16: Split in two

As I might have said before—Deadmen don't even rank as proper monsters in Hall Plain. The only real traits they possess are minor intelligence and the ability to infect others. Considering Hall Plain is all about proving your worth, a healthy adult male with a steel pipe could take out a Deadman in over 80% of encounters. (Assuming one-on-one combat, and that said male can think rationally.)

An Hyun, armed with a longsword and shield, had solid base stats. As long as he had the mental fortitude and some skill in wielding weapons, he had the potential to grow far beyond where he currently stood. Especially when it came to trash like Deadmen.

Once he broke through that initial hesitation, his actions grew more decisive, and his slashes became far more aggressive. An Hyun was smart—and a natural fighter. Though he hadn't yet completely shed his doubts, choosing to fight defensively and wait for counters, that alone showed a level of instinct rare in someone so fresh. Give him some more confidence, and he'd soon be able to handle three or four Deadmen on his own.

After choosing to break through head-on, we quickly began exiting the forest. While tracing the escape path, Kim Han-byul spotted remnants of a trail, and following it gave us hope of getting out. Naturally, the group's pace picked up. But as expected, the farther down we went, the more frequently Deadmen started showing up. At that point, I decided to treat it as training for An Hyun and let him handle most of the fighting.

Four Deadmen, drawn by the scent of human flesh, let out their grotesque howls and lunged forward with gaping jaws. A fierce gleam sparked in An Hyun's eyes—his aggressive nature was starting to show. As he calmly drew his blade and raised his shield, An Sol whispered timidly,

"O-Oppa… Be careful…"

"Yeah. Just wait a little. Hyung, take care of Sol and the others."

"Don't worry. I got them covered."

"Who are you calling 'the others'?" Yoo-jung huffed.

He chuckled at her protest, then rushed forward with fierce momentum.

This would be the first time he faced four of them at once—he'd handled two before. I nocked an arrow in my crossbow, just in case.

As the monsters rushed toward him, An Hyun took a diagonal step to the left with about a meter between them. Human bodies are flexible—but Deadmen's stiff, rotting frames were not. One of the Deadmen, lunging to bite, faltered as its rigid joints failed to adjust. Seizing that vulnerability, An Hyun drove his sword into its skull. One down. Without hesitation, he yanked the sword free and squared off against the remaining three.

Watching him, I felt it again—this kid had potential. The fact that he wasn't just hacking away but actively targeting weak points was a good sign. He'd recognized the Deadmen's poor rotational mobility and used it to his advantage. That deserved praise.

With a sickening crunch, another Deadman staggered back. Since their only attack method was biting, a high shield stance over the chest was the most effective counter. Somehow, despite no formal training, An Hyun had figured that out on his own. As the creature reeled, he plunged his sword into its face. Another one down.

Now just two left.

Maybe he got cocky after those quick kills, but I noticed his shield grip loosening. One Deadman lunged, jaws snapping. An Hyun reversed his sword grip and held his stance. My eyes narrowed.

Reverse grip? Was he about to—?

He adjusted his stance, gauging the reach of his blade and the timing. I'd mastered iai techniques(a combative quick draw and sheath technique) in a past life, so I could tell what he was attempting. As the Deadman came into range, he gripped the hilt tight.

Now.

Schlak!

A chilling, slicing sound rang out as the creature's head split clean in two. Sloppy, sure—but effective. His expression lit up with a trace of exhilaration.

But I frowned.

One was still left.

As the last Deadman lunged forward, An Hyun brought up his shield—but the grip was too weak. The monster crashed into him, and the shield flew from his hand. He staggered, leaving his chest wide open.

Just as the monster lunged to bite—thwip!

A sharp twang split the air. My arrow pierced its skull.

The Deadman collapsed right before its jaws could tear into An Hyun's throat. He dropped to the ground, breathing hard.

"…Phew."

"Nice shot, boss~"

Lee Yoo-jung grinned as if she hadn't just watched a near-death situation. An Hyun could fight well, but he still couldn't anticipate follow-up attacks. Not yet. As he touched his neck in shock, he muttered gratefully.

"I owe you one, hyung. Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Just one assist."

He shook his head in disbelief, murmuring,

"Didn't expect that attack at all. If it weren't for your arrow…"

I glanced at Sol—her lips were trembling, eyes watery.

"Still, you handled the rest well. Let's just call that last one practice…"

"Waaaah!"

Before I could finish, An Sol burst into tears and threw herself at her brother. They really were a touching pair of siblings. I awkwardly unstrung the bolt in my crossbow and put it back in my pouch.

Lee Yoo-jung, ever the fighter, watched the scene with a slightly envious tone.

"Just watching makes me feel like I could do it too… Damn. Should've picked a weapon. Han-byul, do you have one?"

At that, Kim Han-byul silently pulled a short blade from her coat. Not ideal—it was small enough to be thrown, but not great for close-quarters combat unless you were highly skilled. Most people would get bitten trying.

"That thing won't help much. Why do you even carry it?"

"In case something… bad happens. Better to end it myself than… be taken."

"…You planning on being some tragic heroine from the Joseon Dynasty or something?"

Yoo-jung stared at her like she was insane, then turned her eyes to my crossbow with clear envy. But realizing she didn't know how to use it, she pouted and grumbled.

"Ugh. If only we had one of those steel pipes that guy had. Han-byul, see anything around?"

"Nothing."

Han-byul's sour face suggested she didn't like how Yoo-jung was suddenly talking informally. As my thoughts drifted to Park Dong-gul's group, I was struck by how smooth our journey had been in comparison to my first time through the Rite. Back then, the first two days were nothing but constant running. I wondered what Dong-gul's group was up to. Still running for their lives? Or already torn to bits and digesting in some monster's belly?

Not that it mattered. I pushed the thought aside. Whether it was the aftermath of the fight or comforting Sol, An Hyun walked over to us with a slightly tired expression.

"Hyung, the path looks clearer ahead. I think we're almost out. Shall we keep moving?"

"Yeah. Let's."

Listening to our exchange, Lee Yoo-jung sulked, still bitter about the lack of weapons.

"Look at you, all smug. Just don't get yourself killed acting cool."

"Better than getting eaten doing nothing. Come on—let's go."

"Tell me about it. I'm so done with this forest. I just want to get out of here already."

With that, we quickly picked up our pace again. The trail was leading us out, no doubt. But my senses were picking up something troubling. On the outskirts, faint signs of over twenty Deadmen lingered nearby. Even if we changed direction, the odds wouldn't improve much.

Four was manageable. Twenty? Not a chance.

That left only one option, short of a full-on charge. I sighed internally, trying to think of the right words to persuade the others.

As expected, the forest's edge was swarming. Easily more than twenty Deadmen filled the area with guttural groans. And those were just the ones in front of us. If we caused a ruckus, even more would come pouring in from the sides.

Beyond them, I saw signs of a crumbling stone wall—and past that, an uneven but unmistakable path. One more step, and we'd be free.

Everyone realized it. And the tension showed.

Even with An Hyun's skill, fighting that many was suicide. But turning back now just felt wrong.

"…Shit. How the hell are we supposed to get through that?"

Yoo-jung's exasperated voice echoed in the silence. We could try to find another route, but there was no guarantee it'd be any better. An Hyun and Han-byul just stared at the ground, clearly out of ideas.

That only left one choice.

I let out a quiet breath and made my decision.

"I have an idea."

The moment I spoke, everyone perked up. I figured it was time to cut to the chase.