Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: A Matter of Pride
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As soon as Lee Si-woo arrived, the Gray Fox spurred the expedition's organization into action.
In less than an hour, porters carrying food and camping equipment arrived, along with a mercenary squad to conserve the mages' mana and provide protection.
The Rat-kin mercenary squad, consisting of ten riflemen and one sniper, were small in stature as rat beastkin, but their agility and cleverness made them perfect for a rifle unit.
The captain of the Rat-kin mercenaries, who were communicating with each other using encoded squeaks, reported to the Gray Fox.
“The escort mercenaries are ready for the expedition.”
Though their species were different, the beastkin tribes were generally close, so the Gray Fox spoke with a look of complete trust.
“I trust you, so I won't double-check. You always do a fine job.”
The mercenary captain, Bin, twitched his pink nose as if pleased by the compliment.
Was it because he had the face of a hamster and the body of an elementary schooler?
Judging by his appearance alone, he seemed better suited for a part-time job promoting an amusement park than for being a mercenary.
“Thank you for your trust. But is there a particular reason you're using these humans as porters? Those guys are naturally weak and slow, so they're not very good for this kind of work.”
As soon as Bin finished his question, the Rat-kin mercenaries kicked the human porters, urging them to work faster.
The Rat-kin were only considered weak among beastkin; even with their small frames, their physical abilities surpassed those of ordinary humans.
Perhaps that was why the porters, even as they tumbled to the ground, repeatedly apologized and bowed their heads, promising to work harder.
Driven by the singular goal of finishing the job to get their daily wage, they endured all sorts of insults. The Gray Fox glanced at them before looking at Lee Si-woo out of the corner of her eye.
*'Is it not working?'*
Regardless of how roughly the Rat-kin mercenaries treated the humans, Lee Si-woo remained meditating with his eyes closed. The Gray Fox clicked her tongue.
If Lee Si-woo had been one of those common humanitarians, things would have been easier, but unfortunately, he seemed far from it.
Then again, human mages tended to treat other humans as an inferior species rather than their own kind.
“It may be unpleasant, but please bear with it. And since there's a human mage in our party, please be careful not to let things go too far.”
Bin nodded with an expression that said, ‘Aha.’
“Don't worry. There are no racists in our Rat-kin mercenary squad. Honestly, it's not their fault they were born human, so what sin is there in that? However, I'd appreciate it if you made this clear to the mage. You know how it is. A species cannot be a sin, but…”
Bin trailed off, bringing up the beginning of a well-known maxim, and the Gray Fox added in a calm tone.
“Incompetence is a sin. A famous saying. I understand. Yes, maintaining proper discipline is necessary for efficiency. I'll handle any minor incidents. However, please refrain from indiscriminate or excessive actions. If the mage gets angry, things could get complicated.”
“Thank you. We will act prudently.”
“Then you're dismissed. We'll pay the portal fee and depart for the ‘Ruined City’ shortly.”
Bin saluted and went to see to his duties, and the Gray Fox sought out Lee Si-woo.
As if sensing her presence, Lee Si-woo slowly opened his eyes, emerging from his meditation. The Gray Fox spoke.
“Mr. Si-woo, I need the coordinates for the lair entrance.”
Lee Si-woo operated his smartphone, sending the coordinates via message as he spoke.
“Did you hire humans on purpose?”
The Gray Fox answered the sudden question calmly.
“Yes. They’re the cheapest labor available.”
Lee Si-woo lifted his head to look up at the Gray Fox.
For a brief moment, the Gray Fox’s composed gaze and Lee Si-woo’s ambiguous one intertwined. Lee Si-woo spoke impassively.
“When do we leave?”
Why was it?
The sense of foreboding that had been resting in her chest since the beginning of this venture now felt even more unsettling.
Staring into Lee Si-woo's unnervingly dark eyes, the Gray Fox said,
“We leave now.”
***
The Infinite Planet.
A planet in the Main Dimension that expanded infinitely, its land and seas stretching out without end.
For this reason, every nation in this world inevitably experienced a Capital Relocation Cycle.
Just as one abandons depleted soil to cultivate new land, entire nations would periodically migrate to lands rich with resources.
And the countless cities left behind in this process were today’s ruined cities.
*Zzzzing.*
With the blue light of a portal, the lair expedition team appeared on the outskirts of a ruined city.
The moment the light vanished, Bin shot forward like an arrow, scanning their surroundings.
