Chapter 171. Fight for The Holy Land (1)

Translator: Seven ED: Sasha

1.

There were people who compared the sight of people losing their lives in war to 'flowers blooming beautifully'. But I'm certain that those people have never been on the battlefield before.

-Ohhhh!

-Push the gate! Push it down!

-Krrng, krrk!

Countless sounds rushed into our ears like the buzzing of mosquitoes. Crack! Right beside us, a huge ax crushed an armored soldier.

The sound of flesh splitting. The screech of iron breaking. The moans and groans of the injured. On this battlefield, lives were extinguished like popping bubbles in a hot swamp.

"—Wait a minute. What's going on?"

The Black Dragon Master spoke with a shocked expression. She wasn't shocked because of the cruelty of the battlefield. She was shocked by the fact that we'd suddenly appeared in the center of one.

"Milady, what's going… She's gone. Did a quest window pop up for anyone?"

"It didn't."

"Same here!"

"How unkind."

The Black Dragon Master clicked her tongue.

"Is she telling us to figure out this situation on our own? Although his personality was a bit strange, [The Librarian] was a kind constellation…. Hah. Everyone, let's fly up and check this war situation from the air. That should be better."

Taht, the Black Dragon Master tapped on the ground with her foot.

"Huh?"

However, her body didn't fly into the air.

The Black Dragon Master furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"…What's going on? I can't fly?"

It was as she said.

We were able to fly freely in the 31st and 32nd floors. This made it possible for us to observe everything from a bird's eye view. Maybe you could say it felt like we'd transcended.

'The real fight starts now.'

I understood the meaning behind this surprising situation.

'Rather, this is pretty good. Regardless of whether it's a skill or an ability, if you grow too reliant on it, your skill as a hunter would deteriorate. Even if there are any accidents, in the worst case, I'll just go back in time.'

I looked around.

Currently, we were still invisible like before. The body parts and blood that flew through the air passed freely through our bodies. Naturally, it wasn't a pleasant experience to have someone's bloodied organs flying through our bodies, but—

"It's not just one or two races participating in this battle."

If we focused, it was easy for us to observe what was happening around us.

"The humans, elves, sprites… it's a multi-race alliance. They seem to be fighting against each other, but they also seem to be on the same side. Each race is in charge of a different army branch. The humans form a shield wall and take the position of infantry, while the elves are the archers… the sprites are the cavalry."

I narrowed my eyes.

"The vampires are acting as aerial units. Mm. I can't see the mermaids, but it seems that all the races that were once enslaved by the snails are a part of this allied army."

"Then the enemy…."

"Yes."

I nodded.

"There's a nine out of ten chance that it's the snails."

Uohhh!

The allied army gradually pushed forward little by little. It was difficult to understand exactly how the battle was progressing because we were surrounded by soldiers, but we could tell that the situation was gradually changing.

"This won't do. If we stay here, we'll see nothing but corpses."

The Black Dragon Master grabbed my hand.

"I'll go scout with the Death King. It'll be hard to gather together if we all scatter, so you guys wait here. Is that fine with you, Death King?"

I realized what the Black Dragon Master wanted to do. Space Transfer Technique. The Black Dragon Master intended to scout using her special skill. This skill allowed her to transfer not only herself, but another party. The only limitation was that [the other party had to agree to use the skill].

"Yes."

"Good."

Black aura leaked from the Black Dragon Master's body and latched onto my wrist.

"Transfer!"

The next moment, we were in the air, looking down at the thousands of soldiers that crawled beneath us like a swarm of insects. When we began to be dragged down by gravity, the Black Dragon Master used her skill again.

"Transfer!"

And we stopped falling for a while.

"…you don't intend to use Space Transfer every time we're about to fall, do you?"

"We can't fly, so I don't have a choice. Transfer. During my long career as a Hunter, transfer, what I realized was, transfer, a skill is like a muscle, the more you use it, the easier it is. Transfer."

"Wow, that's really not cool…."

"Can being cool feed you? Transfer. I'm busy using my skill, so pay attention to the situation on the ground."

"Sure."

I quickly achieved a state of 'empty mind', and carefully observed the war below.

"Huh."

I was immediately struck by a sense of deja vu.

"This place seems familiar…."

"Right. I also felt like this place is familiar for some reason."

"This isn't a civil war, it's a siege."

As we expected, the ones fighting the snails were the ones fighting the allied forces. The snails had set up a fortified camp at the entrance of a large cave which seemed to only have a wall and a gate.

"……Isn't that Rimepolis?"

The city where the historic slave escape had occurred.

Now, the races that were no longer slaves were attacking.

2.

"They called it the Holy Land."

The Sword Saint said.

We all shared the information we collected.

"I heard the conversation of some soldiers in the humans' barracks. They said that they will definitely take the Holy Land in this expedition. Judging from the fact that they said [this] expedition, I don't think this is the first time they've attack Rimepolis."

"Ahh. From what I've heard, this is the 6th expedition."

The Venomous Snake raised his hand.

"The alliance army was formed hundreds of years ago to deal with the Rime Empire. Most of the empire has already been destroyed, and I heard that Rimepolis is the only base that has yet to fall."

"Holy Land…. Another annoying phrase."

The Black Dragon Master pressed her palm to her forehead, her expression sour.

"If I had to pick the three words I hate to hear the most in the world, they would be terror, holy land, and heretic. Ahh. In the early days in the Tower, all kinds of heretics went around screaming [The Tower is the Holy Land! It is the Tower of Babel that God gave to us]…."

"It was the [Church of Neo-Babylonians]."

The Crusader folded her arms.

"In all honesty, they were just weaklings. I remembered the heretics going crazy and screaming [This place is R'lyeh(1)]."

I tilted my head to the side.

"R'lyeh? What's that?"

"I don't know the details either. Something about a city that appeared in a novel, but sank into the pacific ocean."

"The Tower isn't in the pacific ocean, is it?"

The Tower was everywhere and nowhere.

To put it simply, the tower that was seen from the outside world was more like a miracle.

Regardless of where you were, you would be able to see the shadow of the Tower on the horizon. Regardless of whether you were in Seoul or Busan, Korea or Chile, you could see the Tower anytime, anywhere.

As if it was seducing you to run to it.

"There are heretics who truly believed the novel. Don't expect them to think logically. Just so you know, many of those heretics are still active in the Ten Thousand Temple."

"Eh. Is that really okay? They're all psychopaths."

"Now you understand why we entrust the Ten Thousand Temple to the Heretic Questioner. Death King. The only one who can rule over crazy people is someone crazier than them." (TL: Pfft)

"Indeed…."

The Ten Thousand Temple was more impressive than I thought.

The Black Dragon Master sighed.

"The most efficient method was to leave all of those issues to the Heretic Questioner… I'm sure we suffered a loss by doing this. But in the end, they were useful, but unnecessary."

The battle paused for a while.

The battlefield, which was extremely fierce during the day, became quiet as the sun began to set. As a cool night breeze blew over, the multi-race alliance began to prepare their dinner.

"How could a place like this be considered a Holy Land……."

"It's only natural for it to be considered a Holy Land."

I said.

"This is the land where all the guardian deities of the seven races descended. It wouldn't make sense if they didn't regard this place as a holy land. From the snails to the humans, mermaids, sprites, and elves. This is a Holy Land for every race."

The Sword Saint nodded.

"The snails are trying to defend this place, and the other races are trying to capture it."

"More importantly, this is the only city that remains of the empire… This makes it difficult for either side to back down."

The multi-race alliance had a history of being oppressed as slaves by the snails. So faith, resentment, and politics were all mixed. This was something that could be solved easily.

"Ugh."

The Black Dragon Master groaned.

"It's strange. I knew something like this would happen, so I constantly reminded those vampire kids. There is no god in this world, and even if there is a god, it's not me. Did they forget my teachings…?"

"Uh. I did something similar."

The Black Dragon Master's words caught my attention.

"What did you spend your points on Black Dragon Master?"

"[Race Evolution]."

