Episode 1 - Synchronization IV

I opened my eyes and saw countless myths drooling with saliva as if they found their next meal. The pain in my back stopped me from getting up. That guy...why'd he have to drop me from there. I was more surprised that I didn't die from that fall, maybe now my fear of heights will go away.

My gaze fell on the markhors again but surprisingly they didn't come any further, weren't they drooling while thinking about eating me earlier? Rains drops fell on my face and the smell of rain made me realize they couldn't confirm whether I was alive or spoiled. Thankfully this gave me time to breathe and collect my thoughts.

I had just been dropped off a cliff and was currently surrounded by markhors confused about whether to eat me or not, it was a ridiculous situation.

This day kept getting worse and worse. Maybe if I kept playing dead they'd leave?... That proved to be useless as in the next moment...

[Trial #1 time remaining: 56 minutes.]

Stupid system message. The markhors screamed as they confirmed I was alive. My spine screamed in anguish as I tried to get up. I hurriedly took a few steps back and leaned against the cliff. I began thinking of ways to get out of this situation. I couldn't run in this condition and even if I was fine I'm surrounded so it'd still be useless.

Thud–! I turned my face and looked down to see a sword laying on the ground. It fell from above... Hyunseok? Was he watching me? Was this his way of helping me? Where did he even find a sword in the first place...?

"Hey! If you're still there come down here and help me!"

I screamed hoping he'd show some kindness. A few seconds passed but no response. I was going to smack that guy in the head the next time I see him. I was worried about Hyo-rin's safety–

My chain of thought was abruptly broken by the markhors' grunting. Yeah, I still had to deal with this situation there wasn't any time to worry about someone else.

I quickly picked up the sword from the ground and assumed a fighting stance. I'd never used a sword before but it couldn't be that difficult, right?

I slowly moved away from the cliff prepared to engage at any moment. The Markhor dashed forward and I tried to swing the sword only for my hands to wobble weirdly...it was heavier than I thought. I rolled on the ground and barely escaped the markhor's charge.

The situation seemed hopeless. I was surrounded by hungry markhors and my only weapon was a sword too heavy for me to swing. but in the next moment, I heard a message.

[A strange energy is flowing inside your body.]

What? What did it mean by strange energy? I started to run as more and more markhors started attacking me. Shit, I didn't have time to think of anything and that faery wasn't going to fall for the same trick twice.

As I ran a Markhor suddenly jumped out of the bushes. I swung the sword as my only option but this time something was different.

Slash–The horned head went flying and blood splattered on my face. It took me a few seconds to realize what had happened.

That swing felt unreasonably light...I swung the sword a few more times and my confusion was cleared. It was light, much lighter than before. Did it have something to do with that message I heard before? My suspicions were soon confirmed.

[You have slain a Markhor!]

[Latent Myth: «Sword Infuser» ]

[Description: Successfully imbuing a sword with tera. A Latent myth is a myth of the lowest grade providing very limited use.]

[The myth "Sword infuser" has been registered.]

I looked at the system message with a confused look. Latent myth? Sword infuser? Tera? Seriously I needed some time to think about all of this. But one thing was certain this so-called 'tera' enabled me to swing the sword so easily. Maybe just maybe I could do this...

With this new profound strength, I turned around to face the markhors. I finally saw a glimmer of hope. I stood in a faceoff with the markhors. A few seconds passed when finally the leader of the horde attacked. I pushed off the ground and channeled all of my strength into the sword. As the Markhor got in my attack range I swung the sword and cut its head.

Blood sprayed from the beheaded Markhor and the horde backed up as their leader just died.

"Keok."

The beheaded Markhor still kept trying to attack me. Shit, I'd forgotten these things were already dead. In a final attempt to attack me, the Markhor jumped in the air and tried to stomp me. I dashed to the side only for my torso to be grazed by the horn of another Markhor. Blood started dripping from the wound. I launched another stream of attacks on the beheaded Markhor before finally killing it.

The other markhors took a few steps back as their leader just died. I took this time to regain my breath and after a few seconds without giving them time to think I dashed forward and attacked a few more markhors. They were sturdier than I thought.

Hyunseok probably thought I was dead by now. I really might've been if I hadn't known the Markhors' weakness. I examined the Mark of Death on the body of every Markhor. They were all in easy-to-reach areas.

I pushed off the ground and stabbed a Markhor where the mark was, it instantly died. The others sensed the depravity of their situation and rammed forward toward me. I picked up the head of the dead Markhor and smashed it on the head of the one charging toward me.

The Markhor stunned for a moment and I didn't miss my chance to kill it. I'd killed two, it was an insignificant number but for me, it was a lot. There were still more than 20 left...I couldn't continue fighting all of them.

I noticed a path opened up and slipped through the gap. The markhors turned to chase me only for some of their horns to get stuck in the trees, the forest was a bad terrain for them to fight.

I rolled down the forest and hid inside some bushes. I was worried my panting might give away my location but the sound of rain dampened my voice.

[You have cleared the first trial.]

[1000 coins have been rewarded to you.]

I felt a bit relieved as I read the message in front of me. But my situation hadn't changed one bit, the markhors were still here.

I thought I had gotten some time to think up a plan until I heard the next message.

+

[The second trial has started.]

[Trial #2 - Exiting.]

Clear conditions: Exit the forest in the specified time and reach a safe shelter. (The clear condition varies with the location.)

Difficulty: F

Time Duration: 10 Minutes

Reward: 1000 coins

Failure: ???

+

...Were these trials created for the sole purpose of killing me? My situation was bad enough, but I had to escape in 10 minutes.

I opened the system window in hopes of finding something that might help me, a last-ditch effort.

[Access your information with the Attribute window.]

Huh? I'd never thought about that. I got a little excited as I recalled how interesting attribute windows were in the webtoons I read. I did get an achievement before, maybe it would help me now?

"Attribute window" I whispered lightly to not alert the markhors.

[Attribute Window.]

Name: ??? Kiyotaka.

Age: ???

Attributes: ???

Skills: ???

Sect: —

Myths: «Sword Infuser»

(The information on this person is currently censored due to unknown reasons.)

What the hell? This made no sense. The attribute window seemed useless, and my latent grade myth wouldn't help me in this situation.

[Remaining time: 7 minutes.]

I started to sweat as the time kept dwindling. I needed something, but what? I couldn't climb back on the cliff and I couldn't run anywhere in this Markhor-infested forest.

If only Lee Hyunseok hadn't dropped me here... why'd he even do that in the first place?

Hrmrmmm

The sound of the markhors' grunting interrupted my thoughts. If I needed to get out of here I had to lose them some way. I looked at my sword and noticed it was chipping away... he couldn't even give a decent weapon.

This sword had only a few strikes left, so fighting head-on wasn't an option.

[Remaining Time: 3 minutes.]

I started to shake my leg out of nervousness. Clearing this wave seemed like a dream now. I tried to get out of the bushes only to fall back after seeing a cluster of markhors in front of me.

Surrounded on all four sides. Was this really where I'd die? Like this?

[Remaining Time: 1 minute.]

I began thinking. There had to be something. Every neuron in my brain connected to think of an escape plan. Something, anything!

[Remaining Time: 45 seconds.]

There had to be a variable. Something I could use.

[Remaining Time: 27 seconds.]

I couldn't think of anything. Every plan was useless. Besides...

[Remaining Time: 6 seconds.]

...Shit, I had to go with that plan.

[You have failed to clear the trial.]