Chapter 32: Human Grave
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 32: Human Grave
[You ask why I came to follow Blood Dagger? Hmph... It was so long ago, I can't quite remember. Not that I want to. Kekek. It was probably because he gave me more gold coins than anyone else. Kkirik. Isn't that right? That's just the kind of creatures we Green Goblins are. - Green Goblin]
“You’ve gotten stronger. Much stronger. Kkirik kkirik!”
Those were the first words the Green Goblin said to me on the morning I returned from battle. I simply nodded without bothering to reply. I was in an excellent mood, having collected all the spoils from the humans we hunted on our way back.
In particular, the sword wielded by the magic swordsman Kim Donghyun had the ability to invigorate the flow of magic, so I gave it to the eldest of the five loyal siblings, who had contributed the most in the recent battle. For the slightly larger goblin, the weapon was somewhere between a dagger and a sword, but he seemed extremely pleased. He would probably show it off as a gift from Blood Dagger rather than use it himself.
Thanks to that, my image as a trustworthy chieftain was solidified, and their loyalty grew even stronger.
The only problem was that, as expected of beginners, they didn't carry much gold. I tossed a leather pouch in front of the Green Goblin. It actually contained more silver than gold, but he seemed happy nonetheless.
Naturally, his face lit up the moment he opened the pouch.
“Kkirik!”
I couldn't help but laugh, seeing him so delighted by such a small amount when he was already surrounded by so much gold. It seemed the Green Goblin's greed truly knew no bounds.
“Sorry it’s not much. But I’ll bring you more next time.”
“Not at all. Kkirik. I never imagined someone who just arrived here would bring back so many shinies. Kkirik kkirik.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that.”
“Kkirik. So, how does it feel? Evolving into a rare species.”
I hadn't intended to hide it, but it seemed I couldn't fool his eyes. It was a little surprising that he noticed at once, even though there were no obvious changes to my appearance other than my fangs growing a little longer.
“It feels like this is just the beginning, Green Goblin.”
“Kkirik. Kkirik. Kkirik. I heard from the elite goblins who went with you. About how brave and wise the Blood Dagger Clan is. You would have done well moving with me, too.”
He spoke playfully, but his eyes were not joking. It was his way of subtly suggesting we join forces and carve our honor into this land together, but I had my own things to do. In the end, I brushed off his words nonchalantly.
“I think so, too.”
With that, we clashed as we always did. After gaining this new body, I could see the Green Goblin’s attacks a little more clearly, but seeing my improvement, he also stopped holding back. I still ended up rolling on the ground.
Even so, I felt good. I could feel with my own body that this training was paying off.
And so, time passed.
The training continued, and I was still no match for the elites. Nevertheless, I was able to endure it cheerfully because the four days of training were always followed by three days of rest.
With me at the center, the Blood Dagger Clan roamed ceaselessly. I had wanted to visit the spider’s grave again, but because I had torn the place apart, guards from the Saint Knights Order were now loitering about, making it impossible to hunt there. But that wasn't the only place where beginners and intermediate adventurers gathered. There was the land of the undead, where low-level ghouls lived, and the entrance to the forest, where relatively easy prey congregated.
The adventurers hunting in these areas were mostly in parties of five or six, so we sent out the same number of warriors to fight them.
Occasionally, we would avoid adventurers who seemed too difficult for us to handle, but if we thought they were at a level we could manage, we would swarm them as a group.
Another three months passed, and then three more. Humans began to call me the Named Monster, ‘Weapon Merchant.’ It was probably a nickname they gave me because I started carrying all the useful equipment I collected on my back and waist as the battles continued. I found this out by chance while ambushing another group.
“Sh-Shit! It’s the Weapon Merchant! Run! Run!”
Perhaps because word had spread that we would pop out from everywhere to attack, those with connections started moving with more reliable companions, while those without simply fled.
That was when Jung Hayeon proved to be a great asset. She, too, had evolved into a rare species: a Rafflesia Alraune. Her appearance hadn't changed much on the outside. The petals on her lower body had just grown larger, and she now exuded an even sweeter nectar and fragrance.
On Earth, the rafflesia is a parasitic plant that emits the smell of rotting flesh to attract flies. But as an Alraune, she released a truly irresistible, fatal aroma. In other words, she was far more dangerous than before.
There were limits to its use, as it drew in every human in the vicinity, but those who came, lured by Jung Hayeon’s scent, were usually in a daze. We dealt with most of the higher-level humans this way.
Around this time, Jung Hayeon also began to be classified as a Named Monster. She was called the ‘Green Flower.’ It seemed a decent archer had witnessed our hunting methods from a distance by chance.
Thanks to that, our hunts became more covert and cautious.
Despite everything going well, a few things still bothered me. I hadn't been able to find any trace of that bastard Shin Duk-ho and the other Murderers, nor of Choi Seulgi. Of course, I knew it wouldn't be easy to find two people among the countless beginners in the many cities, but my early luck in finding the magic swordsman Kim Donghyun at the spider’s grave had gotten my hopes up.
In any case, I didn't know for sure who the other Murderers were, but I vaguely remembered their faces. In the case of Shin Duk-ho, whom I had known, my memory was even clearer. He had definitely said he’d been living on this continent for over ten years.
