Ch.34Chapter 34

The next day.

Lectar’s army began moving toward the open field that Oneton had discovered. Naturally, this time they didn’t make the foolish mistake of dividing into small units for attacks.

That stupid tactic had been solely to deplete Wendigo’s power, not to grind down the warriors’ morale.

‘If it weren’t for Oneton’s stubbornness, we could have gathered our forces much earlier… tsk.’

It wasn’t just Lectar’s imagination that at least a third of the warriors who first entered the forest had been lost.

Oneton approached Lectar, who was mounted on a large wolf.

Lectar showed obvious discomfort, but Oneton didn’t care in the slightest.

“You’re being too harsh. Have you forgotten whose power you gained yesterday?”

“When a warrior wears armor made from a beast’s hide, that becomes the warrior’s ability—there’s no need to thank the beast.”

Oneton admired Lectar’s shamelessness. He had betrayed quite a few individuals before, but it had been a long time since he’d met someone so worth betraying.

“Fine, if you say so.”

“If you’ve come to test my patience again, get lost. I need to command my army.”

“Regrettably, that’s not why I’m here. I’d like to increase the army’s pace.”

“… Didn’t you just say you weren’t here to test my patience?”

When Lectar growled, Oneton responded to his attitude with an arrogant expression.

“You fool. Did you think I’d ask you to speed up without reason?”

Lectar flinched, having indeed thought exactly that. Given that Oneton was always making unreasonable demands, he had assumed this was just another one…

Oneton looked at him with contempt and called over an owl that had been circling nearby.

The owl’s eyes rippled with the same black energy as Oneton’s fur.

“I’ve been scouting the area using birds and squirrels, and there’s no trace of anything suspicious. The path to the clearing has been confirmed safe.”

“… You’re sure about this?”

“What a pointless question. Unlike you, I always strive for perfection. I don’t make mistakes.”

Yet somehow he had failed to detect Wendigo’s presence, leading his precious wolves to a mass slaughter…

Lectar decided to let it go this time. At least the information that there was no one around was useful.

“Tell the warriors to increase their pace.”

“Yes!”

As warriors who received the order rushed away, Lectar smiled inwardly.

Though the situation wasn’t entirely satisfactory, things were indeed flowing in a good direction.

At this rate, victory in battle would be…

Flinch!

Lectar turned his head at the strange sensation behind him. He felt an unsettling gaze.

However, all he could see were the tiresome forest and warriors marching with stern expressions.

Lectar sighed inwardly.

‘… My nerves must be getting too sharp.’

Believing that everything would return to normal once this battle was over, Lectar turned his head forward.

Blink.

Deep in the forest, eyes that had formed on several trees slowly revealed themselves.

* * *

‘I’m learning a lot from that wolf.’

Of course, the owner of the eyes on the trees was Wendigo. He wasn’t satisfied with just bringing fog and tormenting the warriors.

In battle, knowing your enemy and yourself is the path to victory.

Instead of flaunting his power, Wendigo acted methodically. He spared no effort in gathering information about his enemies.

And those efforts included monitoring the beasts under Oneton’s control.

As soon as Wendigo noticed that the forest animals were under Oneton’s spell, he understood their purpose.

Coincidentally, the sight-sharing spell Oneton had cast on the animals was truly useful. It literally allowed one to see a thousand miles while sitting in place.

When Wendigo first succeeded in observing the surroundings through trees, he couldn’t help but be impressed.

To think such a useful spell existed!

‘And only that boar and the wolf have been using this wonderful thing.’

Had the boar spirit and Oneton heard this, they would have cursed in bewilderment.

A spirit’s magic wasn’t something another spirit could simply copy at will.

While Oneton’s spell on animals was fundamentally an efficient method that leveraged the animals’ innate vitality and mystical nature, Wendigo’s approach was quite crude.

He pushed mystical energy into the ground to imbue trees with mystical properties, then continuously injected more mystical energy to prevent it from dissipating…

In simple terms, it was a method that consumed mystical energy like mad. Ordinary spirits would never do such a thing.

