Chapter 29

Sss-!

The iridescent feather was sliced in two.

Mircel bristled at the sight of the second feather disintegrating into powder.

Honestly, he had doubts initially, but as Hersel said, the feathers were indeed there. On top of that, there was a faint shimmering sensation, like a mirage.

‘I only felt a faint energy at first, but now I’m getting a clearer sense.’

Mircel closed his eyes and focused the aura into his right hand. He recalled the conversation he had with Aol.

-In the Demon Realm, monsters attack unpredictably. Hasn’t Father ever been in danger?

-Not particularly. That’s because I go through a series of processes before entering. Like this.

Following what Aol had shown, Mircel pressed his aura-infused palm against the ground.

‘He said that magic, though faint, reacts to aura and permeates the ground.’

He heightened his senses to the point where he could feel even a single speck of dust settling on the back of his hand.

Then, he felt the touch of three thin threads emanating from his palm.

It was the same sensation he felt from the feathers.

“Let’s see, he said there were five feathers in total. Since I’ve already cut two, three remain. It matches perfectly.”

Mircel looked around the area where the threads extended.

One led to an annex, two to the training ground. The last and thinnest thread pointed in the farthest direction.

‘That’s the farthest one. Let’s deal with it last and head there.’

The place it led to was the servants’ dormitory located in a corner.

***

Since there were many people, it seemed to take some time for the servants to evacuate.

Still, they seemed to have some leeway, and if they reached the servants’ dormitory, there would be no danger.

In my experience from the game, it was the location furthest from the battle with the monstrous bird.

Yet, Mircel, this remarkable child, performed exceedingly well. The thought that had once seemed unlikely now felt differently.

[Hersel, he’s on the move.]

“Already?”

I urgently turned my head to watch the mansion. Seeing the increasingly cracking building, I realized just how futile my recent sense of relief was.

I couldn’t see him due to the wall, but the sound of the building collapsing suggested that he had somehow recovered.

Bam!

I had used all my venom, yet how could he still be this strong…

From behind the fluttering curtain, the monstrous bird’s red eyes glinted fiercely. It was glaring at me with a murderous look, advancing towards me.

[The distance is close… and your stamina hasn’t fully recovered yet. Do something now!]

I want to. But with no strength to dodge, what could I possibly do…

Grr-

The monstrous bird growled like a beast and charged. Its speed surpassed human capabilities, and all I could do was watch its full swing punch.

Boom!

[Physical attack detected.]

[Special ability activated.]

[1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds]

I was doomed.

Even though its right arm exploded into liquid, it didn’t matter. Because its left fist, ready for a follow-up attack, was still intact!

Grunt!

“Hm?”

What is this sound?

It sounded pained… but why is my head still attached? Opening my tightly shut eyes, I witnessed a surprising scene.

The monstrous bird’s left fist, which had aimed to crush me, was clutching its own bloated belly.

Grrrr…

The creature’s eyes twisted in pain as it dropped to its knees.

Then, it spewed out the toxic liquid inside its body like a waterfall.

Fortunately, it seemed the poison finally took effect, albeit late.

I took a step back, wary of the splattering poison, and looked down at the creature.

‘Anyway, I survived.’

***

“Hey, look over there.”

Among the group following Jack and Rodel, the butler at the very end pointed a trembling finger towards the monstrous bird and Hersel.

The people stopped and began murmuring. Jack and Rodel, leading the group, walked back to assess the situation.

“Why did you suddenly stop? Come on, hurry up.”

“No, look over there.”

“Huh, what’s happening?”

Jack’s squinted eyes widened in shock.

“Gasp!”

The monster that had terrified the world was on its knees, writhing in pain, spewing blood from its mouth.

And Hersel, calmly stepping back, watched the creature. Despite the monster being defenseless, Jack’s mouth fell open at Hersel’s composed actions.

“Did the young master do that?”

“No way…?”

Listening to the two men’s conversation, Jack felt a sensation as if his head was spinning. Thinking back, they were unaware of Hersel’s strength.

If his reputation increased in this situation, wouldn’t it benefit those who bet on Hersel?

Having finished calculating, Jack brushed his hand over his face, adopting a serious expression.

“Huh, so that’s how it was. It wouldn’t be visible to ordinary eyes.”

“What do you mean? What wasn’t visible?”

“If it were me, I would have seen it. The young master’s lightning-fast punch.”

Jack’s confident voice made people exchange incredulous glances.

“Are you kidding? What skills would the young master have?”

Many nodded in agreement with a butler’s words. Jack’s shoulders slumped at their dismissive reactions.

Then, Selly, who had been silently watching, sighed reluctantly and spoke.

“We’ve seen his skills often enough. Even when trying to kill him, he remained unscathed.”

“Well, that’s true.”

“He was fine after being kicked by a warhorse.”

“And stabbed with a sword.”

The momentum shifted. Seizing the opportunity, Jack delivered the final blow.

“That’s right! That’s proof of his strength! It means the young master has reached an indestructible state!”

Pointing at the still bleeding monstrous bird, Jack passionately argued.

“Can’t you see? Do you think that monster has some kind of illness? Even a drunkard in a bar wouldn’t say something so foolish! Anyone with common sense would think it was struck by a powerful blow!”

