Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Sraka's Fang
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The journey in the golem-drawn carriage was smooth.
It wasn't quite as fast as a horse at full gallop, but it was much faster than a conventional carriage.
Horses couldn't run continuously, but the golems needed no rest.
They were the ultimate mode of transportation—their speed never flagged, they didn't need to be fed, and they required no effort to steer.
Moreover, compared to a normal carriage, the ride was virtually vibration-free. The golems subtly pushed and pulled with their arms, perfectly replicating the function of a car's suspension.
*Shhhk-.*
"Yaaawn. Do-jae, how far have we come?"
Sari asked, opening the window.
Do-jae answered from the driver's seat.
"We're starting to see level ground now."
Having released the horses and traveled all night, they had crossed several mountains, and the plains were once again becoming visible.
"So, can we rest a bit now?"
"Yeah, let's take a short break once we're completely down from the mountains."
Sari closed the window again, her face stiff from the long ride.
No matter how comfortable the carriage was, being cooped up in a small space for over ten hours overnight was an ordeal.
That's why he planned to stop for a short rest and a simple meal once they were down from the mountain.
*Chirp, chirp-.*
"Ughhh... I'm exhausted even though I didn't do anything!"
About thirty minutes later, they finally descended from the mountain. Sari emerged from the carriage, stretching her arms wide.
"Kehehe! A dwarf needs to have his feet on the ground!"
The carriage had been built to accommodate the average physique of a Gray Elf, so Oson looked relatively comfortable.
"Do-jae, why don't you get some sleep? You haven't rested all night. We'll prepare the meal."
"Ah, it's fine. I managed to get a little shut-eye."
The reason Do-jae had volunteered for the driver's seat was to maintain maximum speed.
Instead of stopping the golems, getting out of the carriage, and hunting monsters whenever they appeared, he stayed in the driver's seat and rushed out to deal with them the moment he sensed their presence.
And since Do-jae was the only one capable of returning at a pace that matched the golems' speed, it was an indispensable choice for efficiency.
"Then at least tell us what you want to eat! I'll make anything!"
"Something that doesn't take long. A stew would take too much time to simmer."
"Hmm... Then something pan-fried or deep-fried would be better. Got it!"
"I'll leave it to you. By the way, Oson, what about old man Tahul?"
Do-jae glanced at the carriage.
All the windows were covered by curtains.
"He says he's sleeping. Told us to eat without him."
"Really? Then let's eat and save some for him."
Do-jae and Oson went to gather things to start a fire.
He knew why Tahul said he was sleeping.
Tahul had also been awake all night during the journey.
He had been reading continuously with Young-jin's LED flashlight on its lowest setting, not putting the book down until dawn.
*Sizzle-.*
Do-jae and Oson started the fire, and Sari cooked.
Eggs sizzled to a golden brown, and patties made from minced meat were cooked to perfection.
"Is that the kingdom Oson mentioned?"
Do-jae asked, taking a bite of a patty drizzled with sweet sauce.
"Yes, it's the kingdom where the Dog-Kin live. They also took over a former human castle and modified it to their liking."
"Dog-Kin?"
"The Dog-Kin are a race with dog ears and tails."
Sari answered for him while drinking a cool glass of milk.
Seemingly full, she put down her bowl and continued her explanation.
"Their usual appearance is almost identical to humans, but when they get excited, their fur grows rapidly, and their claws and teeth lengthen. Their combat prowess also increases, making them a race of natural-born warriors!"
"How fascinating."
It was the first time Do-jae had heard of the Dog-Kin.
They weren't in the monster encyclopedia, which made them feel all the more novel.
"Of course, they're a bit different from werewolves. If a werewolf is a wolf that walks on two legs, the Dog-Kin are closer to humans. Their intelligence is on par with humans, too, and they've become a powerful force on the continent."
"I see. The Dog-Kin..."
"Are you thinking of stopping by? The Dog-Kin and the Gray Elves are on pretty good terms!"
"No, we'll just pass through."
He was curious about the Dog-Kin, but not enough to stop by their kingdom just to see them.
If they had needed to acquire horses, a visit would have been necessary, but the golems were serving that role several times better, and there was still plenty of food from Tuvaln stored in his Subspace.
"Aww. I've never seen them in person, so I wanted to..."
Sari looked disappointed.
Do-jae picked up her bowl and said.
"We can stop by on the way back if we have time. For now, the Arcturia leaf is the priority. Which means we should pack up quickly, right?"
"Really? Okay!"
Do-jae neatly transferred the leftover food into a new bowl and placed it in his Subspace.
Then he gathered the used bowls and pan and handed them to Sari.
"Cleaning!"
As Sari cast her spell, the dishes were washed clean by a torrent of bubbles.
Magic was truly a useful ability.
"Alright, let's get going again."
Do-jae roused the golems again and ushered Sari and Oson into the carriage.
He took out the Arcturia branch from his coat, confirmed the direction one more time, and set off.
***
"Oson! Watch out!"
Nagas rushed toward Oson.
*Clang-!*
"Master! Don't you worry! These damn snake bastards are no match for Oson Ironhammer!"
Oson swung his double-bladed axe, parrying the naga's spear.
However, he was unaware of another naga lying in wait behind him.
*"Kiiiek!"*
A naga cloaked in the Apostate's energy thrust its spear toward Oson's back.
*Swoosh-.*
*CRASH-!*
*"Hiiik!"*
Oson yelped in surprise and fell on his butt.
