Return of the Dead.
Thanks to acquiring a fine mount, the journey became far more comfortable.
Leaning back against a luggage sack as if it were a backrest, Woojin yawned. What an easy life. If he just sat still and dozed off, the spider would run to the destination on its own.
Arwen seemed impressed by the situation as well.
"Surprisingly smooth ride, isn't it?"
"Yeah."
Riding the spider was far more comfortable and stable than expected. It even felt more comfortable than a carriage.
The spider's eight legs stepped forward in alternation. The motion was so smooth that it resembled fingers tapping piano keys.
"Kitt, kyaaat."
The spider suddenly let out a questioning sound. Woojin translated its meaning for the party.
"It says this area's dangerous, so hold on tight."
"Dangerous?"
What could possibly be dangerous?
Just as Arwen was about to ask, the spider pushed through the bushes and stepped out of the forest. What greeted them immediately was a massive canyon. A bottomless-looking precipice stretched out before their eyes.
The spider lifted its body slightly, then raised its rear and aimed toward the opposite cliff.
Pyuut—!
Spider silk shot out from its rear. It flew with force like an arrow, then stuck to the far side of the canyon and tightened like a drawn clothesline.
A thin strand of silk now connected the two cliffs. Seeing this, a chill ran down Arwen's spine.
"You're not… planning to cross on that, are you?"
A bad premonition is rarely wrong.
The spider began tightrope walking. The silk swayed precariously whenever the wind blew. Arwen and Coco were overcome with fear.
"O-oh…"
The terrified priestess and the squirrel clung tightly to each other, praying for this dreadful moment to pass quickly.
To Woojin, the sight was absurd.
"Hey. You two can fly, you know."
Arwen had moth wings, and Coco was a flying squirrel to begin with. Even if an accident occurred and they fell, the two of them would be safe.
When he pointed that out, Arwen and Coco blinked at the same time… then quietly sat back down comfortably.
'What a pair of weirdos.'
They really did act like a set menu.
Looking closely, they actually had quite a few things in common. Both were timid, and Arwen had mild albinism—her skin pale and her hair silver. A similar shade to Coco's silver fur.
Perhaps because of that, Arwen and Coco had started sticking together at all times.
'It's nice to see them getting along.'
It was a good thing for the party's bonds to grow stronger. Thinking that, Woojin scanned the surroundings.
He needed to scout ahead and identify potential threats. The other two could glide if something went wrong, but if Woojin fell, he'd simply plunge straight down the cliff.
'Even if I fall, I probably won't be seriously hurt.'
He could say that with confidence. He had recently fallen from a place far higher than this.
Still, climbing back up from that cliff would surely be a nuisance. So Woojin sharpened his gaze and diligently surveyed the area.
Before long, he spotted a crow loitering in the distance. It was enormous—large enough to snatch up an ostrich.
Seeing it, Woojin gripped his throwing spear. It was a weapon carved from a bull's leg bone.
'It's quite far.'
Even if he threw the spear, it would be difficult to hit from that distance. If it came closer, he would throw it then.
Woojin was readying himself inwardly, but the crow did not attack. It simply stared at them intently before suddenly flying off beyond the horizon.
An anticlimactic end.
Not surprising. Bird-type demonic beasts were particularly wary of spiders.
'If spider silk tangled in their wing feathers, they'd lose their ability to fly… They can't help but be cautious.'
They crossed the canyon without major difficulty.
After that, similar situations repeated. Whenever they encountered impassable terrain, the spider used its silk to create new shortcuts.
It was an extremely useful ability. They could advance toward their destination along the shortest route without detouring around long paths.
"Here."
As a reward for its efforts, Woojin occasionally tossed it a beast core. The spider accepted them without hesitation, snapping them up eagerly.
Woojin voiced a question that had been on his mind.
"Why is the Spider Queen trying to help me? Do you know anything about it?"
"Kiiit."
It didn't know.
Even the spider couldn't understand what its queen was thinking. Nine Roses was a being with a notoriously fickle personality.
'I'll have to go meet her in person.'
Before, he couldn't understand a single word Nine Roses said. But now that he had gained the ability to communicate with spiders, he should be able to converse with her.
Honestly, he wanted to go see her immediately and talk things out, but—
"Kiiit."
The spider spoke as if troubled.
To have an audience with the queen, one must receive an invitation. The spider couldn't unilaterally bring Woojin's party before Nine Roses. That would be disrespectful to the queen.
Woojin quickly let go of the idea.
'The circumstances aren't right. I'll go later.'
He didn't really have the luxury for it anyway.
They had already delayed long enough. It wouldn't do to stray down another path here. Rather than stir up unnecessary trouble, it was best to return to the Order Alliance.
When the time came, Nine Roses would invite Woojin—just as she had sent this spider before.
"We've rested enough. Let's get moving again."
"Yees."
They continued their journey together.
A few days later.
In the distance, an artificial structure came into view. A stone wall built from large boulders. Rough and primitive in construction, but solid and sturdy.
It was a familiar structure to Woojin.
