NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 7 – Beast Form
Haruka Sumeragi’s POV
“Kurotsuki-kun, is this really…”
“Yeah. Sumeragi, it appears that we’ve stumbled upon this low probability scenario.”
Kurotsuki-kun’s words proved my intuition right.
This is the Forest of Death…
In other words, the dark side of Raha Forest. It’s normal that a night in the forest is scary, but until a moment ago it was also exciting, making it fun.
Now it’s different. There’s an overbearing pressure in the air and a chill crawling across my skin. You’re not supposed to be here. Run away, my instincts warn me.
To be honest, I underestimated it before. When I heard about the Forest of Death from Kurotsuki-kun, I secretly thought that he was just exaggerating to scare me. Since I’ve heard that only beginners come here, even if it’s called the Forest of Death, I believed that the level of danger would be low enough for defeated beginners to think “I won’t lose to it next time!”.
I was completely wrong.
The moment Raha Forest changed into the Forest of Death, I knew instinctively that I’m going to die.
What would happen If Kurotsuki-kun hadn’t come…
If I think about it like this, I can only be grateful to him. I don’t think I could bear this fear alone. I know that being stuck here with me wasn’t how he wanted to spend the evening, but I’m so glad we’re in this together.
But didn’t Kurotsuki-kun come here knowing that this place is the Forest of Death?
Unlike me, he was aware of the danger, yet he still came. So he should have also thought about how to deal with such a situation.
I look at Kurotsuki-kun who is standing next to me. He seems to have used some skill, as his eyes glow faintly, while he scans the vicinity.
If he hasn’t given up yet…
With a glimmer of hope, I ask:
“Kurotsuki-kun, what do we do now? Do you think we can escape?”
“…No, it’s impossible. We’re surrounded. If it was just me, I could, but…”
He stopped mid-sentence. Without even glancing at me, he just placed his hand on his chin, deep in thought.
“R-right, I see.”
We can’t escape.
We’re surrounded.
Kurotsuki-kun alone would manage to escape.
The same words repeat over and over in my head, filling me with anxiety.
In this world that feels no different from reality, what would it feel like to be attacked by monsters and die? Just thinking about it makes me tremble uncontrollably.
“Sumeragi, don’t look so down. I won’t leave you alone.”
It’s such a gentle voice filled with concern. Upon hearing those words that are meant to dispel my worries, I raise my head and meet Kurotsuki-kun’s gaze. He’s smiling softly, but also furrowing his eyebrows, which betrays a hint of worry,
“Kurotsuki-kun… Okay.”
The fear that has been dominating my heart begins to fade, and as the trembling ceases, a warm feeling washes over me. Instinctively, as if seeking more of that warmth, my hand grasps the hem of Kurotsuki-kun’s jacket.
“H-hey, Sumeragi… Ah, nevermind.”
“Thanks…”
This allows me to regain my composure and take another look around. The pitch-black forest, still heavy with an oppressive atmosphere, remains eerily silent. It gives off an unsettling feeling, as if anything could emerge at any moment.
“────”
“────”
From a distance, a faint sound reaches our ears. It’s coming from all directions and is accompanied by rustling of grass, signalling that something heavy is moving through it.
“It looks like they have no intention of letting us go. Sumeragi, stay close to me.”
“O-okay, got it”
The indistinct sound coming from afar gradually becomes clearer, and I start to understand what it says.
“WHEEERE AARE YOUUUUU”
“SMEEEELLS GOOOOOOD”
“HEEERE”
A man’s agonising groans are mixed with sounds beyond human capability. These voices, undoubtedly searching for us, slowly draw nearer.
Then, when they are close enough to be heard clearly, leaves rustle, and a human face emerges from the darkness between the trees.
Uh…
I instantly notice that this is not a person. It has a face larger than the tree trunks, but positioned very low, as if it were sitting.
I involuntarily tighten my grip on Kurotsuki-kun’s jacket at the sight of this strange creature.
It slowly takes a few steps forward and reveals itself entirely.
“Ah!”
It’s as big as a seven-seater car, and resembles a lion with a human face, a hideously distorted middle-aged man’s face with unfocused eyes. Sharp teeth, like those of a carnivorous beast, are densely packed within its mouth, drooling saliva. Its lion body has a tail with a scorpion-like poisonous stinger attached to it.
Nearly 20 monsters of such kind have appeared, with [Rank ???] displayed over their heads. Being surrounded by such creatures, I fall into despair.
“…Manticores. They’re rank B+ monsters.” Kurotsuki explains to my clueless self, while paying attention to our surroundings.
“No way… Rank B+…”
Rank B+. Expert players can defeat it solo with difficulty. And there are 20 of them.
I felt the blood drain from my head. In a state of semi-shock, I sense an intense gaze directed at me, and I lock my eyes with the eyes of a manticore.
“FOOUUUUND YOUUUU”
The manticore narrows its gleaming eyes with delight and grins sinisterly.
“Eeep!’
“Woah!”
Overcome with fear, I let out a scream and pull Kurotsuki-kun towards me with all my strength.
