Ch.35Chapter 35

The wooden giant’s massive arm tore through the air, smashing down upon the warriors of the Blue Mane tribe.

Was it because the sight of the enormous arm approaching seemed so unreal?

Most of the warriors just stared blankly at it. But not everyone was waiting for death.

Jacken grabbed a horn from a nearby trumpeter and blew it with all his might.

When the dull sound erupted from the goat’s horn, the warriors snapped back to reality with a start.

No matter how shocking the sight before them was, how could they lose their senses in such a dire situation?

“Dodge! Get out of the path of the arm!”

“Run! Damn it, roll away if you have to!”

The warriors, now alert, ran across the snow with pale faces. The thunderous noise grew closer above their heads, but they didn’t dare look up.

If they witnessed the giant arm falling from the sky again, their legs would surely give out.

Watching this scene, Rektar’s eyes became bloodshot. He realized it was impossible to save all of them.

Rektar drew his sword with rage, and the blade burned hot as if reflecting his mood.

“Now’s our chance while the Djin is focused on that wooden arm. Charge!”

“B-but the warriors…”

“We can’t save everyone anyway! If you don’t want their sacrifice to be in vain, then charge!”

Though it was a brutal command, the warriors grimly raised their weapons. He wasn’t entirely wrong.

Moreover, unlike before, they now had their own trump card.

“Oneton! Release the beasts to attack now!”

“Don’t order me around! Do you think I can’t make that judgment myself?”

As Oneton’s eyes gleamed fiercely, the beasts grew larger and more ferocious before charging forward.

‘This is bad.’

Wendigo clicked his tongue as he watched the beasts approaching at high speed. Controlling the giant arm made it difficult to move his body.

At first, he had boldly gathered trees while envisioning the largest possible arm…

But having never controlled so much mystical power before, the giant arm was now beyond Wendigo’s control.

If he moved even slightly, the arm that was crushing the enemies’ heads would surely break apart.

Faced with this choice, Wendigo fell into contemplation.

‘What if I just let them bite me? The spear tips only scratched me, so maybe beast fangs would… No, these aren’t ordinary beasts, so I can’t be sure.’

After a moment’s thought, Wendigo turned his head to check the ice stake he had planted behind him.

The mystical energy in the ice stake had been reduced by half. It was only natural, as he had forcibly pulled the roots of surrounding plants to create the wooden giant’s arm.

The important thing was that half of the mystical energy still remained.

‘If I detonate that, I could probably stop those beasts, right?’

He didn’t need to detonate all of it. His goal was just to prevent the beasts from approaching by detonating a small portion.

If he could just freeze their legs, he’d have enough time for the giant arm to strike!

“Gwaaak!!!”

‘Explode!’

As Wendigo’s will exerted force on the ice stake, it began to emit a clear light.

However…

‘…That seems to be exploding more than I intended.’

Commands given in urgent situations sometimes lead to mistakes. Contrary to Wendigo’s plan, the mystical energy in the ice stake was reduced by half again.

The ice stake burst with a brilliantly dazzling light and a shockwave. The shockwave spread instantly, freezing everything around it.

When the shockwave swept over the beasts, they became living ice statues that rolled across the ground. The ice statues tumbled and shattered into pieces.

Rektar, who had been leading the warriors at the front, hastily raised his sword to shield them from this horrific sight.

“Flames, protect us!”

The flames of the fire horse that once burned the plains erupted from the center of the sword and collided with the shockwave.

Rektar had absolute faith that the ancestral sword would be enough to neutralize the shockwave.

At least until the flames were swept away by the shockwave and dispersed.

“Damn you, ancestors!”

Still, Rektar’s efforts weren’t entirely useless. The shockwave, which had seemed ready to freeze the entire world, was definitely weakened, sparing the warriors from becoming ice statues.

…Though that didn’t mean there was no damage.

Most warriors had their hair and skin frozen, and the unlucky ones had an arm or leg turned into a block of ice.

The impact didn’t stop there.

CRASH!

“Shit. Chief, the warriors…”

“Don’t look back. If you take it in, your resolve will waver.”

