novelraw Chapter 147 : Dangerous Area
Chapter 147 : Dangerous Area
Chapter 147: Dangerous Area
The area around where Sigbard struck was torn apart as if paper had been ripped to shreds.
The severed tree roots wriggled for a moment as though they were alive, then soon stopped moving.
“Die, Monster!”
Since the creature’s roots were spread wide, even several attacks only inflicted partial damage.
Still, even a tiny thorn lodged in one’s fingertip was bound to be irritating.
It flung away the Adventurer it had wrapped up and shifted its attention to Sigbard.
Drrrrrrrk.
Thick roots burst out from the ground and swept across the floor like whips.
They were so long that it looked as though they were trying to take out the surrounding Adventurers in a single blow.
‘That’s not going to happen.’
Robin leapt lightly into the air and slashed his two swords in an off-beat rhythm.
With the first strike, a thick root was severed.
With the second strike, the creature’s focus, which had been fixed on Sigbard, was thrown into disarray.
Kwaaang!
As he smashed apart the tightly intertwined roots, Sigbard shouted.
“Everyone, fall back! Robin and I will handle it!”
The Adventurers who had narrowly escaped death obediently followed his words.
Moving from the edges toward the center of the Clearing, they had no choice but to watch the battle the two men waged.
Each time the muscular giant swung his rod, a heavy boom echoed.
The black-haired swordsman evaded the surging roots and, in an instant, carved out an exit.
A rectangular opening large enough for a person to pass through had been created.
“I-it’s done! Let’s get out of here!”
As a hot-tempered Adventurer tried to take his companion and leave, Aelin blocked him.
“If you go out now, you’ll die.”
“What are you talking about.”
“It’ll be over soon. Wait.”
Though he was suspicious of the strange woman wearing a helmet who stood in his way, the Adventurer reluctantly nodded.
It was true that Robin’s party had saved everyone here.
Suppressing the urge to dash out immediately, they watched—and sure enough, Robin and Sigbard began pushing the Monster back.
Each time Sigbard struck it without hesitation, its roots crumpled.
Whenever an attack came flying in to stop him, Robin cut them all down.
Even in the midst of that, he unleashed Fighting Spirit to sever its roots, driving the Monster to the brink of madness.
“Incredible……. If you hadn’t been here, we would’ve died for sure.”
“You’re grateful, right?”
“Of course I’m grateful.”
As if she had expected that answer, Serena held out her hand.
“If you’re grateful, 1 Silver.”
“……?”
“1 Silver.”
It was Aelin’s words that pushed the hesitant Adventurer.
“It’s over. It’s retreating.”
The tree roots encircling the Clearing slowly burrowed back into the ground.
They were returning to where they had originally been.
Seeing that, the Adventurers each took out 1 Silver and handed it to Serena.
“1 Silver for your life is cheap.”
“Thank you. Thanks to you, we lived.”
In an instant, Serena held 56 Silver in her hands and nodded in satisfaction.
The bundle of silver coins went into Serena’s arms.
“Serena?”
“Ahem.”
While Serena and Aelin bickered over the matter of distribution.
The tree roots that had attacked without warning withdrew.
Applause poured out toward the two who had returned after driving off the unidentified Monster.
However, Robin was not fully convinced.
‘The main body. Or something that could be called a core—I didn’t see it.’
They had merely forced it to retreat.
They had not killed it.
He maintained his vigilance, having often heard of cases where a Monster that had not been definitively finished off struck from behind.
“Thank you! Thank you!”
“You are the saviors of our lives!”
“What is your name? To think there was such a strong swordsman.”
For the most part, they were filled with gratitude toward Robin’s party.
But not everyone was.
A few teams left with displeased expressions.
Those were the quick-witted ones.
Now that the urgent situation had ended, they were seeking their own way to survive.
And Robin shared the same thought as those few Adventurers.
“Let’s get going.”
“Already? These people say they’ll treat us!”
Sigbard pointed at the Adventurers who looked disappointed.
