Chapter 80
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 080
Chapter Title: Rebirth
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Abominations were unwelcome guests wherever they went, much like uninvited intruders. With almost no intelligence, driven solely by gluttony, they were monsters through and through.
Their main weapons were brute strength, reckless aggression, and the regenerative ability that supported both.
'These bastards are tough enough as it is... and now mutations make them even more of a pain.'
Abominations touched by the breath of ancient beings had evolved into far trickier foes. How should he tackle this problem?
The good news was that the battle lines were holding steadier than expected. The trolls had fortified an old human stronghold, securing a geographic advantage. Thanks to that, blocking the abominations' southward push had been relatively smooth.
'If we hold out until humanity's reinforcements arrive, things should get simpler after that.'
The Church Alliance would send troops to establish an outpost. With their aid, overcoming this crisis would be much easier.
To make that happen, the delegation needed to return inside the barrier. They had to report the successful alliance with the trolls and the current situation.
Roland seemed to assess it the same way.
"Now that we've checked the front lines, we should head back to the Church Alliance as soon as possible."
"Yeah, sounds right."
Woojin readily agreed. Reuniting with Saintess Cecilia first, then reporting to the cardinal back home—that was the top priority.
But...
'...not everyone needs to go back.'
Woojin planned to stay here.
He shared this with his companions. After linking up with Cecilia, he brought it up when the delegation gathered.
"Everyone, head back first. I'll stick around and keep an eye on things."
Cecilia tilted her head curiously and signed.
—Is there any reason to stay here?
"I want to gather intel on the enemy. It'll make the expedition smoother."
Information on the mutated abominations was sorely lacking.
Facing an unknown foe blind was reckless. Before full-scale combat, he needed data on these variants.
So Woojin intended to stay and continue fieldwork. He'd have to return here anyway—shuttling back and forth between the Alliance barrier and troll territory was just a waste of time.
Cecilia nodded, convinced.
—Then I'll leave some people to assist you. Handling investigations alone would be too much.
"I'm good."
He appreciated the sentiment but turned her down. Most of the delegation would prefer heading home over lingering in troll lands.
And above all...
"...I work better alone."
Woojin had always hunted solo. Moving freely on his own felt more natural and comfortable than tagging along with others.
Emphasizing that, Cecilia pondered briefly... then nodded.
—We should respect your wishes. Come back soon—and don't push yourself.
Come back soon.
Whether she meant to hold herself to those words or not, Cecilia hurried her preparations to leave. The delegation followed suit, buzzing with urgency.
Soon enough, they wrapped up. They packed the camp, loaded everything onto Tarasque's back. All that remained was the long journey home.
—See you later.
With that farewell, the delegation turned south. The trolls watched their retreating figures from afar.
The trolls seemed regretful to see Cecilia go.
Just days ago, she'd used her holy power to conjure heaps of fruit. They'd been awestruck by sweetness they'd never tasted before.
'She's practically an idol here.'
Not a bad thing diplomatically. Building rapport like this would solidify the alliance between their forces.
As he thought that...
He glanced sideways. Roland was yawning contentedly.
"Why didn't you go back?"
Roland shrugged without much thought.
"Nothing for me to do there anyway."
"...Fair enough."
Stripped of command, Roland was at loose ends. Even inside the barrier, it'd just be dull busywork. Might as well kill time hanging out in troll territory.
Not a bad call. Another companion would make daily life less monotonous.
***
Gathering enemy intel wasn't hard. From the fortress walls, abominations wandered into view one or two at a time.
Beast-shaped abominations. A new breed even for Woojin.
'How do these variants even form?'
Braknak had said abominations corrupt beasts into these things. Like how rift cores twisted nature into the Demonic Realm.
Hard to picture from words alone.
Woojin wanted to see it firsthand. He patrolled with his wolves, capturing beasts to use as test subjects.
"Squeak! Keeek—!"
The terrified raccoon dog beast wailed. Woojin felt no pity.
'This one's killed plenty of livestock.'
Crafty raccoon dogs snuck in to devour cattle and flee. The trolls had let it slip away multiple times with its cunning, but today it met its match.
Krunch!
"Kieeeek!!"
A scream erupted. Rex had chomped its hind leg. Tendons severed, it flailed, unable to stand.
Woojin bound it tight with rope. Two such captures. He slung them over his shoulders and headed back to the city.
'Gonna borrow a rhino.'
Hauling big raccoon dogs to the fortress on foot was a hassle. He'd ask Knartash for a transport rhino.
But the city was rowdy. Cheers mixed with the trolls' distinctive cackling laughter.
