Chapter 35
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 035
Chapter Title: The Wolves' Time
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Despite a minor incident at the very end, the hunt had still been a resounding success.
'Whoa... This really works?'
Woojin stepped out of the ruins and looked around in awe. The Demonic Realm's mold and black trees were turning to ash-gray before his eyes.
It was like an invisible fire spreading across the mountains and fields, reducing everything to cinders. As the rift core was purified, the Demonic Realm's flora lost its power.
'To think it's actually possible to eradicate the Demonic Realm.'
He had been skeptical when he'd first heard about it.
Woojin had destroyed rift cores a few times before, but nothing like this had ever happened. He'd wondered what the point even was... but the difference in methods was huge.
Simply smashing a rift core by force was like just plucking the leaves off weeds. The roots remained, so it wouldn't be long before the core regenerated.
Holy water and prayer-based purification, on the other hand, was like dumping poison into a well. Not only did it prevent the rift core from regenerating, but it also cleansed the surrounding Demonic Realm within its area of influence.
A purification that turned the rift core's erosive power against itself. The Church Alliance called it reverse erosion.
'If we do this a few more times, we could reclaim the land around the pioneer city in no time...'
Of course, it wasn't as easy as it sounded.
Finding the rift cores was a chore in itself, it required pouring in vast amounts of expensive holy water, and it demanded multiple priests with exceptional divine power.
The fact that the most crucial priests had fallen victim to the curse was a blow that couldn't be ignored.
Thanks to smashing the mural quickly, the damage had been minimal, but the choir members were still complaining of aftereffects. From the looks of it, they'd need at least two weeks of rest.
'The expedition will have to pause for a bit.'
Roland and Bo, along with the Holy Knights, had endured the curse well, so there was almost no loss in combat strength... but the absence of priests would affect the expedition force's morale. That's why Roland and the soldiers planned to rest and regroup for the time being.
"Alright, let's move out!"
Roland shouted the order, and the soldiers marched toward the pioneer city.
With every step, chunks of dead mold stuck to their shoe soles. It felt like trudging through snowdrifts.
The wolves seemed uncomfortable with the texture under their paws, walking a bit awkwardly. They looked just like puppies forced into shoes.
Woojin chuckled at the sight.
'Who knew watching these guys could be so entertaining.'
Even with the expedition on hold, he wouldn't get bored. He could rest up and go hunting with them whenever he felt like it.
With that thought, he walked alongside the wolves.
Ten days passed.
Woojin spent the time quite leisurely.
He ate good food and even gambled a bit with the soldiers for fun. Building rapport with the expedition members seemed like a good idea anyway.
The soldiers' main task was logging.
Chopping down the Demonic Realm's black trees. It was to prevent the freshly purified land from being overtaken again.
Woojin's job was to protect them.
"Let's head out."
He entered the forest with the wolves.
He patrolled the area to ensure the soldiers could log safely, taking down any beasts that caught his eye. It was a perfect way to kill time like a stroll.
As he walked leisurely...
Rex suddenly twitched his nose, picking up a beast's scent. The wolves looked toward Woojin, as if asking permission.
Woojin nodded. They bolted into the depths of the forest like arrows.
"...Pueeeek!!"
A shriek erupted. Curious about the source, Woojin followed behind the wolves.
Four wolves charged at a group of rabbits. The same beasts that had attacked the wolves last time. Recognizing each other, the rabbits screeched irritably and bared their teeth.
Squeak—
The rabbits' fangs elongated sharply. More vicious than any predator's. A single bite would tear off chunks of flesh.
Woojin counted them. About thirty... no, more kept appearing even as he counted. Easily over fifty.
'The pack's bigger than last time.'
That's why the rabbits brimmed with confidence. Only four wolves against them. It was like their escaped prey had walked right back into their jaws.
Woojin wasn't worried. He pulled some jerky from his pocket instead of popcorn.
'Might as well watch the show.'
Numbers didn't matter.
The rabbit pack had grown, but the wolves had undergone absurd levels of growth. They'd devoured loads of kobold innards, doubling their strength since last time.
Crack, crunch!
The brown wolf, Sean. His head blurred for a moment, and he simultaneously tore out the throats of two rabbits lunging from both sides.
He hadn't learned any special tricks.
His superior physical abilities alone made such moves possible. The brown wolf howled and plunged into the rabbit horde.
The lead rabbit panicked. It was hard to believe this was the same wolf from before. And the others were just as strong.
Two wolves rampaged like they were venting past grudges. Sean and Yan shredded the rabbit beasts like ragdolls from the front. The gap in power was so vast they couldn't even stall.
They had to flee now. The lead rabbit let out a desperate cry.
"Piek!"
At the signal, the rabbits scattered in retreat.
Thud, thump thump!
