Ch.10Chapter 10

The kind-looking summoner, Ryurik, was a con artist by nature. To him, diligence meant dullness, and honesty meant stupidity.

Had he not been lucky, his head would have been cut off, but Ryurik was quite a fortunate piece of trash.

The one scam that was exposed in his life became the opportunity to meet his summoner master, who, valuing Ryurik’s talent, took him in and raised him as a summoner.

Ryurik thought life was easy. It was natural since he had committed crimes yet still walked toward higher places. That’s why he wasn’t too worried this time either.

As always, he believed fortune was smiling upon him!

“Damn it!”

That foolish belief came back to him in the form of the Wendigo’s sharp claws. Ryurik hastily chanted a spell to activate the talismans he had placed. The talismans emitted a dazzling light, creating an invisible barrier.

Crash!

“What the hell?!”

As the barrier was torn apart one by one by the Wendigo’s claws, Ryurik backed away in shock.

When the talismans began to shake violently just from the cold energy left by the Wendigo’s claws, Ryurik’s eyes widened. To think that the talismans would exhaust their power against mere cold energy from claws!

The Wendigo was equally surprised. Until now, no one had blocked its attacks, yet here it was, missing a strike against a summoner of all people, not even a physical fighter.

“You’re a more capable con artist than I thought. Offer your neck willingly. I know you’ve committed sins deserving death.”

“How would a Djin know that? I’m a virtuous summoner!”

“In my life, I’ve never met a truthful person among those who claim themselves to be virtuous. And from you, I sense a terrible smell and the mystery of mad beasts.”

Ryurik gritted his teeth. He had worried the Djin might recognize him, but he never expected such an aggressive approach.

‘Why is this crazy Djin acting like this? Djin don’t usually move without some benefit.’

Bad people understand other bad people’s thoughts better.

Ryurik, true to his innate character, understood the Djin’s mind well. Djin generally seemed to act according to their moods, but they usually moved in directions that benefited themselves.

No matter how much a summoner wanted to help a village, a Djin wouldn’t step forward to help. They only helped when there was a definite reward for themselves.

Ryurik’s sinful mind worked quickly. This Djin must be moving because there was some benefit for itself…

Only one thing came to mind. Ryurik created distance between himself and the Wendigo and began to negotiate.

“O Djin! If you wish to receive worship from this village, I will solve the problem and serve you devotedly, so please withdraw your anger!”

“You crazy fool, still wagging your tongue in this situation. Stop talking nonsense and summon the Djin you’ve contracted with. I’ll settle things with it.”

The Wendigo coldly rejected the negotiation. What worship was he talking about?

The Wendigo had no intention of negotiating with Ryurik.

He had learned from Skadi that people’s reverence and fear strengthen a Djin’s mystery, but honestly, it didn’t resonate with him.

‘When have I ever lacked mystery? If anything, I have too much of it.’

The Wendigo had never felt a lack of mystery when using his power. Having never lacked it, he naturally had no greed for it.

Rather, his desires were more human. Just wanting to eat well, dress well, and enjoy life—human desires!

Ignoring Ryurik’s words, the Wendigo manipulated the cold energy to create an ice sword. As the large greatsword appeared, Ryurik’s eyes trembled.

“Damn it, why would a Djin with such strong power appear in a forest like this with nothing to eat?!”

“…I was born in this kind of forest, so I can’t help it.”

The Wendigo answered with an annoyed voice. Though it wasn’t exactly his homeland, since his origin was presumed to be from the forest, insults toward the forest displeased him.

The Wendigo swung his greatsword with full personal emotion, ready to split Ryurik in one go. Faced with the malicious energy imbued in the greatsword, Ryurik cursed and drew the wooden sword at his waist.

Ryurik threw the sword into the air while chanting a spell. Responding to his spell, a giant made of roots and branches rose from the ground and grabbed the wooden sword.

Then, pink flowers bloomed on the wooden sword, sprouting thorny vines. The wooden sword grew to a size comparable to the Wendigo’s greatsword.

“Giant of thorns, cut down my enemy!”

As Ryurik shouted, spitting blood from his mouth, the giant charged forward, swinging the greatsword.

Though he suffered internal injuries from recklessly summoning too much mystery without preparation, Ryurik gained confidence.

He thought that no matter how great a Djin was, he could withstand it with such strong mystery.

‘He’s a Djin too. He wouldn’t want to use too much mystery!’

He didn’t need to win. If he could just hold out, the Djin would retreat to save its mystery!

The Wendigo looked curiously at the giant summoned by Ryurik and swung his greatsword. When his sword collided with the giant’s, a thunderous sound echoed through the village.

