It hurt to be hit, he said, but it was also out of habit that Osian didn't parry the blows with a strong body.
‘If you can't get hit, it's best not to get hit.’
In the game he was playing, no matter how much health he built up, it didn't matter if he got hit by a boss monster.
How could he be hit if his health was reduced to nothing after just one hit?
The same was true for the monsters scattered across the field.
It's because the attack pattern is simple, but even at max level, if you get hit, you'll lose a lot of health.
As a result, even when facing boss monsters, the main thing I needed to do was dodge.
It was a matter of looking at their precursor movements, reading what they were going to do, and then analyzing the pattern to avoid or block the attack.
So there's a lot of movement in the game. The hitboxes were also very well implemented, allowing you to dodge with some really crazy moves.
Osian was a big character in the game, so I focused more on dodging.It became kind of a habit.
The game also tended to make the act of “getting hit” a bit of a taboo.
Getting hit is also a way of fighting, but it's always associated with the image of not being able to analyze the pattern and being forced to hit with your body.
Did I get hit while trying to defeat a boss?
I couldn't sleep that night because of my pride.
I only want one no-hit perfect game where I clear the game without taking a single hit.
That's kind of become a culture for hardcore players.
Question: Hey guys. I just beat the boss on my 67th try. Good job, right?
-Your blood is hot? I can't admit it.
-You drank the potion? I don't admit it.
-What, did you enchant your weapon? Did you take a food buff? Don't you know you're supposed to just roll and hit it?
-I am a member of the recognition association, but I cannot recognize this.
If it wasn't for the hardcore users, it would have been called the Recognition Association.
Anyway, for Osian, who received the [not a person....] certification mark from the certification association, the perception of attacks as something to be avoided was strong.
'In hindsight, I didn't really need to seek such recognition here.'
Of course, now that it was a reality, he could actually feel pain when he was attacked, so it was natural to dodge.
He hadn't expected his body to be this strong but he can't force himself to take an attack now to test how strong his body is.
Common sense dictates that if you can see a bullet coming and you can cut it with a knife, you dodge or block it, not take it with your body.
I thought, “Well, at least I learned something new, so I should be happy about that.”
But there was a question.
Aaron's ambush had been effective. I hadn't expected him to use the capsule at such close range, when he was begging for his life so desperately but Osian had a keen sense.
It was a sixth sense that alerted him to danger, and it hadn't reacted at all to Aaron's surprise.
‘No. It is reacting. But it's reacting to a greater danger.’
Osian knew why.
There was something far more dangerous in these ruins than the 3-star Blitz Magic Capsule that Aaron had used.
His sense of danger was alerting him to something that existed within the ruins.
That's why he didn't react to the capsule, which he didn't even feel was worth considering.
'If there's a greater danger, then the smaller ones don't even matter. This sense is not necessarily absolute.’
I wondered what that bigger risk was.
When I thought about it, the answer came quickly.
‘A boss monster in the ruins, or a guardian I haven't encountered yet.’
Just then, Balud spoke as he scanned the wall behind us.
“The way back is blocked.”
“Will you be okay?”
Osian asked Balud. If nothing else, he was separated from his men.
That didn't bode well, considering most of their weapons and packs were with them.
There were too many dangers to explore these ruins with just the three of them.
“Even if it's not, it doesn't change anything, the terrain around here has changed and there's no way back.”
“So we have no choice but to go forward no matter what.”
“We'll be fine, at least for now. We have enough food and other materials for exploration.”
Ilua said, “Don't worry.”
The luggage Aaron and his companions were carrying was quite valuable.
With such a small number of people, it would be hard for the three of them to use it all.
At least they weren't going to starve to death or run out of water.
“Let's get moving.”
“Are you going to be okay?”
Osian pointed to Balud's condition.
His clothes were tattered and torn in places from the battle earlier. The wounds had healed, but to be honest, it wasn't a pretty sight.
“You don't have to worry about that.”
Balud dismissed the worry as unnecessary and brushed off his clothes.
Then, to his surprise, his tattered and soiled clothing returned to its original state.
“Automatic repair?”
“I'm the director of an organization, I deserve a little luxury.”
The white suit was now cleaned of blood.
The magic embedded in the suit ranged from automated alterations to automated cleaning.
‘As time goes by, all kinds of magic come out.’
It was a fitting garment, considering Balud's neat personality.
Aside from that, the self-repairing suit looked pretty good.
'Maybe I'll get one of those when I make enough money.’
Given the city's stature, it was likely that they would have clothing that was also bulletproof.
‘That is, of course, assuming we make it out alive.’
Osian glanced at Illua and Balud, who knew it too. At this point, the only way to live was to go all the way.
“Let's get moving.”
Everyone nodded and started to move.
Their pockets were fuller after another fight, but their minds were less relaxed, as they were wary of people.
On our way, we encountered another road.
It was a fork in the road, and this time there was an inscription on a stone tablet.
‘I couldn't read this in the game, I thought it was just part of the background texture.’
Now that it was real, the words on the tablet were the most important clue to exploring the ruins.
Balud and Illua's gazes naturally turned to Osian.
Unsure of what their gazes were telling him, Osian turned his attention back to the tablet.
‘I wonder if I can read it this time.’
Despite his worries, the words came easily to him as soon as he set his eyes on them.
It was as if he had known the language from the beginning, and the interpretation and meaning of the words immediately popped into his head.
