Ch.137Chapter 137

Zeloa’s impulsive action was enough to confuse the armored spiders escorting her. Wouldn’t it be strange if they weren’t startled when their escort target suddenly bolted?

“Kieeek!?”

“Kieeeeee!!!”

The armored spiders responsible for the escort panicked and chased after Zeloa. They were so disoriented that they pushed against each other while running forward with their eyes fixed on Zeloa’s back.

Wendigo smiled inwardly as he watched the scene.

‘Thanks to her, this will be easier.’

“I’ll tear that damn mouth of yours apart!!!”

Even as Zeloa charged forward spewing rage, Wendigo calmly flicked his finger. Ice spears emerged from all directions, extending toward the armored spiders.

The ice spears that Wendigo had prepared by sacrificing his doppelgangers targeted the armored spiders’ lives like a tiger’s jaws, and when the sharp ice aimed for their bodies, the armored spiders hurriedly tried to cover themselves with their shells, but…

CRACK!

“Kiii…”

Having gained speed from hastily chasing Zeloa, the armored spiders couldn’t stop and hurled themselves toward the spears.

The ice spears covering the passage boasted rock-like hardness as they penetrated the armored spiders’ bodies. The creatures froze from the cold that invaded their bodies without even having time to scream or struggle.

When the passage was suddenly blocked by frozen corpses and spears, the remaining armored spiders hesitated, unable to easily reach Zeloa’s side.

The terrible cold emanating from the corpses triggered an instinctive aversion in the armored spiders.

Finding herself isolated, Zeloa frowned and shouted loudly at the escorts she had abandoned.

“You useless creatures! What’s so difficult about stepping over some corpses?! Hurry up and come over…!?”

Flinch!

Zeloa was startled when Wendigo’s doppelgangers charged toward her, and she swung her spear in surprise. Though startled, the trajectory of her spear was stable and accurate.

The spear blade cut through five or six doppelgangers, and the shaft sent them flying toward the wall. She shouted boldly at the main body (or not) charging toward her.

“You’re as pathetic as your filthy tongue! If you have any confidence, face me in a fair duel!”

“Sorry, but I have no intention of indulging your heroic fantasies.”

Wendigo lightly dismissed Zeloa’s words and passed by her.

Naturally assuming he was targeting her, Zeloa couldn’t understand Wendigo’s intentions and hurriedly turned around. Her eyes flashed with shock.

Wendigo and his doppelgangers had leaped over the wall of corpses and lunged toward the armored spiders.

The armored spiders, who were carefully trying to climb over the wall, hurriedly moved their bodies at the sudden counterattack, but…

“Kieeek!?”

With their path blocked by the wall of corpses, the armored spiders were in a very tight formation due to their earlier charge.

In this situation, even if they wanted to move their legs, they were hindered by other armored spiders. Meanwhile, Wendigo’s doppelgangers climbed onto the armored spiders’ bodies and began slaughtering them.

“What stupid creatures!”

Zeloa cursed her subordinates’ incompetence and tried to turn around. She didn’t care if they died, but facing two monsters alone was too much.

However, Gulmarg had no intention of leaving Zeloa alone. He kicked off the ground and swung his club toward her.

Zeloa gasped in terror and raised her shield against the club that flew at her with a vicious sound.

Whether because Gulmarg swung lightly or because Zeloa’s shield technique was excellent, the club was deflected by the shield and struck the innocent wall instead.

“Kugh!?”

However, it was impossible to completely deflect the club’s impact. As Zeloa staggered from the shock, Wendigo stabbed his sword into an armored spider’s head and shouted toward her.

“If you want to play hero so badly, you can face Gulmarg! Though you’re the monster here, of course.”

“I will surely tear your mouth and gut you so spiders can eat you alive!”

“……”

At Wendigo’s provocation, Zeloa cursed and took her stance.

Perhaps because she now had someone she desperately wanted to kill, Zeloa assumed a flawless stance and glared at Gulmarg with murderous intent.

