Chapter 104. Then Maybe I Should Let It Run Wild

Ssshhhhhh—

The sharp sliding of the sled’s runners echoed across the icy surface. The scenery around them blurred as they sped along. In contrast, the clouds above seemed to drift lazily by, almost in slow motion.

Kim Do-Joon sat back leisurely on the sled, taking in the passing landscape. The sled was being pulled by a massive horned wolf. Its large, muscular frame cut effortlessly through the frost.

In one corner was the female Naga, huddled up and drawing circles on the floor.

How did I end up in this mess with such a monster?

Ashunaga couldn’t help but feel utterly humiliated. She wasn’t an ordinary, unintelligent Naga; she was a Nagaraja—a rare, gifted leader among the Naga, born with the ability to command her kin.

She’d be the equivalent of royalty to humans. Even though she was more of a genetic anomaly than a true heir by blood, she was still a natural-born leader.

So how did she end up on such a crude sled? If other Nagarajas heard of this, they would be horrified by the humiliation she’d brought upon herself.

Still, she couldn’t defy the human with her. After all, she had just witnessed him conquer an island ruled by a far more powerful Nagaraja than herself.

“Tell me about the next island,” Kim Do-Joon calmly said, breaking the silence.

“W-what?” Ashunaga stammered, momentarily lost in thought.

“The next island,” he repeated, his tone even and patient.

Snapping back to reality, Ashunaga answered, “The next island is ruled by someone named Karil.”

“Karil?”

“Yes, from what I know, this is the third generation of that name.”

Just like how Ashunaga was a rare mutation, Karil’s lineage had been fortunate enough to produce three consecutive generations of Nagarajas. The original Karil had passed his name down to his son, and then to his grandson.

“The island is twice the size of mine. That means... there will be more forces to defend it.”

Kim Do-Joon casually pulled out a piece of dried meat and started chewing on it. If he wanted to save time, he had to eat on the move. Suddenly, he noticed Ashunaga staring intently at him. With a sigh, he dug into his pouch, pulled out another chunk of jerky, and tossed it to her.

“Eat.”

She caught it and hungrily devoured the food. Watching her, Kim Do-Joon silently reflected on what she had told him earlier.

The Blue Naga Tribe...

That was what Ashunaga had called Nagas other than her kind.

Long ago, this cold, desolate world used to be lush and fertile. Though the land was made up mostly of islands, the climate had been much warmer. The Naga had once thrived on these warm islands until internal power struggles broke out. Those unfortunate enough to lose in the battle for dominance were exiled to the freezing northern island, becoming the ancestors of the Blue Naga.

But then, at some point, the world began to freeze over. The temperature plummeted, the seas grew colder, and the land turned to ice.

The northern ice zone, which had once been just a small fraction of the world, began expanding. Soon, the entire world was caught in a bitter freeze. The only ones who survived were the Blue Nagas, who had already adapted to the cold, along with a handful of resilient plants and animals.

There was no great war dividing the world, just the merciless force of nature. Naturally, islands were abandoned and left empty as their inhabitants perished. The Blue Nagas spread out, each clan settling on its own island.

Of course, even they weren’t immune to the desire for power. For a Nagaraja, strength meant having more followers under their command. The larger the island, the more Nagas they could control. Eventually, the size of their island became the symbol of their power.

So that’s what this is all about... A battle to conquer the land...

The Nagas were fighting for territory, and Kim Do-Joon had found himself in the middle of their war. It was an all-out conquest—one island against another. Except, in his case, he was fighting alone.

Twice the size, huh...?

Kim Do-Joon thought about Ashunaga's words. The next island was twice as large as hers, which, truthfully, wasn’t that big. The number of Nagas there hadn’t been particularly overwhelming either. Even if it were double that, he didn’t see it as much of a threat.

“That’s not a big deal,” Kim Do-Joon said casually.

Ashunaga was about to retort but immediately gave up after catching a glimpse of his expression, her boldness evaporating.

“Well, I-I know my island wasn’t huge, but still...” she trailed off, growing quieter and quieter.

Thanks to his heightened senses, Kim Do-Joon could hear even the faintest whisper, but he didn’t bother to respond. After all, she was a former enemy and a monster.

Kim Do-Joon broke the silence once more. “How does your island rank in size compared to the others?”

Ashunaga hesitated, mumbling incoherently. Not even Kim Do-Joon’s sharp hearing could make out what she was saying. He frowned, and his brows furrowed.

“What was that?”