Huh.

I was almost certain the Black Dragon Master would act like a squirrel and save all her points.

"You made a big investment. I'm surprised."

"……."

The Black Dragon Master stared at my face with a dumbfounded expression before letting out a sigh.

"……I overheard what item you were going to pick."

"Huh?"

"I said I decided to follow your choice. I'm not sure about it, but you chose it. I figured it must be a good item, so I chose the same thing."

"Eh. But aren't you copying me too much?"

"So noisy. There's nothing wrong with using other people for reference."

"Wow, I admire your shamelessness… Vampires are basically intelligent bats. I wonder how they changed after they evolved."

"I don't know. Maybe they'll only change a bit?"

"Shh."

The Crusader raised her hand and pointed to one side of the military camp.

"It's getting noisy over there."

We shut up immediately. As the Crusader said, there was a commotion in the allied army's camp. The soldiers, who were happily eating their dinner, quickly swallowed the rest of their bread before rushing over.

"Let's go too."

We quickly gathered around the Black Dragon Master as she prepared to transfer. "I feel like I've suddenly become a mama pig…" Although she complained, she knew this was the fastest method.

The entrance of the military camp.

Hundreds of warriors were lined up here. They were warriors of a race that didn't look like the mermaids, vampires, humans, sprites or elves.

The commander of the humans called out.

-Warriors of the Wet Lands. What brings you here? We are allies who made a sacred pact of past resentment. Do not invade this place with swords and spears.

-Ugor.

The leader of the warriors bowed his head slightly.

-I am Gerkesa, a Great Warrior ranked 73rd in the Fire River Council and the leader of this expedition. My ancestors are the ones who dug up rock salt in Rimepolis. You can rest assured, our swords have not yet been pointed at you.

They were goblins.

Riding atop a lion, the leader of the group approached the allied camp.

-Expedition? The people of the Wet Lands declared that they would not participate in this war.

-We said that we would not join your expedition.

The goblin warrior spoke calmly.

-Although a bit late, the council has decided to participate in this war.

-What did you say? War?

-Ugor. As one of the nobles representing the council, I came to inform you of this decision. Let it be known that we have no intention of betraying or surprising you.

Heh.

It was at that moment that I really felt that 600 years had passed.

'Their way of talking has become very sophisticated.'

Even in the previous stage, the unique pronunciations of the goblins remained the same. At the end of each sentence, they often said words like 'gork'. However, there were barely any traces of that in the warrior's speech. The pronunciation also became a bit fuller as 'gor' became closer to 'ugor'.

-No… Is the way they talk really the problem here…?

Bae Hu-ryeong muttered from behind me.

-These guys have really grown a lot!

He was right.

The goblins, who used to be as tall as dwarves, had nearly doubled in size. Now, they were as tall as or even taller than the humans.

'[Race Evolution] worked well.'

They were larger than humans but smaller than orcs.

-Krrr.

He even rode on a lion that was larger than him. The lion sniffed and glared at the human commander, causing him to take a step back.

-Don't worry.

The goblin patted the lion's mane.

-This child is a good friend. Relax.

-No… what do you mean by participating in a war? Do you mean that you intend to take the side of the snails and fight against our expedition? Make it clear. Are you the envoy who has come to declare war?!

-I swear on the names of Kekerkker and Gorke. I am not.

Even if he swore on Kekerkker, did he have to swear on Gorke too?

Little brat. It seems he became really successful.

-We are only here in the name of god to prevent evil crimes from being committed.

-Crimes…? Evil crimes?

-That's right. You are all making a mistake. The guardian gods never wanted us to destroy the snail race. In the era of the great escape, the guardians turned away from us when we tried to retaliate against the snails. The meaning of that is clear.

The goblin smiled fiercely.

-A war beyond this is no longer honorable, nor is it sacred. Just as it was wrong of the snails to whip us like that, it is also wrong of us to destroy the snails' last sanctuary.

-What…

-In other words, the vengeance for those who were bound in chains has already been dealt with.

The Great Warrior of the goblin race continued.

-Stop the fighting. We are here to end this old war.

Chapter 172. Fight for The Holy Land (2)

Translator: Seven ED: Sasha

The allied army started to make a fuss.

-End the old war…?

-They don't want to destroy the snails.

And it wasn't a good fuss. Instead, the commanders of the other races, who were listening at the side, all began to vent their anger towards the goblins.

-That means they're siding with the slavers.

-That's a bunch of bullshit!

-That's probably why they were hesitating to participate in the war!

-They probably waited until both armies were weak and tired before coming to make their move. It's possible that the snails asked them for help. Aren't you guys ashamed to face the spirits of your ancestors?

Criticism poured in like a flood.

But the goblin warriors didn't even bat an eyelid.

-It doesn't matter what you say. We have boldly revealed our intentions. The Fire River Council held 12 small meetings and 6 large ones. And our consensus at the end was that [This war which will lead to the extinction of the snails goes beyond simple revenge].

-Traitors!

-You should put chains around your ankles again!

-Wait a minute.

Flap.

Hundreds of bats, who were hanging from the fence that was built around the camp, spread their wings. Then, one of them flew down and transformed into a humanoid form. A vampire wearing a dark cloak. That was the evolutionary form of the bloodsucking race.

-I am Karajan of the Blood Forest. Commander of 1,600 elite soldiers. My ancestors lived on the roof of Rimepolis and my grandfather and grandmother were great warriors in the last expedition.

The Black Dragon Master shook. Although she'd expected it to an extent, the evolution of her own race took her by surprise.

-Warriors of the Wet Lands. You were the first to escape Rimepolis in the era of the Great Escape. You were the first to pick up your stone axes, but when we had the chance to destroy the snails once and for all, you turned your backs.

A noble of the bloodsucking race, a bloodsucking noble, bared his fangs.

-According to the legends, the snail pursuers also let you go for some reason.

-…….

-I can't help but feel suspicious. You, who refused to participate in any of the expeditions, have now appeared before us and cried for the war to stop. Why does it feel like you made a secret pact with the snails a long time ago?

-It has been more than half a millennium since that time. It was thanks to the achievements of Kekerkker and his apostle Gorke that we defeated the snails' pursuit. The apostle Gorke, climbed onto the back of Kekerkker and defeated 13 snail warriors in a row in one on one combat.

Hey.

'Our Gorke was appointed as an apostle?'

For some reason, I felt happy and sad. He was a kid who called me a demon, and said he didn't want to get hit by me. But now he has left his name in history.

-Impressed by their ability, the commander of the snails retreated with his army.

-Heh. How impressive.

The vampire sneered.

-The honorable duel of the noble prophet and the admiration of his adversary. That is indeed a heroic tale that can be sung in legends. I don't know if it's just me, but I feel like that was more like [A pact between two sides] rather than [Impressing the enemy].

The expression of the goblin commander changed slightly.

-……it was by no means an honorable duel. Kekerkker has a cruel and vicious side. He forced Gorke, who didn't want to fight, to participate.

Huh?

-The apostle Gorke made a request to us even upon death. Kekerkker is not our god. Instead, he is a friend who wants to help us. But because he has a dirty mouth and a foul temper, he's not a friend you should keep close.

Huh?

-That's right. To put it simply, Kekerkker is a bad friend.

-How can you call your god a bad friend? That's blasphemy!

The human commander shouted loudly. However, the solemn expression of the great warrior dispatched by the goblins didn't change.

-That's what the lore says. The names that are used to refer to Kekerkker are [Foul-mouthed Lion, [The one who loves to hit with their hands, and [Believer of education through violence].

"……."

The other hunters slowly turned to look at me.

Uhhh…

I could tell from their expressions, their gazes. It was like they were all suspicious of me and were inwardly criticizing me. It had been a long time since I'd received these kinds of gazes from my companions

"Death King…."

The Black Dragon Master opened her mouth.

"You… I didn't think you were that kind of person. Have you been beating up these children when we weren't looking? I'm shocked. To be honest, I'm very shocked."

"…it's said that a person's true self is revealed when they become parents and have to raise children."

