Memorize - Episode 31
31 Boss Monster
The weather was clear. The bright sunlight we couldn't see in the forest was now gently caressing our heads. It certainly wasn't a bad feeling, but if there was a problem, it was that the group was walking without saying a word.
It seems about six hours have passed since we left the hut. During that time, we hardly exchanged any words except for what was absolutely necessary. While the atmosphere between me and Kim Han-byeol was cold, looking at the inner state of the group, it wasn't exactly just that.
Anyway. We should have been tired after walking for so long, but we walked and walked without a single break.
How long had we walked like that? Finally, a warp gate that looks large enough to be visible for more than half, no, even though only half is visible, comes into view. As we get closer to the warp gate, everyone seems to refrain from speaking carelessly, as if by agreement. All that can be heard are quiet breaths. Everyone must be somewhat excited in their hearts, thinking that the end is in sight.
It's good to move forward with enthusiasm, but we couldn't go with completely easy hearts. As expected, we didn't encounter a single monster on the way to the warp gate. Perhaps because of this, everyone seemed to have become unknowingly relaxed.
My mind was troubled. If a boss monster appears, there won't be time for preparation or discussion. It will sense where we are like a ghost and attack, and it would be fortunate if everyone doesn't scatter in confusion. Even with me here, if I don't reveal my true abilities, there's a high possibility of casualties.
The warp gate is right before our eyes. If we go just a little further, we can successfully complete the Trial of Passage. But giving up the concept and plan we've maintained so far, with just a visible bit of distance left, seemed too wasteful.
Roughly estimating the remaining distance, it seemed about 600 meters were left. Woo Jeongmin said they were attacked by the boss monster with 300 meters left, so that meant we could encounter it after going half the remaining distance. I wanted to go as slowly as possible while organizing my thoughts, but contrary to my wishes, the group's pace was getting faster and faster. Ahn Hyun must have felt this too, as he broke the silence he had maintained for a while and spoke to Ahn Sol in an excited voice.
"Sol. Let's hang in there a little more. If we go to that big oval building visible right in front of us, we'll surely be able to get out of this damn place. Just endure a little longer until then."
"Okay!"
At Ahn Hyun's gentle words, Ahn Sol nodded vigorously with a bright face. She was even showing occasional smiles, seeming quite happy. I, who was about to suggest taking a short break, had no choice but to close my mouth. No matter how much I thought about it, no brilliant idea came to mind. I had no choice but to match their pace, and as time passed, the distance to the warp gate was steadily decreasing.
Of course, it might be needless worry. Just quietly entering the warp gate like this is indeed the best method. A happy path where no one gets hurt, no one gets wounded. But the ominous feeling wouldn't go away. There was an uneasy corner somewhere in my heart. I was spreading the most extensive and detailed magic detection since entering the Trial of Passage, but I couldn't catch even a hint of the boss monster.
Before we knew it, we had 500 meters left to the target point. The warp gate was gradually revealing its full majesty. A neat pedestal was supporting the huge oval building, and it was so grand that it could match a whole building. In the center, there was a large hole like a donut, with a blue-green spherical object floating buoyantly. Occasionally emitting thin blue currents, it was clearly the magic sphere operating the warp gate.
It looked quite beautiful on the surface, and everyone's gaze instantly turned to the sphere. Ahn Sol was admiring it with a pure expression, and Kim Han-byeol was also looking at it with fresh eyes, seeming quite pleased. In particular, Lee Yoo-jung couldn't take her eyes off the sphere emitting a brilliant light, with a dreamy face.
"It's really pretty... I want to break it into pieces and make earrings. It would be truly beautiful to wear on the ears. I want it."
"Unni. I just want to leave it as it is and look at it. It seems really beautiful."
As Lee Yoo-jung and Ahn Sol chatted, Ahn Hyun seemed to be lost in thought. He was probably imagining Yoo-jung wearing the earrings. Eventually, after finishing his thoughts, he shook his head and opened his mouth.
"Terrible."
"Oh my? What does our Hyun mean by that...?"
"It's a bit funny that you say you want to make earrings. It would suit our Sol better."
"What?"
