Chapter 87

Wendigo became serious.

Though his words and actions were disrespectful and his attitude frivolous, Wendigo thought Damian’s loyalty and resolve were undoubtable…

‘… Still, I can’t deny he was an impressive fellow.’

Though he was born with the boundary between pain and pleasure collapsed, resolving to face death was a separate matter.

Death was frightening even for those who enjoyed or ignored pain.

Wendigo decided to remember only Damian’s good points and forgot the bizarre story he had just heard.

With Damian’s death, the surroundings quickly entered a lull.

With Damian, who could at least face Wendigo, dead, the followers fell into panic and gave up resisting.

A warrior approached Wendigo and saluted.

“Spirit-nim. We will take care of the rest.”

“Thank you. You handle it as usual and then rest.”

The warriors nodded and began digging the ground.

Even these sinful ones could atone if they became nutrients for the earth.

Wendigo left the back to the warriors and was about to climb the cliff. Now he just needed to dispel the ice sword and climb up…

“Huh?”

Wendigo realized something was strange with the ice sword. Until now, ice swords he created would crumble into fragments when he dispersed the mystery, but the mystery in the ice sword in his hand now wasn’t being controlled.

Wendigo began examining the ice sword in bewilderment.

It was still a crude rectangular executioner’s sword, but its appearance was clearly different from before.

The blade was surprisingly smooth and the edge was so sharp it looked like a line.

Wendigo brought his claw to the edge as a test.

Swish.

His claw, which could tear even armor, not to mention people, was smoothly sliced off.

Wendigo looked at his claw and the ice sword simultaneously in disbelief.

What in the world?

“Shouldn’t I at least know what it is if I made it?”

“Spirit-nim. Is there perhaps something else you need us to do?”

When Wendigo muttered in bewilderment, a warrior looked at him in surprise.

Wendigo waved his hand to let the warrior know it was nothing.

“I was just happy at how diligent my warriors are and pondering what reward to give.”

“We are already receiving sufficient reward. The safety of this land and our families.”

“Since you think that way, I want to give even more reward. You may go now. But don’t tell anyone I’m preparing a reward.”

The warrior left with a smile, and Wendigo stared intently at the ice sword in his hand.

Should he ask Skadi?

‘… Since the world has become strange, it would be best to ask a strange fellow.’

Wendigo suddenly thought of a good candidate.

Though he was a bit dislikeable, it should be fine since there was sufficient justification.

---

Late at night.

Wendigo faced a raven in the audience chamber. The one-eyed raven circled around Wendigo, cawing loudly.

“Caw!”

“Allfather, I know it’s you, so I’d appreciate if you’d come down and show yourself.”

At Wendigo’s polite request, the raven landed near the throne. However, the raven tilted its head and was about to caw again.

“Ca… Whoa whoa, should the one called the Forest King draw his sword for such a trivial matter?”

When Wendigo raised his ice sword, the raven hastily spoke in human voice.

Soon after, the raven twisted and contorted, gradually taking on human form before changing into a one-eyed old man.

Wendigo watched in admiration.

“Have you descended to the middle realm?”

“If I had, would I have answered your call now? I’d be whispering power into the ears of kings right away.”

Allfather flicked up the brim of his worn hat and jested.

Naturally, Wendigo’s reaction was very negative.

Who would like it if the first thing someone did upon descending to the world was to lay the foundation for causing conflict?

“If you do such a thing near my land…”

“Don’t worry. I’m generous to those I acknowledge. Anyway… why did you call me?”

Allfather shrugged and asked Wendigo.

If it was a question from a spirit powerful enough to be counted among the strongest in the current era, it surely wouldn’t be ordinary.

Perhaps he had found a relic with powerful strength, or wanted to consult the king of gods about power…

“The mystery won’t leave the ice sword I made. How do I deal with something like this?”

“……”

When Wendigo asked while wiggling the ice sword, Allfather was so dumbfounded he was at a loss for words.

