◈ Episode 521. We Had Much in Common (2)
‘……No matter how you look at it, that’s not something you should be saying, Granfel?’
Since the Warrior of the Sunrise was so tense, I had a feeling.
As expected, even its name is as extraordinary as our Granfel.
I figured it must be no ordinary fellow.
Of course, I blabbered on with my usual nonchalance.
“So a mere yokai was worshipped as a god?”
Despite my mockery, the Warrior of the Sunrise nodded.
“Shamefully, the Great Yokai, the Godslaying Eight-Headed Mother-Slaying Serpent, was a being we could not defeat with our strength alone. To avoid incurring its wrath, the Eastern Continent offered mountain sacrifices. Until the creature vanished of its own accord, taking its shrine with it.”
They offered sacrifices to survive.
It was a fairly common story, and yet.
I spoke up as if I had never heard such a thing before.
“Yokai. They are beings that ought to be hunted every bit as much as demons.”
Of course, my class was, through and through, [Demon Hunter].
Therefore, [Natural Enemy]
did not activate.
But wouldn’t this be enough?
Why, just look at the forces standing beside me.
‘There are two Transcendents right here.’
The Warrior of the Sunrise and the Child of Lightning.
“Ugh, maybe I shouldn’t have followed along.”
The Child of Lightning felt more than a little dragged into this, but.
The Warrior of the Sunrise’s demeanor had completely changed.
A blade (刀)
he had drawn before he knew it,
with ki (氣) flickering upon it.
“I was already in the midst of begging your forgiveness, but I shall ask for it once more. Now that I have faced the Great Yokai that once nested in my homeland, I must sever all eight of its heads without fail.”
To the point where I wondered if there was some complicated history there.
It meant that the resolve embedded in his stance looked immeasurably reassuring to me.
So I did not hesitate.
Taking a step, shifting the toe of my boot, I spoke.
“Then follow me.”
Both of you are wondering what I’m suddenly talking about, right?
Translating it into Granfel-style speech…….
It means we should use what we can use.
‘Because I can buff them, after all.’
The set effect of the Jacket of Dawn.
It drastically raises ally morale.
Having seen quite useful effects from it before.
The Warrior of the Sunrise stammered.
“Surely not…… I cannot possibly owe you any further……”
No need to get the wrong idea again.
No, there’s no need to be grateful.
We simply share the same goal, that’s all.
In that regard, the Child of Lightning’s presence was a blessing.
“Hyung, why are you being so tacky? Just say ‘thank you, I’ll follow you,’ and be done with it. Why all the needless words……! I’ll say thanks for you. Hehe.”
Around then, my vision flickered.
[You have acquired command authority over the Transcendent, ‘Warrior of the Sunrise’.]
[You have acquired command authority over the Transcendent, ‘Child of Lightning’.]
[Ally morale increases significantly.]
“……!!”
The Surging Morale effect on the two of them.
They both seemed to feel it immediately.
Their senses had probably sharpened.
Soon, the Warrior of the Sunrise surveyed the surroundings.
He did so for quite some time.
“I apologize once more.”
No, I told you there’s nothing to apologize for.
“To think that creature abandoned its shrine and fled.”
Actually, wouldn’t it be stranger if it were still here?
‘Even Gabriel was someone from years ago already.’
Even in real-world time, he was a figure from over a decade ago.
By Arcana Continent standards,
he was a figure from many times that duration in the past.
‘It would be strange for it to have stayed here all that time.’
Even if it had been nesting in Ogratium.
As you can see,
the eastern part of the Arcana Continent had been reduced to ruins by the Cataclysm.
‘Not a single human figure in sight.’
Could a creature that supposedly fed on mountain sacrifices survive in such an environment? It would have left its place if only to avoid starving to death. Furthermore, there was more certain evidence than anything.
-Search for Gabriel’s remains in the ruined city of Ogratium. (In Progress)
●Hunt the yokai of Ogratium, the ‘Great Yokai of the Valley of Unceasing Blood, the Cruel Godslaying Eight-Headed Mother-Slaying Serpent (神殺八頭殺母蛇).’ (Postponed)
●Track the yokai that has vanished from Ogratium, the ‘Great Yokai of the Valley of Unceasing Blood, the Cruel Godslaying Eight-Headed Mother-Slaying Serpent (神殺八頭殺母蛇).’ (In Progress)
Even the system messages, which do not lie,
had presented a new quest objective.
So there was no longer any need to be so tense.
Swish.
The Warrior of the Sunrise sheathed his blade and spoke to me.
“I am ashamed to have wasted your valuable assistance.”
To that, I responded nonchalantly, yet shamelessly.
“A mere wretch fled in terror, it seems.”
