Chapter 200: Status Window vs. Heart Demon: A Deadly Battle for the Main Wife Position (Not)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 200: Status Window vs. Heart Demon: A Deadly Battle for the Main Wife Position (Not)
The Daoist told me the truth about the Iron Head Dragon.
An Aryong born with the fate of the Earthly Star of Slaughter.
The Shaolin Abbot took him in and tried to control his fate of slaughter, but the Earthly Star of Slaughter was not so easily suppressed.
The aura of earthly slaughter would burst out no matter how much it was suppressed.
The Shaolin Abbot took full responsibility and had the Iron Head Dragon stain his hands with blood.
He gave him the title of Arhat and had him eliminate heinous criminals and corrupted ferocious beasts.
With his memories erased and unaware of the truth, the Iron Head Dragon could only resent Shaolin.
A thirst of unknown origin constantly tormented him, and he blamed Shaolin for it.
In reality, however, everything was done to quench that very thirst.
“…Regardless of the reason, if it were officially revealed that Shaolin had committed such acts, it would send massive shockwaves through the Murim.”
They had a spirit beast kill people just to save it.
Even though it was limited to criminals, it was the kind of story people would love to tear apart.
“The Abbot… accepted all that infamy. ‘Shaolin, the pillar of the Murim, has fallen.’ ‘Even the lofty Abbot of Shaolin has gone mad for inner cores.’ Rumors like that spread, but the Abbot paid them no mind.”
It was a way to have him commit the bare minimum of killing to suppress his instincts as the Earthly Star of Slaughter and prevent him from going berserk.
But that alone wasn't enough, which was why they had been searching for the inner cores of spirit beasts.
And the reason they came to the 100,000 Great Mountains was because of information from a man named Namgung Yeon, which told them the place was teeming with spirit beasts, including me, a Gomodo.
“…A hundred apologies would not be enough, Great Hero. I apologize once again.”
That's enough. It's all in the past anyway.
“Kngh…”
The Iron Head Dragon staggered to his feet.
Is it because of his Adamantine Body? His recovery is certainly fast.
“…Bakgigae. Are you alright?”
“Senior Brother…” Bakgigae’s eyes were filled with sorrow.
“……I am so ashamed. You and the Abbot made such sacrifices for me… and I…”
Looks like getting smacked by me once brought his memories back.
They say a good beating is the best medicine, but I never thought it would be literally true.
Even if it wasn't that, the melting of his frozen heart must have had something to do with it.
“It's alright. It's all over now…”
“…No. I have already done something irreversible.”
He came to his senses and repented. But that changed nothing.
Just as he said, the Iron Head Dragon had done something irreversible.
He had killed a Shaolin monk.
Even for Shaolin, it would be impossible to take him back.
If he returned to Shaolin, he would face a punishment lasting nearly an eternity, and he might even be executed before he could set foot inside.
This was why I had felt so uneasy while fighting him. I thought his fate was unchangeable.
No matter what, this would end in tragedy.
That's what I thought.
Until, from a distance, I heard someone's voice.
“…Daoist, Bakgigae.”
“S-Senior Brother?”
A bald man, soaked to the bone, staggered toward us.
The Iron Head Dragon hadn't killed all the humans.
He had merely sealed them with the cold energy of the snow mountain.
“I see… so that's what happened…”
The rough-looking bald man listened to the full account of the events.
He was the one the Daoist called Senior Brother, and his Buddhist name was Do-jeong.
He seemed wary upon seeing me, a spirit beast, but his attitude changed after he heard that I had saved them.
“…A spirit beast from the 100,000 Great Mountains stopped Bakgigae and saved us?”
His reaction was similar to Baek Woon's when he was freed from petrification.
“Thank you, truly. If it weren't for you… we would not have been able to stop him.”
He seemed to be a cut above the Daoist in terms of skill.
I thought all bald people looked the same, lacking any distinguishing features, but Do-jeong was somehow different.
He had a scar on his face and a beard reminiscent of Zhang Fei from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
His appearance was a little different from the typical image of a monk.
“Even if we were frozen, we wouldn't have lived forever, and breaking the seal by force would have only cost us our lives. …But a natural warmth melted the ice.”
Isn't that because I defeated the Iron Head Dragon?
“It was a warmth I'd never felt before in my life, yet it somehow felt familiar. …Yes, it was like the sun.”
Warmth like the sun, huh. I felt a bit of that myself.
“It's clearly nighttime with no sun, so it was a truly strange phenomenon.” As he said this, he stared intently at me.
“The Black Sun is what saved us.”
