What is the thing we call life?
When asked this question, there must be many answers out there.
And my answer to that is the roller coaster of events that follows you wherever you go.
This is the thing we call life.
And this is especially true when you are living in a fantasy world where you can die at the hands of a person wherever you go without even knowing.
Therefore, for me, a human living in such a place must never let his or her guard down, no matter what.
However, no matter what happens, humans are bound to get comfortable. This is how we are.
If things go our way for a long period of time, then we will get used to it and let our guard down.
"This place is good."
"Indeed. There aren't any monsters here, either. Monster repellant seems to work just fine."
"Not any monsters?"
"Callius and I just cleared the Giant Frogs around this lake, but aside from that, no other monsters were spotted."
"Good. Then let's start setting up the camp."
Giving a brief reply to Wayne's question, we walked with the convoy.
Reaching a lake, a very warm and beautiful scenery welcomed us.
Pure blue water devoid of any type of dirt.
A bunch of trees was covering the lake.
However, of course, there were some marks of life inside the lake.
'Bunch of evolved fishes. I don't know their exact species, but they don't seem to be harmful.'
Thinking that, everyone started setting up the camp.
*****
"Hey, Boss. How many more hours do we need to wait?"
"Shut up, Norwin. We need to be patient."
"But, boss. Don't you see everyone is getting restless?"
A place where bunch of trees filled the place around, a group of men was standing.
With their hair being long and clothes being torn out, they were excluding the aura of shrewdness.
Some of them had a grin on their faces, some others were just standing, not saying anything, and some were burning inside with their eyes red.
"Fuck. I said, shut the fuck up."
The man holding an axe in his hand said, looking at the man with a mask covering his face standing beside him.
"Hey, Brett. What are they doing now?"
Turning his head towards another man that was holding a sphere with his hands, he asked.
"They are resting."
"Resting?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"They are camping beside the Frog Lake."
"That Frog Lake?"
"Yes."
"Wasn't there a Grand Frog?"
"Can't you even think that? It must have left the Lake."
"Fuck, what are you saying, bastard?"
"I am just saying what I think."
"Grr….. Fuck… If it wasn't for your magic, I would have killed you right here."
"But you can't."
/THUD/
Seeing the smirk on the face of the man holding the orb, the leader of the group punched the tree, nearly making it fall.
"Hey, Brett. Show some respect."
"Shut up, you bootlicker. Just stay there, like you always do."
"Ha! What did you say? Do you want me to beat you?"
"Sigh…. Norwin, just shut up for a second."
"But, boss-"
"Just shut up…. Anyway, what are they doing now?"
"I just said they were resting. Do you have a fish memory or something?"
"…. This bastard."
"Okay, okay. I am just joking. From the looks of it, they are planning to stay there for a day at least."
"They will rest, huh? As expected, they must be tired from all that constant walking in the wilderness."
"What are we going to do, boss?"
"Heh… What do you think we are going to do?"
Seeing the smile on the face of their leader, a hideous smile appeared on the man called Norwin as well.
"We have prey then."
"Indeed."
"GUYS! WE HAVE PREY TONIGHT!"
"FINALLY!"
"HOORAY!"
"That black-haired boy, he is mine."
"Fuck, get away from me, you fucker."
"Don't worry. I am not into ugly guys like you."
"Thanks, I guess?"
"I want that girl with red hair."
"Josh. You and your weird taste."
"Heh, they are more delicious when they are little, you know."
"You fucker…."
"The elves are mine then."
"Fuck, who do you think you are? They are mine!"
Just like that, with hideous expressions on their faces, they started walking towards the lake, concealing their breaths.
*******
After eating dinner with others, the sun was setting, and everyone started dispersing going their own tent.
Taking my sword out, I started practicing with it.
But this time, I just swung my sword, not thinking about anything.
/SWOOSH/ /THUD/
'Huh? What was that?'
Feeling a slight disjointedness in my moves, I thought.
'Why do I feel like my body is getting heavy?'
/SWOOSH/ /SWOOSH/
'Something is not right. I am not moving like I always do.'
<Ding! The host is being affected by the status effect, Paralyze.>
The moment I heard the system sound in my head, I started losing strength in my body.
