SWNOVELXO Chapter 82 - Hell (2)
Chapter 82. Hell (2)
Yuri’s face soured at Goetz’s reverse question.
“…The way you’re talking, it sounds like you didn’t expect me to succeed even a little bit, huh?”
“Oh, you’ve got it exactly right, Owl. Your insight is as sharp as ever.”
“This bastard…”
Yuri swallowed the curses lingering in his mouth.
‘Hold it in, hold it… He’s still my client until I get the Points.’
Forcing a smile, he spoke.
“If you want the item, bring the Points. The meeting place… will be where we met the third time.”
Goetz, who had been looking at Yuri with a slightly surprised expression, hesitated for a moment before nodding.
“Hmm… let’s do that.”
At his response, Yuri felt relieved and glanced behind him.
Arin was blinking at him, curious about the conversation between him and Goetz.
Yuri quickly changed the subject.
“But what are you doing here? Are you here to earn Points too?”
“Points? Me? Haha, Owl, you don’t know anything. Points are the last thing I’m after.”
“Then what?”
“Obviously, I’m here to get something precious that can only be acquired now!”
“Is there really something like that? What is it?!”
Seeing Yuri’s eyes suddenly light up, Goetz shook his head slightly.
“Aha, to not recognize such a precious item even when it’s right in front of you. Your discernment, Owl, is truly abysmal.”
“Huh?”
Yuri looked at him, completely clueless. In response, Goetz slowly removed his bunny ear headband, holding it carefully with both hands.
“Of course, the greatest treasure in this Animal Forest is none other than these bunny ears!”
“……?”
“This bunny ear headband is a luxury item that can only be obtained during this season!”
“…….”
Yuri’s gaze gradually turned cold.
Behind him, Arin’s expression was no different from Yuri’s.
Whether he noticed this or not, Goetz respectfully offered the bunny ears to Arin.
“Oh, Goddess of the Blue Rose, would you please wear this magnificent bunny ear headband?”
His eyes sparkled with expectation.
In response, Arin…
Smack-.
Harshly slapped the bunny ears out of his hands.
“Ugh, ugh?!”
Goetz scrambled to chase after the bunny ear headband that flew two meters away.
He crouched down and carefully dusted off the dirt from the once-white bunny ears.
Watching his pitiful state, Arin asked Yuri.
“…Do you know him?”
“No, I don’t. That perverted bastard.”
Could you not involve me with something like that?
At the icy tone in Yuri’s voice, Arin nodded in agreement.
Yuri then asked Arin.
“So, how did you end up being chased by that pervert?”
“I don’t know, he suddenly popped out and started saying he fell in love at first sight, calling me his Blue Rose or something.”
“Why didn’t you just shoot an arrow into his head?”
“I tried, but he dodged all of them.”
“…Ah, so you’ve already tried.”
“Yeah, no matter how much I attacked, nothing worked, and he kept chasing me while spouting nonsense… Ugh.”
Seeing Arin shudder, Yuri asked again.
“What about Poppy? Weren’t you with Poppy?”
“I don’t know, he suddenly disappeared. I was looking for him when I ran into that weirdo around here!”
“I see…”
Yuri started to nod but then his expression hardened.
‘Around here? Could it be?!’
Sensing something strange, Yuri quickly turned his gaze to Goetz Röthen.
“Hey, Goetz Röthen… No, Perverted Bunny?”
At Yuri’s call, Goetz, who was still squatting and fussing over the bunny ears, turned his head.
His gaze seemed to ask why he was being bothered when he was busy, so Yuri asked.
“Why are you here?”
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
“I’m asking why a bunny is here. This is the deer’s territory, isn’t it?”
“Oh, that?”
Goetz smiled faintly at Yuri’s question.
“That’s a simple reason. The night is…”
Goetz’s gaze swept over the campfire.
“The time of the beasts.”
And as soon as those words left his mouth, sounds of movement came from all directions.
