Struggling to Survive in Hell Difficulty

Chapter 16

Maybe because there was adequate sunlight from 'holes' above, but I was finally able to see the Witch of the Dark Forest... The Causality Rectifier that System had told me, clearly with my own eyes.

What looked like a flowing red dress before was just a simple strapless red dress that stretched down almost to her heels. Her hair was black just like my original hair, but there seemed to be something that glittered on the inside part of her hair.

Looking closely at her porcelain-looking face, she had grey eyes that seemed to have the same kind of glitter as her hair.

The more I looked at her face, the more beautiful she looked to me... to the point I felt her beauty was out of this world.

"...why are you just staring at me?"

"...uh... sorry...?"

"No, I was ask... never mind."

The Witch looked exasperated, but when I turned to look where her eyes were directed at, I could understand why.

In the distance, the Pure One was doing guerrilla warfare by utilizing the darkness and the trees to circle around the Cyclops and attack its legs from several directions using its claws and fangs. The Cyclops tried its best to kick, stomp, or swat the Pure One using its limbs (and causing tremors repeatedly that could be felt over here), but none of its attacks had landed on the Pure One.

However, that soon changed as the Pure One merely stood in a safe distance while several explosions occurred near the Cyclops' legs. I could not see what it was doing, but I could see several patches of light opening... or rather, trees falling around the Cyclops as if trying to entrap its large body.

Nevertheless, the flimsy trees were obviously not much different to toothpicks for the tall Cyclops.

It merely shrugged the trees before trying to rush at where the Pure One was at... until it suddenly lost its balance and fell to the ground, bringing its face and its large singular eye several steps in front of me.

It would be a lie if I said I was not afraid by that sudden fall... but I had a weird feeling that I was being protected by the person next to me.

"...what just happened? Did the Cyclops trip or something?"

"It lost its foothold." Surprisingly, the Witch answered the question that accidentally came out from my mouth. "That pup used wind magic to dig a hole in several steps in front of that big hunk of flesh while attacking it, and it was none the wiser. The moment it stepped on the flimsy foothold, the hole collapsed by itself and brought it down."

"......amazing..."

The whole scene felt like I was watching a 5D or even 6D movies in the digital theatres, but there was a subtly different feeling compared to that. In the movies, it felt like I was experiencing something as a spectator, knowing whatever was happening would not affect me in any actual way; while right now, I felt like I would be protected even if the Cyclops suddenly stood up and tried to attack me.

As if affirming that, the Pure One suddenly came down from the sky and tore the Cyclops' head off, sending it rolling to the side.

"...that's brutal..."

"You say that because you do not know. That thing is still not dead."

"What do y-"

Before I could finish my sentence, the headless Cyclops suddenly exploded, sending bits and pieces of its body in all directions. I reflexively covered my face, but I could see dark bits splattering against something that covered a set radius around me... or rather, around the person next to me.

Those dark bits then began to writhe and expand outwards, as if trying to envelop the something around us.

"...a futile struggle."

The moment I heard the snap of a finger, I felt some kind of wave emanating from her body outwards. The gentle wave felt like it went through my body without any problem... but soon I heard a sizzling sound coming from those black matters. I could also hear the sizzling sound from the Pure One located outside the something, but it didn't seem to care and merely shook its body around, throwing the sizzling matters all around it.

As all the black matters disappeared, I felt like something that had been weighing me down had instantly disappeared, filling me with a bizarre sense of relief.

"...it's over now."

"......over?"

Right after I said that...

[Unique Tutorial Quest: Completed]

[Unprecedented method of clearing! System is calculating the appropriate reward in regard to causality...]

[You have cleared the Tutorial]

[A detailed review can be seen in the waiting room]

[Rewards will be given when you returned to the waiting room]

"...it really is over..."

All the things I had done today crossed my mind. Dying from being ambushed by Treants, running around trying to map around the Forest of Darkness, sacrificing myself to the wolves, and this unexpected clash between two powerhouses with the assistance of the one known as the Witch of the Dark Forest.

It really was a long day, but I finally got through the Tutorial that limited me so much.

*...grr...*

"Oh." The somewhat gentle growl brought me back to reality. "...your wounds... they're perfectly healed."

"Not quite. I merely burned the piercing branches and healed the pup with healing magic, but its lost blood and stamina should still weigh it down."

...it was a bit disconcerting that she calmly referred to a monster on the Level of hundreds with a 'pup', but I quickly shook that thought away for now.

"Still, you really helped the Pure One out... and me as well. Thank you."

"...I appreciate you thanking me, but you are still not off the hook."

"...huh?"

Before I could say anything, I could feel my body getting lifted by some unknown force. I thought it was the Pure One, but it actually went past me and walked right beside the Witch while I was still hanging in the air.

It was then that I realized... the one causing me to float awkwardly like this while slowly pulling me along was the Witch herself.

"......I have determined you to be not dangerous, but I still don't know how you appeared here out of nowhere, how you suddenly appeared in front of me back then, or why you sacrificed yourself to shield me and to nourish the pup."

"C... can you just chalk it up to me doing good deeds?"

"...the moment you show any signs of suspiciousness......"

...the Witch did not say anything.

She did not say anything, but I suddenly felt a strong tightening choke on my neck. It was not to the extent I could not breathe, but I could clearly understand the meaning she was trying to say.

[Reminder for Player. The moment you are killed by Causality Rectifier:]

[1. Your Character will be Erased. You will no longer be able to login using that character]

[2. You will no longer be able to log into the game until another character is created]

[3. You will lose Player Reward forever. No further reward will be given by System]

And as if trying to seal that fact... the system window that appeared in front of my face felt like it was both ridiculing and threatening me at the same time.

Are... are you fucking serious!?!?