## Chapter 1041 – The Curious One

The inhuman demon hunting activities continued for several days, gradually narrowing the vast encirclement to a meaningful extent.

At this point, exploring the interior wouldn’t be too difficult. Originally, it was so vast that searching blindly was a bit much. Even for me, running around such a large area and searching with my eyes was more than just annoying; it was unreasonable.

Anyway, now that the search area has been narrowed this much, it’s time to start scouting by running around directly.

“Ugh… Still can’t figure out the Gate’s movements…!”

Hilde clutched her head and said, frustrated.

“It’s okay. It’s not like you can’t find it because you’re incompetent. It’s because those bastards are up to something.”
“Still!”

I patted Hilde’s back.

Anyway, after destroying nearly a hundred demons, I asked them about the monolith and the current situation, but I couldn’t find out anything useful. None of the cultists who worshiped the Lich, nor anyone else, knew anything about the Great Demon’s movements.

I already thought it was unavoidable, so I wasn’t too disappointed. Let’s just go inside the narrowed encirclement and find the main gate with my own eyes.

At least the bastards there will know something.
That’s all I need to think about now.

Why did those Lich bastards open the Demon Gate? Or, although it’s just a guess, let’s be sure to ask why they’re trying to disrupt the boundaries of dimensions.

“Hmm.”

But I’m worried that the main gate might have already disappeared. If not, it might just be hiding or suppressing its power, but I won’t know until I go there myself.

So, today’s search party consisted of me, Claudia, Karin, and Liztina, making a total of four people.

Since we’ll be going into the rough terrain inside and searching on foot, the mages can’t come.

“We’re going to search quickly, so the mages stay here.”
“Be careful.”
“Okay.”

The four of us immediately entered the forest together.

* * *

The forest had a gloomy atmosphere, as always. But it wasn’t completely devoid of people; adventurers and soldiers were moving around here and there.

The supply train was also constantly going inside, which reminded me of Kopson, but he wouldn’t come out. I’d buy him a drink when this was all over.

“It’s gotten pretty clean. Looks like the religious folks have been working their asses off purifying it.”

Karin, who was walking beside me, said as she looked around.

“Yeah. It’s completely refreshed.”

Originally, the area was eroded and blackened by the influence of Pandemonium, but thanks to the religious people’s tireless purification efforts, it had regained its original appearance to some extent.

How far did we go like that?

“Okay, around here.”

It seems like we can split into two groups and search from here.

“I’ll be back before sunset. Katt, don’t overdo it and come back early, okay?”

Liztina came up to me, grabbed my face, and said.

“Okay. I’ll come back early.”
“Claudia, don’t overdo it either.”
“Okay. I won’t.”

There’s nothing to overdo.

“Then let’s go, Karin.”
“Hey, if you find anything, shoot this up in the air. Come right away when you see it.”

Karin took out a stick-like object from her pocket. It was a flare that she had used once before. Risha made them, and we each have four, so if we find the main gate, we can shoot them into the sky like crazy, and even if we’re far away, we’ll roughly know.

“Okay. You too, sis. I’ll shoot one right away if I find anything. Oh, but don’t fight recklessly if you actually encounter a Great Demon. Be careful for now, since we don’t know how strong they are.”

If that bastard Andromalius had already crossed over, and was hiding his power and the gate’s energy like a coward as soon as he crossed over, it would be a bit of a setback, no lie.

Anyway, if the Great Demon properly crossed over, he would be able to use his full power without any major penalties. It’s clear that the area would be devastated just by that crazy powerful man flexing his muscles with his four arms.

Hilde said it would be okay, but honestly, I don’t have an accurate assessment of how strong the Great Demon is. It’s not like Hilde has seen the Great Demons fighting seriously with their lives on the line.

“Don’t worry about me, sis. Come back before dinner.”

Karin and Liztina immediately headed to the left, and Claudia and I headed to the right. As we moved, I took out a map and checked the state of the encirclement.

“Katt. Where are we going to go in?”
“Let’s go here for now. Let’s go towards this canyon.”

This place is a jungle-like terrain with a lot of sparsely raised areas as soon as you get off the beaten path, so honestly, searching is quite difficult unless you’re flying. The terrain is terrible, and all sorts of plants and trees densely cover the ground.

In the first place, the Karga Kingdom has all sorts of mountain ranges stretching across the entire country. Still, there are paths within those mountain ranges, but today I’m going to go to the less traveled paths first.

It’s easier to achieve results by searching those areas first.

“Anyway, let’s go. Claudia. Do you want to sit on my shoulder?”
“No. I’m okay for now.”
“Okay.”

—Papapat!

I immediately started sprinting with Claudia. The enhanced senses and skills allow me to easily avoid all obstacles that appear even while sprinting at high speed. Claudia is following behind me.

We took occasional breaks, or I put Claudia on my shoulder and ran, heading towards the inside of the encirclement.

“Hoo.”
“Katt. Where is this?”
“Looking at the map, it seems like we’re about to enter the inside of the encirclement.”

Just a little further and we’re inside the encirclement.
We arrived faster than I thought.

“Hmph… It’s a polluted area, Katt.”
“There’s a lot.”

As expected, the scenery had changed considerably as we approached the encirclement. The area was heavily eroded and polluted. The earth and weeds had turned black, and the trees that should have been standing in their places were twisted and dyed in a grotesque black color.

Those tree branches were bearing corrupt fruits, and as if to announce the pervasive evil energy, chihuahua-sized imps were scurrying around in the bushes scattered here and there.

—Kwajik!

