NOVEL WEB Chapter 19
When Yor took on the role of excellent firewood in the community.
The buzz wasn’t just about his looks and where he lived.
People on the internet can be more persistent than you’d think, eager to learn as much as possible about the topic.
Especially if it’s an NPC that even gives quests, they’d remember how many spots he has on his body.
It’s not like the users really wanted to see his body. Really.
Anyway.
Given the level of interest, it was only natural for such topics to arise.
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[So how strong is he?]
Seeing him live in a high-level zone, we know he’s hitting hard, but just how hard?
Seriously, does he beat the Empire’s knights?
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[You think the Empire’s knights are pushovers? LOL]
[No, no, he might actually win. They say you have to risk your life just to go into the Forbidden Forest.]
[Yeah, the Empire’s knights are the best! Their elite can even slice through ogres!]
[Who knows, maybe he just hides from monsters.]
[Then can you live by hiding? You’d die the moment you get caught!]
And just like that, the topic of Yor’s strength emerged.
He’s an NPC in a high-level zone, so he looks strong.
But since he hasn’t shown any actual skills, it’s only natural to be suspicious.
Of course, this suspicion began to fade slowly after Yor suppressed a toxic player and tossed them mutated wolf materials.
There may be no direct evidence, but he kept showing indirect proofs.
However, when a thousand people look at the sea, a thousand different seas are born.
Everyone’s perspective on the world is completely different.
Especially since the internet is a place where a lot of different people gather. Countless beliefs and values clash in a mix.
What’s this saying, you ask?
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[So what? LOL]
Have you ever seen these fights in person?
I don’t believe it unless I see it with my own eyes, you idiots! LOL
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These idiots are everywhere.
No matter how much circumstantial evidence piles up, no one has seen the fighting in action.
Until they do, they can only doubt the other person’s abilities.
Furthermore, there were discussions questioning if the ‘Forbidden Forest’ might not be as difficult as thought.
It was a frustrating situation, but that’s the nature of anonymous spaces.
Because of that, this topic has been debated longer than expected.
But amidst all that, there were also those keeping an eye on the situation from a different perspective.
‘This could get good views…’
That’s why Demon’s Saga’s professional streamer, Kim Mari, headed for the ‘Forbidden Forest’.
*
Swish-!
As Kim Mari’s axe swung, the body of the charging wild boar split in two.
No matter how high her level, to cut down something rushing head-on like that was truly the might of a top-tier warrior.
Light praise flowed in the chatroom.
[Is that a person or an ogre? LOL]
[As expected, she’s a goddess, just a real beast!]
[Poor wild boar…]
“Phew, it’s easier here in the surface layer.”
She didn’t bother to respond to the chat, speaking instead to her party members.
One of her know-how as a major streamer with an average view count of 4,000 was to know when to ignore the chat.
Especially during combat content, where viewers likely came to watch rather than chat. It was better to show them the focus on combat.
“Right? It’s pretty easy.”
Her party members reacted to her words.
Kim Mari’s party consisted of four members.
A melee warrior and tank (herself), an archer, a mage, and a priest.
A pretty standard and stable composition.
Moreover, most of their levels ranged from the high 70s to low 80s, showcasing significant high levels.
They were the talented recruits she had diligently gathered from her guild for today’s content.
“If we keep going like this, we might break through to the middle layer quickly?”
Just like that, her party members’ confidence was soaring high.
Of course, they knew the ‘Forbidden Forest’ was a high-level area.
They weren’t dreaming of reaching the deep layers where even the Empire’s knights couldn’t enter.
But the middle layer?
They might be able to conquer it if they tried.
After all, this was the first time anyone had entered the Forbidden Forest with this level of elite force.
The forest’s closed nature and vastness, along with its complex paths, had made exploration difficult.
Thus, the Forbidden Forest was a land of untapped territory.
The recent buzz about it had mostly been due to the NPC living here, Yor.
How diverse and numerous the monsters inside were, was completely unknown to them. So it was natural for them to harbor such hopes.
Their confidence continued to rise as they entered the middle layer and took down their first monster.
“Gwaaaak…!”
Boom!
The giant boulder created by the mage crumbled the body of the mutated roe deer.
