Chapter 46 - Subjugation
[ Enhancement: Rune Characters - Eternity ]
[ Doubles the special effects the target can exert. ]
It was a phrase that made me whistle.
In the game, Rune Characters were enhancement devices handled only by certain beings with powerful authority.
Each one was terribly difficult to obtain, but if you could engrave it properly, the effect was guaranteed.
The effect this character exerted was a case in point.
Gnosis' Heart already pumped nearly infinite mana during its duration, so if an effect like this was added, there was no need to discuss its power anymore.
‘Well...’
To be honest, with the number of skill combinations I could currently manage, I barely felt any mana shortage even when using it raw.
But there was no guarantee it would be like that in the future.
The thing I was carrying on my back right now was a case in point.
It was something I wouldn't even dare to touch without such an effect to use it properly.
“...I've been wanting to ask you for a while. What on earth is that?”
Seo Ah-in, who had been looking at the object I was carrying, tilted her head in wonder.
“Hm?”
“I was curious since you carried it all the way up here alone. It's too big to be a weapon, but to say it's not a weapon...”
Saying that, Seo Ah-in scanned the object up and down.
“...The feeling it gives off is too ominous.”
The object, almost the size of a person, was wrapped in white cloth, but it still exuded enough pressure to make it clear that it was something threatening.
It was natural to wonder what on earth it was.
I sighed and answered.
“An item so dangerous that I have to carry it myself.”
“...Why does it feel like the premise is that someone else should be carrying your things for you?”
Why do you think?
I smiled silently at Seo Ah-in, and she slightly hardened her expression and turned her head away.
I chuckled at the sight and continued speaking.
“Is that all you want to ask?”
“No. Actually, there are a ton of things.”
She said that and looked back.
Well, what was unfolding there was indeed a sight that justified having questions.
If one were to see the Blue Wolf, whom I said I would side with, tied up tightly and being dragged by me, anyone, not just her, would want to say something.
“...So.”
Seo Ah-in said, looking ahead.
The Wolf's Village was slowly revealing itself over the ridge.
“The Yellow Wolf over there is trying to devour this person here as a Sacrifice, is that right.”
“Yes.”
“And you're heading that way with that person right now.”
“Yes.”
“...Even if I ask what you're thinking, you won't tell me, will you?”
Her tone suggested she already knew the answer, so I didn't bother to reply.
“...I wish you'd at least tell me.”
The sound of the Sacrifice grumbling came from behind, but I lightly ignored it again.
Instead, I observed signs of movement appearing on the huge wall in front of me.
The lifeless eyes of the village residents.
And among them, some Climbers with yellow tattoos on their bodies also came into view.
Most of them were Leopard Guild members.
Since their leader took the lead and received a ‘blessing’ from Yelena, there was no reason for the guys under him not to receive it.
Of course, their stats would rise quite a bit for now.
But it was all self-destructive.
“The atmosphere looks hostile at a glance.”
It certainly was.
Most of them were out just wondering what was going on, but hostility was slowly rising, centered around those with tattoos.
Yelena couldn't have been unaware of the Sacrifice approaching, so she must have made various ‘preparations’ in advance.
She probably put a huge bounty on my and Seo Ah-in's heads.
So most of the guys over there were probably fully intending to kill us without asking any questions.
“...”
Thinking that, I took Han Seong-wook from Seo Ah-in.
And with all eyes on me, I lifted this person's body up.
Seeing myself easily lift a grown man, my stats had definitely improved.
“Hey! You yellowish one! Are you listening!”
I shouted that and found two faces among those on top of the wall.
One was Yelena.
The other was Seo Hye-in.
The former was looking this way with a hard, expressionless face, and the latter looked confused, wondering what on earth was going on.
Both of them were just as I expected.
“What you want is here! Come and get it!”
“...I'll praise your courage.”
Yelena's voice could be heard even from here.
Even though she wasn't speaking loudly, it felt like she was whispering right next to me.
“To come all the way here empty-handed. It's truly commendable.”
Every word was coated in a sticky venom. A sense of revulsion rose, like a spider's fangs walking by my ear.
Of course.
Whatever.
I put a big smile on my face.
“You and I both roughly know how things will go, right?”
With that same expression, I continued speaking to Yelena.
“Let's not argue and just get this over with quickly!”
“...Even if you don't say it.”
Yelena snorted and turned away. As if she didn't even need to pay attention to this place.
And the reason for that action was immediately revealed.
The Climbers who had received the seal from Yelena, including the village residents, all came down from the wall at once.
Seeing them approach with their weapons drawn, Seo Ah-in's expression hardened.
***
“...So. What's the plan this time?”
“Don't do anything.”
“...”
Seo Ah-in, with a half-resigned expression, lowered the hand she had placed on her sword.
