Chapter 397

Itll be okay.

It had been a few decades, and they were both senior adults. Given how serious the current situation was, surely they wouldnt bicker.

***

Hwang Gyeongryong exclaimed, Hey, who brought this guy here?!

...Werent you recovering in a hospital room?

The orcs looked around in excitement at the tense confrontation between the two humans. Would they get to witness a fight?

Who will win?

I believe in Mr. Hwang. Mr. Hwang helped us a lot. Thanks to Mr. Hwang, the soybean paste tastes better.

But Mr. Hwang cant move right now...

Before Choi Yeonseung had come and taught them how to farm, the orcs greatest pleasure had been fighting.

Their entire race derived great pleasure from combat!

Even if they were just bored, the orcs would fight each other to see who was stronger. As such, the confrontation between the original human, Mr. Hwang, and the newly emerged human was bound to be exciting.

...Everyone, what are you doing right now?!

Odaigon showed up as well and looked at the two of them with a dismayed expression. Choi Yeonseung had come back to the realm and told him, My human household member has come to help me. Hes quite capable. I trust youll accommodate him, Odaigon.

Odaigon had replied, If you say that about him, he really must have great abilities. He had come here thinking that Thus, it was ridiculous to see Hwang Gyeongryong and the other human glaring at each other.

If his master saw this, wouldnt he say something like Odaigon, you cant even manage a human household? Are you really the goblin king? From now on, I will call you an orc.

Stop! This isnt the place to fight!

This...

Its too bad.

The orcs clicked their tongues in disappointment. They had been looking forward to the fight

You two should know better than to have a nasty fight here! Dont you know how serious the current situation is?

Odaigon got angry and stomped the ground with his staff.

A new constellation was going rampant in the Abyss, the atmosphere being utterly chaotic. Despite that, these household members were fighting among themselves

Perhaps his scolding had an effect, but Hwang Gyeongryong and Lee Changsik stopped glaring at each other.

I was wrong. Since I came here first, I shouldve given you a warmer welcome, said Hwang Gyeongryong plaintively.

I didnt ask you to do that.

Of course, that didnt make the conversation smoother right away.

As Odaigon was having a hard time, Ganonvial, the lich, added, Pathetic. I cant believe youre wasting time with something like this.

Yes! This undead understands!

Odaigon was delighted. Wouldnt the two of them reflect on themselves if the lich also scolded them?

If youre going to fight, you should use your strength to prove your power! I cant believe youre only fighting with words. Shame on you!

No! Odaigon shouted in bewilderment, but the orcs cheered.

Yeah, prove it with your strength. I'm sorry to say this, but youve never beaten me, Changsik.

Its really scary that youre saying that despite being trapped in ice. Is it dementia?

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

This is a penalty, dude! Ill win even if Im trapped in ice!

Haha! Youd like to believe that, wouldnt you?

Ganonvial nodded with great satisfaction as the quarrel between the two humans became more fierce.

Good! Very good! Now that this is the case, its just a matter of who can kill the most enemies in the Abyss!

If Choi Yeonseung were beside him, he wouldve slapped him on the back of the head. However, Ganonvial genuinely thought it was a good idea.

Household members were supposed to fight and stab each other so that only the strongest of the strong remained.

Ganonvial intended to spark some tension between these complacent household members. He would also make some contributions...

Changsik, pick first. If I pick first, theyll all try to join my side.

Hwang Gyeongryong kindly gave way to Lee Changsik.

Unlike Lee Changsik, who had just come to Choi Yeonseungs realm, Hwang Gyeongryong had been with the orcs for a long time. They made kimchi, cooked soybean paste stew, harvested crops, and drank makgeolli together.

There was so much affection between them that the orcs would certainly side with Hwang Gyeongryong.

That wasnt really the case with the demons in the infinite building, who couldnt go directly into battle, or the prisoners of the industrial complex, but those didnt really matter...

King Odaigon, Ganonvial, the rock golem, and the doppelganger king would all take Hwang Gyeongryongs side, not Lee Changsiks.

