Chapter 238
Chapter 238
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 238
Chapter Title: Mugak (1)
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“Master, my name is Mugak.”
Mugak.
The moment that name came from Bone Arms’ mouth.
“……?”
“Mugak?”
“Wait, Mugak?”
They froze!
The madmen who had been jumping around excitedly stopped their cheers.
The one tumbling lost its balance and slammed its head into the ground.
The one roaring with its mouth wide open froze like a statue with its mouth still agape.
“Mugak? That Mugak from Mugak and True Fist?”
“It looks like him, right? Names can’t be duplicated here.”
“Then the boss beat Mugak? The legendary Mugak?”
Cheers turned to shock.
Shock turned to disbelief.
The madmen’s expressions flipped back and forth.
‘Why are they acting like that?’
I frowned, barely holding on through sheer willpower, on the verge of collapsing.
What was Mugak?
Mugak and True Fist?
Who the hell was True Fist?
Were they famous guys in this world?
“Wait! But Mugak’s famous for his legs, right? That guy only used fists?”
“Don’t you know?”
“Know what?”
“Well, you’ve been summoned here less than a year, huh? Mugak hasn’t used his legs in over a hundred years already.”
“……A hundred years? Then he’s first-gen?”
“That’s why they call him Stale Water. He could be recognized as the Battle God’s apostle if he just used his legs, but he stubbornly sticks to fists. He’s one of the only first-gen strongest still around.”
“…….”
“But how’d a guy like Mugak show up in this backwater? I heard he vanished completely for the last ten years.”
Murmurs spread.
The madmen started chattering among themselves, spilling info about Mugak that only they knew.
“…….”
One or two, fine.
But over a hundred doing it turned the place into chaos.
Whirrr!
My head was already spinning, and the noise made my stomach churn even more.
Irritated, I raised my left hand.
Their gazes locked onto me.
First things first.
I’d heard their names, and they had to obey my orders, right?
“All of you, back off.”
“……?”
They tilted their heads at my command.
“Back off?”
“Back off and do what? And back off where?”
“Give precise orders, boss!”
They nodded along again.
“Damn it. Go cook food, build houses, brawl, whatever—just get out of my sight, I’m tired!”
“Got it, boss!”
“Then since you look rough, we’ll regroup here by tomorrow!”
They scattered like shots from a cannon, gauging my mood.
Crazy bastards by my world’s standards, but they followed orders sharp and clean.
Whoosh!
A faint breeze brushed my nose.
“…….”
In the sudden quiet.
I finally felt at ease.
“Hoo, ha.”
The only sounds were the cool wind, his breathing, and mine.
“Master.”
Lying there, Mugak looked at me and smiled.
“You resolve the grudges of the departed, right?”
“…….”
It felt different from the proxy dungeons so far.
Before, it was about releasing past ‘grudges.’
But Bone Arms looked exactly like his current self to anyone.
“Don’t make that face, master. I can read your thoughts plain as day.”
“What am I thinking?”
“You’re surprised. That a departed soul like me knows you, feels you.”
“Right.”
I nodded.
Kid could tell, probably because our emotions linked.
What I wondered was this.
How was a departed soul.
Already skeletonized and serving as my summon.
Existing here in that buff form?
How could Stale Water still be alive in this world?
“Curious, master?”
“You know and still ask?”
“Keheh, well, you know how it is. When I first got here, I felt the exact same as you.”
“…….”
Nostalgia filled Mugak’s eyes.
“Master, this is the world of the departed.”
“Departed?”
“Yeah, to be precise, it’s where souls of warriors who made names in battles across worlds gather under the Battle God’s name.”
Ah.
So that’s it.
Even those battle-crazed madmen were already dead?
“Fhew.”
Thud!
I exhaled and plopped down right there.
Thinking about it, I’d already won—time to rest.
At the same time.
Woooong!
I summoned ‘Dana’ by channeling energy.
“Master, you called?”
The restriction here banned only ‘using weapons.’
So ‘healing’ was fine.
“Heal both of us?”
“Yes.”
Fwaaah!
Light burst from her hand, enveloping us.
The throbbing pain eased a bit.
‘Departed, huh…….’
That made some sense.
The bone body I summoned was Mugak’s past life.
The Mugak before me now was just his ‘soul’ form.
Yeah, that tracked.
Anyway, details were too complicated—skip.
“By the way, why’d you go easy?”
I asked.
Why he used those sloppy fists.
“I didn’t go easy.”
“You did. I heard everything. You used to use legs, right?”
“Exactly as I said. I used legs in the past. Not now. So no going easy. Even if it wasn’t you, master, but another strong guy in front of me, I’d have used fists the same.”
