Chapter 82
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 082
Chapter Title: Infiltration (2)
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It was too early to draw any conclusions. Woojin had only just spotted his target.
A humanoid variant abomination.
Sheltering behind a rock, Woojin observed it. For some reason, the variant stood frozen in place, like a scarecrow in a rye field.
Several differences from ordinary abominations stood out immediately. Even its silhouette was unusual. Every abomination Woojin had seen before had a bloated, sagging body that looked like it might melt away at any moment, but this one was flat and shallow.
More precisely...
...'It looks forcibly compressed.'
It was as if invisible hands were squeezing its entire body every second. Its flesh was twisted like a braided rope. Perhaps as a side effect of that torsion, the abomination's head jerked restlessly in all directions.
Each time, the iron mask hanging over its face swayed precariously. It was a miracle it hadn't fallen off yet.
'High chance it's a Dark Cultist.'
Almost a hundred percent certainty.
Braknak had mentioned earlier that these variant abominations had appeared sporadically even before the Nol tribe fled. That was before the second expedition had even begun.
Humanity's incursion into this region was relatively recent. Timing-wise, this variant couldn't have been someone sheltered by the Church Alliance. It had to be a Dark Cultist who had made its home in the Demonic Realm.
And with that iron mask to boot... there was no need to doubt the premise further.
'What to do.'
The deliberation didn't last long.
'...Kill it first.'
Perfect timing—no other abominations nearby. If this variant was commanding the rest, as suspected, taking it out preemptively would be beneficial.
With his mind made up, Woojin moved forward. Deep in enemy territory, causing a commotion would be unwise. His plan was to assassinate it swiftly, grab the spoils, and withdraw.
Woojin approached stealthily from the side. The distance between them shrank steadily.
Kududuk—
Suddenly, the sound of grinding bones. The abomination's head snapped back like an owl's. Its pitch-black, rotten eyeballs met his gaze.
Immediately, its arm whipped out like a lash. Woojin hastily raised his machete as a shield.
Creeeang!!
A strike both swift and heavy. Regardless of its power, Woojin found the situation puzzling.
'How did it spot me?'
He'd approached silently, even masking his scent with tree sap. Yet the abomination had somehow sensed him.
Why? No time for deep thought. The variant charged straight at him.
He dodged sideways like a bullfighter. The abomination's head followed his movement. From that, Woojin realized one thing.
'...This one's eyes work.'
Unlike typical abominations, the variant's eyeballs hadn't lost their function. The iron mask partially obscured them, so he'd missed it at first.
The eyes, half-protruding from their sockets, swiveled independently in different directions. Its field of vision was unnaturally wide. That's how it had detected his ambush.
Shwaaak—
The variant lashed out with its arm again. Without hesitation, Woojin reached out toward the attack.
He seized the incoming wrist, then swung the machete in his other hand. The honed blade sliced across both eyeballs.
"Grah, grrraaak—!"
The variant abomination screamed wildly. It thrashed to escape his grip. Naturally, he had no intention of letting go, but...
Pahng!!
It felt like a balloon bursting in his hand. Woojin lost his hold on the wrist. Freed, the variant retreated.
Woojin flexed his hand idly. The variant's response had been impressive.
'It released the compression instantly?'
The variant's flesh was twisted and compressed like a braided rope. It had unleashed that torsion in a burst, generating explosive power—like a tightly drawn bowstring snapping free.
Kwaduduk—!
Both arms twisted in opposite directions, gathering force. So severely contorted, they lost their original shape, sharpening into spear tips like those used in jousting.
The variant aimed the twin spearheads at him. Its nostrils flared nonstop. It seemed to be gauging his position by the blood scent on his machete.
'Interesting ability.'
Torsion.
A bizarre technique he'd never seen before. He wanted to observe how it worked further, but... presences were approaching from all directions. Abominations drawn by the noise.
Time to end the observation and finish it off. Woojin charged. In response, the variant thrust its right arm forward.
Thuwahwak!!
The pointed fingertip spun like a drill, hurtling toward him. So bizarre an attack, he couldn't quite predict how to counter.
Woojin met it bluntly—with a weight-enhanced punch.
Ppeoeoeok—!
Something shattered explosively. Naturally, Woojin's fist was unscathed. The variant's wrist flopped limply like a broken fan blade.
But it still had its left arm. It extended it once more.
...Of course, so did Woojin.
Crack!!
