This is going to take a while…
Nathan bent down and picked up yet another 4.6×30mm round glinting faintly on the forest floor. He turned the small cartridge over in his fingers for a moment before slipping it into his Storage.
He had recovered hundreds of them so far, and the trail still hadn't ended.
The forest around him had become unfamiliar hours ago. The river was long gone from sight.
And through all of it, Nathan kept running — or, more accurately, jogging at a pace only slightly faster than a determined mall walker.
Still, compared to the bedridden skeleton he used to be, this was practically athletic excellence.
His chest rose and fell heavily, sweat soaked his shirt, his legs felt as though they were on fire, and his feet, despite being protected by his newly crafted boots, were beginning to protest their treatment.
Please be safe, Natsu…
That single thought was the only thing keeping him moving.
He glanced at his System interface for what had to be the hundredth time.
His ammunition count continued to decrease by one every few dozen seconds. Which meant Natsu was still consciously dropping bullets from the shared inventory.
Nathan exhaled shakily.
"Thank God I gave her access to the inventory."
Members of his Hunter's Pact had limited access to his Storage, but only for ammunition-related items.
At the time, he'd enabled it mostly for convenience.
Now, it had become the only reason he could track her at all. Without it, he would be wandering blindly through the forest while listening for desperate fox noises. And that would be embarrassing for everyone involved.
Still, the situation was grim.
He had started following her trail around ten in the morning. Now, the sun hung low in the sky, staining the forest canopy orange.
It was nearly five in the afternoon. Seven straight hours of pursuit, and he still hadn't caught up.
"My legs hurt."
Nathan kept moving.
"My lungs hurt."
He jumped over a fallen log.
"My entire existence hurts."
[Stamina: 19/92]
Yet he kept going. Because turning back was not an option. Even if this is completely insane.
Which it was. painfully so.
Nathan was Level 5.
Natsu was Level 14.
Her stats were roughly three times his, and she had still been captured. That meant the people who took her were not weak.
From the footprints near the river, he had initially estimated there were at least six of them.
Probably more.
And if every one of them is stronger than she is…
He swallowed.
Then this isn't a rescue mission.
It's a speedrun toward my own funeral.
Nathan kept moving.
But I'm going in anyway.
The reason was simple — he didn't want to lose her.
Not just because she clearly needed his help. But because Nathan had finally found someone who made this world bearable.
Someone who smiled at his nonsense.
Someone who stood beside him every night.
Someone whose presence made his existence feel less like a mindless survival simulator and more like a home.
And after spending years trapped in a hospital bed — after knowing exactly how crushing loneliness could be — he refused to let that be taken away.
A weak smile tugged at his lips despite the tension.
Besides…
Rescue the girl successfully, and my relationship points should skyrocket.
He imagined a floating notification.
[Affection Increased!]
[Reward: Possible Hand-Holding]
Nathan snorted softly.
"Maybe after this, I can ask her out." then his expression hardened. "That is, assuming I don't die in the process."
Suddenly, a burst of laughter drifted through the trees ahead.
Nathan froze in place. Every muscle in his body locked instantly as his own heartbeat thundered in his ears.
Found you.
He moved forward with extreme caution, placing each step as carefully as he could.
The forest had grown dimmer as the sun continued its slow descent, painting the world in shades of orange and gold. Branches swayed gently overhead, and the occasional rustle of leaves sounded deafening to Nathan's overstimulated senses.
Then, through the trees, he finally saw them.
A group of men walked casually through cluster of trees as if they were returning from a pleasant afternoon stroll instead of escorting a kidnapped fox girl.
Natsu was there.
Her hands were tied tightly behind her back, and she walked near the rear of the formation. Two men flanked her closely, making sure she didn't attempt anything.
Nathan's heart lurched.
Natsu…
He immediately broke into a quiet run, closing the distance while staying hidden behind the cover of the trees.
When he judged he was close enough, he slipped behind a broad trunk and carefully peeked around it.
Then he counted.
One… two… three…
He kept going until his stomach sank.
…Twelve.
There were twelve of them.