Finding himself suddenly facing Zeloa alone, Gulmarg let out a short sigh and raised his club.

This was clearly revenge for comparing him to Zeloa earlier, after deliberately provoking her and drawing out her rage only to pass the opponent to him.

* * *

Zeloa’s behavior was not befitting of a commander or ruler by common sense. How could someone swayed by personal emotions discuss the art of governance?

However, it is the way of the world that where there are deficiencies, there are also innate talents. Whatever else Zeloa lacked, she was born with the qualities of a warrior.

“Die!”

Charging toward Gulmarg, Zeloa thrust her front legs like spears. Each leg targeted Gulmarg’s legs and abdomen, and Zeloa thrust her spear toward his neck with perfect timing.

Faced with consecutive attacks that didn’t allow time for counterattack, Gulmarg calmly retreated. He knew that if he acted rashly, he would leave himself open to at least two of the three attacks.

As Zeloa’s sharp spear cut through the air, Gulmarg moved toward her blind spot.

Her legs were sharp and heavy weapons, but it would be difficult for her to target diagonally.

As long as he wasn’t attacked simultaneously like before…

“Stupid fool! Did you think I would let you escape?!”

“!”

Realizing Gulmarg’s intention, Zeloa smiled fiercely, her teeth showing. Without even looking back, she retreated and swung her spear and legs viciously.

Gulmarg had already lunged toward her blind spot. Before he could stop and turn around, her sharp spear might pierce his heart.

Using one leg as a pivot, Gulmarg painfully twisted his body and managed to avoid the spear and the attack aimed at his lungs, but…

“Ahahahaha!!! What a shame! I could have completely pierced your leg!”

It was impossible to avoid all attacks. Zeloa’s leg pierced the hide of Gulmarg’s left leg, tearing through flesh and muscle.

Though not severe enough to make movement impossible, it was an injury that would inevitably slow him down.

Like a spider hunting prey caught in its web, Zeloa’s attacks began to thoroughly ravage Gulmarg.

Her sharp spear and legs tore his hide, leaving minor wounds and gradually wearing him down. The floor became dirty with his spilled blood and torn hide.

However…

“Slow-witted fool. You still haven’t accepted your fate!”

“You talk too much.”

No matter how many wounds accumulated, Gulmarg remained calm and focused on defense. There was not a hint of fear in his eyes.

Zeloa, who enjoyed her enemies’ fear and terror, disliked Gulmarg’s resilience.

Monsters were always destined to fall at the hero’s feet with desperate screams!

“Let’s see if you can remain so calm with your heart pierced!”

“!”

To break through Gulmarg’s defense, she needed a faster strike. Consumed by killing intent, Zeloa pulled her arm back further than before.

A very brief opening appeared in her previously near-perfect attack.

Gulmarg didn’t miss that opening; without the slightest hesitation, he swung his club toward the ground.

BOOM!!!

“Kugh!?”

The floor exploded with dust, and stone fragments flew toward Zeloa’s face. She hurriedly raised her shield to protect her face.

Initially startled, Zeloa realized that the stone fragments were noisy but not very damaging. She inwardly mocked Gulmarg.

How desperate must he be to resort to such futile actions!

“As expected of a monster, you’re stupi—?!”

At that moment, with a tearing sound, the club flew like lightning and broke Zeloa’s leg. One leg was completely broken, and the one behind it was half-broken.

With half of one side of her legs disabled as the price of her carelessness, Zeloa was about to scream from the overwhelming pain.

At least until Gulmarg roared and lunged at her!

“□□□□□□□□!!!”

“You… brute!!!”

Gulmarg had no weapon in his hands. His only weapon, the club, had been thrown to crush Zeloa’s legs, so this was natural.

However, there are quite a few beings in the world who don’t need weapons, and ogres were among the most notorious of such monsters.

As Gulmarg flew at her with clenched fists, Zeloa gritted her teeth in disgust at his barbaric behavior. Shame, incomparable to pain, consumed her brain.