As the Wendigo’s greatsword exploded with cold energy, the giant’s greatsword instantly froze.

The giant didn’t back down. It pressed down with its weight and spewed roots from its body, heavily entangling the Wendigo’s body.

“You’re not even trying to hide it now. Are these disgusting roots the source of your Djin?”

“The giant of thorns doesn’t fall easily. Give up and go back!”

“Judging by how you avoid answering, I guess I’m right.”

The Wendigo spoke calmly even as roots wrapped around his entire body, and he slowly began to push back the giant.

As a cold and sharp energy like a winter plain’s wind burst from the Wendigo’s body, the roots entangling him instantly lost their vitality and fell off.

Even as it lost vitality, the giant tried to fulfill its master’s command, enlarging its body and attempting to drive its greatsword into the Wendigo’s neck.

It was nothing more than a futile struggle.

As the Wendigo’s greatsword cut through the giant’s greatsword, the giant’s posture collapsed, and the Wendigo gained the upper hand.

The sound of dry branches breaking began to be heard from the giant’s body. Ryurik watched the scene in dismay.

“Oh… shit.”

“You have quite a foul mouth for a summoner. Or maybe you’re normal, since I’ve only met four summoners in total.”

The Wendigo’s greatsword cut the thorn giant in half. As the flowers on the wooden sword withered and the giant’s body collapsed powerlessly, frozen branches showered down.

Ryurik trembled with fear. The giant’s defeat was somewhat expected. After all, it’s difficult for a summoner to defeat a Djin.

But… why was the Wendigo unchanged after facing the giant?

“W-why isn’t your mystery decreasing?”

“Well, I don’t know either.”

The Wendigo was directly contradicting Ryurik’s knowledge. Djin are supposed to lose mystery when they use their power, yet the Wendigo remained as full of mystery as when they first met.

At this point, Ryurik began to consider the Djin before him as something other than a Djin.

‘There’s no way I can win at my level!’

Ryurik bit his lip. As he took out a seed from his waist, the Wendigo immediately understood what he was trying to do.

“Finally thinking of summoning your Djin? It would have been easier and better if you’d done that from the start.”

“Shit. You know what it means to summon a Djin, don’t you?”

“Yes. You’ll pay a price. But considering the giant you lost, that might have been better.”

“Argh!!!”

Ryurik flushed with anger but swallowed it. Honestly, the Wendigo wasn’t wrong.

How much had he paid and how many materials had he gathered to create that giant!

It had cost him at least three years’ worth of the wealth he’d accumulated as a summoner. To have such a treasure not only unrecoverable but irretrievable made him feel like his insides were being torn apart.

“Boar Wearing Roots and Sticks, I, a humble summoner, call upon you according to our contract, so reveal yourself!”

The seed that left Ryurik’s hand burrowed into the ground. The seed sprouted roots, stems, and branches, taking form. It was a boar that resembled a large boulder.

The boar Djin opened its drowsy eyes and looked down at Ryurik, who was crouched low.

“…Ryurik. When you spoke to me, didn’t you say it was a simple task?”

“I-I’m sorry. I was certain this village had no connection to summoners, but suddenly some Djin and summoner appeared, and…”

Though the boar showed undisguised contempt in its question, Ryurik dared not express any complaint. His life depended on the boar Djin, after all.

The boar, mocking its foolish contractor, turned its gaze toward the Wendigo. Though it mocked its contractor, the boar Djin had never encountered a Djin like the Wendigo before.

Djin are generally beings filled with one type of mystery.

There are Djin with mixed mysteries like rock and soil, earth and plants, rivers and waves, but none like the one before them with such disparate energies mixed together.

“What’s your name? Giant born from ice? Beast running through the snow plains?”

“Not such a literary name, my name is Wendigo. Damn boar.”

“…What?”

Perhaps because it didn’t expect to be insulted during a Djin-to-Djin conversation, the boar Djin asked back stupidly. The Wendigo kindly repeated himself to the boar Djin.

“I said my name is Wendigo. You disgusting-looking boar. Can’t you keep those wriggling roots still?”

“Y-you dare! A Djin with such ragged mystery!”

Though Djin are arrogant and selfish beings, they usually maintain a minimum level of courtesy among themselves. It’s an implicit rule among the most noble beings in this world.

Of course, the Wendigo had none of that. To him, Djin were just monsters lucky enough to be born with mystery.

“Shut up and come at me. If you’re afraid, tuck your tail and get lost.”

“You think you can kill me? Is that even possible! I am the Boar Wearing Roots and Sticks…”

“Yes, you’re a pig. Since I can’t eat you, you’re no better than an ordinary pig.”

The boar Djin lost its reason and charged toward the Wendigo.