One by one, people started nodding. A monster called a disaster wouldn’t suffer from an upset stomach.

“Hm, that’s true.”

“If it wasn’t hit by something heavy, this situation is unexplainable.”

Jack smiled in satisfaction. However, the atmosphere he desired didn’t last long. The elderly butler, trembling, broke the mood.

“Now is not the time to be leisurely… We must hurry. You haven’t yet fully experienced the terror of that creature.”

“Mr. Harden, what do you mean…”

“That’s not its true form. It hasn’t yet shown its ferocious fangs. Hurry before the disaster strikes!”

His terrified words turned everyone pale.

The atmosphere that had elevated Hersel’s reputation plummeted in an instant. Jack, feeling it was hopeless, turned his back sharply and spoke harshly.

“Alright, let’s go. Yes, let’s go, listen to the experienced.”

Jack was annoyed with the old butler.

***

After a brief rest, I had just finished preparing at the third location for stalling time.

This place was an arboretum filled with blooming trees. The rare flowers meant to be shown to guests were crushed under the weight of Aol’s clothes I had hung.

Considering how valuable those flowers were, I hoped the timer seals attached to the fabric would work well.

[Rotating Spell Seal]

The attached object rotates. It can be torn and used, and the timing can be adjusted based on the paper’s size. For lightweight objects only.

Normally, it suppressed the force, but when the set time was reached, it would activate.

[Here it comes.]

‘Perfect timing.’

Hiding behind a rock, I smiled confidently. I might be able to end it here. With the third barrier just erased, the sky’s purple hue had faded, and I fixed my gaze on the monstrous bird.

The third feather had vanished. Achieving the condition for the next phase, changes would soon follow.

Blub-

The scattered liquid coalesced, forming a slender body. The arms turned into wings, and the creature took on the complete form of a bird.

[Phase II: Bird Guarding the Nest]

The key point here was that if the aggro (game term for attracting the enemy’s attention) was lost even once, Mircel would die.

With over half of the barriers gone, a pattern to protect the feathers had been added. The creature would no longer overlook any intruders trying to unlock the gate.

Whenever I had assigned the aggro to a tank character and searched for the feathers, the sudden appearance of the creature led to a game over.

But this time was different.

This place was saturated with Aol’s scent, which the creature was desperate to kill, and I was hiding behind a rock, making it impossible to be found unless seen with the naked eye.

Moreover, the timer seals were about to activate. With these conditions, Phase 2 was practically a free pass.

While I waited leisurely, one of the timer seals activated.

Whirr!

As Aol’s garment spun in the air, the monstrous bird flapped its wings, tearing through the fabric with its sharp beak.

Next, another piece of clothing hidden in the bushes started spinning and rustling. The bird launched sharp feathers in a single wingbeat.

Shh-shh-shh-shh!

The force was enough to pierce through trees, but not the thick rock I was hiding behind.

Aol’s clothes, scattered everywhere, continued to move like a flying squirrel, shaking branches and bushes, continuously attracting the bird’s attention.

Everything was going smoothly. The clothes were shredded by the bird’s feathers, but with the fourth barrier just erased, only one remained.

And then, it would be the monstrous bird’s final form.

[Phase III: The Fighting Crow]

The creature’s body started bubbling and swelling. Muscles bulged and veins pulsed as it transformed into an even larger and more muscular form.

After the transformation, the bird’s eyes bulged as it let out a deafening roar.

Screeeeeeech!

The bone-chilling scream made me gulp. Its final form boasted power on a completely different level; even wielding the Holy Sword with precision wouldn’t guarantee a victory.

In front of this monster, designed to make you flee, my only choice was to hold my breath and run. But that was easier said than done. Filled with rage and a heightened intelligence, it sliced through the trees around me with the mere force of its kicks. Even the rock I was hiding behind.

Ssshhh!

The once dense shelter turned into an open field, and Donatan shouted in shock.

[With that level of power, it must have been the master of the Demon Realm.]

The monstrous bird cracked its neck and rolled its shoulders.

Crack!

With my hiding place gone, I sprinted towards the bird. It responded by charging at me with thundering steps that shook the ground.

Whether it was a punch or a kick, I intended to use my whole body to deflect the blow and move to the next stalling location. By then, the final barrier should be gone. Using my recovered strength, I would escape outside and clear the challenge.

I could finally see the end.

“…”

However, something was off about the bird’s gaze. The previously furious eyes now seemed calm. Was it just my imagination?

No, it wasn’t.

Grab!

Instead of attacking, it grabbed my ankle and hurled me into the air with all its might.

Whoosh!

It must have learned. It realized it couldn’t kill me with its usual methods.

That’s why it used its brains.

“Ah…”

As I reached the peak of my ascent, the monstrous bird passed me. It used the barrier’s ceiling as a platform, launching itself to kick me in the stomach with both feet.

Bam!

Before I knew it, I was slammed into the ground.

Crash!

[Physical attack detected.]

[Special ability activated.]

[1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds]

I quickly got up to flee, but the realization of my location stunned me.

I had landed in the front yard of the servants’ dormitory, where the last feather hovered in mid-air.

The bird had gathered everything it needed to protect, kill, and consume in one place.

This was an unprecedented situation, even for someone like me who had retried countless times. It sent shivers down my spine.