Ch.149Chapter 149

“Hehehe. Killing Berman wasn’t part of the plan, but it doesn’t matter. There are plenty of sword-wielding fools in this world anyway.”

In the secret passage of the castle.

Seated on a palanquin carried by slaves, Gelman observed the Wendigo through the Chimera’s eyes with a sinister smile.

Just as Berman had known about the Chimera’s existence, Gelman was well aware of the Chimera imprisoned beneath the castle.

In fact, Gelman was the one who had confined the Chimera in the castle. It was imprisoned for his research on subjugating monsters using barriers and incantations…

If the castle collapsed, it would be nearly impossible to escape with the Chimera. He had also failed to fully subjugate it.

He had managed to sever part of its consciousness and create a connection between them, but this only allowed him to share its vision.

However, if he couldn’t take the Chimera with him, being able to share its vision was sufficient for the situation.

Even while retreating, it was valuable enough to be able to watch the king suffer.

As the Chimera reached the Wendigo’s vicinity and swung its foreleg, Gelman watched the Wendigo’s reaction with great anticipation.

‘The Chimera is a dangerous monster incomparable to common beasts.’

While an ordinary lion’s paw couldn’t handle a Djin, when that paw was attached to a Chimera’s body, it was a different story.

Just because it resembled a lion didn’t mean it only possessed a lion’s strength.

If it were merely that powerful, wouldn’t it be considered just a rare beast and hunted down by hunters whenever spotted?

The Chimera’s claws could tear through steel, its strength could shatter trees, and despite its size, it was surprisingly agile, making it lethal with even a moment’s carelessness.

When the Wendigo raised both hands, Gelman mockingly sneered at him.

‘He doesn’t seem to have much combat experience. Well, those dull-witted creatures probably trembled at the mere mention of Djin and begged for power.’

Gelman thought the Wendigo’s movement was a reflexive defensive action. Like how people offer their arms to attacking dogs despite knowing they’ll be bitten.

But that was merely the misconception of Gelman’s lack of combat experience. The Wendigo raised both arms and grabbed the Chimera’s forelegs.

“■■■■■■!!!!!!!”

“For something so ugly, you certainly know pain. If you had died quietly, it would have hurt less and been better for both of us.”

… Let me correct myself. The Wendigo wasn’t grabbing the forelegs but digging his claws into them.

The Chimera let out a pitiful scream in agony. Of course, the Chimera wasn’t screaming merely from bodily wounds.

Being a creature that seemed cursed from birth, the Chimera had a strong resistance to pain.

However, the cold energy seeping through the wounds was unbearable even for the Chimera. Frozen blood circulated through its veins, carving away at the Chimera from within.

Gelman, receiving part of the pain the Chimera felt, staggered. His disciples, who surrounded the palanquin like guards, were startled when their master faltered and turned to look at him.

“Master, are you alright?”

“Ugh… It seems I underestimated the King of Manheimr. To think he would face the Chimera head-on.”

“How could this be… Master, then we shall increase our speed. We should leave this passage as quickly as possible.”

“Do so. I will continue to assess the king’s abilities through the Chimera’s eyes.”

Gelman flicked his wrist, ordering to increase the palanquin’s speed. The workers carrying his palanquin hastened their steps, and his disciples discarded their belongings to move faster.

Gelman endured the pain and continued observing the Wendigo through the Chimera’s vision.

Though it screamed as if about to collapse, the Chimera didn’t fall merely from pain.

Instead, it grew more enraged and filled with killing intent. This time, all three of its heads lunged simultaneously to tear at the Wendigo.

The lion’s head, along with the eagle and mountain goat heads, bared their sharp teeth, targeting the neck and both shoulders…

Crack!

The Wendigo indifferently pulled out his claws and thrust them toward the Chimera’s chest like a spear.

The Chimera’s tough scales and hide were pierced instantly, tearing its heart. The cold energy condensed in the claws was unnaturally ominous…

“What a brute!!!”

“M-Master?”

As pain that felt like his heart would stop surged through him, Gelman panicked and severed the connection. He broke into a cold sweat, slumped against the palanquin’s armrest, and gasped for breath.

While he couldn’t claim to have mastered all things in the world, Gelman prided himself as the most knowledgeable about monsters, beasts, and Djin in the empire.

He had dissected over a hundred monsters with the help of his clan and experimented on more than twenty Djin and beasts bound by incantations and barriers, so his claim wasn’t unfounded.

However, even Gelman, who had violated countless lives in his pursuit of knowledge, could confidently say he had never encountered a Djin like the Wendigo in his lifetime.

‘What on earth is that power?!’

For a brief moment, Gelman felt like an ant facing a tidal wave.

That terrible sensation of being swept away by an overwhelming density of mystery without a trace of vulnerability, feeling as if his existence would vanish, was too horrifying to even speak of.

