Episode 309
"Isn't this enough?" Araxad suddenly asked one day while we were eating.
I was in the middle of chewing meat. I swallowed it and replied, "Really? As I always say, you don't eat a lot for your size."
"I wasn't talking about food. I meant patrolling the surrounding area."
"Huh?"
"The area around Snowville is safe now."
I tilted my head as I stabbed the steak with my fork, replying, "Is that so? We saw a bear just yesterday. It was so big that it looked like it could easily beat up most monsters."
"Yes. However, the bear originally lived in the north. If we eliminate all animals that pose threats to people, the ecosystem of the north might be destroyed. It is a place with few living things, so we have to be careful."
That wasn't wrong. For nearly two weeks, Araxad and I had roamed the area, wiping out any monsters or beasts that looked dangerous.
Of course, killing beasts we couldn't eat didn't sit well with me or Araxad. However, it didn't matter since they already tasted bad due to dark qi. It couldn't be helped, though. Unlike people, who had some anti-demon abilities, beasts without intelligence couldn't be purified by priests once contaminated with dark qi.
Lanfero also nodded in agreement with Araxad's opinion. "Yes. This is enough. The two of you have worked hard. Luan, head to Frostwolf Village and bring back Mir and Sister Razbet. At the same time, ask about how things are going on the side of the giants."
"Me?" I replied.
"Then should I go there?"
At that. I looked around at the Corrupted members one by one. Lukuluku didn't even look at me, while the slime senior looked at me innocently and shook its body. Okay, those two wouldn't work.
I glanced at Araxad last, but even the always reliable lizardman senior avoided my gaze while muttering, "I need to restock my weapons, so I have to be away for a while. I can't put it off any longer."
"Mm."
This kind of chore was meant for the newest member. Still, I had no complaints about going. Rather, I had something to say to Mir and Verita. I would probably go even if I wasn't asked.
"I understand. I'll come back soon," I said.
The weather had warmed up a lot, so the trip there and back wouldn't take too long. These days, the sky was so clear and bright that it almost felt like the blizzard from two weeks ago was just a lie. Perhaps the nobles in the capital were enjoying a picnic.
Come to think of it, it's almost April, I thought. It had been a month since I left the capital. I felt like I had become used to this cold region now.
I said to Lanfero, "Boss."
"Huh?"
"I have something to tell you after I come back this time."
"What is it? Tell me now."
"Right now is a bit inconvenient."
I had decided to discuss the matter of the Utgard Camp with Lanfero. The source of the information was unclear, so I originally had no intention of sharing it even with the people I trusted. Now, however, I'd found out that Corrupted was a reliable organization, and so was its leader, Lanfero. To be honest, right now, I trust Corrupted much more than the Badnikers.
If my prediction was correct, the disaster of Utgard would be on par with the Ymir incident, or maybe even worse.
The ones who knew about it were me; Seren, who would come here in a while; and Evan, who would either approach the Dark Church in his own way or spend more time growing stronger. It was almost impossible to deal with the disaster with just us three.
"Mm, yes. By the way, if you stop by Frostwolf Village, can you buy some honey wine?" Lanfero asked.
"Why honey wine?"
"Don't you know? The honey wine brewed by the giants is one of the specialties of the north."
"As long as you can afford it."
"Yes."
I wasn't planning to take a carriage, so there cou;d be some spare money. Still, the scale of a giant's brewery would be huge. I wondered if they had human-sized barrels.
Araxad added while watching us, "If possible, I would like you to get me a hand axe. Weapons made by the giant blacksmiths are famous for their high quality."
"Then wouldn't it be better if you came with me?" I asked.
Araxad pretended not to hear and just put food in his mouth.
Now that it was like this, I asked the rest of the clan members as well. "Sister, do you need anything?"
"Not really," Lukuluku responded with a cold tone that made me feel chilly, but now I knew that there was no malice in her attitude. I wasn't sure, but it seemed that she had a surprisingly shy personality.
"Senior Slime too?"
Kyuwoo...
Sharumud nodded with a smile as if to express agreement.
***
Previously, Ramon had said that it would take five days to get from Snowville to Frostwolf Village, no matter how much we hurried. Even considering that the northern land was unusually large, it meant there was quite a distance between the two places.
