Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Fenrir's Offspring
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“Fall back!!!”
Asvel’s shout rang out.
Kwaaaang!!!
Boom!!
The layered barriers shattered with a crash.
“...Cough!”
The rebounding shock sent the party staggering and collapsing to the ground.
“Fenrir...! We didn’t come here to fight you!!”
Asvel stepped in front of the fallen party and yelled at Fenrir.
Kwang!!
But instead of a reply, Fenrir raised its massive forepaw and swung it down at him.
Kwaaaang―――!!
Its paw clashed against Asvel’s sword.
“Urk?!”
Under the absurd strength, Asvel’s body slid straight back and slammed into the wall.
[Kyaaaak……!!]
Fenrir bared its sharp fangs and leaped toward him, cornered against the wall.
Pew―!! Boom boom pew―――!!!
-Huaaaah!!!
The moment the illusion barrage exploded, Setsuna rocketed forward at blinding speed right in front of Fenrir’s eyes.
Pure white light erupted from her body once more.
[Kyaaaak!!]
Fenrir whipped its head away in agony.
Pabat……!!
Woojin seized the opening, sprinting across the ground before leaping onto Fenrir’s leg and scrambling up.
Kwaak―!!!
Once atop its scruff, he yanked hard on its mane. Fenrir bucked wildly, trying to throw him off.
“Hey...! Calm down!! We didn’t come to fight!! You just start kicking out of nowhere?!”
It was absurd to tell a dungeon boss not to fight, but hanging from Fenrir’s neck, Woojin bellowed at the top of his lungs.
[Kyak……! Kyak……!!]
“...Uwaak!!”
Unable to endure the rampaging Fenrir’s power any longer, Woojin was flung deep into the cave.
-Master!!
Setsuna hurriedly tried to chase after him, but
[Kraaaak―――!!]
Fenrir’s roar blasted her back, separating her from Woojin.
“...Cough!!”
Woojin, sprawled on the ground, exhaled raggedly and pushed himself up.
“Urgh…… Dizzy as hell.”
Wincing at the bone-shattering pain wracking his body, he scanned his surroundings.
Gulp gulp.
He pulled out a potion and chugged it, the pain easing somewhat.
‘How far did I fly? Can’t hear any fighting at all……’
Looking up, he spotted a large hole overhead.
Looks like he’d tumbled through it after Fenrir hurled him.
Rustle―.
Piles of fallen leaves crunched underfoot.
“This saved my skin.”
He’d fallen unconscious from what must’ve been a dizzying height—bad luck could’ve meant instant death.
“No way I’m climbing back up there……”
Not without Fenrir-level jumping power.
The sheer cliff face was smooth, offering no handholds.
“What a mess……”
As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, a passage leading deeper inside caught his eye. Thankfully.
‘Can’t just sit here……’
Woojin stepped into the passage.
Step…… step…….
Only the echo of his footsteps filled the air.
The deeper he ventured into the cave, the more his tension mounted.
[Grrr…….]
It was then.
A faint growl echoed from ahead.
Click―.
Woojin instinctively tightened his grip on his sword.
Gulp.
Swallowing hard, he crept forward cautiously.
“……?!”
The sight before him left Woojin speechless for a moment.
[Grrr……! Sniff!! Sniff sniff?]
Waiting for him was none other than a Fenrir.
A very small one—a baby Fenrir.
Unlike the house-sized adult, the nestling was about the size of a two-year-old child.
Without a hint of wariness, it bounded straight to Woojin and buried its nose in his pants, sniffing eagerly.
“Guess the one up top’s your mom.”
Her scent must’ve rubbed off on him when he grabbed her scruff.
The baby Fenrir wagged its tail excitedly and nuzzled against him.
‘Protecting her cub, huh? That why she was on edge?’
Woojin thought as he stroked its fur.
‘But if so, why come out at all?’
Fenrir’s nest had always been unknown.
To safeguard her young, staying hidden like always would’ve been smarter.
‘Sir Asvel said she appeared right when the black dragon showed up.’
And he’d guessed it was because of himself.
‘But that doesn’t add up now.’
If she’d emerged because of him, she should’ve recognized him at their first encounter.
“Doesn’t seem like she’s got any interest in me…… considering she chucked me without mercy.”
