Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Quiet After Violence
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Hwan-in, who had spent the night in his hideout, stepped out as soon as the surroundings grew light and headed for the Great Lake.
Of course, he had carefully concealed the entrance with branches and bushes first. Since he had found what amounted to a shoreline about two hours away, he planned to use it as a base for a while longer.
'But something doesn't add up.'
The Great Lake was teeming with food at every turn. And yesterday, his stomach had been growling fiercely, so he had stayed put for over three hours.
He had even built a fire and cooked his meal. If there had been any monsters nearby, they surely would have caught the scent and come sniffing around...
'Not a single one showed up.'
He had the Emergency Ration with him, and he definitely would have noticed if a monster appeared. The fact that not even one had bothered him was nagging at him strangely.
There was no doubt monsters lurked in the lake as well.
Yet he hadn't been attacked, which could mean the lake was so vast, like an ocean, that they hadn't spotted him yesterday...
'Or maybe it's poisonous, and they steer clear.'
But his condition felt the same as yesterday. No, perhaps because he had eaten shellfish, his vitality had been replenished, and he actually felt better than before.
"......"
It still bothered him.
He decided to eat the Star Shell Clams and Jade Crabs only when he was truly starving.
As Hwan-in pondered various scenarios and set his course of action, he took a slightly different route to the Great Lake than yesterday—and luckily stumbled upon a Corona Berry bush heavy with fruit.
No one had touched it; there were a full twenty-one ripe berries.
Six Corona Berries, each the size of a five-hundred-won coin, were enough to stave off hunger, so without factoring in stamina drain, that was a full day's rations.
Squawk. Squawk. Squeak. Squeak. Squawk squawk.
"...!"
Hwan-in, who had been gathering even the underripe Corona Berries for the Emergency Ration, clamped its beak shut with his hand at the sudden level-one alert from his feathered companion, silencing it.
Squeak...
He silently gripped the Black Club at his waist, crouched low, and held his breath.
The noise stopped, and silence blanketed the jungle. Hwan-in strained his ears, not even breathing, to detect any signs of life around him.
Corona Berry bushes were parasitic vines that grew mainly on trees. At least he didn't have to worry about whatever was directly across from the bush...
Rustle. Shrustle.
...or so he thought, when he heard foliage shaking some thirty meters off to his flank.
Hwan-in immediately ducked behind the tree hosting the berry bush and pulled out his darkened smartphone, shining it toward the rustling.
Adjusting the angle, the black screen began reflecting the bushes. After a moment, they shook violently, and out staggered a monster unlike any he had seen before, grunting through what sounded like a stuffed nose as it pushed through the undergrowth.
Grrooh. Grroooh.
About 1.7 meters tall?
Its torso was longer than a human's, making its legs seem short by comparison, but its arms looked a good 1.5 times longer than his own.
Arms and pecs built like boulders. Biceps sharply defined. A protruding potbelly like a weightlifter's.
It wore some unidentified brown hide around its waist, obscuring its knees, but its ankles and thighs were so thick they blended together.
At a glance, its legs might pass for logs.
It resembled a gorilla overall, but crucially, its gray body was utterly hairless (head included).
Its face was a mangled mess, swollen from brutal beatings—though even that looked handsome compared to this ugly mug.
Misaligned fangs like chisels had shredded its lips to rags, exposing yellowed gums in a snout that demanded attention.
Grroooh...
But it wasn't in good shape. Up close, its muscles looked soft and deflated, like punctured balloons, and gashes across its body oozed blood without stopping.
Above all, it seemed utterly exhausted, shoulders heaving with labored breaths, steps staggering.
'Fought another monster, huh.'
He waited to see if more of its kind would emerge, but nothing else stirred in the bushes.
Examining the wounds closer painted a picture in his mind.
Some were three-pronged, others single gashes; scratches like claw marks; and a bite-like mark on its left leg.
Especially familiar were the wounds with evenly spaced round holes.
'Beast-Head Monster's teeth. Sharp implements from Green Monsters too. Being hunted by them, maybe.'
Grrruk.
The Gray Monster spotted the Corona Berry bush and lumbered toward Hwan-in's hiding tree.
As Hwan-in gauged whether to fight or flee, he switched from the Black Club to the Stone Axe, slinging the Emergency Ration satchel over his left arm from his shoulder.
Well, maybe there were nice monsters in the woods, but his instincts screamed otherwise.
This one was a man-eater.
'5... 4... 3...'
Pocketing the smartphone, Hwan-in counted down from ten based on the Gray Monster's gait—and right after one...
