Ch.181Chapter 181. Spirit World Escape No.1 (10)

Chapter 181. Spirit World Escape No.1 (10)

“Arghhhh!”

The followers of Tuga who were struck by lightning (ouch) and electrocuted turned to dust. They wouldn’t be able to maintain their form until at least tomorrow morning.

“A-a rookie proxy is wielding Lord Roa’s power!”

“Then he’s not a rookie!”

“Damn it!”

The frightened ones were in disarray. They knew I was a proxy, but they didn’t expect me to handle these abilities so skillfully.

Tuga, you underestimated me too much. I’ve already caught the dark cloud and the seven-headed dragon, haven’t I?

“Hmph!”

The disappointing thing was that the sharp-witted Asha avoided the lightning by throwing herself through the air.

She performed several somersaults and moved acrobatically—in that moment, she was like a 0.5 Lakye.

“Lord Tuga told me everything! You’re just an ordinary human, neither warrior nor priest! Do you think you can defeat me just because you gained Lord Roa’s power?!”

Wow, she’s getting cocky just because she dodged once. Yet she’s still just charging at me on foot.

“Yes. That’s right.”

“You!”

Asha shoots black energy from her fingertips. This is an ability I saw when fighting her on the ground.

So this was her ability as a priest, not something she received as Tuga’s avatar. It’s smaller than before. She’s no longer an avatar, so she must be weaker.

I could easily dodge an attack like this… Oh. Right. I’m physically uncoordinated.

Why did I think I could dodge that? I’ve been stuck to Lakye’s side in totem form for so long that I overestimated my abilities.

Just because I can see the attack doesn’t mean my body can keep up.

I’m screwed.

“Haah!”

Fortunately, Gukbap jumped in at the right moment and blocked the black energy with his hammer.

This is the spiritual world. If you offer your soul, you can block attacks using spiritual abilities.

Perhaps due to his dedicated spirit of sacrifice, Gukbap had a soul that felt more solid and vivid than others.

“That’s the sea monster bitch, right? The one who sent the dark cloud demon to our special forces! We suffered so much because of her!”

Gukbap glares at Asha after shaking off his hammer once.

“That’s right.”

You remember that quite well.

“I’ll handle this one!”

An Asian man in a Korean military uniform charges forward with a massive war hammer.

“You! You’re a possessed one! Were you part of that Paladin group back then?”

“Yes. I was disappointed I couldn’t kill you myself then, but this works out!”

Asha and Gukbap collided. Asha swung her fists wrapped in black energy, but Gukbap blocked her punches with his hammer, looking for an opening.

He’s not just any possessed person but a professional soldier. He’s also an elite Paladin who participated in the all-out war against the seven-headed dragon demon. Even a priestess who led a tribe wouldn’t be able to take him lightly.

Still, he seems to be struggling a bit.

At this rate, he’ll just keep blocking without making progress. Is it because of the difference in spiritual abilities? He needs backup.

“Nix! Help Gukbap!”

“Yes!”

If Nix, who is both chief and priest, joins in, they should be able to defeat Asha without much trouble.

I left Asha to them and surveyed the battlefield again. My followers and Tuga’s followers were fighting in a tangled mess.

We had greater numbers. Quite a few of them had turned to dust after being struck by my lightning. They were trying to resist, but there’s no match against a group attack.

“Y-you fools! I am the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and the 21st Pirate King, Lufa—ugh!”

“I am the navigator Nama—eek!”

Denzo struck their heads with his iron club.

“Mere sea pirates dare to—!”

In truth, their individual specs were completely different.

Tuga’s followers were pirates who lived by extorting money and lives from innocent fishermen and poor navigators.

In contrast, most of Malak’s followers were hunters or warriors. There was no way they could match us in direct combat.

“Tuga, you blockhead.”

Did you think that being a farmer god meant only farmers would worship you? He probably sent his followers without much thought.

This is the average for Roa. They call themselves gods, but they’re just beasts with strength.

“Mr. Nix!”

“Yes!”

“Ugh!”

Asha was neutralized by Gukbap and Nix’s coordinated attack. A crushing victory.

“Dumber than demons.”

The tunnel demon who targeted headquarters when the main force was away, or the shadow demon who fled as soon as it saw Malak’s manifestation, were smarter than these fools.

“Don’t think you’ve won! My role was merely to buy time! Lord Tuga has left his domain! You will disappear…”

“Shut up!”

Bang!

Asha turned to dust after being hit by Gukbap’s hammer. It’s frustrating to think she’ll return to normal by tomorrow morning.

“It will be difficult, but we need to increase our pace. If Tuga is coming… we should prepare for any contingency.”

Nike wiped away sweat with a serious expression.

“Let’s do that.”

I was planning to leave today or tomorrow anyway. Going faster is actually welcome.

