Ch.74Chapter 74

Among people, there was a kind of prejudice that Ogres were lazy monsters.

Born with the monstrous strength to uproot trees and swing them, and with tireless stamina, people thought they had no need to make an effort.

But that was a mistaken idea.

In this world, there’s no power without a price.

To maintain their size and strength, they inevitably needed to eat a lot, and had to be equally diligent.

As soon as they woke up, they would roam the forest looking for prey, and when resting, they would search for fruits or edible trees…

Ogres were a race that had to be diligent from birth, and this was also true for Gulmarg, who had developed high intelligence.

Rather, as his intelligence increased, he lived with a pathological diligence.

All to get closer to avenging his mother!

Gulmarg glared at Wendigo and let out a battle cry.

“Warriors are not born. Warriors are made through experience and effort!”

“That’s right.”

Wendigo agreed with Gulmarg’s philosophy.

Warriors, no, all beings, were never destined from birth.

All beings are determined by the trajectory of their lives, aren’t they?

Wendigo looked down at his broken ice sword and reflected on his arrogance.

‘I’ve always tried to guard against arrogance… but it’s never easy.’

Just because he had no rivals until now didn’t mean it would always be that way.

Wendigo threw away the broken ice sword and focused on the mystical energy.

Gulmarg, who had been on the defensive glaring at Wendigo, flinched at the ominous energy.

Though he didn’t have spiritual sight like a Summoner or Beast, he instinctively felt the mystical energy surging around Wendigo.

The pressure that could be felt on his skin weighed heavily on Gulmarg, but…

‘Acting rashly will put me in danger.’

Gulmarg overcame the pressure and waited for Wendigo’s move.

He needed to be cautious, as one mistake could cost him his life.

However… Gulmarg realized that this rational judgment itself was a mistake.

The mystical energy gathering in Wendigo’s body didn’t burst into cold energy or make roots sprout, but exploded within his body.

Crack!

“Wendigo, what are you doing!?”

The power of ferocity he possessed devoured the waves of mystical energy and transformed Wendigo’s body.

Muscles burst through tearing skin, the skin regrew and consumed the muscles, bones broke and reconnected repeatedly.

Faced with this hideous transformation, Gulmarg, uncharacteristically flustered, hesitated…

At that moment, Wendigo’s swaying skull began to emit a cold blue light from its eye sockets, staring at him.

Gulmarg felt his heart freeze just from meeting that gaze.

‘If I stand still, I’ll lose!’

Though he had made a mistake, Gulmarg didn’t back down.

Dropping his defensive stance, Gulmarg lunged forward with a roar.

Charging like a catapult, Gulmarg swung his club at Wendigo’s head with all his might.

It was a blow that could potentially kill Wendigo, but Gulmarg didn’t hesitate.

He had sensed it the moment he swung.

The intuition that this level of attack couldn’t kill Wendigo!

KWAAANG!

When Gulmarg’s club collided with Wendigo’s skull, a thunderous sound that seemed to shake the world echoed through the forest.

Wendigo’s head, struck directly by the club, didn’t suffer even the slightest scratch. Trembling at this marvelous hardness, Gulmarg battered Wendigo’s entire body.

Yet Wendigo’s eyes calmly watched Gulmarg.

‘Hmm, this transformation? I can’t move while transforming.’

… Actually, “can’t move” was the correct expression.

Impulsive actions rarely go according to plan.

Deeply impressed by Gulmarg’s overwhelming strength and fighting spirit, Wendigo had attempted a challenge.

Naturally, its foundation was the magic his mentor Oneton had shown him.

Magic that used mystical energy to make one’s body larger and stronger.

‘A mistake. I used more mystical energy than I thought.’

Indeed, using an unpracticed technique in actual combat was foolish.

The fortunate thing was that despite the mistake, the transformation itself was more useful than expected.

Despite Gulmarg’s barrage with the club, the transformation didn’t stop, and there was virtually no damage.

Wendigo’s right arm completed its transformation and revealed its form.

An arm larger and more muscular than before, with extremely sharp claws.

Wendigo swung his arm toward Gulmarg’s stone club.

BANG!

Wendigo’s arm withstood Gulmarg’s strike.

Recognizing that he had missed his opportunity, Gulmarg retreated and gathered his thoughts.

He realized it was virtually impossible to stop the transformation.

“□□!”

“Ogre-style profanity? Quite rough!”

Wendigo’s transformed body was a head taller than before, heavier, and more threatening.

Though Wendigo had a bloodless body, he felt as if his blood was boiling.

He wanted to test this power!

“□□□□□…”

As Gulmarg muttered in an unknown language, the patterns engraved on his club began to emit light and absorb the surrounding soil and rocks.

When he swung the club in that state, stone spears shot out targeting Wendigo.

Each savage stone spear resembled a massive tree.

Wendigo manipulated the cold energy to create a large, solid ice wall.