When even the mystical energy used in battle was precious, why waste it just to expand one’s field of vision?

Unaware of how much his actions defied common sense, Wendigo rose from his position.

‘They’ll reach this place soon.’

It was Wendigo who had lured Lectar toward the clearing in the first place. Naturally, he had prepared to annihilate them all here.

To finalize those preparations, Wendigo created a large ice stake.

Holding the stake with one hand, he aimed it at the ground and…

“Hup!”

He drove the stake into the ground with all his might. The mystical energy imbued in the stake exploded outward into the earth.

Like a totem, the ice stake colored the surroundings with Wendigo’s mystical energy, and Wendigo gradually felt the surrounding plants falling under his control.

This was sufficient preparation. After a long time, he sent a signal to Skadi’s ice necklace…

[Wendigo sir! Did you call for me?]

“… Your response is quick.”

Wendigo couldn’t help but admire her remarkable response time. At this level, it was as if she was constantly focusing her mind on the ice necklace…

Since such madness couldn’t possibly be true, Wendigo dismissed the thought. What mattered now wasn’t such trivial talk.

“The enemies will be swarming here soon. Are the warriors and totems ready?”

[Of course! I’ve set up the totems with precise calculations of their spacing, so those bastards won’t have any escape route!]

“Excellent.”

[Hehe, it’s too early for praise! I’ve prepared something special because I couldn’t bear to see you working so hard alone. You can look forward to it!]

“……”

Wendigo was about to smile at her energetic declaration but stopped. He recalled her previous “preparations.”

As the image of her inciting others flashed through his mind, Wendigo felt cold sweat—despite having a body incapable of sweating.

‘Surely she wouldn’t do that. Where would she find humans to incite around here?’

While Wendigo acknowledged her excellent oratory skills, he considered them applicable only to humans.

Surely she couldn’t incite beasts.

[Wendigo sir? Is something wrong?!]

“No. I was just wondering how to express my gratitude. There’s truly no one as helpful as you, Skadi.”

Wendigo regretted his words as soon as he spoke them. Such compliments had rarely worked out well.

Sure enough.

A joyful scream echoed through the ice necklace. Though Wendigo wanted to end the communication right there, Skadi was one step ahead.

She began machine-gunning praises of her loyalty and Wendigo’s greatness. Since this was direct mental communication, he couldn’t even tune it out.

Wendigo regretted his words.

They say praise makes even whales dance, but he should have been more moderate!

‘Something to end this conversation… ah.’

Fortunately, there was a way out. Through the trees, Wendigo detected that the enemies had arrived nearby.

[Wendigo sir? Are you listening well to my heartfelt words?]

“I apologize. It seems our guests have arrived. We’ll continue this conversation later.”

After cutting off the connection with Skadi, Wendigo gripped his ice sword and glared at the enemies before him. Who would have thought he’d be glad to face enemies?

Lectar’s army halted at the edge of the clearing. They had spotted Wendigo too.

Wendigo slowly walked through the debris and revealed himself before them. Just his appearance was enough to stir unrest among the Blue Mane tribe.

Lectar flushed with embarrassment at this shameful display and rode his wolf forward.

“I am Lectar, chief of the Blue Mane tribe! I say to the forest spirit, if you withdraw now, we will cease our attacks against you!”

“Lectar of the Blue Mane tribe. I remember you.”

At Wendigo’s words, Lectar’s lips twitched. Indeed, when they first met in Oneton’s tent, the impression was…

“Aren’t you the fool who sold your tribe to Oneton? How remarkably bold for someone who betrayed his principles just to gain a little power.”

“… As expected of a spirit, your skill at slandering others is impressive. But do you think I’ll fall for such provocation!”

‘You already have.’

Despite his words, his anger was palpable. To be so enraged at being mocked as a mere servant…

As Wendigo looked at Lectar with contempt, Oneton stepped forward. Clearly, he was trying to help as an ally.

