Chapter 26
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Stomach Endoscopy
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Stomach Endoscopy
Querentel met the man’s black eyes and let out a sneer. The sight of him glaring, oblivious to the fate that awaited him, was laughable.
‘An ignorant, savage brute who doesn’t know his place.’
Querentel clicked his tongue and casually flicked his hand.
The foolish man seemed to trust in his large frame and the chunks of iron strapped to his body. What a truly dull-witted belief. True power, by its very nature, did not stem from iron or flesh.
“Clinging Dog.”
Querentel muttered lowly, shaking his right hand. A mass of black energy clinging to it splattered onto the ground.
A moment later, the black mass swelled in size. It undulated and soon took the form of a dog, roughly twice the size of a man.
The dog drooled shadows instead of saliva and exhaled a chilling frost instead of breath. Its claws, formed of darkness, tore at the ground like a mane.
“Fetch.”
The Clinging Dog shot forward. Before the man could take two steps, it opened its maw wide.
In the next instant, the man vanished between the dog’s jaws. Watching this, Querentel felt a tinge of disappointment. He had granted the man too easy a death.
Just then, the dog suddenly began to bloat. Querentel narrowed his eyes. The dog, now swollen like a balloon, split in half, and the man burst out.
‘Right. It’s no fun if it’s too easy.’
Querentel was actually pleased. Had the man fallen to a mere Clinging Dog, it would have been anticlimactic. Such an easy death would not have atoned for his insolence.
Meeting the black eyes that still stared at him, unwavering, Querentel’s lips curled into a smile.
“Biting Snake, Clinging Dog.”
This time, he flicked both hands simultaneously. Two black masses fell, transforming into a snake and a dog, respectively.
The snake slithered across the ground while the dog dripped saliva made of shadow. Not satisfied, Querentel began to chant.
“Let your sloth consume you, Weaken.”
It was a basic curse, but its high efficiency made it a favorite of Querentel’s. The curse made one’s muscles feel heavy and difficult to move, and attempting to force movement was met with excruciating pain.
An intangible energy washed over the man, and he flinched for a moment upon being hit. The sword he extended toward the snake was noticeably slower.
Querentel chuckled as he watched the scar next to the man’s eyebrow furrow.
Just before the snake could bite, the man’s sword ripped it to shreds. But the snake had been merely a feint.
The dog, now right in front of him, opened its jaws wide. It was too close to dodge. In response, the man thrust his arm into its maw.
*Screech—* Sparks flew from the iron on the man’s arm. He plunged the sword, held in a reverse grip, into the dog’s head and dragged it downward.
Along that line, the shadow burst and scattered. Even in that moment, the black eyes remained fixed on Querentel.
‘…Insolent.’
For a second, Querentel’s body trembled, and he grew enraged at that fact. How dare he, a mere brute who wasn’t even a knight.
Querentel clapped his hands together with a sharp *smack!* He then rubbed his palms together, drawing out the life force he had stored.
Soon, a black ichor dripped from between his palms, soaking the ground. Querentel spread his hands to the left and right, stretching the black ichor long, causing it to rain down.
“Arise.”
With a twist of his hands, the black ichor on the ground began to squirm, each taking on a unique form.
Snake and dog, orc and human, insect and bird. They assumed a variety of shapes.
Querentel clenched his fist and raised it. At his gesture, the shadows simultaneously lifted their heads and stared at the man.
This was his legion, the signature skill and specialty that had brought Querentel to his current position.
His mana and life force were rapidly depleting, but Querentel smiled as he watched the man.
He eagerly anticipated the look of despair on the man’s face before his legion, the flavor of his frustration.
But contrary to his expectations, the man’s expression remained blank. He simply stared at Querentel and ran.
A shadow orc blocked his path. The man swung his sword, but the shadow orc’s forearm blocked it. Without a moment’s hesitation, the man let go of his sword, extended both fists, and struck the shadow’s temples.
*Thwack!* With a crisp sound, the shadow blurred, and he snatched the falling sword before taking another step forward.
‘Alright, let’s see how far you can get.’
Querentel nodded, watching the man charge unhesitatingly through his shadow legion.
“As sin is heavy, so shall you be crushed, Oppress.”
He twisted his right hand, layering another curse. Oppress, a curse that added weight not to the body, but to the soul.
The man stopped for an instant, and in that opening, a wolf bit into his shoulder. *Crr-unch—* Sparks flew from his green pauldron, and red blood splattered through the air.
The man spun his sword and thrust it into the wolf’s head. The wolf dissipated, but through the gap, a snake bit his ankle.
