Chapter 2: Enemies of Corruption

’No, it couldn’t be!’

Peace reached into his mind and pictured the stereotypical status screen.

Much to his unamazement, one appeared in his mind.

✖✖✖

Name: [Pax Garnier]

Tier: [9]

Rank: [F] - (EXP: 0/51)

Class: [Terror]

Traits: [???]

Resonance: N/A

Item Level: N/A

✖✖✖

’Enemies of Corruption...’

The roguelike game his sister had been obsessed with.

After becoming bedridden, she’d spent most of her time playing it and often convinced him to join her through its co-op mode.

In truth, he’d loved it too... mostly because he’d loved playing with her. But, of course, neither of them had ever beaten it.

The premise was simple: humanity had been driven into its last remaining citadel, and the player had to push back the corruption. The corruption itself was like a watery plague that meant instant death if touched unless the proper potion was applied within ten seconds.

Peace’s problem was...

’I’m in the damned Corrupted Lands!’

Players had to develop their characters within the dungeon, only venturing into the Corrupted Lands after reaching Tier 5, or preferably Tier 4.

The outdated graphics were likely why he hadn’t recognized the world at first...

Still, he recognized the name of the monster.

A Vanadar — a Tier 5 B-Class monster commonly found on the fourth and fifth floors of the dungeon. Most players dreaded encountering one because of its ability to bypass every form of defense.

As for the smaller monster he’d...

’Bleh.’

It had most likely been a Tier 7 A-Class Onno, albeit a corrupted one.

’It put up a damn good fight for the rank disparity...’

But why had he felt so compelled to eat it? More importantly, why wasn’t he disgusted? And most importantly...

’Why the fuck am I so damned weak?!’

Besides the whole being a monster thing itself...

What was he, a Tier 9 monster, doing in the Corrupted Lands!

This start was nothing but a death sentence. Even if he could evade being killed and scavenge corpses to eat, he’d be stuck at his current...

’Rank? There’s an EXP gauge next to it, so it can probably increase. I guess it’s different because I’m a monster. I don’t know, this wasn’t an option in the damn game!’

All he knew was that he didn’t possess a ’Level’ like a character should. But he could figure that out later. The point was that he needed to kill to gain EXP.

’Although...’

Perhaps there was something even stranger about him than not possessing a Level. He’d touched plenty of the corruption by now, yet hadn’t been corrupted. He’d even eaten a corrupted monster.

’Nothing is making sense.’

Not to mention the mental block that still prevented him from dwelling on eating the corpse. He was merely forcing himself to feel disgusted because that would be the normal reaction.

’Still... what does it matter?’

If the world wanted to be rid of Peace, who was he to decline?

After all, he didn’t really want to... live.

Not without his sister, at least. What use was there in living in such a cruel, cold world?

Especially as a monster.

’This is probably a dream anyway.’

Dream or not, his choice had been made.

Peace slowly pulled himself onto a branch, ready to reveal himself and allow the humans to kill him, when an impossible thought occurred to him.

’What if...’

Being summoned here was inexplicable, but it opened the door for other impossible things to be true.

’What if she’s here?’

A wild thing took shape in his mind: hope.

’Serene... what if she was summoned here?!’

He couldn’t leave her. Not again. No matter how infinitesimal the chance, he would cling to it with helpless desperation.

In this new reality, there was one thing he knew for certain: Serene was dead back home.

Through the dense black foliage, he watched the three men crowd around the Vanadar’s corpse. They dug through its remains until one of them pulled out a black stone. The archer then retrieved a Wisp storage vial...

A black flame floated nearby.

When the archer held the vial toward it, an unknown force drew the flame into the small tube. He sealed it with a cap and attached a label.

A corrupted Wisp had to be purified before it could be absorbed as a Resonance.

The humans passed beneath him and continued through the forest, still talking.

"Did you hear they caught another one?"

"Yeah, those damned Soul Stealers! How do they even do it?"

