Chapter 172

“So, you’re telling me… you barged in while I was eating, messed with me, and ended up dead?”

“Yep.”

“And you took care of it because you sensed our presence, right?”

“Exactly.”

“Ha, seriously…”

Rex’s reaction to my utterly monotonous response was one of sheer disbelief.

He then turned his gaze towards the Forest Ogre’s body. Its head was split in two.

It was a huge monster, larger than ordinary ogres, posing a considerable threat, but not to me.

To me, a giant monster was just an easy target. Its movements were mostly sluggish, after all.

“So, the rumors were true? It really came from the Chaos Forest?”

“Seems like it, doesn’t it? The evidence is right in front of us.”

“Thank goodness it didn’t swing that axe at us.”

Rex and his group of adventurer buddies chatted casually as they inspected the ogre’s corpse.

They decided to dismantle the ogre’s body themselves; after all, I had no reason to keep it.

They had enough money and food, so I figured I’d just let them have it.

“Don’t feel bad about taking this. I’ll make sure you get paid later. If I mention it to the guild, you might even get higher-tier requests too.”

“Thank you.”

“Thanks? For what? Anyway, are you really taking that?”

I told them I didn’t need it, yet here we were again. How many times did I have to say it?

The Forest Ogre’s body was worth a pretty penny as an alchemical ingredient.

From Rex’s group’s perspective, it would probably give them enough to splurge for a whole month.

Feeling a bit guilty about just handing it over like that, he expressed his concern.

“Hey kid, you can’t just give stuff like that away. Do you know how expensive that is? If it were someone else, they might’ve shut their mouth and not shared a single reward.”

He spoke like that. Desperate to ensure they get more rewards.

In this harsh world, especially in a profession that eats and breathes danger, it couldn’t be any other way.

Otherwise, it’d be all too easy to end up being exploited. The moment you seem weak, you could get pushed around.

“It’s fine. I have plenty of money.”

“A kid like you wandering around the woods? Without returning?”

“I’m used to it.”

“Used to it or not, for now, just wash up. What’s up with your clothes? They’re already filthy.”

Rex was right. It had been over a day since I stepped into the forest, and my clothes were already a mess.

Starting from the blood of beasts and monsters, along with dirt. The moment I entered the forest, both welcomed me enthusiastically.

In the morning, simple monsters like goblins or Nol would attack, while at night, it was mostly wolves.

I didn’t want to waste energy dealing with them, but they charged at me without hesitation. Honestly, it was a bit absurd.

‘You’d expect them to back off with just a slight threat.’

Beasts and monsters have a much stronger instinct than humans.

They fundamentally possess a ‘fear’ of predators, allowing them to sense danger.

It was the same in the Chaos Forest. Most monsters, if they weren’t intruders from elsewhere, would try every possible way to avoid me.

But not here. Whether it was because I was a newcomer or they were inherently savage, I couldn’t tell.

‘It’s likely the influence of a demon.’

Demons possess the ability to control monsters, but it only works on those of a certain coloration and above.

Similar to how a hobgoblin, a variation of goblins, governs its minions—demons do the same thing.

“Hey, Rex! We’ve gathered everything we need! If we hang around here any longer, we’ll attract more of them by smell!”

“Got it! So, what’s the plan? Are we heading out now?”

“Nope.”

I needed to check a few things before heading out. I was initially planning to stay in the woods for a few days.

But Rex seemed worried about my determination. He wore a troubled expression and nagged again.

“Kid, no matter how strong you are, the woods are dangerous. Especially the northwestern forest—rumors say it’s particularly fierce. Academy students like you have gotten seriously hurt there!”

I wanted to tell him that I wasn’t just adapting in the Chaos Forest, but reigning as a predator.

Still, since he was genuinely concerned for me, I refrained from responding. I just blinked.

Eventually, Rex seemed to give up, letting out a sigh as he pulled something out of his pocket.

It was a small cylindrical object, bright red and quite eye-catching.

“This is a flare. Use it if you run into any trouble, got it?”

“Yup.”

“Just pull this string here. Be careful.”

Rex and his gang gathered what they needed and set off. I wished I could have packed everything, but time was tight.

I waved them off and turned to look at the ogre. It had its heart and organs all ripped out.

If I were hungry, I might have just left it, but I didn’t care. I checked my compass and moved on.

‘This guy is likely some sort of gatekeeper.’

The Forest Ogre had a very wide active radius. Yet this creature weirdly stuck to one spot.

