"Roar!"
The Swamp Jaw shook its massive body, sending mud and water flying in all directions.
Its huge, fist-sized eyes burned with savage cruelty as it locked onto Sakeer and Leinas, then charged forward with its enormous, bloodstained jaws wide open.
Boom!
One of the Archangel Flames, still airborne and unscathed, rushed forward.
With both hands gripping its flaming sword, it slashed down hard at the Swamp Jaw's head.
However—
The monster's thick layers of mud and moss-covered hide completely negated the attack.
Not even a scorch mark was left behind.
The only effect was a brief pause, as the sheer force of the impact caused the beast to hesitate.
"Roar!"
The Swamp Jaw twisted its head, shaking off the blade as if swatting away a mere inconvenience.
Then, raising one of its massive, trunk-like forelimbs, it swung downward, aiming to crush the Archangel Flame beneath it.
Whoosh!
With a sharp flap of its wings, the Archangel Flame narrowly avoided the blow, taking to the air just in time.
Meanwhile, the second Archangel Flame, which had been knocked away earlier, rejoined the battle, attacking in unison with its counterpart.
For a while, the two summoned angels kept the Swamp Jaw pinned down, forcing it to go on the defensive.
It lashed out wildly, swinging its forelimbs and tail, but against the nimble, airborne opponents, its attacks mostly missed.
A stalemate formed.
Watching the battle unfold, Leinas's green eyes widened in astonishment.
"These Archangel Flames are incredibly strong…"
The Swamp Jaw was one of the most dangerous monsters in this entire swamp. Normally, it would take an entire Mithril-ranked adventurer team just to fight it—let alone defeat it.
Yet now, before her very eyes—
Two summoned creatures alone were keeping it at bay.
If not for its thick hide, its layers of swamp mud acting as armor, and its massive endurance, the beast would have already been slain.
Her grip tightened on her spear.
Just who is this man…?
"Attack its eyes," Sakeer ordered from behind.
Without hesitation, the two Archangel Flames altered their strategy.
They swooped in simultaneously, their flaming swords aiming directly for the Swamp Jaw's massive eyes.
Sssshhht!
The moment the blades pierced the beast's eyes, it let out a deafening, agonized roar.
Its entire body convulsed, thrashing wildly as it stumbled backward in a desperate attempt to escape.
But Sakeer wouldn't let such a rare opportunity slip away.
A Level 20 monster was hard to come by—
And worth far too much experience to let go.
Under his precise control, the Archangel Flames pressed their advantage.
With the Swamp Jaw blinded, its defenses completely crumbled.
Two flaming swords plunged deep into its skull—through the very eyes they had just slashed.
"Roar!!"
The Swamp Jaw convulsed violently—then went completely still.
A second later—
Boom!
Its massive body collapsed, sending a shockwave of mud and water rippling outward.
『XP Gained: 3103』
[XP Gauge: 7405/10000]
Sakeer smiled as he saw his experience points surge.
His mood immediately lifted.
But as he looked at the Swamp Jaw's massive corpse, a faint sense of regret surfaced in his mind.
If Leinas weren't here, he would have stored the body for later use.
A Level 20 monster might not have any special abilities, but its tough, durable flesh was far more valuable than the ogre corpses he had tucked away in his inventory.
It would have made an excellent material for undead summoning.
Leinas exhaled deeply, then turned to face Sakeer.
Her green eyes were filled with something new—not just curiosity, but something deeper.
"…Who are you?"
She wasn't just talking about his Archangel Flames.
Summoning creatures that powerful wasn't about the creatures themselves—
It was about the summoner's strength.
And someone capable of such a feat, on top of his alchemy skills, shouldn't be an unknown nobody.
Sakeer, still contemplating the Swamp Jaw's corpse, took a second to process her words.
Then, noticing the way she was staring at him—
He chuckled.
"Genius alchemist?"
"Faith Magic Caster?"
He shrugged, then reached for the bronze nameplate hanging from his waist.
Lifting it up, he smirked and said, half-jokingly—
"I'm just a Bronze-ranked adventurer."
Leinas's expression instantly stiffened.
The first two titles had made perfect sense to her.
But the last one—?
The corner of her pink lips twitched violently.
"…If I were the president of the Adventurer's Guild, I'd change the rule that requires adventurers to complete missions to rank up."
Her tone was filled with frustration.
"It makes no sense."
Sakeer only laughed, shaking his head.
"There's a reason ancient traditions survive to this day," he said.
His voice was lighthearted, but there was a wisdom behind his words.
"Actually, I think the Adventurer's Guild's ranking system is well-designed."
It might seem unfair on the surface—
Making even the strong start from low ranks, forced to complete menial quests to advance.
But from the perspective of those in power—
This rule wasn't a limitation.
It was a filter.
His half-joking tone made Leinas pause.
