Chapter 32 : Chapter 32
Chapter 32. The Mother of Lafre
Lafre were originally nothing more than common man-eating plants in the Demon World. Their poison was weak, and their reproductive ability wasn't particularly strong.
However, the story changed after the appearance of a being called ‘Anesta’.
‘Anesta’ was a giant, man-eating monster, a mother figure to the Lafre.
The creature's existence promoted the Lafre's evolution, and if that evolution continued, it would become a Calamity.
Ultimately, Anesta was a being with the potential to lead the Demon World to ruin.
It was literally a ‘Calamity’.
‘And Gert Castle is the starting point.’
Anesta could connect with all Lafre through its roots.
Through these connected roots, she received nutrients to grow, and as her growth progressed, the Lafre became stronger, and their reproductive power also increased dramatically.
Starting with Gert Castle, she would absorb nutrients and grow, eventually expanding her influence throughout the Demon World.
Hyunwoo continued his thoughts on Anesta as he passed through the collapsed outer wall of Gert Castle.
He could see swarms of Lafre attached like barnacles amidst the rubble filled with poisonous fog.
The creatures waiting for prey showed no reaction to Hyunwoo.
‘Breathing seems to be fine.’
Having checked his ‘Oxygen Tank’, Hyunwoo moved carefully to avoid touching them and headed inside.
‘It’s practically a ruin.’
Inside the castle, not a single house remained intact.
Passing through the chaotic ruins and heading towards the inner castle, his foot caught on something.
‘Oops—!’
The junk on the side of the road, which had been precariously balanced, collapsed as his foot caught it.
Rattle—
Kieeee—
A faint presence was heard.
The nearby Lafre tilted their heads and slowly gathered around Hyunwoo.
Hyunwoo tensed his body and quickly moved away.
‘…I have to be careful.’
Once discovered, even the Footsteps of the Abyss would be useless.
In a state of direct contact, concealing one's presence would be meaningless.
Hyunwoo glanced down once at the Footsteps of the Abyss he was wearing and swallowed.
After passing through the ruins inside the castle for a while, the entrance to the inner castle appeared.
Until he reached the inner castle entrance, he couldn't find any living creature besides the Lafre.
Hyunwoo looked around the silent inner castle and headed inside.
Passing through the first-floor corridor, he discovered something.
Pieces of an opaque, grayish-brown husk were scattered on the ground.
‘Traces of metamorphosis.’
It was a sign of evolution left by Anesta.
Hyunwoo looked around at the husks scattered everywhere.
He could infer Anesta's evolutionary state through the husks.
‘At this rate….’
It seemed to have shed its skin through sufficient nutrients and achieved its first evolution.
The frightening thing about Anesta was its ability to evolve rapidly as long as it had enough nutrients.
‘There’s still some time before the second evolution.’
But it wouldn't be a long time.
If that creature were to finish its second evolution using the entire Sylvester region as nutrients….
‘When that time comes, it will be absolutely unstoppable.’
Like a small spark engulfing an entire mountain, the Lafre's legion would spread throughout the Demon World in an instant.
The time the Sylvester region could hold out was the golden time.
If he failed to deal with the creature within that golden time, everything would return to nothing.
Hyunwoo tucked a piece of the husk into his clothes.
It would be important evidence when he returned to Sylvester Castle.
⌜Scenario Quest Updated!
You have found the cause of ‘Lafre Propagation,’ the ‘Calamity that gnaws at the Demon World.’
The cause is the revival of Anesta, the ruler and mother of all Lafre!
Track her down and eliminate her.
Time Limit: Before the Sylvester region is destroyed.⌟
‘I was planning to do that anyway.’
Hyunwoo dismissed the quest window blocking his view and followed the trail of shed husks deeper inside.
Anesta's trail led to the central hall on the first floor.
It seemed to have been used as a venue for banquets before, as broken instruments and tables were scattered about.
Objects were shattered beyond recognition.
Following the traces left by Anesta, a huge burrow appeared in the center of the hall.
It seemed to have completed its evolution here, as the area around the burrow was filled with husks.
Hyunwoo lowered his head and peered inside.
A deep darkness with no visible end unfolded.
‘Is Anesta at the end of this burrow?’
It was a chance to pinpoint the creature's location, but Hyunwoo shook his head and stepped back.
Chasing after her now would be nothing short of a suicide mission.
Averting his gaze, he picked up a piece of husk lying near the burrow and headed towards the back of the central hall.
At the back of the hall, there was a staircase leading to the upper floor.
Parts of the staircase had collapsed, but it seemed possible to make his way up somehow.
Hyunwoo moved his feet carefully so as not to cause the stairs to collapse further.
After climbing the stairs, the second-floor corridor of the castle appeared.
Not a single corpse was visible.
Instead, the corridor was filled with armor crushed beyond recognition and objects that had turned black from decay.
These were the traces of Anesta's attack.
Unlike the Lafre, Anesta possessed a poison strong enough to instantly decay its opponents.