How much must he be looking down on her to try to defeat her with his bare fists!

“I’ll cut off your head and make it into a wine cup to mock even your death!!!”

“□□!”

Zeloa’s spear extended toward the approaching Gulmarg’s neck. Though she couldn’t use her front legs to maintain balance due to her broken legs, Zeloa didn’t care.

She was certain he couldn’t avoid her spear while suspended in the air.

However, contrary to Zeloa’s thoughts, Gulmarg wasn’t stupid. Why would he have broken her legs when he could have launched a surprise attack by throwing his club from the start?

Unlike vital areas like the body and head that are easily fatally wounded, legs are easy to overlook yet crippling when injured.

The only attack Zeloa could make after losing her mobility and means of attack was a single spear, and…

SIZZLE!!!

“Huh?”

“□□”

If one knows where the attack is aimed, blocking it is easy. Gulmarg reached out toward Zeloa’s spear, and the spear penetrated his hand.

Gulmarg ignored the pain and moved his penetrated hand to grab the spear and change its direction. Zeloa’s spear lost its target and drifted through the air.

As Zeloa experienced the strange sensation of the world slowing down, she stared at Gulmarg’s fist flying toward her head and thought:

‘My legs? I can’t move them. Turn my head? It’s too close. Other means…’

Zeloa realized in that brief moment that she couldn’t avoid the attack. She had only one option.

To endure the impact and counterattack.

‘Fine. I’ll take your attack this time. But once your attack is over…’

CRUNCH!

As Gulmarg’s fist reached Zeloa’s face, she recalled one fact amidst the sensation of her helmet breaking and muscles tearing.

It was Gulmarg who had broken down the wall she thought would never crumble.

BOOM!!!

Her body bent like a bow under Gulmarg’s violent punch.

* * *

“Kieeeeek!!!!!”

CRACK!

After crushing the head of the last remaining armored spider, Wendigo stepped over the corpses to check on Gulmarg’s condition.

At some point, Zeloa’s clear voice had stopped, and the sound of something breaking had continued…

“Huh…”

Wendigo couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

Gulmarg, who had already pulled out the spear that had pierced his hand, was holding Zeloa with one hand and pummeling her body with the other.

Her shell’s hardness had long since failed to withstand Gulmarg’s passionate punches.

Ironically, the only reason Zeloa had been able to endure at all was because of the curse she so hated.

Flinch!

Was it finally over?

Gulmarg paused his punching, pushed Zeloa toward the ground, and stepped back.

Zeloa collapsed with a thud, and naturally she should be dead…?

“Can’t… can’t die… yet!!!”

Surprisingly, Zeloa was still breathing. Looking closely, it seemed she had escaped by biting Gulmarg’s hand with her dangling, hideous mouth.

With one leg broken, she pathetically wriggled, struggling to get away from Gulmarg.

Wendigo praised her remarkable survival instinct.

“…Truly amazing persistence. How is she still alive after taking those punches?”

“!”

Having forgotten in her mind-numbing pain, Zeloa froze as if fainting when she saw Wendigo before her.

The death of the armored spiders escorting her reached her as a nauseating smell of blood.

Sensing death approaching, she had only one final choice left.

To accept her situation, reflect on her life, and accept death…

“Kyaaaaa!!!!!”

As if there had only ever been one option, Zeloa charged toward Wendigo with a scream bordering on a shriek.

Having realized with her entire body that breaking through Gulmarg was impossible, she had placed her hopes on Wendigo, who had been dealing with the minions.

Wendigo respected her choice and stepped aside. Zeloa had no time to question his action as she stepped over the armored spider corpses.

The ruined doppelgangers of Wendigo greeted her.

“Get out of my waaay!!!”

Somehow finding strength in her battered body, she pushed away and broke through the clinging doppelgangers, stepping over the corpses of the armored spiders that were like her children.

No. She tried to step over them.

CRUNCH!

“Kyaaaaa!?”

