"Roar!"
The Swamp Jaw, its body slathered in muck and moss, burst out of the bog with a thunderous roar. Mud and stagnant water flung from its massive form as two cruel, beast-like eyes—each the size of a clenched fist—locked onto Minori and his companion. With a roar that shook the stagnant swamp air, it lunged, maw wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth dripping with slime.
Bang!
A blazing figure shot forward. One of Minori's summoned Fire Archangels—still airborne—swung its flaming greatsword with both hands, slamming it against the monster's head. But the attack failed to penetrate the creature's layered defense. The Swamp Jaw's thick hide, reinforced by years of hardened mud and moss, deflected even divine fire and holy energy. It only staggered slightly.
"Roar!"
Snarling, the Swamp Jaw twisted, flinging the flaming blade aside with a violent jerk of its massive head. Its trunk-like forelimb rose, then slammed toward the hovering angel.
Flap!
Wings of light beat against the humid air. The angel soared higher, narrowly evading the blow. The second Fire Archangel, which had been previously knocked back, circled around and returned to the fray.
Now, together, the two summoned angels struck in concert. Their flaming swords danced through the swamp mist as they harried the great beast. The Swamp Jaw roared and thrashed, sweeping its tail and claws in blind retaliation—but the angels' flight made them hard targets.
For a moment, neither side could gain an advantage.
From a safe distance, Leinas observed the battle, her blue eyes flashing with surprise. These two angels… they were too powerful.
The Swamp Jaw was a fearsome predator of this cursed swamp—usually only brought down by a full Mithril-ranked adventurer team. Yet now it was struggling just to hold its ground.
If not for the natural armor covering its body, the creature might have already fallen.
Minori's voice cut through the murky air."Aim for the eyes."
His command was calm, clinical.
Instantly, the Fire Archangels adjusted their flight paths. They shot upward in unison, then dove—wings blazing—straight at the creature's face.
A slash of flame.
A cry of agony.
The Swamp Jaw reared back violently, one eye now a ruined, flaming socket. It thrashed, attempting to retreat.
But Minori had no intention of letting it escape. A creature of this level—roughly the equivalent of level 20—was too valuable. He directed the angels again with subtle, unseen gestures.
The Fire Archangels seized the opportunity. Twin blades plunged into the Swamp Jaw's skull through the ruined eyes.
"Grahhh—!"
Its body convulsed, then fell with an earth-shaking crash.
『Experience gained: 3103』[Experience: 7405 / 10000]
Minori's mood lifted slightly as the numbers flickered across his mental interface. His gaze lingered on the corpse with mild regret.
If Leinas weren't here, he would have stashed the corpse in his inventory. The creature's resilient body was far superior to the ogres currently preserved in his item box. It would have made excellent raw material for necromantic experiments.
Leinas turned to look at him, a complex emotion in her eyes.
"Who… are you, really?" she asked quietly.
It wasn't the Fire Archangels that shocked her. Summoning a powerful creature required an even stronger master. Minori had demonstrated refined alchemy earlier, and now, this. It didn't fit the image of a wandering adventurer.
Caught in his thoughts, Minori glanced up at her and chuckled.
"A genius alchemist. A magic chanter of divine fire. Or..."He flipped the copper nameplate on his belt."A Bronze-rank adventurer."
Leinas blinked.
The corners of her mouth twitched.
"If I were head of the Adventurer's Guild, I'd rewrite the rule that adventurers can only rank up through official quests."
Minori smirked."But that rule exists for a reason. It filters people like me from rising too fast."
His light tone erased some of the tension in the air. Leinas exhaled softly.
"Let's keep moving."
Minori raised a hand. The Fire Archangels flew close and lifted both him and Leinas again, continuing toward the deeper swamp.
As they traveled, the terrain slowly shifted. The muddy pools receded. Tall brush began to replace bog, and thick jungle loomed ahead.
Strange animal cries echoed from the depths.
"Fog..." Leinas said, frowning.
Minori narrowed his eyes. A thick white mist was crawling toward them.
"Let's descend."
The angels dropped down swiftly. Minori and Leinas landed in a patch of dense, overgrown vines.
As soon as she touched down, Leinas let out a stifled groan. She clutched her cheek, her hand trembling.
A sliver of decayed flesh was visible where her blond hair had shifted—barely hidden, and faintly writhing.
Minori felt it too. A ripple within his soul—the dormant curse magic in his body stirred, like a beast sniffing the air.
This place was cursed.
He turned to her. "Are you alright?"
"This… place gives me the same feeling as the monster that attacked me." Leinas replied through clenched teeth.
"Heh—heh—heh!"
A guttural growl echoed from the underbrush.
Three monsters slunk forward. At first glance, they resembled oversized dogs—but far more grotesque. Each had the body of a lion, a humanoid face with sharp, jagged teeth, and massive leathery wings like those of a bat. Their tails were like scorpion stingers, covered in deadly barbs.
Minori furrowed his brow. "These are the weird monsters?"
Leinas shook her head, spear in hand."No. These are manticores. Be careful—those tails can fire venomous spikes. I'll take the one on the right."
Without waiting for a reply, she dashed forward.
Minori waved a hand. The Fire Archangels responded instantly, launching themselves at the remaining two manticores.
Despite their terrifying appearance, the manticores didn't last long.
『Experience gained: 286』『Experience gained: 301』[Experience: 7992 / 10000]
As the last manticore fell, Minori felt a strange sensation.
A sliver of curse energy was released from the dead creatures—and absorbed by him.
Startled, Minori checked his status panel. No change in stats or experience. But the curse in his body had definitely grown stronger.
A scream snapped him back.
"Ah!"
Minori turned. Leinas was gripping her spear, face twisted in pain. The curse on her cheek—the one that had once only marred half her face—was now spreading.
His eyes narrowed.
So it wasn't just him. The curse had grown stronger inside her as well.
Only those with the rare profession of [Cursed Knight] could feel it so clearly.
Minori muttered under his breath.
"Something is feeding the curse… and it's coming from deeper inside this jungle."