Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: There Is No Demon for the Old Man (2)
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A translucent giant cloaked in radiant light, its form amorphous liquid.
In a word, that was the appearance of the enemy that had appeared this time.
The liquid surging from the pit didn't spill out but instead formed a majestic figure as if contained in a mold. Gentle ripples stirred across its transparent skin, which reflected the background perfectly. There were no facial features to speak of, just a halo of light draped like fabric around it—almost like the personification of a lake basking in noonday sun.
'First a wood giant, now a water giant...'
Kadim let out a deflated chuckle. Though their essences and exact shapes differed, their sheer size and form sparked the thought. Was he fated to face a giant for every element in his second playthrough? Lava giants, rock giants, ice giants might show up soon enough.
But shoving aside such idle musings, he racked his brain over how to fight it. As evident, blades couldn't cut this liquid mass. People often said fishermen battled the waves, but he was quite literally in a fight with water...
Splash! Whoosh, whoosh, fwoom, thud!
Kadim first retrieved his axe and scrutinized the giant. The witches of the wilderness were twisted sorts, but they never set impossible trials. Such amorphous foes usually had a "core" inside. Maybe he just needed to find and strike it? He scanned the body intently...
But the giant gave no time for leisurely observation.
Shhhwoooosh, shhhwoooosh—!
Fierce waves rose from thigh to foot, shoulder to fist. Under the reddish torchlight, they almost looked like waves of blood. The giant crouched, then leaped high, hurling its body forward with a massive fist slam.
――――― Krraaa-boooom!
Shattering foam of light—the punch was too devastating to mock as a "water fist." Accelerated by the waves, it pulverized the slate floor and shook the ceiling with brutal force. The liquid body then cascaded down, sweeping the surroundings in raging torrents.
Rumble, ruuuumble...
He vaulted up and embedded his axe in the wall. The fierce wave receded like an ebbing tide, reforming the giant's shape. In that gap, Kadim scoured every inch of the foe's body.
And realized something absurd.
'...What? No core?'
The giant's body consisted solely of shimmering halos and transparent liquid—no contents whatsoever. Deep furrows creased Kadim's brow.
Gurgle, guuuurgle—!
No sooner had it reformed than the giant struck again. A torrent-accelerated fist hurtled toward the wall.
This time, Kadim didn't dodge. Releasing the axe haft, he gripped his sword and leaped, spinning once to unleash a whirlwind of blade wind clashing against the fist.
Kwaaa-guuguuguu—!
Blood-like droplets sprayed as the forearm split in two. But the parted waters didn't scatter. Instead, they became twin serpents of liquid, venomous water snakes lunging savagely at Kadim.
Gurgle, guuuurgle—!
The coiling currents engulfed the barbarian's body. Kadim tried swimming free at once, but the whirlpool gripped his limbs tight, refusing escape. Futile thrashing repeated as bubbles rose from his mouth.
No choice—he focused his mind. Soon, vivid crimson light flared from his upper chest.
The moment searing bloodlust fully permeated, he unleashed his twisted muscles into a surging sword storm.
――――――― Kwaaaaa—!
A ferocious shockwave blasted the encircling waters away. The luminous liquid exploded outward in a violent spray. Yet the scattered fluid reassembled into a humanoid shape, readying another attack. Kadim glared with blood-red eyes, whirling his sword like a storm to weave a curtain of slashes.
――――――― Kwa-guuguuguu, kwaa-guuguuguuguu—!!
His sword strikes pierced the currents sharply. Sword pressure dispersed the liquid torrents. He countered the full-body dive with broad sweeps, rising to meet it. Borrowing his tattoo's power, Kadim—absurd as it seemed even to him—held his own in a pitched battle with "water."
Still, he couldn't rely on endless meaningless defense. While cleaving waves with his blade, Kadim scanned every corner of the room. The core might be outside the body.
But nothing. From ceiling's end to pit's depths, no core or ritual object anywhere.
Only one conclusion remained.
'Not physical damage—it's designed for something else. Like elemental attacks...'
Freezing it solid was surest. Ice would halt the flows. But Kadim lacked means to freeze it.
'Melissa... She'd have iced it instantly.'
No time for regretting absent allies. He opted for Plan B. Sheathing Mosquito, he drew his twin hellfire daggers from the blood-iron scabbard and swung.
Fwoooosh—!
Normal flames would extinguish on contact, but hellfire endured. Clad in waterfall cascades, it blazed defiantly.
Pssshhh—!!
Oncoming waves hit the crimson blades and vaporized to steam. Repeated dagger stabs shredded the surges, evaporating chunks of liquid—the giant's mass dwindled bit by bit.
But limits came soon enough.
Fizzle, fiiiizzle...
Clouding the room in blinding steam after slashing off a third of its body, the daggers' heat noticeably waned. Endless waves and clinging moisture eroded the flames' teeth.
Worse, vaporized liquid beaded as dew on the ceiling, trickling back. The giant's form recovered, save a few extinguished torches. Burning the water giant wasn't the path to victory.
His tattoo's bloodlust faded slowly. Kadim gritted his teeth bitterly. Buff drop meant whirlpools might snare him again. Drink demon blood for time? He pondered...
Then his eyes caught something odd.
A fist-sized wood chunk at the giant's feet. Absent when he'd entered.
Utterly out of place—why was it there?
