Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Demon Tribe's Ambush
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Geon-woo connected his consciousness with the Jiangshi Spirit.
He carefully sifted through the memories still lingering within the Jiangshi Spirit.
When a spirit body was transformed into a Jiangshi Spirit, Geon-woo would inherit the memories it possessed.
At the same time, the spirit body becoming a Jiangshi Spirit would lose most of its original memories.
Thus, the memories Geon-woo could examine from Molti's Jiangshi Spirit were only those formed after it had been made into one.
Molti had crossed into the Demon Dimension through a dimensional rift shortly after becoming a Jiangshi Spirit.
There, by sheer luck, it encountered a bug creature that had died not long ago and successfully possessed it.
Afterward, Molti began preying on similar-level bug creatures, multiplying and growing rapidly.
Normally, bug creatures evolved into beast-type and then humanoid-type creatures before becoming demons.
But since Molti's original body was already a demon, it quickly reverted to its true form from the bug creature state.
Molti devoured numerous creatures, absorbing their nutrients and energy to reclaim its original appearance.
However, without past memories, adapting to the Demon Dimension wasn't easy.
Even after regaining its true form, Molti wandered among the creatures for quite some time.
"That it wandered into its kin's territory was a stroke of heaven's luck."
As Geon-woo delved deeper into Molti's memories, he uncovered the crucial detail.
Molti had been able to establish itself properly in the Demon Dimension thanks to the help of its own kind.
"It was still treated as a deficient kin and pushed around, but it survived because of that."
= Ah, then the other Moltis probably had a much higher chance of being killed upon encountering demons of different races?
Ilryeong spoke with a disappointed expression upon hearing Geon-woo's words.
"That makes sense. But rather than killing them outright, it seems demons more often use them as slaves or something?"
= Really?
"The demon tribe's culture is like that."
= Well, that's a relief at least.
"Hold on a moment. I still have more memories to check."
Geon-woo said that and continued examining Molti's memories.
"Until Molti activated the response magic circle, there was no rise in status. It just lived as a low-rank member of its race."
= That's a shame.
"Probably because of the restrictions, it was treated as somewhat defective. Like it had botched its training or something."
= Training?
"Demons are all desperate to climb higher."
= True. They have clear hierarchies too.
"That's why they push even harder to rise. Sometimes failing in training leads to death or injury. Hmm?"
= What's wrong? Something odd?
"Well... something feels off, but I can't pinpoint it. Anyway, nothing special happened to Molti until the return."
This Molti belonged to the Rium race among the demons.
The Rium were a demon race that possessed traits of both insects and birds.
A race with insect-like bodies and bird-like heads.
Molti had spent its time under a great noble of that race.
Not that Molti had direct contact with the great noble—it had simply done menial labor in one of the many cities under that noble.
Then, following the command Geon-woo had implanted, it created the signal magic circle and the response magic circle for the dimensional rift, successfully returning.
= Then why did it explode right after arriving?
Ilryeong muttered, utterly baffled.
"That's what bothers me."
= Pardon?
"I said it was treated as half-competent, right?"
= Yes, you did.
"But that Molti was stronger than me."
= Pardon? No, that doesn't make any sense! Molti stronger than you, my lord? Impossible—and if it were, the restrictions you implanted should have lifted, no?
If it had grown stronger than Geon-woo, the restrictions would have been released.
That was obvious cause and effect to Ilryeong.
"Call it good fortune. Its power grew, but its mind didn't mature."
Geon-woo tapped his head.
= So it had the strength to break the restrictions but lacked the will to do so?
"Exactly. But that's not the point. The important thing is—"
= Molti was stronger than you, my lord. That's the issue.
"It's illogical, but true."
Geon-woo finished checking Molti's memories to the end, his serious expression unchanging.
= At any rate, if we're going by what you say, my lord, we might understand why Molti self-destructed.
"Right?"
Geon-woo replied that way, having his own suspicions.
= I'd completely forgotten, but demons crossing into Onbiroad lose their original power, right?
"Yeah. That's it. The system restricts demons it permits, but Molti wasn't under that."
= So it entered Onbiroad without any power restrictions, and the system imposed them.
"Our mistake. The anti-magic field in the return magic circle was too weak."
= It was sufficient for sending Jiangshi Spirits until now, but bringing something back from the Demon Dimension is another matter.
Ilryeong immediately grasped the problem from Geon-woo's words.
The rift magic circle connecting to the Demon Dimension had undergone several changes.
Ruat Rohit's version was tuned for Earth, so it needed improvements for Onbiroad.
In that process, to use resources efficiently in the magic circle, the anti-magic field's performance had been greatly reduced.
Because even a much weaker anti-magic field than Earth's could block the system's interference.
But applying that altered magic circle directly to the return version caused the issue.
= Such a pity. If we'd known sooner, we wouldn't have lost Molti.
Ilryeong couldn't hide its regret and disappointment.
"It's fine. We'll succeed next time. But honestly, I'm more interested in something else."
= Something else? What do you mean?
Ilryeong asked with a puzzled expression.
"What else? Info on the Demon Dimension."
= Why the Demon Dimension...?
"A Molti doing menial labor there was stronger than me right now? You haven't forgotten that, right?"
