Episode 396
I stared at the girl with a strange shape.
The poison and disease that covered the entire body of the girl presumed to be Akeri was truly bizarre.
No, can I end this by saying it’s bizarre? The poison coursing through Akeri’s entire body was rushing towards me as if it would erase my very existence.
If you compare its severity, it is several levels higher than the Heavenly Demon Armor.
So, Akeri contained a poison so severe that it even surpassed the Heavenly Demon Armor that took time to detoxify even the Ten Thousand Poison Fire Stings and took away my full recovery.
Instead, I felt the nuance that it was more natural than the fierce intention to destroy the opponent.
If the reason for existence is to destroy opponents with poison and disease, that would be laughable.
Ugh! Ugh!
And Mandeuk had been screaming inside since before. And while it was in full operation to drive out Akeri’s poison, it immediately began analysis.
It would be a shame to just pass by this level of poison.
I can endure it to this extent because I have Mandeuk right now.
Ugh!
Mandeuk is triumphant.
So wouldn’t it be a good idea to weaponize this terrible poison? If you are Mandeuk, you can do it.
Wooooow!
Man-deuk, who sensed something ominous, resisted fiercely, but that was all he could do.
I left all the difficult work to Mandeuk and looked after Akeri.
Beyond the energy covered in all kinds of poisons and diseases, there were worried eyes looking at me.
“Why aren’t you answering? You can’t stand it either? “I don’t want to die without being able to say goodbye again.”
“You don’t have to worry because you won’t die easily.”
“uh? really! “Can I trust you?”
“Your name is Akeri, right?”
“That’s not my name. But it’s correct to refer to me. But how can you survive? “When humans meet me, they start talking from a very long distance away.”
“Wasn’t that fun?”
“huh. So whenever I got close to them, they all died. “It’s not fun.”
Every time there was a slight change in behavior, poison and disease rolled in like waves.
As the output changed each time, Mandeuk screamed.
But you endure it, right?
In my life, I have never heard of a gift self dying from overwork.
So Mandeuk will do well.
“Then I’ll have fun.”
“Yes, we can have a normal conversation like this. And huh? “What are you?”
Akeri, who was focused on me, finally recognized Yongyong next to her.
Yongyong, who had been completely forgotten until then, let out a voice full of sorrow.
[Are you finally recognizing me?]
“Wow, this one has great energy. “Are you really similar to me?”
[That’s right.]
“Wow! nice to meet you!”
[Ugh, don’t come! My energy is polluted!] When
Yongyong shouted, Akeri, who had been approaching with a bright expression, looked sullen.
“Other kids said the same thing. “He keeps telling me not to approach him.”
[Um, I guess I ended up harassing you unintentionally? I didn’t mean to.]
“Am I dirty?”
[It’s more terrible than dirty.]
“Huh.”
[Oh no! I didn’t mean it in a bad way. It’s just that your existence is inherently terrible and terrible, isn’t it?]
Yongyong was spraying oil on a burning house with a hose.
“It’s okay, just watch. “I interrupted the conversation.”
[Okay.]
I pushed Yongyong back and focused on the conversation with Akeri.
“I came because I wanted to talk to you.”
“Am I not dirty?”
“It’s rather interesting.”
“Are you interested?”
“Because no one has this kind of energy. “You are special.”
“Wow!”
Akeri’s eyes sparkled like starlight at my words.
[Now Shinsoo is also flirting.] Whether
Yongyong complained or not, I created a softer atmosphere.
“Then can we continue talking?”
“huh. “I also want to talk to someone.”
“Have we ever had a conversation?”
“There are, but they haven’t been able to have a long conversation with me. You won’t be able to last long and you’ll die. “They won’t let their compatriots come near them, saying it will pollute their energy.”
With this level of venom, it was a natural measure.
Even Yongyong, who was the most friendly among the divine beasts, reacted like that.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you really okay? “The little child inside you is screaming that you are going to die.”
Akeri’s transparent eyes accurately caught Mandeuk’s presence.
Even though his mental age appears to be young, does this mean that his skills are not fake?
“It’ll be okay.”
“really? “I feel like I’m going to die right now.”
“Because he has survived this environment many times. Rather, hanging out with you will be an opportunity to become stronger.”
Ugh! Ugh! Wooooow!
Mandeuk shouted that it was absolutely impossible, but I believed in Mandeuk.
And he’s not alone. You have close friends with whom you can share your pain, right? We will be able to do it together with them.
Ugh! Ugh!
The other Gift guys resisted him fiercely, but the boss was suffering alone and the guys who were watching were even worse.
As if Mandeuk could not die alone, he desperately brought in his colleagues and soon began to share the pain together.
Akeri sensed a series of changes and looked at me with transparent eyes.
“It’s amazing. They’re dying together together.”
“I won’t die. “Rather, I’d like to move places.”
Because we can’t have conversations while eating desert sand forever.
“huh! Then I’ll invite you to my house! “I would be happy if our people came too.”
[okay. Please guide me.]
“Yes, yes!”
Guided by Akeri, Yongyong and I moved to a space where a completely different landscape unfolded than before.
It was a black cave where nothing existed. It was probably thought to be deep underground in the desert.
“how is it? “Isn’t it cool?”
“It’s not a bad space.”
The poisonous air that was said to have been the desert sand as a breakwater became more intense, but the air became more comfortable.
It was proof that Mandeuk was working diligently.
As expected, the more subordinates work, the more their work ability improves.
“Then what should we talk about?”
