122 – Bear the Weight of the Crown #3

122 – Bear the Weight of the Crown #3

Geum Taeseong worked under Nambada for about two years.

During that time, there were many things he did that were not honorable enough to reveal to others.

No, in fact, most of the things were like that.

But now, his role as an errand boy was coming to an end.

‘Soon, Kim Mori’s cure will be completed.’

It was common for injuries to heal the moment one became an awakened being. Geum Taeseong planned to make his acquaintance Kim Mori an artificial awakened being to cure his illness.

For that, he needed to find the ‘Witch’.

Geum Taeseong didn’t know who the ‘Witch’ was or what she looked like, but he could use a strand of pink hair he received from Nambada as a guide.

“Nargal. Can you track it?”

Nargal was a fairy.

A man with skin so pale it looked purple and long silver hair, he was from a race called the ‘Black Fairies’ even in the Great Labyrinth.

He had been working as Nambada’s errand boy even before Geum Taeseong and was an excellent and ruthless tracker.

“Our ‘Black Fairy’ warriors never lose their prey. Thanks to the grace of the gods of ‘Pain’ and ‘Hunger’.”

As such, Nargal was a ferocious wolf-like hunter.

However, as a person of the 21st century, Geum Taeseong couldn’t understand the worship of ‘Pain’ and ‘Hunger’.

To him, religion or leaders were based on good (善) or righteousness (義).

“Aren’t you scared to worship something so terrifying?”

“Terrifying but not evil. ‘Pain’ and ‘Hunger’ are essential for survival. Sheep that do not feel fear and hunger will die without progress.”

Beings without natural enemies tend to become lazy.

Beings that are always full tend to become complacent and degenerate.

Therefore, pain and hunger were symbols of the pragmatic world that the ‘Black Fairies’ aspired to.

Everything depends on how you use it-.

“There is nothing in the world that is only bad-.”

“That’s right, boy. Everything has two sides like a coin. Those who only look at one side cannot win against those who see both sides.”

Nargal was a fairy who spoke in abstract and difficult terms.

But, despite everything, his tracking skills were excellent enough to find a person in the city with just a strand of hair.

Thanks to the unique senses of fairies and the concept of ‘Pathfinding’ embedded in him.

Of course, things didn’t always go smoothly.

When they reached a deserted alley, someone blocked the path of Geum Taesung and Nargal.

“Everyone, stop!”

A bread bag was pulled over his head, with a squirrel’s face roughly drawn on it with a marker, making it look like a cheap disguise.

Geum Taesung asked the suspicious figure at a glance.

“Who are you?”

“Can’t you tell by looking? It’s ‘Chipmunk’. Geum Taesung, you used to do a lot of bad things until middle school, didn’t you? Many people ended up in the hospital because of you. Think of me as an avenger sent by one of them.”

It wasn’t the first time Geum Taesung’s past mistakes had come back to haunt him. And today wouldn’t be the last.

The avenger, who called himself ‘Chipmunk’, banged a baseball bat on the ground.

“Don’t resent me too much. You’re just getting back what you did wrong. And you, standing next to him, don’t think about helping him recklessly. This is a matter between the two of us.”

“Don’t worry. The great warrior of the Black Elves doesn’t interfere in others’ fights. So, let this great warrior Nargal acknowledge your duel.”

# # #

“I am the great warrior Moro. In place of my father who left home, I am acting as the chief of the Black Elves. I have a duty and regulations to follow.”

Moro, the acting chief of the Black Elf tribe, led us to a certain place.

As we passed a structure made by piling stones and mushrooms clumsily, Moro gave a warning.

“This is the place where the King of Pain and Hunger resides. You will meet him here. If you can survive in front of him, we will acknowledge you as our guest.”

The Black Elf tribe worshipped strange monsters.

I thought Nymph Inonoi and Baonoi were strange fairies, but these guys took it a step further.