After a quick sweep with the muzzle of his gun, Bin’s eyes glinted, and he pulled the trigger.
*Rat-tat-tat-tat!*
With the crisp report of an assault rifle, mana-infused bullets pierced the wings and head of an avian monster that had been watching them from atop a telephone pole.
Bin had taken care of a Corpse Vulture, a creature known for scouting out easy prey before swarming in for the kill. He spoke.
“From now on, seven riflemen will join me on a reconnaissance mission. The sniper will secure a nearby high point and keep watch in all directions. And you!”
Bin pointed at one of the riflemen, who snapped to attention with a clean salute.
Bin glanced around the wide-open space where they had been summoned.
Confirming this was the spot where they had previously set up camp, Bin ordered the rifleman.
“You, take the porters and set up camp here. And remember, the most important things are the mages' personal tents. Check the humidity, temperature, and ground condition meticulously before setting them up. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Move out.”
Bin watched the rifleman run off and start barking curses at the porters, demanding they work quickly, then turned to the two remaining riflemen.
“And you two, stay behind and don't let up on your guard with the sniper…”
As Bin was giving out orders, disaster struck.
The Lizard Mage, Baba, had broken a porter’s leg for the simple reason that the man had been pointlessly loitering in front of him.
“Kkhhh…”
Baba stepped on the face of the porter, who was now writhing on the ground, groaning in pain.
Grinding his foot into the porter’s face as if extinguishing a cigarette butt, Baba said,
“Why the hell are these bastards everywhere we go? They’re here, they’re there. Shit, like a bunch of fucking cockroaches. Hey… can you please just get the hell out of my sight? Huh? It pisses me off just looking at you!”
Baba kicked the porter’s head with a loud thud, as if it were a soccer ball.
The porter’s body rolled for a good distance before going limp, his head twisted at an unnatural angle.
He had infused the kick with mana, killing him instantly.
For a moment, Bin, who had been giving orders, the Gray Fox, and Lime all fell silent.
Their eyes instinctively sought out Lee Si-woo.
Sure enough, Lee Si-woo had already risen to his feet and was standing before Baba.
“What? Si-woo. You got a problem?”
Lee Si-woo glanced at the dead porter's body, then opened his mouth.
“No, there wasn't. But I think there is one now.”
“Look at this guy. What, because he’s a fellow human? Hmm…”
Baba stroked his chin with his palm and continued.
“Fine, I admit it. Killing one of your kind in front of you, that’s my fault. Tsk, I should've killed him where you couldn't see. My mistake… But Si-woo, let’s get one thing straight. I didn't kill that thing to piss you off.”
Baba casually brushed some dust off Lee Si-woo's shoulder, his tone becoming surprisingly gentle.
“I may be a racist, but I’m a beastkin who knows how to respect those with ability. Ahem, how hard must you, a human, have worked to become a mage? I probably can't even imagine the effort it took. Yeah, you must be one hell of a cool bastard. Probably. But… that thing is different.”
Baba snapped his fingers, and flames erupted from the porter’s corpse.
As the body was instantly reduced to ash, Baba spoke.
“You have no idea how many humans are summoned here every day. Because no matter how many of these fuckers are spread across the universe, they just keep popping out whenever a summoner tears a ticket. Plus, maybe because they're poor, their sense of hygiene and environmental awareness is garbage. Goddamn bastards don't even recycle.”
“So? What’s your point?”
“My point is… uh, I wasn't trying to ignore you or provoke you. So if you were offended, I apologize. I know it’d be stupid to make an enemy of you over a single vermin. After all, this is just a little incident that happened because of a bad habit of mine.”
To Lee Si-woo's surprise, the fat lizard's apology seemed sincere.
Baba hadn't killed the human to deliberately provoke him; as he himself said, he had committed murder out of habit.
Killing humans was a habit?
It was a stark reminder of just how low the status of humans was in this world.
And perhaps, that was why it felt so damn unpleasant.
Lee Si-woo grabbed Baba’s palm.
“Whether it was a habit or a mistake, none of it matters now. Unfortunately… what’s done is done.”
Feeling the pressure in the hand that gripped his, Baba let out a hollow laugh.
“Heh? Look at this. Are you, a mere human, trying to show off your strength to me… Ugh!”
Baba’s face contorted.
He felt a grip strength from the mere human, Lee Si-woo, that was powerful enough to crush the bones in his hand.
