novelraw Chapter 115
Chapter 115
Chapter 115
Kwaaaang—!
At the peak of the Great Jungle stood two beings. The River Serpent and the Orc Great Chieftain Muqiam.
The clash between the two beasts, whose superiority could not be judged, created a deafening roar.
A flash burst as Muqiam’s chipped axe swept across the ground where the River Serpent’s tail had been just moments before. Perhaps it had angered him greatly that his axe continued to strike nothing but the ground. Human-sized sparks erupted from where the axe scraped past, followed by an explosive boom.
The River Serpent, having evaded Muqiam’s attack, did not merely dodge. It swung its tail—larger and thicker than a massive hardwood trunk—like a whip, aiming for the wrist that held the axe.
Swooong—! Kwaaang—!
After the terrifying sound of the colossal tail ripping through the air, another explosion echoed.
This time, the sound had been created not by Muqiam, but by the River Serpent.
After several exchanges between the two beasts, the surrounding terrain had long since been reduced to a wasteland.
The subordinates brought by Muqiam and the River Serpent tangled briefly as if beginning a battle of their own, but before long they withdrew from the battlefield entirely, watching from afar as the two great beings fought.
Those whose judgment had been slower than the rest had already been caught in the battle and reduced to minced meat.
“Krroooor—!”
As the fight dragged on, Muqiam threw away his axe and confronted the serpent bare-handed. It seemed he no longer liked the fact that his axe kept scraping the ground.
His breath snorted out in fierce gusts, so savage that he looked ready to tear the serpent in two the moment an opportunity arose.
“Kieeeee—!”
The River Serpent also bared its blue venomous fangs as if unwilling to lose, roaring back.
After their roars clashed, the battle intensified further.
Soon, the two beasts tangled together and rolled across the ground.
When they rolled once with a crash, Muqiam ended up on top, choking the serpent’s neck.
When they rolled again, the River Serpent wrapped itself tightly around Muqiam as if about to crush his entire body.
Boom, boom, boom! With each exchange between the two beasts, deafening tremors shook the ground and spread throughout the Great Jungle.
With such commotion, not a single creature living within the Great Jungle could ignore this battle.
From the tiniest insect invisible to the naked eye to the solitary predator reigning at the height of the ecosystem—every living being in the jungle sensed the fight between the orc and the serpent.
Some were horrified. For example, the natives of the South.
“Those damned monster bastards are at it again...! Just when I thought things had been quiet for a while... That newly arrived bastard is the problem. He gave them an excuse. Damn it...! What kind of creature walks around carelessly flaunting such overwhelming momentum? Is he crazy and longing for death?”
The tribal chief’s son cautiously offered his thoughts.
“Shouldn’t we use this opportunity to wipe them out?”
“What? Wipe out the orcs and the serpents? Do that and those shamans will jump with joy and come marching straight for us. If we’re lucky, we’ll all die quickly. If we’re unlucky, we’ll be used as test subjects for their foul sorcery and die miserably. Is that what you want?”
Even at his father’s words, the son did not falter. Instead, all the pent-up resentment he had endured burst out.
“Those shamans aren’t anything special, so why must you be so cautious? We’re living hidden up here in the highlands all because of them. We can’t let ourselves be pushed around forever. When you think about it, they’re just ordinary humans who die if stabbed. The warriors of our tribe are strong, Father. We can do it. Leave it to me. I’ll lead the warriors and bring back Kahaad’s head.”
“Stop. It’s true that Kahaad is a bastard whose eyes should all be gouged out and fed to the dogs, but it’s impossible. If the shamans’ power is ten, nine of those come from Kahaad alone. Without him, the shamans are nothing to us. But as long as he exists, we have no chance of victory.”
The chief, continuing his explanation, suddenly looked as if something had occurred to him and spoke urgently.
“...Ah! Yes. This won’t do. My son, go gather the warriors at once. We must depart.”
“Father, at last...! You’ve decided to strike the shamans?”
But the answer he received was not what he expected.
“...No. That’s not it. We shall join the battle of the river and the earth. As long as that Kahaad exists, the balance of this jungle must never be broken. The moment one side collapses, Kahaad will swallow the entire Great Jungle.”
“Then...?”
The chief nodded quietly.
“We intervene. In the battle. So that both of them stop at a reasonable point. It’s impossible to face those monsters head-on, but it should be possible to prevent the exhausted beasts from fighting to the death.”
It was the moment the natives of the Great Jungle—who almost never left their territory—decided to join the conflict started by Yuwon.
At the same time, elsewhere—
The shamans, such as Kahaad, rejoiced at the appearance of a new amusement in their dull daily lives.
“Yes, that’s it. That’s exactly it! This fellow... he doesn’t know how to handle the Sixth Sense! That’s why he can’t hide his momentum! Even while fleeing from battle, his momentum is leaking everywhere. It’s obvious!”
And as far as Kahaad knew, there was only one kind of creature with this level of power yet unable to control even its own intuition.
“This one is neither beast-man nor dragon-kin. He’s simply human, a human...! How can a human possess such power...? I suspected it, but he might really be a hatchling raven...!”
Kahaad realized he had been thinking wrong from the beginning. If this newcomer who fell from the sky and became the center of all events was truly an ordinary ‘human’, then he absolutely could not let him slip away.
