Ch.37Chapter 37

Oneton hastily moved his body, sensing the chill from behind.

“Kyaaaa!!!”

“Tsk. Missed.”

Wendigo clicked his tongue. The spear he had thrown with the intention of killing the creature in one strike had left a wound on its side rather than piercing its waist.

Still, it must have caused some damage as Oneton staggered.

Oneton was terrified as he resisted the cold that burrowed into his body.

‘How much mystical power is this crazy Djin wasting!?’

Even though a Djin’s battle was supposed to be about efficiently killing an enemy with one strike, this was excessive by any standard.

To think that the cold seeping through a mere wound could eat away at a Djin’s physical form!

Oneton gave up resisting the cold and tore at the wound with his nails.

Sheeek!

“I misjudged you!”

As another of Wendigo’s spears came flying, Oneton barely managed to tear away the frozen wound and launched himself into the air.

Focusing on dodging the spear, he suffered wounds from the warriors’ attacks, but he didn’t care. Compared to Wendigo’s attack, these were negligible injuries.

Jacken glared hatefully at Oneton as he smoothly escaped.

‘We should have caught him!’

‘You must have a grudge against him… understandable, considering his behavior.’

Landing beside Jacken after kicking off the ground, Wendigo roughly understood the situation from Jacken’s gaze.

When faced with life-threatening moments, everyone becomes honest.

With their chief lost and the mist approaching, it wasn’t strange that the warriors would go mad and charge at a Djin.

‘…But why aren’t they charging at me?’

Wendigo scanned the warriors. The emotions he sensed from them were mostly fear and reverence, with only a few burning with resentment.

It would have been natural for them to be filled with anger toward Wendigo, who had slaughtered their comrades.

“Would you charge at me too?”

“……”

At Wendigo’s question, Jacken barely managed to suppress a hiccup that threatened to escape.

Jacken calmly adjusted his posture. Facing Wendigo directly… he knelt down and shouted.

“O Spirit of the Forest! We were foolish and failed to recognize your greatness, being bewitched by that vile creature. If you would give us a chance to atone for our sins, we would gladly give our lives to seek forgiveness!”

“…What are you talking about?”

Wendigo, unable to understand the situation, questioned Jacken. Oneton was also staring at Jacken in disbelief.

But Jacken had spoken with genuine sincerity. In his mind, this was the only way to survive the forest.

As difficult as it was to understand, at least in Jacken’s judgment, Wendigo was a Djin with quite a benevolent nature.

He had spared the lives of those he acknowledged as enemies, and above all, wasn’t he a Djin fighting to protect the forest people?

So… he judged that perhaps if they begged for forgiveness and paid the price, they might be spared.

Oneton assessed the situation and sneered.

‘Stupid fool. Did you throw your warriors to their deaths with such idiotic faith? As if such a Djin exists anywhere in the world…’

“I see. As one bearing the responsibility for the warriors’ lives, it must have been a difficult gamble to make. I admire your spirit and will forgive the warriors.”

“!!?!?”

Oneton was shocked when such hypocritical and foolish words came out of Wendigo’s mouth.

What kind of Djin in the world would accept such foolish behavior?

Clearly, he must have some ulterior motive.

“However, there is a condition for accepting your apology.”

‘I knew it, I knew he had some scheme…’

“Since your chief attacked the forest people first and started this fight, I hope you will not harbor resentment. If you hadn’t come here in the first place, this much blood would not have been spilled in this forest.”

“…To think I was defeated by such an idiot!”

While Jacken and the warriors were moved by Wendigo’s mercy, Oneton felt indignant for the first time in his life. He couldn’t believe he had been defeated by such a fool.

If it were him, he would have devoured their souls at this opportunity!

‘No, wait. If he’s such a fool, he might let me go if I beg for forgiveness too.’

Oneton, barely holding onto his rationality, decided to exploit Wendigo’s madness.

If he could endure a brief humiliation, revenge would always be possible. Even if it was humiliating, he should bow his head now…

At that moment, another spear flew toward Oneton’s head with a vicious sound. Oneton panicked and conjured a massive claw to barely block the spear.

“Why are you hostile to me when you forgive those useless ones! You would gain more by forgiving me, who is actually useful!”

“What foolish talk. Why would I forgive someone who betrays as easily as eating? Shut up and prepare to become forest fertilizer.”