As Ahn Hyun spoke with an indifferent face, Yoo-jung hit his waist hard with an angry face. Ahn Sol's face had brightened, probably because she heard that the earrings would suit her. She didn't seem particularly displeased. She was showing a shy smile on her lips. Isn't it somewhat unfortunate that a guy with the potential to become a harem king is a siscon? I couldn't help but smile wryly at this trivial thought that crossed my mind.
400 meters left. Looking around, the environment was quite similar to the clearing where we first started (the Starting Point). Sparsely grown grass roots and clusters of soil covering most of the ground. However, occasionally there were clusters of soil with unusually deep colors, and when stepped on, they felt harder than the other soil, rather than soft. Had blood seeped in and hardened the soil?
If so, these were probably the prospective users who had fallen just before reaching the warp gate in previous Trials of Passage. I was probably the only one who noticed, but I didn't say anything and just kept walking silently.
300 meters left. Now we were almost running at a fast walking pace. Everyone's faces were soaked in the joy of "we've survived" and "we've done it." Ahn Hyun and Lee Yoo-jung, who had been growling at each other until just a moment ago, were now smiling at each other. Ahn Sol was openly grinning. Even Han-byeol, while still maintaining a calm face, seemed somehow relieved, knowingly or unknowingly.
Even though we had entered the 300-meter mark, the boss monster hadn't appeared. So in the end, Woo Jeongmin's group must have been unlucky. I thought that this could happen because we had Ahn Sol, who boasted 100 luck. After checking one last time and finding nothing on the detection, I was about to relax my magic with a somewhat leisurely mind.
I didn't know then. That we had popped the champagne too early.
Patzut! Patzutzut!
At the point where 200 meters remained, I heard a noise like space being torn in my ears. The surrounding air changed, and the empty space distorted strangely. It was a phenomenon that occurs when a massive amount of magic moves. The others must have felt some uneasy energy too, as they stopped walking. I quickly activated my Third Eye.
As expected, sudden magical wavelengths were occurring, surrounding the clearing. At a glance, it seemed to be spreading in all directions, but upon closer inspection, it was moving in a certain direction. Just as I was trying to calmly analyze the pattern the magic was drawing, controlling my mind.
With a sound that resonated grandly throughout the space, a huge formation began to appear in the middle of the path we had walked. And the moment I saw the pattern of this magic formation, I realized my mistake. It was a high-level summoning magic formation. I quickly tried to send my magic covertly to disrupt the formation's shape, but...
It was too late. The magic formation, now fully formed in mid-air, began to operate, emitting a clear light.
I see. So this is how the boss monster appeared, through a summoning magic formation. Before I knew it, our group, including myself, was staring blankly at the empty space where the magic formation had appeared. The magic formation must have been visible to their eyes as well. However, no one could open their mouth. The formation was emitting such an evil and ominous energy in waves.
Woowoong! Woowoong!
Finally, the magic formation began the summoning. The first to appear were the boss monster's face and fingers. Its face was literally grotesque itself. The elongated face had no eyes, but a widely split mouth with sharp teeth was visible. Fingers that emitted sharp light, almost mistakable for giant sickles, were also visible. A blackish armor plate that looked like it was covered in jet-black steel also appeared, and a long tail suddenly protruded.
Eventually, the summoned boss monster boasted a huge body that seemed to be over 5 meters tall. It was the appearance of the boss monster.
Eujeok, eujeok, eujeok, eujeok. Gulp!
It must have just been eating its prey, as red blood was spread around its mouth. Nevertheless, still not satisfied, it was smacking its lips while looking at us.
I quickly scanned the faces of my companions. I wanted to praise them for not scattering in all directions in panic at first sight, but Lee Yoo-jung, Kim Han-byeol, and Ahn Sol all looked to be in a state of panic. They all seemed frozen like ice statues, unable to lift even a single foot from the ground. They were overwhelmed by the monster's tremendous killing intent.
Only Ahn Hyun managed to open his mouth with an unbelieving face.
"Th... This can't be... Wh-what on earth..."
Kieeeeeeeeeeee!
