Chapter 17: Unwelcomed Visitor (2)

After meeting Kurilta,

Tatiana Belov pondered.

'If this Carl Marcus is truly alive… and if he's the one who helped me…'

So, she decided to put herself in his shoes.

If she were Carl Marcus, banned from entering the Ark, what would she do?

'First, I need a place to settle.'

'The outside of the Ark is crawling with beasts and monsters. There are almost no safe places.'

'The locations within walking distance from the Red Line entrance are limited.'

'I also need water. There's an overflowing river, but that area is also a beast habitat. That's a no-go.'

'There's the area around the Great Forest… but that's also a den of beasts and monsters.'

Most places suitable for human habitation were already claimed by the creatures.

But not all.

Despite its many restrictions, there was one place that neither beasts nor monsters dared to approach.

'Mount Noah.'

Her gaze shifted toward Noah.

* * *

The Great Forest.

If the Ark was located south of Noah, then the Great Forest was northeast of the overflowing river east of Noah—a vast woodland area.

Whether it was the volcanic ash serving as a fertile nutrient or simply a fortunate combination of geographic conditions, the forest was so expansive that it was hard to believe it had only formed after the Great Cataclysm.

With its abundant resources and fertile land, it was a place that anyone would covet.

Numerous forces, including the Ark, had attempted to conquer it multiple times—only to fail repeatedly.

Because this forest had a ruler.

'Well, I don't plan on going that deep in anyway.'

All I needed were a few herbs to neutralize beast toxins and some wood for fire.

Since my goal wasn't to hunt beasts, I intended to avoid combat as much as possible.

'And if possible, I should look for herbs that help with sleep, too.'

Even now, whispers filled my ears, voices of all sizes murmuring things.

[Hehehe…]

[Come play with me…]

[Kill them all…]

Normally, I could just ignore them, but that wouldn't last forever.

It had already been days since I was forced to recover my fatigue with hot spring baths instead of actual sleep.

No matter how strong my body and mind were, at this rate, I would eventually break.

'The fundamental solution would be to raise my Ether Sensitivity to a certain level… but that won't be easy.'

My current growth rate was already absurdly fast.

If I tried to force my Ether Sensitivity even higher, I might just go insane.

'Let's get moving.'

After organizing my thoughts, I quietly lifted my gaze.

Looking down at the vast expanse of the Great Forest from Noah, I stepped forward.

The Great Forest was one of the locations I visited most often while playing The Defense.

Whether it was gathering unique plants found only here or completing certain special missions, there were plenty of reasons to come.

Thanks to that, I was quite familiar with the geography of the area.

'If I remember correctly, it should be this way.'

My targets for today were the ivy mistletoe leaves and stems, black hawthorn petals, and longevity grass—all used for neutralizing beast toxins.

Since firewood and sleep-inducing herbs would be much easier to find, my priority was naturally the antidote plants.

Upon reaching the border between Noah and the Great Forest—the very edge of the forest's entrance—I was met with an eerie silence.

Guoooooooo──

The forest did not welcome intruders.

The chilling stillness in the air was enough to make my skin tingle.

[Hieeek…!]

[Run… Let's get out of here…]

[I hate being here…]

The Ether around me trembled.

It had sensed the presence of the forest's master, slumbering deep within.

'Stay still.'

I had no intention of provoking it.

My goal was simply to gather some herbs at the edge of the forest and leave quickly.

'Alright, let's go.'

As I stepped into the forest's entrance, I came to a sudden halt.

I had spotted traces of a beast.

'A Grade 7 Arthropod was here.'

The mucus hadn't dried yet, meaning its habitat was nearby or it had passed through recently.

'I should turn back.'

It was an opponent I could fight, but no matter how much I suppressed my gunfire with silencing mode, firing a gun here was a terrible idea.

A Grade 7 Arthropod being pushed to the outskirts of the forest meant that the deeper regions were home to far deadlier monsters.

Some of them made the Mossback Kupf look like child's play.

I had no desire to attract their attention.

'There it is.'

Following the map in my memory, I finally arrived at a spot where the antidote herbs grew.

Farming was always a joy.

[You have identified Longevity Grass.]

[Dexterity has increased.]

[12 → 13]

I carefully gathered herbs while avoiding monster territory as much as possible.

But no matter how much I tried, there was no way to completely avoid beasts in this forest.

Running into them was an inevitability.

[They're… coming…]

Along with the warning whispers, something dropped from the trees above me.

A Grade 8 Arthropod—Red-Ridge Centipede lunged at me.

Just before it crushed me, I rolled aside and drew my machete.

This centipede was massive, easily over three meters long.

[Shhhhkkk, shhhhiiik—!]

Just the sight of an insect this large made my revulsion spike, but there was no time for fear.

'I can't fire my gun.'

The Great Forest's structure was perfect for carrying echoes.

Even with silencer mode, shooting at an enemy like this wasn't a wise choice.

'Guess I have no choice.'

I gripped my machete tightly.

But I wasn't foolish enough to charge in with just a knife against a Grade 8 Arthropod.