It was frustrating that he was nowhere to be seen. I thought every day about the most horrific pain I would inflict upon him if I ever caught him, but no matter how much I searched, he was nowhere in sight. There was nothing I could do. It wasn't as if I could just charge the city walls.
I even checked the place where Choi Seulgi and I were ambushed, just in case, but it was the same. I considered the possibility that they weren't going on expeditions right now, or that they were doing odd jobs inside the city.
I also couldn't rule out the possibility that the Blood Dagger Clan had been so active that they were refraining from expeditions for their own safety. When I belatedly realized this, I began to reduce the frequency of our hunts. Soon after, beginner adventurers started to reappear, little by little, in the decent hunting grounds.
*
The man, Kim Pansuk, muttered to himself as he looked at the wanted poster on the bulletin board, warning of the Named Monsters ‘Weapon Merchant’ and ‘Green Flower.’
“Fuck… this whole area has gone to shit lately. How are guys like us supposed to make a living? Shouldn’t the Saint Knights Order do something about this?”
His friend, Park Youngwhan, nodded and continued his thought.
“Isn’t that why they posted guards at the spider’s grave, where they said the most damage occurred?”
“The fuck good does that do? They just pop up everywhere, kill everyone, and disappear… Fucking bastards…”
“Shh.”
Park Youngwhan quietly brought a finger to his lips. It was a clear signal to watch his mouth. Realizing he’d gotten a little too worked up, Kim Pansuk nodded.
More than a few people had bad-mouthed the Saint Knights Order here and vanished without a trace. Officially, they were announced as missing or killed by monsters, but guys like Kim Pansuk and Park Youngwhan, who did ‘dirty work,’ had a rough idea of what was happening behind the scenes.
As if to change the mood, Park Youngwhan sighed and spoke again.
“Well, whether it’s thanks to the Saint Knights Order or not, those bastards have been quiet lately. Maybe they got sick of this area, or maybe… they got into a fight with the Green Goblin Clan.”
“Do monsters fight each other?”
“Humans do. You think monsters are any different?”
“Well… I guess they are bloodthirsty freaks, after all. Anyway, how is she? That woman?”
At Kim Pansuk’s words, Park Youngwhan thoughtfully recalled ‘that woman.’ She was the target of a ‘job’ they’d been ordered to carry out after she refused to become the concubine of a powerful figure in the city.
“Heh… heh… What’s so hard about fooling one little girl who’s only been here a year? Of course it’s done. She probably trusts me completely. Today was the same. I asked her to go on an expedition together, and she was all cute, asking when we were leaving… Honestly, if I’d wanted to, I could have slept with her several times by now.”
Kim Pansuk naturally snorted at Park Youngwhan’s bravado.
“Dumbass. Why would a woman like that sleep with a fucker like you? She’s the one who turned down being a concubine for the Red Cross Clan’s master. Seriously, you’re always full of shit.”
“It’s true. I just didn’t touch her because forcing her is more fun. Fuck…”
Kim Pansuk and Park Youngwhan occasionally received job offers like this from the city’s powerful. It wasn't anything grand. They would just beat up some rookies who defied a pathetic powerful figure, break their bodies so they could no longer live as proper summoners, and then sell them off to a brothel. The first time they were offered such a job, they were naturally quite flustered, but as they got used to it, they became numb to it, and even found it fun.
They felt no guilt, of course. It was what they had to do to survive in this world.
“Fuck… but how long do we have to do this shit out in the forest? There are plenty of good spots in the city, right? You know how scary it is, worrying that some monster bastards will show up during a job.”
“Didn’t you say you liked the thrill… Idiot. Well, the Red Cross Clan did say they’d provide a place once they’re settled. They’re just worried about getting caught by the Saint Knights Order. Isn’t this better for us anyway, since we get hazard pay?”
“Tsk. I heard the leader of the Saint Knights Order is also parading around with a 15-year-old, calling her his disciple… He acts all high and mighty, like he’s the only clean one around.”
At Kim Pansuk’s careless remark, Park Youngwhan flinched and scowled.
“Shut the fuck up, you idiot. Say one more word and I’ll… kill you first.”
At Park Youngwhan’s angry expression, Kim Pansuk naturally bowed his head. Finally, a voice as small as an ant’s trickled from his lips.
“S-Sorry.”
“Fuck… let’s just watch our mouths. Okay?”
“Sorry…”
Seeing the crestfallen Kim Pansuk, Park Youngwhan felt a little bad and clapped him on the shoulder.
“Anyway, we’re heading out tonight, so get ready. Changshik and Daejun are coming too. It pisses me off to split such a small amount of money four ways, but the forest is a dangerous place. The more people, the safer it is.”
“Still, she seemed pretty skilled. It’s a shame, isn’t it?”
“Dumbass. I never thought I’d hear you say something like that. Hey. She’s coming. Shut up from now on.”
“Got it.”
Kim Pansuk turned his head. As expected, a woman who looked to be a thief class was walking toward them. She was tall, with features anyone would call beautiful. Her pale skin was particularly striking. He could see why the Red Cross Clan’s master was so obsessed with her. Feeling a natural stirring in his loins, Kim Pansuk began to put on a friendly smile. His friend, Park Youngwhan, would take care of the rest.
“Oppa!”
“Yeah, Seulgi-ya! Over here.”
And so, the two of them smiled.