Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Can You Beat the Yi Gi-eo Sword?
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Ruby crossed the forest with light footsteps.
A familiar muddy scent reached the tip of her nose.
Her lips curved into a smile at the smell, but only for a moment.
"I've got good news, meow!"
She shouted loudly, even as she panted for breath.
The group gathered in front of the small burrow lifted their heads.
"Ruby? Good news? What do you mean, meow?"
"Did you find new food or something, meow?"
The usual round, familiar voices.
Myordan and the other four Beastkin crowded around Ruby with faces full of curiosity.
The five Beastkin were all gathered now.
Ruby wrinkled her nose and lifted her chin proudly, looking smug.
"We don't have to offer food anymore, meow! We won't have to starve, meow!"
The air froze for a moment at her words.
"...W-what does that mean, meow?!"
"Tell us the details, meow!"
Ruby explained the offer she'd received in an excited voice.
In exchange for farming mandrakes, they could live under the protection of the western forest.
The owner of that forest.
Shihanbu had guaranteed it.
"There's no mud there, meow! We won't have to sleep in this damp ground anymore, meow!"
That was the moment her words ended.
Myordan, the oldest among the Beastkin, widened his eyes.
His face had already turned bright red.
"No way! Serving under a human? Absolutely not, meooooow!"
A firm shout, leaving no room for compromise.
Ruby asked in confusion at his outburst.
"Why not, meow? If we stay like this... we'll all..."
She trailed off, unable to finish.
But everyone there understood.
This forest, once home to over 5,000, now held only five Beastkin.
Even they might not survive this winter.
They wouldn't meet their quota in the food-scarce season.
They'd be eaten one by one, just like before, until the tribe was wiped out.
They all knew it well.
Myordan gritted his teeth and shouted.
"Even so, no! Have you forgotten what humans are like, meoooow?! They're the ones who drove the dinosaurs onto this land and trapped us here, meoooow!"
His rage wasn't mere fear.
It was hatred only someone who had lived through that time could hold.
For Myordan, who had lived 150 years, that day was still the present.
Ruby bit her lip.
She understood Myordan's anger.
But.
"...So we're just supposed to die like this, meow? That human isn't a bad guy, meow! You all saw it, meow."
Ruby raised her voice and looked around.
They knew.
The wolf pup wandering the forest searching for its mother.
How wary that child had been.
Yet that wolf had paced anxiously by the lake for that human.
"And that's not all, meow!"
Shihanbu had repaid the wolf's kindness with kindness.
He'd fought a deathmatch against the Abandoned Land Ghost to save the wolf.
"I believe in him, meow! I'm sure he won't betray us, meow!"
Ruby poured out her passionate plea, trying to convince her kin.
No one refuted her words.
But.
"..."
"..."
"..."
No one agreed either.
In that silence, Myordan's bellow rang out again.
"I said no, meoooow!"
Only then did Ruby realize.
Their hearts were already closed.
No words would unlock the padlock in their souls.
She realized it in that moment.
"...I understand, meow. Then I'll go alone, meow."
That was the moment her words ended.
Ruby entered the burrow to pack her things, carrying lingering regrets.
Myordan stared silently at her retreating back.
He signaled to Nunu Meow beside him.
"......Do we really have to go that far, meow?"
"We do. It's impossible for four of us to meet the quota. We can't just let Ruby go, meoooow."
Myordan's firm words.
Nunu Meow bit her lip and nodded.
Then she slipped quietly out of the forest without Ruby knowing.
Her destination.
Was the burrow where Traquator resided.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The forest path under the veil of darkness.
I walked following the Beastkin who introduced himself as Myordan.
"Can I ask one thing?"
"...Speak. Owner of the western forest."
Thick disgust was already etched on his face before he even heard the question.
I observed his expression for a moment before asking.
"Why did you betray us?"
"..."
Myordan made a face like 'How did you know?'
"The answer was clear the moment you, not Ruby, came here alone. Am I wrong?"
Myordan didn't respond.
But his silence was confession enough.
"...To survive."
I shook my head.
"No. If you wanted to live, you should've come to me even more."
As I continued, a piece of information suddenly came to mind.
The chieftain's words: 'abandoned the natives.'
I looked up at Myordan.
"You're not looking at me. You're looking at a past I had nothing to do with."
He averted his eyes.
I withdrew my gaze from him too.
