"Trying to escape? Too late."Minori's eyes narrowed as the Wise King of the Forest, Hamsuke, bolted through the trees at top speed.
He immediately stood and gave chase.
Whoosh!
A heavy tail swept out from the brush, lashing toward him. Minori's reflexes flared. He dropped the hilt of the iron sword he had been using, pulling out his magic sword just in time to block the blow.
He grunted under the impact.
He preferred using the magic sword—it had better synergy with his abilities—but to conserve its durability, he had switched to a regular iron blade earlier when channeling cursed energy.
Bang!
The heavy impact traveled down the blade. Minori skidded back a few steps to absorb the force. By the time he regained balance, the Wise King of the Forest had already vanished into the underbrush.
"Stealth magic?"Minori's gaze scanned the silent forest ahead. No movement. No rustling.
He exhaled through his nose."Even so… you won't get far."
He knelt and inspected the ground—fresh droplets of blood marked the dirt.
"Even if your body vanishes, the curse continues bleeding you out."
The cursed wound wouldn't heal. His curse also contained an instant death component, a lingering effect that gnawed away at vitality.
"Surviving that? Not bad. So Hamsuke has strong resistance to negative effects."Minori's eyes glinted."Tracking."
A faint glowing path lit up in his vision, pointing through the trees. A guerrilla-style pursuit began.
Through the thick Tob Forest, one beast fled while one predator stalked. Their trail stirred flocks of birds and sent small monsters into hiding.
The Wise King knew this forest well.Minori soon found himself funneled into dangerous zones—territories of hangman spiders, magical wolves, and even greater threats.
The chase wore on. Time passed.
As dusk fell and night consumed the woods, Minori's expression hardened."Still not down? That curse should've taken effect by now…"
The thick canopy above cut off starlight. Vision became nearly useless to normal eyes.
Minori calmly slipped on a pair of single-lens glasses enchanted with Night Vision. His surroundings lit up in grayscale clarity.
Blood on the ground.Larger stains now. The wounds were getting worse.
"You're almost finished."
The death curse continued chipping away at Hamsuke's soul. Unless it was removed, it would keep eating at him until he crossed the threshold—true death.
Just like what happened to Leinas.
Rustle.
Branches moved.
Minori looked up. All around him, eyes glowed in the dark. A pack of magic wolves encircled him.
"Annoying."He sighed, then raised his magic sword.
They lunged.
A few short moments later, the forest floor was slick with blood. No wolves remained standing. Only silence.
He kept moving.
Dawn broke.
Golden rays pushed through the gaps in the canopy, illuminating a clearer part of the forest floor.
Minori stopped.
Ahead lay a mossy cave nestled beneath a low earthen mound. The air carried the sharp tang of blood.
Leaning against the cave mouth—Hamsuke.
The Wise King of the Forest was a pitiful sight. Blood covered most of his face and chest. His massive tail twitched faintly. Breath came in ragged gasps.
Rustle. Footsteps.
Minori stepped from the shadows.
"Looks like it's over, Hamsuke."His voice was calm.
The eye wound alone couldn't have done this. No—this was the curse working its way through the body, minute by minute.
"…Damn… humans…"
Hamsuke growled, eyes filled with pain and hate. But then, a flicker of clarity—and desperation—appeared.
"…I submit."
Minori shook his head."I didn't come here to tame you."
Shame and fury twisted Hamsuke's face. His tail struck the ground with a heavy thump, but no force remained in his limbs.
"…I can't believe I'll die to… a weak human…"
"…I never even… passed on my legacy…"
His voice faded into silence.
[Experience gained: 9567]
[Current EXP: 37933/60000]
[TL: NOOOOO HAMSUKE]
"…So that's the EXP from a level 30 beast?" Minori tilted his head slightly, surprised at the nearly 10,000 point gain.
He looked down at the now-lifeless body of one of the series' most memorable characters.
But no regret stirred within him. Instead, a deeper conviction set in.
"Power is everything in this world. Hoping for mercy only invites death."
He exhaled slowly.
Above the corpse, a translucent figure hovered. Shaped like Hamsuke, but ethereal—a soul.
He had seen this phenomenon before. The passive effect of Shaman Mentor granted him the ability to perceive the spirits of slain creatures. So far, it only gave him sight—no other use.
Until now.
"Become my strength, Wise King of the Forest."
He reached out with his will and activated his skill:
Totem Possession
He had waited to use this on the right beast. Hamsuke, ruler of the Tob Forest, was more than worthy.
[Totem Possession activated. Choose placement: Head, Arms, Legs, Back, Chest]
Minori scanned the options.
"Arms."
A pulse of emerald light enveloped his limbs. The soul of Hamsuke was drawn into his body, merging with his strength.
When the glow faded, a stylized rat-shaped totem glowed on both his arms.
[Totem Possession complete. Choose effect: Physical Enhancement or Skill Inheritance]