For a moment, she had begun to feel a strange distance between them—
But with that single remark—
The barrier disappeared once again.
"Let's go."
Sakeer raised his hand, signaling the Archangel Flames.
Without hesitation, the two celestial beings descended toward him before swiftly taking flight once more, leading the way deeper into the swamp.
As they progressed, the swampy terrain gradually faded away.
The low-lying bushes gave way to towering trees, their thick canopies casting dark shadows over the landscape.
The dense jungle loomed ahead, swallowing the path forward.
"Goo-goo—"
"Roar—toot—"
"...."
Echoing from the depths of the jungle came the eerie cries of beasts and unseen creatures.
A thin, white mist began to coil through the air.
"It's foggy."
Leinas's expression hardened as she spoke, her green eyes sharp with caution.
She wasn't just making an observation—she was giving a warning.
Sakeer's gaze shifted forward, noticing a dense fog mass further ahead.
"Then we go down."
With a flick of his wrist—
Swish! Swish!
The two Archangel Flames swiftly descended, carrying Sakeer and Leinas with them.
They landed in an overgrown clearing, surrounded by towering foliage.
"Hmph—!"
The moment Leinas's feet touched the ground, she let out a soft gasp of pain.
Her right hand flew to her cheek, her fingers pressing against her golden skin as she let out a strained moan.
Sakeer immediately turned to her—
Before he could ask, his eyes flickered to something on the ground.
A half-buried carcass, partially exposed, lay squirming ever so slightly.
Something was wrong.
Sakeer's body tensed.
More than that—
He could feel it.
The power of his curse was stirring.
An uneasy energy pulsed in the air.
His gaze locked onto Leinas.
"Are you okay?"
Leinas exhaled sharply, lowering her hand from her face.
Her expression darkened.
"…This place feels the same as when I was attacked by that monster."
She gritted her teeth, trying to suppress the strange, burning sensation spreading across her skin.
A cold glint flashed in her green eyes as she lifted her head.
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
A series of guttural growls rumbled from the bushes nearby.
A shadow shifted between the dense foliage.
Then—
Three monstrous creatures emerged from the jungle undergrowth.
Sakeer's brows furrowed in instinctive disgust.
They were grotesque.
Each beast was about the size of an adult Barghest, yet their features were completely unnatural.
They had humanoid heads, but their mouths were filled with razor-sharp teeth.
Their bodies resembled lions, with thick, muscular frames covered in coarse fur.
A set of sideburns framed their eerily human faces.
But the strangest part—
Their tails were covered in venomous spikes, reminiscent of a scorpion's stinger.
And on their backs—
A pair of bat-like wings twitched ominously.
They looked like a fusion of multiple creatures, stitched together by some twisted force.
Sakeer exhaled sharply.
"…What in the hell are these?"
Leinas, already lifting her black spear, answered without hesitation.
"Manticores."
Sakeer arched his brow.
"Wait—this isn't the 'weird monster' you were talking about earlier, is it?"
Leinas shook her head.
"No."
Her grip tightened around her spear as she stepped forward.
"Be careful—their tails can shoot spikes. I'll take one. You handle the other two."
The moment she finished speaking—
She lunged.
Her spear gleamed as she rushed toward the manticore on the far right.
Ever since they entered the swamp, she hadn't had much of a chance to contribute to the fights.
Now, she was determined to take one down herself.
Sakeer let out a short chuckle.
"They already look weird enough."
With a swift gesture—
His two Archangel Flamessoared forward, targeting the remaining manticores.
Despite their terrifying appearance, the manticores fell far too easily.
The battle lasted mere moments.
One by one, the creatures were cut down.
『XP Gained: 286』
『XP Gained: 301』
[XP Gauge: 7992/10000]
Sakeer glanced at his experience points.
Their strength was roughly equal to an ogre's.
But then—
His expression shifted.
He suddenly felt it.
The moment the two manticores died, something unusual happened.
A trace of cursed energyleaked from their bodies—
And was absorbed by him.
Sakeer's eyes narrowed.
His gaze flicked to his status panel, searching for changes.
Nothing.
No increase in experience.
No noticeable stat shifts.
But there was no doubt in his mind—
The curse within him had grown stronger.
"Ahh—!"
A sharp scream tore through the air.
Sakeer's heart lurched.
He whipped around, eyes locking onto Leinas.
She stood with her bloodstained spear, her entire body trembling.
But what truly made his eyes widen in shock—
Was her face.
The dark markings of her curse, which had previously only covered half of her face, were now spreading—
Creeping toward the right side, slowly but relentlessly.
Sakeer's mind raced.
This wasn't just his curse strengthening.
Leinas's curse was growing as well.
That could only mean—
This place wasn't normal.
The curse wasn't just inside them.
It was in the air, the creatures, and the very land itself.
Only those with the [Cursed Knight] profession could sense it!