“……”

Oneton could not refute Wendigo’s claim and glared at him. Wendigo’s words must have been imbued with some mystical power that provoked anger.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be this furious!

As Oneton fled into the forest, Wendigo disappeared into the woods in pursuit.

As the mist gradually thinned, the warriors breathed sighs of relief. At least they had avoided a miserable death.

But… what now?

“Jacken. Should we just leave the forest?”

“He didn’t say anything, so we might face trouble if we move carelessly. We should think more about… huh?”

Jacken flinched as someone emerged from beyond the mist. A beautiful woman appeared, out of place among the blood and corpses.

A woman with white hair and red eyes that seemed alien, yet whose beauty was undeniable.

Skadi Brynhild approached with a gentle smile. Following her, warriors wearing bone helmets appeared.

Jacken and his warriors reflexively placed their hands on their weapons. Though Wendigo had forgiven them, they were wary of these beings who were clearly Djin.

‘Surely he didn’t mean that he forgave us but his subordinates didn’t?’

‘Those helmets are creepily eerie. Are they imitating the Djin’s appearance?’

As the warriors were sizing up the situation, Skadi approached and extended her hand to Jacken.

With a dazed expression, Jacken unconsciously took her hand.

“You must have suffered greatly because of your chief who was possessed by an evil spirit.”

“What?”

Jacken asked in confusion, but Skadi paid no mind. In fact, it was easier to penetrate someone’s heart in such a state.

As she spoke, the warriors focused on her words as if entranced.

Oneton became a cruel and cunning evil spirit.

Rektar became a shameless traitor who sold his tribe to evil spirits in pursuit of immortality.

And the warriors became victims who trusted and followed such a chief. In truth, this wasn’t entirely wrong.

Oneton was indeed cruel and cunning, and Rektar was indeed shameless.

If anything was incorrect, it was that the warriors were closer to bystanders than victims, but they didn’t think that far.

“Wendigo has been saddened every time he faced the warriors. He brought the mist hoping you would leave…”

“We… we didn’t know that and were deceived by our chief!”

“No wonder he was on bad terms with the spirits, unlike our previous chief. He was plotting to use them.”

The warriors were gradually drawn into her story, as Skadi was too skilled a storyteller.

* * *

After fleeing for quite some time, Oneton fell into contemplation. There was no way to escape from Wendigo like this.

He had come too deep into the forest to escape.

He needed to at least bind Wendigo’s feet to have a chance of escape.

‘I don’t ask for much. Just enough injury to make him struggle to move would be sufficient!’

Oneton turned around with the same momentum he had been running with and charged toward Wendigo who was pursuing him.

Though his nature was cunning and he enjoyed deceiving others, Oneton was not a Djin who feared violence or fighting.

As the pursuing Wendigo silently swung his ice sword, Oneton didn’t dodge but countered it.

Bang!

“I’ll make you regret challenging me to a fight!”

As Wendigo’s arm faltered, Oneton drew out mystical power to create a doppelganger. Unlike the shoddy one he had created earlier to escape, this was different.

It was a doppelganger infused with strong mystical power, created to kill the opponent and to make it impossible to identify the real body.

Oneton’s doppelganger instantly rushed to attack Wendigo from behind. Dark, rippling claws raked across Wendigo’s back.

Though Wendigo didn’t scream, Oneton was certain he had inflicted damage. He had heard the sound of flesh being torn.

“Where’s that arrogant attitude now! Come on, run your mouth like before!”

Wendigo regained his posture and charged at Oneton, swinging his ice sword again. Oneton felt hopeful at the noticeably reduced speed.

Perhaps he could not just bind Wendigo’s feet but bring him down completely.

As the doppelganger attacked again, Wendigo turned his back to Oneton and thrust his sword at the doppelganger. The doppelganger tried to dodge, but Wendigo was one step ahead.

Wendigo’s hand fiercely grabbed the doppelganger’s neck and thrust the sword into it.

The cold burst from the ice sword froze the doppelganger. Oneton clicked his tongue and leaped onto Wendigo’s back.

“Even if you’re a Djin, you won’t be able to move if your neck is torn out!”

Oneton’s head swelled and large teeth aimed for Wendigo’s neck. Wendigo hurriedly tried to block the teeth with his ice sword, but…

Clang!

