Episode 25: Handling Monsters"Why... why is a high-tier monster in a place like this..."
"I don't know. No time to panic - we need to run!"
The Party Leader was the first to flee.
She showed neither responsibility nor leadership.
The other party members didn't criticize their leader's cowardice.
They had no time to spare.
Groooooowl.
"Kyaaaaaah!"
The Magician bringing up the rear stumbled.
Fear.
The primal roar had shaken her mind.
The main group already far ahead continued fleeing without hesitation.
"N-no! Wait!"
Her cries didn't reach them.
The distance between them kept growing.
'My intuition... still works. Means I won't die here.'
My life wasn't in danger.
Whether the Magician or Seol-hwa died, it didn't matter.
'But I can't let that happen.'
I didn't want either of them to die.
"Seol-hwa..."
I hoisted the Magician whose legs had given out.
My intuition remained silent even now.
The Magician didn't even pretend to tell me to leave her behind.
I appreciated her lack of pretentiousness. Had she told me to abandon her, I'd have felt stupid for trying to save her.
Squeeeeak.
"What the fuck."
An Orc blocked our path. A mid-level zone monster.
The perimeter had completely collapsed. Monsters that shouldn't appear in outer areas kept emerging.
'One hit to finish this.'
I expanded my Blood Shield. Completely covering my hand.
This strike would end it.
[Activating Death's Countdown.]
[Warning! Host's stats are too low.]
I swung my fist. Too late to read the message.
A warning I'd never seen before when using Death's Countdown.
'Fucking hell.'
I understood why Hunters emphasized rigorous training.
Thorough skill mastery could prevent situations like this.
"Gueeeehk!"
My fist pierced the Orc's stomach.
Crunch.
The sound of tearing hide shook the forest.
Its spine visible through the shattered flesh. Dead even if still breathing.
I tried to regain balance but couldn't overcome the momentum.
Hugging the Magician, I thickened the Blood Shield around us both.
We tumbled across the ground.
Thud. Rustle-rustle.
We slammed into a tree.
Leaves showered down.
I checked both our conditions.
Alive. No major injuries.
The Orc corpse had cushioned our fall.
I stood up.
Hoisting the unconscious Magician, I started running again.
Whooosh.
Something cut through the air toward us.
Coming head-on.
Reflexively, I spread the Blood Shield wide.
"?!"
A violent impact rocked my entire body.
I lost hold of the Magician.
My body flew. Smashed through trees before crashing to earth.
"Grrrr."
A Minotaur appeared right before me.
Its body scorched. Apparently chased the main group all the way to the outpost.
Empty hands suggested it failed to catch them.
The mythical monster grabbed the Magician.
Then the Minotaur vanished.
I checked Seol-hwa's condition.
Only some ligament strain from Death's Countdown's side effects.
'Fuck... what now? Should I just run?'
I debated. Abandoning the Magician would save Seol-hwa.
Had the Magician died in that attack, I might have done so.
But she still lived.
A glancing blow. Losing hold meant she avoided the worst fall damage.
Fortune favored her survival.
'With anyone else, I'd leave without hesitation.'
But it had to be the Magician.
Seol-hwa treated her well, making me somewhat attached too.
Moreover, the Magician's death would devastate Seol-hwa.
I didn't want to see that.
"No choice but to follow."
I tracked the Minotaur.
The colossal monster left equally massive footprints.
Easy to follow.
'This is... the Minotaur's lair?'
A steep cliff. Before me yawned an enormous cave.
Large enough for the Minotaur to enter.
Human remains and belongings littered the entrance.
Remnants of previous sacrificed parties.
'About one or two parties' worth.'
This was just outside. Who knew how many more lay within the nest.
Tingling.
Stepping inside the cave, my intuition screamed warnings.
Even I couldn't guarantee survival in the Minotaur's den.
'Should I wait for rescue?'
The main group escaped outside.
Rescue would come within hours or a day at most.
I shook my head. Too late. The Magician wouldn't last that long.
As I agonized...
A clone succeeded in parasitism.
My senses expanded.
Like a map hack spreading awareness.
I felt monsters near the clone.
"...Maybe there's a way."
I found my answer.
I summoned the clone.
Flutter.