'What? A poison? Who poisoned me? No, that is not the right time to ask those.'
With a fast judgment, I set to work.
"Hufff….."
Exhaling a breath of frost, I stared, slowing down my blood circulation and making the poison spread slower.
'All Seeing Eye.'
Immediately activating my art, I started looking around, only to see a bunch of orange-green mana being scattered around.
'I see. So, it was magic.'
'Others seem to notice that too.'
/CLANK/ /CLANK/ /BOOM/
Hearing the sounds of swords clashing, I started circulating the lightning mana around my body as well.
'I need to move.'
/CRACKLE/ /CRACKLE/
'This will hurt a bit.'
Now, those who know a bit of biology would be able to understand how the paralyzing poison works.
With the substances inside, it is blocking the receptors that would receive the command to move. Basically, it is severing the connection that we are using to control our bodies.
Then, how do you make it so that you can function normally?
/CIZZT/
"Grr…."
Putting the tip of my two fingers on my legs, I started electrocuting myself, making my body shiver all around with pain.
Gritting my teeth to withstand the pain, I started feeling my strength again.
'Good. I didn't need to use my aura.'
/SCHLINK/ /CLANK/
But before I could think of anything else, my body blocked the attack that aimed at my neck, raising my sword.
"Huh? You blocked it?"
/SWOOSH/
Raising the distance, there was a bandit standing in front of me.
"Slurp…. You really will make a fine meal."
Licking the dagger he was holding, he started ogling my body.
"…."
"Cat bite your tongue?"
'All Seeing Eye.'
--------------------------
Name – Darrel the Boy Plugger
Age – 25
Class – Dagger Master
Mage Rank – 1-star
Knight Rank – 3-star
Attributes – Water
-------------------------
Seeing the panel in front of me, I dashed towards the man again, not saying anything more.
/SWOOSH/
With my 'Nihil' aiming towards his neck, I raised my sword to attack him with a slash.
"Tut-tut- tut. You are being rude, you know, attacking me like this."
/CLANK/
'He is faster?'
However, with his dagger raised, he blocked my strike.
/THUD/
And a kick followed the dagger attack, making me fly.
/CRASH/
"Krugh---"
'Something is not right. This is not the strength of a 3-star.'
Feeling the pain in my chest, I thought with my head fully concentrated on the man in front of me.
'He drugged himself. He forcefully increased his strength. This…. This was not supposed to appear this early.'
And the answer came to me not long after.
"Heh…. What are you thinking about in front of me like that? Now, are you starting to like me? Did you fall for my strength?"
Looking at the disgusting lustful smile on his face, I swallowed the puke coming from my stomach.
"Huff…."
Exhaling another breath of frost, I calmed myself.
"Sigh… You are really boring…. I guess I will finish you before the others finish."
/DASH/
Saying that, he dashed towards me.
/SWOOSH/
But I was not standing there anymore.
/CRACKLE/ /CRACKLE/
With my sword raised and lightning bolts pouring from it, I opened the distance.
/SWOOSH/
And then attacked him again.
First, a stab aimed towards his torso.
/CLANK/
Blocked.
Second, another stab that was aiming towards his right leg.
/SWOOSH/
Dodged.
'Now a counterattack.'
/SWOOSH/
Dodging the sweep attack, I lowered my center of gravity.
/CRACKLE/
And tapped his right leg with the tip of my off hand, sending a bunch of electric bolts towards his knee.
"Huh?"
'Now!'
Seeing him getting distracted for a second, I tried to stab his neck with my sword, aiming towards his neck.
/CLANK/
But my attack was blocked.
"Hop! That was close."
/SWOOSH/
'Dangerous.'
Immediately sensing the danger, I dashed backward, raising the distance.
/BOOM/
And a sound of explosion followed the place I was in.
"Hey, I said the boy was mine."
"Shut up, Darrel. You were going to die if it wasn't for me."
"Ha!"
Seeing the two men standing in front of me, I raised my sword again.
/SPIT/
"Now, you can eat him whenever you want. Let's get this over with. The boss said we shouldn't alert the monsters nearby."
"Okay."
