Chapter 80. What Rumor?

A moment ago, the group led by Sallyon arrived at the front of the Baku tribe's chief. It wasn’t just any tribal leader, but the one who commanded all of the Baku tribe—the Grand Chief.

Despite holding the same staff as any other shaman, the Grand Chief's massive size made the staff tucked into his belt look almost comically small. His body was adorned with six distinct tattoos, each one adding to his fearsome appearance.

Standing behind him was a group of Baku tribesmen, their faces as harsh and unyielding as their leader's. As Kim Do-Joon’s group faced them, Hwang Hyun-Woo trembled uncontrollably.

“H-Hyung... shouldn’t we run away?”

“It’ll be fine,” Kim Do-Joon replied calmly.

“Really?” Hwang Hyun-Woo asked, doubt creeping into his voice.

“Probably.”

“Hyung!”

The uncertainty in his voice made Hwang Hyun-Woo panic even more. Noticing this, Kim Do-Joon reached over and patted his shoulder, channeling a subtle flow of mana into him to calm him down. He had honed his technique so finely that he could perform such a delicate act with ease.

“I brought you here, so I’ll protect you,” Kim Do-Joon reassured him.

“

Ah

...”

Hwang Hyun-Woo was surprised to feel his anxiety fading away. Rather than Kim Do-Joon’s words, the calming influence of his mana did the trick. Of course, Hwang Hyun-Woo wasn’t sharp enough to tell.

Watching this, Seok Dae-Kyung, who was standing nearby, chuckled and commented, “You’ll protect me too, right, Leader?”

“You’re on your own, Mr. Dae-Kyung,” Kim Do-Joon teased.

“That’s harsh.”.

“An A-rank Hunter asking for protection? Seriously?”

The light-hearted banter was a stark contrast to the tense situation, though Hwang Hyun-Woo noticed the sweat dripping down Seok Dae-Kyung’s forehead. Despite the seemingly casual joke, it was clear Seok Dae-Kyung was just as nervous as the rest of them.

Out of all of them, only Kim Do-Joon seemed completely at ease. He was confident that he could get everyone out safely if things went South.

Suddenly, Sallyon stepped forward.

“Gaumter.”

Then, something incredible happened.

Whoosh!

Sallyon’s small body was engulfed in flames, and she transformed into a towering figure—a giant of blazing fire. Before her, the Grand Chief, Gaumter, knelt down. The rest of the Baku tribe followed suit, bowing deeply as if they were worshiping a god.

In reality, they weren’t bowing to Sallyon, but to the fire that she had become.

“

Grrr...

”

Sallyon’s voice rumbled deeply, matching her new imposing form.

She spoke with authority, “They are my guests. Hands off!”

Kim Do-Joon had to suppress a laugh. Sallyon’s voice had become grand and commanding, yet her speech was just as casual as before. The contrast was almost absurd.

“

Kruk!

”

However, the Grand Chief responded with a deep, respectful growl, devoid of any hint of amusement. Although the situation seemed to be resolved, Hwang Hyun-Woo couldn’t help but whisper to Seok Dae-Kyung.

"

Um

... is this really okay, Dae-Kyung Hyung?"

"That's what I'm wondering..." Seok Dae-Kyung replied.

The group was now being carried by the Baku tribesmen in large palanquins, becoming part of their procession.

“This is what I get for trying to help? Humans are so suspicious, always grumbling even when you do something nice for them...” Sallyon, who had shrunk back to her usual dwarf-like size, shouted at the two uneasy men. She was perched comfortably on Kim Do-Joon’s shoulder, as if it were her designated seat.

Kim Do-Joon turned his head slightly to ask her, “Was that giant form your true form?”

“What, the giant?

Nah, nah

. This is my real form. The giant was just something I made out of fire. I guess you could say it’s my battle form,” Sallyon replied.

“A battle form, huh?” Kim Do-Joon mused.

