NOVEL'S EXTRA: I Will Die at the Peak-Chapter 81: EME

Sirius Continent — Sout Region, Forested Area | Date: 620.05.12

Hours ago, the scout team sent by Amon had ventured deep into the forest and taken a short break. The sky was covered in thick gray clouds; the wind whistled softly among the trees.

Team leader Mirelle scanned the nine people lined up before her. Her straight brown hair fell over her shoulders, adding severity to her stern expression. She stood around 1.70 meters tall—not large, not delicate—but her well-trained body revealed visible muscle.

"From this point on, we must be quieter and more careful," she said. Her voice was low but clear. "We’re close to the destruction zone. Micel, if I sense danger, I’ll signal you. When I do, teleport all of us. Now, we move."

Micel, walking at the rear, was a slim man around 1.60 meters tall. The sleeves of his gray outfit were slightly long. His eyes were timid yet alert. His respect for Mirelle was evident in his gaze. He nodded to confirm her words.

After the brief exchange, the team began moving again. As they stepped on decaying leaves, bird songs had almost completely faded.

As they advanced, a heavy scent spread through the air. It wasn’t just rot; it was the dense, metallic stench of blood.

The bald, broad-shouldered man at the back wrinkled his nose. His face was expressionless, but he pinched his nostrils shut.

"What is this smell..." he said, raising his head to sniff. "How many creatures have bled out here?"

Mirelle raised her right hand—a signal for everyone to stop. The group froze instantly.

Ahead, the natural texture of the forest had been disrupted: toppled trees, a massive crater sunk into the earth... It was as if the ground had split open and devoured everything within.

In the crater, over fifty animal corpses were piled on top of each other. Deer, bears, wolves, snakes... everything the forest held seemed to have ended here. Some appeared torn apart, others killed with a single strike.

Feathers, blood clots, and broken bones were all tangled together.

---

Mirelle stared silently for a few seconds at the carnage before them. Shattered bodies, blood-soaked soil, nature in a state of helplessness... She narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her stomach churned slightly, but she quickly regained composure.

She spoke in a calm and cautious voice:

"These animals didn’t fall here by accident. They seem deliberately thrown in. There might be a highly intelligent creature in the forest."

Her words captured the group’s attention. A brief silence followed. A blonde woman stepped forward, her eyes locked on the crater. Her voice trembled as she spoke:

"Staying here makes no sense... This is a slaughter ground. We’re a support team; these missions are for combat units. Higher-ups need to take over. We’re not part of this."

Mirelle turned to her. Her gaze hardened, her expression grew impatient. But her voice remained cold and firm:

"Did you forget the mission? Our goal is to understand what we’re up against. These corpses are only the result. What concerns us is the cause. Turning back now isn’t an option."

Kutman stood silently at the back of the group. He was tall, with a pale face. His eyes were filled with worry, a bead of sweat trickled down his cheek from his forehead.

Mirelle turned to him. This time, her voice was softer, but still serious:

"Kutman, scan the surroundings and use your power the moment you see the creature. Our goal is to gather intel only. We won’t engage. Then we’ll leave. But first, let’s examine the crater carefully."

---

Somewhere Else

Near the coast, at the edge of a misty clearing... another being stood. Motionless. Everything around him was real—but he wasn’t.

From his skin to his hair, clothes to silhouette—everything was in different shades of black. Edges sharp, inner lines shadowed... he resembled a drawing. Even his posture looked unnatural—floating slightly above the ground, not touching the surface.

The soil beneath his feet was flat and textureless—like a brushstroke. The entire scene looked like a disjointed, painted backdrop.

His hair was messy and dull black. His eyes were exaggeratedly large; ringed and empty, staring straight ahead. A strange smile was frozen on his face—as if drawn on. Muscles didn’t move, lips didn’t part.

The being said nothing.

But suddenly, a comic-style speech bubble appeared above his head:

> "EME"

In front of him stood a woman, facing the forest.

Her body was covered in a golden-toned, hard and smooth shell. It resembled armor but wasn’t worn—it looked like it had grown from her. The edges were sharp, some parts overly pointed.

Her hair was snow-white and fluffy, like wool fibers. Her face was smooth and pale, yet strikingly clear. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Her features were nearly perfect, except for an abnormality in her left eye.