The failure to disrupt Wendigo’s concentration resulted in the mass death of warriors. The wooden giant’s arm had crushed them like insects.

The wooden arm that killed the warriors and the shockwave that instantly froze the ferocious beasts.

By this point, Rektar was convinced of his suspicions.

That the Djin before him was absolutely no ordinary Djin!

Rektar strongly manifested the mystical energy flowing through his body. The blue wolf that the Blue Mane tribe had worshipped since ancient times appeared through him.

Having become an almost perfect werewolf, Rektar swallowed his emerging ferocity and pointed his flame sword at Wendigo.

“You damn Djin. What the hell are you plotting in this forest to go this far?!”

“Plotting? I’m truly fighting to protect my people.”

“Don’t spew bullshit! Though I may not be well-versed in Djin, I know damn well your kind wouldn’t do this for your subordinates!”

Wendigo looked at Rektar with bewilderment, but Rektar was certain. It had been strange from the beginning.

A Djin fighting to protect humans, urging them to leave the forest—why would a Djin do such things?

Above all, what was Rektar’s own reason for coming to the forest? Wasn’t it for the evil act of human sacrifice?

It wasn’t so strange for Rektar to suspect that Wendigo’s abnormal behavior was all due to interference with his wicked ritual.

“I don’t know what you’re doing in the forest, but it’s definitely not normal. Without gathering mystical energy through evil sorcery, there’s no way to explain your power!”

“…Think whatever you want.”

It has been said that only fools engage in arguments with those who have already decided their answer and are just making up reasons.

Such people never admit that their answer is wrong.

Besides, agreeing with such foolish ideas would make one a fool…

‘…More of them are wavering than I expected. Are they all idiots?’

Wendigo felt frustrated as the warriors listening to Rektar’s sophistry began to emit the scent of resolve, courage, and belief.

To think they would go along with such stupid thinking. Were the Blue Mane tribe warriors all idiots?

Wendigo looked at the warriors with contempt, but they had their reasons.

What they had experienced so far certainly fit the description of “evil.”

‘He does look exactly like a villain.’

‘Maybe he’s killing warriors so brutally for some kind of sorcery?’

‘Perhaps those who were caught in the snow fog lost their minds because they were bewitched by that Djin?’

With a little thought, Wendigo might have realized his actions seemed quite suspicious, but he didn’t consider it seriously enough.

While it was disgusting that Rektar was acting like a hero while forgetting his own deeds, it wasn’t bad for Wendigo.

At least Rektar would fight with his life on the line, making it easier to take his head.

An ice sword entwined with roots emerged from the ground at Wendigo’s call. Wendigo drew the sword in one motion and pointed it back at Rektar.

“I don’t really have any ulterior motives… but if you’re so eager to die, I’ll kill you. Come at me.”

“Ha! Did you think I wouldn’t charge when told to?”

The warriors rushed forward at Rektar’s bold cry… except for Rektar himself.

Wendigo couldn’t help but admire Rektar’s shamelessness. As expected of someone who kept a Djin like Oneton by his side—his face was thick beyond belief!

‘I even waited for him to transform, and he’s being this underhanded.’

“Honorable warriors of the Blue Mane, awaken the spirits of your ancestors!”

As befitting warriors who guarded Rektar, they were no ordinary fighters. As they drew upon the mystical energy hidden in their bloodlines, the warriors transformed into beasts.

Wolves, bears, yaks…

Wendigo lightly swung his sword toward the bear-man who led the charge. He wanted to test the opponent’s strength.

The bear-man tried to block the ice sword with his shield. As expected of a bear shapeshifter, he was strong enough to wield a shield made of solid steel, but…

CRACK!

“You monster… don’t block his attacks! His cold penetrates through!”

As the cold from the ice sword instantly froze the shield, the bear-man quickly threw it away and shouted.

“Ancestors, watch over us!”

The bear-man swung his axe, aiming for Wendigo’s legs. Though the bear-man was quite large, Wendigo was even bigger, so the plan was to make him kneel first.