The Crusader looked at me with a sharp gaze.

"How bad were you to the goblins to have lore like that passed down? Death King. How many times did you hit that goblin's small boy? I hope you reflect…."

"No, no, no. Wait a minute! Stop! Hold on!"

I waved my hands violently from side to side.

"It's not like that! I'm not violent! You know that!"

"Well. You had to do something right…? Otherwise, such words wouldn't have been passed down."

"I did hit him! But I did it while using the [Dream Possession] item. It was in the item. The item! No matter how much he got hit in the dream, he wouldn't get any injuries. So I used the quickest method to teach him aura……."

"Oh my god. Did you try to kill the goblin in its dreams?"

The Crusader asked with wide eyes. My other companions also murmured softly.

"Leaving no injuries on his body is different from mental scarring. Mental injuries could be many times more serious. Moreover, education through violence…."

"[Foul-mouthed Lion]…."

"[The one who loves to hit with their hands]…."

"[Believer of education through violence]…."

"No, wait a minute. Seriously, that makes me sound bad, but it wasn't like that! I can't tell you exactly how it was, but I assure you it wasn't that bad! Really! I was just making sure the little blinnies didn't lose their culture. You have to believe me"

"Typical self-explanation…."

"Just like in domestic violence cases…."

Ahh, ahhh!

My reputation! My image was being tainted!

My precious image that I could be relied on at any time, anywhere, and that I was reliable, kind and competent!

-Hey. Who are you talking about…?

'Me of course.'

-You really are a crazy bastard….

While my image was being shattered, the leaders of the allied army were also looking at the goblin great warrior in shock.

-It's well known that the descendants of the rock salt miners have gone crazy….

-How could they treat their god like that? Are they out of their minds?

-As expected, we can't mix with these weirdos.

Well. It seemed the goblins also had a strange image.

That wasn't my fault, was it? No. I don't think… Maybe?

-Ugor.

The goblin great warrior sighed.

-We have conveyed the intentions of the council. I do not care if you accept us or not. However, keep in mind that we are here to end this war. Whether it's the snail race or another race, we will not sit back and watch them be annihilated.

-Hoh! Do you think you can do whatever you want?!

-We always do whatever we want.

After saying those words, the goblin turned his lion around.

-Keep in mind. We are just the vanguard. The Chairman of the Council is directly leading the main unit. The Rain Drinking Lions and the Fire Loving Warriors are all on their way. You ought to be afraid.

Then he said to his subordinates.

-Let's go.

The goblin warriors moved as one, leaving the allied army with frustrated expressions. If they wanted to stop them, they would have to fight, but there would be no benefit fighting forces that were neither allies nor enemies. The allied army could only furrow their brows as they watched the goblins who were doing this and that.

-No.

Then.

-Those guys…?

As they looked at the goblins, the allied army suddenly erupted. Even their leaders were shocked.

-TH-, they're building a camp there?!

In the place between the camps of the allied army and the snails.

The goblin warriors settled down in a place that would allow them to reach either side in an instant.

-Uug. The viscosity of the dirt here is not bad.

-It's just sticky enough.

-I'm tired from marching. Do my back for me.

A stream flowed through the plains, and beside it were roughly 400 goblins kneading the mud on its banks. They pressed the mud to each other's backs and carved intricate patterns on their bodies. It was a leisurely and relaxed scene similar to that of a group on vacation. One would never have expected to see such a scene on the battlefield.

Those who didn't know anything might think they were just there to hang out.

"How shameless…"

"Somehow, I feel like this is familiar…."

"I feel like I've seen this somewhere before…?"

The hunters beside me began to look back and forth between me and the goblins.

I couldn't tell why.

I've done nothing but good things for those kids.

-Move as soon as you pick a number.

After their bath, two goblin warriors left the camp.

One faced the allied army.

The other faced the snails.

Only two warriors stood, blocking the paths of two armies.

-Ugor.

The goblin warrior looked at the allied army while holding a greatsword.

It was as though he was telling them they would have to get past him to go forward.

-Those, those……!

Realizing the meaning behind his action and gaze, the leaders of the allied army were indignant.

-Those rude bastards! Do they really think we wouldn't dare to fight them one on one?!

-The goblins are always like that! They talk like nobles, but their actions are barbaric!

-We are the knights who are upholding the holy will of the guardians. How dare these noisy mongrels who mock their god block our way?!

-Send fighters! Sending one of our fighters is more than enough!

Soon after, an elf fighter got onto a white horse and stepped out.

-Mold bastard! I will bury your smelly corpse in the ground today!

When he saw the elf standing before him, the goblin warrior called out.

-My name is Murmu. Descendant of Kekerkker and the great warrior Gorgir of the Great Escape. I'm ranked 631st among the warriors of the Fiver River Council. What is your name?

-I don't need to tell you my na-…!

At that moment, the goblin warrior threw his greatsword.

The huge sword flew through the air like a windmill.

-me?!

Shocked, the elf barely managed to raise his twin swords in time. Clang! With an explosive sound, the fairy was sent flying. He had blocked the blade, but the force of the attack was so great that he couldn't negate its momentum.

-C-, cough!?

Unable to even perform a proper landing, the elf let out a cough before trying to get to his feet. However, the goblin was already approaching while riding on his lion. The lion stepped on the elf's shoulders with its front paws.

-Hee….

-Not revealing your name and that of your ancestors shows that you lack etiquette. Ugor.

Puk!

The goblin then controlled his lion to step on the elf's head. After the head of the elf disappeared, the lion swiped its paw across the ground before letting out a roar.

The duel had ended in an instant.

-Neigh!

The white horse, which had lost its owner, cried out and pitifully ran to the other side of the plain. Or at least it tried to,

-Neigh?!

One of the goblin soldiers suddenly threw a spear into the horse's chest. The plains instantly became quiet. The goblin then rushed to the horse and dragged it back.

When the allied army stared at them with blank expressions, the goblin realized they had done something embarrassing and bowed their heads politely.

-Sorry. I'm a bit hungry….

-…….

-I thought it would be a waste to just let it run away like that. Meat is precious. Or at least, that's what I think. Go back to fighting.

And with that, he leisurely returned to the goblin camp.

He had been perfectly polite when he bowed his head.

-…….

The allied army found it hard to close their mouths.

-That…….

-Cheap bastard!

-I never thought there was such an ignorant bastard in the world!

-He threw his sword in an honorable duel! Is that what you call a warrior?!

-If you think it's unfair, throw your swords too. Ugor.

The warrior who killed the elf scrunched his nose.

-And we've always been like this.

-What?

-We learn aura from a young age, and the big brothers who teach us it, beat us up. We are originally a weak and ugly race, so if we don't want to die, we have to learn how to use aura. They beat us to the point where we wished we were dead, but they were so skillful at beating that we couldn't die. By getting hit over and over, we learned how to use aura.

Choosing one of the older brothers and beating them up instead was the process to be recognized as an adult.

The goblin warrior looked at the sunset sky.

His bright eyes seemed to contain sorrow that couldn't be expressed in words.

-Even a council member like me can't believe that there is such an ignorant race in the world….

-…….

-But it can't be helped. This is for the best. There is no method more effective at teaching aura than the pain of death. This is the teaching that Kekerkker gave to the apostle Gorke over 600 years ago.

The warrior murmured.

-We call this the [Shibal Aura Training Method] modeled after Kekerkker's manner of speech. It's really crazy.(TL: You should know by now… ED: dies laughing)

Behind him, the other goblin warriors all shouted out.

-Friendship instead of reverence! Trust instead of faith!

-Shibal!

-Shibul!

The warrior nodded.

-The river of our race is deep and wide. There are no gods in this world, just bad friends. So we have to do our best. We have no choice but to do our best. Those who were once bound in chains with us. Stop destroying the snails.

-…….

-Otherwise, you will lose.

The plains became silent.

I was also silent.

But my companions weren't silent

"That's the Death King…."

"Definitely the Death King…."

"Death King, why are you over there?"