Fortunately, a golem shot forward like an arrow, slamming the naga into the ground and crushing it.
"I told you to be careful!"
Do-jae shouted, mercilessly swinging the Black Scale.
After traveling for half a day without rest, Do-jae's party had encountered a group of nagas in a vast swamp.
The Arcturia branch was trembling incessantly, and in the distance, Do-jae could see a large naga wearing the leaf—a King Naga.
"Sari! Help Oson! I'm going to take care of that one!"
Do-jae entrusted Oson to Sari and dashed toward the center of the swamp.
*"Kiik! Glory to Lord Gellahan!"*
The King Naga swung a spear as large as itself at the approaching Do-jae.
*CLANG-!*
Do-jae skillfully twisted the Black Scale to block the naga's spear.
Having carefully observed the spearmanship of the guy named Hukun at the tournament, Do-jae had already visualized countering it multiple times.
"Too light!"
Do-jae shouted as he batted the spear aside.
Compared to Salreuta's heavy greatsword, the spear was endlessly light.
*Slice-!*
The Black Scale swept across the body of the King Naga, which had lost its balance from the recoil.
Its human upper half and serpentine lower half were severed, and the Apostate's energy poured out.
"Cover me!"
Do-jae called to the golems, each engaged in its own battle.
He had them prevent other nagas from approaching him, then extended his right hand and absorbed the Apostate's energy.
*"Hoo... hoo..."*
Just as Arcturia had said in the magic kingdom, the leaf wasn't much help.
However, having absorbed a massive amount of energy once before, Do-jae was able to focus his mind and make the Apostate's energy his own.
"It's done. Take care of the rest."
At Do-jae's command, the golems scattered and began hunting down the remaining nagas.
With the King Naga that had been distributing the Apostate's energy gone, they were nothing more than ordinary nagas.
*"Kiiiek!"*
"You snake bastards! Die!"
*Thump-.*
*"Eek!"*
*Whoosh-!*
*Thwack-!*
"Hey! Oson! Are you even going to fight properly?"
Oson, who had been swinging his double-bladed axe, slipped and fell in the thick mud. Sari's arrow struck the chest of the naga that had been thrusting its spear at him.
And so, the remaining nagas were steadily wiped out, and the brief battle soon came to an end.
*"Whew... Master! You've worked hard!"*
Oson, covered head to toe in filthy mud, approached Do-jae.
"It looks like you're the one who had the hardest time..."
"Not at all! This Oson Ironhammer merely did his best for his master! Kehehet!"
Oson said, brushing the mud from his beard.
Do-jae tossed him a bar of soap and stared at the naga tails scattered on the ground.
‘The tails are severed.’
Among the naga corpses, some were missing their tails.
Do-jae hadn't cut them, nor had the golems or Oson.
On a hunch, Do-jae opened his Subspace and reached inside.
*Squish-.*
‘Just as I thought.’
When Do-jae pulled his hand out of the Subspace, a wriggling naga tail came out with it.
It was clearly the effect of the title that automatically deposited spoils into his Subspace without him having to lift a finger.
‘No message appeared, but it seems the title is working properly.’
Do-jae looked around and headed for the nagas that still had their tails.
Naga tails were used as medicinal ingredients after being dried, and were especially popular among men when brewed into an elixir.
‘I should grab all the remaining ones, too.’
Do-jae took out the dagger he had bought from Jukeui's smithy in Nightingale Forest and began cutting off the tails.
As expected, Do-jae's eye for quality hadn't been wrong; the dagger's cutting power was so immense that it sliced through the tough naga scales on contact.
"What are you doing? Not going to wash up?"
Do-jae asked, feeling Oson's gaze on him as he was busy cutting the naga tails.
"May I see that dagger?"
"Why? Do you recognize it?"
"I need to see it up close."
Do-jae handed the dagger to Oson and walked over to another naga.
It was a bit of a hassle, but the Black Scale's cutting power was also formidable, so he continued to sever the naga tails.
‘I wonder what he knows about it.’
Honestly, Do-jae didn't have much faith in Oson.
Do-jae considered the Black Scale to be a top-tier masterpiece, but Oson hadn't recognized its true value.
That's why he hadn't asked Oson about the dagger from Jukeui's smithy either.
Of course, he hadn't had a chance to show it to him, but he figured Oson wouldn't recognize it anyway.
But now, Oson was showing considerable interest in the dagger.
"Master! This dagger is one of the dwarven race's masterpieces!"
Oson came running, splattering mud everywhere.
"Stop there and talk."
"Ooh... this craftsmanship... This is a dagger that could only be made by a dwarf! If I'm right, this must be the work of the legendary dwarf, Bruk Warhammer!"
Oson said, spittle flying from his mouth.
He spoke with such fervor that it bordered on madness.
"Alright, alright, I get it. Now go wash up."
"Ooh... Master... To be able to see one of the divine artifacts of the dwarven race, which had vanished from the world... To think it was made using the fang of the mythical monster Sraka! I'm overwhelmed... But it was a pair of daggers, made as a set. I wonder where the other one disappeared to..."
At Oson's words, Do-jae stopped cutting the naga tail and asked.
"What did you say?"
"Pardon? What about...?"
"Did you say Sraka's Fang?"
"Yes, the terrifying monster from 3,000 years ago..."
"Is that so?"
Oson continued to babble on about Sraka, but Do-jae wasn't listening.
‘So my eyes weren't wrong after all.’