D.E.H Chapter 7: No escape

Author Note:

Okay guys, another chapter. Yey!

Remember that this is not the priority of this website so it will be updating slower. Though I am happy that people are expecting this story ^^

Anyways enjoy 😀

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Rumors began running around the peaceful Kingdom of Arnesti.

“Hey have you heard about the “Carnivorous Blood Bear” rumor?”

A number of people in the adventurer guild were in this topic.

It was a topic that has been spreading like wildfire among beginners that go train at the Forest of Beginnings.

“They say that he runs around slashing its claws at his own brethren and consumes them on the spot!”

“Yeah, it’s no lie. I have seen it with my own eyes!”

They were intrigued in the mana beast that instilled fear every time it passed by them.

For some reason this mana beast passed beside them in a flash, so fast it was hard for their untrained eyes to follow. By the time the Blood Bear finished, it was already a pool of blood with no corpse left behind.

The topic was heating up and many theories were popping up from these adventurers who were still inexperienced in the outside world.

“I think he is human!”

A strong voice enters their discussion and his theory stops all further debate. All of their eyes stopping on the spiky haired teenager called Ryan.

Ryan was already famous in the adventurer guild, not as an adventurer, but as a man who wanders around the guild harassing all newbies he spots on. Sometimes assisting or in times bullying them. He was a mysterious boy that no one really understood. All they knew is that this seemingly teenager with bad skills at the spear always gave reliable information.

He was normally sought for even by experienced adventurers.

The words of this man may have sounded like a joke for anyone who didn’t know him, but in this adventurer guild there is no one who would laugh so easily at the bizarre things this Ryan said.

“What do you mean Ryan? Do you have proof of that?”

Ryan just shakes his head and grins.

“These eyes are the proof” With a confident face he points his finger at his wide opened eyes.

No one could say anything against that. His skills to discern the ability of someone was second to none. If he said someone was weak he was weak. If he said he was a killer he was most likely a killer.

Many feared this ability of his.

There were already people who began to believe the statement of Ryan but…

“If that is true, then he is breaking the rules. Someone of his level shouldn’t be running around the Forest of Beginnings. He is hindering the hunting of many people that are looking to train”

This was something already agreed between adventurers. The strong people should steer clear of the forest as it wasn’t beneficial for them. The mana beasts in there were not strong and the materials they gave were not valuable, the vegetation was not vast and everything that grew there was of low quality, hence, the Forest of Beginnings. It was already a law and the adventurer guild staff also regulates the area.

The mana flow in that area was low making it suitable for beginners to train. A high leveled person was not welcomed and was usually punished if found out.

The area already began heating up the discussion with the new topic of someone doing as he pleased. The discussion that was cheerful was now full of hatred and anger but Ryan nonchalantly pitches in once again with his usual cheerful tone.

“Well, to tell you the truth, I think he is actually low leveled”

Everyone stops again. They were now seriously questioning this guy’s sanity.

The moment this man stepped into the discussion he has been dropping bombshells with a carefree expression.

“If I had to be exact, he would be even lower than you, Heigan”

Everyone stared at Heigan with faces that said they didn’t understand anymore.

Heigan didn’t know how to feel about this. He is considered a top in rank 2 adventurers, but he was definitely still in the level that he is permitted to enter the forest. The absolute limit was level 30, but for someone like him to not be able to follow a person lower than him was impossible.

Then someone objected trying to shake this statement.

“I saw him wearing a Blood Bear fur! If he is indeed a human then it means he fought and defeated the Blood Bear!”

Everyone recovered and began nodding at the words of this person.

The Blood Bear was a level 32 mana beast. Even with a party of rank 2, it would take them a lot to kill. A cunning mana beast that used its’ surrounding efficiently and was even able to use tier 2 spells.

In reality if the Blood Bear wasn’t injured by Elinalise party and the fact that the Blood Bear underestimated Youma, it would have been able to kill both of them 10 times over before Youma could even begin winding his attack.

“But it’s exactly because of that no? The Blood Bear is not stupid, in the case of encountering an opponent stronger than himself he will immediately retreat”

The Blood Bear was cunning. It’s a hard to catch mana beast that will never engage without fully gauging the potential of its prey. This is one of the reasons the Blood Bear is feared but at the same time, one of the most valuable catches in the Forest of Beginnings.

The discussing adventurers didn’t know what to say anymore, so with a grin Ryan continues

“That’s why I think this “Carnivorous Blood Bear” is actually someone who has a mysterious technique. One that allows to hunt big catches even when he is ‘weaker’ than its prey”

In this fashion Ryan takes control of the conversation freely inputting information. Escalating the rumors of this “Carnivorous Blood Bear” that roamed the Forest of Beginnings.