“Kkiiiiiiik!!”

I didn’t hesitate to stomp on the scurrying imps and crush them.

“Shall we go?”

We went forward without hesitation.

As we went forward, we soon found what looked like an advance base.

I had found a few of those bases while running here, but they didn’t seem very useful, so I ignored them and just ran on. But if it’s a place on the edge of this encirclement, it might have some information.

“Claudia. Let’s go over there for a moment and ask some questions.”
“Katt. That flag.”
“Flag?”

I immediately checked the flag.

“Oh. Shit.”

The Isvant emblem was engraved there.

“Isn’t that the Isvant emblem?”
“Could it be that noble lady’s unit?”

Lady Isvant.

—Ohohohohohot!!

For no reason, that fanatical laughter seemed to flash through my head. That lady was also a murderous aristocrat. She had a foul mouth and a destructive personality. In other words, she was a likable and cheerful woman.

Above all, wasn’t she my comrade?
I was quite sad when we parted.

“So we meet again. Let’s go. If it’s the noble lady, she’ll tell me everything I ask.”
“Heh, that’s Katt for you.”

Suddenly, Claudia smiled and wrapped her arms around my waist.

“What?”
“Everywhere you go, there are women…”
“No, ah, Claudia, really. It’s not like that.”

As expected of Claudia, she only thinks about things like that…!

“You know? Lady Isvant is a comrade who fought with me in various battles, like when I dueled last time and when we caught the Deathworm…”
“Let’s go quickly.”
“Okay.”

Anyway, I have to go.
So I headed towards the advance base with Claudia.

The advance base, surrounded by a wooden fence, looked heavily guarded at first glance. When we got closer, the soldiers who found us shouted.

“Greetings! Excuse me, but if you wish to pass through here, you must tell us your identity and purpose!”

Are they organizing entry and exit records?

“I am Kim Katt, a Paladin directly under the Holy Maiden of the Brass Sky Church! Is Lady Isvant here by any chance!”
“Pa, Paladin…?”

The soldiers who heard the word Paladin whispered among themselves and replied.

“The Lady is currently inside…”
“Here, the Paladin’s emblem! If it’s okay, please let the Lady know that I’ve come! I have a personal acquaintance with her!”

As soon as I took out the emblem and showed it, the soldiers whispered to each other again, and one of them disappeared behind the wooden fence.

“Please wait a moment!”
“Okay!”

This Paladin title really works well.

“It seems really convenient.”
“I think so too.”

Soon, a soldier came and opened the gate of the wooden fence.

“Please come in!”
“Thank you.”

So I entered the advance base.

“Oh.”

It was better than I thought. First of all, the wooden fences were well built, and there were quite a few soldiers. In addition, there were many tents inside, and stables for keeping carriages were also provided.

I wondered why all the trees around here were just stumps, but it seemed that the noble lady had cut them all down and used them to build the base.

If the noble lady just cuts down the trees, the soldiers will take care of the rest.

Probably, seeing that they have set up such an advance base here, they are defending this place while receiving supplies. In the first place, the noble lady is the ruler of Isvant, so when an incident occurs, she takes the soldiers and goes on business trips here and there.

“I will guide you to the Lady’s tent!”
“Okay.”

A soldier followed beside me, and I headed to the commander’s tent with him. When we arrived in front of it, the soldier who had been waiting for me for a while told the soldier guarding the entrance that I had come.

—Tell him to come in!!!!!!!!

A voice like thunder erupted from inside the tent.

It’s definitely Lady Isvant.

“Ah, ah…! Pl, please go in!”

I nodded at the flustered soldier’s words and went inside with Claudia.

“Aaaah!!!!!!!”

What I saw as soon as I entered was.

“As I thought!!!!!!! You were a Barbarian Warrior!!!!!!! After all!!!!!!!!”

Lady Isvant with bright red hair.

“It’s nice to see you!!!!!! Lady!!!!!!”

There’s only one thing to do when we meet again.

—Kwaang!

The noble lady kicked the ground, and I also took a stance. We grabbed each other’s hands and spun around powerfully.

—Paenggeureureureureu!!!

“How long has it been!!! I don’t know how long it’s been since you went to the capital to become a Paladin, Barbarian Warrior!!!!!”
“It’s been a little less than two years, but I’ve come like this!!!!!”
“Could it be that you were dispatched because of this incident!!!!!!!”
“That’s exactly!!!!! What it is!!!!!!!”

We were causing thunder to descend inside the tent just by talking to each other.

—Urrureureung!!! Kwangkwanggwanggwang!!!!
—Jjeoreongjjeoreong!!!

“Aaaah!!!”
“Aaaah!!”
“Eok!! Eoeoeok!!!”

The other people inside screamed and covered their ears with their hands. Nevertheless, we didn’t stop. No, rather, our voices were getting louder and amplified!!!!

“I was dispatched to investigate this strange incident!!!!!!!”
“What a coincidence!!!!!! Well, a Great Demon has appeared here before!!!!!!!!!!! That’s what you were thinking!!!!!!!!!!!”
“That’s exactly it!!!!!!!!!! I thought a Great Demon might be involved!!!!!”
“I’ve heard the story too!!!!!!!!!!”

—Paenggeureureureureu!!!

Spinning around while holding hands. We had already become a kind of thunderous top blade. —Hudududuk!! At the same time, the documents on the table were scattered wildly, making a mess inside the tent.

“Anyway!!!!! It’s so!!! Nice to see you!!!! Oㅡhohohohohohohohot!!!!”
“Hehehehehehehehehehe!!!!!!”