Chapter 162: Dragon King Festival (3)
A man in a black coat and a fedora arrived at the entrance of Insu Village.
Squelch-
His safety boots which were reinforced with steel plates sank into the mud on the path.
The nauseating stench and the fog that obscured his vision weren't kind to humans, but he felt a sense of comfort as if he had returned home.
"Greuk-"
In fact, Insu Village was his hometown. Yong-soo, who was a young deep-sea hybrid not yet twenty years old, took off his fedora and exhaled.
"Greuk- Grrr-"
Even though he wasn't yet a complete deep-sea being, his skin shimmered green. He was born with a stronger deep-sea bloodline than others.
He was the direct disciple of the True Person of the Tortoise, the village priest of Insu, and was so exceptionally talented that he was called one in a thousand.
And so he was bestowed with the grand name Yong-soo. (TN: His name is Yong-soo. It means Dragon Head.)
"Grrr- Am I too late?"
The village was quiet. Insu Village was always quiet, but it shouldn't have been this quiet today.
"The palanquin has already gone up the mountain. Grrrr."
Yong-soo suddenly thought of Kim Shin-hwa and gnashed his teeth. The eerie grinding sound dispersed through the fog.
Not only had he lost the cargo due to a shallow trick, but he also fell into an absurd trap and suffered for several days beyond the barrier.
This was the first humiliation he had experienced since he became aware of his deep-sea blood. Yong-soo couldn't bear that he felt such disgrace from mere humans.
But what I can't bear even more is...
In the despair of ruining the Dragon King's Festival due to his own incompetence, he managed to contact the village. The news he heard then was astonishing.
Someone came here by using my name? And they even brought the sacrifice I failed to get?
Were they insane? Though he had fooled humans in such a way before, this time, Yong-soo had done nothing.
"Greuk, has the sacrifice already been made?"
Time was running out.
If he hurried, he might still witness that crazy mage being offered as a sacrifice with his own eyes.
But then Yong-soo saw something strange. Humans were gathered in the middle of the village.
What? Why are those slaves gathered there?
"Grrr! What are you doing! The ritual isn't over, why are you all gathered here!"
The old people who were gathered there saw Yong-soo and, grew horrified, and bowed their heads.
"Ugh, aaah!"
"Wh-Why!?"
"Please, spare us!"
What was this? What were they plotting? Until the Dragon King's Festival ended, humans were not supposed to leave their homes. It wasn't exactly a taboo, though.
The rule was established because sometimes during the festival, the deep-sea people would be unable to contain their excitement at the presence of the Dragon King and would end up eating humans.
If you wanted to live, you had to seal yourself in your house until the festival ended.
"Greuk, grrrrr. What are you scheming here?"
"Well, um..."
The old people looked at each other with miserable expressions. "Wasn't it your idea? You take responsibility." "I only trusted your words." Ah, I must have been mad." Yong-soo sensed that their gazes and emotions were all directed in one direction.
"Greuk. Was it you?"
An old man stepped out from among the villagers.
He wasn't a particularly spirited person.
His eyes were filled with tears, and his legs were trembling, but he still bared his teeth.
"I, I, I, I... We, we can't take it anymore..."
Ah, was it another hero-like figure, like last year? Last year, at least it was a young man, but this time an old man had stepped up.
However, he was not even as formidable as the one last year. The old man was so wretched he could barely speak. Yong-soo raised his hand toward the old man; he wanted to crush him like the troublesome livestock he was.
BOOM!!
A dreadful noise that was loud enough to shake the heavens and the earth echoed from somewhere.
It wasn't just the sound. The ground actually shook, and the air quivered.
"Ahhh!" "Oh, God!" "The mountain is exploding!"
The old people couldn't withstand the shock and horror and rolled around on the muddy ground of the village.
An earthquake? What's happening?
The wrinkles beneath Yong-soo's neck fluttered. He was quite young, but his fully formed gills twitched sensitively and detected some sign.
