Chapter 228 – The Wizard and the Swamp Monster

[Frozen Orb] Worked perfectly. I saw Grendel, who had turned into a frozen monster from being frozen solid, but he couldn’t be relieved just yet.

‘If it ended with this, it would be a really neat end.’

From a long time ago, I was a terribly unlucky dreamer. Didn’t he reincarnate as a clan of dreamers who were despised by people since he was born? In addition, the bizarre attribute of being a blonde tanned bully has been attached.

Golden Sun Incubus!
What kind of nonsensical combination is this? If there was a creator in another world, he must have had terrible malice when he created me. You made me out of your toes while giggling, like when you’re funny customizing your game character! The creator, you fucking bastard.

… Even if I don’t care about my appearance, I’ve always lived a carefree life. You shouldn’t expect luck elsewhere as you poured all your luck in your life into meeting women.

For example, Grendel, who has become a frozen monster over there.
There’s no guarantee that he won’t suddenly break out of the ice. If it’s a boss-level monster belonging to the Demon King’s Army, isn’t it national rule to have at least one outburst pattern?

“I got rid of it! Sister Deathbeam was eaten!”
“Good job everyone! You’ve had a hard time all of a sudden during the night. Now you’re saying goodbye to that liquid monster forever. Every time it pops out of nowhere, I almost have a heart attack.”
“Did you say Grendel? I’m sure I’ve heard of it when I was working at Morph. I heard that it was a monster that slaughtered over a thousand prisoners during the Great War… It ended more trivially than I thought.”
“…It’s still too early to be relieved.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t lay down your weapon.”

While everyone was sighing, I was the only one who didn’t let go of the tension. He raised his staff and made eye contact with the frozen monster.

[Ice Missile]

It was the moment when he was about to summon an ice pick and crush Grendel’s body. Sitnuran’s eyes, which were trapped in the ice, began to come alive. A large crack opened in the ice that surrounded it.

Damn-!

“It’s alive! It’s alive!”

Power entered Grendel’s still body. The moment the flesh made of mucus swelled, the ice that could not withstand the pressure shattered. Breaking the ice noisily, Grendel jumped out.

[Kurururrrr-!!]

The prediction was right. The bastard released the ice spell with his own power. Rebecca and Kate reacted in fright as they saw Grendel burst into a roar.

“Kyaaaaa!!”
“Sister Deathbeam…Wasn’t eaten?!”

While casting a spell in advance, I fired five ice picks at Grendel. Just as he was about to hit, Grendel’s body sank into the ground and disappeared. The ice picks, which had lost their target, were only stuck on the ground in the forest.

“Everyone watch your step!”

Feeling a sense of foreboding, I quickly rolled my body to the side. As I rolled on the dirt floor, a large palm suddenly protruded from where I was standing. It was only for a moment that the forearm connected to the palm, the body connected to the forearm, and the head and legs connected to the body protruded.

[I can’t escape! The horned traitor!!]

Grendel tried to pounce on me lying on the floor like a beast. The moment Grendel jumped up and was about to crush me, he quickly recited an incantation.

“Thurisaz!”

Thud-!! On the ground where I collided with Grendel, I had already completely disappeared. It jumped through space and appeared above Grendel’s head with a wand. Adding the impact of the fall, I slammed Grendel’s head down with my staff.

[That way!]

He must have been aiming for a vital spot from a blind spot. But the moment Grendel appeared out of thin air, he turned his head and looked at me as if he were carrying a radar. He raised his fist and smashed the cane that had hit him vertically.

Bang! Me and Grendel collided head-on. The staff loaded with the elemental cold froze Grendel’s fists. Penetrates black mana and freezes skin tissue. But before I could completely freeze him, Grendel pushed me away with all his might.

“Aww!!”

Falling to the ground, I quickly corrected my posture. Grendel slammed his icy fist into the ground, tough and smashing the ice in him. A person would have been crippled if he had done that, but he is a liquid monster made of slime. The flaccid fist shrunk in size, but quickly returned to its original shape.

“Does the ancient monster have eyes on the top of its head? How did you find out that it appeared from the sky!”
[Even if you try to surprise me with space magic, it’s useless. The smell of the abyss like mine flows very thickly from you. Near or far, you can’t fool me.]
“Fuck the bullshit! What the hell is that smell!”

Another unknown smell?
Now that sounds disgusting! From the first time I was misunderstood as a compatriot, my thoughts were the same. Being a monster’s compatriot means that I’m the same monster as him, right? A being that kills innocent people and harms others just by being alive. When I thought that was me, I couldn’t help but get goosebumps.

“Never mind! I’m trying to confuse Luke’s brother with plausible words!”
“…Don’t treat Luke-sama the same way! You monster!”

Bella and Wendy were outraged at Grendel’s mouth. As much as they know me well, Grendel’s words and actions must be absurd. Bella’s feathers and Wendy’s spirits attacked Grendel. Grendel could only dodge the countless attacks by leaping through space.

[A ploy to create confusion? Even so, I have never lied. You have natural strength, so you don’t have to resort to complicated tricks. If there is an intrusive obstacle, I just smash it and move on.]

