CHAPTER 101: How Could I Be So Frustrated?
The two massive armies of monsters collided. Though they were called armies, they had nothing resembling orderly formations.
It was a frenzied, chaotic brawl. With no clear distinction between friend and foe, they simply killed whatever was in front of them and pushed forward.
Worse, they weren't even ordinary living creatures.
Both sides consisted of monsters that had been devoured by a Lord and absorbed into Erosion. Even if they bled and died, they were simply reclaimed by Erosion.
And from the shadows of Erosion, new monsters would emerge to join the fray.
The two sides were locked in a war of attrition, endlessly throwing monsters at each other.
'They're not being pushed back as much as I thought.'
The battle was more of a tug-of-war than he had initially expected.
Part of it was that their side had a massive number of troops, and also…
'They're charging madly toward the light.'
Surprisingly, the monsters on the God of Light's side were even more ferocious.
The moment a speck of light appeared on the battlefield, they would charge toward it in a frenzy. As if forgetting everything else, they desperately sought it as their only salvation.
If anything stood in their way, friend or foe, they would crush it and continue their charge toward that single point of light. It looked like sinners in hell pushing each other off a spider's thread to be the first to grab it.
"Just how did you train them?"
[Isn't it efficient?]
"Well, yes, but…"
That light wasn't just light; it was her blessing. Using a minimal amount of it to send the monsters into a berserk state was certainly efficient.
It just wasn't a pleasant sight. What kind of world did they inhabit, and what reality were they seeing?
A Lord was a Lord, after all. Just because she used the power of light didn't mean she was benevolent.
They were allies for now, but he couldn't let his guard down, not knowing how long this relationship would last.
"Are those Hunters over there?"
The fact that their side wasn't being pushed back significantly was also thanks to the efforts of Hunters.
No one dared to enter the center of the grand melee where friend couldn't be distinguished from foe, but there were those fighting on the less chaotic outskirts.
They primarily hunted monsters that had strayed from the pack, storing the corpses in their inventories.
The fact they were still looking out for themselves was, in a way, reassuring. Without that level of skill and awareness, they wouldn't have made it as Hunters on the 3rd Floor.
"Hm? That person is…"
Then, he spotted a familiar face. No, he couldn't see a face.
There was no visible form to the naked eye, only a flame. It was Kurenai Masato.
He wasn't participating in the chaotic crucible of the brawl but was picking off monsters one by one from the outside of the horde. In his wake, only monsters were left, collapsing in sprays of blood.
"Jinwoo?"
Just as Jinwoo found him, he must have felt the gaze and spotted him. With a light tap of his foot, he appeared by Jinwoo's side.
"It's been a while. Have you been well?"
"A lot has happened. Looks like things have been just as rough over here."
"I never thought the 3rd Floor would become like this so suddenly. Hm? What's that next to you?"
Kurenai noticed the light floating beside Jinwoo. At first, he looked at it with curiosity, but his voice soon grew heavy.
"That's a rather familiar energy… Isn't that the power of the God of Light?"
How should he explain this? Jinwoo glanced at the light, which flickered for a moment before disappearing.
[Just make something up.]
It seemed she had no intention of talking. Jinwoo replied, following her words.
"You're right. It's the God of Light herself. We're just connected, that's all."
[Jinwoo!]
The God of Light protested, but he felt no obligation to listen to her.
Kurenai looked surprised for a moment at the spot where the light had vanished, but not even a trace of its afterglow remained.
"Come to think of it, weren't you hunting monsters as part of the God of Light's trial?"
"I was. I never imagined the monsters I caught back then would be used like this, though."
Kurenai Masato chuckled and looked out at the chaotic battlefield.
Surely, a handful of the monsters he had killed were mixed into that horde. Should he be glad they were being put to some meaningful use?
"By the way, what's your relationship with the God of Light? Is it okay to ask?"
"It's not that complicated."
Jinwoo briefly explained the events that had transpired.
The fall of the God of the Moonlight Forest, moving to the Castle of Light on the crow Galleo's suggestion, and the light that had started following him of its own accord when he left to find the Temple of the Battlefield.
There wasn't time for a leisurely chat, so he only listed the key points, but Kurenai was sharp enough to piece together the context.

"So, you have to break through that horde and infiltrate?"
"Yes. The divine artifacts collected by the God of the Battlefield should be at the very end. If we seize them and nullify his influence, those monsters will disappear, and the barrier covering the 3rd Floor will collapse. Will you help us?"
Jinwoo proposed he join them. Kurenai thought for a moment before declining.
"My apologies. I have something else I need to do."
"Something you need to do?"
"It's a personal matter. Extremely personal, but to me, it's everything."
Jinwoo recalled the personal story he had heard from him before. He possessed the strongest stealth ability among Tokyo's assassins but was troubled by his inability to control it.
He couldn't remember the exact words, but that was the gist of it.
"You said you were going to look for an answer in the Temple of Light. Did you find it?"
"Not at all. By any chance, could I speak with this God of Light? I want to ask her directly."
Jinwoo asked the God of Light.
'That's what he says. What do you think?'
[Why should I?]
She sounded completely uninterested. Not only that, she seemed to have a strong aversion and disgust toward the very idea of conversing.
Does she hate talking to humans? But she approached me first.
"She says no."
"Hmm."
Kurenai closed his mouth as if he had expected it.
"Well, I figured. A god's revelation isn't something one can obtain so easily. So, I need to show some sincerity, is that it?"
"That wasn't really the nuance…"
Even if he wanted to explain more, the God of Light said nothing further. It seemed she had truly tuned out.