"When did you grow your teeth and paint your skin green, Death King?"

Wait a minute.

Was there something wrong with my image?

Chapter 173. Fight for The Holy Land (3)

Translator: Seven

'Why is it like this….'

Was this some kind of karma that parents had to bear? If the parents are good, the children will be good, and if the parents are bad, the children will also be bad.

Ah, Raviel. It would probably be best if we didn't have children. I wasn't sure if I could endure it. Imagining a child that looked like Raviel coming up to me and saying, 'Daddy, shibal!'.

Huh?

'Now that I think about it, isn't that kind of cute?'

–Crazy bastard… I really want to know if something is wrong with this bastard's brain…

'Race Status open.'

While imagining a happy future, I checked on the status of the newly evolved goblins.

[Goblin Race]

Extinction Grade: C (Slight Risk)

Proverb: 'We are fire.'

Political System: Republican

Description: What the hell is going on? The Goblin Race suddenly experienced an astonishing evolution. The Goblin Race has developed a very interesting civilisation. It is the [Aura Civilisation].

For the Goblins, an adult is defined as none other than [A person who is capable of using Aura]. Politicians, artists, warriors. Regardless of their occupation, their success is determined on whether they can use aura or not.

As soon as a Goblin masters Aura, they join the council on the day of the next full moon. The Fire River Council is made up of every adult in the Goblin Race, and they are the ones who decide what actions the race takes. In the Goblin Race, everyone uses aura, even ordinary [civilians] and [doctors].

The ranking of the council is dependent on how skilled they are at using aura. The person who ranks number 1 in the council, or the most proficient aura user in the Goblin Race, is elected as Council Chairman.

'Shibal Gor.' (TL: Romanising it because the goblins wouldn't know the korean meaning)

Or in other words, the strongest member of the Goblin Race.

On the nights when the surroundings are quiet and the moon is full, the Goblins gather together. The meeting time of the Goblins is at night when their ugly appearances can be hidden by the darkness. Intoxicated by the cool night air, the Goblins solemnly discuss the fate of their race.

'Chairman. I don't believe that solution will work no matter what.'

'Shall we fight then?"

'Let's fight.'

'Bring it on.'

'Here I come.'

Despite all the citizens gathering together to decide, the Fire River Council boasts amazing efficiency. This might be possible because the Chairman was the strongest warrior in the entire race.

I can't believe there is such an ignorant and battle hungry race.

If this race was created by someone, then I think they need to take some time to reflect!

Traits: [Republican Tradition, [Bad Friend Doctrine, [Method to pass on the Shibal Aura Training Method, [Fire Painting, [Legacy of Records, [Reverence towards Victory]

Evolutions: Unknown. There is one chance for evolution left.

Aliases: Hobgoblin, etc.

Um.

Umm.

Right.

I smiled inwardly.

'Hey. The goblins evolved into hobgoblins! That's great!'

–Zombie. Is that really something you should be happy about right now?

'Shit, how did this happen…?!'

I held my head in my hands.

'I just wanted to help them so that they wouldn't lose [Fire Painting] and point [Greed] is a positive direction!'

-I guess the positive direction for them was idolizing your bullying.

'Th-, that's not it. My teaching method was not wrong. Now that I think about it, hundreds of goblins have become aura users, haven't they? It's possible that there are even thousands. That's amazing, isn't it? It's awesome. It's a mistake, but it's a happy mistake. As expected of me.'

-A parent who failed to raise his children properly is still looking for self justification… crazy bastard….

I looked at the goblins' traits. 600 years was a long time. In that time, they had acquired a few traits that I'd never seen before.

For example [Republican Tradition]

[Republican Tradition]

Category: Politics

Origin: [Fire Painting]

설명: The Goblin Race created a republic. This republican system originated from the unique [funeral] of the Goblin Race.

In the past, when a clan member died, the Goblins gathered in an underground cavern and held a meeting. The underground cavern was very dark, which made it impossible to tell one Goblin from the other. Although the Goblins only held funerals in this way to avoid the surveillance and oppression of the Snail Race, they unintentionally created a [veil of anonymity].

In the dark.

The Goblins could discuss freely.

'How did this person die?'

History.

'Did this person live correctly?'

Judgment.

'How should we respond to this death?'

Morality.

'Is Kekerkker a lion bastard or a dog bastard?'

Philosophy.

As time went by, the Goblins began to discuss not just the dead, but also the living. After escaping the underground cave, the meetings were held every evening. Naturally, the issues agreed upon at these meetings were regarded as the consensus of the entire Goblin Race, and they were later referred to as the council.

Unlike other councils, eloquence wasn't so important here.

'Ugor. Regretfully, it seems that there is a significant difference of opinion between us.'

'If one of us beats up the other, that difference will certainly disappear.'

'That's an excellent solution.'

Respecting the strong!

In a sense, the council was still the place to hold funerals!

※However, this trait can change depending on how history progresses.

"……."

It got mixed up.

I was pretty sure that something, somewhere… had gotten mixed up.

'They respect the strong, but it's not a dictatorship. They have a council, but the rankings are determined by strength instead of eloquence. What the hell? Something, something's not right with that….'

-Isn't this the result of your teaching?

Bae Hu-ryeong clicked his tongue.

–Their foreign policy also seems to be the same. [We will use our fists instead of talking]. Or [We'll talk, but we'll use our fists anyway]. This is perfect. They are exactly like Kim Zombie.

'This… is what I'm truly like…?'

-It's said that parents learn who they truly are while raising children .

Shock.

It seems that I might be more muscle headed than I thought.

"Hmm. The Death King's race is really good at fighting."

The Sword Saint looked out at the plains.

"It's already been the third round, but the goblins have yet to change their fighter. Although the gap in their martial arts ability isn't that large, they seem to be quite proficient at using aura."

As the Sword Saint said, the duels continued. The allied army and the goblin army both sent out fighters in turn. But until now, it was the goblins, who had yet to change fighter, that were victorious.

The Black Dragon Master muttered.

"You're right. I thought that even if they looked different, they were just goblins. But their use of aura is quite sophisticated."

"Huhu."

"…Death King, why are you suddenly doing a shoulder dance? I don't want to see that, so please stop. As the person in charge of your look, it's quite disappointing to see that."

"The children are doing so well, so my shoulders were moving on their own. More than that, Black Dragon Master. Speaking of my look, why do I have to wear this black leather outfit? How should I say this… It makes me look like I have 8th Grade Syndrome. When I searched on the internet, I found a lot of people criticizing my outfit…."

"It's fine. You look good in leather."

"Are you sure it's not just because you like it?"

"No way."

The Black Dragon Master spoke in a calm manner as if she had no idea what I was talking about.

"I objectively picked out an outfit that I think suits you. There were absolutely no ulterior motives."

My suspicions deepened together with the day.

-These damned mold bastards!

The leaders of the allied armies grit their teeth. They were filled with shame. They had fought for an entire night but the results weren't good.

-For every 4 allied soldiers that die, only 1 goblin dies.

A vampire lamented.

-Since they're the vanguard, I'm sure they picked elite soldiers… but the ratio is severely lopsided

The leaders of the multi race alliance army were furious.

-The situation is the same on the snails' side. Shit. They basically placed a wall in the middle of the battlefield….

-Are we going to keep putting up with those molds' tricks?! We are on our way to the Holy Land! We are supported by the wills of the gods! Let's ignore those molds and drive the entire army forward for an all out attack!

-So you want us to declare all out war on the goblins? That's stupid.

-What? How is it stupid?

-If we were to give in to our emotions and rush forward, the snails would be the only ones who benefit. Didn't the molds say it already? They are just the vanguard. The Chairman of the Council, the King of the goblins, is the one leading the main army. According to the tradition, the Great Goblin King is a monster capable of blocking a river and catching fire with his bare hands. If we are attacked by them we will have no chance.

The vampire commander grumbled bitterly.

-The snails at the front, and the goblins behind… We would be wiped out. Fortunately, the snails are probably facing the same dilemma. So it's a deadlock.