At this point, almost all the forces in the realm were on Hwang Gyeongryongs side.

Hwang Gyeongryong wasnt going to be that cruel. If he was going to fight Lee Changsik, he wanted to do it fairly.

Well be on this humans side.

Me too!

...?!?

Hwang Gyeongryongs eyes widened in the ice. The orcs were lining up to side with Lee Changsik.

Am I hallucinating??

W-why? Hey! You guys! Did you forget everything I did for you?!

Im sorry, Mr. Hwang. We are always grateful for your help.

The orc warriors bowed their heads apologetically.

But in a fight, its all about mobility, Mr. Hwang. You are trapped in the ice and cant move.

...

Hwang Gyeongryong couldnt refute it, but he still felt betrayed.

I cant believe I trusted these hairless beasts...!

Id better be on his side as well.

Thump, thump

The other races agreed with the orcs logic and sided with Lee Changsik.

Odaigon was the only one who stood next to Hwang Gyeongryong, probably because he felt sorry for him.

Have strength, human. Isnt the world of competition inherently harsh?

...

Cough

! Let me summon Earths hunters...! Ill win if I can bring them here! Hwang Gyeongryong shouted in a very frustrated voice, but the alien races of the Abyss didnt hear him.

***

Its a labyrinth terrain.

-Yes.

Illingars was racing through the great forest with Choi Yeonseung on his back. This forest was a fairly rare type of terrain in the Abyss. Usually, a labyrinth of this size was uncommon even in the Abyss.

It was a huge forest on the outside, but it actually contained a tremendous amount of magic power. Therefore, the topography in the forest changed constantly, as if the forest itself was alive.

The terrain was almost impossible to grasp. They had to break through it with force or speed.

-

This forest has been around since the beginning of time, so the deepest chaos of the Abyss lies here.

I can see why the orcs are working so hard.

-...

By the way, Master.

Huh?

-

Uhm... Why are you disguising yourself as a human??

Illingars hesitated before asking that. No matter how much he thought about it, he didnt really understand it.

-So a human disguised himself as a human being? No matter how hard you try to fool me, this joke is too much!

-

How dare you say that?

-

If its true, I will stand on my hind legs and wag my tail!

-...

For my sake, just take a look!

...Illingars wouldve probably suffered such humiliation if he had said that to someone else.

Im doing this for a reason.

-......

Illingars was appalled by Choi Yeonseungs words.

To think that a constellation would humiliate and disguise himself as a human in order to fulfill his goal Not even Illingars, who had lived for eight thousand years, had seen such an incredible feat.

-

Its amazing.

With someone like you guiding them, the humans will develop more and more.

Im not really guiding them.

-

Huh??

Then who...?

Illingars couldnt understand it. If Choi Yeonseung wasnt the king of the humans, then who was it?

Its too complicated and it would take too much to explain. So stop blabbering and look ahead. Weve gone around the same place three times now.

-I-Im sorry.

Illingars focused and increased his speed.

One had to possess a sharp mind to be able to navigate through this forest without getting lost. They had to resist the calls of the forest, which would lead people astray, and notice the smallest of changes in their environment.

They must be doing well.

Looking at the rapidly changing scenery, Choi Yeonseung thought of Hwang Gyeongryong and Lee Changsik at the orc farm. Since they were both adults, they were surely having a civilized and rational discussion by then and were thinking about what would happen in the future.

Actually, Im worried if Changsik will really be okay.

In fact, Choi Yeonseung was more worried about Lee Changsiks abilities than his enemies. After all, he had retired once.

Hunters were human too, and not even A-grade hunters would be in their prime forever.

Lee Changsik had said that he still had it in him, so Choi Yeonseung trusted him. Still, he couldnt help being worried.

His stats and skills have definitely recovered.

-

I think it will be fine. Hes a capable human.

-

Is that so?

Im glad you think that way.

Choi Yeonseung was relieved by the words of the goddess of sloth.