Rustle-.
Hearing the sounds growing closer, Yuri quickly drew his sword.
At the same time, he kicked the campfire.
Bang-!
Sparks and embers scattered everywhere.
In the midst of it, Arin stood back to back with Yuri, nocking an arrow on her bow.
As Arin’s eyes filled with tension, a tongue-clicking sound came from behind.
“Tsk, I knew it was too easy. As always, nothing from the Cradle ever comes easy.”
At the voice that seemed to know something, Arin whispered softly.
“…Could you explain the situation?”
Yuri responded with a nod toward Goetz, who was still crouched in the corner.
“That pervert said it, didn’t he? The night is the time of the beasts.”
The time of the beasts.
The meaning was simple.
“When night falls, the boundaries between the animals’ territories disappear.”
During the day, each animal had its own designated territory.
But with the arrival of night, those boundaries vanished, and all the animals were set free.
That’s why Goetz, despite being just a bunny, had shown up in the deer’s territory.
But that wasn’t the biggest problem.
The real problem was…
‘The ones deep inside the forest.’
The beasts that would initiate an attack.
‘The night is the time of the beasts… He’s right.’
But he had left out one crucial word.
For those aggressive beasts deep in the forest, night was the time for ‘hunting.’
‘Starting the campfire was a mistake. I practically announced our presence to everything around.’
Realizing this, he put out the fire, but it was far too late.
By now, numerous animals had probably gathered in this area.
The sounds of movement from all directions were proof of that.
Yuri asked with a hardened expression.
“How many arrows do you have left?”
“I wasted a few on that pervert, but I’ve got enough.”
She tapped her quiver as she answered.
Yuri nodded and his eyes sharpened.
And then.
Rustle-.
“Get ready. They’re coming.”
Nod-.
Arin slightly nodded, drawing her bowstring even tighter with cautious eyes.
Whoosh-.
The still-smoldering campfire finally went out completely, and something suddenly leaped out from behind a tree trunk.
“Woof!”
A bark.
No, it was a wolf barking like a dog as it charged in, with the 48th class’s blue epaulet on its shoulder.
Arin wasted no time and shot her arrow at him.
Swoosh-.
The arrow flying through the darkness was truly threatening.
Given the close distance, avoiding it was nearly impossible.
Of course, that’s from the perspective of an ordinary person.
Clang!
With a crisp sound, the wolf’s sword deflected Arin’s arrow.
Wearing a sinister smile, the wolf lunged at her again.
Arin’s eyes widened, and just as the distance between her and the wolf closed in an instant…
Swish-.
Yuri slipped in between them.
Clang-.
Yuri easily deflected the wolf’s sword and shouted.
“The wolf is at official 1st class! Don’t hold back, give it your all!”
At Yuri’s sharp command, Arin gritted her teeth.
Today, she encountered a wolf for the first time.
Because of this, she had only been thinking of the usual deer and rabbits, and she held back, shooting a regular arrow.
But if her opponent was an official 1st class, the story changed.
“Hoo…”
She exhaled softly, her eyes gleaming in the darkness.
A sign that mana was coursing through her body.
Arin’s hand moved like lightning, pulling out two arrows and nocking them simultaneously.
Wooong-.
The moment the bowstring emitted a strange vibrating sound due to the magic body technique she was using, her fingers lightly plucked the string.
Pop!
The arrows shot forth like a streak of light, traveling several times faster than the first arrow she had fired.
Moreover, they skillfully wove through the gap created by Yuri’s swordplay.
Yuri’s sword was in front.
And in between, the sharp arrows.
“Ugh!”
The wolf, startled, let out a grunt and swung his sword.
Clang-.
The wolf’s sword barely managed to deflect one of the arrows, but Arin had fired two.
Thunk-.
“Kuh!”
An arrow pierced the wolf’s thigh.
And it wasn’t just any arrow.
