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Chapter 9 : The Spirit’s Cocoon
Thud, thud, thud!
The sound of footsteps was loud.
There was no attempt to hide it, as if they were deliberately letting me hear.
‘They’re trying to put psychological pressure on me.’
Imagine feeling the presence of someone chasing you while you're caught in a trap.
Ē nú m̀ а̇ . i d̄
You'd have no choice but to tremble in fear and fall into a panic.
This was also a strategy.
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‘They’re here.’
Something was wriggling and approaching in the darkness.
I hid in the shadows and watched closely.
“Kekekeke!”
Еn̊ůma. i d
A low laugh, like scratching a chalkboard, could be heard.
The creature's form was revealed in the gentle moonlight.
“Another one caught today. The harvest is good.”
The first thing that caught my eye was the hooked nose that protruded from its facial features.
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A small stature, short arms and legs.
The tattered clothes couldn't hide its gaunt muscles.
Е̌n ŭ m̈ а̊
Its fingers, wriggling with unconcealed anticipation, were a dark green.
‘Goblins.’
They were a lowly race that parasitized the slums.
As I said before, they were closer to a kind of ethnic minority than a different species.
In addition to their strange, murky green skin and hideous appearance, their high crime rate made them shunned and discriminated against.
‘Racial discrimination is not surprising.’
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This was a world where human rights were trampled on.
Come to think of it, it wasn't a big deal.
Besides, goblins were a dangerous group that lived by pickpocketing, robbery, and kidnapping.
They were completely harmful, so they deserved whatever happened to them.
“I heard a stranger came in for the first time in a while, maybe it’s him? He must have a lot of things, so it’ll be rewarding to rob him.”
“He’s a fool. What was he thinking, coming here?”
W e bn̊ ov̌е ľ Е̇ nům̀ а
Their speech was laced with laughter, as if something was so funny.
Another one popped out from behind the one that had arrived first.
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‘Two of them.’
Two was about the number I had expected.
What kind of amazing person would be caught in the slums?
There was no need for them to come in a group.
W ėb́ novë l̄ Е ñ ú m̈а
‘This is perfect.’
Two was a suitable number for me to catch and deal with on my own.
“Well, shall we start cooking?”
The guys who had mocked me to their heart's content slowly approached the trap.
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One hand was in a pocket, as if to take out a weapon.
“...Huh?”
Е n̊ ú ma
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s no one here.”
“You didn’t see wrong because it’s dark?”
“How could that be? This must be a mistake in operation…”
The moment the guys expressed their doubts.
Swish!
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The World Tree's stem shot out from my fingertips.
“Wh-what is this!”
“Aargh!”
The World Tree's stem entangled their feet first.
The guys were startled and tried to shake it off, but the World Tree's stem was elastic.
It bounced with the elasticity of a whip and then slithered up like a snake, constricting their upper bodies.
Eńu m̌ а̄.іd
“Grrrk!”
The guys, with their arms tied and their necks choked, struggled in the air.
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The power of the World Tree's stem was too much for the lowly goblins to bear.
I revealed myself when they were neutralized.
“Ugh! Ughhh!”
The goblin's eyes, looking at me, were bloodshot.
Ŵ е̃ b̃ ñо́ vël Е̃ n̂_um̈а
I silently flicked the finger connected to the World Tree's stem.
Soon, the guys, whose necks were tightly choked, gasped for breath.
The complexions of the guys who had realized my identity turned pale.
‘In some ways, this is better than magic.’
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I had felt it when I subdued the supervisor, but the effectiveness of the ability was good.
Compared to basic magic, its power was not lacking, and it was efficient in that I didn't have to bother preparing catalysts and such.
W̃.ѐ b̊ ñ ö v е̊ l̄ É n̂ ùm а
It was even stealthy, so it was very effective.
“I don’t need two of you to open your mouths.”
I searched the pocket of one of the guys who was still resisting roughly.
“A three-stage baton…”
As expected, he was hiding a weapon.
Zzzzt!
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When I unfolded it and pressed the switch, a strong electric current flowed through the baton.
The surroundings lit up for a moment, so if it were used on a person, it wouldn't just end with them fainting.
‘An illegally modified item.’
A self-defense three-stage baton couldn't have this kind of power.
They were clearly guys who had done more than just robbery.
‘I won’t feel guilty.’
Wеb̄n̆о̀ vӗl̇ _Е n̊ ŭ m̃ ӑ
I didn't hesitate and swung the three-stage baton.
Fizz!
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“...!”
The effect was certain.
A bright light flashed, and the entire body of the guy who was touched by the three-stage baton convulsed.
When one of them fell, the other one's pupils trembled violently.
Ẇ еb́n̊ ӧ v̌ê ĺ Е̂ nūm̊ ä
“I’ll just let you open your mouth, so be quiet.”
“...S-sorry! Please spare me!”
As soon as I loosened his mouth, the guy shouted.
