Chapter 301

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 301: Den of Evil (6)

He overcame the Devourer's ability by channeling his greed for money.

It was a moment that proved that desire, when strong enough, could rival even a noble will.

Pure, unfiltered desire.

- ...You, little foot.

It was a level of crudeness that was astonishing.

Master Bang couldn't help but be shocked.

‘Is this what humans from Earth are truly like?’

“Get lost already!”

But what was truly shocking wasn’t just the crudeness of humans.

BOOM!

As the Devourer's body tilted after Yeongwoo's second strike, the orcs around them gasped in disbelief.

- Wow!

- Ah…!

For the orcs, this was an inevitable reaction.

The Devourer was like an enormous battleship on their home planet, impossible to sink.

No matter how brave a warrior might be, none dared to stand before the Devourer, which meant that battle with it was never even a consideration.

Its outer shell was so thick that traditional weapons couldn’t even scratch it.

If there were a single entity that had claimed the most orc lives back home, it would undeniably be the Devourer. When they thought of the moment their home was taken, what came to mind first was the unstoppable advance of the Devourer.

But now that same Devourer was…

SLASH!

With Yeongwoo's third strike, the enormous body of the Devourer split apart, and its tentacle-like limbs, which had been thrashing wildly, suddenly stilled.

- ...

So, perhaps...

- Is... is it dead?

- Is it really...?

- The Devourer... dead?

The Red Foot orcs, eyes wide with shock, looked at the fallen Devourer, unsure whether it was truly dead, yet too afraid to rush over to confirm it.

Then, for the first time...

SQUELCH!

The orc lord, Bantubangtong, took a step forward.

- Little Foot! Are you alright?

Of course, he knew that this little monster was surely unharmed.

But still, Master Bang examined Yeongwoo from head to toe with genuine concern.

This was politics.

The moment Little Foot had split the Devourer in two, this monster had essentially become the future of the Red Foot tribe.

Sure, there were many powerful beings scattered throughout the universe, beings who could wipe out the orc tribe with a single gesture.

But among those many strong ones, the only one willing to help them seek vengeance against Mara was none other than Little Foot, Jeong Yeongwoo07.

- Are you hurt anywhere? If you feel unwell, speak up. I still have some of the red ointment left.

As Master Bang spoke and approached, Yeongwoo lightly kicked one of the Devourer's lifeless legs.

"I'm fine. If possible, just give me a drink of water."

Although Yeongwoo had a mutated digestive system and could survive without eating or drinking, he hadn’t lost the desire for the sensations of it.

Humans typically drink when they feel physical or mental thirst, and they also do so to acknowledge that a problem has been resolved.

In a way, it was like a ceremony.

Thus, Yeongwoo requested water to celebrate the end of the tense battle, and Master Bang gladly complied.

- Bring water!

When Master Bang ordered water from the back, the brothers, realizing it was a victory celebration, finally surged forward to get a closer look at the Devourer's corpse, a sight they had never seen before.

And around this time, a system message appeared before Yeongwoo.

「You have slain the Devourer, Daltio!」

A record of the kill was added.

「You now have 2 kill records eligible for the Victory Monument」

‘It’s dead for sure.’

Only after checking the system message did Yeongwoo feel fully relieved.

If the Devourer hadn’t been completely dead and suddenly started spewing mist again, all the brothers running toward them would be wiped out.

Each living brother could generate over 30,000 karma a day, so watching them perish in droves would have been a nightmare for Yeongwoo.

“Now that we’ve taken down the Devourer… do you think the remaining brothers will be able to cross over?”

As Yeongwoo looked toward the portal and asked, Master Bang’s expression showed uncertainty.

- If any brothers are still alive over there, surely someone will show up.

The number of brothers guarding the sacred site of Aratubank numbered in the tens of thousands.

But with the confirmation that the Devourer had ravaged the sacred site, it was impossible to guess how many had survived.

The sacred site’s defenders were particularly brave, and even knowing they couldn’t stand against the Devourer, they likely charged forward to meet their glorious end.

Thus, the key question was the timing of the Devourer's appearance.

Since they could only see but not hear what was happening beyond the portal, the best they could do for now was to station signalers to wave flags.

- Hmm...

The grim outlook made Master Bang sigh, so Yeongwoo placed a comforting hand on his arm.