Before Ahn Hyun could finish speaking, the boss monster's tremendous roar struck our entire bodies. Having been hit by sound waves filled with killing intent, their bodies must be tingling all over. As if released from a spell, everyone started to move their bodies hesitantly, but it was only a step or two. There was no more time to waste. I opened my mouth in a low but clear voice, addressing everyone.
"Everyone, don't lose your minds. Don't panic. Respond calmly."
"H-hyung... It's impossible. This time it's impossible. We can't win. We have to run away!"
Seeing me nocking an arrow to the crossbow, Ahn Hyun responded with a trembling voice, perhaps misunderstanding my words. They had all lost their fighting spirit due to the tremendous pressure exerted by the boss monster. Shouting and pushing them in this situation would only cause more confusion. I didn't intend to fight it together with these kids anyway. I comforted everyone's stiffened bodies with a voice filled with the gentlest magic possible.
"I'm not saying we should fight. Facing that thing would be nothing short of madness. As you say, we'll run away. But if we go just anywhere, we'll only be hunted down individually. So we'll run towards the warp gate."
"Y-yes. Quickly..."
While agreeing, Lee Yoo-jung seemed unable to get her bearings. I inwardly sighed. Still, Ahn Hyun and Kim Han-byeol seemed to be gradually waking from their fear, with a very faint but noticeable vitality of longing for survival in their eyes. After comforting their entire bodies with magic, and seeing me, whom they had trusted and relied on until now, react calmly, they seemed to think there might be some unknown way.
"From now on, everyone throw away all your luggage or weapons. Make your bodies as light as possible and run towards the warp gate at full speed."
"Eh, eh...?"
The boss monster roars once again. Now there really was no time left. Seeing Ahn Sol still looking around dazedly, I felt a surge of frustration. I approached her and forcibly removed the bag she was wearing while speaking.
"Ahn Hyun, what are you doing! Quickly drop the sword and shield! Are you thinking of running with those?"
"Yes... Yes!"
Ahn Hyun, Lee Yoo-jung, and Kim Han-byeol all discarded their luggage and weapons. By now, the boss monster was running towards us on all fours. Every time its feet touched the ground, a 'thud' sound resonated, as if a series of minor earthquakes were occurring.
And with the first earthquake as a signal, I grabbed Ahn Sol's hand and started running. At the same time, our entire group sprinted towards the warp gate at full speed.
We run. Run and run and run. Despite everyone running with all their might, the 'thud' sounds from behind were getting shorter in interval. When Lee Yoo-jung tried to glance back with an anxious face, I immediately spoke.
"Don't think about turning your head to check. Just think about running forward no matter what."
The point where the boss monster was summoned was 300 meters from the warp gate. We were 200 meters away. There was a 100-meter difference, but we would surely be caught up to once. If so, my goal was to overcome that one time. The boss monster seemed to gain acceleration the more it ran, so if I could make it stop in its tracks just once, I could nullify the speed it had built up so far.
If we could reset it like that, it would have to chase us at a relatively slower speed from the beginning, and we would use that opportunity to enter the warp gate. I tightly gripped the crossbow attached to my left hand.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
180 meters left.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
160 meters left.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
140 meters left. I could feel its speed getting on track as the intervals between the sounds shortened. Even if we keep running like this, shaking off the boss monster would be a distant dream. I felt the time had come. Taking advantage of everyone being preoccupied with running, I infused a certain amount of magic into the loaded arrow. A normal arrow wouldn't be able to penetrate its steel-like armor. As I finished transferring the magic, a sharp aura, twice as keen as before, was emanating from my left wrist.
I finished the series of preparations. Now it was really my turn to step up. If I hesitate, we might face an irreversible situation. I stopped my running legs and released Ahn Sol's hand that I had been holding tightly.
As they passed by me suddenly stopping, Ahn Sol's shocked voice could be heard, and everyone seemed to reflexively feel something strange. Before they could turn their heads, I shouted in a strong voice.
"I said don't look back and keep running!"
Everyone seemed startled by my angry voice, which they had never heard before. But as I confirmed that their hesitant heads were turning back to the front, I immediately turned my body. Facing the boss monster charging towards me as if I was its first target after seeing me stop, I swiftly raised my left arm.