Chapter 117
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Worries and Conclusions
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In an instant, a massive bolt of lightning tore across the night sky and plummeted down.
The thunderbolt hurtling toward the earth. Its crimson trail splintered into multiple strands, intertwining like a tangle of large and small blood vessels.
The lightning flashed.
KRA-KA-KA-KOOM!!
The world was dyed blood-red, and the explosive roar that followed shook the mountain ridge.
Arwen stared at the scene in a daze.
'Divine punishment.'
It was a sight straight out of divine wrath. A horde of mighty beasts swept away like ants. It was a catastrophe no human could have wrought...
'...No, that man isn't human.'
A great otherworldly being.
She had received a name from such an existence. An unprecedented honor. A chill ran down her spine.
'I've been chosen.'
Her chest swelled with emotion. Arwen grinned broadly as she gazed at the back of the man standing before her.
Suddenly, Woojin spoke up.
"Whoa... that's brutal."
A murmur whose meaning escaped her.
Arwen tilted her head slightly before asking to figure it out.
"What happened, sir?"
"Can't control this thing."
"...Pardon?"
No time for explanations, so Woojin hurriedly slung Arwen over his shoulder like a sack of rice. He then reached out toward the silver squirrel.
The quick-witted Coco scampered up his arm and plastered itself to his chest.
"Hold on tight. Don't bite your tongue."
"Wh-what is this all of a—"
Thwack!
Woojin kicked off the ground and leaped forward. He bolted away from the scene at full speed. With every step, the scenery whipped past.
Once they were clear...
The swirling storm clouds overhead began to spread out. Like pizza dough spinning and gradually expanding.
'It's stronger than last time.'
Maybe from all the good food lately—compared to when he'd taken down that dragon abomination, the thunderbolts were fiercer now.
Power exceeding expectations.
He'd tried to stop midway, but things had spiraled beyond his control. The overexcited thunderbolts darted between the clouds, building more strength. Like a pinball game with endless points racking up.
...GRRRUMBLE!!
The red storm clouds roared. Arwen's smile vanished completely.
"This... is it okay?"
"Doesn't bother me. Immune to lightning."
"Wh-what about us?"
Woojin glanced sideways as he replied.
"Sorry."
The moment he apologized...
BAM!! KRACKLE-CRACK!!
Thunderbolts chased his footsteps. The clouds unleashed lightning without distinguishing friend from foe. Waves of shockwaves battered their backs relentlessly.
Arwen and Coco panicked.
"Kyaaaaah—!"
"Squeee—!"
Screams erupted in unison. But they were soon swallowed by thunder.
No one got hurt or anything. Woojin had sensed it coming and made a swift escape.
Hiding in the cave they'd used as a base, Woojin closed his eyes and focused his mind.
'Stop now.'
Though they were far off, he could still control the thunderbolts to some degree.
Silly analogy, but it felt like a Wi-Fi router. Like how a phone picks up the router's signal. Woojin and the thunderbolts were linked by some invisible connection.
'Stop... you damn thing.'
After issuing several warnings like commands, the thunderbolts finally relented and began to die down.
Soon, the thunder ceased.
"...Looks like it's over?"
Arwen cautiously peered out of the cave as she spoke. With the thunderbolts quiet, it seemed safe to head back out.
Woojin, sprawled on the ground, replied.
"Let's rest a bit first. Dizzy as hell."
His karma had been sucked dry.
The wild thunderbolts had run rampant on their own and handed him the bill. Every bolt drained his energy.
Like having a kid who swiped the credit card recklessly without a care.
'Hydra's regen will fix me up quick... but not something to spam.'
It didn't discriminate between enemy and ally, and it guzzled energy like crazy.
Makes sense, in a way. It literally summoned a natural disaster. One wrong move, and you'd get swept up in the torrent.
Still lying down, Woojin asked.
"How many inner cores we got left?"
"I'll check."
Arwen rummaged through the bags. She soon pulled out three ox cores.
"Here."
"Thanks."
He chewed and swallowed one right there. His stamina recovered somewhat.
Woojin stood up.
"Let's go outside."
"Okay."
They stepped out of the cave. And were greeted by devastation.
The surrounding mountains and fields had been ravaged by thunderbolts. Collapsed slopes, charred forests. Craters gouged round like volcanoes spewed gray smoke.
Crackle, crackle—
Wherever lightning had struck, red embers flickered like dying embers.
The sound made Arwen tense up a bit.
"This... safe, right?"
"Yeah."
Woojin waved his hand like fanning himself. The lingering static around them fizzled out instantly.