Something gripped Zeloa’s leg as she tried to escape from Gulmarg. As her shell crumbled and pain dug into her flesh, Zeloa reflexively looked down…

The doppelgangers she had smashed were holding onto her leg and wouldn’t let go.

Though the doppelgangers without their magic were nothing more than wooden dolls, the darkness in the eye sockets of the deer skulls seemed to be watching her, sending a chill down her spine.

“Let go! Let go—”

As she pleaded with tears, shaking and pushing the hands that wouldn’t let go, Zeloa felt a cool sensation and turned her head sideways.

But she couldn’t identify the source of the sensation; the only thing she could see was a single flash of light shining brilliantly in the darkness of the cave…

“Ah.”

SLASH!

A flash of light and a brief noise were the last things Zeloa could experience. Her consciousness sank into darkness.

Into a deep, deep darkness where she would never see light again.

* * *

Gulmarg beheaded her with an ice axe borrowed from Wendigo, his expression impassive.

His strike was so clean that she died with a blank expression, as if she hadn’t even realized she was dying. Gulmarg tied her hair neatly and collected the head.

As if that was sufficient, Gulmarg nodded and expressed his gratitude to Wendigo.

“Wendigo, thank you for your help.”

“You’re the one who killed Zeloa, so there’s nothing to thank me for. But… are you only taking the head?”

Wendigo asked Gulmarg while poking at Zeloa’s headless corpse. Though she had a human body attached, Zeloa was no different from a monster in others’ eyes.

If one looked carefully, something could probably be made from Zeloa’s corpse.

However, Gulmarg seemed to have no such desire as he shook his head and declined.

“Hard to carry back. Angrid’s gift, the head is enough.”

“I’ve heard of many customs, but never one where an enemy’s head is offered as a wedding gift… though Hrimtur might like it.”

“She will like it. I, can understand Angrid. And that’s not the only reason I’m not taking it.”

“Hmm?”

When Gulmarg pointed behind him, Wendigo turned around in confusion. Somehow the news had spread, and a group of armored spiders was hurrying toward them.

They showed signs of wariness upon discovering Wendigo and Gulmarg, then slowly approached Zeloa’s corpse and…

“Kieeeeek!!!”

“Kiiiik!!!”

The armored spiders surrounded Zeloa’s corpse and wailed mournfully. Gulmarg watched with a bitter expression and spoke.

“Zeloa, enemy but mother to armored spiders. Death of mother, children should send off.”

“Hmm…”

Gulmarg hid Zeloa’s head behind him as if understanding the armored spiders’ sorrow. Unlike Wendigo, he could understand their feelings.

A mother’s death is always remembered as a great sorrow in a child’s heart.

As Gulmarg’s mood dampened, Wendigo scratched his shoulder and called to him in a dry voice.

“Gulmarg. I think they’re not doing this for such a touching reason…”

“Wendigo, no need to comfort me. This is nature’s way.”

Wendigo nodded at Gulmarg’s words. Depending on how you looked at it, it was indeed nature’s way.

However, to Wendigo’s eyes and ears, this wasn’t really the kind of heartwarming scene that…

CRUNCH!

After howling at each other for quite some time, the armored spiders began tearing and eating Zeloa’s corpse all at once. Gulmarg froze in shock.

Wendigo sighed, patted his shoulder, and said:

“As you said, it is nature’s way. Becoming nutrients after death is the way of nature. Besides… those creatures didn’t seem particularly filial.”

Their howling around the corpse wasn’t out of sadness… it was more like they were checking each other to prevent others from taking the corpse.

If they were truly sad, they wouldn’t have been fighting, spitting in their brothers’ faces and pushing each other with their bodies.

Zeloa hadn’t particularly shown love to her children either.

Honestly, considering she had treated them like slaves and openly displayed disgust on a daily basis, the fact that they were just eating her could be considered filial.

“Ch-children eating their par..?”

“Ah. Truly shocking. Let’s quickly leave this terrible scene of tragedy.”

Wendigo gave a perfunctory response to the shocked, stammering Gulmarg and pulled him away from the passage.