Robin glanced around, then spoke loudly.
“If you’re truly that grateful, come to the Oak Tree Inn. We’re staying there, so we’ll gladly accept a meal.”
With that, he left the Clearing at once without looking back.
Aelin led Sigbard and moved to the front, while Serena came up beside Robin.
Only the still-dumbfounded Adventurers remained in the Clearing.
“There’s something I need to say.”
As they pushed through the jungle, Robin spoke clearly.
From what he had felt while facing the tree-root Monster in the Clearing.
Their current team had several issues.
Sigbard, Aelin, and Serena continued walking as they listened to Robin.
“Sigbard, what is our team’s goal right now?”
“To reach the Dangerous Area and get promoted to Silver Rank. Why are you suddenly asking that!”
That was correct.
Sigbard’s voice as he answered Robin’s question brimmed with confidence.
“Our team or other Adventurers. Which comes first?”
“Of course our team!”
“Then why did you charge out first earlier?”
“To kill the Monster. What are you trying to say, Robin.”
The past three years in the Snowy Mountains.
Sigbard and Robin had grown stronger while facing life and death together.
They had even slain the gigantic Monster, Potato, so it was understandable that he was brimming with confidence.
But he had been unable to restrain his aggressiveness. No—he had not restrained it and had broken formation.
This time, it had ended well. But what if the Monster had been far more difficult to deal with than this?
“Sigbard, your role in our team is protection.”
“I know that.”
“But if the one who’s supposed to protect from the very front rushes out, who fills the gap that’s left behind?”
Sigbard understood what he had done wrong.
Of course, he had not entered the battle thoughtlessly.
Robin had remained behind, and Serena was an experienced Adventurer capable of crossing the Safe Area alone.
Aelin, too, was far from an ordinary Adventurer.
“I’m sorry. I’ll think more before acting from now on.”
Sigbard apologized at once.
He met the eyes of Robin, Aelin, and Serena one by one before bowing his head.
Aelin consoled him, saying it was fine, while Serena remained indifferent, saying it didn’t matter.
“Aelin, your arrows weren’t imbued with Fighting Spirit. What happened?”
“R-right. I don’t know why it’s not working either.”
“You still haven’t figured out the extent of your current strength, have you?”
“Yeah… It’s not like back then…….”
This was also something that needed to be addressed.
It was important to know one’s usual level.
An individual’s strength was the team’s strength, and only by knowing it well could optimal judgments be made.
Aelin did not even have that basic understanding yet.
“I’ve never seen you train in Narvik.”
“But there’s no suitable place.”
“You can just step into the Uncharted Area for a bit and do it.”
It seemed she had more to say, but Aelin pressed her lips shut tightly.
It was nothing more than an excuse, even in her own thoughts.
To be honest, she had been so distracted sightseeing in the city that she had neglected her training.
“In this expedition, we placed meaning on coordinating as a team, but knowing your own capabilities comes first.”
“Got it. It won’t happen again.”
Aelin lowered her helmet deeply and spoke in a subdued voice.
How long had it been since she had renewed her resolve? She reflected on how complacent she had become.
Perhaps because he had just pointed out Sigbard and Aelin’s issues.
Serena looked at Robin as if to ask whether he had anything to say to her.
“Serena…….”
“What.”
“How strong are you?”
Robin and Sigbard had not fought at full strength.
The two of them had cut down the tree roots with room to spare.
And the same went for Serena.
Although the eagle-shaped Wind Spirit had unexpectedly failed to withstand Sigbard’s weight, it had not been a major setback.
In the battle just now, Serena had been closer to an observer watching how the three fought.
“Well. You can’t measure strength only by combat power, can you?”
“You were relaxed the entire time.”
The importance of assessing one’s strength applied to Serena as well.
Of course, no one here had revealed everything they were capable of, but it was necessary to know at least roughly.
Sigbard and Robin, who fought in close combat, had clear limits.
In contrast, Serena possessed the most diverse abilities in the team.