’Soul Stealer?’

’Are they talking about Mirage?’

A Tier 3 beast capable of perfectly mimicking humans.

"Yeah, they need to do something about those spirits taking over our kids! Say, Lacan, you’re almost eighteen... are you not worried?"

The man named Lacan, the archer, looked up.

’At least, I think it’s a man.’

It was difficult to tell beneath their heavy, concealing clothes.

"Of course I’m worried... if I do get taken over, I want you to be the one to kill me, Captain David."

The man, presumably David, laughed.

"Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that."

’They aren’t talking about a Mirage, are they?’

What other monsters could do something like that? Was there some form of possession monster he didn’t know about?

Unwilling to lose his only source of information — and best chance to understand this world — Peace followed the group through the trees. Each branch he crossed felt more natural than the last, and once he found the proper rhythm, he moved with an agility his human body could never have matched.

Thankfully, he was remarkably light. As long as he avoided the thinner branches, he shouldn’t have to worry about one snapping beneath him.

Peace wove through the canopy, disturbing the black leaves as little as possible.

The three men continued through the dark forest, constantly scanning their surroundings.

Without stopping, the archer eased his pace and murmured:

"We’re being followed."

Captain David replied:

"I noticed... keep walking, don’t let it know we know."

Peace froze.

’Ah, I’m dumb as fuck...’

Of course a Tier 5 Archer would notice him!

Lithe and nimble as he might have been, it was nowhere near enough to make up the multiple Tier gap.

After a few more steps, the group stopped.

Lacan, the archer, shrugged.

"It stopped? Did it understand us?"

The shield bearer responded:

"Who cares? I can tell it’s weak by its aura."

"Alright, I’ll take care of it quickly."

In one swift motion, the archer spun around, raised his bow, and shot an already-nocked arrow.

Through the leaves, Peace locked eyes with him in horror.

’I’m screwed.’

And right after he found a reason for living again...

Peace tried to turn, but barely moved before a sudden pain tore through his chest.

The arrow had pierced his back, knocking him from the branch and sending him crashing to the ground.

A strange yet sweet voice played within his mind.

[Your health has dropped below 50%]

The impact left him helpless. The moment Peace’s head struck the ground, every coherent thought vanished.

His vision blurred as the surrounding darkness closed in.

[Your health has dropped below 25%]

[You’re bleeding...]

His eyelids began to droop.

He could still hear the men’s voices, but he could no longer tell them apart.

"Did you get it?"

"Yeah. Be careful, it’s still alive."

"Whoa! What is that thing?"

"I don’t know, I’ve never seen it before."

[Your health has dropped below 15%]

"It’s ugly..."

Peace barely forced his eyes open and stared at the three men towering over him.

"Wait... this thing..." The archer knelt beside him in disbelief. "It’s uncorrupted!"

The other two exclaimed in unison.

[Your health has dropped below 5%]

"What?!"

[Your health has dropped below 1%]

Peace blinked slowly, his breath ragged, when a searing pain tore through him. The arrow had been pulled free.

A soothing warmth mingled with the pain. The feeling spreading throughout his body as his wounds began to close.

He still couldn’t move, but the bleeding had stopped.

They’d doused him with a potion.

The archer spoke under his breath.

"This find..."

The shield bearer exclaimed:

"We have to get this creature back! The world will go mad with hope when they discover this!"

The swordsman laughed.

"Think of all the money!"

"Money is what you’re thinking of? You corrupt captain!"

Peace’s mind had cleared, but he could do nothing as the archer began binding his ankles. But, before Lacan could tie the knot, he screamed and collapsed to his knees, nearly crushing Peace beneath him.

Clutching his head, he shoved himself upright and staggered about wildly.

The shield bearer shouted:

"What’s wrong, Lacan?! Did it poison you?!"

"Wha—" Lacan clawed backward, allowing his bow to fall from his hand. "Where am I?! Who are you people?! Argh! What is that thing?!"