The ice sword couldn’t withstand the teeth and shattered. The teeth dug straight into Wendigo’s neck.

Oneton inwardly rejoiced.

‘I was deluded by his madness!’

Oneton thought the fear he had felt was an illusion stemming from Wendigo’s antics.

After all, someone who wasted mystical power so recklessly couldn’t possibly be strong!

Wendigo must have let his guard down after dealing with enemies who were deluded by his madness…

“Controlling a doppelganger is indeed difficult. The movements are so sluggish.”

“!?”

Hearing Wendigo’s voice from behind, Oneton leaped in panic. But his reaction was too late.

Spears flying from the forest pierced Oneton’s body. Ice spears filled with intense cold made his body heavy, and root spears instantly grew to bind him.

Oneton was not only in pain but couldn’t understand the situation. What on earth had he been fighting against?

“How… how are you still alive after whatever spell I cast?!”

“I only used the spell you showed me? This spell suits me quite well.”

Wendigo, emerging from the forest, wiggled his finger. Then another Wendigo appeared from the forest.

Oneton froze at the absurd sight.

“Could it be… a doppelganger? Impossible. The mystical power for a doppelganger!?”

Oneton forcibly moved his bound body to look at the Wendigo he had been fighting, and he froze.

It was no longer Wendigo. There lay a wooden puppet resembling Wendigo, its head torn off.

Realizing that what he had been fighting was not the real body but a wooden doppelganger, Oneton let out a terrible scream and swelled his body.

Had he lost his reason due to humiliation?

Oneton scraped the bottom of his mystical power that he had cherished so much. A wolf surrounded by black haze glared at Wendigo with eyes full of resentment.

“Like this… you think I’ll just submit like this?!!!”

“You probably won’t submit willingly. But I don’t really care.”

Crack!

Freed from his bindings, Oneton swung both claws and lunged at Wendigo with the force to bite off his head.

But Oneton’s resistance ended there. Spears flying from the forest pierced his arms and chest.

“Kraaaaa!!!”

“Controlling doppelgangers is harder than I thought.”

Oneton finally realized who had thrown the spears. From the darkness of the forest, doppelgangers in Wendigo’s form emerged, walking steadily.

What had started as one doppelganger became two, and finally six.

Seeing six doppelgangers overflowing with mystical power, Oneton lamented.

“You crazy bastard…”

“As a disciple, I’m embarrassed to receive such high praise from my master.”

Oneton felt like coughing up blood if he had any. Though Oneton had lived for quite a long time, he could guarantee one thing.

The craziest Djin in the world was right in front of him!

As his mystical power began to dissipate and he felt the call of nature, Oneton looked at Wendigo with hatred.

“I… I will never forget you. I will return and destroy everything you’ve built… urgh!!!”

“Yes, I understand you want revenge.”

Roots growing from the ground blocked Oneton’s mouth as he was cursing. Oneton tried to spew his anger, but something was wrong.

Wendigo’s doppelgangers were holding him tightly.

“…!!!”

“I was disappointed I couldn’t eat the parasite I caught last time, but fortunately, it seems I can eat you.”

As Wendigo’s claws dug into Oneton’s chest, Oneton struggled in inexplicable terror.

Though he didn’t understand it himself, he instinctively sensed that his very existence was in danger.

For a Djin who didn’t know death, that terror was probably more horrific than for a human.

If he could open his mouth, he would have begged to be spared even as a slave, but Oneton’s mouth was firmly blocked by tree roots.

Wendigo calmly tore out Oneton’s core.

Without its core, Oneton’s body instantly rotted and crumbled, but his heart was still wriggling and moving.

‘Eating a heart is a bit disgusting.’

Recalling his previous experience, Wendigo created a prison of ice and roots around him.

Remembering when he absorbed the boar’s core, there was a high possibility that something would happen during the adaptation process this time as well.

‘The wolf’s core was… ferocity. Honestly, I don’t have many expectations.’

Considering what happened with the boar, it probably wouldn’t be pleasant.

Wendigo put on a root collar himself and moved his doppelgangers to guard the prison.

Finally, he sent a signal to Skadi’s ice necklace. She would understand the situation and handle it accordingly.

After completing all preparations, Wendigo opened his mouth wide and threw in the heart.

Enduring the terrible squishiness, the moment he swallowed the heart.

Wendigo’s consciousness disappeared into darkness.