Her left eye was so large it nearly filled the socket. A purple crack extended from the eye to her cheek and ear.

From both sides of her head, large black horns curled outward. The lower parts of her arms and legs had turned black, covered with purple cracks. In the center of her chest, a dark purple crystal glowed—still, but emitting a visible light.

Without taking her eyes off the forest, the woman spoke:

"Hey, Eme... Looks like we’ve got new guests. What do we do?"

Another speech bubble appeared above his head:

"The energy of this species is different from the ones we’ve eaten. Weaker, but superior."

The woman asked curiously:

"Should we wait for them to come? Or should we go to them?"

Eme took a few steps forward. With each step, the ground beneath turned black and white—as if it drained life and left behind a sketched world. The terrain behind returned to normal, color flowing back.

A new speech bubble appeared:

"Let’s go catch them. We know nothing about this continent. Every species we’ve encountered was new. The energy level here is low... So they can’t be that strong."

Eme and the woman silently headed toward the forest. With every step, the surroundings quieted, the colors of nature dimmed.

---

Meanwhile...

The team moved forward in silence. The sound of footsteps brushed softly against the ground, but otherwise, the environment was dead silent.

The air was filled with lifelessness—as if something unseen had swept away all signs of existence.

A short girl walking in the middle of the group suddenly stopped. Her body trembled slightly. She scanned the surroundings with her eyes, then spoke in a low voice:

"Captain... something’s nearby. My ability is reacting."

Without hesitation, Mirelle placed her hand on her chest and activated her ability. An invisible barrier enveloped the team. It masked their voices, their bodies, even the smallest trace of energy. From the outside, they were completely invisible; from the inside, everything remained clear.

Mirelle carefully scanned the area with her eyes, then spoke in a quiet voice:

"Kutman, Micel... be ready. It’s going to show up soon."

The short girl pointed toward the trees ahead. All eyes turned in that direction. The entire team held its breath.

Just seconds later, something emerged from between the trees.

Roughly 1.60 meters tall, wearing a black-and-white suit. Its skin, clothes, silhouette... all looked dull and almost like a sketch. Its movements were eerily silent—its presence nearly undetectable. Not a sound even as it stepped on the earth.

Mirelle turned around sharply and called out:

"Kutman. Scan immediately."

Kutman stepped back a few paces and closed his eyes. His hands were open at his sides. Green mist began swirling around him. He focused for a few seconds, but then noticed something was off. When he opened his eyes, his face had turned pale.

"Nothing... no image, no energy, no trace... It’s leaving behind nothing. This isn’t normal."

The bald man at the back stepped forward, frowning:

"What do you mean? Your ability’s not working?"

Kutman shook his head slowly, still stunned:

"No, it’s working... but there’s absolutely nothing to detect. This... this is strange."

Mirelle’s gaze hardened. They didn’t know what this being was—but one thing was certain: this wasn’t an ordinary threat.

Eme clearly saw the team. He stared at them without moving. It was as if, for a few seconds, he wanted to observe their decision-making.

But after a short pause, he noticed the green mist around them and the thin, vibrating protection shield forming with it. His eyes narrowed slightly.

At that moment, it was as if his expectations were crushed. He had hoped for more from this species. But this defensive reflex disappointed him. Though his body didn’t move, his presence intensified; the air around him grew heavy.

Another speech bubble appeared above his head:

"Heh... Truly boring. Another low-tier species. I thought you were different from the others but... up close, you’re the same, Eme."

At that moment, a pale, white layer began spreading from where Eme stepped. The color of the ground faded, all life between the soil and vegetation slowly disappeared. Everything lost its texture—erased, as if wiped from reality. Life was completely gone. All that remained was a cold, expressionless surface.

Mirelle’s eyes widened. Her voice rose in panic as she shouted:

"Micel! Teleport us! Now!"

Micel spread his hands, but nothing happened. Sweat dripped into his eyes from his forehead. His voice trembled:

"I can’t... My ability won’t activate... It’s like someone’s blocking it on purpose!"

Those words hit the team like ice.

The bald man at the back muttered without even looking back:

"Perfect... Now we’re screwed."