"...!"
Kadim soon grasped its origin.
And that insight led straight to conquering the water giant.
Ruuuuumble—!
The giant charged fist-first again. Kadim didn't evade. Instead, he unslung the "thorn" from his back, gripped it, and hurled it spear-like at the giant's leg.
――――――― Clang—thunk!
The woody thorn pierced the rippling liquid surface. White foam turned to frothy sawdust; wood grain spread along its path. Hardened liquid sank, toppling balance—the giant collapsed harmlessly before reaching him.
Gurgle, guuuurgle—
The thorn from the putrid demon. He'd pocketed one cut by a soldier, unsure if useful.
Effects were stellar. The demon's trait, "lignification," activated relentlessly—even on liquids. Just like solidifying the village puddle into wood texture before.
Kadim crossed, retrieved the thorn, and stabbed repeatedly. Lignification spread uncontrollably from wounds. In moments, the whole body turned woody, unable to stand—it crashed massively onto the slate.
Thud! Rumble rumble...
Collapsing wood blocks. A damp hush signaling battle's end.
"...".
Kadim wiped sweat from his brow. Its physical immunity made it a nightmare. Without the thorn... But victory was victory—he caught his breath, awaiting the scene shift.
Instead of peeling scenery, a puzzled groan echoed.
Kadim narrowed his eyes and thumped the wall: thud thud thud. Quit fooling around—move him already. Brief silence, then a rumbling echo probed inward.
Scraaaape...
The scenery peeled away. As desired, the round chamber vanished, replaced by cramped quarters. Dank humidity yielded to thick dust.
Kadim coughed lightly and looked around. Past faint patterns and iron fittings, chaotic ritual arrays led his gaze to an old woman—her face twisted in bafflement.
"Wh-what is this, Great Warrior? What did you do? How—n-no, why did you defeat the spring's guardian like that? That trial wasn't meant to be cleared that way..."
Her expression unnatural after centuries without emotion, the wilderness witch's face was a sight. Kadim retorted flatly.
"Then how was I supposed to beat it? Demolish the whole room? That's still beyond me."
"No, didn't I leave clues on the entry path? 'When the flames of strife that bless warriors all die down, even the starlight in the spring shall freeze in bitter winter!' Extinguish all the ceiling torches as it said, and the guardian freezes—trial passed. Why use such a bizarre method..."
"...".
Kadim frowned deeply. Ignoring the nonsense "clue," one point demanded addressing.
"...You mean those scribbles all over the entry tunnel's walls and floor?"
"Yes! Just find the 'ancient script' amid the patterns—simple. Why..."
"Why write clues in ancient script? I can't read it."
The witch flinched, eyes trembling. She eyed him suspiciously.
"What nonsense? The Blind Witch told me the Great Warrior could read ancient script, so clues must be in it! Your solving method too... Are you really the 'Great Warrior of Atala'?"
"...".
Kadim chuckled inwardly. Now it clicked.
In playthrough one, he'd translated ancient script Cyril couldn't several times. Not from proficiency—but game knowledge let him memorize revealed meanings during story beats.
From Cyril's view, he'd seemed fluent. Hence this setup to verify the "Great Warrior." Tough luck—new script was gibberish to him.
'Tch. Means overcoming trials blind from here on...'
His head throbbed briefly, but he shifted mindset.
No issue. No rule said solve by prescribed answers only. He'd slain this beast his way, hadn't he? Sword fails? Fist. Fist fails? Teeth. Worst case, smash the room...
Lifting his head, he met lingering doubtful eyes. Kadim bared his tattoo, hefted Mosquito and Salmon.
The witch finally raised sagging lids, her dry eyes gleaming.
"That tattoo—no, those weapons..."
"Weapons forged with Atala's blessing. Already tattooed once by one of your sisters. The 'Blind Witch' is Cyril. Proof enough I'm the Great Warrior?"
"...Sufficient. But why name weapons 'Mosquito' and 'Salmon'? You're no tree-hugging elf..."
"...".
Kadim brushed off the jab. The witch blinked owlishly, cleared her throat, and drew a gleaming ritual tool, the "Engraving Needle," from her bosom.
"Much to ask, but later—after duty. Skipping details since not first time. Offer the 'demon blood' with power you seek. This needle shall infuse its essence, etching the mark of undesired might into your flesh."
Kadim hesitated one last time.
He'd pondered en route, still undecided. Mid-tier demon blood too precious for tattoo—choices:魅惑種 or 역질種.
'But haven't tested the putrid one's blood...'
He'd used魅惑種 accidentally, not this. Near-permanent buff—couldn't commit blind.
"Hold on—can I test first, then decide?"
"...Hm?"
As the witch eyed him quizzically, Kadim uncorked the vial, swigged demon blood. Pus-and-resin stench rose; acrid force burrowed down his throat.
Changes hit immediately.
"...!"
The witch's eyes bulged saucer-wide. Sagging cheeks quivered faintly; forehead creased like canyons. Kadim just smirked calmly. Yeah, just as expected.
"Not bad. This one it is."
Like finding favorite booze, he proffered the blood lightly. But the witch, witnessing firsthand, couldn't stay composed. A dusty wheeze escaped reflexively from century-laden lungs.
"...Hoo."
To a witch meeting humans after centuries, Atala's Great Warrior was an excessively bizarre soul.