Hey, it’s the Great Yokai that laid waste to the Eastern Continent.
Just looking at its hard-to-pronounce full name gives you an idea of its strength.
And you call it a mere wretch, seriously what bluster…….
“It is not your fault.”
But such bluster probably eases the other party’s burden in situations like this. Was the Warrior of the Sunrise trying to preserve the image of his homeland restored by reversal magic?
“……Thank you for saying so.”
With those words,
he gazed at the shrine for a while with eyes steeped in emotion.
It must be complicated; I’ve been troubled by thoughts of my homeland lately too.
‘What am I going to do about Seoul.’
A land of the bizarre.
Seoul overlaid with the hue of the Arcana Continent.
And I shall become the king of such a Seoul.
‘……What am I going to do with myself!’
I, Lee Hoyeol, who had boldly declared it at my parents’ dumpling restaurant.
When I think of the bluster to come.
It felt like my head was already throbbing……!
But let’s set that aside for a moment.
‘My purpose remains.’
I had work more important than lamenting my lot.
As expected of a place where the Great Yokai had dwelled, the shrine was magnificent.
Perhaps because it was a door for yokai rather than humans.
Especially the doors, the windows—everything, really.
Everything in sight seemed several times the normal size.
I used the flickering quest objective like a detector and wandered the shrine.
And then.
At the place where the flickering flashed most dynamically, I witnessed it.
“Gabriel.”
Gabriel turned to white bones.
The equipment scattered around the skeleton was unmistakably the uniform of an Akshan Demon Hunter. There was even more certain evidence than that. The two who had come running at the sound of my voice, wondering if something had happened, flinched.
“……That is.”
“H-hyung! Isn’t that that bastard’s head?!”
That’s right.
To a Demon Hunter who is a corpse without obsession, there is no giving up.
Even against an opponent they cannot defeat.
Even at the cost of their own lives.
Even if they fall into hell, becoming demons themselves.
That is exactly the kind of seniors we Akshans were—those who never gave up the hunt.
Gabriel was the same.
The giant snake bones lain beside Gabriel.
The Warrior of the Sunrise opened his mouth.
“The Great Yokai, the Godslaying Eight-Headed Mother-Slaying Serpent. As its name ‘eight-headed’ suggests, it possesses eight heads. However, its power is not divided equally among those eight heads.”
That was valuable information I had no way of knowing.
“Because it is a Great Yokai born from eight different imugi intertwined and fused together. Therefore, to sever one of those heads means……”
“It means this person defeated one of them……?”
“That’s right.”
The Warrior of the Sunrise looked at Gabriel’s remains.
“Who would have thought that an unnamed noble of the Arcana Continent would accomplish what no brave martial artist (武人) of the Eastern Continent could. Please forgive me that this is the only way I can express my respect.”
He bowed his head in silent tribute.
Then, perhaps thinking he was lost in his own sentiments,
he continued speaking to me.
“The imugi I spoke of are those that failed to become……”
Of course, it was an unnecessary explanation for me.
“I know.”
“Ah, as expected, you know……”
“Both the existence of the imugi, and the name of that great man.”
“!”
I looked at Gabriel’s remains.
To think he hunted yokai because demons weren’t enough, and died in battle.
It was truly a death befitting a Demon Hunter.
That is why.
“Gabriel, you were truly a great Demon Hunter of Akshan.”
There is no greater way to send condolences to that pride.
I bowed a head that I rarely lower.
Following my lead, the Warrior of the Sunrise too,
and the Child of Lightning, bowed their heads.
For a moment, a quiet silence passed.
*
“I didn’t know you had such a history, Hyung.”
The Child of Lightning fidgeted in front of the campfire.
“Oops. Then I should apologize for saying you looked tacky. I thought you were from some backwater corner of the Arcana Continent. But if you’re from the Eastern Continent……”
“Be quiet.”
“What, are you still sulking?”
The Warrior of the Sunrise spoke with a look.
“Making a racket will be a distraction.”
He tended the embers and counted.
How many times have I owed you now? To think that you had already grasped the existence of the Great Yokai, the Godslaying Eight-Headed Mother-Slaying Serpent, which I had resolved to catch with my own hands.
‘To think that your precious comrade lost his life hunting it.’
Gabriel.
The Warrior of the Sunrise engraved that benefactor’s name in his heart once more.
And then he spoke to the Child of Lightning.
“Gabriel, that benefactor struck down one of the Godslaying Eight-Headed Mother-Slaying Serpent’s heads at the cost of his own life. We must hunt the remaining seven heads ourselves.”
“……U-us?”
“Yes, we cannot incur any more debts.”
