Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Wizard Hunt (3)
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The search turned up nothing noteworthy for several days.
North of Remtana stretched a vast, open plain. Trees capable of obstructing the view were scarce, and cat's claw flowers, primroses, and countless nameless wildflowers bloomed in dense clusters, staging a vibrant carnival of colors. It was ideal for a late-spring outing, but a terrible spot for a shady wizard to hole up.
Kadim judged there was no hope here and turned his steps eastward. The outskirts were small-scale farmland, beyond which lay terrain much like the north. No trace of the wizard turned up there either.
In the end, Kadim went to the commissioner and asked if there were any other leads to pursue the wizard. Enrico frowned, rubbing his temple.
"Well... I was planning to ask one of the scribes who works under Ymir, but she hasn't shown up at the office for a few days. They said she left a note about taking some time off due to personal matters, but something feels off. Perhaps... we're investigating whether Ymir is involved in this."
Kadim narrowed his eyes. It wasn't a story that inspired any good feelings.
He changed the question. Were there no terrains suitable for hiding, even if a bit farther out? Enrico pondered over the map for a long while before pointing to a spot.
"The only standout place besides the Twin Canyons to the southwest is this rock mountain about two hours' walk to the west. But there's no cave or anything here... I doubt Ymir is holed up there, but..."
Kadim closely examined the spot under Enrico's finger. Then, he soon curled the corner of his mouth into a smirk.
"No, this seems to be the place."
He immediately set off westward from Remtana.
His sprint was swift as the wind. He covered the two-hour distance in less than half an hour. Upon arriving, Kadim clicked his tongue in approval.
The moment he drew near, a creepy sensation prickled his spine like an insect. From underground came a damp, viscous aura, thick with all sorts of foul presences mingled together—much like when he'd encountered trolls. He'd come to the right place, no doubt.
Kadim looked up at the rock mountain.
It was a familiar sight. Just like the Twin Canyons, he'd visited this rock mountain in the game and his first playthrough. A sub-quest to retrieve a necklace stolen from some noble. He'd tracked the bandit gang that ambushed the noble here, and their hideout was this very spot.
On the surface, it was just a modestly low, barren pile of rocks. But beneath lay a massive underground fortress built by a fallen ancient kingdom for a last stand.
'Who would've thought someone was still making use of this place.'
The entrance to the fortress blended seamlessly with natural stone. A special spell required reciting a password to make the rock crumble and reveal the way in. The facilities were dilapidated, but it was perfect for hiding out if you had something to be ashamed of.
Kadim already knew the password for entry. But he didn't head straight in. He wasn't fully prepared to face the wizard yet. He hid in a rock crevice near the entrance and observed for a while.
After waiting about half an hour...
Kurrrr—
Suddenly, a seemingly solid rock collapsed. And from the gap poured small monsters.
- Chiiik, chiik!
- Chiiiik!
- Chiik, chiik, chiik!
Monoeyes, monsters he'd seen before.
The wizard was definitely here. The four monoeyes took to the skies, and the crumbled rocks floated back up, perfectly reassembling.
But one sensed something suspicious.
- Chiik?
Instead of soaring like the others, it lowered its altitude and scanned the rock crevices. It soon came right up to the barbarian.
Kadim snatched it like a bolt of lightning. Then crushed it in his fist.
- Jiiik!
A shrill death cry echoed. Thin bodily fluids and chunks of flesh oozed between his thick fingers. Kadim wiped the gunk off on the rock and prepared to leave.
He resolved to raid the place tonight, right after finishing his preparations.
*
Returning to Gullak's forge, Kadim heard something ridiculous.
"...It failed."
"What?"
"The weapon processing I asked for failed."
His rugged face twisted in fury.
What the hell was this crazy old man saying? Hadn't he boasted he was on par with ancient dwarves? And now this? After Kadim had dumped useless dog-milk booze on him? Murderous intent welled up deep in Kadim's chest.
