It was truly unlucky that a blizzard started raging in the snowy mountains.

“Huff, huff…!”

“Lin, duck!”

“…!”

At Lucy’s shout, Lin immediately bent forward until his waist was level with the ground. 

With a sharp metallic sound, the wind pressure brushed past his hair. 

If he hadn’t bent down, Lin would have been cleanly sliced in half and left rolling separately in the snow.

‘This kind of scenario wasn’t in the DLC!’

It wasn’t just the succubus tightening the noose around his neck. 

Although his stamina was better than that of an average person, it wasn’t at the level of a hero, leaving him breathless. 

He had run from the Ephalter household without looking back. 

When the succubus was struck by Lucy’s blow and smashed through the door, crashing into the shop across the street, the sudden commotion attracted people and guards.

“What’s going on here?”

“Sir guard! A person suddenly flew through the wall!”

“Huh? Aren’t you the one from last night…?”

Quickly hiding Lucy inside his clothes again, Lin left the weapon shop, and everyone’s eyes focused on him. 

Lin racked his brain, meeting the gaze of the guards who had searched for him the previous night. 

It was strange. 

In the game, the succubus did lure the porter but didn’t block the door, allowing him to slip out gradually and start a game of hide-and-seek. 

From there, he would sneak out of the city without being caught by the demons and transition into the full-fledged chase mission in the middle of the snowy mountains.

But now, blocking the door, the enraged Lucy had struck the succubus, sending her flying far away. 

She had taken significant damage and still hadn’t emerged from the dust cloud. 

Lin’s mind raced. 

If caught by the guards, he would be restrained and eventually face revenge from the demons.

Alright. Lin made up his mind. 

The best strategy was always to strike first. 

Lin twisted his face, trembling and pointing as he yelled, “A demon! It’s a demon!!!”

“What?!”

“Hey, you! Do you realize the gravity of your words? If you’re just spouting nonsense… gah!”

Before the murmurs among the people subsided, the guard trying to question Lin was impaled by the succubus who appeared from behind. 

Blood splattered on the ground as the demon tore the guard’s body apart. 

Everyone froze in shock at the surreal scene.

“You… you’re not just a big-bellied traveler!”

The succubus, with bloodshot eyes, shook off the blood from her claws, glaring at Lin. 

“Who is she? To have enough power to send me flying… Is she a hidden hero?”

Lucy, concealed inside his clothes, tapped his abdomen. 

The shock snapped Lin out of his daze, allowing him to move again.

“Eek! It really is a demon! A demon! Raise the beacon!!!”

He turned around and screamed with all his might. 

At his shout, the residents of Ephalter regained their senses, screaming and fleeing.

“A demon!!”

“Raise the beacon! Light the beacon!”

“Everyone, run!”

As panic and chaos ensued, the succubus hesitated. 

She wanted to chase after the two but knew that raising the beacon would alert the capital and the hero party in less than half a day. 

If that happened, she would be pursued by the strongest human forces who had defeated the Demon King. 

She was in a dilemma: chase the pesky mice or stop the beacon.

In the midst of this, Lin caught the succubus’s attention.

“Advanced Skill: Shadow Pursuit (Lv.8)”

Lin took a scroll from his pack, tore it, and cast the skill, blending quickly into the shadows. 

However, the snow-covered streets of Ephalter left unavoidable footprints.

“Those damn rats!”

Seeing him use the skill, the succubus was convinced. 

He must be part of the hero party or their associate. 

She judged that their communication would be faster than the beacon and immediately started chasing after the footprints. 

This was how the chase began without any hide-and-seek.

“Phew! Phew!”

Lin was exhausted. 

He hadn’t even grabbed any winter gear.

Sweating profusely from running madly, he was now in one of the snowy mountains of the harsh winter range. 

He had entered the next map unprepared.

Swoosh!

“She’s coming from the left! Run to the right!”

Twisting his body to the right like a ballet dancer, another metallic sound sliced through the air, striking where he had just been. 

Without Lucy’s keen senses, he would have died several times. 

Even with an advanced skill to erase his presence, he couldn’t afford to reach into his pack for anything.

“Damn! If only Hononima were here!”

No, even if he just had his limbs properly attached, he could have handled such a low-ranking demon himself. 

But all of that was a futile assumption.

“Stop right now! If you calmly hand over the woman and your energy, I’ll spare your life!”

She sounded like she was speaking right next to him. 

Lin turned his head in panic while running and saw the succubus running towards him, staring right at him.