Grendel’s yellow eyes stared at me.
He was only looking at me here.

[I will ask, compatriot! Why do you reject your own fate?]
“Fate…?”
[We are the vassals who have been called by the demon king. The reason you were called to Middle-earth must be no different from mine. Wouldn’t it be to reclaim this place as a land for our compatriots? The continental people of Middle-earth are just prey.]

Grendel looked around at my party with a gloomy expression. To pioneer land for compatriots. It is said that the ancient demons summoned from the Abyss, like Grendel, had the same goal. It was an ambition to massacre the continental people and take over this land for demons.

[Do not deny your essence! Give up Talisman even now and become the Demon King’s confidant! Prodigal son who has forgotten his identity!]

I can’t listen to you in silence any longer. I randomly cast a spell to silence the monster. It raised a huge wave and swept the ground, and made a bunch of whips with water to beat Grendel.

[Kurruru-!!]

Grendel grabbed the flying waves of magic with both hands. The palms wrapped in black mana were capable of grasping even flowing waves. The moment I applied strength to my grip, the magic waves lost their shape and were shattered.

“Hagalaz…!”

I gritted my teeth and cast the next spell. However, before the spell could be completed, Grendel’s body disappeared from sight. Where did you go? Are you planning on targeting me again? There is no way you can stand still and suffer.

In the same way, I jumped out of space and strayed far away from where I was standing. Around the wagon that can be used as cover, I revealed my appearance. However, no matter where they fled, they could not escape Grendel.

“Relentless bastard!”

As soon as I used [Space Leap], Grendel also appeared where I appeared. I kept using [Space Leap], But Grendel chased me like a ghost.

“Thurisaz… Ugh.”

Eventually, the impact energy stored in the staff ran out. I had to confront Grendel, who was standing right next to me without moving.

“Don’t move! I will destroy the talisman!”
[If you want to break it, break it. It is a body that has died once. You don’t even have to cling to life pathetically. I will take you to hell with me.]

Even the threat of destroying the talisman won’t work! The intimidation method he believed in until the end became useless in an instant. Grendel sincerely thought of making friends with me, not caring about dying.

[If you are a monster like me, do you need to fear death? The demons of hell will welcome us!]

Grendel gave me a fishy smile as she brought her face to me. Slime dripped from his body and touched me. It was such a creepy feeling.

‘Monster.’

It’s a monster
It’s not the first time I’ve heard of it.

Ever since I was born, people have treated me as a monster. Because the incubus was a race that was easily discriminated against by people.

A demon tribe that charms pure maidens and wears devil’s horns on its head.
When I was independent from the orphanage and wandering around the continent, every day was hell.

-Get out of here! You freak!
-Don’t approach our village

There is no place to accept me. Right now, there is nothing to eat today. They have no weapons to protect themselves. No family to rely on.

None.

All I had was the horns on my head. There were times when I thought about this because I had nothing.

‘Why don’t I have any powers? He said he was a monster?’

It would have been better if he had at least the ability to charm people like his own people. My abilities were too weak compared to those of my own people.
At the very least, the pheromone that makes you feel comfortable is over, so no one can be charmed with this.

I was disappointed in my ability as a dream horse. He was born in a dark place full of penalties. I didn’t consciously pay attention to the dream demon’s abilities. I thought that even if I tried, I would be more disappointed in my own incompetence.

And tonight, I met Grendel.
It was a monster who treated me as a compatriot.

What if what Grendel said was true?
What if I was born as a monster like him? Like the black mana that protects Grendel’s body, isn’t there a hidden power in me too?

[Don’t destroy me!]

The flow of thought was interrupted.
In front of her eyes, Grendel swung a fist wrapped in mana. As if feeling a kaleidoscope, time passes slowly. Memories of 21 years passed through my mind.

Among countless memories, there was a unique voice that came to mind.

[I will ask. What are you?]

Rumi’s voice.
It is the voice of the teacher who awakened me in the past.

[Before being a wizard. You asked what.]

I answered that question once again.
I thought I could give you a definitive answer now.

‘Incubus.’

A creature born to charm everyone.
A monster that can control everyone’s mind.

I will no longer deny my own essence. The moment I accepted that I was a dreamer, a change took place in my body.

– Wooddeuk!

The horns on his head grew thicker.
The back part covered by the robe swelled.

– Wooddeuk! Wood deok!

Inside, bat-like wings were growing through the skin.

[Well?!]

Grendel, who was swinging her fist, was the first to notice the change in me. I raised my head and met his gaze. I am no longer afraid of the glamorous brown eyes. Red eyes flashed in my pupils and colored his eyes red.

“Grendel!”

It was the moment my name was called.
Grendel’s fist stopped in front of my forehead like a lie. It didn’t stop because of Grendel’s will. Then there’s no way that monster would be trembling while looking at me.

[Mo, the body… ! Don’t listen! What did you do!]

I stopped Grendel.

Did he succeed in manipulating the mind of a monster like an incubus?
Where do you need to experiment?

I opened my mouth to Grendel.

“Get down on your knees.”

Thud!

At that moment, Grendel’s body, as large as a mountain, fell to his knees.
Grendel looked at me with a terrified expression.