Chapter 310 (1/2)

Act 1

Drag.

Su-hyeun dragged the monster’s body on his own.

Without them actually noticing it, Su-hyeun and the wolf therianthrope had traded places. Su-hyeun was now leading and the therianthrope following.

The therianthrope couldn’t keep its eyes off Su-hyeun. It couldn’t believe what it had seen.

It stared at Su-hyeun’s body, observing how each part moved. Then it commented, “Well, he did have a bit of muscle on him, but…”

It groaned and then tilted its head.

“Okay. You got me curious,” it began to speak. “Just where exactly is your strength coming from? I don’t think you’re one of us. I mean, you’re not one of my kind.”

“Are all of your kind as strong as you?”

“My kind? That’s obvious.” The therianthrope raised its arm to flex and show off its well-toned muscles. “We rely on our bodies. We are born physically perfect and with great intellect. Our bodies are incomparable, whereas our battle, and even hunting, instincts are sharp. My kind founded a powerful tribe, and it flourished,” the therianthrope explained.

It spoke full of pride about its kind. It was proud to be part of the tribe.

But then…

“However, I am now starting to think that we are not the only strong species—strongest, if you may,” it remarked. It looked dejected. “It never occurred to me that a more powerful and intelligent species than our kind existed. I thought we are one of a kind…”

A creature so strong that it could take down an opponent twice its size feeling down?

Su-hyeun tried to keep a straight face. This wolf therianthrope must have thought that all humans were as strong as Su-hyeun.

“The species I belong to is called ‘human.'”

“Human?”

“Yes. We are small beings and weak as well,” Su-hyeun described, gesturing. He was trying to cheer the therianthrope up, but it was skeptical.

“Are you making fun of me? You’re incredibly strong. What are you talking about?”

“Yes, I’m strong, but that doesn’t mean all humans are strong. Humans are actually weak species that would be too easy to hunt.”

“Are you telling the truth?”

“Yes, it’s true. That’s why”—Su-hyeun went on as he dragged the corpse with one hand—”you don’t have to be depressed. Besides, I also think that your tribe is one of a kind.”

“Hmm…” The wolf therianthrope rubbed its chin while looking at the massive creature being dragged away by Su-hyeun. “You know, I don’t find your words convincing at all, especially when I can see you effortlessly dragging this monster with one hand.”

“Is that so?”

“In any case, I’ve learned one thing about you.”

“About me? What is it?”

“You’re a nice guy. I don’t know. You look nice.”

“Not sure whether that’s a compliment or—”

“It’s an insult,” the therianthrope cut him off. “A nice guy like you won’t survive in this place for long.”

“Is that so?” Su-hyeun smiled meekly and nodded. “Well, that might be true.”

Drag. Drag.

Su-hyeun glanced back at the monster he was dragging by its hide.

Although he discovered several monsters on his way here, none of those creatures were as large as this one. They had probably seen Su-hyeun and the therianthrope dragging a humongous monster, and the sight intimidated them that they didn’t bother to approach them.

Without a doubt, he would have to work extra hard to drag something this big in the past.

He might even have to rely on magical energy too.

But it was a different story now.

‘Why do I feel like I’ve become some creature with incredibly high physical strength and nothing else?’

Su-hyeun smirked at that thought.

The wolf therianthrope mistook him as a monster just now, but even to his mind, he had exceeded the limits of an ordinary person a long time ago.

In the next few hours, Su-hyeun, along with the therianthrope, kept dragging the carcass as he headed to the village.

While chatting every now and then, Su-hyeun and the therianthrope became more acquainted with each other.

The therianthrope commented that Su-hyeun’s name was weird before introducing its name.

Its name was Raboonta. It was a warrior too.

“There are a lot more of my kind stronger than me back in the village. I’m still too young to be officially recognized as a warrior, you see.”

“You’re actually…young?” Su-hyeun asked cautiously.

“That I am.”

“How old are you, then?”

“I’ve turned 80 this year. One has to be at least a hundred years old before it can become a warrior. Only 20 more years to go for me.”

“Eighty?”

By human standards, 80 was considered old. Yet he encountered a creature who said otherwise. He was surprised but didn’t find it strange.

‘Then again, dragons live for thousands—no, tens of thousands of years, so…’

Su-hyeun wasn’t really concerned with the life span of therianthropes. Something else was of interest to him.

‘He’s still not a warrior yet, which means…’

Therianthropes stronger than Raboonta existed.

‘Just how much stronger are actual warriors, then?’

Raboonta was undoubtedly an excellent warrior already. It was so capable that it could hunt monsters twice its size in a forest like this one.

The fact that it was aiming to become a warrior was proof of its physical and mental strength. However, Su-hyeun still couldn’t help but wonder if Raboonta was a special case that simply happened to be stronger than average.

“By the way, if you’re considered young by your kind’s standards, then why are you hunting by yourself? Shouldn’t you be accompanied by an ‘adult’?”

“It’s to find something to eat.”

“No. I mean, why are you doing it alone?”

“All because of that bastard.”

“That bastard?”

Krr!

Raboonta bared its fangs and growled. “The monster that ruined our world.”

Its reactions seemed “suspicious,” to say the least.

But before Su-hyeun could ask more questions, Raboonta spoke, “We have arrived.”

Su-hyeun already knew that there was a village in the vicinity. Even from afar, he could sense the presence of other beings.

He didn’t bother to continue with his probing. The distant view of the village captured his attention. From a distance, he could see houses made of lumber.

Judging from all the presence he sensed, the number of therianthropes living on the outskirts of the village alone could easily be around several hundred.

A dozen of therianthropes lined up to welcome Raboonta back.

As expected, they all boasted generally muscular physiques. Most of them stood on their hind legs and were three meters in height, which was about the same as Raboonta.

However, all these therianthropes were astonished to witness Su-hyeun dragging an enormous carcass. As he passed by them, they bared their fangs to intimidate him.