‘All the more reason I cannot let him become a meal for those incomprehensible beasts.’
Kahaad raised his voice, urging on the shamans who followed him.
“Children, increase your speed! Do not let him die at the hands of a beast.”
“Yes—! We shall keep that in mind!”
What began as curiosity had become greed. In Kahaad’s unfocused, blind eyes, greed gleamed brightly.
The River Serpent and Muqiam, who had been rolling as one tangled mass, pulled apart and glared at each other from a distance.
The jungle, once filled with explosions and thunderous roars, fell silent again.
“Krurur...”
“Tsut— tszuzuz—”
A short or long span—ten minutes of fierce struggle passed before the two beasts stepped back from each other at an acceptable point and ended the battle.
The serpent and the orc—
The serpent and the orc.
Contrary to many worries, the battle between the river and the land ended before reaching its conclusion.
In truth, the two beasts had shared a single target from the start — Yuwon.
They had only tangled briefly because both, so naturally belligerent, sought the same prey. It was Yuwon who had driven those two sluggish monstrosities into motion in the first place.
Now, Yuwon was busy leading his companions away from the heart of the Great Jungle.
Neither Muqiam nor the River Serpent could possibly be unaware of this, and soon, a dramatic truce was struck between the two monsters.
They had only brawled a little upon seeing each other’s hated faces after so long, but in this jungle, the one who devoured first was the victor.
The two apex predators of the Great Jungle understood this well, and their rivalry swiftly shifted into a race over who would capture Yuwon first.
“Kuwoooaaargh—!”
“Krwoar, Kuoooo!”
At Muqiam’s roar, the orc warriors charged forward, chasing Yuwon’s trail. Meanwhile, the serpents that followed the River Serpent silently slithered across the ground after him. Just as they sensed Yuwon’s presence, Yuwon could feel them approaching as well.
‘Damn it... Why did they stop fighting... They’re fast... Far too fast. At this rate, I’ll be caught before long.’
Facing not one but two foes he wasn’t even sure he could handle individually — along with their countless subordinates — Yuwon needed no reminder that they weren’t pursuing him with good intentions. He had to decide, and fast.
‘Since it’s come to this...’
Yuwon, who had been running ahead, suddenly came to a stop. His companions, following close behind, halted instinctively as well.
“Your Highness?”
“...?”
Then came Yuwon’s bombshell declaration.
“I’ll hold them off here. You go on ahead.”
“Y-Your Highness...! What do you mean by that all of a sudden!”
“Yurion, you...!”
“Your Highness, how could we possibly leave you behind and run—”
He already knew what they would say. Yet Yuwon had no leisure to listen — their enemies were drawing near even now.
“Enough. That’s an order. I’ll stop them here. Follow Hastings’ lead and get to safety. Head toward the outer edge of the jungle — he knows the terrain well. If that’s not enough, then in the worst case, borrow the power of Count Valaris. For now... survive.”
“Your Highness...”
“Did I not say this is an order! Go, now!”
Yuwon, who rarely raised his voice, did so this time to urge his companions onward. Understanding his intent, Bernid stepped in to help.
“Let’s go. If we stay here, we’ll just get taken hostage and drag him down. That Yurion brat will find a way to survive.”
“Still...”
‘Damn it... Am I truly of no help to His Highness at all...?’
Terrien cursed inwardly at his own uselessness, while Hastings gazed at Yuwon with wordless sorrow.
“...”
Yuwon didn’t need words to know what Terrien and Hastings were thinking. With a faint, knowing smile, he sent them off.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be right behind you. That’s how you can help me. And... I entrust those two to you, brother.”
At Yuwon’s words, Bernid gave a bitter smile.
“Only at times like this do you call me brother... Fine. The three of us will survive somehow, so you’d better... come find us again. We’ll be waiting.”
Bernid’s eyes, his tone, even the way he nodded — all of it eased Yuwon’s heart just a little.
‘Hastings and Terrien are already strong enough to survive in an ordinary world. Still, leaving just the two of them alone feels... risky. With Bernid there, they’ll be fine.’
Feeling reassured at last, Yuwon gave his companions a bright smile.
“Then... I’ll see you soon.”
“Yes... we will...”
The three hastened their steps once more. Soon, Yuwon stood alone, turning his gaze from their retreating figures back toward the depths of the Great Jungle. His eyes were calm — so calm they seemed frozen over.
‘If I think about it, coming here was probably a mistake... So why... why does my heart feel so alive?’
Stepping into the heart of the Great Jungle of his own will was as close to suicide as one could get. Yuwon knew that well enough.
But there was one thing the jungle’s creatures did not know. They had no idea what kind of prey they were chasing.
A man born under the Heavenly Slaughter Star, who had died once, and in his new life, had even been branded as an Evil God.
Belligerence was not theirs alone. The beast buried deep within Yuwon’s soul had awakened.
‘To throw myself to the brink of death just to feel alive again... I truly am cursed with a reckless fate.’
Even he found his choice laughable and smiled faintly.
Then, beyond his gaze, the silhouettes of two enormous beasts appeared.
Blue flames flickered within Yuwon’s azure eyes — the Azure Flame.
A new predator had appeared in the Great Jungle’s hierarchy.