The One-Eyed Silent Swordsman
Arc 4: Dense Forest Arc I
Chapter 10: Survival Beyond Limits (2)
"…They are still coming."
I move.
Slash.
Turn.
Cut.
+6400 EXP
[EXP: 19,100 / 31,000]
+6700 EXP
[EXP: 25,800 / 31,000]
+7000 EXP
[EXP: 32,800 / 31,000]
[Level Up]
[Level 118 → 119]
[EXP: 1,800 / 34,000]
My body feels lighter.
Sharper.
Faster.
But—
Not enough.
Never enough.
More.
Always more.
A shadow drops from above.
I look up—
A Rageback Ape.
"Appraisal."
[Level: 261]
…Heavy.
It swings.
I block—
Impact crushes my stance.
My knees almost give in.
"…Strong."
It swings again.
I roll.
Barely.
The ground cracks where I stood.
No space.
No room.
No mistake allowed.
I step in.
Strike.
No effect.
Too tough.
It roars.
Another hit—
Lands.
Direct.
Blood sprays.
My vision shakes.
"…Not here."
For a moment—
Everything slows.
Fire…
Screams…
My father standing ahead of me.
"Stay back!"
Monsters everywhere.
Blood on the ground.
"Run… no matter what happens."
My eye sharpens.
Focus returns.
"…Not the same."
"I'm not that weak anymore."
I move.
Faster.
Sharper.
I dodge the next strike—
Cut deep into its arm.
It roars.
Again.
Again.
Again.
The blade cuts deeper each time.
The movement becomes smoother.
Cleaner.
Precise.
It stumbles.
Then—
Falls.
+13,800 EXP
[EXP: 15,600 / 34,000]
No silence.
No rest.
More footsteps.
More pressure.
More monsters.
Two.
Five.
Ten.
Then more.
I don't think.
I move.
Slash.
Turn.
Strike.
+9200 EXP
+8700 EXP
+10,100 EXP
[EXP: 43,600 / 34,000]
[Level Up]
[Level 119 → 121]
[EXP: 9,600 / 38,500]
Time blurs.
The forest feels endless.
The path—
gone.
Only survival remains.
My body adapts.
Faster.
Sharper.
More precise.
But the monsters—
don't stop.
More attacks.
More blood.
More survival.
[Level Up]
[Level 121 → 125]
Pain fades faster.
Wounds close quicker.
Still—
not enough.
Never enough.
My breathing grows heavier.
My movements—
slightly slower.
Just enough—
to matter.
A strike lands.
Then another.
Then another.
Blood drips.
My grip tightens.
"…This isn't stopping."
Movement—
everywhere.
I turn.
More.
Stronger.
Heavier.
The forest shifts again.
And something deeper—
wakes.
My body freezes for half a second.
…Wrong.
Too strong.
Too deep.
But—
no escape.
I step forward.
"…I'm not done."
The pressure deepens.
Not the same as before.
Heavier.
Sharper.
Closer.
My breathing tightens.
Not from exhaustion—
From instinct.
"…Something changed."
Movement—front.
I react.
A creature lunges.
"Appraisal."
[Level: 276]
I step in.
Cut.
It falls.
+14,200 EXP
[EXP: 23,800 / 38,500]
No pause.
Another.
[Level: 289]
Faster.
I turn—
Block—
Impact pushes me back.
I step forward again.
Strike.
+15,600 EXP
[EXP: 39,400 / 38,500]
[Level Up]
[Level 125 → 126]
[EXP: 900 / 41,000]
More.
Three.
Five.
Eight.
All above 250.
All moving together.
"…Different."
Not wild.
Not careless.
They watch.
Then attack.
At once.
I move.
Left—dodge.
Right—cut.
Front—step in.
+16,800 EXP
[EXP: 17,700 / 41,000]
+17,200 EXP
[EXP: 34,900 / 41,000]
+18,400 EXP
[EXP: 53,300 / 41,000]
[Level Up]
[Level 126 → 128]
[EXP: 12,300 / 45,000]
No silence.
No space.
More arrive.
Always more.
My body moves before thought.
Slash.
Turn.