But Wendigo’s sword was faster than the axe. Not only was his speed incongruous with his size, but his power was also overwhelming.

The massive sword instantly severed the bear-man’s arm, despite his tough leather armor. The bear-man swallowed his scream and swung his claws.

He was determined to leave at least one wound before dying.

“Graaah…”

“Shut up.”

CRASH!

Before the bear-man’s claws could touch Wendigo’s body, Wendigo’s fist smashed into the bear-man’s head.

The blow was so powerful that the bear-man’s head was torn off and smashed into the ground. No, “exploded” would be a more accurate description.

The warriors felt a chill down their spines at this overwhelming display of violence.

They absolutely couldn’t charge alone!

“He’s alone! Surround him and attack!”

“Throw spears! If you don’t have any, shoot arrows!”

The warriors moved nimbly to surround Wendigo. Their actions were like those of hunters cornering a dangerous beast.

The problem was that Wendigo wasn’t just dangerous.

As sharp spears flew toward him, Wendigo deflected half with his sword and roared at the rest.

The warriors froze in place at his roar, which brought both freezing cold and primal fear.

And what entered their eyes was Wendigo’s massive ice sword.

“Damn.”

Neither mystically reinforced leather nor hard bones were of any use. Wendigo’s ice sword created a rain of blood as it cut through the enemies.

Watching this scene, Oneton approached Rektar.

“Oneton! Where the hell have you been and what were you doing?!”

Naturally, no kind words could come from Rektar’s mouth while his warriors were being slaughtered one-sidedly.

Even Oneton couldn’t respond with his usual shamelessness this time. He had clearly dumped all the losses on Rektar.

He had only released the beasts at first, waiting for an opportunity to cut off Wendigo’s breath.

But even in this situation, a Djin had to be able to state his position confidently. Oneton began to wag his guilty tongue.

“I’m sorry. But listen to me.”

“Listen to what? When has following your ideas ever worked out well? Do you think I’m stupid enough to believe you again?”

“…But this time is different. Think about it. After rampaging like that, how much mystical energy could he have left? This is our chance to take him down.”

Oneton’s words made sense. A Djin’s strength is determined by how deep and vast their mystical energy is.

Not only the giant arm that Wendigo summoned, but also the shockwave—neither could be achieved with a small amount of mystical energy. He must have consumed an enormous amount.

Moreover…

“Think carefully. If you don’t kill him now, do you think the tribe will forgive you?”

“That’s…”

Rektar couldn’t guarantee that.

No matter how much one might say that victory and defeat are common in war, it was unreasonable to think the tribe would forgive him after so many warriors had been killed.

If he returned like this, his head would surely roll.

Sensing that Rektar’s emotions were wavering, Oneton pushed further.

“Look behind you. The man you hate so much is gathering the warriors.”

“!”

Rektar’s gaze turned to Jacken, who was behind them. Jacken was somehow managing to rally the surviving warriors.

Of course, it wasn’t easy for warriors affected by shock to return to battle. Right now, they were practically outsiders to the battlefield.

The problem was that when the battle ended, they would return to the tribe.

What if the returning warriors collectively supported Jacken and staged a rebellion?

It was a plausible speculation. Hadn’t Jacken consistently opposed Rektar’s opinions and insidiously incited the warriors?

He pretended to care for the warriors on the surface, but was clearly aiming for the position of chief!

The only option left for Rektar was to defeat Wendigo and use that prestige to suppress the tribe’s discontent.

Otherwise, he would have to flee, bearing the dishonor.

‘That’s absolutely impossible.’

Swallowing his unease, Rektar extended his hand to Oneton.

“I’ll work with you just this once. This won’t happen again.”

“Hmph. Be grateful for the honor of helping a great Djin.”

Oneton reluctantly placed his foot on Rektar’s hand.

Indeed, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

The sight of them uniting their purpose for the first time was surprisingly… disgusting, Wendigo thought.

‘How fitting for those filled with thoughts of betrayal.’

But he didn’t deny that he needed to be cautious.

After beheading the last warrior, Wendigo maintained his vigilance and glared at them.