= Ah! Right. The beings in the Demon Dimension are on a whole different level from people on Onbiroad or Earth, normally speaking.
"Unfortunately, yes. Not to brag, but there's no Awakener stronger than me on Earth. There might be if we're just talking system-granted power, but I have you, Ilryeong."
= Your strength, my lord, comes from the realm you've achieved yourself, not just my help. I merely prepared the foundation; you built the structure.
"Let's not flatter each other. Point is, even I would be worse than the lowest demon there. Humanoid creature level, at best?"
= If true, the Demon Dimension must be truly formidable.
"Yeah. In the end, I was just a frog in a well."
Geon-woo gauged his place in the Demon Dimension and couldn't hide his dejection.
= My lord.
Ilryeong looked at Geon-woo with a worried expression.
But Geon-woo soon hardened his face with resolve.
"Don't worry. I'm not the type to crumble like this."
= My lord!
"First, reinforce the anti-magic field, then bring back another Molti from the Demon Dimension. That's goal one."
= Yes, four Moltis remain. The response magic circle will be ready soon.
"Good. And through that Molti, we'll learn the Demon Dimension's power. Molti might face system restrictions since it came from there, but I'm different."
= You are already a system-recognized Awakener, my lord.
"Plus, Easter eggs are beyond the system's interference. Even if Molti is restricted, anything I gain from it won't be."
= Like how you gained the Giant's energy and abilities.
"Exactly. That's what I think."
= I believe your expectations will prove right, my lord.
Ilryeong clenched its tiny spirit fist in determination.
Ilryeong was always on Geon-woo's side.
"Anyway, time to remake the magic circle first."
= Ah, yes. Indeed.
Enthusiasm was high, but the road ahead was long.
* * *
[A step back for ten steps forward?]
The Onbiroad demons' offensive had suddenly intensified.
As if all their crouching until now had been in preparation for this moment.
[Onbiroad Demons Launch Major Counterattack]
The eastern region of Onbiroad, where demon forces had been weakest until now.
Centered on Veloca as the base and Bears Territory at the core, the demons' counterattack began there.
An unprecedented horde of creatures appeared, commanded directly by demons.
[Helpharis Race at the Center of the Eastern Counterattack]
At the heart of the demons' reversal in the east stood the Helpharis race.
Onbiroad's natives couldn't fathom how the Helpharis—lacking seals—had reemerged...
While Geon-woo focused on the dimensional connection magic circle to the Demon Dimension, eagerly awaiting the next Molti's return.
Onbiroad faced a massive upheaval.
A sudden demon counterassault had begun.
And leading it were the Helpharis race, thought to have lost their power and crumbled.
* * *
"These bastards!"
Rumble! Boom!
Clang! Burst! Slash! Crash!
"Yeah, let's see who wins. You little shits!"
Geon-woo had already been fighting nonstop for half a day.
His opponents: a massive number of creatures interspersed with Helpharis demons.
Whirl! Slash! Slash! Stab!
"Die!"
Rumble! Crunch!
The forest where Geon-woo now stood was near the demon border, not far from Veloca.
After declaring independence from Kolon's lord castle, he had built an underground base here for magic circle research and experiments.
But at dawn today, he faced an unexpected demon attack.
Geon-woo immediately mobilized his elite guard Jiangshi and the White Unit Jiangshi for a counterattack, and the battle raged on into midday.
= That leader up there is the real problem.
Ilryeong pointed to a distant mountain peak, frustration evident.
The commander of this assault was there.
But that commander was nearly perfectly suppressing Geon-woo's ability, leaving him unable to use his earth manipulation power.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been tangled with the demons for half a day.
Earth manipulation was a means to bury enemies en masse and a reliable escape by sinking into the ground.
Yet that trump card was blocked by the enemy leader.
Worse, the power restricting his ability was one the demon had been officially recognized for by the system—that made it even more infuriating.
"At this rate, we'll exhaust even the reserves."
Geon-woo felt the tide turning while assessing the battle.
The creatures' human wave tactics were whittling down his Jiangshi.
= Only a few elite Jiangshi remain.
Ilryeong said, visibly upset.
"I've already lost six living Jiangshi. Preserving the Jiangshi Spirits minimized losses, but our forces are still depleting."
Geon-woo minded the loss of living Jiangshi more than elite ones.
= Any way to break out?
Ilryeong seemed eager to end the endless fight.
"The suppression on my earth manipulation is too strong. Plus, with the Helpharis seal I carry, evasion and tracking avoidance seem impossible."
Geon-woo swung his sword relentlessly even as he replied.
Each swing felled humanoid creatures like scarecrows.
But such feats brought him no thrill.
Corpses already littered the ground, leaving no room to step.
"These guys are relentless. Maybe reverse-summon all Jiangshi. This attrition has no end."
Geon-woo had considered storing the Jiangshi in dimensional space to reduce losses for a while now.
Clang! Clang! Crack!
Creature blades, spear tips, and crossbow bolts struck Geon-woo's body and shattered.
Because he hadn't bothered dodging or defending.
Yet they failed to pierce the skin of Geon-woo, who had reached the Indestructible Divine Body.
This was why, even in such a pinch, Geon-woo prioritized preserving his Jiangshi.