In this situation, Seogaul sarcastically commented with a very sensible attitude.

“Everyone has different tastes and cultures, but you guys worship something really strange. If you’re going to serve something, wouldn’t it be better to serve something like love and justice as your king?”

It’s a reasonable argument.

When I asked Moro, the Black Elf, about this, I received a rather thoughtful answer.

“Love dulls blades and arrowheads, and justice dulls eyes and ears. But pain sharpens the will to survive, and hunger makes humans grasp spears.”

“Hanamjin, what did that fairy say?”

“He said you’re very pretty.”

“Huh? Well, at least he knows I’m pretty. Ha!”

Anyway, we arrived at the shrine where the underground king supposedly lived.

The place was filled with what looked like a pile of leftover bones, making it seem more like a beast’s den than a king’s palace.

And indeed, it was.

Sure enough, a creepy sound slithered out, and a huge shadow emerged from behind the stone-built shrine.

“The thing called a dragon!”

Mibbang looked exactly like a dragon as he shouted.

With scales as large and hard as rocks, and a rugged appearance.

Even with antlers sprouting from his head like a crown.

“No, from what I see, it’s more like an Imugi than a dragon.”

Bbangdaengi corrected, saying it wasn’t a dragon but an Imugi.

That made sense too.

It looked too crude to be a dragon.

No legs. No Yeouiju.

An Imugi with rock scales.

A serpent much larger than a Titanoboa.

A gigantic serpent that could swallow whole monsters and digest them alive!

That was the identity of the being that ruled this shrine.

─Shaaa-!

The gigantic serpent with rock scales roared thunderously.

Once again, I simply interpreted that cry for Seogaeul.

“Seogaeul, it says you’re too pretty to resist.”

This guy, Seogaeul, is getting sharper by the day.

Huuu-Kwaaa-!

At that moment, the serpent, which had raised its head high, charged at us fiercely at high speed. There’s a saying that you can’t counter a dump truck coming at you.

That’s exactly what the situation was like.

The serpent, with its overwhelming mass, charged at us with its huge jaws wide open like a train passing through a station at full speed, and all we could do was dodge.

Is surviving this thing the test of the “Black Fairy”?

Simple and good.

Hunting. Eating and being eaten.

Kuuung-! Kuuung-!

The gigantic mass of muscles slammed its head like a train, making the ground shake as if an earthquake had occurred.

I was worried that the cave ceiling might collapse.

─Shhh-!

“Seo Ga-eul, you’re so pretty I want to bite you!”

“What are you talking about!”

I made a joke to lighten the mood and pulled out a dagger from my waist.

“Let’s go, Singsing.”

I had bought it specially for a day like today.

I even gave it a name.

My new knife, Singsing.

I swung it with all my might at the giant body, but the blade shattered with a clang.

“aaah!!!! My kitchen knife from Temu!!!!”

I felt like my eyes were turning inside out.

I thought I could use it for another 10 years!

“The enemy of my knife, Singsing! You b*stard! I’ll destroy you! I’ll annihilate you! You and I cannot live under the same sky!”

Tears streamed down my face.

Unbearable anger made my fingertips tremble and my vision turn red. Even the great Yoo Yeoreum seemed taken aback by the sight.

“No, it wasn’t the knife that broke it, it was your misuse….”

Responding to my intense anger, Bbangdaengi shouted too.

“Hanamjin, I’ll help you get revenge! I’ve trained and practiced the secret technique of Baekdang for today─Ugh!”

Thud-.

Bbangdaengi tripped over his own feet while trying to do something.

He’s really talented.

Seeing that, the black fairy Moro, who had been watching us from a distance, laughed out loud.

“You guys, are you planning to meet the ‘Red King’ with such skills? You’ll just die in vain and become his puppet. He turns living beings into puppets with his shadow.”

Do we look ridiculous?

As expected of an ancient fairy who lived underground, he clearly didn’t understand our latest strategies and tactics.