Cut.
Blood spreads.
Bodies fall.
+19,100 EXP
[EXP: 31,400 / 45,000]
+20,400 EXP
[EXP: 51,800 / 45,000]
[Level Up]
[Level 128 → 130]
[EXP: 6,800 / 49,000]
A shadow appears above.
I look up—
Too late.
A massive body drops.
"Appraisal."
[Level: 302]
A Rageback Ape.
Larger.
Heavier.
It swings.
I block—
Impact crushes me down.
My arms shake.
My vision blurs.
"…Stronger."
It attacks again.
I roll—
Barely.
The ground cracks.
No space.
No time.
I step in.
Strike.
The blade barely cuts.
"…Too tough."
It roars.
Another hit—
Lands.
Direct.
Blood sprays.
My breath breaks.
For a moment—
Everything slows.
Fire.
Screams.
My father's back in front of me.
"Stay back!"
The sky burning.
Monsters everywhere.
"Run!"
My grip tightens.
"…No."
"I don't run anymore."
I step forward.
Faster.
Sharper.
I dodge.
Cut.
Again.
Again.
Deeper.
The ape roars.
Its movements slow.
Then—
Collapse.
+24,800 EXP
[EXP: 31,600 / 49,000]
No rest.
No pause.
More.
Always more.
Five.
Ten.
Fifteen.
All above 300.
"…This isn't normal."
They don't hesitate.
They don't fear.
They move—
to kill.
I move.
Slash.
Turn.
Cut.
+18,600 EXP
[EXP: 50,200 / 49,000]
[Level Up]
[Level 130 → 131]
[EXP: 1,200 / 52,000]
Another.
Then another.
Then more.
+19,400 EXP
[EXP: 20,600 / 52,000]
+21,000 EXP
[EXP: 41,600 / 52,000]
+22,800 EXP
[EXP: 64,400 / 52,000]
[Level Up]
[Level 131 → 133]
[EXP: 12,400 / 58,000]
My breathing grows heavier.
My legs—
slower.
Just slightly.
But enough.
A strike lands.
Deep.
Blood pours.
Recovery activates.
Faster now.
Still not enough.
"…Keep moving."
Movement—behind.
A serpent.
"Appraisal."
[Level: 317]
It strikes.
Too fast.
It bites—
I twist.
Still hits.
Poison spreads.
Burning.
Sharp.
I cut it instantly.
+23,200 EXP
[EXP: 35,600 / 58,000]
Warmth spreads.
The poison fades.
Slow.
"…Not enough."
More footsteps.
More pressure.
The forest—
tightens.
Then—
Silence.
Sudden.
Heavy.
Everything stops.
My body freezes.
"…What…"
"Mana Sense."
…
Nothing.
No movement.
No sound.
But—
It's there.
Far.
Deep.
Watching.
My grip tightens.
"…Again."
That presence.
Stronger.
Closer.
Not attacking.
Not moving.
Just—
watching.
"…I can't fight that."
A step back.
Then another.
My body moves—
slowly.
Carefully.
Then—
I turn.
And run.
Branches snap.
Ground shakes.
My breath grows heavier.
Faster.
Faster.
Don't stop.
Don't look back.
Even for a second—
I die.
The pressure stays.
Following.
Watching.
Then—
Fades.
Slowly.
The forest lightens.
The air returns.
My steps slow.
Then stop.
Silence.
"…I lived."
My chest rises.
Falls.
"…Barely."
My grip tightens on my sword.
"…Next time."
The forest remains behind me.
Watching.
Waiting.
And I know—
This isn't over.
Silence.
Not complete.
But enough.
My breathing is still uneven.
Heavy.
Slow.
"…I got out."
For now.
My body feels light—
and unbearably heavy at the same time.
Blood stains my clothes.
Some wounds are gone.
Some remain.
…Recovery.
Still working.
Still too slow.
I take a step.
Then another.
My legs respond—
but not fully.
"…I should have fallen."
But I didn't.
"…Because I'm still moving."
Chapter End
Next Chapter: Survival Beyond Limits (3)
Time: Tuesday, 6PM GMT+5:30