“You’re finally acknowledging me?”

The succubus’s long claws mercilessly pierced Lin’s shoulder. 

But even as a porter, Lin was still part of the hero party.

“Gotcha.”

Grabbing the succubus firmly with his shoulder muscles and hand, Lin reached into his pack with his other hand and pulled out a very thin glass bottle, smashing it against her claw.

Sizzle

“Kyahhhhhh!”

The glass bottle contained holy water, the finest made by the prayers of Saint Arsil. 

The holy water burned the demon’s arm, making smoke rise. 

Screaming in agony, the succubus kicked Lin, sending him flying. 

As he collided with a tree and rolled several times, he suddenly felt the ground and his back become empty.

“CILFF!”

He had been thrown to the edge of a cliff, lightly covered in snow. 

Feeling the all-too-familiar sensation of floating, Lin gritted his teeth.

—

“Ne noh-ohm!!”

The demon’s roar gradually faded into the distance. 

Lin desperately curled up to shield Lucy, who was nestled against his abdomen.

Thud!

“Ugh…!”

Unfortunately, Lin’s body did not land on the soft snow but collided with a large, black rock. 

The dull impact forced the air out of Lin’s lungs, and he doubled over in pain, tears streaming down his face.

“Where do you think you’re going? I remember the smell of your blood!”

Move, nothing has been resolved yet.

“The moment I catch you, I’ll devour and kill you in front of that grotesque wench’s eyes!”

Heat surged through his abdomen. 

Lucy was seething with anger at the succubus’s taunts. 

Though both Lucy and the succubus were shouting, Lin couldn’t hear them clearly amidst the fierce blizzard and his own agony. 

If only he had the Art of Shrinking Ground. 

Unfortunately, acquiring more than two ultimate skills beyond the top tier was difficult.

“Top Tier: Conceal Presence (Lv.Max)”

“Top Tier: Unbearable Lightness of Being (Lv.Max)”

However, he didn’t have an abundance of top or high-level skills. 

But there was no time to hold back. 

If he died here, he wouldn’t be able to heal Lucy. 

He had to fulfill at least a minimum role.

He used a scroll to erase his presence and lighten his weight to leave no footprints in the snow. 

Lin held his breath and lifted his knee.

Move. Please move, I haven’t even cleared Chapter 1 yet!

“Gah!”

“Lin!”

But as he lifted his head, he coughed up blood. 

Collapsing helplessly, Lucy pleaded with him.

“Lin, just leave me and run. If she knows I’m the hero, she’ll only focus on me.”

“I can never do that…”

“Lin!”

“I will never abandon you.”

“Why? Why on earth…?”

If you’re not here, the world will end in the first place. 

But beyond that reason, Lin didn’t want to abandon Lucy here. 

He couldn’t explain it, but an unyielding resolve dominated him. 

At some point in their journey, it was a fierce emotion that had returned to his once calm heart after so long.

“Cough! Cough!”

The coughing continued. 

The blood wouldn’t stop, flowing back up readily. 

What injury caused this stomach pain? 

His head was dizzy. His vision swayed, unable to focus. 

Lin staggered a few steps before collapsing again.

This is the limit.

‘Even so, I’ll stay by your side.’

This is the limit.

‘You can’t come closer to me than this.’

This is the limit.

‘This place, this position is your limit.’

Is this… my limit?

‘Admit and accept it.’

Even if that’s the case.

‘Even so, it’s because I cared for you.’

“If I say I’ll do it…!”

I can’t admit it.

“If I say I’ll go…!”

I promised to face you as an equal.

“I’ll make it…!”

Today was a strange day. 

While the main story progressed smoothly, the details were entirely different. 

And before the main storyline even progressed, those wretched memories that tormented his heart came flooding back. 

It was truly a strange day. 

Today, this boiling heart wouldn’t calm down.

Lin rose to his feet. 

He lifted his head and gazed ahead. 

Though his mouth was stained with blood, he didn’t mind and took a deep breath of the cold air.

“Ha…?”

Lin let out a hollow laugh as he confirmed something ahead.

“How ridiculous.”

Even Lucy was speechless at his uncharacteristic mockery. 

A dark, gaping space lay before them, a small tombstone beside its entrance marked with the symbol of a cross with a halo. 

It was the goddess’s emblem. 

This cave was the place where the elixir to heal Lucy was hidden.

“Found it.”

But this kind of absurdly convenient guidance was just like something out of a game.