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Chapter 32
Whoosh!
A spear whistled through the air, aimed straight at Jang Soo-nam.
For a split second, everyone on the city walls thought it would be the end of him.
Clack!!
“What is this cheap wooden spear supposed to be?”
Soo-nam caught the flying weapon as if it were nothing, then hurled it right back. It pierced the body of the grotesque creature that had thrown it.
Whishh!! Splatt!!
「Kiieek?!」
The monster staggered before tumbling into the moat. The moment its body touched the water’s surface, it dissolved into black smoke and vanished.
“Uwaaaah!!”
“They slew a demon!”
“What a fighter! Bring him inside at once!!”
Cheers erupted from the ramparts. Emboldened, a few guards loosed arrows at the demons prowling beyond the moat. Their aim, however, was poor—arrows went astray, wasted in the dirt.
“Y-you there, quickly! Get inside before the demons cross the moat!”
A red-haired man waved frantically, guiding Soo-nam’s group into the safety of the fortress.
“Hmm… there’s a lot here that needs improvement.”
“Yes. How cooperative these people are will likely decide how difficult this trial becomes.”
As they were led through the gates, Domael and Aria spoke quietly. They already knew the rules of this gate, explained earlier by Soo-nam. Their mission was to defend the fortress until the last day arrived, ensuring the so-called demons never crossed the bridge.
“Hmph! Strangers, appearing from outside…”
A long-bearded man with a harsh, stubborn expression appeared. He looked very much like the one in charge here, so Aria stepped forward to greet him politely—
Splaash!!
But before she could speak, the man flung the water from his cup straight at her.
“Nyaa?!”
The water didn’t hit Aria—it struck Jelly instead. Soo-nam had shoved the cat forward in her place.
“…You really treat me badly, nyang.”
“You’re the one who acted suspicious.”
At first Jelly tilted his head, but soon understood. Demons disintegrated in smoke when touched by water. Earlier, Jelly had shown fear at the saltwater running down the battlements, making him look suspicious.
“Hmph! Not a demon after all!”
The bearded man glared at the rest of the party. They quickly poured water from their flasks onto their hands to prove they weren’t demons.
The twin maids, Rina and Lisa, wore obvious scowls. Someone had dared try to splash their princess with water! But they held back—Soo-nam had warned them before entering:
‘Inside a gate, endure whatever happens. Losing your temper might alter the ending—or worse, get you thrown out altogether.’
They gritted their teeth and endured the insult.
“Elder! That was outrageous behavior toward our guests!”
The red-haired man shouted in protest.
“Silence! If they had been demons, we’d all be dead already! And you—letting strangers in without thought!”
“But they’re clearly human!”
The two men began to argue bitterly. Clearly, this was not the first time they had clashed.
“Hmph! All I see are seven more mouths to feed. What can they possibly do here?”
He turned a sharp gaze on Soo-nam’s party.
“Where did you even come from? This island is sealed on all sides, and the bridge we guard! What proof do you have that you aren’t spies for the demons?”
At his words, the townsfolk grew restless, fear and suspicion in their eyes. Some even edged their weapons toward Soo-nam and his companions.
“…We are hunters. From far across the sea, we heard rumors of demons and came to slay them.”
Soo-nam’s calm declaration eased the tension somewhat. It wasn’t the perfect answer, but from nine previous attempts, he knew it was the safest response. NPCs always changed with each trial, making the exact solution unpredictable.
“Hunters? Demon slayers, you mean.”
The bearded man narrowed his eyes.
“So you came for profit, eh?”
The red-haired man bristled, but Soo-nam raised a hand, answering instead:
“Yes, Elder. We came to hunt demons and claim our reward.”
“Ha! I knew it! Greedy fools blind to the value of life. We have no coin to give you!”
The elder jabbed a finger at Soo-nam’s face. Aria’s brow twitched, but she too remembered Soo-nam’s warning and held her tongue.
“Rest easy. We’ll claim our reward elsewhere. We ask nothing from you.”
He spoke without a hint of deceit. The reward they sought was the Liberation Ring, not the villagers’ wealth.
The elder studied Soo-nam’s eyes, then turned away.
“Bah! Do as you like. Soon enough, we’ll be clearing away your corpses.”
“Elder, really!”
The red-haired man bowed deeply in apology.
“Forgive him, hunters. His temper is… difficult.”
“Think nothing of it.”
Soo-nam looked up to the ramparts. There, the townsfolk still loosed clumsy arrows, trying to drive off the demons beyond the moat.
“Would it trouble you if we hunted the demons from here?”
“Of course not! Please, make use of the fortress however you wish! If you face the demons, you’ll have our gratitude!”
Soo-nam nodded and ascended the battlements with his group.
Beyond the moat, demons lurked, unable to cross the deep trench. Some tried inching across the same rope the party had used earlier, only to slip and dissolve in the water.
「Kieeek?!」
So far, most had failed. But suddenly—
“Ah! A demon crossed the moat!”
One managed to make it all the way over. Yet the instant its foot touched the seawater-soaked ground, it vanished into smoke.
Soo-nam’s eyes narrowed.
‘This is only the beginning. Soon, more demons will cross successfully… and the water channels will break down.’
That was the true challenge of this defense gate—repairing the aqueduct system to keep seawater flowing, while fighting off wave after wave of demons.
“Hey! The water’s not flowing on this side!”
“What?! Fix it quickly—we can’t stop them without it!”
“I—I don’t know how the fortress is built!”
Panic spread among the townsfolk. Without the seawater, the demons would march right up to the walls. Ordinary villagers had no chance in direct combat.
At that moment—
“There’s no need for you to fight the demons directly.”
Soo-nam’s voice rang out, steady and confident.
“We will fight. You only need to bring us what we ask for.”
He approached a man trembling with a bow.
“May I borrow this?”
“Th-there are plenty in the armory… please, take it.”
The man handed it over. Soo-nam plucked the string, nocked an arrow, and loosed.
Thummp!!
The arrow whistled across a hundred meters and struck a demon square in the head.
“Ho? Impressive skill.”
Domael’s eyes gleamed. Archery was the pride of elves, and he hadn’t expected a human to wield it so well.
“Where did you learn such archery at your age?”
“…A hobby.”
A hobby practiced for centuries.
“Mm~ Archery, is it? We’re not too bad ourselves. Almost as good as elves.”
Rina and Lisa drew their own finely crafted bows, brimming with confidence.
“Hah! Interesting. Competing with elves in archery, are you? Then let’s wager—whoever slays the most demons wins.”
Soo-nam grinned.
“Losers get a beard drawn on their face.”
Thus began their impromptu contest. Arrows flew like rain, demons dropping one after another.
But—
Thummp! Thummp! Thummp! Thummp! Thummp!!
Soo-nam’s speed was staggering. Even Domael, an elf, was pressed to keep up.
The elf’s accuracy was flawless—every shot a bullseye. But Soo-nam’s sheer rate of fire overwhelmed him. Accuracy of seven out of ten was enough to kill a demon, and Soo-nam loosed at a pace triple anyone else’s.
By the time Domael felled five, Soo-nam had slain fifteen.
The result was clear.
Soo-nam claimed first place, while Domael and the twins faced the penalty of drawn-on beards.
““Waaaah!!””
The villagers erupted in cheers. Their morale, which had sunk to despair, soared at the sight of demons being cut down so decisively.
Yet not everyone shared their joy.
From the shadows, a figure clicked his tongue.
“Tch…”
He watched the newcomers for a long moment—Soo-nam cutting down demons with impossible ease—before slipping away quietly, unseen.
