Kueeek!
The Lizardman screamed, clutching the blade that had pierced through its abdomen.
Its scream was less like a human’s and more akin to the hissing of a snake.
It was as rough and sharp as the sound of nails on a chalkboard.
The unconscious reaction of the female knight who had swung the sword was to flinch and stop.
She was still inexperienced.
The monster’s scream, the brutal atmosphere of life and death, the sensation of cleaving through bone and muscle—all of it felt strange to her.
It was only natural.
After all, she had just barely joined the Red Rose Knights Order as a newcomer.
“Huff!”
Still, her ability to continue the fight was due to her exceptional talent.
The female knight twisted the sword embedded in the Lizardman, tearing its side.
At the same time, she spun around and backed away with a shoulder bump.
The Lizardman behind her had its attack blocked by her armor, choking out a breath.
Following that, in a semicircular arc, her sharp blade sliced through, severing the long neck.
“Hoo… hoo.”
The female knight took a breath.
Even this fleeting moment of respite couldn’t be wasted.
There were still far too many enemies left.
A liquid she couldn’t tell whether it was hers or the enemy’s flowed into her eyes.
Blinding and disorienting.
Still, it was enough to distinguish the enemies.
Which only made the situation more daunting.
There were too many of them. Too many.
Though she thought she had cut down more than ten already.
Were there really ten? Twenty? She didn’t know.
In the chaos of her first real combat, her mind could only hold onto fleeting moments, like a picture torn into pieces.
“This is, the Great Forest.”
The cradle of monsters, the gateway to calamity.
The infamous reputation she had vaguely heard finally took on a tangible form.
She should have listened to the advice to pair up.
Who would’ve thought she’d face an army of monsters like this?
She could blame her bad luck.
But once you start looking for causes outside yourself, how do you determine what is truly your fault?
Her fellow rookies who went through the initiation with her had probably already left the Great Forest.
If she had just obediently followed instructions, she could have done the same.
It was her own decision to head deep into the Great Forest.
The responsibility for this situation lay solely on her, even if it was a well-intentioned decision.
She had spotted a group heading into the deeper parts of the Great Forest.
Wounded wanderers struggling through the Great Forest.
Guided by the knightly duty to protect the weak, she followed them.
And lost her way.
This was the end result of her foolish mistake of forgetting how inexperienced she was.
“It’s okay, I can, huff, make up for it.”
She muttered to herself like a mantra.
The group of Lizardmen stayed a distance away, glaring at her.
Probably because they underestimated her as an easy obstacle but ended up suffering greater damages than expected.
They weren’t the foolhardy types she thought who would fight recklessly when facing an enemy.
She should retreat slowly.
Since they seem hesitant to cause further harm, if she forcefully breaks through, they’ll likely chase her for a bit and then retreat.
If she follows the visible path, she should be able to escape the Great Forest…
Kwang!
The female knight couldn’t even scream.
Her body flew like a ball kicked by a foot, rolling several times on the ground.
Each time her body bounced on the ground, like a skipping stone, the air was forced out of her lungs.
She only stopped rolling after colliding with a large rock.
Her whole body ached, and she could feel no sensation in her limbs.
It was a miracle she was still alive.
If she hadn’t instinctively swung her sword forward, her body would have been torn apart.
The female knight barely managed to refocus her vision and stared ahead.
The monster that had sent her flying stood firmly there.
At first glance, someone might have mistaken it for a knight.
It was covered in full plate armor.
However, the split tongue peeking out from the helmet and the heavy, swinging tail affirmed it was a Lizardman.
“Leader… chief…”
Monsters aren’t all the same.
Just as monsters within the Great Forest are treated differently from those outside, there’s also a variation in strength between individuals.
The leader represents the peak of that.
Which made them that much rarer.
It wasn’t unusual for one to appear here.
After all, this is the Great Forest.
“Huh… huh.”
The female knight forced her senseless limbs into motion.
With sheer willpower, she managed to stand up.
A futile effort.
Her sword was broken, and even if she squeezed every ounce of strength, she could hardly move a finger.
The leader made its tongue vibrate.
The mocking laughter didn’t reach her ears but her skin.
It approached slowly.
Showing no care even with an enemy on the verge of death facing it.
Is this thing even a monster?
The female knight never wavered her gaze from it.
It was the mindset of a knight to stand tall, even in death.
The shadow of the leader covered her entire body.
It’s the end.
Her eyes closed.
“Human! A person!”
Kiyaahh!
Just before her eyes closed, she seemed to see the form of a girl.
The image of the leader’s tail being torn off and convulsing was also visible.
When it’s time to die, you really do see hallucinations.
The female knight lost consciousness.
