LTTH C11

Chapter 11

 

A bleak surrounding landscape where not even a single blade of grass could be seen.

A musty smell stabbed at the tip of the nose, and the sticky earth felt crushed beneath the shoes. The air reeked of rotting corpses, and a gloomy atmosphere enveloped the area. The scenery before his eyes was steeped in darkness.

Usually, the monsters appearing inside a Gate vary according to the environment within. And for this kind of environment, there was only one kind of monster that came to mind.

Undead.

The undead. Monsters dreaded by hunters for their tenacious vitality, yet ironically, not so for Hansol. The undead were the only monsters against whom a healer could truly assert power.

“Wh-where is this?”

“What is this place, really?”

“A Gate. We’re inside a Gate…!”

Those who barely noticed the change in surroundings began murmurings filled with fear and apprehension. Among them were occasional figures who looked like hunters from the Association, but could they really command control over so many people?

“Please, wait! Calm down, everyone!”

“This is the Association’s Hunters. Please calm down and gather here!”

“Don’t scatter! Stay put and do not move!”

How long could they hold on? Or rather, how long could they survive?

Regardless of gender or age, Hansol scanned the wandering crowd with a complicated gaze and softly muttered.

“…Sanctuary Declaration.”

Insufficient skill points.

There was no hope. To declare a Sanctuary, ‘Skill Points’ were essential, and all of those were already spent in England.

Skill points, given as rewards—one per level up.

Considering that the experience bar was still only half full, he had a long way to go before earning that reward. Moreover, the experience was still unearned in Korea. Even if he killed the monsters that appeared here, it was uncertain if his experience would increase.

“Phew.”

His fully charged mana felt cruel—truly a pie in the sky.

‘I wish I had even a single offensive skill…’

Typical healers mostly learn buff and healing skills, but among them were those with aggressive tendencies. They had awakened as healers but didn’t quite fit the role. Such healers learned skills separately through ‘Skill Books.’ Of course, that was not an option for Hansol, who earned just enough to get by each day. Skill Books, especially offensive ones, started at several tens of millions of won.

“Shield! Everyone, come this way!”

“Mage? Hunter?”

“There’s a Hunter?”

Among the noisy crowd, a translucent skill quietly spread. People who had been trying to raise their voices and gather attention began to turn their gazes toward it. Soon, a group formed centering on several hunters. Probably a quick-witted hunter noticed first, which was lucky.

Watching that, Hansol shifted his gaze farther away. People had somewhat regained composure. Fortunately, there were still no signs of anything approaching. However, creatures with a keen sense for prey would hardly give up so easily. They would strike soon enough. Then, this calm would be like a sandcastle on the shore.

‘…How many can be saved?’

Heal, Healing Light, Healing Prayer, Purification. Hansol knew all too well that as a level 15 healer, he couldn’t save everyone here. He opened his skill window, holding onto a shred of hope.

Purification Lv.1

Purifies a designated target or area. The potency of purification depends on the caster’s Divine Power.

The only skill that mentioned a strange ‘Divine Power’ he had never seen before. Hansol, like a baby bird gazing up at its mother, cautiously extended his hand toward the muddy earth behind the gathered crowd.

“Purification.”

Please. The small voice carrying earnestness spread faintly. The skill manifested correctly. This meant the status window and skill were not illusions. With just this, the primary purpose of entering the Gate was accomplished. But to turn the current situation around, simply being able to use a skill wasn’t enough. Something special. That was needed.

A blue light escaped from his fingertips and seeped into the dark mud, lingering briefly before vanishing. Normally, Purification used by typical healers would appear like this. But the Purification that spread from Hansol’s hand was different. It lingered within the palm-sized area in a blue shade before turning pure white.

A portion of the corrupted ground has been purified.

Experience points gained.

“……!”

‘Experience points?’

Impossible. Hansol murmured the Purification again quietly. The dark mud brightened up to the size of two palms in white light. Meanwhile, the message that experience points had risen and part of the corrupted ground had been purified appeared again.

To his knowledge, Purification did not possess such abilities. Neither cleansing corrupted ground nor gaining experience from it were effects of an ordinary Purification skill.

‘…Something special.’

A possibility was born. The possibility to save the people here.

“H-healer?”

“There’s a healer―?!”

The area that had been quiet under the control of the Association’s hunters erupted again. Everyone’s attention shifted at once in this direction. Among the hunters was a healer called a noble. Such a healer had used a skill, brightening a blackened patch of earth. Naturally, those who witnessed this could not ignore the sight.

“Move aside! Move aside! It’s safest near the healer, isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s the safest spot!”

“Excuse me, please!”

Chaos, the purest form. The crowd obeying the voices of the Association’s hunters began to gather like saviors were among them. Along with the crowd, unpleasant noises began to be heard—clanking as creatures appeared.

“What is that?”

“Monsters…!”

“Skeleton―?!”

Bones slowly advancing engulfed in the same red smoke that had wrapped the Gate.

At a glance, they looked fragile as if a slight blow could break them. But sadly, these were undead. Unless shattered into pieces or their heads were destroyed, they would resurrect and continue to torment people endlessly.

“We will stand in front!”

“I will support from here as well!”

Hunters swept into the crowd by the turmoil raised their weapons bravely, blocking in front of the people. Among them was one who seemed like a Mage who had manifested a shield. The Mage approached Hansol holding a staff and began chanting a skill.

“Shield.”

The translucent shield enveloped Hansol protectively, and the Mage stood guard by his side as if serving as a bodyguard. The skeletons in front would have to pass through the hunters and the crowd to reach Hansol. This might be overprotection, but healers were always top protection priorities on the battlefield. This Mage clearly understood that rule very well.

“Please take care of me.”

The Mage bowed slightly, manifested spells imbued with colorful mana, and struck the skeletons cleanly. His gestures and skill usage were natural, almost elegant, making Hansol wonder if he was a ranker. However, a single high-level Mage wasn’t enough to turn the tide alone.

Magic flared, and several hunters, using skills among themselves, fought desperately. But the number of skeletons newly arriving far outnumbered those they could kill. Moreover, they had to fight while protecting people. It was not a smooth situation.

“Aaah!”

Sure enough, the first to be injured were the frontline hunters—the tankers and melee dealers confronting the monsters.

“Ugh, get lost!”

“Send them this way!”

A hunter slashed in the side by a skeleton’s hand staggered backward, immediately covered by a shield-holder nearby. The swift switch earned him an unspoken round of applause. Seeing this, Hansol snapped back to reality. This was no time to be daydreaming.

“Healing Light!”

Hansol shouted, intending to heal the wounded hunters guarding the frontline. The light radiated outward. Five meters. Slightly beyond the crowd surrounding Hansol. It must have been so.

“Gyaaaak…!”

“……?”

Skeletons were monsters born of death. They were the antithesis of healers, naturally vulnerable to healing skills’ damage. But Hansol had not intended for the skill to reach even the skeletons.

“Graah! Gak!”

Contrary to intention, the light spread wide beyond the crowd enveloping him. Five meters? No way. It looked much wider than five meters at a glance. The ever-expanding light reached about twice its original range before finally fading.