How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game Chapter 277 - Devil Hunt (2)

The escape was achieved through the season that doesn’t exist in the world. I moved to the safest possible place. The devil had lost me once in Fog Valley. It would still be uncertain.

It couldn’t be sure whether I had escaped while it was absent, or if I could escape even when it was present.

Of course, once I left the next trace, it would be completely certain, but I had no intention of giving clues to the one searching nearby just in case.

That aside, perhaps because I used the season that doesn’t exist in the world too much for this mission, I felt my mental strength being eroded.

‘I’ll need to recuperate for a while when I get back.’

It wasn’t as bad as the contact person who kept vomiting or Terka who had become gaunt, but I needed to be cautious in advance.

Mental issues can erupt at any time without warning.

Moreover, I’m currently luring the devil. A single moment’s misjudgment could lead to death.

Of course, I was enduring better than expected. The discomfort was still there, but the impact wasn’t as severe as I had anticipated.

‘It’s not just a simple comparison with Terka or the contact person.’

I know myself. Based on that knowledge, I had also considered my limits. The impact wasn’t as severe as I had expected. Is it because the Worst Condition was resolved?

That must be part of the reason. If I hadn’t resolved the Worst Condition, I might have been vomiting like the contact by now.

Another thought suddenly crossed my mind. According to the divine doctor, I am in a state where two souls have merged. The remaining incompleteness was resolved by the divine doctor.

Perhaps having two souls makes the erosion of mental strength a bit slower.

After all, the decrease in mental strength in the world of the amulet wasn’t just due to discomfort.

‘Whatever the reason, it’s a good thing.’

After putting a considerable distance between us, I returned to reality and increased my speed. The distance traveled in the season that doesn’t exist in the world wasn’t long.

Naturally, the speed slowed down due to the dizzying sense of direction. Of course, I made up for it by flying using winds.

During the two days of flying westward, I didn’t sleep. Yet, my condition wasn’t bad. Relatively speaking, of course. I used to live with the Worst Condition before.

In the evening, I moved a little away from the straight path and tried to take a 30-minute nap. It’s going to get busier from now on.

‘I should sleep when I can. Eat when I can.’

Afterward, I was planning to search the surroundings to create another trace, but it wasn’t necessary. I could find devil worshippers not far away.

It seemed the news about me had already spread. They must have sent people in this direction after guessing my route.

However, it wasn’t an encirclement. Even though they knew they were chasing me, the number in the group wasn’t that large.

In fact, even if they had set up an encirclement, it’s not like I couldn’t break through, but it was a bit more comfortable this way.

Anyway, I thought this was like a test from the devil. As if asking if I would really leave another trace.

Of course, that was my intention. This time, I didn’t bother to move. From a distance, I controlled the blade of winds.

It was incomparable to when I faced devil worshippers in the northern snow mountains as a child. Nearly eight enemies collapsed simultaneously with their necks sliced.

I took to the sky again. Hoo, I took a deep breath to drive away drowsiness. It’s time to head west again. This chase won’t last much longer.

***

After that, I encountered the devil once more. It was the same as before. I left a trace and hid in the amulet when I saw the pursuing devil.

Since I left traces at two-day intervals, the devil would likely be able to predict where I would appear next.

Instead of moving west in the amulet, I headed south. The devil had noticed that I could move even when I had disappeared.

Since it might be waiting on the route, I planned to go south, then west, and then up again.

There was no major problem. I traveled for a day and took a short rest. Being completely off the route, I could rest a bit more comfortably.

Rather, the devil would be on edge. It would be searching, not knowing when I might appear.

‘I hope its judgment becomes clouded.’

Although it was my small winds, the probability of that happening wasn’t high. The devil is a different species. Its stamina would be incomparable to humans.

After regaining some strength, I went north again. I used the amulet when entering the original route.

And when I returned to reality, I encountered the devil at close range. To be honest, I was startled.

Only a day had passed, so I had moved a little less than the distance traveled so far.

The moment I left the amulet, goosebumps rose all over my body, and when I raised my head to the sky, my eyes met the devil’s.

“Oh, shit…”

I almost screamed out loud. In fact, this should be seen as an uncanny coincidence. The devil couldn’t have read my movements.

Just 30 meters above my head, the devil was looking down at me with its dark red eyes gleaming brightly.

No, it was descending vertically towards me. It had sensed my presence first. The sight of it falling towards me without a word was terrifying.

Black streams of darkness fell like lightning from the blue sky. The speed was incredible.

Momentarily frozen in shock, I hurriedly kicked off the ground and infused mana into the amulet.