*
In the end, Rena gave in to her curiosity and ran ahead of the Orc tribe’s main forces.
How dare another noisy group appear!
I will surely remember their names and punish them!
But when Rena arrived at the scene, what she witnessed was unexpected.
Wow! Finally! At last! A person! A person!
Rena was excited.
How many years has it been since she fell into this fantasy world?
Rena didn’t count.
But she knew it was annoyingly long.
She even suspected there might be no human existence in this world.
With no traces of people around and only beasts visible, it was a reasonable suspicion.
And today, after a long patience, Rena encountered someone.
A person.
Unfortunately, smooth conversation was impossible due to her broken arm and bleeding condition.
Plus, the rescuers didn’t seem like a proper rescue team, but a person was a person, wasn’t it?
This meant that somewhere in this world, there was a human civilization.
It held special significance for Rena.
「’Chaos of the Great Forest’ quest helper discovered!」
「Due to delayed discovery, the helper’s life is in danger!」
「Do not forget that the helper can be a great help in advancing the quest!」
Yeah, yeah. Status window, I found a person.
But when will you stop giving belated updates?
No, there’s no need to nag on a happy day like this.
Let’s forget all grievances and purely celebrate this joy together today.
Shhh! Shh! Shh!
“Ai, can’t you be quiet?”
Rena snapped.
When someone is lost in admiration, it’s polite to just watch quietly.
It’s the same concept as how villains in old shows wouldn’t attack when heroes transform.
Such basic courtesy should be obvious.
The Chief of the Silver Scales tribe, the Lizardman leader, was aggrieved beyond words with Rena’s scolding.
Actually, he had no time to mind such things.
His tail was severed.
Not neatly cut off like a chopping blade, but rather torn off roughly.
The skin was torn in jagged patches, exposing muscles, bones, and blood vessels.
It was an unprecedented pain, even for a monster far tougher than a human.
A scream escaped involuntarily.
Rena couldn’t understand.
“Such a wuss, seriously. Lizards’ tails grow back, don’t you know?”
Lizard tails regenerate whether they’re self-amputated or cut off by others.
Basic scientific knowledge.
But bringing up regeneration when it was torn out at the root, isn’t that ridiculous?
The corners of the Lizardman leader’s eyes turned red.
It was a mixture of pain and anger.
He slammed the spear shaft onto the ground.
A signal for a charge.
Although they suffered unexpected losses in the surprise attack, the enemy was just one.
And the nearly dying human they were protecting seemed to be of their own kind.
The fallen female knight possessed extraordinary skills.
Even then, she couldn’t withstand the overwhelming numbers.
What do you think, carrying a burden like that, can you deal with all of us?
That’s what the Lizardman leader was thinking.
It didn’t take long for that misconception to be corrected.
They’re being torn apart.
The Lizardman tribe members fell like scarecrows.
Their skin tore open, blood spattered, and silver scales scattered like snowflakes.
The fight between the female knight and the Lizardmen felt orthodox.
The female knight avoided fighting more than one at a time, steadily reducing their numbers.
Rena, however, was completely unpredictable.
Appearing here one moment, there the next, using arms, legs, nails, hair, every part of her body as weapons.
That’s why their perceived openings always turned into counterattacks.
A more animalistic movement than animals themselves.
The Lizardmen tried to aim for the female knight, but even that was thwarted.
How could they approach when they couldn’t even get close?
And there the Lizardmen fell helpless, while Rena remained unfazed.
Too many enemies for a mere post-meal exercise.
It was automatic hunting bliss when her body moved on its own without conscious effort, utterly destroying them.
Her idle thoughts wandered.
Lizards, lizards…
Since the word ‘snake’ is in their name, they must be classified as snakes.
Snakes, snakes… Everyone says snake meat is great for virility…
Rena stopped smashing the skull of a Lizardman mid-strike, her mouth wide open.
Then she crushed it with a crunch.
The Lizardmen panicked.
What’s with their fear?
Rena wondered as she munched on the snake meat, tilting her head.
What are the primal objectives of hunting anyway?
To fill my stomach.
The claim that it’s a hobby for enjoyment comes from over-indulged aristocrats.
Bourgeoisie, die.
In any case, it’s natural that predators eat prey as it’s the law of the wild.
There’s still fighting going on?
Do I have to see the results to know?
The battle was already as good as over.
As the victor, she had the right to claim her spoils early, and no one could criticize her action.
At least, that’s what she thought.
It was a sight that even the monsters were shocked by.
Rather eerie than cruel.
Being in human form but acting more beastly than beasts, it’s like some sort of hybrid creature wearing human skin.
Cognitive dissonance was a normal reaction.