The deer had no choice but to perish under that boulder.
While Kim Mari was toughening it out, breathing heavily, she sighed.
“Phew… Phew…”
Her body was filled with wounds made by the deer. Luckily, she had set her assimilation rate to 15% before the fight.
The archer, who had been firing suppressive shots, spoke in disbelief.
“Damn, what kind of roe deer is that strong?”
“No, we took it down without too much trouble. This much isn’t bad.”
Kim Mari replied, chiding the archer.
It was certainly tough. But it was definitely not impossible to defeat.
The archer’s suppression was sharp, the mage’s magic was powerful, and she could hold her own at the front lines.
It was a bit challenging, but not impossible.
On top of that…
“Are you okay, Mari?”
She had a ‘male’ priest on her team.
As long as his divine power allowed, even her wounds wouldn’t pose a big problem.
“Oh, of course, I’m fine! Haha!”
What’s more, she was feeling quite good.
Every time the priest touched her skin and infused his divine power, the corners of her mouth crept up.
It was only natural for her morale to increase.
The stream was quite popular too.
[Maybe this will be easier than expected?]
[That roe deer was a joke! LOL]
[Rankers are different!]
Currently, the viewer count reached 7,500.
It hadn’t been long since they started streaming, and this was impressive. As time passed, it would surely rise even more.
She looked at the viewer count, her expression filled with delight.
‘It would be nice if I could meet that NPC too…’
That was the reason this forest had become so popular.
In fact, it was also the reason she decided to raid the Forbidden Forest this time.
Let’s be honest, meeting that NPC would draw in views!
It might be a bit risky, but she was willing to take that risk for her earnings.
‘And it would be great to confirm his abilities while we’re at it…’
Of course, she had no intention of attacking.
Being amicable with NPCs was beneficial for players, after all.
But maybe if it was a duel where her life was guaranteed?
Not a life-or-death fight, but a light spar?
That could be doable.
She could finally grasp the strength of Yor, which had been a burning question in the community.
With that, she stood up, enthusiastically turning her hopes inwards.
“Alright, let’s go!”
So far, things were running smoothly.
Monsters were manageable, and the archer was doing a decent job as a guide.
With that, her party boldly ventured deeper into the forest.
Unbeknownst to them, claw marks left by something were plentiful on the trees they passed.
*
It had been a few days since Yoo Chaerin had visited my cave.
“Lululu~”
During that time, I had really enjoyed peaceful days.
There weren’t any otherworlders coming here, nor any monsters daring to invade my territory.
Thanks to that, I was relishing peace for the first time in a while.
Though my head felt a bit sore, there had been enough stimulation recently, leaving no room for boredom.
Because of that, my mind, which had been half-depressed, felt healthy again after a long time.
The weather was clear, and the fresh spring air filled the atmosphere.
Not too hot or cold. A truly lovely day.
So, I was hanging out laundry for the first time in a while.
“Lalala~”
With a cheerful tune, I hung out the laundry I washed by the riverside.
Underwear, pants, tops, all neatly lined on the clothesline.
I usually hang my laundry a little away behind my cave after washing it.
It was the brightest spot in this forest full of manly trees.
Of course, the clothes being an odd item in this setting drew some attention…
But it couldn’t be helped. At least the sunlight would help dry them.
Hanging them in the cave would only result in a moldy smell later.
“Sigh, how fulfilling.”
After hanging all the laundry, I lightly wiped my forehead.
Maybe I was a bit too excited, but I had worked pretty hard doing the laundry.
With the thought of wanting to wear clean clothes, I had washed every piece I owned.
Therefore, other than this thin short-sleeve top and shorts I’m wearing now, I was in a state of being completely out of clothes.
I hung them all out, vowing that if they didn’t dry by today, I’d be in trouble.
In other words, I had backed myself into a corner.
Anyway, after hanging up the last of the laundry, I came out of the cave with a spear in hand.
Since there was nothing else to do while the clothes dried, I thought I’d go explore a bit.
It was good to gather food whenever I had the chance.
Eating three meals a day made it so that my food supplies deplete quickly.
A few hours later, I stumbled upon a person being chased by a monster.
“(Gasp!)”
“Help! Noooo!”