If he had severed the connection any later, his mind would have collapsed along with the Chimera’s!

‘This, this is an anomaly I never considered. I must quickly return to Lord Dencan and report… No, at least I should escape and aim for the clan’s revival…?’

Gasping for breath, Gelman realized the palanquin had stopped and half-raised himself, roaring at his disciples.

“You useless fools! Have you become so incompetent that you can’t even flee? If we don’t escape quickly, that monster might discover our presence!!!”

“……”

Despite their master’s rebuke, as severe as the heavens, Gelman’s disciples didn’t budge. They didn’t even turn their heads, which was incredibly disrespectful…

Flinch!

Sensing the mystery from the ground, Gelman hurriedly rose from his seat and threw himself backward. Forgetting his pride, he rolled on the ground, retreated, and took a stance.

“Whoever you are, you are truly devious. What glory do you seek by persecuting an old man?”

“The Wendigo said that being called devious is the same as being called clever, so it’s almost a compliment. I’m only pleased to receive such praise from an elderly summoner.”

Hearing a young woman’s voice from the darkness without a single light, Gelman heightened his vigilance.

He knew from experience that when an out-of-place entity appears, it’s never an ordinary being.

Gelman chanted a spell and struck the ground with his staff. His disciples’ necklaces emitted a dark red light, exerting their power.

“Aaaaargh!!!”

“Oh my?”

Gelman’s disciples tore out the roots binding their bodies and coughed up blood. Naturally, it was impossible to pull out roots that had burrowed into their bodies while conscious.

Driven mad, Gelman’s disciples glared at Skadi with bloodshot eyes.

“Serve me for the clan’s secret wish, my disciples!”

“Aaaah!!!”

The disciples charged toward Skadi, shedding bloody tears. However, Skadi gestured leisurely with a cold smile…

Roots sprouting from the ground pierced through the charging disciples and extended toward Gelman.

Grimacing, Gelman pulled out gems from his bosom and threw them. The gems resonated with his spell, forming a colorful barrier.

The roots that were about to pierce Gelman collided with the barrier, creating a thunderous noise.

The barrier transformed like glass about to shatter but didn’t break. Having blocked the attack, Gelman smiled maliciously.

Thanks to Skadi using roots to attack him, some of his berserk disciples had managed to reach right in front of her.

“Raaaah!!!”

“You’re noisy.”

Slash!

With Skadi’s indifferent words, a sword appeared from somewhere and severed a disciple’s neck.

The sword’s owner was a puppet wearing armor that emerged from the roots. The puppet moved like a living human, slaughtering the charging disciples.

Skadi wiped the blood splattered on her cheek and asked Gelman.

“Is this all you have?”

“Young girl, you’re arrogant. Did you think I would rely on such incompetent disciples?”

Mocking the foolishness of the vulgar summoner, Gelman waved his finger. The blood of the dead disciples moved like snakes, gathering around Skadi.

The blood moved according to Gelman’s will, forming a complex magic circle. Raising his staff, Gelman spoke to Skadi with confidence in victory.

“Look forward to it. In my laboratory, you’ll realize that your petty sorcery is no match for our clan’s magic.”

Like a judge pronouncing a death sentence, Gelman was about to strike the ground with his staff with a solemn expression.

The mystery contained in the staff would flow through the blood, activating the magic circle to bind Skadi.

However…

“What have you done?!”

His arm was frozen in mid-air as if caught by something. Flustered, Gelman tried to step back, but his legs wouldn’t move either.

Gelman glared at Skadi with wide eyes. Meeting her blood-red eyes, he felt an inexplicable fear.

“You… you Djin-loving whore!!!”

In response to Gelman’s provocation, Skadi replied with an innocent smile and snapped her fingers.

Squirm!

Gelman felt his blood run cold at the foreign sensation in his forearm. Realizing what was happening to him, Gelman shouted in terror.

“If you release me, I’ll tell you everything I know! If you master our clan’s magic, even subjugating the king would be no dream…”

Skadi frowned as if hearing an unpleasant noise and stroked her ring.

Gelman wanted to scream from the pain he felt throughout his body, but his mouth wouldn’t open. Thin roots had sewn his lips shut.

Moments later, flowers of blood bloomed all over Gelman’s body. Skadi approached Gelman, fingering one of the flowers, and whispered to him.

“I’m going to ask you some questions now, so please answer honestly. If you don’t answer properly…”

Skadi tore out the flower she was caressing, roots and all. The roots of the flower were covered not with soil and moisture but with Gelman’s flesh and blood.

Gelman shed tears from the pain of his skin and flesh being torn and let out a silent scream. Skadi complained to Gelman with a troubled expression.

“As you can see, I’m not skilled at torture. So if you cooperate well, I’ll end this without pain. Nod if you understand?”

Gelman nodded with a bewildered expression.

He wanted to be freed from this terrible ordeal as quickly as possible.