The deer charged with explosive speed.
I barely twisted my waist to dodge. The deer's antlers impaled the tree, tearing it out whole. With a loud crash, the tree tilted.
'No point blocking that.'
The deer shook its head, scattering broken wood fragments, and charged again.
Like a 1.5-ton truck flooring the accelerator. Rolling on the ground to evade, I slashed at its leg.
But the wound is shallow. The hide and underlying muscles were thick.
I stood up.
The deer prepared for its third charge.
Let's do this.
Can't block it. Can't parry it either. I could try, but if I fail, my body would be torn apart. In that case.
I stood with my back against a large tree.
The deer galloped, kicking up dirt. Each step gouged the earth, creating small pits. That's how powerful its leap was.
Just before the curved antlers tore my body apart, I slipped sideways.
Thud!
The Queen of the Forest's antlers embedded themselves in the tree. Even I couldn't guarantee piercing a tree this thick with my sword, yet it did so effortlessly.
The deer shook its head left and right, sending splinters flying. It looked ready to bring down this tree too. I didn't miss the chance and leaped.
The immobilized deer kicked its hind legs. I blocked with my shield, but a heavy impact, like being struck by a sledgehammer, traveled through my arm.
'Damn strong.'
My left arm went numb.
Readjusting the grip on my iron sword with my right hand, I rushed towards the deer's rear. Another hind kick. Twisted my upper body to dodge. Almost shattered my collarbone.
I stabbed the blade into its hindquarters. Felt resistance like piercing dozens of layers of thick cloth. The blade didn't go in properly. But I forced it, twisting and shoving.
Snorting fiercely, the deer shattered the right side of the massive tree, turned its body, and swung its antlers.
No intention of facing those antlers. I ducked low, practically hugging the ground.
Whoosh!
The sound of heavy wind rushed past my ears.
I shot up, switching the shield in my left hand to my right. The iron sword was still embedded in the deer's hindquarters.
After one rotation of its antlers, the deer turned its body as if to charge again.
I moved inwards, slapped the turning deer's cheek with my shield, then kicked the hilt of the sword embedded in its rear hard.
"Kii!"
A shrill cry.
Good, the sword didn't break. I immediately dropped the shield and gripped the sword hilt. The blade was tightly lodged between hide and muscle, but I managed to pull it free.
Stabbed again in the spot where the blade was removed.
Deeper this time.
Whoosh!
I leaped back significantly. The deer's antlers tore my clothes.
I charged again and kicked the sword hilt. Bright red blood spurted. The wound widened. The bloodied sword fell from the gap. Snatching it, I retreated further away.
The deer was thrashing wildly in agony.
It ran helter-skelter, swinging its antlers violently. Branches and rocks caught in its antlers were smashed to pieces.
I stood a few steps away, observing the scene.
And when it showed an opening.
Ran straight in and buried my sword in the side of its head. Piercing the brain within the skull, no monster could survive that. The Forest Queen's eyes lost their light and soon went limp.
"Phew."
I wiped the sweat from my forehead. Rotated my left arm once. Stiff, but somehow movable. Doesn't seem like the joint is broken.
Flicking the blood from my sword and retrieving the shield, I looked down at the Queen's corpse.
Looking at it like this, it could easily pass for a horse or bull, not just a deer. One leg was as thick as my waist.
Now what.
First, find the attribute stone.
'But where is it?'
I expected the corpse to disappear, leaving an item behind, but my expectation was wrong. Just as I contemplated calling Jena over, something the deer held in its mouth dropped out.
It was a smooth, green orb.
[Low-Grade Wind Attribute Stone]
[Grade - D-]
[An attribute stone imbued with the forest's energy. Used in crafting various items and for promoting some heroes.]
Bingo.
Found the attribute stone.
Next, for useful parts from this creature.
'Queen's Antlers and Blood.'
Both are materials for crafting high-grade items.
But I don't have the tools to take them. I pressed the blade against the antlers and pushed, but couldn't even make a scratch. Seemed harder than steel. Probably wouldn't work even with a saw.
'Guess I'll just take the blood.'
After slashing several times with the blade, I finally managed to sever the carotid artery in its neck.
I placed the back of my shield under its neck. No other way to carry it. The flowing blood started collecting in the shield.
"..."
Crouching down, watching the blood flow from the neck.
Just watching feels tedious.
I stood up and gripped my sword again. Target: the deer's antlers.
Initially planned to leave them, but changed my mind. No telling when I might catch this thing again.
Relaxed my body, focused my mind. Gripped the sword hilt with both hands. Vertical stance.
Brought the sword down forcefully.
Clang!
'Crazy.'
Sparks flew where the sword met the antlers.
Beyond absurd, it was baffling. Feels like cutting steel with a knife. No wonder it snapped trees like twigs.
In the end, only one method remains.
A while later, I was walking towards the dimensional portal, carrying my spoils.
Even without putting materials into the portal, could they be brought back upon return if held in hand? If so, there's no need for this arduous effort. But if not, it becomes problematic. The Forest Queen doesn't appear randomly. It's common to scour the Forest Daily Dungeon all day and not find it.
For that reason, to not miss out on rare materials, I'm carrying them myself all the way to the portal.