"Still, the fact that we now know we can defeat the Devourer is encouraging. We’ve confirmed it’s worth risking 50% danger, haven’t we?"

The unspoken implication was that the 1 billion spent on this attempt could be recovered in the next one, but Yeongwoo didn’t feel the need to say that part out loud.

“We'll be able to save more brothers thanks to this effort. We need to look at the bigger picture.”

As Yeongwoo said this, the Devourer's body, which had been lying in front of the portal, began to dissolve into the air.

Whooosh…!

Just like when Yeongwoo had defeated the phantom dragon Moracus, a sword appeared where the corpse had been.

“…A Void Fragment.”

He could tell just by looking at it.

Yeongwoo turned to Master Bang, who nodded in response.

- Little Foot, you've kept your word. The souls of the brothers will be greatly comforted.

Without another word, Yeongwoo walked toward the sword.

Clank, clank.

Then he touched the second Void Fragment rising from the ground.

Tap.

It immediately turned into smoke and merged with the Void Fragment Yeongwoo already possessed.

「Void Flesh」 - Void One-Handed Sword

【Absorbs other Void Flesh.】

【Phantom Dragon: 10% increased damage against living creatures.】

【Devourer: Damage to abilities increased by 15%.】

‘Whoa, what? The stats are crazy.’

The effect added to the Void Fragment from defeating the Devourer was a 15% increase in ability damage.

Even as a single item, that was a significant boost, but the effect would continue stacking each time he obtained a new fragment.

In other words, if he fought another Devourer, the ability damage would increase by 30%, and after another, it would rise to 45%.

‘This is insane. I want to meet all the Devourers in the world.’

Since Yeongwoo was human, he could only gain ability damage through equipment.

「Heresy」 - Unique Gauntlet

【15% of attack power is converted into mental damage.】

Currently, only 15% of his total attack power was converted into ability damage.

If he wanted to continue growing his Void Fragment, he would need to secure more ability damage.

‘With the mutated being event coming soon, I should look into acquiring some ability-based equipment today.’

From his experience, ability-related equipment wasn’t very common, and items that converted damage attributes were even rarer.

‘Ironically, I now have something I can’t buy, even if I have the money.’

Looking at it from a different angle, it also meant he had reached a new level of power.

“...”

Yeongwoo naturally shifted his gaze toward the stone chamber beyond the portal.

‘Is there a way to enter that chamber directly? If I can, I could amplify my ability damage significantly.’

Yeongwoo wasn’t just obsessed with money; he was also obsessed with power.

And right in front of him, he saw piles of cash.

“…Huh?”

As he blinked while looking into the stone chamber, the view became even clearer.

“Wait, the brothers!”

A new group of brothers had appeared from the previously quiet stone chamber.

“Signalman! Raise the flag!”

Yeongwoo, blinded by greed, began ordering his brothers around like he had been an orc since birth.

Then, raising his sword, he prepared for any potential incoming devourers.

“I wouldn't mind if one more appeared. Ah, of course, saving my brothers is more important, though.”

As Yeongwoo's greedy gaze pierced through his brothers—no, the space behind them—a creature named Bantubangtong noticed his odd focus and grew fearful.

- Little Foot, what are you waiting for?

"...I’m just concerned that something else might be chasing after my brothers."

Yeongwoo said this as he sheathed his sword back at his waist.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Clang!

“But it doesn’t seem like anything else is coming.”

Meanwhile, his brothers crossed the stone chamber swiftly, passing through the portal.

Whoosh!

Then, Bantubangtong grabbed one of the brothers who had just set foot on Earth and asked,

- Is everyone here? How many brothers are left at the sanctuary?

The one caught by Bantubangtong grimaced and replied,

- The barrier in the ceremonial chamber has also fallen, so all the guardians should be heading this way by now.

- At least that’s some relief.

- But with so many filthy beings... I wonder...

The young orc, who was speaking with a heavy heart, suddenly closed his mouth.

Then, with an enraged expression, he drew his sword.

- You... you wretched creature!

He stammered several times, shaking off Bantubangtong’s hand, and rushed towards the sarcophagus-like reliquary in the distance.

Tap-tap-tap!

Why?

Because right now, an alien was brazenly laying hands on the sacred relic itself, the very symbol of the sanctuary of Aratubank.

- Brother, stop! That is no longer our sacred relic!