He was beginning to understand why Elena had called Sallyon a high-ranking spirit. One could only imagine how incredibly powerful a fiery giant of that magnitude. Considering that her true ability was to control fire, her combat strength would be even more formidable.

And she’s commanding all these orcs with just a few gestures.

Kim Do-Joon thought as he glanced around. The Baku tribe’s procession was made up of hundreds of orcs, all marching in a long, disciplined formation. Of course, they were moving under Sallyon’s orders.

Why the Baku tribe followed Sallyon was still a mystery. Perhaps they had submitted to her power, or maybe there was some religious significance to it. Whatever the reason, it was clear that the Baku tribe obeyed Sallyon without question.

The destination they were heading to under her guidance was the domain.

“Wait, we’re headed near the domain?” Kim Do-Joon asked.

“Yep! The Flame Lord told me to bring you,” Sallyon confirmed.

The Flame Lord’s domain was the Burning Fortress.

“Elena, is this sort of thing common?” Kim Do-Joon asked, turning to Elena.

She shook her head.

“Not at all. In fact, I’d say it’s unheard of. Why would a spirit, let alone a Lord-level spirit, need to involve monsters? Some spirits do have a mischievous side, but...”

“Are you saying this could be the Lord’s pranks?” Kim Do-Joon asked, incredulous.

Elena’s expression mirrored his disbelief. “Of course not.”

“Exactly!” Sallyon chimed in, her voice rising defensively. “Don’t accuse me of things I didn’t do!”

“Then what’s the reason?” Kim Do-Joon pressed.

“T-that’s... a secret!” Sallyon replied, fumbling slightly. She covered her face with her tiny hands, as if trying to conceal her thoughts.

Kim Do-Joon narrowed his eyes, trying to read her, but it was no use. She was too small to give away anything through her expressions, even more so when she covered her face.

“Stop staring at me! I’m not telling you!” she declared defiantly.

With a quiet sigh, Kim Do-Joon turned his attention back to the endless line of Baku tribesmen marching ahead of them. It seemed unlikely that he’d get any more useful information out of her.

Therefore, he found himself back at square one, pondering the Flame Lord’s intentions, just as he had when they first started this journey.

Well, I’ll find out when I get there.

For now, the plan was simple: get to the destination and see everything with his own eyes.

***

Traveling with the Baku tribe turned out to be far more comfortable than Kim Do-Joon had anticipated. With such a massive group moving together, almost no wild beasts or monsters dared to attack them. On the rare occasions when something did try, it quickly became nothing more than a meal for the tribe.

This made their pace remarkably swift, even with so many of them on the move. If Kim Do-Joon had been traveling with just his own group, they’d have been constantly fending off attacks, slowing down considerably.

Not only was the journey safe, their accommodations were also excellent. Sleeping arrangements were easy, and there was no shortage of food. They had packed their inventories with supplies, which they hardly touched.

This was largely thanks to the Baku tribe’s Grand Chief, who made a habit of bringing them a share of the prey every time he returned from a hunt. He treated them with the utmost respect, almost like esteemed guests.

“He says it’s their favorite meat and hopes you enjoy it,” Sallyon translated, perched as usual on Kim Do-Joon’s shoulder.

As a spirit, she seemed to understand the Baku tribe’s language effortlessly, though whether this was a common trait among spirits or something unique to Sallyon was unclear.

“Tell him we appreciate it,” Kim Do-Joon said, accepting the meat.

“

Kraak!

Krak! Krak!

” Sallyon cawed in what sounded like a harsh and aggressive tone as she relayed the message to the Grand Chief.

The translation seemed almost too fierce to be a simple thank you, but the Grand Chief smiled contentedly and left. Well, as long as he was satisfied, that was what mattered to Kim Do-Joon.

And so, they continued their journey through the forest, being treated like VIPs. The previous exploration teams would be seething in envy if they knew this. They struggled with every step, fighting for their lives just to advance a few feet deeper into the forest. In contrast, Kim Do-Joon’s group had little to do but make maps for future reference, enjoying a leisurely pace.