With the machete in his right hand, Woojin cleaved into the abomination's forehead. The blade sank deep, splitting its skull like firewood.
Thud.
The rigidly upright abomination toppled. Dead. Its compressed body melted and spread out—like a deep-sea fish hauled to the surface.
'What a sight to kill the appetite...'
Woojin grumbled inwardly as he rummaged through the corpse. Soon, an inner core came into view. He pocketed it deeply, then swung his machete like an axe into a nearby tree.
Black sap oozed from the split trunk. He hastily smeared it over his body. Then he climbed the thick trees around him.
...Not long after, abominations swarmed in, milling around the corpse.
'Any longer, and it would've gotten messy.'
Though Braknak had given him a rough rundown, the variant's abilities were even more grotesque than expected. He could now understand why the Nol tribe had abandoned their territory.
But after facing one, he had a feel for it.
'Since I'm already here... let's hunt a few more before heading back to the barrier.'
To do that, he'd need to venture deeper.
Woojin glanced below. Drawn by the commotion, abominations packed the ground.
'Can't move on foot.'
He'd have to travel differently. The forest was dense with trees, so like a monkey, he swung freely between them using arms and legs.
As he delved deeper... another variant abomination, similar to the last, entered his sight.
Perched on a branch, he looked down at it.
'...Hasn't noticed me.'
The variant scanned its surroundings but never looked up.
Woojin drew his machete. He dropped straight down. A grim shadow of death loomed over the variant.
Sslash!
The swung blade severed its nape. The head fell silently. Woojin trapped it mid-drop with his instep, like receiving a soccer ball.
Then he chipped it away. The variant's head sailed far, smashing against a rock and bursting. Nearby abominations' attention snapped that way.
Woojin calmly pocketed the inner core. His second one.
'This is how I'll hunt them.'
Having found a solid method, he'd just repeat the process.
He pressed deeper into the forest. Hunting variants, he occasionally spotted monsters that looked troublesome.
'That's a massive one.'
Not humanoid, but far larger and more dangerous.
Rhino abomination.
Seemed born from a corrupted Nol war rhino. Faced with the house-sized beast, Woojin crossed his arms thoughtfully.
What to do with this one.
He itched to charge in, but something that big wouldn't go down cleanly. It'd cause a huge ruckus, drawing every abomination in the forest.
'No need to push it.'
Tempting prey, but wiser to skip. Losing multiple variants for one would be a net loss.
Woojin roamed the forest, hunting down variants that could pose future threats.
Then... a thought struck him.
'I chose to stay here because I wanted to do this from the start.'
Refusing to return with the delegation. Probably because, having come all the way to the Demonic Realm, he couldn't bear to leave without hunting.
After hunting variants for a good while, no particularly standout ones appeared anymore. His pouch bulged with inner cores. Time had passed accordingly.
About time to head back.
'Last one... that big guy from earlier.'
The rhino abomination.
Hunt it for a grand finale. Circling the forest, Woojin searched... but oddly, it was gone.
'...Slipped out of the forest already?'
Disappointing, but he'd leave it for another day. With that, Woojin turned back. Any longer, and the others might worry.
Two days of ordeals, but after fun hunts in a while, his steps felt light on the return.
Back at the Nol barrier.
An unexpected situation plunged Woojin into deep thought. Braknak beside him was visibly flustered too.
"Where on earth did you get this?"
Braknak gestured at the item in Woojin's pack. A massive inner core, like a melon.
Woojin scratched his head.
"...An abomination's inner core."
"Really? Never seen one this big."
"It's rare, yeah."
Abomination inner cores, when gathered, fused into a single mass.
Woojin knew this, but...
Too focused on hunting, he'd neglected the spoils. And he hadn't considered variants retaining the trait. Result: all fused into one giant core.
Braknak tensed upon hearing the explanation, handling it like live explosives.
"Best to burn it. If it forms a new body, things could spiral out of control."
"Yeah, probably."
A shame, but eating it seemed insane.
Even now, it writhed like living meat—freshly butchered beef. Leaving it would spell trouble.
'Gotta dispose of it properly.'
Pzzt—!
He unleashed Lightning Bolt after ages, charring the core black. Not stopping there, Woojin stomped it repeatedly—like extinguishing flames.
Soon, only black ash remained on the ground. Braknak sighed in relief.
"Dodged a bullet."
"Gotta be more careful next time."
Woojin replied... then a foreboding thought flashed through his mind.
'...Hope no one tried to eat that earlier?'
Bad feeling.