Chapter 45 - Yellow, Blue (2)
“…Why am I always treated like this?”
Seo Ah-in muttered.
It was a complaint that came out while carrying Han Seong-wook on her back.
“What about it?”
“How can you say that after making a person do this.”
“Well, it’s not like it’s hard for you, is it?”
In the first place, I brought you along to do this kind of thing.
As I’ve said repeatedly, this one has a gangster-like physique that can overpower even some top-tier Climbers with her specs.
“…It’s a matter of sentiment, a matter of sentiment.”
She grumbled, but I just smirked and looked back.
In the distance, the faint shape of a large temple could be seen.
Inside, the Climbers, including Ms. Seo Hye-in, were probably still diligently making their way through.
‘Surely…’
Since the Spirit Beast in the boss room was already gone, there was no reason to conquer it in the grand scheme of things, but there would be various things to acquire from the temple itself, so they wouldn't return empty-handed.
And that would be enough.
In the first place, the guys participating were the type who wouldn't have any particular complaints as long as they were given a reward.
Meaning, there was a high probability they wouldn't care much where Mr. Han Seong-wook, who had gathered them, had disappeared to.
So, he could be used in other ways.
“Hey.”
I tapped the necklace.
Originally, it would have just been a plant fragment inside a small locket, but now, a teal aura was faintly flowing out from it.
Since the Spirit Beast was being ‘stored’ inside, it was a natural effect.
“We’re here. Get up.”
[Hmm.]
A short reply came from inside the necklace.
But, her voice sounded a bit sleepy.
[This place inside, it feels very spacious and cozy. If I stayed still, I might have fallen asleep without realizing it.]
“Ms. Wolf, you’re more lazy than I thought, aren’t you?”
[…Insolent.]
The Spirit Beast growled from inside the necklace, but its voice was so sluggish that Seo Ah-in’s point seemed valid.
‘That, in its own way, is quite something.’
The Spirit Beast, as a dungeon boss-class Demonic Beast, was generally B-class, but it was a Demonic Beast that wouldn't be strange to be classified as A-class if certain conditions were met.
Considering that this one's special ability was specialized in Mana, it could be seen as a phenomenon that gave a glimpse of the potential of Gnosis' Heart.
And now, I was on the verge of an event that could maximize that potential.
“Hey. I’m here.”
I said, speaking forward.
At the same time, a gaze that looked at me like I was crazy turned from the side.
“…Why are you talking to thin air?”
It would certainly look that way from the side.
That would have been the case if the space hadn't peeled away as if it were being torn, revealing the cave within.
The sight of Seo Ah-in freezing with the same strange look she was giving me was quite a spectacle.
[…High-level sorcery. It is His presence.]
Hearing the Spirit Beast mutter that, I walked into the cave.
Inside, there was a boy sitting in a formal posture as if meditating.
Thanks to him not wearing the clothes he was tightly wrapped in when we last met, the tattoos winding around his entire body were even more clearly visible.
“Oh, this person is definitely…”
Seo Ah-in began to speak haltingly as if trying to recall a memory.
Well, since this was the guy we met as soon as we entered the floor, it would be strange to forget him.
“Who was it…?”
“…”
As I narrowed my eyes and stared at Seo Ah-in, she haltingly made an excuse.
“I-I have a bad memory…”
Yeah. I can tell just by looking.
I scratched my head and spoke to the boy.
“Ignore this one for now. I kept my promise.”
I said that and placed the necklace in front of him.
At this, the boy blinked and looked at it, then opened his mouth in a voice of disbelief.
“…Machya? Is that you? Is it really you?!”
[Master!]
And at the same time, the Spirit Beast jumped out from inside the necklace.
It was a small size, looking like a wolf cub rather than its usual huge size.
Seeing it float around the boy like a puppy, it even looked cute.
“…”
Although it was a beast that could blow your head off in an instant if you tried to fight it in the game.
And as I was watching the two of them tumble around, Seo Ah-in poked my shoulder from the side.
“…Excuse me, excuse me.”
“What.”
“Could you please explain what’s going on…?”
“It’s a touching scene of a parent and child reuniting.”
Seo Ah-in narrowed her eyes and looked at the boy and the small wolf.
A human and a wolf.
“Parent and child…?”
“Yes.”
In fact, it wasn't a parent-child relationship in the general sense.
To be more precise, it was the relationship between a ‘creature’ and a ‘creation’.
I smirked and pointed at the boy.
“He’s originally a god.”
To be precise, it would be more correct to call him a Divine Beast rather than a god.
“…Pardon?”
Hearing those words, Seo Ah-in’s expression was, as always when it was time for a reaction.
Quite a sight to behold.
***
There was a land of nothing.
A place where only rain fell, damp, and the only living, breathing, moving things were humans full of despair.
In such an environment, the only thing they could do would have been to pray.
Please give us hope. Give us the driving force to live for tomorrow.