As he lifted his foot to stomp the snake, a human-shaped shadow began to choke him.
And yet, those merciless black eyes were still fixed on Querentel.
“As all energy is finite, Exhaust.”
Querentel cast the curse as if having a seizure, then bit his lip against the profound sense of fatigue. He shook his head lightly to clear his dizzy mind and checked on the man.
‘I’ve layered three curses. At this point, even a knight shouldn't be able to move…’
With a sluggish hand, the man grabbed the head of the shadow choking him and crushed it. *Crack.* With an ominous sound, the shadow scattered.
However, in that time, other shadows had latched on, biting at his ankles, forearms, the nape of his neck, and his thighs.
His entire body was covered in shadows, but through the gaps, his eyes were still aimed at Querentel.
The man moved his hands very slowly, popping the shadows attached to his body one by one.
His hands were slow, but steady, and they never stopped.
‘What is this…’
Querentel’s jaw dropped at the sight, something he had never witnessed before. Only then did he notice his own hands were trembling.
‘How dare he.’
Querentel interpreted it not as fear, but as rage. There was no way he, a warlock, could be afraid of a common guardsman.
*Crack.* Another shadow burst, scattering along with a spray of red blood.
‘It’s a waste to use it here, but…’
Forcing his stiff lips into a smile, Querentel reached into his robes and pulled out a transparent vial. Inside was a wrinkled finger.
It had been difficult to acquire, and it pained him to use it, but he felt that if he didn't kill that man now, he would be haunted by those black eyes forever.
*Fizzle—* The transparent vial was consumed by black flames. In an instant, a mass of energy, incomparably larger and deeper than before, formed in Querentel’s hand.
‘You persistent bastard. This is the end.’
Reveling in the overflowing power and sense of fulfillment, Querentel flung his hand forward.
***
‘This isn’t an animal farm, but he’s really pulling out all the stops.’
My body felt heavy. I’d lost a fair amount of blood, and my mind was getting hazy, but the pain in my shoulder brought me back.
I grabbed the head of the dog-or-wolf-like thing biting my shoulder and crushed it. Even after prying off all the bizarre things clinging to me, my body was still heavy.
‘A curse?’
It was unbearably vile, but I could endure it. And my body could still move.
The moment I took a step forward, the little brother threw something far larger than before onto the ground.
‘Fucking slime games.’
I clicked my tongue, recalling the children's toys that were now a distant memory.
The black mass expanded exponentially. It became nearly the size of a house, so large that my neck ached just looking up at it.
Eventually, it took form.
A rough hide and a long neck, with disproportionately short forelegs. And on its back, a pair of modestly sized wings.
‘A dragon? No, a drake?’
The little brother must have played with a lot of slime in his day; his imagination was needlessly impressive.
Not to be outdone by the slime drake, I took a deep breath, puffing up my own frame.
The slime drake opened its mouth wide. Inside was an endless darkness that seemed to be the end of all things.
‘No little brother is better than his big brother.’
Muttering words to give myself strength, I readjusted my grip on the sword and took a step.
The slime drake thrust its snout forward. Its maw was so vast it felt as if the world was being consumed by darkness.
‘Never thought I’d be getting an endoscopy.’
Muttering a joke, I leaped toward the gaping maw. I gave a bitter smile at the detail of its uvula, then was consumed by the pitch-black darkness.
Soon, I was surrounded by darkness, creating the illusion that the world had ended.
‘Hey, tenant.’
I readjusted my grip on the sword’s hilt and muttered inwardly.
—Did you know?
I knew the thing had regained consciousness. But since it was being quiet, I had pretended not to notice.
‘Hand it over.’
—…How very arrogant. And rude, ignorant, and dull.
The surroundings transformed. The darkness undulated, turning into countless thorns aimed at me.
So the slime drake’s stomach lining is spiky. I tapped my fingers on the sword hilt and muttered.
‘A tenant has to pay rent, doesn’t he?’
I grumbled internally, urging it on.
—That is what makes you interesting. Very well, I shall lend you my strength. However, you must promise me one thing.
I wondered what it would demand.
Would it ask for my soul? Or demand I drink the blood of many once I got out of here? It didn't matter. I could just promise now and conveniently forget later. Since my opponent was a demon, deceiving it would be a good deed. And good deeds were my specialty.
‘I’ll grant you anything.’
—Do not call me premature. I do not know what it means, but it is displeasing.
‘Deal.’
I let out a small laugh, like clearing my throat, and gripped the sword tightly.
Soon, that familiar, lightning-strike-like thrill spread through my body. The power it had shown me before must have been a joke, as an incomparably massive energy gathered in my hand, making my hand and arm tremble.