“C-crazy… you, you bastard… what are you, what kind of strength is…”
Baba’s eyes widened. He saw Lee Si-woo’s skin, where it gripped his hand, transforming into a silvery, metallic substance.
Without using a single shred of mana, Lee Si-woo was overwhelming him with pure physical strength. Baba was stunned, and he felt a pang of regret.
He should have used a mana shield right away, but he had underestimated Lee Si-woo and dallied, missing the window to activate it.
As Lee Si-woo’s grip gradually tightened, Baba involuntarily dropped to one knee.
If he didn't, he felt his wrist would snap.
“St-stop… Fuck! I said stop! Th-think carefully! He’s a human! Just a human! Th-they're different from you. You're a self-made man, a victor who turned his life around! They're just common bugs! And you're going to make an enemy of me, a fellow mage, over something like this? Are you insane?!”
Was Baba’s furious outburst too much for him?
Or was it the flame beginning to form in his left hand that was so threatening?
Lee Si-woo smiled faintly and released his hand.
Clutching the hand that had been on the verge of being crushed just moments ago, Baba let out a groan.
Lee Si-woo said,
“You’re right. I’m no saint, and making an enemy of you over a porter I just met today isn't worth the trouble.”
“…That's what I'm saying.”
Believing Lee Si-woo wouldn't cross the line, Baba extinguished the flame in his left hand.
In truth, Lee Si-woo had seriously considered it.
Now that he had made a move, it was obvious Baba would be hostile toward him from now on.
With this stupid reptile caught off guard without his mana shield active, finishing him off right here and now didn't seem like a bad idea.
However, the presence of Lime preparing wind magic behind him forced him to back down.
It was a shame, but he judged that the time was not yet right.
It was foolish to be treated like a pushover for not saving face, but it was just as foolish to bare one's fangs more than necessary and suffer the consequences.
“Baba, don't forget. I am a human. Which means that treating or killing other humans carelessly in front of me… regardless of your intentions, is an act of disrespect towards me.”
Lee Si-woo’s entire body took on a silvery hue.
As if showing off his metallic skin, which gleamed with a brilliant luster, Lee Si-woo spoke menacingly.
“I'll let it slide this one time. I'm not a good enough person to risk killing you over the death of a stranger. However, if you ever act without considering my pride again… well, I'll leave what happens then to your imagination.”
Lee Si-woo turned his back on Baba and stepped away completely. His skin returned to its normal color, as if the mineralization had never happened.
Lee Si-woo spoke to the Gray Fox.
“This spot is uncomfortable. I'll rest somewhere else, so call me when you're ready. Oh, and don't worry about my escort. I can take care of myself.”
Having said his piece, Lee Si-woo abruptly turned and left.
The Gray Fox watched his retreating back with a frown and spoke.
“Baba, that man… what do you think of him?”
Clutching his right hand, where the pain from the likely fractured bones hadn't subsided, Baba grunted and snapped.
“What do I think? Can't you see? Tsk, he's a total bastard!”
“In a pinch, we may have to fight him over Aman's homage. So, please be as honest and detailed as possible.”
The Gray Fox's calm demeanor finally cooled Baba's temper. He flicked his red tongue and said,
“…His physical ability is, without a doubt, superior to mine. The bigger problem is that I can't even gauge how much stronger he is. And did you see his body glowing silver just now? Looks like he learned some strange secret art from somewhere… This bastard. He's not to be underestimated.”
After a moment of thought, the Gray Fox spoke in a soft tone.
“From now on, don't touch the porters carelessly. They might be useful later.”
Baba snorted. He had a rough idea of what the Gray Fox was thinking.
“Hey, didn't you see him just now? He doesn't give a damn about the porters' lives. The guy was pissed because I didn't consider his pride, not because he cared about the porter. If he had cared even a little, he would have pretended to look after them afterward. That way, I wouldn't be able to act so recklessly.”
“No. If he truly didn't care, he wouldn't have stepped in at all. That way, he could have hidden his abilities a little longer. Everyone knows a hidden blade is more threatening than a drawn one, don't they?”
Lime nodded in agreement.
“The fox is right. Well, it might be about his pride like he said… but what's important is that he intervened…”
Just then, the Gray Fox's radio crackled.
-Gray Fox. Something's wrong. I can't see Lee Si-woo. I was definitely tracking him with my scope… but he suddenly vanished like a ghost.