No one knowing the real objective this spiky haired teenager Ryan had with this.

***

For some reason the amount of people in the forest has increased making it hard for me to avoid them and it made it hard for me to hunt comfortably.

It’s good that the amount of mana beasts seemed to be never ending. No matter how many they hunt, more keep coming. It’s a really mysterious ecosystem.

With quick steps I nimbly move through the top of trees. It’s already been 2 weeks since I stayed here and my progress wasn’t half bad, if I had to say so myself.

My body was beginning to respond even better and my judgment in combat was faster. My level was also rising decently.

---

Name: Youma Hiromi

Age: 21                Gender: Male

Class: Double Edge     Race: Human

Alignment: None              Guild: None

Lvl: 26

Stamina: 430/430

Mana: 188/188

Stats:

Strength: 10 (132)*

Dexterity: 109

Vitality: 110

Magic: 44

Luck: 63

---

*Strength in combat mode is placed there for better understanding and is not actually displayed

“Maybe it’s time to return to the capital”

My inventory was practically filled with loot and the mana beasts in this place were not a challenge anymore.

If I stay here any longer my battle sense will dull.

I was on my way to the cave in order to take off my equipment and change clothes as well as prepare various things but…

*Thung! “Ungh!”

[A paralyzing arrow has hit you! <Paralysis> status in effect]

An arrow suddenly struck me and I fell straight down to the ground, the arrow inflicted a <Paralysis> effect on me!

What is going on?!

I immediately take out the arrow from my shoulder but the <Paralysis> effect didn’t disappear.

“Heh, we finally caught you ‘Carnivorous Blood Bear’”

A voice resounded in the forest and soon a few figures appear from the shrubs. 4… 5, no, it could be even more. They were all wearing basic adventurer equipment except for the one in the middle. He had a showy golden armor and a really flashy sword. The shield in his hand was filled with designs. Really, what a uselessly flashy equipment he had.

I stay still and began looking at the surroundings, I couldn’t see any other person aside from the ones that had shown themselves.

The voice seems to have come from the golden armor man, he said something about ‘Carnivorous Blood Bear’. Maybe he is misunderstanding something?

“I don’t know what is going on but I think we have a misunderstanding here. I am not the Blood Bear I am a normal person”

I stood up with difficulty. It looks like my body isn’t responding properly because of <Paralysis>. I extend both of my arms and legs and show them that I am a human.

This party probably mistook me for the Blood Bear since I was running with my body in a low posture.

“Hm?”

The golden man shows a puzzled expression.

The party fell silent and were looking at each other.

And smiled.

“Jackpot!”

The moment he said that, another arrow and even something like magic was shot out!

I immediately roll out of the way but I couldn’t move well with the <Paralysis>. The arrow missed me but a water bullet managed to hit my leg and froze in a second.

The man began to laugh and took a stance, along with all of his party members!

“Hahaha! We already knew you were a human! Like hell we would fight with the Blood Bear, if you were really the Blood Bear that arrow wouldn’t even have any effect!”

Ugh, so that’s how it was. Certainly, the Blood Bear had a really tough fur and body. So they came here already knowing that.

“What is your objective?” I ask the man that was smirking in happiness.

“Oh? Are you going to give us your items? If you give us ALL you have, we might let you go”

… I am being robbed. His original objective must be related to the loot of the Blood Bear.

So this will be my first PVP in this world? If so, then at least do it 1v1!

I quickly use [Discern], a skill that I learned in my time at the forest, to scan my enemies.

[??? <Class: Knight> <Level: 28>]

[??? <Class: Warrior> <Level: 23>]

[??? <Class: Warrior> <Level: 24>]

[??? <Class: Priest> <Level: 22>]

[??? <Class: Magic Fencer> <Level: ???>]

This is bad. All of them are higher than 20, but what worries me is the <Magic Fencer>, I have never seen a ‘???’ level in this forest. He had a robe on and his face was covered by a hood. I couldn’t see a weapon on his body but he was clearly bad news.

“Tch!” I click my tongue and immediately dash away.

The effect of <Paralysis> was waning already so my body was able to move a bit better. The ice on my leg was a bit of a bother but it didn’t affect me that much.

“WAH! How is he able to move already?! Lua, Fira he is going your way, stop him!”

The golden man shouts an order and two figures appear in front of me.

[Lua <Class: Mage> <Level: 29>]

[Fira <Class: Knight> <Level: 27>]

A tower shield rapidly approached to ram me. It was held horizontally in order to make it harder for me to evade from the sides.

“Just why do you guys do this?” I muttered dissatisfied.

The moment it was about to hit me I jump and step on her face. Then sprang up to the branch of a nearby tree.