~

After ten days and nights of continuous travel, they finally arrived. In total, they had spent two weeks.

“We’ve made it,” Sallyon announced as they reached their destination: the Burning Fortress. Or more accurately, the village beneath it.

The village wasn’t empty, but the inhabitants were neither human nor elves. Instead, goblins, gnolls, and other monsters had formed a sort of settlement here, living together in a rough harmony.

“Can’t believe a place like this exists...” Seok Dae-Kyung murmured in awe.

It was indeed a strange sight. Monsters that would typically be at each other’s throats over territory were instead coexisting, at least to some degree. While they didn’t mingle between species, just the fact that they weren’t fighting was astonishing enough.

“Follow me,” Sallyon instructed in a lively tone, as if excited to be back in her old home.

Kim Do-Joon and his group, along with Grand Chief Gaumter, followed Sallyon through the village. The rest of the Baku tribe waited outside. Soon, they arrived at a massive fortress, so tall that even looking up, they could not see its top.

The fiery fortress loomed over them, dark and imposing, as if engulfed in eternal flames. Instead of sentries, enormous fires burned in the watchtowers. The gates were rimmed with a thin layer of blue fire, crackling ominously.

At a glance, it was obvious that the structure wasn’t designed with humans or other living beings in mind.

“Gaumter, you come with me. The rest of you, wait here. I’ll go speak with the Lord and be right back,” Sallyon instructed, before slipping through the massive gates of the fortress with Gaumter in tow.

As soon as they entered, the flames that had momentarily receded roared back to life, creating an impenetrable barrier that barred the rest from following.

Kim Do-Joon watched the blazing gates intently, his mind racing with possibilities.

If we had to force our way in...

He began to consider, preparing for any worst-case scenario. Although they were here to ask for help, it was always wise to be ready for the unexpected.

“This is the Burning Fortress... It's pretty small, just as I imagined,” Elena muttered, surveying the ominous structure.

Kim Do-Joon turned to her, surprised. “Small? This place looks plenty big to me.”

“No,” she shook her head. “Compared to the domains of other Lords, this is nothing. I've only heard stories, but they say those other domains are far grander.”

Kim Do-Joon filed away this new piece of information because it might come in handy later.

“Perhaps the rumors are true,” Elena continued with a hint of doubt in her voice.

“What rumors?” Kim Do-Joon asked, his curiosity piqued.

Just as Elena was about to respond, the massive gates creaked open, just enough for Sallyon to slip through.

“I’m back!” Sallyon announced with a grin. “The Lord says he doesn’t want to meet with anyone. Too bad! Bye-bye!”

Sticking out her tongue in a childish taunt, she dashed back inside. The gates slammed shut behind her with a resounding boom. The group stood in stunned silence. Only the unyielding gate remained, cold and indifferent.

“...”

Siwelin frowned and looked at Kim Do-Joon. Within the group, she was the only one who knew the true reason he had come here, which was to save Kim So-Eun.

Kim Do-Joon was also at a loss for words. The abrupt rejection had caught him off guard. Just as he was grappling with what to do next, the gates creaked open again.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

“I heard there are Dark Elf envoys in the village below. Maybe you should go talk to them,” came a gruff voice from within.

Then, the gate closed once more, leaving the suggestion hanging in the air.

Kim Do-Joon furrowed his brow, deep in thought. He had a strong urge to just force his way in, especially when he thought of Kim So-Eun. But he knew that wasn’t the best course of action.

“If they sent an envoy...” Elena mused aloud, “then it’s probably someone I know.”

Kim Do-Joon nodded at her words. He had heard from Elena that the Dark Elves sought the power of the Flame Lord, supposedly to acquire a fire capable of burning the World Tree. The envoy must be here to negotiate for that very purpose.

Having made up his mind, Kim Do-Joon turned to his companions.

“Let’s head down to the village and see what we can find out.”