Blue flames erupted from the sword, pushing back the darkness that had filled the space. The countless thorns that had been approaching me stopped. No, they were pushed back by the blue light.
A blue sun had risen in the darkness.
Knowing my time was limited, I didn't hesitate and swung my sword vertically at what was in front of me.
The vertical slash, practiced tens of thousands of times, drew a flawless blue line. A distinct, immense, and magnificent blue light split the world of darkness.
And just like last time, the blue light vanished in an instant.
‘…Instead of premature, I’ll call you quick-shot.’
The pitch-black world split in half from above, revealing the little brother’s horrified face between the fissure.
“Im…Impossible! What trickery is this! A man like you… my… magic…”
He babbled incoherently, flinging his hands about wildly. Black masses fell to the ground, but they were smaller than before.
I approached him, popping the things that clung to me one by one.
The little brother, muttering “Uh… uh…,” kept swinging his hands until he fell backward. Nothing more came from his hands.
I squatted down in front of him and met his eyes. His fleshy eyes trembled violently, then rolled back.
“What… what are you! What in the world is your identity! I’m certain the curses… the Cardinal’s finger… Are you from the Imperial family?! How did they know of this plan… There was definitely no contact…”
Terrified, the man stammered, his words trailing off. He looked truly pathetic and wretched.
But then again, who wouldn't in the face of death?
“Who else? The Squad Leader.”
To hide my churning stomach, I forced a smile and slowly lifted the heavy sword.
“Don’t be ridiculous…! Do you think Querentel of the Shadow Legion would fall like this!”
The man, who had shouted, suddenly clamped his mouth shut. He puffed out his cheeks as if trying to act cute, which made my stomach churn.
“…I am Kwerentel of tha Shadow Lejion!!”
As if he really were trying to be cute, he spoke with a lisp. Just then, a pink piece of flesh fell from his mouth.
‘He bit his tongue.’
I froze for a second at the bizarre act of a man biting his own tongue to produce a lisp.
Just then, he spat out the blood that had filled his mouth. The red blood sprayed out, but it stopped in mid-air as if hitting an invisible wall.
The sight sent an indescribable chill and sense of foreboding down my spine, and without hesitation, I swung my sword.
His head flew off in a single strike, his face soaring into the air. And yet, the blood that adorned the air slowly began to take shape.
‘…Didn’t think there’d be a phase three.’
As I laughed hollowly at the absurd difficulty, a massive sword blocked my path.
*BOOM!!* An explosion erupted, and the force sent me flying backward. The unconscious young lady was flying alongside me.
If I left her, she’d probably smash her head on something and die, so I reached out, grabbed her, and pulled her into my arms.
After flying for some time and crashing through about three walls, we finally stopped. The excruciating pain in my back kept my fading consciousness tethered.
I looked up and, through the holes in the walls, saw two people fighting something red.
One was the knight, Adela, and the other was the Inquisitor, Joanna. Both were swinging glowing swords at the red thing.
Adela’s sword emitted a blue light, while Joanna’s greatsword cast a white one. The red entity, imbued with an indescribable sense of dread, fought against them.
‘A knight and an Inquisitor… they’ll win, right?’
The presence their opponent exuded was extraordinary, but they were still a knight and an Inquisitor. I didn't doubt their victory.
Just then, the young lady in my arms stirred slightly. Only then did I remember her and check her condition, when I saw a piece of fair flesh.
What’s this? I looked for a moment, then realized what the piece of flesh was.
‘…A breast.’
A very beautiful one, at that.
“Lady Vivian! Where are you!! I’m here!!”
At that moment, a desperate woman’s voice called out from nearby. Simultaneously, the young lady’s eyes fluttered. It seemed she was about to regain consciousness.
A young lady with her breast exposed, and a rough-looking man holding her in his arms. It was obvious how this would look.
As always, the deliberation was short. I quickly struck the young lady on the head.
*Thwack!* With a crisp sound, the young lady let out a low groan as her head snapped back.
I placed a hand under her nose to check if she was breathing, then gently set her down to the side.
I took a handkerchief from my pocket, covered her exposed chest, and stood up.
*Craaash!* *CR-CRASH!*
After watching the battle of a different caliber for a moment, I heard footsteps nearby and hastily departed.
***
“Jojang, what took you so long? The Daejang came by earlier looking for you. I told him you went to take a shit, but…”
Berman, his face tense, asked while scanning the surroundings. Beside him, Kel, Brick, and Pul stood guard, their faces equally tense.
“I was wiping.”