I glanced down at the opened map. Now that I'd spent quite a lot of time in the north, I could now estimate the distance just by looking at the map.
"It will take two days. One day if I push it," I muttered to myself.
It wasn't that I didn't believe Ramon. However, the weather was so good that I planned to practice a footwork technique for this journey. The trip could also be used as martial arts training.
In fact, thinking about it, I didn't have anything that could be called true light footwork. The Thunder Stomp Footwork was a martial arts technique close to light footwork, but as the name suggested, it was only a stepping technique.
It seemed there would be more situations that required running in the future, so I figured I might as well create a light footwork technique now.
Of course, creating a martial art wasn't an easy task. On the other hand, it wasn't my personality to take it seriously like a grandmaster creating a great technique. In my view, it was important to maintain a somewhat relaxed mindset when it came to creating.
In addition, I wasn't planning to create it entirely from scratch. I observed the internal energy in my dantian and decided to try refining the Scorching Dash. Of course, it wasn't a light footwork technique; it was closer to a body technique. It was an attack designed to run like a snake's massive body and create maximum damage.
If I could strip away the excessive offensive nature of this martial art and reshape it purely for speed, I could end up with a fairly usable light footwork technique.
Of course, it wouldn't necessarily be possible. Still, I was somewhat excited at the thought of refining a martial art after so long.
"Are you leaving now?"
I was just about to set off when I heard a loud voice, causing me to turn around. It was Lukuluku.
"Uh, yes," I replied.
I hadn't expected her to appear at such a moment, so I was a bit flustered. I had decided to leave at dawn, an hour when even the most diligent person was still sleeping.
Lukuluku gave a small nod at my answer. For a moment, we simply stood there in silence. We had only run into each other a few times over the past two weeks at the mansion. For now, I called her Sister.
This dragon senior was still a difficult and uncomfortable presence for me. It wasn't a problem with my social skills. I just had a feeling that she was somehow avoiding me.
I looked at Lukuluku for a moment before I continued, "So do you have an errand for me—"
"That's not it. I just wanted to say thank you."
"All of a sudden?"
"Yes. Somehow, I get the feeling that if we part ways now, we won't see each other again for a while."
"I was planning on going to the village and coming straight back."
"In the world, things don't always go as planned. Well, it is just my hunch, so you can ignore it if you like."
It was the hunch of a dragon, so I couldn't help feeling uneasy. More than that, this was the first time I had seen Lukuluku talk so much.
I wondered, "So what exactly are you thankful for?"
"Life in the clan has improved a lot since you arrived."
Aha, it was that. Thanks to the power of the Zyren knife, I'd signed an independent contract between Corrupted and the trading company. It was a fairly favorable contract, so it must've felt like a relief for Corrupted, which had been suffering from financial difficulties.
"Lanfero seems to be finally acting like a clan leader now, and Araxad is the same. Honestly, it has been a while since we've had so many members stay in the clan for so long. It feels like we are finally becoming a clan. I think it is because of you," Lukuluku continued.
If she openly praised me like this, even a shameless person like me would feel embarrassed. It was hard to say that I didn't have an influence, but it definitely wasn't the only reason. Thus, I replied, "It was probably due to Senior Ramon, not me."
"Yes. He was probably a catalyst too. I realized it once he left. Our clan would've collapsed a long time ago without Ramon." Lukuluku murmured bitterly.
Now I knew she was doing various office tasks for the clan in place of Ramon. I knew it might be a bit rude, but I couldn't help asking her curiously, "Sister, you seem like a very diligent person. Why have you been away from the clan all this time?"
"I was clinging to a thin thread of hope. I knew it was slim, but I couldn't help being bound by it. Now I am ready to let go. I'm tired."
"Huh?"
As I quietly stared at her, Lukuluku said with a small laugh, "Let's save this story for another time. Go carefully."
She left after saying that. I watched the mysterious woman's back for a moment, but didn't insist on stopping or questioning her. It would be a lie to say I wasn't curious, but it wasn't like she was refusing to tell me.
Then I left Snowville right away. There was no need to worry about getting lost. The destination could naturally be reached just by following the ice lake the entire way.
