I Became a Wendigo in a Fantasy World

31 – Episode 31

Unlike Wendigo’s faction with a clear hierarchy, the Bluefur Tribe’s power structure was quite unstable.

It wasn’t due to complex blood relations or factional conflicts. The absence of a leader with ultimate power was the cause.

“I am the leader of the Bluefur Tribe. So… even the spirits that cling to us should obey my command, right?”

“They beg for spells and protection from me, so isn’t it natural for them to follow my orders?”

If Oneton or Lektar had conceded even a bit, their power might have been somewhat normal, but both were full of desire for power…

“hahahahaha! Finally, the spirit understands my words! Well, commanding is what a leader should do!”

So, it wasn’t strange at all for Rekthar, who had gained control over the beasts, to be greatly pleased.

Unlike usual, Rekthar looked at the beasts obediently following orders and burst into laughter.

It was so satisfying to see the beasts, who always caused trouble, reluctantly obeying commands.

Even riding on the back of a large wolf, it felt like his shoulders were soaring into the sky.

“hehehe. In the end, even the spirits have knelt before the chief’s majesty. Congratulations indeed!”

“hahahaha. Flattery is severe! But it’s not entirely wrong, so I’ll specially forgive you!”

When a mouse-like creature approached and flattered him, Rekthar bared his teeth, pleased.

However, he didn’t let his guard down. Rekthar knew well how cunning and crafty the spirit Oneton was.

At the moment, he had handed over control of the beasts due to his own mistake and personal grudges, not because Oneton was flawless. If Rekthar made a mistake, it would be easy for Oneton to seize the opportunity.

“I can’t let it happen that way!”

Though he couldn’t fully dominate the shortcomings because of Oneton, Rekthar was quite skilled as a warrior.

Surviving numerous battles following his brothers and father since childhood was evidence of that.

To Rekthar, Wendygo had at least one weakness.

“Surround the forest as wide as possible. Deploy the beasts first to find the village and simultaneously launch attacks. I don’t know why, but the forest spirits are protecting humans.”

“Is that… really true? Honestly, it’s hard to believe.”

“… I don’t believe it either, but it happened.”

Even the warriors who believed in and followed him gave him doubtful looks, but Rekthar was convinced.

Why else would he try so hard to save people unless there was a reason?

Whether it was an ancient pact or an extraordinarily skilled sorcerer binding through a contract, there was undoubtedly a reason to protect humans.

‘Even spirits can’t stop an army alone.’

As wide as possible, spreading to strike multiple villages simultaneously, the spirits would also be thrown into confusion.

Of course, he thought that the forest people would rebel, but Lektar didn’t care.

Could his men, who had lived their whole lives on the battlefield, face off against seasoned warriors and bloodthirsty packs of beasts?

“Chief. We have deployed the warriors as widely as possible.”

“Good. Send in the prepared units first!”

Lektar was confident. He had a somewhat impromptu plan, but it was his own.

Lektar watched as the warriors entered the forest.

From now on, what mattered was not being afraid of the problems they faced and being quick-witted.

But…

“Chief! We have a big problem! The path is blocked by tamed trees and rocks!”

“… What?”

Encountering a problem from the beginning was something Lektar hadn’t anticipated.

Lektar’s face contorted in disbelief.

* * *

The ghost village where no one lives.

Wendigo had turned this place into a forward base and was preparing for battle.

In the midst of the busy movements of the warriors, Geron approached Wendigo to report.

“I will report. The tribes that accepted our proposal are blocking the road and on the move.”

“Excellent. They must have been quite startled.”

“Yes. If they don’t know the forest people’s strategy, they’ll be greatly surprised.”

At the edge of the world, where people live like a forest bearing the nickname ‘World’s End,’ most find themselves cornered here, quite literally as the name suggests.

Naturally, being dubbed losers and their descendants is reason enough for people to scorn them, but that was a misconception among those ignorant of the truth.

From the start, these seemingly feeble individuals couldn’t survive in this harsh, extreme forest.

They were strong and wise individuals. Even now, they proved to be.

In a situation demanding retreat, they, in order to confound their enemies, pushed trees and thrust rocks beyond the norm.

Considering the already difficult-to-traverse forest turned into a mess, the enemies would struggle to find their way, facing hardships.

Moreover, everything in the village was either burned or carried away when they fled. So, even if the enemies managed to reach the village, there would be nothing to gain.

‘Even thinking about it, I really hate fighting. Enduring so much suffering without gaining anything.’

Warriors of this era literally lived by the sword.

Originally, there were almost no cases where warriors went crazy for fighting just because they were battle enthusiasts. Most just wanted to strike it big with a single swing of their sword.

But what if there was nothing to gain? Naturally, discontent would accumulate. If you stake your life in a fight and get nothing in return, even a Buddha would feel discontent.

Of course, for now, they were a tribe, enduring discontent with patience and hoping for the future…

“There’s no way they’ll get what they want. Gerun, slowly mobilize the warriors.”

“What about Lady Skadi?”

“You oversee her. Even though Lady Skadi is quite tomboyish, there’s nothing we can do about worrying.”

“hahahaha. Lady Skadi, a tomboy? It’s hard to believe such a kind and gentle lady would be like that.”

“…”

Gerun chuckled as if it was a mischievous joke.

Though she occasionally showed signs of madness, Skadi was fundamentally a woman who liked people and was a kind lady.

A lady like her being a tomboy? Gerun was confident that she had never even caught a single beast.