Ziiiiing-.
The arrow embedded in his thigh vibrated continuously, tearing into the wolf’s thigh muscles.
“Kraaaah!”
The forest at night trembled with the wolf’s loud, pain-filled scream.
Yuri didn’t miss the opportunity and struck the wolf’s head with the back of his sword.
Crunch-.
With a horrifying sound, the wolf collapsed to the ground with a thud.
Yuri gave Arin a quick thumbs-up.
But that brief moment of relief was short-lived.
Rustle-.
“Woof.”
“Woof woof.”
This time, two more wolves appeared.
Yuri let out a bitter laugh.
“Damn it, this is a mess.”
It seemed that they wouldn’t be getting any sleep on their first night in the Animal Forest.
“Alright, let’s do this!”
With his sword in hand, Yuri charged at the two wolves, and Arin’s arrows followed close behind to support him.
Clang-!
Boom!
The sound of clashing metal and explosions echoed through the forest.
But despite the urgent situation, Goetz, leaning against a tree trunk, appeared utterly calm.
Watching the fight unfold before him, a flicker of interest crossed his eyes.
“Oh?”
Yuri was facing off against two wolves.
He was holding his own against two seniors, both of whom were official 1st class.
No, he wasn’t just holding his own.
A look of surprise crossed Goetz’s face as he observed the situation.
‘This is actually turning in Owl’s favor?’
Even though it was a 2-on-1 fight, Yuri was gaining the upper hand.
‘Even with the support from our Blue Rose… still, this is impressive.’
A cadet who had just entered was gaining the upper hand against two senior official 1st class opponents?
It was nothing short of remarkable.
What was even more surprising was that in terms of skill level, Yuri Holland was barely at the official 1st class level.
Just barely scraping by.
Yet, he was still managing to gain the upper hand against two others of the same rank, which was something that defied common sense.
Goetz, who had been watching the 2-on-1 fight closely, figured out why Yuri was able to fight so effectively.
‘His ability to read his opponent’s moves is exceptional… no, it’s astonishing.’
Yuri’s sword seemed to cut off his opponents’ attacks as if predicting them.
Moreover, whenever Arin provided support, it was as if Yuri had anticipated it, and he adjusted his next move accordingly.
Given the situation, Goetz couldn’t help but be impressed.
‘What incredible talent… I guess this is what it means to be a record-setting prodigy.’
Earlier, he had pretended not to recognize Yuri as a joke, but how could he not know?
He had been present during the Hundred Steps Ceremony.
The intense memory of that event wasn’t something easily forgotten.
‘You should consider yourself honored, Owl—no, Yuri Holland. I usually don’t remember the names of men, but I remember yours clearly.’
Yuri’s performance during the Hundred Steps Ceremony had been so intense that it left a lasting impression.
So now, seeing him gain the upper hand against his seniors, Goetz couldn’t help but think, “As expected.”
‘But even so, our Blue Rose is also impressive. She’s getting better and better.’
Arin’s support, which had initially been somewhat awkward, was becoming sharper and more precise with each passing moment, seamlessly slipping arrows between Yuri’s attacks.
Thanks to that, as time passed, the 49th-class senior wolves were becoming increasingly disadvantaged.
‘They must be quite flustered.’
Even if they hadn’t been official 1st class for long, they were likely among the top ranks of the 49th class.
Yet, even with their combined efforts, they couldn’t overpower Yuri, which must have been a blow to their pride.
Goetz chuckled softly.
‘It seems I can’t afford to be complacent either.’
Although there was a significant gap in their ranks, meaning they wouldn’t clash directly very often, it wasn’t entirely impossible.
And now, seeing Yuri’s skill, Goetz thought it was only a matter of time before Yuri would rise through the ranks.
As Goetz was contemplating this,
Whoosh-.
“Kuhk!”
Bang!
Thud-.
One of the wolves fighting Yuri collapsed to the ground.