Chapter 403

* * * *

After destroying the cursed pillar in the south, Myeonghu headed west and encountered numerous defectors.

.

.

[Defeated the traitor.]

[Acquired a Curse Fragment.]

[Current Cursed Fragments Collected: 102]

-Well done.

After the last traitor fell, Haran said.

“Let’s go.”

Myeong-hu replied to Haran’s words and thought.

‘He’s not even giving buffs anymore.’

Until now, whenever a traitor appeared, Haran had used the light wave. But at some point, even when traitors appeared, Haran stopped using the light wave. When a traitor appeared, she would simply stop walking and look at Myeonghu.

Of course, whether or not he received the buff through the light waves didn’t make much difference. The time it took to eliminate the traitors didn’t change whether he had the buff or not. It just felt a little off.

Thud!

A short while later, Haran stopped walking again. She looked at Myeonghu. Feeling Haran’s gaze, Myeonghu checked his surroundings.

Thud thud thud

Sure enough, the renegades were approaching.

“Movement Strike.”

The traitor appeared, and Myeong-hu used his moving strike.

Boom!

[You have defeated the traitor.]

[Acquired a Curse Fragment.]

[Cursed Fragments Currently Collected: 103]

Thus, the first traitor to appear met his end without uttering a word or offering any resistance.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The traitors that appeared afterward met the same fate. The moment they revealed themselves, they had to face Minghu’s fists.

.

.

[Defeated the traitor.]

[Acquired a Curse Fragment.]

[Cursed Fragments Currently Collected: 120]

-Good work.

A moment later, Haran spoke. Hearing Haran’s words, Myeonghu realized the traitor he had just killed was the last of the traitor group that had appeared this time. Haran began walking again, and Myeonghu followed behind him, thinking.

‘One hundred and twenty.’

The current number of gathered Curse Fragments was 120.

‘Earlier, it was 200.’

Earlier, at the southern pillar of curses, they had needed to gather 200 cursed fragments. It wasn’t certain, but it seemed they would need at least 200 this time too.

‘Eighty more to go.’

Myeonghu looked ahead, thinking about the number of curse fragments left to gather. Far off, a pillar slightly different from the southern one was visible. It was the western pillar of curses, their current destination and the one they must destroy.

‘They’ll be swarming like mad.’

The distance to the pillar wasn’t particularly long. But he still needed to gather 80 fragments. And that was the minimum. It wasn’t certain, but from now on, the traitors seemed likely to pour out in overwhelming numbers.

Thud!

Just then, Haran stopped in his tracks.

-The renegades are swarming in.

Harran, who had stopped walking, said.

“…?”

Myeong-hu, who had also stopped walking, couldn’t help but look puzzled at Haran’s words and expression. And no wonder—Haran’s words and expression were somehow off.

To be precise, it wasn’t the reaction he’d shown whenever defectors appeared before. Haran’s current reaction seemed even more serious than when the first defector appeared.

Thud… Thud… Thud…

At that very moment, a massive footstep Myeong-hu had never heard before echoed in his ears.

‘…?’

Myeong-hu turned his head to look toward the source of the footsteps.

“…”

And when Myeong-hu saw who was making those footsteps, he couldn’t utter a word. There were the traitors. The problem was that the traitors were riding something.

‘That’s…’

The creatures the traitors were riding were none other than the centurion monster octopuses I had seen just moments before.

‘Why are they…’

Every traitor who appeared was riding a Centurion monster octopus. Why were the traitors riding Centurion monster octopuses?

‘Could it be…’

After pondering deeply, Myeong-hu suddenly frowned at a thought that struck him.

‘Guarding the two pillars…’

Myeong-hu still didn’t know who guarded the western pillar of curses. But seeing the Centurion octopuses, he felt he understood who guarded the pillar.

The Centurion Octopuses, and the being guarding the first pillar… it was an avatar of Ekalik, the god of war and destruction.

‘An avatar of Atakshya?’

Connecting the two, it was highly likely that the entity guarding the western pillar of curses was an avatar of Atakshah, the god of water and vitality.

Swaaak

[Haran’s Blessing has been proclaimed.]

[Damage received from traitors is reduced by 30%.]

[Damage dealt to renegades increased by 20%.]

[You can attack renegades.]

[You can acquire fragments of curses from the renegades.]

Myeonghu, who had been pondering the entity guarding the Western Pillar of Curse, ended his thoughts upon seeing the message appear before him and looked at Haran. Haran, who had previously only stared blankly at traitors without emitting light waves, was now emitting light waves.

Swish

Myeonghu turned his gaze away from Haran and looked at the traitors riding the octopus centurion. Then, looking at the octopus the traitors were riding, he thought.

‘They probably won’t reflect it.’

There were several types of Centurion monster octopuses. Retos’ Centurion octopus reflected attacks when crouched. However, Lamper’s Centurion octopus did not reflect.