‘It should be around here somewhere.’
Hyunwoo was looking for a specific place.
Upon reaching the end of the corridor, the space he was looking for finally appeared.
‘The demon Gert's office.’
The once-gorgeous door was completely decayed, making its form hard to recognize, but the location in his memory was definitely this place.
Crumble—
As he carefully touched the door with Cheonbyeondo, the massive door rustled and crumbled like powder.
Stepping inside, only the powder of decayed traces fluttered about.
Hyunwoo rummaged through the powder piled on the floor with his Cheonbyeondo.
A moment later, he heard the tip of his sword strike against metal.
Clang—
After brushing away the surrounding powder, a red object slightly smaller than a palm revealed itself.
It was an emblem, the symbol of a demon.
‘Found it.’
The emblem was like an identification card symbolizing a demon's status.
The pile of decayed powder next to it must have been the lord of the castle.
Hyunwoo carefully picked up Gert's emblem.
There was no more certain proof of the investigation of Gert Castle than this.
‘With this, I’ve secured the 10,000 mana stones.’
Hyunwoo put the emblem in his clothes and looked around.
He hadn't come to the office just for the emblem.
Standing still and looking at the walls of the office, he discovered an incongruous section among the holes scattered everywhere.
‘That part seems less decayed….’
Hyunwoo approached the strange wall to get a closer look.
Tap, tap—
Unlike the other walls that easily crumbled with a bit of force, this one didn't budge even when he pushed lightly.
Hyunwoo felt the wall with his hand.
A moment later, his fingertips touched a small groove. Hyunwoo placed Gert's emblem over it.
Vzzzt—
The emblem reacted with the groove, and a secret room hidden behind the wall was revealed.
‘Gert Castle's secret vault.’
Swoosh—
Hyunwoo ducked his body and entered the secret vault.
Inside was full of treasures on the verge of complete decay.
‘If I had come a little sooner, I might have salvaged a few.’
It was a waste to see the treasures ruined and covered in poison, but he didn't feel too disappointed.
The purpose of finding this place wasn't for treasure.
After rummaging through the broken treasures with his Cheonbyeondo for a moment, he discovered a small glass bottle shining amidst the decayed traces.
Hyunwoo's eyes lit up as he picked up the bottle.
‘Thankfully, I wasn’t too late.’
Although all the treasures had decayed, the reason this small glass bottle alone was safe was contained within it.
Hyunwoo looked at the thumbnail-sized golden beetle inside the glass bottle.
A golden beetle kept in Gert Castle for decorative purposes. If Gert had known the identity of the beetle in this bottle, he might have been able to protect his castle.
This was the secret weapon Hyunwoo would have to raise to stop this Calamity, and the only natural enemy of the Lafre.
‘Golden Beetle of Arum.’
The golden-hued beetle was still, as if dead.
Pop—
Hyunwoo opened the stopper of the glass bottle and carefully placed the Lafre seed he had kept inside.
After waiting for a moment, the golden beetle twitched and showed a reaction.
The beetle, moving its small pair of antennae, found the seed and immediately began to crunch and eat it.
‘It worked.’
The golden beetle began to move actively as if it had awakened from hibernation.
Gert Castle, the starting point of the Calamity.
The key to its solution was also hidden here.
‘Now, let's go back.’
Hyunwoo put the glass bottle containing the golden beetle into his clothes and stepped out of the secret vault.
***
After coming out of the vault, Hyunwoo moved diligently and re-entered the forest.
The space where the green forest unfolded was silent.
‘Are they all dead?’
At the quiet and desolate forest scenery, Hyunwoo held a bitter taste in his mouth and quickly crossed the forest.
The sun must be setting, as the red sky was turning black.
Hyunwoo quickened his pace, recalling the things he had obtained from Gert Castle.
‘I secured 10,000 mana stones with the emblem, got the Golden Beetle, and also….’
Everything was going smoothly.
Moreover, he was not far from mastering the Sabla Swordsmanship.
⌜Sabla Swordsmanship (2-Star)―92%⌟
‘…The problem is whether I can get back to Sylvester Castle in time.’
The only remaining problem was time.
Although he minimized his movements, he didn't have much time left to endure with the ‘Oxygen Tank’.
He wouldn't be paralyzed immediately if he started breathing again after the time ran out, but he wouldn't be able to last long.
‘I have to hurry.’
Having set his direction, Hyunwoo ran quickly.
A sense of urgency arose once he was outside.
As he was picking up more speed and passing quickly through the forest.
KWAKWAKWAKWANG—!
“……!”
A loud explosion was heard from not too far away.
It wasn't the sound of a Lafre moving.
‘There are people fighting in this situation?’
He could hear the sound of weapons clashing against each other.
It was hard to understand why they would be fighting each other while their lives were in danger from the swarming Lafre.
Curiosity piqued, Hyunwoo turned his body in the direction of the sound.
As he approached the direction of the fighting, he heard a somewhat familiar voice.