A giant vulture landed before me.
Dozens had attacked before I succeeded in parasitizing one.
Abysmal efficiency.
But with my help, that would change.
"Shall I show what I can really do?"
No party members to hold me back now.
I could use my abilities freely.
I entered the forest with the Scavenger.
* * * *
Patience is key to successful hunting, I believe.
Wait for prey to lower guard before striking.
Only then can herbivores be hunted.
What shortens that time? Bait.
Keeeeek.
A goblin emerged from the woods.
Wielding a long blowgun.
I cheered inwardly.
Exactly the monster I wanted.
Exploiting goblin pack behavior would let me parasitize clones faster.
The goblin raised the blowgun to its mouth.
Fwoosh.
A poisoned dart struck the Scavenger.
Thud. The Scavenger collapsed.
The victorious goblin approached laughing.
It grabbed the Scavenger.
My chance.
I leapt from the bushes.
Kyaaaaak!
The goblin startled.
Never expected a human ambush.
But surprise didn't make it flee or beg. It swung a crude knife.
Kreek.
Resistance proved futile.
My punch shattered the flimsy blade instantly.
Its pathetic strength couldn't escape me.
Perfectly subdued.
I produced a clone.
Placed it on the goblin's head.
Kiiiiik.
The goblin convulsed.
Convulsions gradually subsided.
Then stopped completely.
Dark red lines now covered its head and spine.
Parasitism complete.
"Stand."
Kreek.
Testing my command.
The goblin stood like a trained soldier.
"Sit. Roll. Run over there."
I issued orders.
The goblin obeyed perfectly.
"Lead me to your den. You, scout from above."
The goblin took point. The fallen Scavenger rose.
The Scavenger wasn't dead.
A clone covering its body took the dart.
Clones inherited my regeneration - poison resistance included.
Flutter.
The Scavenger took flight.
I followed the goblin.
"About fifty in the colony?"
No knights or mages here.
Just ordinary goblins.
That hidden dungeon with knight and mage swarms was exceptional.
"Good. Lure one out."
It obeyed. Grabbed a nearby goblin and coaxed it.
Something about sharing caught prey.
The stupid goblin bought the lie.
Kyaaaaak!
I seized it the moment it emerged.
A clone burrowed into its head.
"Nice. No need to hunt the rest."
Two parasitized goblins became four.
Four became eight.
Thirty minutes later. The entire goblin colony was mine.
What followed was methodical.
I spread the goblins wide.
Whenever they sensed monsters, they rushed in.
Outer zone monsters stood no chance against me.
Instant subduing followed by head parasitism.
One minute per complete subjugation.
Thus my parasite monster army grew.
One hour later.
I commanded twenty-seven monsters.
Twenty-two goblins riding Dire Wolves or Giant Boars.
Five Scavengers patrolling the skies.
As the crowning touch, an Orc Warrior from the mid-level zone lay subdued before me.
Not one. Five. Capturing them proved challenging.
I wanted more, but controlling monsters had limits - whether level-based or focus.
More would cause dizziness and divided attention.
"Seol-hwa. Out of clones. Made hundreds over three days - never thought I'd run short."
I whispered to Seol-hwa while moving tentacles.
"Nn... ngh. Ah. Ah. Ngh? Where... haah. Th-this must be a dream."
Seol-hwa awoke.
Seeing monsters surrounding us, she assumed dreaming.
She closed her eyes. Escaping into dreamland.
"Hiiiiik!"
No escape even there.
My signature tentacle thrust dragged her back to reality.
She awoke screaming.
"Let's make babies to turn Orcs into subordinates."
I filled her womb with clone seeds.
"Ah! Ah! Stop... please, Master."
Seol-hwa tearfully begged.
"Can't. Then I'd have to release these hard-earned Orcs."
I licked her tears. Even her crying was delicious.
"Aaaah! Noooooo!"
Splat-splat.
Clones fell onto the Orcs' heads amid love juice.
Burrowing into their skulls.
Five Orc Warriors rose weapon in hand.
"This should suffice."
Five mid-level Orc Warriors.
Twenty-seven low-tier monsters.
The numbers felt lacking, but with me here, it should work.
I led my monster army toward the Minotaur's lair.
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