I knew this would happen.
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I calmly pressed the three-stage baton against the guy's exposed skin.
“I told you to be quiet, didn’t I?”
W̊ е̌ b ň o v̀ e̊ l̊ Еn u̇ mа
“……”
As expected, threats worked best on guys like this.
The expression on his face as he looked at me was as if he had seen a ghost.
“You know no one will come even if you make a fuss. Just answer the questions I ask.”
It was useless to shout.
The guy knew that better than anyone.
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It was up to them how they treated the prey they had caught.
Even if they spared them, they wouldn't let them go unharmed.
‘It’s common for screams to erupt during torture.’
The guy's screams would be treated the same way.
“How many of your gang are there in this neighborhood in total?”
“...Th-thirteen.”
W̊е́ b n о v е́l̂ Е n̄ū m а̇
Since I had subdued two, that left eleven.
It was not a small number.
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‘It’ll be impossible to finish this in one day.’
I clicked my tongue and moved on to the next question.
The area in charge, the weapons they possessed, the method of attack, the existence of a leader, and so on.
I had plenty of time, so I carefully compared it with the knowledge I had.
Ẅ е̄ b̃ n о̆vеl Е ṅû mа̂
‘Fortunately, nothing has changed.’
It was exactly as I knew it.
Now that I had finished the basic confirmation, the last part was the main point.
“Where is your hideout?”
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“……”
The answers that had been pouring out like a torrent stopped for the first time.
Ẇ ё b n оvе̊l̀ Ӗ n̈ũ mа̂
I frowned.
‘A goblin not selling out his comrades?’
Their innate cowardice did not distinguish between friend and foe.
They were the type to sell out their own parents and siblings to save themselves.
That's how I had seen them, how I had learned about them, and how they had lived.
In the first place, if they were going to be loyal, they should have kept their mouths shut from the beginning.
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It was unexpected for him to shut his mouth just because I asked for the location of the hideout.
“……”
I was wondering if the effect of the threat had worn off.
I looked into the guy's eyes.
I didn't know when it had started, but his focus was gone.
“What, did you faint?”
W е̇ bn̈ ǒ v̂ ӗľ Е̄ńum̈а̄
I had loosened his mouth and adjusted the force on his other parts so that his life would not be in danger.
But it seemed he had fainted out of fear.
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It was absurd.
“Damn it, I’ll have to find another one…”
“Grrrrk!”
“...!”
Е̄ ǹum̂ å
I felt a stiff fatigue in the arm that had extended the stem.
[The World Tree is astonished.]
The World Tree, as surprised as I was, jumped and shook its stem.
“Kraaaah!”
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The goblin that should have fainted was thrashing about like crazy.
For a moment, I almost lost him.
Wе̄ b ñоṽ е̌l̇ Ӗ nu.m а̄
Fizz!
“Krrk!”
I was surprised, but it was a meaningless resistance.
I didn't panic and swung the three-stage baton.
The high-voltage current made him silent, no matter how violently he thrashed.
“...What the hell was that all of a sudden?”
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I muttered, rubbing my sore wrist.
It wasn't just a fish caught in a net thrashing about.
The impact I felt in my hand was intense.
It was a monstrous strength that couldn't have come from a gaunt physique, to the point where the restraint could have been broken.
“It doesn’t seem like he was acting.”
There was no need to hide this kind of monstrous strength.
Ĕ.n ů ḿ a
It would have been better to break the restraint from the beginning.
The same went for fainting.
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They knew how to play tricks, but they were so clumsy that their acting was usually found out quickly.
“Then what the hell is this?”
I frowned automatically.
If all the goblins living here were like this, the request would not be easy.
Wе bn̊ оṽ e l̇ Е ňu mа̃
Then, a message that appeared out of nowhere added to the confusion.
[A piece of the Spirit's Cocoon has been discovered!]
[The piece of the Spirit's Cocoon is pulsating!]
[The World Tree rejoices!]
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“...A spirit?”
A faint halo of light spread out from the goblin's corpse.
W̃е̇ b̈n оv̄еl̄ Е n u m̂ а
***
“Mister.”
When I opened my eyes, the sun was high in the sky.
The World Tree was also stretching as if it had overslept with me.
Well, I had been living with my days and nights reversed for the past few days.
It was unavoidable if I wanted to catch the goblins, who were mainly active at night.
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When I gently stroked it, the World Tree rubbed its body against my palm like a puppy.
“Are you awake?”
I saw a child peeking its head through the slightly open crack in the door.
It was the child who had begged me in District 7 and introduced me to this house.
“Can I come in?”
“Sure.”
W̄еb̃ n ov̌ e l Е̂n um̄ а
“Really?”
“There’s nothing dangerous, so come in.”
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Only then did the child feel relieved and step inside.
It was a dangerous neighborhood.
They must have asked for permission because they might have set up traps for intruders.
‘There’s no need to set up traps.’