I was alone for the first time in ages, and felt a kind of liberation. Living and mingling with others wasn't a bad thing, but I thought that people needed to be alone from time to time. It was only when you were alone that you could reflect most deeply on yourself.
There were hardly any threats in the north now, so I used my internal energy to my heart's content. Of course, I had to be prepared for any situation, so I kept about half of it.
Still, in my current state, half of my internal energy was equivalent to the total amount I'd had a month ago. The lava I'd absorbed inside Ymir's body was a great help.
By the way, why was there lava inside the giant's body? I mused. I wondered if I had dreamed it, but the heat I felt at that time and the concentrated internal energy in my body said otherwise.
My internal energy had greatly increased thanks to several expensive elixirs I had taken, but achieving such a thing would be difficult with ordinary lava.
For one whole day, I just ran mechanically, pondering those things while running. I simply drew on my internal energy to assist my endurance, agility, and muscle elasticity. It was a one-dimensional approach. There were no particular drawbacks, but it couldn't be called light footwork.
A motif, I thought, realizing what I needed. Every martial art had a motif. It could be a person, a beast, nature itself, or even a mere insect.
I'd heard that great martial arts drew inspiration from grand aspects of nature, and it was understandable. Meanwhile, it was difficult to feel admiration if one gained insight from watching an ant. After all, people were amazed and overwhelmed when facing the vast expanse of nature.
Most of my martial arts foundation was based on fire. However, the fiery technique of Scorching Dash felt somewhat unsuitable to be used as light footwork.
The image of fire I had was this: Entangled, roaring flames; a fierce nature that couldn't exist without burning; and a fleeting, explosive burst.
The last one was important. For me, fire was ultimately a symbol of transience. It was something momentary. That made it difficult for me to associate it with light footwork, which required running and sustainability over time.
However, fire didn't have only one form. Depending on its scale and circumstance, it could be a devastating blaze that consumed everything. Conversely, a single flame could bring hope to those wandering in a blizzard.
So I wondered what form fire could take in order to serve as my inspiration now.
I quietly looked up at the sky. For me, the true source of fire wasn't the earth or the sea. Rather, it was the sun, which had risen in the sky even a thousand years ago. It would likely rise a thousand years from now, and was the source of yang qi. This enormous star never faded and burned eternally. It would probably continue shining even after this continent had been destroyed. Such lasting power had already surpassed the mere concept of yang qi.
This is a serious problem.
I laughed to myself. One of my old bad habits had been triggered. Before I even shaped the technique, formed a stance, or thought about the use of internal energy, I had already come up with the name for the martial art: Heavenly Thousand Suns Path.
I murmured the name of the footwork technique I was about to create and ran along the frozen lake.
***
Three days later, I finally arrived at Frostwolf Village. It took me longer than I initially expected, but I could've arrived much sooner if I had hurried.
My excuse was that I was using repeated trial and error to refine my still-clumsy light footwork technique. It took me some time, but thanks to that, I was able to bring the Heavenly Thousand Suns Path to a level suitable for practical use.
I took a short break to clear my mind. I figured that if I refined it once more on the way back, the technique would take shape properly.
In any case, I finally arrived at Mir's hometown, Frostwolf Village. I'd heard that this was the residence of the giants and it was a rather small settlement, but it didn't feel that way when seeing it in person.
In fact, I'd felt something strange from the time I started to see the village in the distance. I thought I was close enough to see it with the naked eye, but that wasn't really the case.
The wooden fences were as large as small fortress walls to the human eye. Each of the simple buildings was the size of a mansion.
Come to think of it, this was my first time visiting a village inhabited by giants. More precisely, it was my first time visiting a village inhabited by any of the other seven races.
"Wow, it's big. It's really big," I murmured to myself as I looked around with wide eyes. I had been to cities before, but now I felt like a country bumpkin again. I couldn't help feeling like an ant when I came to a big village.
Several giants that were around six or seven meters tall were stomping through the village, making the ground tremble. However, they didn't seem particularly surprised when they saw me, a human. In fact, I could occasionally see other races in the village. Perhaps it was due to the Frost Giant incident, as other forces like the Hero Society and the imperial family were staying here.
I wondered where Mir was.
"Eh? Luan!"