Sword slung at my waist, holding the loop of the shield filled with blood in my left hand. Carrying the deer's head in my right hand.
Couldn't be helped. Since the antlers wouldn't cut, had to cut the neck. Even cutting the neck bone was difficult, but not as hard as the antlers.
Following the valley down, then turning right.
Soon heard rustling in the bushes. Not animal sounds. A faint scent of blood mixed with the wind.
"Hiiiie! Monster!" A man carrying the hind leg of a butchered deer saw me and collapsed.
"Monster?"
"N-no..." The man staggered up.
"Could it be, Mr. Han?"
"Can't you tell by looking?"
I dragged the severed deer head along as I walked. My appearance is certainly a mess. Torn clothes here and there from fighting the Queen, and covered head to toe in deer blood.
Soon, Jena emerged from deeper in the forest. Her sleeves were also stained with blood.
"Huh, Oppa?"
"Help me out, I'm dead tired."
I tossed the deer head in front of Jena.
Thump thump. The dead deer's eyes stared up at Jena.
"Why is this deer so big?!"
"Went hunting for a big one."
"Ah, then you should have called! I would have followed right away."
"You didn't come."
Jena hugged the deer head with both hands.
She didn't seem to mind getting blood on her dress.
'This kid too.'
Weird girl, if weird means anything here.
That's why I keep her around though.
"How many did you catch?"
"Two deer. One boar. This should be enough for everyone in the waiting room to eat well for a while."
"Everyone in the waiting room?"
"Of course. It feels weird just eating among ourselves. By the way, why the head? The head isn't tasty."
"Brought it for the antlers. They absolutely wouldn't cut off."
"Come to think of it, this one's a doe, but it has antlers."
"You can tell the gender just by looking at the head?"
"Of course. How long do you think I've lived in the forest?"
Arrived at the dimensional portal.
First, I splashed the blood collected in the shield.
['Han (★)' gathers 'Queen's Blood'.]
[Tips/ Heroes sometimes gather rare materials in Daily Dungeons.]
'It works.'
If not for this, I would have almost thrown away precious material. Next, I told Jena to throw the head into the portal.
['Jena (★)' gathers 'Queen's Antlers'.]
This works too.
The head itself, not recognized as an item, seemed to vanish, leaving only the antlers transferred.
In front of the portal, the three party members were diligently moving the piled-up materials.
['Luis (★)' gathers 'Deer Hide'.]
['Joffrey (★)' gathers 'Boar Meat'.]
['Owen (★)' gathers 'Branch'....]
Lastly, I surreptitiously tossed in the Wind Attribute Stone. The gathering complete message popped up.
[Tada-ran!]
[Skill Awakening!]
['Jena (★)' has acquired the 'Forest Hunter' skill!]
'Her again with the awakening.'
Forest Hunter is a passive skill that gives bonuses to hunting animals and slightly increases combat power in forest fields. Expected, given she lived in a forest and had a hunter father.
Before long, the pile of materials in front of the portal dwindled.
[03 : 21]
"Should we catch one more?"
"Leave it. We'll be returning soon."
"By the way, how do you know such things? Are you using magic or something?"
"You'll find out soon enough too."
Once a mage joins and the Magic Laboratory is built, the Research tab opens.
Among the research lists is 'Responsiveness Research'. Literally research to increase hero command responsiveness to the Master. The higher it gets, the more clearly heroes understand commands and discern the Master's requests.
Without me, those who came here probably would have wandered aimlessly for a long time before returning. I know because I experienced it as a Master.
Sent them to farm, but they come back empty-handed.
If my predictions are correct, once research is complete, the people here will soon be able to see the system too. Not yet, though.
I lay down under a suitable tree shade, crossing my legs.
A cool breeze carrying the scent of greenery blew past. Seeing me lie down, the three men also exchanged glances and began to rest.
Soon, light enveloped our bodies.
[Mission Complete!]
[Heroes returning to the Waiting Room.]
[Acquired Item List]
[Branch X 54]
[Deer....]
Returned to the Rift of Time and Space.
Exiting to the plaza, it was late night. The three men awkwardly bowed to me and disappeared into the dorm. Probably going to sleep.
[Tips/ Want to get more materials? Gather idle heroes and send them to the Daily Dungeon!]
[Forming Party.]
[Drag and drop heroes!]
['Han (★)' removed from 'Party 4'.]
['Jena (★)' removed...]
This time, Amkena removed all existing members from Party 4 and started forming a new party with new members. Aaron led, mixed with Dika and the remaining three.
A hero who has gone to a Daily Dungeon cannot go again until the next day, so this was a natural measure. Of course, with special skills, one can go twice or even three times. These individuals were called 'Gathering Agents' and were responsible for farming.
Jena pouted.
"Wanted to hunt a little more. Don't know when we can go back again."
['Jena (★)' wishes to sortie to the Forest Daily Dungeon.]
[But cannot go. Too bad.]
"Anyway, gotta tell Sister Chloe the good news. We can finally eat meat dishes!"
"Tell her when you wake up, wake up."
It's time for Chloe to sleep.
As the cook, her nights and mornings started earlier than others'.
Yawning widely, I returned to the dorm.
Gathered the Wind Attribute Stone, so the remaining ones are Fire and Water.