Chapter 318
Chapter 318
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Can One Who Has Seen the End of the World Plant an Apple Tree? (23)
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The deserts had wildly different names even among themselves.
Kauladi was leader, or ruler.
The local bosses of slightly smaller oases were called village-level tribes.
“Kuhehehehe! Ahh, the sun’s scorching hot again today. Perfect day for some cool booze! Kuhuhuhu—cough cough! Kek! Hey, grab me! Hold me up!”
“The Lord is falling! Catch him with your bodies!”
“Li—ft!”
“One—two—!”
...And here was this guy who couldn’t even hold himself up, losing his balance and only getting back on his feet with the help of a dozen slaves. He called his group a “clan.”
The head of the Kamut Clan. Nulak. Gluttonous Nulak.
Nulak had given us lodging in a luxurious room on the fourth floor of his ship, citing the dignity, security, and safety of his precious guests who served the royal bloodline. Thanks to that, we could observe him issuing orders from the lavishly refurbished deck as we passed by.
Sparse hair, facial features buried in flesh. His massive body draped in clothes big enough for a brigade encampment, with huge gem-encrusted rings crammed onto every finger and even his toes. No matter how you looked at him, he seemed more monster than man.
[That guy’s lungs must be tough as hell.]
‘He looks healthy? That?’
[No. Every breath he takes lifts and lowers his chest like hoisting 120kg of fat. Gotta have lungs as strong as a swimmer’s, for sure.]
‘Ah. That’s what you mean.’
[Can he even walk? The jewelry, the body—everything. If he can bipedal, that’d be a miracle of human physiology.]
‘No need to walk, so he wears all that crap.’
Truly... a repulsive human from every angle.
Honestly, even though I’d rated him decently high, I hadn’t expected anything amazing. GG followed the law of:
Talented guy -> rumors of talent -> exaggerated rumors -> reality shaped by mass belief -> gets pretty and handsome.
To end up looking like that, how much depravity, incompetence, and other evils did he have to pile up? That’s what I’d thought.
But.
“Oopsie. Got too carried away, huh? You there, any slaves hurt?”
“One maid’s femur is shattered, and another’s arm is dislocated.”
“Hoo~ To get hurt supporting this body of mine. What an honor, right? Isn’t it?”
“Yes, my Lord!”
“Q-quite right, sir!”
“Good, good. Rest up if you’re hurt. Eat well. Even attendant slaves need some training. Wouldn’t want you dying before the day you share my bed, eh? You two, once your bones heal, switch posts temporarily to serve the warrior unit. You’ll learn something sticking together.”
But...
“Thank you, thank you, Lord!”
This guy was different from what I’d imagined. A bit—no, a whole lot different.
Just from what I’d seen today.
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Splash—
“Lord. The Palima Oil Lord’s fleet has arrived.”
“Kuhuhuhuhu! Excellent! They’re all so diligent! Send good food and attendant slaves to welcome them! Who’d they send?”
“Shaman Ragkam and his disciples. Escorted by the chieftain’s eldest son himself.”
“As expected, old Galamed knows manners. The eldest... Goltar? No, he’s second. Guwan! The one named Guwan!”
“Correct, Lord.”
“Have him come by so I can see his face. They say old Galamed charmed plenty of chaste women in his youth. Let’s see how well his son turned out.”
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‘Oh.’
Proper respect for allied forces. Remembering not just the enemy leader but his family’s names, personally greeting and welcoming them. With a touch of personal interest.
=========
Splash—
“Lord. Conflict between Nasca Oasis reinforcements and the Red Ant Tribe. Blood has already been spilled—it’s on the brink of—”
Crash!
“Cold chicken-legged bastards.”
“...My apologies, Lord.”
“Sheesh—people got no patience, no patience! It’s the heat. That’s why I said keep an eye on fleet positions. Hmm... Send warriors to calm both sides first... Yeah. I’ll attach one of my direct assassins. Call them to a private room saying you’ll hear their grievances, then...”
“...Eliminate them?”
“Eliminate what? ‘Love thy enemy~’ right? They’ve killed so many slaves here for fun, enough to fill a whole ship. Time to let them patch that up themselves. Shoot both with the strongest aphrodisiac venom. They’re both lookers—let’s see if they can still fight after matching up. Oh, and the fleet guide. The one in charge was Rock Tain, right? His screw-up, so send him to dye work for a month. The slave who’s served under him for 15 years? Promote him to the spot.”
