Chapter 90 : Chapter 90
Chapter 90. It Will Sting.
Hyunwoo walked out of the barracks with Van, following Gracia.
Gracia led the way, with Hyunwoo and Van following right behind.
The other High Orcs they encountered on the way bowed their heads deeply to him.
Looking around at the High Orcs, after following him for a while, the crowd thinned.
A deep place where no one was.
When they reached a dead-end wall where the path was cut off, Gracia stopped.
He turned his head slightly and spoke.
“Be careful from here on. We have never let an outsider into the sacred grounds. Heh heh….”
Looking forward again, he slipped through the wall.
The sacred grounds were a place where the ancestral gods were enshrined.
The High Orc warriors who had died yesterday might also be in that place.
Van spoke with a tense expression.
“Be careful.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Originally, those who haven't received divine possession cannot enter the sacred grounds. I don't know what effect it will have on you.”
“I’ll be fine.”
Recalling the settings about the sacred grounds, Hyunwoo fiddled with the subspace pocket containing the ‘Earrings of Sephiros’ and stepped inside.
Swish—
As he passed through the wall, he felt a thin cloth gently wrapping around his body.
Once inside, Gracia was staring intently at him, as if observing him.
“Hmm… I thought the ancestral gods would be enraged, but this is unexpected. It’s as if… they are welcoming you.”
As if his words weren't empty, black smoke enveloped Hyunwoo.
The black smoke was the soul of their ancestors, as the High Orcs claimed.
The sensation of the smoke brushing against every part of his body was creepy, but it didn't seem hostile.
Smoke also floated around Van, who had followed him in, but not as much as around him.
‘…What is this?’
He knew about the black smoke, but this welcome was inexplicable.
A moment later, after the smoke that had been circling around disappeared, he could see the inside.
Another cave inside a cave.
A narrow, corridor-like path, just enough for one person to pass, appeared.
“It seems you've greeted each other, so we will move again now.”
Gracia began to move again.
The black, ash-like smoke that had settled thickly on the ground fluttered around with their footsteps.
‘This is the sacred grounds of the High Orcs.’
For a race's ‘sacred grounds’, the dark space without a single speck of light didn't seem very sacred.
Moreover, all that was there was the black smoke that was said to be the souls of their ancestors.
Hyunwoo began to move cautiously, avoiding the smoke as much as possible.
Gracia guided Hyunwoo and Van to the deep part of the cave.
A small, room-like narrow space.
The inside was filled with black mist, making it difficult to see.
When Gracia waved his arm, the black mist subsided, and the reality within began to reveal itself.
In the narrow space, red blood, of which the identity of whether it was the blood of a beast or a monster was unknown, was carved everywhere.
The blood, which must have been old, was not dried on the ground but was glistening and emitting a sinister red light.
Patterns carved with blood of unknown meaning.
In the center, there was an empty space just big enough for one person to lie down.
‘This is… the center of the sacred grounds.’
It was a space that seemed to require a sacrifice to be offered.
Gracia plopped down in a corner and gestured for Hyunwoo and Van to sit as well.
Hyunwoo and Van also avoided the red blood and sat down.
When they sat down, Gracia spoke.
“How much do you know about the tattoos of the High Orcs?”
“I don’t know much other than that they can make you stronger.”
Hyunwoo feigned ignorance to confirm if what he knew was correct.
Van really didn't seem to know.
“The tattoos are nothing special. They are just a kind of medium that allows you to use the power of the ancestral gods.”
“Then doesn't it have no meaning for me, who hasn't received divine possession?”
Gracia shook his head.
“Divine possession is just a qualification for getting a tattoo. The power of the ancestral gods exists everywhere. It is up to the guide to draw out their power. It is your part.”
Hyunwoo nodded.
It was as he had expected.
Although he wouldn't be able to use the full power of a High Orc, it was certain that he would become stronger to some extent after getting the tattoo.
“Who will go first?”
“I will go first.”
Without even a moment for Hyunwoo to stop him, Van went up to the altar.
As he stepped on the altar, the red blood shone with a sinister light.
He was surrounded by the red light and prostrated himself.