Myeonghu knew only of these two types. Among the Centurion Octopuses carrying the defectors, there was a possibility one possessed a new ability unknown to him.

‘Just as I thought…’

And then, seeing the changes in the Centurion Octopuses that followed, Myeonghu knew his thoughts were correct.

Swoosh swoosh

Ice chunks began forming around several octopuses. That wasn’t all.

[Yaras curls its body.]

[When attacking Yarras, you receive 10% of the damage Yarras takes back.]

.

.

[Hollem crouches.]

[When attacking Hollem, you receive 10% of the damage Hollem takes back.]

There were also Centurion Octopuses possessing the reflective ability he had hoped they wouldn’t have. Minghu frowned upon seeing the message and looked at the Centurion Octopuses crouching down. Just seeing them crouch made him feel stressed.

‘I’ll deal with those bastards later, one by one.’

Myeonghu thought, shifting his gaze away from the crouching Centurion Octopuses. The Centurion Octopuses with other abilities could be easily captured. There was no need to target the ones with the reflection ability first. Having made up his mind, Myeonghu began charging toward the renegades riding the non-crouching Centurion Octopuses with different abilities.

* * * *

East of Lake Belkan.

The cave of Kraken Bagram, who controlled the southern part of the eastern region.

Inside Bagram’s cave were Bagram, the cave’s master, and Atakshah, Bagram’s mother and the goddess of water and vitality. Atakshah gazed out of the cave with a cold stare and murmured.

“When will he come?”

Atakshah was currently waiting in Bagram’s cave for the appointed hour.

“Is it time yet? But why haven’t they come?”

Gazing outside the cave and muttering, Atakshya sensed something was amiss. No matter how late, they should have arrived by now. Yet there was no sign of arrival, not even a hint.

“Hmm. This is strange.”

Swish

A moment later, Atakshya turned around with a sigh. Facing him was Bagram, the cave’s owner and his son, staring at him.

“I’ll be back shortly. I’m going to see Arthan.”

Arthan was the Kraken who controlled the northern region east of Lake Belkan. Just because he went east didn’t guarantee he’d come this way. It was entirely possible he headed north, where Arthan held sway.

“Understood, Mother.”

Bagram answered Atakshah’s words. Hearing Bagram’s reply, Atakshah stepped outside the cave. She immediately began flying straight toward Arthan’s cave.

Before long, Atakshya arrived at Artan’s cave. It was truly incredible speed. Entering the cave, Atakshya sensed Artan’s presence within and knew he had not yet passed away.

-Mother?

Entering the cave, Atakshya saw Artan looking at her with a startled expression.

“It’s been a long time.”

After responding to Artan’s call, Atakshia immediately stated the purpose of her visit.

“Is it about something?”

-Yes, Mother.

“Were your children hurt or anything?”

-…My children?

Arthan responded to Atakshah’s question with a puzzled voice. Hearing Arthan’s puzzled response, Atakshah thought.

‘He hasn’t come here either.’

Judging by Arthan’s reaction, it seemed Minghu hadn’t come here either.

‘I clearly saw him heading east.’

He had clearly seen them heading east. Even in a state filled with rage, he wasn’t so distraught as to mistake the direction.

-..It seems none of the children are hurt. Could something have happened?

When Atakshya remained silent, Arthan cautiously opened his mouth to speak. Atakshya finished his thoughts upon hearing Arthan’s words and then spoke.

“If you say so.”

-Yes, Mother.

“If your children die or humans appear, you understand? Come to me immediately. I will be in the cave of Bagram. Do you understand?”

-Understood. But humans…? Are you saying humans have appeared here?

“Yes. I say again, if humans appear, come to me immediately. You must never attack them.”

-I will remember, Mother.

Atakshya listened to Arthan’s words and stepped outside the cave. Then, swiftly, he began flying back toward the cave of Bagram.

Swoosh!

But before long, Atakshya had no choice but to halt her movement.

“…!”

Atakshah, having halted her movement, wore an expression of utter shock. The reason for her shock? An intruder had appeared in a place where no one should enter, and indeed, could not enter.

Of course, he could only sense the presence of an intruder, not know who it was. Yet Ataksa felt he knew who the intruder was. No, he was certain. In the current situation, there was only one being who could have intruded there.

Swish

Atakshya turned his head to look westward. Then he murmured.

“Human… did you go there?”

The intruder, the one Atakshya suspected, was none other than Myeonghu. He had thought Myeonghu was coming here, but that wasn’t the case. It was clear Myeonghu had changed course somewhere along the way.

“This is no time to stand idly by.”

Atakshya frowned as he muttered, gazing westward.

“I must return at once.”

He had to return to the temple as quickly as possible. And he had to inform them of this matter and discuss it. Atakshya swiftly waved his hand.

Whoosh

Then, a massive gate appeared before Atakshya. Atakshya opened the gate’s door and stepped inside.

============================ Afterword ============================

Happy! Lively! Cheerful!

I hope you have a Friday like that!