He hadn’t expected a proposal to join hands and control the world, but to think he was called for such a pathetic question?

“… Sometimes I wonder if you forget that I’m a god.”

“No way, I never forget you’re a god. But you didn’t properly fulfill your contract with me.”

Wendigo explained about Damian and his followers.

The insane subordinates, the burning knight, and the black flames the knight unleashed at the end.

“Honestly, it’s not really threatening enough, is it? At your level, it shouldn’t be too difficult to deal with.”

Allfather stroked his single eye and made excuses after hearing the explanation. Like a skilled con artist, he hid lies among truths.

Considering Wendigo’s strength, dealing with Damian wasn’t a difficult task. However, that didn’t mean it wasn’t dangerous.

Strictly speaking, a spirit using its power was close to using its life as a weapon.

Moreover, the truth that even the strong could lose their lives at any time remained unchanged.

“So you’re not saying you didn’t warn about the one who received power from a god? Especially since it involves a god.”

“How harsh.”

Allfather grumbled and admitted his mistake.

While Wendigo wasn’t particularly prideful, even the least prideful among gods wouldn’t tolerate disregard for divine strength.

The pride of being directly created by the creation god wasn’t easily shaken.

Allfather extended his hand to Wendigo. To examine the ice sword, he needed to look it over first.

Wendigo handed the ice sword to Allfather while staring at him.

“I have no intention of stealing it, so stop staring like that. The gods of the North might seize things by force, but we don’t steal.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

When Allfather looked at him as if truly wronged, Wendigo averted his gaze and spoke.

Allfather glanced sideways and focused on the ice sword. At first he was dumbfounded, but as he carefully examined the ice sword, his mind changed.

Though the style was unfamiliar, the ice sword was a sufficiently beautiful masterpiece.

“What an interesting form. Is it a sword made solely for the purpose of cutting?”

“It borrows the form of a sword called an executioner’s sword.”

“4000 years can’t be ignored. To think styles I don’t know have emerged.”

Allfather observed the ice sword with great interest. How interesting must it have been for him to observe while letting his finger be sliced off by the blade?

Wendigo advised Allfather with a look of exasperation.

“It would be good to break the habit of using carelessly just because it’s not your own body. You might do that even after descending to the mortal realm.”

“Seeing you worry about me, I’m glad we seem to have become quite close.”

Allfather played dumb and held out the ice sword to Wendigo.

He seemed to have a rough idea about the identity of this object.

“The reason this ice sword doesn’t disappear is simple. This is… no different from a spell engraved in the world.”

“I’m not sure if I’ve said this before, but I’m a layman when it comes to spells. I’d appreciate a simpler explanation.”

“Tsk tsk, young ones are disappointing now just as they were in the old days.”

Allfather looked at Wendigo with a displeased expression.

He had worked so hard to acquire all knowledge and wisdom that he even got scolded by the creation god, but these youngsters nowadays!

“Do you know much about mythology?”

“I’ve heard some from Skadi.”

“It’s fortunate you at least have an attitude of learning history. Then, have you heard of divine artifacts?”

Wendigo nodded.

Weren’t they the weapons of gods called divine weapons or divine artifacts?

Allfather tapped the blade and explained briefly.

“Divine artifacts are powerful relics imbued with a god’s power. Gods possess such relics from the moment they are born.”

“So… you’re saying this ice sword is a kind of divine artifact?”

“Well, I think it might be similar. Perhaps it’s an object born somewhere between shamans’ spells and spirits’ primitive spells.”

A hero is accompanied by a demonic sword befitting the hero.

Wendigo, who had drawn out his power to the extreme, had unknowingly created an object most suited to himself…

Wendigo looked at the ice sword with half surprise, half disappointment.

“It doesn’t seem that great.”

It was sharp enough to split a boulder in one strike, harder than steel, and the blade was so cold it would freeze anything it touched instantly, but…

It didn’t seem great enough to be called a divine artifact.

Allfather said to Wendigo in disbelief.