Just then, I heard a sharp voice. It belonged to Mir Giant, whose booming voice wasn't inferior to those of the other giants at all.
"Long time no see. Have you been well?" I asked.
"Luaaan!" Mir charged at me as if she was going to crash right into me.
I was somehow reminded of a dog welcoming a family member it hadn't seen in a long time. Of course, there were no dogs in the Badniker family.
Fortunately, Mir stopped just before she ran into me. I asked, "Are you doing well?"
"Of course! How are the seniors doing? I was planning to go back when I finished the work this week," Mir murmured.
"Really?"
"Yes! The internal repair of Ymir is over. Now only the purification of dark qi remains."
"Purification of dark qi? Then Sister Razbet will still be busy."
"I think so as well. Do you have anything to say to Sister?"
"I do, but it isn't urgent."
"Really? Then why don't you go and see my father first?"
"Your father?"
"Yes! He said that he really wants to see you, Luan. Besides, he is the chief of our tribe."
If Mir's father was the chief, it would be polite to meet him before Verita. Thus, I nodded and followed Mir. We soon arrived at the unusually large house.
The main difference from the other houses was that there was a small door next to the big door. It was just big enough for a human to pass through. It was probably a door for Mir, but I felt that it looked like a doggy door.
"Father! I'm here! I met Luan and brought him here!"
"Huh?"
A giant with sharp eyes and a beard looked down at me. His face was vaguely familiar, like I had seen him briefly when fighting the legion commander.
Nevertheless, I greeted him first. "Hello. I am Luan Badniker."
"Oh, you are Golden Fairy Luan. Your previous performance was impressive," the giant replied.
"Ah, yes."
"I am Dorman of the Frostwolf Tribe. It seems that my daughter owes you quite a lot."
I'd thought Mir's father would be more energetic, but surprisingly, his attitude and tone were calm.
I lowered my head in a slightly embarrassed manner, replying, "Not at all."
"Yes, well, it is amazing timing that you showed up at such a perfect time. Is this also the guidance of our ancestors, I wonder?"
I wondered what he meant.
Dorman looked at me with strange eyes before saying to Mir, "Mir, I have something to talk about with this friend for a moment."
"Hm? I understand." Mir nodded, looking a bit suspicious of Dorman's words. She continued, "Then, Luan, I'll be at the Hero Society's temporary residence in the north of the village. Go there when you are done."
"Okay. Wait for me," I replied.
"Yes."
Mir left, and I looked at Dorman. I wondered what he could want to talk to me about. This giant was almost a complete stranger to me, so I had no clue.
I quietly looked at him. Then the tribe chief stood up and walked toward me, telling me briefly, "Wait a moment."
"Huh?"
Then Dorman also left the house. I was left alone and stood there in a confused daze. The house had been left to the guest while the owner and his child left the house.
I was taken aback and waited there for a while. Approximately ten minutes passed. Then, the door opened and a man appeared.
"Huh...?" I blinked in surprise. Standing there was someone I had never expected to meet in a place like this.
"Long time no see, future family head," the man remarked.
"Kayan?"
It was Kayan, a collector of the Badnikers. I was a bit surprised, but also happy. It actually hadn't been that long since we parted, but after everything I'd gone through, it felt like we were reuniting after several years.
"It has been a while. I never thought I would see you here. Why are you in the north?" I asked.
"I'm here to see you, future family head."
"Me? What's going on?"
"I'm sorry, but you must return to the main house immediately."
Kayan used a forceful tone that he hadn't used in a long time. It was just like when he came to cut the tendons in my arm after my regression. However, his attitude was different from that time.
I finally realized that Kayan was feeling particularly disturbed. I said, "Calm down first. Why are you suddenly insisting that I return to the main house? What's going on?"
I wondered what could have unsettled the man known as the Iron-Blooded Collector. I wanted to offer him a glass of water, but I couldn't tell where the water kettle would be in this huge house. Even if I found one, I wasn't sure I would be able to pour it myself.
As I was thinking such useless thoughts, Kayan's next words snapped my full attention back.
"The family head is in critical condition right now."
"What?"
"Maybe my words are premature, but..." Kayan said in a low voice, "Future family head, you should be prepared."