Chapter 93

Chapter 18. The One-Horned Tribe (3)

The voice had a slight roughness to it.

It sounded like that of an old woman who had lived a long life, with a hint of curiosity and mischief mixed in.

"So, you're Edo, the one that child spoke of... Hehe. You've brought an interesting child. Indeed, you must have made quite a commotion."

The voice carried a slight trace of laughter.

"Anyway, if you're a guest, we'll meet soon. I'll see you later, interesting child."

The voice left those words and quietly disappeared.

Yeonwoo was wondering who the owner of the voice could be when Yanu, who had been running frantically, caught up to him.

"Ugh! What's going on! Where did you go?"

Yanu's face was clearly panicked, as if he had thought he had lost Yeonwoo.

"Fortunately, I managed to get out. If I had been caught up in it, I would have been trapped in the formation forever..."

"I came out because I saw a way out."

"Huh?"

Yanu, not understanding Yeonwoo's words, asked with a dazed expression.

"I came out because I saw an easier way, so there's no need to worry."

"..."

Yanu opened his mouth wider and muttered.

"What... a monster... unbelievable..."

* * *

The Ho Ho An Wu Jin was a formation that had long isolated the one-horned tribe's village from the outside world.

While it was not comparable to the mystical techniques of formation masters, it was still a high-level formation.

And yet, he had just broken through it on his first encounter?

Yanu couldn't help but call Yeonwoo a "monster."

Ever since he saw the three-meter egg, Yanu had felt that Yeonwoo was not just another person.

But regardless of that...

Yeonwoo, without even glancing at Yanu, was crossing the main road in the center of the village.

'I thought the one-horned tribe would be different, but it's not much different from a typical rural village.'

Yeonwoo was surprised by how ordinary the village looked, contrary to his expectations.

He had thought that in a village known as the "strongest clan," everyone would be focused on martial arts training.

The village looked no different from a typical rural landscape.

A long road stretched out, with wide rice fields on either side, and people were working in the fields, wearing hats to shield themselves from the sun.

On the hill, there were small huts made of stacked wood.

In the yards, children were running around energetically, and smoke was rising from the chimneys of the houses.

It had a peaceful, rural atmosphere.

The only unique aspect was that everyone had horns and wore distinctive clothing.

Loose-fitting clothes, like those worn by Pant and Edo, that seemed like they would hinder movement but didn't seem to cause any inconvenience.

'Maybe, in a place like this, it's the opposite.'

Then, Yeonwoo realized that the villagers had stopped their work and were staring at him blankly.

They say that when you go to a group of monkeys, humans become the zoo animals.

Unlike in the tower, Yeonwoo, armed with armor and a black mask, stood out here.

"Hey? Is that a human?"

"Looks like a player. Did someone say someone was coming today? Did anyone hear that?"

"No, I didn't hear anything."

"But the mask... Oh! Didn't Yanu say he was running an errand for the princess?"

"Oh, right?"

"Oh. So that's Edo's...?"

"That's right."

The villagers, who had been chatting among themselves, suddenly started to sparkle with interest.

'Do they know me?'

Yeonwoo felt that the villagers recognized him.

Their gazes were quite familiar, the kind of looks he had received from Yanu—looks of affection.

'What have they heard about me?'

Yeonwoo, seeing faces he had never seen before, couldn't understand how they could treat him this way.

As he moved deeper into the village, the rumors about the visitor spread, and more one-horned tribe members gathered to watch Yeonwoo.

"Oh."

"Indeed...!"

"Is he strong?"

"He must be. They said he's strong, right?"

"Even with the mask, his eyes are intense. His physical balance is well-maintained, and his aura is neatly controlled. He's something, isn't he?"

Yeonwoo felt like he was in a zoo, slightly frowning.

Some were even evaluating him, and among the young people, some were openly showing their competitive spirit.

But there was something else that was really drawing people's attention.

The three-meter egg floating in the air, following Yeonwoo.

"But... what is that?"

"It looks like an animal egg. Maybe a幻兽蛋...?"

"That's impossible. I've never heard of such a thing among magical beasts."

The villagers were busy debating the nature of the egg.

Whether it was a幻兽蛋 or just an artifact, the main question was what it was.

To the long-time residents of the tower, Yeonwoo's egg was a mysterious and unprecedented event.

'But is this village really facing an urgent situation? Everyone looks so relaxed.'

While having these thoughts, Yeonwoo followed Yanu to the center of the village.

A large house, which looked ordinary but was different in scale, where a familiar face emerged.

"Brother!"

Edora, who had already received news from Yanu, rushed over as soon as she saw Yeonwoo.

Yeonwoo, who had been annoyed by the continuous gazes, finally relaxed his expression.

"Have you been well?"

"Yes, of course. I'm sorry for disappearing without a word. I thought we would be back soon, so I just stepped out for a moment."

