Chapter 37

Oneton hastily moved his body at the cold energy felt from behind.

“Kyaaah!!!”

“Tsk. It missed.”

Wendigo clicked his tongue. The spear he threw intending to kill the bastard in one go left a wound on his side instead of his waist.

Still, it wasn’t without impact, as Oneton staggered.

Oneton panicked, resisting the cold energy penetrating his body.

‘How much mystery is this crazy spirit bastard wasting!?’

Although spirit battles were said to efficiently kill the enemy with one effective strike, this was too much.

To think the cold energy seeping through a mere wound would erode a spirit’s body!

Oneton gave up resisting the cold energy and tore out the wound with his claws.

Shrrrek!

“I misjudged you!”

As another of Wendigo’s spears flew in, Oneton barely tore out the frozen wound and leapt away.

Focused on dodging the spear, he got wounded by the warriors’ attacks, but he didn’t care. Compared to Wendigo’s attack, it was a negligible wound.

Jaken glared hatefully at Oneton, who slipped away so smoothly.

‘We should have caught him!’

‘You must have a grudge against him… Considering his actions, it would be strange not to.’

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

When a critical moment comes, everyone becomes honest.

With the chief lost and snow fog rolling in, it wasn’t strange for warriors to lose their minds and charge at a spirit.

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

Wendigo looked over the warriors. The emotions felt from them were mostly fear and awe, with very few burning with resentment.

Of course, it wouldn’t be strange for them to be full of anger towards Wendigo, who had massacred their comrades.

“Will you charge at me too?”

“……”

At Wendigo’s question, Jaken barely suppressed the hiccup about to burst out.

Jaken calmly adjusted his posture. He looked straight at Wendigo and… kneeled down, shouting.

“Spirit of the forest! We were foolish and failed to recognize your greatness, bewitched by that vile bastard. If you give us a chance to atone for our sins, we will dedicate our lives to repay them!”

“… What are you saying?”

Unable to understand the situation, Wendigo asked Jaken. Oneton too was staring at Jaken, utterly bewildered.

However, Jaken had spoken quite seriously. In his mind, this was the only way to survive in the forest.

Though truly hard to understand, at least in Jaken’s judgment, Wendigo was a spirit with quite a good nature.

He had spared the life of an enemy he acknowledged, and above all, wasn’t he a spirit fighting to protect the forest people?

So… he judged that perhaps if they begged forgiveness and paid the price, he might spare them.

Oneton, grasping the situation, sneered.

‘Foolish one. Did you throw the warriors to their deaths with such idiotic faith? Where in the world is there such a spirit…’

“I see. As one bearing the lives of warriors, it must have been a gamble not easily chosen. I admire your spirit and will forgive the warriors.”

“!!?!?”

Oneton was shocked as such hypocritical and foolish words, hard to even dare utter, burst from Wendigo’s mouth.

Where in the world was there a spirit who would accept such foolish behavior?

Surely there must be some scheme.

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

‘As expected, I knew there would be some scheme…’

“Since this fight started because your chief attacked the forest people first, I hope you won’t harbor resentment. If you hadn’t come in the first place, this much blood wouldn’t have flowed in this forest.”

“… Am I to say I was defeated by such an idiot!”

While Jaken and the warriors were moved by Wendigo’s mercy, Oneton felt wronged for the first time in his life. He couldn’t believe he had been defeated by such an idiot.

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

‘No. If he’s such an idiot, maybe he’d let me go if I begged for forgiveness too.’

Oneton barely held onto his reason and decided to exploit Wendigo’s madness.

If he endured a brief humiliation, revenge would always be possible later. Now, he should bow his head even if it’s humiliating..

At that moment, another spear flew in with a vicious sound, aiming for Oneton’s head. Oneton panicked and barely blocked the spear by casting a spell to create huge claws.

“Why are you hostile to me while forgiving those useless ones! Forgiving me, who is useful, would be more beneficial!”

“You’re talking nonsense. Why would I forgive someone who betrays as easily as eating? Shut up and prepare to become forest fertilizer.”

“……”

Unable to refute Wendigo’s argument, Oneton glared at him. Surely Wendigo’s words were imbued with mystery that made others angry.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be this furious!

As Oneton fled into the forest, Wendigo chased after him, disappearing into the woods.

As the fog gradually thinned, the warriors sighed in relief. At least they had avoided a dog’s death, hadn’t they?

But… what now?

“Jaken. Can we just leave the forest like this?”

“Since he didn’t say anything, we might get in trouble if we move carelessly. We should think more… Huh?”

Jaken flinched as someone appeared from beyond the fog. A beauty unsuited to this place strewn with blood and corpses revealed herself.

A woman with white hair and red eyes, alien yet undeniably beautiful.

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

Jaken and the warriors reflexively put their hands on their weapons. Though forgiven by Wendigo, the fact that she was a spirit made them uneasy.

‘He didn’t mean he forgave us but not his subordinates, did he?’

‘Those helmets are creepily spine-chilling. Are they imitating the spirit’s appearance?’

As the warriors were observing cautiously, Skadi came forward and extended her hand to Jaken.

Jaken, with a dazed expression, unconsciously took her hand.

“You must have suffered much because of the chief bewitched by an evil spirit.”

“Pardon?”

