Ch.19Chapter 19

Wendigo stared at the corpse with narrowed, cold eyes. The parasite was problematic enough, but its attitude was utterly ridiculous.

‘Whether it’s a Djin or an evil spirit, these spiritual beings fundamentally lack manners.’

Proposing a deal while starting with a curse as a greeting. Even the most generous being would find such behavior absurd.

Of course, Wendigo hadn’t rejected the deal solely because of the poor attitude. Attitude was something that could be considered after hearing the deal’s content before deciding whether to kill it or not.

The reason he flatly rejected the parasite’s proposal was because of the mystery it harbored.

A mystery as foul as decade-old filth.

Wendigo wasn’t careless enough to make deals with something carrying such obviously dangerous energy.

Wendigo believed his judgment was correct. The mystery hadn’t disappeared even after the parasite died.

The fact that it didn’t dissipate despite the creature’s death meant the mystery didn’t belong to it. Clearly, someone—whether its mother or master—was pulling strings.

‘Could I learn something if I investigate more thoroughly?’

But it was so disgusting that he didn’t even want to approach it…

Struggling between revulsion and necessity, Wendigo sighed and approached the corpse. After all, what’s started must be finished.

Wendigo slowly extended his hand toward the corpse. He didn’t forget to surround himself with mystery as a precaution against potential danger.

The moment his claw touched the corpse, the mystery dwelling within it stirred. Wendigo inwardly clicked his tongue.

‘Just as I thought. There’s no way such a foul mystery would dwell here without reason.’

The corpse’s mouth opened, and a mystery reminiscent of a swarm of flies revealed itself.

Wendigo, who was about to infuse his claws with cold energy to disperse the mystery, hesitated.

The mystery before his eyes writhed, and a grotesque voice began to flow out.

『Is it you? The foolish spirit who took my poor child’s life without permission.』

“What permission? Would it matter whether I killed your offspring or not if I had permission? If you’re going to talk nonsense, disappear. Otherwise, state your business.”

『… You speak so boldly for a spirit who doesn’t know how frightening the world can be. Do you think you could still act this way if you knew what kind of being I am?』

“If you didn’t like that, you should have revealed your identity from the start. Both child and mother make stupid threats.”

The mystery violently undulated, expressing its anger. Though its identity remained unknown, the provocation must have been quite effective.

‘If I unleashed all the curses I learned in my past life, it would surely spit blood.’

Beyond the mystery, a grinding sound could be heard. It seemed to have many teeth, making quite a racket.

『If you’re so eager to know my identity, I’ll tell you.』

The mystery spread wide and began projecting something.

Its body, covered in chitin, was long like a snake, and its hexagonal mouth filled with teeth as thick as human forearms was terrifyingly vicious.

The creature blinked its six sinisterly glowing eyes and flicked a spine-covered tentacle that protruded from its mouth like a tongue.

『I am The Whisperer, Gicas. A Beast and the mother of parasites.』

‘So you’re just a parasite and a somewhat intelligent monster.’

Though Gicas introduced itself with a majestic voice, Wendigo remained unimpressed. After all, wasn’t it just saying it was still a useless parasite?

The one fortunate thing was that it had a normal name. Otherwise, he would have had to worry about what to call it.

『I know why you’re so arrogant. The depth of the mystery forming your body must be at least a hundred… no, even two hundred years old, so it’s not surprising.』

Wendigo didn’t argue. More precisely, there was no reason to argue. What was there to say when it was beating its own drum?

Gicas mocked Wendigo. When he didn’t refute, it assumed its words had hit the mark.

『Yes. You must fear nothing. What would a great spirit who has lived two hundred years have to fear? But in this world, there’s always something greater…』

“Your introduction is disgustingly long. I’d appreciate if you’d get to the point and then leave.”

Wendigo regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth. What he meant to think internally had accidentally slipped out.

Not only was its speech cut off, but Gicas, insulted once again, opened its mouth wide to reveal its teeth.

Each tooth, wriggling and moving, was quite threatening, but if he had been afraid of such things, he would have lived in hiding.

When Wendigo snorted, Gicas glared at him with a sound like clearing phlegm.

“If you’re not going to come here, hurry up and finish what you were saying.”

『Your arrogance has gone too far! Fine. If you’re so confident, come find me in the mountains.』

When Gicas proudly exclaimed this, Wendigo hesitated. He asked, just to be sure.

“… You’re not saying your base is in the mountains, are you?”