But fortunately, he didn't need to act on it.
"...I failed on two of them. I melted down the shards to the base to shape them into shortswords, and the blessings vanished in the end. So only the four daggers where I just sharpened the tips succeeded. Sorry for the big talk followed by this embarrassment."
Gullak carefully lifted four daggers from the rack.
Metal sheaths with a reddish sheen matching the grips. Even sheathed, a subtle heat emanated. The sheath was blocking most of it.
Kadim gripped the handle cautiously. The carved grooves fit his large palm perfectly. He grabbed the ring on the sheath and drew the blade smoothly.
Hwarrrruk—!
A red blade blazing with ferocious momentum appeared. The formerly blunt, right-angled broken shard had been sharpened to a piercing tip. Hellfire reeking of sulfur raged, eager to incinerate flesh.
Daggers forged from a paladin's armor melted into sheaths and grips, with the broken holy sword shards as blades.
This was the only way to wield holy sword power without rejection.
Honestly, he'd doubted they could even be made. This was more than satisfactory. Kadim grinned and encouraged the dejected blacksmith.
"Fine weapons. Thanks, old timer. If I hadn't left them with you, I probably wouldn't have salvaged even one."
Only then did Gullak flash his broken front tooth in a relieved smile. His tooth might be chipped, but his blacksmith pride remained unbroken, adding another layer today.
After picking up his tuned-up Mosquito too, Kadim paid generously in gold coins. Then he headed straight back to the inn from the forge. Time to prepare everything besides weapons.
He layered tough leather pauldrons bought from the central market over his tunic. Waxed his leather boots and tied the laces tight. Cinched his belt so the iron core wouldn't slip, equipped it, and hung his weapons on the straps and rings in sequence. He divided demon blood into small vials and tucked them away.
The pureblood demon blood for 'Agility Boost' had already clotted and spoiled. Best to use it all up in this fight.
The possessing demon blood wasn't in bad shape. Since the wizard seemed skilled in mental magic, he packed two extra vials.
Hydra blood had only a sip left; he'd save it unless desperate. Downing three kinds in one night would drive his frenzy dangerously high.
Preparations complete. Kadim rolled his shoulders and leaped from the window. Then dashed westward again like a gale.
The landscape, dyed crimson by the sunset, blurred past his eyes. The fresh dusk rising behind signaled the sun's time had ended. No moon tonight, making the evening hues feel especially pale without moonlight.
Crossing the twilight, Kadim arrived at the rock mountain base and realized something.
He wasn't the only one who'd spent the day preparing.
- Kiik, kieeek!
- Shiiiik, shiiiik...
- Kerrrr...
- Kuwoooooh!!
Goblins with gleaming eyes, orcs huffing rough breaths, a troll wielding thick bones, flapping harpies, even a roaring troll...
A motley crew of monsters that would never cooperate stood in a horde, blocking the rock mountain entrance. As if they'd known Kadim was coming.
"Ha."
A hollow laugh escaped him. He knew the wizard could command monsters, but not in such numbers. The nearby area was supposedly monster-free—had he set up a monster farm inside the fortress?
It would take a city's standing army to handle that many. And that wasn't even all; the wizard likely had more inside. Common sense dictated retreat against such odds alone.
Kadim didn't think that way.
No matter the numbers, what needed doing stayed the same. Just more things to slaughter. The barbarian snarled viciously. He pulled a vial from his bosom and chewed down the spoiled demon blood with a crunch.
A nauseating metallic tang filled his nostrils.
- Kieeeek!
Bloodlust surged through muscles and nerves.
Kwa—ang!
Kadim kicked off the ground and charged.
"Huaaaaaah!"
Suddenly, the barbarian vanished from the monsters' sight.
- Kuruk?
Then reappeared as the embodiment of death before their eyes.
Jeo—geok!
- Huerk...
The frontline goblin glimpsed the afterimage and tried to raise a warning cry. But only foaming blood bubbled from its jaws. It never realized its head was half-cleaved before consciousness faded.