I don't know what he's talking about, but I'm glad they were saved.
The Black Sun… That sounds a little familiar, doesn't it?
“However… that doesn't mean everyone was saved.”
Just as Do-jeong said, there were probably a few monks who were hit by the Iron Head Dragon's headbutts rather than the cold. They had literally evaporated without a trace.
“We may be able to lessen the severity, but he will not be able to avoid punishment.”
The Daoist and Do-jeong bowed deeply to me.
“S-Senior Brother!”
The Iron Head Dragon was flustered by their actions.
Despite his reaction, the Daoist and Do-jeong did not stop.
“O Gomodo… May we entrust Bakgigae… to you?”
The Iron Head Dragon wouldn't be returning to Shaolin. Even though he had spat out the purple orb and realized the truth, his fate as the Earthly Star of Slaughter likely hadn't vanished.
Even if he did return, a punishment akin to death would await him, and the Daoist and Do-jeong wouldn't want that.
The Shaolin Abbot probably wouldn't want to punish the Iron Head Dragon either, but having killed a monk, he could no longer turn a blind eye.
The Iron Head Dragon stared blankly at the Daoist and Do-jeong, then assumed the same posture.
“…O Tailed Death. I stake my entire inner core and beg you. Please… allow me to take refuge in you.”
The Iron Head Dragon was joining the Gaegaek Cult.
It deviated a little from my plan, but it was a pretty good outcome.
He was the master of the Snow Mountain, and the energy of the Dragon Gate was still intact.
Just because I expand my territory doesn't mean I can rule every part of it myself. I would make the Snow Mountain my territory, but I would entrust the management of the Dragon Gate and the mountain itself to the Iron Head Dragon.
The Gaegaek Cult's strength would increase immediately, and if I had him rule the Snow Mountain, our power would continue to grow.
Gaining a follower of the Iron Head Dragon's caliber was a huge boon for me.
The whole Earthly Star of Slaughter thing was a bit concerning, but it wasn't an unsolvable problem.
The Red Dragon, who was his natural opposite, could just breathe some fire on him a few times, and he'd probably calm right down.
“Gekgek.”
“I-Is that true! Thank you… thank you so much!” the Daoist said, tears streaming down his face.
“How could… in the 100,000 Great Mountains… there be such a divine spirit beast…” Do-jeong couldn't finish his sentence.
He was looking at me as if I were some sacred and lofty divine beast.
…I wish he wouldn't look at me like that, since I only made this decision after weighing the pros and cons. It's a bit much.
And his head is so shiny.
“When we return to Shaolin, I will tell the Abbot of your great deed.”
“The Abbot will also tacitly approve of Bakgigae remaining here. After all, he only survived thanks to Hero Gomodo.”
Do-jeong continued, “The current Murim is rotting from its very roots. If such rumors are circulating about our Shaolin, the pillar of the Murim, then it must be even worse for the other clans and sects.”
Shaolin wasn't rotten. It had seemed corrupt, but there were circumstances behind it. Not that I could trust them completely, but at least I could see their sincerity toward Bakgigae.
“They will be watching for any opportunity, trying to obtain the inner cores of spirit beasts by any means necessary.”
I had experienced this firsthand. Baek Woon and Jang Bong were like that, and so was Tang Soyeong.
“We will do our best to stop those who would use the descent of the Evil God as a pretext to invade this place—your 100,000 Great Mountains and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
Do-jeong wasn't the Shaolin Abbot. But it seemed the Daoist and Do-jeong were figures of some standing within Shaolin. Moreover, considering what the Abbot had done for Bakgigae, there was a high chance that Shaolin would side with us, just as Do-jeong said.
What was that saying? All roads lead to Rome. This was the best possible outcome.
My reason for stopping the Iron Head Dragon was to protect the 100,000 Great Mountains by killing these monks. But even if I killed them without leaving a trace, the fact that they died here would be undeniable, so unwanted attention wouldn't just disappear.
But if we formed a friendly relationship like this? It couldn't be better.
“…Thank you so much. You could have taken Bakgigae's inner core for yourself, yet you spared him with generosity as vast as the ocean.”
Honestly, it would be a lie to say I didn't covet his inner core. If nothing else, I had really wanted to obtain the Ice Bird's inner core.
But right now, I had to prioritize the growth of the Gaegaek Cult over my own personal strength. That meant not only strengthening my followers but also paying attention to the political landscape.
Forming a friendly relationship with Shaolin, the pillar of the Murim, would be convenient in many ways. It would help keep the flies from coming after me.