-

By the way, will the clan hes in charge of be okay?

-

Ah.

Youre talking about the Demon clan.

You dont have to worry.

Choi Yeonseung was completely confident about that. Before coming, he had talked to Lee Changsik and devised some strategies in advance on how to train the clan.

Even if Lee Changsik wasnt there, the hunters in the clan would go around dungeons and clear them according to the set schedule.

Just in case, Choi Yeonseung had even sent A-grade and B-grade hunters he had connections with to participate, so there was nothing to worry about.

-

No, I mean is that schedule really okay for those human hunters?

-

Its too easy?

But it cant be helped, goddess of sloth.

They have to start with that if they want to become stronger.

-...

Forget it.

The goddess of sloth tried to insinuate that the schedule was too harsh, but she gave up.

She wouldnt be able to reason with Choi Yeonseung when it came to training anyway!

***

Kalasnegen was scouting the forest with the nagas, and Choi Yeonseung and Illingars emerged from inside the forest.

Kalasnegen exclaimed, Youve come! Ive been waiting.

Sorry to keep you waiting this long.

Not at all. Weve also just arrived.

Before departing with Illingars, Choi Yeonseung had received some information from the Snake of Alcohol and Dancing.

[The Snake of Alcohol and Dancing says she has detected suspicious enemy movements in the vicinity of the forest.]

[The Snake of Alcohol and Dancing has given full authority to Kalasnegen, her household member. Therefore, she proposes that you work together to defeat the enemy.]

[The Snake of Alcohol and Dancing falls down because she is too drunk.]

Its not my place to say this, but is it okay for a constellation to play around like this?

Choi Yeonseung came from a human background, and he was also Korean, so he was naturally shocked by the fact that the Snake of Alcohol and Dancing only played and drank.

Could she do this?

Could she really do this?!

-

Thats not what is important right now.

Choi Yeonseung nodded at the words of the goddess of sloth. At that moment, the priority was finding the suspicious individuals around the forest.

Theres a high possibility that the Chef of Endless Gluttony has sent those guys, right?

Its very likely. But we dont have to fight them if theyre from his household. We can just retreat and return with backup.

Kalasnegen was cautious, but he was never weak. They needed to tread carefully as the household members of the chef constellation were now on a bloody rampage.

Hes a good communicator.

Choi Yeonseung was slightly relieved. Kalasnegen was the most communicative and rational Abyssal creature he had ever seen. He was in the top one percent of the Abyssal creatures Choi Yeonseung had met so far.

Ah. If you want to make an achievement, Hunter Choi Yeonseung, then I will consider cooperating...

No, I wont insist on fighting.

Thank you for your understanding. As expected, you are very wise, Hunter Choi Yeonseung.

Kalasnegen hissed and wagged his tail.

In order to track them down...

In fact, Hunter Choi Yeonseung, us nagas have mastered the art of tracking. We can detect the smallest changes in temperature even after a long time has passed and track down any enemy. The naga magicians I brought with me are masters of tracking. They will quickly find traces of the enemies.

...I-I see.

Choi Yeonseung paused. He remembered that before coming here, he had asked the Goddess of Balance Who Walks Ahead for a favor.

-

Goddess.

-!!!

-

I want to ask you for a favor...

-

Yes!!!

Leave it to me!

-..

.Should you first listen to my request and then decide?

The goddess of balance was so excited that she didnt even listen.

Choi Yeonseung had asked her to find the enemies who roamed around the forest using Future Sight.

For a constellation as prominent and powerful as the goddess of balance, it shouldnt be that difficult to just get a glimpse of the very near future and give him some clues.

But seeing that Kalasnegen and the nagas were so prepared, Choi Yeonseung felt too bad to say anything.

But I have to say it.

[The Goddess of Balance Who Walks Ahead stops Choi Yeonseung and says that she is fine.]

[The Goddess of Balance Who Walks Ahead says she is satisfied with just being able to help.]

-

Cant you just let her try it once?

The goddess of sloth found the goddess of balance pitiful.