You would tell me not to worry with your usual attitude, but…… The Warrior of the Sunrise was guessing the reason your mourning was prolonged.
‘You probably needed time to compose your emotions.’
He wanted to express his deepest condolences from the heart, yet
he didn’t even have the right to do so.
So the Warrior of the Sunrise prepared the best he could do.
Bubble bubble.
He boiled water over the campfire, meaning to prepare tea to moisten a throat parched by overwhelming emotion. But perhaps the scent was unfamiliar. The Child of Lightning furrowed his brow.
“……Sniff, sniff. What is this now?”
“It is Eastern Continent tea leaves.”
“Eastern Continent tea leaves……? Will they suit his palate?”
The Warrior of the Sunrise did not argue.
Hoping it would suit his palate was probably greedy.
Just as he still hadn’t adapted to the food of the Arcana Continent,
it was greedy to hope that you would welcome Eastern Continent tea leaves.
Nevertheless, the Warrior of the Sunrise spoke in a low voice.
“……Because this is all I can offer.”
All he possessed were the Sunrise Blade (日出刀) and a few remaining tea leaves. Having already resolved to use the Sunrise Blade for you, the Warrior of the Sunrise was prepared to offer everything else he had.
It was then.
Clack.
Hoyeol finally emerged from the shrine.
“……!!”
At his appearance, the two were at a loss for words.
Because in those eyes,
truly many emotions seemed to be revealed…….
Hey, are you crying?
‘Goodness. Senior Gabriel, what do I do, I’m so moved.’
The Warrior of the Sunrise, from the Eastern Continent.
An incredibly familiar scent wafted from the tea leaves he was boiling.
That’s right, it was undoubtedly green tea.
‘Yes, one could hardly be blamed for fighting back tears!’
Ever since the green tea withdrawal symptoms.
How many hours have passed now?
I, Lee Hoyeol, didn’t know much, but I could guarantee one thing.
Click.
Tilting the teacup, I thought.
‘Warrior of the Sunrise, you’re going to become a nuisance from now on, aren’t you?’
I mean, our Lord Granfel’s favor.
It’s not something you can simply be happy about receiving.
Everything comes with give and take.
You’ll have to repay Granfel’s favor somehow, you know?!
‘……If it were me, I’d rather not receive that favor.’
In that sense, the Warrior of the Sunrise was wise.
He handed me the dried green tea leaves and took his leave.
I asked his destination, and he answered briefly.
-“We shall track the Godslaying Eight-Headed Mother-Slaying Serpent.”
I had no reason to stop him.
‘I don’t have time to track it right now.’
I had a prior appointment in hell.
Moreover, if it’s the Warrior of the Sunrise and the Child of Lightning.
They were Transcendents with skills reliable enough to entrust with the task without worry.
‘We could also get help from the spirits if need be.’
Spirits well-versed in news of the Arcana Continent. Well, for now they were probably too busy running wild to distract the other Ten Seats’ attention, so it might be difficult.
But more than anything else.
‘Honestly, this is one sight I didn’t want to show.’
The reason I finished mourning so late?
It was simple.
I couldn’t hide my astonishment while recovering Gabriel’s relics.
Clink.
Even though I was simply tilting the teacup lightly.
The clear sound ringing in my ears let me guess how long and draped Gabriel’s relic was.
‘Truly…….’
I checked the relic with a resentful gaze.
That’s right.
Gabriel’s relic was none other than
a chain made of silver!
Not only was it long and dangling, but it was so ornate that it satisfied even Granfel’s aesthetic sense, meaning I had equipped it immediately.
Even its name.
[Chain of Repentant Lucifer]
To the point where I was distressed at the thought of saying it out loud.
But this wasn’t all I found from Gabriel’s remains.
I found a notebook made of bound parchment in the inner pocket of his clothes.
[Gabriel’s Diary]
But I, Lee Hoyeol, did not dare open it.
There is give and take in all things.
If I opened another person’s diary and that karma came back to me?
Meaning, what if someone found my black history notebook……?
‘……If I check, definitely.’
Let’s recover the black history notebook from the main house before reading it, Hoyeol.
I ignored the dangling silver chain as best I could.
And tilted the teacup.
Construction magic.
Manifested by fully displaying aesthetic sensibility.
Gazing upon Gabriel’s tomb, I muttered.
“We had much in common.”
Enough to be a relief, Senior Gabriel.
‘Well then, the teacup is empty too. Shall I check?’
The stats on the relic left by the senior!
But regardless of my desire,
my hand headed toward the tea leaves once more.
Toward the teacup.
Hey, Granfel…….
“Gabriel, I offer this cup in your honor.”
……Honestly, you just want to drink another cup, don’t you?!