As if it were guarding an entrance. Given this, there was a high chance a demon’s lair was nearby.

Controlling monsters like an army, while steadily gaining power for itself.

‘If it feels danger, it’ll probably wipe everything out and move somewhere else.’

Demons are very unique beings. They possess intelligence from the get-go, despite lacking color.

The more life they collect, the more their level rises, yet their intelligence remains the same. In that regard, they’re quite similar to humans.

Of course, their actions are no different from a true demon. Essentially, they’re life-less beings who must consume life to maintain their form.

That’s why they commit various evil acts. Sometimes, demons are behind human trafficking rings.

‘This one is cunning too. It’s hiding its actions by using monsters as a shield.’

The one I was about to catch likely had a good understanding of human behavior.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t be able to mask its deeds by using monsters as scapegoats.

Moreover, the creature was quick to flee at the slightest hint of trouble.

Just before fleeing, it would greedily siphon the life of its controlled monsters.

-Creak? Creak. Creak.

-Perhaps. Perhaps.

That’s when I noticed it. A faint sound reached my ears.

Upon hearing the noise, I immediately crouched down to minimize any sound I might make.

Then, I moved stealthily. As long as they weren’t coming right up to me, they’d find it hard to track me down.

Fortunately, the area was densely vegetated, making detection nearly impossible. Picking up the pace a bit, I thought.

‘Is that it?’

Shortly after, I discovered a cave with a remarkably wide entrance.

In front of the cave were three goblins, two orcs, and one ogre standing guard, like sentinels.

They usually indulge in mutual aggression, but if they’re all gathered like that… it’s a sure thing.

It’s clear that the demon I was looking for was dwelling inside that cave. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so organized like that.

“Unit 3. Where’s the captain?”

“Inside. Hungry.”

“Who’s it today?”

“A human. Caught one.”

Just then, the group of goblins that had gone scouting returned. Strangely, I could hear their conversation clearly.

Monsters like goblins, Nol, or orcs, which are closer to humans, can communicate with each other.

The same goes for ogres, though they often make sounds indistinguishable from beasts.

Could it be that their faith has risen, prompting this change? Last time, I did witness my own understanding of a different country’s language increasing with my own rising faith.

‘Wait. There’s a human in there?’

Hearing about a human raised my guard. I stiffened in apprehension.

I might be a bit late. Ideally, I wanted to subdue this without any casualties.

‘No, wait. There might still be time.’

They probably wouldn’t deal with the human immediately. At the very least, the demon would be sated for now; it relied on its sword for life drain.

If that sword had enough power, things should be fine for a while. If not, then there’d be little hope.

As the scouting party entered the cave, I started to contemplate how to get inside.

‘In the Soul World, I entered through a different cave…’

The issue was I didn’t know where that cave was. It was even more complicated since it looked like a hole.

Thinking took longer than acting. I grabbed the axe slung on my back.

Seizing it with both hands, I swung it fiercely forward.

<Pang!>

The axe left my hand with a powerful sound, spinning accurately as it flew, the Ragnarok on its course.

<Crash!>

The axe hit the ogre’s face spot-on, just before it could split its head open.

<Thud!>

The ogre fell to the ground without even uttering a scream. Its massive body trembled as it collapsed.

“Huh? It’s down.”

“Is it hungry?”

Clearly, it was the kind of monster that lacked intelligence. Even after the ogre died, such thoughts crossed its mind.

It probably didn’t think of this as one of its own kin. Plus, since the ogre was slightly leaning forward, it was hard to confirm.

If it had seen the axe embedded in its face, it would have freaked out. Without a moment’s hesitation, I dashed toward the cave’s entrance.

<Crash!>

I suddenly grabbed the goblin that was moving toward the ogre to check its status. Its small frame fit easily in one hand.

The other monsters were startled by my abrupt appearance, but that didn’t matter—I had work to do.

<Crunch!>

I tore the goblin’s head off. Just like ripping cabbage.

Green blood gushed from its neck like a fountain, but I paid it no mind. Immediately, I hurled the head at the orc.

<Crash!>

“Kuahk!”

It must have felt like getting hit by a basketball. I gave it my full strength when I threw.

As the orc staggered, I dispatched the other two goblins with a few punches. They went down quick.

Lastly, I finished off the orc with my axe. In an instant, the monsters guarding the cave entrance turned into corpses.

‘Pretty spacious.’

I glanced around the ominous cave entrance before stepping inside.

I was relying on just a few torches for light, which was just right for me.

