only wanted help by recalling my game experience…
Was it a frustrating dream I had?
If it was a dream, it was truly unsettling. Instead of resolving questions, it felt like I’d been saddled with a pile of homework. However, considering the last mention, maybe it wasn’t for nothing. There must have been some arrangement…
What help does it mean to give?
Before that, what does it mean that surviving seems difficult?
As I chased Ethan, trying to organize the rising questions…
“Savior! I see light! That’s the exit!”
-Ding! You have completed the quest!
Reward is ready. Will you receive it? (Yes/No)
Along with Ethan’s voice letting out a sigh of relief,
a familiar sound effect I could never forget reached my ears.
“Uh… But the camp is on fire…”
And then.
“Everyone, run! Imps! Imps are attacking!”
“Hold them off! Don’t run, hold them off!”
“There are Giant Imps mixed in! How are we supposed to hold them off?!”
“Where did these heavily armed Imps come from… Agh!”
Only then did I face the help and danger the Black Spirit had mentioned.
While Ethan and Allen were inside the ruin, Deacon urged his leisurely gathered colleagues near the ruin.
“Just how long are you all going to do this? Aren’t you setting up camp?”
Half a day had already passed just arriving here.
Considering the forest gets dark early, it would be dusk soon.
And darkness is practically morning for monsters.
Not only are there many nocturnal monsters, but even if encountered, monsters with better night vision than humans have the advantage.
They needed to set up camp as quickly as possible, but unlike Deacon, no sense of crisis was visible among the personnel.
“Why the rush, Deacon? How long has it been since we arrived?”
“We need to make camp before sunset.”
“Ah, we don’t need to rush that much. We’ve made camp before, right? Camp is something you can make quickly if you put your mind to it.”
“It’s not a typical camp. We need to build a camp considering monster attacks. Do you think a camp designed for field combat is easy to make?”
“That talk again? You really believe what Ethan said? We brought all the available guard personnel.”
“Right. With this scale, what could happen? You’re being too sensitive.”
They even tried to brush it off casually.
“Haha, right. Even stupid Imps have some thought…”
Deacon’s face darkened rapidly.
“I don’t repeat myself twice.”
“Ah, alright…”
“We’ll do it. We’ll just do it, okay?”
Only when Deacon stepped forward holding a club as thick as his arm, veins bulging, did the personnel begin to rise from their spots one by one.
“Sigh… We’ll have to wait quite a while.”
Watching the members hastily building camp with the materials, Deacon sighed.
Excluding the ruin, the campsite surrounded by dense forest was, by any stretch, not a region favorable for defense.
Frankly, even if monsters attacked like this, he couldn’t guarantee victory.
And that wasn’t all.
The insufficient preparation from the tight schedule,
the rushing superior,
and colleagues lacking even a sense of community…
Perfect conditions for a total wipeout.
‘I’d rather it was just paranoia…’
Should he think he was just being sensitive, as other members said?
But Deacon shook his head and looked at the ruin where Ethan and Allen had entered.
The only two who had returned alive from this ruin and warned of the Imps’ danger.
No matter how unbelievable the story, their words held far more value than those idling at camp.
And Deacon believed the words of the strong.
Especially if they were stronger than him.
“Always think of the worst…”
Deacon muttered softly.
It was a saying his respected guard captain recited like a habit.
The incident occurred around sunset.
“Aaaaagh!”
A single scream echoed as camp setup was nearly finished.
“What’s that?”
“Im-Imps!”
Starting with that sound, Imps burst from the forest.
-Kreek!
-Kik-kik-kik!
-Kyeeek!
Imps are monsters with small bodies the size of a child.
Their diminutive size might make them seem weak,
but they are equally nimble, quick, and threatening.
Even more so if armed.
-Swoosh!
“Gyaaah!”
-Thwump!
“They have weapons!”
-Shwak!
“Sa-save me…!”
Screams erupted each time the creatures that broke through the hastily assembled defense line swung their swords.
“Don’t panic! Pick up your weapons!”
Deacon, grasping the situation instantly, shouted urgently, but the members, stained with complacency and neglect, were merely prey.
Chaos had already spread like wildfire.
“Gather! Fight together! The enemy is Imps! Don’t be scared!”
“Yeah, everyone gather! Imps are nothing if we face them properly.”
“Keep your eyes low! Don’t chase! Only engage the ones approaching!”
The only saving grace was that the guards’ response, excluding the untalented general members, wasn’t late.
“Those without weapons, retreat to the back! Don’t scatter!”
Deacon, cutting down Imps in the center of the camp turned battlefield, looked around. The chaos was gradually subsiding around the guards fighting the Imps, but the situation was still not good.
-Kyeeek!
-Gr-gr-grool!
Not only had they precisely struck while the camp was still incomplete,
but the number of attacking Imps was larger than expected,
and their armament was superior.
Considering they even targeted unarmed general members first to heighten confusion…
‘This isn’t the level of simple stray Imps.’
It meant there was an individual commanding these Imps.
‘Has a Lord appeared? This exceeds the level I can handle.’
If a Lord-class monster had appeared here, there was nothing to do but wait for annihilation.
‘But… it’s not here.’
Should it be called fortunate? No such entity was immediately visible.
In the center of the camp crumbling helplessly,
Deacon, observing the tangled Imps and people, reached a conclusion.
Then, there was hope.
If he could just quell the current chaos, a breakthrough might appear.
But.
Thump-.
An ominous sound echoing through the forest.
-Thump!
-Kree-ree-reek!
-Kya-kya-kyak!
Simultaneously, the Imps rampaging among the people stopped and began to laugh.
As if mocking the current situation.
“Gi-Giant Imp!”
The reason was soon revealed.
“A commander-class entity…!”
“Ev-everyone, run! We’ll be wiped out if we stay here!”
Unlike ordinary Imps the size of a child, a Giant Imp with a height over 2 meters and a massive build appeared.
-Thump!
-Gr-grool!
According to one account, it takes at least a squad of well-trained soldiers to face one.
With a ferocity matching its size and monstrous strength capable of crushing bodies armor and all with its vicious hands.
“Hiiiik! Sa-save me! Run, quickly…!”
“Shut up! You idiots! Where do you plan to run in the middle of the forest?!”
“The ruin…! Run to the ruin!”
“No!”
“Aaaaah!”
Perhaps because of its infamy.
The members panicked at the Giant Imp’s appearance.
Only Deacon coldly rebuked them, but the situation was already out of control.
Just as most were running toward the ruin—a dead end for all intents and purposes…
-Rrrrumble!
As if teasing the members.
The ruin collapsed.
Amidst the futile gazes, the ruin shook the very ground, scattering dust.
“Ethan! Allen! What are you all doing?! Clear the debris!”
While everyone was preoccupied with the ruin’s collapse, Deacon’s voice rang out again.
Inside were Ethan and Allen, who had entered earlier.
Considering the time they’d been inside, they couldn’t have been far from the entrance.
“Those who can fight, buy time! Everyone else, stick to the ruin!”
-Rattle-clank!
At the urgent shout, members who snapped out of it awkwardly approached, and suddenly, the debris began to shift.
“Cough! Cough! I thought I was going to die! We barely made it, Savior.”
Then, Ethan’s voice followed.
Soon, as the dust cleared, the figures of the two standing unharmed came into view.
“Allen!”
Seeing the scene, Deacon shouted, genuinely pleased.
Wasn’t it because he, who had sparred directly, knew Allen’s strength best?
Even in this dire situation, having a skilled person like Allen might open a path—that expectation had arisen.
But perhaps unaware of Deacon’s expectation,
Allen was just staring blankly into empty space.