He flung the Emergency Ration with an underhand toss to its left.
Squeak!?
Grrooh?
The Gray Monster turned toward the Emergency Ration's trajectory and panicked cries. With a sharper rasp in its breath, it reached out and stepped that way—
Crack!
Kraaaagh!!?
Agony exploded in its back; the Gray Monster arched like a bow and unleashed a savage scream.
"Hah."
Hwan-in let out a surprised breath at the echoing shriek.
The moment its back turned, he had closed in like an assassin and buried the Stone Axe in its spine.
Even swinging with full force two-handed, it sank only three finger-widths deep without cracking bone. Shocked, Hwan-in tried to yank it free and retreat, but—
"Tch."
The axehead was stuck fast in the muscle.
In that split second, he switched plans to bash it loose with the Black Club, but—
Kuwaaaagh!!
Sensing it whirl, he leaped back without hesitation. Its rock-hard fist whistled past by a hair.
Whoosh—the punch's wind made Hwan-in's skin tingle with thrill; one corner of his mouth quirked up.
Similar height to his own, but twice as broad, the Gray Monster.
One grab or hit from those hands, and survival was off the table.
Any normal person would panic, but Hwan-in grinned fiercely.
Kuwaaaargh!!
Bloodshot eyes streaming red, arms flung wide, it charged—its hellish face and momentum conjuring an indescribable menace.
Hwan-in ignored the intimidation. Only killing the enemy mattered.
He dodged the Gray Monster's grasping arms with deft twists, analyzing its movements.
Joints stiff from bulging muscle. Swung arms dragged its torso—raw power unleashed without finesse.
Movements linear; easy to evade with focus.
Of course, rage might be dulling it...
Kwaaang!
Fuming at the slippery prey, the Gray Monster pounded the ground with fists several times in frustration.
Then it hunched its upper body, planted its balled fists like a quadruped, and locked murderous eyes on Hwan-in.
"...!"
Its limbs bent for all fours—Hwan-in's eyes caught the shift in slow motion.
That stance would make it far faster and more stable than bipedal.
Arm reach made dodging tricky.
Hwan-in swiftly untied the Wooden Shield's arm straps, eyes glued to the Gray Monster's limbs.
Upper body dipped then rose... now!
As it lunged, he hurled the shield at its face and dove left.
Shield smacked mid-spring; the Gray Monster bellowed in irritation, halted, and rubbed its face furiously.
Something stung its eye, fueling rage.
Kuuuwaaaagh!!!
Translation: 'You little rat bastard!!!' Perhaps. Enraged, its bloodshot glare swept for Hwan-in—
Bam!
Quork!!
Impact hit his back, but no pain.
Just a tingle racing down to his hips, legs weakening oddly.
Having blinded it and circled behind, Hwan-in smashed down on the stuck axehead with full force. He smirked at the Gray Monster's fawn-like trembling legs.
It worked.
"Hup."
Kwok!?
Gripping the Stone Axe two-handed—crunch!—he kicked to wrench it free amid the recoil, then twisted to slam his elbow into its shoulder again.
No stopping; he hammered the elbow joint repeatedly.
Kwaaek!!
Blood sprayed with each strike; bone gleamed through in seconds.
Artery severed—crimson spurted like a sprinkler.
Hwan-in crushed the left ankle, then the right, crippling its legs.
Next, the flailing right arm, chopped like firewood.
Crack, bam! Bam!!
"Tough bastard!"
Kwajik!
Kkuuugaaargh!!
After repeated axe blows, he severed the arm bone. Switching to the Black Club, Hwan-in circled the worm-like writhing monster, panting heavily.
Kwaaaagh!!!
"Still got fight left in this mess."
As it raised limp arms with a roar, Hwan-in smashed down without mercy.
Bam!
A Green Monster or Beast-Head would have had its skull caved. But the Gray Monster merely face-planted, still sturdy.
Groaning weirdly, it lifted its head—Hwan-in bashed relentlessly.
Splut, splat! Crack! Crack! Bam!!
Crunch.
Six strikes, and its skull finally caved with a shiver-inducing crack, going still.
"Hah, haah. Haah. Hah... Heh. Haha. Hahahaha."
Limbs bloodied, head pulped—the corpse drew sudden laughter from Hwan-in.
Battle thrill long faded.
The ambush made it one-sided.
Ignoring wounds, it rampaged, but its body betrayed pain: flinching mid-move, panting after strikes.
Yet killing it took effort.
