45. A: an Eerie Smile

“are they becoming stronger, because of their high number?”

Because the only difference between this fight, and the one from before, is their number. So if there is a reason, then maybe the more walkers group up and fight together the stronger they become?

Or maybe is it some skill or ability they have? something like a buff to increase their stats when fighting together?

Because no matter how you look at it, they are still bad at fighting just like when the fight started, but even so, now they are becoming not only stronger, no, they are also getting better at teamwork, and are starting to move as one.

Honestly, it’s not like they are becoming better at fighting me. But instead, they are getting better at cooperation and working together, while also showing an unnatural increase in their status.

And no matter how you look at it, even if all the walkers were to level up twice or maybe even more in the middle of our fight, it still won’t be normal for them to have their stats instantly doubled.

But even so, I can’t deny the possibility of them acquiring some weird skill in the middle of our fight, or even have it from the very beginning.

“Indeed, that’s a more likely possibility.”

For a pack-type demonic beast to have a skill that can give them a buff when they are high in number or when fighting in a group, it’s kinda logical when you think about it.

Though it’s a little sad, knowing that even in a place like this, with a lot of vague and extraordinary things, like the stats and skills, the power of numerical advantage is still existing.

“well, not like I care.”

After all, as long as I understand the reason behind them becoming stronger, then I can just kill them, right?

And to prove that, now that I have found the possible reason behind their sudden power-up, and observed them, waiting until it stopped increasing, I finally start my fighting back.

“Rooar.”

Slashing the closest walker’s neck, I then back step, dodging the multiple attacks coming from the ones at the side.

Fuuush.

Ssssssh.

Then lowering my stance, I cut their arms, and pass by them.

And when getting behind them, I kick the first one, and then attack the second one with my halberd, before anyone else tries to attack me.

After all, even if their stat were doubled, they are barely stronger than me.

Though that is only in terms of stats, and not in battle experience. And so, as long as I am careful I should be okay.

Or so I thought at the time before that thing appeared.

Fighting with the walkers, and cutting open a path through them, using the narrow paths created by the forest’s trees, I quickly get rid of a good number of them.

Though sadly, I never did level up.

And even as I was fighting, not only was my level not increasing, even my skills did not level up.

Especially with the number of kills I did. Should not I level up? or do monster from the same level not give enough experience.

Cutting a walker’s head from its body, and at last, getting out of the forest, I look at the walkers still waiting for me outside of it as if finally understanding their disadvantage inside it.

Though their numbers are still not small, at least they are not increasing anymore.

Which pushes me to question.

“if I were to kill you all, will I then level up? No, is it worth it actually? all this battle just for that ?”

And then smiling, I open my mouth.

“hmmm, to level up or to not level up? that is the question. right ?”

Pfft.

And barely stopping myself from laughing, I quickly dash to the cowering enemies of mine, who are not even daring to get inside the forest, as I plan to end this all.

But at that moment, it happened.

Crack. Crack. Crash.

A loud glass-breaking sound was heard. And following that voice, ...

Crash.

Boom.

A giant monster just pulverized its way from the second old building.

Easily breaking the walls of the lowest two floors, it just got through there slowly.

Then as if expecting it, the walkers stopped and just stood there, not even moving a muscle.

And after a while, with all the dust finally disappearing, I finally get a good glance at the weird-looking thing.

A giant monster, with a head the size of a small car. Resembling the pale walker’s in it lacking the eyes and ears. Though for this one, instead of having a lot of canines, it has a lips-less mouth filled with incisors instead, smiling eerily.

And then after his ugly face, come his body.

Well, for this one, it does not have legs, instead, its abdomen just stretch for about ten meters, with about twenty pairs of 2-meter long arms, twenty at each side, with each hand of his having sharp claws scratching the floor, while it’s using them to crawl its way from the building as if a giant human-centipede is moving.

And then looking at that ugly monster, some parts and details that I had missed before when immersed in my fight have been cleared.

For example, why are the rats that have mindlessly attacked me before, not daring to attack the walkers no matter how close they got to them, and instead are just threatening them to stay away?

It’s because there is something that even as mindless of a creature as they are, they could still recognize it as an unstoppable threat.

And how come the walkers suddenly become cowards not daring to attack into the forest, when they are not even able to think clearly?

Well, they were waiting for their leader it seems.

And also, to think that I have totally forgotten the most important part about a pack of wild beasts. How careless of me.

Hmm ? you ask what that is?

Well, the answer is standing there, no?

A matchless leader. With the ability to force its pack on following its command.

-Heavy Walker lv8: a human-insect hybrid demonic beast.-

That is the most important part of a pack.

And as I stand vigilantly faced with it, while coldly sweating, I grip my halberd readying myself to fight, and start observing the new heavy walkers’ movement, trying to assess its threat, when...

Fuuuush.

It suddenly vanished from my view.

Sssssh.

And as if a train is back on its track, suddenly the heavy walker accelerated with its claw leaving a trail on the ground.

And without me even, recognizing what is happening.

Baam.

“gha ...!?”

I get sent flying by a single fist of his.