Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Sons of the Wilderness (4)
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When the tree monsters first took root, they moved as slowly as snails. But gradually their steps quickened, and soon they were charging far faster than any human.
Krduk, krduk, krduk, krduk!
The enraged trees surrounded them in an instant from all sides. They glared with their red eye sockets and swung their branches wildly. Thorny wooden whips lashed out viciously, targeting flesh.
Kadim planted his feet firmly. Then he twisted at the waist and swung Mosquito with savage force.
Shwick—crack! Kwajijik!
The thin branches couldn't withstand the blade, nor could the thick ones resist the power. Thud thud, severed limbs piled up on the ground in heaps.
The tree monsters didn't get another chance to attack. As Kadim curved his force into a circle, the returning Salmon drew a destructive arc of impact in response.
Kwajijijijik!!!
A thick woody scent rose pungently, sawdust scattering like mist. The trunks of the shattered trees were bisected. Yet they refused to give up, crawling viciously across the ground toward the two men.
Krduk, krduk, krduk!
Fwoosh—!
Kadim hurled the hellfire dagger. The red blade embedded itself, and sulfurous flames erupted fiercely, devouring the wooden chunks. Even as they burned to charcoal, the possessed trees twisted their branches and roots in relentless murderous fury to the end.
Krduk, krduk, krduk, crackle, crackle!
He kicked away a tree monster that had reached his feet. It tumbled, spraying embers, and soon turned to a lump of charcoal. He was about to retrieve the dagger and throw the axe next when suddenly a hand grabbed his arm.
Tundal, his face pale and grim.
Kadim shook off the hand brusquely.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"...I'm the one who wants to ask. What the hell are you doing?"
"Chopping up these damn firewood piles. Instead of just standing there, how about lending a hand?"
Kwak!
He crushed another charcoal lump that had crawled to his feet. Tundal cried out in horror.
"Stop it! They're not ordinary monsters! They're the people who used to live here!"
"I know that. So what?"
"...What?"
"They're not going back to normal anyway. And we can't just leave them charging at us like this. Chopping them up and burning them as an offering is the best for everyone."
Things corrupted by demonic energy rarely returned to their former selves. Especially those tainted by the Reverseplague species—the damage was far worse. Even that leper from before couldn't have come back unscathed after slaying the hydra.
Of course, even if they could recover fully, Kadim would have split and burned them without hesitation if they posed an immediate threat.
Tundal was speechless for a moment. He clenched his fist tightly before forcing his lips apart.
"...Even so, stop. We should avoid combat with so many enemies if possible. Besides, we still don't know the demon's true nature. We need to fall back and observe for now. When dawn breaks, we'll find a detour. Retreat."
"..."
"This is not a suggestion. It's an order."
His voice carried heavy weight. Kadim pondered. Was retreating now the right call?
It would have been a reasonable command for a green warrior.
But Kadim couldn't agree.
'The demon is a Reverseplague. Now that it knows intruders are here, it'll grow more aggressive overnight, bolstering its forces. It might have already inhaled the demonic energy, turning the entire subjugation force into wood chunks before dawn...'
Besides, Kadim had his own goal: to claim the demon's blood faster than others. They'd delayed enough already. Better to punch through these firewood heaps and butcher the Reverseplague demon as soon as possible than waste more time on a detour.
Kadim decided. He would ignore Tundal's order.
"If you're not helping, get lost. Before I cut you down with the rest of these logs."
"...!"
Tundal's eyes blazed with fury.
Flames roared in the pupil beneath his scar. He glared alternately at Kadim and the weapon in his hand. Finally, he slammed his spear butt into the ground and turned coldly.
"The Great Warrior's weapon has met a most unworthy master."
"..."
"Atala bids us be brave, not reckless. I pray you pay the due price and learn your place, brother."
Kadim ignored the fleeing warrior's words. He focused solely on the remaining enemies.
Krdruk, krdruk, krdruk—
Flutterack, kwajijik!
He slashed, split, and burned the tree monsters without respite. The veil of night had fallen over the world, yet Kadim's surroundings blazed like midday. His frenzied movements and dying flames belched black breath toward the sky. The acrid stench of charred wood mixed with demonic energy, stinging the nose raw.
As he pushed through ash piles and wood chips, Kadim suddenly realized something. The demonic energy brushing his nose wasn't all one type.
