Chapter 119
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: The Return of the Dead
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Thanks to acquiring a fine mount, the journey had grown far more comfortable.
Woojin yawned as he leaned back against the luggage serving as his headrest. What luck. He could just sit there dozing, and the spider would carry them all the way to their destination on its own.
Arwen seemed equally impressed by the situation.
"It's surprisingly comfortable to ride, isn't it?"
"Yeah."
Riding the spider turned out to be far more pleasant and convenient than expected. Comfortable enough that it even outdid a carriage.
The spider's eight legs alternated steps with fluid grace, their motion reminiscent of fingers dancing across piano keys.
"Kkit, kyaaat."
The spider let out a sudden cry. Woojin translated for the group.
"It says this area's dangerous, so hold on tight."
"Dangerous?"
What could be so dangerous?
As Arwen opened her mouth to ask, the spider pushed through the underbrush and emerged from the forest. What lay before them was none other than a massive chasm—an endless abyss stretching out ahead.
The spider reared up slightly, raising its tail to aim across the gorge.
Pyuut—!
A strand of spider silk shot from its rear, flying like an arrow before adhering to the far side. It stretched taut like a clothesline.
The slender thread now bridged the canyon. Arwen felt a chill run down her spine at the sight.
"You're not thinking of crossing on that, are you?"
Ominous premonitions always rang true.
The spider began its tightrope walk. The thread swayed perilously with every gust of wind. Arwen and Coco were gripped by sheer terror.
"Eek... uh..."
"Piiik..."
The priestess and squirrel, utterly frightened, clung to each other desperately, praying for this nightmare to end quickly.
It was an absurd scene to Woojin.
"Hey. You two can fly."
Arwen had moth wings, and Coco was a flying squirrel to begin with. Even if they fell, they'd be fine.
Pointing that out, Arwen and Coco blinked at each other in unison... then quietly settled into more relaxed positions.
What a funny pair.
They got along like a matched set.
Come to think of it, they had a lot in common. Both timid, and Arwen's albinism gave her pale skin and silver hair that matched Coco's silvery fur.
Perhaps because of that, Arwen and Coco had started sticking together inseparable at some point.
Good to see them getting close.
Stronger bonds among the group were a positive thing. With that in mind, he scanned their surroundings.
He needed to scout ahead for threats. Those two could glide down safely if needed, but Woojin would just plummet straight to the bottom of the cliff.
I'd survive the fall without much injury.
He was dead certain of that. He'd fallen from far higher recently, after all.
Still, climbing back up would be a hassle, so Woojin focused his gaze and diligently surveyed the area.
Soon enough, a crow loitering in the distance caught his eye. A massive one, big enough to snatch up an ostrich.
Woojin gripped his javelin at the sight. It was a weapon carved from a bull's leg bone.
Pretty far away.
Too distant for a reliable throw. He'd have to wait for it to get closer.
Woojin waited eagerly, but the crow simply stared without attacking. Then it abruptly flew off toward the horizon.
An anticlimactic end.
Not surprising. Avian beasts particularly despised spiders.
Their feathers would tangle in the silk, ruining their flight... so they have to be cautious.
They crossed the chasm without major incident.
Such scenarios repeated afterward. Whenever the spider spotted an impassable obstacle, it would spin a web to forge a new shortcut.
An incredibly useful ability. No need to detour around—they could advance straight to the goal via the shortest path.
"Here."
As reward for its efforts, he tossed it a beast core now and then. The spider eagerly snapped them up without hesitation.
Woojin voiced his curiosity.
"Why does the Spider Queen want to help me? Know anything about it?"
"Kiit."
It didn't know.
Even the spider couldn't fathom their queen's thoughts. The Nine Roses was far too capricious a being.
Guess I'll have to go see her in person.
He used to not understand a word she said. But now that he could communicate with spiders, conversing with her should be possible.
Truth be told, he wanted to head straight there and talk... but
"Kiiit."
The spider sounded troubled.
Meeting the queen required an invitation. It couldn't take Woojin's group to her on its own—that would be rude to their queen.
Woojin readily shelved the idea.
No opportunity right now. Later it is.
He lacked the leisure anyway.
They'd already delayed plenty. No veering off now. Best to return to the Church Alliance without fuss.
The Nine Roses would summon him when the time was right, just as it had sent this spider.
"We've rested enough. Let's get moving again."
"Okay."
They resumed their travels together.
A few days later.
In the distance, an artificial structure came into view. A sturdy stone wall built from massive boulders. Rough and primitive in craftsmanship, but solid-looking.