I’m not sure if my poor stamina will hold up, but I guess my followers can take turns giving me piggyback rides when I’m exhausted.

Just a thought.

***

We encountered the second group of uninvited guests when the sun was high in the sky.

“We’ve been waiting for you. We knew you would come this way.”

Humans wearing monkey masks blocked our path.

“What’s this?”

“Proxy of Malak, you need not be hostile. We are faithful followers of Lord Sonak. We have no intention of fighting.”

Sonak. The monkey Roa.

“If you don’t want to fight, then move aside. I’m busy.”

He’s not a particularly impressive Roa. He has few followers and his influence on the ground was minimal.

If Rakan is a major corporation worshipped by many tribes, and Tuga is a mid-sized company worshipped by some tribes (those living by the sea), then this guy is a small business like Udan, worshipped by just one or two tribes.

In fact, Malak is also a small business. Though called the god of wind and rain, he’s essentially a farmer’s god, so the demand was low compared to his power.

“If you could just grant us one small favor. It’s very minor.”

“What is it?”

“Charon has destroyed all of Lord Sonak’s totems on the ground and absorbed their energy. Because of this, Lord Sonak has no means to replenish his divinity. We would like you to have a few priests on the ground create totems for Lord Sonak and recruit followers.”

“I refuse. Get lost.”

Are these guys joking? You want to freeload off the ground that my followers, possessed ones, and I secured with blood and sweat? Without even offering a significant gift?

We can escape the spirit realm without their help.

“O-of course we will compensate you. Once Lord Sonak gains enough divinity, we will—”

“Enough.”

Who knows when “enough” will be? It’s better for me to monopolize all the divinity myself.

“Final warning.”

I used the blessing of ‘Malak’s Domain’ to create blue clouds.

“If you don’t clear the path, I’ll turn you all to dust.”

Do I need to show the path of domination again?

This isn’t Sonak’s domain, so the Roa won’t interfere. We can just beat these guys up like we did with Tuga’s gang.

Gukbap, Nix, and Denzo approached them with weapons, making threatening gestures.

“…You will regret this.”

Sonak’s followers wearing monkey masks retreated by climbing trees.

“What the.”

Is it because they’re monkey minions that they climb trees? No wonder they’re a small business.

“They might pretend to retreat while planning to attack from behind. Keep a close watch.”

“Yes!”

I assigned five followers to keep watch and continued moving.

How much time had passed? It was around sunset.

“We’ve arrived. This is Lord Sesu’s land, where the spirit gate has opened.”

I looked up at the sky upon hearing Nike’s words.

A massive tree grew through the clouds. It was so large that I couldn’t see its top.

Sesu. The ancient divine tree said to have created the spirit realm.

“Magnificent.”

On the way here, Nike told me that one needs Sesu’s permission to enter the spirit realm.

While beings worshipped by humans and gaining divinity are called Roa, it’s Sesu who decides whether those Roa can reside in the spirit realm.

The true landlord, or rather, divine being.

‘Even Lord Rakan, known as the first Roa, became a Roa that way. But Lord Malak is different. He gained sufficient divinity through his followers and entered the spirit realm by his own will. A very unusual case.’

I recalled Nike’s words.

Now I understand why the real Malak was uniquely powerful and had poor relations with other Roa.

It was because the real Malak was an illegal resident.

“Is that the spirit gate?”

A bit away from Sesu, I noticed a hole that looked like a white hole.

“That’s right.”

Asha said that Tuga, who had left his domain, would chase after us. Normally, Roa shouldn’t leave their domains, but it seems he wants to punish me badly enough to break that unwritten rule.

I can’t let my guard down until the very end since I don’t know how far he’s come.

“Are you leaving now?”

“Yes.”

“Take care. Send my regards to the special forces friends.”

“I will. You take care too.”

“And when you get back, start exercising. It’s embarrassing for a man to be like this.”

“…I’ll think about it.”

After brief farewells, I got off Gukbap’s back. Thank you, Gukbap. Without you, I wouldn’t have made it this far.

I also said goodbye and thanks to Denzo, Nix, and the other followers for coming with me.

“We will wait here, messenger of the great Lord Malak.”

Nix said. That sounds a bit ominous.

As I was about to use my last bit of strength to run to the spirit gate—

Boom-!

The ground split open, and a giant crab appeared along with seawater.

“Ah.”

We’re screwed. It’s Tuga. This crazy crab dug a tunnel all the way here from his domain, the sea.

He came for revenge, not forgetting the humiliation I gave him. Without any concern for the situation on the ground.

“You don’t care if everyone dies? You stupid crab…”

Krrruk… Krrruruk…!

Just as he muttered something and raised his giant pincer—

Wham-!

A massive beast pounced on him from behind.