Escape - Chapter 15.2
Chapter 15.2
“Woo Yune, stay back.”
“Sis, do you know him?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know. But something feels wrong. Go to where Luce is.”
“Huh? But it doesn’t seem dangerous anymore. Look, there aren’t any serpents around.”
Now that she mentioned it, the serpents had vanished the moment the man appeared. Adeline glanced around, then looked up at him, tense.
12 slowly turned his head, his gaze settling on the black rifle lying on the floor a short distance away—the weapon she had used to kill the serpents.
“Those who will hunt you down. Soon, other players will arrive here.”
“Are you a player?” Adeline frowned at 12’s words. She now understood what the word meant. Player. It referred to people like Woo Yune.
“No.”
Her answer was immediate. 12 stared down at her.
“Then what are you?”
“I’m Adeline. That’s all.”
“More.”
12 took a step closer, his eyes filled with unconcealed interest. “Say more.”
The woman didn’t retreat, but held his gaze. Her expression shifted, her mouth opening as if to speak, then closing again. She looked as if she might cry again.
“Damian, if this is a joke, please stop.” Her voice trembled, her large eyes welling up. 12 felt a flicker of annoyance. He slowly raised his hand, his long fingers reaching for her pale cheek.
Screech!
With a tremendous roar, several Serpiente were flung away from right beside them.
Startled, the woman immediately backed away, pulling the other human with her.
12 shifted his gaze. Humans stood several dozen meters away. He understood the situation immediately.
It was an enemy attack. The serpents, sensing danger, had thrown themselves in front of him to protect him. 12 stared at the writhing serpents on the floor.
“Those who will hunt you down. Soon, other players will arrive here.”
“I see.”
12’s lips curled into a chilling smile. He understood. Hunt or be hunted.
At that moment, hundreds of serpents began pouring out of the darkness of the lair, like a dam bursting.
It was a spectacular, yet horrifying sight. Hundreds, thousands—countless Serpiente flowed from the lair, covering the floor until it was no longer visible.
This was on a different scale than the number Adeline had faced earlier.
Staring in disbelief, Adeline instinctively knew: ‘If we don’t escape now, we’ll die. He intends to destroy this entire place.’
***
Even as she fought and ran, Adeline didn’t stop.
She rummaged through her backpack, pulling out tobacco leaves. Without a second thought, she lit them with her lighter.
“Uh, sis, what is this?” Woo Yune fumbled with the burning leaves Adeline thrust at her. Adeline didn’t answer, not out of annoyance, but because there was no time.
No matter how many they burned, the Serpiente relentlessly pursued them. They filled the entire passage. Roars, hisses, and the scraping of scales filled the air.
At this rate, Woo Yune would run out of stamina. Adeline desperately tried to recall the book’s contents. ‘Where did it say to hide when the serpents attacked?’
“Turn right up ahead!”
“Aaah! Sis! On the ceiling!”
‘D*mn it!’ Adeline cursed, looking up. Right, the Serpiente were more like spiders than snakes, crawling all over the walls.
The ceiling was now a writhing mass of black Serpiente. A large one shrieked at them, and as if taking it as a signal, another dropped down towards Woo Yune.
“Kyaa! Get away!!!”
Woo Yune squeezed her eyes shut, thrusting the burning tobacco leaves forward. The Serpiente let out an angry hiss and veered away mid-air.
“Huh. This actually works.” Woo Yune peeked open her eyes, a stunned expression on her face. But stopping her frantic run was a fatal mistake.
“Woo Yune!!!”
Serpiente was faster than the scream. The serpent lunged, targeting Woo Yune’s delicate throat. As the monstrous fangs filled her vision, Woo Yune squeezed her eyes shut, certain this was the end.
Clang!
A sharp, metallic ring echoed as the serpent’s head flew through the air. Woo Yune, eyes wide, looked up. A hulking man stood over her, wielding an enormous sword.
“Level 27? You’ve got to be kidding me!”
His gruff voice made her shrink back. But then, something about him seemed familiar. The massive, ogre-like frame, the greatsword, the scar slashing across one eye…
“Oh my god.”
It was Gato, fifth-ranked in the world.
His presence here could only mean one thing…
“Ya se termino todo aqui. (Now, this place is over)”
The global mega-guild, Leon, had entered the Serpent’s Lair.