“Then did you want overwhelming power that would freeze the world with one swing and bring it back with two swings?”

“Not to that extent. But since I can do all that myself anyway, I can’t help feeling disappointed.”

“Divine artifacts are weapons born based on their owner’s power from the beginning. A being that handles cold energy wouldn’t suddenly get a flame sword.”

Wendigo nodded at Allfather’s point. Certainly, there was nothing wrong with what Allfather said.

Satisfied with having obtained a personal weapon, Wendigo asked Allfather the most important thing.

“So how do I get rid of this?”

“Just imagine a place you think is suitable for storage. In my case, it’s my eye.”

As Allfather tapped his eye while speaking, Wendigo pondered.

If it’s a place suitable for storing something…

“The mouth would be too unsightly.”

“Certainly, pulling out such a sword from the mouth would be strange even if impressive.”

“Then the ground would be good.”

Wendigo stood the ice sword vertically and imagined it melting and seeping into the ground.

Then, like a snowman placed under sunlight, the ice sword slowly melted and seeped into the floor.

“It works.”

“I hope you didn’t doubt me. By the way, have you decided on a name for the weapon?”

“Name?”

When Wendigo asked in puzzlement, Allfather answered as if it were obvious.

“You’ve obtained a weapon that’s no different from an avatar, so of course you should name it.”

“What… I was just going to call it ice sword. It’ll be the only sword I use from now on anyway.”

“Be honest. Haven’t you ever been told you lack naming sense by your subordinates in the past?”

Wendigo lightly ignored Allfather’s meddling.

Once an ice sword, always an ice sword.

Allfather shook his head at Wendigo’s resolute attitude.

Seeing that Wendigo’s business seemed to be finished, Allfather prepared to leave.

The old man who had been nagging just moments ago turned into a raven and perched on the window.

The raven flapped its wings and moved its beak while looking at Wendigo.

“Right. You complained earlier about me not warning you.”

“That’s right.”

“So let me tell you one thing, witches will soon visit your forest. Among them, be careful of the one who claims to be the leader, as she serves the same god as the warrior you faced.”

“The same god?”

The raven shrugged and avoided answering. It judged that it had provided sufficient information befitting the contract.

The raven, Allfather, gave a final piece of advice.

“I can tell you for certain that she’s a crazy woman, if nothing else. She likes… very destructive and chaotic things.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“Well, if that being made a contract with her, that witch probably isn’t normal either… but I trust you’ll handle it well.”

---

A few days later.

While preparing for a trial in the audience chamber, a sparrow flew in and circled around Wendigo.

Wendigo glared at the sparrow in puzzlement. Mystery was flowing out of the sparrow’s body in a way that didn’t suit it.

“Who are you?”

[ I am Isabel, the grand witch of the Red Rose Dawn Society composed of witches. I wish to speak with the Forest Witch. ]

Wendigo looked at the sparrow with incredulous eyes.

He knew a witch would appear through Allfather’s information, but he didn’t expect such a bold request for a meeting.

By the way, did they still think Skadi was the Forest Witch?

“I can’t easily permit you to speak with her. State your reas-“

[ Spirit, I remember your appearance. Your fighting for your master, the Forest Witch, was impressive, but that’s merely behavior befitting a slave who has submitted to her. And slaves don’t interfere in conversations between masters. ]

“……”

When such arrogant nonsense flowed from the sparrow’s mouth, Wendigo was so dumbfounded his mouth froze.

He couldn’t believe there was someone who still thought he was under Skadi after seeing that scene.

The sparrow glared at Wendigo with an arrogant expression and opened its mouth.

[ Your master, the Forest Witch, will need us. Someone who could subjugate a strong spirit like you must have already realized that we need to join forces. ]

“So you’re saying you want her to join your group?”

[ Yes. Our witch society is certain that witches are the truly noble beings who should rule this world. ]

‘Saying such discriminatory things, she’s certainly not normal.’

Wendigo realized he could feel contempt even for a being he had never seen face to face.