novelraw Chapter 130 : Breaking the Shell
Chapter 130 : Breaking the Shell
Chapter 130: Breaking the Shell
Humphrey burst out from between the feet of the Magic Stone Golem.
“Pig, stay back for a moment.”
Humphrey threw the Rainbow Pig toward Robin.
Just the cage and the pig alone weighed at least 10kg, yet it flew accurately across that great distance.
“Squeee.”
Perhaps it felt dizzy after flying dozens of meters through the air, the Rainbow Pig’s eyes spun round and round.
Robin safely caught it and set the cage upright.
“Humphrey! Run away!”
Michael began attacking Humphrey in earnest.
Contrary to how sluggish it appeared, the Magic Stone Golem’s feet struck the ground swiftly.
Kugugung!
Like a human stomping on an insect, Michael moved his foot.
Robin thought the heavens had helped Humphrey survive just now.
“Sigbard, lend me the rod!”
“I can’t.”
“This isn’t the time for jokes!”
From the short time he had observed, the Magic Stone Golem’s body was extremely solid.
After previously fighting a Corpse Golem, Robin’s sword durability had already decreased.
If he recklessly attacked with his sword, it might break.
“It’s not that I don’t want to lend it. If you can take it, then take it.”
Sigbard handed the rod to Robin.
Robin grabbed it with both hands, and the moment Sigbard let go, his body tilted.
Before his hand was crushed, Sigbard quickly seized it back.
“I can still fight.”
“It’s too much for you to face it alone.”
“I never said I’d fight alone.”
Sigbard jerked his chin toward the Magic Stone Golem.
It kept stomping without pause, kicking up thick clouds of dust.
A sight no ordinary person could survive.
“Humphrey?”
Humphrey, whom they had assumed was dead by now, burst out through the dust.
Once again, a foot lashed out at him.
Kkaang!
A mace knocked aside the Magic Stone Golem’s foot.
The recoil forced Humphrey to widen the distance as well, but that wasn’t what mattered.
The attack had worked.
The creature, which had been noisily slamming its foot down, stopped and glared at Humphrey.
“He’s no ordinary innkeeper.”
A faint light shimmered over the mace as he rolled his shoulder.
Robin, standing far away, did not know what it was.
What mattered was that Humphrey was alive.
“Let’s go too.”
There was no reply from Sigbard.
The two were already running toward the Magic Stone Golem.
“Michael, what dissatisfaction could you possibly have to fall this far?”
“I have no dissatisfaction with you, Boss.”
Michael, who had remained silent all this time, answered Humphrey.
“I’ve simply found the right path.”
“The right path? You call this the right path?”
“I’d like to show you as well, Boss.”
“Don’t spout nonsense. It’s not too late yet. Come back, Michael.”
Kuung.
Michael answered by slamming his foot down.
A bitter expression crossed Humphrey’s face.
There was no turning back now.
“Stone tastes best when you smash it!”
Sigbard appeared and struck the Magic Stone Golem around its knee.
Each time his blow landed, fragments of magic stone scattered.
Standing beside Humphrey, Robin slashed his sword and sent out Fighting Spirit.
A straight line carved across the magic stone it touched, but the creature’s body was far too large to sever completely.
“Humphrey, we have to kill him.”
“…I know.”
“No blaming me later.”
Just before Robin leapt to strike the creature’s core,
Humphrey grabbed his shoulder.
“I… I will do it.”
“You will, Humphrey?”
“For what it’s worth, I’m a Silver-Ranked Adventurer.”
It was the first time Robin had heard that.
He had guessed Humphrey registered as an adventurer after coming out to the Uncharted Area, but he had expected him to be Copper-Ranked.
“That monster’s problem is its hard shell.”
“That’s right.”
Kwaang.
The Magic Stone Golem flicked Sigbard away like a fly.
No matter how many times they struck it, the creature restored itself and revealed nothing of its body.
“No one refuses to cook just because an eggshell is hard.”
‘What is he talking about all of a sudden.’