At my reply, their eyes widened and their mouths hung open. I waved a hand, and they said no more, stepping aside to let me pass.
I went to a corner and lay down. My entire body screamed in protest, but it was more or less bearable.
With a trembling hand, I pulled out the waterskin from my coat. My grip suddenly failed, and the waterskin slipped, falling to the ground.
Wine gurgled out, and the rich scent of grapes filled the air.
‘…Fucking hell.’
I didn't have the strength to pick it up, so I just stared at it blankly. The wine spilling from the waterskin soaked my rear.
“Take this, sir.”
Just then, Berman offered me his waterskin. I took it and brought it to my lips. I didn't know what kind of liquor it was, but it had a strong fruit aroma and was very potent.
As I sat there sipping from the waterskin, the others gathered around me in a circle.
They asked me nothing as I just quietly drank.
When I finished the waterskin and set it down, Kel offered me his.
The liquor in Kel’s waterskin was particularly fragrant.
And so, I sipped on liquor until the dawn broke.
***
“Ah, that was rough. They were breathing down our necks from up top. How are we supposed to know about warlocks? If they’re so concerned, they should man the checkpoints themselves…”
Kel grumbled, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief adorned with a floral pattern.
“Ahem…”
Brick, looking strangely smug, cleared his throat and puffed out his shoulders. The red lipstick mark on his neck was oddly irritating.
“Brick, I don’t like your expression. Wipe it off your face.”
Berman glared at Brick, picking a strange fight.
“Jojang, I went back, and the red wine barrel was gone. I looked into it, and it seems the guys from Sector 6 took it. Should I round them all up for a little… education?”
Pul pressed his fingers to the corners of his eyes as he spoke to me.
I looked at everyone for a moment, then gestured toward the back.
At that, Hana came out carrying mugs of beer in both hands.
Kanna peeked out from the kitchen, only her head visible.
“You all worked so hard. This is… on the house, for all your effort!”
Hana beamed, slamming the beer mugs down on the table. The table shook slightly, and the ice-cold beer sloshed over the rims.
“On the house? Could it be that you’re interested in me…”
Kel tossed out a playful joke.
“Nah. You’re ugly, Kel. I like handsome men.”
“…Me, ugly? Hana! I never took you for someone with such poor taste! The most handsome man in Casedic Castle, this Kel…”
“Huh? Kel, the most handsome man? That’s the first I’ve heard of it. The most handsome man in Casedic Castle is obviously…”
Hana glanced at me, then pouted. Wondering if she was malnourished, I watched her trembling eyes as I brought a beer mug to my lips.
The cool beer flowed down my throat, pushing down everything that had built up inside.
“Anyway! You all worked very hard!”
Hana chirped cheerfully and went back.
“Whoa… this is no joke. I never knew beer could be this delicious.”
Kel exclaimed in admiration, and Brick mimicked him with exaggeration. Berman, who had been glaring at Brick, let out a chuckle. Pul was counting on his fingers, calculating how much this beer ought to cost.
I watched them for a moment, then spoke.
“For Quarter.”
At that, the fabricated noise vanished, replaced by a natural silence.
“Well, isn’t he sleeping soundly, just as he wanted? Still, why’d he have to go and pick a fight with a demon and get himself stabbed… tsk.”
“I will strive to emulate Quarter’s courage in charging toward that demon!”
“He couldn't even do basic math, so of course he’d charge at a demon without fear. That’s just recklessness. No need to risk your life for a measly 20 silver.”
Kel, Brick, and Pul spoke in turn.
“To our friend, Quarter, who was braver than anyone.”
Berman murmured lowly and clinked his mug.
Everyone drained their beer in one go.
The dizzying coldness made my head throb for a moment.
I didn't bother telling them the truth.
Thanks to that, Quarter’s sister would receive a hefty compensation, the Outer Wall Guard posthumously awarded Quarter a medal for confronting a demon, and these men would toast in the brave Quarter’s name whenever they drank.
The fact that Quarter had been corrupted, addicted to the warlock’s drug, was something I alone was content to know.
After a brief silence, their usual conversation resumed.
Kel tried to coax Berman by saying Rosa had offered him a half-price deal, to which Berman shouted back. Watching them, Brick suppressed a laugh.
“By the way, Jojang, who’s joining our squad? I heard the other squads got reinforcements.”
Pul asked as he set down his beer mug.
“The Daejang said he was sending someone over.”
I answered, scratching my cheek.
Just then, the door creaked open.
Everyone’s attention was drawn to it.
“Biiig Brooo!!”
The weasel, his armor now containing slightly more metal than before, shouted as he ran inside.