From the mountain? No, did something happen at the altar?
Goosebumps rose on Yong-soo's green skin. What was happening again?
Booom, Rumble!
A vivid blue light pierced through the mist. It was lightning.
Was the Dragon King angry? No, could it be... could it be...
"The mage!? Grrrr! That mage!!"
Yong-soo left the old people behind and hurriedly ran toward the mountain. His speed was incredible, like an angry shark swimming against the current. With each step Yong-soo took, the muddy ground exploded with a booming sound.
"This can't be..."
The old people who were rolling in the mud stared in a daze at the direction where Yong-soo had disappeared. Then they looked at each other again.
One of the old men stood up and shouted.
"See, I was right! He, he is going to..."
Overwhelmed with emotion, the old man couldn't speak in one go. He paused, trembled for a bit, then continued.
"He is coming to save us! To fulfill our wish!"
Cheers erupted from the old men rolling in the mud of Insu Village.
Yong-soo ran straight to the altar in one breath.
Strange! This is strange! Why is this happening?
Explosions echoed in the distance.
A peculiar creaking and grinding sound echoed as well.
And the growls of his kin.
From afar, something flew with a loud bang. A cannon? A missile? No, it was one of his kind, a deep-sea hybrid.
"Argh!"
Yong-soo channeled his magical power into his legs and leaped.
With a shattering sound, Yong-soo leaped up and caught the projectile that was flying aimlessly. The force was tremendous. To prevent himself from being carried away, Yong-soo kicked a nearby tree to reduce the impact.
"Grrrk! Hey, are you okay? Get a hold of yourself!"
"Grrrk, grrr... Yong-soo...Sir Yong-soo..."
This one was beyond saving. His eyes were smashed, and his limbs were charred black. He wouldn't last long.
"Grrrk, what is happening, exactly!"
"Monsters... humans turned into monsters..."
What in the world does that mean?
A human turned into a monster? After he carefully laid down his dying kin, Yong-soo leaped again. More explosions followed. Screams. The clanging noise of metal against metal.
He finally arrived at the altar.
A bewildering scene unfolded before Yong-soo's eyes. He stood momentarily with his limbs slack, speaking.
"Grrrrr..."
It was a horrifying chaos that could not be clearly described in any language he knew.
Monsters wearing human skins were slaughtering the deep-sea hybrids. What was that?
Crunch!
A human with a huge metal jaw tore off a deep-sea hybrid's head entirely.
Shhhk, slash!
A human with large scythes on both arms sliced through the deep-sea hybrid's body.
Bang, Rtatatatat!
A human with four arms fired wildly with the guns attached to each hand.
"Grrrr! These puppets!"
A deep-sea hybrid wearing a golden crown shouted as it tore apart the humans clinging to it.
Shrrk! Crack!
When the human skins tore, the junk inside spilled out. The deep-sea hybrid threw it to the ground.
Crunch, snap!
"Grrrr! You foolish half-wits! Get a grip! Who are you!"
At the deep-sea hybrid's cry, the others regained their senses.
"Yes, get a grip! We are the descendants of the sea. The [Dragon King of the Murky Sea] blesses us!"
"Greuk! Grrrr!"
"Greuk! Grrrr!"
"Grr, grr, grr, grrrr!"
Crack! Bang! Crash-
Another monster wearing human skin was shattered, spilling out the junk inside.
Yes! We can do it! We can defeat them!
From the start, the difference in strength was incomparable. On this side, the number reached a hundred, whereas the opponent had only seven. These puppets were nothing!
But the biggest problem was...
Where exactly is that mage?
Yong-soo who was looking everywhere for Kim Shin-hwa's hiding place shouted.
"Guaaahhhhhh! Catch him!"
Kim Shin-hwa, that bastard, was running into the altar!
"Priest! That bastard is heading to the altar!"
This was not something to leave to others.
I will catch him myself.