And every single one — except for a lone hooded figure near the center of the group — looked like he could bench-press Nathan.
The shortest among them was still taller than Natsu. Which meant most of them were also taller than him.
Fantastic…
A one-versus-twelve rescue mission against a squad of medieval bodybuilders.
This quest is definitely set to Hardcore difficulty.
Nathan continued observing them.
The group was composed almost entirely of large, heavily armed men with swords, axes, and spears hanging from their bodies.
Their movements were relaxed. They weren't acting like men who feared pursuit, as if nobody in their right mind would challenge them.
Then the hooded figure suddenly stopped.
"Someone is following us, Broderick," he said.
Nathan's blood turned to ice.
Even from this distance, he saw Natsu visibly flinch before quickly forcing herself to remain composed.
They found me out?!
You've got to be kidding me! I'm still about a hundred meters away!
Nathan pressed himself tightly against the tree trunk, barely daring to breathe.
The bald man at the rear — presumably Broderick — turned to the hooded figure.
"Can you tell where?"
The hooded man, Ron, closed his eyes briefly.
"I'm not certain," he said. "There is only one additional presence aside from us, but it still somewhat faint. Too subtle and too far away for me to pinpoint accurately."
Nathan nearly sagged in relief.
Okay… okay. I'm still relatively safe.
But another realization quickly followed.
His hearing had improved dramatically.
The men were almost a hundred meters away, yet he could hear their conversation almost as clearly as if they were standing on the other side of a room.
My senses really have gotten better compared to my previous life.
That was useful… and slightly terrifying.
Broderick folded his arms.
"If there's only one person following us, then it's not a major concern." he swept his gaze over the others. "Regardless, stay alert. Ron, inform us as soon as you locate our guest."
Ron gave a silent nod.
The other men responded with lazy affirmations. "Got it." "Sure." "Whatever."
Nathan narrowed his eyes.
Glad they're not taking me seriously.
Then again, why would they? From their perspective, one unknown pursuer against twelve armed men was hardly worth worrying about.
It wasn't even a threat — rather, it was a mild inconvenience. And unfortunately, they weren't wrong.
Nathan clenched his jaw.
The hooded man called Ron was the key problem.
As long as that man could detect him, any attempt to sneak close enough to free Natsu would fail before it even began.
That left only one viable option — Ron had to die first.
Nathan stared at the hooded figure. The distance was roughly one hundred meters, far enough that Ron could only sense him vaguely. Close enough for a possible shot—
If Nathan did everything perfectly.
His fingers tightened around his handgun.
"Hunter's Mark," he whispered.
He marked the two men he considered the most dangerous — Ron and Broderick.
Their status bars appeared at the top-right corner of his vision, along with a numbered pointer above their heads.
[1. Human — HP: 100%]
[2. Elf — HP: 100%]
So Ron is an elf… waz that the reason he wearing a hooded cloak?
If not for the current situation, I'd be extremely excited.
Then his stomach twisted.
Those guys weren't zombies.
They were people.
People with thoughts, memories, and probably a family.
Nathan's breathing grew shallow, and sweat trickled down the side of his face.
I'm not ready for this…
The pressure churned in his gut like poison. His heart pounded so hard it felt as if it might crack his ribs.
Every instinct told him to turn around.
To go home.
To pretend this was someone else's problem.
But he kept looking at Natsu.
At her bound hands.
At the defeated way her fox ears drooped.
Nathan's fear hardened into resolve.
…I have to do it.
There was no one else beside him will coming to save her.
Only him.
A former hospital patient with a pistol, mediocre stats, and a dangerously strong attachment to one fox girl.
Nathan inhaled slowly. Then, despite his trembling hands and sweat-soaked clothes, a crooked grin spread across his face.
"I think I have an idea," he murmured.
He glanced toward the sky.
The sun was descending rapidly. The light filtering through the trees had turned amber and red.
In less than an hour, darkness would fall. And with darkness—
The zombies would also come.
Nathan looked back at the bandits.
Twelve men. One captured fox girl. In a world where every single night would be transformed into a death zone.
His grin widened. "I'll wait until nightfall before making my move."