“Most merciful, sir. Free the slave?”
Gulp gulp—cough cough—
“Guhhhh. We’ll see. If he does well. I hear he’s got a secret slave woman. Free her too.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“Aaah. One more thing. Send letters to the Red Ant and Nasca chieftains saying I’ve made progress on that child education request from last time.”
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‘Hmm...’
No complacency in his own forces; he’d pulled in other tribes to form a coalition.
In that coalition, he’d resolved inter-force friction—the biggest threat to organization—in his own... um... innovative way. Honestly, with bloodshed already, plenty of heads should’ve rolled, but... er... in an overflowing-love kinda way, he passed without killing anyone. Not a method I’d wanna learn, but smoothly handled.
Plus, demoting the incompetent, promoting skilled slaves regardless. Made the underlings proactive and enthusiastic.
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“Lord. Issue on Supply Route 14. Sand shark pack blocking the path—detour unavoidable...”
“Kurheee! Damn, damn damn! 14 was... the nut fleet, right? My life’s savory joy diminished by even a second! Tragic... heartbreaking!”
“I’ve no excuse!”
“You shouldn’t! I’ll write a personal letter—relay it to the reserve transport now. Sharks in a pack means prey nearby. 14’s done for anyway! Take 14 waaay around, cross into Supply Route 8. It’s fuzzy, but... big rock nearby, right?”
“...I’ll fetch the map.”
“No no no. It’s there. Hang a flare on that rock, tie it off—tell the passing 8th transport to grab it.”
“Yes, my Lord. Relaying immediately.”
“Guuuum... nuts... can’t eat almonds on the battlefield, such tragedy...”
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Matching this insane fleet scale, at least 14 major supply routes, all geography memorized without a map. Clear, precise orders fixing issues. Plus frontline command presence.
‘...In the desert, do they fan roast lizard instead of a feather fan for Zhuge Liang?’
Our reinforcements weren’t just a lecherous pig—they were a highly competent, respected lecherous pig.
[‘Highly competent, respected lecherous pig’... Never thought that phrase would exist.]
‘I know. Super creepy guy, but damn reassuring as an ally.’
Anyway, strong allies was good news.
As enemy fleets—oases under Kauladi’s rule, marked with their emblems—entered view, Professor’s group emerged on deck from the massive ship. Fully recovered with good food and rest, no vibrations.
“Lots of ‘em.”
“Yeah. Truly number one material.”
Ours was a coalition of many tribes, motley fleets gathered. Theirs was a unified army.
Pointed-prow warships like awls, black scorpions big as those carrying shamans.
“...How we moving this time? We’re guests with no assigned troops or command—just protected.”
“Never planned deep involvement anyway.”
Traversing alone was deadly high-level for most players: eastern great desert. Peak showdown. Way bigger than Turan skirmishes. Even I couldn’t easily support horizon-spanning fleets.
“Kauladi vs. Nulak is natural. Desert’s 1st vs. 2nd clashing. We’re interlopers, so focus on their interlopers, right?”
“...Just Mutts?”
Professor nodded.
Palkatus had clear goals, me deeply involved confirmed.
We’d be variables in Nulak’s formation, suppressing Kauladi’s variables: Mutts. Block named Termakians, Nigmi, etc. Then Nulak’s superior forces naturally win, hit our rear in standoff, pincering from both sides.
Crack, crack.
Crunch—pop!
Slowly, carefully stretched my loosened muscles like tuning.
Objectively, my state neared top-tier personal combat unit.
Wide battlefield—needed to hit key spots.
“Ready?”
“Fully. Water, mana plenty.”
“Others?”
“Grook. Sorry.”
“Hmm...”
Notum glanced nervously, Ydrasil steadied breath. Nulak’s healers confirmed no issues, but they still looked off.
“Okay?”
“...Not bedridden, but spirits and senses feel warped. Like a leaf adrift on boiling water.”
“Wooo. Dry land. All dead. Everything dead. Bad feeling. Wooo...”
“...Stay rear. Nulak’s fleet won’t fold easy.”
Kids too. Unknown desert mega-battle, no clue how it starts. Enemies not showing—planned to wait. No biggie: top commander Nulak, two hatchlings, me. All key pieces on this flagship.
So Professor could observe the unfamiliar desert battle from start—fiercest forces’ total war.
Boom.