Gulmarg’s stone spears, infused with his strength, pierced through the thick wall but failed to destroy it completely.

The sound of something exploding erupted from behind the tattered ice wall.

Instinctively realizing what was happening behind it, Wendigo grabbed roots sprouting from the ground and forcefully pulled them out.

“□□□!!!”

Gulmarg emerged as the ice wall crumbled.

Gulmarg’s vicious club made a terrifying sound as it aimed for Wendigo’s head.

Wendigo created a massive ice sword by weaving together the uprooted roots and ice, capable of countering the club.

No, it was too crude to be called a sword.

Made hastily, the blade was dull and the weight was terrible.

< ■■■■■! >

It didn’t matter.

All he needed was something he could swing at the club.

Wendigo swung the ice sword toward the club, and when they collided, the sound shook the forest.

The colliding ice sword and club repelled each other, but… they both swung at each other’s weapons as if by agreement.

There was no rational judgment about attacking each other’s weaknesses.

Only the desire to win and the pure competitive spirit to surpass the opponent burned hotly.

‘…This seems a bit foolish.’

Of course, from Skadi’s perspective watching this, it was an incomprehensible eccentricity.

Attacking weapons was understandable. Breaking an opponent’s weapon naturally restricts their actions.

However…

“Lord Wendigo! Your arm, your arm is breaking!!!”

Damaging one’s body for that purpose was definitely not rational behavior.

Skadi was horrified by this insane display, but even as bones shattered and flesh tore, the two continued to exchange blows with savage roars…

CRACK!

“Grrrr!”

“■■■.”

Their arms broke before they could shatter each other’s weapons.

When Gulmarg could no longer swing his club, he threw it to the ground without hesitation.

Not to surrender, but to use his fists. Gulmarg chose the path of struggle rather than succumbing to pain.

Gulmarg’s fist was no different from his club. When his fist struck Wendigo’s head, Wendigo staggered from the powerful impact.

Gulmarg’s fists repeatedly pounded Wendigo’s body. The fact that his arm was broken didn’t matter at all.

For Gulmarg, who had lived such a harsh life, that level of pain was…

“!”

Wendigo’s fist flew toward Gulmarg’s blind spot.

The fist struck Gulmarg’s jaw. Beyond the impact, the cold energy penetrating through muscle and skin was unbearably severe.

“KAAAAK!!!”

But he couldn’t stop.

Once started, a brawl doesn’t end until one falls.

They swung their fists and grappled with enough ferocity to kill each other.

Both staggered and fell repeatedly, but the advantage gradually shifted to Wendigo.

Wendigo’s fists erupted with cold energy that penetrated to the bone, and his sharp claws tore through even Gulmarg’s tough hide.

CRUNCH!

Wendigo’s fist shattered Gulmarg’s nose. As he staggered, spraying blood, Wendigo kicked him in the chest.

Ribs broke, and Gulmarg retreated to catch his breath.

“Krrrk…”

He couldn’t catch his breath. Blood kept flowing from his mouth and nose.

His body was in equally bad shape. With broken arms and ribs, it was difficult to move.

Wendigo stared into Gulmarg’s eyes.

‘His fighting spirit remains unbroken.’

Gulmarg’s eyes still burned hot with the desire for victory.

As if proving his eyes right, Gulmarg charged at Wendigo while coughing blood.

Faced with such a straightforward tackle, Wendigo raised both hands high and brought them down hard on Gulmarg’s back.

“KAAAA!!!”

“!”

But Gulmarg endured the pain of his flesh tearing and grabbed Wendigo’s waist.

Gulmarg pulled with enough force to break the waist he had grabbed. Wendigo paid tribute to this amazing fighting spirit and…

SQUELCH!

Drove his claws into both of Gulmarg’s arms. Like a bee’s stinger, Wendigo’s claws began freezing Gulmarg’s arms from the inside.

Even the tough Gulmarg couldn’t maintain his strength in that condition.

Slowly pushed back, Gulmarg glared at Wendigo as his arms were held.

Death was creeping up, but there was not a trace of fear in Gulmarg’s eyes.

Out of respect, Wendigo was about to end his life quickly with his teeth…

“Wait!!!”

“?”

At that moment, with Skadi’s scream, dozens of roots sprouted from the ground and wrapped around Wendigo’s body.

These weren’t simple roots. Enchanted with complex magic, they maintained their binding as Wendigo moved.

Magic imbued with the will to somehow stop Wendigo.

Since Skadi wouldn’t betray him, Wendigo looked at her in confusion.

“Skadi. Why suddenly?”

“Lord Wendigo! We didn’t come here to kill Gulmarg!”

“Ah.”

“Ah.”

Wendigo and Gulmarg came to their senses at Skadi’s astonished rebuke.

They had forgotten in the unprecedented fighting spirit they felt…

They were having a sparring match. Not a life-or-death struggle, but one of mutual respect.

Wendigo awkwardly pulled his claws out of Gulmarg’s arms.