Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Tongue, Teeth, and Jaw (4)
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If anyone were to step into a forest littered with corpses—limbs severed, necks and waists sliced open, entrails spilling out—they'd inevitably tremble in fear or sink into despair.
But Gayardo, the senior mage leading the Magic Tower's reinforcement unit, was different.
On the contrary, he gently curled up the corners of his mouth. No matter how many corpses there were, it didn't matter. In fact, the more soldiers' bodies there were, the better. It meant a demon of considerable strength had been in this forest.
'Damage on this scale... mid-tier demon? No, it might even be an upper-tier one. We came to the right place.'
One thing nagged at him, though. What if the punitive force or another reinforcement unit had already claimed the demon's corpse?
The demonic energy had dissipated, so the demon's subjugation was clearly complete, but whether the body remained intact was uncertain. Losing the corpse right under his nose would be a disaster. Gayardo urgently ordered his subordinate mages.
"Donovan, scan the area with detection magic! Egellon, Sdeilan, head south and east through the forest respectively and search for the demon's corpse. If the punitive force or anyone else is carrying it off, intercept them by force or hold them until I arrive!"
"Yes, sir!"
The search didn't take long. By dawn, the mages discovered a clearing soaked in blood. Corpses of mangled monsters, and soldiers either chopped to pieces or charred to cinders. It appeared the punitive force had fought the demon and monsters to a mutual destruction.
And amid that carnage lay the imposing corpse of a mighty demon, just as expected.
"H-Horns... two of them...!"
"Upper-tier demon! It's an upper-tier demon's corpse!"
One mage lifted the demon's severed head and shouted. Those with weak stomachs retched, but most of the mages grinned in ecstasy. The one most thrilled, naturally, was the senior mage leading the reinforcements.
"Congratulations from the bottom of our hearts, Gayardo! With achievements like this, the Conjuror rank is as good as yours."
"Hahaha, you should've been promoted ages ago—it's overdue!"
"Seriously, I even got offers from other units, but joining your reinforcements was worth it!"
Not just loyal followers like Donovan, but even those who disliked his methods—all fawned over Gayardo, blowing smoke to claim a share of the credit.
"No, this is thanks to all of you! I won't forget your efforts; I'll make sure to report them to the Tower Lord. Just a bit more work, everyone."
Gayardo wasn't blind to it. But he was in such high spirits that he played along with the obvious flattery. The lower mages, dreaming of rewards, hurriedly began recovering the demon's corpse.
Then, an uninvited guest crashed the celebration.
"What do you think you're doing?"
A barbarian who looked like he'd just crawled out of hell.
His eerie face and massive build were intimidating enough. Topped with bloodstains covering his body, the overwhelming presence—even outmatching their numbers—froze the mages like statues.
"I asked what you're doing."
"......"
Silence stretched on. The mages exchanged stiff glances. As the barbarian raised his axe in impatience, Gayardo shouted urgently.
"Hold! Lower your weapon!"
With the skilled senior mage stepping forward, the others finally relaxed their expressions in relief. Gayardo tilted his head and approached the barbarian.
"Barbarian? Mercenary? If anything, I should be the one asking what you're doing here. The Golden Highway's sealed—no normal route gets you here..."
"Got a pass from the guard captain. Happy to show it if you want. And that demon's my kill, so hands off."
Gayardo's eyebrow twitched. The mages behind him jumped in shock, eyes wide like rabbits. Stunned silence blanketed the clearing.
But it didn't last.
Gayardo glanced at the demon's corpse, then at Kadim's appearance, slapped his forehead, and burst into roaring laughter.
"Puhahaha! You serious? Your kill? Alone? You know that's an upper-tier demon, right? So you're saying you took down that behemoth with just your sturdy arms and fine weapon?"
An upper-tier demon required two or three Conjuror-level high mages to subdue. Even a skilled mage like Gayardo wouldn't dare face it alone. It was obvious they'd sacrificed countless punitive soldiers to fell it, yet this guy claimed it as his prey? Ridiculous.
"Then why are all these punitive soldiers dead? Playing with bugs in front of the demon? All these men died without scratching it, but you stroll out unscathed, claiming its head? Makes sense to you?"
"......"
"Oh, we overlooked a legendary mercenary! While others died like flies, you pulled off a mythic feat alone! Should call a bard for a ballad—or summon historians from Galentana University to write your biography!"
Laughter erupted from his subordinates. Hearing Gayardo's mockery eased their tension completely.
Why fear? Seventeen Magic Tower mages here—mystical seekers beyond mortal reach. No matter how fierce the barbarian looked, he couldn't take them all alone.
Gayardo and the mages jeered for a while. Kadim closed his eyes silently. Then, lifting his eyelids slightly, he said calmly,
"Take the corpse if you want. But first, give me a vial of its blood. I need it."
At those words, the smile vanished from Gayardo's face.
"Don't talk nonsense, barbarian. Where do you plan to paw at it with those filthy hands? Planning to harvest parts for the black market? Not something to brag about in front of me."
"......"
"I'm Gayardo Ordeal, Invoker-rank mage of the Magic Tower. I'll overlook your petty lies and attempt to steal demon parts this once. Got it? Now scram. No second chances."
It was a lie. Gayardo planned to cast a spell the moment the barbarian turned his back. Eliminate the sole witness to claim the upper-tier corpse cleanly.
He expected the barbarian to beg forgiveness, flee, or cower in fear after revealing his status.
Kadim merely stroked his chin and asked,
"Can't keep up with you mages' ranks these days. Where does Invoker fit? Above Conjuror?"
