Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Blood on the Wind
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Hwan-in admitted to himself, riding in the cargo cart heading east along the road after leaving Yulkam, that his estimate for the travel time had been way off.
The cart, pulled by a pair of straw-colored kue beasts, barreled down the hard-packed grassland path at a speed close to 60 kilometers per hour.
At that pace, a twenty-day journey for them would have taken him more than three months.
'On an unfamiliar route with nothing but the horizon in sight, it probably would've taken even longer.'
He'd been steadily comparing the map with his surroundings while the cart moved, but all that met his eyes was the endless horizon and green plains.
Without any landmarks, he would've gotten completely lost traveling alone—no doubt about it.
With Emergency Ration scouting from the sky, he wouldn't have wandered forever, but still.
=Soul Shaman. Breakfast here.=
"Thank you."
Hwan-in took the lunchbox wrapped in something like bamboo leaves from the dogkin porter and felt the lingering warmth as he unfolded the leaves.
Steaming triangular rice balls. Prepared in advance from the inn in Yulkam, they said.
They were plain onigiri, but well-seasoned with salt, and bits of pickled meat mixed into the rice made them surprisingly tasty.
As he ate his breakfast, Hwan-in gauged the hierarchy among the merchants based on the vibe.
The method was simple: the order in which the lunchboxes were handed out, and reading the impressions from the merchants' conversations and attitudes.
Number one was, of course, Ssada. As the head merchant, that was a given.
Number two was Brillet, one of the three guards.
The woman with leopard ears and tail—who seemed to share a deep physical relationship with Ssada—rode one of the kue beasts.
She was taciturn and didn't talk much, but quick on the uptake with a faint aura about her. Ssada clearly trusted her immensely.
Guard two was Dinte, the wolfkin man riding the other kue. Guard three was Hyusik, another wolfkin man riding in the cargo cart.
'No standout features, kinda nondescript, but solid skills, so that's why he's a guard.'
Guards two and three seemed close enough to joke around, laughing freely and giving each other playful shoves.
Below them, the hierarchy didn't really matter.
The three porters were two dogkin men and one woman, who seemed to hold low social status—they didn't dare act casually toward Ssada or even the guards.
And toward Hwan-in, whom Ssada treated with utmost respect? They were practically untouchable.
After breakfast, a leisurely time stretched on.
Ssada focused on driving the cart, while the three porters and Guard Three kept watch from the rear.
Brillet and Guard Two, riding their own kue, matched pace on either side of the cart.
The cart's ride... wasn't comfortable by any stretch of the word.
No suspension whatsoever, and solid wooden wheels to boot. At 60 kph, every bump sent the cart jolting wildly.
No wonder Emergency Ration had cried out kueht, kuht, kue! before fleeing to the sky.
Gazing at Emergency Ration, whose body felt light enough to fly after not eating since last night, Hwan-in felt the cart lurch with a thump and muttered inwardly.
'No wonder they tied down the cargo so tightly.'
Maybe because Hwan-in kept eyeing the cart's pitiful shock absorption, Ssada misinterpreted the glance and laughed heartily.
=No worries. The axles and wheels are blessed—they won't break from shocks like this.=
"That's a relief."
Mid-sentence, the cart's wild bounce nearly made him bite his tongue, so Hwan-in resolved to stay quiet.
But that resolve lasted less than three minutes before he opened his mouth again.
"Does it always shake this much?"
=Oh, yeah. Tigerkin or holykin carts are smooth as silk. But for us common folk? All like this.=
'Special construction for tigerkin carts? Or reinforced with supernatural powers?'
Either way, they weren't mass-produced. Cost or efficiency would prevent it.
'Suspension... though this is too primitive. Maybe craft some leaf-spring shock absorbers if I get the chance.'
He lacked the skill and knowledge for complex suspensions. But leaf springs were simple enough—he vaguely remembered the principles.
A few trial and errors, and he could build something a hundred times better than this.
Clutching the pearl-like stone and blood-red pebble in his pocket, Hwan-in pondered while absorbing their warmth and coolness—but he clicked his tongue at the inflow.
The farther he got from the forest labyrinth's core, the less warmth and coolness he absorbed. Now it was barely a tenth of what he'd gotten inside.
Not enough to count on natural absorption.
'But there are women out here, so...'
Hwan-in had no qualms about sharing a bed with a woman to absorb warmth. It benefited her too.
'Changing bones and looks? Totally unexpected effect.'
