The Source Of Curse

"Huff...Huff...Huff..."

I felt shortness of breath after I was tossed in the air and landed on the ground ten meters away from where I was supposed to be standing.

Yet even with the shortness of breath and my body screaming in pain, I stood up to face the Cursed being that was standing in front of me.

It has a human appearance like any normal person does. An adult man wearing tattered clothes. The only difference is the two horns growing out of its head.

It's probably much stronger than a Rank_D Alpha-Wolf like Herd. But I don't think its strength can come close to the strength of the Rank_C Mystic-Wolf that I fought before.

After all, even though I received that same Fire Magic explosion, I still managed to get back on my feet.

So the fight isn't over yet.

"Come on!... Is that everything you got?!... Do you think that's enough to kill me?!... Do your best to kill me, you Cursed bastard!"

"ROOAAARRR!!!..."

"Arghhh!..."

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After I burned the old man's basement along with his body to ashes, I made camp within Herd's territory and continued my training with the new Alpha-Wolf Herd.

I spent the next month fighting Herd, but never once I managed to win against him. I guess there's a huge gap between a Rank_D Alpha-Wolf like Herd and a Rank_E like me.

Aside from my training to get stronger I took my time investigating the reason behind the Curse that affected the previous Rank_C Mystic-Wolf.

I explore the whole territory of the Magical Beast Wolves, looking for whatever I might find.

I did it on the pretext of not wanting the same thing to happen again. So the time won't come when the new Boss of the Wolves might be cursed again, and Herd, who is now an Alpha-Wolf, would fight for the accession.

To find the source of the problem and eradicate it.

That is what I repeatedly told myself while the truth is that I'm afraid.

I'm afraid to meet other people, that I will trust them only to be betrayed again.

I'm afraid to face the truth that I only have a year, less, or more, to live. To live a life knowing that it will end in a blink of a moment.

I'm afraid to keep moving forward.

That's why, after finding out the source of the Curse hiding at the center deep within the Forest, I didn't hesitate to confront it.

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"Huff...Huff...Huff..."

Once again, I found myself lying down on the ground as I harshly catch my breath.

Of course, this would happen. I know I'm not strong enough but I still decided to fight a Cursed without knowing how strong it is.

I didn't even do any preparation. I just jumped on it the moment I saw the Cursed infecting a Magical Beast Wolf that goes inside its territory.

I didn't even think what might happen or if I could die fighting the Cursed... No... It was probably the first thing that I thought.

That this Cursed can just kill me and spare me from the things I was afraid of.

I was probably looking for a way to escape, for a way to throw my vexation.

To find someone to blame and to say the words that I didn't manage to say.

I stand up with my trembling body. And as grip my Knife and Dagger and grind my teeth from the unbearable vexation that I feel, I finally scream the words that I can't bear any longer.

"Take it back!!!... That cure was supposed to be yours!... I didn't ask for it!... I didn't tell you to give up your chance for me!... You're the one who is supposed to live!... So why do you have to die for me?!... Why do I have to bear this pain and guilt?!"

I look down as I scream those words.

It was the words that I wanted to say to the old man.

It was the pain that I endured for a month while living here in the Forest.

It was the guilt that I would probably carry for the rest of my life.

The Cursed standing in front of me probably didn't understand anything from the things that I said.

But I'm thankful for it for being here, for waiting and not doing anything while I cry and scream like an idiot, and for trying its best to kill me.

After all, even if I wanted to die and end it all, I still can't bring myself to end my life, much less let a Cursed take it from me without a fight.

Within myself, I still wanted to live and survive.

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I took the Fire Magic explosion again and again. Hoping that at the next one, I won't be able to gather my strength and get back on my feet.

But no matter how many times I was thrown on the ground, no matter how much burn a take, here I am standing again.

My Dagger and Knife that I salvaged from the dead man's corpse have already broken from repeatedly stabbing and slashing the Cursed being I'm fighting.

Yet no matter how many times I stab and slash that Cursed it still won't die.

Is my attack lacking something? Like how it couldn't get past that invisible barrier of the Curse Mystic-Wolf.

But that is not important anymore. After all, I'm probably going to end up dying any moment now.

"I guess I'm sorry for failing the mission you have given to me, Goddess Visare."

As I said my parting words, I clenched my fists and took a stance to fight until my last strength.

I dash toward the Cursed, comforting it in close-quarter combat as I ready myself to receive another Fire Magic attack.

Yet even before I could reach the Cursed, a dozen Magical Beast Wolves ran past beside me, along with a familiar smug-looking Alpha-Wolf and the new Boss wolf, the Rank_C Mystic-Wolf.

I lost all my strength and fell to my knees after seeing the fight between the Cursed and the herd of Magical Beast Wolves. Then, after the Mystic-Wolf beheaded the Cursed, I finally collapse on the ground and lose consciousness.