Chapter 294
Chapter 294
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 294
>Chapter Title: The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board
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Growl…
Bluish trolls were glancing around, muttering something under their breaths.
Jone and Santio, who had cast not only perception-blocking magic but also sound-dampening spells, whispered to each other.
“What are they saying, those guys?”
“No idea… Well, trolls wouldn’t use the common human tongue anyway.”
Leaving the trolls oblivious to Jamad’s presence right beside them, Kang Seol conversed with him.
- These guys… they’re from the Glacier Jaw Tribe.
‘Glacier Jaw? Oh!’
The blue skin and stark white body hair were one of the Glacier Jaw Tribe’s famous genetic traits.
They had evolved that way to survive in the frigid polar regions.
- Those bastards…
Jamad continued his explanation.
But Kang Seol already knew quite a bit about the Glacier Jaw Tribe even without hearing it.
A tribe united as one to survive in the north where blizzards froze everything in their path.
They had reigned as overlords in the north for ages, a place where even the strongest struggled to endure.
“They’re moving. Let’s go!”
“We need to stick close. Their strides are so huge we might lose them if we’re not careful.”
The Glacier Jaw tribesmen strode across the snowfield, murmuring among themselves once more.
“Wish we knew what they’re saying… If we could understand, at least we’d have a rough idea…”
“…They say light leaked out from here. They’re insisting they saw it.”
“What? Light… Must’ve been when we climbed the stairs and light spilled out… Huh? Where’d that come from just now…?”
“Them.”
Kang Seol translated the trolls’ words on the spot.
Unlike Mael from the Relic Society, the Glacier Jaw Tribe wasn’t using the common tongue, yet the two men stared at him in wonder as he interpreted flawlessly.
“You speak Troll too?”
“Picked it up since it seemed useful.”
“I learned some sewing as a backup in case I ended up homeless, but Troll? That’s a bit out of left field.”
“Still, fortunate. At least we can figure out how things are unfolding.”
Kang Seol tailed the Glacier Jaw Tribe, translating every mutter.
“Seems they’re a scouting party.”
“Scouting? For what?”
“Don’t know that far, but they patrol regularly. Though judging by frequency and size, it’s not anything major.”
“That tracks. Looks like they control the whole 8th floor. Why expand patrols if there’s nothing to guard against?”
Crunch… Crunch…
The sound of footsteps on snow and ice continued.
Then, something translucent appeared on the horizon.
“My god… Am I seeing this right?”
“…This is getting serious.”
In the direction the scouts headed stood a massive ice fortress, meshed seamlessly with the uneven surrounding terrain.
Rougher and more utilitarian than a human castle, but its scale was unparalleled.
“Why are these guys so damn huge? Could pass for ogres.”
“Northern breed. Adapted to the harsh environment with that massive build.”
Santio explained to Jone what Kang Seol had already clocked.
Northern trolls had thicker fur and mountain-like bodies due to their environment, unlike trolls elsewhere.
‘Jamad, if we reveal ourselves, won’t they welcome you as kin?’
- Ever seen me welcomed anywhere?
Heh…
Jamad quipped back at Kang Seol’s half-joking remark.
- Anyway, Glacier Jaw, huh? The recluses hiding in my territory spilled out from some book… Hm…
‘You know the book?’
- Roughly. But if I’m right…
Jamad scowled.
- Things’ll get messy.
Kang Seol probed Jamad for details on the Glacier Jaw Tribe.
He already knew plenty, but intel from another troll—same species—would surely include fresh insights.
Fortunately, Jamad spilled insider knowledge.
- Glacier Jaw are isolationists. Part of the tribal alliance, but famous for never sending reps to the elder council.
‘Why’s that?’
- Theories abound, but the best one’s that bare survival in the poles made it their sole goal.
‘The alliance just let them?’
- All northern trolls fell under Glacier Jaw’s sway. Unite or perish to blizzards and beasts. As a single force, they might be the strongest. Provoking them would’ve cost the alliance more than it gained.
‘Troll world’s complicated too.’