[Grrr……!]
Woojin offered his arm to the rubbing baby Fenrir.
It latched on like a toy and gnawed away.
“……Huh?”
That’s when something felt off.
Prying open its mouth and lifting its lip, he was shocked—no teeth in its gums at all.
“Not grown in yet……?”
Something was wrong, but with no knowledge of Fenrir growth, he could only tilt his head.
“Hmm……”
But closer inspection revealed more issues.
Fur was patchy on its limbs and body, and now he noticed one eye was cloudy, like it had cataracts.
‘No way……’
‘She’s sick?’
Woojin pondered as he examined the baby Fenrir.
If she’d been roaming the mountains for medicine, it explained her surfacing.
‘Maybe that’s why the Sword Emperor went after her.’
He’d come for her power, but a sick cub made her hypersensitive—she lashed out blindly at intruders.
‘Asvel had no clue, so he gave up on the power and subdued her……’
This time, things might turn out differently.
“Hey, little guy.”
[Grrr?]
“You know a way up top?”
[Grrr? Grrr!!]
Spiritual beasts gonna spiritual beast.
It nodded like it understood and bolted deeper in.
“Wait up!!”
Woojin gave chase as the baby Fenrir vanished into the distance in a flash.
“Huff…… huff…… Hold on……”
How far had they run?
Woojin staggered on, barely keeping up with the baby Fenrir, on the verge of collapse.
“I…… must’ve…… been wrong. You don’t…… look sick……”
[Grrr?]
Tilting its head as if to say what’re you on about?, it rubbed its cheek against his leg.
“……Guess you don’t actually get what I’m saying.”
Still, its pause let him catch his breath.
“This really leads up?”
[Grrr!]
It nodded at his question.
“You sure you get it?”
Woojin sighed as it took off running again without a word.
[Kwang! Kwang!!]
A different cry from before.
‘Exit?’
Brimming with anticipation, Woojin followed the sound.
Unfortunately, no exit awaited him.
It was a dead end.
A massive stone wall.
A long vertical crack suggested a door, but no handle meant no pulling—and even shoving with all his might did nothing.
“This is tricky.”
Woojin scratched his head, eyeing the panting baby Fenrir waiting expectantly.
“Why’d you bring me here?”
[Kwang! Kwang kwang!!]
It started circling him excitedly.
Like it was trying to tell him something……
Woojin couldn’t quite catch on.
[Kakwang!!]
Then it leaped at the stone wall.
“Huh?”
That’s when he spotted a small hole in the wall.
“What am I supposed to do with this?”
Barely big enough for a fingertip.
Sticking his finger in yielded nothing.
But there was a subtle gap remaining.
“……Ah?”
The sight sparked a memory.
He pulled the silver [Wolf Ring] from his inventory—the one from Irurin.
He’d checked it right after returning from the other world, but the terse description offered no leads, so he’d shelved it.
‘So this is what it’s for.’
Woojin slipped the ring on and pushed it into the hole.
Click―.
Something locked into place.
Ruuuumble…….
The stone wall split apart and slid open.
‘Nice.’
Woojin nodded at the revealed interior.
‘Irurin said the Sword Emperor awakened a secret technique here.’
But given the timing, he’d likely done so while hunting Fenrir.
‘Which means something else entirely waits inside—not his technique.’
The true reward from Fenrir’s nest.
“Sorry, Asvel—you’re probably still fighting up there……”
Dead end anyway, no other choice. He decided to explore.
Thud…… thud…… thud…….
As Woojin stepped inside, lights flickered to life along both walls.
‘……Torches?’
The long rods mounted there were unmistakably torches.
‘Why are there human-made torches in Fenrir’s nest?’
It made no sense.
But the flames let him examine the space clearly.
The walls were covered in intricate engravings of primitive spirits.
So lifelike they seemed ready to leap free.
‘Definitely man-made.’
It wasn’t just the carvings.
Items deeper inside were neatly arranged too.
“Who on earth……”
Woojin wondered.
Creating a space like this demanded a deep bond with Fenrir.
‘But the Fenrir now clearly doesn’t trust humans……’
What had happened?
He sensed the secret lay within these walls.
Uncover it, and……
‘I can claim Fenrir’s true power.’
Woojin slowly advanced into the chamber.