Jaken asked back, not understanding the situation, but Skadi didn’t mind. Rather, it was easier to penetrate people’s hearts in this state.

As she opened her mouth, the warriors focused on her words as if bewitched.

Oneton became a cruel and cunning evil spirit.

Lektar became a shameless man who sold the tribe to an evil spirit, dreaming of immortality.

The warriors became victims who believed and followed such a chief. In fact, it wasn’t entirely wrong.

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

If one had to point out what was wrong, the warriors were closer to bystanders than victims, but the warriors couldn’t think that far.

“Wendigo-nim was saddened every time he faced the warriors. He brought the fog, hoping as much as possible that you would leave…”

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

“No wonder he was on bad terms with spirits, unlike the previous chief. It was because they were planning to use each other.”

The warriors gradually fell into her story, as Skadi was too good at telling it.

---

Oneton, who had been fleeing for a while, fell into contemplation. At this rate, there was no way to escape from Wendigo.

He had come too deep to escape.

He needed to at least tie up Wendigo’s feet to be able to escape or do anything.

‘I don’t ask for much. It’s enough if I can inflict an injury that makes it difficult for him to move!’

Oneton turned around with the momentum of his dash and charged towards Wendigo who was chasing from behind.

Although his nature was cunning and he liked deceiving others, Oneton was not a spirit who feared violence and fighting.

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

Bang!

“I’ll make you regret picking a fight with me!”

As Wendigo’s arm staggered, Oneton drew out mystery to create a doppelganger. Unlike the shoddy doppelganger he made earlier to escape, this was different.

It was a doppelganger imbued with strong mystery, made to kill the opponent and to prevent identifying the real body.

Oneton’s doppelganger instantly rushed to attack Wendigo from behind. Claws rippling with darkness slashed across Wendigo’s back.

Though he didn’t scream, Oneton was certain Wendigo had taken damage. He had heard the sound of tearing.

“Where did that arrogant attitude go! Come on, flap your lips like before!”

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

Perhaps he could not just tie up Wendigo’s feet but even bring him down.

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

Wendigo’s hand fiercely grabbed the doppelganger’s neck and thrust his sword in.

The cold energy bursting from the ice sword froze the doppelganger. Oneton clicked his tongue and leapt onto Wendigo’s back.

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

Oneton’s head swelled and huge teeth aimed for Wendigo’s neck. Wendigo hastily 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 mad actions!’

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

From the start, someone who wasted mystery like that couldn’t possibly have any strength left!

Wendigo must have let his guard down because he had been facing enemies deluded by his mad actions until now…

“Indeed, controlling a doppelganger is difficult. The movements are this sluggish.”

“!?”

Hearing Wendigo’s voice from behind, Oneton panicked and leapt away. But it was too late a reaction.

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

Oneton was in pain, but more than that, he couldn’t understand the situation. What on earth was the Wendigo he had been facing?

“Just what… what kind of spell did you cast to be alive!”

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

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

At this ridiculous sight, Oneton froze.

“No way… No way it’s a doppelganger? Impossible. The mystery is too much for a doppelganger!?”

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

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

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

Had he lost his reason due to shame?

Oneton scraped out the mystery he had cherished so much to the very bottom. A wolf shrouded in black haze glared at Wendigo with eyes full of resentment.

“Like this… You think I’ll just let this happen!!!”

“You won’t just let it happen, of course. But I don’t really care much.”

Crack!

Freed from the bindings, Oneton swung both claws and pounced on Wendigo as if to bite off his head.

However, this was Oneton’s last act of defiance. Spears flying from the forest pierced Oneton’s arms and chest.

“Graaaah!!!”

“Controlling doppelgangers is harder than I thought.”

Only then did Oneton realize who had thrown the spears. From the darkness of the forest, doppelgangers in Wendigo’s form walked out with heavy steps.

The doppelganger that was initially one became two, and finally six.

Seeing six doppelgangers overflowing with mystery, Oneton lamented.

“You crazy son of a bitch…”

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

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

The craziest spirit in this world was right before his eyes!

As he felt his mystery dispersing and heard nature’s call, Oneton looked at Wendigo with hatred.

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

“Right. I understand you want revenge.”

Roots growing from the ground blocked Oneton’s mouth as he was spewing curses. Oneton tried to spew out his anger, but something was strange.

Weren’t Wendigo’s doppelgangers holding his body tightly?

“…!!!”

“I was disappointed I couldn’t eat the parasite I caught last time, but it’s fortunate that I think I can eat you.”

As Wendigo’s claws dug into Oneton’s chest, Oneton writhed in an incomprehensible fear.

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

For a spirit unfamiliar with the concept of death, that fear must have been more terrible than for humans.

If he could open his mouth, he might 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.

Oneton’s body, having lost its core, instantly rotted and crumbled, but the heart was still wriggling and moving.

‘Eating the heart is a bit disgusting.’

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

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

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

Thinking of the boar, it surely wouldn’t be anything good.

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

Finally, he sent a signal to Skadi’s ice necklace. She should be able to grasp the situation and deal with it on her own.

Having finished all preparations, Wendigo opened his mouth wide and tossed in the heart.

The moment he swallowed the heart, enduring the terrible softness.

Wendigo’s consciousness disappeared into darkness.