“Almost the last,” she finally admitted, her voice barely audible.

“So, the last, right?”

“I said almost!” she snapped, her face flushing red with embarrassment.

She was so pale that the sudden rush of blood to her face was even more evident.

After seeing her reaction, Kim Do-Joon smirked. If her island was near the bottom of the rankings, then twice that size was indeed not much of a concern.

“What about the island we just left from?”

“That one? It was... almost three times larger than mine.”

That meant that the island he was heading to was weaker than the last island but stronger than Ashunaga’s.

Hmm... This isn’t so hard to understand.

After listening to Ashunaga, it was easy for him to visualize the size of the islands and the military force in his head. He was tempted to come up with a new unit of measurement—maybe something like “Ashunaga-island size.”

“So our next stop is two Ashunaga Islands...” he muttered under his breath.

Failing to hear him, she clarified, “Huh? What did you say?”

It was clear that island size was a point of pride and power among the Nagarajas. If he kept teasing her about it, she’d probably get discouraged again. Hence, Kim Do-Joon just smiled and stood up.

“We’re here.”

On the horizon, a new island came into view.

***

Leaving the sled and Ashunaga by the shore, Kim Do-Joon ventured into the island alone. He didn’t really care if she tried to run away. After all, he had already caught her once before. Moreover, there were plenty of sleds on the island.

Besides, she would only be a hindrance in battle. While she wasn’t much of a threat, there was always a chance that she would stab him in the back if given the opportunity.

...

Focused on his task, Kim Do-Joon entered the forest. His objective here was the same as on the previous islands: eliminate every obstacle in his path—Nagas included—and reach the center.

“

Kiyaaah!

”

A screech echoed through the trees as a Naga leaped out from the underbrush, rushing straight at him.

With practiced ease, Kim Do-Joon swung his spear.

Swoosh—!

“

Kiieeek!

”

Even though he gripped his weapon closer to the blade to account for the narrow space of the forest, his attack still contained immense force. It broke the Naga’s bones and sent him flying, crashing into the trees far off in the distance.

A familiar notification appeared before Kim Do-Joon.

[You have defeated a monster. You have gained Experience Points (EXP).]

. As expected, the first Naga’s death cry had attracted more of them. They began pouring out from every direction, rushing him with curved blades.

However, Do-Joon never faltered.

Thud!

He struck every charging Naga down with his spear as he delved further into the forest. Some he impaled, others he simply swatted aside or hurled to the ground. Ordinary Nagas could not withstand even just a blow from him.

Cutting through them effortlessly, he cleared a path that led deeper into the forest.

Then, all of a sudden, his spear strike was blocked for the first time.

Clang!

Surprised, Kim Do-Joon stopped. “

Hmm?

”

The Naga who had blocked his strike leaped back, putting distance between them. The arm, which had deflected the blow with a curved blade, trembled uncontrollably, clearly struggling to handle the force of Kim Do-Joon’s attack.

Kim Do-Joon looked closely at the creature. He was dressed in fur and adorned with trinkets, just like Ashunaga. Another Naga quickly handed him a fresh curved blade, replacing the chipped one.

His commanding presence made it clear that he was the Nagaraja of this island.

“You must be Karil,” Kim Do-Joon said, eyeing him.

“How... how do you know that name?” Karil stammered, momentarily taken aback.

It was obvious that Kim Do-Joon wasn’t one of his kind. If anything, he resembled the stories passed down from his ancestors about the mysterious humans. The idea that this unknown intruder knew his name filled Karil with unease.

Kim Do-Joon chuckled.

I have learned of your identity from Ashunaga.

Even without her help, though, he still would have known. Thanks to the Insight skill, he could see Karil’s name and even his Compatibility.

[Karil, Nagaraja of the Blue Naga Tribe]

Compatibility

- 65%

Ashunaga’s Compatibility was slightly lower than Karil’s at sixty-three percent. It was further proof that there were strength differences even among the Nagarajas.

“If you know my name, then you must’ve allied with one of the other islands! Was it Bardru? No, did Rixit send you here?” Karil demanded.

“I’m alone,” Kim Do-Joon replied.

“Lies! You must have an army gathering at the shore right now!” Karil shouted.

At that moment, a Naga scout ran over and collapsed at Karil’s feet. Panting heavily, he whispered something to him. Although Kim Do-Joon couldn’t understand the language, Karil's expression told him everything.

The Nagaraja’s eyes widened in shock.

“You really came... alone?”

Kim Do-Joon simply shrugged.