“…….”
“But yeah, that’s why I couldn’t become the Battle God’s apostle.”
He muttered self-mockingly.
[Ting!]
[A new quest arrives!]
A message appeared in the air.
[Stage: Fist-Leg Confrontation.]
[Mugak (Martial Foot) wants the Battle God’s (SSS Grade) recognition using only fists.]
[Help him advance to the center of the ‘Battle God World.’]
Ah.
Got it.
This guy, who rose to absolute with only legs.
Now raise him to absolute with only fists.
* * *
Next day.
We recovered and gathered in the village square.
Mugak and I sat cross-legged in the center.
Around us.
About a hundred madmen sat in a circle.
“…….”
They kept their mouths shut tight.
I’d told them to shut up the second they arrived because they were too loud.
“So.”
I looked at Mugak.
“To get the Battle God’s recognition, what do we do?”
“Look at the sky, master.”
I tilted my head back at his words.
Clear blue sky.
Bright sun and pretty white clouds.
“No, a bit more to the left.”
“Yeah.”
“See the cloudy pillar of light?”
In the direction Mugak pointed, a light pierced the sky.
“That’s the ‘center’?”
“Yes, master.”
Mugak nodded.
“The center’s full of powerhouses. Break through them and reach it, and you get the Battle God’s recognition.”
“Powerhouses…… stronger than you?”
“Of course.”
Mugak answered without hesitation.
“Stronger than you with legs?”
“Can’t say till we fight, but yeah, lots of powerhouses. I’m just first-gen. This world’s seen endless time—now up to tenth-gen have come.”
“Tenth-gen……?”
I tilted my head.
One madman answered.
“Boss! We’re tenth-gen. They usually divide generations here by ten years. The Battle God summons universe’s strongest per generation!”
“…….”
So.
Beat the powerhouses gathered from the universe over a hundred years and reach the center?
“But.”
One thing bugged me.
“Why not use legs?”
“…….”
Mugak’s face darkened a bit at my question.
Ah, okay.
Sensitive topic—don’t poke now.
I could use ‘Memory Recreation (S-Grade)’ later anyway.
“Whatever.”
Quest was given.
His ‘grudge’ was Battle God’s recognition through fists.
Forcing legs on him wouldn’t help.
Wouldn’t resolve the ‘grudge.’
“With your current fist skills, you can’t even handle the powerhouses still here, let alone recognition, right?”
“Objectively, yeah, master.”
“Fhew, good.”
I stood abruptly from cross-legged.
Brushed dirt off my butt and spoke.
“Let’s make a deal.”
“……A deal?”
“You can’t use legs, right?”
“Yes, master.”
“Can’t use them, but no rule against teaching you how, right?”
Mugak pondered my question briefly, then slowly nodded.
“……Right? But why ask?”
“They say you’re killer with legs. Teach me those skills. In return, I teach you fists.”
Whoosh!
I threw a short straight and said.
“You teach fists……?”
He made a [Really?] face.
Ha, this guy?
‘Elder.’
I called the old man inwardly.
“What?”
‘Do you use fists, elder?’
“Me, fists?”
‘Yes.’
“Kahaha, kid. Know what they called this master in the past? Fist God. Fist God. How dare discuss fists before the Fist God.”
“…….”
Couldn’t see it, so hard to believe.
But from his advice during the hard fight earlier, he clearly knew fists way better than me.
I grinned at Bone Arms—no, Mugak.
“There’s ways, man. Don’t worry. You.”
“……Huh?”
“You lost to me, right?”
“Y-Yeah, master?”
“Then quit yapping, got it!”
I motioned raising my hand overhead.
Thinking it over, no need for a deal.
In a world where the strong make truth.
Didn’t Mugak love this world?
“No chit-chat. Teach me. I teach you fists. That’s it. We head to center en route. Okay?”
“……Okay.”
Mugak replied.
* * *
Step, step.
The great march began.
Mugak and I at the forefront.
A hundred madmen followed behind.
Could leave them, but no need.
Why ditch slaves who fetch food and build houses on command?
“Boss!”
Mid-march, one came up.
“Look over there. Bigger village ahead.”
“Mm.”
I’d already spotted it.
But.
Something felt off.
Familiar mana swirling.
“Master.”
Mugak halted.
“Careful, it’s wraiths.”
“……Wraiths?”
Narrowing my eyes at the distant village.
- Kekeke….
- Fight…!
Eerie voices scratched my ears.
‘Huh?’
Voice I’d heard.
‘No way.’
That black monster from Budapest?
Sss! Shhh!
The guys rampaging in the village spotted us.
Then.
Screeeee!
They charged at us.
Hoo, another fight?
I raised my fists.