Chapter 47 – The Terror of the Outer Region at Night

“Hеy, heу, уоu’rе nоt sеriously рlanning to slееp in а рlасе like this, аre уou?”

“Yeаh. Whаt’s wrоng with thаt?”

“You’re undеrestimаting the night.”

Just as Amу lеt out an exаsрerated sigh, I noticеd thе presence оf Мonsters аpрrоасhing.

And it wasn’t just one оr two of thеm.

“I shоuld hаve used Моnstеr-Repеllent Sprаy. Why are Моnsters cоming сlosеr?”

“Therе are spеciеs thаt only becomе ferосiоus at night. Sо feroсiоus thаt Monstеr-Reреllеnt Sрrаy dоеsn’t wоrk on thеm.”

I immеdiately got up and drew my Weapon.

I couldn’t see them yet, but a considerable number were hiding in the bushes.

When I concentrated, I could hear the breathing of many Monsters.

Just as Asuto took a deep breath and prepared for battle—

With a rustling sound, a pack of Monsters emerged from the bushes.

“Damn, Lesser Lycaons!”

Dog-type Monsters that skillfully switch between quadrupedal and bipedal movement.

They’re formidable upper C-Rank enemies that attack Hunters with fangs and claws.

We were already surrounded by Lycaons. Roughly twenty of them.

I could force my way through their encirclement, but they wouldn’t give me the chance to grab my bag.

My Hunter’s License Card and preserved food were in that bag.

Abandoning it and running wasn’t an option.

Which meant—

“Looks like we have no choice but to fight.”

“Don’t be stupid, just run!”

“If I could, I would.”

I was effectively B-Rank. The opponents were C-Rank, but there were nearly twenty of them.

One-on-one would be easy, but being overwhelmed by numbers put me at a disadvantage.

Without moving his gaze, Asuto activated the System.

With fluid movements, he allocated points to his Status.

○Name: Yuki Asuto (23)

Level: 45 Aptitude: Assassin

Rank: C SP: 25→0

Held G: 100198

○Physical Ability

Strength: 75 Stamina: 60→70 Magic Power: 19

Spirit: 19 Agility: 115 Perception: 65→80

○Skills

・Intermediate Dagger Arts Lv3 (6%)

Critical Strike Level 2 (64%)

・Evasion Lv5 (13%)

• Leap Level 4 (94%)

・Memory Playback Lv3 (70%)

・Mortal Eye Lv2 (78%)

・Return Lv2 (0%)

Anticipating a prolonged battle, I boosted my Stamina and raised my Perception to prepare for surprise attacks.

(With this, I’ll fight!)

Asuto closed the System and held his breath.

The next moment.

“Hiss!!”

In the blink of an eye, Asuto slashed a Lycaon’s throat.

In the darkness without artificial light, the Light of Mortality stood out clearly.

He immediately spun around and headed for another Lycaon.

Before that, an individual that had already reacted attacked Asuto.

He avoided the claw attack at the last second.

Slipping into its guard, he thrust once at its lifeline.

Immediate withdrawal.

A large number of Lycaons brought their claws down on the spot where Asuto had been just a split second before.

The dead Lycaon got caught in the crossfire and was instantly torn to shreds.

The pack of Lycaons lost sight of Asuto.

In that brief opening, he had slipped into their blind spot.

But their sense of smell was sharp. They would find his location soon.

Before that—

“—!!”

Quietly, swiftly, he cleanly reaped their lives.

Night was an advantageous stage for an Assassin.

Even against ferocious Lycaons, he could easily toy with them.

While overwhelming the Lycaons, Asuto felt a slight anxiety.

(Just how many are there!)

No matter how many I defeated, the presence of Monsters wasn’t decreasing.

Rather, the flowing Monster blood seemed to be attracting even more Monsters.

“Ah geez, that’s why I told you to run.”

“Shut up, be quiet.”

“This isn’t a Dungeon or Gate. Monster corpses remain here. Monsters that notice the smell of blood will keep coming one after another. What are you gonna do? Come on, what are you gonna do?”

“Damn…”

Frustrating as it was, Amy was right.

In Dungeons and Gates, Monster corpses are swallowed by dimensional rifts.

But Monsters that descended into this world when Gates Break don’t disappear even when they die.

Because the corpses remain, various Materials can be harvested.

Materials can be used to create strong Arms for Hunters, and they can be sold for good money.

What should normally be a welcome situation was now detestable.

The smell emanating from the corpses called new Monsters, and the entire area became stagnant with bloodlust.

Among the gathered Monsters, there was a strong presence that seemed to be a Boss.

Thinking about when it might attack made me restless.

Monsters kept surging forward one after another.

Gradually, my attacks couldn’t keep up.

“Damn…”

Little by little, Asuto was being pushed back.

But Monsters were waiting behind him too.

No matter how many I defeated, the Monsters didn’t decrease.

Did Monsters have no fear?

Even when the Monster in front was killed instantly, the Monster behind would attack without seeming to care at all.

At this rate, I’d be crushed.

“Uooooh!!”

Raising my voice, I went on the offensive all at once.

That’s when it happened.

Asuto’s foot caught on a Monster that had died and fallen to the ground.

“Oh shi—”

I desperately tried to regain my balance, but the opponent was a C-Rank Monster. It wouldn’t miss even the slightest opening.

My arm was grabbed with tremendous force, sealing my movement.

I had failed. I had underestimated them. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

I thought I could do it with my current strength—I had been arrogant.

Regret spun through my head.

“Ah well, guess that didn’t work out. Well, it’s a fitting end for someone who got too big for their britches. Enjoy the stinking mouth of a Monster as you die.”

Amy’s figure disappeared beyond the Monsters.

The next moment, countless fangs bit into my body.

Along with intense pain, Asuto’s consciousness faded into darkness.