He'd confirmed it three days after returning to the village.
While strolling as usual, he'd overheard village women at the river talking. Ryuhi, Efnis, Hui, Ennel—they'd grown taller, prettier faces and skin than before they vanished.
—Really?
—Totally! Efni's head was at my eye level before, but today we're the same height!
—Saw Ryuhi washing her hair—skin super clear. All those spots on her cleavage? Gone.
—Oh! I saw that too.
—...Faces seem prettier too, right? Not just me?
—Yeah, same.
—Me too.
—Wonder why?
The reason? They knew best.
—Sleeping with Benefactor makes your face and body prettier.
—'Cause you sleep with Benefactor!
—Benefactor's blessing.
'Absorbing my warmth makes them prettier.'
That let Hwan-in roughly guess the nature of warmth—Warm Ki or Cold Ki, the hot or cool energies.
'More warmth makes you gradually more masculine.'
Men having more warmth than women wasn't random.
Then Emergency Ration's alarm blared from the sky.
Kueht~! Kukukuku! Kueeek!
At the racket, everyone looked up with puzzled faces as the straw kue slowed to a halt.
=Why're they stopping suddenly? Loti, Luti! Go!=
Whip—crack.
The leather reins snapped in the air, but the kue pair stood firm, turning back and grunting kuekue.
=Huh??=
Ssada looked baffled—this was a first—when Hwan-in gripped his staff and stood.
"Emergency Ration's warning them."
=Pardon?=
"Enemies approaching."
=...Oh no.=
Stunned only briefly, Ssada hardened his face and ordered the guards and porters to prepare for battle. The porters in the cargo grabbed bows and crossbows from their feet.
Ssada nocked an arrow to his bow. Hyusik donned sword and shield and leaped from the cart.
Brillet and Dinte, drawing near at the commotion, paled and grabbed their long lances from the saddles.
Kuuw~! Kuuwut!
=I see 'em! Grenier approaching from southeast! Six of 'em!!=
Porter Three, up on the cargo frame scanning, and Emergency Ration cried out together. Ssada asked gravely.
=Other sides?=
=None now!=
=Dascon, keep watch. Rest, focus south-southeast Grenier!=
Yes!!
Tension before battle crept through the group. Hwan-in felt his own heart quicken slightly, lips curling up.
After fighting multiple times daily for two months, the last fortnight had been fight-free.
Now, even stray dogs would be fun. He asked Ssada, whose tension was obvious.
"What kind of monster's a Grenier?"
=Like a dog-boar mix. Smaller than kue, but super aggressive, ferocious, always in packs—top-tier dangerous magic beasts.=
'Magic beast?'
Not monster, beast, or animal—but magic beast? Hwan-in's anticipation grew.
Then, from the low southern hill, a dust cloud rose with a motorcycle-sized beast pack.
Ssada's description fit perfectly, but Hwan-in had a shorter, precise term.
Dog-pig.
Shaggy reddish-brown short fur like a boar, but dog-like or boar-like depending on the angle.
The Grenier pack atop the hill eyed them like scouts, paused, then squealed kuweeeek! like hungry pigs and charged.
=I'm first!=
Brillet yelled and lance-charged like a knight toward the pack. Dinte followed much slower.
Hwan-in, not content to watch, set down his staff and extended a hand to the cargo porter.
"Mind giving me my spear?"
=Eh?! D-Dangerous!=
"It's fine. Hand it over."
At his insistence, the porter glanced awkwardly between Ssada and Hwan-in.
=Give him the spear. Soul Shaman, be careful. Grenier are as reckless as boars and clever as dogs.=
"Noted."
Hwan-in took the spear, removed the blade cover, invoked lowest-tier Spirit Possession, and hopped off the cart.
Ahead, Brillet had already clashed with the pack once. Like a mounted knight, she bravely speared three, the rest splitting left and right toward them.
Uwaaaak—!
Dinte roared boldly at the three, but only one charged him—the other two split around toward the cart, accelerating.
=Oh crap...!=
Dinte's face twisted—he'd hoped to hold at least two. His movements grew frantic, barely handling one.
The two remaining Grenier barreled toward the cart unimpeded, slobbering.
Food! Grub!
The scent was ecstatic; their eyes rolled in frenzy.
Then they spotted one food source strolling out casually and exchanged glances.
They closed in, speeding up fearlessly at the lone prey.
Smash this one first, then the big meal!