- World of the living never is.
While Kang Seol and Jamad talked, they reached the fortress gates.
“We’re here. Stick tight. Trouble if the gate closes after them.”
At Santio’s word, Kang Seol and Jone pressed close to the trolls.
Growl… Wak!
“Didn’t the lead troll just say something?”
“Open the gate…”
Krawaaak!
“Now?”
“Mostly curses, and it’s cold.”
- Ugh… Fucking freezing.
- Frozen! I’m frozen solid!
- Gonna go snuggle up warm~
Swoosh…
“No sign they’ve detected us. Alright…”
Creeeak…
Creeeaaaak!
The ice fortress gates swung open, and Kang Seol’s group slipped inside.
Slink…
They quickly peeled off from the trolls, hugging the outer walls.
The housing looked somewhat civilized. If not for the trolls, one might mistake it for human dwellings.
Every house was enormous—fitting for the trolls’ gigantic frames.
Whoooosh…
“S-Santio.”
“What, Jone?”
“Your beard… it’s frozen. Blood’ll ice over soon… Can’t we duck inside somewhere?”
“Enemy turf?”
“They’re not enemies yet. We haven’t been spotted.”
Kang Seol beckoned.
He’d found an unoccupied house.
“This way.”
“Young man, you’ve saved me.”
“Sigh… No choice.”
“If I drop dead, you’re in trouble too.”
Creeeak…
* * *
Inside now.
“Hm… Northern troll habitats aren’t so different from human ones.”
“Don’t want that wind indoors. Unlike other trolls, they’ve got proper doors—proof. Blizzard hits, even tough guys freeze solid.”
“Anyway, masking our presence.”
Slink…
Santio’s barrier enveloped the house.
Handy traveling with mages. Probably why adventurers always slot one in the party.
“I’ll fire up the heater.”
Whoosh…
Jone effortlessly activated the central warming device.
“Haha… Back cold, belly warm. Like purgatory humans feel?”
Jone grinned lazily.
Santio asked,
“But what the hell happened?”
“Hmm… Guessing some idiot messed with the 6th floor rules, shadow wolves showed up then.”
“That much is clear.”
“And that time, not just the shadow wolf book opened—others too. Trolls poured out, flooded the 8th floor.”
“Why come up to 8? Thought shadow wolves unbeatable?”
“Could you handle that beast?”
“Wise for trolls.”
The early dinner Kukuru Kang Seol snagged was Immortal-grade.
Viewers and Kang Seol had grown numb to Immortals lately, but to locals, they were untouchable transcendents.
Of course, perceptions shift—frolic daily with Immortals like him, and they seem manageable.
Anyway.
The mages’ chat continued.
“But that’s just theory. Massive force occupies 8th without descending? Odd.”
“Could fight, but no guaranteed win, don’t wanna bleed.”
“What’re they after?”
“Cherishing new life, just surviving?”
“Who knows. Why hasn’t the Overseer fixed this…”
“Overseer post… vacant, right?”
“Oh, yeah.”
Kang Seol and Jamad chatted as they eavesdropped.
Massive ice fortress.
Elite troll warriors.
‘Leaders must exist.’
- Probably.
‘Glacier Jaw leaders…’
Kang Seol racked his memory.
After deep thought, he replied.
‘Something’s off, right?’
One fact surfaced.
“Glacier Jaw now…”
- Yeah, no chief. Ruled directly by the aged Primal Spirits.
Kang Seol startled.
‘No way a Primal Spirit popped out… Nah.’
A Primal from a book would’ve razed the Myriad Library.
- There was one. Long ago.
‘…What?’
- A brutal bastard who ruled Glacier Jaw.
Jamad’s eyes gleamed.
- Hey, Kang Seol. Gotta see with my own eyes… if he’s back.
Kang Seol and the mages ended their brief rest, slipping deep into the ice fortress at his lead.
* * *
Whoooosh…
Growl…
“Wind’s ill-omened.”
A colossal troll sat on an ice-carved throne.
No troll could match this behemoth’s size.