"You had your reasons. It's understandable."

Yeonwoo lightly patted Edora's shoulder.

Edora's eyes widened slightly at his calm demeanor but soon smiled warmly.

"Wow, it's really amazing. A human who can make our Ice Princess smile."

"Doesn't this prove what Pant said?"

"There must be quite a few young ones who can make her smile. Hehe!"

Edora gave the villagers, who were busy chatting and laughing, a slight glare.

The villagers, while subtly turning their gazes, continued to smile.

From this, Yeonwoo could get a sense of the one-horned tribe's atmosphere.

Even though they were divided into royalty and commoners, there was no noticeable class difference. The atmosphere was free and easy.

But within this freedom, there was a strict adherence to etiquette.

Royalty and warriors each maintained their own strict code of conduct.

Discipline within autonomy.

They were as thorough in controlling themselves as they were in their arrogant nature.

Moreover,

'They are all very skilled at controlling their aura.'

Despite their ordinary rural appearance, each one was a powerful warrior.

Especially their skill in mana control indicated that they could use mana efficiently.

Or, beyond that, it seemed like they had a certain 'method' for handling mana smoothly.

'As if they have a formation within them...'

Yeonwoo's idea that mana circuits could be handled like formations was actually being implemented, making his eyes sparkle.

"Ho. So this is the visitor who came this time. The human that our daughter and son praised so much, are you?"

While Yeonwoo and Edora were talking, a middle-aged man appeared, leading a large group of people through the crowd.

Beside him were Pant and other village elders, as well as guards with swords at their waists, walking with a dignified air.

But,

'He's big.'

Among the many people, only the one at the center caught Yeonwoo's eye.

It seemed he had just finished working in the fields, with sand and dust all over him and a slightly sunburned face.

He was carrying a plow on one shoulder, covered in sand.

He had the appearance of a friendly neighborhood uncle, the kind you might see anywhere in the countryside.

'...He's strong.'

As soon as their eyes met, Yeonwoo felt a heavy pressure on his shoulders.

It was a different feeling from when he first met Bahal.

'No, it's on a completely different level.'

While Bahal gave the impression of standing tall and dominating everything,

The middle-aged man gave the impression of being the only one in the world.

Despite the many people around him, their presence was not felt.

If Bahal was a mountain, the middle-aged man was the sky.

You might have the courage to climb a mountain, but the sky makes you think you can't even try.

Moreover, deep in his playful eyes, something was hidden.

Something like a fierce beast.

It was currently well-behaved, but the moment it came out, it would tear everything apart.

Yeonwoo's mana circuit, sensing the beast's gaze, automatically activated to protect his body.

This man was,

'The Martial King.'

The chief and king of the one-horned tribe, known for ushering in a new golden age for the tribe.

And,

One of the 'Nine Kings' who, without the Eight Clans, were said to be at the pinnacle of the tower.

The Martial King was a person who hid a beast within his smile, always living a leisurely life but always looking for an opportunity to pounce.

Though there was no significant interaction, it was clear from a distance that he was an extraordinary person.

And he thought,

For a tribe known for generations as strong, to be praised for ushering in a new golden age,

How strong must he be?

At that moment,

The Martial King suddenly smiled widely at Yeonwoo.

Yeonwoo, without realizing it, took a step back.

He felt as if he had met the 'beast' in the eyes that had been watching him.

It made his spine tingle.

"Wow! Did you see that?"

"..."

"This is really something, isn't it? After all, he's the one who passed through the formation."

The Martial King, with an interested look, stroked his chin.

At that moment, Pant, standing beside him, asked his father, the Martial King, bluntly.

"What did you see, brother?"

"There is. Something you can't see yet, like a chick."

"Ugh! Are you going to act so superior again?"

Pant scowled.

His father was a truly admirable person, but when he acted so superior, it was really annoying.

The Martial King, in response to his son's attitude, snorted.

"What can you do? It will take you a hundred years to catch up to me."

"I need to grow up faster, really! Anyway, just wait a bit. I'll definitely usurp your position. Don't drag your feet when it's time to be the old man in the back room."

"Hmm. We'll see."

"Ugh. That damn old man..."

While Pant clenched his fists and fumed,

The Martial King looked at Yeonwoo again.

"Anyway, to the point."

Yeonwoo was extremely tense.

The Martial King's eyes were deeply serious.

His tone was still playful, but the playful atmosphere had turned heavy, and the world seemed to be colored by his presence.

Pant, the elders, and the guards, who were nearby, were sweating and extremely tense.

The Martial King's aura, his majesty, completely dominated the surroundings.

Yeonwoo, wondering what the Martial King would say, was extremely tense.

Was seeing the 'beast' a mistake? Or was there a problem with passing through the formation?

As he focused on the Martial King's lips,

The Martial King, with a mischievous smile, said something completely unexpected.

"When do you plan to take my daughter?"