Two tentacles speared the fleeing rabbits in a line. Rex had blocked the escape route and began impaling them wildly.
The rabbit pack was caught between front and rear.
To survive, they had to break through somehow. The leader decided to use its underlings as bait and flee, but...
Taat!
Misha leaped gracefully. The female wolf used Rex's back as a springboard. Her razor-sharp fangs closed in on the leader.
'That's that.'
Woojin popped the last bit of jerky into his mouth and walked over. On a pile of rabbit corpses like a small hill, the four wolves struck dignified poses.
Woojin almost said something but held back.
'...Anyone would think they slayed a dragon.'
Why strut so proudly over a few rabbits? His mouth twitched, but he didn't deflate their egos.
According to Bo, Rex and the wolves were still quite young. Right in their teenage phase. So, he had to respect their occasional posturing.
"Good work today."
Woojin petted each of their heads, then slit open the rabbits' bellies with his dagger, extracting the innards one by one.
Seeing this, the wolves rummaged through the corpses and pulled out innards too. Soon, a pile formed. Woojin fed them to the wolves one at a time, taking turns.
Then...
"Kuh, kehk!"
Sean, mid-swallow, suddenly coughed. His body trembled violently.
Squeak—
Suddenly, the wolf's fangs elongated. Like a saber-toothed tiger. Panicked, Sean widened his eyes, unsure what to do with his suddenly lengthened fangs.
Woojin advised him.
"Relax your upper jaw. Don't try to chew."
Once he sat and calmed down, the fangs gradually shortened back to normal. Woojin nodded.
"Congratulations. You've gained your first ability."
Fangs that extended.
Useful in battle or for tough meat. Minor, but versatile depending on the situation.
The other wolves eyed him enviously. Woojin counted the remaining innards. Sixteen in total.
'Sean's got his ability, so no more for him... If luck's on our side, the others might get it too.'
The odds weren't great.
Innards from weak beasts like rabbits usually had no effect. Sean's inheritance was a stroke of rare luck.
Woojin offered one to Rex. But he shook his head and thrust out his back tentacles showily.
As if saying he didn't need fang extension with tentacles already. He was yielding the rest to his friends.
'Good boy.'
Woojin stroked Rex's head, then fed Yan and Misha alternately. Half success.
Squeak—
Yan acquired the fang extension. But Misha ate all the rest and got nothing, slumping dejectedly.
"There'll be other chances."
Woojin comforted her as they returned to the Third Pioneer City.
He stopped by a food shop and bought heaps of expensive smoked pork. To celebrate Sean and Yan's new abilities and console Misha's failure.
The wolves devoured the meat in a flash, yawned hugely, then curled up together in the corner to sleep.
Using each other's bodies as pillows. They looked quite close-knit.
'...Still some time left.'
Maybe take a stroll around the city. As Woojin thought that...
Knock knock.
A knock came suddenly.
'Bo?'
Woojin stood and approached the door. He turned the knob and found a friendly-smiling stranger.
"Excuse me. Are you Mr. Jin?"
"...That's me. Who are you?"
"I'm a messenger. I have a letter for you."
The man rummaged in his satchel and handed over an envelope. Woojin took it. Sealed with red wax, no sender's name.
"Who's it from?"
"Anonymous. If you don't want it, I can return it."
Curious about the contents, Woojin accepted. The messenger bowed and left.
He broke the wax seal without delay and read the letter inside.
The message was straightforward, no flowery language.
It requested a meeting to talk sometime, at the location specified. Woojin felt a spark of curiosity.
'Who sent this?'
The handwriting was elegant, almost printed. With nothing else to do, meeting the writer seemed fine.
He headed out and soon arrived at the address.
'...Nice mansion.'
An ornate building. Not huge, but built lavishly with expensive stone. Vines climbing the walls looked like decorations.
He approached the gate and knocked.
Creak—
A small slot opened at eye level. A peephole to check visitors.
A young man peered out.
"What do you want?"
"I was invited."
Woojin showed the letter. The man nodded in confirmation.
"Please wait a moment."
Bustling sounds from inside. Unlatching multiple locks.
Soon the door opened. Woojin entered, and the man relocked it with bizarre, intricate mechanisms.
From this, the owner seemed wealthy enough for a pioneer city mansion and quite reclusive.
'Why would someone like that contact me?'
He'd find out face-to-face.
"Follow me."
The man led the way. Woojin followed into the mansion. At an office door, the man knocked politely.
"Ma'am, the guest is here."
"Come in."
A woman's voice from inside. It sounded oddly familiar, though Woojin couldn't place it.
'Who?'
Before he could recall, the man flung open the door.
A woman sat at the desk.
Younger than expected. Late teens at most, with a youthful face. Messy blonde hair and green eyes.
A stranger. But Woojin knew her name and identity.
'Cindy.'
......The youngest daughter of the Golden Beetle.