And if they returned safely, they would investigate the man named Namgung Yeon. After all, they said the Iron Head Dragon started acting strangely after meeting him.
That man knows me, but I don't know him. It would be best to leave such a dangerous element to Shaolin.
“After we recover, we will return with a reward befitting your great deed. …We must also appease the vengeful spirits of the Arhats who were sacrificed.”
Do-jeong and the Daoist left the Snow Mountain with the monks under their command. The Daoist was injured, but Do-jeong and the other monks were relatively unharmed.
With Do-jeong, who possessed power beyond the Peak Realm, escaping the 100,000 Great Mountains wouldn't be too difficult.
“…Thank you once again, O Tailed Death.”
The Iron Head Dragon bowed his head.
[Lord of the Snow Mountain, 【Iron Head Dragon LV95】, joins the Gaegaek Cult.]
His level had dropped. Was it because he spat out that purple orb earlier?
…What on earth was that thing to make his level drop by nearly 40?
[Achievement Unlocked: One an Allosaurus has never seen!]
An achievement. It had been a while since I'd seen that message.
[The Master of the Snow Mountain now sincerely follows you.]
[Your cold energy is enhanced.]
…What's this?
I was disappointed about not getting the Ice Bird's inner core, but it's rewarding me in this way.
This wasn't what I was hoping for, but I'll take what I can get.
I was planning to give the inner core to Baek Rang as a gift, but this isn't bad either.
[A bonus to cold energy is added to the Gaegaek Cult.]
I felt like giving the Status Window a big kiss.
'Kroong...'
Not you.
How could it do something so wonderful? A bonus to cold energy was added to the entire Gaegaek Cult.
That didn't mean Tus and Pus could suddenly start shooting ice arrows. It probably meant it would be easier to learn ice-based martial arts, or for those like Baek Rang who could already wield cold energy, their power would be amplified.
It was a very satisfying result.
…Maybe this is what they mean by getting rewarded for doing a good deed.
[Achievement Unlocked: One that would make an Allosaurus's eyes go wide!]
No way.
Another one?
[You have made a great contribution to improving the relationship between the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and Shaolin.]
What did I even do?
[A mere lizard has succeeded where neither the Abbot of Shaolin nor the Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult dared to tread.]
A mere lizard? I give it an inch, and it takes a mile.
[As a reward, you will randomly acquire one of Shaolin's martial arts.]
Okay, it's damn lovely.
'Kroooooong...'
No, you get back in there.
After quieting the Heart Demon that was trying to approach me, I focused my mind.
A familiar sight appeared before my eyes. It looked just like a spinning slot machine.
The countless martial arts of Shaolin were all spinning at once.
Please, please, let it be something good!
Click-clack-clack.
The slot machine's reels gradually slowed.
Formless Kick? Not bad.
Hundred Steps Divine Fist? I'd welcome that with open arms.
Demon Subduing Chain Kicks? That's good too!
Buddha's Palm?
Huh?
Really?
Is it really Buddha's Palm?
I rubbed my eyes and looked again, but there they were, the beautiful characters for "Buddha's Palm" written in the air.
“Gekgek!”
Yes. Spring is finally coming to this lizard's life.
Click.
…Click?
[Congratulations, you have acquired 「Virgin Boy Skill」!]
……Huh?
No, what is this.
It was Buddha's Palm just a second ago!
“L-Lord Gomodo! Why are you suddenly acting like this! Shooting a beam at the empty air…!”
“Grrrrrrr…”
What's with this rigged martial art lottery?
….
Calm down.
It's a martial art I got for free anyway.
It's no Buddha's Palm, but the Virgin Boy Skill is actually a pretty good match for me.
Gomodo, the symbol of purity, combined with the Virgin Boy Skill... the possibilities are endless.
[The Title, Black Sun, reacts to 「Virgin Boy Skill」.]
[The Gaegaek Faith reacts to 「Virgin Boy Skill」.]
[The Gaegaek Cult reacts to 「Virgin Boy Skill」.]
[The Race, Middle-rank Dragonkin, reacts to 「Virgin Boy Skill」.]
[「%! S■lf-□ LV2」 reacts to 「Virgin Boy Skill」.]
This message…!
It was just like what happened with the Green Basilisk. The resources I possessed were reacting to the new skill to draw out something superior.
What on earth would the Virgin Boy Skill transform into?
It would be reborn as the ultimate martial art, one befitting me, the very symbol of purity.
I'm scared.
Scared of my own transformation.
'Krorororong...'
[Congratulations! 「Virgin Boy Skill」 has evolved into 「Gaegaek Bedroom Arts」.]
Huh?