Bantubangtong's voice, filled with shock, echoed from behind, but it didn't reach the young orc who had devoted his life to protecting the relics and the sanctuary.

What filled his eyes and ears now was...

Crunch!

The alien was tearing off the seal plate of the reliquary.

- Why are you all just standing there? Protect the relic!

Wrapped in an inexplicable sense of dread, the young orc threw the sword he held in his hand.

Whoosh!

It was aimed at the vile interloper from another world who dared touch their sacred relic.

But...

Swish!

Despite being only 15 meters away, his sword didn’t reach its target.

Ping!

- Ugh...!

The filthy alien didn’t even bother to turn his head, blocking the thrown sword with just two fingers on his left hand.

Meanwhile, his right hand...

Crack!

The seal plate protecting the reliquary was completely torn off.

- Ah!

With a groan of despair from the young orc, a tremendous surge of energy erupted from the reliquary.

Booooom!

The dense energy, so thick that it turned the entire chamber white, was...

- Aratubank!

- Aratubank...!

- Ah, the heroes!

Aratubank.

In other words, the very souls of the ancestors who made the Red Foot clan possible.

“What the... what is this?”

Even Yeongwoo, who had just torn off the seal plate, blinked in astonishment at the unexpectedly grand “unboxing show.”

Without any need for his brothers to explain, he could tell from the gigantic energy whirlpool surrounding them that these were souls.

“…Why didn’t they move on and why are they all gathered here?”

The density of energy enveloping his skin and soul made him feel just how deep the history of the Red Foot orcs was.

And soon...

Shhh...!

Amidst the swirling energy, faint whispers began to emerge.

These whispers didn’t pass through Yeongwoo’s senses but were instead imprinted directly into his consciousness, resembling the transcendent language used by higher beings of the universe.

―Who has awakened us?

―The time has come.

―A tragic fate.

―Is it war?

For the first time since becoming spirits, they had been awakened.

To humans, this relic was as sacred as a parent’s urn.

That’s why Master Bang couldn’t bring himself to think of the relic as mere “equipment.”

Even though they possessed a “myth,” they had revered it so much that they kept it untouched, even while Mara invaded.

But now...

‘Well, it’s still equipment, right?’

Yeongwoo saw a large shield resembling a coffin inside the now-gleaming reliquary.

When he touched it...

Fizzle!

A massive heat instantly generated, melting Yeongwoo’s fingertips.

“What the... you fucking...!”

Startled and furious, Yeongwoo reflexively swore, but it was understandable.

If he didn’t have regenerative abilities, that brief touch would’ve permanently cost him the joints of his right index and middle fingers.

“It seems the ancestors are rejecting me.”

When Yeongwoo glanced at Master Bang, who stood nearby, Master Bang reluctantly rolled up his sleeves.

- Awakening Aratubank is sinful enough, but we mustn’t commit further transgressions.

The implication was clear: Master Bang, a pure-blooded Red Foot orc, would take the responsibility of using the relic.

After all, the Red Foot clan was in such dire straits that they had allowed an outsider to break the seal of their relic.

This signified just how weakened they had become.

Apologizing to the ancestors was necessary, but so was borrowing the great power of the myth.

Thud!

As Red Foot leader Bantubangtong took his first step toward the “myth,” Yeongwoo drew Bastard, and pointed it at Master Bang.

“Hey, stop.”

- ...?

“What do you think you’re doing? We agreed. This relic is mine now.”

Little Foot’s greed was so intense that it could overwhelm even the pressure of the Devourer.

Even the battle-hardened Bantubangtong was momentarily taken aback by the aura Yeongwoo was exuding.

- B-but... Aratubank is rejecting you. There is no other way.

“Why isn’t there? Isn’t it premature to say that without trying?”

With that, Yeongwoo shifted the tip of Bastard toward the relic.

Swoosh.

“Introduce yourselves. You’re both myths; you should recognize each other.”

Then he said something so blasphemous that no orc in history had ever dared to utter:

“You’re itching to show off your myth to your descendants, aren’t you? Stop acting up and lower your guard. Here I come again.”

With that, Yeongwoo reached out his right hand toward the relic once more.

His two fingers, which had been burned earlier, had already healed, and soon...

Tap.

Yeongwoo’s fingertips touched the surface of the relic without any issue, and for the first time since the reset, an alert appeared:

≪|l||I-A 「Myth」 has appeared on Earth.≫

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]