Fourth Area

"…"

In the fifth area, a figure lingered on the island's brink, observing Gin as he gently propelled his boat further into the distance.

As the boat gradually receded into the distance, the individual redirected his focus to his own hand, witnessing its severe deterioration to the point where it could scarcely be deemed a conventional appendage.

Evidently trembling, the hand betrayed a visible shake, while within, the individual's internal state deteriorated further with each passing day.

'The medicine is running out…? It's so fast now,' The figure pondered inwardly for a moment before tightening their fist with determination, 'A month would do to transfer 'it' to that child. It doesn't matter if he failed, I'll give him everything I have nevertheless.'

The figure lifted their gaze towards the somber skies, even as the sun cast its rays upon their robe. In a hushed undertone, they muttered something under their breath.

"Until then, I have to do what I have to do."

Subsequently, he retrieved the revolver at his side, uttering something as he did so.

"Hey, you. Let's make a deal."

…

Splash—!

Navigating through the serene waters, with only the sun as the sole source of vitality, can swiftly instill a sense of unease in anyone.

I was different.

I was excluding confidence, knowing I'd prepared so much for this day to come. I've brought my weapons, rations, and even some books that came from the figure which could guide me in here.

With confidence, I propelled the paddle of my mid-sized boat, adhering to the signals provided by the figure. Undoubtedly, these markers were unmistakable, appearing as halved trees encountered along the journey.

Employing these meticulously crafted trees as a guide made traversing the dreaded swamps surprisingly effortless. The journey unfolded without any hindrances, and the desolate terrain of the fourth area loomed closer.

It was only for a moment.

Splash—!

"Hmm!?"

Sensing an indistinct 'something' surging beneath, hurtling towards my boat in the depths of the swamps, I hastily paddled, compressing a few minutes into a mere half of one.

'Shit, get out, get out!'

The horror lurking in the waters was colossal, mirroring the entire expanse of the fourth island. Its aura exuded an eerie presence, and even from a kilometer away, its malevolent intent was palpable to me.

I immediately left my boat.

Lowering my belongings from the boat and gathering them up, I quickly distanced myself from the shoreline. In my haste, I heard a crashing sound emanate from behind me.

"…"

Casting a fleeting glance towards the mentioned spot, my eyes widened in shock as I witnessed a Horror with enormous canines and a head resembling a deformed snake, devouring my entire boat with a single bite, then crushing it down with its formidable teeth.

It ground the remnants on its teeth before thrusting them into the dunes, reducing everything to nothing, and leaving scattered debris strewn across the landscape.

"That's just… huge!"

In a suppressed shout, I couldn't help but think that this was the first Horror of such immense size that the boat provided by the figure seemed incredibly small in comparison.

Quickly removing the unnecessary thoughts in my head, knowing the figure had warned me about this as Horrors can appear in all different kinds of shapes, I set my gaze forward.

Only for me to regret my decision, feeling a sense of dread up front.

Hundreds, no, countless gazes were fixed on me as if I were prey caught in their very sights. The only reason they had not emerged yet was the presence of the deformed snake in these murky waters.

"Are you serious…?"

Among the trees, yellow eyes peered out. On the rocks, Horrors displayed their blue eyes along with the menacing gleam of blackened teeth. In the branches, a massive wing clung, resembling a bat, with its red eye peering through a small opening.

Rustle—!

Almost abruptly, the dunes beneath my feet began to shake violently. As I traced the source of the quake, I caught a glimpse of a colossal bulge on the side, hurtling toward me at an alarming rate.

"Shit!"

-Horrors happened to be territorial, whether they were mindless or not. Try not to step into a territory that belongs to them if you know they are stronger than you. Some mindless horrors… well, they can be frightening sometimes. And when I say frightening, I mean it.

Crash—!

"That's just great!"

Rather than venturing deeper into the territory where a multitude of Horrors awaited my arrival, I altered my course, veering towards the shorelines and spiraling through it.

Not too near the water but not also near the island itself.

Crash—!

It was utterly incredulous that this Horror could traverse the dunes effortlessly, especially considering it wasn't situated in a desert but merely within a swamp.