"......Invoker is right below Conjuror. My patience for your rudeness ends here, barbarian. Don't leave now, and I'll put a hole in your skull..."
"Perfect. The last Conjuror was a hassle."
"......What?"
A stark darkness flickered in the barbarian's eyes. A chill ran down Gayardo's spine. He began chanting almost instinctively.
"[Eldra, Xa...]"
But he couldn't finish.
"......Urk!"
Suddenly, a rough hand invaded his mouth...
Creeeak-crunch!
...and brutally tore something out.
"Eeeeeek!"
Gayardo tumbled hard to the ground from the shock. Struggling up, he saw his tongue—sans support—dangling long downward. Sticky blood and mangled syllables dripped onto the dirt.
"E, eek, eeeee..."
Gayardo frantically looked up.
In the barbarian's hand dangled a bloody lump—once his lower jaw.
His trembling cheeks revealed torn jaw joint and flesh flapping like rags. The jawless mage spewed blood, desperately reaching toward it.
"E, eek, ah huk, ah huk..."
"......"
"Ah huk, give... give baaack..."
"......Want it back?"
"Ah huk, nee... need iiiit... ah hur..."
"Then don't flap your trap."
Kadim hurled it to the ground and stomped it viciously.
Kwah—crack!
Shattered bone and flesh sprayed. The mage forever lost his brilliant future—and his tongue-holding jaw.
This time, he'd hoped to resolve things peacefully.
He hadn't fully recovered from last night's battle. The ice demon's blood was depleted, and the hydra tattoo's cooldown hadn't ended. Above all, too many mages— no guarantee of wiping them out cleanly.
'If even one escapes, it'll be a headache. They'd report me to the Tower for sure.'
Kadim had killed Magic Tower mages before only because he could cover it up. If word spread openly, the Tower would hunt him again, derailing his query into Melissa's records.
......But as always, the world didn't bend to wishes.
He couldn't just hand over the hard-won upper-tier demon without its blood. Things had tangled; now, silence all mouths.
Kadim downed lesser demon blood and began slaughtering the mages.
"[Graden, Mol, Delgsium, Sa...]"
Whirrr-crunch!
"......Gurk!"
The merciless axe whipped up a whirlwind. Mosquito, named for schooling fish, sliced wind instead, returning bloodied with gore.
"[Astilro, Mogrein, Noen, De...]."
Whoosh, whish, whish—crunch!
"......Gahk!"
Most mages died mid-chant, skulls split before completion. Unfinished mystic words slid futilely from cleaved tongues.
"[......En, Ersinio, Kulramad!]"
A few miraculously completed spells. But it meant little.
Crackleshatter—splurt!
The barbarian shattered rising earth spikes, incinerated writhing vines, caught incoming ice arrows barehanded.
Whirrr-crunch!
No one got a second cast.
It was predictable. Most reinforcements were Seeker-rank mages—hardly veterans. The only real threat, Invoker Gayardo, died jawless before battle began.
The mages faced annihilation in moments. Fighters lasted less than fleers. Even they fell to flying axes.
"Huff, huff... kehk!"
A fleeing mage's neck severed; soon, no human presence lingered. Kadim wiped blood from his eyes and returned to the clearing.
Counting corpses, something felt off.
'......14, 15, 16. ......One missing?'
There had been seventeen initially. Kadim's brow furrowed deeply. No stragglers escaped...
Then, a presence emerged from the forest depths.
He understood.
'Damn it, stealth magic and ran. Felt off...'
Kadim dashed toward it. Luckily, no repeated stealth. Close enough to catch quickly.
But an unexpected snag.
"Aaaagh! Aaaaagh!"
"D-don't come closer! One more step, and I kill this woman!"
"......"
The mage gripped a woman's hair, pressing a black magical blade to her throat. Kadim frowned. Coincidentally, the fleeing mage had found the hidden woman and her unconscious husband in the brush.
Normally, he'd axe without hesitation, hostage or not. But not now—they hid on his orders. A twinge of responsibility.
Seeing no attack, the mage grew bolder.
"Heh, heh, right. You don't want innocents dying? Back off while I'm nice... or I'll really stab..."
"Hic, hic, hiiic..."
Kadim pondered if he could axe before the blade slit her throat.
Answer: no. Even with his reflexes, outpacing that razor-close blade with an axe was impossible. Letting the mage go wasn't an option either...
Debating sacrificing her...
"......"
...he realized it was moot.
A familiar shadow burst from the brush, stealthily closing behind the mage.
The mage noticed nothing. But those eyes trembled with hesitation before the perfect chance. Kadim gave a short, firm push.
'Words hold power to change actions.'
The shadow's gaze hardened instantly.
Fear vanished. Resolve surged. He drew his dagger, roared, and plunged it deep into the mage's side.
"D-die, you bastard!"
Stab!
"Urk!"
Whoosh-roar!
"Aaaaaah! Aaaaaah!!"
Sulfur-scented flames erupted. Concentration broken, the blade vanished; the woman freed. Kadim seized the moment, hurling his axe.
Whirrr—splunch!
Neck snapped in two. The mage crumpled backward, brains spilling. Flames from his waist crept up, self-cremating.
Amid shrill cicadas, fading fireglow, acrid smoke, hung an awkward silence.
The woman stared dazedly at the scrawny intruder.
He gawked blankly at the burning corpse, as if unsure what he'd done.
Kadim retrieved his axe, approached, and clapped the man's shoulder.
"Well done, Duncan."
"......"
The merchant blinked vacantly, alternating stares between his bloodied hands and the gore-splattered barbarian.