Kurenai Masato stretched widely and gazed at the chaotic battlefield. Here and there, motes of light would appear—the energy the God of Light sent down to drive the monsters into a frenzy.
"I understand. I'll give it a try myself. To earn the right to hear a god's words."
With only those words, Kurenai Masato vanished. Had he gone to chase after that light as well?
Jinwoo gave a bitter smile. For a different reason, Kurenai Masato had also come to yearn for a single point of light, just like the monsters.
"You're having a tough time, getting tangled up with a nasty god."
In response, a mote of light flashed brightly before Jinwoo's eyes and disappeared. There were no words, but its displeasure was clearly felt.

Kalesian and Mahiri, who had been scouting the opposite side, returned. He and Jinwoo put their heads together to formulate a plan to infiltrate the Temple of the Battlefield.
"I've found a few useful spots. Oh, and there were some Elves over there. Do you want to go meet them?"
"Let's go."
At a time when every bit of help was precious, there was no reason not to.
In the area Kalesian had scouted, there were Elves hunting monsters just like the Hunters.
They were mostly firing arrows from a distance, hunting safely, but there were so many monsters that a few arrows barely made a difference.
Even so, none of them would dare throw themselves into that battlefield. They were simply reducing the number of monsters as much as they could from a secure position.
"Ipril! Rona!"
Among them were two familiar faces. Jinwoo met with them, explained the situation, and asked for their help.
"I… don't think I can. I can't leave my kin behind."
After some thought, Ipril declined. It seemed there was no one else to lead the Elves at the moment.
The Elves gathered here were individuals who had been active on the 3rd Floor, not belonging to any particular organization. It wasn't common to find someone who could act as a unifying figure for such a group.
"I'm sorry I can't help, Master."
"It's okay. This is dangerous work; I can't force you to come."
Forcing someone who didn't want to go would only be a hindrance.
What Jinwoo needed now were comrades who were not only strong but also resolute in their will.
"I'm fine with it. I followed you to the 3rd Floor to help you in the first place."
Rona readily agreed to accompany him. She had followed him all the way from the kingdom, so she had no reason to refuse.
And so, the party heading to the Temple of the Battlefield consisted of Jinwoo, Rona, and Kalesian with Mahiri.
Considering Kalesian and Mahiri were practically one unit, there were only three combat-capable members.
Still, all three were formidable fighters. It was worth a try.
"Kalesian, is there any way to block that sword?"
"I know dozens of defensive spells, but I don't know if any of them would be suitable. What about you?"
"I don't have anything either…"
Jinwoo and Kalesian turned to look at Rona at the same time, but she also shook her head.
"I don't know either. I'm just good at swinging a sword."
He wasn't sure if this would work. Charging in like this, wouldn't they just be moths flying into a flame without a plan?
"But we can't just stay here. If we don't settle this now, it'll be completely out of our hands."
He was right. They were holding their own for now, but it was clear that, over time, the God of Light's side would be pushed back.
After that, the God of the Battlefield would advance with his remaining forces to strike the Temple of Light and acquire one more divine artifact.
If that happened, the 3rd Floor would be completely conquered by him. And everyone currently trapped here would be reduced to his slaves.
"Let's go."
Even if it seemed hopeless, they couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
Besides, it was unlikely they would come up with a countermeasure for that sword even if they put their heads together for days on end.
Even the God of Light had shaken her head, saying she had no clear solution.
In the end, their only option was to somehow dodge it and seize the divine artifact first.
Understanding the situation, the party plunged into the battlefield through the infiltration route Kalesian had scouted.
They chose a path with as few monsters as possible, but collisions were unavoidable. They cut down all who stood in their way as they ran toward the collapsed cliff.
Kalesian with his magic, Rona with her sword, and Jinwoo as well, swinging his blade to cut down the grotesque monsters.
He felt like he was swinging his sword to his heart's content. The act of swinging the sword itself was enjoyable. The situation, however, was anything but.
Just then.
"…!"
"Jinwoo!"
Not long after they had infiltrated, it began to move.
It had been quietly observing the situation until now, but upon spotting them, it slowly raised its hand.
The mere act of lifting the sword made the atmosphere tremble and crushed the surroundings with pressure.
Even the monsters, who had been busy fighting with bloodshot eyes, stopped their battles and scrambled to flee. It seemed the instinct for survival was stronger than the instinct for conflict.
Kalesian and Rona sprinted in different directions with all their might. Jinwoo also moved to evade. Whatever happened, all three of them couldn't be taken out at once, so scattering was the best option.
And the sword fell, not toward anyone else, but toward Jinwoo.
The sword that had split the Moonlight Forest, temple and all. The greatsword that had effortlessly demolished the impossibly hard red cliffs.
Perhaps because of its immense size, its descent was slow. With Jinwoo's speed, he could still retreat and avoid it.
But Jinwoo gripped his sword. And as if possessed, as if his body remembered the motion, he swung.
The moment the two swords clashed, a completely different scene unfolded within that instant.
The collapsed cliff and the brawling monsters were nowhere to be seen.
All that was visible was an open landscape and a setting sun. Only long, drawn-out shadows.
As sword met sword, one of them was sent flying. No, they weren't even swords. They were crude wooden swords, fashioned from tree branches, with no sharpened edges.
...I lost.
The small child stared at the wooden sword that had been knocked away, his lips pressed tightly together. His hair was cropped short and silver, and his body was incredibly stout for a child. His dark skin was reminiscent of rough rock.
To have trained for so long and still be unable to land a single blow on the being before him… the frustration was unbearable.