“…Damned bat bastard.”
“How vulgar.”
A group of gorillas with their fur standing on end were surrounding someone.
Hyunwoo knew of the gorilla group.
‘Why are they here…?’
They were gladiators wearing equipment engraved with a gray wolf emblem.
They were the ones sponsored by Baron Modric.
The gorilla at the front was the one who had come to find and threaten him before.
As he got closer, he could see the person surrounded by the gorillas.
‘Huh? That guy….’
In the center of the gorillas' encirclement was a vampire.
He knew who the opponent, the vampire, was as well.
It was Lucas, who had disappeared from the Request Center leaving only his back visible.
Hyunwoo looked around.
Some fallen gorillas and blood splattered in all directions as if crushed by something.
From the surrounding traces, it seemed the battle had been going on for quite a long time.
There were about ten surviving gorillas.
They surrounded Lucas and slowly tightened the encirclement.
Hyunwoo stared at Lucas quietly.
‘To think I’d run into him here.’
He was someone I was thinking of making a companion if the opportunity arose….
It was an unexpected reunion.
‘He doesn't look to be in good shape.’
It seemed he hadn't been pushed back in a fight against many due to his excellent physical abilities, but seeing his staggering legs and ragged breathing, it looked like he had reached his limit.
It seemed he was poisoned by the Lafre.
The gorilla bastards didn't seem to be affected by the poison.
Looking closely, they were wearing equipment with poison resistance.
It seemed Modric had provided them with equipment after hearing the news of the Lafre hunt.
Knowing well that time was on their side, the gorilla group circled around, just testing the waters.
Eventually, Lucas, his face contorted, moved first.
“Insignificant things…!”
As Lucas raised his sword, the gorillas tensed up and lowered their stances.
Fear flickered in the eyes of a few of them.
“H-Here he comes!”
Lucas clicked his tongue once and lightly lifted his sword to strike down.
However, the result was not light.
The true nature of the sound Hyunwoo had first heard echoed through the forest.
KWAKWAKWAKWANG—!
‘Wow.’
The downward-striking sword split one gorilla and plunged into the ground, digging a deep pit.
‘Indeed, the swordsmanship of a single, decisive blow.’
It was a swordsmanship Hyunwoo knew well.
It was known that consecutive attacks were impossible due to the significant burden it placed on the body, befitting its tremendous impact, but…
KWAKWANG—!
After a brief pause, Lucas unleashed the swordsmanship consecutively once more.
The impact of it instantly broke the tightening encirclement.
The gorillas quickly distanced themselves, dodging the swordsmanship.
Despite its incredible power, the sword's movements were simple, so it seemed avoidable as long as a safe distance was maintained.
After Lucas's swordsmanship unfolded a few more times, information about it appeared before his eyes.
⌜Po Dienda Swordsmanship (2-Star)―A basic swordsmanship composed of simple downward-striking motions. It is said to have been created by the progenitor of vampires, the Undying King Eternius. It utilizes a powerful physique to slaughter opponents with a single, decisive strike.
Proficiency: 66%
Trait: None⌟
Perhaps consecutive use was too much even for a vampire's strong body, as Lucas, who had been pushing back the gorillas, staggered and sank to the ground.
“C-Cough….”
Dark red blood seeped through the white fingers of Lucas's hand covering his mouth.
He looked to be at his limit due to the poison.
“He's exhausted!”
“Attack at the same time!”
Seeing the bastards rushing in at once, Lucas's eyes burned with rage.
“You vermin-like things….”
Lucas, growling, closed his eyes.
Then he let both his arms hang down.
Droplets of blood from his body gathered in the air.
As the gathered red blood formed a ring around his waist,
‘Yikes!’
Hyunwoo, who had been watching the battle from a short distance, clutched his head and hastily dropped to the ground.
That phenomenon, it was a skill Hyunwoo knew well.
⌜Ring of Blood⌟
As the gorillas approached right in front of Lucas, his eyes shot open.
Flash—!
At the same time, the red ring spread out in a circle and shot out in all directions like blades.
Aaaack—!
With final screams, the gorillas' upper and lower bodies were perfectly separated.
Annihilation.
It was Lucas's victory.
However, he too seemed to have been pushed to his limit as he placed a hand on the ground and gasped for breath.
“Haa… haa……”
Lucas had no time to rest.
Lafre that had gathered at some point were swallowing the fragmented corpses and approaching him.
Hyunwoo watched for a moment as Lucas staggered away from the scene.
‘I did think I might run into him during the request….’
Lucas's crisis.
For him, it was an opportunity.
Having organized his thoughts, Hyunwoo dusted himself off and stood up.
Then, he revealed himself and strode towards Lucas.
Perhaps because of the Footsteps of the Abyss, Lucas didn't notice Hyunwoo approaching.
“Hey.”
“……!”
Lucas, on high alert, raised his sword.
As he pursed his lips to say something, Hyunwoo beat him to the punch.
“Want me to help?”