When I first met Skadi, I should tell the story… No. It’s better to think about Skadi’s image.

Finding out that Skadi was one of the people killed by the pushing force made Geron somewhat curious about what expression she would make, but Wendygo barely managed to hold back.

“Caw~!”

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A large crow flew in and perched on Geron’s shoulder. It was a creature growing among the forest people like a front-line fortress.

Geron skillfully untied the leather attached to the crow’s leg and checked its contents.

“It’s a good start. They’ve given up breaking through the passage and started moving on the path we lead.”

“Good. Then let’s meet later. Wait for my signal at the rendezvous point.”

With those words, Wendygo’s figure disappeared into the forest.

Geron glanced in the direction where Wendygo had disappeared for a moment, deep in thought.

“I don’t know who the guys facing the Spirit Lord are, but they seem pitiful.”

Thinking that if it were him, he would just surrender or run away, Geron moved to carry out Wendygo’s orders.

… It was a bonus that Skadi, who couldn’t send off Wendygo, felt a twinge.

* * *

“Clang! Clang clang!”

“Roaaar!”

“Move a bit more quietly. You damn beasts!”

It was good to enter the forest with beasts in the front, but the warriors of the Blue Mane Tribe couldn’t help but laugh.

The first problem was the absence of a proper road. Of course, for the Blue Mane Tribe who ran through the plains, a rough path wasn’t that big of a problem.

The real issue was that the forest path was not just rough but beyond the level of ‘Can this be called a path?’ It was so messy that one might question if it could even be considered a path.

No, it would have been better if there was at least a path that could be used.

The places that could be considered as roads were ruined by the forest people’s carelessness, making them unusable.

Naturally, in this situation, even the nomadic people renowned for their equestrian skills had no choice but to walk on foot.

It was an unavoidable situation, as even a slight mistake could lead to being sent to the afterlife along with the horse.

The beasts that Oneton had provided might be rideable, but…

“I can’t imagine what trouble we would get into if we tried to ride them.”

“If they bite off our legs, we’ll go straight to the gods.”

There were no inexperienced warriors here who would entrust their lower bodies to the servants of the spirits.

Who knows what the beasts would do if someone foolishly mounted them?

“Damn it. How the hell do people live in a place like this?”

“It’s cold and gloomy, and it’s disgustingly eerie. The plains may not be a great place to live, but compared to here, it’s like heaven.”

“Is that the problem right now? There’s nothing to plunder, goddamn it. Why did the chief decide to attack this place…”

The warriors nodded with faces full of dissatisfaction.

The second problem was that this forest… there was really nothing to loot.

The few villages they discovered were all filled with broken houses, and there was not a single usable item.

Not even expecting to find iron, the fact that they didn’t leave behind any food was a venom that surprised even the warriors who had lived by plundering all their lives.

“Maybe they’re descendants of the defeated. Why are they running away so fast?”

“I want to go back to the plains…”

“Hey, be quiet and move!”

As the warriors’ grumbling grew louder, the commander, Bokun, shouted. It was clear that if they continued like this, the warriors’ dissatisfaction would only increase.

However, shouting was not a good solution. The warriors’ eyes looking at Bokun were far from friendly. If we were to argue, Bokun was the one who had witnessed the attack on the forest, so it was only natural.

Oneton bestowed blessings upon several warriors in exchange for the offerings, including his close followers who followed Lectar, as well as others.

Among them were the nobles who had obtained Oneton’s blessings by offering Ayang to him. They were a fairly effective means for Oneton to gain control over the tribe.

Bokun was one of them. As evidence, Bokun had the characteristics of a bear shaman, but the traits of a bear were even more pronounced.

Naturally, the warriors did not like those who betrayed the tribe and sought refuge with the spirits.

“That damn guy. Causing a fuss with the Ayang he obtained from the spirits.”

“Who wouldn’t teach that bastard a lesson?”

As the discord between factions grew, it was only natural for tensions to rise between them.

Bokun and the warriors glared at each other, engaging in a standoff, and the atmosphere grew increasingly hostile.

The final straw was about to be added…

“Bokun. The fog is starting to set in.”

“Address me as the Great Warrior. And yes, I know! Do you think my eyes are merely decorations?”

In response to a warrior’s remark, Bokun shouted in anger. Was he supposed to stop just because he was afraid of the fog?

Bokun, who had intended to beat up the warrior as an example, suddenly stopped and hesitated as something flickered beyond the fog.

Shaaack!

The flickering emitted a sharp sound and flew towards Bokun.

When the flickering, halfway towards him, reached Bokun, he recognized its true nature.

A transparent, massive spear made of ice!

“I can’t dodge it!”

Bokun instinctively realized that he couldn’t avoid it and raised his right arm. As soon as he realized it was too late, he went into a defensive stance.

His right arm was protected by a sturdy wooden shield, bear leather, and strong muscles, so he could block the spear…

Quadduk!

The ice spear shattered the shield and pierced Bokun’s arm in an instant.

The bear’s leather and tough muscles were of no use. The sharp spear blade pierced through his arm and dug into Bokun’s chest.

The intense cold that pierced his heart caused Bokun’s lips to instantly turn blue, and he took his last breath.

Bokun’s heavy body thudded to the ground, and a chilling mist passed through the warriors.

Instinctively, the warriors drew their weapons and aimed towards the direction the spear came from.

Through the swirling mist.

Something was watching them.