Robin grew impatient at Humphrey’s incomprehensible words.
For now, its attention was on Sigbard, but it could attack them at any moment.
“A mace is the perfect tool for breaking shells.”
“A tool? Not a weapon?”
Humphrey nodded and gripped his mace with both hands.
He stepped toward Michael in a stance prepared to swing.
Compared to the creature’s stride, it was slow.
Neither too heavy nor too light in movement, he opened his mouth.
Sitting atop a bumpy stone wall
Tumbled down in a clumsy fall
All the king’s fine horses
All the king’s men
Couldn’t put him back together again
‘Fighting Spirit?’
A tremendous amount of Fighting Spirit gathered in the mace Humphrey held.
Robin’s eyes widened in shock.
He had never imagined Humphrey could use Fighting Spirit.
“Break.”
With that word, Humphrey swung the mace with all his strength.
The mace, shining white, struck the creature’s foot.
Kwajijijik.
Starting from where the mace touched, cracks spread throughout its entire body.
Like drought-stricken earth, it split apart, breaking joint by joint as it collapsed.
Robin, Sigbard, Michael.
The three, excluding Humphrey, could not help but be astonished.
‘This is the chance.’
Michael, who had been tightly hidden inside the magic stone, finally revealed himself.
Robin pushed off the ground and leapt, drawing his sword in front of Michael.
Seogeok.
“Ugh, ugh… Kuaaagh!”
With his ankle severed, Michael fell.
Knowing he would surely die upon hitting the ground, Robin grabbed the back of his collar and landed.
“My foot! My foot!”
Countless magic stones collapsed in a roar.
Robin’s two swords moved swiftly.
In an instant, ten lines carved through the air, slicing apart bundles of magic stone.
Kugugugugugu.
As befitted its massive size, it made a thunderous sound.
Sigbard approached, knocking aside the falling magic stones.
Huuwoong!
The gust cleared away the dust, revealing Michael convulsing.
Blood spurted like a fountain from the severed surface.
Humphrey called out to Michael as if he pitied him.
“Michael.”
“Hrrrgh! Kill me! Just kill me!”
Smack!
Humphrey struck Michael across the cheek.
Perhaps he came to his senses a little, as Michael’s trembling eyes turned toward Humphrey.
“Is it true you tried to kill Margaret.”
“Y-Yes! I did it! So do something about this!”
“Why?”
It was only natural to be curious about the motive.
Michael had much to say about that.
The Demonic Energy that had brought great power to his once-ordinary self.
According to the ancient tome, sacrifices were required to maintain that power.
The ambition to become special.
The allure of growing stronger.
There were many other reasons as well, but it did not have to be Margaret.
It was twisted greed.
“If I can’t have her, it’s better to destroy her.”
“What……?”
“If she’s not with me, then she can’t be with anyone else. I won’t watch some other bastard take her.”
“For such a reason…….”
Humphrey frowned.
He had known that Michael harbored feelings for Margaret.
He did not know what had happened between them, but he assumed Michael had likely been rejected after confessing.
As anger surged through Humphrey, Robin asked in his stead.
“Michael, are there other Demon Tribe worshippers besides you?”
“Of course! They’ll be hiding all over the world.”
“Tell me everything you know.”
He pressed down on Michael’s ankle.
“I-I don’t know! I don’t know where the others are!”
“I told you to tell me everything you know.”
“Kuaaaagh! Get your foot off……!”
When Robin slowly lifted his foot, tears welled up in Michael’s eyes.
“Finding this place was by chance. The man in the helmet! I followed him when I saw him coming and going, and that’s how I found it!”
“…Say that man’s name.”
“Brandok! He was called Brandok!”
Robin felt as if he had been struck on the back of the head.
“Did Brandok create that Magic Stone storage?”
“Probably. No one else knows about this place except him and me.”
“Where did he go?”
“The West! He went to the West.”
“Where in the West.”
“That much… Ngh! Probably to the Great Forest!”
