Stuck In An Adventuring World!? Part 3

5

The forest that Aspa and Randa are currently entering is nicknamed the 'Forest of the Death Fairies', a forest that is still in the same area as the Helio Kingdom..

The forest is included in the heterogeneous forest category, with a humid atmosphere and large trees that block the sunlight. And to be able to enter the forest at night, of course they need a torch to guide their way..

Without them realizing, they had passed many ‘white pebbles’ during the journey.

“Hey, you said the Helio Kingdom was a hub for adventurers, right? If this forest is still within their territory, there should be at least two or three groups exploring this forest.”

Aspa's confusion was answered by Randa in a low voice, alert to his surroundings.

“It is said that veteran adventurers rarely come here because there are not many profitable tasks for them. While novice adventurers who enter this forest…”

“They didn't come back, huh? I understand the situation. Oh my... for a world like this game, the problems are too complex..”

For the veterans, the tasks in this forest are too easy and the price is not commensurate with their status, while the beginners think this forest is a good place to start an adventure...

They can't handle it, huh?

“What is actually happening in this forest?”

“A witch.”

“A witch? Maybe I can do something about her with some holy stuff.”

Randa still didn't understand what Aspa was saying, but after that he continued his explanation.

“This is a fairy tale that aims to warn children in the village not to play in the forest. It is said that there are elves who are also the greatest magicians who live in this forest. The elves are said to be hundreds of thousands of years old, and until now still trying to survive with the magic of immortality.”

“The magic of immortality?”

“Well, actually immortality magic is not really certain to exist. It only gives a long-lived effect that has dangerous side effects to its user.”

“What are the dangerous side effects?”

They stopped for a moment in the middle of the journey, looking around while listening to Randa's terrifying answer..

“Madness.”

“...”

“Madness will consume the user, and make him have an endless bloodlust. That's why they say witches like to eat people, especially children who enter the forest..”

“Huuu? Your village is very close to this forest. Are you okay??”

“Oh, if that's the case then we're definitely safe. Our village is surrounded by the 'Hero Aura', and that makes the monsters from the forest not dare to enter our village.. Even so, we still have to look for materials to survive, that's why we still dare to enter the forest to look for wood and food..”

“In that case… why don’t you just hire adventurers privately?”

Seemingly not understanding the meaning of Aspa's question, Randa asked back with his head covering in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“That's it. You can directly order a group of veteran adventurers to handle the task in this forest. So there is no need to wait for an adventurer who is interested in your task. Well, although the cost will definitely be much more expensive, but if all the villagers combine their wealth, it will definitely be enough!”

“I-Is that really possible?”

“How would I know, you're a native! As far as I know, it can't be done in games, but considering this is the real world, renting services directly seems possible..”

Aspa's explanation, even though there were some words that sounded foreign and couldn't be understood by him, still made sense to Randa..

“We rarely order adventurers, because we know they won't help us. That's why I don't really understand it…”

“Well then, we'll study it after we get home. I also still have to gather a lot of information about this world.. Well... that is if we can come back alive, that is.”

The wind blew across the forest ceiling, although Aspa and Randa who were below couldn't feel it, they could tell the weather was starting to get worse from the rustle of the falling leaves..

Something's not right up there.

In the deep, silent darkness that could devour the light within, there was a pressure that stopped two inexperienced people in their tracks.

It's confirmed, there's something in there.

“Prepare yourself, Randa...”

Hearing the command, Randa, with trembling hands, removed the cloth covering his sharp sword.

“Hey, since it’s a former hero’s sword, is there any special power in it?” Aspa asked, which was then answered briefly and quickly by Randa.

“No.”

“..We’re cooked..”

Of course. How could it not be? Two people who were inexperienced in combat who also had no powers whatsoever were facing something that was said to have immense power. They were only armed with ordinary axes and rusty swords. Even three bottles of healing wouldn't be able to save them..

Even a narrator is made pessimistic by them.

“Khk ... khahaha...”

The man smiled. The man from another world smiled with his teeth bared fiercely. His eyes were full of his vigilance. What was on his mind right now was how he should face the fight ahead.

Seeing the condition of the man near her, Randa slowly tried to wake the man up by touching his shoulder, but... before that happened.

“It’s coming!”

