Translated by End.

The day was clear. The sun s.h.i.+ned brightly on our backs, caressing our heads with its rays. While it wasn’t a bad mood per say, no one spoke and just kept walking.  

It has been six hours since we departed from the hut. Since then, we only conversed on important issues and otherwise remained silent. The mood between me and Kim Han-byeol was cold but that wasn’t the only thing the party was looking at.

Anyways. After having hiked for so long, they should be getting tired. But we didn’t rest and kept on walking.

What kind of distance have we covered? Soon enough about halfway there, an impossibly humongous Warp Gate came into our sights. It was like everyone made a pledge to keep silent as we got closer and closer to the Warp Gate. The only thing I could hear was the shallow breathing. Everyone seems excited by the prospect of the finish line.

You could reach the destination full of excitement but in return, it was impossible to be relaxed. As I expected, we did not encounter any monsters on our path to the Warp Gate. With the lack of monsters, everyone seems unconsciously lax.

My heart was uneasy. If the Boss monster appeared, there was no time to organise ourselves. The Boss monster would appear suddenly like a ghost if it got a whiff of our position. As long as we weren’t separated in the confusion, it would be fine. Even though I was here, if I didn’t reveal my true abilities, there would definitely be casualties.

The Warp Gate was in front of our eyes. Just a bit more and we would successfully complete the Rite of Pa.s.sage. With the small distance left, it felt a waste to abandon our concepts and plans.

By my rough approximations, there were about 600 meters left to the Warp Gate. Wu Jung-min was attacked by the Boss monster just 300 meters before the Warp Gate. Half our distance more and we would meet the same fate. I wanted to walk slowly and think of a plan but with the footsteps becoming faster, it was going contrary to my desires. An-hyun feeling the fast pace, finally broke his silence and spoke to An-sol.

“Sol, just a little bit more. If we can reach that big oval building, I am sure we can escape from this scary place. Until then, just hang on.”

“Okay!”

Hearing An-hyun’s gentle voice, An-sol brightened and nodded energetically. Seeing that rare smile on An-sol’s face, she must be quite happy right now. I was about to ask everyone to rest for a moment before continuing but I kept quiet. I couldn’t think of any good excuse. I obligingly met their pace and as time pa.s.sed, we got closer to the Warp Gate.

Of course, it could be pointless worries on my part. The best thing to do was entered the Warp Gate as calmly as possible. A happy path where no one was hurt or injured. Still, that feeling of foreboding didn’t disappear. It was lodge in at one corner of my heart. Since entering the Rite of Pa.s.sage, I was currently conducting an extensive and minute observation with my Magic Detection, yet I couldn’t find a hint of the Boss monster.

In no time at all, we were 500 meters from our goal. The Warp Gate gradually revealed its commanding presence. Upright altars were supporting the oval like structures, the structure’s grandness could match any tall buildings. At its centre was a large hole like a doughnut, with a spherical blue light floating in it. That fine blue current flowing through the Warp Gate definitely the magical power driving the spell.    

The outward appearance was like an exquisite marble and all our eyes were drawn to it. An-sol was innocently admiring it while Kim Han-byeol looks at it with fresh eyes, finding it to her satisfaction. Lee Yu-jung couldn’t take her eye off the bright light emanating from the marble structure as she continues to gaze it with a stupefied expression.

“It’s really pretty… I want to chisel it out and make earrings. It would look really nice on my ears. I want it.”

“Unni. I like it just the way it is. It’s a beautiful masterpiece.”

An-hyun looked deep in thought as Lee Yu-jung and An-sol were sharing a friendly conversation. He must be thinking about how Yu-jung would look with such earrings. After a while, he shook his head and spoke.  

“It’s will be horrific.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that Hyun…?”

“I found it a bit funny about you want that as earrings. I think it will suit Sol better.”

“What’s that?”

At An-hyun’s indifferent comment, Yu-jung flew off into rage and kicked him on his hips. An-sol’s mouth was slightly ajar, hearing the earrings would suit her better. The mood of the scene wasn’t so bad. An-sol had a slightly shy smile on her face. An-hyun had all the qualities to become a Harem King but it was unfortunate that he was a siscon. Look at me going off tangent, I laughed unconsciously.  

400 meters left. Looking around, the surrounding had a very similar environment as our starting point. Here and there, there were few gra.s.s roots growing but it was mostly uncovered soil. Some parts of the earth were a darker colour and when we stepped on it, the darker soil felt harder than the soft lighter soil. Was the soil soaked in blood and had hardened?

If it was, it probably was the Players that had reached the Warp Gate before us and had been attacked. The only person who had realised this gruesome truth was me but I kept my silence and kept walking.

300 meters left. Our pace was so fast that we were now running. We did it, we survived, those emotions bled through in the party’s expressions. An-hyun and Yu-jung who were moments before snarling at each other were now smiling at each other. An-sol laughed openly and Han-byeol maintained her unperturbed countenance though she did seem relieved.

Das.h.i.+ng through the 300-meter mark, the Boss monster had yet to appear. In the end, it seems Wu Jung-min’s party was just unlucky. I felt it would be alright as our party boasted An-sol who had 100 Luck points. The last few meters, it was in these few instances when I felt nothing with my detection and was about to let my magic subside.

I didn’t know what but what I did know was that we had opened the champagne too early.

Pachzz! Paacchzz!