[Kikik, kikikik…!]

Bones surged from my armor, wrapping around me entirely.

I was in full battle mode.

'Strike first, win first.'

Since arthropods were classified as beasts, their vital spots weren't that different from other monsters.

The head and heart.

Those were my targets.

"Hold it down!"

With my command, an Ether pulse rippled outward.

[…Hold.]

I didn't have enough Ether Sensitivity to launch a grand attack, but I could momentarily paralyze a Grade 8 Arthropod.

And that moment was enough.

"Your turn."

[Kikik!]

Bone tendrils shot from my armor, piercing the Red-Ridge Centipede.

They weren't strong enough to skewer its weak points yet, but they immobilized it just fine.

[SSSSHHH!]

The centipede screeched as its body was bound.

While it struggled, I swung my machete down with all my strength.

CLANG!

The impact sent a painful vibration through my hand.

Even with my strength at over 10, I couldn't break through its exoskeleton in one hit.

But I wasn't going to stop.

'If one strike isn't enough, I'll keep swinging until it is.'

Once, twice, three times—

CLANG! CLANG! CRACK! CRACK!

What started as metallic clanging gradually turned into a dull crunching sound.

By the time blood seeped from my palm, I felt something change.

CRUNCH!

After dozens of strikes, my machete finally split the centipede's head open.

The moment I did, a disgusting liquid sprayed everywhere.

"Shit—!"

I barely dodged in time, avoiding a poison bath, but ended up rolling across the dirt.

"…Damn it."

I wasn't thrilled about wasting time on an enemy that would've gone down in a few gunshots.

'But at least I didn't attract more monsters.'

As I wiped my machete clean, I noticed something familiar.

'That's…'

A coca tree.

Not exactly a sleep aid, but it could have a similar effect if used properly.

It had significant side effects, so I rarely used it in the game… but it might still come in handy.

'Might as well take some.'

I stuffed as many coca leaves as I could into my pack.

'And those vines too…'

They'd be useful when I went to collect firewood later.

Since the Red-Ridge Centipede had been the dominant creature here, for now, the area was safe.

But that wouldn't last.

'New predators will claim this territory soon.'

I wasn't planning to stick around long enough for that to happen.

It was time for some peaceful herb gathering.

*

By the time I had finished gathering herbs, the sun was already setting.

It was time to head back.

'This should be enough to last me about a month without worrying about food.'

Since hunting beast meat itself wasn't difficult, the herbs I had collected would keep me from having to visit the Great Forest for a while.

The journey back was anything but light.

The herbs and leaves weren't too heavy, even when my pack was stuffed full, but the firewood I had bundled together with vines weighed a ton.

'Still, I need fire if I want to cook.'

Not that I was sure what I was doing could even be called cooking.

By the time the sun had set and darkness blanketed the land once again, I finally arrived at my shelter.

I had brought herbs that could help with sleep and a few with calming effects…

Maybe tonight, for the first time in a while, I could actually get some proper rest.

But just as I was about to step into my shelter—

'…What is this?'

Something felt off.

Even as I approached my shelter, a faint sense of unfamiliarity gnawed at me.

The shell casings I had scattered on the ground before I left had been disturbed.

That meant there had been an intruder.

'Was it a beast?'

But this place was midway up Mount Noah—

The terrain alone made it so that most beasts and creatures wouldn't dare approach.

'…No, this wasn't a beast.'

As soon as I examined the footprints left behind, I tightened my grip on my rifle.

They were human footprints.

'A human? Here? Why?'

The only people who could possibly be in Mount Noah were soldiers from the White Line or Red Line.

But they were too preoccupied maintaining the Ark's frontline to be wasting resources on a place like this.

'Then…'

Were they looking for me?

But who?

[…Behind you.]

A whisper.

Usually, the whispers I heard were nothing more than nonsense.

But not this time.

This was a warning.

Click!

Without hesitation, I raised my Ark-15 rifle and aimed it at the shadow within the darkness.

At the same time, I saw movement—

A faint shimmer in the shadows.

Someone was there.

"…Who's there?"

This wasn't good.

They could see me, but I couldn't see them.

'If they're hostile, it's better to shoot first.'

Just as I tightened my finger around the trigger—

"W-Wait!"

It was a normal voice.

But what happened next was anything but normal.

I felt it.

A wave of Ether.

The kind that only a Level 3 or higher Ether Adept could release.

[Hieeeee…!]

[It hurts…!]

[Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it—!]

'…Ether Shockwave!'

Every instinct in my body screamed at me.

This was dangerous.

'Move!'

I didn't know what kind of attack was coming, but I knew I had to get away.

I rolled backward, bracing for an incoming strike—

…But nothing happened.

'…What?'

They weren't attacking?

Confused, I slowly lifted my head.

And I saw—

"I have a question for you."

Golden hair cascading down like a river of light.

Eyes as deep and mysterious as the ocean.

Flawless, porcelain-white skin.

A face so strikingly beautiful that anyone would be left breathless.

"Were you the one who saved me?"

A midnight visitor had arrived.

***

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