Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: Rat Claws Shattered
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"Wait!"
Kisua shot to her feet.
But the deed was already done.
"Insolent fool!"
The rat's 'Claw' swept across the floor like a shadow, circling behind Ju Gonghyeok.
In his hand gleamed a razor-sharp dagger.
Crunch!
Yet Ju Gonghyeok's eyes tracked the rat pup at his back.
The Iron Claw shattered the dagger and plunged straight into his chest.
"These days, you westerners announce your ambushes?"
"Urk!"
Boom!
Ju Gonghyeok slammed the 'Rat Claw' impaled on his Iron Claw into the floor.
The ground cracked, sending wooden splinters flying.
'He's dead!'
The watching beastkin inwardly recoiled in shock.
A splintered pavilion pillar pierced through 'Rat Claw's throat.
His torso dangled pitifully from that thin flap of skin.
"One."
Ju Gonghyeok, cloaked in wolf pelt, murmured lowly.
The successor fell without a chance to unleash his technique.
"Chit."
The spotted rat stepped forward.
He raised a flower-shaped hidden weapon and bowed in greeting.
"You are strong indeed. I am one of the western Twelve Successors, 'Rat Tail'..."
The technique was already in motion.
The chattering 'Rat Tail' up front was mere bait.
The real threat clung to the ceiling: 'Rat Incisor.'
Rat God Technique: Lantern Fall Assault.
Then the spotted rat flung open his sleeve.
From within flew razor-sharp hidden weapons.
Rat God Technique: Hidden Arsenal - Eighty-Eight Venom Blooms.
With a flick of his wrist, eighty-eight flower-shaped darts filled the air.
Up front: thorny 'venom blooms' that poisoned on touch.
From the ceiling: the third successor diving with Rat God Technique.
The spotted rat smirked in triumph.
'Let's see what you've got.'
Thwip.
A sharp whoosh, and the eighty-eight venom blooms vanished from the air.
Forty-four clutched in Ju Gonghyeok's right hand like a bouquet.
'And the rest?'
Clang—
The two sickles 'Rat Incisor' had wielded dropped from the ceiling.
All eyes turned upward, where blood dripped.
The other forty-four venom blooms now studded the ceiling.
'Rat Incisor' hung there, his face riddled with darts.
"Impossible... Gah!"
The sickle Ju Gonghyeok kicked flew true, embedding in Rat Tail's forehead.
Not even a proper technique, but that's why the dazed foe never saw it coming.
"Two. Three."
He counted off flatly.
The tiger clan's vice-leader, Hugwan, and the ape clan's Ukou stroked their mustaches.
"Three successors down without a fight."
"A world of difference. Kisua didn't bring him for nothing."
Ju Gonghyeok turned to the surrounding beastkin and spoke softly.
"With this, I've claimed the price for three dog clan successors."
Thud!
The venom bloom bouquet stabbed into the floor before Kisua.
"The remaining nine insults to our shrine maiden and dog clan are mine to collect."
Crack.
The Rat God and Elder Baek's staff head shattered in his grip.
"Pup. Climbing to the top with such meager skill."
Shing—
A sharp shortsword sprang from the broken staff.
Elder Baek pointed its tip outside the pavilion.
"Our Rat God arts were made for assassination. They don't shine fully in a place like this. Shall we step outside?"
His declaration sent ripples through the crowd.
"Elder Baek himself?"
"The Rat God in person?"
Elder Baek laughed darkly, baring his fury.
"The Rat God—that's me—is technically one of the Twelve Successors too. Care to try me?"
He spoke true.
The young wolf had declared he'd hunt every western successor. A clash was inevitable.
Kisua staggered out, her body aching.
Elder Baek, the Rat God, was a battle-hardened veteran who'd fought in the hybrid wars.
A cunning master even the Dragon God didn't underestimate.
"Please, Elder Baek..."
"Old timer, didn't I just say it?"
Gonghyeok calmly raised his Iron Claw.