'The Gnoll Gate.'
They had returned to the territory of the gnoll tribe.
Much earlier than expected. It was all thanks to the spider demonic beast's hard work.
Its acceleration ability, its silk-made shortcuts, and its diligence combined to allow them to escape the deep region at an unbelievable speed.
"Kirrok."
The spider let out a cry and waved its front legs from side to side. The meaning behind the gesture was—
"Heading back now?"
The spider nodded.
Its assigned mission was complete. It now had to return to its kingdom and report to Nine Roses. A slightly regretful but inevitable farewell.
"Let's meet again if we get the chance."
"Kiiit."
After exchanging brief farewells, the spider scurried busily northward.
It was time for each to return to where they belonged. Woojin leisurely advanced toward the gate. Hearing the approaching presence, a gnoll warrior soon appeared atop the stone wall.
Savage muscles and shaggy brown fur. And wrapped around his lower body, a leopard pelt.
It was a familiar face.
"Rogar. It's been quite a while."
Woojin greeted him with a grin. The gatekeeper, Rogar, widened his eyes in shock.
"... G-Guardian? You were alive?"
"As you can see."
Clearly flustered, Rogar hurried down from the gate and personally opened the doors, as though he had just encountered a ghost.
Woojin questioned him.
"Don't tell me the allied forces concluded that I was dead?"
"Well… officially it was listed as missing, but in truth, everyone concluded you were dead."
"To think I'd die over something like that…"
Absurd.
As Woojin muttered, Rogar hesitated before carefully replying.
"... Could they really think otherwise? Please consider what happened back then."
In the past, Woojin had been dragged into the sky alongside a dragon. Amid roaring thunder, he had flown endlessly northward.
He's dead.
Everyone on that battlefield had thought so. Even the gnoll queen, Krnartash, had found it hard to deny that conclusion.
'…When you summarize it like that… yeah, it is strange that I came back alive.'
Feeling slightly awkward, Woojin scratched the back of his neck and patted Rogar's shoulder for no particular reason.
"Just show me the way. I should at least report my survival to Krnartash."
"Yes, understood."
Rogar readily obeyed.
After temporarily handing over his gatekeeping duties to his adjutant, Rogar returned. Watching him, Woojin grew curious.
"Weren't you originally the gatekeeper of the southern pass?"
Rogar had been in charge of the southern canyon gate. How had he ended up posted to the eastern gate?
Rogar answered without hesitation.
"I handed that gate off to someone else. There was simply too much work—it grew tiresome."
Recently, traffic through the southern gate had increased significantly. Allied forces passed through so frequently that the threshold nearly wore down.
Even during Woojin's absence, the Order Alliance had maintained close ties with the gnoll tribe.
"A great deal has changed while you were gone, Guardian. You'll be quite surprised."
"How much could it possibly have changed?"
When Woojin replied dismissively, Rogar gave him a meaningful smile.
Soon, the gnoll city came into view.
Rows of brick buildings lined up neatly. Smoke from cooking fires curled lazily from chimneys. The structures were all large, clearly built to suit gnoll stature.
A grand cathedral, taverns, and even a gambling hall with a massive roulette sign. Roads branched out in multiple directions between the various buildings.
Woojin blinked like a fool.
'…What is this?'
It had only been half a year. Yet it looked as though an entirely new city had been constructed.
Rogar guided him with a grin.
"This way leads to the chieftain's residence."
"Ah… right."
Woojin moved almost reflexively, continuously glancing around as he walked. Arwen and Coco, equally astonished, were busy taking in the sights.
Arwen muttered to herself.
"It's far more impressive than the city I used to manage. I thought I put a lot of effort into mine."
"It wasn't originally like this."
How had it turned into this? The cognitive dissonance was intense. It almost made him suspect the spider had guided them to some strange alternate land.
Suddenly, laughter echoed nearby.
"Stop right there!"
"You'll never catch me—!"
A young gnoll ran off, laughing brightly. Chasing behind was a human boy sprinting with all his might.
Gnoll and human children playing tag together.
Woojin stopped and quietly watched them.
"…A lot really has changed."
There was no denying it.
Just then—
The children seemed to sense his gaze and turned their heads. They stared at Woojin, then their eyes widened.
"Th-that! The statue!"
"Right? I thought so too!"
The two shouted excitedly before dashing off somewhere.
Woojin frowned in confusion.
"Rogar. What's with the kids?"
"You'll understand in just a moment."
Rogar replied cryptically.
What was he about to show this time? Impatient as ever, Woojin quickened his pace.
Then he saw it.
At the center of the city stood a fountain. In front of it was a large statue.
A hunter holding a machete.
It looked strangely familiar.
"…That's Jin, isn't it?"
Arwen asked cautiously.
Woojin could only blink.
There was even a plaque attached to the statue.
[In honor of Jin, the demonic beast hunter who led harmony with the gnoll tribe.]
"…I'm not even dead yet."
He had nothing else to say.
READ MORE CHAPTERS HERE : https://beastnovels.com/