- Shii...
Next was the adjacent orc. The attack struck faster than it could turn its eyes. The blade pierced its side, twisted, and burst out through the ribcage. The orc's bulky body lifted halfway off the ground from the brute force before crashing down. Blood sprayed, greedily sucked into Mosquito's blade.
Pook, seu—geok!
- Kii...
- Kiee...
Kadim followed by stabbing a goblin's nape and slashing its belly. He severed another's hands and kicked it down. He fluidly twisted away from a bone club aimed at his waist and drove his blade deep into the troll's maw.
- Kerrruk...!
The blade was too dark and swift for the monsters to see. They could only sense it through pain: the chilling slice, the piercing thrust, and the horrific heat that followed.
Meanwhile, Kadim perceived everything precisely and swiftly. His amplified senses fed him every detail amid his agile flesh: a goblin's retreating steps, an orc's hesitant hand, the troll's mangled nose bridge, blood, blood, the reek of fresh slaughter.
Paeraeraeraeraek, jeo—geok!
- Kuwek!
He hurled a throwing axe, bursting the troll's head. It dropped its massive flail and toppled dramatically. A large orc lumbered in, targeting his nape. Kadim spun, batting away the orc's comically slow axe. Then swung Mosquito in a wide fan arc.
Jeogeogeogeogeogeok—!
The attacking orc and nearby dawdling monsters were swept into the blade storm. Skins tore, muscles split, guts ripped, bones shattered—turning into bloody meat pulps rolling on the ground. Less like blade wounds, more like they'd been shredded by a storm of steel.
Seeing the carnage, Kadim worried he'd been too rough on the weapon. He glanced at the blade. Thanks to the blacksmith's work? No damage showed despite the abuse.
The horde shattered, creating a small clearing around Kadim. No monster dared enter that blood-puddled arena guaranteeing certain death.
Now for the sky-dwellers.
- Kirruk, kirruruk!
- Kirruruk, kirruruk!
Harpies dove like hawks, talons raised. A plummeting assault no ground-dweller could counter.
Kadim was the exception. He leaped before one touched down, grabbing its ankle. Then slammed its head into the dirt using its momentum.
Peo—geok!
- Kek...!
Its skull exploded, pinkish brain matter bursting like fireworks. The rest panicked and flapped away. The freakish birds flailed in the air, shrieking. Kadim decided to clean up the survivors swiftly.
Swiiik, hwarrrruk—!
He drew a short, heat-laden blade from its sheath. He hurled it, tracing a streak of crimson flame skyward. Three more streaks followed in rapid succession.
Every line converged precisely on harpy wing joints. The embedded fire points burned through wings, expanded, and erupted into all-consuming infernos engulfing their bodies.
- Kieeeek!
- Kieeeek, kieeeek!
The hellfire daggers' power was unparalleled.
Blazing harpies plummeted one by one. Kadim approached a charred corpse and retrieved the dagger. He flung it skyward again, nailing another wing. His terrifying throwing strength turned the dagger into something deadlier than a fire arrow.
Swiiik, hwaruk—! Swiiik, hwaruk—!
- Kieek, kieek!!
- Kieeeek!!
The evening sky burned red as if sunset returned. Harpies aflame like struck lightning put on a skyborne fireworks of fire and screams.
Regrettably, the spectacle was as fleeting as dusk. Before a drink could be finished, the harpies were ash.
- Kirrurur, kirrurur...
- Kir, kek...
Smoldering bird corpses sank into blood. Guts spilled from a bisected orc, a handless goblin writhed to staunch bleeding, a decapitated troll twitched beside a troll vomiting blood from its severed jaws.
The few surviving monsters witnessed it.
- Kiii, kiiiing...
- Kuu, kuuuk...
"...".
In that sea of blood and viscera, the berserker wielding blood-drinking blade and flaming daggers stood with eerily glowing red eyes.