Seeing her follow such a strange order without any resistance, it seemed she had built up quite a bit of trust in me.
And a situation where I wouldn't have to betray that trust was unfolding right away.
Because something so formidable stood before me and Seo Ah-in that the Climbers approaching with triumphant smiles stopped in their tracks without realizing it.
“What do you think you're doing right now?”
Seo Hye-in opened her mouth, her voice cold.
She still didn't seem to have a proper grasp of the situation, but she at least seemed to know that the atmosphere was not peaceful.
“Attacking a fellow Climber is the ultimate taboo. For what reason have you drawn your weapons on these people?”
“Hey. Why don't you move? The Head Priestess said those guys over there are in league with an evil god. And that small guy back there is the avatar of that evil god-”
“Evil god? An evil god, you say?”
Seo Hye-in replied incredulously, sweeping her hand over the villagers around them.
“Do you really believe that woman's words at face value? Look around you! This entire village, with that woman as its leader, is not normal! You must have felt it too during your stay here!”
Well, I heard that Seo Hye-in had indeed been trying various things personally to resolve that situation.
Trying to investigate the circumstances in more detail, trying to snap the bewitched-looking villagers out of it.
Of course, given the nature of this place where Yelena already had a firm grip on control, it wouldn't have worked at all.
The villagers who were already half-brainwashed aside, the Climbers who sided with Yelena even after seeing such phenomena were the kind of people whose true nature you could guess.
In fact, even though she had just shouted in anger, the ones listening showed no sign of caring at all.
“So what? We were promised a reward for catching those guys! We don't care about anything else!”
“Yeah. You bitch, get out of the way! Or we'll kill you too!”
And at those words, it was clear that something inside Seo Hye-in's head had snapped.
Just seeing the demon-like fury rise on her mask-like face, which always suppressed harsh expressions, was enough to tell.
“...You...”
Then.
Blue flames poured out in streams from Seo Hye-in's hands.
As the blue flames traveled down her arms, her sword was drawn from its sheath like a flash of light.
“You beastly bastards-!”
Then, a human-shaped storm raged.
The sight of dozens of people being sent flying in a single blow was truly terrifying.
“...Wow.”
While Seo Ah-in was quietly expressing her admiration beside me, Seo Hye-in continuously roared like a fire-breathing dragon and swung her sword.
“Because you're fellow Climbers! I! Held! Back a lot! Our job is to help people, you trash! If you're going to do anything for money, turn in your license and become a mercenary-!”
Hmm.
It seemed she had a lot pent up.
With each swing of her sword, several people fluttered away, to the point where they hardly seemed like fellow humans anymore.
Anyone would agree, watching grown men scream pitifully as they flew through the air.
“Just follow that man's example, even half of it-!”
With those words, she swung her sword in a circle, and a gale swept through, knocking down even the Climbers who were still standing.
“...”
I felt it anew.
I was glad I built a good relationship with this person.
This person subdued dozens of Climbers with Yelena's seal in less than a few dozen seconds.
This could practically be called a natural disaster in human form.
“Kim Gyu-sik!”
“Yes.”
And when those fierce eyes turned toward me, I couldn't help but answer in a slightly stiff voice.
“With this, I can consider that damn bitch an enemy now, right!”
“...Are you referring to Head Priestess Yelena?”
“Who else would the damn bitch be but her!”
“...”
Seo Hye-in.
Your character is changing too quickly.
“...D-damn it! Don't back down! We have far more numbers!”
“We got much stronger after receiving this tattoo! Don't be scared, fight!”
In the meantime, the Climbers who had been crushed by Seo Hye-in hesitantly got up and took their stances again.
At least, the courage to think of attacking someone like this again was commendable.
As I was thinking that, Seo Hye-in continued in a ferocious voice.
“I'll take care of things here, so go and teach that bitch some manners! I haven't liked her from the start!”
“...Yes.”
I was planning to distribute our manpower like that anyway, even if she didn't say it.
But it was a relief that she was being much more proactive than I thought.
“Hm.”
As I thought that and ran into the village where Yelena had disappeared, Seo Ah-in, who was beside me, looked at me with a suspicious expression.
“What. What is it all of a sudden.”
“No, did you perhaps hit on my sister?”
“...What?”
What kind of nonsense was this.
When I gave Seo Ah-in that look, she shrugged her shoulders and continued.
“No, it's just that it's the first time I've seen my sister show so much interest in a man and praise him so much...”
“Is she the type of person who'd fall for me if I hit on her?”
“She's surprisingly soft-hearted. A sly fox like you could probably wrap her around your finger in no time.”
“...You're talking nonsense.”
I muttered that and checked the plan in my head.
‘Let's see...’
I set my watch.
There was just enough time.
At least.
It was more than enough time to save one yellow beast who thought it was all that.