That was why a Spirit Mage who handled spirits was welcomed wherever they went.
“If I poured everything into a single battle, I could’ve turned the Clearing upside down.”
“…Really?”
“Of course, that won’t happen. We’re not sprinting short distances, are we?”
“…So you’re keeping a trump card hidden.”
Even Sigbard and Aelin seemed unable to believe it easily.
The Clearing where Adventurers had been resting in scattered intervals covered a considerable area.
What exactly did it mean to turn the ground upside down?
Once again, he was reminded that Gold-Ranked Adventurers were like monsters.
“That doesn’t mean I’m invincible. Like you said, Robin, having someone to protect me is reassuring.”
“I won’t rush out recklessly anymore.”
“That’s reassuring. Let’s all listen well to our leader.”
Serena pointed at Robin and put on a solemn expression.
The somewhat heavy atmosphere lightened slightly.
Six hours had passed since they resumed walking after resolving their teamwork issues.
The thick undergrowth filling the jungle gradually thinned, and the trees that had blocked out the sky were no longer in sight.
“From here on, it’s the Dangerous Area.”
Desolate.
That word suited the land that spread before them.
Perhaps because the sun had set, the entire place carried an eerie atmosphere.
Serena lit the path with a butterfly-shaped Fire Spirit.
“The nearest Rest Stop is still two more hours away. What do you want to do?”
“Do Monsters appear frequently nearby?”
“Normally, yes, but it should be fine for the time being. It was recently cleared out.”
Should they rest here for the day? Or push onward?
“If it’s two hours, let’s go a little farther.”
Serena was slightly fatigued, but she agreed without complaint.
They slowed their pace and traversed the Dangerous Area.
‘There really aren’t any Monsters charging at us.’
Just as Robin began to question the environment that did not suit the name Dangerous Area.
Aelin whispered quietly.
“Other teams are approaching.”
“How many?”
Aelin stared straight ahead in silence for a moment.
“Two teams behind us, five and six people. And two teams in front as well.”
They were only thirty minutes from the Rest Stop.
The timing was too coincidental.
Serena drew in a deep breath and spoke.
“The teams behind us are probably the ones from the Clearing following us.”
“So we ended up clearing the path for them.”
“That’s right.”
If that were all, there would be no problem.
Having seen them directly, he knew they were not skilled enough to pose a threat.
“The two teams in front are confronting each other.”
“Are they about to fight?”
“They’re talking about something, but they’re all on edge.”
Aelin could not hear the content of the conversation, only sense the atmosphere.
‘An Elf is like a walking wiretap.’
Even that alone was valuable information.
Robin paused briefly and then asked Serena.
“If we detour, how long will it take to reach the Rest Stop?”
“You’re trying to avoid a fight?”
“Yes. There’s nothing to gain from getting caught up in a dispute.”
It was the right argument, but Serena shook her head.
“To avoid them, we’d have to make a long detour, and it’d be pointless. There’s a high chance they’re bandit Adventurers.”
There were those who preyed on Copper-Ranked Adventurers seeking promotion to Silver Rank, committing banditry.
Naturally, there were no safety measures in this vicinity.
The only thing one could trust was the Rest Stop operated by the Guild.
But if someone occupied the path leading to the Rest Stop, Copper-Ranked Adventurers had no options.
“Do you know what level those bandits are?”
“It varies widely. Not something we can afford to underestimate.”
Since they operated in the Dangerous Area, all of them were at least Silver Rank.
Among them were even those who committed banditry while bearing Gold Rank.
“Let’s just go.”
“We’re going to fight?”
“If necessary.”
Sigbard nodded calmly.
Unlike fighting Monsters, this would be combat between people.
As the one responsible for protecting the team, Sigbard felt a greater sense of responsibility than before.
“If we’re going to run into them no matter what, wouldn’t it be better to face them now?”
That was true.
They had resolved themselves from the moment they stepped into the Uncharted Area.
“Let’s go.”
Sometimes, a frontal breakthrough was the answer.