Perfect Clear(4)

The next day I went with the group of 20 people into the west side of the forest.

I found out that the leader's name was Park Junsu. 

"You are very skinny, do you eat enough young man?" A middle-aged woman asked with a tone of worry. 

"I just don't like eating that's all." I answered awkwardly.

You would think these kind of people would have trouble killing monsters. 

Yet here they are. Small talking with each other, like the monsters didn't exist. 

"300 meters in front of us there is a group of 10 goblins approaching". 

A man next to Park Junsu said with a serious tone. 

I could feel the atmosphere of the group change immediately. 

"Everybody in formation!" 

Park Junsu said in a commanding tone. 

10 people quickly ran to the front and 10 people stayed in the backline. 

In this formation they waited for the group of goblins to appear. 

Rustling. 

The goblins came out of the bushes with spears. When they noticed us they became hostile and charged towards us. 

*****

The goblins were dead on the ground, or at least what there was left of them. 

I have never seen anything like this. 

Some goblins were frozen like statues.

Some goblins with burn injuries so severe, that I wouldn't have believed that it was a goblin, if I didn't see it get burned with my own eyes. 

The rest was seriously mutilated.

This was very hard to stomach and I had to throw up. 

"Hahaha". 

"Haha the kid vomitted". 

"Don't act like you also didn't throw up yesterday". 

Laughter and talks spread among the group, while i was vomiting. 

Park Junsu approached me. 

"Get used to this". 

"This is not the earth that we know anymore". 

He said with an assertive tone and patted my back.

I stopped vomiting, and looked around. 

Standing in the middle of this bloody battlefield, I thought of what he said. 

Park Junsu is right. This is not the earth that I know of anymore. I need to strengthen myself, both mentally and physically if I want to go home again. 

"Lets go deeper into the forest". 

Park Junsu said in an authoritative tone. 

We met another group of goblins. The result was the same, but this time I didn't throw up.

This happened again and again. Now I have almost no problem seeing the aftermaths. 

It helps by thinking that this is just video game monsters. Just a super realistic one. 

We must've have walked for 3 hours, and my legs was getting tired. 

But the other players didn't show any sign of fatigue. 

"How is it that you are not tired?". 

I had to ask a middle-aged man who had a friendly face. 

"Yeah you are right. Normally i would be tired by now". 

"But it really is magical. To think that killing these monsters would enhance your body like this".

I realized that he immediately meant the levels, but that got me thinking about another question. 

"Did you level up today?" 

I asked with a confused tone. 

"Yeah of course I did, I am now level 3".

He answered and hit his chest with confidence. 

"Did you kill one of the goblins today?" 

I asked again with a worried tone. 

"No today I was a bit unlucky, and didn't kill a goblin". 

'F*ck' 

This is really bad. They get levels even if they don't kill a goblin. 

I didn't get a single level today, which i thought made sense because I didn't kill a single goblin. 

Yet this guy who also didn't kill a goblin, got a level up. 

This means that he gets party exp, but I don't. 

Maybe my contribution to the killing of the goblins was not enough to get exp. 

'Does my skill 'Perfect Clear' not allow me to level up?' 

As I was thinking of this problem, I could finally see the end of the forest. 

We got out of the forest. 

The first thing I saw was numerous straw houses in a big grassfield. 

Further ahead a big mountain could be seen. 

"We will do the same as yesterday and take the boxes from inside the homes". 

Park Junsu said, and everyone spread out. 

I walked into one of the homes, and on the ground was the box that I saw last night. 

I checked the house and there was nothing but the box in the middle. 

I grabbed the box and left the straw house. 

People were also leaving the houses with the boxes. 

"Ok lets go back to the field!" 

Park Junsu yelled. 

On the way back we didn't see any monsters, because of the one guy. 

"250 meters to the left, a group of 5 goblins is there" 

"150 meter to the right, a group of 8 goblins is there" 

Because of the man we could avoid danger.

Even if we fought the goblins it really wouldn't be a problem.

We came back to the field, and Yon approached me. 

"Was the fighting fun? I wish i could fight too." 

She said with a cute tone. I put down the box and flicked her on the forehead. 

"If I ever see you go into the forest, I will personally beat you up!"

I said in a playful manner. But on a serious note she can't fight the monsters, because of her skill 'Animal talker'. 

It gives her the ability to talk to animals, but that's really about it. 

She can talk to them, but just because you can talk to them, it dosen't mean they will do what you say. 

On another note this 1st floor really is easy. The monsters really isn't a problem, and alone they are pretty weak. 

[1st floor] 

- Clear condition: Kill 1000 monsters [431/1000]

431 monsters were already killed. 

I thought the 1st stage would be harder, but if you start with a good skill clearing this floor would be no problem. This was evident of the group of middle-aged people, who easily killed every goblin group.

I guess the angel was right about this being a tutorial, and therefore it's not a high difficulty. 

The day made me pretty tired, so I lay down on the soft grass and slowly fell asleep. 

*****

The next day we went to the east side of the forest. 

We walked for 1 hour killing 2 groups of goblins, but I still didn't get a level up. 

[Announcement: 500 monsters have been killed!] 

[Announcement: A special monster will spawn in the field!] 

[Announcement: Monsters will not appear until the special monster has been defeated!] 

The transparent windows appeared in front of my eyes. 

Then the realization of a special monster spawning in the field. 

Yon was in danger! 

I turned back and sprinted as fast as I could. But all I saw were the backs of the middle-aged people that overtook me. 

They also sprinted towards the field, with the only difference being -that they were much faster than me. 

That's when I realized that I was too slow. 

*****

I must've have sprinted for 20 minutes and my heart was beating faster than ever. 

I couldn't breathe properly, but the thought of Yon being in danger, kept me running. 

The field could be seen through the trees, and when i got out of the forest. 

It was a battlefield. Dirt everywhere and holes on the ground could be seen. Burnt grass and frozen grass making a weird symmetry. Sound of battle could still be heard. 

I looked closer, and lots of mangled bodies could be seen. I prayed that Yon's body wouldn't be among them.

Yon being the only child among the 100 people made her easy to spot.

Therefore I knew that I was too late. A child's body lifeless on the ground could be seen. 

I went closer to the body and kneeled next to her. Yon's face was zoning up in the blue sky, and her eyes lifeless.

I thought of the promise that I made, and my heart was aching. 

"I am so sorry." 

I said with tears showing up in my eyes. 

"..Please forgive me for breaking the promise".

My tears slowly falling on her face. 

Howl! 

I looked slowly in front of me because of the sound, and a black dot was quickly becoming bigger and bigger.

I didn't move, I wanted this failure to be imprinted into my mind.

The monster was big and had a black fur. It looked like a wolf and had red eyes. It's sharp teeth sticking out in agression. Before I could process more, my vision quickly darkened. 

[Skill activation]

- Perfect Clear[X]

[Returning to the moment you first entered this floor]