I pointed to the ceiling with my hand.

“Look.”

“What the…what is…!?”

It was natural for Moro to be surprised.

Crack, snap-.

The ceiling of the cave, which had been shaking as if it would collapse due to the rampaging giant snake, began to drop stalactites like wedges when the slight tremor caused by Bangdaengi’s fall triggered it.

Dududududu, Kwakwakwakwak-.

─Shaaak!

Even the snake, with scales as hard as rock, couldn’t withstand the heavy and sharp stalactite shower and let out a rough scream.

Thanks to that, the rock scales attached to its body broke and shattered, revealing its rather tender flesh.

Seeing this, Bangdaengi shouted.

“It… it worked! We did it! The secret technique of Baekdang, Mancheonhwau! This was the plan all along!”

Whatever it was, Bangdaengi’s bizarre and strange attack indeed dealt a fatal blow to the snake.

Seoga-eul, not missing the opportunity, drew the demon sword “Maple” and charged at the snake.

“That sword─.”

Even Moro, who had been watching us with skepticism, couldn’t take his eyes off Seoga-eul’s “Maple” and watched intently.

Shashak-!

Seoga-eul’s X-shaped slash accurately hit the snake’s forehead, where the scales had been peeled off.

Chwaaak-!

An X-shaped wound appeared between the broken rock scales.

─Syaaak!

The snake thrashed in pain, rampaging wildly.

It looked just like a worm sprinkled with salt.

“Yuyeoreum! Now!”

Seoga-eul shouted, shaking off the blood and oil from the sword.

Then, Yuyeoreum, who had been closing his eyes until just now, suddenly opened them wide. From his eyes, a heat ray that erased and burned everything it touched was emitted.

Ziiiiing-.

Pishook-!

It pierced through the giant snake’s brain like a futuristic laser gun, and the rampaging movements quickly subsided.

Seeing this, the fairy Moro couldn’t hide his amazement and exclaimed loudly.

“To think you could repel a Torong with the abilities of a 4-star ‘Snake’ in such a short time.”

The creature just now was a worm monster with the concept of a 4-star ‘Snake.’

Does that mean that snake wasn’t the king of pain and hunger?

“I thought we had defeated your king.”

“What do you take us for? We’ve been living underground since the witch and the fairy king made a deal, but we haven’t fallen so low as to be ruled by a big worm. That thing was just food.”

“Food?”

“Food offered to our king. This is the king’s table. When we offered food, the king would devour it. But while the king was away, that worm became the master of the table.”

Is that so.

Wait, that means the king of hunger isn’t here.

Did he starve to death long ago, as Mibang said?

“Either you defeat the earth dragon, or you die to the earth dragon. In the end, it means more food for the king, so it wasn’t a bad story for us. But still, the king doesn’t appear…”

Moro smacked his lips as if disappointed.

“However, you have passed our test by defeating the earth dragon. We shall welcome you as guests. By the way, the meat of the underground earth dragon is very delicious. It’s a delicacy you can’t taste anywhere else, so look forward to it.”

Eat that giant worm?

Not very appealing.

As I thought that, my lower body swelled.

To the point where it couldn’t be hidden by my pants.

“Hey, you crazy pervert! What is that!”

Seo Ga-eul blushed and got angry.

She was asking the obvious.

“What this is─.”

At that moment, a cloud popped out from my lower body.

━Eing Eing Ya Eing.

As anyone could have guessed, it was Eing Eing.

Eing Eing, as if waiting, started devouring the giant earth dragon with its mouthless body. It was a truly bizarre and strange sight.

The next part was even more bizarre.

“This, this strange cry? Oh, king! The king has returned!”

Eing Eing is the king of the black fairies?

What a ridiculous joke.

“This guy is my friend and emergency food.”

“You scoundrel! What blasphemous words! There is only one being in the world who cries with such a strange sound! This is none other than the king of pain and hunger! The king of the underground and monsters!”