The One-Eyed Silent Swordsman
Arc 4: Dense Forest Arc I
Chapter 11: Survival Beyond Limits (3)
"…I should have fallen."
But I didn't.
"…Because I'm still moving."
Movement—behind.
My body reacts instantly.
I turn.
A creature lunges.
"Appraisal."
[Level: 244]
Lower.
But still dangerous.
I step aside.
Cut once.
It falls.
+13,200 EXP
[EXP: 48,800 / 58,000]
No rest.
Another appears.
Then two more.
"…Still coming."
I move.
Slash.
Turn.
Strike.
+14,000 EXP
[EXP: 62,800 / 58,000]
[Level Up]
[Level 133 → 134]
[EXP: 4,800 / 61,500]
My breathing breaks slightly.
"…Not yet."
I force my body forward.
More footsteps.
Five.
Then more.
They don't stop.
They never stop.
"…Fine."
I move.
Faster.
Sharper.
Cleaner.
+15,600 EXP
[EXP: 20,400 / 61,500]
+16,200 EXP
[EXP: 36,600 / 61,500]
+17,800 EXP
[EXP: 54,400 / 61,500]
A strike lands.
My arm tears open.
Pain spreads instantly.
The wound begins to close—
…but not fully.
"…Not enough."
Another hit.
Then another.
My breathing breaks.
"I… can't keep this up…"
My vision shakes.
For a moment—
My legs almost give in.
"I'm… going to collapse…"
No.
Not yet.
I force myself forward.
One step.
Then another.
More movement.
A presence ahead.
Heavier.
Different.
I stop.
"…What is that?"
"Appraisal."
…
[Level: 312]
…
My grip tightens.
It doesn't move.
Just watching.
…Like I'm prey.
Behind me—
More monsters.
Stronger ones.
No space.
No escape.
"…One mistake…"
I take a breath.
"…and I die."
It moves.
Too fast.
I barely react.
The ground explodes behind me.
My body trembles.
That wasn't an attack—
…that was pressure.
"I… can't fight this…"
My voice cracks.
For the first time—
I hesitate.
"…I need rest…"
"…I've pushed myself too far…"
My legs feel unstable.
My grip weakens.
"…If I didn't come here…"
No.
My eyes sharpen.
"…No."
"I chose this."
"I have to…"
"…become stronger…"
The words drag out of me.
"…STRONGER!"
I move.
Everything sharpens.
My body becomes lighter.
Faster.
Sharper.
I step in.
Cut.
Again.
Again.
The blade connects—
This time—
It bleeds.
The monster moves.
Even faster.
I barely dodge.
Even now—
…it's stronger.
I step back.
My body shakes.
Heavy.
Too heavy.
My breathing breaks completely.
"…I can't… keep this up…"
My vision blurs.
"I'm… going to become unconscious…"
My knees tremble.
I almost fall.
But—
I don't.
"…Not yet…"
Recovery keeps me standing.
Barely.
"…I'm still alive…"
"…So I move."
More monsters.
Even more.
They don't stop.
They never stop.
"This won't end…"
I turn.
And run.
My legs move on their own.
Branches break behind me.
The ground shakes.
It's still there.
Following.
Watching.
Waiting.
I don't look back.
I don't stop.
…I run.
"My body…"
"…won't last…"
My breathing cracks.
My vision fades slightly.
"I need… rest…"
"I have pushed myself too hard…"
"If I didn't come here…"
My steps slow.
For a moment.
Danger.
Instant.
A claw passes my neck.
Too close.
I react.
Cut.
+18,400 EXP
[EXP: 72,800 / 61,500]
[Level Up]
[Level 134 → 136]
[EXP: 11,300 / 68,000]
"…Still…"
"…not enough…"
I keep moving.
Even now.
Even like this.
Because stopping—
means death.
"I… am alive…"
"…because I keep moving."
The forest stretches endlessly behind me.
And I know—
It hasn't finished with me yet.
It doesn't end.
It never ends.
The forest doesn't let go.
My steps don't slow—
even when my body wants to stop.
Even when my vision starts fading at the edges.
"…Keep moving."
A whisper.
Not from outside.
From inside.
My own voice—
barely holding.
Movement—right.
I react.
A creature lunges.
"Appraisal."
[Level: 268]
Lower than before.
But still—
dangerous.
I step forward.
Cut.
It falls.
+15,800 EXP
[EXP: 27,100 / 68,000]
Another.
Behind.
I turn.
Strike.
+16,400 EXP
[EXP: 43,500 / 68,000]
Two more.
Front.
Together.
I move.
Step.
Turn.
Cut.
+17,200 EXP
[EXP: 60,700 / 68,000]
+18,000 EXP
[EXP: 78,700 / 68,000]
[Level Up]
[Level 136 → 137]
[EXP: 10,700 / 71,500]
My breathing shakes.
"…Too slow."