“Blizzard incoming.”
“Preparations sufficient.”
Elderly trolls prattled beside him.
“Strange, isn’t it.”
“What?”
“Thought I’d cheated endless blizzards by dying… Now revived, and hell returns.”
“Enduring northern blizzards is Glacier Jaw pride. Proves we’re tougher than others.”
“Hmph, nonsense.”
“Y-Yes?”
The throne troll eyed the approaching blizzard.
“Fell for Primal Spirits’ ruse. Surviving blizzards as glory? All their fabrication.”
“Why…”
“Free of their chains now, I see. They just needed our strength. If we fled the stormlands… they’d be abandoned.”
“B-Blasphemy!”
Thud…
“Urk… Gah…”
Elder seized by the throat.
“Blasphemy? After dying once, still spout that?”
“Guh… Ack…”
Drop.
“Cough… Cough…”
“Death broke their hold. Now I move by my desires. You, Grand Sorcerer.”
“Y-Yes… Speak.”
“Waking the Myriad Overseer… progress?”
“See for yourself. Faster.”
“Together.”
Boom…
Boom…
Boom…
The massive troll’s steps shook the earth.
The Myriad Overseer they’d seized retained its initial discovered form: a machine bowed amid vitality vines.
Positioned visible from anywhere in the fortress. Still was.
“Who’d imagine a mere machine reviving us from death?”
“Not precisely the machine. It’s a minion. Creators of Myriad—those are the terrifying ones.”
“Fair point. When can we wake it?”
“Time nears. Post-blizzard, likely.”
The giant troll caressed the Overseer.
“Good. Anticipating. If it normalizes Myriad, what happens?”
“No worry. Machine with pure mind, ensorcelled minion. Won’t turn us to dust upon revival.”
“Good. Its task upon waking: one only.”
Smirk…
“Make desired power flow from desired books…”
“Yes. Normalizing lower rules.”
“Right. Then dispatch that pesky beast… and we’ll overturn the world with our legions.”
Blizzard coming.
One must stop it, that blizzard.
“I, Branca… this time, shall rule the world… This chance heaven granted me!”
Boom…
Boom…
Branca and the Grand Sorcerer left the Overseer.
“G-Gone?”
“Yes. Presence fading.”
“Heh… Well, what’d they say?”
From a spot blind to sentries, Kang Seol spoke.
“Reviving Overseer to tweak rules to their taste. Prep work done.”
“S-Such!”
Santio paled.
“That means… day they wake Overseer and descend to 7th…”
“They seize Myriad Library forces, march on the world! Cataclysm! Unstoppable!”
But as the mages despaired, Kang Seol stayed calm.
“Why smile?”
“Got a way?” Kang Seol said.
“Ask my friend.”
“Friend?”
“Friends? All descended, no?”
Slink…
Jamad emerged beside Kang Seol—not Branca’s size, but huge.
“C-Caught…!”
“B-Behind…”
“My friend.”
The duo, near fainting from shock, raged.
“Troll friend? Speak up! Didn’t know you were so open-minded!”
“Scared us!”
“But…”
They’d guessed summoner from Coco, but not a troll.
“Friend know the situation?”
Jamad snorted.
“Branca… yep, him.”
“Branca?”
“Ancient figure. Fortress long crumbled. Not primordial, but previous era.”
“He led Glacier Jaw?”
“Yeah, legends say he wielded lost ancient sorcery. Strong one—hoped to clash…”
Kang Seol cut to the chase.
“So, impression from seeing him?”
Smirk…
“Weaker than rumors. Disappointing.”
Jone and Santio gawked, mesmerized by Jamad’s fluent common tongue.
Wary yet glad this powerhouse was ally.
“Th-Then how…”
Crack…
Jamad cracked his neck.
“Old timer crawled from grave after ages. Let him sightsee. Then… as kin, I’ll bury him again.”
He relished this.
Smirk…
“Of course, leave that sorcery. Heaven-sent chance for me, Jamad.”
Snow fell.
Whoooosh…
Blizzard coming.