"Including you, all twelve. I'll kill you all."
Elder Baek's wrinkled face twisted grotesquely.
"Damn whelp. Descendant of Founding Rat God Sochan and son of former chieftain Soban. I'll stuff your seven orifices with needles and hang you from the gate."
"Is that so? I, Gonghyeok, proxy for the dog clan's shrine maiden and descendant of Founding Dog God Gitan, need only your moldy old heart."
Tensions peaked.
Western successors bared fangs and closed in; dog clan successors stood firm beside Gonghyeok.
No need to move—blood could spill any second.
"Halt."
A heavy voice rang in every ear.
A massive blade cleaved the space between dog and western clans.
Rumble-crack!
One strike split the pavilion's roof and floor in two; across the way, a mountain cleaved diagonally, triggering a landslide.
Dog and western clans naturally parted.
Tiger Head, Jiyan.
The southern tribes' leader drove his greatsword into the floor as he sat.
"The North Province Six Bodies Tournament is near. Wasting southern strength on infighting is absurd."
The Rat God scoffed in disbelief.
"Heh heh, Tiger Head. This isn't mere arm-wrestling. Blood's already been spilled."
"Three from dog clan, three from western. The hunt ends here."
"What did you say, Jiyan?"
Elder Baek's mustache quivered.
The shortsword hilt in his hand cracked audibly.
"What madness is this? The humiliation before that blood-clot! Don't you know how my face has been dragged through the mud before these young ones?"
"Veteran senior, I understand your rage, but..."
Thud!
Tiger Claw, Hugwan—tiger clan's second—slammed his greatsword beside his father's.
Crunch!
Ape Head, Ukou, planted his staff next to the two blades.
The three beasts glared at Elder Baek with ominous eyes.
"You think we never noticed your schemes all this time?"
"..."
Elder Baek fell silent.
"So?"
"What's past is past. Guard your own honor, veteran senior."
The trio's auras pressed Elder Baek.
Weapons in the ground, they made clear what they'd do otherwise.
"Heh heh."
The Rat God hunched and sheathed his shortsword.
"Get old, time to die. Damn fools turning me into a backroom geezer."
He addressed his successors.
"Collect the bodies. We're leaving."
"Yes, Elder Baek."
As westerners gathered corpses, Elder Baek turned to Gonghyeok.
"Pup. Now we'll see who pays the price."
With that, the Rat God descended from the pavilion.
Jiyan sighed deeply as they vanished.
"An unfortunate incident, but some gains too. This ends today's summit."
His declaration done, all dispersed wordlessly.
With bloodshed and shockwaves, none risked inflammatory words.
Beneath the surface, successors buzzed with telepathic whispers and codes.
'What a storm.'
Kisua descended the pavilion, face stiff.
A powerhouse emerged in the minor dog clan.
They'd struck the mightiest western clan, sparking feud.
By custom, the largest western clan paired with weakest dog clan for support and duties.
Their merger, discord, murder, opposition.
Turbulent events loomed plain as day.
Kisua glared at the enigmatic powerhouse at the center.
"Impressive skills! Lord Gonghyeok!"
"This wolf-nose geezer's never seen a youth like you in his life."
Successors Kien and Guyo chattered excitedly.
Their minds seemed filled less with coming storms than awe for the mystery man who'd humiliated the Rat God, avenged kin, and restored the shrine maiden's honor.
'No wonder that bastard Hare didn't snag them—they're too dense...'
Blockheaded, sure, but loyal above profit.
With her, the only two dog successors left—precious retainers.
Kisua swallowed a sigh that threatened to drop her jaw and bowed.
"Lords Kien, Guyo. Thank you for attending today's summit."
"Not at all, Maiden. Duty of a successor."
At her residence, as she greeted them, they knelt on one knee.
She turned to Gonghyeok.
"Lord Gonghyeok, I need a word. Come inside."
"Gladly."
She opened the door to the antique eastern-style manor.
Crackle, crackle!