----------------------------------^&^%$*%$##&$$*^$%%*^$^%$#@@@&%@$%&%$%@&%$@&%$@%$@%^%@^$@$@^$@$^@^$%$#^*$&*$&^(%%^&%(^&%$%%$#%$#@$!@!#@!#!%@#%&&_+*)(*()*()&)

“—Mbbbbbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~~~”

“Mbbbbbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”

“Mbbeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~”

“Mbbbbbbbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”

From within the pitch darkness, the stomping of feet on leaves on the ground could be heard along with the sound of many sheep groaning.

One by one the sheep's heads emerge from the darkness, but their existence and position are very abstract and their shape seems unclear..

“Is that.. flying sheep?” Aspa muttered frantically.

“No...”

The ‘body’ had come out of the darkness. Walking towards the torchlight that was getting dimmer and dimmer.

“Mbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”

“All the sheep... are becoming one.”

What was before them now was a giant mass of flesh, in which were many writhing sheep bodies with their shrill screams.

Both Aspa and Randa could not move anymore seeing it. Their minds were already influenced by excessive fear, making their bodies unable to move according to their own will.

They just froze.

Get moving! Please move!

Despite this, both of them shared the same thoughts Anda efforts, which was to try to stay strong in order to regain control of their bodies.

“H...a-... Help...”

“!!!!”

“!?”

In the midst of this troublesome endeavor, they suddenly heard the soft voice of a little girl emerging from the same darkness as the creature.

The blonde-haired girl wearing a red hood and shabby green clothes stared blankly at Aspa and Randa while asking for help.

“Gretel!”

Randa, who recognized her, immediately shouted the little girl's name, while Aspa gaped because he felt the name was familiar..

“Brother ... Randa...”

When the poor little girl stretched out her tiny hands towards the two people who were trying to help her, one ... Two ... Five human hands appeared from the darkness behind her, then all the hands grabbed the girl's small body and lifted her up..

“It hurts! … H-help....”

The girl groaned in pain.

Meanwhile, Randa had reached the limit of his fear. The increased blood flow to her muscles had completely frozen his body movements.

Damn... I'm... scared! I want to save her! But... it's scary! Too scary! Damn it!

“Don’t think too much!”

“Huh!?”

Someone ran past Randa who was still motionless. And when he realized it, it was Aspa who swiftly cut off several hands that were gripping the little girl,

“MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Blood poured everywhere from the creature's severed hand, and the cries of the sheep filled the forest with fear.

Their ears, those who heard them were momentarily deafened, until…

“Grraaaaaaaa!?”

The creature's large body rammed into Aspa's body, who was protecting the little girl in his arms with his back.

Aspa's consciousness had been half taken away, and his body was carried away by the large creature because of the horns of one of the sheep that caught on his robe..

The creature had run several meters away to the back, taking Aspa and the little girl, and leaving Randa still helpless and alone..

...............

........

...

Bro Aspa was attacked... He tried to save Gretel alone, and I didn't help him at all.

I...

Randa's feeling of helplessness had made him feel guilty. After all, he had done absolutely nothing during the brief tragedy..

He didn't even dare to show his sword which might be considered a form of resistance by his opponent, meanwhile Aspa thoughtlessly attacked the creature with his axe.

Even though what Randa holds in her hand is the Hero's sword…

“I… am a coward. Saying I want to be a hero… It’s all bullshit!”

“Khii .... khaa ..... khi khi khi khi khi khi khi.....”

Randa's gaze immediately shifted when he heard the sound of something chuckling nearby. And when he looked up…

It was an old woman whose body was much taller than Randa. If Randa was 190 cm tall, then the height of the old woman in front of her could reach 380 cm. With that, the person had looked at Randa closely by lowering his head. Showing the face of a terrifying figure.

Yellow eyes, green skin, pointy ears and a long nose. This figure is... the Fairy of Death. An elf who seeks immortality, and ends up consumed by the madness of her own magic.

The true witch!

“Khiii kya kakakakakakakakakaka! It’s been a long time since I ate a handsome young man!”

“Ka...Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Randa panicked. In his panic, he had spontaneously drawn his rusty sword towards the Witch. However, in just a blink of an eye…

The sword shattered into dust, leaving only the wooden hilt in Randa's grip.

Damn it! I don't want to die! I don't want to die! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!

Think about it!

In the midst of the despair that befell him, somehow a memory from some time ago flashed through his head.