Bang-! Baang-! The ground exploded. The dark lightning had struck where I had been. Sand shot up high. And the devil was right in front of me.

It thrust its hand towards my chest. I hurriedly tried to block it by surrounding Moonlight with Sword Energy.

“…”

And in the hazy world, only the clear moonlight was before my eyes. I stood dazed for a moment, then let out a sigh.

That was close. If I had predicted its coming, I might have responded a bit better, but I was also taken aback.

My hands were trembling. Even with a perfect survival instinct, I had almost died in an instant. Hoo, I took a deep breath and regained my composure.

In a way, this might not be bad. I was caught after just one day instead of maintaining the two-day interval.

In fact, I had just escorted the contact person, but from its perspective, it would think I had held out quite long in Fog Valley.

‘It might even misunderstand.’

For instance, thinking that my ability to conceal myself has reached its limit. The next waiting spot might be even shorter.

It seemed fine to play along like that. Rather, I’m showing a struggling appearance. To lure it.

If so, even though it’s aware of the danger of a trap, the probability of it continuing to pursue is high. Of course, there are risks.

But such a close encounter of a few tens of meters wouldn’t happen again.

I’m not being complacent. It’s right to see the recent incident as too much of a coincidence. Even if one knows the way, it’s difficult to appear at that close a distance.

Moreover, there aren’t many of these tests left. It won’t come all the way to the west either.

‘If the Empire has made a decision, they should already be on their way.’

I moved forward again. The discomfort returned, but due to the dopamine from the tension of nearly losing my life, it felt okay for now.

After moving for about three more hours, I revealed myself again. There was no devil around.

I couldn’t tell if it was ahead or behind, but the former seemed more likely. Instead of dealing with the devil, I caught a nearby devil worshipper.

And the response came in an hour. The devil came running from the front. It was the same as before.

Without a word, it rushed at me with a fierce gaze. Whether angry at this chase, the darkness swirling around its body was dizzying.

Having anticipated it, hiding in the amulet wasn’t difficult. Still, the tension was the same.

“Whew…”

I lured the devil like that for two more days. While gradually acting more precarious. In fact, I didn’t need to act.

Truly, my limit was slowly approaching. The accumulated fatigue since entering Fog Valley was considerable.

Especially now, unlike before, I was spending too much time with the devil in the season that doesn’t exist in the world.

Yesterday and today, I encountered the devil 20 times. I could see it getting increasingly enraged. The speed at which it rushed at me was getting faster.

Honestly, I wasn’t comfortable either. I had to keep going in and out, not knowing when the Empire would respond.

‘It should have been time for them to come…’

Assuming they had deliberated seriously and made a decision, they should have arrived yesterday. That’s why I took this risk.

But there was still no news today. I was starting to think about scrapping the plan.

I’m not disappointed in the Empire. Even if they heard about the situation through Terka or the contact, they might hesitate. Because I wasn’t the one who told them directly.

It’s a different matter to judge whether it’s okay to go based on my saying it’s okay versus hearing it from Terka.

It’s natural to keep in mind the possibility of an unexpected Great Devil and, conversely, the thought that it could be a trap by the devil worshippers.

There was some regret. Because I didn’t know how the Empire would move, I had to check periodically. It seemed this pain would continue.

‘They might come while I’m away if their decision is delayed.’

As morning approached, I tried to take a nap off the path I had deviated to in the south. I was planning to close my eyes for just 15 minutes.

Since I had only shown myself on the straight route heading west, this place was relatively safe.

About 5 minutes after I closed my eyes, I heard a “kuung-” sound from far away. My senses were keenly sharpened.

But due to accumulated fatigue, I couldn’t be sure if it was real.

‘Such auditory or visual hallucinations are common.’

Moreover, with my mental strength worn down now, I couldn’t be certain if what I heard was real. But I couldn’t just stay still.

If that sound was real, its meaning was clear. The devil, aware that I had moved, wouldn’t have vented its anger in that place for no reason.

It means people have come from the Empire. Of course, I was uncertain. Half tension, half worry that it might be troublesome for nothing.

I ran north at full speed. And the sound I heard wasn’t a hallucination. The dragon carriage had arrived. Erendil and Campbell had met my expectations.

“Damn it.”

However, the visible situation wasn’t good. The dragon carriage, tainted with darkness, was falling from the sky.

And three people were jumping out in midair. They were Sword Masters.

With joy that the situation was set up, worry that nothing would go wrong, I raised Moonlight.

In the morning, as dawn broke, the moonlight began to bloom clearly.