-Hmph. Then what should we do?!

The sprite commander grit his teeth as he said that. The sprites were the ones who had been enslaved by the snails the longest. So the hatred they had was much more than the others.

-We pushed all the way to Rimepolis and gave up just before capturing it? Don't you all know how much this expedition cost? Should we just return to our countries and say that we couldn't do it? Ridiculous. What would you say to our soldiers who willingly gave their lives and served the people? Are you guys still generals?!

-…….

The other commanders remained silent.

The next day was the same. And the day after that too. There were times when goblin soldiers died, but there were usually three allied soldiers or snails to accompany them in death.

In the end, the goblins achieved their goal of [Blocking the battle between the Allied Army and the Snails].

Finally, on the fourth day.

-Ugor.

Hundreds of goblins sniffed at the same time.

-The wind smells like mud.

In the four days that they'd been there, about one hundred goblin soldiers died. This group of warriors, which was a bit smaller than before, all turned their heads to look at the horizon.

-I missed that earthy smell.

-It's a smell that makes you want to roll your body in it and taste it with your mouth.

-The smell of Guru.

Their sense of smell was right.

After a while, an army slowly crested the horizon.

There were about three thousand soldiers, all riding on lions. Strange tattoos were engraved not only on the bodies of the warriors, but also on the lions beneath them. Maybe it was because of that, but from a distance, the markings seemed to be moved across their skin like tentacles.

-Buuuuu.

A warrior at the front of the army blew a trumpet. Only then did the allied army and the snail troops garrisoned in Rimepolis notice the army on the horizon.

.An army that was marching towards them with their backs to the sun.

-Buuuuuu.

The trumpet sounds continued in a strange manner. First, there were the trumpets made with the shells of snails. Then there were trumpets made from the horn of a sprite. There were trumpets decorated with the skulls of humans, and even trumpets covered with vampire teeth.

These were all trophies from the enemies they had defeated in the past.

At the head of this large army, atop an enormous white lion, was the leader of the goblin race

"Wow."

The Venomous Snake muttered.

"That's not a Great King, that's more like a Demon King. Hey, Death King. You somehow managed to create a Demon King. Congrats."

The leader of the goblin race.

The Chairman of the Fire River Council.

Had led his warriors to war.

3.

-Hello everyone!

Thud!

In the middle of the battlefield, a battle ax with a haft the size of a pillar was embedded into the ground. The Chairman of the council then put his foot on the beard of the battle ax's blade. The Chairman's voice, which was strengthened by aura, shook the heavens and the earth.

-Living beings that shine like stars in this world! I am the 212th Chairman of the Fire River Council, Uburka!

His presence overflowed with pride. His body was covered in muscle. On his face, there was a long scar, as if to show that he'd experienced his fair share of battles. The Chairman spread his arms wide, which showed off his bulging chest muscles.

-Today, I have a lot of shibal to say!

But there wasn't a lot of dignity in his words.

-Not everyone can enjoy the blessings of life, but can't we all enjoy shibal? Although our seven races look different, we are comrades who shared the same shibal!

The hunters behind me muttered.

"What does shibal mean to the goblins? Since he's using shibal so much in his sentences?"

"I don't know. I'm guessing it's just a saying. It can mean anything, or it can mean nothing."

"Death King… your teaching is…."

I really wanted to see that child that looked like Raviel.

No, I just missed Raviel. Children don't matter. We don't need them…

As I did my best to escape reality, the Chairman continued his speech with increased momentum.

-That's right! We are comrades! The spirit of my goblin race is embedded in my left pectoral, and my love for my comrades is embedded in the right! Look! My chest muscles burn with spirit and love!

That analogy was a bit dubious.

It was too much.

I couldn't help but feel a bit nauseous as I looked at the bulging green muscles. What the hell was this? It wasn't just his body, even his head was muscular. If an orc was to casually pass by, it would probably look at him and call out ,'Big brother'.

"His word choices are a bit…."

"The more I look at him, the more similarities I see to Death King…."

"I'm really not that bad!"

The allied army and the snail defenders quietly stared at the Chairman from both sides of the battlefield. Despite being enemies, the soldiers from both sides had the same expressions. Everyone looked at him like he was crazy.

-Nevertheless! I am! Very sad!

The crazy guy made an expression of anguish.

-Even if the snail race committed unpardonable sins 600 years ago, completely annihilating their races is too great a revenge! It's not right. It's not good. It's not beautiful! You're even fighting here for Rimepolis, which you call the Holy Land. But it's not even holy! We have decided that this is a truly ridiculous situation, and hereby declare that we are participating in this war!

After the Chairman finished speaking, the goblin warriors raised their weapons in the air.

-Shibal! Shibal! Shibal!

-Listen up, beings of the seven races!

The leader of the madmen spoke up again.

-The fact that we were oppressed by the snails is not bad! What can we do to resolve the hatred of our ancestors? The snails aren't bad either! They have no choice but to fight back since they don't want to be destroyed.

An eruption arose from the two armies. Shouts of 'What the hell is this guy saying?' and 'Is there really mold in those mold bastards' heads?' could be heard as all of them stared at the Chairman with strange gazes

-That's right! They're not bad!

The words that he said next, caused the two armies to go silent.

-The thing that is bad is the Holy Land!

All of the soldiers' faces seemed to be saying 'Huh?'.

-There are no gods in this world. So there shouldn't be any Holy Lands either. Nevertheless, everyone seems to have placed their lingering feelings and beliefs into this Holy Land. You're just pouring your precious, sparkling life into a bottomless pit! Therefore, the Fire River Council has decided as follows!

-What the hell is he talking about….

The leaders of the two armies were confused. Not caring about this, the Chairman crossed his arms over his chest and continued.

-We will destroy the Holy Land!

The plains became silent.

-We can't share the Holy Land. It just divides us and forces us to fight each other! So join us. Let's destroy the Holy Land together!

-…….

-If you can't forgive others for having something, then no one should have it. This is common sense. Therefore, we will thoroughly demolish Rimepolis so that no one can occupy it and no one can live in it. Now! My comrades! Let us destroy the Holy Land and build a happy world together!

Like descendants who followed in the footsteps of their ancestors.

I had created a race of nutjobs.

Chapter 174. My Son is too Strong (1)

Translator: Seven ED: Sasha

1.

-What do you think about our offer? Comrades!

The leader of the goblin race, Uburka, laughed loudly.

-I think it's the perfect solution!

-…….

-It's so perfect that everyone appears to be at a loss for words. Ugor. I understand! Whenever someone is fixated upon a task, their vision becomes so narrow that they can't think of a proper solution. But luckily for you! We came here to present you with a fresh solution!

It was fresh, it was so fresh that it gave everyone who heard it a stomach ache.

The two opposing groups, the allied army and the snails, both had expressions as if they had eaten something disgusting. The sprite commander of the allied army pointed at him and muttered with a dumbfounded expression.

-Crazy. What the hell is this mold bastard talking about….

-It's fine. We understand your hesitation.

Chairman Uburka nodded solemnly.

-No matter how perfect a solution might be, it's impossible for everyone to accept it easily. You will feel like you've lost something, and you'll feel like you've given in. Every being hates to lose, or to be precise, every being hates the feeling of losing. You poor things.

-No…….

-That's why we will defeat you completely and overwhelmingly!

The Chairman stretched his hand out. Then, a goblin warrior stepped forward and handed him a spear.

Uburka closed his eyes and slowly took a ready stance.

-Mm.

He opened his eyes.

The Chairman's arm muscles trembled and swelled.

-Hup!

A beam of light shot forward.

That was the only way to describe it. A red beam of light.

A spear wrapped in red aura was thrown— No, it was more accurate to say it was fired.

Whooosh!

Javelin.

Uburka's posture was as elegant as an olympic athlete, but the power of his throw was anything but elegant. Instead, it could only be described as savage and destructive. With a loud cry, the spear fell towards the allied army.