—“A witch? Maybe I can do something about her with some holy stuff.”

Those were Aspa's words when responding to the story of the Witch told by Randa.

Holy...

Knowing what he had to do, Randa took one step back. Then with what he had planned, he took a bottle of healing water and threw it at the witch's face. .

Successful ... I succeeded...

It's because...

“Kyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

“The healing bottle contains angel tears! That's why it's called ‘Divine Water’!”

Divine Water is a special water traded to veteran adventurers. Given its limited production and the difficulty in gathering the ingredients, it makes its selling price very expensive. That's why Divine Water isn't a common type of healing water for low to mid-rank adventurers.

Luckily Bro Aspa entrusted me with two bottles of healing!

The witch had been made to writhe in pain after being doused with healing water that burned her face.

“Bro Aspa is right. Witches are afraid of anything related to purity!”

No... actually this is only specific to cursed creatures. As far as I know, normal wizards will be fine if they come into contact with this water. In fact, they were the first to make it.

“That means, you! You are truly cursed for trying to use immortality magic! And also… killing children.”

“Shut up you damn brat! I won’t eat you! I’ll torture youuuuuuuuuu!”

“Ah!?”

In his current situation, Randa felt something strange about himself. It felt like a pressure that pushed him to keep moving forward even though it would be dangerous for him.

My body feels light?

The witch attacked with the intention of grabbing his head and then stabbing her knife-sharp fingernails into his eyes.

However, with his big and strong body, as well as decades of experience cutting down trees, Randa was able to easily hold both of the Witch's hands and deliver a heavy blow to the Witch's chest.

Her body was very frail. And Randa realized it when his hand could easily break the Witch's sternum until he touched her internal organs.

This beating thing... Her heart!

Randa roughly grabbed the Witch's heart and pulled it out. Making the Witch retreat several meters back with her hysterical scream.

The Witch leaned against a tree, then fell down slowly.

..........

....

..

“...”

Even so, Randa had not yet exhaled.

He still continued to step forward towards the Witch's helpless body..

Keep going... with a hunter's eye.

I... have to kill her. Kill. Kill. Kill....

“No. That's enough, Randa.”

Someone tapped Randa's shoulder, snapping him out of her anger.

That person, the man in office clothes—Aspa continued to walk past Randa, taking his place to approach the Witch.

As he walked, he said, “Killing is not a hero’s job. Well, it’s more like it’s not appropriate for children.”

Aspa stopped just one step in front of the Witch.

His body was covered in wounds, but he was still able to stand firmly.

“O Wizard who seeks immortality. Are you still aware of the sins you have committed?”

The witch was silent for a long time, until finally she opened his mouth with great effort.

“K-Killed…and ate…many children.”

“Is that all… for eternity?”

“.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................”

Randa couldn't hear him... but Aspa could.

Without warning, Aspa immediately swung his axe at the Witch's neck. Making the axe stuck quite deep in the tree that was the Witch's body support.

“Bro ... Aspa?”

Aspa turned around. What was visible on his face now was the tired smile of a man who looked like he had just worked overtime at the office.

“Done ....”

With that.......... [Quest Completed]

6

Aspa and Randa had returned to the village, just as the morning sunlight was beginning to illuminate their part of the world..

There were already villagers there who welcomed their arrival with joy. And, a boy ran towards the little girl they saved with tears of regret.

“That’s… Hansel? No wonder Brother didn’t continue his search,” Randa said after releasing the little girl from her arms.

“I see. It seems that in any world, Hansel is smart, huh! He deliberately put white pebbles so that he wouldn't get lost in the forest, but unfortunately while being chased by the witch, his sister was left behind. They were just unlucky.”

“Unlucky ... Huh?”

His statement was so trivial.

“Thank goodness you’re both safe.”

The village head welcomed them with deep joy, as did the farm owner who immediately approached Randa.

“I’m home… Father.”

“Yes… Welcome back, my son.”

In the midst of all that happiness, a crashing sound was heard that made Randa and the residents turn their attention to one thing. Namely, Aspa's body lying limply on the ground with blood..

Everyone immediately panicked. Not expecting something like that to happen in the midst of their relief.

One of the people, the Priest, quickly checked Aspa's unconscious body. When he finally realized something terrible was in Aspa's body.

“This man... he........ got cursed!”