Chapter 36
Chapter 36
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Goblin Grandmaster
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Decompose."
The moment Bihyeong's will took effect, the smoke lingering in his grasp began to swirl.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Decomposing 'Shuten Doji's Curse.'] [Acquired 'Shuten Doji's Old Sword Fragment.'] [Acquired 'Portion of Shuten Doji's Yokai Power.'] [Acquired 'Vengeful Spirit Soaked in Grudge....] Quite the haul.
Well, Shuten Doji was the king of Japan's oni, after all.
No way a sword like that was forged easily.
'Still, I never imagined it could actually be decomposed.'
In truth, Bihyeong's Goblin Club wasn't fully complete yet.
Or more precisely, it still had room to 'grow.'
'I sacrificed immediate performance to infuse it with various abilities and boost its potential.'
That meant it had storage limits and grade restrictions on what could be decomposed or combined.
So he never dreamed it could store Shuten Doji's curse.
He'd just given it a shot because of the promise he'd made with the oni.
'My club isn't truly EX-grade yet.'
Its official rating said otherwise, but Bihyeong's firsthand experience felt different.
If he had to score it, it'd be like EX minus the X—around E-grade?
'Even so, I'm plenty grateful for what it can do now.'
Unlike the Goblin King's club, Bihyeong's could absorb spells and energies.
He hadn't tested it yet, but maybe it could even sync with Wager to contain Bloodline Abilities?
'If I play my cards right, I might craft Bloodline Abilities with the exact powers I want.'
Just a pipe dream for now.
He didn't even know if it was possible, and even if it was, his current club probably couldn't handle it.
'It'll grow even more anyway. We're still far from the ending.'
The club would evolve by then, and he'd make sure of it.
With that in mind, Bihyeong decided to do something to boost his own specs.
"Eoduk. Lend me the Demon Blade."
"Yes, sir!"
At Bihyeong's command, Eoduk rummaged through the shadows and pulled out a pitch-black blade tinged with red.
'What if I mix this with Shuten Doji's sword fragment?'
Shuten Doji was a famous yokai from Japan—even beat a prime Dwaeksini—and a big name even there.
Japan also had higher-level ghost stories and monsters than Korea.
Game lore chalked it up to the island nation's isolated geography breeding nests of yokai and anomalies.
'A blade from a renowned yokai even in a place like that. Wonder what'll happen?'
Brimming with anticipation, Bihyeong fed the Demon Blade into his club.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Storing Demon Blade.] [Decompose or Combine possible.] "Combine."
As Bihyeong spoke, the smoke in his hand rippled like a heat haze.
At the same time, his eyes captured what was happening inside the club.
Shuten Doji's sword fragment and his Demon Blade were gradually merging.
'They're blending.'
The fragment seeped into the blade, and from there, the Demon Blade's hue swirled chaotically.
Soon, a single blade emerged from the club's energy flow.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ['Shuten Doji's Sword Fragment' and 'Demon Blade' have combined.] ['Oni Jade Blade' has been born!] It looked a bit different from the original Demon Blade.
For starters, the blade was a full handspan longer,
and the dark red ore's color had deepened and darkened.
"Ooh."
The moment he gripped the hilt, he felt it.
This was no comparison to his previous Demon Blade.
Like the difference between mass-produced factory goods and a master craftsman's masterpiece?
The edge was sharper than ever; just holding it made the air around it feel split.
'But that means it's gotten more dangerous too, huh?'
Shuten Doji's yokai power embedded in the blade twisted into ghostly wails, assaulting Bihyeong's ears.
Kiiiiiik...!!
"Ugh. Shut it."
It sounded like nails on a chalkboard.
Bihyeong glared at the Oni Jade Blade with irritation.
"Quiet down."
The Oni Jade Blade, infused with Shuten Doji's yokai power, seemed to mock him at first and ignore the command.
But the overwhelming presence that followed—an aura incomparable to Shuten Doji's—struck terror into it.
The blade instantly fell silent.
"Much better."
With a relieved expression, he stored the Oni Jade Blade back in his Goblin Club,
and looked down at Dwaeksini, still out cold and oblivious to the curse's removal.
'Now, what to do with this guy?'
There was still plenty left to check,
but Dwaeksini was the top priority.
This bomb could go off any second.
With the curse gone, he needed to collar him fast.
Bihyeong approached and slowly drew up his Bloodline Ability.
'Wager.'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Bloodline Ability, 'Wager' activated.] The activation condition for Wager was performing an act tied to a 'wager' with the opponent.