“What does it say?”
“Those who attempt to enter this place, you are about to be tested.”
Osian translated the words from the tablet he had read verbatim.
“You must fight your own battles, and if you are the strongest, you will have the strongest as your enemies.”
“That sounds a little far-fetched.”
Balud didn't seem to understand Osian's words.
After a moment's thought, Illua spoke up.
“I think the part where he says 'you' belongs in the singular, so if there's only one of you, you'll have to fight yourself.”
“And the sentence after that is referring to when there are multiple people?”
“Most likely, yes, especially since it says you.”
“It is said that the strongest man is the enemy.......”
“I think it means having the strongest person in the group as your enemy.”
“Hmm,” said Balud, crossing his arms.
“The strongest ally becomes the enemy. Some sort of mind control.”
“That's likely, but it's also weird, because if you come in alone, you're fighting against yourself.”
Balud and Illua's gazes shifted to Osian.
As if to say, “What do you think?”
But Osian was too lost in his own thoughts to give them an easy answer.
‘You become your own enemy?’
It's a phrase he's never read in a game before but Osian had a feeling it would trigger something.
‘I definitely remember going through something like this.......’
He searches his memory and tries to go back in time.
Osian and Balud stood in front of Illua, staring off down the hall.
“What's going on?”
“Someone's coming.”
She could feel them. There were quite a few of them, about twenty or so.
That meant they weren't the guardians of the ruins, monsters, or traps but the group's expressions were tense.
Just because they were human didn't mean they weren't dangerous.
Those coming from beyond also paused when they spotted Osian, Balud, and Illua standing before the tablet.
An uncomfortable silence hovered between them.
‘Perhaps they're uneasy, too.’
There are only three of us, but that should make them suspicious.
At that moment, the wind picked up with a whoosh.
Flowing through the wind was a faint magic power.
‘Navigation magic?’
There was a wizard over there.
They used their magic to make sure there were no enemies around.
‘Not good. It’s been revealed that there are only three of us left.’
I didn't realize it was a party with a mage in the middle.
Just as he realized there were only three of them, two people walked out from the other side.
Osian recognized them from memory.
A man and woman with lemon-colored hair, they were the mage brother and sister from the Grand Cloister he'd seen near the entrance.
He knew they were siblings from their hair color alone, but seeing their faces up close confirmed it.
Their eyes were similar but the expressions on their faces suggested they were opposites.
She was smiling broadly, and he was frowning, squinting his eyes.
Osian turned to them and spoke first.
“What are you doing here?”
“You......!”
The man's eyes widened as he recognized Osian.
Osian's reaction was even more puzzling. He was staring at him like he was an enemy, and he couldn't remember ever having a conflict with a student of the Magic Academy.
‘The only time I've ever fought a mage was against the Salaman School at the Goldiron Mansion.’
Technically, their affiliations were different.
Unable to guess, Osian decided to ask directly.
“Do you know me?”
“Of course I know you, why would she choose someone like you?”
It was the woman who stopped the man's mouth.
“Oh, my. What are you doing now? Why are you talking about that here?”
That was his sister.
“I'm sorry, my brother is a bit of a character.”
“......No, it doesn't matter.”
“Nice to meet you. I'm Thalia Progenen. And this is my brother, Terence Progenen.”
“Pooh! You, Thalia! You put words in other people's mouths......!”
“I said shut up!”
I wonder if it was the bickering siblings but the tense atmosphere relaxed a bit.
Of course, I didn't let my guard down. If they acted like that, they could catch me by surprise.
“Well, don't be too guarded. It's fate that brought us together, so it's okay to shout at each other, right?”
“Mmm. I see. My name is Osian. I'm a fixer and a knight.”
“You're a......?”
Thalia scratched her head, wondering if Osian's introduction made sense, but didn't probe any deeper.
“My name is Balud. I'm a director of the North Blinders.”
“I, uh, I'm Illua, an explorer with the Archaeological League.”
“How fitting that we should meet, shall we share information with each other?”
Thalia was quite the character.
One might expect a wizard to be arrogant or have such ideas, but she was friendly with a wry smile.
Her brother, Terence, on the other hand, had a scowl on his face that said he didn't like something.
He squinted and squinted, especially at Osian, and wrinkled his forehead whenever he made eye contact.
'At least we're safe for now.’
They didn't seem to be the kind of party that pillaged others and it helped that the mages were also cadets at the Academy.
Illua met with the other party's explorer and exchanged information.
What pitfalls, traps, or dangers lurked where they were but there was one thing they all had in common, the guardian of the ruins.
“One party has already been killed by the Guardian.”
“Not one, but two from what we've seen.”
“That's right.......”
“Apparently, the guardians of these ruins aren't usually strong, so why don't we join hands?”
“Well, there are only three of us.......”
“Just because there are only three of us doesn't mean we can't be powerful.”
“Okay then.”
And so the alliance was formed.
As if he wasn't happy with that decision, Terence stepped toward Osian and spoke warningly.
“I'm telling you, I don't recognize you as an ally.”
“......I'm just curious, but why do you hate me so much?”
“What, you don't even know why!”
Terence shuddered in shock.
Osian didn't understand.
“How would I know if you won't tell me?”
“You, you don't even care about me!”
The words seemed to backfire even more.
Terence turned to Osian, furious.
“You! Don't tell me you don't know Elise Denarova!”