It seemed the scout had checked the shore and found only one sled. Karil’s disbelief quickly turned into amusement, making him smirk.

What a fool.

After glancing at Kim Do-Joon, Karil turned and fled into the forest. Unlike the nimble elves who moved like the wind, Karil’s movements were more fluid, as if gliding through the trees. He wasn’t as fast as an elf, but he was clearly familiar with the terrain.

Kim Do-Joon frowned. As fast as he was, catching up to someone so agile in a forest would be difficult. If they were in an open field, he could have used Sky Thunder to close the distance in a flash. Still, he couldn’t let Karil escape.

Kim Do-Joon dashed after him, following the trail through the forest. He knew exactly where Karil was heading. There was only one place on the island he would go—the Aether Core. It was the most important thing on the island, so Karil would defend it at all costs.

Sure enough, after a short chase, Karil came into view, waiting in front of the Aether Core. He stood atop a stone platform, gripping his curved blade like a staff. Surrounding him were dozens of Nagas, all growling and hissing at Kim Do-Joon.

Confidence surged in Karil now that his forces had assembled. He grinned, pointing his blade at Kim Do-Joon.

“I knew from the moment we crossed blades that you’re strong. But no matter how powerful you are, you’re still just one man! What makes you think you can win against all of us?”

As he spoke, more Nagas appeared, surrounding Kim Do-Joon from all sides. Unlike Ashunaga’s forces, which had been meager at best, Karil’s army was larger and more organized.

However, even as the Nagas closed in, Kim Do-Joon remained unfazed.

I don’t think numbers would matter.

He pulled out another spear from his inventory. It was vibrant, full of energy, and crackled with lightning. He hefted it over his shoulder and hurled it with all his might.

“What?!”

Karil’s eyes widened as he saw the spear hurtling toward him. Panic surged through him and made him instinctively duck to avoid the incoming attack. However, Kim Do-Joon wasn’t aiming for him at all.

Crack!

The spear struck the Aether Core behind Karil, embedding itself deep within the glowing crystal.

Crackle!

The Aether Core exploded, scattering shards of light in every direction as it disintegrated.

The spear returned to him as notifications appeared before him.

[You have conquered Zone 11.]

[You have absorbed the energy of an Ice Crystal.]

[Your mana level has increased by 1.]

The familiar message indicating an increase in mana filled Kim Do-Joon with satisfaction. He also received other rewards.

[Your skill Flame Heart’s Fragment has leveled up.]

[Skill: Flame Heart’s Fragment Level 71]

His Flame Heart’s Fragment leveled up, making a surge of energy course through him. The influx of mana and the power of Vulcanus intertwined within him, creating a sensation of overwhelming fulfillment.

— Incredible, isn’t it?

Karlish...?

Karlish’s voice broke through his thoughts. Kim Do-Joon glanced down, realizing that Karlish had awakened. He stored the Lightning Spear back in his inventory.

What do you mean by incredible?

— That energy you just absorbed. The Ice Crystal or something... I don’t know if I mentioned it before, but it’s exceedingly rare to find such pure and refined energy. It’s purer than any elixir-like plants you might find deep in some hidden valley.

Kim Do-Joon nodded, understanding what Karlish meant. Although he had never personally encountered such a potent elixir, he could sense that the phenomenon he was experiencing was akin to absorbing one.

“

Ugh

, you bastard!”

Meanwhile, Karil’s fury erupted as he stared at the shattered Aether Core. The veins on his face started to bulge.

“Kill him! He’s alone!” Karil bellowed to his Nagas.

As commanded, the Nagas charged forward, howling like wild beasts. However, having just absorbed the mana from the Aether Core, Kim Do-Joon felt invigorated.

The new surge of mana revitalized his existing energies, and among them, one force surged more fiercely than the rest: the Heart Flame’s Fragment, the essence of Vulcanus. This power had always been difficult to control; it was rebellious and resistant to Kim Do-Joon’s commands. But now, it was raring to be unleashed.

Maybe I should let it run wild for a change.

In this place, everyone but him was an enemy. There was no reason to restrain this power, especially since he was facing real opponents.

Kim Do-Joon plunged his spear into the ground. He then focused intently as he gathered the chaotic energy of the Flame Heart’s Fragment.

The dozens of Nagas around were almost upon him, their snarls echoing in the forest and creating an atmosphere ripe for bloodshed.

However, before they could reach him, he let go of all restraint.

Go.

The moment he released his control, the world around him was engulfed in a brilliant red glow.