No consent from the other party required.
'But it has to be a clear contest with a decisive outcome, and the moment you lose, what you have could go to them. A double-edged sword.'
Bihyeong used it on Dwaeksini.
'The wager's already set around resolving his curse.'
And that condition was already cleared.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Collecting the wager's stakes.] With the message, Dwaeksini's possessions began to surface.
'...What the hell? His stats are insane.'
Even battered from the Shuten Doji fight and seemingly weakened, they were still higher than Bihyeong's.
...Better collar him before he wakes.
"Mmgh..."
Right then, Dwaeksini stirred.
Bihyeong reflexively drew the Oni Jade Blade, wrapped yang energy around the hilt's end, and smacked him down.
Thwack!
"Guh!"
And with that sound, Dwaeksini passed out again.
"Phew. Close call."
Wiping the cold sweat beading on his forehead, Bihyeong pondered what to take from him.
'Might as well go for what he'd miss the most.'
He checked the Bloodline Abilities, but nothing caught his eye.
Taking stats or skills? Would that even hold the leash on this guy?
'Lucky if he doesn't rage out.'
After much deliberation,
something caught Bihyeong's eye.
'Huh? That...'
Examining it closely, he saw the linked message pop up and smirked.
"That'll do."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ His body felt refreshed.
Shuten Doji.
His flesh, cursed by that damned oni, had felt like it was floating shards of blade in blood, muscles tearing with every twitch in agonizing pain.
Yet now, it was this refreshing.
First taste of bodily freedom in centuries, maybe?
What did his subordinates do to the Goblin King's club?
"Hngh!"
His thoughts reached that point, and Dwaeksini unwittingly clutched his forehead and sat up.
Memories resurfaced, and the spot where he'd been flicked ached.
"Hey. You're up?"
And there was the culprit who'd delivered that flick.
Bihyeong was off a bit, gathering firewood to start a campfire.
"Mina. Those marshmallows look done."
"Oh? Yeah, they do. Here, Bihyeong. Eoduk senior, have some too."
"Thank you kindly!"
The sight of two half-demons and one yokai huddled around the fire, peacefully roasting something,
was a scene even Dwaeksini—who'd lived for ages—had never witnessed.
"...What the hell are you doing?"
"Hm? Post-meal dessert?"
"No, I can see that. Why are you doing it here?"
Dwaeksini glanced at his body, then clenched his fist.
"You lifted the curse. Didn't you think about what I'd do when I woke?"
"I did."
"Then why didn't you run?"
Bihyeong turned at Dwaeksini's question and met his gaze.
A faint smile played on his lips.
"I told you earlier. I'm incorporating you into my Night Parade of One Hundred Demons."
"...Hah."
A scoff of utter disbelief.
Dwaeksini stared straight into Bihyeong's eyes.
'Eyes don't lie.'
Having lived for ages, Dwaeksini could read an opponent's gaze.
Their emotions, thoughts, true feelings—to a degree.
'So why?'
That's why Bihyeong puzzled him.
'Why doesn't he fear me?'
Dwaekshin (Mind-Suppressing Pressure).
The evil god that crushes heads to kill.
That was him.
Yet this half-demon had revived such an evil god and stared at him so calmly.
"What the hell are you?"
How could he smile like that?
How could he be so brazen?
He knew human society was a world of the strong devouring the weak, if not quite as brutal as the yokai realm.
The weak bowed and scraped—that was the natural order.
This half-demon, born lofty but not yet fully bloomed, made no sense.
"What am I?"
Bihyeong stood at Dwaeksini's question.
"Like my answer? Join my goblins if you do."
Dwaeksini nodded with a grin, liking the boldness.
"Fine. If it pleases me, I'll follow you."
No sooner had he spoken than Bihyeong checked the new alert.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Derived Story, 'The Goblin's Dawn' evolves.] [Unique Story, 'The Originator' sprouts!] With it came the Goblin King's lingering will, demanding he define what a goblin was.
Thus, Bihyeong had only one response.
"I am the one who defines goblins. You could call me their Grandmaster."
A cap settled on his head, and a fierce presence whipped up like a storm.
Roooar—!!
As if a massive ghost sprouted behind him, his aura swelled massively.
"The goblins I redefine will no longer be weaklings. Nor incomplete."
He'd strive for that.
"Care to lend a hand on that path? We're both 'half-baked' types, after all."
Dwaeksini's body jolted at the words.