Even now—
leveling up feels slow.
Too slow.
For what's behind me.
For what's watching me.
For what's waiting deeper.
"…I need more."
Movement—everywhere.
Again.
Always.
Five.
Eight.
Ten.
They don't stop.
They don't hesitate.
They rush.
All at once.
"…Come."
My grip tightens.
I move forward.
Not back.
Never back.
Slash.
One falls.
+17,600 EXP
[EXP: 28,300 / 71,500]
Turn.
Cut.
+18,900 EXP
[EXP: 47,200 / 71,500]
Step.
Strike.
+19,400 EXP
[EXP: 66,600 / 71,500]
A hit lands.
My side splits open.
Blood spills.
Warm.
Heavy.
"…Ignore it."
Recovery activates.
Faster now.
But still—
not enough.
Another jumps.
I duck.
Cut upward.
+20,600 EXP
[EXP: 87,200 / 71,500]
[Level Up]
[Level 137 → 139]
[EXP: 15,700 / 78,000]
No rest.
No pause.
More arrive.
Stronger.
Heavier.
Different.
"Appraisal."
[Level: 302]
[Level: 318]
[Level: 337]
…Low tier.
Real low tier.
My body tightens.
"…This is where it starts."
They move.
Fast.
Coordinated.
Not wild.
Not careless.
They attack—
together.
I move.
Left—dodge.
Right—block.
Front—step in.
Strike.
+21,800 EXP
[EXP: 37,500 / 78,000]
Turn.
Cut.
+22,400 EXP
[EXP: 59,900 / 78,000]
The last—
too fast.
It hits.
Direct.
My shoulder tears open.
My arm almost goes numb.
"…Damn."
I force it to move.
Force it to respond.
Step.
Strike.
+23,600 EXP
[EXP: 83,500 / 78,000]
[Level Up]
[Level 139 → 141]
[EXP: 5,500 / 85,000]
My body feels lighter.
Stronger.
Faster.
But—
"…Still not enough."
A shadow appears.
Above.
I look up—
A massive body drops.
"Appraisal."
[Level: 356]
A Rageback Ape.
Bigger.
Stronger.
Faster.
It swings.
I block—
Impact crushes me down.
My legs tremble.
My arms scream.
"…Too heavy."
It swings again.
I roll—
Barely.
The ground cracks.
No space.
No time.
No mistake allowed.
I step in.
Strike.
The blade barely cuts.
"…Not enough."
It roars.
Another hit—
Lands.
My vision shakes.
My breathing breaks.
"…I'm going to collapse…"
My knees tremble.
Almost—
give in.
But—
No.
"I can't stop."
"I won't stop."
"If I stop…"
"…I die."
My grip tightens.
I move.
Faster.
Sharper.
Cleaner.
I dodge.
Cut.
Again.
Again.
Deeper.
The ape roars.
Its movements slow.
Then—
Collapse.
+26,800 EXP
[EXP: 32,300 / 85,000]
My breathing breaks.
Completely.
"I need… rest…"
"I have pushed myself too hard…"
"I can't… keep this up…"
My vision blurs.
Darkness creeps in.
"…Not here."
Movement—behind.
A serpent.
"Appraisal."
[Level: 341]
It strikes.
Too fast.
I barely react.
It bites—
Poison spreads.
Burning.
Sharp.
"…Move."
I force my body.
Cut.
+24,600 EXP
[EXP: 56,900 / 85,000]
Recovery activates.
The poison fades.
Slow.
Too slow.
"…Still alive."
My legs move.
Without asking.
Without thinking.
Just—
move.
More monsters.
Even more.
They don't stop.
They never stop.
"This won't end…"
My breathing cracks.
"I'm… going to become unconscious…"
"I need rest…"
"I have pushed myself too far…"
"If I didn't come here…"
No.
My eye sharpens.
"…No."
"I chose this."
"I have to…"
"…become stronger…"
"…STRONGER."
My body moves again.
Even now.
Even like this.
Because stopping—
means death.
A presence—
ahead.
Heavier.
Deeper.
Stronger than before.
"…Not now."
"I can't fight that now."
My body turns.
Automatically.
I run.
Branches break.
The ground shakes.
Everything behind me—
follows.
Not chasing.
Not rushing.
Watching.
Waiting.
My vision fades more.
"My body…"
"…won't last…"
My steps slow—
for a second.
Danger.
Instant.
A claw passes my neck.
Too close.
I react.
Cut.
+25,800 EXP
[EXP: 82,700 / 85,000]
"…Almost…"
But—
not enough.
Never enough.
I keep running.
I keep moving.
Even now.
Even like this.
Because I know—
If I stop—
I die.
And somewhere deep in the forest—
Something watches.
Still.
Waiting.
For the moment—
I finally fall.
Chapter End
Next Chapter: Overrun
Time: Wednesday, 6PM GMT+5:30