'Something going on?'
Curious, Woojin followed the noise. He found Roland arm-wrestling Jaka.
"Raaagh!!"
Roland poured everything into it. No yielding—he was radiating holy power like steam from his body.
Overwhelmed, Jaka faltered.
"Grroo—"
Jaka strained desperately. He held on to keep his arm from dropping, but his wrist was nearly pinned—game over, really.
Thud!
Jaka's knuckles hit the table. Roland leaped up, roaring in triumph.
"See that?! Told ya I'd win, punks!"
"Kyahahaha—!"
Roland threw an uppercut into the air as victory pose. The trolls howled with laughter, clapping wildly. Defeated Jaka slunk away, head hung low.
'...He's basically local now.'
Language barrier and all, yet Roland's charisma transcended species.
Woojin watched, mesmerized, before snapping out of it. He'd gotten caught up wondering who would win.
He hurried on.
Soon, he borrowed a rhino. He tossed the captured raccoon dogs into the large basket on its back.
"Let's go."
The rhino lumbered north on command. Now it was just waiting to reach the fortress. Woojin mounted a wolf, leaned against the saddleback, and dozed off.
As he nodded off...
They arrived at the fortress. The nap made it feel instantaneous.
Woojin checked the raccoon dogs. One had bled out, limp. The other seemed healthier.
'Ditch the dead one?'
He debated, then took both—might as well, since he hauled them this far. Woojin headed for the troll barrier.
Braknak soon greeted him. The great warrior's eyes scanned the raccoon dogs.
"You've hunted some pests. But what's the plan for them?"
"Something I want to test."
He jerked his chin toward the gate.
"Open the gate for a sec."
"Understood."
Opening the gate was risky, but Braknak obeyed without hesitation. As the doors parted, Woojin stepped out with the two raccoon dogs.
Smelled blood?
An abomination charged the moment he emerged. Boar-like build. Jaws gaping unnaturally, revealing a maw of teeth.
But before its tusks connected, Braknak followed and swung his bone hammer.
Boom!!
A deafening crash. The half-smashed abomination sailed away, looking like a stomped burger patty.
Woojin praised it.
"Stronger than before."
"Thank you."
"Problem is, I need a live one. That dead?"
"Ah..."
Braknak panicked, eyeing his handiwork.
......Twitch.
The sprawled abomination stirred. Braknak sighed inwardly in relief.
"Still alive."
"Good. Close the gate and follow."
The area was cleared early morning, no obvious threats. Still, they resealed the gate for safety.
Woojin and Braknak approached the abomination, slumped on the dirt.
'Perfect damage.'
Abominations regenerated superbly, but Braknak's blow had pulped its body. To heal that, it'd need to devour flesh and blood.
Woojin set down a still-breathing raccoon dog. It snapped viciously at him, unbowed.
Crunch, snap!
It gnawed his fingers wildly. Woojin ignored it, grabbed its jaw, and hurled it at the abomination.
Splat!
The abomination's maw gaped eagerly. The raccoon dog vanished inside—like a toad gulping big prey.
It thrashed within. The abomination's face bulged grotesquely each time. Looked like it'd burst free soon.
Grind—!
Suddenly, its cheek stretched. Like ripping through plastic wrap—the raccoon dog's face imprinted clearly.
Splurt!!
The raccoon dog tore out. But it didn't look good.
"Kak, kyaaa—"
Covered in abomination flesh, it shrieked. Its eyes rotted, black tears streaming.
"......Grooar..."
Raccoon abomination. Freshly reborn, it lunged at Woojin.
"Hammer."
"Yes."
Braknak handed over the bone hammer politely. Woojin swung hard at the charging mutant.
Kaboom!!
Explosion of force shredded it. Impact site inside-out like a peeled stocking. It whimpered feebly, crumbling.
Soon, the raccoon abomination expired. Woojin muttered to himself.
"Seems stronger overall, but regeneration's weaker."
"Indeed."
Variant abominations were tougher than standard, could corrupt life into more of their kind. But regen was diminished.
Yet the boar abomination that ate the raccoon lived on fine. Weaker regen meant more numbers, trickier swarms.
But the ability wasn't limitless.
'The boar's smaller.'
The boar abomination had shrunk noticeably after regurgitating. Half its prior size. Constraints like that limited rapid multiplication.
As he mulled that, Braknak spoke up.
"...Time to pull back. The noise drew them."
"Got it."
No need to push. Woojin bashed the boar abomination too, then retreated inside.
And... far more abominations moved in to fill the void.