“I have a few questions. “If I ask a question, you can answer.”
“aha! Asking and answering questions. Yes, ask anything.”
“Have you ever transformed your power to create a gift?”
“No, there is not!”
It was an answer without any hesitation. When I saw Akeri, I thought the chances were slim.
It’s so poisonous that even the gift will become contaminated while making it.
“I guess so.”
“I don’t lie.”
To be honest, I didn’t think such an innocent guy would plan a dark plan. If it was a ploy to deceive me, that would be great.
“Then can I ask a question now? You are human. But how can you endure this? “It’s absolutely amazing.”
…Looking at that, I didn’t think that would ever happen.
“Didn’t you find the guy who was doing these experiments?”
“well? “I’m not really interested in that, so I don’t know.”
Just when I was about to feel that the food was empty or bitter, I heard words that I couldn’t pass up.
“I think I’ve heard something similar before.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I heard you want to apply something similar to power to humans?”
“Your people?”
“Yes, our people.”
It wasn’t exactly the same, but it wasn’t completely different either.
“Tell me in detail.”
“Well, a few people got together and were conducting such research…”
Akeri’s story was like this.
It is said that the majority of divine beasts were indifferent to worldly affairs, but some were very interested in developing their powers.
They pointed to gift exploration as a way to develop their powers, and some say they achieved significant results.
“It was suggested to me that I might be able to control my abilities. But I refused!”
“Why?”
“It’s fun to see them scared. Even if we don’t have much conversation, it’s fun to watch.”
What a nasty taste.
What is clear is that this guy is not normal either.
[I know. Maybe he’s almost on par with you.]
Why is my story coming out there?
Anyway, I thought I had nothing more to gain from Akeri, so I decided to leave.
“for a moment! “I want to go with you.”
“Where?”
“Where you go. “It’s the first time I’ve had a conversation like this in a long time.”
That alone seemed to make him excited. I looked at Akeri’s face and said.
“To do that, I need to control the energy radiating from you.”
“why?”
“I’m fine, but people around me are suffering. “Outside is not a place to live alone, but a place to socialize.”
[Wow, it really doesn’t suit me when you say this.]
But it’s also true.
[Are you really planning on taking me with you?]
No, that’s not true.
Did you forget that I said a little while ago that I had no intention of controlling my energy?
[Then why?]
An innocent guy like that gets into accidents when he gets dissatisfied.
If you accept my offer, I plan to give you a goal and make you focus on it.
It would be nice if we could meet a few more times and give Mandeuk a chance to grow.
[Are you serious about that?]
Because the more you suffer, the more you grow.
It’s just that they don’t set out on the path of penance on their own. In that case, I just need to provide an opportunity.
[It seems like they want to kill you right now.]
Even if you say you want to kill them, there’s nothing they can do.
When it comes to things in this world, there are times when you have to do them even if you don’t want to do them.
If you are dissatisfied, you can attack.
Instead, since you were thinking of killing the other person, you should at least be prepared to die yourself.
[In a way, they are the most pitiful kids.]
* * *
Akeri eventually accepted my offer.
I was vaguely aware of it, but the guy was making the surroundings hell just by approaching him, so I was so lonely that I couldn’t help but laugh at every single conversation.
“I’ll try. “I’ll definitely come back when I see results, so please wait!”
“Don’t come to see me in person, but contact me.”
“how?”
“This guy might have the ability to contact you.”
[Why me all of a sudden!]
Yongyong, who was pointed out to me, jumped up and down in surprise. He said while watching it.
“I heard there is a way for the gods to contact each other? Then you should step forward.”
[Ugh, I don’t like it.]
“Then let’s see that guy come out into the world and be active?”
Yongyong’s eyes turned to Akeri.
Absolutely uncontrolled miasma and disease are running rampant. What if Akeri appears in the human world? An unprecedented massacre will occur.
It was hard to even imagine how much damage that unrefined innocence could cause.
[…Okay.]
In the end, I will accept it, but I won’t whine about it.
Yongyong’s pointed gaze turned to me.
[Did you plan to do this from the beginning?]
“It was all improvised. “There are times when having you is helpful.”
[That guy is really annoying.]
I thought I knew what that meant. Even when I saw it, it was uncomfortable.
However, it was also an opportunity to bring in one Shinsu with all his might.
This is by no means a damaging proposition for Yongyong, who likes to be in groups.
“As a senior, I need you to lead the way forward.”
[How do you know if I am a senior?]
“You are a senior in terms of social experience. So you need to lead it well. Isn’t that right?”
Yongyong’s sulky expression suddenly eased when he heard the word ‘senior’ in his heart.
[Just this once. I’m following you around because I don’t mean to do something trivial like this.]
“Okay, okay.”
So we set off to find the next new beast.
* * *
In fact, Akeri’s case was special.
Most of the divine beasts were noble enough to compare themselves to gods, and there were some human-friendly beings, but among them, there were also divine beasts that regarded humans as insignificant insects.
Windigo, the man-eating giant who visited after Akeri, was like that.
With its enormous height of up to 7 meters and massive muscles, its sharp, sharp flesh was enough to cut through the surrounding air.
The guy radiated hostility from the beginning.
[You look like a very tasty person.]
“I have something to tell you.”
[There is no conversation to be had with the prey.]
I nodded as I looked at Windigo holding up a huge weapon similar to a glaive.
For some reason, I kept smiling.
Yes, if you are Shinsoo, you should behave like this.
“There was already something I wanted to test on Shinsu.”