Еń u m̀а̂
I secretly retrieved the World Tree's stem that I had laid on the floor.
If there had been an intruder, I would have felt it.
The World Tree was safer than a trap that could be dismantled.
“What’s up?”
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“Do you want to eat this?”
The child suddenly held out a bowl.
W е b́_n ov̀ē l Еňu m̃ а́
What was inside was not money, but food.
Should I call this a potato?
It looked similar, but it was hard and the skin was tough, so it was closer to a different kind from what I had eaten.
I smacked my lips at the astringent taste and refused.
“Take it. You must be short on food, what’s with the gift?”
“Aren’t you hungry?”
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“I am hungry.”
“Then eat it. I have a lot of the money you gave me before, so it’s okay.”
The child urged me again.
When I hesitated until the end, they even laid out a spot next to me as if to eat together.
I didn't refuse any longer and bit into the potato.
...There was no hidden taste different from its appearance.
Ё ńum̂ ǎ . і́d̄
Still, I swallowed it down because of the sincerity with which it was given.
After emptying the bowl, I asked.
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“How’s the atmosphere around here lately?”
“It’s changed a lot.”
The child answered as if they had been waiting for me to ask.
“The adults say the goblins are gone. They say someone must have taken care of them, and all the remaining goblins are in hiding.”
Е n̂ umӑ
It was exactly as I had expected.
‘I’ve been catching only goblins for four days.’
There wasn't a single day I came back empty-handed.
I had dealt with six of them.
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Since I had dealt with nearly half of them, it was time for them to realize that this was aimed at them.
“You’re lucky, mister. The people who came here before all died quickly.”
Ѐn̈ u m̃ а .ї d̂
They seemed quick-witted, but a child was a child.
They didn't know that I was the one who had done it.
“You said they all died, so why did you bring food?”
“You said the goblins were quiet. I haven’t seen you outside, and I thought you must have been starving all this time, so I brought it.”
“...Thanks.”
“I’ve experienced it myself, and being hungry was the saddest thing. I know it’s hard for you too, mister, but you shouldn’t starve.”
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The child patted my shoulder with their small hand and comforted me.
I swallowed a laugh.
‘Do they think I’m someone who lost all their fortune and was kicked out here?’
I had become shabby from not washing and running around catching goblins all this time.
My clothes were also in tatters.
When I saw my reflection in the broken window, it was understandable that they would be mistaken.
E ňú_m а
‘Still, they have a good heart.’
In the slums, giving food was like giving everything.
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They were definitely a child too good to rot here.
“...But why am I a mister?”
The content was one thing, but there was one word that kept bothering me.
When I asked sullenly, the child tilted their head as if wondering what the problem was.
W.е̃ bńоv̌еl̇ Е̊ nu m а
“Aren’t you?”
The eyes that looked up from between the messy hair were pure.
To call this face a mister.
The feeling was strange.
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“...Forget it.”
It was pathetic to argue with a child about whether my face looked like a mister.
Е.n.um а. іd́
I just let it go.
“I’m glad I saw that you’re alive, mister. I’ll be going now.”
The child, who had finished their business, got up from their seat.
It seemed their purpose really was to check if I was alive.
“And stay quiet for a few more days.”
It was a sudden warning, just like the first day.
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I asked for the reason.
“Why?”
“The goblins here are different. Sometimes they become extremely ferocious and run wild.”
They become ferocious?
I listened intently.
“It’ll happen soon. At that time, no one goes out of the house, so you should do the same, mister.”
W ėb̃n о̌ v̊e l Е n u m̊.а
“You don’t know why it happens?”
The child had an expression that said, "Why are you asking something like that?"
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“If I knew, everyone would have followed, right…?”
“That’s true.”
I really had asked something unnecessary.
I sent the child away and fell into thought.
W е̌ b́n о v́ еl̂ Е̂n ũ m̃ӑ
‘Goblins that get stronger.’
It was something I had been experiencing consistently for the past three days.
I didn't know the conditions.
But the strength of the berserk ones was different from that of their normal kin.
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‘It would be terrible if they all changed like that, but I can’t give up here.’
I lifted the arm where the World Tree had grown to my chest.
W е̊b̊n̄ о̌ v êl̀ Еnuma
I had gotten used to the peculiar skin with the sprouted leaves over time.
But that was only until I came to District 7.
In the meantime, there had been another change.
Woong!
On top of the World Tree's stem, which had risen like a nest, an oval-shaped something was stored.
It had a mysterious appearance, like a bird's egg or a plant's seed.
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The carapace that had grown like scales on the surface was as hard and rough as the bark of a tree.
[The piece of the Spirit's Cocoon is pulsating.]
[The World Tree embraces the piece of the Spirit's Cocoon.]
“A spirit.”
The power and source of the World Tree.
The reason I was chasing Greenwood.
E ń um̀ а́. і d
I had recovered a trace of a spirit from a berserk goblin.
(End of Chapter)
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