I didn't want to talk anymore.
But one concern lingered.
"I need to be careful dealing with the natives here."
I'd have to assume they all hated humans.
Especially the older ones, like this elderly Beastkin.
As I organized my thoughts and walked silently.
Splash-
The ground grew squelchy.
It was mud.
And just as the mud reached my ankles.
Myordan spoke.
"I'll cast translation magic."
The moment he cast the spell.
The earth rumbled.
Mud surged up, and a massive shadow rose.
Slowly, as if it owned the world, a crocodylian over 15 meters tall revealed itself.
Its back and shoulders were covered in scales more like ancient rock strata than mere stone.
Its slender-eyed head was flattened like a snake's.
And its mouth was grotesquely torn in all directions: up, down, left, right.
This was the master of the southern forest.
Traquator.
I was dazed by its overwhelming size.
Then its grotesque maw slowly opened.
🗣️ TRAQUATOR SPEAKS 🗣️ [This is my first time seeing you in person. Human of the west.] Traquator addressed me without the title of 'master.'
From that single word devoid of respect, I could tell exactly what he thought of me.
🗣️ TRAQUATOR SPEAKS 🗣️ [I'll overlook your crime of trying to steal my slaves for now. But there won't be a next time.] [Instead, come under my command.] An unexpected proposal. I asked in surprise.
"You mean become your subordinate?"
🗣️ TRAQUATOR SPEAKS 🗣️ [Yes. I'll even acknowledge the western forest as your territory. And I'll protect you. In return...] Traquator trailed off.
He stared toward the east for a moment.
🗣️ TRAQUATOR SPEAKS 🗣️ [Help me deal with Nukarian.] Nukarian.
The master of the eastern forest.
The one who stole my fish.
🗣️ TRAQUATOR SPEAKS 🗣️ [Once we deal with him, the forests will be yours and mine. The water-dweller won't even be able to move.] "Not a bad deal."
Just becoming a subordinate.
Nothing much changes in my current situation.
And he'd even protect me.
It was a deal with no downsides.
So I asked.
"Can you beat the Yi Gi-eo Sword, by any chance?"
Traquator blinked at my question.
He clearly couldn't win.
"Hmm... If thousands of elves come swarming, can you run away with me?"
I didn't need to wait for his answer.
The chat reacted first.
💬 Comments — WorldTreeClap A danger level 5? You don't even need a bow! — WhiningElf Hehe. Fists are plenty! It'll just get farmed nice and easy. I sighed at the sight and spoke up.
"Sigh... Never mind. I'll pass on that offer."
Traquator asked for the reason, wearing an incredulous expression at my refusal.
🗣️ TRAQUATOR SPEAKS 🗣️ [What's the reason? Why refuse such a good offer?] "You're too weak."
The Yi Gi-eo Sword.
And even the elves couldn't handle it, so why would I need a subordinate like him?
"More than that..."
I trailed off and looked behind the dinosaur.
There, Ruby trembled inside a wooden cage, staring at me.
"I have a prior commitment. I promised to protect her."
🗣️ TRAQUATOR SPEAKS 🗣️ [...Foolish. You'd refuse this for a mere Beastkin?] I nodded.
"Yes."
Traquator stared blankly at my firm answer for a long while.
Then he roared.
🗣️ TRAQUATOR SPEAKS 🗣️ [Brainless fool! Then... die!] With that rage-filled roar.
The 15-meter body charged toward me.
I watched the massive body slam and said.
"You just don't get it. I told you you're too weak."
With that, I drew qi into my dantian.
Heavenly Strong Body vitality surged through my flesh.
Filled with confidence that I could do anything, I twisted my body and easily dodged his attack.
🗣️ TRAQUATOR SPEAKS 🗣️ [?] The dinosaur panicked, unable to even see my movement.
I mercilessly swung my fist at him.
Two sounds echoed through the muddy forest.
One was.
Crack-
The sound of his cliff-like scales shattering.
The other was.
Boom-!
The sound of the near-15-meter beast crashing into a boulder.
🗣️ TRAQUATOR GROANS 🗣️ [Grrrrrr...!] Traquator groaned, embedded in the rock.
I looked down at him and repeated.
"See? You're weak."
🗣️ TRAQUATOR ROARS 🗣️ [RAAAAAARGHIII!] He burst into a roar of fury and burrowed into the mud.
The battle had begun.