Even merciless skull-bashing needed six hits. Arm bone took multiple axe strikes.
Unproven, but its raw strength neared superhuman.
Powerful, durable, tenacious. Unlike Green Monsters or Beast-Heads that froze at kin's death.
Dodging that charge's acceleration? Impossible, even versus Earth's gorillas.
Imagining pairs of these—or confronting them—soured Hwan-in's mood.
"......"
Squawk.
Snapping from thought, Hwan-in retrieved the blinking Emergency Ration with steady steps.
The flung Wooden Shield, tossed in its tantrum, creaked—frame warped.
Shaking it by the rim, branches snapped; the shield disintegrated.
After a dozen battles over five days, it was a miracle it lasted.
"Gotta make a new one."
It had helped more than expected for an improv job, so he resolved to craft another en route to the Great Lake—then a chill raced his spine; he whipped around.
The bushes where his gaze landed—the Gray Monster's emergence point—erupted in commotion.
Keeh—
Kik? Kyak. Kyakyakyakya.
Kiihihih.
Eight cackling Green Monsters shoved through.
"......"
Unlike prior ones. Not just loincloths; they wore hide reinforced with wood like crude armor, carrying Wooden Shields near-identical to his.
Worse.
'Blades.'
Three clutched rusted metal: snapped longsword, scratched (rusted) shortsword, spear of rusty dagger lashed to stick.
Others gripped dark clubs or cudgels.
"Elite Green Skins, huh."
He muttered confirmation at the well-armed pack.
Bad spot.
Drained from the Gray Monster, shield gone. Breath ragged, heart stuttering post-exertion.
Facing eight geared-up Green Monsters that weren't charging recklessly, just mocking with kiki laughter?
Kaekakaekak!
Kyaakakaka!!
Spotting their bouncy mockery, Hwan-in realized.
"They watched me fight the Gray Monster."
Kkikikikiki.
A deeper, eerier laugh from the rear confirmed it. The frontliners parted left and right.
Out swaggered a Green Monster clutching a grotesquely twisted 1.5-meter wooden staff, waddling in figure-eights.
Gyugya~! Kerruk! Kyagyagyagek!
Staff-Wielding Green Monster waved it meaninglessly, shoulders bobbing, stomping.
"......"
Faintest aura flickered around it—barely visible, but the sight sent chills down Hwan-in's neck.
Goosebumps prickled.
From this staff-wielder in hide robe and crude cap, he sensed greater threat than the Gray Monster.
Luring with Emergency Ration bait? Pointless.
Use the Paralysis Beads?
...No, too spread out. Need at least three for effect.
Watching silently as it chittered kyak, kikik, kryagii nonsense, Hwan-in steeled himself.
He gripped Stone Axe and Black Club till knuckles cracked.
Superior gear, but still Green Monsters. Leg length advantage; weapons would slow them.
The Staff-Wielding one posed comically, arms wide—clearly off-guard.
"Hah!"
Kyhek?!
Kyihik!
Feigning a big charge on the smirking leader made it—and the seven behind—cower visibly.
...Kyak!?
Kyii?
Then Hwan-in vanished into the brush.
The Green Monsters blinked dumbly at the events.
Had he attacked, experience would prompt counterattack, overwhelming him.
But...
Kye?
...Kirrr??
Keh, kekuk?
What?
Not attacking??
Why run?
Bluff worked; Hwan-in bolted instantly.
Lower IQ might've spurred instinctual pursuit.
But middling wits left them frozen, confused.
Kiyaaaak—! Kyagugugek!!
That fanned the Staff-Wielder's fury.
Thwack thwack!
Kaaooong!!
Staff pounding ground, it roared wrathfully; the rest chased Hwan-in like bees after honey.
Grind.
Having driven off its dim kin, the Green Monster clenched its staff two-handed, gnashing teeth.
Daring to scare me! Well, not scared, but anyway!
Humiliation.
It couldn't fully grasp shame, but as the pack's elite, the threat stung like a blush of rage.
Kkkigigi...
Trembling fury, it raised the staff high, slowly tracing circles in air.
You enraged me—you freakish thing will pay cruelly.
Gyooo— Gyauhya— Gigee—
Eerie rhythmic chants drew milky light to the staff.
A glow only it could see among kin. Special light granting powers!
Eight orbs gathered; it draped one over itself.
Body quivered like mating. Feathers-light.
...Kihiiii—
Sneering wickedly, it tucked the seven-lit staff under arm and sprinted Hwan-in's way.
Twice its kin's speed.