Heh heh—
Gracia chuckled softly and raised his hand.
Black smoke began to gather in his hand.
“――――――.”
An incomprehensible mumble came from Gracia’s mouth.
As if in response to the call, the gathered black smoke dyed his hand black.
The patterns of red blood spread out in all directions with the altar at the center.
The black smoke began to circulate on the red-stained path.
Swoosh—
Hyunwoo moved to a corner, avoiding the moving black smoke.
Gracia placed his blackened hand on Van’s solar plexus.
“Van-Grogue. The child guided by the guide. The child who had faltered and collapsed has returned to our arms safely.”
“……”
“Do not be nervous.”
He had thought Gracia was only paying attention to him, but it was surprising that he seemed to know Van well.
He placed his hand on Van’s solar plexus and closed his eyes.
A moment later, he tilted his head.
“Hmm…”
He opened his eyes again.
“You are loved by the ancestral gods. You have two choices. ‘Regeneration’ and ‘Wisdom’. If you wish, you could even become a shaman.”
There were many types of High Orc tattoos.
Among them, only the types of power chosen by the ancestral gods could be carved as tattoos.
Van was chosen for ‘Regeneration’ and ‘Wisdom’.
If he chose ‘Regeneration’, he would literally have the physical regeneration ability of a troll, and if he chose ‘Wisdom’, he would have the ability to use various curses.
“Child. What kind of tattoo do you wish to have?”
“I…”
Van, from his lying position, lifted his head and looked at Hyunwoo.
It would be better if he got ‘Regeneration’ and took on the front line, but it wouldn't be bad if he chose ‘Wisdom’ and stood in the rear.
Hyunwoo just nodded, as if to say he would leave the choice to him.
“…There must be a reason you gave me the shield. Please carve the tattoo of regeneration.”
“Alright. If that is your will. It will sting.”
Thwack—
As the blackened hand entered Van’s solar plexus, he flinched.
His eyes rolled back as he looked at the black hand that had dug into his stomach.
His body trembled as if a wave of pain was washing over him.
And at that moment.
Kagagak—!
With a creepy sound, a black tattoo began to be carved from Van’s solar plexus.
Would the sound of carving a sculpture with a chisel be like this?
The black tattoo carved on the surface was just a symbol.
It was the sound of the power of the tattoo being carved while scraping away his soul.
Van, whose eyes were showing the whites, seemed to have no consciousness, but his contorted face showed his pain.
Kak—!
A moment later, as if signaling the end, the sound stopped, and at the same time, light burst from the black tattoo carved on his body.
No, it was more like a flickering flame than a light.
Fwoosh—!
The flickering of the black flame that shot up enveloped him.
The black flame that had been burning as if to burn Van’s body.
Swoosh—
Gracia took his hand from Van’s body and lowered it, and the flame subsided in an instant.
“It is done.”
The process of carving the tattoo seemed to be difficult for Gracia as well, as large beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
From the beginning to the end of carving the tattoo.
The time was but a moment.
A moment later, a groan escaped from Van, who had sat up.
He seemed to be conscious, but he couldn't come to his senses, as if he had had a terrible nightmare.
As Van couldn't properly control his body, Hyunwoo approached to support him.
“Are you okay?”
“……”
Even as Hyunwoo put his hand on Van’s side and pulled him down from the altar, his eyes did not regain their focus.
He was probably not in his right mind because of the ‘trial’ of the tattoo.
The ‘trial’ that appeared when getting a tattoo.
The ‘trial’ was contact with the ancestral gods.
Facing strong spiritual beings.
That alone was a huge mental shock.
If one couldn't endure it, their soul could be extinguished by the shock.
‘It’s not for nothing that only High Orcs who have received divine possession are given the qualification to get a tattoo.’
The mental strength that rose through divine possession was a necessary condition for getting a tattoo.
On the other hand, Hyunwoo hadn't received any divine possession.
That was also the reason why Van, who was supporting the staggering Van and sitting him down in a corner, spoke with a voice full of worry.
“Do, don't waver.”
“What?”
“No matter… what huge thing you face……”
Van, with those last words, seemed to have lost consciousness and hung his head low.