It began with Nulak setting down a huge meat slab, eyes entranced.
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As they closed to visible range, Nulak finally stopped eating.
“Closer, need to see closer, hurry!”
Tiny eyes in puffy lids gleaming, flailing arms.
All greed turned to hunger, drooling rivers, eyeing Kauladi’s host.
“One atop all must know patience... But that delectable aroma... Thought this moment might never come in my life, couldn’t sleep that day...”
Dong—dong—dong—dong—
March drums spread from flagship. Declarations, pre-battle rites mere appetizers to starved greed.
Squelch.
Nulak twitched hand; waiting slaves ripped off outer garment over his foam-like bloated belly.
Flutter—
Sunlit overflowing flesh mountain. Stretched skin etched tight with shamanic tattoos.
“Kuhhuhu... Can’t hold back, Kauladi!”
Tattoo slots limited per life.
“My life’s greatest feast!”
Kill foes, skin them. Carve own skin, transplant. Desert’s every spell compiled.
Welded, tangled form like maw grown on vast gut. Hence:
Gluttonous, Nulak.
Clunk!
Tap, tap, tap, tap!
Subordinates moved like awaiting signal. Cleared food to his feet, dozens of warriors detached his chair and entire deck section, hoisted on shoulders. Colorful dye and incense jars arrayed around his seat.
Nulak atop palanquin-altar, gazing at approaching Kauladi fleet.
Dipped hands in red-blue dyes; grafted tattoos lit one by one.
“Grant me endless—feast.”
Squelch.
On tattoo like vast belly gaping wide. Thick hand, dye-soaked, drew.
“And I shall share it all—with you...”
Shwaaak—!
Single-stroke image. Target: distant feast in his eyes. Endless fleet rendered, settling in sharp maw.
『Guuuuuuuuh—』
Deep sand rumble seeped through dunes.
Massive power coalesced; opposing pressure surged from Kauladi formation’s center flagship.
Toward it, Nulak’s flabby arms spread beseeching, craving.
“Delicacies.”
Boom.
“Delicacies.”
Booom—
“Delicacies!”
Booooom—
“Unrivaled delicacies!!!!!”
Post-ritual prayer like pre-meal grace, tense wind skimmed barren desert.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Kugrrrrrumble—
“It’s coming! Lash to the ship!”
“Hold formation! Double, triple the anchor lines!”
“[Hunger] descends!!!’
Desert swelled.
Sand bulging like birthing mountains. Beneath, colossal maw rising like range.
“Deeeeeelicacies!!!”
『Kweeeeeaaaaagh—!!!!』
Crunch!
Tattoo on Nulak’s gut writhed alive, crushing dye-fleet; beast mimicked, chomping Kauladi’s vanguard, smashing lines instantly.
And simultaneously.
『Some opening act, Nulak—positively gruesome.』
“Kauladi.... my, ooooooh, my....!”
Kauladi’s voice settled over field; thick sandstorm enshrouded the monster.
『As always, filthy, vulgar, garishly needless sorcery.』
“Don’t think this is all I prepped for you! More! More, more, more! Enough to chew over forever—plenty!”
『Sand grains worth of tricks, all same vulgar mess. Kingship demands purity, rectitude—not vulgarity.』
Crack!
Kauladi’s vanguard warships devoured in snap; now Nulak’s mid-size and smaller ships cleaved in two, sinking into sand.
“Waaagh!”
“Keel, keel shattered!”
“Ship’s caught! Clear desert, yet like reefs...!”
Full-speed hulls rammed reefs—totaled, sinking fleets in blink.
Single exchange halved endless fleets both sides.
Scale dwarfed wildest imaginings.
As Professor’s group reeled, drooling Nulak’s gaze hit Professor.
“Ooooh, aaaaah. Saladin! Yes! There you are! Capturer of lovely Rakshasa, herald of this war’s victory! Come! Closer!”
“N-no, wait... hey!”
Crunch!
“Great warriors deserve rewards! Yes, let’s see that feat where your third step sank in sand! You lead vanguard!”
“Naaaaay! We got plans.... th-their, their detachment! Plan to block detachment!”
“Today—you! My chef!!!!”
Screeeee—
“Waaaaaaah! That pig bastard!!!!”
No time to protest; formless force from Nulak’s hand hurled Professor into enemy center.
Eastern Great Desert War, opened 1 minute.
Both fleets halved.
Vanguard: Hero Saladin down.
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