After pa.s.sing the 200-meter mark, I heard a crackling sound in the air. The air current changed and s.p.a.ce began to contorted in a bizarrely. It was a phenomenon which occurred when something large moved with magic. The party stopped, feeling unease. I quickly activated my Third Eye.

s.p.a.ce was washed with unexpected mana waves. To the untrained eyes, it may look like the mana was dispersing but at a closer look, it was all moving in one direction. I kept calm and tried to a.n.a.lyse the pattern the magic was drawing on the ground

A loud sound reverberates through the air and a large shape began to appear on the path we were walking on. When I saw the Magic Circle, it suddenly clicked. It was an Advanced Summon Magic. I quickly sent out my mana to destroy the circle but...

I was too late. The completed Circle rose into the air and began to s.h.i.+ne brightly.

Was this it? Did the Boss monster appear through summon magic? We all looked at the Magic Circle in the air with a stupefied expression. Without a doubt, they could clearly see the Magic Circle as well. But no one spoke. The Magic Circle exuded evil and foreboding feeling.

Wuuuuung! Wuuuung!

Finally, the Magic Circle began the summoning process. The first thing we could see was the Boss monster’s face and its fingers. Its face was grotesque, elongated without eyes and from it’s jagged mouth, sharp teeth protruded. One could mistake the monster’s fingers for large scythes. It’s pitch black steel like carapace came out with a large tail stuck to it.  

The summoning spell finished and out came a Boss monster that was over 5 meters tall. The Boss monster had appeared.

Geck, geck, geck, geck. Gulp!

Blood was splattered on the Boss monster’s mouth as if it had just finished eating. As if it’s meal wasn’t enough, the monster smacked its lips while looking at our direction.

I immediately sought out my party. It was admirable they hadn’t fled in sheer terror but Lee Yu-jung, Kim Han-byeol and An-sol were in a state of panic. Their body looked frozen in spot, unable to move at all. They were all overwhelmed by the bloodl.u.s.t emanating from the monster.

Only An-hyun alone looked at the monster in disbelief.

“Thi… Impossible… Just what…”

GRAAAAAAAAH!

An-hyun couldn’t complete his sentence as the Boss monster roar swept through our bodies. Being hit by the roar filled with bloodl.u.s.t, their bodies should be p.r.i.c.kling all over. As if they were released from a magic spell, the party wavered but could only take a step or two. There was no time to dawdle. I spoke to everyone in a low but clear voice.  

“Don’t get distracted. Don’t panic and keep calm.”

“Hy, hyung… it’s impossible. This much is impossible. We can’t win. We need to get away!”

Seeing me aiming the crossbow at the monster, An-hyun replied in a shaky voice. The overpowering feeling coming from the Boss monster made him lose the will to fight. Shouting and spurring him on in this situation would only cause panic. I had no intention to fight it with the party in the first place. Lightly using mana on my voice, I allayed their stiffened bodies.

“I’m not saying we are going to fight. Fighting that thing is crazy. We are going to run for it like you said. But if we run without a direction, we are going to get killed one by one. That’s why we are going to run toward the Warp Gate.”

“Y, yes. At once…”

Yu-jung was gasping for breath as she agreed with me. I gave a sigh of relief inside. An-hyun and Han-byeol seems to be gradually overcoming the bloodl.u.s.t, though feeble, I could see the desire to live in their eyes. Putting my faith into the magic that was supporting my body till now, I spoke up confidently. They all believed I had a workable plan.

“Everyone, throw away your weapons. We are going to lighten ourselves and run to the Warp Gate.”

“Eh, eh…?

The Boss monster roared once again. We were now truly out of time. I felt frustrated when I saw An-sol looking around bewildered. Walking to her, I forcefully flung the bag on her back and spoke.

“An-hyun! Drop your sword and s.h.i.+eld! Are you going to run with that?”

“Yes… Yes!”

An-hyun, Yu-jung and Han-byeol threw away all their belongings and weapons. But the Boss monster was running on all four legs towards us. With it’s every step, there was a loud “Boom” sound and felt like there was a mini-earthquake.  

Using the first earthquake as a signal, I grabbed An-sol’s hand and started to run. The party followed suit and we all began to run full speed towards the Warp Gate.

We ran. Ran and ran and ran. We ran with all our strength but the sound of the monster’s stomp became louder. I saw an anxious Yu-jung try to look back.

“Don’t think about looking back. Only Keep your focus on running forward.”

The Boss monster was summoned about 300 meters from the Warp Gate. We were 200 meters from the Warp Gate. There was a 100-meter difference between us but I was certain it would catch up to us. It was my goal to overcome this eventuality. It felt like the Boss monster was gaining more speed as it ran but if I could stop him temporarily then the monster would lose all momentum.

Stopping the monster once would force it to build up its speed again, chasing us with its initial slow speed. We could use this chance to enter the Warp Gate. I readied my grip on my crossbow.  

Boom!

180 meters remaining.

Boom! Boom!

160 meters remaining.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Remaining distance, 140 meters. The interval of the stomping sound became shorter and we all could feel the monster’s speed increasing. Even if we kept our speed, it was only a matter of time before the Boss monster caught up. I felt that the time had come. While everyone was focused on running, I took this opportunity to slip in a unit of mana into the crossbow bolt. It would be impossible to pierce through the monster’s steel like carapace with a normal arrow.  

When the mana transfer was completed, there was a feeling of sharpness that wasn’t there on my left wrist before. The preparation was complete. It was finally my time to step up. My hesitance might cause an irreversible situation. I stopped my legs from moving and I let go of An-sol’s hand.

An-sol’s screamed in horror as she pa.s.sed my abruptly still form. Everyone stiffened slightly but before they could turn their heads towards me I spoke out loudly.

“Don’t look back, keep running!”

They were all alarmed at hearing my angry voice for the first time. After I made sure that their hesitant faces turned back to face the front, I immediately turned to face the monster. The monster saw its first target. And I promptly raised my left arm toward the monster.