But before I could reach it, a fireball exploded from my right. The fireball explosion pushed my body that was in midair and I crashed onto the trunk of the tree.

‘They were expecting that. I thought they would be inexperienced people because it was the Forest of Beginnings’

The fireball burned my arm though it hurt less than I thought it would. I think I can hold out if it’s only this.

“Hahaha! You should stop running you are already caught in our trap, there is no escape for you”

The golden man and his party were running to where I was. The magician was already preparing his magic and the tower shield girl was furiously rubbing her face while glaring at me.

I am not sorry for not washing my shoes.

Do I have to risk it? Activate [Speed Burst] in order to run away. In those 30 minutes I will get away from them and then look for a safe place to last 15 minutes. No, that is too risky I don’t know what he has prepared…

Wait.

Prepared?

A smirk surfaced in my face.

“Hey, you bastards, catch me if you can!” I shout and turn around while quickly equipping my shield.

As expected, the magician shot out a magic at me the moment I turned. I quickly put the shield to block it and the fireball that was shot out exploded and blasted me, giving me a good push!

“You idiot! How many times do I have to tell you not to use fireball in a running target!”

“I can only use fireball!”

“Why are you here again?!”

The group was fighting behind me. Without minding them, I run at the fastest speed I could without buffs, zigzagging randomly in order to evade the arrows and magic that were thrown behind me and using the trees as cover.

I have already been in this forest for more time than at the city. I have already checked the whole forest with my 120% increase [Speed Burst] and know practically every part of the forest. Moving inside the forest is practically like walking in my house.

“This guy is way too nimble!”

“You… Stop! *Gasp Scrub, drop all your items you have *gasp nowhere to run!”

The gold man was already gasping for breath. You seriously bring such a heavy armor when your body can’t handle it? Also, he repeated the word ‘nowhere to run’, is there a deeper meaning to it?

It probably has to do with the exit of the forest. Most likely he has something prepared there if I try to go out. I heard that this place was regulated and, no matter what, you can’t enter if you are higher than 30. So he may have people posted outside. Judging by the flashy equipment he has it should be safe to assume that he has money and some influence to move this party. Then what about that hooded man? Why is he here, and why hasn’t he acted yet?

I try pondering about it but I will not reach a clear answer at this moment. I have to take care of these guys here before I can do anything properly.

With the cover of a tree I open my menu and select ‘inventory’.

“He is hiding in that tree, he must be exhausted, get him!”

Hey don’t put me at your level.

The moment 2 of them reached and inspected the tree that I was supposed to be.

*Clang “UAAaaah!”

A net shot out and wrapped both of the pursuers. The net was made out of spider web so it was sticking to their bodies both of them were struggling but it was useless as the strong web only stretched. And it wasn’t only that.

“W-What is this?! Where did this come out from?!”

“M-My body is feeling weird…”

I mixed a paralyzing agent on it made with the exact same spider. Fight poison with poison. Ugh, I’m remembering the spider.

It wasn’t like I couldn’t fight without my skills, there were loopholes in my class. If I used traps like this, even if I don’t activate combat mode, I am still able to inflict some damage. This is what I learned in order to survive and protect me from being attacked in those 15 minutes of immobility.

Once again I began moving, the net will not last long and can be easily taken off. But if they don’t have something to cure the paralysis then those two will be 100% left out of the group.

I looked behind and certainly, the two of them were left behind. Heh, do you guys think I have no countermeasures for when I am chased? Right now I have way too many risks, of course I will prepare myself properly in this place.

I will say it again, “This is my house”

—– Gold Man —–

Guh! What is wrong with that man?!

He is running around in such an energetic manner! Did the paralysis arrow have no effect? No, he certainly showed the symptoms of it at the beginning, but then how?! There is no way for someone to recover so fast from a paralysis.

We have been falling into all kinds of traps in the time we are chasing him. We tried spreading and encircling him but it just doesn’t work, he is way too slippery.

From nets, to logs, to ropes, and pitfalls, there were so many traps. Its to the point that I even suspect he already knew we would be coming. From the 12 people I prepared to capture him, only 7 remain. The ones that retired all had status effects of some sort and the ones that remain, 3 of them are injured and every single one of us is already tired.

But what is truly irritating is that the traps are coming from impossible places! One of those ‘traps’ was a giant rock on top of a branch, that soon gave out and fell on top of some of my members. That kind of trap is unreasonable, there must be some kind of trick. Even when we know that a trap is coming we don’t know how it will come.

Heh, but that will soon be over. After all ‘there is no escape’.

The target ran into a cave of some sort and disappeared. He went in as planned.

