Chapter 23: Oh, Saintess.

Gates seal the passage between regions.

Each gate is themed according to its Gatekeeper.

For example, Gate 1 was a Nightmare zone where nightmares primarily appeared.

It was a simple gate that introduced the game’s flow, mechanics, and combat.

Starting from Gate 2, the story truly begins.

The crucial point is that the theme expands.

A single grand theme connects Gate 2 all the way to Gate 5.

That is the ‘Bloody Fortress’.

Unlike monsters lacking intelligence, these are monsters infected after being human.

They think before they act.

Like the giant mosquito monster that attacked the reconnaissance team.

They do not wander alone but form groups and obey the commands of their superiors.

Is that all?

The blood mist covering the field obstructs vision.

Just breathing can turn allies into enemies.

And if the abnormal bleeding that gushes from mere scratches wasn’t enough.

The bloodthirsty monsters lurking in the crimson darkness.

Were more than sufficient to endlessly stress out players.

Therefore, the majority of players aim to pass through Gate 5 quickly.

Because these four gates are uniquely linked as one.

Clearing Gate 5, which houses the strongest Gatekeeper.

Automatically registered the preceding gates as cleared as well.

• That’s the standard play for real.

• Who in their right mind would waste all that time in the earlier gates?

• Takes forever and the rewards suck, why bother clearing them?

• Then can’t you just pass through?

• Game noob? You need an invitation to go to the next one.

You couldn’t just proceed to the next gate recklessly.

You needed an invitation, dropped by chance from some monsters.

And guaranteed from specific monsters, to pass through.

“That’s why the viewers are freaking out.”

Not knowing how much time would have to be spent here.

A priest’s blessing to nullify debuffs and consumable items were essential.

• But is running through a forest full of sharp plants really the right move?

• Bleed resistance in this area is -100%, getting scratched is a real disaster.

• It’s human nature to want to hurry if you hear about an impending attack.

• Ah, looks like a quick trip to the afterlife lolll

Once bleeding starts, health rapidly decreases to near-death levels.

If clothing or flesh got caught on the hook-shaped plants.

One could meet the Grim Reaper instantly.

“Being a mage character, getting scratched once could mean death.”

• Gotta admit High School Girl-chan’s got guts.

• Ah, well, just don’t get hit lolol

• Does that even make sense lolll?

“It works if you don’t get hit. Look closely at High School Girl-chan’s feet.”

Mage Sua, having noticed something, spoke up.

• What about her feet?

• Can’t see anything?

“If you look closely, you can see the plants around her feet getting crushed, right?”

• Looking closely, maybe?

• You can see that?

• Definitely, whenever she steps, the surrounding plants move unnaturally.

“No matter how you look at it, it seems like she’s using Shield magic?”

• Shi?ld?

• The Shield we know? That protection magic?

• But Shield magic is hemispherical, isn’t it? Wouldn’t that have flattened all the surrounding plants too?

• True. The shield should have shattered when passing between trees.

Some mage viewers, noticing the oddity in Mage Sua’s words, raised objections.

“Remember back in Gate 1? High School Girl-chan enveloped her body in light magic.”

• No? Way?

• Hey, no matter how good she is, modifying protection magic?

A level of magic application that even typical or veteran mage users.

Would neither dare attempt nor succeed at.

The bizarre technique of altering the fundamental form of magic.

Is a skill only she. High School Girl-chan. Could perform.

“To be precise, she’s not enveloping her whole body. See High School Girl-chan’s movements? Arms and legs moving minimally.”

• Yes, I see.

• What about it?

“To conserve mana, it seems she’s maintaining the shield only on specific ‘parts’ of her body. Look there. Pushing aside blade-like plants with bare hands. Stomping on them with her feet.”

• True. So does that mean she’s maintaining shields only on her arms and legs?

“That seems likely.”

• Her magic application is insane?

• How is that possible?

• Mage Sua-nim, can you do it too?

“… I can’t. I can’t even begin to modify the shield itself. No, forget modification, maintaining the shield while running like that requires unbelievable concentration.”

• Mage Sua declares defeat lolllllll

• If the World’s Second Best Mage following the World’s Best can’t do it, then High School Girl-chan, she is truly…!

• Still looks tough though?

• lollll High School Girl-chan is human too.

Viewers misunderstood Edelin’s frowning expression as she headed towards the garrison.

Thinking it wasn’t easy to run through the forest while concentrating on something.

But the reality was completely different.

‘A familiar aura. A dreadful environment. No matter how I look at it, this place matches my memories.’

In the past.

When an inexplicable plague swept the continent.

The terrain was very similar to the environments where vampires had appeared.

‘Don’t tell me… they have been resurrected?’

Although they were suppressed early on by the continent’s subjugation forces.

The damage they inflicted upon the continent was immense, so Edelin still remembered.

Even if she emotionally denied it.

Her rational mind screamed that this place was nothing less than a remnant of the past.

‘I don’t want to repeat the past.’

So that victims would never appear again.

“Halt!”

After proceeding in that direction for some time.

The forest that seemed eternally endless disappeared.

A massive wooden wall blocked her path.

“Who goes there? State your affiliation.”

“I have no affiliation. I came to fulfill a request from a recon soldier named Henry.”

“Henry?”

Edelin took his token from her belongings.

The two soldiers guarding the massive wooden wall looked at each other.

Then lowered the spears aimed at Edelin.

“Forgive our rudeness to a stranger. There are many vampires pretending to be human.”

“I understand. Could you guide me to your commander?”

“Follow me.”

A section of the massive wooden wall swung open like a gate.

What she thought was a giant wooden wall was a temporary barrier to protect the barracks.

Entering inside, rows of barracks exuding a strong garrison feel came into view.