“CUUUTE”
“WOMAAAAN”
“IT’S A WOMAAAN”
“WANNA EEEEAT”
“SOO CUUUTE”
After my scream, a cacophony erupts. In this place full of fear and despair, my mental stability finally crumbles.
“Eeep! Nooooo! Kurotsuki-kun” Heelp! They will assault me!”
“No! They won’t! Also, such things would be a no-no here anyway!”
I can’t be bothered about my image any more. I bury my face in Kurotsuki’s chest, not even sure what I’m saying, and simply beg for help in desperation.
“…Well, it’s understandable that you’re scared. This situation is abnormal. When I faced them alone it wasn’t like this… So, is it because you’re really beautiful? If that’s the reason, then the rumours about NPCs might not just be rumours after all…”
Despite the situation, Kurotsuki-kun is calmly thinking with his hand on his chin. I have a feeling I’ve just heard the phrase “you’re really beautiful” coming from his mouth, but I can’t focus on anything in these circumstances, and choose to think that I misheard.
“…So, to be honest, even from my perspective, their presence is quite unpleasant. So, Sumeragi, sorry to ask, but could you please step back a bit?”
Why? For a moment, a sense of unease flashes through my mind. Gently placing his hands on my shoulders, Kurotsuki-kun slowly pulls away and on my palm places a ring with a transparent stone, firmly clasping my hand around it.
“This is called a barrier stone ring. If you concentrate on it, you can create a barrier around yourself. You will be safe inside, so use it.”
“O-okay.”
As instructed, I concentrate, and a semi-transparent faintly yellow wall expands around me in a semicircle.
“Amazing…” I let out in admiration and look around.
Seeing it, Kurotsuki-kun nods once, then turns his back to me and takes out two identical large knives from the inventory, grabbing them in a backhand grip. They are shaped as if they were carved out from a monster’s body, and a thick, purplish liquid, clearly recognizable as a potent venom, seeps from somewhere along their length. It runs along the blade, dripping steadily from the tip to the ground below.
“Sumeragi, don’t tell anyone what you’re about to see.”
“Huh?”
Without waiting for my response, the atmosphere around Kurotsuki-kun, who was staring at the manticores, changes. It’s as if the air itself becomes charged with hostility, and even I, standing behind him, feel a prickling sensation on my skin out of nervousness. Sensing this change, the manticores, who were making a commotion just moments ago, suddenly fall silent, growling quietly as they adopt a defensive posture.
“Beast Form… Nightmare Cat”
A dense magical energy of faint magenta hue emanates from Kurotsuki-kun’s body, enveloping him. His hair grows to cover his ears, and his hair colour changes to the same magenta as the magic. A pair of cat ears in the same hue materialises on his head, his pupils shimmer like amethysts, and two tails appear near his tailbone. Amidst the dark forest, cloaked in the soft magenta glow, Kurotsuki-kun looks truly magical, captivating me to the point where I forget to even breathe.
“Doppelganger”
Stretching out his right hand horizontally, a black slime-like object begins to rise up from the ground as if it was overflowing. Gradually taking on a humanoid form, it transforms into a figure exactly identical to Kurotsuki-kun, with exactly the same weapons.
“…I will finish it quickly.”
After he glances at me over his shoulder with his amethyst eyes, the two of them disappear in an instant.
“Huh? Kurotsuki-ku…”
“Gyaaaaah!”
Before I can even comprehend the situation, a piercing scream echoes through the air. I turn my gaze towards the source of the sound to see a manticore lying lifeless, its body shredded to pieces.
It took less than 2 seconds.
After that, manticores are slashed one after another, screaming as they fall. Following the line of carcasses with my eyes, I see 2 lines moving at ultra high speed, leaving behind a magical magenta afterglow.
The sight is exactly like that of the god of death, the lines are following the manticores, sometimes crossing paths with each other, and wherever they pass, they leave fatal wounds and certain death.
Defeating a rank B+ monster is said to be difficult even for an expert player. Yet, even though there are nearly 20 of them, they are all being slaughtered and can’t even put up a fight.
The overwhelming skill and power that think nothing of even such formidable enemies. Witnessing the scene unfolding before my eyes, I feel that I’ve found what I aspire to become.
I wonder if I can become like Kurotsuki-kun…
When the last manticore falls and turns into a magic stone, the two Kurotsuki-kun and his clone appear. As the latter turns black, as if covered in ink, it bursts with a splash and is absorbed into the ground.
“It’s over.”
As Kurotsuki-kun deactivates his Beast Form and turns to his usual black-haired and black-eyed self, he says those words so nonchalantly, that I can’t help but laugh.
Raha Forest regains its normal appearance, with a pleasant breeze blowing through. From the very first day, my life in Magia has been very eventful, and is sure to become unforgettable.
“Ugh! Sumeragi! Help me pick up the magic stones! If we don’t log out soon, we’ll be late for school tomorrow!”
“Huh?! You’re right! Let’s pick them up quickly!’
My life in Magia will continue tomorrow. The adventure has only begun.
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