=Soul Shaman! Don't go forward—danger!!=
"It's fine."
=...!=
Hwan-in fixed on the charging Grenier aimed at him, noting Brillet and Dinte's fights in his periphery.
Brillet's lance grazed a Grenier's hide, slicing skin and drawing blood.
Dinte's only scratched the edge.
'Head attack range like wild dog packs. Side turns sluggish... Only biting attacks.'
Simple patterns, no different from the wild dogs near the twin mountains' basin.
This is a magic beast? As two closed to 10 meters, one gaping jaws to bite, he shoved three soul orbs into its mouth and triggered triple Soul Explosion.
BOOM!!
"...?"
The blast over twice as strong as expected hurled it back with a kyaeng! Hwan-in furrowed his brow.
Why so powerful?
Body moving on instinct, he advanced on the other startled by the blast.
The Grenier recovered and savagely charged.
Kiaaang!!
Mouth wide, omnivore teeth bared. Hwan-in's dark spear sliced its lip deeply.
A light graze tore the mouth wide, exposing the jaw joint.
Kueeek!!
It shook its head viciously to retreat from the deep gash, but Hwan-in closed in effortlessly.
His lighter spear now slashed the front leg muscles badly. He let out a small chuckle.
'What the hell did Belvi do to this spear?'
Too sharp. Even light swings gaped flesh and skin.
Then ping-ping— arrows whistled in at the downed Grenier.
It flinched but realized not aimed at it, leaped back with hind legs to pounce on Hwan-in.
One front paw crippled, but spirited attack.
He sidestepped the straightforward downward pounce, spotted the soft belly in his periphery, lightly stabbed as it passed, and hopped back.
Thud! Splatter—
Landing shock split the shallow belly cut, spilling guts with white steam.
Kieeng! Keeek!
It rolled screaming.
'This one's done.'
Confirming the light fade from its eyes, Hwan-in passed it to approach the face-shredded one from the triple explosion.
Khik—! Krukheek—!
Arrows shallowly embedded, it groaned metallically.
Tongue severed and gone from the mouth blast, throat damaged—voice leaked.
Eyes dangled from sockets, muzzle's flesh and skin blasted off, bone exposed.
Bleeding from the face, oblivious to his approach, Hwan-in stabbed repeatedly between the ribs.
It twitched with each dark spear thrust, collapsing lifelessly at the fifth.
"Hmm."
The new weapon's cutting power made short work, but Hwan-in sensed the Grenier on par with bloodsuckers.
Had expected blade-boar or greatsword-hob level for a magic beast—disappointingly weak, a sigh escaped.
He collected its soul and looked ahead.
Brillet adroitly handled her kue, silencing one Grenier, holding firm 1v2.
Just numerical disadvantage delaying the end—she dominated like the kue was her body.
The problem: Guard Two, Dinte.
=You bastard!=
Kieeek!!
Dinte struggled even 1v1.
'Losing initial momentum was fatal.'
His kue sensed the rider's panic and spooked too. Better to dismount for mobility.
Seeing Dinte fail to dodge obvious attacks, Hwan-in said shortly.
"I'll assist."
=Soul Shaman?!=
He hurled the stone axe, shattering one eye.
The blinded Grenier screamed, bucking wildly, then raged at Hwan-in.
=Danger—!=
Kieaaak!!
'Jump attack ingrained like canine instinct.'
Stepping aside, he slashed both visible front leg joints and withdrew. He checked the blade, pursuing the airborne Grenier.
Thud! Crack—
Moments later, it landed heavily; legs buckled with a crunch under impact.
Kueeeeng!!
Screaming death throes, it flailed hind legs to retreat as Hwan-in approached.
Snapping jaws loudly, but he lightly tore the remaining eye, then reclaimed the axe from the left socket amid its frenzy.
"... "
He shook off the eye and smashed the axe into the neck vertebra.
Squelch!
'As expected. The dark spear's abnormally sharp.'
More mashed than chopped.
Full force barely split skin. He hammered the gasping Grenier's neck multiple times.
Finally, crunch—bones collapsed; it convulsed in full paralysis.
=...=
Dinte was dazed. Isn't he a Soul Shaman? What was that skill? Was that Grenier just a housepig?
Hwan-in called up to Dinte, blankly staring from his kue.
"Dinte."
=...=
"Dinte."
=...Y-Yes?!=
"No need to help you?"
Pointing to Brillet still fighting two, Dinte looked doused in cold water, then rushed to join her.