A familiar sight to Woojin.
The Nol Gateway.
They'd returned to the Nol tribe's territory.
Much sooner than anticipated, thanks to the spider beast's hard work.
Its acceleration, web-shortcuts, and sheer diligence had let them escape the depths at an unbelievable pace.
"Kirrruk."
The spider cried out, twitching its front legs side to side. The gesture meant...
"Time for you to head back?"
The spider nodded.
Mission complete—it had to return to their kingdom and report to the Nine Roses. A bittersweet, scheduled farewell.
"See you next time if the chance comes."
"Kiiit."
After a brief goodbye, the spider trundled diligently northward.
Time for everyone to return where they belonged. Woojin advanced leisurely toward the gate. Hearing his approach, a Nol warrior appeared atop the wall.
Ferocious muscles, shaggy brown fur, and leopard skin around its lower body.
A familiar face.
"Logar. Been a while."
Woojin called out smilingly. Gatekeeper Logar gawked in shock.
"...G-Guardian? You're alive?"
"As you can see."
Logar, thoroughly flustered, scrambled down and personally opened the gate. As if greeting a ghost.
Woojin questioned it.
"Did the alliance decide I was dead?"
"Well... they listed you as missing, but effectively dead. Everyone concluded that."
"To think you'd write me off over something like that..."
Unbelievable.
As Woojin muttered, Logar pondered briefly before cautiously replying.
"Well... what else could we think? Recall what happened back then."
That day, Woojin had been dragged skyward with the dragon, then rocketed north amid endless thunderous booms.
That was death.
Everyone on the battlefield thought so, and even Queen Knartash couldn't readily deny it.
...Yeah... putting it that way, surviving and coming back is pretty bizarre.
Embarrassed, Woojin scratched his neck and awkwardly patted Logar's shoulder.
"Lead the way. Gotta report to Knartash that I'm alive."
"Yes, sir."
Logar promptly obeyed.
Handing gatekeeper duties to his lieutenant temporarily, Logar returned. Seeing that sparked Woojin's curiosity.
"Weren't you originally the south gatekeeper?"
Logar had manned the southern chasm gate before. How'd he end up at the eastern one?
Logar explained readily.
"Passed that one to someone else. Got sick of all the work piling up."
Lately, the south gate had been swamped. Allied forces crossing constantly, wearing the threshold thin.
Even in Woojin's absence, the Church Alliance had maintained close ties with the Nol tribe.
"A lot changed while you were gone, Guardian. You'll be shocked."
"How much could it really have changed?"
Woojin brushed it off, but Logar grinned meaningfully.
The Nol city entered view.
Rows of brick buildings. Cooking smoke curled from chimneys. Scaled to Nol size, every structure loomed large.
Cathedral, tavern, casino with a giant roulette sign. Roads branched every which way amid the buildings.
Woojin blinked like a fool.
...What the hell is this?
Just half a year, and it was like a whole new city had sprung up.
Logar chuckled as he led the way.
"The chieftain's quarters are this way."
"Uh... yeah... okay."
Woojin followed in a daze. He couldn't stop gawking the whole way. Arwen and Coco were equally stunned, too busy sightseeing.
Arwen muttered to herself.
"It's far more proper than the city I managed. And I put in real effort."
"It wasn't like this before."
How had this happened? The cognitive dissonance was intense. He half-suspected the spider had led them to the wrong country.
Suddenly, children's laughter rang out.
"Stop right there!"
"You can't catch me—!"
A young Nol child fled giggling brightly, chased by a human boy sprinting full tilt.
Nol and human kids playing tag together. Woojin halted, watching quietly before murmuring.
"...A lot really has changed."
He had to admit it.
Then...
Sensing his gaze, the kids whipped around. Two stared wide-eyed at Woojin, then gawked even more.
"Th-that! It's the statue!"
"Right? That's what I thought!"
The pair chattered excitedly before dashing off somewhere.
Woojin was baffled.
"Logar. What's with the kids?"
"You'll see soon enough."
Logar teased. What now? Impatient, Woojin quickened his pace.
What they encountered next...
A fountain in the city center. Before it stood a massive statue—a hunter gripping a machete.
Eerily familiar features.
"...Isn't that... Jin?"
"..."
Arwen asked for confirmation. Woojin, speechless, just blinked.
A plaque adorned the statue.
[The hero who forged harmony with the Nol tribe. In memory of Beast Hunter Jin.]
"...I'm not dead yet."
Nothing else to say.