A huge dust cloud appeared in the middle of the allied camp and the soldiers screamed, but no one was injured. The soldiers had just been bowled over and tossed around, creating a ruckus.

That wasn't the end.

-Huup!

Chairman Uburka lifted another spear. This time, he aimed it at Rimepolis and the snail camp. A red streak of light shot across the plain before hitting the wall of Rimepolis with a loud 'Boom!'. When the dust cleared, only the quivering tail of the spear could be seen sticking out of the wall.

-…….

The sprite commander who had pointed at him was as stiff as a log.

-…….

The snail soldiers were also dumbfounded.

-I have been given the title of Strongest Chairman in the 600 year history of the Fire River Council.

Chairman Uburka, who silenced both armies, smiled fiercely, revealing his fangs.

-In the history of our race, there has never been a goblin stronger than I am. When it comes to military matters, I have no equal. My official record is 260 wins out of 261 fights, and after I became an adult, I never lost to anyone. Warriors who were born in the same era as me. Lament! Your shibal will begin because of my existence.

-Shibal! Shibal! Shibal!

-As you can see, the warriors of my goblin race have already been quite considerate towards you!

Chairman Uburka folded his arms.

-When the next full moon rises, the leaders of the allied army and the representatives of the snail race will gather here. We will come together and hold a meeting. Our goblin race will ensure the safety of both sides. This isn't a proposal, this is a threat! If you don't agree to join us, I will blow you away with a javelin.

It was more than just a threat.

-At that time, there is no guarantee where my spear will go. I don't know, you don't know, and maybe even Kekerkker doesn't know! It could hit your gates, or it could blow off the head of your commander. Comrades, please don't force me into the situation I just mentioned. Even I am afraid of my own strength…

After saying that, the Chairman picked up his axe with an 'Ugor'.

-We will continue to accept duels until the night of the full moon. Feel free to jump at us and relieve your anger to your hearts' content. If you want, you can even attack with an army. If you're confident that you can bear the losses of course!

Then I heard the Tower's voice in my head.

[The seven races fear a single warrior.]

[The leader of the race you guide has become a Hegemon!]

[Amazing achievement!]

[You have received 900 race points.]

[You currently have 900 race points.]

My little boy had become so awesome.

2.

We roamed around the army camp and collected more information. There was useful information and useless information, but when it came to the goblins, the information we gathered could be summarised into a small phrase.

[World class nutjobs].

Even I felt the same way.

According to what we heard from the chatting soldiers, the goblins usually lived their lives quietly in their territory. But whenever a [world crisis] occurred, they appeared out of nowhere.

A hundred years after the Great Escape, it was the goblins who blocked the Snail Empire when it tried to launch a massive war of conquest.

'Don't races like this only appear in legends?'

But these were my kids.

"Hey, I think that guy might be able to fight us if he keeps going at that rate…."

The Venomous Snake was looking at the goblin camp from the corner of his eyes.

Duels were still occurring on the plains. Uburka didn't participate in any. Instead, he simply watched from the side with his arms folded. However, even with that alone he gave off enormous pressure. Aura continually bloomed all over his body.

"Uhh. It's not just about fighting. If you make a mistake, you might just get beat, you know?"

I nailed the truth.

"You heard what he said earlier. He is the strongest warrior in the history of the goblin race. In terms of talent, he is one of the greatest that I've ever seen, he might even have higher potential than us."

"Hey, hey. We're still guardian gods to them! If we get beat up by the kids, it would be shameful!"

"What's wrong with that? We're not guardian gods because we're stronger than them…."

"You're only that relaxed because it's your race!"

Uburka.

While thinking about that child, I said,

"In any case, there must be a reason why this period was chosen for this stage. The quest didn't pop up, so we'll have to figure out the conditions for clearing on our own… Perhaps, other than the snail race, another race could be [in danger of collapse]."

"Heh."

The Black Dragon Master nodded.

"Right. I think so too. It's possible that one or more races are in danger of collapse. Just like the last stage was [either the other six races or the snail race]."

"Indeed. Maybe at least one race will be eliminated per stage…."

"Mhm. And the hunters who lead that race will also be eliminated."

The Crusader stroked her chin.

"That makes sense. So which race is the closest to collapse?"

"First of all, it's definitely not the snails."

The Count folded her fan.

"The snails were eliminated from the 32nd floor."

"It's probably not the goblins. As much as I wish it were…."

"No, that's not true. Crusader."

"Mm?"

The Crusader tilted her head to the side.

"What do you mean?"

"It's actually the opposite. I'm guessing that the goblin race is the one that is in danger of collapse."

Everyone blinked.

"The goblins? Those muscle headed guys?"

"No way."

"Listen to me first."

The Count patted her palm with her folded fan.

"The goblins will probably achieve the [peaceful negotiations] that they're aiming for. Not only are they strong, but it would also be difficult for the snails and the allied army to attack them since they would have to pay attention to their opponents as well. However, what about after the agreement has been signed?"

The Count narrowed her cat-like eyes.

"Until now, the various races must have been united as one against the snail race. This unity was achieved because they had a common enemy. But after a forced peace negotiation, the common enemy would inevitably change. Think about it. Who would that enemy be?"

I opened my mouth.

"…the target would shift from the snails to the goblins."

I furrowed my eyebrows.

"The goblins are too strong. The leaders of the various races have no choice but to be wary of them. They would either break up the alliance and acknowledge the supremacy of the goblins, or strengthen their alliance and engage in full out war with the goblins."

"Ohhh. You speak my language."

The Count smiled gently.

"I think so too. And unless they are incredibly dumb, it's impossible for the alliance to voluntarily break apart. There's a high probability that they decide something like [the Goblin King is too strong, let's wait till he dies] or something like that."

"Hmm."

"Mm…."

My fellow hunters were lost in thought.

"The goblin race is definitely strong now. But there is no guarantee that the next generation will be strong, or the generation after that, or the generation after that. Didn't the big musclehead say it before? There has never been a goblin in history as strong as he is. It is much harder to maintain a hegemony than it is to obtain it."

Indeed.

I knew that [at least one race would be eliminated] because I'd read the guide before returning. The Count listened to my hint and pointed out that it was the goblins who were in danger this time.

'Right. These are the colleagues I need.'

Each one complemented the other.

With joy in my heart, I asked.

"What should I do? Count?"

"That's simple. Death King. Just use a trick to maintain your supremacy."

The Count smiled like a cat.

"It's clear that the goblins don't have very high political power. They have the force, but they don't have the direction. Force without direction is not power, it's violence. I think there are some who want to get their hands on this power."

"What do you mean?"

"Huu. Do you remember how the guild leaders treated you at first?"

The Count tapped my shoulder with the tip of her fan.

"You were an unprecedented rookie. We could have been afraid of you. We could have been vigilant and wary. But what did we do?"

I tapped my chin.

"You used me. Or to be precise, you bought my name for a price. Instead of just cooperating, I asked to be treated like an equal."

"Right. It was a win-win situation. It's obvious that the goblins have the potential to have great power. So if the other races see that power as [beneficial to us, the goblin race will not collapse."

"……."

"Do you have an idea of what to do?"

"Yeah."

I nodded my head.

"I have an idea."

I taught the goblins how to endure the world.

Now, it was time for me to teach them how to give to the world.

3.

[Purchased 'Dream Appearance'.]

[100 points have been deducted!]

[You currently have 800 race points.]

That night.

I immediately used the item I purchased and entered the dreams of Uburka, the goblin Chairman.

If the peace negotiations were to continue like this, the goblins would be in danger. So I had to let him know that while he might be recognized as a hegemon currently, they could be facing a crisis in the future.

-Ugor.

In his dream, I found Chairman Uburka sitting cross legged in the middle of a mud pond. It was the lotus position. His posture was perfect, like a monk who had been eating temple rice for a long time.

'Oh my God. Is he meditating?'

The River Crossing Technique. No, this would probably be called the River Sitting Technique, right? Uburka skillfully used his aura to sit perfectly on the surface of the pond without sinking to the bottom.