Soldiers were seen tending to their equipment individually.

‘… As expected.’

However, among them, few soldiers were unscathed.

Painful groans leaked from within the barracks.

Some soldiers even lay outside due to lack of space.

It was difficult to tell if this place was a barracks or a patient ward.

“General. Someone has arrived bearing news from the recon soldier.”

“Hmm? Ooh… To bring news from the soldier whose contact was lost. Thank you.”

The general, issuing orders to his adjutants on site, greeted Edelin warmly.

She took out the token and handed it to the general. The suspicion in the general’s eyes immediately vanished.

• What is that thing that makes all the NPCs trust her?

• It’s a token made of material that melts vampires just by possessing it.

• So just having that token certifies your purity.

It wasn’t a quest item for nothing.

“There’s no need to give me the token. We all carry one. However. You say there will be an attack tonight?”

“That is correct.”

“Hmm… This has become quite troublesome. Could I possibly ask for your help in defending the garrison? We just need to hold out until reinforcements arrive.”

Tiring-

Q. General’s Request

There are insufficient troops to defend the garrison from the vampires.

Help him succeed in defending the garrison.

<<Choose your response>>

1. Accept.

2. Refuse. ( Garrison partially destroyed )

3. Attack. ( Quest permanently unavailable )

• Obviously refuse, are you crazy to accept lolll

• Standard play is refuse. Please press refuse.

• Seeing the state inside the barracks, how many people would actually press accept?

“Accept.”

• lollllllll

• When it comes to new ways to commit suicide, no one beats High School Girl-chan.

• As expected, I believed in you High School Girl-chan.

• Looking forward to seeing how she dies.

Viewers clicked their tongues watching High School Girl-chan accept without hesitation.

The first garrison defense battle is essentially a forced trigger, predetermined failure.

As the vanguard entering without any information.

They were helplessly exposed to the Bloody Curse.

Resulting in more than half becoming combat-incapable patients before even fighting.

• It’d be easier on the mind to abandon the first garrison and start with the reinforcements.

• If you don’t know, you die, right?

• But it’s true that succeeding in the defense gives an advantage, yes yes.

• True. You can prevent the infected from turning into enemies lolll

• But has anyone ever succeeded in defending?

• Nopellll

The cure for the Bloody Curse only drops from defeating the special boss of this gate.

And defeating the Gatekeeper of the gate cures the infected within that gate – a simple mechanic.

Meaning, in the current situation, there was nothing that could be done.

“I don’t know how much help one person can be. Thank you again.”

“I am merely doing what must be done. However, General. Looking at the situation, it seems you don’t have many combat personnel….”

The general sighed at Edelin’s words.

“An excellent eye. You are correct. We currently lack effective combat personnel in the barracks. Because of the unknown plague…. If I had known, I would have brought a priest….”

“May I take a look at the patients?”

“The patients…? I don’t mind, but please be careful not to get infected.”

With those words, the general called an adjutant and gave him various instructions.

Following the adjutant’s guidance, Edelin approached the vicinity of the barracks where the patients were gathered.

“Urgghhhhh….”

Most had bulging veins on their faces, a bizarre appearance.

Severe cases looked horribly swollen, as if their heads might burst.

“What is it?”

A medic wearing a mask stopped Edelin from approaching the barracks.

“I came thinking I might be able to help treat the patients.”

“Are you a healer? Oh. Thank God.”

“What is it?”

“We were reaching our limit just sustaining them with blood donations from healthy soldiers.”

The medic explained their symptoms to Edelin.

All those infected with the Bloody Curse uniformly complained of ‘thirst’.

Those whose ‘thirst’ reached its limit lost their sanity and turned into vampires, attacking their comrades.

It was identical to the symptoms of semi-vampires that Edelin knew.

‘My prediction was correct.’

Edelin knew the alchemy for the cure that treated them.

But whether the ingredients could be found in this terrain was uncertain.

“Show me the most critical patient first.”

However, it wasn’t entirely without options.

• High School Girl-chan is doing something weird again.

• Why did she voluntarily enter the plague zone?

While the viewers wondered.

Mage Sua, the only one who seemed to understand, gasped in horror.

“N…No way…?”

As if confirming Mage Sua’s prediction.

Edelin placed her hand on the patient’s face.

• ???

• No worries about infection if you become a vampire too lollll

• lolllll Really?

• No worries if you eliminate the source!

• Or maybe reduce the number of future enemies by killing the humans who will turn?

• Wow, that’s a bit much.

• Are you a devil lolllllll

Contrary to the viewers’ concerns.

Edelin was concentrating the Nightmare energy squirming within her circle onto her fingertips.

Using the Nightmare energy to absorb the Bloody Curse.

Edelin was also aware of the fact that the Nightmare absorbed all kinds of energy.

As expected, the Bloody Curse was also a type of energy.

The Nightmare joyfully chewed, tore, and swallowed the curse.

[ To think I’d live to see a human who handles nightmares. ]

While it was busy chewing on the curse. The dumbfounded voice of the King of Shadow Nightmares echoed.

Edelin mentally retorted with an answer learned from Yeeun.

‘Your nightmare is awesome.’

[ …. ]

Edelin didn’t just silence the King of Shadow Nightmares.

“….”

As time passed, the complexion of the soldier receiving treatment gradually improved.

The grotesque veins that had shot up to his head slowly receded down his neck.

He returned to a normal appearance, the condition no longer visible externally.

“H-How….”

The medic watched the miraculous sight.

He soon dropped to his knees on the floor, clasped his hands together, and cried out.

“Oh… Saintess. Have you come to save us!”

At her ability, akin to a miracle.

The number of people praising God increased.