Chapter 84
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 084
Chapter Title: Kaleidoscope. (1)
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After successfully repelling the night raid...
The Nol tribe gathered the abominations' inner cores and tossed them into the blazing bonfire. This was to keep other beasts from devouring them.
"......Can't we just throw them away?"
Braknak voiced his concern. The gaze of the Nol great warrior lingered on the abomination's inner core.
Woojin responded as if it were no big deal.
"Don't worry too much. I'll handle them carefully to avoid any accidents."
"Understood."
Braknak nodded. Woojin wasn't one to speak idly, and Braknak trusted he'd clean up any mess if it happened.
Woojin pocketed as many of the variant inner cores as he needed, then returned to his dwelling.
'What to do with these...'
He pondered, staring at the abomination inner cores. His original plan had been to chew them up and swallow.
Human-form variant abominations.
These were likely beings reborn after dark cultists corrupted them. Ingesting their inner cores should let him glimpse the dark cultists' memories.
'It should work. I peeked into Derek and Cedric's memories the same way before.'
The Golden Beetle's two sons.
Derek and Cedric had been reborn as abominations after falling to the witch, and Woojin had inherited their memories by consuming their inner cores.
So swallowing these variant inner cores would let him inherit the dark cultists' knowledge too, but...
'......It's kinda gross.'
He stared at the abomination inner cores on the floor.
They pulsed like hearts, wriggling toward each other every moment, like snails inching along.
Abomination inner cores had a tendency to merge into one. Seeing this, Woojin rummaged through his pack and pulled out a single inner core.
This wasn't an abomination's. It was from a deer beast he'd hunted recently for kicks. He set it down next to the abomination inner core.
The reaction was immediate.
Crunch, cruuunch—
The variant inner core slowly engulfed the deer's. Its size swelled slightly right after. It had gained strength from the meal—tiny bits of flesh sprouted around it.
'Consuming an abomination inner core risks the core corrupting you right back.'
That was the tip from Braknak.
Eating abomination inner cores was taboo. There was a high chance your body would get hijacked by the abomination.
After fights, abominations left their kin's inner cores behind on purpose—a tactic. Any fearless creature that scarfed one down would just boost their numbers.
That's why Woojin hesitated to pop one in his mouth.
'No issues last time, but... keep chowing down on these, and trouble might brew.'
It felt wrong.
But it was necessary to get intel on the situation. Variant abominations and dark cultists were likely connected.
Eat or not?
Woojin mulled it over, then focused his Insight Eye on the inner core. Just to gauge if it'd be safe.
That's when...
'......Weird feeling.'
Hard to put into words.
He'd barely slept three or four hours, exhaustion weighing him down, mana overload kicking in too. Using Insight Eye in this foggy state...
'I can see more than usual.'
Dreams and reality overlapping in a bizarre haze. Woojin bored into the inner core.
But his Insight Eye wasn't strong enough.
It felt like something was right there if he pushed a bit more, but breaking that barrier was tough. One step shy of the goal.
'......Maybe merge them.'
He recalled the massive inner core he'd seen lately.
Bigger size meant a more intense aura. Maybe a powerful one would be easier to peer into?
To test it, he merged two inner cores experimentally. It worked.
'Easier than before.'
He merged the rest.
Five human-form variant abominations. Combined, it was nearly baseball-sized. Woojin fixed his Insight Eye on it.
Then the inner core stirred.
Squelch, cruuunch—
The one in his palm spread like pizza dough, creeping over his hand bit by bit. Like it was probing living flesh.
He froze mid-tear at the lump.
'......I can see.'
Maybe the abomination trying to invade triggered it—clearer than before.
Dark cultists' mental images.
Five cores fused into one, memory fragments tangled in chaos. Like peering into a kaleidoscope...
Woojin shut his eyes, gazing at the knowledge and memories swirling inside.
A massive uproar erupted in the Demonic Realm's depths.
Dark cultists headed there to investigate. They stepped cautiously, one foot at a time, into the forest brimming with endless malice.
The depths were off-limits even for high priests. One slip, and breath could cut short.
Their destination: a demon cave forbidden long ago.
"Damn... we had to come all this way."
The lead dark cultist muttered like a sigh. His eyes fixed on a red rose blooming amid distant giant thorny bushes.