******

Just before Sivar entered the cave, a new face had arrived in Unity Village.

That face belonged to none other than Luna. After reporting Sivar’s disappearance and taking two days to reach the village.

Rex had hesitated briefly upon hearing about Sivar’s departure but decided to send only Luna.

The issue was she had walked there, just like Sivar. Fortunately, she realized she could save time by taking a carriage mid-way.

‘This place is quite large.’

Luna looked around the village. It wasn’t Byzantine-level, but still a lively center.

Everything you could need was there, nothing missing. Just enough to fit that description. However, for someone from the countryside like her, it was practically a city.

‘Where could Sivar be?’

Finding Sivar was her top priority. His appearance was unique enough that he would stand out anywhere, making inquiries easy.

She first looked for a place he would likely frequent, which was the restaurant.

Given Sivar’s impressive appetite, the rumors about him should have started spreading by now.

“Oh, the guy with the red eyes? He’s been here a few times. Every time he shows up, he eats so much that it boosts sales!”

“Do you know where he went?”

“Not really? I’m not sure. Maybe try the guild? He used to come in there often.”

“The guild?”

Luna tilted her head in confusion. She had gained a lot of knowledge since coming to the academy, but not about guilds.

After hearing about the guild from the owner, she promptly set out. The moment she entered the guild, she immediately started searching for Sivar.

However, even after glancing around, there was no sign of Sivar. Not even a trace of his black hair.

Eventually, she approached a server to inquire about his whereabouts, describing his appearance rather than using his name.

“Oh, you mean Sivar?”

The server understood her immediately, but Luna felt a bit uneasy.

Could he already be famous?

The server kept a business smile while opening his mouth.

“Sivar is likely headed to the northwestern forest. He took a scouting request.”

“Uh… did he cause any trouble or anything?”

“Trouble? On the contrary, he did a good deed for us.”

Luckily, it seemed he hadn’t caused any accidents. Luna immediately turned toward the northwestern forest where Sivar was headed.

Even though she only had a compass, that didn’t matter. Her goal was to locate Sivar.

‘But why another forest?’

Could he not shake off his wild instincts? Luna pondered, continuing forward.

Sometimes, wild animals would approach, but she didn’t mind. After all, it wasn’t the Chaos Forest.

Time passed, and Luna suddenly sensed a presence up ahead.

Not just one, but multiple presences. Naturally, she couldn’t help but be cautious.

“I need to hurry and grab some food… huh?”

“Who’s that?”

It was Rex’s group. When they spotted Luna, they immediately wore puzzled expressions.

Realizing she was just another person, Luna eased her guard. Still, she offered a brief greeting.

“Oh, hello.”

“Oh, hey. What’s up?”

“Excuse me, could I ask a quick question? It’s kind of urgent.”

“A question? Go ahead.”

True to his character, Rex was friendly. As Luna addressed them politely, he responded warmly.

Luna felt their kindness hidden in the exchange and began explaining the whole situation, starting with Sivar.

Rex quickly recognized she was talking about Sivar. He wouldn’t forget those red eyes no matter what.

“Are you talking about Sivar?”

“Ah, yes! That’s right!”

“So what’s your relationship with him? Are you his girlfriend or something?”

“Uh… not exactly… I just came to check on him.”

Worrying about what kind of trouble he could cause certainly was true enough. However, Rex’s group seemed to interpret it differently.

“That sounds about right.”

“No, that’s a negation before affirmation.”

“Considering you’re searching for him, it’s clear you share more than a simple acquaintance.”

It wasn’t about the chatty gap. Just a misunderstanding shaped by the circumstances.

Of course, it was merely new gossip for Rex’s group. There was stuff they had to inform each other about.

“You’ll find him if you keep going down this road. But it’s dangerous, so I’ll come with you.”

“No, that’s alright. Thanks for the info! See you later!”

In her haste, Luna politely declined Rex’s offer and rushed ahead. She looked visibly anxious.

Watching her retreating figure, Rex couldn’t suppress a satisfied smile.

“Isn’t there a saying in the Eastern Empire? That related individuals tend to gather?”

“I thought that was for couples.”

“Hey, that’s for married couples. Either way, they both have good manners.”

And thus, another seed of misunderstanding was planted.

“Still, Sivar really dropped the ball. Worrying such a pretty girl like that.”

“Yeah, definitely. We need to give him a solid scolding when he gets back.”

Unbeknownst to Sivar, he was causing quite a stir.

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