'Come to think of it, these tree monsters were unusually ferocious...'
Besides the intense demonic energy farther away, a sharp one pulsed nearby. There had to be another demon besides the Reverseplague. Kadim kicked and shattered clinging trees as he tracked the nearby source.
He arrived at a house in the village corner.
Kwajijijijik—!
Shattering the wall like plywood revealed it: a huddled humanoid shape, a wooden demon with bark-covered horns sprouting from its temples.
This mid-tier demon had likely been tainted by the Reverseplague's unique nature too. A hole gaped in its face, emitting intense light that split into faint beams toward the tree monsters.
Kadim immediately hurled the dagger, setting the demon ablaze.
Kwajijijijik!!!
Fwoosh—
Engulfed in flames, the light leaking from its facial hole dimmed and faded. The demon glanced desperately at Kadim before crumbling to ash.
Woooong...
Then the possessed trees no longer glowed from their eyes. Pitch darkness filled the knotholes, and their movements slowed noticeably. As expected, this demon had been a totem buffing them.
Krduk, krdrdrduk...
Dispatching the slowed, aggression-lost trees was no challenge. Kadim chopped the remnants as methodically as splitting logs. He stacked the chunks neatly and lit them, ensnaring nearby trees in the inferno too.
Fwoosh, fwoosh, crackle, crackle!
Flames soared like a phoenix beating its wings. Dizzying heat swept everywhere, smudging the black sky. The charred roots and branches gradually stilled.
Krdruk, krdruk, krdrdrdr...
Black ash and smoke scattered. No enemies remained here. Now it was time to hunt the Reverseplague demon.
But as he turned to leave, he sensed presences.
"My god, Atala preserve us... You really took them all down alone?"
Tundal gaped in shock, the rest of the subjugation force wearing similar stunned expressions.
Kadim wiped his soot-streaked face and met their gazes impassively.
*
A night rampant with thick demonic energy. Scorched black earth. Tension sharp as standing on knife edges.
The Disaster Army soldiers gulped and held their breath. The Atalain warriors solemnly hardened their faces and clenched fists. Before them, the subjugation leader and the one-man army mercenary faced off.
Tundal asked in an icy voice.
"Why did you do it?"
"..."
"Impressive feat, but I can't praise it. Our enemies are demons and monsters, not innocent victims. Even if they can't return to normal, we shouldn't have butchered and burned them like that. Especially not... with such sacred weapons."
"..."
"And you defied my order. You swore on the honorable War God's name to obey. We can't just let this slide without consequence..."
"I said I'd follow 'proper orders,' not babble like a dog."
Kadim cut in flatly. Tundal ground his teeth. He gripped his fist so hard the spear shaft creaked.
"Tell me what's wrong with my order. Before this spear finds your throat."
It was a bright moonlit night. The half-moon's glow clung to the spearblade mirroring him, casting a clear, chilling gleam.
He could explain if he wanted. But Kadim's patience had reached its limit. He had no more time to waste on this rude, rigid, inexperienced warrior.
So he offered the most 'Atalain' solution.
"Pick up your spear. By the Law of the Wilderness, let's settle this with blades, not tongues."
"..."
The law of those who honed steel with blood on parched earth all their lives—the Law of the Wilderness.
Its core, the spiritual foundation of all Atalains, was brutally simple.
All strife is sacred. But the victor is right, the loser wrong. The victor claims all; the loser is stripped bare.
"Just what I wanted. I didn't want infighting, but this is an exception. I can't let a rogue who defies regulations and sullies the Great Warrior's weapons roam free..."
Tundal didn't refuse. He had cause and gain this time. Battle intent blazed in his scarred eye. He raised his spear skyward and bellowed.
"Here, I, Tundal of the Half-Moon Spear, son of the wilderness, declare this duel! The master of the heavens where war and revelry never cease, his Great Warriors, and the brave warriors of the earth shall witness! The victor takes justice, honor, and all he desires. The loser forfeits his life and everything!"
Unease flickered on the Atalain warriors' faces. Their leader was skilled, but his opponent was greater—the peerless superhuman who slew all those monsters alone.
But surrendering before a declared duel was more shameful than death. They solemnly assented and sat in a circle. War drums blessing the combatants were replaced by slamming weapons on the ground.