As Hyunwoo was leaning Van against the wall, Gracia spoke.
“As you can see, the process of getting a tattoo is not simple.”
“…Yes. It seems so.”
“In a state of not having received divine possession, and even with a human body, you may never wake up. Do you still wish to proceed?”
His words were filled with concern for Hyunwoo, but with the ‘heh heh’ at the end, it sounded like he was provoking him.
Even without that, he had made thorough preparations with the intention of getting a tattoo.
‘The process looks damn brutal though…’
If he gave up here, it would be all for nothing.
Hyunwoo took out the ‘Earrings of Sephiros’ from his subspace pocket and put them on.
“Hoo… you've brought something interesting.”
Instead of answering, Hyunwoo recited the spell embedded in the earring.
‘Holy Light.’
Flash—!
A blinding blue light shot up from the earring.
The transparent earring was dyed blue.
At the same time, Hyunwoo felt that something had changed within his mind.
A mental barrier that firmly surrounded his mind.
He felt as if no external stimulus could create ripples in the lake of his mind.
Gracia's eyes shone with a strange light.
“I feel a special energy. It might be helpful in getting the tattoo.”
“It will be helpful. It’s a precious item.”
“We will know when we see. Are you ready?”
“Yes. I’m done.”
His mind was clearer than ever.
“Are you okay, Sir Gracia? You look tired…”
At the question of whether he was okay, Gracia stretched his neck and let out a laugh.
“Heh heh heh…… Good. I will carve the tattoo for you right away.”
“Please.”
The powerful mental barrier made him feel like he could do anything.
Hyunwoo lay down on the altar with a comfortable mind.
He felt a cool sensation on his back.
A warm energy, opposite to that, was felt in his stomach.
It was Gracia’s black hand.
The warm energy from his hand spread throughout his body through his stomach.
“Hmm… Hoo…”
Gracia let out exclamations of interest.
When he continued to just let out exclamations even after a long time, Hyunwoo couldn't stand it and spoke.
“…Is there a problem?”
“This is a bit. Surprising. How can a mere human… Ah, a slip of the tongue.”
It was more like his mask had finally slipped than a slip of the tongue, but he just pretended not to notice.
“The guide… this is. How can such a result be possible…”
“What in the world is the matter?”
His interesting gaze, as if looking at a lab monkey, was starting to get on his nerves.
When Hyunwoo raised his voice slightly, he spoke again.
“I apologize. This is the first time for me as well… Heh heh. What is the ability that the guide desires most?”
The ability he desires.
Hyunwoo immediately voiced the ability he had thought of before coming here.
“Mana. I want a tattoo related to mana. Can I choose?”
“Mana… Then I will carve the ‘Tattoo of Vigor’ for you. If you ask if you can choose. Yes. Of course.”
The order of the conversation was strange.
It wasn't a question of telling him the options, but a question of choosing the result of that choice.
Before Hyunwoo could ask that question, his mouth opened again.
“How a mere human, not a High Orc, can receive the love of all the ancestral gods… I have no idea.”
“…What does that mean?”
“The guide is connected to the power of all systems. It means you can have any tattoo carved.”
At Gracia’s words, Hyunwoo was lost in thought.
He couldn't understand why all the High Orc ancestral gods were interested in him.
He didn't know for sure, but it was a good thing for him.
“Can I only get one tattoo?”
“The ancestral gods each have their own domain… they are not on good terms with their neighbors.”
He had said it indirectly, but it seemed to mean that he could only get one tattoo.
Then there was no need to worry about the choice.
Hyunwoo nodded and spoke.
“Please carve the Tattoo of Vigor.”
The ‘Tattoo of Vigor’, which could increase his mana.
He was sure it would be the most helpful power to him right now, so there was no need to hesitate.
“If that is the path the guide has chosen.”
Thwack—
‘Ugh!’
There was no warning for him.
His hand dug into his body before he knew it.
And, his vision was immediately covered in darkness.
“It will sting.”
The last words he heard before losing consciousness floated in his mind as if scattering.
D-damn it!
It hurt like hell.