『You’re quite suspicious. Or are you afraid? Head north and you’ll find mountains. My nest is there, so come if you can find it!』

Wendigo was too dumbfounded to respond. After all, what villain in the world would reveal their own hideout?

Unless it was lying. Among all the words it had uttered, this was the most truthful.

Like a flower blooming in sewer filth.

Unless it was a complete idiot, it must have had some plan…

‘But it really seems like a complete idiot?’

Though Gicas had called Wendigo arrogant, from Wendigo’s perspective, Gicas was the more arrogant one.

Otherwise, why would it reveal where it was hiding? Even if it had prepared a trap, since its opponent would come anyway…

Wendigo wondered if there was anything more he could extract, but he couldn’t utilize his contemplation. Gicas’s mystery lost its power and dispersed.

‘I thought I could get more out of such a sucker. What a shame.’

Still, because it seemed like such a sucker, he could quickly plan what to do next. Wendigo’s eyes gleamed as he lifted the corpse.

* * *

The Whisperer, Gicas, despite calling itself the mother of parasites, boasted an enormous size.

Its massive body, capable of devouring even a bear whole, was obviously unnatural, and unnatural things have causes.

Gicas’s size was the result of repeated molting. It was possible because beasts born with mystery had shed the constraints of lifespan.

Gicas’s ability to hide with such patience was largely influenced by its origin.

‘How long have I waited for this day!’

Not a bear, not a wolf, not even a cat, but a parasite.

Born as a parasite, what Gicas realized as it stole bodies and knowledge from other creatures was its own weakness.

No matter how well it could steal bodies, if the original body was weak, death could come at any time.

That’s why Gicas lurked in caves, growing larger. To overcome the limitations of being a parasite, it held its breath in dark caves, waiting for the right time.

For three hundred years, it grew like a venomous insect, devouring victims brought by its offspring.

Gicas was convinced that the time had finally come.

‘Now no one can stop me!’

Its shell was as hard as rock, its teeth sharp enough to tear even steel, and its muscle-filled body could kill a bear with a single thrash.

That’s why it revealed the location of its nest to Wendigo without any fear. Of course, it wasn’t just recklessness based on confidence in its strength.

Gicas had its own calculations when it provoked him. If it had been truly stupid, it wouldn’t have acknowledged its species’ limitations and sought solutions.

What Gicas believed in was human foolishness.

‘What a stupid spirit. Having such innate power yet not knowing how to dominate humans.’

How many humans had it devoured during its three hundred years in hiding? Gicas firmly believed it understood humans perfectly.

The very attempt to persuade humans was foolish. Rather than dominating with overwhelming power, trying to recruit them through words!

Humans are foolish. When shown kindness, they look down on others and believe they can manipulate them.

Unlike its offspring, they can’t form unified opinions and constantly engage in conflict and suspicion.

Could such a spirit possibly persuade such beings?

‘Impossible.’

Narrow-minded humans wouldn’t easily believe a spirit warning them of danger. How could they believe in something that had hidden its existence for three hundred years?

Humans would naturally be suspicious, and in doing so, they would eventually offend the spirit.

‘Then it’s over. Whether the spirit fights humans out of anger or gives up on gathering forces.’

If either succeeded, the spirit would have no chance of defeating its army. It would be fine if the spirit, overcome by annoyance rather than anger, gave up and left.

The only way the spirit might gain an advantage would be to understand human hearts and sway their shallow minds…

‘That’s impossible. The arrogance of spirits can never be fixed.’

A spirit could never understand humans. How could a spirit comprehend what it had learned by devouring dozens of humans and accumulating their knowledge?

Worrying about such possibilities was foolish.

Gicas shifted its body. In the corner of the cave, eggs laid by Gicas wobbled due to the movement.

Eggs containing over a hundred offspring.

They would hatch in just one day. Gicas, clicking its teeth, fell into pleasant contemplation.

Which creatures should it turn into puppets with its offspring?

‘Beasts are good, but should I expand my monster forces? No. The spirit will take at least 5 more days to get here, so perhaps humans…’

“Master! Something terrible has happened!”

“What is it? Is food running short? If that’s the problem, I told you to kill the fattest one and use it as food.”

Gicas, who had been enjoying pleasant fantasies, expressed irritation at the human puppet who had come to the cave.

The human puppet hastily shook his head. It wasn’t such a trivial matter.

“The spirit has appeared with warriors! At least two hundred warriors are heading this way!”

“!? That’s impossible. How could he bring so many warriors at this point in time!”

Gicas shook its body in shock. One egg burst as a result, but there was no time to worry about that.

How on earth?!