“You idiot. How can you call yourself a chief if you fall for such simple provocations?”

‘I was shortsighted. He’s no ordinary madman.’

…Even in this situation, to criticize his own ally—Oneton was truly something else.

“Wendigo. I acknowledge your power and authority. Indeed, it wouldn’t be strange to declare you the ruler of this forest.”

“Your tongue is long. What do you want to say?”

“My proposal isn’t much different from what that fool just offered. Honestly, why should we fight? Wasting precious mystical energy for mere human lives?”

While proposing peace, Oneton summoned and controlled birds of prey. These were no ordinary birds.

They had bones made harder and heavier, with beaks strengthened enough to crush rock. The sole purpose of these horrifically unnatural birds was clear.

To plummet from the high sky and crash into Wendigo’s body!

‘I’ll strike when he lets his guard down.’

As Wendigo slowly approached, Oneton filled with anticipation. He couldn’t wait to see Wendigo’s expression when caught by surprise.

“Peace is a good thing.”

“Yes. So instead of wasting precious mystical energy protecting useless beings, let’s agree to a truce…”

“But it seems you have no intention of a truce.”

Flinch.

As Wendigo’s killing intent suddenly erupted, Oneton clicked his tongue and leaped backward.

“Damn it, attack!!!”

The birds circling the sky gathered like a single organism and dove toward Wendigo’s head.

At the sight of what looked like falling meteors, the warriors felt a glimmer of hope.

Perhaps Wendigo would fall from this strike?

“Quite a useful spell.”

Of course, no such thing happened.

The ice sword, wrapped in cold energy, grew larger as Wendigo swung it.

Crunch!

By the time the ice sword reached the mass of birds, it had grown too large to be called a sword. Most birds collided with the blade and became minced meat.

The few birds lucky enough to avoid the blade fared no better. With their feathers frozen, they lost control and scattered erratically.

Unable to control their speed, the birds crashed into the ground. As the birds turned to mush without inflicting any real damage, Oneton clicked his tongue.

“Tsk, just wasted precious mystical energy. Prepare the next attack…”

“Let me return what I received.”

“!”

Oneton, about to send more beasts charging, was greatly startled when the surrounding mystical energy began to fluctuate.

An astonishing amount of mystical energy was gathering around Wendigo’s hand.

For Oneton, who valued his mystical energy more than his subordinates, this incomprehensible waste made him stare at Wendigo as if looking at something beyond understanding.

“You crazy bastard! Wasting this much mystical energy to protect humans?!”

Oneton exclaimed in shock and quickly sent his beasts charging. Though he didn’t know what Wendigo was trying to do, he instinctively knew he had to stop it.

But his response came too late. As Wendigo raised his arm, the ground began to writhe as if alive.

Lectar, the warriors, and even Oneton struggled to maintain their balance amid the shock.

“Oneton! What the hell is happening?!”

“I don’t know! Shut up and deploy the warriors…”

“It’s already too late.”

Something emerged through the trembling ground.

It was the giant arm (巨腕) of a tree giant, formed from dozens of trees and hundreds of roots intertwined together.

As the massive form revealed itself, Oneton forgot his dignity and stared blankly upward at the tree giant’s arm in amazement.

“You… you crazy bastard.”

“What? I’m merely utilizing a technique I learned from you.”

At Wendigo’s sarcasm, Oneton lost his composure. Was he saying this was identical to what Oneton himself had done?

If so, Oneton could declare Wendigo the craziest being in the world.

Trees were absolutely not suitable for creating such things. Though flexible and sturdy, they had no dynamic elements except for growth.

Such a feat was something no one would attempt without having mystical energy as abundant as a lake.

Even if a spirit could do it, they wouldn’t waste precious mystical energy on such a thing!

But as if mocking Oneton’s common sense, the giant arm continued to grow larger.

“A gift for you.”

The tree giant’s mace descended upon the Blue Mane tribe.