What those people didn't know well was that the land of nothing was a holy ground that environmentally held quite a great deal of Mana.
[There are various triggers for the birth of a Divine Beast, but the most primal reason is the gathering of strong thoughts in a strategically important magical location.]
The Spirit Beast, called Machya, explained.
[The desperation of humans whose very survival is at stake is more than enough.]
The land accepted such resentment and sent down two Divine Beasts to save the people who had fallen into despair.
The Blue Wolf. The Yellow Wolf.
The two twin wolves used their miraculous powers to breathe vitality into the desolate land and create a home for the people.
The Spirit Beast, a Mana creation, was also one of the products of that power.
“So, did you understand up to here?”
“Yes. Somehow.”
“Good. Then you’ll understand this situation too.”
I nodded and pointed at the boy, who was clad in a blue aura.
“If left alone, this one will be eaten by his twin.”
“…”
An emotion that said ‘what kind of summary is that’ appeared on Seo Ah-in’s face.
“…You said they were twins. Then shouldn’t the Yellow Wolf and this person be close?”
“Just because they’re family doesn’t mean they have to be close.”
Well.
“Especially when one side holds malice towards the other, it can be much worse than when they are strangers.”
In this case, well.
It would be close to jealousy.
I’ve seen such cases far too many times.
This one probably knew from experience too.
Indeed, as soon as she heard this, Seo Ah-in flinched greatly.
Her eyes wavered and her expression hardened, as if she was reminded of someone.
“…”
That, well.
It wasn't a matter to dig into right now.
“So, you’ve probably already guessed who that Yellow Wolf is.”
“Are you talking about that unpleasant-looking woman we saw in the village?”
I agreed with the word unpleasant.
“…Hmph.”
It was hard to attach any other modifier to someone who would kill their own family without a second thought.
I nodded and continued my explanation.
“Her goal is to devour this one, increase her power, and become the sole ruler of this land. Simple, right?”
There were as many people who believed they had to be the one and only existence as there were grains of sand on a beach, throughout all ages and places.
Nothing new.
And in this situation, I had promised this one that I would crush the Yellow Wolf head-on.
Having heard the explanation up to this point, Seo Ah-in looked down at the boy with a confused expression.
“But… they’re the same kind of god, aren’t they? Why doesn’t this person fight back?”
“…”
Instead of the boy, who just smiled bitterly and kept his mouth shut, I shrugged and answered.
“There are hostages.”
“Hostages?”
“There were people in the village. Don’t you remember?”
“…Ah.”
Seo Ah-in let out a single gasp as she remembered the villagers who were captured by Yelena and living like a cult.
“…Although they are brainwashed by her and have almost forgotten me now.”
They are all my children. The family I took care of.
As the boy continued, Machya, who was beside him, mournfully rubbed its head against him.
[Master…]
“It’s okay, Machya. I’m fine.”
Watching that, I added my voice indifferently.
“Right, I’ve heard enough of the god’s sucker life story.”
“…”
I could feel the atmosphere rapidly shattering, but I continued speaking as if nothing was wrong.
“Hand over the reward. There was something you promised to do if I brought this wolf here, right?”
[…Hey. Human. What kind of talk is that?]
Machya growled, but this time too, I didn't care and just smirked.
“A promise should be kept properly.”
I said, untying Gnosis' Heart and placing it in front of him.
Bringing Machya out of the temple and putting it in front of this one was for the enhancement of this item.
There was a type of ‘enchantment’ that only this one could do.
“Rune characters. You can do it, right?”
I continued with a grin.
Normally, it was an enhancement function that required commissioning a craftsman you had to meet on a much higher floor and slathering on expensive materials.
But this one was a Divine Beast, for what it's worth.
He could somehow manage what I was asking.
“That way, I can keep my promise too, right?”
“…”
The boy's expression twisted subtly.
As I said before.
The content of my promise was to crush the ‘Yellow Wolf’ head-on.
And this was the final piece of the puzzle for that.
“…Is it really, possible?”
The boy began to speak haltingly.
“I’ve already handed over most of my abilities to her because of the hostages. She’s definitely not an opponent a single human can handle.”
“I know.”
Well, certainly.
Considering the progression in the original work, the difficulty of the boss battle in the branch where you antagonized Yelena was hell itself.
‘At least…’
Beating Machya and this one was easier than beating Yelena.
Of course, facing a Spirit Beast that could be ranked as an A-class Demonic Beast depending on the conditions, and a guy who still held the title of a Divine Beast, was by no means easy.
But Yelena, having met the ‘conditions’, was practically one of the game-over signals that was guaranteed to fall on the player.
It wasn't for nothing that the standard strategy for this floor was to side with her.
Of course. Just because that was the standard theory.
“So I think I’ll need about 3 hours.”
“3 hours?”
It obviously didn't mean it applied to me.
“I’m saying I’ll kill her within 3 hours from now.”
“…”