The rose's domain.
The "Capricious Nine Roses" was a monster of exceptional power, unpredictability, and danger among ancient beings.
Dark cultists revered rift-crossers as gods and angels.
But Nine Roses was the exception.
Those who entered her domain vanished or returned half-mad. Cultists dreaded any contact with her forces.
"......How the hell do we get in?"
The leader muttered in dismay.
No surprise. The domain overflowed with thorny thickets, spider beasts perched motionless on webs everywhere, like sleeping.
"Nostrils first."
"Got it."
They plugged their noses with brought wax. To block the rose scent.
These roses enchanted the living.
Drawn by the aroma to the blooms, victims tangled in webs and got devoured. Countless lost lives to that fragrance.
"......Entering."
Dark cultists crossed into the rose domain. Steps feather-light to avoid waking spiders.
Webs blanketed everything, but no issue. Special potion coated gloves and boots—they moved freely.
The real problem: things were worse than expected.
"These bastards... all dead?"
Someone muttered in disbelief.
Spiders looked asleep from afar. Up close, all sprawled dead.
Nine Roses' spiders were deadly. Each dwarfed bulls, packed with power.
"Outer gods clashing over turf? No other explanation."
"Dunno..."
The elder priest eyed the corpses. Elongated wounds on torsos and heads—like knife slashes.
Who wrought this slaughter?
"......Let's see for ourselves."
The fight wasn't over.
Rumbles echoed from deep within. They trailed the noise stealthily... and soon beheld it.
Two beings clashing.
A spider monster cathedral-sized. A massive rose bloomed on its back, woman's upper bodies protruding from wide-open petals.
Nine in total.
Faces veiled in roses like eyepatches. Only graceful nose bridges and seductive lip-curves showed.
'Capricious Nine Roses.'
Queen of the spider beasts.
Nine Roses was stunning. Enchanted cultists tried communing—all vanished soon after.
Like sirens luring sailors with song. Roses bewitched with scent and beauty, drawing prey to impale on thorns.
But equals resisted. Facing her: an ancient monster, older still.
Crackle, crackle—
Giant lizard wreathed in red lightning. Six wings on back, head sprouting elephant-ivory tusks.
Mass like a mountain chunk, silver scales gleaming like fresh-forged armor. Evoked legendary dragons.
'Dragon of Heavenly Punishment.'
The elder priest felt deep awe. One of the outer gods they worshipped.
Boom!!
Storm clouds bled red—a crimson bolt crashed down. Nine Roses reeled, blasted back a step.
"Aah, aaaah—"
Nine women chorused. The spider bore them opened wide. Shockwave from its maw warped the landscape ahead.
Dragon charged undeterred. The two Old Ones tangled wildly. Pushed back, spider braced against mountainside for brawl.
Boom, rumble—
Slope's dirt and stone cascaded down. Lightning struck; savage landslide from ancients' fray.
The elder muttered, entranced.
"Nine Roses is wounded."
Somehow covered in wounds. Slash-like scars weakening her—she was getting crushed by the dragon.
Dragon looked set to finish her easily. As the priest thought that...
Boom!!
Another bolt seared the ground. World flashed bright. Priest glimpsed something, eyes bulging.
'......What the hell was that?'
Too quick, shadows thick—couldn't make it out.
What did I see? Gotta check. Elder stepped forward; others yanked him back.
"Old man, run! We'll get swept up!"
Battle's fallout hit here. Relentless red bolts, Nine Roses' chorus spawning freak disasters.
Had to bolt now. Or die senselessly.
"But..."
Elder wavered. That glimpse nagged him. Others wouldn't wait.
"Move!"
Cultists dragged him off. Elder stumbled along. Instant they cleared, bolt hit their spot.
Boom!!
Earsplitting roar. Shock hurled bodies airborne. Screams exploded.
"Arghhh—"
"Faster!!"
Terror-stricken sprint, howling. But elder fixated on his sighting.
Lightning flash lit the Demonic Realm. Something between the outer gods.
Tiny compared to them. Eyewatering. Probably illusion. Far off, split-second.
Yet that outline burned vivid. Unforgettable...
'......Definitely human.'
A man stood, sword in hand.