'If teacher saw this, a river would probably flow out of his mouth….'

As I got closer, Uburka suddenly spoke.

-Who is it?

Uburka had his eyes closed. This meant that he'd sense me with nothing but his senses and aura.

-My muscles are wriggling. I don't feel any hostility from you, but I feel a strange energy.

"Do you usually use your muscles to detect hostility…?"

-우고르. It's called mind and body as one. When a person is angry, their facial muscles are the first to move. Emotions communicate with your muscles and are transmitted through your muscles. That is what allows me to sense hostility. (TL: Muscles!)

"……."

What the hell… This guy…

He didn't only have a talent for martial arts, but also a talent for talking bullshit?

"Uburka. Uburka. Listen carefully. I am the one you call a bad friend, Kekerkker."

-Hoh?

Uburka finally opened his eyes.

His bright red eyes locked onto my face.

-You are Kekerkker?

"That's right, Chairman of the Goblin Race. I am the one who helped you escape the primeval forest, and the one who helped you when you want to get out of Rimepolis."

-Interesting!

With an 'ugor, ugor', the Chairman laughed.

-According to the story passed down from generation to generation, the old apostle, Gorke, also met Kekerkker in a dream. He said that he looked like a human and called himself Kekerkker. Whenever he met him, he beat him up! Did you also come here to beat me up?

"No…. child. I don't see a need to beat you up. In fact, I'm not even certain whether I could defeat you…."

Uburka frowned.

-If not for a duel, then why did you come here?

"I came to warn you that you might be in danger."

Then I told him the Count's reasoning. The reasoning was plausible, and I myself agreed with it, so I was able to talk smoothly.

-…….

At first, Uburka looked at me with an amused expression, but as my speech progressed, he gradually became more serious.

-So you're saying that we will be destroyed because we're too strong?

"Not to the point of extinction. However, it is highly likely that the race will decline. No matter how strong you are, it is not possible to take on six races on your own."

-Mmm. indeed…..

"So this is my advice to you, Uburka. Don't blindly force the peace negotiations. You should give the other races some form of benefit as well. In my opinion …."

-Wait.

Juk.

Uburka raised his left arm.

-Stop talking.

"Huh?"

-I know that you feel no malice towards me. My chest and arm muscles are calm. If you had said a single lie, your muscles would have wobbled and they would have felt it.

What kind of horrific thing was that?

Was this ego muscle that surpassed ego sword?

-However, whether or not I listen to your advice is a different matter. We, I, do not listen to the advice of someone weaker than me.

"What?"

-In other words, only those who are stronger than others have the right to interfere with them.

Chairman Uburka uncrossed his legs and slowly stood up on his feet. Unsurprisingly, his aura output remained perfect and he didn't even waver. As he stood up, there was only a small ripple in the mud pond.

-Come at me!

Uburka gestured with an index finger.

-If you beat me up, I'll listen to your advice!

Uh.

While I was still speechless because of the sudden change, Uburka took a step forward.

-If you don't come to me, I will go to you!

"Wa-, wait a minute. Am I not your guardian god? Your eternal friend? Do you want to attack me even though I'm like a father to you?"

-If you are the real Kekerkker, then to you, Gorke is like your child. Fathers are bound to be paid back for the things they did to their children. Even if you hit me, I won't say anything about Kekerkker!

Crazy.

Was this right?

-Get ready! Man who might be my father!

While spitting out a line I never expected to hear, the greatest musclehead of all time rushed towards me.

Chapter 175. My Son is too Strong (2)

Translator: Seven Editor: Sasha PR: LightBrin

"This is my son?!"

I hurriedly raised the Holy Sword. There was no time to draw the blade, so I blocked the muscle-head's fist with the scabbard. Clang! Our auras clashed fiercely.

-Hoh?

I deliberately used the momentum of the clash to move back, widening the distance between Uburka and me. I used this gap as a way to give myself some time. Then, I grabbed the hilt of my sword and took a proper stance. This way I'd be able to properly deal with this muscle-head's charges.

-Good. Very good!

Uburka smiled happily.

-Your muscles look delicate, but they are fairly sturdy. Did you add the weight of your soul to the weight of your body?

"I only build muscles internally! You rude bastard!"

-Ugor? Internal muscles? What's that?

"I appear slim on the outside, but my muscles are quite solid. It's a magical muscle building technique that allows me to keep my shape while increasing the strength of my body limitlessly! Internal muscles is the style of masters, and the style of outwardly growing muscles like yours is nothing but garbage!"

-I didn't expect Kekerkker to say things like this…

Uburka made a strange expression, and his breathing slowed down for a moment.

It was natural for someone's brain to go rigid whenever they encountered something that surpassed their 'bullshit limit'.

It was that very distortion in breathing that I was aiming for. Taht! Kicking off of the ground, I shot towards Uburka.

-Hmm!

Uburka's red eyes widened. He was much larger than the average goblin. This meant that he had more places I could hit. I swung my sheathed sword around like a club.

"I'm sorry, child! I'll try not to hit you too hard!"

Uburka simply smiled.

-Ugor.

He looked down at me, who had reached in front of him in an instant. Then, without dodging or blocking, he watched me slap my sword to his body.

Claang-

A sound that seemed to defy common sense resounded. What I expected to hear was 'puk' or 'paak', not 'clang'. My arms were also numb as if I'd just hit a steel wall.

"Is this stone durability?!"

-My body is made up of muscles.

Uburka smirked, showing off his fangs.

-I was born with albinism. It stung to go out in the sun, and I could hardly see because my eyesight was bad. I couldn't even put mud on my body in the scorching sun. I struggled because it was difficult for me to enjoy ordinary pleasures. And that was when I realized!

Uburka spread his arms.

-If I could cover my body with aura, there wouldn't be a problem!

Crazy.

-From that day on, I devoted myself to my aura training. First I practiced by covering my entire body with aura, even if it was only for one second. One second, two seconds, three seconds. One minute, two minutes, three minutes… When I could maintain it for one hour, I became an adult. And when I could maintain it for a day, I became the Chairman. For me, Uburka, a birth defect is only a minor obstacle!

The hobgoblin took a bodybuilder pose, his biceps quivering.

"Ugh."

If I had eaten any greasy food before, my stomach would definitely have been uncomfortable at that moment.

-I trained my muscles till they burst so that my aura could seep into them! When my muscles tore, my aura helped them regenerate. As a result, aura flowed through the reconstructed muscles more easily. By tearing, healing, tearing, and healing my muscles over and over again. By doing so, I succeeded in gaining the ultimate muscles!

Dudung! Budung!

Uburka's left and right pectorals bounced up and down one after the other.

It was amazing. The performance in front of my eyes was bombarding my psychological defenses. To be able to inflict damage without even making a move, this guy was at an incredible level of mastery.

-Now I'm able to control everything, from my smallest muscles to my thickest, at will! Aura muscles! This is the muscle road I recommend!

Even his bullshit sounded elegant.

-I don't know why, but no one has followed me yet. Poor things! All you need to do is use your aura with the mindset of restructuring your entire body.

"Hey? Hey, wait a minute… You achieved refinement and rebirth……"

-You really might be my father!

This child, perhaps the only goblin in history to gain the title [Refined Muscle-head, shouted.

-You're stronger than I expected! That's great! It's been a long time since I met an opponent who could take one of my blows. So, lift your sword, fight me with all your might!

"Woah. I'm not used to being the one who says this. But Uburka. Is fighting all you know…?"

-Mind and body! Muscle Instincts! Muscle Eruption!

Rumble! Uburka's muscles began to wriggle like magma which became restless before an eruption.

He grew.

And grew.

"H, huh?"

And grew some more.

"Son…?"

Eventually, Uburka became unbelievably huge.

This wasn't an exaggeration, he was now the size of a small hill.

My entire body was covered by his shadow.

"He didn't really grow much…?"

It wasn't Uburka's body that grew.

Instead, it was Uburka's aura that wrapped stretched out from his body to make the giant figure.

