Damned System

Chapter 18. K(2)

My body was crafted with mana exceeding a thousand.

Climbing the cliff was a remarkably simple task.

There was no need to hang on with my hands; all I had to do was step on the protruding parts and leap upward.

“Kyaaak!”

As expected, when I began to close the distance, it started using its tongue.

A quick, targeted attack was coming towards me.

I expanded my senses, swiftly turned my head, and grabbed the tongue.

“Hup!”

I then swung my arm with all the strength I could muster, gritting my teeth.

There was some resistance, but it wasn’t enough to stop me.

As my muscles tensed and bulged, the creature’s body, perched on the cliff, lifted into the air.

The plan was to slam it into the ground.

“Ugh!”

However, an unexpected situation arose while the creature fell off the cliff.

Two more tongues emerged from its gaping mouth.

The creature I had encountered during the promotion test had only one split tongue at the end, with a single root.

But this creature had three distinct roots from the base!

As I grabbed another tongue, I let go of the cliff entirely, causing my body to plummet.

Meanwhile, the remaining tongue wrapped around my waist.

Both of us were falling, but I was closer to the ground and landed first.

I promptly withdrew a long sword, intending to sever the tongue wrapped around my waist.

However, the creature quickly released me and retracted its tongue.

‘It’s like a whip.’

The creature landed stably beside the canyon.

Facing it directly, I could vividly see more differences compared to the creature I had seen before.

The creature from the promotion test was about 170 to 180 centimeters tall, similar to or slightly smaller than me.

Yet the one standing before me now exceeded two meters.

The differences weren’t just in stature.

Its fur, which looked stiff and unkempt, had patches of white and hollowed areas were visible.

Its nails and claws were mostly broken rather than intact.

The muscles on its limbs appeared strangely gaunt.

Additionally, half of its face was grotesquely split, and one eye was hollow.

Incredibly, it looked like a defeated wreck.

Or perhaps it was simply old, worn down by age.

While I was confused by the creature’s different appearance, it was nothing more than that.

I summoned my mana as I prepared for battle.

Simultaneously, it beckoned me with a motion of its hand, taunting me to attack.

‘This bastard.’

It was clear it was mocking me.

Gritting my teeth, I charged forward.

The creature stepped forth and swung its hand.

‘Spear technique first.’

I swung the spearhead in a small circle.

The creature’s hand missed blocking the spear tip and slid down the shaft.

Between my arm and the spear, my reach was longer.

I thrust the spear toward the creature’s chest.

‘I’ll kill it in one blow!’

A moment of silence ensued as the spearhead contacted its chest.

‘What…?’

It wasn’t a piercing sound but a thud.

I widened my eyes at what I witnessed.

Despite plunging the spear with all my might, it didn’t pierce the creature’s hide.

“Kikik.”

I thought I heard a sinister, mocking laugh.

The creature then gripped the spear’s shaft with both hands.

I quickly returned the spear to my inventory.

“Kyaak!”

The creature narrowed the distance instantly, its mouth open wide.

Three tongue strands lashed about wildly, like tentacles.

Each was of different length, and one grabbed my neck in an instant.

“Gasp!”

As my body was yanked into the air, it immediately plummeted back down.

In desperation, I swung my sword, severing its tongue.

Black blood spurted, followed by a wail of agony.

Though I escaped its grasp, I couldn’t avoid crashing into the ground.

“Ugh!”

Thud.

A thunderously loud sound echoed.

Although there was pain, the impact wasn’t severe.

I quickly fortified my back with mana.

Then, I seized the closest tongue with my foot extended.

I kicked the creature’s jaw as it bent down to grab me.

“Hack!”

Its head snapped back as I successfully yanked one tongue out.

The practice with ground techniques from mixed martial arts paid off.

Responding instinctively when the situation arose, I avoided being caught.

While the creature was reeling from the shock, I rolled across the ground.

Simultaneously, I flung the extracted tongue aside.

“Spit.”

When I spat, blood mixed with saliva.

‘This is nowhere near sparring with the gym directors.’

In the past three months, sparring with the gym directors felt like playing with children.

My body had reached a state beyond human comprehension.

‘It shouldn’t be difficult to leap off this cliff in a few steps.’

Although I hadn’t tried it myself, I felt capable of dodging bullets with this reflexive speed.

My newly formed body through mana was that extraordinary.

Yet, the creature was almost a physical match for me.

That alone was enough to keep me on edge, and the unpredictably moving tongues added a further degree of irritation.

I was tense, not knowing from where it might strike next.

‘I have to neutralize those tongues first to stop being dragged around.’

I needed to handle the tongues to lessen the burden of close combat.

“Kyaaak!”

The creature, once mocking me with ease, roared.

However, it didn’t charge first.

It seemed to be assessing my strength and contemplating its next move.

‘Surely, this is level 2.’

Even though the difference wasn’t drastic, the level was different, possibly due to the entry limit based on level 2.

But the creatures emerging were slightly different too.

This creature was trickier than the one in the promotion test.

The blade alone couldn’t even pierce its hide.

Nonetheless.

‘I can kill it.’

Though troublesome, it didn’t feel impossible.

The lull, during which we assessed each other’s capabilities, wasn’t long.

This time, the creature moved first.

I charged at it in retaliation.

The initial attack was, predictably, its tongues.

I tilted my head to avoid the one that came shooting like it would pierce me.

Grabbing the tongue that brushed past my face, I severed it once more.

Though I couldn’t yank it from the root, I shortened its length.

Simultaneously, another tongue whipped down like a lash!

Along with the threatening whoosh, a hand aimed menacingly for my abdomen.

I ignored the tongue, dodging as I twisted my waist to evade the creature’s hand.

Clamping its arm under my side, I expanded my senses.

「Your senses are expanding.」

In the slowed time, I saw the direction the creature was moving.

Gritting my teeth, I reached out and grabbed the base of the tongue protruding from the creature’s mouth.

Drawing my long sword, I slashed. Black blood sprayed wildly.

Though I had gotten too close in the process, I could manage!

Still letting out a roar and swinging its hand at me, I blocked and pulled out a dagger.

Briefly, our eyes met.

Where my eyes held anticipation, the creature’s red eyes only showed surprise.

As it attempted to crush my head, the dagger enveloped in red mist had already pierced right through its jaw.

So deep that only the handle was visible.

“Keeek!”

I heard a sound like gurgling phlegm, but it wasn’t satisfying.

I twisted the dagger with all my strength embedded in its jaw.

Crunch.

Torn leather parted, and the jawbone jutted out sideways.

Black blood gushed as the creature’s body collapsed.

I once again drew my long sword, driving it into the creature’s head.

The red mist-enshrouded sword pierced through its skull, embedding deep into the ground.

The battle ended quickly since both it and I completed our actions in the blink of an eye.

From the first clash with the creature, barely a minute or two had passed.

“Aargh!”

A shout came unbidden upon the battle’s conclusion.

I had done it; I had succeeded in killing a creature larger than the one at the promotion test without sustaining major injuries!

The thrill was like a reward for my efforts.

But it faded as quickly as it came.

「You have successfully eliminated the enemy.」

「16 corrupted mana has been collected.」

「65 corrupted mana has been absorbed.」

An unfamiliar yet familiar message appeared.

“Hmph!”

The rare agony made me grit my teeth.

Though I had undergone it a few times, I refrained from falling to the ground.

After the absorption ended, I immediately started purification and opened the message window.

Swearing rose to the tip of my tongue.

「16 corrupted mana has been collected.」

During the Beta test, this message didn’t exist.

Yet now, it’s blatantly present.

What could this imply?

The system hadn’t been able to extract mana from me during the promotion test.

So they changed it to a method of skimming mana before complete absorption.

The system had consumed 16 mana that should have belonged to me.

“This!”

So angry that words failed me; perhaps that’s how it felt.

With simple arithmetic, the total mana was 81.

Having 16 of that seized meant losing a massive 20% of my mana.

Now, it was merely 16, but as the creatures I defeat increase, so will the mana stolen.

“Grr!”

I let out a shout next to the creature’s corpse, but the anger didn’t subside.

The effects of corrupted mana had resumed.

I had to pant heavily for a while.

Yet, I couldn’t remain mired in this problem indefinitely.

I reluctantly suppressed my anger and began purification.

I retrieved the dagger lodged in the creature’s jaw and the spear lying a few steps away.

After reclaiming my weapons, I proceeded with mana detection.

Although my detection range wasn’t broad, constant use was necessary to increase proficiency.

Reinventing the butterfly, I mumbled curses.

“Damn.”

Two massive clumps of mana were quickly approaching.

Clenching my teeth, I gripped my spear firmly.

‘I can do it.’

The recent battle solidified my belief.

My body had grown stronger since the promotion test, bolstered by three months of rigorous training.

Victory was inevitable.

‘Six more to go.’

Killing off the remaining creatures and obtaining attribute mana was my immediate focus.

“Come on, you bastards.”

Hardly had my mumbling ended when a new creature dropped from the cliff.

* * *

“Ugh…”

As the repeated battles concluded, I sank to the ground beside the creatures’ corpses.

Initially, two creatures had come rushing, but by the time I had slain one, another had arrived, with a third joining during the skirmish.

Ultimately, I had slain five creatures within the canyon.

During the fray, I received a blow to my side, causing stabbing pain with each breath.

One had bitten me, slightly tearing the muscles in my calf.

‘I thought it would be easier.’

Avoiding injuries completely wasn’t an option.

However, instead of resting, my focus was on assessing my spoils.

Crawling past the creature carcasses, I reached the pile of gold and jewels.

‘Before any more arrive, quickly.’

My hand rummaged hastily for my backpack as I opened my inventory.

‘By all means, you’re coming with me.’

Even if it meant a showdown with the system.

My mouth twitched as I pushed gold bars into the inventory’s empty spaces.

Once the collection ended, I opened the shop.

There, I spent 150 mana to purchase a bundle of 10 potions.

‘Let’s see how effective this is.’

The transparent vial contained a crimson liquid, only about a gulp or so.

Uncapping it, I gulped down the potion, feeling a fiery warmth spread inside.

A thermal sensation expanded from my heart through my veins across my entire body.

Slow but assured relief quelled my pain.

“Whew…”

The bleeding in my leg noticeably subsided.

Pouring another onto my leg showed the wound healing gradually.

Although not a cure-all, the potion functioned effectively as a healing agent.

‘My mana is recovering too.’

Not only were my physical injuries addressed, but my mana also replenished at a faster-than-usual pace.

After wrapping the leg wound with a bandage pulled from my backpack, I stood.

Without hesitation, I climbed the cliff again and entered the forest.

Traversing wasn’t smooth due to the scattered rocks yet.

Constant purification brought my chaos level down to 10%.

Looking at it positively, the achievements were noticeable.

Nonetheless, not everything was as great as it seemed.

‘Where are the remaining two?’

No matter where I searched, I couldn’t spot them.

“Ha.”

With a sigh, I lowered the backpack I had taken from inventory and had worn throughout.

Slumping onto a nearby rock, fatigue overwhelmed me.

Only seven creatures had to be slain for this mission.

I couldn’t be sure due to my missing watch.

But it felt like two or three hours had already passed.

‘Does it usually take this long?’

Or was it because I was tackling a mission meant for five on my own?

Letting out another long sigh, I rummaged through my backpack.

Hunger gnawed at me after the intense exertion.

Fortunately, I had packed food just in case.

Otherwise, I would have faced the remaining creatures hungry.

I withdrew several pieces of bread and a canned drink.

Since my body had transformed, my appetite had surged, so I had packed various items.

While consuming them, my mind wandered over several thoughts.

‘If this keeps up, I might need to consider a few more days.’

From the 3rd-level missions onward, the creature count would soar into three digits.

Finishing quickly within a day or two might not be feasible.

“Tsk.”

Chewing bread, I clicked my tongue.

‘Let’s rest for now.’

Although my physical endurance increased dramatically, the initial battle wore me out.

It was my mind, not my body, that was exhausted. Watching a butterfly soar upward, I sprawled backward.

That’s when I unexpectedly noticed a sharp blade on my right side.

Damned System