She sat before the central hearth fire.
Without her saying, Gonghyeok sat by the fire too.
Officially his successor serving the maiden, their bond was far from that.
Kisua felt it anew and spoke.
"No matter how I think, I can't give you the wolf head."
"Why?"
Gonghyeok asked leisurely.
"You've met every condition."
"...Maybe."
The wolf head must match the shrine maiden's strength.
Restore the lost secret arts.
Ju Gonghyeok had proven both.
"But that's only if you're truly 'human.'"
Fwoosh!
She jabbed the poker into the hearth's ashes.
Amid blinding ash, the glowing poker lunged.
Target: Gonghyeok's hand back.
Clap.
Ju Gonghyeok caught the poker lightly.
As ash settled, she stared calmly.
"How? Unscathed after grabbing venom blooms laced with deadly poison?"
"Who knows—fruits of training."
Simple reason he survived the blooms: his hands were 'metal.'
Yet even gripping with prosthetic, no metallic sheen.
His hand hairs singed against the hot iron instead.
The angel's power, 'Transformation,' was flawless.
Kisua scowled.
'Venom blooms' poison threatens even chieftains if it enters.'
Other leaders had brushed it off with deep inner power or antidotes, she assumed.
Trusting her guarantee.
But Kisua herself was clueless and couldn't trust him.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Your dog clan's ally."
"Don't play word games."
She withdrew the poker and set it in the hearth.
Kisua spoke firmly.
"If you won't reveal yourself, I don't need your secret arts either. Don't pull reckless stunts for dog clan or against westerners."
"Hurt?"
Ju Gonghyeok straightened his singed finger hairs.
"My Dog God arts are real."
"Don't need your techniques. We're not so rotten as to crave power from an unknown source."
She poked the logs with the poker in firelight.
"Tell me. What are you?"
To her earnest question, Gonghyeok twisted his lips in a grin.
"Left the fire burning while away for the summit? Dangerous."
"...Mind your own."
"No other servants around. Fire in an empty house is risky. Or..."
Ju Gonghyeok leaned in, gazing up from below.
"Is there someone else in this house besides you, Maiden?"
No sooner said than thumps echoed from upstairs.
Short feet peeked from the stairs.
"Sis! Fire! Smoke's rising!"
Clang!
She smashed the poker onto the nearby Iron Claw.
"Sol, I told you not to come down when I have company."
"Ah, but... the smoke."
Kisua smoothed her hair briefly and spoke gently.
"Sorry, sis messed around with the poker and knocked the logs. I'll tell you later—go back in."
"Okay."
The child's form vanished into the dim stair shadows.
She set down the poker and spoke calmly.
"Kid I picked up climbing Babel. Lost parents, got burns too—scared of fire."
"I see. Ah, mind if I grab some water? Where's the jar?"
"Over there, in the back kitchen."
As Gonghyeok ladled water with a gourd, he eyed the dented Iron Claw.
"You treasure that child deeply."
"Hm?"
"A proper warrior, no matter how rushed, wouldn't smash their own weapon with a poker. Especially not one of your caliber."
Gulp, gulp.
In the long silence, only Gonghyeok's throat bobbed.
"Yeah, showed an ugly side before a guest."
She grabbed a rag and the Iron Claw, rising.
"Give me a sec to fix the weapon. Wait here."
"Sure."
Gonghyeok settled back by the hearth with a short reply.
Crackle, crackle—
Sparks popped from the logs' grain.
The hearth's heat gently caressed Ju Gonghyeok's face.
= Th-that child...
Beside him materialized a horned beastkin silhouette.
'Hybrid Gio.'
The SS-rank avatar Ju Gonghyeok had claimed—a great villain etched in beastkin history.
Unfitting his infamy, the gaunt figure gazed wistfully at the stairs.
= Th-that child... the last left in this world...
"Yeah."
Ju Gonghyeok nodded, firelight on his face.
"The last remaining Guardian Divine Beast in this world."
The hearth flames roared high.