Yong-soo harnessed the power of the sea granted by the great Dragon King and leaped forward.
Swoosh—
Moisture from the surroundings concentrated in his hands and formed the shape of waves. He would use this power against that mage!
"Oh, Yong-soo, you're here?"
Kim Shin-hwa gave a brief wave to Yong-soo. No, it wasn't a wave.
Magical power surged. A strong will and powerful influence penetrated through his gesture. The power of the sea in Yong-soo's hands wavered.
[Spell Overload]
Boom!
"!?"
Yong-soo couldn't understand what had happened to him. What is this? A squishy feeling. He could see the sky. Was he lying down? What had hit him and made him fall? The sensation in his hand felt strange. No, his hand had disappeared? His red flesh was stretched and the bones of his hand were exposed. His fingers were completely gone.
Magic? Did someone forcefully break my magic?
From that distance with just a single gesture? Yong-soo had been praised as the town's greatest genius. Initially, he thought he had simply been caught off guard by a shallow trick. But was this really possible?
Yong-soo looked at Kim Shin-hwa and felt an indescribable fear.
Bang!
One of the deep-sea people, who had been charging at Kim Shin-hwa, soared into the sky.
"Doldol! Stop sleeping and come out! Doldol! Come here!"
Rumble—
A heavy noise like grinding stones echoed in the surroundings.
Through the open door of the temple, a huge rough-looking rock...
Rumble, thud! Bang! Thud! Bang!
Is it charging out?
No, was that a giant stone altar? A rock hewn into a square shape? What was that?
The village chief, who had been rolling in the mud, shouted in shock.
"Greuk! That, that thing—!"
The village chief knew that object. It was the item Kim Shin-hwa had given him as collateral. An incredibly powerful stone chest.
That thing, it could move on its own?!
Boom!
The stone chest rampaged wildly while circling around Kim Shin-hwa.
Boom!
The deep-sea people charging at Kim Shin-hwa were either flung away by its overwhelming weight and impact or completely shattered.
The village chief who was sitting on the ground watched the scene and felt a strange illusion. That terrifying and monstrous stone chest... somehow, it moved like a large dog excited to meet its owner after a long time.
Shaking off the absurd thought that came to his mind, the village chief shouted.
"Greuk, stop it! There's something inside that thing!"
"Just wait, you bastards! Let me change my clothes first!"
Screeech—
The stone chest's lid opened. From inside, a billowing black robe flew out and settled on Kim Shin-hwa's shoulders. Then a sword, a hook, a ring, a backpack, and a skateboard emerged.
Soon, he donned a strange mask with four eyes.
He took off the [Mask of the Deep Sea]. He intended to throw it away, but instead, he tucked it into his chest.
"Ahahahahaha!!"
Kim Shin-hwa let out a terrifying laugh. Like a madman.
Whoooosh—
A strange vortex formed around Kim Shin-hwa. Ominous flames swirled like ghostly fire, and deadly blue sparks gathered around him.
Gradually, Kim Shin-hwa began to rise into the air.
Yellow light blazed from the four eyes of his mask.
"Greuk, grrr..."
The village chief felt fear and shrank back.
It was an immense magical power. Terrifying! What is that monster? That monster! That monster! Did I bring that monster into this village?
"Doldol, open the next compartment!"
The stone chest closed and then reopened.
At Kim Shin-hwa's gesture, a huge amount of junk poured out. A stone mortar, a gigantic scythe, a huge pillar, an axe, a hammer, a sword, a rocket launcher, tires, and unidentified metal pieces and machine parts.
These things scattered around and attached themselves to the broken and crushed other golems.
Creak, crunch!
Were they monsters in human form? Now nothing human-like remained. Huge and horrifying monsters lined up in front of the deep-sea people.
Kim Shin-hwa who was floating in the air with a grand posture in front of the temple shouted at the deep sea people.
"Alright, let's start the real Dragon King Festival you wanted!"