Controlling this residual electricity was a breeze.
"I'll take point, just in case."
"Y-yes, sir..."
Woojin advanced, snuffing out the embers ahead. Arwen and Coco followed timidly behind.
Soon, the enemy camp came into view.
Blackened wooden palisades lay toppled in rows. Buildings were smashed to bits, barracks tents reduced to ash without a trace.
Woojin suddenly sniffed the air. The acrid stench of burnt matter mixed with the aroma of well-roasted meat.
"Smells good."
"It does."
Arwen nodded readily, looking around. Beast carcasses roasted by lightning littered the ground. Chickens, pigs, oxen monsters.
"Shall we extract the cores first?"
"Sounds good."
They began butchering.
Charred husks were shoved aside. No need to check—the cores inside were ruined anyway.
As they gathered scattered loot and stuffed it into bags...
Woojin's steps halted. He stared down at one corpse. A young boy's body, head cleanly severed.
'Slaughtered by the beasts.'
Miserable end for a human born on the farm. Slave labor for life, or butchered for a meal like this.
Farm beasts felt no guilt. Just repaying the suffering their ancestors endured as livestock onto humans today.
No regrets on his end. Demonic Realm's rule was always one:
'Survival of the fittest.'
The strong devoured the weak. Humans were no exception.
...But that corpse kept nagging at him.
After a moment's thought, Woojin carried the boy's body out. He spotted a sunny clearing nearby.
Using his machete like a shovel, he dug a hole. Then buried the boy deep. A simple grave without a marker.
'Rest in peace.'
With a silent prayer, he returned to the others.
While Woojin wasted time on the grave, Arwen diligently extracted monster cores and packed them away.
"How much left?"
"About seventy percent done. Bags are overflowing... gonna need more."
She stretched, body stiff. Woojin watched her for a moment, then impulsively asked.
"...You from a farm too?"
"Who knows? Probably."
Couldn't say for sure. Arwen added,
"Don't remember my childhood. Not exactly forgotten... more like the memories were carved out of my head."
"Yeah? Magic or drugs, maybe."
"Likely."
Arwen had no early memories. So even she didn't know her origins.
Just guesses.
"Might not be farm-born. Women usually bred like livestock. Night gatekeepers are rare."
Farm boys became slaves or meat. Girls locked in hatcheries, birthing endlessly.
She spoke matter-of-factly. Woojin sighed softly.
'Pisses me off.'
Too inhumane.
Should smash the farm, stop those beasts from continuing. As he thought that...
'...Then what?'
A sudden realization hit—even after crushing the farm and dark cultists, rescuing everyone, problems remained.
Demonic Realm's depths were perilous.
Woojin alone couldn't protect thousands. He'd felt it bone-deep during the second expedition.
Supply issues like food, and one slip-up meant beast hordes devouring people.
'Plus, remnants of the farm and cult would hit back hard.'
Both forces were mighty.
To stop their army, he'd need thunderbolts to wipe them... but
That would sweep up refugees too. Could wipe out both sides if careless.
Such a ruckus might draw the Old Ones' gaze.
'No matter how I crunch it, doesn't add up.'
Striking the enemy was tough enough—handling the fallout was impossible.
...Alone, anyway.
'Solving this crap's a hassle. Not my forte.'
Leave it to others. Tackling hard stuff solo was foolish.
That's why he'd made connections, built ties. Memories of them flashed by.
Claire, Bo, Roland, Cecilia, Church Alliance, orc warriors...
'...They're probably worried.'
Wasting time like this was rude too. He'd long overdue scouting enemy lines instead of heading back.
Time to go.
Resolved, Woojin spoke.
"I'm heading south now... what about you two?"
Arwen answered promptly.
"I'll follow."
"Squeak."
Coco nodded along. Seeing them, Woojin blinked in surprise.
"Wait... deciding that quick? Not a simple choice."
"Nowhere else for me."
"You?"
Woojin asked Coco.
"Squeak, squeak—"
Coco chattered away. Gesturing wildly with paws and tail to explain fervently.
Once done, Woojin, who'd listened intently, nodded.
"Alright. Then let's go together."
"Squeak!"
Coco bounced excitedly.
The three would head south. As Woojin concluded, Arwen glanced at him and quietly asked.
"Um... did Coco say something just now? Curious what."
"No clue."
Woojin could talk to many Demonic Realm races, but squirrels weren't one.
Arwen blinked.
"But... you nodded like you got it?"
"Felt bad if it got disappointed."
So he'd just nodded along.
Anyway...
"Let's head south carefully."
Conclusion reached—that was enough.