Like a pilot controlling a giant mech, Uburka's body sat in the chest of the giant.

In other words, this figure, which was as large as a hill, was made purely from aura!

-Huu.

Thud, the ground rumbled.

Uburka only took a step, but the ground shook in response.

I looked at Uburka with a speechless expression.

"Th-, there's no need to get so serious. Can't you go back to being smaller? Daddy is getting a little scared…"

-This, is my true form!

Giant Mode Uburka spoke in a booming voice.

-From shoulders to fingertips, there is nothing that is outside of my control! Dream being who calls himself the White Lion! My fist will pierce your chest! (TL: I don't think that's physiologically possible…)

"Hey! Hey! This is a sin against heaven!"

-Fine. Then in the name of victory, I will gladly sin against heaven!

Uburka shouted loudly and punched forward. A fist, almost the size of a house, fell towards me, covering me in its shadow.

Shibal Aura Method • Giant Style.

Martial Art Technique.

Humiliating Fist.

It was a name as elegant as a tadpole's eyes!(1)

"Isn't the name of that martial art too long?!"

-The value of a martial art is in its power, not its name!

He certainly was right. Uburka had gained profound destructive power in exchange for abandoning his naming sense.

Crack.

The ground cracked, but the power of the punch didn't end there. It poured down like heavy rain.

The ground shattered. And because the hot aura smashed into the ground, a lot of the surrounding soil melted into mud and splattered onto me. In an instant, I became like a mouse that had been covered in muddy water.

"Hot!!"

With a shriek I avoided the other waves of mud from Uburka.

"You brat whose ignorance will shake the world! I didn't raise you guys like this!"

-Quit your bullshit, zombie. You didn't raise those kids.

While I did evasive maneuvers that made me look like a tap dancer, Bae Hu-ryeong muttered.

-Like he said, fight with all your might. There are many cases where parent and child fight each other. There are even certain sects and cults that have a tradition of the young eating the old.

"Shit!"

I drew my sword.

"I don't care anymore!"

-You didn't care for a long time!

"I was proud of my child!"

I raised my aura.

And the image I pictured was of fire.

The underground torture chamber in the mansion.

'A child outstretched their hand, bound by chains and covered in flames.'

A deep resentment for being young.

'Fire.'

My heart became hot in an instant.

I embraced the feelings from the scene in that mansion's basement, a tale that would eventually be forgotten if left untold. Then I unfolded those feelings into my aura.

'My shadow is the shade of that basement.'

Without being buried by the emotions.

'My fire is the touch of that child.'

I didn't need to be obsessed with the form.

You and I aren't fire. Fire is the one. Fire that covers and burns the world.

Thus, the tip of my sword became the tip of someone's finger, and my blade became their scream.

Infernal Heavens Demonic Art • Reformation

First form.

The Burning Young Sword.

-……!

Burn.

-Ahahaha! Indeed!

My aura swayed in the shadow like the head of a snake. The opponent's hand. Even if this was only the hand of a giant that had been summoned. The image in my mind became more solid. Hotter.

Stronger.

I cut the hand off.

-Definitely!

My opponent resisted. My opponent, whose left hand had been cut off, tried to resist with his right hand. Was he trying to make space to readjust his stance?

I struck again.

He bent his back to avoid the blow. But as my foot struck the air, the shadows of flame latched onto his right arm. One thread. Two threads. Three threads. Dozens of aura threads covered the giant's fist.

-There's no doubt about it!

I burned it.

-It's Kekerkker!

The giant tried to restore his hands. I'm sure he had more aura. If that was the case, I would just have to cut off my opponent's limbs faster than he could restore them with aura.

-You have returned to our race after 600 years!

I cut the left foot before the left hand could grow.

I cut the right foot before the left foot could grow.

Then I cut the left arm again before the right foot could grow.

I completely cut up the figure of the giant.

-There is no lack of dignity in your victory! No, that's wrong! I didn't try hard enough to win!

I cut it.

-Amazing! Ugor! Amazing! I can't believe you're not [strengthening] yourself, but using the [reinforcement] of others!

I buried the giant in that blazing basement.

-Aura, the fire of the soul, I didn't know it could be used this way!

Like burning paper, the giant was consumed by the flames.

It grew smaller and smaller.

The giant's aura was also red, so it resembled a scene where a large fire devoured a smaller fire.

'Do they have to be different?'

As I watched the giant get swallowed by fire, I had a sudden thought.

'Uburka inflated his arms and legs. He extended them. He used his aura as a tool to expand. On the other hand, I use it to attract the screams of others.'

The reddish aura burned red.

'Is there a reason why both things can't be done at the same time?'

Fireworks went off in my head.

'I was so focused on converting master's Infernal Heavens Demonic Art to my Infernal Heavens Demonic Art. But do I really need to attract screams? Can I carry all of the karma by myself and draw all of that resentment on my own? Should I?'

The fundamentals of aura usage appeared in my head.

'No.'

A solution appeared in my mind.

'Anyone could be fire.'

I opened my mouth.

"Uburka. Think about this."

-Ugor?

Should I tell him about the underground mansion?

No.

"Think about the dark underground of Rimepolis."

I would give him something closer.

"There, living in one of the many pits dug into the ground, are thirteen goblins. There are also young goblins among them. Children who, from the moment they were born, have never seen the sun, never been hit and soaked by the rain, and never been able to cover themselves in mud to their hearts' content."

-……

"Think about those children."

I pushed the history of the goblins onto their strongest warrior.

"They are only given a few fish in the mornings and evenings. That is all they were allowed to eat. The mothers sometimes roast the rare mushroom that they could find, but that is the only change in their diet. Are you thinking about it?"

-…I'm thinking.

"Whenever they cook, the narrow pit gets filled with smoke. The mothers are crying and the children are coughing. But that doesn't mean they can come out. In the distance, the snails monitor them, their tentacles waving in the air. Can you imagine the smoke in the cramped pit, and the soft coughs of the mothers and their children?"

-I can.

"A young goblin stretches for a fish on the fire that isn't fully cooked yet."

I hit the giant's fist with my sword.

"The mother hits the hand of the child. She grabs his wrist. She already hit him, and yet, the child keeps reaching for the uncooked fish whenever she looks away. Because he is hungry. Whenever his mother blocks him, he bursts into tears."

-Mm.

"In the end, the mother has no choice but to give the fish to the child as soon as it's cooked. The child eats it quickly. Then he looks at the other grilled fish. He wants more."

I hit the giant's fist away, forcing an opening. Then I swung my sword in this opening, reducing the size of the giant a bit more.

"Think about the child's gaze, the mother's gaze, the child's outstretched hand, the mother's hand that blocks and holds the child's. Draw the path of the smoke in that underground pit."

-……

"If it's you, I'm sure you can draw it."

-Ugor.

"Show me."

The giant swung his fist.

"Copy me."

I dodged and deflected it. The direction of the fist changed again.

"Cry."

The giant's stance twisted.

"You are a race who knew how to sing to the fire in sorrow. Those flames were nothing more than a simple fire, but you were able to read emotions by looking at the angles in which the wind blew it, the speed that it rose at, and the dispersion when it sank. Aura is no different."

-……

"One character holds the sky. One rhythm sings sorrow. Why can't aura capture the sky? Why can't you use it to draw sadness? Embed that image in your mind."

The giant's stance collapsed.

I hit him in the shin and helped him regain his balance.

He straightened.

The giant's fist flew through the air in what should have been a straight punch.

"Go ahead."

Suddenly, fire burst from the giant's fist.

The fire split into five tongues.

These five tongues then separated again, becoming twenty-five.

-……

Uburka looked down at his fist with a blank expression.

Some of the flames were strong, some were gentle.

None of them resembled Uburka's mannerisms.

"Mm."

Although it was still at a rudimentary level.

This was definitely a punch that resembled the Infernal Heavens Demonic Art.

"Not bad. You really are supremely talented."

I nodded.

"That's how you do it. Child."

Uburka finally opened his mouth.

-Our Father… You are too strong.

(: