I'm the Only One With a Different Genre - Chapter 99
Chapter 99
A Hero Who Endures Trials Needs a Reward!
“Haa, haa…”
Noah panted heavily, swallowing dryly. Her throat felt like it was cracking, and a bitter taste rose from the back of her mouth.
Suppressing her nausea, Noah raised her sword.
Kreeer!
A monster with a long beak, wings that spanned over 6 meters when spread, and the size of a three-story building charged at Noah with bloodshot eyes.
Kreeer!
Kyaaak!
T h i s w as c o pi e d f r o m ki ng m tl. o r g
There were three such monsters. Gritting her teeth, Noah swung her sword. The only fortunate thing was that the monsters had no intelligence, making it easier to target their vital points.
But even that had its limits now.
‘How long has it been?’
Noah tried to focus her blurry vision as she counted the time she had been here. It had been over a week at the very least.
‘When will this fight end?’
In the endlessly sprawling blue forest, monsters charged at her from all directions without a moment’s rest. Since falling into this place, Noah had been swinging her sword endlessly.
Yet, the monsters kept coming.
In the face of this seemingly endless trial, Noah felt a profound despair and determination. But such thoughts didn’t last long.
In this place where monsters continuously surged, pondering was a luxury. Noah swung her sword madly for survival and learned how to stay alive.
Throwing herself into the fray to become a pillar for others, the wall that had been blocking her shattered instantly.
‘More, more, more! I can become stronger!’
Beyond her limits, Noah unleashed her long-repressed desire for growth. Her eyes shone fiercely, and her mere presence could make some monsters faint. Just then,
“Die!”
“…!”
A group of humans attacked Noah. With dirty clothes, unkempt beards, and eyes glinting with greed, their shabby appearance contrasted with the decent swords and leather armor they carried.
Despite their ragged looks, they were strong enough to shock Noah. Each attack was sharp, and any mistake left her with more wounds.
As small cuts healed naturally and her vision cleared, she began to see human vital points.
She instinctively learned how to cut down enemies faster and more efficiently.
Thus, Noah grew another step.
Every time Noah adapted to the attacking enemies and situations, the forest would shake, releasing new foes. After cutting down all the enemies, Noah always showed significant growth.
“Huff, huff…”
Th i s w a s c o pi ed f r o m k in g mt l .o r g
Thunk!
With her blood-soaked sword plunged into the ground, Noah panted heavily. She felt like she could collapse and pass out at any moment. Her legs trembled, and her head felt hot.
T h i s w as c op i e d f ro m k i n gmt l . o rg
Swoooosh -..
At some point, the sky had turned gloomy and began pouring rain endlessly. She felt the sticky blood washing off her body.
T h i s w a s c o p i e d f r o m k in g m tl . org
Maybe because she had just cut down dozens of people and monsters?
Apart from the sound of pouring rain and her own breath, there were no other sounds. Watching the water drip from her head, Noah recalled past memories.
Noah and Nero. Though they were siblings, they couldn’t stay together for long due to the nature of the slave market.
Th i s wa s cop i e d f r o m ki n g m tl . or g
Nero had black hair and black eyes, while Noah had brown hair and green eyes.
Though siblings, Noah resembled their father, and Nero their mother, making them not look related. Their appearances were so different that it was hard to find similarities unless one looked closely.
If they had looked alike, they would have been sold together, but Noah and Nero looked so different that they were often sold apart unless they insisted otherwise.
Thi s w as c o p i e d f r o m k in g m t l .or g
Every time that happened, Noah would desperately cling to Nero to avoid being separated.
T h i s wa s co pi e d f r o m k i n g m t l . o r g
“Get off, you little brat!”
Even when an enraged slaver stomped on and kicked her, Noah clung to Nero with all her might.
In this cruel world, Nero was the only one Noah had to protect. That fact was her sole support, so she didn’t yield to any violence.
Noah and Nero were both attractive, making them valuable commodities. Unless they wanted to kill her, they had to keep Noah and Nero together.
Noah, spitting blood from her throat, with her entire body a mess of wounds, guarded Nero with fierce determination, like a mother protecting her offspring.
It was her only reason to live in this dreadful world.
“Haa, haa…”
Noah thought. Nothing had changed from then to now.
Just like back then, she rolled in the dirt and forced her battered body to stand.
‘Why am I doing this?’
Why can’t I stop these painful, arduous, tormenting actions? Why do I keep going? Wouldn’t it be better to just—
Noah blinked slowly. She vaguely heard monster sounds approaching from the distance.
Noah wanted to die. At the same time, she wanted to live. She needed a reason to live, and that reason was Nero. When Nero was safe, that reason became Lian.
Protecting someone was the ‘right thing.’ Becoming stronger to protect someone was the ‘right thing.’ So Noah believed she was on the ‘right path.’
Noah let out a self-deprecating laugh.
‘Is this what they call a life-flashing-before-your-eyes moment?’
She thought challenging the trial was ultimately her own selfishness. Wasn’t she just throwing herself into it, intoxicated with being ‘the one protecting Lian like a protagonist from a novel?’
Swoosh, thud, splat.
As she watched the raindrops hit the ground with blurry vision, the monster’s cries drew closer. Yet, she couldn’t move a finger.
T hi s w a s c o p i e d f ro m ki n gm t l . o r g
‘Is it right to die like this?’
In the endlessly repeating battle, Noah genuinely wanted to rest, or so she thought.
Krrreeek! Kehak!
Her powerless eyes scanned the empty air, only to meet imminent death. A repulsive fishy smell hit her nostrils. Facing death, Noah recalled something entirely different from her previous memories.
Blood soaking the ground, her first encounter with ‘horrific experiments.’ Even Noah, who had grown up facing all kinds of brutality, was plunged into fear by the true death that flashed before her.
Simultaneously, Noah remembered.
[ I’m fine. ]
T h i s w a s c o p i e d fr o m k in g m t l. o rg
The lips that said they were fine with a casual smile, always busy protecting others without even knowing she was in pain.
Just as Noah had clung to life, keeping her loved ones close, wasn’t Lian doing the same?
Wasn’t Lian’s sacrifice no different from her selfishness, holding onto the excuse of ‘sacrifice’ to endure this harsh world?
The thought that Lian’s sacrifice was no different from her selfishness melted into her mind like raindrops.
Grit.
Noah gritted her teeth and swung her sword. Her stance was a mess, and her body creaked, but she didn’t stop. As she moved, the myriad voices in her head quieted.
Swoosh -.
The muted sound of rain began to reach her ears again. Noah, not stopping her sword swings, cut through the thoughts that had been consuming her mind.
‘Was protecting Nero my selfishness? Sure, it might be.’
The world was too cruel to endure solely with love for family. Sometimes, death seemed like a relief.
So even if her past self clung to Nero out of selfishness, she couldn’t deny it.
But—
“Roar!”
As a monster, seemingly melted into goo, approached, dissolving trees in its path, Noah exhaled lightly and sprang off the ground. The rain made the ground muddy and her body heavy.
‘His sacrifice…’
Noah thought of Lian’s gentle smile that could warm her like sunlight.
‘Isn’t selfishness.’
The thing that had been gnawing at her mind began to burn with strong will and denial.
[Kreeeek!]
Something screamed in her mind, and something small, no larger than a pinky finger, that had been attached to her nape, crumbled and fell to the ground.
“Haaa!”
Noah, unaware that something had fallen from her body, swung her sword diagonally. The sword she wielded gleamed pale like a lake under the moonlight.
In that moment, she surpassed her final limit. And then, she awoke from a deep sleep.
***
T h i s w a s c op ie d f r o m k in g m tl. o rg
Clatter, clatter, clatter! Splash!
“Be careful with the fire there!”
“Move aside for a moment!”
The kitchen, which should have been quiet at this hour, was bustling. A party was being prepared to celebrate the boss of the organization reaching a new level. Lian, too, tried to roll up his sleeves and join in, but Lily stopped him.
“Oppa, stay with Noah oppa for a while.”
“Huh? Why?”
“It’s a surprise party for Noah oppa! Noah oppa is quick to catch on, so if any of us go, he’ll probably find out. So, you go and keep him busy!”
“Uh, I’m not good at this stuff!”
Lily pushed Lian’s back as she spoke.
“Just ask him about his training and buy us some time! We’ll prepare quickly!”
And so, Lian was kicked out of the kitchen. Scratching the back of his head, he headed towards Noah’s room.
‘Though the situation is urgent, we can’t leave immediately. Let’s celebrate with ease. Oh, and I should subtly mention we need to leave this place.’
What if Noah didn’t want to leave?
With such thoughts, Lian headed to Noah’s room. Perhaps because he was distracted, he arrived quickly.
Knock, knock.
“Noah, are you in?”
[ Come in! ]
A familiar voice called from beyond the door. It was Julianna’s voice, tinged with laughter. Lian quickly opened the door and entered.
“Huh? Where’s Noah?”
Inside, only Julianna was sitting on the bed, reading a book. When Lian asked, Julianna grinned.
[ Ah, she went to wash up since she got pretty dirty during the trial. ]
Lian glanced toward the bathroom. As she said, he could hear the sound of water from that direction.
End of Chapter.
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11thkami
So this is how he’s gonna find out