Hurgh~! I can’t take this anymore! The armor feels like a thousand kilos.

“Stop! Stop!” I order the ones around me.

Everyone stops in their tracks and looks at me. Every single one is a party member that I have personally recruited so of course I get the say here. I am the leader.

“What’s wrong Arhert?”

“Everything! We are being played here… It pisses me off!” (But he is already done for kuku)

“Well yeah. Even when we try to catch him or encircle him, he manages to somehow escape. And those traps… they are way too strange”

“Hm, no matter how you think about it, rocks don’t fall out from trees”

All the party began discussing the strange happenings and how to catch him.

I just laugh at that display and step up as the leader I am.

“Listen guys, he has already fallen into our trap. The cave here is a prohibited zone. The only exit that exists is this side, so if we wait here we will definitely catch him”

“A prohibited zone? I have never heard of it”

Of course you haven’t, this place has always been sealed off after all.

“Wait, I know about it. Doesn’t that mean this cave is the part that the adventurer guild has prohibited people to enter?!”

“Kuku, that’s right” I replied while walking to the simple hooded man that was leaning at a tree and introduced him.

“This man is actually a superior at the adventurer guild, the Mystic Fencer, Tsuiras”

“Tsuiras?! The one who is said to control all elements in his sabre, THAT Tsuiras?!”

I grin widely, the surroundings grow boisterous. With my influence it was easy to rope in such a big figure. He even offered me the use of this special place as a unique trap.

And also gave me this roster of people…

No good, I can’t handle it, my laugh will leak out.

“That’s right, he is Tsuiras. And he made a contract with me, if I am able to trap the ‘Carnivorous Blood Bear’ in this cave. I will provide you my assistance and this people… *Kugh”

Its fine now right? ‘Ku…’

“Kuhahahaha! ‘This group of disposable people, so you will be able to stay with all the loot he has, all the Blood Bear items will be yours’ is what he said!”

I let out a loud laugh that resounded in the whole forest.

My ‘party’ all began shouting. “You set us up?!” “Is that why we were all gathered in front of this cave?!” “You bastard!” All of them were cursing me, but, why would I care about the words of dead people?

Tsuiras took out his sword slowly. He didn’t have any hurry at all, his face couldn’t be seen clearly but you could see he was not pressured. For him, they were all as good as dead.

The people that saw this, all spread out in different directions, though all of them were headed to one sure place, Arnesti. They were aiming to get out of the forest.

Tsuiras pointed his sword to nowhere in particular, just lift it in the air muttering incomprehensible words. And several sparks shot out from the tip on different directions. The thunderous sound that came from it was also accompanied by numerous cries.

“Kuku”

Most likely a good number of them died just from that. Without moving from his spot he killed several of them.

Not all were dead though. But that was not important, after all, the forest’s exit was being covered by several high leveled people. With the exception of Tsuiras, they are not authorized to enter. There was no need for Tsuiras to act at all, they were dead from the very beginning. Of course, if that ‘Blood Bear’ tried to run out of the forest he would have been caught on the spot.

Truly ‘no escape’ kukuku.

I turn with my hands spread out and bow respectfully to Tsuiras.

“Thanks for the chance you have given me. My family may not hold a second name but as it will soon be, at that time I will surely repay the kindness you have shown- Guh!”

W-wa…

A sword… no, it was a sabre? It went through my armor without making a sound and penetrated my chest.

“Oh? It seems your armor is actually pretty good. I wasn’t able to finish you off”

A cold voice that chilled my whole body and numbed my mind, was that… Tsuiras?

“W… what, Tsuiras, we had a contract! *Cough Do you not care how the people will… *guagh! see the adventurer guild… *cough if they learn about this?!”

I was able to barely say those words.

Tsuiras made a contract, he clearly had witnesses. Even my family was present when it was proposed! Not only did the contract give us the rights for all the loots but it also promised us the rise in honor of my household and the rights for a second name!

To break a contract like this!

They will pay for it! They will…

“Guaaaah!!!”

My arms, legs, nose, ears… eh? Eh? They are all flying out.

“Do you think a mere family like yours has the power to affect the reputation of the adventurer guild? Your family was chosen as disposable. You, who doesn’t even have a second name, think has the right to order me?”

Tsuiras said something but I didn’t hear him properly anymore. They were all clouded by my screams. Eh? I am screaming?

Kukukuhaahahaha!

The loot of that man must be worth shit to the adventurer guild. Then all of this, ALL of this.  Was done to get one man into a cave?

Tsuiras swung his sabre once, cleaning it completely as if there wasn’t blood there to begin with, and sheathed it back. He slowly walked up to me and a single kindle of fire was hovering on his finger.

And then, everything went black.

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