Thump, thump, thump, thump!
All hearts resonated to the beat. Warriors' eyes flashed like ignited flames. The acrid midnight air flowed deep into lungs.
Kadim indifferently raised his sword hilt.
The duel began.
After a brief circling like beasts baring no fangs, Tundal closed the gap in a flash for the first strike.
Whoosh—woong, hook, hook, whoosh—woong!
The spear targeted his throat, swung wide to slash diagonally, cleaved darkness with savage thrusts. Moonlit steel thrashed like a furious butterfly with iron wings. Knowing he couldn't match power, he deftly withdrew whenever collision loomed.
Kadim arched a brow slightly. Not bad spearwork. Sufficient to lead other warriors. If this were the start of his second playthrough, or if he felt like humoring him, it might have been a close fight.
But he wanted to end this quickly.
Whoosh—uk, tak!
He dodged the downward strike and seized the shaft with one hand. Tundal yanked in panic, but it didn't budge. Kadim surged in, whipping Mosquito like lightning.
Cree—crack!
A sharp flash gashed his shoulder. Tundal twisted to counter, but his arm wouldn't move. Glancing puzzled, he realized: his right arm lay on the ground like a hunk of meat.
Kadim gave no time for shock.
Puk—!
"...Hup!"
The blade pierced his gut, voraciously slurping blood. The skewered abs clenched around the sword. Too sudden to feel pain yet—just an indescribable suction, like icy fire shoved inside.
Kadim twisted the hilt, shredding muscle and organs, widening the wound as he yanked it free. Delayed agony and blood surged at once. Tundal collapsed, unable to endure.
"Keurgh..."
His clothes grew sticky and soaked. Blood spurted from the shoulder stump like an intermittent spring. The ground's bark stained dark crimson.
A normal duel would have ended here.
But Tundal didn't yield. Twisting his wrecked face, he drew a hidden dagger with his left hand and swung.
"Kuhuk, die, die!!!"
Kadim stepped back precisely. Dagger too far to reach, Mosquito close enough. Far from frenzy's blaze, near cool reason's wave.
Whoosh! Hook!
Swish—crack, cree—crack!
The dagger cleaved air; Mosquito repeatedly tore flesh and muscle, claiming blood. More slaughter than duel. Deeper wounds than his facial scar multiplied across Tundal's body.
"How about surrendering here? Fighting more's just a waste of time."
"Kuhuk, I refuse... Atala watches... I can still fight..."
"Atala bids courage, not recklessness."
"Kuuuuk, shut up!!!"
He charged in rage, but it was futile. Kadim sidestepped easily and stabbed deep into the gut again. Tundal dropped the dagger, sprawling pathetically on the wooden ground.
"...Kuk."
The duel was over.
Thump thump! Thump thump! Thump thump!
The Atalains looked somber but thumped chests in respect to the victor. The Law of the Wilderness was absolute. Unwanted or not, they had to accept.
Kadim approached the bloodied warrior blankly. He'd had dozens of chances to kill Tundal. Sparing him was to make it clear to the others.
The duel was fair, ample chances given, gap overwhelming—so you'd never match me. No more nuisances.
He lifted the loser's jaw with the flat of the blade and pressed it to his throat. Tundal smiled through blood.
"I can't fathom the great Father of the Wilderness's will. Why grant such overwhelming power to a rogue like you... Kuhuhu..."
"..."
"But I can't defy the Law... I acknowledge my defeat. But... one last request?"
"..."
"Abandon those weapons, the Great Warrior's heirlooms. An unworthy hand wielding them defiles their owner's will... You're born of wilderness soil too... You must revere ancestors...? Please, arrive in the endless war and revelry without regret..."
Kadim closed his eyes briefly. He raised his lids slowly and declared.
"No, Atala surely wouldn't mind me using them."
"..."
Tundal lifted his head martyr-like in defiance. To Kadim, it was just stubborn folly sinking into a ghost well, eyes and ears plugged. He gazed indifferently a moment, then slowly raised the hilt.
Just before striking, Kadim gave the man one last glimpse beyond his narrow view.
"...Because I am that 'Great Warrior.'"
Pupils exploded like struck by a mace on the nape.
Swa—ak!
The merciless blade flew toward Tundal's throat.