Despite the presence of sand, it wasn't as deep as in some other locations, making it perplexing that this Horror could navigate through it so effortlessly.

'Those Horrors inside the island weren't avoiding that snake but this mysterious creature in the sand!?'

Slightly unsettled by the news that dawned upon me, my mind started contemplating ways to counterattack. However, no matter what I considered, I couldn't perceive anything, realizing it wasn't yet the time to employ those strategies.

It was as if the sand was chasing after you, making it harder to differentiate what really was under these swamps.

With the notion of counterattacking ruled out due to lack of information about this Horror, I shifted my focus to alternative strategies, contemplating actions like diverting its attention or finding a means of escape.

I considered engaging in combat with the monster, but the potential repercussions of such a battle weighed heavily on me. It could leave me vulnerable, particularly to the onlookers on the island who were merely waiting for an opportunity to capture me.

If I grew tired on his first day here, my body would eventually tire out from these monsters if I happened to fight them.

'If only I knew what kind of Horror is chasing me!'

Killing Horrors weren't easy to begin with but if I had information about them, I could've fought smartly and played my cards right. 

While the figure had provided ample information about Horrors, the acknowledgment that they were evolving creatures implied that distinguishing their characteristics could be an endless endeavor.

The only information I had regarding this Horror is it is territorial on its shore and is very adept on the sands.

'Think, think, think!'

I turned my gaze to the left, where the waves rhythmically reached the shoreline, completely dismissing the notion of confronting both the leviathan beneath the swamps and the Horror in the sands simultaneously.

Subsequently, I shifted my attention to the right, where the trail of Horrors persistently followed the direction I was heading. Their gazes were fixed on me, patiently awaiting the opportune moment.

But there was a difference there at the waters and on land.

'These bastards didn't even compare to these two.'

With a firm decision in mind, I turned my legs to the right and began sprinting. Unlike before, when I hesitated to go toward the center, I decisively changed my course, realizing it was better to face the monsters on land rather than the ones in the sands.

Crash—!

The sand on my back moved and also changed its direction, following my trail with only a dozen meters keeping us apart.

But that was just it.

It will not chase me. No, it couldn't catch me anymore.

If my understanding is accurate, this Horror seems confined to the sand, where its power is tethered. If it were to venture out, I believe it would be at a significant disadvantage. It appears to be territorial as well.

Glancing at my back one more time, I mused inwardly, 'I may not be as strong as you are now but when I come back here, I promise I'm enough to end you.'

Tap—!

Stepping into the land where the grass and concrete soil where trees and rocks reside, making this island look like a forest, I ran a few meters away from the shore before looking back.

My deduction was on point.

A few seconds later, the creature beneath the sand came to a halt right at the border, separating the shores from the land. It stared at me, even though I couldn't discern its body and facial expression just yet.

Does it even have an eye?

As if regretting that its prey escaped its grasp, the Horror threw buckets of sand at this land before squirming away to find another source of food he could eat.

"…"

As the bulging sand receded, a profound silence enveloped the island. What made this silence eerie was its amalgamation with the quiet gazes and stealthy steps of the Horrors, patiently biding their time for this opportune moment.

'I'm really glad I repaired my incomplete soul.'

-One of the perks of repairing your soul is that it will conceal your abilities and your whole soul itself from others. Yes, they might feel a bit of soul emanating away from you and that will be a perfect bait. Those mindless horrors… they will think you are weak.

I might have confidently declared my ability to vanquish all the Horrors eagerly awaiting my arrival on this land, if not for their escalating numbers with each passing second I lingered.

Well, everything is not easy to begin with.

Snap—!

Gradually, the silence deepened as Horrors continued to emerge from all directions. They had opted to collaborate, forming a collective strategy to overwhelm me, perceiving my existence as nothing more than 'free food.'

After this, they might start fighting themselves.

Maybe they are being like this because they thought I was interfering with their land? 

Hmm, maybe I should say something about it.

"Sorry for trespassing on your land. I'm here to slaughter you all." 

With a slight smile playing on my lips, as I uttered those words, I swiftly retrieved the daggers from my side and assumed a determined stance.

'My first day is always tough. Why the hell is that?'

Subsequently, the Horrors initiated their assaults.