There was more he wanted to ask, but Michael’s face was growing increasingly pale.
There was not much time left.
“One last question. Is Brandok… a Demon Tribe worshipper.”
“Can’t you tell? Why else would he gather so many Magic Stones.”
Robin fell silent and closed his eyes.
He needed to cool his tangled thoughts.
Suppressing the killing intent that threatened to spill out unintentionally, he stepped back.
Humphrey crouched down and looked into Michael’s eyes.
Facing death, Michael was gripped by fear.
“Repent your sins and reflect, even now.”
“Reflect? Why should I? This damned world…….”
“It will ease your heart.”
“No chance.”
Had the fear of death driven him mad.
Michael’s lips twitched upward into a smile.
“I wasn’t wrong.”
“There will be no funeral.”
“I wasn’t wrong…….”
“You’ll likely be processed as missing.”
“If only I had been stronger…….”
“Repent in hell.”
Michael’s breathing stopped.
Humphrey closed his eyes for him.
It was the last kindness he could offer.
“The surroundings have become a complete mess.”
Sigbard tapped the Magic Stone lightly.
Ominous Demonic Energy wavered.
It overflowed with Demonic Energy to the point it felt as if they had stepped into the Demon Realm.
“It would be best not to come near this place for a while.”
“I agree. By the way, you were quite the capable adventurer?”
At Sigbard’s words, Humphrey nodded.
“I operated in hazardous zones.”
“Are all Silver-Ranked Adventurers as strong as you.”
“There’s great variation, so I can’t say for certain, but they are far stronger than Copper-Ranked Adventurers.”
“And you, where do you stand?”
“I cannot compare to either you or Robin.”
Humphrey had not known Robin and Sigbard were this strong.
He had often seen adventurers who could use Fighting Spirit, but it was rare to find someone so young possessing that level of martial prowess.
“We’re done here, so let’s head back.”
“Are you all right, Robin. You seem shaken.”
“I’m fine.”
Nothing was certain yet.
He did not intend to believe everything that came out of Michael’s mouth.
It was a headache, but there was nothing he could do right now.
Robin began walking to look for the pig.
“Squeak. Squeee.”
“Huh? Why are you out here?”
The Rainbow Pig, which should have been trapped inside the cage, was outside.
Moreover, it was brimming with vitality like a fish in water.
‘Don’t tell me?’
As he approached, the suspicion became reality.
The Rainbow Pig was devouring the scattered Magic Stones around it.
“Squeee.”
Its body, once seven-colored, gradually turned purple.
It did not stop there; its body slowly began to grow larger.
‘This is dangerous.’
Sreung.
He had witnessed what happened to those exposed to Demonic Energy.
There was no reason a Monster would be any different.
Preparing for a sudden situation, he drew his sword.
“Robin, wait.”
“It’s devouring all those Magic Stones. It’s dangerous.”
“It’s merely eating.”
It did not appear aggressive.
Even so, he could not simply leave it be.
It was regrettable that he could not sell it for a high price, but he would have no choice but to cut it down.
“Sigbard is right. How about waiting a moment.”
“What if that pig suddenly turns into a giant Monster.”
“I do not sense Demonic Energy from the Magic Stones it consumed.”
At Humphrey’s words, Robin stepped closer.
Indeed, he could not sense any Demonic Energy from within its body.
Instead, it was no longer a Rainbow Pig but entirely dyed purple.
“It looks like it’s about to explode into some insane beast.”
“Squeak. Squeak.”
“And I didn’t even know Rainbow Pigs ate Magic Stones instead of Rainbow Flowers.”
“Squeee!”
As if it understood Robin’s words, the pig squealed loudly.
It was still small enough to be considered a piglet.
It trotted over to Robin and stuck out its rear.
“What are you trying to do.”
“Squeeeit!”
The creature strained.
Sigbard, curious, leaned his face closer.
“Move!”
Robin hastily shoved Sigbard aside, and at the same time.
Pooong.
The pig defecated.